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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an insertion/extraction force reducing connector which can reduce manipulation force that is necessary in inserting or pulling one connector housing into or out of the other.
2. Description of the Related Art
In connectors used in connection portions of vehicle wire harnesses, the number of terminals of a connector is increasing as vehicles are coming to be equipped with more electric devices. And the manipulation force that is necessary in inserting or pulling one connector housing of a connector into or out of the other is increasing accordingly.
Increased manipulation force not only makes difficult a manipulation of inserting or pulling one connector housing of a connector into or out of the other but also may cause a fitting failure or the like of connected connector housings.
Therefore, multi-terminal connectors are desired to be insertion/extraction force reducing connectors (low insertion force connectors) which can reduce manipulation force that is necessary in inserting or pulling one connector housing into or out of the other. Various lever connectors have been proposed as insertion/extraction force reducing connectors.
Lever connectors are connectors in which a fitting manipulation lever which, when rotated, causes forces in the insertion/extraction direction to act on a pair of connector housings to be fitted with and connected to each other is provided between the pair of connector housings. Through leverage, the fitting manipulation lever can reduce manipulation force that is necessary in inserting or pulling one connector housing into or out of the other.
However, to reduce the manipulation force to a large extent in lever connectors, it is necessary to use a large fitting manipulation lever having a large leverage ratio. The use of a large fitting manipulation lever raises a problem that the size of the connector is increased.
In view of the above, an insertion/extraction force reducing connector 100 shown in FIG. 30 has been proposed which reduces manipulation force that is necessary in inserting or pulling one connector housing into or out of the other without using a fitting manipulation lever (refer to the following Japanese Patent No. 2,671,729).
The insertion/extraction force reducing connector 100 is composed of a first connector housing 110 and a second connector housing 120 to be connected to the former.
The first connector housing 110 is equipped with a first terminal holding part 112 which holds plural first terminal metal fittings 111 and a cylindrical hood part 113 which extends from a front outer circumferential portion of the first terminal holding part 112 and is to be fitted with and connected to the second connector housing 120.
The first terminal metal fittings 111 which are held by the first terminal holding part 112 are tongue-shaped male terminal metal fittings (tab terminal metal fittings).
The second connector housing 120 holds plural second terminal metal fittings (not shown) to be fitted with and connected to the respective first terminal metal fittings 111 of the first connector housing 110 in such a manner that they are divided into two groups, that is, a first group and a second group. The second terminal metal fittings are fitted with and connected to the first terminal metal fittings 111 of the first connector housing 110 by fitting a front portion of the second connector housing 120 into the hood part 113 of the first connector housing 110.
The second connector housing 120 used in Japanese Patent No. 2,671,729 is equipped with an outer housing 124 and an inner housing 126. The outer housing 124 has a first group terminal holding part 123 which houses and holds the second terminal metal fittings belonging to the first group, and is to be fitted into the hood part 113. The inner housing 126 has a second group terminal holding part 125 which houses and holds the second terminal metal fittings belonging to the second group, and is attached to the outer housing 124.
The outer housing 124 has, adjacent to the first group terminal holding part 123, an inner housing space 124a in which the inner housing 126 is inserted for attachment.
In the inner housing 126, the second group terminal holding part 125 is temporarily locked in the outer housing 124 (placed in the inner housing space 124a) in such a manner that the second group terminal holding part 125 project from the level of the first group terminal holding part 123. Therefore, when the second connector housing 120 is fitted into the first connector housing 110, the second terminal metal fittings that are held by the second group terminal holding part 125 are fitted with and connected to the associated ones of first terminal metal fittings 111 of the first connector housing 110 earlier than those held by the first group terminal holding part 123 are.
When the second terminal metal fittings which are held by the second group terminal holding part 125 have been completely fitted with and connected to the associated ones of first terminal metal fittings 111 of the first connector housing 110, the temporary lock state of the inner housing 126 is canceled, whereupon the tip surface of the second group terminal holding part 125 is allowed to retract to such a position as to be flush with the tip surface of the first group terminal holding part 123. As the inner housing 126 retracts, fitting of the second terminal metal fittings that are held by the first group terminal holding part 123 with the associated ones of the first terminal metal fittings 111 of the first connector housing 110 proceeds.
In the insertion/extraction force reducing connector 100 disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2,671,729, the second terminal metal fittings that are held by the second connector housing 120 are divided into two groups and are fitted in order on a group-by-group basis. In this manner, the manipulation force that is necessary in fitting one connector housing to or with the other is reduced.
Since no fitting manipulation lever is used for a manipulation for fitting one connector housing to or with the other, the size of the connector can be reduced.
However, in the insertion/extraction force reducing connector disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2,671,729, the second connector housing 120 is configured in such a manner that the inner housing 126 is inserted in and attached to the outer housing 124. The outer housing 124 has an outside wall 124b with which the entire outer circumferential surface of the inner housing 126 is covered, the outside wall 124b causes increase in volume and weight. This raises a problem that the size and the weight cannot be reduced very much from conventional lever connectors. | {
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The present invention relates generally to a combination clock and air sensing apparatus and, more particularly, to a clock and ambient air condition sensing apparatus having dual power sources and which alerts users to an inoperability of a power source by ceasing the clock function while still powering the air condition sensor.
It is widely accepted that having multiple smoke, carbon monoxide, or heat detectors mounted throughout one""s residence is a significant safety benefit. However, such ambient air condition detectors often have an unsightly aesthetic appearance. Another problem with air condition detectors is that it is difficult to determine when each detector""s battery has become inoperable and needs to be changed.
Various devices have been proposed in the art for housing a smoke or carbon monoxide sensor within a clock unit so as to improve the aesthetic appearance of the device. In addition, it has been proposed that a user will be alerted to an inoperability of the device""s battery when the clock ceases to function. Although presumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices do not alert users to a failure of the air condition sensor power source by ceasing the clock function while still providing power to the air sensor.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have an apparatus which combines a clock and an ambient air condition sensor within a single, decorative housing. Further, it would be desirable to have a clock and air condition sensing apparatus which includes a dual battery power source. In addition, it would be desirable to have an apparatus which alerts a user to a failure of the air condition sensor battery power source by a cessation of the clock function and which then diverts current from a clock battery source to the air condition sensor to maintain operability thereof.
A clock and ambient air condition sensing apparatus according to the present invention includes an alarm and an ambient air condition sensor, such as a smoke sensor, positioned within a housing. The apparatus includes a clock mounted to a front cover of the housing. A logic circuit is positioned within the housing and electrically connected to both the air condition sensor and the clock. First and second battery power sources are also positioned within the housing and electrically connected to the circuit. The circuit is capable of directing current from the batteries to the air condition sensor and clock. Under normal operation, current from the first battery is directed by the circuit to the air condition sensor and current from the second battery is directed to the clock. The circuit regularly evaluates the operability of the batteries and, if the first battery is inoperative, the circuit directs current from the second battery to the air condition sensor. Obviously, the clock is no longer energized when current from the second battery is diverted to the air condition sensor. Accordingly, a user is alerted to a battery failure by the cessation of clock function but yet is not left unprotected from sensing dangerous ambient air conditions such as smoke, heat, or carbon monoxide.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which combines a clock and an ambient air condition sensor in a single decorative housing.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, having independent battery power sources for energizing the ambient air condition sensor and clock under the control of a logic circuit.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which monitors the operability of the dual battery power sources.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which directs current from the clock battery power source to the air condition sensor when the air condition sensor battery power source is inoperative.
A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which alerts a user to an inoperability of a battery by ceasing the clock function and other visual means.
A still further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus, as aforesaid, which includes decorative clock face coverings.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. | {
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With the advent of various versions of Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL) technology, service providers are now able to provide broadband services to residences and commercial establishments over twisted pair lines. Broadband services can include Internet service, telephony, and interactive Television (iTV). In the case of iTV services, the service provider typically reserves a portion of broadband services to allocate a selection of standard definition and in some instances high definition channels which can be presented by way of a common set-top box. The service provider can similarly reserve a portion of broadband services for telephony. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of picture frames and the display thereof, and more particularly to the display of a plurality of picture frames along the length of a vertical pole. In its most preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to a pole system for displaying picture frames along a pole coupled to but spaced apart from the vertical surface of an office furniture panel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A large number of systems are known for displaying paintings, photographs and the like, and in recent years a large number of styles of picture frames have been manufactured and sold in many price categories and for many different display environments. Frames may be placed on a table, shelf, desk, or other horizontal surface, or frames may be hung on a vertical surface, such as a wall. For picture frames hung on a wall, the back of the frame is typically equipped with a wire, a circular opening on a tab or sawtooth shaped bracket, and a nail or other hanger is secured in the wall. The frame attachment component engages the wall component to suspend the frame at a desired location. With the frame wires and the sawtooth plates mentioned above, frame alignment is accomplished by moving the frame laterally, while with the tab attachment component on the back of the frame, alignment is automatic as the wall component comes to rest at the top center of the opening.
It is also known that a grouping of picture frames may be located on a vertical wall surface. One such system includes a wire rod mounted vertically on a wall, with four wire hooks fixed on the rod. each hook engages the bottom edge of a frame. This system is not adjustable with respect to hook or frame locations, and the rod is not supplied with any fastening means other than one which will secure the rod to a flat, vertical surface.
In recent years, a number of new work environments have appeared in offices, especially with the development of office furniture panels or "systems furniture" as those products are known in that art. Systems furniture is comprised of a plurality of reconfigurable vertical panels, which are typically arranged end to end and in perpendicular orientations to define individual workstations or cubicles.
While systems furniture provides great space efficiency, the resultant workstations are typically smaller than the offices which they replace and have less horizontal and vertical surfaces for the display of pictures or other aesthetic enhancements. Furthermore, with the ever-increasing use of computers, printers, and other technological marvels, less and less space is available for a worker to personalize a cubicle or add a calming effect by displaying pictures of family, favorite places, paintings or other art objects. Pinning or taping pictures to corkboards or to the decorative skins of systems furniture is frequently done, but the result is generally not aesthetically pleasing.
A system for displaying a plurality of picture frames which would be useful with systems furniture and in other home and office environments would represent a significant advance in the art. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a barcode scanner and an operational method of the barcode scanner, and more particularly, to a barcode scanner for detecting depth information of an object and an operational method thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A barcode is a figure identification code which is arranged according to a specific encoding rule for presenting certain messages. One-dimensional barcodes, such as EAN-8, are composed of a plurality of parallel black stripes with different widths. Two-dimensional barcodes, such as the Quick Response code (QR code), are rectangular figures composed of a plurality of black rectangles, and three corners of the rectangular figure include specific positioning marks to facilitate reading. Since a barcode can be used to identify manufacturing country, product's name, manufacturing date and manufacturer's name of a product, sender's and recipient's mailing addresses, book category number or date, etc., it is therefore widely applied in many fields.
When one desires to transform a barcode into meaningful information via a barcode scanner, he or she needs to hold the barcode scanner towards the object with the barcode so as to capture an original image which includes the object. The barcode scanner then locates the barcode's location and analyzes the information recorded in the barcode. Since the barcode presents recorded information via specific arrangement of the black figures and the spaces, it would be difficult to scan a barcode if the environment surrounding the object is not uniform in brightness when the object is scanned. To avoid such situations, the barcode scanner may emit compensating light via a compensating light source to compensate the insufficient environmental lighting. When the barcode scanner is too close to the scanned object, however, most of the compensating light, if not all, is reflected from the object that it is difficult to identify the barcode.
When a barcode scanner is included as part of a Point of Sale (POS) system, since the barcode scanner may be used in a large warehouse with a complicated environment, the original image captured by the barcode scanner may include more than one object. Under such circumstances, it would be more difficult for the barcode scanner to locate the position of the barcode and would take more time to complete the scanning process. Furthermore, because the scanned object is not in a uniformed shape, the one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcode may be disposed on a curved surface of an object and thus distorted. It would be difficult to decode the barcode information transformed from the original image.
Thus, it is important to solve the problems resulted from reflection of compensating lights from objects, barcode images with complicated backgrounds, and barcode image distortion due to uneven object surfaces on which a barcode is disposed. | {
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The present invention relates to an improvement of the pipe hanger disclosed by my application Ser. No. 730,285. Such pipe hanger is itself an improvement of the pipe hanger disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,901, granted June 30, 1970, to John C. Jenkins, known as a Side-Load Type Hanger.
The disclosed subject matter of my copending application Ser. No. 730,285 is prior art with respect to this application for the reason that such subject matter was put on sale in the Summer of 1985. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a computer-based IC floorplanner that iteratively partitions IC floorspace into progressively smaller regions, allocating IC modules to regions after each partitioning until the regions are sufficiently small, creates a separate floorplan for each small region, and then iteratively merges and refines floorplans for neighboring regions to obtain a single floorplan for the entire IC floorspace.
2. Description of Related Art
An integrated circuit (IC) designer typically generates a text-based netlist describing an IC as a hierarchy of modules formed by instances of various components (cells) interconnected by signal paths (nets) formed by conductors residing on various horizontal layers of the IC and by conductive “vias” passing vertically between layers. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a netlist is typically hierarchical in nature with cells instances 10 being organized into low level modules 12 and lower level modules being organized into higher level modules 14 and 15. FIG. 1 depicts a simple design having four hierarchal levels 16-19 with varying numbers of cell instances 10 (represented by circles) and modules 14 (represented by squares) at each level. A more complex design will include more cell instances and modular levels. Although an IC may include many modules formed by instances of standard cells such as transistors and logic gates, an IC may also include “intellectual property” (IP) modules implementing large devices such as memories and microprocessors.
After creating the netlist, the designer employs computer-aided placement and routing (P&R) tools to produce an IC layout including a placement plan indicating a position for each component and a routing plan describing the routes and positions of conductors and vias forming the nets. The IC layout guides IC fabrication.
The number of components included in an IC continues to grow dramatically as nanometer IC technologies continue to shrink components, and while modern ICs can include millions of transistors, ICs with billions of transistors are on the horizon. Since the time required for placement and routing tools to generate an IC layout increases with the number of components in the design, using large IP modules in large-scale IC designs can help to reduce the number of components that have to be placed and therefore the time required to generate an IC layout. However large, inflexible IP modules can also make it more difficult for a placement and routing tool to place and route remaining portions of an IC.
A typical P&R tool initially generates an initial floorplan allocating a separate area of an IC's floor space to various modules of an IC and then generates placement and routing plans for each area. Placement and routing is typically an iterative process. After creating a floorplan and then creating a placement plan consistent with the floorplan, a P&R tool attempts to create a routing plan, and if it is unable to develop a suitable routing plan for that placement plan, it will modify the placement plan and again attempt to develop suitable routing plan. If the P&R tool cannot find a suitable placement and routing solution for a given floorplan, it will modify the floorplan and attempt placement and routing again. The ability of a P&R tool to quickly find a suitable layout solution greatly depends on how well the initial floorplan anticipates the floorspace requirements of each IC module and the net routing requirements between the modules.
Floorplanning algorithms continue to evolve to meet the challenges presented constantly increasing design complexity. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, a hierarchical floorplanner partitions the IC floor space into a set of regions 20, each sized and positioned as necessary to accommodate an estimated size of a separate module at a high level of the design hierarchy. For example, since the design of FIG. 1 has seven modules at level 17, a hierarchical floorplanner could estimate the size of each cell instance or module at that level and establish a corresponding region 20 for each module. Sizes and shapes of cells and IP modules are known, and a floorplanning algorithm can estimate the size and shape of an area needed for each custom module based on the known areas of the cells that form it. As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the hierarchal floorplanner then further partitions the region 20 assigned to each custom module into a set of subregions 22, each sized and positioned to accommodate sub modules or cell instances forming that model at a next lower level of the design hierarchy. The subdivision process continues recursively until the IC floorspace has been partitioned into small regions for accommodating modules and cell instances at a desired low level of the design hierarchy. Such a top-down hierarchical floorplanner can quickly and efficiently generate a floorplan providing sufficient space for each cell or module of a large-scale design but will often produce an unroutable placement plan because it does not directly take into account routing requirements between modules when generating a floorplan.
A typical prior art multilevel floorplanning framework as illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3F takes a bottom-up/top-down approach to determining a suitable size, shape, orientation and position for each area of a floorplan. Initially viewing the IC at a low level of the design hierarchy at the start of a “clustering” phase of the process, the floorplanner groups highly interconnected low level modules and cell instances into a set of small clusters and provides a suitably sized region 24 for each cluster (FIG. 3A). As illustrated in FIG. 3B, highly interconnected regions 24 are then merged to form larger regions 25 with the clusters within each larger region 25 arranged to limit the lengths of nets that will interconnect them. The iterative merging process continues in a similar manner to form progressively larger regions 26 (FIG. 3C) until all clusters have been merged and suitably arranged into a single region 27 (FIG. 3D).
At this point the floorplanner begins an iterative declustering process wherein it partitions regions into progressively smaller regions that are rearranged as necessary to best fit within the boundary 29 of the IC placement area. FIG. 3E shows that region 27 of FIG. 3D has been partitioned into a set of smaller regions 28 which have been arranged to fit as closely as possible within placement area boundary 29. FIG. 3F shows the result of partitioning various regions 28 into smaller regions and rearranging them to fit within the placement area boundary 29. The floorplanning process ends when the regions 30 are of a desired small size and fit within the IC placement area boundary 29. The boundaries of regions 30 define the floorplan for subsequent placement and routing processes.
The multilevel floorplanning framework illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3F is known as the “V-Cycle” framework, but it may be more descriptively called a “Λ-shaped” framework since it includes an initial bottom-up clustering phase followed by a top-down declustering phase. A P&R tool employing a Λ-shaped floorplanning framework to produce a floorplan can normally derive a placement plan consistent with the floorplan, but it often fails to produce a suitable routing plan because it fails to find suitable routes for the longer nets. Since the Λ-shaped framework initially operates in a bottom-up manner, clustering and arranging modules based on considerations of shorter nets rather than on longer nets, wrong choices early in the clustering process can make longer nets longer, thereby resulting in a suboptimal the floorplan solution during the declustering process. In order to reduce the likelihood that a floorplan will lead to an unroutable placement plan, it would be helpful to take the longer interconnections between modules into account earlier in the floorplanning process. | {
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Various advertising schemes have been developed over the years. For example, an early advertising scheme still used today involves printing advertisements and recording information about the “impressions.” Impression information tends to reflect the subject matter of the advertisement, the general audience targeted, the location where printed, etc. Another common advertising scheme involves inserting commercials into television programming. Again, “impressions” about the advertisement are recorded. An advertising technique that has gained prominence in the Internet age has been banner and pop-up type advertisements. Impressions may be recorded, e.g., in the form of cookies or the like, and sometimes may be reported back to a local server. Based on these and/or other information, including demographic, taste, shopping habit, and/or other comparisons, it has sometimes been possible to attempt to more precisely target advertisements to users.
Unfortunately, such advertising techniques suffer several disadvantages. For example, it often is difficult to accurately record impression information for printed advertisements and television commercials. Although it is possible to get an idea about the broad area and/or audience covered, the time of day a spot was run, and general demographic information about neighborhoods and/or television viewers, it is difficult to capture more detailed and/or more precise impression information. Banner and pop-up ads are able to gather more information about a user and/or a user's computer. However, the information still may be limited based on privacy settings set by the user and/or technical challenges related to the network-based connections. Moreover, such advertisements typically are limited to exposure on a personal computer.
There are also problems associated with the effect of advertisements on users. Oftentimes, printed advertisements are simply discarded. Television commercials increasingly are being ignored or completely skipped (e.g., through the proliferation of digital video recorders and “TV on DVD” style offerings). More recently, banner and pop-up ads tend to be viewed as intrusive and a violation of privacy. Accordingly, numerous attempts have been made to try to filter or reduce the appearance of banner and pop-up ads on computers. Unsolicited email messages have been labeled “spam,” are subject to email client filters, and even have been the subject of several bills sponsored in both houses of the U.S. Congress.
In view of the above, a further problem exists in that although digital advertisement distribution techniques present a better chance of reaching potential customers in new and engaging ways while also allowing advertisers to gather more detailed impression information, they tend to be subject to more criticism and to technology-based filtering.
Therefore, it will be appreciated that there is a need in the art for improved digital advertisement distribution techniques. It also will be appreciated that there is a need in the art for systems and/or methods for distributing advertisements from a central advertisement network to one or more peripheral devices at a location via a local advertisement server.
One aspect of certain exemplary embodiments disclosed herein relates to a local advertisement server located in an out-of-home (OOH) location and connected to a central advertising network being configured to cause advertisements to be displayed on a peripheral device.
Another aspect of certain exemplary embodiments relates to a peripheral device for use in an out-of-home location configured to display ads from a local advertisement server connected to a central advertising network.
Still another aspect of certain exemplary embodiments relates to a method of displaying advertisements on a peripheral device connected to a local server in an out-of-home location.
Yet another aspect of certain exemplary embodiments relates to an advertising system including a local advertisement server, the local advertisement server being located in an out-of-home location and being connected to a central advertising network such that it is configured to cause advertisements to be displayed on a peripheral device.
In certain exemplary embodiments, a local advertisement server is provided. A network connection to a central advertising network located remote from the local advertisement server is provided. A storage location is configured to store an advertisement database, with the advertisement database including advertisements received from the central advertising network via the network connection along with content control data associated with each said advertisement. A local connection to one or more peripheral devices located in the same location as the local advertisement server is provided. A display controller is configured to cause the one or more peripheral devices connected to the local advertisement server via the local connection to display at least some of the advertisements received from the central advertising network in dependence on the content control data associated with the advertisements.
In certain exemplary embodiments, an advertisement system or network comprising a plurality of such local advertisement servers is provided, with each said local advertisement server being located at a different location.
In certain exemplary embodiments, an advertising method for providing a plurality of electronic advertisements to peripheral display devices distributed across a plurality of locations is provided. A plurality of local advertisement servers are provided, with each said local advertisement server being located at a different location. A central advertising network located remote from the local advertisement servers is provided. At least some electronic advertisements are distributed from the central advertising network to the local advertisement servers via network connections provided to the respective local advertisement servers. Advertisement databases are stored via storage locations provided to the respective local advertisement servers, with the advertisement databases including electronic advertisements received from the central advertising network via the respective network connection along with content control data associated with each said electronic advertisement. At each said local advertisement server, at least one advertisement queue is maintained. Each said local server further comprises a display controller configured to cause any peripheral display devices connected thereto to display at least some of the electronic advertisements received from the central advertising network in dependence on the content control data associated with the electronic advertisements and the respective at least one advertisement queue. Each said electronic advertisement is one of a leader board, banner, or media clip. The content control data for each electronic advertisement comprises indications of how and when the associated electronic advertisement should be displayed.
These aspects and exemplary embodiments may be used separately and/or applied in various combinations to achieve yet further embodiments of this invention. Additionally, the exemplary embodiments described herein may be implemented as any suitable combination of programmed logic circuitry (e.g., as any suitable combination of hardware, software, firmware, and/or the like). In certain exemplary embodiments, computer readable storage mediums also may be provided. | {
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An electron beam irradiation apparatus is designed to increase the etching resistance of a mask by irradiating the mask with an electron beam in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, for example.
There is a demand for a high-performance electron beam irradiation apparatus.
According to one embodiment, provided is a method of adjusting an electron-beam irradiated area in an electron beam irradiation apparatus that deflects an electron beam with a deflector to irradiate an object with the electron beam, the method comprising: emitting an electron beam while changing an irradiation position on an adjustment plate by controlling the deflector in accordance with an electron beam irradiation recipe, the adjustment plate detecting a current corresponding to the emitted electron beam; acquiring a current value detected from the adjustment plate; forming image data corresponding to the acquired current value; determining whether the electron-beam irradiated area is appropriate based on the formed image data; and updating the electron beam irradiation recipe when the electron-beam irradiated area is determined not to be appropriate.
According to another embodiment, provided is an electron-beam irradiated area adjustment system that adjusts an electron-beam irradiated area in an electron beam irradiation apparatus that deflects an electron beam with a deflector to irradiate an object with the electron beam, the electron-beam irradiated area adjustment system comprising: an adjustment plate that detects a current corresponding to an emitted electron beam; an ammeter that acquires a current value detected from the adjustment plate; an image forming module that forms image data corresponding to the acquired current value; a determiner that determines whether the electron-beam irradiated area is appropriate based on the formed image data; and a recipe updater that updates the electron beam irradiation recipe for controlling the deflector when the electron-beam irradiated area is determined not to be appropriate.
According to another embodiment, provided is an electron-beam irradiated region correction method implemented in an electron beam irradiation apparatus that is designed to irradiate a rectangular region as a target with an electron beam by applying a voltage V1(t) to a first electrode to perform scanning in a first direction with an electron beam from an electron beam generator, and applying a voltage V2(t) to a second electrode to perform scanning in a second direction with the electron beam, the voltage V1(t) varying with time t, the voltage V2(t) varying with time t, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, the electron-beam irradiated region correction method comprising correcting an electron-beam irradiated region to have a rectangular shape by applying a voltage V1(t)+kV2(t) (k being a constant) to the first electrode and applying the voltage V2(t) to the second electrode, when the electron-beam irradiated region is not a rectangular region but a parallelogram region distorted in the first direction.
According to another embodiment, provided is an electron beam irradiation apparatus that is designed to irradiate a rectangular region as a target with an electron beam by applying a voltage V1(t) to a first electrode to perform scanning in a first direction with an electron beam from an electron beam generator, and applying a voltage V2(t) to a second electrode to perform scanning in a second direction with the electron beam, the voltage V1(t) varying with time t, the voltage V2(t) varying with time t, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, the electron beam irradiation apparatus comprising an electron beam control device that applies a voltage V1(t)+kV2(t) (k being a constant) to the first electrode and applies the voltage V2(t) to the second electrode, when an electron-beam irradiated region is not a rectangular region but a parallelogram region distorted in the first direction, whereby the electron beam control device corrects the electron-beam irradiated region to have a rectangular shape.
According to another embodiment, provided is an electron beam irradiation apparatus comprising: an electron beam generator that generates an electron beam; a first electrode that deflects the electron beam from the electron beam generator in a first direction; a second electrode that deflects the electron beam from the electron beam generator in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and an electron beam control device that controls voltages to be applied to the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the electron beam irradiation apparatus is designed to irradiate a rectangular region as a target with an electron beam by applying a voltage V1(t) to the first electrode to perform scanning in the first direction with the electron beam from the electron beam generator, and applying a voltage V2(t) to the second electrode to perform scanning in the second direction with the electron beam, the voltage V1(t) varying with time t, the voltage V2(t) varying with time t, and, when an electron-beam irradiated region is not a rectangular region but a parallelogram region distorted in the first direction, the electron beam control device applies a voltage V1(t)+kV2(t) (k being a constant) to the first electrode and applies the voltage V2(t) to the second electrode, to correct the electron-beam irradiated region to have a rectangular shape. | {
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The use of synthetic peptide immunogens to produce antibodies of defined specificities is an important recent advance in immunochemistry. The present invention is directed to a group of synthetic peptide immunogens that can be used as reagents to elicit antisera against vertebrate or plant calmodulins.
Calmodulin and other members of the family of calcium-modulated proteins are major intracellular receptors for the element calcium, a substance of major importance in the regulation of many diverse cell processes such as motility, proliferation, and nutrient utilization. In addition, calcium is generally thought to be critical in the homeostasis of individual cells as well as whole organisms.
In order to elucidate the mechanisms of calcium control and the mechanisms of action of many hormones, regulatory agents, toxins, and pharmacological agents, it is necessary to examine cellular receptors for calcium, such as the protein calmodulin, and the means by which these receptors mediate the biological effects of calcium.
Calmodulin, a relatively small protein, exhibits multiple in vitro activities, although the physiological significance of a number of these activities remains obscure. However, calmodulin or calmodulin activity has been detected in most eukaryotic cells examined, and the amino acid sequence of the protein, as well as its in vitro activities, are highly conserved throughout vertebrate and invertebrate species, suggesting that calmodulin may play a fundamental role in mediating intracellular calcium-dependent effects.
Immunochemical techniques presently offer great potential for elucidating the exact role of calmodulin and other calcium-modulated proteins in cell function. For example, antisera elicited against calmodulin have become especially useful as immunodiagnostic reagents to differentially detect or purify calmodulin in supramolecular complexes. In addition, antisera of well-defined specificity are useful as molecular probes to define functional domains in calmodulin.
Unfortunately, our immunochemical studies on calmodulin were initially hindered by the inability to develop an anti-calmodulin serum of useful titer by merely injecting calmodulin into laboratory rabbits, a problem most likely resulting from the ubiquitous distribution of calmodulin throughout vertebrate and invertebrate species and the fact that its amino acid sequence differs minimally from species to species.
We overcame this problem in 1980 when, after testing a number of antigen modifications on calmodulin, we determined that the injection of performic acid-oxidized calmodulin into rabbits would result in antisera of useful titer reactive with either the oxidized or unoxidized molecule. Using one of the rabbit antisera, we proceeded to test peptide segments encompasssing the entire calmodulin molecule to locate one or more immunoreactive sites in the protein. See Van Eldik, L. J. and Watterson D. M. "Reproducible Production of Antiserum against Vertebrate Calmodulin and Determination of the Immunoreactive Site" Journal of Biological Chemistry Volume 256 (9), pp. 4205-4210 (1981). Upon completion of these studies we proposed than an immunoreactive site of calmodulin is contained in an 18 residue region (residues 127-144) within the COOH-terminal domain of calmodulin.
Further immunochemical studies of calmodulin involved our efforts to elucidate a specific and critical immunoreactive site within the proposed 18 residue region of the protein, the results of which were recently described in Van Eldik, et al. "Elucidation of a Minimal Immunoreactive Site of Vertebrate Calmodulin", Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics Volume 227 (No. 2) pp. 522-533, (Dec. 1983). In this publication we reported that the heptapeptide segment asparagine-tyrosine-glutamic acid-glutamic acid-phenylalanine-valine-glutamine of vertebrate calmodulin (corresponding to amino acid residues 137 to 143) is as immunoreactive as the entire 148-residue protein with one antiserum. We also determined this heptapeptide segment to be the smallest calmodulin segment and the only 7-residue segment in region 135-145 of the protein capable of quantitive immunoreactivity with this anti-calmodulin serum. The analogous minimal immunoreactive site of plant calmodulin would be the heptapeptide segment asparagine-tyrosine-glutamic acid-glutamic acid-phenylalanine-valine-lysine, corresponding to residues 137-143 of the intact protein.
Recent advances in Immunochemistry involving the utilization of synthetic peptides to produce antibodies of defined specifities suggested the possibility that a synthetic peptide modeled after the immunoreactive-site heptapeptide of vertebrate or plant calmodulin would be effective as an immunogenic reagent to elicit antisera reactive with intact calmodulin. From a practical standpoint the ability to synthesize a peptide immunogen reagent as effective in eliciting anti-calmodulin serum as the protein itself, would greatly facilitate research in this area. Actual calmodulin is difficult to obtain, costly and in short supply.
In considering the possible design of a suitable peptide immunogen, we were guided in large part by the widely held assumption that a synthetic peptide containing an amino acid sequence corresponding to the immunoreactive region of a given protein will elicit antisera against the intact protein provided the peptide immunogen contains more than 6 amino acid residues, and provided the antigenic segment contained in the synthetic peptide would be surface-exposed if present in the actual protein from which it is derived. These prerequisites for the design of synthetic peptide immunogens were recently postulated by Lerner, R. A. (1982) Nature (London) Volume 299, pp. 592 to 596.
However, although the minimal immunoreactive heptapeptide site of calmodulin met both of the above requirements, we were unable to produce anti-calmodulin sera when we injected laboratory rabbits with a synthetic heptapeptide corresponding to the immunoreactive site of the protein. The synthetic heptapeptide was immunogenic in that it elicited an antibody response in the rabbits; however, the antibodies reacted with the synthetic heptapeptide but not with intact calmodulin. Van Eldik, et al. "Elucidation of a Minimal Immunoreactive Site of Vertebrate Calmodulin" (cited above). These findings suggested that the production of antisera against an intact protein using surface-exposed peptide regions is more complex than had been previously assumed.
Given our inability to use a synthetic version of the minimal immunoreactive site of calmodulin as an immunogen to elicit antisera against the whole molecule, we proposed that an effective design of synthetic peptide immunogens may require, in addition to minimum peptide length and surface exposure of the peptide segment in the intact protein, a presentation of the antigen region in the synthetic immunogen in an appropriate environment that most closely approximates the environment of the peptide segment within the intact protein. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field
This invention generally relates to oxygen generating devices and particularly to electrochemical oxygen generating devices using metal oxide, oxygen ion conducting electrolyte.
2. Prior Art
Electrochemical devices which employ oxygen ion conducting electrolytes are well known. Such devices are used as sensors whereby the oxygen partial pressure difference existing between opposite sides of said electrolyte create a voltage potential which may be determined to indicate a level of oxygen concentration on one side or the other, especially when the oxygen concentration on one side of the sensor is known. Such sensors used in automobile engines, furnaces and other devices wherein it is desired to operate at stochiometric ratios between the fuel and the air or oxygen necessary for combustion of fuel.
Also, such electrochemical devices, when operated in a current mode with an applied voltage may be utilized to generate pure oxygen. Devices of this type are discussed in certain patents to Ruka.
Certain difficulties have generally been encountered with such oxygen sensors and oxygen generating devices. In electrochemical sensors it is common practice to utilize platinum as an electrode or to utilize various electrode layers, for example, a platinum electrode adjacent to the electrolyte with an overcoating of a protective porous film. Platinum has been generally employed because of its catalytic activity and because of its relatively high melting point among conductive metals. It has been found, however, that the use of platinum in oxygen generating electrochemical cells that the platinum, which is relatively conductive, has an apparent resistance higher than what would normally be expected. Thus, oxygen generating electrochemical cells utilizing platinum electrodes have been electrically inefficient. Furthermore, since the platinum electrodes must be porous in order to permit oxygen molecules to reach the surface of the electrolyte at the cathodes, and, upon recombination at the anode surface, to depart from the electrolyte. While pores are thus necessary, the effective electrode-electrolyte interface for electrical purposes is consequently reduced | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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It is common to provide on-chip transformers to provide transient voltage rejection. As the rate of change of the voltage (dV/dt) in the primary winding of the transformer increases the back electromagnetic field (EMF) increases. Thus, with increasing frequency, as is the case with voltage transients, the reactance increases and the windings act as low pass filters thereby rejecting the transient voltage. However, these on-chip transformers remain susceptible to external magnetic fields. As shown in FIG. 1, as the component of any external magnetic flux (H) 100 passes parallel to the coil axis it generates a current 102 in the coil 104. This effect is evident in both the primary and secondary windings of a transformer. One such prior art on-chip transformer is shown in FIG. 2, which shows a primary winding 200 formed by etching a metal layer to define a helical configuration. The transformer further includes a secondary winding 202, again defined by a helically etched metal layer. Typically these helical coils 200, 202 are formed by photolithographic techniques as known in the art. As will be appreciated from the discussion above, an external magnetic field 210 will generate current in both the secondary winding 202 and the primary 200. Thus, current will flow in the secondary winding 202 due not only to the current directly induced in the secondary winding by the magnetic field but also due to the magnetic coupling between the primary and secondary windings 200, 202, which causes the current induced in the primary winding 200 to be transferred to the secondary 202. It will therefore be appreciated that any external magnetic fields that pass through the transformer windings perpendicular to the windings (parallel to the axes of the windings, which in the transformer shown in FIG. 2 coincide with one another) will cause substantial interference.
In the field of electric guitars the vibration of the guitar strings is translated into sound by making use of pick-ups. These comprise coils formed around one or more permanent magnets. The permanent magnets define a magnetic field, which if altered, produces a current in the coils. By placing a pick-up underneath each of the guitar strings, the vibration of the string, which passes through the magnetic field of the magnet causes the reluctance to change, which produces a current in the coil that is then coupled though an amplifier to a speaker to produce sound. In U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 3,962,946 to Rickard, the use of two coils wound in opposite directions is described, with permanent magnet cores oriented in opposite directions (north-south in the one and south-north in the adjacent one). Thus the magnetic fields generated by the two adjacent magnets have flux lines flowing in opposite directions to produce currents flowing in opposite directions in the coils when the guitar string is plucked. However, since the coils themselves are oppositely wound and connected in series, the currents combine. On the other hand any external magnetic fields passing through the windings will cause currents generated in the two coils to cancel each other out to eliminate noise or hum due to interference from external magnetic fields such as the 60 Hz mains interference. The present invention seeks to reduce interference from external magnetic fields in an on-chip de-coupling transformer. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for carrying out color conversion, and particularly to a color conversion apparatus and a color conversion method that restrain the consumption of color materials for the background with a large area and secure visibility of characters and line drawings on the background.
2. Related Art
JP-A-2004-13457 is a known technique related to the present invention.
Generally, in many presentation slides (slide documents) to be projected by a projector, a color with low lightness is as a background color and a color with high lightness is used as a character and/or line drawing color.
When a slide document with such coloring is printed out, a large amount of color material is consumed for the color of the background color having a large area and the quantity of overlap of the color material increases. As a result, the load on the printer engine increases and it causes, for example, malfunction of an apparatus having a print function such as a printer. Further, when the slide document with such coloring is printed out, stripping of the color material and deformation (for example, curling) of the paper tend to occur in the printed document.
To solve the above problems, a color conversion apparatus having a toner reduction function is proposed.
However, in the traditional color conversion apparatus, since uniform processing is carried out irrespective of the combination of background color and character and line drawing color, there may be a problem that the characters and line drawings on the background are difficult to read.
Thus, a color conversion apparatus and a color conversion method are demanded that restrain the consumption of the color material for the background with a large area and secure certain visibility (readability) of characters and line drawings on the background. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a panel including a thermochromic layer, and to a panel including a thermochromic layer and an electric conductive layer.
2. Description of Related Art
With the rapid increase of the cost of chemical energy sources such as petroleum, demand for development of a new energy source is increasing. However, it is also important to control energy consumption. In a typical household, 60% or more of energy is consumed in heating and cooling. In particular, about 24% of the consumed energy escapes through windows of typical houses and buildings.
Various efforts have been made to reduce the amount of energy lost through windows. For example, the size of windows may be controlled, or a high insulation window may be installed.
An example of a high insulation window is a panel including a glass coated with a thermochromic layer for adjusting energy inflow by adjustment of infrared ray transmittance. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
As society has generally been developed, the quantity of water used has increased, and a sewage treatment apparatus has been used for treating the used water. In such a sewage treatment apparatus, a biological treatment process has been frequently used, and a physical-chemical treatment process, in addition to the biological treatment process, has been recently used.
This biological treatment process uses microorganisms to dissolve pollutant materials, and waste sludge may be generated when microorganisms are used to dissolve pollutant materials. Further, in the physical-chemical treatment process, chemicals are added and mixers or the like are used to mix the chemicals, so that pollutant materials can be quickly and efficiently removed. However, the physical-chemical treatment process is uneconomical because the continuous supply of chemicals, the increase of the generated sludge, the stirring operation, and the like result in the increase of treatment costs. Further, the physical-chemical treatment process is undesirable in that if the amount of chemicals is too small to remove pollutant materials, the removal efficiency of pollutant materials may be reduced, while if the amount of chemicals is too large, other pollutions may be generated due to the misappropriation of chemicals.
Meanwhile, although the biological treatment process may not quickly remove pollutant materials, there is an advantage in that the biological treatment process is stable, reliable and economical in a long-term view and does not generate another environmental pollution. Nevertheless, the biological treatment process leaves much room for improvement so far.
The conventional sewage treatment system receives water so that a state of the sewage treatment system may be changed into one of an anaerobic state, an anoxic state and an aerobic state, and the sewage treatment system includes a sewage treatment apparatus, which has a biological reactor whose a discharge portion is controlled to be opened/closed in order to change a flow path, and a sewage treatment control device for controlling the sewage treatment apparatus according to the set values.
The sewage treatment apparatus which is controlled by various processes as described above, controls the sewage treatment processes under different conditions depending on the water quality of the inflow sewage, so that the sewage treatment performance and the economic efficiency can be improved and another environmental pollution can be minimized.
The sewage treatment control device as described above has used a temporal control method in which on/off operation is repeated during a predetermined interval by means of PLC, DCS and PC control devices, a quantitative control method in which a constant target value is set for quantitative control, a manual control method in which a target value is manually controlled by an operator, or a programmable control method in which a given variable target value program is used for control.
When the constant target value is used to operate the sewage treatment control device, it is impossible to quickly cope with an external environmental change. Meanwhile, the manual control method in which the target value is manually controlled depends on the specialty of an operator. Accordingly, if the operator has no specialty, appropriate control is impossible and a sewage treatment process may be controlled under the subjective control condition of the operator.
Accordingly, a method for controlling a sewage treatment process has been recently used, in which a target value is appropriately set depending on a water quality load and a water quality state, and a variable target value is set by a given program.
Meanwhile, the conventional biological sewage treatment process does not effectively remove pollutant materials such as nitrogen and phosphorous in addition to BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) and SS (concentration of suspended solids) because pollutant materials such as living wastewater, industrial wastewater and livestock wastewater have increased and secondary treatment facilities of the activated sludge method is limited, and therefore, the water pollution has been really going on.
Accordingly, apparatuses and methods for effectively removing pollutant materials such as nitrogen and phosphorous have been developed, and the methods are classified into a physical-chemical treatment method and a biological treatment method depending on their treatment manner.
The biological sewage treatment method includes an anaerobic zone, an anoxic zone, an aerobic zone, or the like, and may be represented as an A2/O method, an intermittent aeration method and an SBR method.
In the aforementioned A2/O series sewage treatment apparatus, internal partition walls are installed within a biological reactor to spatially separate the biological reactor into small chambers in order to identify an anaerobic (zone) state, an anoxic (zone) state and an aerobic (zone) state. The A2/O series sewage treatment apparatus is very useful for a large-scaled sewage treatment, is relatively resistant to load variations, and maintains a stably treated water quality which is over a predetermined level.
Referring to FIG. 1, which is a flowchart of the conventional A2/O series sewage treatment apparatus, the conventional A2/O series sewage treatment apparatus allows inflow water, such as sewage and polluted waste water, which has been settled and treated in a primary clarifier to partially remove suspended solid materials, to be introduced into a biological reactor.
The internal portion of the biological reactor is divided into an anaerobic zone 10, an anoxic zone 12 and an aerobic zone 14 by partition walls. Further, the inflow water which has passed through the biological reactor is stored in a secondary clarifier 16, in which foreign materials are settled and then the water is discharged outward.
At this time, the sludge generated in the secondary clarifier 16 is reintroduced into the anaerobic zone, so that the retreatment process is performed.
Further, in order to improve the removal efficiency of nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen should be converted into nitrate nitrogen in the aerobic (zone) state, and then, an internal recycle pump or a propeller-type submarine transfer apparatus should be used to perform the internal recycle into the anoxic (zone) state.
As described above, the A2/O series sewage treatment apparatus separates the treatment stages from each other by the partition walls, whereas the intermittent aeration and SBR series sewage treatment apparatuses separately operate the anaerobic state, the anoxic state and the aerobic state via temporal control.
