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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an encryption removable storage system that enables different types of storage devices to be conveniently added or removed from a cradle of a computer or equipment and with data encryption/decryption ability, so as to achieve the goal of protecting the data of the storage devices.
2. Description of Related Art
A standard desktop computer typically provides one or more compartments (also called drive bays) for the installation of 5¼ inch or 3½ inch storage devices such as CD ROM, DVD ROM or CDRW drive, hard drive, ZIP, SuperDisk etc. Because of space limitation, many desktop computers, Kiosk or computing equipment have only one to two drive bays, thus limiting the number of devices that can be installed. Once a storage device is installed into the drive compartment or drive bay, replacement or upgrade of the storage device requires careful disassembling and reassembling of the computer by a trained technician.
Data storage devices primary fall into two categories: the removable storage and hard disk storage. These two types of data storage devices offer different advantages depending on the type of applications.
In the removable storage, the storage media can be replaced as more storage space is needed. Cost of the media is relatively inexpensive. But the data transfer rate for removable storage devices in general are much slower than hard disk storage. Thus the removable storage is great for data archiving. To access the data stored on a removable storage media, the computer must have a compatible drive that can read the data from the media. Example, a CDRW drive or CD-ROM drive is needed to access the data on a CDRW media, a DVD drive is needed to access data on a DVD media, a 250 MB-ZIP drive is needed to access data on a 250 MB ZIP media. As a result, in order for a computer to access data on a variety of removable media, it must be equipped with various types of drives.
In the case of hard disk storage, the media and the drive are integrated together. With this design, the data transfer rate for hard drive is much faster than the removable storage. Thus hard disk is great for storing program files, for storing data that are accessed all the time and for streaming video application. Since the hard drive and the storage media are all integrated in one unit, the computer can access the data stored in a hard drive by connecting up the hard disk controller cable and the power cable from inside a computer to the hard drive. But this way of connecting a hard drive to a computer usually requires opening up the computer and technical skill.
External hard drive solves the problem of connecting a drive to a computer without opening up the computers. The external hard drives attach to a computer via one of the common I/O ports on a computer: USB, Firewire or PCMCIA. Since all the external hard drives are constructed with an enclosure to house the hard drive and the interface electronics. The additional cost of the housing and interface electronics make the external hard drive much more expensive than an internal IDE drive. So when an external hard drive capacity is used up, the user will have to purchase another external hard drive in order to have more data storage capacity. In addition, the external hard drive with this traditional design also limits its use to a single interface. If you have an external USB hard drive, a computer that has no USB port will not be able to use the hard drive.
However, the prior art external hard drives do not support data encryption/decryption function, so the external hard drives can be added into any cradle device of a computer or equipment, and the data of the hard drives can be easily access without any difficulty; therefore, the vital information of a company or personal of the hard drives may be stolen due to use the external hard drives without support data encryption/decryption function.
Therefore, the solution or invention in this patent deals with an encryption removable storage system that enables different types of storage devices to be conveniently added or removed from a cradle of a computer or equipment and with data encryption/decryption ability.
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The invention relates to the field of radar for the detection and location of targets. All radar devices require a source of radio frequency energy to provide illumination of targets and a sensor of radio frequency energy to detect echo signals scattered by the targets. In prior devices, called active radar systems, the source of RF energy for target illumination; i.e., the transmitter, is closely associated with and constitutes an integral part of the overall radar system. One of the major problems with active systems is that, by transmitting, they reveal their own location.
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The present invention relates to a yarn brake, especially for two-for-one twisting spindles, having a tubular brake housing into which an abutment extends in the radially inward direction and in which a brake cartridge in the form of a capsule rests at a lower brake ring and at an upper brake ring. The upper brake ring is positioned in a spring-loaded brake ring carrier that is rotatable about its axis and is axially displacable. The brake ring carrier has distributed about its circumference a plurality of support shoulders that have an axial spacing relative to one another whereby one of the support shoulders, depending on the rotational position of the brake ring carrier, rests on the abutment.
Especially in connection with two-for-one twisting spindles yarn brakes are known which are comprised of a brake housing through which the yarn is guided in the axial direction. The inlet and outlet openings are formed by brake rings with conical brake surfaces. These brake rings, in general, are made of a material with high wear resistance. Between the brake rings at the inlet and the outlet side, the actual brake body extends which is, in general, a brake cartridge made of two cylindrical sleeves that are telescopically inserted into one another and have semi-spherical, respectively, cup-shaped ends. The sleeves enclose a pressure spring that upon insertion of the brake cartridge into the brake housing is tensioned by compressing the two sleeves so that the semi-spherical ends of the sleeves exert that braking pressure onto the brake rings that is required for the yarn guided through the yarn brake. Depending on the magnitude of the required braking pressure, stronger or weaker springs are inserted into the brake cartridge.
With a yarn brake disclosed in German Patent 15 10 860 it is possible, by changing rotational position of the brake ring carriers, to bring into contact a different support shoulder on the abutment so that it is possible to change the braking force without exchanging the brake cartridge.
German Patent 31 34 763 discloses a yarn brake with a capsule-shaped brake cartridge that is clamped between the lower and upper brake rings. A pin which is radially adjustable against the force of a spring is supported within the upper brake ring. The adjustable pin can be inserted into one of a plurality of axially spaced bores of the brake housing in order to change the braking force of the yarn brake. This yarn brake allows, as a function of the number of individual bores and the axial distance of these bores relative to one another, to provide for certain braking force levels comparable to the solution disclosed in German Patent 15 10 860.
Such yarn brakes, which are also called capsule yarn brakes, are limited with respect to their radial extension, especially when they are to be inserted into the hollow shaft of a two-for-one twisting spindle. This is partially due to the very small inner diameters of the spool carrier sleeves. As a consequence of these small dimensions, the periphery of the upper brake ring carrier can be provided only with a limited number of support shoulders, especially when in the form of axial slots. In practice, the upper brake ring carrier is generally provided with four to six support shoulders distributed over the circumference so that accordingly there is also only a limited number of adjustment options for the braking force. It is not possible to vary the adjustment range by providing a greater difference between the axial slots (groove depth) because then the individual steps are spaced too far from one another.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve a yarn brake of the aforementioned kind such that the number of adjustment possibilities for the braking force is increased.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention provides a cable drive conveyor system. More specifically, this invention contemplates a process for conveying articles in a conveyor system and a cable drive conveyor system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,823 by Schneider illustrates a power erected accumulator, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,568 by Leach discloses an article handling conveyor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,630 by Inwood, et al, discloses an accumulator with automatic override. U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,718 by Monahan discloses a live roller conveyor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,262 by Henig, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,780 by Saur, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,303 by Vogt, et al, all teach an accumulating conveyor. None of the foregoing prior art teach or suggests the particular cable drive conveyor system and the method for conveying articles of this invention.
