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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to ferroelectric memories. More particularly, the present invention relates to those memories employing an array of one-transistor, one-capacitor ("1T/1C") ferroelectric memory cells.
This application is related to the following applications assigned to the assignee of the present invention, which are all hereby specifically incorporated by this reference:
Ser. No. 08/970452, entitled "REFERENCE CELL FOR A 1T/1C FERROELECTRIC MEMORY";
Ser. No. 08/97020, entitled "MEMORY CELL CONFIGURATION FOR A FERROELECTRIC MEMORY";
Ser. No. 08/970543, entitled "SENSING METHODOLOGY FOR A 1T/1C FERROELECTRIC MEMORY";
Ser. No. 08/970454, entitled "SENSE AMPLIFIER CONFIGURATION FOR A 1T/1C FERROELECTRIC MEMORY";
Serial No. 08/970454, entitled "COLUMN DECODER CONFIGURATION FOR A 1T/1C FERROELECTRIC MEMORY";
Ser. No. 08/970821, entitled "SENSE AMPLIFIER LATCH DRIVER CIRCUIT FOR A 1T/1C FERROELECTRIC MEMORY";
Ser. No. 08/970522, entitled "PLATE LINE DRIVER CIRCUIT FOR A 1T/1C FERROELECTRIC MEMORY"; and
Ser. No. 08/970448, entitled "PLATE LINE SEGMENTATION IN A 1T/1C FERROELECTRIC MEMORY".
2. Description of the Prior Art
The first designs with ferroelectric capacitors utilized memory cells containing two transistors and two ferroelectric capacitors, ("2T/2C"). Ferroelectric 2T/2C memory products are shown and described in the 1996 Ramtron International Corporation FRAM.RTM. Memory Products databook, which is hereby incorporated by reference. A 2T/2C memory is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,664 entitled "Self Restoring Ferroelectric Memory", which is also hereby incorporated by reference. The 2T/2C memory cells were arranged in a physical layout such that the transistors and the ferroelectric capacitors were adjacent in the cell.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a 2T/2C memory cell and also represents the relative proximity of the physical layout of the elements. Ferroelectric memory cell 10 includes a first transistor M1 coupled to a first ferroelectric capacitor CC, and a second transistor M2 coupled to a second ferroelectric capacitor CCb. Ferroelectric capacitors CC and CCb store complementary polarization states, which define a single data state of memory cell 10. The plate line PL, which is coupled to one side of the ferroelectric capacitors CC and CCb runs parallel to the word line WL, which is coupled to the gates of the two transistors M1 and M2. In the arrangement of FIG. 1, the signal propagation delay along the plate line PL across one cell is insignificant compared to the delay in transferring data from the cell to the complementary bit lines BL and BLb, which are coupled to the source/drains of transistors M1 and M2. In the schematic of FIG. 1, the connection between the common electrodes for capacitors CC and CCb is a plate line wire PL. This plate line wire is a highly conductive material, generally a metal conductor. Also, the physical layout of memory cell 10 places these elements in close proximity to each other.
A timing diagram for the operation of a 2T/2C memory cell such as cell 10 is shown in FIG. 3. The control signals necessary to develop charge on the complementary bit lines BL and BLb are the word line signal WL and the plate line signal PL. The word line waveform 12 is a pulse that transitions from ground to the VCC supply voltage. The plate line waveform 14, 16 can either be a shorter or longer pulse, depending upon the desired sensing method. Initially, the word line and plate line waveforms are at ground potential. At time t.sub.0, the word line waveform is taken high to the VCC power supply voltage level, which turns on transistors M1 and M2 and electrically couples the ferroelectric capacitors CC and CCb to the bit lines BL and BLb, respectively. Once the high 15 voltage level has been established on the word line, the plate line is pulsed to "pole" the ferroelectric capacitors at time t.sub.1. Plate line waveform 14 is used for the "up-down" sensing method. With reference to the hysteresis loop 38 of FIG. 10, the "up-down" sensing method senses the charge developed moving from point 1 to point 2 to point 3 of the "switched" ferroelectric capacitor, minus the charge developed moving from point 3 to point 2 back to point 3 in the "unswitched" ferroelectric capacitor. Note that waveform 14 is brought low to ground potential at time t.sub.2. At time t.sub.3 the sense amplifiers (not shown in FIG. 1) are enabled and the differential charge on the bit lines BL and BLb can be sensed and converted into a valid logic state. Plate line waveform 16 is used for the "up-only" sensing method. With reference again to the hysteresis loop 38 of FIG. 10, the "up-only" sensing method senses the charge developed moving only from point 1 to point 2 in the "switched" ferroelectric capacitor minus the charge moving from point 3 to point 2 of the "unswitched" ferroelectric capacitor. Note that plate line waveform 16 remains high at times t.sub.2 and t.sub.3. At time t.sub.3 the sense amplifiers are enabled and the differential charge on the bit lines can be sensed and again converted into a valid logic state. Although the charge in each case is slightly different, the charge from the switched ferroelectric capacitor in cell 10 is always larger than the charge from the unswitched capacitor, so that the correct data state can be sensed.
In the full array of memory cells 10, bit lines are paired as true/complement and connected as illustrated in FIG. 4. Each block 10 is a 2T/2C memory cell as shown in previous FIG. 1. In the arrangement of FIG. 4, there is a multiplicity of paired plate lines PLO through PLN and word lines WLO through WLN extending in the word or row direction. There is a corresponding multiplicity of pairs of true/complement bit lines BLO/BLbO through BLN/BLbN in the column or bit direction.
Using the physical layout corresponding to the array of FIG. 4, the data pattern along the bit lines is always in pairs of true complement data. Therefore, no matter what logical data pattern is written into the array, the bit line data pattern as described by "1's" and "0's" representing the actual high and low voltages on the bit lines is described completely by the pattern "10" plus its complement "01". This is not to be confused with the logical data states of "1" and "0" that refers to a pair of bit lines, such as BLO and BLbO. The "1" or "0" referred to below represents the high "1" and low "0" voltage on each pair of bit (BLO-BLN) and bit bar (BLbO-BLbN) bit lines shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Any other larger array of cells repeats this basic pattern. Assuming eight columns for the array shown in FIG. 4, corresponding to 16 bit/bit bar pairs, the pattern combinations could be, for example, 1010101010101010, 0101010101010101, 1001100110011001 or 0110011001100110. Because of the nature of the cell layout with true complement data per cell there is never an accumulated pattern of all "1's " or all "0's" or of isolated bits such as all 1's with a single zero or its complement as illustrated by the following 16 bit sequences: 1111111101111111 or 0000000010000000. Again, each individual "1" or "0" represents the voltage on an individual bit line wire.
Patterns such as that described above having single "0's " or "1's " in a field of opposite polarity can be created, however, in a 1T/1C memory design, depending on the chip architecture. These patterns create cumulative noise on the bit lines within an array. When the sense amplifiers are latched, noise generated through capacitive coupling between bit lines reduces the operating margin of the single bit line of opposite polarity. A schematic of a 1T/1C DRAM cell 20 coupled to a single bit line BL for a single storage location is shown in FIG. 5. One side of conventional oxide capacitor CC is connected to the access transistor M1 and the other side is connected to a node 22 that is common to all memory cells in a DRAM array. The common node 22 is usually at a potential of one half of the VCC power supply voltage, for example 2.5 volts for a five volt power supply voltage.
The ferroelectric version of the 1T/1C DRAM memory cell 20 of FIG. 5 is shown in FIG. 2. Ferroelectric memory cell 18 also includes a single access transistor M1, which is coupled to a ferroelectric capacitor CC. A single word line WL is coupled to the gate of access transistor M1 and a single bit line BL is coupled to the source/drain of access transistor M1. Instead of a common node 22 as in the DRAM cell 20, ferroelectric memory cell 18 includes an individual active plate line PL per word line as shown in FIG. 2.
The noise problem described above with reference to a 1T/1C array occurs when an "open bit line" architecture is used. In this configuration, all the true bits are assembled on one side of the sense amplifier and all the complement bit lines are on the opposite side of the sense amplifier. The open bit line architecture is illustrated in FIG. 6. The array shown in FIG. 6 utilizes the DRAM 1T/1C memory cell 20 of FIG. 5. The open bit line array of FIG. 6 includes bit lines BLO through BLN and word lines WLO through WLN in the bottom half of the array, and complementary bit lines BLbO through BLbN and complementary word lines WLCO through WLCN in the top half of the array. The bit lines and complementary bit lines are coupled to a row of sense amplifiers SAO through SAN. In the open bit line configuration it is possible that when a word line is accessed all the data on one side of the sense amplifiers could be all "1's " with a single zero as indicated in the 16 bit sequences described above, generating noise. This noise problem was solved by utilizing a "folded bit line" architecture, described below.
The folded bit line array configuration is illustrated in FIG. 9 utilizing the DRAM memory cell 24 shown in FIG. 7 and the DRAM reference cell 26 shown in FIG. 8. The capacitors, access transistors, word lines, and bit lines of memory cell 24 and reference cell 26 are shown in the approximate locations on the physical layout on the chip. In the folded bit line approach shown in the array of FIG. 9, the array is comprised of odd and even word lines indicated by WLO and WLE, respectively, extending from word lines WLO0 and WLE0 through WLON and WLEN. Whenever an odd or even word line is activated, data is read from the memory cells 24 onto every other bit line. At the same time an even or odd word line is accessed an (opposite) odd, WRO, or even, WRE, reference word line is accessed to apply a reference level to the opposite bit line. Utilizing this folded bit line approach, it can be observed that the data pattern on the respective bit lines is similar to that of the 2T/2C design, previously described with respect to FIG. 4. Each bit line pair BL/BLb alternates data as described above for the 2T/2C design, thus eliminating the cumulative noise pattern described for the open bit line architecture of FIG. 6.
The design of ferroelectric memories is inexorably progressing to ever higher densities. To remain cost competitive with alternative memory technologies, new ferroelectric memories will be based on the 1T/1C ferroelectric memory cell shown in FIG. 2. In a ferroelectric 1T/1C design, there is a reference word line and many corresponding memory word lines. This is the opposite of a 2T/2C design, where each memory cell has in essence its own built-in reference in the pairing of true complement data. This common reference line in a folded bit line architecture for a 1T/1C ferroelectric memory is again analogous to the 1T/1C DRAM designs shown in FIG. 9. The difference between the two being that the ferroelectric memory has an additional wire added for control of the plate line and rewriting the polarization state in the ferroelectric capacitor, rather than a fixed-potential common electrode as in DRAMs. There have been approaches suggested for ferroelectric 1T/1C memory designs that utilize a common electrode such as that of DRAMs, illustrated by common node CP in FIGS. 7 and 8. Each of these approaches, however, have associated problems such as leakage of the internal cell nodes requiring refresh, power up noise issues, and complex circuitry needed to mitigate the aforementioned problems.
Assuming that a 1T/1C folded bit line architecture is used, two new noise issues are introduced that are unique to a ferroelectric memory array. These noise issues result from both the physical interconnections with each memory row having an individual plate line per word line or shared plate line per pair of word lines, and in the sequence of operation.
The first noise problem results from the common plate line along a word line that allows noise to propagate from cell to cell. This first noise problem is data pattern dependent. The noise patterns created are analogous to that described above for the open bit line architecture DRAM. This problem does not exist in 1T/1C DRAM memory cells since the common second electrode of the memory capacitor is shared for the entire array. This common electrode in DRAMs acts as a filter capacitor with a low resistance path to propagate the noise induced into the plate when a word line is accessed. As described earlier there have been proposals for the same architecture (common electrode for the entire array) to be used with ferroelectric designs. There are, however, significant operating problems with these approaches that make their implementation impractical.
The second noise issue results from the operating voltages of the bit lines during the reading of information from the memory cells prior to sensing. In most high density memory designs the sense amplifier used to determine the voltage difference on the bit lines resulting from reading the cells is the cross coupled type as shown in FIG. 21 (sense amplifier 30). Often the constraints of the physical layout pitch of the memory cell in the bit line or column direction require that the nodes labeled "LATCH P" and "LATCH N" are actually a common wire shared across many columns. During the reading of information the bit line voltage can exceed the threshold voltage of a P-channel or N-channel transistor, i.e. the point at which the transistor begins conducting current between source and drain. When these bit line voltages exceed the threshold voltages of the transistors, noise can be transmitted through the cross-coupled P-channel and N-channel devices to the common latch nodes (LATCH P and LATCH N). This noise can then affect the signal margin in other columns.
What is desired, therefore, is a 1T/1T ferroelectric memory architecture, interconnection approach, operating methodology, sensing control sequence, and layout configuration that minimizes the noise issues set forth above. | {
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Power over Ethernet systems are seeing increasing use in today's society. Power over Ethernet, sometimes abbreviated PoE, refers to providing power to Ethernet devices over an Ethernet line that is also used to communicate data. Thus, power over Ethernet devices do not require separate power supply lines. In some instances, the power may be supplied by a power supply contained within an Ethernet switch. Because the power supply does not generally have the power capability to supply maximum power to every port, there is a limit on the number of power over Ethernet devices that can be connected to a given power supply. A port may be denied power, if it will result in oversubscription of the power supply. Example power over Ethernet devices that can benefit from receiving power over the Ethernet communication lines include an internet protocol telephone, a badge reader, a wireless access point, a video camera, and others.
Traditionally, when a power over Ethernet device is connected to a power supply, the power over Ethernet device is allocated a maximum power class according to IEEE standard 802.3af denoted as class 0 thru 4. These maximum values correspond to the maximum amount of power that will be supplied by the power supply to the power over Ethernet device. IEEE standard 802.3af provides for three levels of 15.4 watts, 7.5 watts, and 4.0 watts for these power over Ethernet devices. In certain circumstances, such allocation prevents the power supply from being utilized to its full capability due to the coarse granularity in class.
A software program referred to as Cisco Discovery Protocol allows for more granular specification of the limit for the power over Ethernet powered devices other than the above-described IEEE levels. However, the power supply still may have unutilized capacity. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to data processing networks and data storage subsystems, and more particularly to a data processing network in which a large number of hosts can access volumes of data storage in a data storage subsystem.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to advances in computer technology, there has been an ever increasing need for data storage in data processing networks. In a typical data processing network, there has been an increase in the number of volumes of data storage and an increase in the number of hosts needing access to the volumes. This has been especially true for networks of workstations. Not only have a greater number of workstations been added to the typical network, but also the increase in data processing capabilities of a typical workstation has required more data storage per workstation for enhanced graphics and video applications.
The increased demand for data storage in a network is typically met by using more storage servers in the network or by using storage servers of increased storage capacity and data transmission bandwidth. From the standpoint of cost of storage, either of these solutions appears to be satisfactory. However, a greater number of storage servers in a network substantially increases the cost of managing the storage. This increased cost of management often appears some time after installation, when one of the servers reaches its capacity and some of its volumes must be reassigned to less heavily loaded servers. Network administrators aware of the cost of storage management realize that network storage should be consolidated to the minimum possible number of servers. The management problem is reduced by reducing the number of objects to be managed.
Due to the storage needs of present networks and the desire to consolidate servers, it is practical to provide a single storage subsystem with up to 20 terabytes (TB) storage, or approximately 4000 logical volumes. It may be possible for any host to have access to any volume in a data storage subsystem to which the host has access. However, it may be desirable to restrict the set of volumes that can be seen by any one host. Restricted access is desirable for security of private data. For example, private volumes should be assigned to each host for storage of private data, and other hosts should not be permitted to see or modify the private volumes of other hosts. Moreover, the “boot” process for a host is slowed down by searching for and reporting all the volumes to which the host has access. Certain operating systems are limited by the number of storage devices that they can manage at a given period of time, and for a host running such an operating system, it is not only desirable but also necessary to limit the number of volumes that the host can access.
It is possible to restrict access of a host to a limited set of logical volumes in the data storage subsystem by restricting the set of logical volumes accessible through a particular port adapter of the storage subsystem and linking the host to only that particular port adapter. For convenience, however, there should not be any restrictions on which logical storage volumes are accessible from each port adapter. Otherwise, during a reconfiguration of the data processing system, it may be necessary to physically switch the links that are connected to the network ports of the hosts or the port adapters, for example by manually disconnecting and reconnecting the links to the ports. Even in the case where the data network has a fabric for automatically establishing a link between any of the hosts and any of the port adapters, the physical possibility of any port adapter to access any logical storage volume provides alternative data paths that could be used in case of port adapter failure or port adapter congestion. For example, if a host sends a data access request to a port adapter and receives a busy response from the port adapter, then the host can send the data access request to another port adapter. Port adapter congestion is likely, for example, if the storage subsystem is a continuous media server, in which video data is often streamed through a single port adapter to a host for a relatively long period of time.
In open network systems, it is known to use authentication and authorization protocols in order to authenticate that a request for access to a specified file originates from a particular host, and once the request for access is authenticated, to check whether the host is authorized to access the specified file. For example, a network server authenticates the request by checking whether a password in the request matches the hosts' password stored in a client directory, and the network server authorizes the request by checking a file directory to determine whether the host is listed in the file directory as having access rights to the specified file. However, the use of high-level authentication and authorization procedures for discriminating among all access requests by the hosts to the logical storage volumes would unduly burden the host and the storage subsystem. What is desired is a method that may be transparent to any high-level file system procedures that may be used by the hosts for managing access to files stored in the logical volumes to which a host is permitted to access. The method should restrict the logical storage volumes seen by the host during a boot operation, and seen by the operating system when the operating system determines what logical volumes are accessible to the host. | {
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Medicament delivery devices (e.g., pen injectors, syringes, auto-injectors, etc.) that contain a selected dosage of a medicament are well known devices for administering the medicament to a patient. Safety devices for covering a needle of the delivery device before and after use are also well known. Typically, a needle shield of the safety device is either manually moved or automatically to surround the medical needle. Various attempts have been made to develop an optimally sized and functioning safety device. However, there remains a need for an optimal safety needle assembly. | {
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The increasing use of wireless telephones andpersonal computers has led to a corresponding demand for advanced telecommunication services that were once thought to only be meant for use in specialized applications. In the 1980's, wireless voice communication became widely available through the cellular telephone network. Such services were at first typically considered to be the exclusive province of the business person because of expected high subscriber costs. The same was also true for access to remotely distributed computer networks, whereby until very recently, only business people and large institutions could afford the necessary computers and wireline access equipment.
As a result of the widespread availability of both technologies, the general population now increasingly wishes to not only have access to networks such as the Internet and private intranets, but also to access such networks in a wireless fashion as well. This is particularly of concern for the users of portable computers, laptop computers, hand-held personal digital assistants (PDAs) and the like who would prefer to access such networks without being tethered to a telephone line.
There still is no widely available satisfactory approach for providing low cost, high speed access to the Internet, private intranets, and other networks using the existing wireless infrastructure. This situation is most likely an artifact of several unfortunate circumstances. For one, the typical manner of providing high speed data service in the business environment over the wireline network is not readily adaptable to the voice grade service available in most homes or offices. Such standard high speed data services also do not lend themselves well to efficient transmission over standard cellular wireless handsets.
Furthermore, the existing cellular network was originally designed to deliver voice services. As a result, the emphasis in present day digital wireless communication schemes lies with voice, although certain schemes such as CDMA do provide some measure of asymmetrical behavior for the accommodation of data transmission. For example, the data rate on an IS-95 forward traffic channel can be adjusted in increments from 1.2 kilobits per second (kbps) up to 9.6 kbps for so-called Rate Set 1, and in increments from 1.8 kbps up to 14.4 kbps for Rate Set 2. On the reverse link traffic channel, however, the data rate is fixed at 4.8 kbps.
The design of such existing systems therefore typically provides a radio channel which can accommodate maximum data rates only in the range of 14.4 kilobits per second (kbps) at best in the forward direction. Such a low data rate channel does not lend itself directly to transmitting data at rates of 28 or even 56.6 kbps that are now commonly available using inexpensive wire line modems, not to mention even higher rates such as the 128 kbps which are available with Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) type equipment. Data rates at these levels are rapidly becoming the minimum acceptable rates for activities such as browsing web pages. Other types of data networks using higher speed building blocks such as Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL) service are just now coming into use in the United States. However, their costs have only been recently reduced to the point where they are attractive to the residential customer.
Although such networks were known at the time that cellular systems were originally deployed, for the most part, there is no provision for providing higher speed ISDN- or xDSL-grade data services over cellular network topologies. Unfortunately, in wireless environments, access to channels by multiple subscribers is expensive and there is competition for them. Whether the multiple access is provided by the traditional Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) using analog modulation on a group of radio carriers, or by newer digital modulation schemes the permit sharing of a radio carrier using Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), the nature of the radio spectrum is that it is a medium that is expected to be shared. This is quite dissimilar to the traditional environment for data transmission, in which the wireline medium is relatively inexpensive to obtain, and is therefore not typically intended to be shared.
Other considerations are the characteristics of the data itself. For example, consider that access to web pages in general is burst-oriented, with asymmetrical data rate transmission requirements. In particular, the user of a remote client computer first specifies the address of a web page to a browser program. The browser program then sends this web page address data, which is typically 100 bytes or less in length, over the network to a server computer. The server computer then responds with the content of the requested web page, which may include anywhere from 10 kilobytes to several megabytes of text, image, audio, or even video data. The user then may spend at least several seconds or even several minutes reading the content of the page before requesting that another page be downloaded. Therefore, the required forward channel data rates, that is, from the base station to the subscriber, are typically many times greater than the required reverse channel data rates.
In an office environment, the nature of most employees' computer work habits is typically to check a few web pages and then to do something else for extended period of time, such as accessing locally stored data or to even stop using the computer altogether. Therefore, even though such users may expect to remain connected to the Internet or private intranet continuously during an entire day, the actual overall nature of the need to support a required data transfer activity to and from a particular subscriber unit is actually quite sporadic.
Furthermore, prior art wireless communication systems provide a continuous bandwidth to individual subscribers. That is, in such networks, during a communication session the bandwidth available at all times is constant and has been designed, as noted above, primarily for voice grade use. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to digital cameras, and in particular, to image capturing methods based on face detection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Face detection is a prevailing technology commonly used for focus control of a digital camera. Conventionally, a digital camera may enable a sensor to obtain an image, and employ a face detection algorithm to identify faces in the image. When one or more faces are identified, the focus of the camera is adjusted to lock on to the faces, such that a sharp picture of faces can be taken. The face detection algorithm may be accomplished through various approaches, such as identification of colors and shapes. Since there is ongoing research in face detection, technique details are not introduced herein.
As known, a typical camera can take photos spontaneously by setting a time clock, so a photographer can setup the count down time and walk into the lens range to wait for the shutter to trigger. However, in the count down mode, it is difficult to control the composition of a picture since there is no photographer behind the camera. People to be photographed may stand in a wrong position because of a lack of bearing. Therefore, an enhanced functionality for autonomic image capturing method is desirable. | {
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Electrostatic trap (E-Trap) and multi-pass time-of-flight (MP-TOF) mass spectrometers (MS) generally appear to share one common feature—the analyzer electrostatic fields are designed to provide an isochronous ion motion with respect to small initial energy, angular, and spatial spreads of the ion packets. In MP-TOF MS, ion packets follow a predetermined folded ion path from a pulsed source to a detector, and ion mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) is determined from the ion flight time (T), where T˜(m/z)0.5. In E-Trap MS, ions are trapped indefinitely and the ion flight path is not fixed. Ion m/z is determined from the frequency (F) of ion oscillations, where F˜(m/z)−0.5. The signal from an image charge detector is analyzed with the Fourier transformation (FT).
Both techniques are challenged to provide a combination of the following parameters: (a) spectral acquisition rate up to 100 spectra a second in order to match speed of GC-MS, LC-IMS-MS, and LC-MS-MS experiments; (b) ion charge throughput from 1E+9 to 1E+11 ions/sec in order to match ion flux from modern ion sources like ESI (1E+9 ion/sec), EI (1E+10 ion/sec) and ICP (1E+11 ion/sec); and (c) mass resolving power in the order 100,000 to provide mass accuracy under part-per-million (ppm) for unambiguous identification in highly populated mass spectra.
TOF MS: High resolution TOF MS developments have been made with the introduction of electrostatic ion mirrors. Mamyrin et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,862, incorporated herein by reference, appears to suggest using a double stage ion mirror to reach second-order time per energy focusing. Frey et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,532, incorporated herein by reference, appears to suggest introducing grid-free ion mirrors with a decelerating lens at the mirror entrance to provide a spatial ion focusing and to avoid ion losses on meshes. Aberrations of grid-free ion mirrors have been improved by incorporation of an accelerating lens by Wollnik et al in Rapid Comm. Mass Spectrom., v.2 (1988) #5, 83-85, incorporated herein by reference. From that point it became apparent that the resolution of TOF MS is no longer limited by analyzer aberrations, but rather by the initial time spread appearing in the pulsed ion sources. To diminish effects of the initial time spread one should extend the flight path.
Multi-Pass TOF MS: One type of MP-TOF, a multi-reflecting MR-TOF MS arranges a folded W-shaped ion path between electrostatic ion mirrors to maintain a reasonable size of the instrument. Parallel ion mirrors covered by grids has been described by Shing-Shen Su, Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Ion Processes, v.88 (1989) 21-28, incorporated herein by reference. To avoid ion losses on grids, Nazarov et al in SU1725289, incorporated herein by reference, suggested gridless ion mirrors. To control ion drift, Verenchikov et al in WO2005001878, incorporated herein by reference, suggested using a set of periodic lenses in a field-free region. Another type of MP-TOF—so called Multi-turn TOF (MT-TOF) employs electrostatic sectors to form spiral loop (race-track) ion trajectories as described in Satoh et al, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom., v.16 (2005) 1969-1975, incorporated herein by reference. Compared to MR-TOF, the spiral MT-TOF has notably higher ion optical aberrations and can tolerate much smaller energy, angular and spatial spreads of ion packets. The MP-TOF MS provide mass resolving power in the range of 100,000 but they are limited by space charge throughput estimated as 1E+6 ions per mass peak per second.
E-Trap MS with TOF Detector: Ion trapping in electrostatic traps (E-trap) allows further extension of the flight path. GB2080021 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,780, both incorporated herein by reference, suggest I-path MR-TOF where ion packets are reflected between coaxial gridless mirrors. Looping of ion trajectories between electrostatic sectors is described by Ishihara et al in U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,625, incorporated herein by reference. In both examples, ion packets are pulsed injected onto a looped trajectory and after a preset delay the packets are ejected onto a time-of-flight detector. To avoid spectral overlaps, the analyzed mass range is shrunk reverse proportional to number of cycles which is the main drawback of E-Traps with a TOF detector.
E-Trap MS with Frequency Detector: To overcome mass range limitations I-path electrostatic traps (I-Path E-Trap) employ an image current detector to sense the frequency of ion oscillations as suggested in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,013,913A, 5,880,466, 6,744,042, Zajfman et al Anal. Chem, v.72 (2000) 4041-4046, incorporated herein by reference. Such systems are referred as I-path E-traps or Fourier Transform (FT) I-path E-traps and form part of the prior art (FIG. 1). In spite of the large size analyzer (0.5-1 m between mirror caps), the volume occupied by ion packets is limited to ˜1 cm3. A combination of low oscillation frequencies (under 100 kHz for 1000 amu ions) and low space charge capacity (1E+4 ions per injection) either severely limit an acceptable ion flux or lead to strong space charge effects, such as self-bunching of ion packets and peaks coalescence.
Orbital E-Traps: In U.S. Pat. No. 5,886,346 Makarov, incorporated herein by reference, suggested electrostatic Orbital Trap with an image charge detector (trade mark ‘Orbitrap’). The Orbital Trap is a cylindrical electrostatic trap with a hyper-logarithmic field (FIG. 2). Pulsed injected ion packets rotate around the spindle electrode in order to confine ions in the radial direction, and oscillate in a nearly ideal harmonic axial field. It is relevant to the present invention that the field type and the requirement of stable orbital motion locks the relationship between characteristic length and radius of the Orbitrap, and do not allow substantial extension of a single dimension of the trap. In WO2009001909 Golikov et al, incorporated herein by reference, suggested a three-dimensional electrostatic trap (3D-E-trap) also incorporating orbital ion motion and image charge detection. However, the trap is even more complex than Orbitrap. An analytically defined electrostatic field defines 3-D curved electrodes with sizes linked in all three directions. Though linear electrostatic field (quadratic potential) of the Orbital trap extends the space charge capacity of the analyzer, still ion packets are limited to 3E+6 ions/per injection by the capacity of so-called C-trap and by the necessity to inject ion packets into the Orbitrap via a small (1 mm) aperture (Makarov el al, JASMS, v.20, 2009, No. 8, 1391-1396, incorporated herein by reference). The orbital trap suffers slow signal acquisition—it takes one second for obtaining spectra with 100,000 resolution at m/z=1000. Slow acquisition speed, in combination with the limited charge capacity does limit the duty cycle to 0.3% in most unfavorable cases.
Thus, in the attempt of reaching high resolution, the prior art MP-TOF and E-traps do limit throughput (i.e. combination of the acquisition speed and the charge capacity) of mass analyzers under 1E+6 to 1E+7 ions per second, which limits effective duty cycle under 1%. The data acquisition speed of E-traps is limited to 1 spectrum a second at resolution of 100,000.
It is an object of at least one aspect of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one or more of the aforementioned problems.
It is a further object of at least one aspect of the present invention to improve the acquisition speed and the duty-cycle of high resolution electrostatic traps in order to match the intensity of modern ion sources exceeding about 1E+9 ions/sec and to bring the acquisition speed to about 50-100 spectra/sec required by tandem mass spectrometry while keeping the resolving power at about 100,000. | {
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Fluid valve mechanisms utilize one or more fluid valve ports for the purpose of controlling flow of a fluid. The fluid valve mechanism includes a first valve body having a first port opening fluidically communicating with a first fluid transfer line (providing for either delivery or removal of the fluid), and further includes a second valve body having a second port opening fluidically communicating with a second fluid transfer line (providing the other of either delivery or removal of the fluid). A motive device (i.e., a motor or actuator) is provided to selectively move the first valve body with respect to the second valve body so as to thereby selectively align the first and second port openings and thereby regulate the fluidic communication therethrough, wherein the selectivity of the alignment ranges typically from a nonaligned state, wherein fluid flow through the first and second port openings is prevented, to a fully aligned state, wherein fluid flow through the first and second port openings is maximally unimpeded.
In order to prevent fluid leakage between the first and second valve bodies, a seal is provided, usually carried by the valve body connected to the fluid delivery line, wherein the seal circumscribes the valve opening thereat. Most commonly, a rubber O-ring is utilized for the seal, wherein the O-ring is seated in a seal channel formed in the valve body carrying the O-ring. Because the O-ring is compressed between a floor of the seal channel and the sidewall of the opposing valve body, a slidable seal is provided by the O-ring which prevents fluid leakage.
Referring now to FIG. 17, shown schematically is a fluid valve mechanism 10 having a conventional, prior art fluid valve port 12. A movable valve body, or “core”, 14, has formed therein a seal channel 16 into which is seated an O-ring 18, wherein the O-ring circumscribes a core port opening 20. A stationary valve body, or “manifold”, 22, has a manifold port opening 24. Now, referring additionally to FIG. 18, where the O-ring 18 spans the manifold port opening 24, the unsupported span 18′ of the O-ring tends to pop out from the seal channel 16, which tendency is exacerbated by stretching and compression forces being applied to the O-ring dynamically as the core rotates with respect to the manifold. This tendency of the O-ring to pop out of its seal channel can result in premature wear, cutting, jamming or otherwise a failure of the seal it provides. In general, for unsupported spans of the O-ring, problems of seating of the O-ring in its seal channel arise for unsupported span lengths exceeding about 3 diameters of the O-ring. A technique known in the prior art to prevent the O-ring from popping out via under cut walls of the seal channel. As seen by way of example in FIG. 19, the core 14′ has a seal channel 26 with undercut walls 28, whereby even though an unsupported span 18′″ of the O-ring 18″ exists, the O-ring is nonetheless trapped in the seal channel.
While undercut walls prevent the O-ring from popping out of its seal channel, the under cuts require expensive machining and are ordinarily fitted with custom O-rings, which are also expensive as compared with off-the-shelf, standard O-rings. Further, the problem of O-ring pop out from its seal channel is exacerbated by high frequency of opening/closing cycles, long term exposure to wide temperature fluctuations, and age related reduction in O-ring elasticity.
Accordingly, what remains needed in the art is to somehow provide a fluid valve port configured so as to allow a standard O-ring to be retained operably in its seal channel, with minimal wear and without cutting or jamming, wherein the seal channel is of a simple rectilinear shape. | {
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The invention relates to an endoscopic device, in particular to an instrument for endoscopic subfascial discision of perforans veins (ESDP). About 10% to 15% of the adult suffer from a distinct varix of the lower extremities, up to 16% of these patients have insufficient perforans veins. In the course of the medical treatment of a primary varix and of trophic skin disorders due to a post-thrombosis or to a varix these insufficient perforans veins are subfascially eliminated. In the course thereof the previous surgical methods require an extended uncovering of the perforans veins and very often suffered from post-surgical wound healing troubles or they are disadvantageous due to low precision.
In the course of the Minimal Invasion Surgery the endoscopic subfascial discision of perforans veins (ESDP) was developed by Dr. G. Hauer which is up to now considered as the most effective therapeutical principle. The instruments developed in connection with the aforesaid (refer to Jugenheimer, M; Junginger, Th.: PHLEBOLOGY, 4th. annual 8/92, p. 540ff.) comprises cold light operation robes of different diameter, a conventional laparoscope and accessories such as bi-polar coagulation forceps and endoscopic scissors. These standard components from different fields of endoscopy have only slightly been modified so that the instrumentation naturally shows a number of essential disadvantages. A later installed means for locking the instruments to the surgical laparoscope was not very successful in practice. A simultaneous working with the tube, the endoscope, and with the instrument just in use requires the helping hand of an assistant. For the comparatively power consuming manipulation of the tube the handle thereof is considered as being not stable enough. An essential disadvantage is the insufficient quality of the optical system of the surgical laparoscope, the low aperture of which sometimes renders the reproduction by conventional CCD--endo-cameras questionable due to the poor illumination conditions at the surgical situs (high absorption by severe bleeding). The direction of sight which usually is 5.degree. to 10.degree. with surgical laparoscopes generally does not ensure a sufficient sight of the instrument inserted. The manipulation is additionally impeded by the equipment lines for the camera, the high frequency devices, the fiber-optical illumination means, and for the coagulation gas exhaust which run in different directions relative to the axis of instrument. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical displacement sensor and an external force detecting device, and more particularly to an optical displacement sensor to sense a relative positional displacement between a reference segment and a measurement segment according to the displacement of the position of light received, and an external force detecting device to detect an external force applied to the measurement segment according to the output of the optical displacement sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
An external force detecting device, such as an optical six-axis force sensor, has been conventionally known, in which a positional displacement of a force receiving member (i.e., measurement segment) to receive an external force applied relative to a static member (i.e., reference segment) is sensed by an optical displacement sensor, and the external force applied is calculated according to a signal outputted from the optical displacement sensor.
For example, in an optical six-axis force sensor, an external force applied is calculated with respect to six axis directions according to displacements generated in the six directions, and therefore optical displacement sensors are provided so as to measure the displacements in the six axis directions. The optical six-axis force sensor as described above includes three optical displacement sensors each of which is adapted to measure displacements in the two axis directions X and Y.
Each of such optical displacement sensors includes a light emitting diode (LED) as a light source, and a photo diode (PD) array as a light receiving element disposed opposite to the LED on a common optical axis, wherein the PD array is composed of four PDs, and light emitted from the LED is arranged to impinge on the PD array at its center area equally shared by the four PDs. In the optical displacement sensor, the positional displacement of light received at the PD array can be detected, that is to say, the relative positional displacement between a portion of the sensor having the LED attached thereto and a portion of the sensor having the PD array attached thereto can be detected. In the optical six-axis force sensor, a six-axis force is calculated according to respective outputs from the three optical displacement sensors.
Conventionally, in a six-axis force sensor using three optical displacement sensors, a light source and a light receiving element must be provided at each optical displacement sensor thus requiring a plurality (three) of light sources, which results in increased power consumption. To overcome this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-156456 discloses a six-axis force sensor incorporating a trifurcate optical fiber which has one light entrance end and three light exit ends, and a light beam emitted from a light source is introduced into the trifurcate optical fiber from the one entrance end and split into three light beams to take three separate optical paths and to exit out from respective exit ends so as to impinge on three separate light receiving elements, respectively, thus requiring only one light source.
In the disclosed six-axis force sensor described above, the optical fiber has its trifurcated portions bent or curved at 90 degrees so that the three light beams progressing through the optical fiber can be duly directed to the respective light receiving elements. With this structure, there is a lot of light leaking at the bent/curved portion causing a problem of light loss. In order to reduce the amount of light leaking at the bent/curved portion, the curvature radius of the bent/curved portion must be set large, which, however, causes the optical displacement sensor to be dimensioned large, thus prohibiting downsizing of the sensor. | {
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A 5G network, namely, a new radio (NR) network, aims to support higher system performance, including support of different services, different deployment scenarios, and different spectrums. Different services include an enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) service, a machine type communication (MTC) service, an ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC) service, a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS), a positioning service, and the like. Different deployment scenarios include an indoor hotspot scenario, a dense urban scenario, a suburban scenario, an urban macro coverage scenario, a high-speed railway scenario, and the like. 5G supports a spectrum range up to 100 gigahertz (GHz), a primary frequency band is lower than or equal to 6 GHz, and a secondary frequency band is higher than 6 GHz.
