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The subject matter set forth in this specification relates to a method, including a corresponding system and program storage device and computer program, for defining ‘regions’, both static and dynamic, in reservoir simulation, the ‘regions’ being based on complex logical definitions which can be both statically and/or dynamically defined.
Many clients are interested in a ‘method for simulating fracturing and geomechanics’. This type of simulation can currently be attempted by altering rock and grid properties in a reservoir simulator (for instance, transmissibilities) on a user-specified cell-by-cell basis. However, the aforementioned ‘method for simulating fracturing and geomechanics’ is extremely simplistic, and very restrictive.
This specification discloses a ‘Method for Defining Regions in Reservoir Simulation’, including an associated system and program storage device and computer program, which would allow a user to define ‘regions’ in a reservoir simulator, where the ‘regions’ are based on complex logical definitions that can be statically and/or dynamically defined.
A U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,101 B1 to Wallis is entitled “Simulation Method and Apparatus”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference into this specification.
A U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,561 to Farmer is entitled “Simulation Gridding method and apparatus including a structured areal gridder adapted for use by a reservoir simulator”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference into this specification. | {
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It can often be difficult to keep some beverages and foods cold and others hot during outdoor events. Ice buckets full of ice may be used, however the ice quickly melts creating a liquid mess. The present invention features a food chilling system for helping to keep various food items and beverages cold which can help prevent food from spoiling. The food chilling system of the present invention is used for outdoor events such as picnics, camping, beach trips, or outdoor parties.
Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description and claims. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to data acquisition and analysis systems and, more particularly, to a system for real-time acquisition and analysis of a two-dimensional array of data regarding a phenomenon such as a plasma within a plasma generator including plasmas generated in semiconductor processing equipment, liquid crystal display fabrication equipment or other such equipment.
2. Description of the Background Art
In many types of substrate processing techniques, including etching, physical vapor deposition, liquid crystal display fabrication, chemical vapor deposition, and the like, the processing equipment utilizes a plasma during substrate processing. To optimize the process, the plasma must be maintained uniformly across the entire surface of the substrate being processed. To characterize a plasma and to determine particular parameters for establishing and maintaining the plasma, the plasma must be monitored in some manner while processing an actual substrate or a substrate facsimile. When the plasma is used in semiconductor wafer processing, the plasma is typically monitored while processing an actual wafer or a placebo wafer (also known as a dummy wafer).
One simple technique for monitoring the plasma uniformity within a semiconductor processing system requires placing an actual wafer in a reaction chamber of an etching system such as a model PE5000 manufactured by Applied Materials, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif. The plasma initialization and maintenance parameters, e.g., gas pressure, source power, bias power, cathode temperature, and the like, are established and then the equipment strikes the plasma. The equipment is used in a manner that duplicates utilization of the plasma to process the wafer. After the processing is complete, the wafer is removed and physically inspected to determine the uniformity of the processing. For example, if an etch process was accomplished, the uniformity of the etch is measured using a laser interferometer. The resulting physical properties of the wafer are used to approximate the uniformity of the plasma. By repeating this technique for a number of wafers using various plasma parameters, the optimal parameter set can be determined which produces the optimal plasma uniformity. However, this plasma monitoring and evaluation technique is time consuming and costly.
Another technique used to monitor plasma uniformity is to attach one or more ion current probes to a placebo or dummy wafer, position the dummy wafer in the reaction chamber, and strike a plasma. A current meter measure the current generated by each of the ion current probes as a plasma is generated proximate the placebo wafer. The current measured represents the plasma density near the probes. As such, comparing the data from a number of probe locations generally represents the uniformity of the plasma. To compute uniformity, this technique requires substantial post acquisition processing of the data collected from the probes.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a system for monitoring and evaluating a three-dimensional phenomenon such as a plasma such that a graphical representation of the phenomena is generated and displayed. Also, such display generation should be accomplished in real-time such that instantaneous analysis and optimization of the phenomenon control parameters can be accomplished. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a high-speed false twist texturing process for yarns of synthetic filaments and to the use of a certain finish for this texturing process.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Since the beginning of the eighties, fine bulky polyester yarns (PES) for such applications as clothing or furniture covering materials have mainly been produced by the so-called POY (partially oriented yarn) spinning process followed by false twist stretch texturing.
In false twist stretch texturing, a PES-POY yarn is simultaneously stretched and bulked. The bulk is imparted by intensive twisting of the yarn in its plastic state followed after cooling by untwisting. The plastic state of the yarn is achieved by passing the yarn over a contact heating rail. The twist is mainly imparted by ceramic or polyurethane friction disks (twisting unit). In recent years, the speed of false twist stretch texturing (FT) has been steadily increased (an explanation of the basic principles can be found in H. K. Rouette, Lexikon der Textilveredlung, 1995, pages 1524 to 1531 and 2180 to 2183). Up to the mid-nineties, speeds of 700 m/min to 900 m/min were normal for standard yarns. To achieve these speeds, it had become necessary to use very long heating rails ( greater than 2.5 m) generally heated with diphyl. The cooling rails also had to be increased in length to more than 1.5 m. The machines were correspondingly large and difficult to operate. At the beginning of the nineties, false twist stretch texturing machines that were far more compact thanks to the use of novel heaters appeared on the market. The length of the filament path in these machines is distinctly reduced which reduces the buildup of tension and creates the potential for increased speeds. In contrast to traditional contact heaters, of which the temperatures were between 180 and 230xc2x0 C., the new heaters operate with virtually no contact, but with temperatures of greater than 500xc2x0 C. By virtue of the very high temperatures, the new heaters could be reduced in length to around 1 m. Although the maximum speed which the generation of high-temperature machines is capable of reaching is generally 1500 m/min., it has been found in practice that speeds of 900 to 1,000 m/min. are rarely exceeded. The reason for this lies in the extremely high yarn breakage rates which occur at higher speeds. It is known that the increase in yam breakages is generally preceded by a proliferation of yarn tension peaks. Accordingly, there is an urgent need for PES-POY yarns which can be processed in the new high-temperature heater texturing machines with a distinctly reduced tendency towards tension peaks and hence to breakages.
Besides improvements in the yarns and the spinning process, the finishes which have to be applied to the yam during spinning and which mainly have a lubricating effect were also looked at with a view to optimization. EP 826 816 A2, for example, describes finishes for use in the false twist texturing of synthetic yarns which contain certain polyether compounds mixed with cyclic polyorganosiloxanes in selected quantity ratios. However, even with these finishes, it is only possible to achieve speeds of up to 1,000 m/min., especially because at temperatures of 350xc2x0 C. to 500xc2x0 C. polysiloxanes are thermo-oxidatively degraded to hard silicate deposits on the yarn guides of the high temperature heaters.
The problem addressed by the present invention was to provide finishes for the false twist texturing of synthetic yarns which could even be used under high-speed false twist texturing conditions, particularly in texturing machines with short high-temperature heaters, and which would substantially reduce the number of yarn breakages.
It has now surprisingly been found that the addition of a selected water-insoluble low-viscosity component to lubricants known per se leads to finishes which meet the desired requirement profile.
In a first embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for the texturing of yarns of synthetic filaments in which a finish containing at least one water-soluble lubricant (A) and one water-insoluble liquid (B) with a viscosity of 2 to 50 mPas at 20xc2x0 C., as measured in accordance with DIN 53015, and optionally emulsifiers and/or wetting agents and other auxiliaries is applied to the yarns in the form of an aqueous emulsion, after which the filaments are textured on the false twist principle in a machine with a short high-temperature heater.
The water-insoluble component (B) is distinguished in particular by its viscosity behavior. Preference is attributed to low-viscosity liquids with a viscosity in the range from 2 to 50 mPas, preferably in the range from 2 to 30 mPas and more particularly in the range from 5 to 25 mPas, as measured at 20xc2x0 C. in accordance with DIN 53015 using a Hxc3x6ppler viscosimeter. Water-insoluble components (B) with a viscosity of 5 to 10 mPas are particularly advantageous.
Corresponding liquids are selected, for example, from the group of water-insoluble esters of fatty alcohols containing 16 to 24 carbon atoms and/or polyols containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms and 2 to 6 hydroxyl groups with linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C6-22 fatty acids. Suitable fatty alcohols are, for example, palmityl, stearyl, arachidyl or behenyl alcohol. Suitable fatty acids are, for example, caprylic, pelargonic, capric, undecanoic, tridecanoic, myristic, pentadecanoic, palmitic, heptadecanoic, octadecanoic, nonanoic, arachic or behenic acid. Suitable polyols are, for example, glycol, diethylene glycol, glycerol, trimethylol propane or pentaerythritol. The polyols may be completely or partly esterified. The crucial factor is that the compounds should be insoluble in water and, at the same time, should satisfy the viscosity criterion mentioned above. Water-insoluble compounds in the context of the present invention are compounds of which at most 5% by weight and preferably at most 1% by weight dissolves at 20xc2x0 C. Particularly preferred water-insoluble compounds are esters of branched-chain alcohols obtainable, for example, by Guerbet or oxo synthesis with fatty acids, for example esters of 2-ethylhexyl alcohol with C16-18 fatty acids, such as 2-ethylhexyl stearate. Linear fatty acids of this cut are particularly preferred. Besides these long-chain esters, methyl esters of linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C8-22 fatty acids are suitable liquids of type (B). Dicarboxylic acid esters, such as diisooctyl sebacate, diisotridecyl sebacate and diisooctyl esters of azelaic acid, and the water-insoluble reaction products of these compounds with ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide may also be used as the liquids (B). Water-insoluble esters of thiodipropionic acid, for example with 2-ethyl hexanol, decanol or isotridecyl alcohol, and the water-insoluble reaction products of these compounds with ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide are also suitable as are the water-insoluble esters of glycol, diglycol or triglycol with C8-22 fatty acids and alkoxides thereof.
Other suitable compounds for the liquids (B) are alkoxylated fatty acid esters corresponding to formula (I):
R1xe2x80x94COOxe2x80x94(CnH2nO)mxe2x80x94R2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(I)
where R1 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C7-21 alkyl group, R2 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-12 alkyl group and n is the number 2 or 3 and m is a number of 1 to 10 and preferably 1 to 6. Particularly preferred compounds of formula (I) are those in which R2 is a short-chain alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms. The alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or ethoxylated and propoxylated, esters may be obtained by known methods, more particularly in accordance with the teaching of WO-A-90/13533. In the case of mixed alkoxides, the alkoxylation may be carried out in random or block form.
Water-insoluble low-viscosity liquids from the class of symmetrical or asymmetrical dialkyl ethers preferably containing a total of 12 to 44 carbon atoms, for example dioctyl ethers, didecyl ethers or diisotridecyl ethers, are also suitable liquids (B). Other suitable liquids (B) are dialkyl carbonates, such as diisooctyl carbonate, dioctyl carbonate or diisotridecyl carbonate. Alkoxides of the ethers may also be used providing they are insoluble in water and satisfy the viscosity criterion. Besides these compounds, other classes of compounds, more particularly poly-xcex1-olefins, for example poly-1-decenes, or mineral oils may be used as the water-insoluble liquid (B) in the process according to the invention. Generally speaking, the liquid (B) may also contain a mixture of several of the liquids mentioned above.
Besides the water-insoluble liquid (B), the finishes used in the process according to the invention contain at least one lubricant (A) preferably selected from the group of water-soluble reaction products of fatty alcohols containing 4 to 22 carbon atoms or polyols containing 2 to 6 hydroxyl groups and 2 to 6 carbon atoms with ethylene and/or propylene oxide, the reaction products having a molecular weight of 750 to 50,000. Water-soluble reaction products of glycol, ethylene and diethylene glycol or propylene glycol with ethylene and/or propylene oxide with molecular weights in the range from 750 to 50,000 are also suitable. Ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block adducts are preferably used. In their case, it is of advantage with the water solubility of the compounds in mind for the proportion of ethylene oxide groups to be at least 35% (by weight) and preferably at least 45% (by weight), based on all the alkoxide groups in the molecule. Compounds from the group of water-soluble polyether polycarbonates described, for example, in EP-0-743 992 B1 are also suitable lubricants (A).
Particularly preferred lubricants (A) contain several of the reaction products described above. Thus, in one particularly advantageous embodiment, the finish contains 40 to 80% by weight of a water-soluble reaction product with a molecular weight of 750 to 3,000, 5 to 20% by weight of a water-soluble reaction product with molecular weights of greater than 3,000 to 20,000 and at most 5% by weight of a water-soluble reaction product with molecular weights of greater than 20,000 to 50,000 as lubricant component (A). The percentages by weight are all based on the lubricant (A).
The finishes used in the process according to the invention contain the water-insoluble liquid (B) in quantities of preferably 0.2 to 15% by weight and more preferably 0.5 to 10% by weight, based on the finish as a whole. The lubricant (A) may make up as much as 99% by weight of the finish although it is generally present in quantities of 30 to 90% by weight and preferably in quantities of 35 to 60% by weight. Besides components (A) and (B), the finishes contain other optional components, more particularly wetting agents and/or emulsifiers. The wetting agents are generally present in the finishes in quantities of 3 to 20% by weight and the emulsifiers in quantities of 5 to 30% by weight.
Suitable emulsifiers are any anionic, cationic or nonionic emulsifiers. Preferred emulsifiers are those which do not leave any inorganic residues behind at the temperatures normally prevailing in high-temperature texturing heaters (i.e. 300xc2x0 C. to 550xc2x0 C). Emulsifiers completely decomposed ( less than 0.2% ash) by conventional incineration (at 900xc2x0 C.) in ceramic or platinum crucibles are particularly suitable. Accordingly, nonionic emulsifiers are particularly suitable. For example, fatty alcohol alkoxylates with molecular weights below 800, alkoxylated fatty acids, glycols or fatty amines and alkoxylated fatty amines are suitable.
The wetting agents used may be selected from any of the suitable compounds known to the expert for spin finishes. Water-dispersible and, in particular, water-soluble compounds are preferably used. Besides these auxiliaries, the finishes may contain other typical additives, more particularly antistatic agents, filament compacting agents, pH regulators, bactericides and/or corrosion inhibitors. If necessary, these additives may be present in the finishes in typical quantities. In general, they are present in total quantities of up to 15% by weight and preferably 1 to 10% by weight.
The finishes are preferably used in the process according to the invention in the form of an aqueous emulsion containing 1 to 20% by weight and preferably 5 to 12% by weight of the finish. This emulsion is applied to the yarns in the usual way, i.e. by lick rolls or a metering pump and applicator pins, after which the yarns are textured in machines with a short high-temperature heater. The texturing process is based on the false twist principle and may optionally be accompanied by stretching. The claimed process is particularly suitable for false-twist texturing units which operate with almost contactless, short high-temperature heaters. The temperature in the high-temperature heater is 300xc2x0 C. or higher in at least one zone. Accordingly, the heaters of this machine are in general only at most one meter long. Suitable machines of this type are available, for example, from ICBT (for example ICBT FTF15 E2 HT), Teijin Seiki (Teijin Seiki HTS 1500 or HTS 15V), Barmag (for example Barmag AFK) or RPR (for example RPR 3 SDS). High-speed processes in the context of the present invention are preferably those which operate at a yarn speed of more than 600 m/min. and preferably more than 800 m/min. and, more particularly, at a yarn speed of 900 to 1500 m/min.
The finishes are applied to the yarn in quantities of 0.25 to 0.45% by weight, based on the total weight, by the process according to the invention. The finishes are prepared in known manner by mixing the constituents mentioned with one another in any order in the quantities indicated above at temperatures of 18 to 35xc2x0 C. and homogenizing the mixture by any known method.
Yarns of synthetic filaments, such as polyester or polyamide, preferably POY polyester yarns, are textured in the process according to the invention. | {
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The present invention relates to static random access memory.
The key desiderata in static random access memories (SRAMs) are speed, density, and power dissipation. Power dissipation is quite important, because there are typically important trade-offs between power and speed. That is, the high-current logic elements used to achieve high speed will normally imply high power dissipation, and power dissipation per unit area puts a grave limitation on density. Thus, any circuit architecture improvement which can generally reduce power dissipation will provide substantial advantages in the SRAM art.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a circuit architecture which reduces power dissipation in SRAM memories.
The use of a power down feature in high speed static RAMs allowed the system to power up a few RAM chips on a memory board and fetch data from these chips while the rest were powered down. This allowed the duty cycle for the power dissipation to be small and therefore the average active power of the chip could be increased, thereby increasing the speed of the SRAM. Since the SRAM is asynchronous in operation, the chip select or enable signals were required to serve to initiate a read or write cycle with the currently valid address. Further improvement in sRAM access time was obtained by edge-triggered operations in the address path. This operation recognized a SRAM cycle to be asynchronous, and one that could be initiated by any address transition, if the chip was selected. The transition on any address line was detected and used to generate an internal clock to be used to precharge bit lines and allow sense amplifiers to recover to the balanced state before the next cell was decoded. The use of this edge triggered (or "address transition bus" or "X-pulse") technique is quite widespread in many state-of-the-art SRAMs, serving the purpose described above.
This approach reduces the power consumption of a chip, and therefore permits higher speed elements to be used without violating the constraints on average power dissipation per unit area averaged over the thermal relaxation time. However, even in this approach, elements are powered up for significant amounts of time when they are not actually in the signal path. For example, in a sample state-of-the-art SRAM technology, after an address transition (when the row and/or column address inputs provided at the external pins of the memory package change), it will typically take 2 to 5 ns for the address buffer to change state, 4 to 5 ns more for the row decoder to change state, and 4 to 5 additional ns before the past transistors in the row-selected memory cells in each column are open. Typically, another 15 to 20 ns will be required for the sense amplifier to change state. The column decoders require only 5 or 6 ns, after they have received the address, to raise a line connecting the sense amplifier of the selected column to the output buss. Thus, the sense amplifer is not actually in the signal path until 10 ns or so after the address buffer changes state. The column select logic is not actually in the single path until about 25 ns after the address buffer changes state. Moreover, the row decode logic is not in the signal path for more than about 10 or 15 ns after the address buffer has changed state. Thus, in the prior art all of these logic elements must be powered up during most of the read cycle, i.e., for 40 ns or more (until a first stage of the output buffer has changed state). This means that excessive power is being consumed. That is, each individual element in the signal path is being powered up for a total time which is much more than the time during which it is actually required to perform its function. While any individual element absorbs only a small amount of electrical energy during this excess power-up time, the net effect of this is that the total power dissipation of the peripheral elements is several times that required, and the average power dissipation of the SRAM (i.e., cell power dissipation plus peripheral power dissipation) is unnecessarily increased.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an SRAM wherein power dissipation in the peripheral circuits is minimized.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an SRAM wherein the power dissipation in the peripheral circuits is not substantially larger than that strictly required for power-up of each circuit element during propagation of the signals.
The present invention differs from the conventional use of the address transition detection in the use of the clock to power up the signal propagation path synchronously with respect to the signal flow and in the use of the internal critical path timing elements to synchronize the power up times with the signal flow times, thereby reducing the active power dissipation cycle to the very minimum possible without degrading the speed of the SRAM. Since the timing elements used are identical for the signal and power path, they track each other over process variations and over temperature variations. In particular, dummy elements are used (such as dummy column address decoders) to provide the appropriate delays for the asynchronous power-up signals to activate the corresponding power elements, such as the actual column decoders. By this innovation, exact matching of the asynchronous signals to the appropriate delays needed to activate the power elements are perfectly tailored. That is, process variations which may cause changes in the propagation speed of logic elements will be mirrored by the propagation speed of the dummy elements so that the asyncronous power-up signals will still be provided to the actual power logic elements at the right time.
In the presently preferred embodiment, not only is the delay used to trigger the power-up input of each circuit element separately tailored for each circuit element, but also the duration of the power-up pulse provided each circuit element is also separately tailored. That is, a one-shot constant-width pulse generator is used to provide the power-upsignal to each circuit element, and the width of the pulse provided by the one-shot pulse generator is also tailored.
According to the present invention, there is provided:
A static random access memory comprising:
an array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns; PA1 address decoder means for receiving a plurality of address bits to select a particular one of said memory cells; PA1 said address decoder comprising a row address decoder to decode bits of said address bits corresponding to a row of said array, and a column address decoder to decode bits of said address bits corresponding to a column of said array; and PA1 power-up means, connected to said address bits and to said row and column address decoders, for detecting a transition in said address bits and for powering up said row decoder first and subsequently powering up said column decoder, whenever a transition in said address bits is detected; PA1 wherein said power-up means provides a pulse having a predetermined duration of said row decoder and provides a pulse having a second predetermined duration different from said first predetermined duration to said column decoders. | {
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Hydroformylation, discovered by Roelen in 1938, has been the largest homogeneous catalytic process in industry. More than 15 billion pounds of aldehydes and alcohols per year have been produced based on Fe, Zn, Mn, Co, Cu, Ag, Ni, Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru and Ir based catalysts. In these processes, achieving high selectivity to linear products is extremely important for commercial application. Despite the extensive investigation by both academic and industrial groups such as BASF, Dow, Shell and Eastman, among others, there still remain fundamental and practical problems regarding selectivity. New concepts for controlling selectivities are very important in catalytic reactions. Highly efficient selective catalysts will allow some bulky chemicals to be produced in an environmentally sound manner under milder conditions.
Cobalt catalysts (e.g., HCo(CO)4) dominated industrial hydroformylation until rhodium catalysts (e.g., HRh(CO)2(PPh3)3 ) were introduced in earlier 1970's. In 2004, it is estimated that approximately 75% of all hydroformylation processes were based on rhodium triarylphosphine catalysts. Achieving high regioselectivity to linear aldehydes is critical for hydroformylation and related reactions. The resulting aldehydes are converted to alcohols, carboxylic acids or other derivatives, which are used as plasticizers, detergents, surfactants, solvents, lubricants and chemical intermediates.
Scheme 1 below shows the dissociation of a Rh catalyzed hydroformylation catalyst.
The successful commercialization of HRh(CO)(PPh3)2 technology has been based on the key discovery of Pruett at Union Carbide and Booth at Union oil that the use of rhodium with excess phosphine ligand can lead to forming active, selective hydroformylation catalysts. The need for excess phosphines is due to the facile Rh-PPh3 dissociation in the catalytic system as illustrated by Scheme 1. Loss of PPh3 from HRh(CO)(PPh3)2 results in more active, but less regioselective hydroformylation catalysts B and C. In the commercial process, up to an 820 fold excess of PPh3 to Rh is used to assure high linear:branch selectivity ratio, i.e., up to 17:1, for the hydroformylation of 1-hexene. Commercial hydroformylation of propylene has been run with a 400 fold excess of PPh3 to Rh with a linear:branch selectivity ratio of 8-9:1 being achieved.
Rh/PPh3 catalyzed hydroformylation is the key for making all oxo alcohols. Propylene is the largest single alkene hydroformylated to produce butylaldehyde, which can be hydrogenated to produce butanol, or dimerized by an aldol condensation and then hydrogenated to form 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, the largest single product produced by hydroformylation (over 5 billion lbs a year). 2-ethyl-1-hexanol is usually reacted with phthalic anhydride to produce dialkyl phthalic esters that are used as plasticizers to keep polyvinyl chloride plastics soft and flexible.
In the hydroformylation process, it is critical to get cheaper feed stocks for starting materials. For example, internal higher alkenes (SHOP alkenes) such as 3-octenes are desirable for converting the alkenes to linear aldehydes. Direct use of raffinate II (a mixture of n-butenes/butanes) and 1-butene and 2-butene mixtures are useful for hydroformylation. For hydroformylation of n-alkenes, it is important to obtain high linear selectivity. Hydroformylation of allylic alcohol and subsequent reduction can lead to 1, 4 butenol. Functionalized internal alkenes can be used as alternative routes to bifunctional building blocks for polymers. Hydroformylation of methyl-3-pentenoate leads to making starting materials for polyamides and polyesters. In the tandem-isomerization and hydroformylation processes, high isomerization rates combined with high selectivity towards terminal aldehydes are desirable with minimized undesirable hydrogenation reactions and minimiun isomerization towards conjugated compounds.
To overcome the need of using large excess of phosphines in the hydroformylation processes and achieve high regioselectivity, a new generation of transition metal catalysts were developed using bisphosphine ligands. For example: Bisbi by Eastman Chemical; Xantphos by Prof. Leeuwen (University of Amsterdam), Bernhard Breit, Acc. Chem. Res. 2003, 36, 264-275, Bernhard Breit, Wolfgang Seiche, Synthesis 2001, 1, 1-36); and UC-44 by Union Carbide. These ligands are illustrated below.
By using these ligands, a typical 400 fold excess of PPh3 has been reduced to a 5 fold excess of chelating phosphines. This new generation of chelating phosphines has led to high linear:branched ratios as well as to higher catalytic activities. For example, a linear to branch ratio of 70-120:1 for hydroformylation of 1-hexene has been observed. Casey and van Leeuwen proposed that part of regioselectivity in the Rh-catalyzed hydroformylation is due to metal bisphosphine bite angle around 120 degree is formed, i.e., “the Bite angle hypothesis” as illustrated below.
Despite that a number of chiral bisphosphorus ligands being used as catalysts for hydroformylation and related reactions, the highly selective, active phosphorus ligands for hydroformylation still remain an area of strong research interest. However, because of the dissociation of phosphines from the Rh—CO coordination, is a problem for achieving high regioselectivity, that is high linear to branch ratios of the products produced. Developing families of phosphorus ligands with multi-chelating coordination modes is attractive. The tetraphosphorous ligands of the present invention, because of their coordinating abilities through multi-chelating coordination modes, lead to highly regioselective transition in metal-ligand catalyzed hydroformylation and related reactions to provide high linear to branch ratios than those previously obtained. Also, the symmetric nature of these ligands allows these ligands to be prepared easily. | {
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The folding of flat sheets of a material to produce a container, such as a box, jacket or the like, has long been known in the prior art. In order to form the container by folding the flat sheet, in most cases the fold has been accomplished by tangential bending. Tangential bending occurs when a free portion of the flat sheet to be bent is progressively wrapped around the edge of a shim. In this manner, the portion of the flat sheet extending beyond the shim is approximately tangent to the edge as the fold is made.
While tangential bending has proven satisfactory in producing a wide variety of different containers, tangential bending and other prior art types of bending have not proven satisfactory for certain uses. In particular, where tangential bending is used to produce a flat jacket to contain a magnetic disk, particularly a floppy disk, the interior of the jacket tends to press down and damage the magnetic disk. This problem is due to the fact that tangential bending produces essentially a two-dimensional, wedge-shaped fold. The magnetic disk then becomes pressed between the two surfaces in the wedge. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to wireless devices as they relate to geographic information systems. More particularly, it relates to the provision of 911 services for wireless users to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).
2. Background of the Related Art
Current public safety infrastructure is heavily wedded to wireline interfaces and to the notion that every E911 caller has a street address-not simply to the notion that latitude/longitude coordinates is more amenable to the mobile phone culture of today. As a result, the E911 industry is challenged with the ability to automatically and reliably deliver location information to the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for wireless devices. This is also true for most Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) devices, which by the ubiquitous nature of the Internet are not always fixed in location.
For illustration purposes, FIG. 3 shows a conventional E911 VoIP scenario.
In particular, as shown in FIG. 3, a VoIP carrier 100 includes a call server 202 and an Emergency Services Gateway (ESGW) 204.
A service bureau 120 includes a network location information server (LIS) 206, a Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) server (redirect) 208, and a VoIP positioning center (VPC) 210. Also included in the service bureau 120 is an Emergency Services Zone (ESZ) route database (DB) 220, and a validation database (DB) 230.
Also within the network are the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 130, a selective router 140, a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) 180, an Automatic Location Identification (ALI) database 190, a Master Street Address Guide (MSAG) 195, an Internet Protocol (IP) phone 150, a provisioning system 160, and a local Location Information Server (LIS) 170.
FIG. 4 shows exemplary call flow for the conventional E911 VoIP scenario shown in FIG. 3.
In particular, as shown in step 1 of FIG. 4, a caller on the IP phone 150 dials 9-1-1; and the call proceeds to the VoIP call server 202.
In step 2, the VoIP call server 202 sends a Session Initiated Protocol: uniform Resource Identifier (SIP:URI) to the SIP Server (redirect) 208.
In step 3, the SIP Server 208 queries the VoIP Positioning Center (VPC) 210 for an Emergency Services Routing Number (ESRN) and an Emergency Services Query Key (ESQK). This is conventionally based on a fixed street address that is configured for the particular VoIP user.
In step 4, the VoIP Positioning Center (VPC) 210, via the SIP Server 208, returns the ESRN & ESQK to the VoIP Carrier 100.
In step 5, the call server 202 uses the returned ESRN to route the wireless 911 call to the Emergency Services Gateway (ESGW) 204.
In step 6, the Emergency Services Gateway (ESGW) 204 routes the wireless 911 call to the selective router 140.
In step 7, the wireless 911 call is sent to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) with the ESQK.
In step 8, the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) queries the Automatic Location Identification (ALI) database 190 using the ESQK.
In step 9, the Automatic Location Identification (ALI) database 190 queries the VoIP Positioning Center (VPC) 210 with the ESQK.
In step 10, the Service Bureau 120 matches the ESQK and returns location information.
Emergency services are most easily provided to a caller using a phone in a fixed location (e.g. a landline). For this situation, a table is created that associates an emergency service number (ESN) to each phone number. However, for a wireless phone the inventors herein realize that this approach no longer works as the location of the phone can change. Given the global positioning satellite (GPS) location (latitude/longitude) of a mobile phone (provided by the relevant cellular service carrier), the task remains to determine the emergency service number (ESN) of the closest PSAP.
Unfortunately, static tables associating phone numbers to ESNs do not work for a wireless or mobile caller, because their location is not determined merely using their phone number and a lookup in the static table. The provision of an acceptable location for a mobile device or even a VoIP device which may or may not be mobile presents a number of challenges, not the least of which is Metro Street Address Guide (MSAG) validation of their location.
Fundamentally, MSAG is a legacy requirement from PSAPs that did (and some still do) have “dumb” terminals that receive the call and display validated street address information to the call taker. In early PSAP systems, information delivery was slow and cumbersome, so the industry worked on developing a set of abbreviations that would allow an address to fit into about 20 characters.
The entire conventional call scenario depicted in FIG. 4 presumes that a database record exists that identifies the location of the customer, and that the database record exists as an MSAG-validated address. In reality, this is not necessarily the case. Nevertheless, current PSAP architectures have entire response procedures built around street addresses only, and use the street address as a key to a table for looking up the appropriate emergency response. Accordingly, the bottom line is that conventional PSAPs require that location information be an MSAG-validated street address to guarantee that the PSAP database lookup will not fail.
Wireless Phase I requirements defined by NENA provide E9-1-1 for VoIP using PSAP administrative lines. Wireless Phase II requirements defined by NENA provide E9-1-1 for VoIP across traditional 9-1-1 channels. In wireless Phase II, the location of the caller is dynamically extracted from the network. This results in a latitude/longitude (lat/lon) coordinate being provided to the PSAP. Those PSAPs which have been upgraded to handle lat/lon receive the information and display it on a screen driven by a Graphical Information System (GIS), i.e., they see a map with a “caller is here” flag or dot. Such a conventional system is suitable in PSAPs which have upgraded to handle these Wireless Phase II calls (currently somewhere north of 40% of all PSAPs). However, older PSAPs still need address information, and they expect to receive an MSAG-validated address. So, for wireless, the address is given as the center of the cell site/sector which is serving the caller. Not very precise, but good enough to get emergency services in a vicinity of a wireless caller.
With Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) usage, it is desirable to apply a similar model as is done in wireless, i.e., to dynamically extract location information from the network, and present it to the PSAP. Unfortunately, VoIP systems, being based on the ubiquitous Internet, can be even more difficult to locate than a wireless device as they do not always have the luxury of a cell site/sector overlay to fall back on. In other words, a VoIP caller can make a 911 call from anywhere in the country, but there is no credible database of MSAG-validated addresses for the Internet routers to deliver the 911 call.
There is a need for a way for wireless and/or VoIP users to have the best of both worlds-provision of location information in latitude/longitude (lat/lon) coordinates to a PSAP, while at the same time providing the PSAP with an MSAG-validated street address location. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Taxes on consumption and indirect taxes related to the sale of goods and services are levied in practically every country of the world, as are direct taxes on income and capital. Some examples include the following:
United States of America (U.S.A.)
In the U.S.A., each state is empowered to levy its own state sales tax; each county in each state is also empowered to collect taxes related to the sale of goods and services, such that in the U.S.A., there are more than 7500 separate tax collection agencies.
European Union (E.U.)
In the European Union, each member state is empowered to impose a value added tax (VAT) to be applied at every stage of the production of a commodity, and is charged only on the value added at that stage. In E.U. member states, value added taxes are known by the acronyms VAT, CAT, TVA, MWST, IVA, BTW, FPA, MOMS. When the good or service is sold, the VAT paid at earlier stages cannot be reclaimed, and the final purchaser normally becomes liable on the sale of goods and services, at different rates for different goods and services, with different standard rates in different states. The trader must remit VAT on goods sold to the tax collection agency, but the transaction process is burdensome and complex, as any VAT paid by the trader on purchases may be reclaimable.
In Ireland and the United Kingdom, tax on income may be collected at source by the employer in a “pay as you earn” system, where the employer performs the tax transaction with the tax collection agency. Banks are empowered to collect tax at source on interest earned by depositors. As in other countries, income and capital taxes may also be remitted directly by the taxpayer to the tax collection agencies.
Canada
In Canada, a value added tax called GST is imposed.
Australia
In Australia, as well as income taxes and taxes on goods and services, there is a fringe benefits tax and a capital gains tax. The latter is paid on any capital gain or profit made when an asset is sold for more than was paid for it, whether by an individual, company, trust or fund manager.
South Africa
South Africa has a national system of tax revenue generation, with no state, county, or local taxes. National taxes include value added taxes (VAT), sales and import taxes, customs and excise, and income taxes. A skills levy tax at 1% of payroll is collected by employers, but despite the fact that a majority of employers are eligible to reclaim 80% of the total paid, many do not go through the effort of completing the process.
General Remarks:
Indirect taxes may be levied for different types of sale transaction, such as wholesale (business to business), retail (business to consumer), or when importing goods and services (foreign seller, local buyer). Further excise taxes, levies and duties may be imposed on the sale of goods such as alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and petroleum fuels, and services such as bookmaking on bets.
In general, the burden of compliance and of collecting such indirect taxes falls upon the seller, who also has to remit the tax to a tax collection agency in a separate transaction, at a different time from the original sale transaction.
