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Various systems are used for the mass storage and retrieval of the contents of documents including systems such as those disclosed in my earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,273,440; 4,553,261; and 4,276,065. While these systems are indeed quite usable and effective, they generally require considerable human intervention. Other systems involve storage techniques which do not use the available technology to its best advantage and which have serious disadvantages as to speed of operation and efficiency. In this context, the term "mass storage" is used to mean storage of very large quantities of data in the order of, e.g., multiple megabytes, gigabytes or terabytes. Storage media such as optical disks are suitable for such storage although other media can be used.
Generally speaking, prior large-quantity storage systems employ one of the following approaches:
A. The content of each document is scanned by some form of optical device involving character recognition (generically, OCR) so that all or major parts of each document are converted into code (ASCII or the like) which code is then stored. Systems of this type allow full-text code searches to be conducted for words which appear in the documents. An advantage of this type of system is that indexing is not absolutely required because the full text of each document can be searched, allowing a document dealing with a specific topic or naming a specific person to be located without having to be concerned with whether the topic or person was named in the index. Such a system has the disadvantages that input tends to be rather slow because of the conversion time required and input also requires human supervision and editing, usually by a person who is trained at least enough to understand the content of the documents for error-checking purposes. Searching has also been slow if no index is established and, for that reason, indexing is often done. Also, the question of how to deal with non-word images (graphs, drawings, pictorial representations) must be dealt with in some way which differs from the techniques for handling text in many OCR conversion systems. Furthermore, such systems have no provision for offering for display to the user a list of relevant search words, should the user have need for such assistance. PA1 B. The content of each document is scanned for the purpose of reducing the images of the document content to a form which can be stored as images, i.e., without any attempt to recognize or convert the content into ASCII or other code. This type of system has the obvious advantage that graphical images and text are handled together in the same way. Also, the content can be displayed in the same form as the original document, allowing one to display and refer to a reasonably faithful reproduction of the original at any time. In addition, rather rapid processing of documents and storage of the contents is possible because no OCR conversion is needed and it is not necessary for a person to check to see that conversion was proper. The disadvantages of such a system are that some indexing technique must be used. While it would be theoretically possible to conduct a pattern search to locate a specific word "match" in the stored images of a large number of documents, success is not likely unless the "searched for" word is presented in a font or typeface very similar to that used in the original document. Since such systems have had no way of identifying which font might have been used in the original document, a pattern search has a low probability of success and could not be relied upon. Creating an index has traditionally been a rather time consuming, labor-intensive task. Also, image storage systems (i.e., storing by using bit-mapping or line art or using Bezier models) typically require much more memory than storing the equivalent text in code, perhaps 25 times as much.
Various image data banks have come into existence but acceptance at this time is very slow mainly due to input and retrieval problems. Because of the above difficulties, mass storage systems mainly have been restricted to archive or library uses wherein retrieval speed is of relatively little significance or wherein the necessary human involvement for extensive indexing can be cost justified. There are, however, other contexts in which mass storage could be employed as a component of a larger and different document handling system if the above disadvantages could be overcome. | {
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A typical example of such rotary storing unit for use in this type of article storing apparatus is described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 3-102510, wherein an elongate transport path is formed on a long frame-shaped base by means of a multiplicity of idler rollers arranged thereon, there being provided a plurality of pallets movable on the transport path. The storing unit includes an endless chain trained over a plurality of wheels and extending along the transport path, and a motor for driving the wheels, individual pallets being geared at their respective centers to the endless chain.
In this known arrangement, a control switch is provided on the base side such that the switch is manually operated to actuate the motor to drive the endless chain. As the endless chain is driven, the plurality of pallets are caused to move on the transport path so that a target pallet may be brought to a position opposite to the receiving/discharging station. Thus, loading and unloading of an article relative to the target pallet can be performed by means of a fork lift truck.
However, with the known arrangement, wherein individual pallets are connected at their respective centers directly to link pins of the endless chain, one drawback is that each pallet and the endless chain are disposed close to each other and accordingly each of the wheels must have its top surface positioned in close proximity to a conveyor bearing surface consisting of the article supporting surface of the idler rollers. As such, in order that the wheels may be properly mounted in position, the idler rollers must be arranged in such a way that no idler roller is present at locations where idler rollers may interfere with the wheels. Because of the presence of such locations, therefore, vibrations may occur with pallets being conveyed, with the result that stable and smooth transport of articles cannot be effected. Another drawback is that the elongate transport path, which comprises a pair of straight portions and a pair of rotary portions interconnecting the ends of the straight portions, necessitates pallets being spaced wide apart while in movement on the straight portions in order to prevent the pallets from interfering with one another on the rotary portions, thus involving a considerable dead space. | {
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Currently in the transport of materials, if that transport is land based, the amount of material that can be transported in any single load is limited to the land based infrastructure such as roads, bridges, underpasses and the like. Land based transport of any distance is typically either by truck or rail. By truck, the size of the load is limited by roadway restrictions. By railway, the size of loads is limited by the railway bed and railway infrastructure restrictions such as tunnels and bridges, i.e. width, height and weight of load and, at some point, length of load also impacts rail shipments. On rail, load length is not as important as it is for truck haulage. Water transport does not have the same degree of size limitations as does truck and rail transport, but water transport is limited by other factors that truck and rail transport are not.
Oceangoing water transport has historically been limited by the water depths available to dock oceangoing vessels. As such, oceangoing transport is typically limited to those geographical locations with suitable deep water port facilities. As for inland water transport of materials, river water depths have limited the size of vessels. The relatively shallow depth of inland waters has necessitated using conventional river barges to move material over inland waters to oceangoing ports. At these oceangoing ports, the material is then unloaded from the barges and either loaded directly onto oceangoing ships or the material is put in storage for later loading onto oceangoing ships. The limitations, as to where oceangoing vessels can dock and the corresponding depth of inland waters, makes the waterborne shipment of materials a logistically challenging process.
Geographical areas that do not have suitable port facilities have to ship their goods which are to be transported by oceangoing vessels to areas with suitable port facilities for transshipment to distant areas, and at these distant destinations unloading of material is limited to those areas with suitable port facilities where goods can be unloaded for shipment to their final land/inland destination. These limitations have necessarily and accordingly restricted the intercontinental movement of large amounts of materials to only those geographical areas with natural occurring port facilities.
Another disadvantage with water transport of bulk materials, such as grain, is that it is impossible to keep high quality product segregated from lower quality product. For example, grain for foreign sale or oceangoing shipment is often transported by river barge to an ocean port where the grain is unloaded into grain storage elevators. From the grain storage elevators, the grain is transferred to an oceangoing ship for transport to a foreign country. However, since all of the grain is transferred into grain storage elevators at the shipping port, any poor quality grain that has been transported to the port is mixed with the other grain. Mixing this poor quality grain with the higher quality grain lowers the value of the higher quality grain and prevents producers of higher quality grain from obtaining a premium on the sale of their grain. | {
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The present invention relates in general to wire coiling machines and in particular to an apparatus for the supply and automatic loading and unloading of reels and similar devices for automatic wire coiling machines and in particular for metal wire coiling machines. | {
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The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Styrax, commonly known as Japanese Snowbell that is grown for use as a small tree. It is known botanically as Styrax japonicus and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘EVENING LIGHT’.
‘EVENING LIGHT’ was discovered by the inventor in 2001 at the inventor's nursery in Boskoop, the Netherlands as a chance seedling which arose in the nursery amongst other seedlings of unnamed Styrax raised by the inventor. The inventor observed that one seedling, initially named “Kolster Purple” and later named ‘Evening Light’ exhibited dark purple foliage when grown in full sun. The inventor observed this one seedling into maturity and commenced propagation when the plant was five years of age.
The variety of Styrax which is considered by the inventor to most closely resemble ‘EVENING LIGHT’ is Styrax ‘Purple Dress’ (unpatented). The foliage of ‘EVENING LIGHT’ is more elongated when compared with the broad leaves of ‘Purple Dress’. Whereas the foliage of ‘Evening Light’ emerges and remains glossy dark purple to black when grown in full sun, the foliage of ‘Purple Dress’ emerges reddish-brown and becomes matte olive-green by summer.
Asexual reproduction of ‘EVENING LIGHT’ was first accomplished by the inventor in 2006 in a cultivated area of Boskoop, the Netherlands. Asexual propagation was accomplished by grafting ‘EVENING LIGHT’ onto Styrax seedling understock. Since that time the distinguishing characteristics of ‘EVENING LIGHT’ have been determined stable and uniform and to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation by other means including semi-hardwood cuttings. | {
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Currently, in order to solve the problem of mixing two or more products, be they liquid, solid or gaseous, contained in confined volumes, use is made of a third confined "containment" volume with dimensions such that it contains the confined volumes to be mixed. The "containment" volume has means, such as half pressure chambers or sheaths, connected in a hermetically sealed manner and penetrating inside the confined containment volume, which allows the operator to intervene from the outside in order to manipulate, under absolutely sterile conditions, the confined volumes contained therein. After introducing the confined volumes to be manipulated inside the containment volume, and after the latter has been sealed or hermetically closed, it is necessary to perform sterilization or a particle check of the internal space of the containment volume and of the external walls of the confined volumes to be manipulated. This operation may take as long as a few hours, after which the operator can manipulate the confined volumes inside the containment space.
As can be seen, it is a complex, laborious, long and costly operation which requires special equipment. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to encoding and decoding an image, and more particularly, to encoding and decoding a block that contains regions, such as an edge or a texture, that is difficult to precisely predict, thus reducing the compression efficiency of encoding, thereby ensuring high compression efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
In video compression methods, such as Motion Pictures Expert Group (MPEG)-1, MPEG-2, and H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding (AVC), a picture is divided into a plurality of macro blocks in order to encode an image. Then, each of the macro blocks is prediction encoded by performing inter prediction or intra prediction thereon. Specifically, a predicted block of a current block that is to be encoded is produced using inter prediction or intra prediction, only a residual block obtained by subtracting the predicted block from the current block is encoded, and the encoded residual block is transmitted. That is, the values of pixels included in the current block are not directly encoded; instead, the result of subtracting the value of each pixel of the predicted block from the value of the corresponding pixel of the current block is encoded, thereby improving the compression efficiency of encoding, as will now be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a related art image encoding apparatus 100. The encoding apparatus 100 includes a prediction unit 102, a frame memory 104, a transformation unit 106, a quantization unit 108, an entropy encoding unit 110, an inverse quantization unit 112, an inverse transformation unit 114, and a filter 116.
The prediction unit 102 performs inter prediction or intra prediction so as to produce a predicted block of a current block that is to be encoded. In the case of inter prediction, a block similar to the current block is searched for from among one or more reference pictures stored in the frame memory 104. The searched block is used as a predicted block of the current block. In the case of intra prediction, intra directional prediction is performed using pixels of previously encoded blocks adjacent to a current block so as to produce a predicted block of the current block.
A residual block is obtained by subtracting the predicted block from the current block, and is orthogonally transformed into the frequency domain by the transformation unit 106. The transformation unit 106 orthogonally transforms the residual block into the frequency domain by producing discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients by performing DCT on a residual value of each pixel of the residual block.
The quantization unit 108 quantizes the DCT coefficients received from the transformation unit 106 by using a predetermined quantization coefficient Qp. The entropy encoding unit 110 entropy encodes the quantized DCT coefficients and inserts the encoded result into a bitstream.
Also, the quantized DCT coefficients are inversely quantized by the inverse quantization unit 112, and restored to the residual block by the inverse transformation unit 114. The restored residual block is added to the predicted block produced by the prediction unit 102.
The resultant block is deblocking filtered by the filter 116, and stored in the frame memory 104 so that it can be used to perform inter prediction or intra prediction on a subsequent block.
As described above with reference to FIG. 1, a predicted block of a current block must be as similar as possible to the current block in order to prediction encode the current block with high compression efficiency, using a related art image encoding apparatus. However, if the current block contains pixels of an edge region or a text region, it is difficult to precisely perform prediction on the current block.
Accordingly, there is a need for development of a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding even an image block, which is difficult to precisely predict, with high compression efficiency. | {
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There is known, for example, a pitcher type water purifier which is generally used at home, is capable of purifying raw water up to 1 to 2 liter at one time, and can be kept in a refrigerator or the like as it is. As a pitcher type water purifier, there is a water purifier including an outer container, an inner container which is formed to be detachable from the outer container and to divide the inside of the outer container to a upper part and a lower part, and a water filter cartridge formed inside the inner container, for example. According to the pitcher type water purifier, a region of the outer container that is below the inner container is a purified water reservoir, and a region of the outer container that is above the inner container is a raw water reservoir.
When raw water is added to a raw water reservoir of the pitcher type water purifier, the raw water slowly passes through the water filter cartridge to be purified by virtue of its own weight, and then flows into the purified water reservoir.
As a water filter cartridge, a cartridge having activated carbon or a hollow fiber membrane bundle as a filtering material is known. For example, mention can be made of a water filter cartridge in which a hollow fiber membrane bundle is fixed on a bottom part in an approximately cylinder shape case to accommodate a filtering material and activated carbon is filled on the hollow fiber membrane bundle without being mediated by a partition member (Patent Literature 1).
According to the water filter cartridge, raw water is filtered by a hollow fiber membrane only after being in contact with activated carbon. As such, even when there are proliferating microbes in the active carbon layer, the microbes are not incorporated in purified water. Furthermore, due to the absence of a partition member, filtration flow rate is high and raw water can be purified smoothly. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-point conference system and a conference terminal device, and more particularly to a multi-point conference system in which a video conference is held using decentralized conference terminal devices and a conference terminal device used in the system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multi-point conference system by which users who are in remote places can participate in a conference has been put to practical use. In such a multi-point conference system, conference terminal devices each of which has at least a camera device, a display device, a microphone and a loudspeaker are connected by a network such as dedicated lines, public lines or a LAN (Local Area Network). In this system, smooth image change in each of the conference terminal devices is desired.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a conventional multi-point conference system. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a multi-point control unit 100 is connected with a plurality of conference terminal devices. In this case, four conference terminal devices 101-1.about.101-4 are connected to the multi-point control unit 100.
Each of the conference terminal devices has a transmitting/receiving function for voice signals and image signals and a constitution of switching a coding operation between an interframe coding operation and an intra-frame coding operation. A conference terminal device at a transmitting side codes an initial frame of image data by the intra-frame coding operation and codes frames after the initial frame of the image data by the interframe coding operation. The interframe coding operation is then switched to the intra-frame coding operation at predetermined intervals (a predetermined number of frames). The intra-frame coded data and the interframe coded data are successively transmitted from the conference terminal device at the transmitting side. A conference terminal device at a receiving side decodes intra-frame coded data and stores the decoded frame data. When the next inter-frame coded data is received, the interframe coded data is decoded using the stored decoded frame data. A dynamic image is then displayed using the decoded frame data.
In addition, the multi-point control unit 100 has a function for distributing image data from each conference terminal device to other conference terminal devices. The various types of distribution of the image data have been proposed. For example, the following system has been known. In the system, one or more speakers who speaks now are selected. To a conference terminal device of a speaker, image data items of speakers other than the speaker are transmitted. To each of conference terminal devices of participants other than the speakers, image data items from the conference terminal devices of the speakers are transmitted.
Image information items 1.about.4 from the conference terminal devices 101-1.about.101-4 are transmitted to the multi-point control unit 100. When a user of the conference terminal device 101-2 speaks, the multi-point control unit 100 transmits the image information item 2 from the conference terminal device 101-2 to the other conference terminal devices 101-1, 101-3 and 101-4. When a user of the conference terminal device 101-1 speaks after the speech of the user of the conference terminal device 101-2 is terminated, the image information item 1 is transmitted from the conference terminal device 101-1 to the multi-point control unit 100. The multi-point control unit 100 then transmits the image information item from the conference terminal device 101-2 to the conference terminal device 101-1 and transmits the image information item 1 from the conference terminal device 101-1 to the other conference terminal devices 101-2, 101-3 and 101-4. This situation is shown in FIG. 1A.
When a user of the conference terminal device 101-3 speaks in this state, the multi-point control unit 100 transmits the image information item from the conference terminal device 101-1 to the conference terminal device 101-3. The multi-point control unit 100 then transmits the image information item from the conference terminal device 101-3 to the other conference terminal devices 101-1, 101-2 and 101-4. If the multi-point control unit 100 merely switches the transmission of the image information, there may be a case where the transmission of the image information is switched while the interframe coded data is being transmitted. In this case, a conference terminal device at the receiving side can not normally decode the coded imaged data until the intra-frame coded data is received.
Thus, the multi-point control unit 100 requests of a conference terminal device of a new speaker that the intra-frame coded data should be initially transmitted. The multi-point control unit 100 then supplies a display freeze instruction to stop displaying an image until intra-frame coded data is transmitted to the other conference terminal devices. This situation is shown in FIG. 1B.
For example, when the state shown in FIG. 1A is changed to a state in which the user of the conference terminal device 101-3 speaks, the multi-point control unit 100 supplies the request for the intra-frame coded data and the display freeze instruction to the conference terminal device 101-3. After the display freeze instruction, the image information 3 from the conference terminal device 101-3 is transmitted to the conference terminal device 101-1. To the conference terminal devices 101-2 and 101-4, the image information 3 substituted for the image information 1 is transmitted after the display freeze instruction.
FIG. 2 shows a coding process unit of each of the conventional conference terminal devices. Referring to FIG. 2, the coding process unit has a coding portion 111, a local decoding portion 112, a frame memory 113, a control portion 114, a selector (SEL) 115, a subtractor 116 and a motion vector search portion 117.
An image signal to be transmitted is supplied from a video camera (not shown) to the coding process unit. The image signal is then input to the motion vector searching portion 117 and the selector 115. Speaker specifying information is input to the control portion 114. The control portion 114 controls the selector 115 based on coding operation selecting information so that the coding operation is switched between the intra-fame predictive coding operation and the interframe predictive coding operation. When an image signal is selected by the selector 115, the image signal is input to the coding portion 111. The coding portion 111 codes the image signal so that the intra-frame coding operation is carried out. The difference between the input image signal and reference image information from the frame memory 113 is calculated by the subtractor 116. The subtractor 116 outputs an interframe difference signal. When the interframe difference signal is selected by the selector 115, the interframe difference signal is supplied to the coding portion 111. The coding portion 111 codes the interframe difference signal so that the interframe coding operation is carried out.
Thus, when the request for the intra-frame coded data is supplied from the multi-point control unit 100 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the control portion 114 controls the selector 115 so that image information coded by the intra-frame coding operation can be transmitted. In addition, the local decoding portion 112 decodes data coded by the coding portion 111. The decoded data is stored as reproduced image information in the frame memory 113. As a result, the contents in the frame memory 113 is almost the same as the contents in the frame memory of a conference terminal device at the receiving side.
The motion vector searching portion 117 searches a predetermined area of a frame which is input at a present time using a block, having a predetermined size, indicated as the reference image information from the frame memory 113. As a result, the motion vector searching portion 117 obtains motion vector information indicating a changing direction. The motion vector information is supplied to the coding portion 111. Another process, such as a discrete cosine transform (DCT) process may be added to the coding process.
FIG. 3 shows a decoding process unit of the conventional conference terminal device. Referring to FIG. 3, the decoding process unit has a decoding portion 121, a motion compensation portion 122, a frame memory 123, an adder 124 and a selector (SEL) 125. Coded image information from a conference terminal device of a speaker is input to the decoding portion 121. The decoded image information includes control information indicating the intra-frame coded data or the interframe coded data and the motion vector information. The decoding portion 121 controls the selector 125 based on decoding operation selecting information.
In a case of the intra-frame decoding operation, the selector 125 selects image information decoded by the decoding portion 121 and the selected image information is supplied to a display device (not shown). In a case of the interframe decoding operation, predictive difference information decoded by the decoding portion 121. The predictive difference information and reference image information supplied via the motion compensation portion 122 from the frame memory 123 are added by the adder 124. As a result, reproduced image information is obtained. The reproduced image information is supplied via the selector 125 to the display device (not shown). The display device displays a dynamic image of a speaker based on the reproduced image information. The motion compensation portion 122 carries out a motion compensation process using the motion vector information. In a case where the discrete cosine transform process is carried out in the conference terminal device at the transmitting side, the inverse discrete cosine transform process is carried out in addition to the decoding process.
In the conventional multi-point conference system, the multi-point control unit 100 switches the image information transmitted therefrom and transmits the request for the intra-frame coding operation to a conference terminal device of a speaker. The coding operation is switched to the intra-frame coding operation in accordance with the request. Thus, in a conference terminal device at the receiving side, intra-frame coded data is initially received and interframe coded data after the intra-frame coded data is decoded, so that a reproduced dynamic image can be displayed using decoded frame data.
However, in the intra-frame coding operation, a relatively large amount of data is generated in comparison with the interframe coding operation. That is, a compression rate is decreased. Thus, when the network connected with the conference terminal devices has a low transmission speed, a long transmission time for image data obtained by coding the head picture in the intra-frame coding operation is required. As a result, a relatively long time is required to display a normal reproduced image. Thus, when a speaker is changed, a long time is required to change an image, corresponding to the speaker, to be displayed. | {
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Fuel cells (FCs) are versatile energy conversion technology. They can convert numerous high energy density fuels directly into electricity without first converting the chemical energy into thermal energy, bypassing the Carnot efficiency limitations of conventional heat engines. All conventional fuel cells consist of an anode where a fuel is oxidized and a cathode where an oxidant (typically oxygen) is reduced. The anode and cathode are separated by an ion transport membrane and connected via an external electrical circuit, as illustrated in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1B illustrates the equivalent circuit diagram used to represent the physical processes and test the FC with an applied voltage or source-measure unit. The free energy of reaction drives a DC current flow through a load in the external circuit while ions (typically H+, OH−, CO32−, or O2−) flow through the membrane. In addition to their potential for high efficiency, fuel cells may be operated with clean fuels such as hydrogen (yielding water as the only exhaust) or sustainable biofuels that are carbon neutral (produce no net CO2). Fuel cells come in many different varieties with a wide range of potential applications. High temperature fuel cells (solid oxide fuel cells, SOFCs) have typically been considered for stationary power, and low temperature fuel cells (proton exchange membrane fuel cells, or PEMFCs) have typically been considered for transportation or portable power. FCs yield high power density (especially when compared to technologies like solar energy). But still, market penetration for both PEMFCs and SOFCs is low due to high cost and reliability issues. The typical power density for a commercial PEMFC is around 600 mW/cm2, while that for an SOFC is around 300 mW/cm2. In 2009 the U.S. Department of Energy set fuel cell cost and lifetime goals to be $750/kW with 40,000 hours of operation for stationary power and $30/kW with 5,000 hours of operation for the transportation sector.
SOFC technology appears to be mature enough and poised for commercial success, particularly for stationary power applications where the valuable heat may be utilized and the net efficiency increased. The increased market penetration that now seems possible for SOFCs is actually a positive development for other fuel cells technologies as well. Some technologies have intrinsic advantages for applications such as transportation or portable power, but further development is hindered by the perception that FCs are problematic. The quick response time and low operating temperature are key for automotive and portable power applications. For these applications particular focus has been paid to PEMFCs. However there are many barriers to PEMFC development and commercialization. Scientific challenges still exist to improve the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst, prevent poisoning of the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) catalyst, and develop higher temperature proton conducting membranes. In addition there are more practical issues which need to be addressed like active water management to maintain membrane wetness without flooding, improving device reliability, and lowering system cost. Also, it could be viewed either as a liability or a great benefit, but the most advanced PEMFCs use hydrogen as the fuel. Below, we review some of the issues with conventional PEMFCs and review some novel fuel cell design concepts which seek to bypass the limitations of conventional devices, such as single-chamber and membraneless designs.
Conventional Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs)
The oxidation of hydrogen to yield water is given by the following familiar reaction:
H 2 ( g ) + 1 2 O 2 ( g ) → H 2 O ( l ) Δ G n = 237 kJ mol Δ E n = 1.23 V Δ H rxn o = 286 kJ mol
This simple and clean reaction has tremendous appeal for using hydrogen as an energy carrier, especially when combined with renewable (solar or wind generated) hydrogen. The fly in the ointment that tempers one's enthusiasm for the fuel though is the difficulty with storing and distributing hydrogen. In addition, the low temperature fuel cell technology that converts it to electricity (the PEMFC) has several problems that have prevented its cost effectiveness and thus its widespread adoption. A summary of some of the most significant problems are presented below.
Catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction: High Activation Overpotential
The oxidation reduction reaction (ORR) is puzzling in that it is one of the oldest known electrochemical reactions, and yet it remains one of the most poorly understood. Numerous mechanisms have been proposed for the ORR on platinum, and the most widely accepted mechanism is the associative adsorption mechanism:O2→O2aas (rxn1)O2ads+Hads++e−→HO2ads (rxn2)HO2ads+Hads++e−→H2O+Oads (rxn3)Oads+Hads++e−→HOads (rxn4)HOads+Hads++e−→H2O (rxn5)
The rate determining step is thought to be reaction rxn2 above, but the debate over mechanism and rate limiting step remains open. Increasing its reaction rate can dramatically improve fuel cell performance. Research on the ORR has focused mainly on the development of new catalysts. While the overall rate can also be increased by simply increasing the temperature beyond the 80° C. where PEMFCs are typically operated, this causes other issues, particularly with the ion transport membrane as discussed below.
Catalysts for the Hydrogen Oxidation Reaction: Poisoning
Carbon monoxide, sulfur, and other species can poison the HOR catalyst, typically platinum. This phenomenon is well known and has been recently reviewed. Since CO is a by-product of the reforming process through which most hydrogen is produced (FIG. 2), it is a serious impediment to the development of PEMFC technology. CO poisons a platinum catalyst by strongly chemisorbing to the surface and blocking the active reaction site. The easiest way to overcome the problem of CO poisoning is to increase the operating temperature. The tolerance of CO is directly related to temperature. Increasing the temperature to as little as 130° C. dramatically improves PEMFC performance in the presence of CO. However, as the temperature is increased, the PEM dries out and the series resistance increases leading to lower efficiency. The conventional approach is to develop an alternative to the Nafion polymer used in current technology or develop catalysts that are more tolerant to the presence of CO. However, other interesting ideas have been proposed. For instance, it has been proposed to inject oxygen or hydrogen peroxide into the fuel stream to oxidize CO before it reaches the catalyst. However, the poisoning issue is pernicious and unresolved.
Both ORR and HOR Catalysts: Degradation
Another problem with conventional PEMFC catalysts is degradation. Platinum particle dissolution and agglomeration and carbon support reaction are the main mechanisms of degradation, and both are facilitated by the presence of water. If the carbon support and liquid water were eliminated, many of the degradation concerns would be alleviated.
Membrane Humidification: Kinetics Better at Higher Temperature, but the Membrane Dries Out
PEMFC technology has as one of its primary advantages that it operates at a low temperature. However by increasing the temperature, fuel cell performance can be greatly improved. This is primarily due to the improvement in exchange current density, but performance improvements are also observed in efficiency due to better heat and water management. However the membrane in typical PEMFCs needs to be humidified for facile ion transport. This is because the proton conductivity of Nafion, the standard PEMFC membrane material, drops as the membrane dries causing an increase in ohmic losses and ultimately leads to device failure. To get around this problem it is necessary to have an external humidifier to run PEMFCs at higher temperatures. Also, because they have a hydrated membrane, PEMFCs can also suffer catastrophic failure in sub-freezing environmental conditions. Getting around these limits requires the development of new membrane materials, which is a highly active field of study. However at present no alternative membrane technologies have both high performance and robust operation at high temperature. This issue with proton exchange membranes has prompted the development of several unconventional fuel cell designs.
Unconventional Fuel Cell Designs
In order to circumvent many of the issues discussed above, entirely new device architectures have been proposed. These include so called “single-chamber” designs and “membraneless” designs. A summary of a few of these devices is provided below.
Single-chamber fuel cell concepts (FIGS. 3A and 3B) were considered as early as the late 1950s. But in 1990, a single-chamber design generated both interest and controversy. The device functions similar to a conventional PEMFC with the major exception that the hydrogen and oxygen are mixed and fed to the same side of the device. The mechanism of operation has been debated, but the devices were able to achieve about 1 volt and power densities of 1 to 5 mW/cm2. The design has the advantage that it does not need seals and could be fabricated in a simple manner. However, since hydrogen is also present at the outer electrode, there is a substantial chemical (not electrochemical) reaction rate between hydrogen and oxygen, which represents a significant loss in efficiency. Interestingly, it was noted that high humidification and low pressures reduced this undesirable side reaction. Others later developed a two sided design with selective catalysts (FIG. 3B) that operates more similar to an SOFC. This latter device also generated significant interest and spawned several research efforts.
Another unconventional design uses mass transport limitations to keep fuel away from the cathode and the oxidant away from the anode. These “membraneless” designs do not have a membrane, but they still require the DC transport of an ion—typically diffusion across a laminar flow field in a microfluidic channel. The fuel and oxidant streams are merged at a y-junction (FIG. 4) at low Reynolds number (Re<10). As the fluid flows down the channel, the fuel and oxidant species begin to diffuse across the channel creating a diffusion zone which acts quite similar to a membrane in a conventional fuel cell. One advantage of this design is its simplicity and compact size, but they yield very low power densities, have very poor fuel efficiency, and require continuous liquid flow (and perhaps recycling).
In short, both of these unconventional fuel cell designs have some unique traits, but neither addresses the key issues with low temperature fuel cell technology without creating more serious problems (such as low faradic efficiency). The high cost of platinum and Nafion, the low temperature HOR poisoning, ORR and HOR catalyst degradation, the presence of liquid water, and the difficulty of actively managing water all combine to provide significant technical and reliability barriers that inhibit PEMFC technology.
A solution that avoids these issues would be a breakthrough that would significantly alter and enhance the prospects for low-temperature fuel cell technology. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a programmable on screen display and programmable remote control through which a user may command the operations of a programmable multimedia controller or other device.
2. Background Information
A now decades long expansion in the number and types of consumer electronic devices has generated pervasive use of radiofrequency (RF) and infrared (IR) remote controls. Originally developed for television, remote controls now accompany essentially every CD player, DVD player, audio receiver, TV, home theatre, camcorder and portable radio. To simply play a DVD and watch a movie on a TV, it may be necessary to operate three different remote controls in order to turn on and properly set the TV, DVD player and home theatre system for the performance.
One conventional approach to eliminating or reducing the number of physical remote controls is the so-called universal remote control. In general, a universal remote control works by “learning” the RF or IR signals to which various devices respond. Once the signals are learned and retained in memory, the universal remote control may control multiple devices.
Universal remote controls, however, present certain disadvantages beginning with a dizzying array of physical buttons, perhaps dozens, which are often marked with arcane, difficult to read labels. Due to the number of buttons, they are often so small they are difficult and annoying to use. Further, the physical layout of the buttons does not conform to any industry standard nor to an arrangement that most users find intuitive or even familiar. In addition, because of the small button size and counterintuitive layout, most users cannot operate a universal remote control by touch in a “heads up” manner but must instead frequently look down at the buttons to ensure the correct one is pressed. This represents a recurring, frustrating distraction for many users. Lastly, a conventional universal remote control has no capability to change its functionality based on different users' preferences, handicaps or other factors. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Contaminated foods distributed through, regional, national, or international distribution systems can pose serious health risks for large numbers of people. The contamination can be accidental or deliberate. Once contaminated food has been discovered or suspected, immediate action is necessary to avoid spreading the contamination to a wider population.
Currently, food-tracking systems, particularly for fresh fruit and vegetables, are generally inadequate to precisely identify and isolate potentially contaminated produce. Sometimes, the only recourse is to recall or otherwise destroy the entire inventory of a distributor responsible for one or more brands. Back-tracing shipping records of food products from sales outlets to a common source is time consuming, and the records themselves may lack enough information to identify the particular fields, farms, or growers from which the produce originated. Retailers and consumers may have no choice but to discard all food products from a distributor that have the potential of being contaminated. In the event of a contamination outbreak, the cost to distributors can be very high. Even in the absence of any sort of outbreak, the risk to distributors over the potential loss of their inventory of a food product is ever-present. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Social networking websites provide a dynamic environment in which members can connect to and communicate with other members. These websites commonly may provide online mechanisms allowing members to interact within their preexisting social networks as well as create new social networks. Members may include any individual or other entity, such as an organization or business. Among other attributes, social networking websites allow members to effectively and efficiently communicate relevant information to their social networks. For example, a member may post personal information, job information, biographical information, and other personalized content to areas of the website dedicated to the member. Other members may access the posted content by browsing member profiles or performing dedicated searches.
One popular type of content posted to social networking websites is images. Members often post images to communicate personal information to their social networks. For example, posted images may depict family, friends, locations, items, and any other subject matter in which a member may have interest. Social networking websites usually encourage the posting of images because the sharing of personal information fosters communication among members, and thus helps to realize the potential of the websites.
Certain images may contain content in which social networking websites take special interest for myriad reasons. For example, a social networking website may seek to intervene when the same photo is repeatedly posted by different members in violation of the website's terms of use or other guidelines. As another example, a social networking website may seek to restrict the posting of an image known by the website to contain inappropriate content. To identify these kinds of objectionable images, images may be compared for similarity or identity with images known to be objectionable. When images similar to objectionable images are identified, social networking websites may take appropriate action on them. However, due to the large number of images maintained by social networking websites and the significant computational expense in performing image comparisons, social networking websites confront challenges in efficiently identifying similar images. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to underground septic system tanks such as a distribution tank, fluid separator tank, and settling tank, that is adapted for burial directly in the soil, which is connected by pipe to other elements of the septic system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A septic system underground tank is cast with permanent lateral openings or holes for receiving septic system pipe. For various reasons including accessability, water table, and local rules, the tank must be buried at a specific depth, and the pipe must be attached to the tank at a specific depth. This means that the tank has to be ordered with the holes at a specific height between the top and the bottom of the tank. Alternatively, the tank can be purchased without any holes, and holes have to be cut through the side at the construction site. The later choice is time and labor consuming, requires additional on-site tools and carries with it the chance of damaging the tank. An example of a Prior Art tank is described in FIG. 1 below. A septic system underground tank with seal apparatus for it, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,036 patented May 5, 1987 by Strobl, Jr. et al. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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As a solar cell with high conversion efficiency a heterojunction solar cell having an amorphous silicon thin-film on a surface of a single-crystalline silicon substrate is known. In a heterojunction solar cell, an intrinsic silicon-based thin-film is inserted between a single-crystalline silicon substrate and a conductive silicon-based thin-film to attain a passivation effect such as termination of defects (mainly dangling bonds of silicon) present on a surface of the crystalline silicon substrate with hydrogen. Thus, carrier recombination on the surface of the crystalline silicon substrate is suppressed, so that photoelectric conversion efficiency can be improved.