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The attachment of a strand of cord, thread, wire or other material to one or more pieces of material presents challenges to today's high speed manufacturing processes. As an example, consider the tampon industry. The rate at which the product is consumed requires that a high speed manufacturing process be employed. Current tampon designs employ a withdrawal string, usually a cotton cord, to allow the user to remove the product after use. The cord must be firmly attached to the tampon pad, and must not shear the product or leave material behind upon withdrawal.
One current method for attaching a cord to a pad involves sewing the cord to the pad, although this technique has a variety of disadvantages. The piercing of a cord by the thread actually weakens the cord, thereby requiring a thicker cord to meet any strength specifications. The use of thread to attach a cord to a pad introduces the possibility of thread breakage or jamming of the sewing apparatus. Current high speed industrial sewing machines operate at rates that are typically insufficient to feed a subsequent high speed production line. As a result, multiple sewing stations are required and their respective outputs must be merged to feed a single production line. Such multiple stations operating near their maximum rated speed, as well as the merging mechanism, increase possibility and frequency of mechanical failures, jams, etc. Further, the reciprocating motion of traditional sewing machine movement, combined with the very thin and flexible handling qualities of thread, further increase the likelihood of jams, or mechanical failure.
Another method of attaching a cord to a pad involves punching of a cord once through the pad, and entanglement of the cord about the pad, i.e. with a knot or other restraining mechanism. Punching a cord once through a pad suffers from a lack of redundancy of attachment. Should the cord fail to puncture the pad, the needle fail to feed the cord properly, or the pad mis-aligned, the cord will not be attached to the pad. Also, the force on the cord during the use of the product assembly is undesirably concentrated at the single point where the cord is attached to the pad.
Cord entanglement does not offer the mechanical strength or integrity offered by a cord that is firmly attached to the pad since the cord can slip off. Simply tying a string to a pad in such a fashion creates a product which is prone to failure.
Accordingly, a need exists for a cord attachment mechanism that is fast enough to support a subsequent high speed production line and which meets the reliability requirements of its users.
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to three-dimensional graphics, and, more particularly, to geometry processing in a three-dimensional graphics rendering pipeline.
2. Related Art
Displaying large three-dimensional models at high frame rate requires substantial system performance, both in terms of computations and memory bandwidth. One of the computational bottlenecks in such systems is the geometry processing of the graphics rendering pipeline, which typically requires more processing than a single processor system can provide.
In order to attain satisfactory performance levels for such geometry processing, multiple operations must be performed concurrently. In other words, concurrent processing is required. Concurrent-processing has two basic forms: pipelining and parallelism. A more detailed description of these problems and related issues is set forth in Foley et al., xe2x80x9cComputer Graphics: Principles and Practice, 2nd ed.xe2x80x9d, Addison-Wesley, 1990, pp. 866-882, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present invention is directed to the parallelism form of concurrent processing. It has been proposed that the geometry processing of the graphics pipeline be parallelized by distributing the graphics primitives amongst multiple processors for concurrent processing, and replicating state-changing commands at each processor. Such an approach is set forth in Foley et al., xe2x80x9cComputer Graphics: Principles and Practice, 2nd ed.xe2x80x9d, Addison-Wesley, 1990, pp. 881, incorporated by reference above. However, the computational overhead in replicating such state-changing commands at each processor limits the performance benefits that may be achieved via distribution of the graphics primitives amongst multiprocessors. Thus, there is a need in the art to increase the performance of graphics rendering systems through parallelization of geometry processing amongst multiple processors.
The problems stated above and the related problems of the prior art are solved with the principles of the present invention, method for parallelizing geometric processing in a graphics rendering pipeline. More specifically, the geometric processing of an ordered sequence of graphics commands is distributed over a set of processors by the following steps. The sequence of graphics commands is partitioned into an ordered set of N subsequences S0 . . . SNxe2x88x921, and an ordered set of N state vectors V0 . . . VNxe2x88x921 is associated with the ordered set of subsequences S0 . . . SNxe2x88x921. A first phase of processing is performed on the set of processors whereby, for each given subsequence Sj in the set of subsequences S0 . . . SNxe2x88x922, state vector Vj+1 is updated to represent state as if the graphics commands in subsequence Sj had been executed in sequential order. A second phase of the processing is performed whereby the components of each given state vector Vk in the set of state vectors V1 . . . VNxe2x88x921 generated in the first phase is merged with corresponding components in the preceding state vectors V0 . . . Vkxe2x88x921 such that the state vector Vk represents state as if the graphics commands in subsequences S0 . . . Skxe2x88x921 had been executed in sequential order. Finally, a third phase of processing is performed on the set of processors whereby, for each subsequence Sm in the set of subsequences S1 . . . SNxe2x88x921, geometry operations for subsequence Sm are performed using the state vector Vm generated in the second phase. Furthermore, in the third phase, geometry operations for subsequence S0 are performed using the state vector V0.
Advantageously, the present invention provides a mechanism that allows a large number of processors to work in parallel on the geometry operations of the three-dimensional rendering pipeline. Moreover, this high degree of parallelism is achieved with very little synchronization (one processor waiting from another) required, which results in increased performance over prior art graphics processing techniques.
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The most important requirement of a next-generation wireless access system is to support a high data transfer rate. To achieve this, various technologies such as Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), Cooperative Multiple Point Transmission (CoMP), relay, etc. have been developed and studied.
Joint Processing (JT) is a representative base station (BS) coordinated scheme. However, JT requires a high rate backhaul between the base stations (BSs) to implement data sharing, so that there is a limitation to use the JT scheme when there is no high rate backhaul. If the base stations (BSs) share only channel information, Interference Alignment (IA) and Coordinated Beamforming (CBF) may be used. Whereas IA can implement the degree of freedom (DoF) that linearly increases in proportion to the number of users (i.e., user equipments) in the same manner as in JT, the IA has a disadvantage in that all UEs must recognize all channel information and must perform symbol extension to a time axis or a frequency axis. CBF need not perform symbol extension, and feeds back a smaller amount of channel information than the IA, so that the CBF can be relatively easily implemented as compared to the IA scheme.
The above-mentioned BS operation schemes (JT, IA, CBF) are characterized in that all receivers must feed back a variety of CSI (Channel State Information). However, according to a frequency division duplex (FDD) system in which a total of feedback bits are limited, as a feedback link increases, CSI accuracy of each feedback link is deteriorated, so that the number of feedback links significantly affects system performance.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device, a method for driving the same, and a camera. More specifically, the present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device which uses a MOS-type image sensor or the like, and used in, for example, a video camera, an electron camera and an image input camera, a scanner, a facsimile machine, or the like, a method for driving the same, and a camera using such a solid-state image sensing device.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Conventionally, a semiconductor image sensor such as a CCD type image sensor, a MOS-type image sensor and the like have been used as image input devices in various electronic devices, such as, a video camera, an electron camera, an image input camera, a scanner, a facsimile machine, or the like.