That is, the conventional intermittent aeration or SBR series sewage treatment apparatuses has one biological reactor, and is controlled to operate the biological reactor in the anaerobic state, the anoxic state and the aerobic state under different conditions with the passage of time, without requiring the internal recycle as described in the conventional A2/O series sewage treatment apparatus.
As such, the conventional sewage treatment methods identify the anaerobic state, the anoxic state and the aerobic state via the spatial or temporal separation (control), and are operated while the minimum dissolve oxygen concentration of 2.0 mg/L or more is maintained in the aerobic state. In addition, a mixer is installed in the biological reactor in the anoxic or anaerobic state, so that the contents therein may be completely mixed by a physical method, and if the internal recycle is performed, an internal recycle pump or the like is required.
Meanwhile, the operational control of the sewage treatment apparatus is mainly dependent on conditions, such as the inflow amount of sewage, a pollutant load in inflow sewage, and microorganism concentration in the biological reactor, and these conditions are determined by a flow rate measuring apparatus, a water quality measuring apparatus, an experimental value, and the like.
The inflow amount of sewage, which is most influential among these operational conditions of the sewage treatment apparatus, is highly fluid depending on time, day, month and season. Accordingly, if the sewage treatment apparatus is operated by a determined quantitative control condition, much time and budget may be wasted to maintain the normal operation, and thus, it is not easy to implement the normal operation. Further, since a change of operational conditions depending on experimental values causes an experiment procedure to be complicated and to require much time, it is difficult to cope with the conditions such as the flow rate and the pollutant load amount which are changed in real time. When a target value is manually determined, there is a problem in that a permanently stationed manager should adjust the target value depending on variable conditions.
Recently, although many automatic operational control methods using flow rate sensors and water quality measuring sensors have been developed, an error range in the measuring sensitivity of the water quality measuring sensors increases and frequency of maintenance occurrence for the sensors increases with the passage of time in comparison with their initial installment, so that there may be technical problems such as component replacement and periodic maintenance and economical problems such as component replacement and dual installment cost. As such, the operational control of the sewage treatment process depending on the sensors has not been really implemented.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a known sewage treatment control device of a sewage treatment system. Referring to FIG. 2, a sewage treatment control device 50 is equipped with a measuring unit 51, which has sensors for inspecting specific components in water, and the measuring unit 51 is connected to a target value setting unit 52. As the component values measured from the measuring unit 51 are input, the target value setting unit 52 sets target values of operational conditions required for the sewage treatment.
In addition to the method in which the sewage treatment control device 50 is automatically operated by the set values measured by the measuring unit 51, the sewage treatment control device 50 has a manual setting unit 53 in which a target value is set depending on a component value which is input by an operator. Further, the sewage treatment control device 50 is equipped with a signal selection unit 55 for selectively connecting either the target value setting unit 52 or the manual setting unit 53, and an automatic/manual mode selection unit 54 in which an operator may select either an automatic mode or a manual mode to select the signal selection unit 55. Further, the target value input from the signal selection unit 55 is transferred to a PID control unit 56 and is converted into a control signal by proportional, integral or derivative action. In addition, the PID control unit 56 is connected to a sewage treatment apparatus 57, and the sewage treatment apparatus 57 is manipulated depending on the converted control signal to treat the sewage.
Meanwhile, the sewage treatment control device 50 includes a control compensation unit in which the target value inputted from the signal selection unit 55 and the measured value measured from the water that has passed through the sewage treatment apparatus 57 are compared with each other and the target value to be inputted to the PID control unit 56 may then be compensated. The control compensation unit includes a final measuring unit 58, which has a sensor installed to an outlet side of the sewage treatment apparatus 57 to inspect a specific component of water, and a comparison unit 59, which is installed to an inlet side of the PID control unit 56 to compare the specific component value anticipated from the set target value and the specific component value inspected by the final measuring unit 58 and correct the target value so that the anticipated specific component value may be converged into the inspected specific component value.
Although the sewage treatment system configured as described above conventionally measures one specific component with one water quality measuring unit, a difference in sensitivity of the sensor may be generated as the water quality measuring unit has been operated for a long time. Accordingly, a measuring error and an economical problem such as maintenance occur.
In order to solve these problems, a scheme has been proposed in the conventional sewage treatment system, in which a plurality of water quality measuring units are installed, so that the measuring values between the water quality measuring units are compared with each other, or when there is a failure of one water quality measuring unit, the disabled water quality measuring unit may be replaced with another water quality measuring unit to measure the water quality. However, since the water quality measuring unit is expensive, the scheme has not been used as a realistic alternative scheme.
Accordingly, most sewage treatment systems conventionally used have not been used for a long time after the initial installation due to an increase of maintenance or incessant adjustments of the sensors. There is a problem in that it does not quickly cope with external factors such as extinction of microorganisms, a failure of the system, variations in flow rate of the inflow water and variations in the load amount, so that the function of the sewage treatment process may be lost.
Further, although the conventional sewage treatment system provides a monitoring and control system using the real-time water quality monitoring, it dose not provide a system which may check whether or not the monitoring and control system is abnormal, and therefore, the reliability for the monitoring and control system is considerably low. In addition, if the conventional sewage treatment plant is modified by an advanced treatment method, the period of time required to install partition walls and submarine machinery is so long that the treatment efficiency for the sewage treatment plant may be dramatically reduced during the construction period of time, thereby aggravating the pollutions in the neighboring rivers.
Further, in the conventional sewage treatment system, high dissolved oxygen concentration is maintained in an aerobic state and a mixer is installed and continuously operated in an anaerobic or anoxic state, large operational cost is necessary to operate the sewage treatment apparatus.
Therefore, there exists a need for the improvement of the sewage treatment apparatus in the conventional sewage treatment system as well as the fundamental improvement of the control method for controlling the sewage treatment apparatus. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Businesses or other entities store production data (e.g., customer lists, financial transaction data, business documents, etc.) in memory of data processing systems. This data is susceptible to corruption. Programming errors unwittingly added into a poorly developed software application may lead to inadvertent corruption of production data. Data corruption can also occur when users unwittingly delete or overwrite production data. Data processing systems that store and process production data are susceptible to hardware or software failure, which renders the data processing systems unavailable to those seeking to use it. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates generally to data processing systems and, more particularly, to a uniform mechanism for transferring data within a data processing system.
In conventional computer systems, data transfer is application specific. In other words, a computer program is responsible for handling the data transfer that is required by an application of data transfer functionality (xe2x80x9capplicationxe2x80x9d). Two examples of such applications of data transfer functionality are drag-and-drop and cut-and-paste. Drag-and-drop refers to when a computer user selects data contained within a data source and moves the mouse to a data sink while keeping the mouse button depressed. The data source and the data sink are computer programs within the computer system which contain or accept data. An example of a data source or data sink is a file editor or a word processing document. When the indicator on the computer display, which reflects mouse movement (xe2x80x9cmouse pointerxe2x80x9d), appears to be pointing to the data sink, the user releases the depressed mouse button and the selected data appears to be inserted into the dam sink. Cut-and-paste refers to when a computer user selects data from within a data source and performs a cut operation (typically invoked through a pull-down menu). The computer user then selects a position in the data sink and performs a paste operation (typically invoked through a pull-down menu). The result of a cut-and-paste application is that data is extracted from the data source and is inserted into the data sink. In order to understand how a data sink and a data source handle the drag-and-drop and cut-and-paste applications, drag-and-drop and cut-and-paste are examined in more detail below.
FIG. 1 depicts a conventional computer system for performing a drag-and-drop application. The memory 102 of the computer system contains a data source 104, which contains data 110; a global memory 108; a window manager 112 and a data sink 106. The global memory 108 is an area of memory that is accessible to all computer programs in a state of operation. Global memory may be contrasted against local memory wherein local memory is memory local to the computer program (i.e., within the address space of the computer program). The window manager 112 is a computer program responsible for performing all computer display-related operations. FIG. 2 depicts a flowchart of the steps performed by a conventional computer system for performing a drag-and-drop application. When a drag-and-drop application is performed, the computer user first selects the data 110 within the data source 104 by typically using a mouse or other pointing device (step 202). Selecting data refers to highlighting data 110 within the data source 104. The computer user then drags the selected data 110 to the data sink 106 (step 204). Dragging refers to the computer user (hereafter xe2x80x9cuserxe2x80x9d) depressing the mouse button, while the mouse pointer is positioned on the selected data 110, and moving the mouse while keeping the mouse button depressed. After the user drags the data 110 to the data sink 106, the data source 104 converts the data 110 into a format acceptable to the global memory 108 and passes the data 110 to the window manager 112 (step 206). When the data 110 is passed to the window manager 112, the window manager 112 stores the data 110 into the global memory 108. After storing the data 110 into the global memory 108, the window manager 112 transfers the data 110 from the global memory 108 to the data sink 106 (step 208). Upon receiving the data 110, the data sink 106 converts the data 110 into a format acceptable to the data sink 106 (step 210).
The cut and paste application is similar to the drag and drop application in that a data sink and a data source performing the cut and paste application also form a connection and transfer data. FIG. 3 depicts a conventional computer system for performing the cut-and-paste application. The memory 102 of the computer system contains a data source 104, which contains data 110; a clipboard 302; and a data sink 106. The clipboard 302 is responsible for maintaining an area of global memory used for temporary storage. During a cut-and-paste application, the user selects data 110 from the data source 104, invokes a cut operation (typically by using a pull-down menu), inserts the cursor into the data sink 106 and invokes the paste operation (typically by using a pull-down menu). Both the cut and the paste operations are provided by the clipboard 302 and are well known in the computer industry. FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart of the steps performed by a conventional computer system for performing the cut-and-paste application. First, the user selects data 110 from the data source 104 and performs a cut operation (step 402). The data 110 is then converted into a format acceptable to the clipboard 302 (step 404). After the data 110 has been converted, the data 10 is copied to the clipboard 308, wherein the data 110 then resides within global memory (step 406). Then, the user selects a location within the data sink 106 and invokes the paste operation (step 408). The data sink 106 transfers the data 110 from the clipboard 302 to the location in the data sink 106 selected by the user (step 410).
As indicated above, in both the cut-and-paste and the drag-and-drop applications, the data source and the data sink form a logical connection through either the clipboard 302 or the window manager 112. Then, after the connection is established, the data 110 is transferred. This two-step process requires the developers of computer programs which perform applications of data transfer functionality to create, for each application, both a connection component to establish a connection and a data transfer component to perform the data transfer. Thus, the developers of computer programs which support applications of data transfer functionality must implement a data transfer component for every application supported.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a method is executed in a computer system. In accordance with this method of the first aspect of the present invention, the computer has a connection mechanism, a uniform data transfer mechanism and a plurality of computer programs. In order to perform data transfer between two computer programs, this method establishes a connection between the computer programs transferring data and invokes the uniform data transfer mechanism to perform the data transfer.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a communication mechanism is provided that contains a connection component and a data transfer component. The data transfer component further contains a GetData component, a GetDataHere component, a QueryGetData component, a GetCanonicalFormat component, a SetData component, a EnumFormat component, an Advise component, an UnAdvise component and an EnumAdvise component. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the testing of underground formations or reservoirs. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for isolating a downhole reservoir, and testing the reservoir formation and fluid.
2. Background Information
While drilling a well for commercial development of hydrocarbon reserves, numerous subterranean reservoirs and formations will be encountered. In order to discover information about the formations, such as whether the reservoirs contain hydrocarbons, logging devices have been incorporated into drill strings to evaluate several characteristics of the these reservoirs. Measurement while drilling systems (hereinafter MWD) have been developed which contain resistivity and nuclear logging; devices which can constantly monitor some of these characteristics while drilling is being performed. The MWD systems can generate data which includes hydrocarbon presence, saturation levels, and porosity data. Moreover, telemetry systems have been developed for use with the MWD systems, to transmit the data to the surface. A common telemetry method is the mud-pulsed system, an example of which is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,233. An advantage of an MWD system is the real time analysis of the subterranean reservoirs for further commercial exploitation.
Commercial development of hydrocarbon fields requires significant amounts of capital. Before field development begins, operators desire to have as much data as possible in order to evaluate the reservoir for commercial viability. Despite the advances in data acquisition during drilling, using the MWD systems, it is often necessary to conduct further testing of the hydrocarbon reservoirs in order to obtain additional data. Therefore, after the well has been drilled, the hydrocarbon zones are often tested by means of other test equipment.
One type of post-drilling test involves producing fluid from the reservoir, collecting samples, shutting-in the well and allowing the pressure to build-up to a static level. This sequence may be repeated several times at several different reservoirs within a given well bore. This type of test is known as a Pressure Build-up Test. One of the important aspects of the data collected during such a test is the pressure build-up information gathered after drawing the pressure down. From this data, information can be derived as to permeability, and size of the reservoir. Further, actual samples of the reservoir fluid must be obtained, and these samples must be tested to gather Pressure-Volume-Temperature data relevant to the reservoir's hydrocarbon distribution.
In order to perform these important tests, it is currently necessary to retrieve the drill string from the well bore. Thereafter, a different tool, designed for the testing, is run into the well bore. A wireline is often used to lower the test tool into the well bore. The test tool sometimes utilizes packers for isolating the reservoir. Numerous communication devices have been designed which provide for manipulation of the test assembly, or alternatively, provide for data transmission from the test assembly. Some of those designs include signaling from the surface of the Earth with pressure pulses, through the fluid in the well bore, to or from a down hole microprocessor located within, or associated with the test assembly. Alternatively, a wire line can be lowered from the surface, into a landing receptacle located within a test assembly, establishing electrical signal communication between the surface and the test assembly. Regardless of the type of test equipment currently used, and regardless of the type of communication system used, the amount of time and money required for retrieving the drill string and running a second test rig into the hole is significant. Further, if the hole is highly deviated, a wire line can not be used to perform the testing, because the test tool may not enter the hole deep enough to reach the desired formation.
There is also another type of problem, related to down hole pressure conditions, which can occur during drilling. The density of the drilling fluid is calculated to achieve maximum drilling efficiency while maintaining safety, and the density is dependent upon the desired relationship between the weight of the drilling mud column and the downhole pressures which will be encountered. As different formations are penetrated during drilling, the downhole pressures can change significantly. With currently available equipment, there is no way to accurately sense the formation pressure as the drill bit penetrates the formation. The formation pressure could be lower than expected, allowing the lowering of mud density, or the formation pressure could be higher than expected, possibly even resulting in a pressure kick. Consequently, since this information is riot easily available to the operator, the drilling mud may be maintained at too high or too low a density for maximum efficiency and maximum safety.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus that will allow for the pressure testing and fluid sampling of potential hydrocarbon reservoirs as soon as the bore hole has been drilled into the reservoir, without removal of the drill string. Further, there is a need for a method and apparatus that will allow for adjusting drilling fluid density in response to changes in downhole pressures, to achieve maximum drilling efficiency. Finally, there is a need for a method and apparatus that will allow for blow out prevention downhole, to promote drilling safety. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving device and a driving method for supplying power to an LED.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a device for driving an LED in accordance with the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a device 100 for driving an LED includes a power supply Vs, a current switching circuit 10, a voltage detector 20, and a rectifying circuit 30.
The power supply Vs is an AC power supply having a predetermined frequency and the rectifying circuit 30 rectifies AC that is output from the power supply Vs. The current switching circuit 10 includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (hereinafter, referred to as LED; D1 to Dk, k is a natural number) that are connected in series and a plurality of current sources I1 to Ik that determine a path of current flowing from output terminals of each LED. The voltage detector 20 monitors a voltage level output from the rectifying circuit 30 and operates one selected from a plurality of current sources I1 to Ik according to the monitored voltage level.
When the voltage output from the rectifying circuit 30 has a voltage level enough to turn on a first LED D1, the voltage detector 20 selects and operates only the first current source I1. In this case, current ILED1 passing through the power supply Vs and the rectifying circuit 30 flows into a ground GND via the first LED D1 and the first current source I1.
Next, when the voltage output from the rectifying circuit 30 rises to a voltage level enough to turn on both of the first LED D1 and the second LED D2, the voltage detector stops an operation of the first current source I1 and selects and operates only the second current source I2. In this case, the current ILED1 passing through the power supply Vs and the rectifying circuit 30 flows into the ground GND via the first LED D1, the second LED D2 and the second current source I2.
Next, when the voltage output from the rectifying circuit 30 rises to voltage level enough to turn on all of the plurality of LEDs D1 to Dk, only the k-th current source Ik is normally operated and an operation of the remaining current sources I1 to I(k−1) stops. In this case, the current ILED1 passing through the power supply Vs and the rectifying circuit 30 flows into the ground GND via the first LED D1, the second LED D2 to the k-th LED Dk, and the k-th current source Ik.
On the contrary, when the voltage output from the rectifying circuit 30 is decreased, the current source and the LED are turned off in an opposite direction to the foregoing direction.
In case of the LED driving circuit illustrated in FIG. 1 in accordance with the related art, the voltage detector 20 directly detecting the voltage level output from the rectifying circuit 30 is needed, wherein the voltage detector 20 may be implemented by various schemes, but in all cases, may have a problem in that the area and power consumed by the driving device 100 may be large enough not to be able to be ignored.
FIG. 2 illustrates operation characteristics of a device for driving an LED in accordance with the related art.
Referring to FIG. 2, when voltage Vac supplied to the LED strings D1 to Dk configuring the current switching circuit 10 is increased or decreased in a parabola form due to the rectification of power Vs, voltage VLED1 dropping at the LED strings D1 to Dk configuring the current switching circuit 10 is also increased or decreased according to a change in voltage level of the rectified voltage Vac.
However, even though the voltage Vac supplied to the LED strings D1 to Dk configuring the current switching circuit 10 is increased or decreased in a parabola form due to the rectification of power Vs, a magnitude in the current flowing into the LED strings D1 to Dk configuring the current switching circuit 10 is limited. The reason is that an electrical characteristic, that is, a current amount of the plurality of current sources I1 to Ik configuring the device 100 for driving an LED in accordance with the related art is the same.
For this reason, there is a problem in that a power factor of the device for driving an LED in accordance with the related art is low.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, 1Vth means threshold voltage that may turn on the first LED D1 and 2Vth means threshold voltage that may turn on both of the first LED D1 and the second LED D2. Therefore, 5Vth means threshold voltage that may turn on all of the five LEDs that are connected in series.
FIG. 2 illustrates operation characteristics of a case in which all of the five LEDs are connected in series, for convenience of explanation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatuses capable of performing frequency adjustment by etching elements formed on a wafer, or relates to apparatuses capable of performing frequency adjustment by applying a frequency adjusting material to elements formed on a wafer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional frequency adjusting method, the frequency of a piezoelectric element is adjusted by etching the piezoelectric element with an ion beam. To achieve higher productivity in using this method, a plurality of elements are formed or arranged on a wafer so that the frequencies of the plurality of elements can be adjusted at the same time. In this frequency adjusting method, to prevent the wafer other than areas of desired elements from being irradiated with the ion beam, it is necessary that the wafer be masked with a pattern mask. However, when each element is small in size, it is difficult to selectively apply the ion beam only to a desired element. Therefore, a plurality of elements may be grouped together as a single irradiation area to be irradiated.
When such small elements are closely arranged on the wafer, it is necessary to apply the ion beam uniformly to the entire surface of the wafer. However, depending on the size or shape of a hole in the pattern mask, areas adjacent to an irradiation target area may be irradiated with the ion beam, or the edge of the irradiation target area may not be sufficiently irradiated with the ion beam.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-26673 discloses a frequency adjusting method in which the frequency of each piezoelectric element is adjusted by applying an ion beam to a plurality of electrodes formed on a surface of a piezoelectric substrate, and thereby etching the electrodes. This method involves determining a correlation between an ion-beam irradiation time and the amount of frequency change, measuring the frequency of each element on the piezoelectric substrate, determining the amount of frequency adjustment for each element on the basis of a difference between the measured frequency and a target value, determining the ion-beam irradiation time for each element on the basis of the determined amount of frequency adjustment by using the correlation, and applying an ion beam to each element during the determined irradiation time.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-56455 discloses a frequency adjusting apparatus capable of adjusting the frequencies of piezoelectric elements by performing ion beam etching in a vacuum chamber. The frequency adjusting apparatus includes a piezoelectric substrate having a plurality of electrodes formed on its surface; a base plate having an opening for selectively allowing the plurality of electrodes on the piezoelectric substrate to be exposed; an ion source configured to apply an ion beam simultaneously to the plurality of electrodes exposed from the opening in the base plate; a protective plate configured to protect, from being etched, a region around the opening in the base plate to which the ion beam is applied; shutter mechanisms provided as many as the number of the electrodes exposed from the opening in the base plate, and capable of being independently driven; and a masking plate for blocking the ion beam leaking through gaps between the shutter mechanisms.
Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 8, FIG. 9A, and FIG. 9B, there is a conventional frequency adjusting apparatus capable of simultaneously adjusting the frequencies of a plurality of elements arranged perpendicularly to a wafer conveying direction. In this apparatus, a wafer 50, on which a plurality of elements 51 are arranged in a matrix, is conveyed by a conveying unit (not shown) in a wafer conveying direction indicated by an arrow, as shown in FIG. 8. The wafer 50 passes under a pattern mask 52 having a mask hole 53. The mask hole 53 is a slit-like (i.e., elongated) hole allowing a column of elements arranged perpendicularly to the conveying direction of the wafer 50 to be exposed. A plurality of shutters 54 (e.g., six shutters 54 in FIG. 8) are arranged on the pattern mask 52. Each of the shutters 54 is independently actuated with respect to the mask hole 53 in the wafer conveying direction. By selectively covering the slit-like mask hole 53 with the plurality of shutters 54, an irradiation time during which each of the elements 51 is irradiated with an ion beam can be adjusted.
In the case of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-26673, a pattern mask having mask holes corresponding to the respective positions of the electrodes is disposed on the piezoelectric substrate. These mask holes are spaced apart from each other, and the ion beam cannot be applied to regions where there are no mask holes. Therefore, this pattern mask is not suitable for use in irradiating small elements closely arranged on the piezoelectric substrate. Additionally, since a rotatable disk-shaped shutter having a double-layered structure is used, it takes time to change the shutter position. Moreover, since the shutter may pass through an opening during rotation, the accuracy of frequency adjustment may be degraded.
In the case of the frequency adjusting apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-56455, the ion beam is blocked by the masking plate disposed directly above a wafer. However, the shape of holes in this masking plate is not suitable for processing small elements arranged closely on the wafer, as in the case of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-26673 described above.
In the case of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 8, the shutters 54 for covering the slit-like mask hole 53 may be arranged side by side with gaps between adjacent ones, as shown in FIG. 9A, or stacked in a vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 9B. In the case of FIG. 9A, the ion beam enters through the gaps between adjacent shutters 54. This may cause adjustment errors when the elements 51 are closely arranged on the wafer 50. In the case of FIG. 9B, since a masking shape is determined not only by the pattern mask 52 but also by the adjacent shutters 54, a masking position (i.e., distance from the wafer 50) is not constant. Since the ion beam tends to spread out, a change in masking position may cause a change in the amount of spreading of the ion beam. As a result, the amount of etching in adjacent areas or the amount of etching at the edge of a target area may be reduced. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate generally to ad-hoc networks and packet transmissions therein, and more particularly, to ad-hoc networks wherein packets are transmitted to a plurality of target regions.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical mobile communication system delivers data between a mobile element and a base station. The mobile element and the base station directly transmit and receive data without the data passing through any other mobile elements or nodes. In comparison, to carry packets from a source node to a destination node in an ad-hoc sensor network, the packets are directly transmitted to the destination node without using an existing infra-network. In this situation, if the destination node is not adjacent to the source node, but is instead distanced by several hops from the source node, the packets are delivered via intermediate nodes. Other nodes can be used to geocast packets from a source node to a specific region over the ad-hoc sensor network. The geocasting floods packets to nodes located in a targeted geographical region. The targeted geographical region is referred to as a target region. In the following, descriptions are made on how a source node in an ad-hoc network transmits packets to a target region.
FIG. 1 illustrates how to transmit packets to a conventional target region. In FIG. 1, the ad-hoc network is established with a plurality of nodes including a source node. A target region covering nodes that are to receive packets from the source node is defined within the ad-hoc network.
It is assumed that the plurality of the nodes including the source node in the ad-hoc network know their own IDs and location information, location information of the target region, and location information of one-hop neighbor nodes. The source node, which is aware of the location information of the target region, transmits the packets containing the location information of the target region, to the nearest neighbor node from the target region. Nodes receiving the packets determine whether they are located in the target region based on the location information of the target region contained in the packets. When the nodes receiving the packets do not have information as to a neighbor node nearer to the target region than themselves, the nodes determine that they are the destination of the packets and broadcast the received packets over a specified area based on the location information of the target region. Conversely, when the nodes have information of a neighbor node nearer to the target region, the nodes forward the received packets to the discovered neighbor node. As such, the packets originating from the source node can be delivered to the specified target region and flooded to the nodes therein.
Particularly, the source node transmits generated packets toward a neighbor node estimated to be the nearest node to the target region, and the packets are received at one-hop nodes (i.e., nodes adjacent to the source node by one hop). The one-hop nodes from the source node compare location information of the target region contained in the received packets with their own location information. If the location information of the target region matches their location information, or, if there is no other neighbor node determined to be nearer to the target region based on location information of their known neighbor nodes, the one-hop nodes determine that they are located in the target region and broadcast the packets over the target region. Conversely, if there is another neighbor node nearer to the target region, the one-hop nodes forward the packet to the discovered node. By repeating the above procedure, the transmission route from the source node to the target region can be established.
The plurality of nodes in the ad-hoc network can obtain IDs and location information of neighbor nodes. Generally, nodes in the ad-hoc network have guaranteed mobility. Hence, the nodes transmit and receive packets to and from neighbor nodes periodically and, thus, update information relating to the neighbor nodes.
As for a plurality of target regions to which the same packets are to be delivered, the conventional ad-hoc network delivers the packets to the target regions as illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 depicts a conventional packet transmission method in relation to a plurality of target regions. In FIG. 2, the ad-hoc network includes a target region A and a target region B. A source node transmits the same packets to the target regions A and B, respectively, along different routes according to the conventional packet transmission method.
When packets are transmitted to the plurality of target regions along the different routes, excess overhead may be incurred and the packet transmission between the source node and the target regions may be delayed. In addition, as the transmission distance is extended, the packet transmission results in a waste of power used for transmitting the packet, which is inefficient. | {
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The present disclosure relates to a network device that processes packets.
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in the background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
A network device typically includes a control plane processor which implements processing operations to make determinations related to forwarding, routing, access control lists, and the like. Control plane processors located in a network upstream of a final destination typically update the packet header information of incoming packets. A packet flow exists when a number of received packets are identified as having the same or similar characteristics, for example the packets are received on the same port or are from the same source, are to be forwarded to the same destination, are the same type of packet and are to be handled with a same quality of service. Network devices encounter situations in which multiple, different flows need to be handled concurrently. | {
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As the exploration for oil and gas expands ever further offshore, it is necessary to moor mobile offshore drilling units (MODU's) and floating production platforms (FPP's) in very deep waters. In many circumstances it is advantageous to moor MODU's and FPP's using preset mooring systems. A preset mooring system typically comprises an array of eight or more anchors each having a mooring line extending therefrom. The array of anchors is installed around a mooring location after which an MODU or a FPP is positioned at the mooring location and is moored utilizing the anchors and the mooring lines of the preset mooring system.
In order to avoid costly delays and reworking operations, the holding power of each anchor in an anchor array of a preset mooring system is carefully tested prior to the connection of an MODU or an FPP to the anchor. Heretofore various techniques have been utilized in anchor testing procedures. These include: use of the anchor installation ship to apply load to a single anchor up to the power limitation (Bollard pull) of the ship; use of the anchor installation ship to apply a minimum setting load to two diametrically opposed anchors in combination with the use of a tensioning barge to apply full test loads to the two anchors; testing a single anchor by connecting a deadman anchor to the bow pad eye of the anchor installation ship and applying load to the anchor using a combination of the ship's Bollard pull and its towing winch pull capacity; and/or using a ratchet tensioning system which utilizes the pulling capacity of the installation ship's towing winch. All of the foregoing techniques are considered to be unsatisfactory for one or more reasons, including excessive costs, limitations as to depth, and limitations as to capacity.
The present invention comprises an anchor installation vessel and method which overcomes the foregoing and other problems long since associated with the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, an anchor installation vessel is adapted to transport and install at least two of the anchors and the mooring lines associated therewith which form part of the anchor array of a preset mooring system. The vessel is provided with a pair of winches and structure for connecting the winches to two diametrically opposed anchors of the anchor array. In this manner the anchor installation vessel of the present invention is adapted to simultaneously test two anchors by employing the anchors to pre-load each other.
In accordance with more particular aspects of the invention, the rear of the vessel is provided with a pair of transverse rollers and a pair of longitudinal rollers located adjacent to and below the transverse rollers. This allows the mooring lines extending from the anchors to enter the vessel from opposite sides. As load is applied to the mooring lines by the winches the stern of the vessel centers itself both transversely and longitudinally at a center point between the two anchors, and the anchors are tested by employing the winches of the vessel to apply equal and opposite loads thereto. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic toner useful for one-component or two-component developers. In addition, the present invention relates to an image forming method and apparatus, such as copiers, printers and facsimile machines, using the toner.
2. Discussion of the Background
At the present day, various electrophotographic image forming methods are known. The methods typically include the following processes:
(1) the surface of an image bearing member (a photoreceptor) is charged (charging process); n(2) the image bearing member (photoreceptor) is exposed to light to form an electrostatic latent image thereon (latent image forming process); PA0 (3) the latent image is developed with an electrophotographic toner to form a toner image on the image bearing member (developing process); PA0 (4) the toner image is transferred onto a receiving material (transferring process); and PA0 (5) the toner image on the receiving material is fixed upon application of heat or pressure, or combination thereof (fixing process).
Thus, a document having a fixed image is provided. The toner remaining on the image bearing member even after the toner image is transferred on the receiving material is removed by a known cleaning method using a blade, brush, roller or the like.
Digital image formation and high quality image formation are the recent trends of the electrophotography. With respect to resolution of images, it is needed and investigated to form an image having high resolution of not less than 1200 dpi (dot per inch). In order to prepare images having such high resolution, a toner having a relatively small particle diameter is needed. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications Nos. 1-112253, 2-284158, 3-181952 and 4-162048 have proposed toners having a small particle diameter and a specified particle diameter distribution.
In the toners having a small particle diameter, the adhesion force of a toner particle to other toner particles or members (photoconductor etc.) of an image forming apparatus cannot be neglected. This adhesion force influences almost all the image forming processes in an image forming apparatus, and thereby the image qualities are influenced. In particular, the adhesion force causes background development in the developing process. In addition, the adhesion force causes hollow defects and scattered toner images generated in the transferring process. Further, the adhesion force causes background fouling due to toner particles remaining on the photoreceptor after the cleaning process. When a toner having a relatively small particle diameter is used, these phenomena are furthered. Therefore, when designing a toner, it is an important subject how to control the adhesion force of the particles of the toner.
For example, in a developing process using a two component developer, at first a large amount of toner particles contact (or adhere to) the surface of a photoreceptor in a developing nip. The toner particles adhere to the photoreceptor (i.e., the toner is used for developing) or return to (i.e., are scavenged by) the carrier particles depending on the direction and quantity of Coulomb force due to the developing determined depending on the charge quantity of the toner particles. However, the charge quantity of the toner particles has a distribution, and therefore the behaviors of toner particles are different depending on their charge quantity.
In general, a developing bias is applied to a developing nip to avoid the background development of images. The toner particles, which are present in the background area of the photoreceptor in the developing nip and which are normally charged, are scavenged by the carrier particles due to large Coulomb force formed in the developing nip, and thereby occurrence of background development can be avoided. However, a small amount of toner particles having an opposite charge are present in a toner. These toner particles receive Coulomb force such that the toner particles adhere to the photoreceptor, and thereby background development occurs. In addition, toner particles having a relatively low charge quantity, the Coulomb force formed toward the carrier particles is low. Therefore the toner particles tend not to be scavenged by the carrier particles, and tend to remain on the photoconductor.
Thus, the reason of background development is considered to be that the toner particles having an opposite charge or a relatively low charge quantity included in toner particles adhere to the background area. The toner particles having such an abnormal charge are formed when a toner and a carrier are insufficiently mixed and stirred. In addition, the toner particles having such an abnormal charge increase when the toner is used for a long period of time.
In attempting to solve this problem (i.e., to reduce the toner particles having such an abnormal charge), a technique that a toner having a specified charge distribution is used is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 4-110861. However, when a toner having a relatively small particle diameter or a toner having a relatively low softening point which is used for low heat energy fixing is used, the background development problem cannot be solved by such a technique. Therefore, it is important to control the adhesion force of toner.
In the transferring process, toner particles on a photoreceptor are transferred onto a receiving material due to an electrostatic field formed in the transferring area. The toner transfer depends on the amount of the adhesion force of the toner and the amount of the electrostatic field. Therefore, it is important to control the adhesion force of toner. When the toner transfer is performed using a roller or a belt, the toner images on a photoreceptor are pressed toward the photoreceptor. Therefore, the toner particles of the images tend to gather on the surface of the photoreceptor, resulting in increase of adhesion force between the toner particles and the photoreceptor, and increase of adhesion force among the toner particles. Therefore, the toner tends to remain on the photoreceptor. This phenomenon tends to particularly occur in center parts of line images, resulting in occurrence of hollow defects. Accordingly, it is needed to control the adhesion force between the toner particles and the photoreceptor, and the adhesion among the toner particles. Alternatively, the pressure applied to the toner may be decreased.
The adhesion force between the toner particles and the photoreceptor is classified into an electrostatic adhesion force depending on the charge quantity of the toner particles and a non-electrostatic adhesion force. When the charge quantity of toner particles is decreased, the electrostatic adhesion force can be decreased. However, the charge quantity of toner particles is too low, a problem which occurs is that toner images cannot be transferred by the electrostatic filed formed in the transferring area.
The adhesion force has been discussed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications Nos. 5-333757, 6-167825, and 6-167826. However, the non-electrostatic adhesion force is not discussed therein. In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-305075, the non-electrostatic adhesion force among toner particles is discussed, however the relationship between image qualities and non-electrostatic adhesion force of toner particles to members in an image forming apparatus is not discussed.
The adhesion force among toner particles or between toner particles and members in an image forming apparatus has a distribution. When the distribution is broad (i.e., there are toner particles having too large adhesion force or too small adhesion force), image defects tend to be produced. Therefore, toner having adhesion force whose distribution is sharp is preferable. Since the adhesion force of toner particles generally depends on the particle diameter, a toner having a particle diameter whose distribution is sharp is needed to obtain a toner having an adhesion force whose distribution is sharp. In order to prepare a toner having a particle diameter whose distribution is sharp, the particle diameter of toner particles is severely controlled in the pulverization process and/or the classification process when the toner is manufactured. In attempting to prepare such a toner having a particle diameter whose distribution is sharp, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications Nos. 5-134455, 6-273978 and 7-333890 disclose toner manufacturing techniques. Since the classification of toner particles is severely performed in these techniques, a large amount of toner particles, whose particle diameter is outside the desired range, are disposed of, resulting in serious increase of manufacturing costs. In addition, these techniques are not preferable in the viewpoint of environmental protection.
Because of these reasons, a need exists for a toner which has adhesion force whose distribution is sharp and which is easily and efficiently manufactured. | {
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Large volumes of oil remain in oil-wet and mixed-wet carbonate reservoirs. By determining whether a formation is water-wet, oil-wet or mixed-wet, the location of the oil can be determined to guide efforts to obtain the oil. Wettability of rocks is a parameter in the characterization of reservoirs and is difficult to measure in situ in the wellbore. There are indications that water-wet sandstones may become oil-wet in the invaded zone of wells drilled with oil-based mud. Knowledge of the wettability of the invaded zone is typically important in the interpretation of Rxo and the nuclear magnetic resonance logs. Wettability of rocks can be determined from core analysis and/or a combination of wireline logs such as resistivity logs, nuclear logs, and nuclear magnetic resonance logs.
However, various methods known in the art for determining wettability involve drawbacks, including substantial amounts of time to obtain a measurement and the need to provide and store radioactive materials.
The electro-kinetic coupling constants of rock samples can be measured accurately in the laboratory. The coupling constants of a large number of water-wet rock samples have already been determined. David B. Pengra, Po-zen Wong, Low frequency AC Electrokinetics, Colloids and Surfaces, 159 (1999) 283-292. However, accurate measurement of the coupling constant in situ in a foundation is more difficult because of the limitations of the measurement geometry. Sensors are typically located only in the borehole; it is usually not practical to isolate a section of rock for measurement. Therefore, the measurements have to be made in an open geometry and are more subject to the uncertainties caused by heterogeneity, anisotropy, bed boundary effects, borehole effects, etc. In principle, the problems are not different from those of any wireline measurements, for example, from the problems of the accurate measurement of resistivity by wireline tools. | {
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Enterprise applications are integral parts of many businesses and provide valuable services to users. For example, enterprise applications provide customer relationship management (CRM), resource planning, human resource management, etc. The present invention will be described with reference to an example CRM that provides sales and marketing services to its users, it being understood that the present invention should not be limited thereto.
CRM is a widely implemented strategy for managing a company's interaction with customers, clients, and sales prospects. CRM involves technology to organize, automate, and synchronize business processes-principally sales activities, but also those for marketing, customer service, and technical support. The overall goals of CRM are to find, attract, and win new clients, nurture and retain those the company already has, etc.
Users can access CRM services through mobile devices (e.g., smart phones or tablet computers) that are coupled to a data processing system the implements the CRM. The present invention will be described with reference to providing CRM services to users via their mobile devices, it being understood that the present invention should not be limited thereto. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A major focus of cancer immunology is on the isolation of antibodies that react selectively with human tumor cells, since the antibodies could have important applications for targeting diagnostic and therapeutic agents to tumors and for identifying tumorigenic antigens. The established approach has been to generate large panels of monoclonal antibodies from mice immunized with human tumor cells, and to screen the antibodies for reactivity against the tumor. Despite the enormous effort expended on this approach, few antibodies that react preferentially with human tumors, and none that react specifically with one type of tumor, have been reported.
These results are disappointing but not necessarily conclusive, because the antibodies were generated in an xenogeneic system. Human antigens are generally recognized as foreign by the murine system, and since the tumor antigens are predominately nonspecific, the murine response to human tumors will be correspondingly nonspecific.
Another approach involves generating human monoclonal antibodies from cancer patients by cloning lymphocytes transformed with Epstein-Barr virus or fused with myeloma or B-lymphoblastoid cells. However, the number of clones that can be produced with these procedures is severely limited by technical obstacles, and the antibodies isolated from the clones have shown specificities similar to those obtained with murine monoclonal antibodies.
Further attempts to isolate more specific antibodies will require improved methods of generating and selecting antibodies against human tumors. Two recent developments may be useful in this regard. One involves immunizing cancer patients with autologous tumor cells which have been genetically modified to boost the immunogenicity of the cells (Dranoff, G. & Mulligan, R. C. (1995) Adv. Immunol. 58, 417-454). Although there is an extensive normal human repertoire of anti-self antibodies (Griffiths A. D., et al., (1993) EMBO J 12, 725-734), indicating that the human immune system can respond toself antigens, the humoral response of the immunized cancer patients might be directed preferentially against any non-self antigens expressed by the autologous or allogeneic tumor cells. Numerous such immunization trials are in progress with melanoma, renal and colon carcinoma, neuroblastoma and breast cancer patients, and others are planned.
The other new development is the introduction of methods for synthesizing virtually the entire repertoire of any person's antibody genes, and for expressing the encoded Fab or scFv antibody fragments on the surface of a fusion-phage vector (see, for example, Marks, J., et al., (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222, 581-597). The resulting fusion-phage antibody library can be panned to select and clone rare antibodies on the basis of their binding specificities. | {
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Most consumers have come to expect scented laundry products and to expect that fabrics which have been laundered also have a pleasing fragrance. Perfume additives make laundry compositions more aesthetically pleasing to the consumer, and in some cases the perfume imparts a pleasant fragrance to fabrics treated therewith. However, the amount of perfume carryover from an aqueous laundry bath onto fabrics is often marginal. Industry, therefore, has long searched for an effective perfume delivery system for use in laundry products which provides long-lasting, storage-stable fragrance to the product, as well as fragrance to the laundered fabrics.
Laundry and other fabric care compositions which contain perfume mixed with or sprayed onto the compositions are well known from commercial practice. Because perfumes are made of a combination of volatile compounds, perfume can be continuously emitted from simple solutions and dry mixes to which the perfume has been added. Various techniques have been developed to hinder or delay the release of perfume from compositions so that they will remain aesthetically pleasing for a longer length of time. To date, however, few of the methods deliver significant fabric odor benefits after prolonged storage of the product.
Moreover, there has been a continuing search for methods and compositions which will effectively and efficiently deliver perfume from a laundry bath onto fabric surfaces. As can be seen from the following disclosures, various methods of perfume delivery have been developed involving protection of the perfume through the wash cycle, with release of the perfume onto fabrics. U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,072, Brock et al, issued Jun. 20, 1978, teaches a method for delivering fabric conditioning agents, including perfume, through the wash and dry cycle via a fatty quaternary ammonium salt. U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,856, Schnoring et al, issued Sep. 6, 1983, teaches a microencapsulation technique which involves the formulation of a shell material which will allow for diffusion of perfume out of the capsule only at certain temperatures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,272, Young, issued May 1, 1979, teaches incorporating perfume into waxy particles to protect the perfume through storage in dry compositions and through the laundry process. The perfume assertedly diffuses through the wax on the fabric in the dryer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,419, Walley et al, issued Nov. 19, 1991, teaches perfume dispersed with a water-insoluble nonpolymeric carrier material and encapsulated in a protective shell by coating with a water-insoluble friable coating material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,761, Trinh et al, issued Mar. 10, 1992, teaches a perfume/cyclodextrin complex protected by clay which provides perfume benefits to at least partially wetted fabrics.
Another method for delivery of perfume in the wash cycle involves combining the perfume with an emulsifier and water-soluble polymer, forming the mixture into particles, and adding them to a laundry composition, as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,417, Whyte, issued Jun. 24, 1980; U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,356, Whyte, issued Jul. 13, 1982; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,760, Gould et al, issued Apr. 27, 1971. However, even with the substantial work done by industry in this area, a need still exists for a simple, more efficient and effective perfume delivery system which can be mixed with laundry compositions to provide initial and lasting perfume benefits to fabrics which have been treated with the laundry product.
The perfume can also be adsorbed onto a porous carrier material, such as a polymeric material, as described in U.K. Pat. Pub. 2,066,839, Bares et al, published Jul. 15, 1981. Perfumes have also been adsorbed onto a clay or zeolite material which is then admixed into particulate detergent compositions. Generally, the preferred zeolites have been Type A or 4A Zeolites with a nominal pore size of approximately 4 Angstrom units. It is now believed that with Zeolite A or 4 A, the perfume is adsorbed onto the zeolite surface with relatively little of the perfume actually absorbing into the zeolite pores. While the adsorption of perfume onto zeolite or polymeric carriers may perhaps provide some improvement over the addition of neat perfume admixed with detergent compositions, industry is still searching for improvements in the length of storage time of the laundry compositions without loss of perfume characteristics, in the intensity or amount of fragrance delivered to fabrics, and in the duration of the perfume scent on the treated fabric surfaces.
