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Gaming machines, otherwise known as slot machines, poker machines, video lottery terminals, or gaming consoles, have proven very popular within the gaming environment to become one of the base elements of the gaming industry. Players, however, quickly become tired of various adaptations of gaming machines, demanding new and inventive ways to represent or play games on such gaming machines. For this reason, game creators must continually invent new and innovative ways to represent games, game play, and award types to stimulate players to encourage further interest.
Players may also experience fatigue when playing casino games. Fatigue can result from the spatial relationship between the gaming chair and the controls on the gaming machine. Players may have to lean forward or sit in the chair in an unnatural position to engage the controls. Game creators may thus take into consideration player comfort in designing interfaces to extend player interest. | {
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The present invention relates generally to a device for generating and measuring the flow of gas and, more particularly, to a device which is adapted for use in determining air infiltration in buildings and the like. While the device will be discussed hereinafter primarily with reference to the latter use, it should be understood that its utility is not thereby so limited.
The recent escalations in the costs of petroleum products and other types of fuel have focused great national attention on means for conserving energy. One area of significant potential savings in energy is in the energy used to heat and cool buildings such as residential homes. The two major sources of energy loss in buildings are thermal conduction through walls, ceilings and floors, and infiltration of air where, for example, warm inside air is displaced by cold outside air through cracks, holes and other openings in the structure of the building. Techniques for minimizing energy losses by conduction in both new and old buildings are well known (insulating materials of various kinds, storm windows and doors, etc.) and has been well publicized both by public service agencies and commercial manufacturers. Procedures to measure conductive heat loss from buildings such as infra-red scanning are also available.
On the other hand, it is not nearly as generally appreciated that in most buildings, new or old and with or without adequate insulation, air infiltration is still a major source of heat loss. According to one estimate, from 15 to 67% of the total heating energy utilized in residential buildings is due to the infiltration of air. Furthermore, with the exception of weatherstripping around doors and windows and exterior caulking, it is still not general practice in new residential construction to build with a goal of reducing air infiltration to the minimum practical level. Older houses, built in the era of cheap energy, are even worse in this regard.
Techniques to minimize air infiltration are known and in general are relatively inexpensive to accomplish. In order to promote the more widespread application of these techniques and to thereby capitalize on the potential energy savings realized by the use of these techniques, a simple and economical testing device to measure air infiltration in residential homes and other buildings should be made widely available. To be effective, such a testing device should be able to quickly determine how serious a problem air infiltration is in a given structure, and also should be capable of indicating the effectiveness of the steps taken to reduce the air infiltration. In addition, it would also be very useful to be able to identify sources of air leakage in the structure from use of the testing device.
Two instrumental techniques have been described in the literature for estimating the resistance of buildings to air infiltration: (a) a gas diffusion method and (b) a pressurization method. In the latter technique, a device having an exhaust type fan is utilized to establish a given pressure differential between the interior and exterior of the building. From a determination of the flow rate of the air being exhausted from the building, the amount of air exhausted per unit of time can be calculated, e.g., cubic feet per minute (cfm). Then, using the volumetric capacity of the building (total floor area).times.(ceiling height), the number of air turnovers per hour (ATPH) is then calculated by the following formula; ##EQU1##
ATPH is conventionally used as an index of the resistance of the house to air infiltration. For example, Sweden has incorporated this index of air infiltration into its national building code for all new construction, in some cases the standards being as low as 1.0 ATPH at 0.2 inches wc pressure. One proposed standard for the Unites States is that for an adequately tight house, ATPH should be between about 1.5 and 5.0 at 0.1 inches wc pressure. It is generally recognized that values below about 1.5 indicate the building may be too tight and therefore subject to problems from the buildup of excessive humidity, odors and/or hazardous fumes. Above a value of about 5.0, air infiltration is apt to be an increasingly high factor in heating or cooling costs for the building. For example, in a relatively new residential home with a heat-pump type heating system, a reduction in the ATPH down to a value about 3 from an unknown initial level has been accompanied by an almost 50% reduction in electrical comsumption for heating compared on a degree-day basis with earlier experience.
Another procedure which has been proposed for expressing the results of the pressurization method for testing air infiltration is by determining a parameter known as the Equivalent Leakage Area (ELA) for the building. ELA is calculated by a graphical procedure using data on air leakage rate versus the differential pressure outside and inside the building, .DELTA.p(out/in). This procedure has been used principally in tests with the "Blower Door" testing device described below, but it could also be used with the present invention, if desired.
One known testing device used in the above-mentioned pressurization method for determining air infiltration comprises a tubular section about five feet long and eighteen inches in diameter. Fitted at one end of the tubular section is a tube-axial fan which is belt-driven by a variable-speed, 3/4 horsepower electric motor mounted adjacent to the tube. At the other end of the tubular section is a short transitional section to a square cross-sectional shape which is used for mounting the device in an opening such as a door or window in the building to be tested. The interior of the tube is provided with a honey-comb type baffle arrangement to provide laminar air flow therethrough and an array of Pitot tubes are located at a number of points across the tubes cross-section for measuring air velocity. During use of the device, the square end of the tubular section is mounted from the exterior of the building into a convenient window or door opening, the space surrounding the device is sealed, and the other end of the device containing the motor and fan is maintained in place by an adjustable vertical support. Accessory equipment for the device includes an inclined-tube manometer to measure pressures at the Pitot tube locations, and another pressure gauge to measure the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the building.
Two uses of the above-mentioned testing device are described: first, to measure the resistance of the building to air infiltration, and second, to provide assistance in determining the locations of air leakage. For the first use, the speed of the fan drawing air from inside the building is adjusted to produce an outside-to-inside pressure difference of 0.1 inches of water column (wc). The average air velocity inside the tube is then determined from the Pitot tube pressure readings, which in turn permits calculation of the rate (CFM) at which air is being exhausted from the building in order to maintain the 0.1 inch wc pressure differential. With the volumetric capacity of the particular building being tested, and APTH value can then be determined from the previously-mentioned formula.
By increasing the fan speed of the device to generate a maximum of 0.4 inches wc outside-to-inside pressure differential, sources of air leakage in the building can be more easily located. Thus, for example, one can readily locate leakage by simply feeling for drafts in various locations within the building.
While the above-described device is generally adequate for the purpose for which it was designed since it is well-suited for precise, absolute measurements in a scientific study of various factors affecting air infiltration, it may not be considered attractive for widespread use by builders and home-owners for a variety of reasons. For example, the device is relatively expensive, with an estimated cost for materials alone above a thousand dollars. In addition, the size and weight distribution of the device make it relatively inconvenient to transport and it is difficult for one person to mount the device in position for conducting a test. Furthermore, the necessity of converting the multiple Pitot tube pressure readings to air flow in cfm involves a fairly complicated and time-consuming calculation.
Another test device which has been used to measure air infiltration by the pressurization method is a device known as the "Blower Door" which was developed at Princeton University. Air flow rate is determined from masurements of fan rpm, .DELTA.p(out/in), and air density, by applying a relationship previously established by calibration. This device may have several disadvantages in regard to its large-scale manufacture and routine use. Each device would probably have to be calibrated individually because calibration is sensitive to small variations in dimensions of the fan and other mechanical elements. Accuracy of flow measurement tends to be reduced by the fact that .DELTA.p(out/in) is a factor in the calibration relationship. The device is somewhat inconvenient for use by one person, since the fan assembly and motor alone weigh about eighty pounds. | {
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The present invention relates generally to telecommunications and, more particularly, to systems and methods for capturing information from telephone callers.
A typical business often has a number of telephone lines for receiving and placing telephone calls. Often, the number of calls originating and terminating at the business exceeds the number of telephone lines available. When this occurs, a caller trying to reach the business, such as a customer or a vendor, receives a busy signal.
The business may subscribe to a conventional off-premises voice mail system offered by a local exchange carrier (LEC). The voice mail system typically enables a caller to leave a message that can be retrieved by the business at a later time. To retrieve the message, the business must typically access their voice mailbox, enter an access code and retrieve the messages in the order in which they were left.
Retrieving messages in this manner is time-consuming and inefficient. Additionally, the business may be unaware of the received messages for a long period of time. Therefore, a need exists to overcome the deficiencies of conventional off-premises voice mail systems.
The business may also request that the local phone company analyze the frequency of busy signals being offered to incoming calls. Even when such an analysis is available, the analysis is typically devoid of specific identifying information, such as who called, which is vital to the business when making an overall determination of whether it is using its existing phone lines efficiently.
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention address this need by permitting a user to automatically receive messages left by callers. The messages may be received via a number of different communication devices, including a computer or a pager. Systems and methods consistent with the present invention also provide both the business and the LEC with relevant information to enable them to determine, individually or together, how efficiently the business is using its telephone line capacity and how to efficiently manage this resource to meet the business""s goals.
In accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a server consistent with the present invention includes a communications interface configured to enable communications with a calling party. The server also includes a processing device configured to receive a telephone call from a calling party for a called party, identify the calling party, determine whether the calling party is a predetermined party, and transmit a notification to the called party when the calling party is the predetermined party.
In another implementation consistent with the present invention a computer-readable medium stores sequences of instructions that are executed by a processor. The instructions cause the processor to store a message of a calling party for a called party. The instructions further cause the processor to identify the calling party, determine whether the calling party is a predetermined party and transmit a notification to the called party when the calling party is the predetermined party. | {
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A. Technical Field
This application relates to optical signal power control, and more particularly, to feedback control of an optical gain or loss that is applied to an optical channel group(s).
B. Background of the Invention
The importance of optical networking technology in today's society is well understood. Optical networks transmit large amounts of information at high data rates. Optical networks may also transmit information across long distances using fiber optic cables. Typically, multiple optical wavelengths or channels are multiplexed together and transmitted into this cable. The power level of these optical channels should be maintained within a preferred range to ensure that information within these channels may be efficiently recovered.
Optical amplifiers or attenuators provide a gain to a signal that effectively increases or decreases the power associated with the signal. These optical amplifiers may be used to ensure that a power level or optical profile of an optical signal falls within a preferred power range. Certain optical components, such as photo-detectors and optical multiplexers, are designed to operate within a particular range of optical power. If an optical signal is not within this power range, then the component may generate errors in its operation.
Optical multiplexers may require that an optical channel have certain power characteristics in order to properly multiplex that channel within a wave-division multiplexed signal. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an optical multiplexing module that multiplexes multiple banded optical channels. As shown, a plurality of banded optical channel source modules 110 transmit banded optical channels onto paths 120 to a multiplexing module 150. An N:1 multiplexer 160 receives each of the banded optical channels 120 and combines them into a single wave-division multiplexed signal 170.
The output characteristics of each of the banded optical channel group source modules 110 may vary depending on the vendors, ages and operating temperatures of modules 110. Furthermore, the optical paths 120 typically have different transmission characteristics which may affect the optical signals differently. As a result, the banded optical signals may have different characteristics, such as average power levels, at the multiplexer 160.
FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary plot of the optical profile of the banded optical channel groups at the multiplexer 160. The plot shows a preferred power level 210 for the multiplexer 160. A first banded optical channel group, having a first set of channels 230, is shown as having the preferred power level 210. A second banded optical channel group, having a second set of channels 240, is shown as having a power level above the preferred power level 210. A third banded optical channel group, having a third set of channels 250, is shown as having a power level below the preferred power level 210.
When combining optical channels together, it may be desirable to have the channels have equal power for flatness or to purposefully render them to have a relative power profile that is of a certain desired shape. An undesired variable optical power profile at the multiplexer 160 may cause the multiplexer 160 to operate outside of a preferred power level range and may potentially result in the generation of errors. Desired channel “pre-emphasis” is typically done by an optical amplifier or attenuator on a channel-by-channel basis. For example, channel pre-emphasis may be performed by making use of a spectrum analyzer or per channel power meter to provide the feedback needed to create the change in powers be it by an amplifier or attenuator.
This optical power profile may change overtime as the banded optical channel group source modules age and/or the characteristics of the transmission paths 120 vary. For example, a laser's output characteristics may change of time as it ages or its temperature increases. This change in laser output may cause an optical channel group power level to wander outside of a preferred power range. | {
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In a vehicle equipped with disk brakes, each wheel to be braked comprises a brake disk integral with the wheel and brake pads integral with the chassis of the vehicle, which come to brake the disk by friction. The brake comprises a caliper with a carrier with a U-shaped branch carrying a brake pad on each side of the brake disk, and each pad is movable perpendicularly to the disk plane when guided by its two ends (lugs) in housings of the arms of the carrier.
During braking, the pads are driven in a direction tangential to the disk, and the lugs come to rest—sometimes suddenly—against the base of their guide housing, causing a clonking noise. To dampen the impact of the lugs in their housing and thus attenuate the noise, a guideway is provided between each lug and its housing, and the damping is obtained by deformation of a spring formed by a leg of the guideway, the shape of which is adapted to the force exerted by the brake pad during its tangential movement.
Motor vehicle disk brakes exist which comprise at least one brake pad which is mounted sliding in relation to a brake disk along an axially oriented slide axis in at least one guideway, between a front braking position in which a friction face of the brake pad or brake block is able to be applied to a face of the disk, and a rear rest position in which the friction face of the brake pad is remote from the face of the disk. A caliper comprises at least one application element for the brake pad which is able to stress the brake pad axially towards its braking position, wherein the guideway is fixed to a fixed carrier and comprises an axially deformable leg, comprising a guide face and a contact zone with the brake pad, and exerting a constant elastic force.
It is known to propose brake disks of the type described above in which each guideway is made from a folded metal sheet which also forms a leaf spring which is fixed to the carrier of an associated caliper, these guideways thus combining a spring function. These disk brakes are quieter than conventional brakes. In fact the guideways and the leaf springs, generally made from a stainless steel sheet, are intended to reduce the vibrations existing between the brake pad and the carrier by allowing a certain freedom of movement of the brake pad in relation to the carrier, and thus allowing a reduction in the coefficient of friction between the pad and the carrier by improved surface states. The brake pads are generally mounted sliding freely in the associated guideways. Control of the coefficient of friction and the forces applied by the leaf spring to the pad also allows control of the sliding forces and guidance of the pad, and hence the characteristics of the disk brake in terms of residual torque and absorption can be managed.
The brake pads are therefore stressed against the disk by an application element of the caliper, and repelled in the opposite direction towards their rest position by the friction of the disk when the application element has returned to its rest position. An example of these guideways amongst others is disclosed in document WO 2001/031223 A1.
However, sometimes the pad rubbing against the disk begins to vibrate, creating an unpleasant noise, despite the spring effect of the guideway. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to variable gain amplifier (VGA) assemblies and components thereof, gain control in such assemblies, and applications of the same.
2. Related Art
VGA assemblies are known in the art. What is needed is a more linear, lower noise, less costly amplifier assembly for providing variable amplifier gain in a variety of applications, such as those including multiple tuners for cable television and data signal applications. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing an optically active amino acid and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An optically active amino acid is known to be a compound which is useful as an intermediate for a pharmaceutical such as an anti-asthmatic agent, an anti-depressant and an anti-thrombotic agent and as a feed or food additive and the like.
A biochemical method for producing an optically active amino acid is believed generally to be advantageous in terms of the simplicity of an operation, the yield of a product, the prices of starting materials and the optical purity of an intended substance when compared with a synthetic chemical method. Such biochemical method may for example be a method in which one of the optical isomers of an amino acid as a racemic mixture is decomposed, a method in which an aminoacyl-form of an amino acid as a racemic mixture is deacylated in an optically selective manner, a method in which an amino acid as a L-form is produced from a keto acid in the presence of an amino-donating compound and a method utilizing a fermentation of a microorganism.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a method for producing an optically active amino acid effeciently.
Now we discovered a biological material which has an ability of converting one of the optical isomers of a certain amino acid to the other of the optical isomers, the isomerism being on the basis of an asymmetric carbon atom to which both of an amino group and a carboxyl group are bound and the ability described above being not inhibited seriously by an aminotransferase inhibitor-chloro-D-alanine, -chloro-L-alanine or gabaculine, and finally established the present invention by applying said biological material to the production of an optically active amino acid of the amino acid described above.
That is, the present invention provides:
1. A method for producing from one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I) of an amino acid represented by Formula (1):
Rxe2x80x94CH(NH2)xe2x80x94COOHxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
xe2x80x83(wherein R is an optionally substituted C1-C12 alkyl group, an optionally substituted C4-C8 cycloalkyl group or an optionally substituted C6-C14 aryl group) (hereinafter, it is sometimes referred to as the amino acid (1)) the other of the optical isomers (optical isomer II), said method comprising reacting a biological material which has an ability of converting said one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I) to said the other of the optical isomers (optical isomer II), the isomerism being on the basis of an asymmetric carbon atom to which both of an amino group and a carboxyl group are bound and said ability being not inhibited seriously by an aminotransferase inhibitor -chloro-D-alanine, -chloro-L-alanine or gabaculine, with said one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I). (Hereinafter, it is sometimes referred to as the method of the present invention.)
2. the method according to the above 1, wherein said one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I) is a D-form and said the other of the optical isomers (optical isomer II) is a L-form.
3. the method according to the above 1, wherein said one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I) with which said biological material is reacted is present in a mixture of said the other of the optical isomers (optical isomer II).
4. the method according to the above 1, wherein said biological material is a whole cell.
5. the method according to the above 1, wherein said biological material is one derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Arthrobacter, Flavimonas, Klebsiella, Nocardia, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, Saccharopolyspora or Streptomyces.
6. the method according to the above 1, wherein said biological material is one derived from a microorganism classified to Arthrobacter pascens, Flavimonas oryzihabitans, Klebsiella planticola, Nocardia diaphanozonaria, Pseudomonas chlororaphis, Pseudomonas oleovorans, Pseudomonas oxalaticus, Pseudomonas taetrolens, Rhizobium meliloti, Saccharopolyspora hirsuta or Streptomyces roseus.
7. the method according to the above 1, wherein said biological material is one derived from Arthrobacter pascens strain IFO12139, Flavimonas oryzihabitans strain JCM2952, Klebsiella planticola strain JCM7251, Nocardia diaphanozonaria strain JCM3208, Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain IFO3521, Pseudomonas oleovorans strain IFO13583, Pseudomonas oxalaticus strain IFO13593, Pseudomonas taetrolens strain IFO3460, Rhizobium meliloti strain IFO14782, Saccharopolyspora hirsuta subsp.kobensis strain JCM9109 or Streptomyces roseus strain IFO12818.
8. a method for improving the optical purity of an amino acid represented by Formula (1):
Rxe2x80x94CH(NH2)xe2x80x94COOHxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
(wherein R is an optionally substituted C1-C12 alkyl group, an optionally substituted C4-C8 cycloalkyl group or an optionally substituted C6-C14 aryl group), said method comprising reacting a biological material which has an ability of converting one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I) of said amino acid to the other of the optical isomers (optical isomer II), the isomerism being on the basis of an asymmetric carbon atom to which both of an amino group and a carboxyl group are bound and said ability being not inhibited seriously by an aminotransferase inhibitor xcex2-chloro-D-alanine, xcex2-chloro-L-alanine or gabaculine, with said amino acid represented by Formula (1).
9. the method according to the above 8, wherein said one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I) is a D-form and said the other of the optical isomers (optical isomer II) is a L-form.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word xe2x80x9ccomprisexe2x80x9d, and variations such as xe2x80x9ccomprisesxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccomprisingxe2x80x9d, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integer or step.
The invention is described in detail below.
A biological material which can be employed in the present invention is a biological material which has an ability of converting one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I) of the amino acid (1) to the other of the optical isomers (optical isomer II), the isomerism being on the basis of an asymmetric carbon atom to which both of an amino group and a carboxyl group are bound and the ability being not inhibited seriously by an aminotransferase inhibitor xcex2-chloro-D-alanine, xcex2-chloro-L-alanine or gabaculine (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the biological material of the present invention).
The ability being not inhibited seriously by an aminotransferase inhibitor xcex2-chloro-D-alanine, xcex2-chloro-L-alanine or gabaculine described herein means that the converting ability in the presence of an inhibitor is about 70% or more of thrat in the absence of the inhibitor when assuming the ability in the absence of the inhibitor to be 100%. Furthermore, it is preferred to be the ability being not inhibited substantially by an aminotransferase inhibitor xcex2-chloro-D-alanine, xcex2-chloro-L-alanine or gabaculine described herein means that the converting ability in the presence of an inhibitor is about 90% or more of that in the absence of the inhibitor when assuming the ability in the absence of the inhibitor to be 100%.
While a conversion reaction described above involves the formation of a product (optical isomer II) corresponding to the consumption of a substrate (optical isomer I) until an equilibrium is established and consequently the reaction rate is reduced as time elapses, the product linearly increases with time at an early stage of the reaction where the substrate is present in a large excess, resulting in a reaction rate specific to the relevant condition. Accordingly, an experimental value observed at an early stage of the reaction is used suitably for evaluating the converting ability described above, but a value observed at the stage of the equilibrium may also be used because of the fact that, at an early stage of the reaction, a certain combination of the type or the quantity of a substrate or the form or the quantity of the biological material of the present invention may pose a difficulty in stabilizing the reaction or the observed value is fluctuated due to a less consumption of the substrate or a less formation of the product. It is a matter of course that the values at both stages may together be taken into account to make a comprehensive decision.
xcex2-chloroalanine is known to be an inhibitor of aspartate aminotransferase (E.C. 2.6.1.1) and D-alanine aminotransferase (E.C. 2.6.1.21) and gabaculine is known to be an inhibitor of D-alanine aminotransferase (E.C. 2.6.1.21), xcex2-alanine-pyruvate aminotransferase (E.C. 2.6.1.18) and 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase (E.C.2.6.1.19).
The biological material of the present invention may be employed in various forms such as a microorganism culture and a microorganism cell separated from a microorganism culture by a centrifugation as well as those obtained therefrom by certain treatments. Those obtained by certain treatments referred herein may for example be lyophilized cells, acetone-dried cells, ground cells, autolyzed cells, ultrasonicated cells, alkali-treated cells, organic solvent-treated cells, cell free extract, crude enzymes, a purified enzyme and the like, as well as an immobilized material obtained therefrom by making any of the materials listed above immobilized in accordance with a known method such as a carrier support method employing an adsorption onto an inorganic carrier such as a silica gel or a ceramic material, a polysaccharide derivative such as a DEAE-cellulose, a synthesized polymer such as Amberite IRA-935 (manufactured by Rohm and Haas) and an inclusion method employing an inclusion into a network matrix of a polymer such as a polyacrylamide, a sulfur-containing polysaccharide gel (e.g. carrageenan gel), an alginic acid gel, an agar gel and the like.
A preferred example of the biological material of the present invention may be a material derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Arthrobacter, Flavimonas, Klebsiella, Nocardia, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, Saccharopolyspora and Streptomyces, preferably a material derived from a microorganism classified to Arthrobacter pascens, Flavimonas oryzihabitans, Klebsiella planticola, Nocardia diaphanozonaria, Pseudomonas chlororaphis, Pseudomonas oleovorans, Pseudomonas oxalaticus, Pseudomonas taetrolens, Rhizobium meliloti, Saccharopolyspora hirsuta and Streptomyces roseus, and typically a material derived, from Arthrobacter pascens strain IFO12139, Flavimonas oryzihabitans strain JCM2952, Klebsielia planticola strain JCM7251, Nocardia diaphanozonaria strain JCM3208, Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain IFO3521, Pseudomonas oleovorans strain IFO13583, Pseudomonas oxalaticus strain IFO13593, Pseudomonas taetrolens Strain IFO3460, Rhizobium meliloti strain IFO14782, Saccharopolyspora hirsuta subsp.kobensis strain JCM9109 and Streptomyces roseus strain IFO12818.
When the biological material of the present invention is a microorganism, it may be a wild strain of a microorganism or a variant derived from such wild strain by means of a treatment with a reagent or UV, provided that it possesses the ability described above.
Such microorganism (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the microorganism of the present invention) may be prepared by the following cultivation.
The composition of the medium for cultivating the microorganism of the present invention is not particularly limited, and a medium employed usually for culturing a microorganism which contains a carbon source and a nitrogen source, organic and inorganic salts as appropriate may be employed. A carbon source may for example be a saccharide such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, dextrin and the like, a sugar alcohol such as glycerol, sorbitol and the like, an organic acid such as fumaric acid, citric acid, pyruvic acid and the like. The amount of a carbon source listed above to be added to a medium is usually about 0.1% (w/v) to about 10% (w/v). A nitrogen source may for example be an ammonium salt of an inorganic acid such as ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate and the like, an ammonium salt of an organic acid such as ammonium fumarate, ammonium citrate and the like, a natural organic nitrogen source such as meat extract, yeast extract, malt extract, soybean powder, corn steep liquor, cottonseed oil, dried yeast, casein hydrolysate and the like, as well as amino acids. Among those listed above, natural organic nitrogen sources and amino acids may mostly be employed also as carbon and nitrogen sources. The amount of a nitrogen source to be added is usually about 0.1% (w/v) to about 10% (w/v). An inorganic salt may for example be a phosphate such as potassium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, sodium phosphate, disodium phosphate and the like, a chloride such as potassium chloride, sodium chloride, cobalt chloride hexahydrate and the like, a sulfate such as magnesium sulfate, ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, zinc sulfate heptahydrate, manganese sulfate trihydrate and the like, and the amount to be added is usually about 0.0001% (w/v) to about 1% (w/v).
The microorganism of the present invention may be cultivated in accordance with a conventional method employed to culture a microorganism, including a solid phase cultivation, a liquid phase cultivation (a tube shaking cultivation, a reciprocal shaking cultivation, a rotary shaking cultivation, a jar fermentation Oar fermenter cultivation, a tank cultivation) and the like. Especially when a jar fermenter is employed, an aseptic air should be introduced into the jar fermenter usually at an aeration rate of about 0.1 to about 2 times the culture fluid volume per minute. The temperature at which the cultivation is performed may vary within the range allowing a microorganism to be grown, and it is preferred to perform the cultivation, for example, at a temperature ranging from about 15xc2x0 C. to about 40xc2x0 C. and at a pH of the medium ranging from about 6 to about 8. The cultivation time may vary depending on the various factors of the cultivation conditions, and a time ranging from about 1 day to about 10 days is usually preferred.
The microorganism of the present invention may for example be selected based on the ability of converting p-chlorophenylalanine as a racemic mixture into an optically active p-chlorophenylalanine. Correspondingly to the stereochemistry of the resultant optical isomer obtained as descried above, the selected microorganism may be used in the production of one of the optical isomers, L or D-form, of the amino acid (1) as intended.
R of the amino acid (1) of the invention is an optionally substituted C1-C12 alkyl group (a C1-C12 alkyl group, a substituted C1-C12 alkyl group), an optionally substituted C4-C8 cycloalkyl group (a C4-C8 cycloalkyl group, a substituted C4-C8 cycloalkyl group), an optionally substituted C6-C14 aryl group (a C6-C14 aryl group or a substituted C6-C14 aryl group). The C1-C12 alkyl group may for example be methyl, ethyl, propyl, 1-methylethyl, 2-methylpropyl, 1-methylpropyl, 1,1-dimethylethyl, penthyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl, dodecyl groups and the like, and the C4-C8 cycloalkyl group may for example be cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, cyclooctyl groups and the like, and the C6-C14 aryl group may for example be phenyl and naphthyl groups.
The term xe2x80x9csubstitutedxe2x80x9d used herein with respect to the substituted C1-C12 alkyl group as R means that one or more, usually 1 to 5 hydrogen atoms in the alkyl group are substituted with same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of a C4-C8 cycloalkyl group; a C4-C8 cycloalkyl group substituted by one or more groups selected from the group consisting of a C1-C3 alkyl group, a C1-C3 alkoxy group, an amino group, a cyano group, a hydroxyl group and a halogen atom; a C1-C2 alkoxy group; a C1-C2 alkylthio group; a methylenedioxy group; a hydroxyl group; a cyano group; a carboxyl group; a C2-C5 alkyloxycarbonyl group; an amino group; a mono- or di(C1-C5)alkylamino group; an aminocarbonyl group; a guanidino group; a 3-indolyl group; a mercapto group; a phenyl group; a phenyl group substituted by one or more groups selected from the group consisting of a C1-C3 alkyl group, a C1-C3 alkoxy group, an amino group, a cyano group, a benzyloxy group, a hydroxyl group and a halogen atom; a phenoxy group; a phenoxy group substituted by one or more groups selected from the group consisting of a C1-C3 alkyl group, a C1-C3 alkoxyl group, an amino group, a cyano group, a benzyloxy group, a hydroxyl group and a halogen atom; a napthyl group; a naphthyl group substituted by one or more groups selected from the group consisting of a C1-C3 alkyl group, a C1-C3 alkoxy group, an amino group, a cyano group, a benzyloxy group, a hydroxyl group and a halogen atom; a benzyloxy group and a halogen atom. Preferred substituents may for example be methyl, ethyl, cyclohexyl, methoxy, ethoxy, methylthio, ethylthio, aminocarbonyl, guanidino, 3-indolyl, mercapto, methylenedioxy, hydroxyl, cyano, amino, carboxyl, phenyl, benzyloxy, dibenzyloxyphenyl and methylenedioxyphenyl groups, as well as fluorine, chlorine and bromine atoms.
The term xe2x80x9csubstitutedxe2x80x9d used herein with respect to the substituted C4-C8 cycloalkyl group as R means that one or more, usually 1 to 3 hydrogen atoms in the cycloalkyl group are substituted with same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of a C1-C3 alkyl group, C1-C3 alkoxy group, an amino group, a cyano group, a hydroxyl group and a halogen group.
The term xe2x80x9csubstitutedxe2x80x9d used herein with respect to the substituted C6-C14 aryl group as R means that one or more, usually 1 to 5 hydrogen atoms in the aryl group are substituted with same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of a C1-C3 alkyl group; a C1-C2 halogenated alkyl group; a C1-C2 alkoxy group; a methylenedioxy group; a hydroxyl group; a cyano group; a carboxyl group; a C2-C5 alkyloxycarbonyl group; an amino group; a mono- or di(C1-C5)alkylamino group; a phenyl group; a phenyl group substituted with one or more substituents selected from a C1-C3 alkyl group, a C1-C3 alkoxy group and a hydroxyl group; a phenoxy group; a phenoxy group substituted with one or more substituents selected from a C1-C3 alkoxy group and a hydroxyl group; a benzyloxy group; and a halogen atom, and preferably with same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, monochloromethyl, trifluoromethyl, methoxy, methylenedioxy, hydroxyl, cyano, amino, carboxyl, phenyl and benzyloxy groups as well as fluorine, chlorine and bromine atoms.
Typically as a preferred R, the C1-C12 alkyl group or the substituted C1-C12 alkyl group may for example be methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, 1-methylethyl, 2-methylpropyl, 1-methylpropyl, 1,1-dimethylethyl, 3-guanidinopropyl, 3-indolylmethyl, hydroxymethyl, 1-hydroxyethyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, methylthioethyl, ethylthioethyl, 4-aminobutyl, carboxymethyl, carboxyethyl, aminocarbonylmethyl, aminocarbonylethyl, benzyl, p-hydroxyphenylmethyl, p-chlorophenylmethyl, p-fluorophenylmethyl, m-cyanophenylmethyl and naphthylmethyl groups.
The C4-C8 cycloalkyl group or the substituted C4-C8 cycloalkyl group may for example be cyclohexyl and 4-chlorocyclohexyl groups, and a C6-C14 aryl group or a substituted C6-C14 aryl group may for example be phenyl, p-hydroxyphenyl, p-chlorophenyl and naphthyl groups.
The amino acid (1) of the present invention may for example be alanine, norvaline, tert-leucine, methionine, 2-aminobutyric acid, 2-aminoadipic acid, serine, O-methylserine, threonine, phenylglycine, phenylalanine, p-chlorophenylalanine, p-fluorophenylalanine, naphthylglycine, naphthylalanine and the like.
In the method of the present invention, when the other of the optical isomers (optical isomer II), i.e., the amino acid (1) as intended, is an L-form, then the biological material of the present invention employed is one having an ability of converting a D-form of the amino acid (1) to the L-form thereof and a starting material employed may be only that one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I), i.e., the D-form of the amino acid (1) or may be a mixture of the D-form and the L-form. When the other of the optical isomers (optical isomer II), i.e., the amino acid (1) as intended, is a D-form, then the biological material of the present invention employed is one having an ability of converting an L-form of the amino acid (1) to the D-form thereof and a starting material employed may be only that one of the optical isomers (optical isomer I), i.e., the L-form of the amino acid (1) or may be a mixture of the D-form and the L-form. When such mixture of the D-form and the L-form of the amino acid (1) is employed, the ratio between them is not particularly limited, and it is preferred industrially to employ an about 1:1 racemic mixture. Alternatively, a mixture in which an intended isomer is contained at a relatively high ratio is produced preliminary by any method, and then the mixture is subjected to the method of the present invention.
The method of the present invention is performed usually in an aqueous buffer solution containing a salt of an inorganic acid such as a salt of an alkaline metal phosphate such as sodium phosphate and potassium phosphate and a salt of an organic acid such as a salt of an alkaline metal acetate such as sodium acetate and potassium acetate, and the concentrations of the amino acid (1) in a reaction mixture of the method of the present invention is usually 30% (w/v) or lower, preferably 0.01 to 20% (w/v). The amount of the biological material of the present invention may be selected based on various factors such as the reaction time or the selectivity for an L-or D-form of the amino acid (1) to be yielded. For example, the amount is usually 0.01 to 200 parts by weight, preferably 0.1 to 50 parts by weight based on the amino acid (1). The reaction temperature is usually 10 to 70xc2x0 C., preferably 20 to 60xc2x0 C. The pH of the reaction mixture is usually 4 to 12, preferably 5 to 11. The reaction time period may be selected appropriately based on a desirable isomer ratio and the like. Usually, the reaction time is 16 to 120 hours, and the completion of the reaction may be ensured by any monitoring method such as HPLC.
A reaction mixture may further contain an auxiliary agent such as a surfactant, a coenzyme, a metal salt, a trace nutrition or an organic solvent in order to reduce the reaction time and to increase the conversion rate, and such auxiliary agents may be added to a reaction mixture alone or in combination with each other as appropriate. A surfactant to be used may for example be sodium dodecylsulfate, polyethylene glycol mono-p-isooctylphenylether, cetylpyridinium bromide and the like, and a coenzyme may for example be nicotinamideadenine dinucleotide, nicotinamideadenine dinucleotide phosphate, adenosine-5xe2x80x2-phosphate, flavine mononucleotide, pyridoxal phosphate and coenzyme A and the like. A metal salt may for example be monopotassium dihydrogen phosphate, disodium monohydrogen phosphate, magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, zinc sulfate heptahydrate, manganese sulfate trihydrate, cobalt chloride hexahydrate and the like, and a trace nutrition may for example be a yeast extract. An organic solvent may for example be an alkane such as n-heptane, cyclohexane and isooctane, an ether such as methyl-tert-butylether, an alcohol such as methanol, isopropanol and n-octanol, a sulfoxide such as DMSO, a ketone such as acetone, a keto acid such as oxaloacetic acid, pyruvic acid and xcex1-ketobutyric acid, an alkaline metal salt of a keto acid such as sodium pyruvate, an alkylester of a keto acid such as methyl pyruvate.
The other of the optical isomers (optical isomer II), i.e., an L- or D-form of the amino acid (1) thus produced may be recovered from a reaction mixture by a known method. For example, the biological material of the present invention is separated from a reaction mixture by a centrifugation or an equivalent method to obtain a supernatant, which are then applied to methods like ion-exchange chromotography to yield the amino acid or which is then made acidic and extracted with an organic solvent such as diethylether and toluene to remove an organic layer, and then an aqueous layer is made basic and extracted similarly with an organic solvent to remove an aqueous layer, and then the solvent is evaporated off under reduced pressure, and a further purification is performed if necessary, for example, by a chromatography and the like to yield the amino acid.
Also in the present invention the optical purity of the amino acid (1) may be increased by reacting the biological material of the present invention with said amino acid.
Such method may be performed in the conditions similar to various conditions relevant to the method of the present invention described above.
A longer reaction time generally results in a higher optical purity of the amino acid (1) obtained due to an increase in the conversion rate. By subjecting the amino acid (1) which are remaining in the reaction mixture still after the reaction to an appropriate combination of known methods, the amino acid (1) in which the rate of one optical isomer is higher than that before the reaction may readily be recovered. | {
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Wastewater biotreatment is a cost effective, environmentally benign technology that is widely used by municipalities and industry to treat municipal waste or process waste. A variety of different processes that use microbes to remove inorganic and organic chemicals from industrial wastewater are known to those skilled in the art. For example, the activated sludge process is one common method. An activated sludge system usually involves a continuous flow process in which wastewater is mixed with sludge and aerated (Bitton, G. 1994. Wastewater Microbiology. Wiley-Liss, New York). The key feature of an activated sludge system is that some sludge is recycled from a settling tank back into the main reactor. The sludge is composed of bacteria and other microorganisms that utilize organic and inorganic chemicals in the wastewater as sources of nutrients and energy for growth. By utilizing the chemicals in the wastewater for metabolism and growth, the microorganisms incorporate the chemicals into new microorganisms and/or convert the chemicals into gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen, thereby removing the chemicals from the wastewater. Activation of sludge through recycling maintains a large population of microbes in the main reactor vessel to degrade the waste chemicals.
In general, a large variety of different types of bacteria may be found in a wastewater bioreactor. Bacteria belonging to the following genera are some of the bacteria that are likely to be present in a wastewater bioreactor: Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Brevibacterium, Comomonas, Flavobacterium, Pseudomonas, and Zooglea (Bitton, G. 1994. supra).The performance of a wastewater bioreactor is determined in part by the types of bacteria in the bioreactor because each bacterium growing in the bioreactor must have the right genes encoding biochemical pathways to use at least some of the different organic and inorganic chemicals available in the wastewater for energy and nutrients.
One example of a biochemical pathway that allows bacteria to use organic chemicals that might be in wastewater involves aromatic compounds such as toluene which are commonly found in industrial wastewater. The well characterized TOL plasmid pWWO contains xyl genes that encode enzymes for metabolism of toluene. These genes are organized into two operons (Assinder and Williams, Adv. Microb. Physiol. 31:2–69 (1990)). The upper pathway operon encodes the enzymes for oxidation of toluene to benzoate. The lower pathway operon encodes the 1,2-dioxygenase and benzoate dihydrodiol dehydrogenase that convert benzoate into catechol, the 2,3-catechol oxygenase that opens the aromatic ring of catechol, and the enzymes that then oxidize the resulting 2-hydroxy-muconic semialdehyde to intermediates of the TCA cycle. The TOL pathway typifies the general strategy that is used by many different bacteria to degrade a large variety of other aromatic compounds (Williams and Sayers, Biodegradation 5:195–217 (1994)), i.e., the aromatic compound is first converted to catechol or a substituted catechol, the aromatic ring of the catechol is opened in the second stage, and finally in the third stage of degradation, the ring cleavage product is converted to small aliphatic compounds that enter central metabolism. Hence, an influent containing aromatic compounds will favor growth of bacteria in the bioreactor that have the TOL pathway and/or funtionally similar pathways.
A bioreactor can be designed and operated to take advantage of different microbial activities. For example, the activated sludge process can be modified to encourage denitrification for removal of nitrate from wastewater (Bitton, G. 1994. supra). Denitrification is a process that involves anaerobic respiration during which nitrate serves as an electron acceptor in place of oxygen. During the course of denitrification, nitrate is reduced stepwise to elemental nitrogen (NO3→NO2→NO→N2O→N2) which is released to the atmosphere because of low water solubility. Optimum denitrification requires anoxic conditions because O2 represses denitrification. The most widespread genra containing denitrifying bacteria are probably Pseudomonas and Alcaligenes but other genera containing denitrifiers are common (Bitton, G. 1994. supra).
It is evident from the foregoing discussion that successful wastewater biotreatment with an activated sludge process and other biological processes requires that the appropriate microbes be present in the bioreactor. Optimum performance of the bioreactor involves monitoring and adjusting physical parameters such as pH and dissolved oxygen to maintain an appropriate environment for microbial metabolism. Failure of a wastewater bioreactor, as indicated by unacceptably high levels of chemicals in the effluent water, could result from a variety of problems, including loss of necessary microorganisms from the biotreatment system. Accordingly, routine monitoring of the types of microorganisms in a wastewater bioreactor would be useful in evaluating bioreactor performance and for anticipating system failures.
Rapid and accurate identification is essential for routine monitoring of wastewater bioreactor microorganisms. Traditional methods of microbial identification involve culturing the organism to be identified and performing standard tests that reveal biochemical characteristics of the organism (Busse, H., J., Denner, E. B., Lubitz W. 1996. Classification and identification of bacteria: current approaches to an old problem. Overview of methods used in bacterial systematics. J. Biotechnol. 47(1):3–38). The results of the tests are used to search a database for an organism with the same characteristics. Such systems are not practical for routine monitoring of a wastewater bioreactor because of the large number of different isolates that would have to be cultured and tested daily.
Methods of microorganism identification that involve the use of DNA probes based on the sequences of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) molecules can be used to routinely test a sample for many different organisms rapidly and accurately (Busse, H., J., et al., supra); Muyzer, G., and N. B. Ramsing. 1996. Molecular methods to study the organization of microbial communities. Water Sci. Technol. 32:1–9). All cells contain ribosomes. Each ribosome is composed of three distinct rRNA molecules and a variety of protein molecules. In bacteria, the medium sized rRNA molecule, i.e., the 16S rRNA molecule, is particularly useful for identifying bacteria (Ward, D. M., M. M. Bateson, R. Weller, and A. L. Ruff-Roberts. 1992. Ribosomal RNA analysis of Microorganisms as they occur in nature. Adv. Microbial Ecol. 12:219–286; Woese, C. R. 1987. Bacterial Evolution. Microbiol. Rev. 51:221–271). The nucleotide sequence of the 16S rRNA molecule has conserved regions that are present in most if not all bacteria and variable regions that can be used to distinguish species and subspecies. Since a rRNA molecule is a direct gene product that results from transcription of a corresponding rRNA gene (rDNA), rDNA can be specifically and rapidly isolated from a particular microorganism or a mixture of microorganisms by using appropriate DNA primers and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the rDNA. The pattern of fragments resulting from cutting the PCR product with a set of restriction endonucleases can be used to identify the organism from which the rDNA was amplified (Busse, H. J., et al., supra).Alternatively, in situ hybridization techniques are known whereby fluorescent probes based on specific 16S rRNA sequences can be used to demonstrate the presence of specific bacteria in samples of sludge (Wagner, M., Amann, R., Lemmer, H., Schleifer, K. H. 1993. Probing activated sludge with oligonucleotides specific for proteobacteria: inadequacy of culture-dependent methods for describing microbial community structure. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 59:1520–1525).
The problem to be overcome is to rapidly identify microorganisms that may be found in a wastewater bioreactor so that the presence or absence of those microorganisms in the wastewater bioreactor can be monitored. The Applicants have solved the stated problem by identifying some of the bacteria that are present in a wastewater bioreactor and by providing sets of nucleic acid sequences that are unique to various novel bacterial strains that were isolated from an industrial wastewater bioreactor. The present invention has utility in that the provided sets of nucleic acid sequences can be used to identify and monitor the corresponding bacterial strains in samples taken from a wastewater bioreactor or from any environment which might contain the specified bacteria. | {
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Construction of reduced mass and simplified structures that efficiently perform all of the functions that traditional concrete, masonry, or structural steel buildings perform has long been a goal in building sciences. Mass reduction saves foundation costs, reduces the horizontal loads due to seismic events, and generally decreases the amount of materials required per unit of construction.
Use of spaced load bearing elements for walls can greatly reduce the mass of the structure and has been developed for wood framing to five stories and light steel stud framing to eight stories. Platform framing details for wood frame buildings over two stories can create excessive shrinkage over the height of the building and cause, among other things, high long term repair costs and undesirable cracking. Light steel framed buildings have heretofore been limited by the load capacity of joist end details over the bearing walls and by the complexity and cost of such details.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,918,897 and 5,048,257 describe methods of attaining a continuous diaphragm slab and tensioned diagonal strap horizontal load resisting elements. These patents do not resolve the problems of end bearing complexity that limit building heights nor do they address the use of continuous diaphragms and tensioned straps in wood frame structures.