In recent years, a MOS-type image sensor has been drawing attention once again because of its benefits. The power consumption is low, and it can be produced using a CMOS technique which is the same an that for the surrounding circuits. Further, in order to compensate for lower image quality than that of the CCD-type image sensor, it is becoming popular to employ a structure called an embedded-type photodiode structure. This is used in a MOS-type image sensor instead of a surface photodiode structure which had been initially used. The embedded-type photodiode structure is the structure used in a CCD-type image sensor. Such a structure is employed to reduce a dark current component and it is becoming possible to achieve a high-quality image.
Hereinafter, a conventional MOS-type image sensor employing such an embedded-type photodiode structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 through 14,
First, a structure of a unit pixel of a MOS-type image sensor will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13.
FIG. 12 is a circuit diagram showing a structure of a unit pixel portion (address (k, j)) in a conventional MOS-type image sensor 200. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a semiconductor layer structure which corresponds to the unit pixel portion in FIG. 12.
The MOS-type image sensor 200 includes an imaging section containing a plurality of unit pixel portions (pixel cells), and a vertically scanning circuit 207 for vertically scanning the plurality of unit pixel portions. Each of the unit pixels includes a photodiode 201, a transfer transistor 202, a signal storage section 203, a reset transistor 204, an amplification transistor 205, and a selection transistor 206.
Each of the unit pixel portions includes four transistors (i.e., the transfer transistor 202, the reset transistor 204, the amplification transistor 205, and the selection transistor 206). A plurality of the unit pixel portions are arranged along a row direction and a column direction in two dimensions. FIG. 12 shows only one of the plurality of unit pixels, which is specified by address (k, j).
As shown in FIG. 13, the photodiode 201 has an embedded-type structure. The photodiode 201 includes an N-type (N−) impurity region 221 provided on a P-type well region 220 with a P-type impurity region 222 provided on the N-type impurity region 221. The N-type (N−) impurity region 221 serves as a light receiving portion. By irradiating the N-type impurity region 221 with light, a charge is generated in an amount corresponding to an amount of the irradiation of light. Such a charge may also be referred to as a signal charge herein.
The transfer transistor 202 is provided between the photodiode 201 and the signal storage section 203. The transfer transistor 202 includes the N-type impurity region 221, which serves as a source region, an N-type (N+) impurity region 223a, which serves as a drain region, and a gate electrode 202a which to provided on the P-type well region 220 therebetween.
The gate electrode 202a is connected with a transfer control line 210 which is connected to an output terminal of the vertically scanning circuit 207. From the vertically scanning circuit 207, a transfer control signal TRN (j) is supplied to the gate electrode 202a. In the entire imaging section, the transfer transistors 202 are controlled to be ON/OFF on a row basis. The transfer transistor 202 transfers a charge stored in the photodiode 201 to the signal storage section 203.
The signal storage section 203 is the N-type impurity region 223a of a floating diffusion layer which is provided on the P-type well region 220. The signal storage section 203 stores a signal charge from the photodiode 201 which is transferred by the transfer transistor 202.
The reset transistor 204 is provided between a power supply line 213 and the signal storage section 203. To the power supply line 213, a power supply voltage VDD is applied. The reset transistor 204 includes the N-type impurity region 223a, which serves as a source region, an N-type (N+) impurity region 223b, which serves as a drain region, and a gate electrode 204a which is provided on the P-type well region 220 therebetween.
The gate electrode 204a is connected with a reset control line 209 which is connected to an output terminal of the vertically scanning circuit 207. Prom the vertically scanning circuit 207, a reset control signal RST (j) is supplied to the gate electrode 204a. In the entire imaging section, the reset transistors 204 are controlled to be ON/OFF on a row basis. The reset transistor 204 resets the signal storage section 203.
The amplification transistor 205 is provided between the power supply line 213 and the selection transistor 206. The amplification transistor 205 includes the N-type impurity region 223b, which serves as a drain region, an N-type (N+) impurity region 223c, which serves as a source region, and a gate electrode 205a which in provided on the P-type well region 220 therebetween.
The gate electrode 205a is connected to the signal storage section 203, which is the N-type impurity region 223a. Thus, a potential that is the same as that of the signal storage section 203 in conveyed to the gate of the amplification transistor 205. The amplification transistor 205 outputs a signal corresponding to an amount of a charge stored in the signal storage section 203.
The selection transistor 206 is provided between a signal line (k) 211 and the amplification transistor 205. The signal line (k) 211 is connected to a constant-current source 212 and a signal is read out therethrough. The selection transistor 206 includes the N-type impurity region 223a, which serves as a drain region, an N-type (N+) impurity region 223d, which serves as a source region, and a gate electrode 206a which is provided on the P-type well region 220 therebetween.
The gate electrode 206a of the selection transistor 206 is connected with a vertical selection line 208 which is connected to the output terminal of the vertically scanning circuit 207. From the vertically scanning circuit 207, a vertical selection signal SEL (j) is supplied to the gate electrode 206a. In the entire imaging section, the selection transistors 206 are controlled to be ON/OFF on a row basis. In the entire imaging section, the unit pixels are selected on a row basis, based on the vertical selection signal SEL (j) applied to the selection transistor 206. A signal is read out through the signal line (k) 211.
In such a MOS-type image sensor 200, the transfer transistor 202 and the reset transistor 204 are often a depletion type transistor, and the amplification transistor 205 and the selection transistor 206 are often an enhancement type transistor.
Next, a method for driving the conventional MOS-type image sensor 200 having a structure as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 will be described.
FIG. 14 is a signal waveform diagram showing timings to drive the MOS-type image sensor 200.
A basic operation for reading out a signal corresponding to a charge stored in the photodiode 201 of the MOS-type image sensor 200 is as follows.
As shown in FIG. 14, during time period t1, the reset control signal RST (j) to be applied to the gate electrode 204a of the reset transistor 204 is raised to a high level for all the unit pixel portions of selected line j to turn on the reset transistor 204. Thus, a potential of the signal storage section 203 is reset to the power supply voltage VDD via the reset transistor 204.
Next, during time period t2, the vertical selection signal SEL (j) to be applied to the gate electrode 206a of the selection transistor 206 is raised to the high level to turn on the selection transistor 206. Thus, the amplification transistor 205 and the constant-current source 212 provided for every column (k) form a source follower circuit. A signal is output to the signal line (k). The signal which is output represents a signal corresponding to an amount of a charge stored in the signal storage section 203 which has been reset.
Further, during time period t3, the transfer control signal TRN (j) to be applied to the gate electrode 202a of the transfer transistor 202 is raised to the high level to turn on the transfer transistor 202. Thus, a charge corresponding to a light signal which is photoelectrically converted by the photodiode 201 is completely transferred to the signal storage section 203 via the transfer transistor 202.