Combinations of perfumes generally with larger pore size zeolites X and Y are also taught in the art. East German Patent Publication No. 248,508, published Aug. 12, 1987 relates to perfume dispensers (e.g.. an air freshener) containing a faujasite-type zeolite (e.g., zeolite X and Y) loaded with perfumes. The critical molecular diameters of the perfume molecules are said to be between 2-8 Angstroms. Also. East German Patent Publication No. 137,599, published Sep. 12, 1979 teaches compositions for use in powdered washing agents to provide thermoregulated release of perfume. Zeolites A, X and Y are taught for use in these compositions. These earlier teachings are repeated in the more recently filed European applications Publication No. 535,942, published Apr. 7, 1993, and Publication No. 536,942, published Apr. 14, 1993, by Unilever PLC, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,665, issued Aug. 9, 1994 to Gamer-Gray et al.
Effective perfume delivery compositions are taught by WO 94/28107, published Dec. 8, 1994 by The Procter & Gamble Company. These compositions comprise zeolites having pore size of at least 6 Angstroms (e.g., Zeolite X or Y), perfume releaseably incorporated in the pores of the zeolite, and a matrix coated on the perfumed zeolite comprising a water-soluble (wash removable) composition in which the perfume is substantially insoluble, comprising from 0% to about 80%, by weight, of at least one solid polyol containing more than 3 hydroxyl moieties and from about 20% to about 100%, by weight, of a fluid diol or polyol in which the perfume is substantially insoluble and in which the solid polyol is substantially soluble.
Another problem in providing perfumed products is the odor intensity associated with the products. A need therefore exists for a perfume delivery system which provides satisfactory perfume odor during use and thereafter from the dry fabric, but which also provides prolonged storage benefits and reduced product odor intensity. | {
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In recent years, certain games of chance which have been exempted from the ambit of local gambling ordinances have gained immediate and widespread popularity. One such game, "Bingo" is now routinely employed by churches and other community groups for raising funds. In playing Bingo, at least one card, having a 5.times.5 matrix of squares and a number in each square imprinted thereon, is distributed to each player. Numbers are called by the moderator, and if a card has imprinted thereon the called number, that number is covered by a marker. The first person to cover all numbers in a given column, row, diagonal, etc., on a given card, wins. Since the game of Bingo appeals to all age groups, many players are of advanced ages for whom arthritic and other physical ailments make the act of depositing the marker on a called number difficult. And even for those players possessing a normal degree of finger mobility and dexterity, the placement of markers on the game cards, particularly when employing a plurality of cards for a single game, is a slow and laborious task.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an easily manipulable tool for retaining, releasing, and recapturing ringed Bingo markers, which tool can be used by young and old players alike to dispense ringed markers onto game cards and collect ringed markers from said game cards.
Although the tool of the present invention is specially adapted for use in playing Bingo, other uses of the tool in environments featuring the release of ringed members is contemplated. For instance, washers and nuts could be stored on the instant tool without modifying the structure thereof. This use is valuable, where, because of the thin elongated structure of the tool, nuts and washers could be easily released therefrom onto bolts and screws located in otherwise inaccessible areas (an automobile engine is one example).
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a compact, automatic tool for retaining and releasing ringed members which allows the user to gain accessibility to tight working areas.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a compact, automatic tool which normally retains ringed members thereon, which releases said ringed elements upon the application of pressure against the forward end thereof, and which includes a recapturing feature for picking up ringed elements.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the drawings and specification. | {
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The present invention relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, in which a setpoint fuel mass and/or a setpoint air mass is/are determined as a function of a setpoint torque, and in which a transition is made from a first operating mode to a second operating mode of the internal combustion engine. The present invention also relates to a corresponding internal combustion engine as well as to a corresponding control unit for an internal combustion engine.
In the case of gasoline engines as well as diesel gasoline engines, it is known to use so-called adsorption catalysts to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) produced during combustion. These adsorption catalysts are suitable for temporarily storing the nitrogen oxides, particularly during a first lean operating mode of the internal combustion engine, in order to then release them again and reduce them in a subsequent second rich operating mode of the internal combustion engine. This transition to the rich operating mode necessary for regenerating the adsorption catalyst represents a problem. In particular, it must be ensured that this transition is carried out smoothly. Therefore, during the transition, the actual torque of the internal combustion engine may not or may only slightly deviate from the setpoint torque.
The actual torque can be measured with the aid of a torque sensor. It is also known in accordance with German Published Patent Application No. 44 45 684 to determine the actual torque as a function of the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine.
It is an object of the present invention to create a method for operating an internal combustion engine, which enables a smooth transition to the second operating mode of the internal combustion engine and, thus, to the regeneration of the adsorption catalyst.
According to the present invention, in the case of a method of the species cited at the outset, this object is achieved in that an actual torque is determined during the transition to the second operating mode of the internal combustion engine, a torque difference between the setpoint torque and the actual torque is calculated, and in that the setpoint fuel mass and/or the setpoint air mass is/are controlled as a function of the torque difference.
As mentioned, determining the setpoint fuel mass and/or setpoint air mass as a function of the setpoint torque can lead to comfort problems during the transition to the regeneration of the adsorption catalyst. In this context, the comfort problems are the result of the actual torque deviating from the desired setpoint torque. Such a deviation is detected by comparing the actual torque and the setpoint torque in accordance with the present invention. According to the present invention, the indicated torque difference is limited to a minimum by subsequently influencing the setpoint fuel mass and/or the setpoint air mass as a function of the determined torque difference. Finally, the present invention makes it possible to immediately detect any deviations in torque and to take appropriate countermeasures. The torque deviations can, thus, be kept to a minimum. At the same time, this represents an increase in comfort during the transition to the rich operating mode of the internal combustion engine and, thus, during the regeneration of the adsorption catalyst.
In this context, it is significant that a torque sensor is not required for determining the torque difference in accordance with the present invention. Instead, as already mentioned, it is also possible to derive the actual torque from the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine, as an absolute quantity. Thus, no additional sensor or the like is needed to carry out the present invention. At the same time, this represents a reduction in cost and constructive effort.
It is particularly advantageous when the actual torque is determined from the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine, as a relative quantity. If the setpoint torque is also determined as a relative quantity, comparing these two quantities yields the same result as comparing the corresponding absolute quantities. However, using the relative quantities results, in particular, in the significant advantage that the change in the actual torque can be easily derived from the change in the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine.
It is particularly advantageous-when the torque difference is adjusted to zero by a controller. Using such a controller makes it possible to achieve optimum driving comfort. With the aid of the controller, jolting during the transition to the regeneration of the adsorption catalyst can be completely prevented.
In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the setpoint fuel mass and/or the setpoint air mass is/are controlled by the torque difference using a controller action model. In this manner, it is taken into consideration that the method of the present invention is essentially only used during the transition to the rich operating mode of the internal combustion engine and, thus, during the transition to the regeneration of the adsorption catalyst. It is possible via the controller action model to reliably prevent any losses of comfort due to jolting or the like when transitioning to the regeneration of the adsorption catalyst.
In an advantageous further refinement of the present invention, the setpoint fuel mass and/or the setpoint air mass is/are controlled by a control system as a function of a setpoint torque. This means that during normal operation of the internal combustion engine, the setpoint fuel mass and/or the setpoint air mass is/are not regulated, but is/are only controlled as a function of the setpoint torque. This forward control is generally completely sufficient during a lean operating mode of the internal combustion engine. Only during a rich operating mode of the internal combustion engine, i.e., during the regeneration of the adsorption catalyst among other things, this control can lead to inaccuracies and, thus, to torque deviations as explained at the outset. These torque deviations can then also be compensated for or corrected by the present invention.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, instead of the setpoint fuel mass and/or the setpoint air mass, the setpoint injection interval between a first partial injection and a second partial injection is controlled as a function of the torque difference.
This embodiment of the present invention is particularly advantageous especially when the fuel/air mixture supplied to the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine already has the desired lambda. Changing the setpoint injection interval between the first and the second partial injection does not change this lambda. Instead, changing the setpoint injection interval only affects the actual torque generated by the internal combustion engine. In this particularly advantageous manner, the actual torque can be easily adapted to the setpoint torque without thereby changing the lambda of the internal combustion engine and, thus, the exhaust-gas composition of the internal combustion engine.
Particularly significant is the implementation of the method of the present invention in the form of a control element provided for a control unit of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle. In this context, a program that can be executed on a computing element, in particular on a microprocessor, and is suitable for carrying out the method according to the present invention is stored on the control element. Thus, in this case, the present invention is implemented by a program stored on the control element, so that this control element provided with the program represents the present invention in the same manner as the method for whose implementation the program is suited. In particular, an electrical storage medium, e.g., a read only memory or a flash memory, can be used as the control element. | {
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1). Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus that is used for full-wafer testing and/or burn-in testing and/or built-in self-testing.
2). Discussion of Related Art
Microelectronic circuits are usually fabricated in and on semiconductor wafers. Such a wafer is subsequently “singulated” or “diced” into individual dies. Such a die is typically mounted to a supporting substrate for purposes of providing rigidity thereto and electronic communication with an integrated or microelectronic circuit of the die. Final packaging may include encapsulation of the die and the resulting package can then be shipped to a customer.
It is required that the die or the package be tested before being shipped to a customer. Ideally, the die should be tested at an early stage for the purposes of identifying the defects that occur during early stage manufacturing.
The earliest stage that a die can be tested is after completion of the manufacture of circuits at wafer level and before a wafer is singulated. Full-wafer testing carries with it a number of challenges. One challenge in full-wafer testing is that there are a large amount of contacts on a wafer and that a large number of power, ground, and signal connections thus have to be made. | {
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The present disclosure relates to a vehicle seat to be mounted on a vehicle.
The vehicle seat has a cushion frame, and a back frame. The cushion frame forms a frame of a seat cushion which supports the buttocks of a seat occupant.
The back frame forms a frame of a seatback which supports the back of the seat occupant. The back frame is coupled to a seat rear end side of the cushion frame. For example, a cushion frame of a vehicle seat described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-523090 (Patent Document 1) is coupled and fixed to the vehicle side via leg portions. | {
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The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling knocking in an internal combustion engine such as an automotive gasoline engine which detects knock in the engine and controls various engine control parameters in a direction to suppress the knocking. More particularly, it relates to such a knock control apparatus and method which is able to improve knock control and reduce the cost of manufacture thereof.
In general, in an internal combustion engine such as an automotive gasoline engine having a plurality of cylinders, the air/fuel mixture in each cylinder is compressed and fired at an optimum ignition point so as to produce maximum output power without incurring knocking. To properly control the operations of the respective cylinders, it is common practice to employ a microcomputer which controls the ignition timing, the fuel injection order, the fuel injection timing and the like for the respective cylinders in an optimal manner.
Among engine control parameters such as the amount of fuel injected into each cylinder, ignition timing, etc., if ignition timing is controlled to be excessively advanced for example, engine vibrations called knocking are caused by abnormal combustion of the air/fuel mixture in a cylinder, and the cylinder may be damaged or destructed. In order to avoid such a situation, when abnormal engine vibrations are detected by a sensor, engine control parameters should be controlled in a sense to suppress knocking. For example, the ignition timing for the cylinder that is knocking is retarded or the amount of fuel to be injected into the knocking cylinder is decreased.
FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of a conventional knock control apparatus for an internal combustion engine. In this figure, the apparatus illustrated comprises a knock sensor 1 in the form of an acceleration sensor and the like installed on an engine for sensing knocking in the engine, e.g., for sensing vibrational accelerations of the cylinders due to knocking and generating a corresponding electrical output signal A, a knock detecting circuit 2 for identifying signals due to the knocking in the output signal of the knock sensor 1 and generating an output signal V.sub.R in an analog form when knocking is detected, an analog to digital (A/D) converter 3 for converting the analog output signal of the knock detecting circuit 2 into a digital signal, and an engine control unit 4 (hereinafter referred to as an ECU) in the form of a microcomputer including an ignition timing controller 5 connected to receive the digital signal from the A/D converter 3 for controlling the ignition timing of the engine in an appropriate manner so as to suppress knocking in the engine. The knock detecting circuit 2 includes a band-pass filter 22 for filtering a particular frequency band of the output signal A of the knock sensor 1, a gate circuit 23 operable, through the action of a mask signal M from the ECU 4, to pass specific portions of the output signal of the band-pass filter 22, a BGL circuit 24 connected to receive the output signal of the gate circuit 23 for generating an output signal A' of a background level, a comparator 25 having a first input terminal connected to receive the output signal A' of the gate circuit 23 and a second input terminal which is supplied with the output signal of the BGL circuit 24 for making a comparison between these input signals, and an integrator 26 having an input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the comparator 25 and an output terminal coupled to the input terminal of the A/D converter 3 for integrating the output signal of the comparator 25 and outputting an analog signal to the A/D converter 3, the integrator 26 further having a reset terminal coupled to the ECU 4 such that it is reset by a reset signal R from the ECU 4.
FIG. 8 shows in diagrammatic form the waveforms of the output signal A of the knock sensor 1, the mask signal M, the gate circuit output signal A', the BGL signal and the integrator output signal V.sub.R, respectively, of the knock control apparatus of FIG. 7.
The conventional knock control apparatus as constructed above operates as follows. First, the knock sensor 1 generates an output signal which is input to the band-pass filter 22 where a specific frequency band thereof is filtered and passed to the gate circuit 23. The gate circuit 23, which has a gate control terminal supplied from the ECU 4 with a mask signal R containing square pulses occurring at predetermined intervals, operates to mask the output signal of the knock sensor 1 as filtered through the band-pass filter 2 in such a manner that those portions of the knock sensor output signal A which correspond to the respective square pulses of the mask signal M are removed to provide an output signal which contains no pulse at locations corresponding to the respective square pulses of the mask signal M. The output signal of the gate circuit 23 is input to the first input terminal of the comparator 25, and at the same time it is imposed on the input terminal of the BGL circuit 24 so that the BGL circuit 24 produces an output signal having a predetermined background voltage level. The background level voltage of the BGL circuit 24 is imposed on the second input terminal of the comparator 25 and compared with the output signal of the gate circuit 23 fed to the first input terminal of the comparator 25, so that the comparator 25 generates an output signal when the output signal of the gate circuit 23 is higher than the background voltage level. The output signal of the comparator 25 is fed to the integrator 26 which performs integration to generate an output signal, as shown in FIG. 8. In this regard, it is to be noted that although not illustrated in FIG. 7, in case of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a plurality of knock sensors 1 are employed one for each engine cylinder, and the output signals of the respective knock sensors 1 are fed to the integrator 26 in a parallel relation with each other through the band-pass filter 22, the gate circuit 23 and the comparator 25 so that they are respectively integrated by the integrator 26 to provide corresponding output signals. To this end, the ECU 4 feeds a reset signal for each knock sensor output to the reset terminal of the integrator 26 at an appropriate timing. The integrated output signal of the analog form of the integrator 26 is then fed to the A/D converter 3 and converted there into a digital signal V.sub.R which, in turn, is read into the ECU 4 where, based on the digital signal V.sub.R, the ignition timing controller 5 successively calculates an appropriate knock-suppression retard angle .sub.R using the following formula; EQU .theta..sub.R =.theta..sub.R *+.DELTA..theta..sub.R ( 1)
where .theta..sub.R * is the last knock-suppression retard angle, and .DELTA..theta..sub.R is expressed as follows: EQU .DELTA..theta..sub.R =V.sub.R .times.L
where L is a modification coefficient.
With the above-mentioned conventional knock control apparatus, however, the knock detecting circuit 2, which is a hardware component, includes a knock determining means comprising the BGL circuit 24, the comparator 25 and the integrator 26 for determining whether or not there is knocking in the engine. Such a knock determining processing requires a rather complicated circuit arrangement and besides puts a tremendous load on the controlling hardware, resulting in high manufacturing costs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a user-controlled device, in particular a mouse or a joystick, with 3D motion detection. The invention is however also applicable to game pads, trackballs and other screen pointing devices for a computer system as well as to devices for pointing or selecting predetermined tasks or information according to their position, which are connected to a computer or a computer-controlled system. The invention is also applicable to the control of an electrical appliance, e.g., for switching on an electrical appliance and activate particular tasks, on the base of a 3D movement signal generated by the user-controlled device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, mice are now the most common interface between a person and a computer or a computer controlled device and are hand-displaced on a plane or two-dimensional surface to control a cursor or pointer or activate particular tasks. To this end, typical mice comprise a plurality of sensors detecting a 2D movement of the mouse; a plurality of buttons for entering commands and a communication interface for communication with the computer system.
In view of the ease of operation and spread in use of mice as a convenient interface with computer systems, a number of functionalities are being developed to make mice still easier to use, to reduce operation stresses and damages to arms and shoulders, to increase the number of tasks that may be controlled or selected through a mouse, to adapt to various specific requirement and operation environment or to detect movements with more degrees of freedom.
For example, a mouse has been proposed, having improved movement detection capabilities, including detection of tilting in four different directions, rotation about its axis and a little vertical movement. This mouse, described, e.g., in “The VideoMouse: A Camera-Based Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Input Device,” by K. Hinckley et al., ACM UIST'99 Symposium on User Interface Software & Technology, CHI Letters 1 (1), pp. 103-112, uses a video camera for detecting the movement. However, although the image processing systems are becoming cheaper and smaller, the costs and dimensions of these systems do not allow their use in all systems. Furthermore, this type of movement detection has a functionality highly dependent upon light conditions and/or optical features of the surface the mouse rests on.
Furthermore, the known solutions do not always allow operation by disabled persons, having limited or no hand control. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a contents retrieval device for retrieving contents that the user wishes to view from among a plurality of contents.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as a retrieval method for retrieving the contents that the user wishes to view from among the large amount contents stored in a server and others, there are many methods for generating a list of contents that match a search keyword input by the user, and presenting the list of contents. These methods are effective for a user who can clearly determine an appropriate search keyword that is necessary to receive the desired contents, and who can assume/understand the contents to be retrieved.
However, a user who cannot come up with a keyword which represents the contents to be retrieved cannot input a search keyword. For this reason, the user cannot retrieve the contents using this method. This often happens when retrieving entertainment contents such as TV programs, music, and movies.
In response to the problem, there has been reported another type of contents retrieval technology where multiple keywords are presented by the system, and the user repeats a selection of keywords that they are interested in to narrow down the contents, achieving retrieval of desired contents interactively (see, for example, Patent Reference 1).
The contents retrieval device according to Patent Reference 1 (document processing device) acquires search a condition together with the search keyword when starting a search, and presents a related keyword related to the search keyword by limiting the search area. This device achieves presentation of the related keywords which facilitates narrowing down the contents by narrowing down the search area when starting the search. Therefore, the user can retrieve the desired contents only by repeating the selection of the related keywords presented by the content retrieval device. This method is effective for a user who is not sure of the keyword representing the contents to be retrieved.
[Patent Reference 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H10-134075. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer having a flow beginning temperature of 340xc2x0 C. or more.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers are widely used as portable and thin electric and electronic parts materials due to excellent melt flowability and heat resistance.
Various methods are known for producing a thermotropic liquid crystalline resin.
For example, JP-A No. 2-69518 discloses a process for producing a whole aromatic polyester, and it is also disclosed that when a pre-polymer is polymerized in solid phase, it is necessary to select treating temperature and temperature raising speed so that particles of the resin are not sintered, and when sintered, polymerization is suppressed and removal of substances having low boiling point becomes insufficient.
Particularly, when producing a thermotropic liquid crystalline resin of high heat resistance having a flow beginning temperature of 340xc2x0 C. or more by solid phase polymerization, it is difficult to effect solid phase polymerization so that particles of the resin are not sintered, and even when sintering of resin particles is few, blistering occurs on the surface of a molded article containing said resin under high temperature for soldering and the like.
An object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing a thermotropic liquid crystalline resin having a flow beginning temperature of 340xc2x0 C. or more which does not cause sintering of resin particles in solid phase polymerization, and scarcely causes a problem of blistering of a molded article containing said resin under high temperature environment.
The present inventors have intensively studied to find a process for producing a thermotropic liquid crystalline resin having a flow beginning temperature of 340xc2x0 C. or more which has no problems as described above, and resultantly found that, a thermotropic liquid crystalline resin having a flow beginning temperature of 340xc2x0 C. or more can be produced without causing problems as described above by controlling the average temperature raising speed of resin temperature (t) in a specific range when raising the resin temperature (t) from (FT0+20)xc2x0 C. to (FT0+50)xc2x0 C. and controlling the flow beginning temperature of a thermotropic liquid crystalline resin at each resin temperature in a specific range, and have completed the present invention.
Namely, the present invention relates to a process for producing a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer having a flow beginning temperature of 340xc2x0 C. or more comprising raising the temperature of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer from 200xc2x0 C. or less to raising end temperature (Axc2x0 C.) of (FT0+50)xc2x0 C. or more in substantially solid phase condition,
wherein the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer has a flow beginning temperature (FT0) of 200xc2x0 C. or more and 300xc2x0 C. or less, and in a step of raising the resin temperature (t) from (FT0+20)xc2x0 C. to (FT0+50)xc2x0 C. (step (1)), the average raising speed of the resin temperature is from over 0.1xc2x0 C./min. to less than 0.5xc2x0 C./min. and the flow beginning temperature of the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer at each resin temperature is (txe2x88x9210)xc2x0 C. or more and (t+40)xc2x0 C. or less.
Embodiments of the present invention are described below. In the following descriptions, xe2x80x9cheat resistancexe2x80x9d of a resin means a thermomechanical and chemical heat resistance. As measure of thermomechanical heat resistance, deflection temperature under load is exemplified. As measure of chemical heat resistance, soldering resistance is exemplified. xe2x80x9cProcessabilityxe2x80x9d of a resin means melt flowability of a resin in injection molding mainly.
The thermotropic liquid crystalline resin of the present invention is, for example, a whole aromatic thermotropic liquid crystalline resin such as polyesters or polyesteramides having a whole aromatic skeleton, and there are exemplified
(1) resins having a structural unit derived from at least one aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acids,
(2) resins having a structural unit derived from aromatic dicarboxylic acid and aromatic diol,
(3) resins having a structural unit derived from aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid, aromatic dicarboxylic acid and aromatic diol,
(4) resins obtained by adding a structural unit derived from aromatic aminocarboxylic acid to (1),
(5) resins obtained by adding a structural unit derived from aminophenols to (2) and (3), and the like, and the thermotropic liquid crystalline resin usually forms an anisotropic melted body at temperatures of 400xc2x0 C. or less.
Examples of the structural unit of the above-mentioned polyesters or polyesteramides having a whole aromatic skeleton include, but not limited to, the following units.
Structural units derived from aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid:
Structural units derived from aromatic diol:
Structural units derived from aromatic dicarboxylic acid:
Structural units derived from aromatic aminocarboxylic acid:
Structural units derived from aminophenols:
The above-mentioned structural units derived from aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid, aromatic diol, aromatic dicarboxylic acid, aromatic aminocarboxylic acid and aminophenols may have a substituent such as halogen atom, alkyl group, aryl group and the like on aromatic ring.
Among them, those having a total content of the above-mentioned structural units (I), (II), (III) and (IV) of 95 mol % or more are preferable from the standpoint of balance of heat resistance and processability, and those consisting essentially of the above-mentioned structural units (I), (II), (III) and (IV) are more preferable. Other structural units than (I), (II), (III) and (IV) can be appropriately selected from structural units derived from aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid, aromatic diol, aromatic dicarboxylic acid, aromatic aminocarboxylic acid and aminophenols.
The molar ratio of (III)/(IV) is preferably from 8 to 50. When a thermotropic liquid crystalline resin having (III)/(IV) of less than 8 is used, it may be difficult to obtain a resin having a flow beginning temperature of 340xc2x0 C. or more without causing fusion of a resin even if polymerization is effected according to the present invention. When (III)/(IV) is over 50, processability may be poor. From the standpoint of balance of sufficient heat resistance and processability, (III)/(IV) is more preferably from 18 to 40, and further preferably from 15 to 30.
The molar ratio of (I)/((I)+(II)+(III)+(IV)) is preferably from 0.4 to 0.7. When (I)/((I)+(II)+(III)+(IV)) is less than 0.4, the heat resistance of the thermotropic liquid crystalline resin may lower. When over 0.7, processability may be poor. From the standpoint of balance of sufficient heat resistance and processability, (I)/((I)+(II)+(III)+(IV)) is further preferably from 0.45 to 0.55.
The molar ratio of (II)/((III)+(IV)) is preferably from 0.9 to 1.1. When (II)/((III)+(IV)) is less than 0.9 or over 1.1, it may be difficult to obtain a resin having a flow beginning temperature of 340xc2x0 C. or more without causing fusion of a resin even if polymerization is effected according to the present invention.
The objective of the present invention is to provide a thermotropic liquid crystalline resin having a flow beginning temperature of 340xc2x0 C. or more. From the standpoint of processability of the resin, the flow beginning temperature is preferably 400xc2x0 C. or less. When higher balance of heat resistance and processability is desired, the flow beginning temperature of the resin is more preferably from 370xc2x0 C. to 390xc2x0 C.
A process for producing a thermotropic liquid crystalline resin having a flow beginning temperature FT0 of 200xc2x0 C. or more and 300xc2x0 C. or less before initiation of temperature raising (hereinafter, this resin is sometimes referred to as pre-polymer) used in the present invention is not particularly restricted. There is exemplified a process in which a hydroxyl group and an amino group of aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acids, aromatic diols, aromatic aminocarboxylic acids or aromatic aminophenols are acylated with an acylating agent such as acetic anhydride and the like, and poly-condensation is effected together with aromatic dicarboxylic acids while distilling off unreacted acylating agents and an acid by-produced. It is preferable that the resulted poly-condensed substance is recovered in melted condition from a reaction vessel, solidified by cooling, then, ground to give a granule of a prepolymer, or solidified by cooling from melted condition into a string which is cut to give a pellet of a prepolymer.
In the present invention, a granule or pellet of a prepolymer has a particle diameter of preferably 10 mm or less, further preferably 5 mm or less. When the particle diameter of a granule or pellet is over 10 mm, it may be insufficient to remove substances having a lower boiling point such as an acid by-produced by poly-condensation when poly-condensation is conducted in solid phase.
An apparatus used in the present invention is not particularly restricted, and generally known heat treatment apparatuses and drying machines can be used. As examples thereof, a compartment oven, rotary kiln, fluidized bed type drier and the like are listed. It is preferable to use them under a nitrogen atmosphere.
The process for producing a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer of the present invention is a process comprising raising the temperature of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer having a flow beginning temperature FT0 of 200xc2x0 C. or more and 300xc2x0 C. or less before initiation of temperature raising, from the temperature raising initiation temperature of 200xc2x0 C. or less to raising end temperature (Axc2x0 C.) of (FT0+50)xc2x0 C. or more in substantially solid phase condition. The characteristics of the present invention is that, in a step of raising the resin temperature (t) from (FT0+20)xc2x0 C. to (FT0+50)xc2x0 C. (step (1)), temperature raising is effected so that the average raising speed of the resin temperature is in the range of from over 0.1xc2x0 C./min. to less than 0.5xc2x0 C./min. and the flow beginning temperature of the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer at each resin temperature is in the range of from (txe2x88x9240)xc2x0 C. or more to (t+10)xc2x0 C. or less. Preferably, in the step (1), raising speed of the resin temperature is substantially stable.
Here, the flow beginning temperature is a temperature at which when a resin heated at a temperature raising speed of 4xc2x0 C./min. is extruded from a nozzle having a internal diameter of 1 mm and a length of 10 mm under a load of 9.81 MPa, the melt viscosity shows a value of 4800 Paxc2x7s.
When the average temperature raising speed is 0.1xc2x0 C./min. or less, there may occur problems that the flow beginning temperature of a thermotropic liquid crystalline resin does not reach 340xc2x0 C. or more; a longer time is required for sufficiently progressing polymerization and removal of a substance having a lower boiling point; thermal coloring occurs; and the like. When the average temperature raising speed is 0.5xc2x0 C./min. or more, a resin is sintered and grinding into a granule may become difficult, and even if sintering does not occur, problems on physical properties may occur.
The raising end temperature (Axc2x0 C.) is preferably (FT0+100)xc2x0 C. or less, and further preferably (FT0+80)xc2x0 C. or less, for uniform polymerization of a granule or pellet of a resin.
In the step (1), a resin is so heated that the flow beginning temperature (FT) of a thermotropic liquid crystalline resin at each resin temperature (t) is (txe2x88x9210)xc2x0 C. or more and (t+40)xc2x0 C. or less. Even if the average temperature raising speed is in the above-mentioned range, when FT is over (t+40)xc2x0 C., polymerization and removal of a substance having a lower boiling point may become insufficient. When FT is lower than (txe2x88x9210)xc2x0 C., a resin is sintered and grinding into a granule may become difficult, and even if sintering does not occur, problems on physical properties may occur.
For example, a method which satisfies conditions such as the above-mentioned resin temperature and flow beginning temperature includes a method in which a resin having flow beginning temperature of 260xc2x0 C. in which (I): (II): (III): (IV)=500:250:237:13 heated up to 230xc2x0 C. over 70 minutes, subsequently heated up to 330xc2x0 C. over 300 minutes.
Further, it is preferable that the process of the present invention further comprises a step (2) in which the resin temperature is lower to 200xc2x0 C. or less after the resin temperature reaches the raising end temperature (Axc2x0 C.). The average temperature lowering speed is not particularly restricted, and preferably 0.5xc2x0 C./min. or more when the temperature is 200xc2x0 C. or less.
Further, it is preferable that the process of the present invention further comprises a step (3) in which thermal treatment is conducted for 1 hour or more at a resin temperature within Axc2x0 C.xc2x110xc2x0 C. and a variation of a resin temperature within xc2x10.1xc2x0 C./min. after the resin temperature reaches the raising end temperature (Axc2x0 C.).
By adding the step (3), the molecular weight distribution becomes narrower and polymerization and removal of a substance having a lower boiling point can be attained sufficiently, by uniform polymerization of a granule or pellet of a resin.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the process of the present invention further comprises a step (4) in which the resin temperature is raised from any temperature of not more than 200xc2x0 C. and less than (FT0xe2x88x9240)xc2x0 C. to any temperature of (FT0xe2x88x9240)xc2x0 C. or more and (FT0+20)xc2x0 C. or less at an average temperature raising speed of 0.5xc2x0 C./min. or more, before the step (1). By adding the step (4), the treating time can be shortened. Particularly, when raising of the resin temperature is initiated from normal temperature (around 20xc2x0 C.), and the like, it is more preferable to conduct temperature raising at a rate in the range from 3xc2x0 C./min. to 10xc2x0 C./min. for the purpose of shortening of the treating time, and the like.
When raising temperature at an average temperature raising speed of 0.5xc2x0 C./min. or more up to temperature over (FT0+20)xc2x0 C., a resin is sintered and grinding into a granule may become difficult. When temperature is lower than (FT0xe2x88x9240)xc2x0 C., the heat treatment time may become longer. In the step (4), it is more preferable that temperature raising is effected at substantially constant speed.
As a method of introducing a resin into the step (4), the following methods are listed.
(a) A method in which a resin leveled on a tray is introduced into a compartment type oven, then, heated at a temperature raising speed of 0.5xc2x0 C./min. or more up to a temperature of not more than (FT0+20)xc2x0 C.
(b) A method in which a resin is introduced into a rotary kiln pre-heated to a temperature of not more than the flow beginning temperature (FT0+20)xc2x0 C. of the resin.
(c) A method in which a resin is continuously introduced into a fluidized bed type drier having a resin introduction port controlled at a temperature of not more than the flow beginning temperature (FT0+20)xc2x0 C. of the resin.
(d) A method in which a resin is introduced into a tunnel type conveyor furnace having temperature distribution, having a resin introduction port controlled at a temperature of not more than the flow beginning temperature (FT0+20)xc2x0 C. of the resin.
In the present invention, a metal oxide, organic metal salt, organic base compound and the like may be used as a polymerization catalyst. Examples thereof include, but are not limited to, oxides, acetates, oxalates and the like of germanium, tin, titanium, antimony, cobalt, manganese and the like.
In the present invention, an antioxidant, thermal decomposition-preventing agent, hydrolysis-preventing agent, ultraviolet absorber, flame retardant and the like can be added to a pre-polymer in an amount which does not deteriorate the object of the present invention and which does not exert a reverse influence on physical properties.
The thermotropic liquid crystalline resin composition of the present invention is obtained by compounding 10 to 100 parts by weight of an inorganic substance per 100 parts by weight of a thermotropic liquid crystalline resin according to the present invention.
As the inorganic substance to be compounded according to the object, general inorganic fibers such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, metal fiber, alumina fiber, boron fiber, titanic acid fiber, asbestos and the like; powder substances such as calcium carbonate, alumina, aluminum hydroxide, kaolin, talc, clay, mica, glass flake, glass bead, quartz sand, silica sand, wollastonite, dolomite, various metal powders, carbon black, graphite, barium sulfate, potassium titanate, calcined gypsum and the like; granules or plate inorganic compound such as silicon carbide, alumina, boronite light, silicon nitride and the like; whisker and the like are listed. Among them, glass fiber and carbon fiber are preferably used from the standpoints of strength, rigidity and heat resistance of a molded article obtained by molding the composition. A thermotropic liquid crystalline resin into which the above-mentioned inorganic substance is not compounded may not be used for obtaining a molded article having stable form due to excess anisotropy.
In this composition, an antioxidant, thermal decomposition-preventing agent, hydrolysis-preventing agent, ultraviolet absorber, antistatic agent, coloring agent (pigment, dye), surface treating agent, conductor, flame retarder, lubricant, releasing agent, plasticizer, adhesion aid, sticking agent and the like can be added in an amount which does not deteriorate the object of the present invention and which does not exert a reverse influence on physical properties.
Further, a small amount of thermoplastic resin, for example, polyamide, polyester, polyphenylene sulfide, polyether ketone, polycarbonate, polyphenylene ether and modified resins thereof, polysulfone, polyether sulfone, polyether imide and the like, and a small amount of thermosetting resin, for example, a phenol resin, epoxy resin, polyimide resin and the like can also be added alone or in combination thereof.
When the thermotropic liquid crystalline resin composition of the present invention is processed into moldings, the deflection temperature under load of this moldings is preferably 300xc2x0 C. or more.
In the case of use in a coil bobbin which is soldered by direct immersion into a melted solder, supporting members for electric heat bodies and light and heat instruments of high temperature, and the like, the deflection temperature under load is preferably 330xc2x0 C. or more, and more preferably 350xc2x0 C. or more. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Workers in the field of high-speed document processing, such as in the sorting of bank checks and like financial instruments, know that the art requires the use of machines and systems capable of moving and processing very large volumes of documents at rates of thousands of documents per minute, while performing multiple and interrelated operations upon each document as it travels through such machinery. Such operations might include, but are not limited to, printing upon the documents, reading data previously encoded thereon by a variety of processes, recording an archival image of the document by photographic or electronic-imaging techniques, and other processes and manipulations.
The "doubles" Problem:
Workers understand that, while processing such large volumes of documents, it is vital that each individual document be transported and processed singly, and that documents remain in the order and sequence in which they were processed by the machine. To attain the rates of document processing required, the documents are fed and separated from one another by machinery, which is extensively designed and engineered to ensure that documents are fed one at a time ("Singly") with a very high degree of reliability. Should two or more documents be accidentally fed and processed together, extensive manual effort and time are required to track down this error among the many thousands of documents which the machine may process within a very brief time. For this reason, the most extreme measures are implemented to ensure that the document feeding and separating measures always feed documents one at a time, no matter what their condition.
Nonetheless, there are occasional unavoidable circumstances where the machinery will feed more than one document at a time. Examples are documents which are stapled or glued together, documents which adhere to one another due to ink or other surface treatments, or documents which are attached one another by mutual tears or folds. Such cases are known in the art as "double-documents" or simply "doubles". Human operators for such sorting and processing machinery are aware that "doubles" are a costly and time-consuming event, and guard against them as far as possible; still, the sheer volume of documents means that a "double" will occur from time to time.
For this reason, workers find that the machinery itself must contain a reliable device for separating and detecting "doubles" as soon as possible after they have been fed; preferably before much processing is performed on them. In this way, the operator may be warned of the presence of a "double" before it can cause a disruption to the normal flow of work (e.g., and remove it).
We have contemplated different techniques for reliably sensing and reporting a double-document. Such techniques must take account of the widely varying characteristics of the documents (e.g., thickness, density, opacity, etc.), as well as the increasing document speeds which are the result of continuing efforts to increase the processing rate. Theoretically, "doubles" might be sensed optically, mechanically or electronically--as noted below:
Optical sensing:
By shining a beam of light through the document and measuring how much of the beam passes through to impinge on a sensor, the additional thickness of a second document should produce a measurable change in signal.
This technique, while practical in principle, tends to perform poorly in service. The wide range of characteristics of the documents being fed, especially as regards opacity and thickness, renders such a technique difficult to implement in practice. Because such a system must tend to operate in a "fail-safe" mode, it has to lead to a high incidence of false "doubles". Such a false report is almost as disruptive as a real "double" would be.
Additionally, optical sensors are very susceptible to failure due to the high levels of dust and debris found around document processing machinery.
Mechanical sensing:
By passing the document between a known reference point and some moving effector, such as a stylus or roller, the thickness of the document may be measured by means of one of a variety of sensors. The additional thickness of a second document should be measurable.
Once again, the wide range of characteristics for documents fed make this a poor system. The thickest documents may well be more than twice the thinnest, causing a high incidence of "false doubles". Additionally, the sensors required to detect mechanical variations of this order are sensitive and costly, and require skilled and time-consuming calibration to give a reliable result.
Electronic sensing, relying on the variation of a parameter such as reluctance or permeability to detect the presence of documents.
Again, the range of document characteristics render such techniques less than successful, also they require the use of costly, custom-sensing elements.
Rather, we settled on a vacuumatic separating/sensing technique; and found it to give high reliability regardless of the nature and condition of the documents. This invention seeks to teach improvements in such techniques to enhance reliability, serviceability and whole-life cost.
Basic Vacuumatic System (FIGS. 1, 1A):
FIGS. 1, 1A, 2 show a basic, simplified version of a vacuum-separation and sensing system of the type we first favored. Here, it will be understood that the documents to be sensed are transported in a vertical position by transport means such as belts, pulleys and the like (not shown, but well understood in the art). The documents d are constrained to pass through a vacuum-separation manifold M which encloses the lower longitudinal edge of the document as it passes.
This manifold incorporates two vacuum ports V1 and V2, each disposed on a respective side of the document. The two ports are connected to a common plenum chamber P, which is kept at negative pressure relative to the surrounding atmosphere by vacuum blower means B, (or the like) connected to plenum P by hose means H.
Connected to a port Q provided in the wall of hose means H is a differential pressure switch S1 which compares the pressure within the hose to the ambient atmospheric pressure.
When no document is present, both vacuum ports V1 and V2 are open and unobscured, and air may freely flow into them under the influence of blower means B. The pressure differential between the inside of hose H and the surrounding atmosphere is "LOW" (.DELTA.P.sub.L).
When a single document passes through manifold M, it will be pulled towards one or other of the two vacuum ports V1-V2 by the suction applied from blower B; the document will tend to close off whichever of the ports it is first drawn to. The other port will remain open and unobstructed. The document will cause some reduction in the airflow through ports V and there will be a "Moderate" pressure differential (.DELTA.P.sub.M) between the inside of hose H and the surrounding atmosphere.
When two or more documents pass through manifold M side-by-side (or just overlapping), they will tend to be separated by the suction applied from blower B and each will tend to be drawn to an adjacent vacuum port V. When one port is closed and blocked by a document, the suction at the other port will be increased by virtue of the restriction of the airflow, so this port will tend to drawin the second document even more strongly. When both ports are thus closed and blocked, airflow is very quickly reduced to almost nil very quickly and the differential pressure between the inside of hose H and the surrounding atmosphere will very quickly rise to the highest level of vacuum (.DELTA.P.sub.h) which blower B is capable of sustaining at this point.
It will thus be seen that, by monitoring the pressure differential between the inside of hose H and the surrounding atmosphere, an indication of the presence of more than one document in manifold M may be obtained which is more or less independent of any physical characteristic of the documents (such as opacity, thickness, color and so on) and is also independent of the number of documents present. By selecting a threshold of pressure differential for switch S1 which corresponds to "both ports V covered" (e.g., .DELTA.P.sub.h), such an arrangement can automatically indicate "more than one document", regardless of the actual number of documents involved, and regardless of their individual characteristics.
The action of switch S1 is converted to an electrical signal, which is processed by signal-conditioning circuitry (not shown, but familiar to workers in the art) and provides to the controlling systems of the (check-sorting) machine an indication that a "double" has been detected. The controlling systems can then direct the suspected "double" to a holding area of the machine, without further processing, and alert the machine operator, who may investigate the item manually to correct or otherwise resolve the "double".
Since such a "doubles-detect" arrangement was first contemplated, there has been significant progress in the design of check sorting machines. Document speeds and feed rates have increased, and the types and quality of documents handled have expanded beyond any expectation. Additionally, expectations are now greater; e.g., as to convenience of operation, cleanliness, hygiene, and safety. Modifications have to be made to meet these needs. Among these conditions are the following:
Re Separation/sense Time:
Increasing document speeds have reduced the time available for a "doubles-detect" system to operate on a passing document and determine whether it is a "double". As an example, the Unisys DP1800 check sorting machine operates at a nominal track speed of 300 inches per second (ips, or 7.62 meters per second), and may operate with documents with a minimum length of 5.75 inches (11.4 centimeters). For such a document, the time available to operate on a document (e.g., to separate?) is 5.75/300 seconds, or about 19 milliseconds. Future developments are likely to increase document speed to as much as 400 ips (10.1 metres per second), with a corresponding reduction in time available for a sensor to make its determination. To allow a system to operate adequately within such reduced time periods, larger and more powerful blowers (B) have to be employed. A blower for the DP1800 product, for example, would be rated to flow 30 cubic feet of air per minute and provide a maximum vacuum of 30 inches water gauge. These high airflows and vacuums would be required to ensure that the "double" is separated within the manifold M as quickly and securely as possible, even when the documents consist of heavier paper stock with higher resistance to "bending".
Re Dust:
Increasing document speeds and a wider range of document types lead to more dust and debris being generated in the machine. This material may consist of paper fragments and dust, generated by the friction of document-driving elements or from the cut and sheared edges of the paper itself, as well as rubber and plastic particles shed from the driving elements (e.g., rolls, belts and the like, as well understood by workers in the art).
Paper handling business machines (e.g., Unisys check processors) employ vacuum systems to transport or detect documents or for other functions. The vacuum is generated by vacuum pumps or blowers. These pumps/blowers require filtration of the air they move to protect their internal moving components from damage from dust/dirt in the air. Additionally, any exhaust air must be filtered to prevent contamination of the customer's office environment.
