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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat stable thermoplastic resin composition. More particularly, it relates to a thermoplastic resin having improved heat stability which can be molded even at high temperatures to give a molded article having few or no silver streaks on the article.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that .alpha.-methylstyrene base copolymer with good heat resistance is produced by replacing a part or the whole of styrene in a styrene base resin such as a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer with .alpha.-methylstyrene and that blend of the .alpha.-methylstyrene base copolymer with other resin such as an ABS graft polymer provides a resin composition which has improved heat resistance. The .alpha.-methylstyrene base copolymer and the blend of said copolymer with the ABS graft polymer are in practical applications used. Such copolymer or blend may be colored by an inorganic or organic colorant.
As an .alpha.-methylstyrene content in the copolymer or the blend increases, heat resistance of the copolymer or blend is improved but its processability deteriorates. Therefore, he copolymer or the blend having the higher .alpha.-methylstyrene content should be processed at the higher temperature. But, at the higher processing temperature, silver streaks often appear on the surface of the molded article and do not disappear in subsequent fabrication steps such as coating. When the processing temperature is lowered to prevent the formation of silver streaks, processability is decreased and problems such as short molding are caused.
It is known that, in general, the silver streaks appear more frequently when the resin contains a larger amount of volatile components. To remove the volatile components, the resin is intensively dried before molding. Since the presence of volatile components in the resin is not the sole cause for the silver streaking and there may be some unknown causes, intensive drying of the resin does not necessarily prevent the formation of silver streaks. Addition of an antioxidant cannot prevent the formation of silver streaks either.
In some cases, a colorant is added to the .alpha.-methylstyrene base copolymer and its resin composition before or during molding as in the case of other thermoplastic resin. Particularly, the addition of an organo-metallic colorant causes the more frequent occurrence of the silver streaks than other colorants.
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As the search for oil and gas, as well as other subterranean deposits, has increased, the need for a portable self-contained drilling rig capable of drilling to the depths required has arisen.
Prior art drilling rigs were either large complicated relatively immovable structures or were small relatively unsophisticated apparatus, and of which Leonard, U.S. Pat. No. 2,904,310 is a good example. Leonard discloses a truck mounted drilling rig in which the drilling frame is at an incline relative to the truck body when in operation. Leonard employs a pair of cooperating cylinders mounted to the upper end of the drilling frame with the swivel mounted at the lower end of the pistons. The disadvantage of an assembly such as Leonard is the use of the pair of cylinders suspended from the upper end of the drilling rig and the fact that the drilling frame may become bent or distorted because of the rotary action of the power swivel being transmitted to the frame and causing distortion thereof.
Consequently, a lightweight portable drilling apparatus having a minimal number of parts is desirable. The added capability of directly connecting the rotary power swivel to a length of drill pipe is desirable and results in a further decreased amount of necessary equipment and also results in decreased amount of labor. Such a drilling rig is highly desirable for the foregoing reasons and also because the resulting structure minimizes the risk of injury to the drilling rig operating personnel.
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As the functionality and sophistication of computers has increased, the functionality and sophistication of the user interfaces employed by computers has increased as well. One common type of interface for computers is the graphical user interface. With this type of interface, information retrieved from and provided to the computer is pictographically represented by images. These images are typically rendered using a wide variety of differently-shaped polygons.
The process of rendering and manipulating polygons on a display may often require determining the amount of overlap between polygons. For example, in some situations, a first polygon may form the bounding area for content rendered on a display. A second polygon may then represent a selection area, for defining information that is to be selected in a selection process. The selection process may, for example, select content when more than 60% of the bounding area for that content is overlapped by the selection area. The polygon used to define this type of selection area is sometimes referred to as a selection “lasso”.
Conventionally, relatively complex algorithms have been employed to determine the amount of overlap of two polygons. For example, the Weiler-Atherton method is one commonly-used technique for determining an amount of overlap between two polygons. More particularly, the Weiler-Atherton method can be used to identify the area formed by the overlap of one polygon with another. This area can then be compared with the area of one of the polygons, to determine how much of that polygon is overlapped by the other polygon. These conventionally-employed methods, however, typically require a great deal of processing power to perform, and thus are relatively slow to implement. Moreover, some of these methods are error prone due to their complexity. Accordingly, there is a need for a relatively quick, efficient and accurate technique for determining the overlap between two polygons.
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There are various types of communication services in existence today using various types of physical communication infrastructures, For example, a cable provider uses coaxial cable feeding servers at a cable headend and a digital subscriber line xDSL provider utilizes twisted pair copper phone lines and modems in conjunction with a central office having servers. A satellite provider uses satellites in orbit and antenna dishes and receivers on the ground to wirelessly provide programming to users. Also, an Internet service provider (ISP) may utilize existing telephone lines connected to a server via a modem. Finally, optical fibers may be used to link servers and computers on a research campus or Intranet, for example.
Notwithstanding, different physical layer protocols, supporting different bandwidths and data rates, may be utilized on the different physical communication infrastructures, For example, certain existing telephone lines and servers may support 56K/sec communications using a PC with a 56K modem, Optical fiber lines and/or category five (CAT-5) unshielded twisted pair (UTP) lines may support Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) communications The proliferation of network access peripherals or devices targeting mobile communication services has created a corresponding demand for these services to be available independent of the location.
For example, as media peripherals such as MP3 players or PDAs move or migrate from a first location to a second location, media available at the first location may not be readily available at the second location or readily transferred in a manner similar to that which occurs at the first location. In this regard, the media may have to be downloaded from a website or retrieved via an email, for example, when the media peripheral moves to the second location Additionally, when the media peripheral is at the second location, current means of transferring media back to the first location may include email and/or saving the media to a storage device. In the latter case, once the media has been saved on a storage device, the storage device may then be manually carried from the second location to the first location.
Accordingly, whenever the media player is located at the second location, a user may have to acquire network access from a network service provider (NSP), log on in order to access the network and then determine the location of the media Once the media has been located, the user may have to utilize additional software application to download the media and save the media to the media peripheral In the case of an upload, then after the user has gained access to the network, the user may then have to utilize additional software to upload the media. All of these may be time consuming and in certain instances, may prove to be very expensive As a result, a user may be deterred from accessing the first location once the media peripheral is relocated to the second location. In the case of users that may not be technically savvy, they may not even attempt to communicate from the second location with the media peripheral.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.
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In a wireless communication system, downlink and uplink transmissions of information (control signaling or data) can be according to either a frequency division duplex (FDD) mode or a time division duplex (TDD) mode. In the FDD mode, uplink and downlink transmissions are separated in the frequency domain, by transmitting uplink data using a first carrier frequency, and transmitting downlink data using a second carrier frequency. In the TDD mode, on the other hand, both uplink and downlink transmissions occur on the same carrier frequency; however, uplink and downlink transmissions are separated in the time domain, by sending uplink and downlink transmissions in different time periods.
In some wireless communications systems, different uplink-downlink configurations may be defined. A particular uplink-downlink configuration can specify that, within a frame, a first subset of subframes in the frame is used for uplink transmissions, and a second subset of subframes in the frame is used for downlink transmissions. Different uplink-downlink configurations can employ different numbers of uplink and downlink subframes.
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There is a work vehicle that mounts a traveling motor, and supplies electric power to the motor from a battery to travel. As such a work vehicle, Patent Literature 1 discloses, for example, a traveling control device that is applied to an industrial vehicle such as a forklift and to a vehicle that travels by a battery.
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The present invention generally relates to database management systems, and more particularly to providing access to data stored in a plurality of tables using a standardized query. In specific embodiments, access is provided to data stored in a plurality of tables and/or generated by a plurality of programs, Mapper runs, or any program capable of being invoked by a Mapper run.
SQL is an industry standard language that is used to reference relational database tables. Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is the protocol that uses the SQL to provide access to database tables hosted on a server by a database management system. ODBC interfaces have been developed in various systems for data hosted by a fourth-generation language (4GL) such as Mapper from Unisys.
With Mapper applications, as well as other applications which were developed prior to the proliferation of ODBC interfaces, a single table can be generated from multiple systems, each hosting a portion of the requested data. Thus, a table can be generated from a combination of local and remote database access. For example, if there are four regional databases, a Mapper run (program) could generate a single table containing data from the four databases and/or applications. However, introducing an ODBC interface presents additional considerations of the same data set is desired.
With an ODBC interface to the four regional databases, access to the data set can be provided using at least two approaches. In one approach, the data set from the multiple tables could be gathered using multiple SELECT commands. However, if the data relations are complex and there is a wide variety of data to be gathered, the SELECT commands may be complex, thereby increasing the chance of error in formulating the SELECT commands.
In another approach for assembling the data set using multiple databases, the data set could be defined as a separate relational table, in addition to the multiple database tables. This approach would result in redundant data, however, and require application development time.
A system and method that addresses the aforementioned problems, as well as other related problems, is therefore desirable.
In various embodiments, systems and methods provide access to data stored in a plurality of data sets. A simulated table definition is hosted by a server and includes selected data definitions from the plurality of tables. Data extraction logic is hosted by the server and extracts data from the plurality of tables into memory of the server consistent with the simulated table definition and responsive to a request for access to the simulated table. Interface logic is also hosted by the server and is coupled to the data extraction logic. The interface logic transmits the extracted data to the requester consistent with the simulated table and returns for reuse the memory occupied by data of the simulated table after transmitting the data.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a computer program product that is configured to be operable to provide access to data stored in a plurality of data sets using a simulated table.
The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment of the present invention. The figures and detailed description that follow provide additional example embodiments and aspects of the present invention.
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Known techniques for asymmetrically synthesizing optically active alcohols include a process comprising asymmetric hydrogenation using baker's yeast and a process comprising asymmetric hydrogenation using a specific catalyst.
In particular, with respect to asymmetric hydrogenation of an l-keto acid derivative to obtain optically active alcohols, it has been reported that the asymmetric hydrogenation can be carried out by using a rhodium-optically active phosphine complex as a catalyst. For example, J. Solodar reports in Chemtech., 421-423 (1975) that asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl acetoacetate gives methyl 3-hydroxybutyrate in an optical yield of 71% ee.
Further, asymmetric hydrogenation using a tartaric acid-modified nickel catalyst has been proposed. According to this technique, asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl acetoacetate gives methyl 3-hydroxybutyrate in an optical yield of 85% ee as disclosed in Tai, Yukagaku, 822-831 (1980).
Although the process using baker's yeast produces an alcohol having relatively high optical purity, the resulting optically active alcohol is limited in absolute configuration, and synthesis of an enantiomer is difficult.
The process utilizing asymmetric hydrogenation of a .beta.-keto acid derivative in the presence of a rhodium-optically active phosphine complex does not produce an alcohol having sufficient optical purity. Besides, metallic rhodium to be used in the catalyst is expensive due to limitations in place and quantity of production. When used as a catalyst component, it forms a large proportion in cost of the catalyst, ultimately resulting in increase in cost of the final commercial products.
The process using a tartaric acid-modified nickel catalyst involves disadvantages of difficulty in preparing the catalyst and insufficient optical yield.
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A bartender often has to quickly pour liquid, e.g., wine or other drinks, into glasses while trying to pour a desired amount of liquid into each glass. One method of pouring a desired amount of liquid into a glass is for the bartender to first pour the liquid into a measuring glass to get the desired amount of liquid, and then pour the desired amount of liquid from the measuring glass into the glass. A problem with this method is that it takes time to first pour the liquid into the measuring glass and it may be difficult to read the measurement mark on the measuring glass, especially if the mark is not viewed at eye level.
There are liquid pouring spouts for liquor, but they generally only measure 1.5 to 2.5 ounces, which is generally not enough for wine.
At restaurants and parties, a server often has to pour wine from a bottle into several glasses. A problem is that it is difficult for the server to pour the same amount of wine into each glass. The server often has to pour the wine into the glasses, visually inspect the amounts of wine in the glasses, and pour some more wine into glasses that have less wine. This process of pouring and re-pouring wine to make sure that the glasses have the same amount of wine can be time consuming.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming patterns, which is usable in a production process of semiconductors, such as ICs, manufacturing of circuit boards for liquid crystal displays or thermal heads, and other lithography processes of photofabrication. More specifically, the invention is concerned with a method of forming patters by using a resist composition for negative development, a protective film composition for protecting a film formed from the resist composition and a negative developer in the lithography process performing light exposure by means of immersion-type projection exposure apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As semiconductor devices have become increasingly finer, progress has been made in developing exposure light sources of shorter wavelengths and projection lenses having higher numerical apertures (higher NAs). Up to now, steppers using as light sources ArF excimer laser with a wavelength of 193 nm and having NA of 1.35 have been developed. As generally well known, relationships of these factors to resolution and depth of focus can be given by the following expressions;(Resolution)=k1·(λ/NA)(Depth of Focus)=±k2·λ/NA2 where λ is the wavelength of an exposure light source, NA is the numerical aperture of a projection lens, and λ1 and λ2 are coefficients concerning a process.
As an art of heightening the resolution in an optical microscope, the method of filling the space between a projection lens and a test specimen with a liquid having a high refractive index (hereinafter referred to as an immersion liquid or an immersion medium), or the so-called immersion method, has hitherto been known.
This “immersion effect” can be explained as follows. When the immersion method is applied, the foregoing resolution and depth of focus can be given by the following expressions;(Resolution)=k1·(λ0/n)/NA0 (Focal depth)=±k2·(λ0/n)/NA02 where λ0 is the wavelength of an exposure light source in the air, n is the refractive index of an immersion liquid relative to the air and NA0 is equal to sin θ when the convergent half angle of incident rays is represented by θ. That is to say, the effect of immersion is equivalent to the use of exposure light with a 1/n wavelength. In other words, application of the immersion method to a projection optical system having the same NA value can multiply the focal depth by a factor of n.
This art is effective on all shapes of patterns, and besides, it can be used in combination with super-resolution techniques under study at present, such as a phase-shift method and an off-axis illumination method.
Examples of apparatus utilizing this effect for transfer of fine circuit patterns in semiconductor devices are disclosed in Patent Document 1 (JP-A-57-153433) and Patent Document 2 (JP-A-7-220990), but these documents have no description of resist suitable for immersion lithography.
Recent progress of immersion lithography is reported, e.g., in Non-patent Document 1 (Proc. SPIE, 4688, 11 (2002)), Non-patent Document 2 (J. Vac. Sci. Technol., B 17 (1999)), Patent Document 3 (WO 2004/077158) and Patent Document 4 (WO 2004/068242). In the case where ArF excimer laser is used as a light source, purified water (refractive index at 193 nm: 1.44) is the most promising immersion liquid in point of not only handling safety but also transmittance and refractive index at 193 nm, and actually applied in mass production too. On the other hand, it is known that immersion exposure using a medium of a higher refractive index as immersion liquid can offer higher resolution (Non-patent Document 3: Nikkei Microdevices, April in 2004).
For the purpose of supplementing the sensitivity of resist, which has been reduced by light absorption from the resist for KrF excimer laser (248 nm) onward, the image formation method referred to as a chemical amplification technique has been adopted as a method of patterning resist. To illustrate an image formation method utilizing chemical amplification by a positive-working case, images are formed in such a process that exposure is performed to cause decomposition of an acid generator in the exposed areas, thereby generating an acid, and conversion of alkali-insoluble groups into an alkali-soluble groups by utilizing the acid generated as a reaction catalyst is caused by bake after exposure (PEB: Post Exposure Bake) to allow the removal of exposed areas by an alkaline developer.
Since application of immersion lithography to chemical amplification resist brings the resist layer into contact with an immersion liquid at the time of exposure, it is pointed out that the resist layer suffers degradation and ingredients having adverse effects on the immersion liquid are oozed from the resist layer. More specifically, Patent Document 4 (WO 2004/068242) describes cases where the resists aimed at ArF exposure suffer changes in resist performance by immersion in water before and after the exposure, and indicates that such a phenomenon is a problem in immersion lithography.
As a solution to avoidance of this problem, a method of keeping resist from direct contact with water by providing a protective film (hereinafter referred to as a topcoat or an overcoat too) between the resist and a lens is known (e.g., in Patent Documents 5 to 7: WO 2004/074937, WO 2005/019937, and JP-A-2005-109146).
In such a method, it is required for the topcoat to have no solubility in immersion liquid, transparency to light from an exposure light source and a property of not causing intermixing with a resist layer and ensuring stable coating on the top of a resist layer, and besides, from the viewpoint of pattern formation by as-is utilization of an existing process, it is preferable that the topcoat has properties of easily dissolving in an alkaline aqueous solution as a developer and allowing removal simultaneous with removal of a resist layer by development.
However, topcoat-utilized image formation methods hitherto known fail to fully satisfy performance capabilities required for immersion lithography. For example, the pattern formation methods using topcoats hitherto known cause problems of development defects appearing after development and degradation in line edge roughness, and they are in need of improvements.
At present, an aqueous alkali developer containing 2.38 mass % of TMAH (tetramethylammonium hydroxide) has broad use as developers for g-ray, i-ray, KrF, ArF, EB and EUV lithographic processes.
As a developer other than the aqueous alkali developer, the developer used for performing development by dissolving exposed areas of a resist material reduced in molecular weight through cleavage of its polymer chains upon irradiation with radiation, and that characterized by having at least two functional groups of more than one kind chosen from an acetic acid group, a ketone group, an ether group or a phenyl group and a molecular weight of 150 or above, is disclosed, e.g., in Patent Document 8 (JP-A-2006-227174). In addition, the developers used for performing development by dissolving exposed areas of specified resist materials containing fluorine atoms and chosen from supercritical fluids, halogenated organic solvents or non-halogenated organic solvents are disclosed in Patent Document 9 (JP-T-2002-525683, the term “JP-T” as used herein means a published Japanese translation of a PCT patent application) and Patent Document 10 (JP-T-2005-533907).
However, as the semiconductor devices become finer, it becomes exceedingly difficult to find combinations of, e.g., a resist composition, a developer and a protective film (topcoat) composition appropriate to formation of patterns with synthetically good quality, and it is required to find pattern formation methods which can achieve, e.g., reduction in development defects appearing after development and satisfactory line edge roughness and can be applied suitably to topcoat-utilized immersion lithography.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to archery equipment and more particularly to arrowhead constructions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hunting arrowheads of the prior art have a disadvantage in that most of them are not readily disassembled and they require spot welding or brazing at assembly such that the parts cannot be readily changed if required. In addition, those hunting arrowheads of the prior art which may be disassembled (for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,542) have main blades which are generally designed such that they are in a U- or V-shaped configuration having open legs at the rearward extent of the blade. Such blades tend to warp and bend during hardening processes and in welding and brazing operations.
It is the principle object of the present invention to eliminate these disadvantages and to provide a readily disassembled arrowhead which requires no welding or brazing for assembly and which may further be disassembled with the application of a low heat flame.
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a transparent polyurethane coating layer, with self-repairing properties, for panes made of glass and/or plastic materials, with the coating layer according to the invention being prepared from a reactive mixture containing a plurifunctional, and specifically a trifunctional, isocyanate component and a plurifunctional polyalcohol component, possibly a reaction catalyst and other auxiliary substances.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Polyurethane coating layers with self-repairing properties are utilized especially as anti-shattering coatings for silicate glass panes, for example, in automobile windshields. This application, is described, for example, in French patent publications Nos. 2 187 719 and 2 251 608. These layers, which are placed on the surface of the window which faces inward, prevent direct contact with the sharp edges of the glass fragments in case the window breaks. In this configuration, the coating layers are protected against direct atmospheric influences by the layer(s) of glass.
Coatings of this type are also utilized as coating layers for transparent plastic materials. German patent publications Nos. 2 058 504, 2 634 816, 3 201 849 describe such an application. In this case, these polyurethane layers serve to improve the scratch resistance of plastic material. The aforementioned polyurethane coatings in fact have the characteristic of being self-repairing, i.e., superficial deformations in these layers disappear after a certain period of time, with the duration of this disappearance generally depending on the temperature.
Such self-repairing polyurethane coating layers can also find applications as coatings for surfaces of panes made of glass and/or plastic materials, which are exposed to the external atmosphere, either to improve the resistance of the plastic materials to scratching, or to improve the resistance of glass to abrasion. It is in fact known that these soft coating layers are also highly suitable to significantly improve the resistance of glass to abrasion, for example, during periods in which they are exposed to contact with sand.
Known polyurethane coating layers have remarkable properties, not only in the area of scratch resistance and other usage properties, but also, especially, in the area of the long-term durability of these properties, as long as these layers are not exposed simultaneously to the influence of light, heat and humidity, i.e., as long as they are not directly exposed to the open atmosphere, namely, direct sunlight and simultaneous exposure to humidity and rain. It was found that, during such exposure to the elements, apparently, due to the effects of light and the simultaneous hydrolytic attack by water, the surface of the coating layers becomes damaged over time. After a certain period of time, this surface deterioration is visible to the naked eye and continues uninterrupted. Consequently, coating layers of known formulas are not appropriate in the long term for use on the external surface of a pane, i.e. which is directly exposed to the outside atmosphere and a continued need for the same is presented.
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Several different mechanisms rely on a series of hydraulically operated actuators for accomplishing a desired result. For example, a multi-speed transmission typically includes plural torque delivery paths between driving and driven members. A plurality of hydraulically operated clutch assemblies control relative motion of various gear elements forming the torque delivery paths in the transmission. Actuation of a particular clutch assembly controls which path is conditioned to deliver torque and power between the drive and driven members.
As will be appreciated, simultaneous engagement of more than one clutch assembly at any given time causes severe problems within the transmission often resulting in extensive damage to the clutch assemblies and related components. Therefore, each transmission clutch assembly is typically controlled by its own solenoid valve. The function of the solenoid valve is to provide actuating fluid to a respective clutch when the valve is energized and allow the clutch to be connected to exhaust upon de-energization of the valve.
Although each clutch assembly is provided with its own solenoid valve, problems still persist. Because each clutch assembly has its own solenoid valve, the possibility exists that more than one clutch assembly can be pressurized at one time as a result of a mechanical or electrical failure with the valve. To reduce this problem from occurring, individual pressure switches are provided to sense when the clutches are pressurized. The function of the pressure switches are such that if more than one pressure switch detects hydraulic pressure in a clutch assembly, a control module will disconnect the power supply to all of the solenoids. Disconnecting the power to all of the solenoids automatically conditions the transmission in a "Neutral" mode of operation.
Providing separate solenoid valves for each clutch assembly adds substantially to the cost of the transmission. Moreover, the addition of separate pressure switches for detecting which clutch assembly is activated adds still further costs to the transmission. Transmissions used on off-highway equipment are often subject to brutal field conditions. Such field conditions can and often do cause one or more of the solenoid valves, one or more of the pressure switches, or any combination thereof to malfunction and/or fail thereby conditioning the transmission in "Neutral". Of course, with the transmission in "Neutral" the equipment or apparatus is essentially useless. Thus, repair time is required to fix or repair the malfunctioning parts.
Thus, there is a need and a desire for a control system which eliminates redundant parts while assuring that only one hydraulic actuator will be operated at any given time. When installed in combination with a transmission, the control system should be designed such that a mechanical or electrical failure will nevertheless allow the transfer of power through the transmission to enable the equipment driven thereby to be moved to a suitable location for repair.
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Japanese patent application no. 2000-220497, filed Jul. 21, 2000 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device which stores data by storing an electric charge, a method for refreshing the semiconductor device, and electronic equipment equipped with the semiconductor device.
A VSRAM (Virtually Static RAM) is one type of semiconductor memory. Although memory cells of the VSRAM are the same as memory cells of a DRAM, the VSRAM does not need multiplexing of the column address and the row address. Moreover, the VSRAM can be used without taking refreshing into consideration. Specifically, the VSRAM is provided with transparency of refreshing.
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device including a memory cell array, in which memory cells for which refreshing is needed are arranged in an array, a method for refreshing the semiconductor device, and electronic equipment equipped with the semiconductor device.
One aspect of the present invention provides a method for refreshing a semiconductor device including a memory cell array, in which memory cells for which refreshing is needed are arranged in an array,
wherein the memory cell array is divided into a plurality of blocks, and
wherein data read or write in one block among the plurality of blocks and refreshing in at least one of the other blocks among the plurality of blocks are performed concurrently.
The term xe2x80x9ctwo events are performed concurrentlyxe2x80x9d used in this specification means that at least part of the events overlaps each other in time during the execution of the events.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a semiconductor device including a memory cell array, in which memory cells for which refreshing is needed are arranged in an array,
wherein the memory cell array is divided into a plurality of blocks, and
wherein the semiconductor device includes a control section which controls data read or write in one block among the plurality of blocks and refreshing in at least one of the other blocks among the plurality of blocks to be performed concurrently.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle departure support system, and more particularly, to a vehicle departure support system capable of easily selecting a vehicle departure mode a driver wants by displaying all vehicle departure modes on a screen when there is a movement of the vehicle for departure of the vehicle after parking of the vehicle is completed in a parking space.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Recently, a vehicle is being positioned as a necessity of modern people, a new vehicle is quickly being released and operated, and thus various social problems such as a traffic jam, a parking problem, etc. are being generated.
Particularly, the parking problem is very severe, parking spaces capable of being parked in are decreased as the number of vehicles is increased in a restricted region, city, or nation, and thus a parking stall divided so that one vehicle is able to park is gradually being narrowed in order to solve a shortage of parking spaces.
Further, when a plurality of vehicles park together in a parking space without a parking stall, an interval between the vehicles cannot help being narrow, and in this case, it is difficult for a driver to park a vehicle or perform departure of the vehicle from the parking space in a narrow parking space as the driver checks a peripheral obstacle with the naked eye and directly drives the vehicle.
In order to solve the problem, a vehicle departure support system is disclosed in various patent documents including Korean Patent Publication No. 2013-0052856.
A conventional vehicle departure support system including the patent compares state information of a previous vehicle and state information of a current vehicle when the parking of a vehicle is completed in a parking space in association with a parking steering support system, supports an automatic vehicle departure when the two states are identical according to the comparison result, and performs a simple vehicle departure guide when the two states are not identical.
Accordingly, the conventional vehicle departure support system supports the automatic vehicle departure when information on parking around the parking space is not changed only in a case of automatic parking, but does not provide a vehicle departure mode capable of performing the departure of the vehicle in the parking space in a case of manual parking and not automatic parking, and thus a selection of a driver is required in order to select one among four vehicle departure modes and inconvenience due to a malfunction, etc. occurs.
Further, when the departure of a vehicle is performed after parking of the vehicle is completed by automatic parking, the conventional vehicle departure support system simply informs the driver of a vehicle departure direction when state information of the vehicle when parking and state information when the vehicle departure is performed are not identical, and provides a warning and an alarm when there is a proximity obstacle in the vehicle departure direction, but there is an inconvenience of manipulation in which the driver should select the vehicle departure mode since the vehicle departure mode capable of automatically performing the departure of the vehicle is not provided even when there is a change in the peripheral environment after automatic parking is completed.
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This invention relates to counter top, postmix beverage dispensers, and in particular to a low-cost, compact, versatile, multiflavor, convertible beverage dispenser.
A wide variety of different postmix dispensers are known, including those having multiflavor valves and those having the selector buttons and nozzle at a notched corner of the cabinet. It is also known to have a dispensing system in which some parts of the dispenser are located above the counter and some parts are located below the counter.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a unitary beverage dispenser which can be placed entirely on top of a counter and oriented either frontways or sideways or which can be easily separated into a refrigeration module placed below the counter and a small dispense module placed on top of the counter.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a compact, multiflavor, low cost, versatile, convertible postmix beverage dispenser.
It is another object of this invention to provide a beverage dispense that can be easily modified to dispense different numbers of beverages.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved flow control module and method for easily changing the numbers of beverages to be dispensed.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a dispenser with two fronts, which can be placed frontways or sideways, and having a small detachable dispense module which can be placed by itself on top of a counter.
It is a another object of this invention to provide a versatile dispenser that can be delivered to an outlet and that will fit in almost any available space.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a single dispenser that is no versatile that it can be used to reduce the need for an inventory of dispensers of different sizes and shapes.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a convertible dispenser having a vent arrangement that has one air-flow when the refrigeration and dispense modules are attached, and a different air flow when the modules are separated, for improved performance.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a compact dispenser having a one-piece wrap-around shell, a removable lid, a vertically oriented condenser and a modular, easily removable condenser fan-motor unit that, when slid out, provides easy access to the agitator motor and the transformer.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved multiflavor nozzle.
It is another object of this invention to provide a dispenser with an improved water circuit, including one in which the soda or carbonated water is cooled again downstream from the carbonator, and also one in which the soda is continuously recirculated, but not through the carbonator, when the refrigeration module is remote.
It is a further object to provide a dispenser that is small and compact and yet provides a large, smooth, uninterrupted advertising area while also being less expensive to manufacture.
It is a further object to provide a dispenser with a pre-cooling syrup coil whereby the syrup pumps and carbonator can use the same pressure, thus eliminating one of two CO.sub.2 pressure regulators.
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The present invention relates to an ink cartridge to be coupled to a device using ink.
Conventionally, ink cartridges have been widely used in devices using ink. An example of such devices, an inkjet printing device has been known. The inkjet printing device typically includes an inkjet head, which has an ink nozzle. The ink nozzle is driven to eject ink drops toward recording medium such as a piece of paper to form images and characters thereon. Typically, the ink cartridge includes an ink reservoir, and the ink accommodated in the reservoir is supplied to the inkjet head.
The exchangeable ink cartridge is advantageous in that when the printer runs out of the ink, only by replacing the old cartridge with a new cartridge. Therefore, the exchangeable ink cartridge is widely employed.
A typical structure of the ink cartridge is configured such that an ink reservoir is formed inside a housing of the cartridge, and an opening formed on the housing. The reservoir is connected with a communication path, and the opening is sealed with a stopper such as a rubber stopper.
The device, to which the ink cartridge is to be coupled, is formed with an ink cartridge bay, where a hollow needle is projected at a position corresponding to the rubber stopper. When the ink cartridge is coupled to the cartridge bay, the hollow needle penetrates through the rubber stopper so that the ink can be sucked via the communication path and the hollow needle and supplied to the device.
In a case of an inkjet printer, the hollow needle is connected with an inkjet head through an ink feed tube so that the ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to the inkjet head.
If air or impurities invade inside the reservoir, bubbles of the air and/or the impurities are supplied to the device together with the ink, which may cause trouble. For example, if the device is an inkjet printer, and if the bubbles are supplied to the printer, some dots may not be formed since drops of ink is not jetted due to the bubbles. The impurities supplied to the printer may block up the ink nozzles.
Therefore, a structure which is capable of preventing the air and impurities from invading in the device when the ink is supplied from the replaceable ink cartridge to the device is desired.
However, in view of manufacturing such an ink cartridge, it is desired that an operation for filling the reservoir with the ink is relatively easy. Further, once the reservoir is filled with the ink, invasion of the air and/or impurities should be blocked without fail.
In view of the requirements described above, the present invention is advantageous in that it provides an ink cartridge, which includes a housing defining a body of the cartridge, an ink reservoir accommodated in the housing, an opening formed on the housing, the opening communicating the ink reservoir through a fluid path, a stop to be tightly fitted in the opening, the stop having elasticity, the stop being configured such that a hollow needle can be penetrated therethrough, a hole formed by penetration of the hollow needle being closed by the elasticity of the stop after removal of the hollow needle, and a valve structure provided to a part of the stop, the valve structure selectively opens and closes the communication between the opening and the ink reservoir.