Immediately after, during time period t4, the vertical selection signal SEL (j) to be applied to the gate electrode 206a of the selection transistor 206 is again raised to the high level to turn on the selection transistor 206. Thus, the amplification transistor 205 and the constant-current source 212 provided for every column (k) form a source follower circuit. A signal is output to the signal line (k). The signal which is output represents a signal corresponding to an amount
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Access control systems typically involve the use of credentials to manage the operation of an access control device (e.g., a lock device). Such credentials may be assigned to a particular user or device and are often physical in nature, forming at least a portion of, for example, a smartcard, proximity card, key fob, token device, or mobile device. Thus, current credential systems generally require an interaction between the credential and a reader device (e.g., on or secured to the access control device) such that the reader device may read the credential and determine whether access should be granted. In particular, a user may be required to swipe, tap, or otherwise present the credential to the reader device. As such, access control systems generally require an active physical action on behalf of the user in order to grant the user access via the access control device.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dual mode terminal for supporting an access in a different network that may select a network to be connected, using a quality of service (QoS) based on a service cost, a network apparatus, and an operation method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, a scheme of integrating a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a cellular network may include a loose coupling scheme and a tight coupling scheme. The tight coupling scheme enables information and resources between two integrated networks to be shared. The loose coupling scheme may guarantee only a seamless operation since networks are independently operated. In this case, it may be difficult for a terminal to appropriately share entire resources of the two networks. When resources are effectively used in a wireless integration network employing the loose coupling scheme, there is a desire for a resource management method that may reflect an independent characteristic of a network.
Accordingly, a dual mode terminal migrating between two contentious wireless networks in which a Universal Mobile Telephone System (UMTS) cellular network and a WLAN are integrated in a loose coupling form may be used. Here, the UMTS cellular network may employ a mobile communication technology using, as a technology standard, a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) that is one of European third generation (3G) technologies. In the wireless integrated network, there is a need for a method for a network selection, a call admission control, and a data rate assignment.
Accordingly, proposed are a method for determining a handover between different networks according to an area mobility through reading of an area identifier within a predetermined district, and a call establishment control method for admitting a new call when rates of non-assignment resource blocks of an uplink and a downlink for an amount of time from a point in time when a call establishment request is received to a just-before monitoring unit time are respectively greater than or equal to call admission thresholds of the uplink and the downlink.
However, the above technology corresponds to a method that simply considers an area identification and thus, disregards a method with respect to a selection right of a user that is a characteristic of a different network. Accordingly, the above technology has no great difference with a method in a current homogeneous network and is limited to the same network even in a call admission control. Since a QoS reference value for each service type is ignored, the above technology may not satisfy a characteristic of a different network and a minimum QoS for each call.
Accordingly, there is a desire for a technology that may select a network based on a user preference in a circumstance where a terminal may access all the different networks, and may classify a sensitive quality characteristic based on a service type and determine whether a call requesting a connection is to be admitted.
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The present invention concerns a sensor means for determining an interior humidity of an interior volume delimited by a wall, e.g. the passenger compartment of a vehicle, and a fogging up tendency on an inner surface of the wall. The sensor means comprises a dew point sensor with a humidity sensor element and a temperature sensor, wherein the humidity sensor element and the temperature sensor are thermally coupled, and a surface temperature sensor. The sensor arrangement is suitable, in particular, for detecting fogging up on the inner side of a vehicle window and the humidity inside the vehicle.
Several solutions have been suggested to prevent fogging up or to measure the interior humidity. EP 1380481 A2 and EP 1306242 A1 propose mounting of a humidity sensor element directly on the window or in its direct vicinity. This sensor element measures the relative air humidity. The obtained data gives information about the tendency of the window to fog up. EP 1306242 A1 moreover proposes to also consider the temperature in the passenger compartment of a vehicle to prevent fogging up.
WO 02/33395 A1 discloses a dew point sensor. If heat is withdrawn from a gaseous medium, e.g. water vapour, which may happen on the inner surface of a vehicle window, it condenses into liquid, e.g. water, at a certain temperature. This temperature with a certain relative air humidity is called the dew point and can be calculated from a measured relative air humidity (interior humidity) and a measured air temperature. If, at a certain relative air humidity, a surface temperature is close to the dew point, the surface tends to fog up (fogging up tendency), i.e. the liquid condenses on the surface. The dew point sensor has a mounting base on which an air humidity sensor and an air temperature sensor are disposed. The mounting base has a thermally conducting coating which is in thermal contact with the air humidity sensor and the air temperature sensor. Since the air humidity sensor and the air temperature sensor detect data at identical temperatures through thermal contact, the dew point at the location of the mounting base of the dew point sensor can be determined from the detected sensor data.
A disadvantage of the conventional solutions consists in that there is a temperature difference between the humidity sensor and the window surface with the result that the measured relative humidity at the sensor does not correspond to the relative humidity on the window. Exact determination of the fogging up tendency is therefore not possible. Another disadvantage consists in that this arrangement does not provide exact information about the relative air humidity in the passenger compartment, which is a decisive feature of comfort.
It is the underlying purpose of the invention to provide a sensor means and a fastening device for mounting thereof, which eliminate the disadvantages of prior art, wherein, in particular, the fogging up tendency of a support surface, i.e. an inner surface of a wall of an interior volume, in particular, a vehicle window and also the interior humidity of the interior volume, in particular, of a vehicle passenger compartment, are reliably detected.
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Light emitting diodes (LED) and related light emitting devices are used in a vast number of applications. These can be used in most light emitting devices from simple panel lights to complex displays and lasers. Currently LEDs are used in the automotive industry, consumer instrumentation electronics, and many military applications. Different compounds are used to produce different wavelengths of light. For example, aluminum gallium arsenide is used for red LEDs, gallium aluminum phosphide for green, and GaN for blue. Light emitting materials formed from three different materials are often difficult to produce. Utilizing different LEDs together inherently requires allowing for different performance characteristics such as current and voltage requirements.
Wide band gap semiconductors (WBGS) doped with light emitting elements such as rare earth elements (RE) and other elements with partially filled inner shells are particularly attractive for LEDs because the emission efficiency appears to increase with band gap value, thus allowing room temperature operation without the need to introduce impurities. Wide band gap generally refers to a band gap of 2 eV or greater. Electroluminescence has been reported from several WBGS hosts including Er-doped gallium arsenide, gallium phosphide, GaN, ZnSe and SiC. Er-doped semiconductor light emitting diodes have been shown to emit in the infrared at about 1.5 microns. The infrared emission corresponds to transmissions between the lowest excited state (.sup.4 I.sub.13/2) and the ground state (.sup.4 I.sub.15/2) of the erbium atoms. The first Er-doped semiconductor light emitting diodes emitted IR light only at very low temperatures. However, recent advancements have permitted IR light emission at near room temperature. Although IR emitting Er-doped GaN has a great deal of utility in the communications industry, it previously has not been useful in a light emitting diode requiring visible emission.