Since paper handling machinery usually generate lots of paper dust, the pump/blower air filters tend to quickly fill with dust.
Typically the air filtration systems used are "barrier type" i.e., fiberglass or porous filter paper of some type. These require frequent field service maintenance for cleaning or replacement. In a high volume site for a Unisys DP1800 document processor, these filters typically require replacement twice a week. This frequent servicing by skilled field engineers adds substantially to the maintenance cost of this type business machine.
One advantage of a "cyclone" paper dust collector is that it can contain relatively large amounts of dust in its bunker, and so reduce the required frequency of maintenance. In a DP1800 document processor for example, using a cyclone filter/blower embodiment can reduce frequency of service from twice a week to once every 3 months (or 1:24 ratio); and there are other advantages, such as:
No gradual changing pressure drop with the cyclone as with a barrier type filter.
Quick and easy bunker clean out; simply draw the collected dust out of the bunker with a standard vacuum cleaner.
Now, such dust/debris will naturally be drawn into the manifold M of a doubles-detect system under the action of the vacuum generated by blower B, and it may collect within the system. There, it may clog pipes and hoses, such as the connection to the pressure switch S1, or it may build up inside the blower B to the point where performance is reduced, requiring extensive maintenance and reducing machine up-time. Finally, such material will be (mostly) ejected from the system in the exhaust of blower B, into the surrounding atmosphere, where it creates an unsightly and unhealthy environment for attendants. It can also constitute a fire hazard if allowed to accumulate, both inside the machine and in the surrounding environment.
.DELTA.P as Mini-pulses:
Increasing speeds, and the resulting need for increasing vacuum, have also led to subtle changes in the way that a system must function and provide sensing output. The changes in pressure detected by the pressure switch S1 have become less of a mass-air-flow phenomenon (as they were at lower speeds and lower airflows) and more of a "pulse" phenomenon. Where document speeds are slower, pressures would rise and fall (in response to the states of vacuum ports V) relatively slowly and evenly throughout the system. With much higher speeds and airflows, and much shorter transitions at vacuum ports V, pressure changes now move through the system as a "pulse" of reduced pressure, entrained in a high-speed column of air moving through the system. While this is not a problem in and of itself (since the pressure switch S1 can still detect and respond to such "pulses" in the same way as if they were a more general reduction in pressure throughout the entire system), precautions have to be taken to prevent minor, spurious pulses ("mini-pulses", or transient spikes) of changing pressure from being generated and producing false results at the pressure switch. To this end, sensing port Q is moved further down hose H from manifold M to provide an effective column of air within hose H between manifold M and sensing port Q. The mass and volume of this column can act as a dynamic damper for pressure variations travelling there along, and can attenuate the magnitude of such pulses as they travel from manifold M to sensing port Q. In this way, the impact of such pulses at pressure switch S1 may be reduced, --though not entirely eliminated.
Similar problems from "mini-pulses" can also be caused by the documents themselves as they travel through manifold M. As document speeds increase, aerodynamic effects become more and more significant. A document's leading edge may "hunt" from side to side; also the entire document may assume one of several conditions, such as an undulation from side to side along its length, or a tendency to travel at an angle to the direction it is being driven in. These conditions may, in turn, lead to unexpected results at manifold M, where a single document may rapidly obscure first one vacuum port V, then the other, setting up a series of high-frequency pulses in the airflow, in Manifold M and in the various hoses connecting it to blower B. Thus, pressure switch S1 must be carefully designed and tested to ensure that such mini-pulses do not cause spurious signals. Also, more stringent measures should be taken to selectively damp the airflow to filter out and negate such mini-pulses.
Adding Filtration (FIG. 2):
FIG. 2 shows modifications in the FIG. 1 arrangement for addressing some or all of foregoing concerns. The system is altered by addition of a mechanical air filter F in hose H, and provision for adjusting the airflow through hose H is made by adding a variable orifice R at the entrance to air filter F. The air filter serves to separate dust and debris from the air stream before it enters blower B, and to prevent it from clogging the blower and/or being expelled into the surrounding environment. Variable orifice R allows the air flow (and therefore the system differential pressures), to be calibrated to a known standard, which is typically measured by applying a vacuum gauge (not shown, but well known in the art) to a test port T provided in the body of the air filter housing.
While these measures address the identified system problems, they bring problems of their own and generate new system problems. The air filter, for instance, will soon become clogged with dust and debris, thus tending to restrict airflow and alter the differential pressures within the system. As this restriction increases with the buildup of debris, the system will tend to miss doubles, since the vacuum at manifold M would be reduced. Thus, a system to warn the operator of excessive buildup of filtered material is desirable--e.g., consisting of a pressure switch S2 which measures the differential pressure across the filter and warns the operator when it reaches a predetermined level, indicating that the filter is excessively clogged. As speeds increase, the replacement period for filter elements will decrease in proportion, until, in some systems, these filters will need to be replaced every few days to maintain consistent system performance.
Also, variations in filter elements etc., will typically make it necessary to check and adjust system pressures every time the filter is changed. One can do this with variable orifice R, allowing an attendant to adjust system pressures to a known standard. This practice, while improving system performance, and maximizing filter replacement intervals, adds considerably to service time and cost.
All the foregoing conditions combine to produce a set of requirements far more stringent than were originally conceived. Since air flow rates are far higher, the system must be designed with a minimum of restrictions which might reduce the flow or produce undesired pressure effects. Variations in airflow (and therefore pressure) must be kept to a minimum over the long term, to maximize the thresholds defining a "double" and to minimize the incidence of false signals. And the system must accommodate a large and continuous supply of dirt and debris without impacting its function and (preferably) without ejecting a lot such material into a customer's environment.
This invention addresses these and related problems; e.g., teaching a doubles-separation/doubles-detect arrangement using vacuumatic means, teaching such with opposed vacuum-ports and associated pressure-sensing means to signal the presence of a single document or overlapped documents; preferably by locating such sensing means sufficiently remote from such ports to provide a damping-column adequate to attenuate, or mask-out, minor pressure variations; by teaching air-filter means and related variable orifice means and filter-pressure-sensing means to adequately filter-out contaminants entrained in the line from such ports to the vacuum source, while also allowing one to be aware of excess across-filter blockage, and to "re-tune" the system pressures once a filter element is installed/replaced.
And, beyond the foregoing, it is an object hereof to teach such a system wherein the vacuum manifold and sensing means are integrated into a single unit of minimal and controlled variability, while the supporting systems are so designed as to provide optimum airflow over long periods with minimal maintenance. The taught arrangement also includes a function whereby the sucking vacuum is kept essentially constant, and whereby dirt and debris are automatically extracted from the airflow as a function of its operation, but without use of a barrier filter and with minimal impact upon normal operation, and means whereby such foreign matter may be accumulated over long periods and purged from the system without impact upon its normal operation.
The methods and means discussed herein will be generally understood as constructed and operating as presently known in the art, except where otherwise specified; and with all materials, methods, devices and apparatus herein understood as being implemented by known expedients according to present good practice. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fabrication method for memory devices, and more particularly to a method for fabricating a bit line contact of a memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, the bit line contact is fabricated by a self-aligned process during the fabrication of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). At first, the insulating layer and the sacrificial layer are formed on the substrate, followed by patterning by a photolithography/etching process to define the area where the bit line contact is to be later formed. Next, the sacrificial layer and the insulating layer are removed, and the contact hole is formed. The metal plug is then filled in the contact hole to complete fabrication of the bit line contact.
FIG. 1 is a cross section of an unfinished memory device fabricated by a conventional method. Referring to FIG. 1, the gate electrode stacks 2 are formed on the substrate 1, and therebetween, the doped region 3 is formed in the substrate 1. In FIG. 1, the boron phosphate silicon glass (BPSG) layer 4 is formed over the substrate 1, followed by removal of the polysilicon sacrificial layer 5 to form the contact hole 7. When the sacrificial layer 5 is being removed, the etching rate of the polysilicon sacrificial layer of the peripheral substrate is smaller than the etching rate of the polysilicon sacrificial layer of the central substrate. As a result, the polysilicon sacrificial layer 5 of the peripheral substrate remains at the bottom of the contact hole 7. Since the polysilicon sacrificial layer 5 remains at the bottom of the contact hole 7, the silicon oxide layer 6 at the bottom of the contact hole 7 can not be completely removed. Accordingly, the metal plug later formed can not be completely in contact with the doped region 3, resulting in bit line contact failure.
Thus, a fabrication method for memory devices eliminating the described problems is required. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to expandable medical implants for supporting a body lumen and, more particularly, to expandable, intraluminal devices, generally referred to as stents.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stents are implanted into body lumens, such as blood vessels, to maintain the patency of the lumens. These devices are frequently used in the treatment of atherosclerotic stenoses in blood vessels, especially in conjunction with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) procedures. After treating a blood vessel, a stent is implanted to support the vessel wall and thereby reduce the likelihood of restenosis. Stents are most commonly implanted in coronary arteries; however, stents may also be used in a wide variety of other body lumens. For example, stents may be deployed in the biliary, carotid, superficial femoral and popliteal arteries or even veins
Over the years, a wide variety of stent types have been proposed. Although the structures of stents may vary substantially, virtually all stents are configured to be expandable from a collapsed condition having a small diameter to an expanded condition having a larger diameter. While in the collapsed condition, the stent is delivered through the blood vessel, or other body lumen, to the treatment site. After the treatment site is reached, the stent is radially expanded to an implantable size for supporting the vessel wall. Expansion of the stent from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition can be achieved in a variety of different ways. Various types of stents are described below based on their means for expansion. For additional information, a variety of stents types are described by Balcon et al., “Recommendations on Stent Manufacture, Implantation and Utilization,” European Heart Journal (1997), vol. 18, pages 1536-1547, and Phillips, et al., “The Stenter's Notebook,” Physician's Press (1998), Birmingham, Mich.
Balloon expandable stents are manufactured in the collapsed condition and are expanded to a desired diameter with a balloon. During delivery, a balloon expandable stent is typically mounted on the exterior of an inflatable balloon located along the distal end portion of a catheter. After reaching the treatment site, the stent is expanded from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition by inflating the balloon. The stent is typically expanded to a diameter that is greater than or equal to the inner diameter of the body lumen. The expandable stent structure may be held in the expanded condition by mechanical deformation of the stent as taught in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,665 to Palmaz. Alternatively, balloon expandable stents may be held in the expanded condition by engagement of the stent walls with respect to one another as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,740,207 to Kreamer, 4,877,030 to Beck et al., and 5,007,926 to Derbyshire. Further still, the stent may be held in the expanded condition by one-way engagement of the stent walls together with endothelial growth into the stent, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,211 to Stack et al.
Balloon expandable stents are typically manufactured from stainless steel and generally have a high radial strength. The term “radial strength,” as used herein, describes the external pressure that a stent is able to withstand without incurring clinically significant damage. Due to their high radial strength, balloon expandable stents are commonly used in the coronary arteries to ensure patency of the vessel. During deployment in a body lumen, the inflation of the balloon can be regulated for expanding the stent to a particular desired diameter. Accordingly, balloon expandable stents are often preferred in applications wherein precise placement and sizing are important. Balloon expandable stents are also commonly used for direct stenting, wherein there is no pre-dilation of the vessel before stent deployment. Rather, during direct stenting, the expansion of the inflatable balloon dilates the vessel while also expanding the stent.
Although balloon expandable stents are the first stent type to be widely used in clinical applications, it is well recognized that balloon expandable stents suffer from a variety of shortcomings which may limit their effectiveness in many important applications. For example, in one significant shortcoming, existing balloon expandable stents are not biased toward the expanded condition and therefore do not return to the expanded condition after being deformed, bent, or pinched. Accordingly, when a high external pressure overcomes the radial strength of a balloon expandable stent, the stent may be caused to permanently deform inward (i.e. collapse) such that the lumen is substantially reduced in size. Worse yet, external pressures may cause the stent to completely collapse, with potentially fatal clinical implications. Therefore, balloon expandable stents are not well-adapted for use in blood vessels which are subjected to large torsional or flexion/extension stresses (e.g., the superficial femoral artery and popliteal artery) and/or wherein the stent is vulnerable to large external pressures (e.g., the superficial femoral artery and carotid artery).
In another shortcoming, balloon expandable stents often exhibit substantial recoil (i.e., a reduction in diameter) immediately following deflation of the inflatable balloon. Accordingly, it may be necessary to over-inflate the balloon during deployment of the stent to compensate for the subsequent recoil. This is disadvantageous because it has been found that over-inflation may damage the blood vessel. Furthermore, a deployed balloon expandable stent may exhibit chronic recoil over time, thereby reducing the patency of the lumen. Still further, balloon expandable stents often exhibit foreshortening (i.e., a reduction in length) during expansion, thereby creating undesirable stresses along the vessel wall and making stent placement less precise. Still further, many balloon expandable stents, such as the original Palmaz-Schatz stent and later variations, are configured with an expandable mesh having relatively jagged terminal prongs, which increases the risk of injury to the vessel, thrombosis and/or restenosis.
Self-expanding stents are manufactured with a diameter approximately equal to, or larger than, the vessel diameter and are collapsed and constrained at a smaller diameter for delivery to the treatment site. Self-expanding stents may be placed within a sheath or sleeve to constrain the stent in the collapsed condition during delivery. Alternatively, detachable tabs or pins may be used for locking the stent in the collapsed condition. After the treatment site is reached, the constraint mechanism is removed and the stent self-expands to the expanded condition. Typically, self-expansion of the stent results from the inherent properties of the material constituting the stent. Most commonly, self-expanding stents are made of Nitinol or other shape memory alloy.
Because self-expanding stents are biased towards the preset expanded condition, if the self-expanding stent is caused to deform under pressure, the stent will return to its expanded condition when the pressure is removed. Accordingly, self-expanding stents overcome many of the shortcomings, such as the risk of permanent collapse, associated with balloon expandable stents. Therefore, self-expanding stents are often deployed in areas of the body where large external forces may cause the vessel, and therefore the stent, to temporarily deform radially inward. After the external force is reduced or removed, the self-expanding stent returns to its fully expanded condition, thereby eliminating the danger of permanent stent deformation and obstruction of the lumen.
One of the first self-expanding stents used clinically is the braided “WallStent,” as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,126 to Wallsten. The WallStent generally comprises a metallic mesh in the form of a Chinese finger cuff. The cuff provides a braided stent that is not superelastic, but technically still falls in the self-expanding stent family. Although the WallStent provided a significant improvement in stent technology for certain applications, such as the treatment of long lesions, the WallStent and other stents of this type often exhibit undesirable metal prongs that remain along the longitudinal ends thereof as a result of the manufacturing process. Another disadvantage of the WallStent is the inherent rigidity of the material (e.g., a cobalt-based alloy having a platinum core) used to form the stent. The combination of the rigidity and the terminal prongs has been found to produce substantial difficulties during navigation through the patient's vasculature. Accordingly, the procedure produces undesirable risks from the standpoint of injury to healthy tissue along the passage to the target vessel.
Another example of a self-expanding stent is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,307 to Wall wherein a stent-like prosthesis is formed of plastic or sheet metal that is expandable or contractible for placement. The stent may be biased in an open position and lockable in a closed position or, alternatively, may be biased towards a closed position and lockable in an open position. In the former case, a pin may be used to hold the stent in the collapsed condition. The pin is removed to allow the stent to assume the expanded condition. One or more hooks may be formed into the wall for locking the stent. The hooks engage complementary recesses formed in an opposing wall to mechanically interlock the rolled up sheet forming the stent.
Although self-expanding stents provide a number of advantages over balloon expandable stents, self-expanding stents also suffer from a wide variety of shortcomings. In one well-recognized shortcoming, self-expanding stents lack the high radial strength of balloon expandable stents and therefore self-expanding stents may deform under relatively low external pressures. In another shortcoming, self-expandable stents often exhibit significant foreshortening during radial expansion. As a result, stents of this type may not provide predictable longitudinal coverage when fully deployed. Furthermore, self-expanding stents necessarily require a constraining mechanism for holding the stent in the collapsed condition during delivery. For example, as described above, a self-expanding stent may be placed in a separate deployment sheath for constraining the stent during delivery. During deployment of a self-expanding stent, the sheath is retracted to uncover the stent incrementally from the distal end to the proximal end, thereby allowing the stent to expand from one end to the other. However, this often results in the stent jumping or springing forward from the delivery system in an undesirable manner, sometimes causing the stent to buckle or bunch up during delivery. Still further, it has been found that self-expanding stents do not re-dilate well in cases of re-treatment and are not well suited for direct stenting.
In yet another shortcoming, self-expanding stents typically impose a continuous chronic outward stress on the vessel wall that may create significant risks of damage to the vessel wall and may lead to restenosis. It is common to find that, after two to four weeks, a self-expanding stent has expanded well into the wall of the artery, thereby supporting the vessel from within the smooth muscle layer, rather than from within the lumen. This is not a desirable result since most physicians intuitively feel it is advantageous to preserve the native, physiologically correct vessel properties as far as possible.
In addition, self-expanding stents are currently available only in 0.5 mm increments. This is a problem because exact sizing, within 0.1 to 0.2 mm expanded diameter, may be necessary to adequately reduce the effects of restenosis. Furthermore, these devices are often oversized by up to 30-50% to ensure location retention and vessel patency, thereby producing a chronic outward stress, as described above. Thus, greater selection and adaptability in expanded size is needed. As a result of these and other shortcomings, self-expanding stents have limited effectiveness in many important applications.
Heat expandable stents are similar in nature to self-expanding stents. However, this type of stent utilizes the application of heat to produce expansion of the stent structure. Stents of this type may be formed of a shape memory alloy, such as Nitinol. Still other types of heat expandable stents may be formed with a tin-coated, heat expandable coil. Heat expandable stents are often delivered to the affected area on a catheter capable of receiving a heated fluid. Heated saline or other fluid may be passed through the portion of the catheter on which the stent is located, thereby transferring heat to the stent and causing the stent to expand. However, heat expandable stents have not gained widespread popularity due to the complexity of the devices, unreliable expansion properties and difficulties in maintaining the stent in its expanded state. Still further, it has been found that the application of heat during stent deployment may damage the blood vessel.
In summary, although a wide variety of stents have been proposed over the years for maintaining the patency of a body lumen, none of the existing schemes has been capable of overcoming most or all of the above described shortcomings. As a result, clinicians are forced to weigh advantages against shortcomings when selecting a stent type to use in a particular application. Accordingly, an urgent need exists for a new and improved stent structure that successfully combines the desirable qualities of a balloon expandable stent and a self-expanding stent. It is desirable that such a stent be balloon expandable for providing accurate placement and sizing at a treatment site. It is also desirable that such a stent has sufficient radial strength to maintain patency of the lumen while subjected to substantial external forces. It is also desirable that such a stent be crush-recoverable, such that the stent returns to its deployed state in the event that the stent becomes crushed or pinched. It is also desirable that such a stent be provided with an effective constraining mechanism for holding the stent in the collapsed condition during delivery. It is also desirable that such a stent be configured to exhibit little or no longitudinal foreshortening during radial expansion. It is also desirable that such a stent be sufficiently flexible along the longitudinal axis to conform to the curved shape of a body lumen. It is also desirable that such a stent has the capability to conform to the interior of the body lumen. The present invention addresses these needs. | {
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Virtual reality (VR) technology is becoming more prevalent in various fields. Using a VR playing device, such as a head mount display (HMD), an audience member can be immersed in a VR scene that is created based on a real world site and/or a group of artificially-created objects and have an experience as if the audience member were physically in the VR scene. As the use of the VR technology expands into various fields, more variety of functionalities within the VR scene will be in demand, so that audience members can achieve intended purposes through the VR scene.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disc-like recording medium represented by a magneto-optical disc and a magnetic disc, and particularly to a disc-like recording medium in which pre-formatted data such as clock information, servo information and read-only information are formed in advance and an apparatus for producing the disc-like recording medium by which the pre-formatted data are formed in the recording medium in advance.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique of generating a system clock, from a clock mark buried in a disc, which is necessary for operating a disc driving apparatus has been practically employed for sample servo format in the magneto-optical disc.
An arrangement of a magneto-optical disc of the conventional sample servo format and an arrangement of a magnetic disc of the conventional sample servo are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. Both of these discs are provided with a data area 101 in which information signals are recorded and a servo area 102 in which servo information is recorded in advance. In the servo area 102, so-called pre-formatted data are formed such as servo marks 103, clock marks 104, and access codes and read-only information (ROM information) 105.
For recording the pre-formatted data in the magneto-optical disc, a disc substrate 110 is provided with pits corresponding to the pre-formatted data when it is molded, and a reflecting film or a vertical magnetization film (recording film) 111 is formed thereon, as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, viewed from the side of the disc substrate 110, substantially circular lands are formed, that is, the servo marks and the clock marks.
As for recording of the pre-formatted data in the magnetic disc, there are two methods. By one method, the disc substrate is provided with pits corresponding to the pre-formatted data when it is molded, similarly to the above and as shown in FIG. 4A. After a magnetic film 112 is formed on the disc substrate 110, pits and lands in the servo area are magnetized in different directions. Thus, the magnetized information is formed as the servo marks and the clock marks.
By the other method, the magnetic film 112 is formed on the entire flat surface of the disc substrate 110, as shown in FIG. 4B, After a portion of the magnetic film 112 corresponding to the pre-formatted data is partly removed using a known lithography technique, the magnetic film in the servo area is magnetized. Thus, the residual portions of the magnetic film or the removed portions are formed as the servo marks and the clock marks.
Particularly in the above magnetic disc, the clock marks are formed continuously in the radial manner and direction of the disc so that the clock marks may be satisfactorily reproduced even though the head gap of the magnetic head has off-tracked.
System clock signals (recording/reproducing clock) may be produced by multiplying a clock pulse which is produced for each passage of the optical pickup on the clock mark 104 on the magneto-optical disc or of the magnetic head on the clock mark 104 of the magnetic disc.
Conventionally, the clock marks 104 are formed to be arrayed radially and linearly from the center of the disc. By this sample servo format, the recording/reproducing clock which is synchronized with the phase of the clock pulse produced from the clock mark 104 is generated using a phase locked loop (PLL). The PLL includes a phase comparator 121, a low-pass filter (LPF) 122, a voltage control oscillator (VCO) 123 and a frequency divider 124 for dividing the frequency by n, as shown in FIG. 5. The clock pulse Sc is entered to the phase comparator 121, thus initiating the oscillation of the VCO 123 at a frequency which is n times higher than that of the clock pulse Sc. Therefore, the recording/reproducing clock Ss having the frequency which is n times higher than that of the clock pulse Sc can be produced.
This recording/reproducing clock Ss is operative to grasp a .theta.-coordinate on the disc and to carry out recording and reproduction of all data. Accordingly, normal recording and reproduction may be carried out as long as the recording/reproducing clock Ss synchronized with the clock pulse Sc is produced. However, once the synchronization of the recording/reproducing clock Ss with the clock pulse Sc is released, normal recording and reproduction cannot be carried out at a predetermined timing.
Thus, conventionally, a linear head actuator (positioner) is used which linearly shifts the recording/reproducing head in the radial direction of the disc in order to access a desired track. By using this linear head actuator, the radial array of the clock marks 104 is in conformity with the direction of shift of the head actuator. Therefore, even in accessing the desired track at a high rate, the clock pulse Sc can be produced at equal time intervals, thus avoiding the disturbance to the PLL. That is, the phase of the recording/reproducing clock Ss will not be released from the phase of the clock pulse Sc.
The above mechanism is described with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B. FIG. 6A shows the moment at which the clock mark indicated by point A is reproduced in the inner track, while FIG. 6B shows the reproduction of the next clock mark indicated by point B at the time when the outer track is accessed.
As seen from FIGS. 6A and 6B, the time since the reproducing head reproduces an arbitrary clock mark until it reproduces the next clock mark is equal to the time for the disc to rotate only an angle .theta.1 which is formed by two adjacent clock marks. Consequently, as long as the disc is rotated at a constant speed, no phase difference is generated between the recording/reproducing clock Ss and the clock pulse Sc even at the time of the access. Therefore, it is possible to reproduce or record data during the access.
However, the linear head actuator as conventionally used has disadvantages such that when the data in the disc are intended to be accessed at, a high speed, a large quantity of current is needed while the tracking is likely to be disturbed by externally applied acceleration.
It is appreciated from the above that the use of rotating type head actuator which is provided with the head on the distal end of a rotating arm thereof is advantageous for being unaffected by the increase in the access speed and the externally applied acceleration.
However, as the locus m of the head of the rotating head actuator draws an arc, as shown in FIG. 7, the head has a circumferential velocity component Vt at the time of the access. Therefore, a problem is generated that the locus m of the head is not along the radial direction of the disc when accessing data in the conventional disc, that is, the disc in which the pre-formatted data such as clock marks are formed radially and linearly.
For this reason, even though the disc is rotated at a constant velocity, the time interval of the clock pulse Sc produced from the disc changes in accordance with the access speed of the head. The PLL for generating the recording/reproducing clock Ss is operative to reduce the phase difference between the clock pulse Sc and the recording/reproducing clock Sc. However, a phase deviation transiently remains with a finite gain and band.
FIG. 8 shows temporal changes of the phase difference between the clock pulse Sc and the recording/reproducing clock Ss at the time when the rotating head actuator has accessed data on the disc having the clock marks 104 arrayed radially and linearly therein. In this example, a negative phase deviation is generated when the actuator is accelerated, while a positive phase deviation is generated when the actuator is decelerated. These phase deviations will not be zero for a while even after the end of the access. Such phase differences between the clock pulse Sc produced from the disc and the recording clock Sc prevent the recording and reproduction of data. Thus, it is impossible to read the track address during the high-speed access and to start the recording/reproduction of data at the same time as the end of access.
That is, as seen from FIGS. 9A and 9B, on the assumption that the head which is mounted to the rotating head actuator meets one clock mark at point C and then meets the next clock mark at point D during its outward access, the angle of rotation .theta.2 of the disc in this access is smaller than the rotation angle .theta.1 shown FIG. 6. Accordingly, the time taken from the reproduction of the clock mark until the reproduction of the next clock mark is reduced.
On the contrary, in case the data is accessed from the outer circle toward the inner circle of the disc, not shown, the time since the reproducing head reproduces an arbitrary clock mark until it reproduces the next clock mark is increased. In addition, the time interval changes in accordance with the access speed. The changes in the time interval for reproducing the clock marks cause the phase deviation of the PLL.
This problem remains also in case the magnetic disc is used in which the pre-formatted data, such as clock marks 104, servo marks 103 and ROM information 105, are radially and linearly formed in advance, as shown in FIG. 10. Particularly when this magnetic disc is used, the following problem as well as the above problem is generated. That is, when the magnetic disc is used in which the pre-formatted data, such as the clock marks 104, the servo marks 103 and the ROM information 105, are radially and linearly formed, as shown in FIG. 10, an azimuth angle .beta. is generated between the edge of the pre-format and the head gap g by an angle of rotation of the rotating head actuator, thus excessively lowering the reproducing output. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nickel-zinc alkaline storage battery in which nickel oxide is used as the active material of the positive electrode, and zinc as the active material of the negative electrode and more particularly, it provides a battery of long life and low price which produces only small amount of dendritic crystals of zinc, by controlling the amount of alkaline electrolyte and improving the separating member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Zinc has low atomic weight relative to those of other metals used as the active materials of the negative electrode of storage batteries, is electrochemically base, shows high hydrogen overvoltage, is low polluting and is still low priced; accordingly, it is suitable as an electrode material giving high energy density, high output, low self-discharge, low polution and low price. It is defective, however, in that because the discharge product dissolves in the electrolyte, the repetitive charge-discharge often causes disfiguration of the electrode, and short-circuiting due to the development of the dentritic crystals during charging, and consequently, such electrode made of zinc is shortlived.
Many studies have been carried out in order to eliminate these disadvantages while preserving the advantages. First of all for the prevention of the development of the dendritic crystals, the employment of additives in the electrode and/or electrolyte, stirring or circulating the electrolyte, charging by use of inverse current pulse or meta-stable voltage, use of electrolytes other than KOH such as amine baths, etc., have been proposed, and for the prevention of the disfiguration of the electrode, stirring or circulating the electrolyte, placing the electrode horizontally, making the discharge product insoluble, etc., have been offered.
It is believed, as described later, that the growth of the dendritic crystals results from the fact that the zincate ion in the solution deposits on the projected part if its supply to the electrode surface is not adequate, and since the additive does not serve to remove the direct cause, the complete prevention of the development of the dendritic crystals cannot be expected from its use. The method of stirring or circulating the electrolyte or the method of placing the electrode horizontally is disadvantageous in that the use of equipment which is complex, or is not portable in usual manner, is required. In the charging method, the use of chargers which are complex and high priced is unavoidable. The method of using as the electrolyte, an amine bath or the method of making the discharge product insoluble degrades the discharge characteristics.
As described hereabove, it was very difficult to lengthen the charge-discharge cycle life of the zinc negative electrode in alkaline solution.
According to this invention, the improvement in the charge-discharge cycle life is achieved by controlling the amount of the electrolyte, so that the free electrolyte may be eliminated, and by improving the separating member. In the case of nickel-zinc alkaline storage batteries, the batteries were short-lived due to the degradation of the zinc negative electrode, while the characteristics of the nickel positive electrode were excellent. Accordingly, the life of the nickel-zinc alkaline storage batteries would necessarily be lengthened by improving the life of the zinc negative electrode. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to data processing networks and data storage subsystems, and more particularly to a data processing network in which a large number of hosts can access volumes of data storage in a data storage subsystem.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to advances in computer technology, there has been an ever increasing need for data storage in data processing networks. In a typical data processing network, there has been an increase in the number of volumes of data storage and an increase in the number of hosts needing access to the volumes. This has been especially true for networks of workstations. Not only have a greater number of workstations been added to the typical network, but also the increase in data processing capabilities of a typical workstation has required more data storage per workstation for enhanced graphics and video applications.
The increased demand for data storage in a network is typically met by using more storage servers in the network or by using storage servers of increased storage capacity and data transmission bandwidth. From the standpoint of cost of storage, either of these solutions appears to be satisfactory. However, a greater number of storage servers in a network substantially increases the cost of managing the storage. This increased cost of management often appears some time after installation, when one of the servers reaches its capacity and some of its volumes must be reassigned to less heavily loaded servers. Network administrators aware of the cost of storage management realize that network storage should be consolidated to the minimum possible number of servers. The management problem is reduced by reducing the number of objects to be managed.
Due to the storage needs of present networks and the desire to consolidate servers, it is practical to provide a single storage subsystem with up to 20 terabytes (TB) storage, or approximately 4000 logical volumes. It may be possible for any host to have access to any volume in a data storage subsystem to which the host has access. However, it may be desirable to restrict the set of volumes that can be seen by any one host. Restricted access is desirable for security of private data. For example, private volumes should be assigned to each host for storage of private data, and other hosts should not be permitted to see or modify the private volumes of other hosts. Moreover, the “boot” process for a host is slowed down by searching for and reporting all the volumes to which the host has access. Certain operating systems are limited by the number of storage devices that they can manage at a given period of time, and for a host running such an operating system, it is not only desirable but also necessary to limit the number of volumes that the host can access.
It is possible to restrict access of a host to a limited set of logical volumes in the data storage subsystem by restricting the set of logical volumes accessible through a particular port adapter of the storage subsystem and linking the host to only that particular port adapter. For convenience, however, there should not be any restrictions on which logical storage volumes are accessible from each port adapter. Otherwise, during a reconfiguration of the data processing system, it may be necessary to physically switch the links that are connected to the network ports of the hosts or the port adapters, for example by manually disconnecting and reconnecting the links to the ports. Even in the case where the data network has a fabric for automatically establishing a link between any of the hosts and any of the port adapters, the physical possibility of any port adapter to access any logical storage volume provides alternative data paths that could be used in case of port adapter failure or port adapter congestion. For example, if a host sends a data access request to a port adapter and receives a busy response from the port adapter, then the host can send the data access request to another port adapter. Port adapter congestion is likely, for example, if the storage subsystem is a continuous media server, in which video data is often streamed through a single port adapter to a host for a relatively long period of time.
In open network systems, it is known to use authentication and authorization protocols in order to authenticate that a request for access to a specified file originates from a particular host, and once the request for access is authenticated, to check whether the host is authorized to access the specified file. For example, a network server authenticates the request by checking whether a password in the request matches the hosts' password stored in a client directory, and the network server authorizes the request by checking a file directory to determine whether the host is listed in the file directory as having access rights to the specified file. However, the use of high-level authentication and authorization procedures for discriminating among all access requests by the hosts to the logical storage volumes would unduly burden the host and the storage subsystem. What is desired is a method that may be transparent to any high-level file system procedures that may be used by the hosts for managing access to files stored in the logical volumes to which a host is permitted to access. The method should restrict the logical storage volumes seen by the host during a boot operation, and seen by the operating system when the operating system determines what logical volumes are accessible to the host. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to electrical connectors mounted to Printed Circuit Boards by boardlocks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Surface Mounting Technology (SMT), as applied to Printed Circuit Board (PCB), is the recent trend for the Assembly Industry. SMT is a technique used for mounting connectors and their corresponding connector pin solder tails (e.g., J or Gull-wing leads) directly to one surface of a PCB. When employing this technology, the PCB requires solder paste printing at the contact regions which the corresponding pin tails of an electrical connector are to seat against. The region to be soldered is exposed to a reflow process such as vapor phase, or convection or radiant infrared (IR) which electrically couples the pin tail to the contact region without the occurrence of solder shorts. This technique is advantageous, not only because SMT offers a high degree of soldering precision when applied to selected areas, but also because the electronic components and connectors may be mounted to both sides of the PCB (dual-sided PCB).
In contrast, the conventional method of coupling connector pin tails to a PCB is by inserting the connector pin tails through an array of apertures provided in the PCB and soldering the pin tails to the opposing surface of the PCB using a process known as wave-soldering. This latter method is conventionally known as "through-hole mounting," which, generally, offers a much better retention capability for the pin tails than SMT can provide.
One problem, however, is that wave-soldering usually may not be employed to a dual-sided PCB which includes surface mounted ICs, or passive and discrete components. The wave-soldering technique could permanently damage these components. Moreover, "through-hole mounting" is space inefficient because this technique occupies space on both surfaces of the PCB. Accordingly, SMT often is preferable. An additional problem associated with wave-soldering is that the holes in the second side of the PCB for holding the second side components are filled with solder when the components on the first side of the PCB are soldered. The solder in the second side PCB holes prevents insertion of the second side component legs into the holes.
In many instances, when the pin tails are all housed in one electrical connector, it is desirable to secure the electrical connector itself to the PCB employing SMT.
Often, the adhesion of the connector pin tails to the PCB surface is sufficient to retain connector or component to the surface without additional supplements. This can be most beneficial because, generally, this eliminates the need to attach the connector to the PCB using a separate process.
However, electrical connectors can be exposed to significant mechanical stress. Securing only the pin tails of the connector to the PCB often does not always adequately secure the connector to the PCB. For example, an Input/Output (I/O) connector typically endures a greater number of connector insertions or withdrawals of the corresponding mating connectors. In particular, an I/O electrical connector, such as a D-Subminiature Connector (named for its "D" shape in cross-section), can require additional mounting fixtures. In these instances, it may be desirable to employ a "through-hole mounting" fixture, which typically precludes usage of dual-sided PCBs.
For example, "boardlocks" are one kind of additional mounting support which provide a means for removably mounting the electrical connector to a first PCB surface. Unfortunately, under current practices, SMT generally cannot be applied to boardlocks because the amount of solder predisposed on the PCB surface during the solder paste printing manufacture stage is insufficient to properly retain the boardlock to the opposing second PCB surface. Substantially more solder generally is required to retain the "boardlock" than to retain the contact tail pins.
Therefore, "boardlocks" are typically mounted to the PCB surface using soldering processes other than SMT such as a wave-soldering process. However, as previously mentioned, a wave-soldering process can preclude certain combinations of dual-sided PCB component mountings, such as surface mounted ICs, or passive and discrete components, for example.
Another problem often encountered when applying SMT is that the solder pin tails sometimes can be slightly misaligned from the corresponding printed circuit. Proper placement is, of course, essential to the functioning of the electrical connector. Thus, it is desirable that the tails be properly aligned with the PCB to assure proper contact with the corresponding printed circuit.
Accordingly, there has been a need for an electrical connector which can be more securely mounted to a PCB using SMT. There has also been a need to provide an electrical connector which more precisely aligns the conductive tails against the surface mounted circuits of the PCB. The present invention meets these needs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The evaluation of the shade of a tooth can be performed visually by a dentist. It is performed, for example, by comparing a tooth to be replaced with a number of reference teeth of a dental shade guide. There are several types of dental shade guides. Generally, dental shade guides have various color ranges, and for each color range, a set of reference teeth with various color saturations.
Visual evaluation allows the dental specialist to take into account the special features of each tooth, and especially any inhomogeneities. However, and despite standardized lighting, the visual evaluation method, remains a subjective method. In particular errors can result from faulty color perception or the practitioner's visual fatigue.
A more objective evaluation can be performed using a colorimeter. The colorimeter analyzes the spectral response of a tooth in a wide band of excitation light. It can be linked to suitable visualization software, to prepare a shade map of a tooth. The shade map is then displayed on a control screen. A colorimeter of this type is commercially available, for example the Shade Scan make. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a timer module and to a method for testing output signals of a timer module.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is customary in safety-critical applications, for example, for control units in the automotive sector, for various output signals and values to be redundantly calculated or generated and subsequently compared. This allows erroneous signals and values to be detected, and, if indicated, to be rejected or also corrected. To this end, the data are calculated by bytes or words, and stored, before the comparison is performed.
The German Patent Application DE 10 2004 051 992 A1 describes activating a comparison by switching two processing units to a comparison mode. For such a comparison, clock cycle information can be supplied along with the data to permit a synchronous allocation of the data. If a synchronous comparison is to take place immediately, the one processing unit can be stopped by a stop signal until synchronization is reached, or the generated data are mutually synchronized by subsequent FIFO memory units. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Efforts continue to further develop insect repellants that are effective against a variety of insects including, but not limited to, mosquitos, gnats, yellow flies, biting midges (also known as no-see-ums, midgies, sand flies, and punkies) and any combination thereof. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present disclosure relates to magnetic recording systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a magnetic writer for writing to patterned media having an increased write field.
As areal densities increase, smaller bit cells are required in the magnetic medium (track width and bit length). However, superparamagnetic instabilities become an issue as the grain volume (i.e., the number of grains in the media per bit cell) of the recording medium is reduced in order to control media noise for high areal density recording. The superparamagnetic effect is most evident when the grain volume V is sufficiently small that the inequality KuV/kBT>70 can no longer be maintained. Ku is the material's magnetic crystalline anisotropy energy density, kB is Boltzmann's constant, and T is absolute temperature. When this inequality is not satisfied, thermal energy demagnetizes the stored bits. Therefore, as the grain size is decreased in order to increase the areal density, a threshold is reached for a given material Ku and temperature T such that stable data storage is no longer feasible.
Bit-patterned magnetic media (BPM) have been proposed as a means for preventing magnetization reversal due to the superparamagnetic effect. A patterned medium may include a plurality of discrete, independent regions of magnetic material that form discrete, independent magnetic elements, which function as recording bits in the medium. The magnetic bits or elements are arranged in a regular pattern over the medium substrate. Each bit or element has a small size and magnetic anisotropy such that, in the absence of an applied magnetic field, the magnetic moment of each magnetic bit or element is aligned along the same magnetic easy axis.
In order to write at very high areal densities, the size of the write pole may be decreased to increase the track density. However, the strength of the write field achievable by the writer decreases with a reduction in the write pole width. The write field is reduced even further by conventional side shielding assemblies. In addition, as the write pole moves radially across the medium, the field profile from the write pole tip becomes skewed relative to the magnetic bits or elements in the magnetic medium. This can lead to writing errors and inadvertent erasure of previously recorded data. While effects on the writing process due to skewing can be somewhat mitigated by increasing the length of the write pole, the head-to-medium spacing (HMS) and medium thickness cannot be scaled down to the same extent as the write pole width to further remedy skewing effects. | {
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It is an object of this invention to provide novel 4'-substituted-4,4"-dimethoxy-1,1':2',1"-terphenyl derivatives. These compounds are active as prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors, analgesic agents, anti-inflammatory agents, anti-arthritic agents, antipyretic agents, and antithrombotic agents. | {
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Efficient and high-level recombinant production of heterologous proteins is an important alternative to chemical synthesis and the isolation of proteins from native sources. Recombinant protein production is especially useful when the native protein is normally produced in limited amounts or by sources which are impossible, expensive and/or dangerous to obtain or propagate. Although a number of recombinant expression systems have proven useful for production of various heterologous proteins, none of these systems is universally applicable for the production of all proteins. For instance, E. coli appears to lack the ability to provide many post-translational modifications to heterologous proteins. Yeast can provide only some post-translational modifications (e.g., glycosylation patterns), and rapid degradation of heterologous proteins in yeast is common. Additionally, heterologous proteins secreted by yeast may contain long, untrimmed oligosaccharide chains, which sometimes results in biologically inactive or antigenically altered proteins. Moreover, a replacement of the natural mammalian signal peptide with a yeast signal peptide is almost always required for efficient secretion of mammalian proteins by yeast. Expression of heterologous eukaryotic proteins in insect or mammalian cells can be more reliable but both require expensive media for cell propagation. Moreover, cultured insect cells and mammalian cells have a relatively long doubling time compared to conventional bacterial systems such as E. coli and certain protozoa such as Tetrahymena.
Protozoa represent an alternative for the recombinant production of heterologous proteins, however few protozoa have been characterized to the extent necessary for routine heterologous protein expression. Well-characterized pathogenic protozoa that have been genetically engineered to express heterologous proteins include Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, and Leishmania spp. A number of shuttle vectors designed for episomal replication and coding region expression in pathogenic protozoa have been developed. An inducible coding region expression system has been established for pathogenic T. brucei (Wirtz, E., et al., Science, 268, 1179-1183 (1995)). Vectors that allow efficient coding region expression in different hosts like E. coli and mammalian cells have also been developed (Al-Qahtani, A., et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 24, 1173-1174 (1996)).
Protozoa are characterized by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchoring system that allows targeted surface expression, or “display,” of various endogenous proteins. Recent experiments in the kinetoplastid Trypanosoma cruzi demonstrated that mammalian and protozoan signal peptides function in T. cruzi to target a heterologous protein to different cellular compartments, and further showed both secretion and GPI-anchored surface expression in T. cruzi of a heterologous protein (Garg et al., J. Immunol., 158: 3293-3302 (1997)). Surface display in T. cruzi of chicken ovalbumin (OVA) was achieved using a construct comprising the signal sequence of T. cruzi glycoprotein, gp-72, that targets the protein to the endoplasmic reticulum, followed by a coding region for OVA, followed by 45 amino acids of amastigote surface protein I of T. cruzi which provided a C-terminal hydrophobic tail containing GPI anchor cleavage/attachment site. The protein thus anchored to the surface of the protozoan via a GPI structure was found to be readily presented in association with class I MHC by parasite-infected host cells.