In pre-cast concrete wall bearing structures, the floor structure must be placed over the pre-cast concrete wall and have a bearing surface thereon that is perfectly smooth, has a steel plate or grouped tie bar connection, and must be placed before the next level of walls is erected. The resultant structure is very heavy and often has connections that are difficult to conceal or has very labor intensive grouped connections. | {
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Processes for making 2,2'-oxodisuccinate in metal salt form are known and disclosed in the art. Berg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,128,287, issued Apr. 7, 1964, states that the process of his invention comprises an efficient method of producing 2,2'-oxodisuccinic acid and malic acid and provides the following disclosure:
(Col. 1, lines 32-39)
The process of this invention involves the reaction of maleic acid with a hydroxide of calcium, barium, magnesium or strontium. In general this reaction is conducted by admixing maleic acid with an excess of the hydroxide in the presence of water. The reaction mixture is then heated for from about one day to about one month at temperatures ranging from about 50.degree. C. to reflux temperatures.
See also Col. 1, lines 65-71, which state:
As indicated above, the process of this invention produces both malic and 2,2'-oxodisuccinic acid, the ratio of these products varies with the metal hydroxide employed in the process. When strontium and barium hydroxides are employed, an almost quantitive [sic] conversion of maleic to malic acid can be effected. However, the use of calcium and magnesium hydroxide in this process produces almost an equal mixture of malic and 2,2'-oxodisuccinic acids.
See also the examples, especially Example 1.
Regardless of the efficiency of the Berg process for producing malic acid or "almost equal" mixtures thereof with 2,2'-oxodisuccinate, a synthesis directly leading to high yields of 2,2'-oxodisuccinate, with only low levels of malate or organic byproducts such as fumarate, is not disclosed. Thus, if it is desired to isolate the 2,2'-oxodisuccinate salts or formulate them into a detergent composition without automatically co-introducing substantial amounts of malate into the formulation, organic purification of the product is required. Low yield and low organic purity of the 2,2'-oxodisuccinate crude product of the Berg invention render its large-scale production commercially unattractive.
A 2,2'-oxodisuccinate synthesis process based upon Berg is also disclosed by Lamberti et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,830 issued Jan. 18, 1972. The Lamberti et al. process shares the disadvantages of the Berg process.
Lamberti et al. further discloses that 2,2'-oxodisuccinate salts are useful laundry detergent builders.
Matzner et al., Tenside Detergents, 1973, Vol. 10, 239-245, writing in the context of synthesis of 2,2'-oxodisuccinates as detergent builders, state, "A more economical process would have to be developed to make this a practical (builder) candidate."
Notwithstanding the more recent disclosure of Nieuwenhuizen et al, J. Amer. Oil Chemists' Soc., Vol. 60, 1983, pages 44-48, that it is possible to conduct a laboratory synthesis of 2,2'-oxodisuccinates by addition of (preformed) malic acid to maleic acid in aqueous alkaline medium in the presence of a divalent cation, preferably Ca.sup.2+, no commercially viable industrial process for making 2,2'-oxodisuccinates appears to have been disclosed in the art.
The Berg and Lamberti et al. patents cited above are incorporated herein by reference, especially insofar as they also include disclosure of conversion of crude calcium or magnesium-containing product of the above-cited processes to 2,2'-oxodisuccinate monovalent cation salts (e.g., sodium salts). As noted, separation of 2,2'-oxodisuccinate from other organic species such as malate is also disclosed.
In light of the foregoing, there is a clear need for an improved 2,2'-oxodisuccinate-forming process. A high-yield process, which is capable of improving the economics and/or practicality of 2,2'-oxodisuccinate production, would be especially useful to the user and manufacturer of detergent compositions. A cost-effective, large-scale process should very preferably minimize the need for organic purification of the crude 2,2'-oxodisuccinate product.
It is an object of the present invention to provide such an improved 2,2'-oxodisuccinate synthesis process, wherein the ether-bond forming reaction: EQU maleate+malate.fwdarw.2,2'-oxodisuccinate
is carried out efficiently and in high yield.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a process which is usable in an overall conversion of maleic anhydride to 2,2'-oxodisuccinic acid or sodium salts thereof. Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a process for cost-effectively preparing laundry-detergent grade 2,2'-oxodisuccinate salts on a large scale, wherein organic purification is optional rather than essential. | {
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1. Field
One or more embodiments of the present invention relates to a lithium battery.
2. Background
Lithium secondary batteries are used in portable electronic devices for mobile communication, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones, as well as notebook computers, electric bicycles and electric vehicles. Lithium secondary batteries can have as much as twice the discharge voltage of a typical battery, and thus, lithium secondary batteries have high energy density.
Lithium secondary batteries produce electric energy due to oxidation and reduction reactions occurring when lithium ions are intercalated to or deintercalated from a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The positive electrode and negative electrode can each include an active material that enables the intercalation and deintercalation of lithium ions, and an organic electrolyte or a polymer electrolyte can be filled between the positive electrode and negative electrode.
For example, an oxide that consists of lithium and a transition metal and has a structure enabling intercalation of lithium ions may be used as a positive active material of a lithium secondary battery. Examples of such an oxide include lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2), lithium nickel oxide (LiNiO2), and lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (Li[NiCoMn]O2, or Li[Ni1−x−yCoxMy]O2).
A carbonaceous material, such as an artificial and/or natural graphite or hard carbon, and a non-carbonaceous material, such as Si, which enable intercalation and deintercalation of lithium, may be used as a negative active material.
The requirement of a battery having high-capacity has resulted in the development of various electrode systems. As a way to achieve high capacity, for example, overlithiated lithium transition metal oxide having a layered structure can be used as a positive electrode, and a silicon-based negative active material can be used as a negative electrode. Such an electrode system requires an excellent electrolytic solution having excellent high voltage characteristics due to its operation at high voltage.
Most non-aqueous electrolytic solution solvents used in conventional lithium secondary batteries have a low withstanding voltage property. When an electrolytic solution including solvents having low withstanding voltage property is used in a lithium secondary battery, during repeated cycles of charging and discharging, the solvents decompose to generate gas, and thus, internal pressure of the battery increases and/or a product of the decomposition may cause a polymerization reaction or may attach to the surface of the battery.
Accordingly, there is a need to develop an electrolytic solution that is suitable for a high-capacity electrode system at high voltages. | {
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A vehicle typically includes a climate control system which maintains a temperature within a passenger compartment of the vehicle at a comfortable level by providing heating, cooling, and ventilation. Comfort is maintained in the passenger compartment by an integrated mechanism referred to in the art as a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) air-handling system. The HVAC air-handling system conditions air flowing therethrough and distributes the conditioned air throughout the passenger compartment.
Vehicle passengers often prefer personalized comfort within a specific zone of the passenger compartment. This can be provided by individualized temperature, mode, and volume control of the air flow. In order to accomplish individualized temperature, mode, and volume control of the air flow within the passenger compartment, the passenger compartment is divided into independent control zones.
Individualized control is often referred to in the art as multi-zone control. For example, one zone may be a front seat portion of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. This zone can be subdivided into a front driver-side zone and a front passenger-side zone. Another zone may be the rear passenger portion of the vehicle.
Preferably, the temperature, mode, and volume of air flow within each zone can be independently controlled. As is known in the art, dual-zone control typically refers to independent control of two zones including the front driver-side zone and the front passenger side zone. Similarly, tri-zone control typically refers to independent control of three zones including the front driver-side zone, the front passenger-side zone, and the rear passenger zone.
Prior art multi-zone temperature control including the rear passenger zone has been provided by an auxiliary HVAC air-handling system for the rear zone in the vehicle. While the prior art auxiliary rear HVAC air-handling systems perform adequately, independent control of a driver side rear passenger zone and a passenger side rear passenger zone has yet to be cost effectively and efficiently facilitated.
It would be desirable to produce a control module for an HVAC air-handling system for a vehicle, wherein a cost and a space requirement for the module are minimized and a blend, a mode, and a volume of air flow in each zone may be independently controlled. | {
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Throughout the ages music has demonstrated the ability for sound to influence an individual's state of being. Musicians have intuitively produced compositions that elicit a wide range of emotional response. The science of psychoacoustics explores the processes underlying this phenomena. The psychoacoustic theory of the present invention incorporates a scientific method of influencing an individual's state of being through sound.
Several methods for using sound to induce altered states of being have previously been explored. Most of these efforts have dealt with techniques that incorporate measured physiological data, primarily Electroencephalograph (EEG) signals, into a stimulus to be introduced to the body. Encoding EEG frequency information into an audio stimulus to induce specific brain wave frequencies is a technique commonly found. Typically, these techniques employ a single frequency or a plurality of frequencies that are varied over time to linearly guide the brain waves to a desired frequency of vibration. Several known techniques for inducing altered states using vibrational stimuli based upon EEG brain wave information are shown, for example, in the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________ 4,834,701 5,135,468 5,356,368 4,883,067 5,213,562 5,036,858 5,289,438 ______________________________________ | {
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Optical fibers are a medium through which light signals can travel. A typical optical fiber is comprised of a glass core, for example silica glass, surrounded by an encapsulating material, also typically a glass, such as phosphate glass. A light signal travels through a light transmission pathway in the core of the optical fiber. Typically, the polarization of the light signal rotates as it travels through the optical fiber. In many instances, light signals exhibit different properties depending of the polarization of the light signal. Some optical assemblies require that an incoming light signal reach the assembly having a certain polarization in order for the assembly to operate properly. These light signals often reach the optical assembles by traveling through polaization maintaining optical fibers, which are optical fibers that have the ability to propagate light signals at a controlled polarization.
Polarization maintaining optical fibers typically contain a core and two stress rods aligned with the core, approximately 180° apart from each other. The stress rods induce a stress on the fiber, forcing the light signal to travel in a controlled polarization. Some optical assemblies require two adjacent polarized light signals to reach the optical assembly in order for the assembly to work properly. In these assemblies, the two polarization maintaining optical fibers are typically housed in a single optical fiber capillary. However, in order for both light signals to have controlled polarizations, a line connecting the stress rods from one polarization maintaining optical fiber should be disposed at an angle of approximately 90° from a line connecting the stress rods from the other polarization maintaining optical fiber.
A current method for accomplishing this task includes manually feeding two polarization maintaining optical fibers into one optical fiber capillary. This task is complicated due to the small dimensions of both the polarization maintaining optical fibers and the opening in the capillary. In addition the fibers are often brittle and should one of the fibers break during an attempt to insert a fiber into the capillary opening, the process of inserting the fibers into the capillary must be restarted. Once the fibers are inserted into the capillary, the fibers are manually rotated such that a line connecting the stress rods within one fiber is approximately 90° apart from a line connecting the stress rods within the other fiber. Again due to the small dimensions of the fibers and the capillary, manual manipulation is relatively imprecise. Once the fibers are aligned to the selected 90° orientation, the fibers are manually held into position while an epoxy cures, affixing the fibers in the selected orientation within the capillary. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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FIG. 1 (Prior Art) is a simplified cross-sectional diagram of an NPN bipolar transistor 1. When transistor 1 is conducting current, current flows from collector electrode 2, through N+ type sinker region 3, through N+ type buried layer 4, through N- type collector region 5, through P type base region 6, through N+ type emitter region 7, and to emitter electrode 8. The arrow labeled e points in the opposite direction because electron flow is defined to be opposite of current flow. N+ type buried layer 4 and N+ type sinker region 3 form a low resistance connection from the bottom surface of N- type collector region 5 to collector electrode 2. A base current flows from base electrode 9, through low impedance N+ type base contact region 10, through P type base region 6, through N+ type emitter region 7, and to emitter electrode 8. The arrow labeled + indicates that current conduction in the base region is primarily due to the movement of holes. The transistor structure is formed on a P type substrate 11. Field oxide 12 is formed around the active area which contains the emitter and base regions.
A bipolar transistor generally should have a thin base region so that its .beta. (.beta.=I.sub.C /I.sub.B) will be high. In the structure of transistor 1, however, the thickness of the base region 6 underneath the emitter region 7 should not be made significantly thinner than the thickness of the emitter region 7 because the magnitude of the variations in the thickness of the implanted and diffused emitter region 7 increases as the thickness of the emitter region 7 increases. An emitter region which is much thicker than the underlying base region may therefore have variations which are of significant magnitude when compared to the thickness of the thin base region. Consistent base thicknesses in all the bipolar transistors on a die may therefore be difficult to achieve.
FIG. 2 (Prior Art) is a simplified cross-sectional diagram of another type of NPN bipolar transistor 13 called a "poly-emitter" transistor. The poly-emitter type bipolar transistor is generally suited for fabrication on the same die with field effect transistors in a BiCMOS process. To form bipolar transistor 13, a buried N+ type layer 14 is formed in a P- type substrate 15 by ion implanting N type dopants and a subsequent anneal to repair damage to the crystal structure caused by the implant. An N- type epitaxial silicon layer is then grown over the N+ type buried layer to form upper surface 16. Using different masks and different dopants, N wells are formed for P channel field effect transistors on the die and P wells are formed for the N channel field effect transistors on the die. When the N wells are being formed, N type dopants also dope the portion of the epitaxial silicon which will ultimately form an N- type collector region 17 of the bipolar transistor 13. Field oxide 18 is then grown around the active area of the bipolar transistor using a LOCOS process. An N+ type implant is performed to form an N+ type sinker (not shown) for connecting a collector electrode (not shown) to the N+ type buried layer 14.
A gate oxide for the field effect transistors is then formed over the epitaxial silicon surface 16 and a mask is used to selective etch away the portion of this gate oxide which is in the active area of bipolar transistor 13. P type dopants are then selectively implanted in the bipolar transistor active area thereby doping the epitaxial silicon which will form an intrinsic base region 19.
A layer 20 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B) of polysilicon is then deposited and doped and a layer 21 of silicide is optionally formed over the polysilicon. Not only will this doped polysilicon be fashioned to form the gates of the field effect transistors, but this doped polysilicon will also serve to supply dopants for forming the emitter region 22 of bipolar transistor 13.
FIGS. 3A and 3B (Prior Art) illustrate a photoresist mask 23 used for forming the gates of the field effect transistors and for forming the polysilicon emitter feature 28 of bipolar transistor 13. Note that thin gate oxide 24 is present in the field effect transistor structure but not in the bipolar transistor structure. The silicide layer 21, the polysilicon layer 20 and the gate oxide layer 24 is then etched.
FIGS. 4A and 4B (Prior Art) illustrate structures which result after etching. An overetch is performed to make sure that all polysilicon is removed. Because there is no gate oxide in the bipolar structure, etching proceeds past silicon surface 16 thereby forming a trench as illustrated in FIG. 4A. There is no such trench in the field effect transistor structure, however, because the gate oxide 24 slows the etching as illustrated in FIG. 4B.
In a lightly doped drain (LDD) field effect transistor process, the P channel field effect transistor active areas and the bipolar active areas receive a light P- type blanket implant and the N channel field effect transistor active areas receive a light N- type blanket implant. An oxide is then formed over the entire wafer and the oxide is etched so that oxide spacers 25 are formed at the edges of the gates and at the edges of the polysilicon emitter feature 28 of the bipolar transistor 13.
With relatively lightly doped regions 26 underneath the spacers 25, the P channel field effect transistor active areas and the bipolar active areas receive a more heavy P+ type blanket implant and the N channel field effect transistor active areas receive a more heavy N+ type blanket implant. Accordingly, heavily doped extrinsic base regions 27 are formed outside the lightly doped regions 26 in the bipolar transistor active area.
The bipolar transistor of FIG. 2 generally has an increased .beta. when compared with the .beta. of the structure of FIG. 1. One possible explanation is that the polysilicon emitter feature 28 to emitter region 22 boundary impedes the movement of holes. Because the base current is a current which flows from P+ type extrinsic base region 27, through lightly doped P- type link region 26, through intrinsic base region 19, through N+ type emitter region 22 and through N+ type polysilicon emitter feature 28 to an emitter electrode (not shown), impeding the movement of holes at the polysilicon boundary reduces the base current I.sub.B. Because .beta. is the collector current I.sub.C divided by the base current I.sub.B, the .beta. of the transistor is increased.
FIG. 5 (Prior Art) is a top down view showing the boundary 29 of the base implant mask used to remove gate oxide from the bipolar transistor active area and used to implant P type dopants into intrinsic base region 19. Solid line 30 illustrates the boundary of the actual active area. Solid line 31 illustrates the top down outline of the polysilicon emitter feature 28. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional diagram taken along line BB of FIG. 5 whereas FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional diagram taken along line CC of FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 6 (Prior Art), oxide spacers 25 in FIG. 2 and oxide spacers 25 in FIG. 6 are actually different cross-sectional views of the same single spacer which surrounds the periphery of the polysilicon emitter feature 28.
Not only is it generally desirable to have a high .beta., but it also generally desirable for the transistor to have a high cutoff frequency f.sub.T. Decreasing the resistance r.sub.c in the collector current path between the intrinsic base region 19 and the buried layer 14 increases the cutoff frequency f.sub.T of the transistor. It therefore would be desirable to bring the bottom of P type intrinsic base region 19 closer to the top of buried layer 14 so that electrons would pass through less relatively resistive N- type collector region silicon on their path to buried layer 14. Doing so, however, may result in a transistor which has an undesirably low base-to-collector breakdown voltage (BV.sub.cbo). The lowest extent of the extrinsic base region 27 determines the minimum distance D1 between the bottom of the transistor base and the top of the buried layer 14. This minimum distance determines the base-to-collector voltage at which the transistor will breakdown. The depth of extrinsic base region 27 therefore generally limits how close the bottom of P type base region 19 can be brought to the top of buried layer 14 for a required base-to-collector breakdown voltage.
A bipolar transistor structure is therefore sought which can be manufactured on the same die as field effect transistors, which has an adequately high .beta., which has an adequately high cutoff frequency f.sub.T, and which has an adequately high base-to-collector breakdown voltage. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to quick-connect couplings for pressurized fluid lines.
In one known coupling, a sliding abutment element includes a sliding sleeve, located behind the valve, on which means for locking and returning the abutment to the forward position acts. Such sleeve has an external tubular part guided by the body of the element and an internal tubular part receiving a sliding guide rod which forms an integral part of the sealing member. The external and internal parts are interconnected by radial walls defining between them flow-through openings for the fluid. The abutment is formed either by the front end of the interior tubular part with which the rear face of the sealing member engages, or by a transverse wall located in the interior tubular part with which the end of the guide rod of the sealing member engages.
Such sliding sleeve has a complex structure which makes these couplings relatively difficult and costly to manufacture.
Installing the sleeve, sealing member and return spring within the body is also not easily accomplished because the guide rod of the sealing member can slip out of the internal tubular part.
Moreover, the fluid flow through such sleeve is disturbed by the radial arms and by the return spring of the sealing member, and the resistance to high pressures of such sleeve and valve is limited.
It is believed that there is a demand in the industry for a quick-connect coupling which overcomes at least some of these drawbacks. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Telecommunications devices use voice over packet technology to transfer voice conversations over a data network. Incorporating analog devices with voice over packet devices in a compact manner, however, may be desired. Consequently, known techniques for communicating calls from analog devices using voice over packet technology may be unsatisfactory for many needs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
With the proliferation of web technologies, there has been an overwhelming amount of information available on the Web. Unfortunately, many people find that there is too much information and there is never enough time to process it. For many people, it is common to encounter appealing articles and documents, but have no time to read them. Current approaches enable users to add articles to a reading list for later viewing. However, compiling a reading list does not mean that the users will have the time to read it visually. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Cellular communications have gained much popularity since 1990s. Traditionally, cellular networks are connected to public switched telephone network (PSTN) and are dedicated to voice communications. With advance packet switching technologies, any raw signals can be formed in packets which can flow from the sender to the destination via the cellular networks and non-cellular networks. On the other hand, the manufacturing cost of cell phones, or mobile phones, has decreased significantly, so mobile phones become affordable. It is believed that the mobile phones have penetrated more than 85% of the global population. Furthermore, more functionalities are added to mobile phones, leading the boundaries between mobile phones and personal computing devices to disappear. Many mobiles phones now become smartphones or personal mobile computers. The smartphones allow subscribers not only to talk but also to enjoy the use of the Internet.
Due to a large volume of subscribers using smartphones, the demand of cellular transmission increases exponentially. However, the bandwidths of cellular networks are limited. A typical solution to the problem of bandwidth deficiency is to install more cellular base stations. Nevertheless, in the greater metropolitan areas, e.g., New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, and Tokyo, there are sparse or no spaces to install more cellular base stations. Even though installing more base stations is feasible, users located at the “marginal-to-inoperative regions,” such as the coverage edges of base stations, hilly terrain, concrete walls, or tall buildings, still face weak or blocked signals. As a sequel, a new way to increase the cellular coverage is necessary. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a graft copolymer, and a solvent-based water- and oil-repellent composition comprising the same.
In view of regulation of fluorocarbons and environmental problems, solvents for water- and oil-repellent products, for example, halogen solvents such as R113 are being replaced by petroleum solvents. However, problems such as solidification or precipitation of products at low temperature arise even if the solvent is merely replaced. When the water- and oil-repellent product is diluted with the petroleum solvent having low solubility such as solvent having a small content of an aromatic compound, problems such as precipitation or concentration distribution arise.
When the fluorine concentration in an active component of the water- and oil-repellent agent is reduced to impart high product stability and high dilution stability to the water- and oil-repellent agent composition, the water- and oil-repellency is lowered.
Japanese Patent Kokoku Publication No. 50082/1986 discloses a water- and oil-repellent agent comprising a graft copolymer obtained by the graft copolymerization which utilizes the reactivity of an OH group. However, the graft copolymer is insufficient in water repellency because a hydroxyl group remains in the polymer.
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 228534/1994 discloses a water- and oil-repellent agent comprising a fluorine-containing graft copolymer. However, the fluorine-containing graft copolymer is insufficient in solubility in the petroleum solvent because a repeating unit derived from a fluorine-containing monomer is contained in only a trunk polymer of the graft copolymer.
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 95516/1997 discloses a water- and oil-repellent agent comprising a copolymer of a perfluoroalkyl vinyl monomer containing an acid anhydride. However, the solubility is insufficient unless a fluorine content is low, because the copolymer is not a graft polymer.
An object of the present invention is to give a water- and oil-repellent agent having the improved water- repellency (particularly, to cellulose fibers such as cotton fibers) and the improved solubility in a petroleum solvent (particularly nonaromatic solvents).
The present inventors discovered that both of the improved solubility of a water- and oil-repellent agent in petroleum solvents due to high solubility possessed by an acid anhydride structure and the improved water repellency caused by the improved adhesion to fibers due to polarity possessed by the acid anhydride structure (interaction between the acid anhydride structure and a hydroxyl group of cellulose fibers such as cotton fibers) can be imparted to a solvent-based water- and oil-repellent agent by introducing the acid anhydride structure into a graft copolymer.
The present invention provides a solvent-based water- and oil-repellent agent composition comprising a graft copolymer comprising a repeating unit derived from a vinyl monomer having a perfluoroalkyl group and a repeating unit derived from a polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride, and an organic solvent.
The present invention also provides a graft copolymer comprising a repeating unit derived from a vinyl monomer having a perfluoroalkyl group and a repeating unit derived from a polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride.
For example, the graft copolymer has a trunk polymer comprising:
(A) optionally present, a vinyl monomer having a perfluoroalkyl group,
(B) optionally present, a fluorine-free vinyl monomer,
(C) optionally present, a polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride, and
(D) a vinyl monomer having a group bonding to a branch polymer, and a branch polymer comprising:
(E) optionally present, a vinyl monomer having a perfluoroalkyl group,
(F) optionally present, a fluorine-free vinyl monomer, and
(G) optionally present, a polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride, wherein at least one of the components (A) and (E) is an essential component, and at least one of the components
(C) and (G) is an essential component.
Examples of the graft copolymer include the followings:
(i) a graft copolymer having a trunk polymer comprising the vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (A) and the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (C) and a branch polymer comprising the vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (E) and the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (G);
(ii) a graft copolymer having a trunk polymer comprising the vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (A) but no polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (C) and a branch polymer comprising the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (G) but no vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (E);
(iii) a graft copolymer having a trunk polymer comprising the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (C) but no vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (A) and a branch polymer comprising the vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (E) but no polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (G);
(iv) a graft copolymer having a trunk polymer comprising the vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (A) and the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (C) and a branch polymer comprising the vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (E) but no polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (G);
(v) a graft copolymer having a trunk polymer comprising the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (C) but no vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (A) and a branch polymer comprising the vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (E) and the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (G);
(vi) a graft copolymer having a trunk polymer comprising the vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (A) but no polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (C) and a branch polymer comprising the vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (E) and the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (G);
(vii) a graft copolymer having a trunk polymer comprising the vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (A) and the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (C) and a branch polymer comprising the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (G) but no vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (E);
(viii) a graft copolymer having a trunk polymer comprising the vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (A) and the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (C) and a branch polymer comprising the fluorine-free monomer (F) but no polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (G) and no vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (E); and
(ix) a graft copolymer having a trunk polymer comprising the fluorine-free vinyl monomer (B) but no vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (A) and no polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (C) and a branch polymer comprising the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (G) and the vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group (E).
The perfluoroalkyl group-containing vinyl monomers (A) and (D), which constitutes the trunk polymer and/or branch polymer, may be a (meth)acrylate having a perfluoroalkyl group.
The perfluoroalkyl group-containing (meth)acrylate may be represented by the following general formula:
Rfxe2x80x94A2xe2x80x94OCOCR18xe2x95x90CH2
wherein Rf is a perfluoroalkyl group having 3 to 21 carbon atoms, R18 is hydrogen or a methyl group, and A2 is a divalent organic group.
Examples of the perfluoroalkyl group-containing (meth)acrylate include:
xe2x80x83Rfxe2x80x94(CH2)nOCOCR3xe2x95x90CH2
xe2x80x83Rfxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Arxe2x80x94CH2OCOCR3xe2x95x90CH2
wherein Rf is a perfluoroalkyl group having 3 to 21 carbon atoms, R1 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R2 is an alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R3 is hydrogen or a methyl group, Ar is arylene group which optionally has a substituent group, and n is an integer of 1 to 10.
Specific examples of the perfluoroalkyl group-containing (meth)acrylate include the following.
CF3(CF2)7(CH2)OCOCHxe2x95x90CH2,
CF3(CF2)6(CH2)OCOC(CH3)xe2x95x90CH2,
(CF3)2CF(CF2)6(CH2)2OCOCHxe2x95x90CH2,
CF3(CF2)7(CH2)2OCOC(CH3)xe2x95x90CH2,
CF3(CF2)7(CH2)2OCOCHxe2x95x90CH2,
CF3(CF2)7SO2N(CH3)(CH2)2OCOCHxe2x95x90CH2,
CF3(CF2)7SO2N(C2H5)(CH2)2OCOC(CH3)xe2x95x90CH2,
(CF3)2CF(CF2)6CH2CH(OCOCH3)CH2OCOC(CH3)xe2x95x90CH2,
(CF3)2CF(CF2)8CH2CH(OH)CH2OCOCHxe2x95x90CH2,
CF3[C6F10(CF2)2]SO2N(CH3)(CH2)2OCOCHxe2x95x90CH2
As a matter of course, at least two types of the fluoroalkyl group-containing (meth)acrylates can be used in combination.
The vinyl monomer having the perfluoroalkyl group may be another fluorine-containing monomer. Examples of the another fluorine-containing monomer include a fluorinated olefin (having, for example, 3 to 20 carbon atoms) such as CF3(CF2)7CHxe2x95x90CH2.
Examples of the fluorine-free vinyl monomer (B) and (F) include a (meth)acrylate ester. The (meth)acrylate ester may be an ester between (meth)acrylic acid and an aliphatic alcohol such as a monohydric alcohol and a polyhydric alcohol (such as divalent alcohol).
Examples of the fluorine-free vinyl monomer include: (meth)acrylates such as 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, cyclohexyl (meth)acrylate, lauryl (meth)acrylate, stearyl (meth)acryl ate, hydroxyalkyl (meth)acryl ate, tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate, polyoxyalkylene (meth)acrylate, 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl (meth)acrylate, glycidyl (meth)acrylate, N,N-dimethylaminoethyl (meth)acrylate, N,N-diethylaminoethyl (meth)acrylate, benzyl (meth)acrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl monomethacrylate, 2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, glycerol monomethacrylate, xcex2-acryloyloxyethyl hydrogen succinate, xcex2-methacryloyloxyethyl- hydrogen phthalate, 2-acryloyloxyethylhexahydrophthalic acid, 2-acryloyloxyethylphthalic acid, 2-acryloyloxyethyl-2-hydroxyethylphthalic acid, methacrylic acid hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride, dimethylarninoethyl methacrylate, diethylaminoethyl methacrylate, 2-acryloyloxyethyl dihydrogen phosphate, glycosyl ethyl methacrylate, methacrylamide, 2-hydroxy-3-acryloyloxypropyl methacrylate, 2-methacryloyloxyethyl acid phosphate, and hydroxypivalic acid neopentyl glycol diacrylate; styrenes such as styrene and p-isopropylstyrene; (meth)acrylamides such as (meth)acrylamide, diacetone(meth)acrylamide, N-methylol(meth)acrylamide, N-butoxymethylacrylamide, and 2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid; and vinyl ethers such as vinyl alkyl ether.
Examples thereof further include ethylene, butadiene, vinyl acetate, chloroprene, vinyl halide such as vinyl chloride, vinylidene halide, acrylonitrile, vinyl alkyl ketone, N-vinylcarbazole, vinyl pyrrolidone, and (meth)acrylic acid.
The fluorine-free vinyl monomer may be a silicon-containing monomer (for example, (meth)acryloyl group-containing alkylsilane, (meth)acryloyl group-containing alkoxysilane, and (meth)acryloyl group-containing polysiloxane).
Examples of the silicon-containing monomer include: (meth)acryloxytrialkylsilane, (meth)acryloxy-trialkoxysilane, (meth)acryloxypolysiloxane, (meth)acryloxypropyltrialkylsilane, (meth)acryloxypropyl-trialkoxysilane, (meth)acryloxypropylpolysiloxane, allyltrialkylsilane, allyltrialkoxysilane, allylpoly-siloxane, vinyltrialkylsilane, vinyltrialkoxysilane, and vinylpolysiloxane.
The (meth)acryloxypropylpolysiloxane may be
wherein R20 is H or CH3, R21 is H or CH3, R22 is H or CH3, R23 is H or CH3, and n is from 1 to 100 (for example, (meth)acryloxypropylpolydimethylsiloxane).
At least two types of the fluorine-free vinyl monomers can be also used in combination.
The polymerizable cyclic acid anhydrides (C) and (G) may be a compound having a carbon-carbon double bond copolymerizable with the vinyl monomer (for example, the perfluoroalkyl group-containing and/or fluorine-free vinyl monomer), and at least one intramolecular cyclic carboxylic anhydride structure in one molecule. The carbon-carbon double bond in the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydrides (C) and (G) may be inside or outside of a cyclic carboxylic anhydride structure ring.
The polymerizable cyclic acid anhydrides (C) and (G) having the carbon-carbon double bond inside of the cyclic carboxylic anhydride structure ring may be, for example, a compound of the formula:
wherein R31 and R32 are independently a hydrogen atom or a saturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and R31 and R32 may be combined to form a substituted or unsubstituted ring having 4 to 30 carbon atoms.
Specific examples include maleic anhydride (R31=H and R32=H) and citraconic anhydride (R31=H and R32=CH3).
The polymerizable cyclic acid anhydrides (C) and (G) having the carbon-carbon double bond outside of the cyclic carboxylic anhydride structure ring may be, for example, a compound of the formula:
wherein R33 and R34 are combined to form a substituted (for example, with a methyl group or a cyclic anhydride group) or unsubstituted ring having a carbon-carbon double bond and 4 to 30 carbon atoms,
R35 and R36 are a hydrogen atom or a saturated hydrocarbon group (such as an alkyl group) having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R37, R38, R39, R40, R41 and R42 are independently a chlorine atom, a hydrogen atom or a saturated hydrocarbon group (such as an alkyl group) having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and R37 and R39 may be combined to form a substituted (for example, with a halogen atom) or unsubstituted divalent saturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.
Specific examples of the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydrides (C) and (G) are as follows:
The polymerizable cyclic acid anhydrides (C) and (G) are preferably a compound having a carbon-carbon double bond and one intramolecular cyclic carboxylic anhydride structure, for example, maleic anhydride.
The bonding group in the vinyl monomer (D) having the group bonding to the branch polymer may be an NCO group, a glycidyl group, an acid chloride group and/or a halomethyl group.
The vinyl monomer (D) having the group bonding to the branch polymer may be an isocyanate group, glycidyl group or acid chloride group-containing vinyl monomer. The isocyanate group (NCO), the glycidyl group or the acid chloride group is reacted with the active hydrogen group of the branch polymer so that the trunk polymer is bonded to the branch polymer.
The term xe2x80x9cisocyanate group-containing vinyl monomerxe2x80x9d means a compound having a carbon-carbon double bond and an isocyanate group. Generally, the numbers of the carbon-carbon double bonds and of the isocyanate groups in the isocyanate group-containing vinyl monomer are one. A molecule of the isocyanate group-containing vinyl monomer usually has a carbon-carbon double bond at one terminal of the molecule and an isocyanate group at the other terminal of the molecule.
The isocyanate group-containing vinyl monomer includes, for example,
(i) an isocyanate group-containing (meth)acrylate ester,
(ii) a vinyl isocyanate represented by the formula:
H2Cxe2x95x90C(R11)xe2x80x94A1xe2x80x94NCO
wherein R11 is H or a linear, branched or cyclic hydrocarbon group (for example, an alkyl group) having 1 to 20(for example, 1 to 10) carbon atoms and A1 is a direct bond or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and
(iii) a reaction product of (iii-1) a compound having two isocyanate groups and (iii-2) a compound having a carbon-carbon double bond and active hydrogen.
Examples of the isocyanate group-containing (meth)acrylate ester (i) include:
H2Cxe2x95x90C(R12)COO(CH2CH2O)n(CH2)mxe2x80x94NCO
wherein R12 is H or CH3, n is from 0 to 20, and m is from 1 to 20(for example, 2-isocyanatoethyl (meth)acrylate).
Examples of the vinyl isocyanate (ii) include:
H2Cxe2x95x90C(R13)xe2x80x94NCO
wherein R13 is a linear, branched or cyclic hydrocarbon group (for example, an alkyl group or a cyclohexyl group) having 1 to 20(for example, 1 to 10) carbon atoms,
H2Cxe2x95x90C(R14)xe2x80x94(CH2)nxe2x80x94NCO
wherein R14 is H or a linear, branched or cyclic hydrocarbon group (for example, an alkyl group or a cyclohexyl group) having 1 to 20(for example, 1 to 10) carbon atoms, and n is from 2 to 20, and
H2Cxe2x95x90C(R15)xe2x80x94Phxe2x80x94C(R16)2xe2x80x94NCO
wherein R15 is H or CH3, R16 is H or CH3, and Ph is a phenylene group.
Examples of the compound having two isocyanate groups (iii-1) include 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate, 2,6-tolylene diisocyanate, diphenylmethane diisocyanate, naphthalene diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, xylene diisocyanate, and isophorone diisocyanate.
Examples of the compound having the carbon-carbon double bond and active hydrogen (iii-2)(hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cmonomer having active hydrogenxe2x80x9d) include:
hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate,
HO(CH2CH2O)nCOC(R17)Cxe2x95x90CH2
wherein R17 is H or CH3 and n is from 2 to 20, and aminoethyl (meth)acrylate.
The reaction between the compound having two isocyanate groups (iii-1) and the monomer having active hydrogen (iii-2) may be conducted in a solvent (especially, an aprotic solvent, for example, an ester solvent) optionally using a catalyst such as dibutyltin dilaurate. The amount of the monomer having active hydrogen (iii-2) in the reaction may be from 1.0 to 2.0 equivalents, and preferably from 1.0 to 1.7 equivalents, based on the compound having two isocyanate groups (iii-1).
Examples of the vinyl monomer having the glycidyl group include glycidyl (meth)acrylate.
Examples of the vinyl monomer having the acid chloride group include (meth)acryloyl chloride.
When the group bonding to the branch polymer is the isocyanate group, the glycidyl group or the acid chloride group, the branch polymer may be formed from the above-mentioned monomer and a chain transfer agent. The active hydrogen group of the branch polymer reacting with the group (that is, the isocyanate group, the glycidyl group or the acid chloride group), bonding to the branch polymer, of the trunk polymer is an active hydrogen group of the chain transfer agent bonding to one terminal of the branch polymer.
The chain transfer agent may be a chain transfer agent having an active hydrogen group at both terminals, for example, an alkylenethiol chain transfer agent having an active hydrogen group or an aryl chain transfer agent having an active hydrogen group. Examples of the active hydrogen group include OH, NH2, SO3H, NHOH, COOH, and SH. The number of carbon atoms of the alkylene group of the alkylenethiol may be from 1 to 20.
Examples of the alkylenethiol chain transfer agent include the followings.
HS(CH2)nOH [n is 2, 4, 6 or 11],
HSCH2COOH,
HSCH2CH(CH3)COOH,
HSCH2CH2SO3Na,
HSCH2CH2SO3H, and
Examples of the allyl chain transfer agent include the followings.
For example, when the group bonding to the branch polymer is the NCO group, the active hydrogen group of the chain transfer agent reacts with an isocyanate group of the trunk polymer to form a xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94 linkage (an amide linkage). When the active hydrogen group is a OH group, it forms a urethane linkage (xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94). When the active hydrogen group is a NH2 group, it forms a urea group (xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94).
The amount of the chain transfer agent may be at most 0.7 mol, for example from 0.05 to 0.7 mol, particularly from 0.1 to 0.5 mol, based on 1 mol of the branch monomer. The chain transfer agent may be bonded at one terminal of the branch polymer obtained by polymerizing the branch monomer. The chain transfer agent can control the length of a chain of the branch polymer.
The vinyl monomer (D) having the group bonding to the branch polymer may be a vinyl monomer having a halomethyl group (xe2x80x94CH2X (X: a halogen atom)). The trunk polymer can bond to the branch polymer by substituting the halogen atom of the halomethyl group with the branch polymer.
The halomethyl group-containing monomer may be a monomer having the halomethyl group and a styrene group.
The halomethyl group-containing monomer may be a compound represented by the formula:
wherein R is xe2x80x94CH3 or H,
Rxe2x80x2 is a direct bond or C1-3 alkylene group, and
X is a halogen atom.
Examples of the halomethyl group-containing monomer include chloromethylstyrene, bromomethylstyrene and 1-chloroethylstyrene. A halogen atom in the halomethyl group is preferably a chlorine atom.
The trunk polymer and/or the branch polymer preferably has at least two repeating unit. The trunk polymer and/or the branch polymer may be a block polymer or a random polymer.
The total amount of the perfluoroalkyl group-containing vinyl monomers (A) and (B) may be from 10 to 75 parts by weight, for example, from 10 to 65 parts by weight, the total amount of the fluorine-free vinyl monomers (B) and (F) may be from 0 to 89.8 parts by weight, for example, from 0 to 89 parts by weight, particularly from 1 to 50 parts by weight, the amount of the vinyl monomer (D) having the group bonding to the branch polymer may be from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight, for example from 1 to 10 parts by weight, and the total amount of the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydrides (C) and (G) may be from 0.1 to 89.9 parts by weight, for example, from 0.1 to 50 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the graft copolymer.
The weight ratio of the trunk polymer to the branch polymer may be from 5:95 to 95:5, preferably from 10:90 to 90:10, particularly from 30:70 to 70:30.
The trunk polymer may have 0 to 75 parts by weight, for example, 0 to 65 parts by weight, particularly 1 to 50 parts by weight of the repeating unit derived from the perfluoroalkyl group-containing vinyl monomer (A), based on 100 parts by weight of the trunk polymer.
The trunk polymer may have 0.1 to 89.9 parts by weight, for example, 0.1 to 50 parts by weight of the repeating unit derived from the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (C), based on 100 parts by weight of the trunk polymer.
The branch polymer may have 0 to 75 parts by weight, for example, 0 to 65 parts by weight, particularly 1 to 50 parts by weight of the repeating unit derived from the perfluoroalkyl group-containing vinyl monomer (E), based on 100 parts by weight of the branch polymer.
The branch polymer may have 0 to 75 parts by weight, for example, 0 to 50 parts by weight of the repeating unit derived from the polymerizable cyclic acid anhydride (G), based on 100 parts by weight of the branch polymer.
The graft copolymer may have an number average molecular weight of 5,000 to 200,000, preferably 5,000 to 100,000(measured by GPC in THF, in terms of styrene).
A method of synthesizing the graft copolymer includes a graft polymerization method of a macromonomer; a method of reacting a branch polymer having an active hydrogen group at one terminal, which is polymerized by using a chain transfer agent having an active hydrogen group, with a trunk polymer having a group (an NCO group, a glycidyl group and an acid chloride group) reactive with active hydrogen;
a method which comprises generating a living free radical in a trunk polymer having a halomethyl group by a metal halide catalyst, and replacing a halogen atom with a branch polymer, such as an ATRP (Atomic Transfer Radical Polymerization) method; and
a method of polymerizing a branch monomer by using a chain transfer initiator species such as a free radical, a cationically active species, an anionically active species and a hydroperoxide in a trunk polymer (cf. Japanese Patent Kokoku Publication 50082/1986). In view of a molecular design for adjusting to various applications, preferable are the graft polymerization which can easily control a polymerization degree of a branch polymer; the method of reacting a branch polymer having an active hydrogen group at one terminal, which is polymerized by using a chain transfer agent having an active hydrogen group, with a trunk polymer having a group (an NCO group, a glycidyl group and an acid chloride group) reactive with active hydrogen; and the method which comprises generating a living free radical in a trunk polymer having a halomethyl group by a metal halide catalyst and replacing a halogen atom with a branch polymer, such as an ATRP method.
The preparation of the graft copolymer according to the present invention can be conducted in any of the following methods (A) and (B), when, for example, the group bonding to the branch polymer is an NCO group, a glycidyl group or an acid chloride group.
(A) a method of copolymerizing a macromonomer, which is obtained by reacting, with a branch polymer, a vinyl monomer having a group bonding to the branch polymer, and a copolymerizable monomer (a trunk monomer) to form a trunk polymer (a method of polymerizing a trunk monomer in the presence of a branch polymer), and
(B) a method of reacting a trunk polymer, which is obtained by copolymerizing a vinyl monomer having a group bonding to a branch polymer and a copolymerizable monomer, with the branch polymer (a method of separately polymerizing a branch polymer and a trunk polymer).
The method (A) comprises the steps of:
(A-1) polymerizing a monomer (branch monomer) and optionally a chain transfer agent, which are constituent components of a branch polymer, to give a branch polymer;
(A-2) reacting the resultant branch polymer with a vinyl monomer having a group bonding to the branch polymer to give a macromonomer; and
(A-3) polymerizing the macromonomer and a trunk monomer to give a graft copolymer.
The method (B) comprises the steps of:
(B-1) polymerizing a vinyl monomer having a group bonding to a branch polymer and a copolymerizable monomer, which are constituent components of a trunk polymer, to give a trunk polymer having the group bonding to the branch polymer; and
(B-2) grafting a separately synthesized branch polymer onto the resultant trunk polymer to give a graft copolymer.
The polymerization step (A-1) of the branch polymer and the polymerization steps (A-3) and (B-1) of the trunk polymer may be conducted in a solvent at a temperature of 70 to 80xc2x0 C. using a polymerization initiator. The polymerization time is generally from 2 to 12 hours.
The reaction steps (A-2) and (B-2) of reacting the active hydrogen group of the chain transfer agent constituting the branch polymer with the isocyanate group contained in the monomer constituting the trunk polymer may be conducted in a solvent at a temperature of 30 to 65xc2x0 C. The polymerization time is generally from 2 to 24 hours.