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Coriolis mass-flow meters are used often in process measurements technology for determining mass-flow of a fluid in a section of pipeline. The Coriolis measuring principle is based on allowing the fluid to be investigated to flow through an oscillating measuring tube and evaluating the oscillatory movement. To this end, an oscillation exciter and two oscillation sensors are arranged at the measuring tube. The measuring tube with the fluid form together an oscillatable system, which is normally excited to its resonance frequency. The resonance frequency depends on, among other things, the material and dimensions of the measuring tube. Resonance frequency also depends on the density of the fluid flowing in the measuring tube.
In certain applications, the measuring tube is not excited to the resonance frequency, but, instead, to a neighboring frequency.
The two oscillation sensors register the oscillatory movement of the measuring tube at two locations spaced in the direction of flow and convert the oscillatory movements of the measuring tube into sensor signals. The two sensor signals exhibit the same frequency as the oscillatory movement of the measuring tube. If fluid is flowing through the measuring tube, then the two sensor signals are shifted in phase relative to one another. The phase shift is a measure for the mass-flow of the fluid through this section of pipeline. The sensor signals are evaluated in a measuring circuit portion, in order to determine the value of the mass-flow. This measured value can be presented in a display unit on the Coriolis mass-flow meter. As a rule, sensors, such as Coriolis mass-flow meters, which are used in automation technology, are connected with superordinated units, such as, for example, controllers or control systems, etc. Besides mass-flow, other properties of the fluid, such as, for example, density, can be determined. For this, a frequency evaluation of the oscillatory movement of the measuring tube is necessary.
Various types of Coriolis mass-flow meters are manufactured and sold by the firm Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,897, an exciter circuit portion for a Coriolis mass-flow meter is described, which is constructed as a type of analog, phase-lag-loop control. The exciter frequency for the measuring tube tunes, in such case, automatically to the resonance frequency of the measuring tube, even in the presence of variable fluid density.
Known measuring circuits work either on an analog basis or digitally. Examples of such measuring circuits are described in greater detail in EP 698783, U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,030, EP 702212, or U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,002.
EP 698783 discloses a measuring circuit for a Coriolis mass-flow meter. Included is an analog control circuit, which controls the two sensor signals to the same amplitude. This amplitude control is of decisive importance for the measuring accuracy of the Coriolis mass-flow meter.
EP 866319 discloses another measuring and operating circuit for a Coriolis mass-flow meter. In the case of this circuit, the two sensor signals are amplified before their further processing, with the amplification factor of the amplifier being variable. In a digital signal processor, the sum and the difference of the two sensor signals are evaluated, as well as one of the sensor signals. Also here, it is essential for the measuring accuracy that the two sensor signals have, following their amplification, the same amplitude.
The amplifiers and pre amplifiers used for the analog amplification of the sensor signals must have a sufficient bandwidth, in order to prevent corruptions of the sensor signals. Due to disturbance signals, however, over-driving of the amplifiers can occur. Such over-driving acts negatively as regards accuracy of measurement. The higher the requirements for accuracy placed on the Coriolis mass-flow meter, the more complex the analog amplifiers have to be, this being reflected in increased price for the amplifiers.
Especially in the case of gas applications, relatively high flow velocities of the fluid occur. Typical values are 50-100 m/s. These high flow velocities mean a relatively high sound level in the measuring tube, which can cause significant disturbance signals.
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The presently described technology generally relates to digital audio modification. In particular, the presently described technology relates to systems, methods, and apparatus for equalization preference learning for digital audio modification.
In recent decades, audio production tools have increased in performance and decreased in price. These trends have enabled an increasingly broad range of musicians, both professional and amateur, to use these tools to create music. Unfortunately, these tools are often complex and conceptualized in parameters that are unfamiliar to many users. As a result, potential users may be discouraged from using these tools, or may not use them to their fullest capacity.
The parameters provided to users in audio production tools generally reflect the algorithm used to manipulate the sound rather than how manipulating that parameter will influence the way in which that sound is perceived. For example the parameters of an audio equalizer interface might provide the user the ability to increase the gain (in dB) above a particular cutoff frequency (in Hz). However, the perceptual effect of that manipulation might be to make the sound more “bright.” Many users approach an audio production tool with an idea of the perceptual effect that they would like to bring about, but may lack the technical knowledge to understand how to achieve that effect using the interface provided.
Equalizers affect the timbre and audibility of a sound by boosting or cutting the level in restricted regions of the frequency spectrum. These devices are widely used for many applications such as mixing and mastering music recordings. Many equalizers have interfaces that are daunting to inexperienced users. Thus, such users often use language to describe the desired change to an experienced individual (e.g., an audio engineer) who performs the equalization manipulation.
Using language to describe the desired change can be a significant bottleneck if the engineer and the novice do not agree on the meaning of the words used. While investigations of the physical correlates of commonly used adjectives have identified some descriptors for which there is considerable agreement across listeners, they have also identified individual differences. For instance, when using the descriptors “warm” and “clear” to describe the timbre of pipe organs, English speakers from the United Kingdom disagreed with those from the United States on the acoustical correlate.
Further complicating the use of language, the same equalizer adjustment might lead to perception of different descriptors depending on the spectrum of the sound source. For example, a boost to the midrange frequencies might “brighten” a sound with energy concentrated in the low-frequencies (e.g., a bass), but might make a more broadband sound (e.g., a piano) appear “tinny.” Thus, though there have been several recent attempts to directly map equalizer settings to commonly used descriptors, there are several difficulties to this approach.
An alternative approach that circumvents these problems learns a listener's preference on a case-by-case basis. Perhaps the most studied procedure of this type has been developed for setting the equalization curve of a hearing aid. In what is known as a modified simplex procedure, the spectrum is divided into a low- and a high-frequency channel and each combination of low- and high-frequency gains is represented as points on a grid. On each trial, the listener makes two paired preference judgments: one in which the two settings differ in high frequency gain, and one in which they differ in low frequency gain. The subsequent settings are selected to move in the direction of the preference. Once there is a reversal on both axes, the procedure is complete and the gains are set. While this procedure can be relatively quick, the number of potential equalization curves explored is quite small. Although this procedure could theoretically be expanded to include more variables, the amount of time that this would take quickly becomes prohibitively large.
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Most memory components (e.g., integrated circuits such as DRAMs) are generally fabricated with 1 bit-, 4 bit-, or 8 bit-wide input/output lines. In any of these configurations, the components cannot operate as memories having an error correction code (ECC). There are, however, memory components fabricated with 5 bit- or 9 bit-wide input/output lines. These components operate as memories having an ECC, with the 5th (or the 9th) line used as an ECC line.