Heterologous proteins have also been expressed in the slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. A number of proteins have been expressed in this system including surface expression of the malaria circumsporozoite antigen (CSP) (Reymond et al., J. Biol. Chem. 1995, 270: 12941-12947); see Williams et al., Current Opin. Biotechnol., 1995, 6:538-542, for a review).
Bioactive cytokines (IL-2 and IFN-γ) have also been produced in both T. cruzi and Leishmania (La Flamme et al., Mol. Biochem. Parasitol., 75:25-31 (1995), and Tobin et al., J. Immunol., 150:5059-5069 (1993)) in experiments that suggest that mammalian signal peptides are recognized and processed by these protozoa. However, pathogenic protozoa have not been exploited as a general purpose protein expression system, presumably because they are difficult or expensive to grow in large numbers and/or are infectious to human beings.
The nonpathogenic ciliate protozoan Tetrahymena has also been explored as a vehicle for expression of heterologous genes, but with limited success to date. T. thermophila has been successfully transformed using self-replicating palindromic ribosomal DNA (rDNA) purified from macronuclei (Tondravi et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:4369-4373 (1986)). Selection of transformants relied on a dominant paromomycin-resistance mutation in the 17S rRNA. rDNA-based shuttle vectors capable of autonomously replicating in Tetrahymena as well as in E. coli have also been developed; these plasmids contained a replication origin (ori) from the T. thermophila rDNA minichromosome (Yu et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:8487-8491 (1989)).
rDNA vectors are usually circular vectors containing both regulatory regions and “coding” regions for Tetrahymena rRNA. A typical somatic rDNA vector contains a 5′ nontranscribed sequence (5′-NTS), followed by a “coding” region for rRNA, followed by a 3′ nontranscribed sequence (3′-NTS). A transgene is inserted into the 3′ NTS. Somatic rDNA vectors contain the macronuclear version of rDNA and transform either by replacement of the macronuclear rDNA gene via homologous recombination or by autonomous replication as an extrachromosomal element. Processing rDNA vectors, on the other hand, contain additional processing signals upstream and downstream from the 5′-NTS and the 3′-NTS, respectively, obtained from the micronuclear version of rDNA. Processing rDNA vectors mimic what happens to the micronucleus rDNA in the newly developing macronucleus. After introduction of the vector into the developing new macronucleus during the sexual process of ciliates known as conjugation, the vector-borne micronuclear rDNA undergoes excision and is maintained as an rDNA minichromosome (Yao et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 9:1092-1099 (1989)).
Both somatic and processing rDNA vectors have been used to insert a heterologous nucleic acid into a 3′ nontranscribed spacer region of rDNA. For example, M.-C. Yao et al. (Proc. Nat'l. Acad. Sci. USA 88:9493-9497 (1991)) expressed cycloheximide resistance in Tetrahymena using an rDNA vector having the rp129 cycloheximide resistant gene from T. thermophila inserted into the 3′ nontranscribed spacer region (NTS) of the rDNA sequence. Similarly, P. Blomberg et al. expressed neomycin resistance in T. thermophila using an rDNA vector having the neo gene inserted into the 3′ NTS, under control of rp129 flanking sequences (Mol. Cell. Biol., 17:7237-7247 (1997)).
Gaertig et al. described an rDNA-based shuttle vector, E. coli vector pH4T2, that contains two replication origin (ori) fragments, followed by a 300 base pair 5′ untranslated region obtained from the HHF1 gene of Tetrahymena, followed by the prokaryotic gene for neomycin resistance, neo, followed by a 3′ untranslated region from BTU2 from Tetrahymena (J. Gaertig et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 22:5391-5398 (1994)). Haddad et al. reported a small circular rDNA-based vector containing a repeat of the replication origin of rDNA (i.e., a 5′ NTS), a neo2 gene cassette (consisting of the neo gene under the control of histone HHF1 promoter and the BTU2 transcription terminator) as a selectable marker, and a green fluorescent protein (GFP) cassette (also under control of HHF1 promoter and BTU2 terminator) (A. Haddad et al., Proc. Nat'l. Acad. Sci. USA 94:10675-10680 (1997)). Rusconi et al. reported a circular vector containing the rDNA replication origin, neo2 cassette, and a tRNA gene (Genes Dev. 10:2870-2880, 1996)).
A typical rDNA-based vector is a circular bacterial vector that contains a 5′NTS comprising two or more of ori sequences from Tetrahymena rDNA, followed by a selectable cassette marker such as the neo 2 cassette (Gaertig et al., Nucleic. Acids Res. 22:5391-5398 (1994). A nucleic acid fragment containing a heterologous coding region such as a transgene, flanked by a 5′ untranslated region of a Tetrahymena gene (most often the ˜30 bp 5′ untranslated region of the HHF1 gene of Tetrahymena) and a 3′ untranslated region of a Tetrahymena gene (most often ˜300 bp of the 3′ untranslated region of the Tetrahymena gene BTU2), is typically inserted downstream of the selectable marker.
An rDNA construct that contains relatively short 5′ and 3′ untranslated sequences from two different protein coding genes of Tetrahymena, such as HHF1 and BTU2, is unlikely to integrate into the Tetrahymena genome via homologous recombination at the corresponding protein-coding loci. It is more likely to insert into Tetrahymena rDNA as a result of a single crossover event which involves the replication origin fragment. In addition, an rDNA-based vector can be maintained as an extrachromosomal element; the ori from Tetrahymena rDNA is known to support extrachromosomal replication. The marker gene (e.g., neo), and the transgene, if present, are therefore most likely expressed from the transforming rDNA-based plasmid and/or as a result of insertion into genomic rDNA, and not by recombination with endogenous genes other than rDNA.
Due to frequent and unpredictable integration of sequences from rDNA vector and rDNA-based vectors into the native rDNA, however, levels of expression of recombinant gene products are presumed to be highly variable. See J. Gaertig et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 22:5391-5398 (1994); R. W. Kahn et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:9295-9299 (1993); W. J. Pan et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 23:1561-1569 (1995); and W. J. Pan et al., Mol. Cell Biol., 15:3372-3381 (1995). When relying on rDNA vectors for transformation, there is no way to control the level of integration into the host chromosome, hence no way to control copy number and, as a result, the expression level of a heterologous protein. Tetrahymena contain about 45 copies of each protein coding gene in the macronucleus, and each copy contains about 10,000 pallindromic copies per macronucleus. Thus, using either of these types of vectors, it is possible for a transgene to integrate at a similar copy number (10,000+). Overexpression of a transgene can be toxic to the protozoan host cell. Moreover, the loss of transgenes using these vectors cannot be prevented since this recombinant method generally lacks a reliable and sustainable means for selection. For example, a vector can contain both a transgene and a selectable marker, and both may initially integrate into the protozoan host genome. However, subsequent cross-over events can eliminate the transgene while leaving the marker gene in the host genome, resulting in selection of cells that do not necessarily contain the transgene.
A protein expression system that provides for the efficient expression and isolation of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic heterologous proteins in a nonpathogenic protozoan host is needed. In particular, a protein expression system that could provide surface expression of a heterologous prokaryotic or eukaryotic protein would constitute a much desired advance in the art. | {
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The present invention pertains generally to systems and methods for producing weather reports including current weather conditions and weather forecasts, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for providing such weather reports and forecasts to individuals and businesses, e.g., over computer networks such as the internet.
Most of the current weather and weather forecast information used by individuals and businesses is obtained by them from weather reports provided by local television and radio stations. Such reports are typically prepared by meteorologists at a television or radio station serving a particular geographical area, e.g., a large city and surrounding environs. The reports are based on current weather information available to the meteorologist which may be provided by various local (e.g., local radar) and national (e.g., NEXRAD radar and weather satellite) weather information sources. A meteorologist may also employ computer implemented weather forecasting models in preparing a weather forecast report. A meteorologist may prepare and/or update several such reports throughout the day, and such reports may be provided as part of periodic radio and/or television broadcasts. Such weather reports and forecasts may also be provided in printed form, e.g., in a daily newspaper. A person who is interested in the current or forecast weather conditions for a geographic location accesses such a weather report by tuning in to the television or radio broadcast of the report at the designated time, reading the paper, etc. If severe weather threatens a particular area, an emergency radio or television broadcast may be made to provide such information to the public immediately, and, if necessary, continuously. For example, a television station may provide a graphic indication of the general location (e.g., county) and nature of severe weather, (e.g., tornado, and thunderstorm warnings, etc.) as part of its television broadcast, throughout the period during which severe weather threatens an area.
A severe limitation of such conventional weather reports and forecasts is that they are generalized over a large geographic area and, typically, an extensive period of time. For example, a typical conventional weather forecast will provide predicted high and low temperatures, sky conditions, precipitation, etc., for the day, or for several days, for a particular geographical area, e.g., the city where the television or radio station is located and the surrounding area. However, the actual current and forecast weather conditions for the downtown area of a city, the suburbs, and surrounding rural areas will, of course, be different. For example, different areas in and around the city will achieve different high and low temperatures at different times during the day, and precipitation will reach different points in a television station""s viewing area at different times during the day and at different levels of intensity. A meteorologist""s forecast may indicate that some areas within a television station""s viewing area will receive significant precipitation during the day, while other areas will receive none (e.g., a forecast of xe2x80x9cwidely scattered showersxe2x80x9d). Thus, generalized weather conditions and forecasts for a particular area, e.g., a television or radio station viewing and/or listening area, may be of limited use to any particular individual, especially individuals living or working outside of a central city area, in that such general information will not provide an accurate indication of, e.g., high and low temperatures and sky conditions at any particular time during the day at that individual""s home or place of work, and when, how much, or even if precipitation will arrive at that individual""s home or place of work. Businesses, in particular, may require more specific and detailed weather forecast information. For example, the forecast weather conditions at a particular construction location may be used to decide which activities will take place at that site on a particular day. Generalized weather forecasts for a relatively large area are of limited usefulness to such businesses.
The National Weather Service issues weather forecasts. However, such forecasts are xe2x80x9czonexe2x80x9d forecasts generalized over National Weather Service xe2x80x9czonesxe2x80x9dwhich may cover a hundred miles square or more. Thus, such National Weather Service forecasts also do not provide an individual or business with a detailed or accurate weather forecast for a particular localized area of interest.
Advances in computer connectivity technology have allowed television and radio station meteorologists to provide access to their latest weather condition and forecast reports via computer over the internet at any time desired. Thus, an individual need not try to catch the local television or radio broadcast of a weather report to get the latest weather information. An individual may be able to access weather reports and other outdoor information for both local and remote geographic locations via computer over the internet. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,886 to Zereski. Jr. et al. describes a multimedia outdoor system which automatically compiles outdoor information, including current weather conditions, traffic, meteorologist-provided weather forecasts, etc., from a variety of sources and locations, and generates multimedia presentations based on the information for local areas throughout the country. In such a system, weather forecasts, including oral forecast presentations, are manually generated by meteorologists and entered into the system periodically. The multimedia reports generated by the system from such forecasts are stored in a presentation database. An interested user may access the weather report for a local area, such as a city, by accessing the presentation database via computer over, e.g., the internet. However, the individual weather reports and forecasts upon which the multimedia weather reports provided over the internet are based are conventional weather reports and forecasts which are generalized over a wide geographic area and period in time, as described above. Thus, such a system does not provide an individual with a detailed or accurate weather report and forecast for that individual""s particular residence or place of work.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,699, to Baron, Sr. et al. describes a weather alert manager which receives meteorological data, e.g., NEXRAD data, which includes weather information defining storms within a relevant geographic area. The current position and predicted path of a storm is determined from the data and combined with a geographical grid to produce a storm profile indicating storm severity and if a storm is in or is likely to enter any geographical grid area. The storm profile may be distributed to remote units located within a particular grid area to provide storm warnings to individuals in such areas. For example, the remote unit may be a cellular phone or pager which is associated with a particular area, and which receives the storm profile to provide the appropriate warning when a storm is in or approaching that area. Such a system, however, only provides limited severe weather warning information for existing storm cells and does not provide an individual with a detailed and accurate weather report and forecast of general weather conditions, e.g., high and low temperatures, precipitation, wind speed and direction, etc., for that individual""s particular residence or place of work.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,223 to Baxter, Jr. describes a plurality of remotely located environmental sensors, e.g., temperature sensors, which are linked to a database server having data tables for holding the environmental data. A user can access the database, via the internet, to search for environmental information of interest. The user may also store a profile on the server which contains predefined environmental threshold triggers. When an environmental condition meets the threshold trigger, the user may be notified, e.g., via e-mail, facsimile message, pager, or telephone. Such a system, however, only provides a warning to a user if current conditions satisfy preselected thresholds and only provides limited environmental information for an individual""s particular area of interest if an environmental sensor happens to be positioned in that area.
Complex weather forecasting models exist which can be used to generate accurate and detailed weather forecast data for narrowly defined geographic locations and periods in time. An example of such a weather forecasting model is the ADONIS model, available from Weather Central, Inc., of Madison, Wis. This model is based on a three-dimensional weather forecasting model of the atmosphere developed originally by Colorado State University and the University of Wisconsin. This model is a non-hydrostatic model, which therefore takes into account changing atmospheric moisture conditions, as well as topography, snow cover, etc., in generating weather forecast data. The model is, therefore, highly accurate. Some weather forecasting models, including ADONIS, are capable of producing weather forecast data with both high geographic and temporal resolution. For example, the ADONIS model may be run to provide detailed forecast data (e.g., temperature, sky conditions, wind, precipitation, etc., for, e.g., up to 25 different vertical levels of the atmosphere) for geographical areas only a few miles across and in half hour increments extending several days into the future. By extrapolation between such closely spaced points for which weather forecast model data is generated, accurate forecast weather conditions for any modeled time at any point in a modeled geographic area may be obtained. A practical limitation of such highly accurate and complex models is, however, the computation resources and time required to obtain such high resolution forecast data. As a practical matter, using current technology, the computation resources and time required to run such a model to generate high resolution forecast data for the entire country would be prohibitive for any single local television or radio station weather operation. In addition, such highly detailed models must be capable of producing thousands of near-real-time individualized weather forecasts in order to be useful to individuals and businesses requiring precise pinpoint forecasts.
The present invention provides a system and method for generating weather reports and the like which are precisely computed automatically for a particular individual or business user""s geographic location, e.g., home or work, and which are provided automatically directly to the individual user or business. The present invention may also provide personalized advanced notice to a user when forecast weather conditions meet a user definable weather condition profile for outdoor activities of interest to the user. In accordance with the present invention, a user establishes an individualized user profile in which the user defines a particular location of interest (e.g., home or work), a contact address (e.g., e-mail address or pager number) to which the personalized weather report is to be delivered, and, optionally, a personalized activity weather condition profile, establishing a preferred weather condition profile for activities of interest. Alternatively, or additionally, an address at which the personalized weather report is to be made available, e.g., a personalized internet web page address, may be, automatically generated and provided to the user. A detailed and accurate weather forecasting model is run to provide high geographical and temporal resolution forecast data. This high resolution forecast data is compared to the individual user profile and a personalized weather report for the particular location, times, and conditions of interest to the individual is provided directly to the individual or business, e.g., via e-mail and/or at the user""s personalized internet web page address. Individual personalized weather reports generated from pre-established user profile information and model forecast data may be generated and delivered and/or updated automatically, without human intervention, e.g., each time the forecast model is run.
An exemplary system for providing personalized weather reports in accordance with the present invention includes a main computer system, which may be implemented, for example, as part of a television or radio station news and weather reporting operation. The main computer system includes weather forecast modeling software for calculating and presenting high geographical and temporal resolution forecast data for a wide, but limited, geographical area, e.g., the geographical area serviced by a television or radio station or newspaper. The weather forecasting model preferably accepts and stores as inputs thereto initialized weather model data, e.g., initial atmospheric condition information, which is generated and provided from a central location to the local main computer system (e.g., by satellite or internet data delivery). Since weather conditions modeled in the main computer are for a geographic area which is limited to, e.g., the television station""s viewing area, and the number of personalized weather reports generated and delivered by the main computer system is limited by the number of customers in a limited geographic area, computation resources and run-times for even very high resolution modeling and report generation are reasonable.
Alternatively, a single computer system may be employed to model weather conditions and generate personalized weather reports for a wider geographic area, such as the entire country. Such a system may be employed for less high resolution modeling. With advances in computer technology, it may be possible to employ a single computer system for high resolution modeling of weather conditions across the entire country. As a preferred alternative, a conventional computer system may be employed to run a high resolution weather forecast model for a limited geographic area, e.g., a local television station""s viewing area, and a less high resolution weather forecast model for areas outside of the limited geographic area. Such a system minimizes computer resource requirements while allowing the vast majority of users in a television/radio market to receive high resolution personalized weather reports for their homes and businesses within the local area, and those with an interest in weather forecasts for other locations, such as, for example, a vacation home located outside of the local area, also to obtain personalized weather reports for such locations. In any case, the forecast model(s) may be run periodically, e.g., twice a day, or each time initialization conditions are received by the computer system running the model(s), to provide high resolution forecast data and personalized reports for the geographical area of interest.
The main computer system includes a user profile generator. The user profile generator provides various user profile set-up menu user interfaces which allow a user to establish a user profile. These menus may be accessed by a user by use of, for example, a personal computer connected to the main system computer over a network such as the internet. Using such menus, a user establishes a personal user profile which includes a particular location of interest, e.g., home, vacation home, or work, for which the user would like a detailed weather report, a contact address, e.g., e-mail address or pager number, to which the personalized weather report is to be delivered and, optionally, a personalized activity weather condition profile, establishing a preferred weather condition profile for activities of interest to the user. Additionally, the computer system may automatically generate a personalized internet web page address at which the user""s personalized weather report will be accessible. The personalized internet web page address may be provided to the user automatically by the computer system, for example, in an e-mail message which is automatically delivered by the computer system to the user""s contact address. All such user profile information is stored in a user profile database.
Each time the high resolution forecast model is run, the resulting forecast data is compared to the user profiles saved in the user profile database and personalized weather reports are generated automatically by a personalized report generator implemented in the main computer system. Automated detailed personalized report generation is possible using a high resolution weather forecast model, such as ADONIS, which provides as an output exact and discreet weather condition readings for specific points in time at pinpoint lat./lon. locations covering an entire geographic area of interest. Such high resolution weather forecast model data may, optionally, be constrained to within certain limits, e.g., using constraints established by a meteorologist, before the model data is used to generate a personalized weather report. The user location provided in the user profile may be converted to a lat./lon. coordinate and used to automatically pull detailed forecast weather conditions for that location from the forecast model data to generate the personalized weather report. If both high resolution (for a limited local geographic area) and lower resolution (for a wider geographic area) weather forecast models are run, the user location is used to determine which resolution of modeled weather forecast data will be employed.
Personalized weather reports are delivered to a user at the contact address indicated in the user profile, and include detailed information on forecast weather conditions, e.g., high and low temperatures, the times those temperatures will be reached, sky conditions, wind conditions, whether or not there will be frost or dew, etc., for the specific user location identified by the user in the user profile. Such detailed personalized weather reports may be delivered directly to a user""s contact address, e.g., in the form of an e-mail or phone message. Alternatively, or additionally, the detailed personalized weather report may be provided as an internet web page accessible at the user""s personalized internet web page address. Preferably, a summary personalized weather report may be provided, e.g., as an e-mail message, to the user""s contact address, with a link to the user""s personalized internet web page provided therein. Thus, the user may be periodically reminded that an updated detailed personalized weather forecast is available at the user""s personalized internet web page address. Preferably, detailed weather forecast conditions for periods (e.g., hours) throughout a day are provided in an easily readable form, such as a tabular form, wherein, for example, high and low temperatures, periods of precipitation, etc., are highlighted. The forecast data is also compared to the personalized activity weather condition profile established by the user, and a notice is provided to the user indicating if and when such favorable weather conditions for the activity will occur at a selected activity location (which may be different from the user""s home or work location).
Further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. | {
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Mass spectrometers have been known since the early experiments of J. J. Thomson who, with his "parabola" instrument, showed that a beam of ions having various masses and a range of energies can be mass-analyzed by passing them through uniform parallel magnetic and electric fields. These early experiments led to discoveries of previously unknown isotopes and to an increased understanding of ionization processes of atoms and molecules as well as various electron-mediated dissociation processes. As mass spectrometers have subsequently evolved, great increases have been made in the quality of these instruments, including in their resolving and detection powers.
Modern mass spectrometers are widely used for analysis of unknown mixtures of gases or liquids. They have also found wide applicability in detailed studies of chemical reaction mechanisms, such as analysis of free radicals and other reaction intermediates.
Since their debut, most mass spectrometers have employed at least one magnetic field for performing mass analysis. Such magnetic instruments are conventionally termed "sector" instruments.
Since the mid 1950s, mass analyzers employing only electric fields have been increasingly used, offering attractive features such as smaller size and lighter weight relative to the typically massive sector instruments. Electric-field instruments have exhibited a capability of scanning a range of masses at high repetitive rates, which has provided valuable data in studies of fast chemical reactions. Examples of such instruments include the "quadrupole mass filter" and the "ion trap."
A large amount of research using various types of mass spectrometers has been performed by analyzing positive ions produced by bombarding target molecules using "fast" electrons (i.e., electrons having a relatively high kinetic energy, greater than 10 to about 30 eV or higher). Briefly, according to conventional methods known in the art, the fast electrons are produced by a hot filament under high vacuum. The electrons are focused magnetically into a beam and urged into an "ionization chamber," also under high vacuum, containing molecules of the target material to be analyzed. Impingement of the fast electrons with molecules of the target material causes the target molecules to fracture into a number of positively charged molecular fragments having different m/z values. The positive ions are then drawn into the mass analyzer for analysis.
Positive-ion mass spectrometry (PIMS) using conventional methods and apparatuses has certain disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the positive ions (cations) are molecular fragments produced by fast electrons. Also, filaments of the type conventionally used with mass spectrometers produce electrons having a relatively broad range of individual kinetic energies (at least several electron volts). As a result, a number of differently sized cationic fragments of the molecules are formed. With a complex sample, the large number of cationic fragments that is generated produces a complex spectrograph that can be difficult to interpret.
Conventional mass spectrometers allow the operator to adjust the electron energy. (This is one way in which specificity can be enhanced because different compounds have different ionization energies and adjusting the electron energy can result in preferential ionization of a particular class of compounds relative to another class of compounds in a sample.) However, adjusting the electron energy in this manner does not result in a narrowing of the spectrum of electron energy produced by the filament; it merely results in a shifting up or down of the median energy of electrons produced by the filament. As a result, it is very difficult with such instruments to achieve truly energy-selective ionizations.
Conventional negative-ion mass spectrometry (NIMS) overcomes certain disadvantages of conventional PIMS. In NIMS, the ions that are mass-analyzed are anions, not cations. The anions are typically produced employing electrons having a lower kinetic energy (i e., "slow" electrons which have energies of about 10 eV or less) than the electrons usually employed in conventional PIMS. Impingement of a slow electron with a target molecule can result in "capture" of the electron by the target molecule. Target molecules of many types of compounds remain intact as molecular anions after capturing electrons rather than breaking apart into cationic fragments, particularly if, for each such target molecule, the energy of the impinging electron is substantially equal to a resonance energy of the target molecule. Electrophilic target molecules are especially likely to undergo such resonant electron capture.
Another type of electron capture, termed "dissociative electron capture" results in a relatively limited splitting of the target molecule, such as the removal of one or more particular substituent groups, to produce at least one type of anionic fragment. Specifically which type of dissociation that occurs is dependent in part upon the energy of the impinging electron. (These technologies are conventionally termed "electron-capture negative-ion mass spectrometry" or ECNIMS.)
In conventional ECNIMS, the spectrograms are generally simpler than spectrograms in conventional PIMS. As a result, it can be easier in ECNIMS to discern the presence of a particular compound in the spectrogram. Thus, ECNIMS can allow identification of compounds present at low concentrations in complex mixtures that would be difficult to analyze using PIMS.
In conventional ECNIMS, the requisite "slow" electrons are generated by passing a beam of "fast" electrons produced by a hot filament into a "buffer" gas in an ionization chamber which also contains molecules of the sample to be mass-analyzed. As the fast electrons impinge upon molecules of the buffer gas, much of the kinetic energy of the electrons is dissipated. In order to achieve sufficient slowing of most of the electrons before they encounter molecules of the sample, a high molecular density of the buffer gas relative to the molecular density of the sample in the ionization chamber is required.
The following are representative reactions of the buffer gas with fast electrons (wherein "Bu" designates a molecule of the buffer gas and "M" designates a molecule of the target compound to be mass-analyzed): EQU Bu+e.sub.fast.sup.- .fwdarw.Bu.sup.+.+e.sub.slow.sup.- +e.sub.fast.sup.- EQU e.sub.slow.sup.- +M.fwdarw.M.sup.-.
Unfortunately, the presence of a large number of molecules of the buffer gas relative to the molecules of the target compound can result in reactions in which the negative ions of the sample compound (M.sup.-.) are reverted back to uncharged species before the negative ions can exit the ionization chamber and enter the mass analyzer: EQU Bu.sup.+.+M.sup.-..fwdarw.Bu+M
It is also possible for some of the fast electrons entering the ionization chamber to encounter molecules of the target compound before becoming sufficiently slowed, thereby producing undesirable positive ions. The presence of such neutral species and other spurious reaction products (including undesirable positive-ion products) can seriously degrade resolution and make the resulting mass spectrograms difficult to interpret.
Another disadvantage with conventional ECNIMS is that electrons tend to repel each other and the degree of such repulsion is more pronounced with slow electrons than with fast electrons. Such repulsion can cause substantial spreading of a beam of slow electrons, which can severely limit beam intensity. The lower the electron energy, the more pronounced the repulsion, which can unacceptably limit sensitivity and resolving power of a NIMS instrument.
In addition, the high buffer-gas pressure required in the ionization chamber is much too high for many types of mass analyzers. For example, with the conventional buffer gas methane (CH.sub.4), the pressure in the ionization chamber must be about 0.5 to 1 Torr, compared to a typical "vacuum" of at least about 10.sup.-5 to 10.sup.-6 Torr that must be maintained in the downstream mass analyzer during actual use. As a result, conventional ECNIMS work requires that large-capacity (and therefore heavy and bulky) vacuum pumps be employed in order to achieve the requisite lowering of pressure in the mass analyzer, relative to the pressure in the ionization chamber, at the requisite rate. Such large pumping capacity has virtually prevented ECNIMS from being used in locations other than in a laboratory where large, heavy vacuum pumps that consume large amounts of energy can be accommodated. Also, the buffer-gas pressures required to adequately slow electrons are incompatible with the vacuum and electrical requirements necessary to isolate 25 KeV at 1 MHz which are necessary for operation of an ion trap. In addition, conventional ECNIMS requires a supply of the buffer gas which is usually supplied from a cumbersome and potentially dangerous gas cylinder.
To meet modern demands of environmental monitoring, surveillance, and other sophisticated uses, it is often necessary for the analytical equipment to be used on-site, such as in the field or away from a laboratory. This is particularly important when the sampled materials cannot practicably be removed to a laboratory for analysis or the target compound is simply too evanescent to permit anything other than real-time monitoring. Although ECNIMS has a sensitivity to be of significant value in many such applications, its use is often precluded because of the current necessity to maintain such instruments in a laboratory setting.
Another disadvantage of conventional ECNIMS instruments is their general inability to produce reproducible mass spectral data. Buffer gases such as methane tend to produce polymeric materials under ECNIMS conditions that coat the ion source and require frequent cleaning.
Therefore, there is a need for methods that are capable of accurately detecting the presence in samples of subject analytes at extremely low concentrations as required in environmental monitoring, forensic analysis, drugs and explosives detection, and other applications requiring high detection sensitivity and accuracy.
There is also a need for such methods capable of distinguishing between isomers of a particular subject analyte. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pneumatic tire and more particularly to an improvement of a run-flat tire which can largely extend a runnable distance of the flat tire or a running distance at a run-flat state while controlling an increase of a tire weight.
2. Description of Related Art
There have hitherto been proposed various run-flat tires capable of temporarily running during the puncture of the tire, and some tires among them are commercialized.
In order to extend the runnable distance during the puncture of the run-flat tire, it is general to suppress heat generation resulted from repetitive deformation accompanied with the rotation of the tire by controlling an expansion deformation of a sidewall portion outward in the widthwise direction of the tire and a bending deformation of a bead portion outward in the widthwise direction of the tire at a rim flange portion called as xe2x80x9ca falling-down deformation of a bead portionxe2x80x9d against a load applied to the flat tire. For the purpose of controlling each of the above deformations, it has widely been performed to thicken a gauge of a crescent-shaped reinforcing rubber arranged at the inside of the sidewall portion, to thicken a thickness of a bead filler arranged at an outer peripheral side of a bead core, to increase the number of carcass plies, or the like.
In the conventionally proposed run-flat tires, however, it is unavoidable to significantly increase the tire weight, and there are some cases where the tire weight increases to about 30%. Such an increase of the tire weight has problems such as degradation of fuel consumption, increase of rolling resistance, degradation of ride comfort to vehicle and degradation of the other various performances.
Although the quantity of heat generation is lowered by controlling the deformation of the tire, the increase of the volume in the members constituting the tire particularly increases the quantity of heat generation during the running under a high load fairly exceeding over the above lowered quantity of heat generation, which obstructs the extension of the running distance at the run-flat state and becomes a serious problem.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to solve the afore-mentioned problems of the conventional technique and to provide a pneumatic tire capable of largely extending the running distance at the run-flat state under a high load by sufficiently enhancing the rigidity of the bead portion while advantageously controlling the increase of the tire weight.
According to the invention, there is the provision of in a pneumatic tire, particularly a pneumatic radial tire comprising a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions each extending inwardly from each side of the tread portion in a radial direction, a pair of bead portions each arranged at an inside of the sidewall portion in the radial direction, a carcass toroidally extending between a pair of bead cores each embedded in the respective bead portion and wound around the bead core from an inside of the tire toward an outside thereof in the radial direction to form a turnup portion, a bead filler arranged between a main body portion of the carcass and the turnup portion thereof and adjacent to an outer peripheral surface of the bead core, and a reinforcing rubber arranged at the inside of the sidewall portion in the widthwise direction of the tire and having substantially a crescent shape at cross section thereof, an improvement wherein at least one cord reinforcing layer made from a cord(s) extending in an angle direction of approximately 90xc2x0 with respect to a radial line segment is arranged in a region ranging outward from a vicinity of the bead core in the radial direction and has a width in the radial direction of the tire corresponding to 10-50% of a section height of the tire.
The term xe2x80x9csection height of the tirexe2x80x9d used herein means a section height defined in JATMA YEAR BOOK and concretely means half the difference between the overall diameter and the nominal rim diameter when the tire is mounted onto an approved rim and inflated at the recommended air pressure under no load. And also, the term xe2x80x9cradial line segmentxe2x80x9d used herein means a plane including a rotating axis of the tire.
In the pneumatic tire according to the invention, the reinforcing rubber arranged at the inside of the sidewall portion and close to an inner face thereof mainly contributes to bear the weight of a vehicle body during the puncture of the tire to thereby control the expansion deformation of the sidewall portion in the widthwise direction, so that stress concentration into the sidewall portion and the carcass can advantageously be prevented during the puncture of the tire. And also, the cord reinforcing layer is arranged at least in the bead portion, wherein the increase of the weight is fairly less as compared with the case of increasing the gauge of the reinforcing rubber and the thickness of the bead filler, whereby the rigidity of the bead portion against the falling-down during the running at the run-flat state under the high load can sufficiently be increased to largely extend the running distance at the run-flat state.
Considering only the expansion deformation of the sidewall portion, particularly a zone of the sidewall portion located in the vicinity of a position of a maximum tire width, a force restraining the expansion deformation can effectively be enhanced by increasing the gauge of the reinforcing rubber or increasing the number of the carcass plies, while the falling-down deformation of the bead portion under a working condition of a relatively low load can be countered by increasing the thickness of the bead filler or the number of the carcass plies. In the latter case, however, the falling-down deformation of the bead portion can not effectively be restrained when a higher load is applied to the tire, and the concentration of such a deformation in the bead portion can not be dispersed, and hence there is caused a fear of breaking a zone of the bead portion located in the vicinity of a rim flange.
For this end, in the pneumatic tire according to the invention, the cord reinforcing layer is arranged at least in the bead portion, whereby each of the falling-down deformation and the expansion deformation in a zone ranging from the bead portion to the sidewall portion is effectively controlled and the concentration of such deformations is prevented, so that the run-flat durability is largely improved even under the higher load without substantially increasing the gauge of the reinforcing rubber and the thickness of the bead filler.
The cord reinforcing layer in such a tire functions to control the outward expansion deformation of the sidewall portion in the widthwise direction of the tire in the flat tire based on a high modulus of elasticity of the cord constituting the cord reinforcing layer and extending substantially in the circumferential direction of the tire, and to effectively restrain the outward falling-down of the carcass ply in the widthwise direction at least in the bead portion under a large cross angle between the cord in the cord reinforcing layer and the cord in the carcass ply, and to prevent separation between mutual cords in the carcass ply accompanied with the expansion deformation of the sidewall portion as mentioned above, and hence the weight of the vehicle body during the puncture of the tire can effectively be supported by the cord reinforcing layer.
In the invention, the cord constituting the cord reinforcing layer extends in an angle direction of approximately 90xc2x0 with respect to the radial line segment, so that the cord is substantially continuous in the circumferential direction and can advantageously bear tension so as not to elongate in the circumferential direction. If the cord angle with respect to the radial line segment largely comes out from 90xc2x0, the cord becomes discontinuous in the circumferential direction and has free ends at the inside and outside in the radial direction, so that the above tension can not be born and the effect expected in the cord reinforcing layer can not sufficiently be developed and further the adhesion to the free end of the cord is insufficient to cause a fear of creating separation failure.
The cord reinforcing layer according to the invention is formed by spirally winding a single cord or a bundle of plural cords arranged side by side. In such a spirally wound structure, a joint part of the cord can be removed from the cord reinforcing layer to bear a larger tension in the circumferential direction, and hence the falling-down deformation of the bead portion can more effectively be restrained. In particular, when the bundle of plural cords is spirally wound, the formation of the cord reinforcing layer can be more facilitated. And also, the cord reinforcing layer may be formed by using a plurality of ring-shaped cords having different diameters.
Furthermore, the width of the cord reinforcing layer in the radial direction of the tire is within a range of not less than 10% but not more than 50% of the section height of the tire. When the width is not less than 10%, the rigidity can effectively be enhanced at least in the bead portion, preferably in a region ranging from the bead portion to the sidewall portion, while when the width is not more than 50%, the merit through the increase of the rigidity as compared with the increase of the tire weight can be ensured.
In the pneumatic tire according to the invention, therefore, the expansion deformation of the sidewall portion and the falling-down deformation of the bead portion are advantageously controlled under the action of the cord reinforcing layer without increasing the thickness of the bead filler and the gauge of the reinforcing rubber, whereby the effective extension of the running distance of the flat tire even under a higher load can be realized and also the increase of the tire weight can be controlled as small as possible.
In a preferable embodiment of the invention, the cord constituting the cord reinforcing layer is an organic fiber cord or a steel cord and has a modulus of elasticity of not less than 3.2 GPa, and an end count of cords in the cord reinforcing layer per a width of 10 mm is 3-10 cords.
In case of using the organic fiber cord, the tire weight can effectively be decreased as compared with the case of using the steel cord.
When the modulus of elasticity of the cord is not less than 3.2 GPa, the rigidities of the bead portion and the sidewall portion can sufficiently be enhanced to sufficiently control the expansion deformation of the sidewall portion and the falling-down deformation of the bead portion in the running at the run-flat state even under a higher load after the puncture of the tire.
When the end count is not less than 3 cords per 10 mm, the rigidities of the bead portion and the sidewall portion can sufficiently be enhanced, while when it is not more than 10 cords per 10 mm, the cord diameter can be ensured within an applicable range without extremely thinning it to advantageously enhance the rigidity of each respective portion. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to supporting multiple concurrent jobs, and more particularly to a flexible allocation scheme for data parallel tasks.
2. Discussion of Related Art
MapReduce is a framework for processing large datasets (e.g., terabytes of data) involving distributable problems using a large number of commodity hosts (e.g., thousands of computers or nodes). A group of hosts is referred to as a cluster. Processing can occur on data stored either in a file system (unstructured) or within a database (structured). The MapReduce framework is designed to be parallelized automatically. It can be implemented on large clusters, and it inherently scales well. Scheduling, fault tolerance and communications are all handled automatically, without direct user assistance.
MapReduce was originally aimed at large, generally periodic, production batch jobs. As such, the natural goal would be to decrease the length of time needed for a batch window. A dual goal may be to maximize the number of jobs which could be accommodated within a fixed batch window, effectively maximizing throughput. For such scenarios, a simple job scheduling scheme such as First In, First Out (FIFO) works well. FIFO was the first scheduler implemented in Google's MapReduce environment and in Hadoop, an open-source MapReduce implementation.
The use of MapReduce has evolved towards more user interaction. There are now many ad-hoc query MapReduce jobs, and these share cluster resources with the batch production work. For users who submit these queries, expecting quick results, schemes like FIFO do not work well. That is because a large job can “starve” a small, user-submitted job which arrives later. Further, if the large job was a batch submission, the exact completion time of that job might not even be regarded as particularly important.
This unfairness associated with FIFO scheduling motivated the Hadoop Fair Scheduler (HFS). To understand this, MapReduce is described in more detail below together with the goal and design of HFS itself.
MapReduce jobs include two processing phases, a Map phase and a Reduce phase. Each phase is broken into multiple independent tasks, the nature of which depends on the phase. In the Map phase the tasks include the steps of scanning and processing (extracting information) from equal-sized blocks of input data. Each block is typically replicated on disks in three separate racks of hosts (in Hadoop, for example, using the HDFS file system). The output of the Map phase is a set of key-value pairs. These intermediate results are also stored on disk. Each of the Reduce phase tasks corresponds to a partitioned subset of the keys of the intermediate results. There is a shuffle step in which all relevant data from all Map phase output is transmitted across the network, a sort step, and finally a processing step, which may include transformation, aggregation, filtering and/or summarization.
HFS can be said to include two hierarchical algorithmic layers, which will be called the allocation layer and the assignment layer.
Referring to the allocation layer, each host is assumed to be capable of simultaneously handling some maximum number of Map phase tasks and some maximum number of Reduce phase tasks. These are the number of Map slots and Reduce slots, respectively. Typically a host has two Map slots per core, and two Reduce slots per core for processing data tasks. Aggregating these slots over all the hosts in the cluster, the total number of Map slots, and similarly the total number of Reduce slots may be determined. The role of the allocation layer scheme is to partition the number of Map slots among the active Map jobs in some intelligent manner, and similarly the number of Reduce slots among the active Reduce jobs. The node that produces these allocations is known as the master. The HFS allocation layer is referred to as FAIR.
Referring to the assignment layer, it is this layer that makes the actual job task assignment decisions, attempting to honor the allocation decisions made at the allocation level to the extent possible. Host slaves report any task completions at heartbeat epochs (e.g., on the order of a few seconds). Such completions free up slots, and also incrementally affect the number of slots currently assigned to the various jobs. The current slot assignment numbers for jobs are then subtracted from the job allocation goals. This yields an effective ordering of the jobs, from most relatively under allocated to most relatively over allocated. For each currently unassigned slot, the HFS assignment model then finds an “appropriate” task from the most relatively under allocated job that has one, assigns it to the slot, and performs bookkeeping. It may not find an appropriate task for a job, for example, because of rack affinity issues. That is why HFS relaxes fidelity to the precise dictates of the master allocation goals for a time. This is known as delay scheduling.
In the Map phase, for example, the FAIR allocation scheme is fair in the following sense: It determines, for each of J Map phase jobs j, a minimum number mj of Map slots. This minimum number is chosen so that the sum Σj=1Jmj≦S. The minima are simply normalized if needed. This minimum number mj acts as a fairness guarantee, because FAIR will always allocate a number of Map slots sj≧mj, thereby preventing job starvation. Slack (the difference S−Σj=1Jmj) is allocated in FAIR according to a waterline based greedy scheme. Analogous statements hold for the Reduce phase.
While HFS mentions standard scheduling metrics such as throughput or average response time as a goal of the scheduler, and compares its scheduler to others in terms of these, FAIR is motivated by and oriented towards system issues. It makes no direct attempt to optimize such metrics.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a need exists for a flexible allocation scheme for data parallel tasks that improves the performance of a system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to polycrystalline composites used in cutting tools.
2. Background Art
Historically, there have been two types of drill bits used for drilling earth formations, drag bits and roller cone bits. Roller cone bits include one or more roller cones rotatably mounted to the bit body. These roller cones have a plurality of cutting elements attached thereto that crush, gouge, and scrape rock at the bottom of a hole being drilled. Several types of roller cone drill bits are available for drilling wellbores through earth formations, including insert bits (e.g. tungsten carbide insert bit, TCI) and “milled tooth” bits. The bit bodies and roller cones of roller cone bits are conventionally made of steel. In a milled tooth bit, the cutting elements or teeth are steel and conventionally integrally formed with the cone. In an insert or TCI bit, the cutting elements or inserts are conventionally formed from tungsten carbide, and may optionally include a diamond enhanced tip thereon.
The term “drag bits” refers to those rotary drill bits with no moving elements. Drag bits are often used to drill a variety of rock formations. Drag bits include those having cutting elements or cutters attached to the bit body, which may be a steel bit body or a matrix or composite bit body formed from a matrix material such as tungsten carbide surrounded by an binder material. The cutters may be formed having a substrate or support stud made of carbide, for example tungsten carbide, and an ultra hard cutting surface layer or “table” made of a polycrystalline diamond material or a polycrystalline boron nitride material deposited onto or otherwise bonded to the substrate at an interface surface.
Polycrystalline diamond (PCD), a composite material formed from diamond particles, comprises a polycrystalline mass of diamonds (typically synthetic) that are bonded together to form an integral, tough, high-strength mass or lattice. A metal catalyst, such as cobalt, may be used to promote recrystallization of the diamond particles and formation of the lattice structure. Thus, cobalt particles are typically found within the interstitial spaces in the diamond lattice structure. The resulting PCD structure produces enhanced properties of wear resistance and hardness, making PCD materials extremely useful in aggressive wear and cutting applications where high levels of wear resistance and hardness are desired. However, cobalt has a significantly different coefficient of thermal expansion as compared to diamond. Therefore, upon heating of a diamond table, the cobalt and the diamond lattice will expand at different rates, causing cracks to form in the lattice structure and resulting in deterioration of the diamond table. Additionally, the presence of cobalt in the interstitial spaces may catalyze the graphitization of the diamond upon exposure to frictional heat generated during cutting.
In order to obviate this problem, strong acids may be used to “leach” the cobalt from the diamond lattice structure. Examples of “leaching” processes can be found, for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,288,248 and 4,104,344. Briefly, a hot strong acid, e.g., nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, or perchloric acid, or combinations of several strong acids may be used to treat the diamond table, removing at least a portion of the catalyst from the PCD layer. By leaching out the cobalt, thermally stable polycrystalline (TSP) diamond may be formed. In certain embodiments, only a select portion of a diamond composite is leached, in order to gain thermal stability without losing impact resistance.