A method has been proposed in which a surface of a crystalline silicon substrate or an intrinsic silicon-based thin-film formed thereon is exposed to hydrogen plasma (hydrogen plasma treatment) for the purpose of further improving the conversion efficiency of a heterojunction solar cell. For example, Patent Document 1 suggests that before an amorphous silicon-based thin-film is formed on a crystalline silicon substrate, a surface of the crystalline silicon substrate is subjected to a hydrogen plasma treatment to clean the substrate surface.
Patent Document 2 suggests a method in which an intrinsic amorphous silicon thin-film having a thickness of 1 to 10 nm is formed on a crystalline silicon substrate, and then a hydrogen plasma treatment is followed by formation of a remain thickness portion of the intrinsic amorphous silicon thin-film. When an intrinsic amorphous silicon thin-film is formed in a part of the total thickness, and a hydrogen plasma treatment is then performed as described above, a surface of a crystalline silicon substrate is exposed to hydrogen plasma through the silicon thin-film, and therefore defects on the substrate surface can be cleaned off while plasma damage to the surface of the crystalline silicon substrate is suppressed.
However, when the intrinsic amorphous silicon thin-film is subjected to a hydrogen plasma treatment, the surface of the amorphous silicon film may be etched and damaged depending on the condition of the plasma treatment. Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4 suggests that a hydrogen plasma treatment is performed not only after formation of an intrinsic amorphous silicon thin-film in a part of the total thickness, but also after the entire thickness of the intrinsic amorphous silicon thin-film is formed and before formation of a conductive silicon thin-film.
Patent Document 3 suggests that when a hydrogen plasma treatment is performed after formation of the entire thickness of the intrinsic amorphous silicon thin-film, the interface subjected to the hydrogen plasma treatment is restored, so that the film quality of the whole intrinsic amorphous silicon thin-film is improved, and therefore further improvement of conversion efficiency can be expected. Patent Document 4 suggests that not only a passivation effect is attained by a hydrogen plasma treatment, but also the passivation effect is improved by performing chemical vapor deposition (CVD) while introducing hydrogen in an amount of 2 to 6 times the amount of a source gas such as silane during formation of the intrinsic amorphous silicon thin-film. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Bergenia hybrid and given the cultivar name of ‘Spring Fling’. Bergenia is in the family Saxifragaceae. The new cultivar originated from a planned breeding program to create outstanding garden Bergenia. The new cultivar was created from controlled crosses using proprietary parents. The exact parents were not recorded and are unknown. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In certain server systems, operating system (OS) boot data is rarely used after the initial boot and application loading process. During the boot process the vast majority of the input/output (IO) accesses are read IOs. After an initial startup, the IO accesses to the OS are generally very low. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method, system, and apparatus to reduce the total cost of ownership of boot devices and reduce the required storage capacity for operating system boot data. | {
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This invention relates to gratings to allow or impede flow of hearing or air conditioning into a room.
In a first aspect the gratings with which the invention comprise a stationary and a slidable grid. The slidable grid is adapted to move between a limit position allowing a substantial air passage, and known as the OPEN position and a position blocking substantial air passage known as the CLOSED position. Control will customarily be by thermostat as hereafter described.
In a second aspect, a surface grating which faces upwardly is shaped to define a recessed shape to receive an upper or third grating. The upper grating will sit on a filter held by the recessed shape for application use and replacement, the recessed arrangement described is found to provide best filter use so far encountered.
With this recessed arrangement shown, the filter is held in place by the upper grating which may be removed to change, insert or remove a filter. This is the most efficient filter arrangement yet devised.
The first aspect of relatively movable grids may be and the second aspect of recessing the upper shape of the grating may of course be present in the same device or may be singly present in different devices.
The slidable grid will preferably be constructed so that there are no positions between OPEN and CLOSED limiting position so that the grid merely moves between these limiting positions. Preferably a motor is connected to drive the movable grid between limiting positions. The motor is controlled by a thermostat.
The preferred principle of operation is that the movable grid may be called for to move to an OPEN position as ( in the winter ) the thermostat calls for a warmer temperature and CLOSE when the thermostat calls for cooler temperature. (In the summer the OPEN and CLOSED positions correspond to respective desires for cooler and warmer temperatures.) It is found easier herein to describe the winter thermostat and to refer briefly to the opposite summer settings. Accordingly, in the winter if the movable grating is closed the circuitry for the motor is arranged so that the contact is closed which will turn the motor to move to open grating position when the thermostat calls for warmer temperatures. Thus when the grating reaches open position the associated controls close the contacts ready to move the grating back to closed as soon as the thermostat calls for cooler temperatures. In a preferred form of the invention the end of a movement to open or closed position cuts all power to the drive circuit avoiding motor loss and extra safety controls.
Since in the preferred arrangement, the movable grid moves between limiting positions and requires no power at the limiting positions, there is a great saving with the inventive arrangement since the power and the control circuit are disconnected from the power after each change of limiting positions.
There are a great many ways that the movable grid may be thus controlled and these are all considered within the scope of the invention.
The use of one or more thermostatically controlled gratings is believed to create great fuel savings in heating costs (or in summer, cooling) costs. For a number of gratings in one room may be run to be controlled movable to be powered in parallel under the control of a single thermostat. It is found that the thermostat control may carry enough current that four or five motors for movable grating control may be powered by the current carried by a single thermostat.
I prefer to achieve the drive by a motor rotatable in one direction and driving a cam which over one 180xc2x0 rotation will contact a stop for the movable grid for OPEN to CLOSED position.
A resilient yieldable aim is preferably provided whereby if there is resistance to the movable grid movement, such movement will merely stress the aim and the movement will not be completed until the cause of the resistance is removed. This provides a useful safety feature since for example fingers stuck in a closing grating will not be crushed
In a preferred form of the invention the motor drives the movable grid between OPEN and CLOSED positions whether in a 180xc2x0 half cycle as previously discussed or otherwise, and then is adapted to operate a cam to shut off the motor power at each limiting position. The cam connects a switch in the motor control circuit so that the motor is ready to drive the movable grating in the other direction, but does not because the thermostat is not then calling for the movement, leaving that part of the circuit open.
In a preferred form of the invention the motor for driving the movable grid is connectable for rotation through one of two alternate circuits. One of the alternate circuits is adapted to power the motor during travel from CLOSED to OPEN position and the other to power the motor during travel from OPEN to CLOSED positions. A cam operable by the motor controls an arm setting operable on arrival at CLOSED position to set the arm to break power in the closing circuit (thus cutting all power to the motor) and at the same time setting the cam to connect the motor to be ready to power the opening circuit when later called for by the thermostat.
Thus there are two circuits for the motor. The normally closed circuit contacts are preferably connected in series with the warm limit contact of the thermostat and the normally open circuit is preferably connected in series with the cool limit contact.
Thus in the winter with the grating full OPEN for maximum air flow, the motor cam is positioned to complete the circuit to close the grid when there is a call for a cooler temperature.
Thus when the thermostat temperature is at the warm limit caused it completes the motor circuit to close the grating. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic circuit and more particularly to an electronic circuit for automatically compensating for variations in the output signal of a sensor due to changing conditions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many known sensors including linear displacement type sensors are known to be used in less than ideal environments due to the particular applications. For example, sensors used in automotive applications are subject to particularly harsh environments. Examples of such sensors are proximity sensors used, for example in automotive timing circuits as well as throttle position sensors used in automotive throttle circuits.
The relatively harsh environments as well as other dynamic factors contribute to the errors in the output signals of such sensors. These errors in the output signals of the sensors can cause improper operation of the circuits in which they are used. As such, various sensors and circuitry have been developed to compensate for such errors. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,893,502 and 5,332,965 relate to throttle position sensors. The throttle position sensors disclosed in the '502 and '965 patents are configured to enable the sensor to be mechanically adjusted to compensate for various errors. Unfortunately, such mechanical adjustments are relatively time consuming and cumbersome and tend to increase the overall labor cost to manufacture the product. Moreover, with such sensors, the sensor is only adapted to be adjusted one time. Thus, dynamic conditions, such as variations in the air gap and temperature, at which the sensor is operated remains uncompensated and thus allows for errors in the output signal. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The invention relates to a method of regenerating spent hydrocarbon conversion catalyst by the combustion of coke on the catalyst in a fluidized combustion zone. This invention specifically relates to a process for the conversion of heavy hydrocarbons into lighter hydrocarbons with a fluidized stream of catalyst particles and regeneration of the catalyst particles to remove coke that acts to deactivate the catalyst.
Fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) is a hydrocarbon conversion process accomplished by contacting hydrocarbons in a fluidized reaction zone with a catalyst composed of finely divided particulate material. The reaction in catalytic cracking, as opposed to hydrocracking, is carried out in the absence of added hydrogen or the consumption of hydrogen. As the cracking reaction proceeds substantial amounts of highly carbonaceous material referred to as coke is deposited on the catalyst. A high temperature regeneration within a regeneration zone operation burns coke from the catalyst. Coke-containing catalyst, referred to herein as spent catalyst, is continually removed from the reaction zone and replaced by essentially coke-free catalyst from the regeneration zone. Fluidization of the catalyst particles by various gaseous streams allows the transport of catalyst between the reaction zone and regeneration zone. Methods for cracking hydrocarbons in a fluidized stream of catalyst, transporting catalyst between reaction and regeneration zones, and combusting coke in the regenerator are well known by those skilled in the art of FCC processes. To this end the art is replete with vessel configurations for contacting catalyst particles with feed and regeneration gas respectively.
A common objective of these configurations is maximizing product yield from the reactor while minimizing operating and equipment costs. Optimization of feedstock conversion ordinarily requires essentially complete removal of coke from the catalyst. This essentially complete removal of coke from catalyst is often referred to as complete regeneration. Complete regeneration produces a catalyst having less than 0.1 and preferably less than 0.05 wt-% coke. In order to obtain complete regeneration, the catalyst has to be in contact with oxygen for sufficient residence time to permit thorough combustion.
Conventional regenerators typically include a vessel including a spent catalyst inlet, a regenerated catalyst outlet and a distributor for supplying air to the dense bed of catalyst that resides in the vessel. Cyclone separators remove catalyst entrained in the spent combustion gas before the gas exits the regenerator vessel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,851 discloses a regenerator vessel with two air distributors at different levels to assure adequate distribution of combustion gas throughout the vessel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,793 teaches at least two air distributors at different levels in the lower half of the dense bed of catalyst to promote a reducing environment in dense bed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,051 show two air distributors grids at different levels in a regeneration vessel to assure adequate combustion. U.S. Pat. No. 5,773,378 teaches a regenerator vessel with a lower air distributor and air enters above the lower air distributor with spent catalyst.
In a dense catalyst bed, also known as a bubbling bed, combustion gas forms bubbles that ascend through a discernible top surface of a dense catalyst bed. Relatively little catalyst is entrained in the combustion gas exiting the dense bed. The superficial velocity of the combustion gas is typically less than 0.3 m/s (1.0 ft/s) and the density of the dense bed is typically greater than 640 kg/m3 (40 lb/ft3) depending on the characteristics of the catalyst. The mixture of catalyst and combustion gas is heterogeneous with pervasive gas bypassing of catalyst.
One way to obtain fully regenerated catalyst is by performing the regeneration in stages. U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,953 describes a staged flow system having concentric catalyst beds separated by baffles which open into a common space for collecting spent regeneration gas and separating catalyst particles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,687 teaches the use of a staged regenerator system having superimposed catalyst beds wherein spent catalyst particles first enter an upper dense fluidized bed of catalyst and are contacted with regeneration gas from the lower catalyst bed and fresh regeneration gas. After partial regeneration in the first regeneration zone, catalyst particles are transferred by gravity flow into a lower catalyst bed to which is charged a stream of fresh regeneration gas. U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,370 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,778 disclose two stage regenerators in which each stage is performed in a separate vessel.
The use of relatively dilute phase regeneration zones to effect complete catalyst regeneration is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,201, U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,973 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,686. These patents teach a lower dense bed to which combustion gas is distributed and an upper transport zone. Additional air is distributed in a riser providing the transport zone. A two-stage system that combines a relatively dilute phase transport zone without a lower dense bed zone for regenerating catalyst is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,919 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,402. These patents all teach an upper dense bed into which the at least partially regenerated catalyst exiting from the transport zone collects.
Dilute or transport flow regimes are typically used in FCC riser reactors. In transport flow, the difference in the velocity of the gas and the catalyst is relatively low with little catalyst back mixing or hold up. The catalyst in the reaction zone maintains flow at a low density and very dilute phase conditions. The superficial gas velocity in transport flow is typically greater than 2.1 m/s (7.0 ft/s), and the density of the catalyst is typically no more than 48 kg/m3 (3 lb/ft3). The density in a transport zone in a regenerator may approach 80 kg/m3 (5 lb/ft3). In transport mode, the catalyst-combustion gas mixture is homogeneous without gas voids or bubbles forming in the catalyst phase.
Intermediate of dense, bubbling beds and dilute, transport flow regimes are turbulent beds and fast fluidized regimes. In a turbulent bed, the mixture of catalyst and combustion gas is not homogeneous. The turbulent bed is a dense catalyst bed with elongated voids of combustion gas forming within the catalyst phase and a less discernible surface. Entrained catalyst leaves the bed with the combustion gas, and the catalyst density is not quite proportional to its elevation within the reactor. The superficial combustion gas velocity is between about 0.3 and about 1.1 m/s (1.0 and 3.5 ft/s), and the density is typically between about 320 and about 640 kg/m3 (20 and 40 lb/ft3) in a turbulent bed.
Fast fluidization defines a condition of fluidized solid particles lying between the turbulent bed of particles and complete particle transport mode. A fast fluidized condition is characterized by a fluidizing gas velocity higher than that of a dense phase turbulent bed, resulting in a lower catalyst density and vigorous solid/gas contacting. In a fast fluidized zone, there is a net transport of catalyst caused by the upward flow of fluidizing gas. The catalyst density in the fast fluidized condition is much more sensitive to particle loading than in the complete particle transport mode. Therefore, it is possible to adjust catalyst residence time to achieve the desired combustion at the highly effective gas-solid, mixing conditions. From the fast fluidized mode, further increases in fluidized gas velocity will raise the rate of upward particle transport, and will sharply reduce the average catalyst density until, at sufficient gas velocity, the particles are moving principally in the complete catalyst transport mode. Thus, there is a continuum in the progression from a fluidized particle bed through fast fluidization and to the pure transport mode. The superficial combustion gas velocity for a fast fluidized flow regime is typically between about 1.1 and about 2.1 m/s (3.5 and 7 ft/s) and the density is typically between about 48 and about 320 kg/m3 (3 and 20 lb/ft3).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,091, U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,189 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,160 teach a riser combustion zone in which fast fluidized flow conditions are maintained. The latter of these patents teaches a combustor regenerator in which complete combustion occurs in a fast fluidized riser zone without the need for the addition of combustion gas to the bed collected from the top of the riser.
A combustor is a type of regenerator that completely regenerates catalyst in a lower combustion chamber under fast fluidized flow conditions with a relatively small amount of excess oxygen. A riser carries regenerated catalyst and spent combustion gas to a separation chamber wherein significant combustion occurs. Regenerated catalyst in the separation chamber is recycled to the lower combustion phase to heat the spent catalyst about to undergo combustion. The regenerated catalyst recycling provides heat to accelerate the combustion of the lower phase of catalyst. Combustors are advantageous because of their efficient oxygen requirements.
As greater demands are placed on FCC units, combustor vessels are being required to handle greater catalyst throughput. Greater quantities of combustion gas are added to the combustor vessels to combust greater quantities of catalyst. As combustion gas flow rates are increased, so does the flow rate of catalyst between the combustion and separation chamber increase. Hence, unless the combustion chamber of a combustor vessel is enlarged, the residence time of catalyst in the lower zone will diminish, thereby decreasing the thoroughness of the combustion that must be achieved before the catalyst enters the separation chamber. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor static and dynamic memory structures and more particularly, to a pipelined semiconductor memory chip divided into sub-arrays having globally and locally generated decoding and locally generated precharge signals.
2. Background Art
The present invention includes a number of particular techniques and structures which are related to general concepts found in the prior art. For example, the present invention employs a form of sub-array structure, uses multiplexed sense amplifiers and incorporates a precharge technique.
Representative prior art references which describe memories with sub-arrays, but not for pipelined operation, include
U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,036, issued Feb. 4, 1986 to Fujii et al, entitled SEMICONDUCTOR DYNAMIC MEMORY DEVICE;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,646, issued Nov. 19, 1985 to Yoshimoto et al, entitled SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,486, issued Sept. 17, 1985 to Anami et al, entitled SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,984, issued Nov. 13, 1984 to Oritani, entitled STATIC TYPE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,895, issued May 8, 1984 to Asano et al, entitled SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,347, issued May 17, 1983 to Nakano, entitled SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,112, issued Sept. 9, 1980 to Clemons et al, entitled DYNAMIC RAM ORGANIZATION FOR REDUCING PEAK CURRENT.
References in the prior art directed to multiplexed sense amplifier input techniques include
U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,997, issued Apr. 16, 1985 to Nozaki et al, entitled SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,148, issued Apr. 2, 1985 to Asano et al, entitled SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,739, issued Oct. 16, 1984 to Proebsting et al, entitled MOSFET RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY CHIP;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,893, issued May 8, 1984 to Murakami, entitied SEMICONDUCTOR READ ONLY MEMORY DEVICE;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,964, issued Oct. 18, 1983 to Nordling et al, entitled MEMORY DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTPUT PORTS.
Descriptions of techniques using precharge signals cependent upon a memory address are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,465, issued May 28, 1985 to Sood, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVELY PRECHARGING COLUMN LINES OF A MEMORY and U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,372, issued Apr. 23, 1985 to Ziegler et al, entitled UNIVERSAL MEMORY.
"A 32b VLSI System", Joseph W. Beyers, et al, 1982, Digest of Technical Papers, 1982, IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference, pages 128-129, mentions that a 128 Kb RAM is pipelined. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general computing systems, and more particularly to various embodiments for managing data integrity in data deduplication systems in computing storage environments.
Description of the Related Art
In today's society, computer systems are commonplace. Computer systems may be found in the workplace, at home, or at school. Computer systems may include data storage systems, or disk storage systems, to process and store data. Data storage systems, or disk storage systems, are utilized to process and store data. A storage system may include one or more disk drives. These data processing systems typically require a large amount of data storage. Customer data, or data generated by users within the data processing system, occupies a great portion of this data storage. These computer systems may also include virtual storage components.
Often times when writing to even the smallest environment, single drives, duplicate data is written. These duplicated contents can then be DE-duplicated using standard deduplication techniques so long as specific metrics are met. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical amplifiers and more particularly to a semiconductor optical amplifier having a folded cavity with surface normal input and output.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fiber optic networks are revolutionizing communications technology. Since the hardware used to convert electrons to photons (E to O) and back again (O to E) represents one of the major costs of building and maintaining such networks, recently there has been a trend toward all-optical networks, which bypass these conversions altogether. The advent of the erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) enabled the design and practical implementation of all-optical networks. One disadvantage is that the cost of EDFAs has not fallen along with the rest of the components and sub-systems used in the network, and remain a significant fraction of the system costs.
Semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) have been proposed as a means of reducing this cost in many system applications. SOAs can be fabricated similar to the fabrication of edge emitting lasers, for example, forming a waveguide by cleaving and/or etching of vertical facets in semiconductor materials to form entry and exit points for the amplifying waveguide. Due to their compact size, reduced power consumption and reduced cost of fabrication, semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) have begun to replace EDFAs in short to intermediate reach, narrow band gain applications. The disadvantages of SOAs include much narrower wavelength bands, reduced amplification, and higher noise figure than EDFAs.
One problem in the conventional SOA fabrication process is in the step of device testing. Testing is required in the manufacture of semiconductor optical amplifiers because of device defects that result from the epitaxial growth process and other fabrication process steps. Conventional SOAs require the forming of vertical facets via cleaving and/or etching in semiconductor materials to form the entry and exit points for the amplifying waveguide. Individual devices must then be placed on a submount prior to testing. This step adds expense, which is greatly multiplied by the number of discarded devices. Thus, there is a significant cost advantage for a device that can be tested at the wafer level.
Further cost reductions can be realized by implementing vertical cavity SOAs (VCSOAs). VCSOAs are cheaper to fabricate than edge emitting SOAs primarily due to the planar nature of the facets, the circular output beams and the wafer-level testability. They are also cheaper to assemble due to the relative ease of alignment and the simplicity of the external optics required. Conventional VCSOAs, however, have operational disadvantages inherent from short cavity lengths and a high reflectivity output mirror thereby producing low operation performance, including limited optical amplification, narrow amplification bandwidth and increased output noise. A significant performance advantage can be had if the length of the amplifying cavity can be extended while reducing the optical reflectivity at the entry and exit points. In short, there is a need for a SOA that provides the performance of a conventional edge-emitting SOA with the fabrication, test, assembly and cost advantages of a VCSOA. The present invention provides for all of these needs by extending the amplifying cavity, having vertical input and output, and lowering the reflectivities of the input and output facets. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Steering devices are provided at the rear side of marine vehicles such as vessels to change the direction of movement both in forward and backward directions while maneuvering, such devices consist mainly of an arm, a shaft, and a rudder.
In a typical shaft-rudder construction, vertical axis of the rudder shaft becomes positioned on the front of the rudder when the marine vehicle moves forward, and since the area on the rudder's front section that is exposed to water load during forward motion is relatively small, the rudder can be easily controlled. In other words, since no rudder area is left on the front of the rudder shaft while moving forward, water cannot exert force on such ‘non-present’ area, which provides an easy control of steering attempts of the vessel.
The preceding condition, however, is much different as such vessel moves backward. In other words, the vertical axis of the rudder shaft becomes positioned on the rear with respect to the rudder's surface area, exposing the rudder's area to water load when the vessel moves backward, and making difficult to control the rudder and exposing the mechanical components thereof to external forces.
The disadvantages are proposed to be addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,068 issued to the same inventor. In essence, the rudder device of U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,068 comprises an arrangement attached to the vertical rudder shaft in a way to rotate the rudder around an axis perpendicular to the lateral surfaces thereof at an upper side of the rudder. Rotation of the rudder is achieved by a drive, such as piston extending substantially in vertical direction and connected to the vertical rudder shaft from one end and to the rudder from the other end.
While the rudder mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,068 provides an effective solution for the purpose, it may not always exhibit a robust rudder structure under the impact of high water forces due to relatively insubstantial constructional structure with the vertical rudder shaft. This may be particularly important as far as relatively large sized sailboat rudders are concerned. On the other hand, positioning of the drive element of U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,068 in vertical direction requires higher moment forces to rotate the rudder rotation axis since the directing of the moment force comes close to the rudder rotation axis. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Many modern devices include a display device that can be used to provide content to a user of the device. The content can include text, images, sounds, videos, etc. A spectator (e.g., another user looking at the device) may also view content provided on the display device. Some display devices, however, may lack haptic feedback capabilities. Moreover, the spectator's attention may not be drawn to the display if the display is providing content that may be relevant to the spectator. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Hydrocarbon mixtures containing significant quantities of light olefins are frequently encountered in petroleum refineries, particularly as a byproduct of fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) processes. Because of the ease with which olefins react, these streams serve as intermediate feedstocks in a variety of hydrocarbon conversion processes. Many olefinic conversion processes require that the olefinic feed be provided in a highly purified condition. However, processes which may utilize the olefinic feedstocks without the need for further separation and purification are highly desirable.
Although the main purpose of fluidized catalytic cracking is to convert gas oils to compounds of lower molecular weight in the gasoline and middle distillate boiling ranges, significant quantities of C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 hydrocarbons are also produced. These light hydrocarbon gases are rich in olefins, which are useful for conversion to gasoline blending stocks by means of polymerization and/or alkylation.
Fractionation of effluent from the fluid catalytic cracking reactor has been employed to effect an initial separation of this stream. The gaseous overhead from the main fractionator is collected and processed in the FCC unsaturated gas plant (USGP). Typically, the gases are compressed, contacted with a naphtha stream, scrubbed with an amine solution to remove acidic sulfur components, and then fractionated to provide light olefins and isobutane for alkylation, light olefins for polymerization, n-butane for gasoline blending and propane for LPG. Ethane and other light gases are usually recovered for use as fuel.
Since alkylation units were more costly to build and operate than polymerization units, olefin polymerization was initially favored as the route for providing blending stocks. Increased gasoline demand and rising octane requirements soon favored the use of alkylation because it provided gasoline blending stocks at a higher yield and with a higher octane rating than the comparable polymerized product. However, catalytic alkylation can present some safety and disposal problems. In addition, feedstock purification is required to prevent catalyst contamination and excess catalyst comsumption. Further, sometimes there is insufficient isobutane available in a refinery to permit all the C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 olefins from the FCC to be catalytically alkylated.
Conversion of olefins to gasoline and/or distillate products is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,960,978 and 4,021,502 (Givens, Plank and Rosinski) wherein gaseous olefins in the range of ethylene to pentene, either alone or in admixture with paraffins are converted into an olefinic gasoline blending stock by contacting the olefins with a catalyst bed made up of ZSM-5 or related zeolite. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,150,062 and 4,227,992 Garwood et al disclose the operating conditions for the Mobil Olefin to Gasoline/Distillate (MOGD) process for selective conversion of C.sub.3 + olefins. An economic fluid bed process, sometimes known as MOG, is especially useful in upgrading mixed light gas feedstreams containing olefins in mixture with other FCC light cracking gas components. The MOG process is disclosed by Avidan et al in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 006,407, filed 23 Jan 1988, incorporated herein by reference.
The process for catalytic conversion of olefins to heavier hydrocarbons by catalytic oligomerization reaction may be followed by other reactions, such as cyclization to form aromatics. Using an acid crystalline metallosilicate zeolite, such as ZSM-5 or related shape-selective catalyst, process conditions can be varied to favor the formation of either gasoline or distillate range products. In a preferred fluidized bed gasoline operating mode reactor system, ethylene and the other lower olefins are catalytically oligomerized at elevated temperature and moderate pressure. Under these conditions ethylene conversion rate is greatly increased and lower olefin oligomerization is nearly complete to produce an olefinic gasoline comprising hexene, heptene, octene and other C.sub.5 + hydrocarbons in good yield. Other C.sub.5+ products include aromatics, naphthenes and paraffins. Such a conversion unit has a significant alkane-rich C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 - aliphatic hydrocarbon byproduct, comprising n-butanes, i-butanes, propane, ethane and minor amounts of unreacted lower olefins.
U. S. Pat. Nos. 4,012,455 and 4,090,949 (Owen and Venuto) and published European Patent Application No. 0,113,180 (Graven and McGovern) disclose integration of olefins upgrading with a typical FCC plant. In the EPA application the olefin feedstock for MOGD comprises the discharge stream from the final stage of the wet gas compressor or the overhead from the high pressure receiver which separates the condensed effluent from the final stage wet gas compressor contained in the gas plant. The present invention improves upon such integrated processes by incorporating olefins upgrading advantageously with the FCC reactor and gas plant, providing a novel use for alkane-rich byproduct of the olefin upgrading unit. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a latching relay which provides a particularly positive latching action.
One class of latching relays utilizes a permanent magnet to provide a bistable latch which is switched by a reversal of current in an electromagnetic coil. Foltz U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,348, Goodbar U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,723, Griffith U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,450, and Yatsushiro U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,234 provide four examples of such bistable latches. In each case, magnetic attraction between a permanent magnet and an adjacent movable ferromagnetic element holds a switch in one of two positions. Appropriate polarity of current to a coil is used to cause the latch to switch states. It is important to recognize that in these latching relays the strength of magnetic attraction between the magnet and the adjacent ferromagnetic element determines the force with which the switch is held in its latched position.
The present invention is directed to an improved latching relay which utilizes a mechanical blocking action to hold the relay in its latched position with a force substantially independent of the strength of magnetic attraction between the relevant elements. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Improvement of performance of MISFET has been achieved by a scaling-down technique. However, because the scaling-down technique is approaching the limit, the technique of improving the performance of MISFET except for the scaling-down technique is studied. The use of a substrate except for a Si substrate which has electron or hole mobility higher than that of Si, for example, the use of a SiGe substrate or a Ge substrate is studied. Also studied is a technique embedding SiGe or Ge in a source/drain region, and applying a distortion to Si channel, thereby improving the carrier mobility in the Si channel.
A reverse leakage current of a pn junction or a Schottky junction of the source/drain region is increased as a semiconductor band gap Eg is decreased. Si and Ge have band gaps Eg of 1.1 and 0.66 eV at a room temperature (20° C.), respectively. Therefore, the large amount of reverse leakage current of the junction is cited as one of problems with MISFET formed on the SiGe or Ge substrate. Additionally, sometimes various defects are introduced into the semiconductor substrate near the junction during the MISFET forming process. The junction leakage current is further increased according to the amount of defect in a depletion layer near the junction, which worsens the problem.
Examples of the defect generated in the semiconductor crystal include a point defect such as a dangling bond, a dislocation, and a stacking fault. Recently it is reported that the introduction of S (sulfur) is an effective technique of compensating the defect generated in a NiGe/Ge interface. In the Schottky junction formed in the Ge substrate using NiGe, Fermi level pinning (FLP) can be solved by segregating sulfur in a metal/semiconductor interface (K. Ikeda, Y. Yamashita, N. Sugiyama, N. Taoka and S. Takagi, Applied Physics Letters, 88, 152115 (2006)). It is believed that FLP is generated due to the defect existing in the metal/semiconductor interface, and it is believed that sulfur compensates the defect existing in the metal/semiconductor interface to solve the pinning.
Desirably a junction depth Xj of the source/drain region is made shallow to improve controllability by a gate electrode of MISFET. In the Si substrate, it is known that the junction depth Xj can be made shallow by ion implantation of a dopant after the Si substrate is transformed into an amorphous state by Ge ion implantation. However, a technique of forming the shallow junction depth Xj is not known yet in the Ge substrate. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can be used to provide low-cost, low-power lighting in a variety of situations. However, because these designs can be complex, the resulting device can be relatively thick, limiting their usefulness in space-sensitive situations.
Furthermore, the desire to keep devices as thin as possible limits the size of the LEDs that can be used in a lighting device, thereby limiting the amount of light the lighting device can produce.
In addition, many LED devices are rigid devices, which limit their use in many situations by fixing their size and shape.
Also, for aesthetic reasons, many designers and consumers would like the LEDs alone to be visible in a lighting element, making them appear as if they were lights suspended in mid-air. However, the requirement to have conductive lines to control the operation of the LEDs has not allowed for such a design.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a thin, low-power, flexible lighting device that includes one or more relatively large lighting elements, but that can be easily manufactured in which all elements aside from the lighting elements were either transparent or at least very difficult to see with the naked eye. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to semiconductor structures, semiconductor devices, electronic devices, and methods of making each.
It is known to implant nitrogen ions into semiconductor structures at a high dose to form an interface between a silicon substrate and a sacrificial dielectric layer to strengthen the bonding between the substrate and the dielectric layer. See C. T. Liu, Y. Ma, et al., xe2x80x9cLight Nitrogen Implant for Preparing Thin-Gate Oxidesxe2x80x9d 18 (March 1997) No. 3, New York, pp. 105-107. After implantation of nitrogen through the sacrificial dielectric layer, the layer is stripped away and another oxide is grown. The nitrogen retards oxidation, so the new dielectric layer (the gate dielectric layer) is generally less than 20 xc3x85 thick. Liu indicates that a high does is necessary to achieve the improved bonding. However, the higher the dose, the thinner the new dielectric layer. For certain semiconductor structures, a dielectric layer less than 20 xc3x85 thick is undesireable.
This known procedure adds a step to the manufacturing process because the gate dielectric layer is needed to replace the sacrificial dielectric layer that was stripped away. This procedure also does not maximize the strength of interface bonding between the silicon substrate and the gate dielectric layer that can be gained through the implantation of nitrogen. The less-than-optimal strength of the interface bonding may interfere with the flash memory application of the semiconductor structure.
The structures, devices, and processes described herein address at least some of the above-identified shortcomings.
In one aspect of the invention, a process for making a semiconductor structure comprises implanting nitrogen through a layer comprising SiO2 into a substrate comprising Si, wherein the layer is on the substrate, and wherein the layer is from about 30 xc3x85 to about 300 xc3x85 thick.
In another aspect of the invention, a process for making a semiconductor structure comprises implanting nitrogen through a layer comprising SiO2 into a substrate comprising Si, wherein the layer is on the substrate, and the layer is from about 30 xc3x85 to about 300 xc3x85 thick, and wherein the implanting causes defects; washing the semiconductor structure; and removing the defects.
In still another aspect of the invention, A process for making a semiconductor device, comprises (a) making a semiconductor structure comprising implanting nitrogen through a non-sacrificial layer comprising SiO2 into a substrate comprising Si, wherein the layer is on the substrate, and the layer is from about 30 xc3x85 to about 300 xc3x85 thick, and wherein the implanting causes defects; washing the semiconductor device with an aqueous solution comprising ammonium hydroxide; removing the defects; and (b) converting the semiconductor structure into a semiconductor device.
The present invention provides the foregoing and other features, and the advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. | {
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Composite components are being utilized in a wide variety of articles of manufacture due to their high strength and lightweight. This is particularly true in the field of aircraft manufacturing. Typical materials used in the manufacture of composite components include glass or graphite fibers that are embedded in resins, such as phenolic, epoxy, and bismaleimide resins. The fiber and resin materials may be formed into a desired shape using a variety of different manufacturing systems and processes, and may then be cured (e.g. under elevated pressure and temperature conditions) to produce the desired component.
Although desirable results have been achieved, there is room for improvement. For example, although composite components may provide the desired strength characteristics, under some circumstances, such composite components may fail to provide other desirable properties, including flexibility. Therefore, for some applications, prior art composite components may be unsuitable despite their desirable weight and strength characteristics. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Virtually all toilets have a bowl unit including a bowl, and a cover or lid which is hinged to the bowl unit for movement between a normal closed position in which the bowl is concealed by the lid, and a raised position in which the toilet can be used. Often, a separate seat is also hinged to the bowl unit inside the lid so that it too can be raised and lowered (when the lid is up).