Memory modules (e.g., DIMMs (Dual Inline Memory Modules) or SIMMs (Single Inline Memory Modules)) comprise, among other components, a plurality of memory components. These memory modules may include memory components equipped with only 1 bit-, 4 bit-, or 8 bit-wide input/output lines; consequently, no ECC mode can be run on the memory module. To provide an ECC function, an extra memory component is provided that operates exclusively as an ECC, cooperating with memory components comprising 1 bit-, 4 bit- or 8 bit-wide input/output lines. Alternatively, memory modules may include memory components equipped with 5 bit- or 9 bit-wide input/output lines. In this case, ECC operation is available with each of the memory components.
The use of such memory components is exclusive—semiconductor memory components or semiconductor memory modules equipped with ECC capability can only be used in an ECC computer system (and not in a computer system lacking ECC functionality). Conversely, individual memory components or modules not equipped with an ECC capability can only be used in systems having no ECC functionality (i.e., they cannot be used in ECC-capable systems).
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the methods for improving the resistance to one or more of engine corrosion, oxidation, sludge and deposits of lubricating oils for biodiesel fueled engines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Several types of biodiesel fuels have been proposed for as well as introduced into the diesel fuel blend pool for use in commercial and passenger vehicles. The biodiesel fuels would be used as the exclusive fuel or as an addition to hydrocarbon-based diesel fuels. When used as an addition to hydrocarbon-based diesel fuels, the biodiesel fuels constitute anywhere from 2 to 50 wt % of the resulting diesel fuel blends, preferably 5 to 30 wt % of the blend. In Europe biodiesel fuels either are being considered or already have been mandated for use in hydrocarbon-based diesel fuels in an amount in the range of 5 to 10 wt %.
Fuels constituting 100% biodiesel materials are designated B100 while fuels of lesser biodiesel material content are designated in terms of that content, e.g. fuels containing 20% biodiesel component are designated B20. The designation is usually in terms of weight.
Biodiesel fuels are being considered as alternatives to hydrocarbon-based diesel fuels or as diesel fuel blend pool components because of their derivation from renewable plant and animal oils.
Biodiesel fuels are mixtures of lower, short chain esters of mixed saturated and unsaturated straight chain fatty acids derived from vegetable and/or animal fats and oils. The straight chain fatty acids are, typically, C10 to C26 fatty acids, preferably C12 to C22 fatty acids. The fatty acids are made into biodiesel by trans-esterification using short chain alcohols; e.g., C1 to C5 alcohols, in the presence of a catalyst such as a strong base.
Vegetable and/or animal oils and fats are natural triglycerides and are renewable sources of starting material. Typical vegetable oils are soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, jojoba oil, safflower oil, sunflower seed oil, hemp oil, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, canola oil, peanut oil, mustard seed oil, olive oil, spent cooking oil, etc., without limitation. Animal fats and oils include beef, pork, chicken fat, fish oil and oil recovered by the rendering of animal tissue.
Plant source biodiesel fuels are currently the more dominant type in the marketplace. The primary plant sources are soy in North America, rapeseed in Europe, and palm and the other plant source oils elsewhere.
The biodiesel is made by esterifying one or a mixture of such oils and fats using one or a mixture of short chain; e.g., C1 to C5, alcohols, preferably methanol.
Because the most economical trans-esterification processes are performed using methanol, the biodiesel products are identified with reference to the oil or fat source; e.g., soy methyl ester (SME), rapeseed methyl ester (RME), etc.
Trans-esterification is effected by the base catalyzed reaction of the fat and/or oil with the alcohol, direct acid catalyzed esterification of the oil and/or fat with the alcohol, or conversion of the oil and/or fat to fatty acids and then to alkyl esters with alcohol in the presence of an acid catalyst. In base catalyzed trans-esterification, the oil and/or fat is reacted with a short chain alcohol, preferably methanol, in the presence of a catalyst such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide to produce glycerin and short chain alkyl esters. The glycerin is separated from the product mixture and biodiesel is recovered. Any unreacted alcohol is removed by distillation. The recovered biodiesel is washed to remove residual catalyst or soap and dried.
Because of the natural sources of the oils and/or fats upon which the biodiesel fuels are based, the biodiesel molecules are mixtures of various molecular weights with ester functionality and up to two olefinic double bonds.
The presence of the olefinic double bonds and ester functionality in the biodiesel fuels results in the biodiesel fuels being susceptible to oxidative degradation, resulting in the unsuitability of biodiesel for long term storage.
The ester functionality of the biodiesel fuel is susceptible to decomposition into organic acids by oxidation or even hydrolysis of the biodiesel fuel. This generated acid can catalyze the conjugated diene functionality of the biodiesel ester to oligomeric and polymeric products which are capable of increasing the viscosity of lube oil formulation when, as inevitably will happen, such oligomeric and polymeric products eventually find their way into the lube oil via passage around piston rings and/or exhaust gas circulation equipment which passes exhaust gas into the lube oil circulation system (e.g., PCV valves) and begin to concentrate in the lube oil.
The improvement in the oxidation stability of biodiesel fuel has been the subject of investigation leading to the addition to such fuel of various additives and combinations of additives to effect the desired stabilization.
WO 2008/056203 teaches stabilizer compositions for blends of petroleum and renewable fuels. Mixtures of renewable fuels such as biodiesel, ethanol and biomass mixed with conventional petroleum fuel are stabilized by the addition thereto of a multifunctional additive package which is a combination of one or more additives selected from the group consisting of a free radical chain terminating agent, a peroxide decomposition agent, an acid scavenger, a photochemical stabilizer, a gum dispersant and a metal sequestering agent. Peroxide decomposition agents are selected from the group containing sulfur, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. Suitable nitrogen-containing compounds are of the general formula:
wherein R′ and R″ can be alkyl linear, branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30, aromatic, cyclic, poly alkoxy, polycyclic, and Z can be R or:
wherein N can be 1-6 and y can be 1-6. Identified as a useful nitrogen-containing compound is N—N-dimethylcyclohexylamine. While N,N-dimethylcyclohexylamine is taught as a useful peroxide decomposition agent, in the examples it is never employed by itself but always in combination with a phenolic anti-oxidant. Reference to FIG. 2 of WO 2008/056203 reveals that whereas the use of the combination of 75% phenol and 25% N,N-dimethylcyclohexylamine (at a treat level of 200 mg/l) resulted in an improvement in the relative stability of the fuel as compared to using 100% phenol over all time periods tested, an increase in the amount of N,N-dimethylcyclohexylamine in the additive mixture to 50% significantly reduced the beneficial effect of the additive mixture (still at a treat level of 200 mg/l) in terms of relative stability over all time periods tested as compared to the 75% phenol/25% N,N-dimethylcyclohexylamine mixture with the most significant reduction in benefit being observed over the long term; i.e., at the six hour time period.