However, several problems exist with the leaching cobalt from polycrystalline diamond. Firstly, leaching is performed with strong acids during which the strong acids may attack the surfaces of the diamond grains within the polycrystalline diamond and cause micro-pitting (notches) of the diamond grain. Such micro-pits are weak points that degrade the diamond grain and hence the ability of the diamond grain to support a load, thus giving the structure a susceptibility to crack origination. Additionally, interstitial voids in the polycrystalline diamond are left following the removal of cobalt, leaving the structure weakened to cutting loads, brittle, and less shock resistant. Further, leaching frequently results in non-uniform removal of cobalt, leaving pockets of non-leached cobalt within the diamond lattice, which can retain heat and cause localized graphitization of diamond, limiting the life of the cutter.
Alternatively, TSP may be formed by forming the diamond layer in a press using a binder other than cobalt, one such as silicon, which has a coefficient of thermal expansion more similar to that of diamond than cobalt has. During the manufacturing process, a large portion, 80 to 100 volume percent, of the silicon reacts with the diamond lattice to form silicon carbide which also has a thermal expansion similar to diamond. The thermal resistance is somewhat improved, but thermal degradation still occurs due to some residual silicon remaining, generally uniformly distributed in the interstices of the interstitial matrix. Further, there are mounting problems with this type of PCD element because there is no bondable surface.
Generally, such conventional PCD materials exhibit extremely high hardness, high modulus, and high compressive strength, and provide a high degree of wear protection to a cutting or drilling element. However, in more complex wear environments known to cause impact and fretting fatigue, layers formed from conventional PCD can fail by gross chipping and spalling. For example, drilling inserts coated with a thick PCD monolayer may exhibit brittleness that causes substantial problems in practical applications. Conventional methods of improving the performance of PCD layers include optimizing grain size and controlling cobalt content to increase toughness, but the effect of these methods is limited. Further, attempts to improve the thermal operating limitations of the diamond to greater than that of conventional PCD (˜750° C.), while somewhat effective with respect to thermal instability, frequently exchange one problem (thermal instability) for another, as described above.
Designers continue to seek improved properties (such as improved wear resistance, thermal resistance, fracture toughness, etc.) in the ceramic materials. Further, as the bulk particles used in ceramic materials decrease in size with the increasing use of nanoparticles (grain sizes less than 100 nm), observed brittleness has limited potential applications for the resulting material. It has been known for some time that the addition of fibrous materials to materials may increase mechanical properties, such as strength. However, incorporation of the fibrous materials, such as carbon fibers, has presented difficulties including resistance to wetting of the fibers.
Accordingly, there exists a need for improvements in the material properties of diamond composite materials used in drilling applications. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The linear FG and BG compositing system of the blue screen type has been described in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,595,987; 4,007,487; 4,100,569; 4,344,085; 4,409,611; and in a recent application (June 13, 1983) Ser. No. 520,067, which describes the origination and series of improvements in the compositing of video images using a linear technique.
This new technology combines the two images by first removing the color of the colored backing by a subtraction process, leaving the subject as though placed in front of a black backing. The background (BG) scene is then turned on in the area formerly occupied by the colored backing in proportion to the brightness and visibility of that colored backing. This proportional control of the BG scene permits the full and accurate retention of transparent and semi-transparent objects including smoke, fog, glassware, etc.
Since the foreground (FG) video is never subjected to a switching action, the ultimate resolution of the FG camera is retained in the composite scene. The aforementioned patents fully describe this technology, and are incorporated herein by reference. The process by which the color of the backing is removed is by subtraction and, as indicated in the above patents, may occur prior to encoding or subsequent to encoding. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to a color toner which is useful in image forming methods which include a step in which an electrostatic latent image is developed such as electrophotography, electrostatic recording and electrostatic printing, and to a method of manufacture of the color toner and to a method of image formation using the color toner.
2. Description of the Background
In image forming methods such as electrophotography, electrostatic recording and electrostatic printing, toner is generally used for developing an electrostatic latent image. The toner is required to be constituted of fine particles which are evenly charged and which have good fluidity. As to methods for developing an electrostatic latent image, two-methods are known, one of which is a developing method which employs a two-component developer, which includes a mixture of a toner and a carrier and the other of which is a developing method which uses a one-component developer which includes a toner but does not include a carrier. The developing method using a two-component developer has an advantage in that good images can be stably obtained, but the method has drawbacks which include that a carrier therein tends to deteriorate and the toner/carrier mixing ratio tends to change, resulting in deterioration of image qualities of the developed images.
In the image forming methods mentioned above, a developed toner image on a photoconductor is generally transferred to a transfer sheet and the transferred image is then fixed to obtain a fixed image. As for fixing methods, a heat roller fixing method is typically used in which a transfer sheet having a developed toner image thereon is heated while the sheet is pressed upon passage through a pair of heat rollers. This heat roller fixing method has an advantage in that a developed toner image can be quickly fixed, because the fixing method has high heat efficiency. However, a drawback of the method is the so-called offset problem which tends to occur in which an image which has transferred onto a transfer sheet, transfers instead to a heated roller and the image which has been transferred onto the roller is then transferred to another area of the transfer sheet or another transfer sheet, resulting in occurrence of undesirable images.
In attempting to solve these problems, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2-235067 discloses a developer which includes toner particles which include a release agent therein and thereon, each in a proper mixing ratio. The toner has releasability, however, the toner exhibits drawbacks such as poor fluidity and poor preservability, and has an uneven charge distribution which results in deterioration of image qualities, because the release agent is added onto the surface of the toner. In addition, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3-168649 discloses a developer including a toner in which a wax having low molecular weight, which serves as a release agent, is dispersed, by kneading with application of a large sheer strength is applied for a long time, in the binder resin of the toner so that the particle size of the dispersed wax is 1 .mu.m or less. This technique tends to avoid the offset problem by controlling the particle diameter of the dispersed release agent, but has drawbacks in that the resultant toner has high manufacturing costs, because the kneading apparatus, which is capable of applying such high shear strength is limited and expensive, and the productivity of the method is low because of the long kneading times required.
Further, demands currently exist for color reproduction methods which provide images having good color image qualities. For example, color toners such as yellow, magenta and cyan toners, and optionally a black toner, are used to prepare full color electrophotographic images. It is preferred that these color toners exhibit good light reflection properties without exhibiting random reflection, and good transparency so that any mixed color image prepared has a desired color when the color toners are overlaid. In addition, the color toners preferably have a relatively small particle size, so that developed color toner images have good resolution and sharpness. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the dispersion of a coloring agent in a binder resin of a color toner.
A toner is generally formed of a binder resin, a coloring agent (a dye, a pigment, a magnetizable material and/or the like), and a charge controlling agent. These toner materials are melted and mixed by kneading, and then pulverized after solidification by cooling. The pulverized toner is then classified to prepare toner particles having a desired particle diameter. The thus obtained toner particles are mixed with an additive such as a colloidal silica to prepare a toner having good fluidity. Extrusion type continuous kneaders having a screw, two-roller mills, three-roller mills, kneaders which can heat and press, or the like have been conventionally used for kneading these toner materials.
In a color toner, the dispersion of a coloring agent in a binder resin depends on the kneading process employed in manufacture of the color toner, and when the dispersion is not satisfactory, the resultant toner is poorly colored and has poor clearness and transparency, resulting in serious deterioration of the color reproducibility of formed color images. In the kneading apparatus mentioned above, the dispersion of a coloring agent in a toner is not satisfactory, and, therefore, images having good image qualities cannot be obtained. In attempting to solve this problem, so-called toner master batch methods are disclosed. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3-155568 discloses a toner manufacturing method which includes a step in which a toner master batch is first prepared by melting and kneading a mixture of a portion of a binder resin, a coloring agent and a solvent and then cooling and pulverizing the mixture, and another step in which the toner master batch and the remainder of the binder resin are melted and kneaded. This method tends to improve the dispersion of the coloring agent in the binder resin by adding a solvent, but the method has a drawback in that it takes a long time to obtain a desired color toner in which the particles of the coloring agent are dispersed in the binder resin in a desired particle size. This is because the mixture, including the solvent, has relatively low melt viscosity and, therefore, it is difficult to improve the dispersion of the coloring agent. In addition, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-146662 discloses a toner which includes a plurality of coloring agents which are different from each other only with respect to particle size distribution. This toner requires at least two toner master batches which are prepared by changing kneading conditions so that each toner master batch includes a coloring agent having a different particle size distribution. However, the thus obtained toner cannot necessarily produce good images and in addition the method has a drawback of low productivity, because it is necessary to prepare at least two master batches to make the toner. Therefore, these toners are not satisfactory. Because of these reasons, a need exists for a color toner which is useful for developing an electrostatic latent image which can produce full color images having good image qualities and which can be effectively manufactured. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a duplexer in which a transmission filter chip and a reception filter chip are mounted on a substrate and, more specifically, to an acoustic wave duplexer in which each filter chip is an acoustic wave filter chip, such as a surface acoustic wave filter chip or a boundary acoustic wave filter chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, for a mobile communication system, such as a cellular phone, in order to reduce the number of components, a composite component having multiple functions is highly desired. As one such example of a composite component, a duplexer is known to include a reception filter chip used in a reception circuit and a transmission filter chip used in a transmission circuit.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-249842 discloses, as one example of duplexers of this type, a surface acoustic wave duplexer illustrated in the diagrammatic circuit diagram in FIG. 17, described in more detail below.
In a surface acoustic wave duplexer 1001, a transmission acoustic wave filter chip 1003 and a reception acoustic wave filter chip 1004 are surface mounted on a substrate 1002. Each of the transmission acoustic wave filter chip 1003 and the reception acoustic wave filter chip 1004 has a first end connected to a common terminal 1005. The reception acoustic wave filter chip 1004 is connected to the common terminal 1005 through a phase shift circuit 1006. The common terminal 1005 is a terminal connected to an antenna or the like.
The transmission acoustic wave filter chip 1003 includes a plurality of series arm resonators S1 to S3 each made of a 1-port surface acoustic wave resonator and parallel arm resonators P1 and P2 each made of a 1-port surface acoustic wave resonator. The transmission acoustic wave filter chip 1003 has an end that is opposite to the first end connected to the common terminal 1005 and that is connected to a transmission terminal 1007. An electric signal to be transmitted is input from the transmission terminal 1007 and supplied to the common terminal 1005 through the transmission acoustic wave filter chip 1003.
Meanwhile, the reception acoustic wave filter chip 1004 has a structure in which first and second longitudinally coupled resonator surface acoustic wave filters 1008 and 1009 are connected in parallel. Each of the longitudinally coupled resonator surface acoustic wave filters 1008 and 1009 includes a first IDT arranged in its center. First ends of the first IDTs are commonly connected to the common terminal 1005 through the phase shift circuit. A second end of each of the first IDTs is connected to a ground potential.
First ends of second and third IDTs arranged at both sides of the first IDT of the longitudinally coupled resonator surface acoustic wave filter 1008 in a surface wave propagation direction are commonly connected to a first reception terminal 1010.
First ends of second and third IDTs of the longitudinally coupled resonator surface acoustic wave filter 1009 are also commonly connected to the first reception terminal 1010. The second and third IDTs of each of the longitudinally coupled resonator surface acoustic wave filters 1008 and 1009 are commonly connected to a second reception terminal 1011 serving as a second balanced terminal.
Accordingly, the above-described reception acoustic wave filter chip 1004 is a surface acoustic wave filter including the first and second reception terminals 1010 and 1011 and having the balanced-to-unbalanced conversion function.
For the surface acoustic wave duplexer 1001 described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-249832, the transmission acoustic wave filter chip 1003 forming the transmission filter and the reception acoustic wave filter chip 1004 forming the reception filter are surface mounted on the substrate 1002 to aim at providing a multifunction device. Accordingly, the number of components can be reduced. In addition, the reception acoustic wave filter chip 1004 has the balanced-to-unbalanced conversion function, as described above, so a balun can be omitted.
However, there is a problem in which isolation between the transmission acoustic wave filter chip 1003 and the reception acoustic wave filter chip 1004 is not sufficient. That is, the transmission acoustic wave filter chip 1003 has a ladder circuit configuration, and during transmission, a transmission current flows and a magnetic field occurs. For the balanced reception acoustic wave filter chip 1004, a reception current is conveyed from the first reception terminal 1010 being the first balanced terminal toward the second reception terminal 1011 serving as the second balanced terminal. However, in a transmission frequency band, an induced current caused by the above-described magnetic field flows while being superimposed on the reception current. Because of this, a problem is present in which the isolation characteristic in the reception acoustic wave filter chip 1004 deteriorates in the pass band of the transmission band-pass filter. | {
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Nowadays, beauty becomes a pursuit, beautiful hair can better show personal beauty, then hairdressing apparatuses are indispensable, which generally include hair straighteners and hair curlers, wherein the hair curler is a handheld electronic product for curling hair and is mainly composed of a handle and a heating drum, the hair curler adopts a circuit panel to control the temperature, and the heating drum made of a tourmaline ceramic panel can averagely disperse heat to realize cyclic heating, improve the protein structure of hair to form curl and protect hair during curling.
At present, the aluminum tubes of the existing hair curlers generally adopt a hardware oil injection or electroplating process. However, when the two processes are used, hair cannot be well protected to be softer, and hair is easy to damage. Moreover, the existing aluminum tubes are circular straight-through tubes, and such structural design is unreasonable and cannot meet the use requirements of people. | {
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(i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image determination apparatus, a computer readable medium storing program, and a method.
(ii) Related Art
Techniques for extracting a table from an image have been available. | {
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Referring to FIG. 1, a power supply system 2 is adapted to supplying power to an electronic circuit assembly 1 of an electronic device. The electronic circuit assembly 1 includes a functional circuit system 3 and the power supply system 2. The technical features of the functional circuit system 3 shown as a simple block in FIG. 1 depend on the type of the electronic device.
The power supply system 2 is usually a DC-to-DC transformer, such as a low-dropout (LDO), adapted to convert a relatively high voltage of 3.3V into 1.2V to be supplied to the functional circuit system 3.
The power supply system 2 has to supply the power required by the functional circuit system 3 in its entirety. In the situation where the operating maximum load current of the power supply system 2 is relatively high, the standby current of the power supply system 2 is also relatively high.
In the situation where the electronic circuit assembly 1 switches from an operation mode to a sleep mode or an idle mode, although the functional circuit system 3 is partially shut down, the power supply system 2 still has to stay in a standby state in order to wake up electronic circuit assembly 1 at any time. As mentioned above, the power supply system 2 with a high maximum load also has a high standby current; as a result, the electronic circuit assembly 1 in the sleep mode or idle mode still manifests overly high standby current consumption. The amplitude of the standby current of a conventional power supply system is not adjustable; as a result, the standby power consumption of a conventional power supply system cannot be reduced. | {
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(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel .alpha.-chloroketone derivative valuable as a synthesis intermediate leading to Cimetidine having an action of controlling the secretion of gastric acid an being excellent as a medicine for remedy of a gastric ulcer.
(2) Description of the Related Art
As the process for synthesizing Cimetidine, there is known, for example, a process disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 24422/78, which is represented by the following reaction formula: ##STR1## Namely, in many cases, the starting compound having an imidazole ring is used and necessary substituents are introduced into this starting compounds, and the compound 3 is often an important intermediate.
However, in this process, the starting imidazole derivative is expensive and since the reaction is a multi-staged reaction, the manufacturing cost is high. Therefore, the process is not advantageous from the industrial viewpoint. | {
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The present invention generally relates to television monitoring apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to television monitoring apparatus adapted for monitoring video cameras and/or video tape recorders.
A conventional television receivers generally constitutes a tuner unit, a display unit, and a power supply unit. These units generally are integrated into a single cabinet. Therefore, when a portable television receiver is used as a monitoring apparatus for a video camera and/or video tape recorder (VTR), the tuner unit is carried together with the display unit and the power supply unit, despite the lack of need for the tuner unit.
Additionally, when a television set is designed for receiving sound multiplexed broadcasts; radio broadcasts in addition to the television broadcasts; or television broadcasting in foreign countries, as well as for usual television broadcasts, the set must be equipped with a receiver having a television tuner for the sound multiplexed broadcasts, a television tuner with a radio tuner, or a foreign television tuner, respectively. In these situations, not only are the tuner units different, but the image display and power supply units are redundant. Having such redundant portions is wasteful because several television receivers must be provided, each uneconomically equipped with a different tuner unit.
Conventional television receivers suffer from further problems. One such prior art television set is illustrated in FIG. 1.
In the television receiver illustrated in FIG. 1, a telescopic antenna extends from a side surface h of a casing b. The telescopic antenna has cooperating telescopic elements d, e, and f. As illustrated, the side surface h from which the antenna extends provides an unused space.
If switches i (denoted by phantom lines) were installed in the vicinity of the telescopic antenna, the antenna were in its retracted and stored state and an operator were to operate the telescopic antenna so as to pivot the antenna laterally on an axis of a base g, an erroneous operation could often occur due to inadvertent touching by the operator's hand of one of the switches i. Therefore, switches conventionally are not installed on the side surface h against which the telescopic antenna is stored. Instead, switches are installed on another side surface. However, as the number of switches increases, the area needed to install the switches also increases. Hence, the other side surface area must be wide since the area of the side surface h to install the telescopic antenna cannot be used. Consequently, the manner in which the television receiver can be miniaturized is limited.
A conventional small sized television hood aa is illustrated in FIG. 2. In the television hood aa, a belt dd is employed to attach the television receiver ff to the hood aa.
It can be troublesome to attach the hood aa to the receiver ff because the tightness of the belt about the receiver ff determines the favorable attachment of the hood aa to the receiver ff. Many times the belt is not sufficiently tightened about the receiver ff.
When the hood aa is attached to the receiver ff, the receiver ff often becomes unstable and/or one of the straps of the belt dd can become loose. This is due in part to the gradual compression of a foam layer on a flange cc of the hood aa.
Because a large part of a front surface of the receiver ff includes a display screen gg, various switches and terminals are located on side surfaces of an outer frame of the receiver ff. Consequently, the switches and terminals are often covered over by the straps of the belt dd. Accordingly, depending on the position of the belt dd, an operator of the receiver ff often cannot access the switches and terminals of the receiver ff. | {
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The invention relates generally to an electrophotographic image forming member and a method and apparatus for forming color images utilizing the image forming member.
Conventional methods of forming electrophotographic images by selectively applying toner to a transfer drum suffer from several drawbacks. These devices utilize poisonous materials and the transfer methods require large, complicated and expensive equipment.
In, IEEE Transactions On Electron Devices, Vol. Ed.-19, No. 4, pp. 396-412 (April 1972), examples of conventional electrophotographic image forming devices are discussed. These devices include inorganic photosensitive material sandwiched between a base and a dielectric layer. This description concerns a method of forming a single color image which includes the use of inorganic photosensitive materials, such as CdS and .alpha.-Se which are toxic materials.
A conventional "transfer drum method" utilizes a single transfer drum to transfer a toner image from the transfer drum to a transfer medium. In this method it is necessary to develop the toner image many times to obtain one color image. The life of the image forming material employed is shorter than the image forming material used for an ordinary monochromatic process. Additionally, positioning the toner with respect to the transfer medium requires very high accuracy and therefore the associated mechanisms are unavoidably complicated.
In another conventional electrophotographic process known as the "lump transfer method", multiple sets of exposing machines and developing machines and repeated developments are required.
Accordingly, it is desireable to develop an improved electrophotographic image forming member and method and an apparatus for practicing the method which avoids the shortcomings of the prior art. | {
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The present invention relates to a dispersion type electroluminescent cell which is caused to luminesce by applying an electric field to phosphorescent powder, and also to a method of producing the same.
It has been well known that, when an electric field is applied to phosphorescent powder such as ZnS with manganese diffused therein, the phosphorescent powder luminesces. Electroluminescent cells exploiting this phenomenon or electroluminescence (EL) have been developed as display devices. However, prior-art electroluminescent cells have had various problems, and few have been put into practical use.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the fundamental structure of a typical electroluminescent cell. Numeral 1 designates a transparent electrode which is formed on one surface of a transparent insulating substrate 2 such as a glass substrate or a plastic film substrate. The transparent electrode 1 may be made of a thin film of In.sub.2 O.sub.3, SnO.sub.2 or the like whose sheet resistance is not higher than several k.OMEGA. per cm.sup.2, a thin film of a metal such as gold or palladium, an aluminum foil which is formed into a mesh having apertures, or the like. Numeral 3 indicates a counter electrode, which is constructed of a metal powder of silver or the like dispersed in a binder of an organic polymer or an inorganic material, or a metal sheet of aluminum, copper or the like adhered to an insulating layer 5. An ordinary electroluminescent cell has the following structure. Between the transparent electrode 1 and the opposing counter electrode 3, opposing to there are sandwiched a luminescent layer in which a phosphorescent powder such as ZnS doped with an activator such as copper and manganese and a coactivator such as chlorine is dispersed in an organic polymer binder, and an insulating layer 5 in which a high-permittivity powder such as TiO.sub.2 or BaTiO.sub.3 is dispersed in an organic polymer binder. Further, the entire lamination is covered with a moisture-proof protective film 6 made of polytrifluorochloroethylene, an epoxy resin or the like. As the phosphorescent powder, some cells utilize a rare-earth element, a monovalent metal, a transition metal, etc. When an A.C. voltage is applied across both the electrodes 1 and 3 in the cell of FIG. 1, an electric field corresponding to the magnitude and frequency of the A.C. voltage acts on the luminescent layer 4 to cause it to luminesce. In order to make the luminous intensity high, the following measures can be taken:
(1) The applied voltage can be raised.
(2) The luminescent layer 4 and the thickness of the insulating layer 5 can be reduced.
(3) An organic polymner binder having high permittivity can be used for the luminescent layer 4 as well as the insulating layer 5.
(4) The A.C. frequency can be raised.
However, in raising the voltage or to reduce the thickness of the luminescent layer 4 and the insulating layer 5, dielectric breakdown between the electrodes 1 and 3 may occur. In order to raise the A.C. frequency, a power source needs to be prepared separately, and this is disadvantgeous. Further, when the frequency is varied, the luminescent wavelength becomes different. Accordingly, in order to enhance the luminous intensity without degrading various characteristics of the electroluminescent cell, an organic polymer binder of high permittivity may be used for the luminescent layer 4 as well as the insulating layer 5. Cyanoethylated cellulose or an epoxy resin have heretofore been employed as the organic polymer binder, but such materials have the following disadvantages. Although the cyanoethylated cellulose exhibits a high permittivity, it is weak in film adhesion, and further, it has an inferior heat-proof property and moisture-proof property. Although the epoxy resin is somewhat excellent in its heat-proof property and its moisture-proof property, it exhibits a low permittivity.
Moreover, the phosphorescent powder typically used in the electroluminescent cell has the weak point that, when supplied with a voltage in a moist state, it is decomposed and losses its luminescing function within a very short time. Therefore, even when covered with the moisture-proof protective film 6, the prior-art electroluminescent cell is not totally immune against moisture, and may have a short lifetime and not be highly reliable. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, such as an ink jet printer and an ink jet plotter, and also to an ink cartridge detachably attached to a printer main body of the printing apparatus. More specifically the invention pertains to a technique of processing and storing required pieces of information in the ink cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
The printing apparatus like the ink jet printer and the ink jet plotter mainly includes an ink cartridge, in which one or plural inks are kept, and a printer main body with a print head to carry out actual printing operations on a printing medium. The print head ejects ink fed from the ink cartridge onto the printing medium, such as printing paper, so as to implement printing on the printing medium. The ink cartridge is designed to be detachably attached to the printer main body. A new ink cartridge has a predetermined quantity of ink kept therein. When the ink kept in an ink cartridge runs out, the ink cartridge is replaced with a new one. Such a printing apparatus is arranged to cause the printer main body to calculate the remaining quantity of ink in the ink cartridge based on the amount of ink transferred from the print head and to inform the user of a state of running out of the ink, in order to prevent the printing procedure from being interrupted by the out-of-ink.
The data on the remaining quantities of inks are generally stored only in the printer main body or in a printer driver that controls the printer. In the event that a first ink cartridge is replaced with a second ink cartridge in the course of the printing operation, the information relating to the first ink cartridge, such as the data on the remaining quantities of inks, are thus lost or made wrong.
One proposed technique to solve this problem utilizes a non-volatile memory provided in the ink cartridge and causes the required data, for example, the data on the remaining quantities of inks, to be written from the printer main body into the non-volatile memory (for example, JAPANESE PATENT LAID-OPEN GAZETTE No. 62-184856). In the case of replacement of the ink cartridge during the printing operation, this technique ensures the storage of the data on the remaining quantities of inks.
The data on the remaining quantities of inks is required to have a relatively high accuracy, in order to inform the user of the precise timing of replacement of the ink cartridge. Storage of such data with a high accuracy in the ink cartridge makes the required storage capacity undesirably large. In the case where the data on the remaining quantities of inks has only a low accuracy, on the other hand, the timing of an alarm of the ink end state, in which a certain ink in the ink cartridge is running out, may significantly be contradictory to the actual remaining quantity of ink. In a structure that updates the data on the remaining quantities of inks at a power-off time, the printer main body reads the data on the remaining quantity of each ink from the ink cartridge at every start of power supply and interprets the read-out data as a value of the lower limit within the preset accuracy. By way of example, it is assumed that the data stored in the ink cartridge expresses the remaining quantity of each ink as a value of percentage in the range of 0 to 100% and has a length of 1 byte (8 bits) and an accuracy of 1%. When the data read from the ink cartridge is xe2x80x9850xe2x80x99, the printer main body can not specify the exact value of the data. The data xe2x80x9850xe2x80x99 may be obtained by rounding 50.9 or 50.1. In order to prepare for the worst, the printer main body deals with the data xe2x80x9850xe2x80x99 as a value of the lower limit xe2x80x9850.0xe2x80x99.
In this structure, even in the case where only a little quantity of ink is used, data should be reduced by 1%. This means that repeating such use 100 times causes the data on the remaining quantity of ink in the ink cartridge to be equal to 0, although there is still a sufficient quantity of ink remaining in the ink cartridge. In another structure that does not reduce data by 1% in the case of use of a little quantity of ink, repeating such use many times causes an alarm of the ink end state not to be given even if the actual remaining quantity of ink is equal to zero. In an ink cartridge with a memory or a printer using such an ink cartridge, the storage capacity of several bytes for each ink is required to monitor the remaining quantity of ink precisely. In the case of a color ink cartridge that keeps a plurality of different color inks in a casing thereof, a certain storage capacity should be allocated to each color ink. For example, in the case of a color ink cartridge including five color inks, if the required storage capacity for each color ink is 4 bytes, the total storage capacity is as large as 5xc3x974=20 bytes (20xc3x978=160 bits).
Increasing the data length to be written makes it difficult to write all the required data within a short time period after a power-off operation. When a power switch mounted on a switch panel of the printer is operated, the applicable sequence enables the printer to confirm conclusion of the writing operation of data into the memory of the ink cartridge, before actually turning the power source off. In the case where the power supply is forcibly cut off on the side of the power line by pulling the power plug out of the socket or turning off the power of an extension connected to a computer, however, the writing operation of data into the memory of the ink cartridge should be completed within a very short time period. If the power voltage is lost in the course of the writing operation, the reliability of data in the ink cartridge is significantly lowered. This prevents the ink cartridge from being used adequately. The use of the memory having a large storage capacity undesirably increases the manufacturing cost of expendable ink cartridges. This is also undesirable from the viewpoint of resource saving.
The problems discussed above arise in any printing apparatus that does not directly measure the remaining quantity of ink or the amount of ink consumption in an ink cartridge but causes the printer to compute such data, and in an ink cartridge attached thereto. Such printing apparatus includes an ink jet-type printing apparatus that uses ink obtained by mixing or dissolving a pigment or a dye with or in a solvent and ejects ink droplets in the liquid state to implement printing, a printing apparatus that uses an ink cartridge with an ink toner accommodated therein, and a thermal transfer-type printing apparatus.
The object of the present invention is thus to provide a technique that is applicable to a printer and a cartridge attached thereto and enables information relating to the cartridge, such as pieces of information on remaining quantities of inks, to be adequately processed, while not increasing the manufacturing cost of the cartridge.
At least part of the above and the other related objects is actualized by a printer, to which a cartridge is detachably attached, wherein the cartridge keeps ink therein and has a rewritable non-volatile memory. The printer causes the ink kept in the ink cartridge to be transferred from a print head mounted on the printer to a printing medium, thereby implementing a printing operation. The printer includes: a rewritable printer memory; an information writing unit that writes information on a quantity of ink in the ink cartridge, which is consumed with a progress of a printing operation on the printing medium, as data of a predetermined number of bits, into the printer memory; and a memory writing unit that converts the information on the quantity of ink in the ink cartridge to data of a specific number of bits, which is less than the predetermined number of bits, and writes the converted data of the specific number of bits into the non-volatile memory included in the cartridge.
The printer of the present invention writes the information on the quantity of ink in the cartridge, which is consumed with a progress of a printing operation on the printing medium, as data of a predetermined number of bits into the printer memory and as converted data of a specific number of bits, which is less than the predetermined number of bits, into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge. This arrangement effectively prevents an undesirable increase of the storage capacity, while enabling the information on the quantity of ink to be stored in a non-volatile manner in the ink cartridge.
The technique applicable to reduce the number of bits may omit lower bits from the data of the predetermined number of bits written in the printer memory, or alternatively may convert the data of the predetermined number of bits written in the printer memory to data representing a percentage.
In accordance with one preferable application of the present invention, the applicable technique determines whether or not the information on the quantity of ink written in the printer memory is coincident with the converted data of the specific number of bits written in the non-volatile memory at a time of a start of power supply. The technique applies the data of the predetermined number of bits stored in the printer memory for subsequent processing with regard to the quantity of in the cartridge, when it is determined that the information on the quantity of ink is coincident with the converted data of the specific number of bits. This arrangement enables the subsequent processing with regard to the quantity of ink to be carried out, based on the data of the greater number of bits stored in the printer memory, that is, the data with a higher accuracy, as long as the cartridge is not replaced with another.
In accordance with another preferable application of the present invention, the applicable technique determines whether or not the information on the quantity of ink written in the printer memory is coincident with the converted data of the specific number of bits written in the non-volatile memory at a time of a start of power supply. The technique re-converts the data of the specific number of bits written in the non-volatile memory into the data of the predetermined number of bits, writes the re-converted data of the predetermined number of bits as the information on the quantity of ink into the printer memory, and applies the re-converted data of the predetermined number of bits for subsequent processing with regard to the quantity of ink in the cartridge, when it is determined that the information on the quantity of ink is not coincident with the converted data of the specific number of bits. In this case, the subsequent processing with regard to the quantity of ink is carried out, based on the data on the quantity of ink stored in the non-volatile memory of the cartridge.
In accordance with still another preferable application of the present invention, aL piece of identification information that enables identification of the cartridge, is stored in the non-volatile memory of the cartridge. The applicable technique here reads the piece of identification information stored in the non-volatile memory at a time of a start of power supply and/or at a time of a replacement of the cartridge, and stores the read-out piece of identification information. The technique compares the read-out piece of identification information with the stored piece of identification information, which has been read out previously, so as to determine coincidence or non-coincidence thereof. The technique applies the data of the predetermined number of bits stored in the printer memory for subsequent processing with regard to the quantity of ink in the cartridge, when it is determined that the read-out piece of identification information is coincident with the stored piece of identification information. In this configuration, the cartridge is identified accurately using the identification information of the cartridge. This arrangement enables the subsequent processing with regard to the quantity of ink to be carried out, based on the data of the greater number of bits stored in the printer memory.
In the above structure, the applicable technique compares the read-out piece of identification information with the stored piece of identification information, which has been read out previously, so as to determine coincidence or non-coincidence thereof. The technique re-converts the data of the specific number of bits written in the non-volatile memory into the data of the predetermined number of bits, writes the re-converted data of the predetermined number of bits as the information on the quantity of ink into the printer memory, and applies the re-converted data of the predetermined number of bits for subsequent processing with regard to the quantity of in the cartridge, when it is determined that the read-out piece of identification information is not coincident with the stored piece of identification information. In this case, the subsequent processing with regard to the quantity of ink is carried out, based on the data on the quantity of ink stored in the non-volatile memory of the cartridge.
It is preferable that not only the information on the quantity of ink with regard to the cartridge currently attached to the printer but the same information with regard to all the cartridges that have been attached to the printer at least once is stored in the printer memory. In this configuration, a piece of identification information that enables identification of the cartridge is stored in the non-volatile memory of the cartridge. The piece of identification information stored in the non-volatile memory is read at a time of a start of power supply and/or at a time of a replacement of the cartridge. By utilizing the read-out piece of identification information, the information on the quantity of with regard to each cartridge having a different piece of identification information is stored into the printer memory. In the case of a replacement of the cartridge, the applicable technique retrieves data stored in the printer memory by utilizing the piece of identification information read from the non-volatile memory, so as to determine whether or not an identical piece of identification information, which is identical with the read-out piece of identification information and represents an identical cartridge, is present in the printer memory. When it is determined that the identical piece of identification information is present in the printer memory, the technique applies the information on the quantity of ink corresponding to the identical piece of identification information for subsequent processing with regard to the quantity of ink in the cartridge. This arrangement enables the processing with regard to the quantity of ink to be carried out with high accuracy even when a plurality of cartridges are successively attached to the printer and used for printing.
In accordance with one application of this structure, when it is determined that the identical piece of identification information is present in the printer memory, the applicable technique determines whether or not the information on the quantity of ink, which corresponds to the identical piece of identification information and is written in the printer memory, is coincident with the converted data of the specific number of bits written in the non-volatile memory. The technique applies the data of the predetermined number of bits, which corresponds to the identical piece of identification information and is stored in the printer memory, for subsequent processing with regard to the quantity of ink in the cartridge, when it is determined that the information on the quantity of ink is coincident with the converted data of the specific number of bits. The structure of this application determines the coincidence with regard to the information on the quantity of ink as well as with regard to the piece of identification information. This arrangement enables the accurate piece of information to be extracted and used as the information on the quantity of ink with regard to the cartridge currently attached to the printer.
In accordance with another application of this structure, when it is determined that the information on the quantity of ink, which corresponds to the identical piece of identification information and is written in the printer memory, is not coincident with the converted data of the specific number of bits written in the non-volatile memory, the applicable technique re-converts the data of the specific number of bits written in the non-volatile memory into the data of the predetermined number of bits, writes the re-converted data of the predetermined number of bits as the information on the quantity of ink corresponding to the identical piece of identification information into the printer memory, and applies the re-converted data of the predetermined number of bits for subsequent processing with regard to the quantity of ink in the cartridge. In this case, the subsequent processing with regard to the quantity of ink is carried out, based on the data on the quantity of ink stored in the non-volatile memory of the cartridge.
In the configuration that carries out the processing with regard to the quantity of ink by taking advantage of the data stored in the two different memories, it is practical that the printer memory has a greater storage capacity than the non-volatile memory included in the cartridge. Incorporating the memory of a large storage capacity in the expendable cartridge is not desirable from both the view points of cost and resource saving.
It is also preferable that the printer memory enables a higher-speed access than the non-volatile memory included in the cartridge. Since the data of the greater number of bits are written into the printer memory, the memory that enables the higher-speed access is desirable.
Data may be written into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge at a variety of timings. For example, the data may be written into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge at a power-off time of the printer and/or at a time of a replacement of the cartridge. This arrangement enables the data stored in the cartridge to be updated when the cartridge is detached from the printer.
The data may be written into the printer memory when a printing operation has been completed with regard to one page and/or with regard to at least one raster line. It is also preferable that the data in the printer memory are updated at a high frequency, whereas data in the non-volatile memory of the cartridge are updated at a lower frequency.
In accordance with one preferable embodiment of the present invention, the printer has a cleaning unit that carries out head cleaning in response to a predetermined operation, wherein the head cleaning causes a preset quantity of ink to be transferred from the print head. In this structure, data are written into the printer memory when the cleaning unit carries out the head cleaning. The ink jet printer may have a cleaning function to prevent nozzles formed on the print head from being clogged. The cleaning operation naturally consumes a certain quantity of ink. It is accordingly preferable to update the information on the quantity of ink after each cleaning operation.
A variety of known memories may be applicable for the non-volatile memory mounted on the cartridge. For example, a memory that transmits data by serial access may be used for the non-volatile memory. This type of memory is generally inexpensive and has a less number of terminals as a chip, which leads to the effect of resource saving, although the storage capacity is relatively small. In this case, data are written into the non-volatile memory in synchronism with a clock for specifying an address.
The clock for specifying the address may be output from a control IC that directly controls a writing operation of data into the non-volatile memory. In this case, the printer memory may be disposed inside the control IC or alternatively outside the control IC.
In one preferable embodiment of the printer, the cartridge is detachably attached to a carriage, which has the print head mounted thereon and moves forward and backward relative to the printing medium. In this case, the printer memory may be mounted on the carriage. In the case where the control IC receives data from a controller of the printer, for example, via communications, it is preferable that the printer memory is located in the vicinity of the control IC. The principle of the present invention is applicable to the structure in which the cartridge is not mounted on the carriage but is set in the printer main body.
The structure of incorporating the non-volatile memory in the cartridge is applicable to any type of the cartridge. For example, in the case where both a black ink cartridge, in which black ink is kept, and a color ink cartridge, in which a plurality of different color inks are kept, are detachably attached to the printer, the non-volatile memory is provided in both the black ink cartridge and the color ink cartridge, and data are written into the respective non-volatile memories. The configuration that provides a non-volatile memory for each cartridge enables the data on the quantity of ink with regard to each cartridge to be processed independently. The principle of the present invention is also applicable to a printer, to which only a black ink cartridge or a color ink cartridge is detachably attached.
The present invention is also directed to a method of managing information in a printer, to which an ink cartridge is detachably attached, wherein the ink cartridge keeps ink therein and has a rewritable non-volatile memory and the printer causes the ink kept in the cartridge to be transferred from a print head mounted on the printer to a printing medium, thereby implementing a printing operation. The method includes the steps of: writing information on a quantity of ink in the ink cartridge, which is consumed with a progress of a printing operation on the printing medium, as data of a predetermined number of bits, into a rewritable printer memory incorporated in a main body of the printer; and converting the information on the quantity of ink in the ink cartridge to data of a specific number of bits, which is less than the predetermined number of bits, and writing the converted data of the specific number of bits into the non-volatile memory included in the ink cartridge.
This method of managing the information on the quantity of ink enables the data of the greater number of bits, that is, the data with a high accuracy, to be stored in the printer memory, without applying an excessive load to the non-volatile memory of the cartridge, which has a smaller storage capacity. This arrangement thus enables the information on the quantity of ink in the cartridge to be managed in an appropriate manner.
The method of the present invention may be actualized by a printer or a computer that is connected to the printer. In the latter case, the principle of the present invention is attained by a computer program products or a recording medium, in which a program executed by the computer is recorded. The present invention is accordingly directed to a computer program products, in which a specific program is recorded in a computer readable recording medium. The specific program is used to manage information in a printer, to which a cartridge is detachably attached, wherein the cartridge keeps ink therein and has a rewritable non-volatile memory and the printer causes the ink kept in the cartridge to be transferred from a print head mounted on the printer to a printing medium, thereby implementing a printing operation. The specific program includes: a first program code that causes a computer to write information on a quantity of ink in the cartridge, which is consumed with a progress of a printing operation on the printing medium, as data of a predetermined number of bits, into a rewritable printer memory incorporated in a main body of the printer; and a second program code that causes the computer to convert the information on the quantity of ink in the cartridge to data of a specific number of bits, which is less than the predetermined number of bits, and write the converted data of the specific number of bits into the non-volatile memory included in the cartridge.
The computer reads the recording medium and executes the program codes of the specific program recorded on the recording medium, thereby actualizing the method of managing information discussed above.
The present invention is further directed to a cartridge that keeps ink therein and has a rewritable non-volatile memory. The cartridge is detachably attached to a printer. Information on a quantity of ink in the cartridge, which is consumed with a progress of a printing operation, is written into the non-volatile memory as data of a specific number of bits, which is less than a predetermined number of bits allocated to data stored in the printer.
In the cartridge of the present invention, the information on the quantity of ink is written into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge as data of a specific number of bits, which is less than a predetermined number of bits allocated to data stored in the printer. This arrangement advantageously reduces the required storage capacity of the non-volatile memory.
In the cartridge of the present invention, it is preferable that the information on the quantity of ink is written into the non-volatile memory at a power-off time of the printer and/or at a time of a replacement of the cartridge. Updating the information on the quantity of information at these timings enables the information regarding the latest quantity of ink to be kept in the non-volatile memory of the cartridge, even when a replacement of the cartridge is required unexpectedly.
An EEPROM or a flash memory may be used for the non-volatile memory of the cartridge. Another available structure backs up the contents in a memory by means of a battery, so as to make the battery non-volatile. A bubble memory or a micro-miniature hard disk may also be applicable for the non-volatile memory.
A memory that transmits data by serial access may be applicable for the non-volatile memory. In this case, the information on the quantity of ink is written into the non-volatile memory in synchronism with a clock for specifying an address. The memory of the serial access type is small-sized and has a less number of terminals, thereby attaining the effect of resource saving.
The data written into the non-volatile memory may be obtained by omitting lower bits from the data of the predetermined number of bits stored in the printer or by converting the data of the predetermined number of bits stored in the printer to data representing a percentage. The only requirement is that the data written into the non-volatile memory should have a smaller number of bits and correspond to the data stored in the printer.
In accordance with one preferable application of the present invention, the cartridge has an ink reservoir, in which a plurality of different inks are kept. The data of the specific number of bits are written with regard to each of the plurality of different inks into the non-volatile memory. This arrangement enables plural pieces of information regarding the quantities of the plurality of different inks to be stored in one non-volatile memory.
In one embodiment of the cartridge with a plurality of different inks kept therein, the ink reservoir is divided into at least three ink chambers, in which at least three different inks are kept, and the non-volatile memory has a plurality of information storage areas, in each of which information on a quantity of each of the at least three different inks is stored independently. A storage capacity of not greater than 2 bytes is allocated respectively to the plurality of information storage areas.
In this structure of the embodiment, the storage capacity of not greater than 2 bytes is allocated to each ink. When the cartridge has three different inks kept therein, the total storage capacity required for storing the information on the quantities of the three different inks is not greater than 6 bytes. In the case where the ink reservoir is divided into five ink chambers, in which five different inks are kept, the total storage capacity required for storing the information on the quantities of the five different inks is not greater than 10 bytes.
In any of the applications of the present invention discussed above, the information on the quantity of ink may be the remaining quantity of or a cumulative amount of ink consumption with regard to the cartridge. The information may otherwise be an amount of ink consumption while the cartridge of interest is attached to the printer. There is a cartridge that can be refilled with ink. The cartridge of this type is detached from the printer, refilled with ink, and attached again to the printer, for example, in response to an instruction of xe2x80x98refillxe2x80x99 displayed on the switch panel. In this case, it is required to monitor the amount of ink consumption while the cartridge is attached to the printer.