As the polymerization initiator, for example, azobisisobutyronitrile, benzoyl peroxide, di-tert-butyl peroxide, lauryl peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide, tert-butyl peroxide pivalate, and diisopropylperoxy dicarbonate are used. The amount of the polymerization initiator is preferably from 1 to 10 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the monomer.
The polymerization solvent may be a polar solvent, a hydrocarbon solvent, or a mixture of these solvents. When the group bonding to the branch polymer exists in the reaction system (namely, in the steps (A-2), (B-1) and (B-2)), a protic solvent having an active hydrogen group such as alcohol solvent can not be used.
When the group bonding to the branch polymer is a halomethyl group, the preparation of the graft copolymer can be conducted as follows.
(C-1) A halomethyl group-containing monomer (for example, chloromethylstyrene), other monomers, a solvent and a polymerization initiator are used to prepare a trunk polymer. The solvent is a halogen-free organic solvent. Examples of the solvent for preparing the trunk polymer are the same as examples of a solvent for the preparation of the branch polymer discussed hereinafter. Typical example of conditions for the polymerization of the trunk polymer is a polymerization temperature of 110xc2x0 C. and a polymerization time of 4 hours. Conventional polymerization initiator such as a peroxide can be used as the polymerization initiator.
(C-2) A branch monomer and a metal halide catalyst are added to the trunk polymer to give a graft copolymer in which the branch polymer bonds to the trunk polymer.
In the reaction procedure (C-2), the branch polymer is bonded to the trunk polymer by using reactivity of the halomethyl group (xe2x80x94CH2X (X: halogen atom)) in the trunk polymer. It is believed that a living free radical is generated by the metal halide catalyst and a halogen atom in the halomethyl group of the trunk polymer is replaced with the branch polymer. Such reaction procedure is referred to as xe2x80x9cATRP (Atomic Transfer Radical Polymerization) methodxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cATRA (Atom Transfer Radical Addition) methodxe2x80x9d, which are disclosed in, for example, J. S. Wang and K. Matyjaszewsky, Macromolecules, 28, 7572(1955).
A halogen atom in the metal halide used as the catalyst is preferably chlorine. Examples of the metal in the metal halide are copper (Cu) and a transition metal of VIII group, for example, iron (Fe) and ruthenium (Ru). Examples of the metal halide are CuCl, CuCl2 FeCl2, NiCl2 and RuCl2. The addition amount of the metal halide (for example, CuCl) may be from 0.1 to 5 mol, preferably from 0.5 to 1.5, more preferably from 0.8 to 1.2 mol, based on 1 mol of the halomethyl group-containing monomer (for example, chloromethylstyrene).
A solubilizing agent or dispersing agent (that is, accelerating agent) for metal halide is preferably used. The accelerating agent is preferably a compound which coordinates the metal halide to give a ligand and increases the solubility of the metal halide in a polymerization solvent. Examples of the accelerating agent are an organic nitrogen-containing compound and an organic phosphorus-containing compound. Examples of the organic nitogen-containing compound (for example, an amine) are bipyridyl (2,2xe2x80x2-dipyridine), a derivative of 2,2xe2x80x2-dipyridine such as 4,4xe2x80x2-bis(5-nonyl)-2,2xe2x80x2-dipyridine, triphenylamine, quinoline, tetramethylene diamine, trialkyl amine having C2-10 alkyl groups, 1,10-phenanthroline, and a compound of the formula: (CH3)2N(C2H4N(CH3))nCH3(wherein n=1, 2 or 3). Examples of the organic phosphorus-containing compound are P(C6H5)3, P (OC6H5)3, P(C2H5)3 and P(OC2H5)3. The amount of the accelerating agent may be at most 10 mol, for example, from 0.5 to 8 mol, preferably from 1 to 4 mol, more preferably from 1.8 to 3 mol, based on 1 mol of the metal halide.
A temperature of ATRP reaction for forming the branch polymer may be from 50 to 250xc2x0 C., preferably from 60 to 200xc2x0 C., more preferably from 80 to 150xc2x0 C. A reaction time may at most 24 hours, for example, from 1 to 12 hours.
The reaction is preferably conducted in the presence of a solvent. Various fluorine-free solvents can be used as the solvent. A hydrocarbon solvent, a polar solvent and a mixture thereof are preferably used.
The polar solvent is a solvent having a polar group in a molecule. Examples of the polar group include a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an ester group, an acyl group, and an ether oxygen group. Examples of the polar solvent include an alcohol solvent, a glycol solvent, an ester solvent, and a ketone solvent.
The hydrocarbon solvent may be a solvent which is composed only of carbon and hydrogen. The hydrocarbon solvent may be an aliphatic hydrocarbon. Examples of the hydrocarbon solvent include n-heptane, n-hexane, n-octane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, cyclopentane, methylcyclopentane, methylpentane, 2-ethylpentane, isoparaffin hydrocarbon, liquid paraffin, decane, undecane, dodecane, mineral spirit, and mineral turpentine. In some case, an aromatic solvent may be used.
Examples of the alcohol solvent include butyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol. Examples of the glycol solvent include propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monoethyl ether, dipropylene glycolmonomethyl ether, dipropylene glycol monoethyl ether, and acetate thereof. Examples of the ester solvent include a monobasic acid ester such as methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and butyl acetate; and a dibasic acid ester such as diethyl succinate, diethyl adipate, dibutyl phthalate, and dioctyl phthalate. Examples of the ketone solvent include methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), methyl ethyl ketone, and acetone.
A mixture of the hydrocarbon solvent and the polar solvent may also be used. The weight ratio of the hydrocarbon solvent to the polar solvent may be from 100:0 to 0:100, for example 5:95 to 95:5.
An organic solvent solution of the graft copolymer is a solvent-based water- and oil-repellent agent composition.
The water- and oil-repellent agent composition of the present invention may contain other water- and oil-repellent agents and additives, for example, softening agents, antistatic agents, cross-linking agents and crease-proofing agents, if necessary.
A substrate to be treated with the water- and oil-repellent agent composition of the present invention includes various substances. Examples of the substrate to be treated include textiles, glass, papers, woods, hides, furs, asbestos, bricks, cements, metals and oxides, ceramics, plastics, coated surfaces, and plasters. Examples of the textiles include animal- and vegetable-origin natural fibers such as cotton, hemp, wool, and silk; synthetic fibers such as polyamide, polyester, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene; semisynthetic fibers such as rayon and acetate, etc.; and a mixture of these fibers. The water- and oil-repellent agent composition of the present invention can be applied to the substrate by a method of applying the composition onto the surface of the substrate to be treated using a known process such as dip coating, and then drying the composition.
The water- and oil-repellent agent composition of the present invention can also be used, for example, as an aerosol by adding propellants. Examples of preferred propellant include fluoroalkane or chlorofluoroalkane having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, LPG gas, dimethyl ether, nitrogen gas, and carbon dioxide gas. Typical examples of the fluoroalkane or chlorofluoroalkane having 1 or 2 carbon atoms include dichlorodifluoromethane, trichlorotrifluoroethane, chlorodifluoromethane, chlorodifluoroethane, dichlorotrifluoroethane, tetrafluoroethane, and a mixture of at least two types of them. The amount of the propellant is preferably 0.05 to 2 times as much as the total weight of the surface treatment agent composition containing the solvent.
A container having a mechanism for spraying out a liquid contained in the container, for example, an aerosol container or a spray container is filled with the aerosol. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fine particles which are highly homogeneous and able to be widely used in a variety of fields, and a method for producing the fine particles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, fine particles are produced by liquid-phase or gas-phase reaction, and intended shapes and compositions are obtained by controlling the reaction. However, the shapes and the compositions are limited according to the reaction utilized. Take Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2001-330728 for example, which proposes a method of forming a wire grid polarizer by oblique vapor deposition to a concavo-convex structure. The method of this proposal makes it possible to produce a wire grid polarizer from an inexpensive material through a relatively simple process.
However, in the method described in JP-A No. 2001-330728, it is possible to produce a polarizer in the form of a linear wire but not in the form of particles, so that the polarizer can hardly be obtained as particles.
Meanwhile, JP-A No. 06-28933 proposes a method of producing fine particles on a concavo-convex structure by heat treatment. The method of this proposal makes it possible to produce conductive fine particles with a desired diameter inexpensively and with little variation.
However, in the method described in JP-A No. 06-28933, isotropic deposition is carried out and an obtained film is divided into discrete pieces by heat, so that only spherical fine particles can be formed, and the fine particles can be formed on a substrate but can hardly be released.
Hence, in reality, a fine particle producing method capable of controlling the shape, fused state, etc. of fine particles and efficiently producing highly homogeneous fine particles has yet to be provided. | {
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The present invention relates to a microelectrical logging method and apparatus for carrying out measurements to differentiate open fractures from closed fractures and to determine the network of the open fractures in hard rocks pierced by a borehole. The method and the apparatus proposed are based on generating microelectric fields that penetrate the wall of the borehole. According to the invention, it is possible to determine the network of the fractures present in a hard rock formation, espeically to differentiate the open fractures constituting passageways connected into a system of communicating vessels showing remarkable hydraulic conductivity from the closed fractures that are permeable from outside of the borehole.
The apparatus and the method of the invention can be applied especially in the petrologic and hydrogeologic investigations and in prospecting sources of useful. minerals.
The determination of the network of the fractures penetrating a hard rock formation pierced by a borehole is a very important object of the geophysical investigations carried out through a borehold. In the hydrogeology, petrology and in the process of displaying the useful minerals the data received in this way are evaluated and processed under geophysical, geologic and mineralogic aspects. The importance of the measurements of such kind follows from the well known fact that the fractures which are present in a hard rock formation may form the path through which water enters mines and causes severe damage to the mines through flooding.
The background art consists of different solutions to the problem mentioned above; the most developed of them may be identified with the methods shown in the Letters Patent U.S.A. Pat. No. 4,468,623 and in the European early publication EP-A3-13 0 287 320. The essence of the methods cited above lies in application of a measuring downhole tool comprising pads made of electrically insulating material. and a system of metallic electrodes arranged within the pad. During the measurements, the downhole tool is lowered and pressed to the wall of the borehole in different places. The electrodes generate a micro-electric field in their narrow environment. The micro-electric field penetrates the rocks adjacent to the insulating pad and is distorted by them. The parameters of the microelectric field are measured and the data obtained thereby analyzed. The measured parameters are the electric current intensities and voltages and by processing them it is possible to determine whether fractures are present in the region investigated.
In the references cited, a method applicable to the measurements of sharp local inhomogeneities on the wall of a borehold in layers pierced by this borehold is proposed, wherein an electric field is generated by microelectrodes in a conductive way on the wall of the borehole. The microelectrodes are insulated from the drilling mud filling the borehole by insulating pads excluding direct electric contact to the conductive liquid present in the borehole. In the next step, the currents are determined at two or more localizations in the borehole by carrying out local measurements. The current intensities are coupled in a parallel way with one another in a current field generated perpendicularly to the wall of the borehole in the rock insulated from the drilling mud. The local inhomogeneities are determined on the basis of comparing the parallel current intensities: for each measurement the dimensionless ratio of the current intensities is computed and the maximum values of the dimensionless ratios are applied for displaying inhomogeneities on a major surface area divided into smaller regions.
The mentioned methods and apparatuses ensure highly effective measurements of the inhomogeneities on the wall of a borehole. However, they are characterized by two main disadvantages of generic character:
i. The investigations achieve penetration of the rocks only to a shallow depth, i.e., in the practice it is impossible to differentiate the open fractures forming parts of a communicating fracture network showing remarkable hydraulic flow capabilities from the closed fractures produced mainly by the boring operation due to altering the stress distribution system in the interior of the rock. This impossibility follows from the fact that the networks of both types of fracture are deeper than the radial investigation depth of the microelectric field in the rock formation.
ii. The background art is based on the obviously inaccurate assumption that the fractures constitute generally straight line formations in the wall of the borehole. Hence, during the data processing the fractures are supposed to traverse the rock along straight lines. This assumption results in erroneous determinations of the trend directions of the fractures - the fractures traversing the rocks along broken and curved lines cannot exactly be determined. | {
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Digital electronic systems are comprised of essentially three different types of components: memory, microprocessor, and logic components. Memory devices store information such as, for example, the contents of a spreadsheet or database. Microprocessors execute software instructions to perform a wide variety of tasks such as running a word processing program or video game. Logic devices provide specific functions, including device-to-device interfacing, data communication, signal processing, data display, timing and control operations, and almost every other function a system must perform.
Logic devices may include either fixed or programmable functions. Fixed logic devices, as the name suggests, are permanent and perform a predetermined function or set of functions. Once manufactured, these functions cannot be altered. By contrast, programmable logic devices offer a wide range of possible logic functions, which can be programmed and altered by a designer to perform desired logic functions.
There are various types of programmable logic devices, including the Programmable Logic Arrays (PLA), Programmable Array Logic (PAL), the Programmable Logic Device (PLD), and the Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD). Common among these programmable logic devices is some form of logical planes, i.e., array of AND, OR functional gates, that contain some mechanism for programming (and in some instances, even reprogramming) one or more desired logic functions. For example, FIG. 1 shows a basic schematic of a PLA logic block that contains an AND array and an OR array with programmability in both planes. The “Xs” indicate where connections may be made between the wires. As can be seen, three different logic operations can be attained using this basic PLA logic block.
Early programmable logic device architectures, including the technologies used to implement their programmability, were often not up to par with their application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) counterparts. In fact, not until the introduction of the CPLD did programmable logic devices achieve wide market adoption. A CPLD consists of three principal component types: logic blocks, programmable interconnects, and input/output (I/O) blocks. The programmable interconnect matrix in a CPLD is typically configured so that it is capable of connecting any input or output of a given logic block to any input or output of another logic block.
FIG. 2A is an architectural diagram of a commercially available CPLD 20 manufactured by Altera Corporation. The CPLD 20 comprises an array of blocks, referred to as Logic Array Blocks (LABs) 200, interconnect wires, referred to as a Programmable Interconnect Array (PIA) 202. The PIA 202 is capable of interconnecting any LAB input or output to any other LAB. Each LAB 200 includes a plurality of “macrocells” 204, which can be configured to perform various combinatorial or sequential logic functions. Each macrocell 204 comprises a set of programmable product terms (part of an AND-plane) that feed an OR-gate and a flip-flop. As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the number of inputs to the OR-gate in a given macrocell is variable, and may be programmed so that the CPLD performs desired combinatorial or sequential logic functions.
Another user-programmable integrated circuit that is in widespread use is the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). One of the principal benefits of FPGAs over other programmable device structures (such as those discussed above) is that FPGAs support a much higher logic capacity. As shown in FIG. 3, a typical FPGA 30 comprises three types of configurable elements: configurable logic blocks 300 arranged in a two-dimensional array, input/output (I/O) blocks 302, and programmable interconnects 304. The logic blocks 300 provide the functional elements for implementing a user's design; the I/O blocks 302 provide an interface between the package pins and the internal signal lines of the integrated circuit; and the programmable interconnects 304 provide routing paths to connect the inputs and outputs of the logic blocks 300 and I/O blocks 302.
There are many architectural styles used to implement an FPGA. A key distinguishing feature among the various styles is the type of programmable switching device used to configure (i.e. program) the FPGA. The main programmable switch technologies are: antifuse, EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory) or floating gate (FG) non-volatile memory (NVM), SRAM (static random access memory), and SONOS (silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon) based NVM. Each of these technologies can be used to form a programmable switch capable of storing logic “1” and logic “0” states. The logic states of a plurality of these programmed switches determine the configuration settings of the logic blocks of the FPGA, and consequently the logic functions provided by the FPGA.
FIG. 4 is a table comparing various integration and performance characteristics of the four main programmable switch technologies. As can be seen, use of each of the technologies presents benefits as well as drawbacks. For example, while SRAM programmable switch technology is compatible with CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) technology, and may even be available in advanced 90 nm or below CMOS technologies, the anti-fuse, EEPROM/FG and SONOS NVM technologies are not. Anti-fuse, EEPROM/FG and SONOS NVM technologies require extra masking and/or special processing steps beyond that used in established CMOS processes. Anti-fuse, EEPROM/FG and SONOS NVM technologies also have a limited lifespan, since they can be reprogrammed only a finite number of times; require special charge pump circuitry to generate the high voltages needed for programming; and are difficult to scale with CMOS scaling. These drawbacks, particularly when weighed against the benefits gained by use of SRAM technology has led SRAM to become the leading programmable switch technology used in FPGAs. SRAM is compatible with existing CMOS processing technologies, may be fabricated in advanced logic fabrication processes (e.g. 90 nm or below), and can be easily scaled along with the scaling of a CMOS process. For these reasons, most commercially available FPGAs use SRAM-based programmable switching technology.
FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of a programmable switch 50 using a conventional 6T SRAM cell. The 6T SRAM cell comprises two cross-coupled CMOS inverters (two transistors each) 500, 502 and two access transistors 504, 506. The SRAM cell 50 is coupled to the control input (i.e. gate) of an NMOS passgate 508. When a logic one is stored in the SRAM cell 50, the NMOS passgate 508 acts as a closed switch. On the other hand, when a logic zero is stored in the SRAM cell 50, the NMOS passgate 508 acts as an open switch.
6T SRAM cells are used extensively in standard FPGAs. Not only are they used to control passgates, as described in the previous paragraph, they are also used as “configuration bits” that control select lines of multiplexers which drive the logic blocks of the FPGA. FIG. 6 illustrates these two functions in a typical FPGA 60. First and second 6T SRAM cells 600 and 602 control respective passgates 604 and 606, to connect a first logic block 608 located in the upper left hand corner (represented by the AND gate) of the FPGA 60 to a second logic block 610 located in the lower right hand corner of the FPGA 60. A third 6T SRAM configuration bit 612 controls a multiplexer 614, to complete the connection between the first logic block 608 and the second logic block 610.
FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating how 6T SRAM configuration bits are connected to and control the selection in a 4:1 multiplexer. The 4:1 multiplexer 70 is similar to that found in a typical SRAM-based FPGA. The 4:1 multiplexer has four inputs 700 (also labeled In0, In1, In2, In3) coupled to respective input buffers 702 and an output 704 (also labeled “Out0”). NMOS passgate transistors 704 are coupled between each of the four input buffers 702 and an output buffer 706. Four 6T SRAM cells 708 are coupled to the gates of NMOS passgate transistors 704. Together, the 6T SRAM cells 708 and NMOS passgate transistors 704 form 6T SRAM configuration bits, which control which of the four inputs 700 is routed to the output 704. So, for example, if the logic state of the 6T SRAM cell second from the right stores a logic “1”, and the remaining 6T SRAM cells store a logic “0”, then the input 700 that is second from the bottom (i.e. input In2) is routed to the output 704.
Another common circuit found in FPGAs is the look-up table (or “LUT”). A LUT performs a variety of Boolean logic functions based on the states and selection of a plurality of memory elements. In SRAM-based FPGAs, the memory elements are 6T SRAM cells. FIG. 8 is an architectural drawing of a logic block 80 of an SRAM-based FPGA, which illustrates the relationship between a LUT 800 and other components of the logic block 80. The four-input LUT 800 implements four input combinational logic functions. A first configuration bit 802 selects a desired logic function from the LUT 80. A multiplexer 804, which is controlled by a second configuration bit 806, is used to select either the LUT output or the output of an optional flip-flop (or “latch”) 808.
FIG. 9 is a more detailed drawing of a typical prior art SRAM-based LUT 90. A plurality of 6T SRAM memory elements is coupled to a chain of NMOS pass-gates. Select lines In1, In2, In3, In4 are coupled to the gates of the chain of NMOS pass-gates. The desired Boolean function is determined by the logic values set on select lines, In1, In2, In3, In4 and the logic values stored in the selected memory elements.
Although SRAM-based programmable switch technology has become the preferred programmable switch technology, its use does present other drawbacks. One major drawback of SRAMs is that they occupy a large percentage of the programmable fabric of an SRAM-based FPGA. A single 6T SRAM configuration bit has seven active devices, six to implement the SRAM cell and a seventh for the passgate. Hence, even a single 6T SRAM configuration bit occupies a significant amount of base silicon. This problem is compounded by the fact that present day SRAM-based FPGAs can contain ten to fifty million SRAM cells. Accordingly, SRAM-based FPGAs, although offering many benefits, have the serious drawback of the SRAM cells consuming a large portion of the FPGA chip area. As shown in FIG. 10, the SRAM cells, associated MOS passgates and error correction circuitry may consume 70% or more of the programmable blocks of the FPGA.
SRAMs are also susceptible to radiation-induced soft errors. A radiation-induced soft error occurs when neutrons or alpha particles from the environment impinge on the SRAM and cause it to change state. To prevent radiation-induced errors, special error correction circuitry is routinely included with the SRAM cells.
Finally, SRAM-based FPGAs are volatile (see FIG. 4), meaning that the SRAM-based configuration bits must be reprogrammed (i.e. reconfigured) every time the FPGA is powered down and then powered up again. To compensate for this volatility aspect, the configuration bits may be, as is currently done, programmed into a configuration memory (e.g. non-volatile memory). During boot up, the configuration memory provides the configuration bits needed to configure the desired logic functions. In addition to the drawback of having to wait for the FPGA to be configured to boot-up, large amounts of power are needed to complete the boot up process. Because the states of the various SRAMs in SRAM based FPGA are random at power-up, and there are millions of SRAMs on a typical SRAM-based FPGA, there is a chance that most of the SRAMs are in the same state at the initial stages of power-up. Under these conditions, large currents can be generated in the FPGA. To avoid such high current conditions, special power supply and control circuitry must be employed to ensure that configuration is done properly and without damaging the FPGA. The need for special power supply and control circuitry adds further complexity and cost to systems using SRAM-based FPGAs.
Given the foregoing limitations and drawbacks of prior art programmable logic structures, it would be desirable to have a programmable logic structure, for example an FPGA, that is reconfigurable, uses non-volatile memory elements, is radiation hard, and can be more densely integrated than currently available programmable logic structures. | {
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In a typical enterprise environment, the amount of data that is maintained and processed is enormous and rapidly increasing. Information technology (IT) departments to have to deal with many millions or even billions of files, in dozens of formats. Moreover, the existing number tends to grow at a significant (e.g., double-digit yearly growth) rate.
IT departments have started to utilize file classification as a solution to managing these billions of files. When a file is classified according to a classification request, its contents may be read, applicable classification rules are processed into classification properties, and the resulting classification properties used by IT administrators to apply policies to files.
These steps, however, especially in the context of classifying huge numbers of files, are time-intensive and resource-intensive. If a file server performed such steps for every classification request of each file, the typical server would not have enough resources to perform its primary task of serving files. As a result, a solution is needed that provides for file classification yet does not overwhelm server resources. | {
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Turbochargers are a type of forced induction system for internal combustion engines which use the exhaust flow, entering the turbine housing from the engine exhaust manifold, to drive a turbine wheel, which is located in the turbine housing. To control the energy to the turbine wheel, and thus the boost output of the turbocharger, which, in turn, affects the power output of the engine, a variable geometry configuration of the turbine stage is used to control said turbine energy. In the case of a VTG, an actuator is used to control the turbine power.
While the highest exhaust temperature of a gasoline engine is up to 1050° C., the exhaust temperature of a large Diesel engine is typically up to 760° C. With increasing demands for improved emissions, engine combustion chamber temperatures not only run hotter, but aerodynamic demands, such as lower hood lines and lower engine compartment airflow, combine to produce an increasingly thermally hostile environment for engine components, internal and external.
With the requirement for ever tighter emissions, electronic controls have replaced more thermally accepting control-force mediums such as vacuum, hydraulic and air pressure. Electronics used in automotive applications are not particularly tolerant of temperatures above 100° C. Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) have to be specially manufactured to even meet the 100° C. threshold. Of the components within a VTG actuator enclosure, gears, shafts, electric motors and sensors, the PCBs are the most intolerant of excess temperature.
On VTG or wastegate electronically controlled turbochargers, the actuator has to be located in close proximity to the turbocharger because the actuator mechanically controls valves or vanes in the turbine stage of the turbocharger. This close proximity is driven by the requirement of the article being driven (vanes or valves) and is exacerbated by the requirement for a tight envelope surrounding the engine.
Electronic components are often air or water-cooled to protect the thermally sensitive components. Sometimes they are mounted remotely such as on the cabin firewall or even under the front seats of the vehicle in the quest for a more thermally and vibration friendly environment. Turbocharger electronic actuators however must be mounted either on, or close to, the turbine housing. Sometimes the turbocharger itself incorporates a water-cooled bearing housing which lessens the electronic actuator ambient thermal issues. The electronic VTG actuator, which is associated with the subject of this invention, is typically mounted directly to the turbine housing so that the controls can be assembled, datumed, and validated at the factory where the turbocharger is assembled, to neutralize manufacturing variances.
A typical electronic actuator (10) is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 mounted directly to a typical turbocharger housing (1) via a cast iron casting bracket (2) which is part of the turbine housing assembly. A signal from an engine controller unit (ECU) commands rotation of an actuator shaft (11) which rotates an actuator drive arm (12). Connected by a pin, bolt, or stud (14) to the actuator drive arm (12) is a linkage. The linkage, depicted in FIG. 6, typically has a shaft (16) mechanically attached to a pair of rod-ends which are free to rotate a few degrees about the control linkage centerline, but are constrained longitudinally. This arrangement ensures centerline forces on the shaft, which minimizes bending loads on the linkage. The pin, bolt or stud (14) is mechanically attached to a bore (9) in the ball (8). The ball (8) is constrained but free to rotate in the head (3) of the rod-end.
In FIG. 6, the driving rod-end (15f) (hereinafter “f” refers to female connector and “m” refers to male connector) is attached to the actuator end of the shaft (16), and the driven rod-end (7f) is attached to the VTG end of the shaft (16). The driven rod-end (7f) is connected by a pin, bolt or stud (6) to the driven arm (4) of the VTG. The driven arm is connected such that any rotation of the driven arm (4) is transferred to a shaft in the VTG upon which the driven arm is attached. All movement commanded by the engine ECU to the VTG actuator (10) results in movement of the driving arm, connecting linkage and driven arm to the shaft in the VTG, which moves the VTG vanes to control the exhaust flow to a turbine wheel.
The inventor discovered, while performing unrelated testing, that a Diesel engine, at the test condition, had an exhaust temperature of 650° C., which produced a turbine housing outer skin temperature in excess of 435° C. The VTG vanes are wetted by the exhaust flow so they see the exhaust temperature (which, for the engine being tested had a design a maximum of 760° C.) directly impinging on the surfaces of the vanes. Some heat energy is lost in conduction through the internal linkages to the VTG shaft. The VTG shaft is however mechanically connected to the VTG driven arm (4) with a large contact surface area such that thermal transference via conductance is, unfortunately, efficient. The tests showed that the driven rod end (7f) (VTG end rod-end) on the linkage had a temperature of 150° C. The rod-ends (15 and 7) and the shafts (16) are typically steel with a bronze or plastic bearing surface in the ball joint so that much of the heat from the VTG shaft is transferred by conductance via the drive pin (14) and actuator drive arm (12) to the actuator shaft (11). The tests indicated that a temperature of 150° C. at the VTG driven arm (4) resulted in a temperature of 121.5° C. at the actuator drive arm (12), with the standard linkage.
A failure in the electronics in the actuator is a failure of the turbocharger. To protect the sensitive electronics in the actuator (10), many methods are employed: Some VTG installations have water cooled actuators, which is a relatively complex, potentially unreliable, and expensive solution. Some VTG installations have water cooled bearing housings, which is a relatively common, albeit expensive solution, but which does improve the thermal conditions inside and around the turbo. Some VTG installations have actuators cooled by forced air circulation and shielding, which is difficult to execute, and the shielding is difficult to maintain. Some VTG installations have the actuator removed relatively far from the VTG and connected to the VTG via a long connecting rod. This causes problems in actuator shaft stiffness and damping VTG casting issues due to the length of the bracket design of the casting envelope, and, above all, moving the actuator away from the VTG is architecturally challenging.
A typical control linkage configuration is determined by the diameter of the drive pin (14), or bore in the ball joint, which typically is paired with a male (24), or female (25) thread in the barrel or neck of the rod-end. For example, the control linkage, depicted in FIG. 6 has a 6 mm drive pin (14) and a shaft (16) 6 mm in diameter. This can cause durability problems because, while the rod end itself is capable of transmitting static centerline loads, the control linkage shaft can bend, or vibrate in resonance with an excitation from the engine. Either of these problems can cause premature wear-out of the ball joints in the rod end.
So it is clear that there is a need for a cost-effective solution for retarding heat energy transfer from the turbine housing through the control linkage to the actuator in such a manner that it does not compromise the design and durability of the engine or components. It would be desirable to cure at the same time the problem of control linkage shaft bending or vibration. | {
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1. Technical Field
This invention relates to precast retaining wall modules and specifically to modules having a face panel and a rearwardly extending retaining stem. The invention also relates to retaining walls assembled with such modules.
2. Background Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,294 of O'Neill discloses a precast concrete retaining wall construction element having a rectangular face panel and an integral embedment beam. The embedment beam extends perpendicularly from the center of the rear surface of the face panel, so that the element is T-shaped in plan view.
The embedment beam has indentations in its side surfaces to increase frictional engagement with earth backfill, and a sloping rear edge of the embedment beam is provided with a V-shaped groove or a sawtooth profile for the same purpose. A front lip on the upper edge of a face panel of one element engages a corresponding notch in the lower edge of the face panel of an element stacked on top, to key the two elements together.
The elements of U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,294 can be assembled in adjacent vertical "stack bonded" columns with the embedment beam of each course resting on the embedment beam of the element below. A drawback to this arrangement is that there is no interengagement between the elements of adjacent columns. The elements also can be assembled in a staggered "brick bonded" array, but this requires separate shear key beams extending across the embedment beams of each course for the embedment beams of the staggered elements of the next course to rest on.
Although the indentations and other means for increasing frictional engagement with the earth backfill increase the resistance of an assembly of these elements to overturning forces exerted by the backfill, this increased resistance is small compared with that obtainable from the total mass of earth backfilled between the embedment beams.
Another arrangement for anchoring face elements of a retaining wall are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,343,572 and No. 4,616,959 of Hilfiker. In the '572 patent a rigid face member is held in place by vertically spaced anchor elements in the form of horizontal wire grids embedded in earth backfill behind the face member. The '959 patent substitutes noncorrodible polymer mats for the wire grids and secures the mats between courses of stacked preformed concrete panels. The restraining force exerted by the mats on the wall members depends on the frictional force developed between the mats and the surrounding earth.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,678 of McNinch, Jr. et al. overturning resistance is supplied to a stacked array of double-T elements by vertical tension rods extending upward from a massive concrete footing through holes near the rear ends of the double stems of the elements. Nuts at threaded upper ends of the tension rods secure the stems to the footing. By having a stem located one quarter of the distance from each end, the face panels of McNinch, Jr. et al. can be stacked in "brick bonded" staggered courses with both stems of each double-T element resting on stems of elements in the course below. Other than through the relatively low frictional force between their smooth faces and the surrounding backfill, however, the double stems of these elements do not take advantage of the mass of the backfill material to resist the overturning force exerted of the backfill. | {
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FIG. 1 shows a geostationary communication satellite system 100 comprising a plurality of satellites 1021 to 102i orbiting the earth 104. Satellite 1021 is separated from adjacent satellites 1022 and 1023 by approximately a 2° arc (the arc is shown by the separation between the dashed lines on each of FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 6, and is typical for geostationary satellites in the United States). Earth 104 has a plurality of earth stations 1061 to 106n. Each earth station 106 includes a satellite transmitting and receiving antenna 108. Communication system 100 operates when antenna 108 generates a communication signal 110 that is received by, for example, satellite 1021, and visa versa.
As communication signal 110 travels from, for example, earth station 1061 to its intended destination at satellite 1021 it spreads over an area 112. If communication signal 110 spreads beyond the 2° arc between satellite 1021 and the adjacent satellites 1022 and 1023, then all three satellites 1021, 1022, and 1023 would process communication signal 110 as if it was intended for them. One reason this occurs is that communication signal 110 does not experience significant signal attenuation at the edge of area 112. In order to prevent satellites 1022 and 1023 from processing communication signal 110, antenna 108 generates a narrow beam communication signal, instead of a wide beam communication signal.
The most widely used radio frequency bands for satellite communication are the Ku- and C-bands. In both of these bands, a conventional parabolic reflector antenna generates a narrow communication signal to prevent adjacent satellites from processing communication signals not intended for them. The parabolic reflector antenna for the Ku-band may have a relatively small diameter. The small parabolic reflector antenna provides an efficient, cost-effective mechanism for allowing an earth station to communicate with an individual satellite. Unfortunately, Ku-band radio signals attenuate in atmospheric conditions consistent with periods of moderate-to-heavy precipitation, i.e., rain, sleet, or snow. In most cases, providing facilities with sufficient power to compensate for severe signal attenuation is uneconomical. As a result, satellite communications systems operating in the Ku-band experience periodic system outages that are unacceptable for time critical applications.
To avoid periodic system outages due to atmospheric conditions, earth stations typically transmit and receive data using C-band radio frequencies. These frequencies are much less susceptible to attenuation due to precipitation. Therefore, C-band transmitters can economically provide sufficient signal margin to overcome any signal attenuation due to atmospheric conditions. Unfortunately, to generate narrow communication signal beams, C-band parabolic antennas need to be larger than Ku-band antennas. In fact, the minimum C-band parabolic antenna diameter that prevents communication signal 110 from interfering with satellites 1022 or 1023 (See FIG. 1) is approximately 3.7 meters. For many applications, however, the installation of a 3.7 meter diameter antenna is too unwieldy, aesthetically unseemly, and/or not structurally prudent. Therefore, it would be desirable to use smaller diameter parabolic reflective antenna to transmit C-band radio frequencies while avoiding unnecessary interference with adjacent satellites.
Further, during short periods of each day for several days immediately before and after the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, the sun transits behind geostationary satellites as seen from an earth station's receiving antenna (i.e., from the perspective of the earth station, the sun passes behind the geostationary satellite). The sun emits a great deal of energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation in the bandwidth occupied by radio wave communications. Therefore, when the sun is located within the beamwidth of the receiving antenna, its energy causes interference in the form of radio frequency noise. This noise causes a decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio of the earth station's receiver, and can render the earth station inoperative until the sun completes its transit of the antenna's beamwidth.
Because the relative movement of the earth with respect to the sun is known to a high degree of precision, satellite communication system operators are forewarned of the time when the sun will transit the beamwidth of a receiving antenna. Knowledge of a pending problem, however, is only useful if the system operators can keep the system operational during these periods.
For conventional satellite systems, each individual receive antenna might be effected by the sun's positioning during this period. Some conventional systems use costly terrestrial communications facilities to provide continuing operations as the sun transits behind a satellite with respect to its earth station's receiving antenna. Other systems remain off-the-air for the duration of these periods. The inherent inconvenience of this option, however, renders it particularly unattractive. Finally, some conventional satellite systems continue operation by switching each earth station's antenna to a secondary satellite during the period that the sun is within the beamwidth of the antenna. This process requires manual intervention and/or complex automated mechanical mechanisms to perform the daily repositioning of the antenna during its sun transit outage. The cost of the daily repositioning of each antenna so effected renders this option uneconomical.
Therefore, a need exists for a satellite communication system to efficiently provide communication during sun transit outages. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an easy-to-build data processing system, a system for building such a data processing system, and its method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, data processing systems (hereafter called systems) receive external signals, process them as the need arises according to the internal status, and output processing results. Some of these systems, called learning systems, adapt their internal status to external signals to produce desired input/output characteristics.
Such a learning system learns the correspondence between input data and output data. A typical learning system is a neural network. It is an engineering-based data processing system modeling after a network structure of a human brain. A neural network is used, for example, in data processing systems including control applications. It also finds applications in the software field.
FIG. 33 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a neural network structure. As shown in this figure, a neutral network usually consists of a plurality of neuron-elements N (unit) connected in a plurality of stages. Typically, a load value, indicating the level of stimulus transmission speed, is assigned to each of the links (signal path) L connecting the elements. A function and its parameters are provided to specify how each element generates an output signal (response) upon receiving a combination of input signals (stimuli). In general, because an input signal sent to an element of a layer is represented as a multi-dimensional value with the number of dimensions being the number of output signals from the elements of the previous layer, a load value assigned to each link may be represented as the parameters of a function of an element which receives a multi-dimensional value.
Conventionally, this type of neural network is built as follows. For example, a CAD system, which uses the GUI (Graphical User Interface), is used to define a network; that is, the system is used to define the input/output layers, intermediate layers, and connections between elements. More specifically, the system displays a plurality of elements (N) and links (L), which form the system which the user will build, on the screen to allow the user to layout them to build a network that meets the requirements.
The neural network learns the correspondences between the input signals and the output signals as the load values and element parameters, accumulates the results, and outputs the output signals that correspond to the input signals. There are several algorithms used to learn these correspondences. One known algorithm is a back propagation (error back propagation).
In the back propagation, a plurality of pairs of input signals and their desired output signals (teacher information) are prepared, and the load values and element parameters are modified so that the output signals generated in response to the input signals become closer to the teacher information. Therefore, an error calculated in an element in a layer is sequentially propagated according to the load values assigned to the links to the elements in the previous layer. This means that the more closely an element is associated with the error, the more largely its parameters are modified.
In a traditional system, modification processing means for performing this parameter modification is built after the whole neural network is built based on the neural network structure or the function and its parameters of each element, and then the modification processing means is added to the learning system. FIG. 34 is a conceptual diagram showing the relationship between a traditional neural network and the modification processing means M, with modification processing to be performed on a portion of element N being indicated by an arrow.
As shown in FIG. 34, the modification processing means M is built according to the network structure after the neural network is configured on the screen. This modification processing means M is created by a program which executes the learning system with the specified parameters, obtains an error that is a difference between the output signals and the teacher information that indicates the desired output signals, and modifies the element parameters so that this error converges.
Recently, a neural network also finds applications in the fuzzy inference. In these applications, each stage of the fuzzy inference is made to correspond to each layer of a network. Therefore, the above-mentioned modification means, provided for a neural network, enables each membership function to adjust itself (learning). FIG. 35 is a conceptual diagram showing how the neural network can be applied to the fuzzy inference. In this figure, f, .SIGMA., and .PI. are elements N, representing a function, an algebraic sum, and an algebraic product, respectively. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reperforable BRIDGE PLUG of the type used for sealing in transitory or permanent form the perforations lined with pipes or tubes of insulation particularly those that are used in oil wells or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The principal object of the invention is to obtain a new type of plug of the above mentioned type, adapted to be installed in the selected place by any of the proceedings or equipment used in the industry, either with the use of cables or tube lines for such purpose.
The invention has been made to considerably reduce the working and writing time of the costly equipment used in the art, resulting among other bentfits, that shall be enumerated in the course of this specification, in the elimination of the first gate pass prior to the installation of the plug and less time in the milling of the same for its destruction, because with the invention, its rotation has been avoided, through the turn interlock provided. With the above mentioned purpose in mind, the invention also contributes a remarkable constructive simplification that brings about an important economic advantage, and at the same time its technical improvements not only offer a better mechanical fastening, but the possibility of being used in various applications with the same structure, through the change of a single key piece. It is well known that a variety of plugs have been created with the purpose of sealing oil wells, according to the known manner of operating in this activity. Among them is a plug used as support of the sealing elastic body, a gasket composed by one or more deformable plug rings that are accomodated or adhered to the walls of the jacket pipe with the compression set effected by the displaceable pieces proper of the plug, in the inherent process for its placement, so the resilient material or rubber that constitutes the elastic body, does not unduly flow or become exhausted through the plug contour and effect its closing.
In other kinds of plugs, these annular bodies have been substituted, through both simple or double laminar washers, with a skirt of frusto-conical shape directed toward a conformation similar to the elastic body in agreement with the washers.
In other cases the sealing element is materialized by resorting to two or three independent elastic bodies, with peripheral lips and forms as displaceable blades, that complement each other with the purpose of improving the closure.
Other small differences existing among the known models could be mentioned. Notwithstanding, it is advisable to understand that the whole of these appliances resort to the use of two jaws arranged with the other component pieces at each side of the packers elastic body or bodies.
As known by the expert on the subject, these jaws, at the end of the process of placement of the plug, that is to say, once the expansion of the elastic packer body is obtained and the respective fuse pins are broken and before the weak tension point is broken, the above mentioned jaws, are expanded, nailing their teeth on the tube line of jacket pipe to secure the immovability of the plug in its position. In the already mentioned conventional plugs provided with two jaws, it has been proven that in the process of the plug fastening it is required that the indented jaws are approached between each other in order to provoke the deformation of the flexible gasket. Breaking the first fuse pin displaces the upper cone and the respective jaw, while the lower one remains fixed, so that relative displacement causes a strong rubbing of the teeth of the jaws against the steel tube wall which, taking into consideration the important forces in operation, the teeth suffer a strong abrasion making them blunt and subsequently restricting their capacity of penetration in the wall and therefore weakening the mechanical fastening of the plug. In some cases, both jaws are displaced impairing the situation.
Another constructive aspect of this pair of jaws may be mentioned, in certain cases they are constituted by independent segments fastened by "fuse" screws to the respective cone or maintained in position by rings mounted in a perimetral throat or by a wire of copper winding.
In another embodiment, the jaws are substantially cylindrical bodies with channels arranged according to interior generatrix which defines areas of lower resistance, but offer the problem of the formation of burrs in the fracture areas directed toward the periferic contour and moveover to the loosening of fragments the presence of which between the teeth of the jaws cause subsequent disturbances.
Other usual problems in the perforations under consideration are included in the rubbish found inside the tubes. In order to eliminate this, the use of baskets must be resorted to, incorporated with the gages for their recuperation, by passing this device through the tube line, so that all the matter that is found in its downward direction is collected in its interior basket. In the hitherto known techniques, the use of the gage is essential, in as much as with them there are found variations in the diameter of the jacket pipe. Variations may be originated, for example, in the perforated layers, that a mentioned above offer holes with burrs which may create problems in the downward direction of the plug. With the gage, collapses and/or failures are also detected which are due to an excessive thread of the pipe section, which also causes burrs in the edges of the pipe and even its flare shape. There are known the anomalies which may be found in the tube line covering the wells, that can be detected by the different systems used by the surface installations for placement of plugs.
It is obvious that taking into consideration the high cost of the equipment placed on the well, the less intervention time of each one on each perforation may result in a lower cost per cubic meter of the oil obtained. For such purpose it is very important to attain the maximum guaranty that the tube line with which the perforation has been lined be in perfect condition. That is to say, that since a slight diameter difference exists between the plug and the tube, the plug may be lowered without trouble and there are no undesirable burrs, collapses or rubbish which may affect its downward movement. Consequently, it is required to lower in the first place a calibrator device which carries downwardly all the rubbish which is being housed in its interior part. This kind of basket is exteriorly shaped, with annular calibrated bands the diameter of which will guarantee that the minimum diameter found in the well, shall not affect the lowering of the plug.
So in each perforation and in a manner prior to the placement of each plug, it is necessary to effect a stroke with the above mentioned calibrated basket. As briefly mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, the plugs may be fastened through arrangements operated by cable or pipe, in the first case the fastening system operated by remote control depends from a cable and in the other it is obtained through rotation of the tube line with which the plug is seated and fastened on the selected place.
In the cable plugs several problems may arise, such as when blasting charges are used, their deflagration produces gases generated in a closed chamber that are transformed into hydraulic pressure which at the same time causes a mechanical force. It may occur that the well fluid may penetrate inside the appliance thus avoiding its correct operation.
With the plug under consideration, as only the rubber has been swelled, it may be once more recuperated, which is not common with a conventinal plug because the latter has to be mechanically fastened and afterwards must be rotated and reinitiate the cycle, which is very costly. | {
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The present invention relates to a printing head for use in wire impact dot printers, and more particularly to a printing head suitable for wire impact dot printers characterized by heat radiating means and nose frame positioning and fixing means.
Conventionally, a printing head for use in wire impact dot printers includes a heat radiating member with a fin, inserted around a core block which dissipates heat generated by a coil into the air.
This structure, however, has disadvantages when high density characters are printed continuously at high speed. The heat generated by the coil exceeds the amount of heat dissipated by the heat radiating member so that continuous printing is precluded. In order to overcome this problem, Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 63-68436, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,283, proposes a printing head which releases the heat generated by the coil through the printer carriage or guide shaft.