U.S. 2004/0152930 teaches stable blended diesel fuel comprising an olefinic diesel fuel blending stock containing olefins in an amount of 2 to 80 wt %, non-olefins in an amount of 20 to 98 wt % wherein the non-olefins are substantially comprised of paraffins, oxygenates in an amount of at least 0.012 wt % and sulfur in an amount of less than 1 ppm, the blend diesel being stabilized by an effective amount of a sulfur-free anti-oxidant. An effective amount of sulfur-free anti-oxidant is identified as 5 to 500 ppm, preferably 8 to 200 ppm of additive.
The sulfur-free anti-oxidant is selected from the group consisting of phenols, cyclic amines and combinations thereof. Preferably the phenols contain one hydroxyl group and are hindered phenols. The cyclic amine anti-oxidants are amines of the formula:
wherein A is a six-membered cycloalkyl or aryl ring, R1, R2, R3 and R4 are independently H or alkyl and X is 1 or 2. An example of the sulfur-free anti-oxidant is given as di-methylcyclohexylamine. See also U.S. Pat. No. 7,179,311.
“Evaluation of the Stability, Lubricity and Cold Flow Properties of Biodiesel Fuel”, J. Andrew Waynick, 6th International Conference on Stability and Handling of Liquid Fuel”, Vancouver, B. C., Canada, Oct. 13-17, 1997, pages 805-829 addresses various aspects of biodiesel fuel and reports an example where a blend of 80% low sulfur No. 2 diesel fuel/20% methyl soyate ester biodiesel fuel was combined with 20 ppm of the organic base N,N-dimethylcyclohexylamine. At page 813 the report states that “although additive C (the N,N-dimethylcyclohexylamine) did not control hydroperoxide or insolubles formulations, it did hold the TAN to a level near that of the fuel blend with anti-oxidant additive A (N,N-di-sec-butyl-p-phenylenediamine) and B (2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methyl phenol)”.
U.S. 2008/0127550 discloses stabilized biodiesel fuel composition wherein the stabilizing agent is a combination of: i) one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of sterically-hindered phenolic anti-oxidants; and ii) one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of triazole metal deactivators.
U.S. 2007/0151143 discloses a stabilized biodiesel wherein the
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a frequency synthesizer and, in particular, to a frequency synthesizer with a harmonic locked phase/frequency detector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A frequency synthesizer is an electronic system for generating any range of frequencies from a single fixed timebase or oscillator. They are found in many modem devices, including radio receivers, mobile telephones, radio telephones, walkie-talkies, CB radios, satellite receives, GPS systems, etc. Since a millimeter wave band of 57-64 GHz has been announced for general unlicensed use, frequency synthesizers may be used to facilitate the giga-data-rate wireless transmission for short distance indoor communications. For multi-Gb/s wireless transceivers, a very-high-speed frequency synthesizer plays a very important role.
A phase locked loop base frequency synthesizer is a commonly used architecture for designers. A phase locked loop compares the frequencies of two signals and produces an error signal which is proportional to the difference between the input frequencies. The error signal is used to drive a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) which creates an output frequency. The output frequency is fed through a frequency divider back to the input of the system, producing a negative feedback loop. If the output frequency drifts, the error signal will increase, driving the frequency in the opposite direction so as to reduce the error. Thus the output is locked to the frequency at the other input. This input is called the reference and is derived from a crystal oscillator, which is very stable in frequency.
Meanwhile, it is well-known that the active devices in modern advanced CMOS technology suffer from gate leakage and channel-length modulation due to thinner gate oxide thicknesses and shorter channel lengths, of which causes some negative issues in very high-frequency VCO's design. Firstly, to have a wide tuning range for a VCO, a large varactor is often used. However, the parasitic capacitance limits the oscillation frequency. And, resulting gate leakage current degrades the phase noise. Secondly, since cross-coupled devices with short channel lengths may offer finite output resistance, the equivalent quality factor from the LC tank is decreased. This also degrades the phase noise performance and even causes VCO malfunction.
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Echo in a communication system is commonly characterized as the return of a part of a transmitted signal from an end user back to the originator of the transmitted signal after a delay period. As is known in the art, a near end user transmits an uplink signal to a far end user. Conversely, the near end user receives a downlink signal from the far end user. Echo at the near end occurs when the near end user originates an uplink signal on the uplink path, and a part of the transmitted signal is reflected at the far end as an echo signal on the downlink path back to the near end. Echo at the far end occurs when the far end user originates a downlink signal on the downlink path, and a part of the transmitted signal is reflected at the near end, as an echo signal on the uplink path back to the far end. Typically, the echo delay period corresponds to the round trip transmission time in the communication system plus the dispersion or group delay of the echo generating source. The reflection of the transmitted signal may occur due to a number of reasons, such as an impedance mismatch in a four/two wire hybrid, or feedback from acoustic coupling in a telephone, wireless device or hands free speaker phone. An echo signal corresponding to the delayed transmitted signal is perceived as annoying to the near end user and in some cases can result in an unstable condition known as “howling.”
Echo cancellers are required at any echo generating source at both the near end and at the far end in an attempt to eliminate or reduce the transmission of echo signals to the far end and near end. Echo cancelers may be employed in wireless devices, such as cellular phones, car phones, two-way radios, car kits for cellular telephones and other suitable devices. Additionally, echo cancelers may be employed in wireline devices, such as hands free speakerphones, video and audio conference phones and telephones otherwise commonly referred to in the telecommunications industry as plain old telephone system (POTS) devices. Hands free speakerphones typically include a microphone to produce the uplink signal, a speaker to acoustically produce the downlink signal, the echo canceler to cancel the echo signal and a telephone circuit.
The hands free speaker phone may be integrated into an in-vehicle audio system. The vehicle may be an automobile, a boat or an airplane, or any suitable vehicle. The in-vehicle audio system may include an amplifier, speakers and an audio source, such as a tuner module, CD/DVD player, tape player, satellite radio, etc. The in-vehicle audio system may be integrated with a communication apparatus, such as a telematics communication module. For example, the telematics communication module may be a component of a General Motors' OnStar system. The telematics communication module typically collects and disseminates data, such as location information and audio, such as speech.
Typically, the downlink audio signal received from the far end through the downlink path is played through the at least one speaker in the in-vehicle audio system. However, the hands free speaker phone installed in the vehicle may experience significant coupling between the at least one speaker and the microphone and is referred to herein as an acoustic coupling channel. As a result, an amplified downlink audio signal transmitted through the at least one speaker will be partially received by the microphone as an echo signal. The amplitude of the echo signal referred to herein as the echo return loss depends on the amount of coupling between the at least one speaker and the microphone.
Echo cancelers are known to attempt to cancel the echo signals produced at the near end when the far end is transmitting by generating echo estimation data corresponding to a portion of an amplified downlink audio signal traveling through the acoustic coupling channel. The echo canceler generates the echo estimation data through the use of an echo canceler adaptive filter. The echo canceler attempts to subtract the echo estimation data from pre-echo canceler uplink data received from the microphone in order to produce post-echo canceler uplink data. The echo canceler attempts to adapt to changes in the echo return loss by dynamically generating the echo estimation data via the echo canceler adaptive filter. Additionally, attenuators in the uplink path and in the downlink path may also be used to reduce the effect of the echo signals.