These and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with the accompanying drawings. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to memorial figurines, and more particularly to funeral vase statues that provide pre-cast statues or figurines that can be interchangeably installed into a vase and held by fasteners.
2. Description of the Related Art
Monuments for gravesites are ubiquitous. Often times these monuments are in the form of statues. These statues or other type monuments are most likely of a permanent, immutable nature. However, when a family member goes to a gravesite to pay tribute to the deceased on a particular day of remembrance or holiday, it would be desirable to be able to modify the gravesite monument or statue to be in keeping with day of remembrance or holiday. For example, it would be desirable to modify the monument for an event holiday such as Christmas, Easter, a family member's birthday, the deceased's birthday, and the like.
Thus, funeral vase statues solving the aforementioned problems are desired. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to insulator layers formed within integrated circuits. More particularly, the present invention relates to a non-etchback self-aligned method for reducing the sizes of vias formed through insulator layers within integrated circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a consequence of the ever increasing demands for integrated circuit function and performance, advanced generations of integrated circuits have shown a corresponding increase in levels of integration. Some aspects of advanced integrated circuit function and performance demands may be accommodated through increased vertical integration of advanced integrated circuits. Increased vertical integration is accomplished by incorporating additional conductor and interconnect levels within those integrated circuits. However, far greater levels of integrated circuit function and performance increases are typically achieved through increased horizontal integration of advanced integrated circuits. Increased horizontal integration of advanced integrated circuits requires continuing decreases in integrated circuit device dimensions, integrated circuit conductor dimensions and integrated circuit insulator dimensions.
Traditionally, increases in horizontal integration have required corresponding advances in photolithographic and etching processes through which intricate semiconductor features are formed within and/or upon the surfaces of semiconductor substrates. These advances have guided conventional photolithographic methods and materials from exposure wavelengths in the visible and near ultraviolet regions to exposure wavelengths in the deep ultraviolet region. Most recently, these advances have guided advanced photolithographic methods and materials to exposure wavelengths in the x-ray wavelength region.
While the demands for increased integrated circuit functionality and performance will no doubt continue to increase, such increases place a substantial and continuing burden upon the photolithographic and etching processes which are typically employed in forming the integrated circuit devices with the reduced feature sizes that are needed to fulfill the functionality and performance demands. The burden is both technological and economic. It is thus towards the goal of producing advanced integrated circuits having decreased feature sizes without the need for improved photolithographic and etching processes that the present invention is directed.
Methods through which decreased feature sizes within advanced integrated circuits may be achieved without the need for fundamental advances in photolithographic and etching methods are known in the art. For example, Brigham et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,808 disclose a method for controlling the size of etched vias and metal contacts within insulator layers employed in integrated circuits. The method involves forming a via through an insulator layer by means of standard photolithographic and etching methods. At the bottom of the via is optionally exposed an underlying metal layer. Into the via is then formed a conformal insulator layer which is subsequently anisotropically etched to remove the portion of the insulator layer at the bottom of the via, thus exposing the metal layer. The anisotropic etching leaves residual conformal insulator layer material on the sidewalls of the via. Through the disclosed method there may be provided a via of substantially reduced cross-sectional diameter without need for fundamental advances in photolithographic or etching methods.
Desirable in the art are methods which expand from the disclosure of Brigham et al., and provide additional methods for forming narrow cross-sectional diameter vias through insulator layers within advanced integrated circuits, preferably without the need for fundamental advances in photo lithographic or etching technology. Most desirable are methods which require no additional etching of a narrow cross-sectional diameter via, once formed. | {
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In recent years, different types of wireless networks have been developed to provide radio communication for various wireless devices in different areas such as cells. The wireless networks, also commonly referred to as cellular or mobile networks, are constantly improved to provide better capacity, quality and coverage to meet the demands from subscribers using services and increasingly advanced terminals for communication, such as smartphones and tablets, which often require considerable amounts of bandwidth and resources for data transport in the networks. Therefore, it is often a challenge to achieve high capacity and good performance, e.g. in terms of high data throughput, low latency and low rate of dropped or lost data, in the radio communication between base stations in the wireless network and various wireless devices communicating with the base stations.
In the field of radio communication in wireless networks, the terms “wireless device” and “User Equipment, UE” are commonly used and will be interchangeably used in this disclosure to represent any mobile phone, tablet, Machine-to-Machine (M2M) device or laptop computer capable of radio communication with a wireless network including receiving downlink signals transmitted from a serving network node and sending uplink signals to the network node. Sometimes the term “user” is used instead of UE. Further, the terms “network node”, “base station” and “Node B” may be interchangeably used in this disclosure to represent any node of a wireless network that can communicate uplink and downlink radio signals with wireless devices or UEs. The network node described here may, without limitation, be a base station or any other node that controls transmissions in the network.
In order to improve capacity and performance in the wireless network, various features can be employed that are intended to make the radio communication more efficient in terms of resource usage. In particular, it is desirable to reduce the amount of interference generated by uplink transmissions made by wireless devices, which in turn could improve the capacity and performance. For example, transmissions with high bitrate may generate high interference for others. High bitrate may also require a high Signal-to-Interference Ratio, SIR, for successful communication. Since the signal strength is limited by the available device power, the SIR in a multi-user scenario may be severely degraded, leading to much lower maximum bitrate for the devices and also a lower overall system throughput.
This interference issue may be addressed by employing a so-called “clean carrier” which is dedicated to high bitrate transmissions in a Time Division Multiplexing, TDM, scheme where uplink transmissions are separated in different Transmission Time Intervals, TTIs, assigned to the wireless devices. Thereby, less rigorous power control can be employed since transmission on this carrier will not disturb transmissions on other carriers separated in frequency. In general, it is of interest for network operators to improve capacity in their networks by utilizing the available radio resources as efficiently as possible. In a TDM scheme the radio resources are commonly defined by time and frequency where only one wireless device at a time is allowed to transmit on a particular frequency, i.e. during separate TTIs, which is well-known in this field. This process is controlled by signaling so-called grants to the wireless devices.
However, it is a problem that the process of controlling uplink transmissions, e.g. in a TDM scheme, may sometimes require much signaling between the wireless devices and the network nodes for multiplexing different wireless devices in separate TTIs. Another problem is that conventional signaling may result in less than optimal utilization of available radio resources in terms of carriers and TTIs, such that some TTIs may go unused as a result of the currently employed signaling schemes, which is ultimately a waste of capacity. | {
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This invention relates to isolation amplifiers, and more particularly to circuitry and techniques for very precisely coupling the times of occurrence of pulse signals across isolation barriers, particularly low capacitance capacitive isolation barriers, to produce a lower cost, higher bandwidth isolation amplifier with higher input-to-output isolation voltage than has heretofore been available.
Isolation amplifers have been developed for various applications wherein considerably greater electrical isolation between amplifier inputs and outputs is required than can be obtained for conventional "instrumentation amplifiers" and differential amplifiers. Such "isolation amplifiers" are widely used in applications in the medical electronics field and in industrial and military applications wherein it is essential that there be minimum coupling of common mode signals from inputs of amplifiers to their outputs, for example, due to electrostatic discharge signals and electromagnetic pulse signals. Typically, in isolation amplifiers the original analog input signal has been modulated in a variety of ways, including amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, pulse width modulation, duty cycle modulation, and phase modulation. Considerable difficulty has been encountered by circuit designers attempting to obtain high frequency, low distortion performance at low cost and with high reliability for a variety of reasons, including the presence of nonlinearities and temperature dependency of the "isolation barrier" or intermediate transmission medium.
An "isolation" amplifier may be required, for example, to amplify an input AC signal having an amplitude of as low as a few millivolts superimposed upon a large transient common mode voltage as high as 1500 to 3500 volts, or even higher. Most prior isolation amplifiers have utilized magnetic transformers or optoelectronic devices as isolation barriers. However, the cost of isolation amplifiers using optoelectronic or magnetic isolation barriers has been quite high. Furthermore, the bandwidth of isolation amplifiers using optoelectronic or magnetic isolation barriers has been lower than is desirable. The present state-of-the-art is exemplified by the assignee's Burr-Brown ISO 100 optically coupled isolation amplifier, which has an isolation voltage of 750 volts, a bandwidth of 60 kilohertz, and a cost of roughly $30.00.
Although high performance isolation amplifiers have found an increasing market over the past few years, their cost is so high that most users build their own isolation amplifier circuits, because it is generally perceived by users that it is less expensive to manufacture a particular isolation amplifier that meets their requirements than to purchase a suitable commercially available "off-the-shelf" device. The assignee's marketing research indicates that if high performance isolation amplifiers having an isolation voltage of about 1500 volts or more and bandwidth greater than about 1 kilohertz could be manufactured economically, for example, for less than about $10.00 to $15.00, there would be a large market for such devices. However, until now it has not been possible to provide such an isolation amplifier, despite intensive efforts being directed by major suppliers of hybrid integrated circuits toward this objective.
It is clear that there is an unmet need for an improved low cost, high bandwidth, highly reliable isolation amplifier having an isolation voltage of about 1500 volts or more.
The state-of-the-art is believed to be indicated by commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,595 (Smith) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,540 (Galloway). The isolation amplifier in Pat. No. 4,292,595 introduces the idea of using a pair of capacitors as an isolation barrier in an isolation amplifier. The described circuit is quite complex, and the high voltage isolation barrier capacitors need to be very large, roughly 50 picofarads, making the circuit impractical. The circuit shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,540 cannot operate in conjunction with a capacitive isolation barrier, as would be desirable in order to eliminate the high cost and slow speed of the prior optoelectronic and magnetic transformer isolation barriers used in most isolation amplifiers. In this reference, the signal coupled across the isolation barrier is differentiated with an RC time constant that allows the resulting pulse coupled across the isolation barrier to "droop" through an operational amplifier offset voltage, resulting in inaccurate triggering. Such inaccurate triggering results in inaccurate decoding and consequently inaccurate analog output signal levels. The foregoing references do not provide the guidance needed by one skilled in the art to make a low cost, reliable, isolation amplifier having high isolation voltage, high bandwidth, and wide dynamic range. | {
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Urinary catheters for draining the bladder through the urethra are commonly packaged in sterile and pre-lubricated condition in flexible containers or pouches. In some cases, the catheters are intended to be fully removed from such containers at the time of catheterization, whereas in others the containers and catheters may remain in communication with the containers then serving as urine-collecting pouches. Reference may be had to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,854,483 (Powers), 5,226,530 (Golden), 3,934,721 (Juster et al), 6,004,305 (Hursman et al), 5,147,341 (Starke et al) and 6,053,905 (Daignault et al) as illustrative of the art.
Catheterization commonly involves inserting the distal tip of a catheter (sometimes protected against contamination by an introducer sleeve as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,483 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,259) into the urethra and then longitudinally collapsing and extending the pouch in an accordion-like manner until the tip reaches the bladder. Such action is illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,363 (Bonner). By gripping the remote (proximal) end of the catheter between the walls of the pouch during the pouch-collapsing phase, the catheter is advanced in a distal direction and, conversely, during the pouch-extending phase, the catheter is held against reverse sliding movement by gripping it between the pouch walls near the pouch""s distal end. The operation is a two-handed one requiring considerable dexterity to insure that the catheter is advanced during the pouch-collapsing phase and not retracted during the pouch-extending phase.
Complications may arise that make such a procedure even more difficult. For example, fluid pressure may tend to expel the catheter and require the user to continue gripping the catheter between the walls of the pouch to hold it in place during voiding. Because the catheter is lubricated, immobilizing it by applying a gripping force to the walls of the pouch may require more strength and dexterity than patients can provide, thereby precluding self-catheterization.
In an effort to reduce such problems, some packages for prelubricated catheters contain gripping devices that may be squeezed to help hold a catheter against reverse sliding movement (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,053,905, 6,004,305 and WO 98/06642). Typically, such gripping devices are designed to engage the side surfaces of a catheter but, since those surfaces are already lubricated, slippage may still readily occur.
Lubricating and gripping systems used in current catheter packages often have other shortcomings as well. Lubricant gel may not be retained in one area of such a package but may be free to migrate into the urine-collective chamber, causing the walls of the pouch to stick together and make voiding more difficult. Squeezable gripping devices, even if properly fitted onto the tip of a catheter during production, may slip off during storage and transport, requiring a user to refit such a device prior to catheterization. Further, in some constructions, lubricant tends to be unevenly distributed over the surfaces of a catheter, causing patient discomfort and risking possible injury during catheterization.
This invention therefore concerns an improved self-lubricating catheter package that overcomes or at least greatly reduces the aforementioned defects and disadvantages of current products. More specifically, this invention involves a catheter package in which lubricant (preferably in the form of a gel) is retained in a housing located within the distal end portion of a pouch. Means are provided to insure even distribution of the lubricant over the surfaces of a catheter during a catheterization procedure. The housing includes gripping means which, in contrast to conventional devices, normally holds a catheter against sliding movement and releases that catheter for movement only when squeezing forces are applied by a user""s fingers. Since the gripping means automatically restrains sliding movement of the catheter in the absence of such squeezing forces, the device holds the catheter in place during storage and transport, thereby eliminating the possibility that a user might have to reinsert the catheter into the gripping device prior to use. Further, the gripping device easily holds the catheter in place in the urethra during voiding and also eliminates or greatly reduces the possibility of reverse movement of the catheter during the pouch-collapsing and pouch-extending phases of catheterization. The catheter gripping and lubricating device is therefore believed to be considerably more effective in operation and ease of use than existing devices and, when used in combination with a flexible container or pouch, results in a catheter package that is superior to current assemblies.
Briefly, the catheter gripping and lubricating device includes a deformable and shape-recoverable housing of elastomeric material defining a lubricant chamber. At its distal end, the chamber is substantially closed by an end cap having an axial catheter-receiving passage extending therethrough. The opposite or proximal end of the chamber includes a retention wall that restrains lubricant flow in a proximal direction from the housing. The retention wall is apertured to allow sliding movement of a catheter into and through the lubricant chamber of the housing.
Catheter gripping means is located at the proximal end portion of the housing in advance of (i.e., proximal to) the apertured retention wall and lubricant chamber. The gripping means normally grips opposite side surfaces of a catheter to restrain its sliding movement but is deformable upon the application of squeezing force (by a user""s fingers applied against the opposite side walls of the housing) to selectively release the catheter for sliding movement. The catheter gripping means includes a pair of deformable clamping members that normally frictionally engage opposite side surfaces of the catheter, such clamping members extending between and being connected to upper and lower walls of the housing so that squeezing forces applied to those walls will cause the clamping members to bow outwardly away from each other and release the catheter for sliding movement.
The catheter gripping and lubricating device is located within the distal end of a pouch that maintains the catheter in sterile condition prior to use and may advantageously serve as a urine collection pouch during catheterization. Ideally, side surfaces of the guide housing""s end cap are heat sealed or otherwise bonded to inside surfaces of the pouch at its distal end. The end cap includes a tubular extension that projects through and beyond the pouch""s distal end, and in one preferred embodiment of the invention such extension carries a soft pliant introducer sleeve designed to protect the catheter tip against contamination by non-sterile urethral surfaces immediately adjacent the urethral opening.
A lubricant, preferably in the form of a lubricant gel, is disposed in the lubricant chamber. The passage of the distal end cap, including the extension of that end cap, is of a diameter sufficiently greater than the outside diameter of the catheter to insure that a thin even coating of lubricant is applied to and remains on the catheter as it is advanced into the urethra. In that connection, it is to be noted that squeezing forces applied to the lubricant housing for purposes of releasing the gripping means also helps to insure that lubricant will be forced into contact with the external surfaces of the catheter as it advances through the lubricant chamber.
Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the drawings and specification. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of data communications networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for automatic address assignment for network devices in a cluster.
2. Background
A network is a communication system that links two or more computers and peripheral devices, and allows users to access resources on other computers and exchange messages with other users. A network allows users to share resources on their own systems with other network users and to access information on centrally located systems or systems that are located at remote offices. It may provide connections to the Internet or to the networks of other organizations. The network typically includes a cable that attaches to network interface cards (“NICs”) in each of the devices within the network. Users may interact with network-enabled software applications to make a network request, such as to get a file or print on a network printer. The application may also communicate with the network software, which may then interact with the network hardware to transmit information to other devices attached to the network.
A local area network (“LAN”) is a network that is located in a relatively small physical area, such as a building, in which computers and other network devices are linked, usually via a wiring-based cabling scheme. A LAN typically includes a shared medium to which workstations attach-and through which they communicate. LANs often use broadcasting methods for data communication, whereby any device on the LAN can transmit a message that all other devices on the LAN then “listen” to. However, only the device or devices to which the message is addressed actually receive the message. Data is typically packaged into frames for transmission on the LAN.
Currently, the most common LAN media is Ethernet, which traditionally has a maximum bandwidth of 10 Mbps. Traditional Ethernet is a half-duplex technology, in which each Ethernet network device checks the network to determine whether data is being transmitted before it transmits, and defers transmission if the network is in use. In spite of transmission deferral, two or more Ethernet network devices can transmit at the same time, which results in a collision. When a collision occurs, the network devices enter a back-off phase and retransmit later.
As more network devices are added to a LAN, they must wait more often before they can begin transmitting, and collisions are more likely to occur because more network devices are trying to transmit. Today, throughput on traditional Ethernet LANs suffers even more due to increased use of network-intensive programs, such as client-server applications, which cause hosts to transmit more often and for longer periods of time.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a network connection between a user 10 and a server 20. FIG. 1 is an example which may be consistent with any type of network, including a LAN, a wide area network (“WAN”), or a combination of networks, such as the Internet.
When a user 10 connects to a particular destination, such as a requested web page on a server 20, the connection from the user 10 to the server 20 is typically routed through several routers 12A-12D. Routers are internetworking devices. They are typically used to connect similar and heterogeneous network segments into Internetworks. For example, two LANs may be connected across a dial-up line, across the Integrated Services Digital Network (“ISDN”), or across a leased line via routers. Routers may also be found throughout the Internet. End users may connect to a local Internet Service Provider (“ISP”) (not shown).
As the data traffic on a LAN increases, users are affected by longer response times and slower data transfers, because all users attached to the same LAN segment compete for a share of the available bandwidth of the LAN segment (e.g., 10 Mbps in the case of traditional Ethernet). Moreover, LANs commonly experience a steady increase in traffic even if the number of users remains constant, due to increased network usage of software applications using the LAN. Eventually, performance drops below an acceptable level and it becomes necessary to separate the LAN into smaller, more lightly loaded segments.
LANs are becoming increasingly congested and overburdened. In addition to an ever-growing population of network users, several factors have combined to stress the capabilities of traditional LANs, including faster computers, faster operating systems, and more network-intensive software applications.
There are two traditional approaches to relieving LAN congestion. The first is to simply install a faster networking technology, such as FDDI, ATM, or Fast Ethernet. However, these approaches are expensive to implement. The other traditional approach is to use bridges and routers to reduce data traffic between networks. This solution is also relatively expensive both in money and configuration time, and is only effective when inter-segment traffic is minimal. When inter-segment traffic is high, some bridges and routers can become a bottleneck due to their limited processing power. They also require extensive setup and manual configuration in order to maintain their performance. In addition, despite large buffers, packet loss is always a possibility.
Switching is a technology that alleviates congestion in Ethernet, Token Ring, and Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) and other similar LANs by reducing traffic and increasing bandwidth. LAN switches are designed to work with existing media infrastructures so that they can be installed with minimal disruption of existing networks.
A Media Access Control (“MAC”) address is the unique hexadecimal serial number assigned to each Ethernet network device to identify it on the network. With Ethernet devices, this address is permanently set at the time of manufacture. Each network device has a unique MAC address, so that it will be able to receive only the frames that were sent to it. If MAC addresses were not unique, there would be no way to distinguish between two stations. Devices on a network monitor network traffic and search for their own MAC address in each frame to determine whether they should decode it or not. Special circumstances exist for broadcasting to every device on the network.
Ethernet uses variable-length frames of data to transmit information from a source to one or more destinations. Every Ethernet frame has two fields defined as the source and destination addresses, which indicate the MAC addresses of the network devices where a frame originated and where it is ultimately destined, respectively. FIG. 2-A illustrates the structure of an Ethernet frame, as defined by the IEEE. As shown in FIG. 2-A, the Ethernet frame 22 includes a Preamble 24, a Start of Frame Delimiter 26, a Destination Address 28, a Source Address 30, a Length of data field 32, a variable-length Data field 34, a Pad 36, and a Checksum 38. The Preamble 24 is a seven-byte field, with each byte containing the bit pattern 10101010 to allow for clock synchronization between sending and receiving stations (not shown). The Start of Frame Delimiter 26 is a one-byte field containing the bit pattern 10101011 to denote the start of the frame itself. The Destination Address 28 and the Source Address 30 are typically six-byte fields which specify the unique MAC addresses of the receiving and sending stations. Special addresses allow for multicasting to a group of stations and for broadcasting to all stations on the network. The Length of Data field 32 specifies the number of bytes present in the Data field 34, from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 1500. The Pad field 36 is used to fill out the length of the entire frame 22 to a minimum of 64 bytes when the Data field 34 contains a small number of bytes. Finally, the Checksum field 38 is a 32-bit hash code of the Data field 34, which can used by the receiving station to detect data transmission errors.
In the context of the present invention, the term “switching” refers to a technology in which a network device (known as a switch) connects two or more LAN segments. A switch transmits frames of data from one segment to their destinations on the same or other segments. When a switch begins to operate, it examines the MAC address of the frames that flow through it to build a table of known sources. If the switch determines that the destination of a frame is on the same segment as the source of the frame, it drops, or filters, the frame because there is no need to transmit it. If the switch determines that the destination is on another segment, it transmits the frame onto the destination segment only. Finally, using a technique known as flooding, if the destination segment is unknown, the switch transmits the frame on all segments except the source segment.
Logically, a LAN switch behaves similarly to a bridge, which is a different kind of network device. The primary difference is that switches have higher data throughput than bridges, because their frame forwarding algorithms are typically performed by application-specific integrated circuits (“ASICs”) especially designed for that purpose, as opposed to the more general purpose (and relatively slower) microprocessors typically used in bridges. Like bridges, switches are designed to divide a large, unwieldy local network into smaller segments, insulating each segment from local traffic on other segments, thus increasing aggregate bandwidth while still retaining full connectivity. Switches typically have higher port counts than bridges, allowing several-independent data paths through the device. This higher port count also increases the data throughput capabilities of a switch.
Because a switch maintains a table of the source MAC addresses received on every port, it “learns” to which port a station is attached every time the station transmits. Then, each packet that arrives for that station is forwarded only to the correct port, eliminating the waste of bandwidth on the other ports. Since station addresses are relearned every time a station transmits, if stations are relocated the switch will reconfigure its forwarding table immediately upon receiving a transmission from the stations.
Referring now to FIG. 2-B, a block diagram of an -Ethernet switch according to one aspect of the present invention is shown. As shown in FIG. 2-B, Ethernet switch 200 includes a Layer 1 Physical Interface (“PHY”) 202, 204, and a Layer 2 Media Access Control Interface (“MAC”) 206, 208, for each port on the Ethernet switch 200. A network interface card (“NIC”) consists of a MAC and a PHY. An Ethernet switch also contains a MAC and PHY on every port. Thus, an Ethernet switch may appear to a network as multiple NICs coupled together. Each switch PHY 202, 204, receives the incoming data bit stream and passes it to its corresponding MAC 206, 208, which reassembles the original Ethernet frames.
Ethernet switch 200 also includes a frame buffer memory 210, 212, for each port, a source address table memory 220, discovery protocol logic 230, learning logic 240, forwarding logic 250, packet redirection logic 260, and a configuration and management interface 270. During operation, the learning logic 240 will look at the source address (“SA”) within a received Ethernet frame and populate the Source Address Table (“SAT”) memory 220 with three columns: MAC address 280, port number 282, and age 284. The MAC address is the same as the source address that a sender has embedded into the frame. The age item will be a date stamp to indicate when the last frame was received from a particular MAC SA. In the example shown in FIG. 2-B, the port number may be 1 or 2. The SAT is also known as the Switch Forwarding Table (“SFT”).
Forwarding logic 250 examines at the destination address (“DA”) of a received Ethernet frame. This now becomes the new MAC address, which is then compared with the entries in the SAT. Four different forwarding options are possible. If the destination address is a specific address, known as a “broadcast” address, the frame is destined for all ports on the network. In this case, the Ethernet switch will forward the frame to all ports, except the one on which the frame was received. A broadcast address is six bytes with all ones, or “FF.FF.FF.FF.FF.FF” in hexadecimal notation. If the MAC address is found in the SAT and the corresponding port number is different from the received port, the frame is forwarded to that particular port number only. If the MAC address is found in the SAT and the port number is the same as the received port number, the frame is not forwarded; instead, it is discarded. This is known as. “filtering.” The frame is discarded because the transmitting station and the receiving station are connected on the same shared LAN segment on that particular port and the receiver has already tuned into the frame. If the MAC address is not found in the table, the frame is forwarded to all ports. The reason a particular destination address is not present in the SAT table is that the receiving device could be new on the network, or the recipient has been very quiet (has not recently sent a frame). In both cases, the bridge SAT will not have a current entry. Flooding the frame on all ports is the brute way of ensuring that the frame is routed to its intended recipient.
Ethernet switch 200 uses the “age” entry in the SAT to determine whether that MAC address is still in use on the LAN. If the age has exceeded a certain preset value, the entry is removed. This conserves memory space and makes the bridge faster because fewer entries need to be scanned for address matching. Finally, the frame buffer memories 210, 212 will store frames on each port in case there is a backlog of frames to be forwarded.
According to embodiments of the present invention, discovery protocol logic 230 receives, processes, and sends Cisco Discovery Protocol (“CDP”) or other discovery protocol packets to neighboring network devices on the network. Packet redirection logic 260 examines the source and destination addresses of Ethernet packets under control of the configuration and management interface 270 and forwards them to other network devices in a cluster configuration. As known to those skilled in the art, the program code corresponding to discovery protocol logic 230, learning logic 240, forwarding logic 250, packet redirection logic 260, configuration and management interface 270, and other necessary functions may all be stored on a computer-readable medium. Depending on each particular application, computer-readable media suitable for this purpose may include, without limitation, floppy diskettes, hard drives, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, nonvolatile RAM, or flash memory.
An Ethernet LAN switch improves bandwidth by separating collision domains and selectively forwarding traffic to the appropriate segments. FIG. 3 illustrates the topology of a typical Ethernet network 40 in which a LAN switch 42 has been installed. With reference now to FIG. 3, exemplary Ethernet network 40 includes a LAN switch 42. As shown in FIG. 3, LAN switch 42 has five ports: 44, 46, 48, 50, and 52. The first port 44 is connected to LAN segment 54. The second port 46 is connected to LAN segment 56. The third port 48 is connected to LAN segment 58. The fourth port 50 is connected to LAN segment 60. The fifth port 52 is connected to LAN segment 62. The Ethernet network 40 also includes a plurality of servers 64-A-64-C and a plurality of clients 66-A-66-K, each of which is attached to one of the LAN segments 54, 56,58, 60, or 62. If server 64-A on port 44 needs to transmit to client 66-D on port 46, the LAN switch 42 forwards Ethernet frames from port 44 to port 46, thus sparing ports 48, 50, and 52 from frames destined for client 66-D. If server 64-C needs to send data to client 66-J at the same time that server 64-A sends data to client 66-D, it can do so because the LAN switch can forward frames from port 48 to port 50 at the same time it is forwarding frames from port 44 to port 46. If server 64-A on port 44 needs to send data to client 66-C, which is also connected to port 44, the LAN switch 42 does not need to forward any frames.
Performance improves in LANs in which LAN switches are installed because the LAN switch creates isolated collision domains. Thus, by spreading users over several collision domains, collisions are avoided and performance improves. In addition, many LAN switch installations dedicate certain ports to a single users, giving those users an effective bandwidth of 10 Mbps when using traditional Ethernet.
As a LAN grows, either due to additional users or network devices, additional switches must often be added to the LAN and connected together to provide more ports and new network segments. One way to connect multiple LAN switches together is to cascade them using high-speed ports. However, when cascading LAN switches, the interswitch bandwidth is limited by the number of connections between switches.
Referring now to FIG. 4, two LAN switches 70-A and 70-B are shown, connected in a cascaded configuration. As shown, each of the LAN switches 70-A and 70-B contains eight ports, 72-A-72-H and 74-A-74-H. On each of the LAN switches 70-A and 70-B, four ports 72-A-72-D and 74-A-74-D are connected to computer workstations 76-A-76-D and 76-E-76-H, respectively. The other four ports on each LAN switch (i.e., ports 72-E-72-H on LAN switch 70-A, and ports 74-E-74-H on LAN switch 70-B) are dedicated to interswitch communication. For example, if each of the four interswitch connections is capable of supporting a 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet channel, the aggregate interswitch communication rate of the switches connected as shown in FIG. 4 is 400 Mbps. However, the total number of ports available for connecting to workstations or other network devices on each LAN switch is diminished due to the dedicated interswitch connections that are necessary to implement the cascaded configuration.
As a LAN grows, network devices are typically added to the LAN and interconnected according to the needs of the particular LAN to which they belong. For example, FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary group of network devices in a LAN 78, and the interconnections between the network devices in the LAN 78. As shown in FIG. 5, the LAN 78 includes seven network devices: six LAN switches 80-A-80-F and a router 82. Each network device is connected to one or more of the other network devices in the LAN 78. Computer workstations, network printers and other network devices are also connected to the LAN 78, but not shown. It is to be understood that the LAN configuration shown in FIG. 5 is exemplary only, and not in any way limiting.
Regardless of the method used to interconnect them, network devices such as LAN switches need to be configured and managed, because they typically include a number of programmable features that can be changed by a network administrator for optimal performance in a particular network. Without limitation, such features typically include whether each port on the network device is enabled or disabled, the data transmission speed setting on each port, and the duplex setting on each port. Many commercially-available network devices contain embedded HTML Web servers, which allow the network device to be configured and managed remotely via a Web browser.
Traditionally, network device installation includes inserting the device into the network and assigning it an-Internet Protocol (“IP”) address, which is a 32-bit number assigned to hosts that want to participate in a TCP/IP Internet. The IP address of a network device is a unique address that specifies the logical location of a host or client on the Internet.
Once a network device has been assigned an IP address, a network administrator can enter the device's IP address or URL into a Web browser such as Netscape Navigator™, available from Netscape Communications Corp. of Mountain View, Calif., or Internet Explorer™, available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., to access the network device and configure it from anywhere in the Internet. However, each network device to be configured must have its own IP address, which must be registered with a domain name service (“DNS”). Assigning an IP address to each and every network device is undesirable, because registering IP addresses with a DNS is both costly and cumbersome.
Accordingly, it would be convenient for a network administrator to be able to assign a single IP address to one network device in a cluster, and then to be able to configure and manage all of the network devices in the cluster using this single IP address. Unfortunately, no current mechanism exists to enable this activity. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which permits an entire cluster of network devices to share a single IP address, and to provide a commander device which automatically assigns private IP addresses to other-network devices in the cluster. Another object of the present invention is to facilitate communication between the commander device and other cluster network devices without having to explicitly assign IP addresses to network devices in the cluster. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for separating particles from a particle--containing liquid. The invention moreover relates to a method of cleaning a device for separating particles from a particle containing liquid, wherein these particles settle on separating elements in the device.
2. The Prior Art
In e.g. biological waste waxer purification plants, separation of the cleaned water and bacterial sludge is performed in addition to the biological cleaning process. This separation usually takes place in tanks in which the sludge precipitates and the clean liquid flows away from the surface area. Such settling plants with precipitation of particles to be separated have considerable dimensions, and the construction of these involves considerable costs partly because of a great consumption of materials and partly because of a great consumption of time for the construction.
DE 31 21 117 discloses a separating device comprising separating chambers with fillers on which pollutants contained in the inflowing water may settle, following which the water flows out at the upper end of the separating chamber. Air may be admitted to clean the fillers of settled material. The released sinking material may then be removed at the lower end of the separating chamber. The separator described affords no possibility of removing light pollution components, which will flow upwards. These will be discharged together with the outflowing water.
NO 147 822 discloses a device for separating suspended particles from water. The arrangement of various chambers of varying flow area provides coalescence of the particles. It is not explained how the removal of the particles from the device takes place.
Further, NO 133 691 discloses a device for separating components of different specific weight from a liquid. The removal of separated components from the device is not explained in this document.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to a provide a device for separating particles from a particle-containing liquid, which requires considerably less space, and which involves a saving in materials because of a reduced consumption of materials and may moreover be constructed more quickly, while being considerably easier to clean of separated particles. | {
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The present invention relates to the field of electrical assembly installations for pipe wirings and, more particularly, for connecting metal cable pipes or conduits for installation in buildings and other types of construction.
The technical problem solved by the present invention is a new pipe connector providing:
threadless connection of metal pipes or conduit sections; PA1 radial assembly; PA1 possibility of assembly in hard-to-reach places with the limited place for installation tools; PA1 assembly simplicity; PA1 reliable electric contacts between the connecting pipes; PA1 reliable moisture and dust-proof seal at the junction. PA1 1) instead of a complicated conic-flange joint, the pipes are held due to their close compression between half-couplings that is achieved by large forces created when tightening together the half-coupling flanges, particularly when making half-couplings in the form of incomplete cylinders to place the flanges under tension when fully seated; PA1 2) the problem of lateral packing is solved by the special form of joined lateral faces of half-couplings particularly when making them in such a way that when assembling, the necks and beads fit into another with tension; in this case, if half-couplings are made split (sectioned) the same necks and beads keep the half-couplings from axially shifting; PA1 3) metal split rings solve the problem of the end packing, in this case unlike the known packing, the rings are held down not due to the axial force of the coupling nut (see the above mentioned O-Z catalog page 80 and page 96) but due to the radial force resulting from the tightened flanges and radial groove of conic form on the internal surface of the half-couplings; PA1 4) the construction provides both axial and radial assembly which greatly simplifies the assembly and installation especially in hard-to-reach places and when the place for tools is limited and when automatic alignment of the connected pipes is desired; PA1 5) the construction enables the assembly process to be optimized.
The basic prior art design of known connectors is a cylindrical coupling with internal thread into which connected pipes are either screwed in from both sides or the coupling itself is preliminary fully screwed on one of the pipes and then the second pipe is screwed on to the other half of the connector. See O-Z Gidney Product Catalog 8700--Electrical Fittings and Enclosure 1987, Page 66, "ICC TYPE". The required presence of the thread on this prior art pipe junction greatly complicates the assembly and limits application of such connectors in electrical assembly installations.
A prior art improvement includes smooth, unthreaded connectors, for example, the coupling comprising a shaped shackle having openings for the connected pipes and threaded holes to receive coupling bolts, which when screwed, causes the shackle ends to engage the pipes and couple them together. See USSR Patent No. 1,350,728. In spite of technological simplicity of production, such coupling does not provide sufficient mechanical strength as well as moisture and dust prevention of the junction for most applications.
There are known further couplings for threadless pipes connection, for example, where the pipe coupling action is carried out with the help of lock screws. See the above mentioned Product Catalog, Page 81, "29" type and Page 97, "5000" type or Japan Published Patent Application No. 61-43929. Additionally, said Japanese Publication includes an elastic plate having a semi-ring form is installed in the coupling held to the pipe by the lock screw to create a closed or sealed connection. The main disadvantage of such standard connectors lies in the fact that it is practically impossible to provide good electric contact, moisture and dust impenetrability and assembly simplicity simultaneously because, on the one hand, it is necessary to have as small clearance between the coupling and the pipe as possible and on the other hand this clearance must be as big as possible, otherwise, in case of the slightest warp or axes shift of the connected pipes, it will be impossible to install them in the cylindrical coupling.
More complicated connector constructions are known comprising a cylindrical coupling with two-way external thread, two coupling nuts, and split sealing rings. See the above mentioned O-Z Catalog, page 80 "30" type; page 96 "6000S" and "6000RS" types. Connected pipes are inserted from both sides into the coupling whereupon the nuts, preliminary mounted on pipes, are screwed on it. When screwing, the nut holds down the sealing ring close to the pipe, providing good electric contact and high moisture impenetrability. The given connector provides also high mechanical strength to the joint. However, the characteristics of the axial assembly of this connector involve causes assembly difficulties in cases of axial warp of the pipes and in hard-to-reach places, particularly when one connector half is already on an installed pipe and a tightening tool is required to be used.
It should be mentioned that radial assembly is not used for the most simplest to make joints because the problem of the end packing is compounded by the problem of the lateral packing. To avoid such a problem, half-coupling joints have been used. See, for example Japan Published Patent Application No. 64-4404. The joint provides good mechanical strength and assembly simplicity but does not protect the joint from the environment.
Another prior art pipe connector comprises flanges in the form of conic disks fixed (usually welded) near the ends of the connected pipes and two half-couplings having tightened flanges along the lateral faces and an internal radial conical groove. See Orlov P. E. "Desdign base: Methodical catalog" Two volumes, volume #2 by Uchaev P.E. 3rd corrected publishing, Sect. "M" Mechanical engineering, 1988. Page 544 (prototype-page 210, picture-drawing 494- VI). During assembly, the surfaces of the radial groove of the tightened half-couplings act upon the conical surfaces of pipe flanges, thus tightening the pipes together. The connector also has a sealing ring installed between the tightened flanges of half-couplings which purportedly solves the problem of lateral packing. There is no serious problem with the end packing for this connector because conic flanges are installed on pipes permanently (not sectionally). The main disadvantage of this connector is the assembly complexity because conic flanges need to be welded on the device during assembly and with rather high precision. | {
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In Applicant's WO 01/52558 A2 entitled “Method for Operating a Cellular Telecommunications Network, and Method for operating a Personal Cellular Telecommunications Device” and WO 01/52572 A1 entitled “Method for Operating a Cellular Telecommunications Network”, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, there is illustrated and described a screen saver application for displaying display messages on personal cellular telecommunications devices in a screen saver like manner, namely, their display is temporarily interrupted during, say, a voice call, an Internet session, and the like. The display messages are preferably so-called “interactive display messages” in the sense that a subscriber can automatically activate a Point-To-Point (PTP) transmission response mechanism from a dedicated response means integrally provided in a display message. Interactive display messages are preferably transmitted over a Point-To-MultiPoint (PTMP) transmission capability as opposed to over a PTP transmission capability due to bandwidth constraints, server constraints, and the like. But it is envisaged that certain typically high value content, for example, financial highlights, traffic news, and the like, will be transmitted to selected subscribers over a PTP transmission capability.
With the advent of Internet-enabled personal cellular telecommunications devices (hereinafter referred to as “Internet-enabled devices”), an interactive display message typically includes inter alia an Internet session option. However, the installed base of personal cellular telecommunications devices include both non Internet-enabled devices and Internet-enabled devices having different Internet browser launching capabilities for setting up an Internet session. Moreover, many personal cellular telecommunications device cannot be directly interrogated by a client application, for example, Applicant's screen saver application, for determining their Internet browser launching capability, thereby precluding the provisioning of a universally supported client application on the installed base of personal cellular telecommunications devices. Furthermore, matters are still further complicated since in some personal cellular telecommunications devices client applications run on a replaceable smart card residing in a Mobile Equipment (ME). Thus, implementing a client application, for example, Applicant's screen saver application, on the installed base of personal cellular telecommunications devices requires solving severe problems, and all the more so when interactive display messages are transmitted over a PTMP transmission capability.
EP 0 685 972 entitled “Mobile Communication System and Method Therefor” and WO 99/41931 entitled “Server Request including Code for Customizing Service to Requesting Mobile Station” both illustrate and describe harmonization procedures for harmonizing service to a personal cellular telecommunications device as provided by a mobile cellular telecommunications network operator commensurate with the feature set supported by the personal cellular telecommunications device. In EP 0 685 972, a network initiates a handshake with a personal cellular telecommunications device whereby the latter enables a feature of its feature set if supported by the network. In WO 99/41931, a personal telecommunications device initiates a request for service including identification information, and the resulting service to the personal cellular telecommunications device is commensurate with its feature set as determined by its identification information. | {
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Retaining walls are used in various landscaping projects and are available in a wide variety of styles. Numerous methods and materials exist for the construction of retaining walls. Such methods include the use of natural stone, poured concrete, precast panels, masonry, and landscape timbers or railroad ties.
A widely accepted method of construction of such walls is to dry stack concrete wall units, or blocks. These blocks are popular because they are mass produced and, consequently, relatively inexpensive. They are structurally sound and easy and relatively inexpensive to install. Because they comprise concrete, they are durable. They can be given a desired appearance such as a natural stone appearance. Many block systems also use pins that are adapted to fit in corresponding pin holes in adjacent blocks or may use other mechanical means to contribute to the stability of a wall.
Typically, retaining wall blocks are manufactured to have the desired appearance on the front face (i.e., the outer face of a wall) because only the front is typically visible after the wall is constructed. It is highly desirable to have the front face of the wall system have a natural stone appearance, and many approaches are used in the art to treat or process concrete to evoke the appearance of natural stone, including splitting the block, tumbling the block to weather the face and edges of the face, and using processing or texturing equipment to impart a weathered look to the concrete. Colored concrete in various forms and methods also is employed to mimic the look of natural stone.
Depending upon their location, the soil type, the amount of water that can flow through a concrete retaining wall, and the salt content of the concrete, an undesirable appearance can develop on the surface of a retaining wall due to efflorescence. Efflorescence refers to the leaching of mineral salts from concrete by water and this often occurs on walls in contact with water. The resultant deposit on a surface creates an unattractive white, stained appearance on a wall. In addition, due to exposure to the elements and freeze/thaw cycles, concrete retaining walls may exhibit spalling, that is, chipping and cracking of concrete, which affects their appearance and can ultimately affect their utility. Freeze-thaw effects are worsened when the wall face is exposed to salt spray, which commonly occurs on roadways where de-icing salts are used to clear the road of ice and snow.
There have been prior efforts to add a veneer to regular masonry and segmental retaining walls with natural stone or concrete that is pre-cast molded to closely resemble natural stone. While such veneering produces aesthetically pleasing walls, it is a laborious and highly expensive process, as it requires skilled masonry work to tie in the stone or concrete veneer to the wall using traditional mortared masonry construction methods. Such veneering can double the cost of the finished wall. In addition, reinforced soil (also known as mechanically stabilized earth (MSE)) segmental retaining walls are not rigid structures and applying a rigid mortared veneer may cause cracking of the veneer pieces or mortar areas unless appropriate steps are taken to provide slip joints that allow for such movement. Additionally, it has been proposed to attach veneers made from various materials to wall blocks or wall surfaces using a connecting means that does not require mortar. Although such veneers are advantageous in many respects improvements are needed. For example, it would be desirable to provide a block for use with a veneer that has been specifically designed and configured to form a wall that can be interlocked for stability and that can be used with veneers and compatible connectors to provide a wall structure that is both aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound. Further, it would be desirable to improve the connectors with which those veneers are attached to the blocks or wall surface and to improve the manner in which the blocks in the wall are connected and stabilized from course to course. | {
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The invention relates to an asynchronous frequency divider circuit for use especially with a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine. When so used, the divider circuit generates a control pulse train for the actuation of fuel injection values on the basis of an input pulse train synchronous with or related to a rotating engine member, for example the crankshaft or the ignition distributor.
