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This invention is made with no United States government support.
The present invention relates generally to medical instruments and medical imaging, and more particularly to, a method and apparatus to provide percutaneous images to assist in performing an accurate tissue biopsy in which nuclear medicine tracer uptake is localized using a radionuclide detector, and then an ultrasound probe is used to obtain anatomical ultrasound images.
In breast cancer patients, the lymph node is a very common site of secondary tumor formation. Evaluation of the lymph node in the ipsilateral side of the patient is used as an early monitor of metastasis. Many patients being treated for breast cancer undergo xe2x80x9caxillary dissectionxe2x80x9d to examine the lymph nodes. Because of their small size and diffuse distribution however, axillary dissection is surgically difficult and often physically traumatic for the patient. That is, one of the most common side effects after a patient undergoes breast cancer surgery is xe2x80x9clymphedemaxe2x80x9d, which causes painful, and often permanent, swelling in the arm on the side of the surgery. Lymphedema results from the removal of the 10-12 lymph nodes nearest the breast. In the past, these lymph nodes were surgically removed to check for the spread of the tumor.
More recently, a technique has been employed call sentinel node biopsy. In this procedure, a small amount of radioactive dye is injected near the tumor. The blood stream leaving the tumor will carry any metastasizing cells to the first lymph node downstream. A radionuclide device, much like a Geiger counter, is then used to locate the node net the tumor, which is known as the sentinel lymph node, by monitoring trace uptake. The sentinel lymph node can then be removed and tested, If the sentinel lymph node is clear of cancerous tissue, no other nodes need to be removed. This procedure has resulted in the avoidance of the removal of all the lymph nodes in approximately two-thirds of women who have had breast cancer surgery. However, the outcome of this procedure and the effects to the patient, are largely dependent upon the palpation skills of the surgeon. The detection of the sentinel node by the Geiger counter-type device helps guide the surgeon, but is anatomically imprecise. Therefore, accurately locating the sentinel lymph nodes is critical in performing such a procedure to eliminate the chances of lymphedema and to make the procedure as non-invasive as possible. However, even with the use of the existing radionuclide probe, when a surgeon performs this procedure, it is still an open surgical procedure, and therefore more invasive than may be necessary.
It would therefore be desirable to have a method and apparatus capable of accurately tracking tracer uptake and determining the depth of maximum tracer uptake, and once the maximum tracer uptake depth is determined, imaging anatomical structure so that a tissue biopsy can be performed as non-invasively as possible.
The present invention relates to an instrument used in a method of providing percutaneous images to assist in performing an accurate tissue biopsy and a system to locate nuclear medicine tracer uptake within a living being, that overcomes the aforementioned problems.
The present invention includes a medical instrument that combines an ultrasound probe with a focusing radionuclide detector that is capable of detecting the depth of tracer uptake to perform ultrasound-guided percutaneous tissue biopsy. The area of maximum tracer uptake is localized by the medical instrument and the depth of the maximum tracer uptake is determined. The resulting image displays the radioactivity detected by the radionuclide detector as a colored representation on a typical grayscale ultrasound image. The color overlay can be either completely shut off, or faded, so that the radiologist or surgeon can perform the ultrasound-guided core biopsy using existing ultrasound biopsy software. Such software superimposes a white line, representing the expected needle track, on the ultrasound image to plan the approach to avoid vital structure and minimize the invasiveness of the procedure.
Therefore, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, a medical instrument is disclosed having an ultrasound probe capable of percutaneous detection of anatomical structure within a living being, and a radionuclide detector capable of detecting depth of tracer uptake within the living being. The radionuclide detector is coupled to, and in operable association with, the ultrasound probe such that at least one of the radionuclide detector and the ultrasound probe is pivotally moveable with respect to the other. In order to determine depth of tracer uptake, a fan array of radionuclide detectors can be used in which each of the radionuclide detectors in the fan array are pivotal with respect to one another so that a line of sight extending from each of the radionuclide detectors intersect at a moveable focal point. Alternately, a pair of radionuclide detectors can be arranged on either side of the ultrasound probe with a line of sight from each radionuclide detector converging at a moveable focal point. The moveable focal point is used to determine the precise point of maximum radioactivity.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method of providing percutaneous images to assist in performing an accurate tissue biopsy includes localizing radioactivity within a portion of a living being by passing a radionuclide detector across a surface of the living being and then imaging anatomical structure within the portion of the living being with a probe on the surface of the living being about the localized radioactivity. The method also includes superimposing an image representation of the localized radioactivity with an image of the anatomical structure about the localized radioactivity.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a system is disclosed to locate nuclear medicine tracer uptake within a living being. The system includes a medical instrument having an ultrasound probe producing anatomical structure detection signals and a radionuclide detector producing nuclear detection signals. The radionuclide detector is pivotally connected to the ultrasound probe such that a line of sight from the ultrasound probe and a line of sight from the radionuclide detector converge at a focal point. The focal point is adjustable to determine a depth of tracer uptake in an anatomical structure. An interface unit is provided to integrate the anatomical structure detection signals with the nuclear medicine detection signals to provide a grayscale ultrasound image superimposed with a color image indicative of tracer uptake. A display is provided to receive the integrated anatomical structure detection signals and nuclear medicine detection signals to display the superimposed grayscale ultrasound image and color image.
By combining an ultrasound imaging and radionuclide detection imaging, in real time, a core tissue biopsy can be done under ultrasound visualization by a radiologist, rather than a surgeon, which would lower cost of the procedure while at the same time lessening the physical impact on the patient compared to axillary dissection because the exact depth of the tracer uptake can be determined. One particular application of the present invention includes locating the sentinel lymph node in a breast cancer patient in which the sentinel lymph node can be located precisely by radionuclide imaging and then ultrasound imaging can be added to perform the tissue biopsy. Such a percutaneous biopsy would be less invasive than the aforementioned radionuclide probe procedure, and although complications associated with the radionuclide probe procedure are relatively low, with this percutaneous approach, it is expected that the rate of complications would be further reduced.
Furthermore, by converting sentinel lymph node biopsy from a surgical to a radiological procedure, it is believed that the cost of the procedure can be reduced, which may permit increased access to this procedure for more women. Finally, even if the surgeon and patient decide that complete removal of the sentinel lymph node is desired instead of ultrasound-guided core biopsy, the localization method described herein can be used to guide a marking needle and hookwire into the sentinel lymph node. This is similar to the method used to localize breast lesion. The surgeon can then follow the wire directly to the lymph node, with a significant decrease in surgical dissection, resulting in decreased morbidity.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings. | {
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The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine having one or more reciprocating valves. It is common to provide springs for urging such valves to the closed position and to provide a cam mechanism for opening the valves. The disadvantages of these known arrangements are well known.
There have been proposed alternative arrangements for operating reciprocating valves which do not rely upon biasing of the valves by means of springs. An example of such a proposal is disclosed in an article in the Journal "Motor Cycle" issued 1st May 1958. This article describes an arrangement proposed by one R. Gardner and is referred to herein as the "Gardner arrangement". In the Gardner arrangement, there is provided for each valve a rocker mounted adjacent to one of its ends for rocking about a fixed pivot axis and connected adjacent to its opposite end with a stem of the valve. An intermediate portion of the rocker is of annular form and defines an internal cam track. The cam track is engaged at diammetrically opposite positions by two rollers which are moved around a circular path, centered on an axis of a camshaft. The cam track is non-circular so that the rocker is caused to rock about its pivot axis as the rollers move around the camshaft axis.
A relatively large space must be provided in the engine to accommodate the rockers of the Gardner arrangement. This limits the choice in the disposition of other parts of the engine, for example in the routing of inlet ducts and exhaust ducts. Each rocker inevitably possesses considerable mass and so quite large forces have to be exerted to overcome the inertia of the rocker. A further disadvantage of the Gardner arrangement is that the motion of the rocker relative to the camshaft axis is along an arcuate path centered on the pivot axis. The rocker executes angular motion relative to the corresponding valve. | {
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The present invention relates to a gantry for acquiring projection data, which is an important component of an X-ray computer tomography apparatus.
FIG. 1 shows external appearance of a conventional gantry. The gantry 100 has a box-like shape having a cylindrical hole (hereinafter referred to as a view field) 121 in the central portion thereof. A subject is inserted in the view field 121, when photographed. The cover 111 of the gantry 100 has an air intake 115 and an air outlet 116 to cool the interior of the gantry.
FIGS. 2 and 3 are front and side views of the interior of the gantry, respectively. The gantry has a rotation ring 101, on which an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector are mounted in an arrangement such that they are opposite to each other with the subject lying therebetween. The rotation ring 101 is rotatably supported by a ring frame 103. A motor 104 for rotating the rotation ring 101 is mounted on the ring frame 103. The ring frame 103 is supported by two main posts 106 via tilt mechanisms 110. The main post 106 is mounted on a stand base 107 at right angles, as shown in FIG. 4. The gantry 100 contains electric members 105, for example, a control board and a power source.
As well known, the standard scan time at present is a second for a rotation. In the near future, a direct drive system, which directly drives the rotation ring (rotor) 101 by a stator coil, will be the mainstream of the driver of a gantry.
Such high-speed rotations of the unbalanced rotation ring 101 cause the main posts 106 to vibrate violently. To suppress the vibration, the main posts 106 must be thick. For this reason, the gantry is inevitably large and heavy. Further, if the top end of the main post 106 is displaced 0.5 mm, a tumor or a bone smaller than 0.5 mm cannot be observed, and a ring-like artifact may be produced.
An object of the present invention is to provide a gantry of a compact X-ray computer tomography apparatus having a high damping property.
A gantry of an X-ray computer tomography apparatus comprises a base, two main posts mounted on the base at right angles, a ring frame tiltably supported by the two main posts, a rotation ring rotatably supported by the ring frame, an X-ray tube mounted on the rotation ring, and an X-ray detector mounted on the rotation ring, opposing to the X-ray tube. The props obliquely abut on the main posts to reinforce them. Since the main posts are reinforced by the props, the vibration due to high-speed rotations of the rotation ring can be effectively suppressed. Moreover, since the main posts need not be thick, the gantry can be compact.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. | {
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With the proliferation of voice input devices, such as vehicle-mounted hands-free phones or mobile phones, that can be used in various environments, voice communication and voice recognition have come to be conducted more than ever before in noisy environments inside vehicles or in outdoor locations. In such noisy environments, the intelligibility of the speaker's voice being heard at the remote end or the accuracy of voice recognition may drop because of background noise, such as noise from running vehicles, that is gathered by a microphone together with the speaker's voice. To address this, voice processing techniques are used which analyze the frequency of the captured voice signal, estimate the noise components contained in the voice signal, and eliminate or reduce the noise components contained in the voice signal. According to such voice processing techniques, the voice signal is divided into overlapping frames and, after multiplying each frame by a windowing function such as a Hanning window, an orthogonal transform is applied to the frame to obtain the frequency spectrum. Then, by applying signal processing such as noise elimination to the frequency spectrum, a corrected frequency spectrum is obtained. Subsequently, an inverse orthogonal transform is applied to the corrected frequency spectrum to obtain a frame-by-frame corrected voice signal and, by sequentially adding up the frames of the thus corrected voice signals in overlapping fashion, a final corrected voice signal is obtained.
However, in the case of the corrected voice signal obtained by applying an inverse orthogonal transform to the corrected frequency spectrum obtained as a result of the frame-by-frame signal processing, the signal value may not be zero at the frame end, and the corrected voice signal may be discontinuous when the successive frames are added up. If this happens, periodic noise proportional to the frame length will be superimposed on the corrected voice signal. This can result in a degradation of voice communication quality or a degradation of the accuracy of voice recognition. To address this problem, a technique in which, each time the amount of overlap between successive frames is increased, the degree of similarity between the signal subjected to filtering and an arbitrary signal is computed, and the amount of overlap is set based on the degree of similarity has been proposed (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2013-117639). | {
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A technique for forming three-dimensional structures (e.g. parts, components, devices, and the like) from a plurality of adhered layers was invented by Adam L. Cohen and is known as Electrochemical Fabrication. It is being commercially pursued by Microfabrica Inc. (formerly MEMGen® Corporation) of Burbank, Calif. under the name EFAB™. This technique was described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,630, issued on Feb. 22, 2000. This electrochemical deposition technique allows the selective deposition of a material using a unique masking technique that involves the use of a mask that includes patterned conformable material on a support structure that is independent of the substrate onto which plating will occur. When desiring to perform an electrodeposition using the mask, the conformable portion of the mask is brought into contact with a substrate while in the presence of a plating solution such that the contact of the conformable portion of the mask to the substrate inhibits deposition at selected locations. For convenience, these masks might be generically called conformable contact masks; the masking technique may be generically called a conformable contact mask plating process. More specifically, in the terminology of Microfabrica Inc. (formerly MEMGen® Corporation) of Burbank, Calif. such masks have come to be known as INSTANT MASKS™ and the process known as INSTANT MASKING™ or INSTANT MASK™ plating. Selective depositions using conformable contact mask plating may be used to form single layers of material or may be used to form multi-layer structures. The teachings of the '630 patent are hereby incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full herein. Since the filing of the patent application that led to the above noted patent, various papers about conformable contact mask plating (i.e. INSTANT MASKING) and electrochemical fabrication have been published: 1. A. Cohen, G. Zhang, F. Tseng, F. Mansfeld, U. Frodis and P. Will, “EFAB: Batch production of functional, fully-dense metal parts with micro-scale features”, Proc. 9th Solid Freeform Fabrication, The University of Texas at Austin, p 161, August 1998. 2. A. Cohen, G. Zhang, F. Tseng, F. Mansfeld, U. Frodis and P. Will, “EFAB: Rapid, Low-Cost Desktop Micromachining of High Aspect Ratio True 3-D MEMS”, Proc. 12th IEEE Micro Electro Mechanical Systems Workshop, IEEE, p 244, January 1999. 3. A. Cohen, “3-D Micromachining by Electrochemical Fabrication”, Micromachine Devices, March 1999. 4. G. Zhang, A. Cohen, U. Frodis, F. Tseng, F. Mansfeld, and P. Will, “EFAB: Rapid Desktop Manufacturing of True 3-D Microstructures”, Proc. 2nd International Conference on Integrated MicroN\anotechnology for Space Applications, The Aerospace Co., April 1999. 5. F. Tseng, U. Frodis, G. Zhang, A. Cohen, F. Mansfeld, and P. Will, “EFAB: High Aspect Ratio, Arbitrary 3-D Metal Microstructures using a Low-Cost Automated Batch Process”, 3rd International Workshop on High Aspect Ratio MicroStructure Technology (HARMST'99), June 1999. 6. A. Cohen, U. Frodis, F. Tseng, G. Zhang, F. Mansfeld, and P. Will, “EFAB: Low-Cost, Automated Electrochemical Batch Fabrication of Arbitrary 3-D Microstructures”, Micromachining and Microfabrication Process Technology, SPIE 1999 Symposium on Micromachining and Microfabrication, September 1999. 7. F. Tseng, G. Zhang, U. Frodis, A. Cohen, F. Mansfeld, and P. Will, “EFAB: High Aspect Ratio, Arbitrary 3-D Metal Microstructures using a Low-Cost Automated Batch Process”, MEMS Symposium, ASME 1999 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, November, 1999. 8. A. Cohen, “Electrochemical Fabrication (EFAB™)”, Chapter 19 of The MEMS Handbook, edited by Mohamed Gad-EI-Hak, CRC Press, 2002. 9. Microfabrication—Rapid Prototyping's Killer Application”, pages 1-5 of the Rapid Prototyping Report, CAD/CAM Publishing, Inc., June 1999.
The disclosures of these nine publications are hereby incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full herein.
The electrochemical deposition process may be carried out in a number of different ways as set forth in the above patent and publications. In one form, this process involves the execution of three separate operations during the formation of each layer of the structure that is to be formed: 1. Selectively depositing at least one material by electrodeposition upon one or more desired regions of a substrate. 2. Then, blanket depositing at least one additional material by electrodeposition so that the additional deposit covers both the regions that were previously selectively deposited onto, and the regions of the substrate that did not receive any previously applied selective depositions. 3. Finally, planarizing the materials deposited during the first and second operations to produce a smoothed surface of a first layer of desired thickness having at least one region containing the at least one material and at least one region containing at least the one additional material.
After formation of the first layer, one or more additional layers may be formed adjacent to the immediately preceding layer and adhered to the smoothed surface of that preceding layer. These additional layers are formed by repeating the first through third operations one or more times wherein the formation of each subsequent layer treats the previously formed layers and the initial substrate as a new and thickening substrate.
Once the formation of all layers has been completed, at least a portion of at least one of the materials deposited is generally removed by an etching process to expose or release the three-dimensional structure that was intended to be formed.
The preferred method of performing the selective electrodeposition involved in the first operation is by conformable contact mask plating. In this type of plating, one or more conformable contact (CC) masks are first formed. The CC masks include a support structure onto which a patterned conformable dielectric material is adhered or formed. The conformable material for each mask is shaped in accordance with a particular cross-section of material to be plated. At least one CC mask is needed for each unique cross-sectional pattern that is to be plated.
The support for a CC mask is typically a plate-like structure formed of a metal that is to be selectively electroplated and from which material to be plated will be dissolved. In this typical approach, the support will act as an anode in an electroplating process. In an alternative approach, the support may instead be a porous or otherwise perforated material through which deposition material will pass during an electroplating operation on its way from a distal anode to a deposition surface. In either approach, it is possible for CC masks to share a common support, i.e. the patterns of conformable dielectric material for plating multiple layers of material may be located in different areas of a single support structure. When a single support structure contains multiple plating patterns, the entire structure is referred to as the CC mask while the individual plating masks may be referred to as “submasks”. In the present application such a distinction will be made only when relevant to a specific point being made.
In preparation for performing the selective deposition of the first operation, the conformable portion of the CC mask is placed in registration with and pressed against a selected portion of the substrate (or onto a previously formed layer or onto a previously deposited portion of a layer) on which deposition is to occur. The pressing together of the CC mask and substrate occur in such a way that all openings, in the conformable portions of the CC mask contain plating solution. The conformable material of the CC mask that contacts the substrate acts as a barrier to electrodeposition while the openings in the CC mask that are filled with electroplating solution act as pathways for transferring material from an anode (e.g. the CC mask support) to the non-contacted portions of the substrate (which act as a cathode during the plating operation) when an appropriate potential and/or current are supplied.
An example of a CC mask and CC mask plating are shown in FIGS. 1A-1C. FIG. 1A shows a side view of a CC mask 8 consisting of a conformable or deformable (e.g. elastomeric) insulator 10 patterned on an anode 12. The anode has two functions. One is as a supporting material for the patterned insulator 10 to maintain its integrity and alignment since the pattern may be topologically complex (e.g., involving isolated “islands” of insulator material). The other function is as an anode for the electroplating operation. FIG. 1A also depicts a substrate 6 separated from mask 8. CC mask plating selectively deposits material 22 onto a substrate 6 by simply pressing the insulator against the substrate then electrodepositing material through apertures 26a and 26b in the insulator as shown in FIG. 1B. After deposition, the CC mask is separated, preferably non-destructively, from the substrate 6 as shown in FIG. 1C. The CC mask plating process is distinct from a “through-mask” plating process in that in a through-mask plating process the separation of the masking material from the substrate would occur destructively. As with through-mask plating, CC mask plating deposits material selectively and simultaneously over the entire layer. The plated region may consist of one or more isolated plating regions where these isolated plating regions may belong to a single structure that is being formed or may belong to multiple structures that are being formed simultaneously. In CC mask plating, as individual masks are not intentionally destroyed in the removal process, they may be usable in multiple plating operations.
Another example of a CC mask and CC mask plating is shown in FIGS. 1D-1G. FIG. 1D shows an anode 12′ separated from a mask 8′ that includes a patterned conformable material 10′ and a support structure 20. FIG. 1D also depicts substrate 6 separated from the mask 8′. FIG. 1E illustrates the mask 8′ being brought into contact with the substrate 6. FIG. 1F illustrates the deposit 22′ that results from conducting a current from the anode 12′ to the substrate 6. FIG. 1G illustrates the deposit 22′ on substrate 6 after separation from mask 8′. In this example, an appropriate electrolyte is located between the substrate 6 and the anode 12′ and a current of ions coming from one or both of the solution and the anode are conducted through the opening in the mask to the substrate where material is deposited. This type of mask may be referred to as an anodeless INSTANT MASK™ (AIM) or as an anodeless conformable contact (ACC) mask.
Unlike through-mask plating, CC mask plating allows CC masks to be formed completely separate from the fabrication of the substrate on which plating is to occur (e.g. separate from a three-dimensional (3D) structure that is being formed). CC masks may be formed in a variety of ways, for example, a photolithographic process may be used. All masks can be generated simultaneously prior to structure fabrication rather than during it. This separation makes possible a simple, low-cost, automated, self-contained, and internally-clean “desktop factory” that can be installed almost anywhere to fabricate 3D structures, leaving any required clean room processes, such as photolithography to be performed by service bureaus or the like.
An example of the electrochemical fabrication process discussed above is illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2F. These figures show that the process involves deposition of a first material 2 which is a sacrificial material and a second material 4 which is a structural material. The CC mask 8, in this example, includes a patterned conformable material (e.g. an elastomeric dielectric material) 10 and a support 12 which is made from deposition material 2. The conformal portion of the CC mask is pressed against substrate 6 with a plating solution 14 located within the openings 16 in the conformable material 10. An electric current, from power supply 18, is then passed through the plating solution 14 via (a) support 12 which doubles as an anode and (b) substrate 6 which doubles as a cathode. FIG. 2A, illustrates that the passing of current causes material 2 within the plating solution and material 2 from the anode 12 to be selectively transferred to and plated on the substrate 6. After electroplating the first deposition material 2 onto the substrate 6 using CC mask 8, the CC mask 8 is removed as shown in FIG. 2B. FIG. 2C depicts the second deposition material 4 as having been blanket-deposited (i.e. non-selectively deposited) over the previously deposited first deposition material 2 as well as over the other portions of the substrate 6. The blanket deposition occurs by electroplating from an anode (not shown), composed of the second material, through an appropriate plating solution (not shown), and to the cathode/substrate 6. The entire two-material layer is then planarized to achieve precise thickness and flatness as shown in FIG. 2D. After repetition of this process for all layers, the multi-layer structure 20 formed of the second material 4 (i.e. structural material) is embedded in first material 2 (i.e. sacrificial material) as shown in FIG. 2E. The embedded structure is etched to yield the desired device, i.e. structure 20, as shown in FIG. 2F.
Various components of an exemplary manual electrochemical fabrication system 32 are shown in FIGS. 3A-3C. The system 32 consists of several subsystems 34, 36, 38, and 40. The substrate holding subsystem 34 is depicted in the upper portions of each of FIGS. 3A-3C and includes several components: (1) a carrier 48, (2) a metal substrate 6 onto which the layers are deposited, and (3) a linear slide 42 capable of moving the substrate 6 up and down relative to the carrier 48 in response to drive force from actuator 44. Subsystem 34 also includes an indicator 46 for measuring differences in vertical position of the substrate which may be used in setting or determining layer thicknesses and/or deposition thicknesses. The subsystem 34 further includes feet 68 for carrier 48 which can be precisely mounted on subsystem 36.
The CC mask subsystem 36 shown in the lower portion of FIG. 3A includes several components: (1) a CC mask 8 that is actually made up of a number of CC masks (i.e. submasks) that share a common support/anode 12, (2) precision X-stage 54, (3) precision Y-stage 56, (4) frame 72 on which the feet 68 of subsystem 34 can mount, and (5) a tank 58 for containing the electrolyte 16. Subsystems 34 and 36 also include appropriate electrical connections (not shown) for connecting to an appropriate power source (not shown) for driving the CC masking process.
The blanket deposition subsystem 38 is shown in the lower portion of FIG. 3B and includes several components: (1) an anode 62, (2) an electrolyte tank 64 for holding plating solution 66, and (3) frame 74 on which feet 68 of subsystem 34 may sit. Subsystem 38 also includes appropriate electrical connections (not shown) for connecting the anode to an appropriate power supply (not shown) for driving the blanket deposition process.
The planarization subsystem 40 is shown in the lower portion of FIG. 3C and includes a lapping plate 52 and associated motion and control systems (not shown) for planarizing the depositions.
Another method for forming microstructures from electroplated metals (i.e. using electrochemical fabrication techniques) is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,637 to Henry Guckel, entitled “Formation of Microstructures by Multiple Level Deep X-ray Lithography with Sacrificial Metal layers”. This patent teaches the formation of metal structure utilizing mask exposures. A first layer of a primary metal is electroplated onto an exposed plating base to fill a void in a photoresist, the photoresist is then removed and a secondary metal is electroplated over the first layer and over the plating base. The exposed surface of the secondary metal is then machined down to a height which exposes the first metal to produce a flat uniform surface extending across the both the primary and secondary metals. Formation of a second layer may then begin by applying a photoresist layer over the first layer and then repeating the process used to produce the first layer. The process is then repeated until the entire structure is formed and the secondary metal is removed by etching. The photoresist is formed over the plating base or previous layer by casting and the voids in the photoresist are formed by exposure of the photoresist through a patterned mask via X-rays or UV radiation.
Electrochemical fabrication provides the ability to form prototypes and commercial quantities of miniature objects, parts, structures, devices, and the like at reasonable costs and in reasonable times. In fact, electrochemical fabrication is an enabler for the formation of many structures that were hitherto impossible to produce. Electrochemical fabrication opens the spectrum for new designs and products in many industrial fields. Even though electrochemical fabrication offers this new capability and it is understood that electrochemical fabrication techniques can be combined with designs and structures known within various fields to produce new structures, certain uses for electrochemical fabrication provide designs, structures, capabilities and/or features not known or obvious in view of the state of the art.
A need exists in various fields for miniature devices having improved characteristics, reduced fabrication times, reduced fabrication costs, simplified fabrication processes, and/or more independence between geometric configuration and the selected fabrication process. A need also exists in the field of miniature device fabrication for improved fabrication methods and apparatus. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording an image onto a recording sheet by a recording head.
2. Description of the Related Art
A recording apparatus is constructed so as to record an image onto a recording sheet such as paper, plastic sheet, or the like based on image information. The recording apparatuses can be classified into an ink jet system, a wire dot system, a thermal system, a laser beam system, and the like according to a recording system. In a recording apparatus of a serial type using a recording head which moves in the width direction of the recording sheet, the recording is executed to the whole recording sheet while alternately repeating the recording of an amount corresponding to one line and the conveyance of a predetermined pitch. In a recording apparatus of a line type which records only by a scan in the conveying direction of the recording sheet, the recording of the whole recording sheet is executed by executing the conveyance of the predetermined pitch while continuously executing the recording of one line in a lump.
FIG. 14 is a partial vertical sectional view of a recording apparatus of the related art. In FIG. 14, a recording head 1301 executes the recording by discharging ink onto a recording sheet S1. A platen 1302 supports the recording sheet S1 at a position where it faces the recording head 1301. A conveying roller 1303 conveys the recording sheet S1 on the upstream side of the recording head 1301 in the conveying direction of the recording sheet. A pinch roller 1304 generates a conveying force by coming into pressure contact with the conveying roller 1303. A sheet discharge roller 1305 ejects the recorded recording sheet S1 to the outside of an apparatus main body. A driven roller 1306 such as a spur or the like generates a conveying force by coming into pressure contact with the sheet discharge roller 1305. The recording apparatus is constructed in such a manner that a pressure contact point of the pinch roller 1304 to the conveying roller 1303 is deviated at the downstream side in the conveying direction of the recording sheet, thereby pressing the recording sheet S1 onto the platen 1302. A nip portion 1308 is formed between the sheet discharge roller 1305 and the driven roller 1306.
However, in the case of pressing the recording sheet onto the platen by deviating the pressure contact point of the pinch roller, an optimum position of the pinch roller differs depending on conditions such as recording sheet type, conveying conditions, environmental conditions, ink type, image forming area, and the like. Among those various kinds of conditions, there are also conditions which are reciprocal to one of a movement amount and the moving direction. Therefore, a certain margin is allowed for recording quality by using a method whereby the apparatus is designed based on an intermediate value of an optimum value, a method whereby design values are determined by weighting each recording condition, or the like. | {
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Wavelength selective switches (WSS) are widely used for dynamic routing wavelength channels in optical communications networks. WSS devices are deployed in optical switching nodes of long-haul, regional, and metro optical communications networks. Referring to FIG. 1A, a typical WSS 100 includes a front end 101 having a single fiber array unit (FAU) 102, containing, for example, one input and four output optical fibers, a concave, usually spherical, mirror 104 to expand and steer an input optical beam 105 emitted by the input fiber of the FAU 102 onto a diffraction grating 106 for wavelength dispersion, further imaging onto a dispersed focal plane 108 containing a MEMS array 110 for selectively steering wavelength channels back through the WSS 100 to the outputs fibers of the FAU 102. Such wavelength-selective switching devices have been disclosed, for example, by Bouevitch et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,872, and by Ducellier et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,707,959. The MEMS array 110 can be replaced by a digital light processor (DLP), liquid crystal (LC), or a liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCoS) phased array. In the latter two cases, due to polarization sensitivity of the MEMS array 110, the optical beam 105 is split into two orthogonally polarized sub-beams at the front end 101, with one sub-beam being rotated so that the optical sub-beams in a single polarization state are propagated through the WSS 100.
Presently available WSS are highly integrated devices. Keyworth et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 7,725,027 disclose a twin WSS device, in which two WSS share common optical elements. Referring to FIGS. 1B and 1C with further reference to FIG. 1A, a prior-art twin WSS 120 is shown in schematic elevation and plan views, respectively. The twin WSS 120 includes two independently operable WSS units sharing the following common optical elements: a collimator 104-1, the diffraction grating 106, a focusing element 104-2, and the MEMS 110. The collimator 104-1 and the focusing element 104-2 can be replaced by the single spherical mirror 104 of FIG. 1A, resulting in a practical 4f configuration. The 4f configuration for a WSS has been described in detail in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,872.
Referring specifically to FIG. 1B, a first WSS unit includes a first front end 101A having a first FAU 102A and a first lens 121A. A light beam 105A is collimated by the collimator 104-1, dispersed into individual wavelength channels 107A (FIG. 1C) by the diffraction grating 106, and is focused by the focusing element 104-2 onto a first row 110A of tiltable micromirrors of the MEMS array 110, which redirect individual wavelength channels 107A to propagate back and couple in a wavelength-selective manner into output fibers of the first FAU 102A. Similarly, a second WSS unit includes a second front end 101B having a second FAU 102B and a second lens 121B. A light beam 105B is collimated by the collimator 104-1, dispersed into individual wavelength channels 107B (FIG. 1C) by the diffraction grating 106, and is focused the focusing element 104-2 onto a second row 110B of tiltable micromirrors of the MEMS 110, which redirect individual wavelength channels 107B to propagate back and couple in a wavelength-selective manner into output fibers of the second FAU 102B. In the view of FIG. 1C, the wavelength channels 107A and 107B are overlapped.
The twin WSS 120 of FIGS. 1B and 1C is a more economical and space-efficient unit than two single-unit WSS 100 of FIG. 1A. Future networks will require higher-degree network nodes having higher port count, and “colorless” add/drop ports, that is, add/drop ports allowing any wavelength channel to be added or dropped. The twin WSS 120 operates over a single spectral band of communication, either C-band or L-band.
Increasing data throughput in WSS networks has typically been achieved through a combination of increased number of multiplexed wavelengths within the C or L-band, and increased bit rates within each wavelength channel. When combined, these increases lead to improved spectral efficiency within the finite optical bandwidth of the optical amplifiers. However, each subsequent increase requires an improved optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR), which typically requires that optical power levels in the fiber are increased. It is anticipated that within the next 5 years, one will reach fundamental limits due to fiber optical nonlinearity, preventing further increases in OSNR. At this point, it is likely that the next path forward would either be C+L band WSS networks, or “spatially multiplexed” networks, consisting of overlayed “planes” of WSS networks. Demand is expected for both solutions, depending on the existing infrastructure of network operators; to support this future demand of compact, economical WSS devices, a more densely packed WSS devices are required. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Traditional knowledge learning and skill training programs rely on instructions and practice problems to help a user (e.g., a learner or a trainee) to improve his/her understanding of new concepts and skills in solving problems. Typically, a number of problems are provided to the user. The user finishes some or all the problems in a certain time period and submits the answers. The learning/training programs provide feedbacks to the user indicating how many problems are correctly answered and how many are not. The user may correct the problems which are answered incorrectly and/or practice more. In this traditional process, the user's learning/training progress is often linked to the percentage of problems that are correctly answered in a set of practice problems. This measure of learning/training progress, however, is difficult to provide an accurate assessment of the user on the proficiency levels of the skills to be learned, and is difficult to forecast the performance of the user in a comprehensive exam. In addition, traditional learning/training programs do not have the intelligence or ability to make dynamic adjustment of focusing areas to optimize the efficiency of the learning/training. The present disclosure is directed to overcoming or mitigating one or more of these problems as set forth above. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention refers to the field of the motor-driven manual labour devices. It concerns a chain medium pump for a motor-driven chain saw which sucks the chain medium over a suction pipe from a tank and which delivers it over a pressure pipe to a sawing device of a motor-driven chain saw. Such chain medium pumps are known, for example, from previous applications of the applicant, particularly from U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,440 and EP-BI-0 560 201.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor-driven chain saw with a chain medium pump.
For motor-driven chain saws, it is usual, for the lubrification of the chain with a chain medium, especially oil, to provide a special chain medium pump which is driven by the motor of the chain saw and which continuously sucks, during the operation of the saw, a lubrifying chain medium from a store container (tank) and delivers it to the chain where it is brought into contact at an appropriate place with the circulating chain saw.
According to the prior art, most of the time a piston pump is used as a chain medium pump for which a piston working in a cylinder is set into rotation around the piston axle by the motor of the chain saw over a worm gear pair and this rotation is converted into a periodical lifting movement of the piston by appropriate guiding means (for example by a surface being obliquely to the piston axle which which the rotating piston which is prestressed by a spring runs on a guiding pin). Examples of such piston pumps are known from the documents mentioned at the beginning but, for example, also from U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,622, U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,314 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,253.
When the chain medium pump is fixedly connected with the motor over the worm gear pair (for example with the crankshaft of a high-speed two-cycle internal combustion engine), it also delivers chain medium to the saw chainxe2x80x94if other measures are not takenxe2x80x94when the saw chain is disconnected from the running motor and stands. However, such a delivery is not wished if the chain is standing. Basically, it would be possible to also disconnect the chain medium pump from the motor through appropriate mechanical devices, when the saw chain is uncoupled. However, such a coupling device is not only complicated and expensive to manufacture but would also require a considerable supplementary space on the chain saw which is constructed as compact as possible and subsequently could not be easily integrated into already existing motor chain saws.
Therefore, the aim of the invention is to create a chain medium pump with which a disconnecting function of the pump can be realized in an easy and space-saving way, the chain being standing, and which only requires slight modifications on existing pump models.
This aim is achieved for a chain medium pump of the type mentioned in the introduction by the fact that, for disconnecting the supply of the sawing device with the chain medium controllable means exist with which the pressure pipe is interrupted, the chain medium pump being running, and simultaneously the chain medium delivered by the chain medium pump can be returned into the suction pipe. Due to the interruption of the pressure pipe and the simultaneous returning of the delivered chain medium to the suction side, the chain medium pump can run further without any impediment, the chain saw being standing, without the chain medium being delivered up to the chain. The chain medium pump over the chain medium in a closed circuit without being exposed to additional loads.
A first preferred embodiment of the chain medium pump according to the invention is characterized in that the controllable means comprise a reverse valve placed in the pressure pipe and a bypass guided by the reverse valve to the suction pipe. Through the reverse valve, an easily operatable space-saving control function with one-valued ON/OFF character is realized. The bypass can easily be integrated into the pump by a few additional elements.
A particularly robust and compact structure of the arrangement is achieved if, according to a second preferred embodiment of the chain medium pump according to the invention, the chain medium pump is placed in a pump case and that the reverse valve and the bypass are integrated into the pump case. Preferably, the reverse valve is configured as a swivelling piston valve to simply and to assure functional safety.
A further preferred embodiment of the chain medium pump according to the invention is characterized in that the chain medium pump comprises a pump piston axially movable in a cylinder bore in the pump case, that, for constituting the reverse valve, a valve bore which is connected with the cylinder bore over a pressure channel is placed in the pump case on the delivery side, valve bore in which a substantially cylindrical valve body with a swivelling piston is placed and swivellably positioned and that the bypass is formed by two through bore holes which discharge within the pump case starting from the valve bore or from the suction pipe at the same level into the cylinder bore and which are connected with each other by a ring groove placed on the pump piston. This type of recirculation can be particularly easily integrated into existing pump concepts if - as described in the documents U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,440 and EP-BI-0 560 201 of the applicant - a pump piston with a ring groove and a through bore are already existing in the pump concepts, because of other reasons, between the pressure pipe and the ring groove.
The swivelling piston preferably has a recess in the form of an axially extending segment of a circle which connects, in a first position of the swivelling piston, the pressure channel with the axially outgoing pressure pipe ; furthermore, the swivelling piston has a connecting groove which connects, in a second position of the swivelling piston, the pressure channel and the first through bore the one with the other.