A nose base as a heat radiating member is mounted directly to the carriage to conduct heat to the carriage. In addition, both the nose frame and the core block are positioned so that both contact the reference surface of the nose base, thus increasing the mountability and the heat radiating effect due to heat conduction. This structure has a disadvantage in that an unavoidable gap is formed between the carriage and core block. This gap does not provide sufficient heat conduction, and in addition, it cannot absorb an impact force which is exerted against the nose frame during printing. The impact force can detrimentally affect the nose frame and other components of the printer. | {
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The present invention relates to articles having a temperature indicator applied thereon. The temperature indicator contains a bonding agent and at least one fine-grained, organic substance that is largely opaque below a defined temperatue and melts when the defined temperature is reached and thus changes its optical properties, so that the temperature indicator becomes transparent or translucent.
Temperature indicators, or thermochromic coatings are materials that change color at a certain temperature. Thermochromic materials have been used as temperature indicators in heat-shrinkable products such as, for example, heat-shrinkable collars of cross-linked polymers. To this end, in such heat-shrinkable products, heat-activatable sealants, for example hot-melted glues, are applied onto an inside surface. The sealants melt at a defined temperature, producing a desired, sealing connection between the heat-shrunk product and the substrate to be enveloped.
The necessary heating to activate the material is provided through the use of an external heating source, for example a flame. The heat activation, however, can require greater heating than is required for the actual shrink process of the heat-shrinkable product. In order to ensure that the necessary heat activation has occurred on the inside, the outside surface of the heat-shrinkable product is provided with a temperature indicator. The temperature indicator, by changing color, indicates that the temperature at which one can assume that the required heat activation of the sealant has been successfully carried out at the inside, has been reached on the outside of the surface.
A temperature indicator can also be used to avoid subjecting the outside of the material to unnecessary heating that can damage the material under certain circumstances. The temperature indicator must also be irreversible, so that it is guaranteed that the color change, once it has occurred during the thermal treatment, remains.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,909, for example, discloses thermochromic compositions that cerntain an organic material that decomposes while producing a visible color change. This color change proceeds, for example, from green to black, whereby a certain coking occurs among other things. The decomposition products of the organic material are colorless and pigments are added to achieve the initial green color. Gaseous decomposition products, as well as carbon-like and tar-like residues on the surface of the collar are produced in these decomposition reactions. The formation of craters can occur. Moreover, there is the risk that the original color will be restored due to the reaction of the soil moisture as a consequence of the release of undecomposed, green pigment particles.
European Patent 0 042 285 discloses a countermeasure thereto. A bonding agent is provided that enters into an interaction with the decomposed organic material in order to prevent a leaching process from the composition.
Initially, inorganic pigments that experience a change in color at a prescribed temperature were often used for temperature indication. Salts of heavy metals such as lead, cobalt, cadmium, nickel, chromium, mercury or copper were predominantly used as such pigments (see Chemie-Lexikon, Dr. Hermann Roempp, Second Edition, 1950, page 1631). For example, such compounds were mixed with a suitable bonding agent composed of a synthetic resin and spirits and were then applied onto the articles to be monitored with brushes or, respectively, spray guns.
A disadvantage of the use of such materials is that they can result in environmental pollution. Under certain circumstances, moreover, inorganic thermochromes damage the shrinkable material. This is particularly true during the shrink process. Additionally, craters can form on the surface of the material, whereby a catalytic decomposition reaction on the surface can also be anticipated; this still being capable of acting even during later use. U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,011 discloses the addition of additives to such compounds to alleviate this later disadvantage.
Another attempt at solving the problems, that have been encountered with temperature indications, is to use materials that are essentially opaque initially condition, but, which melt when a predefined temperature is exceeded and thereby change their optical properties and become transparent or, respectively, translucent. This causes the substrate or, resepctively, the color of the substrate to become visible allowing this event to be utilized as a temperature indication.
For example, German Published Application 33 07 567 discloses a heat-restroable article whereat an outer layer of polyethylene or polypropylene that is opaque at normal temperature is extruded on. When the crystallization temperature is reached, the outer, continuous layer becomes transparent and the color of the inside layer becomes visible.
German Published Application 33 26 021 discloses the use of a coating composition composed of a pigment and of a bonding agent as a temperature indicator in a heat-restorable article. The pigment and bonding agent are composed of materials having different refractive indices. When the melting temperature of the pigment and/or bonding agent is reached, a substances having a uniform refractive index is formed. This change in the refractive index leads to a visible change in color.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,269,038 discloses color indications wherein fine-grained substances are employed with a suitable bonding agent. These substances are applied as a film on non-modifiable foundations. When a temperature prescribed by the material is exceeded, this substance composed of the inorganic pigment and of the bonding agent melts. The result of the process is that the coat becomes transparent, allowing the color of the foundation to be seen.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,928,791 discloses a temperature indicator composed of a white, crystalline, organic substance that melts when the melting temperature is reached and is absorbed by the carrier. A visible, irreversible color change thereby results. Here, too, color indicators are applied on rigid, invariable foundations.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,002,385 also discloses organic substances and mixtures of inorganic salts for temperature indication. When a given temperature is reached, the material melts and is absorbed by the colored foundation. | {
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In this communication age, content providers are increasingly investigating ways in which to provide more content to users as well as interfacing with users.
Communication satellites have become commonplace for use in many types of communication services, e.g., data transfer, voice communications, television spot beam coverage, and other data transfer applications. In particular, data transfer may include coupling to the Internet to take advantage of the various resources provided therethrough.
One problem associated with providing mobile communications is maintaining a communications link between the moving mobile terminal and the high altitude device associated therewith. Many types of high altitude devices are used in mobile communication systems including stratospheric platforms, middle earth orbit satellites and low earth orbit satellites. The satellites move relative to the earth and the mobile terminals also move relative to the earth. Prior known systems typically do not provide reliable links particularly in high data intensive applications.
For example, in such systems a single dynamic link may degrade over time due to the relative movement of the mobile terminal relative to the high altitude communication device. As the devices move, the quality of the link drops. Therefore, the total throughput of the system is inhibited.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a reliable mobile communication system capable of handling high data rates and doing so without sacrificing connectivity or data rate. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to pressurized containers and, more particularly, pertains to pressurized containers having facilities for the separate storage of several different ingredients of a product until it is desired to admix them, at which time it is possible to establish communication between the ingredients for admixing thereof prior to being dispensed from the containers.
Pressurized containers of this type are useful for the separate storage of ingredients or materials for a variety of products, and have particular applicability to products in the fields of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, for instance, where at least two ingredients can be stored separately for reasonably lengthy periods of time, but if admixed will produce a product which deteriorates rather rapidly. Such products usually, but not necessarily, comprise at least one liquid component and one other ingredient which may be either in the form of a liquid component or in the form of dry granules or powder.
Another important field of application for containers of this type lies in the packaging of food products and, particularly, the storage of beverages. At least one new flavoring for carbonated beverages is being investigated which has significant potential consumer appeal in comparison with existing products. However, the beverage has a limited shelf life after the flavoring, which is in the form of a dry powderous or granular material, is mixed with carbonated water, inasmuch as the admixture of the two ingredients deteriorates fairly rapidly because of a hydrolysis reaction which takes place between them. The flavoring has a much longer shelf life when it is stored in a dry condition and separated from the water-based liquid. The product is inherently more flavorful and marketable when packaged in a container which maintains the flavoring and carbonated water in separate compartments and inaccessible to each other up to the point in time at which the container is opened for the purpose of dispensing the beverage.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
At present, the prior art discloses several different types of containers or receptacles which are designed to separately store the ingredients or materials of a product prior to the opening of the containers.
Nosik U.S. Pat. No. 2,721,522; Bowes et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,369; Magni U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,469; and Lanfranconi et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,136 each disclose multi-compartmented containers for the separate storage of various ingredients or materials of a product which are adapted to be admixed prior to dispensing from the containers. Each of these patents discloses a type of container in the shape of a bottle, can or the like wherein a frangible member is adapted to be severed or ruptured by the depression of a plunger so as to dispense a material stored within the neck of the bottle into a liquid which is located in the container. However, severance of the frangible member is caused by a relatively complex mechanism usually requiring the depression of a plunger which causes the frangible member to rupture or sever. Admixing of the separate ingredients in these prior art arrangements is not accomplished automatically in response to changes in pressure within the container. Moreover, in various of these earlier patents, loose debris is released into the container upon admixing of the materials therein and prior to dispensing of the product, which will render the containers unattractive from a consumer standpoint.
Winsten U.S. Pat. No. 2,562,401 and Cohen U.S. Pat. No. 2,687,130 each discloses containers having facilities for the separate storage of two ingredients wherein one of the ingredients is stored within a pressure-responsive capsule located in a liquid in the container. The container is flexible, and may be manually squeezed to increased the pressure therein so as to cause the capsule to rupture and resultingly cause the release of its contents into the liquid in the container. These known prior art designs are quite distinct from the present invention in that each requires the container to be squeezed to cause the release of the contents of the capsule into the liquid in the container. Neither of these prior designs is responsive to a pressure change taking place within the container which occurs upon opening thereof to automatically cause the admixing of the separately stored materials or ingredients.
Chalfin et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,990 disclose a glass bottle having large and small-sized separate compartments for the segregated storage of first and second liquids in the separate compartments. Opening of the large compartment causes its pressure to be released so as to cause its pressure to drop to a level lower than that of the smaller compartment. A valve is located in a common glass wall separating the compartments and the resultant pressure differential generated between the two compartments causes the valve to open, thereby allowing admixing of the first and second liquids. Chalfin et al. require the provision of a rather elaborate glass container having separate large and small glass compartments with an aperture formed in a common wall separating the two compartments. Further, a pressure-responsive valve is required to be positioned in the aperture in the common wall. This construction is relatively complex and results in it being costly and uneconomical from a commercial standpoint. Addition ally, this prior art design has the drawback in that each of the compartments must be pressurized separately. | {
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Decoding and presentation time stamping systems play a very important role in providing proper synchronization (e.g., audio and video synchronization) for the operation of the decoding process. In a video transport system, the system clock of a video program is usually used to create timestamps that indicate the presentation and decoding timing values of the system clock itself at sampled intervals. It is the presence of these time stamps and the correct use of the timestamps that provide the facility to synchronize properly the operation of the decoding.
The MPEG-2 Systems standard is detailed in ITU-T Recommendation H.222.0 (1995)|ISO/IEC 13818-1: 1996, Information Technology—Generic Coding of Moving Pictures and Associated Audio Information Systems which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. In MPEG-2 systems, a video elementary stream is assembled into a packetized elementary stream (PES). Presentation Time Stamps (PTS) are carried in headers of the packetized elementary stream. Decoding time stamps (DTS) are also carried in PES headers of an I- or P-picture when bi-directional predictive coding is enabled. The DTS field is not sent with a video PES stream that was generated with B-picture decoding disabled. The value for a component of PTS (and DTS, if present) is derived from the 90 KHz portion of the program clock reference that is assigned to the service to which the component belongs.
Both PTS and DTS are determined in the video encoder for coded video pictures. If a stream includes only I and P-pictures, these pictures need not be delayed in the reorder buffer and the PTS and DTS are identical. This is known as the low delay mode, and is indicated in the MPEG-2 video elementary stream. If B-pictures are included in the video stream, coded pictures do not arrive at the decoder in presentation order. Some pictures in the stream must be stored in a reorder buffer in the decoder after being decoded until their corrected presentation time.
FIG. 1A is a timing diagram for decoding and presenting an exemplary video sequence. The pictures B1, B2, and B3 are decoded from I0 and P4. Accordingly, P4 is decoded prior to B1, B2, and B3. However, after decoding, P4 is stored in a reorder buffer until after B1, B2, and B3 are presented for display. Any I- or P-picture previously stored in the reorder buffer is presented before the next I- or P-picture. While the I- or P-picture is stored in the reorder buffer, any subsequent B-picture(s) are decoded and presented. This is known as non low-delay mode.
For MPEG-2 video, DTS indicates the time when the associated video picture is to be decoded while PTS indicates the time when the presentation unit decoded from the associated video picture is to be presented on the display. Times indicated by PTS and DTS are evaluated with respect to the current System Time Clock value—locked to Program Clock Reference (PCR). For B-pictures, PTS is equal to DTS. For I and P-pictures, PTS and DTS differ by the time that the pictures is delayed in the reorder buffer, which is a multiple of the nominal picture period.
The DTS for a given picture is calculated by adding a fixed delay time, D*f (where f is equal to the time for displaying one frame and D is an integer), to the Picture Sync Time Stamp (PSTS). The picture sync time stamp is a 33-bit value of the 90 Khz portion of the PCR that is latched by the picture sync. The delay time, D*f, is nominally the delay from the input of the MPEG-2 video encoder to the output of the MPEG-2 video decoder. This delay is also known as end-to-end delay and is most likely determined during system integration testing.
The position of a picture in the final display order is determined by using the picture type (I, P, or B). The number of pictures, if any, for which the current picture is delayed before presentation is used to calculate the PTS from the DTS. If the picture is a B-picture, the PTS and DTS are identical, because B-pictures are not used as reference pictures in the MPEG-2 standard.
Another variant of the MPEG specification is known as MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding (MPEG-4 AVC) and is described in Committee Draft, JVT-C167, ITU-T Recommendation H.264, which is incorporated herein by reference. One of the differences between the MPEG-4 AVC standard and the MPEG-2 standard is that MPEG-4 B-pictures can be used as reference pictures. Another difference is that P-pictures can be predicted from later reference pictures. Consequently, the low-delay/non-low delay method for determining the presentation time stamps is insufficient.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous if a time-stamping scheme for MPEG-4 AVC is provided. Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with embodiments presented in the remainder of the present application with references to the drawings. | {
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This invention relates generally to devices for providing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or insufflation, and more specifically relates to devices having a physical barrier or shield between the mouth of the rescuer and the victim when providing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to victims of suffocation, asphyxiation, cardiac arrest, drowning and the like.
Mouth-to-muth resuscitation is a first aid technique and a preferred method for reviving a non-breathing victim, when life or death may be determined from actions taken within seconds, by rapidly delivering large volumes of exhaled air under pressure to inflate the lungs and reactivate the normal breathing process. In this method, the victim is placed on his or her back, the mouth is opened to check and clear any airway obstruction and making sure the tongue is not lodged in the passageway to be used and is positioned in the lower cavity inside the mouth, the chin is pulled forward, the head is tilted backward, the nose or nostrils are pinched closed, then an air tight seal is made with the lips of the rescuer and the victim, and the rescuer commences to evenly exhale a deep breath under pressure into the victim's mouth; and then the lip seal is broken to enable another deep breath to be taken and the nose air pathways are opened in the event of any exhaling by the victim; and the process is repeated, until hopefully, the victim is able to exhale and to finally inhale unaided by the rescuer.
In the past, possible rescuers were reluctant to engage in mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for fear of contracting desease or illness from such contact with the victim. Generally, however, the person would assume the risk when there was no other alternative for saving the life of the victim. The individual attitude is considerably different today, for there is a mortal fear, which may or may not have any basis in fact, that any close or intimate cotnact could result in being stricken with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome ("AIDS") virus, particularly if the victim is suspected of being a drug user or a homosexual. Presently there is no known cure and only certain death after a person contracts the AIDS virus, and the number of reported AIDS cases are dramatically increasing throughout the world. In view of this, people will avoid or just refuse to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation without any safeguard for shielding against direct and intimate contact. The subject invention provides such protection for the person giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or practicing this technique.
Various devices have been devised to shield the rescuer when applying mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,428 (1974), Sherman, discloses a mouth-to-mouth resuscitator comprising a flexible face mask having a central opening formed therein and extends over the mouth area of the person administering artificial respiration. A flexible tubular member is attached to the periphery of the central opening and depends therefrom for placement in the mouth of the victim. The tubular member acts as a one way valve and inflates when delivering air and collapses for preventing any air or fluid flow in the reverse direction.
In Sherman there is no immediate closure action of the air pathway through the valve, and moist air or fluids from the victim could flow or seep back to the rescuer. Moreover, the face mask of this device could sufficiently contact the mouth and nose to partially or fully prevent the victim from exhaling.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,457 (1977), Davidson, utilizes a face shield having a central mouth opening formed therein. The shield conforms to the contours of the face in the mouth and nose area, and particularly provides a covering over the patient's lips to permit mouth-to-mouth resuscitation without intimate contact. However, moist air and/or fluids from the victim could still be transferred to the rescuer.
None of the aforesaid Patents provide a resuscitator device having a one way valve which instantly closes after air is delivered to the victim, to prevent any back flow of air or liquid from the victim to the rescuer, and includes means for ensuring that the victim is not inhibited from exhaling. | {
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Photoconductive compounds which have so far been well known are inorganic materials including selenium, cadmium sulfide, zinc oxide, amorphous silicon and the like. These inorganic materials have an advantage of being endowed with satisfactory electrophotographic characteristics, namely very high photoconductivity and sufficient charge acceptance and insulation in the dark. On the other hand, they have also various disadvantages. More specifically, a selenium photosensitive material has disadvantages, e.g., in that it is high in production cost, lacks of flexibility and is weak in heat and mechanical impact; a cadmium sulfite photosensitive material has the problem of environmental pollution since cadmium known as a poisonous material is used as a raw material; a zinc oxide photosensitive material has difficulty in securing the image stability upon repeated use for a long term; and an amorphous silicon photosensitive material is extremely high in production cost and requires a special surface treatment for preventing its surface from deteriorating.
In recent years, electrophotographic photosensitive materials using various organic materials have been proposed with the intention of obviating the defects arising from those inorganic materials, and some of them have been put to practical use. For instance, the electrophotographic photosensitive material comprising poly-N-vinylcarbazole and 2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone-9-one (U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,237), the electrophotographic photosensitive material comprising poly-N-vinylcarbazole sensitized with a pyrylium salt dye (JP-B-48-25658, the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication"), and the electrophotographic photosensitive material containing as a main component the eutectic crystal complex comprising a dye and a resin (JP-A-47-10735, the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") are disclosed.
Further, recently, the electrophotographic photosensitive materials containing as a main component an organic pigment such as perylene pigments (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,884), phthalocyanine pigments (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,397,086, 4,666,802), azulenium salt pigments (e.g., JP-A-59-53850, JP-A-61-212542), squalium salt pigments (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,396,610, 4,644,082) and polycyclic quinone pigments (e.g., JP-A-59-184348, JP-A-62-28738), and those containing as a main component an azo pigment as cited below have been studied. As a result, a great number of proposals have been made.
As for the azo pigments which have so far been studied, disazo pigments are disclosed in JP-A-53-133445, JP-A-59-78356, JP-A-59-128547, JP-A-61-57945, JP-A-61-17150, JP-A-62-251752, JP-A-62-273545, JP-B-63-18740, U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,559, JP-A-64-13555, JP-A-64-79753 and JP-B-2-4893, trisazo pigments are disclosed in JP-A-58-160358, JP-A-61-251865, JP-B-62-39626 and JP-B-63-10419, and tetrakisazo pigments are disclosed in JP-A61-182051 and JP-A-62-18565.
On the other hand, for example, presensitized plates using a positive working photosensitive material which contains a quinonediazide compound and a phenol resin as main components, and those using a negative working photosensitive material which contains an acrylic monomer or prepolymer as a main component, have been practically used as lithographic offset printing plates. Since these plates are all low in sensitivity, it is required of them to be in close contact with an original film, on which images have been recorded previously, in the exposure operation for producing therefrom the printing plates. In the meantime, owing to progress in both computer technology, including graphic processing and bulk data storage, and data communication technology, there has lately been put to practical use an electronic editing system in which a series of operations, involving input of original manuscript, amendment, compilation, layout and page make-up, are performed from first to last with a computer and the thus edited manuscript is transmitted immediately as the output to remote terminal plotters by a high-speed communications network or satellite communication. In particular, there is a great demand for the electronic editing system in the field of newspaper printing which requires the immediacy. Further, in a field such that original manuscripts are stored in the form of film and printing plates are reproduced from the films picked out among the stored ones in answer to requests, it can be expected that the development of bulk recording media such as an optical disc enables those original manuscripts to be stored as digital data in such recording media.
However, direct type printing plates, or printing plates produced directly from the output of a terminal plotter, rarely have practical utility. Even in the case that the electronic editing system is working, therefore, it is the present situation that a printing plate is produced by the method comprising the steps of recording the output on a silver salt photographic film, bringing the resulting film into contact with a presensitized plate and then performing an exposure operation. One reason for adoption of this method is that there have been difficulties in developing presensitized plates having sensitivities sufficient for the production of direct type printing plates within a practical time by the use of the light source of an output plotter (e.g., He--Ne laser, semiconductor laser).
As a photosensitive material having high photosensitivity enough to provide the direct type printing plate, an electrophotographic photosensitive material has been proposed.
Electrophotography utilized printing plate materials (original plates for printing) which have hitherto known include, e.g., the ZnO-resin dispersion offset printing plate materials disclosed, e.g., in JP-B-47-47610, JP-B-48-40002, JP-B-48-18325, JP-B-51-15766 and JP-B-51-25761. In using these materials as printing plates, they are wetted with a desensitizing solution (e.g., an acidic aqueous solution containing a ferrocyanate or ferricyanate) after the toner image formation by electrophotography, thereby desensitizing the non-image area. The offset printing plates which have undergone such a treatment as described above have an impression capacity of from 5,000 to 10,000 sheets. Those plates are unsuitable for more than 10,000 sheets of printing, and have a defect such that when the plate materials are designed so as to have a composition suitable for desensitization, they suffer from deterioration of electrostatic characteristics, and so the resulting plates cannot provide images of good quality. Further, there is a problem that a harmful cyan compound is used as a desensitizing solution.
In the organic photoconductive-resin printing plate materials disclosed, e.g., in JP-B-37-17162, JP-B-38-7758, JP-B-46-39405 and JP-B-52-2437, used are electrophotographic photosensitive materials in which a photoconductive insulation layer comprising, e.g., an oxazole or oxadiazole compound bound with a styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer is provided on a grained aluminum plate. After toner images are formed on these photosensitive materials by electrophotography, the non-image areas are removed by the dissolution in an alkaline organic solvent.
Further, the electrophotographically photosensitive printing plate material containing a hydrazone compound and barbituric or thiobarbituric acid is disclosed in JP-A-57-147656. Besides this material, there are known the dye-sensitized printing plates for electrophotographic process disclosed in, for example, JP-A-59-147335, JP-A-59-152456, JP-A-59-168462, JP-A-58-145495. However, such dye-sensitized printing plates failed in attaining sufficient sensitivity. Accordingly, there were held great expectations for the development of photoconductors having higher sensitivity.
As other means for realizing higher sensitivity, the photosensitive printing plate comprises a charge carrier generating compound dispersed in a resin binder, wherein a phthalocyanine compound, an azo compound or a condensed polycyclic quinone compound is used as the charge carrier generating compound, are known, e.g., in JP-A-55-161250, JP-A-56-146145 and JP-A-60-17751, yet they cannot be said to have sufficiently high sensitivity or satisfactory charge retention characteristics.
Although conventional organic electrophotographic photosensitive materials have appreciable improvements in mechanical characteristics and flexibility over the aforementioned inorganic ones, their sensitivities are still insufficient and some of them cause changes in electric characteristics by frequently repeated use. In other words, they do not always meet satisfactorily all the conditions required of an electrophotographic photosensitive material.
In addition, the sensitivities of the above-cited printing plates for electrophotographic process are generally insufficient for direct preparation of press plates without using any process film. In exceptional cases that the printing plates have high sensitivities, they are still insufficient for direct preparation of press plates because of some problems including their unsatisfactory charge retention characteristics. | {
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The invention is directed generally to broad band switching systems. More specifically, the invention is directed to leaky bucket methods for packet switching systems wherein the binary character rate for every virtual connection is monitored and limited in a message cell stream that is transmitted according to an asynchronous transfer mode or method (ATM) and that carries message cells of a plurality of virtual connections having a defined plurality of binary characters.
It is known in broad band switching systems, wherein information packeted in message cells is asynchronously transmitted over virtual connections to declare a maximum binary character rate, among other things, when setting up a respective, virtual connection between the appertaining subscriber location and the broad band switching system. In order to avoid overload phenomena, the binary character rate for every virtual connection must be monitored and, potentially, limited at the access locations of the broad band switching system or at the exchange terminating equipment of the switching nodes of the broad band switching system. Equipment for monitoring and limiting binary character rates are generally referred to as policing equipment.
It also is known (e.g., from "New Directions in Communications" A . . . 1-A . . . 8 by J. B. Turner, in "International Zurich Seminar on Digital Communication", March 1986, fully incorporated herein by reference) to allocate a forward-backward (up/down) counter in a switching node of a broad band switching system to every subscriber location connected to this switching node, this forward-backward counter counting the message cells transmitted by the respective subscriber location and lowering the momentary counter reading at defined points in time in accordance with the binary character rate declared by the respective subscriber location. When the momentary counter reading exceeds a value prescribed by the respective subscriber location, then the switching node recognizes an overload. This is known as the "leaky bucket method".
In such a leaky bucket method, it is not necessary to recalculate for every virtual connection the counter readings of all established virtual connections during every message cell cycle wherein a message cell can arrive at the same time as the arrival time of the most recent message cell belonging to the connection is stored; and the counter reading of the connection to which a message cell belongs is only recalculated given the arrival of this message cell. The current counter reading z.sub.na for a virtual connection n is thereby calculated according to the expression ##EQU1## whereby z.sub.na-1 is the counter reading for the virtual connection n before the arrival of the message cell now under consideration
d is the current point in time PA1 t.sub.ln is the point in time of the arrival of the immediately preceding message cell belonging to the same virtual connection PA1 t.sub.dn is the shortest allowable chronological spacing of two successive message cells belonging to the virtual connection under consideration. PA1 asynchronously transmitting message cells belonging to a plurality of virtual connections, every message cell comprising a known plurality of binary characters; PA1 establishing a binary character rate B.sub.req for every virtual connection; maintaining a counter reading for every virtual connection; calculating a current counter reading according to the expression ##EQU2## upon arrival of a message cell for the virtual connection n to which this message cell belongs, whereby PA1 discarding the message cell under consideration when a defined counter reading is exceeded by the current counter reading; and PA1 otherwise forwarding the message cell now under consideration, whereby two memory locations are provided for storing the shortest allowable timing between two message cells belonging to the same virtual connection, a multiple of the shortest allowable timing being stored in one of said two memory locations and a quotient of this multiple and the shortest allowable timing itself being stored in the other of said memory locations, and whereby a quotient of the contents of both memory locations is formed in the calculation of the current counter reading for the generation of the shortest allowable timing.
When a broad range of, for example, five orders of magnitude, of binary character rates is monitored in this way, then the numerical values to be processed exhibit a correspondingly great value range, this requiring a correspondingly great capacity of the memory in which the values are stored. Over and above this, a processing of numerical values having a great value range and the necessity of implementing floating decimal point operations is opposed by a reduction of the time requirement for the processing. | {
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This invention relates generally to dryer systems, and, more particularly, to control systems for clothes dryers.
An appliance for drying articles such as a clothes dryer for drying clothing articles typically includes a cabinet including a rotating drum for tumbling clothes and laundry articles therein. One or more heating elements heats air prior to air entering the drum, and the warm air is circulated through the air as the clothes are tumbled to remove moisture from laundry articles in the drum. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,887.
Typically, such an appliance is operated for a set a drying time for drying the clothing articles therein. For the duration of the set time, the heating elements are activated and deactivated to maintain warm air circulation inside the drum, and for more accurate control of the dryer heating elements, a temperature sensor is sometimes used in conjunction with the heating elements. Rather than turning the heaters on and off for specified times, the heating elements can be operated more or less on demand for precise temperature control while minimizing energy consumption.
To prevent excessive temperatures in the drum, thermostat switches are also employed to deactivate the heating elements when the temperature of the circulated air reaches a predetermined threshold. A small heating element is sometimes placed adjacent the thermostat to provide a thermal bias. The provision of a thermal bias causes the thermostat to operate at a lower air temperature and is commonly used to lower the maximum exhaust air temperature at which the operating thermostat reacts. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,1 92.
It has been observed, however, that the thermostat switches can sometimes interfere with the temperature sensor control of the heating elements. Laundry loads, especially larger ones, may greatly restrict the airflow in the drum, which, in turn, may cause a safety thermostat to deactivate one or more of the dryer heaters before the temperature sensor indicates that the heaters should be deactivated. Thus, the thermostat prematurely deactivates the heaters and extends drying time, thereby negatively impacting dryer performance.
In one aspect, a control system for a clothes dryer including a temperature sensor and a thermostat for regulating at least one dryer heating element is provided. The control system comprises a microcomputer programmed to compensate for a conflict between the thermostat temperature regulation and the temperature sensor temperature regulation during dryer operation at a selected operating temperature.
In another aspect, a control system for regulating activation and deactivation of heating elements in a clothes dryer is provided. The control system comprises a temperature sensor in communication with a heated air source, a thermostat in communication with the heating air source and operatively coupled to the heating elements, and a microcomputer operatively coupled to said temperature sensor and to the dryer heating elements. The microcomputer is configured to compensate for premature deactivation of the heating elements during operation of the dryer.
In another aspect, a clothes dryer is provided. The dryer comprises a cabinet, a rotatable drum mounted in said cabinet, a drive system for rotating said drum, an air circulation system, a temperature sensor in communication with said air circulation system, a thermostat in communication with said air circulation system, and at least one heating element in communication with said air circulation system and operatively coupled to said thermostat. A controller is operatively coupled to said temperature sensor and to said heating element, and the controller is configured to activate and deactivate said heating element in response to an output from said temperature sensor to regulate air circulation temperature between an upper and lower bound. The controller is further configured to compensate for deactivation of said heater element before said upper bound has been reached.
In another aspect, a method of operating a clothes dryer including a microcomputer, a temperature sensor, and a thermostat for regulating a temperature of air circulating in the dryer is provided. The method comprises determining when the thermostat is interfering with temperature regulation via the temperature sensor, and adjusting setpoints of the temperature sensor when the thermostat is interfering with temperature regulation via the temperature sensor.
In still another aspect, a method of operating a clothes dryer is provided. The dryer includes a microcomputer, a temperature sensor, and a thermostat for regulating a temperature of air circulating in the dryer by activating and deactivating at least one heating element. The method comprises regulating activation of the heating element in response to temperature feedback from the temperature sensor, monitoring circulation air temperature over a period of time when the heating element is activated in response to feedback from the temperature sensor, determining whether the air circulation temperature decreases by a predetermined amount within the predetermined time, and adjusting an operating setpoint of the temperature sensor when the air circulation temperature decreases by the predetermined amount within the predetermined time. | {
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The present invention relates to soy protein, phytoestrogens and dietary fibres and compositions thereof suitable for preventing, alleviating and/or treating pulmonary diseases. The compositions are particularly useful in treating e.g. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), inflammation of the airways, asthma, bronchoconstriction, bronchitis, and small airways disease. The present invention also relates to the use of these compositions as a medicament and/or in the manufacture of a medicament for treating a subject suffering from a pulmonary disease, more particularly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), inflammation of the airways, asthma, bronchoconstriction, bronchitis, and/or small airways disease. The present invention also concerns use of a composition according to the present invention in the prevention and/or treatment of said diseases and disorders. In addition, the present invention also provides methods for preventing and/or treating and/or prophylactically treating and/or alleviating by therapy said diseases and disorders.
The airways of the human and animal body consist of a series of tubes and passages that include the throat, the larynx and the trachea. In the chest cavity the trachea divides into the right and left bronchi, or bronchial tubes, that enter the lungs. The branches of the bronchi subsequently become more narrow and form tubes, the bronchioles, that divide into even more narrow tubes, the alveolar ducts. The end of each alveolar duct forms a cluster of thinly walled sacs termed the alveoli.
Pulmonary diseases are diseases generally affecting the lungs. The airways and the lungs are subject to many disease causing and/or disease stimulating factors such as e.g. inhaled pathogens like bacteria and viruses, allergens and toxic substances such as cigarette smoke or air pollutants. Such factors generate disorders with symptoms like e.g. difficulty in breathing, chest pains, coughing, and wheezing.
Several terms have been used to describe a group of conditions now generally recognized as leading to a limitation or obstruction of the flow of air in the airways and in the lungs. Obstructive pulmonary disease (OPD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are clinical terms describing diseases characterized by an obstruction or limitation of airflow during expiration. For COPD the obstruction or limitation is persistent. The terms represent a clinical rather than a pathological diagnosis and relate to diseases such as e.g. inflammation of the airways, asthma, bronchitis, and small airways diseases. However, the nomenclature in the field of obstructive pulmonary diseases is complex and sometimes confusing in spite of many attempts to define conditions such as asthma and bronchitis.
It is widely recognized that COPD is not a disease entity, but rather a complex of conditions characterized by airflow limitation or obstruction. The limitation or obstruction may be variable over short periods of time and reversible, even though an underlying irreversible trait may persist. Unless treated, the disease is likely to progress and lead to a seriously reduced airflow limitation. This reduction is usually, but not always, persistent and typically shows a more rapid progressive deterioration with age than normal. Clinical studies of acute exacerbations of obstructive pulmonary diseases are difficult because of i) the heterogeneous nature of COPD, ii) diffuse symptoms that can vary spontaneously, and iii) difficulties in defining a clinical response both in the short term and in the long run. Also, the role of e.g. bacterial infections and the subsequent use of antibiotics in connection with pulmonary diseases is controversial, and much evidence shows that although bacterial infections have a significant role in acute exacerbation, the role of said infections in the progression of obstructive pulmonary diseases is less certain.
Accordingly, any of the above-mentioned conditionsxe2x80x94whether transient or chronicxe2x80x94may result in an airflow limitation or obstruction and may therefore be potentially associated with obstructive pulmonary diseases. The conditions may, however, also be present anatomically without generating an impairment of pulmonary function that is sufficient to qualify for the definition OPD or COPD.
An obstruction of the airways is measured by FEV1 as forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration. Lung function measured as the FEV1 increases into young adulthood and then it starts to decrease. In normal non-smokers, the rate of decline in FEV1 is about 20 ml per year, i.e. about 1 liter over a 50-year period. A much more rapid decline is observed in smokers. On average, the decline is twice that of normal non-smokers. However, in about 15% of all smokers, lung function declines at a rate much more rapid than the decline observed in the average smoker. Consequently, airways diseases are strongly influenced by individual rates of decline in FEV1.
Asthma has traditionally been regarded as a respiratory disease of acute airway obstruction, and research as well as therapeutic attention has focused principally on the mechanisms leading to acute bronchospasm. One of the conventional therapies has consisted of bronchodilators to regulate airway smooth muscle contraction. However, current state of the art asthma therapy does have side effects, mostly due to undesirable effects from the inhalation steroids used.
A wide range of pharmaceuticals have been developed by the pharmaceutical industry and evaluated in clinical trials. Although being capable of inhibiting mast cell-mediated acute allergic bronchoconstriction, none of these pharmaceuticals are suitable for use in a prophylactical treatment or maintenance treatment of asthma. Medicaments such as xcex22 agonists have been introduced in order to treat airways diseases and in particular asthma. xcex22 agonists inhibit the release of histamine into the circulation of asthmatics undergoing an allergen provocation. This pharmacological property may contribute to the well-recognized ability of xcex22 agonists to inhibit allergen-induced bronchoconstriction. However, while xcex22 agonists are exceptional mast cell stabilizing agents, sole therapy with these agents may actually enhance hyperresponsiveness of airways to exogenous stimuli such as inhaled histamine, most likely due to a minimal effect on airway inflammation.
Widespread use of xcex22 agonists have lead to a criticism based on a hypothesis involving the so-called xe2x80x9casthma paradoxxe2x80x9d. According to the hypothesis, xcex22 agonists have undesirable effects on the normal role of mast cell degranulation as an endogenous anti-inflammatory mechanism to prevent antigens from entering the lower airways and limit the extent of the subsequent repair process.
Adlercreutz (Finnish Medical Society, Ann. Med. 29,95-120 (1997)) has reviewed the phytoestrogen classes of lignans and isoflavones and has described their influences on a range of cellular activities and metabolic events. It is stated that despite an abundant literature at this early stage of dietary phytoestrogen research, much work is needed before any recommendation as to phytoestrogen consumption can be made. However, experimental and epidemiological evidence does support the view that these compounds do not have any negative effects and that they may form a group of substances with a great potential in preventive medicine. It is emphasised that at present, no definite recommendations can be made as to the dietary amounts needed for disease prevention. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres. Gooderham (J. Nutr. 126(8), 2000-2006 (1996)) has suggested that although soy protein supplementation to a typical Western diet may increase plasma concentrations of isoflavones, this may not necessarily be sufficient to counter disease risk factors. Increases in serum levels of isoflavones following a soy rich diet were found to be quite variable among analysed subjects. This was thought to be due to e.g. the timing of the soy protein consumption or the composition of the gut flora. The metabolism of isoflavones in the gut is variable among individuals and remains to be elucidated. It is stressed that the isoflavones in human plasma predominantly exist in the inactive glucuronide conjugated form, and only a small amount such as approx. 10 percent exists in the active free and sulphate conjugated forms. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
Hendrich (J. Nutr. 124(9Suppl.), 1789S-1792S (1994)) has reported that isoflavones may be of great potential benefit to human health maintenance and that isoflavones may be health-protective in amounts potentially available from a human diet containing daily soy foods. The food content of isoflavones is in the range of from 0.1 to 1 mg/g in soy foods. Several factors such as variety of soybean, processing and the addition of other ingredients to the food influence isoflavone contents of foods. It is stated that human intestinal bacteria can destroy ingested isoflavones to a great extent and that this may be why only 15 to 20 percent of isoflavones are reported to be recoverable in intact form from the urine and faeces. It is emphasised that much work remains to determine the relation between concentration of isoflavones in human urine and plasma and the biological effects of the isoflavones. It is noted that although more health-related animal data need to be obtained, the time is approaching when long-term human feeding trials of purified isoflavones and foods containing isoflavones to examine health-related outcomes may be warranted. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
Knight (Maturitas 22, 167-175 (1995)) provides a synopsis of the literature relating principally to the clinical effects of phytoestrogens on the diseases associated with ageing. It is concluded that isoflavones represent a large and exciting group of compounds with potential benefits to many diseases. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
Knight (Obstet. Gynecol. 87, 897-904 (1996)) has reviewed the sources, metabolism, potencies, and clinical effects of phytoestrogens on humans. The review suggests that phytoestrogens are among the dietary factors affording protection against heart disease in vegetarians. Based on epidemiologic and cell line studies, it is emphasised that intervention studies are now an appropriate consideration to assess the clinical effects of phytoestrogens because of the potentially important health benefits associated with the consumption of foods containing these compounds. It is concluded that clinical applications for phytoestrogens are still in their infancy. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
Reinli (Nutr. Cancer 26, 123-148 (1996)) has reviewed the literature for quantitative data on the levels of known phytoestrogens (daidzein, genistein, coumestrol, formononetin and biochanin A) in food plants. It is reported that the isoflavones daidzein and genistein may exist in four related chemical structures, i.e. an aglycone structure (daidzein and genistein), a 7O-glucoside structure (daidzin and genistin), a 6xe2x80x2-O-acetylglucoside structure (6xe2x80x2-O-acetyidaidzin and 6xe2x80x2-O-acetylgenistin), and a 6xe2x80x2-O-malonylglucoside structure (6xe2x80x2-O-malonyidaidzin and 6xe2x80x2-O-malonylgenistin). The conjugates (7-O-glucosides, 6xe2x80x2-O-acetylglucosides, and 6xe2x80x2-O-malonylglucosides) are transformed to aglycones, which are sometimes called free isoflavones, through hydrolysis in the intestinal tract by xcex2-glucosidase enzymes of gut bacteria. Acid hydrolysis in the stomach may also contribute to the formation of free isoflavones. It is unclear how readily conjugates undergo intestinal hydrolysis and subsequent absorption. It is stressed that isoflavones are metabolised differently by different animals and humans. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
WO 95/10512 relates to a process for producing an aglucone isoflavone enriched vegetable protein whey and discloses in one embodiment a whey having a dry basis genistein content of about 2.6 to about 8.7 mg/gram and a dry basis daidzein content of about 2.5 to about 6.0 mg/gram. No reference is made to a treatment of a pulmonary disease by using a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
WO 95/10529 relates to a process for producing an aglucone is isoflavone enriched protein concentrate and discloses in one embodiment a concentrate having on a dry basis a genistein content of about 1.0 to about 2.0 mg/gram and a daidzein content of about 0.7 to about 1.5 mg/gram. No reference is made to a treatment of a pulmonary disease by using a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound and dietary fibres. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
WO 95/10530 relates to a process for producing an aqueous extract comprising protein and glucone isoflavones and discloses in one embodiment a vegetable protein isolate having a dry basis genistein content of about 1.5 to about 3.5 mg/gram and a dry basis daidzein content of about 1.0 to about 3.0 mg/gram. No reference is made to a treatment of a pulmonary disease by using a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
WO 97/31546 discloses data from total replacement programmes (for 6 weeks) in weight reduction studies conducted at Karolinska Hospital in Sweden. It is shown that products with isolated soy protein and soy cotyledon fibres reduce serum triglyceride levels by a maximum of 44 percent and cholesterol levels by a maximum of 33 percent for a patient population a with mean initial cholesterol content of 6.25 mmol/l. No reference is made to a treatment of a pulmonary disease by using a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
WO 97/37547 discloses an isoflavone-enriched soy protein product having a protein content greater than 60 percent of total dry matter, a total dietary fibre content of less than 4 percent of total dry matter, a sucrose content greater than 10 percent of total dry matter, a total content of sulphur-containing amino acids greater than 2.2 percent of the total amino acid content, a stachyose content of less than 1.5 percent of total dry matter, and a total isoflavone content greater than 2.5 mg/gram, equivalent to 0.25 percent. The use of soy cotyledon fibres is not anticipated and the claimed invention is for use as an ingredient in the production if an edible-product and not in a treatment of pulmonary diseases. Also, the product differs from the present invention by comprising total dietary fibre in an amount of less than 4 percent of total dry matter, by containing an unusually low amount of stachyose and a high amount of sulphur-containing amino acids. No reference is made to a treatment of a pulmonary disease by using a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,949 discloses a process for producing an aglucone isoflavone enriched fibre from a vegetable protein material in the form of a slurry and discloses in one embodiment an aglucone enriched fibre product directly obtainable from said process and having a genistein content of about 1.0 and 2.0 mg/gram and a daidzein content of about 0.7 to 1.7 mg/gram. No reference is made to a treatment of a pulmonary disease by using a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres. No reference is made to a composition comprising soy cotyledon fibres and a phytoestrogen compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,384 discloses an aglucone enriched fibre product having a genistein content of about 1.0 and 2.0 mg/gram and a daidzein content of about 0.7 to 1.7 mg/gram. No reference is made to a treatment of a pulmonary disease by using a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
EP 827 698 A2 and EP 827 698 A3 disclose a process for producing an aglucone isoflavone enriched extract from a vegetable material containing isoflavone conjugates and protein. No reference is made to a treatment of a pulmonary disease by using a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound and dietary fibres. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
An abstract presented at the American Heart Association""s 38th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention held in March 1998 disclosed a diet supplemented with 25 grams of soy protein containing 4 mg, 25 mg, 42 mg, and 58 mg of isoflavone, respectively. No reference is made to a treatment of a pulmonary disease by using a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound and dietary fibres. No reference is made to a composition comprising a combination of soy protein, a high content of a phytoestrogen compound, and dietary fibres.
The present invention provides a nutritional composition having a fixed, high amount of a phytoestrogen compound such as e.g. naturally occurring isoflavones. More particularly the present invention provides a nutritional composition of soybean extractable ingredients having a high, fixed amount of a phytoestrogen compound such as e.g. naturally occurring isoflavones.
The present invention represents a new approach to treatment of pulmonary diseases and provides a nutritional composition comprising a) soy protein, preferably isolated soy protein, b) a high, fixed content of a plant hormone in the form of a phytoestrogen compound, such as e.g. naturally occurring isoflavones, and c) dietary fibres, preferably soybean fibres, more preferably soybean fibres manufactured from the cotyledon of soybeans hereinafter referred to as soy cotyledon fibres.