With this configuration, the ink can be supplied to the ink reservoir easily through the hollow needle. After the ink supply is completed, the valve structure is closed so that the ink does not flow from the ink reservoir to the opening and/or bubbles of the air and impurities do not enter from the opening to the ink reservoir. It should be noted that the stop also has a sealing effect to block the communication between both sides thereof.
Optionally, the valve structure may be configured to selectively open and close the communication between the opening and the ink reservoir depending on a positional condition of the stop.
In some embodiments, the positional condition includes a position along an axis of the stop. Alternatively, the positional condition may include a rotational position of the stop.
In one embodiment, the fluid path communicates with the opening at a decentered position of a bottom surface the opening.
In a particular case, the valve structure may include a protrusion that is protruded from a bottom surface of the stop at a position corresponding to the decentered position where the opening communicates with the fluid path. With this configuration, the protrusion is fitted in the fluid path when the stop is located at a predetermined position, and the protrusion is spaced from the fluid path when the stop is located at another position, along the axial direction thereof.
Further optionally, the valve structure may be configured to be opened when the stop is located at a first position where the stop is inserted intermediately in the opening, and closed when the stop is located at a second position where the stop is deeply inserted in the opening.
In one embodiment, a position where the fluid path communicates with the opening is located on an inner side surface of the opening. In this case, the communication between the fluid path and the opening is opened when the stop is located at the first position, and an outer side surface of the stop closes the communication between the fluid path and the opening when the stop is located at the second position.
Still optionally, the valve structure may include a protrusion that is protruded from a bottom surface of the stop at a position corresponding to the position where the opening communicates with the fluid path. The protrusion is fitted in the fluid path when the stop is fully or deeply inserted in the opening, the protrusion being spaced from the fluid path when the stop is located at an intermediate position along the axial direction thereof.
In some embodiments, the protrusion is located at a central portion of the bottom surface of the stop, and the fluid path communicates with the opening at a central portion of the bottom surface of the opening.
Preferably, the protrusion is formed to be slightly larger than a portion of the fluid path where the protrusion is fitted in, and the protrusion is compressed when fitted in the fluid path. Generally, when the protrusion is compressed, it is hardened. Thus, the above configuration improves the sealing effect.
In one embodiment, the protrusion has a conical shape. Alternatively, the protrusion may have a cylindrical shape. It may be possible to utilize various modifications of the shape of the protrusion.
In a particular case, the stop may include a barrel member and a closing wall defined inside the barrel member. The closing wall blocks a communication between both sides of the barrel member. In one embodiment, a thickness of the closing wall along the axis of the stop is smaller than a length of the barrel member along the axis of the stop. Of course, it is possible that the stop has a shape of solid cylinder.
Optionally, the protrusion is formed on an end of the barrel member. Corresponding to this configuration, a portion where the fluid path communicates with the opening is decentered and corresponding to a portion where the protrusion is formed on the end of the barrel member.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an ink cartridge, which is provided with a housing defining a body of the cartridge, an ink reservoir accommodated in the housing, a first opening formed on the housing, the first opening communicating the ink reservoir through a first fluid path, a second opening formed on the housing, the second opening communicating the ink reservoir through a second fluid path.
The cartridge is further provided with a first stop to be fitted in the first opening, the first stop having elasticity, the first stop being configured such that a needle can be penetrated therethrough, a hole formed by penetration of the hollow needle being closed by the elasticity of the first stop after removal of the needle, a second stop to be fitted in the second opening, the second stop having elasticity, the second stop being configured such that a needle can be penetrated therethrough, a hole formed by penetration of the hollow needle being closed by the elasticity of the second stop after removal of the needle, a one-way valve provided between the first opening and the first fluid path, the one-way valve allowing a flow of fluid only in a direction from the ink reservoir to the first opening, the air inside the ink reservoir being evacuated through the first opening, a valve structure provided to a part of the second stop, the valve structure selectively opens and closes the communication between the second opening and the ink reservoir through the second fluid path.
Optionally, the ink cartridge may further include a connection member that connects end portions of the first stop and the second stop, the first stop, the second stop and the connection member forming an integral stop.
Further, a groove may be formed between the first opening and the second opening. The groove is preferably configured such that the connection member is fitted in the groove. A surface of the housing where the first and second opening formed may be substantially planar when the first stop and the second stop are fully inserted in the first opening and the second opening, respectively, and the connection member is fitted in the groove.
Still optionally, the ink cartridge may include a protection film, which is adhered on the surface where the first opening and the second opening are formed to cover the first opening and the second opening with the first stop, the second stop and the connection member fitted in the first opening, the second opening and the groove, respectively.
Furthermore, opposing end portions of the protection film may be bent toward the housing to define bent portions, and the housing may be formed with grooves capable of receiving the bent portions. With this configuration, the bent portions can be accommodated in the grooves when the protection film is adhered on the surface where the first opening and the second opening are formed.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there Is provided a method of filling an ink in an ink reservoir accommodated in an ink cartridge, the ink cartridge including a housing defining a body of the cartridge, an opening being formed on the housing, the opening communicating the ink reservoir through a fluid path, a stop to be fitted
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Prior art methods and devices displaying robot and program specific data include the offline simulation software, running on a personal computer (PC), and the use of offline programming/simulation systems on a PC or other non-attached programming device.
Currently, a high powered personal computer is required to render a three-dimensional workcell data as a high quality three-dimensional image. Additionally, a customized programming code (e.g. C programming language) is required for each display device. Accordingly, to enable a particular device (e.g. computer) to display the three-dimensional image of a workcell, the particular device must include a customized software program.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,143 is an example of using a robot teaching pendant to display images of a robot tool, tool coordinates in a tool coordinate system and the taught points in a user or world coordinate system. However, this pendant is directed to displaying 3-D data from robot programs in a 2-D format on the pendant screen. U.S. published application 2005/0285854 and U.S. published application 2007/0167702 are examples of systems that require a workstation to generate a real-time 3-D image. U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,328 and U.S. published application 2009/0204257 show teach pendants for generating simple 3-D graphical displays of a taught path for a robot. Thus, prior art teach pendants do not generate high quality 3-D images of a robotic workcell that can be manipulated.
Typically, an operator of a robot is required to access a dedicated computer to be able to visualize the location of non-visible parameters that constrain the operation or travel of the robot, such as Safety zones and interference regions. Therefore, the three-dimensional image of the workcell is not readily available in the hands of an operator of a robot.
The prior art also requires a programmer/operator understand esoteric math concepts such as how a specific angle relates to an angle of robotic tooling and to other elements in three space. For a physical position the operator can see the physical machine and program a point according to the physical positions. However there are more virtual special relationships which the operator cannot see with the prior art devices. Elements such as safety walls, the robot envelope, areas where robots overlap operating zones for particular operations are difficult to visualize without a three-dimensional model. The operator must be very experienced in order to relate the text describing these elements to the physical world.
The prior art for jogging a robot requires an experienced operator who knows how the jog buttons map to the physical world. The operator is typically required to mentally visualize a resultant outcome in response to engaging a particular key. However, even an experienced operator occasionally engages an undesired key, which can result in damage to the robot and surrounding equipment. For specific applications such as arc welding, the operator must be familiar with specific terms such as lead and lag angle, which are not obvious from the textual information traditionally provided.
The prior art has the following shortcomings: 1. Simulation of the robot is not directly connected to execution of the robot. 2. Features are limited since they are based on established simulation and ideas from the CAD-CAM environment. 3. High quality three-dimensional (3-D) images that can be manipulated are not available on the hand held pendant associated with the robot; such images normally require a large display and a PC or other advanced computing device to operate.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer software analysis systems, more specifically to software decompilers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally speaking, the term “software decompiler” refers to a computer program, or set of program instructions, that parses a second, compiled computer program presented in executable code (e.g., binary) form and provides as an output a set of human-readable program instructions that represent the functions of the compiled program. Compiled software is generally presented in machine executable code (binary) form, without comments or other human-readable content included. As is well-known in the art, compiled or executable computer instructions comprise the microprocessor specific codes that cause a microprocessor to execute its own built-in functions.
The general purpose of a decompiler is to take executable code and return it back into a human-readable representation that allows a programmer to analyze the functions of the software and, in particular, its flaws and vulnerability to exploitation and/or hacking. Decompilers can also be used to analyze software for compliance with various standards, such as the widely publicized Year 2000 (Y2K) potential vulnerability.
In preparing a human-readable representation of compiled software code, a decompiler must determine both the control flow of the program as well as the data flow. “Control flow” refers to the logical execution sequence of program instructions beginning, logically, at the beginning, traversing various loops and control-transferring statements (branches), and concluding with the end or termination point of the program. “Data flow” refers to the process within the program whereby variables (or data storage elements, i.e., data that is stored in program memory either dynamically or statically on some external memory unit, such as a hard drive) are read from and/or written to memory. Data flow includes the process whereby variables or data inputs or outputs are defined by name and content and used and/or modified (i.e., redefined) during the execution of the program. Programmers of ordinary skill in the art will of course realize that many high-level languages require some sort of definition or typecasting of each variable before its first use. The data flow analysis portion of the decompilation process is not, however, concerned with initial declaration of data type but rather determining when and where variables are defined, how they are parsed, and whether they are local to a particular process or sub process, or globally available (“global”) for use throughout the program.
One shortfall seen in prior art decompilers is that, while they seek to provide a representation of the original compiled and executable software, they often fail to provide a complete model of the software of that program such that the model could be itself recompiled into a functional equivalent of the original compiled and executable program. Furthermore, prior art decompilers are known to use imprecise and incomplete statement modeling tools, resulting in incompletely defined data flow and/or control flow. These shortcomings result in code models that do not sufficiently represent the complete control flow and data structures of the targeted compiled, executable code. In such incomplete models, security vulnerability and forensic analysis is often infeasible or (at best) inaccurate.
What is needed is a nanocode level decompiler that provides a sufficiently accurate model of software operation for complete security vulnerability analyses and forensic study of failed, malfunctioning, or suspect code. “Nanocode” refers to individual processor instructions that have been decomposed into their semantic meaning (to the processor) at their lowest (near-electrical) level. “Nanocode level” refers to the level of coding that represents these fundamental steps and structures. What is also needed is a complete decompiling process and toolset that allows a full representation of the control and data flows of a target program such that all instructions and internal processes are fully represented at the nanocode level.
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Devices for sensing a fluid, for instance in a ventilation duct, do often have to be mounted in places where the available space is limited. Thus, lack of space is a great problem for mounting such devices.
In WO2006/078204 a device for sensing a fluid, such as in a ventilation duct, is disclosed. Even though the device in WO2006/078204 is relatively compact, there is still a need for improved sensing devices that may be mounted in limited spaces.
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The growth of online video is truly remarkable. Comscore estimates that over 75% of US internet users view online video. They spend an average of 235 minutes per month accounting for a total of 5 billion videos watched.
The content type typically determines the viewing experience. For example, premium content offers a rich and interactive viewing experience to the user. Metadata that accompanies the content such as story summary, cast and director profiles, ratings, user comments and chaptering contribute to the overall experience. Premium content available on the web is usually purchased, and is typically 30 minutes or longer in duration.
In contrast, free content is mostly user generated and offers a “no frills” viewing experience. Text, occasional thumbnails, user ratings and links are part of this viewing experience. Viewing is typically restricted to “start-to-end” playback with “blind” seeking (no visual guidance to content). The average length of a free content stream is 1-5 minutes, with Comscore estimating the average duration of an online video to be 2.9 minutes.
Given that the vast majority of online content is free (and user generated), there is a growing need to improve the current “no frills” viewing experience of free content.
The enhancement of the online video experience is a goal shared by many. As a result, many solutions have been developed. The solution of choice for premium content is metadata. Metadata is information related to content that can appear as text, images, video or audio to provide story summary, actor and director profiles, deleted scenes and chaptering that allows customized playback. Additionally, metadata is complemented by related links, user comments and ratings. Metadata adds a descriptive and interactive layer to content playback. Content creators, distributors, and companies in between have recognized its value, and have made metadata an integral part of the premium content offering.
Unfortunately, the metadata creation process for premium content does not scale for free content, due to its dependency on manual creation. Manual processing of user generated free content is an economically unrealistic proposition, so automated methods are needed. These methods may act on audio and video aspects of the content to extract meaningful information. They can be thought of as producing machine-generated metadata.
The automated methods fall into one of three categories—audio/video analysis, codec technology and industry standards.
The category that has received the most attention from academia is audio/video analysis. These methods analyze the audio and video data of the content and attempt to extract key information that is meaningful to the user. Compressed domain video analysis, motion analysis, object segmentation, text detection, spectrum analysis and speech to text conversions are some techniques used to extract key information. Most methods provide good accuracy, but their complexity limits use in real-time applications and on resource-constrained consumer devices. Therefore, most audio/video analysis is performed offline.
Codec technology offers an alternative automated metadata generation process for free content. In this case, key information regarding the content is encapsulated within the compressed stream during the encoding process. The playback process extracts and presents them alongside the content. Codec standards such MPEG2, MPEG4-Part 2, AVC(H.264), VCI and other advanced codecs define special profiles to support this capability. Unfortunately, this method adds a high degree of complexity to the encoding and decoding process, which has restricted its wide-scale use.
The third method is the use of industry standards. Standards such as MPEG-7, MPEG-21 and HTML-5 attempt to enrich the online video experience by enabling search, sharing and enhanced display of key information in content. The popularity of MPEG-7 and MPEG-21 has been limited as they do not address the fundamental issue of key information extraction from content. Instead, these standards provide a mechanism to query and share information between devices. HTML-5 has gained noticeable attention in the press recently. It proposes a major revision to the video tag that enables dynamic and interactive access to playback content shown on a browser. Video window orientation, coloring, edge effects, and trick-mode controls are some of the effects proposed by the standard. HTML-5 may be exceptional as it holds promise for enhancing the online video experience through its rich graphics operations and audio/video effects.
To recap, free content requires the addition of metadata such as key frames, scene classification, and summarization etc. to mirror the rich video experience offered by premium content. However, unlike premium content, it is unrealistic to expect this data to be generated by the user and tagged onto the stream. In order to be a viable option, the data needs to be generated in real-time, requiring only modest computing resources. Current approaches discussed above fail to meet this requirement due to various factors. Audio and video analysis techniques may have the power to create the metadata, but due to its complexity, computing resources far exceeding capabilities on consumer media devices are required. Additionally, these techniques are not real-time, thus being best suited for offline creation. Codec technologies have demonstrated their ability to embed key metadata into the stream during the encoding process. However, encoding complexity and the lack of supporting decoders/players limit their use. Industry standards including HTML-5 do not provide a comprehensive solution either, as they fail to address the core issue of meta data creation.
This patent application describes a solution to these challenges.
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Polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene are clean materials consisting of carbon and hydrogen not detriment to the environment, and are excellent in processing moldability and physical properties. Because of these characteristics, these materials have been used in a wide variety of fields in automobiles, electric instrument parts, food packages, drink/cosmetic/medical containers, civil engineering materials, and agricultural materials etc. In recent years, however, there are various demands for physical properties of polyolefin, and polyolefin having various characteristics are desired. Further improvement in productivity is also desired. Particularly when blow molding or sheet molding is conducted, melt tension (hereinafter abbreviated sometimes as MT) and swell ratio are desired to be high.
As ethylene-based polymers excellent in these physical properties, polyethylene produced by a high-pressure process and polyethylene obtained by a Cr-based Philips type catalyst are known, but there is a large amount of long chains and branched chains therein, and thus rigidity and impact strength are lowered. Further, regulation of the amount of long chains and branched chains and introduction of α-olefin comonomers are difficult, so there is limit to physical properties which can be attained. Further, such high-pressure polyethylene has the problem of high fluidization activating energy as a measure of temperature dependence for generating resin fluidization at the time of molding.
Conventionally, a Zeigler type titanium-based catalyst comprising a titanium-based compound and an organoaluminum compound is well known as a polymerization catalyst for producing an ethylene polymer and an ethylene-based polymer such as an ethylene/α-olefin copolymer. In recent years, a metallocene-based catalyst comprising a metallocene compound having a cyclopentadienyl group and an organoaluminum oxy compound (aluminoxane) comes to be known as a catalyst by which an olefin polymer can be produced with a high polymerization activity, and recently, a novel catalyst system comprising a transition metal compound having a ligand of diimine structure has also been proposed (see WO96/23010A2). Recently, a metallocene compound having a cyclopentadienyl group preferable as a catalyst for producing an ethylene-based polymer with narrow compositional distribution has also been proposed as a novel olefin polymerization catalyst by the present applicant in WO2004/029062A1. Further, the present applicant has also proposed, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-3151.09 and EP0874005A1, a transition metal compound containing a salicyl aldimine ligand. The transition metal compound containing a salicyl aldimine ligand is characterized in that it is easily synthesized, has a high ethylene polymerization performance, and can regulate polymerization performance such as molecular weight, copolymerizability etc. by changing the structure of the ligand.
Ethylene-based polymers obtained by using these polymerization catalysts are excellent in rigidity and impact strength as compared with the above-mentioned high-pressure process polyethylene or Cr-based catalyst product, but cannot be said to be satisfactory in respect of MT and swell ratio, so there is room for improvement.
Some proposes have been made to solve these problems for the above-mentioned catalysts. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-278221 describes that an ethylene-based polymer excellent in MT and swell ratio is obtained by combination of a specific Ti compound, a liquid Mg compound and a compound having an ether linkage. In this case, however, the swell ratio is 1.35 or less, which cannot be said to be sufficiently high. The present inventors have disclosed a process for producing a long-chain and branched chain-containing polyolefin by using a combination of specific transition metal compounds in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-105132. In this case, however, the activation energy of fluidization is increased by introduction of long chains and branched chains, but the effect on improvement of MT is low.
In view of the process for production of polyolefin including the polyethylene-based polymer, high-density polyethylene has been produced generally by slurry polymerization, generally in a low-pressure process using a Ziegler type catalyst. When high-density polyethylene having an arbitrary molecular-weight distribution, among the above high-density polyethylenes, is produced for the purpose of regulating moldability and physical properties, the polymerization is conducted in multistage, and usually the molecular weight and density of a polymer formed in each stage is regulated in the polymerization. Specifically, the polymerization is constituted of a multistage slurry polymerization process consisting of a low-molecular-weight polyethylene polymerization step and a high-molecular-weight polyethylene polymerization step, but in such multistage process, there remain problems to be solved with respect to the process and cost because of troublesome operation due to the multistage process and necessity for use of a large amount of hydrogen in the process of formation of low-molecular-weight polyethylene.
The present inventors made extensive studies for improvement of melt tension and rationalization of the process for polyolefin by the multistage polymerization method, and as a result, they found polyolefin exhibiting excellent melt tension and low activation energy of fluidization and overcoming the problems of the conventional resin by regulating the length and amount of long chains and branched chains by using a specific olefin polymerization catalyst.
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Generally, plate-tube type heat exchangers are comprised by a plurality of tubes and plates, which are bonded to each other by mechanical fastening or tack welded in order to shape the exchanger structure.
Particularly, such heat exchangers are used as condenser and evaporator in domestic and commercial refrigeration systems, they can also be found on water heaters by means of solar energy, air heaters including inside the tubes, an electric resistance, natural convection static condensers, forced air condensers, natural convection static evaporators and forced air evaporators.
In spite of the widely spread use of these equipments, they have been observed as presenting some drawbacks. In first instance, it may be said that manufacturing process of these equipments is quite complex, since upon being comprised of multiple components, steps to assemble them are burdensome, such as the bonding step between tubes and plates via tack welding, in which it is necessary to bond the tubes one by one to the plates.
Likewise, such a traditional method of binding tubes and plates is not that suitable for the equipments previously mentioned to achieve a efficient heat transfer between the environment and the heating or refrigeration fluid which is inside the tubes, particularly, because the contact surface between tubes and plates is significantly reduced, as may be seen in FIG. 1, showing a cross sectional cut of a “half coverage” type assembly used in plate-tube type heat exchangers of the prior art. In such an assembly, a tube is housed in a plate channel, remaining fixed and contacting directly therewith only through a welding point.
A variant of this traditional method of assembly by welding can be appreciated in FIG. 2, (total coverage), wherein a pair of plates similar to those in FIG. 1 are welded to each other by welding tacks, enclosing the tube between the channel thereof. This variant is neither efficient, since most of times the tube does not fit correctly the space formed by the plate channels, thus having a little direct contact between plates and tube for heat conduction.
On the other hand, there is an additional problem related to maintenance and cleaning of these equipments, specially forced air condensers which include fins, such as those used in domestic or commercial refrigeration systems. In said condensers, spacing between fins is significantly reduced, generally between 2 to 3 mm, which favors adhesion and accumulation of dust, grime and crap therebetween. Said accumulation becomes so important that in many cases, the air passage through fins may be obstructed, thereby causing reduction in condenser's heat exchange ability with the environment and consequently, the refrigeration system stops functioning and cooling properly, affecting other elements of the refrigeration system. Additionally, cleaning said dust or grime adhered to the fins is made difficult due to the space quite reduced existing between fins.
Thus, in the state of the art, it may be found systems which intent to reduce on one hand, the assembly steps of these heat exchangers, such is the case of evaporator described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,212,912, which is formed from an extruded sheet integrally including tubes and fins. However, in order to give the evaporator a final shape, the tubes included in said plates need to be welded to a header or headers using several accessories. Similarly, when it is desired to form condensers with a higher capacity, it is necessary to weld bonding two extruded sheets or to change the size of extrusion die used to manufacture said sheets, thus increasing manufacturing costs.
On the other hand, the European Patent No. 0157370, is directed to a panel for an evaporator or condenser heat exchange, said panel is also formed from an extruded sheet which includes a plurality of oval-shape grooves in cross section; inserting a tube in each of said grooves, said tube undergoes a plastic deformation at its circular wall to refill and to fit the oval contour of the groove walls, thus remaining fixed inside, reason why it is not necessary to use welding in order to bind tubes to the extruded sheet. However, when it is desired to bind two panels to form a larger condenser, this document only provides the use of a piping to connect both panels, without mentioning the existence of a direct and firm bonding therebetween; this lack does not allow to manipulate such panels together so as to form different condenser or evaporator configurations and arrangements.
Finally, both documents from the prior art, do not consider among its objects to form a heat exchanger, on which said problems regarding adhesion, accumulation, and dust and grime cleaning between its components are minimized, which as mentioned above, decrease the capacity of equipment performance.
An additional prior art document is U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,615, related to a method for securing a tube to a metal plate, whereby the plate is deformed to form a channel, and further to the placement of a tube in said channel, pressing the plate against the tube in order to deform it and secure it. This document does not show how to join two or more plates in order to form a tridimensional heat exchanger, neither it indicates the employment of alternative extruded plates.
Accordingly, it has been sought to suppress the drawbacks of the tube-plate-type heat exchangers from the current art, and to provide a tube-plate-type heat exchanger not requiring maintenance, of a very simple and convenient construction, which allows to reduce the number of components and work used during its manufactures, thus eliminating the use of welding to join the tubes and plates, or to join two or more plates to each other, in which cleaning of dust and grime that may be adhered and accumulated between its components is easy.
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The present invention disclosed herein relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device having a local silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure and a method of forming the same.
The present invention has been derived from research undertaken as a part of IT R & D program of the Ministry of Information and Communication and Institution of Information Technology Association (MIC/IITA) [2006-S-004-02], integrated development of silicon-based high-speed optical interconnection IC.
A semiconductor device formed on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate may have high radiation tolerance and latch-up immunity, restrain the short channel effect, and operate with low power consumption, by means of a buried oxide (BOX) layer buried in a substrate under the device. Furthermore, the semiconductor device can operate at a high speed because an operating region of the semiconductor device is capacitively insulated from the substrate.
There are mainly two types of methods for forming a typical SOI substrate. One is a wafer bonding method that bonds two wafers with an oxide layer therebetween. The other is a separation by implanted oxygen (SIMOX) method. In the SIMOX method, a high concentration oxygen ion implanted layer is formed at a predetermined depth of a silicon wafer by implanting oxygen ions from the surface of the silicon wafer. Subsequently, the silicon wafer is thermally treated to form a BOX layer.
In the wafer bonding method, a SOI substrate can be obtained by bonding two silicon wafers with an oxide layer having a thickness of more than 1 micrometer. In this case, the broader the surface area of the wafer is, the more difficult it is to ensure proper bonding and uniformity of wafer thickness.
Also, a BOX layer must be formed with a thickness of more than 1 micrometer in order to integrate an optical element and an electrical element onto the SOI substrate. Accordingly, a high concentration (of greater than 5×1018 atom/cm2) ion implantation is required to form a BOX layer having a thickness of 1 mm in the SIMOX method. However, a high concentration ion implantation may increase the threading dislocation density, the oxide precipitate density and the lattice defects of silicon, and cause silicon inclusions and pinholes in the BOX layer. Subsequently, the reliability and the operating characteristics of a semiconductor device may be deteriorated.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a brake control system which is capable of adjusting a braking force to be applied to automotive vehicle wheels irrespective of manual braking operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
One typical brake control system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 62-149,543, which includes a variable pressure regulator and a pressure modulator disposed between a master cylinder and a wheel cylinder. The pressure regulator receives a working fluid pressure built-up in the master cylinder and also an external fluid pressure for boosting the master cylinder pressure at a desired boosting rate. The pressure modulator receives the boosted fluid pressure to generate a modulated braking pressure to be supplied to the wheel cylinder as the sum of the boosted fluid pressure and the master cylinder pressure. An external pressure source serves to apply the external fluid pressure as a braking force while brake is not manually operated, for performing traction control operation wherein slippage of driving wheels is detected and suppressed or adjusted at an optimum level. On the other hand, the fluid pressure in the wheel cylinder cannot be lowered below the master cylinder pressure, so that it is not readily possible, during swift braking or braking on a slippery road, to perform anti-locking or anti-skid brake control operation for adjusting the braking pressure at the wheel cylinder so as to maintain the wheel slippage at an optimum level.
Another brake control system is disclosed in SAE Technical Paper No. 84 0468, page 3, FIG. 3, which includes a ball valve and pressure reducing unit both which are disposed between the master cylinder and the wheel cylinder and operated synchronously with each other, as well as an external fluid pressure source for controlling the pressure reducing unit by supplying thereto a constant level of control pressure via a three position solenoid valve. When the control pressure is applied to the pressure reducing unit, the ball valve is placed into a closed position such that the wheel cylinder is hydraulically disconnected from the master cylinder and the pressure reducing unit performs pressure control operation for increasing and decreasing the braking pressure in the wheel cylinder. It becomes thus possible to apply the braking force to the wheel cylinder even when the brake is not manually operated, for the purpose of performing a traction control operation. In addition, by disconnecting the wheel cylinder from the master cylinder by means of the ball valve, an anti-skid brake control becomes possible by the action of the pressure reducing unit. On the other hand, however, the anti-skid brake control is performed only in the closed circuit, so that it becomes impossible to achieve the pressure boosting function for boosting the master cylinder pressure.
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Gas turbine engines typically include compressors having multiple rows, or stages, of rotating blades and multiple stages of stators. The compressors typically compress ingested air, which is then transferred to a combustor, where the compressed air is mixed with fuel and ignited. During flight, a gas turbine engine can be thousands of feet above sea level. Accordingly, the ambient air pressure can be low, making breathing at these altitudes difficult. In order to pressurize cabin air, some of the compressed air from the compressors is directed through an environmental control system and into the cabin.
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Conventionally, to obtain an image sensor package, a sensor chip is mounted to a chip carrier and electrically connected to the chip carrier via the bonding wires, then the top surface of the sensor chip is covered by a glass such that image light can be captured by the sensor chip. Thereafter, such an image sensor-type package is integrated to an external device such as a printed circuit board for further being applied in various kinds of electronic products such as digital cameras, digital videos, optical mouse, mobile phones and so on.
Referring to FIG. 1, a sensor-type semiconductor package disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,340 is shown. A dam lattice 13 is prepared and attached to a substrate 11 by an adhesive 16. The dam lattice 13 has a wall-shaped structure that encloses a space 14 for receiving a sensor chip 10 and the bonding wires 12 therein, where the sensor chip 10 is electrically connected to the substrate 11 by the bonding wires 12. A glass 15 is attached to the dam lattice 13 for covering the space 14, thereby isolating the sensor chip 10 and the bonding wires 12 from external atmosphere and meanwhile allowing the light to pass through and reach the sensor chip 10 for activating the sensor chip 10. However, the adhesive 16 has a high moisture absorption property. When the adhesive 16 that has absorbed moisture experiences a high temperature environment, a popcorn phenomenon as well as delamination of the dam lattice from the substrate can occur, thereby the package reliability is reduced.
Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, another sensor-type semiconductor package as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,479 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,590,269 is shown, wherein sensor-type semiconductor packages do not need to use the mentioned adhesive for attaching the dam lattice. As shown in FIG. 2A, a molding process is performed for forming a dam lattice 23 on a substrate 21. A mold having an upper mold 27 and a lower mold 28 is employed. The upper mold 27 has mold cavities 270, and a protruding portion 271 is formed between the mold cavities 270. The substrate 21 is disposed between the upper mold 27 and the lower mold 28 with the protruding portion 271 contacting the substrate 21 so as to cover the predefined areas for mounting chip and bonding wires of the substrate 21. Subsequently, a resin compound, such as an epoxy resin, is injected into the mold cavities 270 so as to form a dam lattice 23 on the substrate 21. After the upper mold 27 and the lower mold 28 are removed, the predefined areas for mounting chip and bonding wires of the substrate 21 are exposed. As shown in FIG. 2B, a sensor chip 20 and the bonding wires 22 are disposed on the exposed area of the substrate 21 surrounded by the dam lattice 23. Finally, a glass 25 is attached to the dam lattice 23. Thereby, a sensor-type semiconductor package is obtained.
However, the above-described semiconductor package has several drawbacks. For example, the clamping force between the protruding portion and the substrate is difficult to control. If the protruding portion cannot be stably contacted with the substrate, the resin compound can easily overflow to the area between the protruding portion and the substrate, thereby causing contamination of the areas for mounting chip and bonding wires. On the other hand, if the protruding portion is tightly pressed against the substrate, the substrate can be damaged. Further, the fabrication cost for the mold having the protruding portion is high, and the mold needs to be changed according to different size of the predefined area of the substrate, thereby greatly increasing the fabrication cost and fabrication complexity.
Accordingly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,074 discloses a sensor-type semiconductor package that coats an adhesive having fluidity on the substrate for forming the dam lattice. Then, a glass can be attached to the dam lattice and cover the sensor chip and bonding wires.
However, a common problem exists in the above-described techniques. That is, as spaces need to be reserved for the dam lattice in the above-described semiconductor packages, it limits the packages size being further miniaturized.
Referring to FIG. 3, U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,810 discloses a sensor-type semiconductor package with reduced size. As shown in FIG. 3, a sensor chip 30 is attached to a substrate 31 and electrically connected to the substrate 31 via the bonding wires 32. A fluid adhesive 33 is coated on the bonding wires 32 for serving as a dam lattice, which completely covering the bonding wires 32. Thereafter, a transparent adhesive 35 is coated on the sensor chip 30 for obtaining a sensor-type semiconductor package with reduced size. However, such a method has high fabrication cost and poor product reliability, thus limiting its application in the industry.