The motor chain saw according to the invention with a chain medium pump according to the invention is characterized in that the motor chain saw comprises a safety key with which, the motor being running, the sawing device can be activated and desactivated and that the safety key and the controllable means or the reverse valve are operationally connected with each other over actuating means, so that, when releasing the safety key, the pressure pipe is automatically interrupted and, when actuating the safety key, the interruption of the pressure pipe is automatically suppressed. Through the coupling of the disconnectable chain medium pump with the safety key, a triggering function is realized which guarantees a single-valued ON/OFF function and which works practically insensitive to errors and tolerances.
The disconnecting function is triggered by the release of the rear handle of the chain saw, whereby the saw chain still does not have to stand but is, depending on the operator""s habits, still drifting. The effect of this xe2x80x9cadvancedxe2x80x9d disconnection of the delivery of the chain medium is that excess chain medium in the rail connecting area of the chain rail is transported by the drifting chain into the rail. Thus, a draining of the chain medium out of the chain intake area and thus an additional dirt accumulation in the machine is advantageously reduced.
The particular advantage of this triggering consists in that the chain lubrification already begins by actuating the safety key. It is thus assured that the chain medium is already delivered a few seconds before the start running of the saw chain and that the chain is sufficiently lubricated before the operator begins to cut. Furthermore, the use of the safety key offers the advantage that the necessary actuation forces for the valve are practically not perceived by the operator, since they are negligible with respect to the retention force of the machine or to the applied manual force. For the actuation of the valve, a force of, for example, 2 to 5 N is necessary, depending on the lever transmission which is carried out.
According to a preferred embodiment of the motor chain saw according to the invention, the actuating means comprise a Bowden cable which is simple and cheap.
Further embodiments result from the depending claims. | {
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This invention relates to illuminated real estate signs and to methods of marketing real estate.
For quite some time, real estate signs have played a significant role in transferring interests in real property, whether by sale or lease. In front of homes and businesses all over the country, real estate signs notify the public that a given piece of property is available for sale, lease, or possibly other arrangements as real property owner(s) may desire. A fair amount of interest in properties is sparked when people for one reason or another happen to pass by and see a real estate sign located on the property. Indeed, simply driving around neighborhoods looking for real estate signs is a common way that people learn that a particular property is available for sale or lease.
Several different types of real estate signs exist in the marketplace. The signs themselves are typically metallic and are supported by metal or wood structures that are usually affixed to the front lawn of the property, or other suitable locations that are visible to the public. The signs themselves are often thin, rectangular panels overlaid with text and graphics capable of withstanding the elements. However, wood, plastic, and cardboard signs of lesser durability may also be found which serve the same purpose of notifying the public that the property is available for sale or lease. The structures supporting real estate signs are typically one of two basic constructions. First, a wooden cross arm structure from which the sign is suspended is common. A second type of structure incorporates metallic poles attached to each side of the real estate sign.
A disadvantage of real estate signs is that they are often difficult to read, and sometimes difficult to see at all, after dark. While a portion of the market of potential buyers and/or lessors has ample opportunity to locate and read real estate signs in daylight hours, an increasing portion of the market does not. Also, even if a real estate sign is noticed in the darkness, the darkness makes it difficult to read key information (e.g. phone numbers and real estate company names) on the signs. These difficulties may cause a potential buyer or lessor to refrain from viewing properties at night altogether and certainly impedes the progress of those that do. Therefore, an appreciable portion of the interested market may not get the opportunity to view properties because they could not easily find them at night.
One type of real estate signs has spot lights or flood lights in a cross arm that shine down upon a suspended display panel. The display panel is overlaid with information regarding marketing information about the property. The lights are located in the cross arm, along with other components, such as a battery, an alarm, a radio transmitter, a thermal sensor and/or heating coils to help ensure that the sign remains in place and remains visible at night to convey information about the property to potentially interested parties. While this type of sign provides a partial solution to the problems associated with viewing real estate properties at night, it is not without disadvantages.
For instance, the lighted real estate signs of this type may blend in with a multitude of lights in a neighborhood so that it becomes easy to miss unless one is carefully looking for it. For instance, porch lights, yard lights, street lights, and light coming through windows may make the sign difficult to see and read from certain vantage points where the surrounding light field backlights the sign and camouflages it. Also, when lit, the sign is practically invisible when viewed from a side perspective. Because of the relative thinness of the display panel, the silhouette of the sign may be made out only when one stands at a sufficient angle relative to the front or back faces of a sign. In other words, even though the lights shine down upon the face of the sign at night, the sign may nonetheless be virtually invisible from the side. Thus, it is possible that one could drive by this type of sign at night and completely miss it if the sign is approached from certain angles and/or a distracted driver or passenger briefly glances at the property only from a perspective in which the sign cannot be seen. Finally, the harsh bright light of this type of sign is prone to glare, and may be unwelcomed by the neighbors. | {
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Confectionery masses which are at first sticky, such as hot caramel, sugar or like masses, cannot be processed in this way at all, because they are difficult to get out of the molds, particularly when these are casting molds. Special difficulties are encountered in the production of hollow or filled confectionery, such as brandy-cherries and so forth. In German Patent Specification No. 1,955,056 and in the corresponding British Patent Specification No. 1,290,359 apparatus for the production of hollow confections has already been proposed comprising open top molds which are supplied from above with a flowable confectionery mass, temporarily rotated about a vertical axis and then cooled and discharged. Although in practice this apparatus has been a success, it does not entirely overcome the above mentioned shortcomings of conventional machines and it can process only such confectionery masses as will not stick to the molds.
The present invention eliminates these remaining defects, the object being to provide a method, and apparatus for performing the method, which will permit finished ready-wrapped confections to be economically produced without trouble irrespective of the nature of the processed confectionery masses. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Separable fasteners such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,717,437 and 3,009,235 which are marketed under the registered trademark VELCRO.RTM. brand hook and loop fasteners by Velcro USA, Inc., 521 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. have gained wide acceptance because of the properties of the mating hooks and loops. A surface defined by the hooks is merely placed into face-to-face relationship with a surface defined by the loops so that a large number of hooks engage a large number of loops and therefore are able to resist separation by forces parallel to the interfacial plane of engagement but are readily separable by peeling forces applied substantially normal to this interfacial plane. These fastening devices are generally formed of a sheet of synthetic woven or knitted fabric having raised threads of synthetic material, such as nylon, which are napped or unnapped to provide a pile surface defined by a plurality of loops, and which may be thermally treated to become semi-rigid. certain of the loops may then be cut along one side near their outer extremity to form hooks.
These fasteners have been utilized in numerous applications in many fields of use, particularly because of their unique touch and close fastener capability as well as their fastening strength. The unique fastening capability of these hook and loop-type engaging elements have been applied to particular uses to create new and unobvious fastener arrangements.
In particular, fasteners of this type have previously been utilized either alone or as major components of strapping devices of various types. Although the prior art dealing with straps and the like includes numerous fastener devices of various types to secure the straps in their intended environment, the applications of these separable hook and loop-type fasteners have reduced the need for the traditional strap fastening devices such as buckles and the like. To the extent that the early fastening devices did not generally facilitate variable and precise fastening, the application of these separable fasteners to the strap art has proven to provide substantial advantages.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,000,384 to Piers, Jr., relates to a fastener tie to retain a hank or lock of hair in a desired shape. In an embodiment, a portion of longitudinally elastic tape is threaded through the opening of an attached elongated eye in such a way that the tape forms a spiral-like configuration. U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,026 to Van Pelt, relates to a restraining device for holding a limb of an anatomical body. The restraining device includes an elongated resilient pad wrapped around a part of a human limb. U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,280 to Lacount relates to a catheter support combining VELCRO.RTM. brand fasteners with an elastic band which is secured around the patient's thigh. U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,107 to Moore, relates to an adjustable strap assembly which utilizes VELCRO.RTM. brand fasteners in combination with a pad having hooking elements on both sides to eliminate the requirement of an excessively long length of looped strap portion. U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,849 to Muller et al., relates to a surgical tube supporter having an elastic strap with a high friction layer on one face to engage the patient's skin. In still another development, a strap adapted to support surgical tubes is comprised of an elastic strap portion connected at one end to an inelastic strap portion with hook and loop-type fastener tape members attached thereto to the interface between the elastic and inelastic strap portions. An endless ring-like member is utilized to loop the hook fastener tape about the surgical tube to provide support therefore.
A catheter tube holder is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,136. The construction of the tube holder utilizes a VELFOAM.RTM. brand strap material, i.e., foam material having a loop material backing bonded thereto. The catheter tube is secured snugly by the end portion of a strap section by folding the strap portion about the tube and inserting it into an opening adjacent an end thereof so as to secure the tube inside the strap. While this tube holder represents a significant improvement in such devices, the invention of the present application provides significantly improved securement of a first member such as a catheter tube to a second member such as a limb of a patient in a manner not previously attainable.
Along with the fastening advantages of the prior art, certain disadvantages nevertheless remain, particularly when the fastener device is utilized to support a catheter strap to a patient's limb. For example, in the presently known devices, which utilize elastic bands and the like, there is a tendency to restrict the flow of blood through the encircled human limb and this constriction has been known to cause ulcerations of the limb. Still others neither firmly support and secure the catheter tube to the strap nor the strap to the limb and this failure generally results in pain and discomfort to the patient if the tube slips out of position or becomes otherwise relocated. In addition, the prior art devices do not provide a strap of a fixed length which may be varied in size to accommodate limbs or body portions of numerous sizes. We have invented a relatively inexpensive fastening device in which these disadvantages are successfully avoided and which is particularly useful in providing generally firm but gentle support for catheter tubes and the like. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The field of the invention is the hydraulic systems of a gas turbine engine of an aircraft.
2. Background Art
A gas turbine engine of an aircraft conventionally comprises several hydraulic systems for conveying fuel or oil to supply the members of the engine.
By way of example, a gas turbine engine includes a hydraulic system through which the fuel runs. In a known manner, the hydraulic system includes a fuel filter set up to catch impurities in the fuel circulating in the system. The fuel filter can only catch a limited quantity of impurities. Once the fuel filter reaches its saturation threshold, the filter is deemed to be obstructed.
In order to ensure the reliability of the hydraulic system, patent application FR2927003A1 filed by the company SNECMA introduced a method for detecting the obstruction of a filter using pressure measurements. Furthermore, an obstruction sensor for monitoring the fuel filter to detect obstruction is known.
Conventionally, an obstruction sensor includes a deformable membrane and a set of strain gauges, also known as strain gauge resistors, which are built into the deformable membrane to form a Wheatstone bridge, known to the person skilled in the art, enabling detection of the pressure difference between the two faces of the deformable membrane and therefore an obstruction of the filter.
In a known manner, the obstruction sensor of the fuel filter is linked to the monitoring input of a processor on board the engine of the aircraft, the processor being known to the person skilled in the art by the English acronym FADEC “Full Authority Digital Engine Control”. The processor thereby makes it possible to continuously monitor the state of the fuel filter using the obstruction sensor.
The fuel supply system includes, in addition to the first fuel filter, known as the main fuel filter, a second fuel filter, hereinafter referred to as the auxiliary fuel filter, set up to catch impurities upstream and downstream of the pump in the hydraulic fuel supply system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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For a variety of commercially significant purposes it is desirable to perform nondestructive tests to measure the electrical conductance, conductivity, or resistivity of a sample.
For example, during semiconductor product manufacturing, there is a need to measure the conductivity of various conductive thin films on semiconductor wafers and integrated circuits in a nondestructive manner. Also during semiconductor product manufacturing, it is useful to perform stress measurements on semiconductor wafers and integrated circuits in a nondestructive manner.
It is well known that such measurements can be obtained by eddy current testing. One conventional apparatus for performing eddy current testing on a sample is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,458, issued Dec. 28, 1976. Another is described in Jeanneret, et al., "Inductive Conductance Measurements in Two-Dimensional Superconducting Systems," Applied Phys. Lett. 55 (22), pp. 2336-2338 (Nov. 27, 1989). The Jeanneret, et al., apparatus employs two coils, both positioned above the sample: a drive coil (of radius 2.05 mm), and an astatically wound receiver coil (having radius 1.2 mm) coaxially mounted within the drive coil. The receiver coil has a first section (wound with right-handed helical geometry) and a second section (wound with left-handed helical geometry). The lower end of the drive coil is positioned at a first known distance (0.3 mm) above the sample, and the lower end of the lower section of the receiver coil is positioned at a second known distance above the sample, where the second distance is much (e.g., an order of magnitude) smaller than the first distance. As the drive coil is driven by an AC voltage source (at a frequency of 70 kHz), the in-phase and quadrature components of the voltage at the receiver coil are measured by "conventional lock-in techniques or by an ac mutual-inductance bridge." The resulting voltage data can be processed (with data indicating the coils' distance from the sample) to determine the sample's complex conductance.
Several conventional techniques for processing in-phase and quadrature voltage data obtained during eddy current testing are described in the Nondestructive Testing Handbook, Second Edition, edited by R. C. McMaster, American Society for Nondestructive Testing, Inc. (1986), Volume 4-Electromagnetic Testing, at pages 218-222. However, such conventional techniques require accurate knowledge of the separation between the sample and an eddy current probe (comprising drive coil and sense coil) at one or more positions of the probe relative to the sample.
In typical applications of eddy current testing, accurate measurement (or prior knowledge) of the separation between the eddy current probe and the sample requires complicated and expensive equipment. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,721 describes an eddy current testing apparatus which employs complicated acoustic wave measurement equipment to measure eddy current probe-to-sample separation.
Other typical applications of eddy current testing require maintenance of the eddy current probe at a constant, precisely repeatable, distance from the sample. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,694, issued Jul. 18, 1989, assumes that a sample's resistivity or thickness is known, and employs eddy current measurements to determine the other of the sample's resistivity or thickness in a manner requiring that the measurement apparatus maintain the eddy current probe at a constant, precisely repeatable distance "d" from the sample surface. This reference teaches that a precision optical microscope is preferably used to precisely position the eddy current probe at the distance "d" from the sample.
Until the present invention, it was not known how to perform eddy current testing to obtain accurate conductance or conductivity measurements on a sample without the need to measure the separation between the probe and the sample or to perform measurements at a precisely maintained probe-to-sample separation. The eddy current testing method of the present invention provides a convenient and inexpensive way to obtain conductance and/or conductivity measurements on a sample without the need to measure separation between an eddy current probe and a sample. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In order to prevent, when a plug connector and a receptacle connector of a wire-to-wire connector are fitted, for example, the plug connector and the receptacle connector from disengaging unintentionally, a lock structure has been used to restrict the plug connector and the receptacle connector from moving in insertion and extraction directions for secure fitting in the related art. Such a lock structure is known that includes a locking projection formed on a connector housing, and a lock arm formed on another connector housing to engage with the locking projection.
In Patent Document 1, described below, an engaging claw 4 is formed as a locking projection on a connector housing. When the engaging claw 4 engages with a locking piece 7 formed as a lock arm on another housing, a receptacle connector and a plug connector fit and lock to each other. In here, a coupling piece part 11 formed on the locking piece 7 directly engages with the engaging claw 4. The coupling piece part 11 is supported by a support leg 8 and a pair of lock arm parts 10 each extending in the insertion and extraction directions of the connector so as to be swingable relative to the housing of a plug 3. A finger hooking part 17 to be pressed so that the locking piece 7 swings is connected to the coupling piece part 11 with a triangular blade part 14 via a release lever part 16 extending outside the two lock arm parts 10.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Publication No. H2-54180 | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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As the integrated circuit (IC) fabrication moves to advanced technology nodes, the IC feature size scales down to smaller dimensions. For example, trench dimensions and gate sizes continue to get smaller and smaller. One limitation to achieving smaller sizes of IC device features is conventional lithography. Small trench formation typically requires a high cost exposure tool, such as extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools that are constrained by scanner wavelength and various patterns for blocking certain wavelengths. A large etching bias is generally required to compensate for the large lithographic pattern for non-shrinkable critical dimensions, which often results in poor critical dimension uniformity or shorting of the gate when blocking patterns are misaligned. Thus, better methods and materials are needed to define small trench dimensions. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel electroluminescence (EL) device and more particularly to an organic EL device capable of emitting light in a region of bluish purple to green at a high luminance and in a stabilized manner. Moreover, the present invention relates to novel aromatic dimethylidyne compounds useful, for example, as emitting materials for an EL device, processes for efficiently preparing the above compounds, and an EL device using the above compound.
2. Description of the Related Arts
A device utilizing EL performance of an organic compound has been long studied in view of fluorescence of the organic compound. For example, W. Helfrish, Dresmer, Williams et al. succeeded in emission of blue light using anthracene crystal (J. Chem. Phys., 44, 2902 (1966)). Vincett, Barlow, et al. produced a light emitting device by a vapor deposition method, using a condensed polycyclic aromatic compound (Thin Solid Films, 94, 171 (1982)).
However, only a light emitting device low in luminance and luminous efficiency has been obtained.
It is reported that emission of blue light of 100 cd/m.sup.2 was obtained using tetraphenylbutadiene as a light emitting material (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 194393/1984). In practice, however, the efficiency is markedly low and is unsatisfactory.
It is reported that a green light emitting organic thin film EL device providing the maximum luminance of more than 1,000 cd/m.sup.2 and an efficiency of 1 lm/W was developed by laminating a diamine compound conveying a hole and a luminous aluminum chelate complex as a light emitting material (Appl. Phys. Lett., 51, 913 (1987)).
It is also reported that a distyrylbenzene compound well known as a laser dye exhibits high fluorescent properties in the region of blue to blue green, and a light emitting material using the distyrylbenzene compound in a single layer form emits EL light of about 80 cd/m.sup.2 (European Patent 0319881).
However, a light emitting material providing light other than green light (particularly blue-based light) in a luminance as high as more than 1,000 cd/m.sup.2 and with high efficiency has not been obtained.
In connection with the structure of the aforementioned organic EL device, those obtained by properly providing a hole injection layer or an electron injection layer in a basic structure having a positive electrode/light emitting layer/negative electrode, e.g., a structure of positive electrode/hole injection layer/light emitting layer/negative electrode, or a structure of positive electrode/hole injection layer/light emitting layer/electron injection layer/negative electrode are known. The hole injection layer functions to inject a hole into the light emitting layer from the positive electrode, and the electron injection layer, to inject an electron into the light emitting layer from the negative electrode. It is known that placing the hole injection layer between the light emitting layer and the positive electrode permits injection of more holes at a lower voltage, and that electrons injected from the negative electrode or the injection layer into the light emitting layer are accumulated at the light emitting layer side in an interface between the light emitting layer and the hole injection layer when the hole injection layer does not have electron transporting ability, increasing a luminous efficiency (Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 51, p. 913 (1987)).
As such organic EL devices, for example, (1) a laminate type EL device having a structure of positive electrode/hole injection layer/light emitting layer/negative electrode in which the light emitting layer is made of an aluminum complex of 8-hydroxyquinoline, and the hole injection layer, of a diamine compound (Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 51, p. 913 (1987)), (2) a laminate type EL device having a structure of positive electrode/hole injection zone/organic light emitting zone/negative electrode in which an aluminum complex of 8-hydroxyquinoline is used in preparation of the light emitting zone (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 194393/1984), and (3) an EL device having a structure of positive electrode/hole injection zone/light emitting zone/negative electrode in which the light emitting zone is made of a host material and a fluorescent material (European Patent Publication No. 281381) are known.
In the above EL devices (1) and (2), although light emission of high luminance is attained at a low voltage, it is necessary to control the temperature of a vapor deposition source not to be more than 300.degree. C. i.e., as low as nearly an evaporation temperature in vapor deposition, because an aluminum complex of 8-hydroxyquinoline when used as a light emitting material is readily decomposable at a temperature of more than about 300.degree. C. It is therefore difficult to control conditions for production of a device and, moreover, the vapor deposition speed is decreased. Thus the devices (1) and (2) inevitably suffer from a problem of a reduction in productivity of devices. Moreover the aluminum complex of 8-hydroxyquinoline can emit green light, but not blue light.
In the EL device (3), a compound capable of injecting a hole and a electron from the outside, preferably an aluminum complex of 8-hydroxyquinoline is used as a host material, and as a fluorescent material, a compound capable of emitting light in response to re-combination of a hole and an electron, such as a known fluorescent dye.
In this device, among an injection function (function to inject a hole from either a positive electrode or a hole injection layer and also to inject an electron either from an electrode or a negative electron injection layer, upon application of electric field), a transport function (function to transport a hole and an electron upon application of electric field), and a light emitting function (function to provide a field for re-combination of a positive hole and an electron, thereby producing light emission), the light emitting zone (light emitting layer) should have the injection function, the transport function, and part of the light emitting function fulfilled by the host material, while only part of the light emitting function is fulfilled by the fluorescent material. For this reason, the host material is doped with a very small amount (not more than 5 mol%) of the fluorescent material. An EL device of the above structure can emit light in the region of from green to red at a luminance as high as above 1,000 cd/m.sup.2 by application of a voltage of about 10 V.
In this EL device, however, the same problems as in the above EL devices (1) and (2) are encountered, because it usually uses 8-hydroxyquinoline-Al complex as a host material. Moreover, it is impossible to emit light of a short wavelength having a higher energy than the energy gap value of the 8-hydroxyquinone from a fluorescent material; emission of blue light cannot be obtained.
As described above, the above devices (1), (2) and (3) cannot provide blue light emission of high luminance in a stabilized manner and with high efficiency. However, they provide an epoch making technical advance by showing that a high luminous and high efficiency EL device can be realized by selecting a light emitting material with a structure of positive electrode/hole injection layer made of amino derivative/light emitting layer/negative electrode. In this selection of the light emitting material, the three functions of the above light emitting layer should be satisfied. Moreover it should be taken into consideration that a material with excellent film forming properties as a light emitting layer should be selected. Moreover the material selected should have excellent heat resistance properties and should avoid decomposition at the time of heating for vacuum deposition. It has been difficult to find a light emitting material to satisfy all the above requirements. Thus the present inventors made extensive investigations to develop a compound providing light emission in a region of bluish purple to green, particularly in a blue region at a high luminance and with high efficiency.
The present inventors made extensive investigations to attain the above objects. As a result, they have found that stilbene-based compounds having specified structures have an injection ability, a transporting ability and a light emitting ability essential for a light emitting layer, are excellent in heat resistance and thin film forming properties, are free from decomposition even if heated to a vacuum deposition temperature, can form a uniform and dense film having excellent thin film forming properties, and moreover are rarely subject to formation of pinholes at the time of formation of the opposite electrode (metal), and that if the above compounds are used as light emitting materials, an EL device can be obtained with high efficiency and moreover the EL device provides stable light emission of high luminance from bluish purple to green upon application of a low voltage. Based on the findings, these present invention has been accomplished. Furthermore, the EL device is of high efficiency in a practical luminous region (80 to 200 cd/m.sup.2). | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating an image file in which data for a stereographic display is recorded and a method and apparatus for controlling an image display when a stereographic synthetic image is to be displayed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of computer vision, the position of a point, which is visually recognized when a photography space is seen from a certain direction, is optically measured, whereby a three-dimensional shape of an object disposed in the photography space is recognized or the depth of the photography space is recognized. As a method of measurement, there have been known a stereo image method where the principle of trigonometry is used, a TOF (time of flight) method where a time from the projection of light to receipt of the reflected light is measured, and a light section method where pattern light is investigated when slit light is projected.
An image, in which the position of the visually recognizable point is represented by coordinates of a predetermined coordinate system and the values of the coordinates are recorded as pixel values, is generally called a “distance image” or a “depth image”. Such a distance image includes information on a spatial position recognized by humans due to the fact that humans see objects with both eyes. On the other hand, the RGB data or a gradation image obtained by normal photography includes information on color and/or brightness recognized by a human when he or she sees an object. Accordingly, by combination of information obtained from the distance image and information obtained from the RGB data or the like, information substantially equivalent to that obtained by vision of a human when he or she sees the object can be recognized by a computer. Further, this makes it feasible to form and display an image which is viewed as a stereographic by the human. For example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20020030675, an apparatus or a system for a stereographic image display is disclosed.
In the image processing of two-dimensional images, synthesis of a plurality of images into an image of a new composition is often carried out. In the case of stereographic images as well, there are many needs where a plurality of pieces of data for a stereographic display obtained through a plurality of cameras (or through a camera at different times) are synthesized into an image of a new composition. Further, in display control of a two-dimensional image, enlargement of a specified region of interest is often carried out. There are needs also in the stereographic display to carry out the same display control.
However, since the image processing of a three-dimensional image is more complicated and requires longer time as compared with a two-dimensional image, the displaying speed is lowered when the synthesis or the enlargement is carried out immediately before. | {
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The invention is in the field of measuring devices, such as for measuring temperature or other parameters. A specific embodiment of the invention relates to a digital thermometer.
Prior art devices of this type typically rely on a temperature responsive element incorporated in a bridge circuit connected to a high precision voltage source. The bridge imbalance due to the temperature responsive arm is converted to a digital number by a suitable analog-to-digital converter. One disadvantage with devices of this type is that their accuracy depends on that of a high precision voltage source, which makes such devices expensive to make and difficult to maintain.
This invention is directed to an improvement in such devices which eliminates the need for a high precision voltage source. In accordance with the invention, dual slope analog-to-digital converter techniques are used in a novel way which provides an accurate measure of temperature or similar parameters without using the previously indispensable high precision voltage source.
In a specific embodiment of the invention, the input capacitor, integrator and detector of the prior art analog-to-digital converter in an autozeroing configuration is combined with a resistance bridge having a temperature responsive arm and a temperature insensitive arm. The bridge is powered by a low precision voltage source. The free side of the input capacitor is connected to the temperature insensitive bridge arm through a first switch, to the temperature responsive bridge arm through a second switch, and to the voltage source through a third switch. The other side of the input capacitor, i.e., the side which is normally connected to the integrator input, is connected to the detector output through a fourth switch in the common autozeroing configuration. By opening and closing the four switches in a sequence which reflects the invented technique, the undesirable effects of long-term changes in the voltage source level and in the offset and drift of the integrator and detector amplifiers are eliminated, and the difference between the two arms of the bridge is measured accurately, thus obtaining an accurate measure of the effect of temperature on the temperature responsive bridge arm.
Specifically, only the second and fourth switches are initially in a closed state, to thereby place on the input capacitor an initial charge which reflects: (a) the voltage level of the voltage source, (b) the resistance of the temperature responsive bridge arm, and (c) the offset and drift of the integrator and detector amplifiers. Then, a dual slope measurement cycle is started comprising a fixed time interval and a variable time interval. During the fixed time interval, only the first switch is maintained in a closed state, all other switches being open, to thereby apply to the integrator a measurement voltage which reflects: (a) the initial charge on the input capacitor, (b) the voltage level of the voltage source, and (c) the resistance of the temperature insensitive bridge arm. During the variable time interval, only the third switch is maintained in a closed state, all other switches being open, to thereby apply to the integrator a reference voltage whose polarity is opposite that of the measurement voltage and whose magnitude reflects the voltage level of the voltage source. The variable time interval ends when the output of the integrator crosses the reference voltage. The duration of this variable time interval is a measure of the difference between the resistances of the two bridge arms, and is therefore a measure of the temperature of interest. If the levels of the voltage source and of the drift and offset of the integrator and detector amplifiers remain reasonably constant during the dual slope measurement cycle, the absolute values of these levels or changes in these levels as between successive measurement cycles have no effect on accuracy. Since each measurement cycle is of the order of milliseconds, it is unlikely that the level of the voltage source or the level of the drift and offset of the amplifiers would change during a measurement cycle. The longer term changes, as between measurement cycles, do not affect accuracy. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Field of Invention
The present invention relates a fishing device, and more particularly to a fishing device for Asian carp.
Description of Related Arts
Conventional fishing methods which are commonly used includes fishhooks fishing, fishing by small fishing nets, seine fishing using a seine or dragnet and electrofishing. However, the use of fishhooks and small fishing nets for fishing has the drawbacks of low fish catch and large manpower requirement, which is not suitable for large scale fishing. When seine fishing is used, the fish being caught may escape into the water easily and hence the fishing efficiency is affected. When electrofishing is used, the ultrasonic wave may lead to hypoxia of the head and heart of the fish such that the fish is floated to the water surface. The survival rate of the fish catch from this fishing method is low, the fish catch cannot be effectively used and resources are wasted. Also, this method does not allow classification fishing for catching a specific species of fishes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the conversion of picture information on a motion picture film into a video signal and, more particularly, to a film scanning apparatus commonly known as a telecine scanner, which is used for playback of a motion picture film for television production and programming.
2. Background Art
A telecine scanner is ordinarily balanced "open gate" prior to scanning a motion picture film. This requires that the telecine scanner be adjusted so that when there is no film or filters in the light path from the light source through the film gate of the scanner to the image pickup devices, the red, green and blue video signal outputs are of equal amplitude. The equal signal amplitudes define a reference level corresponding to white light input, or some equivalent to white light input. Ordinarily the gain controls of the video amplifiers coupled to the image pickup devices are adjusted to produce such equal amplitudes, which are sometimes referred to as "100% video" output levels.
"Open gate" balancing is especially adapted for motion picture print film, since equal amounts of the positive-reading density information in the film will thereafter affect light transmission equally in each color. Motion picture print film, moreover, has been traditionally preferred for telecine scanning because positive prints, besides being readily available, are already color balanced for direct viewing and require fewer color corrections than a negative film. However, the making of a positive film print from the original negative film requires at least one extra processing step, which results in some degradation of the image as well as color saturation of the resulting print relative to the negative.
It would, consequently, be desirable to use a negative film . . . as well as a positive film . . . directly in a telecine scanner. A direct substitution of a negative film for a positive film is ordinarily unpromising since a negative film has an inherent base density that provides unequal transmission for like components of red, green, and blue light input to the negative film. The base density includes, in the case of negative film, the density of unexposed areas of the film, including the densities of the support and suspending gelatin, the fog density produced on development without exposure, and the unequal densities in red, green, and blue due to the inherent color mask used in a negative film to cancel unwanted dye absorption. This overall unequal density distribution becomes the point from which net densities produced by exposure and development are measured. The base density (also called the minimum density or "D-min.") of a negative film, for example, is about 0.3 units in red, 0.6 units in green and 0.9 units in blue. Such a typical negative material, therefore, blocks light transmission by about 50 % in red, 75% in green and 88% in blue--without any image information yet in the film. The penalty for balancing a telecine scanner "open gate" is thus taken out in signal to noise for negative film, that is, signal to noise performance is reduced by a factor of 2 in red, by 4 in green, and by 8 in blue when scanning a negative film. This is clearly unacceptable.
Prior art attempts to correct for this imbalance generally depend upon either equalization of the light transmission of the negative film in red, green, and blue by adding filters into the light path (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,489), or by electronic matrixing of the red, green, and blue signals (see "The Interface of Color Negative Film and Telecine," by Karel Staes and Walter Markie, SMPTE Journal, March 1983, pp. 303-307), or by some combination of both (see "FDL60-An Advanced Film Scanning System," by Dieter Poetsch, SMPTE Journal, March 1984, pp. 216-227). Color equalization filters are inserted into the light path during film scanning so as to reduce red and green light transmission to match the blue light transmission of the negative film. When this method is utilized for a typical negative film, the video output signal amplitude is greatly reduced from its original "100% video" level. In order to restore the level needed for video processing, the gain of the image pickup amplifiers is uniformly increased, thus raising the typical noise level in the output signal. Alternatively, if optical equalization filters are not used, the individual gains of the image pickup amplifiers must be increased by different amounts, also increasing noise.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,489, the output video signals are balanced for negative scanning by inserting optical equalization filters into the light path that optically match the red image light output to the green image light output. Then the electrical gain of only the blue light channel is increased in order to balance the output video signals. A "100% video" level is then restored by increasing the illumination. A related technique was disclosed in the Poetsch article (SMPTE Journal. March 1984). On changeover to negative film scanning (from positive print scanning), a cyan correction filter is inserted into the light path to correct for the orange mask in negative film. The black-and-white levels of the RGB signals are then adjusted for different negative materials.
Apart from the problem of handling the base density of negative film, a telecine scanner has to process films which are not primarily designed for the spectral sensitivities of its pickup devices, sometimes using imperfect light sources and less than ideal receptors. Electronic masking is used to correct for these factors. In the Poetsch article, a switchable RGB matrix provides the choice of two positions for positive film material and negative film material. Electronic masking oftentimes also attempts to correct for the mask dyes it "sees" in negative film. In the Staes and Markie article (SMPTE Journal, March, 1983), special matrix coefficients are developed to further eliminate the film mask.
Conventional telecine scanners thus treat negative scanning as an adjunct of positive scanning. Correction is attempted by either increasing the gain of the preamplifier section (with or without correction filters added) or by increasing the amount of electronic matrixing, or by both. Merely increasing gain inevitably reduces the signal in relation to noise. More matrixing means more signal contribution in each color channel from the other color channels, i.e., more cross-channel "noise". It is clear that color negative motion picture film is not currently processed in the most effective way in a telecine scanner. | {
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The goal of plant breeding is to combine, in a single variety or hybrid, various desirable traits. For field crops, these traits may include resistance to diseases and insects, resistance to heat and drought, reducing the time to crop maturity, greater yield, and better agronomic quality. With mechanical harvesting of many crops, uniformity of plant characteristics such as germination, stand establishment, growth rate, maturity, plant height and ear height, is important. Traditional plant breeding is an important tool in developing new and improved commercial crops. | {
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Wearable computing devices (or simply wearable devices), such as a smart watch, provide convenient access to certain communication and computing features. In some cases, the wearable device may run applications (or limited versions of applications) that are typically found on larger mobile devices. Due to their comparatively small form factor, meaningful use cases for wearable devices have been elusive in today's market. | {
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The present invention relates generally to a welding system, and more particularly to a resistance projection weld nut welding system and method.
It is a common manufacturing practice to secure nuts directly to sheet metal pieces through a welding process. In the manufacture of motor vehicles today, there are virtually hundreds of applications for such xe2x80x9cprojection weld nutsxe2x80x9d which form attachments for air bag supports, door hinges, motor and transmission mounts, safety belts, and many other industrial applications.
Conventional resistance projection welding techniques employ a method by which metal workpieces are joined together at one or more predetermined points such as projections, embossments, or intersections. Workpieces are held together at the predetermined points under force by one or more electrodes. The contacting points are heated by a pulse of high amperage welding current generated by contact with an electrode. The resistance to the flow of welding current through the workpieces produces a weld at the faying surface of the joint. The projections concentrate the welding current and force at the weld area. The high current generates sufficient heat so that the metal surfaces reach a plastic state. The force applied before, during, and after the current forges the heated parts together so that coalescence occurs at the faying surface.
Projection weld nuts are commonly attached to sheet metal, usually over an opening in the sheet to permit a screw or other fastener to extend through and into the internal threads of the nut. One of the two surfaces of each projection weld nut typically has small projections. These projections are consistently measurable to obtain an exact dimension from projection weld nut to projection weld nut. The other surface of the projection weld nut is flat and smooth. The projection weld nut may have a pilot ring extending out from the same surface having the projections for the purpose of properly locating the projection weld nut relative to the sheet. The pilot ring is also consistently measurable to obtain an exact dimension from projection nut to projection nut.
For proper projection welding, the surface of the projection weld nut having the projections must engage the sheet. When an electrode conducts electric welding current through the projection weld nut and the workpiece, the electric current travelling through the flat surface of the projection weld nut is a low density current. The current at this interface is low density because it is able to travel through a large contact area defined by the entire flat surface of the projection weld nut. The low density current converts into a high density current through the projections. Since the projections are the only paths making electrical contact with the workpiece, the internal resistance to electric current flow is relatively much greater than the flat, smooth surface. The high internal resistance causes intense heat to develop through the projections. The heat melts the sheet causing the projections to penetrate the metal surface when force is applied. After the current terminates, the projection weld nut is welded to the workpieces as a result of coalescence.
A problem arises when the projection weld nut is loaded onto the workpiece in an upside down or an inverted position. This problem can occur when using a vibrational nut feeder for supplying the projection weld nuts. As explained above, the flat surface provides a relatively low resistance path because all of its surface area is in contact with the workpiece. Consequently, the smooth surface of the projection weld nut inadequately penetrates the workpiece due to the lack of heat generated. These weakly welded projection nuts can easily escape detection during the projection welding process.
A primary disadvantage associated with existing resistance projection weld nut welding systems is the fact that it is unknown when a projection weld nut has been welded upside down or laterally out of position with respect to an aperture on the workpiece. This disadvantage exposes itself when a failure occurs during an attempt to screw a bolt into the welded projection nut or subsequently when the nut is loaded. Many times the required torque applied to secure the bolt to the threads of an inverted welded projection nut breaks the weak weld and the projection nut spins off the workpiece. If the projection nut was welded out of position, it is impossible to extend the bolt through the aperture on the workpiece. Therefore, it is extremely desirable to not apply electric power to either an inverted or misaligned projection weld nut or to at least terminate the power before the projection nut has been heated sufficiently to weld. Early detection allows for the projection weld nut to be easily removed while the workpiece has little or no damage and can be reused.
A second problem in resistance welding is in controlling the weld process satisfactorily in order to consistently produce good welds. Many different factors must be controlled, such as voltage, current, pressure, heat loss, shunting, water temperature and electrode wear, as well as the thickness and composition of the workpiece material. Many of these variables are difficult to consistently control because of contaminants at the faying surfaces such as dirt, grease, oil or paper. Improper welding conditions can cause defective welds due to expulsion and low or over penetration of the weld nut projections. Expulsion occurs when an excessive application of power blows out the projections at the faying surfaces. Over penetration results from the weld current being too strong or applied for too much time. Too little power causes low penetration. Defectively welded projection weld nuts have distinguishing features from good welds such as being weaker, being misaligned, weld expulsion bonded to its internal threads rendering the projection nut non-usable, and other defects.