If the seller is located or domiciled in one state or tax jurisdiction, and the buyer is located in another, the local sales tax at the buyer's location may not be applicable to that sale transaction. The buyer may or may not be liable to a “use tax” or to an import tax, depending upon both the buyer's and the seller's location. In other instances, both the buyer and the seller may each be liable to pay an element of tax in relation to a particular transaction. The particular good or service may be subject to a reduced tax, or be tax exempt so a tax on that sale may not be applicable. All of this places a very considerable bookkeeping and accounting burden on the seller to collect and remit the correct amount of taxes. With interstate commerce, and especially with e-commerce, there is the problem of determining the venue of a transaction, whether a transaction involves a taxable event, and then calculating the applicable taxes for that sale transaction, which can involve considerable complexity.
There will be the inevitable trend for businesses offering goods and services for sale via the Internet to domicile their operations in a location which minimizes liability, or legitimately avoids liability on the seller to collect and the buyer to pay any tax associated with the sale transaction. For example, for many years traditional mail order businesses in the U.S.A. have legitimately located their domicile or nexus in the state of Rhode Island, the smallest state by size and of relatively small population as compared to the rest of the United States of America, such that their customers located in the other 50 states do not pay any local state sales tax. Such a model may easily be followed by a legitimate on-line business operation, even from an offshore tax haven, since on-line retailers likewise do not require to be physically located anywhere near their customers. This has already happened with on-line betting firms, to avoid government taxes on payout of winnings. Governments and revenue agencies around the world recognize such a trend as a potential tax drain, of considerable magnitude. Sales tax may be a state's biggest source of tax revenue in the U.S.A. and VAT accounts for an average of 40% of Europe's tax revenues.
It is accepted by these authorities that, as the volume of e-commerce increases, goods and services sold over the Internet cannot be allowed to avoid such an important tax. Conventional “bricks and mortar” retailers are also put at an unfair price disadvantage. The principle is established that a tax may be levied on a good or service sold electronically, at the rate prevailing in the country where the consumer is located. However, the Internet makes it harder to pinpoint the identity and location of individuals or businesses engaged in taxable activities. A domain name may give no clue as to the physical location of a site. Furthermore, when anonymous digital cash is introduced, potential taxpayers will become even harder to identify. In reality all of this poses not only a legislative difficulty, on an international scale, but also a considerable technical problem in how to integrate the electronic calculation, collection and remission of taxes with the sale transaction itself, in a manner which effectively removes the actual burden of tax collection from the seller. Nevertheless, it ought to be possible to design and implement a more efficient method and means of calculation and collection of the tax or commission element of a sale transaction, in the context of electronic commerce. This is an object of the present invention.
Advances have been made in the development of electronic commerce protocols providing safe mechanisms for performing an electronic sale transaction, such as Secure Electronic Transactions (SET), Secure Key Internet Protocol (SKIP), Secure Socket Layer (SSL). In inter-application cooperation recent developments include the Joint Electronic Payment Initiative (JEPI), and the Java Electronic Commerce Framework and the Gateway model of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
However, such mechanisms only provide for a means of secure payment from the buyer to the seller. Electronic sale transaction mechanisms known in the art in general have addressed a transaction between two parties, a seller and a willing buyer. If the sale price includes a simple commission for a third party, and/or a sales tax to be remitted to a third party, that element of the transaction remains to be carried out or completed in a separate and later transaction, by the seller. What appears to the buyer of a good or service to be a straightforward transaction, is in fact from the seller's point of view not really a single transaction.
Software exists for the calculation of U.S. sales taxes such as that offered by Taxware, Vertex, and TaxBay. Each of these companies provide tax calculation, and in some cases, tax payment software. Such software is useful in automating the correct calculation and application of U.S. sales taxes, and in facilitating correct returns of taxes to be made to the relevant tax collection agencies. Payroll software systems enable calculation and remission of income taxes on behalf of employees in “pay as you earn” systems, in the U.K. for example. However, the process of remitting returns used in order to calculate taxes due is still an entirely separate operation, and existing tax calculation software only simplifies to an extent the collection of such taxes, which is still ultimately the seller's or taxpayer's responsibility. In addition, the automated payment of taxes continues to be handled as an entirely separate operation as well. No existing software provides an integral solution, which completely automates the calculation, collection, and remission of a tax at point of sale, which may even be in real time, in a taxing event transaction between two parties (e.g. buyer and seller, employer and employee) and in a consequent tax remit transaction with a tax collection agency, whether in an e-commerce environment or in a conventional retail or business environment. There are considerable technical challenges from a software engineering viewpoint, in designing such an integral solution, involving the highest levels of security, massive amounts of data throughput, dynamic data tables to instantly reflect changes in tax rates, etc., and scalability to a truly global system for e-commerce and Internet applications. It is an object of the present invention to provide software modules including objects which embody instruction code and data structures to enable just such an integral solution, including real time tax collection, which modules may be distributed in a pervasive manner, such as via the Internet in multiple server locations, as a downloadable client module, embodied in multiple hardware devices such as smartcards, electronic tags, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.
Many Internet business models have so far been based on the principle of disintermediation, removing a conventional middleman activity entirely from the chain of commerce. On-line selling of items such as books, which are shipped directly from wholesaler to consumer, cutting out the retailer, is one example. The offering of insurance and loan products direct from financial institutions to consumers, cutting out a conventional brokerage service, is another example. However, some embodiments of the present invention use the opposite approach and seek to address the economic and technical problems discussed above, by providing a different model which reintermediates the tax collection process, in effect by providing a new trusted third party or government-certified intermediary to perform the calculation, collection and remission of the tax element of a sale transaction in the background, as part of the sale transaction, on behalf of the seller, or the buyer, as the case may be. The trusted third party may be embodied as a new tax collection service provider operating a centralized tax transaction server system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, or may be embodied as a novel distributed software module downloaded by a client for performing a combined sale and tax transaction directly by the client in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. In yet further embodiments, in instances where it may be only necessary to remit taxes to a tax collection agency by specified dates in the year, for example as with income and capital taxes, tax payments for an individual taxpayer may be made to an intermediary bank account after automatic calculation and deduction, where the taxpayer may access and modify the account before the tax due date, and where the tax collection agency may be authorized to directly debit the account at the tax due date.
Other embodiments of the present invention follow the disintermediation model to its extreme, by removing all intermediary activity and permitting the tax element of a sale transaction to be remitted to a tax collection agency instantaneously with the sale transaction of a good or service itself, in real time, at point of sale. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an electronic device having a tactile sensation presenting function of presenting a tactile sensation in response to a user's operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are conventional public terminal devices with a touch panel (e.g., ATMs or automatic ticket vending machines, etc.). Personal devices with a touch panel (e.g., tablet PCs or smartphones, etc.) have also been increasing.
A touch panel is an input device for detecting a touch on the panel as an input. Typically, a touch panel includes a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, etc. In such a case, a touch panel is referred to also as a touch display or a touch screen. For example, a touch panel detects a user's touch on a GUI object (e.g., a button) displayed in the display area.
A user interface using such a touch panel is advantageous in that it is highly flexible in terms of the arrangement of GUI objects. However, user interfaces using touch panels provide a weaker sensational feedback when a button is pressed, as compared with a user interface using conventional mechanical buttons. Therefore, there is a problem in that when a user touches the touch panel, it is difficult for the user to know whether or not the touch has been detected properly. In order to solve this problem, a method has been proposed in the art, in which a tactile sensation (haptics) is presented by vibrating the touch panel in response to a touch (e.g., Patent Document No. 1 (Japanese National Phase PCT Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-527791)).
Patent Document No. 1 (Japanese National Phase PCT Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-527791) discloses a tactile multi-touch technique in which the vibration is maximized at a particular one of positions touched by fingers of a user while reducing or minimizing the vibration at the other ones of the positions.
This technique is directed to a tactile touch panel that gives a tactile sensation to a user by flexural vibrations generated from a plurality of vibration sources, in which a tactile sensation can be generated only on a particular one of a plurality of fingers of a user touching the panel by maximizing the amplitude of a flexural wave at a particular position while reducing or minimizing the amplitude at the other positions by controlling the plurality of vibration sources. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to the field of vehicle devices, and, more particularly, to a tracking and alerting system for a vehicle.
Motor vehicles, such as passenger cars, trucks, busses, fleet vehicles, etc. are widely used and knowing the locations of such vehicles is often desired. For example, should a vehicle be stolen, it would be beneficial to know the vehicle""s location so that authorities could be promptly and accurately directed to retrieve the vehicle. Indeed, the tracking system could plot the getaway path of the thief.
For a company with hired drivers, it may be desirable to know the driver""s whereabouts during the course of the day. Similarly, a rental car agency or other fleet operator, for example, may wish to know the whereabouts of its fleet of vehicles.
It may also be desirable to track the location of a vehicle as it is used throughout the course of a normal day. For parents of younger or older drivers, for example, knowledge of the vehicle""s location may provide some assurance that the driver is at designated locations and following a prescribed route.
A number of patents disclose various systems and approaches to tracking vehicles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,844 discloses a tracking system including a control center and a mobile unit installed in the vehicle. The mobile unit may send security warnings to the command center via a wireless transceiver. Position information for the vehicle is determined using a GPS receiver at the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,043 discloses a similar system which may send one or more preprogrammed telephone messages to a user when away from the vehicle. The user may remotely access location information or cause certain commands to be carried out by entering a personal identification number (PIN).
The widespread availability and use of the Internet has prompted a number of vehicle tracking systems to also make use of the Internet. For example, TelEvoke, Inc. proposed such a system in combination with Clifford Electronics. The system was to provide notification, control and tracking services via the telephone or the Internet. Users could be notified via phone, e-mail, or pager of events such as a car alarm being triggered. Users could control the vehicle remote devices via phone, web, or PDA such as unlocking car doors. Additionally, users could track TelEvoke-enabled vehicles on the Internet or via the telephone. An Internet map could be viewed by the user showing the actual and prior vehicle locations. TelEvoke offered its services via a centralized fully automated Network Operations Center. To reduce the communications costs, it was proposed to use the control channel of the cellular telephone network.
Many conventional vehicle tracking units include many input and output connections. Accordingly, such units may be difficult to install in a vehicle. This is especially so since the space available to access and connect to vehicle wires is likely to be restricted. Accordingly, errors in the initial installation may occur. Accurate diagnosis of any such errors may be time consuming and add further to the installation costs. Maintenance of an installed system may also be complicated if each connection must be individually checked and rechecked.
Another problem which may be encountered with vehicle tracking units is that tracking may not be possible when the wireless transmitters/receivers, GPS devices, etc., used therein experience fault conditions. Such fault conditions may be the result of poor signal reception or electrical failure, for example. One prior art approach to addressing fault conditions is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,204 to Timm et al. This patent is directed to a vehicular emergency message system which collects vehicle position information using a GPS device and transmits this data to a response center via a cellular communications network. Upon turning on the vehicle ignition, the system performs a self-diagnostic check which includes GPS and cellular component diagnostics and, if any fault condition is detected that prevents proper operation of the system, then a message indicative of the fault condition is displayed.
One limitation of the above approach is that since component diagnostics are performed only at vehicle start up, if it is desired to test for poor signal reception as a fault condition then such a system may provide unwanted error messages. That is, poor signal quality may only be a temporary condition that exists at the location where the vehicle was parked, and which will be remedied after traveling a short distance. Moreover, it may not be desirable to have a fault condition message automatically displayed when a fault occurs, as this may alert a would-be thief that the system is not available to track the location of the vehicle once stolen.
In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle tracking unit which provides relatively accurate fault condition diagnosis and related methods.
This and other objects, features, and advantages in accordance with the present invention are provided by a vehicle tracking unit which may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller. The controller may cooperate with the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device for sending vehicle position information to a monitoring station. The controller may also monitor operation of the vehicle, determine a fault condition of at least one of the vehicle position determining device and the wireless communications device based upon a failure thereof over a predetermined pattern of vehicle operation, store the fault condition, and permit retrieval of the stored fault condition.
More particularly, the vehicle may include an ignition, and the controller may monitor the ignition for operation of the vehicle. Further, the predetermined pattern of vehicle operation may include a series of successive operations of the ignition, with each operation of the ignition being for greater than a time threshold. The series of successive operations of the ignition may be greater than two, for example. Also, the time threshold may be about 15 minutes.
The vehicle may also include an ignition switch, and the controller may permit user retrieval of the stored fault condition based upon selective operation of the ignition switch. In addition, the controller may permit remote retrieval of the stored fault condition from the monitoring station. An indicator may also be connected to the controller to provide a local fault indication based upon retrieval of the stored fault condition. By way of example, the indicator may include at least one of an audible and a visual indicator. Furthermore, the controller may determine and store fault conditions of both the vehicle position determining device and the wireless communications device, and the local fault indication may correspond to either the vehicle position determining device, the wireless communications device, or both.
Additionally, the vehicle position determining device may be a wireless vehicle position determining device, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, for example. Also, the fault condition may advantageously be based upon a received signal strength, and the wireless communications device may be a cellular telephone communications device.
A method aspect of the invention is for diagnosing fault conditions in a vehicle tracking unit in a vehicle, as briefly described above. The method may include monitoring operation of the vehicle, determining a fault condition of at least one of the vehicle position determining device and the wireless communications device based upon a failure thereof over a predetermined pattern of vehicle operation, storing the fault condition, and permitting retrieval of the stored fault condition. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nonreciprocal circuit device and, in particular, to a nonreciprocal circuit device, such as an isolator or a circulator, used in microwave bands.
2. Description of the Related Art
A nonreciprocal circuit device, such as an isolator or a circulator, has known characteristics that allow for transmission of a signal in a predetermined direction and not in a reverse direction. Because of these characteristics, for example, the isolator is used in a transmitter circuit of a mobile communication device, such as an automobile telephone or a cellular phone, for example.
Generally, this type of nonreciprocal circuit device includes a magnet assembly composed of ferrite provided with a center electrode and a permanent magnet for applying a direct current magnetic field thereto and a predetermined matching circuit element composed of a resistor and a capacitor.
International Publication No. 2006/080172 describes a 2-port isolator in which a coupling capacitor is connected between an input port and an output port for making insertion loss low. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-211373 describes a 2-port isolator in which a coupling inductor is connected between an input port and an output port for the same purpose. Although it is possible to obtain preferable insertion loss with these isolators, attenuation of unnecessary waves, such as second and third harmonic waves, is not considered or addressed in the prior art isolators. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Electrochemical energy storage involves a conversion between chemical and electrical energy and specifically includes chemical changes produced by electricity and the production of electricity by chemical changes. A chemical reaction on a product or products results in a new product or products. The difference standard Gibbs free energy can be used to determine the theoretical energy provided by a storage cell that uses a particular chemical reaction. If the chemical reaction is reversible or partially reversible (e.g., by applying an electric field to the cell), the cell can be considered rechargeable. Rechargeable cells allow for repeated discharge and charge cycles. The cycling behavior (e.g., storage capacity degradation during such cycling) can therefore be an important consideration.
Rechargeable batteries offer unique solutions to a growing number of energy and environmental issues. Many of these issues can be addressed by increasing battery energy storage efficiencies (e.g., in terms of capacity/mass). Accordingly, the development of rechargeable batteries with high specific energy (energy per mass) is an important step toward solving impending environmental and energy issues. Studies have hinted at the potential for the rechargeable batteries, which are believed to have less environmental impact than disposable batteries. Moreover, over their lifetime, rechargeable batteries can also use fewer natural resources and cost less. For many applications, the convenience of rechargeable batteries is paramount.
The basic premise for rechargeable batteries relies upon the transfer of charge between electrodes of the battery in one direction for charging and another direction for discharging. Charging of a battery involves movement of ions from the positive electrode to the negative electrode. This ionic movement is tied to electrical flow through a charge path of the battery (due to an applied voltage). Storage of energy occurs due to the ions combining with a material that makes up part of the negative electrode. When the battery discharges, the lithium ions move back to the positive electrode. This ionic movement is tied to the electrical flow through the discharge path of the battery (due to an applied load).
For all the promise of rechargeable batteries, there is room for improvement, and the ever-evolving technical landscape is generating demands on battery capabilities that are increasingly difficult to meet. One such demand relates to light batteries with high energy storage capabilities. Preferably, the high energy storage capacity should persist overtime and over multiple recharge cycles. Other demands relate to cost, safety, size or weight.
Li-ion batteries are believed to have the highest specific energy of all rechargeable batteries. Existing lithium-ion batteries are based on LiCoO2 cathodes and graphite anodes. This leading Li-ion battery technology is based on intercalation reactions and is believed to be limited to a theoretical specific energy of ˜370 Wh kg-1 for both the LiCoO2/graphite and LiFePO4/graphite systems. Notwithstanding, safety remains a major problem due to concerns arising from the formation of lithium dendrites during cycling, which can penetrate the separator and lead to thermal runaway. The separator can be implemented using a film-like material, made of electrically insulating polymer (e.g., polyolefin). The function of the separator is to inhibit electrons from flowing directly from anode to cathode so that they instead travel through an (external) discharge path. Penetration of such separators can lead to rapid discharge and overheating. Thus, separator penetration is to blame for thermal runaway events that sometimes result in explosive conditions. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to drum brakes for motor vehicles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mass loaded drum brake shoe for attenuating objectionable noise from emanating from drum brake assemblies while in use.
2. Disclosure Information
Drum brake designers have directed significant effort toward reducing the generation of objectionable noise generated during braking application. Recently, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,512, some of this effort has been directed to examining the contribution of the internal brake shoe to the generation of this noise or squeal. The '512 patent discloses non-uniform stiffening and reinforcing of the brake shoe to shift its natural frequency beyond that of the frequency of the objectionable noise being generated. Practicing this involves accurately placing several reinforcements between the brake shoe web and the table, or alternatively utilizing new blanks for the table to provide upturned flanges.
It would be desirable to reduce the objectionable noise generated by brake shoe in a drum brake assembly without requiring new blanks for the table or requiring precision positioning and welding of reinforcements at the intersection of the web and the table. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Computers and computing systems have affected nearly every aspect of modern living. Computers are generally involved in work, recreation, healthcare, transportation, entertainment, household management, etc. One particular area of computer technology that has seen exponential growth is in relation to large data processing. Technologies have sought to find more efficient and more accurate ways of dealing with tremendous volumes of data. For example, Information Retrieval (IR) systems such as search engines and Questions and Answering (QA) systems have been broadly implemented to retrieve information.
One exemplary source of large amounts of information is contained in electronic messages which are sent for work and personal correspondence. Electronic messages, however, pose unique challenges to data management and IR. For example, data within electronic messages is generally only pertinent and readily accessible by the parties included in the communication threads. Additionally, the resulting data tends to comprise small cells of information that comprise low information density and that lack context making them difficult to analyze for some machine learning approaches that rely on large bodies of data to provide reliable accuracy.
Implementing a computer system that is capable of intelligently processing conversational data is associated with several significant technical problems. For example, many conventional systems suffer from a lexical gap. Lexical gap exists when the words within a statement having different forms share the same meaning. For example, simple examples such as “how to get rid of stuffy nose?” and “how to prevent a cold?”, are both associated with the same concept and resulting answer, but both questions are composed of significantly different words. While human minds are easily able to identify the common solution to both questions, computer-based systems are presented with significant technical challenges in identifying the commonality.
An additional technical challenge that is presented to computer systems relates to polysemy. Polysemy occurs when a word reveals different senses as the context changes. For example, the word “apple” may refer to a “computer company” or a type of “fruit” according to its context. Similar to the lexical gap problems, this is a problem that human minds are naturally able to overcome, but computer-based systems have significant challenges it distinguishing between the meaning of words based on context.
Another technical challenge relates to word order within statements. For example, sometimes two questions express totally different meanings though they have same words. For example, the sentences “does the cat run faster than a rat?” and “does the rat fun faster than a cat?” comprise the same words but have very different meanings.
Yet another technical challenge relates to data sparsity. When training a computer system to properly identify context, conventional systems utilize large data sets. In some cases, though, a large dataset may not be available, or a large dataset may dilute the actual desired dataset. As such, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods that are capable of accurately relying upon small datasets.
In view of the above, there exists a need to have an IR system that retrieves content from electronic messages and that quickly and accurately analyzes and stores the information for later use. In particular, there is a need for systems and methods of accomplishing this task despite the low information density and sparse context associated with electronic messages. The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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For more than a decade, it has been conventional to operate control apparatus during delayed shutoff after the ignition of an engine has been switched off in order to provide for specific conditions which are advantageous for a renewed start of the engine and the further operation thereof. These conditions include especially a monitoring as to whether conditions are present with respect to the engine which require a hot start. It is conventional to burn off the hot wire in the delayed-shutoff phase on internal combustion engines having a hot-wire air-flow sensor. For this purpose, a method is available developed over a decade ago according to which the wire is not burned off with the same intensity in each delayed-shutoff phase to increase its operational life; instead, an intense burn-off operation always takes place only after several weaker burn-off operations. Furthermore, it is possible in the delayed-shutoff phase to statistically evaluate data from the previous operating cycle in order to obtain, for example, adaptation values for improved further operation.
All known delayed-shutoff methods operate in such a manner that for ending all delayed-shutoff functions, the time span elapsed since switch-off of the ignition is measured and delayed-shutoff functions are terminated after pregiven time spans have elapsed. At the beginning of the delayed-shutoff phase, all functions are started such as the following: time measuring functions for the hot start, the burn-off of a hot-wire air-flow sensor, the displacement of the throttle flap in the event that the latter is electrically controlled from a completely closed condition into such a position in which the throttle flap cannot become jammed and the statistical evaluation of data and the like.
It has been shown that there are always cases, although fortunately few in number, wherein experiments have shown that, when the engine was operated without a delayed-shutoff phase, it is easier to start the engine again than if the delayed-shutoff functions had been performed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Currently, a spray coating process is widely used on a commercial basis. The most distinguished characteristic of the spray coating process lies in that a high melting point ceramic or metallic material is spray-coated on a base material through rapid phase transition, enabling coating to a thickness of several micrometers to several millimeters when conditions of an operating process are optimized, and enabling 3D coating during spray coating of various base materials. The spray coating process exhibits high reliability in the field of chemical resistance and abrasion resistance on the basis of the excellent properties and is widely adopted in various fields including aerospace, semiconductors, mechanical ships, and so on. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The invention relates to a hydraulic system used in an industrial vehicle, and in particular a materials handling vehicle or forklift truck. Examples of forklift trucks include reach trucks and turret trucks.
Forklift trucks are used in the transportation of goods and materials in a wide variety of applications. A fundamental characteristic of a forklift truck is the ability to lift and lower a load. Similarly, in order to improve efficiencies of transportation, additional load handling functions may be employed to adjust the position of the load after it has been raised. These functions, including lifting and lowering, are typically controlled by hydraulic systems that use hydraulic pressure that provides an operating force. The hydraulic system includes a pump and motor to generate the hydraulic pressure and corresponding hydraulic flow that operates mechanical devices performing the hydraulic functions.
An operator of the forklift truck is typically seated or standing in an operator cabin that includes any number of operator controls. Some of these operator controls control the hydraulic functions, including lifting and lowering the load. Other hydraulic functions may include side-shifting the load or tilting a mast, for example.
Hydraulic systems have a finite level of hydraulic fluid and hydraulic pressure that may be utilized in operating the hydraulic functions. For example, an available hydraulic fluid level may be limited by the size of a hydraulic reservoir. Similarly, the hydraulic pressure may be limited by the size of the hydraulic pump. Performance of the hydraulic functions can be reduced if the operator attempts to operate more than one hydraulic function at the same time, or the hydraulic system may instead restrict operation to one function at any given time. In either case, efficiencies of operation are negatively impacted.
The present invention addresses these and other problems associated with the prior art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
By virtue of the progress in information communication networks and the like such as the Internet in these few years, each user can now easily access network information through individual-oriented terminals employing a cellular phone or the like.
In such information communication, information is transmitted through digital signals. It is now possible to obtain copied music and video information transmitted via the aforementioned information communication network without degradation in the audio quality and picture quality of the copy data, even in the case where the copy operation is performed by an individual user.
Thus, there is a possibility of the copyright of the copyright owner being significantly infringed unless some appropriate measures to protect copyrights are taken when any content data subject to copyright protection such as music and image information is to be transmitted on the information communication network.
However, if copyright protection is given top priority so that distribution of content data through the disseminating digital information communication network is suppressed, the copyright owner who can essentially collect a predetermined copyright royalty for copies of a copyrighted work will also incur some disbenefit.
In the case where content data such as music data is distributed through a digital information communication network as described above, each user will record the distributed data onto some recording apparatus, and then reproduce the data using a reproduction apparatus.
Such recording apparatuses include, for example, a medium that can have data written and erased electrically such as a memory card.
As the apparatus to reproduce distributed music data, the cellular phone per se used to receive such data distribution can be employed, or when the recording apparatus such as a memory card is detachable from the apparatus that receives distribution, a dedicated reproduction apparatus can be used.
In the case where distribution of content data such as music data is to be received through a digital information communication network, particularly through a radio communication network, the communication may be cut off before the music data is completely distributed depending upon the state of the communication line. In the case where encrypted content data which is an encrypted version of content data is decrypted and reproduction information required for reproduction is to be distributed, any disruption in communication during distribution of the encrypted content data can be mended by establishing connection again and continuing data reception. Since the accounting process towards the user is carried out simultaneously in distributing reproduction information, the user will request retransmission of the reproduction information after connection is established again with respect to such disrupted communication. However, reproduction information should not be retransmitted incautiously in response to a request from the standpoint of protecting the rights of copyright owners. However, if retransmission is not conducted, the user will not be able to obtain the reproduction information even though the accounting process has been effected. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Over the past decade, the number of communication endpoints associated with a user has changed dramatically. Previously, a user would only have communication endpoints that are only associated with a single number. For example, the user would have a home phone and/or a work phone, each with a different number. Today, the user may have multiple communication endpoints associated with a single address of record (e.g., a phone number). When a request for a communication session is initiated to the address of record, the communication session may be forked to each of the communication endpoints associated with the address of record.
Forking a communication session may cause bandwidth allocation issues. For example, if there is currently 100 kilobits per second (Kbps) of available bandwidth on a network and a voice call that takes 50 kilobits is forked to three communication endpoints, the system will try to allocate 150 Kbps of bandwidth, which is more than is available. This can result in the communication session being dropped or in one or more of the forked calls to be dropped. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) and a driving method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to an LCD having an improved response speed of liquid crystal (“LC”) molecules therein, and a driving method of the LCD.
(b) Description of Related Art
A liquid crystal display (“LCD”) is one of the most widely used flat panel displays. An LCD includes two opposed panels provided with field-generating electrodes such as pixel electrodes and a common electrode, and a liquid crystal (“LC”) layer interposed between the two panels. The LCD displays images by applying voltages to the field-generating electrodes to generate an electric field in the LC layer, which determines orientations of LC molecules in the LC layer to adjust polarization of incident light.
Among the LCDs, a vertical alignment (“VA”) mode LCD, which aligns LC molecules such that the long axes of the LC molecules are perpendicular to the panels in the absence of an electric field, is often employed because of its high contrast ratio and wide reference viewing angle, which is defined as a viewing angle making a contrast ratio equal to 1:10 or as a limit angle for the inversion of luminance between the grays.
The wide viewing angle of the VA mode LCD can be realized by cutouts and/or protrusions on the field-generating electrodes. Since the cutouts and the protrusions can determine the tilt directions of the LC molecules, the tilt directions can be distributed into several directions by using the cutouts and the protrusions such that the reference viewing angle is widened. A patterned vertically aligned (“PVA”) mode LCD using the cutouts may substitute an in-plane switching (“IPS”) mode LCD, and is thereby recognized as a wide viewing angle technology.
Meanwhile, the LCD is widely used for television sets as well as for display devices for computers, and it is necessary to display a moving image. However, since the response speed of the LC molecules is slow, it is difficult for the LCD to display the moving image.
Due to the slow response speed of the LC molecules, until a voltage charged in an LC capacitor reaches a target voltage, that is, a voltage capable of obtaining a desired luminance, an amount of time is required. The amount of time is varied based on the previous charged voltage of the LC capacitor. Thus, when a difference between the target voltage and the previous charged voltage is large, the voltage charged in the LC capacitor does not reach the target voltage for one frame after application of a data voltage corresponding to the target voltage.
Thus, to shorten the time for reaching the target voltage, a dynamic capacitance compensation (“DCC”) method has been proposed. The DCC method uses the fact that the response speed of the LC molecules increases as a voltage applied across both ends of the LC capacitor becomes larger.
A data voltage applied to a corresponding pixel (although a difference exists between the data voltage and the common voltage, for convenience the common voltage is assumed as “0”), which is higher than a target voltage is applied, to shorten the time for reaching the target voltage.
However, to use the DCC method, a frame memory is necessary for storing image signals for one or two frame, and thereby the manufacturing cost is increased. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fused ring 4-oxopyrimidine derivatives.
2. Related Background Art
In living creatures including mammals, histamine, an endogenous factor with physiological activity, functions as a neurotransmitter and has far-reaching pharmacological effects (e.g., Life science, Vol. 17, p. 503 (1975)).
From immunohistochemical research, it has become clear that histaminergic (production) soma are present in the tubercle mammillary nuclei of the posterior hypothalmic region, and histaminergic nerve fibers extend over a very large area within the brain, which suggests that histamine has many different pharmacological actions (e.g., Journal of Comprehensive Neurology, Vol. 273, p. 283).
The presence of a histaminergic nerve in the tubercle mammillary nuclei of the posterior hypothalamic region suggests that histamine plays a particularly important role in cerebral function in controlling the physiology of the hypothalmus, i.e., in waking rhythms, internal secretions, food/water intake and sexual behavior (e.g., Progress in Neurobiology, Vol. 63, p. 637 (2001)).
The fact that there are projections of histaminergic nerve fibers to regions of the brain related to maintenance of the waking state (e.g., the cerebral cortex) suggests that histamine has a role in maintaining the waking state or the waking-sleep cycle. Also, the fact that there are projections of histaminergic nerve fibers to many peripheral structures such as the hippocampus or tonsil-like complex suggest that it has a role in regulating the autonomic nervous system and emotions, control of motivation, learning and memory.
After histamine is released from cells producing histamine, it interacts with specific polymers called receptors on the cell membrane surface or in target cells, which account for its pharmacological effects and regulation of body functions. Four types of histamine receptors have so far been discovered. Histamine H3 receptors have been shown by various pharmacological and physiological studies to participate in the function of central and peripheral nerves (e.g., Trends in Pharmacological Science, Vol. 8, p. 24 (1986)), and in recent years, man and rodent histamine H3 receptor genes have been identified (e.g., Molecular Pharmacology, Vol. 55, p. 1101 (1999)).
It has been shown that histamine H3 receptors are present in the center or the presynaptic membrane of peripheral nerve cells, functioning as autoreceptors, controlling the release of histamine and also controlling the release of other neurotransmitters. Specifically, it has been reported that histamine H3 receptor agonists, antagonists or inverse-agonists regulate the release of histamine, noradrenalin, serotonine, acetylcholine or dopamine from synaptic endings. For example, release of neurotransmitters such as (R)-(α)-methylhistamine is suppressed by agonists, and is promoted by antagonists or inverse-agonists like thioperamide (e.g., Trends in Pharmacological Science, Vol. 19, p. 177 (1998)). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ester group-containing siloxane compound which can be blended with a coating composition, a binder, cosmetics or the like in order to improve its water repellency, lubricating properties and the like, and it also relates to a preparation method of the siloxane compound.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some methods for synthesizing ester group-containing silanes by a hydrosilylation of an acrylic acid ester or a methacrylic acid ester and a silane have heretofore been reported. For example,
(a) Y. KISO; J. Organometal. Chem., Vol. 50, p. 297-310 (1973), PA1 (b) I. OJIMA; J. Organometal. Chem., Vol. 111, p. 43-60 (1976), and PA1 (c) E. YOSHII; Chem. Pharm. Bull., Vol. 22 (11), p. 2767-2769 (1974). PA1 a. a siloxane compound of the present invention in which p=2 and n=0, PA1 b. a siloxane compound of the present invention in which p=2, l=0, n=0 and R.sup.2 =a methyl group, PA1 c. a siloxane compound of the present invention in which p=2, l=0, n=0, R.sup.2 =a methyl group, R.sup.3 =a butyl group and s=0, PA1 d. a siloxane compound of the present invention in which p=2, l=0, m=0, n=0, R.sup.2 =a methyl group and R.sup.3 =a methyl group, PA1 e. a siloxane compound of the present invention in which p=2, l=0, m=0, n=0, s=0, R.sup.2 =a methyl group and R.sup.3 =a methyl group, and PA1 f. a siloxane compound of the present invention in which p=2, l=0, n=0, R.sup.2 =a methyl group, R.sup.3 =A and s=0.
However, there has been no example in which the above hydrosilylation is carried out by the use of a siloxane compound in place of a silane under usual reaction conditions. In the case that the hydrosilylation is done by the use of the silane compound, several problems have been present. For example, a very specific catalyst needs to be used, and it is impossible to selectively produce a .beta.-silyl compound. Accordingly, an ester group-containing siloxane compound cannot be prepared by the hydrosilylation using the silane compound under the usual conditions.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 291980/1995 discloses a method for preparing an ester group-containing silane by the hydrosilylation of methyl acrylate and the silane. However, any technique of using the siloxane compound has not been disclosed. According to this disclosed technique, an .alpha.-silyl compound in which a silicon-carbon bond can easily react with an alcohol can be selectively produced, but a chemically stably .beta.-silyl compound cannot be selectively produced.
Because of the above situations, in a conventional case where the ester group-containing siloxane is prepared, a polysiloxane having a hydroxyl group or a carboxyl group at the terminal is used as a starting material, and an acid or an alcohol is reacted with this polysiloxane to obtain the ester.
However, the conventional preparation method proceeds via a terminal hydroxyl group-containing polysiloxane or a terminal carboxyl group-containing polysiloxane as described hereinbefore, and hence a preparation process is prolonged, which inconveniently leads to the increase of cost. Additionally, in the above esterification reaction, an acid catalyst is usually used, and owing to this acid catalyst, there is a problem that an undesirable side reaction such as the cleavage of a siloxane bond occurs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a material classification device that removes relatively heavy solid material from a stream of fluid and solid material. The device is particularly suitable for the extraction of gold from alluvial material. The solid materials are generally removed from the beds of bodies of water but may also be removed from above the water line and placed in a stream of fluid. The device, being small and generally lightweight, is suitable for use by a single individual by either placing the apparatus on the ground or partially submerging it in a body of water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many devices have been used over the years to separate materials that have a relatively high specific gravity from lighter materials. Sluice boxes, similar to that disclosed by the patent to George Gates, U.S. Pat. No. 482,241, are well known. Many of these devices contain various sieving and screening apparatus for classification of materials.
Frequently dredges are used to vacuum up material from the bottoms of rivers and lakes, which is then processed by large sluice boxes. The dredged fluid and material are passed over the sluice box classifier screens to separate the heavier solids from lighter solid material. Some classifier devices have ribbed constructions within the sluice box to capture the smaller relatively heavy particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,637,625, issued to E. Shaw, discloses another type of device that is used to clean and classify sand particles. The device uses a series of chambers to collect various sized particles.