In the case of a domestic-type toilet designed to be permanently installed in a residence, the bowl unit is normally made of vitreous china and is designed to be bolted to a floor-mounted waste outlet flange. A lid and seat, typically of plastic, are held in place by hinges that bolt to the china bowl unit rearwardly of the bowl opening. Toilets for recreational vehicles and portable toilets also usually have a hinged lid and seat. Typically, the bowl unit is a plastic moulding with integrally formed lugs behind the toilet bowl opening to which the lid and seat are coupled by hinge pins. In a portable toilet, the bowl unit will normally be a separate portable unit supported on and coupled to a holding tank when the toilet is in use. Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,091,475 and 4,439,875, both assigned to Sanitation Equipment Limited for descriptions of known portable toilets.
In all of these types of toilet, the lid and seat are generally hinged to the toilet bowl by hinge pins that allow substantially free hinging movement of the lid and seat. If the lid is raised, it will generally not stay in a raised position but must be either held open or pivoted right back until it rests against other structure of a stop forming part of the hinge. The fact that the lid and seat are hinged freely is a significant disadvantage in the case of a portable toilet, since the lid and/or seat may tend to swing out from the bowl unit when the toilet is carried or transported. Where the toilet is installed in a recreational vehicle, this can make for annoying rattling or chattering of the lid when the vehicle is in motion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,148--assigned to Thetford Corporation discloses a toilet hinge in which the hinge pin is restrained by resilient fingers; however, the patented arrangement is apparently designed to allow the hinge pin to float vertically rather than to control hinging movement.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved hinge arrangement for the lid and/or seat of a toilet. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to optical networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to transmission bypass techniques in fiber optic networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fiber optic networks are used in a variety of applications. In some applications, such as signal routing in a device interconnection network, devices connected to the fiber optic network are interconnected in series such that the output from each device is connected to the input of another device, such that the fiber optic network forms a loop network. However, a problem arises in such networks when one of the devices connected to the network is not powered on or fails. This essentially breaks the loop or chain network and prevents the network devices on either side of the powered-down device from communicating. It would be desirable to provide a network device that allows fiber optic transmission even when not powered.
An optical transmission bypass device attaching a network device to a fiber optic network allows fiber optic transmissions to bypass the network device when not powered, thereby maintaining continuity of the fiber network. The optical transmission bypass device comprises a first and second optical port, a first and second actuating optical reflector and an optical transmission line. The first optical port is optically coupled to a first optical transmission line, and the second optical port is optically coupled to a second optical transmission line. The first actuating optical reflector has a reflective face that, in a first state, is disposed to place the reflective face of the first actuating optical reflector in a first position with respect to an optical path of the first optical port, and, in a second state, is disposed to place the reflective face of the first actuating optical reflector in a second position with respect to the optical path of the first optical port, wherein the first actuating optical reflector is in the first state when the first actuating optical reflector is not electrically powered. The second actuating optical reflector has a reflective face that, in the first state, is disposed to place the reflective face of the second actuating optical reflector in a first position with respect to an optical path of the second optical port, and, in the second state, is disposed to place the reflective face of the second actuating optical reflector in a second position with respect to the optical path of the second optical port, wherein the second actuating reflector is in the first state when the second actuating optical reflector is not electrically powered. The optical transmission line is positioned between the first actuating reflector and the second actuating reflector, wherein, in the first state: the optical transmission line is optically coupled at a first end to the first optical port by the reflective face of the first actuating optical reflector and optically coupled at a second end to the second optical port by the reflective face of the second actuating optical reflector, such that received optical transmission data at the first optical port is reflected from the first reflective face of the first actuating optical reflector into the first end of the optical transmission line and out of the second end of the optical transmission line and reflected from the second reflective face of the second actuating optical reflector to the second optical port to provide the received optical transmission data for transmission by the second optical transmission line. In the second state, the optical transmission line is not optically coupled at a first end to the first optical port by the reflective face of the first actuating optical reflector and not optically coupled at a second end to the second optical port by the reflective face of the second actuating optical reflector.
In an alternative embodiment, in the second state, the reflective face of the first actuating optical reflector in the second position with respect to the optical path of the received optical transmission data is positioned such that the reflective face of the first actuating optical reflector is outside the optical path of the received optical transmission data, allowing the received optical transmission data at the first optical port to pass directly to a receiver, and the reflective face of the second actuating optical reflector in the second position with respect to the optical path of the optical transmission data provided by the second optical port to the second optical transmission line is positioned such that the reflective face of the second actuating optical reflector is outside the optical path of the optical transmission data provided by the second optical port, allowing optical transmission data from a transmitter to pass directly to the second optical port.
The above as well as additional objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention generally relates to an integrated circuit (hereinafter abbreviated to "IC"), and particulary relates to an IC which includes a constant voltage circuit and which is required to have a low power consumption, for example, like an IC for a clock.
Conventionally, there has been a constant voltage circuit for such an IC of the kind described above, which is constituted by a reference voltage generator, a differential amplifier, a mono-channel output driver, and a negative feedback amplifier. The reason why the output driver is constituted to have a mono-channel is that it is possible to reduce the current consumption at an output driver portion by omitting an output driver on a P channel side.
In such a conventional constant voltage circuit as described above, however, there is a defect in that since no output driver is provided on the P channel side, the constant voltage output cannot be kept stable in case of occurrence of periodical fluctuations in a source voltage to thereby cause erroneous operation of the IC or deterioration in characteristics of the IC. For example, in the case of an IC, for example, for use for a clock, using a battery and having a buzzer output function, the source voltage supplied to the IC becomes small during the buzzing operation. This is because, during the buzzing operation, the current load of the battery becomes large so that the voltage drop due to the inside impedance of the battery becomes large correspondingly.
In case of occurrence of such fluctuations in power source, there occurs a phenomenon that the output of the constant voltage circuit becomes accumulatively large so that the output of the constant voltage circuit becomes impossible to converge to a fixed value and becomes larger than that in a normal condition. When the constant voltage output is used in a liquid crystal display, the contrast of display becomes so intensive in buzzing operation that deterioration of display quality may be caused. Thus, in the conventional constant voltage circuit, there has been a problem in that the output voltage of the constant voltage circuit cannot be kept stable in heavy load driving. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Efficient semiconductor manufacturing requires highly precise and accurate metrology instruments. In particular, a metrology instrument is required to achieve small tolerances to achieve better quality products and fewer rejections in the manufacturing process. For example, the 1999 Edition of the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors lists the necessary precision needed for isolated line control in the year 2001 to be 1.8 nm. Unfortunately, correctly assessing and optimizing the measurement potential of a metrology instrument is difficult for a number of reasons. For example, an evaluator normally has limited access to the various instruments under consideration. In addition, each instrument needs to be evaluated under a wide range of conditions in order to gain a valid impression of how it will perform in the actual manufacturing setting. Finally, there are no widely accepted standards relative to the required parameters and how the parameters should be measured. As a result, an adequate solution for calculating an uncertainty of a metrology instrument in meaningful units of length for comparison to manufacturing lithography requirements has been elusive.
Current assessment methods are often based on the repeatability and reproducibility (R&R) of an instrument. For a critical dimension (CD) metrology instrument, evaluation is often executed by pulling representative samples of partially constructed product wafers from a manufacturing line. Recipes (programming instructions) are then implemented on an instrument under evaluation such that estimates of the static repeatability and long term reproducibility can be made. For example, to determine static repeatability for a measurement of a given product level, a recipe is implemented to cause the CD metrology instrument to navigate to a particular site on the wafer and then repeatedly measure the size of a given feature. The measurement repeatability is determined from the standard deviation of the acquired data. Long term reproducibility, also called precision, is determined in a similar way to static repeatability except that between each measurement the sample is removed from the instrument for an arbitrary length of time ranging from seconds to days. Unfortunately, the repeatability and reproducibility of a measurement is meaningless if the measurement is wrong. Accuracy must also be considered. The above-described methods do not evaluate the accuracy of an instrument apart from ensuring proper magnification by calibration with pitch standards. The reason, in part, that accuracy is not considered is that accepted accuracy standards are generally not available because the speed at which semiconductor technology advances usually makes any standard obsolete very quickly. The result of these methodologies is that a measurement system under test may be misleadingly denoted as trustworthy.
One proposed solution for metrology instrument assessment introduces new parameters related to accuracy in addition to precision. See Banke and Archie, “Characteristics of Accuracy for CD Metrology,” Proceedings of SPIE, Volume 3677, pp. 291-308 (1999). This approach deviates from using standard product wafers as samples by, for example, constructing wafers referred to as focus and exposure matrix (FEM) wafers. In this methodology, the actual CD value is determined for various fields on the FEM by using a respected reference measurement system (RMS). Following this approach, the RMS values and measurements from the instrument under test are compared by a linear regression method that is valid for situations where both variables are subject to error. Use of the FEM wafers is advantageous because they provide examples of product variation that under normal manufacturing line circumstances may occur only after a considerable time has passed. Important parameters of this methodology include the regression slope, the average offset, and a “poorness-of-fit” parameter called nonlinearity. Despite the existence of this suite of parameters for repeatability, reproducibility and accuracy, however, an evaluator must still determine, somewhat arbitrarily, how to combine these various parameters to assess or optimize an instrument.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for improved methods of assessing and optimizing metrology instruments. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Many applications require that relatively short pulses be generated. There are many types of existing electronic devices for generating such short pulses. However, they are typically limited to the generation of pulses each having a pulse duration of one nanosecond or more. There is however a need to generate pulses having instead a pulse duration in the order of a few picoseconds, or a few tens of picoseconds. Prior art devices are typically not suitable for addressing such a need.
Typical pulse generation methods used in prior art devices involve, for example, differentiating a relatively high slew rate electrical signal, or combining an input analog signal to its inverse delayed by a relatively small delay typically chosen to be in the order of magnitude of the desired pulse duration. While these two methods of generating pulses are relatively efficient for the generation of relatively long pulses, they are typically not usable to produce very short pulses. For example, for the duration of a pulse generated using the prior art differentiation method to be in the desired range, the signal would need to increase at a rate that is not typically achievable at relatively low costs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,433,720 issued on Aug. 13, 2002 to Libove illustrates another manner of generating pulses which basically provides for the generation of pulses having variable, adjustable or tunable, pulse durations. This is done by triggering the pulse generation at different control voltage levels of a relatively low slew rate voltage signal. Such prior art generators are however typically very sensitive to noise since any noise present in the relatively low slew rate voltage signal or in the control voltage may change the exact start and finish timings, which affect its duration.
There is thus a need for improved devices and method for generating pulses with relatively short pulse durations. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
Therapeutic methods for control of low blood sugar levels in warm blooded animals, including humans.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Glucose in the blood is a primary energy nutrient for the body. Its level in the blood is carefully controlled so that it neither goes too high nor too low. Maintaining a constant blood level of glucose is so important that the body has, within the limits of current understanding of physiology, surprisingly sophisticated hormonal systems to prevent both hyperglycemia (blood glucose too high) and hypoglycemia (blood glucose too low).
The body has diseases that are characterized by blood glucose levels that are either too high (i.e., Diabetes Mellitus types I and II) or too low (i.e., hypoglycemia). This disclosure describes improved therapeutic means to correct abnormally depressed blood glucose levels.
This invention recognizes the etiologies of these diseases of glucose metabolism. In order to understand the use of these new therapeutic inventions, it is necessary to describe the normal physiological control mechanisms of the body. Once they are understood, the etiologies of the disease states of hypoglycemia can be recognized. Finally, with all of this knowledge in place, the new therapies can be described.
Glucose is the main energy substance of the body and the blood is the means for transporting it to the various parts of the body. The blood glucose may be elevated by increasing its supply or blocking its removal. Conversely, blood glucose may be decreased by blocking its supply or enhancing its rate of removal from the blood.
There are two sources of blood glucose. Food contains glucose, usually ingested in the form of starch or dissaccharides and is converted to glucose by enzymes. The liver can also synthesize glucose from other food nutrients such as simple sugars or amino acids which are derived from protein digestion. Therefore, the blood level of glucose is a summation of the functions of its rate of entry into the blood and its rate of removal. The prior means of control of the blood level is summarized as follows:
______________________________________ Prior Knowledge Limits in Regulation of Blood Glucose Levels Factors that Lower Factors that Elevate Glucose Blood Glucose ______________________________________ 1. Ingested Food 1. Fasting and Exercise (i.e., starch, sugar) 2. Hepatic Glucose Production 2. Hormone Stimulated a. Glucose release from Glucose removal glycogen stimulated by from blood. glucagon, nor-epinephrine a. Insulin stimulates muscle or epinephrine. and fat cells to take up glucose. b. Glucose synthesized by 3. Hormone medicated glucagon stimulation inhibition of hepatic from protein. glucose production. a. Insulin alone inhibits the glucagon stimulated pro- duction of glucose by the liver - both synthesis and release. ______________________________________
Insulin is a well-known polypeptide hormone that was discovered in 1922. Insulin is released from the beta cells of the pancreas in response to elevated blood glucose. Insulin has the known actions of (1) inhibiting the denovo synthesis and release of glucose from the liver and (2) stimulating the uptake of glucose by muscle and fat tissues. Therefore, insulin has the net effect of lowering blood glucose. This invention has its genesis in the recognition that although it is commonly known that the liver stores ingested glucose as glycogen, the hormonal control mechanism for this glucose storage of glycogen has been unknown.
It has been hypothesized that insulin must stimulate the hepatic deposition of glycogen. However, the addition of insulin alone to liver tissue bathed in glucose solutions does not result in glycogen storage as is seen when insulin is added to muscle tissue bathed in a glucose solution. Prior to the discovery upon which the present invention is based, experts in the actions of insulin, based upon many scientific studies, attribute it to be simply an inhibitor of hepatic glucose production. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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There are known light fixtures for stage, comprising a source assembly, configured to emit one or more light beams, a mixing assembly configured to mix the incoming light beam or beams, and a colour assembly arranged downstream of the mixing assembly and comprising at least one colour filter configured to transmit wavelengths of a specified range in order to colour the light beam exiting the mixing assembly.
An example of a light fixture of this type is described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,326.
In light fixtures of this type, however, when the colour assembly is activated and the colour filter intercepts the light beam exiting the mixer assembly, the light beam emitted from the light fixture has obvious defects.
In particular, the emitted light beam is not uniformly coloured.
In addition, if the light fixture is provided with at least one gobo and at least one diaphragm, the light fixture emits an even less uniformly coloured light beam when either the gobo or the diaphragm is in focus. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Hydraulic systems for adjusting hospital beds, for example adjusting of the supporting surface of a hospital bed in which, for example, a mattress is situated on which a patient can lie down, are generally known. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,957 a hydraulic unit for adjusting the height of a hospital bed is illustrated. The unit: comprises a single-acting hydraulic actuator and a hydraulic plunger pump. The actuator is coupled to a height-adjustable subframe via a system of rods. The pump is operated by means of a foot-operated lever. The known hydraulic system is furthermore provided with a relief valve which can be operated separately and which relieves the actuator when it is operated, so that the subframe can be lowered.
Another hospital bed with an associated hydraulic system is known from EP 0 341 358 A1. Compared to the system from U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,957, this system comprises a number of additional actuators, each of which is designed to adjust an associated adjustable section of the supporting surface. This known hospital bed has a supporting surface with adjustable back and leg sections, as is very common in practice. The hydraulic system is provided with a hand-operable valve assembly operating member which is designed in such a manner that, by being operated, it selects a specific actuator and connects the latter to the pump in order to thus adjust a specific section of the supporting surface or to set the height of the subframe. The hydraulic system known from EP 0 341 358 A1 is furthermore provided with a pump activating member in the form of a foot-operable lever which is connected to the pump. The purpose of this pump activating member is to actuate the pump so that an actuator which is selected by means of the valve assembly operating member is fed with pressurized hydraulic liquid. In addition, the known hydraulic system is provided with a further, i.e. a third, member which can be operated by an operator and which is connected to a separate relief valve. By operating this third operating member, an operator can produce a connection between a selected actuator and the reservoir and thus a return movement can be carried out.
In order to operate the hydraulic system known from EP 0 341 358 A1, the operator needs at least one of his/her hands to operate the valve assembly operating member. This means that the operator is not able to use both his/her hands (if any) for treating a patient when the operator operates the valve assembly operating member. In many cases, the procedures which have to be carried out on a patient require the use of both hands by the person carrying out the procedure, which is not possible in the case of the hydraulic system known from EP 0 341 358 A1. This may lead to a reduction in care for the patient, require additional care personnel or delay the operation of the hydraulic system (which is undesirable in, for example, hospitals).
The German Utility Model DE 298 15 699 U1 discloses an operating table with hydraulic adjustable members on the supporting surface. The hydraulic system of the operating table from DE 298 15 699 U1 comprises a first lever which can be displaced in a horizontal plane by means of which a hydraulic actuator which is associated with one of the adjustable members can be selected. This lever can be moved into unique positions in order thus to select a specific hydraulic actuator. Like the hydraulic system known from EP 0 341 358 A1, the hydraulic system from DE 298 15 699 U1 comprises a pump activating member in the form of a second foot-operable lever which is connected to the hydraulic pump. In addition, the hydraulic system comprises a third lever which can be foot-operated by an operator and is connected to a separate relief valve. By operating the third lever, the operator can produce a connection between a selected actuator and the reservoir and thus a return movement can be carried out.
A further drawback of both EP 0 341 358 A1 and DE 298 15 699 U1 is that the positioning of the members that can be operated, in particular the foot-operated levers for actuating and relieving the hydraulic actuators, is not satisfactory from an ergonomic point of view. With both the hydraulic system from EP 0 341 358 A1 and DE 298 15 699 U1, said foot-operated levers are arranged in close proximity to one another. This may result in mistakes being made regarding which lever is to be operated by the operator, which may have highly undesirable consequences in the case of a hospital bed. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, to a fuel supply system that is able selectively to draw water away from a fuel reservoir and dispose of the water without adversely affecting the operation of the internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that certain fuel reservoirs can collect water within a fuel supply as a result of several causes. Many different concepts have been developed to deal with the problem of water in a fuel reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,825, which issued to Bishai on May 11, 1982, describes a fuel tank water drain system. In a vehicle driven by a diesel engine, a sensor is activated by an accumulation of water in the fuel tank and another sensor is activated when the engine temperature is at a level, less than normal operating level, indicating that the vehicle and its fuel tank have been stationary for a period sufficient to permit separation of the fuel from the water in the tank. A solenoid is energized upon activation of both sensors and opens a drain valve to permit the water to be drained from the tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,349, which issued to Cheney on May 28, 1985, describes a water ejector fuel system. Apparatus for ejecting water from a fuel system having a fuel reservoir with a water trap which is open to a pump in the presence of water and closed in the absence of water is provided. The pump operates each time the engine is started to receive a charge of water and each time the engine is stopped to discharge the charge of water to the exterior of the reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,889, which issued to Larson on Jun. 28, 1983, describes an apparatus for detecting the presence of water in a fuel tank. The fuel level in the tank is determined by detecting the change in capacitance between a pair of electrodes positioned with a generally vertical orientation so that as the fuel rises in the tank, an increasing area of the plates is adjacent to the fuel. Since the presence of water in fuel is very undesirable, the apparatus also includes means for detecting this water before it can affect engine performance and before it can affect the accuracy of the fuel level indicating circuitry.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,723, which issued to Aldrich on Oct. 27, 1981, describes an engine fuel system with fuel/water separation. The system includes a fuel storage tank connected to a vacuum pump by a supply line, a fuel/water separator, a fuel lift pump, a fuel/water return line and a fuel injector pump or carburetor. The fuel/water separator includes a coalescer interposed between the fuel lift pump and the injector pump or carburetor to separate the water from the fuel. Water collects in the lowest portion of the separator housing, is removed through an orifice in the fuel/water return line, and is routed back to the fuel tank. With moderate levels of water contamination in the fuel tank the system prevents water from reaching the fuel injector pump or carburetor for an indefinite period of time. The separator housing is constantly drained wince the separator is under pressure. The system has a suitable detector to detect the water level in the fuel storage tank. Water may be removed from the fuel storage tank by temporarily converting a part of the water/fuel return line to a water outlet pumping line through a three-way valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,901, which issued to Sparrow on Jan. 7, 1992, describes an automatic fuel decontamination system and method. The invention provides a system for the automatic removal of contaminants such as water from the fuel supply of an internal combustion engine of the type including an auxiliary fuel tank. The system is automatically controlled and responsive to sensed contaminant levels in a contaminant removal mechanism and employs an existing fuel transfer pump to direct fuel around the auxiliary fuel tank through the contaminant removal mechanism. The pump additionally operates to provide a continuous supply of fuel to the engine to keep it operating while simultaneously permitting the discharge of contaminants from the contaminants removal mechanism when a predetermined maximum contaminant level has been reached. This system is especially effective in removing water from the fuel system of a diesel engine powered vehicle such as a tank wherein the engine and auxiliary fuel tank are components of a power pack that is removable from the tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,469, which issued to Rossi et al on Aug. 29, 1989, discloses a fuel tank dewatering apparatus. The dewatering apparatus is for insertion into and retrieval from an engine fuel tank through the tank inlet for removing water from the liquid fuel contained in the tank. The apparatus includes an elongate cylindrical container of fixed capacity and an elongate tie connected thereto and accessibly anchored near the fuel tank inlet. A volume of dry particulate hygroscopic material, principally cross-linked polyacrylamide co-polymer fills a minor portion of the container capacity and is expandable to many times its dry volume in the presence of water without absorbing the liquid fuel, so as to remove water therefrom within the capacity of the container. The dry volume is selected to limit the fully expanded volume to within the capacity of the container. The container is made of nylon or Delrin plastic and includes a rigid structural cage having spaced longitudinal and circumferential ribs, joined together with end closures and with a cylindrical screen contained within the cage for providing substantial porous wall surfaces exposed therebetween which are permeable to air, water and the liquid fuel but substantially impermeable to the hygroscopic material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,934, which issued to Rix on Mar. 7, 1989, discloses an on-board disposal of water in aircraft fuel tanks. The system is adapted for the automatic extraction and dispersion of entrapped puddle of water in an aircraft fuel tank as a function of fuel flow supply to at least one propulsion engine. Scavenge pipes, positioned to be immersed in the puddles at their inlet openings, are connected to a venturi located within a fuel supply duct and arranged such that fuel drawn through the duct by means of a jet pump induces water extraction by suction at the venturi throat which is subsequently broken up within the jet pump and dispersed in the fuel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,871, which issued to Glass on Dec. 16, 1986, discloses a fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine. The system has an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, a carburetor and an air cleaner mounted on the carburetor. The system includes a heat exchanger in the exhaust manifold and a converter within the heat exchanger. An adapter plate is mounted on the intake manifold and the carburetor is mounted on the adapter plate. The adapter plate has passages providing communication between the carburetor and the intake manifold and with a metering valve mounted on the adapter plate. A main liquid fuel inlet line having a pressure regulator, a solenoid valve, a vacuum responsive pressure regulator and a vacuum controlled needle valve is connected to a fuel pump. The fuel inlet line is split into a primary fuel line and the secondary fuel line which are connected to the converter. The solenoid valve and a check valve are located in the secondary line and a check valve is located in the primary line. A water supply line having a pressure regulator, a solenoid valve, a fixed orifice restrictor and a check valve is connected to the converter. A vacuum controlled switch is connected to the converter. A vacuum controlled switch is connected to the intake manifold and is electrically connected to the solenoid valve in the secondary fuel line and the water supply line to open the solenoid valves when the vacuum in the intake manifold increases as the engine accelerates. A fuel vapor line connects the converter and the metering valve to supply fuel vapor and steam to the metering valve to mix with the air flowing through the carburetor to provide a hot fuel vapor, steam and air mixture to the intake manifold. The vacuum controlled switch is connected to the vacuum responsive pressure regulator and the vacuum controlled needle valve to provide increased fuel flow through the main fuel inlet line as the engine accelerates and the vacuum in the intake manifold increases.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,023, which issued to Creager on Jul. 20, 1982, describes a fuel supply and return system with a bypass valve and a water pumpout. The system is particularly useful with diesel fuel. The fuel is picked up through a fuel strainer system and pumped through a supply line to the engine. Excess fuel is returned to the fuel tank through a fuel return line. Since any water in the fuel separates from the diesel fuel and settles in the bottom of the tank, the water must at times be removed. By extending the fuel return tube to the bottom of the tank a siphon tube is provided which can be connected to a pump to pump out the water. If the water in the bottom of the tank freezes, a bypass valve in the upper portion of the fuel return line, but within the tank, operates so that returned fuel may still be discharged in the tank. Two flexible bypass valve arrangements are shown, both using variations of a duckbill valve to provide a closed valve when siphoning or pumping of the water takes place.
It would be significantly beneficial if an automatic means could be provided which removes water from a fuel/water separator without the need for intervention by an operator of the internal combustion engine. | {
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This invention relates to the making of nickel positive electrodes for secondary, alkaline storage batteries, and more particularly to a unique method of distributing and supporting fine particles of nickel hydroxide and graphite throughout the electrode so as to achieve maximum utilization of the nickel hydroxide, and produce an active mass particularly useful with a lightweight grid/conductive support.
One of the major drawbacks to the more extensive use of nickel alkaline batteries (e.g., nickel-cadmium, nickel-zinc, etc.) is the high cost of the nickel (i.e., nickel hydroxide) positive electrodes. Originally such electrodes utilized porous nickel plaques of sintered carbonyl nickel powder impregnated with nickel salts which were then converted into nickel hydroxide. Typically this was accomplished by filling the pores of the nickel plaque with an aqueous solution of a nickel salt and subsequently converting the salt to the hydroxide by chemical, electrochemical or thermal processes. The process normally required several repetitions to introduce the desired amount of nickel hydroxide into the plaque and utilized unnecessarily high amounts of nickel which added considerable cost and weight to the battery.
Later developed electrodes eliminate the expensive nickel plaques. Some are made by milling (i.e., calendaring) nickel hydroxide, graphite, binder and a plasticizer together and then roll bonding it to a current collecting grid. Porosity is obtained in these electrodes by various techniques. In one case, a mixture of two immiscible thermoplastic resins is used as the initial binder, and later one of the resins is leached from the mass with a suitable solvent. The active electrode material is retained and bound in a microporous matrix of the insoluble thermoplastic resin. An additional sintering step may be employed to remove any remaining soluble resin. While materials-wise this technique is less expensive than the sintered plaque electrode, manufacturing-wise it was still quite involved and produces electrodes with the utilization efficiencies [i.e., ampere-hrs/gram of Ni(OH).sub.2 ] less [i.e., about 0.23-0.24 A.sup.. h/g Ni(OH).sub.2 ] than are obtained with the present invention.
Still other proposed techniques include: (1) percipitating nickel hydroxide as a slurry from a solution of a nickel salt and vacuum impregnating a porous nickel conductor with the slurry; (2) applying a layer of an aqueous paste of nickel hydroxide, nickel powder and a binder to a metallic substrate, compressing it to remove excess water, drying it and compressing it again to achieve intimate nickel hydroxide-nickel metal interfacial contact; (3) mixing nickel hydroxide, graphite, dimethylformamide, polyvinylidene fluoride and dimethylacetamide together, casting it into a thin film (e.g., 0.7-0.8 mm), drying it for a short while, immersing it in water to coagulate the polyvinylidene fluoride and finally wrapping it with a current collector and fabric separator to form the electrode. Each of these processes are complex, time consuming and from available data appear to offer no advantages, utilization-efficiency-wise, over the solvent-extracted-resin technique.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a simple process for manufacturing efficient, lightweight, low cost nickel electrodes for secondary nickel alkaline storage batteries whereby nickel hydroxide and graphite particles are bound together in a three dimensional, open-celled polyvinylidene fluoride matrix so as to achieve maximum utilization of the nickel hydroxide. This and other objects of this invention will become more apparent from the detailed description which follows. | {
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The present invention relates generally to enhanced oil recovery techniques employing in situ combustion or fire flooding, and more particularly to such recovery of petroleum from subterranean oil reservoirs characterized by relatively low permeability and temperatures wherein oxygen, ozone or a combination thereof is utilized as the combustion supporting medium for the in situ combustion.
Enhanced oil recovery procedures are utilized in various reservoir flooding and treatment programs for recovering oil from reservoirs which have previously been pressure depleted and sometimes subsequently water flooded. Fire flooding is receiving increased interest as a viable enhanced oil recovery technique. Fire flooding is practiced by injecting compressed air into an injection well and igniting the petroleum in the reservoir surrounding the injection well to establish a combustion zone or fire front. This fire front propagates into the reservoir in a radially expanding manner away from the injection well. The heat of combustion decreases the viscosity of the oil in the reservoir immediately in front of the fire front and together with the pressure of the injected air, continually forces the oil to a location in the reservoir ahead of the moving fire front. Some of the heavier petroleum components remain in the reservoir so as to provide the fuel required for the combustion process. The combustion of the petroleum in the presence of the compressed air provides a considerable quantity of water vapor which together with the gaseous carbon dioxide and nitrogen are forced into the reservoir to displace the oil reduced in viscosity away from the fire front into the reservoir. The hot water vapor and the hot gaseous products also act with the heat of combustion to reduce the viscosity of the oil in the reservoir near the fire front. The temperature of the reservoir ahead of the combustion front declines rapidly to the ambient reservoir temperature, so as to cool the warmed oil and increase the viscosity thereof which substantially decreases the mobility of the oil. This action forms a region in the reservoir containing mobile phases of oil and gas that is referred to as an oil bank. By maintaining a constant injection pressure, the fire front propagates through the reservoir and forms a plurality of mobile regions. The region nearest the fire front is formed of three phases, gases, oil and water which may be residual water in the reservoir as well as the water formed during combustion. The second region immediately removed from the first and further away from the fire front is formed of two phases with the oil and gas and provides an oil bank with the water in the first region acting as pusher or piston for moving the oil and gas through the oil formation. As the fluids are displaced from the combustion front into cooler zones in the reservoir and the mobility of the liquids decrease, there is an increase in liquid saturation which increases the resistance to gas flow from the fire front through the reservoir.
Historically, fire flooding procedures have been practiced in reservoirs which have relatively high permeabilities of greater than about 100 millidarcies (md). It was found that this relatively high permeability value is necessary for the successful practice of the in situ combustion process due to the large volumes of compressed air required to sustain the underground fire front and for venting the resulting gaseous combustion products through the reservoir. In a conventional fire flood, the fire front radially expands from the injection well to several hundred feet depending upon the spacing between the injection well and the producer well or wells. Normally, the width or height of the fire front seldom exceeds about ten feet, again depending upon the thickness of the reservoir being fire flooded. The temperature profile over the length of the fire front levels off to ambient reservoir temperatures at locations a short distance, e.g., about 24 inches, in front of the fire front. The fire front decreases the viscosity of a substantial amount of petroleum in the reservoir and under steady-state conditions forms the aforementioned oil bank which is a region of constant saturation within the rock matrix with the oil bank growing at a rate proportional to saturation.
While fire flooding techniques using compressed air have shown some success, considerable problems and difficulties are encountered such as the large volume of injected compressed air required to sustain the in situ combustion process and the large volume of nitrogen present in the combustion products which does not attribute to the recovery procedure and yet must be forced through the reservoir in order to provide for successful recovery of petroleum. Efforts to overcome these and other problems associated with using compressed air have been somewhat alleviated by employing oxygen-enriched air or pure oxygen as the combustion supporting medium. The use of oxygen requires that the materials utilized in the injection well be compatible with oxygen so as to prevent the destruction of these materials by corrosion or combustion. By employing oxygen as the combustion supporting medium only about one-fifth as much volume is required for the injection process as compared to compressed air since nitrogen which accounts for about 80% of the volume of the compressed air is eliminated. Thus, the use of the pure oxygen in the process instead of air not only drastically reduces the volume of the combustion supporting medium required but also provides a decrease in the fluid volume following combustion which generally increases the injectivity of the reservoir matrix in the combustion zone. Further, by utilizing pure oxygen as the combustion supporting medium, lower injection pressures can be used with greater well spacings. Another advantage realized by oxygen is that carbon dioxide is essentially the only gaseous product produced during the combustion process. This gaseous carbon dioxide is highly soluble in crude oil and promotes the swelling of the crude oil to enhance the reduction in the viscosity thereof for increasing the mobility of the oil through the reservoir. The gaseous carbon dioxide produced at the burn front will flow through a reservoir once the oil and water between the oil bank and the producing well have been saturated.
While oxygen has been used as the combustion supporting medium and has shown to provide many advantages over the use of compressed air in fire flooding processes, fire floods have been historically limited to use in reservoirs of relatively high permeability due to the relatively large volume of gaseous CO.sub.2 produced in the combustion process even though this volume is only about one-fifth of the volume of the gaseous combustion products produced when using compressed air. The high permeability of the reservoir is required of reservoirs having ambient temperatures greater than about 88.degree. F. since even though the volume of gaseous CO.sub.2 is considerably less than that of the gaseous combustion products using compressed air, the permeability of the reservoir must be sufficient to allow for the gaseous CO.sub.2 to be displaced through the reservoir formation ahead of the fire front. Fire floods have not been shown to be a practical recovery process in reservoirs of low permeability, i.e., less than about 100 md, where the reservoir temperatures arc less than about 88.degree. F., especially the relatively cold (60.degree.-75.degree. F.) and low permeability (about 20 md) reservoirs such as in the Appalachian region. | {
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Recently, the world has witnessed a phenomenal growth in the number of Internet users, applications and devices and in the amount of data traffic especially that of medium-rich content—all demanding reliable high-speed, low-cost, low power consumption communication devices. The Internet utilizes fiber optic channels for ultra high speed communications. The optical signals sent along the fiber optic channels are received by receivers that include both optical components and electrical components. The receivers convert the optical signals to electrical signals and send the converted electrical signals to electronic computer networks operating at lower speeds for processing data. The transmitters, on the other hand, receive the electrical signals from electronic computer networks, convert them into optical signals and send them to the fiber optic channels.