Different services, different deployment scenarios, and different spectrum have different features, and their respective requirements for system parameters (also referred to as numerology) are different. To support, with high performance, different services, different deployment scenarios, and different spectrum, 5G supports a plurality of sets of system parameters. For example, 5G supports different subcarrier spacings, the different subcarrier spacings are corresponding to different system parameters, and a same subcarrier spacing may support different subframe lengths. Currently, the subframe length may also be referred to as a transmission time interval (TTI) length, or the subframe length may also be referred to as a transmission time unit (TTU) length. A relatively small subframe length such as a subframe length less than 1 millisecond (ms) may be used for a low latency service, for example, URLLC. A relatively large subframe length such as a subframe length of 1 ms may be used for a service whose latency requirement is not high, a service whose data packet size is relatively large, or the like, for example, eMBB.
How to design synchronization signals corresponding to different subframe lengths in a 5G communications network is a problem that needs to be resolved urgently. | {
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Gelled air-treating compositions are known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,691,615 to Turner, et al.; 2,927,055 to Lanzet; 3,969,280 to Sayce, et al.; 3,997,480 to Singleton, et al.; 3,956,173 to Towle; 4,056,612 to Lin; 4,071,616 to Bloch; 4,128,507 to Mitzner; 4,178,264 to Streit, et al., and 4,318,476 to Claffey et al.
A disadvantage of the conventionally gelled air-treating compositions, however, is their inefficiency in regard to perfume release. It has been found that large amount, often 30% by weight or more of the volatile perfume components incorporated in the prior art gel products during manufacture, in fact, is not released to the environment, but rather is entrapped in a gel residue. Thus, at the point the consumer can no longer detect a noticeable release of perfume, the product is discarded by the consumer, even though the gel residue contains undiffused fragrance. Beneficially, the gelled air freshner dispensers should provide essentially complete utilization of the perfume with adequate levels dispensed from the gel composition during its useful life.
It is an object, then, of the present invention to provide an aqueous-based gel air-treating composition that exhibits improved fragrance transmission efficiency during its useful life.
It is a further object of the present invention to substantially reduce the concentration of the volatile perfume constituents remaining in the residue portion of the gel at the end of its useful life.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an aqueous-based gel air-treating composition that exhibits greater fragrance-release per unit weight of product at a given perfume load.
To achieve the aforesaid objects, it is primarily an object of the present invention to provide an aqueous-based gel air-treating composition which incorporates air or other inert gaseous material into its gel base composition.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for the manufacture of the air-treating composition of the present invention.
These and other objects and advantages will be more readily apparent upon reading the detailed description of the invention, a summary of which follows. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of software downloading through a broadcast digital media distribution network, particularly as downloaded to cards and especially option cards.
2. Related Art
Distribution networks for digital information such as video, audio, Internet data or voice communications continue to grow increasingly sophisticated. Receivers of such digital information that play or retransmit information must be capable of receiving not only content data, but also functional codes executable for the control and play of an expanding array of user options and interactivity. Executable application programs and operational code are stored not only in receiver hardware, but in cards which may take the form of option cards, audio or video cards, or storage cards. Application programs include those that communicate between a receiver mother board and an option card, between either a receiver or a card and either an audio or video decoder or for either to read or write flash memory. Application programs may include such functions for Internet or voice communications, as well as audio and video distribution.
Operational code and functional software in this field, as in other fields, is subject to frequent updates, changes, new versions, patches, debugging, added features and the like. Downloading new software and code by transmission through the distribution system, such as transmission by satellite, is more efficient, economical and convenient than other methods of software downloading. However, transmitted downloading of software to systems such as video and audio receivers may create, in many circumstances, difficulties with continuity of service, play and with convenience of access for users. Particularly, operational software may become non-functional during the execution of a download. A period of non-functionality interrupts service and inconveniences users. Moreover, it risks the loss of both operational code and content data should the downloading process itself be interrupted, as for example by a power failure. There is a need in the art for a system for downloading functional software that does not interrupt the use of that operational software, and does not risk loss of the software or the content upon which it acts. There is a need for a system that allows the new operational code to be verified for accuracy before being loaded for use. There is a need for backing up the operational codes so that a function may continue after an interruption in a download. Finally, there remains a continuing need for economy, especially in respect to minimizing the costs of hardware components. All these needs exist in general for receivers that execute operational code, but also exist, in particular for option cards that supplement the services of the receivers into which they are installed.
Most digital content data distribution systems work according to common familiar concepts. Multiple content data streams, video, audio or data, are divided into packets, multiplexed, transmitted and routed for use to various receivers. The MPEG protocols are illustrative of the class, and are referred to herein as characteristic of the embodiments discussed herein. The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) is the expert group of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that has defined the MPEG standard protocols, such as the MPEG-2 standard (ISO/IEC 13818). Other protocols such as MPEG1 or DSS are alike in function although they vary in detail. Each standard is known in the art.
At some point, the video and audio content data, and other digital information must be multiplexed together to provide encoded bitstreams for delivery to the target destination. Standards set forth the manner in which video and audio are synchronized and multiplexed together, how frames are defined, how data is compressed, various syntax elements, the decoding process, and other information related to the format of a coded bitstream. Typically, video and audio data are encoded at respective video and audio encoders, and the resulting encoded video and audio data is input to an MPEG Systems encoder/multiplexer. This Systems multiplexer can also receive other inputs, such as control instructions, management information such as authorization identifiers, private data bitstreams, and time stamp information. The resulting coded, multiplexed signal is referred to as the MPEG transport stream.
The software downloads discussed herein may be transmitted among the transport stream or transmitted on a separate channel. Control instructions such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,895 to Pelkey, may be used to identify receivers to which downloads are directed.
The video and audio encoders provide encoded information to the Systems multiplexer in the form of an “elementary stream”. These elementary streams are “packetized” into packetized elementary streams which are comprised of many packets. Each packet includes a packet payload corresponding to the content data to be sent within the packet, and a packet header that includes information relating to the type, size, and other characteristics of the packet payload. Packets are frequently configured to be 256 bytes in size.
Elementary stream packets from the video and audio encoders are mapped into transport stream packets at the Systems encoder/multiplexor. Each transport stream packet includes a payload portion which corresponds to a portion of the elementary packet stream, and further includes a transport stream packet header. The transport stream packet header provides information used to transport and deliver the information stream, as compared to the elementary stream packet headers that provides information directly related to the elementary stream. Each transport packet header includes a packet identifier (PID) to identify the digital program or elementary stream to which it corresponds. Within the transport packet header is a packet identifier (PID), which is a 13-bit field used to identify transport packets which carry elementary stream data from the same elementary stream, and to define the type of payload in the transport packet payload. | {
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Since the advent of emissions standards for internal combustion engines for cars, trucks, and other vehicles, emissions of hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x) have markedly declined. This decline has been brought about through the use of a variety of techniques including electronic fuel injection (EFI), electronic (computerized) engine control (EEC), and the use of a variety of catalytic converters to oxidize hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, and to reduce NO.sub.x to nitrogen. However, increasingly more stringent emissions standards, particularly those promulgated by the California Air Control Board, require still further emissions reductions over extended periods of engine operation.
For example, California's ULEV emissions levels of 0.04 g/mile HC, 1.7 g/mile CO, and 0.2 g/mile NO.sub.x ; or the European Stage III requirements of 0.1 g/Km HC, 1.5 g/Km CO, and 0.1 g/Km NO.sub.x are difficult to meet with current equipment, and yet more difficult to sustain over 50,000 mile and 100,000 mile use periods. During emissions testing, a considerable amount of total emissions occur during engine warm-up after a room temperature soak. During this time period, the emissions-reducing catalysts located in the catalytic converter(s) are largely ineffectual due to the fact that they have not reached a temperature at which significant catalytic activity can be maintained (light-off). Thus, particular attempts have been made to decrease emissions during engine warm-up.
Among the devices used to decrease cold-start emissions are electrically heated catalysts to ensure rapid light-off; exhaust system burners, either EGI or fuel burners; close-coupled catalysts, and cold start spark retard and enleanment (CSSRE) or hydrocarbon traps. The first four of these are means of more rapidly heating the exhaust catalyst, thus reducing the light-off time and resultant cold-start emissions. The last are means of collecting hydrocarbons prior to exiting the system, and reusing them as fuel. In general, the above devices require additional hardware, packaging space, and cost.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,816 discloses an internal combustion engine having a closely coupled catalyst to reduce HC and further downstream catalysts for reducing NO.sub.x. The first catalyst is active during warm-up, following which a flapper valve bypasses the first catalyst, directing the exhaust exclusively to the downstream catalysts. The use of the electronically controlled flapper valve adds to component cost as well as introducing additional components capable of failure into the vehicle. The closely coupled catalyst is used during cold-start only, representing a non-economical application of expensive catalyst components.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,554, a two-stage catalytic converter is disclosed, the first converter containing an unspecified pretreatment catalyst, the second converter having multiple monolithic catalyst elements, a first element having deposited on its upstream end a multi-layer platinum/palladium catalyst containing 0.35 g/l to 1.0 g/l (9.9 g/ft.sup.3 to 28.3 g/ft.sup.3) of palladium. Located further downstream is a further oxidizing catalyst. The necessity for a pretreatment catalyst increases the cost and complexity of the system. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,554 system is not believed capable of meeting upcoming, more stringent emissions standards.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,059 are disclosed catalysts having improved light-off behavior prepared by impregnating active aluminum oxide, containing customary promoters, with platinum, palladium, and rhodium, followed by associating the precious metal catalysts with up to five times their mass of base metal. Amounts of palladium of c.a. 6.5 g/ft.sup.3 are disclosed.
It has also been proposed to further lower hydrocarbon emissions by injection of air into the exhaust stream by engine-driven or electrically driven air pump. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,872 discloses supplying air to maintain a stoichiometric increase in oxygen in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 volume percent excess oxygen. However, addition of air during cold-start conditions has the effect of reducing the temperature of the exhaust gases, thus increasing the time for catalyst light-off.
It would be desirable to provide a catalyst system which is capable of meeting ultra-low emissions levels by lowering cold-start emissions without the use of active components such as electrical heaters, fuel burners, flapper valves, and the like. It would be desirable, also, to minimize the light-off of such catalyst systems by employing a cold-start, light-off-assisting engine strategy. It would be further desirable to lower emissions through the optional use of air injection without significantly delaying catalyst light-off. It would be yet further desirable to maintain lowered emissions during warmed-up engine operation by eliminating spikes and break-through of CO and HC during this phase of engine operation. | {
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A parallelization compile method disclosed in a patent document, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-1807 (patent document 1) listed below, for example, serves as a parallelization method to generate a parallel program for a multi-core microcomputer based on a single program for a single-core microcomputer.
In such parallelization compile method, an intermediate language is generated from a source code of the single program by performing a lexical analysis and a syntax analysis, and, by using such an intermediate language, a dependency analysis and optimization and the like of a plurality of macro tasks (i.e., unit processes hereafter) are performed. Further, the parallelization compile method generates the parallel program based on a scheduling of the plurality of unit processes, which takes into account the dependency of each of the unit processes, and an execution time of each of the unit processes.
However, in a general embedded system, multiple tasks are executed in a switching manner by a real time operating system (RTOS). In such case, even though the parallel program may be generated by parallelizing those tasks, a synchronization process is required for parallelizing the multiple tasks, which makes it necessary for the RTOS to allocate a process time for the synchronization process.
That means, when the parallel program is relatively small, the process time reduced by the parallelization of the multiple tasks is surpassed by an overhead time that is required by the synchronization process. Therefore, the benefit of parallelization may not necessarily be enjoyed by all multi-task programs. In other words, the relatively short process time tasks are not suitably parallelized.
Further, the parallelization of the above-described tasks with the shot process time is not only difficult, but also is prone to an interference with other tasks, which makes it more difficult to execute in parallel, i.e., simultaneously.
For addressing parallelization of the short process time tasks, performing an inter-core exclusion process in addition to a relevant process may be one solution. However, the inter-core exclusion process has a much greater overhead in comparison to an intra-core exclusion process used in the single core microcomputer, which may greatly deteriorate the processing capacity of the multi-core microcomputer. | {
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In a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, frame structures respectively applicable to a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) mode and to a Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode are provided. As shown in FIG. 1, in the frame structure applicable to the FDD mode, each radio frame is 10 ms long and consists of 20 slots of length 0.5 ms, numbered from 0 to 19. A subframe i of length 1 ms consists of two consecutive slots 2i and 2i+1, where 0≦i≦9. In the frame structure applicable to the TDD mode, each radio frame of length 10 ms consists of two half-frames of length 5 ms each. Each half-frame consists of five subframes of length 1 ms. Each subframe i is defined as two slots, 2i and 2i+1, of length 0.5 ms in each subframe, where 0≦i≦9.
In the above frame structures, when a Normal Cyclic Prefix (Normal CP) is employed, seven symbols are included in a slot, and when an Extended Cyclic Prefix (Extended CP) is employed, six symbols are included in a slot.
In the LTE system, uplink power control may be performed to control transmit power of uplink physical channels, so as to compensate for channel path loss and shadow fading and suppress inter-cell interference. Uplink physical channels on which power control is performed include Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) and Sounding Reference Signal (SRS). In the LTE system, the uplink power control is performed in a manner of combining open loop control with closed loop control.
In the LTE system, the transmit power (in dBm) of a User Equipment (UE) in a PUCCH of subframe i is defined as equation (1):PPUCCH(i)=min{PCMAX,PO—PUCCH+PL+h(nCQI,nHARQ)+ΔF—PUCCH(F)+g(i)} (1)
In equation (1), PCMAX indicates UE Configured Maximum UE Output Power, with a range depending on multiple parameters, including Maximum UE Power depending on UE Power Class, System Configured Maximum Configuration power (IE P-Max), Maximum Configuration Output Power Tolerance (PCMAX Tolerance), Maximum Power Reduction (MPR), and Additional Maximum Power Reduction (A-MPR), etc.
In equation (1), PO—PUCCH is an open loop power control parameter, which is a sum of a cell specific value PO—NOMINAL—PUCCH and a UE specific value PO—UE—PUCCH.
In equation (1), PL is a Downlink Pathloss Estimate measured and calculated by the UE.
In equation (1), ΔF—PUCCH(F) is a power offset associated with PUCCH format (F). In the LTE system, 6 PUCCH formats are defined, i.e., PUCCH format 1/1a/1b/2/2a/2b. ΔF—PUCCH(F) is defined by taking PUCCH format 1a as a reference format. The power offset of the reference format, which configured by functionality at a high level, is 0. As shown in table 1,
TABLE 1PUCCH format (F)ΔF—PUCCH (F)1 [−2, 0, 2]1b [1, 3, 5]2 [−2, 0, 1, 2]2a[−2, 0, 2]2b[−2, 0, 2]
In equation (1), h(nCQI,nHARQ) is a value based on the PUCCH format F, where nCQI indicates the number of bits of a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), nHARQ indicates the number of bits of a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ).
For PUCCH format 1/1a/1b, h(nCQI,nHARQ)=0.
For PUCCH format 2/2a/2b with normal CP,
h ( n CQI , n HARQ ) = { 10 log 10 ( n CQI 4 ) if n CQI ≥ 4 0 otherwise .
For PUCCH format 2 with expended CP,
h ( n CQI , n HARQ ) = { 10 log 10 ( n CQI + n HARQ 4 ) if n CQI + n HARQ ≥ 4 0 otherwise .
In equation (1), g(i) indicates a current PUCCH power control adjustment state. As shown in equation (2),
g ( i ) = g ( i - 1 ) + ∑ m = 0 M - 1 δ PUCCH ( i - k m ) ( 2 )
In equation (2), for the FDD system, M=1, k0=4. That is, for the FDD system, the current PUCCH power control adjustment state g(i) in subframe i is an accumulated value of the power control adjustment state g(i−1) in subframe i−1 and an eNodeB-indicated transmit power control (TPC) command δPUCCH in subframe i−4. For the TDD system, the values of M and km are related to system uplink-downlink configurations. That is, for the TDD system, the PUCCH power control adjustment state g(i) in subframe i is an accumulated value of the power control adjustment state g(i−1) in subframe i−1 and a sum of a plurality of eNodeB-indicated transmit power control (TPC) commands δPUCCH in subframes i−k0, i−k1, . . . , i−kM-1. For the TDD system, if subframe i is not an uplink subframe, g(i)=g(i−1).
In equation (2), the transmit power control command δPUCCH is a UE specific closed loop modified value, which is transmitted by the eNodeB to a target UE in a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). If the UE does not detect a TPC command in a subframe, δPUCCH=0 dB.
The PUCCH is used to bear uplink control information (UCI), including scheduling request (SR), positive acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) of physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) and downlink channel state information (CSI) feedback by the UE. There are three forms of CSI, channel quality indication (CQI), pre-coding matrix indicator (PMI) and rank indication (RI).
A LTE-Advanced system is a next generation evolution system of the LTE system. In order to support greater system bandwidth and become backward compatible with the current LTE standard, a carrier aggregation technology is introduced. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the implementation of carrier aggregation in the LTE-A system. As shown in FIG. 2, each aggregated carrier is referred to as a component carrier (CC) or a serving cell. The plurality of CCs may be continuous or discontinuous. In FIG. 2, for discontinuous CCs, there is a component carrier gap between the CCs, each CC may be in a same operating band or different operating bands, and may include a plurality of sub-carriers.
In order to transmit large load ACK/NACK response information, a new PUCCH format is introduced in the LTE-A system, which is referred to as PUCCH format 3. As specified in the prior art, in a FDD system, the ACK/NACK response information to be feedback includes 10 bits at most, and in a TDD system, the ACK/NACK response information to be feedback includes 20 bits at most. When the ACK/NACK response information to be feedback has more than 20 bits, a spatial bundling operation is performed on all ACK/NACK response information corresponding to PDSCHs including 2 codeword streams. That is, a logical AND operation is performed on the corresponding ACK/NACK response information. When the PUCCH format 3 transmission is employed, in the case that the number of feedback bits is less than or equal to 11, a Reed-Muller (RM) encoding scheme is employed; when the number of feedback bits is greater than 11, a dual RM encoding scheme is employed, the ACK/NACK response information to be feedback is divided into two parts, which are encoded by using the RM encoding scheme respectively and then cascaded-interleaved for transmission. However, regarding how to divide the ACK/NACK response information, no specific solution has been proposed in the prior art.
As specified in the prior art, in the LTE-A system, the UE may concurrently receive a plurality of PDSCHs in multiple configured or activated serving cells. The ACK/NACK response information of the plurality of PDSCHs is transmitted in a single PUCCH on a UE specific CC. The UE specific CC is referred to as primary component carrier (PCC), or Primary cell (Pcell).
For the LTE-A system, the PUCCH power control is performed according to equation (3). The transmit power of PUCCH format 3 in subframe i is represented by PPUCCH(i),PPUCCH(i)=min{PCMAX,c(i),P0—PUCCH+PLc+h(nCQI,nHARQ,nSR)+ΔF—PUCCH(F)+ΔTxD(F′)+g(i)} (3)
where PCMAX,c(i) indicates the maximum transmit power of the serving cell c in subframe i, PO—PUCCH indicates an open loop power control parameter, ΔF—PUCCH(F) indicates a power offset associated with PUCCH format F, PLc indicates a downlink path loss estimate of the serving cell c measured and calculated by the UE, ΔTxD(F′) indicates a transmission diversity power compensation set according to a different PUCCH format F, with a value in a set of {0, −1, −2, −3} dB but not limited to this data set, h(nCQI,nHARQ,nSR) is a value based on the PUCCH format; as specified in the prior art, if single RM encoded PUCCH format 3 is employed and no transmission diversity is configured,
h ( n CQI , n HARQ , n SR ) = n HARQ + n SR - 1 2 ,if the single RM encoded PUCCH format 3 is employed and transmission diversity is configured, or if dual RM encoded PUCCH format 3 is employed,
h ( n CQI , n HARQ , n SR ) = n HARQ + n SR - 1 3 ,where nSR=1 if the current subframe is configured as an SR transmission subframe, otherwise, nSR=0, and nCQI is the number of bits of the channel quality indicator.
For the FDD system, nHARQ indicates the number of received transmission blocks. However, for the TDD system, a method for determining the nHARQ has not ever been proposed in the prior art, and thus there is no way to perform PUCCH format 3 power control according to equation (3). | {
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It is common to provide on-chip transformers to provide transient voltage rejection. As the rate of change of the voltage (dV/dt) in the primary winding of the transformer increases the back electromagnetic field (EMF) increases. Thus, with increasing frequency, as is the case with voltage transients, the reactance increases and the windings act as low pass filters thereby rejecting the transient voltage. However, these on-chip transformers remain susceptible to external magnetic fields. As shown in FIG. 1, as the component of any external magnetic flux (H) 100 passes parallel to the coil axis it generates a current 102 in the coil 104. This effect is evident in both the primary and secondary windings of a transformer. One such prior art on-chip transformer is shown in FIG. 2, which shows a primary winding 200 formed by etching a metal layer to define a helical configuration. The transformer further includes a secondary winding 202, again defined by a helically etched metal layer. Typically these helical coils 200, 202 are formed by photolithographic techniques as known in the art. As will be appreciated from the discussion above, an external magnetic field 210 will generate current in both the secondary winding 202 and the primary 200. Thus, current will flow in the secondary winding 202 due not only to the current directly induced in the secondary winding by the magnetic field but also due to the magnetic coupling between the primary and secondary windings 200, 202, which causes the current induced in the primary winding 200 to be transferred to the secondary 202. It will therefore be appreciated that any external magnetic fields that pass through the transformer windings perpendicular to the windings (parallel to the axes of the windings, which in the transformer shown in FIG. 2 coincide with one another) will cause substantial interference.
In the field of electric guitars the vibration of the guitar strings is translated into sound by making use of pick-ups. These comprise coils formed around one or more permanent magnets. The permanent magnets define a magnetic field, which if altered, produces a current in the coils. By placing a pick-up underneath each of the guitar strings, the vibration of the string, which passes through the magnetic field of the magnet causes the reluctance to change, which produces a current in the coil that is then coupled though an amplifier to a speaker to produce sound. In U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 3,962,946 to Rickard, the use of two coils wound in opposite directions is described, with permanent magnet cores oriented in opposite directions (north-south in the one and south-north in the adjacent one). Thus the magnetic fields generated by the two adjacent magnets have flux lines flowing in opposite directions to produce currents flowing in opposite directions in the coils when the guitar string is plucked. However, since the coils themselves are oppositely wound and connected in series, the currents combine. On the other hand any external magnetic fields passing through the windings will cause currents generated in the two coils to cancel each other out to eliminate noise or hum due to interference from external magnetic fields such as the 60 Hz mains interference. The present invention seeks to reduce interference from external magnetic fields in an on-chip de-coupling transformer. | {
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Source tracking refers to a procedure where an angle is determined between a single antenna and a phased array of multiple antennas. The goal of a source-tracking estimation algorithm is to locate a source with respect to a phased array. Source tracking can be done using a phased array at a receiver and a single antenna at a transmitter. This configuration is known as Angle-of-Arrival (AoA). Source tracking can also be done using a phased array at a transmitter and a single antenna at a receiver. This configuration is known as Angle-of-Departure (AoD). The source-tracking estimation algorithms are also referred to as Time-Delay-of-Arrival (TDoA) or Direction-of-Arrival (DoA). | {
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(a) Field of the Invention
This patent relates to satellite navigation, and more particularly to a new kind of mechanical buffer based polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber (PM-PCF) with low magnetic sensitivity for the fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) application.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Compared with conventional optical fibers, the photonic crystal fiber (PCF) contains many silica-air microstructures in its core region, which determine the fiber's optical characteristics. Therefore, by adjusting the geometric parameters of these microstructures, the PCF could be flexibly designed for the given purpose. FIG. 1 shows the PM1550-PCF 10a, which contains in the core region 11 (at least) three layers of air-holes 111 with diameter d and spacing Λ, while two air-holes 112 are enlarged to diameter D.
The arrangement of air-holes in the core region decides the fiber's optic parameters. During the fabrication process of the fiber optic gyroscope, the fiber could suffer from coiling, bending, twisting and temperature-induced stress, which will change silica's refractive index (elasto-optical effect), and affect the PCF's optical characteristics. FIG. 2 shows two kinds of forces on the fiber. Because of the low mechanical strength of silica, when the fiber is under external force, the refractive index of the silica will vary due to the elasto-optical effect. What's more, the arrangement of air-holes in the core region will be changed as well. Thus the fiber's optical characteristics are no longer reliable.
The factors above will influence the PCF's performance, increasing the fiber's magnetic sensitivity and magnetic errors. So far, the general solution to this problem is provided by adding a magnetic shield, which accounts for more than ⅓ of the weight in some small or medium gyroscopes, thus greatly restricting the application of the fiber optic gyroscope. | {
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The present invention relates to a network of lights used in, for example, a job site. | {
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The present invention relates to a method for applying a light shielding paint to a peripheral area of a lens, particularly a plastic lens, such as used in an optical system of binoculars, cameras, video projectors or television receiver sets, to form a light-shield coat thereon.
Hitherto, two types of light shielding paint for application to lenses have been available: One is a light shielding paint of a type containing an volatile solvent and the other is a two-component paint capable of hardening at room temperature. The application of any one of these light shielding paints requires manual intervention and skill.
More specifically, not only does it often occur that particles of the light shielding paint tend to stain an effective aperture area of a lens, but also the application of the paint is carried out in two separate steps to prevent the effective aperture area of the lens from being touched. (The term "effective aperture area" used in the specification and claims is to be understood as meaning a central area of the lens practically utilized for the passage of rays of light of interest therethrough in a direction parallel to the optical axis of such lens, in contrast to the peripheral area which is utilized for the support thereof on a lens mount or barrel.) Moreover, once the paint has been applied, the drying takes overnight, or several hours at least, constituting one of the major causes of the increased manufacturing cost of lenses coated on the peripheral area with the light shielding paint.
The above discussed problem may be negligible if the production of such lenses remains limited. However, when it comes to a projection type television receiver set, the production of lenses having a relatively large size is desired and, therefore, improvement of the productivity has come about by the use of an injection molding technique, the minimization of the weight and the minimization of the manufacturing cost. Thus, with the increased production of the lenses, a demand has arisen for a light shielding paint capable of hardening quickly.
Since the conventional method for forming a light-shield coat on the peripheral area of a lens is performed by a skilled worker using a brush and a black-colored paint, not only does the thickness of the resultant coat vary from one lens to another, but also a single lens tends to have a varying thickness of the coat. This is a problem in that the coated lens as a whole fails to meet the design requirements to such an extent that, when it is fitted in a lens mount, barrel or any other lens support, it tends to lack stability. Moreover, with the conventional method, the application of the black-colored paint has to be performed so as to form a light-shield coat to a thickness selected in consideration of the possible damage the coat may be subjected to when the coated lens is mounted on the lens mount, barrel or any other lens support. The conventional method has a problem as regards the minimization of the lens manufacturing cost and the uniformity in quality of the lenses.
Furthermore, on the one hand, while the production is increasing, the number of skilled workers competent to apply the paint to the peripheral area of each lens is limited, and on the other hand, no method for the formation of a coat of uniform thickness has yet been established and, therefore, the production tact time cannot be improved at all.
When it comes to conventional coating apparatuses, some employ a spray system and some employ a transfer system using rolls. In the spray system, the paint used is of a type containing a volatile solvent and it has numerous disadvantages in that it is difficult to keep the viscosity of the paint at a predetermined value throughout the coating operation because of the hardening of the material thereof, clogging of the paint tends to readily occur in a spray nozzle, spray of the paint often stains the apparatus, and solvent gases are susceptible to explosion unless the utmost care is taken in the environment in which the coating operation is performed. As regards the transfer system, not only is it difficult to apply the paint simultaneously to two faces of the angled peripheral area of the lens, but also the transfer roll or rolls are susceptible to wear so as to reduce their life time, particularly when the peripheral area of each lens has a plurality of projections such as gates of a few millimeters in length.
When it comes to a screen printing technique, it cannot be applied, without considerable difficulty, in coating a curved surface having indentations and, moreover, some limitations are imposed on both the hardening and drying time of the paint attributable to the reduced production tact time. Apart from the above, so far as the paint of a type capable of hardening when exposed to ultraviolet rays, i.e., a photo-setting paint, is concerned, it can result in a film or coat of a thickness not greater than 30 micrometers and must be repeatedly applied at least two times to form a double-layered coat in order for the lens to have a light-shielding property. However, it often happens that the first and second layers forming the double-layered coat separate from each other. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to methods of feature extraction, such as edge detection. It can be used in computer vision systems, including image/facial/object detection/recognition systems, scene interpretation, classification and captioning systems.
2. Technical Background
Most of the existing object detection algorithms are based on machine learning classifiers, which in their turn use features extracted from an image. Fundamentally there are two approaches to enhance the results of an object detection algorithm. The first approach is an enhancement of classification methodology, where many techniques have been proposed in the literature (Linear classifiers, Neural networks etc.). The second approach is an enhancement of features used. Researches who focus their work on the enhancement of features extracted from an image mostly concentrate on finding the set of discrete primitives describing the image content. The process of feature extraction is usually related to filtering of the image data and normalisation of the filter's response. However, there is one common flaw in most feature extraction techniques, i.e., during the normalisation and accumulation of image features the assumption is made that the filters producing a stronger response represents stronger image features. In practice, research is often being carried out with digital video or photographic images that are products of image processing pipelines, processing the image sensor data with unknown settings. As previously discussed, such processing can significantly alter image data, breaking linear dependencies between parts of an image and unbalancing the appearance of different image elements.
This invention provides a solution for a more robust edge detection method by taking sensor characteristics into account during edge detection. The method may be used for feature extraction or feature detection.
3. Discussion of Related Art
The research being conducted at present in the object detection and classification area is very intense. There are a number of object detection techniques, among which HOG-SVM and CNN are widely used.
One of the most successful object detection techniques is known as Histogram of Oriented Gradients—Support Vector Machine (HOG-SVM) as described in [1-5]. The results produced by object detection algorithms are continuously improving. The first step in the calculation of Histogram of Oriented Gradients is edge detection. Standard approaches are presented in [6-10].
A Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is a type of feed-forward artificial neural network (ANN) where the individual neurons are tiled in such a way that they respond to overlapping regions in the visual field. When used for image recognition, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) consist of multiple layers of small neuron collections which look at small portions of the input image, called receptive fields. The results of these collections are then tiled so that they overlap to obtain a better representation of the original image; this is repeated for every such layer. The layers form a hierarchical system in which the first layers look for lower level features; this is accomplished by means of convolution between a filter and an image.
Existing approaches that assume the object detection algorithm will run on recorded video or still image present a number of issues. First, object detection always needs image processing system to produce a quality RGB image or video sequence, which in many cases means increased system complexity. Secondly the object detection algorithms assume no knowledge about image source, as the image processing settings are not known. Therefore the performance of object detection algorithms may deteriorate quickly in low light conditions. | {
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Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are known to play an important role in embryogenesis, tissue homeostasis, and metabolism via FGF receptor (FGFR) signals (Non Patent Literature 1). In humans, there are 22 FGFs (FGF1 to FGF14 and FGF16 to FGF23) and 4 FGF receptors (FGFR1 to FGFR4; hereinafter, collectively referred to as “FGFRs”) having a tyrosine kinase domain. These FGFRs are each composed of an extracellular region comprising a ligand binding site composed of 2 or 3 immunoglobulin-like domains (IgD1 to IgD3), a single-pass transmembrane region, and an intracellular region comprising the tyrosine kinase domain. FGFR1, FGFR2, and FGFR3 each have two splicing variants called IIIb and IIIc. These isoforms differ in the sequence of approximately 50 amino acids in the latter half of IgD3 and exhibit distinctive tissue distribution and ligand specificity. It is generally known that the IIIb isoform is expressed in epithelial cells, while the IIIc isoform is expressed in mesenchymal cells. The binding of FGFs to FGFRs induces the activation of many signaling pathways (Non Patent Literature 1). As a result, FGFs and their corresponding receptors control a wide range of cell functions including growth, differentiation, migration, and survival.
The abnormal activation of FGFRs is known to participate in particular types of malignant tumor development in humans (Non Patent Literature 1 and 2). Particularly, FGFR2 signal abnormalities such as the overexpression of FGFR2 and its ligand, receptor mutations or gene amplification, and isoform switching, have been found to be associated with cancer (Non Patent Literature 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7).
As mentioned above, the possibility of FGFR2 as an excellent therapeutic target for cancer has been suggested. In fact, monoclonal antibodies against FGFR2 have been obtained and are under clinical trial (Non Patent Literatures 8, 9, 10, and 11).
For these reasons, the provision of methods capable of detecting expression of FGFR2 and its splicing variants is useful in the testing or diagnosis of FGFR2-related diseases such as cancer or of FGFR2 expression.
Many monoclonal antibodies which recognize human FGFR2 are known. However, very few of these known antibodies are capable of being used for immunohistological staining. For instance, only one clone known as 1G3 (Non Patent Literature 12) recognises denatured FGFR2 when fixed in formalin, which means it is capable of immunohistological staining. Neither antibody cross-reactivity to the denatured form of other FGFR families when fixed in formalin, nor selective recognition of the denatured human FGFR2 splicing variants IIIb and IIIc when fixed in formalin, have been reported.
A monoclonal antibody which selectively recognizes a denatured splicing variant IIIb of human FGFR2 fixed in formalin has been reported (Patent Literature 1). However, no monoclonal antibody which selectively recognizes a denatured human FGFR2 IIIc has been identified. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a flat weighbridge with a load platform supported via supporting devices by two one-armed or two two-armed levers arranged at least partly beneath the load platform.
2. Prior Art
The levers of such weighers are mostly unilaterally spread apart in a fork-like manner and are connected each at two places, via joints, with the casing. Likewise, the load platform is supported by each lever at two places in each case via flexible intermediate elements. Depending on construction requirements, both levers are one-armed or both are two-armed. A bridge construction of this type is well adapted to the generally rectangular form of load platform, but it presents the disadvantage that, due to the support of the load platform at four places, the position thereof is statically over-determined. Besides, the corner load adjustment must be carried out separately for all four corners, which requires at least three places of adjustment. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of radio communication technologies. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for feeding back data receiving status.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Long Term Evolution (LTE) system transmits data based on Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ), i.e., a data receiver will send receiving status feedback information of Acknowledgement (ACK) or Non-Acknowledgement (NACK) according to the corresponding data receiving status. Scheduling information for dynamic downlink data transmission is transmitted through a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), whereas except for Semi-Persistent Scheduling (SPS), initial transmission scheduling information for downlink data does not need to be transmitted through the PDCCH, and only at the time of retransmission of the downlink data, the scheduling information needs to be transmitted through the PDCCH.
For an LTE Time Division Duplexing (TDD) system, when the number of downlink subframes is larger than that of uplink subframes, receiving status feedback information for the data of multiple downlink subframes needs to be transmitted collectively in the same uplink subframe. One of the methods for the feeding back is to perform an “AND” operation on the receiving status feedback information for the downlink subframes that transmit data, so as to obtain receiving status feedback information of one bit for each code word. Because the downlink data transmission is scheduled dynamically through a PDCCH, and User Equipment (UE) may not be able to receive a PDCCH transmitted from a base station, there may be inconsistencies between the receiver and transmitter in the method of performing an “AND” operation according to code word. To address this problem, a Downlink Assignment Index (DAI) is used in the LTE TDD system to indicate the serial number of the current downlink subframe in the radio frame that transmits the PDCCH, so that the UE can detect whether a PDCCH in the downlink subframes has been lost. For a radio frame with 4 downlink subframes, the value of the DAI may be 1, 2, 3 and 4.
There is, however, a problem with the above method, i.e., a case in which the last several PDCCHs are lost cannot be detected. In the LTE TDD, therefore, it is specified that the UE needs to feed back receiving status feedback information on a receiving status feeding-back channel corresponding to the last one downlink subframe that receives a PDCCH, so that the base station can get aware of whether the UE has lost the PDCCHs of the last several downlink subframes from the channel on which the UE feeds back the receiving status feedback information.
In a Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) system, a Carrier Aggregation (CA) technology has been used to support a higher transmission rate, in which two or more Component Carriers (CC) are aggregated to obtain a larger working bandwidth. For example, to support a bandwidth of 100 MHz, 5 CCs of 20 MHz may be aggregated. Based on CA, the base station transmits downlink data to the UE on two or more CCs. Correspondingly, the UE also needs to support the receiving status feedback information for the downlink data received from the two or more CCs.
According to the current results of discussions on LTE-A, at most 4 bits of ACK/NACK transmission can be supported based on the technology of channel selection. In LTE-A Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD), the method of channel selection actually supports only two CCs and at most 2 bits of ACK/NACK information can be fed back on each CC. Taking a 4-bit table as an example, for a Primary CC (PCC) and a Secondary CC (SCC) employing cross-CC scheduling, the two ACK/NCK channels are obtained by scheduling PDCCHs for downlink data transmission. For example, assuming the minimum CCE index of PDCCH is n, the two ACK/NACK channels may be obtained through mapping by using an LTE method from CCE indexes n and n+1. For a SCC not employing cross-CC scheduling, the two ACK/NACK channels are configured by the higher layer, and the flexibility in assignment may be increased through an ACK/NACK Resource Indicator (ARI). According to the current results of discussions, a 4-bit mapping table as shown in FIG. 3 is employed in an FDD system. Here, ACK/NACK channels 1 and 2 correspond to the two ACK/NACK bits of a PCC sequentially and ACK/NACK channels 3 and 4 correspond to the two ACK/NACK bits of a SCC sequentially. In the table of FIG. 3, the feature that the two ACK/NACK channels always are present at the same time on or absent at the same time from the same CC is utilized to optimize the performance. Another 4-bit mapping table is as shown in FIG. 12. Here, only when some ACK/NACK information is ACK, the ACK/NACK channel corresponding thereto is selected for transmission. The only exception is that to take full advantage of the feedback capabilities of M (M is equal to 2, 3 or 4) ACK/NACK channels, when the first piece of ACK/NACK information is NACK and the remaining pieces of ACK/NACK information are all NACK or Discontinuous Reception (DRX), a Quadrature Phase-Shift Keying (QPSK) constellation point of the first ACK/NACK channel may be used for the indication. The method as illustrated in FIG. 12 may be applied to the scenario in which the 4 ACK/NACK bits and the corresponding ACK/NACK channels are all independent of one another.