Known in the art is the use of bistable multivibrators for frequency division of pulse trains, in even or uneven ratios, and synchronously actuated by a common clock pulse train. Also known are frequency divider circuits containing bistable multivibrators which are actuated dynamically, i.e., via capacitors in the input circuits of the dividing sub-circuits. | {
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As the semiconductor industry has progressed into nanometer technology process nodes in pursuit of higher device density, higher performance, and lower costs, challenges from both fabrication and design have resulted in the development of three dimensional designs, such as fin-like field effect transistors (FinFETs). A typical FinFET is fabricated with a thin “fin” (or fin structure) extending from a substrate, for example, etched into a silicon layer of the substrate. The channel of the FinFET is formed in the vertical fin. A gate is provided over (e.g., wrapping) the fin. It is beneficial to have a gate on both sides of the channel allowing gate control of the channel from both sides. FinFET devices also include strained source/drain features to enhance carrier mobility and improve device performance. The strained source/drain features typically use epitaxial (epi) silicon germanium (SiGe) in p-type devices and epi silicon (Si) in n-type devices. FinFET devices provide numerous advantages, including reduced short channel effects and increased current flow. Although existing FinFET devices and methods for fabricating FinFET devices have been generally adequate for their intended purposes, as device scaling down continues, they have not been entirely satisfactory in all respects. | {
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Technical Field
This disclosure relates to electronic systems and, in particular, to radio frequency (RF) electronics.
Description of the Related Technology
A radio frequency (RF) system can include antennas for receiving and/or transmitting RF signals. There can be several components in an RF system that may access the antennas. For example, an RF system can include different transmit and/or receive paths associated with different frequency bands, different communication standards and/or different power modes, and each path may access a particular antenna at certain instances in time.
An antenna switch module can be used to electrically connect an antenna to a particular transmit or receive path of the RF system, thereby allowing multiple components to access the antennas. In certain configurations, an antenna switch module is in communication with a diversity module, which processes signals received and/or transmitted using one or more diversity antennas. The diversity module can include a bypass path that bypasses the receive path and/or transmit path processing of signals in the diversity module. | {
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Many modern electronic circuits employ electronic filters to remove unwanted signal components. One conventional filter structure may include an inductor and a capacitor (an LC) circuit. FIG. 1A illustrates a conventional LC circuit. FIG. 1B illustrates an equivalent balanced differential version of the LC circuit. Electronic filters are used in a large number of applications, including bi-directional communications systems, the various types of Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL), and other digital carrier systems. xDSL may include, for example, asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), high-speed digital subscriber line (HDSL) and very high-speed digital subscriber line (VDSL) systems.
In general, electronic filters see at least two sets of frequencies in a received signal. One range of frequencies is allowed to pass through the filter without being attenuated and is referred to as the passband. A second range, which is filtered out and not allowed to pass through to the filter output, is referred to as the stopband. When driving a resistive load (Z0), most conventional electronic filters, including those illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, have the same nominal, resistive input impedance (Z0) in the filter passband. Conversely, in the stopband, the input impedance becomes more purely reactive. In other words, the input voltage of the filter will vary as the frequency of the applied signal varies. This significantly impairs bi-directional communications. Additionally, if conventional electronic filters having different filter responses are coupled together in series, the filters may interact in an undesirable fashion. | {
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For example, Patent document 1 discloses an inverter device (inverter controller) that is able to continue conversion of electric power for transmitting to a load even if an instantaneous voltage drop occurs in the electric power system. In the conventional technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, when an instantaneous voltage drop occurs in the electric power system, the direct-current-bus voltage and the current input to the inverter device are detected and a feedback control is performed such that the direct-current-bus voltage of the inverter device attains a certain desired voltage based on the detected direct-current-bus voltage and the detected input current. In addition, the output frequency of the inverter device is adjusted such that the input current meets a controller output of the direct-current-bus voltage. Accordingly, the inverter device is able to continue driving a load without stopping even if an instantaneous voltage drop occurs.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H4-317592 | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a server apparatus for managing a peripheral device that can be connected to a client apparatus, a method for controlling the server apparatus, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
A system including a server, on which the identification information (device information) of a device (for example, a digital camera or a printer) owned by a user is registered, has been available recently. In the system, use of the services and functions provided by the server is limited when the user has not registered a certain device, or the services and functions are provided according to the device registered by the user. When the user wants to register the device information, the device information is manually input into a client apparatus such as a personal computer using a keyboard and the like, and sent to the server apparatus. Alternatively, the device information can be sent to the server apparatus by connecting the device owned by the user to the client apparatus.
However, because a plurality of users can input the same device information in conventional techniques, there is a problem in that multiple registrations of device information occur, and it becomes unclear which user is the correct owner of the device. Such a problem is likely to occur, specifically, in the following two cases.
In the first case, the user wrongly input the device information at the time of inputting the device information using a keyboard and the like. It is also possible that a fraudulent user input the device information of another user on purpose.
In the second case, the user gave or lent the device to another user. If the previous user who owned the device has not deleted the registration of the device information and a user to whom the device was given registers the device information, multiple registration of the device information occurs, and it becomes unclear which user is the current owner.
Multiple registration of the same device information by a plurality of users causes various inconveniences in terms of system operation. For example, services and information unrelated to the actually owned device are provided to the user, causing confusion for the user. Also, for example, when services are provided also to a fraudulent user, operation costs and burdens are generated, and obstructions are also caused in service provision to the authorized user. | {
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There are currently many finger image sensors available from various vendors. For example, various fingerprint sensors and systems (including fingerprint swipe sensors, fingerprint placement sensors, and fingerprint sensors of other types) are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,459,804, 6,289,114, 5,177,802, 4,933,976, and 4,429,413, which patents are hereby incorporated by reference. Other fingerprint sensors, systems, and methods are described in co-pending United States patent applications assigned to Atrua Technologies, Inc. 1696 Dell Avenue, Campbell, Calif. 95008, including in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/099,558 entitled Fingerprint Biometric Capture Device and Method with Integrated On-Chip Data Buffering and published as U.S. 2003/0021495 A1; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/134,042 entitled Capacitance Sensor System with Improved Capacitance Measuring Sensitivity and published as U.S. 2003/0016849 A1.
Regardless of the specific fingerprint sensing technology used, there are two broad categories of fingerprint sensors: placement sensors and swipe sensors. Placement sensors are large enough to image a finger (or pertinent portion of the finger containing the fingerprint) simply by placing the tip of the finger on the sensing surface and acquiring the data in a single step. Swipe sensors, on the other hand, are too small to capture an entire fingerprint image with a single sensor field of view or acquisition step. Instead, users must move (or swipe) their finger across the smaller sensor while it captures multiple frames of data, each frame containing a portion of the full or complete fingerprint image. The individual image frames are “reconstructed” into a complete fingerprint image so that they can be processed with conventional feature extraction and matching algorithms. One such method of reconstruction is given in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/194,994 filed 12 Jul. 2002 by inventor Anthony P. Russo and entitled Method And System For Biometric Image Assembly From Multiple Partial Biometric Frame Scans and published as U.S. 20030126448A1, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Some examples of feature extraction methods are given in references, such as for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,681,034B1, U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,072B1, U.S. Pat. No. 6,480,617B2, U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,133, U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,014, U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,937, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,428 as well as the documents referenced in the references cited section of these patents. The result of feature extraction is called the fingerprint “template” and contains all the distilled information from the original image that is required to match that fingerprint to previously enrolled templates.
As stated above, in the current state of the art, a full or complete image of the fingerprint is typically reconstructed using a set of smaller image frames obtained from a swipe sensor type fingerprint device. However, there are reasons why creating a complete image of the fingerprint prior to the feature extraction step is undesirable.
Security is one of the most compelling reasons for not generating or storing a complete fingerprint image: if a complete fingerprint image never exists in memory or is never otherwise stored as a full image or data set, it cannot be stolen by hackers or used by others in possession of the device carrying the sensor to impersonate the person to whom the fingerprint belongs. Note that in some security systems there is a desirability to have the person physically present at the time the fingerprint image is acquired and therefore permitting a full or complete fingerprint image to be constructed, also offers an opportunity for the constructed full or complete fingerprint image or corresponding data set representing the fingerprint image to be stored and misused. Such complete fingerprint image may even occur unintentionally, such as in the event that the computing system carrying the fingerprint sensor hangs and retains a copy of the sensed fingerprint image independent of intended operation, or in the event that spy ware, or other hacker or malicious code has been introduced into the computer and attempts to detect the presence of a fingerprint image file or data set and capture it. These are only examples, and those workers in the art will appreciate that there are many other scenarios for accidental or intentional misuse of complete fingerprint images.
Swipe sensors are also more attractive than placement sensors for integration into mobile computing and communication devices such as mobile and cellular phones, personal data assistants (PDAs), and other embedded systems because they are smaller. The smaller size reduces cost as well as power consumption, both of which are more significant issues on embedded devices than on a more expensive personal computer (PC) platform. The smaller size also reduces the surface area needed to present the sensor to the user so that it can be used for other purposes and the smaller exposed area also reduces the potential for damage to the sensor.
Computing efficiency is also an important consideration for embedded devices and reduction of computation and/or computational overhead while still maintaining required security is an ever increasing need. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In many consumer packaging applications, it is important to have paperboard or corrugated containers which are capable of being conveniently, yet securely, opened and reclosed repeatedly. Various approaches have been undertaken to address the repeated opening and closing/locking requirements by means of container designs using different types of interlocking flaps.
One exemplary recloseable container design, for instance, is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,123 to Stone et al., issued Aug. 17, 1993 and entitled CARTON AND LINER TEAR-TAPE ASSEMBLY. The assembly includes a carton having opposing top and bottom walls, opposing front and back walls, and opposing side walls. The liner is constructed and arranged for placement within the carton so as to provide structural support to the carton. The liner includes opposing front and back panels and opposing side panels for fitting the liner snugly inside the carton.
Moreover, the liner includes a tear-tape material on an outside surface thereof, and the carton includes a guiding cut-scored section adjacent the tear-tape material. The assembly is provided with a two-part tab which includes a first part connected to the tear-tape material and a second part connected to the cut-scored section. A user grasps the tab to remove the tear-tape material and the guiding cut-scored section, thereby opening the carton from a sealed form to form a lid hingedly attached to a base section. After lifting up the lid, the lid is reclosed by pushing the lid back down to its original position. A frictional fit between the lid and the upper portion of the liner maintains the lid in the reclosed position.
As illustrated in FIG. 2 of the foregoing U.S. patent, the liner-carton assembly is manufactured from carton and liner blanks which are separately formed. More specifically, the carton blank is formed in one die-cutting and scoring operation, and the liner blank is formed in a second die-cutting and scoring operation. At a glue station, the liner blank is positioned over and adhered to the inner surface of the carton blank. With the liner blank and carton blank attached to each other, the liner blank is folded and glued into a four-sided tubular shape to form the liner. Finally, the carton blank is appropriately folded and glued about the formed liner to form the carton.
While the above manufacturing process has an acceptable production throughput, the process is still significantly slowed by the need to separately die-cut and score the liner blank and separately form that liner blank into the liner. As stated above, the liner blank must be formed in one die-cutting and scoring operation, while the carton blank is then formed in a second die-cutting and scoring operation. Each of these die-cutting and scoring operations takes time. Furthermore, the liner blank and the carton blank must be formed into the respective liner and carton using separate folding and gluing operations. Each of these folding and gluing operations takes time.
Accordingly, a need exists for a recloseable container which overcomes the aforementioned shortcomings associated with the above type of recloseable containers. | {
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Disposable absorbent articles such as baby diapers, adult incontinence products, sanitary napkins, pantiliners, hemorrhoid treatment pads, bandages, and the like are well known in the art. Such articles generally have a fluid permeable topsheet, and fluid impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent core sandwiched between the topsheet and the backsheet to absorb and contain body fluid exudates.
In some applications of disposable absorbent articles, such as sanitary napkins and pantiliners, it is desirable to not only absorb body fluids, but to minimize fluid on the body of the wearer. Fluid on the body can be minimized by ensuring that the fluid enters the absorbent article, and does not come back out, such as by being pressed or squeezed out. While much work has been done in to minimize rewet to the body, there remains a need for a disposable absorbent article that helps keep the users body clean and dry.
Accordingly, there is a disposable absorbent article that helps provide for a clean body benefit in the area of sanitary napkins and pantiliners.
Additionally, there is a need for a method for relatively inexpensively making a disposable absorbent article that helps provide for a clean body benefit in the area of sanitary napkins and pantiliners. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a braking apparatus associated with a lifting device and more particularly to a braking mechanism for a lifting apparatus for loading and unloading heavy objects to and from a van.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of vans for service intensive businesses has proliferated due to their great versatility. Plumbing contractors, appliance repair contractors and other labor intensive type of services have long used vans because of their unique convenience. Unlike the open beds of trucks, vans provide a covered enclosure which can be locked and secured, thereby protecting its contents. Shelving and storage containers may be mounted on the interior walls of the van and access to the interior is usually provided from the rear by adjoining doors which swing outward away from the van and by a sliding panel on the side of such vans. Very often, it is desirable to transport heavy machinery, appliances, or other cargo from a remote location back to the main warehouse or shop for further service.
There have been many commercial systems available for open trucks and vans which have hoist systems mounted thereto for facilitating the loading and unloading of the aforementioned heavy cargo. Hoist systems, in general, have been bulky thereby utilizing the great majority of a space within the van. One example of an apparatus for loading and unloading a van which includes a framework within the van is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,048. The hoist mechanism includes a beam which is slidably mounted within the van. The wench is movably disposed on the beam for allowing an object to be loaded by hoisting an object upwardly when the beam and the hoist extend out the rear of the van. The beam may be slid manually to a position within the van once the object is hoisted. Thereafter it can then be lowered to the floor of the van prior to transporting. In operation, the van is backed up to an object where the rear doors of the van are opened and the I-beam slid outwardly along an axis parallel to the length of the van. Both the winch and the sliding of the I-beam are manually operated. The problem with this type of hoist system is that it does not enable an object to be loaded through the side door of a van, and the operation of the winch and the control of the extension of the boom are manually controlled.
Another example of a hoist system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,491. U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,491 shows a hoist for loading and unloading cargo through a side doorway of a van. The hoist system consists of a platform which may be lowered outside the vehicle wherein the object to be hoisted is moved onto the platform and the platform thereafter raised by an electric winch connected to the platform by cables. However, the problem with this type of system is that the object to be loaded into the van must be first positioned over the platform. However, it is often desirable to position the van relative to the object to be moved, to position the boom over the object, to lower a cable down to the object, lift the object, and then move the boom back into the interior of the van where the object can then be lowered.
Another exemplary system is U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,060, which is for hoisting a wheelchair for vehicle having a body, a roof, and a door opening. The hoist system comprises a support bar suspended from the roof of the van with a mount tube reciprocally mounted upon the support bar. A boom is mounted to the support tube. A reversible electric motor is supported upon the mount tube and drives a pinion and mesh with a stationary rack gear for reciprocally feeding the boom from its retracted position to an advance position through the door opening. However, this system has the problem that the support for the extendable boom is secured to the roof of the van by spaced hanger brackets. Therefore, the ability to lift heavy objects such as appliances is severely limited. Further the rack gear and motor would not provide sufficient torque to lift heavy appliances.
New methods have been devised for lifting and moving heavy objects into vans and the like which include a telescoping boom to facilitate loading and unloading. Further information on a lifting device having an extendable boom mechanism for loading and unloading heavy cargo from the side door of a van while maximizing lift capability, ease of use, and minimization of the interior area of the van is disclosed in the co-pending application Ser. No. 08/271,198 filed on Jul. 7, 1994, by the present applicants entitled "REMOTELY CONTROLLED EXTENDABLE LIFT APPARATUS FOR A VAN", which application is hereby incorporated by reference.
Nevertheless, since the such lifting devices are often used for lifting objects of great weight, inherent danger exits once the objects have been lifted or during the lifting process. For example the motor may fail during the lifting of the objects. In this situation, the object being lifted will crash to the ground possibly injuring the operator who may be trying to guide the object into the van.
Accordingly, it can be seen that there is a need for a break mechanism for a lifting apparatus to prevent injury to the operator. | {
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At present extensive research has been performed on conductive paste containing a metal powder, because it is used for various purposes including fabrication of electrodes for solar cells, formation of jamper cables using electronic components, e.g., printed-wiring boards, and formation of terminal outgoing lines of printed resistors.
For example, in the fabrication of surface electrodes of solar cells, conventionally, an antireflection layer formed on a semiconductor layer is patterned using photoresist, then a surface electrode is fabricated (patent reference 1). However, this method is very complicated because it requires two steps: patterning of an antireflection layer, and fabrication of an electrode.
To eliminate the patterning process of antireflection layers, a method was proposed, wherein an antireflection layer is formed only on an light absorption side by masking the semiconductor layer during the formation of the antireflection layer which is the process prior to the patterning process. However, this method of direct patterning of antireflection layers has technological difficulties, and is not yet sufficient for practical application. Meanwhile, as a study on the fabrication of surface electrodes of solar cells, a so-called fire-through method has been proposed (patent reference 2), in which after the easy formation of an antireflection layer using a method such as a thermal oxidation method, conductive paste comprising a metal powder and a glass material is printed on the antireflection layer, then the metal powder is in contact with the n- or p-layer silicon of the silicon substrate to form an electrode while the glass material contained in the conductive paste melts the antireflection layer, so that the conduction between the metal electrode and the n- or p-layer silicon can be ensured. However, because this fire-through method requires a baking process generally at a high temperature of 850° C., the glass component and the electrode sometimes penetrate the n-layer, resulting in the deterioration of electrical properties of solar cells; therefore, accurate control of the fabrication conditions is necessary. In addition, when there is no uniform conduction between the electrode and the n-layer silicon, initial electrical properties of solar cells deteriorate, leading to a problem.
Thus, the development of functional paste having a superior etching function and good electrical properties has been strongly desired in the art.
Patent reference 1: Patent Application No. 2000-49368
Patent reference 2: Patent Application No. 2002-176186 | {
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1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to wafer-level integrated circuit (IC) testers, and in particular to a method for verifying signal paths through a structure interconnecting an IC tester to an IC wafer to be tested.
2 Description of Related Art
Many integrated circuit (IC) testers test ICs while the ICs are still in the form of die on a semiconductor wafer. A typical wafer tester includes a chassis called a xe2x80x9ctest headxe2x80x9d containing printed circuit boards implementing the circuits that test a wafer. The test circuits are usually organized into a set of similar xe2x80x9cchannelsxe2x80x9d, with each channel including all the circuitry needed to generate a test signal input to one test point on the wafer and to monitor any wafer output signal produced at that test point. Each channel usually has a single bi-directional input/output (I/O) port though which it communicates with the wafer test point, though some employ two unidirectional ports.
An interconnect structure residing between the test head and the wafer provides signal paths between the channel""s I/O ports and test points on the wafer. Interconnect structures make contact with the test head I/O ports and the wafer test points in various ways. For example with the test head residing above the interconnect structure, a channel""s I/O port may access contact pads on an upper surface of a interconnect structure via a set of pogo pin connectors extending downward from the test head. The interconnect structure in turn may access the test points of the IC die via a set of small probes. The probes may be attached to an under surface of an interconnect structure and may contact pads on the upper surface of the wafer when the wafer is moved into position under the interconnect structure. Alternatively, the probes may be implemented as spring contacts formed on the surface of the wafer itself, with tips of the spring contacts accessing contact pads on the under surface of interconnect structure.
Since the test head is relatively large, the tester channels"" I/O ports are distributed over a much wider horizontal area than the test points on the relatively small IC die they must access. Thus regardless of how the interconnect structure is implemented, it must provide a large number of signal paths extending in both horizontal and vertical directions in order to interconnect the channel I/O ports to the test points on the wafer. Thus the interconnect structure is often a relatively complicated structure including more than one interconnected signal routing layer. The signal paths through the interconnect structure may also include components such as small resistors or capacitors.
Before testing a wafer we would like to confirm that the interconnect structure can provide the necessary signal paths between the test head and the wafer. A connection failure may arise, for example, due to a misalignment of pogo pins or probes with their intended contact points, a broken, missing or contaminated pogo pin, probe or contact pad, a misalignment between contact structures within internal layers within the interconnect structure, an open circuit or short circuit fault between conductors within the interconnect structure or within the test head, or defective or missing discrete components in the signal paths through the interconnect structure. In many applications we also would like to verify that the resistance of a signal path between each test head I/O port and a corresponding test point on wafer is within acceptable limits. Contactor assemblies are usually designed to provide signal paths having particular resistances, and any variation from the intended resistance, due for example to corrosion or contamination on contact pads or the tips of probes or pogo pins, can distort test results.
Shorts, continuity and resistances of signal paths within a interconnect structure are usually tested during the manufacturing process using conventional resistance and continuity testing equipment accessing opposite ends of the signal paths via small probes. However signal paths within a probe assembly can later fail when in use in an integrated circuit tester, and it is difficult and inconvenient to periodically remove a probe assembly from a tester and manually test the continuity and resistance of its signal paths. Open and short circuit signal path failures can often be detected, or at least suspected, because they usually lead to characteristic patterns of IC test failures. However when a signal path has a resistance that is marginally out of an acceptable range, wafer test failures may not exhibit a clear pattern, and die can be improperly rejected as failing a test when the source of the failure was in fact the interconnect structure.
What is needed is a convenient method for quickly testing for shorts, continuity and resistances of signal paths through a interconnect structure without having to remove it from its working environment.
A interconnect structure typically provides multiple signal paths between input/output (I/O) ports of an integrated circuit (IC) tester and test points of an IC wafer to be tested. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the ability of the interconnect structure to connect the IC tester""s I/O ports to the wafer""s test points is verified by first employing the interconnect structure to interconnect those I/O ports to a similar arrangement of test points on a reference wafer.
The reference wafer, similar in size and shape to the wafer to be tested, includes conductors linking groups of the test points. When the tester generates a test signal at one of its I/O ports, that signal travels through the interconnect system to a test point on the reference wafer. A conductor within the wafer then conveys the test signal to another of the test points. The test signal then travels from that reference point back through the interconnect structure to another I/O port of the IC tester. The continuity of signal path from any tester I/O port to a test point on the reference wafer can therefore be tested by programming the tester to transmit a test signal to the reference wafer via that I/O port and to look for the signal as it returns via another of the I/O ports.
The resistance of a signal paths through the interconnect structure is measured by transmitting signals of known current between I/O ports linked through those signal paths and the reference wafer and to measure the voltage drop between the two I/O ports. Alternatively the tester may place a known voltage across two linked I/O ports and measure the current passing between them. In either case the resistance of the system signal path between the two ports is then computed from the test signal voltage and current. When this procedure is repeated to measure resistance between various combinations of I/O ports, the path resistance between each tester I/O port and the wafer test point to which it is connected can be computed from the results.
Shorts between a selected signal path and any other signal path through the interconnect structure can be tested by removing the reference wafer, programming one tester channel to apply a test signal to the selected signal path and programming other tester channels to look for the appearance of that signal on the other signal paths.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide means for verifying that an interconnect system is capable of providing continuous signal paths between ports of an IC tester and test points on a wafer to be tested.
It is another object of the invention to provide means for measuring resistance of signal paths through a interconnect structure linking ports of an IC tester and test points on the wafer to be tested.
The concluding portion of this specification particularly points out and distinctly claims the subject matter of the present invention. However those skilled in the art will best understand both the organization and method of operation of the invention, together with further advantages and objects thereof, by reading the remaining portions of the specification in view of the accompanying drawing(s) wherein like reference characters refer to like elements. | {
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Technical processes or technical objects are mostly illustrated in the form of technical drawings, flowcharts and so forth. To take account of the three-dimensionality of the objects or to present the given processes comprehensively, a number of presentations are selected as a rule. Different views are frequently selected for objects, for example a perspective view, a side view, or a view of the object from above or prepared sections along predetermined lines. With processes, which means working or manufacturing procedures, presentations at a number of levels of abstraction are mostly required. Thus a first presentation can be selected to display the entire process, for example in the form of a flowchart. A second presentation can represent a sub process, which for example is an individual processing step in the overall process, and which corresponds to an element in the flowchart.
Since the screen display is limited it is mostly necessary to switch between these views when creating the different presentations. In this case graphical editors are used with which different views can be shown in resizable windows. Selecting the corresponding entries in drop-down menus of the relevant editor selects the views, moves windows into the foreground and sets their size.
Tooltips are generally known for graphical user interfaces, such as those of the Windows® or Macintosh® operating system. If a mouse pointer remains for a predetermined time over a predetermined part of the screen area, a display area appears which provides explanatory information about a program function. It is thus known for programs to have various buttons which are provided with a pictogram. If the mouse pointer dwells sufficiently long over such a pictogram, the given display area appears and clarifies or explains the program function that can be selected by clicking the button.
Application U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,101 discloses a tooltip for which the degree of execution capability increases over time. If the mouse point only remains for a short time in the said predetermined part of the screen area, i.e. in the catch area, the program function is explained in just a few words. If the mouse pointer remains in the catch area for a longer period, a second tooltip appears with a longer explanatory text. If the mouse pointer remains in the catch area for even longer, a tooltip which uses an image or a video to give a detailed explanation of the functions of the button appears. | {
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The present invention relates to an arrangement for decoding traffic information regional tone signals. The regional tone signals are contained in the form of a carrier which is amplitude-modulated therewith in a received broadcast signal which has already been demodulated in a conventional radio receiver.
In the journal "Funkschau", 1974, pages 535 to 538, the system currently used in Germany and other European countries for broadcasting traffic information to radio listeners is described. In this system, a territory is divided into several traffic information regions by adding regional tone signals to the traffic information signal. These regional tone signals, whose frequency, i.e., the regional tone frequency, is the information on the region, are low-frequency signals which are impressed on the carrier, having a frequency of 57 kHz in the known system, by amplitude modulation. They are derived from the carrier by integral frequency division.
This traffic information broadcasting system is described in detail in the journal "Rundfunktechnische Mitteilungen" 1974, pp. 193 to 202. According to this reference, system parameters were so chosen that the decoder circuits required for automatic traffic information reception were compatible with conventional analog-signal-processing receiver circuits and did not interfere therewith. The hitherto used decoder circuits are, therefor, analog circuits as well. | {
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The present invention relates to a series of novel derivatives of the compound rhizoxin. The invention also provides a process for preparing such compounds and methods and compositions for using them.
Rhizoxin itself is a known substance having the following formula: ##STR1##
Rhizoxin itself and its acetate were disclosed in J. Antibiotics, 37, 354 (1984) and the anti-tumor activity of rhizoxin was disclosed in the Abstracts of the 43rd General Meeting of the Japanese Cancer Society, page 243, Title No. 1005 (1984).
Rhizoxin-2-ene was reported on Dec. 18th, 1984 to the 1984 International Chemical Congress of the Pacific Basin Society, Honolulu, Hawaii.
We have now discovered a series of rhizoxin derivatives which have far better anti-tumor activity than rhizoxin and its acetate and which have a lower toxicity than rhizoxin itself. | {
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Services for which information is distributed within a communication network are generally referred to as network services. Examples of applications that may be referred to as network services include reservation systems, online shopping or auction sites, games, multimedia applications, calendars, maps, chat applications, weather displays, clocks, interactive design applications, stock tickers, currency converters and data entry/display systems. With the pervasive use of Web browsers and Web document formats across a range of platforms and devices, many developers employ the Web as an application environment. Web Services (WS) are an example of network services, i.e. they are a new type of Web applications that are self-contained, self-describing and modular, representing the next generation of web-based technology. This being a new technology, a brief review of the web services (WS) follows for reader's convenience, and for better explaining the present invention.
Web services can be viewed as a sophisticated standard-based machine to machine Remote Procedure Call (RPC) technology for interconnecting multiple heterogeneous web-based applications, adapted to automatically exchange information over the public Internet network. This automation is bringing technology based processes and business efficiencies from technology companies to world leading non-technology companies, such as e.g. retail companies.
Web services are becoming the basis for electronic commerce of all forms; enterprises invoke the services of other enterprises to accomplish a business transaction. An example of a web service is automated supply chain management, where store front purchases are cleared by monetary agents, restocking orders are sent directly to the factories by the purchasing department, and billing information is collected by head offices, each with their own software systems.
In an environment in which only a few companies participate in business to business (B2B) or client-to-business (C2B) transactions, managing the discovery of business partners manually would be simple; however, this becomes a complex task as the number of companies that need to interact grows, along with the number and types of interfaces they export. Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) Project provides a standardized method for publishing and discovering information about web services. UDDI is a single conceptual registry hosted by different businesses on the Internet and distributed among many nodes that replicate the participating businesses'data with one another.
Conceptually, a business can register three types of information into a UDDI registry. Namely the White pages provide basic contact information and identifiers about a company, including business name, address, contact information, and unique identifiers. The information in the Yellow pages describes a web service using different categorizations (manufacturing or car sales business), so as to allow allows others to identify a particular web service based upon its categorization. Green pages provide technical information that describes the behaviors and supported functions of a web service hosted by your business. This information includes pointers to the grouping information of web services and where the web services are located.
Web services applications are built with pieces of code and data that may come from anywhere in the public Internet. The framework for enabling web services may be divided into three areas, including communication protocols, service description, and service discovery. A web service has an interface described in a machine-processable format, specifically WS description language WSDL, which is an XML (eXtensible Markup Language)-based language and represents a standardized approach to network service description. Any mode of transport can be used for communication, although Internet standards such as HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTPP) are currently the most popular.
The extensible Markup Language (XML) is a meta language that allows the definition of new vocabularies for document or data exchange, being specified by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The W3C is an international industry consortium created to lead the Web to its full potential by developing common protocols, addressing the needs for an extensible and interoperable Web. The W3C is the primary center for developing other cross-industry specifications that are based on XML.
Some of these are being done within the XML Activity group, which tries to keep a balance between maintaining stability and backwards compatibilities, making improvements that help to encourage interoperability, and bringing new communities into the world of XML. Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) is a new way for enabling programs to communicate with each-other for exchanging structured information in a decentralized, distributed environment, created with the view to make it much easier for programmers to write applications. It defines a SOAP header and a SOAP payload, where the header indicates the type of payload (request message, reply message, fault, etc.). SOAP uses XML to encapsulate the data that needs to be sent to a remote subroutine of an application, providing a message construct that can be exchanged over a variety of underlying protocols. XML is used to return data from the remote subroutine and to return notification of any error condition that might have occurred.
Currently, only parts of the Web are accessible from cellular phones, TV, digital cameras, and in-car computers. Mobile Web access suffers from interoperability and usability problems that make the Web difficult to use for most mobile phone subscribers. W3C's Mobile Web Initiative (W3C MWI), launched in May 2005, proposes to address these issues through a concerted effort of key players in the mobile production chain, including authoring tool vendors, content providers, handset manufacturers, browser vendors and mobile operators. Currently, the W3C MWI is focusing on developing best practices for “mobileOK” Web sites, device information needed for content adaptation, and marketing and outreach activities.
In addition, there are a few problems with the existing Internet based service solutions available today, particularly in the area of wireless/mobile services. For example, the carriers avoid opening-up their mobile devices to the public infrastructure because of the difficulty of controlling the transactions, which result in lost revenue. A web services solution for mobile/wireless clients will provide a standards-based mechanism allowing controlled access, while enabling the carrier to bill for services as the intermediate broker.
Still further, it is difficult to put large clients on mobile phones able to inter-work over the Internet, in order to, for example, execute database queries; this requires tight coupled software clients with enterprise backend systems. A web browser interface is ineffective in this case, in particular when it needs to penetrate the public facing firewalls etc. to the backend servers.
There is a need to provide a solution to enable mobile and fixed wireless network clients to access the web services extranet, a solution that provides secure access to the extranet services, performs data transformation, supports proxies for various web services and XML standard and non-standard features. | {
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The field of the disclosure relates generally to cyber-security, and, more specifically, to methods and systems for use in analyzing cyber-security threats in aviation platforms.
At least some known aviation platforms and infrastructures have adopted e-Enabled architectures and technologies to take advantage of operational and performance efficiencies that result from being networked. Aviation platforms and infrastructures are generally complex systems that involve hierarchically-networked embedded systems and controllers having varying operational criticality, reliability, and availability requirements as aviation platforms and infrastructures, both onboard and off-board aircrafts, have become e-Enabled, and as such, may be the targets of cyber-security threats.
Generally, within at least some known platforms, the embedded systems and controllers are hosted on general purpose computing devices, commercial software operating systems, and/or specific custom applications performing intended system functions. Onboard embedded systems and controllers are networked via standards-based protocols to enable seamless integration of the e-Enabled architecture and have increased feature capabilities and functionalities of aviation platforms. However, such integration may also increase the risk of cyber security attacks that leverage existing vulnerabilities of the deployed software and hardware implementations. Some threat vectors exist that only affect system level components, while other threat vectors result in exploits when sub-system implementations are integrated.
Some known general purpose applications provide individual analysis frameworks such as security analysis for networked data flows and formulation of attack/threat trees. Such applications do not provide a unified architectural framework for end-to-end cyber security analysis of complex, highly-networked systems that enable analysts to formulate the system starting at the feature level, and then decompose the data into detailed level implementations to enable a programmatic analysis to determine the likelihood and consequence of current and emerging cyber security threats. Lack of such an application for end-to-end cyber security analysis for aerospace processes/systems may limit the ability to rapidly assess the robustness/availability of aerospace processes/systems to current and emerging cyber security threats in a cost effective manner. In addition, the lack of such an application may also limit the ability of regulatory and/or certification processes to be executed in a timely and cost-effective manner. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In microwave radio communication, higher output power has always been a market requirement for longer distance, higher modulation and higher throughput needs. One way of achieving a higher output power level is to combine two radio-frequency (RF) signals from two channel units into one and keep the two units within the same enclosure to reduce cost, power consumption and size of the field installation. However, there are often small but random frequency and phase offsets between the two channel units, which may cause incoherency between the two respective RF signals. As such, if both channel units were online with the random frequency and phase offsets, each of the two RF signals would be a high level noise to the other one and the receivers on the remote side of the radio link may not be able to recover the transmitted data correctly. Therefore, it is important to improve coherency of the signals in both RF channels in order to achieve high power combining efficiency of such approach. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates generally to medical imaging and, more particularly, to a system and method of medical imaging having an override capability for a default noise index selection, preferably in computed tomography systems.
Typically, in computed tomography (CT) imaging systems, an X-ray source emits a fan-shaped beam toward an object, such as a patient. The beam, after being attenuated by the patient, impinges upon an array of radiation detectors. The intensity of the attenuated beam radiation received at the detector array is typically dependent upon the attenuation of the X-ray beam by the patient. Each detector element of the detector array produces a separate electrical signal indicative of the attenuated beam received by each detector element. The electrical signals are transmitted to a data processing unit for analysis which ultimately results in the formation of an image.
Generally, the X-ray source and the detector array are rotated with a gantry within an imaging plane and around the patient. X-ray sources typically include X-ray tubes, which conduct a tube current and emit the X-ray beam at a focal point. X-ray detectors typically include a collimator for collimating X-ray beams received at the detector, a scintillator for converting X-rays to light energy adjacent the collimator, and photodiodes for receiving the light energy from the adjacent scintillator.
In one known CT imaging system used to image a volume of interest (VOI), imaging of a patient is conducted by moving the patient through a gantry. Preferably, it is desirable to minimize the patient's exposure to X-rays. To do so, improved signal processing has allowed the use of lower dose CT scans, such as the commercially available 0.5 second CT scanner. Generally, image noise is related to the inverse square root of the dose. However, for different diagnostic objectives and volumes of interest of subjects, higher than needed X-ray exposure doses are known to occur due to the selection of a default noise index which automatically generates a normal default tube current profile. One proposed solution to limit X-ray dosage from the automatically generated tube current profile is to generate an IQ or low dose default tube current profile that automatically generates the default current profile above or below the normal default current profile by a fixed amount. Problems arise, however, when an operator desires to adjust the noise index for the VOI, and in particular, for sub-volumes of the VOI such as when the operator desires to modify X-ray exposure to the subject's sensitive organs, or alternatively when the operator determines that a lower diagnostic quality is sufficient in a sub-volume to achieve the desired patient image.
There is a need for a system that can apply the lowest possible patient dose during imaging by enabling interactive adjustment of an X-ray tube current profile indicative of an applied X-ray dose to the patient. Using existing methods, the setting of a default noise index over the entire VOI may expose a patient to unnecessary X-ray radiation since scanning in certain sub-volumes of the VOI may not require a similar image quality as in other sub-volumes.
Since lower radiation exposure is an on-going goal in X-ray and CT development, it would be desirable to have an imaging system capable of processing pre-scan data to generate a default tube current profile and enabling adjustment of the default tube current profile based on whether a user override is selected. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention generally relates to mechanical supporting apparatus, and more particularly, to supporting apparatus used to positionally support photographic, motion picture and video accessories.
2. Prior Art.
As the photographic, motion picture and television industries have evolved and developed, demand for equipment which is capable of enhancing the final product has increased. This is led to the use of accessories which are integral and necessary to the filming and/or recording of visual and audible images. These accessories are, for example, such items as light reflectors, filters and microphones. The effective use of these accessories requires that they be placed in precisely the correct location to permit optimum recording of visual images and/or sound.
The prior art illustrates numerous designs for apparatus used to vertically position photographic, motion picture and video accessories. The most basic design constitutes a plurality of supporting legs, typically in the form of a fixed tripod which is integral with a vertical riser. The photographic, motion picture and video accessories which are to be positioned are secured directly or indirectly at the upper end of the vertical riser. The inadequacies of this design are inherent in its structure. Since all support members are in a fixed position relative to each other and the riser, they cannot be adjusted to compensate for changing conditions which result from the mounting surface upon which the apparatus is used. For example, where cables or other obstruction of varying heights are present, the fixed relationship of the support legs obviate the ability to change the height of the supporting apparatus or the individual support legs to compensate for the environment. In addition, the inability to fold or otherwise collapse the stand renders the design inefficient for storage or transport.
Another design for an equipment support apparatus disclosed by the prior art utilizes a supporting tripod wherein each of the three support legs are independently rotatable about an equipment riser. Although the support legs may be placed in a co-planar position to thereby reduce the problems inherent in storage and in transporting same, the inability to efficiently lock the support legs in a stable position creates problems which are resolved by the present invention. In the prior art design, each of the support legs is required to be independently rotatable with respect to one another about the riser shaft. As a result, unless easily and accurately positioned with respect to one another, the positioning of the support legs will be unstable and create the possibility of damage to the supported equipment.
The present invention resolves the problems inherent in the designs disclosed by the prior art. The present invention equipment support stand employs support legs which are integral with positioning sleeves. The sleeves are adapted to engage one another in a manner which will stabilize the support legs and accurately position them in relation to one another. In addition, since the positioning sleeves determine the angular separation of each support leg relative to the others, the present invention design insures support stability while simultaneously resolving the problems inherent in storage and transport. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a procedure and means for controlling the d.c. motor of an elevator in an emergency braking, in which a current generated by the motor of the elevator during emergency braking is conducted into a braking resistance.
During emergency braking of an elevator, the braking proper, i.e. deceleration of the elevator cage, has to be managed as independently as possible of the other systems of the elevator. In the case of a d.c. motor, in some countries and in some cases provisions have been enacted on safety considerations prescribing that the elevator motor shall be electrically braked, whereby it will operate as a generator. This is usually accomplished by connecting a separate braking resistance across the motor during emergency braking and at the same time interrupting the power supply to the motor. In other cases, the entire braking takes place by the aid of a mechanical brake exclusively. By braking in this manner, the travelling velocity of the elevator will naturally also be retarded independently of external factors.
As a rule, the connecting of the braking resistance is so accomplished that during emergency braking the power supply of the motor is automatically cut off and the brake resistance is connected across the motor. This arrangement, however, suffers from the drawback that a contactor which connects the brake resistance across the motor is necessarily a component of rare quality and high price, owing to the heavy direct currents generated by the motor. The contactor is special particularly for the reason that it is required to carry a heavy current in the deenergized state. Standard contactors, in contrast, carry heavy currents in the energized state.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to eliminate this drawback. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of Invention This invention relates to a document holder and, in particular, to a document holder for use with a computer keyboard.
2. Brief Statement of the Prior Art
Document holders for typists have been provided in many different forms. In many of these applications, the document is held or clipped to a board which is supported by a stand that is either free standing or is clamped to the edge of a desk top. These document holders are not well suited for computer applications because the computer base and monitor are quite bulky and limit the space available to support the document holder. Additionally, the computer monitor must be located in a convenient line of sight for the user, further complicating the requirements for an acceptable document holder.
Some document holders have been designed specifically for use with computers. One very simple document holder comprises a clip which is secured to one side of the monitor and which supports a document. Another document holder is incorporated into a keyboard cover that is hinged for pivoting into an upright position to uncover the keyboard and serve as a document holder.
None of the document holders truly meets the requirements for a universally adjustable and stable document holder. While it is desirable to provide a base that can be attached to the keyboard of a computer, there is no standard of size and shape of keyboards for computers. Accordingly, it is difficult to provide a truly universal base that will fit all or substantially all of the existing keyboards. Additionally, it is desirable that the base also have adaptability to clamp to the edges of table tops and desks, thereby increasing its versatility. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In wire line and wireless telecommunication technologies, Value added service providers used to buy a general purpose computer server, a daughter card (e.g., the e1/t1 line interface card), to provide power back up infrastructure at the operator premises, to get license to provide services (e.g., OBD, IBD, SMSC, CRBT, etc.) may be very lengthy, time consuming, and varying from time to time. Then the servers, and daughter cards needs to be integrated for installation, and configure them for respective requested services like SMSC, USSD for DATA based services, like OBD, IBD, CRBT for Voice based services. As the number of E/T1 capability increases, the signal processing capability of the server based solution for telecom applications also needs to be improved, that leads the complexity in providing services.
In addition, the system may be lacking to support different protocols simultaneously (e.g., SS7, ISDN PRI, etc.,) and different applications in data domain (e.g., SMSC, USSD, in voice domain like IVRS, OBD, IBD, CRBT, etc.,) and the video (e.g., such as MMS, Video IVRS, etc.,).
On the other hand, the system lacking to provide more physical space for increased number of E1/T1 lines, good power facility with required backup provisions and time to implement the functionality, put the service providers with huge difficulties, mainly restricting them to go with limited setup at each place of operation. the computer servers are improving continuously in its basic configuration and interface options, especially in the line card interface side where the technology is drastically varied from PCI to PCI-X to PCIe Technology. While the line card designers not able to meet the same pace as with of server giants and they were not supporting immediately from PCI to PCI-X to PCIe. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A panorama image capture function provided from a smartphone or digital camera of the related art may generate one panorama image (still image) using images obtained through panorama image capture.
However, if an object moves during panorama image capture, a conventional panorama image may be incorrectly matched or one object may be represented as a plurality of objects, thus hindering the quality of images or user experience.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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