Several attempts have been made to automatically control resistance projection welding processes. For example, some techniques have been designed to regulate the amount of energy used during the weld cycle. To this end, current sensors and voltage regulators have been incorporated into feedback systems to compare the detected levels with certain preset reference values. These feedback systems are disadvantageous because they do not directly detect physical characteristics of the weld itself, but instead rely upon detection of secondary parameters. This can lead to poor weld quality when uncontrolled parameters vary from nominal operating conditions.
A product that has weak welds can fail to perform under extreme stress, fail at some point during the course of normal operation or can break after other parts have been welded to it. A welded product such as a car seat, automobile engine cradle, or an automobile frame can easily have dozens or even hundreds of separate welds. Often the projection weld nuts welded to a workpiece are fabricated as a box section such as an automobile motor/transmission mount. Obviously, it is very expensive and impractical to repair or replace a bad weld after a unit has been welded together and assembled in a vehicle. Usually the entire assembly is removed and scrapped.
Many products such as an air bag support will perform only once under extreme stress conditions during its lifetime. If the air bag is supported by defective welds, it may not perform its intended function. Finally, if the incorrectly welded projection nut has enough strength to allow the required torque at assembly to hold, it can fail later while in use due to structural vibrations or other stresses transferred to this weak joint.
A further obstacle in resistance welding occurs when an electrode becomes fused to a welding surface after completion of a weld. This condition is known as a xe2x80x9cstuck gun conditionxe2x80x9d. If the welding system does not detect the stuck gun before attempting to move the electrodes from a closed welding position to an opened position, extensive damage to the electrodes, weld gun, a work cell, and even human weld operators may occur.
Another consideration in resistance welding is to ensure that the electrodes apply welding current to the projection weld nut once and only once. The strength of the weld between a projection weld nut presently welded to a workpiece is substantially weakened with the application of subsequent electric welding power. The subsequent welding power causes the projections to overheat, and thus become brittle.
It is an object of the present invention to determine whether the desired surface of a projection weld nut is in a proper fit up position with a workpiece prior to applying weld power.
Another object of the present invention is to ensure that a projection weld nut forms a strong weld with a workpiece, to monitor and to control the formation of the weld, and to analyze the quality of the weld.
A further object of the present invention is to determine whether a projection weld nut is properly aligned with a workpiece prior to applying weld power.
Still another object of the present invention is to check for a stuck gun condition before moving the electrodes from a closed welding position to an opened position.
Still yet a further object of the present invention is to prevent the shorting of the welding electrode by avoiding the application of electrical power to an electrode not engaged with a projection weld nut.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to prevent the subsequent application of electric power to a projection weld nut presently welded to a workpiece.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a system and method for welding a projection weld nut to a workpiece made in accordance with the present invention. The system includes a weld power source for supplying power. A weld gun having a welding electrode is coupled to the weld power source. The welding electrode is moveable between a closed welding position forming an electrical welding contact through the projection weld nut and the workpiece, and a spaced apart opened position for receiving and removing the projection weld nut and the workpiece. A programmable logic controller (PLC) is coupled to the weld gun and to the weld power source. A displacement sensor is coupled to the weld gun for generating a signal that is responsive to an orientation of the welding electrode relative to the workpiece. A computer is coupled to the displacement sensor, the PLC, and the weld power source. The computer transmits a control signal to the PLC for controlling the power from the weld power source to the welding electrode as a function of the displacement sensor signal.
Initially, a nut feeder supplies a projection weld nut to the welding electrode in the opened position. The PLC then triggers the welding electrode to the closed position. The computer determines whether the orientation of the welding electrode relative to the workpiece is within or outside a specified acceptance region. The orientation is initially a function of which surface of the projection weld nut engages the welding electrode. If the orientation is within the acceptance region, the computer transmits a control signal to the PLC for initiating an application of electrical power from the weld power source to the welding electrode. If the orientation is outside the acceptance region, the computer transmits the control signal to the PLC for inhibiting the application of electrical power from the weld power source to the welding electrode.
While the electrical power is applied to the welding electrode, the computer monitors the electrode orientation. In response to the orientation moving during the welding procedure, the computer transmits the control signal to the PLC for varying the amount of power applied by the weld power source to the welding electrode. The computer varies the power in order for the orientation to substantially simulate a predetermined displacement. The computer terminates the electrical power if the orientation does not correspond to the predetermined displacement. | {
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The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cleaning methane fermentation digestion liquids, domestic wastewater, sewage, service water, culture pond water, wastewater produced by an activated sludge method, wastewater from food industries and the like.
Contamination of water environments is being made more and more serious by developments of industries and economy as well as rising of living levels of human lives. Eutrophication of water areas is made serious by nitrogen, phosphorus and the like which are contained in wastewater produced by agriculture and human lives. Furthermore, health of mankind is threatened by increase of organic matters, organic chlorine compounds, aromatic compounds, environmental hormones and the like contained in industrial wastewater. It is deemed difficult to completely treat such contaminants by a traditional water treating method such as a biological method. Under the present circumstances where legal regulations on environments are being strengthened, on the other hand, it is desired to construct an efficient wastewater treating system in order to maintain a stable ecosystem for a long time and preserve water resources having high safeties. It is therefore attempted to develop a new water treating technique which is to take the place of the biological method and an organic wastewater treatment by an electrochemical technique has been developed in recent years in particular.
A characteristic of the electrochemical treating technique lies in integration of technologies in different domains (for example, electronic engineering, catalytic technology, physical chemistry, microbiology and the like) and fusing techniques in different fields, thereby treating organic wastewater containing contaminants which are deemed hardly decomposable by the biological method.
The electrochemical treating technique is not only capable of removing solid matters and green powder contained in wastewater with a high efficiency without using a flocculant agent and suppressing a running cost at a low level but also produces sludge in an amount smaller than that of sludge produced by the biological treating method and allows the sludge to be reutilized as a fertilizer since the electrochemical technique does not use chemicals.
The electrochemical treatment has a floating function, an agglomerating precipitating function and an oxidizing function. The solid matters and the organic dissolved matters contained in soil water are removed by these three functions. Out of these functions, the oxidizing function is the most important and can be divided into direct oxidation and indirect oxidation. The direct oxidation oxidizes an organic matter directly on a surface of an oxidized metal by a catalytic function of the oxidized metal such as titanium oxide, tin oxide or the like. The indirect oxidation oxidizes with an xe2x88x92OH radial generated from water by anode discharge.
A reaction formula is:
H2O+M[ ]xe2x86x92M [xe2x88x92OH]+H++exe2x88x92xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
A reaction formula of the organic matter by hydroxyl radicals is:
R+[xe2x88x92OH]xe2x86x92M [ ]+RO+H++exe2x88x92xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(2)
wherein a reference symbol M [ ] represents an active site on the surface of the oxidized metal and a reference symbol R designates the organic matter.
Ozone sending and irradiation with ultrasonic waves or electromagnetic ultrasonic waves are available as methods to generate oxygen radicals and hydroxyl radicals. Furthermore, though there has been developed a method which uses an optical catalytic reaction by titanium oxide, this method generates radicals in an amount small for a high input electric power, decomposes injurious materials with a low efficiency and requires a high cost of an apparatus. Furthermore, ozone is not effective for fresh water though ozone is deemed effective for sea water containing large amounts of bromine and manganese.
Furthermore, attention is paid to use of a transition metal such as cobalt, manganese or the like in combination with hydrogen peroxide. Though it is known the combination of the transient metal and oxygen peroxide generates radicals at an efficiency higher than that of ozone, this method require a delicate technique and final treatment of hydrogen peroxide in an outlet port since hydrogen neroxide has a variability for organisms high enough to be inhibited from being added to food.
It is known that the electrochemical treating method allows oxygen radicals and hydroxyl radicals to be generated with a lifetime of 10 xcexcs to 100 ms from existing water molecules when electrons enter pores existing in a surface of a material which is composed of fine particles of titanium oxide, tin oxide, ruthenium oxide, platinum or the like (see specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 11-68862). It is known that this radical oxidatively destructs organic substances including carbon sources and nitrogen sources as well as hardly decomposable aromatic substances contained in water.
It is indicated that a specific condition of an electric field to be applied between electrodes exists and it is necessary to prolong a time of contact between wastewater and a surface of a metal oxide for generation of the oxygen radicals and hydroxyl radicals with a high efficiency on the surface of the metal oxide, that it is necessary to clean surfaces of electrodes by transmitting ultrasonic waves when a large amount of floating suspended matters are contained in wastewater, and that a voltage, a current and an electric field frequency are governed by movements of electrons on the surface of the oxidized metal or the surface of the metal.
Since an invention described in the specification of the above mentioned application poses a problem that generation of superoxide radicals is insufficient in a high frequency region and excessive in a low frequency region, a problem that a current is unstable during treatment of wastewater containing a large amount of ions and the like, it is necessary to establish a treating method by combining a low frequency low current with a high frequency slight current and contrive to stabilize voltage pulse application when electric resistance of raw water changes during a treatment.
In order to solve the problems posed by the invention described in the specification of the above mentioned application, the applicant applied xe2x80x9cMethod and Apparatus for Cleaning Dissolved Organic Matters and Trace Amount of Injurious Materialsxe2x80x9d (Application 2000-29570 hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cspecification of preceding applicationxe2x80x9d) on February 2, Heisei 12.
An invention described in the specification of the preceding application disclosed a water purifying method characterized by coating a surface of a ceramic having a main body of feldspar or silicon with fine particles of titanium oxide, cobalt oxide, tin oxide, ruthenium oxide, iridium oxide, nickel oxide, iron oxide and vanadium oxide, fine metal particles of titanium, cobalt, nickel, silver and gold or a liquid consisting of a mixture these metals and a solution of the same kinds of metal salts, using as an electrode having a positive polarity the above described metal oxides or metals or the mixture thereof sintered in a temperature region of 800xc2x0 C. to 1500xc2x0 C. after a drying treatment and disposing an electrode which has a cathode made of platinum or titanium or stainless steel so as to be opposed to an anode for use of these electrode as a radical generating zone, continuously flowing wastewater between both the electrodes of these electrodes opposed to each other, causing pulse discharge between the electrodes under conditions of a voltage of 0.2 kV/cm to 20 kV/cm, an average current of 1 xcexcA/cm2 to 10 mA/cm2 and a frequency of 5 Hz to 50 MHz, thereby generating radicals by partial decomposition of water and oxidatively-reductively decomposing organic matters and intermediate products thereof dissolved in water.
Furthermore, the invention described in the specification of the preceding application disclosed a water cleaning apparatus for carrying out the above described water purifying method.
FIG. 9 shows an electrode section in which a anode and a cathode are disposed in opposition to each other. A reference numeral 51 in FIG. 9 represents a anode which has a groove extending in a direction of running water denoted by a reference numeral 52. The anode portion 51 is formed by coating a surface of a ceramic (non-metallic inorganic material including glass) having a main body of feldspar or silicon or a metal such as titanium with fine particles of titanium oxide, cobalt oxide, tin oxide, iridium oxide, nickel oxide, iron oxide and vanadium oxide, metal fine particles of titanium, cobalt, nickel, silver, gold and platinum or a liquid consisting of a mixture of the metals and a solution of the same kinds of metal salts, and sintering or welding the metals in a temperature region of 500xc2x0 C. to 1500xc2x0 C. A cathode 53 is made of platinum or titanium or stainless steel.
The anode 51 and a cathode 53 are disposed in opposition to each other and have a configuration in which the electrodes are enclosed by an outside cell 54. For a water treatment, water to be treated is sent from a lower portion (indicated by an arrow) to an upper portion of the outside cell 54 which is made of a high polymer resin such as acrylic resin, polyethylene resin or the like, and an angle xcex8 between bottom surfaces of both the electrodes opposed to each other and a foot of the cell is set at 30xc2x0 to 90xc2x0, thereby bringing most portion of contaminants in the water to be treated is brought into secure contact with the anode. The contaminants in the water to be treated are decomposed with a high efficiency by radicals which are generated from the anode 51.
FIG. 10 shown sectional configurations of water treating apparatuses: (a) showing a cylindrical circular truncated cone electrode type and (b) showing a truncated pyramid electrode type.
In FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) showing the cylindrical circular truncated cone electrode type and the truncated pyramidal water treating apparatuses, a reference numeral 73 represents a raw water inlet port, a reference numeral 74 designates an anode electrode, a reference numeral 75 denotes a cathode electrode, a reference numeral 76 represents an overcoat (serving also as a cathode), a reference numeral 77 designates a treated water outlet port, a reference numeral 78 denotes a generated gas discharge port, a reference numeral 79 represents an electric insulating material and a reference numeral 79a designates a through hole formed in the insulating material 79 for passing raw water.
The truncated pyramid electrode type water treating apparatus shown in FIG. 10(b) uses electrodes which are formed by inserting the anode 74 made of metals and metal oxides into the overcoat 76 of the metallic cathode 75, placing a titanium plate, a platinum plate and a platinum bar at a center portion, and connecting these plates and bar to the overcoat portion.
The cylindrical circular truncated cone electrode type water treating apparatus shown in FIG. 10(a) has a configuration in which the water treating apparatus has a cylindrical or circular truncated conical structure having an angle xcex8 set at 30xc2x0 to 90xc2x0 between bottom surfaces of two anodes opposed to each other and a foot of a cell, an inside surface and an outside surface of this cylinder are composed of metal surfaces which are coated with powders of the above described oxidized metals, powders of the same metals or a mixture liquid consisting of a mixture thereof and salts of the same metals and sintered, a cathode having a form of a round bar or a square bar made of platinum, titanium or stainless steel is disposed at a center location of the cylindrical truncated cone, an outside of the cylindrical truncated cone is sealed with an overcoat container consisting of a metal container made of titanium, stainless steel or the like, a cathode is composed by disposing the above described overcoat container in a wastewater inlet port, a wastewater outlet port and a generated gas outlet port, and an inside surface and an outside surface of the cylindrical truncated cone are used as a radical generating zone so that organic wastewater is sent from a portion of having a large diameter inside the cylindrical truncated cone, comes out to a portion having a small diameter, flows again outside the cylindrical truncated cone in a direction reverse to that inside, and is oxidatively and reductively treated by generated radicals.
The truncated pyramidal electrode type water treating apparatus shown in FIG. 10(b) has a configuration in which a anode is configured as a flat plate having an angle xcex8 set at 30xc2x0 to 90xc2x0 between both bottom surfaces and roots of both electrodes opposed to each other, two flat plates positioned perpendicular to a thickness direction of the flat plate are composed of metal surfaces which are coated with the powders of the above described oxidized metals, the powders of the metals or the mixture liquid consisting of the mixture thereof and salts of the same metals and sintered, the two flat plates are disposed so as to be symmetrical with regard to a plane, further two side surfaces of the two flat plates which are not the oxidized metal surfaces are joined using a flat plate having a surface of titanium, stainless steel or the same metal on one side and composed as a truncated pyramid so as to uniformalize an anode voltage, an overcoat container is composed at a location symmetrical with a metal surface at a center of the truncated pyramid with regard to a plane by scaling outsides of a cathode electrode composed of a titanium plate, a stainless steel plate, a platinum net or platinum round bar and the truncated pyramid with a titanium or stainless steel container and a cathode is composed by disposing the above described overcoat container in a wastewater inlet port, a wastewater outlet port and a generated gas outlet port so that inside surfaces and outside surfaces of the two flat plates coated with the metal oxides serve as a radical generating zone, organic wastewater is sent from a portion having a large diameter or length inside the truncated pyramid, and organic matters and injurious materials contained in the wastewater coming out to a portion having a small diameter or length are oxidatively and reductively decomposed and treated by generated radicals while the wastewater flows again outside the truncated pyramid in a direction reverse to that inside.
Though the water treating apparatus and method described in the specification of the preceding application are epoch making water treatment apparatus and method, it has been found that these apparatus and method hardly allow a continuous operation since the continuous operation results in events such as accumulation of bubbles in a top section of the apparatus.
The present invention has an object to provide a water treating apparatus which is capable of operation continuously.
The present invention provides an apparatus for cleaning dissolved organic matters and a trace amount of injurious materials consisting of a anode which is formed by mixing clay and/or glass with 2 to 15% by weight of transition metals and 1 to 10% of oxidized transition metals, sintering the mixture within a range from 800 to 1500xc2x0 C. or coating a surface of a metal such as titanium with a mixture of fine particles of anatase type titanium oxide, tin oxide, ruthenium oxide and platinum as a glaze and sintering the mixture once again at a temperature from 580 to 980xc2x0 C.
Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the above described anode is configured in a cylindrical form and an electrically conductive metal is fitted in an end of the anode.
Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that at least an electrically conductive metal is inserted in parallel with an axis of the above described cylindrical anode.
Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that a pulse voltage and a current are applied to the above described electrically conductive metal.
Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that a cathode is disposed at a center of the above described cylindrical anode. Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the above described anode and the above described cathode are set in a condition where the anode and cathode are submerged in water and connected to an oscillator which oscillates an average current density of 0.1 xcexcA/cm2 to 10 mA/cm2 at a frequency of 5 Hz to 50 MHz and a voltage of 0.2 kV/cm to 20 kV.
Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that raw water is flowed downward from an upper portion to a lower portion of the side wall of the above described anode and oxidized and cleaned by various kinds of active species (radials) generated between the above described cathode and anode.
Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by being composed of a anode configured in a form which has a rectangular or truncated pyramidal concave portion.
Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that a transition oxidized metals is sintered at 580xc2x0 C. to 980xc2x0 C. in the concave portion of the above described anode and electrically conductive metal plates are formed on both sides of the electrode as a cathode by way of an insulating material.
Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the above described anode measures 5 to 10 mm thick by 5 to 100 cm wide by 10 to 70 cm high. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel catalyst system for the polymerization of alpha-olefins, a novel titanium halide containing catalyst component used in said system, a process for producing said component and a process for the polymerization of alpha-olefins using such catalyst system.
2. Prior Art
The polymerization of alpha-olefins in the presence of a catalyst system comprising: (a) an organoaluminum containing component, and (b) a titanium halide containing component is well known in the art and the polymers produced utilizing such catalyst systems have found numerous uses. The resulting crystalline polymers have associated therewith, to a greater or lesser degree, a low molecular weight amorphous polymer. The production of polymers having a low concentration of such amorphous polymers results in a polymer having highly desirable properties. The production of highly stereoregular crystalline polymers is thus a desirable objective for a catalyst system and polymerization process.
It is also desirable that high amounts of polymer be produced per unit of time per unit of catalyst employed, i.e. the catalyst system have a high activity. Ideally, it is highly desirable to simultaneously improve the stereospecificity and activity of a catalyst system.
Various approaches to achieving the aforementioned objectives have been proposed in the art.
South African Pat. No. 78/1023 to Toyota et al. describes producing a titanium halide containing component by reacting a mechanically pulverized product of an organic acid ester and a halogen containing magnesium compound, with an active hydrogen containing organic compound in the absence of mechanical pulverization. The resulting reaction product is then reacted with an organometallic compound of a metal of Groups I to III of the Periodic Table in the absence of mechanical pulverization. The resulting solid reaction product is then washed with an inert organic solvent, and the resultant solid reacted with a titanium compound in the absence of mechanical pulverization. The resultant solids are then separated from the reaction system. This reference, however, does not teach reacting with an organic phosphite and requires an active hydrogen containing organic compound and an organometallic compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,223 to Toyota et al. describes reacting a mechanically co-pulverized solid component of, for example, magnesium chloride, an organic acid ester and an active hydrogen containing compound, e.g. phenol, with a tetravalent titanium compound, e.g. TiCl.sub.4. This reference does not teach reacting with an organic phosphite.
Japanese Tokkyo Koho 79 34,429 to Kuroda et al. (as reported in CA 92:129640n) polymerizes ethylene using a mixture of trialkylaluminum, alkylhaloaluminum, and a ball milled solid product of Mg halide, phosphite esters, Ti(IV) compounds and Ti(III) compounds. This titanium halide containing component is produced by a different process using different ingredients than the invention described herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,503 to Fodor describes a catalyst component comprising a magnesium chloride support, a titanium trichloride, an aluminum trichloride and an organic phosphite. Exemplary of such a component is an MgCl.sub.2 supported TiCl.sub.3.1/3AlCl.sub.3 plus triphenyl phosphite catalyst component. This reference, however, does not describe the use of an electron-donor compound or TiCl.sub.4 and generally relates to a different class of catalyst components with respect to the activity thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,414 to Galli et al. describes the use of triphenyl phosphine and tri-isobutyl aluminum in conjunction with a titanium halide containing catalyst component prepared in a specific manner from MgCl.sub.2 and TiCl.sub.4. This reference does not describe producing the titanium halide containing catalyst component by co-pulverizing the magnesium compound and an electron-donor compound and then subsequently reacting this with an organic phosphite and then reacting with a titanium halide. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle traveling state determining apparatus that can determine whether or not, for example, a driver's awoken state is impeded during driving, so that the driver is falling asleep at the wheel.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with the development of a road network and an increase in leisure hours, there have been an increasing number of opportunities for driving a car. The driver is desired to be always physically and mentally stable during driving. However, the driver may drive a car while conscious of his or her bad physical condition. In this case, during long continuous driving, the driver's fatigue keeps piling up and his or her concentration lowers. Consequently, the driver's awoken state may be impeded and the driver may become sleepy.
To prevent this, a vehicle is provided with a camera that picks up a frontal image that allows white lines on roads to be recognized to determine whether or not the vehicle is traveling in a zigzag line. This system thus determines whether or not the driver is falling asleep at the wheel. If the result of the determination is affirmative, the system gives a warning (for example, Japanese Patent No. 3039327).
In this document, the apparatus picks up images of traveling zone partitioning lines and on the basis of the images, determines whether or not the vehicle is traveling in a zigzag line. However, there is another method of recognizing white lines on the opposite sides of a road to determine whether or not the vehicle is traveling in a zigzag line. However, with this method, it is impossible to determine whether or not the vehicle is traveling in a zigzag line if the entire road surface is covered with snow or if even without snow, there are no white lines on the opposite sides of the road. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Any electrical circuit that uses a transistor as an amplifier needs to bias the transistor at some operating point so that the device is in the active region. The current through the device or the voltage applied to the transistor device will determine this operating or bias point. Over temperature, the bias point also needs to be maintained by a stable bias voltage, so that the design characteristics will also remain within the specified design limits. For example, a stable oscillator bias circuit is necessary to provide a constant or regulated oscillator voltage output over temperature.
Conventional biasing circuits employing only bipolar transistors to generate a relatively temperature stable bias voltage for a bipolar amplifier are generally well known in the prior art. Nevertheless, because the voltage of V.sub.BE across the base-emitter junction of a bipolar transistor has a negative temperature coefficient, other voltages derived from this voltage inevitably will also have the same negative characteristic. Hence, the output voltage of the amplifier such as in an oscillator or voltage generator will still be varied over temperature. To combat the varying output voltages, more complicated methods such as bandgap voltage reference and zener circuits have been utilized. However, the method utilizing the zener breakdown voltage of a PN junction as a reference is limited in accuracy to its positive temperature coefficient.
A more accurate reference voltage may be achieved by using the bandgap voltage reference circuits to provide a regulated output in a bipolar implementation. However, due to higher density and lower power consumption, MOS is the technology of choice in today's integrated circuits (IC). However, MOS circuits have the inherent problem of being unable to provide a precise control of outputs. In addition, the threshold voltage V.sub.T of a P-MOS transistor, which is the equivalent of V.sub.BE in bipolar technology, has a positive temperature coefficient from which to derive voltages. (Likewise, an N-MOS transistor has a negative temperature coefficient.) Accordingly, the output voltage in MOS circuits can change drastically due to temperature or process variations.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a merged or composite bipolar/MOS circuit which combines the advantages of bipolar and MOS technologies together. Hence, bandgap voltage reference circuits have been accomplished using both bipolar and MOS circuits. The major defects of these prior art circuits are that complicated circuits are often required and which in turn require a larger area to implement the circuit in an integrated device.
Therefore, it is a desire to merge or arrange bipolar transistors and MOSFET transistors in a common semi-conductor substrate in order to form a simple integrated circuit which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost but yet provides a much improved constant output performance over temperature. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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An insulation displacement connector device is disclosed in the brochure “Product information IDC—Insulation Displacement Connection” from the company Weidmüller.
Insulation displacement connector devices have a relatively large volume requirement in comparison with conventional screw-type terminals. Therefore, it is generally endeavored to reduce the necessary volume requirement as far as possible.
In the case of the insulation displacement connector device in accordance with prior art devices, a closing element projects beyond an apparatus contour in the open state. The travel path of the closing element is thus outside the apparatus contour.
GB A 2 114 824 discloses an insulation displacement connector device with a basic body with an insulation displacement connector held by the basic body and with a closing element which can be moved with respect to the basic body. In the case of this insulation displacement connector device, the basic body has an operational volume into which an operating tool may be introduced. The operating tool is pivotable in a pivoting direction within the operational volume, so that the closing element can be moved from the opening to the closing position by the pivoting of the operating tool. The closing element bounds the operational volume on one side viewed in the pivoting direction. The operational volume has a bearing groove which forms a pivot bearing for the operating tool introduced into the operational volume. The closing element has a main body onto which an introduction contour is integrally formed on its side facing the operational volume. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Patent application WO 95/00497 published Jan. 5, 1995 under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) describes compounds which inhibit the enzyme, farnesyl-protein transferase (FTase) and the farnesylation of the oncogene protein Ras. Oncogenes frequently encode protein components of signal transduction pathways which lead to stimulation of cell growth and mitogenesis. Oncogene expression in cultured cells leads to cellular transformation, characterized by the ability of cells to grow in soft agar and the growth of cells as dense foci lacking the contact inhibition exhibited by non-transformed cells. Mutation and/or overexpression of certain oncogenes is frequently associated with human cancer.
To acquire transforming potential, the precursor of the Ras oncoprotein must undergo farnesylation of the cysteine residue located in a carboxyl-terminal tetrapeptide. Inhibitors of the enzyme that catalyzes this modification, farnesyl protein transferase, have therefore been suggested as anticancer agents for tumors in which Ras contributes to transformation. Mutated, oncogenic forms of Ras are frequently found in many human cancers, most notably in more than 50% of colon and pancreatic carcinomas (Kohl et al., Science, Vol. 260, 1834 to 1837, 1993).
In view of the current interest in inhibitors of farnesyl protein transferase, a welcome contribution to the art would be additional compounds useful for the inhibition of farnesyl protein transferase. Such a contribution is provided by this invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an anchoring system for securing a medical article to a patient. More specifically, this invention relates to an anchoring system which retains a dialysis catheter in position upon a patient without crimping and which may be used with catheters that remain in position for extended periods.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is common in kidney dialysis procedures to use a catheter inserted into a major vein near the heart to facilitate the blood exchange necessary for dialysis. Because dialysis procedures must generally be performed on a regular basis, it is not uncommon for such a catheter to be left in place in between dialysis sessions. This may reduce the potential risks to the patient associated with having to reintroduce such a catheter prior to each session.
Other risks, however, arise when leaving such a catheter in position for extended periods of time. It can be very dangerous for the patient if the catheter moves substantially in either axial direction. Inadvertent withdrawal of the catheter may lead to bleeding, either internally or externally, and axial advancement of the catheter may press the catheter tip into the heart or other sensitive internal tissue.
Furthermore, leaving such a catheter in position on the patient traditionally requires a taped dressing near the insertion site. The use of such adhesives at the insertion site may retain dirt or other contaminant particles, potentially leading to infection of the patient. Additionally, removal of taped dressings may itself cause undesired motion of the catheter upon the patient.
An additional drawback to using taped dressings near the insertion site is that they require periodic changes. The frequent, often daily, removal and reapplication of adhesive tape to the skin of the patient can excoriate the skin in the area around the dressing. This is especially problematic for dialysis patients, as their skin tends to be more fragile and sensitive to abrasion due to collagen deficiency common to renal conditions. Such repeated applications of tape over the catheter may also lead to the build up of adhesive residue on the outer surface of the catheter. This residue can result in contaminants adhering to the catheter itself, increasing the likelihood of infection of the insertion site. This residue may also make the catheter stickier and more difficult to handle for medical attendants.
For these reasons, a need exists for an improved dialysis catheter retainer which may be used on patients where the catheter remains in place over an extended period of time. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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JavaScript language is a scripting language for manipulating HTML documents in browsers. It has been widely adopted in a variety of Web applications to provide more accessible web pages and improve user experience. Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript And XML) is a technology for developing Web applications that adapts a client side script and a Web server to asynchronously exchange data using the HTTP protocol. Asynchronous invocation is a feature of Ajax. By using this feature, Web applications are capable of dynamically updating contents on a Web page without refreshing the whole page. By using Ajax, a richer and more dynamic Web application user interface can be created. Its low response times and high availability can approach the properties of a local desktop application. Ajax is a part of the JavaScript 1.3 standard and is supported by most mainstream browsers. Most web applications exploit JavaScript and Ajax to provide comprehensive functionalities, rather than simply detect a browser or validate a certain form on a page.
Ajax requests sent from browsers can only handle responses from the requested domain. Back-end services that handle Ajax requests sometimes make requests to external domains. Making external domain requests from a back-end service can be problematic since it exposes the domain of the back-end server to an external domain. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates generally to an inertial navigation system (INS), and more specifically, to methods and systems which utilize a true airspeed to improve the vertical accuracy of an INS.
An inertial navigation system (INS), for example, an INS within an aircraft, provides a pilot and other systems within the aircraft with positional data. At least one known INS includes a vertical channel, which provides both a vertical velocity and a vertical position along a vertical axis. The vertical axis is defined as an axis that is perpendicular to the local level plane. Such an INS employs a triad of gyroscopes and accelerometers. These gyroscopes and accelerometers are mounted in an orthogonal manner with respect to one another, either physically or mathematically, such that a center of percussion and a center of rotation coincide as closely as possible.
The gyroscopes provide the ability to measure an angular rate to stabilize the platform (e.g., the aircraft) in inertial space, and the accelerometers provide a measurement of linear acceleration. The angular rate and acceleration information is provided to a navigation computer which, as part of the INS, provides a position, a velocity, and an attitude of the aircraft. The INS provides an independent navigation solution (e.g., the positional data) by measuring the dynamics (based on the signals received from the gyroscopes and accelerometers) of a flight from which such navigation parameters are produced.
However, the vertical channel of these inertial navigation systems are by nature unstable. This instability is caused by errors in the measurement of vertical acceleration. The vertical acceleration is measured utilizing the above described gyroscopes and accelerometers, and then integrated to provide vertical velocity, and then integrated again to provide a position. There are typically errors related to such inertial instruments, for example, manufacturing flaws, electronic noise, temperature sensitivities, and other sources of error. These errors are compounded as the navigation computer performs the calculations which result in the determination of the vertical acceleration, velocity, and position.
It is known to utilize a control circuit in conjunction with the vertical channel of the INS. The control circuit utilizes data from a barometric altimeter, which is common to many aircraft. The barometric altimeter provides an independent measurement of vertical position which can be used to constrain the position errors from the navigation computer and improve accuracy of the computed Vertical velocity. However, compensation utilizing barometric altimeter data has drawbacks, one of which is that computations originating from the barometric altimeter have a latency of several seconds. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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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. | {
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Adenosine is a naturally occurring nucleoside, which exerts its biological effects by interacting with a family of adenosine receptors known as A1, A2A, A2B, and A3, all of which modulate important physiological processes. For example, A2A adenosine receptors modulate coronary vasodilation, A2B receptors have been implicated in mast cell activation, asthma, vasodilation, regulation of cell growth, intestinal function, and modulation of neurosecretion (See Adenosine A2B Receptors as Therapeutic Targets, Drug Dev Res 45:198; Feoktistov et al., Trends Pharmacol Sci 19:148-153), and A3 adenosine receptors modulate cell proliferation processes.
Adenosine A2B receptors are ubiquitous, and regulate multiple biological activities. For example, adenosine binds to A2B receptors on endothelial cells, thereby stimulating angiogenesis. Adenosine also regulates the growth of smooth muscle cell populations in blood vessels. Adenosine stimulates A2B receptors on mast cells, thus modulating Type I hypersensitivity reactions. Adenosine also stimulates gastrosecretory activity by ligation with A2B in the intestine.
While many of these biological effects of adenosine are necessary to maintain normal tissue homeostasis, under certain physiological changes it is desirable to modulate its effects. For example, the binding of A2B receptors stimulates angiogenesis by promoting the growth of endothelial cells. Such activity is necessary in healing wounds, but the hyperproliferation of endothelial cells promotes diabetic retinopathy. Also, an undesirable increase in blood vessels occurs in neoplasia. Accordingly, inhibition of the binding of adenosine to A2B receptors in the endothelium will alleviate or prevent hypervasculation, thus preventing retinopathy and inhibiting tumor formation.
A2B receptors are found in the colon in the basolateral domains of intestinal epithelial cells, and when acted upon by the appropriate ligand act to increase chloride secretion, thus causing diarrhea, which is a common and potentially fatal complication of infectious diseases such as cholera and typhus. A2B antagonists can therefore be used to block intestinal chloride secretion, and are thus useful in the treatment of inflammatory gastrointestinal tract disorders, including diarrhea.
Insensitivity to insulin exacerbates diabetes and obesity. Insulin sensivity is decreased by the interaction of adenosine with A2B receptors. Thus, blocking the adenosine A2B receptors of individuals with diabetes or obesity would benefit patients with these disorders.
Another adverse biological effect of adenosine acting at the A2B receptor is the over-stimulation of cerebral IL-6, a cytokine associated with dementias and Alzheimer's disease. Inhibiting the binding of adenosine to A2B receptors would therefore mitigate those neurological disorders that are produced by IL-6.
Type I hypersensitivity disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, hay fever, and atopic eczema, are stimulated by mast cells binding to A2B-receptors. Accordingly, blocking such adenosine receptors provides a therapeutic benefit against such disorders.
There are several compounds presently used in the treatment of asthma. For example, theophylline is an effective anti-asthmatic agent, even though it is a poor adenosine receptor antagonist. However, high plasma levels are needed for it to be effective. Additionally, theophylline has substantial side effects, most of which are due to its CNS action, which provide no beneficial effects in the treatment of asthma, and to the fact that it non-specifically blocks all adenosine receptor subtypes.
Additionally adenosine treatment, such as inhaled adenosine (or adenosine monophosphate), provokes bronchoconstriction in asthmatics, but not in the normal population. This process is known to involve mast cell activation, in that it releases mast cell mediators, including histamine, PGD2-β-hexosaminidase and tryptase. This response is blocked by specific histamine H1 blockers and chromolyn sodium. Accordingly, there is an intrinsic difference in the way adenosine interacts with mast cells from asthmatics, and thus A2B antagonists are particularly useful in modulating mast cell function or in the activation of human lung cells.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,825,349 discloses novel A2B adenosine receptor antagonists that are potent and selective for the A2B adenosine receptor. A category of preferred compounds disclosed in the above patent application has been identified in which the 7-position of the xanthine moiety is unsubstituted. Such compounds are known to be relatively insoluble in aqueous media and difficult to formulate using conventional pharmaceutical excipients, and thus potentially difficult to formulate in a manner that provides reproducible plasma levels of the compound undergoing evaluation in mammals, in particular humans. We have discovered compounds that are more soluble in aqueous media and/or conventional pharmaceutical excipients, and are surprisingly active as prodrugs of the compounds of '349. | {
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Generally, in the fabrication of a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transistor, a selective area epitaxial (SAE) process is widely used to form source/drain regions. By using the selective area epitaxial process to provide stress, the channel mobility of the transistor is improved and the performance of the transistor is enhanced.
However, the efficacy of using the conventional selective area epitaxial process to increase the performance of the transistor is still unsatisfied. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The present invention is generally directed to an improved data processing system. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an improved data processing system in which media content is classified using an ontology-based classification mechanism such that media indices may be generated for use in modeling and/or retrieving the media content.
2. Description of Related Art
The growing amounts and importance of digital video data are driving the need for more complex techniques and systems for video and multimedia indexing. Multimedia indexing is the process by which multimedia content is classified into one or more classifications based on an analysis of the content. As a result of this classification, various multimedia indices are associated with the multimedia content. These indices may then be stored for later use in modeling the multimedia content, retrieving the multimedia content in response to search queries, or the like.
Some recent techniques for multimedia indexing include extracting rich audio-visual feature descriptors, classifying multimedia content and detecting concepts using statistical models, extracting and indexing speech information, and so forth. While progress continues to be made on these approaches to develop more effective and efficient techniques, the challenge remains to integrate this information together to effectively answer user queries of multimedia repositories. There are a number of approaches for multimedia database access, which include search methods based on the above extracted information, as well as techniques for browsing, clustering, visualization, and so forth. Each approach provides an important capability.
One methodology for multimedia indexing involves classification of multimedia content into a plurality of classifications, i.e. multiple classification. In the multiple classification area, each portion of multimedia input data is mapped into one or several possible concepts. For example, a “studio-setting” image or video can have two “newsperson” “sitting” behind a “desk”. This individual image or video content contains four concepts: “studio-setting”, “newsperson”, “sitting” and “desk”. For each concept, an associated classifier is developed for determining how to classify image or video data into that particular concept. This development is typically performed through a specific learning process. Thus, once the classifier has been developed, given unlabeled video or image data, the classifier can determine whether this shot contains the corresponding semantic concept, e.g., “studio-setting,” “newsperson,” or “desk.” The classification methodology of learning classifiers is essential to various multimedia applications, such as multimedia content abstraction, multimedia content modeling, multimedia content retrieval, and the like.