In the tables, N denotes NACK, A denotes ACK, D denotes DRX and the symbol “/” denotes “or”.
For an LTE-A TDD system, in a case of supporting CA, the UE needs to feed back significantly more bits of receiving status feedback information than in single carrier transmission. For example, when a radio frame has 4 downlink subframes for transmitting data and 5 CCs, assuming Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) data transmission is configured for the UE, 40 bits of receiving status feedback information need to be fed back. Apparently, if the method of feeding back receiving status feedback information for single carrier is also used, many uplink overheads will be occupied and the uplink coverage area will be reduced. Moreover, all the uplink control channels currently supported in an LTE system cannot support so large an amount of receiving status feedback information. If it needs to support 40 bits of feedback, the structure of feeding-back channels needs to be redefined, which significantly increases the complexity of standardization.
Therefore, a need exists for an apparatus and a method for feeding back data receiving status, so as to reduce the uplink overheads occupied by the receiving status feedback information and increase the uplink coverage area. | {
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The present invention relates to a receiver and to a semiconductor integrated circuit having the receiver. More specifically, the present invention relates to a receiver that receives a signal, for instance, through an AC-coupling element, and to a semiconductor integrated circuit having such a receiver.
When wiring is used to directly transmit a signal between a plurality of semiconductor chips that differ in power supply voltage, semiconductor chip breakage or signal transmission failure may occur due to a voltage difference in DC voltage components of the signal to be transmitted. Therefore, when a signal is to be transmitted between the semiconductor chips that differ in power supply voltage, an AC-coupling element is coupled between the semiconductor chips so as to transmit only an AC signal. A capacitor or a transformer may be used as the AC-coupling element.
A certain method of signal transmission through an AC-coupling element indicates the direction of data transition in accordance with the amplitude direction of a pulse signal to be transmitted. When, for instance, a pulse signal having a positive amplitude is transmitted, the level of data is found to have transitioned from L to H (risen). When a pulse signal having a negative amplitude is transmitted, the level of data is found to have transitioned from H to L (fallen). This signal transmission method has the following problem although it can reduce a current consumption and a circuit area as compared to the other signal transmission methods.
A case where a transformer is used as the AC-coupling element is explained below. When transmitting a pulse signal having a positive amplitude, this signal transmission method causes a current to flow temporarily from one end of a primary coil to the other end. A positive electromotive force (a pulse signal having a positive amplitude) is then generated in a secondary coil in accordance with an electrical current change in the primary coil. On the other hand, when transmitting a pulse signal having a negative amplitude, this signal transmission method causes a current to flow temporarily from the other end of the primary coil to the one end. A negative electromotive force (a pulse signal having a negative amplitude) is then generated in the secondary coil in accordance with an electrical current change in the primary coil.
If the current flowing from the one end of the primary coil to the other end is blocked when the pulse signal having a positive amplitude is transmitted, a negative electromotive force (a counter pulse having a negative amplitude) is generated in the secondary coil in accordance with an electrical current change in the primary coil. Similarly, if the current flowing from the other end of the primary coil to the one end is blocked when the pulse signal having a negative amplitude is transmitted, a positive electromotive force (a counter pulse having a positive amplitude) is generated in the secondary coil in accordance with an electrical current change in the primary coil. Therefore, the receiver may acquire such a counter pulse as a normal pulse signal that indicates the direction of data transition. In other words, the receiver may erroneously determine the logic value of data.
A solution to the above problem is disclosed in “A 2.5 kV isolation 35 kV/us CMR 250 Mbps 0.13 mA/Mbps digital isolator in standard CMOS with an on-chip small transformer” (S. Kaeriyama, S. Uchida, M. Furumiya, M. Okada, M. Mizuno, 2010 Symposium on VLSI Circuits, Technical Digest of Technical Papers, 2010, pp. 197-198).
A configuration disclosed in “A 2.5 kV isolation 35 kV/us CMR 250 Mbps 0.13 mA/Mbps digital isolator in standard CMOS with an on-chip small transformer” (S. Kaeriyama, S. Uchida, M. Furumiya, M. Okada, M. Mizuno, 2010 Symposium on VLSI Circuits, Technical Digest of Technical Papers, 2010, pp. 197-198) compares the amplitude of a pulse signal having a positive amplitude to the amplitude of a pulse signal having a negative amplitude to determine which pulse signal is a normal pulse signal indicative of the direction of data transition. A related art disclosed in the above document uses such a configuration to prevent the logic value of data from being erroneously determined.
Other related arts are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. Hei 8 (1996)-236696 and 2011-142175.
An integrated circuit disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 8 (1996)-236696 has a three-dimensional structure formulated by vertically stacking integrated circuit chips. This integrated circuit is configured so that coupling inductance M is used to provide induction-based signal transmission between one portion of a vertically integrated circuit in one chip layer Ln and another portion of a vertically integrated circuit in another chip layer Lnx.
A configuration disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-142175 includes an AC-coupling element and a receiver. The AC-coupling element generates a reception signal V2 whose voltage changes in accordance with electrical current changes in an input transmission signal V1. The receiver reproduces the transmission signal V1 from the reception signal V2 by performing an integration operation on a numerical value based on the order of differentiation from the transmission signal V1 to the reception signal V2. | {
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Polyethylene film based on very low density copolymers of ethylene and 1-octene has a high degree of tear strength and puncture resistance. When large amounts of 1-octene are incorporated into the polyethylene, i.e., amounts sufficient to bring the resin density down to 0.915 gram per cubic centimeter or lower, the film exhibits extraordinary toughness, which is highly desirable for numerous applications such as packaging, geomembranes, greenhouse film, and liners.
An accepted way to produce this very low density copolymer is in the gas phase using a low pressure fluidized bed reactor. However, the relatively low vapor pressure of the 1-octene leads to condensation in the reactor. The condensation of the 1-octene, in turn, results in a swollen or wet resin, which magnifies the inherent stickiness of the low crystallinity polyethylene product. This exceptionally sticky resin impedes the fluidization of the resin particles in the reactor resulting in poor operability, and conveyance and storage of the resin becomes too difficult for a commercial facility. | {
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Recently, a quadruped robot apparatus which behaves in response to an instruction given by the user of the robot apparatus and adaptively to the surrounding environment and the like has been developed by the Applicant of the present invention, and commercially available. Such a robot apparatus has installed therein a CCD (charge coupled device) camera and microphone. Assessing the environmental condition and determining whether or not an instruction has been given by the user, based on an environment captured by the CCD camera, and a command voice from the user or an ambient sound, picked up by the microphone, the robot apparatus autonomously decides how to behave, and does the behavior, based on the results of assessment and determination.
However, since the robot apparatuses of the above type are normally used in the ordinary dwellings in which there exist many obstacles to the robot apparatus such as doorsills, power cords and the like, some measures have to be worked out to prevent the robot apparatus from easily tumbling while walking in such an environment. To this end, some solutions have been proposed. One of such solutions is a quadruped robot apparatus which controls its own behavior by detecting an obstacle based on image signals from the CCD camera and causing itself to detour around the obstacle based on the result of detection. Another solution is to provide a special force sensor in each of leg blocks of the robot apparatus, and detect, based on an output from the sensor, whether the robot apparatus has collided with any obstacle.
In the robot apparatus using the CCD camera, however, detecting an obstacle based on the image signals from the CCD camera takes a long time and it is not possible to recognize an obstacle, if any, at any high success rate. Also, the sensors provided in the leg blocks add to the number of parts of the robot apparatus whose construction will thus be complicated and production cost and weight will be increased.
Further, in case such a robot apparatus is provided with a plurality of sensors in predetermined positions, it will be able to detect an obstacle and behave as specified (sitting down, for example) correspondingly to a pressed one of the sensors. Therefore, provision of more sensors on the robot apparatus will permit the user of the robot apparatus to enjoy higher-level interactions with his or her robot apparatus.
However, in case such touch sensors are provided in predetermined positions on the robot apparatus, touch can only be detected in the limited positions and thus the interaction of the robot apparatus with its user will be limited. For example, use of advanced sensors for detection of a direction in which a force has been applied to the robot apparatus will also lead to a complicated construction, and an increased production cost and weight, of the robot apparatus. Also, such sensors cannot be provided at all portions of the robot apparatus. | {
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The present invention relates to a radio communication technology, and more particularly to a technology for reducing interference among base stations in a cellular radio communication system.
In a cellular radio communication system, multiple base stations or antennas are geographically dispersed and a radio communication service area is formed in a range in which the radio waves from the base stations and the antennas are received. A mobile terminal, which is capable of receiving signals from multiple base stations and antennas, is controlled so that the mobile terminal is connected to the base station from which the highest-quality signal is received. A radio communication system provides a mechanism, called a handover, via which a terminal switches the base station, to which it is connected, from one base station to another as the terminal moves, allowing the terminal to maintain the radio communication even when it is moving. To assure the connectivity of a terminal while it is moving, the boundaries of the service areas formed by the base stations and antennas overlap. The signal transmitted from each base station or each antenna, though significant information to a terminal connected to the base station and the antenna, is interference to the communication of a terminal connected to another base station or antenna. Such interference becomes an obstruction to an interfered terminal and results in a reduction in communication quality or throughput.
One known method for reducing interference among base stations is Fractional Frequency Reuse (FFR). This technology provides a mechanism in which multiple base stations and antennas put weight on the transmission power of frequency resources or select frequency resources to allow the usable frequency resources to be shared to prevent the generation of interference.
The technology FFR is based on the premise that mobile terminals are uniformly distributed. Actually, however, the distribution of mobile terminals depends on the factors such as commercial activities with the tendency that the density is high in a specific area. For example, the population density is very high at a major terminal station, but not in the area surrounding the major terminal station. As a result, there is a large difference between the number of terminals in communication with the base station covering a major terminal station and the number of terminals in communication with the base station covering an area surrounding the terminal station. Because of this, FFR that is based on the premise that the distribution of mobile terminals is uniform sometimes does not improve interference.
To achieve fairness for each mobile terminal when the distribution of mobile terminals is very uneven, it is desirable that the base stations surrounding a major terminal station limit the use of a part of frequency resources and that the reduction in interference in the limited frequency be declared to the surrounding base stations. In a part of radio communication systems using a new standard (for example, 3GPP TS36.423 V8.9.0 8.3.1 (Load Indication), hereinafter called Document 1), the interface for transmitting and receiving the information on the interference control among base stations is installed. This mechanism is called Inter Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC). In a radio communication system in which ICIC is installed, the resource state and the interference state must be reported among the base stations. FFR in which ICIC is installed is called Dynamic FFR (DFFR). | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a light-emitting diode (LED) package structure, and in particular to an LED package structure that separately arranges a light-emitting die and a voltage regulation diode in different sections.
2. The Related Arts
A liquid crystal display (LCD) is a flat panel display (FPD) that uses the nature of liquid crystals to display an image and shows, as compared to other known displays, several advantages in respect of being light and thin, low drive voltage, and low power consumption, making it a main stream product in the whole consumer market. However, the liquid crystal used in the liquid crystal display does not emit light by itself and must be provided with an external light source. Consequently, a liquid crystal display is additionally combined with a backlight module to provide the desire light source.
Generally, the backlight module is classified in two forms, namely an edge type backlight module and a direct type backlight module. The existing backlight modules use a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL), a hot cathode fluorescent lamp (HCFL), or a semiconductor based lighting device to serve as a light source. The semiconductor based lighting device generally uses light-emitting diode (LED) to emit light and, as compared to the cathode fluorescent lamps, can reduce more power consumption and save more energy and has a longer service life and a compacter size, making it increasingly replace the cathode fluorescent lamps. The LEDs will be the main stream light source for the backlighting of future LCDs.
Currently, an LED is subjected to semiconductor packaging in the form of a die to make an LED package, which is eventually coupled to a retention board of a backlight module. Categories of the product package structure of LED are divided according to characteristic factors including light color, die material, brightness, and size. A single die often constructs a point light source, while a combination of multiple dies may form a planar light source or a linear light source to provide indication and display of message and status. A light-emitting display also uses multiple dies and is formed by proper connection of the dies (including series connection and parallel connection) and suitable optic structures, which constitute a light-emitting section and a light-emitting spot of the light-emitting display. Among these devices, a surface-mount-device (SMD) LED is laid flat on a surface of a circuit board, making it suitable for surface mounting technology (SMT) processing and allowing for reflow soldering so as to be capable of solving problems in association with brightness, view angle, planarity, reliability and consistency, and also making it possible to eliminate the carbon steel lead pins of the pinned LED and reduce the quantity of epoxy resin filled in the display reflective layer, due to adoption of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and reflective layer materials that are lighter. The SMD LED can easily reduce the product weight by half, making it perfect for final application. As a result, the SMD LED is increasingly replacing the pinned LED, making the application and design thereof more flexible and taking a certain share of the LED display market with a trend of accelerated development.
Reference is made to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a conventional light-emitting diode (LED) package structure. As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional LED package structure 90 comprises a housing 91, a first electrode plate 92, a second electrode plate 93, a light-emitting diode 94, a voltage regulation diode 95, and a light-transmitting package portion 96. The housing 91 has a top surface forming a cavity 911. The first electrode plate 92 has a portion exposed on a bottom of the cavity 911 and another portion extending outside the housing 91 for external electrical connection. The second electrode plate 93 has a portion exposed on the bottom of the cavity 911 and another portion extending outside the housing 91 for external electrical connection. The light-emitting diode 94 is exposed inside the cavity 911 and has a first electrode electrically connected to the first electrode plate 92 and a second electrode electrically connected to the second electrode plate 93 through a first lead 941. The light-transmitting package portion 96 fills the cavity 911 and encloses components located inside the cavity 911. Light from the light-emitting diode 94 is allowed to transmit through the light-transmitting package portion 96 for upward emission.
However, in the conventional LED package structure 90, to protect the light-emitting diode 94 from being punctured by static electricity, a single one or a set of voltage regulation diodes 95 is set in parallel connection therewith to solve the problem. Reference is made to both FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein FIG. 2 shows a schematic circuit diagram of the conventional LED package structure shown in FIG. 1. In the LED package structure 90, the voltage regulation diode 95 is set on the housing 91, namely on the second electrode plate 93, with a first electrode thereof located on the underside to electrically connect to the second electrode plate 93 and a second electrode located on the upper side electrically connected to the first electrode plate 92 through a second lead 951. In other words, the voltage regulation diode 95 and the light-emitting diode 94 are in parallel connection, wherein the voltage regulation diode 95 is arranged as being reversely biased. As such, the voltage regulation diode 95 provides a function of protecting the light-emitting diode 94 from being punctured by static electricity. However, the voltage regulation diode 95 is positioned on the second electrode plate 93, namely in the upper portion of the housing 91, and is thus located inside the light-transmitting package portion 96. Further, since the voltage regulation diode 95 has an outside appearance that is not light transmittable and is often of a black color, the voltage regulation diode 95 shows a characteristics of blocking and absorbing light, causing influence on some light flux of the light-emitting diode 94 and thus lowering the lighting performance of the LED package structure 90.
Thus, it is desired to provide an LED package structure that overcomes the existing technical problems. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mixing box for an air condition system such as that shown in FIG. 1. The purpose of the system is to maintain a comfort condition, for example, a dry bulb temperature of about 75 degrees F., a suitable relative humidity and an air circulation rate not less than 0.4 cubic foot per minute per square foot of floor space (CFM/SF), for occupants of a room 10. The system includes a duct 11 and a flexible line 12 through which primary, conditioned air from a riser 13, is circulated through a mixing box 14*, and downwardly through a grill 15 into the room 10. The conditioned air flowing through the duct 11 into the mixing box 13 is typically at a temperature of about 50 degrees F., and bust be delivered to the room 10 at a rate adequate to provide ventillation or fresh air. The minimum ventilation requirement varies, according to code, and might be, for example, 0.05 CFM/SF. Hence air must be supplied to the room 10 at the minimum circulation rate of 0.4 CFM/SF, and must contain the minimum ventilation, e.g., of 0.05 CFM/SF of primary air. Where a single mixing box 14 serves a room 10, all of the required ventilation air must be supplied therethrough. However, when several mixing boxes serve a single room or zone, some of the boxes can furnish all of the required ventilation air, at least under some conditions of operation, while the others merely recirculate air. FNT *The instant invention involves details of construction, operation or both of the mixing box 14, these details are not shown in FIG. 1.
The mixing box 14 is positioned within a plenum 16 between a false ceiling 17 for the room 10 and a floor 18 of a room (not illustrated) thereabove. Air within the plenum 16 is heated, for example, to approximately 85 degrees F. by air rising from the room 10 through openings 19 in diffuser panels 20 of the lighting fixtures 21, and then through openings 22 in reflectors 23 of the lighting fixtures 12 and into the plenum 16. Air so circulated from the room 10 through the lighting fixtures 21 and into the plenum 16 is heated by the lights in the fixtures 21, which are shown as fluorescent tubes 24, so that the plenum 16 is a source for heated air. Additional, or alternate, heat sources, such as ducted hot air which might be at a temperature of 110 degrees F., can be positioned within the plenum 16 to augment the heat provided by the lights 24 in the fixtures 21.
The load in the room 10 can vary substantially from time to time depending on such factors as the occupancy of that room at a given time, the load imposed by the lights 24, computers, copiers, and other equipment that may be used within the room 10, and the load that may be imposed thereon by solar energy. Accordingly, the mixing box 14 is required to maintain the desired comfort temperature of 75 degrees F. notwithstanding variations in the air conditioning load which occur from time to time for the indicated and other reasons.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous mixing boxes* of the induction type have been suggested. In some such boxes, for example, the rate at which primary conditioned air is delivered to the mixing box 14 can be varied, with a compensating variation in the rate at which a flow of air, for example from the plenum 16 and/or from the room 10, is induced into the mixing box for mixture with the primary air, so that a mixture of supply air flows from the box at a substantially constant rate not less than the minimum circulation rate, but at a temperature which varies depending upon the proportions of primary conditioned air and induced air in the mixture. It has further been suggested that primary conditioned air can be by-passed around the induction portion of a mixing box to provide a maximum flow of primary conditioned air, with no induction for times of peak load on an air conditioning system. FNT *See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,114,505; 3,390,720; 3,516,606; 3,583,477; 3,604,625; 3,610,522; 3,611,908; 3,823,870; 3,883,071; 3,929,285; and 4,084,389.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,071 discloses a mixing box which receives and delivers to the room 10 primary conditioned air at a rate which is varied between a maximum, not less than the minimum circulation rate, and a predetermined lesser rate, the minimum ventilation requirement, as the air conditioning load on the room 10 varies between a maximum and an intermediate load. The apparatus includes an induction nozzle for inducing a flow of air from the plenum 16 and/or from the room 10, for mixture with primary conditioned air; the resulting mixture is delivered as supply air.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,285 and 4,084,389 both disclose mixing boxes which use a continuously operating fan, positioned downstream from the mixing region, rather than an induction nozzle, to induce air flow by drawing supply air from the mixing region for delivery to the room 10 at a constant rate not less than the minimum circulation rate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,285 also disclose apparatus wherein the rate at which primary conditioned air is delivered to the room 10 is varied between a maximum, not less than the minimum circulation rate, and a predetermined lesser rate, the minimum ventilation requirement, as the air conditioning load on the room 10 varies between a maximum and an intermediate load. When the air conditioning load on the room 10 is below the intermediate load, primary conditioned air continues to be delivered at the predetermined lesser rate while an induced flow from the plenum 16 and/or room 10 includes heated air, as required, for temperature control. | {
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Optical attenuators serve two primary purposes. The first purpose is to reduce the optical power transmitted in a system to allow for transmitter to detector balance. There is some loss of optical power over the length of a fiber optic cable. Additional optical power losses occur in each connector interface. An optical signal that travels a substantial distance between a transmitter and a detector or that travels through a number of connector assemblies will lose substantial optical power before the signal reaches a detector. Due to this loss of optical power, optical attenuators may be undesirable. On the other hand an optical signal that travels a relatively short distance through a relatively small number of connectors may have optical power at the detector that exceeds the detectors optimum optical power range. In situations in which signals with very high optical power reach a detector, it may be necessary to reduce the optical power with an optical attenuator to obtain optimum detector performance. The second purpose for employing optical attenuators is to test system performance. To test optical signal transmission systems the optical power must be reduced by a measurable quantity. Such tests can be used to test the system limits. To determine if an optical system will work when the optical power is reduced by 50% or some other selected amount, the optical power has to be reduced by 50% or another selected amount. Such a reduction is preferably made without changing the transmitter or the detector. To test the system performance as if under adverse conditions, it is necessary to degrade the system by a known quantity and then test for function. This will insure that the system will function under all conditions.
Optical attenuators that are currently used in operating optical systems either change the gap between two fiber optic cable ends or change the alignment between two fiber optic cable ends. The amount of attenuation obtained by these procedures depends on a number of different factors. These factors include fiber optic cable end shape and surface finish. Currently the ends of fiber optic cables in high performance systems are ground and polished. No two ground and polished fiber optic cable ends are exactly the same even when made in a laboratory. The variations in fiber optic cable end shapes make control of the gap between two cable ends difficult. It has not been possible to provide large air gaps in connectors that normally have abutting termini. Fiber optic cable connection end misalignment is difficult to control and measure. The misalignment angle, cable center line alignment, the gap between two cable ends, cable end shape and cable end surface condition all make a difference. Control of all these factors in the field is impossible. | {
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There is a recognized need to convert undrinkable water to potable water and to have the ability to cleanse liquids in general. Many inventions have been created to attend to this need. A list of such inventions includes the following.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,505 (Borgten) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,748 (Cellini) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,223 (Leary) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,718 (Lasater) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,243 (Miller) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,524 (Hoiss) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,460 (Hurt) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,672 (Smith) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,022 (Pitcher) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,664 (Younger) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,070 (Egosi) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,328 (Michels) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,489,652 (Williamson) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,235 (Cox) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,147 (Rannenberg) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,748 (Pottharst, Jr.) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,875 (Sturtevant) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,307 (Hagen) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,009 (McCabe) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,776 (Atwell) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,030 (Anderson) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,305 (Williamson) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,390,057 (Day) PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,140,986 (Hubbard) PA1 The S-200 Vapor Compression Water Processor.TM. produced by Superstill Technology Inc. PA1 U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, "Using Desalination Technologies for Water Treatment", OTA-BP-O-46 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, March 1988). PA1 a vacuum means; PA1 a distillation/purifying means in fluid communication with said vacuum means; and PA1 a collection area in fluid communication with said vacuum means and said distillation/purifying means, said distillation purifying means communicating distilled/purified fluid to said collection area and comprising a trap through which said distilled/purified fluid flows to said collection area. PA1 a vacuum means; PA1 a distillation/purifying means having heating means therein, said distillation/purifying means being in fluid communication with said vacuum means; and PA1 a collection area in fluid communication with said vacuum means and said distillation/purifying means, said distillation purifying means communicating distilled/purified fluid to said collection area and while separating and disposing of the fluids in which said distilled purified fluid was mixed, said heating means being activated for use in said distillation/purifying means only after said computer control system ensures that the vacuum level in said system corresponds to a latent heat of vaporization point which represents a set relationship with respect to the temperature of the fluid to be distilled/purified.
Unfortunately, many of these inventions are unduly complex, ungainly, uneconomical, unworkable, and/or not as efficient or as effective as they might be. The present invention attempts to overcome these drawbacks and to disclose an advance to the art. The present invention is essentially a closed loop system recycling heat, energy, and fluid. | {
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Ultrasound and vibratory type emitting devices have been used for medical therapeutic applications over the years. Various types of therapeutic devices have been proposed that apply ultrasonic oscillations and vibrations directly to an affected body part so as to relax muscles, quicken blood flow circulation, enhance healing of the skin, etc. See For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,127 to Abdelghami; U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,334 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,559 to Klopotek; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,202 to Noda et al.
However, these devices and systems have practical type limitations. For example, most of these devices are limited to direct contact of a portion of the device itself against the skin of the patient. As a result, the field of application is generally restricted to the areas directly beneath the skin contact point. The body contacting requirement does not allow these devices to easy slide over and across one's skin to different areas to be treated. Thus, moving these devices to other body areas usually requires that the device be physically raised, moved and lowered again to the area to be treated.
Furthermore, these devices are generally limited to using acoustical type vibratory signal emissions from a single generator type unit such as an electromagnetic generator, and does not use other energy sources, nor applies other energy emissions for treatments. Still furthermore, the single generators are generally limited to generating only fixed frequency outputs.
The subject inventor has previously sold a basic handheld tool entitled: Tens Cam having a single fixed frequency generating crystal that solely relied on an electromagnetic induction coil to drive a single crystal. The Tens Cam unit consisted only of a Coil wrapped around a longitudinal Crystal, powered by LISS BODY STIMULATOR power pack, where LEDs (light emitting diodes) are used to indicate power being turned on.
The operation of the Tens Cam used a fixed frequency of approximately 8 Hertz that was generated by an electromagnetic source in a narrow beam having a diameter of approximately 1 to approximately 2 millimeters. The delay time for therapeutic effects of the Tens Cam unit was between approximately two to approximately four (4) minutes.
The Tens Cam unit had problems due to it's' weight of approximately one pound and its' rough appearance and oblong shape. Taking up to four minutes to generate therapeutic effects on the patient was difficult to do over continuous treatments, since it required the operator to physically hold the one pound unit in a raised position above the patient being treated. Thus, operator fatigue was an inherent result of using this unit.
By physically holding the vibrating unit above a patient throughout a several minute treatment process the operator received direct vibratory effects from the unit. The combination of constantly holding the weight of the unit and the direct vibratory effects, along with the operator being constantly within the generation field of the unit created side effects such as but not limited to fatigue and malaise for the operator. Operators repeatedly using the Tens Cam have complained of side effects of medium nerve paraethias, which is a numbness and tingling effect to their hands and fingers.
Additional problems with the Tens Cam unit as with other electromagnetic and with vibratory units is that all these units can be known to give off heat which has caused tissue damage. Furthermore, theses prior art type units have limitations as to the tissue penetration being achieved, since the tissue penetration depth is limited by the mechanical nature of the vibrations.
All of the prior art units are limited to generating energy directly from electric power supplies and fail to take in additional energy to aid in the therapy treatment. Ambient energy is not used by the prior art devices.
Prior art units have been known to cause injuries directly to the patients. Using a strictly handheld supported vibrating and/or heat generating and/or electrically driven device can potentially injure the patients themselves, if the operator directly contacts the patients with the devices. Electric shocks, burns and other damage can be caused by the patients coming into direct contact with many prior art therapy devices.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the problems with the prior art devices. | {
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In a typical method for measuring a blood glucose level, redox reaction is utilized. Meanwhile, portable handheld blood glucose level measuring apparatuses are widely used so that the blood glucose level can be measured easily at home or away from home. In such a portable blood glucose level measuring apparatus, the blood glucose level is measured by mounting a disposable biosensor for providing an enzymatic reaction field to the apparatus and supplying blood to the biosensor.
The measurement of a blood glucose level may be performed by utilizing an electrochemical technique. In such a case, the blood glucose level is measured by mounting a biosensor 90 to a blood glucose level measuring apparatus 91 in such a manner as shown in FIG. 14 (See JP-B-H8-10208, for example). The biosensor 90 includes an insulating substrate 92 formed with a first and a second electrodes 93 and 94 for applying voltage to the enzymatic reaction field. The blood glucose level measuring apparatus 91 comprises a connector 97 including a first and a second terminals 95 and 96 coming into contact with the first and the second electrodes 93 and 94, and a measurement circuit 98 for determining the blood glucose level based on the information from the connector 97.
The blood glucose level measuring apparatus is affected by various disturbing noise. The disturbing noise may influence the measurement result or destroy the electronic part to make the measurement impossible. Particularly, a portable small measurement apparatus is liable to be influenced by static electricity from a human body. Specifically, since the biosensor 90 is usually mounted to the blood glucose level measuring apparatus 91 manually, the static electricity, if built up in the human body, is discharged to the first and the second electrodes 93 and 94 of the biosensor 90 or the first and the second terminals 95 and 96 of the blood glucose level measuring apparatus 91. If no countermeasure is taken against the static electricity, the static electricity is inputted, as disturbing noise, into the measurement circuit 98 through the first electrode 93 and the first terminal 95, for example. Therefore, as the conventional measures to reduce the influence of static electricity, the arrangement of the first and the second terminals 95 and 96 in the blood glucose level measuring apparatus 91 has been contrived or the withstand voltage of each electronic part constituting the measurement circuit 98 has been increased. In another method to cope with static electricity, a conductive sheet is disposed adjacent to the connector or the nearby portion (See JP-Y-H8-2609, for example).
However, the above-described conventional countermeasures against disturbing noise are realized by modifying the design of the blood glucose level measuring apparatus 91. Therefore, such countermeasures complicate the structure of the blood glucose level measuring apparatus 91 and increase the size of the apparatus, and hence, increase the manufacturing cost.
Recently, there is a tendency to reduce the thickness of the first and the second electrodes 93 and 94 to reduce the manufacturing cost of the biosensor 90. Further, to adapt the biosensor 90 to the portable blood glucose level measuring apparatus 91, the size of the biosensor 90, including the size of the first and the second electrodes 93 and 94, cannot help being reduced. In such cases, the resistance of the first and the second electrodes 93 and 94 increases. Therefore, in the circuit structure shown in FIG. 14, for example, Joule heat is generated adjacent to the contact point between the first electrode 93 and the first terminal 95 of the blood glucose level measuring apparatus 91 when static electricity tries to move through the contact point. When the generated Joule heat is high, the first electrode 93 may melt. In such a case, the biosensor 90 mounted to the apparatus cannot measure the blood glucose level. Further, the melt of the first electrode 93 of the biosensor 90 adheres to the first terminal 95 of the blood glucose level measuring apparatus 91 and changes the resistance of the first terminal 95, so that an error is generated in the subsequent measurement of responsive current. Such a problem is more significant as the thickness of the first electrode 93 is made smaller. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The current invention relates to a reactor for biological, in particular anaerobic, purification of waste water including a reactor vessel having a substantially flat or round bottom, at least one supply line arranged in the lower region of the reactor vessel for feeding waste water to be purified into the reactor, at least one fluid discharge pipe for discharging purified waste water from the reactor, and at least one discharge pipe for solid matter arranged in the lower region of the reactor vessel for discharging solid matter from the reactor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multitude of mechanical, chemical and biological methods and corresponding reactors are known for waste water purification. In biological waste water purification, the waste water to be purified is brought into contact with aerobic or anaerobic micro-organisms, which in the case of aerobic micro-organisms decompose organic contaminants contained in the waste water predominantly to carbon dioxide, biomass and water, and in the case of anaerobic micro-organisms mainly to carbon dioxide and methane and only in small part to biomass. In recent times the biological waste water purification methods are carried out increasingly with anaerobic micro-organisms whereby the reactors, depending on the type and form of the utilized biomass, are categorized for anaerobic waste water purification into contact sludge reactors, upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASA) reactors, expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactors, fixed bed reactors and fluidized bed reactors. Whereas the micro-organisms in fixed bed reactors adhere to stationary carrier materials and the micro-organisms in fluidized bed reactors adhere to freely moving, small carrier material; the micro-organisms in UASB and EGSB reactors are utilized in the form of so-called pellets.
In the case of UASB and EGSB reactors, waste water which is to be purified, or a mixture of waste water which is to be purified and already purified waste water from the outlet of the anaerobic reactor, is fed continuously to the reactor through an inlet which is arranged in the lower region of the reactor and is directed through a micro-organism pellet-containing sludge bed which is located above the inlet. During decomposition of the organic compounds from the waste water, the micro-organisms form methane and carbon dioxide containing gas (which is also referred to as biogas) which partially adheres to the micro-organism pellets in the form of small bubbles and which partially rises to the top in the reactor in the form of free gas bubbles. Because of the added gas bubbles the specific weight of the pellets decreases, which is the reason that the pellets rise to the top in the reactor. In order to separate the formed biogas and the rising pellets from the water, separators are arranged in the center and/or upper part of the reactor, mostly in the embodiment of gas hoods under the top of which biogas accumulates, forming gas cushions. Purified water, relieved of gas and micro-organism pellets rises to the top in the reactor and is drawn off at the upper end of the reactor through overflows.
Moreover, during operation of the reactor, solids continuously float downward in the reactor and settle on the reactor bottom from where they are discharged from the reactor through a solid matter discharge pipe. These are, on the one hand, solids contained in the waste water and, on the other hand, solid matter which initially only forms in the reactor, for example in the situation where waste water having a high content of dissolved calcium is used—as for example waste water from the paper industry. Due to chemical conditions, a portion of the calcium precipitates as solid calcium-carbonate. Since the solid matter settles uniformly across the reactor cross section, not all solid matter sediments can be removed in practice from the reactor through the solid matter discharge line. Therefore, large areas of sediment accumulate increasingly on the reactor bottom and in particular at right angle locations in the reactor vessel. In order to remove these sediments from the reactor, the reactor must be shut down from time to time.
To overcome this problem, reactors for biological purification of waste water have been suggested, for example in DE 40 42 223 A1, whereby the lower reactor section tapers conically in the downward direction. This ensures that at least the greater portion of the sediment accumulates in the tip of the cone from where it can be easily discharged from the reactor through a solid matter discharge pipe. This lower conical reactor section must, however, be manufactured from a particularly stable material in order to be able to withstand the weight of the waste water contained in the possibly several meters high reactor. Moreover, manufacture of a reactor of this type is very complicated and therefore expensive.
What is needed in the art is a reactor for biological, in particular anaerobic, purification of waste water from which solid matter occurring during its operation can be easily and in particular completely removed and which is of simple design and can be produced cost effectively. The reactor is to be suitable for purification of calciferous waste water, for example from the paper industry. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a refrigerating cycle system suitable for an automotive air conditioner, which includes a hot-gas bypass for introducing gaseous refrigerant (hot gas), discharged from a compressor, directly into an evaporator while bypassing a condenser at a heating state so that the gaseous refrigerant radiates heat in the evaporator.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional automotive air conditioner, hot water (engine cooling water) is circulated in a heat exchanger for heating at a winter season heating state, and air is heated by exchanging heat with the hot water in the heat exchanger. In this sytem, there is a case where hot water does not have a temperature sufficient for raising the temperature of air, which is to be blown into a compartment, up to a desired level. This results in insufficient heating capacity.
To solve this problem, JP-A-5-223357 proposes a refrigerating cycle system using a hot-gas bypass so as to enhance the heating capacity. Specifically, a hot-gas bypass passage is provided so that gaseous refrigerant (hot gas) that is discharged from a compresser pypasses a condenser and directly communicates with an evaporator, and a decompressing part is provided in the hot-gas bypass passage. Accordingly, even when a hot water temperature is lower than a specific temperature as in an engine starting state, gaseous refrigerant can be directly introduced into the evaporator after being decompressed by the decompressing part in the hot-gas bypass passage so that heat is radiated from gaseous refrigerant toward air in the evaporator.
In the system described above, an amount of work of compression in the compressor is ideally transformed into a radiation amount (heating capacity) in the evaporator. Therefore, a heat loss amount (radiation amount) radiated toward an outside through a pipe that defines therein the hot-gas bypass passage directly lessens the heating capacity. Especially, in a winter season, there arises a large difference between a temperature of gaseous refrigerant immediately after discharged from the compressor, which can, for instance, be 70.degree. C. at a discharge pressure of 20 kgf/cm.sup.2, and an outside air temperature, which can, for instance, be -20.degree. C. Therefore, the longer the pipe length of the hot-gas bypass passage in which refrigerant flows before decompression becomes, the more the heat loss amount of gaseous refrigerant in the hot-gas bypass passage is increased.
In addition, when refrigerant has a temperature of 70.degree. C. and a pressure of 20 kgf/cm.sup.2 immediately after discharged from the compressor, under a condition with an outside air temperature of -20.degree. C., the refrigerant can have the temperature of 40.degree. C. and a pressure of 2 kgf/cm.sup.2 after decompressed by the decompressing part in the hot-gas bypass passage and have a temperature of -10.degree. C. and a pressure of 1 kgf/cm.sup.2 at the outlet side of the evaporator.
To the contrary, because the condenser is exposed to an ambient atmosphere with a temperature of -20.degree. C., a temperature of refrigerant is cooled down to -20.degree. C. to be equal to the ambient temperature, within the condenser, and accordingly refrigerant is transformed into a liquid state with a saturation pressure (0.5 kgf/cm.sup.2 G) that corresponds to the temperature. Therefore, refrigerant immediately after decompressed by the decompressing part in the hot-gas bypass passage has a high temperature and a high pressure as compared to those of refrigerant within the condenser. Consequently, refrigerant tends to flow from the hot-gas bypass passage into the condenser.
To solve this problem, in the above-described system, a check valve is disposed on an outlet side of a receiver that is disposed on the outlet side of the condenser. However, in an automotive air conditioner, the condenser and the receiver are usually installed in an engine room fore most portion (ahead of a radiator). Therefore, when the check valve is provided adjacently to the receiver, it is necessary to provide a relatively long pipe for connecting a confluence point between the evaporator and the hot-gas bypass passage outlet portion and the check valve. As a result, liquid refrigerant gathers within the pipe between the confluence point and the check valve. This causes shortage of a refrigerant amount circulating when the hot-gas bypass passage is opened, resulting in deterioration of the heating capacity and an abnormal increase in temperature of gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor. In addition, the check valve along the refrigerant pipe requires an exclusive joint, resulting in increased cost. | {
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The invention is based on an insertable tool with a rotationally driven disk-shaped hub.