Notwithstanding the current art, it remains clear that there is a need for a lightweight device that can be used by an individual to separate and capture the heavier desirable solid materials from lighter materials. In addition, the larger sluice boxes frequently are inefficient and fail to capture much of the heavier material, permitting that material to be washed through the sluice box to be lost as a part of the outflow. Therefore, it also remains clear that there is a need for an efficient device that can be used in conjunction with existing sluices and dredges to refine and separate the desirable material from the outflow of those dredges and sluice boxes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to an electronic device and an operation method thereof, and more particularly to a handheld electronic device and an operation method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the computer and the mobile phone have become indispensable electronic devices for modern people. As the electronic industry is rising and flourishing, the handheld electronic devices, such as the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), Smart phone, Tablet PC, and Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC), each of which is provided with functions of computer and mobile phone, are sequentially presented to the market.
The handheld electronic device can be operated by using the stylus or finger to click the touch screen or by using the navigation key directly. Since the handheld electronic device is small in size, the handwriting input or the virtual keyboard input is used for text input in order to save the space for accommodating the physical keyboard.
On many handheld electronic devices, the virtual keyboards are miniature versions of standard-sized Qwerty keyboard in appearance and shown on the touch screen of the handheld electronic device. It is common for users to input text by tapping a virtual keyboard built into the operating system of the handheld electronic device and then to click the touch screen by using the stylus. However, some letter arrangements, symbols, and characters are not placed on the default virtual keyboard. Users have to switch layout modes by pressing a predefined button on the present layout screen. When the text for input includes the Chinese characters, English letters and even the symbols, the frequency of switching layout modes becomes higher and switching layout modes in this manner is a dull and boring task for the user. Thus, it makes the text inputting complex. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to metal panels having a system of internal tubular passageways disposed between spaced apart portions of the thickness of the panel. Said panels possess utility in heat exchange applications wherein a heat exchange medium is circulated through said passageways. A particular application of said panels resides in devices utilizing solar energy, and specifically, solar energy absorbing devices for elevating fluid temperature.
It is well known that the radiation of the sun can be collected as a source of energy for heating or cooling or for direct conversion to electricity. Heating and cooling depend upon collection of rays of solar energy in a fluid heating transfer system. The heated fluid is pumped or allowed to flow to a place of utilization for the thermal energy it has acquired.
In certain areas of the world, solar energy is the most abundant form of available energy if it could be harnessed economically. Even in more developed areas of the world, the economic harnessing of solar energy would provide an attractive alternative to the use of fossil fuels for energy generation.
One of the problems attending the development of an efficient system for the conversion of solar energy resides with the structure and design of the solar energy absorbing device, or solar collector. This solar collector generally comprises a rectangular plate-like structure possessing channels or passageways for the circulation of the energy absorbing fluid medium. Conventionally, these panels have comprised a pair of opposed expanded passageways, known as headers, which are placed at opposite ends of the panel, and are connected by a plurality of tubular passageways which are often in parallel relation with respect to each other. These passageways, as well as the headers themselves, have generally been disposed at right angles with respect to each other and in parallel relation with respect to the horizontal and vertical dimensions, respectively, of the panel.
The aforementioned configuration suffers from certain deficiencies in that the parallel relation in which the connecting portions are often placed appears to render the heat exchanger susceptible to bending or warpage under stress in the instance where the heat exchanger comprises a flat panel. This bending often occurs in both the longitudinal and transverse axes and can, in certain instances, result in blockage of one or more of the tubular passageways by a crimping effect occurring when the panel bends.
A further difficulty has been observed in the instance where heat exchangers of the type described above are employed in systems which undergo exposure to extreme temperature changes wherein the heat exchange fluid is exposed to temperatures which could cause freezing thereof. In this particular instance the units employing substantially parallel connecting portions were found to rupture during tests where fluid was placed therein and frozen, and then allowed to thaw. This type of testing is critical, as resistance to freeze-up is necessary in the event that a heat exchange system fails and fluid remains in the connecting portions. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Microelectronic substrates and substrate assemblies typically include a semiconductor material having features, such as memory cells, that are linked with conductive lines. The conductive lines can be formed by first forming trenches or other recesses in the semiconductor material, and then overlaying a conductive material (such as a metal) in the trenches. The conductive material is then selectively removed to leave conductive lines extending from one feature in the semiconductor material to another.
Electrolytic techniques have been used to both deposit and remove metallic layers from semiconductor substrates. For example, an alternating current can be applied to a conductive layer via an intermediate electrolyte to remove portions of the layer. In one arrangement, shown in FIG. 1, a conventional apparatus 60 includes a first electrode 20a and a second electrode 20b coupled to a current source 21. The first electrode 20a is attached directly to a metallic layer 11 of a semiconductor substrate 10 and the second electrode 20b is at least partially immersed in a liquid electrolyte 31 disposed on the surface of the metallic layer 11 by moving the second electrode downwardly until it contacts the electrolyte 31. A barrier 22 protects the first electrode 20a from direct contact with the electrolyte 31. The current source 21 applies alternating current to the substrate 10 via the electrodes 20a and 20b and the electrolyte 31 to remove conductive material from the conductive layer 11. The alternating current signal can have a variety of wave forms, such as those disclosed by Frankenthal et al. in a publication entitled, “Electroetching of Platinum in the Titanium-Platinum-Gold Metallization on Silicon Integrated Circuits” (Bell Laboratories), incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
One drawback with the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is that it may not be possible to remove material from the conductive layer 11 in the region where the first electrode 20a is attached because the barrier 22 prevents the electrolyte 31 from contacting the substrate 10 in this region. Alternatively, if the first electrode 20a contacts the electrolyte in this region, the electrolytic process can degrade the first electrode 20a. Still a further drawback is that the electrolytic process may not uniformly remove material from the substrate 10. For example, “islands” of residual conductive material having no direct electrical connection to the first electrode 20a may develop in the conductive layer 11. The residual conductive material can interfere with the formation and/or operation of the conductive lines, and it may be difficult or impossible to remove with the electrolytic process unless the first electrode 20a is repositioned to be coupled to such “islands.”
One approach to addressing some of the foregoing drawbacks is to attach a plurality of first electrodes 20a around the periphery of the substrate 10 to increase the uniformity with which the conductive material is removed. However, islands of conductive material may still remain despite the additional first electrodes 20a. Another approach is to form the electrodes 20a and 20b from an inert material, such as carbon, and remove the barrier 22 to increase the area of the conductive layer 11 in contact with the electrolyte 31. However, such inert electrodes may not be as effective as more reactive electrodes at removing the conductive material, and the inert electrodes may still leave residual conductive material on the substrate 10.
FIG. 2 shows still another approach to addressing some of the foregoing drawbacks in which two substrates 10 are partially immersed in a vessel 30 containing the electrolyte 31. The first electrode 20a is attached to one substrate 10 and the second electrode 20b is attached to the other substrate 10. An advantage of this approach is that the electrodes 20a and 20b do not contact the electrolyte. However, islands of conductive material may still remain after the electrolytic process is complete, and it may be difficult to remove conductive material from the points at which the electrodes 20a and 20b are attached to the substrates 10. Still another drawback with both the foregoing approaches is that it may be difficult to selectively remove conductive material from one portion of the microelectronic substrate without affecting the conductive material on other portions of the microelectronic substrate. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Metadata can generally be referred to as data that describes other data. More specifically, filesystem metadata may include descriptive information about the context, quality, condition, and characteristics of data within a filesystem. A filesystem typically includes a hierarchy of directories (or a directory tree) that is used to organize files on a computer. For example, within some filesystems, an item of metadata may describe an individual data point or content item, or an item of metadata may describe a file or collection of data, wherein the file or collection of data may include a hierarchical structure which defines the relationship between different data points within the file. In particular, metadata may include information such as the name or title, size, length, ownership, location, etc. for any data point or collection of data.
Within many filesystems, the metadata that describes the various files and/or directories in the filesystem is stored in a data structure or a series of data structures called inodes. Each inode, which is assigned a unique inode number within that filesystem, is designed to store up to a certain amount of information or metadata about the file. Further, an “inode chunk” is a collection of a certain number of inodes stored contiguously on disk. Additionally, the size of the inodes is typically set when the filesystem is created.
Over time, new features may be implemented in the filesystem software. These features may require changes or additions to the metadata contained in the filesystem's inodes. Eventually, as more additions or changes are made, there may be no space left in the inode to support desired new functionality. Therefore, in such situations, there is a need to convert metadata contained in the inodes from the existing format to another format.
Previous attempts to convert metadata have resulted in the process being unreasonably time consuming, thereby causing excessive downtime of the filesystem, or, more importantly, an inadequate uptime of the filesystem. Additionally, the integrity of the metadata may be at risk due to the possibility of failure during the conversion process.
When converting a filesystem with hundreds of gigabytes of metadata, efficiency and reliability are of the upmost importance. Filesystems can contain hundreds of millions of inodes consuming hundreds of gigabytes of disk space. Metadata storage can typically perform at most a few hundred input/output (I/O) operations per second, so the time to rapidly convert a large filesystem can become unreasonable. Since metadata objects tend to be relatively small and generally not contiguous on disk, an efficient scheme for converting metadata cannot rely on reading items one by one from disk and chasing associating structures.
Another aspect of efficiency is the amount of storage required. The conversion process should not require disproportionate amounts of new storage nor render existing storage unusable due to fragmentation.
Clearly, reliability in any metadata conversion process is also important. A filesystem with hundreds of millions of files has great value to the user. Large filesystems take longer to convert, and the greater the conversion time, the greater the risk for failure during the conversion process. Accordingly, any viable scheme for converting metadata must allow for recovery from any failures, for example, process and/or node failures, during the conversion. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Embodiments of the invention herein relate to various structures and ways of making microelectronic packages which can be used in package on package assemblies, and more particularly, to such structures that incorporate wire bonds for as part of the package-on-package connections.
Microelectronic devices such as semiconductor chips typically require many input and output connections to other electronic components. The input and output contacts of a semiconductor chip or other comparable device are generally disposed in grid-like patterns that substantially cover a surface of the device (commonly referred to as an “area array”) or in elongated rows which may extend parallel to and adjacent each edge of the device's front surface, or in the center of the front surface. Typically, devices such as chips must be physically mounted on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, and the contacts of the device must be electrically connected to electrically conductive features of the circuit board.
Semiconductor chips are commonly provided in packages that facilitate handling of the chip during manufacture and during mounting of the chip on an external substrate such as a circuit board or other circuit panel. For example, many semiconductor chips are provided in packages suitable for surface mounting. Numerous packages of this general type have been proposed for various applications. Most commonly, such packages include a dielectric element, commonly referred to as a “chip carrier” with terminals formed as plated or etched metallic structures on the dielectric. These terminals typically are connected to the contacts of the chip itself by features such as thin traces extending along the chip carrier itself and by fine leads or wires extending between the contacts of the chip and the terminals or traces. In a surface mounting operation, the package is placed onto a circuit board so that each terminal on the package is aligned with a corresponding contact pad on the circuit board. Solder or other bonding material is provided between the terminals and the contact pads. The package can be permanently bonded in place by heating the assembly so as to melt or “reflow” the solder or otherwise activate the bonding material.
Many packages include solder masses in the form of solder balls, typically about 0.1 mm and about 0.8 mm (5 and 30 mils) in diameter, attached to the terminals of the package. A package having an array of solder balls projecting from its bottom surface is commonly referred to as a ball grid array or “BGA” package. Other packages, referred to as land grid array or “LGA” packages are secured to the substrate by thin layers or lands formed from solder. Packages of this type can be quite compact. Certain packages, commonly referred to as “chip scale packages,” occupy an area of the circuit board equal to, or only slightly larger than, the area of the device incorporated in the package. This is advantageous in that it reduces the overall size of the assembly and permits the use of short interconnections between various devices on the substrate, which in turn limits signal propagation time between devices and thus facilitates operation of the assembly at high speeds.
Packaged semiconductor chips are often provided in “stacked” arrangements, wherein one package is provided, for example, on a circuit board, and another package is mounted on top of the first package. These arrangements can allow a number of different chips to be mounted within a single footprint on a circuit board and can further facilitate high-speed operation by providing a short interconnection between packages. Often, this interconnect distance is only slightly larger than the thickness of the chip itself. For interconnection to be achieved within a stack of chip packages, it is necessary to provide structures for mechanical and electrical connection on both sides of each package (except for the topmost package). This has been done, for example, by providing contact pads or lands on both sides of the substrate to which the chip is mounted, the pads being connected through the substrate by conductive vias or the like. Solder balls or the like have been used to bridge the gap between the contacts on the top of a lower substrate to the contacts on the bottom of the next higher substrate. The solder balls must be higher than the height of the chip in order to connect the contacts. Examples of stacked chip arrangements and interconnect structures are provided in U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. 2010/0232129 (“the '129 Publication”), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Microcontact elements in the form of elongated posts or pins may be used to connect microelectronic packages to circuit boards and for other connections in microelectronic packaging. In some instances, microcontacts have been formed by etching a metallic structure including one or more metallic layers to form the microcontacts. The etching process limits the size of the microcontacts. Conventional etching processes typically cannot form microcontacts with a large ratio of height to maximum width, referred to herein as “aspect ratio”. It has been difficult or impossible to form arrays of microcontacts with appreciable height and very small pitch or spacing between adjacent microcontacts. Moreover, the configurations of the microcontacts formed by conventional etching processes are limited. Despite all of the above-described advances in the art, still further improvements in making and testing microelectronic packages would be desirable. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a computation apparatus and computation therefor, and more particularly to a computation apparatus and non-linear computations therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have been commonly used because of the merit of being thin, light, and having low radiation. Although the LCDs with higher resolutions and display frequencies are being developed, the displays suffer from a bottleneck in responding to voltages applied between liquid crystal layer of the displays. FIG. 1A illustrates this bottleneck in terms of a timing diagram of gray-levels of liquid crystal molecules (LC) when an input voltage is applied to the liquid crystal molecules. FIG. 1B shows a timing diagram of the input voltages. When an input voltage of V1 is applied to the LC, the gray-level of the LC has a value of L1. When an input voltage of V2 is applied to the LC, the gray-level of the LC has a value of L2.
The response of the LC does not keep pace with the change in the input voltage applied. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, when the input voltage changes at time t1 from V1 to V2, the gray-level of the LC changes from L1 to L2. Due to the characteristics of the LC, the transition of the gray-level from L1 to L2 occurs from time t1 to t3, as indicated by a curve C1 in FIG. 1A. From time t4 to t6, the input voltage changes from V2 to V1 so that the gray-level of the LC decreases from L2 to L1, as indicated by a curve C3 in FIG. 1A. However, when the changes in the input voltage become more rapid, as in a display with higher display frequencies and resolutions, the response of the LC will be failed to keep pace with the changes due to the characteristics of the LCD, resulting in a residual effect in displaying frames on the LCD. In order to avoid the residual effect, a method of overdrive has been proposed. At time t1, an overdrive input voltage of V2′, instead of the input voltage of V2, is initially employed for driving the LC so that the change of the gray-level from L1 to L2 takes a smaller period from time t1 to t2, as indicated by a curve C2 in FIG. 1A. When the gray-level reaches L2, the voltage applied to the LC is switched from the overdrive input voltage of V2′ to the input voltage of V2. Similarly, at time t4, an overdrive input voltage of V1′, instead of the input voltage of V1, is initially employed for driving the LC so that the change of the gray-level from L2 to L1 takes a smaller period from time t4 to t5, as indicated by a curve C4 in FIG. 1A. When the gray-level reaches L1, the voltage applied to the LC is switched from the overdrive input voltage of V1′ to the input voltage of V1.
When the overdrive voltages of V1′ and V2′ are employed for driving the LC, the corresponding overdrive gray-level values can be recorded and associated with respective previous gray-level values and current gray-level values to establish an overdrive lookup table. In the lookup table, the previous gray-level values and the current gray-level values are regarded as two kinds of index values, denoted by PF and CF, respectively, and are associated with the corresponding overdrive gray-level values, denoted by OD. An overdrive gray-level value OD can then be determined according to the overdrive lookup table. For example, the previous gray-level index values PF and the current gray-level index values CF for 256 gray-levels result in an overdrive lookup table having 256 by 256 pieces of data for overdrive gray-level values OD. Since such a lookup table has a large amount of data, an overdrive lookup table of a reduced amount of data, for example, 17 by 17, is then derived to reduce the size of an overdrive data generator that includes the overdrive lookup table. FIG. 2 illustrates an overdrive lookup table of 17 by 17.
With a reduced-sized overdrive lookup table, interpolation is additionally required for determining overdrive gray-level values that cannot be directly obtained from the lookup table. FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C show three cases that require interpolation. FIG. 3A shows a first case where the previous gray-level index values PF in the overdrive lookup table contain no item matching previous gray-level data PD. For example, the current gray-level data CD and previous gray-level data PD are 64 and 180 respectively. Since the previous gray-level index values PF has no value of 180, interpolation is required for determination of a corresponding overdrive gray-level value A1 of the data CD and PD to drive the LC. FIG. 3B shows a second case where the current gray-level index values CF in the overdrive lookup table contain no item matching current gray-level data CD. For example, the current gray-level data CD and previous gray-level data PD are 70 and 176 respectively. Since the current gray-level index values CF has no value of 70, interpolation is required for determination of a corresponding overdrive gray-level value A2 of the data CD and PD to drive the LC.
In the third case shown in FIG. 3C, both previous gray-level data PD and current gray-level data CD have no corresponding items found in the previous gray-level index values PF and the current gray-level index values CF in the overdrive lookup table. For example, the current gray-level data CD and previous gray-level data PD are 70 and 180 respectively. Since the current gray-level index values CF has no value of 70 and the previous gray-level index values PF has no value of 180, interpolation is required for determination of corresponding overdrive gray-level values A1 and A3 of the data PD and then a desired overdrive gray-level value A4 according to the values A1 and A3 so as to drive the LC with the desired overdrive gray-level value A4.
FIG. 4 illustrates a conventional interpolator. The interpolator 400 includes a subtractor 401, a subtractor 402, a multiplier 403, a shifter 404, and an addition/subtraction device 405. For the first or second case where the gray-level index values F contain no item matching gray-level data D, the subtractor 401 is applied with overdrive gray-level values OD1 and OD2 that respectively correspond to gray-level index values F1 and F2 which come closest to the gray-level data D. The subtractor 401 performs subtraction of the overdrive gray-level values OD1 and OD2 and outputs the difference Q1. The subtractor 402 receives the gray-level data D and the gray-level index value F1, performs subtraction of them, and outputs the difference Q2. The multiplier 403 receives the differences Q1 and Q2 and outputs the production Q3. The shifter 404 receives the production Q3, divides it by 16, and output a result Q4 indicating the integer quotient of the division. The addition/subtraction device 405 receives the result Q4 and the overdrive gray-level value OD1, and outputs an overdrive gray-level value On for driving the LC. For the third case, three times of similar interpolation are required. For the sake of brevity, the third case will not be described in detail. Finally, the interpolator 400 in FIG. 4 achieves a conventional interpolation that can be expressed by: On=OD1±(OD1−OD2)*(D−F1)/(F1−F2).
However, the conventional interpolation obtains the overdrive gray-level value On by linear computations. Such interpolation requires a number of multiplication and addition operations, and the multipliers, notably, are complicated, time-consuming, and large-sized computation devices so that it is difficult to meet the requirement of high computation performance and compact size in implementation. Besides, the results of linear interpolation may not be the closest overdrive gray-level values as determined by experiments. | {
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In general, semiconductor memory devices for storing data are divided into volatile memory devices, which are likely to lose their data when the power supply is interrupted, and nonvolatile memory devices, which can retain their data even when the power supply is interrupted. Compared to other nonvolatile memory technologies, e.g., disk drives, nonvolatile semiconductor memories are relatively small. Accordingly, nonvolatile memory devices have been widely employed in mobile telecommunications systems, memory cards, etc.
Recently, nonvolatile memory devices having silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) structures, e.g., SONOS-type nonvolatile memory devices, have been proposed. The SONOS-type nonvolatile memory devices have thin cells which are simple to manufacture and can be easily incorporated, e.g., into a peripheral region and/or a logic region of an integrated circuit.
A SONOS-type nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to the Background Art will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The SONOS-type nonvolatile semiconductor memory device 10 includes: a silicon substrate 6 having doped source and drain regions 5; a tunnel oxide layer 1; a nitride layer 2 on the tunnel oxide layer 1; a top oxide layer 3 on the nitride layer 2; and a polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) gate layer 4 on the oxide layer 3. Together the layers 1, 2 and 3 define an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) structure 1/2/3.
In operation, electrons or holes are injected into the tunnel oxide layer 1 from the inversion region induced between the source 5 and drain 5. The nitride layer 2 is a charge trapping layer that traps electrons or holes that penetrate through the tunnel oxide layer 1. The top oxide layer 3 is provided to prevent any electrons or holes that escape the trapping layer 2 from reaching the polycrystalline silicon layer 4 during write or erase operations. The structure 10 can be described as a stacked SONOS-type cell.
When the gate electrode 4 is positively charged, electrons from the semiconductor substrate 6 become trapped in a region 7 of the nitride layer 2. Conversely, when the gate electrode 4 is negatively charged, holes from the semiconductor substrate 6 become trapped in the region 7. The depiction of the region 7 in FIG. 1 is asymmetric with respect to a vertical center line (not depicted) of the SONOS-type semiconductor memory device 10. FIG. 1 assumes a situation in which the drain corresponds to the region 5 at the right side of FIG. 1 while the source corresponds to the region 5 at the left side of FIG. 1, with the drain also assumed to be biased at a higher voltage than the source. Accordingly, electrons/holes accumulate near the higher-biased drain.
The electrons or the holes trapped in the region 7 can change the threshold voltage of the entire nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. When the gate threshold voltage reaches a predetermined level, i.e., when the current of a channel is reduced to a sufficiently low level, the programming process stops. The threshold voltage Vth is set to a value at which a bit ‘0’ can be distinguished consistently from a bit ‘1’ for data that has been retained a predetermined amount of time (rephrasing, Vth is set to a value at which a predetermined amount of data retention time can be achieved consistently).
Since an ONO structure (1/2/3) exists above the entire channel region, the stacked SONOS-type cell 10 has a high initial threshold voltage Vth (and corresponding high power consumption) and a high program current. Because of the high threshold voltage Vth and the high program current, it is difficult to embed the stack SONOS in system-on-a-chip (SoC) products which demand low power consumption.
In addition, in the stacked SONOS-type cell 10, electrons trapped in the nitride layer 10 can move laterally along the nitride layer, and thus an erase operation may not be completely performed. If programming operations and erase operations are repetitively performed, the threshold voltage Vth of on-cell (erased cell) can increase, which can reduce the on-cell current and read speed.
To address such problems, SONOS-type devices having various structures have been developed in the Background Art, e.g., the local SONOS-type cell 20 shown in FIG. 2. The SONOS-type cell 20 includes: a silicon substrate 26 having doped source and drain regions 25; a tunnel oxide layer 21 on the substrate 26; nitride layer segments 28 and 29 on the tunnel oxide layer 21; a dielectric layer 27 on the tunnel oxide layer 21; a top oxide layer 23 on the nitride layer segment 28, the dielectric layer 27 and the nitride layer segment 29; and a polycrystalline silicon gate layer 4 on the top oxide layer 23.
In contrast to FIG. 1, where the tunnel oxide layer 1 entirely covers the channel region between the source and drain regions 5, the nitride layer (not depicted, but from which the nitride layer segments 8 and 9 were formed) has had a center section removed, resulting in the nitride layer segments 8 and 9. By separating the nitride layer segments 8 and 9 (and filling the resulting gap with the dielectric layer 27), trapped electrons that would otherwise be able to migrate laterally along the nitride layer 2 of FIG. 1 are prevented from moving from the nitride layer segment 8 to the nitride layer segment 9 and vice versa. This improves the on-cell current and read speed. The separated ONO structures 21/(28 or 29)/23 are the reason for describing the SONOS-type cell 20 as a local SONOS-type cell. However, because a thick dielectric structure (layers 21, 27 and 23) exists above the entire channel region, the local SONOS-type cell 20 still has a high initial threshold voltage Vth.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another local SONOS-type cell 30 according to Background Art. The local SONOS-type cell 30 includes: a silicon substrate 26 having doped source and drain regions 25; an oxide layer 32 on the substrate 26, the oxide layer 32 having branches 34 and 38; nitride layer segments 36 formed between pairs of oxide layer branches 34 and 38, respectively; and a polycrystalline silicon gate layer 40. Each nitride layer segment 36 sandwiched between oxide branches 34 and 38 defines an ONO structure 34/36/38. The portion of the oxide layer 32 between the ONO structures is significantly thinner than the corresponding dielectric structure 21/27/23 in the local SONOS-type cell 20 of FIG. 2, which can improve (namely, lower) the threshold voltage Vth.
The operating characteristics of the local SONOS-type cell 30 can vary considerably depending on the length (L) of the overlap between the ONO structure 34/36/38 and the gate layer 40, where L is substantially the same as the length of the nitride layer segment 36. Accordingly, it is important to minimize variation in the length of the overlap between the ONO structures 34/36/38 and the gate 40.
Photolithography is used to define the length of the ONO structures 34/36/38 in FIG. 3. During the photography portion of the photolithography process, misalignment can occur, resulting in significant overlap variation.
To help depict the misalignment problem, FIGS. 4A and 4B are provided. FIG. 4A is a cross-section (of an intermediate structure produced at one stage in the manufacture of the SONOS-type cell 30 in FIG. 3) showing substantial alignment. FIG. 4B is a similar cross-section showing significant misalignment. To help convey the relationship between FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4A and 4B, regarding the arrangement of layers in FIG. 3 underneath the bracket 42, a corresponding arrangement of layers in FIG. 4 is located underneath bracket 442.
The intermediate structure 400 in FIG. 4A includes: a silicon semiconductor substrate 402; an ONO structure 404 on the substrate 402; a polycrystalline silicon layer 406 on the ONO structure 404 and on the substrate 402; and a photo resist (PR) 407 on the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 406. A gap 408 is depicted in the photo resist layer 407. The gap 408 is aligned so that when the underlying cross-hatched 410 is removed, the resulting overlap between the remaining ONO structures 404 and the gate layer 406 is substantially equal, as indicated by each overlap having the length L1.
FIG. 4B, in contrast, is a cross-section of an intermediate structure 420 according to the Background Art that corresponds to the intermediate structure 400, albeit suffering significant misalignment. The intermediate structure 420 includes: a silicon substrate 422; an ONO structure 424 on the substrate 422; a polycrystalline layer 426 on the ONO structure 424 and the substrate 422; and a photo resist layer 427 having in it gaps 428. When the cross-hatched areas 430 underneath the gaps 428 are removed via etching, the resulting ONO structures 424 will not be of the same width, as indicated by the lengths L2 and L3, where L2<L1<L3. As an example, where L1=150 nm, significant misalignment can produce lengths of about L2=100 nm and L3=200 nm. Such variation in the overlap lengths causes variation in the threshold voltages to be exhibited by the local SONOS-type cells, e.g., depending upon whether the cell has overlap L2 or L3.
A type of overlapped, but electrically separate, gate electrode architecture is known, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,388,293 to Ogura et al. (the “Ogura patent”). Background Art FIG. 5 of the present application corresponds to FIG. 11 of the Ogura patent except for using 500-series numbering rather than 100-series numbering. The overlapped but electrically separate structure 500 of Background Art FIG. 5 includes: a semiconductor substrate 510 having doped source/drain regions 521 and 522; a three-strata gate insulator 532 formed on the substrate 510; a lower gate electrode 542 formed on the gate insulator 532; another gate insulator 531 formed on the substrate 510, the side edge of the other gate insulator 532, and the side edge and a portion of the top of the lower gate electrode 542; and an upper gate electrode 541 formed on the gate insulator 531. The three-strata gate insulator 532 can be an ONO structure, namely layer 532A being an oxide, layer 532B being a nitride and layer 532C being an oxide; other combinations of materials for the three strata are disclosed as well the Ogura patent. The three-strata gate insulator 532 is self aligned with the lower gate electrode 542. The lower gate electrode 542 and the upper gate electrode 541 are electrically separated, i.e., they are not electrically connected together. Moreover, the Ogura patent teaches that the electrical potential supplied to the lower gate electrode 542 should be large while the electrical potential supplied to the upper gate electrode 541 should be as small as the gate threshold voltage. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to integrated circuit design, and more specifically to a method and apparatus for generating a glitch free output when selecting from multiple clock signals.
2. Related Art
A need often exists to select from multiple clock signals. For example, a device may operate using one of two clock signals having different speeds (i.e., clock period), with a slower clock signal typically being used to consume lower electrical power in durations of inactivity of the device. Thus, a higher speed clock signal may be used during normal operation and the lower speed clock signal may be used during periods of inactivity. Accordingly, the device may need to select from among multiple clock signals, and the selected output may be used to drive several other components of the device.
A multiplexor is often used to perform the selection operation. The multiplexor may receive several clock signals (xe2x80x9cinput clock signalsxe2x80x9d) as input and select one of the clock signals depending upon the value of a selection input. For simplicity of understanding it is hereafter assumed that the multiplexor receives only two clock signals, and the selection input accordingly is a binary number. However, the present invention may be used in conjunction with more than two clock signals provided as inputs. Depending on the state of the select signal (high or low) one of the two clock signals is selected to generate the output clock signal.
A glitch can result in the output clock signal particularly when a phase relationship does not exist between the input clock signals. A glitch generally refers to a pulse of a short duration. A glitch typically occurs when the multiplexor changes the selection in a short duration after a prior transition of the output signal.
Glitches are generally undesirable in that the components driven by an output signal may be implemented under the assumption that the output signal would only have pulses of at least a pre-specified duration. Glitches having a duration of less than the pre-specified duration can lead to unpredictable or erroneous results, and are thus undesirable.
Therefore, what is needed is a method and an apparatus which generates a glitch-free output when selecting from multiple input clock signals. In addition, it may be desirable to consume minimal electrical power when generating the output at least in environments (e.g., mobile devices operating from batteries) where minimizing power consumption is of particular interest.
A clock generation circuit provided in accordance with the present invention generates a glitch free output when selecting from among multiple clock signals. In an embodiment, the clock generation circuit selects either a faster clock signal or a slower clock signal depending on the logical value of a sleep signal. The sleep signal specifies whether the faster clock or the slower clock signal is to be selected.
The clock generation circuit may contain two AND gates, with a first AND gate passing through (gating) the slower clock signal if a first select signal is at high logical value. The second AND gate may pass the faster clock signal if a second select is at a high logical value. An OR gate performs a logical OR operation of the outputs of the two AND gates. A signal control block delays some of the select signal, the faster and slower clock signals to ensure that glitches are not generated on the output of any of the three gates (i.e, two AND gates and an OR gate) as described below.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the signal control block generates the two select signals such that at least a desired delay exists between transitions on the first select signal and the slower clock signal. Similarly, the second select signal is generated such that at least the desired delay exists between transitions on the second select signal and the faster clock signal. The desired delay determines the minimum pulse width. As a result, glitches (with a pulse width less than the determined minimum pulse width) are absent at the output of the AND gates.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the signal control block introduces delays into at some of the first select signal, the second select signal, the slower clock signal and the faster clock signal to avoid the occurrence of a high to low transition on one input followed by low to high transition on another input of the two inputs of the OR gate within a desired duration. As a result, glitches are eliminated at the output of the OR gate also.
In one embodiment, the signal control block comprises a first synchronizer synchronizing the sleep signal with a negative edge of the faster clock signal to generate the second select signal. An inverter inverts the second select signal to generate an inverted output. A second synchronizer synchronizes the inverted output with a negative edge of the faster clock signal to generate the first select signal.
The signal control block may further include a third synchronizer to synchronize the sleep signal with a negative edge of the slower clock signal to generate an output. The output of the third synchronizer is provided as an input to the first synchronizer. A fourth synchronizer synchronizes the slower clock signal with a positive edge of the faster clock signal to generate an output. The output of the fourth synchronizer being provided as an input to the first AND gate. As a result of the connections, the sequencing of the transitions on the slower and faster clock signals are controlled to avoid glitches at the output of the OR gate as well.
In an alternative embodiment, the signal control block ensures that a 1 to 0 transition on one of the first select signal and the second select signal precedes a 0 to 1 transition on another one of the first select signal and the second select signal, with the two transitions occurring in response to a change in value on the sleep signal. Such a feature ensures that glitches are not generated by the OR gate (when each AND gate does not generate a glitch).
The clock generation circuit of the alternative embodiment may contain two synchronizers, a third AND logic gate and an NOR gate. The third AND gate generates an output by performing an AND logical operation of an inverted value of the output of the second synchronizer and the sleep signal. The output of the third AND logic gate is provided as an input to the first synchronizer. The NOR logic gate performs a NOR logical operation of the sleep signal and the output of the first synchronizer, and the resulting output is provided as an input to the second synchronizer.
The first synchronizer may generate the first select signal by synchronizing the input signal to a negative edge of the faster signal. The second synchronizer is designed to generate the second select signal by synchronizing the input to the negative edge of the slower clock signal. Due to the synchronization, glitches are avoided at the output of the AND gates. Due to the feedback loop (resulting from the above connections), the 0 to 1 transition on one select line always follows the 1 to 0 transition on the other select line. A short dead period (i.e., no clock signal generated) may be present on the output of the AND gate between the two transitions, but such a situation may be acceptable when glitches are avoided.
Further features and advantages of the invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number. | {
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The present invention is directed toward in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems and, more particularly, to the loading of content for IFE systems. | {
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Successfully quitting an addiction can involve weaning oneself off of the drug and/or modifying psychological and habitual behaviors associated with the addiction or behavior. Cravings associated with a physical drug dependency and/or psychological and habitual behaviors associated with the addiction can result in a relapse. Cravings can occur at set times or can be triggered by external events. Typically the cravings for the specific addictive substance and/or the addictive behavior can last on the order of several minutes and then pass. Improved methods and devices are desired to provide support for the user or patient to handle the periodic cravings with the goal of decreasing instances of relapse and to improve the user's overall success at quitting the addiction. | {
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With the establishment of cloud services and applications, the data these applications produce can be widely dispersed. For example, a company may have all of its sales operations maintained by one cloud service (for example, currently at salesforce dot com), while all if its accounting data is maintained in another cloud service (for example, currently at workforce dot come). In both cases the information pertaining to a business customer must be maintained. The complexity of maintaining such information increases even further for large organizations that have significant data located on site because that on-site data also needs to be integrated with various cloud applications.
Such data distribution requires integration between the various applications (referred to as “end points”). The integration is implemented as integration flow and should be seen as simple data synchronization or orchestration of complex logic that manipulates and transforms the data. Typically, an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) type of software conducts the implementation on site.