However, the learned classifiers, especially those whose semantic coverage is very restrictive, are usually unreliable. This is most typically due to an under-representative training data set used to develop the classifiers, and imbalanced ratio of positive and negative training data, and other factors. Quite a few previous efforts have been made in the direction of improving individual classifiers based on other classifiers in the multiple classification area. However, these previous approaches lack the capability to improve the accuracy of individual classifiers from the reliable classifiers by studying the ontology structure. Unfortunately, taking influence from unreliable classifiers makes the system vulnerable to becoming unstable.
For example, the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,575, entitled “Multilevel Taxonomy Based On Features Derived from Training Documents Classification Using Fisher Values as Descrimination Values,” issued on May 15, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference, organizes multiple concepts into a hierarchical decision tree. Each node represents one concept classifier. Classification decisions are made from a top-down traversal of the decision tree. However, concept classification is restricted in a sub-tree of the decision tree. This sacrifices global information and an error decision made in a top level of the decision tree may be propagated and accumulated in later sub-tree classifications.
Reclassification models take classification outputs from single concept models as new features and then perform reclassification in order to improve performance of the classification model. The assumption behind reclassification is that points close in the feature space tend to produce similar outputs operated by these classifiers. However, the assumption of high-correlation classification outputs between various concepts might not be true. Furthermore, taking influence from unreliable classifiers would make the system vulnerable to becoming unstable. | {
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This invention pertains to speed regulators for direct current DC motors and, more particularly, is concerned with open loop speed regulators for DC motors.
DC motors find numerous applications because of their intrinsic variable speed characteristics and capabilities which offer very high speeds and small size.
The rotating member of a DC motor is named the armature and the stationary member is named the field. The armature has windings and the field can have either windings or permanent magnets.
Some applications have a need for constant speed regardless of torque. A general statement about DC motors is that with an increase in torque, speed will drop and current will increase, assuming a constant input voltage. The amount each parameter varies depends on the type of motor. For a motor with the armature and field winding connected in series the drop in speed will be more pronounced than the increase in current. For motors with shunt connected windings or permanent magnet fields the opposite is true, the speed will be more nearly constant while there is a marked increase in current. There will be some drop in speed however, and this amount may be undesirable in critical applications. For this reason, a number of constant speed controls have been devised over the years.
Speed regulating systems may be classified as either closed loop or open loop. Closed loop systems derive a signal from the actual speed of the motor with a tachometer, for example, and use the signal in a feedback loop.
An open loop system does not measure speed directly but measures some other parameter. In some open loop systems the measured parameter is current.
A well known example of an open loop motor regulating system includes a resistor in series with the input of the motor. The voltage across the resistor corresponds to motor current and is directed to a control circuit. The resistor voltage influences a control circuit which supplies the input voltage to the motor. A change in resistor voltage indicates a change in torque and indirectly indicates a change in speed. In response to the resistor voltage the control circuit adjusts the voltage to the motor thereby supplying the right amount of power required to maintain a constant speed over variations in torque.
The series resistor causes I.sup.2 R power losses particularly when during high torque conditions because current is high. These losses cause heat build-up and a need for a larger power supply capability.
It will be seen that a speed regulator according to the present invention does not require a resistor in series with the motor and is thereby more efficient. | {
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1. Field
Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to data storage systems, and more particularly, to heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Higher storage bit densities in magnetic media used in disk drives have reduced the size (volume) of magnetic bits to the point where the magnetic bit dimensions are limited by the grain size of the magnetic material. Although grain size can be reduced further, the data stored within the magnetic bits may not be thermally stable. That is, random thermal fluctuations at ambient temperatures may be sufficient to erase data. This state is described as the superparamagnetic limit, which determines the maximum theoretical storage density for a given magnetic media. This limit may be raised by increasing the coercivity of the magnetic media or by lowering the temperature. Lowering the temperature may not always be practical when designing hard disk drives for commercial and consumer use. Raising the coercivity, on the other hand, requires write heads that incorporate higher magnetic moment materials, or techniques such as perpendicular recording (or both).
One additional solution has been proposed, which uses heat to lower the effective coercivity of a localized region on the magnetic media surface and writes data within this heated region. The data state becomes “fixed” once the media cools to ambient temperatures. This technique is broadly referred to as “thermally assisted (magnetic) recording” (TAR or TAMR), “energy assisted magnetic recording” (EAMR), or “heat-assisted magnetic recording” (HAMR) which are used interchangeably herein. It can be applied to longitudinal and perpendicular recording systems as well as “bit patterned media”. Heating of the media surface has been accomplished by a number of techniques such as focused laser beams or near-field optical sources.
Typically, the laser beam used to heat the media surface is generated from Fabry Perot (FP) laser diodes, but the FP laser diodes suffer from mode hopping which leads to significant power fluctuations, such as power fluctuations greater than two percent. High frequency pulsing of the laser diode can reduce the impact of mode hopping by forcing the device to operate multimode. However, the quality of the magnetic recording is degraded by using the high frequency pulsing of the laser diode.
Therefore, an improved HAMR system is needed. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the extension of a metallic pair connection via a digital transport path.
2. Description of the Related Art
The traditional telecommunication system was comprised of a twisted pair of copper wires which ran from the central office of a telephone company at a particular location to the individual subscriber's home or office. With the advent of digital transmission systems, such as fiber optic networks, the central offices were themselves connected by fiber optic cables, and later, digitally coupled to remote terminals which were placed closer to subscriber drops so that the higher bandwidth digital transmission system could be extended closer to the subscriber's home. More recently, the wire pairs between the central office and remote terminals are being replaced by high bandwidth fiber optic transmission systems. The metallic pair connections are still the dominant means of interconnecting a subscriber's home or office with the remote terminal and its digital link to the central office.
Under certain circumstances, it is necessary to require the digital transmission system to emulate a true metallic pair connection extending between the central office and the remote terminal. One of the most important reasons is to allow test equipment, positioned in the central office, to remotely test subscriber connections extending from the remote terminal.
A number of different schemes have been implemented in order to allow for testing or connection of metallic pairs across the digital transmission system.
FIG. 1A shows a first prior art alternative for testing subscriber lines at the remote end of one type of digital transmission system, a Digital Loop Carrier (DLC) system. As shown in FIG. 1, a typical DLC system includes the Central Office Terminal (COT) and a central office switch at the central office end of the digital transmission system connection. At the remote end of the connection, a digital loop carrier Remote Terminal (RT) is coupled by, for example, a fiber link or high frequency cable to the COT, and to subscriber lines comprising a plurality of metallic pairs (which, for historical reasons, are referred to as "Tip" and "Ring" connections). The central office switch at the CO end is coupled to a pair gain test controller (PGTC) unit, manufactured by Lucent Technologies, Inc. (formerly AT&T Technologies, Inc.), a well-known apparatus for testing the customer's cable pair extension or drop beyond the transmission system's remote terminal (RT).
The PGTC acts as an interface between the DLC systems and loop testing systems. The PGTC allows the use of conventional cable pair loop testing methods on the subscriber lines beyond the remote terminal, provides for testing of a customer's carrier channel equipment, including both transmission performance and signalling performance, and provides compatibility with automated test systems, such as the Mechanized Loop Testing (MLT) system (also manufactured by Lucent Technologies, Inc.). The PGTC therefore minimizes the loop testing equipment needed per carrier system. In operation, the PGTC will be coupled to a test system such as MLT, which is itself controlled by, for example, a Loop Maintenance Operations System (LMOS).
In FIG. 1A, a physical metallic bypass pair 12 is coupled between the central office terminal and remote terminal. The metallic bypass pair is coupled through the central office terminal to the tester trunk of the PGTC unit, and may be switched at the central office and remote terminal to connect with any of the subscriber lines at the remote unit. The advantage of the metallic bypass pair is that no additional test equipment, beyond the PGTC, is required to conduct testing at the remote end. However, the metallic bypass pair is not available with the fiber optic plant; that is, a separate line must be run from the COT to the RT. Secondly, when using the PGTC, one is limited to testing of "Plain Old Telephone Service" (POTS) lines only.
Other types of "special" service lines may also be provided by the telecommunication system. Such special services may comprise, for example, special rate tariff lines, data lines, and PBX lines. Test systems used for special services testing are different from the POTS test systems. The tests applied to special services circuits are more extensive and have separate databases from those used for POTS testing.
A second alternative to remote testing of subscriber lines is shown in FIG. 1B. In FIG. 1B, a Remote Measurement Unit (RMU) is utilized. In this system, an RMU conducts all testing at the remote end. The remote terminal of the digital loop carrier includes a test bus, and a talk and control path which are coupled to the RMU. The RMU is controlled by the LMOS via a dial-up connection. Although the DC bypass pair is eliminated in this embodiment, this system is rather slow, requiring a proprietary LMOS interface, and only allows for POTS testing.
A third alternative is the use of metallic channel emulation equipment, coupled at the central office to similar emulation equipment situated at the remote terminals. This equipment emulates a metallic pair connection between the test systems coupled to bypass pairs in the central office and corresponding bypass pairs at remote terminal over the DLC. One such emulation unit is the Tollgrade MCU 4496 metallic channel unit manufactured by Tollgrade Communications, Inc., Wilmington, Del. The essential principles of the metallic channel unit are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,743 entitled "Metallic Channel Unit Network," Inventor Frederick Kiko, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,919, entitled "Metallic Channel Unit Network," inventor Frederick J. Kiko.
A block level representation of this test system architecture is shown in FIG. 1C. As shown therein, the MCU unit is coupled to the PGTC by the Channel Test Unit (CTU) which gives Tip and Ring connections to the metallic channel unit. A corresponding MCU is provided at the remote end of the digital loop carrier and the Tip and Ring connections at the remote end of the system are emulated at the central office end. Hence, the emulated wire pair connection causes a load appearing at the remote end of the system to be connected via a wire pair to the central office end of the system and vice versa.
One disadvantage of the metallic channel unit is that it is specific to the particular digital loop carrier which is being utilized. Each type of DLC has its own proprietary interface for the metallic channel unit. This requires the telephone company to maintain an inventory of multiple types of MCU's. For example, in the MCU 4496 product information sheet (Issue 3B, list 1), the version of the MCU for the AT&T SLC96 DLC is described. In each case, the MCU unit must be integrated into the COT as well as the RT, as illustrated in FIG. 1C. Another disadvantage is that the MCU requires two DS0 digital channels to link the CO end with the remote end.
Another difficulty with the MCU is in the metallic emulation function. FIG. 2 is a reproduction of FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,743 (the '743 patent) which shows an equivalent circuit of the MCU. As shown in that patent, the two ends of the tip line connection are essentially identical in their implementation. The practical difficulty in implementing this system is in balancing the opposite sides of the circuit to make the system appear as a piece of cable with very high DC impedance to ground. This requires extremely accurate gain matching on both sides of the digital loop carrier (the remote end and the central office end). The '743 patent solution therefore requires great precision or careful adjustment of each unit in order for the emulation function system to work properly.
A further disadvantage of the MCU is that it is limited to testing of POTS systems; no provision for testing of special services is made.
As the need exists to test special service lines also, alternatives for meeting this need have been developed. An alternative for testing special services connections is the special services Remote Test Unit (RTU) shown in FIG. 3. A separate RTU and Test System Controller (TSC) are provided for the special services line at the remote end of the system. However, such systems are commercially unattractive because an RTU/TSC must be placed at each remote site where special services are to be implemented. This requires additional cost, and space at the remote terminal site, and the test equipment may be limited to testing special services only. | {
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Hydraulic fracturing is commonly used to stimulate the production rate from subterranean wells. Fractures formed from fluid injection into the wells extend in a direction determined by stresses in the earth around the well. The fractures propagate in a direction normal to the minimum stress. At sufficient depth in the earth, the stress in the vertical direction is great enough to cause the fractures formed around wells by hydraulic pressure to be formed in a vertical direction in the earth.
The limit to vertical growth of such fractures is normally determined by an increase in horizontal stress or a change in mechanical properties in some strata in the earth. There is no known method to insure that a vertical fracture will not extend over a greater vertical interval than the subterranean zone which is to be stimulated in production rate by hydraulic fracturing, although some design variables can be selected to minimize the likelihood of "fracturing out of zone" in a hydraulic fracturing treatment. Models to predict the growth of vertical fractures are discussed at length in Recent Advances in Hydraulic Fracturing, SPE Monograph Vol. 12, Soc. of Pet. Engrs., Richardson, Tex., 1989, Chaps. 3, 4 and 5.
It is not unusual for multiple zones or beds penetrated by one well to be hydraulically fractured. The separate zones may be fractured simultaneously by having access from the wellbore, or they may be fractured sequentially by "stages," each stage isolating one segment of the wellbore and injecting fluids in the normal method. The separate stages are normally applied sequentially from the deeper to the shallower depths in a well. There is a question in such wells as to the vertical extent of the fracture formed in each stage. If the fracture from a stage applied deeper in the well influences a fracture formed in a shallower stage, the length of the fracture formed in the shallower stage is likely to be much shorter than expected. This may be caused by the much larger area for leak-off of fluid from the fracture and the possibility that zones having lower earth stress are contacted by the existing fracture.
Techniques have been developed in recent years to recover coal bed hydrocarbon gas from coal deposits. The gas, primarily methane, is produced by drilling wells and decreasing pressure in the coal to cause the methane to flow from the coal. Hydraulic fracturing has proven very helpful in increasing the production rate of the coal bed gas. Special techniques have been disclosed for forming and propping the fractures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,491 pertains to a method of injecting a range of sizes of proppant particles in a fracture in a coal bed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,990 discloses a method of alternating injection of fracturing fluid containing fine proppants and acidizing solution to fracture a subsurface coal formation.
There is a need for a method to increase the effectiveness of fractures when the initial fracture in a zone is improperly placed. Improper placement could be caused by stress not accounted for in the initial design or the influence of stimulations in other zones in the wellbore. | {
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Various transaction accounts, including transaction accounts utilizing physical credit cards, for example, are commonly used in retail, business and other transactions. A consumer may use a transaction account to purchase a good or service from a merchant using that type of instrument. When the consumer interacts with the merchant to initiate the purchase using a credit account, for example, a sequence of electronic processing takes place. This processing may involve an established interchange entity such as Visa™ or Master Card™, for example. The interchange entity may interact with a lending institution or other payment enabler, such as a bank, that extends a line of credit to the customer. Each of the customer, the interchange entity, and the lending institution interact with each other pursuant to established terms of account that each party has agreed upon.
It should be appreciated that the interchange entity performs a variety of processing in conjunction with handling an electronic transaction. Various administrative and other costs are associated with this processing. As a result, the interchange entity typically charges an “interchange fee” as compensation for executing the transaction. The amount of this interchange fee may vary. Typically, the interchange fee is a percentage of the purchase. Further, a minimum interchange fee is often imposed by the interchange entity, regardless of the amount of the transaction. Illustratively, this minimum interchange fee might be a $3 charge. This minimum threshold results in problems with purchases of small monetary value.
For example, a customer may purchase an item from a merchant for $4. The selling merchant is typically responsible for paying this interchange fee to the interchange entity. If the minimum interchange fee is $3, the merchant's net receipt on selling the item is $1, i.e., $4−$3=$1. This return may not even cover the cost of the item, and certainly reduces or eliminates the possibility of a profit margin for the merchant.
Accordingly, transactions of a low monetary amount are typically not processed using a transaction account, such as a credit card account, to which an interchange fee is applied. However, a significant portion of the transactions effectuated in the national economy are small dollar sales. It would consequently be beneficial in a wide variety of situations if a transaction account could be used to pay for low monetary amount transactions. In one regard, these low monetary amount transactions may be characterized as “microtransactions.” As used herein, a “microtransaction” may be or include any transaction between a first person or entity and a second person or entity in which the cost of an interchange or other processing fee might discourage such transactions from taking place. Other problems exist. | {
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1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to an improved support bearing for use, for example, for supporting the wheel end of an automobile axle.
2. Background Art
A bearing for an automotive axle performs several functions. It supports both radial and axial loads, including the weight of the vehicle and the additional wheel loads due to vehicle cornering. It transmits torque from the differential to the wheel. In particular, it is desirable to keep the torque as low as possible.
DE 80 14 137, DE 67 52 038, JP 62-210102, DE 29 07 342, DE 10 45 737, and DE 96 84 32 disclose ball bearing and cylindrical or needle roller bearing arrangements of background interest. However, none of these references discloses the automotive wheel end support bearing described herein. | {
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Musical performances have become a key component of electronic and multimedia products such as stand-alone video game devices, computer-based video games, computer-based slide show presentations, computer animation, and other similar products and applications. As a result, music generating devices and music playback devices are now tightly integrated into electronic and multimedia components.
Musical accompaniment for multimedia products can be provided in the form of digitized audio streams. While this format allows recording and accurate reproduction of non-synthesized sounds, it consumes a substantial amount of memory. As a result, the variety of music that can be provided using this approach is limited. Another disadvantage of this approach is that the stored music cannot be easily varied. For example, it is generally not possible to change a particular musical part, such as a bass part, without re-recording the entire musical stream.
Because of these disadvantages, it has become quite common to generate music based on a variety of data other than pre-recorded digital streams. For example, a particular musical piece might be represented as a sequence of discrete notes and other events corresponding generally to actions that might be performed by a keyboardist—such as pressing or releasing a key, pressing or releasing a sustain pedal, activating a pitch bend wheel, changing a volume level, changing a preset, etc. An event such as a note event is represented by some type of data structure that includes information about the note such as pitch, duration, volume, and timing. Music events such as these are typically stored in a sequence that roughly corresponds to the order in which the events occur. Rendering software retrieves each music event and examines it for relevant information such as timing information and information relating the particular device or “instrument” to which the music event applies. The rendering software then sends the music event to the appropriate device at the proper time, where it is rendered. The MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standard is an example of a music generation standard or technique of this type, which represents a musical performance as a series of events.
Computing devices, such as many modern computer systems, allow MIDI data to be manipulated and/or rendered. These computing devices are frequently built based on an architecture employing multiple privilege levels, often referred to as user-mode and kernel-mode. Manipulation of the MIDI data is typically performed by one or more applications executing in user-mode, while the input of data from and output of data to hardware is typically managed by an operating system or a driver executing in kernel-mode.
Such a setup requires the MIDI data to be received by the driver or operating system executing in kernel-mode, transferred to the application executing in user-mode, manipulated by the application as needed in user-mode, and then transferred back to the operating system or driver executing in kernel-mode for rendering. Data transfers between kernel-mode and user-mode, however, can take a considerable and unpredictable amount of time. Lengthy delays can result in unacceptable latency, particularly for real-time audio playback, while unpredictability can result in an unacceptable amount of jitter in the audio data, resulting in unacceptable rendering of the audio data.
The invention described below addresses these disadvantages, providing kernel-mode audio processing modules. | {
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The present invention relates to an improvement in level shift circuits for level shifting a low voltage signal to a high voltage signal to perform a signal transfer between two different circuits which are operated by different power supply voltages.
Recent increasing demand for low-power electronic devices has caused the power supply voltage of LSI internal circuits to decrease to 3 volts, to 2.5 volts or to less than 2.5 volts. This produces some necessities. For example, if an LSI external circuit is operated by 5 volts in contrast with the fact that the power supply voltage of a corresponding LSI internal circuit is 3 volts or less, this results in the requirement that an amplitude of 5 volts be provided. To this end, it is required to provide a level shift circuit capable of shifting either an amplitude of 3 volts, an amplitude of 2.5 volts or an amplitude of less than 2.5 volts to an amplitude of 5 volts.
Referring first to FIG. 10, there is shown an example of a conventional level shift circuit. Reference numeral 301 designates a signal input terminal. The signal input terminal 301 receives a low voltage (3 volts) signal from an inverter (an external circuit) 20 which is operated by low voltages (e.g., 3 volts). 302 designates an output signal terminal at which a high voltage (5 volts) signal is output to an operating circuit (not shown in the figure) which is operated by higher voltages (e.g., 5 volts).
Referring still to FIG. 10, 401 designates a first power supply terminal which is coupled to a low voltage power supply (e.g., a 3-V power supply). 402 designates a second power supply terminal which is coupled to a high voltage power supply (e.g., a 5-V power supply). 304 designates an N-channel MOS (Nch) transistor having (i) terminals of which one is coupled to the signal input terminal 301 and (ii) a gate which is coupled to the first power supply terminal 401. 303 designates an inverter made up of an Nch transistor 306 and a P-channel MOS (Pch) transistor 307. The inverter 303 receives its operating voltage from the second power supply terminal 402. The inverter 303 has an input coupled to the other of the terminals of the Nch transistor 304. Further, the inverter 303 has an output coupled to the output signal terminal 302. 305 designates a Pch transistor having terminals, namely a drain, a source, and a gate, wherein the drain terminal is coupled to the input of the inverter 303, the source terminal is coupled to the second power supply terminal 402, and the gate terminal is coupled to the output of the inverter 303. 403 designates an intermediate node between the Nch transistor 304 and the inverter 303.
Referring to FIG. 11(a), the operation of the level shift circuit of FIG. 10 will be described below.
Upon application of a signal which changes in voltage level from LOW (0 volt) to HIGH (3 volts) at the signal input terminal 301, the intermediate node 403 is pulled up to a voltage level (3-Vtn) through the Nch transistor 304 in the ON state, where Vtn represents the threshold voltage of the Nch transistor 304. If the switching voltage of the inverter 303, Vo, is set lower than the voltage (3-Vtn), this causes the output signal terminal 302 to decrease from HIGH (5 volts) towards LOW (0 volt) by signal inversion.
Because of a gate potential drop, the Pch transistor 305 goes into the ON state from the OFF state, and the intermediate node 403 is pulled up to HIGH (5 volts). Accordingly, the potential of the output signal terminal 302 is decreased to a lower value, finally arriving at LOW (0 volt). The Nch transistor 304 comes to have a gate potential equal to or less than its source and drain potentials, as a result of which the Nch transistor 304 changes to the OFF state. Accordingly, there exists no current path extending from the high voltage power supply to the low voltage power supply, which makes it possible to perform a voltage level shifting operation in the steady state with direct currents cut off.
Next, upon application of a signal which changes in voltage level from HIGH (3 volts) to LOW (0 volt) at the signal input terminal 301, the gate potential of the Nch transistor 304 will relatively increase. The Nch transistor 304, therefore, changes to the ON state. The intermediate node 403 is decreased from HIGH (5 volts) towards LOW (0 volt). The Pch transistor 305 is in the ON state and the potential level of the intermediate node 403 is determined by the value of a sum of the ON resistance of the Nch transistor 304 and the ON resistance of the external circuit 20 which drives the signal input terminal 301 with respect to the ON resistance of the Pch transistor 305. That is, as the ON resistance of the Pch transistor 305 relatively increases, the potential level of the intermediate node 403 decreases. Accordingly, if the Pch transistor's ON resistance is set sufficiently greater than the aforesaid sum, this causes the intermediate node 403 to have a potential level below Vo (the inverter's 303 switching voltage) and signal conversion causes the output signal terminal 302 to increase from LOW (0 volt) towards HIGH (5 volts).
Because of such an operation, the Pch transistor 305 continues to be boosted in gate potential, and the ON resistance further increases. As a result, the potential of the intermediate node 403 is decreased to a lower value and the voltage of the output signal terminal increases. Finally, the Pch transistor 305 enters the OFF state and the intermediate node 403 arrives at LOW (0 volt) while the output signal terminal arrives at HIGH (5 volts). Also in this case, there exists no current path extending from the high voltage power supply to the low voltage power supply, which makes it possible to perform a voltage level shifting in the steady state with direct currents cut off.
Because of the foregoing operations, a signal of opposite phase to the input signal at the signal input terminal 301 appears at the output signal terminal 302. Such an inverted signal has an amplitude of 5 volts.
However, the above-described conventional level shift circuit has some drawbacks. One drawback is that both the possibility that the operating speed degrades and the possibility that the malfunction occurs increase when the low voltage power supply is decreased in voltage level to a further extent because of demands for lower power LSI circuits.
In the case the signal input terminal 301 makes a change in voltage level from LOW to HIGH, a voltage level drop occurring in the low voltage power supply results in a speed drop which pulls up the potential of the intermediate node 403, for the drain current is reduced because both the drive performance of the external circuit 20 for driving the signal input terminal 301 and the gate voltage of the Nch transistor 304 in the ON state fall.
The reachable potential of the intermediate node 403 will fall for an amount approximately corresponding to a voltage level drop in the low voltage power supply. If such a reachable potential does not exceed Vo (the switching voltage of the inverter 303), no signal inversion is carried out, which causes the output signal terminal 302 to remain at HIGH. As a result, a malfunction occurs. Such a malfunction may be avoided by reducing the switching voltage. To this end, the gate width of the Nch transistor 306 forming a part of the inverter is required to be set relatively greater than that of the Pch transistor 307. However, the Pch transistor 307 is, of course, required to maintain some drive performance (gate width) and a reduction of the switching potential results in an abrupt increase in LSI pattern area. Therefore, such arrangement cannot be employed.
In addition to the above, if the gate width of the Nch transistor 306 is increased, this results in a gate capacitance load increase. This is a factor of degrading the operating speed.
A drop in the voltage level of the low voltage power supply occurring when the signal input terminal 301 changes in voltage level from HIGH to LOW results in a decrease in operating speed because both the drive performance of the external circuit 20 for driving the signal input terminal 301 and the drive performance of the Nch transistor 304 fall.
Additionally, with respect to the ON resistance of the Pch transistor 305, the foregoing sum increases, which makes it difficult to decrease the level of the intermediate node 403 to a lower value. Accordingly, in this case, it is required to establish a higher switching voltage level in order to ensure that the inverter 303 performs a signal inversion operation. Such a requirement conflicts with the case in which the signal input terminal 301 changes in voltage level from LOW to HIGH. This shows that a voltage level drop in the low voltage power supply results in a reduction in entire operating margin. | {
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I. Technical Field
The embodiments described herein relate generally to computer modeling and management of electrical power systems and, more particularly, to a simplified way to model a topology of an electrical power system.
II. Background
Computer models of complex systems enable improved system design, development, and implementation through techniques for off-line simulation of system operation. That is, system models can be created on computers and then “operated” in a virtual environment to assist in the determination of system design parameters. All manner of systems can be modeled, designed, and operated in this way, including machinery, factories, electrical power and distribution systems, processing plants, devices, chemical processes, biological systems, and the like. Such simulation techniques have resulted in reduced development costs and superior operation.
Design and production processes have benefited greatly from such computer simulation techniques, and such techniques are relatively well developed, but they have not been applied in real-time, e.g., for real-time operational monitoring and management. In addition, predictive failure analysis techniques do not generally use real-time data that reflect actual system operation. Greater efforts at real-time operational monitoring and management would provide more accurate and timely suggestions for operational decisions, and such techniques applied to failure analysis would provide improved predictions of system problems before they occur.
That is, an electrical network model that can age and synchronize itself in real-time with the actual facility's operating conditions is critical to obtaining predictions that are reflective of the system's reliability, availability, health and performance in relation to the life cycle of the system. Static systems simply cannot adjust to the many daily changes to the electrical system that occur at a facility (e.g., motors and pumps switching on or off, changes to on-site generation status, changes to utility electrical feed . . . etc.) nor can they age with the facility to accurately predict the required indices. Without a synchronization or aging ability, reliability indices and predictions are of little value as they are not reflective of the actual operational status of the facility and may lead to false conclusions. With such improved techniques, operational costs and risks can be greatly reduced.
For example, mission critical electrical systems, e.g., for data centers or nuclear power facilities, must be designed to ensure that power is always available. Thus, the systems must be as failure proof as possible, and many layers of redundancy must be designed in to ensure that there is always a backup in case of a failure. It will be understood that such systems are highly complex, a complexity made even greater as a result of the required redundancy. Computer design and modeling programs allow for the design of such systems by allowing a designer to model the system and simulate its operation. Thus, the designer can ensure that the system will operate as intended before the facility is constructed.
As with all analytical tools, predictive or otherwise, the manner in which data and results are communicated to the user is often as important as the choice of analytical tool itself. Ideally, the data and results are communicated in a fashion that is simple to understand while also painting a comprehensive and accurate picture for the user. For example, graphical displays (e.g., two-dimensional and three-dimensional views) of the operational aspects of an electrical system greatly enhances the ability of a system operator, owner and/or executive to understand the health and predicted performance of the electrical system.
Moreover, the ability to predict, and understand the health and stability of an electrical network (the capability of a power system to maintain stability and/or recover from events and disturbances without violating system operational constraints) in both static and in real-time, is important in order to insure that the power distribution system can meet the power demands and maintain sufficient active and reactive power reserves to hand the ongoing changes in demand and disturbances to the system due to various contingencies. Traditional transient stability programs are capable of accurately computing the trajectories of power system quantities, such as voltages, frequencies, power flow, etc., following disturbances. However, programs leave the understanding of these trajectories, i.e., severity of these disturbances, and their relevance to the power system security largely to an engineer's judgment.
Conventional approaches to modeling complex network topologies, their interconnectivity, interdependencies and relationships are limited to the application of diagrammatic sketches, computer aided design (CAD), or other forms of design technologies that require extensive training and know-how by the user in order to design realistic and error free networks, such as electrical one-line diagrams for power system simulation. As such, there is a need for novel methods that provide intuitive modeling paradigms that reduce the need for end user training or know-how for properly modeling, connecting and defining electrical power transmission, or distribution networks. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In many instances, individuals who have retired or who have recently moved to rural areas or individuals in urban areas are interested in constructing buildings as do-it-yourself projects. While the present invention is extremely useful and adapted to individuals who wish to construct buildings themselves, it is also well adapted to the construction of building by professionals who may use the method of the present invention to economically and efficiently construct structures. The structures may be buildings, walls, fences and the like.
In the past, the construction of buildings has required the use of welding, complicated bracket and bolt assemblies and the like.
According to the present invention, a simple method is provided for constructing a structure using tools such as a saw, a screw driver, a power screw driver, self-tapping screws and the like. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Typically the high voltage driver systems in use to drive capacitive actuators for deformable mirrors are based on analog technology. A microprocessor delivers a digital input command to a digital to analog converter (DAC) which drives an amplifier to supply drive current to the capacitive actuator. The amplifier typically has a totem pole output stage using bipolar transistors. To keep control over the output stage a bias current must be maintained. With even a small bias current at the 100 volts required by the actuator the power drain is considerable e.g., 2 watts. Considering that many deformable mirrors require 1000 channels (actuators) or more the power loss e.g. 2000 w can build up quickly. Add to this that analog amplifiers are generally only about 40% efficient and power supplies are only typically 50-75% efficient the amount of power required can become a major factor. Further, large amounts of power require large heat sinks which mean heavier and larger packages which translates into overall larger and more robust packages to contain the additional weight and size, all of which further increases cost as well. Another shortcoming of analog systems is that the voltage must be monitored at the load. This means monitoring an analog voltage of, for example, 100 volts. This must be scaled down and then converted to digital form through an analog to digital converter (ADC) for feedback to the digital microprocessor. And all of this scaling and conversion introduces more inefficiency to the system. Another disadvantage of the analog approach is that typically the best accuracy obtainable with the DAC and ADC are 16 bits which translates for a 100 volt supply to approximately 1.5 mv/lsb. Analog systems also produce overshoot and ringing as a result of driving a reactive load with a voltage. And the ringing can be at a frequency that is low enough for the actuator to physically respond yet high enough so that the amplifier cannot quickly correct. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video recorder with a distortion corrector circuit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
From the German patent specification DE-3809394 there is known a distortion corrector circuit arranged in the signal path for processing the frequency-modulated brightness signals of a video recorder and containing a band-pass filter that is tuned to the deflection range of the part of the brightness signal that actually reproduces the brightness. This band-pass filter consists of a filter circuit component located in the signal path and a coupling component arranged downstream thereof. A diode switch is also connected in parallel with the output of the filter circuit component. When the oscillation amplitudes of the frequency-modulated brightness signal at the output side of the filter circuit component exceed a switching voltage of the diode switch, the said voltage being defined in the vicinity of the flection point of the diode switch characteristic, the diode switch will pass from a blocked state (off-state) to a conducting state (on-state) in this part of the characteristic and, together with the filter circuit component and the conducting state d.c. resistance of the diode switch, will form a transit-time controller with an amplitude-dependent retardation of tile transit time of the frequency-modulated brightness signal. In this switching state of the distortion corrector circuit the transit time of the frequency-modulated brightness signals is therefore retarded in a manner proportional to the amplitude of their oscillations, so that these signals have their transit time corrected. This transit time retardation compensates frequency and phase frequency characteristic errors, especially in the lower-frequency range of the lower sideband of the carrier frequencies of the frequency-modulated brightness signal immediately adjacent to the range of variation of the carrier oscillations, so that the amplitude-modulated brightness signals at the output side of the frequency modulator will maintain a linear frequency characteristic up to very high video frequencies (beyond 3 MHz), thereby making it possible to attain a very high image resolution in the image reproduction from the videotape without any additional noise. On the other hand, given small oscillation amplitudes of the transmitted frequency-modulated brightness signals that do not exceed the threshold value of the diode switch and therefore maintain the diode switch in its off-state, so that the entire distortion corrector circuit will be in the state of bandpass filter operation, the resonance effects of the band-pass filter, which to all intents and purposes trigger the basic or carrier oscillations of the frequency-modulated brightness signal, will make themselves felt. This leads to the suppression of the low oscillations of the lower sideband of the frequency-modulated brightness signals, the said frequencies having superposed on them the carrier frequencies of the frequency-modulated brightness signals and being capable--given adequate amplitudes in the vicinity of their maximum amplitude--of taking the carrier frequencies of the frequency-modulated brightness signal out of the switching range of the frequency modulator. Furthermore, this will also increase the amplitude of the carrier oscillations themselves and reduce the noise signals in the frequency range above the carrier oscillations.
These measures ensure that a sharper image will be reproduced on the screen. Furthermore, the arrangement substantially eliminates the edge noises that disturb image reproduction, especially the noises due to vertical brightness edges, as well as disturbing reflections and the defects described as "flitter".
However, the practical application of these measures has shown that the quality of the recording of video information on the tape of a video cassette and the quality of the video tapes themselves are so widely divergent as to make it impossible to find a design or dimensioning of the known distortion corrector circuit that can cover in a satisfactory manner this wide range of differences in quality of the video cassettes to be reproduced. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the recovery of nitramines from aluminized energetic materials. This invention is particularly useful for recovering nitramines from aluminized energetic materials such as solid propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Energetic materials have found widespread use, perhaps no more extensively than in military applications, where energetic materials are used to make composite propellants for ballistic missiles and explosive compositions for munitions and ordnances. An example of a propellant commonly found in rocket motors and missiles is Class 1.1 solid propellants. Like most other energetic materials used in military applications, Class 1.1 solid propellants are formed from a composition comprising a combination of one or more of the following: polymeric binders, plasticizers, ballistic additives, chemical stabilizers, curing agents and catalysts, metal powders, and inorganic and/or organic oxidizers.
Demilitarization in the United States and abroad has created a need for an economical, reliable, non-hazardous, and environmentally friendly method for disposing of the stockpile of surplus tactical missiles and explosives existing worldwide. Additionally, a growing number of larger rocket motors, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), are being and will have to be demilitarized due to international treaties, such as the START treaties. The disposal of such energetic materials is the subject of various publications and U.S. patents, including U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,822 to Roth and U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,179 to Hunter et al. However, these U.S. patents focus on disposing of explosive materials by xe2x80x9cdesensitizingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdestroyingxe2x80x9d the materials.
The degradation of energetic materials into an unusable state is not the most economical alternative of disposal, since many energetic materials are both expensive and reusable. For example, one class of organic oxidizer that has found wide acceptance in the rocket propulsion, explosive, and pyrotechnic arts comprises nitramines. Common nitramines include, for example, cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (also known as HMX and 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraaza-cyclooctane), cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (also known as RDX and 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triaza-cyclohexane), TEX (4,10-dinitro-2,6,8,12-tetraoxa-4,10-diazatetracyclo-[5.5.0.05,903,11]-dodecane), HNIW (also known as CL-20) (2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazatetracyclo [5.5.0.05,903,11]-dodecane), and combinations thereof. Nitramines are commonly among the most expensive and highly energetic ingredients of conventional energetic compositions. Further, nitramines are sometimes present in energetic compositions in relatively high concentrations, such as on the order of up to about 50% by weight of solid rocket motor propellants and up to about 98% by weight of explosives. These factors make the successful and efficient recovery of nitramines in high yields for subsequent re-use highly desirable.
A method for the extraction and recovery of nitramine oxidizers from solid propellants is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,995 to Melvin, which discloses the use of a liquid ammonia extraction agent for extracting the nitramines HMX and RDX from rocket motor solid propellants. The use of liquid ammonia in nitramine recovery techniques introduces several complexities and expenses, especially in a closed system, including high capital expenditures required as outlay to obtain equipment capable of operating at the high-pressures (5 to 40 Kpsi) at which liquid ammonia is handled. The presence of liquid ammonia also creates other problems, such as worker safety issues, since contact between the ammonia and human skin can cause severe chemical burns to the handler. Additionally, liquid ammonia is combustible, and presents a severe inhalation hazard if not handled correctly. Another disadvantage of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,995 process is that subjecting energetic materials, such as Class 1.1 propellants containing nitramine oxidizers, to the pressurized environments described in the ""995 patent increases the risk of accidental detonation, as well as the accompanying catastrophic consequences that an accidental detonation or explosion often has on human life and property. Yet another disadvantage of the process of U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,995 is that nitramines are dissolved in liquid ammonia, requiring recrystallization of the nitramines. However, the recrystallized nitramines have different particle sizes than the nitramine particles found in the propellant. Also, if recrystallization is not performed under the right conditions, the polymorph of the nitramine changes during recrystallization.