Typically, disk-shaped insertable tools, such as grinding wheels or cutting-off wheels for angle grinders, consist entirely of bonded grinding means, and they have a central circular recess by way of which the insertable tool can be fastened to an angle grinder spindle with a lock nut by nonpositive engagement in the circumferential direction and by positive engagement in the axial direction. Both insertable tools that have a reinforcement of sheet metal in the region of the recess and those without such a reinforcement are known. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for regenerating a plating composition which is suitable for depositing at least one a first metal on a substrate as well as to a regeneration apparatus for regenerating said composition which is suitable for depositing said at least one a first metal on said substrate. Such methods and apparatus are used to regenerate compositions which are suitable for the generation of a metal film such as a nickel, cobalt, or tin film on a substrate, like a plastic, ceramic, glass, and/or metallic part by electroless, i.e., autocatalytic plating of metal.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Metal deposition is well-known since decades and has first been used to plate metallic parts like tubings, fittings, valves, and the like. These metal deposits were formed using electrolytic deposition employing an external current source and providing the electric current to the parts and to a counter electrode being in contact with a plating composition.
To plate metal on plastics and on other electrically non-conducting substrates as well as plating metal on parts having isolated metallic regions thereon which cannot be electrically contacted individually, electroless plating was developed. In this case a plating composition is used which contains ions of the metal to be plated and a reducing agent which is capable of reducing the metal to be plated. Such electroless plating compositions have extensively been investigated and used in industry. Electroless plating compositions suitable to plate copper contain, in addition to a copper salt and complexing agents for copper ions, formaldehyde as the reducing agent. These solutions are highly alkaline. Electroless plating compositions suitable to plate nickel contain, in addition to a nickel salt and complexing agents for nickel ions, a hypophosphite salt or the acid thereof, dimethylamine borane, a borohydride, or a hydrazinium salt as the reducing agent. When a hypophosphite salt or the acid thereof is used as the reducing agent, phosphorous will be incorporated into the nickel deposit which might be as much as 12 at.-% of the deposit. When dimethylamine borane or a borohydride salt is used as the reducing agent, boron will be incorporated into the nickel deposit, which might be as much as 5 at.-% of the deposit. When a hydrazinium salt is used as the reducing agent, the nickel deposit may essentially be made of pure nickel, eventually containing a small amount of nitrogen (S. Yagi, K. Murase, S. Tsukimoto, T. Hirato, Y. Awakura: “Electroless Nickel Plating onto Minute Patterns of Copper Using Ti(IV)/Ti(III) Redox Couple”, J. Electrochem. Soc., 152(9), C588-C592 (2005)).
For electroless plating of nickel which is virtually free of any impurities, a nickel plating composition containing, in addition to nickel sulfate, titanium chloride (TiCl3) as a reducing agent has been proposed (M. Majima, S. Inazawa, K. Koyama, Y. Tani, S. Nakayama, S. Nakao, D.-H. Kim, K. Obata: “Development of Titanium Redox Electroless Plating Method”, Sei Technical Review, 54, 67-70 (2002); S. Nakao, D.-H. Kim, K. Obata, S. Inazawa, M. Majima, K. Koyama, Y. Tani: “Electroless pure nickel plating process with continuous electrolytic regeneration system”, Surface and Coatings Technology, 169-170, 132-134 (2003); S. Yagi et al., ibid.).
M. Majima et al., ibid. report that the electroless nickel plating compositions contain nickel sulfate, trivalent titanium chloride, trisodium citrate, nitrilotriacetic acid and an amino acid. The pH of the composition is 8-9 and is adjusted using ammonium hydroxide. Bath temperature is 50° C. The deposition rate is reported to be in a range of from about 0.1 to about 0.2 μm/h. The experiments to show feasibility of nickel deposition were performed using a urethane foam. This resulted in a porous nickel (Celmet) that can be used as a current collector for batteries. The urethane foam was pretreated prior to electroless nickel deposition by contacting the foam with Pd which was absorbed as a catalyst by the sensitizer-activator process.
S. Yagi et al., ibid. report performing nickel deposition on minute patterns on silicon semiconductor devices which have lines and spaces which are as small as 160 nm. The plating composition is similar to that of M. Majima et al.
S. Nakao et al., ibid. additionally report that the deposition rate decreased with increasing the plating time when the concentration of trivalent titanium ions is not controlled. Such decrease would be attributed to a trivalent titanium ion concentration decrease with time because of, in addition to consumption due to the nickel deposition, spontaneous oxidation with dissolved oxygen in the solution. In order to keep the deposition rate constant by keeping the concentration of trivalent titanium ions constant, the deposition solution was subjected to electrolytic regeneration. An apparatus for such regeneration was shown to comprise the plating bath as a catholyte and a sodium sulfate solution as an anolyte and a liquid connection therebetween comprising an ion-exchange membrane.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,787 B1 further mentions that tin, cobalt, and lead could also be deposited and that, apart from trivalent titanium, also cobalt, tin, vanadium, iron, and chromium could be used as the reducing agents. This document specifies the ion-exchange membrane of a preparation tank to be an anion exchange membrane. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,787 B1 reports that an activation process is used to prepare the plating bath which comprises using an electrode as an anode which may be made from the same metal as that of the metal which is deposited. Since the metal ions can be supplied to the plating bath by an anode dissolving reaction in the anode chamber simultaneous with activation of the plating bath by a cathode reaction in the cathode chamber, the composition of the bath can be easily regenerated. A first apparatus is shown which comprises the cathode and anode, wherein the cathode is made from platinum-coated titanium and the anode is made from nickel. In order to suppress nickel deposition on the cathode, its area is kept low so that the electrical current density at the cathode is set greater than the limit electrical current density of nickel electrodeposition. U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,787 B1 also reports using a carbon electrode which is activated with an oxidative process thus more securely preventing deposition of the deposition metal on this electrode during the activation step. A second apparatus is also shown which comprises a cathode chamber with a cathode and an anode chamber with an anode, these two chambers being separated from each other by an anion exchange membrane. The cathode chamber is connected to a plating tank and the anode chamber is connected to an anode liquid tank. The anode liquid is dilute sulfuric acid. In this case, both cathode and anode are made from carbon felt. If a nickel foil was used as the cathode instead, much less efficiency was achieved. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,787 B1 reports that nickel being deposited on the cathode can be dissolved into the plating bath if this electrode is used as an anode in the next process of activation of the bath.
It has turned out that the plating rate of the plating bath of U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,787 B1 is very low. For example 0.6 μm of nickel are deposited on a Pd-activated ABS resin plate within 2 hours. Such plating rate is too low for most industrial purposes such as manufacture of printed circuit boards, IC substrates, and the like. Furthermore, it also turned out that metal concentration in the plating bath steadily increases due to the use of an anode which is made from the metal to be deposited. Therefore, steady-state conditions cannot be achieved easily. Furthermore, it also turned out that plating out of the metal to be deposited in the regeneration cell occurs easily, if the plating bath is tuned to fast plating. This behavior is detrimental because the ion selective membrane separating the anode and cathode compartments can easily be destroyed. | {
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A gel base prepared by increasing the viscosity of an aqueous carboxyvinyl polymer solution with a basic viscosity-increasing agent such as sodium hydroxide, triethanolamine, diisopropanolamine, etc. has such excellent characteristics that (i) since the stock polymer has a high purity and uniform quality, it can give a topical preparation with a high reproducibility, (ii) it shows almost a constant viscosity in the range of a temperature of from 10.degree. to 70.degree. C., (iii) it is hardly decomposed with microorganisms such as bacteria, (iv) the gel is stable in a wide range of pH, and the like, and hence, it has been used for preparing various topical preparations such as medicines, cosmetics, etc. However, the gel base has such defects that the viscosity thereof is decreased by irradiation with a light (ultraviolet light), and it shows low storage stability, and further that it is restricted in the utility. When the above-mentioned conventional basic viscosity-increasing agents are used, it must be adjusted to pH 10 or higher in order to eliminate the above defects. An ointment having pH 10 or higher shows high irritation to mucous membranes and skin which is not tolerable. | {
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Carbon nanotubes are hexagonal networks of carbon atoms forming seamless tubes with each end capped with half of a fullerene molecule. They were first reported in 1991 by Sumio Iijima who produced multi-layer concentric tubes or multi-walled carbon nanotubes by evaporating carbon in an arc discharge. They reported carbon nanotubes having up to seven walls. In 1993, Iijima's group and an IBM team headed by Donald Bethune independently discovered that a single-wall nanotube could be made by vaporizing carbon together with a transition metal such as iron or cobalt in an arc generator (see Iijima et al. Nature 363:603 (1993); Bethune et al., Nature 363: 605 (1993) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,054). The original syntheses produced low yields of non-uniform nanotubes mixed with large amounts of soot and metal particles.
Presently, there are three main approaches for the synthesis of single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes. These include the electric arc discharge of graphite rod (Journet et al. Nature 388: 756 (1997)), the laser ablation of carbon (Thess et al. Science 273: 483 (1996)), and the chemical vapor deposition of hydrocarbons (Ivanov et al. Chem. Phys. Lett 223: 329 (1994); Li et al. Science 274: 1701 (1996)). Multi-walled carbon nanotubes can be produced on a commercial scale by catalytic hydrocarbon cracking while single-walled carbon nanotubes are still produced on a gram scale.
Generally, single-walled carbon nanotubes are preferred over multi-walled carbon nanotubes because they have unique mechanical and electronic properties. Defects are less likely to occur in single-walled carbon nanotubes because multi-walled carbon nanotubes can survive occasional defects by forming bridges between unsaturated carbon valances, while single-walled carbon nanotubes have no neighboring walls to compensate for defects. Defect-free single-walled nanotubes are expected to have remarkable mechanical, electronic and magnetic properties that could be tunable by varying the diameter, number of concentric shells, and chirality of the tube.
It is generally recognized that smaller catalyst particles of less than 3 nm are preferred for the growth of smaller diameter carbon nanotubes. However, the smaller catalyst particles easily aggregate at the higher temperatures required for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes. U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0005269 to Huang et al. discloses a mixture of catalysts containing at least one element from Fe, Co, and Ni, and at least one supporting element from the lanthanides. The lanthanides are said to decrease the melting point of the catalyst by forming alloys so that the carbon nanostructures can be grown at lower temperatures.
Aside from the size of the catalyst, the temperature of the reaction chamber can also be important for the growth of carbon nanotubes. U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,874 to Zhang et al. discloses a method of preparing nanotubes by melting aluminum to form an alumina support and melting a thin nickel film to form nickel nanoparticles on the alumina support. The catalyst is then used in a reaction chamber at less than 850° C. U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,526, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/00178846, both to Dai et al., disclose a method of forming nanotubes for atomic force microscopy. A portion of the support structure is coated with a liquid phase precursor material that contains a metal-containing salt and a long-chain molecular compound dissolved in a solvent. The carbon nanotubes are made at a temperature of 850° C.
It is well known that the diameter of the single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) produced is proportional to the size of the catalyst particle. In order to synthesize nanotubes of small diameter, it is necessary to have catalyst particles of small particle size (less than about 1 nm). Catalysts of small average particle sizes with narrow distribution are difficult to synthesize. Further, recognized methods for determining the catalyst particle size distribution are not currently available, especially when the catalyst particles are supported on support powders, and thus buried inside the pores of the support powders.
Thus, there is a need for methods and processes for controllable synthesis of carbon single-walled nanotubes with small and narrow distributed diameters. Accordingly, the present invention provides novel methods and processes for determining the average particle size and particle size distribution of catalyst particles that can be used for preparation and optimization of catalyst and for the synthesis of SWNTs with small and narrow distributed diameters. | {
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An autonomous vacuum cleaner, being a fully automated cleaning device, is a renovating device different from those conventionally vacuum cleaners and other sweeping devices, that is can clean a specific area autonomously without any human attention and thus is foreseen to be the future cleaning device replacing those conventional manual-operated vacuum cleaners and other cleaning devices. After the operation mode is set, an autonomous vacuum cleaner is able to maneuver around obstacles while performing a ground cleaning operation, even cleaning those usually considered as the dead spots of cleaning.
Although the autonomous vacuum cleaner is a great help to daily household cleaning, its function is limited by its power source, which is not an alternating current (AC) power source, and by its own interior space, which limited the same from adopting those air compressors used in those conventional vacuum cleaners. Therefore, as the autonomous vacuum cleaner only has limited power supply, a good centrifugal fan is essential for enabling the same to have good performance. Nonetheless, the centrifugal fan is beneficial for its operating noise is lower than those conventional air compressors.
It is noted that there are already several prior-art techniques of robotic vacuuming cleaner currently available on the market. One such technique is disclosed in TW Pat. No. I220383, which shows a conventional contact-type autonomous vacuuming cleaner. However, the aforesaid contact-type autonomous vacuuming cleaner is short in that: the drivers and the wheels used in the driving wheel module of the contact-type autonomous vacuuming cleaner is not detachable from the driver such that it is required to replace the whole driving wheel module when there is only required to repair a broken motor of a driver or to replace the tire of a wheel, which is costly. In addition, the aforesaid contact-type autonomous vacuuming cleaner is not adapted for cleaning dead spots so that it is not efficient when it comes to dead spot cleaning. Moreover, as the aforesaid cleaner can be attached with a mopping unit for using the same to perform a floor-mopping operation, it is important to remind a user to replace/clean the mopping unit constantly and periodically, otherwise, mopping floor with a dirty mopping unit is not a good idea for cleaning.
In those prior-art techniques of robotic vacuuming cleaner, it is common to fit the cleaner with side brooms for enabling the same the ability to clean dust accumulated at corners. However, those side brooms often are the major noise producer of the cleaner.
Therefore, it is in need of an improved robotic vacuum cleaner that is freed from the foregoing drawbacks. | {
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The present invention relates to a textile sheet material having improved mechanical stability, more particularly having stab and/or ballistic resistance, and offering protective performance against chemical and/or biological poisons, and also to protective materials, such as protective suits, protective gloves, protective shoes and protective coverings, produced using the textile sheet material of the invention and/or including the textile sheet material of the invention. The present invention further relates to using the textile sheet material of the invention for production of protective materials of any kind, more particularly as hereinabove recited.
Persons active in the field of threat prevention, such as security personnel, police officers, border guards and also soldiers in military units, when deployed in the event of demonstrations, civil, unrest or military confrontations for example, axe often confronted with direct physical violence due to the use of firearms and/or stabbing weapons for example. Against the background that the use of firearms and/or stabbing weapons will often result in serious injuries to persons affected by the violence, there is an immense need in the prior art to protect such persons from dangers associated with the use of firearms and/or stabbing weapons. A high shrapnel-protective effect of the corresponding protective apparel is also very important, more particularly for soldiers on the battlefield and/or in battlefield action.
In general, protective apparel pieces having ballistic- and/or stab-resistant properties are designed so as to prevent any penetration of a body of a wearer of the protective apparel as a consequence of an attack with a weapon and/or with a sharp/pointed object. In effect, it is necessary for the protective apparel piece in question to be equipped with appropriate devices and/or technical measures that lead no appropriate protective performance, while the prior art often utilizes additional laminate materials to prevent penetration of the apparel piece and hence of the body of a wearer of the protective apparel by being fired at or by the action of a knife thrust.
In this connection, it is often disadvantageous in the prior art that the known protective apparel pieces, which can take the form of a vest or the like for example, occasionally utilize protective materials of very high basis weight and very low flexibility, and this significantly reduces the wearing comfort of the protective apparel piece and constitutes an additional inconvenience for the wearer. However, this is immensely disadvantageous in the context of a deployment, for example a military deployment, since the wearer can thereby be limited in his or her performance and mobility.
More particularly, the prior art has hitherto failed to adequately provide apparel pieces that combine in one material the properties of high protective performance against ballistics and high protective performance against stabbing. This is because the prior art protective apparel pieces are optimized in respect of their bulletproof performance, which is primarily designed to prevent the penetration of ballistic projectiles emanating from firearms. Protective apparel pieces of this type, however, do not always also ensure high protective performance against the penetration or pointed objects, for example knives, blades, chisels or the like. In addition, the prior art protective apparel with stab-resistant properties often is incapable of withstanding large force impacts due to ballistic projectiles, and thus particularly is not capable of offering any protective function with regard so ballistic impacts.
It is further disadvantageous in the prior art that the known protective apparel pieces having elevated stab and/or ballistic resistance have no protective function whatsoever with regard to chemical and/or biological poison and/or warfare agent materials, so that deployments where there is a risk, of exposure to toxic substances, for example the vesicatory Hd (interchangeably known as Yellow Cross or mustard gas) and the nerve agent sarin, either have to proceed without any protective function with regard to these poison materials, or alternatively require an additional protective apparel with optimization in this regard to be worn, which is similarly disadvantageous. | {
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Motion-transmitting remote control cable assemblies, such as “push-pull cables,” are used for transmitting force or load and/or motion, typically along a curved path e.g. in aircraft, automotive, and marine environments, etc. Known cable assemblies can be used for transmitting load and motion in both push and pull type applications. In the automotive environment, typical applications include, but are not limited to, accelerators, or similar applications.
A motion-transmitting remote control cable assembly for transmitting motion along a curved path typically includes a flexible core element (core or strand) slidably enclosed within a flexible outer sheath (conduit) with a conduit fitting attached to each end. Each conduit fitting attaches to a corresponding bracket or other mounting fixture, support structure or the like. The cable assembly further includes, typically, a terminal sub-assembly at each end. A first terminal sub-assembly is secured (or adapted to be secured) to a controlled member, e.g., a movable lever, etc. of a motor vehicle transmission. The terminal sub-assembly at the other end is secured (or adapted to be secured) to an actuator, i.e. a control member such as a handle, motor output member, etc. Typically, the actuator member and the controlled member each provides a mounting pin or other suitable feature at a mounting point for suitable connection to the corresponding terminal sub-assembly, such that the cable assembly is able to transfer load or motion between the two mounting points. That is, moving the actuator member transmits force/motion via longitudinal movement of the strand within the sheath, to correspondingly move the controlled member. (It should be understood that in some applications the control member and the controlled member may from time to time reverse roles or may otherwise share the control and controlled roles.)
The strand of a motion-transmitting cable assembly is often secured to a mounting pin or other attachment component at the aforesaid mounting point of the controlled or control member by a terminal or core-adjuster assembly. Mounting pins and other such attachment components can have a relatively large dimensional tolerance range due to manufacturing variations and the like. Large dimensional tolerance ranges are seen, for example, in the attachment pins of automobile transmission shift systems. As a result of this large tolerance range, there can be a difference in fit from one unit to the next, between the terminal or core-adjuster assembly and the mounting pin, which in some units results in a gap and the possibility of relative movement between the fitting and the pin referred to as lash. In certain cases lash causes inaccuracy in the transmission shift system throughout its full range of movement. Additionally, these known terminal assemblies often have large installation loads (the forces required to attach the terminal sub-assembly to the pin or other mounting component) in order to obtain correspondingly high extraction loads (the forces required to inadvertently remove the terminal sub-assembly from the pin or other mounting component). Traditionally, the problem of lash is mitigated by the use of an isolator at the interconnection between the pin and the terminal sub-assembly, designed to absorb vibration. The problem with traditional isolators is that by their very nature they must be made of a softer material that has significant give or resiliency to absorb the vibration and as a result suffer from increased wear and breakdown in areas were the force or load is concentrated, i.e. where the pin contacts the isolator. Another problem with traditional terminal assemblies is determining correct orientation during assembly and installation. Having a number of interconnecting part to be assembled and installed on an assembly line can provide a potential for improperly assembled or installed parts that could lead to future failure of the device.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved motion transmitting remote control cable assemblies and for end fittings for motion transmitting remote control cable assemblies, which account for dimensional tolerance ranges of mating components and are operative to reduce vibration during operation. There is also a need for motion transmitting remote control cable assemblies and end fitting for such cable assemblies, which require relatively low installation loads while maintaining relatively high extraction loads. There is also a need for motion transmitting remote control cable assemblies and end fittings for same, resistant to wear or breakdown at the area of the interconnection between the terminal sub-assembly and a mounting pin. There is also a need for terminal assemblies that are simple to assemble and install with proper orientation.
It is an object of the present invention, to provide cable assemblies addressing some or all of the above problems. It is another object to provide end fittings for motion transmitting cable assemblies, addressing some or all of the above problems. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waste toner recovery device, and more specifically relates to a waste toner recovery device which collects residual powder developing material on the surface of a photoreceptor member used in electrostatic copying machines, laser printers, and like image forming apparatus. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A steering-by-wire method has been gradually deployed in a boat as a boat operating system. This method mainly uses a motor pump and relies on hydraulic control thereof.
On the other hand, in order to improve operationality of leaving and getting to the shore, it is suggested to equip a boat with two or more propulsion devices and to control behavior of the boat by output control and rudder angle control of each thereof (for example, see Patent Literature 1). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention pertains to a device for forming the spine region and/or the adjacent joint areas of book cases.
Known book production machines for the mechanized production of books comprise devices for transporting and devices for processing the supplied book blocks, devices for transporting and devices for processing the supplied book cases, as well as devices for joining one respective book block with an assigned book case, which is also referred to as the so-called casing-in process. Book production machines of this type are designed in such a way that the book blocks, the book cases, as well as the books, are always aligned symmetrically to the center plane of the book blocks that divides the book block at half the block thickness. Prior to the casing-in process, the book cases are performed with respect to the desired shape of the spine and the adjacent joint areas. Known devices used for this purpose lift out the spine region of the extended book case relative to a pair of rails that hold down the joint areas of the book case. These rails are realized in the form of flat hold-down rails or in the form of wedge-shaped joint forming rails with rounded forming areas and positioned in dependence on the width of the spine by means of automatic adjusting drives provided for this purpose. With respect to its width and contour, the forming component that lifts out the spine region of the book case corresponds to the spine.
Conventional forming components used for preforming book cases for books with a straight spine essentially consist of a base plate and a pair of parallel rails that are spaced apart from one another in accordance with the spine width. The rails are screwed to the base plate in oblong holes such that the forming component can be adapted to the width of the spine. This is realized by removing the forming component from the device for reasons of accessibility, manually fixing the rails in the desired position and subsequently reinserting the forming component into the device. This means that a significant effort is required for adjusting the device to the desired spine width and that a machine down-time and therefore an interruption of production are required for correcting the adjustment.
In order to simplify this adjustment of the forming component for books with a straight spine, EP 2 325 020 A1 proposes an adjusting mechanism that couples the two rails lifting out the spine region by means of pushers such that they are inevitably adjusted parallel, as well as symmetrical, to the aforementioned center plane of the book blocks. If the book block should not be cased into the book case symmetrically in order to subsequently arrange additional elements such as, e.g., a plastic packaging for compact discs or a so-called jewel case within the book, the book case needs to be displaced transverse to the transport direction between the preforming process and the casing-in process. Due to the joint areas and the preforming process, however, the book case is weakened, in particular, in the direction of the spine width such that the displacement transverse to the transport direction and therefore in the direction of the spine width requires a reduced production speed and represents a source for malfunctions and diminished production quality.
The production of books with a rounded spine requires forming components that not only correspond to the shape of the book to be produced with respect to their width, but also with respect to the curvature of their surface that faces the book case. The large number of different spine widths and curvatures results in a plurality of required forming components and a corresponding set-up effort. In order to reduce the variety of forming components, slight deviations from the ideal shape, particularly with respect to the width, and quality losses caused thereby are frequently accepted.
EP 1 350 634 B1 proposes a forming component for the production of books with a rounded spine, wherein said forming component comprises a closed frame and a plurality of discs that are adjacently arranged in this frame in a height-adjustable fashion. The discs feature individually formed, arc-shaped oblong holes, wherein the entire disc assembly is threaded onto bolts with these oblong holes such that the discs are adjusted to different heights in accordance with the arc shape of the oblong holes by moving these bolts in the longitudinal direction of the forming component and the contour of the forming component can reproduce different radii that are approximated with step profiles. In this case, the quality of the forming surface is decisively influenced by the material thickness of the discs. The disadvantages of this forming component can be seen in the required space for the frame that encloses the disc assembly, as well as the required fixing of the discs with additional means after the adjustment process. Due to the coupled adjustment of the discs, such a forming component also can respectively produce only one contour in dependence on the spine width. Several forming components of this type are required if spines with different curvature radii should be produced for book blocks with the same thickness, wherein these forming components differ with respect to the progression of the grooves in the discs. | {
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(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical transmitting apparatus and an optical transmitting system. Particularly, the present invention relates to a technique for optimizing signal quality of an output optical signal of an optical amplifier in an optical transmitting apparatus or an optical transmitting system having the optical amplifier in a hybrid structure.
(2) Description of Related Art
With an increase in information communication quantity, development of optical fiber communication systems in large capacities and at low costs is lively in these years. For the purpose of increasing the capacity, there has been studied and developed a wavelength division multiplex (WDM: Wavelength Division Multiplex) transmission system which multiplexes optical signals at a plurality of wavelengths as a channel signal and transmits it. To realize a lower cost, there is a demand for a long-distance system, in which a distance (called a 3R section) between a terminal (terminal once converting an optical signal into an electric signal, and again regenerating the optical signal) to a terminal can be extended as much as possible.
In the latter, in order to extend the 3R section as much as possible, it is essential how low an optical noise level generating in an optical amplifier disposed in a regenerator can be suppressed. With regard to this point, distribution Raman amplifiers (DRAs) attract attention in recent years, which are tried to be introduced into real systems.
Optical signals are heretofore amplified intensively by an erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) in a regenerator. However, the EDFA generates a relatively large amount of noise, although being able to amplify with a high gain, which is one of factors that limit a transmission distance of the whole system. Namely, even if an optical receiving terminal can receive an optical signal at a sufficient level (power) transmitted for a long distance, the terminal cannot normally demodulate the signal because of a poor optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) representing quality of the received optical signal.
In order to avoid such phenomenon, a DRA is disposed in front of the EDFA, for example, as a structure of an optical amplifier (hereinafter referred as an amplifier structure) of a regenerator, a part of a transmission loss due to an optical transmission path (optical fiber) is compensated by the DRA, then the EDFA intensively amplifies the optical signal.
Advantage of this amplifier structure is that this amplifier structure is expected to improve the OSNR as compared with a system configured with only the EDFA, since the DRA can amplify with a lower noise than that of the EDFA because the DRA is an optical amplifier of a distribution amplifier type which distributively amplifies an optical signal using the optical transmission path although its gain is smaller than that of the EDFA.
FIG. 11 shows an example of WDM transmission system using a hybrid amplifier configured with a DRA and an EDFA as a regenerator. In the WDM transmission system shown in FIG. 11, optical signals each at a predetermined wavelength are generated by respecitve transponders (optical transmitters) 101 equal in number to multiplexed wavelengths, signal levels of the optical signals are adjusted by respective optical variable attenuators 102 each at a corresponding wavelength, and the optical signals are wavelength-multiplexed by an optical multiplexer 103 in an optical transmitting terminal 101, then sent as a WDM signal to an optical transmission path 500.
The WDM signal is transmitted to an optical receiving terminal 400 while being amplified by regenerators 200 and 300. Namely, a DRA 301 complimentarily amplifies the WDM signal with a low noise by distribution amplification to compensate a part of a transmission loss due to the optical transmission path 500, and EDFAs 201 and 302 intensively amplify the WDM signal to compensate a remaining transmission loss due to the opical transmission path 500, whereby the WDM signal is transmitted through the optical transmission path 500. Incidentally, the number of the regenerators 200 and 300 is determined according to a transmission distance between the optical transmission terminal 100 and the optical receiving terminal 400, and regenerating (amplifying) capacities of the regenerators 200 and 300.
When the above WDM signal is finally received by the optical receiving terminal 400, the WDM signal is demultiplexed into optical signals at respective wavelengths by an optical demultiplexer 401, and received by optical receivers 402 at respective wavelengths.
In the case of a hybrid optical amplifier using the DRA 301 and the EDFA 302 as described above, it is possible to arbitrarily set a set gain of the DRA 301 and a set gain of the EDFA 302 within certain ranges (input level operable ranges of the DRA 301 and the EDFA 302) by changing pumping conditions of them.
Generally, there is used a method of estimating a DRA gain fluctuation due to variations in transmission path loss immediately before the DRA 301 and variations in fiber parameters of the optical transmission path 500, and beforehand setting a pumping light power of the DRA 301 so that a range of the DRA gain fluctuation falls in the operating range (input dynamic range of the EDFA 302) of the EDFA 302.
An output level of the regenerator (hereinafter referred as a node) 200 or 300 is defined in consideration of a non-linear phenomenon generating on the transmission path, so that outputs of the EDFA 302 are required to be kept at a constant level (power). For this, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-98433, for example, there is proposed a technique (hereinafter referred as a known technique) of monitoring a level (power) of an output optical signal of the DRA or EDFA, feed-back-controlling a pumping light power of the DRA such that a level of the output optical signal (level of an input optical signal to the EDFA) is always constant, thereby controlling an output of the regenerator at a constant level.
However, operating conditions of the DRA 301 are determined by fiber parameters of the optical transmission path 500 in the above method of beforehand setting the pumping light power of the DRA 301. When considering characteristics of a total node of the DRA 301 plus EDFA 302, it is difficult to say that they operate in the optimum conditions from a viewpoint of OSNR.
The above described known technique is to feed-back-control the pumping light power of the DRA in order to control a level (power) of outputs of the regenerator at a defined constant level, which does not improve the OSNA. Accordingly, it is hardly said that the regenerator operates under conditions that the optimum OSNR of the whole node can be obtained, like the above pre-setting method.
In a WDM transmission system, a dispersion compensating fiber (DCF: Dispersion Compensating Fiber) is generally installed in a node, when it is necessary to compensate wavelength dispersion generating in a WDM signal due to a wavelength dependent transmission loss characteristic of the optical transmission path 500. As a position at which the dispersion compensating fiber is to be disposed, it is said that between stages of the EDFAs (structure in which the EDFAs are in two stages, and the DCF is interposed between the stages) is suitable. This is to prevent degradation of the OSNR due to a DCF loss as much as possible by interposing the DCF having a relatively large loss between the stages of the EDFAs.
In a hybrid optical amplifier structure, there is used a DRA with an optical fiber being as an amplification medium. As compared with a known node structure including only an EDFA, a level diagram of an optical signal in the node is largely different, so that it is not always optimum from a viewpoint of OSNR that the DCF is interposed between stages of the EDFA.
In the light of the above problems, and object of the present invention is to optimize optical signal quality (OSNR) in an optical transmitting apparatus in a hybrid optical amplifier structure.
To attain the above object, the present invention provides an optical transmitting apparatus comprising a first optical amplifier by which quality of an output optical signal after amplified is changed according to its amplification gain, a second optical amplifier by which quality of an output optical signal after amplified is changed according to an input level of the output optical signal from the first optical amplifier, and a controlling means for performing an adaptive control on the amplification gain of the first optical amplifier so that quality of the output optical signal outputted from the second optical amplifier becomes maximum.
In the optical transmitting apparatus according this invention structured as above, the above controlling means so controls an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier that output optical signal quality of the second optical amplifier becomes maximum. Accordingly, it is possible to optimize final quality of an output optical signal of the optical transmitting apparatus although an input level of an optical signal to the second optical amplifier is not always constant unlike a case where an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier is so controlled that an output optical signal level of the second optical amplifier is constant.
The above controlling means may comprise a control target value storing unit for storing an output optical signal level of the first optical amplifier, at which quality of the output optical signal of the second optical amplifier is maximum, beforehand determined as a control target value on the basis of a gain-to-noise characteristic of the first optical amplifier and an input level-to-noise characteristic of the second optical amplifier, and a first gain control unit for setting the amplification gain of the first optical amplifier on the basis of the control target value of the control target value storing unit.
By employing the above structure, the controlling means can realize optimization of output optical signal quality of the whole optical transmitting apparatus, using a simple control that an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier is set on the basis of the above control target value beforehand determined on the basis of a noise characteristic of each of the above optical amplifiers.
In this case, the above first gain control unit may comprise a level monitoring unit for monitoring an output optical signal level of the first optical amplifier, and a comparing unit for comparing the control target value of the control target value storing unit with an output optical signal level of the first optical amplifier monitored by the level monitoring unit, thereby controlling the amplification gain of the first optical amplifier so that a result of comparison by the comparing unit becomes minimum. Accordingly, even after the above amplification gain setting, it is possible to always maintain the output optical signal level of the first optical amplifier at an optimum value at which output optical signal quality of the second optical amplifier is maximum.
The above controlling means may comprise a control target value calculating mans for calculating the control target values for each of second optical amplifiers having a different input level-to-noise characteristic on the basis of the gain-to-noise characteristic of the first optical amplifier and the input level-to-noise characteristic of the second optical amplifier, and storing the control target values in the control target value storing unit. In this case, an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier is always controlled on the basis of quality of an actual output optical signal of the second optical amplifier, so that it is possible to optimize output optical signal quality of the whole transmitting apparatus even at a time of initial setting of an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier and in an operating state after the initial setting.
In an optical transmitting system according to the present invention, an optical regenerator comprises a first optical amplifier by which quality of an output optical signal after amplified is changed according to its amplification gain, and a second optical amplifier by which quality of an output optical signal after amplified is changed according to an input level of the output optical signal from the first optical amplifier, whereas an optical receiver comprises an optical signal quality monitoring unit for monitoring quality of a received optical signal, and a control unit for controlling the amplification gain of the first optical amplifier in the optical regenerator so that quality of the received optical signal monitored by the optical signal quality monitoring unit becomes maximum.
In the optical transmitting system according to this invention structured as above, an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier in the optical regenerator in the system is so controlled that quality of a received optical signal monitored in the optical receiver becomes maximum. Accordingly, it is possible to optimize quality of a received signal in the optical receiver, that is, quality of an optical signal of the whole transmitting system, without providing the above adaptive control function to each regenerator in the system.
The optical transmitting apparatus and the optical transmitting system according to this invention provide the following effects and advantages:
(1) An amplification gain of the first optical amplifier is not such controlled that a level of an output optical signal of the second optical amplifier is always constant, but such adaptively controlled that quality of an output optical signal outputted from the second optical amplifier becomes maximum. Accordingly, quality of an output optical signal of the whole transmitting apparatus can be in the bast state. This allows a transmission distance of an optical signal to be extended, and the optical transmitting system to be configured at a low cost.
(2) The above adaptive control can be realized by a simple control that an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier is set on the basis of a control target value beforehand determined on the basis of a noise characteristic of each of the optical amplifiers. Accordingly, it is possible to realize, in a simple structure, a gain control by which quality of an optical signal of the whole optical transmitting apparatus can be always optimized. This allows a reduction in size and cost of the controlling means, further of the optical transmitting apparatus.
(3) An output optical signal level of the first optical amplifier is monitored, the output optical signal level is compared with the above control target value, and an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier is such controlled that a result of the comparison is minimum. It is thereby possible to always maintain quality of an optical signal of the whole optical transmitting apparatus in the optimum state, thus the whole optical transmitting system can be operated in the best conditions with respect to the optical signal quality.
(4) The above control target value can be set to each of second optical amplifiers having different noise characteristics on the basis of a gain-to-noise characteristic of the first optical amplifier and an input level-to-noise characteristic of the second optical amplifier. Even when another second optical amplifier having a different noise characteristic is employed in the optical transmitting apparatus, it is possible to automatically optimize output optical signal quality of the whole optical transmitting apparatus, which largely contributes to improvement of flexibility in configuring the system.
(5) The above adaptive control can be realized by monitoring quality of an output optical signal of the second optical amplifier, and such controlling an amplification gain of the second optical amplifier that the quality becomes maximum. In this case, an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier is always controlled on the basis of actual quality of an output optical signal of the second optical signal. Accordingly, even at a time of initial setting of an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier and in an operating state after the initial setting, it is possible to optimize output optical signal quality of the whole optical transmitting apparatus.
(6) The adaptive control in this case can be realized by monitoring, for example, an error rate of an output optical signal of the second optical amplifier, and such controlling an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier that the error rate becomes minimum. In this case, it is possible to always reduce the signal error rate of the whole optical transmitting apparatus to the minimum, and optimize signal quality of the whole transmitting apparatus, as well.
(7) The above adaptive control can be realized by monitoring an optical signal-to-noise ratio of an output optical signal of the second optical amplifier by an optical spectrum analyzer or the like, and such controlling an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier that an actual optical signal-to-noise ratio becomes maximum. In this case, it is possible to always operate the optical transmitting apparatus in conditions that signal quality (optical signal-to-noise ratio) of an output optical signal of the whole optical transmitting apparatus is best.
(8) Further, the dispersion compensator for compensate wavelength dispersion of a wavelength-multiplexed optical signal is disposed at a position, at which quality of an output optical signal of the second optical amplifier is maximum, beforehand determined on the basis of a noise characteristic of each of the optical amplifiers, among a position in a front stage of the first optical amplifier, a position between the first optical amplifier and the second optical amplifier, and a position in a rear stage of the second optical amplifier. Even when it is necessary to compensate wavelength dispersion in the optical transmitting apparatus, wavelength dispersion can be compensated at an appropriate position from a viewpoint of output optical signal quality in the whole optical transmitting apparatus, and the optical transmitting apparatus can be operated in a state that the output optical signal quality of the whole optical transmitting apparatus is best.
(9) Particularly, when the above dispersion compensator is disposed at least in a front stage of the first optical amplifier or between the first optical amplifier and the second optical amplifier, it is possible to more improve output optical signal quality of the whole optical transmitting apparatus as compared with a case where the dispersion compensator is disposed at another position.
(10) The dispersion compensator may be divided and disposed at a plurality of positions among a position in a front stage of the first optical amplifier, a position between the first optical amplifier and the second optical amplifier, and a position in a rear stage of the second optical amplifier. In which case, it is possible to allow the output optical signal quality of the whole optical transmitting apparatus to be in the best conditions.
(11) When the dispersion compensator is divided and disposed at least at a position in a front stage of the first optical amplifier and a position between the first optical amplifier and the second optical amplifier, it is possible to more improve output optical signal quality of the whole optical transmitting apparatus than a case where the dispersion compensator is disposed at another position.