If the data lives in the cloud it is natural for the integration to happen in the cloud as well. These cloud integration services are referred to as “Integration Platform as a Service” (iPaaS) and may be defined as a suite of cloud services enabling development, execution and governance of integration flows connecting any combination of on-premises and cloud-based processes, services, applications and data within individual or across multiple organizations. A discussion of iPaaS is provided at gartner dot com.
An important issue with integration in general is that it manipulates systems of record in an automated way. It modifies large quantities of business critical data. Therefore proper testing and validation procedures are essential.
Conventional cloud based software itself and the iPaaS can be introduced/developed very fast in an organization. The software has zero footprint, usually is very fast to purchase and the end users can quickly start creating integrations. That instant behavior is transferred to the lifecycle of the created integrations. One can create, change and execute the integrations easily.
The problem with the instant change and execution is that an error could unwittingly change a large dataset. In some cases the error could be even unnoticed. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hearth structure of an oxygen-bottom-blowing converter for steel making, and more particularly a hearth structure of a converter superior in durability of bricks arranged around oxygen-blowing tuyeres of the converter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have generally been used burned or unburned bricks consisting mainly of magnesia, magnesia-dolomite or magnesia-chromite as bricks to be arranged around a tuyere. The unburned brick is produced by a process, wherein a mixture of starting materials consisting mainly of magnesia, magnesia-dolomite or magnesia-chromite is kneaded and shaped together with a binder, and the shaped article is hardened by heating the article at a relatively low temperature. The unburned brick is distinguished from burned bricks produced by sintering a starting material mixture at a high temperature.
Wearing of bricks arranged around tuyeres is mainly caused by the thermal spalling with the proceeding of blowing. This is ascertained by the fact that there are observed, in a brick after used, a large number of cracks parallel or vertical to the contact surface of the brick with molten steel and these cracked portions of the brick tend to be easily peeled off.
Bricks arranged around a tuyere are broken by thermal spalling more seriously than bricks arranged apart from the tuyere. The reason is probably as follows. The blowing oxygen is reacted with the components, particularly C, Si and Fe, in a molten steel at the tip of a tuyere to form a very high temperature portion (fire point) during the blowing, while the tuyere is cooled due to the simultaneous blowing of inert gas, thermally decomposable gas and the like. As the result, the molten steel convects and strikes bricks arranged around the tuyere and then flows back towards the fire point along the surface of the bricks. Further, the contact portion of bricks with a tuyere is cooled by the above cooling action. Therefore, a very steep temperature gradient is formed in the bricks arranged around the tuyere, which are therefore subjected to great thermal shocks.
It is clear that alleviation of such thermal shocks serves to decrease the wearing of brick by spalling and hence improve the durability of oxygen-blowing converter.
Carbon-containing bricks have hitherto been known as heat-resistant bricks.
For example, in some of electric furnaces, magnesia-carbon bricks are used in the hot spot, that is, in the peripheral portion of the furnace, which is faced to the arc-generating point and has a highest temperature. In this furnace, thermal conductivity of the bricks is improved by the enrichment of carbon content in the bricks and the radiation heat of arc is liberated to the outside of the furnace through the bricks by the effect of cooling subjected to the outer iron shell of the furnace, whereby the hot spot is eliminated, that is, the peripheral portion of the furnace exposed to the highest temperature is prevented from being excessively heated locally.
However, when a refining vessel having a tuyere for blowing oxygen, particularly an oxygen-bottom-blowing converter, is used, there is a risk that carbon in the brick is oxidized and consumed by a large amount of oxygen blown into a steel bath, and therefore the upper limit of 4.8% of carbon content in the unburned brick has been used in the practical operation. Such a carbon content is not sufficient to avoid the spalling of the bricks.
Bricks arranged around the tuyere of an oxygen-blowing converter are heated in a manner different from the heating by the radiation of arc in the electric furnace. That is, the bricks are heated by such a peculiar heating procedure that a molten steel heated up to a high temperature by a vigorous oxidation reaction for the molten steel attacks concentrically the bricks with a strong thermal shock under a steep temperature gradient due to the cooling action of inert gases and thermally decomposable gases introduced into the molten steel together with oxygen. The inventors of the present application have investigated the spalling breaks particularly seriously produced in the proximity of the tuyeres due to such thermal shocks to find that the bricks restrained between the tuyeres oppositely arranged in the hearth are subjected to greatly high thermal stresses due to the restraining effect of the tuyeres.
The inventors have made various investigations and experiments and found the following phenomena. In spite of that it has been considered the influence of oxygen blown into oxygen-blowing vessels, particularly into an oxygen-bottom-blowing converter, is considerably higher than the influence of oxygen in the case of an electric furnace, where only the peripheral portion of molten steel surface in the furnace is influenced by oxygen in the air, carbon in the bricks is hardly oxidized and consumed during the blowing of oxygen, because the oxygen blown into the molten steel is separated from the bricks by the molten steel.
Further, when a slag is removed from a converter after tapping of a molten steel, bricks arranged around a tuyere and in contact with the molten steel during the blowing are covered with the slag to prevent the direct contact of the brick surface with the air, and the oxygen blowing is carried out more advantageously than the heating in the electric furnace, where the hot spot in the furnace is always exposed to the oxidation atmosphere. In view of the above phenomena, the inventors have attempted to use magnesia-carbon or magnesia-dolomite-carbon bricks as bricks to be arranged around a tuyere, and found that not only the above described bricks are practically applicable contrary to the anticipation by the conventional technic, but also a furnace using the bricks can be used in a repeating number of about two times that in a furnace provided in the conventional bricks arranged around a tuyere. | {
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1. Field of Endeavor
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for controlling medium voltage inverter.
2. Background
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
In general, equipment referred to as a power converter, inverter or drive is employed to provide power to another piece of equipment such as a motor. Specifically, such an inverter (inverter is used generally herein to refer to inverters, converters, drives) is coupled to a utility connection to receive incoming input power such as a three-phase AC (Alternating Current) power. The inverter conditions the power to provide a conditioned power signal to the equipment to be powered. In this way, incoming power to the equipment may be of improved efficiency, leading to reduced costs to operate the equipment.
However, in a case a commercial AC power is employed for direct use to a medium voltage inverter in industrial fields, a frequency is generally fixed to 60 Hz to hardly save energy. Recently, energy-saving becomes a big issue to contribute to an increased use of medium voltage inverter.
The medium voltage inverter drives a motor using a high voltage such as 3.3 kV, 6.6 kV, or 10 kV, and generally is used to drive an industrial load of large inertia. For a non-limiting example, the medium voltage inverter is widely used to drive loads such as important fans and pumps. In case of a load being a motor rotating a fan, a medium voltage inverter controls a rotation speed of the motor to adjust a wind amount, whereby an optimum energy saving can be realized.
In a case an instantaneous power interrupt is generated by issues such as weather changes and power supply in driving an inertially large load such as a fan or a pump, the medium voltage inverter may generate errors such as trip and the like. Approximately five times of instantaneous power interrupts reportedly occur a year. A fatal failure may be inflicted on essential load facilities if no preventive measure is made to the instantaneous power interrupts, and may create a major problem bringing about defects to products and/or personal injury.
Thus, there is a need to safely drive a motor lest the medium voltage inverter should be generated with a trip, in a case an instantaneous power interrupt occurs. | {
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Three problems must be solved when one is faced with a question that needs to be answered using data. First, one or more datasets must be identified as containing the data required to answer the question. Second, the relationships among the datasets and the data stored therein must be identified. Third, one or more queries must be formulated to answer the question. As the number of available dataset groups grows, the first two problems are becoming increasingly more complex compared to the third problem, yet most of the efforts in the storage systems area are focused on the formulation of queries.
Common approaches to the first two problems fall into two categories:
One approach requires the data to be well-organized into a well-understood semantic model prior to performing searches. Although powerful, such mechanisms have limited use due to the difficulty of organizing all of the data in advance of the searching.
In another approach, full text searches are used in the data sets. The datasets are treated as if they are typical documents and full-text search techniques are applied to the content. While this technique can easily handle any type of data, the inability to understand and utilize the structure of the data and the relationships within it makes it unlikely that complex questions can be answered by full text searches alone. | {
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Heretofore, correlation coefficients have been employed to identify incoming pixel images such as radar return signals and character bit maps. The input pixel images were compared to library template images on a pixel by pixel basis. The summation of all of the pixel comparisons in each image/template match produced a correlation coefficient indicating the closest match. However, these prior correlation techniques did not involve any change or enhancement of the pixels forming the library templates. | {
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Traditionally, personal computers included operating systems, applications, and user settings for a single user. Personal computers were generally both used and managed by their owners. However, many organizations are now using virtualization, remote access and/or clouds of computing resources to fulfill their computing needs. Clouds of virtualized computing resources generally allow for the operating systems, applications, and user settings of multiple users to be included on a single physical machine. Desktop virtualization technology allows multiple instances of an operating system to be kept separate, so the activity of one user does not affect the experience of other users. Cloud computing environments allow for computers owned by the cloud operator to be managed by the cloud operator but used by cloud users, who may be customers of the cloud operator.
In addition, in a virtualization, remote access environment, virtual machine client agent applications may be used. Virtual machine client agent applications are applications that allow a user a type of virtualized remote access to corporate applications, desktops and data, even when said “remote” resources are on the physical machine the user may be using. Each receiver may communicate with a central enterprise server that lists which applications and other resource have been selected by the user, and which applications and other resources are available for the user to select or request. Moreover, while cross device sharing frameworks, such as that offered by GOOGLE CHROME, AIRPLAY and MICROSOFT XBOX SMART GLASS, exist, these frameworks are deficient in providing security or protection against malware.
Meanwhile, sandbox technologies exist, including APPLE iOS, ANDROID, BROMIUM, and APP-V. These existing sandbox technologies operate within one device, thus if the sandbox is compromised, e.g., intentionally through jailbreaking or otherwise, the security of a user device may be compromised. The existing technologies leave much to be desired in the way of security against malware and security threats to a user device. | {
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Sound enthusiasts can today obtain recordings in media such as vinyl records, tapes and compact disc etc. The sound quality associated with compact disc recordings, however, has served to increase their popularity. As a result enthusiasts often have rather large collections thereof.
As with other sound media, the packaging containers used for storing and protecting compact discs typically provides art work on a major area surface thereof, and many enthusiasts find pleasure not only in listening to the sound recordings on their compact disks, but also in the viewing of said art work.
Continuing, as is the case with vinyl records, compact discs can be damaged if stored stacked one atop another with their major area surfaces oriented horizontally. As a result they are typically stored individually in packaging containers with their major area surfaces oriented vertically, and typically because of space constraints, side by side. As is the case with vinyl records and their associated packaging containers, this often provides that only a relatively small rectangular dimensioned edge of said packaging containers remain visible. Specific compact discs are often difficult to identify by observing only a small rectangular dimensioned edge of such a packaging container.
In answer to the above, inventors have provided display systems which serve to store compact discs therein with the major area, art work containing, surface of their packaging container oriented vertically and aesthetically faced so as to be visible to a user thereof, while said compact discs are being stored.
For example, a Patent to Zuzack, U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,564 describes a compact disc display rack with a number of shelves present thereon. Said shelves each provide a groove into which a lower rearward corner of a compact disc packaging container can rest, when said packaging container rests at an angle with an upper rearward corner of said compact disc packaging container resting against a forward surface of a back element of said compact disc display rack. The Zuzack invention also provides kick-bars or ribs in the back element of said compact disc display rack behind each compact disc packaging container, which serve to facilitate removal of a compact disc packaging container when a lower forward edge thereof is pushed rearward in the disc display rack by a user thereof. When so pushed, said compact disc packaging container is caused to effectively rotate around an associated kick-bar or rib with the upper forward edge thereof being caused to move forward from the rear of said compact disc display rack, where it can be grasped by a user thereof.
A Patent to Fitzpatrick, U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,680 describes a system which is similar to that in Zuzack, but which includes two support rods. Said support rods are similar to the kick-bars or ribs of Zuzack. Pressing on either the upper or lower forward edge of a compact disc packaging container stored in the Fitzpatrick system causes an action similar to that described with respect to the Zuzack system. That is a compact disc packaging container will rotate about one of said rods and make an edge of said compact disc packaging container available to be grasped by a user. The interconnection of a number of said systems is also disclosed.
The use of velcro to secure compact disc packaging containers to display racks or walls etc. is described in a Patent to Whittington, U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,687, and in Patents to Tompkins and Hunt, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,951,826 and 4,940,147 respectively. The Whittington Patent, in particular, also describes the presence of finger grooves placed to aid a user with opening the front of a compact disc packaging container mounted therein.
A Patent to Factor, U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,306 describes a compact disc rack assembly which has a series of pivotally mounted panels positioned on a stationary support. The panels have a plurality of spaced ledges with outer lips and the ledges are spaced from each other by a length which is less than the overall dimension of the container being housed, so that said container is stored at a slight angle to the panel and is gripped by the lips of the ledge holding the container.
Patents to Massaro and to Hopkins et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,573,749 and 4,350,252 respectively describe systems which secure record jackets or tapes via systems, the use of which requires that an upward insertion motion be followed by a dropping motion. That is a record jacket or tape is entered to such a system by causing an upper end thereof to be pushed upward into the upper extent of such a system, followed by pushing the lower end of said record jacket or tape rearward in said system, and then letting said lower end of said record jacket or tape drop so as to be secured at the a lower forward edge thereof by a system member.
Other Patents describe effectively three-dimensional display devices which allow display of record Jackets and audio cassettes etc. other than in a two dimensional plane. Such Patents include a Patent to Weston, U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,273, a Patent to Serrano, U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,790, a Patent to Hoy, U.S. Pat. No. 3,059 and a Patent to Rumble, U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,665.
The above sampling of Patents demonstrate that inventors have provided inventions aimed at providing means to conveniently store compact discs while simultaneously displaying art work present on major area surfaces of compact disk packaging containers. However, no known Patent teaches a system which is designed to specifically and optimally secure and store Jewel type compact disc packaging containers and the like, while aesthetically displaying art work present on a forward major area surface thereof. The present invention provides such a system. | {
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Liquid crystals (LCs) are currently used in a wide variety of devices, including optical devices such as information displays, including but not limited to computer screens, wristwatches, projection display devices, etc.
Generally, thermotropic liquid crystals, that is, materials with liquid crystal properties at specific temperature intervals, consist of molecules with a rod-like shape with flexible tails or with a disk-like shape. Liquid crystals simultaneously exhibit properties such as optical and electrical anisotropy of a solid crystal and fluidity of a liquid. The liquid crystal molecules have a tendency to align themselves along a common axis called the director in contrast to molecules in an isotropic (ordinary) liquid which has no intrinsic order. In the crystalline solid phase, the molecules are highly ordered and have little translational freedom. Due to the polarity of the LC-molecules, they can be ordered to point along a common director by imposing an electric or magnetic field, and the optical properties of the anisotropic liquid crystal may be manipulated accordingly.
Liquid crystals can have several molecular structures, which may be divided into three main mesophases, depending on the type of ordering within the molecular structure: Nematic, smectic and cholesteric. The nematic mesophase is the least ordered one and is characterised in that the molecules have no positional order but tend to point in the same direction. The cholesteric mesophase is very close to the nematic phase (known as the chiral nematic phase), but the director will form a helix within the material. The smectic phase is the most ordered one and is characterised in that the molecules tend to align themselves in layers, in which they may have various types of directional and transitional order. There are a total of 12 smectic mesophases identified that are different in the degree and type of order within the layers. The most important from the point of view of display application are the smectic A and smectic C. Generally, the physiochemical properties of a thermotropic liquid crystal will allow the material to exhibit several of the mesophases mentioned above within different temperature intervals.
Most liquid crystal displays are based on the ability of a liquid crystal to change the polarisation state of light. Such displays are commonly referred to as twisted nematic or super twisted nematic displays. More recently Bragg reflection in cholesteric displays has been utilised to produce reflective displays. Other liquid crystal displays are scattering and partially reflective due to steps in the index of refraction at LC domain boundaries within the display. The domains may be focal conic domains as is the case for EASL (electrically addressed smectic liquid crystal) displays or they may be liquid crystal spheres dispersed in an index-matched polymer (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal or PDLC). The domains may also be encapsulated spheres with hard shells that again need to be dispersed in some index-matched medium as mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,047. While nematic spheres are described as a single domain with a corresponding single domain wall towards the polymer matrix, smectic spheres may consist of several focal conic domains causing an improved optical scatter efficiency.
One interesting and useful characteristic for liquid crystal optical devices is that of the optical state stability. Most displays based on nematic liquid crystals, i.e., TN (twisted nematic), STN (super twisted nematic), and PDLC, are known to be monostable, that is, they will return to their original molecular configuration when the externally imposed force field such as an electric field, has been removed. The EASL display based on a smectic A liquid crystal is bistable and will thus retain its written image after the imposing force (electric field) is switched off. The same bistability is also available for some other display technologies, e.g., the cholesteric reflective display. This is a useful property for information displays which are intended to contain the same information for long periods of time.
The concept of a reflective liquid crystal display technology is particularly useful in situations with strong ambient light, e.g., outdoors in sunlight, where backlit displays effectively have no contrast, i.e., there is little difference between the perceived levels of black and white.
The concept of a bistable display is particularly useful when high resolution is required, since monostable technologies then rely on active switching elements at each picture element (pixel), which imply high production costs. The bistability may also imply low power consumption depending on (1) the energy required to switch the liquid crystal structure, (2) the time between updates, and (3) the power consumption of internal light sources.
Addition of polymer to LC has several features, as such combined materials possess properties both of LC and polymer. First of all, a polymer matrix can offer a flexible host for the liquid crystal. This means that rigid substrates such as glass etc. are not required, but flexible ones can be used such as for example indium tin oxide (ITO) coated polyesters. Secondly, the production of displays on the basis of the LC-polymer mixture is simpler and larger sizes of substrates can be used. The introduction of the polymer can also lead to new electro-optical effects (e.g. scattering in nematic polymer dispersed LCs), to obtain the stability of optical states (e.g. polymer stabilised cholesteric LC) and improved grey scale—the ability of the display to have intermediate optical states (e.g. polymer stabilised ferroelectric LC). Yet, such materials also have some disadvantages. Usually the introduction of a polymer into the LC leads to an increase in the driving voltage, i.e. voltage that is necessary to obtain a change in the optical state of the display. The degree of increase depends on the using electro-optical effect. One other disadvantage is that part of the LC volume is occupied by an optically non-active polymer, which will lead to decrease of the contrast.
The morphology of a LC-polymer mixture depends on the amount of polymer added. In the case of polymer stabilised liquid crystal (PSLC) the amount of polymer is less than 10 wt %. In this case a polymer network inside the LC is formed. When the amount of polymer is higher, the LC forms droplets inside the polymer phase and becomes a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC). The shape, size and size distribution of LC droplets determine the electro-optical properties of the material and depend on the preparation method of the PDLC as well as on physicochemical properties of the LC and the polymer.
The following methods of PSLC/PDLC preparation are well known by the art: Emulsification, phase separation and encapsulation. The first PDLC films were made by emulsifying an aqueous latex polymer solution, LC and surfactants until a dispersion was achieved. This emulsion was coated onto a substrate with a conductive layer and the water was evaporated. The soft rubbery layer obtained was laminated onto a second substrate. The original term for such material was Nematic Curvilinear Aligned Phase (NCAP) due to the curved arrangement of the nematic director within the droplets, but now this term is commonly used to point out the emulsification method that was used for preparation of PDLC.
The second widely used method for preparing PSLC/PDLC is a phase separation method. The phase separation of LC from polymer can be achieved by polymerisation of prepolymer (monomer or oligomer) in the mixture of LC and prepolymer (polymer induced phase separation or PIPS method). UV light is widely used to cure the prepolymer, but thermal polymerisation can be used for this purpose also. This method is good for PSLC preparation. It is possible to phase separate the LC and polymer from the LC/polymer solution in organic solvent during solvent evaporation (solvent induced phase separation or SIPS method). Phase separation can also occur by cooling a LC/polymer melt to room temperature (thermal induced phase separation or TIPS method).
However, information displays based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals offer several disadvantages. The main disadvantage of described methods for PDLC preparation is that the droplets of the liquid crystal will have a broad variety of shapes and sizes. This means that these methods will not give reproducible electro-optical properties of displays. Another disadvantage is that there will be diffuse interphase regions between LC droplets and polymer, mainly composed of liquid crystal, which has been swelled into the polymer matrix. These interphase regions will have different optical characteristics compared to the bulk material inside the liquid crystal droplets. This means the interfaces will not be sharp, thus reducing the quality of the clear and scatter state. | {
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It is known to place a reservoir behind a mirror and fill it with hot water to keep the mirror fog free in a steamy environment such as a bathroom, shower, locker room or the like. Typically, fog-free mirrors are used in the shower to help with exfoliating, shaving and other grooming needs. However, as with glass shower doors, it is often desirable to clean the mirror, and users have tended to use their hands to swipe the mirror of any residual water droplets and other condensation during or after use. A user's hand is not as smooth or sharp as a squeegee, for example, and often the user's hand tends to just smear and not remove the surface water from the mirror.
Furthermore, fog-free mirrors are often used by multiple users, such as a husband and wife, multiple siblings, gym members, etc. Such users tend to be different heights, and this often results in an adjustment of the positioning of the mirror. With mirrors that are positioned using suction cups and the like, the constant re-positioning can reduce the effectiveness of the suction cup, especially since the most effective attachment is on a perfectly clean surface.
There is a need, therefore, to provide a fog-free mirror that can be effectively cleaned during or after use and re-positioned without disturbing the integrity of the attachment of the mirror to a support surface. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ratchet mechanisms and, in particular, ratchet wrenches of the reversible type having a manually-operated reversing lever. The invention relates in particular to indicia for indicating the operational conditions selected by the reversing mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Reversible ratchet mechanisms, for use in ratchet wrenches and the like, are well known in the art. Such ratchet mechanisms commonly have a reversing lever which is manually operable for shifting a pawl mechanism between forward and reverse operating conditions. In one such reversible ratchet, made by Snap-on Incorporated, the ratchet head is oblong or oval-shaped and the reversing lever pivots about an axis which is offset from the axis of rotation of the ratchet drive body. In another Snap-on reversible ratchet, known as a "round head" ratchet, the reversing lever is in the form of a ribbed disk which is coaxial with the ratchet drive body.
A common problem with such prior reversible round head ratchet mechanisms is that it was not easy for the operator to know in which condition the mechanism was set. In order to determine this, an operator first had to test the ratchet to see which direction it was set for and, if it was not the desired direction, he would actuate the reversing lever to the opposite condition. Also, in such prior reversible ratchet mechanisms the operator could not tell, without first testing the mechanism, whether or not it was fully engaged in either of the forward or reverse conditions or, alternatively, was disposed in an intermediate or neutral condition wherein the pawl mechanism was not engaged in either direction.
Prior devices have attempted to solve this problem by providing indicia on the mechanism so that an operator could tell whether or not the pawl mechanism was disposed in a fully engaged condition and, if so, to indicate whether it was in the forward or reverse condition. But such prior indicating arrangements have involved the use of indicia on the ratchet head or handle portion and, therefore, their proper use has been contingent upon assembly of the ratchet mechanism in the head in the proper initial orientation relative to the ratchet head. Also, because the indicia are on the head or handle portion, that head cannot be used with other, non-reversible ratchet assemblies. | {
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A copper phthalocyanine is a material widely used in the fields such as a pigment, a semiconductor, a photoreceptor, a recording medium, a solar cell, a liquid crystal, and a catalyst. Because the copper phthalocyanine has a clear hue, a high coloring power, and a fastness, it is used every field as a blue pigment.
In recent years, in order to further express or improve characteristics of the copper phthalocyanine, attempts have been made to produce a composite phthalocyanine added thereto with a phthalocyanine having a different metal.
In Patent Document 1, a blue pigment or paint composition comprising a cobalt phthalocyanine and a copper phthalocyanine is disclosed; and in Patent Document 2, a pigment composition for a color filter comprising an alpha-type cobalt phthalocyanine pigment and an epsilon-type copper phthalocyanine pigment is disclosed.
The copper phthalocyanine particles disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are produced by a crushing method. In order to improve the characteristics thereof, the particles are definitely required to be microparticles; however, with the crushing method, microparticles having the size of 100 nm or less, especially 50 nm or less, are difficult to be produced. Moreover, even if the microparticles as mentioned above could be produced, not only an enormous energy is required in the production thereof, but also a strong force is applied to the microparticles, resulting in poor crystallinity so that intended characteristics cannot be obtained. Therefore, in a recent trend of requiring a higher performance, there may be a limit in the crushing method.
On the other hand, as the one method to produce the copper phthalocyanine microparticle not having the drawbacks of the crushing method as mentioned above, a crystallization method by a poor solvent is known. In this method, the copper phthalocyanine microparticle is separated by mixing a raw material solution in which the copper phthalocyanine is dissolved in a good solvent being capable of dissolving the said compound with a poor solvent having a lower solubility to the same than the good solvent (Patent Document 3).
However, even in the crystallization method by a poor solvent, there still remains a problem that crystal growth of the copper phthalocyanine microparticle further takes place in an organic solvent. That is to say, because the copper phthalocyanine undergoes the crystal growth in an organic solvent, the microparticle becomes coarse so that the color characteristics are deteriorated.
In order to suppress the crystal growth, use of a crystal growth suppressor to the copper phthalocyanine may be contemplated. In Patent Document 4, a phthalocyanine having a different metal is suggested as the crystal growth suppressor. However, the method disclosed in Patent Document 4 is different from the crystallization method by a poor solvent as mentioned before. Therefore, in the case that the copper phthalocyanine is produced by the crystallization method by a poor solvent, there is no description with regard to in which process and with what procedure the phthalocyanine having a different metal is applied to the copper phthalocyanine so as to suppress the crystal growth.
For example, there is no description with regard to the ratio of the phthalocyanine having a different metal to the copper phthalocyanine. When the ratio of the phthalocyanine having a different metal to the copper phthalocyanine is high, the crystal growth can be suppressed, but the color characteristics are deteriorated due to the effect of the phthalocyanine having a different metal. On the other hand, when the ratio of the phthalocyanine having a different metal to the copper phthalocyanine is low, the crystal growth of the copper phthalocyanine microparticle cannot be suppressed, so that improvement of the color characteristics thereof cannot be expected. Patent Document 4 discloses no proposal with regard to the way how to solve these problems.
Meanwhile, as disclosed in Patent Document 5 and Patent Document 6, a micro reactor with a type of a forced thin film is known; in this reactor, a fluid is made to react in a thin film fluid formed between processing surfaces which are disposed in a position they are faced with each other so as to be able to approach to and separate from each other, at least one of which rotates relative to the other. The phthalocyanine microparticle produced by the micro reactor like this is finer and more homogeneous as compared with those produced by other conventional methods, so that, with this method, there are merits of further higher coloring strength and color development.
However, with this method on the contrary, the Ostwald ripening is facilitated thereby tending to cause increase in the size of the microparticle in the organic solvent and to cause necking. Accordingly, there is a dilemma that it is difficult for the copper phthalocyanine produced by the micro reactor thereby having finer and higher homogeneity to express the expected color characteristics.
In fact, the transmission/absorption spectra of the copper phthalocyanine microparticle of Patent Document 5 or Patent Document 6 in a visible light region has, in view of the absorption spectrum thereof, the highest peak near the wavelength of 600 nm and the second highest peak in the region of about 660 to 700 nm. In view of the transmission spectrum, the highest transmittance is in the region of 400 to 500 nm with the difference between the highest and lowest transmittance being 80% or more, whereas the transmittance increases again in the region of 620 to 800 nm. Therefore, the copper phthalocyanine has a reddish color in spite that it is expected to be a coloring material intrinsically having a blue to cyan color; and thus, improvement of the color characteristics in order to give a clearer blue color with eliminating the reddish color has been wanted.
In addition, especially in the case that the copper phthalocyanine was produced by using the micro reactor, the separation reaction took place rapidly; and thus, mere addition of the phthalocyanine having a different metal in the way as described in Patent Document 4 could not suppress the crystal growth of the separated microparticle, so that improvement of the color characteristics of the copper phthalocyanine could not be accomplished. | {
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Beverages are frequently sold or distributed in individual containers. In many instances, the beverage is chilled and is intended for prompt consumption. It is readily apparent that a chilled beverage is quite likely to be consumed in a warm environment and it is also likely that the consumption will be intermittent with another activity. Conversely, heated liquids and beverages may be sold and consumed in cold weather.
Insulated holders have been provided for beverage containers in an attempt to maintain the beverage at a desired temperature. In some designs, flexible pouches are provided with insulating side walls. Such pouches may be difficult to attach and to handle.
Rigid insulating holders have been provided for ease of installation. In one design a rigid holder, typically of foamed plastic, is provided with a relatively rigid plastic ring having depending flexible tabs for holding the beverage container. Wrap-around cylinders have been provided with overlapping gripping strips to hold the insulator around the container.
However, these holders present a number of difficulties. Rigid, thick holders can hinder access to the container opening for drinking. The holders cannot be conveniently stacked or nested for compact storage. Wrap-around cylinders have not been provided with any surface beneath the beverage container and thus rely on a snug fit and friction to hold the beverage container within the open cylinder. In addition, most of the above insulators are too large to permit an insulated container to be placed within a supportive beverage holder typically available in cars, vans, boats and other recreational vehicles.
These and other disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention wherein an improved insulating cover is provided for beverage containers. | {
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Implantable stimulation devices generate and deliver electrical stimuli to nerves and tissues for the therapy of various biological disorders, such as pacemakers to treat cardiac arrhythmia, defibrillators to treat cardiac fibrillation, cochlear stimulators to treat deafness, retinal stimulators to treat blindness, muscle stimulators to produce coordinated limb movement, spinal cord stimulators to treat chronic pain, cortical and deep brain stimulators to treat motor and psychological disorders, occipital nerve stimulators to treat migraine headaches, and other neural stimulators to treat urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, shoulder subluxation, etc. The present invention may find applicability in all such applications and in other implantable medical device systems, although the description that follows will generally focus on the use of the invention in a Bion® microstimulator device system of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent Publ. No. 2010/0268309. The invention can also be used in a Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS), such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,444,181, for example.
Microstimulator devices typically comprise a small, generally-cylindrical housing which carries electrodes for producing a desired stimulation current. Devices of this type are implanted proximate to the target tissue to allow the stimulation current to stimulate the target tissue to provide therapy for a wide variety of conditions and disorders. A microstimulator usually includes or carries stimulating electrodes intended to contact the patient's tissue, but may also have electrodes coupled to the body of the device via a lead or leads. A microstimulator may have two or more electrodes. Microstimulators benefit from simplicity. Because of their small size, the microstimulator can be directly implanted at a site requiring patient therapy.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary implantable microstimulator 100. As shown, the microstimulator 100 includes a power source 145 such as a battery, a programmable memory 146, electrical circuitry 144, and a coil 147. These components are housed within a capsule 202, which is usually a thin, elongated cylinder, but may also be any other shape as determined by the structure of the desired target tissue, the method of implantation, the size and location of the power source 145, and/or the number and arrangement of external electrodes 142. In some embodiments, the volume of the capsule 202 is substantially equal to or less than three cubic centimeters.
The battery 145 supplies power to the various components within the microstimulator 100, such the electrical circuitry 144 and the coil 147. The battery 145 also provides power for therapeutic stimulation current sourced or sunk from the electrodes 142. The power source 145 may be a primary battery, a rechargeable battery, a capacitor, or any other suitable power source. Systems and methods for charging a rechargeable battery 145 will be described further below.
The coil 147 is configured to receive and/or emit a magnetic field that is used to communicate with, or receive power from, one or more external devices that support the implanted microstimulator 100, examples of which will be described below. Such communication and/or power transfer may be transcutaneous as is well known.
The programmable memory 146 is used at least in part for storing one or more sets of data, including electrical stimulation parameters that are safe and efficacious for a particular medical condition and/or for a particular patient. Electrical stimulation parameters control various parameters of the stimulation current applied to a target tissue including the frequency, pulse width, amplitude, burst pattern (e.g., burst on time and burst off time), duty cycle or burst repeat interval, ramp on time and ramp off time of the stimulation current, etc.
The illustrated microstimulator 100 includes electrodes 142-1 and 142-2 on the exterior of the capsule 202. The electrodes 142 may be disposed at either end of the capsule 202 as illustrated, or placed along the length of the capsule. There may also be more than two electrodes arranged in an array along the length of the capsule. One of the electrodes 142 may be designated as a stimulating electrode, with the other acting as an indifferent electrode (reference node) used to complete a stimulation circuit, producing monopolar stimulation. Or, one electrode may act as a cathode while the other acts as an anode, producing bipolar stimulation. Electrodes 142 may alternatively be located at the ends of short, flexible leads. The use of such leads permits, among other things, electrical stimulation to be directed to targeted tissue(s) a short distance from the surgical fixation of the bulk of the device 100.
The electrical circuitry 144 produces the electrical stimulation pulses that are delivered to the target nerve via the electrodes 142. The electrical circuitry 144 may include one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers configured to decode stimulation parameters from memory 146 and generate the corresponding stimulation pulses. The electrical circuitry 144 will generally also include other circuitry such as the current source circuitry, the transmission and receiver circuitry coupled to coil 147, electrode output capacitors, etc.
The external surfaces of the microstimulator 100 are preferably composed of biocompatible materials. For example, the capsule 202 may be made of glass, ceramic, metal, or any other material that provides a hermetic package that excludes water but permits passage of the magnetic fields used to transmit data and/or power. The electrodes 142 may be made of a noble or refractory metal or compound, such as platinum, iridium, tantalum, titanium, titanium nitride, niobium or alloys of any of these, to avoid corrosion or electrolysis which could damage the surrounding tissues and the device.
The microstimulator 100 may also include one or more infusion outlets 201, which facilitate the infusion of one or more drugs into the target tissue. Alternatively, catheters may be coupled to the infusion outlets 201 to deliver the drug therapy to target tissue some distance from the body of the microstimulator 100. If the microstimulator 100 is configured to provide a drug stimulation using infusion outlets 201, the microstimulator 100 may also include a pump 149 that is configured to store and dispense the one or more drugs.