The present invention is useful in the prevention and/or effective treatment of pulmonary diseases such as e.g. airway inflammation, asthma, bronchitis and small airways diseases, in particular asthma including chronic asthma such as e.g. asthma characterised by a chronic inflammatory condition. The present invention is believed to be capable of increasing FEV1 of a subject, measured by forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration, as well as being capable of treating, alleviating and/or eliminating in particular i) inflammation of the airways, ii) mucus hypersecretion, and iii) bronchoconstriction. A composition according to the present invention may be comprised in a micronutrient as defined herein below.
Phytoestrogen compounds are naturally occurring plant hormones showing a structural similarity to 17xcex2-estradiol. Phytoestrogens consist of a number of classes including isoflavones, coumestans, lignans and resorcylic acid lactones. The class of isoflavones consists of among others genistein, daidzein, equol, glycitein, biochanin A, formononetin, and O-desmethylangolesin. The isoflavones genistein and daidzein are found almost uniquely in soybeans. When present in the plant the isoflavones are mainly in a glucoside form, i.e. attached to a sugar molecule. Isoflavones in this glucoside form can be deconjugated to yield isoflavones in a so-called aglycone form, which is the biologically more active form of isoflavones and which is absorbed faster and to a greater extent in the human gut than isoflavones in the glucoside form. In vitro studies have examined the relative estrogenic effect exerted by various phytoestrogens including isoflavones. The resulting potencies as compared to estradiol (having a relative potency of 100), have been reported by Knight (Maturitas 22, 167-175 (1995)) for among others genistein (0.084) and daidzein (0.013). However, the results also showed that the estrogen receptor complexes formed by estradiol and isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein are functionally equivalent. The comparative dissociation constant of genistein for the estrogen receptor, as determined in competitive binding assays, was found to be from 100 to 10.000 times higher than that of estradiol.
The term xe2x80x9cnaturally occurringxe2x80x9d substance as used in the present specification and the appended claims refers to a substance originally isolated from a natural source, such as an animal or a plant, for example a soy plant, or modified forms of such a sub-stance. The naturally occurring substance for use in a composition according to the present invention may be included in the composition as part of the natural source or in any type of extract, isolate or the like thereof, or it may have been isolated from a plant source or synthesized biologically, microbiologically, or chemically or by any other means.
Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention provides a composition comprising
(a) a soy protein source, selected from isolated soy protein, soy protein concentrate, or soy flour, said soy protein source providing an amount of soy protein, which is at least 45 weight percent of the total protein content of the composition, said total protein content providing at least 15 percent of the total energy content of the composition,
(b) at least one phytoestrogen compound in an amount of more than 0.10 weight percent of the soy protein content of the composition, and
(c) dietary fibres in an amount of more than 4 weight percent of the total weight of the composition on a dry basis.
In a more preferred aspect the present invention provides a composition comprising
(a) isolated soy protein in an amount of at least 50 weight percent of the total protein content of the composition, said total protein content providing at least 15 percent of the total energy content of the composition,
(b) at least one phytoestrogen compound in an amount of more than 0.10 weight percent of the soy protein content of the composition, and
(c) soybean fibres in an amount of more than 4 weight percent of the total weight of the composition on a dry basis.
In a most preferred aspect the present invention provides a composition comprising
(a) isolated soy protein in an amount of at least 50 weight percent of the total protein content of the composition, said total protein content providing at least 15 percent of the total energy content of the composition,
(b) at least one phytoestrogen compound in an amount of more th an 0.10 weight percent of the soy protein content of the composition, and
(c) soy cotyledon fibres in an amount of more than 4 weight percent of the total weight of the composition on a dry basis.
Phytoestrogen compounds according to the present invention are defined as naturally occurring plant substances, said substances being either structurally or functionally similar to 17xcex2-testradiol or generating estrogenic effects. Phytoestrogens consist of a number of classes including isoflavones, coumestans, lignans and resorcylic acid lactones. Examples of isoflavones according to the present invention are genistein, daidzein, equol, glycitein, biochanin A, formononetin, and O-desmethylangolesin. The phytoestrogen compounds of a composition according to the present invention are preferably isoflavones, more preferably genistein, daidzein, glycitein and/or equol yet more preferably genistein, and/or daidzein and even more preferably genistein. Genistein and daidzein are found almost uniquely in soybeans. A preferred composition according to the present invention may accordingly comprise a single isoflavone, such as genistein, daidzein, glycitein or equol, or it may comprise at least one isoflavone selected from the group consisting of at least genistein, daidzein, glycitein and equol.
In one embodiment the present invention provides a composition according to the present invention for use as a medicament. The use of a composition according to the present invention in the manufacture of a medicament for treating a subject suffering from pulmonary diseases represents another embodiment of the present invention. Such a medicament may be effective in preventing and/or treating a pulmonary disease such as e.g. a disease selected from the group consisting of inflammation of the airways, bronchoconstriction, bronchitis, asthma, and small airways diseases.
The present invention also provides a method of preventing, alleviating and/or treating by therapy a pulmonary disease in a human or animal body, said method comprising administration of a composition according to the present invention in an amount effective in treating, alleviating and/or preventing inflammation of the airways and/or bronchoconstriction and/or bronchitis and/or asthma and/or small airways diseases.
According to another embodiment the present invention provides a method of preventing, alleviating and/or treating by therapy a pulmonary disease in a human or animal body, said method comprising administration of a composition according to the present invention in an amount effective in reducing and/or eliminating mucus hypersecretion and/or dyspnea of a subject and/or increasing FEV1 as measured by forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration.
Obstructive pulmonary disease (OPD) including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as used herein is:defined as a condition comprising subjects with airways limitations or obstructions or subjects with a mucus hypersecretory condition including chronic mucus hypersecretion, i.e. subjects with asthma including chronic asthma and subjects with bronchitis including chronic bronchitis. However, a clear distinction between e.g. bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis can be difficult and sometimes impossible to make, and a sharp distinction between COPD and OPD is therefore not always possible.
Mucus hypersecretion and a limited or obstructed airflow are two major characteristics of COPD. According to one presently preferred theory, mucus hypersecretion is an initial mechanism that leads to recurrent respiratory infections, that in turn generates a destruction of the airways"" and promotes a development of pulmonary parenchyma and airflow obstruction. At least two separate conditions, i) mucus hypersecretion and ii) dyspnea, are identifiable due to an obstructive or limited lung function. Chronic mucus hypersecretion and obstructive airflow are not necessarily related, since an individual may have a hypersecretory disorder only, or an obstructive disorder only, or both a hypersecretory and an obstructive disorder. Chronic mucus hypersecretion is associated with an impaired mucociliary clearance and may therefore predispose to lung cancer by causing a prolonged contact between potential carcinogens with the bronchial epithelium. Accordingly, a composition according to the present invention may be effective in treating and/or alleviating mucus hypersecretion and dyspnea in a subject.
Asthma as used herein is:defined as a respiratory disease in which spasm and constriction of the bronchial passages and swelling of their mucous lining cause obstruction of breathing, often, but not exclusively, due to allergy. One mechanism for expiratory airflow limitation in asthma is a smooth muscle contraction leading to a narrowing of the airway lumen. Asthma is frequently divided clinically into extrinsic and intrinsic asthma, separating asthma triggered by environmental allergens from that in which atopy does not appear to play a major role. Consequently, a composition according to the present invention may be effective in preventing, treating and/or alleviating smooth muscle contraction.
In asthma the airways are occluded by tenacious plugs of exudate and mucus, and there occurs a fragility of airway surface epithelium, thickening of the reticular layer beneath the epithelial basal lamina, bronchial vessel congestion and edema. An increased inflammatory infiltrate comprising xe2x80x9cactivatedxe2x80x9d lymphocytes and eosinophils, and an enlargement of bronchial smooth muscle, particularly in medium-sized bronchi, is also observed. Asthma comprises at least extrinsic (atopic or allergic) and intrinsic (non-atopic) divisions, each of which present clinically in a variety of ways. A composition according to the present invention may be effective in preventing and/or alleviating the formation of tenacious plugs of exudate and mucus, effective in preventing, alleviating or treating a fragility of airway surface epithelium subsequently generated by mucus secretion, effective in preventing, reducing or eliminating any thickening of the reticular layer beneath the epithelial basal lamina, and effective in preventing, alleviating or treating bronchial vessel congestion and/or edema.
Asthma may in some cases be regarded as a chronic inflammatory disease. Since the term chronic asthmatic bronchitis has no clearly defined pathologic equivalent, patients having a chronic productive cough normally associated with chronic bronchitis, as well as bronchospasms, at the same time as having an airflow obstruction, will be regarded as suffering from both chronic bronchitis as well as small airways disease (chronic obstructive bronchitis) and asthma, since the pathology presumably would be that of those conditions.
A composition according to the present invention may be effective in preventing, alleviating and/or curing inflammation of the airways, whether transient or chronic. Airway inflammation is thought to be an important contributor to asthma, and airway inflammation may well be present even in the absence of severe symptoms of asthma. In one particularly preferred aspect the present invention provides a treatment and/or alleviation of an inflammation of the airways by means of an anti-oxidative effect exerted by a composition according to the present invention. The anti-oxidative effect is exerted in particular by naturally occurring isoflavones forming part of a composition according to the present invention.
A composition according to the present invention may be effective in increasing FEV1, as measured by forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration, said effect being exerted by the binding of a component of the composition, particularly a naturally occurring isoflavone, to a beta-2-receptor or a receptor belonging to the class of beta-2-receptors. Beta-2-receptors are present on many different types of cells including cells in airways and vessels. A composition according to the present invention may also be effective in generating a dilatation of the airways in a subject, preferably a subject suffering from a pulmonary disease.
The occurrence of bronchial inflammation in asthma is, according to one presently preferred hypothesis, thought to arise at least in part from an airway response to an antigen in an allergic subject. The response includes immediate pulmonary mast-cell activation and initiation of an inflammatory response that develops over hours and is important in the later and more persistent development of bronchial obstruction. A composition according to the present invention may be effective in treating, alleviating and/or eliminating several of the causes of airway obstruction thatxe2x80x94alone or in combinationxe2x80x94contributes to bronchial hyperresponsiveness, i.e. the fundamental defect in asthma. Importantly, airway inflammation is believed to be a crucial component for i) the chronicity of asthma, ii) the intensity of airways hyperresponsiveness, and iii) the absence of a complete therapeutic control, when bronchodilator therapy is used alone. Consequently, a composition according to the present invention may be effective in controlling, reducing and/or eliminating edema, mucus secretion, and inflammation of the airways resulting at least in part from a response to an allergen.
Although the precise pathogenesis of asthma has yet to be discovered, allergic reactions and respiratory infections are particularly important. Both are frequent factors in asthma and exacerbations of asthma, and both not only trigger acute asthmatic symptoms but may also enhance the degree of airway hyperresponsiveness long after the initial stimulus has been removed. Of particular interest has been the airway""s response to an inhaled antigen. Almost all subjects with allergic asthma experience immediate bronchospasm following inhalation of an antigen, i.e. acute airway obstruction, within 15 min of antigen exposure. In these subjects, antigen inhalation initiates not only immediate bronchocontraction, but also the reappearance of airway obstruction 4 to 6 hours later, a condition known as late asthmatic reaction or LAR. The late asthmatic response has a number of features that are characteristic of chronic asthma such as e.g. less responsiveness to bronchodilator therapy than the isolated acute event, an increased airway responsiveness, and the development of bronchial inflammation. Two features of the LAR to antigen inhalation suggest a linkage to the pathogenesis of asthma: The presence of bronchial inflammation and the enhancement of bronchial responsiveness. Consequently, a composition according to the present invention may be capable of preventing both immediate bronchocontraction as well as a late asthmatic reaction.
Asthmatic reactions following inhalation of an antigen include an immediate release from pulmonary mast cells of preformed mediators and a generation of a variety of factors needed to initiate an acute allergic airway reaction. Because the airways of patients with asthma are hyperresponsive, the immediate bronchial reaction to mast cell bronchospastic mediators is accentuated beyond the pharmacological properties of these substances. With cellular activation by antigen and membrane-bound IgE interaction, the mast cell initiates a generation of leukotrienes and prostaglandins. The leukotrienes, C4, D4, E4, along with histamine, are undoubtedly involved in the acute bronchospastic response because of their airway smooth muscle contractile properties. The generation and release by mast cells of chemotaxic factors is important for the recruitment of inflammatory cells to the airway and for the subsequent development of the late asthmatic response. Accordingly, a composition according to the present invention may be capable of effectively reducing or eliminating mast cell mediated secretion of mediators such as e.g. heparin, histamine and sulphidopeptide leukotrienes C4, D4, and E4.
Associated with the development of the LAR is a recruitment of inflammatory cells to the airway, including neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes, eosineophils, monocytes, and basophils. With their entry into the airways, and presumable cellular activation, airway obstruction reappears. It is thought that components of airway obstruction in LAR include bronchospasm, edema, and inflammation. An additional consequence of the LAR is an increase in airway hyperresponsiveness; thus, the asthmatic process is further perpetuated and positively reinforced. Consequently, a composition according to the present invention may be capable of effectively controlling in a late asthmatic response the symptoms of bronchospasm, edema, and inflammation, and in addition also effectively controlling such as reducing and/or eliminating any increase in airway hyperresponsiveness.
Furthermore, mast cells may according to another presently preferred hypothesis produce various cytokines, interleukin 3 (IL-3), interleukin 5 (IL-5), and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), which can perpetuate the allergic reaction by further priming inflammatory cells. Consequently, a composition according to the present invention may be capable of effectively controlling i.e. reducing and/or eliminating the production of various cytokines, interleukins such as e.g. interleukin 3 (IL-3) and interleukin 5 (IL-5), and granulocyteimacrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and reduce any further priming of inflammatory cells during an early and/or late asthmatic response.
A class of cells termed neutrophils can be found in lavage fluid from an asthmatic subject, but the precise role of neotrophils in the generation of a late allergic reaction has not yet been established. The neutrophil cell has a potential for generating inflammation by releasing e.g. lysosomal enzymes, oxygen metabolites, leukotriene B4 and by synthesising histamine-releasing factor (HRF). HRF can amplify the allergic reaction by causing mediator release from a class of cells termed basophils that also appear during a late allergic reaction. Consequently, a composition according to the present invention may be capable of effectively controlling i.e. reducing and/or eliminating a neutrophil production of e.g. lysosomal enzymes, oxygen metabolites, leukotriene B4 and histamine-releasing factor (HRF).
Evidence also exists for an implication of the group of cells termed eosinophils in an asthmatic response. Circulation of eosinophils leads to an increased severity of airway obstruction. Eosinophil granular associated proteins, including major basic protein (MBP), eosinophil cationic protein, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin, and eosinophil peroxidase are known to have profound effects on airway and cell function. MBP in particular has a number of unique properties accentuating the asthmatic response. MBP can directly injure airway epithelium, promote bronchial responsiveness, and mediate smooth muscle contraction. MBP further activates the release of mediators from mast cells and basophiis. Eosinophils may also be involved in initiating tissue damage associated with various allergic diseases, such as e.g. the epithelial desquamation observed in asthmatics. This tissue damage has been suggested to be mediated in part via the release of cytotoxic mediators such as major basic protein (MBP), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and eosinophil peroxidase (EPO).
Eosinophil activation result""s in the release of a number of important mediators, including leukotriene C4, which can contract airway smooth muscle, and platelet-activating factor (PAF). The release process of PAF has not been fully defined, but if secreted, this lipid mediator could contract airway smooth muscle as well as increase bronchial responsiveness. Furthermore, PAF is a potent eosinophil chemoattractant and a functional primer. Accordingly, eosinophils possess properties directly and indirectly causing airway obstruction and promoting bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Consequently, a composition according to the present invention may be capable of effectively controlling i.e. reducing and/or eliminating any increase in the formation of eosinophils during an asthmatic response. A composition according to the present invention may further be effective in controlling the production of eosinophil granular associated proteins including major basic protein (MBP), eosinophil cationic protein, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin, and eosinophil peroxidase. In an even further embodiment, a composition according to the present invention may be effective in controlling i.e. reducing and/or eliminating the release of mediators from mast cells, neutrophils, basophils and eosinophils, in particular the release of mediators such as e.g. leukotriene C4 and platelet-activating factor (PAF), IL-3, GM-CSF and IL-5.
To generate airway inflammation after eosinophil recruitment, a number of events need to occur such as e.g. eosinophil migration to the lung and eosinophil activation. The last event is likely to involve eosinophil adhesion to endothelium and, eventually, airway epithelium. Accordingly, a composition according to the present invention may be effective in preventing eosinophil participation in the bronchial responsiveness process by inhibiting eosinophil adhesion to endothelium and epithelium.
Mast cells may also release compounds such as heparin and related proteoglycans, but the release of such mediators have so far not received much attention from allergy researchers. These highly anionic molecules are normally only associated with the binding histamine within mast cell granules. These molecules may act as natural antiinflammatory molecules and, thus, have a far greater role in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Accordingly, a composition according to the present invention may be effective in promoting the release of potentially antiinflammatory molecules such as e.g. heparin and related proteoglycans. Also, it has been reported that another cationic protein, platelet factor 4 (PF4), is a chemotaxic agent for human eosinophils and is a molecule well recognized for its ability to bind heparin. It is therefore plausible that endogenous heparin could be released to limit both the extent of eosinophil recruitment into sites of allergic inflammation as well as the extent of tissue damage induced by cationic proteins. Lymphocytes are also likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. Recent studies have suggested that heparin acts as an immunomodulator inhibiting lymphocyte activation and trafficking and, like glucocorticosteroids, can also inhibit delayed hypersensitivity responses.
Further evidence of asthma being a chronic inflammatory disease is provided by the observation that an exposure to an allergen that results in tissue damage is likely to lead to a repair of the damage. Evidence of this repair process can most likely be seen in the asthmatic lung, where a thickened basement membrane is believed to be related to subepithelial fibrosis, the presence of myofibroblasts, and collagen deposition. Also, asthma is further characterized by a thickened smooth muscle layer.
The above-mentioned changes appear very early in the disease and are not constricted to patients with chronic asthma. Furthermore, even following chronic treatment with inhaled glucocorticosteroids for periods of up 10 years, the thickness of the basement membrane is not reduced, although such therapy reduces the number of inflammatory cells present in the biopsies and the extent of the epithelial damage. Such clinical observations suggest that once these anatomic changes have appeared they may not be readily reversible, even with the most aggressive therapy currently available. Thus, it is plausible that once established, such anatomic changes may underlie the irreversible component of the disease, and by altering the geometry of the airway wall, these changes may contribute to the persistent airways hyperresponsiveness that does not respond to treatment. Accordingly, a composition according to the present invention may, in one particularly preferred embodiment, be capable of effectively preventing and/or alleviating the formation of a thickened basement membrane or a smooth muscle layer, subepithelial fibrosis, the presence of myofibroblasts, and a deposition of collagen.
Bronchitis as used herein is defined as an acute or chronic inflammation of any part of the bronchi and bronchial tubes. The bronchi are large delicate tubes in the lungs that are attached to the trachea and carry air to smaller tubes in the lungs. In bronchitis, including chronic bronchitis, there is mucous hypersecretion, an enlargement of tracheobronchial submucosal glands, and a disproportionate increase of mucous acini. Acute bronchitis is often characterized by fever, chest pain, severe coughing, and secretion of mucous material coughed up from the respiratory tract. Acute bronchitis affects the branches of the bronchi and may develop into bronchial or lobular pneumonia. Chronic bronchitis may result from repeated attacks of acute bronchitis. Consequently, a composition according to the present invention may be effective in controlling mucous hypersecretion, preventing, alleviating or treating an enlargement of tracheobronchial submucosal glands, and reduce and/or eliminate a disproportionate increase of mucous acini. The pathologic equivalent to chronic bronchitis is a non-specific series of changes in the bronchial wall generally characterized by an increase in the size and number of mucous glands and an increased number of goblet cells in the epithelium. When progressing into a chronic condition, bronchitis is a serious and incurable disorder. Consequently, a composition according to the present invention may be effective in controlling a series of changes in the bronchial wall generally characterized by an increase in the size and number of mucous glands and an increase in the number of goblet cells. A composition according to the present invention may also be capable of reducing and/or eliminating any mucos production including an increased mucos production.
Bronchial infections usually remain confined to the mucosa, and some resolve spontaneously without the need for treatment. Chronic bronchitis affects both the large and small airways. In the large airways, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of glandular structures and goblet cell metaplasia are prominent features of the condition. In the small airways, peribronchiolar fibrosis and airway narrowing may be prominent features. In chronic bronchitis hypertrophy of glandular structures and goblet cell metaplasia in the proximal airways likely contribute to an increased mucus production, the expectoration of which is one defining characteristic of chronic bronchitis. Consequently, a composition according to the present invention may be effective in preventing an airflow limitation in a subject prone to contracting bronchitis and/or to alleviate any airflow limitation or obstruction already present in said subject. Particularly, a composition according to the present invention may be effective in controlling hypertrophy and hyperplasia of glandular structures and goblet cell metaplasia, as well as peribronchiolar fibrosis and a narrowing of the small airways.
Bronchitis may be caused by a number of factors including viral and/or bacterial infection, environmental pollutants including cigarette smoke, and allergy. These factors may occur together or separately. A viral infection may e.g. predispose an individual to a subsequent bacterial infection. Bronchial infections occur in patients with abnormal airways who have reduced host defences. The three major bacterial pathogens isolated during bronchial infections are non-typable Haemophlus influenzae, moraxella catarrhalis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. A composition according to the present invention may especially be effective in preventing viral and/or bacterial infection in a subject by e.g. increasing the host defences of said subject.
The term small airways as used herein is defined as small bronchi and bronchioles that contain no cartilage, glands or alveoli in their walls and measure 2 mm or less in internal diameter. The term small airways disease is used for a group of non-specific histological changes of peripheral airways found in individuals with a limited or obstructed airflow, including individuals having features such as mucus plugging, chronic inflammation, and muscular enlargement of small airway walls. Small airways disease is present in some patients with the clinical picture of chronic bronchitis. Consequently, a composition according to the present invention may be effective in treating, including prophylactically treating, alleviating and/or preventing a limited or obstructed flow of air through the small airways.
In small or peripheral airways disease, there is inflammation of bronchioli and mucous metaplasia and hyperplasia, increased intraluminal mucus and increased wall muscle. Consequently, a composition according to the present invention may be effective in controlling inflammation of the bronchioli and mucous metaplasia and hyperplasia, and effective in reducing and/or eliminating any increased intraluminal mucus formation and/or any increased wall muscle development. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrolytic cell for recovering a metal from a solution containing metal ions, and more particularly to an electrolytic cell for recovering silver from a fixing solution for a photographic process (hereinafter referred to simply as "fixer").
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known in the art to use an electrolytic cell which employs a diaphragm between the cathode and the anode thereof to recover silver from a fixer and at the same time to reclaim the fixer. In this type of electrolytic cell, a fixer to be electrolyzed is supplied into the space between the diaphragm and the cathode and the electrolyzed fixer is taken out of said space. The flow passage of the fixer supplied into the electrolytic cell should be so designed that the fixer will be effectively electrolyzed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to voice messaging systems. More particularly, it relates to a telephone answering device capable of notifying a user at another telephone number based on call related information received with respect to an incoming telephone call.
2. Background of Related Art
Voice messaging systems in general, and telephone answering devices (i.e., answering machines) in particular, are useful devices for the home or office. A conventional telephone answering device operates on a single telephone line and answers an incoming call to an unused (i.e., on-hook) telephone after a desired number of rings. The telephone answering device causes the telephone line to enter an off-hook condition, then plays an outgoing greeting message to the calling party. After the outgoing greeting message, the calling party may leave a voice message on the telephone answering device. At a later time, the voice message is replayed by the user, either local to the telephone answering device or via remote connection from another telephone.
FIG. 4 illustrates a conventional telephone answering device capable of answering an incoming call on a telephone line.
In FIG. 4, a telephone answering device 11 is connected to a telephone company central office 13 via a telephone line 15. A telephone line interface (TLI) 17 in the telephone answering device 11 provides the conventional isolation, DC and AC impedance as required by telephone company standards. The telephone line interface 17 also provides a ring detect signal to a controller 19. The controller 19 may be any suitable processor, e.g., microprocessor, microcontroller, or digital signal processor (DSP). The ring detect signal indicates to the controller 19 the ringing of an incoming telephone call on the telephone line 15.
After a desired number of ring signals, the telephone answering device 11 causes the telephone line interface 17 to place the telephone line in an off-hook state, and instructs a voice recorder/playback audio module 21 to play an outgoing greeting message 43 over the telephone line 15 to the calling party. Upon completion of the outgoing greeting message, the calling party may leave a voice message in voice message memory 23 under the control of the controller 19. A keypad 25 allows the user to select various modes of operation, including the playback of voice messages.
The conventional telephone answering device 11 illustrated in FIG. 4 further includes a call related information (e.g., Calling Identity Delivery (Caller ID)) detector/receiver 27 to detect and receive call related information, e.g., the telephone number and/or household name of a calling party, from the central office over the telephone line 15. The call related information is typically displayed on a display 29 and may be logged in a call related information log 39.
By reviewing the call related information (e.g., Caller ID information) received with the ring signals of an incoming call, the user of the conventional telephone answering device 11 can determine the household name and/or telephone number of the calling party even before the calling party leaves a voice message. Basic call related information such as Caller ID information is typically transmitted from the local telephone company to the telephone answering device 11 of the called party while the called party's telephone answering device 11 and other telephones are in a hung-up or on-hook state, e.g., between the first and second rings.
Oftentimes, it is important or necessary for the user of a telephone answering device or other designated party to be immediately notified when a certain calling party leaves a voice message on the telephone answering system, when a certain number of telephone calls from a particular party have been received by the telephone answering device, or other predetermined event or events. However, with conventional telephone answering devices, the user must continually call in from a remote location to their telephone answering device to determine if any particular caller has called a number of times, etc. Moreover, remote information from a telephone answering device typically includes only voice message information without an analysis of received call related information (i.e., some callers do not always leave a voice message). Unfortunately, conventional telephone answering device do not automatically notify a user or other party upon occurrence of a predetermined event. | {
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The insert molding of contact terminals into plastic support members in electrical products, such as switches, terminal boards, relays and other types of components is an advantageous method which has been employed for a number of years. The contact terminals generally project through the support member in opposite directions, with one portion of the contact terminal being used to interconnect the switch into a printed circuit board or to a wire which is soldered to the contact terminal and the other portion of the contact terminal serving as a contact member for the switch or other device.
In recent years great advances have been made in reducing the size of electrical circuit components through the employment of semiconductor technology. As the size of the overall circuit decreases in a given application, the demand for smaller auxillary components, such as switches, relays, terminal boards and the like, becomes greater. In the manufacture of such components, the tendency of the plastic molding procedure to produce flash on surface areas of the contact terminal, which must be free of material for satisfactory operation, generally requires an additional flash removal step which is time-consuming and expensive.
One proposal for solving the flash problem is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,210,453 issued Oct. 5, 1965 to Zeke R. Smith. The solution of the Smith patent was to provide a body portion intermediate the ends of the flat contact terminal which was of an appreciably larger cross-sectional area than the remainder of the contact terminal. This solution, however, limits the reduction of the size of the switch, or other electrical component, substantially because of the enlarged area that is provided, thereby imposing an unnecessary restriction on the design of small electrical components. Moreover, providing the enlarged area is relatively expensive with respect to the solution of the problem that is provided by the present invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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As oil well drilling becomes increasingly complex, the importance of collecting formation samples while drilling increases. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field
Directed carbon nanotube growth is described, and in particular growing carbon nanotubes with a well-controlled direction, orientation and size.
2. Related Art
Carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been investigated for a wide range of possible applications. However, at present, it remains difficult to control the size of CNT, both in diameter and length. Size is an important factor in the electrical properties as well as the mechanical properties of the device. It is also difficult to control the chirality of a CNT which affect the CNT's transport properties. The placement and orientation of a CNT is also not well controlled. Without a way to reliably and inexpensively control the size, distribution, and growth direction of nanotubes to within a few nanometers, their applications are limited.
One such application is in making discrete CNT transistors. Prototype transistors have been shown to exhibit a variety of promising transport properties. Field effect transistors (FET) made with CNTs have shown very high thermal conductivity, high current conduction, and very high gain compared with silicon devices. However, these prototypes cannot yet be manufactured with the cost, precision, and reliability of conventional technologies, such as mature silicon based CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) technology. | {
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Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) slurry, together with polishing pads and diamond conditioner disks form the key components of the equipment used to carry out CMP processes in recent years. These polishing pads and diamond conditioner disks have been produced and marketed by several vendors to standards of reliable quality and effectiveness. The function of the polishing pad is to cut away and polish the wafer surface in conjunction with the slurry. As they accomplish this function, the polishing pads themselves become smooth and lose effectiveness in their capacity to polish the wafer surface. The function of the diamond conditioner discs, the surface facing the polishing pad of which is covered with small embedded diamonds or other hard substance, is to cut into and roughen the polishing pad surface during polishing so that it is continually being roughened as the wafer smooths it. This way the effectiveness of the polishing pad is maintained constant. The function of the slurry is to deliver continuously the mechanical abrasive particles and chemical components to the surface of the wafer and to provide a means of removing reaction products and wafer debris from the polishing surface. There are several varieties of slurry of varying effectiveness and properties known to the art. At present, for the most common type of CMP tool, the rotary polisher, slurry is applied at a constant flow rate onto the rotating polishing pad using a simple delivery tube, nozzle or spray bar. Fresh slurry flows away from the application point(s) under the influence of gravity and centripetal acceleration and becomes mixed with used slurry or slurry that has passed between the polishing pad and wafer and been involved in polishing.
Old slurry besides being chemically “spent” additionally contains the debris from wafer, conditioner and pad which if the old slurry reenters the gap between the wafer and polishing pad are exposed to the wafer surface and can lead to increases in contamination and defectivity. It is therefore important to remove the debris of polishing, and by extension used slurry, from the polishing pad quickly after it is generated and to the greatest extent possible not reintroduce it under the wafer.
Eventually the rotation of the pad brings the slurry into contact with the leading edge of the wafer, where it forms a bow wave. Some of the fresh slurry at this point is advected into the narrow 10 to 25 micron gap between the wafer and polishing pad and is utilized for polishing. The gap exists because the surface of the pad is rough, the surface of the wafer is relatively smooth and the wafer contacts only the high points of the pad surface. However, most of the fresh slurry remains in the bow wave and is carried to the edge of the pad by the combined rotation of the polishing head and pad. The slurry is then lost over the edge of the pad. Thus, actual slurry utilization, the percentage of new slurry applied that enters the gap between the rough pad surface and the wafer of total slurry applied, is universally quite low in such rotary CMP tools. This is a significant problem because slurry consumption and waste disposal account for a large share of the cost of ownership and operation of a CMP tool.
An additional negative influence on polishing removal rate and uniformity arise because when wafers are polished it is the practice in the art to wash used slurry off between wafers by application of deionized water to the pad, typically to the center of the pad. The time between removing one wafer and replacing it with a second is short and invariably a large quantity of water remains on the pad when polishing of the new wafer begins. This water is not uniformly distributed and as a result it dilutes the newly added slurry in a non-uniform way causing both general decrease in removal rate by the diluted slurry and lack of uniformity in removal rate due to variations in slurry concentration on different parts of the pad. Since this effect lasts several seconds it can exert a significant negative effect on anywhere from 25 percent to 50 percent of the time during which the wafer is polished resulting in a significant and costly reduction in process effectiveness and product quality.
To facilitate the advection or entry of the slurry under the wafer, the practitioners of the prior art have used grooves in the CMP pad. This was effective in making sure that some slurry reached the pad-wafer interface but still allowed most of the slurry to be cast off of the pad without ever having been used. Slurry is expensive and devices, equipment and procedures for providing and removing large amounts of slurry must be included in the CMP process which both complicates and encumbers that process. Presently there is no effective method available for substantially reducing the amount of slurry used or making sure that most of the slurry introduced to the pad during CMP is actually introduced between the pad and the wafer and utilized as intended before being cast off of the pad.
Methods to solve this problem to date have, as stated above, consisted of placing grooves in the surface of the CMP pad to conduct some portion of the slurry under the wafer during CMP polishing. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,843 (Breivogel et al filing date 24 Sep. 1992 hereby incorporated by reference) “an apparatus for polishing a thin film” . . . “said apparatus comprising” . . . “a pad covering said table, said pad having an upper surface into which have been formed a plurality of preformed grooves, said preformed grooves facilitating the polishing process by creating a corresponding plurality of point contacts at the pad/substrate interface.” and a “means for providing a plurality of micro channel grooves into said upper surface of said pad while polishing said substrate wherein said microchannel grooves aid in facilitating said polishing process by channelling said slurry between said substrate and said pad.” Still in U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,510 (Skyopec et al. filing date 19 Apr. 2005 hereby incorporated by reference) a method of polishing wherein “The polishing pad has grooves that channels (sic) slurry between the wafer and polishing pad and rids excess material from the wafer, allowing an efficient polishing of the surface of the wafer.” is described. Even as recently as Skyopec et al the preferred method for maximizing the amount of slurry that was introduced between the pad and the wafer was preparation of the grooves and the efforts of practitioners of the art were limited to ensuring that these “micro-channels” were regenerated or maintained in a suitable fashion.
In US 2007 0224920 (hereby incorporated by reference) these grooves are enhanced by holes in the pad made in sizes and shapes appropriate to optimize the amount of slurry conducted under the wafer by the grooves. However this does not solve the basic problem of waste of new slurry due to slurry accumulation in the bow wave.
Moreover, Novellus Systems, Inc. has addressed the slurry utilization problem by means of orbital polishers (U.S. Pat. No. 6,500,055 hereby incorporated by reference) in which the slurry is injected through the polishing pad directly under the wafer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,064 hereby incorporated by reference). This guarantees high slurry utilization but requires a complex platen and custom pad to accommodate the slurry distribution system and a specialized polishing tool to take advantage of the injection method. Similarly in US 20070281592 (hereby incorporated by reference) slurries and other conditioning chemicals are introduced and removed through apertures in the diamond conditioning disk for the purpose of facilitating multistep CMP processes but this is not intended to and does not effectively improve the utilization of slurry by directing a larger fraction between the wafer and the CMP pad.
Also in the prior art are U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,413 (hereby incorporated by reference), which teaches an Apparatus for dispensing slurry. This is a device for spraying slurry on to the pad rather than pumping it in specific positions at the pad wafer interface and does not provide the desirable benefits sought by the present invention.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,929,533, (hereby incorporated by reference) teaches methods for enhancing within-wafer CMP uniformity. This patent describes methods for enhancing the polish rate uniformity of rotary and linear polishers using slurry dispense bars with multiple nozzles to distribute the slurry over the entire wafer track. The slurry dispense bars sit above the pad and do not contact it. This method when compared with the present invention lacks the effect of the creation of a layer of slurry with the same thickness as the wafer-pad gap which allows significant amounts of the new slurry to be advected under the pad the first time.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,840 (hereby incorporated by reference) teaches a cleaning and slurry distribution system assembly for use in chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. This apparatus has “an outlet to distribute slurry to the enclosed region to form a reservoir of slurry in the enclosed region, wherein the slurry is distributed to a region not enclosed by the retainer by traveling between the polishing surface and the lower surface of the retainer.” However, the application of the slurry to specific land areas where it is needed is not taught and in fact most slurry is lost through grooves between the land areas which generally exceed the land areas in cross sectional area between the wafer and the polishing pad. This apparatus also fails to teach or accomplish control over flow as a function of radius from the center of the polishing pad and there is no teaching or reported effect of separation of the old spent slurry, dilution water or polishing wastes from the newly applied slurry. The main function that the apparatus accomplishes is to keep spray from the slurry or from cleaning agents from depositing on the polisher, where the residue can become a source of defect-causing contamination. This is mentioned several times in the description. The background mentions reducing slurry consumption in passing in the last paragraph, but the patent contains no teaching that the apparatus accomplishes this or indeed how it would be accomplished.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,392 (hereby incorporated by reference), teaches Slurry injection technique for chemical-mechanical polishing. The slurry application method involves spraying the slurry onto the pad under pressure from a multiplicity of nozzles, however, this invention suffers from the same drawbacks as U.S. Pat. No. 6,929,533 (hereby incorporated by reference) in that lack of precision in the placement and form of the slurry substantially decreases its effectiveness.
“U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,155 (hereby incorporated by reference) describes the basic CMP process and utilizes a retaining wall around the polishing pad and polishing table to retain a pool of slurry on the pad. It does not describe a particular method for getting the pooled slurry into the pad wafer gap more effectively. U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,228 (hereby incorporated by reference) discloses a technique for mounting multiple polishing pads onto a platen in a CMP process. A seal of material impervious to the chemical action of the polishing slurry is disposed about the perimeter of the interface between the pads and when the pads are assembled the bead squashes and forms a seal and causes the periphery of the upper pad to curve upward creating a bowl-like reservoir for increasing the residence time of slurry on the face of the pad prior to overflowing the pad.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,652 (hereby incorporated by reference) teaches a process for chemically polishing a semiconductor substrate and a slurry solution is applied to the surface of the pad in bursts as a stream forming a liquid layer between the cloth and the wafers to be polished. The solution is applied from a dispensing bottle and is applied tangentially to the wafer-plate assembly so as to provide maximum washing of the polishing cloth in order to remove waste etching products. U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,374 (hereby incorporated by reference) shows the use of a specially formulated abrasive slurry for polishing semiconductor wafers comprising montmorillonite clay in deionized water.”
U.S. Pat. No. 6,284,092 (hereby incorporated by reference), teaches a CMP slurry atomization slurry dispense system in which “ . . . a polishing slurry dispenser device disposed to dispense the slurry toward the pad preferably as a stream or more preferably drops toward the pad surface and a curtain of air to intersect the slurry at or near the polishing pad surface. The wafer is polished using less slurry than a conventional polishing apparatus while still maintaining the polishing rates and polishing uniformity of the prior art polishing apparatus. A preferred dispenser is an elongated housing having a slurry tube and air tube therein each tube having a plurality of spaced apart slurry openings and air openings along its longitudinal axis which tube is preferably positioned radially over at least one-half the diameter of the polishing pad. A polishing slurry is directed from the slurry tube toward the surface of the pad, preferably in the form of drops, and the air from the air tube forms an air curtain, with the air curtain intersecting the slurry drops preferably at or slightly above the pad surface to atomize the slurry.”
While this system distributes the slurry uniformly it does not do so in a way that insures that the thickness of the slurry layer at the leading edge of the wafer is at or close to the thickness of the gap.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,627 (hereby incorporated by reference) teaches a slurry dispenser having multiple adjustable nozzles. In the teaching of that art, a “slurry dispensing unit for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus equipped with multiple slurry dispensing nozzles is disclosed. The slurry dispensing unit is constructed by a dispenser body that has a delivery conduit, a return conduit and a U-shape conduit connected in fluid communication therein between for flowing continuously a slurry solution therethrough and a plurality of nozzles integrally connected to and in fluid communication with a fluid passageway in the delivery conduit for dispensing a slurry solution. The multiple slurry dispensing nozzles may either have a fixed opening or adjustable openings by utilizing a flow control valve at each nozzle opening. This patent, as with the previous art referred to, possesses no feature that ensures that the thickness of the slurry layer at the leading edge of the wafer is the same as the wafer pad gap.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,429,131 (hereby incorporated by reference) concerns CMP uniformity and teaches improved CMP uniformity achieved by providing improved control of the slurry distribution. Improved slurry distribution is accomplished by, for example, the use of a slurry dispenser that dispenses slurry from a plurality of dispensing points. Providing a squeeze bar between the slurry dispenser and wafer to redistribute the slurry also improves the slurry distribution. This invention can distribute slurry evenly over the pad but does not provide a uniform layer of slurry the thickness of the gap.
However, although the creation and maintenance of grooves and micro-channels are essential for the operation of CMP polishing generally, they still do not afford an efficient means of introduction of slurry between the pad and the wafer whereby most or even a substantial portion of the slurry introduced onto the pad is actually introduced between the pad and the wafer. Furthermore, although a great many methods have been designed for spreading the slurry evenly on the pad none to date have taught a method for preparing a layer of slurry suitably thick for smooth entry into the pad wafer gap. Most of the slurry continues to accumulate in a bow wave of slurry at the leading edge of the wafer which for the most part moves outward along the leading edge to be dumped off of the edge of the pad and wasted. Moreover, used slurry that has been under the wafer and is contaminated returns as the pad is rotated and mixed with the new slurry at the bow wave decreasing significantly the quality of the slurry used in actual CMP and increasing significantly the waste. And finally none of the methods of the prior art have reduced the negative effects on material removal and uniformity of residual slurry cleaning water added between wafers. | {
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At present, in many countries such as German, Japan, England and the United States, a permanent standard time signal is provided by transmitting a radio frequency signal carrying standard time codes by 60-bit time frames. People in those countries can calibrate their apparatus or equipment relevant to time or frequency using the standard time signal. A radio control clock that receives this standard time signal and can read the standard time codes is also provided. The difference between the radio control clock and a conventional clock is that the former can always provide a standard time by automatic time calibration using the standard time signal.
For example, a time frame 10 of a standard time signal provided in Mainflingen, Germany is shown in FIG. 1. The bits of the time frame 10 are transmitted at a rate of 1 bit per minute. In other words, the time frame 10 is transmitted in one minute, which is why we call it Time Frame 1 Minute. The standard time signal carries many time frames in sequence. The standard time code is located from the 15.sup.th to the 59.sup.th bit, which includes the information of the minute, the hour, the day of the week, the month and the year of the standard time. It should be noted that the 0.sup.th to 14.sup.th bit are unused.
Additionally, FIG. 2 is a typical block diagram of a conventional radio control clock 20. The radio control clock 20 includes a signal receive circuit 21, a microprocessor 23, an input device 25 and a display 27. The signal receive circuit 21 may be a satellite, radio frequency or telephone signal depending on the type of the standard time signal. For example, a Time Code Receiver T4225B receives signals at frequencies from 40 to 80 kHz. The microprocessor 23 has a timer (not shown) to keep a current time which is displayed by the display 27. The operation of the radio control clock is described below. First, the signal receive circuit 21 receives a radio frequency signal carrying the standard time and decodes it. Then, the signal receive circuit 21 transfers to the microprocessor 23 a binary code BC representing the standard time derived from the radio frequency signal. The microprocessor 23 performs computations with the binary code BC to correct the current time. The microprocessor 23 can also send a control signal CS to the signal receive circuit 21 so that the signal receive circuit 21 is turned on in response to the control signal CS when time correction is requested. Otherwise, the signal receive circuit 21 is turned off. The input device 25 performs the input of data as needed. For example, before performing the time correction, the microprocessor 23 turns on the signal receive circuit 21 in response to the instructions of the user through the input device 25.
Although the radio control clock can provide the standard time by receiving a standard time signal, it is insufficient in some specific applications. For example, Moslems have five different times of worships a day. Since these times vary with days and seasons, it is difficult for them to have precisely the same five worship times around the world, even though they can have the same current time by using the radio control clock described above. Consequently, in this case, some improvements of the conventional radio control clock are needed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the field of racket sports, in particular for badminton, the flexibility of a shaft makes it possible to impart a certain power to a racket, i.e., to allow it to impact a shuttlecock to transmit relatively significant kinetic energy to it. On the contrary, rigidity of the shaft allows a precise hit, in particular in finalizing a shot.
The known rackets use both the flexibility and the rigidity of a connecting shaft between the handle and frame to try to obtain a relatively high power and precision. This compromise approach is not completely satisfactory, inasmuch as neither the power nor the precision are optimized. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to stacked integrated circuit memory.