(12) When a Raman optical amplifier is employed as the above first optical amplifer, whereas a rare-earth-doped optical fiber amplifier is employed as the above second optical amplifier, it is possible to obtain the above effects and advantages more effectively.
(13) In the optical receiving terminal, quality of a received optical signal is monitored, and an amplification gain of the first optical amplifier in the optical regenerator is such controlled that the quality becomes maximum, as well. It is thereby possible to operate the whole optical transmitting system in the best conditions with respect to signal quality. In this case, a gain control on the first optical amplifier is intensively performed from the optical receiving terminal. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to provide the above adaptive control to each of the regenerators, which allows simplification of the optical regenerator and reduction in cost of the same, and reduction in size, cost and the like of the whole optical transmitting system. | {
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This invention relates to standby operation of a fuel cell power plant which generates electric power using a reformate gas.
Tokkai Hei 8-306379 published by the Japanese Patent Office in 1996 discloses standby operation of a fuel cell power plant which generates power in a fuel cell stack using a reformate gas.
According to this prior art, when power supply by the fuel cell power plant is not required, the fuel cell power plant is operated to achieve an output of 25-30% of a rated output. This output is used to electrolyze water in order to produce hydrogen. The resulting hydrogen is re-supplied to the fuel cell stack.
Due to this low-output standby operation, when power supply is required, rated operation of the fuel cell power plant can be rapidly established. Furthermore, since hydrogen produced during the standby operation is re-supplied to the fuel cell stack, consumption of reformate gas during standby operation can be maintained at low levels.
When electrolyzing water, supply of water must be ensured. When the fuel cell power plant is mounted in a vehicle, a water supply device has also to be installed in the vehicle. However, it is difficult to ensure a space for the water supply device with a water tank in the vehicle.
As a result, in a vehicle-mounted fuel cell power plant, it is preferred that water is not electrolyzed and low-output standby operation with only the aim of maintaining the temperature of the fuel cell stack is performed.
In a fuel cell power plant using a reformer to generate a reformate gas by partial oxidation, the temperature of the reformate gas is controlled by the amount of air supplied to the reformer. During standby operation in order to maintain the temperature of the fuel cell stack, the amount of air supplied to the reformer is conspicuously lower than during rated operation. The air supply amount is generally controlled using a valve. However problems arise in maintaining control accuracy of the valve throughout the wide range from the minute flow amounts above to the high flow amounts during rated operation.
It is therefore an object of this invention to realize standby operation adapted to a fuel cell power plant mounted in a vehicle.
In order to achieve the above object, this invention provides a fuel cell power plant comprising a fuel cell stack generating power using a hydrogen-rich gas, a hydrogen-rich gas generating mechanism which produces a hydrogen-rich gas by an exoergic reaction of a vaporized fuel and air, a first air supply passage which supplies air to the hydrogen-rich gas generating mechanism, a second air supply passage which supplies air to the hydrogen-rich gas generating mechanism, and a cut off valve which cuts off the first air supply passage. The second air supply passage is set to have a smaller cross sectional area than the first air supply passage. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to fuel cells and electrical motors and, more particularly, to a fuel cell powered electrical motor.
2. Description of the Related Prior Art
The use of fuel cells to actuate electrical motors depends upon several factors. Among them efficiency and compactness are essential.
Attempts have been made in the past to introduce a better fuel cell powered electrical motor. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,647 dated Oct. 21, 1997 and granted to Wolfe et al. for a xe2x80x9cFuel Cell Powered Propulsion Systemxe2x80x9d describes a system for powering a vehicle. This system comprises an electrical motor for powering a vehicle, a fuel cell stack for providing fuel cell power and a turbine-generator unit. The latter includes a generator for supplying power output and a turbine for driving the generator. This system is believed to have an important disadvantage that resides in its lack of compactness, the components of the system being connected functionally, rather than structurally. U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,106, dated Jul. 13, 1999 and granted to Isaak et al. for an xe2x80x9cIntegrated Fuel Cell Electrical Motor with Static Fuel Cell and Rotating Magnetsxe2x80x9d describes a fuel cell with an electrical output integrated within a cylindrical form monopole electric motor. A rotor and a shaft are supported by a bearing attached to the top of the main body of the electrical motor, by another bearing attached to the cover of the body and by a third bearing attached to the bottom of the body. This motor has an important shortcoming. Structurally, the motor is not well engineered, since an accurate coaxiality of the three bearings mounted separately in three different components cannot be easily obtained. U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,322 dated Dec. 21, 1999 and granted to Isaak et al. for an xe2x80x9cIntegrated Fuel Cell Electric Motorxe2x80x9d relates to a motor similar to that described in the above United States Patent, wherein the cell is rotating.
Besides the shortcoming of above United States Patent, the use of a rotating cell increases the mass to be balanced. Thus, it is more difficult to obtain and, especially, to maintain. the balancing of the rotating part of the system.
There is accordingly a need for a fuel cell powered electrical motor which is well engineered, so that the components are easy to manufacture and reliable in operation. It is further desirable to have a compact, versatile and efficient fuel cell powered electrical motor.
Broadly described, the present invention is directed to a fuel cell powered electrical motor which comprises an electrical motor including shaft means, stator means encircling the shaft means and rotor means encircling the stator means. Furthermore, the electrical motor incorporates a base plate means, located perpendicularly to the shaft means at a low part of the latter, and a flywheel means located perpendicularly to the shaft means at a top part of the latter. Fuel cell stack means are circularly disposed on the base plate means between the shaft and stator means, concentrically with both. The shaft means basically revolves together with the flywheel and rotor means with respect to the base plate means, while the fuel cell stack and stator means are attached to the base plate means.
In one aspect of this invention, the fuel cell powered motor includes a commutator located under and attached to the flywheel means. The commutator is electrically connected to the fuel cell stack and rotor means.
In another aspect of this invention, the fuel cell powered motor includes an annular brush disk attached to a top of the fuel cell stack means. The annular brush disk is provided at its upper surface with a plurality of brushes. The latter are adapted to be connected to an outside source of electrical power.
In yet another aspect of this invention, the shaft assembly comprises: a main shaft having an upper flange provided with several apertures, equally spaced and circularly disposed; a flanged sleeve having a low flange provided with several openings, equally spaced and circularly disposed; and a bearing housing internally provided at both ends with a bearing. The bearing housing is mounted on the flanged sleeve. The upper flange is attached to the flywheel means and the bearing housing. The lower flange is attached to the flanged sleeve.
In a further aspect of this invention, the base plate means incorporates a manifold and a sealing plate. The latter is disposed on top of the manifold plate. The manifold plate has a circular recess wherein the sealing plate is lodged. The circular recess is provided at its center with a shaft hole for a main shaft of the shaft assembly. Concentrical channel means is located coaxially with the shaft hole, while notch means extends radially from each of the concentrical channel means. Several downwardly extending apertures start from each of the concentric channel means and communicate with the exterior. Several manifold plate openings are located proximate to a periphery of the circular recess. The sealing plate is provided at its center with a passage hole, while four-hole row means are concentrically disposed around the passage hole. Each hole row means has a series of notch hole means, which correspond, with the notch means in the manifold plate. Both manifold and sealing plates are provided with a pair of coinciding slots: a first slot adapted for an electrical power output from the fuel cell stack means to an external controller and a second slot adapted for an electrical power input from the external controller to the stator and rotor means. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dual tube dispenser and an adapter for use in such dual tube dispenser for separate storage of two dissimilar substances which are to be kept separate for one reason or another, e.g. because they are mutually chemically reactive and/or physically incompatible with respect to one another, or because one wants to have perceptually attractive product forms with e.g. different colours, and simultaneous dispensing when combined use of such substances is required by application of external pressure on the dispenser body which is deformable.
2. The Related Art
Certain health & beauty aids, cleansing compositions and in particular, dental formulations sometimes require dual or multicompartment containers for storage of such dissimilar substances, e.g. mutually chemically reactive and/or physically incompatible substances for simultaneous dispensing of the same for combined end uses as and when desired.
There are already dual compartment dispensers for dental formulations known wherein two dentrifrice portions, each of which includes a component which is chemically reactive with another component in the other portion, with the portions being maintained separate from each other in said dispenser by means of a separator membrane which is formed of an extrudable material which is non-reactive with either of the two dentifrice portions stored together. Although in such known dispensers, the purpose of effective storage of the two reactive substances and/or physically incompatible substances and simultaneous release of the same for combined end use is achieved, the manner of manufacture of such known dispensers is cumbersome, time consuming and is also expensive. Importantly, the manufacture of such dual compartment dispensers involves substantial modification in dispenser manufacturing machinery and requires special filling aids for the dispenser contents.
It is thus the basic object of the present invention to provide for a dispensing container which would be effective in storing separately two dissimilar substances which are mutually reactive and/or physically incompatible and/or perceptually different and which also provides for simultaneous release of both said substances as and when required, for combined end uses upon application of external pressure on the dispenser body portion which is deformable.
A further object of the present invention is to provide for a dual tube dispenser container utilizing conventional tube manufacturing and filling-in-aids.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide for an adapter by which conventional stock tubes such as toothpaste tubes of varying sizes can be utilised to produce dual tube dispensers for storing and simultaneous extrusion as and when necessary, of two dissimilar substances for combined end uses.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide for a simple and cost-effective manner of manufacture of dual tube dispensers. | {
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Wind turbines convert wind energy to electrical energy by using the wind to drive the rotor of generator, either directly or by means of a gear box. The frequency of the AC power that is developed at the stator terminals of the generator is directly proportional to the speed of rotation of the rotor. The voltage at the generator terminals also varies as function of speed and, depending on the particular type of generator, on the flux level. For optimum power, the speed of rotation of the output shaft of the wind turbine will vary according to the speed of the wind driving the wind turbine blades. To limit the power at high wind speed, the speed of rotation of the output shaft is controlled by altering the pitch of the turbine blades.
Power converters are, for example, used for matching the variable frequency AC power provided by the generator to the nominally constant frequency AC power of the grid. In a first stage of such a power converter a rectifier is used to convert the AC power delivered from the generator to a DC power. This DC power is fed to a so called DC link. In a second stage, called inverter, the inputs of which are connected to the DC link, the DC power is converted to an AC power matching the grid frequency.
In general, the inverters are circuits used for converting DC power to AC power. They are equipped with switches for connecting the inverter phase terminal outputs to the positive or negative busbar of the DC link. The switching pattern for opening and closing the switches is provided on the basis of a pulse width modulation scheme which defines the timing for connecting the inverter outputs to the high or the low DC voltage level through the respective switches. During the times in which a switch is open a current flows from the DC link to the grid or vice versa. Other methods for determining the switching regime for the switches including direct control or predictive control are also applicable.
The inverter may be controlled according to a power factor demand signal representing a power factor requested by the grid operator, where the power factor is given by the ratio of the real power to the apparent power (the apparent power is the square root of the sum of the squares of the real power and the reactive power). Instead of controlling the inverter according to a power factor demand the inverter can also be controlled on the basis of a real power demand and a reactive power demand. Furthermore, instead of controlling the inverter directly according to a power factor demand, or a real power demand and reactive power demand, it can also be controlled according to current demand signals since the voltage amplitude is usually a fixed parameter in the grid so that the power fed to the grid by the inverter can be defined by current amplitudes and phase angles between the current and the voltage. Hence, a power factor demand signal or demand signals for active and reactive power can be converted to current demand signals which are then used for controlling the inverter, i.e. for determining the pulses defining the switching times of the switches. Such mode of control is known as current control.
In particular, in the current control mode a vector control algorithm may advantageously be used for controlling conversion of DC power into AC power. Balanced alternating feedback signals, acquired in a stationary reference frame, can be represented as components Iα and Iβ of vectors I rotating with a rotational frequency ωr with respect to the stationary reference frame α,β (compare FIG. 10). In a vector control algorithm, these rotating vectors I are represented in a rotating reference frame rotating with the flux vector of the rotor or a vector rotating with the grid voltage (synchronised to the grid voltage) and the control quantities are calculated in this rotating reference frame based on current demand signals. In such a rotating reference frame a balanced three phase AC current I can be defined by two vectors vector components Id, Iq representing a current Id flowing in the direction of the flux vector, i.e. the so called direct axis of the rotating reference frame, and a current Iq flowing perpendicular to the direction of the flux vector, i.e. in the direction of the so called quadrature axis of the rotating reference frame. While the current Id flowing in the direction of the flux vector or the vector rotating with the grid voltage is called direct axis current the current Iq flowing perpendicular to the flux vector or the vector rotating with the grid voltage is called quadrature axis current. The direct axis current and the quadrature axis current are DC quantities in the steady state, and the state error is controlled to zero, typically by means of a PI controller.
Typical power converters including a rectifier and an inverter for converting a variable frequency AC power of a wind turbine generator to a DC power and the DC power to an fixed frequency AC power of a grid on the basis of vector control algorithms are, for example, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,039 and US 2009/0147549 A1.
The mentioned controllers typically have a frequency dependent open loop control loop gain. In case the open loop control loop gain is greater than unity and has a phase less than or equal to minus 180° the control system is defined to be unstable. | {
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It has been known to utilize mechanical handling apparatus to supply labels to a container. Such apparatus has included a plastic label sheet feed supply, a drum upon which the label is secured and which moves the label into engagement with the outer surface of a container. The label adheres to the container and is subsequently wrapped around the container by rolling it along a fixed surface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,416, for instance, shows such an apparatus, the label being glued to the container and its overlapped ends glued together by the use of a glue applicator assembly. Hot melt adhesives have been used to secure the labels to the container and to form a glued side seam when applied to the overlapped label ends.
Other adhesives, with accompanying drawbacks, have been used such as dextrines and other water-based adhesives, and pressure sensitive adhesives. For containers such as oriented plastic carbonated beverage bottles, pressure sensitive adhesives have not been commonly used.
The use of the hot melt adhesive (glue) has been messy and expensive, heat being required to heat the adhesive. There is a hazard of being exposed to possible burning from heaters used to heat the glue. In addition, such as in the case of an oriented plastic container, the label cannot be easily removed from the container and hence the body portion of the container is contaminated and cannot be readily recycled. | {
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The screen of a LCD device generally comprises many liquid crystal cells arranged in columns and rows, forming a pixel array to display images. In each pixel, the orientation of liquid crystal molecules can be controlled by the applied voltage. Since the intensity of light passing through a liquid crystal cell depends sensitively on the orientation of the liquid crystal molecule, the pixel array can therefore display images by applying voltage signals in accordance with input video signals. However, due to its inherent limitations, it requires a relatively long response time for a liquid crystal molecule in a certain orientation to be changed into another orientation as the applied electric field is changed accordingly. This response time is determined by the inherent property of the liquid crystal molecule, such as viscosity, dielectric and elastic constants. On the other hand, the response time also depends on the design of LCD panel, such as the thickness of the gap between two electrodes. For a twisted-nematic mode liquid crystal, the typical rise time is about 20–80 ms, and the fall time is about 20-30 ms. However, this time scale is still longer than a typical frame interval (typically 16.67 ms). This means that the liquid crystal molecules in each pixel cannot reach the desired orientation during one frame interval, so that desired brightness of each pixel cannot be reached, thus resulting in afterimage and blurred image when displaying a high-speed moving object.
Except looking for faster liquid crystal materials, the problem of afterimage caused by slow response time can also be overcome by suitable driving method for the LCD device. In general, the problem of afterimage can be effectively reduced by a gray signal modulator, which modulates the input gray signal and applies the modulated gray signal to the liquid crystal cell, thereby obtaining the desired color and brightness in each pixel during one frame interval.
FIG. 1 shows schematically a block diagram for a typical LCD device, which comprises a gray signal modulator 10 for receiving and modulating the input gray signals, a timing controller 11 for controlling the signal sequence and synchronization, a data driver 12 for converting the modulated gray signal to the corresponding voltage data sequence, a gate driver 13 for continuously supplying scanning signals, and a LCD panel 14, comprising a plurality of gate lines 15 for transmitting scanning signals, a plurality of data lines 16 being insulated from and crossing the gate lines 15 for transmitting image signals, and an array of pixels forming by the areas surrounded by said gate lines 15 and said data lines 16.
As can be inferred from FIG. 1, the gray signal modulator 10 plays an important role in the LCD device and the driving circuit thereof. To reduce the problem of afterimage, the original gray signal was first processed by the gray signal modulator 10. The modulated gray signal was then sent into the driving circuit to provide suitable data voltage to each pixel of the LCD device in order to display the desired color and brightness accurately.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram for a conventional gray signal modulator and the operation principle thereof. It comprises an input terminal 20 for receiving gray signals of input images, a frame memory 21 for storing preceding field image data, a frame memory controller 22 for controlling the frame memory 21 and the reading/writing processes therein, a signal converter 23 for modifying the input gray signals, a signal output terminal 24 for sending the modified gray signals to the data driver 12. The main function of the signal converter 23 is to compare the current field image data with the preceding field image data in the frame memory 21 and send out after modifying the output data to a suitable voltage level by compensation voltages. FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate how the signal modulator modifies the input gray signals. In FIG. 3A, due to the slow response time of the liquid crystal molecules, the output brightness cannot reach the desired brightness during one frame interval. However, as shown in FIG. 3B, after modifying the input gray signals by compensation voltages, the output brightness become able to reach the desired brightness of the source image during one frame interval, thereby the problem of afterimage and blurred image caused by the slow response time can be effectively eliminated. In general, to efficiently process the compensation voltages in the signal converter, a presetting look-up table is commonly used for quick response.
While the technique described above can effectively eliminate the problem of afterimage caused by the slow response time of liquid crystal molecular, however, the noise induced by the gray signal modulator is not taken into account. As can be inferred from FIG. 3, the main function of compensation voltage is to amplify the input gray signal. However, such amplification will also enhance noise, leading to lower signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ratio) and hence lower image quality. On the other hand, the different frame-rate systems are not taken into account in the design of conventional LCD driving method. In fact, when the LCD device is designed for a certain frame-rate system, the response of the liquid crystal molecule during one frame interval will also be different, thereby leading to over (or under) compensation if the frame rate is slower (or faster) than the design. Therefore, to obtain the optimized image quality, the abovementioned problems should be overcome by improving the design of driving method of a LCD device, specifically its design for the preprocessor in the gray signal modulator. | {
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Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chemically amplified positive-type photosensitive resin composition, a method of manufacturing a substrate with a template by using the above chemically amplified positive-type photosensitive resin composition, and a method of manufacturing a plated article by using the above substrate with the template.
Related Art
Photofabrication is now the mainstream precision microfabrication technique. Photofabrication is a generic term describing the technology used for manufacturing a wide variety of precision components such as semiconductor packages. The manufacturing is carried out by applying a photoresist composition to the surface of a processing target to form a photoresist layer, patterning this photoresist layer using photolithographic techniques, and then conducting chemical etching, electrolytic etching, and/or electroforming based mainly on electroplating, using the patterned photoresist layer (photoresist pattern) as a mask.
In recent years, high density packaging technologies for semiconductor packages have progressed in association with downsizing of electronics devices, and the increase in package density has been developed on the basis of mounting multi-pin thin film in packages, miniaturizing of package size, two-dimensional packaging technologies or three-dimensional packaging technologies by a flip-chip method. In these types of high density packaging technologies, connection terminals such as: protruding electrodes (mounting terminals) known as bumps protruding above the package; or metal posts connecting rewiring, which extends from peripheral terminals on a wafer, with the mounting terminals, are disposed on the surface of the substrate with high precision.
A photoresist composition is used in the photofabrication as described above. Chemically amplified photoresist compositions containing an acid generator has been known as such photoresist compositions (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). According to the chemically amplified photoresist composition, an acid is generated from the acid generator upon irradiation with radiation (exposure) and diffusion of the acid is promoted through heat treatment to cause an acid catalytic reaction with a base resin and the like in the composition, resulting in a change in the alkali-solubility thereof.
These chemically amplified positive-type photoresist compositions are used for forming, for example, plated articles such as bumps and metal posts by a plating process. Specifically, a photoresist layer having a desired film thickness is formed on a support such as a metal substrate with a chemically amplified photoresist composition, and the photoresist layer is exposed through a predetermined mask pattern and then developed to form a photoresist pattern used as a template in which portions for forming bumps and metal posts have been selectively removed (stripped). Then, bumps and metal posts can be formed by embedding a conductor such as copper into the removed portions (non-resist sections) by plating, and then removing the surrounding residual resist pattern. Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. H09-176112 Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. H11-52562 | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns structural urethane adhesives comprising amide polyols, including 2-component aliphatic urethane adhesive systems. The adhesives adhere to a wide variety of substrates. For example, the adhesives can be used as grout material in tile applications, particularly ceramic tile applications.
2. The Related Art
Effective structural adhesives require the ability to adhere to a variety of different types of substrate materials and provide structural integrity to a construction. Adhesives that adhere equally well to metals, such as aluminum, wood or other fibrous materials and ceramic or glass materials would provide an exemplary structural adhesive.
Floor tiles are generally installed by mortaring tile directly onto a wood or cement floor and then grouting the tile with a water-based cementitious grout. Water-based cementitious mortars and grouts may perform poorly in very wet applications as well as with tiles that are not moisture sensitive. For example, flooring made of water swellable materials such as particle board cannot be easily used with water-based cements, and certain types of colored marble tiles swell when exposed to water. Thus great care must be taken when installed with a water-based mortar or grout. Also, the flooring and tiles may be adversely affected by moisture due to location of the flooring installation, i.e. sub-grade flooring installations or installations in kitchens or baths to name a few.
Polymeric grouts are useful for flooring installations and tiles that may be adversely affected by moisture. Further, tile installation, with polymeric grout having excellent moisture resistance can be walked on within 2 to 24 hours depending upon the polymeric grout used. This is faster than using conventional techniques with water-based cementitious grout which can take days before the tile can be put into service. For example, epoxy-based adhesives which are commercially available and cure within a day are generally preferred in wet conditions. Water-based polyurethane adhesives also exhibit good grout properties though they are not structural adhesives and can take up to 24 hours before light foot traffic can resume. Solvent-less 2-component aromatic urethane grouts are a good alternative to the epoxy grouts as they are faster curing and have high strength and flexibility but tend to yellow on exposure to sun. On the other hand, 2-component aliphatic polyurethane structural adhesives cure rapidly and exhibit non-yellowing properties and thus would be preferred for flooring and tile installations. However, typical aliphatic polyurethane structural adhesives do not adhere as well to ceramic substrates and have poor strength properties.
All parts and percentages set forth in this specification and the appended claims are on a weight-by-weight basis unless otherwise specified. | {
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The present invention has for its aim the production of aqueous solutions of alkali metal hypochlorite and in particular sodium hypochlorite.
A common procedure used to manufacture aqueous solutions of alkali metal hypochlorite consists of reacting gaseous chlorine with an aqueous solution of alkali metal hydroxide according to the general reaction: EQU Cl.sub.2 +2NaOH.fwdarw.NaClO+NaCl+H.sub.2 O
The operation of this process is difficult because of the generally unstable nature of solutions of alkali metal hypochlorite. To avoid rapid decomposition of the solutions of alkali metal hypochlorite it is necessary to maintain continuously a substantial excess of alkali metal hydroxide in the reaction mixture. It is difficult to adhere to this condition in the case where the process is carried out as a batch process. Indeed in the carrying out of the batch process an aqueous solution of hydroxide and hypochlorite of alkali metal is made to circulate between a tank containing an aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide and a reaction vessel into which chlorine is introduced; the solution in the reaction vessel is thus progressively enriched in alkali metal hypochlorite and it is, in consequence, convenient to control its composition continuously and accurately, so as to reduce the chlorine flow at the proper time and to terminate it as soon as the percentage of alkali metal hydroxide in the reaction mixture falls below a critical predetermined value.
To check the change of the pH or the alkali metal hydroxide content of the reaction mixture, it has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,199,949 filed on July 10, 1962 in the name of Clerbois et al, to follow the change of the derivative, with respect to time, of the oxidation-reduction (or redox) potential of the reaction mixture.
This known method of control has been proved accurate and reliable in the case of plants operating steadily, fed with controlled amounts of chlorine and alkali metal hydroxide. It is however poorly adapted to the control of a process for the manufacture of alkali metal hydroxide in plants operating under unsteady conditions, such as plants in which the chlorine supply undergoes uncontrollable fluctuations. This is generally the case of plants which are fed by waste chlorine derived from the liquefaction of the chlorine gas produced in cells for the electrolysis of sodium chloride brine.
Such uncontrollable fluctuations in the chlorine feed, which can sometimes be of considerable size are often the cause of corresponding variations in the derivative of the redox potential of the reaction mixture, even when the alkali metal hydroxide content of this is high. These fluctuations are likely in certain cases to act unfavourably on the operating control of the plant, for example by a sudden cessation of the chlorine flow to the reaction vessel. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a fabrication method for a thermoelectric material. More specifically, the invention relates to a fabrication method for a nanovoid-imbedded bismuth telluride with a high figure of merit.
2. Description of the Related Art
To date, void-incorporated thermoelectric (TE) materials have been studied in only a few compound systems, such as bismuth, silicon, Si—Ge solid solutions, Al-doped SiC, strontium oxide and strontium carbonate. Si—Ge samples prepared by Pulverized and Intermixed Elements Sintering (PIES) method exhibited 30% increase in TE performance with 15-20% void fraction. Based on recent experimental research, theoretical calculations also indicated that it is possible to increase the ZT of certain materials by a factor of several times their bulk values by preparing them in 1D or 2D nanostructures. Bi—Te materials, especially with low-dimensional system, have been fabricated through solvo-thermal method (1D or 2D nanocrystals), metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) (2D superlattice structure), electrodeposition in porous alumina substrates (1D nanowire), and reverse micelle method (0-D quantum dots).
Typical void sizes in most of prior-art studies were in the micrometer range and no appreciable reduction in thermal conductivity was realized. Lower thermal conductivity contributes to the thermoelectric performance and in the prior-art studies, no noticeable phonon disruption was observed. Aside from theoretical predictions, there are no TE materials, based on Bi—Te, that have demonstrated such an enhancement in ZT values due to low-dimensional crystalline system. The previous studies also showed most of voids in Bi—Te film existed in an interconnected form which causes poor electron mobility, resulting in lower electrical conductivity and hence, lower thermoelectric performance. | {
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1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a union joint assembly suitable for use in a refrigeration system to join two pipes end to end.
2. Prior Art:
There are known various union joint assemblies of the type described in which a union and a nut, which are fitted respectively around opposed end portions of two pipes, are fastened together to join the pipes with an O-ring sealingly interposed between a flared end of one pipe and an outer circumferential ridge on the other pipe whose end portion is fitted in the end portion of said one pipe. While it is prevented from moving beyond the flared end, the union is allowed to move along the pipe in a direction away from the flared end. With this construction, when joining two pipes to install a cooler unit on an automobile, for example, the union must be moved onto the flared end with the result that assembling of a union joint and hence installation of the cooler unit becomes tedious and time-consuming.
Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 57-174214 discloses a somewhat successful union joint assembly which includes an outer circumferential ridge formed on a pipe adjacent to a union carried thereon so as to restrict axial movement of the union to a limited extent between the ridge and a flared end of the pipe. The disclosed union joint assembly is, however, still unsatisfactory in that the union has to be manually brought into engagement with the flared pipe end and held in this condition until the union and the nut is tightly fastened together. The union, if not so threaded with the nut, would corotate with the nut. Another disadvantage of this assembly is in that since the ridge is located near the union, it is difficult to provide a bend adjacent to the union. | {
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This invention relates generally to hydraulic test equipment. More particularly, it relates to a method of using hydraulic test equipment to measure hydraulic leaks in hydraulic valves and assemblies.
Hydraulic valves and other hydraulic equipment typically include several closely fitting individual mechanical parts that regulate the flow of hydraulic fluid. By opening and closing internal passages formed therebetween, these parts regulate hydraulic fluid flow in a manner that provides the specific functions the operator desires.
Since these components are mechanical, however, and since fluid under pressure is applied to them, they always exhibit a certain amount of leakage through the gaps between the internal components. Eliminating all leakage in hydraulic components would require extremely tight tolerances between the mechanical parts between which hydraulic fluid would otherwise leak. These tolerances would make virtually every hydraulic component extremely expensive.
For this reason, the design tolerances for hydraulic components are increased with the understanding that there will be some residual. Even so, excessive leakage, i.e. that beyond the design limits, is not tolerated.
For this reason, hydraulic components are typically designed to have a specified maximum hydraulic fluid leakage rate to be measured under predetermined conditions. The leakage flow rate is a tolerance like any of the dimensional tolerances of the mechanical components making up the hydraulic device.
The leakage rate itself is a function of the mechanical interaction of all the components making up the hydraulic device. It is the spaces between each of the mechanical components that cause leakage. For this reason, the leakage rate can only be measured and the hydraulic components can only be determined to have passed or failed their leakage rate specifications after they are completely assembled. Traditionally, assembled hydraulic components are received at the test stand dry, i.e. (not pre-filled with hydraulic fluid) from the manufacturing process. They are then filled with hydraulic fluid, heated to an operating temperature (if that is part of the specification), are pressurized by hydraulic fluid at a specified testing pressure, and the minute leakage rates of hydraulic fluid is then measured.
The leakage flow rate is typically a tiny fraction of the components"" rated flow rate capacity. For example, a valve that provides a maximum fluid flow in operation of a gallon or more per minute may have a maximum permitted flow rate of only a few cubic centimeters of fluid per minute. In addition, the internal volume of the devicexe2x80x94the volume that must be filled with hydraulic fluid to purge all airxe2x80x94may be substantial as well.
At the same time, the leakage fluid flow rate measuring devices typically have a very small flow rate. A device intended to measure a maximum leakage flow rate of ten cubic centimeters per minute may have a maximum flow rate of perhaps twenty cubic centimeters per minute. This is primarily due to the small size, compact construction, and fragile nature of these precision measurement devices.
In a typical prior art test stand, a source of hydraulic fluid pressure is provided that is connected to the leakage flow rate measuring device, which is in turn connected to one of the ports of the hydraulic component that is to be tested. The hydraulic fluid source forces fluid through the measuring device and into the dry, just-assembled hydraulic component.
During the initial phase of this process, the quantity of fluid forced through the measuring device into the hydraulic component is quite high as the air inside the empty hydraulic component being tested is forced out. Once all of the air is forced out and the hydraulic component being tested is filled with hydraulic fluid, the actual leakage rate can be measured. This initial filling process often generates extremely high flow rates. Since the components are typically dry, there is no fluidic resistance to the initial inrush of fluid as the air is forced out. Air can be expelled through the air-filled gaps between the internal structures of a hydraulic component at an extremely high rate when pushed by the high pressure (typically around 1000 psi) of the hydraulic source.
There are significant problems in these prior art systems. First, since the measuring devices can only accommodate a tiny flow rate of hydraulic fluid, the maximum rate at which the hydraulic component can be filled during the initial phase is small. For a simple single spool bi-directional hydraulic control valve with pressure relief inserts and several check valves, this initial purging process can take as much as thirty or forty seconds. Again, this is because the flow rate through the measuring device must be severely limited to prevent damage to the device, or is inherently limited due to flow restrictions built into the measuring device. Since there is virtually no internal resistance to hydraulic fluid flow as the air is expelled from the hydraulic component being tested, however, the traditional test stands can produce very high fluid flow rates that can damage the leakage flow rate measuring device unless the flow through the measuring device is restricted. Restricting the flow through the measuring device, however, will unduly lengthen the filling time of the hydraulic component under test
Once the hydraulic component is filled, however, the leakage flow rate can be virtually instantaneously measured. Typically, only 1-3 seconds are needed for the leakage flow rate to stabilize and for the operator to take an accurate measurement of that flow rate. Thus, perhaps 90% of the time required to check the leakage flow rate of the hydraulic component being tested is due to the lengthy period required to fill the hydraulic component and purge it of all air. One way to avoid this problem is to replace the low-capacity measuring device with a high-capacity measuring device and to provide virtually unlimited flow into the hydraulic component during the initial fill process. In this manner, the leakage flow rate measuring device will accommodate the very high filling flow rate during the period in which the hydraulic component is being filled.
As might be expected, however, measuring devices able to accommodate much higher flow rates without being damaged typically have much lower resolution and therefore reduced accuracy of measurement. For example, a flow rate measuring device that can accommodate a high flow rate of 1 gallon per minute during the initially filling process will typically provide a corresponding flow rate measurement resolution of 10 cc per minute. For most components, this resolution is too large to accurately measure a leakage flow rate once the device is filled.
What is needed, therefore, is a test stand for testing hydraulic leakage flow rates of hydraulic components that combines the accuracy of a low flow rate hydraulic flow measuring device with a high flow rate initial fill and purging system. It is an object of this invention to provide such a test stand.
In accordance with the first embodiment of the invention, a hydraulic leakage rate testing system for testing and to test the leakage flow of hydraulic components is provided that includes a source of hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic coupler communicating with the source, a measuring circuit with a flow rate measuring device in communication with both the source and the coupler and a by-pass circuit that is in communication with both the source and the coupler. The measuring circuit and by-pass circuit are preferably connected in parallel to provide parallel flow paths between the source and the coupler. The measuring circuit preferably includes a valve that blocks fluid flow between the source and the coupler through the measuring device when the valve is closed and permits flow between the source and the coupler through the device when the valve is open. The measuring circuit also preferably includes an orifice disposed to restrict the flow through the measuring device. The measuring circuit may also include a pressure relief valve located to limit the maximum hydraulic pressure applied by this source to the measuring device. The pressure relief valve is preferably located between the measuring device and the source in the measuring circuit. Another valve may be provided to block hydraulic fluid flow provided by the source from passing through both the measuring circuit and the by-pass circuit. An electronic controller may be coupled to the valve in the measuring circuit and the valve in the by-pass circuit to block or permit the flow alternatively through either circuit in accordance with the stored digital program in the controller that opens and closes the valves in the by-pass circuit. The electronic controller may also be coupled to the measuring device to receive an electrical signal from the measuring device indicative of a flow rate through that device. The electronic controller may be configured to open the valve in the by-pass circuit long enough to fill the hydraulic component through the by-pass circuit. The electronic controller may be configured to close the valve in the by-pass circuit after the component is filled. | {
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Most support devices providing vertical support for elongated shafts having a cylindrical or other appropriate cross section and which may be pole-like products are made of rigid metal, wood and plastic materials that are relatively expensive or difficult to produce, pack, transport or assemble; frequently requiring special tools, parts and instructions. Existing state-of-the-art collapsible support devices depend upon costly and complex multiple primary materials or secondary parts to form a three dimensional structure using a fastening method such as glue, velcro.RTM., rivets, clips, tape and the like. Additional disadvantages of the prior types of collapsible support devices include instability, complete dependence on the lightweight base for support and potential weakness which can lead to collapse due to improperly sized or attached points of fastening. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel hydroquinonylphenyl butyric acid amide derivatives and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and pharmaceutical compositions having a cerebral insufficiency improving activity containing the same as an active ingredient.
These compounds can be widely utilized because they are effective for ameliorating and curing various symptoms based on cerebral organic disorders and pathergasia.
The term "cerebral organic disorders" used herein means various symptoms derived from cerebral ischemic diseases such as cerebral infarct sequela, cerebral hemorrhage sequela, and cerebral arteriosclerosis sequela and various organic disorders derived from senile dementia, dementia presenilis, amnesia, cephalic traumatic sequela, and cerebral operation sequela. Furthermore, the term pathergasia used herein means psychogender organic diseases derived from mania, melancholia, neurosis, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, schizophrenia-like disorders, and chorea (Huntington's chorea) as well as medicines and alcoholic beverages.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cerebral cells retain their own intracellular environments which are completely different from the surrounding environments, i.e., extracellular fluids, and while this difference is maintained, the cerebral cells are alive. Accordingly, energy must be always generated and supplied to cerebral cells, and most of the energy required by cerebral nerve cells is supplied by oxygen and glucose. These energy sources are not substantially stored in the brain, however, and therefore, are always supplied from the blood.
If certain cerebral disturbances or disorders occur, and if the supply of oxygen and glucose to the brain is stopped, generally a gradual or stepwise degression in energy metabolism occurs, and as a result, the functions of the cells are lost with the elapse of time and the cells are soon organically disrupted, and, thus the normal functions of the cerebral cells cannot be effected. Therefore, a mechanism for adjusting cerebral bloodstreams in the cerebral blood vessels, per se, has been fully developed to ensure a stable supply of these energy sources to the cerebral tissues and to maintain the outer environments of the cerebral nerve cells.
Various cerebral circulating improvers, cerebral vasodilators, and cerebral excitometabolites have been heretofore used for the medical treatment of cerebral blood vessel disorders, but although these medicines are effective for ameliorating subjective symptoms, no substantial amelioration of neural symptoms and mental symptoms thereby has been observed.