Turning to FIG. 2, the microstimulator 100 is illustrated as implanted in a patient 150, and further shown are various external components that may be used to support the implanted microstimulator 100. An external controller 155 may be used to program and test the microstimulator 100 via communication link 156. Such link 156 is generally a two-way link, such that the microstimulator 100 can report its status or various other parameters to the external controller 155. Communication on link 156 occurs via magnetic inductive coupling. Thus, when data is to be sent from the external controller 155 to the microstimulator 100, a coil 158 in the external controller 155 is excited to produce a magnetic field that comprises the link 156, which magnetic field is detected at the coil 147 in the microstimulator. Likewise, when data is to be sent from the microstimulator 100 to the external controller 155, the coil 147 is excited to produce a magnetic field that comprises the link 156, which magnetic field is detected at the coil 158 in the external controller. Typically, the magnetic field is modulated, for example with Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) modulation or the like, to encode the data. For example, data telemetry via FSK can occur around a center frequency of f1=125 kHz, with a 129 kHz signal representing transmission of a logic ‘1’ and 121 kHz representing a logic ‘0’. (This frequency f1 will be discussed as a single frequency defined by its center, but this is merely for convenience; in reality, this frequency has a bandwidth as necessary for FSK communication, and should be so interpreted).
An external charger 151 provides power used to recharge the battery 145 (FIG. 1). Such power transfer occurs by energizing the coil 157 in the external charger 151, which produces a magnetic field comprising link 152, which occurs with a different frequency (f2=80 kHz) than data communications on link 156. This magnetic field 152 energizes the coil 147 through the patient 150's tissue, and which is rectified, filtered, and used to recharge the battery 145. Link 152, like link 156, can be bidirectional to allow the microstimulator 100 to report status information back to the external charger 151. For example, once the circuitry 144 in the microstimulator 100 detects that the power source 145 is fully charged, the coil 147 can signal that fact back to the external charger 151 so that charging can cease. Charging can occur at convenient intervals for the patient 150, such as every night.
FIG. 3A shows the communication and charging circuitry 101 within microstimulator 100 that is coupled to coil 147. Such circuitry is explained in detail in the '992 Publication, with which the reader is assumed familiar, and thus is only briefly explained here.
As explained in the '992 Publication, the circuitry of FIG. 3A is beneficial because it uses a single coil L1 (147) for receiving a magnetic charging field 152 from the external charger 151, and for transmitting and receiving data telemetry 156 to and from the external controller 155. (The external charger 151 and external controller 155 are shown in FIG. 3A as one integrated unit for simplicity).
Coil 147 is connected at one end through transistor switch M1 to a voltage, Vbat, provided by the battery 145 in the microstimulator 100. Coil 147 is connected at its other end through transistor switch M2 to ground. Tank capacitor C1 is connected in parallel with coil 147, and tunes the coil to a particular frequency for transmitting or receiving data telemetry to and from the external controller 155 (e.g., approximately f1=125 kHz). A series combination of a tuning capacitor C2 and transistor switch M3 are also connected in parallel to coil 147. Transistor M3 is turned on during receipt of a magnetic charging field along link 152 from the external charger 151 to tune the coil to the frequency of the magnetic charging filed (e.g., approximately f2=80 kHz). Also connected in parallel with coil 147 is a full bridge rectifier formed of diodes D1-D4 for producing DC voltage Vout. A half bridge rectifier or even a signle diode rectifier could also be used. A transistor switch M4 is also connected between the rectifier circuitry and ground.
DC voltage Vout is received at storage capacitor C3, which filters and smoothes the voltage before being passed to battery charging circuitry 92. Battery charging circuitry 92 is used to charge the battery 145 in a controlled fashion. If needed, a Zener diode D5 or other suitable voltage clamp circuit may be connected across storage capacitor C3 to prevent Vout from exceeding some predetermined value.
FIG. 3B shows the status of transistor switches M1-M4 for the energy receive, data receive, and data transmit modes. As shown, to operate in an energy receive mode, the circuit will turn switches M1, M2 and M4 OFF, and will turn switch M3 ON. Turning M3 ON includes tuning capacitor C2 in parallel with tank capacitor C1, which, in conjunction with the inductance formed by the coil 147, forms a resonant circuit which is tuned to the frequency of the magnetic charging field (f2=80 kHz). The circuit of FIG. 3A may also operate in a data transmit mode during charging by employing back telemetry known as Load Shift Keying (LSK), in which case transistor M4 is modulated with the data to be transmitted back to the external charger 151.
For the circuit of FIG. 3A to operate in a data receive mode, the circuit will turn switches M1, M3 and M4 OFF, and will turn switch M2 ON. Turning M3 off excludes capacitor tuning C2 from the resonant circuit, whose tuning is thus governed by coil 147 and tank capacitor C1. With tuning capacitor C2 excluded, the resonant circuit is tuned to a higher frequency matching the operation of the external controller 155 (f1=125 kHz). Turning M2 ON grounds the resonant circuit, which provides an input to the receiver, which demodulates the received data (DATA RCV). The receiver can either comprise a differential input as illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 3A, or can comprise a single-ended non-differential input in which one of the inputs is grounded, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3A.
As further shown in FIG. 3B, the circuit of FIG. 3A may also operate in a data transmit mode by turning switches M3 and M4 OFF, by modulating switch M2 with a data signal (DATA XMIT), and by turning switch M1 ON. Under these conditions, the resonant circuit is once again, by virtue of transistor M3 being OFF, tuned to the higher frequency (f1=125 kHz), and will broadcast a signal to the external controller 155 along link 156 accordingly, with the energy for the radiation being supplied from the battery voltage, Vbat, via transistor M1. The transmitter receiving the data to be transmitted (DATA XMIT), is shown coupled to transistor M2, but could also couple to transistor M1.
Thus, it is seen that by selectively controlling the state of the switches M1-M4, the circuit of FIG. 3A may operate in different modes, using only a single coil 147. Such modes may be invoked in a time-multiplexed manner, e.g., with a first mode being followed by a second mode, depending upon the particular application at hand. Control signals M1-M4, as well as DATA XMIT, are ultimately issued by a microcontroller (or, more generically, control circuitry 160) in the microstimulator 100, and DATA RCV is received by that microcontroller.
While the versatility of the single-coil, multi-function circuit of FIG. 3A is desirable, the inventors recognize drawbacks. One drawback is that storage capacitor C3 loads the resonant tank circuit (coil L1 147 and tank capacitor C1) during periods when the circuitry transmits data. As discussed earlier, during data transmission, switch M1 is closed while switch M2 is modulated with the data signal, which causes the tank circuit to resonate, thus forming an AC voltage, Vtank, with a center frequency of approximately f1=125 kHz. This alternating voltage in the tank circuit also appears across the full bridge rectifier (D1-D4). Because switch M1 is closed, the top node of the tank circuit, which node is connected to the switch M1, will remain fixed to approximately Vbat. As a result, there will be some charge leakage from this node to the storage capacitor C3 via diode D3. Because switch M2 is modulated, the voltage at the bottom node of the tank circuit, which node is connected to the switch M2, will vary between ground and Vbat. Thus, depending upon the instantaneous voltages at the bottom node and Vout, diode D4 may also become forward biased and leak charge into the storage capacitor C3. Note that diodes D1 and D2 do not conduct because they remain reversed biased. Thus, some of the charge generated in the resonant tank circuit is leaked into the storage capacitor C3, which loads the resonant tank circuit. (Other components on the DC side of the rectifier such as the battery charging circuitry 92 and the battery 145 may be disconnected or disabled during telemetry, and in any event do not appreciably load the tank circuit).
The inventors have noticed that loading of the tank circuit by the storage capacitor C3 has undesirable effects. The first relates to the speed at which the RF signal transmitted by the tank circuit—i.e., the RF signal comprising communication link 156—can reach its full strength. The strength of the RF signal is primarily governed by the magnitude of Vtank. But leakage to the storage capacitor C3 via the full bridge rectifier impedes a full strength RF signal, at least initially. This is because storage capacitor C3 is initially not charged, and such lack of charge promotes leakage through the diodes D3 and D4 as previously discussed. Eventually such leakage will charge the storage capacitor C3, which will tend to reduce the leakage through the diodes, at which point the RF signal will be at full strength. The effect is that when circuit of FIG. 3A begins to transmit data, an initial portion of the data will not be transmitted with a full strength RF signal. This makes reception of this signal at the external controller 155 more difficult to resolve, resulting in corrupted data or no data at all. Experimental results show that the length of time for the tank circuit to transmit with a full strength RF signal is approximately 2 ms. At typical data transmission rates of 4 Kbps, this delay can contribute to significant data transmission errors affecting 8 bits of information in this example. Moreover, even if storage capacitor C3 is fully charged, there can still be some leakage through the diodes in the rectifier, and hence some coupling of the storage capacitor C3 to the tank circuit, which impeded RF signal strength and detunes the tank circuit.
A second undesirable effect is that loading of the tank circuit alters its resonant frequency, especially during the time when the RF signal strength is increasing towards its maximum value. This occurs because leakage through the didoes D3 and D4 effectively places storage capacitor C3 in parallel with the tank circuit. This increases the effective capacitance of the tank circuit, which decreases its resonant frequency. In short, coupling of the storage capacitor C3 detunes the tank circuitry to less than the optimal center value of f1=125 KHz. Again, such detuning can affect the reliability of data transmission.
Another drawback of the circuit of FIG. 3A relates to switch M3 on the AC side of the rectifier. Vtank can comprise a relatively high alternating voltage, and switch M3 is therefore subject to large swings in voltage. This makes implementing and controlling switch M3 rather difficult, and can result in increased complexity, size, and cost of the circuitry.
This disclosure presents solutions to the aforementioned and other shortcomings of the prior art. | {
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Seating assemblies and the flexible nature of those seating assemblies is becoming more important in today's world. The value of having an adjustable seating assembly provides increased worktime and increased comfort to an individual. Some seating assemblies include upper thoracic support that is adjustable between forward and rearward positions. Providing an aesthetically pleasing upper back support that is consistent with and generally seamless with the remainder of the seat provides value to the consumer. | {
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The present invention relates to a magnetic head or magnetic disk testing apparatus and method (an inspection apparatus and inspection method of magnetic disk or magnetic head). More particularly, the present invention relates to a testing apparatus and testing method for enabling testing with different formats.
A magnetic head or magnetic disk testing apparatus is configured to determine the quality or other aspects of a magnetic head or a magnetic disk, by locating the magnetic head above the magnetic disk, writing and reading test data through the head on a target track, and measuring the characteristics of a signal read from the target track. As shown in FIG. 5, a magnetic disk 10 has plural data tracks 10t arranged in a radial direction. Each of the data tracks 10t has plural sectors 10s each having a servo field and a data field. Thus, track control should be performed in order to locate a magnetic head 12 on a target track to be tested. At the same time, servo control is also necessary to prevent track displacement due to the surface vibration, eccentricity, or other defects of the magnetic disk, from occurring in wiring (hereinafter referred to as W)/reading (hereinafter referred to as R) of data to/from the magnetic disk whose rotation is controlled.
In conventional testing apparatus, a signal corresponding to a servo field (hereinafter referred to as “servo pattern”) is read by the magnetic head, in order to perform the above-described control by using a specific channel control IC corresponding to the servo pattern of the magnetic disk to be tested. For example, the details of the servo control in such a testing apparatus are disclosed in Patent document (Japanese Patent Application No. 3744781). | {
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Nalbuphine hydrochloride, also known as 4((−)-17-(cyclobutylmethyl)-4,5α-epoxymorphinan-3,6α,14-triol hydrochloride, (C21H28ClNO4, MW 393.90) is a synthetic opioid agonist-antagonist analgesic of the phenanthrene series. The chemical structure of nalbuphine hydrochloride is shown below
Nalbuphine HCl is structurally related to both the widely used opioid antagonist, naloxone, and the potent opioid analgesic, oxymorphone. Nalbuphine hydrochloride is an effective analgesic indicated for the relief of moderate to severe pain. Nalbuphine hydrochloride may also be used as a supplement to balanced anesthesia, for preoperative and postoperative analgesia, and for obstetrical analgesia during labor and delivery. Nalbuphine hydrochloride is commercially available as an injectable solution in two concentrations, more particularly in 10 mg and 20 mg of nalbuphine hydrochloride per mL. | {
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Hsp90 is a family of proteins involved in many cellular functions, including the cellular defense against stress, the stability and function of mutated proteins, and the conformational maturation of key proteins involved in the growth response of cells to extracellular factors. In addition, Hsp90 has also been shown to be overexpressed in multiple tumor types and as a function of oncogenic transformation. Hsp90 inhibitors are therefore a highly pursued target in drug discovery efforts.
Radiolabeled Hsp90 inhibitors can be used clinically in a variety of applications related to treatment regimen, diagnosis, and patient monitoring. However, the currently available methods for placing a radioisotope on an Hsp90 inhibitor compound are prohibitively expensive due to poor yields and/or synthetic routes that sacrifice significant amounts of precious radioisotope. | {
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1. Technical Field
Embodiments described herein are related to the field of integrated circuit design, and more particularly, to detecting jitter on an integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital logic designs generally include asynchronous logic blocks separated by clocked storage circuits. At the beginning of a clock cycle, the clocked storage circuits launch previously stored logic signals into an asynchronous logic block. The logic signals then propagate through the asynchronous logic block and are operated on in accordance with the logic function implemented in the asynchronous logic block. At the end of the clock cycle, the resultant logic signals are captured by another set of clocked storage elements.
In real integrated circuits, however, clock signals are not ideal. The period of a clock signal may vary from one cycle to another. This variation in a clock signal is commonly referred to as “jitter,” and may have numerous sources such as, variations in the clock generator (phase-locked loop), variation in power supply voltages, capacitive or inductive coupling into the clock signal from other nearby signals, and the like.
When designing digital logic circuits, digital logic designs allow for a certain amount of jitter (commonly referred to as “adding margin”) which limits the effect portion of a clock cycle in which logic work may be done. In some cases the added margin is estimated based on an analysis of the clock generation circuits, such as, e.g., phase-locked loops, characteristics of the semiconductor manufacturing process that will be used to fabricate the design, the clock distribution network, etc. After fabrication, the actual circuit may experience less jitter than estimated which would allow for a higher operation frequency. Alternatively, the actual circuit may be experience more jitter than estimated, which may prevent the circuit from achieving intended performance goals. | {
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Various methods are used to dispose of tires. For example, they can be simply ground up or mulched, or used for fuel referred to as tire derived fuel (TDF). Tires have been used as fuel in the cement industry in cement kilns, in boilers in pulp and paper mills, in power plants of electric utilities and in industrial boilers. When used for fuel the tires are typically first ground up or shredded and then placed in an incinerator at high temperatures, for example, above 1500° F., and incinerated as, for example, in US application publication no. US 2004/0025763.
There are a number of problems, however, with incinerating tires or using tires as fuel. One is the metal in the tires. The metal in the tires tends to clog feed systems in the pulp and paper industry. As a result, the pulp and paper industry needs to remove the metal, or de-wire the tires, before using them as fuel. Similarly, the tires must be de-wired and typically ground up before use by electric utilities. Also, when grinding the tires, tiny fines of metal from the steel bead ring in the tires and the steel belts in radial tires are left in the ground up material.
Other problems with incinerating tires for fuel involve environmental issues with air emissions that can include dioxins, furans, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrous oxides (NOx), carbon dioxide, and/or particulates. There can also be problems with disposal of resulting ash that can include metals and heavy metals from the tires, such as zinc, chromium, cadmium and lead. Moreover, these methods of disposal also do not reclaim for reuse any of the various components of the tires.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved system for not only disposal of used tires, but also for recovery of the tire components for reuse. Additionally, there is a need for more energy efficient disposal of tires and recovery of tire components for reuse. | {
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Downhole completions are often used to produce or harvest fluids, e.g., hydrocarbons, from subterranean reservoirs, formations, or production zones. Undesirable fluids, e.g., water or brine, also are often located downhole. Moreover, downhole fluids can also contain particulates such as fines. As a result, flow control devices and oil/water separators have been contemplated for limiting production of the undesirable fluids or particulates in order to maximize the yield of the desirable fluids. Although various methods and devices have been developed, advances in flow control devices, and other systems and methods for limiting water, brine, or undesirable particles into a downhole production assembly are well received by the industry. | {
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The neuropeptide galanin and its receptors hold great promise as targets for the development of novel therapeutic agents. Galanin is widely distributed throughout the peripheral and central nervous systems and is associated with the regulation of processes such as somatosensory transmission, smooth muscle contractility, hormone release, and feeding (for review, see Bartfai et al., 1993). In the periphery galanin is found in the adrenal medulla, uterus, gastrointestinal tract, dorsal root ganglia (DRG), and sympathetic neurons. Galanin released from sympathetic nerve terminals in the pancreas is a potent regulator of insulin release in several species (Ahrén and Lindskog, 1992; Boyle et al., 1994), suggesting a potential role for galanin in the etiology or treatment of diabetes. High levels of galanin are observed in human and rat anterior pituitary where galanin mRNA levels are potently upregulated by estrogen (Vrontakis et al., 1987; Kaplan et al., 1988). The presence of galanin in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis coupled with its potent hormonal effects has led to the suggestion that galanin may play an integral role in the hormonal response to stress (Bartfai et al., 1993).
Within the CNS galanin-containing cell bodies are found in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, basal forebrain, brainstem nuclei, and spinal cord, with highest concentrations of galanin in the hypothalamus and pituitary (Skofitsch and Jacobowitz, 1985; Bennet et al., 1991; Merchenthaler et al., 1993). The distribution of galanin receptors in the CNS generally complements that of galanin peptide, with high levels of galanin binding observed in the hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, brainstem and dorsal spinal cord (Skofitsch et al., 1986; Merchenthaler et al., 1993; see Bartfai et al., 1993). Accordingly, agents modulating the activity of galanin receptors would have multiple potential therapeutic applications in the CNS. One of the most important of these is the regulation of food intake. Galanin injected into the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus stimulates feeding in satiated rats (Kyrkouli et al., 1990), an effect which is blocked by the peptide galanin antagonist M40 (Crawley et al., 1993). In freely feeding rats, PVN injection of galanin preferentially stimulates fat-preferring feeding (Tempel et al., 1988); importantly, the galanin antagonist M40 administered alone decreases overall fat intake (Leibowitz and Kim, 1992). These data indicate that specific receptors in the hypothalamus mediate the effects of galanin on feeding behavior, and further suggest that agents acting at hypothalamic galanin receptors may be therapeutically useful in the treatment of human eating disorders.
Galanin receptors elsewhere in the CNS may also serve as therapeutic targets. In the spinal cord galanin is released from the terminals of sensory neurons as well as spinal interneurons and appears to play a role in the regulation of pain threshold (Wiesenfeld-Hallin et al., 1992). Intrathecal galanin potentiates the anti-nociceptive effects of morphine in rats and produces analgesia when administered alone (Wiesenfeld-Hallin et al., 1993; Post et al., 1988); galanin receptor agonists may therefore be useful as analgesic agents in the spinal cord. Galanin may also play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. In the hippocampus galanin inhibits both the release (Fisone et al., 1987) and efficacy (Palazzi et al., 1988) of acetylcholine, causing an impairment of cognitive functions (Sundström et al., 1988). Autopsy samples from humans afflicted with Alzheimer's disease reveal a galaninergic hyperinnervation of the nucleus basalis (Chan-Palay, 1988), suggesting a role for galanin in the impaired cognition characterizing Alzheimer's disease. Together these data suggest that a galanin antagonist may be effective in ameliorating the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (see Crawley, 1993). This hypothesis is supported by the report that intraventricular administration of the peptide galanin antagonist M35 improves cognitive performance in rats (Ögren et al., 1992). Human galanin receptors thus provide targets for therapeutic intervention in multiple CNS disorders.
High-affinity galanin binding sites have been characterized in brain, spinal cord, pancreatic islets and cell lines, and gastrointestinal smooth muscle in several mammalian species, and all show similar affinity for 125I-porcine galanin (˜0.5-1 nM). Nevertheless, recent in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies in which fragments and analogues of galanin were used suggest the existence of multiple galanin receptor subtypes. For example, a galanin binding site in guinea pig stomach has been reported that exhibits high affinity for porcine galanin (3-29) (Gu, et al. 1995), which is inactive at CNS galanin receptors. The chimeric galanin analogue M15 (galantide) acts as antagonist at CNS galanin receptors (Bartfai et al., 1991) but as a full agonist in gastrointestinal smooth muscle (Gu et al., 1993). Similarly, the galanin-receptor ligand M40 acts as a weak agonist in RINm5F insulinoma cells and a full antagonist in brain (Bartfai et al, 1993a). The pharmacological profile of galanin receptors in RINm5F cells can be further distinguished from those in brain by the differential affinities of [D-Tyr2]- and [D-Phe2]-galanin analogues (Lagny-Pourmir et al., 1989). The chimeric galanin analogue M35 displaces 125I-galanin binding to RINm5F membranes in a biphasic manner, suggesting the presence of multiple galanin receptor subtypes, in this cell line (Gregersen et al., 1993).
Multiple galanin receptor subtypes may also co-exist within the CNS. Galanin receptors in the dorsal hippocampus exhibit high affinity for Gal (1-15) but not for Gal (1-29) (Hedlund et al., 1992), suggesting that endogenous proteolytic processing may release bioactive fragments of galanin to act at distinct receptors. The rat pituitary exhibits high-affinity binding for 125I-Bolton and Hunter (N-terminus)-labeled galanin (1-29) but not for [125I]Tyr26-porcine galanin (Wynick et al., 1993), suggesting that the pituitary galanin receptor is a C-terminus-preferring subtype. Spinal cord galanin binding sites, while similar to those in brain, show an affinity for the chimeric peptide antagonist M35 intermediate between the brain and smooth muscle (Bartfai et al., 1991), raising the possibility of further heterogeneity.
A galanin receptor cDNA was recently isolated by expression cloning from a human Bowes melanoma cell line (Habert-Ortoli et al., 1994). The pharmacological profile exhibited by this receptor is similar to that observed in brain and pancreas, and on that basis the receptor has been termed GALR1. The cloned human GALR1 receptor (“hGALR1”) binds native human, porcine and rat galanin with ˜1 nM affinity (Ki vs. 125I-galanin) and porcine galanin 1-16 at a slightly lower affinity (˜5 nM). Porcine galanin 3-29 does not bind to the receptor. The GALR1 receptor appears to couple to inhibition of adenylate cyclase, with half-maximal inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP production by 1 nM galanin, and maximal inhibition occurring at about 1 μM.
Recently the rat homologue of GALR1 (“orGALR1”) was cloned from the RIN14B pancreatic cell line (Burgevin, et al., (1995), Parker et al., 1995. The pharmacologic data reported to date do not suggest substantial differences between the pharmacologic properties of the rat and human GALR1 receptors. Localization studies reveal GALR1 mRNA in rat hypothalamus, ventral hippocampus, brainstem, and spinal cord (Gustafson et al., 1996), regions consistent with roles for galanin in feeding, cognition, and pain transmission. However, GALR1 appears to be distinct from the pituitary and hippocampal receptor subtypes described above.
The indication of multiple galanin receptor subtypes within the brain underscores the importance of defining galanin receptor heterogeneity at the molecular level in order to develop specific therapeutic agents for CNS disorders. Pharmacological tools capable of distinguishing galanin receptor subtypes in tissue preparations are only beginning to appear. Several high-affinity peptide-based galanin antagonists have been developed and are proving useful in probing the functions of galanin receptors (see Bartfai et al., 1993), but their peptide character precludes practical use as therapeutic agents. In light of galanin's multiple neuroendocrine roles, therapeutic agents targeting a specific disorder must be selective for the appropriate receptor subtype to minimize side effects.
Accordingly, applicants have endeavored to clone the entire family of galanin receptors for use in target-based drug design programs. The identification of non-peptide agents acting selectively only at specific galanin receptors will be greatly facilitated by the cloning, expression, and characterization of the galanin receptor family.
Applicants have recently isolated by expression cloning from a rat hypothalamic cDNA library a novel galanin receptor, termed “GALR2,” not described herein, which is distinguishable from GALR1 both by its unique sequence and distinct pharmacologic properties. The GALR2 receptor is the subject of PCT International Application PCT/US97/01301, published on 31 Jul. 1997, as WO 97/26853.
Applicants now report the isolation of a novel galanin receptor subtype, referred to herein as “GALR3,” from a rat hypothalamic cDNA library. This discovery provides a novel approach, through the use of heterologous expression systems, to develop subtype selective, high-affinity non-peptide compounds that could serve as therapeutic agents for eating disorders, diabetes, pain, depression, ischemia, Alzheimer's disease, neuroendocrine disorders. The distribution of mRNA encoding the rat GALR3 receptor in multiple CNS regions as well as other organs supports the notion that the GALR3 is involved in these disorders. Pathophysiological disorders proposed to be linked to galanin receptor activation include eating disorders, diabetes, pain, depression, ischemia, Alzheimer's disease and reproductive disorders.
Accordingly, treatment of such disorders may be effected by the administration of GALR3 receptor-selective compounds. The presence of galanin binding sites in multiple CNS areas suggests that GALR3 receptors may also play a role in cognition, analgesia, sensory processing (olfactory, visual), processing of visceral information, motor coordination, modulation of dopaminergic activity, neuroendocrine function, sleep disorders, migraine, and anxiety. | {
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The present invention relates to magnetic resonance imaging systems, apparatus and procedures and, in particular, to apparatus and procedures for safely performing magnetic resonance imaging.
In magnetic resonance imaging, an object to be imaged as, for example, a body of a human subject, is exposed to a strong, substantially constant static magnetic field. The static magnetic field causes the spin vectors of certain atomic nuclei within the body to randomly rotate or “precess” around an axis parallel to the direction of the static magnetic field. Radio frequency excitation energy is applied to the body, and this energy causes the precessing automatic nuclei to rotate or “precess” in phase and in an excited state. As the precessing atomic nuclei relax, weak radio frequency signals are emitted; such radio frequency signals are referred to herein as magnetic resonance signals.
Different tissues produce different signal characteristics. Furthermore, relaxation times are the dominant factor in determining signal strength. In addition, tissues having a high density of certain nuclei will produce stronger signals than tissues with a low density of such nuclei. Relatively small gradients in the magnetic field are superimposed on the static magnetic field at various times during the process so that magnetic resonance signals from different portions of the patient's body differ in phase and/or frequency. If the process is repeated numerous times using different combinations of gradients, the signals from the various repetitions together provide enough information to form a map of signal characteristics versus location within the body. Such a map can be reconstructed by conventional techniques well known in the magnetic resonance imaging art, and can be displayed as a pictorial image of the tissues as known in the art.
The magnetic resonance imaging technique offers numerous advantages over other imaging techniques. MRI does not expose either the patient or medical personnel to X-rays and offers important safety advantages. Also, magnetic resonance imaging can obtain images of soft tissues and other features within the body which are not readily visualized using other imaging techniques. Accordingly, magnetic resonance imaging has been widely adopted in the medical and allied arts.
Many conventional magnetic resonance imaging instruments require that a patient lie on a horizontal bed that is then advanced into a tubular bore within a super-conducting solenoidal magnet used to generate the static magnetic field. Other conventional MRI imaging instruments use a magnet having a ferromagnetic frame defining a patient-receiving space. Considerable effort has been devoted to design of such magnets in a manner which provides a relatively open patient-receiving space, as opposed to the claustrophobic tubular bore of the conventional solenoidal magnet. However, in these instruments as well, it has been the common practice to provide the patient on a bed which remains horizontal throughout the procedure.
Advancement in magnetic resonance imaging has resulted in imaging apparatus that supports a patient in any position between a vertical position and a horizontal position. As described in greater detail in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,490, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/978,048, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,677,753, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein, a magnetic resonance imaging system can be provided with a patient support, such as a table, which can extend in a generally vertical direction so that the long axis of the patient is substantially vertical. For example, the patient may be in a standing posture, with his back, side or front leaning against a generally vertical patient support. Such a support may include a footrest projecting from the table at its lower end and the patient may stand on the footrest. In other arrangements, the support includes a seat projecting from the table so that the seat is in a horizontal plane when the table surface is vertical. In particularly preferred arrangements, the patient support can move relative to the magnet. For example, the patient support may be arranged to move vertically relative to the magnet so as to elevate a portion of the patient into the imaging volume of the magnet. Alternatively or additionally, the patient support may be arranged to tilt through a range of orientations between a generally horizontal orientation and a generally vertical orientation.
The position of a patient during magnetic resonance imaging may affect or limit the imaging information obtained. A patient may exhibit a symptom if oriented in an upright or weight bearing position and no symptom if oriented in a recumbent or horizontal position. For example, it may be necessary to image a patient in an upright or gravity bearing position to discern a symptom and provide a diagnosis relating to the neck, spine, hip, knee, foot or ankle areas of the human anatomy.
In addition to a patient's position, movement by a patient during imaging may also affect the images obtained. In fact, magnetic resonance imaging procedures generally require the patient to remain perfectly still during imaging. A patient positioned in a weight-bearing upright posture may find it more difficult to remain still during imaging. The anxiety level of a patient is another factor that may affect how still a patient remains during imaging. In general, those magnets that place the patient in the bore of the magnet during imaging tend to add to the patient's anxiety level because of the closed-in and tight environs. A more relaxed patient tends to move less during imaging.
Where an infant or minor is to be scanned, the problem of patient movement takes on additional concern. In particular, that portion of an infant's or minor's anatomical area of interest that is the object of a scan is usually smaller than the same anatomical area in an adult. Thus, any movement by the infant or minor tends to affect the imaging process even more. In addition, a claustrophobic environment tends to cause even more unwanted movement on the part of the child or infant. Indeed, children under 12 are almost always anesthetized, requiring continuous cardiac and respiratory monitoring and an attending anesthesiologist. As such, children are asked to endure a certain level of discomfort and are exposed to considerable risk caused by the application of anesthesia. In addition, parents are caused undue anxiety and the hospital incurs extra costs and is exposed to unnecessary risk associated with the application of anesthesia.
In the case where the subject is a premature infant, imaging the premature infant outside an incubator poses very serious health risks. Indeed, in most cases imaging a premature infant in an MRI scanner is not an option as the infant needs to remain in the incubator.
Of utility then are methods, apparatus, and systems that enable magnet resonance imaging of infants, premature or otherwise, and children. | {
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This invention relates to a quick disconnect coupler having a seal which can be shaped to seal against all three of the commonly used coupler plugs.
Quick disconnect couplers are in widespread use for releasably joining pneumatic and fluid transfer lines. In general, quick disconnect couplers use hardened balls or pins which engage a groove in the coupler plug to hold it securely against a soft seal while permitting the assembly to swivel, thereby preventing kinking or twisting of hoses. A sliding sleeve is manually retracted to release the locking balls or pins, thereby permitting the plug to be inserted or removed. The sleeve automatically returns to the lock position when released. Generally, an automatic shut-off valve is provided in the coupler to seal the central passageway of the coupler automatically upon uncoupling. This eliminates the need for a separate shut-off.
In the past, a number of sealing approaches have been used to seal the housing of the coupler to the coupler plug. One approach is to use an O-ring captured in place in the housing of the coupler shown for example in Karcher, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,951. A second approach is to use a cylindrical sealing surface that provides a radial seal, as shown for example in Gailey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,893. A third approach is to use a cut washer which abuts the extreme end surface of the coupler plug to provide the required seal. See, for example, the quick disconnect couplers shown on page 4 of the Amflo Coupler and Plug catalog. In the coupler shown in the Amflo catalog, the automatic shut-off valve is spring biased to seal against the opposed side of the cut washer.
At least in the United States, coupler plugs are not standardized. In fact, three types of coupler plugs are in common use, and they differ substantially in the outer diameter of the nose of the coupler plug, and in the axial position of the nose of the coupler plug with respect to the annular retaining groove of the plug. It would be advantageous to provide a quick disconnect coupler that seals reliably against all three commonly available coupler plugs.
A prior art approach to providing a quick disconnect coupler which is intended to seal all three commonly available plugs is to use a U cup seal in the coupler which slides axially along the length of the coupler as necessary to seal against any one of the three plugs. The structure of this prior art coupler is similar to the Hansen AUTO-FLO 20 coupler shown in various catalogs of the Tuthill Corporation, Hansen Coupling Division. In this arrangement, the coupling plug shifts the seal axially along the central passageway of the housing as necessary to bring the seal into sealing engagement with the nose of the plug. The illustrated design has a cylindrical, inwardly facing sealing surface, and the sliding seal is spring biased towards the retaining elements by the automatic shut-off valve. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to an etching apparatus and method for a semiconductor device. More particularly, the embodiments relate to an etching method for a semiconductor device, capable of improving a selectivity of a photoresist in an etching process of the semiconductor device such as a wafer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a device dimension of a semiconductor device is gradually becoming smaller, and thus, a photoresist is gradually becoming thinner in order to pattern a micro-sized structure.
Accordingly, a process enabling a thin photoresist to have a high selectivity is required.
U.S. Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002/0102500 discloses a technology of forming a fluorinated carbon protecting layer. According to the above Publication, a step of depositing a protecting layer on a photoresist is added before an etching process such that the fluorinated carbon protecting layer can be formed by using CxHy-based etching gas such as fluoromethyl (CH3F), octafluorocyclobutane (C4F8), etc.
In detail, a material layer such as silicon oxide (SiO2) is formed on a wafer, and the photoresist is coated and developed on the material layer. At this time, the material layer is etched through the etching process.
It is preferable if the photoresist has higher selectivity during the etching process. Here, the photoresist selectivity is obtained by dividing an etching rate of a target material by an etching rate of a non-target material.
In the conventional technology, instead of immediately etching the wafer introduced into an etching chamber, the operation adding the fluorinated carbon protecting layer on the photoresist is previously performed to protect the photoresist. Thus, the etching process is performed after protecting the top and sidewall of the photoresist.
However, since the fluorine is added, porosity of the fluorinated carbon protecting layer becomes greater thereby weakening the protection strength. In addition, the etch resistance of the fluorinated carbon protecting layer becomes reduced due to the etching effect of the fluorine, so the coupling strength between the fluorinated carbon protecting layer and the photoresist becomes relatively weaker.
Accordingly, there is limitation in enhancing the selectivity of the thin photoresist, so the etching efficiency is degraded. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a detachable combination shoe-pedal assembly for use in cycling. More particularly, the invention relates to a pedal assembly that permits a cycling shoe-pedal assembly to operably engage and safely disengage the pedal crank arm of a bicycle or other pedal powered apparatus.
Many modern bicycles, including those intended for road racing, are designed to transfer and convert the linear forces applied by the cyclist into rotational motion of the crank arm and sprocket. In conventional bicycles, the forces generated by the cyclist are exerted through the pedal assembly in the vertical direction when the pedal is depressed by the rider""s foot as well as lifted on the upstroke. A popular configurations for road racing is the clipless pedal system comprising a pedal with a receptacle adapted to receive a cleat mounted in the sole of a special cycling shoes. This cleat snaps into the pedal receptacle allowing the cyclist to connect a shoe directly to the pedal, and indirectly to the crank arms, with ease. The cyclist""s foot then disengages the pedal system by rotating or displacing the shoe in a predefined manner or under the force of an accident, for example.