Further referring to FIG. 4, according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,725, a glass 45 is attached to a sensor chip 40. During encapsulating the sensor chip 40, the glass 45 is abutted against the top of the upper mold of a packaging mold (not shown) so that after the mold is removed, the formed encapsulant 44 can encapsulate the sensor chip 40 with the glass 45 exposed from the encapsulant 44. However, because the glass 45 is directly abutted against the top of the upper mold, the upper and low mold clamping pressure is directly stressed on the glass 45, which can cause cracking of the glass 45 and further damage the sensor chip 40 below the glass 45. In addition, if a gap is existed between the upper mold and the glass, overflow of encapsulant can occur and thus surface of the glass 45 is contaminated.
Therefore, there is a need to develop a sensor-type semiconductor package and fabrication method thereof that can overcome the above drawbacks.
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Heat assisted magnetic recording (referred to herein as “HAMR”) technology is a promising approach for increasing storage density beyond 1 Tbit/inch2. HAMR heads can utilize near field transducers (NFTs) to heat the magnetic recording layers. Poor adhesion between the materials of the NFT and the surrounding structures in the HAMR head can lead to failure during processing or use. Therefore, there remains a need to decrease such failure.
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Iron-type golf clubs generally include a face that includes a ball striking surface and a body that supports the face, provides desired mass properties and includes a sole that is configured to contact the ground during a swing. The face includes a ball striking surface that generally includes a plurality of score lines or grooves that are positioned to impart spin on the ball during impact. The body is generally designed to provide mass that is distributed to tailor the behavior of the club, especially during impact with the ball. The sole configuration also dictates the behavior of the club caused by its interaction with the ground at address and during a swing.
The sole configuration of iron-type golf clubs is particularly important due to the wide variety of surfaces that the sole contacts and because if configured properly, the behavior the sole creates can protect a user from injury. The sole is usually slightly curved between a leading edge and a trailing edge so that when the club is placed on the ground the leading edge and the trailing edge are located above the ground. The angular relationship between a line extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge and the ground is traditional bounce and curvature included on the sole between the leading edge and the trailing edge affects the effective bounce of a golf club. A positive bounce corresponds to a generally forwardly inclined (i.e., the leading edge is elevated relative to the trailing edge) profile that assists in preventing the club head from digging into the ground and substantially reducing the club head speed during a swing.
Prior golf clubs have included a variety of sole configurations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,296 to Gilbert describes a golf club that has a sole including a positive bounce surface, a trailing sole surface and a crescent surface. The crescent surface is between the positive bounce surface and the trailing sole surface and has a bounce angle that is selected so that the contact point of the golf club head at address is located in the center of a rear boundary of the crescent surface.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,601 to McCabe et al. describes a golf club that includes a bottom crescent surface, a positive bounce surface, a heel surface and a toe surface. The bottom crescent surface has a generally straight aft boundary that is proximate a trailing edge of the club head and a curved front boundary. The bottom crescent is also configured so that it is substantially flat with the ground at address.
There is a need for an improved golf club sole configuration for a set of iron-type golf clubs that increases balance and playability for the clubs throughout the set.
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(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packet routing apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a packet routing apparatus suitable for relaying a variable length packet between lines of different communication protocols.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In an IP network using the TCP/IP protocol, various applications of electric mails, WWW (World Wide Web), and the like can be used. The IP network has advantages such as lower communication cost as compared with a conventional telephone-based switching network. Consequently, traffic has been being explosively increased in recent years.
A router disposed in each of nodes of an IP network determines the outgoing route of a received packet on the basis of the IP header of the packet. A software router is in the main stream of the conventional routers and the software router determines the outgoing route of a received packet by a CPU connected to an input/output line interface via a bus. To address an explosive increase in traffic, in recent years, a hardware router which increases the speed of packet transfer by analyzing the header of an IP packet by hardware is in the limelight. An example of the technique of analyzing the header by hardware is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 2000-151709.
One of transfer method for transmitting IP packets on an IP network adopts encapsulation of an IP packet with the header of a lower layer. For encapsulation of IP packets, connection-oriented protocols such as an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) communication, a frame relay of an HDLC, and PPP (Point to Point Protocol) are used. According to an MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) system examined by the IFTF (Internet Engineering Task Force), an IP packet is encapsulated by using a shim header including a label.
When IP packets are encapsulated with the header of a lower layer, multiplex transfer of IP packets can be realized between nodes. By reducing the number of destination indication bits, the transfer speed can be increased. When a connection-oriented packet transfer is performed in a lower layer, a closed network can be maintained. In this case, by using the function of the lower layer, a virtual private network (VPN) can be realized on an IP network.
As communication services such as frame relay and ATM are improved by major carriers, the configuration of an intracorporate communication network employing the frame relay communication or ATM communication for the lower layer and using the TCP/IP protocol in the upper layer is increasing.
In the case of realizing the VPN on the Internet, a node (hereinbelow, called an edge node) disposed at the entrance of a network (hereinbelow, called a core network) of an Internet service provider (ISP) for providing VPN services encapsulates IP packets. Each of nodes (hereinbelow, called core nodes) in the core network transfers a received packet in accordance with an encapsulation header. An edge node disposed at the exit of the core network removes the encapsulation header.
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The opiate alkaloids obtained from poppy plants of the family Papaveraceae include some of the most powerfully acting and clinically useful drugs in the depression of the central nervous system. Exemplary opiates include morphine (1), codeine (2), heroin (3), thebaine (4) and oripavine (5).
The fundamental ring system common to each of these compounds is the morphinane skeleton, depicted in formula (A). Compounds containing this skeleton are collectively referred to herein as morphinanes.
Morphine, codeine and heroin are characterised by a double bond at the 7-position (Δ7-morphinanes) while thebaine and oripavine possess a 6,8-diene system (Δ6,Δ8-morphinanes).
Morphine and codeine are principally used as analgesics but also find use as agents for inducing sleep in the presence of pain, easing dyspnea and as an anti-tussive. Despite its valuable clinical properties, morphine has a number of negative aspects as it also depresses respiration and increases the activity and the tone of the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal, biliary and urinary tracts causing constipation, gallbladder spasm and urinary retention. In addition, if administered to a patient over a period of time, the patient develops a tolerance to the analgesic effect so that the dosage must be increased to obtain the same level of pain relief.
Heroin displays better lipid solubility than either morphine or codeine which allows for easy passage across the blood-brain barrier. It is this effect which is the primary reason heroin is so sought after as a recreational drug. When administered intravenously “users” experience an intense feeling of pleasure and dulling of pain. The problem however with heroin, morphine and related compounds is that in combination with the euphoric effect a physical dependence can develop.
Extensive efforts have been directed towards the semi-synthesis of second generation morphine-like molecules which retain the analgesic properties but avoid the undesirable addictive side effects. For example, replacement of the N-methyl group of morphine with an N-allyl group provides nalorphine which acts as a narcotic antagonist to reverse many of the undesirable side effects of morphine. Substitution of other groups such as methallyl, propyl, isobutyl, propargyl or cyclopropargyl, methylcyclopropyl, and methylcyclobutyl also produce substances that are narcotic antagonists.
Other second generation derivatives of natural opiates include the 14-hydroxy opiate antagonists, such as naltrexone (6), naloxone (7), and 14-hydroxynormorphinone (Nor14-OH) (8).
Naloxone (also known as Narcan) is routinely administered to patients suffering from opiate overdose (for instance, heroin overdose). It counteracts the effects of overdose by competitive inhibition at the opioid receptor sites. In the absence of other opioids, naloxone exhibits essentially no pharmacological activity. Naltrexone (also known as Tecan) is used in the detoxification of opiate addicts. 14-Hydroxynormorphinone is a synthetically valuable intermediate in the production of naloxone and naltrexone.
Accordingly, the 14-hydroxy opiates are pharmacologically important derivatives. The present invention is directed to processes and novel intermediates useful in the manufacture of 14-hydroxy opiates.
(6) R=cyclopropylmethyl, where is a single bond (7) R=allyl, where is a single bond (8) R=H, where is a double bond
The industrial preparation of these second generation 14-hydroxy compounds presents some common but challenging problems. One problem common to the synthesis of many of these compounds is the removal of the N-methyl substituent present in naturally occurring opiate starting materials such as morphine, codeine, thebaine and oripavine. A second problem common to any synthetic approach to the 14-hydroxy opiates is the introduction of the 14-hydroxy group.
N-Demethylation of tertiary amines was traditionally achieved using cyanogen bromide in the von Braun reaction (von Braun, J. Chem. Ber., 1900, 33, 1438). Limited yields and the toxicity of cyanogen bromide have seen this reaction largely replaced by chloroformate reagents (Cooley, J. H.; Evain, E. J. Synthesis, 1989, 1). Certain chloroformates, such as vinyl chloroformate, generally N-demethylate in high yield and the resultant carbamates are readily cleaved to afford the corresponding secondary amines. Unfortunately this reagent is very expensive, and thus, its applicability to larger scale processes is limited. Some photochemical procedures have been developed for the cleavage of N-methyl amines (Lindner, J. H. E.; Kuhn, H. J.; Gollnick, K. Tetrahedron Lett., 1972, 17, 1705, Santamaria, J.; Ouchabane, R.; Rigaudy, J. Tetrahedron Lett., 1989, 30, 2927, Lopez, D.; Quinoa, E.; Riguera, R., Tetrahedron Lett., 1994, 35, 5727), but these methods have not seen widespread use.
In addition to this WO 02/16367 discloses a multistep complimentary sequence which includes N-demethylation and oxidation of a Δ7-morphinane compound to the Δ6,Δ8-morphinane compound. In the reported procedure, demethylation is achieved by initial oxidation of the N-methyl morphinane to form the N-oxide morphinane which is then treated with a Fe(II) based reducing agent. The oxidation of the Δ7-morphinane to the diene is reported as a separate reaction and is facilitated through the use of γ-MnO2. Both of these procedures are complicated by work-up procedures which are inefficient on large scales. These work-up steps are required in both the N-demethylation and oxidation steps in order to separate the desired morphinanes from the respective Fe or Mn reagents after the respective reactions are completed.
Traditionally, the 14-hydroxy group has been introduced by the oxidation of Δ6,Δ8-morphinanes. For example, GB 939287 describes the oxidation of thebaine (4) in formic acid with 30% hydrogen peroxide at 40-50° C. to give 14-hydroxycodeinone. Interestingly, the commonly used procedures have usually only involved the oxidation of Δ6,Δ8-morphinanes which have a protected 3-hydroxy group. Consequently in the preparation of commercially valuable 14-hydroxy opiates, such as naloxone and naltrexone, an additional step would be required to remove the protective group. Oripavine, which is extracted from the poppy plant in low yields and has an unprotected 3-hydroxy group, has not been widely used as a starting material for the commercial production of 14-hydroxy opiates. Although oripavine is naturally less abundant than either morphine and codeine, its present lack of utility means that there is no real shortage of this naturally occurring opioid. Accordingly, it would be desirable to be able to use oripavine as a starting material for the production of 14-hydroxy opiates.
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Conventionally, devices including a multi-plate clutch that moves toward a front cover connected to a motor and presses a friction plate against the front cover and a damper device that is coupled to a clutch drum of the multi-plate clutch are known as this type of starting devices (see, e.g., Patent Document 1).
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1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to detecting technologies, and particularly, to a detecting method and a detecting device applied to an array substrate of a liquid crystal panel.
2. Description of Related Art
The array substrate is one of the important components of a liquid crystal panel. In the manufacturing process of the array substrate, an AOI (Automatic Optic Inspection) system is used for detecting the array substrate. The AOI system detects the array substrate based on optical principles. The AOI system uses an optical scanning device to automatically scan the array substrate and collects images to detect a defect on the array substrate, and displays the defect on a display or labels the defect automatically such that the defect can be repaired by a maintainer. Generally, a usual detecting device includes a scanning lens having a single magnification. In the detection, the scanning lens is used for scanning and capturing an image of the array substrate. If the size of the defect is too large, the defect may go beyond the field of vision of the scanning lens and the image of the defect cannot be completely and clearly displayed; if the size of the detect is too small, the displayed image of the defect may be unclear and the type of the defect cannot be determined correctly.
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There is a general need for dental appliances that can be specifically tailored to an individual patient, that can be fabricated within a short time during a single patient visit and that are durable and comfortable to use even after repeated insertion and removal from the oral cavity. A number of appliances are in current use in dentistry, but none provide the combination of characteristics described above. For example, commercially available night guards are designed to be worn while sleeping. The guards mitigate the effects of involuntary grinding on the teeth and the associated oral tissues and structures. In addition, the guards provide relief in some patients from headaches and jaw pain that result from teeth grinding. Generally, these devices consist of a low glass transition thermoplastic elastomer that is contained within a molded thermoplastic tray. The tray may be rigid or flexible but should have a higher glass transition temperature than the thermoplastic elastomer that it holds. The patient places this appliance briefly in boiling water and then inserts it into the mouth, biting down to impress and conform the thermoplastic elastomer to the teeth. On cooling, the impression is preserved.
The results obtained using such technology leave much to be desired. First, insertion of a hot device into the mouth always carries considerable risk of injury. Second, the results and utility of the appliance depend on upon many variables including how well the patient positions the device and how much pressure is applied during the bite down portion of the process. Further, the flow of the thermoplastic material during the above process is very limited, such that only portions of the teeth are encapsulated; this results in a loose and ill-fitting appliance. These negative factors result in poor patient use compliance and a corresponding unsatisfactory relief of the symptoms of teeth grinding. Considerably more expensive but better fitting night guards can be fabricated by an impression-casting process as described below for sporting mouth guards.
Two methods are used in the fabrication of mouth guards used to protect teeth during sporting or other activities. They can be made by the so-called “boil and bite” process described above for night guards. In addition, these guards can be fabricated by taking a dental impression by licensed dental personnel, followed by making a cast model from the impression and then forming the final mouth guard around this casting. This normally requires two visits by the patient to a dental office as well as several days for completion of the entire process. Further, the long, complicated, multistep process required for the fabrication adds significantly to the overall cost of the resulting appliance. There are some modifications of this technique whereby sports mouth guards are made by having the athlete take his own impression and then fabricating the mouth guard in a laboratory. This reduces the cost somewhat. A greatly simplified one-step, rapid, low cost process would be highly desirable.
Bleaching agents are commonly used to whiten teeth. To afford an even, cosmetically attractive whitening process over all the targeted teeth, it is desirable to find some method in which the bleaching agent can be applied uniformly. During the bleaching process, it would be advantageous to isolate the teeth undergoing whitening within the oral cavity since the process may require several minutes to several hours for completion. In such instances, it is further desirable to limit the potential ingestion of bleaching agents by the patient as well as the exposure of dental tissues to these agents. In some cases, the bleaching agents are applied to the teeth and, thereafter, the bleaching action is aided by the exposure to UV light.
Periodontal disease, popularly called gingivitis, is present to varying degrees in approximately 85% of the population. In severe cases this bacterial disease results in serious infections of the gums with accompanying soreness and bleeding and may eventually lead to erosion of the teeth below the gum line and their subsequent loss. Treatments for periodontal disease include antibacterial agents that kill bacteria responsible for periodontal disease on contact and oxidizing agents that remove the protective bacterial biofilm formed on teeth and gums that promotes bacterial reinfection. The devices of this invention can be employed in two ways to mitigate the effects of periodontal disease. Custom fit trays can be readily, quickly and inexpensively constructed using the technology described herein. These trays can be filled with antibacterial and/or oxidizing agents.
Certain common requirements are necessary to successfully address all of the above targeted dental appliances and other applications. First, the materials employed must possess no appreciable oral or dermal toxicity. They should be odorless and tasteless and should provide no permanent bonding to oral tissues or teeth. They should release easily and cleanly from those tissues and teeth to preserve fine details and fit of the dental appliance. The materials should be compatible with water and saliva as well as other agents commonly found in oral fluids and should undergo no appreciable degradation in the presence of those agents. Silicones, i.e. poly(dimethylsiloxanes), possess all of these properties and are, therefore, the favored materials of choice for such applications. However, commercially available crosslinkable silicones currently used in dentistry, specifically in dental impressions, are not suitable for the above applications since they both have unacceptably long cure times and possess poor mechanical properties, especially poor tear strength. For the above described applications, it is desirable to have cure times under fifteen minutes and, ideally, under seven minutes at physiological temperatures (approx. 37° C.) and high tear strengths that allow repeated removal and reinsertion of the dental appliance. In addition, the silicone elastomer produced should be tough and possess sufficient stiffness to resist bite-through by the patient while at the same time being soft and compliant for comfortable long-term wear. Prior to cure, the silicone should possess a sufficiently high viscosity so that the resin does not flow appreciably during application and cure.
Currently, the above described requirements are not met by any existing material, silicone or otherwise. It is also recognized that a crosslinkable silicone material by itself is not usually sufficient for the fabrication of a workable dental appliance. Commonly, the device will consist of a combination of a crosslinkable silicone together with a silicone curing tray that becomes an integral portion of the resulting finished dental appliance.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and systems for interfacing a control device with a computer device, and more particularly, methods and systems for interfacing a control device with a computer program executing at a base computing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The video game industry has seen many changes over the years. As computing power has expanded, developers of video games have likewise created game software that takes advantage of these increases in computing power. To this end, video game developers have been coding games that incorporate sophisticated operations and mathematics to produce a very realistic game experience.
Example gaming platforms, may be the Sony Playstation®, Sony Playstation2® (PS2), and Sony Playstation3® (PS3), each of which is sold in the form of a game console. As is well known, the game console is designed to connect to a monitor (usually a television) and enable user interaction through handheld controllers. The game console is designed with specialized processing hardware, including a CPU, a graphics synthesizer for processing intensive graphics operations, a vector unit for performing geometry transformations, and other glue hardware, firmware, and software. The game console is further designed with an optical disc tray for receiving game compact discs for local play through the game console. Online gaming is also possible, where a user can interactively play against or with other users over the Internet. As game complexity continues to intrigue players, game and hardware manufacturers have continued to innovate to enable additional interactivity and computer programs.
A growing trend in the computer gaming industry is to develop games that increase the interaction between user and the gaming system. One way of accomplishing a richer interactive experience is to use wireless game controllers whose movement is tracked by the gaming system in order to track the player's movements and use these movements as inputs for the game. Generally speaking, gesture input refers to having an electronic device such as a computing system, video game console, smart appliance, etc., react to some gesture made by the player and captured by the electronic device.
It is in this context that embodiments of the invention arise.
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The present invention relates to a glow plug for an internal combustion engine and more particularly to a glow plug suitable for a diesel engine.
In diesel engines, a glow plug is now used as a part for starting at low temperatures, and in order to improve the starting characteristic of diesel engines, a small-sized, fast-heating glow plug is now desired.
Most conventional glow plugs are sheathed type glow plugs, in which a heating wire made of Ni-Cr alloy or like material is wound in the form of a coil and placed in a sheath which is formed of a heat- and corrosion-resistant alloy such as stainless steel or inconel and whose one end is closed, and the interior portion of the sheath around the heating wire is filled with an insulating material such as magnesium oxide. In glow plugs of this type, therefore, since the heat conduction between the heating wire and the sheath is effected through the insulating material, it takes time for the surface of the sheath to be heated to redness for igniting a fuel-air mixture, that is, the preheating time is prolonged.
In an effort to solve such problems, that is for attaining rapid heating in sheathed type glow plugs, there is adopted a method in which the rated voltage is set at a low level, and during preheating, a battery voltage higher than the rated voltage is temporarily applied directly for rapid glowing, while during after-glow after start-up of the engine, the battery voltage is dropped by means of a resistor and the rated voltage is applied. In such method, however, it is necessary that a resistor having a fairly large capacity and hence involving generation of heat should be provided separately or as a built-in component, thus causing problems such as an increase in installation space required and a more complicated structure of glow plug, as well as wasteful power consumption in the resistor.
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There are many systems that require the controlled, directional transmission or reception of radio frequency energy, such as radar systems, radio frequency communication and navigation systems and AM, FM and television broadcast transmitters and receivers. One common technique for the controlled, directional transmission or reception of radio frequency energy in such systems is the use of arrays of radio frequency transmitting and receiving elements, which are often referred to as "phased arrays". In this method, the elements of an array, which are generally but not necessarily identical units, are arranged in a predetermined geometric relationship and the directional pattern or patterns of transmission or reception of the array, often referred to as "beams", are determined by the combination of the patterns of transmission or reception of the individual elements of the array. In particular, the directions and shapes of the beams are determined by the transmission and reception patterns of the individual elements, the geometric relationship between the elements and the phase relationships among the signals used to drive the elements or received from the elements. Of these, the geometric arrangement of the elements and the characteristics of the elements are generally fixed and the phase relationships among the signals driving or received from the elements are typically controlled to form and direct the "beams" of the array.
It is well understood that a phased array in a radio frequency system can form a beam of a desired pattern or shape and can direct the beam in an arbitrary direction by appropriate selection and control of the phase relationships among the transmitted or received signals. In a typical radio frequency phased array system, the selection and control of the phase relationships among the signals is accomplished by selection and control of time delays through the signal channels through which driving signals are provided to the array elements or the received signals are received from the array elements. It is commonly understood that if each element is provided with its own independent signal channel these delays can be chosen optimally to provide the best possible beam, subject to the physical constraints of the geometry of the array, the number and characteristic of the array elements and the signal waveforms. This result can also be achieved where the number of available signal channels is greater than the number of array elements, or when the geometry of the array is symmetric with respect to the desired beam or beams so that the number of required unique delays is reduced to less than the number of signal channels and so that, for example, one channel can be used for more than one array element.
It is a commonly occurring problem, however, that the number of required delays is greater than the number of available signal channels and it is then necessary for at least some of the array elements to share one or more of the channels, that is, to be grouped or wired together and connected to a channel. In such instances, each such group of array elements connected from a single signal channel operates as a single array element and it is often difficult to obtain the optimum beam or beams from the array, or even a close approximation of the optimum beams. It is possible in theory, however, to obtain a beam or beams that are close to the optimum beam or beams if the Nyquist criterion for spatial sampling can be satisfied by the array and if appropriate groupings of the array elements and corresponding signal channel delay times can be determined and implemented in a realizable system.
In general, the methods of the prior art for determining groupings of array elements and sets of signal channel delay times have attempted to find the array element groupings and channel delay times that provide beams that match, as closely as possible, the beams formed in the optimum situation wherein the number of available signal channels is equal to the number of array elements. In those instances wherein the optimum required delays fall into localized clusters of values such that the number of such clusters of values is equal to or less than the number of available signal channels, a reasonable solution is to choose a delay time for each channel that is equal to the center, or average, of a corresponding cluster of delay time values and, thereby, the corresponding group of array elements. In general, however, the set of optimum delay time values will be irregularly scattered between some minimum value and some maximum value and the selection of a set of delay times that optimally approximates the optimum delay time values is unobvious and difficult, at best.
One method that has been used to find a set of delay times that acceptably approximate the optimum delay time values has been to find a set of delay times that minimizes the sum of the squares of the differences between each optimum delay time value and the closest delay of the set of approximate delay times. Determining such a set is a non-linear problem, however, since small changes in the delay times selected to represent the optimum delay time values may cause a change in the correspondence between any given optimum delay time value and the delay time that represents that optimum delay time value, in effect causing an array element to move from one group of array elements to another group of array elements. This non-linearity renders the usual approaches to such problems, such as least squares approximation, ineffective.
The present invention provides a solution to these and other problems of the prior art by providing a method for determining the groupings of array elements and the corresponding signal channel delay times to allow the selectable and arbitrary formation and steering of beams by a radio frequency phased array system, and a mechanism for controlling the distribution of appropriately delayed waveforms to the groups of array elements, assuming that there are no arbitrary array element grouping constraints, that is, that any element may be grouped with any other element or group of elements.
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a wide-range voltage-controlled oscillator, and in particular to a wide-range and low-power consumption voltage-controlled oscillator applied in digital circuits and communication systems with high efficiency and low power consumption.
2. Description of the Related Art
Regardless of whether used in digital circuits or communication systems, a voltage-controlled oscillator plays a key role. In a digital circuit, the voltage-controlled oscillator is used to provide a required clock signal; and in a communication system, the voltage-controlled oscillator can provide an oscillation frequency for serving as a carrier wave or for use of a local oscillator when modulating. Meanwhile, the voltage-controlled oscillator is also a key device for both phase-locked circuits and frequency synthesizers.
In general, an oscillator is formed by an LC charge/discharge circuit. An oscillation frequency is generated by the LC charge/discharge circuit for use of above-stated circuits. Recently, since the integrity of ICs has made great progress, inductors used for ICs are no longer suitable for use in ICs manufacture.
For a better stability of an output frequency from an oscillator of a chip, a ring oscillator is usually adopted because it is hard to control the properties of inductors and the inductors use extra area.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional wide-range phase-locked loop. Reference symbol f.sub.ref represents a reference frequency, f.sub.out represents an output frequency, S.sub.o and S.sub.1 represent selecting signals, V.sub.c represents a control voltage. The reference frequency f.sub.ref is transmitted from an external circuit (not shown) to a phase detector 100. The reference frequency f.sub.ref is converted into the control voltage V.sub.c after passing through a charge pump 102 and a loop filter 104. The control voltage Vc and the selecting signals S.sub.0 and S.sub.1 together are inputted to a wide-range voltage-controlled oscillator 106. At this time, the wide-range voltage controlled oscillator 106 outputs the output frequency f.sub.out to a required circuit (not shown). Furthermore, a divider 108 receives the output frequency f.sub.out coming from the wide-range voltage-controlled oscillator 106 and then outputs a corresponding frequency by dividing the output frequency f.sub.out with a certain multiple. Using the phase detector 100, the corresponding frequency is compared to the reference frequency f.sub.ref thereby to determine whether the output frequency f.sub.out is a required frequency.
FIG. 2 shows a ring voltage-controlled oscillator 200, having an odd number of inverters 202 electrically connected in series. That is, the output terminal of each inverter 202 is electrically connected to the input terminal of its next inverter 220, and the like, and the output terminal of a last inverter 202 is electrically connected to the input terminal of a first inverter, thereby forming a closed loop. With a time delay caused by each inverter 202, an oscillation frequency can be generated. The period of the oscillation frequency is dependent on the entire time delay of the inverters 202.
Moreover, there is a voltage control load electrically connected between the output terminal of each inverter 202 and ground. The voltage control load consists of a voltage control resistor VCR204 and a capacitor C206 electrically connected in series. By adjusting the control voltage V.sub.c on the voltage control resistor VCR204, the charge/discharge time between two adjacent inverters 202 can be changed thereby to control the oscillation frequency. The time delay can be approximately equal to a RC time constant, wherein the C is the capacitance of the capacitor C206 and R is an equivalent resistance of the voltage control resistor VCR204. The equivalent resistance is dependent on the sizes of transistors inside the inverters 202.
The period of the output oscillation frequency is positively proportional to the RC time constant. In other words, the oscillation frequency is inversely proportional to the RC time constant. Therefore, the power consumption of the ring voltage-controlled oscillator 200 can be expressed by: EQU P=C*V.sup.2 *f
Wherein, C is the capacitance of the capacitor C206, V is a power supply voltage and f is an oscillation frequency. If the oscillation frequency f is replaced with the RC time constant, the power consumption can be obtained by: EQU P=K.sub.p *(C*V.sup.2)*(1/RC)=K.sub.p *V.sup.2 /R
Wherein, K.sub.p is a constant, representing the number of the inverters 202. It can be known from the above-stated equation that the power consumption of the ring voltage-controlled oscillator 200 is a constant once the sizes of transistors is decided, and is independent of the oscillation frequency.
Generally, to increase the range of the output frequency of the oscillator, the ring oscillator must generate and transmit a high-frequency clock signal to a frequency synthesizer, and in response to the high-frequency clock, the frequency synthesizer can generate a clock having various frequencies. Furthermore, the wide range of output frequency can also be obtained by increasing the number of the inverters. However, Increasing the number of the inverters results in more power consumption.
As to the stability of the output frequency, the oscillation frequency of the ring oscillator is adjusted during time change in a transient region. Therefore, the ring oscillator will be easily affected by noises and temperatures, resulting in a poor stability on the output signal.
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Inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease have been approved for use in the treatment of HIV infection for several years. A particularly effective HIV protease inhibitor is (2S,3S,5S)-5-(N-(N-((N-methyl-N-((2-isopropyl-4-thiazolyl)methyl)amino)carbonyl)-L-valinyl)amino)-2-(N-((5-thiazolyl)-methoxycarbonyl)amino)-1,6-diphenyl-3-hydroxyhexane (ritonavir), which is marketed as NORVIR®. Ritonavir is known to have utility for the inhibition of HIV protease, the inhibition of HIV infection, the inhibition of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and the enhancement of the pharmacokinetics of compounds which are metabolized by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase. Ritonavir is particularly effective for the inhibition of HIV infection when used alone or in combination with one or more reverse transcriptase inhibitors and/or one or more other HIV protease inhibitors.
Ritonavir and processes for its preparation are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,206, issued Jul. 30, 1996. This patent discloses processes for preparing ritonavir which produce a crystalline polymorph of ritonavir which is termed crystalline Form I. Substantially pure Form I has the powder X-ray diffraction pattern, 13C solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum, the FT near infrared spectrum and the FT mid infrared spectrum which appear in FIGS. 1, 4, 6 and 8, respectively. The angular positions (two theta) of the characteristic peaks in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern of substantially pure Form I shown in FIG. 1 are 3.33°±0.1°, 6.76°±0.1°, 8.33°±0.1°, 14.61°±0.1°, 16.33°±0.1°, 16.76°±0.1°, 17.03°±0.1°, 18.02°±0.1°, 18.62°±0.1°, 19.47°±0.1°, 19.86°±0.1°, 20.25°±0.1°, 21.46°±0.1°, 23.46°±0.1° and 24.36°±0.1°.
Another process for the preparation of ritonavir is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,823, issued Oct. 22, 1996. The process disclosed in this patent also produces ritonavir as crystalline Form I.
Pharmaceutical compositions comprising ritonavir or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,541,206, issued Jul. 30, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,801, issued Jan. 16, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,878, issued Mar. 10, 1998; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,158, issued Sep. 24, 1996 and in International Application No. WO98/22106, published May 28, 1998 (corresponding to U.S. Ser. No. 08/966,495, filed Nov. 7, 1997).
The use of ritonavir to inhibit an HIV infection is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,206, issued Jul. 30,1996. The use of ritonavir in combination with one or more reverse transcriptase inhibitors to inhibit an HIV infection is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,523, issued Jun. 3,1997. The use of ritonavir in combination with one or more HIV protease inhibitors to inhibit an HIV infection is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,882, issued Oct. 7,1997. The use of ritonavir to inhibit cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and to enhance the pharmacokinetics of compounds metabolized by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase is disclosed in WO97/01349, published Jan. 16,1997 (corresponding to U.S. Ser. No. 08/687,774, filed Jun. 26, 1996).
It has now been unexpectedly discovered that ritonavir can be prepared as a new crystalline polymorph which is termed crystalline Form II.
All publications, issued patents and patent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference.
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In the last several decades, the use of computing devices has become common. In particular, advances in electronic technology have reduced the cost of increasingly complex and useful computing devices. Cost reduction and consumer demand have proliferated the use of computing devices such that they are practically ubiquitous in modern society. As the use of computing devices has expanded, so has the demand for new and improved features of computing devices. More specifically, computing devices that perform new functions and/or that perform functions faster, more efficiently or more reliably are often sought after.
Advances in technology have resulted in smaller and more powerful computing devices. Such computing devices are being manufactured to enable communications using a variety of wired and wireless communication technologies. For example, there currently exists a variety of wireless communication devices such as portable wireless telephones (e.g., smartphones), personal digital assistants, laptop computers, tablet computers, paging devices and headsets that are each small, lightweight and can be easily carried by users.