In this connection, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 61-44840 discloses various derivatives of benzoquinonyl alkanoic acids, which are described as effective as an antiasthmatic agent, an antiallergic agent or a cerebral circulating improver. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The subject matter of the present application may be related to subject matter disclosed in: U.S. Pub. No. 2003/0162846 entitled “Process and apparatus for the production of synthesis gas” published Aug. 28, 2003 in the names of Wang et al; U.S. Pub. No. 2004/00031731 entitled “Process for the microwave treatment of oil sands and shale oils” published Feb. 19, 2004 in the names of Honeycutt et al; U.S. Pub. No. 2004/0209303 entitled “Methods and compositions for directed microwave chemistry” published Oct. 21, 2004 in the name of Martin; U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0004809 entitled “Production of synthesis gas blends for conversion to methanol or Fischer-Tropsch liquids” published Jan. 4, 2007 in the names of Lattner et al; U.S. Pub. No. 2009/0205254 entitled “Method And System For Converting A Methane Gas To A Liquid Fuel” published Aug. 20, 2009 in the names of Zhu et al; U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0005720 entitled “Gasifier” published Jan. 14, 2010 in the names of Stadler et al; U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0219107 entitled “Radio frequency heating of petroleum ore by particle susceptors” published Jan. 14, 2010 in the name of Parsche; U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0055851 entitled “Method and apparatus for producing liquid hydrocarbon fuels from coal” published Mar. 8, 2012 in the name of Kyle; U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0024843 entitled “Thermal treatment of carbonaceous materials” published Feb. 2, 2012 in the names of Lissiaski et al; U.S. Pub. No. 2013/0197288 entitled “Process for the conversion of synthesis gas to olefins” published Aug. 1, 2013 in the names of Schafer et al; U.S. Pub. No. 2013/0213795 entitled “Heavy Fossil Hydrocarbon Conversion And Upgrading Using Radio-Frequency or Microwave Energy” published Aug. 22, 2013 in the names of Strohm et al; U.S. Pub. No. 2013/0303637 entitled “Method and apparatus for producing liquid hydrocarbon fuels from coal” published Nov. 14, 2013 in the name of Kyle; U.S. Pub. No. 2014/0051775 entitled “Method and apparatus for producing liquid hydrocarbon fuels” published Feb. 20, 2014 in the name of Kyle; U.S. Pub. No. 2014/0066526 entitled “Method and apparatus for producing liquid hydrocarbon fuels” published Mar. 6, 2014 in the name of Kyle; U.S. Pub. No. 2014/0163120 entitled “Method and apparatus for producing liquid hydrocarbon fuels” published Jun. 12, 2014 in the name of Kyle; U.S. Pub. No. 2014/0346030 entitled “Methods and apparatus for liquefaction of organic solids” published Nov. 27, 2014 in the name of Livneh; U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0246337 entitled “Plasma dry reforming apparatus” published Sep. 3, 2015 in the names of Hong et al; U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0222300 entitled “Process and apparatus for converting greenhouse gases into synthetic fuels” published Aug. 4, 2016 in the name of Livneh; U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0333281 entitled “Method and apparatus for producing liquid hydrocarbon fuels” published Nov. 17, 2016 in the name of Kyle; U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,204 entitled “Direct conversion of carbonaceous material to hydrocarbons” issued Apr. 7, 1970 to Hoffman; U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,654 entitled “Conversion of hydrogen and carbon monoxide into C1-C4 range hydrocarbons” issued Mar. 17, 1981 to Schlinger et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,940 entitled “Coal-oil slurry preparation” issued Jul. 12, 1983 to Tao; U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,374 entitled “Method of producing carbon monoxide and hydrogen by gasification of solid carbonaceous material involving microwave irradiation” issued Mar. 6, 1984 to Helm; U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,912 entitled “Conversion of methane using pulsed microwave radiation” issued Apr. 27, 1993 to Murphy; U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,175 entitled “Conversion of methane, carbon dioxide and water using microwave radiation” issued Nov. 30, 1993 to Murphy; U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,175 entitled “Catalytic microwave conversion of gaseous hydrocarbons” issued Oct. 26, 1999 to Tanner et al; U.S. Pat. No. 7,887,694 entitled “Methods of sequestering CO2” issued Feb. 15, 2011 to Constantz et al; U.S. Pat. No. 8,779,013 entitled “Process and apparatus for converting greenhouse gases into synthetic fuels” issued Jul. 15, 2014 to Livneh; U.S. Pat. No. 9,238,214 entitled “Process and apparatus for converting greenhouse gases into synthetic fuels” issued Jan. 19, 2016 to Livneh; U.S. Pat. No. 9,353,323 entitled “Method and apparatus for producing liquid hydrocarbon fuels” issued May 31, 2016 to Kyle; WO 2008/009644 published Jan. 24, 2008 in the names of O'Connor et al; Fidalgo et al; “Microwave-assisted dry reforming of methane”; Intl. J. Hydrogen Energy Vol 22 p 4337 (2008); Fidalgo et al; “Syngas Production by CO2 Reforming of CH4 under Microwave Heating—Challenges and Opportunities”; Syngas: Production, Application and Environmental Impact, Indarto and Palguandi Eds. p 121 (2013); Hunt et al; Microwave-Specific Enhancement of the Carbon-Carbon Dioxide (Boudouard) Reaction”; J. Phys. Chem. C Vol 111 No 5 p 26871 (2013); and Lavoie; “Review on dry reforming of methane, a potentially more environmentally-friendly approach to the increasing natural gas exploitation”; Frontiers in Chem. Vol 2 Article 81 (2014).Each one of those patents, publications, and references is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mask pattern formed on a photomask, a pattern formed on a semiconductor device, and a method for exposing through the photomask to form a resist pattern of which a position is employed to correct an exposure condition.
In the present specification, an overlay error measuring mark formed on the photomask will specifically be referred to as an on-mask photolithography screening mark and the mark transferred onto or formed on a resist layer or a semiconductor substrate in order to determine the amount of pattern displacement will be referred to as a photolithography screening mark.
2. Description of the Related Art
Size reduction of a semiconductor device has been achieved by reducing the size of each component. In addition to this, since the semiconductor device is composed of a plurality of circuit layers, contact holes and the other elements, it is also an important technique in view of size reduction to improve the overlay accuracy for various elements.
A series of processes such as layer formation, photolithography operation and etching to form the elements in the manufacture of the semiconductor device will hereafter collectively be referred to as a xe2x80x9cmanufacturing processxe2x80x9d. A semiconductor device is typically manufactured by a plurality of manufacturing processes. When a patterned first circuit layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate and then a second patterned circuit layer is to be formed on the first circuit layer, the second circuit layer is blanket deposited on the first circuit layer, and then a resist layer is formed on the second circuit layer. The resist layer is then exposed to light through a photomask that includes a pattern corresponding to a pattern of the second circuit layer to form a resist pattern.
The photomask has various patterns formed thereon in correspondence to the circuit and other patterns formed on the semiconductor substrate. By exposing the resist layer to light through the pattern formed on the photomask (namely exposure), a pattern that is ideally a similar figure to the photomask pattern is formed on the resist layer. Actually, however, a displacement between a designed pattern of the second circuit layer corresponding to the pattern of the first circuit layer and the resulting resist pattern may occur due to optical conditions such as optical aberration through an optical system in the exposure apparatus. When the pattern of the second circuit layer is etched by using a resist pattern that has a displacement, the resulting pattern of the second circuit layer also includes a displacement from a designed position. The displacement of the resist pattern is usually called the overlay displacement.
There have been various marks used in the photolithography processes to measure various data related to the photolithography. In this specification, these marks will all be called the measurement mark.
In order to measure the amount of the overlay displacement, for example, a mark called an alignment mark is formed on the photomask or transferred with the photomask on the semiconductor substrate. This is also a kind of the measurement mark described above.
Among the overlay displacements, one which is determined using the alignment mark formed on the photomask and the alignment mark actually formed in the resist pattern is called a position error. Moreover, when a pattern (such as a line in a circuit and a contact hole) is formed on the semiconductor substrate using a resist pattern that includes the position error, a deviation in the dimension or the shape from the ideal pattern of similar shape is produced. This is called a patterning error.
The smaller the element dimensions the smaller the tolerance for overlay displacement caused by the effect of optical aberration on the optical system in the exposure apparatus.
Specifically, the position error due to frame aberration as a type of optical aberration is described for example in Japanese Kokai Patent Publication No. Hei 9 (1997)-74063, especially in the description referring to FIGS. 59 to 61.
As a technique for reducing the position error, Japanese Kokai Patent Publication Nos. Hei 9 (1997)-74063 and Hei 9 (1997)-244222 propose technologies for improving the measurement mark used to relatively determine the position error such as the alignment mark.
However, even when the measurement mark is improved according to the description in the publications mentioned hereinbefore, the following problems are expected to occur when the element sizes are further reduced.
The first problem is that since the value of overlay displacement determined by using the conventional measurement mark is a relative position error of the pattern formed in the subsequent manufacturing process to the pattern formed in the previous manufacturing process, it is not possible to determine merely the actual position error of the pattern obtained in the subsequent manufacturing process.
Particularly, since the position error may block further reduction of element sizes, it is required to accurately determine the amount of the position error.
The second problem refers to the difficulty of analyzing the overlay displacement.
In the prior art, for example, when a relative position error is larger than a limit value after completing a plurality of manufacturing processes, a main cause of the error has been attributed to a downstream manufacturing process because the value of position error generated in the downstream manufacturing process is normally larger than one generated in an upstream manufacturing process. In the prior art, however, it has been difficult to determine which of a upstream or a downstream manufacturing process has greater contribution to the final position error in actuality.
The present invention has been made to solve the problems described above, and a first object thereof is to provide a photomask and a semiconductor device that allow it to accurately determine the actual position error and the patterning error separately for each manufacturing process.
Second object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device having higher precision and a less patterning error.
Third object of the present invention is to provide an exposure method comprising the correction of exposure conditions based on the resulting position error data.
The photomask according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a photomask substrate, and an on-mask circuit area including an on-mask circuit pattern and an on-mask test mark area including an on-mask test pattern, both formed on the surface of the substrate, wherein the photomask substrate further includes an on-mask photolithography screening mark area including an on-mask comparison pattern and an on-mask screening pattern, the on-mask comparison pattern has substantially the same configuration as at least a part of the on-mask circuit pattern, and the on-mask screening pattern has substantially the same configuration as at least a part of the on-mask test pattern.
According to the present invention, the photomask has the on-mask comparison pattern and the on-mask screening pattern disposed close to each other.
According to the present invention, either one of the on-mask comparison pattern or the on-mask screening pattern is disposed at both ends of the other.
According to the present invention, either one of the on-mask comparison pattern or the on-mask screening pattern is disposed to surround the other.
According to the present invention, the on-mask comparison pattern and the on-mask screening pattern combine to form a cross-shaped mark on the photomask.
According to the present invention, either one of the on-mask photolithography screening mark area or the on-mask test mark area is included in the other, and the on-mask test pattern further serves as the on-mask screening pattern.
According to the present invention, the photomask may have a plurality of the on-mask photolithography screening mark areas and arrangement thereof may be at any position.
Second aspect of the present invention is a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate having a circuit area including circuit patterns and a measurement mark area including measurement patterns formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate in the same manufacturing process as the circuit pattern, wherein the semiconductor substrate further includes a photolithography screening mark area including a screening pattern.and a comparison pattern, the comparison pattern has substantially the same configuration as at least a part of the circuit pattern, and the screening pattern has substantially the same configuration as at least a part of the the measurement pattern.
In the semiconductor device according to the present invention, the screening pattern and the comparison pattern are disposed close to each other in the same manufacturing process.
According to the present invention, second model of a semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of photolithography screening mark areas including a screening pattern formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the photolithography screening mark area further includes a comparison pattern formed in the same manufacturing process as the screening pattern to be close thereto, and a dimensional difference between the screening patterns having the same configuration and the same dimensions included in different photolithography screening mark areas equals to a dimensional difference between the comparison-patterns of the same configuration and the same dimensions included in the photolithography screening mark areas. In this semiconductor device, the screening pattern and the comparison pattern are disposed close to each other.
According to the present invention, third model of a semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate manufactured by employing a photolithography process using a photomask comprising a photomask substrate, and an on-mask circuit areas including on-mask circuit patterns, an on-mask test mark area including on-mask test patterns and an on-mask photolithography-screening mark area including an on-mask comparison pattern and an on-mask screening pattern, all of them formed on the surface of the substrate, wherein the on-mask comparison pattern has substantially the same configuration as at least a part of the on-mask circuit pattern, and the on-mask screening pattern has substantially the same configuration as at least a part of the on-mask test pattern, whereby a plurality of photolithography screening mark areas corresponding to the on-mask photolithography screening mark areas, including a screening pattern corresponding to the on-mask screening pattern and a comparison pattern corresponding to the on-mask comparison pattern formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, a dimensional difference between the screening patterns having the same configuration and the same dimensions included in different photolithography screening mark areas, respectively, equals to a dimensional difference between the comparison patterns of the same configuration and the same dimensions included in the photolithography screening mark areas.
In the present invention, the photomask comprises the on-mask screening pattern and the on-mask comparison pattern, both disposed close to each other.
According to the semiconductor device of the present invention, either one of the screening pattern or the comparison pattern is disposed at both ends of the other.
According to the semiconductor device of the present invention, either one of the screening pattern or the comparison pattern is disposed to surround the other.
According to the semiconductor device of the present invention, the screening pattern and the comparison pattern combine to form a cross-shaped mark.
In the semiconductor device according to the present invention, either one of the photolithography screening mark area and the measurement mark area may be included in the other, and the measurement pattern may have the function of the screening pattern as well.
In the semiconductor device according to the present invention, the photolithography screening mark area may be included in plurality and arrangement thereof may be at any position.
An exposure method according to another aspect of the present invention uses an exposure apparatus equipped with a photomask, comprising:
(i) a step of exposing a resist layer formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate to light on the exposure apparatus equipped with the photomask comprising a photomask substrate, and an on-mask circuit area including on-mask circuit patterns, an on-mask test mark area including on-mask test patterns and an on-mask photolithography screening mark area including an on-mask comparison pattern and an on-mask screening pattern, all of them formed on the surface of the substrate, wherein the on-mask comparison pattern has substantially the same configuration as at least a part of the on-mask circuit pattern, and the on-mask screening pattern has substantially the same configuration as at least a part of the on-mask test pattern, thereby to form an on-resist circuit area that correspond to the on-mask circuit area, on-resist circuit patterns that correspond to the on-mask circuit patterns, an on-resist test-mark area that correspond to the on-mask test mark area, on-resist test patterns that correspond to the on-mask test patterns, an on-resist photolithography screening mark area that correspond to the on-mask photolithography screening mark area, an on-resist screening pattern that correspond to the on-mask screening pattern, and an on-resist comparison pattern that correspond to the on-mask comparison pattern on the resist layer; and
(ii) a step of correcting the exposure conditions based on a position error data obtained by measuring a distance between the on-resist screening pattern and the on-resist comparison pattern.
On the photomask used-in the method of the present invention, the on-mask comparison pattern and the on-mask screening pattern are disposed close to each other.
According to the exposure method of the present invention, either one of the on-mask photolithography screening mark area or the on-mask test mark area is included in the other, and the on-mask test pattern further serves as the on-mask screening pattern. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to television receiving apparatus and more particularly to a television receiving apparatus wherein a video buzzing sound is prevented from being produced by a video signal turning round into a power source system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As sound receiving systems of television receiving apparatus, there are a split carrier (or separate carrier) detecting system and intercarrier detecting system.
The intercarrier detecting system is a system wherein a sound intermediate frequency (for example, of 54.25 MHz) and a video intermediate frequency (for example, of 58.75 MHz) converted by a tuner are amplified by the same intermediate frequency amplifying circuit and are detected and a beat component (4.5 MHz) of the video intermediate frequency (58.75 MHz) and sound intermediate frequency (54.25 MHz) included together with a video signal in the output of the detecting circuit is utilized as a sound intercarrier signal.
FIG. 6 shows an essential part of a television receiving apparatus of a conventional intercarrier detecting system.
In FIG. 6, an RF television signal input into an antenna 1 is input into an electronic tuning tuner (mentioned as an ET tuner hereinafter) 2 in which a desired channel signal is selected from among the RF signals. An intermediate frequency signal (mentioned as an IF signal hereinafter) from the ET tuner 2 is amplified and video-detected by a video intermediate frequency circuit (mentioned as a video IF circuit hereinafter) 4. The video-detected video signal is fed to a sound intermediate frequency circuit (mentioned as a sound IF circuit hereinafter) 7 and video amplifying circuit 8. The video signal is amplified by the video amplifying circuit 8 and is output. At the same time, a sound intercarrier signal included in the video signal is amplified and sound FM-detected by the sound IF circuit 7. In the here shown apparatus, the power source for the local oscillating circuit of the ET tuner 2, the power source of the video IF circuit 4 and the power source of the video amplifying circuit 8 are obtained from the same power source circuit 9.
Now, in case the power source for the local oscillating circuit of the ET tuner 2, the power source of the video IF circuit 4 and the power source of the video amplifying circuit 8 are driven by the same power source circuit 9 as mentioned above, with the variation of the video signal current, a slight ripple voltage will be produced in the power source line, the local oscillation output of the ET tuner 2 will fluctuate because of this ripple voltage, the sound IF signal in the output of the ET tuner 2 will be also influenced by the video signal, as a result, the sound intercarrier signal obtained from the video IF circuit 4 will be influenced and, when this is sound-detected, a video buzzing sound will be generated in the television sound to disadvantage.
On the other hand, the split carrier detecting system wherein a sound intermediate frequency (for example, 54.25 MHz) and a video intermediate frequency (for example, 58.75 MHz) converted by a tuner are amplified respectively by exclusive amplifying circuits and are detected is different from the intercarrier detecting system wherein a sound signal is detected from a beat component (4.5 MHz) of a video intermediate frequency (58.78 MHz) and sound intermediate frequency (54.25 MHz). In the split carrier detecting system, fundamentally no buzzing sound is generated by the video signal. Therefore, this system is extensively used as a high quality sound detecting system.
In FIG. 7 is shown an essential part of a television receiving apparatus of a conventional split carrier detecting system.
In FIG. 7, an RF television signal input into an antenna 1 is input into an ET tuner 2 in which a desired channel signal is selected from among RF signals. An IF signal from the ET tuner 2 is input into a filter 3 and is here separated into a video IF signal and a sound IF signal. Then, the video IF signal is amplified and video-detected by a video IF circuit 4. The sound IF signal is mixed in a mixing circuit 6 with a local oscillating signal from a second local oscillating circuit 5 and is converted to a second sound IF signal (4.5 to 10.7 MHz) and is amplified and sound-detected with a sound alone in a sound IF circuit 7. The video signal video-detected in the video IF circuit 4 is amplified in the video amplifying circuit 8 and is output. In the apparatus shown here, the power source of the local oscillating circuit of the ET tuner 2, the power source of the video IF circuit 4 and the power source of the video amplifying circuit 8 are obtained from the same power source circuit 9.
The same as in FIG. 6, in FIG. 7, too, in case the power source of the local oscillating circuit of the ET tuner 2, the power source of the video IF circuit 4 and the power source of the video amplifying circuit 8 are driven by the same power source, a slight ripple voltage will be produced in the power source line with the variation of the video signal current, the local oscillating output of the ET tuner 2 will fluctuate because of this ripple voltage, the sound IF signal in the output of the ET tuner 2 will be modulated in the frequency by the video signal and, when it is sound-detected, a video buzzing sound will be generated in the television sound to disadvantage.
Thus, in the television receiving apparatus, the video buzzing sound is generated because the local oscillating output of the local oscillating circuit of the ET tuner 2 has a sensitivity fluctuating under the influence of the ripple voltage of a .mu.V order and the video signal turns round as a power source ripple into the ET tuner 2 side through the power source system and, as a result, influences the sound signal.
In order to reduce the above mentioned ripple voltage, briefly the capacity of a decoupling condenser for removing ripples usually connected to a power source line may be made large but, in the general circuit apparatus in which power source lines are connected to various load circuits, the load impedance is so low that the effect of removing ripples for the increase of the condenser capacity is small and the desired characteristics are hard to obtain.
Therefore, the ripple removing filter is strengthened exclusively for the power source for the local oscillating circuit of the ET tuner or another power source circuit 10 is provided besides the power source circuit 9 as connected to the main power source as shown in FIG. 8 and is made a power source for the local oscillating circuit of the ET tuner 2. The power source of the ET tuner 2 is separated from the power sources of the video IF circuit 4 and video amplifying circuit 8, the video signal is prevented from turning round into the ET tuner 2 side through the power source system and the video buzzing sound is prevented from being generated.
However, in the above mentioned method, the power source system is divided into two systems of power sources, an excess filter for removing power source ripples is required and therefore there have been problems that the space on the circuit substrate increases and the cost is high. | {
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α-Amino acids have significant biochemical importance, and are frequently used as a raw material for drugs such as antibiotics, antineoplastic agents, and enzyme inhibitors. There are natural and non-naturally occurring α-amino acids, and many useful α-amino acids of both types have been found. In recent years, there have been a series of discoveries of non-naturally occurring, beneficial physiologically active amino acids such as L-dopa and L-azatyrosine, and there is a need for research into the practical asymmetrical synthesis of such optically-active α-amino acids.
One option for the practical asymmetrical synthesis of optically-active α-amino acids is asymmetrical mono-substitution alkylation. In conventional practice, it has been common to use a ketimine-type Schiff base for asymmetrical mono-substitution alkylation (O'Donnell, M. J. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1989, vol. 111, p. 2353). Ketimine-type Schiff bases are complex to manufacture and thus generally are expensive. This has caused α-amino acids that are produced by asymmetrical mono-substitution alkylation to be expensive as well.
The reason why ketimine-type Schiff bases are used shall be explained based on the characteristics of ketimine-type Schiff bases that contribute to the reaction. Schiff bases include ketimine-type Schiff bases and aldimine-type Schiff bases, for example. In general, it is strongly believed that aldimine-type Schiff bases result in a racemization of the product because there is almost no pKa difference between the secondary hydrogen and the tertiary hydrogen, whereas ketimine-type Schiff bases inhibit racemization of the product obtained because this difference is large (O'Donnell, M. J., Aldrichim. Acta., 2001, vol. 34, p. 3, and Maruoka, K. and Ooi, T., Chemical Reviews, 2003, vol. 103, p. 3013).
Thus, in this technical field, based on the presumption that ketimine-type Schiff bases will be used in consideration of the overall production efficiency, even though production costs are somewhat higher, attention has been focused on optimizing the methods for asymmetrical synthesis of optically-active α-amino acids using ketimine-type Schiff bases.
On the other hand, recently, there was a report of an example of asymmetrical synthesis using macromolecular aldimine (Park, H.-G. et al., J. Org. Chem., 2005, vol. 70, p. 1904). However, this report pertains to asymmetrical synthesis using a compound obtained by binding aldimine to a macromolecule, and is quite different from the Schiff bases of the technical field. | {
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There is a continuing need for fire protection materials that permit dissipation of heat and deter the spread of flames, smoke, vapors and/or heat during a fire. Various materials have been used to protect surfaces from excessive heat and flame, including, among others, insulative materials, endothermic materials, intumescent materials, opacifiers, and so-called “superinsulation materials”.
The use of insulative materials such as ceramic or bio-soluble blankets, felt or thick paper-like material, or mineral wool blankets and boards are problematic because the materials are typically very thick and/or heavy. These materials are bulky and difficult to install. In addition, insulative materials can become detached from surfaces when the heat of a fire expands or destroys the means by which the insulative materials are attached.
Endothermic materials absorb heat, typically by releasing water of hydration, by going through a phase change that absorbs heat (i.e. liquid to gas), or by other physical or chemical change where the reaction requires a net absorption of heat to take place. Infrared opacifiers, such as carbon black, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, or zirconium dioxide, as well as mixtures of these, reduce the radiation contribution to thermal conductivity. When activated, endothermic materials and opacifiers restrict heat transfer and, consequently, keep the cold-face temperature lower than it would be absent such materials.
It is known to provide materials designed to retard the spread of fire and heat by an endothermic reaction. A known fire protection material in the form of semi-rigid or rigid boards or molded sections comprises an endothermic-reactive insulating fibrous material comprising (a) an inorganic endothermic filler which undergoes multiple endothermic reactions; (b) inorganic fiber material; and (c) an organic polymer binder. Another known material comprises an endothermic, flexible, fibrous, fire-protective sheet material made of a composition comprising (a) a refractory inorganic fiber; (b) an organic polymer binder, such as an acrylic resin; and (c) an inorganic, endothermic filler, such as alumina trihydrate, which undergoes an endothermic reaction between about 100° C. to 600° C.
Use of endothermic materials somewhat reduces the thickness problem inherent in insulation systems, but endothermics have their own problems. Due to the fact that the material has water molecules trapped in dry form, the system tends to be quite heavy, may be difficult to install and have high associated labor costs. Also, once installed, these systems are extremely difficult to remove and replace in order to perform maintenance work or to update electrical and communication networks hidden within a surface.
Intumescent materials expand to at least about 1.5 times their original volume upon heating to temperatures typically encountered in fire-like conditions, creating an insulation layer that separates the protected item from the fire. One major advantage of intumescent materials is that the unreacted material is thin and lightweight, and easier to install. Intumescent materials generally comprise a mixture of heat resistant inorganic fibers and an intumescent substance. In the event of a fire, the presence of the intumescent substance causes the intumescent material to expand to form an effective seal against the passage of fire and smoke.
The degree to which the intumescent fire protection material expands is important during a fire event, as the intumescent fire protection material must fill the space it is designed to occupy and must do so at a rapid rate. Accordingly, intumescence at the temperatures commonly encountered in a fire event, rapid rate of expansion, and a high degree of expansion are all desirable performance properties of an intumescent fire protection material. A high degree of expansion ensures that the intumescent fire protection material will expand firmly against the periphery of the opening to be sealed, thereby providing an effective seal against the passage of fire and smoke.
It is important in fire protections applications that, once the fire protection material has expanded in response to exposure to elevated temperatures during a fire, that the material cannot shrink if maintained at the increased temperature or exposed to repeated heating and cooling thermal cycling. Because of the low char strengths of sodium silicate-based materials, shrinkage occurs in both situations. Accordingly, intumescent materials that possess a high degree of expansion and char strength for use in passive fire protection applications, and which do not exhibit substantial shrinkage upon prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures or thermal cycling, are desired. | {
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In the field of clinical analysis, a method utilizing coupling enzymes of glucokinase (GK) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), i.e., a so-called GK/G6PDH coupling enzyme system, has heretofore been employed in determination of glucose or CPK.
This method is based on the following principle: ##STR1##
The symbols used in the above formulae are defined as follows:
CP: creatine phosphate PA0 C: creatine PA0 ADP: adenosine-5'-diphosphate PA0 ATP: adenosine-5'-triphosphate PA0 G6P: glucose-6-phosphate PA0 NAD(P): oxidized form nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate) PA0 NAD(P)H: reduced form nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate) PA0 6-PGA: 6-phosphogluconate
The above-described reactions (1), (2) and (3) are catalyzed by CPK, GK and G6PDH, respectively. Thus, the CPK measurement follows the equations (1), (2) and (3), and the lucose measurement, the equations (2) and (3).
Conventional glucose or CPK-measuring compositions utilizing the HK/G6PDH coupling enzyme system are of low stability when stored at room temperature in the form of solution and their service lives as reagents at room temperature (18.degree.-35.degree. C.) after dissolving are very short, as described in Methods in Enzymatic Analysis, 2nd English Edition, ed. by Hans Ulrich Bergmeyer (published by Verlag Chemie International), pages 789-793 and 1196-1205 (1974). Thus, an improved measuring composition using heat stable GK has been developed, as described in Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 169598/81 (corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 267,245, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,199, and also to EPC Patent Publication No. 43181) (the term "OPI" as used herein means a "published unexamined Japanese patent application").
The above-proposed composition is improved in storage stability at room temperature compared with conventional compositions. Its stability, however, is not sufficiently satisfactory because of instability of coupling enzyme and SH-containing compound contained in the composition. Furthermore, to keep the stability over long periods of time, it is necessary to add a relatively large amount of enzyme. Use of such a large amount of enzyme does not cause any serious problem. However, as the amount of enzyme to be used is decreased, the problem of a drop in rate of reaction and, in its turn, an increase in the time required for the measurement arises. Although this problem is not noticeable in measuring the individual activity of GK and G6PDH, it becomes seriously noticeable when the composition is used in determination of glucose or CPK. This is one of the causes preventing practical use of the composition.
Addition of potassium chloride (KCZ) in the assay mixture or purification medium of GK is described in Methods in Enzymology, published by Academic Press Inc., Vol. 9, pages 381-388 (1966). It is also described that although KCl possesses an action to stabilize GK, while not exerting influences on the rate of reaction (Vm). | {
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Camera modules are incorporated into a variety of consumer electronic devices, including smartphones, mobile audio players, personal digital assistants, laptop computers, and desktop computers. There is a constant drive to add additional features to these cameras modules while maintaining a compact size. For example, one feature that is desirable in camera modules is an autofocus (AF) feature that automatically adjusts focal distance so that an image captured by the camera module is in sharp focus. Another feature that is desirable in camera modules is an optical image stabilization (OIS) feature that compensates for unintended movement of the camera module when capturing an image/video (e.g., due to user hand shake or other vibration).
OIS is performed by detecting movement of the camera module and then counteracting that movement, for example, by moving the lens carrier of the camera module in an opposite direction of that movement. This can be achieved by suspending the lens carrier using flexible suspension wires that sway so as to allow the lens carrier to move in directions orthogonal to an optical axis of a lens of the camera module. The lens carrier can be moved using a force generated by a magnet and a coil carrying electric current (e.g., a Lorentz force). The flexible suspension wires can also be used to carry the electrical coil current in order to perform AF. | {
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Identification cards have been the subject of considerable counterfeiting and it is highly desirable to provide one that it is difficult to counterfeit. Moreover, even an identification card which cannot be counterfeited, can be misused. For example, a person holding a valid passport or a valid permanent resident card, can send it to someone outside of the country who may use it for entry purposes, if the customs agent does not recognize that the user of the passport (or permanent resident card) is a different person from the person whose picture and/or signature appears on the passport. Therefore, it is desirable to have an identification card which indicates whether its last use was for ingress or egress to or from the country, and which gives other information intended to prevent misuse. My prior copending applications, referred to above were primarily addressed to the problem of providing an identification card that could not be counterfeited. The present invention is primarily directed to preventing misuse of that card although this invention also reduces the possibility of counterfeiting. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting the amount of paper remaining in a cassette of a printer and, more particularly, to an apparatus for detecting the amount of paper remaining in a cassette of a printer in which the remaining paper information is obtained as an electrical signal, to show the information by sending the information to a printer display and/or computer connected to a printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a typical electrophotographic printer such as a laser printer or a copying machine, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive medium by exposure, and an image obtained from the electrostatic latent image developed by a developing material is transferred to a paper to print a desired image.
In the above printer, a paper cassette is provided for storing papers capable of moving into or out of a main body of the printer.
When there is no paper in the paper cassette, printing cannot be performed. Thus, before printing, the paper cassette is checked using a separate sensor to detect whether there is paper in the paper cassette or not, or by using a sensor for detecting whether paper to be supplied to a printing unit passes through a paper transferring path. In the case of using a sensor for detecting whether the paper passes through the paper transferring path, a paper feeding roller for feeding the paper of the paper cassette is driven, and then when a paper passing signal is not output from the sensor at a predetermined time, the printing is stopped. Meanwhile, when there is no paper in the paper cassette, a system controller sends a signal or a message on a display installed on an operation panel informing the user.
However, in the conventional technology, information on the amount of paper remaining cannot be obtained before exhaustion of paper.
A display may be provided in one side of the paper cassette to show the amount of paper remaining without opening the paper cassette. However, a remote user away from a printer or a user using the printer through a network must go to the printer to check the amount of paper remaining. | {
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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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Clients frequently rely on servers to process data requests such as data processing requests and/or data retrieval requests. Receiving responses to such data processing requests in a timely and reliable manner is desirable. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector examination device. In particular, the connector examination device examines a connector having metal terminals inserted therein and determines whether or not there is an electrical connection established between the metal terminals. The connector examination device also detects the inserted condition of metal terminals in a connector housing and an improper attachment of metal terminals inserted into a connector housing.
2. Related Art
Generally, a connector assembly comprises a connector housing constructed of a synthetic resin. Metal terminals, secured to ends of wires, are inserted in the housing. When a metal terminal is inserted into a proper insertion position, the metal terminal is retained against withdrawal by a lance or retaining pawl provided on the metal terminal or the connector housing. In a connector of this type, if the metal terminal is not attached in the proper insertion position, so that it is not retained against withdrawal by the lance, the possibility exists that the metal terminal can be withdrawn during use. Therefore, it is necessary to first check for a proper insertion and correct the insertion if it is improper.
Previously, a conventional method has been used to check for proper insertion. A retainer is used in combination with lances. The retainer engages a metal terminal inserted into the proper position and cooperates with the lance to form a double retaining means. Before the metal terminals are inserted, the retainer is initially retained at a position where it will not interfere with the insertion of connector and the metal terminals. The metal terminals are inserted and the retainer is moved into a completely retained position to engage the metal terminals.
If any one of the metal terminals fails to reach the properly inserted position, so that it is disposed in an improper inserted position, the retainer is caught by the metal terminal during movement of the retainer into the completely retained position, so the retainer can not be moved into the completely retained position.
Therefore, by determining whether or not the retainer can be moved into the completely retained position, it can also be ascertained whether or not the metal terminals have been inserted to the proper position. If it is determined that the metal terminal has not been inserted to the proper position, the metal terminal insertion operation is carried out again.
In this conventional method, the retainer, fit in the completely retained position, is not removed from the connector and the connector must be used with the retainer fit into the connector. Therefore, an equal number of retainers and connector housings are required. Thus, the number of the component parts is unnecessarily high, which in turn creates a high cost.
Furthermore, the retainer only determines whether or not any improperly inserted metal terminal exists. If it is determined that there exists an improperly inserted metal terminal, the metal terminal must be pushed deeper into the connector or the insertion of the metal terminal must be carried again to correct the position of the terminal. The insertion condition of the metal terminals must be re-checked. Therefore, much time and labor is required. Further, if the metal terminal is disposed in an improper position near to the proper inserted position, it can not be clearly and readily determined from the appearance alone if the metal terminal is in an improper position. Thus, the position of all of the metal terminals must be corrected. Particularly, in the case of a multi-pole connector having many metal terminals, the correction of all the terminals requires much time and labor to correct the position of the metal terminals. Therefore, the problem that the efficiency of the metal terminal insertion operation is low has been encountered.
Previously, there have been proposed various kinds of connector examination devices for detecting incomplete insertion of metal terminals. One example of a known connector examination device is shown in FIG. 22. In this device, lance check pins 206 extend and oppose lances 203 in a connector 201. Each lance check pin 206 is inserted into a lance flexure space 204 formed in a connector housing 202. If a metal terminal 205 is completely inserted into a proper position, when the lance check pin 206 is inserted into the lance flexure space 204, it does not abut against the lance 203. The lance check pin 206 advances to a position beneath the lance 203, as shown in FIG. 23. If the metal terminal 205 is in an incomplete inserted condition, the lance check pin 206 abuts against the front end portion of the lance 203 projected substantially into the lance flexure space 204 and elastically deforms. In this arrangement, the lance 203 projects substantially into the lance flexure space 204. Because of the improper attachment of the metal terminal 205, the lance check pin 206 abuts against the front end of the lance 203. Hence, the lance check pin 206 can not move to the position beneath the lance 203. As a result, the insertion of the metal terminal 205 is incomplete.
In this conventional connector, the lance 203 has a large thickness so that it has an elastic restoring force and a strength for retaining the metal terminal against withdrawal. A metal terminal support portion 208, which is provided between the lance flexure space 204, and a cavity 207, which receives the metal terminal 205, need to have only sufficient strength to maintain the positioning of the metal terminal 205. Therefore, the thickness of the support portion 208 is less than the thickness of the lance 203. Even when the metal terminal 205 is completely inserted in the proper position, the lance 203 projects slightly toward the lance flexure space 204 beyond the metal terminal support portion 208.
The thickness of a front end portion 206a of the lance check pin 206 is less than the inner dimension of the lance flexure space 204 so that the front end portion 206a can be positioned beneath the lance 203. When the lance check pin 206 is initially inserted into the lance flexure space 204, a gap forms between the front end portion 206a of the lance check pin 206 and the metal terminal support portion 208.
However, in the known device described above, the lance check pin 206 can be inserted into the lance flexure space 204, with its front end portion 206a bent or deformed and the lance check pin 206 obliquely advances in the space 204. In this case, even if the metal terminal 205 is completely inserted into the proper position, with the lance 203 retracted from the lance flexure space 204, the front end portion 206a of the lance check pin 206 abuts against the portion of the lance 203 extending into the lance flexure space 204, as shown in FIG. 24. As a result, even though the metal terminal 205 is disposed in the proper position, the front end portion 206a of the lance check pin 206 can not be brought into the position beneath the lance 203. As a result, a wrong determination that the metal terminal 205 is in an incompletely attached condition is possible.
Another example of known devices is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication No. 62-47093. In this device, a connector holder for holding a connector in a predetermined position is provided with lance check pins projected in an opposed relation to lances in the connector. Each of the lance check pins extends toward an associated lance flexure space. Each lance check pin contacts the front end of the lance disposed in a lance flexure space when an associated metal terminal is in an improperly inserted position. In this device, if a metal terminal is improperly attached, so the lance is disposed in the lance flexure space, the lance check pin abuts against the front end of the lance when the connector is set in the connector holder. The connector can not be properly set in the connector holder. Thus, the improper attachment of the metal terminal can be determined.
In the above device, however, if the connector is forced into the connector holder, though the metal terminal is disposed in an improperly attached condition, the front end of the lance check pin abuts against the lance with a force large enough that a lance made of a synthetic resin is deformed. When deformation occurs, not only is the improper attachment of the metal terminal undetected, but the lance is also damaged. Thus, the connector is rendered unusable. | {
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Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to a continuous form, fill, seal and separate packaging machine. The packaging machine of this invention is uniquely characterized not only by its continuous operation, but also by the means for supplying to the packaging machine an essentially uninterrupted source of web material with which to form and seal the package receptacles.
Description of the Prior Art.
Prior art publications, and particularly issued U.S. Letters Patent, teach a rather large variety of devices for forming, filling and sealing packages. However, as a review of the prior art literature clearly demonstrates, most such packaging machines are of an intermittent operation. That is to say, the web from which the packages are formed generally must stop at each of the work stations of the machine where the forming, filling and sealing operations are accomplished. While the periods of stop, or dwell, are admittedly brief, they nevertheless impose significant limits upon the capacity of such machines for any given period of time.