Although the clipless pedal system allows the operator""s foot to quickly connect to and disconnect from the crank, the cleat and corresponding receptacle in prior art systems is located directly below the sole of the cycling shoe. The location of the cleat and receptacle below the cyclist foot detrimentally affect the performance in at least three ways: First, the prior art systems, which can be as much as an inch thick, reduce the ground clearance at the underside of the pedal, thereby reducing limiting the angle at which the bicycle may be simultaneously pedaled and turned. Second, the thickness of the cleat and receptacle system increases the riding height of the cyclist and the frame, thereby increasing aerodynamic drag and bicycle weight. Third, the force exerted by the foot of the cyclist is distributed over the relatively small area of the cleat which increases the pressure of the foot in immediate proximity to the cleat of the foot and causes discomfort to the cyclist.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,472 to Lin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,950 to Tranvoiz, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,896 to Stringer disclose detachable pedal assemblies in which a portion of the release mechanism is located in proximity to the crank arm. In each of these patents, the pedal is mounted either directly or indirectly into the crack through the spindle. The pedal remains rotatably affixed to the crank until a linear force co-parallel to the axis of the spindle is applied. Although these prior art pedal assemblies may be quickly attached to and removed from the crank arm, manual intervention is required without which the pedal cannot be engaged or disengaged. Moreoever, these pedal assemblies are designed to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the pedal in connection with the storage and transportation of the bicycle. These pedal assemblies do not include means to attach a cycling shoe to the pedal and are, therefore, entirely unsuitable for road racing applications where it is necessary to both press down and lift up the pedal.
The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art with a detachable pedal assembly in which the release mechanism is positioned adjacent to the axle that threadedly engages the bicycle pedal crank arm. Location of the release mechanism to the side of the pedal and away from the underside of the cyclist""s foot allows (1) the rider to assume a lower riding position, thereby reducing the frame height and aerodynamic drag; (2) the bottom side of the pedal to be raised, thereby allowing for sharper turns of the bicycle; (3) the pedal to have a greater surface area, thereby reducing the pressure across the cyclist""s foot; and (4) the rider visibility of the release mechanism during engagement, unlike prior art systems.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the detachable pedal assembly is comprised of an axle assembly, binding assembly, and connecting means. The axle assembly is comprised of an axle adapted to threadedly engage the bicycle pedal crank arm. The binding assembly is comprised of a pedal through which the cycling shoe applies force to drive the bicycle. The connecting means is comprised of a bearing and releasable coupling means, the connecting means being substantially interposed between the pedal crank arm and the binding assembly in the lateral direction. Although the bearing and releasable coupling means may be affixed to either the axle assembly or the binding assembly, it is important that the releasable coupling means rigidly hold the binding assembly to the axle assembly until a force equal to or greater than a predetermined force threshold is applied, at which point the release coupling means responds by automatically disengaging the binding assembly from the axle assembly. In this manner, a cyclist may exert force on the pedal assembly without disengaging the pedal crank arm unless the cyclist chooses to disengage the binding assembly from the axle assembly. In some embodiments, the shoe-pedal assembly may be automatically disengaged from the bicycle crank if the cyclist befalls adverse circumstances.
In some embodiments of the present invention are designed with offset between the pedal of the binding assembly and the axle assembly to position the ball of the cyclist""s foot at the axis of the axle. Still other embodiments adapted primarily to bicycle road racing applications include shoe fastening means permitting the cycling shoe to be affixed to the pedal assembly, thereby allowing the cyclist to drive the bicycle by pushing against the pedal in the down stroke as well as pulling on the pedal during the upstroke. The shoe fastening means may be used in combination with a force-responsive locking means that determines the force necessary to release the binding assembly from the axle assembly.
The shoe-pedal assembly in preferred embodiments is made to engage and disengage the axle mounted on the bicycle pedal crank assembly in the vertical direction, while other embodiments permit the binding assembly to engage and disengage the axle in the other directions or manners. The binding assembly may be made to alternatively engage or disengage the axle by means of one or more forces including rotational forces or linear forces applied in the horizontal or vertical plain. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates generally to metallurgy and ceramics and more particularly to the development of containers for the inductive melting of titanium and titanium alloys and the casting of articles from the molten metals.
Production of titanium castings at the present time is marked by high reject rates and significant component rework due to use of certain melting techniques, the use of particular types of equipment, the failure to secure uniform temperatures in the molten metal prior to pouring, and high reactivity between the molten metal and the materials of the crucibles and molds. Prior to this invention, the production of titanium castings in the United States has been limited to a few foundries all of which use skull melting in water cooled copper crucibles by the consumable and/or non-consumable electrode method. In the casting process, use may be made of ceramic investment molds with a nonreactive coating such as tungsten powder or graphite or molds composed of rammed graphite. These methods result in the above-noted objections which the present invention seeks to avoid. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
One current use of mobile devices is to allow a “virtual” perspective a real-world environment. Currently, some applications which may be used on mobile devices use the camera input from the device and GPS coordinates to render a two-dimensional image on items (usually buildings) in the real world. These objects are generally viewable any position and are usually three-dimensional in appearance, but rendered on a flat display of the mobile device.
Mixed reality is a technology that allows virtual object to be mixed with a real world physical environment. A see-through, head mounted display (HMD) device may be worn by a user to view the mixed imagery of real objects and virtual objects displayed in the user's field of view. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Field effect transistors (FETs) are used to a great extent in various logic and control circuits because of their low power requirements. As is known, many logic and control circuits use complementary devices to further reduce the power consumed in the circuits. Because of this extensive use, there is a need to make FETs smaller so that larger numbers of them can be incorporated into integrated circuits and the like. Also, by making the FETs smaller, especially with shorter gates, the operating frequency can be much higher and the devices can be used in high speed digital circuits and the like. Some of the smallest FETs are heterostructure FETs (HFETs), including heterostructure insulated gate field effect transistors (HIGFETs).
Prior art HFETs and especially p-channel HFETs cannot practically be made with very short gate lengths due to severe short channel effects such as high output conductance and subthreshold currents. Generally, prior art HFETs are constructed with a buffer layer on the substrate. Such buffer layers grown by a molecular beam epitaxy process are unintentionally doped, generally p-type. The buffer layers are p-doped about 1-3 E14 cm.sup.-3. Subthreshold currents are determined by conduction through the buffer layers. While the subthreshold of N-channel devices is controlled reasonably well for devices of gate lengths, Lg, down to 0.3 .mu.ms, due to the potential barrier resulting from the P-buffer which confines electrons, P-channel devices suffer severe short channel effects from conduction between the source and drain contacts.
For P-channel devices this is one of the key problems that prevents the successful fabrication of prior art submicron devices, especially complementary devices. As gate dimensions are reduced in these devices, from 1 .mu.m to lower levels (e.g. 0.5 .mu.m), the subthreshold leakage currents increase almost exponentially from near nano-amperes to several hundred nano-amperes, or in some cases microamperes when the gate length is at 0.5 .mu.m. Subthreshold slopes also increase substantially to several hundred millivolts per decade, and the devices do not pinch-off at all. Also, noise margins are severely degraded. Thus, these prior art devices become useless for complementary logic circuits as they are made smaller.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide HFETs which could be fabricated in submicron ranges with improved operating characteristics.
It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved HFET and method of fabrication.
It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved HFET which can be manufactured in submicron ranges with substantially reduced subthreshold leakage currents.
It is still another purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved P-channel HFET which can be manufactured with gate lengths under 0.5 .mu.m and subthreshold leakage currents in the nanoamperes.
It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of fabricating HFETs which can be used to manufacture complementary HFETS. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a data storage device and a control method therefor, and more particularly to a data storage device which determines whether the flying height of each head is normal, and a control method therefor.
Known data storage devices use various types of media such as optical disks and magnetic tapes. Among these data storage devices are hard disk drives (HDDs), which have been widely used as storage for computers and are now essential storage devices in computer systems. Their applications, however, are not limited to computers. Due to their superior characteristics, HDDs have found application in an increasing number of fields. For example, they have been used in video recording/reproducing apparatuses and recording/reproducing apparatuses for car navigation systems and also used as removable storage (memory) for digital cameras.
A HDD comprises: at least one magnetic disk for storing data; at least one head device portion for writing/reading data to/from the magnetic disk; at least one slider to which the head device is fixed; and an actuator for holding the slider and moving the head device portion to a desired position over the magnetic disk. A voice coil motor rotates the actuator around a pivot so as to move the head in a radial direction over the rotating magnetic disk. This allows the head device portion to access a desired track formed on the magnetic disk to read/write data.
The actuator has a resilient suspension to which the slider is fixed. The pressure (to the head device portion) generated due to the viscosity of the air between the rotating magnetic disk and the ABS (Air Bearing Surface) surface of the slider facing the magnetic disk balances with the pressure applied (to the head device portion) by the actuator toward the magnetic disk, causing the head device portion to float above the magnetic disk with a certain gap therebetween. Such a gap between the head device portion and the magnetic disk is referred to as a head flying height.
In some cases, the head flying height becomes abnormally high while the HDD is operating. This phenomenon is considered to be attributed to thermal asperity on the magnetic disk, a disturbance in the air bearing due to dust, or an external shock. If the head device portion floats abnormally high, the level of the magnetic signal applied from the head device portion to the magnetic disk decreases. If a write operation is performed at that time, the data may be properly written, or no data may be written at all.
To prevent occurrence of such an error in a write operation, a technique has been proposed which detects the head flying height based on the servo gain and inhibits the data write operation when the flying height is abnormal (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-229637). In the HDD, the read signal read out from the magnetic disk is amplified to a certain potential through AGC (Automatic Gain Control). The level of the read signal read by the head device portion is inversely proportional to the head flying height. Therefore, the higher the flying height, the larger the gain of the AGC. The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-229637 monitors the gain of the AGC for amplification of the servo signal at the start of a write operation and compares its value with a reference value to detect an abnormality in the head flying height. If the flying height is determined to be abnormal, the technique inhibits the data write operation.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 09-139040 (1997) discloses a system for monitoring changes in the head flying height based on the AGC voltage of the AGC circuit of the data reproduction processing circuit which receives the reproduced signal obtained when data stored on a disk is read out by the head and which performs predetermined data reproduction processing. The CPU compares the input AGC voltage with threshold value data DT stored in memory, and if the voltage falls outside a permissible range, the CPU outputs a flying height change detection signal FS indicating occurrence of an abnormal change in the head flying height. Further, the system disclosed measures the AGC voltage CV corresponding to the reproduced signal from the head and compares an average value CVa of the AGC voltage CV with the threshold value data DT to determine whether the AGC voltage CV falls within a permissible range indicated by the threshold value data DT. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field
The multiple embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method for controlling engine start in a vehicle.
2. Background Art
Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV's) utilize a combination of an internal combustion engine with an electric motor to provide the power needed to propel a vehicle. This arrangement provides improved fuel economy over a vehicle that has only an internal combustion engine. One method of improving the fuel economy in an HEV is to shutdown the engine during times that the engine operates inefficiently, and is not otherwise needed to propel the vehicle. In these situations, the electric motor is used to provide all of the power needed to propel the vehicle. When the driver power demand increases such that the electric motor can no longer provide enough power to meet the demand, or if the battery state of charge drops below a certain level, the engine must start quickly and smoothly in a manner that is nearly transparent to the driver.
Starting an engine in an HEV can occur when the vehicle is operating under any one of a number of different conditions. One such operating condition includes starting the engine in an HEV when it is moving under the power of the electric motor. Control of the engine start may be different for different sets of conditions under which the vehicle is operating.
Aging and other factors may cause the engine to fail to start on the first attempt. Among these factors are poor fuel quality, spark plug fouling, and reduced airflow through the intake system due to throttle sludging. By simply attempting a re-start of the engine under the same actuator command settings, these factors may not be overcome, resulting in multiple failed starts and the vehicle entering a non-functional state.
While the aforementioned description is focused on an HEV application, the authors recognize that the disclosed strategies can be applied to a conventional (non-HEV) engine start. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to syringe systems that are used for storing and dispensing materials therefrom. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dental syringe system that provides for controllable doses of a highly viscous, pliable, light-activated dental composite.
2. The Relevant Technology
Cosmetic and/or functional augmentations of a tooth due to chipping or decay are common dental procedures. Typically, the dentist will apply a resin-based, light-activated dental composite to the tooth in order to fill a chipped or missing area. When the dental composite closely matches the natural color of the tooth, the repair job is barely, if at all, noticeable.
Typically, the dental composite is stored and dispensed from a syringe that is constructed to progressively extrude the composite material. Because the composite materials are highly viscous, it is often quite difficult to operate existing syringes without the use of both hands.
In addition, because only a small amount of the dental composite within a syringe is used for each patient, there is a risk of cross contamination from one patient to the next. In addition, existing syringes include numerous crevices that can make effective cleaning between patients difficult.
It would, therefore, be an advantage in the art to provide a syringe delivery system for dispensing a highly viscous material (e.g., a dental composite) having a design that is more effectively cleaned between patients. It would be a further advantage to provide a syringe delivery system that can be easily operated with only one hand. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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It is disclosed that the melinjo components have various biological actions. Patent document 1, Patent document 2 and Non-Patent document 1 disclose an antioxidant action, an antibacterial action, a lipase inhibitory action and an amylase inhibitory action of gnetin C, Non-Patent document 2 discloses an angiogenesis suppressive action and an antitumor action of gnetin C, Non-Patent document 3 discloses an antitumor action of gnetin C, Non-Patent document 4 discloses an apoptosis induction action of gnetin C in human leukemia cells, Patent document 3 and Non-Patent document 5 disclose an immunostimulating action of a melinjo extract, Non-Patent document 6 discloses an antibacterial action of a melinjo extract, Patent document 4, Non-Patent document 7 and Non-Patent document 8 disclose an anti-obesity/diabetes improving action of a melinjo extract, Patent document 5 and Non-Patent document 9 disclose a tyrosinase inhibitory action and a melanin biosynthesis inhibitory action of gnetin C, Non-Patent document 10 discloses a vascular aging suppressive action of a melinjo extract, Patent document 6 discloses anti-aging by a sirtuin activating action of gnetin C, Patent document 7 discloses an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory action of a melinjo extract, Non-Patent document 11 discloses a serum uric acid level lowering action of a melinjo extract, Non-Patent document 12 discloses a periodontal disease exacerbation preventing action of a melinjo extract, Non-Patent document 13 discloses an atrophic skin suppressive action, Non-Patent document 14 discloses an immunomodulating action of a melinjo extract, and Non-Patent document 15 discloses an AMPK phosphorylation elevating action of a melinjo extract in liver of a newborn female child of a fructose excessively ingested pregnant rat. Further, safety of a melinjo extract is also recognized since the melinjo extract shows a high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increasing action and a uric acid level lowering action without showing any abnormalities in a toxicity test in rats (Non-Patent document 16) and a safety test in humans (Non-Patent document 17), and exerts no influence on the anticoagulant activity of a hepatic metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P-450 and warfarin (Non-Patent document 18). Further, it is reported that gnetin C exerts a more antiproliferative effect than that of medicinal products on leukemia cells of a patient (Non-Patent document 19).
The main component contained in endosperm of a melinjo seed is gnemonoside A as a glycoside of gnetin C represented by the following formula (2), and it is already disclosed that the component showing the actions described above is gnetin C as an aglycon represented by the above-described formula (1). Patent document 1 discloses a production method of a Gnetaceae extract comprising aging at ordinary temperature to 70° C. utilizing generation of gnetin C by an enzymatic reaction during the aging, and since the content of gnetin C in the Gnetaceae extract is less than 15%, the amount of intake thereof tends to increase for obtaining the various effects described above. Promotion of an enzymatic reaction in aging is not disclosed and also is not suggested in any of the above-described documents. Further, the method for investigating generated state is only a qualitative test by ultraviolet absorption spectrum and thin layer chromatogram (TLC).
(It is gnemonoside A when R1 and R2 represent a glucopyranosyl group, gnemonoside C when R1 represents a glucopyranosyl group and R2 represents hydrogen, and gnemonoside D when R1 represents hydrogen and R2 represents a glucopyranosyl group, in the formula.) | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to window covering installations, more particularly to arched window coverings, and, still more specifically to fasteners used to secure the outer edge of arched shade material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Arched windows are often used to provide decorative interest and architectural detail in buildings of all types. In some instances, it is desirable to provide a window covering over the arched opening to control light entering through the window or to provide privacy. Window coverings also can add an additional level of decorative detail.
Many different types of window coverings have been used in arched openings. It is known to provide a mounting rail along the horizontal surface of the arched opening, which often will be at the bottom of the arched opening. The shade material than extends outwardly from the bottom rail and may or may not be movable. In some situations it is desirable to secure the curved outer edge of the shade material to the window opening along the entire edge in a channel or other arched holder retaining the fabric and mounted in the window opening. It is known also to use discrete fasteners at several spaced locations along the edge of the material, or at least a single fastener in the center of the fabric and window opening.
It is known to use a one-piece fastener that is secured to the outer edge of the window covering fabric and then screwed or otherwise fastened to the window frame during installation. Such installations have been difficult to complete in that the installer must first locate the center of the arched material so that one fastener can be secured at the center of the material and the center of the opening. Additional fasteners can be added at spaced locations along the edge. This requires accurately measuring the curved peripheral edge of the window covering material or counting the pleats in pleated material or cells in so-called cellular window covering material, and then completing attachment to the material and to an accurately determined window location. Failure to locate the correctly corresponding locations on the material and the window frame can result in an unbalanced appearance of the shade material in the window opening, often requiring redoing the attachment.
Known fasteners have used aggressive frictional engagements with the fabric material and/or adhesive attachment, each of which have resulted in damage to the fabric material in some instances as the fastener is being attached. Further, if it becomes necessary to move the fastener, perhaps because it was secured in a wrong location initially, removing the fastener from the material can be difficult and may result in unacceptable visible damage to the fabric material. Still further, the use of a one-piece clip is awkward in that, if the clip is first fastened to the shade material, securing the clip by screws or the like in the window frame can be difficult as the shade material interferes with access. Alternatively, if the fastener is first screwed into the window frame, inserting the fabric into the frictional engagement portion of the fastener can be difficult because of the limited space available. Again the cumbersome techniques required for attaching the one-piece fastener to both the shade material and the window opening can result in damage to the shade and/or soiling of the shade due to the manual manipulation required.
What is needed is a fastening system useful on shades of all types, but particularly useful for arched shades, having separate components that can be secured to the window and to the shade material separately and thereafter brought together to hold the shade material as desired. A simplified structure for securing the clip to the shade material is desirable, preferably one that can be attached, detached and reattached in the same or different locations without perceptible damage to the shade material. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The ever rising dependency on computer systems has resulted in an attendant rise in concern regarding computer security. One well-known method for restricting access to computers and computer resources (e.g. one program or application accessing another) is that of using passwords. Hard-coded application passwords provide the de-facto methodology to permit one application (requester) to authenticate to another application or service (target) for the purpose of gaining access to the resources and/or data offered by the target.
However, hard-coding of passwords creates significant vulnerabilities to data since the hard-coded passwords remain as clear-text information that is susceptible to malicious viewing. Such passwords also require distribution to developers and have long validity periods to accommodate for their lack of change. These considerations only increase the vulnerability to security breaches.
For those organizations with password change policies, hard-coded passwords have the drawback in that they entail a recurring software maintenance issue. Also, there are significant costs associated with human redevelopment effort and there is a potential for application outages due to synchronization errors and timing.
Regardless of these drawbacks, hard-coded passwords remain in use for approximately 90% of all corporate applications. New applications are being developed and deployed that contain hard-coded passwords. Third-party (vendor) applications force corporations to accept and deploy systems containing hard-coded passwords. 70% of datacenter applications are database driven.
While User Identity Management systems offer authentication and authorization of individuals to systems, there are significant difficulties of utilizing these solutions for the purposes of unattended applications:
they rely upon user manual interaction for authentication;
they rely upon user manual interaction for recovery of authentication credentials;
they do not include credential access and management capabilities for automatic use by unattended scripts and applications;
they offer no tamper resistance;
they offer no defense against static or dynamic analysis; and
they assume that employees are generally to be trusted, an assumption which is demonstrably untenable due to the prevalence of insider attacks.
Another possibility for use are provisioning systems. Provisioning systems offer the ability to push operating system and software configuration updates to servers. However, there are significant difficulties of utilizing these solutions for the purposes of unattended applications:
they do not include run-time retrieval of credentials for use by unattended scripts and applications;
they do not include credential access and management capabilities for automatic use by unattended scripts and applications;
they offer no tamper resistance; and
they offer no defense against static or dynamic analysis.
Another option would be the use of Public Key Infrastructures. Public Key Infrastructures offer the components needed to create a comprehensive and elegant authentication and authorization solution. However, there are significant difficulties of utilizing these solutions for the purposes of unattended applications:
they do not protect keying materials while in memory;
they rely upon user interaction for access to authentication credentials;
they do not include credential access and management capabilities for automatic use by unattended scripts and applications;
they offer no tamper resistance;
they offer no defense against static or dynamic analysis or tampering of the application code;
they dramatically shift the authentication paradigm for corporations and incur larger integration and deployment efforts; and
both the authenticator and the authenticate must be modified to make use of PKI for authentication purposes.
Another possibility would be the Kerberos authentication protocol. The Kerberos authentication protocol offers the components needed to create a comprehensive and elegant authentication and authorization solution. However, However, there are significant difficulties of utilizing these solutions for the purposes of unattended applications:
it does not protect keying materials while in memory;
it relies upon user interaction for access to authentication credentials;
it relies on hard-coded passwords for authentication by unattended applications;
it does not include credential access and management capabilities for automatic use by unattended scripts and applications;
it offers no tamper resistance;
it offers no defense against static or dynamic analysis or tampering of the application code;
it dramatically shifts the authentication paradigm for corporations and incur larger integration and deployment efforts; and
it requires that both the authenticator and the authenticatee be modified to make use of Kerberos for authentication purposes.
There is therefore a need for systems and methods which will allow for unattended authentication of applications so that these applications can access resources. Ideally, such systems and methods avoid the shortcomings of hard coded passwords while providing a similar if not higher level of security. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Bows and crossbows use at least one bowstring or cable to hold tension in their limbs and to shoot arrows and bolts. A traditional bow, recurve bow, or crossbow may have a single bowstring connecting the limbs. Compound bows and crossbows typically have a long bowstring that wraps around the end cams and is used to shoot the arrow, a control buss cable (CBC) connecting the bottom cam to the top cam (or vice versa), and a yoked buss cable (YBC) connecting the top axle to the bottom cam (or vice versa).
Materials used for strings in bows have evolved over time from sinew and horsehair to steel cabling, to current thermoplastic fibers and other modern materials bundled together. With almost all of these materials, the string is formed when multiple fibers are twisted or otherwise connected to each other in multiple strands. Each strand typically has similar material construction and length. The strands are then twisted together and entwined into the length and shape needed for the strings. Some portions may also be served in high-wear areas with serving material that wraps circumferentially around the diameter of the entwined strands.
Constructing a bowstring in this manner provides a bowstring with strand material that has high elastic modulus, high tensile break strength, high efficiency (often due to the strand material having low density), and the ability to separate the bundle of fibers into two side-by-side halves in a manner allowing the archer to place a peep sight into the string. The entwined string is also relatively easy to make since the string generally consists of one continuous strand of material (or in some cases two strands having the same material but different color) which is wrapped multiple times in a loop configuration without having to be cut along its length.
However, even these advanced strings lack resistance to abrasion and wear (which is one reason that certain portions are served), lack resistance to localized heat (i.e., they may melt easily when exposed to flame), and lack resistance to unintended cutting, particularly when the string is under high tension. For these and other reasons, archers and other sportsmen are constantly seeking improvements to bowstrings and cables used in archery equipment. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In a wireless communication system, a data packet format usually includes control information and user data. The control information includes data such as source and destination addresses, error detection codes like checksums, and sequencing information. Control information may be found in packet headers and trailers, and user data is included in between. The control information further includes a fixed-pattern preamble. The preamble serves several purposes, namely, to identify a packet type, and to provide a signal for Direct Current (DC) offset estimation, frequency offset estimation and channel estimation, for example.
In addition, another example purpose of the preamble is to allow time for a receiver to achieve lock of a receiver digital phase lock loop that is used to synchronise a receive data clock to a transmit data clock. At a point when a first bit of the preamble is received, a receiver may be in an arbitrary state (i.e., have an arbitrary phase for a local clock of the receiver). During the course of the preamble, the receiver learns a correct phase, but in so doing, the receiver may miss (or gain) a number of bits. A preamble thus usually includes a predetermined pattern to mark the last two bits of the preamble. When the pattern is received, the receiver begins collecting bits into bytes for data processing. The receiver may also confirm a polarity of a transition representing a logic high data bit to the receiver (as a check in case the bit has been inverted), for example.
Different communications protocols use different conventions for distinguishing between control information and user data. In Binary Synchronous Transmission, for example, the data packet is formatted in 8-bit bytes, and special characters are used to delimit different elements. Other protocols, like Ethernet, establish a beginning of a header and data elements by a location relative to the start of the data packet. Some other protocols format information at a bit level instead of a byte level.
Many over-the-air modulation techniques use similar basic protocols, and each technique usually includes use of preambles for use in transmission of data as well as management and control of wireless links. Transmitters and receivers may be programmed and designed to receive wireless signals, and to decode the signals based on expected preamble content. A signal transmitted by the transmitter can be affected by channel errors, and consequently, a preamble sequence may be altered during transmission. Errors in identification of a correct preamble sequence can lead to problems at a receiver that decodes system information. | {
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The invention relates to a storage case for a holder containing at least one information carrier, the storage case having a receptacle into which the holder can be inserted from the front of the case. A blade spring, of which at least an active portion is situated in the receptacle, urges an inserted holder outward in an ejection direction. A latching arm with a free end portion also carries a latching pin which projects into the receptacle, to engage a latching projection on the holder after insertion of the holder, and to latch the holder inside the storage case, against the ejection force which is exerted on the holder by the blade-spring in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion.
A storage case of the above type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,784. In this known case the receptacle contains both a spring-steel blade spring and a pivotal latching arm which is loaded by a torsion spring in order to enable the holder to be latched in the receptacle and, after pressure has again been exerted in the direction of insertion, to enable the holder to be released and to be slid out in the opposite direction by the blade spring. Because of these operations such a latching and release system is referred to as a "push-push" system. This system is suitable for the rapid insertion, removal and latching of information carriers, such as records, owing to these simple operations. In the known case the "push-push" system is constructed by means of the above-mentioned parts which have to be mounted separately in the case. This construction makes the known case fairly expensive. As a result, the known case is not very suitable as a storage system for storing mass-produced disc records intended for home-entertainment use, for example those of the "compact disc" type. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to phase-locked loop (“PLL”) circuits, and, more particularly, to a loop filter for a PLL circuit. More specifically, the present invention relates to a low-noise loop filter for a PLL circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
A phase-locked loop (“PLL”) circuit generally includes a phase detector, a loop filter, and a controlled oscillator. The phase detector receives an input signal, which has a reference frequency. The output signal of the controlled oscillator is fed back to the phase detector. The frequency of the output signal is typically a multiple of the reference frequency of the input signal. The PLL circuit is utilized to lock the output frequency to the input frequency. Locking the output frequency to the input reference frequency is critical in various applications, such as developing accurate and precise clocks for digital signal processors (“DSPs”) and for audio sampling frequencies and rates. Fast locking applications also exist in which adaptive bandwidth PLLs have been developed and used.
PLL circuits in mixed-signal integrated circuit designs typically operate in noisy environments. Much of the noise is introduced through the current or voltage supplies, the substrate, temperature variations, process parameters, or other such sources. Low jitter PLL circuits require high loop bandwidths to reject the noise.
Passive loop filters for PLL circuit designs are popular due to their simplicity, but the control of their loop time constants lacks flexibility. Active loop filters used in conjunction with feed-forward charge pumps provide a wider range of loop time constants and often provide a decreased area of on-chip capacitance. Fully differential charge pumps for PLL circuit designs have been of great interest due to their ability to reject noise. However, fully differential charge pumps require increased on-chip capacitance and extra circuitry for common mode feedback. One drawback of a charge pump PLL circuit is that setting the loop filter pole position requires a compromise between the loop phase margin and the jitter performance.
Typical charge pump PLL circuits having two poles at the origin require a zero to be introduced in the loop for stability. A common method of adding a zero is to couple a resistor in series with the charge pump capacitor. FIG. 1A shows a loop filter 100A according to the prior art in which a resistor is coupled in series with a charge pump capacitor to provide stability. Loop filter 100A includes a charge pump (CP) 101 with a current output, a charge pump capacitor 102, and a resistor 104. CP 101 is coupled to charge pump capacitor 102, and charge pump capacitor 102 is, in turn, coupled to resistor 104. Resistor 104 is further coupled to ground.
Another common method of adding a zero is to use an op-amp virtual ground technique. FIG. 1B shows another loop filter 100B according to the prior art. Loop filter 100B has a charge pump 105, a capacitor 106, an amplifier 107, a resistor 108, a filtering resistor 110, and a filtering capacitor 112. Capacitor 106 and resistor 108 are coupled together in series and along a feed-back path of amplifier 107. Filtering resistor 110 and filtering capacitor 112 are coupled in series between amplifier 107 and ground and further filter the output from amplifier 107. This higher-frequency pole is commonly added to improve the loop noise characteristics at some expense to loop stability.
Most charge pump PLLs use a proportional signal that is based on the instantaneous time difference. The signal in lock is characterized by narrow high amplitude pulses, that even after filtering, lead to an abrupt variation of the oscillator control signal and rapid frequency changes that degrade the jitter performance of the PLL circuit. Typical charge pump loop filters each involves a small period of time in which most of the loop filtering actions, such as transients, charge sharing, charge injection, etc., occurs. Additionally, the output of a charge pump loop filter is generally a sum of the integral of the phase error or difference and a proportionate term. The charge pump loop filter typically has another one-pole filter that helps remove high frequency “noise”, but the addition of this other one-pole filter negatively affects the phase response of the closed loop.
A solution to this “other one-pole filter” problem has been proposed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/043,558 filed on Jan. 10, 2002 which has issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,240 on Feb. 10, 2004, and in U.S. continuation patent application Ser. No. 10/612,200 filed on Jul. 3, 2003. which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,825,864 filed on Dec. 7, 2004, which both are entitled “LOW-JITTER LOOP FILTER FOR A PHASE-LOCKED LOOP SYSTEM” by Adrian Maxim, Baker Scott III, Edmund M. Schneider, and Melvin L. Hagge (hereafter “the Maxim reference”). The solution in the Maxim reference generally proposes separating the proportionate terms from the integral terms within the loop filter. By separating the proportionate and integral terms, some optimizations for the PLL circuit are able to be achieved.
With reference now to FIG. 2, an exemplary phase-locked loop (“PLL”) circuit 200 according to the Maxim reference is shown. PLL circuit 200 includes a phase frequency comparator (“PFC”) 204, a loop filter system 205 that includes a current adder (“Σ”) 214, and a current controlled oscillator (“ICO”) 216 coupled together in series. An N divider 202 is coupled to a positive input node of PFC 204. An M divider 218 is coupled to the output of ICO 216, and the output of M divider 218 is coupled and fed back to a negative input node of PFC 204. An input signal 201 is fed into N divider 202 and divides input signal 201 by a factor of N to provide input reference signal 203. The N-divided input reference signal 203 is fed as an input signal into PFC 204. Furthermore, an output signal 220 of PLL circuit 200 is fed into an M divider 218 as shown in FIG. 2. M divider 218 divides output signal 220 by a factor of M to provide an input feedback signal 219. The M-divided input feedback signal 219 is fed back as an input signal into the negative input node of PFC 204.
Loop filter system 205 has a separate proportional signal path 207 and a separate integral signal path 211. Proportional signal path 207 includes a charge pump (“CP”) 206 coupled in series with a loop filter device (“filter”) 208. The output of PFC 204 is coupled to the input of CP 206, and the output of CP 206 is coupled to the input of filter 208. The output of filter 208 is then fed into current adder 214. Integral signal path 211 has another charge pump (“CP”) 210 coupled in series with another loop filter device (“LPF”) 212. The output of PFC 204 is coupled to the input of CP 210, and the output of CP 210 is coupled to the input of LPF 212. The output of LPF 212, in turn, is fed into current adder 214.
However, the component structures and operations of proportional path 207 and integral path 211 can be fairly complex and involved. For example, proportional path 207 and integral path 211 each utilizes its own respective CP 206 and 210. Furthermore, filter 208 of proportional path 207 can include a transconductance stage, various capacitors, and a series of hold and reset switches for the capacitors and charge pumps. LPF 212 of integral path 211 can include a loop filter stage having a capacitor, a transistor, and a resistor. The complexity of proportional path 207 and integral path 211 places certain circuit constraints on the loop filter and PLL circuit and can contribute to poor transient behavior by the loop filter.
The present invention recognizes the desire and need for further reducing the noise and jitter in a PLL circuit. The present invention further recognizes the desire and need to simplify the components for the proportional path and integral path of a loop filter for a PLL circuit. The present invention also recognizes the desire and need to relieve circuit constraints and improve transient behavior for a loop filter of a PLL circuit. The present invention overcomes the problems and disadvantages in accordance with the prior art. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit which is provided with an A/D converter, more particularly, to a semiconductor integrated circuit which is provided with a circuit capable of applying multiplication and complement operation to the A/D converter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A digital signal process is intended for high performance, high integration and high function as a digital integrated circuit technique has been recently proceeded even in a field of a conventional signal process by an analog circuit. A/D converters are indispensable to digitally process an originally analog signal, such as a voice or an image.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional parallel comparison type A/D converter. Referring to FIG. 1, the A/D converter includes a reference voltage terminal 21, an analog input terminal 22, ladder resistors 23 connected in series between the reference voltage terminal 1 and a ground for determining the reference voltages of comparators 24, a plurality of comparators 24 aligned in parallel with each other, an encoder circuit 25, and digital output terminals 26 connected to the outputs of the encoder 25.
With such arrangement of the conventional A/D converter, a voltage applied to the reference voltage terminal 21 is divided by the plurality of ladder resistors 23 connected in series, and reference voltage thus divided from the voltage by the respective ladder resistors 23 are sequentially applied to one inputs of the plurality of comparators 24, respectively. The comparators 24 compares the inputs of the reference voltages with the analog signal inputted to the analog input terminal 22, and outputs the compared results. The output of the comparators 24 are coded by the encoder circuit 25, and digital data are outputted to the output terminals 26 connected to the outputs of the encoder circuit 25. When the output includes N bits, the number of the comparators requires (2.sup.N -1) pieces.