A computing device may be used in different contexts. In one example, a computing device may be shared among multiple users. In another example, a computing device may be used in different physical environments. Benefits may be realized by determining a network address of the computing device through context-based device addressing. The benefits are obtained through the provision of different network identities based on the context.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a silicon nitride-based sinter which excels as in resistance to chemicals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ceramic sinters having silicon nitride as a main component thereof possess various ideal properties such as very high heat resistance, a small thermal expansion coefficient, and excellent resistance to thermal shock. Thus, attempts are being made to use these ceramic sinters in engine parts, machine parts made of steel, etc. as high-temperature structural materials in the place of conventional heat-resistant alloys. Further, since they excel in frictional resistance, efforts are being continued to realize the use of these ceramic sinters in sliding members and cutting tools.
Generally, silicon nitride is a ceramic material possessing a very poor sintering property. Thus, the silicon nitride powder prepared as a raw material for sintering has the sintering property thereof improved by having such a sintering auxiliary as a rare earth element oxide or aluminum oxide incorporated in a prescribed amount therein so as to permit production of a ceramic sinter having high density and high strength. As concrete examples of the sintering composition (raw material composition) for silicon nitride-based ceramics, such as the Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 --Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 composition, the Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 --Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 --Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --AlN composition, and the Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 --Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 --Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 oxide of Ti,Mg or Zr composition have been known heretofore.
In the sintering compositions mentioned above, yttrium oxide and other similar rare earth element oxides and aluminum oxide perform the function of exalting the sintering property of silicon nitride and enhancing the densification of the sinter of silicon nitride. The silicon nitride-based sinters manufactured from raw materials incorporating a rare earth element oxide or aluminum oxide have a dense texture and excel in mechanical strength properties. Measures have been adopted to improve the mechanical properties and the frictional resistance manifested by silicon nitride sinters at elevated temperatures by causing the raw material powder to incorporate therein a combination of a plurality of kinds of compounds such as aluminum nitride and titanium oxide.
The silicon nitride-based sinters which have such sintering compositions as mentioned above, however, are invariably deficient in resistance to corrosion caused by such chemicals as acids and alkalis. When they are adopted as structural materials which are destined to be used in an environment having such chemicals contained therein, therefore, they pose the problem of providing neither expected durability nor reliability. Particularly, the rare earth oxides are at a disadvantage in readily yielding to corrosion by such chemicals as acids or alkalis and consequently inducing serious degradation of the strength of silicon nitride-based sinters, though they manifest a conspicuous effect in densifying silicon nitride.
As concrete examples of the silicon nitride-based sinter using no rare earth element oxide, sinters using 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of spinel and 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of titanium carbonate as sintering auxiliaries (JP-B2; 63-23,153) and silicon nitride-based sinters obtained by using a mixture of silicon oxide with silicon carbide not as sintering auxiliaries but as a starting raw material and subjecting this raw material to reactive sintering in an atmosphere of nitrogen gas (JP-A-59-152,270) have been known to date. Though these silicon nitride-based sinters exhibit high strength at elevated temperatures, they are not intended at all for the improvement of resistance to chemicals (resistance to corrosion) and they actually offer no sufficient resistance to chemicals. Further, composite sinters of silicon nitride and silicon carbide (JP-A-63-159,256) have been known heretofore. Since the manufacture of these composite sinters necessitates use of yttrium oxide and other rare earth element oxides as sintering auxiliaries, the composite sinters naturally offer no sufficient resistance to chemicals.
Sinters made of .beta.-Sialon as the raw material are widely used as materials capable of exhibiting relatively high resistance to chemicals. Since they are deficient in mechanical properties, they have the disadvantage of having only a limited range of utility.
In recent years, the demand has increased for heat resisting members and abrasion resisting members which are usable under an atmosphere attended by chemical substances has been growing. For uses of this nature, the corrosion-proof heat-resistant alloys and heat-resistant hard metals which have been heretofore in popular use are not easily adapted. Thus, the appearance of ceramic sinters which excel metals in resistance to heat and resistance to abrasion and offer excellent resistance to chemicals (proofness against corrosion) as well has been earnestly longed for.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to weight lifting equipments and more particularly pertains to a toy weight set for simulating hand weight exercises by a child.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of weight lifting equipments is known in the prior art. More specifically, weight lifting equipments heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art weight lifting equipments include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,913,422; 4,828,256; 4,103,887; 3,825,253; and 3,488,051.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a toy weight set for simulating hand weight exercises which includes an elongated bar formed of a solid polymeric material, and a plurality of circular weights formed of the solid polymeric material and coupled to opposed ends of the bar, wherein a proportion of the Young's modulus and the density of the polymeric material is equal to that of steel so as to accurately simulate the bending characteristics of a steel barbell set.
In these respects, the toy weight set according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of simulating hand weight exercises by a child.
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The following documents, mentioned in the course of the description hereafter, illustrate the state of the art: Designation ASTM D664-95: American Standard Test Method for Acid Number of Petroleum Products by Potentiometric Titration, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, vol. 05.01, p. 250-256, Babaian-Kibala, E., Petersen, P. R., Humphries, M. J., 1998. Corrosion by naphthenic acids in crude oils. Pre-prints of the A.C.S., Division of Petroleum Chemistry vol. 3, 106-110, Meredith, W., Kelland, S.-J., Jones, D. M., 2000. Influence of biodegradation on crude oil acidity and carboxylic acid composition. Org. Geochem. 31, 1059-1073, Robbins, W. K., 1998, Challenges in the characterization of naphthenic acids in petroleum, 215th ACS Nat. Mtg. Dallas, preprints 43 (1), 137-140, Luo, Liwen, Xia, Daohong, 2003. Total carboxylic acids contents in petroleum reservoir rock determined by chemical titration. Prepr.—Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Pet. Chem. (Preprints—American Chemical Society, Division of Petroleum Chemistry) 48, 261-263, Roussis s g, Lawlor l j, 2002. Direct determination of acid distributions in crudes and crude fractions. Patent assignee: Exxonmobil res & eng co world 02/48698a1, p Jun. 20, 2002, f Nov. 6, 2001, pr us Dec. 14, 2000 (appl 60/255659) and us Sep. 21, 2001 (appl 957941) (g01n-024/00).
The acidity of an oil is generally defined in the petroleum industry from the number of milligrams of alcoholic potash (KOH) necessary to neutralize one gram of oil. This number is referred to as TAN (Total Acid Number). This TAN is obtained by potentiometric titration in a non-aqueous medium. This titration is carried out according to the standard ASTM method D664-95 described in the following document: American Standard Test Method for Acid Number of Petroleum Products by Potentiometric Titration, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, vol. 05.01, p. 250-256.
This potentiometric method has the drawback of requiring a great volume of crude and consequently a large amount of samples (Table 1). In fact, this method is based on the measurement of an electric potential difference (expressed in mV) between a crude oil diluted in a solvent (toluene/propanol-2) before and after neutralization referenced in relation to a freshly prepared anhydrous acid buffer solution. The measurement depends on the sensitivity of the electrodes intended to measure very slight variations (millivolt scale). This is the reason why this measurement requires large amounts of oil; the lower the acidity, the larger the amounts (Table 1). Furthermore, it is essential to first eliminate any solid particle from the oil sample prior to applying this standard method. Calculation is carried out according to the following formula:
TAN = m KOH ( mg ) m e ( g ) = ( A - B ) · M · 56.1 m e ( g ) with: me(g): mass of the oil sample in g, mKOH(mg): mass of alcoholic potash (KOH) required to neutralize the mass of oil sample me(g), B: volume in ml of KOH required for titration of the solvent in the absence of oil (blank test), M: concentration of the KOH solution in mole/l, A: volume in ml of the KOH solution (0.1 mole/l) required for titration of the oil diluted in a solvent, until a turning point measurement as close as possible to the one obtained for the buffer solution is reached.NB: molar mass of KOH=15.9994+1.00797+39.103=56.1.
TABLE 1Amount of oil required to determine the aciditythereof according to standard D664-95TANMass of sample required (g)Weighing accuracy (g)0.05-1.0 20.0 ± 2.0 0.11.0-1.5 5.0 ± 0.50.025-201.0 ± 0.10.00520-1000.25 ± 0.020.001100-250 0.1 ± 0.010.0005
An oil is considered to be acid if its TAN is above 0.5 mg KOH per gram of oil. From natural observations, the TAN scale of crudes ranges from 0.1 to 8 mg KOH/g oil (Babaian-Kibala et al., 1998; Robbins et al., 1998; Meredith et al., 2000). Although a TAN value of 0.5 is low, and the acid compounds remain minor constituents in crude oils, their role can be significant in terms of profitability during development of an oil field (reservoir quality uncertainty, low economic value of the crude, . . . ). These acids are, among other things, responsible for emulsion, foaming and soap deposition (during production), corrosion (during production, transportation and/or refining) and environmental (waste water treatment, site pollution) problems. This global acidity measurement is to date the only one that is used and recognized by oilmen.
Various known methods concerning measurement of the acidity of crudes and/or characterization of the acids in production oils are for example described in the following publications: Liwen, 2003, describes a back titration method (with excess potash) on crushed cores tested according to different parameters: grain size, extraction time, solvent volume (acetic acid/alcohol), . . . . The acidity measurements (in mmoles/g core) are higher than those obtained with the standard method and optimum conditions are described, Roussis describes another method intended for direct determination of the acid distribution in crudes or crude fractions by mass spectrometry in negative chemical ionization mode (Cl−). The chloride anions generated by CI react with the acid compounds of the oil samples. The chlorinated adduct ions are detected selectively and the acid species are quantified from the identified peaks.
Furthermore, the various methods currently proposed have integrated no relation with the TAN value measured according to the ASTM standard D664 and are therefore not used by the petroleum industry. Besides, these analyses are performed at a late production stage, from stock-tank or test oils.
The method according to the invention leads to the evaluation of the acidity translated in terms of isotopic enrichment of oil samples, even in small amounts. The method is furthermore applicable at any stage of the petroleum industry (Exploration/Production/Refining/Environment).
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Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) packaging and, more particularly, to IC package testing.
Description of the Related Art
Integrated circuit (IC) devices are modeled and tested throughout the fabrication process in order to assure that the components of the IC device are meeting both industry standards and customer requirements. While it is common in the industry to test and gather board level reliability (BLR) test net data for ball grid array (BGA) interconnects and other board-level interconnects using production parts, BLR data for die-level interconnect test nets conventionally has been difficult to obtain on production parts, and thus manufacturers typically have to resort to the design and fabrication of a function specific IC test vehicle and component package to enable daisy chain testing of the die-level interconnects of the IC package design. Designing a special test vehicle chip solely for die-level daisy chain testing can be impractical in view of the expense and resources involved, but the lack of this test data can place the manufacturer at a disadvantage relative to its competitors.
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Throughout the history of microcomputers there has been a motivation to increase the performance of microprocessors. However, with the constant increase in microprocessor performance, there is typically an increase in the magnitude of power consumed by the microprocessor. Due to the increase in power consumption, the run time temperature of the die of a microprocessor may exceed a safe threshold value.
Currently, thermal sensors are being added to microprocessors to monitor temperature. The temperature sensor transmits a signal in response to detecting a temperature that exceeds a predetermined threshold value. In response, the voltage on a processor bus coupled to the microprocessor is changed.
A chipset coupled to the microprocessor via the processor bus typically includes an impedance compensation circuit to compensate for process/voltage/temperature effects. However, current compensation circuits are incapable of compensating for effects attributed to the voltage change on the processor bus in response to the detection of an excessive temperature at a microprocessor.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a known direct injection type engine, a fuel injector is arranged on the inner wall of the cylinder head in the vicinity of the intake valve. Fuel is injected by the fuel injector during the compression stroke when the engine is operating under a light load, and fuel is injected by the fuel injector during the intake stroke when the engine is operating under a heavy load (see Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 1-173416). In this direct injection type engine, when the engine is operating under a heavy load, fuel is injected toward the rear face of the valve head of the intake valve, which is open. The fuel that has impinged upon the rear face of the valve head of the intake valve spreads along the rear face of the valve head of the intake valve toward the surrounding region of the intake valve and is distributed in the combustion chamber, thereby increasing the usage rate of the air therein.
However, if the injected fuel is forced to flow along the rear face of the valve head of the intake valve after impinging upon the rear face of the valve head of the intake valve, a large part of the injected fuel spreads from the rear face of the valve head of the intake valve in the fuel injection direction. As a result, the injected fuel is concentrated in a particular restricted region of the combustion chamber, thereby making uniform distribution of the injected fuel in the combustion chamber impossible.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle brake system for controlling the braking force of a vehicle.
2. Background Art
A brake system for a vehicle generally called an automobile uses a booster which uses negative pressure of an engine in order to assist a driver in the brake operation force. A brake system has been proposed recently, which performs a boosting operation by using an electric motor instead of negative pressure. This art is disclosed in, for example, JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2008-162482. In JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2008-162482, the brake system controls an electric motor 40 by detecting the state of an input piston 32 operated by a driver, and can assist the driver in the brake force by driving a boost piston 31. By including the aforementioned configuration, which is one example of the booster, a boosting operation of generating a large braking force with a small operation force is enabled.
The aforementioned vehicle brake system is demanded to have the characteristic of stopping the vehicle in a short distance in an emergency while the operation thereof is requested to be stable or quiet, and adaptation to the different requests for responsiveness and quietness of brake control is required.
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The present invention relates to a current mirror amplifier (CMA) with improved frequency response which is especially beneficial when implemented in CMOS technology.
A current mirror amplifier is a current amplifier with a current gain of minus unity commonly used in integrated circuitry. Current variations applied to its input circuit, which customarily exhibits relatively low impedence, will cause corresponding current variations equal and opposite thereto in its output circuit, which customarily exhibits relatively high impedence.
Current mirror amplifiers are useful in various applications. Current mirror amplifiers are often employed as active loads for differential amplifiers. They are also used in operational transconductance amplifiers (OTA's), which are becoming popular for switched-capacitor applications.
A common problem in MOS amplifiers is the presence of a low-frequency right-half plane zero. This zero is present in bipolar circuits as well, but is typically at a high frequency due to the higher transconductance of bipolar devices.
Voltage amplifier performance for alternating current (ac) operation can be estimated and designed for by inspection of the poles and zeros of the gain function, where gain=V.sub.out /V.sub.in. Poles represent the values of the complex frequency, s, at which the gain of the amplifier is theoretically infinite. Zeros represent the values of the complex frequency at which the gain of the amplifier is equal to zero. The range of usable frequency values for the operation of the amplifier is related to the bandwidth of the amplifier. The 3 dB bandwidth is the frequency at which the gain has fallen by 3 dB to approximately 70% of its low-frequency value.
When designing amplifier circuits, a technique commonly used is to substitute a small signal model of the transistor for ac analysis. (Small signals represent values at which the transistor never operates very far from its DC operating point.) At low frequencies, the capacitive reactance, looking into the gate of an MOS transistor, is so large in comparison with other impedences in the circuit that its input may be considered to be an open circuit. Therefore, MOS transistor Q7 shown in FIG. 1A, can be modelled as an ideal voltage-controlled current source with transconductance equal to g.sub.m, as shown in FIG. 1B. The transconductance is: EQU g.sub.m =i.sub.d /v.sub.gs
where i.sub.d is the drain current and v.sub.gs is the gate-to-source voltage.
When transistor Q6 is used in a current mirror circuit its gate is tied to its drain by a connecting wire 1, as shown in FIG. 1C. The small signal model for analysis of this arrangement is shown in FIG. 1D. With this connection, the input current and resistance are described by: EQU i.sub.in =i.sub.d6
and EQU z.sub.in =v.sub.in /i.sub.in =v.sub.gs /i.sub.d6 =1/g.sub.m6.
An example of a prior art MOS current mirror circuit, constructed with the component circuits shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C, is shown in FIG. 2. Operational amplifiers incorporating such prior art circuits are characterized by a first stage mirror pole present in one-half of the signal path, with another pole occurring at a higher frequency in the other half of the signal path. The mirror pole frequency=g.sub.m6 /2.pi.(C.sub.g6 +C.sub.g7), where g.sub.m6 is the transconductance associated with transistor Q6, and C.sub.g6 and C.sub.g7 are the gate-to-source capacitances associated with transistors Q6 and Q7, respectively. The first stage mirror pole contributes excess phase shift which degrades the stability of operational amplifiers in closed-loop applications by reducing phase margin.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wiring board having a built-in electronic component, and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Background Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-345560 describes an example of a product in which an electronic component is mounted in the cavity of a wiring board. The entire contents of this publication are incorporated herein by reference.
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Three Dimensional (3D) time-of-flight (TOF) cameras are capable of getting range information for all pixels of the TOF detector in real-time. TOF cameras typically include a light source for illuminating the scene with modulated light, usually light emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes, an optical lens system to form an image of the scene on an image sensor, and the image sensor comprising an array of high-speed demodulation pixels.
Other TOF approaches might use single photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) to detect the time of flight. SPADs measure the travel time of the light from the emitter to the object and back to the camera directly, whereas demodulation pixels are measuring the back-reflected phase information or correlation information representing a mean of the measured distance. Hence, the demodulation pixels measure the distance indirectly.
The light sources of TOF cameras usually operate in the near-infra red light spectra, most commonly between 800 and 900 nanometers (nm), which is outside the visible range. Operating in this range is mainly to avoid bright, visible light bothering people in the surroundings of the camera.
General system setups based on demodulation pixels and full 3D TOF camera implementation has been demonstrated in [LAN01] and [OGG04] as well as a description of several applications in [OGG05]. Further, the SPAD-based system approach has been presented in [NIC03].
Demodulation pixels in image sensors have the function to sample and accumulate the charge carriers generated by the incoming photons. During or after this integration time, the collected charge is then converted into a voltage signal, which is then read out.
Demodulation pixels allow sorting the arriving photons or the respective generated charge according to their arrival time. For that they need at least one fast switching element, and, connected to it, at least one dedicated storage or integration region or integration node, called tap. In these storage nodes, the charge corresponding to the time interval of the open switch is stored and is then read out. Based on these samples, the phase or distance is deduced.
One of the main challenges of 3D TOF pixels is to collect and store quickly as many photo-generated electrons as possible in the storage nodes. A common issue is that near-infra red (NIR) photons penetrate deeper in the substrate compared to photons in the visible spectra. Nevertheless, the electrons that are generated in the substrate by the NIR photons still need to be detected and collected and transferred quickly to corresponding storage nodes.
In recent years, the pixel pitch of standard pixel has been shrinking while the stack of layers on top of the photo-sensitive area have been increasing. This creates the challenge to bring the photons impinging on the pixel through all the stack layers into the photo-sensitive area. The efficiency of converting the photon falling onto a pixel into electrons is drastically lowered by adding more layers on top of the substrate.
A state-of-the-art approach to reduce the problem is the use of micro-lenses to improve the conversion rate from photons impinging on the pixel to electrons. However, the use of micro-lenses has limitations as soon as the layer stack gets too big in relation to the pixel pitch.
Micro-lenses combined with in-pixel lightguides further improve the efficiency. The so-called lightpipes direct all photons through the stack onto the sensitive area [GAM09], [AGA09].
Recent developments propose to backthin the substrate and to illuminate the pixel from the backside [RHO09]. This approach results in most designs having a fill factor of up to 100%, since no electronics is shadowing the photo-sensitive are from the impinging photons. The layer stack on top of the substrate can be increased in that case without losing sensitivity.
As in all solid-state image sensors, the incoming photons generate charge carriers, meaning electron-hole pairs within the substrate. These pairs have to be separated by an electric field, e.g. a p+/n+ doped junction. After the separation one type of charge carriers (normally the electron) is stored in a storage element, e.g. a capacitance, whereas the other type of charge carriers is absorbed by the substrate. In image sensors providing a visual representation of the surrounding, the separation is often slow, as the information is stored just in the amount of the generated charge carriers, giving a gray scale or, with the help of color filters, a color image.
In demodulation pixels, e.g. used for time-of-flight applications, the amount of generated charge carriers is not the main information one is interested in. Instead, the arriving time has to be measured. For this, the separation stage must distinguish the charge carriers depending on their arrival time. Therefore the collection of the charge carriers has to be fast. For this, drift fields are necessary to transfer the carriers to the point through the demodulation region into the corresponding storage node.
The first demodulation pixels, which are mainly dominated by electron diffusion transfer, have been described in [SPI99]. Based on this approach, several prototypes have been built [LAN01], [KAW06], [KAU04]. A similar demodulation principle has been described in [SCH99].
However, in order to improve 3D TOF imaging based on demodulation pixels, a higher electron transfer speed from the sensitive area to the storage nodes is essential if not even required. High speed electron transfer is mainly achieved by applying electric fields across the sensitive area to the storage node. Demodulation pixels based on pure drift transfer have been described in [SEI02], [BUE05B], [NIE05].
All these methods perform demodulation directly in the photo-sensitive area. A new approach separating the sensitive area from the demodulation area but keeping a drift-dominated electron transfer is described in [BUE05A].
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Telephone service providers presently have available numerous telephone services which may be offered to subscribers. Many of these services require greetings or other types of audible announcements to be recorded and played. As those skilled in the art will recognize, it is highly desirable to have these messages recorded in the voice of the telephone subscriber. However, the current state of available technology has heretofore prohibited such an approach.
As an example, consider an AIN "Do not Disturb" service which may be used to advise calling parties that the called party is presently unavailable and to try again later. While it would desirable to have this message provided in the voice of the called party, current technology requires such recordings to be physically "burned" into the Read Only Memory (ROM) of the corresponding central office switch of each subscriber. As readily seen, this is clearly an unmanageable task which becomes further complicated if the user desires to change his or her message or telephone at a later date.
Consequently, a need has developed for a method for recording subscriber specific messages for use in telephone services which overcomes the limitations of the prior art. Such a method should permit easy recording of subscriber specific messages in a handful of central locations which may be readily recorded and modified by telephone service subscribers.
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As is known in the art, large host computers and servers (collectively referred to herein as “host computer/servers”) require large capacity data storage systems. These large computer/servers generally include data processors, which perform many operations on data introduced to the host computer/server through peripherals including the data storage system. The results of these operations are output to peripherals, including the storage system.
One type of data storage system is a magnetic disk storage system having a bank of disk drives. The bank of disk drives and the host computer/server are coupled together through a system interface. The interface includes “front end” or host computer/server controllers (or storage processors) and “back-end” or disk controllers (or storage processors). The interface operates the storage processors in such a way that they are transparent to the host computer/server. That is, user data is stored in, and retrieved from, the bank of disk drives in such a way that the host computer/server merely thinks it is operating with its own local disk drive. One such system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,939, entitled “System and Method for Disk Mapping and Data Retrieval”, inventors Moshe Yanai, Natan Vishlitzky, Bruno Alterescu and Daniel Castel, issued Apr. 27, 1993, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.
As described in such U.S. Patent, the interface may also include, in addition to the host computer/server storage processors and disk storage processors, a user data semiconductor global cache memory accessible by all the storage processors. The cache memory is a semiconductor memory and is provided to rapidly store data from the host computer/server before storage in the disk drives, and, on the other hand, store data from the disk drives prior to being sent to the host computer/server. The cache memory being a semiconductor memory, as distinguished from a magnetic memory as in the case of the disk drives, is much faster than the disk drives in reading and writing data. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,136,959 entitled “Data Storage System Having Crossbar Packet Switching Network”, issued Nov. 14, 2006, inventor William F. Baxter III, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, the global cache memory may be distributed among the service processors.
Another data storage system is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0071424, entitled DATA STORAGE SYSTEM, inventor Baxter III, published Mar. 31, 2005, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. In such system, front and back end directors (hereinafter referred to as storage processors) include: a message engine, a data pipe and a portion of a global cache memory. The front and back end storage processors are interconnected through a packet switching network. The packet switch network passes both user data and messages, the user data passing through the data pipe and the messages being generated and received by the message engine. Write data supplied by the host computer/server for storage in the bank of disk drives is passed to the local cache memory section of one of the second plurality of storage processor/memory boards and the storage processor on such one of the second plurality of storage processor/memory boards controls the transfer of data from such one of the memory sections to the bank of disk drives. Read data supplied by the bank of disk drives for use by the host computer/server is passed to the local cache memory section of one of the first plurality of storage processor/memory boards and the storage processor on such one of the first plurality of storage processor/memory boards controls the transfer of data from such one of the memory sections to the host computer/server. The front-end and back-end storage processors control the transfer of user data between the host computer/server and the bank of disk drives through the packet switching networks in response to messages passing between and/or among the storage processors through the packet switching networks.
As is also known in the art, it is desirable to maximize user data transfer through the interface including maximized packet transfer through the packet switching network.
As is also known in the art, each one of the storage processors includes a CPU and a local/remote memory interconnected to the packet switching network through commercially available root complex, such as INTEL® root complex using a PCI Express® (PCIE®) protocol. One such packet switching network operates with a Serial Rapid TO (SRIO) protocol and is sometimes referred to as an SRIO fabric. We have discovered that for certain system interfaces, greater system throughput can be achieved using an SRIO fabric. The benefits of SRIO over other packet switched protocols such as Ethernet for storage applications is that SRIO has guaranteed delivery (since every request has associated response), supports low latency applications (since maximum packet payload size is 256 bytes) while maintaining reasonable bandwidth (of about 1 Gbyte/sec per direction), and can be implemented in a low cost, structured ASIC designs since protocol complexity is minimal.
It should be noted that some SRIO terminology used herein may be found in the following references published by the Rapid IO Trade Association: Rapid IO Interconnect Specification, version 1.3 Rapid IO Interconnect Specification, Part VI: Physical Layer 1x/4x LP-Serial Specification; some of the PCI terminology used herein may be found in the following references published by the PCI-SIG (Peripheral Component Interconnect Special Interest Group): PCIE Express Base Specification, version 1.1; and other terminology used herein may be found in INCITS: T10 Technical Committee on SCSI Storage Interfaces—Preliminary DIF (Block CRC) documents
As is also known in the art, a DSA transfer is used for a CPU within a storage processor (SP) to indirectly access a local/remote memory in any SP on the packet switching network. More particularly, as used herein, a DSA transfer is “indirect” because in the present system the CPU is “detached” from the operation as soon as the DSA operation is initiated from the CPU. Once initiated, the CPU is free to perform other work (if there is work not dependent on a DSA in flight) until the DSA transfer is completed. When the DSA is completed, the DSA status and data (if applicable) is “pushed” into the initiating, or source SP's local memory and an interrupt generated to the initiating CPU for completion notification. (Polling of the DSA status word in local memory is also possible for absolute lowest latency when no forward progress can be made until the DSA transfer is completed).
However, existing SRIO fabrics do not support DSA or atomic transfers with commercially available root complexes. More particularly, PCI-Express (PCIE) standard does not directly support atomic operations and the RIO standard support for atomic operations is limited.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to impedance reducing circuits and more particularly to such circuits where the impedance is reduced by injecting a carrier current which is very large compared to the input current signal and then is precisely removed to facilitate obtaining a voltage output which is proportional to the logarithm of the signal current.
The invention finds particular application to video systems having relatively high frequency responses, such as in the order of 4 megahertz. The signal current is developed in response to a photodetector sensing light from a light emitting diode scanner. The signal current from such a photodetector is approximately 0.5 ua. The capacitance of the photodetector is approximately 50 picafarads. The input impedance of the circuit must be less than 1 k ohms. The input resistance into a semiconductor junction is (26 k/I) ohms, where I is the input current in microamperes. The required input resistance is obtained by superimposing a D.C. current 26 to 50 microamperes on the signal current.
In order to eliminate the effect of variations in light intensity of the light emitting diodes making up the scanner, a second photodetector monitors the light emitting diode. The signal from the second detector is D.C. coupled to a second impedance reducing circuit in the same manner as the signal from the first photodetector is coupled to the first impedance reducing circuit. The signal currents which are amplified by the impedance reducing circuits are converted to voltage outputs which are proportional to the logarithms of the signal currents. The two voltage output signals are then divided by subtracting the logarithms of the two signals. This is done by means of a differential amplifier.
In order to accurately form the logarithm function, the amount of D.C. current, not due to the signal from the photodetector, which is allowed to flow through the log producing junction must be very small in comparison with the signal. The D.C. carrier current is removed during a reset period when the light-emitting diodes are turned off by generating a take-out current proportional to the D.C. carrier current. The circuit for removing the D.C. carrier current will not respond to the signal from the photodetector. However, removal of the D.C. carrier current, i.e., the take-out current, increases very slightly during signal time and the amplifier of take-out circuit then swings sufficiently positive to reduce the take-out current below that required to satisfy the condition of minimum current amplification within the impedance reducing circuit. Although the carrier current is substantially removed, a small amount remains so that the transistor having the log producing junction will not cut off.
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This invention relates to a guide device for guiding a car along guide rails provided in a hoistway and, in particular, to a guide device for an elevator capable of restraining horizontal vibrations of a car.
FIG. 15 is a front view of a main portion of a conventional elevator as disclosed, for example, in JP 8-26624 A, and FIG. 16 is a plan view of the elevator of FIG. 15.
Referring to the drawings, a pair of guide rails 2 with a T-shaped section are arranged in parallel in a hoistway 1. A car 3 is suspended in the hoistway 1 by a main cable (not shown), and is raised and lowered along the guide rails 2 by a drive device (not shown).
The car 3 has a car frame 4, a cab 5 supported by the car frame 4, and a plurality of rubber vibration isolators 6 arranged between the car frame 4 and the cab 5. A car door 7 is provided in the cab 5. Further, a control board 8 is mounted in the cab 5.
First, second, and third acceleration sensors 9a, 9b, and 9c are mounted on the upper end portion of the car frame 4. Fourth, fifth, and sixth acceleration sensors 9d, 9e, and 9f are mounted on the lower end portion of the car frame 4. Vibration of the car frame 4 in the direction of the width of the car 3 (the Y-axis direction) is detected by the first and fourth acceleration sensors 9a and 9d mounted at the center of the car frame 4. Vibration in the direction of the depth of the car 3 (the Z-axis direction) is detected by the second, third, fifth, and sixth acceleration sensors 9b, 9c, 9e, and 9f arranged on either side of the first and fourth acceleration sensors 9a and 9d.
The guide rails 2 have installation-mounting portions 2a fixed to the walls (not shown) of the hoistway 1 and guide portions 2b extending perpendicularly from the installation-mounting portions 2a. Each guide portion 2b has first and second guide surfaces 2c and 2d for guiding the car 3 with respect to the depth direction and a third guide surface 2e for guiding the car 3 with respect to the width direction.
At each of the four corners of the car frame 4, there is mounted a roller guide main body 10 engaged with the first, second, and third guide surfaces 2c, 2d, and 2e. Each roller guide main body 10 has a first roller 11a rolling on the first guide surface 2c, a second roller 11b rolling on the second guide surface 2d, a third roller 11c rolling on the third guide surface 2e, and a plurality of springs 12 for pressing the first, second, and third rollers 11 a, 11b, and 11c against the first, second, and third guide surfaces 2c, 2d, and 2e.
Further, mounted on each roller guide main body 10 are first, second, and third actuators 13a, 13b, and 13c for adjusting the force with which the first, second, and third rollers 11a, 11b, and 11c are pressed against the guide rail 2 by generating electromagnetic forces with respect to the guide rail 2.