2. State of the Art
Manufacturing methods for increasing the performance and decreasing the cost of electronic circuits, nearly without exception, are methods that increase the integration of the circuit and decrease its physical size per equivalent number of circuit devices such as transistors or capacitors. These methods have produced as of 1996 microprocessors capable of over 100 million operations per second that cost less than $1,000 and 64 Mbit DRAM circuits that access data in less than 50 ns and cost less than $50. The physical size of such circuits is less than 2 cm2. Such manufacturing methods support to a large degree the economic standard of living in the major industrialized countries and will most certainly continue to have significant consequences in the daily lives of people all over the world.
Circuit manufacturing methods take two primary forms: process integration and assembly integration. Historically the line between these two manufacturing disciplines has been clear, but recently with the rise in the use of MCMs (Multi-Chip Modules) and flip-chip die attach, this clear separation may soon disappear. (The predominate use of the term Integrated Circuit (IC) herein is in reference to an Integrated Circuit in singulated die form as sawed from a circuit substrate such as s semiconductor wafer versus, for example, an Integrated Circuit in packaged form.) The majority of ICs when in initial die form are presently individually packaged, however, there is an increasing use of MCMs. Die in an MCM are normally attached to a circuit substrate in a planar fashion with conventional IC die I/O interconnect bonding methods such as wire bonding, DCA (Direct Chip Attach) or FCA (Flip-Chip Attach).
Integrated circuit memory such as DRAM, SRAM, flash EPROM, EEPROM, Ferroelectric, GMR (Giant MagnetoResistance), etc. have the common architectural or structural characteristic of being monolithic with the control circuitry integrated on the same die with the memory array circuitry. This established (standard or conventional) architecture of circuit layout structure creates a design trade-off constraint between control circuitry and memory array circuitry for large memory circuits. Reductions in the fabrication geometries of memory cell circuitry has resulted in denser and denser memory ICs, however, these higher memory densities have resulted in more sophisticated control circuitry at the expense of increased area of the IC. Increased IC area means at least higher fabrication costs per IC (fewer ICs per wafer) and lower IC yields (fewer working ICs per wafer), and in the worst case, an IC design that cannot be manufactured due to its non-competitive cost or unreliable operation.
As memory density increases and the individual memory cell size decreases more control circuitry is required. The control circuitry of a memory IC as a percentage of IC area in some cases such as DRAMs approaches or exceeds 40%. One portion of the control circuitry is the sense amp which senses the state, potential or charge of a memory cell in the memory array circuitry during a read operation. The sense amp circuitry is a significant portion of the control circuitry and it is a constant challenge to the IC memory designer to improve sense amp sensitivity in order to sense ever smaller memory cells while preventing the area used by the sense amp from becoming too large.
If this design constraint or trade-off between control and memory circuits did not exist, the control circuitry could be made to perform numerous additional functions, such as sensing multiple storage states per memory cell, faster memory access through larger more sensitive sense amps, caching, refresh, address translation, etc. But this trade-off is the physical and economic reality for memory ICs as they are presently made by all manufacturers.
The capacity of DRAM circuits increase by a factor of four from one generation to the next; e.g. 1 Mbit, 4 Mbit, 16 Mbit and 64 Mbit DRAMs. This four times increase in circuit memory capacity per generation has resulted in larger and larger DRAM circuit areas. Upon introduction of a new DRAM generation the circuit yields are too low and, therefore, not cost effective for high volume manufacture. It is normally several years between the date prototype samples of a new DRAM generation are shown and the date such circuits are in volume production.
Assembling die in a stacked or three dimensional (3D) manner is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,695 of the present inventor, incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, assembling die in a 3D manner has been attempted with regard to memory. Texas Instruments of Dallas Tex., Irvine Sensors of Costa Mesa Calif. and Cubic Memory Corporation of Scotts Valley Calif., have all attempted to produce stacked or 3D DRAM products. In all three cases, conventional DRAM circuits in die form were stacked and the interconnect between each DRAM in the stack was formed along the outside surface of the circuit stack. These products have been available for the past several years and have proved to be too expensive for commercial applications, but have found some use in space and military applications due to their small physical size or footprint.
The DRAM circuit type is referred to and often used as an example in this specification, however, this invention is clearly not limited to the DRAM type of circuit. Undoubtedly memory cell types such as EEPROMs (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memories), flash EPROM, Ferroelectric, or combinations (intra or inter) of such memory cells can also be used with the present Three Dimensional Structure (3DS) methods to form 3DS memory devices.
The present invention furthers, among others, the following objectives:
1. Several-fold lower fabrication cost per megabyte of memory than circuits conventionally made solely with monolithic circuit integration methods.
2. Several-fold higher performance than conventionally made memory circuits.
3. Many-fold higher memory density per IC than conventionally made memory circuits.
4. Greater designer control of circuit area size, and therefore, cost.
5. Circuit dynamic and static self-test of memory cells by an internal controller.
6. Dynamic error recovery and reconfiguration.
7. Multi-level storage per memory cell.
8. Virtual address translation, address windowing, various address functions such as indirect addressing or content addressing, analog circuit functions and various graphics acceleration and microprocessor functions.
The present 3DS memory technology is a stacked or 3D circuit assembly technology. Features include:
1. Physical separation of the memory circuits and the control logic circuit onto different layers;
2. The use of one control logic circuit for several memory circuits;
3. Thinning of the memory circuit to less than about 50 xcexcm in thickness forming a substantially flexible substrate with planar processed bond surfaces and bonding the circuit to the circuit stack while still in wafer substrate form; and
4. The use of fine-grain high density inter layer vertical bus connections.
The 3DS memory manufacturing method enables several performance and physical size efficiencies, and is implemented with established semiconductor processing techniques. Using the DRAM circuit as an example, a 64 Mbit DRAM made with a 0.25 xcexcm process could have a die size of 84 mm2, a memory area to die size ratio of 40% and a access time of about 50 ns for 8 Mbytes of storage; a 3DS DRAM IC made with the same 0.25 xcexcm process would have a die size of 18.6 mm2, use 17 DRAM array circuit layers, a memory area to die size ratio of 94.4% and an expected access time of less than 10 ns for 64 Mbytes of storage. The 3DS DRAM IC manufacturing method represents a scalable, many-fold reduction in the cost per megabyte versus that of conventional DRAM IC manufacturing methods. In other words, the 3DS memory manufacturing method represents, at the infrastructure level, a fundamental cost savings that is independent of the process fabrication technology used. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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I. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to ultrasonic testing apparatus for determining pregnancy in animals. More particularly, this invention pertains to housings for such apparatus.
II. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, methods have been developed in the field of animal husbandry in which ultrasonic pulsing and detection have been used for detecting pregnancies in sows and other farm animals. For many reasons, it may be economically important for a livestock producer to know if an individual farm animal is pregnant. Such knowledge may be required in order to make a decision as to whether to market the animal, whether to start it on a special feeding program, or whether to rebreed the animal during the same season.
Ultrasonic pregnancy detectors of the prior art include detectors having ultrasonic transducers which are placed against the abdomen of the animal to be tested. For proper ultrasonic pulse propagation, the end of the transducer which is placed against the animal's abdomen is first dipped in water, mineral oil or motor oil before placing it against the animal's body.
The prior art detection apparatus includes circuits for pulsing the transducer and processing echoes detected by the transducer. The processed signals include an output which may be displayed to an operator either visually or audibly and which indicate the pregnant condition of the animal being tested. An example of such a prior art apparatus with circuitry for performing the above tasks includes commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,927 to Carlson dated Sept. 12, 1978. As shown in the patent, the apparatus includes an instrument housing 10 with a probe 11 comprising an ultrasonic transducer 12 connected by means of an electrical cable 13 to the housing 10. The patent discloses two methods of indicating the output to an operator. The first is a visual display which shows an oscilliscope trace. The patent also teaches circuitry for generating an audible tone in which, in the embodiment shown, a signal tone indicates a strong return signal from the animal's uterus while the absence of a tone indicates that the animal is not pregnant.
While the apparatus described has been of value to the animal husbandry industry, certain difficulties are encountered in the use of the apparatus. Namely, the animal under observation is often uncooperative and may be attempting to squirm away from the operator during the period of observation. Indeed, the animal may attempt to attack the probe or the operator. In addition to the adverse circumstances generated by the violence of the animal under observation, the environment in which the apparatus is used presents certain difficulties. For example, the apparatus must be subjected to contact with mineral oil or the like which is used in the testing procedure as well as the often dirty environment of the test site due to animal waste and dust. Finally, the livestock producer needs an apparatus which can be wielded easily by the operator while the operator is attempting to control the animal under observation. Therefore, while the circuitry of the prior art has proved generally satisfactory, there is a need for improvement of apparatus housing to permit its ease of use by an operator while providing for protection from the adverse environment in which it is used. | {
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This invention is directed generally to fluid warming apparatus and, more particularly, to a device and method for measuring the operating temperature of apparatus for warming cold parental fluids such as whole blood for intervenous injection or transfusion procedures.
Whole blood is commonly stored in blood banks at a temperature of 4.degree. C until infused into a patient, at which time it is necessary that the blood be warmed to or slightly below the 37.degree. C temperature of the human body if hypothermia and the attendant risk of ventricular fibrillation and cardiac asystole are to be avoided. For applications where substantial and unpredictable quantities of blood are required, as where a patient hemorrages during surgery, it is preferable that blood in storage be transferred substantially directly into the patient, since this avoids warming blood which is not subsequently used.
The apparatus described in the copending application of Robert J. Froehlich and Daniel B. Granzow, Jr., Ser. No. 761,926, concurrently filed herewith, provides an effective and efficient system for dry warming blood or other parental fluids to body temperature during the process of infusing such fluids into the patient. It is a feature of that invention that the temperature of the infused blood is maintained substantially constant at 37.degree. C substantially independent of flow rates, which may vary from 0 to 150 ml per minute depending on the needs of the patient. A further feature is that the operation of the apparatus, as well as the temperature of the blood leaving the apparatus, is continuously monitored, and in the event of a malfunction operation is terminated and an alarm is sounded. Novel self-test provisions within the apparatus allow the operator to verify the operation of these monitoring circuits prior to placing the blood warming apparatus in service.
Sterility of the blood is maintained and contamination of the apparatus is avoided by use of a disposable flow system having a blood warming bag which fits within the apparatus in thermal communication with electric heating elements. An additional feature of that invention provides an alarm in the event of inadvertent removal of the blood processing bag from the apparatus, and AC-coupled sensing circuitry which measures the temperature of the blood at the inlet and outlet portions of the blood processing bag automatically controls the operation of the heating elements to more accurately maintain the output temperature of the blood.
However, the need exists for means to independently measure the operating temperature of such apparatus, both to verify its proper operation, and to facilitate adjustment of its control circuits. Preferably, such temperature measuring means should be convenient and simple to use, and should provide an accurate reading completely independent of the warming apparatus.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for measuring the operating temperature of apparatus for warming blood and other parental fluids prior to infusion into the human body.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for measuring the operating temperature of apparatus for warming blood and other parental fluids which is simple and convenient to use, and which provides an accurate measurement completely independent of the warming apparatus. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to apparatuses and methods for illumination of indicator lights such as in electrical devices.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Electrical circuit components and electrically powered devices often include light outputting devices that indicate status of power, operating, convenience, and safety functions of such components and devices. In many applications, the wiring to provide such indicators in a convenient location is messy, complex, and in some cases, increases the risk of short circuits or other electrical faults. Accordingly, a need exists for improved apparatuses and methods of providing such indicator lights. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a piston of a rotary piston engine with a housing defined or limited by two sidewalls and a n-arcuate trochoidal-shaped casing or mantle runway; the sidewalls have an eccentric shaft passing therethrough and an eccentric of a n+1-corner piston is located upon the eccentric shaft and sealing strips of the piston in a planetary movement are subject to continuous engagement at corners of the piston along the casing or mantle runway; and the piston rotates with axially fixed sealing strips along the engaged or adjoining sidewalls of the housing, such sealing strips being provided along the sidewalls thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A rotary piston engine with such a sealing system is described in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 27 37 758-Eiermann dated Mar. 1, 1979 belonging to the assignee of the present invention, with which a piston sidewall is sealed-off relative to an adjoining housing sidewall via webs forming stationary or fixed narrow sealing strips, which follow the piston contour or shape with a small spacing and in which the radial sealing strips engage in slits or slots that are aligned with grooves of these sealing strips. The other piston side is sealed-off relative to the housing sidewall located with respect thereto in a conventional manner via axial sealing strips and sealing bolts resiliently located in grooves. The groove springs of these sealing strips press the piston with deficient operating pressure subject to engagement along the movable sealing parts with the stationary webs against the sidewall of the housing located relative thereto. In operation, the piston is pressed against the piston sidewall via effectiveness or influence of the pressure gases upon a surface with webs located externally of the sealing limit of axially movable sealing parts. Such an arrangement to be sure results in a saving of half of the axial Sealing elements although the production and assembly of the remaining sealing elements however still require a considerable cost and complexity. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Many paper documents are promptly discarded after being read. Although paper is inexpensive, the quantity of discarded paper documents is enormous and the disposal of these discarded paper documents raises significant cost and environmental issues. Accordingly, there is a continuing desire for providing a new medium for containing the desired image, and methods for preparing and using such a medium. In aspects thereof it would be desirable to be reusable, to abate the cost and environmental issues, and desirably also is flexible and paper-like to provide a medium that is customarily acceptable to end-users and easy to use and store.
Although there are available technologies for transient image formation and storage, they generally provide less than desirable results for most applications as a paper substitute. For example, alternative technologies include liquid crystal displays, electrophoretics, and gyricon image media. However, these alternative technologies may not in a number of instances provide a document that has the appearance and feel of traditional paper, while providing the desired reimageability.
Imaging techniques employing photochromic materials, that is materials which undergo reversible or irreversible photoinduced color changes are known, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,948 discloses an imaging method based upon visible light induced changes in a photochromic imaging layer containing a dispersion of at least one photochromic material in an organic film forming binder.
One type of composition that can be used for forming photochromic papers is disclosed in Buncel et al. (J. T. C. Wojtyk, P. M. Kazmaier, E. Buncel, J Chem. Soc. Chem. Comm, 1703, (1998)). The composition exhibits life-times of at least two days for solutions in acetone of spiropyrans modified with chelating groups in the presence of metallic cations. The metal cation Mn+ can stabilize the open merocyanine form through chelation.
These and other photochromic (or electric or reimageable) papers are desirable because they can provide imaging media that can be reused many times, to transiently store images and documents. For example, applications for photochromic based media include reimageable documents such as, for example, electronic paper documents. Reimageable documents allow information to be kept for as long as the user wants, then the information can be erased or the reimageable document can be re-imaged using an imaging system with different information.
Although the above-described approaches have provided reimageable transient documents, there is a desire for reimageable paper designs that provide longer image life-times. For example, while the known approaches for photochromic paper provide transient visible images, the visible images have tended to be either purple in color, which provides less image contrast and not the desired black-and-white image, and/or tended to be short in duration such as on the order of several hours, which does not provide adequate life-times for some applications. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This specification relates to processing inputs through the layers of neural networks to generate outputs.
Neural networks are machine learning models that employ one or more layers of nonlinear units to predict an output for a received input. Some neural networks include one or more hidden layers in addition to an output layer. The output of each hidden layer is used as input to the next layer in the network, i.e., the next hidden layer or the output layer. Each layer of the network generates an output from a received input in accordance with current values of a respective set of parameters. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera and a program which improve accuracy of taken images by correcting image blur due to vibration.
2. Description of Related Art
Operations important for image-taking such as exposure determination and focusing, etc., of cameras that are currently used, have been completely automated, and even a person who is unskilled in camera operations is unlikely to cause an image-taking failure.
Furthermore, recently, a system that prevents vibration applied to the camera has also been studied, and factors that cause a photographer to fail in image taking have been reduced to almost zero.
Herein, a vibration isolation system that prevents vibration is briefly described.
For camera shake when image-taking appears as vibration with a frequency of, normally, 1 Hz through 10 Hz, and an essential consideration for enabling the camera to take a picture without image blur even when such vibration occurs at a point of exposure, it is required that camera shake due to vibration is detected and a correcting lens is displaced within an optical axis orthogonal plane according to the results of this detection (optical vibration isolation system).
Namely, in order to take a picture without image blur even when camera shake occurs, it becomes necessary that, first, camera vibration is accurately detected, and second, an optical axis change due to vibration is corrected.
Correction of image blur can be carried out by, in principle, mounting on a camera a vibration detecting part that detects acceleration, angular acceleration, angular velocity, and angular displacement by means of a laser gyro, etc., and carries out appropriate calculation for the results of this detection. Then, by driving a vibration correcting optical device (including a correcting lens) that makes an image-taking optical axis eccentric on the basis of the detection information on camera shake supplied from the vibration detecting part, image blur correction is carried out.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent No. 3110797 discloses a method in which image-taking is repeated a plurality of times in an exposure period with a length that does not cause vibration, and a plurality of images obtained through this image-taking are synthesized while correcting image divergence among the images to obtain a taken image (synthesized image) of a long exposure period.
Recent digital cameras have become smaller in size than silver-salt compact cameras, and in particular, a camera that has an image pickup device of a VGA class has been downsized so that it is built-in a portable electronics device (such as a portable phone).
Under these circumstances, in order to mount the abovementioned optical vibration isolation system on a camera, it is necessary that the vibration correcting optical device is made smaller or the vibration detecting part is made smaller.
However, in the vibration correcting optical device, since a correcting lens must be supported and highly accurately driven, there is a limit to downsizing. In addition, most of the vibration detecting parts that are currently used utilize inertia, so that if the vibration detecting parts are downsized, detection sensitivity lowers and accurate vibration correction becomes impossible.
Furthermore, vibration to be applied to cameras includes angular vibration around a predetermined axis and shifting vibration that shakes a camera parallel, and although the angular vibration is correctable by the optical vibration isolation system, the shifting vibration cannot be corrected by the optical vibration isolation system using inertia. Particularly, this shifting vibration tends to become greater as the camera becomes smaller.
On the other hand, as a different vibration isolation system, for being employed for taking a moving image, a method in which a motion vector of an image plane is detected based on an output of an image pickup device and an image readout position is changed according to the detected motion vector to obtain a moving image can also be employed.
Such a method has an advantage in that the entirety of the product can be downsized since the exclusive vibration detecting part and the correcting lens as in the abovementioned optical vibration isolation system become unnecessary.
However, this vibration isolation system for video cameras cannot be easily applied to digital cameras. The reason for this is described below.
Motion vector extraction in a video camera is carried out for each image reading, for example, when images of 15 frames are extracted per second, a motion vector is detected by comparing these extracted images.
However, in a case where a still image is taken by a digital camera, exposure is carried out only once for an object to be taken, so that detection of a motion vector through comparison of images as in a video camera is not possible.
Therefore, the vibration isolation system for video cameras cannot be simply applied to digital cameras.
On the other hand, in the vibration isolation method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3110797, since image-taking is repeated a plurality of times, an image-taking period becomes long. Therefore, if this method is recklessly used, it is feared that the number of failed pictures such as object vibration increase alternately.
In addition, a user must always note the use conditions of this vibration isolation method, and it becomes difficult to handle the system in comparison with a normal image-taking method in which image-taking is completed by one time of exposure. Hereinafter, this is described in detail.
Different from a silver-salt camera, in a digital camera, the sensitivity (imaging sensitivity) of the image pickup device can be freely changed. Therefore, even in a case of a dark object, by increasing the imaging sensitivity, vibration can be prevented to some extent.
Setting of the imaging sensitivity may be left to the camera (auto-setting) or may be set by a user himself/herself.
As mentioned above, in a digital camera, parameters that determine the necessity of use of vibration isolation are greater than in a silver-salt camera, so that it has become difficult for a user to judge whether or not a measure for vibration isolation is really necessary, and the system becomes difficult for users to handle.
Furthermore, in the abovementioned vibration isolation method, it is feared that a user experiences a sense of discomfort since exposure is carried out a plurality of times for one time of image taking.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a small-sized vibration isolation system for still-image-taking of digital cameras different from the vibration isolation system for video cameras and the optical vibration isolation system for silver-salt cameras.
In addition, another object of the invention is to provide a camera in which, even when a method in which image-taking is repeated a plurality of times in an exposure period with a length that does not cause vibration and images obtained through the plurality of times of image-taking are synthesized while correcting divergence to obtain a taken image (synthesized image) of a long exposure period is mounted in this digital camera, the camera automatically sets this operation and prevents image-taking failures, and prevents a user from experiencing a sense of discomfort in handling this operation. | {
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The invention relates to a high pressure mixing head for the production of a mixture of at least two, preferably chemically reactive, plastic components in a mixing chamber which has inlet openings for the individual components and a common outlet opening for the resulting component mixture. An expulsion piston of the same cross section as the mixing chamber, is arranged in the mixing chamber and adapted for reciprocating movement from a retracted position which leaves the inlet openings in the mixing chamber uncovered to an extended position in which the face of the piston is adjacent the common outlet opening, the inlet openings into the mixing chamber being covered by the piston in this later position.
The piston, furthermore, by reason of having the same cross section as the mixing chamber, serves to clear the walls of the mixing chamber of mixture residues as it moves to its extended position.
In a previously proposed mixing head of this type, the inlet openings or ports communicating the mixing chamber with the respective sources of the polymer components open and close alternately and simultaneously without any particular control means having to be provided for the opening and closing, since the inlet openings are respectively opened and closed with reciprocation of the expulsion piston.
The beginning of the injection operation, the so-called shot time, is determined by the beginning of movement of the expulsion piston, something which however in many cases leads to inaccuracy in metering the quantity of the plastics components because at the beginning of its movement the expulsion piston firstly has to be "got moving" out of the one into the other end position. Thus more especially in the case of a substantial elapse of time between two subsequent shots the expulsion piston inclines to "stick" in its particular end position. The consequence of this is that the actual shot time is less than the theoretical or theoretically desirable shot time, so that the metered quantity of the plastics components is too small and this leads to foam products which have to be rejected. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Replaceable wear liners for twin screw mixers and similar machines are well known, however, prior art liners of the required "hard" material, particularly in the case where the screws were of substantial length, are frequently difficult to machine to the required tolerances and present alignment and locating problems in installation. In many cases, in attempting to minimize the degree of precision of the machining operations for producing the liners, the liners are manufactured in sections, (see for example Worz U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,027) thereby increasing the difficulty of accurately installing the liners in position within their housing.
The present invention is especially directed to a liner assembly in which the surfaces of the liner are either flat or cylindrical, minimizing the difficulties of the forming operation to a point where full length liners can be readily constructed to a high degree of dimensional precision. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The advantages, conveniences and comforts that have been achieved by the use of satellites have become expected or even required nowadays. The use of satellites and especially telecommunications satellites is essentially required for carrying out many different functions and operations. For example, data and information are acquired, transmitted, and relayed by satellites in the fields of weather forecasting based on earth studies and weather pattern recognition, environmental studies and monitoring, reconnaissance, telephone communications, and television transmissions, among others. Additionally, it has now become possible to achieve a worldwide telephone network using mobile telephones linked through satellite communication. All of these manmade celestial bodies require a continuous supply of electrical power, and in some cases at a rather substantial power level, in order to carry out their required functions of acquiring, transmitting, and relaying data and other information. The necessary power supply must operate reliably without problems and without interruptions over a long operating lifespan. In order to provide the necessary electrical energy, it has been typical to use solar generators comprising solar cells mounted on suitable carrier structures such as panel structures. In this context, the carrier structure is suitable if it is able to reliably withstand the arising loads, is compatible with the material of the solar cells, and still remains lightweight and cost economical. The arising loads include the mechanical loads during launch and during deployment, for example, while the compatibility between the support structure and the solar cell material includes compatibility of the respective thermal expansion coefficients of the materials and electrical insulation or isolation of the solar cells, for example.
More specifically, solar generators suitable for powering satellites must be able to reliably provide a substantially constant power output during a prescribed operating lifetime on the order of 10 to 12 years. Solar cells made of silicon or gallium arsenide on a lightweight support structure are particularly suitable in this context. The support structure in turn must comprise certain characteristics so as not to negatively influence other components of the satellite, such as antennas, tanks, orbital path tracking systems and the like.
The major mechanical loads on the solar generator arise during the launch process, and especially involve vibrations with an acceleration of 30 Gs, i.e. 30 times the earth's gravity. In order to withstand these mechanical loads, the solar generator, and particularly the support structure, must be so designed and constructed to withstand the forces arising from such vibrations and such extreme acceleration conditions. An additional mechanical load results from the noise pressure that arises under the aerodynamic fairing or nose cone at the nose of the rocket or launch vehicle due to the extremely loud noise generated by the rocket engines upon ignition and during the launch phase. The portions of lightweight support structures that are most seriously endangered by this noise pressure loading are sandwich composite components having extremely thin cover skins.
A few minutes after a successful launch of a satellite, the various functions of the satellite are tested and monitored while the satellite is located in a low earth orbit. Then, the solar generator panels are unfolded and deployed, before the telecommunications satellite is moved through a transitional orbital path to its final geostationary orbital path by means of reignition of the rocket engine or positional thrusters. The solar generator typically includes two solar panels or wings having a length of up to 12 m. These long solar panel wings present an inertial mass such that the corresponding support structure is subject to a bending load upon the ignition and again upon the shut-down of the satellite engine or thrusters. Once the satellite is in a stable orbit, then the solar panel support structures are only subject to loads caused by temperature variations and associated thermal expansion of the components.
Since it is an especially important goal to achieve a low weight of the solar generator in flying bodies such as earth-launched satellites, it is desirable to use fiber-reinforced composite materials for fabricating the support structures, because such composite materials provide a considerably higher specific strength and stiffness in comparison to all metal materials. In order to achieve the stiffest and lightest support structure possible, it is especially suitable to use laminates of high modulus fibers in the form of a sandwich construction. The basic arrangement of a sandwich construction, which may be used as a support structure for the solar cells of a solar generator for a telecommunications satellite, is shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 2 and 3 show conventional improved support structures that are able to withstand greater mechanical loads than the simpler structure shown in FIG. 1.
It has been determined that the main mechanical loads effective on the support structure comprise vibrations in the frequency range from 30 Hz to 100 Hz, while secondary loads resulting from the noise pressure arise in a frequency range from 150 Hz to 500 Hz. The loads resulting from the noise pressure during launch of the rocket increase sharply with the dimensions of the solar generator, and especially the panel area dimensions thereof. Thus, the maximum size of the solar generator is limited by its ability to withstand the noise pressure loads resulting during launch. Moreover, the deformations of the support structure resulting from the vibrations and noise pressure cause damage to the sensitive solar cells mounted on the support structure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to patch applicator apparatus and more particularly to magnetic patch attachment apparatus for separating a magnetic patch from a tape and applying the patch to another material such as the liner of a passbook.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Magnetic patches comprise an oxide material and each patch is releasably carried in a longitudinally spaced successive position on a tape for application to respective passbooks, for example. In applying a magnetic patch, strip or segment to each passbook, it is necessary that the patch and tape separate properly and that the position and movement of the patch be synchronized with the position and movement of each passbook for properly engaging each patch with a successive passbook in a predetermined location.
The separation of the patch from the tape together with proper positioning of the patch relative the passbook, has heretofore been difficult to provide economically and efficiently. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reception device for wireless charging and, more particularly, to a device mounted on the rear casing of a terminal, such as a smart phone, and configured to enable wireless charging for the terminal.
Discussion of the Related Art
In recent years, as communication and information processing technology are advanced, the use of portable smart terminals, such as smart phones, is gradually increased. With the development of technologies, terminals of new models having improved performance continue to be released.
Furthermore, a charging method that is most widely used is a method of directly connecting an adaptor connected to power to a smart terminal and charging the smart phone using external power or connecting the adaptor to a smart terminal through the USB terminal of a host and charging the smart terminal using USB power supplied by the host.
In order to solve a problem in that a smart terminal must be directly connected to an adaptor or a host through a connection line or a problem inherent in a contact charging method that occurs when the contact terminal of a smart terminal is externally exposed, a contactless or wireless charging method for charging the battery using magnetic coupling without an electrical contact is gradually applied to smart terminals.
In recent products, a reception device for wireless charging is basically installed in a terminal and the casing or replaceable battery of a terminal, enabling wireless charging. In contrast, in the case of a product from which a casing is separated in order to replace a battery from among products not having a wireless charging reception function, the casing on which a reception device for wireless charging has been mounted is developed and separately sold.
In order to implement a wireless charging function in a terminal after the terminal is released, however, a wireless charging reception device must be separately mounted on a casing. Accordingly, there is a problem in that it is difficult to use the terminal or an external appearance of the terminal is poor because the thickness of the casing becomes thicker than the original thickness of the casing. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vibration wave driving apparatus, such as an ultrasonic motor, and to a vibration member for use in the vibration wave driving apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ultrasonic motor (vibration wave driving apparatus) may be employed as, e.g., a driving source for a camera lens. Two types of ultrasonic motors include one having a ring-shaped vibration member and another one having a bar-shaped vibration member.
FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate a conventional bar-shaped vibration member; specifically, FIG. 13A is a longitudinal sectional view of the vibration member, and FIG. 13B shows a vibration mode of the vibration member in the radial (R) direction. FIG. 14 shows a bar-type ultrasonic motor using a vibration member differing in construction from the vibration member of FIG. 13. FIG. 15 shows a bar-type ultrasonic motor using the vibration member of FIG. 13.
Referring to FIG. 13, the vibration member comprises a first elastic member 1 made of a metal, a second elastic member 2 made of a metal, a multilayered piezoelectric device (or a laminate of single-plate type piezoelectric devices) 3 serving as an electro-mechanical energy transducer, a shaft 4 having a step 4a formed substantially in its central area with a larger outer diameter than other areas and having threaded portions at opposite ends thereof (not shown), and a nut 5. The multilayered piezoelectric device 3 and a flexible printed circuit board (not shown) are disposed between the two elastic members 1 and 2. Using those parts, the vibration member is assembled as follows. The shaft 4 is inserted so as to penetrate through hollow central portions of the first elastic member 1, the multilayered piezoelectric device 3, the flexible printed circuit board, and the second elastic member 2, until the step of the shaft 4 abuts against the first elastic member 1. The nut 5 is screwed and fastened over the threaded end of the penetrating shaft 4 so that the multilayered piezoelectric device 3 is firmly fixed between the two elastic members 1 and 2 under a predetermined compressive force.
The vibration member in the ultrasonic motor of FIG. 14 utilizes an alternative structure including a shaft 4 in the form of a bolt. A laminate of single-plate type piezoelectric devices is firmly sandwiched between the first elastic member 1 and the second elastic member 2 by screwing a threaded portion formed substantially in an axially central area of the shaft 4 with a threaded portion formed at an inner periphery of the first elastic member 1.
In FIGS. 14 and 15, a rotor 7 has a structure in which a spring ring contacts an upper surface of the first elastic member 1, where the spring ring has a small contact width and appropriate resiliency, the spring ring is disposed below a main rotor ring, and a distal end surface of the spring ring is positioned in contact with a frictional surface of the vibration member. The other surface of the rotor 7, on a side opposite the spring ring, has a projection (or a recess) formed thereon (therein) for mating a recess (a projection) of a gear 8 that is rotated together with the rotor for transmitting a motor output. The gear 8 is fixedly positioned in the thrust direction of the shaft 4 by a flange 10 for mounting the motor, and a pressing spring 15 for imparting a pressing force to the rotor 7 is disposed between the gear 8 and the rotor 7. A ring bearing 9 is provided between the gear 8 and the flange 10, to prevent rotation. A nut 11 is screwed over a threaded distal end portion of the shaft 4 for fixing the flange 10 in place.
Electrodes of the multilayered piezoelectric device 3 (or the laminate of single-plate type piezoelectric devices) are divided into two electrode groups. When AC voltages having different phases are applied to the respective electrode groups from a power supply (not shown), the vibration member is excited with two modes of bending vibrations having orthogonal displacements, as shown in FIG. 13B (FIG. 13B shows one mode of the vibration displacements; the other mode of the vibration displacements occurs in a direction perpendicular to the drawing sheet). By adjusting the phases of the applied voltages, the two modes of vibrations can be provided with a 90-degree phase difference in time. As a result, the bar-shaped vibration member can be excited with gyrating motions in such a manner that the vibration member rotates about its axis.
Consequently, an elliptic motion is developed on the upper surface of the first elastic member 1 which is in contact with the rotor 7. The rotor 7 pressed against the wear-resistant surface member of the first elastic member is thus frictionally driven, whereby the rotor 7, the gear 8 and the pressing spring 15 are rotated as a unit in opposed relation to the first elastic member.
FIG. 15 illustrates a modification of the ultrasonic motor of FIG. 14. This version has a simplified structure that reduces the cost of manufacture. In the vibration member of FIG. 14, because a lower end portion of the shaft 4 has a large diameter, the shaft must be cut from a large-diameter material. Therefore, a longer relative working time is required and the material cost is wastefully increased. Another disadvantage is that, since the shaft has a large diameter difference between an upper portion and a lower portion thereof, the vibration member of FIG. 14 is not suitable for plastic working, such as forging, which is relatively inexpensive; rather, the shaft must be formed by machining.
The ultrasonic motor of FIG. 15 is free from those disadvantages. Namely, the ultrasonic motor of FIG. 15 reduces the cost of manufacturing by forming a shaft into a shape obtainable by forging.
The bar-type ultrasonic motors of FIGS. 13 to 15 are much smaller than ring-type ultrasonic motors, and individual parts are simpler in shape than those of the ring-type ultrasonic motors, thereby minimizing the working cost of the parts.
In order to further reduce the motor size, a proposal for shortening the motor length has also been made.
With a reduction of the motor size, however, the part size is also reduced, which is disadvantageous from the standpoint of part strength. Assuming, for example, the case of manufacturing a motor using a vibration member that has a size reduced to ½ of the vibration member of FIG. 13, the diameters of the elastic members and the shaft are reduced to ½ and therefore the area of a contact surface between the elastic member 1, 2 and the piezoelectric device 3 is reduced to ¼.
To keep the surface pressure in such a contact surface equal to that before the size reduction, the cross-sectional area (i.e., the tensile strength) of the shaft can be reduced to ¼ without problem because the fastening force required for tightening the nut against the shaft is also reduced to ¼. When the elastic members are fastened using screws, as with the vibration member of FIG. 13, the required fastening torque also becomes ¼ on condition that the fastening torque is proportional to the compressive force in the axial direction of the shaft. However, since the maximum shearing stress τ generated in the shaft is expressed by τ=16T/πd3 (where T is the fastening torque and d is the shaft diameter), it becomes twice that generated in the shaft having the original size. In other words, the strength of the shaft is reduced to ½ if the same material is used. Particularly, where one end portion (upper half portion) of the shaft has a smaller diameter as shown in FIG. 13, the following problem occurs. In fastening the nut 5 with a jig 24 as shown in FIG. 17, the shaft 4 is fixed using a jig 25 and prevented from turning. However, when the nut is fastened with the jig 25 gripping the smaller-diameter portion of the shaft 4, a torsional rupture is apt to occur in the smaller-diameter portion. Hence, the fastening torque cannot be applied at a sufficient level.
Also, for a vibration member having a size larger than a certain value, as shown in FIG. 16, the vibration member can be assembled by applying a prestress (indicated by P in FIG. 16) from above while supporting the step of the shaft 4 with a jig 23 or the like, holding the shaft 4, the elastic members 1, 2 and the piezoelectric device 3 together in a fixed condition, and then fastening the nut 5 with a jig 22 fitted over the nut 5. For a vibration member having a small size (with the shaft diameter of, for example, not more than 2 mm), however, even a space for allowing insertion of the jig 23 cannot be ensured.
On the other hand, when such a Langevin vibration member as shown in FIG. 13 has a structure wherein the first elastic member 1 is formed with a threaded portion similar to that of the nut 5 and the piezoelectric device is fastened while gripping the nut 5 and the first elastic member 1, a difficulty arises in setting, to a predetermined position, the relative position of a group of the elastic members 1, 2, the piezoelectric device 3 and the nut 5, which are fastened into a single unit, with respect to the shaft 4 in the thrust direction thereof.
More specifically, when the nut 5 is rotated and fastened while the first elastic member 1 is fixedly gripped, the shaft 4 is also rotated together with the nut 5 by frictional forces produced in the threaded portion of the nut 5. Therefore, the shaft 4 is moved upward, as viewed in FIG. 13, relative to the first elastic member 1. In other words, as the nut 5 is rotated and fastened, the first elastic member 1 is moved farther away from the flange 10. Because the amount by which the shaft 4 is moved differs depending on each case, it is difficult to always arrange the shaft 4 and the first elastic member 1 in the same relative position. This leads to a difficulty in setting a constant rotor pressing force in the structure wherein the rotor pressing force is defined/set depending on the distance between the flange 10 fixed to the shaft 4 and the first elastic member 1. | {
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Torque biasing systems can be implemented in vehicle components including, but not limited to, a transfer case, a power take-off unit (PTU) and an axle. Torque biasing systems regulate torque transfer between an input and an output. More specifically, a clutch pack is operably disposed between the input and the output. The degree of engagement of the clutch pack is varied to regulate the amount of torque transferred from the input to the output. For example, when the clutch pack is disengaged, there is no torque transfer from the input to the output. When the clutch pack is fully engaged or locked, all of the torque is transferred from the input to the output. When partially engaged, a corresponding portion of the torque is transferred from the input to the output.
The degree of clutch pack engagement is adjusted by a linear force that is imparted on the clutch pack via an actuator system. Traditional actuator systems include an electric motor and a clutch operator mechanism. The clutch operator mechanism converts the torque generated by the electric motor into the linear force, which can be amplified prior to being imparted on the clutch pack. The electric motor is controlled based on a control signal generated by a control system.
Conventional control systems use closed-loop control to regulate a specified system parameter. When the specified system parameter has an accurate means of feedback, such as is the case with direct sensing, the overall system accuracy is sufficient. In the case where the specified system parameter is not directly measurable, system accuracy is difficult to achieve.
Torque biasing systems are typically controlled based on a parameter other than torque, because torque is not easily measurable and torque sensors are not readily available. Torque sensors, however, would not be a total solution because the actual torque generated by a vehicle system is often much slower than is required by the biasing device. As a result, conventional torque biasing systems are not controlled as accurately as is desired. | {
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Any machine learning algorithm for classification/regression highly depends on the type and quality of the feature set. A feature set should ideally reduce intra-class variance and still be highly discriminative. Generally, it is desirable to use a rather small set of features to avoid dimensionality related problems and to speed up training and classification. Due to their simplicity, it is quite common to use linear features as the input to a classifier. There is a variety of powerful analysis methods, which derive linear features from raw input data including principal component analysis, Fisher discriminant analysis, Fourier transforms, Sobel-gradients, wavelets, and haar-likes.
Support vector machines (SVMs) are a class of learning algorithms for classification/regression that are particularly useful for high dimensional input data with either large or small training sets. Support vector machines suitable for class identification problems work by mapping the input features to the SVM into a high-dimensional feature space and computing linear functions on those mapped features in the high-dimensional feature space. The optimization problem that must be solved during training of a support vector machine has a global minimum and can generally be solved with standard quadratic programming tools. In operation, a support vector machine creates a function from a set of labeled training data. The function can either be a classification function where the output is a binary decision (the input being a category) or the function can be a general regression function. For classification, support vector machines operate by finding a hypersurface in the feature space (of the SVM). This hypersurface will attempt to split the positive examples from the negative examples. The split will be chosen to have the largest distance from the hypersurface to the nearest of the positive and negative examples, generally making the classification correct for testing data that is near, but not identical to the training data.
There are two simple conventional methods to train and evaluate a support vector machine using linear input features. The first method caches all linear feature vectors zi=Axi, (i.e., it pre-computes the linear features zi; xi denotes the raw input data of training sample i, and A is a matrix specifying all the linear features that are to be derived from the input data xi.) and then uses these vectors to calculate kernel elements K(zi, zj). Evaluation of a classifier then simply transforms an input pattern x to z=Ax and uses K(z, zi) in
class ( x ) = sign [ ( ∑ i = 1 n y i α i K ( z , z i ) ) + b ] = sign [ ( ∑ i = 1 n y i α i K ( Ax , z i ) ) + b ] where αi is the optimal solution of the maximization problem, b the associated threshold, and yi ε{−1,+1} the pattern label of support vector i.
For a large number of linear features (e.g., larger than a few thousand) it is usually not possible to store all vectors zi in memory, either for training or for evaluation. For instance, assuming a derivation of 250,000 linear features from each input data of dimension k<<250,000, a single feature vector may require more than one megabyte of memory storage making training sets with n>1,000 prohibitively expensive with present day computational resources.
Alternatively, to conserve memory, the function zi=Axi can be computed each time a kernel element K((zi, zj) is accessed. This requires only storage of the original training examples xi. Evaluating a classifier then computes z=Ax and zi=Axi for each support vector i. However, this method is computationally very expensive because training a support vector machine needs many evaluations of the kernel function. Even with a kernel cache, far more than 106 kernel evaluations to train a classifier on a training set may be required. | {
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Many printers offer the ability to print documents with a large variety of text fonts. To provide this capability, the printer includes a memory in which font data is stored. In essence, the font data comprises the information needed to convert a command from a computer, or the like, to print a particular character into the control signals necessary for the printer to print an image of the character in the designated font. Each different shape, or glyph, in the font is defined by a unique code word. To print a document, the computer identifies the font to be used, and then sends the code words for the successive characters.
The number of different fonts that can be printed, and the efficiency with which they are printed, is influenced by the amount of memory in the printer. Typically, the memory of the printer might be pre-loaded with a number of the most common fonts. When printing a document containing these fonts, the code words for the characters in the document are sent directly to the printer, where the prestored font information enables that data to be quickly converted into the appropriate printing signals.
It is sometimes desirable to print characters or symbols other than those contained in the fonts that are prestored in the printer. To accommodate this situation, a font can be downloaded to the printer, and stored in its memory, prior to the commencement of the printing operation itself. If more than one font is required for the document, each font can be downloaded into the memory, and the printer can switch between them as needed. If the size of the printer's memory is not sufficient to hold the data for all of the needed fonts, the printing operation might be halted, as a result of which the document is not printed.
Of course, the performance of the printing operation, particularly the ability to print a document with multiple fonts, can be enhanced by increasing the amount of memory in the printer. However, increased memory also results in a higher price for the printer, and therefore is not always feasible or desirable.
The problem of font management versus memory size is exacerbated in the case of fonts having large character sets. More particularly, many fonts associated with the Roman languages have a maximum of 256 glyphs, i.e. representable shapes. Thus, each glyph can be represented with a single byte of data. However, it may be desirable to print characters from a font which contains more than 256 glyphs. For example, the Chinese alphabet might contain up to 30,000 characters. To encode all of these characters in a font, two bytes of data per glyph are required. In the past, when a font having a large character set was encountered in the document, the entire document was converted into a bit-mapped image at the resolution of the printer, and then sent to the printer. The need to convert the text into a bit map significantly slows the printing operation, relative to the time required to print a document consisting of only 256-character fonts. Furthermore, the time required to convert the document into a bit-mapped image is directly related to the resolution of the printer, as a result of which higher resolution printers are most adversely affected by this process.
In an effort to avoid bit map conversions, an approach has been employed in which a font having a large character set is divided into two or more subfonts, each having a maximum of 256 characters. For example, the first subfont might consist of the first 256 characters in the original font, the next subfont might comprise the second set of 256 characters in the original font, and so on. As the document is printed, the printer switches between the different subfonts as needed to print the individual characters.
The need to switch between the fonts slows the overall printing process, and the management of the multiple subfonts can become complicated. Furthermore, this approach can only be used where the printer has sufficient memory to store all of the subfonts. If the memory is insufficient, such as in the case of fonts having extremely large character sets, for example those of the Asian languages, it is still necessary to convert the document into a bit-mapped image, or to halt the printing operation.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a more efficient approach to the management of fonts during an imaging process, particularly in connection with fonts having large character sets. | {
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It is known to form nitrodiarylamines from nitrohaloarenes and N-acylaromatic amines or other activated form of the amine in the presence of a so-called acid acceptor for which purpose potassium carbonate is commonly used. For reasons which have not heretofore been explained, sodium carbonate gives inferior results. The process suffers from the disadvantages, among others, that large amounts of inorganic salts are required and large amounts of by-products are formed. The disposal of by-products creates an environmental problem. A process has now been discovered which reduces the amount of inorganic material required, minimizes side reactions and reduces the load on the environment. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of network security and more particularly to security enforcement point processing of encrypted data in a communications path.