Another method for recovering ingredients from a pyrotechnic material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,627 to Tompa et al., in which the pyrotechnic containing a cured polymeric binder is decomposed under mild conditions. The method involves heating the pyrotechnic material to a temperature of from about 50xc2x0 C. to about 160xc2x0 C. in a liquid medium comprising an active hydrogen-containing compound capable of cleaving the chemical bonds contained in the polymer. Representative liquid media include mineral acids such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid and perchloric acid, as well as primary amines, secondary amines, ammonia, and water. The process is expedited by modifying the liquid medium via the addition of an organic solvent. Organic solvents reportedly suitable in the process are toluene, xylene, dioxane, and tetrahydrofuran. The organic solvent functions either to swell the organic polymeric binder present in the pyrotechnic material or to dissolve filler material present in the pyrotechnic material. The decomposition technique is carried out at 80xc2x0 to 120xc2x0 C. In practice, however, these organic solvents raise a host of ecological and safety concerns, including flammability, VOC emissions, environmentally sound and cost-effective waste disposal, and handling expenses. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,265 to Tompa et al. reports that the use of mineral acids and water in the manner prescribed by the ""627 patent produces low yields of about 36%. Indeed, example 5 of the ""627 patent reports that under the basic conditions of its process RDX may be destroyed.
Two additional approaches for reclaiming nitramines from propellants having polymeric binders are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,265 to Tompa et al. The first approach utilizes a solution of 2-aminoethanol in a mixture of an aromatic solvent and an alcohol to dissolve the propellant binder. The 2-aminoethanol breaks down or dissolves the polymeric binder. Examples of aromatic solvents suitable for the first approach include benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, and diethylbenzene. Examples of alcohols suitable for the first approach include ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, and mixtures thereof. The second approach is performed with a solution of a mineral acid other than nitric acid, an organic solvent, and water. For the second approach, examples of suitable mineral acids are hydrochloric, sulfuric and phosphoric acid; examples of organic solvents are acetone, methylethylketone, tetrahydrofuran, and mixtures thereof. The mineral acid and organic solvent combine to break down or dissolve the polymeric binder. After dissolution of the pyrotechnic binder is completed in the 2-aminoethanol or the mineral acid process, the nitramine and metals, if present, are removed by filtration and the nitramine is extracted in acetone. Although relatively high yields are reported in U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,265, the presence of aromatic and organic solvents raises ecological and safety concerns over such issues as flammability, volatile emissions, and waste disposal. Also, the nitramine is recovered with aluminum fuel particulates. Consequently, separation of the aluminum requires dissolving, filtering, and recrystallizing of the nitramine. As mentioned above, recrystallization can cause the polymorph and size of the nitramine particles to change.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,960 discloses the recovery of nitroamines and reformulation of by-products. The ""960 patent generally focuses on non-aluminized propellants, with the exception of its mention of VTG-5A and WAY, both of which are aluminized propellants. According to the ""960 patent, the propellants are treated with 60-70% nitric acid in a preferred ratio of nitric acid solution to feed of 1.0:1.0 l/kg. This feed ratio calculates to a weight ratio of less than 1.5:1. Although these conditions are adequate to recover nitramines from non-aluminized propellants containing conventional binders, in the case of an aluminized propellant a substantial proportion of aluminum would not be dissolved under these conditions. Accordingly, in the event that an aluminized propellant were treated by the ""960 process, separation of the aluminum would require additional steps of dissolving, filtering, and recrystallizing of the nitramine.
Thus, it would be a significant improvement in the art to develop a method in which nitramines are recovered from aluminized energetic materials without recrystallizing the nitramines and in which there is no need for the use of either liquid ammonia under increased pressure or hazardous organic solvents that are volatile and/or flammable.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to fulfill a long-felt need in the art by providing a nitramine-recovery process capable of achieving the above-discussed improvements in the recovery of nitramines from aluminized energetic materials, especially aluminized propellants, without relying upon either the use of liquid ammonia under increased pressures or the application of hazardous solvents.
In accordance with the principles of this invention, the above and other objects are attained by a nitramine-recovery process in which a nitramine-containing aluminized energetic material is treated with aqueous nitric acid having a nitric acid concentration of not more than 55% by weight. This low concentration nitric acid, when used in appropriate ratios relative to the aluminized energetic material to be treated, has the effect of digesting by solvation and/or solvolysis most, if not all, conventional ingredients other than nitramines commonly found in aluminized energetic materials. As referred to herein, the term solvation means the dissolving of a solid into a solvent without chemical reaction. As also referred to herein, the term solvolysis means the dissolving of a solid into a solvent via chemical reaction between the solid and solvent.
At least one mineral acid other than nitric acid is added to the digestion process in order to facilitate digestion of the aluminum. It is also preferred to delay the addition of the mineral acid until sufficient time has passed for the aqueous nitric acid to digest most, if not substantially all, of the binder of the energetic material. The time needed for digesting the binder will depend upon several factors, including the amount of binder in the energetic material, the concentration and amount of aqueous nitric acid, and process conditions, such as temperature. Suitable mineral acids include hydrochloric acid, perchloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydroiodic acid. Hydrochloric acid is currently preferred because of its high rate of aluminum digestion. Representative concentrations of mineral acid for use in the aluminum digestion range, for example, from about 1 part by weight to about 5 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the aqueous nitric acid. Such concentrations are usually sufficient to digest at least 99 weight percent of the aluminum. Aqueous nitric acid is preferably not selected as the mineral acid for aluminum digestion. Nitric acid is relatively oxidizing compared to other mineral acids, and will oxide the surface of the aluminum to form aluminum oxide, thereby slowing the rate at which the aluminum is digested.
The nitramines remain substantially insoluble (i.e., are neither solvated nor solvolyzed) in the low concentration nitric acid and mineral acid, and can be separated from the aqueous nitric acid, mineral acid, and digested ingredients in an efficient manner and without incurring great expense.
The recovered nitramines according to the presently preferred embodiment are suitable for recycling into an energetic material, including a solid propellant grain, explosive material, and pyrotechnics (known in the art as PEP materials).
There are several advantages that can be derived from the inventive process. For example, nitramine yields associated with embodiments of the present invention have been found to be much higher than most conventional processes. In particular, nitramine yields are routinely on the order of 90% by weight or greater according to embodiments of the inventive process. Further, the process can be performed, and preferably is performed, free of organic solvents, thus avoiding the ecological and safety concerns and waste disposal and handling expenses of conventional processes. Furthermore, the digested ingredients separated from the nitramine can be recovered and reused as feed stock for commercial blasting agents, thus further reducing the waste disposal concerns and improving the efficiency of the process. The process also does not require volatile digestion agents or high pressurizes that increase the risk of un intentional detonation of the energetic material.
The recovery method of this invention is particularly useful for recovering nitramines from aluminized energetic materials such as solid propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics, and is especially useful for the recovery of nitramines from aluminized solid rocket motor propellants. While not wishing to be bound by any theory, it is believed that unlike many conventional methods, in which nitramines are typically dissolved in order to separate the nitramines from aluminum and/or other ingredients, in the present invention the aluminum reacts with aqueous nitric acid to form aluminum nitrate Al(NO3)3.9H2O, which is soluble in the aqueous nitric acid and the mineral acid is easily separated from the substantially insoluble nitramine. Additionally, unlike other inorganic acids that react with aluminum to rapidly generate large amounts of hydrogen gas and high temperatures, nitric acid has been found to undergo a much more sedate reaction with aluminum. The reaction of nitric acid with aluminum generates hydrogen gas and heat at manageable rates so as to permit the hydrogen gas and heat to be removed from the digestion vessel. By adding a mineral acid, other than nitric acid, aluminum removal is facilitated and accelerated. | {
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Due to stricter regulations, there is a significant amount of research being conducted to identify and produce organofluorine compounds having a much lower global warming potential (GWP) and zero or near zero ozone depletion potential (ODP). For example, hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) including HFO-1234yf (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropene), HFO-1234ze (1,1,1,3-tetrafluoropropene), and HFO-1243zf (1,1,1-trifluoropropene), and hydrochlorofluoroolefins (HCFOs) such as HCFO-1233zd (1,1,1-trifluoro-3-chloropropene) and HCFO-1233xf (1,1,1-trifluoro-2-chloropropene) have been identified as fluorocarbons having a lower GWP, and therefore are considered to be non-greenhouse gases. Additionally, the ODP of those compounds is zero or negligible. HFO-1234yf, HFO-1234ze, and HCFO-1233zd, which are environmentally acceptable, have also been found to have lower flammability, acceptable toxicity, and good performance. Therefore, these products are under consideration by the industry as refrigerants or refrigerant components of a blend, foam blowing agents, aerosol propellants, and solvents for metal degreasing.
However, the production of these and other organofluorine compounds often require substantial separation steps to isolate the compounds from other components present in the reaction product, including unreacted feedstock, undesirable byproducts, and coproducts.
Production of organofluorine compounds often results in the formation of other organofluorine compounds, organochlorines, and chlorofluorocarbons (collectively referred to herein as “coproducts of organofluorine production” or simply “coproducts”), as both intermediate products and coproducts that appear in the final reaction mixture. For example, production of HFO-1234yf often forms other coproducts, such as HCFC-244bb (2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane), HFC-245cb (1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoropropane), and HFO-1233xf. Production of HCFO-1233zd and HFO-1234ze often forms a reaction mixture comprising unsaturated coproducts, such as cis and trans HCFO-1232zd (c/t-2,3-dichloro-3,3-difluoropropene), cis and trans HCFO-1231zd (c/t-1,3,3-trichloro-2-fluoropropene), and HFO-1243zf, and saturated coproducts, such as HFC-245fa (1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane), HCFC-244fa (3-chloro-1,1,1,3-tetrafluoropropane), HCFC-243fa (2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoropropane), HCFC-242fa (1,3,3-trichloro-1,1-difluoropropane), HCFC-241fa (1,1,3,3-tetrachloro-1-fluoropropane), and HCC-240fa (1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane). Many of these organofluorine compounds and coproducts of organofluorine production form azeotropes or azeotrope-like mixtures, which further complicates separation of the organofluorine compounds.
Undesirable components of the reaction product mixture may include unreacted hydrogen fluoride (HF), carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2), water, and hydrogen chloride (HCl), oxygen, nitrogen, NOx, chlorine and impurities. Many of these organofluorine compounds are known to form an azeotrope or azeotrope-like mixtures with hydrogen fluoride, HF.
In conventional methods, the organofluorine compounds are separated from unreacted HF using separation techniques such as scrubbing, distillation, and phase separation.
In one conventional method, HF is removed from the organofluorine by water scrubbing, which is followed by organic drying and then distillation of the impure organic. The HF is discharged as waste aqueous HF.
In another conventional method, sulfuric acid is used to absorb HF from the organofluorine mixture. The HF is then desorbed, which allows the HF to be recycled back to the fluorination reactor. The use of sulfuric acid is limited because it can lead to unwanted reactions, such as the isomerization of trans-HCFO-1233zd to the toxic cis-HCFO-1233zd.
Other conventional methods include low temperature phase separation, in which an HF-rich phase is removed from an organic-rich phase. The HF-rich phase is then fed to a first azeotropic distillation column to recover the azeotrope as an overhead and pure HF as the bottoms. The organic-rich phase, which includes the organofluorine compound, such as HCFO-1233zd, is fed to a second distillation column to further separate HF from the organofluorine. For example, trans-HCFO-1233zd is removed from the top and cis-HCFO-1233zd is removed from the bottom along with HF.
Another conventional separation method comprises organic extractive distillation, which requires the addition of another solvent which is preferentially extracted with either the organofluorine component or HF. A second distillation is then used to recover the extractant from the organofluorine component or the HF.
Current processes for separating organofluorine compounds from other organofluorine compounds or coproducts of organofluorine production rely on distillation, most often azeotropic distillation. Distillation between certain organofluorine compounds and coproducts becomes increasingly difficult when the boiling points differ by 10° C. or less.
The conventional methods for separating organofluorine compounds are time-consuming and expensive, and, in many cases, involve the use of additional components, which require further separation to form an isolated product.
Membrane separation technology is widely used on many industrial processes such as, for example, gas permeation (e.g. separation of oxygen, nitrogen, helium from air; separation of hydrogen from hydrocarbon such as methane). Liquid separation membranes are used, for example, in the recovery of zinc from wastewater or nickel from electroplating solution. Reverse osmosis is used in desalination plants and in the treatment of waste water to remove impurities.
However, separation membranes have not been used in the fluorochemical industry, such as breaking an azotrope or azeotrope-like or separation of a organofluorine compound from another organofluorine compound, or separation of a organofluorine compound from an HF/organofluorine. A major issue with using membrane separations in the organofluorine industry is the absence of commercial separation membranes compatible with HF and organofluorine products.
Thus, there is a need for separation techniques for the recovery of organofluorine compounds that can be performed more quickly, less expensively, with less energy, and/or without the need for additional chemicals. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to projection display devices and optical systems thereof, and in particular, relates to a projection display device and an optical system thereof both of which can provide high-contrast images for a projection type projector.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a 3-panel type projector using three pieces (red, green, blue) of modulation devices is general in the projection display device (projector). Depending on the kind of devices, the 3-panel type projectors comprise LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) projector, DLP (Digital Light Processing) projector, LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) projector and so on.
FIG. 1 is a structural view of a conventional optical system. In FIG. 1, white light is emitted from a specified lamp (e.g. xenon lamp, ultra-high pressure mercury lamp, laser diode, light emission diode, etc.) in a lamp house 11. Then, the white light is changed to a parallel light by a condenser lens 12 and successively reflected by a cold mirror 13 for eliminating UV light or IR light unnecessary for a display device or interposed optical components. Then, the so-reflected light is transmitted through an integrator (rod integrator, flyeye integrator, etc.) 14 and a sequent field lens 15 thereby to enter a B/RG dichroic mirror 16.
The B/RG dichroic mirror 16 resolves incident illumination light to a light containing the wave bands of both red light and green light and a blue light, so that the former light (red and green) enters a RG mirror 17, while the latter light (blue) enters a B mirror 18. In the former light reflected by the RG mirror 17, its red light component is transmitted through a R/G dichroic mirror 19 thereby to enter an R field lens 24, while the green light component is reflected by the R/G dichroic mirror 19 thereby to enter a G field lens 20.
Regarding the green light component transmitted through the G field lens 20 and the red light component transmitted through R field lens 24, their S-polarization components are reflected by wire grids 21, 25 as polarization split elements thereby to enter a G device 23 and an R device 27 through a G quarter-wave (λ/4) plate 22 and an R quarter-wave (λ/4) plate 26, respectively. After light modulation at the G device 23 and the R device 27 with green signal and red signal of an image to be displayed from the 3-primary color signal processing and converting block 1, their P-polarized lights on light modulation are transmitted through the G, R quarter-wave (λ/4) plates 22, 26 and the wire grids 21, 25 thereby to enter an RGB composite dichroic prism 32.
On the other hand, regarding the blue light component reflected by the B mirror 18, it is transmitted through a B field lens 28 and the light's S-polarization component is reflected by a wire grid 29 thereby to enter a B device 31 through a B quarter-wave (λ/4) plate 30. After light modulation at the B device 31 with blue signal of the image to be displayed from the 3-primary color signal processing and converting block 1, the S-polarized light on light modulation is transmitted through the B quarter-wave (λ/4) plate 30 and the wire grid 29 thereby to enter the RGB composite dichroic prism 32.
The RGB composite dichroic prism 32 recombines respective P-polarization components of incident green, red and blue lights on light modulation. The so-combined light is transmitted through a PJ lens 33 to form an image on a screen.
Here, in a projector using the above-mentioned optical system, contrast influencing the definition of images is determined by the performances of the optical system and the individual device. In this view, there are recently proposed a projector and a liquid crystal display that the contrast of images are improved by double modulation dramatically (e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2005-181437 and 2005-241738).
FIG. 2 shows the constitution of such an optical system adopting double modulation. In this example, elements identical to those of FIG. 1 are indicated with the same reference numerals respectively and their overlapping descriptions are eliminated. The conventional optical system of FIG. 2 is equivalent to the previously-mentioned optical system of FIG. 1 but the interposition of a Y-modulation system part between the RGB composite dichroic prism 32 and the PJ lens 33, the Y-modulation optical system comprising an aberration correcting lens 34, an 1:1 (one-to-one) relay lens 35, a mirror 36, an aberration correcting lens 37, a Y wire grid (WG) 38, a Y wavelength plate 39, a Y device 40 and a WG analyzer 41. The aberration correcting lenses 34, 37 are formed by cylindrical lenses for correcting aberrations that would be produced since the optical axis is slanted to the Y wire grid (WG) 38 by 45 degrees.
In the conventional optical system of FIG. 2, RGB composite light emitted from the RGB composite dichroic prism 32 is transmitted through the aberration correcting lens 34 and the 1:1 relay lens 35 and subsequently reflected by the mirror 36 for coordinating an optical-axis direction of the 1:1 relay lens 35 with an optical-axis direction of the PJ lens 33. Then, the so-reflected light is transmitted through the aberration correcting lens 37. In the so-transmitted RGB composite light, its P-polarized light is transmitted through the Y wire grid (WG) 38 and the Y wavelength plate 39 thereby to enter the Y device 40.
For instance, the Y device 40 is formed by LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) to modulate incident light by luminance signal of the same image signal as R-signal, G-signal and B-signal modulated by the R device 27, the G device 23 and the B device 31 respectively. Thus, the image signal to be displayed on a screen (not shown) is subjected to twice modulations, that is, one modulation by 3-primary color (R, G and B) signals and another modulation by the luminance signal. The modulated light from the Y device 40 is transmitted to the Y wire WG 38 through the Y wavelength plate 39 and its S-polarized light is reflected by the Y wire WG 38. Thereafter, P-polarized light component mixed in the S-polarized light is eliminated by the WG analyzer 41 so as to maintain its high-contrast and subsequently projected on the not-shown screen through the PJ lens 33.
According to the general optical system of FIG. 1, as the contrast of an image to be displayed on the screen is influenced by an optical F-number and the performance of the display device, there is no possibility that the image is displayed at a contrast value exceeding the proportion of thousands to one (thousands:1) in a situation of ensuring appropriate brightness. On the contrary, the optical system of FIG. 2 is constructed so as to project an image on a screen (not shown) after once forming an image, which has been brought by the first modulation optical system similar to FIG. 1, on the Y device 40 for a further modulation. Consequently, the contrast of the image displayed on the screen becomes equal to or more than the proportion of a million to one (a million: 1) as a result of multiplying a contrast value of the first modulation optical system by a contrast value of the second modulation optical system.
In the projector adopting the optical system of FIG. 2, however, there exists a reality that the resolving power (i.e. number of pixels) of the Y device 40 determines a final resolving power of an image projected on the screen. In even a highest-definition device produced in the market currently, this resolving power would be 4 k×2 k pixels (horizontal: 4,096 pixels, vertical: 2,160 pixels) at the highest.
Under such a situation, there is recently proposed a projector of FIG. 3 in order to attain a higher resolving power (8 k×4 k pixels). This projector is one proposed by Japan Broadcasting Corporation, which is referred to as “Super Hi-Vision (SHV)”. Here, the super Hi-Vision is one of a LSDI (Large Screen Digital Imagery) system with 7680×4320 pixels specified in Recommendation ITU-R BT.1769 “parameter values for an expanded hierarchy of LSDI image formats for production and international program exchange”. We now describe the operation of this projector with reference to FIG. 3. In the illustrated projector, a hard disk recorder (UDR) 45 capable of parallel-recording/reproducing 16 channels of HDTV images is adapted so as to output a G1G2 image signal and a RB image signal to a convergence correction device 46. In the convergence correction device 46, both convergences of the G1G2 image and the PB image are corrected in order to align their registrations with each other on a screen 49. After the convergence correction, light modulated by the RB image is projected by a RB projector 47, while light modulated by the G1G2 image is projected by a GG projector 48, forming an image on the screen 49.
In order to attain the resolving power of 8 k×4 k pixels, the G1G2 projector 48 utilizes two G devices (G1 device and G2 device) each having 4 k×2 k pixels. In common with the G1 and G2 devices, respective pixels are arranged at intervals of pitch Px in the horizontal direction and pitch Py in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 4, respective pixels forming the whole G1 device are shifted from respective pixels forming the whole G2 device by Px/2 in the horizontal direction and by Py/2 in the vertical direction. That is, while inputting signals meeting with the resolving power of G1G2 to the GG projector 28, respective images from the G1 and G2 devices are overlaid on each other at a slant of 45 degrees by half pixel, whereby the resolving power equivalent to 8 k pixels is attained. On the other hand, the RB projector 47 utilizes an R device and a B device each having 4 k×2 k pixels.
That is, it is difficult structurally to fabricate an optical system where 2 channels of green images are provided by a single projector. Therefore, the proposed projector of FIG. 3 adopts the shown constitution composed of the GG projector 48 for G1, G2 and the RB projector 47 as a result of eliminating a G-component from the RGB projector. In this projector, by projecting images from two projectors 47, 48 in stack and further combining respective images with each other onto the screen 49, a high resolving power (high-definition) can be attained. | {
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Proper fertilization equipment can assist in improving and maintaining the quality of outdoor landscaping and turf, and can increase agricultural yields. While fertilizer can be dispensed by hand, such a process may have a number of shortcomings such as an increased time required to apply the fertilizer, a lack of uniformity in the quantity of fertilizer dispensed to a given area, and the like. Accordingly, spreader sprayer machines can be used to assist in dispensing the fertilizer. However, even when using spreader sprayer machines, rough and/or uneven landscaping environments can result in uneven dispersion of fertilizer. Additionally, uneven terrain can cause these machines to become unbalanced and unstable, and thus can result in an unpleasant user experience. | {
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Cetyl myristoleate (CMO) is the common name for hexadecyl cis-9-myristoleate. CMO is the ester of cis-9-tetradecenoic acid (myristoleic acid) and 1-hexadecanol (cetyl alcohol). Cetyl myristoleate is well known for its anti arthritis properties. Hexadecyl cis-9-tetradecenoate was found only in very selective number of species of animals including cows, whales, beavers and mice. Cetyl myristoleate was isolated from mice in 1972 by Harry W. Diehl, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health (Diehl H W, May E L. J Pharm Sci 1994; 83:296-9). Cetyl myristoleate has been used for immunizing against inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis in mammals (Diehl, U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,824, Levin, WO 01/41783), treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (Diehl, U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,881) and osteoarthritis (Diehl, U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,676). Vegetable butter-based cetyl myristoleate was also used for treating osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal disease conditions and injuries (Leonard, US 20030181521). Nutraceuticals containing CMO are widely used for reducing pain inflammation, and with the exception of a report suggesting a positive clinical effect of cerasomol-CMO in patients with fibromyalgia (Edwards A M. J. Nutr. Environ. Med. 2001; 11:105-11). As Swiss Albino Mice is the only natural source for CMO, Kenneth et al, synthesized pure hexadecyl cis-9-tetradecenoate by esterifying cis-9-tetradecenoic acid (purchased from commercial source) with 1-hexadecanol by chemically and confirmed its anti arthritic properties in a collagen-induced arthritis model in DBA/1 Lac J mice (Kenneth W. Hunter, Jr., Ruth A. Gault, Jeffrey S. Stehouwer, Suk-Wah Tam-Chang. Pharmacological Research 2003; 47:43-47). cis-9-Myristoleic acid is naturally available as a mixture of fatty acids along with other fatty acids in beef tallow fat with cis-9-myristoleic acid content of 8% (Lord G, WO 00/64436) and seed fat of Pycnanthus Komb with 20-30% of cis-9-myristoleic acid (Leonard, US 20030181521). Literature search revealed that there is no synthetic route reported for the preparation of cis-9-myristoleic acid. Since the natural availability of cis-9-myristoleic acid is scarce, the present invention reported synthetic route for the first time from methyl oleate. As it is difficult to isolate pure oleic acid from any vegetable oil source, the present invention reported the synthesis of a new isomer cis-10-myristoleic acid for the first time from commercially available raw material namely, undecenoic acid. Cetyl myristoleate was then prepared by transesterifying both methyl cis-10-myristoleate and cis-9-myristoleate separately with cetyl alcohol and evaluated for anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritis activity. The anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritis properties of the new isomer i.e. cetyl cis-10-myristoleate was compared with that of known CMO containing cis-9-myristoleic acid prepared as described above.
The first step of the synthetic route is preparation of cis-9-myristoleic acid from oleic acid. Oleic acid is not available in pure form, and has to be prepared from oleic acid-rich oils like olive oil by employing methodologies like urea adducts or fractional distillation. As the isolation of pure oleic acid from natural sources is very expensive, the cost of cetyl myristoleate based on cis-9 myristoleic acid will also be very high. Hence, there is a need for the identification of an alternate source of myristoleic acid for the preparation of CMO. Surprisingly, not much work was reported in this direction either for the chemical synthesis of cis-9 myristoleic acid or any other alternate raw material for the preparation of CMO. Keeping these points in view, the present invention explored the possibility of synthesis of alternative isomers of myristoleic acid, for the preparation of cetyl myristoleate. An attractive substrate in this direction is 10-undecenoic acid for the preparation of cis-10 myristoleic acid. 10-Undecenoic acid is a pyrolysis product of castor oil fatty acid methyl esters (methyl ricinoleate) and is commercially available in bulk in pure form. In the present invention, both the isomers of methyl esters of cis-9 and cis-10 myristoleic acids (3 and 7) were prepared from oleic and undecenoic acid methyl esters and further transesterified with cetyl alcohol to obtain hexadecyl cis-9-tetradecenoate, 4 and hexadecyl cis-10-tetradecenoate, 8. Both hexadecyl cis-9-tetradecenoate, 4 and hexadecyl cis-10-tetradecenoate, 8 were evaluated for anti-arthritis properties and found that hexadecyl cis-10-tetradecenoate, 8 is comparable with that of hexadecyl cis-9-tetradecenoate, 4 in inhibiting inflammation and effective in adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats. | {
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The present invention relates to a developing electrode for use in developing an electrostatic latent image.
The electrostatic latent image is usually formed by utilizing an electronic photographic method or by applying pulses of high voltage level to a stylus electrode provided adjacent to the surface of a dielectric layer.
Various kinds of methods for developing electrostatic latent images are well known in the art, such as for example, the cascade method, the magnetic brush method, the powder cloud method and the liquid developer method.
Recently, the developing electrode has become practical in the developing methods set forth above in order to obtain a clean copy.
The electrostatic latent image is formed on a photo-conductive insulator mounted on a conductive substrate or the image is formed on a surface of a dielectric layer. When the image has a large area, voltage contrast at the central area of the latent image becomes lower as compared to the peripheral area of the image, since the peripheral area has the boundary area between a charged area and an uncharged area but the central area of the image does not have such a boundary area. Therefore, an electric field is formed inward of the photo-conductive insulator or the dielectric layer but the electric lines of force are only slightly at the outside near the central area of the image. When the development operation is carried out under these conditions, a large amount of the developer is deposited onto the peripheral area but the developer is only scarcely deposited onto the central area of the image. This effect is referred to as the edge development effects, which is well known in the art.
The electric lines of force created from the central area of the latent image may be changed by installing a developing electrode made of conductive material such as metal in a manner so as to adjoin the latent image, thereby intensifying the electric field formed between the developing electrode and the latent image. The electric field is greatly intensified as the distance between the developing electrode and the latent image is made shorter.
The developing electrode must be provided close to the path of the photosensitive paper or the surface of the dram in the developing section, but the electrode must be installed in a manner not to disturb the replenishment of the developer including toner at a proper concentration onto the surface of the photosensitive paper or the dram. The developing electrode of the prior art tended to disturb the replenishment of the developer onto the surface of the photosensitive paper or the dram when the developing electrode is disposed close to the path of the photosensitive paper or the surface of the dram, since the developing electrode of the prior art is made of a metal plate of a flat configuration or a curved configuration. Therefore, the developing electrode of the prior art must be disposed in a manner so as to provide an appropriate distance between the developing electrode and the surface of the photosensitive paper or the dram. However, when the distance between the developing electrode and the surface of the photosensitve paper or the dram is increased, the electric field intensifying effect may be weaken. There has been some suggested solutions such as to make the developing electrode of a material in order to eliminate the above-mentioned defects. When a mesh electrode is used for the developing electrode, the replenishment of the developer may be smoothly accomplished, but the mesh electrode can not be positioned close to the path of the photosensitive paper or the surface of the dram at all times, since the mesh is so soft. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mechanism for animating toy figures, including large stuffed animals and dolls. The mechanism is capable of various simultaneous movements of a plurality of appendages.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Toys that have moving parts are well known in the art. Particularly, dolls that have moveable arms and legs. The mechanisms used to animate the dolls vary from elastic cords to springs and levers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,125 issued to Goldfarb et al., uses cords attached to one end of each limb to provide a wiggling movement of the limbs when a button is pushed. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,671, issued to DeMars, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,053,008, issued to Pelunis, use levers to provide a hugging motion when a central mechanism is squeezed. U.S. Pat. No. 1,063,403, issued to Whitehouse, discloses a spring and lever mechanism to move the eyes of a doll.
In the prior art the movements of the parts of the dolls are relatively limited, being restricted to relatively simple movements. It is clear that there remains a need for a mechanism that will provide various types of activity through a relatively wide range of movement to provide toys that are interactive and provide a wide range of action to gain and maintain the interest of children. | {
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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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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to herbal drinks and more particularly pertains to a new method of making an herbal drink for relieving symptoms of fatigue, congestion, fever and asthma.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of herbal drinks is known in the prior art. More specifically, herbal drinks heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious configurations.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,252; U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,984; U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,631; U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,374; U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,928; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,695.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new method of making an herbal drink. The inventive device includes making an herbal drink for relieving symptoms of various ailments such as cough, fever and fatigue. The drink is formed by straining water through a combination of equal portions of rosehip, goldenseal, comfrey leaf, bee pollen, spearmint, chickweed, comfrey root, chamomile flower, catnip, mullein, pennyroyal, eucalyptus, and licorice root.
In these respects, the method of making an herbal drink according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of relieving symptoms of fatigue, congestion, fever and asthma. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a recirculating ball screw and nut drive with a spindle and with a spindle nut guided on the spindle, as well as with balls guided between the spindle and the spindle nut, in a working passage between their thread grooves, where the balls are diverted in ball deflection pieces on both ends of the spindle nut out of the working passage into a return passage accommodated in the spindle nut, and vice versa.
2. Discussion of Background Information
A recirculating ball screw and nut drive is generally disclosed in GB-PS-957330. This recirculating ball screw and nut drive includes a spindle and a spindle nut guided on the spindle with balls guided between their thread grooves in a working passage. Both the spindle nut and the spindle have a single-start thread. In order to change the ratio of the feed of the spindle nut to the rotation of the spindle, the pitch of the threads should be changed. However, with a large pitch of the threads, the load-carrying capacity of the ball screw and nut drive decreases with a constant length of the spindle nut, because fewer balls can engage in a load-carrying manner with the opposite grooves. As a remedy, a multiple-start thread is used for the spindle and for the spindle nut. However, the ball deflection piece provided for a single-start thread can no longer be used.
Another recirculating ball screw and nut drive with two ball deflection pieces attached to the two ends of the spindle nut is generally disclosed in DE-T2-60301517, where the ball deflection pieces are suitable for a spindle and spindle nut having a multiple-start thread. For each working passage lying between the threads and for each associated return passage, the ball deflection piece made of one piece features one ball circulation passage connecting these passages. However, this ball deflection piece is complicated and requires expensive manufacturing and mounting. | {
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The invention relates to a motor drive and control apparatus for a camera, and more particularly, to such apparatus which drives a driven member such as a taking lens or a photographic film used in an automatic focus adjusting unit or automatic film winding unit, respectively, through a given stroke toward a target position where it is stopped.
An automatic focus adjusting unit in which a taking lens is controlled to move to a target in-focus position has been proposed by the present applicant in Japanese Patent Application No. 302,692/1986, where a motor is controlled by comparing a deceleration curve against an actual speed of movement of a taking lens and in which a limited acceleration technique is employed as the taking lens approaches an in-focus position, by limiting an on time of the motor to a fixed time interval in order to prevent an overshooting which may result from the continued on condition of the motor. However, the limited acceleration takes place over a fixed time interval independently of the speed of movement of the taking lens which represents a driven member or the load, and hence it is inevitable that there occurs an over- or under-acceleration. In addition, the program used merely counts the length of time during which the motor is turned on, and hence it is impossible to sense a signal from a detector which detects a speed of movement, causing a likelihood that the speed of movement may be errorneously detected.
An automatic film winding unit in which a drive motor is stopped at a given winding step position is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 24,123/1983. In this disclosure, a pulse which is developed in response to a movement of a film through a given stroke is utilized after the motor has entered a constant speed rotation to derive a speed of movement of a film which represents a driven member, and a brake is applied on the basis of an expected overrun which is derived from a previously stored table representing a relationship between the speed of movement of the film and the magnitude of overrun. However, because the application of the brake is based on the expected overrun, any variation in the load being wound up or drive voltage which might occur during the braking operation may cause a deviation between the expected and the actual overrun, resulting in a failure to stop the film winding operation at a target position. In addition, the relationship between the speed of movement of the film and the overrun may vary from product to product, involving the likelihood that a certain product may fail to stop the film at a target position. | {
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A method and system are provided for detecting messages using enhanced distributed signaling for a wireless communication network. The method describes a framework in which a set of participating wireless stations work cooperatively to improve the efficiency and reliability of the wireless communication network. It is understood that the wireless stations may include both mobile terminals and fixed terminals such as base stations.
In a wireless communication network, the radio signal received by a wireless station is a noisy copy of the original signal sent by the transmitting wireless station. The natural environmental parameters, such as weather and vegetation, and man-made environmental parameters, such as buildings, impair the integrity of the radio signals. In other words, the received signal is an impaired copy of the original signal. The impairment of the radio signal reduces the data rate of the wireless network or renders the signal unrecognizable by the wireless receiver.
Low data rate at the edges of a cell in a wireless network and the existence of blind spots are widespread problems in almost all deployments of fixed or mobile wireless networks, regardless of the communication standards. Specifically, these problems are mostly due to the propagation impairment of the radio such as path loss, geographical obstacles, and deleterious effects of a radio environment.
Multiple-antenna transmission and the reception method is one of the methods that improve the reliability of the wireless communication network in hostile wireless environments through the adoption of spatial diversity. Spatial diversity primarily enhances the throughput at cell edges. Unfortunately, in some wireless applications, such as ad hoc and sensor networks, it is not feasible to deploy multiple antennas due to the size, cost, and power limitations.
The statistically independent channel condition that the wireless stations experience is a valuable source of spatial diversity. By incorporating spatial diversity, a wireless communication network that adopts the enhanced distributed signaling method creates a virtual multiple-antenna wireless transmission system with multiple single antenna wireless stations.
For a single-antenna wireless station with limited computational resources, the wireless communication network with enhanced distributed signaling offers transmission diversity that improves the throughput of the participating wireless stations. For a set of wireless stations, each of which has various levels of resource constraints, the enhanced distributed signaling method improves the performance of the wireless network with or without synchronization among all the single-antenna wireless stations.
In the wireless network with the enhanced distributed signaling method, each of the participating single antenna wireless stations act as a proxy for its peers. When a source wireless station sends a message to a destination wireless station, the radio signal that carries the message is sent to all participating wireless stations. Each participating wireless station in turn sends a supplementary signal on behalf of the source wireless station to the destination wireless station. The destination wireless station then processes the multiple noisy copies of the original signal to retrieve the original message.
The enhanced distributed signal method disclosed herein a framework for the wireless communication network with a distributed signaling method. The disclosed framework builds on the conventional distributed signal method that improves the overall system performance.
One example of a conventional distributed signal wireless communication network is a two-phase detect-and-forward system. In the conventional two-phase detect-and-forward system, a wireless station receives Ũi, a noisy copy of the original signal Ui from its participating peer i in the first phase. In the second phase, the participating wireless station sends its own signal, together with the noisy signal Ũi detected in the first phase, to the destination wireless station. In other words, the proxy wireless station re-transmits the noisy signal received from its peer to the destination wireless station without further processing.
One exemplary scenario of a three-node system with the detect-and-forward method, where wireless stations 1 and 2 participating in the distributed signaling method sends messages to wireless station 3, is described below.
In the first phase, wireless station 1 transmits signal U1 and wireless station 2 transmits signal U2. Wireless station 1 receives signal Ũ2, wireless station 2 receives signal Ũ1, and wireless station 3 receives (1, 2).
In the second phase, wireless station 1 re-transmits Ũ2, wireless station 2 re-transmits Ũ1, and wireless station 3 receives
( U ~ … 1 , U ~ … 2 ) . After receiving (1, 2) and
( U ~ … 1 , U ~ … 2 ) ,wireless station 3 processes
( U ~ … 1 , U ~ … 1 ) and ( U ~ … 2 , U ~ … 2 ) jointly and retrieves the original messages sent by wireless station 1 and 2. If Ũ2 is sent, then it is amplify-and-forward.