These receivers and transmitters used in telecommunications applications may need to meet the optical standards that have emerged. One such standard is the Synchronous Optical Networks (SONET) which is a standard formulated by the Exchange Carriers Standards Association (ECSA) for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The SONET is used for telecommunications and other industries mainly in North America and Japan. Another standard is the Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) standard which was published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and used in other parts of the world. The OC-192 SONET standard or STM64 SDH Standard is for speeds at about 9-13 Gbps depending on error correction coding, and the OC-768 SONET standard or STM 256 SDH Standard is for speeds at about 36 to 48 Gbps.
In 1998, an industry-wide initiative was announced to create the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF), an open forum focused on fostering the development and deployment of interoperable products and services for data switching and routing using optical networking technologies. To accelerate the deployment of optical networking technology and facilitate industry convergence on interoperability, the OIF identified, selected, and augmented as appropriate and published optical internetworking standards. Information regarding the OIF and publications by the OIF can be found at www.oiforum.com.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to be able to produce communication devices, and particularly serializers, deserializers, transmitters and receivers, that can satisfy the high-speed, high-performance, low-power communication needs demanded by the Internet and other multimedia communication applications while meeting the SONET/SDH standards and the OIF standards. It would be also desirable to produce such devices that are highly integrated and testable and cost-effective. | {
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Krypton and xenon are present in air as trace components, 1.14 parts per million by volume (1.14 vppm) and 0.086 vppm, respectively, and can be produced in pure form from the cryogenic distillation of air. Both of these elements are less volatile (i.e., have a higher boiling temperature) than oxygen and therefore concentrate in the liquid oxygen sump of a conventional double column air separation unit. Other impurities which are also less volatile than oxygen (most notably methane) also concentrate in the liquid oxygen sump along with krypton and xenon.
Unfortunately, process streams containing oxygen, methane, krypton and xenon present a safety problem due to the combined presence of methane and oxygen. Methane and oxygen form flammable mixtures with a lower flammability limit of 50-. methane in oxygen. In order to operate safely, the methane concentration in an oxygen stream must not be allowed to reach the lower flammability limit and, in practice, a maximum allowable methane concentration is set that is a fraction of the lower flammability limit. This maximum constraint effectively limits the concentration of the krypton and xenon that is attainable in the sump as any further concentration of these products would also result in a methane concentration exceeding the maximum allowed.
The conventional technology accepts this limitation on the concentration of the krypton and xenon that is attainable in the liquid oxygen boiling in the sump and removes methane in a separate distillation column (typically referred to in the art as the raw krypton/xenon column) so that further concentrating of the krypton and xenon in the liquid oxygen stream (usually via distillation) can safely be performed. See for example the processes taught in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,751,934; 4,568,528; 5,063,746; 5,067,976; and 5,122,173.
The present invention's method to produce a stream enriched in krypton and xenon is specifically applicable for those cryogenic air separation processes which are designed for nitrogen production (i.e. cryogenic nitrogen generators). Such a process is taught in British Patent 1,215,377. It is an object of the present invention to modify the conventional nitrogen generator in order to remove the methane which is conventionally removed in a raw krypton/xenon column, thereby saving the expense of a separate distillation column and the associated reboiler/condenser. | {
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Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the developed world, with over one million people diagnosed with cancer and 500,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. Overall it is estimated that more than 1 in 3 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. There are more than 200 different types of cancer, four of which—breast, lung, colorectal, and prostate—account for over half of all new cases (Jemal et al., 2003, Cancer J. Clin. 53:5-26).
The Wnt signaling pathway has been identified as a potential target for cancer therapy. The Wnt signaling pathway is one of several critical regulators of embryonic pattern formation, post-embryonic tissue maintenance, and stem cell biology. More specifically, Wnt signaling plays an important role in the generation of cell polarity and cell fate specification including self-renewal by stem cell populations. Unregulated activation of the Wnt pathway is associated with numerous human cancers where it can alter the developmental fate of tumor cells to maintain them in an undifferentiated and proliferative state. Thus carcinogenesis can proceed by usurping homeostatic mechanisms controlling normal development and tissue repair by stem cells (reviewed in Reya & Clevers, 2005, Nature 434:843; Beachy et al., 2004, Nature 432:324).
The Wnt signaling pathway was first elucidated in the Drosophila developmental mutant wingless (wg) and from the murine proto-oncogene int-1, now Wnt1 (Nusse & Varmus, 1982, Cell 31:99-109; Van Ooyen & Nusse, 1984, Cell 39:233-40; Cabrera et al., 1987, Cell 50:659-63; Rijsewijk et al., 1987, Cell 50:649-57). Wnt genes encode secreted lipid-modified glycoproteins of which 19 have been identified in mammals. These secreted ligands activate a receptor complex consisting of a Frizzled (Fzd) receptor family member and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-related protein 5 or 6 (LPR5/6). The Fzd receptors are seven transmembrane domain proteins of the G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily and contain a large extracellular N-terminal ligand binding domain with 10 conserved cysteines, known as a cysteine-rich domain (CRD) or Fri domain. There are ten human FZD receptors: FZD1-10. Different Fzd CRDs have different binding affinities for specific Wnts (Wu & Nusse, 2002, J. Biol. Chem. 277:41762-9), and Fzd receptors have been grouped into those that activate the canonical β-catenin pathway and those that activate non-canonical pathways described below (Miller et al., 1999, Oncogene 18:7860-72). To form the receptor complex that binds the FZD ligands, FZD receptors interact with LRP5/6, single pass transmembrane proteins with four extracellular EGF-like domains separated by six YWTD amino acid repeats (Johnson et al., 2004, J. Bone Mineral Res. 19:1749).
The canonical Wnt signaling pathway activated upon receptor binding is mediated by the cytoplasmic protein Dishevelled (Dsh) interacting directly with the Fzd receptor and results in the cytoplasmic stabilization and accumulation of β-catenin. In the absence of a Wnt signal, β-catenin is localized to a cytoplasmic destruction complex that includes the tumor suppressor proteins adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and Axin. These proteins function as critical scaffolds to allow glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β to bind and phosphorylate β-catenin, marking it for degradation via the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. Activation of Dsh results in phosphorylation of GSK3β and the dissociation of the destruction complex. Accumulated cytoplasmic β-catenin is then transported into the nucleus where it interacts with the DNA-binding proteins of the Tcf/Lef family to activate transcription.
In addition to the canonical signaling pathway, Wnt ligands also activate β-catenin-independent pathways (Veeman et al., 2003, Dev. Cell 5:367-77). Non-canonical Wnt signaling has been implicated in numerous processes but most convincingly in gastrulation movements via a mechanism similar to the Drosophila planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway. Other potential mechanisms of non-canonical Wnt signaling include calcium flux, JNK, and both small and heterotrimeric G-proteins. Antagonism is often observed between the canonical and non-canonical pathways, and some evidence indicates that non-canonical signaling can suppress cancer formation (Olson & Gibo, 1998, Exp. Cell Res. 241:134; Topol et al., 2003, J. Cell Biol. 162:899-908). Thus, in certain contexts, Fzd receptors act as negative regulators of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. For example, FZD6 represses Wnt-3a-induced canonical signaling when co-expressed with FZD1 via the TAK1-NLK pathway (Golan et al., 2004, JBC 279:14879-88). Similarly, Fzd2 antagonized canonical Wnt signaling in the presence of Wnt-5a via the TAK1-NLK MAPK cascade (Ishitani et al., 2003, Mol. Cell. Biol. 23:131-9).
The canonical Wnt signaling pathway also plays a central role in the maintenance of stem cell populations in the small intestine and colon, and the inappropriate activation of this pathway plays a prominent role in colorectal cancers (Reya & Clevers, 2005, Nature 434:843). The absorptive epithelium of the intestines is arranged into villi and crypts. Stem cells reside in the crypts and slowly divide to produce rapidly proliferating cells that give rise to all the differentiated cell populations that move up out of the crypts to occupy the intestinal villi. The Wnt signaling cascade plays a dominant role in controlling cell fates along the crypt-villi axis and is essential for the maintenance of the stem cell population. Disruption of Wnt signaling either by genetic loss of Tcf7/2 by homologous recombination (Korinek et al., 1998, Nat. Genet. 19:379) or overexpression of Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1), a potent secreted Wnt antagonist (Pinto et al., 2003, Genes Dev. 17:1709-13; Kuhnert et al., 2004, Proc. Nat'l. Acad. Sci. 101:266-71), results in depletion of intestinal stem cell populations.
Colorectal cancer is most commonly initiated by activating mutations in the Wnt signaling cascade. Approximately 5-10% of all colorectal cancers are hereditary with one of the main forms being familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), an autosomal dominant disease in which about 80% of affected individuals contain a germline mutation in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene. Mutations have also been identified in other Wnt pathway components including Axin and β-catenin. Individual adenomas are clonal outgrowths of epithelial cell containing a second inactivated allele, and the large number of FAP adenomas inevitably results in the development of adenocarcinomas through addition mutations in oncogenes and/or tumor suppressor genes. Furthermore, activation of the Wnt signaling pathway, including gain-of-function mutations in APC and β-catenin, can induce hyperplastic development and tumor growth in mouse models (Oshima et al., 1997, Cancer Res. 57:1644-9; Harada et al., 1999, EMBO J. 18:5931-42).
A role for Wnt signaling in cancer was first uncovered with the identification of Wnt1 (originally int1) as an oncogene in mammary tumors transformed by the nearby insertion of a murine virus (Nusse & Varmus, 1982, Cell 31:99-109). Additional evidence for the role of Wnt signaling in breast cancer has since accumulated. For instance, transgenic overexpression of β-catenin in the mammary glands results in hyperplasias and adenocarcinomas (Imbert et al., 2001, J. Cell Biol. 153:555-68; Michaelson & Leder, 2001, Oncogene 20:5093-9) whereas loss of Wnt signaling disrupts normal mammary gland development (Tepera et al., 2003, J. Cell Sci. 116:1137-49; Hatsell et al., 2003, J. Mammary Gland Biol. Neoplasia 8:145-58). More recently mammary stem cells have been shown to be activated by Wnt signaling (Liu et al., 2004, Proc. Nat'l Acad. Sci. 101:4158). In human breast cancer, β-catenin accumulation implicates activated Wnt signaling in over 50% of carcinomas, and though specific mutations have not been identified, upregulation of Frizzled receptor expression has been observed (Brennan & Brown, 2004, J. Mammary Gland Neoplasia 9:119-31; Malovanovic et al., 2004, Int. J. Oncol. 25:1337-42).
FZD10, FZD8, FZD7, FZD4, and FZD5 are five of ten identified human Wnt receptors. Fzd10 is co-expressed with Wnt7b in the lungs, and cell transfection studies have demonstrated that the Fzd10/LRP5 co-receptor activates the canonical Wnt signaling pathway in response to Wnt7b (Wang et al., 2005, Mol. Cell. Biol. 25:5022-30). FZD10 mRNA is upregulated in numerous cancer cell lines, including cervical, gastric, and glioblastoma cell lines, and in primary cancers including approximately 40% of primary gastric cancers, colon cancers, and synovial sarcomas (Saitoh et al., 2002, Int. J. Oncol. 20:117-20; Terasaki et al., 2002, Int. J. Mol. Med. 9:107-12; Nagayama et al., 2005, Oncogene 1-12). FZD8 is upregulated in several human cancer cell lines, primary gastric cancers, and renal carcinomas (Saitoh et al., 2001, Int. J. Oncol. 18:991-96; Kirikoshi et al., 2001, Int. J. Oncol. 19:111-5; Janssens et al., 2004, Tumor Biol. 25:161-71). FZD7 is expressed throughout the gastrointestinal tract and is up-regulated in one out of six cases of human primary gastric cancer (Kirikoshi et al., 2001, Int. J. Oncol. 19:111-5). Expression of the FZD7 ectodomain by a colon cancer cell line induced morphological changes and decreased tumor growth in a xenograft model (Vincan et al., 2005, Differentiation 73:142-53). FZD5 plays an essential role in yolk sac and placental angiogenesis (Ishikawa et al., 2001, Dev. 128:25-33) and is upregulated in renal carcinomas in association with activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling (Janssens et al., 2004, Tumor Biology 25:161-71). FZD4 is highly expressed in intestinal crypt epithelial cells and is one of several factors that display differential expression in normal versus neoplastic tissue (Gregorieff et al., 2005, Gastroenterology 129:626-38). The identification of FZD receptors as markers of cancer stem cells thus makes these proteins ideal targets for cancer therapeutics. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer graphics. In particular the invention relates to real time rendering of extremely detailed smooth surfaces with view-dependent tessellation using an improved level of detail approach. The invention utilizes a quad-tree map and geometric boundaries consisting of manifold non-self-intersecting surfaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
Swift advances in hardware, in particular faster, larger, and cheaper memories, have been transforming revolutionary approaches in computer graphics into reality. One typical example is the revolution of raster graphics that took place in the seventies, when hardware innovations enabled the transition from vector graphics to raster graphics. Another example which has a similar potential is currently shaping up in the field of surface rendering of volumetric bodies. This trend is rooted in the extensive research and development effort in visual graphics in general and in applications using real-time surface visualization, such as video games, terrain imaged interactive road maps and topographical maps for the aerospace industry.
Iso-surfacing algorithms can be classified as either view-dependent or view-independent. View-independent approaches in general generate geometry near the iso-surface. Most methods use triangles to approximate an iso-surface. The use of interval trees and the span space domain decomposition can greatly decrease the amount of work necessary to identify cells intersected by an iso-surface (also called active-cells), a major bottleneck in the extraction process. One advantage of generating geometry is that extraction need not be performed for each view. However, storing geometry becomes a burden as data resolution increases. View-dependent approaches focus on the resulting image and therefore attempt to perform computation mainly in regions that contribute substantially to the final image. View-dependent approaches are attractive in general as no intermediate form of the iso-surface needs to be stored explicitly, which greatly decreases storage requirements. One drawback of view-dependent approaches is that each time a new view is specified; the iso-surface extraction process must be repeated. For interactive applications, where viewing parameters are being changed frequently, such methods perform a relatively large number of computations. View-dependent approaches often offer excellent image quality, but frequently no geometric representation of the iso-surface is generated, making them undesirable for use in geometric modeling applications, for example. Dual contouring methods were introduced to preserve sharp features and to alleviate storage requirements by reducing triangle count.
Conventionally, a hierarchical data structure for describing an image, which is made up of a plurality of kinds of regions A, B, C, D and E, consists of a four or eight branch tree structure (so-called quad-trees and oct-trees). According to this system, the image is equally divided (decomposed) into four regions, and each region is recursively and equally subdivided (decomposed) into four sub regions until each sub region is made up solely of a single kind of region. The image data storage efficiency of this method is satisfactory, and the method enables basic image processing in the data structure. In addition, the image can be described in levels of rough steps to fine steps. However, there is a problem in that the number of nodes increases especially at boundary portions of the data structure. In the four-branch tree structure, three nodes and a leaf branch out from a root node. The node is indicated by a circular mark and corresponds to the region or sub region made up of two or more kinds of regions. On the other hand, the leaf is indicated by a black circular mark and corresponds to the region or sub region made up solely of a single kind of region.
Frequently, objects (such as, for example, characters in a video game or terrain in a virtual roadmap) are generated using a so-called “base mesh” composed of a minimum number of large polygons, and so provides a minimum level of rendering detail. The polygons forming the base mesh are normally referred to as “primitives”. These primitives are normally selected to enable the position and orientation of the object within a scene to be rapidly (and unambiguously) defined, and thereby facilitate appropriate scaling and animation of the object.
The process of defining polygons within a primitive is referred to as “tessellation”, and the number of polygons defined within a primitive is given by the “tessellation rate”. Formally, the tessellation rate is the number of segments into which an edge of the primitive is divided by the vertices of the polygons defined within the primitive. Thus, for example, a primitive has (by definition) a tessellation rate of 1. If one or more polygons are then defined within the primitive so one new vertex lies on each edge of the primitive (thereby dividing each edge into two segments), then the tessellation rate will become 2. Similarly, If other polygons are then defined within the primitive such that two vertices lie on each edge of the primitive (thereby dividing each edge into three segments), then the tessellation rate will be 3. As may be appreciated, since the tessellation rate (or value) is based on the number of segments into which an edge of the primitive is divided, the tessellation rate can be defined on a “per-edge” basis. In principle, this means that different edges of a primitive may have the same, or different, tessellation values.
In cases where a higher level of detail is required, additional polygons can be defined within each primitive, as needed.
There are a variety of existing methods that aim at reducing the amount of geometric primitives that are processed by the rendering pipeline proper. One general technique, called occlusion culling, operates by eliminating sections of the geometry that are invisible from the current view port (or from any of its immediate surrounding area or volume). Another technique uses several refinement levels for the geometry. Then the system renders only the crudest representation of geometry that will result in less than a certain acceptable level of visible error when compared against an image rendered from the exact geometry. This approach is known as a “level-of-detail scheme” in the art. The present invention improves on this category, in particular utilizing the quad-tree-based subdivision approach. The present invention has considerably less requirements on the structure of the geometry than state-of-the-art methods based on this approach, yet still benefiting from its simplicity and efficiency. These weaker requirements allow the herein inventive method to use geometric representations that have significantly less geometric primitives than is typical. This means the system will have to render considerably less primitives in real time than is used by methods known in the art to achieve the same level of fidelity. The present invention advantages are especially prevalent when rendering such level of fidelity on limited computing devices in terms of processing power and memory allocation as well as when streaming the geometric primitives over limited bandwidth communication. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive, noncontact imaging modality that uses coherence gating to obtain high-resolution cross-sectional images of tissue microstructure. In Fourier domain OCT (FD-OCT), the interferometric signal between light from a reference and the back-scattered light from a sample point is recorded in the frequency domain rather than the time domain. After a wavelength calibration, a one-dimensional Fourier transform is taken to obtain an A-line spatial distribution of the object scattering potential. The spectral information discrimination in FD-OCT is accomplished typically by using a dispersive spectrometer in the detection arm in the case of spectral-domain OCT (SD-OCT) or rapidly tuning a swept laser source in the case of swept-source OCT (SS-OCT). Variants of FD-OCT such as Parallel OCT, Full-Field OCT, and Holoscopy have been proposed to overcome limitations and increase the imaging depth.
Many swept sources include a wavelength selectable optical filter, where the optical filter transmission wavelength or frequency is adjusted to cause the laser to sweep in wavelength or frequency. In such designs, the laser cavity length is fixed, limiting the operating wavelengths or frequencies of the swept source to the discrete longitudinal modes of the laser. Thus, as the filter is swept in transmission frequency, the laser will hop from one mode to the next in a discrete manner. The result is that the swept source laser generates a spectral comb function, rather than a smooth distribution of frequencies. As the Fourier transform of a comb function is a comb function, the coherence function of the swept source laser is therefore a comb function. In OCT systems, this leads to an effect known as interference revival or coherence revival (see for example Baek et al., “High-resolution mode-spacing measurement of the blue-violet diode laser using interference of fields created with time delays greater than the coherence time,” Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 46, 7720-7723, 2007 and Dhalla et al., “Complex conjugate resolved heterodyne swept source optical coherence tomography using coherence revival,” Biomed. Opt. Express 3, 663-649, 2012 hereby incorporated by reference). In OCT systems that do not have coherence revival effect, the interference fringes can only be observed when the optical path lengths of the sample and reference arms are matched (i.e. standard mode zero optical delay position). However, in systems with coherence revival effects, interference fringes can also be observed when the optical path lengths of the sample and reference arms are mismatched by close to an integer multiple of the laser cavity length.
Typical OCT systems have several optical surfaces in the sample arm and it may not be possible to totally eliminate the back-reflections from theses surfaces. Coherence revival poses a serious challenge for optical system design as even small back-reflections from any optical surface in the sample arm that may occur close to an integer multiple of laser cavity lengths away from the intended sample location would result in unwanted interference signal. The resulting interference signals will lead to artifacts superimposed on the actual tomogram. Those artifacts can be quite prominent and may lead to misinterpretation of images or erroneous analysis results. In this document, the terms coherence revival mode, coherence revival artifact, coherence revival signal, coherence revival interference are used interchangeably to refer to interference signal that is achieved when the optical path lengths of the reference arm and the back-scattered signal location are mismatched by close to an integer multiple of laser cavity lengths away from the standard mode zero optical delay position. In this document, we may use the term “pseudo path-matched” in the context of coherence revival interference when the optical path delay between sample (or the location of backscattered signal) and reference arms are mismatched by an integer multiple of cavity lengths.
So far there is to the best of our knowledge no known method for reduction or removal of coherence revival artifacts. One may try to avoid the artifacts by designing the optics of the OCT interferometer such that the location of all optical surfaces or unwanted back-scattering locations do not overlap with the positions of the optical path where coherence revival occurs (i.e. close to an integer multiple of laser cavity length away from the standard zero delay position). In complex optical systems this may however not always be possible.
Dhalla et al. showed that some commercially available external cavity tunable lasers (ECTLs) exhibit a relative spectral frequency shift between light of the sample arm and light of the reference arm, when interference happens in the coherence revival mode (i.e. reference arm and sample arm are offset by an integer multiple of the laser cavity length) (see for example Dhalla et al., “Complex conjugate resolved heterodyne swept source optical coherence tomography using coherence revival,” Biomed. Opt. Express 3, 663-649, 2012 hereby incorporated by reference). The phase modulation results in a frequency shifted interferogram in the coherence revival mode. In normal mode (i.e. if the optical path lengths of reference arm and sample arm are closely matched), the phase modulation is not detectable by OCT, since the phase modulation effect is identical in the reference and sample beams. It is believed that the phase modulation in these ECTLs is caused by the SOA inside the laser cavity.
Dhalla et al. showed that, similar to the heterodyne detection in SS-OCT by use of electro optic or acousto optic modulators in one of the arms (see for example Yun et al., “Removing the depth-degeneracy in optical frequency domain imaging with frequency shifting,” Opt. Express 12, 4822-4828, 2004), the frequency shifted interferogram in coherence revival mode may be used for complex conjugate resolved heterodyne SS-OCT. In this method, a carrier frequency is effectively introduced to the original spectral fringe signal to resolve the complex conjugate signal. Yun et al. introduced the relative frequency shift between reference and sample beam using acousto optic modulators in reference and sample arm. Dhalla et al. didn't require additional frequency shifters, because the SOA inside the cavity created a similar relative frequency shift in coherence revival mode. In standard OCT systems, typically zero frequency fringes in the interference spectra correspond to zero optical path delay. However in complex conjugate resolved heterodyne SS-OCT, the true zero optical path delay results in spectral fringes at the carrier frequency. Hence, the formerly positive and negative frequencies are all shifted towards one side of zero frequency while the best fringe visibility is maintained at the depth corresponding to matched group delay. The shift caused by the carrier frequency allows for distinction between positive and negative frequencies and also helps in making use of the full coherence length. However, as one still performs the Fourier transform of a real valued signal, the signal after the Fourier transform remains Hermitian.
In addition to the work by Yun et al, Zhang et al. published results using an electro-optic phase modulator (EOM) in the reference arm to create a similar frequency shift of the fringe signal (Zhang et al., “Removal of a minor image and enhancement of the signal-to-noise ratio in Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography using an electro-optic phase modulator,” Opt. Lett. 30, 147-149, 2005). Davis et al. reported a system using acousto optic frequency shifters in the reference arm and sample arm (Davis et al., “Heterodyne swept-source optical coherence tomography for complete complex conjugate ambiguity removal,” J. Biomed. Opt.10, 064005, 2005). None of these groups explored the possibility of reducing coherence revival artifacts, but rather focused on use of the coherence revival mode for complex conjugate resolved SS-OCT instead of the standard coherence mode for imaging. Dhalla et al. makes the suggestion that the laser may be designed to produce an optimized coherence revival mode for complex conjugate resolved heterodyne SS-OCT, but makes no suggestions regarding how to minimize the coherence revival mode signal or how these designs may be achieved. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Optical amplifiers for broadband optical signals exhibit a wavelength dependency of the gain which is not completely remedied by the smoothing filters normally used. In WDM or DWDM (WDM=Wavelength Division Multiplex; DWDM=Dense Wavelength Division Multiplex) transmission technology the optical signal consists of a number of channels featuring different wavelengths, with the spacing between the wavelengths nowadays able to be below 100 GHz. The wavelength dependency of the gain of amplifiers means that power differences accumulate between the individual channels when an optical signal passes through them so that the channels possess greatly differing optical signal-to-noise ratios OSNR and powers at the receivers.
In point-to-point-data connections therefore a known method referred to as pre-emphasis is used for equalizing the optical signal-to-noise OSNR values at least at the end of the link, said method having been described in A. R. Chraplyly, J. A. Nagel and R. W. Tkach: “Equalization in Amplifier WDM Lightwave Transmission Systems”, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Vol. 4, No. 8, 1992, pp. 920-922. In this method the transmit-side channel powers are adjusted on the basis of an OSNR distribution measured at the link end in an iterative process until the same optical signal-to-noise ratio OSNR values are produced at the link end for all channels.
Frequently for determining the signal-to-noise ratios OSNR the Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) between the channels is measured and from this the noise power overlaid on the channels is calculated by interpolation. This is however no longer possible if the amplified spontaneous emission ASE between the channels is attenuated by optical components. This is the case for example if further modules such as add-drop modules or interleaver filters are connected into the transmission link. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a coronary tracking display. More specifically, this invention relates to a coronary tracking display which improves visibility of details of coronary artery lesions in cineangiography.
2. Description of Related Art
Cineangiography for coronary arterial segments is typically done by means of an x-ray image. An artery is filled with a contrast material (for example, a large molecule with iodine in it, such as megluamine diatrozoate (sold under the name Renografin 76) or iohexal (sold under the name Omnipaque), and its arterial segments are examined. Medical personnel may examine the shape of the inner wall of the artery and look for space where the contrast material would be expected to fill, but does not. These spaces are called "filling defects" and commonly indicate lesions for which a specific treatment may be desireable.
It is advantageous to collect and display images of coronary arterial segments for later review by medical personnel. For example, review of such images may prove useful in detecting and locating lesions, and thus may assist in treatment of a patient by interventional methods. However, one problem which has arisen in the art is that image quality under conditions imposed by cineangiography may be poor, making it difficult for medical personnel to readily recognize critical features.
It may also be advantageous to insert a catheter into an artery, approach an arterial segment containing a lesion, and perform an interventional therapy on that lesion. For example, a lesion may be dilated with a balloon or ablated with a laser. Because these treatments may have adverse effects, it is desireable to identify which lesions truly require treatment.
Another problem which has arisen in the art is that it may be difficult to move such a catheter within the patient's arterial network. It would be advantageous to superimpose an image of the catheter on the patient's arterial network while moving the catheter. However, the contrast material may have adverse effects on the patient, so it is generally not preferred to collect and display cineangiographic images while moving a catheter. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to holders for personal articles or devices, and more particularly, to a holder for an article or mobile device that provides easy and flexible access to the article or device.
Mobile devices, such as mobile telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAS), have become common place in today""s society. As mobile devices have become increasingly smaller in size, allowing these devices to be carried on a person, various types of holders or carriers for these devices have been developed. These holders or carriers include, for example, belt clips that allow a device to be attached to a belt, and various other types of holders and carrying cases.
A design goal for designers of holders and carrying cases for mobile devices is to provide easy and flexible access to the device while providing increased utility in use of the holder or carrying case.
The invention provides a holder for an article or mobile device. A holder according to one or more embodiments of the invention allows a device to be securely held in the holder while providing easy and flexible access to the personal device. The holder allows a user access to the device while the holder is in several positions. The holder may also include other features that increase the utility of the holder. For example, additional holder pockets may be implemented with the additional pockets being secured or accessible in only certain of the several positions.
In an embodiment of the invention, the holder comprises a base section and a pocket section. The pocket section has a front and a rear surface, and a pocket formed on the front surface. The pocket has an opening toward a first end of the pocket section. The pocket section also has a securing strap that is attached to the first end of the pocket section toward which the pocket opens. The securing strap of the pocket section has a securing point on an inner surface of the securing strap that may be attached to a securing point disposed near the opening of the pocket, securing a device in the pocket. The securing strap of the pocket section also has a securing point on an outer surface of the securing strap.
The base section has a front and a rear surface. The base section also has a securing strap that is attached to a first end of the base section. The securing strap of the base section has a securing point on a surface. The base section also may have a mounting point for attaching to a belt, cord, or other device, allowing the user to wear the device. The base section and pocket section may be connected together with a flexible connector attached to a second end of the pocket section and a second end of the base section. The pocket section and base section may be moved between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the rear surface of the pocket section and front surface of the base section are secured against one another by the securing point on the surface of the securing strap of the base section being attached to the securing point on the outer surface of the securing strap of the pocket section. In the second position, the securing point on the surface of the securing strap of the base section and the securing point on the outer surface of the securing strap of the pocket section are detached from one another, and the pocket section and base section are loosely and flexibly connected. In the second position, the pocket section, including the mobile device, may be moved to an advantageous or preferred position for access or use. While the base section and pocket section are in either the first or second positions, the securing point on the inner surface of the securing strap of the pocket section may be attached or removed from the securing point near the opening of the pocket to secure the article in, or allow removal of the article from, the pocket without changing the securing of the rear surface of the pocket section against the front surface of the base section.
Also, in the embodiment, additional pockets may be formed on the front surface of the base section or the rear surface of the pocket section. There, additional pockets are protected while the pocket section and base section are in the first position and are accessible when the base section and pocket section are in the second position. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to methods for forming micro-optical switch components, and more particularly to an integrated fiber optic switch.
The demand for high-speed data transmission has accelerated the development of optical networks. For a local area network and very short reach data links, high efficiency and low equipment/operational cost have become central issues for meeting market needs. Local networks have evolved to include the use of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL) and PIN photodetector (PD) as light transmitters and receivers, respectively, and use multimode fiber (MMF) as signal transport media. A VCSEL is a diode laser where the laser oscillation and output occur normal to the PIN junction plane. Such lasers are formed in a structure of semiconductor layers deposited on a semiconductor substrate, and emit light from a port in the surface of the structure. A VCSEL generates a much more symmetrical light beam than an edge-emitting laser. As a result, the light from the VCSEL can be coupled into the optical system of a laser printer or optical communication link more efficiently than the light from an edge-emitting laser. Low divergent circular output, single longitudinal mode operation, and high two-dimensional packaging density for arrays, make VCSELs attractive for applications such as optical recording, communications, and computing.
Parallel technology has been applied to VCSEL arrays, PD arrays and fiber ribbons. Specific electronic circuits for driving VCSELs, processing PDs output signals, as well as for implementing small factor connectors have gradually standardized transceivers for short range communications. However, deficiencies exist in dealing with giga-bit-per second level of transmission over reasonable distance with a single channel. These limitations occur from the integration of optoelectronic parts with electronic circuits. Current VCSEL-microlens array integration schemes utilize wire connectors in which the parasitic capacitance of the wire connection limits the data processing rate of the unit. As a result, size-sensitive applications, and chip level integration have been a focus in the development of VCSELs for telecommunication and data communication applications.
Application technologies for VCSELs, PDs and complimentary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) electronic circuits are well known. However, the interconnections, both electrical and optical, are difficult due to the small physical size, specific geometry, and materials employed. The simultaneous achievement of both interconnect types creates additional difficulties due to interactions.
Existing approaches for integrated switches utilize flip-chip bonding to attach the VCSEL and detector array to a silicon chip. Light passes through vias etched on the silicon chip and is coupled to the fibers by a reflection mirror. Additionally, a co-planar design is utilized in which the n-contact of the VCSEL must be removed after bonding to leave a path for the top emitting laser. It is also possible to bond the n-contact to the substrate and then remove the substrate beyond the n-contact, resulting in bottom emitting. For other structures, many processing steps are required for electrical connection, etching, metal deposition, reflow and rinsing. Additional processing steps are necessary for the alignment and coupling of light into and out of fiber array. Existing designs have severe cost disadvantages. Therefore, a need has arisen for new optical switches with new fabrication methods to meet existing market needs.
In accordance with the present invention, a method for forming a small, low cost, integrated fiber optic switch is provided. The switch component is based upon VCSEL arrays and PD arrays, both coupled directly to an integrated circuit. The use of ink jet dispensing of polymers and solders create high quality optical and electrical interconnects to the active elements. Collimating and focusing polymer microlenses are printed directly onto the VCSEL arrays with photolithographic accuracy so that the light emitting from the VCSELs will directly couple into arrays of optical fibers. Collimating and focusing polymer microlenses are also utilized for coupling light from optical fibers into detector arrays. Ink jet dispensing of solders is utilized to electrically interconnect the active optical elements to the integrated circuit with minimal interconnect distance.
In accordance with the present invention, a method for forming a micro-optical switch component includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a surface. An opto-electronic device is integrated into the semiconductor substrate at a site. A pedestal of microlens material is formed on the semiconductor substrate surface at the site of the opto-electronic device. The pedestal extends from the semiconductor substrate surface and has a top surface spaced apart from the semiconductor substrate surface. A print head is provided and contains an optical fluid which is hardenable and capable of serving as a micro-optical element. The print head includes an orifice from which micro-droplets of the optical fluid are ejected in response to control signals. Optical fluid is deposited onto the top surface of the pedestal to thereby form a micro-optical element on the pedestal. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a non-azide based gas generating composition. The gas generating composition of the present invention is particularly useful for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.
An inflator for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag, contains a body of ignitable gas generating material. The inflator further includes an igniter. The igniter is actuated so as to ignite the body of gas generating material when the vehicle experiences a collision for which inflation of the air bag is desired to help protect a vehicle occupant. As the body of gas generating material burns, it generates a volume of inflation gas. The inflation gas is directed into the air bag to inflate the air bag. When the air bag is inflated, it expands into the vehicle occupant compartment and helps to protect the vehicle occupant.
Azide based gas generating compositions for generating gas to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device have the advantage that they produce non-toxic nitrogen gas during combustion and produce gas at relatively low gas temperatures. Non-azide based gas generating compositions, in contrast, typically produce gas at temperatures well above the temperature of gas produced by azide based gas generating compositions with some approaching 4000 K.
While non-azide based gas generating compositions potentially are thermodynamically efficient, they present heat management problems. For instance, it may be necessary, because of the high temperatures, to manufacture certain components of the vehicle occupant protection device of more expensive materials that are resistant to the high temperature gas which is generated. In addition, the non-azide based gas generating compositions tend to produce reaction products which may be in the vapor phase at high temperatures and thus more difficult to filter.