The conventional A/D converter will be described in more detail by referring to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 shows a parallel comparison type A/D converter of 3-bit straight binary code output, and FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) show examples of the outputs of the comparators and the outputs of the encoder circuit of the A/D converter. This A/D converter is of parallel-comparison format, and thus, all the signals outputted from comparators are either "1" (high) or "0" (low), or the upper bit row becomes "0" and the lower bit row "1", respectively. Of these, the unit number of bit "1" denotes the analog input value in the decimal notation. The A/D converter of FIG. 2, the values of the outputs are difference between 24b and 24c.
When the encoder 25 is constructed as shown in FIG. 2 in the conventional A/D converter with the comparators 24 connected to the inputs of the encoder 25 as shown in FIG. 3(a), the output of the encoder 25 (the bit 26a is the most significant bit) produces "5" as shown in FIG. 3(b) with respect to the comparison output "5".
Since the conventional A/D converter is constructed as described above, a multiplier of another chip is required for producing a product of the digital output of the A/D converter and other data. Further, when a high speed multiplier is constructed, there arise drawbacks that the chip area of the multiplier of another chip is increased, and a number of multipliers must be integrated on the same chip.
To fully solve those problems mentioned above, inventors developed a semiconductor integrated circuit capable of mounting a circuit having functions of A/D converter and multiplier on a single chip. This prior invention was filed for the application for a U.S. Patent under the USP Application No. S.N. 07/111,047. The above-cited semiconductor integrated circuit is comprised of the following; a plurality of comparators for comparing the analog input signal with the reference voltage denoting the divided value of the power voltage, and multiplication means which controls signals outputted from those plural comparators mentioned above by applying control signals based on the inputted digital value and then outputs the result of the multiplication of the signal values outputted from those plural comparators by the input digital value. FIG. 4 denotes the semiconductor integrated circuit provided with those comparators and multiplication means mentioned above. The semiconductor integrated circuit shown in FIG. 4 receives 2-bit digital value for example. The semiconductor integrated circuit shown in FIG. 4 is provided with the following; ladder resistor 1 which divides the power voltage into reference voltages for each comparator; a plurality of comparators 2a, 2b ... for comparing the reference voltage to the inputted analog value; multiplication means 3 which encodes the inputted analog value into binary digital code and then output the product of the binary digital code and the inputted digital value; digital value input terminals 6a and 6b; product output terminals 9a through 9d; overflow bit terminal 8 which outputs binary digital code "1" when the inputted analog value is greater than each reference voltage; analog input terminal 10; and power voltage terminal 11, respectively.
Next, functional operation of the semiconductor integrated circuit related to the prior invention is described below. First, when the power voltage is delivered to the power-voltage terminal 11, ladder resistor 1,1 ... respectively divide the power voltage into reference voltages. Next, when the inputted analog value is delivered to analog input terminal 10, those reference voltages and the voltage of the inputted analog value are then delivered to comparator 2a, 2b ... . The comparator 2a, 2b ... compares the magnitude of the two inputted voltages, which outputs binary digital code "1" if the voltage of the inputted analog value is higher than those reference voltages. For example, each signal outputted from comparators 2a, 2b ... corresponds to value 2 of the decimal notation of the inputted analog value in case as shown in FIG. 5(a). Next, when the digital-value input terminals 6a and 6b respectively receive binary-encoded data denoting "3" of the decimal notation as shown in FIG. 5(b), the product output terminals 9a through 9d respectively output data as shown in FIG. 5(c) denoting the result of the multiplication (inputted analog value 2).times.(inputted digital value 3) =(product output value 6).
Nevertheless, since the semiconductor integrated circuit related to the prior invention is not provided with any terminal for receiving sign bits, this integrated circuit merely deals with the positive inputted digital values, and thus, if any negative inputted digital value is received, this integrated circuit cannot output the product of multiplication at all. | {
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Known rotators are disclosed in Finnish patent applications 843941 and 823499. It is apparent that the seal between the lamellar vanes and the case in a rotator type machine cannot be effected as well as the seal between a piston and cylinder in a cylinder type machine. In a rotator type machine, a small axial tolerance is provided for the axle to account for heat expansion. This tolerance allows the axle to rotate, even when pressure connections to the rotator are closed. However, it is desirable to lock the axle in place when the rotator is not in use.
In a known rotator, a separate brake device is set around the hydraulic motor. This is a relatively complicated arrangement. In addition, the brake device set around the motor can be easily damaged. | {
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1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a mobile terminal and a handover method for the mobile terminal, more particularly to a mobile terminal and a handover method for the mobile terminal that can minimize data loss during a handover.
2. Description of the Related Art
A handover refers to a technique that allows a moving terminal (mobile terminal) to continue its current data communication when it moves out of the cell area of one base station and enters the cell area of another base station.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, when a mobile terminal 130 moves out of the cell area of a first base station 110, with which a data communication is currently taking place, and enters the cell area of an adjacent second base station 120, the mobile terminal 130 may perform a handover from the first base station 110 to the second base station 120 in order not to interrupt the data communication.
Handovers can be divided mainly into horizontal handovers (or homogeneous handovers) and vertical handovers (or heterogeneous handovers). A horizontal handover is a handover performed when a mobile terminal moves across networks of the same type, to which the same technology is applied. A vertical handover is a handover performed when a mobile terminal capable of multiple accesses (multiple interfaces) moves across access networks of different types, to which different technology is applied. For example, a vertical handover may be performed when a mobile terminal moves between a WiBro network and a WLAN network, a WLAN network and a CDMA network, or between a 3G network and a WLAN network.
In the case of a vertical handover between access networks of different types, in particular, service disruption may occur during the process of applying different access technology, creating a risk of data loss. However, conventional methods of performing vertical handovers focus mainly on improving the accuracy of handover decisions, such as by mitigating the ping-pong effect, and thus may face difficulties in guaranteeing the QoS (quality of service) in terms of data loss. | {
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Along with developments in communications technology, terminal devices are becoming more and more powerful. Besides making a phone call, one may also use a terminal device to browse content data such as news, documents and/or images. Currently, a user needs to press a key of a terminal device frequently to scroll content data displayed on a screen of the device to read the content when browsing the news, documents and/or images on the terminal device. For example, when a user wants to browse content which can be displayed using three screens with each screen displaying 15 lines of content and each keystroke on a down arrow button makes the content data scroll down for one line, the user has to press the down arrow button for at least ten times to finish browsing the whole content.
During the process of conceiving the present invention, the inventor found the conventional art has at least the following drawbacks.
According to the conventional art, a keystroke causes one movement of the content displayed on the terminal screen. When a large amount of content is to be browsed, the key needs to be pressed repeatedly for a lot of times. | {
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This invention relates to semiconductor devices, and more particularly to sense amplifier circuits for dynamic read/write memory devices.
Dynamic MOS read/write memory devices have been constructed using bistable latches as differential sense amplifiers generally as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,701 (a 16K dynamic RAM) issued to White, McAdams and Redwine, or U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,993 (a 64K dynamic RAM) issued to McAlexander, White and Rao, both assigned to Texas Instruments. These prior devices employed all N-channel transistors in the latches of the sense amplifiers. When memory devices of this type are manufactured in higher densities, such as 256K and 1-Megabit and beyond, the need for lower current per sense amplifier necessitates use of CMOS latches, and the problem of fast and reliable sensing, with circuits which may be manufactured at reasonable yields, becomes formidible.
In a dynamic RAM the sensing operation is critically dependent upon the latch transistors. These transistors must be balanced in threshold voltage V.sub.t, and in KP, to within 10% for reliable operation. The prior sense amplifiers using only N-channel transistors required active pull-up circuits to produce a full rail-to-rail separation of the bit lines. CMOS latches provide rail-to-rail separation without such pull-up circuitry. However, the latch is less reliable when P-channel transistors are used in the initial sensing.
In a 1-Megabit DRAM that is refreshed at 512 per period, there are 2048 sense amplifiers which flip at the same time during an active cycle. Each one of these requires current to charge a bit line to Vdd, or discharge a bit line to Vss, or both, depending upon the precharge level. The voltage supply to the chip thus sees a large current spike in a short time period; as the access time is increased, the magnitude of the current spike increases. Thus, careful sizing of the latch and return transistors to minimize unnecessary current drain is advantageous.
It is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved sense amplifier circuit for high density dynamic RAM devices, particularly for high-speed, low power devices which may be economically manufactured. Another object is to provide a sense amplifier circuit for a CMOS dynamic RAM in which the size is minimized and reliability is improved. A further object is to provide high speed, low current circuitry for semiconductor devices which contain bistable or latch circuits and the like. | {
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Nonlinear optical techniques, such as SHG, are applied to the conversion of the wavelength of laser light. The use of the SHG, which is capable of reducing the wavelength of laser light, increases recording density in optical recording and reproduction using a laser beam and magnetooptic recording and reproduction.
Phase matching conditions must be satisfied between the fundamental wave and the second higher harmonic for efficient nonlinear optical interaction. However, since the refractive index of optical materials, in general, is dependent on wavelength (dispersion occurs in optical materials), optical materials are unable to satisfy conditions for phase matching between the fundamental wave and the second higher harmonic.
In a periodic inverted-domain structure of a nonlinear ferroelectric optical bulk having domains of nonlinear optical coefficient of periodic inverted signs, it is known that waves produced by the nonlinear polarization of the layers are of the same phase and intensify each other when the thickness of the layers is equal to the product of the coherence length (a length where the phase mismatching angle is .pi.). Such knowledge is disclosed in, for example, J. A. Armstrong, N. Bloembergen, J. Ducuing and P. S. Pershan, Physical Review. 127, (1962), pp. 1918 .about., and D. Feng, N. B Ming, J. F. Hong et al., Applied Physics Letters, 37, (1980), pp. 607-609. Accordingly, materials incapable of direct phase matching, and the maximum nonlinear sensitivity tensor component d.sub.33, which could not have been utilized, can be utilized.
On the other hand, the employment of an optical waveguide structure enables the confinement of light in a waveguide at a high energy density and enables the propagation of light for a long distance in a high energy-density state. However, since the dispersion in the material is significant, it is difficult to match the phases of the fundamental wave and the second higher harmonic.
A SHG using the Cerenkov radiation of a nonlinear waveguide is disclosed in Applied Physics, 56 (1987), pp. 1637-1641, and P. K. Tien, R. Ulrich and R. J. Martin, Applied Physics Letters, 17, (1970), pp. 447 .about.450. This SHG intensifies waves produced by nonlinear polarization with a Cerenkov angle of .alpha. so as to satisfy phase matching automatically and radiates the intensified waves. According)y, a SHG employing a substrate formed of a material having a high nonlinear optical constant is expected to operate at a high efficiency. The nonlinear waveguide SHG of Cerenkov radiation type disclosed in the former reference (Applied Physics) uses the maximum nonlinear sensitivity tensor component d.sub.33 of LiNbO.sub.3. The spot pattern, i.e., the far field pattern, of a light beam emitted by the substrate of the SHG of Cerenkov radiation type is a peculiar pattern, such as a crescent spot pattern and hence it is difficult to focus the light beam to the limit of diffraction by an optical lens system. Since the overlap of the fundamental wave and the Cerenkov wave in the waveguide of the waveguide SHG of Cerenkov radiation type affects significantly the efficiency of the SHG, it is desirable that the Cerenkov angle .alpha. is small so that the degree of overlap is large.
The function of the optical waveguide SHG of Cerenkov radiation type will be examined hereinafter. In a waveguide 2 formed on a nonlinear optical substrate 1, a higher harmonic is produced at an angle .alpha. as shown in FIG. 4 when the propagation constant of the guided mode (fundamental wave) in the waveguide 2 is .beta..sub.F, and the propagation constant of a bulk wave (higher harmonic) in the substrate 1 is k.sub.SHS. Then, EQU .DELTA.k=2.beta.F-k.sub.SHS =2k.sub.FO {.beta..sub.F /k.sub.FO)-n.sub.SHS }(1) EQU 2.beta..sub.F =k.sub.SHS .multidot.cos .alpha. (2)
where .DELTA.k is phase mismatching component, k.sub.FO is propagation constant (2.pi./.lambda..sub.F) of the higher harmonic in a vacuum and n.sub.SHS is the refraction index of the substrate with the higher harmonic. Then, EQU cos .alpha.=(.beta..sub.F /k.sub.FO).multidot.n.sub.SHS ( 3) ##EQU1## where n.sub.SHo and n.sub.SHe are the respective refraction indices of an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray of higher harmonic wavelength.
Condition for propagating the fundamental wave through the waveguide 2 is EQU n.sub.FS .ltoreq..beta..sub.F /k.sub.FO .ltoreq.n.sub.SHS ( 5)
where n.sub.FS and n.sub.FF are the respective refractive indices with the fundamental wave of the substrate 1 and the waveguide 2. Condition for Cerenkov radiation is EQU .beta..sub.F /k.sub.FO .ltoreq.n.sub.SHS ( 6)
When conditions represented by Expressions (5) and (6) are met Cerenkov radiation second harmonic generation occurs. These conditions are shown graphically in FIG. 5, in which the wavelength of the incident light on the LiNbO.sub.3 waveguide is 1.064 .mu.m (YAG laser light) in the TM mode, the refractive index of the substrate is 2.155 and the refractive index of the waveguide is 2,288. In FIG. 5, refractive index (equivalent refractive index) is measured on the horizontal axis, and the thickness of the waveguide is measured on the vertical axis. When the thickness of the waveguide is not more than about 1.0 .mu.m, a single-mode action is possible. Incidentally, the Cerenkov angle .alpha. on a SHG employing an optical waveguide formed by subjecting the surface of a LiNbO.sub.3 substrate to proton substitution is about 13.degree. when the wavelength of the fundamental wave is 1.064 .mu.m, and is about 16.degree. when the same is 0.83 .mu.m.
If the Cerenkov radiation angle .alpha. in the nonlinear waveguide SHG of Cerenkov radiation type can be reduced, the respective directions of propagation of the fundamental wave and the higher harmonic can be made to coincide with each other, the degree of overlap of the fundamental wave and the higher harmonic can be increased, the conversion efficiency can be improved, and the spot pattern of the output light beam can be improved.
To solve the foregoing problems, the applicant of the present patent application proposed previously an improved SHG as shown in FIG. 2 in Japanese Patent Application No. 63-246545. This SHG comprises a nonlinear ferroelectric optics substrate 1 and an optical waveguide 2 formed on the nonlinear ferroelectric optics substrate 1 and produces a second higher harmonic by Cerenkov radiation. This SHG reduces the Cerenkov angle .alpha. to improve the spot pattern of the second higher harmonic light beam and to improve the conversion efficiency by forming a periodic inverted-domain structure 3 on the substrate 1 and forming an optical waveguide 2 on the periodic inverted-domain structure 3 or by forming a periodic inverted-domain structure 3 in the waveguide 2.
However, such a SHG has many problems in the practical fabrication of the inverted-domain structure 3. A method of alternately inverting domains by controlling current in forming a nonlinear ferroelectric optics crystal by a Czochralski method is disclosed in D. Feng, N. B. Ming, J. F. Hong et al., Applied Physics Letters, 37, 607 (1980); K. Kassau, H. I. Levinstein and G. H. Loiacono, Applied Physics Letters, 6, 228 (1965); and A. Feisst and P. Koidl, Applied Physics Letters, 47, 1125 (1985). This process, however, requires a large-scale equipment and difficult control for micron order domain formation.
Another method of domain inversion diffuse Ti in a nonlinear ferroelectric optics crystal, which, however, entails change in the refractive index of portions in which the domain is inverted, dividing the SH beam into a plurality of beams.
As mentioned above, the conventional method of forming inverted-domain structure is unable to control domains accurately, causes change in the refractive index entailing the division of the second harmonic beam into a plurality of beams, and hence is unable to provide a SHG capable of operating at a high conversion efficiency. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a cabinet for an outdoor section of an air conditioner, and more specifically to a cabinet with features that facilitate its manufacturing and assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
Air conditioners, including heat pumps, often include an indoor section with an indoor heat exchanger for cooling or heating the interior of a building and an outdoor section with an outdoor heat exchanger for exchanging heat with the outside air. The two heat exchangers are part of closed loop refrigerant circuit that also includes a compressor and an expansion device, which compress and expand the refrigerant respectively. As the refrigerant moves through the circuit, its direction of flow determines whether the indoor heat exchanger cools or heats the air inside the building.
A typical outdoor section of an air conditioner includes a cabinet that supports and shelters numerous components, such as the compressor, various electrical components, the outdoor heat exchanger, and a fan for drawing outside air through the heat exchanger. The compressor relies on the base of the cabinet for structural support; the electrical components need to be sheltered from rain and snow; and the fan and heat exchanger need structural support, exposure to outside air, and protection from the weather and physical impact. Moreover, the cabinet should be readily manufacturable and provide convenient access to any components requiring service or repair. Providing a cabinet that effectively serves all these needs without compromise can be challenging. Nonetheless, many efforts to provide such a cabinet have been made with some success.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,195 discloses an outdoor cabinet that houses electrical components at the top of the cabinet. A small cover can be opened or removed for providing ready access to the electrical components underneath. However, the edges of the cover, being exposed along the top of the cabinet, create a generally unsheltered seam that may leak or may be difficult to seal against rain and snow.
Another cabinet for an outdoor section of an air conditioner places its electrical components in a compartment underneath the cabinet's top cover, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,310. To accommodate various models of air conditioners, the compartment has numerous fastener and passage openings for installing various combinations of components. However, having some openings left open for some models may allow moisture to leak into the compartment from other areas of the cabinet that may be more exposed to outside air.
Some cabinets include features that enhance various functions of the cabinet's base. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,633 discloses a non-corrosive plastic base with integrally formed mounting pads that can support various size compressors and other components. It also includes means for handling condensate. Other cabinet bases that include special features for draining condensate are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,748,827 and 4,748,828. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,121, a cabinet base is shown having a novel means for mounting the compressor. An intermediate plate between the compressor and the base includes elastic isolators both above and below the plate to avoid transmitting compressor vibration to the base.
Another outdoor cabinet, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,248, discloses a plastic base with positioning cleats that help align the side panels, or sheet metal wrapper, to the base. Once in position, a series of screws fasten the side panels to the side of the base. Each of the outer side panels has an L-shape to extend the length of two sides of the base. L-shape panels may simplify assembly; however, later servicing may be more difficult, as technicians may have to fully uncover two sides of the outdoor cabinet even in situations where access to only side is needed. Moreover, many of screws for fastening the wrapper to the base are along the lower edge of the cabinet. Such a location may be awkward to reach once the cabinet is installed outside at generally ground level. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A telecommunications network is established via a complex arrangement and configuration of many cell sites that are deployed across a geographical area. For example, there may be different types of cell sites (e.g., macro cells, microcells, and so on) positioned in a specific geographical location (e.g., a city, neighborhood, and so on), in order to provide adequate, reliable coverage for mobile devices (e.g., smart phones, tablets, and so on) via different frequency bands configured to provide different coverage types. The devices may seek access to the telecommunications network for various services provided by the network, such as services that facilitate the transmission of data over the network and/or provide content to the devices.
Mobile electronic devices (such as smart phones, personal digital assistants, computer tablets, and so on) are ubiquitous. Mobile devices provide advanced computing capabilities and services to users, such as voice communications, text and other messaging communications, video and other multimedia communications, streaming services, and so on. Often, users, via their mobile devices, access such services as customers or subscribers of telecommunications carriers, which provide telecommunications networks within which the users make voice calls, send text messages, send and receive data, consume content, and so on.
In some cases, a user may be in a geographical location that is only serviced or covered by visitor or roaming networks (e.g., networks other than a user's home network), such as when the user is in a foreign country or country where the user's home network does not operate.
In order to utilize services provided the visitor network, the mobile device accesses the network by roaming, and the network provides services (e.g., data or voice communications) to the mobile device, despite the mobile device not being connected to its home network. Although such provision of services allows a user to access a network (via the roaming network), the roaming network often charges high fees to utilize the services. A user, therefore, may seek other alternatives to avoid paying the fees to use the roaming network, and/or not use his/her device at the location, among other drawbacks or inconveniences.
The drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Similarly, some components and/or operations may be separated into different blocks or combined into a single block for the purposes of discussion of some of the embodiments of the present technology. Moreover, while the technology is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the technology to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the technology is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the technology as defined by the appended claims. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image processing system, a print data output method, and a print data output program product. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus performing image formation on print data, an image processing system including a plurality of image forming apparatuses, a print data output method executed on the image forming apparatus, and a print data output program product.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, image forming apparatuses such as printers are generally used in such a manner that they are connected to a network. In this manner, an image forming apparatus is shared by a plurality of users. Therefore, when a user allows a computer connected to a network to transmit print data to an image forming apparatus which is installed at a location distant from the computer, another user can pick up paper having an image formed thereon by the image forming apparatus before the user does. In order to cope with this problem, the image forming apparatus includes a confidential print function that prevents print data from undergoing image formation before a password received with the print data is input. In this confidential print function, the image forming apparatus is allowed to perform image formation in the state in which the user who allows the computer to transmit print data is in the vicinity of the image forming apparatus, thereby preventing paper having an image formed thereon from being examined by other people. In order to allow the image forming apparatus to do printing with this confidential print function set valid, it is necessary to input an instruction into a computer to transmit a password together with print data. Thus, if a user fails to input such an instruction, print data is subjected to image formation even in the absence of the user in the vicinity of the image forming apparatus, and confidentiality thus cannot be preserved.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-124177 discloses a scheme of protecting an output of secret print data. In this scheme, an output attribute of transmission print data stored in first storage means and secret condition data set and input beforehand for each user are compared with each other. Print data having an output attribute that does not agree with the secret condition data is allowed to be output by printing means while print data having an output attribute that agrees with the secret condition data is determined as secret print data and then prevented from being output to the printing means. The output attribute of the secret print data and the secret condition are compared with each other according to an input of user password data to display input means, and the secret print data that agrees with the secret condition data is allowed to be output by the printing means. In the output protection scheme disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-123177, however, secret condition data has to be set beforehand for each user. Moreover, print data that does not agree with the secret condition data is not protected.
On the other hand, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-47700 discloses an image processing apparatus characterized in that an unprocessed job to be processed and a job being processed, which have already been accepted by a control portion, are stored in a removable recording medium when a fatal failure occurs in an image input/output apparatus, and the job stored in the recording medium is read for execution by a control portion of another image input/output apparatus having the recording medium attached thereto by a user. In the image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-47700, without a fatal failure, a job is executed so that paper is output even when a user is not present in the vicinity of the image input/output device. Accordingly, confidentiality cannot be preserved. | {
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Economic production of Brassica spp. hybrids requires a pollination control system and effective transfer of pollen from one parent to the other. The ogura cytoplasmic male sterility (cms) system, developed via protoplast fusion between radish (Raphanus sativus) and rapeseed (Brassica napus) is one of the most promising methods of hybrid production. It provides stable expression of the male sterility trait (Ogura 1968), Pelletier et al. (1983) and an effective nuclear restorer gene (Heyn 1976).
Initial restorer material showed reduced female fertility which was overcome through backcrossing. Delourme et al. (1991) attributed this to elimination of a portion of the radish chromosome that had been introduced along with the restorer gene. In their work, successive backcross generations produced fertility levels successively closer to normal.
High glucosinolate (GSL) content in seed of Brassica napus is an anti-nutritional factor. Meal made from such seed is unsuitable for use in animal feeds. Seed GSL level is an expression of the genotype of the female plant and is determined by four to eight separate dominant and additive genes. Two to five genes are involved in alkenyl (one of the aliphatic group) glucosinolate content, while two or three genes are involved in indole glucosinolate content (Rucker and Robbelen, 1994). Total aliphatics may be determined by up to six genes (Magrath et al. 1993). | {
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This invention relates to fluid flow components; more particularly the invention relates to fluoropolymer couplings.
Numerous industries and many applications utilize metallic tubes, fittings, and various other xe2x80x9cplumbingxe2x80x9d components for handling and controlling critical fluid flow. Such components may be made of copper, stainless steel, and steel. Where the fluids being handled are under significant pressure or where containment integrity is critical, seals such as O-rings and flexible flat gaskets are typically utilized.
In particular applications such as semiconductor processing, the fluids involved react with and/or may be contaminated by the use of metallic components and conventional gaskets and elastomeric O-rings. Thus, in such industries, plumbing components are made of highly inert materials such as fluoropolymers, i.e., PFA and PTFE, for wetted components. In such applications, elastomeric O-rings are typically formed of two materials with a first traditional elastomeric material, such as silicon, encapsulated in a fluoropolymer coating. These O-rings are expensive and are subject to degradation and are typically considered to be single use.
Various fluoropolymer-based fittings and couplings have evolved for making connections between fluoropolymer components that do not utilize O-rings. Referring to Prior Art FIG. 1, one typical type of fitting is known in the industry as a FLARETEK(copyright) fitting. FLARETEK is a registered trademark of Fluoroware, Inc., the assignee of this patent application. In such a fitting 30 the elongate tapered nose section 32 with a threaded neck 34 engages within a tubular end portion 36 which is flared to fit over the tapered nose section. The flared section 38 will have a inside cylindrical surface 40 that has an inside diameter sized for the outside diameter of an outside cylindrical surface 42 of the nose section 32. The nose section thus xe2x80x9ctelescopesxe2x80x9d into the flared section 38. A nut 44 tightens the flared section onto the nose creating a seal 46 between the fitting body and the flared portion of the tubing portion. The flared end of the tubing is generally formed by heating the tubing and shaping the heated malleable tubing end into the desired flared configuration using steel forms.
Various other types of fluoropolymer fittings are known in the art. Some utilize separate gripper portions or internal ferrules. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,977,708 and 4,848,802. For connections between fluoropolymer valves and components such as fluoropolymer manifolds, sealing integrity between the components is typically accomplished by gaskets or fluoropolymer covered O-rings. In certain instances annular tongue-in-groove connections without O-rings or gaskets have been successfully utilized. These connections have the disadvantage that they must be precisely machined, i.e., tolerances of 0.0005 inches, and it can be difficult to properly align the mating pieces. Moreover, such connections are vulnerable to nicks and scratches which can compromise the integrity of the connection. Such a tongue-in-groove fitting is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,301. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,977,708, 4,848,802, and 5,645,301 are incorporated herein by reference.
A coupling ideally suited for sealing between components such as a fluoropolymer valve body and a fluoropolymer manifold or for coupling tubing end portions, utilizes structure on said components for defining the sealing surfaces.
In a preferred embodiment, the coupling comprises a male protruding portion, also referred to as the nose a recessed female receiving portion, and a clamping means. The clamping means has an inner threaded surface for engaging a correspondingly threaded portion of the male protruding portion. The male protruding portion is shaped, generally, as a converging rounded conical frustum having an exterior surface, a primary sealing surface, a first stop surface, a second cooperating stop surface, and a fluid flow duct. The fluid flow duct is preferably concentrically positioned.
The recessed portion has a circular perimeter, an inwardly projecting annular ring, a first cooperating stop surface, a second stop surface, and a fluid flow duct. The fluid flow duct of the recessed portion is configured to cooperate with the fluid flow duct of the male protruding portion in order to form a continuous bore for the flow of fluid. The male protruding portion forms a seal by confronting the primary sealing surface and the annular sealing ring.
An advantage and feature of particular embodiments of the invention is that the male protruding portion is more easily manufactured with tolerances less critical than other known component-to-component sealing systems.
A further advantage and feature of particular embodiments of the invention is that the sealing components are self-centering, thereby facilitating assembly.
A further advantage and feature of the invention is that the base-to-base contact provides a positive stop such that additional torquing of screws does not impact the sealing characteristics of the sealing portions. Moreover, the optimum compression of the annular ring may be set at the contact of the stop surfaces.
A further advantage and feature of the invention is that the loading of the sealing surfaces is at an angle offset from engagement direction. This lessens the credibility of the compression between the components for an effective seal. | {
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The present invention concerns tires with radial carcass reinforcement and, in particular, the protection of their crown reinforcement.
Tires intended to roll under difficult conditions, for example, on road surfaces containing stones or sharp objects, usually present a crown reinforcement comprising a working block and, radially outward, a protective block. The working block is intended to absorb the stresses due to inflation and rolling of the tire and comprises at least two superposed plies of cords parallel in each ply and crossed from one ply to the next by forming angles (xcex1, xcex2) with the circumferential direction ranging between 10xc2x0 and 45xc2x0.
The protective block is intended to protect the plies of the working block from damages due to shocks and perforations sustained in use and comprises at least one ply of parallel wires. Said cords often have an elongation at rupture exceeding that of the working plies they protect.
In order to improve the endurance of the crown reinforcement of such a tire, application WO 96/20095 discloses a tire comprising a crown, two sidewalls and two beads, a carcass reinforcement anchored in the two beads and a crown reinforcement, said crown reinforcement including radially, from inside outward, a working block with at least one ply of parallel cords of circumferential orientation and one protective block with at least one ply of parallel cords of elongation at rupture greater than that of the cords of the ply of circumferential orientation of the working block, in which said working block comprises radially, from inside outward, a triangulation ply of wires oriented at least 60xc2x0, two working plies formed by inextensible wires oriented at angles ranging between 10 and 45xc2x0 and said ply of parallel cords of circumferential orientation of the working block placed between the two working plies, and in which the cords of the ply of the protective block have an orientation similar to that of the cords of the adjacent working ply of the working block.
The object of the invention is another tire architecture also making it possible to improve substantially the endurance of the crown reinforcement and, notably, its resistance to shocks, perforations and oxidation due to rolling over road surfaces containing sharp stones.
The following meanings apply:
xe2x80x9ccordxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94monofilaments as well as multifilaments, or assemblages like cables, yarns or even any type of equivalent assemblage, whatever the material and treatment of said cords, like surface treatment or coating or precoating, for example, in order to promote adhesion on the rubber;
xe2x80x9cinextensible wirexe2x80x9dxe2x80x94a cord having a relative elongation less than 0.2% measured under 10% of its breaking load;
xe2x80x9celastic wirexe2x80x9dxe2x80x94a cord having a relative elongation greater than 0.5% measured at 10% of its breaking load;
xe2x80x9ca circumferentially oriented cordxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94a cord oriented roughly parallel to the circumferential direction of the tire, that is, forming an angle with that direction in the +2.5 to xe2x88x922.5xc2x0 range and around 0xc2x0;
xe2x80x9ca radially oriented cordxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94a cord contained roughly in the same axial plane or in a plane forming with an axial plane an angle less than or equal to 10xc2x0.
The tire, according to the invention, comprises a crown, two sidewalls and two beads, a carcass reinforcement anchored in the two beads and a crown reinforcement. The crown reinforcement comprises radially, from inside outward, a working block and a protective block. The working block has at least two superposed working plies formed by cords parallel in each ply and crossed from one ply to the next by forming angles (xcex1, xcex2) with the circumferential direction ranging between 10xc2x0 and 45xc2x0 and one ply of parallel cords of circumferential orientation. The protective block has at least one ply of parallel cords of elongation at rupture greater than that of the cords of the ply of circumferential orientation of the working block. Said tire is characterized in that the ply of parallel cords of circumferential orientation is the radially outermost ply of the working block, in that the parallel cords of the ply of the protective block have a circumferential orientation and in that the ply of parallel cords of circumferential orientation of the working block has an axial width less than the axial width of the narrowest of the working plies, as well as than the axial width of the ply of cords of circumferential orientation of the protective block.
The circumferential orientation of the protective ply and of the adjacent ply of the working block, as well as the fact that the ply of the crown reinforcement whose axial width is narrowest is the ply of cords of circumferential orientation of the working block, make it possible to improve remarkably the resistance to shocks, perforations and oxidation resulting therefrom of the crown reinforcement of the tire according to the invention.
Preferably, the ratio of elongation at rupture between the cords of the ply of parallel cords of circumferential orientation of the protective block and the cords of the ply of parallel cords of circumferential orientation of the working block is greater than 1.5. This makes it possible for the cords of the protective ply not to be under stress on normal rolling and thus to be fully effective in resisting any penetration.
The axial width of the ply of cords of circumferential orientation of the protective block ranges advantageously between the axial width of the narrowest working ply and the axial width of the widest working ply.
The circumferentially oriented ply of the working block can be formed by elastic cords, presenting a curve of tensile stress as a function of relative elongation having low gradients for slight elongations and a roughly constant and steep gradient for greater elongations. Said ply can also be formed by cords circumferentially oriented and cut so as to form sections of length much less than the circumference of the ply. But, in order to obtain an excellent absorption of circumferential stresses, that ply can consist of inextensible wires.
The ply of the protective block can be formed by elastic wires or textile yarns such as aramids.
The two plies of parallel cords of circumferential orientation can also be formed in textile yarns, notably, aramids.
The characteristics and advantages of the invention will be best understood by means of the description which follows and refers to the drawing, nonlimitatively illustrating working examples. | {
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Normally, a solar panel, such as a thin film solar panel is formed by monolithically inter-connected cells using mechanical/laser scribing. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional laser-scribing process for a CIGS solar module in the prior art. As shown in FIG. 1, there are totally three scribing lines, i.e., P1, P2 and P3 lines. Firstly, a Mo film is isolated by laser-scribing into equally spaced strips which have a width of 5 mm. The width of P1 line is about 20-70 μm. Then, a CIGS absorption layer, CdS and i-ZnO films are deposited on the Mo film. Additional P2 line is scribed right next to the P1 line to get rid of CIGS, CdS and i-ZnO films. The width of the P2 line is about 30-100 nm, depending on the scribing condition. Deposition of AZO front contact leads to inter-connection of front contact of the cell on the left to the back contact of the cell on the right side of P2 line. A P3 line with a width similar to that of P2 line is used to isolate the front contact connections among different cell strips. The cell strips are inter-connected into a whole module. The area from P1 to P3 lines is called dead area because of the wasted solar radiation. If P2 and P3 lines are scribed mechanically, the whole dead area is commonly about 0.2-0.3 mm; and if they are scribed by using laser-scribing techniques, the whole dead area may be reduced to less than 0.2 mm (0.14-0.2 mm). However, the P1, P2 and P3 lines are usually simple straight lines separated side by side in the prior art, which cannot satisfy the market requirements for product customization.
In addition, for the thin film solar panel on a flexible substrate, such as polyimide, it is very difficult to scribe patterns by using conventional laser-scribing techniques. Because even if the P1 line on a Mo back contact layer is straight at first, it will bend in the followed processes since the substrate may suffer from the thermal distortion. Then, if the P2 line will be scribed next to the bent P1, a crossover will easily occur. The same situations will also arise for the P2 and P3 lines. Therefore, the yield and the total power efficiency of the solar panel are greatly reduced.
There is therefore a need for a practical approach to address at least one of the above mentioned problems. | {
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The present invention relates to a method for emulsion polymerization which is characterized in that it yields a latex having a larger particle size than can typically be obtained by an emulsion polymerization process.
Methods for emulsion polymerization are well known in the art, however, these methods are generally not considered practical for producing particles larger than about one micron. The particle size is typically in the range of 0.05 to 0.3 microns.