The disclosed invention discloses a framework that is applicable to all types of wireless communication networks. One example is a centralized wireless communication network where some users might be out of reach of the base station, particularly in uplink transmission. If any wireless station experiences low throughput due to geographical obstacles or random fluctuations of the wireless channel, the disclosed signaling method brings higher throughput to all the participating wireless stations.
Another example is a wireless communication network where the wireless stations have limited transmit power, such as wireless handset or handheld devices. In this case, the wireless handset or handheld device, under the supervision of the base station can participate in the enhanced distributed signaling method described above and improves the throughput and reliability of all the participating wireless handheld devices.
The conventional distributed signaling method is based on a single-user coding method. The enhanced distributed signaling method disclosed herein introduces the concept of joint coding and signaling design for a set of network nodes in a wireless communication network. Under the framework of cooperative transmission of signals, each of the wireless stations participating in the enhanced distributed signaling method works as a single wireless transmission station and the destination wireless station decodes the received signals jointly.
The disclosed enhanced distributed signaling method not only incorporates the conventional coding methods but also supports for example, concatenated coding and cross layer schemes in physical and medium access layers. | {
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Applicants claim the foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7 119 of European Patent Application No. 99113020.4, filed in the European Patent Office on Jul. 7, 1999. The European application is incorporated by reference into this application.
The present invention is from the area of notification systems and message brokering. In particular, the present invention relates to the area of processing notifications and in particular of publish and subscribe requests.
The present invention has a very general scope. Its basic principles can be applied in any situation in which any notification process or brokering, and in particular publish and subscribe processes take place.
The present invention introduces database technology into these matters of interest. It should be understood that for the sake of this invention the data model of the database system is irrelevant. Also, the database system might manage persistent data on disk or might manage data in main memory, i.e. a main memory database. Nevertheless, the terminology of relational database systems is persistently used in here for simplicity and increased clarity.
In general, a message broker is an instrument which is applied in a situation where messages are often and sometimes periodically sent from a plurality of message sources m to a plurality of message sinks n in a m/n relationship. Special cases of 1:m and n:1 occur as well. Message brokers xe2x80x98sharexe2x80x99 messages in a way that a sourcexe2x80x94often being any kind of program applicationxe2x80x94needs to transmit only one message and the broker delivers one or many versions of it to one or more sinks which are often applications as well. Further details on message broker systems can be found in R. Schulte, Message Brokers: A focused approach to application integration, Gartner Group, Strategic Analysis Report SSA R-401-102, 1996.
More particularly, a message broker is like a hub where messages are streaming in and are streaming out. The messages which are streaming into the broker are referred to hereinafter as being published. Messages which are streaming out of the broker are referred to as being subscribed. A subscription request specifies the subset of all incoming messages a particular application is interested in, and the format in which it has to be presented to the subscriber.
For example, various stock exchanges might publish stock data periodically, i.e. the stock data is sent to the message broker. Each stock exchange might use a different format to transfer its data. A subscriber might have registered to all messages about IBM stock data exceeding $103 and might request its delivery in XML format.
In state-of-the-art message brokers that provide publish/subscribe functionality significant effort is spent in managing the published messages and the subscriptions. This management is typically performed by using its own mechanisms. The present invention proposes to use object-relational database technology to implement publish/subscribe functionality.
State-of-the-art message brokers typically deal with messages that are being published and that subscribers would like to know about. However, subscribers are not just interested in messages that are being published, but also in changes that are applied to data stored in one or more tables in one or more databases. The present invention implements this functionality based on object-relational database technology.
Thus, it would be desirable to alleviate this big amount of programming, customizing effort. The above-cited prior art reference analyzes the feasibility of database technology used as a base for message brokering. It concludes that database systems lack many features that are necessary for message brokering, e.g., the middleware designed for performing the brokering, such as interface engines and message switches. Thus, a database technology as a base for message brokering is rejected in the above cited reference as being too difficult and complex to realize, and too slow in performance.
When analyzing the behavior of publish/subscribe technology using a database oriented view, the following observation can be made: a subscription request is similar to a query. Based on what has been specified in the subscription request, messages are filtered out and are delivered to its recipient. But there is a fundamental operational difference between a query and a subscription: A subscription does not operate on all messages stored for example in a message warehouse but only on a single message at a time, namely the message that has just been published to the message broker. Furthermore, typically many subscriptions will be registered with a message broker, i.e. identifying subscriptions with queries will result in the situation in which many queries will have to be evaluated on a single message: This situation reverses the situation typically found in query systems where the number of data items to be inspected exceeds the number of queries by many orders of magnitudes.
The proposal of the present invention to use object-relational database technology for publish/subscribe technology faces two problem areas that must be solved:
Firstly, how to efficiently identify operational data that is relevant to be published and secondly, how to perform subscriptions efficiently based on externalized database technology.
The first problem area results from the fact that most message brokers are not implemented based on database technology, and that in business environments having a natural need for management relevant enterprise data particular modifications of e.g., operational data are often seen as events that are relevant for external applications. This is depicted in FIG. 1.
For example, if a new tuple is inserted into a table, a person might want to be informed about this fact via a corresponding e-mail, or an application must be invoked because of this, or a message broker in turn has subscribers that want to get this data. Thus, the database may be seen as a source for publications.
In particular, when a message broker is used to manage the subscription requests for the changes in operational data and thus the operational data changes need to be published to the message broker, the importance of pre-filtering of publications becomes obvious. If each of the huge number of changes of operational data is pushed to the message broker which then determines whether or not a subscriber for the subject change exists, lots of data may be processed unnecessarily. This might be a waste of resources. Thus, providing subscription functionality within a database system is beneficial, in general.
Otherwise, without having subscription features natively provided within the database system the modified data has to be transformed into a message, then has to be sent, i.e. published to a separate message broker, and this message broker has to determine all corresponding subscribers. In this approach the database would be considered to be a publisher only, the message broker""s subscription engine is used to determine whether or not any subscriber is interested in the modified data.
If no subscriber is interested in this data communication between the database system and the message broker including associated data transformations etc. then much work and traffic is performed in vain putting unnecessary load onto the overall environment. Furthermore, a usage of a separate subscription engine would ignore the fact, that the database system""s query capability can be immediately used to process the subscriptions directly without needing a separate message broker enginexe2x80x94this will further improve efficiency.
The second problem deals with efficiency of implementing subscriptions based on database technology itself. Nearly all relational database systems are supporting trigger mechanisms today. Triggers allow the database system to automatically perform an action based on a registered interest on relevant modifications of data. There seems to be a suggestion for recognizing a xe2x80x98naturalxe2x80x99 fit between triggers and subscriptions. Simply map each subscription request onto a corresponding trigger.
For example, assuming that a STOCK table contains rows reporting the NAME of a company, its actual stock PRICE, and the AMOUNT traded. Then, each subscription on modified stock data is mapped to a separate trigger in this table. Please refer to FIG. 2 for a sample mapping of a particular subscription. If a number of S(T) subscribers, with T as an abbreviation for xe2x80x98tablexe2x80x99, have registered for modifications on a given table T, and a number of n(T) modifications happen per second on this table, then S(T)xc3x97n(T) triggers have to be run per second for table T. In practice, this number is even larger because more than one table will be of interest for subscriptions. If there are 10 modifications on the stock table per second and 100 subscriptions, both moderate estimates, 1,000 triggers have to be run on this single table. This is out of the scope of current database technology.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for efficient usage of database technology for notifications, and in particular for subscriptions.
These objects of the invention are achieved by the features stated in enclosed independent claims. Further advantageous arrangements and embodiments of the invention are set forth in the respective subclaims.
The present invention teaches in general how to efficiently exploit active database technology and extensible database technology, i.e. triggers and user-defined functions, for processing subscriptions.
According to a first aspect of the present invention it is proposed to aggregate all subscriptions on a certain table, or more generally of a plurality of tables, into a single trigger on this table or tables, respectively. This will dramatically improve the trigger-based efficiency.
According to a second aspect of the present invention it is proposed to deliver the information a subscriber has registered for, by exploiting the database system provided facility of user-defined functions. This allows the creation of the information to be sent to the subscriber(s) from the address space the database system is running, which is another source of efficiency improvement.
The overall processing can thus be summarized as follows:
When a first subscription is registered for a table T this kind of xe2x80x9caggregated subscription triggerxe2x80x9d is created on the table T, and a collection of so-called metadata tables suitable to hold all subscriptions for the table T is created which is called ENABLE TABLE, depicted in FIG. 3. It should be noted that this function can also be realized as a separate utility explicitly to be invoked by an administrator, for example.
Preferred embodiments for creating suitable metadata tables and for creating aggregated subscription triggers are described later in more detail.
Each single subscription is reflected by xe2x80x9csimplyxe2x80x9d INSERTing appropriate tuples into these latter metadata tables, i.e. according to the invention no separate trigger is created and no modification on the single subscription trigger has to be applied.
A preferred embodiment for reflecting a subscription as tuples in the associated metadata tables is described in detail.
When a tuple is manipulated in table T which corresponds to a publication in a usual prior art message broker the corresponding trigger fires and determines in a single invocation all subscribers interested in modification of tuples.
Using a single subscription trigger to achieve the desired efficient usage of the database system""s trigger features has its price in that. The query in the body of the trigger must be a more complicated one as it basically has to search for all potential subscribers in the associated collected metadata tables. Depending on the embodiment of the present invention this might involve at least an n-way join where n is the number of comparison operators supported in subscription filters for the target table. Nevertheless, query systems have been optimized for decades to perform n-way joins very efficiently.
With reference to the notification which is initiated by the database trigger it should be mentioned that the inventional concept is very general in this respect. Notification could mean, for example, that a message in the sense of a messaging system is sent, an action is performed on an object managed on an object server, or, an e-mail is sent to the subscriber. It could be even inserted into a table that is maintained for each subscriber, which allows the subscriber to retrieve the appropriate notifications by querying the table.
With respect to the second aspect of the present invention as mentioned above the actual construction of the notification to be sent to each qualified subscriber can be done based on a so-called user-defined function (UDF). While the filter of the query in the body of the trigger determines the qualifying subscribers, the SELECT-clause of the query may reference a UDF which initiates the delivery of the notification to each subscriber. This delivery UDF is automatically invoked by the database system for each qualified subscriber. The delivery function will get all data necessary, e.g., the relevant values of the modified tuple which caused the firing of the trigger, the recipients address, etc., to construct the notification. Based on this data passed, the delivery function will construct the notification and send it to the recipient""s address, e.g. via a message queuing system like MQSeries, via e-mail etc. A preferred embodiment of the delivery UDF is described in more detail later.
As an advantage, the present invention builds an efficient subscription mechanism on top of existing database functionality. No modifications to the database system are required. Thus, a standard object-relational database system can be utilized, as it is, to implement a publish/subscribe engine. Furthermore, the subscription mechanism described easily transforms a database into a publisher of messages. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical pickup, which enables optical disks having different standards regarding the thickness of a disk substrate, a recording density and so on to be recorded/reproduced as in the cases of a conventional low density optical disk, such as CD, CD-ROM and the like, and a high density optical disk, such as a digital video disk and the like (DVD, DVD-ROM).
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to reproduce information from two kinds of optical disks different in a substrate thickness and a recording density by the same optical system, there has been known a method using a bifocal condenser lens, which is described in pp. 27 to 29, "OPTICAL REVIEW" Vol. 1, No. 1 (1994).
A conventional optical pickup using a bifocal condenser lens will be described by referring to FIGS. 16A and 16B. FIGS. 16A and 16B each illustrates the configuration of an optical pickup, which is capable of performing reproducing from both of a conventional low density optical disk and a high density optical disk by using a bifocal condenser lens, and a light path. In FIG. 16A, reproducing of a conventional low density optical disk is shown. In FIG. 16B, reproducing of a high density optical disk is shown. The configurations of the optical systems are the same in FIGS. 16A and 16B, but light paths are different. A numeral 101 denotes a semiconductor laser, which has a wavelength shorter (636 nm to 650 nm) than the wavelength (780 nm) of a semiconductor laser used for the conventional low density optical disk. A numeral 51 denotes a conventional low density optical disk, which has a substrate thickness of 1.2 mm. A numeral 52 denotes a high density optical disk, which has a substrate thickness of 0.6 mm. In practice, recording/reproducing is performed by mounting any one of these optical disks on a spindle motor (not shown) for rotating a disk. A numeral 104 denotes a transparent substrate in which a concentric circular hologram element 105 is formed around an optical axis, and this transparent substrate is fixed to the same member as a condenser lens 106 and supported so as to be moved in focusing and tracking directions integrally with the condenser lens 106 by lens driving means (not shown). During recording/reproducing of data, in order to always form a very small spot in the recording surface of the optical disk 51 or 52, control is performed in a focusing direction so as to follow the face wobbling of a disk. Also, control is performed in a tracking direction in order that a spot may always follow a data track.
The operation of the foregoing conventional optical pickup will be described. A luminous flux radiated from the semiconductor laser 101 is raised in the direction of the Optical disk 51 or 52 by a half mirror 102, and converted into a parallel luminous flux by a collimator lens 103. The flux converted into the parallel luminous flux by the collimator lens 103 is made incident on the transparent substrate 104. A part of the luminous flux made incident on the transparent substrate 104 is diffracted by the hologram element 105, and the remaining parts are made incident on the condenser lens 106 without being diffracted. The condenser lens 106 is designed to fit the high density optical disk 52 having a disk substrate thickness of 0.6 mm, and thus the luminous flux passed through the transparent substrate 104 and moved straight ahead without being diffracted by the hologram element 105 can form a very small spot on the recording surface of the high density optical disk 52 having a substrate thickness of 0.6 mm. On the other hand, the hologram element 105 is designed in order that a 1st-order diffracted luminous flux may form a very small spot on the recording surface of the conventional low density optical disk 51 having a substrate thickness of 1.2 mm when this is converged by the condenser lens 106, and thus the 1-order luminous flux diffracted by the hologram element 105 can form a very small spot on the recording surface of the conventional low density optical disk having a substrate thickness of 1.2 mm. As described above, in the conventional optical pickup using the bifocal lens, recording/reproducing of the high density optical disk having a disk substrate thickness of 0.6 mm is performed by a luminous flux (0-order diffracted light), which is not diffracted by the hologram element 105. In this case, however, since the spot of a light diffracted by the hologram element 105 is deviated from a focus by a large amount, this is blurred and spread on the recording surface, and thus little influence is given to reproducing from the high density optical disk having a disk substrate thickness of 0.6 mm. Conversely, during reproducing from the conventional low density optical disk having a disk substrate thickness of 1.2 mm, this is performed by a 1st-order diffracted light of the hologram element 105. In this case, since the spot of a non-diffracted transmitted light is also deviated from a focus by a large amount, little influence is given to reproducing. A reflected light from the recording surface of the optical disk 51 or 52 is sent to the half mirror 102 through a path reverse to an outgoing path, converged on a photodetecting element 110 by a concave lens 109 after passing through the half mirror 102, and then a reproducing signal is detected.
FIGS. 17A and 17B each illustrates the configuration of another conventional example. In this example, a hologram element 105 is directly provided on a curved surface opposite a surface which faces the optical disk of a condenser lens 106. The other parts of the configuration and the operation are the same as in the example shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B.
Problems inherent in the foregoing conventional optical pickup are as follows.
The condenser lens 106 and the transparent substrate 104 in which the hologram element 105 is formed are made integral to each other and driven by the lens driving mechanism (not shown). Because of this integral formation of the condenser lens 106 and the transparent substrate 104, a movable part becomes thick and a weight is also increased. Consequently, it is also necessary to increase the size of the lens driving mechanism, and this in turn makes it difficult to miniaturize the optical pickup and reduce its weight.
Even if such an increase in the size of the movable part does not occur, it is difficult to accurately form a hologram element on a curved surface during manufacturing of a metallic mold for the condenser lens. Also, because of the existence of the hologram element, the number of lenses which can be formed by one metallic mold is smaller than a conventionally possible number, and thus manufacturing costs are increased.
Furthermore, during reproducing from the conventional low density optical disk 51, a 1st-order diffracted light diffracted by the hologram element 105 is used. During reproducing from the high density optical disk 52, a 0-order light not diffracted by the hologram element 105 is used. In practice, however, 1st-order or higher order diffracted lights are also produced. The existence of these lights which are not used reduces light utilization efficiency, and thus it is difficult to reduce the output of the semiconductor laser. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of display, and in particular to a high resolution demultiplexer (demux) driver circuit.
2. The Related Arts
The panel display devices, such as, liquid crystal display (LCD) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, comprise a plurality of pixels arranged in an array. Each pixel usually comprises three sub-pixels of red, green and blue respectively. Each sub-pixel is controlled by a gate line and a data line. The gate line is to control the sub-pixel for conduction state, i.e., ON and OFF. The data line is to apply different data voltages to the sub-pixel so that the sub-pixel displays different grayscale to achieve full color display.
As the recent development of high pixel per inch (PPI) panel, more and more panels of higher resolution consume more power due to heavier load and higher frequency. One of the major power consumption comes from the design of the demultiplexer (demux). For high resolution design, because the charging time for demux becomes short, the demux changes from 1-to-many to 1-to-2. For example, for small-size panel with resolution as high as 4K, the 1-to-2 demux is used. Because the PPI is high enough so that a power-saving mode can be activated to cut the resolution to half for the signal line in the Y-direction to reduce the power consumption.
Refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the circuit of a known 1-to-2 demux. Based on the known RGB display panel, the circuit of the display panel is of a regular specification, and row scan lines G1, G2, . . . , are connected respectively to sub-pixels of corresponding rows, and data lines D1, D2, . . . , are connected respectively to sub-pixels of corresponding columns. Each sub-pixel is connected through a corresponding thin film transistor (TFT) corresponding to the row of which the sub-pixel belongs to and the data line corresponding to the row of which the sub-pixel belongs to and the data line corresponding to the column of which the sub-pixel belongs to. The circuit of the demux comprises a plurality of multiplexer (mux) modules. Take the mux module 10 as example. The mux module 10 comprises two TFTs, with the gates connected respectively to a first shunt control signal demux1 and a second shunt control signal demux2, the sources connected to the same data signal Data1 (+), i.e., a voltage of the same polarity from the data integrated circuit (IC) signal, and the drains connected respectively to data line D1 and data line D3.
Refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the power-saving mode signal and circuit of a known 1-to-2 demux circuit, and FIG. 3 a schematic view showing the driving signal in power-saving mode signal of a known 1-to-2 demux circuit. When the power-saving mode is activated, two pixels are considered as a smallest unit (each pixel comprising three R/G/B sub-pixels in FIG. 2). Therefore, the resolution in Y direction is cut to half, as shown FIG. 2, wherein two dash line boxes become the smallest unit, and the levels for the R/G/B color are L240/L127/L30 respectively. The level indicates the index standard for the pixel luminance intensity. In general, for 8-bit RGB color space, 256 levels are used respectively to represent red, green and blue. That is, each color ranges between [0, 255]. In FIG. 2, the levels for R/G/B are 240, 127 and 30 respectively. At this point, the related signals are shown in FIG. 3, comprising: G1 (gate signal), Data1 (+), Data2 (−), Data3 (+), first shunt control signal Demux1 and second shunt control signal Demux2. Although the adjacent same color (with two pixels as the smallest unit) has the same level, the data signal still requires changes in voltage difference. Hence, a large amount of power consumption still incurs. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The application relates generally to strontium titanate (SrTiO3), and more particularly to forming strontium titanate with large single crystal domains.
2. Description of the Related Art
Crystalline strontium titanate (SrTiO3) is an interesting material as a building block for functional oxides with exotic properties, such as very high dielectric permittivities, very high electron mobility, superconductivity or colossal magnetoresistance, as well as piezoelectricity, pyroelectricity and ferroelectricity. Examples include Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, (Ba,Sr)TiO3, LiNbO3, BaTiO3, CaTiO3, Sr1-xLaxTiO3, La1-xSrxMnO3, Nd1-xSrxMnO3, etc. SrTiO3 is itself an interesting complex dielectric material in its own right, exhibiting quantum paraelectric insulation, ferroelectricitiy and superconductivity in various natural, strained and doped forms. Moreover, the cubic perovskite crystal structure of SrTiO3 is compatible with, and can serve as a heterostructure template for many such exotic functional oxides, particularly those that take the form ABO3 perovskites and related layer compounds.
However, SrTiO3 is difficult to obtain in large substrates for forming functional oxides thereover. Typically SrTiO3 wafers are only available up to 50 mm in diameter, limiting their usefulness for commercial scale production.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods of providing large scale SrTiO3 crystals in commercially useful form. | {
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With the advent of convenience copiers adapted to produce copies of a number of different sized originals, the need was recognized for interchangeable copy paper cassettes designed for rapid and simple insertion into the copier, the cassettes being adapted to accept the sizes of copy paper normally encountered, such as 8 1/2 .times. 11, 8 1/2 .times. 13, and 8 1/2 .times. 14, to enable rapid changeover of the machine to produce the desired size copies.
In providing a cassette for a convenience copier, a number of problems must be addressed. First the cassette must be rapidly and easily removable and insertable. Further, upon insertion, means must be provided to accurately position the cassette within the machine to enable proper operation of the sheet separator associated therewith. A mechanism must also be provided to assure that the cassette is securely locked in the machine. Once the copying operation begins, in a top feeder, means must be provided to maintain the top sheet in the stack in contact with the sheet feeder either by raising the sheets in the cassette into contact with the feeder, or by allowing the feeder to drop into the cassette or "eat its way" into the paper stack as the sheets are depleted.
In recent years, friction retard feeders having a feed belt in contact with the sheet to be fed, adapted to feed sheets from the stack through a retard throat formed by a portion of the feed belt and a stationary retard pad to prevent multiple sheet feeding has found increased acceptance. With this type of feeder, ordinarily the second sheet, or the sheet adjacent to the sheet being fed, is dragged partially into the nip formed by the feed belt and the retard pad. When this type of feeder is utilized with a cassette type paper tray, after the copy opertion is completed and the cassette is removed from the machine either to replenish the paper supply or to replace the cassette with a cassette containing different sized sheets, the sheet which has been dragged into the nip of the feeder may be held in the machine and be pulled out of the cassette as the cassette is removed. Thus, the operator must reach into the machine and remove this sheet prior to reinsertion of a cassette, or if this sheet is not completely pulled out of the cassette, the sheet must be carefully fed back into the cassette before the cassette can be reinserted.
Another problem encountered with friction retard feeders is rapid wear of the friction retard pad since each sheet of paper fed from the machine is dragged across this pad.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved copy sheet cassette for use in a convenience copier wherein the friction retard pad is mounted within the cassette, thereby maintaining all of the sheets within the confines of the cassette, even those which are dragged into the nip between the feed rolls and the retard pad to prevent retention of sheets in the machine upon the removal of the cassette. It is the further object of this invention to provide a cassette adapted for secure and accurate location within a convenience copier and which is provided with means for holding the top sheet in the stack against the feed mechanism to provide the required normal force therebetween for optimum sheet feeding. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the use of laser emitted optical energy or radio frequency ("RF") energy for joining, repairing or reconstructing biological tissue. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of utilizing a collagen welding rod material in combination with such optical or RF energy as a filler to join, repair or rebuild biological tissue.
2. Background Art
Optical energy, in particular that generated by lasers, has been applied and utilized in the medical field for a variety of surgical purposes. The medical industry initially utilized industrial lasers for the destruction of tumors or surface lesions in patients. At that time, the lasers were relatively crude, high powered and ineffective for delicate internal biological applications.
Subsequently, a variety of cauterization techniques were developed utilizing either laser or RF techniques. Laser optical energy was also utilized to reduce the flow of blood in an open wound or in a surgically created incision: the optical energy being supplied in sufficient quantity to sear or burn the blood vessels thus sealing the open ends of the capillaries and preventing blood flow. A typical use of laser cauterization is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,853. Again, the types of lasers utilized at that time provided very high power application and very high wattage with the surrounding tissue also being destroyed, thus causing longer healing times, infection and scarring.
As newer, lower powered lasers were developed, techniques were developed for atheroma ablation or other endarterectomy procedures for blood vessels. One such procedure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,492. The CO.sub.2, YAG and Excimer lasers all provided substantial improvements in these procedures due to their lower power output. These more sophisticated devices each provide better aiming of a narrower optical energy beam such that destruction of the walls of the blood vessels can be minimized. Also, advances in optical fiber technology allowed the surgeon to conduct more accurately the optical energy to the desired location with greater precision.
Lasers have also been used to "glaze" the internal surfaces of blood vessels after balloon dilation and laser angioplasty in an attempt to prevent medical recollapse, intimal fibroplasia, and reobliteration.
Another procedure which has been developed includes the use of optical energy for welding or otherwise joining or connecting biological tissue. The original attempts to carry out these procedures began in the late 1960's and almost all universally met with failure not so much because of an inability to weld or join the tissue together, but because of the weakness of the resulting weld. The use of the lower powered laser devices, either alone or in combination with physiologic solutions, however, allowed the surgeon to cool the weld site sufficiently to obtain slight improvements in weld strength. Furthermore, RF energy has recently been utilized in both uni- and bi-polar generators to attempt to "weld" or "solder" biological tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,969 discloses one method and apparatus for utilizing laser emitted optical energy to effect wound closure or other reconstruction of biological tissue by applying the optical energy to produce thermal heating of the biological tissue to degree suitable for denaturing the tissue proteins such that the collagenous elements of the tissue form a "biological glue" which seals the tissue to effect the joining. This glue is later reabsorbed by the body during the healing process. The patent discloses a number of different types of lasers with preference stated for the Nd:YAG type, because its particular wavelength allows optical energy to propagate without substantial attenuation through water and/or blood for absorption in the tissue to be repaired.
Despite these improvements, however, the weakness of the weld joint still remains as the primary disadvantage of this procedure and extensive current research is being conducted in an attempt to improve on that deficiency. I have now invented a simple yet elegant welding procedure for biological tissue utilizing laser or RF energy which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art. | {
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Microwave ovens provide a convenient means for heating a variety of food items, including dough-based products such as pizzas and pies. However, microwave ovens tend to cook such items unevenly and are unable to achieve the desired balance of thorough heating and a browned, crisp crust. Many commercially available packages attempt to brown and/or crisp the bottom surface of the food item without addressing the need to brown and/or crisp the crust or dough on the top or edges of the food item. Thus, there is a need for a system that provides the desired degree of heating, browning, and/or crisping of both the bottom and top surfaces of the crust or dough of a food item. | {
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The present invention meets the needs described above in a health monitoring and diagnostic device referred to as a LIFESTREAM cholesterol meter. This meter is configured as a self-contained testing and diagnostic unit in a clam-shell type case. One side of the case includes a biological sample gathering device, such as spring-loaded finger stick, and a compartment for carrying one or more packages of disposable items, typically including a test strip, a needle for the finger stick, and an alcohol swipe. The other half of the case includes a test strip reader, a user input device such as a key pad, and a display device such as a liquid crystal display. The meter reads a test strip carrying a biological sample, such as a droplet of blood, and within minutes displays test results, such as total cholesterol levels, on the meter""s display.
The hand-held LIFESTREAM cholesterol meter drastically reduces the costs and inconvenience associated with obtaining cholesterol tests by performing total cholesterol tests in virtually any location, including a physician""s office, a pharmacy, a clinic, or in the privacy of the patient""s home.
The meter produces the test results within minutes using on-board circuitry and programming. The meter also includes an on-board diagnostic program that prompts for additional diagnostic information, such as the patient""s age, gender, weight, family history of heart disease, blood pressure, and so forth. The meter then translates this diagnostic information, along with the test results, into diagnostic results that may be more meaningful to the user than the test results alone. For example, the meter may use a well-known methodology, such as the Framingham Medical Study, to produce diagnostic results including the user""s cardiac age (as compared to chronological age), recommended weight loss, 5-year risk of heart attack, 10-year risk of heart attack, an assessment of stroke risk, and other results that will be easily and immediately understood by the patient. Like the test results themselves, these more meaningful diagnostic results are displayed on the meter within minutes.
Producing diagnostic results like xe2x80x9ccardiac agexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c5-year risk of heart attackxe2x80x9d rather than total cholesterol levels alone may motivate more people to change their lifestyles and reduce their cholesterol levels. Moreover, producing these diagnostic results instantaneously, inexpensively, and in a convenient location encourages frequent testing and provides patients with the positive feedback necessary to encourage continued compliance with drug therapies and lifestyle changes. Ultimately, widespread use of the LIFESTREAM cholesterol meter can be expected to improve cardiac health nationwide, shift the focus of cardiac treatment from corrective to preventative, improve the cardiac health of the population in general, and reduce medical costs and health insurance rates.
The benefits of the LIFESTREAM cholesterol meter may be improved over time and extended to other health problems because the meter is programmable and configured to perform multiple types of tests. That is, although the meter will be initially configured to perform total cholesterol tests using test strips and human blood samples, it is also configured to perform multiple types of tests using different types of test strips or other test media carrying other types of biological fluid or tissue samples. For example, the meter may also produce other types of blood lipid test results, such as HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, etc. The meter may also perform other types of tests, such as blood glucose tests, AIDS tests, cancer tests, and virtually any other type of test that can be performed using a test strip or another suitable test medium carrying a sample of biological fluid or tissue. To accommodate multiple tests, the meter typically includes four romkey sockets that allow the meter to carry and read four different romkeys.
The LIFESTREAM cholesterol meter also works in connection with a network-based comprehensive health analysis and reporting system. The meter includes a data drive that writes patient data stored within the meter to a patient-held data storage device, such as a smartcard. This patient data typically includes patient identification information, the test results, the diagnostic information, and the diagnostic results. A computer station, such as a typical desktop or laptop personal computer, can then read the smartcard and establish a network connection with a health report server, typically over the Internet. The computer then downloads the patient data to the health report server, which prepares a comprehensive health report. This report is then transmitted back to the computer station, where it is printed out and delivered to the patient.
The health report server typically works in concert with the patient""s physician or pharmacist, who may provide additional diagnostic information to the server, such as a newly-prescribed drug therapy, other currently-prescribed drugs for the patient, exercise and dietary recommendations, and so forth. Within minutes, the health report server assembles a comprehensive health report including a data sheet for the newly-prescribed drug, cross-reaction information for the newly-prescribed drug and the other currently-prescribed drugs, weight and total cholesterol goals, exercise and dietary recommendations, any food or activity warnings associated with the overall therapy package, and recommendations for on-going monitoring using the meter. This provides a complete written record of the patient""s current condition, the therapy prescribed by the physician and filled by the pharmacist, and a roadmap for monitoring the patient""s progress during the ensuing therapy.
The comprehensive health report may also include additional patient-specific information such as the diagnostic information and results compiled by the meter, and additional diagnostic and health assessment information compiled by the server. For example, the report may include a trend analysis showing how cholesterol, blood glucose, and weight levels have changed over multiple readings. The report may also include generally-applicable educational information, such as coronary risk factors, dietary guidelines for reducing cholesterol levels, diabetes information, cancer information, and the like. At present, a patient may have to undergo a physical examination, pay thousands of dollars, and wait weeks to obtain a similar comprehensive health report. The network-based comprehensive health analysis and reporting system, working in concert with the LIFESTREAM cholesterol meter, allows the patient to obtain the report within minutes at a fraction of the cost.
The meter also includes a number of advantageous security features. For example, the meter cannot be activated until a user enters a proper activation code. This typically requires that the user call the manufacturer, which provides an opportunity to verify the meter""s authenticity, set up a data file for the meter in the health report server, and tell the user how to update the meter software, if necessary. If a software update is indicated, the user may be instructed to activate the meter, initialize a smartcard, load the smartcard into a computer station, and establish a network connection with the health report server. The server can then download the new software (e.g., new version of an existing software module or a new software module) to the smartcard, which, in turn, can be placed back in the meter. The new software can then be uploaded to the meter.
The meter may also require validation of all test strips. Validation is important for some types of tests because readings obtained from each test strip will have to be interpreted correctly to obtain correct test results, and the calibration data used to interpret the readings from different lots of test strips may vary significantly. To allow proper calibration, each lot of test strips has a corresponding memory device, such as a romkey, that must be placed into the meter. The romkey includes a code number, an expiration date, and the calibration data for interpreting readings from the corresponding test strips. A test strip identification number that is mathematically derived from the code number is printed on the test strips or their packaging. The user must enter the proper test strip identification number into the meter, which the meter verifies with reference to the code number and the expiration date read from the romkey. This allows the meter to prevent the use of expired test strips and to also prevent test strips from being used in combination with incorrect romkeys.
Test strip validation is also an important aspect of one business model for deploying the meters. That is, the meters themselves may be provided for use at little or no charge to individual patients, whereas proprietary test strips will be sold to generate revenue from use of the meter. This may be a desirable business model for deploying the devices because it minimizes the initial cost that an individual patient must pay to begin using the device. Having to sell each device at its full cost, on the other hand, would undermine the economic feasibility of using the device in many contexts. For this business model, the meter should only activate for use with proprietary test strips after validation of the test strips.
The meter may also require each smartcard to be initialized with a personal identification number (PIN). Patient-specific PINs allow multiple patients to use the same meter, and also allows each patient""s data to be secure to that patient. That is, only the patient or someone authorized by the patient (i.e., knowing the patient""s PIN) can read the medical data stored on the smartcard. In this manner, each patient controls his or her own medical data, which can be a particularly important attribute for highly sensitive medical data, such as AIDS tests, cancer tests, and the like.
Generally described, the invention provides a test strip for use with a health monitoring device or meter. The test strip, when carrying a sample of biological fluid or tissue, may be read by the meter to obtain test results based on the sample and calibration data specific to the test strip. The test strip also corresponds to a memory device that stores a code number and the calibration data, which may also be read by the meter. The test strip has an associated test strip identification number that is mathematically derived from the code number and printed on the test strips, the packaging for the test strips, or a tag packaged with the test strips.
To verify test strips, the meter reads the code number from the memory device, mathematically derives a test strip identification number corresponding to the code number, compares the received test strip identification number to the derived test strip identification number, and activates the meter for use with the test strip only if the received test strip identification number corresponds to the derived test strip identification number.
The memory device may also store an expiration date for the test strip, which may be read by the meter. In this case, the meter may activate for use with the test strip only if the expiration date is prior to a current date read by the meter from an internal clock. The memory device may be a romkey that is inserted into a socket housed within the meter. The romkey is typically packaged with an associated group of the test strips, and the test strip identification number is typically printed on the test strips, printed on packaging for the test strips, or printed on a tag packaged with the test strip.
The invention also provides a hand-held health monitoring device or meter that includes an enclosure for housing a disposable test strip for use with the meter. The meter also includes a holder for removably supporting a device for gathering a sample of biological fluid or tissue, such as a finger stick. The meter also includes a test strip reader operable for reading the test strip carrying the sample of biological fluid or tissue and obtaining test results based on the sample and calibration data specific to the test strip. A memory reading device (e.g., romkey socket) functionally connected to the test strip reader reads the calibration data from a memory device (e.g., romkey). A user input device, such as a key pad, receives user input commands and a display device, such as a liquid crystal display, displays information on the meter.
The meter also includes a processor that is functionally connected to the test strip reader, the user input device, and the display device. The processor contains a program module that obtains the test results from the test strip reader and causes the display device to display the test results. A data drive functionally connected to the processor writes the test results to a removable memory storage device, such as a smartcard. The meter may be packaged in a clam-shell case that opens to reveal first and second compartments. The first compartment may contain the enclosure for housing the disposable test strip and the holder for removably supporting the biological fluid or tissue gathering device, and the second compartment may contain the test strip reader, the memory reading device, the display device, the processor, and the data drive.
To provide activation verification, the meter may receive an activation code through the user input device, compute an activation code based on the current date and instructions contained in an activation routine stored within the meter, and activate the meter only if the computed activation code corresponds to the received activation code. In addition, to provide security to a patient""s medical data, the meter may determine whether a PIN has been previously stored on the removable memory storage device. If a PIN has not been previously stored on the removable memory storage device, the meter prompts the user to enter a PIN and stores the received PIN on the removable memory storage device. Alternatively, if a PIN has been previously stored on the removable memory storage device, the meter prompts the user to enter a PIN, compares the stored PIN to the received PIN, and writes the test results to the removable memory storage device only if the stored PIN corresponds to the received PIN.
The test strip reader may also be operable for reading a second type of test strip carrying a second sample of biological fluid or tissue and obtaining health-related test results based on the second sample of biological tissue or fluid and calibration data specific to the second type of test strip. In this case, the meter may include a second memory reading device (e.g., romkey socket) functionally connected to the test strip reader and operable for reading calibration data from a second memory device (e.g., romkey) corresponding to the second type of test strip. For example, the meter may read both blood lipid test strips and blood glucose test strips. As noted previously, the meter typically includes four romkey sockets that allow the meter to carry and read four different romkeys.
The meter may also prompt the user to enter diagnostic information using the user input device, such as gender, ethnicity, family history of heart disease, personal history of heart disease, personal history of diabetes, personal history of smoking, height, weight, age, blood pressure, and fitness level. The meter may then perform a diagnostic analysis and produce diagnostic results based on the test results and diagnostic information, and display diagnostic results. For example, the diagnostic results may include a medical risk index, a recommended weight loss, a five-year risk of heart attack, a ten-year risk of heart attack, a cardiac age, an extended age, and a risk of stroke.