No doubt in recognition of such limitations, varieties of continuous form, fill and seal devices have been developed and are taught in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,772 discloses an apparatus for continuously forming, filling and sealing containers. According to the disclosure of this patent, continuous movement of the web through the machine is accomplished by providing movable forming, filling and sealing stations. This patent also suggest that filled and sealed containers may be separated from the moving web stop by a similarly movable separating station. Of course, as this patent notes, the movable work stations should preferably be adjusted to operate in push-pull, or out of phase, relationship in which the acceleration of one moving work station in a first direction is offset by the acceleration of another moving work station in a second, opposite direction. Nevertheless, even with an apparatus such as that described in this U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,772, a significant capacity limitation remains in that the total operation of the apparatus must be secured when the web supply is exhausted in order to load the apparatus with a new supply of web stock.
It must, of course, be admitted that prior art means are known for providing a continuous supply of rolled web stock according to various "fly-splicing" devices and methods. Exemplar devices and methods are taught, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,886,030; 3,915,399; and 4,363,695. However, all such prior art devices are relatively complex, and require substantial effort to replenish the secondary web stock once it has been spliced onto the exhausted primary stock.
It is therefore clear that there is a great need in the art of packaging machines not only for improved continuous forming, filling, sealing and separating of packages, but also for increasing the efficiency, reliability, and use of operation of the fly-splicing apparatus in order to provide a truly continuous source of web stock material to the packaging machine. These and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. | {
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Analog and digital circuits are used in countless varied applications, and are being integrated even more with each passing year. Prefabricated components and chips lie at the heart of most of these circuits. As these circuits have become not only more prevalent but also more complex, it has become increasingly important to those who manufacture and sell the component parts, as well as to those who purchase components and implement circuits using them, that secure and efficient methods be available to package and transport these often delicate or sensitive components. In addition, similar demands exist with respect to other electrical and mechanical components. Component suppliers traditionally ship their parts to the end user in various forms of transport packaging, the most popular being waffle trays or tape-and-reel arrangements. In tape-and-reel arrangements, the tape is thermoformed with a series of pockets formed along its length. A component part is inserted into a pocket and covered with a cover tape which secures the part inside. The cover tape is usually a film or web with a thermally-activated or pressure-sensitive adhesive deposited on its underside. A length of the carrier/cover tape combination is then spooled onto a circular shipping reel. This system provides an efficient arrangement in which the components can be packaged, shipped and presented to an automated assembly process.
Waffle trays are similar, except the pockets are provided in a grid pattern on a thermoformed tray. Instead of rolling the carrier onto a reel as with the tape, the trays are stacked for shipping and storage.
Circuit components are generally formed of a main body with terminals extending from near the edges of the main body. The main body is generally more robust than the terminals, and able to withstand forces typically encountered in shipping and storage. The terminals, however, are often quite delicate, and therefore, cause the most concern in shipping and storage. Any impact between a terminal and the interior of the carrier tape pocket, for example, can be potentially damaging to the component. Therefore, it is desirable to separate the component terminals from the inner surfaces of the pocket and to maintain that separation. To create the separation, a typical pocket includes a "pedestal" that holds the component off the bottom surface of the pocket. To maintain the separation, the pocket and pedestal must resist crushing during typical shipping and storage conditions.
The carrier is generally formed of a thin layer of thermoplastic, typically less than a millimeter thick. Because the pocket walls are so thin, the pockets are susceptible to being crushed when spooled onto a reel or stacked for shipping. The formation of the recessed pocket stretches the material even thinner in the side walls of the pocket, further reducing the strength of the pocket. Conventional efforts to increase the crush resistance of carrier pockets have centered around increasing wall thicknesses or changing the material. Unfortunately, increased thicknesses result in proportionate increases in shipping weight and cost, as well decreases in component capacity. Further, stronger materials are generally more expensive and/or heavier, which also increases production and shipping costs. Many tapes and trays have been fashioned from either high strength plastic or laminates of various plastics. These materials are more expensive than standard plastics, but do not significantly improve the overall pocket strength when used in typical industry thickness ranges.
In certain applications, it is desirable that the packaging materials conduct electricity or dissipate static in order to protect the component from electrostatic damage. In these cases, the resin from which the carrier is formed is generally impregnated with a carbon powder or the like. The presence of the carbon powder, however, tends to degrade the structural integrity of the plastic, and the design of a conductive carrier pocket must take into account the resultant loss of strength.
Some carrier manufacturers compensate for the resultant loss of strength by providing a laminate structure in which a more pure plastic structural layer is sandwiched between two thin carbon-impregnated layers. This approach does provide added strength, but has several drawbacks in addition to the increased production costs generally involved with producing such a laminate. The conductive qualities of the laminates are generally inferior. Further, the thin conductive layer can be stretched too thin in the forming process or scratched off the structural layer in use, either of which can diminish the electrostatic protection desired. Also, the three-layer structure under certain conditions, can store charge like a capacitor. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a single conductive layer and compensate for the reduced strength of the material in other ways.
As for the pedestal, conventional designs extend at steep angles from the pocket bottom and provide a flat support surface on which the component rests. One disadvantage of these typical designs is that the pocket and the pedestal strength depend almost entirely on the inherent strength and rigidity of the material. Further, these pedestals often have near-vertical sides that are even more susceptible to bending, buckling, or collapsing. The typical pedestal is not very resistant to compressive forces applied to the component from above or to the pedestal from below.
Examples of known carrier tape designs are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,723, to Chenoweth et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,393, to Chenoweth, each of which illustrate microchip storage tape having pockets for accommodating electronic components. In Chenoweth (which is incorporated by reference into Chenoweth et al.), a bottom wall has a plurality of linear, upwardly-projected, V-shaped ridges, the inclined inner surfaces of which lie at the edges of a center portion of the pocket and serve to keep the microchip centered. Rectangular, raised support shoulders with substantially parallel, vertical walls, extend diagonally across the corners of the center portion of the pocket between adjacent ends of the ridges. The shoulders, which are lower than the ridges, support the microchip, elevated above the bottom wall, with its leads extending over the ridges so that the leads do not engage the bottom wall or the ridges. While this pedestal arrangement serves well its intended purpose, maintaining the microchip in position in the center of the pocket, it does not account for the particular concerns addressed by the present invention.
Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,281, to Kawanishi et al., relates to an electronic component carrier tape with a number of cavities. In FIGS. 8a and 8b of this patent, the surface of a "valley" (between a "component-mounting portion" and a peripheral wall) of the cavity is corrugated with an angular pattern. Because the electronic component is bonded to the component-mounting portion, when the component is to be removed, bending strain will develop in the valley portion. The corrugations distribute this strain, increasing the resistance to bending. While the squared corrugations of this arrangement do somewhat improve the rigidity of the peripheral wall, stress can be concentrated by the corners of the corrugations themselves, which become points of potential failure.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 8-198317, of Sakurai, and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 7-149393, of Takahashi, illustrate other examples of component carrier tape pockets with side walls reinforced by corrugation or patterning. U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,988, to Skrtic, illustrates a buttressed carrier tape pocket side wall, whereas U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,239, to Sandish et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 2,858,224, to Darrah, illustrate examples of other containers with side walls reinforced by corrugations or the like.
Rounded, as compared to squared, corrugations provide better stability by eliminating corners in which stress can be focused. However, if a flat component lead does contact the rounded inner surfaces of such a corrugation, the region of contact will be more focused than it would be with a flat wall, increasing the likelihood of damaging the component.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a component carrier pocket with a pedestal designed to better resist compression.
There is a further need for a component carrier with side walls designed to better resist compression.
There is also a need for a component carrier with side walls that resist compression but include regions that distribute impacts of the component leads.
There is an additional need for a component carrier incorporating each of these features, wherein the pedestal and the pocket side walls better resist compression, and the side walls include regions that distribute component impacts. | {
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1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to wireless communication systems and more particularly to integrated circuits of transceivers operating within such systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Communication systems are known to support wireless and wire lined communications between wireless and/or wire lined communication devices. Such communication systems range from national and/or international cellular telephone systems to the Internet to point-to-point in-home wireless networks. Each type of communication system is constructed, and hence operates, in accordance with one or more communication standards. For instance, wireless communication systems may operate in accordance with one or more standards including, but not limited to, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, advanced mobile phone services (AMPS), digital AMPS, global system for mobile communications (GSM), code division multiple access (CDMA), local multi-point distribution systems (LMDS), multi-channel-multi-point distribution systems (MMDS), radio frequency identification (RFID), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), and/or variations thereof.
Depending on the type of wireless communication system, a wireless communication device, such as a cellular telephone, two-way radio, personal digital assistant (PDA), personal computer (PC), laptop computer, home entertainment equipment, RFID reader, RFID tag, et cetera communicates directly or indirectly with other wireless communication devices. For direct communications (also known as point-to-point communications), the participating wireless communication devices tune their receivers and transmitters to the same channel or channels (e.g., one of the plurality of radio frequency (RF) carriers of the wireless communication system or a particular RF frequency for some systems) and communicate over that channel(s). For indirect wireless communications, each wireless communication device communicates directly with an associated base station (e.g., for cellular services) and/or an associated access point (e.g., for an in-home or in-building wireless network) via an assigned channel. To complete a communication connection between the wireless communication devices, the associated base stations and/or associated access points communicate with each other directly, via a system controller, via the public switch telephone network, via the Internet, and/or via some other wide area network.
For each wireless communication device to participate in wireless communications, it includes a built-in radio transceiver (i.e., receiver and transmitter) or is coupled to an associated radio transceiver (e.g., a station for in-home and/or in-building wireless communication networks, RF modem, etc.). As is known, the receiver is coupled to an antenna and includes a low noise amplifier, one or more intermediate frequency stages, a filtering stage, and a data recovery stage. The low noise amplifier receives inbound RF signals via the antenna and amplifies then. The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix the amplified RF signals with one or more local oscillations to convert the amplified RF signal into baseband signals or intermediate frequency (IF) signals. The filtering stage filters the baseband signals or the IF signals to attenuate unwanted out of band signals to produce filtered signals. The data recovery stage recovers raw data from the filtered signals in accordance with the particular wireless communication standard.
As is also known, the transmitter includes a data modulation stage, one or more intermediate frequency stages, and a power amplifier. The data modulation stage converts raw data into baseband signals in accordance with a particular wireless communication standard. The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix the baseband signals with one or more local oscillations to produce RF signals. The power amplifier amplifies the RF signals prior to transmission via an antenna.
While transmitters generally include a data modulation stage, one or more IF stages, and a power amplifier, the particular implementation of these elements is dependent upon the data modulation scheme of the standard being supported by the transceiver. For example, if the baseband modulation scheme is Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK), the data modulation stage functions to convert digital words into quadrature modulation symbols, which have a constant amplitude and varying phases. The IF stage includes a phase locked loop (PLL) that generates an oscillation at a desired RF frequency, which is modulated based on the varying phases produced by the data modulation stage. The phase modulated RF signal is then amplified by the power amplifier in accordance with a transmit power level setting to produce a phase modulated RF signal.
As another example, if the data modulation scheme is 8-PSK (phase shift keying), the data modulation stage functions to convert digital words into symbols having varying amplitudes and varying phases. The IF stage includes a phase locked loop (PLL) that generates an oscillation at a desired RF frequency, which is modulated based on the varying phases produced by the data modulation stage. The phase modulated RF signal is then amplified by the power amplifier in accordance with the varying amplitudes to produce a phase and amplitude modulated RF signal.
As the desire for wireless communication devices to support multiple standards continues, recent trends include the desire to integrate more functions on to a single chip. However, such desires have gone unrealized when it comes to implementing baseband and RF on the same chip for multiple wireless communication standards.
Therefore, a need exists for an integrated circuit (IC) that implements baseband and RF of multiple wireless communication standards on the same IC die. | {
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Memory devices, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), non-volatile memory (NVM) and the like, are well known in the art. A memory device includes an array of memory cells and peripheral supporting systems for managing, programming/erasing and data retrieval operations.
These devices provide an indication of the data, which is stored, therein by providing an output electrical signal. A device called a sense amplifier (SA) is used for detecting the signal and determining the logical content thereof.
In general, sense amplifiers determine the logical value stored in a cell by comparing the output of the cell (voltage or current) with a threshold level (voltage or current). If the output is above the threshold, the cell is determined to be erased (with a logical value of 1) and if the output is below the threshold, the cell is determined to be programmed (with a logical value of 0).
The threshold level is typically set as a level between the expected erased and programmed levels, which is high enough (or sufficiently far from both expected levels) so that noise on the output will not cause false results.
An example of a prior art sense amplifier circuit is shown in FIG. 1. This sense amplifier circuit is similar to a sense amplifier described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,469,929 to Alexander Kushnarenko and Oleg Dadashev, entitled “Structure and method for high speed sensing of memory array”.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art sensing system for a memory array 110, which includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in any number of rows and columns. For purposes of illustration, assume that a memory cell 111 is to be read (i.e. sensed). Memory cell 111 has its drain and source terminals coupled to array bit lines BN and BN+1 and its control terminal coupled to a word line W1. Memory cell 111 is selectively coupled to a system bit line BL using a column decoder 104 (for selecting the array bit lines) and a row decoder 103 (for selecting the word lines). The system bit line BL may include an associated parasitic capacitance CBL that is proportional to the number of memory cells coupled to the selected array bit line.
Similarly for a memory array 112, a memory cell 113 has its drain and source terminals coupled to array bit lines BM and BM+1 and its control terminal coupled to a word line W1. Memory cell 113 is selectively coupled to a system bit line BL_REF using a column decoder 105 (for selecting the array bit lines) and a row decoder 106 (for selecting the word lines). The system bit line BL may include an associated parasitic capacitance CREF_BL that is proportional to the number of memory cells coupled to the selected array bit line.
To read (i.e. sense) the state of memory cell 111 in memory array 110, the array bit line BN is coupled to the system bit line BL, the array bit line BN+1 is coupled to a predetermined voltage (e.g. ground), and the word line W1 is coupled to a read voltage (e.g., 3 volts). The operation of decoders 103 and 104 to provide the above-described coupling is well known and therefore not described in detail herein.
The previous paragraph and the following description hold true, mutatis mutandis, for memory cell 113 in memory array 112, that is, the circuitry on the right side of FIG. 1.
To ensure that a sense amplifier 145 correctly senses the logic state of memory cell 111, the system bit line BL may be charged to a predetermined level (e.g., approximately 2V) before the sensing of memory cell 111. The optimal charging of the system bit line BL may facilitate a quick transition to the predetermined voltage without overshooting this predetermined voltage. This charging operation may be initiated using a charge initiation device P2 and advantageously controlled using a control unit 120 (control unit 121 for the right side of FIG. 1) that quickly and efficiently charges the system bit line BL.
Specifically, to initiate a charge operation, an active signal CHARGE turns on charge initiation device P2 (P7 for the right side of FIG. 1). Charge initiation device P2 may comprise a PMOS (p-channel metal oxide semiconductor) transistor, wherein the active signal CHARGE is a logic 0. When conducting, charge initiation device P2 transfers a pull-up signal provided by the sense amplifier 145 (explained in detail below) to control unit 120.
Control unit 120 may comprise a static clamp including an NMOS (n-channel metal oxide semiconductor) transistor N1 (N2 for the right side of FIG. 1) and a dynamic clamp including a PMOS transistor P1 (P8 for the right side of FIG. 1). The transistor N1 may have its drain connected to charge initiation device P2 and its source connected to system bit line BL. Transistor N1 receives a bias voltage VB on its gate. Bias voltage VB is the gate bias voltage for transistor N1 as defined by:VTN<VB<VBLD+VTN wherein VBLD is the desired voltage on bit line BL and VTN is the threshold voltage of the n-type transistor (e.g., 0.6V). In this manner, transistor N1 charges bit line BL very quickly to VB-VTN. At this point, transistor N1 transitions to non-conducting, i.e. the static clamp deactivates, and the dynamic clamp is activated (as explained below).
The dynamic clamp of control unit 120 may include PMOS transistor P1 having its source connected to charge initiation device P2 (also the drain of transistor N1) and its drain coupled to bit line BL (also the source of transistor N1). The dynamic clamp further comprises a comparator C1 (C2 for the right side of FIG. 1), which compares a reference voltage BIAS and the bit line voltage BL and then outputs a signal VG representative of that comparison. Specifically, comparator C1 outputs a low signal VG if VBL is less than BIAS and outputs a high signal VG if VBL is greater than BIAS (or if comparator C1 is disabled). The reference voltage BIAS may be approximately equal to the desired bit line voltage VBLD on the system bit line BL. The transistor P1 receives the signal VG on its control gate.
Sense amplifier 145 may include first stages 130 and 131 and second stage 140. The first stage 130 includes a pull-up device N4, which is an NMOS transistor having its drain and gate connected to a supply voltage VDD and its source connected to charge initiation device P2, and a current sensing device P3, which is a PMOS transistor having its drain and gate connected to charge initiation device P2 and its source connected to the supply voltage VDD. Note that in this configuration, current sensing device P3 advantageously functions as a diode, which is explained in further detail below.
The first stage 131 has an identical configuration to first stage 130. Specifically, first stage 131 includes a pull-up device N3, which is an NMOS transistor having its drain and gate connected to a supply voltage VDD and its source connected to charge initiation device P7, and a current sensing device P6, which is a PMOS transistor having its drain and gate connected to charge initiation device P7 and its source connected to the supply voltage VDD.
After charge initiation device P2 (P7 for the right side of FIG. 1) is activated, both pull-up transistor N4 (N3) and current sensing device P3 (P6) conduct strongly. During the charge operation, the system bit line BL initially receives a pull-up voltage of VDD-VTN via pull-up transistor N4 (N3). Then, via current sensing device P3 (P6), the voltage on the system bit line BL increases to VDD-VTP, wherein VTP is the threshold voltage of the PMOS transistor. Note that the voltage VDD-VTP is substantially equal to the desired system bit line voltage VBLD. At this point, this increased voltage on the system bit line BL turns off pull-up transistor N4 (N3). Because current sensing device P3 (P6) is connected as a diode, only current IBL (IBL13 REF) is detected. Therefore, depending on the state of the sensed memory cell, a predetermined current can flow through current sensing device P3 (P6).
Current sensing devices P3 and P6 in first stages 130 and 131, respectively, have current mirrors provided in second stage 140. Specifically, the current IBL through current sensing device P3 is reflected in the current I1 through a PMOS transistor P4, whereas the current IBL13 REF through current sensing device P6 is reflected in the current I2 through a PMOS transistor P5. The ratio of the currents through current sensing device P3 and PMOS transistor P4 defines the gain of first stage 130, whereas the ratio of the current through current sensing device P6 and PMOS transistor P6 defines the gain of first stage 131. A latch circuit 141 (e.g., amplifier block) may amplify and compare currents I1 and I2.
The sense amplifier 145 may not operate properly unless the VDD supply voltage is greater than a minimum voltage VDD_MIN, which is defined as follows:VDD—MIN=VDIODE—MAX+VBL—MIN+VP1/P8+VP2/P7 (1)
In equation (1), VDIODE_MAX is the maximum voltage drop across PMOS transistor P3 or PMOS transistor P6, VBL_MIN is the minimum acceptable bit line voltage for the non-volatile memory technology, VP1/P8 is the drain-to-source voltage drop of PMOS transistor P1 (or PMOS transistor P8), and VP2/P7 equal to the drain-to-source voltage drop on PMOS transistor P2 (or PMOS transistor P7).
For example, if VDIODE_MAX is equal to 1.0 Volt, VBL_MIN is equal to 1.8 Volts, and VP1/P8 and VP2/P7 are equal to 0.05 Volts, then the minimum supply voltage VDD_MIN is equal to 2.9 Volts (1.8V+1V+0.05V+0.05V). In such a case, memory device 100 would not be usable in applications that use a VDD supply voltage lower than 2.9 Volts.
In addition, sense amplifier first stages 130 and 131 are sensitive to noise in the VDD supply voltage. If, during a read operation, the VDD supply voltage rises to an increased voltage of VDD_OVERSHOOT, then the voltages VSA1 and VSA2 on the drains of PMOS transistors P3 and P6 rise to a level approximately equal to VDD_OVERSHOOT minus a diode voltage drop. If the VDD supply voltage then falls to a reduced voltage of VDD_UNDERSHOOT, then transistors P3 and P6 may be turned off. At this time, sense amplifier first stages 130 and 131 cannot operate until the cell currents IBL and IBL_REF discharge the voltages VSA1 and VSA2. If the cell current IBL is low, then sense amplifier first stage 130 will remain turned off until the end of the read operation, thereby causing the read operation to fail.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a sensing system that can accommodate low supply voltages and tolerate supply voltage fluctuations. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In recent years, golf club heads and golf clubs have been designed to improve a golfer's accuracy by assisting the golfer in squaring the club head face at impact with a golf ball. A number of golf club heads have at least some weight of the golf club head positioned so as to alter or control the location of the club head's center of gravity. The location of the center of gravity of the golf club head is one factor that determines whether a golf ball will be propelled in the intended direction. When the center of gravity is positioned behind the point of engagement on the contact surface, the golf ball follows a generally straight route. When the center of gravity is spaced to a side of the point of engagement, however, the golf ball may fly in an unintended direction and/or may follow a route that curves left or right, ball flights that often are referred to as “pulls,” “pushes,” “draws,” “fades,” “hooks,” or “slices.” Similarly, when the center of gravity is spaced above or below the point of engagement, the flight of the golf ball may exhibit more boring or climbing trajectories, respectively.
While the industry has witnessed dramatic changes and improvements to golf equipment in recent years, some players continue to experience difficulties in reliably hitting a golf ball in an intended and desired direction and/or with an intended and desired flight path. This is particularly true for clubs used to hit the ball long distances, such as drivers and woods. Accordingly, there is room in the art for further advances in golf club technology. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The invention concerns a fleece funnel, which is placed at a predetermined distance behind exit rolls of a stretch works of a textile machine, the latter being, in particular, a carding machine. One longitudinal side of the fleece funnel is closed off laterally by a baffle plate, and borders a bulged out impact plate. At the deepest part of the bulged impact plate, a boring is provided for the reception of a funnel outlet duct. The impact surface forms an intersection line with a ramp plate opposite to the baffle plate.
In the practice, the fleece funnel would also be called a xe2x80x9cmatting nozzlexe2x80x9d. For the sake of a consistent terminology, the term xe2x80x9cfleece funnelxe2x80x9d will be used in the following.
DE 196 18 642 A1 discloses a fleece funnel. The fleece funnel therein described should clearly assure a higher delivery capacity than 900 m/min without interfering with the quality of the fiber band and without disturbance to the fiber band transport.
In the technical development of the stretch machine, an increase of the through-put speed was given high rank as a requirement. To this point, we make a few comments:
As a rule, a plurality of fiber bands are fed to the stretch works of a stretch machine, which are combined into a single fiber band. The tensioning of the doubled fiber band was carried out in a stretch works. The delivery roll-pair is the exit roll-pair of a stretch works and produces a widened out fiber band. The widened fiber band is designated by the expert in the operation as xe2x80x9cFiber mattingxe2x80x9d. This fiber matting is transported into the fleece funnel at a high velocity ( greater than 900 m/min). The speed of this delivery is transmitted to the fiber matting by means of the circumferential speed of the delivery roll-pair. The fleece funnel must collect this fiber matting, roll it up, so that the air is expelled from the fiber matting, and divert it to the funnel outlet duct from whence it is discharged.
With the feed of the fiber matting into the receiving opening of the funnel, there arises once more a thickened fiber band. The previous developments concerning such funnels showed widely differing presentations of design.
By means of the high delivery speed (up to 1000 m/min) in the stretch machine, the shape of the fleece funnel intensively occupied the designers. In this activity, it was shown that the fleece funnel, along with other operational organs, played an essential role for the attainment of the desired delivery speed. The fleece funnel must be in such a technological state, that in the case of essentially higher speeds of the transported matting received from the delivery rolls, this matting could be safely rolled out without detracting from the quality, and further transported as a fiber band.
These described fleece funnels were also used on stretch works on which a carding machine had been added. In this case, the evidence showed that the fleece funnel, laid out for high delivery speeds of the fiber band, allowed no automatic entry manipulations to permit a fiber band of a carding machine to enter into the said fleece funnel. The delivery velocity of the fiber band in carding machines runs between 150 m/min to 180 m/min.
It is the purpose of the invention to design a fleece funnel for a stretch machine in such a manner that the fiber band being delivered from the stretch works be automatically transported into the fleece funnel at a lower speed and without manual intervention. Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
The invention concerns a fleece funnel, which is placed at a predetermined distance behind exit rolls of the stretch works of a textile machine, the latter being especially, a carding machine. One longitudinal side of the fleece tunnel is closed off laterally by a baffle plate and borders a bulged out impact plate. At the deepest part of the bulged impact plate, a boring is provided for the reception of a funnel outlet duct, and the impact plate forms an intersecting line with a ramp plate located opposite to the baffle plate.
In accord with the invention, from any chosen point of the common line of intersection of the impact plate and the ramp plate, the impact plate exhibits a decline to the discharge of the funnel duct. In other words, the intersection forms an apex line, or a kind of a crest, which is created from both sides, i.e. the ramp plate on one side and the impact plate on the other, each built with a downward slope. By means of the additionally sloped impact plate, the fiber band being delivered from a stretch works, that is the beginning of the fiber band, is guided automatically to the feed opening of the funnel. The insertion of the fiber band is done, in this operation, entirely automatically.
Following the passage of the fiber band start through a (as a rule) closed stretch works, the fiber band start strikes the impact plate and slides, without any assisting manipulation, directly to the exit connection of the funnel, i.e. the funnel duct. The manual guidance of the fiber band into the funnel, employed up to this time, can now be left to automatic means. Upon the start-up of the textile machine, the fiber band is first introduced into a closed stretch works and from the stretch works, automatically directed to the fleece funnel. At this point, in an appropriate manner, the fiber band at its start is somewhat twisted, so that a front running, tapered point is formed. This front running fiber band head enables an additionally easy introduction of the fiber band into the stretch works and into the fleece funnel.
Further, it is advantageous , if between the impact plates and the baffle plates an intersecting line is so formed, that from each point of this line of intersection to the funnel outlet duct, the impact plate is again, likewise provided with a declining aspect. This leads to the situation, that, as a whole, a funnel-like funnel, i.e. a conical shaped funnel impact surface is formed, so that the fiber band start is conducted to the funnel exit duct both from the baffle plate and the bordering impact plate.
In an improvement, the intersecting lines touch one another in such a manner, that they become continuous, that is, take form all around the periphery of the outer rim of the impact plate. By this means, in effect a common intersection line is formed.
An easy sliding of a fiber band is especially assured if the two intersection lines in the common contact points exhibit the same curvature.
Even so, it is possible that the ramp plate side impact plate and the oppositely situated baffle plate, in their common contact line, form a fissure or a groove. Preferably, the transition is to be smooth and without recesses or the like.
The fleece funnel can be made out of one piece, if, a conical or cone shaped funnel-form is made from the peripherally running intersection line to the rim of the outlet duct of the funnel. By means of this shape of the funnel, no edges or rough seams evolve, so the fiber band is particularly well conducted from the side areas of the funnel to the exit duct thereof.
The sliding of the fiber band beginnings, that is, the entire fiber band, is further enhanced by the fact that the impact plate has a smooth and/or exhibits a polished surface. By such smooth surfaces, the friction coefficient and the friction between the fiber band and the impact plate is clearly reduced, whereby the fiber band can be quickly and easily automatically manipulated.
A further improvement of the automatic insertion of the fiber band into the funnel is achieved in that, as seen in a cross-section view, in respective planes perpendicular to the baffle plate, the intersection point proximal to the baffle plate is lower, in relation to the outlet opening of the funnel, than is the corresponding intersection point remote from the baffle plate. This means that the ramp side intersection line is, in general, always, xe2x80x9chigherxe2x80x9d than is the corresponding intersection on the impact plate. In general, the inclined impact plate on the baffle plate side is bordered by the baffle plate, which rises above the opposite impact surface. When the entering fiber band strikes the baffle plate, then the fiber band will be diverted onto the impact plate and conducted without problem from there into the funnel exit duct as a result of the designed impact plate slope.
Favorable relationships to the automatic, insertion of the fiber band into the funnel arise when the opening angle formed between the longitudinal axis of the funnel outlet duct and the plane of the impact plate surface varies between 10xc2x0 and 75xc2x0. This opening angle assures a reasonable compromise between the funnel like receiving surfaces and the inclination of the surfaces, which, with an increasing opening angle, assure that the friction will be reduced.
If the angle is set at too great a value, then the receiving surface is clearly reduced, whereby the automatic entry is made difficult. When the receiving surface is larger, then the fiber band point is more easily captured. Moreover, on the fleece funnel, advantageously, the opening angle of the impact plates are symmetric to a plane vertical to the longitudinal axis of the funnel exit duct and the baffle plate. In this way, the construction is substantially simplified.
Summarizing, the invention makes possible an easy and reliable insertion of a fiber band point into a fleece funnel. Besides this, the fiber band entry is carried out automatically and without manual help. For the support of the introduction of the fiber band point, a pneumatic suction can be provided. In order to increase the density, or thicken, the fiber band, customarily, the funnel exit diameter is less than the thickness of the fiber band. For the insertion, in any event, the fiber band is provided with a point at its start, that is, as mentioned, by twisting the fiber band. As an alternative fraying or thining out the fiber band is likewise a possibility.
With the aid of the following drawings, embodiments of the invention are more closely described and explained. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Otitis media is a common disease in children. The term “otitis media” encompasses a number of clinical disorders including myringitis, otitis media with effusion (OME), chronic suppurative otitis media and acute otitis media (AOM) (24). Acute otitis media (AOM) is a symptomatic illness associated with upper respiratory symptoms, pain, fever and otorrhea. It is the most common infectious disease worldwide, leading to excessive antibiotic consumption in children in most countries and to a substantial burden of deafness and other complications in the developing countries (1-3).
AOM is fairly common and about 60-70% of children experience at least one episode of AOM during the first 3 years of their life (4,5). A subpopulation of children experience recurrent otitis media. Those who experience 3 or more episodes of AOM within 6 months or 4 infections within a year are considered otitis-prone, and represent 10-30% of the total population of children (4;5).
Nasopharyngeal (NP) colonization with one or more otopathogens is a necessary precedent to the development of AOM. Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), non-typeable Haemophilia influenzae (NTHi) and Moraxella Catarrhalis are the most common otopathogcns causing AOM, and of these three, Spn predominates (6). A direct relationship between frequency of colonization with NTHi and the frequency of AOM has been noted (J. Infect Dis 170:862-866).
Recurrent AOM is currently treated with different antibiotics of escalating strength on the presumption that the recurrent infections are caused by increasingly antibiotic-resistant bacteria. When recurrences occur at a frequency of 3 in 6 months or 4 in 12 months, then tymnpanostomy tube surgery is often performed, with or without concurrent adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy.
In regards to prophylactic measures, at present, there are two available types of pneumococcal vaccines. The first includes capsular polysaccharides from 23 types of S. pneumoniae, which together represent the capsular types of about 90% of strains causing pneumococcal infection. This vaccine, however, is not very immunogenic in young children (Fedson, and Musher 2004, “Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine”, pp. 529-588; In Vaccines. S. A. Plotikin and W. A. Orenstein (eds.), W.B. Saunders and Co., Philadelphia, Pa.; Shapiro et. al., N. Engl. J. Med. 325:1453-1460 (1991)) as they do not generate a good immune response to polysaccharide antigens prior to 2 years of age. This vaccine is not recommended for the prevention of otitis media.
Conjugate vaccines represent the second available type of pneumococcal vaccine. These vaccines which include serotype specific capsular polysaccharide antigens conjugated to a protein carrier, elicit serotype-specific protection. Currently available are 7-valent and 13-valent conjugate vaccines: the 7-valent includes 7 polysaccharide antigens (derived from the capsules of serotypes 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F and 23F) and the 13-valent conjugate includes 13 polysaccharide antigens (derived from the capsules of serotypes 1, 3, 5, 6A, 7F, and 19A, plus those covered by the 7-valent). 9-valent and 11-valent conjugate vaccines have also been developed and each includes serotype-specific polysaccharides in addition to those in the 7-valent serotypes 1 and 5 in the 9-valent and types 3 and 7F in the 11-valent).
There are however limitations to conjugate vaccines. For example, as such vaccines elicit serotype-specific protection, to protect against additional serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae including those that dominate in the developing world, additional serotype-specific polysaccharides must be included which increases the difficulty of manufacture (Di Fabio et al., Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 20:959-967 (2001); Mulholland, Trop. Med. Int. Health 10:497-500 (2005)). The use of the 7-valent conjugate vaccine has also led to an increase in colonization and disease with strains of capsule types not covered by the polysaccharides included in the vaccine (Bogaert et al., Lancet Infect. Dis. 4:144-154 (2004); Eskola et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 344-403-409 (2001); Mbelle et al., J. Infect. Dis. 180:1171-1176 (1999)). As for pneumococcal otitis media, the available conjugate vaccines do not work as well in protecting against the disease as they do to against invasive disease. In addition, AOM recurrences are still possible following vaccination; for example, the subpopulation of children who are particularly prone to recurrent episodes of AOM, experience a number of recurrences and go on to become otitis prone, despite conjugate immunization.
Therefore, there is still a need for compositions for use in, and methods of, preventing or treating recurring pneumococcal AOM. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical disc obtained on laminating two optical discs, each having an information recording surface on a substrate, and a method for manufacturing the optical disc.
2. Related Art
In the field of information recording, researches into the optical information recording system are proceeding briskly. This optical information recording system has a number of advantages, such as non-contact recording/reproduction, recording density higher by not less than one digit than with the magnetic recording medium recording system, or compatibility to memory configurations of the read-only, write-once and overwrite type memories. Thus, the optical information recording system is finding a wide field of application in both the industrial and domestic usages as a
As an optical disc capable of recording/reproducing the information by optical means, there are a read-only optical disc, a phase-change type optical disc and a magneto-optical disc.
In keeping up with the demand for high recording density, a laminated optical disc of the sole surface readout type, that is an optical disc in which a laser light beam is adapted to fall on one disc side and the focal point position of the laser light beam is changed to selectively read and write the information from or on the two optical discs. This increases the volume of the information per optical disc. There is also no necessity of providing two pickups or a mechanism for moving the sole pickup to both sides. Therefore, the laminated disc is convenient in promptly having access to disc data or in reducing the size of the recording/reproducing apparatus.
For producing the sole surface readout type laminated disc, two manufacturing methods have been proposed. In the first one of the manufacturing methods, a substrate is molded by injection molding and a first information recording portion is formed on one substrate surface. On the first information recording portion is formed a reflective surface, for example, for forming an optical disc. On the surface of the information recording portion is applied a UV curable resin onto which a stamper carrying the embossed information is pressed in order to mold a second information recording portion. At this time, the thickness of the UV curable resin needs to be controlled precisely. Moreover, since the first and second information recording portions are formed by respective different methods, it is difficult to perform control so that the same signals can be recorded on the two recording surfaces.
In the second manufacturing method, a disc substrate is prepared by injection molding and an information recording portion is formed on one substrate surface for preparing an optical disc. This operation is repeated once to complete two optical discs. These two discs are laminated by bonding the surface of information recording portion of one of the discs to the surface of the other disc opposite to its information recording portion by a UV curable resin to complete a sole optical disc. In this case, the thickness of the UV curable resin is easier to control than with the first manufacturing method. Moreover, since the substrates and the information recording portions are prepared by the same method, the signals on the respective surfaces are of uniform quality.
However, the optical disc prepared by laminating two optical discs with the above-described second method has a drawback that focal point of the laser light of the reproducing apparatus is more susceptible to blurring than with the conventional single disc thus leading to unstable playback signals and deteriorated playback properties. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to the field of fabricating integrated circuits. More particularly, this invention relates to the design, layout, and use of reticles in photolithographic manufacturing of integrated circuits.
In a photolithographic manufacturing process for integrated circuits, it is common to use reticles upon which patterns are formed. The patterns are also called xe2x80x9clayer patternsxe2x80x9d herein because the patterns are imaged onto an integrated circuit substrate that is coated with a light sensitive material, to ultimately pattern a layer of an integrated circuit. Typically, multiple reticles are required to produce a desired integrated circuit. A significant amount of money is generally devoted to producing the reticles needed for fabricating the integrated circuits. For example, a single integrated circuit may require twenty to thirty reticles, at a cost of several thousand dollars each. Thus, the time and expense of producing reticles is of particular concern. This is especially of concern in low volume integrated circuit fabrication, such as prototyping or other design verification.
In the present invention, the time and expense for producing reticles is minimized by designing the reticle to have multiple different layer patterns formed thereon for producing multiple different layers of the same or different integrated circuits.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for producing integrated circuits that includes a reticle with a number of layer patterns disposed on the reticle. At least some of the layer patterns on the reticle are different from others of the layer patterns and the layer patterns are selected from a group of same circuit layer patterns and different circuit layer patterns. A same circuit layer pattern corresponds to different layers of one design of an integrated circuit and different circuit layer patterns correspond to different layer patterns from different designs of integrated circuits.
A light source provides and directs light onto individual layer patterns on the reticle, and an integrated circuit substrate is disposed to receive light from the reticle. An image is formed on the integrated circuit substrate, and the image corresponds to one of the layer patterns on the reticle. A scanner moves the integrated circuit substrate relative to the reticle, and a controller associated with the scanner controls the relative positioning of the integrated circuit substrate. The controller causes selected images of the layer patterns to be projected on or disposed on selected areas of the integrated circuit substrate. Thus, the layer patterns on the reticle are imaged onto the substrate as part of a photolithographic process that produces one or more desired integrated circuits.
In this manner, several different mask layers for a single integrated circuit design, such as a prototype design, are placed on a single reticle, rather than on multiple reticles. Thus, fewer reticles are required to fabricate the integrated circuit, and less expense is incurred in producing the mask set. Alternately, the different mask layers on a single reticle are used for the various layers of different integrated circuit designs, rather than for the layers of a single integrated circuit design. This also reduces the number of reticles that are needed to fabricate the different integrated circuit designs. Although this type of reticle is preferably used for prototype fabrication, or very small run production, it could also be used in full scale production of integrated circuits.