FIG. 17 is a circuit diagram showing a part of the circuits in a control board 8 of FIG. 15. Detection signals from the first through sixth acceleration sensors 9a through 9f are processed by first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth controllers 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, and 14f in the control board 8. The actuators 13a, 13b, and 13c are controlled by corresponding controllers 14a through 14f.
Each of the controllers 14a through 14f has a signal processing circuit 15, a phase inverter 16, and a pair of current amplification devices 17a and 17b. The signal processing circuits 15 receive detection signals from the acceleration sensors 9a through 9f and perform computation processing for restraining acceleration and outputting processing signals. The current amplification devices 17a and 17b amplify/adjust signals from the signal processing circuits 15 and output them to the actuators 13a through 13c. Each phase inverter 16 is connected between the signal processing circuit 15 and one current amplification device 17b.
Next, the operation of the device will be described. When horizontal vibrations are generated in the car frame 4 during traveling of the car 3, the acceleration of the vibrations are detected by the acceleration sensors 9a through 9f. The detection signals are processed by the controllers 14a through 14f, and the actuators 13a through 13c are controlled so as to cancel the acceleration.
Regarding the vibration component in the direction of the width of the car 3, the acceleration is detected by the first and fourth acceleration sensors 9a and 9d, and the detection signals are processed by the controllers 14a and 14d, the acceleration being canceled by the actuators 13c.
Regarding the vibration component in the direction of the depth of the car 3, the acceleration is detected by the second, third, fifth, and sixth acceleration sensors 9b, 9c, 9e, and 9f, and the detection signals are processed by the controllers 14b, 14c, 14e, and 14f, the acceleration being canceled by the actuators 13a and 13b.
The trouble with the above-described conventional elevator is that a pair of expensive current amplification devices 17a and 17b, composed of a large number of various parts, are provided in each of the controllers 14a through 14f, with the result that the number of current amplification devices is large and that the control board 8 is expensive.
The present invention has been made with a view toward solving the above problem in the prior art. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive guide device for an elevator which is superior in restraining horizontal vibrations of the car.
In accordance with this invention, there is provided a guide device for an elevator, which is engaged with a pair of guide rails each having first and second guide surfaces for guiding a car in a car depth direction and a third guide surface for guiding the car in a car width direction and which is adapted to guide the traveling of the car, the guide device comprising: a plurality of guide members mounted in the car and abutting the first through third guide surfaces; a plurality of urging means provided between the car and the guide members and adapted to press the guide members against the guide rails; a plurality of actuators mounted in the car and adapted to adjust the force with which the guide members are pressed against the guide rails; a plurality of acceleration sensors mounted in the car and adapted to detect accelerations in the depth direction and the width direction of the car; and a plurality of controllers for respectively controlling pairs of actuators reversing the force applied to the guide members in accordance with information from the acceleration sensors, wherein each controller has: a signal processing circuit for receiving detection signals from one of the acceleration sensors and adapted to perform computation processing for restraining any acceleration generated in the car; a current amplification device for amplifying/adjusting signals from the signal processing circuit; and a plurality of diodes respectively provided between the current amplification device and one of the pairs of actuators and adapted to selectively output signals from the current amplification device to the pair of actuators.
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A color organic EL (i.e., electroluminescence) display constituted by interposing a gas barrier layer between an organic EL (electroluminescence) structural body and a color filter is well-known.
This sort of color organic EL display is equipped with such a structure that a color filter layer, a gas barrier layer, and an organic EL structural body have been successively stacked on a substrate.
Specifically, when an organic EL structural body for emitting white light is combined with a color filter, the below-mentioned structure of such a color organic EL display is known. That is, a color filter layer, an overcoat layer, a gas barrier layer, and an organic EL structural body element are successively stacked on a transparent substrate, while the organic EL structural body element emits white light.
In this color organic EL display, the gas barrier layer is provided to prevent difficulties such as dark spots of the white light emitting organic EL structural body and lowering of a luminous efficiency thereof. These difficulties are caused by water contents and the like, which are volatilized from the color filter layer and the overcoat layer, which are made of resin.
Accordingly, as to the gas barrier layer, pin-holeless characteristics are required, and superior step coverage thereof is required. In addition to the above-described performance, other performance such as transparent characteristics and flat characteristics of surfaces is required.
Conventionally, as examples of gas barrier layers, one gas barrier layer has been proposed which contains a silicon oxide and is manufactured by executing a sputtering film forming method. For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. Hei-11-260562 (which corresponds to EP 1115269-A1) discloses the structure. Also, another gas barrier layer has been proposed in which an insulating inorganic oxide layer is arranged as the gas barrier layer of a color converting element (CCM). For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. Hei-8-279394 (which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,081) discloses this structure.
However, pin-holes are not considered in view of gas barrier characteristics, as to these conventional gas barrier layers, so that dark spots are easily produced in pixels, and such pixels which cannot maintain desirable light emitting characteristics of organic EL elements are readily produced.
As measures capable of solving such pin-hole problems occurred in these gas barrier layers, one measure has been proposed in which while a gas barrier layer is formed in a multilayer structure, cleaning steps are carried out among film forming steps for these plural gas barrier layers. For instance, Japanese Laid-open patent Application No. 2003-229271 discloses this structure. Another measure has been proposed in which while a gas barrier layer is formed in a multilayer structure, resin layers are distributed to the respective gas barrier layers. For instance, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2003-282239 discloses the structure.
Also, as the pin-hole measures, one measure has been proposed in which a gas barrier layer is formed by a plasma CVD method (P-CVD method), while this P-CVD method is capable of forming a dense film, as compared with a sputtering method which corresponds to a general-purpose film forming method for a gas barrier layer. For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2004-39468 discloses the structure.
However, the pin-hole measures described in the above documents own problems as to productivity and cost aspects, since the structures of the gas barrier layers and the manufacturing processes thereof are complex.
Also, in the gas barrier layer manufactured by employing the P-CVD method, when the gas barrier layer is formed by way of the P-CVD method, the film forming operations are carried out at a relatively low temperature, since heat resistance characteristics as to the color filter layer and the overcoat layer are considered, which are provided under the gas barrier layer. In this film forming operation, since dense characteristics of these films are deteriorated, gas barrier characteristics thereof are deteriorated. As a result, these layer structures must be replaced by other stacked layer structures, or the film thicknesses of these layers must be made thicker, so that the problem as to the productivity still remains, and thus, the manufacturing cost is increased.
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Limitations and disadvantages of conventional music players will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such approaches with some aspects of the present method and system set forth in the remainder of this disclosure with reference to the drawings.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bis(styryl)pyrimidine or bis(styryl)benzene compounds, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, a method for the preparation thereof, and a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with beta-amyloid deposition, that is, amyloidosis-associated diseases.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increase in the average longevity of human beings all over the world and the entry into an aging society, there has been a great increase in the incidence of degenerative brain disorders such as senile dementia including Alzheimer's disease, apoplexy, Parkinson's disease, etc. Reports from the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs discloses that the number of senile persons was about 7% of the total population in 2000, the beginning stage of the aging society in Korea, and this increased to 3.97 million in 2003 with a population ratio of 8.3%, and will amount to about 14.4% in 2019 with the entry of Korea into an aged society. In Korea, dementia is reported in about 15% of senile adults in the ages of 75 to 79 and in as many as about 39% of adults of more than 80 years of age. Females are known to have a twice or three times higher rate of incidence of dementia than do males.
Dementia is a generic term for a set of symptoms accompanying an abnormal decline in the general cognitive functions of language, learning and memory and higher mental functions as a result of the injury or destruction of a normally developed brain by external factors such as postnatal damage or disease. Progressive memory impairment is accompanied by behavior impairments such as disorientation in language, person and place, incurring social and occupational impairments. Dementia is caused largely by Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, particular cerebral diseases and systemic diseases with over 50% of the cases resulting from Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease is anatomically characterized by the decline and loss of neurons responsible for memory and cognition. The pathophysiological features of Alzheimer's disease are associated with both senile plaque and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Research indicates that the pathological features of Alzheimer's disease are associated with both amyloid plaque and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Among various causes including immunological factors, genetic factors, viral infection, environmental factors such as toxic compounds, damage to the brain, etc., the deposition of beta-amyloid protein and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles are known to play the most important roles in the incidence of Alzheimer's disease. Amyloid plaque results from the deposition of amyloid-beta peptide, and neurofibrillary tangles are pathological protein aggregates formed by hyperphosphorylation of a microtubule-associated protein known as tau, causing it to aggregate in an insoluble form which leads to neurodegeneration.
Beta amyloid is a peptide of 40 amino acids (beta amyloid 1-40) or 42 amino acids (beta amyloid 1-42) that appear to be the main constituent of amyloid plaque in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. Beta amyloid is formed after sequential cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein by β and γ secretases. Beta amyloid fibril formation, which is known to have direct influence on the formation of plaque, occurs via a complex multi-step nucleated polymerization mechanism that involves discrete soluble oligomeric intermediates termed protofibrils, which disappear upon fibril formation. Recent studies have reported that the oligomers are more potential in neurotoxicity than are fibrils, thus making the prevention or inhibition of oligomer formation an attractive therapy for Alzheimer's disease.
Most of the therapeutic agents developed so far have been cholinergic drugs which are designed to increase the level of acetylcholine in the brain or the activity of cholinergic neurons on the basis of the fact that acetylcholine levels in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients are lower than in those of healthy persons. Currently available cholinergic drugs, such as Donepezil, Rivastigmin, Galantamin, Memantine, etc., however, aim to improve memory impairment only, with limitations to the fundamental medical treatment of Alzheimer's disease and the production of side effects.
Leading to the present invention, intensive and thorough research into therapies for Alzheimer's disease, conducted by the present inventors, resulted in the finding that novel bis(styryl)pyrimidine or bis(styryl)benzene compounds inhibit the deposition of beta amyloid and reduce the toxicity of beta amyloid, thus being useful in the treatment of diseases featuring amyloids, such as Alzheimer's disease.
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The present technology relates to a configuration that improves the operability of a head-mounted display.
In recent years, a head-mounted display that is capable of providing a user with image information without obstructing a field of view of the user in a real space has attracted attention. Patent Document 1 has disclosed a see-through-type head-mounted display. This head-mounted display is capable of displaying an image having a high contrast in the field of view of the user. Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2013-005201
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A vehicle, in which cooling water is circulated in an engine using an electric water pump to keep the engine at a suitable temperature while the engine is driven to run the vehicle has been known. When the engine stops and the electric water pump is stopped simultaneously, it follows that the cooling water circulation stops while the engine is not sufficiently cooled yet. Therefore, the cooling water may possibly be overheated and boiled. If the electric water pump is operated after the engine stops in order to prevent boiling of cooling water, power consumption undesirably increases and load to the battery also increases. A solution to such a problem is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No, 2005-90236 (Patent Document 1).
The cooling device for an internal combustion engine disclosed in Japanese patent Laying-Open No. 2005-90236 includes: an electric water pump for circulating cooling water, of which circulation flow rate is variable, in the internal combustion engine and in a heat exchanger; a detecting unit detecting information related to cooling water temperature; and a control unit controlling the flow rate of cooling water circulated by the electric water pump, based on the information related to cooling water temperature detected by the detecting unit, after the internal combustion engine is stopped.
By the cooling device for an internal combustion engine disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-90236, the flow rate of cooling water circulated by the electric water pump is controlled even after the internal combustion engine is stopped. Therefore, boiling of cooling water after the stop of internal combustion engine can be prevented. Further, since the flow rate of cooling water circulated by the electric water pump is controlled based on the information related to cooling water temperature, the time and amount of operation of electric water pump can be minimized. As a result, the power consumed by electric water pump can be reduced, and the load to the battery can also be reduced. Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-90236
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an ice making and dispensing system that relates to a bottom freezer refrigerator comprising an ice forming and dispensing apparatus positioned outside the freezer compartment.
2. Description of the Related Art
In today's household refrigerator market, there are three basic configurations to choose from: a bottom freezer refrigerator in which the refrigerator compartment is located above the freezer compartment, a top-mount refrigerator in which the freezer compartment is located above the refrigerator compartment, and a side-by-side refrigerator in which the refrigerator compartment and freezer compartment extend the entire height of the refrigerator.
Of these three configurations, the bottom freezer configuration is considered by many consumers to have the most convenient configuration since most consumers access the refrigerator compartment of a refrigerator far more frequently than the freezer compartment. The upper position of the refrigerator compartment in a bottom freezer configuration positions the majority of the contents of the refrigerator compartment at the standing height of the consumer, negating the need for the consumer to stoop or bend over to see or select items. Therefore, a combination refrigerator with the freezer on the bottom provides the user with the greatest convenience by providing the maximum fresh food compartment space at eye-level and within easy reach.
One of the most desired accessories for a household refrigerator is a through-the-door ice and water dispenser. A through-the-door ice and water dispenser is desirable because it greatly simplifies the process of retrieving ice cubes, i.e. it eliminates opening the door, removing the ice cube storage bin, separating and scooping ice cubes, and pouring the ice cubes into a glass. The feature also can be viewed as an energy saver, since the freezer door is not opened as often.
However, of these three configurations, only the side-by-side configuration typically offers a through-the-door ice and water system. The side-by-side configuration is well suited for through-the-door ice dispensing because the freezer door extends the height of the refrigerator cabinet, which permits the ice dispenser to be located in the freezer door at a height convenient for the user. In contrast, the top-mount and bottom freezer refrigerators have freezer door locations that would place the ice dispenser either too high or too low for convenient use by the consumer. In particular, locating the ice dispenser in a bottom freezer refrigerator involves two problems that must be overcome. First, if ice is made and/or stored in the refrigerator compartment, it will melt if not insulated from and chilled independently of the refrigerator compartment. Second, if ice is made and/or stored in the freezer compartment, it must be transported upwardly for dispensing through the ice and water dispenser.
With current ice making and dispensing technology, it has not been possible for a consumer to have the most convenient refrigerator configuration with the most desired accessory. In other words, bottom freezer refrigerators have not been available with through-the-door ice and water dispensing. Thus, it would be desirable to have an ice making and dispensing system that can be used to dispense the ice through the refrigerator compartment door of a bottom freezer refrigerator to provide the consumer with both the bottom freezer configuration and the through-the-door ice and water dispensing functionality.
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Turnover of cells begins with the induction of an apoptotic program or other cellular changes that mark them for removal, and the subsequent recognition of markers by phagocytes, including macrophages, dendritic cells, and the like. This process requires a specific and selective removal of unwanted cells. Unlike healthy cells, the unwanted/aged/dying cells display markers or ligands called “eat-me” signals, i.e. “altered self”, which can in turn be recognized by receptors on the phagocytes. Healthy cells may display “don't eat-me” signals that actively inhibit phagocytosis; these signals are either downregulated in the dying cells, are present in an altered conformation or they are superseded by the upregulation of “eat-me” or pro-phagocytic signals. The cell surface protein CD47 on healthy cells and its engagement of a phagocyte receptor, SIRPα, constitutes a key “don't eat-me” signal that can turn off engulfment mediated by multiple modalities, including apoptotic cell clearance and FcR mediated phagocytosis. Blocking the CD47 mediated engagement of SIRPα on a phagocyte, or the loss of CD47 expression in knockout mice, can cause removal of live cells and non-aged erythrocytes. Blocking SIRPα also allows engulfment of targets that are not normally phagocytosed, for those cells where pre-phagocytic signals are also present.
CD47 is a broadly expressed transmembrane glycoprotein with a single Ig-like domain and five membrane spanning regions, which functions as a cellular ligand for SIRPα with binding mediated through the NH2-terminal V-like domain of SIRPα. SIRPα is expressed primarily on myeloid cells, including macrophages, granulocytes, myeloid dendritic cells (DCs), mast cells, and their precursors, including hematopoietic stem cells. Structural determinants on SIRPα that mediate CD47 binding are discussed by Lee et al. (2007) J. Immunol. 179:7741-7750; Hatherley et al. (2007) J.B.C. 282:14567-75; and the role of SIRPα cis dimerization in CD47 binding is discussed by Lee et al. (2010) J.B.C. 285:37953-63. In keeping with the role of CD47 to inhibit phagocytosis of normal cells, there is evidence that it is transiently upregulated on hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and progenitors just prior to and during their migratory phase, and that the level of CD47 on these cells determines the probability that they are engulfed in vivo.
Programmed cell death (PCD) and phagocytic cell removal are common ways that an organism responds in order to remove damaged, precancerous, or infected cells. Thus, the cells that survive this organismal response (e.g., cancerous cells, chronically infected cells, etc.) have devised ways to evade PCD and phagocytic cell removal. CD47, the “don't eat me” signal, is constitutively upregulated on a wide variety of diseased cells, cancer cells, and infected cells, allowing these cells to evade phagocytosis. Anti-CD47 agents that block the interaction between CD47 on one cell (e.g., a cancer cell, an infected cell, etc.) and SIRPα on another cell (e.g., a phagocytic cell) counteract the increase of CD47 expression and facilitate the phagocytosis of the cancer cell and/or the infected cell. Thus, anti-CD47 agents can be used to treat and/or protect against a wide variety of conditions/disorders.
However, an initial high dose of an anti-CD47 agent can cause a dose-dependent loss of red blood cells (RBCs) in mice and non-human primate (NHP) models. The severity of this anemia can preclude the use of higher doses that are required to achieve sustained serum concentrations associated with therapeutic efficacy. The present invention provides methods by which the erythrocyte toxicity of anti-CD47 agents is mitigated, thereby enabling treatment with therapeutically effective amounts of anti-CD47 agents.
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Porous bioactive glass scaffolds have been of interest for biomaterial design for some time. A microstructure that can stimulate the healing process and promote tissue growth while being made from a material that will eventually degrade is attractive. Unfortunately, highly porous materials inherently have low strength which can be a major detriment. Another major hurdle to be overcome is the poor handleability of porous scaffolds as they easily break when handled, can easily get tangled together, and ultimately become ineffective for the intended purpose. The majority of the orthopedic industry uses dense particles of cadaver bone, calcium phosphate based ceramics, or bioactive glass in their devices as they have the required strength and handleability required during surgery.
The use of silicate based bioactive glasses such as 45S5 and S53P4, are currently used in products approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and other world safety organizations for use in implantable devices such as orthopedic implants and are known to be capable of making three dimensional porous scaffolds. Glasses with compositions similar to 45S5 and S53P4 crystallize rapidly when heated above each glasses respective glass transition temperature (Tg), making viscous sintering by traditional heat treatments difficult without crystallization. Therefore, currently there are no amorphous, rigid, and porous scaffolds composed of silicate glasses are commercially available. Glasses with wider working ranges with multiple alkali and alkaline earth elements in combination with additional silica have been developed to fill the need, but these glasses convert to hydroxyl apatite (HA) slower than 45S5 and S53P4, and none of these scaffolds are in currently available products approved by the FDA for any clinical market.
Silicate glass particles that are larger than >500 μm can take years to fully react with body fluids and be converted to the inorganic component of bone known as hydroxyapatite (HA) because, large particles of glass (>500 μm) leave voids in healing tissue that take years to remodel into natural tissue, and the large particles have a relatively small surface area mass ratio and don't allow for tissue penetration by bone or blood vessels.
Porous scaffolds allow for tissue penetration, and the surface area available for reaction with body fluids is relatively large and penetrates throughout the entire scaffold, which significantly reduces conversion time to HA and final remodeling. The conversion kinetics of silicate glass 45S5 to HA has been shown to slow from the contracting volume model to the diffusion model once the silica gel layer achieves a thickness great enough to become the diffusion barrier. This is the reason why a porous scaffold composed of 45S5 will convert to HA in a matter of weeks as opposed to a solid glass 45S5 bead of comparable size that could take years.
The crystallization properties and glass transition properties of a particular glass are important when treating glass and making it into a porous scaffold. Glass compositions composed of relatively low concentrations of glass forming oxides and relatively high concentrations of alkaline and alkaline earth oxides tend to crystallize rapidly when heated above the glass transition temperature, making bonding by viscous flow difficult. Therefore the ability to make porous materials or scaffolds rigid from these glasses by traditional thermal treatments has not been possible.
Typically, glass is bonded by heating above the glass transition temperature to a viscosity appropriate for viscous flow. Depending on the amount of time allowable for the process and the amount of flow required, the viscosity used for processing can vary with the application. Glasses used for such applications are designed to resist crystallization at the processing temperatures because the mobility of ions is high. The more fluid the glass, typically the easier it may be for a glass to crystallize, but this is dependent on how close the glass composition is to a crystalline phase and how great the activation energy is to allow the glass to crystallize.
The glasses that will benefit from this method of bonding require relatively low energy input to allow the atoms to rearrange and start forming crystals. The formation of crystals, especially at the particle surface, is what inhibits the viscous flow of these particles. Crystalline phases that crystallize from glass typically melt at significantly higher temperatures than the temperatures required for crystallization; therefore the crystals do not form a viscous flow that would aid in the sintering process. In addition, the tendency towards crystallization increases as the surface area to volume ratio of the glass component increases, so the smaller the component, the greater the tendency toward surface crystallization and inhibited bonding.
Scaffolds, particularly those designed for use as bone grafts, should be highly porous (>50%) and are often formed by infusing a slurry composed of glass particles and other organic and inorganic components into a preform (foam or sponge or other porous polymer) that must be slowly burned out prior to sintering. To keep the desired microstructure of the preform, the heating rate is typically kept low, a few ° C./min, to the sintering temperature, and then the sintered part is slow cooled as to eliminate thermal shock of the glass/ceramic scaffold. For glasses that crystallize quickly (45S5 and S53P4), these methods are not effective in making rigid glass scaffolds.
The graph shown in FIG. 1 describes the usable regions of interest for the possible heat treatments of the following invention. Sintering bioactive glass is a time-temperature-crystallization dependent process, and no single component can be ignored.
Typically, scaffolds discussed in the literature are rough and sharp, which is not an issue for bench scale testing, but can be a significant problem for clinicians such as orthopedic surgeons that want to press on the implant material without puncturing a glove. A punctured glove opens the clinician and the patient up to possible disease transmission, and the clinician could be injured by the implant material if it were to penetrate the clinician's skin. Therefore, no fully amorphous scaffolds composed of silicate based 45S5 or S53P4 bioactive glass are currently approved for by the FDA for clinical use.
The surface roughness of a scaffold is certainly a disadvantage from a handling point of view, but in a product such as bone putty or even just a single phase implant material such as loose granules, the rough edges make each scaffold catch on one another decreasing the flowability of the particles. This decrease in flowability decreases the overall scaffold loading the putty can incorporate as the putty itself acts as a lubricant to improve the handleability. The debris from broken edges may also increase the overall immune response as macrophages try to remove/engulf the small particles.
Therefore a need exists for a method of bonding of silicate based bioactive glass with a high affinity for crystallization.
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The present invention concerns a process heating plant comprising a plurality of reaction chambers, preferably tubular cracking ovens intended for the production of hydrogen, which are heated by the cooling gas derived from a high-temperature reactor whereby the reaction chambers are installed together with the high-temperature reactor in one common pressure vessel made of pre-stressed concrete, and whereby additional energy-consuming components, such as steam generators, are installed in the gas cooling circuit of the reactor.
It is known practice to build nuclear power plants by the integrated construction method whereby, in addition to the reactor core, also a gas turbine, a compressor and components for heat exchange are all installed inside a common concrete pressure vessel. In German Offenlegungsschrift (DOS) No. 2,062,934 a gas-cooled nuclear reactor is described wherein the gas turbine has been installed in a hollow space in the wall of the pressure vessel which encloses the reactor core. Another nuclear reactor of similar construction is described in DOS No. 1,764,249. In that disclosure the nuclear reactor together with all components comprising the circuit are installed in tightly spaced, parallel and vertical bores inside the concrete pressure vessel and the components are accessible from the outside. Passages for the cooling medium are provided both in the wall of the pressure vessel and also between the several bores.
Furthermore, a nuclear plant with a closed gas-cooling circuit supplying the necessary process heat has been proposed wherein the heat generated by a high-temperature reactor is first transferred to an intermediate circuit before being applied to its ultimate purpose, the process. The heat can be used, for instance, for the cracking of process gas in tubular cracking ovens and for the generation of electric power in steam turbine circuits. For such purposes, the components comprising the primary circuit, i.e., the reactor, heat exchangers, and blowers, are installed in cavities inside a concrete vessel, while the components comprising the process circuit as well as the circuit for the steam turbine are installed outside the safety vessel surrounding the reactor.
The two plants first referred to have two features in common: they are both equipped with a gas-cooling circuit completely integrated inside the concrete pressure vessel, and the energy generated by the reactor is utilized to drive a gas turbine and, subsequently, generate electric power. In contrast to the above, in the power plant mentioned last, the energy is first transferred to an intermediate circuit and then subsequently used for the generation of process gas.
The medium circulating in the secondary circuit may be a gas, for instance, helium. But a liquid heat-transfer medium may also be used. Such a plant is described in the German Auslegeschrift (DAS) No. 1,933,695, wherein the heat derived from the cooling medium in a nuclear reactor is transferred in a heat exchanger to molten lead, which, in turn, transfers it to a reaction system. The heat exchangers and the assembly of components in which the reaction takes place are installed in a common vessel and this vessel itself is installed, together with the nuclear reactor, in a common pressure vessel.
Also, from German Pat. Nos. 1,298,233 and 1,589,999 a method is known whereby the heat contained in the medium of a cooling circuit is directly applied to the components utilizing the process heat, without the use of an intermediate circuit. In the first disclosure, heated helium is conveyed so that it flows directly around the catalyst-filled tubes of a methane cracking plant. In the second patent, a process for the production of hydrogen is described wherein the energy obtained form the reactor is brought to a reaction chamber charged with a granulated metal oxide through which streams a mixture of steam and carbon monoxide.
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The present inventions relate generally to integrated circuits, and more particularly to bias schemes for active device stacks on MOS integrated circuits having low supply voltages.
Stacked devices are used commonly on analog and RF integrated circuits (ICs) in both single-ended and differential embodiments. As the operating voltages of integrated circuits decrease with succeeding generations of process technology, however, the stacked devices must be biased optimally to maintain the devices in saturation and maximize signal-handling ability. Particularly, for proper operation of N stacked devices plus a current source, the minimum supply voltage, VDD, must be N+1 times the gate-source voltage minus a threshold voltage plus a peak output signal swing, i.e., VDD greater than =(N+1)(VGSxe2x88x92VT)+VS, where VGS is the gate-source voltage, VT is the effective threshold voltage and VS is the peak output signal swing. The gate-source voltage, VGS, is typically 250 mV more than the effective threshold voltage, VT, which is about 400 mV. The NMOS threshold voltage, VT=VTO+g[sqrt(2PhiF+VSB)+sqrt(2PhiF)] (Equation 1), where VTO is the effective threshold voltage when the bulk and source are at the same potential, g is the bulk effect factor, PhiF is the absolute value of the Fermi potential, and VSB is the source-bulk voltage.
In a circuit having two stacked devices, for example, the supply voltage needs to be at least 0.75 V plus the peak signal swing, which is well within the maximum supply voltage of 1.8 V typical of present day ICs, but works only if the stacked devices are biased optimally.
A. R. Shahani et al. disclose a low threshold voltage process utilizing active common-mode feedback and resistor dividers to bias three stacked devices and a current source from a 1.5 V supply in xe2x80x9cA 12-mW Wide Dynamic Range CMOS Front-End for a Portable GPS Receiverxe2x80x9d, IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits, vol. 32, pp. 2061-2070, December 1997. The active common-mode feed back and resistor dividers of Shahani et al. however are relatively complex and require substantial area on the IC.
It is also known to bias a stack of circuit devices with a stack of diode-connected devices, which has the advantage of simplicity and small area on the IC. In the schematic diagram of Prior Art FIG. 1, the gate of each bias device M1-M3 is coupled to the gate of the corresponding active device M4-M6, respectively, in a single-ended embodiment but could represent a simplification of a differential embodiment. In FIG. 1, the bodies of the diode-connected bias devices M1-M3 and the bodies of the active devices M4-M6 are coupled to ground. In FIG. 1, the gate-source voltage, VGS, increases at each level of the stack above the first level because the bulk of the devices are connected to ground. The circuit of FIG. 1 is biased less than optimally and requires a relatively high supply voltage due to the body effect, which is characterized by a voltage between the source and bulk of each device. The body effect causes an increase in the effective threshold voltage, VT, according to Equation 1. In FIG. 1, the required minimum supply voltage VDD is the larger of (N+1)VGS for the bias stack or (N+1)VGSxe2x88x92VTxe2x80x2+VS for the active stack and is more than the typical available supply voltage of 1.8 V, where VTxe2x80x2 is VT+deltV and VGS, VT and VS are as defined above and deltV is the increase in threshold voltage caused by the body effect according to Equation 1.
The various aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description of the Invention with the accompanying drawings described below.
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Many techniques are available to users today to find information on the world wide web (“web”). For example, users often use web browsers and/or search engines to find information of interest.
A user may enter a search query into a search box of a browser and the browser may submit the search query to a search engine. The search engine may identify documents that match the search query, rank the documents based on various factors, and return a ranked list of document to the user. The user may select a document from the list and request the document. A browser may retrieve the requested document and display the document to the user in a browser window.
However, the amount of available information that is available to users on the web can be overwhelming.
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Mulching allows for maintaining an even soil temperature, controlling weeds and enriching soil, whereby a mixture of organic material (such as straw, peat moss or leaves) is spread over a landscape. When grass clippings from a lawn mower are sufficiently reduced in size to small particles, they may serve as a mulching agent. Conventional mowers, however, are incapable of refining grass clippings to a sufficiently small size. The typical lawn mower propels a rotary blade to cut grass into clippings and either deposits those clippings onto the lawn or directs them into a catcher. Clippings discarded on a lawn take weeks to decompose and can turn to a thatch and smother the soil rather than fertilizing it, unless the clippings are raked and removed. Catchers are undesirable since mowing must be interrupted frequently to empty the contents of the catcher. In either event, the wasted time could be better spent cutting additional grass.
Alternatively, mulching lawn mowers reduce expenses, increase crew efficiency and decrease waste. Mulching lawn mowers are designed to cut grass clippings into tiny particles that decompose quickly once returned to the lawn, providing nourishment and moisture to the underlying soil. In theory, mowing time can be cut, fertilizer, trash bag and water expenses reduced, and productivity enhanced. Unfortunately, mulching lawn mowers used today are only useful under special conditions, do not work adequately in thick or heavy grass and require frequent maintenance. For example, mulching mowers normally require short, dry grass, flat landscapes and frequently honed blades. These mowers also leave uncut strips that necessitate recutting, especially on lawns having a high moisture content, tall grass or hills. In addition, moist grass that is cut has a tendency to stick to the underside of the conventional mulching mower, reducing the mulching capability and eventually dropping clumps of grass on the lawn and/or paved areas.
Conventional mulching mowers suffer from the foregoing shortcomings or they are too complex to operate reliably. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,616 to McLane discloses a mulching lawn mower that deposits clippings in front of the mower for recirculation. McLane's mower comprises a deck which covers a rotating blade and a curved deflector which lies adjacent an opening provided in the deck between the front wheels. The deflector redirects air and grass exiting the opening downward in front of the mower. The positioning of the opening and deflector at the front of the deck allows the mower to run over grass clippings a second time, but if the grass is too wet, the opening clogs and suction under the deck becomes insufficient to lift the wet clippings off the lawn and into the cutting area.