2. Description of the Related Art
Internet security has increasingly become the focus of information technologists who participate in globally accessible computer networks. In particular, with the availability and affordability of broadband Internet access, even within the small enterprise, many computers and small computer networks enjoy continuous access to the Internet. Notwithstanding, continuous, high-speed access is not without its price. Specifically, those computers and computer networks which heretofore had remained disconnected from the security risks of the Internet now have become the primary target of malicious Internet malfeasors.
To address the vulnerability of computing devices exposed to the global Internet, information technologists intend to provide true, end-to-end security for data in the Internet through secure communications. Transport Layer Security (TLS) and its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), are cryptographic protocols which provide secure communications on the Internet for such things as web browsing, e-mail, Internet faxing, instant messaging and other data transfers. There are slight differences between SSL 3.0 and TLS 1.0, but the protocol remains substantially the same. In operation, TLS involves two processing phases. First, there is a key exchange or “handshake” phase, in which the server and client attempt to agree upon an encryption suite to be used for data transmission. Subsequently, a bulk encryption or data transmission phase is carried out in which the desired content is transmitted using the agreed-upon encryption suite.
The secured communications path defined between two TLS endpoints often incorporate one or more security enforcement points such as a virtual private network (VPN)/firewall. Security enforcement points generally are no different than any other computing device excepting that the computing device supporting a security enforcement point hosts logic including program code enabled to support security services such as IP packet filtering, intrusion detection, load balancing and quality of service (QoS) setting management. Yet, where a security enforcement point has been positioned in the midst of a TLS secure communications path, the enforcement point will have no access to cleartext data in traversing data. Consequently, the security function of a security enforcement point in a secure TLS communications path will have become inoperable as most security functions require access to unencrypted, cleartext data.
In response, customers often choose between not running encryption (or at least not for the entire communications path), or running encryption on a hop-by-hop basis so that cleartext is available at the enforcement points. In the latter circumstance, even if the entire communications path has been protected end-to-end in a hop-by-hop configuration, the authentication as a whole is not end-to-end. Rather, a given node authenticates only to the next hop node. Additionally, in the hop-by-hop configuration, the TLS server key and certificate along with the private key and certificate must be stored at each enforcement point—an undesirable outcome.
Other TLS proxy methods have been proposed to provide security gateways and SSL aware enforcement points. These proposals usually involve sharing the private key and certificate of the TLS server endpoint, where the private key is used to monitor the session, or terminating the client to server session in the enforcement point (hop-by-hop encryption). Additionally, yet other key recovery schemes have been proposed to save the keys from TLS session in central key recovery server so that the clear text of the recorded TLS session could be recovered at a later time. | {
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The invention concerns a process and a device for sealing barrier constructions in subterranean galleries, especially in salt mines.
In subterranean mining, the task of sealing hollow spaces relative to a stressing medium, which can be either fluids or gasses, falls to the transversal seals. In horizontal mines, these seals are referred to as barriers or barrier constructions. Through this, both the static, as well as the sealing, function is assigned to the barrier construction material. As to tightness, failures occur frequently, especially in potash and rock salt mining. This can be attributed primarily to the fact that, with conventional transversal seals connected with the mine, crack formations arise in the contact area between the barrier and the mine. The crack formations are due to excessive tensile tensions.
In the case of an imperfect (i.e., permeable) contact between the tight barrier body and the tight mine, the tightness is attained by means of additional sealing elements or sealing measures.
Additional sealing elements may be either a ring seal, for sealing the contact zone on the circumference of the barrier body, or a surface seal, for sealing the entire cross-section, including the contact zone.
As to the physical contact mechanism of the sealing medium, there are different types of seals. Some seals use the pure adhesion effect and other seals use the overpressure effect.
With seals using the pure adhesion effect, the sealing agent may hold and seal in a solid form, such as, for example, bitumen or plastic tracks and/or metal foils. The seals may also hold and seal in plastic to viscous form, such as, for example, clay, bitumen, or a sand asphalt. Such seals hold and seal by means of adhesion effects to the, and its own substance tightness between the, impermeable static solid bodies to be sealed. Differential movements between barrier bodies and mines as a consequence of the static load absorption and load diminution through the blocking construction can impair the adhesive sealing effect. Thus, local or zonal mechanical overstressings of the (originally tight) static support impair the effect of sealing.
Under high mechanical stressing, high fluid pressure, or steep pressure gradients, as well as under strong deformations or differential movements under loads, sealing systems may work in a purely adhesive manner. Such sealing systems can therefore lose their effectiveness under the influence of different damage mechanisms.
In the seals which operate through overpressure, the sealing media stand in solid form, such as, for example, bitumen, under overpressure relative to the pressure of the sealing, fluid, or gaseous stressing medium. This overpressure prevents the penetration of the medium into the contact joints. Adhesion properties of the sealing material may also support this sealing mechanism.
Such a sealing retains its effectiveness if, and as long as, this overpressure operates.
The overpressure of this type of sealing relative to the pressure of the media to be sealed can be produced through mechanically working elements, such as, for example, hydraulic cylinders, hydrostatic overpressure effects, and physical-chemical effects, through sources under overpressure.
Special problems result with sealing in the salt mines, since seepage occurs in the mine through the exchange of substances between salt brine and the mine.
DE-PS No. 195 434 depicts a barrier seal, especially for salt mines, in which the shaft or the gallery is covered before the barrier door with tubbing or brickwork. The barrier door itself lies with its frame against a wedging collar. The sealing in the contact area between the wedging collar and the mine is accomplished through picotages. The space between the tubbing and the mine is filled up with cement. In the cement behind the tubbings or the brickwork, air chambers are formed which are provided as support and pressing chambers, and allow checking of the value and reliability of the seal or the sealing between the cement and the mine. If it should so happen that, for example, the water blocked out is infiltrating as the result of hair-line cracks, then the chambers can be filled with cement in order to again produce a flawless sealing. There is further constructed a system of tubbing, in order to create a new observation chamber. It is disadvantageous that a lasting seal cannot be attained with the standing of incompletely saturated salt solutions as a consequence of back-rinsings from the picotages.
From DE-PS No. 198 375, there is known a mine blocking device for cross-cuttings or galleries in mineral salt or potash salt or the like, or in other soluble mining layers. In order to prevent the barrier position from becoming loose from the water standing behind the barrier to the submerged mining space, so that the salt mine disintegrates and can no longer be maintained, one or several pipe tubings are provided from the surface. Using the tubings, a space sealed between two barriers or barrier doors is filled with a saturated solution of such salts as stand in the transversal cut or the gallery, and are kept under pressure. Through this, it should be recognized that only saturated solutions can flow out through the existing cracks from the submerged and the protected mining space, and can thereby not enlarge the existing cracks. Since, however, the internal intrados of the barrier nonetheless comes into contact with the unsaturated penetration solution, the danger of seepage exists.
Through DE-PS No. 239 992, there are known a process and device for securing mine spaces to be protected against the submerged mine spaces of a salt mine. In order to create a sealing, a cushion of a gaseous or fluid body, which is indifferent to salts, is provided between a barrier door and the water or the brine. Air is suggested as a gas, and oil is suggested as a fluid. A compressor provides for the maintenance of the air cushion. Since sealing, relative to gas pressure, is extraordinarily difficult, and since in either level or slightly inclined galleries, the gas cushion, because of the varying densities of air and salt brine, is not mounted over the entire cross-section, an adequate sealing cannot be attained.
DD-PS No. 135 103 concerns a process for sealing galleries in soluble mine layers. There is positioned before the static support a hollow space section with material which is inert relative to the salt mine (for example, bitumen), and then buffer lye, which is supersaturated relative to the salt mine. Convection and diffusion are kept slight through the filling out of the hollow, cross-sectional space with heaps of debris and blocking walls, and with displaced openings. The possibility of saturation exists with the unsaturated lye. Through the positioning of an overpressure space, which is filled with a material (silicon oil) which is inert relative to the mine and the bitumen, a penetration of the lye into the area of the sealing packagings is impeded, as long as the overpressure can be maintained. From the air side, pressure measurements, sample extractions, and extrusion of buffer lye are undertaken through pipe tubings, and extrusions are carried out, and an overpressure relative to the lye pressure is produced. In order to rule out the appearance of dissolutions, a long hollow space section with a thrust space insulation is provided. This is not completely brought forward to the static support, so that the possibility of sealing the extruding mine area does not occur in the sealing medium. In order to impede or limit the backcreeping of the thrust insulation, the insulation is bound several times in radially running direction slits, which are extruded with plastic. It is disadvantageous that the overpressure in the sealing system must always be adjusted to the pressure of the standing interference media. Such adjustments require the aid of pumps, which are not maintenance-free, cannot maintain the necessary pressure, and cannot be used as long as the barrier is accessible from one side. | {
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The present invention is based on a sensor for the determination of gas constituents and/or gas concentrations in gas mixtures, particularly CO, NO.sub.x and HC in the exhaust gases of internal-combustion engines. Such a sensor includes a measuring element having a gas sensitive region as well as a pumping cell and pumping electrodes disposed on a solid electrolyte carrier for effecting oxygen transfer. The gas constituents to be determined will hereinafter be called contaminant constituents.
Probes of this type determine the contaminant concentration in exhaust gases by a change in the conductivity of, for example, semiconductive oxides or oxide mixtures. If conductivity is to be used for a measurement of The concentrations of oxidizable or reducible contaminants in exhaust gases, a transverse oxygen sensitivity results. If the oxygen partial pressures are particularly low and also in conjunction with high temperatures, metal oxides, for example SnO.sub.2 or In.sub.2 O.sub.3, experience a reduction of the metal oxide which results in malfunctioning of the sensor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,166 discloses a method of measuring combustible constituents in a fuel-gas atmosphere wherein an electrochemical measuring cell and a pumping cell are provided. The measuring cell sets the electrical pumping potential to such a level that sufficient oxygen is pumped into the interior chamber to cause combustion of the combustible constituents. The amount of oxygen pumped is precisely the amount required to always produce a stoichiometric mixture at the measuring cell. The pumping current is utilized as a measure for the percentage of combustible constituents.
If oxygen is pumped toward the interior pumping electrode, the diffusion inhibiting effect of the protective layer causes an oxygen partial pressure which is higher than that of the exhaust gas to develop in the sensitive region. However, part of the oxygen diffuses through the layers and through the protective layer disposed between the sensitive region and the exhaust gas, and acting as a diffusion barrier, and reaches the oxygen-poor exhaust gas. The magnitude of the oxygen partial pressure is thus determined by the magnitude of the O.sub.2 pumping current, the porosity of the individual layers, and the cross-sectional area determinative for the O.sub.2 diffusion current. It is of advantage to have an excess oxygen or the highest possible oxygen partial pressure in the sensitive region compared to the oxygen partial pressure in the exhaust gas to thus eliminate as much as possible the dependency of the sensitive region on oxygen partial pressure fluctuations in the exhaust gas. This can be realized, on the one hand, by increasing the O.sub.2 pumping current. However, any arbitrary increase of the pumping current is restricted to physical and electrochemical limits. On the other hand, the increase in oxygen partial pressure in the sensitive layer can be realized by a thicker and/or denser protective layer. However, this reduces the sensitivity of the sensitive region for the contaminant constituents to be measured in the exhaust gas. | {
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The pneumatic pressure (inflation state) of a vehicle's tires dramatically influences various aspects such as, inter alia, driving safety, fuel consumption and life expectancy of the tires. An underinflated or overinflated tire will wear off much quicker than a tire that is kept inflated at the manufacturer recommended pneumatic pressure. Another aspect influenced by the inflation state of the vehicle's tires is the driving experience. Properly inflated tires insure a much more accurate steering, shorter acceleration periods and improved vehicle stability.
Public awareness has greatly increased, and in the United States, legislation such as the TREAD Act, requires passenger cars to be equipped with Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS). Similar legislation is expected to enter to European Union, and many manufacturers of cars, tires and vehicle accessories and safety equipment are rising to the challenge. | {
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Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits in computers or other electronic devices. There are many different types of memory including volatile and non-volatile memory. Volatile memory can require power to maintain its data and includes random-access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), among others. Non-volatile memory can provide persistent data by retaining stored data when not powered and can include NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, read only memory (ROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM), and resistance variable memory such as phase change random access memory (PCRAM), resistive random access memory (RRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM), and magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), among others.
Memory is also utilized as volatile and non-volatile data storage for a wide range of electronic applications. Non-volatile memory may be used in, for example, personal computers, portable memory sticks, digital cameras, cellular telephones, portable music players such as MP3 players, movie players, and other electronic devices. Memory cells can be arranged into arrays, with the arrays being used in memory devices.
Memory can be part of a memory system used in computing devices. Memory systems can include volatile, such as DRAM, for example, and/or non-volatile memory, such as Flash memory or RRAM, for example. | {
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This application claims priority from Japanese patent application Serial No. 2000-282865 filed Sep. 19, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper feeding apparatus, and more particularly, relates to a paper feeding apparatus wherein it is possible to prevent a image reading turbulence in a image reading device or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, for example, in a image reading device, in the case where a lot of scripts are automatically carried and read, there is an automatic paper feeding mechanism (ADF). The automatic paper feeding mechanism comprises a pick mechanism which moves a plurality of sheets of paper mounted on a shooter to a specified preparing position; a separating mechanism which takes in the paper put on the preparing position one by one; and a feed mechanism which has a feed roller and a discharge roller for carrying the paper.
FIG. 8 is an description drawing of a conventional embodiment. In FIG. 8, to the feed mechanism, a feed roller 11 and a discharge roller 23 are provided. Furthermore, a driven roller 24 is provided corresponding to each of the feed roller 11 and the discharge roller 23.
At the feed roller 11, a feed roller gear 36 for driving the feed roller 11 is provided. Furthermore, at the discharge roller 23, a discharge roller gear 40 for driving the discharge roller 23 is provided. Then, the feed roller gear 36 is driven through a train of gears 34, 35 by a motor or the like. Furthermore, the discharge roller gear 40 is driven through a train of gears 37, 38, 39 by a motor or the like.
The paper such as a script is supplied to a reading position from the feed roller 11 and discharged by the discharge roller 23. This discharge roller gear 40 is driven by a train of gears 37, 38, 39 or the like, and therefore, there is a backlash between engaged gears. Because of this backlash, there has been such a case where the discharge roller slips and the paper momentarily stops when the rear end of the paper is separated from a pair of rollers (a feed roller 11 and a driven roller 24) just before the reading position.
This slip is caused by the fact less than 1 greater than in order to prevent a looseness of the paper at the reading position, the discharge roller 23 sends the paper a little faster than the feed roller 11 (the paper is pulled to the discharge roller 23 side), and therefore, a reaction is caused when the rear end of the paper is separated from the pair of rollers just before the reading position and less than 2 greater than the paper is kicked in the discharge direction by the above described pair of rollers when the rear end of the paper is separated from the pair of rollers just before the reading position.
In the case of the above described conventional embodiment, when the rear end of the paper is separated from the pair of rollers just before the reading position, a image turbulence has clearly been shown. Especially, in the case of a color scanner, it has been shown as a color drift, and shown more remarkably.
It is an object of the present invention to solve such conventional problems, and to prevent the image turbulence which is caused when the paper is separated from the feed roller.
A paper feeding apparatus of the present invention comprises a feed roller for supplying the paper to image reading position; and a discharge roller for discharging the paper, and to the above described discharge roller, a load in the rotational direction is provided for preventing the image reading turbulence at the time when the paper is separated from the above described feed roller. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the image turbulence which is caused by the slip of the discharge roller when the paper is separated from the feed roller.
Furthermore, the paper feeding apparatus of the present invention further comprises a discharge roller gear for driving the above described discharge roller; and a train of gears for driving the above described discharge roller gear. The above described load is provided at one of the train of gears for driving the above described discharge roller gear to eliminate the backlash between the above described discharge roller gear and the gear to which the above described load is provided. Therefore, even in the case where a load cannot be applied directly on the discharge roller, it is possible to apply a load on the discharge roller.
Furthermore, in the case of the paper feeding apparatus of the present invention, the above described load is preferably a compression spring that is provided between the discharge roller gear for driving the shaft of the above described discharge roller and the bearing of the above described discharge roller. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to provide a mechanism for eliminating the backlash, and it is possible to easily apply a load to the discharge roller by the compression spring.
Furthermore, in the case of the paper feeding apparatus of the present invention, the above described load is a torsion coil spring which comes into contact with the shaft of the above described discharge roller at the inside diameter. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to provide a mechanism for eliminating the backlash, and it is possible to easily apply a load to the discharge roller by the torsion coil spring.
Furthermore, in the case of the paper feeding apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that the above described load is produced by pressing a body with the character of a spring onto the shaft of the above described discharge roller. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to provide a mechanism for eliminating the backlash, and it is possible to easily apply a load to the discharge roller by pressing a body with the character of a spring. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Present invention relates to a group environment setting method and system thereof for setting an operation environment and an application software for a group of people when a cooperative operation is performed on a computer by a group consisting of plural persons.
In the conventional computer environment setting, customization of an application environment and various software are performed on individual basis. Personal customization of a layout of metaphors on a desktop of GUI (Graphical User Interface), or setting of key binding on a personal-use software or the like can be given as examples. In order to achieve such environment setting, each customization information is managed by storing the information in files or the like on individual basis. Even in a case where similar customized setting can be applied for a same operation, or can be shared in a same department of a company, the files are redundantly stored by each person.
Meanwhile, as one of the techniques for organizing complicated program information, an inheriting function is conventionally suggested, where program information such as an operation method and data structure or the like is managed in hierarchy, and where information defined in the upper hierarchy is inherited by the lower hierarchy. Taking the program language C++ as an example, when classes are defined as a template of an object, the inheriting function is employed to hierarchize the classes so that the complicated classes are simply defined.
Recently, as the high-performance computers, connected with each other in a high-speed network, are widely used and technologies for distributed computing softwares are developed, enabling a group consisting of plural persons to parallelly perform a cooperative operation, it has become necessary to develop a tool which is suitable for setting an operation environment and an application software for each of such groups.
In the conventional method of setting an environment on individual basis, however, since each environment is set separately, enough supports cannot be provided for users in a cooperative operation environment, resulting in the following problems:
(1) Labor required for setting an environment cannot be reduced even among those people who participate in the same cooperative operation; PA0 (2) Even among members who belong to the same group, an operation method in one's environment is completely different from an operation method in another environment; PA0 (3) It is difficult to maintain consistency in an environment setting of each persons in a group; PA0 (4) It is difficult to support a dynamically generated group. Herein, the dynamically generated group is not a group having a predetermined identifier, but is a group not having a specific identifier, for instance, a group of terminals which run a predetermined application software; PA0 (5) A flexible way of specifying a group is not provided. PA0 (1) Since an environment setting is non-dynamical, it is troublesome to change the setting in accordance with a group situation; PA0 (2) Since no specific display of the group situation is explicitly made, confusion occurs among persons who belong to the same group but operate in different environment settings.
In order to solve the above problems, a method is sought for setting a common environment in a group consisting of plural persons.
Recently, a network application is not limited to sharing of information via files or database, but is extended to a wider application form, such as a video conference or viewing of remote camera images. FIG. 1 shows a typical operation environment, where plural workstations or personal computers 201 and 202 are connected via a LAN 200 and holding of a television conference as well as sharing of drawing tools are possible by sending information to each other through the network such as the LAN.
Due to the aforementioned development in network application form, it is necessary to extend an idea of an environment to be set for programs operated via network. The primary factor for setting an environment herein is, for instance, setting of an access privilege (file protection code) related to data to be generated, setting of privacy protection in video conferences (i.e. allowance of limited attendants), setting of rules for assigning a chairperson privilege or an operation privilege in a cooperative operation tool and the like.
With the conventional method of setting an environment on individual basis, there are the following problems in the cooperative operation environment.
When operation behavior of a concerned party is observed in a real world from a cooperative-operation point of view, a style or a rule for individual operation behavior does not solely depend on data which is subjected to operation, or members who constitute the group, but mostly depends on the situation where a group activity is carried on. However, the above described group situation is not applied to present computer-base cooperative operation system (groupware). And it has not been realized to execute the group operation effectively.
As such words like cyberspace or media space are suggested to describe an information world constituted by networked computers, a network is accessed with an assumption of a space as a metaphor. Therefore, an expression of the above group situation as a "place" to execute a certain operation, can be regarded as an analogy of a space. A directory as in a set of files, for instance, can be the "place" in the current computer system. However, information in the directory has protection code for the directory only; and there is no method for sharing the protection code in a group, for example, when generating a new file in the same group. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Electronic computing devices, such as computer systems, mobile phones, digital media players, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and the like, are commonly used for various personal and/or work-related purposes. Such electronic devices typically include some type of user interface that enables a user to interact with various applications (e.g., e-mail programs, internet browsers, media players, games, etc.) on the device to perform a variety of functions. In other words, the user interface may provide a gateway through which users may interact with applications to receive content, information, as well as responses to user inputs. The user interface, therefore, is an integral part in the design of these applications and helps determine the ease of use, and thus the quality of the overall user experience, of such devices.
Historically, many electronic devices have relied upon a graphical user interface to allow a user to interact with the device by way of a visual display. For instance, as the user interacts with the device, the device may display visual feedback in response to the user's actions. However, as some types of electronic devices have migrated towards smaller form factors having relatively small visual displays, graphical user interfaces are becoming not only more difficult to use and navigate, but also more limited in the amount of information they are able to convey.
More recently, audio user interfaces have experienced a rise in popularity. For instance, an audio user interface may supply audio feedback data, instead of or in addition to visual feedback, to convey information and content to a user and, thus, are particularly well suited for use in electronic devices having limited visual display capabilities or, in some instances, no visual display capabilities at all. For instance, upon the occurrence of an event that requests audio feedback, a corresponding audio clip may be played to convey audio information about the occurring event to the user. Unfortunately, some events may be associated with large amounts of audio information, which may overwhelm a user and, therefore, negatively impact the user experience, particularly when such events occur repeatedly in close proximity within a relatively short time period. Additionally, audio feedback provided by conventional audio user interfaces may not adequately enable a user to distinguish between events of high or low contextual importance. Accordingly, there are continuing efforts to further improve the user experience with respect to audio user interfaces in electronic devices. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Level indicators are used for monitoring the liquid level in a container, e.g. in a tank of a vehicle. The tank may for example be adapted to hold fuel to be used by the vehicle engine for providing propulsion. Naturally, it is important for the driver of the vehicle to be able to monitor the amount of fuel left in the tank. This of course also applies to other tanks holding liquid of the vehicle.
A commonly used level indicator for vehicles comprises a float and a potentiometer. As the level of liquid changes in the tank, the float moves a contact along the resistor of the potentiometer, thereby e.g. increasing the resistance of the potentiometer. The change in resistance is used to indicate an altered level of liquid in the tank. This type of level indicator comprises interconnected moving mechanical parts that are easily worn and may e.g. get stuck in one position, and also limits the accuracy of the level indicator. Furthermore, the components of this level indicator must be placed inside the tank.
Another approach for a level indicator is described in US2010/0269586. In US2010/0269586 a float is arranged inside a solenoid coil which in turn is arranged inside the tank. The solenoid is wound so that it has a varying inductance along its axial length. The float changes the overall inductance of the solenoid as it moves along the length of the solenoid. Thus, a change in inductance is used for indicating the level of liquid. The level indicator including the solenoid and the float and other necessary components (e.g. cables) must be placed inside the tank, thus reducing the amount of liquid that can be stored in the tank and may also pose a potential fire hazard if the tank stores e.g., fuel, since the electrical components must be placed inside the tank.
Accordingly, there is room for improvements in the presently known level indicators. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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As is well known, it is often desirable within the art fields of medicine, pharmacy, chemistry and the like, to require the transfer of fluids from a separated source thereof to a delivery location. This is especially true in the medical arts where often, it is necessary or desirable to transfer fluids such as blood, parenteral solutions, and the like from a stored container to either a different container, or for direct patient usage. In most instances, the separated fluid source comprises a container and is manufactured with conduit means associated with the container and extending outwardly therefrom. In order to effect the transfer from the container to a patient or to a different container, it is necessary to have a connector which will establish a fluid flow path from the storage container to the other container or the patient. It will also be appreciated that where sterility is required, such connectors must be sterile at the inception, and must maintain a sterile environment for the fluid passing therethrough.
One of the primary difficulties in designing suitable sterile connectors is the fact that the danger of contamination from air borne materials as well as other contaminants in and around the environment surrounding the point of delivery may easily find their way into the interior portion of the present connectors. Hence, the provision of a sterile connector which may be easily manipulated by the operator to establish an assured sterile fluid flow.
It has been determined that the fabrication of a sterile connector for joining a supply source to an independent delivery location through a contaminated environment requires at least four important design steps:
1. The alignment of the connector housings;
2. Excluding of the contaminated environment;
3. Sterilization of the excluded region;
4. Penetration within the sterilized area followed by coupling of the protected internal conduits.
Due to the above noted design parameters, it has usually been necessary to design sterile connectors which are not only rigid in construction, but are rather cumbersome to use, and also require various forms of mechanical means to join the two connector bodies together in a sterile and fluid tight sealing arrangement such that a sterile environment is retained within the common collection chambers established between the two joined faces of the connector bodies.
Exemplary of the most recent developments in this particular art field is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,411 which is directed to a sterile connector for interconnecting opposed separated conduits. As exemplified by the above noted patent, the sterile connector is formed by a flanged body portion carried at the end of an appropriate conduit, and further includes a compressible gasket made from an elastomeric material. A diaphragm or pull tab cover is positioned over the adjoining face of the compressible gasket and which includes a long fold extending laterally outwardly from adjoined faces of the corresponding gasketed portions of the connector. It will further be appreciated that once the joined faces are brought together, the two gasketed portions must be clamped together by some mechanical means such as a spring-loaded clamp or snap fitting bale arrangement in order to compress the gaskets together, and maintain a seal while simultaneously removing the pull tab covers between the two faces so that a fluid flow path is established between the opposed conduits. Hence, it will be appreciated that the sterile connector actually includes two elements, including a sterile internal connector proper, and a housing serving as an environmental barrier. It will be appreciated that in such a system, contamination from the environment theoretically occurs upon removal of the housing preliminary to joining the sterile internal elements. It is for this reason that devices such as pull tab covers, which are designed to be removed upon the commencement of the joining of the two connector body members, have been designed such that once the connector housings are in proper alignment and the joining commences, the pull tab covers may be removed to establish the fluid flow path under sterile conditions.
Another system incorporated in sterile connector members has been the use of a loop of nichrome wire which is substituted for any type of mechanical penetrator. In systems of this type, the openings establishing the common chamber are usually covered with a membrane of some type and having a looped nichrome wire positioned immediately beneath one of the membranes. Once the joining faces are brought together, the loop is energized by an external voltage source, thereby to heat the wire in order to penetrate through the membranes and establish a fluid flow path. Additionally, the energizing of the nichrome wire loop functions to sterilize the immediate environment in the fluid path.
It will be appreciated from the above discussion that various difficulties have been encountered in connection with sterile connectors. For example, in many applications, such as the preparation of frozen blood, the blood is provided in flexible containers which are then placed in facilities in order to effect the freezing of the blood. In practice, such containers will assume a very thin configuration, as a package to facilitate heat transfer and freezing. The connectors must be dimensionally suited for inclusion in such a "thin" package configuration.
Even more importantly, it has been deemed desirable to provide a sterile connector concept which lends itself to thin, flexible applications, as well as to conceptionally provide a connector which is adaptable to interconnect multiple fluid sources but in a simplified manner. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Arphamenine A may be deemed as an optically active derivative of L-arginine, which is produced fermentatively by a microorganism, Chromobacterium violaceus BMG361-CF4 (ATCC 39373). Arphamenine A is the novel substance which was discovered by the present inventors as aminopeptidase-inhibitor and which shows an immunopotentiating activity and an analgesic activity (see Japanese patent application No. 96,276/84; U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,698 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 809,215).
Arphamenine A is of the chemical structure represented by the following formula ##STR1## During the inventors' extensive researches in an attempt to synthesize arphamenine A and its related compounds, it has now been found that the arphamenine A can be synthesized in a facile way and in a favorable yield by starting from L-arginine, converting it into an iodomethylketone derivative thereof, and reacting the latter with a metal salt derivative of a benzyl-substituted malonic acid diester. Further, it has now been found that the functional groups present in the necessary reactants, namely L-arginine and the malonic acid derivatives employed must be protected by such protective groups which can readily be cleaved under mild reaction conditions with involving neither the racemization at the .alpha.-carbon atom of L-arginine nor the decomposition of the instable guanidino group of L-arginine in the course of carrying out the synthetic process. When an optically active compound of such structure, like the arphamenine A of the formula ##STR2## wherein there exist two asymmetrical carbon atoms, the one in the .alpha.-amino acid residue moiety and the other in the 2-position adjacent to the terminal carboxyl group, which are linked by a ketomethylene group (CO--CH.sub.2 --), is to be synthetized starting frrom an L-.alpha.-amino acid, the drawback is likely to occur that racemization would take place at the .alpha.-carbon atom of the .alpha.-amino acid moiety in the course of the synthetic route, if there is used a method comprising an application of Dakin-West reaction using a ketomethylene compound and oxazolone, followed by hydrolysis under strong acidic conditions (see "Journal of Medicinal Chemistry" Vol. 24, page 964 (1981)), or alternatively a method comprising reacting a Grignard reagent with an ester of an amino acid with pyridine-thiol (see "Tetrahedron Letter" Vol. 23, page 2533 (1982)). Further, the former method using the Dakin-West reaction is disadvantageous not only in that the necessary starting ketomethylene compound, namely a half-ester or half-acid chloride of succinic acid derivative is difficult to prepare, but also in that the intermediate condensation product whose the amino group has been acylated is formed, with the consequence that the deprotection of the N-acyl group in the last stage requires a hydrolysis under strong acidic conditions. Besides, the latter method using the Grignard reaction is also disadvantageous not only in that the starting compound as needed can be chosen only within a limited scope of compound because of the required use of the Grignard reagent, but also in that the reaction procedures involved are troublesome, for example, owing to the need for protection of the ketone group in the starting compound.
An object of this invention is to provide a process of synthesizing arphamenine A, which can be operated in a facile way nd at a higher yield of arphamenine A of a highly pure, optically active form, than when using the prior art methods as mentioned above. Another objects of this invention will be clear from the following descriptions. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to the field of cooling systems in computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to cooling ducts that direct air drawn from outside the computer system to electronic components in the computer system.
The current generation of central processing units (CPUs) and its components, collectively known as Processor Core Logic (PCL) components, generate a significant amount of heat during operation. If the heat generated by the PCL components is not properly dissipated, then the heat builds up and raises the temperature of the PCL components beyond their recommended operating temperatures. This adversely affects the performance of the PCL components. Various devices have been implemented to keep PCL components at their recommended operating temperatures by transferring or dissipating heat generated by the PCL components away from the PCL components.
One known approach is to purge heated air from within the computer system chassis with an axial fan mounted to the rear of the computer system chassis in the vicinity of the PCL component area. Commonly, the purging rear fan operated in series with a power supply fan both acting as an air exchanger. In order to further facilitate heat dissipation, an active fan heat sink is attached to the processor. The active fan heat sink is commonly in the form of an axial fan attached to the processor generating airflow onto the processor, thereby force-cooling the processor. Force-cooling involves cooling a specific component by directly applying air onto and across the surface of the component. High velocity air applied to the surface of the component raises the convective heat transfer coefficient of the surface of that component, thereby increasing convection cooling with respect to that component. Air exchange cooling involves replacing heated air in a first location, such as inside a chassis of the computer system, with cooler air from a second location, such as outside the chassis.
As the number of fans increases to reduce the heat generated from the PCL components, the cost and acoustic noise of the computer system increases. Additionally, as the number of fans increases, the energy efficiency decreases due to the power required to run the fans. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Infrared fiber optic waveguides are needed for transmission in the 2 to 10 micron (micrometer) wavelength region. These are required for focal plane arrays and remote sensing. They are also required for flexible delivery of high power carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide laser energy as well as for extremely low-loss long distance communication links. A predominate consideration in the formation of optical fibers is the surface, which must be smooth for the efficient transmission of optical signals. Scattering losses during multiple internal reflections cannot be tolerated so a smooth surface must be achieved during fabrication.
Extrusion of some materials suitable for use as infrared optical fibers has been successful. For example, thallium bromoiodide has been successfully extruded with a sufficiently smooth surface. Starting with thallium bromoiodide crystals of 5.3 millimeters diameter, long lengths of fiber have been extruded to diameters of 75 to 500 microns. This example shows extrusion reductions of 5,000:1 and 112:1 respectively. In that process, the crystal billets are compressed in a heated die of tungsten carbide and extruded through a diamond orifice. The fiber is wound on a large spool. Other materials which are suitable for infrared transmission and are extrudable include silver chloride, silver bromide and potassium bromoiodide. Success in extruding thallium bromoiodide crystals led to attempts to extrude potassium chloride and potassium bromide, which are suitable optical fiber materials for infrared transmission and are capable of even lower loss in transmission. However, the surface of such materials, as extruded, resembled fish scale or shingle-like surface which causes internal scattering losses which are unacceptable in optical fiber utilization. Increased extrusion temperatures and changes in extrusion speed were ineffective in improving the potassium chloride fiber surface. An example of an extruded silver bromide fiber clad with silver chloride is found in Anderson et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,731. In addition, Anderson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,104, teaches hot rolling or extrusion of a sheet of material which can be used as a ribbon of a plurality of adjacent fibers. However, Anderson was not able to achieve a sufficiently smooth rolled surface, even on extrudable materials, for optical fibers. This patent also speaks of silver chloride and silver bromide as suitable fiber material.
The fact that thallium bromoiodide and silver chloride are extrudable and the higher melting point potassium chloride and potassium bromide are not, is derived from the extrusion process as related to the material properties. The large area reductions of 5,000 to 1 require that the core of the extruding billet travel at a rate 5,000 times faster than the surface as the fiber is formed. This difference in movement, coupled with high frictional forces at the surface of the billet and in the forming orifice, causes a fragmentation of the crystal structure which cannot be compensated by available crystal slip systems. The material comes out of the extrusion die with a fish-scale surface. Low reduction ratios are needed but are not practical in extrusion because at small diameters the extrusion piston must be of long length and small diameter, in dimensions not able to withstand the stresses of extrusion. Only the very ductile thallium bromoiodide and similar structures can reconsolidate into cohesive fiber during large deformations. On the other hand, potassium chloride and potassium bromide surfaces tear in tension and flatten into fish-scale form. Thus, there is a need for a method and apparatus for forming potassium chloride, potassium bromide and other such materials into optical fibers. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In wireless mesh networks, a single-hop or multi-hop path needs to be selected to forward data frames/packets from a source node/mesh point to a destination node/mesh point. The path selection is based on a metric. Such a routing metric is important for optimizing the design of routing and forwarding mechanisms in mesh networks. Routing metrics for wired or optical networks do not account for the fact that nodes share the communications medium in wireless networks. Metrics that do exist for wireless mesh networks do not consider factors such as traffic load and error rate on the radio link.
Most of the current mesh routing protocols use the minimum hop count as the metric to make the path selection decision. With this approach, the quality of the radio link and the traffic load on the link is not considered. The path with the minimum number of hops is selected to forward the data frames. However, minimal hop count paths can have poor performance because they tend to include radio links between distant nodes and the quality of links along the path may not be good, let alone optimal. The radio links with a long physical span can be lossy, incurring a number of retransmissions and a low physical layer data rate. Many radio transmission systems, for example IEEE 802.11 radios, adapt the physical layer data rate depending on the link quality. This actually results in poor throughput and reduces the efficiency of network utilization compared to selecting a path with more hops but better link quality.
A prior art metric called “expected transmission count” (EXT) has been used as a routing metric. This metric estimates the number of retransmissions needed to successfully send a unicast packet by measuring the loss rate of broadcast packets between pairs of neighboring nodes. The routing protocol selects the path with the smallest total sum of the expected number of retransmissions. EXT takes the link loss rate, i.e. the number of needed retransmissions, into consideration but it does not take the link data rate and link load into account. Two links with different data rates may have the same loss rate. A heavily loaded link may incur a low loss rate and may be selected to include in the path so that this link becomes more loaded and congestion occurs.
Another known metric called “per-hop round trip time” (RTT) has been proposed as the routing metric. This metric estimates the round trip delay of unicast probing packets between neighboring nodes. The routing protocol selects the path with the lowest total sum of RTTs. The RTT metric implicitly accounts for the link quality and traffic load to avoid heavily loaded or lossy links. However, one problem with this metric is that it requires that every node in the mesh network to send probe packets to each of its neighbors, which introduces network overhead. Furthermore, this metric does not explicitly take the link data rate into account.
In radio/wireless networks, both the link/channel quality and load varies so the value of link metric changes frequently. This may cause the path to change frequently, leading to route instability. All the above measures do not consider how to maintain the route stability while achieving quick response to the link state and network topology changes. Clearly, a metric is needed for improved routing and forwarding mechanisms for wireless mesh networks that accounts for radio link quality and traffic load as well as route stability even in the face of rapidly changing link/channel quality and load variations. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the journal ITB Nonwovens, Industrial Textiles, 4/95, pages 20-25, "Degradables or the Recycling Economy for Disposables," or in the journal Chemical Fibers International, Vol. 46, April 1996, page 102, "A New Water-Soluble PVA Fiber for Nonwovens Application," a special chemical fiber is described made from a hydrophilic synthetic polymer. In addition to other important properties, it has the special ability to dissolve in water at certain temperatures without leaving a residue. The fiber consists of a polyvinyl alcohol and can be processed by weaving or by nonwoven technology to form a sheet material from which any desired article of clothing or the like can be produced. These sheets made of PVA fibers however are used especially in hygienic products because after being used during surgery in a hospital for example, they can be disposed of easily and rapidly if contaminated with blood and the like by dissolving them in hot water.
It is known that these PVA fibers can be processed by means of a card or aerodynamically to form a nonwoven. To lend them sufficient strength, these fleeces are compacted by mechanical needling technology and then processed to produce the desired articles of clothing. It has been found that fleeces with these fibers that have been compacted by mechanical needling technology can be produced at rates that are too low for industry. In addition, when mechanical needling is used, there is a risk of holes being formed, which is disadvantageous for the desired impermeability of the hygienic articles to water.
The goal of the invention is to develop a method by which the nonwoven manufactured as usual from these PVA fibers can be compacted continuously at a higher rate than by the mechanical method, and thus a product can be produced that is uniformly compacted and is essentially impermeable to fluid. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The subject invention pertains to a new shape charge for use in a perforating gun, and more particularly, to a new solid state detonator for use in each such shape charge.
Perforating guns of the prior art generally include a plurality of shape charges, each charge containing an explosive material. A detonating cord is traditionally connected to each shape charge for detonating the explosive material in each charge when a heat source ignites the detonating cord. However, the detonating cord could be ignited when radio-frequency (RF) energy nearby induces a current in an input circuit high enough to ignite the cord. Therefore, elaborate steps must be taken to ensure that RF energy does not inadvertently detonate the charges in the perforating gun. Such steps have thus far concentrated on utilization of sophisticated input circuits designed to create large current surges that ultimately ignite the detonating cord. Use of detonating cords creates a safety risk; thus, such detonating cords must be handled carefully to avoid accidents. Of course, when detonating cords are used, shape charges in the perforating gun must be detonated sequentially, since the charges cannot be detonated simultaneously. All of these considerations reflect the need for a new type of shape charge, one which is immune to RF energy, one which does not use detonating cords to reduce the safety risk, and one which allows all shape charges in the perforating gun to be detonated substantially simultaneously. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A conventional switch device, especially for those switches using a bimetallic plate to prevent from being burned when an overload occurs, generally includes a bi-metallic plate which is deformed when overloaded so as to separate the two contact points respectively located on the bi-metallic plate and one of the two terminals. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,262,748; 4,167,720; 4,937,548; 5,223,813; 5,451,729; and 5,558,211 disclose related switch devices. Some inherent shortcomings for these conventional safety switch devices are found. There are too many parts involved in the safety switch device and a longer period of time is required when assembling the switch device, this increases the cost of the products. The parts might be arranged inaccurately and affect the deformation of the bi-metallic plate. Once the bi-metallic plate is deformed to cut off the circuit, because of the improper arrangement of the parts as mentioned above, the bi-metallic plate could deform to re-connect the two contact points to connect the circuit again. Because the inaccuracy of the deformation of the bi-metallic plate, the switch member does not set the “OFF” position after the bi-metallic plate is deformed to cut off the circuit.
Therefore, it is desired to have a safety switch that allows the bi-metallic plate to deform toward a desired direction and also have enough space to prevent the bi-metallic plate from bouncing back to connect the circuit again. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A data center (or other physical space) beneficially has, where possible, an optimized heating and cooling infrastructure. Maintaining data centers at desired temperatures (e.g., set points) helps prevent computer hardware (e.g., IT infrastructure) from overheating and malfunctioning. To this end, many data centers are cooled to relatively low temperatures (e.g., 65° F.) to increase equipment reliability and useful life, and to avoid downtime for repair and/or replacement.
However, current climate control systems are largely inefficient. Data centers typically have hot spots where IT equipment operates. Conventional cooling systems cool the entire data center to a temperature well below the set point so that IT equipment operating in the hot spots does not exceed the set point. This increases operational costs and wastes energy.
More specifically, conventional climate control systems for data centers typically utilize static (i.e., fixed) ducts and vents/diffusers. Usually this is achieved through the use of multiple air conditioners, heaters, vents or blowers. In the current art, a centralized air conditioning or ‘forced air’ system requires the use of static conduits or ducts. These ducts are usually installed to blow hot or cold air from a centralized air conditioning or heating unit to specific areas of the building. One problem with this known solution is that these ducts cannot easily be changed or rerouted to accommodate changing conditions on a room. For example, ducts are usually embedded in the ceiling, walls, or floor, and therefore require time-consuming intervention to re-route.
Another problem with fixed systems is that they are highly inefficient. In data centers, the hot spots are routinely changing location depending on which IT equipment is running at any given time. For example, some IT infrastructure in a first area of the data center may run during the day, while other IT infrastructure at a different area of the data center operates at night. To accommodate such moving hot spot targets, existing systems resort to a sort of ‘overkill’ by cooling the entire volume of the data center to well below the set point, which increases operational costs. Moreover, with the increasing awareness and desire to operate in a green manner, such excessive use of energy is undesirable.
Distributed cooling systems represent an alternative or supplement to fixed-duct systems, in which individual local units (similar, for example, to a window air conditioning unit) are moved around within the data center depending on the localized cooling needs. However, these decentralized systems are expensive to manage and maintain. Moreover, there is a certain amount of time required to re-position local cooling units within a data center, such that decentralized systems cannot adapt quickly to changes in temperature of different areas in a room.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of communications technology, and specifically to the use of pulses of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) within or in conjunction with fiber-optic communication systems and networks for the transmission of data.