Methods for producing larger size particles have been reported but these methods are often time consuming, require a large number of steps, and do not yield a high concentration of solids. As such they are not desirable for use in a commercial setting. For example from commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,761 it is known to prepare a seed emulsion and to grow larger particles by subsequently adding more monomer and surfactant to the emulsion. In one such method, three or four cycles of monomer addition may be required to grow a particle larger than one micron size. Each cycle may require several hours to perform and the product may contain less than 30% solids.
Other methods have also been tried. An emulsifier free method is disclosed by Matsumoto et al. Kobunshi Kagakir, 22, 481 (1965) and Chung-Li et al., Progress Colloid Polym. Sci., 60, 163 (1976), but this method generally yields an emulsion of low solids, small particle size, and poor stability.
Some methods have been studied for making toner particles such as microsuspension polymerization (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,932,629), but this process generally yields a broad particle size distribution in the range of 1 to 100 microns. Due to limitations on heat transfer and the large exothermic heat of polymerization, it is difficult to prepare latices having a high solids content.
One technique which has been proposed to prepare large-size latices in fewer steps is a modified version of seeded emulsion polymerization. In this process, an emulsion of seed particles is formed and the seed particles are swollen by the addition monomer. The monomer penetrates the seed particle and is polymerized there. The process is generally performed on a batch-wise basis and is not practical in producing particles having a core-shell morphology. There are also limits on the amount of monomer which can be taken up by the seed particles and on how large a particle can be formed. Ugelstad, et al., Adv. Coll. Int. Sci., 13, 101 (1980) disclose one process in which a water immiscible solvent is added to the monomer and a water miscible solvent is added to the aqueous phase to enhance the transport of monomer into the particle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,434 to Vanderhoff et al. discloses another seeded emulsion polymerization process in which an inhibitor is used in the aqueous phase and an oil soluble initiator is employed to avoid new particle generation. A water soluble polymeric emulsifier and a nonpolymeric emulsifier are used to stabilize the emulsion. In this process, solid content remains low and the cycle time to produce particles larger than one micron remains large.
Another technique is dispersion polymerization. Uniform micro-sized particles in up to 40% solids content have been reported with the process using a variety of solvents as the dispersion medium with solvent soluble initiators and polymeric stabilizers. | {
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The present invention relates to a multilayer laminated structure suitable for use in particular in wrapping electric cables in order to provide electrical insulation.
A particular application lies in aviation cabling where it is essential to provide very good electrical insulation so as to prevent any propagation of an electric arc.
In that type of application, use has been made for many years of multilayer laminated structures implementing a layer of polyimide such as xe2x80x9cKaptonxe2x80x9d from the supplier E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. That material presents good high temperature performance and good electrical insulation performance.
An example of such a multilayer structure is described in that supplier""s U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,177. That structure comprises a layer of polyimide coated on at least one of its faces in a layer of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) and a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) bonded to one of said FEP layers. The PTFE layer is applied by being coated in the form of an aqueous dispersion.
The presence of FEP serves to ensure that the polyimide on which it is applied does not absorb external moisture which could lead to it becoming degraded by hydrolysis.
A drawback of such a multilayer structure lies in the fact that the PTFE layer applied by coating an aqueous dispersion presents thickness that is small, providing little strength and little resistance to abrasion.
Unfortunately, when wrapping using modern taping machines that can rotate at speeds in the range 2000 revolutions per minute (rpm) to 3000 rpm, it is necessary to have a structure that can withstand the rate at which taping is performed, and thus a structure in which all of the layers, and in particular the PTFE layer, present sufficient strength to be able to withstand that rate of taping without faults being generated.
The present invention provides a multilayer laminated structure comprising both a polyimide layer coated on at least one of its faces in FEP, and at least one layer of PTFE bonded to said FEP-coated polyimide layer, wherein said layers are constituted by tapes that are bonded together while hot with pressure being applied, the or each PTFE tape being made of green PTFE obtained by lubricated extrusion and being united with the FEP-coated polyimide tape at a temperature that is lower than the sintering temperature of PTFE.
Thus, in the final product, the PTFE is green, and the tapes are united at a temperature which lies in practice in the range 280xc2x0 C. to 300xc2x0 C., and which is higher than the melting point of FEP so as to cause the FEP to melt and bond the tape(s) of PTFE to the FEP-coated polyimide tape.
In the invention, the temperature during heating while pressure is being applied is lower than 340xc2x0 C. which is the sintering (gelling) temperature of PTFE.
Advantageously in the invention, only one tape of PTFE is provided and the width of the PTFE tape is greater than the width of the FEP-coated polyimide tape.
The PTFE tape preferably projects sideways from only one side of the FEP-coated polyimide tape. This makes it possible during taping to provide improved isolation of the FEP-coated polyimide layer, with the projecting margin of the PTFE tape constituting a continuous barrier that protects the polyimide from possible spoiling in an aggressive environment.
The PTFE used in the invention is obtained by lubricated extrusion so a to present a fibrillated structure that is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the resulting tape.
A lubricated extrusion method consists in mixing PTFE powder, together with a filler and/or pigments, if any, and a lubricant so as to provide a compact preform which is subjected to pressure extrusion in which a piston urges the optionally-filled PTFE through a die so as to form an extrusion of constant section, such as a flat tape or a cylindrical rod, the lubricant subsequently being eliminated, generally by heating.
The resulting tape is generally calendared and, where appropriate, it may be subjected to a de-densifying operation by stretching that imparts inter-fibril porosity to the final product.
The tape of the invention may also be of the type that is suitable for being marked by laser, e.g. having the structures described in French patents 92/06427 and 95/03195 in the name of the Applicant company. | {
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The prior art buckling structures of lamps, such as wall lamp's, seat lamps, or stand lamps, are assembled by screwing studs with nuts. Not only the collision accident easy occurs, but also the locking tools (for example, spanners, openers, etc.) are necessarily in assembly. In assembly, the wires will expose so as to generate electric shock. Moreover, the assembly work is tedious and thus it is unsuitable for being assembled by the users themselves. Thus generally, the wire winding box is assembled with the inserting rod before sale. Thereby, the cost is high and a larger space is necessary for transfer and storage. | {
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The present invention discloses a device for mucosal cell and tissue collection, in particular, for an improved device for performing cytological smears and endocervical curettage useful in the detection and diagnosis of cancer, and more particular, an improved device for collecting cytological smears and endocervical tissue for the detection of uterine cervical dysplasia and cancer.
Uterine cervical cancer poses a significant medical risk in the female population. The commonest test for screening a patient for cervical dysplasia or cancer of the cervix consists of obtaining a sample of endocervical and ectocervical cells lining the cervix and performing the Papanicalaou test on the sample, the so called Pap test. A complimentary test, known as the endocervical curettage is used to collect endocervical tissue for pathological analysis.
In its own right, the Pap test is fairly simple to perform and reasonably sensitive in providing accurate and reliable results. A recent advancement has improved the quality of cellular deposit by immersion of samplers into cytology fluid and processing by a monolayer technique. Difficulty persists in achieving an adequate collection and deposition of cells into the cytology fluid for processing and analysis. The traditional method uses a shaped wood spatula, the shaped edge being scraped over the mucosal surface, for example, the mucosa of the ectocervix and opening of the endocervical canal. Unfortunately, this method commonly results in a specimen lacking endocervical cells and occasionally insufficient squamous cells, as well.
Over the years, numerous improvements for cell samplers have been offered. Examples of such improvements include modifying the surface of the wood spatula or making the spatula out of plastic. A sampler with multiple surfaces in concentric rings has been proposed. The most dramatic improvement occurred with the introduction of brushes that provide many small fibers that can be inserted into the endocervix and dragged across the surface of the mucosa. Some physicians are using the latter devices in lieu of performing the traditional endocervical curettage with small metal curettes.
Drawbacks still exist with these devices despite their enhanced surfaces and edges. Inadequate sample cellularity in general, or, more frequently, inadequate endocervical cell/tissue collection or inability of the devices to release the sample into the cytology fluid.
What is needed is a device that is capable of safely and consistently obtaining endocervical glandular cells and or tissue, and ectocervical squamous cells, and readily releasing the cellular collection into cytology fluid.
The present invention is an improved device for obtaining mucosal cell and tissue samples by passing the device of the present invention over the surface of the mucosa. The present invention, as depicted, for example, in FIGS. 1-3, discloses a device having a handle attached to a first plate. The first plate has a first side and a second side and defines a first plane, from which extend a plurality of secondary plates from both a first side and a second side of the first plate. This depicts the symmetry of structure in relation to the first plate that is possible with the present invention. The secondary plates each define planes that are perpendicular to the plane of the first plate and are oriented generally parallel to each other forming a plurality of rows of secondary plates extending from each surface of the first plate. The present invention anticipates that the overall outer shape of the device depends on the overall width of the first plate and height of the secondary plate from the surface of the first plate, the geometry and thickness of the secondary plates, and the shape of the edge of each of the secondary plates. In addition, the secondary plates present surfaces that are parallel to the surface of the next plate. The secondary plates are sufficiently close to be suitable for capillary flow of fluids into and through the interspaces between each secondary plate. Good capillary action can be expected when the inter-space is about one to two millimeters or less. The present invention relies on this capillary action to wick away cell laden fluids from the mucosal surface deep into the interspaces between the secondary plates. The outer edges of the secondary plates may also be contoured with serrations, bevels, or microfilaments at the edges of the secondary plates.
Additional examples of patterns for secondary plates are shown in the various Figures. As depicted in FIG. 5, for example, the present invention discloses a device similar to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-4, but with several tiers of secondary plates. Each secondary plate has a tapered shape. In this embodiment, the taper is roughly two to one in relationship to the distance between the adjacent secondary plates. Other ratios may be used. In addition, the spaces between the secondary plates are even in dimension from proximal to distal. The added advantage of having a tapered secondary plate is to provide variable stiffness to the secondary plates, enhancing the curetting action of the edges of the secondary plates, as well as, enhancing the movement of the cell sample into the spaces between the secondary plates.
The present invention also anticipates that the spaces between the secondary plates may not be parallel, nor may they be so narrow as to provide for capillary action. In addition, these spaces may use geometric shapes and have widths as great as 2 to 4 mm, or larger, and act more as reservoirs for the collected cellular/fluid material as it is scraped free from the mucosal surface.
Another embodiment of the present invention, depicted in FIGS. 6-9, discloses a device having a handle attached to at least two secondary plates. The area of attachment of the secondary plates to the handle serves the function of acting as the first plate. This embodiment serves to depict the asymmetry of structure in relation to the first plate that is possible with the present invention, demonstrating the adaptability of the present invention for use over different mucosal surfaces. The at least two plates are oriented parallel to each other and present a large surface area. The at least two plates are spaced close enough to each other to be suitable for capillary flow of fluids into the space between the at least two plates. In addition, in this embodiment, the at least two plates are spaced apart from each other by a plurality of ribs. The ribs do not extend completely across the breadth of the at least two plates providing for channels between the at least two plates through which air can be displaced to the upper edge of the device as cell laden fluid is drawn into the primary reservoir between the at least two plates along the lower edge of the device.
Both of these embodiments may be attached at opposite ends of the same handle. By way of example, the first embodiment is useful for obtaining glandular cell samples from the lining of the endocervical canal. The second embodiment is useful for obtaining squamous cell samples from the outer surface of the cervix, the ectocervix. When combined on the same handle, the device of the present invention becomes a sampling device useful for obtaining samples of cells from within and without the cervix without having to use multiple devices.
In operation, the handle of the first embodiment is used by an operator to orient the plane of the first plate parallel to the longitudinal axis of the endocervical canal with the planes of each of the secondary plates at right angles to the plane of the first plate, but also parallel to the longitudinal axis of the endocervical canal. The outer profile of the secondary plates, when viewed end on, is circular in cross-section and the plates taper toward the tip at the end of the first plate that is away from the end attached to the handled. When the device is aligned with the endocervical canal, the handle is used to insert the head of the device into the endocervical canal and rotate the head around the axis of the endocervical canal. As the head rotates, cell or tissue samples are collected between the secondary plates and if close enough to each other, held there by capillary action. Alternatively, the cell or tissue samples collect within the reservoir space between the secondary plates. Repeated in and out movement is not necessary, thus diminishing the likelihood of mechanically introducing unwanted contaminants from the vaginal vault into the uterus.
When sampling is completed, the device is withdrawn from the endocervical canal and vaginal vault and the head of the device may be used to either create a smear directly onto a slide or, preferably, dipped into cytology fluid and swished to remove the cells from between the secondary plates or swished in preservative to deposit the tissue. The sample is then ready for the physician, a pathologist, cytologist, or lab technician to prepare for histologic study.
The second embodiment is similarly operated. The handle is used by the operator to align the extended tip of the device with the external os of the cervix. The tip is then placed into the cervical os until the leading edge of the at least two plates contacts the outer surface of the cervical os. The device is then rotated and cell samples are collected between the at least two plates comprising the primary reservoir. The channels provide for release of air pressure as the primary reservoir fills. If needed, the channel spaces may also collect cell sample overflow from the primary reservoir.
When sampling is completed, the device is withdrawn from the vaginal vault and the head of the device is swished into cytology fluid to remove the cell samples from between secondary plates. The channels provide for flow of the cytology fluid through the head of the device between the at least two plates to empty the primary reservoir of cell samples. The sample is then ready for the physician or lab technician to prepare for histologic study.
A number of materials are suitable for use in the various embodiments of the present invention and include, without limitation, synthetic plastics and natural and synthetic rubber compounds. There are a number of plastics known in the art that are useful in this capacity. Examples are poly-vinyl-chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, and their copolymers. Preferably the plastic is biocompatible, as well as, sterilizable using standard sterilization techniques known in the medical arts. Alternatively, the devices of the present invention may be manufactured in metal or ceramic materials. Useful metals are iron, steel, stainless steel, chromium, tungsten, vanadium, molybdenum, nickel, aluminum, titanium, and alloys of these metals. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Augmented reality allows interaction among users, real-world objects, and virtual or computer-generated objects and information within an environment. The environment may be, for example, a room equipped with computerized projection and imaging systems that enable presentation of images on various objects within the room and facilitate user interaction with the images and/or objects. The augmented reality may range in sophistication from partial augmentation, such as projecting a single image onto a surface and monitoring user interaction with the image, to full augmentation where an entire room is transformed into another reality for the user's senses. The user can interact with the environment in many ways, including through motion, gestures, voice, and so forth.
As augmented reality systems continue to evolve, there is a continuing need for improved performance of such systems. Designers continue to face tradeoffs between higher precision components, responsiveness, and implementation costs. Accordingly, there is an ongoing desire for new techniques that improve performance without significantly adding costs to the systems. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In a semiconductor device, current flows through a channel region between a source region and a drain region upon application of a sufficient voltage or bias to a gate of the device. When current flows through the channel region, the device is generally regarded as being in an ‘on’ state, and when current is not flowing through the channel region, the device is generally regarded as being in an ‘off’ state. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to an apparatus for transporting and administering radiopharmaceuticals, and more particularly to a radionuclide syringe shield and dose measuring applicator.
Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive materials that are widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases and body disorders. Radiopharmaceuticals are typically injected into the body of a patient by means of a hypodermic syringe. The repeated exposure to radioactive materials may over time present serious health hazards to the person preparing and administering the injection. This hazard is a result of radiation emanating from radioactive material which is to be injected.
Nuclear medicine technologists may receive significant radiation exposure when repeatedly handling radiopharmaceuticals, particularly high-energy radionuclides such as, for example, F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose. The technologists are particularly at risk when preparing the dose prior to injection and following injection from direct exposure to the patient. However, the latter risk can be avoided by increasing the distance from the patient while injecting the dose and decreasing time spent near the patient after the injection.
The exposure during the dose measuring procedure occurs when the dose is removed from the shipping container, when the dose is placed into and removed from the well counter and when the dose is inserted into the syringe shield. For example, the technologist""s upper extremities receive a significant dose of radiation during the time the dose is unshielded. The prior art syringe shields (pigs) do not allow for measurement unless the syringe is removed from them resulting in direct exposure to the technologist""s upper extremities.
Existing devices that provide radiation shielding when the hypodermic syringe is being used to inject the patient, offer only limited radiation shielding. In Applicant""s co-pending application Ser. No. 10/241,418, there is no radiation shielding at the piston end of the hypodermic syringe when the injection is being administered. This exposes the individual performing the injection to undesirable radiation. Furthermore, such devices require additional time to administer the injection because the protective shielding must be removed from the piston end of the hypodermic syringe before the injection can be administered.
What is needed is an apparatus that will allow the measuring procedure to be carried out without the technologist being exposed to radiation from the radionuclide contained in the syringe. What is further needed is the ability of the same apparatus to act as a syringe shield to prevent escape of radiation from the radionuclide in the syringe, while it is being transported to the patient for injection. What is further needed is the ability of the same apparatus to be used to inject the patient while preventing radionuclide exposure through the piston end of the syringe.
It is an aspect of the present invention to shield the technologist from radionuclide exposure while inserting the hypodermic syringe into a well counter.
It is another aspect of the present invention to allow a measuring procedure to be carried out without the technologist being directly exposed to the radionuclide in the hypodermic syringe.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide improved radiation shielding when the hypodermic syringe is being used to inject the patient.
It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for securing a radionuclide-containing hypodermic syringe in a protective container while measuring the radioactivity of the radionuclide.
To accomplish these and other aspects of the present invention an apparatus that transports radiopharmaceuticals and protects individuals from radioactivity during measurement and injection includes a first body with a first hollow core open on a first edge and a second edge. The first hollow core surrounds an insert containing a hypodermic syringe. The apparatus further includes a second body with a second hollow core open on a first edge and a third body with a third hollow core open on a first edge. The second hollow core surrounds the insert with the hypodermic syringe. The third hollow core surrounds the insert with the hypodermic syringe.
The second body includes means for compressing the piston of the hypodermic syringe to eject the radiopharmaceutical from the hypodermic syringe and providing protection from the radioactivity. In the preferred embodiment, the means for compressing comprises a piston actuator that includes a sliding sleeve, guides and a disk for activating the piston of the hypodermic syringe to eject the radiopharmaceutical from the hypodermic syringe when the third body is removed and providing protection from radioactivity.
The third body includes extension means that allow the insert containing the hypodermic syringe to be extended from the first and third bodies when the second body has been removed. In the preferred embodiment, the extension means comprises a dose applicator that includes a nut, a telescoping rod attached to the nut, and means for releasably attaching the telescoping rod to the hypodermic syringe. The extension means is for positioning the hypodermic syringe into and out of the first and third bodies whereby said individuals easily measure and transport the radiopharmaceutical in the hypodermic syringe. The extension means includes means for selectively securing the telescoping rod in the first and third bodies so that the hypodermic syringe can be conveniently lowered into a well counter for radiation measurement and thereafter raised into the first and third bodies so that the second body can be attached for transport and administration of the radiopharmaceutical.
A first connection means releasably communicates the first body with the third body and a second communication means releasably communicates the first body with the second body for providing protection from radioactivity.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, the description being used to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Today's television delivery systems are designed to deliver analog video/audio signals from the signal source to viewer televisions. With the introduction of digital technology for video/audio, the future of television delivery systems requires conversion of the delivery systems from analog to digital video/audio.
Developments in digital bandwidth compression technology will allow for much greater throughput of television program signals over existing or slightly modified transmission media. The cable television delivery systems must be redesigned to take advantage of digital technology. The cable headend is a key part of a cable television delivery system and requires redesign.
Analog cable television delivery systems operate with an analog cable converter box in the viewer home which uses a television to display video programs. The converter box is connected via cable to a cable headend site.
Typically, each analog cable headend site has multiple satellite dishes. Each analog cable headend site's satellite dishes normally receives transponded signals from one or two satellites. A satellite has multiple satellite transponders. Although uplink sites and satellite dishes can transmit and receive multiple video/audio program signals, currently, each satellite transponder normally carries only one video/audio program at any given time. Typically, a transponder is dedicated to one channel of video programming. Further, there is generally one Integrated Receiver and Decoder per transponder (or channel) at the analog cable headend to receive the signal from the transponder.
In summary, current analog technology requires the combination of one uplink site, one satellite transponder, and one cable headend satellite dish to deliver each analog video/audio program to the cable headend. The cable headend uses several analog video/audio signals from multiple dishes and multiple transponders to provide multi-channel analog signals. The cable headend then transmits these analog signals on different transmission frequencies to the cable converter boxes in the viewer homes where one channel is selected.
Each television channel for analog video/audio transmissions for television is in a 6 MHz segment of bandwidth. An industry standard of 6 MHz was set in the year 1939 and the NTSC standard is still 6 MHz per channel of analog video. As television program delivery technology moves into the digital world the 6 MHz segments have no real technical significance, except in hybrid analog-digital converters.
In addition, today's cable television delivery systems carry signals which are scrambled for security reasons. Each vendor uses scrambling techniques that are incompatible with the every other vendor. There are two primary cable industry leaders in scrambling formats, Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. (SA), 4386 Park Drive, Norcross, Ga. 30093 and General Instrument Corporation, Gerald Communications Division (GI), 2200 Byberry Road, Hatboro, Pa. 19040.
Currently, a two step scrambling/descrambling process is used in cable television program delivery systems. During the first step, program signals are scrambled prior to satellite transmission and are descrambled at the cable headend. During the second step, program signals are transmitted in scrambled format to the viewer homes where an authorized converter box descrambles the signals. Primarily, two types of scrambling techniques are used between the cable headend and converter boxes in subscriber homes, video inversion and synch suppression. Thus, the final descrambling takes place at the converter box in the viewer homes using one of these two techniques.
General Instruments is by far the industry leader and has a virtual “lock” on the market for signal scrambling from origination point to cable headend. From the cable headend to the subscriber home, General Instruments and Scientific Atlanta have the greatest market shares, but face competition from competitors such as Zenith and Pioneer. Scientific Atlanta and General Instruments are also the primary producers of set top terminals for the U.S. cable industry. Therefore, cable headends may only service one vendor's converter boxes. Generally, cable headend scrambling equipment services either Scientific Atlanta converters or General Instruments converters. No standard scrambling or security measures have been agreed upon by the industry. In some cases, manufacturers can produce descramblers that are compatible with another's system.
Although no standard method for digital coding of moving pictures and audio has been established, the television industry through the International Organization For Standardization is working on a digital coding standard.
The use of digital video/audio signals for delivering cable television programming will require changing today's cable television delivery system. In particular, the analog cable headend described above will not operate in the digital environment. Methods of encryption and decryption also need to be examined.
What is needed is a cable headend which operates in the digital environment.
What is needed is a cable headend which can operate in both the digital and analog environment.
What is needed is a cable headend which receives multiple video/audio program signals from a single satellite transponder.
What is needed is a cable headend which can combine digital video/audio program signals for transmission to viewer homes.
What is needed is a cable headend which can send both analog and digital video/audio program signals to viewer homes.
What is needed is a cable headend which can combine selected analog and selected digital video/audio signals to be transmitted to viewer homes.
What is needed is a cable headend which can select discrete digital channels from a multiple digital channel feed and recombine the channels for transmission to the viewer home.
What is needed is a cable headend that can combine various digital video/audio signals to create tiered program offerings for viewers.
What is needed is a cable headend that can handle any necessary signal encryption or decryption.
Accordingly, there is an unanswered need for digital cable headend technology. There is a need for cable headend technology that takes advantage of digital compression techniques for video/audio program signals.
The present invention is designed to address these needs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a circuit arrangement for use in processing a fault or an error occurring in a control memory including in a data processing system.
A conventional circuit arrangement of the type described comprises an error detecting circuit and an error correcting circuit together with a control memory loaded with a plurality of microinstructions. The error detecting circuit is for detecting an error of each microinstruction read out of the control memory while the error correcting circuit is for correcting the error to obtain a correct microinstruction. With this structure, each microinstruction is always sent from the control memory through both of the error detecting circuit and the error correcting circuit even when an error is not detected by the error detecting circuit. Therefore, an increase of a machine cycle is inevitable.
In another conventional circuit arrangement, the error detection alone is normally carried out for each microinstruction read out of a control memory by the use of an error detection circuit. An error correction circuit is operated only when an error is detected by the error detection circuit. With this structure, it is possible to shorten the machine cycle as compared with the above-mentioned circuit arrangement.
In the last-mentioned conventional circuit arrangement, assume an irremediable hardware error occurs in a portion of the control memory which may be called an erroneous portion. The error correction circuit should correct an error of each microinstruction each time when the erroneous portion is accessed. Therefore, it takes a long time to process each microinstruction read out of the erroneous portion. This lengthens an average time of executing the microinstructions when the hardware error occurs in the control memory.
At any rate, both of the conventional circuit arrangements carry out not only error detection but also error correction on occurrence of an error. In order to enable the error correction, each microinstruction should be formed by an error correcting code. Although the error detection alone is simply possible by addition of one or more parity bits, such as error correcting code requires extra redundant bits greater in number than the parity bit or bits, as is well known in the art. Thus, use of the error correcting code results in the control memory of an increased bit capacity.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,450 issued to Porter et al and assigned to Honeywell Information Systems, a computer system is disclosed which is operable even when a hardware error occurs in a main memory. More specifically, the computer system comprises first and second addressing paths for addressing first and second portions of the main memory. When a fault, such as the hardware error, is detected on addressing the first portion of the main memory through the first addressing path, the first addressing path is switched to the second addressing path. Thus, the main memory should have the first and the second portions which are individually accessed through the first and the second addressing paths, respectively. The main memory is therefore redundant in structure.
It is difficult to apply the computer system to a circuit arrangement for use in combination with a control memory because a small capacity is often required in the control memory. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
There is growing pressure to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes. A large hydrogen production plant may produce up to 900,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, thus it may be considered a significant source of carbon dioxide.
In Europe, Canada, and California, carbon dioxide reduction regulations are being phased in gradually. This means that greenhouse gas (GHG) legislation remains a key consideration in projects in the 2012-2015 timeframe. The current understanding on this issue is that new plants will have to plan for carbon dioxide capture but may not be required to install and operate such systems at the project on-stream date. Therefore, industry desires a flexible carbon dioxide capture ready design that may be implemented when needed.
Industry desires to produce hydrogen by steam-hydrocarbon reforming while capturing carbon dioxide thereby decreasing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions.
Industry desires to adjust the amount of carbon dioxide capture based on regulations and economics.
Industry desires an energy efficient large-scale hydrogen production process with decreased carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional processes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Graphical User Interface (GUI) testers test a system that includes a GUI to ensure that the system meets certain specifications. Typically, a GUI tester will execute test cases, written as scripts, to validate the functionality of the system. For example, the test cases can test various keyboard and mouse inputs and capture how the system responds. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Glaucoma is a degenerative disease of the eye wherein the intraocular pressure is too high to permit normal eye function. As a result, damage may occur to the optic nerve head and result in irreversible loss of visual function. If untreated, glaucoma may eventually lead to blindness. Ocular hypertension, i.e., the condition of elevated intraocular pressure without optic nerve head damage or characteristic glaucomatous visual field defects, is now believed by the majority of ophthalmologists to represent merely the earliest phase in the onset of glaucoma.
Many of the drugs formerly used to treat glaucoma proved not entirely satisfactory. The early methods of treatment of glaucoma employing pilocarpine produced undesirable local effects that made this drug, though valuable, unsatisfactory as a first line drug. More recently, clinicians have noted that many .beta.-adrenergic antagonists are effective in reducing intraocular pressure. While many of these agents are effective for this purpose, there exist some patients with whom this treatment is not effective or not sufficiently effective. Many of these agents also have other characteristics, e.g., membrane stabilizing activity, that become more apparent with increased doses and render them unacceptable for chronic ocular use.
The .beta.-adrenergic antagonist (S)-1-(tert-butylamino)-3-[(4-morpholino-1,2,5-thiadiazol-3-yl)oxy]-2-prop anol, timolol, was found to reduce intraocular pressure and to be devoid of many unwanted side effects associated with pilocarpine and, in addition, to possess advantages over many other .beta.-adrenergic antagonists, e.g., to be devoid of local anesthetic properties, to have a long duration of activity, and to display minimal loss of effect with increased duration of dosing.
Although pilocarpine and .beta.-adrenergic antagonists reduce intraocular pressure, none of these drugs manifests its action by inhibiting the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, and thus they do not take advantage of reducing the contribution to aqueous humor formation made by the carbonic anhydrase pathway.
Agents referred to as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors block or impede this inflow pathway by inhibiting the enzyme carbonic anhydrase. While such carbonic anhydrase inhibitors are now used to treat intraocular pressure by systemic routes, they thereby have the distinct disadvantage of inhibiting carbonic anhydrase throughout the entire body. Such a gross disruption of a basic enzyme system is justified only during an acute attack of alarmingly elevated intraocular pressure, or when no other agent is effective.
For several years, the desirability of directing the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor to only the desired ocular target tissue has been recognized. Because carbonic anhydrase inhibitors have a profound effect in altering basic physiological processes, the avoidance of a systemic route of administation serves to diminish, if not entirely eliminate, those side effects caused by inhibition of carbonic anhydrase such as metabolic acidosis, vomiting, numbness, tingling, general malaise and the like. Topically effective carbonic anhydrase inhibitors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,386,098; 4,416,890; 4,426,388; 4,668,697; and 4,863,922 and PCT Publication WO 91/15486. As yet, no topically effective carbonic anhydrase inhibitors are generally available for clinical use.
Thus, when a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor is combined with a .beta.-adrenergic antagonist, there is experienced an effect that reduces the intraocular pressure below that obtained by either medicament individually.
The activity of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors currently under development wanes 6 to 8 hours post-dose, meaning that as single agents these carbonic anhydrase inhibitors must be administered at least three times a day to maintain the desired lowering of intraocular pressure. The combination of this invention maintains the desired lowering of intraocular pressure for a full twelve hours. Because of this increased duration of action, the combination disclosed herein is effective when administered only twice a day. Patient compliance is anticipated to be greater with twice a day administration than with three times a day administration.
The use of oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors in combination with the topical .beta.-adrenergic antagonist timolol and the resulting multiplicity of their effects is disclosed in Berson et al., American Journal of Ophthalmology 1981, 92, 788-791. However, the combination of an oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitor with a topical .beta.-adrenergic antagonist presents two disadvantages. The first disadvantage is that the systemic use of a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor inhibits carbonic anhydrase throughout the body and exerts the same profound negative effects on basic metabolism whether it is used alone or in combination with a topical .beta.-adrenergic antagonist. Secondly, there is poor patient compliance with simultaneous administration of both an oral and topical medicament.
The combination disclosed herein is effective either by co-administration of the medicaments in one solution or as a combined therapy achieved by prior administration of either the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor or the .beta.-adrenergic antagonist followed by administration of the other solution. The use of a single solution containing both active medicaments is preferred.
The combination of this invention is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,922, but a precise formulation of the relative combination of medicaments to give effective reduction of intraocular pressure is neither taught nor disclosed therein.
There exists a patient population insufficiently responsive to available .beta.-adrenergic antagonists who will benefit from the combination disclosed herein. Because of the combined effect of the .beta.-adrenergic antagonist and the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, these otherwise refractory patients can obtain a marked beneficial reduction in intraocular pressure from such a combination.
Furthermore, there exists a patient population who will benefit from a combination where the minimal dosage of one or both of the medicaments is employed, thus minimizing the possibility of the occurrence of undesirable effects of one or both of the medicaments which would be more likely to become apparent with chronic use at the higher dosage. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a small class of esters useful in the treatment of certain viral infections. Additionally, the invention involves topically acceptable formulations of these esters and method of utilizing same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,562, issued Feb. 6, 1979, and J. Med. Chem., 20, 612 (1977), I disclose the synthesis of the nucleoside 9-[2.alpha.,3.beta.-dihydroxy-4.alpha.-(hydroxymethyl)cyclopent-1.alpha.-y l] which will hereinafter be referred to more simply as C-Ara-A or cyclaradine (Compound 1). Cyclaradine is the parent alcohol of the alkoxyalkanoate esters of this invention. This alcohol and the simple alkanoate esters are the subject of my copending application Ser. No. 1,072, filed Jan. 5, 1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,672.
Cyclaradine exhibits potent antiviral activity in vitro against viral pathogens such as Herpes and is resistent to the enzyme adenosine deaminase (a normal constituent of human serum) which is responsible for the destruction of the antiviral properties of currently available antiviral nucleosides such as 9-.beta.-D-arabinofuranosyladenine (Ara-A). It has subsequently been found, however, that cyclaradine and its simple alkyl esters are significantly less active in vivo. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field
One embodiment of the invention relates to moving picture encoding techniques suitable for use in an information processing apparatus, such as a personal computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a personal computer provided with a software encoder for encoding moving pictures by software has begun to be popularized. Moreover, the H. 264/AVC (Advanced Video Coding) standard has recently drawn attention as a next-generation moving picture compression encoding technique. The H. 264/AVC standard relates to higher-efficiency compression encoding techniques than conventional equivalents, such as MPEG 2 or MPEG 4. For this reason, in an encoding process conforming to the H. 264/AVC standard, a larger amount of processing is needed than in conventional compression encoding techniques, such as MPEG2 or MPEG4. With this backdrop, various proposals to decrease the amount of moving picture encoding have been made (e.g., refer to Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-346216).
Since a motion estimation process can select a plurality of reference frames even in the encoding process complying with the H. 264/AVC standard, the number of times block matching is done to detect the optimum motion vector increases in proportion to the number of frames as compared with the conventional compression encoding techniques. Accordingly, in a software encoder that operates on a personal computer (where other software may run in parallel), a mechanism that adaptively skips a motion estimation process according to, for example, the load on the processor or the like has been desired strongly. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Wireless phones, laptops, PDAs, base stations and other systems may wirelessly transmit and receive data. A single-in-single-out (SISO) system may have two single-antenna transceivers in which one predominantly transmits and the other predominantly receives. The transceivers may use multiple data rates depending on channel quality.
An MR×MT multiple-in-multiple-out (MIMO) wireless system uses multiple transmit antennas (MT) and multiple receive antennas (MR) to improve data rates and link quality. The MIMO system may achieve high data rates by using a transmission signaling scheme called “spatial multiplexing,” where a data bit stream is demultiplexed into parallel independent data streams. The independent data streams are sent on different transmit antennas to obtain an increase in data rate according to the number of transmit antennas used. Alternatively, the MIMO system may improve link quality by using a transmission signaling scheme called “transmit diversity,” where the same data stream (i.e., same signal) is sent on multiple transmit antennas after appropriate coding. The receiver receives multiple copies of the coded signal and processes the copies to obtain an estimate of the received data.
The number of independent data streams transmitted is referred to as the “multiplexing order” or spatial multiplexing rate (rs). A spatial multiplexing rate of rs=1 indicates pure diversity and a spatial multiplexing rate of rs=min(MR, MT) (minimum number of receive or transmit antennas) indicates pure multiplexing. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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