An air-floated mulch recycle system, issued to Fassauer in U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,235, employs an air-floated housing having a rotatable cutting blade, an open bottom, an air intake opening conduit and a rear discharge port. A mulch recycling system comprised of a conduit attaches to the discharge port to receive grass clippings produced by the mower for delivery to the front of the mower for recutting. An air impeller means pressurizes air to float the mower, but inhibits the mower's ability to draw grass clippings into the mulch recycling system. Moreover, dry grass is preferred for cutting since wet clippings are difficult to lift into the blade, stick to the underside of the housing and clog the tubular chute used in the mulching system.
Another mulching device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,279 issued to Badawey, and is utilized as a leaf mulcher for use with a rotary blade lawn mower. The leaf mulcher comprises a rotary blade lawn mower, a grass outlet and a screen mounted on the mower over the outlet. The screen provides a cutting edge for leaves dispersed from the outlet of the mower but does not facilitate the mulching of grass clippings, is easily clogged and is ineffective on damp lawns.
Another inherent problem with prior art mulchers is their inability to be used effectively in locations with severe space constraints. Hand-adjustable mulch plates must initially be positioned at a proper height and, if a tight corner is approached or a change in grass density occurs, must then be re-positioned at a different height, a task usually involving loosing the attached plate, re-positioning it, and retightening the attachment mechanism. Re-positioning the mulch plate to achieve a different height is time consuming. Re-adjusting the mulch plate to accommodate different grass heights and space-restricted areas may result in a significant increase in total job time.
While the aforementioned background art discloses various designs for mulching debris from a rotary lawn mower, there is presently no disclosure of a low profile mulcher that is adaptable to most mowers and capable of reducing clippings of various types (e.g., high grass or wet grass), and under diverse conditions, to a mulch for discarding as a nutrient into lawns. Further, there is presently no mulch design incorporating a mulch plate controller that allows the user to easily raise and/or lower the mulch plate to one of a variety of different heights without the need to manually lift the plate and move it to a different position.
There is, therefore, a need for a mulching lawn mower that is able to reduce clippings from tall and wet lawns into fine particles for depositing the particles back into the lawns as a fertilizing nutrient and incorporating a handle-operated controller to adjust the height of the mulch plate to a variety of settings in order to accommodate different mulching conditions. This invention is intended to solve the problems not adequately resolved by the background art.
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In distributed computing systems, multiple computing devices operate concurrently to execute possibly different application programs. For example, multiple computing devices can each execute a hypervisor disposed to emulate one or more virtual machines, each virtual machine executing an application server on behalf of client devices which make requests of, and receive responses from, that application server. When two virtual machines communicate, those virtual machines generate virtual network messages, which are emulated by the hypervisors hosting those virtual machines.
One problem with known systems is that when virtual machines communicate, the virtual network messages they exchange are emulated using real network messages on a real communication network, if those virtual machines are hosted by distinct processing devices. These real network messages use communication bandwidth and other resources. This can produce high latency or low rates of communication between those virtual machines, and which can adversely effect other devices contending for use of the communication network. This problem can also occur when a virtual machine hosted by one device accesses resources maintained on another device, such as network connections, storage elements, and possibly other resources.
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This invention relates to glazing and, more particularly, to chromogenic glazing for use in applications, such as automobiles and display filters, where it is desirable to reversibly alter the transmission or tinting of the glass.
Automobile windshields, movable and fixed side and rear windows, and divider panels between the front and the rear cabin, as well as sunroofs, employ various forms of glazing in a variety of colors and intensities. Typically, when tinted glazing is employed, the windshield and the front side windows are clear for safety reasons. Car glazing may provide for management of both ultra violet and infra-red solar energy penetration to enhance user comfort while reducing the power requirements for air-conditioning. Besides the need to carefully control tinting so that glass used in adjacent windows does not appear to be mismatched, it is important to consider the effect that glazing color can have on passengers""skin tones. For example, some colors, such as deep violet glazing may make the interior colors appear dull and/or strange and cause the skin tones of passengers to appear unnatural.
To adapt chromogenic glass, i.e., glass which has user-controllable transmissivity, for use in automobiles, it is important that the glass exhibit several characteristics:
1. Chromogenic glazing should be able to match its tint to the color of the car""s interior.
2. Chromogenic glazing should be available in xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d tones and in xe2x80x9cneutralxe2x80x9d tones.
3. Chromogenic glazing should not acquire an unacceptable color when it is changed from clearer to a darker state under user control.
4. Chromogenic glazing should maintain an acceptable color appearance from the outside, e.g., it is preferable that all of the windows should have similar color properties while permitting the depth of coloration of the windows (and of the sunroof) to vary.
5. Chromogenic glazing for use in a windshield may be colored or bleached to a different shade or color as compared to the other windows to maintain safe, non-glaring conditions during driving.
6. Chromogenic glazing should maintain a desired state of color without consuming too much battery power when the vehicle is parked for a long period of time.
Problems With Prior Art Chromogenic Glass
When a formulation for chromogenic glass is adopted, considerable thought is is given to selecting and processing the materials in order for the glass to meet a desired transmission range, durability and environmental resilience, i.e, performance over a range of temperature, typically between xe2x88x9240 to 100C, varying humidity, and solar radiation. Electrochromic (EC) devices used in automobile glazing should not drain the battery even when left parked in the darkened state. In automobile glazing the aesthetics of color choice play an important role. Automobile manufacturers currently prefer glazing colors which are xe2x80x9cneutralxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cwarmxe2x80x9d so that the flesh tones of the driver and passengers and the interior colors will not be cast in an unappealing light. Certain EC materials, such as those that derive their color principally from tungsten oxide, can typically color to a blue tint and maybe undesirable in some circumstances because their color change fails to meet the neutral/warm criteria. To meet the desired characteristics, such EC materials must be modified by doping so that they will color to a more neutral shade, but in doing so the coloration range may be compromised. Other compromises made in material selection may affect durability because of electrochemical changes in the material. In addition, glazing used in an automobile windshield may need to have different transmissivity and color characteristics as compared to the side or rear windows and sunroof While some chromogenic devices may be available that change to a more neutral color, they may not conform to the desired transmission range required for the various locations. The chemical modification of such materials to meet these diverse applications is a daunting task.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to accommodate the different xe2x80x9ctunabilityxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ctransmissivityxe2x80x9d and environmental attributes required of glazing destined for diverse applications, without entailing the time and expense required to formulate a new EC material having the desired characteristics.
The above noted problems of chromogenic glass for use in various glazing applications are solved in accordance with the principles of the present invention by providing a transparent chromogenic assembly in which color changes are selectively effectable over predefined areas of the assembly which comprises a pair of facing glass substrates separated by an electrolyte. A conductive transparent coating is deposed on facing surfaces of the substrates, the conductive coating of at least one of the surfaces being interrupted to define individual areas each of which is provided with as set of busbars, advantageously of silver frit. An electrochromic electrode layer overlies at least one of the conductive layers. An insulating adhesive sealant spaces apart the substrates and insulates the busbar sets from each other and from exposure to the electrolyte and the electrochromic layer, so that each busbar set may be individually energizeable to effect a color change through a respective one of the individual areas. Advantageously, the electrochromic layer may comprise a transition metal oxide or a mixture containing at least one transition metal oxide, preferably tungsten oxide, while a counterelectrode layer on the facing surface may comprise a mixture of at least three oxides, preferably two of which are transition metals and one of them is an alkali metal. A portion of each busbar advantageously extends from the facing surface to and over a respective edge of the substrate to form a connector for the terminal electrode that provides exceptional mechanical stability.
Further in accordance with the invention, it is important to select those attributes which allow chromogenic devices to exhibit low leakage currents, e.g., by employing inorganic EC and counterelectrodes that are selected principally from the transition metal oxides, such as tungsten oxide and vanadium oxide, respectively, and by using sulfolane or its derivatives in fall or part as the solvent and/or plasticizer in the electrolyte when a solid polymer matrix electrolyte is used. Further, the water content of the electrolyte is preferably lower than 2000 ppm, more preferably lower than 100 ppm and most preferably as low as 10 ppm.
According to another aspect of the invention, in one illustrative embodiment, a transparent chromogenic assembly is provided which comprises an active component layer and a passive component layer in which the active component layer is selected from the group consisting of electrochromic, liquid crystal, user-controllable-photochromic, polymer-dispersed-liquid crystal or suspended particle devices and the passive component layer is selected from the group consisting of substrates or covers for the active layer, the active and the passive layers being chosen so that the color and the transmissivity of the passive layer accommodates the range of color change and transmissivity of the active layer to maintain the transmitted color of the assembly in a warm or neutral shade, where warm colors correspond on the L*C*h color sphere scale to C having an approximate value between 15 and 45, preferably between 18 and 30; h having a value between 115 and 20, preferably between 40 and 100, and L having a value dictated by the desired degree of glass darkness or preferred degree of photopic transmission. A preferred counterelectrode composition consists of Li, Ni and Mn oxides to facilitate obtaining the desired color change as an intrinsic attribute of the EC device.
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This invention relates to an improved method for using electricity to stimulate production of viscous hydrocarbons from a subsurface formation. More particulary, electrical current is applied in a broaden horizontal plate-like manner to a subsurface hydrocarbon-bearing formation through electrode wells completed in relatively high permeability, large volume aquafers containing mobile water. The aquafers overlay and underlay oil-bearing formation.
For many years, it has been known that large deposits of relatively shallow, viscous oil are present in subterranean formations. Normally, the viscous oil is produced through a vertical production well. The well productivity is nearly inversely proportional to the viscosity of the oil. It has been proposed to use electrical current to add heat to a subsurface pay zone containing tar sands or viscous oil to render the viscous hydrocarbon more flowable. Electrodes are connected to an electrical power source and positioned at spaced apart points in contact with the earth. Currents up to 1,800 amperes are passed between the electrodes. This heats oil in the formation. Electrical power utilizes energy from various sources. This energy is expended for and in a sense is replaced by viscous oil. Therefore, the relative success of electric heating depends on the amount of oil produced per unit of electrical power supplied. Unfortunately, most of the heat occurs adjacent to the electrode wells and heat transfer outward into the formation by conduction is slow. Moreover, the power efficiency of electrical generation is only about one-third. Brine injection and fractures have been suggested for decreasing electrode resistance and increasing electrode radius. Moreover, it has been proposed to use the electrode wells as water injection wells in well patterns based in part on the number of phases of the electricity used to apply heat to the formation. Such patterns have been used in conventional ways and their efficiency, therefore, is less than it could be. Moreover, when the electrode wells are completed into the producing formation, injection of fluids into or production of fluids from the hydrocarbon-bearing formation through the electrode wells interferes with normal gravity drainage, other drive mechanisms, and/or injection programs. It, therefore, would be advantageous to provide a method for stimulating the viscous oil production that does not interfere with optimizing the way that the hydrocarbon formation is produced.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,622, it has been proposed to place electrodes in upper and lower layers situated immediately above and below a subsurface hydrocarbon-bearing formation. The upper and lower layers have a lower electrical resistivity than that of the formation to be produced. The resistivity of a subsurface layer is dependent upon a number of factors. For example, many subsurface layers are made up of hydrated minerals or contain what is called connate water. Connate water and water in salts is not mobile water. A layer may have lower resistivity than an oil bearing formation without containing mobile water. U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,622, therefore, sets forth several electrode completion techniques wherein water from the surface of the earth is used. For example, voids or cavities are filled with an electrolyte such as aqueous sodium chloride solution to increase the effective radius of the electrode. The voids or cavities can be created by hydraulic fracturing and propped with propping agents or by considerably enlarging the diameter of the bottom portion of the well which is left uncased.
By computer modelling experiments, it has been demonstrated that the effectiveness of these prior electrodes with limited water volumes for electrical heating of viscous oil-bearing formation is seriously limited. In such confined, limited water volume electrodes, it is difficult to resolve the adverse effects of boiling fluids adjacent the electrode. Vaporization and pressure buildup adjacent the electrode limits and adversely affects the amount of electric current that can be flowed through a subsurface formation.
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Silicon carbide (SiC) is an advanced material typically used in power electronics, as it is a wide band gap semiconductor (Eg=3.26 eV) with a low intrinsic carrier concentration (ni=5×10−9 cm−3), high electric field of breakdown (Eb=2.2 MV/cm), and high thermal conductivity (κ=3.0-3.8 W/cm-K). Furthermore, SiC is the only wide band gap semiconductor that has silicon dioxide (SiO2) as a native oxide. Due in part to these advantageous properties, SiC has been used in power semiconductor devices, such as Schottky diodes and metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), for automobiles, power converters, defense applications, and other systems.
SiC MOSFETs have historically been plagued by very low carrier mobility in the inversion channel, resulting from a high density of interface traps at the SiC/SiO2 interface. Significant progress has been made with respect to interface passivation over the last decade. In particular, nitric oxide (NO) post-oxidation annealing has been shown to provide an acceptable channel mobility of around 35 cm2/V-s in SiC MOSFETs. However, this value is only about 4% of the bulk mobility of 4H—SiC (which is about 800-1000 cm2/V-s). As such, the channel resistance (which is inversely proportional to the inversion channel carrier mobility) in state-of-the-art 4H—SiC power MOSFETs still contributes to about half the total conduction loss.
Recent research has indicated that phosphorus passivation (P-passivation) of a SiC/SiO2 interface is more effective than NO passivation, providing peak mobilities of 80-90 cm2/V-s. However after typical P-passivation, the oxide is no longer SiO2 but, rather, is transformed to phosphosilicate glass (PSG). In MOSFETs including an insulation layer of PSG, the polar characteristics of the PSG will typically cause threshold voltage instabilities, rendering the MOSFETs unstable and of little or no practical use.
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The present invention relates generally to devices and methods for exploration of oil and gas. More particularly, the invention describes how to measure formation pressure and how to detect the presence of hydrogen sulfide gas in a rising gas kick so as appropriate prevention and safety measures can be promptly taken. The present invention can be advantageously used when drilling onshore and offshore oil wells. It is designed to allow prevention of blowouts and well explosions, which usually cause human losses, damage to environment and are hard and expensive to suppress.
During an exploratory drilling of an oil, gas or gas condensate wells, drilling fluid referred to in the industry as “mud”, is pumped into the drill pipe. The mud proceeds out through the drill bit and up the annular space between the drill pipe and the walls of the hole. It generally proceeds then further up the annular space between the drill pipe and the casing, after which it returns to the surface of the well. At the surface, the mud is typically examined for certain parameters, processed and returned to the circulation. The purpose of the circulating mud is to clean, cool and lubricate the bit, flush to the surface the cuttings from the bore hole and to protect the walls of the hole until casing is inserted. The density of the mud is carefully controlled at the surface so as to contain various pressures encountered in the hole.
As the well is drilled, gases saturated in highly pressurized fluids at the bottom may be released therefrom or from a porous rock and find their way into the circulating mud forming an annular gas bubble or a gaseous pack, also called a gas kick. This gas kick may ascend to the surface, result in a modification of the buoyancy of the drilling string and can cause extensive damage if it goes undetected. The gas or liquid contained in the gas kick reduces the hydrostatic head in the annulus. If the volume of the gas kick is not excessive and if it can be detected, gas kick removal procedures may be instituted so that drilling operations may proceed with minimal disruption.
Careful monitoring of formation pressure is highly desirable in order to control formation of gas kicks and to assure safe operation of the oil well.
In addition to monitoring for a possible formation and ascendance of a gas kick, containing mostly natural gas, there is an additional safety concern regarding formation of a gas kick containing hydrogen sulfide gas, H2S. This gas is highly toxic, heavier than air, flammable and can cause substantial damage and even death to the oil well service personnel—upon inhaling such gas is extremely irritating and harmful. Free hydrogen sulfide in the blood reduces its oxygen-carrying capacity, thereby depressing the nervous system. Hydrogen sulfide is oxidized quite rapidly to sulfates in the body, therefore no permanent after effects occur in cases of recovery from acute exposures unless oxygen deprivation of the nervous system is prolonged. Effects such as eye irritation, respiratory tract irritation, slow pulse rate, lassitude, digestive disturbances, and cold sweats may occur but these symptoms disappear in a relatively short time after removal from the exposure. At high concentrations of 500 ppm and above, hydrogen sulfide is fatal in as little as 30 minutes.
Surface monitors of hydrogen sulfide presence are not sufficient to assure safety in case of hydrogen sulfide exposure. Methods are needed to warn service personnel about the upcoming gaseous pack containing hydrogen sulfide which will give more time to assure personnel safety than that available with surface monitors.
Using acoustics for detection of the gas kick presence is known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,212 for example discloses sending an acoustic pulse down the pipe and receive its reflection in the annular portion of the well head. Using high frequency positive acoustic pulses however does not allow full characterization of the gas kick as it only allows detection of its upper end and not allows detection of its lower end which is needed to detect its total volume.
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Abscisic acid (ABA) is a natural occurring hormone found in all higher plants (Cutler and Krochko 1999, Trends in Plant Science, 4:472-478; Finkelstein and Rock 2002, The Arabidopsis Book, ASPB, Monona, Md., 1-52). ABA is involved in many major processes during plant growth and development including dormancy, germination, bud break, flowering, fruit set, general growth and development, stress tolerance, ripening, maturation, organ abscission, and senescence. ABA also plays an important role in plant tolerance to environmental stresses, such as drought, cold, and excessive salinity.
One key role of ABA in regulating physiological responses of plants is to act as a signal of reduced water availability to reduce water loss, inhibit growth and induce adaptive responses. All these functions are related to stomatal closure (Raschke and Hedrich 1985, Planta, 163: 105-118). When stomata close, plants conserve water to survive environmental stresses. However, stomatal closure also can result in reduced photosynthesis, respiration and growth. Stomatal closure is a rapid response of plants to ABA. The mechanism of this effect has been studied and has been shown to be due primarily to ABA effects on guard cell ion channels. Specifically, ABA blocks H+ extrusion and K+ influx from guard cells and promotes K+, Cl−and malate extrusion and Ca2+ influx. The net effect of ABA is to reduce the total osmotica in the guard cells, which in turn decreases the water content in the cell. This causes the guard cells to lose turgor and thus close the stomata (Assmann 2004, In: Plant Hormones Biosynthesis, Signal Transduction, Action, ed. Davies, p 391-412). The closing of the stomata results in reduced transpiration. The reduction of transpiration caused by stomatal closure is widely used as an experimental technique to indirectly identify and quantify ABA activity. The ability of ABA to reduce water use can not only extend the display shelf life of ornamentals or the postharvest shelf life of leafy plants, or promote drought tolerance, but it also can lead to a reduction in cold stress injury (Aroca et al. 2003, Plant Sci., 165: 671-679). ABA-induced reduction of stomatal conductance can lead to a decrease in photosynthesis (Downton et al. 1988 New. Phytol., 108: 263-266) which in, turn can lead to growth control. Improving the performance of ABA may be useful not only for improving the reduction of transpiration and water loss, but also for other uses of foliar applied ABA such as maintaining dormancy of buds and seeds, controlling fruit set, accelerating defoliation, and enhancing color development of fruit such as grapes.
Surfactants or adjuvants have long been used with pesticides and plant growth regulators to increase the absorption or uptake by plants and thus improve the performance of the applied chemicals. Adjuvants include wetter-spreaders, stickers, penetrants, compatibility agents and fertilizers. However, there is little prior art information about adjuvant effects on ABA efficacy. In the patent application of Quaghebeur (2005, US20050198896 A1) it is noted that “ethoxylated sorbitan esters and siloxanes have proved to be particularly suitable for the application of ABA”, but there is no mention of adjuvant effects on ABA efficacy. Lee et al. (1997, Kor. Soc. Hort. Sci. J., 38:717-721) reported that the addition of 0.05% Tween 20 (a commercially available ethoxylated sorbitan ester) improved ABA effect. However, Tween 20 is used for academic research and not packaged and distributed for the agricultural market.
The pH of an exogenously applied ABA solution may play a role in determining the efficiency of ABA uptake by plants. At an acidic pH, ABA is in its neutral undissociated form. This form is more lipophilic, and its penetration of the plant cuticle would be favored relative to the charged, dissociated form of ABA present at higher pHs (Blumenfeld and Bukovac 1972, Planta, 107:261-268). The uncharged undissociated form of ABA would more easily cross cell membranes from the relatively acidic apoplast into the cytosol.
Foliar applied nitrogen fertilizers, such as urea or ammonium nitrate, have been used in combination with plant growth regulators (PGRs) to improve the performance of the PGR. For example, the combination of the PGRs benzyladenine (Naito et al. 1974, J. Japan. Soc. Hort. Sci., 43: 215-223) or gibberellic acid (Shulman et al. 1987, Plant Growth Regul., 5: 229-234) with urea increased the grape berry sizing effect compared to the sizing effect achieved with the PGR alone. Ammonium salts have been reported to increase the absorption of pesticides (Wang and Liu 2007, Pestic. Biochem., Physiol., 87: 1-8). Nooden (1986, U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,057) claims the use of ABA to increase fertilizer performance. However, there are no reports of the use of urea (H2NCONH2) or ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) to improve ABA performance.
In order maximize the performance of ABA in its various agricultural and horticultural applications; there is a need to improve the extent and duration of ABA efficacy.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion device having a circuit including a transistor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of photoelectric conversion devices used for detecting electromagnetic waves are generally known. For example, photoelectric conversion devices having sensitivity ranging from ultraviolet rays to infrared rays are collectively referred to as optical sensors. An optical sensor having sensitivity to light in a visible light region with a wavelength of 400 nm to 700 nm is particularly referred to as a visible light sensor. A large number of visible light sensors are used for devices that require illuminance adjustment, on/off control, or the like depending on human living environment.
Known examples of visible light sensors are a photodiode that is a photoelectric conversion element utilizing photoelectric conversion properties of single crystal silicon or amorphous silicon, and a photo IC provided with a phototransistor or an amplifier circuit that amplifies an output of a photodiode.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a photo IC in which a photodiode using amorphous silicon and an amplifier circuit using polycrystalline silicon are formed over one substrate.
[Reference]
Patent Document 1: Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2005-136392
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to imidazo[4,5-c]quinoline amine compounds. In another aspect this invention relates to immunomodulator compounds. In other aspects this invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds, and pharmacological methods of using such compounds.
2. Description of the Related Art
Certain 1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4-amines are known as antiviral agents and/or as immunomodulators. Such compounds are disclosed e.g., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,689,338, 4,929,624, 5,037,986, 5,266,575, 5,268,376, 5,346,905, European Patent Application No. 0,385,630 A2 and WO92/15582 (all to Gerster et al.). Commonly assigned copending application 08/092,002 (Lindstrom et al.) filed Jul. 15, 1993, now abandoned, discloses immunomodulator imidazopyridine amines of the formula ##STR1##
R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; CHR.sub.x R.sub.y wherein R.sub.x is hydrogen and R.sub.y is selected from the group consisting of straight chain, branched chain, or cyclic alkyl containing one to about ten carbon atoms, straight chain or branched chain alkenyl containing two to about ten carbon atoms, straight chain or branched chain hydroxyalkyl containing one to about six carbon atoms, alkoxyalkyl wherein the alkoxy moiety contains one to about four carbon atoms and the alkyl moiety contains one to about six carbon atoms, and phenylethyl; and --CH.dbd.CR.sub.z R.sub.z wherein each R.sub.z is independently straight chain, branched chain, or cyclic alkyl of one to about six carbon atoms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,784 (Nickolaides et al.) discloses immunomodulator 6,7-fused cycloalkylimidazopyridine amines.
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This invention relates generally to extracellular signal molecules, and more particularly, relates to a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family of molecules designated as TREPA, reagents and methods for its detection as well as its use in therapeutics.
The TNF (tumor necrosis factor) family is an expanding set of extracellular signaling molecules (ligands) with biological activities that are intimately associated with a variety of disease conditions. The prototypic member of this family, TNF, is well known as a mediator of septic shock, inflammation, and graft versus host disease. See, for example, A. Cerami, Immunol Today, 9:28-31 (1988); M. Revel, Ciba Found Symp, 129:223-233 (1987); J. Cohen, J. Bone Marrow Transplant 3(3):193-197 (1988). Also, because of its beneficial effects on vasculature of solid tumors, isolated perfusion of TNF is being evaluated as a therapeutic agent for cancer patients. M. W. Boehme, Eur. J. Clin. Invest. 26:404-410 (1996).
The important role of the TNF family in immune regulation has been demonstrated by mutations both in mice and humans. For instance, mice with a loss of function mutation in the TNF family member known as Fas ligand present a variety of disorders including lymphadenopathy and autoimmune disease. See, for example, R. Watanabe-Fukunaga, Nature 356:314-317 (1992); Takahishi et al., Cell 76:969-966, (1994); Adiachi et al., PNAS, 90:1756 (1993); Fisher et al., Cell 81:953-946 (1995); F. Rieux-Laucat, Science 268:1347 (1995). Another example of the immune regulation role is mutation of the TNF family member CD40 ligand in humans. Spontaneous CD40 ligand mutations in human patients result in hyper IgM syndrome, demonstrating the requirement of CD40 ligand for B-cell maturation and isotype switching. Also, targeted disruption of TNF family member LTa in mice results in failure to develop peripheral lymph nodes. P. De Togni, Science 264:703-707 (1994).
Another property of this family of ligands which is potentially clinically useful is the ability to selectively induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in a variety of cancer cells, but not in most normal cells. The two known members of the TNF family which induce apoptosis in the widest variety of cell lines are TRAIL (TNF related apoptosis inducing ligand) and Fas ligand. See, for example, T. Suda et al., Cell 75:1169-1178 (1993); Wiley et al., Immunity 3:673-682, (1995). This property is unique to the TNF family of ligands.
Members of the TNF family of ligands can be identified by a region of amino acid conservation, which is approximately restricted to the N-terminal 150 amino acids. This region forms a b-pleated sheet structure, which trimerizes and interacts with the cognate receptors.
Specifically, with the exception of lymphotoxin-alpha, members of the TNF family of ligands are type II membrane spanning proteins whole extracellular C-terminal domains combine to form these trimeric complexes. These ligand trimers, either presented on cell surfaces or shed to produce soluble molecules, initiate a variety of biological activities by cross-linking congnate members of the parallel family of TNF receptors (Smith, C. A. et al., Cell 76:959-962). These activities include T-cell co-stimulation (Goodwin, R. G. et al., Eur. J. Immunol, 23:2631-2641; Smith, C. A. et al., Cell 73:1349-1360; and Goodwin, R. G. et al., Cell 73:447-456.), apoptosis (Daniel, P. T. et al., J. Immunol. 152:5624-5632 and Wiley, S. R. et al., Immunity. 3:673-682), B-cell proliferation and isotype switching (Allen, R. C. et al., Science 259:990-993 and Alderson, M. R. et al., J. Exp. Med. 181:71-77), and development of peripheral lymph nodes (De Tongi, P. et al., Science 264:703-707).
Further, within the aforementioned N-terminal domain there are isolated regions of homology which correspond to the strands of the b-pleated sheet. Therefore, the total amino acid sequence identity between TNF family members is not high, but can be recognized by those skilled in the art.
Given the crucial roles of members of this family of molecules in immune regulation, investigation into the existence and identity of other members of the TNF family is desirable. The identification and characterization of these molecules provide means to identify and treat a variety of immune disorders.
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Synthetic oligonucleotides have been shown to regulate gene expression in cells. Thus, these molecules bind to target regions of nucleic acids and inhibit gene expression. They are useful to control infectious disease and have been used and tested in a variety of diseases or conditions associated with altered or aberrant gene expression such as cancers, hereditary disorders, and the like.
There are two major oligonucleotide (ODN) based strategies designed to inhibit gene expression. One method uses antisense ODNs complementary to a specific mRNA to form DNA:RNA hybrids. These hybrids are stabilized by Watson-Crick base pairing and are substrates for cellular ribonuclease H (RNase H), an enzyme that degrades the RNA portion of the duplex rendering the mRNA untranslatable (Walder, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 85:5011-5015, 1988). Because RNase H does not degrade the ODN, the ODN is able to hybridize to another copy of the target mRNA. Modified oligonucleotides have been disclosed for duplex-forming oligonucleotides and in one example, Letsinger et al. disclose the use of N,N,N'-trimethylethylenediamine or 4-(2 aminoethyl)morpholine internucleoside linkages to promote duplex formation (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 110;4470-4471, 1988)
A second ODN-based strategy for altering gene expression targets DNA by the formation of a triple helical structure. The use of ODNs to form triple helix structures was initially reported by Moser, et al. (Science, 238:645-650, 1987, and see LeDoan, et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 15:7749-7760, 1987). Under suitable conditions, an ODN will bind in the major groove of a DNA duplex. The presence of a third strand may either sterically block transcription, prevent the sequence specific interactions of regulatory proteins with DNA, and/or alter the conformation of the bound duplex.
There are two known triplex binding motifs, both involving interactions between the bases of a relatively short ODN (generally between 11-50 base pairs) and the purine bases of a polypurine:polypyrimidine stretch of duplex DNA. In the pyrimidine motif, thymidine residues in the third strand interact with adenosine residues of an A:T duplex while a protonated cytidine in the third strand is hydrogen-bonded to the guanosine of a G:C duplex (Moser, et al., supra). The protonation of C residues at nitrogen position number three generally requires a pH less than six, and thus limits the use of this strategy in vivo (Rajagopal, P., et al., Nature, 339:637-640, 1989, and Lyamichev, et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 16:2165-2178, 1988) unless deoxycytidine analogues are used (see Krawczyk, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (ISA), 89:3761-3764, 1992).
The second triplex motif involves a purine rich triplex forming oligonucleotide (TFO). Thymidine or adenosine residues of the third strand bind to the adenosine of an A:T duplex and guanosine in the third strand interacts with the guanosine of a G:C duplex (Beal, et al., Science, 251:1360-1363, 1991, Durland, et al., Biochem., 30:9246-9255, 1955, and Cooney, et al., Science, 241:456-459, 1988). The orientation of the third strand has been shown to be antiparallel to the purine-rich strand of the duplex (Beal, et al., supra). The major drawback to using this approach in vivo is the tendency of G-rich ODNs to self-associate into quartets at physiologic potassium concentrations. However, recent studies indicate that the use of a GT rich ODN to affect transcription of a transfected CAT plasmid in vivo indicates that GT rich combinations may minimize quartet formation. Unmodified negatively charged oligonucleotides do not generally stably participate in triplex formation in cells. Triplex forming oligonucleotide strategies must account for the physiologic concentrations of Mg.sup.+2 and the level of potassium tolerated for stable triplex formation.
To improve the stability and cellular uptake of oligonucleotides, oligonucleotides have been prepared having modifications to the phosphate backbone. For example, phosphorothiate and methylphosphonate derivatives of oligonucleotides have been synthesized and have sequence specificity and hybridize similarly to that of unmodified oligonucleotides. Aminoethyl phosphonate derivatives of oligonucleotides have also been synthesized and demonstrate enhanced stability in aqueous solution as compared with aminoethyl phosphonate linkages (Fathi, et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 22:5416-5424, 1994). The uncharged character of the methylphosphonate derivatives permits an enhanced uptake of the oligonucleotides by the cell and increased resistance to nucleases as compared with unmodified oligonucleotides. Methoxyethyl-phosphoramidate linkages have been incorporated into the internucleoside backbone at 3' and 5' linkages to inhibit exonuclease degradation. The synthesis of ODNs with some modified and some unmodified linkages allowed both increased nuclease resistance while maintaining RNase H mediated target RNA degradation. (Dagle, et al., Antisense Res. and Devel., 1:11-20, 1991).