Various attempts to cool non-azide based gas generating compositions include adding chemical coolants to the compositions. Chemical coolants, however, tend to add to the volume of the gas generating material required without increasing the gas output. This reduces the gas output per volume of gas generating material in an amount dependent upon the amount of the coolant added.
The present invention is an apparatus comprising an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and a gas generating composition that, when ignited, produces gas to inflate the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device. The gas generating composition comprises a non-azide nitrogen containing organic fuel, an inorganic salt oxidizer, and a metal organic coolant. The metal organic coolant is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal formates, alkaline earth metal formates, alkali metal oxalates, and alkaline earth metal oxalates. The amount of metal organic coolant in the gas generating composition is a cooling amount. A preferred non-azide nitrogen containing organic fuel is one selected from the group consisting of guanidine nitrate, triaminoguanidine nitrate, and mixtures of guanidine nitrate and triaminoguanidine nitrate. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Conventionally, exclusive control of access to the same resource by a plurality of CPUs is executed by an OS (Operating System) or a scheme for preparing a semaphore flag in a memory area which can be accessed commonly by the respective CPUs, and accessing a bus after confirming the flag (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-20279).
In the former prior art, all exclusive control processes are left to the OS, putting a load on software. The latter prior art, i.e., the method of preparing a flag in a memory area suffers generation of a time lag in memory access, or a failure in an exclusive process upon simultaneous access to the flag in the memory area. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal, through which the spinal cord passes, that causes compression of the spinal cord. Such a narrowing can be caused by numerous factors including bone spurs, degeneration of the intervertebral disks and facet joints, and thickening of the ligaments. Among the symptoms spinal stenosis can produce are pain and/or numbness in the arms, clumsiness of the hands, and gait disturbances.
One such procedure for the repair of spinal stenosis is called a laminoplasty, in which the targeted vertebra is cut such that the vertebra can be spread apart to increase the diameter of the spinal canal. The cut produces two lamina ends, between which a laminoplasty plate is positioned to bridge the gap formed in the vertebra. Normally, a plate of an appropriate size is selected, bent to the desired shape and then fastened to the vertebra utilizing a plurality of screw holes positioned on the plate.
Two different laminoplasty procedures are in current use. The first is called the unilateral or “open door” laminoplasty in which one lamina (positioned to one side of the spinous process) is cut all the way through, while the other lamina (on the opposite side of the spinous process) is cut only partially through to create a hinge. The vertebral portion, including the spinous process, is then rotated about the hinge, and the plate is secured within the opening, maintaining the opening of the spinal canal.
The second procedure is called the bilateral or “French door” laminoplasty in which the midline of the spinous process is cut lengthwise all the way through, and each of the lamina are cut partially through to form two hinges. The bisected spinous process is then spread apart, and a plate is secured within the opening, again increasing the diameter of the spinal canal. Such laminoplasty procedures relieve pressure on the spinal cord while maintaining the stabilizing effects of the posterior elements of the vertebrae. By relieving pressure on the spinal cord it is the goal of laminoplasty to stop the progression of damage to the spinal cord and allow for a degree of recovery of function.
Commonly in “open door” laminoplasty procedures, the laminoplasty plate is of a solid construction having a rigid length to which the lamina ends must be positioned relative thereto. Alternatively the plate of an appropriate size is selected and bent to the desired shape and preferably has a plurality of screw holes, but again, such a plate has a rigid length. Adjustable length plates are also known in the art, though they are cumbersome and difficult to implant as they include multiple moving parts, all of which must be handled by a surgeon. Also, the accompanying instrumentation with such plates includes multiple handles which decrease the precision with which a surgeon can operate. | {
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This invention concerns an exhaust system for a motor vehicle equipped with a diesel propulsion engine, the exhaust system of which comprises a discontinuously regenerating exhaust gas purification system. Discontinuously regenerating exhaust gas purification systems include components such as diesel particulate filters and NOx-accumulating catalytic converters.
To comply with environmental specifications, exhaust gases of motor vehicles propelled by combustion engines are subjected to a purification process. Specifically, appropriate particulate filters are utilized to reduce particulate emissions of exhaust gases of motor vehicles propelled by diesel engines. Such particulate filters must be periodically regenerated by burning off particles accumulated on a filter surface. Due to the relatively low exhaust gas temperatures of modern diesel engines, to initiate regeneration, the exhaust gas temperature must be raised by approximately 100° C., using appropriate procedures or devices. The exhaust gas temperature must be raised if filter regeneration is to be feasible in conditions other than full load operation, even if fuel additives are used that are capable of lowering particulate ignition temperature. Without such additives, depending on the soot composition, the particulate ignition temperature ranges between 470° C. and 600° C. However, the use of such additives, in the long run, can cause the particulate filter to clog, necessitating its cleaning.
For this purpose various burners (refer, e.g., to DE 19504183 A1 and DE 19717544 A1) have been proposed for installation upstream of the particulate filter. Some disadvantages with such burners are the considerable structural and financial efforts associated with such burners, the considerable increase in space required due to the integration of a relatively large burner into the exhaust system, and the detrimental effect on the flow conditions within the exhaust pipe.
One solution, which relative to some of the above mentioned aspects, is more favorable, has been proposed in EP 132166 A1. In EP 132166, a low-boiling, organic fluid evaporates at a glow plug that extends into an exhaust gas carrying component located upstream of the particulate filter. Vapors either ignite at the tip of the glow plug after their thorough mixing with the oxygenous exhaust gas or, without any ignition, are mixed into the stream of exhaust gases. In the latter case a temperature increase of the exhaust gases ducted to the particulate filter, is obtained by catalytic oxidation of the vapors of the organic fluid in a catalytically coated area of the particulate filter. A particular disadvantage of this is the engineering and logistic effort associated with the storage of the low boiling organic fluid. Furthermore, the regeneration of the diesel particulate filter utilizing this heating device calls for exhaust gas temperatures of above 450° C., which in modern diesel engines can only be attained under full load.
A comparable approach is pursued by DE 19533355 A1 in which the temperature of the exhaust gases is raised for the purpose of regenerating a particulate filter by catalytically burning an auxiliary fuel, particularly a fuel gas, in an oxidizing converter connected upstream of the filter, utilizing the remaining oxygen in the exhaust gas stream and essentially without any additional combustion air. The disadvantages arising from it are the same as described before in conjunction with EP 132166 A1.
DE 3139565 A1, from which a motor vehicle of a generic kind may be derived, describes using atomizer nozzles to inject diesel fuel into, or immediately upstream of, a catalytically coated area of a particulate filter to increase the exhaust gas temperature in this manner by means of catalytic oxidation of the fuel. An electrical heating element is embedded in the catalytically coated area of the particulate filter to initiate catalytic oxidation. Specific disadvantages of the DE 3139565 A1 system are, aside from a considerable non-homogeneity of the temperature distribution, the fact that due to the partial evaporation the atomized fuel draws heat from the exhaust gas stream, and that the atomizer nozzles—given the conditions prevailing in non-purified exhaust gases of a diesel engine—tend to clog, thereby rendering the respective heating device non-functional within a short period of time. Thus, systems based on DE 3139565 A1 were never really utilized.
Finally, attempts have been made to increase the exhaust gas temperature up to the ignition temperature of the soot collecting on the particulate filter, using electrical heating elements. These attempts were quickly aborted as the required electrical power was not available in conventional motor vehicles.
NOx-accumulating catalytic converters are increasingly used to reduce the emission of nitrogen oxides. The regeneration of these converters requires an enrichment of the exhaust gases. While this is not a problem with gasoline engines, diesel engines that operate with excess air and whose exhaust gases therefore, as a rule, also contain excess air, require special procedures. | {
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The explosion-protected housings typically form an ignition protection type “flameproof encapsulation” (Ex-d) within which electrical and/or electronic component parts or components are contained. Such electrical components can represent ignition sources for an explosive atmosphere present in the surrounding area outside of the housing. In such explosion-protected housings the pressure release device serves the purpose of establishing a pressure compensation between the housing interior and the surrounding area. It serves the purpose of limiting or reducing the pressure on the housing in the event of an explosion, which takes place within the housing, or also of compensating pressure differences to the surrounding area, for example by means of temperature changes. For this purpose, a gas-permeable connection is established between the interior of the housing and the surrounding area via the pressure release device. Simultaneously, the pressure release device ensures that flames, sparks or the like cannot reach from the interior of the housing to the outside into the explosive surrounding area. The housing as well as the pressure release device must thus be able to withstand an explosion pressure.
A pressure release device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,177 A, for example. In this document, a porous body is inserted in a pressure release passage. The porous body is gas-permeable. It is held in the pressure release passage so as to be clamped between ring flanges in flow-through direction.
A pressure release device which is designed with a similar principle is known from DE 2010 016 782 A1. A porous body is seized therein at a ring-shaped edge zone and is clamped tightly. By means of the clamping, a pore seal can also be attained in this edge zone. A hollow-cylindrical accommodating part, in which a pressure release passage is formed, serves to enclose the porous body. This hollow-cylindrical accommodating part can be inserted in the housing wall of an explosion-proof housing and can in particular be screwed in. | {
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The present invention relates to a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry system that includes a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer.
Recently, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry systems (“GC/MS”) combining gas chromatographs and mass spectrometers have been widely used for identification analysis and quantification analysis of various kinds of samples. See, for example, the system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H10-283982.
In a GC/MS, when introducing sample gases into the column of the GC part, various kinds of sample introduction devices are used in accordance with the types and properties of the samples. For example, when analyzing agricultural chemicals, and in environmental analyses, a liquid sample introduction device is used which gasifies the liquefied sample inside a high-temperature sample gasification chamber and sends it into the column.
Also, when analyzing volatile organic compounds (“VOC”), such as trichloroethylene, and the like, a headspace sample introduction device is used. The headspace sample introduction device collects a specified quantity of sample gas volatized from a liquid sample stored in a container, and sends the volatized gas to the column.
Also, because it is necessary to also change the separation properties of the columns used for component analysis between agricultural chemicals and volatile organic compounds, the columns that are used are themselves different when using a liquid sample introduction device and when using a headspace sample introduction device.
Therefore, in an organization that must analyze both agricultural chemicals and volatile organic compounds, such as environmental analysis research institutions, it is desirable to have a GC/MS having a liquid sample introduction device and an associated column suitable for agricultural chemical analysis, and a GC/MS having a headspace sample introduction device and an associated column suitable for volatile organic compound analysis. Then, the systems can be prepared respectively in advance, and the analysis can be performed by selecting either device in accordance with the sample to be analyzed.
However, because preparing two GC/MS's is expensive, a conventional approach has been to perform agricultural chemical analysis and volatile organic compound analysis by suitably switching with one GC/MS. In the past, although there have been gas chromatography devices configured such that a liquid sample introduction device and a headspace sample introduction device can be arranged in parallel, it was still necessary to attach a column suitable for the respective analysis. That is, depending on whether a liquid sample introduction device or a headspace sample introduction device is used, it was necessary to attach a column between the sample gas outlet end of the liquid sample introduction device or the headspace sample introduction device, and a GC/MS interface.
Therefore, when switching, for example, from agricultural chemical analysis to volatile organic compound analysis, it has been necessary to replace the column inside the column oven. This is done by temporarily stopping the device and returning the vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer to approximately atmospheric pressure. Such operations take effort and time, and the analytical efficiency is degraded. Also, as a result of repeated stopping and starting of the device, instabilities easily arise. For example, the inside of the vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer may be contaminated by components in the air, and the reliability of analysis may be lowered.
Also, when analyzing volatile organic compounds in water, a purge/trap sample introduction device also may be used in place of the headspace sample introduction device. A purge/trap sample introduction device forcefully drives out volatile organic compounds and mold odors, and the like, in the water by blowing purge gas into a custom test tube in which sample water is collected, and temporarily retains the driven-out components in an adsorbent material. After that, the sample components are separated from the adsorbent material by heating them off, and they are then introduced into the column. Also, when it is desirable to selectively use such a sample introduction device with a liquid sample introduction device or headspace sample introduction device, the same problems as those described above also arise.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned problems associated with the prior art devices.
One object of the present invention is to provide a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry system that can perform analysis of samples of different kinds and different properties, such as analysis of agricultural chemicals, and the like, and analysis of volatile organic compounds, and the like, with one system using columns suitable for each.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry system that can perform the above-described two kinds of analysis continuously without requiring the annoying work of changing columns, and without temporarily stopping the device.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention and the associated drawings. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet head cartridge integrally incorporating an ink jet head and an ink tank, and an ink jet recording apparatus on which such cartridge is mounted, and an ink tank.
2. Related Background Art
In the past, in a liquid jet recording apparatus such as an ink jet recording apparatus, generally, the ink was replenished for exchanging an empty ink cartridge by a new cartridge containing a predetermined amount of ink. In this case, if the ink jet recording head itself is cheap, a so-called head/ink-tank integral cartridge wherein a head and an ink tank containing a predetermined amount of ink are integrally formed has been used. In such a recording apparatus, since the recording head can be renewed without fail whenever a predetermined amount of recording is finished (i.e., a predetermined amount of ink is used up) due to the integral design of the ink tank and the head, it is possible to always maintain the good recording quality. And, even if the recording quality is poor, since the ink jet recording head itself can easily be replaced, it is possible to shorten the down time of the recording apparatus. Further, in replenishing the ink, foreign matter can be prevented from entering the ink.
By the way, such an ink cartridge integrally incorporating the head includes the ink tank for storing the ink and for supplying the ink to a discharging portion. Such an ink tank must meet the following functional requirements at least:
(1) preventing the leakage of the ink; PA1 (2) preventing the vaporization of the ink; PA1 (3) storing a predetermined amount of ink and supplying the ink to the discharging portion stably; and PA1 (4) not blocking the discharge of the ink from the discharging portion.
As ink tanks which can meet such functional requirements, an ink tank including an ink bag and an ink tank including an ink absorber therein for applying negative pressure to the ink at the discharging portion have been already known (refer to FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,237).
However, in the above ink tank including the ink bag, with respect to the above requirement (4), in order to avoid the blocking of the discharge of the ink from the discharging portion due to the liquid head pressure of the ink, the relative positional relationship between the recording head and the ink tank is constructurally limited, and, further, it is necessary to provide a case for enclosing the ink bag independently from the ink bag in view of the treatment of the ink tank, thus making the ink tank expensive. On the other hand, in the ink tank including the ink absorber which can avoid the blocking of the discharge of the ink from the discharging portion due to the liquid head pressure of the ink, it is practical to provide a vent opening connecting the interior of the ink tank with the atmosphere in order to cope with the change in pressure in the ink tank due to the reduction of the ink amount in the tank (by ink consumption) and/or due to a change in temperature of air in the tank. However, in this case, the ink is liable to be vaporized through the vent opening (this does not meet the above requirement(2)), and, if the ink tank is left in this condition for a long time, vaporization of the ink will occur.
For example, the aqueous ink which has widely been used because it is advantageous in view of safety, generally includes, as its main components, water, dye and a non-volatile solvent. If the volatile component such as water is vaporized, the ratio of the components included in the ink itself will largely change, thus deleterisusly the fixing ability of the ink or paper and/or the recording feature such as the ink density, and further clogging the discharging portion with ink due to the increase in the viscosity of the ink. Further, since the effective available amount of the ink in the ink tank itself is decreased, this structure is economically disadvantageous. In particular, the smaller the capacity of the ink tank or the cartridge of head/ink-tank integral type, the more serious are the disadvantages from the change in composition of the ink and/or the reduction of the ink amount due to the vaporization of the ink. | {
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Broadcasting television signals by satellite is a common method of providing television service. Typically, communication satellites positioned in earth-synchronous orbits provide television signals to various countries around the world. Efforts have been made to standardize the national television standards of these countries in order facilitate television service. Frequently, however, the national television standards of these countries differ from country to country.
One such standard includes the audio standard for direct reception from satellites for multichannel sound. In order to provide television service to countries with varying audio standards, it is desirable to equip a television receiver so as to provide a multistandard audio receiving capability. In this regard, reference is made to an article entitled "Digitaler Multistandard Audio-Chipsatz", published in Elektronik on Mar. 16, 1990. In addition, reference is also made to "AMU 2481 VS Audio Processor for Video Recorders and Satellite Receivers", published in Intermetall on Feb. 18, 1991.
Generally, present satellite transmission systems for television utilize frequency modulation (FM). A disadvantage with these systems is that the individual FM sound carriers are distributed over numerous different positions within the intermediate sound frequencies. Consequently, in order to facilitate tuning to a specific multisound channel, the user is required to have knowledge of the respective positions of the FM sound carriers. In addition, these systems require that the television receiver is capable of accurately adjusting to the desired heterodyne frequency.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide search tuning for sound carriers that does not require knowledge of the position of the sound carrier within an intermediate sound frequency range. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a protective device for occupants of a motor vehicle in the case of a side impact.
2. Description of the Related Art
DE 10 2012 008 391 A1 discloses an occupant protective system for a motor vehicle having an airbag that can be filled via a gas generator. The air bag is folded and received in a backrest of the vehicle seat. However, the air bag that has been unfolded by the gas extends between two seats.
It is an object of the invention to provide a protective device for occupants of a motor vehicle in the case of a side impact that is known as a “far-side impact”, and more particularly to provide a protective device that is arranged on an inner side of a front seat and ensures a movement of the occupant by holding the occupant in the seat. | {
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Integrated circuit elements, such as transistors, capacitors and the like, have been drastically reduced in size and increased in density and proximity, which in turn reduce the signal propagation path length and the signal propagation time. However, the material properties and the physical effects by which transistors and other elements function are inevitably compromised as the sizes of integrated circuit elements reduce.
Many improved designs have therefore been provided in order to maintain suitable levels of performance of these elements. For example, lightly doped drain (LDD) structures (generally referred to as extension implants), halo implants and graded impurity profiles have been employed in field effect transistors (FETs) to counteract short channel and punch-through effects and the like. Reduction in device scale has also required operation at reduced voltages to maintain adequate performance without causing damage to the devices, even though operating margins may be reduced.
A principal factor that affects the performance of field effect transistors is the carrier mobility, which determines the amount of current or charge that may flow (as electrons or holes) through a doped semiconductor channel under a specific gate voltage. Reduced carrier mobility in an FET reduces not only the switching speed/skew rate of a given transistor, but also reduces the difference between “on” resistance to “off” resistance. This latter effect increases susceptibility to noise and reduces the number of and/or the speed at which downstream transistor gates can be driven.
It has been shown that mechanical stress in the channel region of an FET can increase or decrease carrier mobility significantly, depending on the stress type (e.g., tensile or compressive stress) and the carrier type (e.g., electron or hole). Typically, tensile stress in the transistor channel region increases channel electron mobility, but decreases channel hole mobility; on the other hand, compressive stress in such a channel region increases channel hole mobility, but decreases channel electron mobility.
In this regard, numerous structures and materials have been proposed for inducing tensile or compressive stress in the FET channel region, such as the use of an underlying SiGe layer for imparting stress from the bottom of the FET channel layer, and/or use of shallow trench isolation (STI) structures, gate spacers, Si3N4 etch-stop layers for imparting longitudinal stress from the sides of the FET channel layer.
However, there are issues, well known to those skilled in the art, regarding the underlying SiGe layer, including formation of dislocation defects that severely impact yield, along with increased manufacturing cost and processing complexity. The STI approach is less costly, but is not self-aligned to the gate and has external resistance (RX) size sensitivity. By using Si3N4 etch-stop layers, on the other hand, gain is limited by the space between two closely placed gates. As transistor scales, the space becomes smaller and thickness of Si3N4 has to be reduced accordingly, resulting in smaller stress effect.
Therefore, there is a continuing need for structures and methods that can provide significantly high stresses for forming high performance FET devices at reduced costs and processing complexity. | {
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The ability to steer or to controllably direct the path or the trajectory of a beam of radiant electromagnetic energy is a significantly useful tool in numerous radiant electromagnetic energy-based modern systems. Indeed, such ability to steer the travel direction of energy beams can be argued to be as significant in their utility as the underlying ability to place energy in these forms. Reflection of radiant energy in one or more manners has been known since the earth began and was perhaps first humanly experienced when a primitive man found light and heat from the sun was redirected by the smooth surface of a water body or from some naturally occurring objects such as a polished rock. In more modern times, the reflection of radio frequency spectrum energy from a metallic surface such as a reflector or from the surface of some object such as an aircraft or from moisture in a rain cloud has become the basis for radar systems of large variety. The use of metals as an energy reflection element across large portions of the electromagnetic spectrum has become a common event in environments as diverse as the electrical heater and the parabolic reflector used for electrical and optical signal enhancements.
The wide spectral extent of these radiant energy reflection characteristics are particularly notable and are relevant to the present invention. In terms of wavelength, radiant energy reflections are found to be especially useful in wavelengths extending from multiple centimeters as occur in the microwave portion of the radio frequency spectrum through the wavelengths measuring in microns as exist in the optical spectrum. Although the apparatus used to accomplish useful reflections in these diverse parts of the electromagnetic spectrum may differ significantly in physical arrangement it is possible to consider common principles applicable throughout this range of wavelengths and to speak of the generic concepts included in devices intended for more limited portions of this wavelength range in describing phenomenon occurring in the present invention. The optical end of this spectral range and energy steering accommodations made there may be considered first in approaching this broad spectral range.
Current liquid crystal and Microelectromechanical Deformable Micromirror (MEMS-DM) technologies do not for example offer the required ninety to one hundred twenty degree steering angles needed for effective optical and infrared beam steering purposes. Infrared radiation is, however, currently used for example in high fidelity sensing and is needed to deliver high energy to target objects at wide angles. Furthermore, present day agile beam-steering technologies for these wavebands or smaller can not operate in the high power/high energy environments needed for many projected military and non military uses expected in this spectral region with for example an infrared laser. Moreover inertia-free or electronically steered arrays, with characteristics needed for these uses in both the radio frequency and infrared applications have not heretofore been developed.
The use of energized or ionized gaseous plasma for video image display purposes has now become familiar in the electronic art. Devices of this type find utility in for example applications such as illuminated computer and television displays, large ballpark and stadium displays and aircraft instrumentation. Several of the prior art patents identified in the present document in fact use emissions from such gaseous plasma to stimulate phosphor transducer materials into emission of selected output wavelengths to provide a multicolor capable display. Interestingly, some of these herein identified patents also note a degree of similarity between plasma displays and the liquid crystal display that is frequently employed in lower energy applications such as battery powered watches and handheld electronic calculators for example. For present purposes, however, it appears significant to consider that such usage of ionized gas plasma in display oriented applications has heretofore largely ignored the capability of similarly disposed plasma to perform radiant energy steering functions.
Thus such plasma, when present in sufficient density, is found to have the ability to refract, radiate, absorb, transmit, and reflect electromagnetic wave energy over a wide range of radiant energy wavelengths and is seen as a possible answer to presently incurred radiant energy steering limitations. Infrared radiation in the electromagnetic wavelength spectrum from for example 0.4 micrometer to 12.5 micrometers is considered in the present invention. Along with this spectral range the arrangements of the invention are believed also usable in the radio frequency spectrum, in the microwave region for example. | {
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The present invention relates in general to a method for leak testing of a container, to a test chamber therefor and to a test machine for in-line testing of such containers. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a method for reducing test cycle time and for improving the measuring accuracy of a leak testing process as well as to a test chamber and to a test machine with reduced test cycle time and improved measuring accuracy.
Methods for leak testing of containers are known in which a pressure difference is applied between the interior and the exterior of a container to be tested as an initial value for later measuring. Afterwards, the time course of a pressure value, which is dependent from the pressure difference installed as the initial value and from leakage conditions of the container to be tested, is measured, significant for leak conditions of the container under test.
Such a leak testing method is e.g. known from the German laid open print no. 24 47 578. This reference provides for a testing method to test the welding seam of such container with respect to leakage. Therefore such containers are pressure loaded inside and also outside, through an opening of the container to be tested. There is provided separately a test channel around the welding seam of the container and leakage is monitored by measuring the time course or timely development of pressure within said test channel. This measuring is indicative for leakage of the welding seam of the open container.
From the German laid open print no. 21 15 563 it is further known to test the seam of containers which are closed by a foil lid. Thereby, the bottom of the container is perforated by means of a needle-like end part of a pressure line, by which the inside of the container is pressurized. By monitoring the time course of the inside pressure of the container, an indication is provided indicative of tightness of the container.
From the article "Lecksuche mittels Differenzdruckmessungen" from J. T. Furness, VFI 4/78, it is generally known to test a container on leakage by monitoring its internal or its external pressure. Thereby it is described that the smaller that a volume is selected wherein the time course of pressure is monitored, the more accurate such a measuring will become.
There exists a clear need for shortening the time span necessitated for a test cycle of a container on one hand and of improving the accuracy of such tests to be able to detect the smallest leakages of such containers.
A method and test chamber for leak testing a container with a substantially flexible wall portion disclosed in applicants' earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,291 offer a solution to the aforementioned need wherein the container is introduced into a test cavity so that the wall portion of the container is spaced from an inner adjacent wall portion of the test cavity with a gap being defined between the wall portion of the cavity and the flexible wall portion of the container. A pressure difference is installed as an initial value between the interior of the container and at least the gap by applying a pressure at least to the gap which is smaller than a pressure inside the container. The flexible wall portion of the container is supported from its exterior side within the test cavity using a grid or a mesh structured inlay to prevent the flexible wall portion from bending outwardly into contact with the wall portion of the test cavity as a result of the pressure difference. The time course of a pressure prevailing within the gap is measured as a leak indicative signal. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection type liquid crystal display apparatus using liquid crystal cells as light polarizing elements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional projection-type liquid crystal display apparatus is known which forms an image on a screen with light penetrating through a light valve consisting of a crystal liquid cells and polarizing plates which are placed on its front and back faces, respectively, as a polarizer and an analyzer, as disclosed under Japanese Provisional Publication No. 07 50010, for examples.
The conventional projection type liquid crystal display apparatus, however, has a problem in that it cannot form a bright and clear image on a screen, since it only utilizes, as a projection light, only a single component of linearly polarized light penetrating through a polarizing plate, from the random polarized light emitted from a light source. This is because it uses a light valve having a polarizing plate placed on the light incoming face of its liquid crystal cell. | {
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Manufacturing of semiconductor devices typically involves performing a sequence of procedures with respect to a substrate such as a silicon substrate, a glass plate, etc. (Such substrates may also be referred to as wafers, whether patterned or unpatterned.) These steps may include polishing, deposition, etching, photolithography, heat treatment, and so forth. Usually a number of different processing steps may be performed in a single processing system or “tool” which includes a plurality of processing chambers. However, it is generally the case that other processes are required to be performed at other processing locations within a fabrication facility, and it is accordingly necessary that substrates be transported within the fabrication facility from one processing location to another. Depending upon the type of semiconductor device to be manufactured, there may be a relatively large number of processing steps required to be performed at many different processing locations within the fabrication facility.
It is conventional to transport substrates from one processing location to another within substrate carriers such as sealed pods, cassettes, containers and so forth. It is also conventional to employ automated substrate carrier transport devices, such as automatic guided vehicles, overhead transport systems, substrate carrier handling robots, etc., to move substrate carriers from location to location within the fabrication facility or to transfer substrate carriers from or to a substrate carrier transport device.
For an individual substrate, the total fabrication process, from formation or receipt of the virgin substrate to cutting of semiconductor devices from the finished substrate, may require an elapsed time that is measured in weeks or months. In a typical fabrication facility, a large number of substrates may accordingly be present at any given time as “work in progress” (WIP). The substrates present in the fabrication facility as WIP may represent a very large investment of working capital, which tends to increase the per substrate manufacturing cost. It would therefore be desirable to reduce the amount of WIP for a given substrate throughput for the fabrication facility. To do so, the total elapsed time for processing each substrate should be reduced. | {
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Small, portable computing devices such as cellphone, smartphones, laptops, tablets and music/video player devices have become popular in recent years. As with most conventional computing devices, portable computing devices have a need for non-volatile storage for storing programs and data while powered down. Solid state memory lends itself well to such devices due to greater resistance to physical agitation, as from being dropped or carried. Accordingly, solid state memory is increasingly in demand for providing reliable, non-volatile storage for portable devices. | {
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The Claus process continues to be the most widely used process worldwide to convert hydrogen sulfide that has been stripped from acid gas or refinery off-gas streams to elemental sulfur. It consists of a two-stage process: the first process stage is thermal and the second stage is catalytic. During the thermal process, the H2S is partially oxidized with air in a reaction furnace at high temperatures, e.g., from 1000°-1400° C. Sulfur is formed, but some H2S remains unreacted and SO2 is also formed, as depicted below:2H2S+3O2→2SO2+2H2O (I)
During the catalytic process, the remaining H2S is reacted with the SO2 at lower temperatures, i.e., about 200°-350° C., over a catalyst to produce additional elemental sulfur, as follows:2H2S+SO2→3Sx+2H2O (II)
The Claus catalyst which offers improved sulfur conversion over spherical activated bauxite, or alumina, has high surface area, low density and high macroporosity. These properties provide maximum activity for the conversion of sulfur compounds. The art relating to the production of Claus catalysts is well developed, as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,858 and the numerous patents cited and discussed there. However, the reaction does not go to completion, even with the best catalyst. For this reason, two or three catalytic stages are used, with sulfur being removed between the stages.
Claus catalyst is deactivated due to lay down of coke and sulfur-containing species causing lowering of sulfur recovery and also polluting the atmosphere by releasing excessive amounts of sulfur dioxide during acid gas flaring. The deactivation of the Claus catalyst is caused by a variety of factors, such as the presence of accompanying hydrocarbons, particularly of C-5's and benzene, toluene and xylenes. Sour gases are prone to lay down coke on Claus catalyst due to thermal cracking in the split-flow mode.
Hundreds of tons/year of spent Claus catalyst are produced by gas processing plants, gas-oil separation plants (GOSPs) and natural liquid gas fractionation facilities due to frequent replacement of the alumina catalyst beds. In many instances, the spent catalyst has been disposed of by dumping it in a landfill. The cost of landfilling spent Claus catalyst is generally minimal where the land is available and inexpensive, the principal cost being its transportation.
National and international regulations have provided increased opportunities and economic incentives for the petroleum and gas processing industries to implement waste reduction programs for the purpose of enhancing the environment. The incentives for waste minimization on an international basis have been increased by the ban on the land disposal of untreated wastes from the petroleum industry. As the complexity and cost of waste management and disposal increases, waste minimization becomes a significant priority for industry and government.
The goal of reducing waste material from industrial processes requiring disposal can be accomplished either by regeneration of the material or by finding a new and economical use for the spent Claus catalyst waste material.
In some instances, the regeneration treatment cost has been found to be more expensive than purchasing fresh catalyst and, therefore, regeneration was not economically viable.
Other proposals for utilizing spend catalytic materials in an environmentally acceptable manner can also be found in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,548 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,498 recommend the use of catalyst particles within a prescribed size range as a base in large construction projects, such as roads and levees. However, the spent catalyst must also be mixed with hydrated lime, Portland cement and other binders.
The use of spent catalyst fines admixed with concrete is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,801. The use of catalyst particles in the process for manufacturing a Portland cement prior to the burning step is disclosed, but it also teaches the addition of an agglomerating material.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a means of economically and beneficially utilizing the spent Claus catalyst in order to provide an alternative to landfill disposal.
A further object of the invention is to provide new uses for spent Claus catalyst that will have a significant favorable environmental and cost-saving impact on those industries that must dispose of the spent catalyst. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
An electric motor converts electricity into mechanical power in the form of a rotating shaft known as a rotor. The angular velocity of the rotor may be based on the electricity flowing through field windings in the stator of the electric motor. A controller device may implement a method known as field-oriented control (FOC), also known as vector control, to determine the amplitude of the electrical current that should flow through each field winding of the stator.
A controller device using FOC may measure or estimate the electrical currents through the field windings and determine the desired electrical currents to flow through the field windings. The controller device may include one or more feedback loops designed to regulate the electrical currents to their desired levels. A controller device that implements sensorless FOC may also include circuitry configured to estimate the angular velocity of the rotor. The controller device may compare the estimated angular velocity to the desired angular velocity to determine an error signal for the angular velocity. To correct the angular velocity to the desired angular velocity, the controller device may control the electrical currents through the field windings based on the error signal for the angular velocity.
Rotor lock is a condition in which the rotor of an electric motor is partially or fully obstructed. Many different events may cause rotor lock, depending on the environment of the electric motor. For example, an object may enter the electric motor and contact the rotor, causing rotor lock. In another example, an internal component of the electric motor may malfunction or dislodge, causing rotor lock. In some examples, the rotor may have nonzero angular velocity during rotor lock, such as when the rotor is partially obstructed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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As is well known in electrosurgery, with a monopolar device configuration, electrical power is delivered from a power source to an active terminal provided with the device. The electrical energy from the device then is passed through the patient generally to a large surface, electrically dispersive ground pad, often referred to as the return terminal, located on the back or other suitable anatomical location of the patient, and then back to the power source. Conversely, bipolar devices include both the active and return electrodes on the device. Electrical current flows from the active electrode generally through localized tissue and then to the return electrode and back to the power source.
One often cited advantage of bipolar devices as compared to monopolar devices is the elimination of electrical current flowing through the patient to a ground pad. However, devices such as bipolar scissors tend to be fairly complex in attempting to electrically isolate the active electrical terminal (pole) from the other return electrical terminal (pole). Furthermore, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,281 in the name of Heard entitled “Bipolar Electrosurgical Scissors and Method Of Manufacture”, one of the advantages of monopolar electrosurgical tools is that the surgeon can apply electrosurgical current whenever the conductive portion of the tool is in electrical contact with the patient. Thus, a surgeon may operate with monopolar electrosurgical tools from many different angles. In contrast, bipolar tools suffer from the drawback that the surgeon must carefully position the tool to ensure that both electrical poles are in electrical contact with the patient in order to apply electrosurgical current. This may limit the range of motion and the angle from which the surgeon can effectively use the bipolar tool.
However, with dry tip electrosurgical devices, both monopolar and bipolar, the temperature of tissue being treated may rise significantly higher than 100° C., possibly resulting in tissue desiccation, tissue sticking to the electrodes, tissue perforation, char formation and smoke generation.