The invention also provides a system for remotely producing health reports. This system includes a health monitoring device or meter, as described above, a computer station, and a health report server connected with the computer station through a network, such as the Internet. The meter writes health-related test results to a memory storage device. The computer station reads the test results from the memory storage device, establishes a network connection with the health report server, receives additional diagnostic information from a user, and transmits the test results and the additional diagnostic information to the health report server. The server, in turn, compiles a health report based on the test results and the additional diagnostic information and transmits the health report to the computer station, where the report may be printed and delivered to the patient.
The health report may include a trend analysis with test results compiled for a number of samples, such as total cholesterol level and blood glucose level trend reports. The additional diagnostic information may include a newly-prescribed drug and other currently-prescribed drugs, and the health report may include a data sheet for the newly-prescribed drug and information relating to cross-reactions between the newly-prescribed drug and the other currently-prescribed drugs. The health report may also include a target weight and total cholesterol levels, a schedule for future testing using the meter, health assessment summary, a coronary risk assessment, dietary guidelines to lower cholesterol, and other educational information.
The business model described above is largely dependent on the sale of proprietary test strips for the collection of revenue from end users. That is, the health monitoring device itself may be made available to individual patients at little or no cost, with the sale of proprietary test strips providing a major source of revenue for the proprietor of the health monitoring device. As noted previously, this may be a desirable business model for deploying the devices because it minimizes the initial cost that an individual patient must pay to begin using the device. Having to sell each device at its full cost, on the other hand, would undermine the economic feasibility of using the device in many contexts.
Nevertheless, it may also be desirable to provide a health monitoring device that does not rely on the sale of proprietary test strips as a major source of revenue. For example, the health monitoring device may be adapted to read non-proprietary test strips, or may incorporate a reusable and/or non-invasive testing device, such as an electrode, blood pressure monitoring device, sonic testing device, thermometer, saliva testing device, optical testing device, and the like. Of course, a non-invasive multi-use testing device may be used many times without affording the proprietor of the health monitoring device an opportunity collect revenue associated with each use of the device.
To provide an opportunity for the proprietor of the health monitoring device to collect revenue based on use of the device, the removable memory storage device may be utilized as a type of xe2x80x9cdebit cardxe2x80x9d or payment source for use with the health monitoring device. That is, the removable memory storage device may be purchased with a monetary value, or it may have a monetary value that is replenishable over the Internet using a bank credit or debit card or other conventional payment source. The health monitoring device may then deduct the cost of performing particular services from the monetary value represented by the monetary balance stored on the removable memory storage device. In other words, the health monitoring device may be configured to activate for the performance of a service upon deducting a charge for the service from a monetary value stored on a removable memory storage device inserted into the device.
This business model includes a health monitoring device operable for obtaining medical data associated with a patient and reading an initial monetary balance stored on a removable memory storage device. The health monitoring device determines whether the initial monetary balance is sufficient to pay a monetary value assigned to performance of a test involving the medical data to be performed by the testing device. If the initial monetary balance is sufficient to pay for the test, the health monitoring device computes a revised monetary balance by deducting the monetary value assigned to performance of the test from the initial monetary balance, replaces the initial monetary balance with the revised monetary balance on the removable memory storage device, and activates the health monitoring device for performance of the specified service.
The business model also includes a system that includes one or more of the health monitoring devices described above, one or more removable memory storage devices, and a network-based server operable for remotely charging a cost to a payment source and crediting the cost to an initial balance stored on the removable memory storage device. The network-based server may also remotely store the monetary value assigned to performance of the test on the removable memory storage device. In this case, the health monitoring device reads the monetary value assigned to performance of the test from the removable memory storage device. Thus, rate schedules for various services to be performed by the health monitoring device may be changed from time to time, based on quantity discounts or other considerations.
The invention also includes a secure medical records maintenance system. Although this system is specifically adapted for use with the health monitoring device described above, it may be used to store any type of electronic data including a wide variety of medical records, and is particularly convenient for storing a wide range of electronic medical data generated remotely from the hospital or doctor""s office environment. The secure medical records maintenance system includes a number of removable memory storage devices, which are each operable for storing medical data for an associated patient. Each removable memory storage device also stores a patient-specified personal identification number (PIN), a medical records identification number secured by the PIN, and a patient identification number secured by the PIN.
The data stored on the removable memory storage device is downloadable to a two-server system including a first remote server that stores patient identification information indexed by patient identification numbers, and a second remote server that stores patient medical data indexed by the medical records identification number. For security purposes, the medical data maintained in the second remote server cannot be correlated to the associated patient identification information maintained in the first remote server based onthe information contained in the first and second remote servers.
To allow correlation of the data stored in the two servers, the secure medical records maintenance system includes a correlation table uniquely associating each medical records identification number with a particular one of the patient identification numbers. The correlation table for a particular patient typically resides on the patient""s removable memory storage device. The correlation table for a practitioner""s patients may also reside on the practitioner""s computer, such as a doctor""s or pharmacist""s computer, that is associated with a licensed medical practitioner having an assigned professional registration number. For further security, the first and second remote servers are accessed by the practitioner""s computer through encrypted communications secured by an application procedure that includes validation of the practitioner""s registration number. The application procedure may be further secured by receipt and validation of a practitioner-supplied PIN. Moreover, the application procedure typically includes issuance of a client certificate insuring that access to the first and second remote servers occurs from the same practitioner""s computer and browser that initiated the application procedure.
Because the data on the servers is separate and secure from each other, access may be granted to either server without identifying any particular patient""s medical data. For example, access may be granted to the first remote server, but not to the second server, for the purpose of generating a mailing list of patients without divulging any medical data associated with the patients. Similarly, access may be granted to the second remote server, but not to the first server, for the purpose of conducting investigative analyses involving the medical data without divulging any patient identification information associated with the patients.
For further data security and because each removable memory storage device only has a limited data storage capability, the medical data stored on each removable memory storage device may be automatically erased from the memory storage device after the data is entered into the second remote server. To obtain the medical data, the removable memory storage device is receivable within a hand-held health monitoring device operable for storing the medical data on the removable memory storage device. And to download the medical data to the medical records maintenance system, the removable memory storage device is receivable within a computer operable for reading the medical data and transmitting it to the second remote server over the Internet.
That the invention improves over the drawbacks of health monitoring and diagnostic systems and accomplishes the advantages described above will become apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments and the appended drawings and claims. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air handling systems, such as heating and cooling systems and, more particularly, to a gravity exhaust air shutter.
Background Information
Many commercial buildings are heated and/or cooled by one or more self-contained, packaged air-conditioning units. Many of these units are installed on the roof tops of such buildings. These units typically include cooling equipment, air handling fans, and may further include dehumidifiers and heating equipment. The units receive return air from the building, cool (or heat) the received return air, and supply the cooled (or heated) return air back to the building. Some units also include exhaust fans for discharging some portion of the return air from the building. The exhaust fans are typically mounted next to an exhaust opening of the unit. In a prior design, a series of is louvered slats are disposed at the opening. The louvered slats may extend the width of the opening, and may overlap each other when in the lowered, e.g., closed, position. Pins on the ends of the louvered slats may be mounted in holes formed in the sides of the exhaust opening, thereby allowing the louvered slats to swing open when the exhaust fans are turned on.
Outside air often leaks into the unit through these louvered slats. The occurrence of outside air leaking into the unit can degrade its performance. Accordingly, a need exists to improve the performance of packaged units and other air handling systems. | {
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As software systems are created they implement a complex web of caller/provider relationships between various applications and data sources. As changes are made in a system it is presently left to the people who made those changes to properly document how the system has been changed. If no documentation is created then there is no effective way to determine how future changes or additions will impact the system. In the past there have been efforts to manually create metadata repositories for documenting the structure and changes made in a system; however, they were quickly abandoned due to a number of reasons. One reason for abandonment was the large number of man hours needed to create and maintain the repository. Another reason was the fact that the integrity of the entire repository is put in question even if only one change is not properly updated in the repository. Once the integrity is questioned people are less likely to take the time to make future updates since it will add little or no value to the repository.
This problem is further exacerbated in an enterprise where multiple systems are communicating with each other. Still further complexity is added since as an enterprise grows and changes, legacy systems within the enterprise might not present data in a useful way for newer systems that are created. As such there is created a middleware transaction manager that enables communication between various systems.
Within an enterprise the number of man hours needed to manually create a metadata repository for the entire enterprise increases along with the number of systems operating within that enterprise and the number of transactions that need to be managed by the middleware. Further, since there are more changes occurring across an enterprise than just within a single system, there are more people responsible for updating the repository and there is a greater chance that updates to the repository won't be made, causing the repository's utility to be reduced due to the data's lack of integrity. As such, it has not been feasible to create and maintain such a repository to date. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Bartonella henselae as a component of a pharmaceutical composition for the modulation of the angiogenesis; a nucleic acid molecule that is derived from the gene encoding the Bartonella henselae adhesin A protein (BadA), a vector comprising said nucleic acid molecule; a host containing said nucleic acid molecule or said vector; a (poly)peptide encoded by said nucleic acid molecule; a composition comprising Bartonella henselae bacteria; a composition comprising aforesaid (poly)peptide; a method for treating a human or animal being in need of the modulation of the angiogenesis, a method for detecting an infection by Bartonella in a human or animal being, as well as a method for immunizing a cat.
2. Related Prior Art
Angiogenesis or neovascularisation refers to a process in which under physiological conditions new blood vessels are sprouting out of the existing vascular system. Angiogenesis can, e.g., be observed during embryogenesis in the corpus luteum (menstruation). Furthermore, angiogenesis has a pathophysiological relevance, it can be observed during the wound healing, in diabetic retinopathy, haemangiomas, psoriasis, as well as in malignant tumors. In this connection, ischaemic diseases are especially relevant, which are very often characterized by a disorder of the angiogenesis.
Against this background especially in medicine and pharmacology there is a considerable need for pharmacological effective substances by which the angiogenesis can be modulated. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Optical fibers have been recently utilized for reliable transmission of band-width controlled lightwaves for transmitting telecommunication signals over long distances without significant loss or decay of the original signal. Other uses for optical fibers, primarily as an off-shoot of the basic telecommunications usages, were for the purposes of aesthetic displays of colored light. However, organized displays of colored light produced through the transmission of such light through optical fibers in a patterned array are extremely rare and not commonly accepted or used for display purposes to promote the sale of goods or services, or for entertaining illustrations.
Virtually non-existent are such displays which are capable of imparting organized motion to the display so that the illuminated optical fiber illustration creates the illusion of continuing, sequential motion across one or more display panels. Each display panel supplies a semi-rigid base or planar surface for supporting the fiber optic display in the desired patterned array so that the ends of each optical fiber, arranged individually or in organized bundles, create the pre-determined and desired illuminated effect of the fiber optic display.
However, the single or bundled optical fibers must be implanted by hand into the displays and as yet there is no machine available to do the required operation effectively. The reliable implanting of single or bundled optical fibers in a panel of material, either through manual or automatic manipulation of an inserting apparatus, to accomplish the manufacture of sequential motion illustrations is now required.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the implanting of a plurality of optical fibers in a pre-determined pattern in a fabric panel or panel of similar material having a substantially uniform planar surface for creating and illuminating a sequential motion pattern. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the implanting of a plurality of optical fibers in the fabric panel either manually or automatically and to combine individual optical fibers in ordered bundles as desired.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a manual sighting device for positioning the insertion tool to implant the optical fibers at a pre-determined position in the fabric panel. It is another object of the present invention to provide an automated control for positioning the insertion tool to implant the optical fibers at one or more pre-determined positions in the panel.
It is yet still another object of the present invention to secure the optical fiber, once inserted through the panel, to the surface of the panel by means of applying an adhesive to the outer surfaces of the optical fiber, drawing the fiber against the surface of the panel, and curing the adhesive by exposure to ultraviolet light to affix the optical fiber in the pre-determined position at the surface of the fabric panel.
It is also an additional object of the present invention to secure individual optical fibers as each is inserted through the panel, to the opposing surfaces of the panel by means of applying an adhesive to surfaces and curing the adhesive, by exposure to ultraviolet light or otherwise, to affix the individual optical fiber in the pre-determined posi5ion at the surface of the panel.
Other objects will appear hereinafter. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to security of consumer goods and, more particularly, to the use of smart tags in maintaining product security.
2. Background Description
There is a need for certain products to be equipped with some apparatus which can provide information about the current state of the product as a result of events the product was subjected to prior to becoming in the possession of a potential consumer. Examples include the state of medical or food products prior to their being used by a consumer.
Also, consumers sometimes have the right and/or the need to know whether a product is brand new or not. This is especially true of expensive items. There is also a need for a product to be equipped by some apparatus which can record some aspects of the product history, for example in the case of automobiles where today odometers indicate, not very securely, one aspect of the history of the automobile.
Another context for the invention is the fact that, in some cases, the containers of some products are reused by the manufacturer, and the consumer would like to know if the product in the container is new or not, and if the container has been reused by a third, unauthorized, party. There is also a need for a method to detect whether the product has deteriorated, either because of defects, or because its expiration date has passed, or because of unwanted change in the environment, for instance in the form of excessive cold, heat or humidity. These scenarios require an apparatus which can detect the physical forces a product was subjected to as a result of use, handling, tampering or environmental factors. For either human intervention or environmental factors, it may be important in some circumstances that the recorded history of such events be very difficult to modify or counterfeit.
The prior art contains many methods involving seals and enclosures which allow one to detect when a package has been tampered with. Such prior art go way back in history, and a multitude of improvements, with very general or very specific uses, have been proposed which benefit from the general progress of technology. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,629 to Glen P. Double and Steve H. Weingart describes an intrusion barrier for protecting an electronic assembly from tampering. The prior art also contains methods of recording chronological information such as a data logger which stores information on a product as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,560 to Mark A. Janney, Roger Newey, and Irwin J. Robinson.
However, these methods do not overcome the problem of providing a tamper evident history of a product and/or of its environment. The prior art does not allow the information about the history of a product and/or of its environment to be securely recorded and kept.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel improvement on the prior art of tamper evident packaging which can detect when a product has been tampered with and resists the efforts of a tamperer, or anyone else who would benefit from hiding the tampering, or to hide the signs of tampering.
In the following, terms such as xe2x80x9cimpossible to changexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ctamper-proofxe2x80x9d should be understood to describe situations in which sufficient resistance to tampering is provided to make successful attacks rare due to cost/benefit issues, since codes, etc., can theoretically be broken if sufficient resources are brought to bear on the attack.
The invention uses a smart card, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,971,916, 4,007,355, 4,092,524, and 4,102,493 to Roland Moreno, or, more generally, a smart token, in combination with sensors attached to the product and/or to the smart card: upon tampering, or as a response to other circumstances, the sensors generate signals which are encrypted and recorded in the memory or storage device of the smart card attached to the product.
Recall that, for example, by using a zero-knowledge protocol, a smart card can be authenticated but cannot be duplicated. This technology has been disclosed for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,634 to Guillou, et al. This is the property which characterizes a smart card. Accordingly, in the rest of the present disclosure, any electronic component with these properties and which has some memories and/or some processing capabilities, will be called xe2x80x9ca smart tokenxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ca smart cardxe2x80x9d, even if it does not actually take any form resembling a card. A general reference to smart card technology and applications can be found in Smart Cards: A Guide to Building and Managing Smart Card Applications, by Henry Dreifus and J. Thomas Monk, John Wiley and Sons, 1998.
When the product or its packaging is tampered with, some attribute of the product or its environment changes. This change is what is detected by (at least some of) the sensors attached to a smart card, and the smart card will record this change irreversibly by erasing or writing some information within the smart card memory. The smart card also can be made duplication resistant by using a zero-knowledge protocol so that only the manufacturer of the original product, and/or possibly a trusted third party, for example, can produce or buy such smart cards. The smart card also can record the history of these changes in its internal memory. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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GRAS materials are materials that are regarded by experts as safe for human consumption. GRAS materials are exempt from the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) food additive tolerance requirements. GRAS coatings are coatings that are safe for human consumption. GRAS coatings can be applied to food or applied to food packaging. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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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. | {
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Andiroba (Carapa guianensis Aubl.) is a tree which belongs to the Meliaceae family. Originating from the Amazonian tropical forest, it can grow up to 25 meters, the trunk ends with a large foliage of leaves and branches, its fruits are large capsules containing 7 to 8 seeds of varying shapes.
The seeds of Andiroba contain a stone which represents 72 to 74% of the weight of the seed and which is rich in fat (of the order of 60-66%).
The lipid extract which can be obtained from these stones is traditionally used externally for its anti-inflammatory properties to soothe muscle and rheumatic pains, to treat insect bites or to tone up the hair and to get rid of lice. It is also used as a disinfectant or a cicatrisant for the skin. It is a general tonic by the internal route. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to inkjet printers and, more particularly, to an improved method and system for guiding recording media, such as paper, through a printer.
2. Description of the Related Technology
In typical inkjet printing processes, droplets of ink are emitted from ink jet nozzles, or apertures, onto a recording medium, such as paper, which is fed through a printing area of the inkjet printer. The pattern in which the droplets of ink are "sprayed" onto the recording medium is typically directed by computer control.
In many prior art printers, most commonly large format printers, a plurality of single wheel pinch rollers are spread across the width of a printing surface to assist in the guidance of recording media, such as paper, across the platen of the printer during the printing process. Often, however, the alignment of one or more of the rollers in a prior art printer is slightly skewed from the direction of motion of the paper from the feeder apparatus. This can cause a misalignment of the paper as it is fed through the printer and, consequently, can detrimentally affect the printing quality of the printer. In some cases, noticeable wrinkling of the paper may result. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The Hemagglutination Inhibition Assay (HAI) was developed over 70 years ago as a means to measure influenza-specific antibody levels in serum. The HAI has since been applied to many other hemagglutinin-containing viruses such as rubella, measles, mumps, parainfluenza, adenoviruses, polyomaviruses and arboviruses, to name a few. Currently, the HAI is recognized as the so-called gold-standard serologic test for typing influenza antibodies in humans and animals and it is widely used in influenza surveillance and vaccine testing.
Throughout the drawings, like reference numbers should be understood to refer to like elements, features and structures. | {
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This invention relates generally to surgical devices and, more particularly, to an improved elastic surgical ring clip and an improved ring loader for placing one or more elastic surgical rings onto the distal end of a ring applicator device. The elastic surgical ring clip is made of an elastic material and is configured so as to provide a clip having significantly increased, compressive or elastic strength. The ring loader includes a conically shaped ring expander onto which elastic surgical rings are loaded and a ring dilator having a plurality of fingers which engage the ring and push it up and over the ring expander and onto the distal end of a ring applicator device.
There are several prior art patents which disclose somewhat related elastic surgical clips and loading devices. The more relevant patents in the prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,188 issued to Coy L. Lay, deceased et al and my own prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,201. The Lay patent is directed to an elastic band designed and dimensioned for tying off human fallopian tubes or similar, anatomical tubular members. My prior patent shows an improved, elastic ligating ring clip and a ring loader for placing elastic rings onto the distal end of a ring applicator device including a conical ring expander and a ring dilator in the form of thin, flexible posts joined in pairs radiating from a deformable, elastic ring engaging aperture.
Nothing in the prior art discloses the surgical clip constructions of this invention which include an elastic body of a configuration which imparts greatly increased compressive or elastic strength to the elastic clip and a ring loader for placing one or more elastic surgical ring clips onto the distal end of a ring applicator device including a conical ring expander and a conical ring dilator having a plurality of fingers for pushing each ring along and over the expander and onto the distal end of a ring applicator device. | {
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It is well known to fabricate an IR Emitter based on silicon process. Such devices typically consist of a resistive micro-heater embedded within a thin membrane and supported on a silicon substrate. When current is passed through the heater, it heats up to a high temperature (which can be as much as 700° C. or even higher), and at this high temperature the device emits Infra Red radiation.
A large number of designs with IR emitters have been reported. For Example, Parameswaran et. al. “Micro-machined thermal emitter from a commercial CMOS process,” IEEE EDL 1991 reports a polysilicon heater for IR applications made in CMOS technology, with a front side etch to suspend the heater and hence reduce power consumption. Similarly, D. Bauer et. Al. “Design and fabrication of a thermal infrared emitter” Sens & Act A 1996, also describes an IR source using a suspended polysilicon heater. U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,131 by Muller et al. and patent US2008/0272389 by Rogne et. al, San et. al. “A silicon micromachined infrared emitter based on SOI wafer” (Proc of SPIE 2007) also describe similar devices using a polysilicon heater.
Yuasa et. al “Single Crystal Silicon Micromachined Pulsed Infrared Light Source” Transducers 1997, describe an infrared emitter using a suspended boron doped single crystal silicon heater. Watanabe, in patent EP2056337 describes a suspended silicon filament as an IR source. The device is vacuum sealed by bonding a second substrate.
Many designs based on a platinum heater have also been described. For example, Hildenbrand et. al. “Micromachined Mid-Infrared Emitter for Fast Transient Temperature Operation for Optical Gas Sensing Systems”, IEEE Sensor 2008 Conference, reports on a platinum heater on suspended membrane for IR applications.
Similarly Ji et. Al. “A MEMS IR Thermal Source For NDIR Gas Sensors” (IEEE 2006) and Barritault et. al “Mid-IR source based on a free-standing microhotplate for autonomous CO2 sensing in indoor applications” (Sensors & Actuators A 2011), Weber et. al. “Improved design for fast modulating IR sources”, Spannhake et. Al. “High-temperature MEMS Heater Platforms: Long-term Performance of Metal and Semiconductor Heater Materials” (Sensors 2006) also describe platinum based as well as other emitters.
Some other IR Emitter designs are given by U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,511 by Syllaios et. al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,500,569, 5,644,676, 5,827,438 by Bloomberg et. al, and WO 02/080620 A1 by Pollien et. al.
One limitation of many of these devices is that their emissivity is not optimal. There is also no control over the emission at specific wavelengths. For this purpose, the devices are often coated with different materials to improve the emissivity. Some materials used are metal blacks, carbon, carbon nanotubes and other thin film interference structures. These structures can be difficult to deposit and require additional processing steps. In addition they may degrade over time at high temperatures, and hence limit the operating temperature of the IR emitter.
There have been several reports in literature that suggest that the emissivity of devices can be varied at particular wavelengths by using plasmonic structures, which are periodic structures created on a surface. For example these are described in V. Shklover et. al., “High-Temperature Photonic Structures, Thermal Barrier Coatings, Infrered Sources and Other Applications,” Journal of Computational and Theoretical Nanoscience, Vol 5, 2008, pp. 862-893.
There are also several reports of IR emitters with plasmonic structures. For example, M. Tsai et. al., “Two Color Squared-Lattice Plasmonic Thermal Emitter,” Proceedings of Sixth IEEE Conference on Nanotechnology, Vol 2, pp 746-748, describes a silver/silicon dioxide/silver sandwich structure on a silicon substrate, where the top silver and/or silicon dioxide layer have a periodic pattern. The emission spectrum of the device shows peaks near 4 μm and 6 μm. Heat is provided by passing current through a gold and chromium layer at the back of the substrate. However, as there is no membrane, the device would consume a lot of power. Very similar devices are also described in Y. Jiang, “Enhancement of thermal radiation in plasmonic thermal emitter by surface plasmon resonance,” Proceeding of IEEE conference on Nanotechnology 2008, pp. 104-107, and in H. Fu, “A thermal emitter with selective wavelength: Based on the coupling between photonic crystals and surface plasmon polaritions,” Journal of Applied Physics 105, 033505 (2009). S. Huang, “Triple peaks plasmonic thermal emitter with selectable wavelength using periodic block pattern as top layer,” Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Nanotechnology 2011 pp. 1267-1270, also describe a device based on silicon dioxide and silver layers, but using block shapes in different patterns at the top surface. Another device is described by J. Daly et. al. “Nano-Structured Surfaces for Tuned Infrared Emission for Spectroscopic Applications,” Micro-Nano-photonic Materials and Devices, Joseph W Perry, Axel Scherer, pp. 80-89, which has a plasmonic structure made of gold with chromium as an underlying layer, and this structure is tested by putting on a graphite sheet ont a hotplate.
S. Tay et. al., “Plasmonic thermal IR emitters based on nanoamorphous carbon,” Applied Physics Letters 94, 071113 (2009), and U.S. Pat. No. 8,492,737B2 describe an IR emitter with nanoamorphous carbon patterned at the top as a hexagonal lattice of holes. K. Ikeda et. al, “Controlled thermal emission of polarized infrared waves from arrayed plasmon nano cavities,” Applied Physics Letters 92, 021117 (2008) describes a plasmonic IR emitter based on an epoxy substrate. Similarly I. E. Araci et. al. “Mechanical and thermal stability of plasmonic emitters on flexible polyimide substrates,” Applied Physics Letters 97, 041102 (2010) describes a plasmonic emitter based on a polyimide substrate. The use of epoxy or polyimide limits the maximum operating temperature of the device.
While these all these designs are made to optimise the emission spectrum of the surface, these devices do not have a proper mechanism for heating up. Either the heater is based on a metal layer at the back surface or need to be couple to an external heater, which can result in very high power consumption. Unlike conventional miniaturised IR emitters, none of these devices are based on a membrane to isolate the heat and reduce power consumption.
There are a number of reports on MEMS based IR emitters with plasmonic structures. X. Ji et. al. “Narrow-band Midinfrared Thermal Emitter Based on Photonic Crystal for NDIR Gas Sensor,” Proceedings of IEEE ICSICT 2010, pp. 1459-1461. describes a platinum heater on top of a silicon nitride/silicon dioxide/silicon composite membrane, where all these layers are patterned with an array of holes in a square pattern. F. Li et. al. “MEMS-based plasmon infrared emitter with hexagonal hole arrays perforated in the Al—SiO2 structure,” Journal of Micromechanics and Micro-engineering 21 (2011) 105023, describe an aluminium heater on an silicon dioxide/silicon membrane, and all these layers have circular holes in them in a hexagonal pattern. While these designs will have lower power consumption due to the use of a membrane for thermal isolation, making holes through most of the membrane layers requires extra steps, and can also structurally weaken the membrane as many of the layers including the silicon dioxide layers have holes in them.
Puscasu “Plasmonic Photonic Crystal MEMS Emitter for Combat ID,” Proc of SPIE Vol 8031, 80312Y, describes a plasmonic structure coupled with a MEMS platform. The plasmonic structure consists of circular holes in a hexagonal pattern, while the platform is a heater suspended on a micro-bridge type membrane. Similarly T. Sawada “Surface Plasmon Polarities Based Wavelength Selective IR Emitter Combined with Microheater,” proceedings of IEEE conference on Optical MEMS and Nanophotonics 2013, pp. 45-46, also describes an IR emitter which is suspended. Similarly the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,825,380 also describes a plasmonic structure on a suspended heater, which is held together by only two beams. Such suspended structures are less stable than full membrane structures.
M. Zoysa, “Conversion of broadband to narrowband thermal emission through energy recycling,” Nature Photonics 2012, 20.12.146, describe an IR emitter based on a gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate and a membrane consisting of GaAs/Al—GaAs, with the membrane layers pattern into holes in a hexagonal pattern. Gallium arsenide is not as widely used as silicon, and so is more expensive. | {
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Throughout the ages music has demonstrated the ability for sound to influence an individual's state of being. Musicians have intuitively produced compositions that elicit a wide range of emotional response. The science of psychoacoustics explores the processes underlying this phenomena. The psychoacoustic theory of the present invention incorporates a scientific method of influencing an individual's state of being through sound.
Several methods for using sound to induce altered states of being have previously been explored. Most of these efforts have dealt with techniques that incorporate measured physiological data, primarily Electroencephalograph (EEG) signals, into a stimulus to be introduced to the body. Encoding EEG frequency information into an audio stimulus to induce specific brain wave frequencies is a technique commonly found. Typically, these techniques employ a single frequency or a plurality of frequencies that are varied over time to linearly guide the brain waves to a desired frequency of vibration. Several known techniques for inducing altered states using vibrational stimuli based upon EEG brain wave information are shown, for example, in the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________ 4,834,701 5,135,468 5,356,368 4,883,067 5,213,562 5,036,858 5,289,438 ______________________________________ | {
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Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a form of heart disease still increasing in frequency. According to the American Heart Association, CHF is the “Disease of the Next Millennium”. The number of patients with CHF is expected to grow even more significantly as an increasing number of the “Baby Boomers” reach 50 years of age.
CHF is a condition that occurs when the heart becomes damaged and reduces blood flow to the organs of the body. If blood flow decreases sufficiently, kidney function becomes impaired and results in fluid retention, abnormal hormone secretions and increased constriction of blood vessels. These results increase the workload of the heart and further decrease the heart's pumping ability and, in turn, causes further reductions in blood flow to the kidney. It is believed that the progressively-decreasing perfusion of the kidney is a principal non-cardiac cause perpetuating the downward spiral of the “Vicious Cycle of CHF”. Moreover, the fluid overload and associated clinical symptoms resulting from these physiologic changes are a predominant cause for excessive hospital admissions, poor quality of life and large costs to the health care system due to CHF.
There is a long-felt demand for a miniature and portable extracorporeal fluid treatment devices for patients suffering from repeated fluid overload. Such a device might be worn during the day as the patient moves about. The device would preferably be easy to use. If the procedure for inserting catheters percutaneously is too complicated, it will be difficult to have sufficiently trained clinical personnel available to insert the catheter. Standard OTN (Over The Needle) catheters generally require nurses with intravenous (IV) insertion experience to insert catheters to gain blood access for the fluid removal device. When midline catheters are used for accessing blood peripherally, the insertion of the catheter is limited to clinicians with the required training. To insert PICC (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) line requires IV nurses with training in seldinger insertion technique and doctors with similar training.
Utilizing an ultrafiltration fluid removal device that uses standard IV access would greatly simplify the process. A simpler approach would be to use an implanted port whereby the nurse could quickly gain access to blood flow. Implanted ports are commonly used for drug infusion therapies and are ideal for long term access. Implanted ports are also accessed via IV needles. Ports have reduced infection rates when compared with standard central venous percutaneous catheters and are ideal for repeatable access over long periods of time.
Peripheral IV blood access is not without its own inherent issues, which include: (1) The blood flow may be limited and intermittent with peripheral access because the further down the peripheral vein tree blood flow is accessed there is less blood flow is available and the more that the available blood flow is subject to fluctuations in flow. Implanted ports can overcome many of these limitations because they are placed centrally. (2) The majority of nurses are comfortable using OTNs with sizes of 20 G and less. These are simpler to insert, cause less trauma and facilitate multiple insertions. If larger catheters gauge sizes are required, the percentage of nurses that can gain access without trouble quickly diminishes which would cause a further hurdle to the usage of such an ultrafiltration device. However, the smaller the gauge size of the catheter the smaller its internal diameter which results in a limitation in the maximum blood flow that can be achieved. This limitation is due to the maximum positive and negative pressures that blood can safely be exposed to without compromising patient safety. Patients with fluid overload also suffer from peripheral edema and the edema tends to hide the veins by placing them further from the skin surface making it more difficult to locate them. In these cases the clinician resorts to multiple sticks before a vein is located. The smaller the IV catheter the more acceptable such a procedure is. Larger gauge needles increase the trauma to the arm and are less acceptable to patients. Implanted ports will overcome many of these limitations because access is gained via a septum which when located makes gain blood flow access relatively simple.
When low blood flow is used in an extracorporeal device, it creates a significant engineering challenge. In general the lower the blood flow, the longer the residence time of blood extracorporeally and the greater the propensity of the device to clot. Lower blood flows increases the difficulty of pressure sensors to reliably detect infusion disconnects. Lower blood flows yield lower pressure drops that result in a large pressure sensor signal to noise ratio between the pressure drop attributed to the access and variations in pressure due to patient movement. When peripheral vein access is used or when a patient is treated for an extended period of time, it is normal to expect the patient to be mobile and that the patient will move about, bend over and lift their arms to stretch occasionally during treatment. Every centimeter (cm) in height change of the patient's arm having the withdrawal and/or infusion catheter results in a 0.75 mmHg pressure increase or decrease in the blood circuit due to the resultant change in static head pressure. Accordingly, the ratio between variation in static head pressure due to patient movement and needle pressure drop due to blood flow should be relatively insignificant so that false alarms will not be annunciated. Disconnection of blood tubes/access in the circuit are generally detected by a reduction in the pressure drop across a needle. It may be hard to distinguish pressure fluctuations due to patient motion and to needle disconnects. It is accepted medically that a blood loss of 100 ml or less will not result in the patients' health being compromised. In the case of the typical dialysis machine this time period is 100 ml/400 ml/min or 15 seconds. Disconnection algorithms have to be extremely sensitive to ensure patient safety. In hemodialysis standards, such as IEC 60601-2-16, the standards committee was aware that there are inherent limitations in using pressure measurements for detecting disconnects which is why devices which use high blood flows have been limited to ICU and dialysis clinic use up until recently. It is also recognized as being an increased risk for the use of home dialysis. | {
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The present invention relates to wrapping devices for use with large round balers for wrapping bales formed in the baling chambers of these balers.
Conventionally, large round balers are known which are equipped with wrapping devices that include feed rolls for pulling a length of material, such as plastic sheeting or net formed into a web, from a supply roll, and routing it to the baling chamber where the material is wrapped about the bale. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,368 granted to Anstey et al. on Jan. 20, 1993. Because the supply roll of material may become depleted at a location quite a distance from where additional supply rolls are kept, it is desirable to carry a spare supply roll on the baler. However available space for mounting a holder for the spare roll in an easily accessible area without increasing the width of the baler is not easily found and, when found, are often inconveniently located relative to where the active supply roll is mounted. For example one known baler has its active roll located at the rear of the baler, such as disclosed in the above-mentioned patent, while the spare supply roll is mounted at the front of the baler. | {
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A display device having a non-self-emissive display panel such as a translucent liquid crystal display panel generally has such a configuration that a light source device for a display device that includes a light source is disposed on the back side of the display panel. The light source device includes the light source and a given number of sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members of given type that are arranged to control the properties of light the light source emits. The light source device projects the light the properties of which have been controlled by the optical members toward the back side of the display panel. The light projected toward the back side of the display panel is transmitted through the display panel, making an image displayed visible on the front side of the display panel.
Examples of the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members include a diffusion sheet having a function of diffusing light and a lens sheet having a light gathering function. In order to support the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members, a given number of through holes are disposed adjacent to upper sides of the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members in a normal usage state, convex hooks are disposed adjacent to an upper side of a chassis of the light source device, and the hooks are fit in the through holes of the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members so as to hang the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members on the hooks. In particular, a plurality of through holes are provided to the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members, a plurality of hooks are provided to the chassis of the light source device, and bosses of the hooks are fit in the through holes so as to hang the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members (in other words, the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members are hung on the plurality of hooks).
If wrinkle or warpage occurs in the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members, the wrinkle or warpage causes irregular brightness or shadow on the front side (screen) of the display panel. The irregular brightness or shadow could decrease display quality of the display device. Accordingly, it is preferable to keep the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members with no wrinkle or warpage.
In the configuration that the plurality of through holes are disposed adjacent to the upper sides of the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members in the normal usage state and the bosses are fit in the through holes so as to hang the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members, the weight of the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members is dispersed to the peripheral portions of the plurality of through holes. Thus, occurrence of wrinkle or warpage in the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members can be prevented or minimized.
However, this configuration may cause the following problem. The vertical positions of the through holes that are disposed adjacent to the upper sides of the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members in the normal usage state are not always precisely aligned. In addition, the vertical positions of the hooks protruding from the chassis of the light source device are not always aligned. Thus, there is a possibility that some of the hooks come into contact with the inner surfaces of the corresponding through holes, so that the weight of the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members is put on the peripheral portions of those through holes, and the other hooks do not come into contact with the inner surfaces of the corresponding through holes, so that the weight of the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members is not put on the peripheral portions of those through holes. In such a case, the weight of the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members is concentrated on the peripheral portions of the through holes that come into contact with the hooks, and wrinkle or warpage could occur in the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members.
In view of this, in the configuration that the plurality of through holes are provided to the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members and the plurality of hooks protruding from the chassis are disposed adjacent to the upper side of the chassis, the vertical positions of the plurality of through holes in the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members and the vertical positions of the plurality of hooks protruding from the chassis should be precisely aligned. However, it is actually difficult to precisely align the vertical positions of the plurality of through holes in the sheet-shaped or film-shaped optical members and the vertical positions of the plurality of hooks protruding from the chassis. | {
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Coiling machines which are known to the state of the art are substantially divided into two categories, according to whether the axis of rotation of the mandrel or reel is vertical or horizontal.
Coiling machines with a vertical axis of rotation are based mainly on coiling inside containing cylinders, where the spirals are formed with the help of spiral-forming tools equipped with relative motion with respect to the containing cylinder.
This type of coiling machine generally does not ensure that a compact coil is formed, since the reciprocal movement of the spiral-forming tool and the containing cylinder is quite uncontrolled and since the stock which is being coiled is not subjected to a controlled tension.
Coiling machines with a horizontal axis of rotation normally allow to obtain much more compact coils, since the product to be coiled is wound on the central mandrel, which is made to rotate by a motor organ. In such coiling machines, the coil is made by means of successive, superimposed rings or layers, which are coaxial to the reel, and thus compact coils are obtained.
The state of the art includes a coiling machine wherein a curved element is arranged inside a containing cylinder, in which the spirals are formed and accumulate, and is kept substantially parallel to the inner surface of the containing cylinder.