Intercalating agents have also been conjugated to oligonucleotides to increase the stability of the conjugate with the complementary strand (see, for example, Wilson, et al., Biochem., 32:10614-10621, 1993, and Orson, et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 22:479-484, 1994). In addition, molecules are often attached to the oligonucleotides to modify the net charge. Examples of these agents include polylysine, cationic peptides, polyamines and polycationic polymers. Intercalators and polylysine have shown an increased resistance to nuclease degradation.
Nucleomonomers can also be modified to improve triplex formation and PCT International Publication No. WO 94/24144 discloses oligomers with 7-deaza-7-substituted purines.
The formation of a DNA triplex using a purine rich ODN is inhibited by monovalent cations, particularly potassium ions (Olivas, et al., Biochem., 34:278-284, 1995). Intracellular K.sup.+ concentrations inhibit triplex formation using unmodified oligonucleotides. Potassium ions are the predominant intracellular cations. One problem with forming triplexes at physiologic K.sup.+ levels is the self-association of guanosine-rich ODNs into aggregates which are stabilized by guanine quartets (Olivas, et al., Biochem., 34:278-284, 1995; Olivas, et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 23:1936-1941, 1995). In addition to decreasing the rate of triplex association, K.sup.+ increases the rate of triplex disassociation in vitro (Olivas, Biochem., supra). The inhibitory effect of K.sup.+ can be partially diminished by chemical modification of ODNs. For example, incorporation of the modified base 6-thioguanine in place of native guanine into TFOs decreases the association of ODNs into quartets and increases triplex formation in the presence of monovalent cations (Olivas, Nucl. Acids Res., supra, and Rao, et al., Biochem., 34:765-772, 1995).
Another hurdle associated with the use of ODNs in vivo is that the oligonucleotides are rapidly degraded by intracellular nucleases (Rebagliate, et al., Cell, 48:599-605, 1987; Dagle et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 18:4751-4757, 1990; Dagle, et al., Antisense Res. and Dev., 1:11-20, 1991). The chemical modification of ODNs provides resistance to nucleolytic degradation (Dagle, et al., supra), potentially increasing the overall activity of these compounds in vivo (Dagle, et al., supra, and Weeks, et al., Development, 111:1173-1178, 1991). The type and degree of chemical modification of ODNs, however, is limited when strategies require the action of cellular RNase H (Dagle, et al., Antisense, supra). Additionally, some modification of ODNs can result in nonspecific toxicity mediated through non-nucleic acid interactions, such as has recently been reported for phosphorothioate ODNs and the basic fibroblast growth factor receptor (Guvakova, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 270:2620-2627, 1995). In contrast, the formation of triplex structures does not require an enzymatic activity and thus allows greater flexibility with regard to ODN design. The enhanced nucleolytic stability of an ODN with some or all internucleoside linkages modified would be useful for in vivo applications if these compounds are able to form stable triplex structures. The present invention discloses a class of oligonucleotides with enhanced stability for triplex formation.
Candidate oligonucleotides should produce triplex formation at physiologic salt concentrations. The close association of two nucleic acid strands creates a highly negatively charged environment. Many oligonucleotides disclosed in the literature to date require the presence of magnesium ions above physiologic concentrations to produce stable triplex formation. The obligate presence of magnesium ions for triplex association most likely reduces interstrand charge repulsions. However, magnesium concentrations within the cell cannot be altered without altering cell physiology. Therefore, oligonucleotides dependent on minimum concentrations of magnesium ions may not function well in the cellular milieu.
The present invention discloses a class of oligonucleotides that strongly enhance triplex formation even in the presence of K.sup.+ ion concentrations exceeding physiologic levels. This invention promotes oligonucleotide-mediated duplex formation and can be used for antisense technologies.
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The present invention relates to a clamping device for interconnecting two elongate elements.
The clamping device has been devised particularly, although not necessarily solely, for use with surgical retractors.
In surgical operations requiring access to internal organs and bone structures, it is common to use retractors to hold back tissue about the surgical site, so as to expose the area in which surgery is to be performed. Typically, a retractor includes a retractor blade which engages the tissue, and a retractor shaft onto which the retractor blade is mounted. The retractor is attached to a retractor support structure by some form of clamping device. The retractor support structure typically includes a rail which the clamping device can engage to thereby connect the retractor to the retractor support structure.
It is important that the clamping devices allow the retractors to be conveniently positioned on the retractor support structure and to be conveniently adjusted as necessary to achieve appropriate positioning with respect to the surgical site. Additionally, it is important that the clamping devices should not pose any significant obstruction to access to the surgical site and to movement of personnel about the surgical site, during the surgical procedure.
Various types of clamping devices have been proposed including those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,727,899 (Dobrovolny), 5,792,046 (Dobrovolny) and 5,888,197 (Mulac). Each of those patents discloses a clamping device which includes a first clamping member for releasably engaging a retractor shaft, a second clamping member for releasably engaging a rail forming part of a retractor support structure, and a shaft which extends between the first and second clamping members and which is operable in association with a camming mechanism to cause the first and second clamping members to move between clamping and non-clamping conditions. Each clamping member includes a mounting section which is mounted on the shaft and a clamping section which is offset from the shaft. Typically, the clamping section includes a clamping aperture in which the component undergoing clamping is received. While such arrangements have proved satisfactory in operation, they do suffer from several deficiencies.
One deficiency is that the clamping device does not lend itself to a compact construction owing to the fact that the clamping section of each clamping member is offset with respect to the shaft on which the clamping members are supported.
Secondly, the offset relationship between the shaft of the clamping device and the retractor shaft renders the retractor vulnerable to deflection in the event of accidental impact during the surgical procedure.
Thirdly, cleaning of and sterilisation of the clamping devices is rendered difficult where they contain large numbers of operational parts. Furthermore, it can sometimes be difficult to insert the retractor shaft of a retractor in the clamping aperture of the appropriate clamping member owing to the close tolerances required for the clamping aperture in order for it to effectively move between clamping and non-clamping conditions upon operation of the clamping device. As a result of the close tolerances, there is little opportunity to accommodate misalignment between the retractor shaft and the clamping aperture when the clamping shaft is being presented to the clamping aperture for insertion therein during the process of setting up the retractor system.
It is against this background, and the problems and deficiencies associated therewith, that the present invention has been developed.
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As the integration degree of semiconductor devices has increased, the size and interval (pitch) of patterns constituting circuits has also been reduced. Accordingly, minute patterns should be formed. However, it can be difficult to form minute patterns that can be applied to semiconductor devices using, for example, a KrF light source (245 nm) or ArF light source (193 nm).
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A wireless communication device communicates with a serving wireless access node using a radio frequency (RF) signal over a wireless communication link. Typically, the wireless communication device continually receives transport level status metrics related to this RF signal, such as a carrier to interference plus noise ratio (CINR) and a received signal strength indicator (RSSI). The CINR and RSSI levels are constantly changing as the wireless communication device moves from one wireless access node to another. In some instances, the RF signal quality will trigger a handoff response if the signal level falls below a certain threshold, which is typically a fixed setting stored in the wireless communication device.
Modern wireless communication devices are often equipped with multiple radio antennas to enable wireless communications with different types of wireless access networks, such as third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) wireless networks. When such a device detects a decrease in RF signal strength, it may respond by activating a second radio antenna to search for another wireless access node of a different wireless access network than it is presently in communication with in order to initiate a handoff. When the second radio antenna is activated, additional battery power is drawn from the battery reserves of the wireless communication device. In many cases, the CINR and RSSI levels only decrease momentarily and quickly improve, so the wireless communication device remains in communication with the wireless access node on the initial radio antenna, but has unfortunately depleted additional battery power by unnecessarily activating the second radio antenna.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the filed of mechanical pencils, especially to a side knock type mechanical pencil.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, the mechanical pencil can be used continuously by refilling the lead so that it is used frequently by the people when they work and study. The principle of mechanical pencils made in the prior art is to drive the lead to come out by pressing a knock button disposed on a rear end of the pencil.
It is known from the above that when using the mechanical pencil according to the prior art, the user usually has to stop writing, move his/her hand to the rear end of the pencil, and then press the button disposed on the rear end of the pencil so as to make the lead come out. Therefore, the mechanical pencil according to the prior art, has less practicality.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device using a thin film transistor (TFT) mounted on an insulating substrate such as a glass plate, and more particularly to a semiconductor device which can be utilized in an active matrix type liquid crystal displaying unit, or the similar matrix circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
An active matrix type liquid crystal display unit using a TFT to drive a pixel, an image sensor, a three dimensional integrated circuit, and the like are known as a semiconductor device having a TFT on an insulating substrate such as a glass plate.
A thin film silicon semiconductor is generally used as the TFT mounted on such a device. In particular, for a high speed operation it is strongly required to establish a method for manufacturing a TFT comprising a crystalline silicon semiconductor. A method of conducting crystallization by forming an amorphous semiconductor film and applying a heat energy thereto (heat annealing) is known as a method for obtaining such a crystalline thin film silicon semiconductor.
There are some problems in manufacturing a semiconductor circuit using the crystalline silicon film thus formed. For example, a circuit that not only a matrix circuit but also the peripheral circuit for driving the same are constituted of the TFT (monolithic type active matrix circuit) is taken into account as an active matrix type circuit used in a liquid crystal display unit (i.e., a circuit that a controlling transistor is arranged in each pixel).
In this complicated circuit, characteristics required in the TFT vary depending on the position of the circuit. For example, the TFT used for controlling the pixel of the active matrix circuit is required to have sufficiently small leak current in order to maintain an electric charge stored in a capacitor constituted of a pixel electrode and an opposite electrode. However, a current driving ability may not be so high.
On the other hand, a large current switching at a short time is necessary in the TFT used in a driver circuit which supplies signals to a matrix circuit, and the TFT having a high current driving ability is required. However, a leak current may not be so low.
A TFT having a high current driving ability and a low leak current is most desirable. However, the TFT presently manufactured is far from such an ideal TFT, and if the current driving ability is high, the leak current is also high, and if the leak current is low, the current driving ability is low.
Therefore, the monolithic type active matrix circuit constituted using the conventional TFT attempts to improve the current driving ability and reduce the leak current by changing a channel length or a channel width of the TFT. However, if the circuit becomes finer, the change by a scale as conventionally employed is limited.
For example, in order to obtain a high current driving ability it is necessary to increase the channel width. The monolithic circuit uses the TFT having a channel width of 500 to 1,000 .mu.m. However, if a higher current driving ability is required due to the increase in the number of pixels and the degree of gradation, it is difficult to further expand the channel width to 5 mm, 10 mm or the like from that the formation region of the peripheral circuit is limited.
On the other hand, it is desirable for the TFT used to control the pixel to obtain a clear image quality by increasing a charge retention ability. However, considering that the pixel region has a size of several hundreds .mu.m square, it is impossible to increase the channel length to 50 .mu.m, 100 .mu.m or the like in order to decrease the leak current. As s result, since a scale of a matrix, a pitch and the number of pixels are largely limited in the conventional TFT monolithic type active matrix circuit, a displaying unit having a finer screen capable of obtaining a high quality image cannot be manufactured.
The above problems occur in not only the monolithic type active matrix circuit but also in other semiconductor circuits.
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The Generic Routing Encapsulation (“GRE”) protocol can be used to establish a tunnel between two devices on a computer network. The tunnel can be a virtual data link between the two devices, and it can be created by encapsulating one data packet inside another data packet and by adding additional tunnel packet headers. One common type of GRE tunnel is IP-in-IP, in which Internet Protocol (“IP”) packets are encapsulated inside other IP packets. Another common type of GRE tunnel is PPP-over-IP, in which Point to Point (“PPP”) packets are encapsulated inside IP packets.
One application for GRE tunnels is Mobile IP, which allows a mobile node to move among IP subnets. Mobile IP supports using GRE to create an IP-in-IP tunnel between a home agent and a foreign agent. Packets addressed to a mobile node are first routed to the home agent, which then forwards the packet through the tunnel to the foreign agent. The foreign agent then provides the packet to the mobile node.
Another application for GRE tunnels is Virtual Private Networks (“VPNs”). In a VPN, the Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (“PPTP”) can be used to establish a PPP over IP tunnel between two endpoints. The PPP over IP tunnel connects the two endpoints, which are located on private networks, via a public network. PPTP uses a variety of GRE to establish the tunnel.
GRE tunnels can be unidirectional or bi-directional. Additionally, GRE tunnels can terminate at different endpoints (e.g., IP addresses) than the associated tunnel signaling. For example, Mobile IP signaling can be used between a tunnel initiator and a first endpoint IP address in order to establish a GRE tunnel to a second endpoint IP address.
Ongoing signaling transactions in a GRE tunnel do not generally provide reachability and liveness of the endpoints. Therefore, one GRE endpoint would not be able to determine the reachability and liveness of the other endpoint. As an example, an establishing endpoint can establish a GRE tunnel with a receiving endpoint, and the establishing endpoint can send messages through the tunnel to the receiving endpoint. If the receiving GRE endpoint crashes, it would not send error messages back to the establishing GRE endpoint. The establishing GRE endpoint can continue to send packets to the receiving endpoint, which would be silently discarded by the network for an indeterminable period of time because the endpoint is unreachable.
One way to convey information about the GRE tunnel endpoints is by using a ping mechanism. As is known in the art, ping is a protocol for testing whether a particular device is connected to the Internet by sending a packet to its IP address and waiting for a response from the device. Using ping, however, requires a separate ping session in addition to the GRE tunnel. Additionally, the ping responses must be integrated with GRE tunneling traffic indicators in order to accurately and efficiently detect the status of the endpoints. This requires additional overhead in relaying ping messages between the GRE tunnel endpoints, in addition to the complexity of establishing and integrating ping sessions with the GRE tunnel.
Therefore, there exists a need to provide an improved method for monitoring the reachability and liveness of GRE endpoints.
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The present invention relates to a mechanism for adjusting an angle at which a movable member is fixed to a fixed member, for use on an adjustable-angle seat back, for example, and more particularly to such a fixed-angle adjusting mechanism composed of a fixed member and a movable member angularly movably mounted on the fixed member, the fixed and movable members having a latch member and a pawl member engageable with and disengageable from each other in response to operation of a control lever for adjusting the angle of attachment of the movable member to the fixed member.
Prior fixed-angle adjusting mechanisms of the type described include a fixed member and a movable member angularly adjustably mounted on the fixed member. To set the movable member in a desired angular position with respect to the fixed member, a control handle is first released, then the movable member is angularly moved to the desired position with respect to the fixed member, and finally the movable member is secured to the fixed member. Once the movable member has been turned from a desired position to another position, however, the movable member cannot easily be returned to the desired position. When the movable member is to be restored to the original desired position, efforts should be made to adjust the angular position of the movable member again. Accordingly, the conventional fixed-angle adjusting mechanisms have been tedious and time-consuming in angle adjusting operation.
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a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle with a setting part displaceable in at least one setting direction for setting the position of the steering column, a holding part nondisplaceable in this setting direction, a securement device, in the opened state of which the setting part is displaceable with respect to the holding part for setting the position of the steering column, and, in the closed state of which, the setting part is secured in place with respect to the holding part by the securement device, wherein the adjustable steering column comprises a crash blocking device by which an additional holding force can be exerted against a dislocation of the setting part with respect to the holding part.
b) Description of related prior art
Adjustable steering columns serve for increasing the comfort of the driver and can be changed in length, height and/or angular position in order to be able to adapt the position of the steering wheel to the seating position of the driver. These steering columns include for this purpose a setting part whose position can be changed with respect to a holding part and be secured in place with a securement device or a clamping system.
In the case of adjustable steering columns the problem is encountered that in the event of a crash, uncontrolled displacement of the steering column must be prevented such that, for example, sufficient retaining force is available for opening the airbag and/or the energy upon the impact of the driver onto the steering wheel can be dissipated under control. The securement device should at the same time be readily-moved and it should be possible to open and close the device with minimal strokes of the actuation members and it should assume only low installation space.
To secure the adjusted position in place, in EP 0 802 104 B1, for example, disk lamella packs intersecting in the manner of sandwiches are proposed, wherein the one disk pack is connected on the steering spindle-receiving setting part, here a jacket unit, rotatably bearing-supporting the steering spindle, and the other disk pack is connected to a holding part connected with the motor vehicle chassis. The two intersecting disk packs are penetrated by a clamp bolt and are mutually seized by actuating a clamping lever. In order for the steering column to be adjusted, the lamellae have elongated holes oriented in the adjustment directions of the steering column, the elongated holes being oriented identically in all lamellae of a disk pack.
These systems already permit the securement of the steering column with few lamellae and a short actuation stroke and a relatively low clamping force. However, in order to be able to absorb the high holding forces, such as are required for the event of a crash, the number of lamellae and/or the clamping force must be increased. The securement device becomes thereby more complex, more expensive and occupies greater installation space. The strokes and forces for actuating the clamping lever, furthermore, become greater. In addition, the energy dissipation upon a slipping-through of the securement device can only be set imprecisely in the event of a crash.
EP 0 836 981, for example, proposes for securing the set position to bring into engagement a tooth rack, fastened on a bearing unit connected with the vehicle chassis, with a second tooth rack fastened on the shell unit receiving the steering spindle. For the adjustment of the steering column these tooth racks are brought out of engagement such that a dislocation of the steering column becomes possible.
In order for such systems not to slip through in the event of a crash, the toothings must be laid out such that they are correspondingly robust and a sufficient clamping force must be provided in order for the toothings not to come out of engagement. Therewith the strokes and forces for actuating the clamping lever become greater. A robust layout of the toothing, moreover, requires that the tooth spacings be increased whereby the step width, in which the steering column can be adjusted, is increased. However, for purposes of comfort it is desirable to permit an adjustment that is as continuous, or at least fine-stepped, as possible.
Both discussed principles require, in addition, a very high rigidity of the chassis-side bearing unit.
DE 196 17 561 C1 therefore proposes a crash blocking device with an additional arresting part, which acts independently of the securement device and, in the event of a crash, produces an additional holding force.
However, the disadvantage of this solution entails that such additional arresting part must be provided which requires additional installation space and expenses. It must further be ensured that such additional arresting part in the event of a crash, but only in this case, comes reliably into engagement and, for the case that the steering column is to be adjusted, is reliably brought out of engagement.
DE 102 61 538 A1 shows an adjustable motor vehicle steering column, in which means are integrated into the position securing unit for increasing the holding force for the event of a vehicle crash. The clamping arrangement includes for this purpose a canting part, wherein, upon twisting entailed in a deformation of the steering column, the entrainment of the canting part takes place and clamping edges and clamping faces come into engagement with one another such that the displaceability of the canting part is constrained.
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This invention relates generally to determining performance of communication channels, and more particularly to evaluating effects of technical characteristics of a communication channel with user perception of the communication channel's performance.
Various systems provide an increasing amount of content to client devices for presentation to users via one or more networks. Client devices are coupled to a network via one or more communication channels to obtain content provided by various systems. For example, a system coupled to a network provides audio or video data to client devices that are coupled to the network via one or more communication channels, allowing users of the client devices to access the audio or video data.
While systems providing content or systems that maintain networks through which content is distributed may capture technical data describing performance of the networks, user perception of a communication channel with a network is affected by various factors outside of the network. For example, a system providing a network is unable to control content or other services requested by a user through a client device that may affect the user's interaction with content provided via the communication channel with the network. Additionally, configuring communication channels to optimize transmission of content between a system and a client device is increasingly complex, making it difficult for a system to configure communication of content to various client devices in different locations or communicating via different types of communication channels. Further, communication channels configuration or operation, as well as client device functionality or usage, may change over time, making it difficult to optimize use of client devices or communication channels over time. For example, over time, users may request more video or dynamic content from mobile devices, which may warrant modification of how a system communicating the content is configured over time. Accordingly, conventionally obtained technical data describing performance of a communication channel provides little information about how the technical data relates to user perception of the communication channel's performance. Hence, a system providing content through or maintaining networks are unable to accurately identify modifications to one or more technical characteristics of communication channel with a network to improve how users perceive performance of the communication channel; such improved perception may increase user consumption of content through the communication channel, increasing revenue to the system.
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1. Technical Field
Aspects of this document relate generally to cranes. More specific implementations involve davit cranes and gantry cranes.
2. Background Art
Cranes are used in many industries for a variety of applications. Typically, a crane is used to hold, lift, or lower a load and/or to move the load to another location. Various types of cranes exist, such as overhead or bridge cranes, mobile (such as truck-mounted) cranes, side-lift cranes, rough terrain cranes, all terrain cranes, pick and carry cranes, carry deck cranes, crawler cranes, railroad cranes, and the like. Many cranes operate with a winch and/or with a wire, rope, chain or other device which sits in a sheave or other loop or device for lowering or lifting a load.
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Proximity sensors or detectors of the foregoing type typically use radio frequency (RF) or infrared (IR) transmitters and receivers facing in a common direction so that RF or IR energy emitted by the transmitter is reflected back to the receiver when an object is present proximate the detector. Conventional systems of this type relying on energy from the source being reflected back to the receiver and measured then compare that measurement, either analog or digital, to a reference value. The results of that comparison are then used to determine if an object is within the detector's range or not. In some designs the reference value is altered slightly and the measurements repeated in an attempt to ensure that there is indeed an object present.
The infrared and RF spectrums are becoming quite noisy with either intentional or unintentional radiators. These signals can interfere with existing detection systems and cause false interpretations. That is, a signal received by the receiver from an energy source outside the detector may be interpreted by the detector as a reflection of energy emitted by the transmitter, resulting in a false-positive reading indicative of the presence of an object proximate the detector when in fact no such object is present.
It is therefore desirable to provide a proximity detector that minimizes the chances of a random detection. Applicant has developed the system and method detailed herein below to more reliably detect an object regardless of the extraneous signals from other sources and changing ambient conditions.
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Transmission of information by the use of light over optical fibers is widely used in long-haul telecommunication systems. Optical signals are generated, transported along optical fibers and detected to regenerate the original electronic signal with as little change as possible. Fibers are substituted for other transmission media and all signal processing is done electronically, resulting in lowered cost and high quality digital transmission.
As fiber optic applications technology develops direct optical processing of signals without conversion to electronic signals will be required. Optical fiber systems will be applied in computer networks, for example, in multiple access computer networks. Such applications require optical fiber devices such as amplifiers, multiplex/demultiplexes, splitters, couplers, filters, equalizers, switches and other optical signal processors. An economical low-loss, easily and reproducibly manufactured single-mode optical fiber filter, the design of which can be adapted to a desired bandwidth, FSR and finesse is an important component for such fiber optic systems. A fiber Fabry-Perot (FFP) interferometric filter is such a component.
FFPs which possess optical properties suitable for telecommunication applications have been described. These FFPs consist of two highly reflective, preferably plane-parallel mirrors, forming the optical cavity through at least a portion of which, in most cases, a length of single-mode optical fiber extends. This basic design eliminates the need for collimating and focusing lenses, improves stability and optical performance and makes the FFPs compatible with single-mode optical fibers and other fiber devices.
The transmission characteristics of a typical FFP of length, l.sub.c, have been described, for example see the description in C. M. Miller U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,745. An FFP is tuned between successive resonance maxima by, for example, changing the optical cavity length, l.sub.c. (Alternatively, tuning of the FFP can be accomplished by changing the index of refraction, n.) The bandwidth (BW) is the full width at half maximum. The finesse of the filter, F=FSR/BW, can be measured experimentally by measuring the ratio of FSR to BW from the transmission curves generated by varying l.sub.c with constant wavelength, .lambda.. Measuring F in this manner accounts for all non-dispersive losses including mirror absorption, diffraction and alignment losses. If .lambda. is varied to generate transmission curves, dispersive properties of the mirrors, fibers, and cavity modes are also included in the measured FSR.
J. Stone and L. W. Stulz (1987) Elect. Lett., 23(15):781-783 described three configurations of FFP interferometric filters. A Type I FFP is a long cavity FFP having mirrors deposited at the ends of a continuous fiber. Stretching the fiber, for example using piezoelectric transducers (PZTs), tunes the bandwidth (BW) over the free spectral range (FSR). A Type II FFP is a gap resonator, formed between two opposed mirror-ended fiber ferrules. Since there is no optical fiber inside the optical cavity, signal loss increases significantly with cavity length and the useful cavity length of this type of FFP is less than about 5 .mu.m. A Type III FFP has an internal fiber-containing waveguide positioned between two fiber ferrules each of which has a fiber end. The optical cavity is formed between a mirrored-end of one ferrule and a mirror at the end of the waveguide remote from the mirror-ended ferrule and the fiber of the waveguide is within the optical cavity. There is also at least one fiber gap within the cavity, for example between the waveguide and the mirror-ended ferrule. The length of the fiber gap can be varied to tune the filter.
The type III FFP is generally better suited to telecommunication applications than either of the other types of FFPs.
The ferrule components and waveguide of Type II and III FFPs must be axially aligned to high precision in order to minimize transmission loss. Type II and III FFPs tuned using PZTs to change cavity length are the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,136. Elaborate alignment brackets and fixtures were necessary to change cavity length without detriment to fiber alignment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,684 describes tunable or fixed FFP filters in which the resonance cavity is formed by two wafered ferrules with mirrors embedded between the wafer and the ferrule and axially disposed optical fibers. The two ferrules are positioned in the filter configuration with mirrors opposed and the optical fibers of the ferrules aligned. The resonance cavity formed between the embedded mirrors contains a fiber gap between the wafered ends of the ferrules. The ferrule combination is held in alignment by an alignment fixture which can include PZTs to change the cavity length and tune the filter. A support fixture useful for holding a FFP ferrule assembly in axial alignment which includes PZTs for changing the cavity length and means for adjustment of alignment is described in EP patent application 0 457 484.
C. M. Miller U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,746 describes improved fixed or tunable single-wafered ferrule FFP filters in which an optical cavity is formed between a mirror-ended ferrule and a wafered ferrule with an embedded mirror.
G. F. De Veau and C. M. Miller U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,644 describe a rotary mechanical splice ferrule alignment fixture. This fixture comprises a plurality, typically three, alignment rods held within a spring bracket. At least one of the alignment rods, preferably two in a three-rod splice, includes a "flat", as defined in that patent extending along the rod from one end for a substantial fraction of the length of the rod. Ferrules are inserted into the splice and the fibers of the ferrules aligned therein using a rotary alignment technique as described in the patent. The "flat" portions on the alignment rods provide an alignment fixture offset necessary for rotary alignment. Once alignment is adjusted it is maintained by establishing a multi-point (preferably three-point) pressure contact of the alignment rods with the ferrule. C. M. Miller U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,745 describes a temperature tunable FFP which employs a rotary mechanical splice fixture. The rotary mechanical splice fixture has not been used in FFPs tuned using PZTs.
In prior art FFPs tuned with PZTs, the fibers in a ferrule assembly are aligned by adjusting the relative tightness of set screws around the circumference of one or both of the ferrule holders. These screws contact the ferrule directly or indirectly via an intermediate sleeve. See EP patent application 0 457 484, U.S. patent 19-91, 20-91, 2-92 and 24-93.
Signal loss due to wavelength drift and increased insertional loss as a function of temperature can be a significant problem in FFPs. An uncompensated FFP, like that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,684 or EP application 0 457 484, can exhibit a relatively large change in cavity length with temperature, of the order 0.05 .mu.m/.degree.C. This can represent a drift of a full FSR (free spectral range) over 15.degree. C. See C. M. Miller and F. J. Janniello (1990) Electronics Letters 26:2122-2123.
Control circuitry can be used with PZT-tuned FFPs to lock the filter onto a wavelength over a wide temperature range (I. P. Kaminow (1987) Electronics Letters 23:1102-1103 and D. A. Fishman et al. (1990) Photonics Technology Letters pp.662-664). These systems can require control voltage swings of several tens of volts to compensate for variations of cavity length with temperature. A high voltage power supply capable of providing 60 volts was needed to maintain a wavelength lock over a temperature range of about 30.degree. C. (Fishman et al. supra).
Miller and Janniello (1990) supra describe passive temperature compensation of PZT-tuned FFPs using aluminum blocks. Since PZTs require a higher voltage at higher temperature to maintain a given length, cavity length effectively decreases with increasing temperature (with constant voltage). Thus, a PZT-tuned FFP has a negative temperature coefficient. Addition of a material, like aluminum, having a positive temperature coefficient in series with the PZTs compensates for the negative temperature coefficient of the PZTs. Passive compensation significantly reduced the voltage requirements for FFP locking circuits so that +/- 12 volt power supplies, such as are conventionally employed in computer systems, can be employed for locking.
C. M. Miller et al. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/929,836, now allowed, reports that it is important to use controlled thicknesses of positive temperature coefficient adhesives, such as epoxy, when constructing FFPs to obtain consistent temperature compensation. This application also described ferrule holders for use in PZT-tuned FFPs in which the temperature coefficient of the FFP can be adjusted after its construction by changing the points of contact between the ferrule and its holder. This technique significantly improved the production yield of highly accurate, passively compensated FFPs significantly reducing over or under compensation of the FFPs. PZT-tunable FFPs which display wavelength drift less than 1 FSR/100.degree. C. (-25.degree. C. to 85.degree. C.) and less than 1 dB insertion loss over the same temperature range have been constructed. These FFPs, however, employ set screw adjustment for fiber alignment. This method requires more time and skill to achieve good
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This invention relates to a building block and more particularly to a modular building block which can be used for constructing various structures such as windows, walls, floors, etc.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,024,880 there is shown a building panel unit which is constructed of an outer frame 13 with an inner gridwork provided by innerlocking longitudinal and transverse beams 10 and 11. Two sheets 12 of translucent material such as plastic are supported by the gridwork and the frame. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,252,260 lightweight plastic panels 22 and 24 are disclosed. These are assembled together by means of vertical and horizontal inside and outside rectangular bars 60 and 62 which engage outer lateral flanges 40 and 42 of the panels. These bars also provide for connection with additional panel units. Glass panels are described for structural elements in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,373,538 and 4,628,652. In the '538 patent the glass panels are interconnected by elastic connectors 6 whereas in the '652 patent, glass bodies 1a and 1 b are interconnected by a hard integral foam frame 3.
The prior art does not provide a building block unit which has the versatility of customizing the block for various needs such as insulation properties. Neither does the prior art provide a building block structure wherein the average person can assemble it and put it in place with the use of common tools and materials. The prior art is also deficient in affording a building block of the foregoing type which is modular so that individual units can be easily secured to each other.
It is an object of the invention to provide a building block which can be assembled in a manner to provide a wide variety of insulation capabilities.
It is another object of this invention to provide a building block which can be easily installed.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a building block of the foregoing type which is modular and can be easily interconnected with other units of the same type.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a building block of the foregoing type which can be easily repaired.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a modular building block which can be easily assembled either by hand or with automated equipment.
Other objects include a building block which has the versatility for use in constructing a wall, ceiling, floor or window, as well as can be fabricated and repaired with waste material such as scrap glass or plastic.
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The concept “system LSI” of a plurality of large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs) on a common substrate has recently been brought in and various methods of designing system LSIs have also been proposed. System LSIs in particular have the advantage of being realized as a wide variety of multifunctional semiconductor devices on an extremely large scale of integration in such a manner that a memory such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a logic LSI, an analog circuit such as a high-frequency circuit, etc., are mounted in one semiconductor device.
As a method for testing each of such LSIs to determine whether the LSI is correctly formed, a built-in self-test (BIST), a scan test and a boundary scan test, for example, are known.