One attempt with monopolar scissors, in order to restrict the electric current flow through the patient, has been to decrease the size of the active electrode to only a portion of the confronting (shearing) surfaces. In this manner, the chance that a surgeon may inadvertently conduct current into and burn surrounding tissue is also reduced. One such solution, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,281 in the name of Levin entitled “Insulated Surgical Scissors,” is to entirely cover the pair of opposing cutting blades with an electrically and thermally insulative material except along corresponding segments of the confronting surfaces. Thus, this '281 patent does not recognize any benefit to providing electrically active surfaces on the pair of opposing cutting blades other than certain segments of the confronting surfaces and aims to prevent such. However, the need for this insulative material also increases the complexity of the scissors.
However, the teachings of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,281 patent are somewhat in contrast to the U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,281 patent. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,281 patent discloses that it would be desirable to allow surgeons to use the exterior surfaces of the scissors to coagulate tissue. However, the U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,281 patent does not address how to reduce the burning of surrounding tissue addressed by the U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,281 patent, nor any other concerns of tissue desiccation, tissue sticking to the electrodes, coagulum build-up on the electrodes, tissue perforation, char formation and smoke generation which may occur with use of dry electrosurgical devices.
In light of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide devices, systems and methods which overcome the limitations of the art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Construction of an optical transmission system on a printed board requires high-accuracy registration and anchoring of an optical connector that connects an element such as a semiconductor laser element and a photodetector to a member such as an optical fiber. Typically, an accuracy as high as about ±10 μm is needed for the light axis registration. Taking as an example the PT optical connectors developed by The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and NEC Corporation and specified in JPCA-PE03-01-065 Detail Specification for Optical Board Connector type PT using Glass Fibres, a registration accuracy of, for example, ±3 μm or less is required between the PT guide pin, a registration pin of the PT optical connector, and the guide hole, a registration hole provided for a PT optical module, or between the PT guide pin, a registration pin of a PT optical module and the guide hole, a registration hole provided for the PT optical connector. Further, the optical connectors disclosed in, for example, JP-A-2011-017924, JP-A-2011-017925, JP-A-2008-046367, and JP-A-2004-184429 also use a guide pin and a guide hole for the registration between the optical connector and a module main body or between the optical connectors. Further, high registration accuracy is also often required, for example, in mounting various electronic components on a printed board, or another substrate on a printed board. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Generally, improvements in radar system configurations have focused on performance characteristics such as greater range, higher efficiency, or new functional modes and capabilities. Over most of the history of radar, typical examples of such improvements have been better power management, greater effective radiated power, lower noise, greater stability, or specialized modulation and beam forming techniques. Additionally component integration (such as MIMIC devices and integrated T/R modules) and miniaturization of mechanical and electronic components within the system have improved system reliability and performance. However, system configurations and integrated system architectures have typically remained the same over many system generations—a by-product of an evolutionary design approach.
More recently, as digital technology has developed, software control and software radar receivers have enabled dynamic reconfigurability and more flexible, computationally intensive data analysis. Conversion of traditional analog implementation structure to digital devices and radar implementations have led to software selectable operation modes, e.g., target detection, target tracking (Track), moving target indicator (MTI), and others. Furthermore, the migration from entirely analog to mostly digital systems has made possible complex modes of operation such as synthetic aperture imaging (SAR) and other computationally intensive radar applications.
The advent of affordable, large scale, fast computer data management, embedded digital signal processors (DSPs), and affordable, fast data storage has spawned new concepts in data transfer and data processing for radar systems. An example of such a radar system organization is the ‘scalable radar signal processing system’ described by R. Gaentgen, (U.S. Pat. No. 6,545,635, issued Apr. 8, 2003), wherein one or more digital signal processing units are connected in a parallel fashion to an information transfer bus. Furthermore, organizational structures have been developed for computers, mass data storage, and for networks of computers and storage devices that effect data transfer rates in the gigabit per second (Gbps) range, multiple user accessible storage area networks, and computer clusters. These have direct applicability to radar systems that employ digital processing and ‘software receivers’. An example of such a computer development is the ‘loosely coupled mass storage computer cluster’ described by B. E. Mann et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,114, issued Apr. 29, 2003). Still further, networks of computers, sensors, and instruments are well known, e.g., the internet concept, as is the use of a network within a localized system embodied as an intranet or as a parallel bus structure.
In the prior art for radar systems, computer systems, and networks, however, each system comprises subsystem units that are relatively complex, multi-component assemblies, and these subunits are connected as subordinate clients on a data transfer system. Although some of these subunits may have their own embedded processors and data storage, it has not been recognized that each subunit may be organized as a structure that has similarity with the overall system and also, that its subunits may also be organized as such similar units. This kind of multi-layered system organization is referred to as ‘self-similar’ because the overall system and its individual layers share a similar organizational structure. The ranking of subordinate layers of system subunits is called a ‘hierarchical’ scheme. Because of the ranking, the layers are also referred to as levels. The uppermost level can be assigned to the overall system, the global level. The lowest level can be assigned to the ‘component’ or ‘device’ level. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to blind riveting and is especially concerned with tools for use in setting rivets in pull-through blind riveting.
The expression "pull-through blind riveting" is used herein to denote a procedure in which a shank of a tubular rivet having a head at one end, assembled on a stem of a mandrel which has a head which is too large to pass through the rivet shank without deforming it, is inserted in a hole in a workpiece from one side, in such a manner that the rivet head abuts the workpiece at said one side and the shank projects from the workpiece at the other side, and the rivet is set by pulling the mandrel stem at said one side of the workpiece while holding the head of the rivet against the workpiece whereby the mandrel head effects radial expansion of the rivet shank at the other side of the workpiece and is thereafter pulled right through the rivet.
It is customary in pull-through blind riveting to use a rivet-setting tool which has a nosepiece which serves as an abutment to engage the rivet head, and a mandrel with a long stem on which a number, for example 25, rivets are assembled, the rivets being set one after another upon reciprocation of the mandrel and forward feeding of the rivets successively through the nosepiece and up to the mandrel head. After all the rivets on the mandrel have been set, the mandrel is removed from the tool and the same, or another, mandrel loaded with fresh rivets is inserted in the tool.
To enable the rivets to pass forwardly along the mandrel stem through the nosepiece of a tool as just referred to, the nosepiece is constituted by two abutment members which separate, one on each side of a plane which includes the axis of the mandrel stem, thus allowing each rivet in turn to pass between the two members. In some pull-through blind riveting operations the members of the nosepiece close into abutting engagement with one another after a rivet has passed between them, the shape of the members and of the rivets permitting them so to do; in others, the members do not abut one another but close into engagement with the shank of the next following rivet on the mandrel stem. In some blind riveting operations, sufficient engagement with the rivet head in blind riveting is afforded by nosepiece members which engage only a peripheral margin of the rivet head, so far as permitted, if the members are surrounding the shank of the next rivet; in others it is important that the members closely surround the mandrel stem (as, for example, when carrying out blind riveting as described in the above-cited U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 700,909).
It is also desirable that the mandrels of pull-through blind riveting tools can be rapidly changed when the supply of rivets on a mandrel has run out.
It is necessary for rivet-advancing means to be provided in a pull-through blind-riveting tool of the kind which has a mandrel with a number of rivets on its stem for feeding the rivets forwardly along the stem between riveting operations. Such means has customarily involved a stop device mounted on the mandrel stem and arranged to advance step by step therealong, a spring being interposed between the stop and the rearmost rivet. Such means has to be dismantled after all the rivets on a mandrel have been used to enable a fresh supply to be loaded onto it. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for stimulating plant growth under controlled conditions and more particularly pertains to a closed plant-holding container which is provided with an artificial light source as well as means for providing various liquids to the encapsulated plants.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The providing of artificial light to plants retained within closed containers is well known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,544, which issued to Davis et al. on Apr. 8, 1980, discloses a chamber for cultivating plant growth utilizing a plurality of light fixtures wherein the lights are employed to artificially control plant growth. The structure illustrated in this patent requires the use of a completely closed building structure utilizing a plurality of ventilating fans and a flow of cooling water to remove excess heat from the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,666, which issued to R. Rakestraw on Feb. 17, 1981, discloses a supporting structure for plants which includes a plurality of rotatable trays or shelves mounted on a central support wherein the trays are utilized to retain potting soil and plants. Additionally, means are provided for illuminating the plants to facilitate their growth by an artificial light source. While being functional for its intended purpose, the Rakestraw device does not utilize a closed container whereby much of the artificial light is dissipated as is the heat provided by the artificial light sources. As such, only minimal usage of the artificial light and its attendant heat is made use of.
Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,135, which issued to J. DeMarco on Jul. 25, 1989, wherein an apparatus for stimulating plant growth under controlled conditions utilizes a housing having florescent lamps retained therein. Lamps are mounted within the interior for the purpose of stimulating growth of the plants and a reflective surface is utilized on the interior of the housing. While being quite functional for its intended purpose, the DeMarco apparatus is of a complex manufactured design which employs the process of vacuum metalization to obtain a reflective interior surface. Further, no provision is made for waterproofing the florescent lamp connections whereby a water spray can be safely utilized within the container, nor can a plant positioned within the container be rotated so as to achieve a more even light distribution.
As is now apparent, there are many different types of illuminated containers and the like for stimulating plant growth. However, these devices are either substantially complex in construction (and thus expensive to manufacture) or they are so simply constructed that substantial inefficiency results. As such, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved house plant containers which allow stimulated growth through the employment of artificial light and in this connection, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention concerns coating compositions including polyurethane or polyurea polymers and one or more amino resins.
The reaction of propylene carbonate with primary and secondary amines to produce corresponding 2-hydroxypropyl carbamates is known in the art (Comp. rend, 1142, 1954). Thus, the prior art shows an awareness that amines react with, e.g., propylene carbonate, to yield the corresponding hydroxyalkyl carbamates. Similar reactions of ethylene carbonate are exemplified by the article, "The Preparation of Polymeric and Cyclic Urethans and Ureas from Ethylene Carbonate and Amines" by Elizabeth Dyer and Harvey Scott, J.A.C.S. (1956) pp. 672-675. The Dyer-Scott reference discloses that polyurethanes might be prepared from 2-(hydroxyethyl) carbamate by elimination of ethylene glycol, thereby avoiding the need for using diisocyanates. See also the report "Polyurethane elastomers obtained without the use of diisocyanates" by L. Ya. Rappoport, G. N. Petrov, I. I. Trostyanskaya and O. P. Gavrilova in International Polymer Science and Technology, 8, No. 1, 1981. The Rappoport et al paper discloses generally the reaction of cyclic carbonates with amines to form polyurethane elastomers. The Journal of Polymer Science, Vol. 7, 899 916 (1969), in an article entitled "New Method for Preparing Saturated and Unsaturated Aliphatic Polyurethanes" by Y. Mizake, S. Ozaki and Y. Hirata, at pages 899-915 ,discloses alternate routes to saturated and unsaturated polyurethanes, including polycondensation reaction of glycol bis(chloroformate) with diamine.
An article by Richard D. Cowell entitled: "Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomers: Chemistry Properties and Processing for the 80's" in the Journal of Elastomers and Plastics, Vol. 14, (October, 1982) pages 195-203, discloses the preparation of bis(2-hydroxyethyl) carbamates by reaction of diamines with ethylene carbonate followed by a catalyzed transesterification reaction with a glycol or macroglycol. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field
This disclosure generally relates to analytical instruments, and particularly analytical instruments for use with specimen holders that hold specimens or samples to be analyzed.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are numerous types of analytical instruments used for a variety of purposes, for example research, testing, and diagnostics. For example, some analytical instruments are used to detect biological substances, for instance proteins or DNA.
Many analytical instruments expose a specimen or sample of a material to be analyzed to electromagnetic energy and senses or otherwise detects a response of the specimen or sample to the exposure. For example, a specimen or sample may be exposed to illumination in one or more wavelengths or ranges of wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. For instance, a specimen or sample may be exposed to or illuminated with electromagnetic energy in an optical portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, extending from infrared to ultraviolet and encompassing visible light as well as invisible light such as near infrared or near ultraviolet wavelengths. Many materials will reflect some wavelengths while absorbing other wavelengths. Some materials may reemit electromagnetic energy at a different or shifted wavelength in a phenomenon commonly referred to as fluorescence. This spectral response may be used to characterize the material.
Analytical instruments are often used with disposable specimen or sample holders which hold specimens or samples of the material to be analyzed. Specimen or sample holders may take the form of simple cuvettes or may be relatively more complicated microfluidic platforms with channels, wells, reservoirs, pumps, valves, etc. Such may come in a variety of shapes, typically plates with either a rectangular or circular profile. The specimen or sample holders are removably located in the analytical instrument.
In some instances, the specimen or sample holders also hold one or more reagents that are targeted to react with certain substances. Some reagents may for example fluoresce, aiding in identification of substances with which the reagents react.
The ability to accurately measure responses from specimens or samples is important. Achieving consistent illumination or excitation is important to producing accurate results. Such may be difficult due to alignment errors, particularly where the specimen or sample holder is removable. Typically high density of specimens or samples on a sample holder is desirable. However, closeness of specimens or samples may complicate analysis. Interference between sampling of neighboring areas or locations may also contribute to error or inaccuracies.
New approaches which may lead to improved accuracy in analytical instruments are desirable. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical devices comprising conductive polymer compositions.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Conductive polymer compositions comprising a conductive carbon black dispersed in a polymer are well known. Over recent years, there has been particular interest in such compositions which exhibit positive temperature (PTC) characteristics, i.e. which show a very rapid increase in resistivity over a particular temperature range. Reference may be made for example to U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,978,665; 3,243,753; 3,351,882; 3,412,358; 3,413,442; 3,591,526; 3,673,121; 3,793,716; 3,823,217; 3,858,144; 3,861,029; 3,914,363, and 4,017,715; 4,177,376, 4,177,446, 4,246,468, 4,388,607, 4,421,582, 4,426,339 and 4,534,889. British Patent No. 1,409,695; Brit. J. Appl. Phys. Series 2, 2 569-576 (1969, Carley Read and Stow); Kautschuk und Gummi II WT, 138-148 (1958, de Meij); Polymer Engineering and Science, Nov. 13, 1973, No. 6, 462-468 (J. Meyer); U.S. Patent Office Defensive Publication No. T 905,001; and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 601,639. The disclosure of each of the above patents and applications is incorporated herein by reference.
PTC compositions are useful, inter alia, in electrical devices comprising a PTC element in combination with another resistive element whose resistance remains relatively constant at least up to the temperature range in which the PTC element shows a very rapid increase in resistance, such other element being referred to be as a constant wattage (CW) [or relatively constant wattage (RCW)] element. It is to be noted that the resistance of a CW element need only be relatively constant in the temperature range of normal operation; thus it can decrease, remain constant, or increase slowly in this range, and can exhibit PTC characteristics above normal operating temperatures of the device. Such devices are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,715 and German Offenlegungschrift Nos. 2,543,314.1 and 2,903,442.2. In order to obtain the best results from such devices, it is necessary that the resistivities of the PTC and CW elements should be correlated throughout the temperature range of operation and in many cases that the resistivity/temperature characteristics of the elements and the contact resistance between the elements (whether bonded directly to each other, as is generally preferred, or through a layer of a conductive adhesive) should not change excessively on storage or in use, eg. due to temperature variations which take place during operation of the device. The CW compositions hitherto available are not fully satisfactory in these respects. For example, it is well known that certain conductive polymer compositions comprising an elastomer and a carbon black exhibit CW behavior, but unfortunately the resistivity of such compositions is excessively dependent on their thermal history. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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As shown in FIG. 8, there has been proposed a chassis dynamometer including a pit cover 104 provided with a roller opening 103 for resting a wheel 101 of a test vehicle (not shown) on a roller 102 of a test vehicle (not shown), and an opening open/close plate 105 that is operated to open and close the roller opening 103. Further, reference signs 106, 107 denote a rack and a pinion which cooperate to move the opening open/close plate 105. (For instance, see Patent Literatures 1, 2).
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 2010-25654
Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 2002-181667 | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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When disaster strikes, effective telecommunications for emergency response personnel involved in recovery efforts is essential. Since telecommunications capability can be severely affected due to excessive traffic in a disaster situation, loss of infrastructure, and potential denial of service attacks, certain schemes can be included in the telecommunications network to enable and facilitate emergency response communications.
One such scheme is the United States' Government Emergency Telephone Service (GETS). GETS is a set of switch-based and Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) features which allow authorized users to gain access to enhanced call completion features, including Alternate Carrier Routing, High Probability of Completion (HPC), HPC Detection and SS7 IAM Message Priority, HPC Trunk Queuing, HPC Exemptions From Network Management Controls, Enhanced Alternate Carrier Routing, and Default Routing. To gain access to GETS, a user first dials an access number, then enters an authentication PIN, and then enters the desired destination number. GETS operates on the major long-distance carrier networks, most local networks, including wire-line, cellular and PCS systems, and government-leased networks such as the Federal Telecommunications System (FTS2000) and the Defense Information System Network (DISN). Thus, GETS access is available from most every telephone line in the country.
Other countries may have implemented such national telecommunications preference schemes to handle emergencies within their borders. However, some emergency situations require coordination on an international level. In these situations, communications may be required from a country that has not invoked a national preference scheme into a destination country that has. These communications may also transit through intermediate countries that may or may not have invoked their national preference schemes. Standards document International Telecommunications Union, Telecommunications Standardizations Sector (ITU-T) Recommendation E.106, “Description of an International Emergency Preference Scheme (IEPS)”, March, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference, describes an interoperability scheme to allow communications between the essential users in one country and their correspondents in another during a crisis.
In addition to same or similar features as those in GETS to enhance call completion, another key aspect of IEPS is end-to-end call marking such that IEPS calls are recognized as such and afforded preference in the network even as the calls traverse national boundaries.
In the current trust model, it is assumed that IEPS authentication will take place at the national level where the call is placed and no more authentication, such as at subsequent national network entry switches, is needed. However, this may not be the case. For example, hostile groups in foreign countries or even hostile foreign governments may try to disrupt emergency telephone service in a destination country experiencing a disaster by overloading the emergency telephone service in the destination country. This could be accomplished, for example, by hacking into the originating country's telecommunications network through physical access to an SS7 cable or via a packet protocol and an IP gateway, and flooding the destination country's network with bogus IEPS calls. This is akin to a denial of service attack on the Internet.
The latest working draft of E.106 (Apr. 28, 2003) recommends authenticating entity electronic signature validation as a means to thwart such a denial of service attack. The recommendation suggests that the originating network include in the call establishment messages all necessary information so that the intermediate and terminating networks may validate the call and decide on the appropriate level of preferential treatment without the need to query the originating network. The necessary information would include authenticating entity identity and an electronic signature of the authenticating entity. Each IEPS call could be validated at the network entry of each national boundary traversed between the originating and destination networks.
Authenticating entity identities could be, for example, each country's government agency charged with the authentication of national emergency service calls. Other authenticating entities could, for example, be international agencies such as the International Red Cross should they choose to offer the service to their agents and are doing an authentication process. The inclusion of authenticating entity identity allows other national networks to quickly determine if there is an arrangement to handle such calls, from that entity as preference calls. It is estimated that the creation of only a few hundred such IEPS authenticating entities should suffice for the worldwide international telecommunications network.
The electronic signature of the authenticating entity would be used to confirm the identity of the authenticating entity without further queries back to the originating network. Since electronic signature technology is evolving, it has been proposed that the initial message also include a field identifying the type of electronic signature being used so that more sophisticated signatures can be introduced over time should they become needed. It is envisioned that a public key/private key pair be used and that a time stamp be included in the key so that spoofing attempts with an intercepted key would not be successful.
Network entry switches (or a designated switch/switches or element/elements in the network) would perform or coordinate an authenticating entity validation function for each IEPS call and either grant or deny preferential treatment to the call based on the policy to be followed toward the originating network authenticating entity. However, the validation schemes used to validate the electronic signatures can be quite processor intensive. IEPS call volumes tend to be heaviest when there is an emergency, and this is the very time that the receiving networks may be in significant overload because of non-IEPS calls occurring related to the emergency. While it would be tempting to skip the validation process during periods of massive overload, this would leave the receiving networks open to denial of service attacks. Such an attack could flood the receiving network's remaining limited capacity and could cause valid IEPS calls to fail.
Denial of service attacks could also come from a hostile government. In this case, the authenticating entity and the electronic signature may both be valid, but the volume of IEPS calls originating from the hostile government would be well beyond any measure of reasonableness and be intended to interfere with legitimate emergency recovery communications rather than to assist with recovery. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved insulator for covering electrical connections, and more particularly relates to tubular insulators which may be slipped over the ends of wire splices and secured in place to insulate the electrical connection.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The art is replete with descriptions of insulator devices for insulating electrical wire connections. Representative of prior art devices is that described in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,742,123; RE. 30,447; and RE. 30,817.
In general, the prior art insulating devices are relatively complex in structure and may comprise, for example, tubular members having diverse, layered compositions. For example, multi-layered tubular devices are known which comprise an outer layer of a heat shrinkable, synthetic polymeric resin lined with a soft, thermoplastic resin for encapsulating electrical wires. In use, these devices are inserted over the electrical connection and exposed to heat sufficient to shrink the outer tubular layer. As the outer tubular layer shrinks, around the electrical connection, the soft thermoplastic liner softens and flows around the electrical connection to effect an encapsulation of the wires.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the prior art devices as described above are relatively complex in structure and expensive to manufacture. In addition, the soft thermoplastic liners may be expressed from the shrinking outer layer, during their use. This is undesirable, since the expressed theremoplastic materials may be messy, adhesive in nature and unsightly to the finished product.
The electrical connection insulators of the present invention are characterized in part in that they may be fabricated from polymeric resin materials which are more stable, thermally, i.e., they do not flow under conditions of use, thereby obviating the problem of an expressed adhesive mess. The insulators of the invention are particularly useful for insulating electrical wire connections within motor assemblies. In this use, the insulators are initially secured to the electrical connection by a selective shrinking of one component of the insulator about the connection. The wires and connector may then be handled. Subsequently, the insulator is permanently emplaced under heat and pressure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
At present, portable mobile terminals have been widely applied in numerous aspects of people's life, and have become a leading factor in the development of the semiconductor industry. The majority of the existing portable mobile terminals are provided with chargeable batteries to power system circuits in the mobile terminals. As an increasing number of functions supported by the portal mobile terminals are emerging, their system circuits also consume more and more power, and given a limited capacity of the batteries, the mobile terminals operate for a shorter and shorter period of time after the batteries are charged, resulting in that the batteries have to be charged more and more frequently.
At present the batteries have been widely charged in two general schemes: in one of the schemes, the batteries are charged by a general power source adaptor (charger), i.e., in the standard DCP charging scheme, where the general power source adaptor generally supports an output of only fixed voltage, e.g., 5V, 9V, 12V, etc., so that the output voltage may not be selectable flexibly, and it may take a long period of time to charge the batteries, for example, it typically takes 3 to 4 hours to charge a drained battery of a handset until the battery is fully charged; and in the other scheme, the batteries are charged by a host (e.g., a computer, etc.), i.e., in the SDP charging scheme. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a suction recovery device for discharging liquid from a pump after it was sucked, and a recording system such as a copying machine, facsimile, computer, word processor and combination thereof, having such a recovery device, and more particularly, it relates to an ink jet recording system wherein the suction recovery device of the above-mentioned type is applied to an ink receiving member such as a cap for receiving waste ink from a recording head.
2. Related Background Art
In the past, in an ink recording system wherein an ink image is recorded on a recording medium such as a cloth, paper, OHP sheet and the like (referred to as "recording sheet" or merely as "sheet" hereinafter), a recording head having an array of minute or small discharge openings has been used. Therefore, when bubbles and/or dirt are entered into the discharge opening or openings or when the viscosity of ink is increased due to the vaporization of solvent in the ink, which lead to the poor ink discharge or poor recording, or before such a poor condition occurs, a treatment for removing the factors leading to the poor ink discharge (discharge recovery treatment) has been adopted.
Normally, a preliminary discharge operation for discharging the ink from the discharge openings (for example, toward a cap or ink absorbing sheet or sponge) without recording an image on a sheet or a suction recovery operation effected by a pump communicated with a cap to generate a suction force in the cap has been used as the discharge recovery treatment.
On the other hand, within the recording system, there is disposed a waste ink tank for collecting waste ink produced by the discharge recovery treatment. Further, an idle suction operation for sucking the ink together with air by activating the pump while communicating the cap with the atmosphere is also effected in order to direct the waste ink contained in the discharge recovery device including the cap, pump and a waste ink tube connecting them to each other to the waste ink tank. This idle suction operation is very effective to prevent the residual waste ink from being solidified or from leaking out of the cap if the waste ink produced by the discharge recovery treatment is left in the discharge recovery device.
Further, such a pump has been used not only to suck the waste ink but also to discharge normal liquids to predetermined positions in various applications.
However, the idle discharge operation was generally effected at a high speed to prevent the delay in the discharge recovery treatment, with the result that the liquid sucked by the pump tended to flow backwardly or reversely. This tendency is particularly noticeable when the pump has been used for a long time.
Similarly, even when the idle suction operation is effected by a discharge recovery mechanism wherein the interior arrangement within a cylinder thereof is simplified by omitting a normal check valve mechanism, the above-mentioned back flow frequently occurs. In addition since the suction recovery mechanism requires a large installation space within the recording system, in order to make the recording system small-sized, it is needed to make the suction recovery device itself small-sized. However, the smaller the recovery device the more the above-mentioned back flow problem is serious. Thus, it has been recognized that it was important to solve this problem.
As mentioned, if the ink once sucked flows reversely, there arises a problem that the ink is scattered in bubble forms with air from the cap to adhere to a recording head opposed to the cap. The ink adhered to the recording head adversely affects an ink discharge condition. That is to say, the ink adhered to the discharge openings and therearound of the recording head pulls ink droplets discharged from the discharge openings, thus deviating the ink droplets from their normal paths.
Further, although a wiping operation is effected to remove the excessive ink droplets on the recording head during the discharge recovery treatment, if an amount of ink adhered to the recording head is great, a wiping blade is liable to become dirty easily, with the result that, when a large number of prints are continuously produced, the wiping ability is reduced, thus worsening the recording quality. Although it is considered that a special valve mechanism is provided for preventing the back flow of the bubble-form ink, there arises a drawback that the system is bulky and the cost thereof is increased. Further, when the ink flows reversely, the amount of the residual waste ink in the system increases. Under this condition, if the recording system is left for a long time, the waste ink will be solidified, thus resulting in the malfunction of the recovery device. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The electronics industry has experienced an ever increasing demand for smaller and faster electronic devices which are simultaneously able to support a greater number of increasingly complex and sophisticated functions. Accordingly, there is a continuing trend in the semiconductor industry to manufacture low-cost, high-performance, and low-power integrated circuits (ICs). So far, these goals have been achieved in large part by scaling down semiconductor IC dimensions (e.g., minimum feature size) and thereby improving production efficiency and lowering associated costs. However, such scaling has also introduced increased complexity to the semiconductor manufacturing process. Thus, the realization of continued advances in semiconductor ICs and devices calls for similar advances in semiconductor manufacturing processes and technology.
Recently, multi-gate devices have been introduced in an effort to improve gate control by increasing gate-channel coupling, reduce OFF-state current, and reduce short-channel effects (SCEs). One such multi-gate device that has been introduced is the gate-all around transistor (GAA). The GAA device gets its name from the gate structure which can extend around the channel region providing access to the channel on two or four sides. GAA devices are compatible with conventional complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes and their structure allows them to be aggressively scaled while maintaining gate control and mitigating SCEs. In conventional processes, GAA devices provide a channel in a silicon nanowire. However, integration of fabrication of the GAA features around the nanowire can be challenging. For example, while the current methods have been satisfactory in many respects, continued improvements are still needed | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to a fluidized bed drying apparatus, and more particularly, to a fluidized bed drying apparatus in which target-particles containing moisture, such as brown coal, are exposed to gases having different temperatures and different flow velocities in specified areas of a drying segment to improve drying efficiency.
2. Description for the Related Art
Generally, a fluidized bed drying apparatus has been used for drying efficiently wet particles such as coal, brown coal, slag and limestone, etc., through contact with heated-air over a large area of the particles when the particles are in a state of floating in an upper section of a bed by upward heated-air flow supplied from a lower section of the bed. That is, particles in fluid-like state are floated over a bed of heated-air (or gas) such that the target-particles being dried are well contacted with the heated-air. The drying procedure heat transfer coefficient between the target-particles being dried and the heated-gas is large so that the target-particles are dried rapidly and evenly.
According to prior art fluidized bed drying apparatus, target-particles for being dried are fluidized only in one drying space or floated over one bed using a gas having one set temperature and one set velocity. Typically, the one set temperature and one set flow velocity of the gas for the large amount of heated air needed for the entire prior art fluidized bed drying apparatus is determined based upon what is presumed to be the biggest and wettest particle that will need to be dried. As a result, a large amount of heated air needs to be used to ensure gas-solid contact of the target-particles for being dried is sufficient enough for drying and that the particles fluid flow is sufficiently consistent for even drying of all the particles. Accordingly, a large amount of energy is wasted in the drying of the smaller and/or dryer particles. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to the field of subterranean well completions and controlling flow of production fluid from wells comprising primary and lateral wells.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many instances, a hydrocarbon producing wellbore includes not only the primary well drilled into a subterranean formation, but also one or more lateral wells extending into the surrounding formation adjacent the primary wellbore. FIG. 1 provides a cross sectional view of an example of a wellbore production system 10 installed in a wellbore having lateral wells. In this example, the primary wellbore 5 extends from the surface and into a producing zone within a subterranean formation 6. The associated casing 7 cemented within the wellbore 5 extends substantially along the entire length of the wellbore and also into the formation 6. Perforations 11 formed through the side of the wellbore 5 and through the casing 7 into the surrounding formation 6 provide fluid pathways for production fluid (hydrocarbon gas and liquid) to flow into the wellbore 5. The wellbore production system 10 includes completion tubing 13 coaxially inserted within the casing 5. The completion tubing 13 extends along the length of the wellbore 5 up to the wellhead 14 and delivers the production fluid therein to the wellhead for distribution to a production line 16.
In addition to the production fluid from the subterranean formation 6, the lateral wellbores (3, 4) extend into corresponding production zones within corresponding subterranean formations (8, 9). These lateral wellbores (3, 4) also include perforations 11 providing fluid communication between the wellbore and their associated formation. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the produced fluids from the primary wellbore 5 and the lateral wellbores (3, 4) are deposited into a single completion tubing 13 where these fluids are mixed. It should be pointed out that other configurations exist wherein dedicated tubing is provided to each production zone thereby preventing commingling of fluids within the wellbore 5. One disadvantage of installing dedicated tubing is the presence of additional hardware within the wellbore as well as the difficulty of introducing and maintaining the hardware in these individual circuits.
The producing zones (6, 8, 9) may operate or produce at varying pressures. To prevent an imbalanced pressure situation within the completion tubing 13, chokes (18, 20, 22) are provided in the fluid flow pathway between the respective producing zones and the completion tubing 13. Chokes provide a regulating effect on the fluid by adjusting the flow rate and pressure to compensate for pressure differences between these different producing zones. Also shown in FIG. 1 are packer seals 26 proximate to the junctions between the primary wellbore 5 and the laterals that seal the flow pathway between the annulus between the tubing 13 and casing 5 and forces fluid flow through perforations 24 in the tubing string 13 and through the respective chokes (18, 20, 22).
While existing chokes, or other flow control mechanisms regulate or adjust fluid flow and fluid pressure, these devices do not limit flow direction therethrough. Accordingly, in situations wherein pressure within the production tubing 13 may exceed pressure within a particular lateral wellbore or its associated producing zone, the fluid in the higher pressure tubing string may migrate into the production zone through any one of these known devices. This situation could occur if a flow regular of a high pressure producing zone fails or if the well is suddenly shut in and the respective valves are not closed prior to the shut in. Because migration of producing fluids from one zone into another zone having a different pressure may cause deleterious effects on the lower pressure formation, this is an undesired situation. Therefore, it would be advantageous to develop a device for preventing the cross flow of production fluids from producing zones having different pressures. It would also be advantageous to develop and implement a device that can regulate flow in addition to preventing cross flow of production fluids. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a manual trash compactor.
Many people now use bags for trash but cannot compress the trash very much without splitting the bag or tipping it over. These bags may be produced from paper as is the case when purchasing food when shopping.
Accordingly, it is common practice to locate relatively small waste receptacles in kitchens, bedrooms, offices or other places where waste collects at a rapid rate, but these receptacles are preferably small and should be of an attractive character. Small receptacles are conventionally employed, but after the same have been in use for a short time, it becomes necessary for the depositor of the waste to follow the same into the receptacle with his hand to compress the contents thereof in order that more waste may be received thereby. Obviously, this objectionable and even unsanitary practice should be obviated, and it is possible so to do through the employment of a compactor made in accordance with the present invention.
Although powered compactors are commercially available, they are both costly as to initial investment and the upkeep as to maintenance and the purchase of bags. Purchasing of the bags can also be an inconvenience since they are not available everywhere. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cradling apparatus for a portable communication device, and more particularly to a cradling device for setting a cradle angle selected from a plurality of angles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, portable communication devices refer to devices by which radio communication can be performed, while the devices are being carried. The portable communication devices include a hand-held phone (HHP), a cordless telephone (CT-)2 cellular phone, a digital phone, a personal communications systems (PCS) phone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA) and are sorted into different types according to their shapes. For example, the communication devices are classified into bar-type communication devices, flip-type communication devices, folder-type communication devices, slide-type communication devices, and swing-type communication devices. The bar-type terminal has a single housing shaped like a bar. The above-mentioned portable communication devices are generally provided with an antenna unit, data input/output units, and data transmitting/receiving units. The data input unit usually includes a keypad with which data is input by means of depressing buttons.
However, the conventional portable communication devices have some drawbacks. That is, a separate cradling apparatus is used for retaining the device to provide the user with a convenient means of viewing of information displayed on a display device. However, the addition of a separate cradling apparatus may be uneconomical for a user. As is well known, when the information displayed on the display device faces the user at a slant, the user can conveniently view the displayed information. Conventionally, the user, without the separate cradling apparatus, may view a screen displayed on the display device by slanting the communication device gripped with the hand. However, the user inevitably experiences discomfort in viewing the screen displayed on the display device because of the absence of the separate cradling apparatus on the desk or the like.