2. Description of Related Technology
Light Propagation Speed Experiments
It has recently been demonstrated that the propagation speed of light pulses can be dramatically affected and controlled, and even effectively “stopped” for short periods of time. See Chien Liu, et al, “Observation of coherent optical information storage in an atomic medium using halted light pulses”, Nature, (January 2001) (advanced publication), herein after referred to as “Liu”; D. F. Phillips, A. Fleischhauer, A. Mair, R. L. Walsworth and M. D. Lukin from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, publishing in Physical Review Letters 86, 783 (29 Jan. 2001), hereinafter “Phillips”; Hau, L. V., Harris, S. E., Dutton, Z. & Behroozi, C. H. “Light speed reduction to 17 meters per second in an ultracold atomic gas”, Nature 397, 594±598 (1999); Kash, M. M. et al. Ultraslow group velocity and enhanced nonlinear optical effects in a coherently driven hot atomic gas. Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 5229±5232 (1999); Budker, D., Kimball, D. F., Rochester, S. M. & Yashchuk, V. V. Nonlinear magneto-optics and reduced group velocity of light in atomic vapor with slow ground
Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) has been observed in various atom-gas systems, as is disclosed in, for example, H. R. Gray et al., Opt. Lett. 3, 218 (1978); M. Kaivola et al., Opt. Commun., 49, 418 (1984); A. Aspect et al., Phys. Reve. Lett. 61, 826 (1988); S. Adachi et al., Opt. Commun., 81, 364 (1991); A. M. Akulsin et al., Opt. Commun., 84, 139 (1991); Y. Q. Li et al., Phys. Rev., A51, R1754 (1995); A. Kasapi et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 2447 (1995). Liu showed that coherent optical information can be stored in an atomic medium and subsequently read out by using the effect of EIT in a magnetically trapped, heavily cooled Bose-Einstein condensed (BEC) sodium atom cloud. The apparatus of Liu al is reproduced (simplified diagram) herein as FIG. 1. It has been experimentally verified by Liu that the repeated and reliable storage of quantum state information associated with a light pulse, and the subsequent “read-out” thereof, are controlled substantially by stimulated photon transfer between two laser fields, specifically those associated with the “probe” resonant pulse and the coupling or interference-producing laser. It has further been experimentally demonstrated that multiple such “read-outs” of a stored pulse can be achieved through the application of a series of short, coupling laser pulses (see, e.g., FIGS. 4a and 4b of Liu cited above). As illustrated in FIGS. 4a and 4b of Liu, measurements of multiple (e.g., double and triple) pulse read-outs spaced by up to hundreds of microseconds may be produced using the aforementioned techniques. Advantageously, each of the regenerated probe pulses in such multiple readouts contains a portion of the contents of the atomic memory, notably in the form of energy (i.e., the total energy of the multiple pulses is equivalent to that for a single read-out pulse obtained using a longer coupling laser pulse). Successive depletion of the “quantum memory” occurs for each successive pulse. As pointed out by Liu, et al., such capability is potentially useful for quantum information transfer. Through injection of multiple such “probe” pulses into a Bose-Einstein condensate (e.g., cooled sodium cloud), in which most atomic collisions are coherence-preserving, quantum information processing may be possible during the storage time.
While at a high level similar to Liu, the approach of Phillips used a rubidium vapor cloud ˜70-90° C. The rubidium vapor was contained in a cell about 4 cm long. Photons from the signal pulse slowed to about 1 km·s−1 in the Phillips vapor cell. “Trapping” of photons for hundreds of microseconds was exhibited. Phillips identifies that the information from the photons is stored or reflected in the spin states of atomic electrons.
Unfortunately, while very compelling, the aforementioned disclosure by Liu (as well as the other references cited) make little if any practical application of their findings.
Optical Communication Systems
Traditional fiber optic communication systems utilize pulses or waves of light energy which propagate in one or more modalities along a conduction medium, typically an optical fiber adapted to carry such pulses or waves efficiently at the desired wavelengths. In long fiber transmission lines, the pulses or waves must be periodically regenerated or amplified due to losses inherent in the transmission medium and the pulses/waves themselves. The amplification function is often performed by amplifiers such as Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFAs) of the type well known in the art. The amplifier is able to compensate for power loss due to signal absorption in the optical fiber, but it is generally unable to correct the signal distortion caused by related to any number of attendant factors including “chirping”, linear dispersion, wave mixing, polarization distortion and other propagation-related or timing effects. Additionally, noise accumulated along the transmission line is not addressed by such EDFAs or other amplifiers.
Wave division multiplexed (WDM) networks typically use modulated lasers as the source of laser light, as previously described. However, the pulses produced by such lasers in the WDM context are often characterized by chromatic dispersion of the pulses. Specifically, the leading and trailing edges of the pulse(s) typically includes multiple frequency components that are changing from one state to another (e.g., “low” to “high”). When transmitted over an optical fiber, such pulses experience a phenomenon commonly referred to as “chirping”, which ultimately reduces the distance a train of closely spaced pulses can be transmitted without overlap between individual pulses in the train. Obviously, such overlap detracts from the signal quality, and the ability to recover the signal information at the receiver end of the transmission line.
One approach to improving the quality of pulses from a directly modulated laser comprises passing the pulses through a narrowband filter to remove unwanted transitional frequency components at the leading and trailing edges of the pulses.
Another approach used in soliton systems comprises a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) electro-absorption optical modulator with a soliton pulse shaper, which attenuates the regions of highest transient chromatic dispersion generated by the NRZ modulator.
In spite of the foregoing filtering/shaping techniques, the optical signal must periodically be regenerated, especially after a cascade of multiple amplifiers (such as would be encountered over a long distance transmission path). Many factors including those relating to the initial laser source, input signal, transmission fiber, and amplifiers contribute to the determination of the distance at which regeneration must occur. Typically, regeneration of the signal is performed with electronic repeaters operating on the principle of optical-to-electronic conversion. However, there are significant drawbacks associated with such conversion, including increased cost, and generally complex and often error-prone supporting/compensating electronics. Ideally, the repeating process would remain entirely in the optical domain. | {
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The present invention relates to a rotary screw machine for a gaseous working medium with at least one screw rotor operating in a casing including a low and a high pressure end section, which rotor at operation is exposed to axial gas forces in a direction from the high pressure end section towards the low pressure end section, defined as the positive axial direction. The rotor has at least one shaft journal mounted in beatings in one of said end sections, which beatings include thrust bearing means with main thrust bearing means adjacent the rotor and balancing thrust bearing means adjacent the outer end of the shaft journal, which thrust bearing means are provided with thrust balancing means located axially between the main and balancing thrust bearing means and exerting a positively directed axial force on the main thrust bearing means and a negatively directed axial force on the balancing thrust beating means.
The term thrust bearing in this application is used to mean bearings which transfer at least axial loads, i.e. pure axial beatings as well as bearings transferring both axial and radial loads.
A rotary screw machine with such a thrust balancing arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,514, which hereby is incorporated by reference. In that disclosure the general advantages gained by a thrust balancing device are discussed as well as the particular advantages attained by the above specified kind of thrust balancing, namely longer running life for the thrust bearings and a simplified exchange of bearings.
In that known device, the main thrust beating means transfer axial forces in the positive direction only whereas the balancing thrust beating means transfer axial forces in both directions. A preloading spring acts on the balancing thrust bearing means, securing a proper axial localisation of the rotor so that a certain play between the high pressure end of the rotor and the adjacent end wall is assured when the machine is at rest or idles. At operation the positively directed axial gas Forces on the rotor are partly balanced by a piston of the thrust balancing means acting on the outer ring of the balancing thrust bearing means in the negative axial direction. The balancing force is mainly received in that gas from the high pressure side of the machine is conducted to the piston to act thereon. The balancing force will be larger than the force from the preloading spring with the effect that the resulting force on the outer ring of the balancing thrust bearing means is negatively directed, which force is transmitted to the rotor and counteracts the axial gas forces. The main thrust bearing means therefore need to transfer only the remaining part of the axial gas forces.
This known device functions satisfactory for applications where the discharge pressure (when the machine is a compressor) is above a certain level, in which case it is possible to dimension the piston large enough to attain a force which is larger than the preload force. The available space for the piston, however, is limited, which in cases when the discharge pressure is not so high will raise problems to attain a balancing force exceeding the preloading force, which has to be above a certain level. In such cases, e.g. when the machine is a refrigeration compressor using refrigerant of the type R134a, the known device therefore cannot function satisfactory. | {
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In conventional single-bit per cell memory devices, the memory cell assumes one of two information storage states, either an "on" state or an "off" state. The binary condition of "on" or "off" defines one bit of information. As a result, a memory device capable of storing n-bits of data requires (n) separate memory cells.
Increasing the number of bits which can be stored using single-bit per cell memory devices depends upon increasing the number of memory cells on a one-for-one basis with the number of bits of data to be stored. Methods for increasing the number of memory bits stored in a memory device composed of single-bit capacity cells have relied upon techniques such as manufacturing larger die which contain more memory cells, or using improved photolithography techniques to build smaller memory cells. Reducing the size of a memory cell allows more cells to be placed on a given area of a single chip.
An alternative to single-bit per cell designs is the storage of multiple-bits of data in a single memory cell. One type of memory in which this approach has been followed is an electrically erasable and programmable device known as a flash memory cell. In flash cells, programming is carried out by applying appropriate voltages to the source, drain, and control gate of the device for an appropriate time period. This causes electrons to tunnel or be injected from a channel region to a floating gate. The amount of charge residing on the floating gate determines the voltage required on the control gate in order to cause the device to conduct current between the source and drain regions. This voltage is termed the threshold voltage, V.sub.th, of the cell. Conduction represents an "on" or erased state of the device and corresponds to a logic value of one. An "off" or programmed state is one in which current is not conducted between the source and drain regions and corresponds to a logic value of zero. By setting the threshold voltage of the cell to an appropriate value, the cell can be made to either conduct or not conduct current for a given set of applied voltages. Thus, by determining whether a cell conducts current at a given set of applied voltages, the state of the cell (programmed or erased) can be found.
A multi-bit or multistate flash memory cell is produced by creating multiple, distinct threshold voltage levels within the device. Each distinct threshold voltage corresponds to a set of data bits. This allows multiple bits of binary data to be stored within the same memory cell. When reading the state of the memory cell, each bit set has a corresponding decode value of ones and zeros depending upon the conduction of the device at the threshold voltage level detected. The threshold voltage level for which the cell does not conduct current indicates the bit set representing the data programmed into the cell. Proper data storage requires that the multiple threshold voltage levels of a memory cell be separated from each other by a sufficient amount so that a level of a cell can be programmed or erased in an unambiguous manner. The relationship between the data programmed into the memory cell and the threshold voltage levels of the cell depends upon the data encoding scheme adopted for the cells.
In programming a multistate memory cell, the objective is to apply a programming voltage over a proper time period to store enough charge in the floating gate to move the threshold voltage to a desired level. This level represents a state of the cell corresponding to an encoding of the data which is to be programmed into the cell. It is necessary to be able to program multiple bits (and as a result, multiple memory cells) at the same time in order to produce a commercially desirable memory system which can be programmed within a reasonable amount of time. However, a problem arises when a number of bits are to be programmed at the same time. This is because the characteristics of each bit are different (due to minor variations in the structure and operation of the semiconductor devices which comprise the memory cells), so that variations in the programming speed of different cells will typically occur. This results in bits that become programmed faster than others, and the possibility that some bits will be programmed to a different state (the cell will be programmed to a different threshold voltage level) than intended.
As noted, fast programming of multiple memory cells can result in overshooting the desired threshold voltage state of some cells, producing an error in the data being stored. In some flash memory systems, this problem can remain unknown and result in a long (and unproductive) programming cycle. This can occur because the memory system is controlled to carry out the programming operation until the programming data compares with the data applied or a maximum pulse number, voltage, and programming time occur before it aborts and sets an error flag or performs the programming operation at an alternate storage location. In mass storage systems where programming speed is a key performance criteria and lengthy re-programming and erase operations are not desirable, a method for detecting and handling over-programming of bits during programming operations would be more efficient.
In discussing the problem of over-programming of a multistate memory cell, two primary issues need to be addressed: 1) Overshoot in the threshold voltage level of the cell state (programming a cell to a level corresponding to incorrect data) needs to be detected early in the programming operation in order to stop the programming cycle. This eliminates the time wasted in trying to get the memory cells to achieve a verified threshold voltage level; and 2) An over-programmed cell would normally result in a file being marked as bad or obsolete and written elsewhere in the memory array. A procedure that allows recovery (correction) of the bad cells in a multistate device will save the reprogramming effort and boost performance, allowing for more efficient use of the programming time and storage capacity.
The first issue is not a problem when dealing with conventional two-state memory cells. When detecting an erased state compared to a programmed state, the only requirement is to detect that the programming operation progressed far enough that a programmed charge reference level was exceeded, so that the cell would indicate a programmed state when read. For the two-state memory cell, a program verify sequence consists of carrying out a program operation on the memory cell, then reading the programmed data and comparing it with the desired state (original) of the data being written. If this compare step fails, the cell is given another programming pulse and a compare operation is again performed to see how the programmed data compares with the original data. This sequence is repeated for two-state memory systems until all cells compare, at which time a programming operation is considered successful, or until the number of programming attempts reaches a pre-set limit and the programming operation is aborted.
In multistate memory devices, there are intermediate states that are programmed by setting specific threshold voltage levels within small variations. If the conventional approach to programming is used (a read and compare is performed), a cell that is over-programmed beyond the desired threshold voltage level will never compare properly. The failure of the compare operation will cause the memory cell to be repeatedly programmed, in an attempt to get the error bit to agree to the desired data. The bit failing the compare operation will cause a continuation of the program and compare cycles until the maximum number of programming attempts is reached. This wastes precious time and is an inefficient way of using the memory system.
There is another possible scenario where a memory cell would compare properly during the program verify sequence, but would fail a subsequent read operation because the cell threshold voltage was too high. To account for this possibility, a second verify operation should be performed to check for the upper margin of the cell threshold voltage (note that the standard verify operation checks for the lower margin of the threshold voltage). Circuitry and a method for performing the desired analog verification operations are described in the commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/736,194, entitled "Apparatus for Reading State of Multistate Non-volatile Memory Cells", and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/736,568, entitled "Method for Performing Analog Over-program and Under-program Detection for a Multistate Memory Cell", both filed the same day as this application and the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The above-referenced applications discuss how the data required by the circuitry described in the present application is generated.
What is desired is a means for detecting an over-programming condition in a multistate memory cell. It is also desired to have a means for identifying over-programmed cells and correcting the data programmed in the cell to its intended value. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to graphics display systems and in particular to asynchronous data transfers to graphics display systems. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to supporting asynchronous data transfers to graphics display systems concurrently with other processes generating graphics output for the frame buffer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical personal computer or workstation graphics system consists of a graphics adapter providing a frame buffer and graphics acceleration hardware, together with a software device driver providing an interface between the graphics adapter hardware and the operating system and/or applications running on top of the operating system. This serves to facilitate display of elaborate graphics while relieving the operating system of computational responsibility for graphics processing, improving overall performance.
In a multitasking environment, however, access to hardware devices such as the graphics adapter must be serialized so that the hardware state may be managed and maintained consistently for each process. This imposes a constraint on continuous, asynchronous data transfers from a video source such as a video capture device (e.g., xe2x80x9cWebcamxe2x80x9d), a digital television signal source, video streaming from a network device, and the like.
While such continuous, asynchronous data transfers should be transmitted directly to the physical memory linear aperture of the graphics adapter frame buffer via direct memory access (DMA) or other means, for many commercial graphics adapters, the frame buffer linear aperture is not accessible at the same time as the graphics accelerator hardware is being utilized. If an asynchronous data transfer is in progress when some process concurrently attempts to utilize the graphics accelerator hardware (which disables the linear aperture), the asynchronous data transfer may fail in some manner. At best this failure may be manifested as a visible glitch in the display of the asynchronous data transfer; at worst, the failure may result in system corruption and/or hang.
One solution would be to serialize (i.e. time multiplex) data transfer operations to the frame buffer linear aperture with access to the graphics accelerator hardware. However, such serialization defeats the desired asynchronous functioning of the data transfer operations concurrently with other processes in a multitasking environment.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a mechanism for supporting asynchronous data transfers to a frame buffer linear aperture concurrently with other processes normally utilizing the graphics adapter accelerator hardware to generate graphics output for the frame buffer.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an improved graphics display system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved method and system for supporting asynchronous data transfers to graphics display systems.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide support for asynchronous data transfers to graphics display systems concurrently with other processes generating graphics output for the frame buffer.
The foregoing objects are achieved as is now described. A module is interposed between a multitasking operating system and the device driver for a graphics adapter including a frame buffer with a linear aperture for continuous, asynchronous data transfers. The interposed module may selectively intercept all graphics device driver function requests or simply pass such requests to the device driver, and provides a mechanism for generating graphics output in the frame buffer without utilizing graphics accelerator hardware on the graphics adapter. The interposed module is aware of the start and stop of asynchronous data transfers to the frame buffer. When asynchronous data transfers are started, the interposed module invokes the graphics adapter device driver to obtain access to the frame buffer linear aperture and sets its own internal state to active. While active, the interposed module intercepts all graphics device driver requests and employs its own mechanism to generate graphics output in the frame buffer responsive to such requests, without utilizing the graphics accelerator hardware. Since the graphics accelerator hardware is not utilized, the frame buffer linear aperture always remains enabled. While inactive, the interposed module simply passes all graphics device driver requests to the device driver. The interposed module is preferably implemented in accordance with the GRADD architecture model, with the mechanism for generating graphics output being provided by the VMAN and SOFTDRAW libraries.
The above as well as additional objects, 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 antimicrobial effect of various metals and their salts has been known for centuries. Its germicidal effects increased its value in utensils and as jewelry. The exact process of silver's germicidal effect is still not entirely understood, although theories exist. One of these is the “oligodynamic effect,” which qualitatively explains the effect on some microorganisms, but cannot explain antiviral effects. Silver is widely used in topical gels and impregnated into bandages because of its wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity.
The oligodynamic effect is demonstrated by other metals, specifically gold, silver, copper, zinc, and bismuth. Copper is one such metal. Copper has long been used as a biostatic surface to line the bottoms of ships to protect against barnacles and mussels. It was originally used in pure form, but has since been superseded by brass and other alloys due to their lower cost and higher durability. Bacteria will not grow on a copper surface because it is biostatic. Copper alloys have become important netting materials in the aquaculture industry for the fact that they are antimicrobial and prevent biofouling and have strong structural and corrosion-resistant properties in marine environments. Organic compounds of copper are useful for preventing fouling of ships' hulls. Copper alloy touch surfaces have recently been investigated as antimicrobial surfaces in hospitals for decreasing transmission of nosocomial infections.
Numerous scientific investigations have focused on the role of the metal form of copper, and have concluded that multiple mechanisms may be possible for copper's antimicrobial effect, including increased production of reactive oxidation species such as singlet oxygen and hydroxide radicals, covalent binding of copper metal to reactive sites in enzymes and co-factors, interference with lipid bilayer transport proteins, and interaction of copper ions with moieties of microorganisms analogous to what have been proposed for silver ions. | {
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Most electronic devices such as computers, mobile phones and other components upholding an electrical circuitry or processor generate heat during use. This heat is generally removed, or transferred away from the device by providing air circulation through the device or heat sinks. The air flow that cools the device is normally generated by a fan incorporated within the device. The drawback of using a fan in the device is the generation of sound and the utilization of energy for running the fan. Furthermore, certain devices such as mobile phones do not normally contain a fan due to restrictions in the size of the telephone. Consequently after a period of use the device becomes hot. The increased temperature may reduce the period during which the battery can be active. Moreover, the temperature raise of the device makes the device not comfortable to use. | {
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The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to mechanisms for reusing snapshots in a network data management protocol (NDMP) backup operation.
NDMP is an open standard protocol for network-based backup for network-attached storage. The protocol allows backup and network-attached file server vendors to focus investment on functionality instead of excessive porting, and gives users an unprecedented level of choice and interoperability. The purpose of the NDMP protocol is to allow a network based data management application, such as a data backup application, to control the backup and retrieval of data in an NDMP-compliant storage environment without installing third-party software on the storage devices themselves.
In NDMP the control and data transfer components of the data management operation are separated. This separation allows for complete interoperability at a network level. The storage system vendors need only be concerned with maintaining compatibility with one, well-defined protocol. The data management vendors can place their primary focus on the sophisticated central data management administration software.
The NDMP protocol is targeted towards the process of data management: backup, restore, replication, mirroring, etc. The protocol is specifically intended to support tape drives. However, the protocol can be used for other applications and support other media as well. More information about NDMP, including the standard specifications, may be found at the NDMP official website www.ndmp.org
The most recent version of NDMP, i.e. NDMP v5, provides support for snapshots. A snapshot is a mechanism for quickly creating and labeling a consistent copy of a volume or a file system. In other words, the snapshot represents the state of the volume or file system at a particular instance in time. Many separately labeled snapshots can co-exist on a storage device at a same time and can be used as input to a backup or data replication operation. In NDMP v5, support for snapshots, which are used by many vendors of database systems, is provided such that the data management application (DMA) engine can issue commands to have a data service create and label snapshots so that they can be later used as the source for a data management operation, such as a backup operation or data replication operation.
Currently, with NDMP, snapshots are taken with regard to every directory of a file system or volume. In large file systems, such as file systems with millions of small files, the overhead to take a snapshot or delete a snapshot can reduce the overall bandwidth of the backup and increase the time it takes to backup a file system. | {
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This invention pertains to automatically latching or quick connecting devices usable to connect a tractor device to a pulled device particularly in use on farms.
For various reasons the idea of being able to connect a farm tractor to an implement or wagon is very appealing. Many farm implements have tongues requiring considerable force to raise to the height necessary to connect to the tractor drawbar. Thus, these implements may require some sort of jack on the tongue to hold them up at the proper level for connection.
Even the implements with light tongue weights require one to dismount from the tractor in order to align the holes in the clevis on the tongue with the hole in the drawbar and to drop the hitch pin into place. In many such instances it may be desirable to have one person driving the tractor while the other lifts the tongue and inserts the pin.
Several devices have been tried to overcome the problems of heavy tongues but I am aware of patents covering such devices.
By my invention I provide a device having an automatic connecting device adapted to engage a pin in the tongue of the device to be pulled and then to be raised to drawbar height and at that point to be locked positively onto the pin and be ready for pulling. | {
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The present invention relates generally to bearing systems for relatively rotatable conduits conducting a liquid, and more particularly to such a bearing system including a protective casing surrounding operative parts of the system to minimize entry of external dirt and other abrasive material, the casing including means permitting bleeding therefrom of leakage liquid which collects in the casing during use.
The invention finds particularly advantageous application with rotatable sprinklers widely used for irrigation purposes, and a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in connection with such an application. However, it will be seen that the invention is not limited to such an environment, but can find application in other environments as well, where two relatively rotatable liquid-carrying conduits are connected together in an environment having dirt, dust and other abrasive material whose entry would be harmful to the operative parts of the bearing system.
A typical bearing construction of the type under discussion consists of a bearing housing having a cylindrical bore therethrough and an external upwardly directed annular shoulder. Rotatably mounted within the housing bore is a tubular spindle having a lower annular flange, the spindle upper end projecting above the bearing housing and being connected to an outlet member such as a sprinkler head. The outlet member is provided with an annular downwardly directed shoulder in coaxial alignment with the shoulder of the bearing housing. Annular seals are provided, including lower seal means between the spindle flange and the lower end of the bearing housing, and upper seal means abutting the annular shoulder of the outlet member.
Resilient means are provided for maintaining the upper and lower seal means under a predetermined amount of compression, typically including a helical spring which bears at its lower end against the upwardly directed annular shoulder of the bearing housing, and at its upper end against the annular seal means contacting the downwardly directed shoulder of the outlet member. It is found that external mud and dirt become encrusted on the helical spring, and abrasive particles of such dirt and mud can pass into the small annular clearance between the rotatable spindle and the fixed bore of the bearing, scoring and galling those otherwise smooth surfaces, and eventually binding the spindle against rotation.
In order to minimize entry of abrasive particles of mud, dirt and dust into the operative parts of the bearing system, it has been previously proposed to provide an annular cover in the form of an integral corrugated bellows of suitable material such as plastic, surrounding the spring. However, difficulties arise in the use of such a bellows because the internal seals of the bearing system inevitably leak, and pressurized liquid from the supply conduit collects within the annular chamber formed by the bellows. The force of this pressurized liquid effectively adds to the force of the spring itself, imposing much more thrust load on the rotating parts, particularly the upper seal, than was intended in design, eventually leading to binding of the parts. The strength of the spring is so chosen as to impose a predetermined optimum force on the relatively rotable seal components. Hence the spring should be unrestricted in its free longitudinal expansion to maintain that force despite manufacturing tolerances, and to gradually continue that expansion as the seals wear over their useful life.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an annular casing assembly surrounding the helical spring of the bearing system and forming effectively the outer wall of a chamber within which the spring is disposed. The casing assembly includes a lower annular case of suitable rigid material such as metal or a rigid plastic, having a smooth cylindrical outer wall and an inwardly extending lower flange underlying the helical spring. The casing assembly includes also an upper annular cap having an internal flange overlying the upper end of the helical spring, and a downwardly depending generally cylindrical sidewall spaced slightly outwardly from the outer sidewall of the annular case, the depending sidewall of the cap being provided at its lower end with an inturned feathered edge which lightly contacts the outer cylindrical sidewall of the case. The material of which the sidewall and feathered edge of the cap are formed is resilient and flexible, so that even a very slight liquid pressure within the annular space between the sidewalls of the cap and case will cause the feathered edge to move slightly outwardly away from direct contact with the case cylindrical sidewall. The small opening thus provided permits liquid collected in the chamber to bleed outwardly and downwardly, thereby preventing the building up of liquid pressure within the annular chamber formed by the casing assembly. When no liquid is in the annular chamber, the feathered edge of the cap remains in contact with the case sidewall, thus preventing entry of external abrasive material. In order to facilitate the opening movement of the feathered edge away from the case sidewall during bleeding, it may be desirable to provide one or more vertical slits in the lower portion of the sidewall of the cap, extending upwardly a short distance from the feathered edge.
It will accordingly be seen that the casing assembly, and more particularly the contact between the lowermost feathered edge of the cap and the cylindrical sidewall of the case, constitute in effect a check valve permitting outward and downward flow of liquid, but preventing flow of any material in the opposite direction.
It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to disclose and provide a novel protective casing assembly for a bearing system connecting two relatively rotatable liquid conducting conduits. Other and additional objects and purposes are to provide a novel two-piece casing assembly for forming, with a bearing housing, an annular chamber for housing a helical spring; to provide such a casing assembly including check valve means for permitting bleeding exit of leakage water from the chamber, while barring entry of external abrasive material; to provide such a bleeding protective means which facilitates assembly during manufacture; and for other and additional purposes as will become clear from a reading of the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel catalytic cracking process to produce motor fuels. In particular, this invention relates to an improved catalytic cracking process involving the use of an admixture of AgHZSM-5 and a conventional cracking catalyst to increase gasoline octane number and total yield.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hydrocarbon conversion processes utilizing crystalline zeolites have been the subject of extensive investigation during recent years, as is obvious from both the patent and scientific literature. Crystalline zeolites have been found to be particularly effective for a wide variety of hydrocarbon conversion processes including the catalytic cracking of a gas oil to produce motor fuels and have been described and claimed in many patents, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,140,249; 3,140,251; 3,140,252; 3,140,253; and 3,271,418. It is also known in the prior art to incorporate the crystalline zeolite into a matrix for catalytic cracking and such disclosure appears in one or more of the above-identified United States patents.
It is also known that improved results will be obtained with regard to the catalytic cracking of gas oils if a crystalline zeolite having a pore size of less than 7 Angstrom units is included with a crystalline zeolite having a pore size greater than 8 Angstrom units, either with or without a matrix. A disclosure of this type is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,202. Although the incorporation of a crystalline zeolite having a pore size of less than 7 Angstrom units into a catalyst composite comprising a larger pore size crystalline zeolite (pore size greater than 8 Angstrom units) has indeed been very effective with respect to raising of octane number, nevertheless it did so at the expense of the overall yield of gasoline.
Improved results in catalytic cracking with respect to both octane number and overall yield were achieved in U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,403. In said patent, the cracking catalyst was comprised of a large pore size crystalline zeolite (pore size greater than 7 Angstrom units) in admixture with ZSM-5 type zeolite wherein the ratio of ZSM-5 type zeolite to large pore size crystalline zeolite was in the range of 1:10 to 3:1.
The use of ZSM-5 type zeolite in conjunction with a zeolite cracking catalyst of the X or Y faujasite variety is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,894,931; 3,894,933; and 3,894,934. The two former patents disclose the use of ZSM-5 type zeolite in amounts up to and about 5 to 10 weight percent; the latter patent discloses the weight ratio of ZSM-5 type zeolite to large pore size crystalline zeolite within the range of 1:10 to 3:1.
The addition of a separate additive catalyst comprising one or more members of the ZSM-5 type has been found to be extremely efficient as an octane and total yield improver when used in very small amounts in conjunction with a conventional cracking catalyst. Thus, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,279, it was found that only 0.1-0.5 weight percent of a ZSM-5 type catalyst added to a conventional cracking catalyst under conventional cracking operations could increase octane by about 1 to 3 RON+0 (research octane number without lead).
It has also become known that incorporation of silver into ZSM-5 improves the steam stability of the catalyst. Thus, under the severe hydrothermal condition often encountered during oxidative regeneration of hydrocarbon conversion catalysts or as a result that one of the products of a conversion process is water, such as during the conversion of methenol to gasoline, the catalyst will maintain catalytic activity and structure crystallinity. However, the improved gasoline selectivity and higher octane achieved with AgHZSM-5 in combination with conventional cracking catalysts as in the present invention is unexpected based on the prior art where addition of a metal function results in very substantial losses in gasoline product with resulting increases in gas make.
In order to reduce automobile exhaust emissions to meet federal and state pollution requirements, many automobile manufacturers have equipped the exhaust system of their vehicles with catalytic converters. Said converters contain catalysts which are poisoned by tetraethyl lead. Since tetraethyl lead has been widely used to boost the octane number of gasoline, refiners now have to turn to alternate means to improve gasoline octane number.
One method of increasing octane number is to raise the cracker reactor temperature. This method, however, is very limited, since many units are now operating at maximum temperatures due to metallurgical limitations. Raising the cracker reactor temperature also results in increased requirements for the gas plant (i.e., gas compressor and separator). Since most gas plants are now operating at maximum capacity, any increase load could not be tolerated by the present equipment.
An alternative method has been to mix an additive catalyst such as ZSM-5 to the cracking catalyst as described above. Generally, the octane gain of a ZSM-5 containing cracking catalyst is associated with gasoline (C.sub.5 +) yield decrease and correspondingly higher yields of C.sub.3 and C.sub.4 gaseous products. As the freshly added ZSM-5 undergoes hydrothermal deactivation the octane enhancement is reduced and additional ZSM-5 must be added to maintain the desired octane level.
As can well be appreciated in the foregoing, it would be extremely desirable to have a more steam stable ZSM-5 additive which would in effect reduce the additive catalyst requirement to maintain a given octane level. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for a production rule engine. In particular this relates to a method and apparatus for extending a production rule engine with ontological reasoning.
A production rule is a rule with a condition part and an action part. The condition part is there to constantly match the instances grouped in working memory. The action part is there to react on the matched instances and to update the available instances. Production rules are written according to the descriptions of the instances they are going to process. They are expected to change the instances but not the descriptions.
Ontologies are providing both descriptions and instances. Ontology Web Language2 (OWL2) is a standard ontology for a new candidate state of practice.
In an object model, descriptions are classes with typed attributes organized as class hierarchies. Classes are there to classify the instances. An instance is an object with an internal structure that depends on its class. The production rules in this case are directly matching objects in the condition part. And they are directly updating objects in the action part.
In a standard OWL2 ontology, descriptions are logical descriptions. A class is a predicate of arity one. A class assertion is a classification fact about an individual. Individuals may belong to many classes. In OWL2 properties are not part of the class definitions. Here, a property is a predicate of arity two. A property assertion is a relational fact involving a subject, an individual, and an object, a constant. By default many subjects can be connected to many objects. Thus properties are really relations by default which is not the case in an object model. A constant is either an individual or either a data value. An individual is not comparable to an object of an object model. It does not have dedicated internal slots to store the values of its attributes. Besides being a “thing”, an individual does not have a particular instantiation type as it is the case for the objects in an object model. An individual is just becoming a member of some classes according to the classification assertions. When trying to map objects to individuals, the internal structure of the objects needs to be exposed as facts using only properties and classes involving individuals and data values. An object model is only a very particular case of an OWL2 ontology. The production rules coupled to an OWL2 ontology are matching facts, knowledge about constants, in the condition part. And they are updating facts in the action part.
As already mentioned, standard OWL2 ontological descriptions are more sophisticated than the class hierarchies of an object model. Operators are available to recursively combine class and property expressions. But the most important OWL2 constructs are the axioms that tell how to reason on the class and the property expressions. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In the field of archery, it is conventional practice to mount a peep sight on a bowstring of an archery bow. A peep sight is an optical sighting device having a sight opening that an archer aligns with the front sight of the bow to focus on a desired object or target.
In a typical archery peep sight arrangement, the peep sight is secured at a desired location along the bowstring by serving or string (which, for best results, is tied to the bowstring by an archery equipment professional). A rubber or silicone elastomeric tube may connect the peep sight to the bow cable of an archery bow. Upon full draw, tension in the elastomeric tube between the peep sight and the bow cable maintains the peep sight opening in alignment with the front bow sight.
Examples of serving-mounted peep sights are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,410,644; 5,542,186 and 6,131,295. A disadvantage of serving-mounted peep sights is that, regardless of how well the serving may be tied, the act of pulling the bowstring back to full draw tends to cause the peep sight to move upwardly along the bowstring. As a consequence, the peep sight does not retain its desired position and the archer's shooting accuracy is correspondingly compromised.
Clamping means have been proposed as an alternative to serving for securing peep sights to bowstrings. Examples include the two-part peep sights disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,656,747 and 5,680,480. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,747 the peep sight is clamped between separated strands of a bowstring and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,480 the bowstring remains unseparated but is clamped between a pair of peep sight sections. If installed properly, such devices should be able to fix the peep sight at a desired position on the bowstring. In the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,747, the bowstring strands are exposed to the ambient environment and, therefore, to moisture, debris or other undesirable matter that might hinder operation of the sight or deteriorate the bowstring at the sight location. In the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,480, the bowstring is clamped within the sight housing. However, the bowstring is essentially permanently clamped within the sight by interlocking projections and recesses provided on the first and second housing sections of the sight. A pin or screw secures the sections together and retains the sight at a desired position along the bowstring. A disadvantage of such a sight is that, because of the mechanical interlock between the housing sections, the sections must be pried apart to remove the sight from the bowstring which may result in damage to either or both of the housing sections.
An advantage exists, therefore, for an archery peep sight which fully encloses and firmly clamps the strands of bowstring. Such sight should be of minimum size and weight, should have high strength and durability, and should be easily and non-destructively attached to and removed from a bowstring. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for initiating communication in a mobile terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for quickly initiating a communication connection in a mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a mobile terminal refers to an advanced communication device with which a user can make a call or exchange data while on the move. With the popularization of such mobile terminals, users prefer to communicate using mobile terminals rather than wired telephones.
To initiate communication using a mobile terminal, a user needs to input contact information, such as a phone number, of a communication counterpart. Generally, a user of a mobile terminal stores registration information (e.g., names and phone numbers) of communication counterparts in a phone book of the mobile terminal. Accordingly, for many users, the phone book is an indispensable feature of a mobile terminal.
Meanwhile, the increasing use of a mobile terminal may cause frequent use of a phone book, and possibly increase the number of communication counterparts registered in the phone book, which makes it difficult for the user to select a specific communication counterpart to initiate a communication connection (e.g., an outgoing call). There is a conventional method that addresses such problems in which unique shortcut numbers (or hot keys) are assigned to respective communication counterparts so that a user may easily initiate communication with a desired communication counterpart corresponding to a specific shortcut number by simply inputting the shortcut number.
Although the conventional method described above may enable rapid communication through speed dialing, if an increasing number of communication counterparts are registered in relation to shortcut numbers, a user may have difficulty in memorizing all the registered communication counterparts.
For example, a user may memorize, without difficulty, communication counterparts registered in relation to single-digit shortcut numbers (e.g., 0 to 9), so the user can conveniently initiate communication using the shortcut numbers. However, in the case of multi-digit shortcut numbers, it may be quite difficult for a user to memorize all the communication counterparts registered in relation to the shortcut numbers, so the user ends up searching a phone book for a specific communication counterpart by inputting a name or phone number of the communication counterpart, to initiate communication.
Therefore, there is a need for a method for quickly initiating a communication without having to input names or phone numbers of communication counterparts, even though the communication counterparts are registered in relation to multi-digit shortcut numbers. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to an electrolyte and more particularly to an electrolyte for use in a battery.
An effective solid electrolyte layer (SEI) must be created at the surface of a graphite negative electrode of a battery in order to keep the electrolyte from decomposing. Various electrolytes comprising certain combinations of salts and solvents produce SEI layers of various qualities. Typical lithium ion batteries use an electrolyte comprising LiPF6 in a carbonate solvent, with 1.2-M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate (EC):diethyl carbonate (DEC) being typical in the battery industry. EC is solid at room temperature and requires additional processing steps for employing in an electrolyte. Graphite electrodes have a fragile structure and, until the invention of the electrolyte described herein, have required the use of EC for forming the SEI layer without damaging the graphite structure. By contrast, hard carbon negative electrodes are not as easily broken and therefore can use solvents other than EC to form the SEI layer. However, while hard carbon has a higher capacity than graphite, it can absorb a lot of moisture and has a large irreversible capacity, making graphite a much more desirable electrode material than hard carbon. Lithium metal does not require EC to form an SEI layer, but is useful only for a primary battery, not rechargeable. Vinylene carbonate (VC) and vinyl ethylene carbonate (VEC) can aid in creating an SEI layer, but can only be used in quantities up to about 3% because an excess of these solvents creates degradation at the positive electrode; with this small quantity of SEI-forming solvent, only a thin SEI layer is created, with all of the VC or VEC consumed during the first charging cycle; therefore, another SEI-forming component such as EC must be added.
The electrolyte of the present invention comprises a salt or mixture of salts comprising lithium bis(oxalato) borate (LiBOB) in a lactone solvent or mixture of lactone solvents, preferably gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), combined with a low viscosity solvent or mixture of low viscosity solvents, and preferably does not contain a solvent that is solid at room temperature, such as ethylene carbonate (EC). This inventive electrolyte is useful in primary and secondary batteries, and is especially suitable for a lithium ion battery having a graphite negative electrode, forming a functional SEI layer that does not readily decompose.
LiBOB is more soluble in lactone solvents, such as gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), than in commonly used carbonate solvents, such as ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC). Using a lactone solvent to dissolve LiBOB electrolyte produces a high salt concentration electrolyte, greatly improving conductivity as compared with using a carbonate solvent.
This electrolyte system has a wide operating temperature range and therefore can be safely used in many applications, including satellites and implantable medical devices. For example, a high temperature sterilization process could not be used for many electrolytes; the salt LiPF6 decomposes at about 80xc2x0 C., and DEC boils at about 126xc2x0 C. By contrast, LiBOB is stable at 300xc2x0 C., and GBL boils at about 206xc2x0 C., making this combination ideal for high temperature sterilization. At the other temperature extreme, EC has poor low temperature performance due to its high freezing point of around 37-39xc2x0 C., making it very viscous at low temperatures, and therefore less desirable for applications in which low temperature operation is important.
Furthermore, in the case of a leak, unlike fluorine-containing salts such as LiPF6, LiBOB does not form HF when mixed with bodily fluid, and is therefore safer than LiPF6. While LiBF4 decomposes at a lower rate than LiPF6 and is therefore slower to form HF, it has lower conductivity than LiPF6 due to its lower dissociation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The production of titanium tetrachloride (“TiCl4”) via the chlorination of titanium values in a titanium-containing starting material is generally known in the art. The production of TiCl4 is useful, for example, in the production of titanium metal or titanium dioxide (“TiO2”).
As is known in the art, TiCl4 can be produced by reacting chlorine gas with titanium-containing starting materials, typically in a fluid bed chlorinator. Titanium dioxide-containing ores used as starting materials contain a variety of impurities, notably including oxides of Fe, Mn, Ni, Si, Al, Nb, Zr, V, Mg, and Ca. Most of the impurities are chlorinated with the TiO2 in the ore, and form volatile chlorides at the temperatures that typically characterize the chlorination process (that is, from about 800° C. to about 1400° C.).
The off-gases from the chlorination process comprise a gaseous mixture including CO, CO2, TiCl4, N2, and Cl2. The gaseous mixture also contains the volatile chlorides of the impurities discussed above as well as some residual solids (typically also chlorides) that are carried out of the chlorinator due to entrainment. The solids-laden gaseous mixture is conventionally transported through a duct from the top of the chlorinator to a device, for example, a cyclone, which separates solids from the gases. The ductwork between the chlorinator and the cyclone is frequently referred to as a crossover or chlorinator crossover.
As the gaseous mixture is transported to the cyclone through the ductwork, the gases cool, causing some of the chlorides to condense as tacky solids. The tacky solids can build up on the internal surface of the ductwork, creating blockage to the extent that the blockage can cause a pressure drop through the duct. If the pressure drop becomes too high the process may not be economical to operate, requiring a shutdown to clean the duct (for example, by sand blasting or through the use of mechanical devices such as chain flails) or change ducts. Decreasing or preventing the tacky solids build up and consequent blockage would allow longer run times between shutdowns and also allow usage of lower grade ores containing greater quantities of impurity metal oxides. Attempts have been made to cool the gaseous mixture rapidly before it enters the ductwork, but this approach requires major modifications to an existing chlorinator as well as extensive down time. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine, and more particularly to a locked spacer for a rotor shaft thereof.
Gas turbine engines such as those utilized in aircraft are complex mechanical systems with of a variety of components. Assembly, aftermarket support, repair and overhaul of such complicated machinery may be time intensive and relatively expensive. To facilitate field support of such engines, more modern designs are modular. The engine is designed in a plurality of subassemblies or modules which may be individually removed or assembled to the remainder of the engine modules. Such a modular design allows the removal and replacement of a single module in the field so that the engine may be returned to service as rapidly as possible. The removed module may then be fully disassembled, repaired and/or overhauled at a remote site with minimal overall engine or aircraft down time. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Transmission of signals between semiconductor chips is important for achieving system performance objectives. In wired communications, signals are transmitted by off-chip drivers (OCD) or circuits to a card, board, or substrate. In typical semiconductor designs, the signals are transmitted through signal pads, wire bonds (or solder balls), and metal interconnects to the card, board, or substrate. The signals are then received by a receiver network through the metal interconnects, wire bonds, and signal pads. In system designs, the time of flight, the capacitance loading, and the resistance can impact the system performance. As technology performance increases, the capacitance loading effect of these interconnects becomes performance impacting.
On all external pins (e.g. signal transmission pins, receiver pins, power pins), electrostatic discharge (ESD) networks are placed, in order to protect sensitive circuits. ESD is a phenomenon known to degrade or destroy discrete electronic components. In particular, given the decreasing size of circuit features with ever improving process technology, static electricity can destroy or substantially harm many of today's integrated circuits. Tribo-electric charges are produced anytime two surfaces are separated and if one or more of the surfaces is a nonconductor, then static electric charge is produced. This is a natural phenomenon and only causes a problem if the static charge is allowed to discharge or induce a charge into the integrated circuit. Such an ESD event can occur very persuasively to a point of several thousand volts. The discharge occurs very rapidly and the usual failure or degradation is caused by the gasification of metal within the device or the semiconductor material.
The damage following each electrostatic discharge event may be instantly catastrophic. Often times, however, the integrated circuit does not totally fail, but rather, remains operable within a latent defect that will ultimately result in premature failure. Such events can also alter the operating characteristics of the integrated circuit, thereby resulting in unsatisfactory and often unpredictable operation. Electrostatic discharge between input/output connects of a semiconductor device chip can occur, for example, from human handling, automated circuit testing or during packaging of discrete integrated circuit chips. To reduce the risk of handling, ESD protection circuits are placed on semiconductor chips' signal pins.
However, the conventional wired signal transmission systems do not allow direct chip-to-chip wireless signal transmissions. Instead, inter-chip signals must be transmitted electrically through the surface or edge wirings, which have relatively high capacitance loading, require expensive semiconductor processing, and are not suitable for high speed, high bandwidth, or high frequency applications.
Further, the ESD structures used in the conventional wired signal transmission systems typically contain ESD protection circuits or components that have significantly large footprints. Further, the ESD protection circuits on off-chip drivers (OCD) and receiver networks lead to additional capacitance loading, which adversely impacts the system performance. Therefore, the ESD structures in the conventional wired signal transmission systems impose a challenge for further scaling and hinders further improvement of system performance.
There is a continuing need for improved semiconductor structures that allow direct chip-to-chip wireless signal transmissions without surface or edge wirings and are suitable for use in high speed, high bandwidth, and/or high frequency applications. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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