FIG. 24 is a block diagram for explaining a conventional ordinary built-in self-test (BIST). As shown in FIG. 24, a pattern generator for generating a test pattern, a result compressor and a control circuit are provided as BIST means in an LSI. The control circuit makes the test pattern generator generate a test pattern in response to a start signal and input the generated test pattern to a logic circuit which is a test object (DUT), and make the result compressor obtain a testing signal output from the test object and output the testing signal out of the LSI. An external instrument (tester) determines whether the test object logic circuit is operating normally. According to this testing method, a test can be automatically made without generating a pattern in a tester. This method has the advantage of using a smaller number of pins and imposing only an extremely small load on the tester.
FIG. 25 is a block diagram schematically showing an ordinary boundary scan test circuit. As shown in FIG. 25, the boundary scan test circuit has a scan chain formed by successively connecting flip flops (FFs) attached to external terminals of an LSI from an input test terminal (TDI) to an output test terminal (TDO). A test pattern is input to the scan chain to enable use of the boundary scan test circuit for determination as to whether connections between one LSI-A and an adjacent LSI-B are correctly made.
FIG. 26 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a scan chain used in an ordinary scan test. Ordinarily, in a scan-in method, a scan chain test pattern is externally supplied and data output from a test object is immediately output from the test chain. That is, in ordinary cases of scan tests of internal circuits, no test pattern generator and no result compressor exist in the configuration shown in FIG. 24. However, scan-in may be used as a means for realizing a BIST.
FIG. 27 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a flip flop provided in a boundary test circuit or a scan chain for a scan test of internal circuits.
The above-described conventional system LSIs are confronted with problems described below in actually forming devices.
The first problem resides in difficulty in reducing the device manufacturing cost. This is due to a high cost of development of system LSIs and a limited manufacturing yield.
The second problem resides in a considerable increase in wiring delay. In general, the height of devices is reduced in accordance with a shrinkage rule. With the reduction in sectional area of pieces of wiring, the wiring delay determined by RC (R is a resistance, and C is a parasitic capacitance) is increased. That is, as regards the wiring delay, the disadvantage of a design by a finer rule prevails over the advantage of the same. As a means for solving this problem, a buffer may be provided in wiring. However, if a buffer is provided, another problem arises in that the area occupied by a device and the power consumption of the device are increased.
The third problem resides in difficulty in reducing noise. If the power supply voltage is reduced, the current is increased and it is difficult to limit the increase in noise level corresponding to the increase in current. The S/N ratio becomes lower in proportion to the third to sixth power of the shrinkage rate. Thus, an increase in noise cannot be avoided when a finer design rule is used. That is, the point is how the power supply impedance is limited.
It is conceivable that a semiconductor device suitable for reduced-variety mass production is realized by mounting chip intellectual properties (IP) which are formed as integrated circuits by a plurality of various devices on a semiconductor wiring substrate having a wiring layer, e.g., a silicon wiring substrate. The chip IPs can be used as a means for realizing a semiconductor device incorporating multiple kinds of semiconductor devices having multiple functions while maintaining a large wiring piece sectional area.
However, there are no established means for mounting such chip IPs on a wiring substrate and for inspecting LSIs in the chip IPs. As mentioned above, the BIST method, the scan test method and the boundary scan test are known as conventional test methods. However, in a case where one of these test methods is used for testing of an IP On Super-Sub (IPOS) device, it has the drawback of requiring a considerably long test time if each of LSIs in chip IPs is separately tested after mounting of the chip IPs, and the drawback of being incapable of determination of defective/nondefective condition of wiring since there are no devices for receiving a signal on the wiring substrate before the chip IPs are provided.
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The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial variety of Callistemon viminalis, which has been given the variety denomination of ‘KPS38’. Its market class is that of an ornamental shrub. ‘KPS38’ is intended for use in landscaping as an accent shrub, hedge, or small tree.
Parentage: The Callistemon viminalis variety ‘KPS38’ was the result of open pollination and was discovered in Clarendon, Sydney, NSW. In 2006 seed was collected from Callistemon ‘Kings Park Special’ (unpatented) plants and many seedlings were grown. Three candidate plants were selected from said seedlings and further grown and evaluated for subsequent testing. In 2009 a final selection took place and one plant was then selected as the final candidate due to the combination of a short height and prominent red color of the emerging and immature foliage. The plant was given the name ‘KPS38’.
Asexual Reproduction: ‘KPS38’ was first asexually propagated by softwood cuttings in 2009 at a commercial plant breeding facility in Clarendon, New South Wales, Australia and has since been asexually propagated through four successive generations. The distinctive characteristics of the inventive ‘KPS38’ variety are stable from generation to generation; plants of the variety produced by asexual reproduction maintain the distinguishing characteristics of the original plant.
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Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the development of electronic countermeasures and is directed more particularly to an assembly for launching undersea warfare countermeasures which serve as decoys and to jam and confuse sonar systems of submarines and torpedoes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Acoustic countermeasure devices have become an integral part of undersea warfare. Such devices are used to confuse hostile sonar systems and thereby protect own force assets. Typical countermeasures are launched from a submarine and transmit acoustic signals. The signals are transmitted at a selected depth in the ocean and the devices are maintained at the selected depth by an active compensation system which maintains buoyancy. In practice, the devices typically are slightly negatively buoyant, requiring means for providing upward force to maintain depth.
Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that a known prior art countermeasure assembly 10 includes a cylindrical tube 12 in which are disposed a buoyancy maintenance system and countermeasures electronics (not shown). Fixed to the tube 12 is a transducer 14 which transmits signals from the countermeasure assembly 10. A protective sabot 16 fits over the transducer 14 and is of a configuration which continues the cylindrical configuration of the tube 12.
Submarines are provided with launch tubes 20 having therein a ram plate 22, and a muzzle cap 26 disposed in a discharge end 28 of the tube 20 and held therein by shear pins 30. The launch tubes 20 typically are mounted outside the pressure hull of the submarine. The launch tube 20, ram plate 22, and muzzle cap 26 define a compartment 32 complementary in shape and size to the countermeasure assembly 10 and sabot 16.
Mounted in the tube 20 adjacent the ram plate 22 is a gas generator 34. From within the submarine the gas generator 34 is activated to release gas under pressure. The gas forces the ram plate forwardly, to the right as viewed in FIG. 1. The ram plate 22 and countermeasure 10, including the transducer 14 and sabot 16, move forwardly in the tube 12, shearing the muzzle cap shear pins 30 and blowing away the muzzle cap 26. The counter measure 10, transducer 14, and sabot 16 exit the tube 12, with the transducer 14 protected during transit by the sabot 16.
In due course, the sabot 16 drops away and the countermeasure 10, including the transducer 14, seeks a pre-selected depth from which to operate.
Recent advances in the buoyancy maintenance and transducer structure areas have resulted in reduced space requirements for countermeasures. It is now feasible from a size standpoint to launch two or more countermeasures from the prior art launch tube shown in FIG. 1.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a marine countermeasures launch assembly which facilitates the launch of a plurality of countermeasures from a single prior art launch tube.
With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, a feature of the present invention is the provision of a marine countermeasures launch assembly comprising a cylindrical body comprising first and second members having, respectively, first and second surfaces engageable with each other to form the body. The first surface is provided with first and second recesses therein and the second surface is provided with first and second recesses opposed to the recesses of the first member when the members are engaged, to form a first chamber for retaining a first countermeasure and a second chamber for retaining a second countermeasure. The first and second surfaces have opposed bores therein. A spring is disposed in each pair of the opposed bores and urges the members to separate from each other to release the countermeasures after the assembly is launched.
The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular assembly embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.
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During the production of high purity metals, for example silicon (Si) or titanium (Ti), many by-products may be produced. One by-product in particular is sodium fluoride (NaF). In current production of high purity Si, NaF is typically packaged and sold. It is used for hydrofluoric acid (HF) production, water fluoridation, as an additive in tooth paste, and the largest volume is for metallurgical fluxes or electrolytes such as those used to produce aluminum metal. If the NaF produced in very large quantities can be sold only for the lowest cost application, then this results in lower credits and, thus, lower revenue for the whole process.
Further adding to the raw material cost during the production of high purity metals, for example Si or Ti, is the need of a large continuous stream of a source of the metal. For example, to produce high purity Si a large continuous source of fluorosilicic acid (H2SiF6) is needed. Typically, the H2SiF6 is purchased as a by-product from the fertilizer industry. The present disclosure provides solutions to the issues described above.
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The concept of providing lean air/fuel mixtures to engines is not new. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,916,938 which issued Jul. 4, 1933 describes the use of a by-pass air conduit in a carbureted engine to reduce the amount of fuel in the air/fuel mixture to increase the efficiency of the engine. In the '938 patent, the system described utilizes a standard carburation system with a by-pass conduit which provides additional air to the engine under certain operating conditions.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,084,563; 4,182,295; and 4,751,907 illustrate various systems that have been designed for providing additional air to the engine aside from that normally provided through the carburation system. The supplementary air provides a leaner fuel mixture which not only makes the engine operate more efficiently, but also reduces some of the pollutants produced when the engine is operating. In each of the above patents, and all of the systems are somewhat different, the by-pass air conduit with its attendant control valve connects with the air inlet to the engine downstream of the main throttle valve. Introducing the extra air below the main throttle valve allows a wider range of air/fuel ratios. However, any change in the main throttle valve position drastically disrupts the air/fuel ratio by shifting the balance of flow between the two air paths. The foregoing systems may be described as those systems wherein the mixing of the carbureted air/fuel and of the by-pass air occurs downstream of the main throttle valve control for the engine.
An object of this invention is to provide a system wherein the extra or by-pass air is introduced upstream of the main throttle valve and thus any change in the main throttle valve position affects the flow in both the flow paths maintaining a nearly constant air/fuel ratio over varying engine speeds.
In connection with the prior art air/fuel control systems, there have also been utilized sensors located in the intake or the exhaust systems for determing the fuel in the intake or the content of oxygen or O.sub.2 in the exhaust system of the engine. Both of these sensors have been utilized to control the by-pass throttle valve and in some instances the main throttle valve in an effort to control the air/fuel mixture over the various operating conditions of the engine.
With the mixing of air and fuel upstream of the main throttle valve, it is only necessary to control the by-pass throttle valve to provide the appropriate air/fuel mixture for the engine over its operating range.
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The present invention relates to techniques for manufacturing semiconductor devices, and relates to a technique effectively applied to the technique for manufacturing resin-sealed semiconductor devices, for example.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-257291 describes a technique, in which a brazing material, such as solder, is used for coupling between one conductive path and one circuit element, while a conductive paste, such as an Ag paste, is used for coupling between the other conductive path and the other circuit element.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-114454, one semiconductor chip is mounted over a wiring substrate, and the wiring substrate and one semiconductor chip are coupled to each other using a first solder. This first solder is formed by a high melting point solder (e.g., a Pb(lead)-Sn(tin) solder containing Pb(lead)) that is in a liquid state at temperatures equal to or greater than 280° C., for example. Furthermore, the other semiconductor chip is also mounted over the wiring substrate, and the wiring substrate and the other semiconductor chip are coupled to each other using a second solder. This second solder is formed, for example, by a Pb free solder (e.g., a Sn(tin)-silver(Ag)-copper(Cu) solder) which does not contain Pb(lead) that is in a liquid state at temperatures equal to or greater than 200° C.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-53748 describes a technique, in which a control power MOSFET chip and a synchronous power MOSFET chip are provided. Then, drain terminals on the respective rear surfaces of the control power MOSFET chip and the synchronous power MOSFET chip are bonded to an input side plate-like lead portion and an output side plate-like lead portion, respectively, via a die bonding material, such as a silver paste, for example.
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1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to level shifters used in integrated circuits, especially ones requiring significantly higher voltages than are used by the normal logic transistors.
2. Related Art
Non-volatile memories (NVMs) typically require higher voltages than the power supply used for the logic transistors. The logic transistors can be made differently, typically by increasing the thickness of the gate dielectric and extending the gate length, to provide some extension of the voltage they can use for logic operations. This increase in voltage capability is typically not enough though so level shifters are required. Level shifters can have sensitivities to the process used to make the transistors that form the level shifters. If process variations are greater than anticipated or process changes result in somewhat different operating characteristics, there may be difficulties with an existing design.
Accordingly there is a need to provide further improvement in achieving level shifters that function well over a broad range of processes.
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Throughout this specification, the term “particle” refers to the constituents of liquid sample aliquots that may be molecules of varying types and sizes, nanoparticles, virus like particles, liposomes, emulsions, bacteria, colloids, etc. Their size range may lie between 1 nm and several thousand micrometers.
The separation of particles in a solution by means of field flow fractionation, FFF, was studied and developed extensively by J. C. Giddings beginning in the early 1960s. The basis of these techniques lies in the interaction of a channel-constrained sample and an impressed field applied perpendicular to the direction of flow. Among those techniques of current interest is cross flow FFF, often called symmetric flow or SF1FFF, whereby an impressed field is achieved by introducing a secondary flow perpendicular to the sample borne fluid within the channel. There are several variations of this technique including asymmetric flow FFF, or A4F, and hollow fiber, or H4F, flow separation.
Other FFF techniques include sedimentation FFF, SdFFF, wherein a gravitational/centrifugal cross force is applied perpendicular to the direction of the channel flow; electrical FFF, EFFF, wherein an electric field is applied perpendicular to the channel flow; and thermal FFF, ThFFF, wherein a temperature gradient is transversely applied. As the application of a particular FFF technique is achieved by means of a corresponding device, said application will be referred to herein as a type of “field flow fractionator.”
Common to all these field flow fractionators is a fluid, or mobile phase, into which is injected an aliquot of a sample whose separation into its constituent fractions is achieved by the application of the cross field. Many of the field flow fractionators allow for the control and variation, during the time the sample aliquot flows down the channel, of the channel flow velocity and the strength of the applied cross field. Common also to these field flow fractionators is the fact that only the cross field and channel flow rates may be varied and, only then, throughout the entire region in which the separation is occurring. Although such programming is capable of producing effective separations for a wide variety of particle classes, it has associated limitations.
An illustration of such limitations relates to the separation of particles by means of a symmetric flow cross flow fractionator. As the sample aliquot begins to undergo non-steric separation while it moves down the channel, the smaller particles lead the larger ones. By increasing the cross flow rate, the separation of all species continues yet the larger fractions begin to trail further behind their smaller sized companions. With sufficient cross flow, these larger fractions may be slowed down considerably while the smaller particles have already completed their traversal of the channel producing their associated fractionation. By this time, the smaller fractions, though separated, may have been diluted significantly so that their local peaks have broadened and their associated concentration diminished. Upon leaving the channel, subsequent analyses using various detection means may be unable to detect fractions of such correspondingly very low concentration. While the retained larger particles as yet may not have had sufficient time to complete their passage through the channel and to separate therein, the smaller particles may have long left the channel and no longer, therefore, be subject to the cross forces needed to continue their separation. Indeed, the separation of substantially larger particles, say, within the range of 500 to 1000 nm requires considerably different channel and cross flow rates than might be required to separate particles within the range of 5 to 10 nm. The separation of samples whose sizes extend over very large size ranges requires considerable flexibility in programming the relative channel and cross flow rates during the passage of such sample aliquots through the channel selected. Optimal fractionation of one group of sizes does not insure an equivalent or even comparable fractionation of another group of sizes.
A continuing problem for such FFF separations lies in the historic inability of these techniques to vary local flow conditions within the channel. Heretofore, control of the fractionation process, irrespective of the FFF method, has been directed to the entire channel. It is the major objective of the inventive methods and field flow fractionators described herein to permit localized control over the applied flow and forces. By these means, the flows and forces may be controlled at specific local regions throughout the length of the fractionating channel.
Although most of the illustrations of the new fractionation method presented will be in the context of cross flow based separations, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the methods disclosed will be applicable equally to other field flow fractionators. The most important class of such field flow fractionators, in terms of the sheer numbers of scientific papers referring thereto, is that referred to as asymmetric flow field flow fractionation, or A4F, and invented by Karl-Gustav Wahlund. A brief review of the technique is provided later.
The A4F fractionator is considered a variation of the earlier developed symmetrical flow field fractionator, SF1FFF. In this earlier device, a cross flow is provided to the channel by a separate pump. Thus each flow is produced by a separate pump providing, thereby, crossflow symmetry. For A4F, on the other hand, an effective cross-flow is established by restricting the channel out flow relative to the input flow. The difference between the two flows becomes the effective cross flow. Because the A4F fractionator produces the two basic flow fields of the traditional SF1FFF device with a single pump, many of the results characteristic of symmetrical cross-flow FFF have been assumed operative for A4F, as well. One of these, for example, is the so-called fractionating power F that is proportional to the product of cross flow fx times the square root of the ratio of cross flow to channel-flow, fc, i.e.
F ∝ f x × f x f c . Since the source of the cross-flow for the symmetrical fractionator is independent of the channel flow, both may be varied and would be constant over the channel length. For the A4F device, on the other hand, the channel flow always varies along the length of the channel and reaches a minimum just before the sample leaves the channel.
In order to compensate for this decrease in channel flow and to provide an associated constancy of the cross-flow per unit area, a variety of techniques have been employed. These include programming the cross-flow by varying the mobile phase input flow rate and changing the impedance to the cross flow. A variety of channel shapes have been tried including trapezoidal and exponential with the hope of preserving a greater channel flow near the outlet. The tapered channel, decreasing its width along its length, allows the channel flow per unit area to be increased sufficiently to compensate for its diminution necessary to provide the corresponding cross flow.
There are other difficulties with the A4F fractionator despite its superficial simplicity. First, there is a common problem to both SF1FFF and A4F: the four surfaces that define the channel are of different materials and one of them may depart from the expected laminar flow patterns of the theory. Indeed, the frit-supported membrane, of the accumulation wall, is soft and porous which is quite distinct from the exemplar sedimentation field flow fractionator, or SdFFF, wherein all walls, generally the sides of stainless steel tubing, are smooth and of the same materials. Laminar flow confined by such surfaces does produce the expected parabolic flow profile with the tangential flow reaching zero at the walls. For both A4F and SF1FFF flow, however, conditions at the membrane boundary are not well understood.
It is a major objective of this invention to establish, by reference to the A4F fractionator and its associated methods of application, a new type of separation capability having greater versatility by means of a different type of frit support structure and an associated set of cross flow regulators. This inventive frit structure will permit the cross flow per unit membrane area to be variable at different regions of the channel. Because if this variability, another objective of the invention is achieved: the selective filtering of larger particle components of a sample undergoing fractionation. Another objective of the invention is to sharpen broadened species peaks that had been resolved/separated earlier within the channel.
All of the objectives of this new inventive A4F-based fractionator are applicable to most classes of FFF techniques that might be modified to allow for external control of the cross field at discrete regions along the associated channel. These include the symmetrical cross flow fractionator, hollow-fiber fractionator, and, to some extent, the electrical field flow fractionator.
A further objective of the inventive method is its enhanced ability to capture and identify outlier particle populations. This, in turn, may be used in appropriate circumstances to purify certain classes of solutions that may be contaminated by such undesirable and potentially dangerous particulates, returning them, thereby, to a requisite pristine condition.
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1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to transfer metallization of various substrates and more specifically to the creation of electrically conductive and semi-conductive patterns through transfer metallization techniques.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
The manufacture of various electronic devices such as printed circuit boards or the like requires the placement of patterned layers of conductive material on a substrate. The method of placement must be suitable for high production rates and it must produce precise patterns. These requirements have become increasingly important with the recently developed surface mounting procedures used to mount components to a substrate.
One prior art method is the process of etching copper-clad laminates in accordance with standard negative photo-resist procedures. This process is slow, costly, and produces polluting and hazardous waste materials.
Another prior art method is the process of applying a pattern of conductive ink or paste directly onto the surface of a non-conductive substrate and then curing it. The curing operation of some conductive pastes comprises evaporating volatile solvents. During extended evaporation periods, these solvents may damage the surfaces of thermoplastic substrates with which they come into contact. In addition, once they have evaporated, these solvents become pollutants, requiring costly cleanup.
The use of conductive ink also presents a number of additional problems. One type of ink requires heating to an elevated temperature before it becomes conductive. As a result, its use is limited to substrates such as those made from ceramics which can withstand extreme temperatures. Another type of ink includes epoxy resin, which is unsuitable for high speed, mass production because of long cure times.
The methods used to apply the conductive ink to a substrate also present a variety of problems. In using screens to apply a pattern of ink, the screens become clogged, resulting in incomplete patterns. In addition, the need for regularly cleaning the screen makes the screening process unsuitable for high production rates.
Another known method uses a radiation curable ink containing particles of electrically conductive metal and radiation curable organic resins. This ink cures rapidly, resulting in higher production rates. However, the metal particles in it must have a certain predetermined shape for the ink to cure satisfactorily.
Finally, in placing multiple layers of patterned conductive material using the methods described above, production rates decrease substantially. This decrease occurs partly because of the added step of electrically interconnecting the conductive arrays comprising the various conductive layers. A conventional method of interconnecting the conductive layers of multilayer printed circuit boards and the like consists of forming a hole through the conductive layers and plating the walls of the hole with an electrically conductive material. The plating connects the exposed edges of the conductive layers. This operation consumes considerable time.
The present invention consists of a process which places patterned conductive layers of material on a substrate and which avoids the problems of the methods described above. It is simple, and suitable for high production rates. It does not require the use of special and expensive substrates or conductive inks. Thus, it provides a substantial reduction in the cost of manufacture of printed circuit boards and of various other electrical devices relying on single or multiple layers of conductive and non-conductive materials.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus, a communication system, and a communication method for performing a task involving the cooperative employment of a plurality of networked terminals that are remotely located.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, a variety of tasks are cooperatively performed by persons at remote locations while using systems comprising a plurality of terminals that are joined together to form networks. A conventional system is created for each task that constitutes a cooperative effort (session). That is, a remote conference convening system is activated convening a remote conference, a remote lecture assembly system is activated for presenting a remote lecture, and a status evaluation system is activated for evaluating existing conditions.
These systems are independently developed, and the user interfacing specifications for each of them differ.
When an independent system is created for each task that involves a cooperative effort, it is not possible to smoothly shift the performance of one task to another.
For example, when a user is performing a task that involves using the status evaluation system to obtain an understanding of the status of a person located at a remote side, and he or she desires to converse with that person, the user must activate a conversation participation system.
Since the user interface specifications differ from system to system, the user must understand all of the user interface specifications for all of the systems he or she uses.
As a security problem that is conventionally encountered, a conventional system can not clearly distinguish between the access management procedures that apply when a third party is to participate in a session and the privacy management procedures that apply when a third party is to be provided information concerning the session. Therefore, a conventional system can not adequately respond to a request for information concerning a session when participation in the session is not contemplated.
As another security problem, since conventionally a plurality of terminals are employed and are used in common during a session in which static images are mutually transmitted, the reception programs at all of the receiving terminals access and display data output by a transmission program that is employed at one terminal. In this case, when the transmission and reception programs are intended for a special application, such as for a video conference, special authentication means and operation rejection and acceptance means are provided for the transmission and the reception programs, so that a system having no security problem can be provided.
Further, in order to use in common a general program, not a special one, among a plurality of terminals networked for a video conference, or to eliminate the labor involved in creating a special reception program, a display instruction from a general program that is operating on one terminal may be received by general-purpose display programs at the other, individual terminals, which thereafter display the data they receive. This reception and display operation is accomplished at a workstation by using a server program, a so-called window server.
Besides window servers, file I/O servers are popular server programs that provide some services in response to external requests. A file I/O server may, for example, respond to an external request by transferring data from a file to a requesting person. But since the file I/O servers, as well as the window servers, have not been developed for the purpose of supporting the convening of video conferences, setups by which access of conference is enabled can not be provided, with the result that the security procedures are either excessively strict, such as one that requires the use of a password by each participant, or they are excessively lax, such as one that grants access to anybody.
A window server, for example, includes a procedure for designating users to whom operating permission is to be provided, so as to prevent the execution of display instructions that are issued by unauthorized persons. Since the persons for whom communication is authorized can not be selected in advance when a window server is employed for a video conference, the server is so set that it permits the execution of display instructions it receives from any person.
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to camouflage. More particularly, the present invention relates to reactive camouflage. Still more particularly the present invention relates to a method and system for disguising an object using reactive camouflage.
2. Description of Related Art
During World War II, allied torpedo bomber aircraft were assigned the task of hunting and sinking German submarines on the surface of the open ocean. The bombers were largely unsuccessful because submarine lookouts could see the bombers from a distance, silhouetted against a bright sky, allowing the submarines ample time to dive to safety. An allied invention using one element contained in the present invention was used to greatly increase the number of German submarines that were sunk by torpedo bombers. A row of simple incandescent lights was placed on the leading edge of the wing of the torpedo bombers to fill in the forward-facing silhouette of the torpedo bomber with light. After this invention was implemented, German submarine captains reported that they could hear the engines of the torpedo bomber before they could see it.
In order to camouflage an object to blend with its background when viewed by the human eye, it is generally accepted that the contrast between the object and its background must be reduced. In order to reduce the contrast, the color and intensity of the light coming from the object toward the viewer""s eye must simulate the color and intensity of the light coming toward the viewer""s eye from the background immediately behind the object. Most methods of camouflage vary the shape, texture and surface color of an object in order to make it reflect light in such a manner that the viewer sees a color and intensity of reflected light (also known as diffuse reflection and/or specular reflection) similar to the object""s background. Traditional camouflaging techniques provide passive color shading and, therefore, cannot react to changing backgrounds which silhouette a moving object. Furthermore, passive camouflage cannot fill in light, which has been blocked by the object, or increase lighting levels when the object is less radiant than its background.
Another, potentially serious problem with current camouflage techniques is that a camouflaged object has approximately the same color shading from any angle. This is a critical flaw for a moving object that gives observers different views of the object against different backgrounds. While an object may be obscured from one observer by its camouflage pattern, a second observer from a second vantage point might distinguish the object against a different background with different lighting conditions, even though the two observers are roughly equal distances from the object.
It is important to understand that, in many regional conflicts, the weaponry utilized by the adversaries is less technologically advanced. Most regional armies rely upon weapons that require visual acquisition of a target. These weapons are generally less effective at longer ranges, so the longer it takes for an advisory to detect an object and identify the object as a threat, the less chance that the advisory can bring weapons to bear on the object before it moves out of range.
It would be advantageous to provide an object with a camouflage that matches the lighting intensity of the object""s background by actively generating such intensity of light as may be appropriate to the object""s background. It would also be advantageous to provide an object with a camouflage, which varies in color and intensity with the viewpoint from which an observer views the object, providing simultaneously differing images in differing directions. It would also be advantageous to provide an object with a camouflage which utilizes its capability of projecting simultaneously differing images in differing directions to vary in color and intensity with varying background changes as the object moves from one position to another with respect to the observer. It would be further advantageous to utilize such advanced projection techniques to create an image that is intentionally visible, but which creates an illusion to mimic some other object.
In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a camouflage system comprises variable light transmitters covering the surface of an object, which are used to blend the object with its background, making it difficult to visually distinguish from its background. Variable light transmitters covering an object are each individually controlled by a controller, which varies the light color and intensity coming from the light transmitters. In order to blend the object with its background, light sensors are placed on the opposite sides of the object, and paired through a controller or controllers to individual light transmitters. Each light sensor senses the color and intensity of light coming from one side of an object, and a controller uses this information to vary the color and intensity of light transmitted from a paired light transmitter on the opposite side of the object, exactly matching the color and intensity of background light. For example, if a viewer sees the object against a bright blue sky, the light transmitters covering the object which are facing the viewer would be transmitting bright blue light to match the background light as sensed by paired sensors on the opposite side.
Note that xe2x80x9ccolor and intensityxe2x80x9d of light in the description of the present invention means the specular power distribution, luminance, and other specular characteristics of light. Note also that the matching of colors in the present invention is metameric color matching, meaning that the simulated colors need not have specular characteristics identical in every way to the original color, but need only appear to the human eye to be a perfect match because of the limited range of color sensitivity in the human eye and other psychophysical and psychological factors.
In some applications a viewer may view the object from an oblique angle, seeing the object against different background light than would be seen if viewed from a xe2x80x9cstraight onxe2x80x9d view at a right angle to the surface of the object. In order to allow for camouflage from oblique views, light sensors and transmitters are designed to be directional and are designed to receive or transmit light at varying angles. Each light transmitter transmits light rays outward essentially parallel to a single axis. Transmission of light outward from light transmitters that do not create diffuse light, but transmit light in a narrow dispersion of nearly parallel light rays, can be accomplished with a variety of existing technologies. For example, light sources can be equipped with lenses or view limiting devices so that only nearly parallel light rays are emitted from individual light transmitters, and light can only be viewed by viewers directly in line with a light transmitter""s aiming path. Light sensors are similarly fitted with lenses or view limiting devices so that light is only sensed from sources directly in line with the aiming path of each sensor. A light transmitter with an aiming path that is at a right angle to the surface of the camouflaged object is varied by a controller to match light measured by sensors on the same aiming axis as the transmitter but with an aiming path pointed in the exact opposite direction on the opposite side of the object. Light transmitters with an aiming path that is at an oblique angle to the object would be varied by a controller to match light measured by sensors on the same axis as the transmitter, but with an aiming path pointed in exactly the opposite direction. Light transmitters with aiming paths at a variety of angles are interspersed in close proximity to each other on the surface of the object so that transmitted light originating from all parts of the surface of the object would be visible to a viewer from any perpendicular or oblique viewing angle, without any xe2x80x9cblankxe2x80x9d spots visible on the object from any angle.
As an alternative to individual placement, directional transmitters may be grouped in tightly integrated clusters, with each cluster containing enough light transmitters aimed outward at varying angles to transmit light in a near-180 degree semispherical pattern. xe2x80x9cBlankxe2x80x9d spots would be avoided by covering the entire surface of the object with tightly integrated clusters. In addition, to avoid xe2x80x9cblankxe2x80x9d spots when viewing the object from various oblique angles, individual transmitters must not transmit light in perfectly parallel light rays, but must allow a small aspect angle light dispersion. The size of the aspect angle dispersion would correspond to the angular displacement between light transmitters occupying a single cluster on the surface of the object. Each cluster may also contain directional light sensors paired to transmitters on the various other sides of the object. Each cluster could be thought of as a xe2x80x9cpixelxe2x80x9d similar to the concept of a pixel on a video monitor, except that each cluster would contain multi-directional light transmission capability. Each such modular cluster will be termed a xe2x80x9cdirectional pixelxe2x80x9d in connection with the present invention. Any application of a xe2x80x9cdirectional pixelxe2x80x9d in the present invention may also be accomplished using a non-integrated grouping of directional light transmitters and receivers arranged in a variety of aiming paths such that the same coverage is achieved as with integrated directional pixels.
In applications where the entire surface of the object is covered by both sensors and light transmitters, the transmission of light may reflect off of moisture, dust, smoke or other objects and interfere with the light sensors mounted on the same side of the object. As an alternative, in order to avoid light reflection back toward sensors in certain applications, the light transmitters do not transmit light continuously. Instead, the transmitters transmit light in a very rapid succession of light bursts (such as strobes flashing in excess of 30 times per second) that appears as continuous light or nearly continuous light to the human eye, yet allows a very short interval in between light bursts for the light sensors to obtain readings that are not influenced by outwardly-transmitted light. Alternating the light sensing cycle with the light transmission cycle also allows use of the same light transmission channel, such as an optical fiber, for both reception of light to be sensed at a central location, and transmission of light outward
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
}
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