To solve the foregoing problems, Korean Patent Registration No. 678215 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,872) discloses in detail a portable terminal and a sliding cradling apparatus thereof.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a sliding cradling apparatus 10 for a portable terminal includes a first housing 20 having a plurality of keys 21, a second housing 30 which has a display device 31, slides on the first housing 20, and is cradled with a slant on the first housing 20 after sliding, a first member 50 provided in the first housing 20, a second member 60 engaged with the second housing 30, a sliding guide portion 70 provided between the first member 50 and the second ember 60 to guide the sliding of the second housing 30, and a hinge means 80 provided in the first member 50 and the sliding guide portion 70 to rotate the second member 60 and the sliding guide portion 70 around a hinge axis A1 in a direction away from the first member 50 while facing the first member 50.
However, since the conventional sliding cradling apparatus described in the aforementioned patent application cradles the second housing at a slant angle after sliding the second housing away from the first housing to expose the keys of the first housing, the cradling angle of the second housing cannot be set at different angles.
To cradle the second housing at different angles and provide a sense of a click engagement, additional parts and installation spaces thereof are required. These addition parts increase the size of a product, and also, the manufacturing cost of the product and the number of assembly processes.
Accordingly, there is a need for a cradling apparatus, providing cradling at various angles and a sense of click response or engagement, while downsizing the conventional cradling apparatus through simplification of the structure thereof and reducing manufacturing cost and the number of assembly processes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to holographic laser scanners of ultra-compact design capable of reading bar and other types of graphical indicia within a large scanning volume using holographic optical elements and visible laser diodes, and also a method of designing and operating the same for use in diverse applications.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The use of bar code symbols for product and article identification is well known in the art. Presently, various types of bar code symbol scanners have been developed. In general, these bar code symbol readers can be classified into two distinct groups.
The first class of bar code symbol reader simultaneously illuminates all of the bars and spaces of a bar code symbol with light of a specific wavelength(s) in order to capture an image thereof for recognition/decoding purposes. Such scanners are commonly known as CCD scanners because they use CCD image detectors to detect images of the bar code symbols being read.
The second class of bar code symbol reader uses a focused light beam, typically a focused laser beam, to sequentially scan the bars and spaces of a bar code symbol to be read. This type of bar code symbol scanner is commonly called a xe2x80x9cflying spotxe2x80x9d scanner as the focused laser beam appears as xe2x80x9ca spot of light that fliesxe2x80x9d across the bar code symbol being read. In general, laser bar code symbol scanners are subclassified further by the type of mechanism used to focus and scan the laser beam across bar code symbols.
The majority of laser scanners in use today employ lenses and moving (i.e. rotating or oscillating) mirrors in order to focus and scan laser beams across bar code symbols during code symbol reading operations. Examples of such laser scanners are disclosed in great detail in the Background of Invention of U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,232 to Knowles et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,973 to Knowles et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,971 to Rockstein et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,525 to Rockstein et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.
One type of laser scanner that has enjoyed great popularity in recent years is called the xe2x80x9cpolygon scannerxe2x80x9d in that it employs a rotating polygon whose sides bear light reflective surfaces (e.g. mirrors) for scanning a laser beam over multiple paths through space above the scanning window of the scanner. In polygon-type laser scanners, the angular sweep of the outgoing laser beam and the light collection efficiency of the return laser beam are both directly related to the number and size of light reflective facets on the rotating polygon.
In contrast to laser scanners, which use lenses (i.e. light refractive elements) to shape and focus laser light beams and light reflective surfaces to scan focused laser beams, there exists another subclass of laser scanner which employs a high-speed holographic disc. In general, the holographic disc comprises an array of holographic optical elements (HOEs) called xe2x80x9cfacetsxe2x80x9d which function to focus and deflect outgoing laser beams during laser beam scanning operations, as well as focus incoming reflected laser light during light collection/detection operations. Such bar code symbol scanners are typically called holographic laser scanners or readers because holographic optical elements (HOEs) are employed. Examples of prior art holographic scanners are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,415,224; 4,758,058; 4,748,316; 4,591,242; 4,548,463; 5,331,445 and 5,416,505, incorporated herein by reference.
Holographic laser scanners, or readers, have many advantages over laser scanners which employ lenses and mirrors for laser beam focusing and scanning (i.e. deflection) functions.
One of the major advantages of holographic laser scanners over polygon laser scanners is the ability of holographic laser scanners to independently control (i) the angular sweep of the outgoing laser beam and (ii) the light collection efficiency for the returning laser beam.
Holographic laser scanners have other advantages over polygon-type laser scanners. In particular, in holographic laser scanners, light collection efficiency is determined by the size of the light collecting portion of each holographic facet, while the angular sweep of the outgoing laser beam is determined by the angular width of the outgoing beam portion of the holographic facet and the angles of incidence and diffraction of the outgoing laser beam.
While prior art holographic scanning systems have many advantages over mirror-based laser scanning systems, prior art holographic scanners are not without problems.
In the first holographic scanner produced by International Business Machines (IBM), the holographic facets on its holographic disc were simple sectors which did not allow for independent control over light collection and light scanning functions. Consequently, such holographic scanners had faster scanning speeds than were needed for the applications at hand. Subsequent industrial scanners designed by IBM allowed independent control of these functions. However, the holographic discs employed in prior art holographic scanners, e.g. the HOLOSCAN 2100(trademark) holographic laser scanner designed and sold by Holoscan, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. fail to (i) maximize the use of available space on the disc for light collection purposes, and (ii) minimize the scan line speed for particular laser scanning patterns. As a result of such design limitations, prior art holographic scanners have required the use of large scanning discs which make inefficient use of the available light collecting surface area thereof. They also are incapable of producing from each holographic facet thereon, detected scan data signals having substantially the same signal level independent of the location in the scanning volume from which the corresponding optical scan data signal is produced. Consequently, this has placed great demands on the electrical signal processing circuitry required to handle the dramatic signal swings associated with such detected return signals.
While U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,224 to Applicant (Dickson) discloses a method of equalizing the light collection efficiency of each facet on the holographic scanning disc, it does not disclose, teach or suggest a method of equalizing the light collection efficiency of each facet on the holographic scanning disc, while utilizing substantially all of the light collecting surface area thereof. Thus, in general, prior art holographic laser scanners have required very large scanner housings in order to accommodate very large scanning discs using only a portion of their available light collection surface area.
In many code symbol reading applications, the volumetric extent of the holographic scanner housing must be sufficiently compact to accommodate the small volume of space provided for physical installation. However, due to limitations of conventional design principles, it has not been possible to build prior art holographic scanners having sufficient compactness required in many applications. Consequently, the huge housings required to enclose the optical apparatus of prior art holographic laser scanners have restricted their use to only a few practical applications where housing size constraints are of little concern.
While highly desirable because of their low power usage and miniature size, solid-state visible laser diodes (VLDs) cannot be used practically in prior art holographic laser scanners because of several problems which arise from inherent properties of conventional VLDs.
The first problem associated with the use of VLDs in holographic laser scanners is that the VLDs do not produce a single spectral line output in the manner of conventional Hexe2x80x94Ne laser tubes. Rather, conventional VLDs always produce some background super-luminescence, which is a broad spectrum of radiation of the type produced by conventional light emitting diodes (LEDs). Also, VLDs often operate in more than one oscillation mode and/or exhibit mode hopping, in which the VLD jumps from one mode of oscillation to another. Both of these characteristics of VLDs result in a spreading of the laser beam as it leaves the highly dispersive holographic facet of the holographic disc. This results in an effectively larger xe2x80x9cspotxe2x80x9d at the focal point of the holographic facet, causing errors in the resolution of the bars and spaces of scanned code symbols and, often, intolerable symbol decoding errors.
The second problem associated with the use of VLDs in a holographic scanner is that the inherent xe2x80x9castigmatic differencexe2x80x9d in VLDs results in the production of laser beams exhibiting astigmatism along the horizontal and vertical directions of propagation. This fact results in the outgoing laser beam having a cross-sectional dimension whose size and orientation varies as a function of distance away from the VLD. Thus, at particular points in the scanning field of a holographic scanner using a VLD, the orientation of the laser beam (xe2x80x9cflying spotxe2x80x9d) will be such that the bars and spaces cannot be resolved for symbol decoding operations.
Holographic scanners suffer from other technical problems as well.
In prior art holographic scanners, the light collection and detection optics are necessarily complicated and require a significant volume of space within the scanner housing. This necessarily causes the height dimension of the scanner housing to be significantly larger than desired in nearly all code symbol reading applications.
When an outgoing laser beam passes though, and is diffracted by, the rotating holographic facets of prior art holographic scanners, xe2x80x9cholographically-introducedxe2x80x9d astigmatism is inherently imparted to the outgoing laser beam. While the source of this type of astigmatism is different than the source of astigmatism imparted to a laser beam due to the inherent astigmatic difference in VLDs, the effect is substantially the same, namely: the outgoing laser beam has a cross-sectional dimension whose size and orientation varies as a function of distance away from the holographic facet. Thus, at particular points in the scanning field of a holographic scanner, the orientation of the laser beam (i.e. xe2x80x9cthe flying spotxe2x80x9d) will be such that the bars and spaces of a scanned bar code symbol cannot be resolved for symbol decoding operations. Consequently, it has been virtually impossible to design a holographic laser scanner with a three-dimensional scanning volume that is capable of scanning bar code symbols independent of their orientation as they move through the scanning volume.
Because of the methods used to design and construct prior art holographic disks, the size and shape of the light collection area of each facet could not be controlled independent of the angular sweep of the outgoing laser beam. Consequently, this has prevented optimal use of the disk surface area for light collection functions, and thus the performance of prior art holographic scanners has been necessarily compromised.
While the above problems generally define the major areas in which significant improvement is required of prior art holographic laser scanners, there are still other problems which have operated to degrade the performance of such laser scanning systems.
In particular, glare produced by specular reflection of a laser beam scanning a code symbol reduces the detectable contrast of the bars and spaces of the symbol against its background and thus the SNR of the optical scan data signal detected at the photodetectors of the system. While polarization filtering techniques are generally known for addressing such problems in laser scanning systems, it is not known how such techniques might be successfully applied to holographic type laser scanning systems while simultaneously solving the above-described problems.
Thus, there is a great need in the art for an improved holographic laser scanning system and a method of designing and constructing the same, while avoiding the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art holographic scanners and methodologies.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a holographic laser scanner free of the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art holographic laser scanning systems and methodologies.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a holographic laser scanner which produces a three-dimensional laser scanning volume that is substantially greater than the volume of the housing of the holographic laser scanner itself, and provides full omni-directional scanning within the laser scanning volume.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which the three-dimensional laser scanning volume has multiple focal planes and a highly confined geometry extending about a projection axis extending from the scanning window of the holographic scanner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which a plurality of symmetrically arranged laser diodes are used to simultaneously produce a plurality of laser beams which are focused and scanned through the scanning volume by a plurality of volume-transmission type holographic optical elements, each of which is supported upon a centrally located rotating disc and particularly designed to produce a single scanning plane of a particular depth of focus when one of the laser beams passes therethrough during the operation of the holographic laser scanner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which laser light produced from a particular holographic optical element reflects off a bar code symbol, passes through the same holographic optical element, and is thereafter collimated for light intensity detection.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which a plurality of lasers simultaneously produce a plurality of laser beams which are focused and scanned through the scanning volume by a rotating disc that supports a plurality of holographic facets.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which the scanner housing has an apertured scanning window which allows simultaneously projection of multiple scanning planes, at angles which differ from each other over the duration of each scanning pattern generation cycle.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which the holographic optical elements on the rotating disc maximize the use of the disk space for light collection, while minimizing the laser beam velocity at the focal planes of each of the laser scan patterns, in order to minimize the electronic bandwidth required by the light detection and signal processing circuitry.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a compact holographic laser scanner, in which substantially all of the available light collecting surface area on the scanning disc is utilized and the light collection efficiency of each holographic facet on the holographic scanning disc is substantially equal, thereby allowing the holographic laser scanner to use a holographic scanning disc having the smallest possible disc diameter.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a compact holographic laser scanner, in which the beam steering portion of each holographic facet on the holographic scanning disc is provided with a light diffraction efficiency that is optimized for an incident laser beam having a first polarization state, whereas the light collecting portion of each holographic facet is provided with a light diffraction efficiency that is optimized for reflected laser light having a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state, while light focused onto the photodetectors of the system are passed through polarization filters which transmit collected laser light having the second polarization state and block collected laser light having the first polarization state.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which laser beam astigmatism caused by the inherent astigmatic difference in each visible laser diode is effectively eliminated prior to the passage of the laser beam through the holographic optical elements on the rotating scanning disc.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which the dispersion of the relatively broad spectal output of each visible laser diode by the holographic optical elements on the scanning disc is effectively automatically compensated for as the laser beam propagates from the visible laser diode, through an integrated optics assembly, and through the holographic optical elements on the rotating disc of the holographic laser scanner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which a conventional visible laser diode is used to produce a laser scanning beam, and a simple and inexpensive arrangement is provided for eliminating or minimizing the effects of the dispersion caused by the holographic disc of the laser scanner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which the inherent astigmatic difference in each visible laser diode is effectively eliminated prior to the laser beam passing through the holographic optical elements on the rotating disc.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which the laser beam produced from each laser diode is processed by a single, ultra-compact optics module in order to circularize the laser beam produced by the laser diode, eliminate the inherent astigmatic difference therein, as well as compensate for wavelength-dependent variations in the spectral output of each visible laser diode, such as superluminescence, multi-mode lasing, and laser mode hopping, thereby allowing the use of the resulting laser beam in holographic scanning applications demanding large depths of field.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which the focal lengths of the multiple focal regions of the laser scanning volume are strategically selected so as to create an overlap at the ends of the scanning planes in the near and far regions of adjacent focal regions in the scanning volume, making it easier to read a bar code symbol passing therethrough independent of its orientation.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which an independent light collection/detection subsystem is provided for each laser diode employed within the holographic laser scanner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which the geometrical dimensions of its beam folding mirrors in conjunction with the geometrical dimensions of its holographic disc are the sole determinants of the width and length dimensions of the scanner housing, whereas the geometrical dimensions of its beam folding mirrors and parabolic light collecting mirrors beneath the holographic disc are the sole determinants of the height dimension of the scanner housing.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which an independent signal processing channel is provided for each laser diode and light collection/detection subsystem in order to improve the signal processing speed of the system.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which a plurality of signal processors are used for simultaneously processing the scan data signals produced from each of the photodetectors within the holographic laser scanner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which each facet on the holographic disc has an indication code which is encoded by the zero-th diffraction order of the outgoing laser beam and detected so as to determine which scanning planes are to be selectively filtered during the symbol decoding operations.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a holographic laser scanner, in which the zero-th diffractive order of the laser beam which passes directly through the respective holographic optical elements on the rotating disc is used to produce a start/home pulse for use with stitching-type decoding processes carried out within the scanner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a code symbol reading system in which a holographic laser scanner is used to create a scanning volume within which the presence of a code symbol is detected, and a high speed laser scanner is used to scan the region within which the detected bar code resides, to collect high-resolution scan data for decode processing.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a hand-supportable, hand-mounted and body-wearable scanning device employing a holographic scanning mechanism to create various types of scanning patterns, including 2-D raster patterns, within a 3-D scanning volume.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of designing such a holographic laser scanner having a housing with a minimum height (i.e. depth) dimension for any given three-dimensional laser scanning pattern confined within a specified scanning volume during bar code symbol reading operations.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of designing a holographic disk for such a holographic laser scanner, such that both the size and shape of the light collection area of each holographic optical element (i.e. facet) on the rotating disc is controlled independent of the angular sweep of the outgoing laser beam in order to make maximum use of the disk surface area for light collection functions during the laser scanning process.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of designing a laser beam optics module for use with the holographic scanning disc and laser diode employed in the holographic laser scanner hereof, which functions to circularize the laser beam produced from the laser diode, eliminate the inherent astigmatic difference therein, and compensate for wavelength-dependent variations in the spectral output of the visible laser diode, such as superluminescence, multi-mode lasing, and laser mode hopping.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of designing a holographic disc for a holographic laser scanner, in which all of the available area on the disk is used for optimizing the light collection efficiency thereof and thus improve the performance of the holographic laser scanner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such disc design method, in which to determine the sizes and shapes of the holographic facets thereof, a 3-D surface geometry program is used to create a 3-D geometrical model of the components of the holographic laser scanner and its 3-D laser scanning pattern, whereas a spreadsheet modelling program is used to create an analytical model for the holographic laser scanner and its 3-D laser scanning pattern.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such disc design method which employs a spreadsheet-type computer program for creating analytical model of the process of generating a prespecified laser scanning pattern using a prespecified holographic facet support disc and beam folding mirror arrangement, and arriving at an optimal set of holographic facet parameters which, for prespecified size holographic facet support disc, minimizes the heightwise, lengthwise and widthwise dimensions of the scanner housing.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent hereinafter and in the claims to invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compositions and methods that increase the rate at which a wound will heal.
2. Description of Related Art
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are polysaccharides found in vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Several GAGs have been found in tissues and fluids of vertebrate animals. The known GAGS are chondroitin sulfate, keratan sulfate, dermatan sulfate, hyaluronic acid, heparin and heparan sulfate.
Chondroitin sulfate is a linear polymer occurring in several isomers, named for location of the sulfate group. Chondroitin-4 sulfate is found in nasal and tracheal cartilages of bovines and porcines. It is also found in the bones, flesh, blood, skin, umbilical cord, and urine of these animals. Chondroitin-6 sulfate has been isolated from the skin, umbilical cord, and cardiac valves of these animals. Chondroitin-6 sulfate has the same composition, but slightly different physical properties from chondroitin-4 sulfate. These are the most common isomers used in the present invention. The polymer is also known as chondroitin polysulfate sodium, chondron, sodium chondroitin poly sulfate, and sodium chondroitin sulfate. For consistency, the term "chondroitin sulfate" will be used for all chondroitin sulfate isomers throughout this application. Chondroitin sulfate is involved in the binding of collagen and is also directly involved in the retention of moisture. These are both properties that aid the healing process.
Open wounds on the skin are a potential gateway for infection to enter the body. The skin is an exterior protective barrier to outside contaminants. When the skin is damaged, with an open breach, these contaminants are free to enter the body. Once inside the body, these contaminants may have effects of varying degree, but almost always become more difficult to treat and slow the healing process of the original wound.
Just as nature has provided the skin as a barrier for protection, it has also provided mechanisms for repair of the skin. Depending upon the nature of the injury, this repair process may take hours, days, months, or even years. Many factors determine the length of time it takes to heal. That pathogenic contaminants may enter the body through the wound until the skin's integrity is restored, however, is certain. For this reason, it is desirable to heal open wounds as quickly as possible.
To fight infection, wound management traditionally involves an initial cleansing of the affected area to remove any contaminants such as dirt, clothing particles, or other debris. Damaged materials or tissues are removed when necessary, and antiseptic agents applied to sterilize the area. Sterile dressings are often applied, and periodically changed, to keep the area as clean and sterile as possible. Complex biological mechanisms occur during the healing process. During the process, chemical signals call fibroblasts to the wound site, ultimately generating connective structures mainly of collagen. Endothelial cells generate new blood capillaries that feed the new growth. The cell growth continues until the wound is filled, forming permanent new tissue.
Because shortened periods of healing mean shortened exposure time, it would be beneficial to have open wounds heal as quickly as possible. Likewise, it would be beneficial if a medical practitioner could apply a product, using the healing advantages of chondroitin sulfate and other GAGs, to an open wound to speed the healing process.
Chondroitin sulfate, and other GAGs, used to aid healing or trauma have been the subject of previous patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,570, which issued to Michaeli on Feb. 28, 1989, discloses compositions and method for improving wound healing that uses GAGs, but teaches against the use of chondroitin sulfate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,912, issued to Hausman on Feb. 3, 1987, discloses the use of "active" chondroitin sulfate A and "active" chondroitin sulfate C to prevent cancer cell implantation, bacterial infestation, trauma, irritation or damage from foreign instruments in the kidney, renal pelvis, ureter, bladder, urethra, etc. by irrigation with a solution containing the chondroitin sulfate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,907, which issued to Sakurai, et al. on Sep. 5, 1989, discloses cross-linked glycosaminoglycans and their use. The patent discloses cross-linked glycosaminoglycans, with a cross-linking index of 0.05 or more per mole, for various medical and cosmetic uses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,964, which issued to Lindstrom, et al. on Nov. 22, 1994, discloses a viscoelastic solution. The solution contains 0.01-10% chondroitin sulfate and 0.01-10% sodium hyaluronate among other ingredients for use in ocular and surgical applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,580, which issued to Gibson on Jan. 8, 1991, discloses methods and materials for use in corneal wound healing. A preferred embodiment includes fibronectin and chondroitin sulfate in a corneal mortar composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,606, which issued to Soll et al. on Mar. 12, 1996, discloses a method of protecting human and animal cells. According to the patent, an intra-articular injection of a compound containing 40-55% by weight chondroitin sulfate is used in protecting cells.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,351, which issued to Leshchiner, et. al. on Mar. 21, 1995, discloses the preparation and use of biocompatible viscoelastic gel slurries. According to this invention, a gel containing cross-linked glycosaminoglycans for controlling adhesion formation between tissues resulting from surgical intervention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a wound treatment using chondroitin sulfate solving the aforementioned problems is desired. | {
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Information storage devices are used to retrieve and/or store data in computers and other consumer electronics devices. A magnetic hard disk drive is an example of an information storage device that includes one or more heads that can both read and write, but other information storage devices also include heads—sometimes including heads that cannot write. For convenience, all heads that can read are referred to as “read heads” herein, regardless of other devices or functions that the read head may also include or perform (e.g. writing, flying height control, touch down detection, lapping control, etc).
In a modern magnetic hard disk drive device, each read head is a sub-component of a head gimbal assembly (HGA). The read head typically includes a slider and a read/write transducer. The read/write transducer typically comprises a magneto-resistive read element (e.g. so-called giant magneto-resistive read element, or a tunneling magneto-resistive read element) and an inductive write structure comprising a flat coil deposited by photolithography and a yoke structure having pole tips that face a disk media.
The HGA typically also includes a head suspension assembly that includes a mounting plate, a load beam, and a laminated flexure to carry the electrical signals to and from the read head. The read head is typically bonded to a tongue feature of the laminated flexure. The HGA, in turn, is a sub-component of a head stack assembly (HSA) that typically includes a plurality of HGAs, a rotary actuator, and a flex cable. The mounting plate of each head suspension assembly is attached to an arm of the rotary actuator (e.g. by swaging), and each of the laminated flexures includes a flexure tail that is electrically connected to the HSA's flex cable (e.g. by solder reflow bonding or ultrasonic bonding).
Modern laminated flexures typically include electrically conductive copper traces that are isolated from a stainless steel support layer by a polyimide dielectric layer. So that the signals from/to the head can reach the flex cable on the actuator body, each HGA flexure includes a flexure tail that extends away from the head along the actuator arm and ultimately attaches to the flex cable adjacent the actuator body. That is, the flexure includes electrically conductive traces that are electrically connected to a plurality of electrically conductive bonding pads on the head (e.g. by gold ball bonding), and extend from adjacent the head to terminate at electrical connection points at the flexure tail.
The position of the HSA relative to the spinning disks in a disk drive, and therefore the position of the read heads relative to data tracks on the disks, is actively controlled by the rotary actuator which is typically driven by a voice coil motor (VCM). Specifically, electrical current passed through a coil of the VCM applies a torque to the rotary actuator, so that the read head can seek and follow desired data tracks on the spinning disk.
However, the industry trend towards increasing areal data density has necessitated substantial reduction in the spacing between data tracks on the disk. Also, disk drive performance requirements, especially requirements pertaining to the time required to access desired data, have not allowed the rotational speed of the disk to be reduced. In fact, for many disk drive applications, the rotational speed has been significantly increased. A consequence of these trends is that increased bandwidth is required for servo control of the read head position relative to data tracks on the spinning disk.
One solution that has been proposed in the art to increase disk drive servo bandwidth is dual-stage actuation. Under the dual-stage actuation concept, the rotary actuator that is driven by the VCM is employed as a coarse actuator (for large adjustments in the HSA position relative to the disk), while a so-called “microactuator” having higher bandwidth but lesser stroke is used as a fine actuator (for smaller adjustments in the read head position). Such a coarse actuator driven by a VCM may be referred to as a voice coil actuator herein. Various microactuator designs have been proposed in the art for the purpose of dual-stage actuation in disk drive applications. Some of these designs utilize one or more piezoelectric microactuators that are affixed to a component of the suspension assembly. For example, the piezoelectric microactuator may be affixed to the mounting plate or an extension thereof, and/or the load beam or an extension thereof, or to the flexure tongue (a.k.a. the “gimbal tongue”) to which the read head is bonded.
However, generally, the further the microactuator is disposed from the read head on the suspension assembly, the less bandwidth it can provide. This is due to the dynamics introduced by the intermediate structure of the suspension assembly. On the other hand, the closer the microactuator is disposed to the read head on the suspension assembly, the lesser stroke it can typically provide. Hence there is a need in the information storage device arts for a microactuator design that can provide both adequate stroke and adequate bandwidth for fine actuation.
Moreover, prior art concepts require the piezoelectric elements to expand (relative to a zero voltage state) to move or rotate the head in a given direction or sense, and to contract (relative to a zero voltage state) to move or rotate the head in the opposite direction or sense. This may undesirably cause depolarization of the piezoelectric elements over time, reducing their effectiveness, stroke, and/or bandwidth. Hence, there is a need in the information storage device arts for a fine actuation method that reduces or eliminates depolarization of piezoelectric sub-components, thereby improving the lifetime or reliability of the fine actuator. | {
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1) FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of this invention relates to decorative ornaments that are to be usable as bows in gift wrapped packages, holiday ornaments, artificial flowers, decorative displays and other similar usages.
2) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Decorative ornaments for use in gift wrapping packages are well known. Normally such ornaments are constructed of a ribbon and are arranged in a plurality of loops that extend from a central core normally called a bow. The problem with bows at the present time is that such are all of the same type. It would be desirable to produce different types of bows that have different appearances. | {
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This invention relates generally to electrode-type glow discharge devices used for sputter coating or sputter cleaning, and, more particularly, to such devices employing a post cathode of the magnetron type, the cathode being disposed in a vacuum chamber in which there is generated a practically uniform magnetic field having parallel lines of magnetic flux.
The process of cathode sputtering is well known, and has been described in many publications and patents, some of which are listed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,793, entitled "Electrode-Type Glow Discharge Apparatus" and issued in the names of Alan S. Penfold and John A. Thornton. In essence, the cathode sputtering process operates to remove atoms from a target electrode with sufficient energy that they can interact with the atomic structure of a work surface, usually referred to as a substrate, and form thereon a permanent coating of the material removed from the target electrode. In a diode sputtering apparatus, the target electrode is connected as a cathode and is placed in a discharge chamber to provide a low-pressure gaseous environment which becomes ionized in the vicinity of the target cathode. Ionized atoms of the gas bombard the target cathode and drive off, that is sputter, atoms of the target material. The substrate to be coated with the target material is positioned in the path of the sputtered atoms, which then recombine on the substrate surface to form a coating having generally the same chemical composition as the target material, although not necessarily the same physical properties.
It is highly desirable in cathode sputtering processes for the ionized gas, i.e., the gas plasma, to be confined to a region close to the cathode. The ions produced in the plasma will then most likely be drawn to the cathode, and not lost to the walls of the surrounding discharge chamber. The aforementioned patent is directed to apparatus for maintaining one or more plasma traps in the vicinity of a cathode. The plasma is trapped by an appropriately shaped magnetic field, which also has the effect of inducing electrons in the plasma to follow a spiral path, thereby encouraging a relatively large number of collisions with neutral gas atoms, and producing ions at a desirable high rate.
In accordance with the teachings of the aforementioned patent, the cathode may take the form of a cylinder or post with outwardly projecting end flanges, and the plasma region is confined to a cylindrical sheet around the exterior of the cathode. Such cathodes are in widespread use, and provide a source of metallic and non-metallic materials for the vacuum deposition of films onto substrates placed around the cathode. In order for a post cathode to operate in the magnetron mode, in which film deposition rates are relatively high, a magnetic field must be provided in the vicinity of the surface of the cathode. Preferably, the magnetic flux lines must be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cathode, in order to promote uniform sputter erosion of material from the surface. The magnetic field is typically generated by a solenoid, or an array of solenoids, disposed in a co-axial fashion surrounding the post cathode. So long as the solenoid array is made appreciably longer than the cathode, field non-uniformities near the ends of the cathode can be minimized.
An increasingly large number of applications of sputter coating techniques now require very large vacuum chamber systems, sometimes with relatively large length-to-diameter ratios. The use of extremely long solenoid arrays in such large chambers, to achieve a perfectly uniform field, poses significant practical difficulties, and increases the cost of the vacuum chamber system considerably.
One approach that has been used is to place a solenoid system immediately inside the vacuum chamber, and to construct the chamber, including a cylindrical wall and end plates, with a material having good magnetic properties, such as mild steel. The solenoids in this configuration are disposed close to the inner cylindrical surface of the vacuum chamber, and if they extend end to end, a relatively uniform field can be generated. Moreover, if the cathode has weak residual magnetic characteristics an additional solenoid can be disposed inside the cathode itself. A significant disadvantage of this approach, however, is that the solenoid system contributes to off-gassed materials in the vacuum chamber, resulting in an increased pumping time for evacuation of the chamber, and possible introduction of impurities in the deposited films. Furthermore, the solenoids have to be operated at a low voltage to avoid initiating a plasma discharge around the solenoids themselves. Consequently, high solenoid currents must be used, and the solenoids must be water cooled. The introduction of water into the vacuum chamber raises the possibility of water leaks inside the chamber.
The foregoing difficulties have led to the suggestion that a double-wall structure be employed. An inner cylindrical wall forms the vacuum chamber and is joined and sealed with flat end plates, while an outer cylindrical wall forms a magnetic envelope and is also in close contact with the end plates, although not in sealing contact. A solenoid array is mounted between the inner and outer walls, and natural convection can provide sufficient cooling, since high solenoid currents are not necessary. Although this scheme is generally satisfactory for relatively small vacuum chambers oriented on a vertical axis, the design becomes mechanically awkward and too costly if the chamber is very large, or is disposed on a horizontal axis.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that there has, prior to this invention, been a significant need for a magnetic field generation system for use in very large vacuum chambers of sputter deposition devices. The present invention satisfies this need. | {
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With the spread of the Internet, web applications, and lower-cost and higher-performance computer hardware in recent years, more and more systems have been developed in a distributed network environment. That is, instead of centralizing all data and programs into a single, large, and expensive mainframe computer as was previously the case, many inexpensive computers are connected through a network to form a system. Although each of such inexpensive computers cannot compete with a mainframe computer in terms of throughput and reliability, it is possible to ensure data security by sharing the same data among a plurality of computers. This is because even if a failure occurs in one computer, the shared data can be provided by another computer. Moreover, by carrying out processing by a plurality of computers in a parallel and distributed manner, high throughput that is comparable to that of a large mainframe computer can be achieved by the entire distributed system.
However, in a distributed processing environment where processing is performed in parallel by a plurality of computers that are geographically and logically distributed, it is difficult to implement a system change associated with a system failure, extension, or the like. Since each of computers constituting the distributed processing environment is typically less reliable than a mainframe computer, it is more likely that any of the computers will fail at some point. As described above, a failure of one of the plurality of computers does not immediately affect the operation of the entire system. However, eventually the failed computer needs to be replaced or repaired as soon as possible.
However, in a distributed processing environment, due to its geographically and logically distributed features, it is not necessarily easy to locate the physical location of such a failed computer or determine how the failure of the computer affects logical dependencies between processes performed by software programs.
Besides failures, a change of system configuration also occurs frequently. For example, assume that a company has launched a website. The company has estimated a load on the website on the basis of the predicted volume of traffic and has built a web server with desired performance. However, it often happens that the server goes down, since the website gathers unexpected popularity and is accessed by far more visitors than expected. To cope with such a situation, the server may simply be replaced with one with greater capacity. Other possible solutions include use of failover clustering in which processing is passed to another server with an identical configuration upon failure of one server, and use of load distribution clustering in which a mechanism of a round robin or load balancer is used. However, in any case, geographical and logical relationships between components of the distributed processing environment may be greatly changed and thus, it may take considerable effort to reconfigure the existing system as an integrated system. Moreover, it is possible that the system resulting from the reconfiguration may not operate properly. In fact, some statistics show that 85 percent of system failures are caused by system changes.
Thus, operational costs in a distributed processing environment have been increasing. Since a distributed network system having a size exceeding a certain level is not manageable by human intervention alone, it is necessary to use an appropriate management system. This involves system management costs and operational costs (including personnel costs), which are said to be as much as 70 percent of the total IT costs.
Exemplary concepts of operation management tools for use for such purposes include a concept of a Configuration Management Database (CMDB) compiled by the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) (British government's trademark). This is a system which collects information about logical dependencies or interactions between components of a distributed network, such as information about the configuration of each of computers connected to each other, information about applications running on the computers, configuration information about a network-attached storage (NAS) connected to the computers, and configuration information about a storage area network (SAN) directly connected to the network. The collected data may be passed to a graphical user interface (GUI) display tool, in which connections between a web server (e.g., Apache), an application server (e.g., WebSphere (IBM's trademark)), and a database system (e.g., DB2 (IBM's trademark)) are represented by blocks and links therebetween.
A product called Change and Configuration Management Database (CCMDB) provided by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) implements the CMDB and is, at the same time, capable of managing configuration changes. The CCMDB uses a secure shell (SSH) to automatically and remotely execute a necessary command and collect data. These functions are described in PCT publications Nos. WO2004/010246, WO2004/010292, WO2004/010293, and WO2004/010298.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-13372 discloses a technique for managing facility information and location information of a device together, using a unique number of a network node as a key. With this technique, a physical connection configuration of network nodes to be managed is stored in a physical database, logical operation information resulting from monitoring of the network nodes is stored in a logical database, and current operation information and physical operation information retrieved from the physical and logical databases with respect to a specific network node are displayed on a display unit.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-292906 relates to a system for managing asset information and discloses a technique in which a physical identifier for identifying an asset and a logical identifier (e.g., Internet protocol (IP) address) corresponding to the physical identifier are stored, a physical identifier corresponding to an entered logical identifier is retrieved, and asset information corresponding to the retrieved physical identifier is output.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-79350 discloses a technique in which a media access control (MAC) address of a network card attached to a computer is associated with the computer's main body and stored in a database, and the location of the computer's main body is displayed on a layout screen such that the computer can be tracked even when it is moved.