In this coiling machine, while the containing cylinder is made to rotate, the curved element is made to gradually advance, parallel to the axis of rotation of the cylinder, and is removed from inside the coil when the latter has been completed.
Although this coiling machine is equipped with a device which facilitates the formation of the spirals of the coil, it does not ensure that a compact coil is formed, since the reciprocal movement of the spiral-forming tool and the containing cylinder is quite uncontrolled and since the stock which is being coiled is not subjected to a controlled tension.
The state of the art also includes a coiling machine located at the end of a rolling plant for the continuous production of iron bars, wire or round pieces, wherein a single plane product, obtained during a first rolling step, is sub-divided into a plurality of profiles which are given the desired shape in subsequent rolling operations. In this plant the rolled products thus obtained are conveyed, parallel to each other, towards the stationary coiling machine with a horizontal axis of rotation, which provides to coil them simultaneously, or in parallel, so as to form a plurality of coils on the same mandrel.
This coiling machine has the disadvantage that several profiles, which may even be different from each other, are wound onto the same mandrel, rotating at a set angular velocity, and therefore the coil formed is neither compact nor in the least controlled while it is being formed.
Moreover, coiling machines which are known to the state of the art do not guarantee a uniform temperature over the whole stock which has been rolled and coiled, with differences at the leading and trailing end and the centre; this gives a lack of uniformity of the metallurgical aspect over the whole coil of rolled stock.
The present applicant has designed, tested and embodied this invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain further advantages. | {
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The present invention relates to a process for immobilizing microorganisms, and more particularly to an immobilization process for preparing microbial beads by using calcium alginate, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyethylene imide (PEI).
Studies on immobilization of microorganisms confirmed the gaining of highest biomass in smallest unit volume, and the buffering and protective effects against external environmental impact. The immobilization techniques of microorganisms afford a great deal of potential of improving the wastewater treatment.
The immobilization methods of microorganisms in which various natural or synthetic polymeric substances are used to bring about the immobilization of the activated microorganisms, have received a great deal of attention in recent decades, and achieved some success in the industrial application, as exemplified by their applications in the production of biochemical products such as high fructose syrup, 6-APA, L-amino acid, etc. The immobilization methods of microorganisms include generally two types, namely, the adhesion type natural immobilization methods, and the entrapment type artificial immobilization methods. In the entrapment type artificial immobilization methods, calcium alginate is most commonly used in preparing the immobilized microbial beads. Other commonly used substances for preparing the immobilized microbial beads include polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), K-carrageenan, aga, gelatin, etc. However, polymeric substances are toxic and expensive, and their low mechanical strength make them difficult to form beads of spherical shape. It is, therefore, important that we are in need of developing a new and inexpensive immobilization material which is not toxic to microorganisms and has a strong gel strength so as to ensure that the bead formation is successful.
PEI (polyethylene imide), PEG (polyethylene glycol and calcium alginate are non-toxic to microorganisms. When mixed well, the mixture of PEI, PEG and calcium alginate has advantages that it is non-toxic to both human being and microorganisms, and that it is provided with a mechanical strength sufficiently strong enough to ensure the success of bead formations, and further it can be used in industry and produced in quantity economically. Therefore, the mixture of PEI, PEG and calcium alginate is an ideal material for use in immobilizing microorganisms.
Various patented methods of immobilizing microorganisms by PVA have been disclosed in recent years, as exemplified by the exemplified by the Japanese patent applications Kokai 57-14129 (1982) and 61-139385 (1986) in which the entrapment methods are characterized that the gelations of the mixture containing the PVA aqueous solution and the microorganisms are carried out by the methods associated with the freezing and thawing technique. Another Japanese patent application Kokai 1-454372 (1989) discloses a method, in which the mixture of the PVA aqueous solution and the microorganisms is exposed to the ultraviolet radiation so as to form a photocrosslinking gelation. Another gelation technique is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,693, in which PVA, boric acid and phosphate are used for immobilizing microorganisms.
The prior art described above have the following shortcomings. In the first place, they are time-consuming and complicated, thereby resulting in a substantial increase in the expenditure for large-scale production facilities without increasing the productivity. Secondly, an environment in which cryogenic temperature, vacuum and boric acid are present is antagonistic to the living microorganisms intended to be immobilized. In the third place, their high density structure affect the delivery of gas and substances, thereby causing the gelations not suitable for a long term use. | {
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The present invention relates to advertising systems and, more particularly, to a vehicle mounted, mobile merchandise showroom.
Over the past decade, various patents have issued for vehicle based advertising systems. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,850 describes a mobile billboard system in which a plurality of display panels are mounted integrally to the sides and/or rear of a motor vehicle. The display panels are constructed of transparent material and a light source is used for providing rear lighting.
Window-mounted advertising signs that are vehicle-based are further described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,711, including a special mechanism for easy attachment of such advertising to vehicle windows.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,924 to Cowan describes a mobile multi-message billboard advertising system which essentially consists of a plurality of tri-visional, action display units that are affixed to a superstructure mounted on a truckbed. The advertising system is capable of displaying a plurality of different messages sequentially through movement of the tri-visional, action display units in a manner that is intended to draw attention to the displayed messages.
A scrolling display sign for vehicles is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,892 for use on vehicles such as taxis and the like. The system includes dispensing and take up rollers containing a strip of material having a series of advertising or messages thereon. The advertising display strip is installed within the transparent, peripheral sides of the device, thereby providing for omnidirectional display of messages. The messages can be viewed by daylight or through internal illumination. U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,756 described an advertising vehicle which has opposing and spaced apart walls comprising television screens and associated power sources and electronics that enable messages to be displayed to pedestrians through television monitors facing in different directions.
A xe2x80x9cmoving-adxe2x80x9d vehicle serving as an advertising system is described on the Internet website of the Motionmarketing.com company. This known advertising system enables the display of numerous messages via a computer controlled electromechanical assembly. The system is marketed by Brands In Motion, which is a division of Safehouse Media Inc.
In the mobile advertising systems described above, the public is always exposed to only pictorial renditions of merchandise, not to the merchandise itself. Many customers like to see the actual merchandise that is the subject of the advertising messages. Indeed, this is the reason that most retail establishments have showrooms that display actual merchandise, rather than pictorial renditions of merchandise.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an advertising system that includes the benefits of mobility.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an advertising system that provides the advantages of showcasing merchandise in a mobile system.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an advertising system that increases the exposure of merchandise to the purchasing public.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide an advertising system that combines the advantages of mobility, showcasing of merchandise and a scrolling display of advertising messages, in a system that can be implemented with known technology.
The foregoing and other objects of the invention are realized by the mobile advertising system of the present invention, which essentially comprises a truck-style vehicle, having side wall panels constructed of transparent panels, enabling seeing into the interior of the truck. The interior of the truck is arranged in the manner of a retail showroom, or show window, comprising an arrangement of merchandise of a particular class of goods, e.g., furniture, tools, clothing and the like. The interior of the truck is provided with various hardware for securing the merchandise in place, to protect against vehicular sudden motions, as during stops, sharp turns and the like. The vehicle is optionally outfitted with special lighting systems mounted in the ceiling, floor and/or side panels that enable illuminating the merchandise in an attention attracting fashion, e.g., with either steady or colorful lighting for obtaining special daytime or nighttime effects.
Optionally, one or more of the rear, left-hand or right-hand side panels is fitted with scrolling display signs in the form of an elongated strip of material having a series of advertising and/or other messages thereon and including see-through or transparent panels that enable seeing into the interior of the vehicle and therefore, the showroom itself.
The sign scrolling system is generally similar to it the system described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,892, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. The inventors herein further incorporate by reference the contents of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,263,756; 5,918,924; 5,974,711; and 6,122,850, the disclosure of which may be usable to construct subcomponents of the present invention.
As further optional features, the invention may include a section of the truck located between the cab and the showroom, which is closed off and serves as a storage space. In this manner, the invention provides the ability of live showcasing of merchandise over short and long distances, changing the merchandise in the showroom or selling merchandise to customers directly from the truck. The advertising truck of the present invention may be deployed adjacent to halls, hotels or trade centers that host trade shows, fairs, events and other markets that advertisers may wish to reach. The invention realizes savings in use of manpower and time in planning and implementing advertising presentations.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings. | {
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It has become a relatively common practice to generate chlorine, for use in swimming pools, spas, and other water treatment applications, by electrolysis of a solution containing a chlorine salt. In conventional practice, common salt (i.e., sodium chloride—NaCl) is dissolved in pool or spa water. Less commonly, other chlorine salts, such as potassium chloride (KCl) may also be used. An electrolysis cell, sometimes called a salt chlorine generator, or simply “salt generator,” is installed in series with a pump and filter in a main line water circulation loop and used to electrolyze pool water to generate free chlorine from the brine solution. The chlorine then reacts with and oxidizes biological and other contaminants in pool water. However, introduction of salt into pool or spa water can lead to more rapid corrosion of hardware and equipment installed in a vicinity of a pool or spa. In addition, byproducts of electrolysis reactions using NaCl include formation of sodium hydroxide and other undesirable chemicals. Since, in conventional practice, virtually all byproducts of an electrolysis reaction remain in circulating pool or spa water, it is necessary to neutralize or remove such byproducts to avoid exposing swimmers or bathers to irritating or unsafe levels of caustic sodium hydroxide or other undesirable chemicals.
In some pool, spa, hot tub, or similar water treatment applications, ozone from an ozone generator may be used to provide an oxidation potential for oxidation reactions with various contaminants. Ozone can provide a higher oxidation potential than chlorine and may thus be more effective against some biological, chemical, or other contaminants than chlorine alone. However, due to the higher reactivity and instability of ozone, ozone will generally provide less residual reactivity for reacting with contaminants that may be introduced into water after initial neutralization of contaminants by an initial higher level of ozone. Thus, for some applications, it may be desirable to make use of both ozone and chlorine, or another halogen, in order to obtain the separate benefits of each in treating water. Other halogens, e.g., bromine, may also be generated from their salts, e.g., NaBr, KBr, in a manner similar to that described above for chlorine. Moreover, there are also some beneficial synergistic effects, as well as other non-obvious effects, when ozone and chlorine or another haolgen are used together in a water treatment system. Some of these effects may be exploited to reduce maintenance and operating costs for pools, spas, and other facilities with such water purification systems, and other effects must be addressed to prevent undesirable responses from redox control systems, as described later herein, when both ozone and chlorine are used in a given water treatment application.
It is thus one object of the instant invention to provide novel and unobvious methods and apparatus for combining use of chlorine and ozone in a water treatment system in ways that exploit separate and combined properties of ozone and chlorine or other halogens, and associated reaction byproducts, to obtain synergistic benefits relative to treatment and purification of water or other fluids. It is another object of the invention to provide control methods and control systems that maintain desirable levels of chlorine or other treatment chemicals in a presence of influences and effects of ozone on conventional control systems, especially those employing redox sensors. It is another object of the invention to provide methods and apparatus for configuring and operating separate and combined components of a water treatment system using one or more halogens and ozone such that reliability is enhanced and maintenance (e.g., removing deposits from, or replacing, electrolysis plates) is reduced.
Other objects of the invention will become clear upon a reading of the following specification. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to surgical instruments and more particularly to an improved electrosurgical knife.
2. Prior Art
Electrosurgery is a well-known technique in which a high-frequency electrical current is conducted through a surgical instrument into the tissue of a patient to effect electrocoagulation and/or electrocauterization. In electrosurgery, the surgical instrument and the patient are both connected to a source of high-frequency current, and the instrument is provided with a metallic device such as a blade, that functions as an electrode for conducting the high-frequency current to the tissue of the patient. As the surgeon brings the electrode in contact with the tissue, the current passes through the patient to a second electrode connected elsewhere to the body of the patient to complete the current path back to the source of high-frequency current. Because the point of contact between the instrument electrode and the patient is comparatively small, the relative current density and electrical resistance are comparatively high, resulting in electrocoagulation and/or electrocauterization at the point of contact.
One of the advantages of electrosurgery is that it allows the surgeon to perform very exact surgery by touching the electrode blade to the precise area to be treated. A disadvantage of this type of surgery, however, is that the flow of current through the tissue often generates smoke in the vicinity of the electrode. Except in well ventilated areas, the smoke tends to block the view of the surgeon. A more serious concern is that the smoke may be contaminated with viruses from the patient which may be transmitted to anyone who inadvertently inhales the smoke. To protect the medical staff from exposure to the virus of deadly or crippling diseases, it is important to aspirate the smoke from the immediate surgical area before it dissipates into the air breathed by the attendants. To solve this problem, it is sometimes necessary to have a separate attendant hold an aspiration tube adjacent the electrode while the surgeon is performing the operation. The disadvantages of such an arrangement are obvious. The electrosurgical technique may be used for sealing off blood vessels and hence, the surgeon may be required to operate in an area where blood tends to accumulate and particulates may be collected. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a means for removing accumulated blood and particulates as well as smoke from the surgical area. In an analogous fashion, some surgical procedures may require an additional source of light so that the surgeon may be able to adequately view the area to be treated, while in other situations no such additional light is required.
Examples of patents disclosing prior art electrosurgical instruments are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,780 to C. F. Morrison, Jr. (dated Aug. 13, 1974) describes a combined electrosurgical and suction instrument. The instrument consists essentially of an elongated body having a hollow metal tube with a distal end functioning as the electrode and having a proximal end connected to an electrical wire in the housing. Suction is applied to the proximal end of the hollow metal tube so as to remove fluids through the tube electrode.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,004 to J. G. Durden III (dated Jul. 23, 1974) discloses a disposable electrosurgical cautery having a handle constructed of upper and lower halves forming a cavity for accommodating a hollow metal tube. The distal end of the tube is used as the electrode and the proximal end is connected to an electrical wire and a vacuum hose to withdraw fluids through the tube electrode.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,955 to R. R. Roberts (dated Sep. 23, 1975) discloses an electrosurgical tool having a housing with an electrode disposed at the distal end of the housing and connected to electrical wiring within the housing. A separate vacuum tube contained within the housing and extending beyond the distal end of the housing is disposed adjacent the electrode to withdraw fluid from the cutting area. The housing is provided with a manually-operable slide which is rigidly attached to the vacuum tube internal to the housing and which may be used to position the distal end of the vacuum tube within the range of travel of the manually-operable slide.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,833 to J. G. Durden III (dated Aug. 17, 1976) discloses a surgical knife with a combination cutting electrode and vacuum tube such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,004 referenced above, and is further provided with an aperture in the knife handle communicating with an opening in the vacuum tube. By selectively covering the aperture in the handle with a finger, the surgeon controls the amount of suction applied to the surgically treated area.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,838 to W. S. Walker (dated Jan. 7, 1986) discloses an electrosurgical knife having a generally cylindrical housing and an electrode extending from a central opening in the housing at the distal end thereof. The housing is provided with a number of ducts at the distal end thereof in communication with a cavity internal to the housing. A hose, which may be either connected to a sterile air-pressure source or a vacuum source, is connected to the fluid cavity within the housing and may be used to aspirate smoke or to distribute an airflow in the area of the surgical blade. The housing is further provided with a mounting channel along its upper edge for slidably receiving a light-transmitting cable of a fiber-optic system to illuminate the region around the cutting blade.
Disadvantages of these and other prior art devices are that the electrosurgical knives have become relatively bulky and complex structures which are not inexpensive to manufacture. The prior art devices are often difficult to hold and lack the flexibility that is desired by many surgeons. Surgeons in a number of hospitals use the less expensive standard electrosurgical knives which do not have the aspirating capability or a separate light source to perform operations in well-ventilated and well-lighted areas, and use the more expensive, specialized knives only when required. This means that the hospitals must have multiple inventories. It is therefore desirable to provide a surgical knife which is inexpensive and optionally provides the capabilities of the more specialized knives.
A particular disadvantage of prior art electrosurgical knives is the inability to withdraw smoke and other fluid and particulates from the immediate vicinity of the electrode when electrodes of different types and lengths are used. The distance of the electrode from the knife handle may vary greatly, e.g., from approximately 1 inch to over 12 inches. The shape of the electrodes may be that of a tube, a flat blade, a loop, a needle, or other configurations. Prior art devices do not provide an electrosurgical knife which is readily adaptable to provide aspiration at the surgical contact area for the various electrodes used in electrosurgery. | {
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This disclosure relates to limb supports generally, to chair armrests specifically, and to ergonomic arm pads in particular. Horizontally movable arm pads are more preferable than stationary ones in part because they are adjustable to fit a user's desired supporting position. A horizontally movable armrest may be attached to an arm support through one or more slot tracks that permit the arm pad to move laterally. When independently actuable fasteners are inserted through the slot tracks to attach the arm pad to the arm support, the movement of the arm pad is bound by the edges of the slot tracks. In other words, the slot tracks guide the movement of the arm pad. As a user attempts to position the arm pad, such configurations can lead to misfunctioning, abrupt movement, or even an unintentionally locked arm pad because the fasteners are not cooperating and the fasteners knock along the edges of the slot tracks. | {
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Because of excellent in properties such as mechanical strength (especially, impact-resistant properties), electrical properties, transparency etc., polycarbonate resins have been widely used as engineering plastics in various sectors such as office automation equipment, electrical and electronic equipment, automobiles, etc. Recently, in the field of liquid-crystal displays, high reflectance materials made of polycarbonate resins increasingly have greater use in backlight application. Among others, application to monitors and televisions is remarkable, and enlargement of a backlight member is increasingly in progress as the display size is becoming larger. Accordingly, as parts of the backlight member such as a reflecting plate, a reflecting frame, a cold cathode-ray tube supporter etc. are becoming lager and the residence time during molding is becoming longer, there is a tendency that thermal stability in residence under harder molding conditions than with conventional conditions is desired. In addition, since manufacturing abroad has become frequent due to globalization in recent years, a material having a wide range of manufacturing conditions is increasingly desired, wherein the material can provide good products regardless of the level of skills or the level of perfection of molding techniques or molding machines.
On the other hand, in order to provide a reflecting function, incorporation of titanium oxide into polycarbonate-type resins or polyester-type resins has been conventionally performed. In such a case, methods for improving the thermal stability in residence have been generally adopted, for example, to prevent hydrolysis reaction between the polycarbonate resins and titanium oxide by using a method such as coating titanium oxide with a reactive silicone in advance. However, there was a problem, that is, when the amount of titanium oxide was increased in order to improve the reflectance of the composition, the thermal stability in residence during molding became increasingly poor, resulting in the reduction of the reflectance and appearance of the molded object, and hence it was generally difficult to make high reflectance and the thermal stability in residence during molding compatible with each other.
Further, there is disclosed a resin composition wherein an inorganic filler whose base amount is 20 μmole/g or less is used in order to provide a resin with sufficient thermal decoloration resistance and mechanical strength (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Publication No. H9-3211, page 1 to page 4). In order to improve the reflectance by blending titanium oxide, it is preferable to increase the coating amount of a hydrous oxide and/or an oxide of a metal, for example, silica-alumina on the surface of titanium oxide particles (the base amount becomes 20 μmole/g or more). However, when commercially available titanium oxide particles with a large coating amount of silica-alumina were used directly, there was a phenomenon of lowering of the thermal stability in residence, that is, there was a limit in the improvement of thermal stability in residence by using only the method described above, wherein the titanium oxide was coated with a reactive silicone in advance. | {
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Field
The present disclosure relates to a communication device and a communication device control method.
Description of the Related Art
There is an image sharing system in which digital content, such as image data or moving image data, saved in a digital camera having a wireless communication function is exchanged or shared with another device via the same network (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-118859).
Further, a system in which a plurality of devices shares content via a server on the Internet is also known (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-249821).
In general, a communication speed is higher in communications performed on the same network as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-118859, compared with communications via the Internet as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-249821. As such, in the case of transmitting data to a specific device from a communication device having both communication functions of performing communications on the same network and performing communications via the Internet, it is effective in giving preference to communications performed on the same network.
However, it is not always the case that a specific device exists on the same network. Especially, in a network of wireless communications, a certain period of time is needed to determine whether or not communications can be performed on the same network. As such, it is not always the case that wireless communications on the same network are able to be started immediately. | {
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Various methods have been developed for growing crystalline bodies from a melt. One such method is known as the EFG ("Edge-defined, Film-fed Growth") process. Details of the EFG process and of apparatus for growing crystalline bodies according to the EFG process are described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,348 issued Jul. 6, 1971 to Harold E. La Belle, Jr. for "Method of Growing Crystalline Materials", and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,633 issued aug. 29, 1972 to Harold E. La Belle, Jr. et al. for "Apparatus for Growing Crystalline Bodies from the Melt".
In the EFG process, a capillary-forming die member is placed in association with a melt of liquid source material so that a growth face on the die member is wetted with a liquid film of source material from the melt by capillary action. A product crystalline body is then grown by first introducing a seed crystal to the liquid film of source material so that crystal formation is initiated, and then drawing the seed crystal away from the growth face at a controlled rate so that the liquid film of source material remains sandwiched between the growing crystalline body and the growth face of the die member. Since the liquid film of source material on the die's growth face is continuously replenished from the melt by the die's one or more capillaries, continuous crystalline bodies of significant size may be grown from the melt.
One consequence of the EFG process described above is that the cross-sectional shape of the product crystalline body is determined by the shape of the growth face of the die member. As a result, by appropriately shaping the growth face of the die member, crystalline bodies may be grown which have the shape of a round rod (i.e., where the crystalline body has a cross-sectional shape which is that of a solid circle), a flat ribbon (i.e., where the crystalline body has a cross-sectional shape which is that of a solid rectangle), a hollow tube (i.e., where the crystalline body has an annular cross-section of circular, elliptical or polygonal shape), etc.
The present invention is directed to apparatus adapted to grow tubular crystalline bodies according to the EFG process.
Existing apparatus for growing tubular crystalline bodies according to the EFG process is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,674 issued Oct. 8, 1980 to Aaron S. Taylor et al. for "Crucible-Die Assemblies For Growing Crystalline Bodies Of Selected Shapes", U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,728 issued Apr. 3, 1984 to Richard W. Stormont et al. for "Apparatus For Growing Tubular Crystalline Bodies", and U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,528 issued Oct. 1, 1985 to Richard W. Stormont et al. for "Apparatus For Growing Tubular Crystalline Bodies".
In practice, it has been found that significant improvements in crystal quality can be obtained if one can control the atmosphere surrounding the growing crystalline body. This is because control of the atmosphere surrounding the growing crystalline body allows harmful reactive gases to be removed from the area surrounding the growing crystalline body while allowing inert gases, beneficial reactive gases, and/or beneficial doping gases to be introduced to the area surrounding the growing crystalline body. In addition, control of the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding the growing crystalline body can facilitate proper regulation of the temperature of the growing crystalline body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,401 issued Nov. 15, 1983 to Fritz Wald et al. for "Control Of Atmosphere Surrounding Crystal Growth Zone", U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,411 issued Apr. 17, 1984 to Juris P. Kalejs for "Apparatus For Controlling The Atmosphere Surrounding A Crystal Growth Zone", and the publication "Modeling Of Ambient-Meniscus Melt Interactions Associated With Carbon And Oxygen Transport In EFG Of Silicon Ribbon" by J. P. Kalejs and L. Y. Chin, published in the Journal Of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 129, No. 6, June 1982, teach ways of controlling the atmosphere surrounding a growing crystalline body where that body is a flat ribbon. Unfortunately, these references are silent as to how to control the atmosphere surrounding the growing crystalline body where that body is in the form of a hollow tube. In this respect, it is noted that the problems of controlling the atmosphere surrounding the growing crystalline body are magnified significantly in the case of apparatus adapted to grow hollow tubes, since in such apparatus the body of the growing hollow tube serves to effectively divide the atmosphere surrounding the growing crystalline body into an "exterior" zone (i.e., the zone located outside the growing crystalline body) and an "interior" zone (i.e., the zone located inside the growing crystalline body), because the walls of the growing crystalline body serve to prohibit the direct flow of gases between the "exterior" and "interior" zones and gases can only flow between the two zones by passing through the seed holder located at the remote end of the hollow crystalline body. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, to an electronic paper display device.
2. Description of Related Art
With the progress of electronic technology, applications related to electronic paper have become increasingly popular in our daily life, and can allow an electronic paper display panel provided and designed based on user demand for high display resolution or low display resolution. However, in current production of the electronic paper display device, because a circuit layout space and production costs are required for disposing a driving circuit of the electronic paper display panel, the circuit layout space is quite limited. Therefore, to improve range of application and save the circuit layout space so the electronic paper display device may be favorably integrated with other functional circuits, it is currently an important issue to be addressed as how to reduce the production costs and save the circuit layout space for the electronic paper display device. In view of the above, several embodiments of the invention are provided as follows. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved data processing system and, in particular, to a symmetric data processing system with unified process environment and distributed system functions.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A recurring problem in symmetric multiprocessing systems of the prior art, that is, in systems having a plurality of processes wherein any of a plurality of multi-threaded processes may be executed concurrently or in any sequence on any of a plurality of processors, is in providing an environment which is unified from the viewpoint of the processes executing therein but wherein the system functions, such as memory space management, bus access, and data management, are not concentrated in a single processor. Such concentration of system functions, usually resulting from an attempt to present a unified processing environment, presents fundamental limitations in the capabilities of the centralized facility for performing such functions have an upper limit. The use of centralized system functions frequently results in a non-unified environment in that a centralized system cannot handle or even be aware of the requirements of each functional unit in the system. | {
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It is known to react polyepoxides with ketimine-blocked amines which include a single secondary amino hydrogen atom. The reaction products can be reacted with an acid to quaternize the tertiary amine groups in the reaction product, and the quaternized reaction product can be dispersed in water. The water reacts with the ketimine groups to release ketone into the water medium and this provides primary amine groups. The resulting amine-functional resin is electrodepositable from aqueous medium at the cathode of a unidirectional electrical system, and it can be cured with a curing agent which is introduced into the water medium for this purpose. The curing agents primarily selected in the prior art have been blocked polyisocyanates. When electrodeposited coatings containing the amine-functional resin and the blocked polyisocyanate are baked, the blocking agent is removed and the amine resin cures. All of the foregoing is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,050.
It would be desirable to replace the blocked polyisocyanate curing agent with an aminoplast resin because these are less costly, but the amine functionality (which is largely constituted by primary amine groups) creates a strongly alkaline environment which inhibits cure with an aminoplast resin.
Another point of importance is the fact that the ketimine-blocked secondary amines which are used in the prior process are derived from diethylene triamine, and it is desired to be able to use ethylene diamine, which is less costly.
Also, and in our prior application Ser. No. 477,432 filed Mar. 21, 1983 entitled Oxazolidine-Blocked Amine Polymers, we reacted a monoalkanol amine, such as monoethanol amine, with an unhindered ketone or aldehyde, and water was removed to generate an oxazolidine which contains a single reactive secondary amino hydrogen atom. This product was then adducted through its secondary amino hydrogen atom with a polyepoxide resin, sufficient oxazolidine being preferably used to consume all of the epoxy groups in the polyepoxide. Upon protonation of at least about 50% of the amine groups in the adduct (which could be nonvolatile when electrocoating was intended) and dispersion in water, hydrolysis of the oxazolidine occurs to generate a secondary amine group. The ketone or aldehyde which formed the oxazolidine was released into the water.
It is desired to employ reaction products possessing a relatively high amine functionality to enable a good cure to be had with blocked polyisocyanates which have lower functionality than typical aminoplast resins, like hexamethoxymethyl melamine. Also, primary amine groups are more reactive and can be used when polyisocyanates are relied upon, and such primary amine groups are not produced in our prior application. It is also desirable to increase the molecular weight of the polyepoxide in some instances by chain extension, and this is also not available in our prior application or in the normal practice of said U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,050. | {
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This invention relates generally to perceiving acceleration upon an object. More specifically the invention relates to the devices used for making such perceptions, known as accelerometers. In greater specificity, the invention relates to an optical accelerometer created through the technology known as micro-electro-mechanical systems or xe2x80x9cMEMSxe2x80x9d.
Micro-electro-mechanical systems use microelectronic processing techniques wherein mechanical devices are reduced to the scale of microelectronics. These processing techniques enable the integration of both mechanical and electrical components onto a single chip, typically made of silicon. Prior to MEMS, accelerometer components were for the most part manufactured separately. These components were then assembled together in a process that could easily be complex and expensive.
Current MEMS accelerometer designs have numerous advantages over their conventional counterparts. The MEMS accelerometers are of small size, light weight and low cost. Their sensitivity, however, has fallen largely in the low performance regime. Because of their relative low sensitivity and cost, current MEMS accelerometers have been used primarily in the automobile industry as collision airbag sensors and for other low sensitivity applications. Although the collision airbag sensor market is significant, it is but a small fraction of the potential market for low cost ultra-sensitive MEMS accelerometers.
Existing MEMS accelerometer technology is based upon either capacitive or piezo-based designs. State of the art MEMS capacitive accelerometers measure the charge on a capacitor to detect small movements of a proof mass attached to a spring. However, in order to detect sub milliG (1 G=9.8 m/s2) perturbation forces with this technique, elaborate amplification circuitry capable of measuring on the order of nanovolt changes in potential is necessary. For example, typical steady state capacitance values for MEMS accelerometers are in the 100 fFarad range, where 1f=10xe2x88x9215. Furthermore, a 1 G accelerating force results in a minute change in capacitance, on the order of 100 aF where a=10xe2x88x9218. This is equivalent to sensing a change of 625 electrons across the plates of a capacitor at an applied bias of 1 volt. Alternatively stated, this is commensurate with detecting the presence/absence of approximately 1 out of every 1000 electrons. To amplify this small change in capacitance extremely sensitive circuitry is required to translate the capacitance variations into a detectable voltage output signal. Even with the addition of low noise amplification circuitry, these MEMS accelerometers do not have the sensitivity required for many potential applications.
Piezoelectric or piezoresistive materials produce either a potential difference or a change in resistance when an external pressure/force is applied. This property lends itself to accelerometer designs. A shortcoming of piezoelectric or piezoresistive materials is that they are also pyroresistive, meaning that they change resistance with temperature. High sensitivity piezo-based accelerometers are therefore difficult to maintain. In addition, the resistance or change in potential of such accelerometers is usually extracted from a large resistor fabricated in the material. This large resistance leads to increased noise, e.g. resistive noise/Johnson noise. These problems are significant for piezo-based accelerometers. More commonly used accelerometers therefore use the capacitive methodxe2x80x94which also suffers from noise but not as severely.
To realize the full potential of MEMS accelerometers, a significant improvement in sensitivity is required. Ideally, this improvement will minimize accelerometer inherent noise. Possible applications of such low cost, light weight, ultra-sensitive MEMS accelerometers include bio-mechanics, seismology, condition monitoring of machines and structures, and robotics. In addition, an ultra-sensitive MEMS accelerometer would dramatically improve the accuracy of guidance, navigation, and global positioning systems (GPS) that require sensitivity not on the order of the 1 G scale but rather the on the order of the xcexcG scale or better.
The invention has structural similarities to an optical switch and amplifier described in the article titled: xe2x80x9cMicromechanical Optoelectric Switch and Amplifier (MIMOSA)xe2x80x9d by R. Waters et al, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, 5, 33 (January/February 1999) incorporated by reference herein.
An example of the invention is based upon the monolithic integration of a Fabry-Perot interferometer and a p+n silicon photodiode. The transmission of light through a Fabry-Perot etalon is exponentially sensitive to small displacements in the position of a movable mirror due to changes in an applied accelerating force. The photosensor converts this displacement to an electrical signal as well as provides for additional amplification. Because both the Fabry-Perot modulator and photodiode are monolithically integrated on a silicon substrate, the combination is compact and has minimal parasitic elements, thereby reducing the accelerometer""s noise level and increasing its signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
The sensitivity of the invention is user-controlled based upon any one or a combination of factors: providing an electrostatic potential across the mirrors of the Fabry-Perot etalon hence selecting a desired gap therebetween; adjusting the power of the light projected through the mirrors to the photodiode; and activating and deactivating the light at a selected frequency to minimize 1/f inherent system noise in the response of the accelerometer.
It is calculated that the MEMS accelerometer of the invention is capable of producing 1 V/G without the use of amplification circuitry. It is estimated that when amplification circuitry is used with the novel MEMS accelerometer of the invention, it will be more than three orders of magnitude more sensitive than present MEMS accelerometers using amplification circuitry. This implies that the xcexcG sensitivity needed for navigation and GPS applications is obtainable if voltage levels on the order of 1 xcexcV are detectable.
In opposition to prior art designs, the invention uses a light source rather than capacitive or piezo-based techniques for sensing acceleration. The advantages of this include use of a small wavelength of light for accurately measuring the movement of a suspended inertial mass and utilizing the wave nature of light for creating an exponentially sensitive accelerometer that is more than three orders of magnitude more sensitive than the previous art.
An object of this invention is to provide an accelerometer of high sensitivity.
Another object of the invention is to provide an accelerometer of high sensitivity in which inherent (1/frequency) noise is minimized.
A further object of this invention is to provide an optical accelerometer of high sensitivity.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an optical accelerometer in which light power is varied to adjust the accelerometer""s sensitivity.
Still yet another object of this invention is to provide an optical accelerometer in which light power is varied to adjust the accelerometer""s sensitivity by decreasing system inherent noise.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide an optical accelerometer in which light is selectively pulsed to adjust the accelerometer""s sensitivity.
Still yet a further object of this invention is to provide an optical accelerometer that includes a Fabry-Perot etalon in which the distance between the etalon""s mirrors is adjusted to adjust the accelerometer""s sensitivity.
Yet still a further object of this invention is to provide an optical accelerometer of high sensitivity that is fabricated through micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) processing. | {
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The present invention relates to the detection of explosives hidden in packages, particularly small amounts of modern, highly-explosive, nitrogen-based plastic explosives hidden in airline bags.
The detection of explosive devices hidden in airline baggage is a significant problem, particularly in view of the development of modern plastic explosives which can be formed into various innocent-appearing shapes and which are sufficiently powerful that small quantities can destroy an aircraft in flight. In general, three different screening approaches for the detection of hidden explosives are known and employed to various degrees at certain airports.
The first of these approaches is conventional X-ray imaging. Mere X-ray imaging however is of limited effectiveness, particularly since explosives need not be formed into any particular shape.
The second approach is the use of a so-called vapor sniffer which collects vapors emanating from luggage and analyzes them for the presence of molecules of explosive materials. While such devices are relatively sensitive, they nevertheless cannot detect explosives which are sealed within containers so as to prevent the escape of sufficient vapor quantities for detection.
The third approach involves the detection of nitrogen by means of thermal neutron interrogation. Nitrogen is a component of virtually every practical known high explosive. Thermal neutron interrogation involves exposing baggage to a "sea" of thermal neutrons (or "slow" neutrons having an energy in the order of 0.025 eV). Thermal neutrons combine with the nuclei of nitrogen-14 atoms to produce an energetic form of nitrogen-15 isotope. The energetic nitrogen-15 isotope immediately decays to its ground state, emitting characteristic 10.8 MeV gamma rays in the process. The 10.8 MeV gamma rays are detected as indicator of the presence of nitrogen in the package.
There are, however, a number of problems with such detectors employing thermal neutrons. A typical neutron source is radioactive californium-252 which emits energetic neutrons that are then slowed to thermal energies for reaction with nitrogen-14 nuclei. The use of such a radioactive neutron source introduces logistical problems related to handling and radiation shielding.
Other disadvantages of such systems include a relatively high false-positive rate coupled with the inability to effectively detect small quantities of explosives, such as quantities less than about one or two pounds. In particular, there are a number of materials other than explosives which contain nitrogen, such as wool and leather. If the threshold level of a system employing thermal neutron interrogation is adjusted so as to detect small quantities of nitrogen, then a high false-positive rate results due to the presence of innocent nitrogen-containing materials, leading to the necessity of searching an excessive number of packages by hand, negating the practical effectiveness of the system. If, on the other hand, the threshold level is set high to avoid false-positives, then the likelihood that actual explosives will escape detection is increased, again negating the effectiveness of the system. | {
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Hybrid vehicles configured such that a rotating electric machine generates a vehicle driving force using electric power from a secondary battery mounted in a vehicle have been attracting attention.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-285011 (PTL 1) describes a hybrid vehicle in which selection is made between a mode in which the vehicle travels by operating at least an engine and a mode in which the vehicle travels by stopping the engine and using only an output of a motor generator. PTL 1 describes that, in the hybrid vehicle, replacement timing of consumable parts related to the engine is determined based on an operation result of the engine.
Further, hybrid vehicles require traveling control which can avoid excessive charging/discharging of a vehicle-mounted secondary battery and also ensure driving performance in response to a driver's request. Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-109650 (PTL 2) describes a control device for a vehicle and a method for controlling a vehicle. PTL 2 describes that an upper limit value or a lower limit value of the amount of change of a torque generated by a traction motor serving as a rotating electric machine generating a vehicle driving force is set based on a limit value of output power or input power of a secondary battery and a speed of the vehicle. Thereby, it is aimed that the traction motor outputs a torque requested by a driver without causing excessive charging/discharging of the secondary battery.
As described in PTL 2, it is common to set upper limit values of input power and output power of a secondary battery based on a state of charge (SOC) and a temperature of the secondary battery. An output of a traction motor is set in a range where the output power of the secondary battery does not exceed the upper limit value. Thus, if the output power upper limit value is limited due to a reduction in the SOC or an increase in the temperature of the secondary battery, the output of the traction motor is also limited. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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