In accordance with a method embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of layer patterns are formed on a reticle. The layer patterns are selected from the group of same circuit layer patterns and different circuit layer patters, where the same circuit layer patterns correspond to different layers of one design of an integrated circuit and where the different circuit layer patterns correspond to different layer patterns from different designs of integrated circuits.
In one embodiment, the reticle is used in a photolithographic process to project multiple different images on the same area of an integrated circuit substrate to form multiple layers of one integrated circuit.
In an alternate embodiment of the method, the reticle may also be used to project multiple different images on different areas of one or more integrated circuits to form layers of different design on one or more integrated circuit substrates. Alternately, an embodiment could use the reticle to do both of the above methods in the same process. That is, the reticle would be used to project multiple different images on the same area of an integrated circuit to form multiple layers of one integrated circuit design and the reticle would be used to project multiple different images on different areas of one or more integrated circuit substrates to form layers of different integrated circuit designs.
In accordance with a more detailed embodiment of the present invention, a method produces an integrated circuit by providing an integrated circuit substrate and forming a light sensitive layer on the substrate. The light sensitive layer reacts when exposed to light. A reticle is also provided and a plurality of layer patterns are formed on the reticle. The layer patterns are selected from the group of same circuit layer patterns and different circuit layer patterns where the same circuit layer patterns correspond to different layers of one design and where the different circuit layer patterns correspond to different layer patterns from different designs.
Light is directed onto one pattern of the reticle and the light sensitive layer is exposed to light from the one pattern so that a light image of the one pattern is formed on the light sensitive layer. The light image on the light sensitive layer forms a reacted region in the form of the light image of the one pattern. A portion of the light sensitive layer is removed from the integrated circuit to form a desired pattern in the light sensitive layer corresponding to the reacted region. The substrate is then processed to form a desired feature in or on the substrate corresponding in part to the desired pattern in the light sensitive layer.
A new layer of integrated circuit material is formed over the desired features and a new light sensitive layer is formed over the new layer of integrated circuit material. Light is again directed onto the reticle, but this time onto a different pattern of the reticle. Light from the different pattern is exposed onto the new light sensitive layer on the integrated circuit substrate to form a light image of the different pattern. The light sensitive layer reacts to the light image to form a new reacted region in the light sensitive layer in the form of the light image of the different pattern. Again, a portion of the light sensitive layer is removed from the integrated circuit substrate to form a new desired pattern in the light sensitive layer corresponding to the new reacted region.
The substrate is then processed to form new desired features on the substrate corresponding in part to the new desired pattern in the light sensitive layer. Thereafter, the remaining portion of the light sensitive layer is removed and the steps of forming new layers of integrated circuit material and a new light sensitive layer are repeated followed by a repetition of the directing, exposing, removing, processing and the second removing step. These series of steps are repeated until a desired integrated circuit is constructed.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a reticle is produced for making layers for one or more designs of integrated circuits. For a particular integrated circuit scanner, a maximum field size is determined and then within that maximum field size, a field size for each sub field in a plurality of x by y arrays of sub fields is determined. In making this determination, the size of the borders around and between the sub fields as required by the particular scanner is considered. The size of sub fields for different x by y arrays is determined where x and y define the number of rows and columns in the array and where x and y vary within a predetermined range.
The maximum size of a selected layer pattern in a particular integrated circuit design is determined and then an array is selected to have sub fields with dimensions sufficient to contain the selected layer pattern. At least a portion of the selected array is formed on the reticle to form at least one sub field on the reticle. Then, the selected layer pattern is formed in the sub field of the reticle. If additional layer patterns are needed, the above steps of determining a maximum field size, determining maximum sub field sizes, selecting, forming a portion of the array and forming a selected layer pattern are repeated until the reticle is full.
In the above method, sub fields from only one array may be formed on the reticle, or sub fields from different arrays may be formed on the reticle. Preferably, the centers of the sub field and the centers of each layer pattern are aligned and the scanner is programmed to position the integrated circuit substrate relative to the layer patterns based on the positions of the centers of the sub fields. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a method of brazing aluminium or aluminium alloy parts, and more particularly the method of brazing them with a flux.
The invention also relates to an atmosphere furnace which can advantageously be employed for such brazing method.
When iron, copper, or their alloys are put into a furnace employing as its atmosphere a reductive gas such as hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and are subjected to a high temperature, they are deoxidized. Therefore, the brazing of such metals within such atmosphere furnace does not need a flux.
On the other hand, as aluminium and its alloys are not deoxidized even under an extremely low partial pressure of oxygen, they can not be brazed by heating them within the atmosphere furnace of the kind mentioned above. Accordingly, their brazing has been made not by an atmosphere but by the use of a flux.
Conventional brazing may be summarized that the brazing of iron, copper, or their alloys by heating them within a furnace employs a reductive atmosphere but does not need a flux, while the brazing of aluminium and its alloys does employ a flux but does not need a reductive atmosphere.
On the contrary to the above-summarized conventional brazing methods, it becomes lately useful or essential for brazing, with a flux, aluminium and its alloys to employ an inert atmosphere, too. This is in order to braze aluminium parts with a minimum amount of flux and effectively without causing environmental pollution.
To wit, as those fluxes which are commonly used for brazing aluminium parts and have a melting point of 500-550.degree. C., are made from fluorine compounds such as aluminium fluoride, potassium tetrafluoroaluminate, sodium fluoride, and so on, or alkali metal chloride containing one or more fluorine compounds, they are soluble only slightly in water, and accordingly it needs a large volume of water to wash off them. In order to reduce the volume of water for washing off them or to eliminate a washing step in view of environmental pollution, they must be used as minimum as possible.
While the reduction of use of fluxes can be against environ-mental pollution, especially water pollution, it can be economic too. It can yield fine aluminium articles with little flux residues. It can prevent a furnace from being eroded much by fluxes.
However, fluxes which have been applied over aluminium parts thinly in order to minimize them, are readily oxidized at a high temperature. Oxidized fluxes of the kind mentioned above will have a melting point more than 1,000.degree. C. Since a melting point of Al--Si system solders which are commonly used in aluminium brazing, is about 500-630.degree. C., and since the aluminium or aluminium alloy brazing is conducted at about 580-660.degree. C., the oxidized fluxes having the melting point as high as 1,000.degree. C. are unserviceable. They will induce secondary oxidation of aluminium or aluminium alloy parts, to which they have been applied.
Consequently, even in the brazing of aluminium or aluminium alloy parts, heating them under an inert atmosphere becomes essential, as described above, in order to prevent fluxes from oxidizing. In practice, a hermetic metallic muffle filled up with nitrogen gas of a high purity is installed in a furnace, and the aluminium or aluminium alloy parts are brazed with a flux under an inert atmosphere within the metallic muffle.
While such metallic muffle protects its atmosphere from an outer disturbance, electric heating elements which are installed in a space between the muffle and inner furnace walls, are protected by the muffle from fluxes scattered therein, whereby the muffle prevents the heating elements from troubling electrically on account of the fluxes. Although metallic muffles work so, it is not easy to replace them when they are damaged by fluxes and so on. As metallic muffles employed today are as long as 10 m, it is laborious to install or replace them.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method of continuously brazing aluminium or aluminium alloy parts with the use of fluxes and under an inert atmosphere such as nitrogen within a furnace which does not employ any metallic muffle, and to provide also the furnace which can carry out the method well. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an overlock sewing machine, and in particular, to an overlock sewing machine having an upper knife which cuts a cloth end edge onto which over-edge darning is performed.
2. Related Art
For example, in an overlock sewing machine, an over-edge chain stitching is applied onto the cloth end edge while cutting a cloth end edge by an upper knife which moves up and down so as to interlock with a sewing machine main shaft.
Then, in a case where this upper knife is not used, an overlock sewing machine in which the upper knife is withdrawn from a cloth edge cutting position by stopping the upper knife on the lower side of the throat plate, that makes it easy to handle cloth on the throat plate has been known (refer to JP-A-2005-168939, for example). In this sewing machine, biasing means for biasing the upper knife always to the lower side of the throat plate is provided, and when the power transmission with a sewing machine main shaft is cut off in order to stop the upper knife, the upper knife is withdrawn to the lower side of the throat plate by the biasing force of the biasing means. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Sliding doors are very well known. If sliding doors are to be provided with a linear drive system, the challenge is having to modify already existing suspensions as little as possible or not at all. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to port connection devices including serial, parallel and video port connectors, and, more particularly, to a computer port connector that can be selectively coupled to a mating connector.
2. Description of Related Art
In the market of portable electronic devices such as laptop computers and personal digital assistants (PDA's), a need has been established to expedite the connection and disconnection of the main computer to the peripheral devices (printers, monitors digital projectors, modem, for example).
Traditional means has been to couple the two mating sections and then thread opposing screws located on the mating section of the connector into jack screw receptacles of the fixed mating section. Some connectors have captive screws, requiring the user to physically use a screwdriver to secure the connectors, while others have an integral knob or handle to aid in the task. This means of securing the connection is time consuming and cumbersome.
What is needed is a connector adapted for quick connection and disconnection while retaining and using the traditional jack screw receptacles common to all devices while still providing a secure means of attachment. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to an infant warming apparatus and, more particularly, to an examination/procedure light that is integrated into an infant care apparatus.
In the care of newborn infants, there is an infant warmer apparatus that is used to provide warming of the infant and to supply the necessary heat to maintain the infant at a predetermined temperature. The infant warmer basically comprises a planar surface on which the infant is positioned and which planar surface normal includes side guards to keep the infant safely within the confines of the apparatus.
Infant warmers normally also have a overhead radiant heater that is located above the infant and which thus radiates energy in the infrared spectrum to impinge upon the infant to maintain the infant at the desired temperature. With infant warmers, since the infant is otherwise totally exposed to the surroundings, there is almost unlimited access to the infant by the attending personnel to perform various procedures on that infant. A typical infant warmer is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,517 of Falk et al as prior art to that patent.
Since there is such wide open access to the infant, the infant warmer is normally used where there is some intervention or procedure to be carried out on the infant while resting on the planar surface. Since some, if not all, of such procedures are delicate, it is normally necessary to have some source of illumination of the infant so that the attending personnel can have sufficient light to view the infant as a whole, or to concentrate the light on a localized region of the infant in carrying out the procedure.
Accordingly, with infant warmers, there is generally a procedure light that is separately and independently provided with an infant warmer and which is either set up to be a free standing light or is affixed to the infant warmer in some manner as an add-on to the infant warmer. Such lights are also mounted so as to be movable so that the beam of light can be moved to the particular location on the infant where the light is needed.
Alternatively, there is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,205 of Finny, a light that is mounted in the overhead housing of an infant warmer, however, the light of the Finny patent is a fixed light having no apparent means of moving the light beam to a specific location and also, there is no means disclosed where the light beam of the Finny patent can be focused between a broad beam and a smaller, focused beam.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a integrated mounting for the procedure light so that the procedure light can be centrally located and can be built into the infant warmer and which may also be manually movable, omnidirectionally, by the user as well as being focusable so that the user can broaden or narrow the beam of light. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Storage tanks of flammable liquids, such as petroleum products are commonly grouped or clustered together in an area referred to as a "tank farm". Should one of the tanks become ruptured and the contents become involved in a fire, huge quantities of heat are generated. The heat generated in the fire radiates into the surrounding tanks and their contents.
The radiated heat weakens anearby tank's outer shell and creates internal pressures, especially as the tank's contents rise in temperature. Then the rise in temperature makes the tank more vulnerable to rupture.
The most common fire fighting technique is to cool the external shell of any surrounding tanks in the tank farm which might be susceptible to extreme heat.
The most frequent cooling technique conducted is to spray large quantities of water on the tank shel. The cooling water (fire stream) is sprayed directly under high pressure onto the side of the tank.
However, the high pressure water hits the tank with such force that the wate immediately bounces back off the face of the tank. As a result, the water is in contact with the tank skin for only a short time and is very inefficient in transferring heat because of this limited contact with the tank skin.
Moreover, the fire fighter must position himself as directly as possible between the tank that is on fire and the tank that is to be cooled. Such as position is necessary in order for the fire fighter to direct his cooling water (fire stream) directly at the face of the tank skin that is receiving most of the radiated heat from the tank that is on fire.
Some of the prior provides the following references:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,220,106, Hartenberger, Mar. 20, 1917 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,955,686, Blomeley et al, Oct. 11, 1960 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,994,383, Gorand et al, Aug. 1, 1961 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,517, Schroter, Aug. 30, 1977 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,863, Simon, Dec. 11, 1979 PA1 GB No. 2,000,022, Winkler, Jan. 4, 1979 PA1 WIPO No. 83/01200, Sobrinho, Apr. 14, 1983
U.S. Pat. No. 1,220,106 to Hartenberger describes a wooden silo having a double wall construction comprising an inner lining and an outer sheathing constructed so that there is a space between them to provide for free circulation of air from air inlet doors in the bottom of the silo upwardly to an exit space provided in the conical roof of the silo.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,955,686 to Blomeley et al described a double-walled insulating structure for gasoline, fuel oil, chemicals, and similar products. In the enclosed space between the two walls, insulating material is inserted to be held in place by a series of supporting members and distance members. The insulating material, such as fiberglass or the like, also fills the space provided in the domed roof which is secured to the walls.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,994,383 to Gorand et al describes a fire protection system for an elevated structure, such as a tower, vessel, or building. The system includes a fixed nozzle, mounted generally at ground level, attached to a high pressure water system, and directed at a "chute", or water receiving member. The chute has an enlarged water receiving inlet and a restricted water outlet. The water outlet of the chute is connected to a water distribution pipe which receives the water which had been directed into the chute and permits the water to exit the pipe through a series of opening in the pipe so that water will be distributed over the surface of the elevated structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,517 to Schroter describes a tank jacketing system for a cylindrical tank comrpising a series of circular track components to which are attached individual panel members, vertically attached and with each panel member insulated with a rigid insulating member adhesively attached to the inner side of the panel. The arrangement is for heat-protecting the storage tank. The panel members and wall of the storage tank are loosely secured at the top of each by a coping disposed over the exterior of the insulating wall and innermost upper portion of the wall of the storage tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,863 to Simon describes a safety liquid dispenser which provides a combination a double walled tank body comprising an intermediate container of flammable liquid and an inner tank disposed within the intermediate container and containing pressurized carbon dioxide positioned to smother any flame condition occurring within the tank.
GB No. 2,000,022 to Winkler describes a fire-resistant container for combustibles comprising a double-walled container with the space between the walls filled with fire-extinguising material.
WIPO No. 83/01200 to Sobrinho describes a trough-like collar affixed to an upper external rim of a fuel tank which includes a plurality of overflow holes. A water supply pipe is in position to supply water to the trough of the collar from which the water may exit the holes and flow down the side of the tank. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to a method of producing inked-ribbon cartridges.
Recently, there has been a trend in the typewriter and business machine arts to incorporate an inked ribbon in a disposable cartridge or cassette which can be readily installed and/or replaced in such printing machines. The operator of one such machine merely removes the old cartridge when the ink in the ribbon is used up or the ribbon becomes frayed from use, and he installs a new cartridge without ever having to soil his hands by touching the ribbon itself. The cartridge usually has a feed means therein which cooperates with a driving member on the machine on which the cartridge is installed so as to transport the ribbon in the cartridge, and thereby present a fresh supply of inked ribbon to a print station located in the machine.
Some of the prior art ribbon cartridges employ two reels therein on which the ribbon is alternately wound and unwound as used. Other cartridges employ only one special reel on which an endless inked ribbon is wound, and as the reel rotates, the ribbon winds up on the "outer turn" of ribbon on the reel, and the ribbon is withdrawn therefrom by withdrawing the "innermost turn" of the ribbon from the reel. A third type of cartridge employs a length of about 15 yards of inked ribbon which is formed into an endless loop of ribbon which is not stored on any reel or reels within the cartridge, but is simply stuffed therein to produce many folds or convolutions in the ribbon. In this latter type of cartridge, the ribbon is simply fed into or "stuffed" into the cartridge by a feed means located at an entrance area thereof, and is pulled out of an exit area of the cartridge by the feed means as the ribbon is stuffed into the cartridge.
Some representative prior art, inked-ribbon cartridges and inking methods are shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,755,905; 2,878,751; 3,241,522; 3,643,779; 3,804,227; and 3,814,231.
One of the problems with producing the prior art ribbon cartridges is that the ribbon is inked prior to installing it in its associated cartridge. As a result, the cartridge itself and the hands of the operator who is installing the ribbon in the cartridge become smeared with ink, requiring extensive clean-up time for cleaning both the assembled cartridge and the operator's hands.
Another problem with producing prior art ribbon cartridges relates to producing cartridges including a length of inked ribbon which is formed into an endless loop. Because of the ink being in the ribbon at the time of forming an endless loop, an effective or lasting bond joining the ends of the length of ribbon is difficult to obtain, thereby subjecting the ribbon to potential failure at the bond. The utilization of pre-inked ribbon fabric also limits the number of bonding techniques which may be utilized to join the ends of a ribbon. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to optics and, more specifically, the present invention relates to modulating optical beams.
2. Background Information
The need for fast and efficient optical-based technologies is increasing as Internet data traffic growth rate is overtaking voice traffic pushing the need for optical communications. Transmission of multiple optical channels over the same fiber in the dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) systems and Gigabit (GB) Ethernet systems provide a simple way to use the unprecedented capacity (signal bandwidth) offered by fiber optics. Commonly used optical components in the system include wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) transmitters and receivers, optical filter such as diffraction gratings, thin-film filters, fiber Bragg gratings, arrayed-waveguide gratings, optical add/drop multiplexers, lasers and optical switches. Optical switches may be used to modulate optical beams. Two commonly found types of optical switches are mechanical switching devices and electro-optic switching devices.
Mechanical switching devices generally involve physical components that are placed in the optical paths between optical fibers. These components are moved to cause switching action. Micro-electronic mechanical systems (MEMS) have recently been used for miniature mechanical switches. MEMS are popular because they are silicon based and are processed using somewhat conventional silicon processing technologies. However, since MEMS technology generally relies upon the actual mechanical movement of physical parts or components, MEMS are generally limited to slower speed optical applications, such as for example applications having response times on the order of milliseconds.
In electro-optic switching devices, voltages are applied to selected parts of a device to create electric fields within the device. The electric fields change the optical properties of selected materials within the device and the electro-optic effect results in switching action. Electro-optic devices typically utilize electro-optical materials that combine optical transparency with voltage-variable optical behavior. One typical type of single crystal electro-optical material used in electro-optic switching devices is lithium niobate (LiNbO3).
Lithium niobate is a transparent material from ultraviolet to mid-infrared frequency range that exhibits electro-optic properties such as the Pockels effect. The Pockels effect is the optical phenomenon in which the refractive index of a medium, such as lithium niobate, varies with an applied electric field. The varied refractive index of the lithium niobate may be used to provide switching. The applied electrical field is provided to present day electro-optical switches by external control circuitry.
Although the switching speeds of these types of devices are very fast, for example on the order of nanoseconds, one disadvantage with present day electro-optic switching devices is that these devices generally require relatively high voltages in order to switch optical beams. Consequently, the external circuits utilized to control present day electro-optical switches are usually specially fabricated to generate the high voltages and suffer from large amounts of power consumption. In addition, integration of these external high voltage control circuits with present day electro-optical switches is becoming an increasingly challenging task as device dimensions continue to scale down and circuit densities continue to increase. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field
The disclosure relates generally to analyzing source code and in particular, to managing policies for calls in the source code. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method, system, and computer program product for managing a policy for a call in a first source code to a function in a second source code based on information from a trace of the second source code.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data processing systems provide computing resources, such as a computer, that includes a central processing unit and computer memory. Executable programs are executed by the central processing unit in the computer using the computer memory. The executable programs store and use data in the form of data structures located in the computer memory. During execution of the executable programs the information in these data structures may become corrupted by unforeseen errors in the executable programs and also by unforeseen malevolent uses of the executable programs Responsive to the corruption of a data structure, a subsequent error is likely to occur at unexpected points of execution in the program. Further, in the case of an unforeseen malevolent use of an executable program, the unforeseen malevolent use may result in critical security issues.
Static analysis of source code vulnerabilities is a process for assessing risk for vulnerabilities of executable programs by analyzing the source code or compiled form of the executable program. One technique within the field of static analysis includes a process for identifying potentially malicious data entering a program, then determining where the data flows within the program for the purpose of identifying security vulnerabilities. This process for identifying security vulnerabilities using static analysis is called data flow analysis. Data flow analysis tools use parsers to generate a data flow graph of the program being analyzed. Data flow analysis tools also use pre-defined application programming interface (API) policies that identify the expected behavior of each application programming interface utilized by the program being analyzed as well as potential vulnerabilities. Data flow analysis tools traverse the generated graph of an application to identify instances where potentially malicious data may reach an application programming interface that has been identified as vulnerable to malicious data. However, gaps may exist in the number of application programming interfaces for which a policy exists identifying the expected behavior. For example, all of the application programming interfaces that are in use by external applications may not be known when a data flow analysis tool runs. Further, a data flow analysis tool may only be able to create a partial graph of the data flows of an application due to not having access to all of the source code used by application programming interfaces of the application.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method, apparatus, and computer program product that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Visual impairment is generally understood as vision loss to such a degree as to be considered a signification limitation of visual capability. A visually-impaired individual may be “partially sighted,” “with low vision,” “legally blind,” or “totally blind,” depending upon the degree of visual impairment. Also, depending upon the degree of visual impairment, a visually-impaired individual may require additional support or tools to perform the activities of daily life.
For example, a visually-impaired individual may utilize tactile or auditory feedback tools to assist in the performing of activities of daily life. Such tools may include speech-synthesis systems and systems using braille displays. These and other tools have enabled the visually-impaired to more effectively use mainstream computer applications. The availability of assistive technology for the visually-impaired has been increasing, and there have been increasing efforts to further develop assistive technologies that enable the visually-impaired to more effectively access information available on computer systems. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the production of filter tow for use in making filter rods for the cigarette industry, the tow is laid in so-called “filling cans”. During this process, the filter tow is distributed in uniform layers over the cross-sectional area of the can by the movements of a laying unit, which moves alternately in the lengthwise and crosswise direction. As a result, a large number of layers are laid on top of each other until the filter tow package has reached the desired weight and height in the can. Package weights of several hundred kilograms are conventional in this area. A highly compressed bale and a process for the optimal filling of a can for the purpose of avoiding consequent processing problems is described in WO 02/32,238 A2.
The content of the can which has been filled in this way is then compressed in the direction in which the layers were superimposed. After it has been compressed, the filter tow package is wrapped with packaging material while still inside the pressing device and therefore still under compressive stress. The pressing device is then opened completely, so that the filter tow package, now called the “bale”, is held together by the packaging material. Conventional packaging materials include cardboard, which is held mechanically together by strapping or by an adhesive, and synthetic fabric, which is closed by, for example, a Velcro fastening. An example of a glued package is described in German Utility Patent No. 76-35,849.1. Information on a filter tow package wrapped with synthetic fabric can be found in the company prospectus “Some Useful Information about the Reusable Packaging for Rhodia Filter Tow”, published by RHODIA Acetow GmbH, Engesserstrasse 8, D-79108 Freiburg. The two latter types of packaging require no additional strapping.
The types of packaging described above which do not make use of any strapping suffer from the problem that, after the pressure on the bale has been released at the end of the pressing operation, the elastic restoring force of the compressed filter tow leads to a pressure on the packaging, this pressure being exerted primarily in the direction opposite that in which the bale was compressed. This leads to an increase in the volume of the package and thus to undesirable bulges at the top and bottom of the bale. If the measures described in WO 02/32,238 A2 are taken, these bulges do not interfere with the intended use of the filter tow, but they do prevent the filter tow packages from being stacked securely. This problem is solved in the state of the art either by stacking the bales on their sides or by the use of special pallets, such as those described in the Rhodia publication cited above. Problems associated with the bursting-open of the packages because of excessive internal pressure also occur frequently.
A solution to the difficulties associated with strapping is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,752. In cases where filter tow which has been packaged with straps is used as intended, the bulges are less of a problem than the constrictions, which cause the variations in puff resistance described in WO 02/32,238 A2. And even strapped bales can burst open. It is also standard practice in the packaging of filter tow to use liners between the filter tow and the above-mentioned mechanically supportive packaging materials. The liner protects the filter tow from contamination, especially from odor contamination, and from the diffusion of water vapor into and out of the package. The liner usually consists of three pieces, which are laid loosely inside the external packaging.
The disadvantages of the transport packaging normally used today have already been discussed above in the description of the state of the art. It is especially the bulges at the top and bottom of the bales which interfere with transport of multiple layers. This problem has been solved in the past by transporting the bales not in their so-called working position but rather in a sideways storage position. Two additional work steps are required to do this, however; namely, the bale must be turned 90° before transport and then turned back into the working position after transport. The constrictions which are formed by strapping are also a source of trouble. Even when the bale is used as intended, these constrictions cause considerable variations in the puff resistance of the filter rods produced from the filter tow. More than 5% of the filter rods produced from a bale are affected by these variations. The greater the packing density of the bale, the greater the severity of these two problems. The problems occur as soon as the packing density exceeds 300 kg/m3. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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As is well-understood in the art, lithography processes are used in the fabrication of the various layers in semiconductor wafer processing. Important to such lithography fabrication processes is the correct and accurate alignment and orientation of various fabrication layers formed on a wafer. Each of the layers formed must be aligned within a certain level of accuracy otherwise the incidence of circuitry failure in a wafer (and its associated dies) is excessive. As is also known, overlay metrology targets are used to obtain accurate measurements of target features. In particular, such targets can be used to obtain accurate measurements of overlay errors between layers. Such targets commonly include arrays of uniformly constructed and uniformly spaced periodic features arranged to provide the best possible targeting information. Typical prior art example targets include periodic gratings or periodically configured higher dimensional target arrays comprised of a plurality of uniformly spaced and sized metrology features. Additionally, so-called “box-in-box (BiB) overlay targets find common usage.
Such periodic targeting structures typically feature two layers of similarly oriented periodic gratings formed one over the other. Typically, the layers are designed with a specified predetermined offset with respect to each other. This enables scattering signals to be generated when illuminated by a light beam. A comparison of the actual signal produced with the expected scattering signal enables highly accurate overlay metrology measurements to be made.
Measurements of the targets can be used to determine whether an overlying layer formed over an underlying layer is positioned with sufficient accuracy. Correctly positioned layers indicate that the fabrication processes can progress to further processing steps without adjustment. Layers that are misaligned badly enough may impair the electrical function of the dice formed on a wafer and require a reworking of the wafer and/or adjustment of fabrication parameters to enable a more accurate placement of the overlying layer.
In the existing art, analysis of a design file (e.g., a GDS (Graphic Data System) type file or other design data file associated with relevant mask reticle information) that describes an IC layout and other relevant design data is used to determine an error overlay budget for the alignment of two overlying layers. Such an overlay error budget can be determined using overlay modeling. Typically, a single parameter is used to characterize the permissible level of overlay error in an entire layer of a wafer (or alternatively an entire stepper field).
For example, Maximum Error Prediction (MEP) may be used to obtain a model-based lot “dispositioning parameter”. This parameter describes the maximum acceptable overlay error that will result in a functional die. Commonly, this involves identifying the regions of a layer most sensitive to layer misplacement (e.g., regions likely to suffer electrical failures in the event of the smallest layer misalignment). Then the maximum amount of misplacement is determined (for example, the maximum amount of misalignment that will still result in electrically functional circuitry). In other words, a worse case modeled overlay error is determined and used as the dispositioning parameter for the entire wafer or, alternatively, the entire scanning field of the fabrication device. Thus, for the entire wafer or field, the same parameter is used. Thus, one number is used to describe the acceptable limit for error tolerance for the entire wafer (or alternatively for the entire scanning field of the fabrication device). This has the advantage of providing a quick, simple, and easily applicable parameter that currently enjoys wide applicability in the industry. However, this method has the disadvantage of imposing an unnecessarily tight tolerance on the whole wafer, when many of the areas of the wafer may not require such a tight tolerance.
Once a dispositioning parameter is determined, metrology measurements are then made of the various targets on the wafer and the degree of overlay error is determined for the wafer based on these metrology measurements. Then the determined overlay error can be compared to the dispositioning parameter. Based on this comparison, a decision regarding wafer disposition is made. Metrology measurements having overlay errors greater than the dispositioning parameter generally indicate that the wafer must be reworked or discarded as necessary. Other methods of obtaining dispositioning parameters are also known and employed to generate single value dispositioning parameters. But in all such cases, the practiced methodologies require the determination of a single worst case dispositioning parameter that is used to provide a quick and simple method of dispositioning wafers (or portions of a wafer) based on a comparison to one threshold value (dispositioning parameter).
As indicated briefly above, a disadvantage of such methods is that they operate under the assumption that the overlay error budget is equal at all points on the wafer (or across the scanner field). However, in reality, some areas of a wafer or scanner field are much more sensitive to overlay errors than others. For example, some portions of a wafer design may be more susceptible to electrical failure if the pattern is misaligned than other portions of the wafer. However, present dispositioning technologies have no way of taking this into consideration. Because existing technologies rely on a single dispositioning parameter, such a simplified analysis of a surface may result in the rejection of wafers that may, in actuality, have satisfactory electrical function. Unfortunately, this can result in the rejection of functional and satisfactory wafers requiring unnecessary reworking and/or reprocessing when they would not otherwise need such additional processing. This is time consuming, costly, and in general wasteful.
Therefore, although existing dispositioning processes and tools are generally suitable for their intended purposes, improvements can be made. The present invention seeks to go beyond the limitations and structural shortcomings of existing technologies to provide an improved method of dispositioning wafers. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Business analyses concerning products or other items are fundamental tasks for many manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, and other enterprises. Many business analyses are based on base sales volume. For example, demand forecasting, price-demand-behavior analysis, and promotional effectiveness analysis all rely on sound base sales volume measurement. Base sales volume (sometimes referred to as base volume in the remainder of this application) for consumer packed goods (CPG) is typically defined as the portion of the sales volume that would be expected without advertising or other promotional support. In many business analyses, base volume may be used as a de-causalized factor, such that a small difference in base volume may cause large deviations in the consequent analysis. Many business analyses are frustrated by such propagation of errors in base volume estimation.
In general, base volume is an unobserved component of actual sales volume (often referred to as actual volume in the remainder of this application), which is the observed or recorded sales volume. Ideally, one could determine true base volume through observation, the accuracy being limited only by the observational error. In practice, however, one can only observe the actual volume—the true base volume cannot be directly observed. It is not difficult to show that any estimate of the true base volume based on the observed actual volume and a Lyapunov error function (estimation criteria) will be biased. For example, the most common approach for determining promotional lifts based on estimated base volume generates incorrectly negatively signed lifts as much as thirty-five percent of the time; that is, determines a negative lift (decreased sales) when the lift should actually be positive (increased sales). In addition, conventional moving average approaches for estimating base volume depend on both the number of leads and/or lags involved and weights associated with the leads and/or lags. The complexity of the resulting space significantly impedes the ability to search for globally optimal solutions, making such approaches inferior.
Many businesses lack suitable approaches for measuring base sales volume, for example, for CPG in the presence of one or more promotional activities. These businesses are therefore unable to fully understand the various demand components for their products, which detracts from their ability to effectively plan and manage important business activities. Furthermore, establishing effective approaches to the complex problem of estimating base volume has become an increasingly important pursuit, from a theoretical perspective, in the academic community. As a result of any of the above or other factors, prior techniques for estimating base volume have been inadequate to meet the needs of many business and other users. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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While children's play equipment has been around for decades, many parents are unaware of the fundamental role that play equipment has in a child's physical, mental and social development. Generally, many articles of play equipment, such as well-known playground slides and monkey bars, do not offer the fullest opportunity for children to develop. Moreover, some prior art provided limited protection in the event of a fall. In particular, there is a need for play equipment that allows children to practice climbing and balance skills, while safely taking risks. Specifically, there is a need for play equipment that minimizes risk of injury of children playing thereon. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to a signal supplying device for supplying signals to an operating panel for a passenger provided in each of plural seats of a moving vehicle, such as an aircraft or a train.
In a moving vehicle, such as an aircraft or train, it is possible for the passenger in each seat to select a desired channel from several choices to hear e.g., audio signals over a headphone or an earphone.
Among the several channels, there are channels dedicated to programs for which a fee is charged. These programs are offered by a system in which an opening in a headphone jack or an air tube fitted on the seat is configured so as not to be engaged by a plug and the crew in charge hands over an adapter to a passenger who has paid the fee permitting the headphone to be inserted into the opening only by the passenger who has paid the fee.
If the program is offered in a manner described above, the adapter is likely to be lost. On the other hand, the operating cost is raised because a headphone different from that for an ordinary program has to be provided for the program for which a fee is charged.
It may also be contemplated to provide a card reader e.g., a credit card reader for each seat to permit the program to be paid for by credit card. Although this system saves the labor of the crew to collect the fee and there is no risk of loss of the adapter, the device and the system become complex thus raising the cost.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a signal supplying and receiving system in which the dedicated adapter or the headphone as well as a complex device may be eliminated to realize low cost.
According to the present invention, there is provided a signal supplying/receiving system having an operating unit for a passenger provided in each of plural seats for passengers within a moving [vehicle], and a supplying device for supplying signals to said operating unit. The signal supplying/receiving system includes selecting means for selecting an optional one of plural channels supplied from the supplying device, and control means for controlling the selection means for inhibiting selection of one or more channels among the plural channels. The control means also causes inhibition of selection of the one or more channels to be canceled responsive to a remote control signal received by a remote control signal receiving unit.
Preferably, the remote control signal includes a code specifying the cancellation of inhibition of selection of the one or more channels and an ID signal for identifying the seat.
Preferably, the control means causes the inhibition of selection of the one or more channels by the selection means of an operating unit for the passenger when a seat specified by the ID signal included in the remote control actuating signal is coincident with the operating unit for the passenger associated with the control unit.
Preferably, the remote control signal is an infra-red light beam emitted by a remote controller.
Preferably, the remote control signal receiving unit is provided for each of groups of seats made up of a plurality of the seats.
Preferably, an actuating panel is further provided in the signal supplying/receiving system. The selection means selects a channel selected by a passenger via the actuating panel.
Preferably, the signals supplied from the supplying device are audio signals. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stroboscopic controller disposed in a camera and controlling a light emitting operation of a stroboscope and a stopping operation thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stroboscopic controllers having various kinds of structures are generally proposed and manufactured. In a stroboscopic controller shown in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (KOKAI) No. 56-114937, data indicative of a light emitting time and a quantity of emitted light in a stroboscope are stored to a ROM as a memory element in advance. A light emitting operation of the stroboscope is controlled by using these data. In a stroboscopic controller shown in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (KOKAI) No. 56-159622, the light emitting time is determined on the basis of a quantity of light required to perform a photographing operation, a guide number of the stroboscope and a suitable coefficient. In a stroboscopic controller shown in Japanese Patent Publication (KOKOKU) No. 44-30905, light reflected from a photographed object is integrated to stop the light emitting operation. In a known stroboscopic controller of an automatic flashing system, a diaphragm value of a photographing lens is changed in accordance with distance. The stroboscopic controller of this system does not constitute an automatic stroboscope.
In the stroboscopic controller shown in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (KOKAI) No. 56-114937, it is necessary to store a large amount of data indicative of the relation between the light emitting time and the emitted light quantity to the ROM. In the stroboscopic controller shown in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (KOKAI) No. 56-159622, no voltage of a main capacitor before the light emission is considered so that it is impossible to control the operation of the stroboscopic controller with a high degree of accuracy. In the stroboscopic controller shown in Japanese Patent Publication (KOKOKU) No. 44-30905, it is necessary to dispose parts requiring high operating speed and accuracy in a light-receiving and integrating circuit. Accordingly, the cost of this stroboscopic controller is increased and a space therefor is large. Further, in this stroboscopic controller, there is a case in which an exposure value is shifted from a predetermined value by a difference in reflectivity of the photographed object, different stroboscopic light incident to the stroboscope, etc. In the automatic flashing system, no arbitrary diaphragm value can be obtained and light is emitted in a full state thereof at any time since this system does not constitute an automatic stroboscope. Therefore, it takes time to perform the next light emitting operation.
Accordingly, the general stroboscopic controllers have various kinds of practical problems mentioned above. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to signal detection in the presence of noise characterized by non-Gaussian noise models. More specifically, but without limitation thereto, the present invention relates to a signal processor for detecting targets in coherent radar return signals in the presence of non-Gaussian radar clutter.
Conventional detection algorithms derived from the assumption of Gaussian noise typically suppress heavily tailed non-Gaussian clutter by requiring higher thresholds than are required for Gaussian noise, degrading the ability of these algorithms to detect weak signals. Non-Gaussian noise may be observed if the noise is dominated by a few non-Gaussian sources, or if the noise is produced by a changing number of Gaussian or non-Gaussian sources, even if the expected number of sources is large. A variety of univariate and multivariate probability distributions have been proposed to model various types of non-Gaussian data including D. Middleton's class A and B models, K, Weibull, log-normal and discrete Guassian mixture distributions. The compound random variable, Z=AX where A>0 and X has a normal distribution, has a class A, K, or discrete Gaussian mixture distribution if A has a Poisson, Gamma, or discrete distribution, respectively. Likelihood ratio and locally optimum detection algorithms based on non-Gaussian noise models have been developed for various signal types. Theoretical and empirical studies demonstrate that these algorithms have a significant performance improvement over corresponding detection algorithms derived from the assumption that the noise data have normal distributions. In applications such as radar, A may be correlated.
A continued need exists for a coherent radar detector having an improved capability for detecting weak radar return signals in the presence of non-Gaussian noise clutter. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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