With the conventional techniques described above, it is possible to provide information about dependencies between software programs running in a distributed processing environment. It is also possible to provide a method for managing, using unique physical information such as an MAC address, physical location information of a computer for running software programs.
With such a scheme of the conventional techniques described above, it is possible to detect dependencies between logical objects, such as software programs, to create link information, and possible to identify physical location information on the basis of a MAC address. However, with the scheme of the conventional techniques described above, it is not possible to properly associate a software program with hardware on which the software program is running. In fact, the CMDB framework is designed such that information about the physical location of hardware is abstracted as much as possible, and that the location of a computer and a software program running on the computer are rather not to be detected.
In practice, however, if an air conditioner in Room B on the first floor of Building A fails and the room temperature becomes too high for computers to operate, or if a power failure occurs in an area where computers are located, it is necessary to locate software programs running on such computers and thus affected by such a problem.
However, it is difficult for the conventional scheme to automatically detect software programs running on a computer in a particular area, since the physical location of hardware is abstracted. It may be possible to detect such software programs by obtaining, using a function of a network, a MAC address of a network card attached to a computer on which the software programs are running. In this case, it is necessary to manually refer to a hardware master data library using the obtained MAC address as a clue. This requires a visual check involving a heavy human workload. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus capable of printing an image on a disc recording medium such as a CD or DVD.
2. Description of the Related Art
Exemplary conventional inkjet recording apparatuses capable of printing images on disc recording media such as CDs and DVDs include a recording apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-74905. In the recording apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-74905, a conveyance tray for a CD or DVD, when not used, is housed in a portion on the upstream side with respect to a conveyance roller. When printing is performed on a disc recording medium, the conveyance tray is conveyed out to the front of the body of the apparatus. Subsequently, when a disc recording medium is set on the conveyance tray, the recording apparatus draws the conveyance tray thereinto and performs printing on the disc recording medium while conveying the medium. After the printing is finished, the conveyance tray is conveyed out to the front of the body of the apparatus.
To perform printing on another disc recording medium, the recording media are changed by user operation, and the above operation is repeated. To end printing, the disc recording medium is removed by user operation, and the conveyance tray is drawn into the body of the apparatus by an operation on the side of the body and is conveyed to a conveyance-tray-housing position on the upstream side with respect to the conveyance roller. Thus, the operation ends.
The recording apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-74905 had a space exclusively provided for housing the conveyance tray for a disc recording medium behind a recording unit in the body of the apparatus. Furthermore, since the conveyance tray was conveyed from behind the recording unit to the front surface of the apparatus by a rack provided on the conveyance tray and a pinion gear provided on the body and meshing with the rack, the rack needed to be relatively long. Therefore, the conveyance tray itself was long, increasing the depth of the body so as to provide the space for housing the conveyance tray. This prevented the downsizing of the body of the apparatus.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a downsized recording apparatus capable of housing thereinside a holding member that holds a disc recording medium so as to convey the disc recording medium. | {
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1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multiple signal match detection, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for detecting two or more signals asserted at the same time for indicating an error condition.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is desired to detect the assertion of two or more signals at the same time, such as two or more word or hit line signals of a memory system. For example, a plurality of word or hit lines are typically used to access individual memory cells, where only one hit line should be asserted at any given time to assure that the correct data is read or written. If an error condition exists where two or more hit lines are asserted, it is desired to detect and report the error condition in order to invalidate data written or otherwise retrieved.
In a circuit according to prior art, a plurality of N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) have their drains connected to a common node, where the common node is pulled high through a pull-up resistor. The sources of the MOSFETs are connected to ground and their gates receive respective hit line signals. An inverter having its input connected to the common node asserts an error signal whenever the common node is pulled low. Normally, all of the hit lines are deasserted low, so that the common node is normally pulled high through the pull-up resistor. When any one hit line is asserted, the corresponding MOSFET is activated thereby providing a resistive current path to ground. This resistive current path divides the overall voltage with the pull-up resistor to reduce the voltage of the common node. However, a single N-channel MOSFET is not intended to be able to pull the voltage of the common node low enough to switch the inverter. However, if a second hit line is asserted activating another MOSFET, the combined parallel resistance of the two or more MOSFETs is supposed to pull the common node to a low enough voltage to switch the inverter, thereby asserting the error signal.
The prior art circuit described above is easily implemented, but is relatively unreliable over all voltage, temperature and process combinations. In particular, such voltage, temperature and process variations affect all components, including the pull-up resistor, the MOSFETs and the inverter, thereby changing the switch point of the circuit. The unreliability occurs because voltage, temperature, and/or process variations cause a large range for the switch point, rendering operation unpredictable over all operating conditions. In particular, such variations often cause the circuit to fail to detect multiple hit lines being asserted, or to indicate an error condition with the assertion of only one hit line.
It is desired to provide a reliable, multiple match detection circuit which is reliable over variations of voltage, temperature and process variations. Such a circuit could be used to increase the reliability of memory devices, such as a translation look-aside buffer (TLB). Such error detection would simplify the development of an operating system and memory management hardware for very efficient and fast detection of erroneous data. | {
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An experimental object photographing apparatus is equipment for photographing images of results produced from various experiments. Conventionally, a device for photographing a two-dimensional image and a device for photographing a three-dimensional image are provided independently to photograph an image of an experimental object.
An example of a conventional prior art relating to an experimental object photographing apparatus includes the Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1998-044511 entitled “a fracture scene photographing system for testing durability of components” in which a torsion or a bending force is repeatedly applied to a sample several hundred thousand times so as to test durability of the sample while allowing a camera to automatically photograph a fracture scene of the sample while.
However, such a conventional technique is intended to photograph the sample in order to test durability of parts, and entail a problem in that it is impossible to photograph a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image of an experimental object or the sample according to a certain wavelength band. | {
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Inkjet recording is a recording technique that performs recording of an image, characters or the like by causing tiny droplets of ink to fly in accordance with one of various operation principles and then allowing them to adhere on a recording medium such as paper. Inkjet recording features high-speed printing performance, low operating noise, applicability for the recording of a wide variety of characters and patterns, easy multicolor printing, and obviation of development and image fixing. In particular, an image formed by multicolor inkjet recording can provide a record which is no way inferior to an image printed by multicolor printing making use of a form-plate-dependent printing technique or by a color photographic technique. Multicolor inkjet recording has a still further merit in that, when the number of copies or prints to be made is small, it requires lower printing cost than an ordinary printing technique or photographic technique. Multicolor inkjet recording is, therefore, rapidly finding wide-spread utility as image recorders for various information equipment in recent years. For example, multicolor inkjet recording is finding increasing utility in a wide variety of fields in which recording of full-color images is required, for example, output of image designs in design business, production of color block copies in a printing field where the quality of photographic images is required, and production of billboards and catalogs which are frequently updated.
Further, owing to the spreading of digital still cameras and computers, there are greater opportunities to output photographic images simply by inkjet printers. From such a background, images recorded by inkjet printers are required to have high resolution and vividness equivalent to silver halide pictures, leading to demands for recording apparatuses, recording media and inks of higher performance.
As inks loaded on inkjet printers these days, those using as colorants water-soluble dyes excellent in color developing ability constitute the mainstream. However, a water-soluble dye has high hydrophilicity so that, when an image is stored under high humidity for a long time or water drops adhere a recorded surface subsequent to recording of the image with such an ink, the dye with which the image is formed tends to bleed. Further, use of a water-soluble dye ink, especially on a recording medium having a porous ink-absorbing layer makes it possible to obtain an unblurred uniform image, but involves a problem that subsequent to the recording, the image is prone to fading.
To overcome these problems, water-based dispersion inks are finding utility. Each of these water-based dispersion inks contains a water-insoluble colorant, such as a pigment, dispersed in water by using a hydrophilic high-molecular compound and a surfactant. Images formed with these inks are excellent in light fastness, waterproofness and ozone resistance. For high image fastness, these inks are therefore attracting interests as replacements for dye inks.
Compared with dye inks, however, water-based dispersion inks with pigments contained therein are lower in tinting efficiency so that they are required in greater amounts to record images. This means that these water-based dispersion inks require recording media excellent in ink absorbency. With a recording medium with an ink-receiving layer simply rendered thick to provide improved ink absorbency, however, the colorant penetrates deep into the ink-receiving layer so that the colorant exhibits inferior color-developing ability. With a recording medium prepared by placing importance on the color-developing ability of a colorant, on the other hand, (an ink solvent runs over on the ink-receiving layer, thereby developing a problem such as image bleeding.
When an image is formed on a recording medium, the surface of which has been smoothened to impart gloss, by using a water-based dispersion ink with a pigment contained as a colorant therein, particles of the pigment cannot enter an ink-receiving layer so that the pigment particles remain on the surface. The image is, therefore, provided with lowered abrasion resistance. An attempt has, therefore, been made to provide the surface of an ink-receiving layer with some asperity. With this method, however, no satisfactory results have been obtained yet with respect to the ink absorbency upon forming an image or the surface gloss of the image so obtained.
As other methods for providing an ink-receiving layer with improved ink-fixing property, many methods have also been disclosed, each of which features incorporation of a cationic polymer having tertiary or quaternary ammonium salts in the ink-receiving layer. To improve the ink-fixing property of an ink-receiving layer, however, it is necessary to incorporate a predetermined or greater amount of such a cationic polymer in the ink-receiving layer. This leads to an increase in the amount of the cationic polymer in the ink-receiving layer. Accordingly, the content of fine inorganic particles in the ink-receiving layer is relatively decreased, thereby making it difficult to retain high ink-absorbing ability. In addition, the cationic polymer has a potential problem in that it may deteriorate the stability of a coating formulation required for the formation of the ink-receiving layer. This tendency becomes more pronounced as the content of the cationic polymer increases. The incorporation of such a cationic polymer, therefore, is accompanied by problems that the coating stability of the coating formulation is significantly reduced and the ink-receiving layer formed subsequent to the coating is provided with deteriorated surface smoothness and hence, with lowered gloss.
Further methods have, therefore, been proposed as new techniques. According to these methods, two solutions are used, one being an ink and the other an auxiliary solution for forming agglomerates when brought into contact with the ink, to improve the fixing property and waterproofness of a colorant on a recording medium. Before injecting the ink, the auxiliary solution is caused to adhere on the recording medium such that its ink-fixing property is improved.
For example, JP 63-29971 A discloses to cause a solution, which contains an organic compound having two or more cationic groups per molecule, to adhere on a recording medium and then to perform recording on the recording medium with an ink containing an anionic dye. JP 64-9279 A discloses to cause an acidic solution, which contains succinic acid or the like, to adhere on an ink-receiving layer and then to perform recording on the ink-receiving layer with an ink containing an anionic dye. JP64-63185 A discloses, specifically to cause a dye-insolubilizing solution to adhere before recording with an ink. Further, JP2002-302627 A discloses to cause a reaction mixture, which contains an anionic reactant and an anionic resin emulsion, to adhere on a recording medium and then to cause a water-based ink composition, which contains a colorant and a cationic resin emulsion, to adhere on the recording medium.
Even in the above-described methods, a recording medium the ink absorbency of which is low causes thickening of an ink only on the surface of the recording medium, thereby inducing an uneven distribution of the ink on the recording medium and a reduction in image uniformity. Further, the image-forming surface is hard to dry so that an image formed thereon is provided with lowered abrasion resistance. These methods are, therefore, accompanied by a drawback that, when images are formed, for example, on sheet-form recording media by continuous printing and the recorded matters are stacked one over the other, the recorded matters are smeared by offsetting or the like of the ink because the ink-absorbing property is insufficient. In addition, these methods are disadvantageous in cost because each printer requires an ejection system exclusively for the above-described auxiliary solution. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits and, in particular, to a method of forming conductive vias between conductive layers in an integrated circuit structure for maximum size, optimum shape and lowest possible via resistance.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Integrated circuits commonly use multi-level conductive interconnects to reduce the layout area required for the tens or hundreds of thousands of active semiconductor devices that typically form an integrated circuit. This reduction in layout area is possible because the two or more conductive layers used in multi-level interconnect schemes are separated by dielectric layers that allow crisscrossing of the separated conductive layers without electrical shorting. Intentional connections between conductive layers separated by a dielectric are created by forming small apertures in the dielectric and filling the aperture with a conducting material such as aluminum. These connections, which are usually made between consecutive conductive layers, are known as vias.
As semiconductor device geometries continue to shrink into the submicron range, it is increasingly difficult to maintain planar conductive and dielectric surfaces during the formation of multi-level interconnect structure. This lack of planarity can cause several problems. For instance, if the underlying topography coated by a photoresist layer contains abrupt steps due to lack of planarity, the photoresist layer""s thickness will not be uniform. This can occur, for example, when photoresist is applied to overlie features formed earlier in a semiconductor device process that protrude from the surface of a wafer. Photoresist cannot be applied uniformly over such a topography. This nonuniformity in thickness can lead to some regions of the patterned photoresist layer being inadequately thick to protect underlying features during a later etching step and other regions being excessively thick so that the full thickness of the photoresist layer cannot be exposed due to the depth-of-focus limitations of photolithography at sub-micron dimensions. Also, poor planarity of conductive and dielectric layers promotes poor step coverage which increases sheet-resistance, susceptibility to current-stress failure, electromigration problems and the probability of electrical opens. In addition, poor planarity in underlying conductive or dielectric layers formed earlier in a semiconductor device process further increases the difficulty of establishing planarity in overlying layers formed later in that process.
Another difficulty associated with via formation for multi-level interconnects in sub-micron semiconductor devices is the alignment of upper and lower conductive layers with the aperture formed in the intermediate dielectric layer for a via. This alignment is difficult because of the small distance between device features in sub-micron devices and the reduced tolerance available for alignment errors. Misalignment of a via relative to connected upper and lower conductive layers can lead to reduced device yield, increased via resistance and poor metal coverage in the via. For example, in a standard via, misalignment of the via relative to the lower conductive layer results in overetching into the dielectric underlying the lower layer, thereby increasing the aspect ratio of the via opening and preventing adequate step coverage when later filling the via with metal; the result is a poor contact interface in the via and increased via resistance. Misalignment of an upper conductive layer relative to a via results in overetching, or notching, of the lower layer; the notched lower layer exhibits increased current density and is, thus, more susceptible to failure from electromigration or current stress.
In many semiconductor devices, the layout dimensions of upper and lower conductive layers connecting to vias are extended in the vicinity of the via to form a layout frame, or head, around the via. This is known as framing the via. The frame provides additional alignment margin such that if partial misalignment of an upper and lower conductive layer relative to the intended via location occurs, the actual formed via will still overlie a portion of a lower layer or underlie a portion of an upper layer. However, an adverse effect of using framed vias in a semiconductor device layout is that the layout area is substantially increased.
A third difficulty associated with via formation for multi-level interconnects in sub-micron semiconductor devices is the contact resistance of the vias caused by polymer residue formation during the etching of the vias. These residues are typically formed during plasma etching and may contaminate the bottom of the via, thus causing a poor metallurgical contact between the lower layer and the conductive material of the via.
Accordingly, a need has existed for a method of forming a via for connecting multi-level interconnects in sub-micron semiconductor devices that improves the surface planarity of formed conductive and dielectric layers, reduces problems associated with via misalignment, reduces contact resistance problems associated with polymer residues and lowers associated manufacturing costs.
Commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,569, which issued to Vassili Kitch (the inventor in this application) on May 18, 1999, discloses a process for forming a via in a semiconductor device that uses a self-aligned metal pillar, to connect conductive layers separated by a dielectric. In accordance with the teaching of the Kitch ""569 patent, a first conductive layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate, followed by formation of a second conductive layer on the first conductive layer and a third conductive layer on the second conductive layer. The three conductive layers are then patterned and etched to form a patterned stack of the first, second and third conductive layers. A dielectric material is then deposited to fill the gaps between the patterned stack of the first, second and third layers. The wafer is then planarized, typically using Chemical Mechanical Processes (CMP), to expose the patterned portion of the upper, third conductive layer of the stack. The third conductive layer is then etched, forming a pillar, using the second conductive layer as an etch stop; that is, the etch chemistry etches the third conductive layer, but does not substantially react with the second conductive layer. A second dielectric layer is then deposited to substantially fill the gaps created by the patterning and etching of the third conductive layer. CMP is again used to planarize the wafer and to expose the top of the pillar. A fourth patterned conductive layer is then formed on the wafer overlaying the exposed top of the pillar. The result is an interconnect structure that includes the first and second (etch stop) conductive layers as lower metal, the fourth conductive layer as upper metal and the third patterned conductive layer providing via pillars between lower and upper metal.
Referring to FIG. 1, as discussed above, accurate alignment of the via hole 10 between a lower metal layer 12 and an upper metal layer 14 can be difficult to achieve. To ensure proper alignment and still maintain acceptable packing density, the size of the etched via hole 10 is often made smaller than the dimensions of the two metal layers, as shown in FIG. 1, leading to the increased via resistance and associated problems discussed above.
FIG. 2 shows an example of upper metal 20 passing over a wider portion of lower metal 22, thus enabling the using of multiple via holes 24 at the intersection of the lower metal 22 and upper metal 24 to help alleviate the via resistance problem.
As evidenced by the above, it would be highly desirable to have available a technique that could provide the maximum allowable via size between upper and lower metal interconnect structures.
The present invention provides a technique for laying out vias between conductive layers in an integrated circuit structure utilizing existing conventional Metal n and Metal n+1 layout databases. This allows for interconnect vias to always be optimized in size and shape for existing Metal n and Metal n+1 interconnects, thus providing the lowest possible interlayer resistance, which in turn provides the best possible circuit performance and reliability.
That is, in accordance with the present invention, a first database (Metal n) is created that defines a lower conductive layer. A second database (Metal n+1) is created that defines an upper conductive layer. Selected intersections of the first and second databases are then defined to create a third database (via n) that defines a via pattern between the lower conductive layer and the upper conductive layer.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Stall dividers today comprise a pivotal neck rail of metal, which can be pivoted up and down; however, this structure is more liable to fail if the cow applies a larger amount of force to it. Furthermore, the rigid structure may hurt the cow when the cow comes in contact with the neck rail. The neck rail also limits the movement when the animal is standing up. Such a stall divider is described in WO 2009/052829 A1.
U.S. 2007/0006817 A1 describes a free stall divider comprising a divider member, a support rail mounted on a structural member of the barn, and a control rail suspended from the support rail. The disadvantage is that the control rail is not sufficiently effective to prevent the cow from entering further into the stall. Furthermore, the cow may easily move into the adjacent stall or the opposite stall.
Conventional stall dividers, such as described in U.S. 2005/0263092 A1, consist mainly of metal, which reduces the comfort and welfare of the animals since the animals may hurt themselves on the rigid structural elements. Furthermore, the disadvantage with the conventional structures is that the animals may get stuck in the structure, thus reducing the comfort and welfare even more.
None of these stall dividers provides a simple and versatile structure that improves the comfort and welfare of the animals. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the maintenance of a vacuum within the space occupied by a high speed flywheel rotor. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of a molecular pump incorporated into the flywheel assembly of a flywheel energy storage system to pump gases from a rotor environment into a separate chamber. The separate chamber advantageously can contain molecular sieves for adsorbing gas molecules given off by the rotor.
2. Brief Discussion of Related Art
Modern high strength-to-weight ratio fibers make it possible to construct high energy density flywheels, which, when combined with a high power motor-generators, are an attractive alternative to electrochemical batteries for use as energy buffers in hybrid electric vehicles. A properly designed flywheel system would provide higher energy density, higher power density, higher efficiency, and longer life than a conventional electrochemical battery. Flywheel energy storage systems have even been proposed for use in motor vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,034, for example, discloses a flywheel contained in an evacuated sphere which is surrounded by a liquid.
The vehicle environment, however, presents special challenges to successful implementation of a flywheel to motor vehicle applications. For example, to accommodate a rim speed of about 1200 meters per second, a housing containing the flywheel should maintained at a very low pressure, e.g., a pressure in the below 0.001 Pascal, to limit windage losses. While this pressure can be readily achieved before sealing the housing, the fiber composite materials used in the construction of high energy density flywheels have a residual gas evolution rate which make it difficult to achieve this desired degree of pressure, i.e., near vacuum conditions, in a sealed container. Thus, continuous pumping of the evolving gases from the container is often needed. Most often, an external pump is employed to maintain the desired pressure.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,023,920, 4,732,529 and 4,826,393 describe various implementations of molecular pumps, which are a class of high vacuum pump wherein the dimensions of the critical elements are comparable to the mean free path of the gas molecules at the pressure of interest. Two types are generally known, a turbo-molecular pump, which is similar in construction to an axial flow compressor in a gas turbine employing interleaved rotor and stator blades, and a molecular drag pump, which uses helical grooves cut in the stator, which, in turn, is disposed in close proximity to a high speed rotor so as to direct gas flow through the pump. It will be appreciated that hybrid molecular pumps which pumps contains separate sections of each of these types or molecular pumps, are also known. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,920 discloses a turbo-molecular pump using magnetic bearings to support the pump rotor at high rotational speeds. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,732,529 and 4,826,393 disclose hybrid molecular pumps in which a turbo-molecular section is used on the high vacuum input side and a spiral groove drag pump is used on the discharge side.
All of these pumps are designed as self contained systems, each with its own shaft, bearing system and power source, i.e., motor. While this solution is satisfactory for stationary systems, it is more difficult to apply in mobile applications because the space and weight for its implementation is not readily available.
The present invention was, thus, motivated by a desire to correct perceived problems in providing a flywheel-motor-generator energy storage system suitable for moving vehicles. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an immuno-PCR method for detecting nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and kit thereof, especially related to an immuno-PCR method for detecting markers of early stage NPC and kit thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the advancement of medical technology and change of living style in modern society, the main cause of death has already been altered from the acute infectious disease to the chronic disease in Taiwan. In addition, according to the statistics of National Health Administration, Executive Yuan, it is known that the cancer is soaring to the first place of top ten major causes of death since 1982, and its mortality rate and incidence have been increased so rapidly with time. It was until the occurrence of cancer symptoms that people start to seek for medical treatment. However, it has almost been the late stage of cancer at this moment, and in most of the case the cancer cells have already been transferred to the whole body. It is then difficult to kill or remove cancer cells completely. Thus, if the cancer can be diagnosed in early stage, there will be much helpful for the treatment and prognosis of patients.
The purpose of cancer screening is to screen the cancer in early stage without symptom by using specific fast and effective tools and methods to achieve early treatment and control as well as to prevent the cancer from deteriorating. The screening should have the following features: high sensitivity, safety and acceptable by the people, etc. The most important one would probably the sensitivity among them, because it can not to be used as the platform for the cancer screening without good sensitivity. All diagnostic tools have their own limitations. For example, the blood serum screening can be used as an index of cancer. However, the screening is not a diagnosis, if the screening result is positive, other physical examinations (functional inspections such as the ultrasonic wave, computer tomography, biopsy etc.) should be conducted for further confirmation.
The nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a popular disease in Chinese people, and it is also ranked high in top ten cancers. It is a common cancer found at the head and neck. Once the cancer cells spread and metastasize to other vital organs, it will cause the death of patient. All age levels of people might be affected by this disease, but the peak is for the people at mature stage between 40 and 50 years old. So it can cause serious effect to the patient, patient's family and society. According to the clinical study, it is found that five-year survival rate of early stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (Phase I, II) (89.7%-75.9%) is much higher than that of later stage (Phase III, IV) (51.3%-22.2%). So, if it can be successfully diagnose in early stage and treated earlier, its prognosis rate can be improved with satisfactory results. However, due to the lack of knowledge for patients in the prevention of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the early symptom of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is not distinctive as well as the cancer in situ is relatively not distinguishable, the early diagnosis rate of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is still unsatisfactory and a challenge for clinical surgeons.
From anatomy, the nasopharynx lies under the cranium and above the pharynx at the back of the nasal cavity. For sagittal plane, its top is the cranium. Its bottom is the pharynx, oral cavity. For transverse plane, its front is the nasal cavity, paranasal sinus. Its back is the spondyl of neck. For coronal plane, the middle ears are located at its left and right sides. Since the nasopharynx is connected to the lymphatic and lymph node, the malignant expansion and transfer of nasopharyngeal carcinoma will cause the following symptoms. (1) Nose symptom: Including a stuffy nose, thick snivel, stench secretion etc., because the nasal cavity is blocked by the nasopharyngeal tumor or the tumor is festered. (2) Ear symptom: Such as the feeling of ear obliteration, tinnitus, even the emergence of hearing loss. (3) Cervical tumor: It is the initial symptom of more than 70% of the patients. Most patients do not feel pain except for a few patients are infected due to the expansion of lymph node. (4) Headache: It is not the peculiar pain, but a lasting, single-side headache. (5) Neural symptom: The nasopharyngeal carcinoma is occurred at the bottom of cranium. It is very easy to spread to bilateral phranyx and cause the entrapment of trigeminal nerve resulting in the numbness, pain of face, etc. If the spongy sinus is invaded, it will cause the constriction of obducent nerve, and the symptom of diplopia will take place. (6) Others: Such as lockjaw, decrease of physical power, and emaciation etc.
The early symptom of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is not apparent, it is similar to cold, rhinitis, etc., and the symptom is not specific, so it is easy to be neglected. Therefore, most patients are in Phase III or Phase IV of tumor after the nasopharyngeal carcinoma is diagnosed by the doctor. The cancer cells have already been spread to other important organs at this moment, so it is very difficult to be treated, and the mortality rate is extremely high.
The cause of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is still unclear so far, but most research reports indicate that it may have close relationship to the genetic factor, environmental factor, and EB virus infection.
(1) Genetic factor: The occurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma has preference in the geography and race. It is comparatively prevailing at the southeast coastal area of China, Taiwan, and Singapore etc. Even the Chinese people immigrated to the American-European area and their descendent have higher incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma than the local white people. This reveals the relationship between the nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the genetic factor. It is also found by current research that the type of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) has the relationship to the emergence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. If HLA of someone is A2B46DR9, his infection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma will be 2.3 times higher than that of the other people.
(2) Environmental factor: According to the research reported in Hong Kong, it suggests that the emergence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma relates to the fact that Hong Kong people are used to feed children with the salted fish, which contains high dosage of nitrosamine. On the other hand, the epidemiology studies done in Taiwan show that the emergence of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma relates to the working environment, such as poor ventilation, the inclusion of saw-dust etc. Researchers also found that heavy smokers have the greater chance to suffer from the nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
(3) EB virus infection: According to the research data of the serology, it is found that a kind of antibody called Epstein-Barr virus (EB, EBV) can be detected in the serum of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma patient, which shows that the patient has been infected by EB virus. And in recent years, the DNA, RNA and EBV protein of EB virus have been proved to be detected in most specimens of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by utilizing of the molecular biology technology. These proteins include the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1), latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) and latent membrane protein 2 (LMP2). In addition, some researches data state that the antibody titer is higher in the body of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patient, if the time period is longer than the initial occurrence time of symptom to the time of actual diagnosis. The bigger the tumor is, the higher the antibody titer is. After the radiotherapy, the concentration detected by antibody could be lower down to the level similar to patients without recurrence, but it is still higher than that of the patients with recurrence. So this is further verified that the Epstein-Barr virus has close relationship to the nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
As we know, the nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a kind of malignant tumor in the epithelial tissue of nasopharynx. It is difficult to be diagnosed in early stage, because its position is esoteric. As for 30˜50 years old patients, if there are the clinical symptoms of blood snot, stuffy nose, headache, single side tinnitus or deaf, shank lump etc., it should be considered the possibility of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma at first, and carry out necessary biochemical examinations actively. It has many diagnosis methods. The clinical examination methods are described as follows, but each method has its certain degree of disadvantage:
The nasopharyngeal endoscopy: There are two kinds of nasopharyngeal scopes. (1) The regular reflection mirror for the back of nose. The doctor uses a small round mirror to reach the pharynx through the oral cavity to inspect the reflection image of the nasopharynx. Its advantage is rapid and immediate diagnostic without the need of special and expensive apparatus. But there are a lot of disadvantages. The reflection mirror might not be able to stretch into the pharynx due to the vomit reflex of patient or narrow pharynx structure. The image is the reflection image. Its resolution may be relatively poor, and it is unable to determine the minor change. (2) The nasopharyngeal endoscope. It is a kind of expensive fiber endoscope. After local anesthesia, the doctor stretches the mirror to the pharynx through the nose directly, and checks the pathological change of the nasopharynx. Its advantages are high resolution, without loss of minor pathological change, less dead angle, less cause of vomit, and about 5-10 minutes of inspection. The disadvantages are relatively time-consuming and high cost. The nasopharyngeal scope can be used to see local proliferated tubercle or local congestion, festering and ulcer, bleeding, roughness etc. The viable specimen can be biopsied for further histological examination.
The viable tissue biopsy: The vivid tissue inspection shall be carried out for the nasopharyngeal lump and the intumescent lymph node. The biopsy is conducted followed by the tissue morphology analysis of architecture and cytology is conducted by the microscope. When the living tissue is taken for diagnosis, there are some disadvantages: (a) The biopsy belongs to the invasive type medical involvement. It will destroy the tissue structure, and the most serious one might cause other side effects. In addition, the obtained specimens is limited, the variation on the morphology and cytology of tissue will cause the difficulty of diagnosis; (b) Since the distribution of morbid tissues of many diseases are uneven and it lacks of obvious and visible features, so the sampling of tissue is only a random sampling. This kind of tissue sampling by the vision is to cause the obvious sampling error; (c) As for the reading of pathological result, the conclusion might be very different, due to different subjective determination of the pathologist; (d) The completion of pathological diagnosis also needs higher cost and time-consuming, so it is unable to become a kind of real-time diagnostic tool for the standard evaluation of therapy effects of the diseases.
As for the cytology analysis of peeled cell from the nasopharynx: The tissue scratched or by negative pressure is used to obtain samples from the nasopharynx for the investigation of cancer cell. The accurate rate can be up to 70˜90%. It is suitable for the screening of early cancer without clear pathological changes. Then the in-viro examination is carried out for the positive and suspicious case. But 60% of the early-stage squamous form of oral cancer attacks the basic membrane to infiltrate into downwards directly, while the top layer of the skin is normal. The negative result is often obtained by the cytology analysis of peeled cell.
X-ray inspection: (1) The X-ray photograph of bilateral nasopharynx and bottom cranium shall be provided for each case. The image of soft tissue is often observed to see the tissue infiltration under the mucous membrane and the destruction condition at the side wall of nasopharynx and bottom cranium. (2) X-ray barium glue radiography. The barium glue is applied into the nasal cavity to inspect the pathological change under the mucous membrane. The image is sharper than that of the nasopharyngeal scope. The smaller the original cancer, the tissue infiltration under the mucous membrane can be found. The X-ray provides the overlaid image of various tissues, and the space resolution and the contrast of every tissue are lower than those of the computer tomography.
The computer tomography (CT): The computer tomography can show the process of small soft tissue near the nasopharynx, help to confirm the direction and position of in-viro inspection, which is beneficial for the diagnosis in early stage. It is beneficial for the confirmation of disease in clinical stage and the determination of treatment methods. The image developer shall be injected for the computer tomography. It may cause disgusting, vomit, and may cause the irritated shock of death in severe condition. In addition, a dosage of radiation is 3-4 times of the chest X-ray, which exceeds the safe dosage of radiation.
The EB virus serology analysis: The cancer cell will secrete some molecules. So it can screen out these molecules from the blood to evaluate the existence of cancer. Only the blood is needed to be drawn for this inspection. There is no side effect, and it is a convenient, fast and comfortable method at present. Traditionally, the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) or the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is used to detect the IgA antibody (IgA/VCA) of the EB virus shell antigen and the IgA antibody (IgA/EA) concentration of the early antigen. Some literatures show the former one has higher sensitivity but the accuracy is relatively low, while the latter one is totally different. However, the technique of IFA is complicated and time consuming. Every specimen needs to be examined by the physician subjectively under the fluorescence microscope, a significant error might be generated and a large amount of specimens are unable to be screened at the same time. In addition, most of nasopharyngeal carcinoma belongs to the undifferentiated type epidermic cell cancer, the transfer and lymph node metastasis is extremely easy to take place, so the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is often failed. The lymph node metastasis tends to happen at the late stage of cancer. The current equipment, even more accurate magnetic resonance imaging or positron emission tomography is unable to detect it due to the limited sensitivity. Furthermore, the origin site of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is near the cranium in deep position and other vital organs, there is not easy for operation excising, so the radiotherapy is usually an alternative choice. Once the lymph node metastais, there is no effective treatment at present. If no treatment, the patient can only survive for 4 to 6 months. Even the chemotherapy is applied, the patient can only survive for 12 months. In order to increase the prognosis, it is necessary to develop more sensitive detecting method for early diagnosis. If the treatment is performed immediately when the cancer cell is still confined in the nasopharynx, the outcome of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is quite high at this moment.
Many researches have demonstrated that the nasopharyngeal carcinoma has close relationship to the EB virus. For example, higher EB virus antibody can be detected in the serum of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patient. The molecular biology technology is a good candidate to be used to bind with DNA, RNA and protein of EB virus that can be observed in the tumor cell of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. EB virus gene or protein can be used as the marker for the detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The screening is an important means to diagnose the early stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and it should be simple, safe, cheap and acceptable by the public. At present, the marker often used for screening nasopharyngeal carcinoma is EB virus shell antigen antibody IgA (VCA/IgA) and early antigen antibody IgA (EA/IgA). Between them, the VCA/IgA is usually chosen in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Its sensitivity can be up to about 90%. So, the VCA/IgA can be used as an index of preliminary screening, but its disadvantage is relatively poor with respect to the detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. On the contrary, the EA/IgA is better with respect to the nasopharyngeal carcinoma. But its sensitivity is relatively poor, so it is not an ideal candidate for the preliminary screening.
In summary, the current screening methods have different disadvantages. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a more precise detection method to recognize the nasopharyngeal carcinoma in early stage. To sum up, the present invention provides a novel immuno-PCR method for detecting nasopharyngeal carcinoma and kit thereof. The brief illustration of the present invention is described as follows. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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