The echo canceler adaptive filter adapts not only between different calls, but also during a call, due to the nonfixed nature of the acoustic coupling channel between the at least one speaker and the microphone. For example, movement of passengers in the vehicle may affect the acoustic coupling channel and, therefore, the echo canceler attempts to dynamically adapt to the varying echo return loss. However, the pre-echo canceler uplink data may change due to variations in the acoustic coupling faster or beyond the capabilities of the echo canceler adaptive filter. As a result, due to imperfect knowledge of the network medium and the acoustic coupling channel creating the echo signal, the estimated echo data may contain errors.
Additionally, if the amplifier gain is increased, the downlink signal may cause the received microphone signal to be so great that the reduced echo return loss may significantly reduce the effectiveness of the adaptive filter and possibly cause the adaptive filter to become ineffective or possibly unstable. Consequently, the adaptive filter under this condition may actually cause the uplink signal to also become degraded, unstable, or corrupted. As a result, the corrupted post-echo canceler uplink data will cause annoying loud noises at the far end.
According to one method, the echo canceler attenuates the post-echo canceler uplink data based on the amplitude or power level of the post-echo canceler uplink data in an attempt to attenuate an echo signal transmitted on the uplink path before reaching the far end. However, an increase in the amplitude or power level of the post-echo canceler uplink data may occur due to an increase in the downlink data power and not due to a change in the acoustic coupling channel. As a result, the uplink data may be improperly attenuated causing the near end user not to be heard by the far end user because the echo canceler incorrectly interpreted an increase in post-echo canceler uplink data power due to an increase in downlink data power as an increase in acoustic coupling.
According to yet another method, the capabilities of the echo canceler adaptive filter are improved by, for example, increasing a number of coefficients in a finite impulse response filter (FIR). However, since the echo canceler adaptive filter is typically implemented in a processing device, increasing the number of coefficients may result in an increased processor load, and may reduce the rate of adaptation of the echo canceler adaptive filter and increase power consumption. As a result, a more complex and more costly echo canceler adaptive filter is required to satisfy the required processor load.
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In the manufacture of foundry molds and cores from sand which is bonded with a curable binder, recycling the sand is an important economic consideration. Foundry sand can normally be used, then reused, repeatedly, when most resin binders are used. Normally there is a small loss of sand on reuse, and this loss is made up by adding pristine sand to the used sand. These conditions are experienced with most resin binders.
In recent years, however, alkaline phenolic resins have gone into widespread use. These resins can be ester cured at ambient temperature. Such resin binder systems are disclosed, for example, in patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,467, in which lactones are used as the curing agents; U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,904, in which carboxylic acid esters are so used; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,359, in which the esters are in the gaseous or vapor phase. These patents are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
While these binding systems offer many advantages, there are offsetting disadvantages that are sometimes observed. For example when the sand is reused, the tensile strength of the molds or cores drops off. This may have a serious effect on the economics of the foundry.
The extent to which previously used sand is able to be reused is often determined by the tensile properties that can be achieved. One factor which determines the tensile strength is the ability of the binder to bond to the surfaces of the reclaimed sand. Higher rebonding strengths allow higher usage levels of reclaimed sand.
To reclaim sand from a foundry mold or core, the used mold or core is shaken, vibrated or dismantled mechanically subsequent to removal of the casting, to loosen the sand and break up any lumps or agglomerates. The bonding properties of reclaimed sand are generally poorer than those of pristine sand, requiring further processing for effective use. There are three generally recognized treatment methods for reclaiming sand, mechanical, wet and thermal.
The mechanical treatment processes typically involve subjecting the used sand to grinding, scrubbing or other mechanical attrition to free up the individual grains of sand, remove binder residues, provide clean sand surfaces, and remove fines. The wet treatment processes involve washing the sand with water, draining, and drying the washed sand to the moisture levels necessary for subsequent use. In thermal treatment processes, the sand is heated to a temperature of about 120.degree. C. or above, so that the binder residue is decomposed or burned.
One common objective of these treatment processes is to remove binder residues. The binder residue level may be determined by a loss-on-ignition (L.O.I.) test. New sand has an L.O.I. of about 0.1%, while untreated used sand has an L.O.I. of about 0.5% to 3%.
Where the reclaimed sand is recovered from foundry molds or cores in which the binder was an ester cured alkaline phenolic resin, wet treatment processes have been found to be very effective. Wet treatment processes can produce sand which exhibits high bonding strength substantially equivalent to that of pristine sand. However the thermal and mechanical treatment processes do not produce treated used sand with such high bonding strength. It is believed the wet treatment processes "cleanse" the surfaces of the reclaimed sand of any harmful residues. The mechanical and thermal treatment processes apparently are not as effective in removing these harmful residues.
However, mechanical treatment processes are the most commonly employed by the foundry industry because they are the most economical. Thermal treatment processes are undesirable in comparison because of their high energy costs. Wet treatment processes are undesirable in comparison because of disposal problems associated with the wash water and energy costs for drying the sand.
Because of limitations in the mechanical and thermal treatment processes, reclaimed sands so treated, particularly those recovered from foundry molds or cores wherein the cured binder was an ester cured alkaline phenolic resin, have bonding properties inferior to those of pristine sand. These inferior bonding properties limit the usage level of reclaimed sand in many cases to about 50 weight percent of the total sand when forming foundry cores and molds. Reclaimed sand levels of up to 90 weight percent are needed to achieve the desired economics and minimize disposal costs.
In comparison, the used, reclaimed sand obtained from foundry molds and cores which employ an acid cured binder, such as an acid cured phenolic resin, an acid cured furan resin, or a phenolic-urethane resin, do not suffer significant losses in bonding strength after thermal or mechanical treatment. However, wet treatment processes are generally not effective for such used sand.
Often, the usage levels of mechanically and thermally treated reclaimed sand in the foundry is as high as 80% to 90% by weight of the total sand usage. Theoretically, the usage levels of such reclaimed sand could be as high as 100%; however, there are handling losses and it is usually necessary to replenish the stock of sand with a makeup amount of pristine sand.
It is desirable to enhance the bonding ability of used sand reclaimed from foundry molds and cores made with ester cured alkaline phenolic resins, to the extent that usage levels of such used reclaimed sand as high as 80% to 90% by weight can be achieved.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,043, treatment of inorganic filler material for filler may be, for example, fiberglass, titania, ceramic fibers or powders, carbon black, silica, alumina, silica flour, asbestos, clays, and the like. The silane may be applied directly to this filler--reinforcing material, col. 3, lines 55-58. The reinforced or filled resin is used to make pipes, tanks, and other such objects. There is no suggestion of usefulness in the foundry industry.
The treatment of reinforcing inorganic fillers (glass mats) for polymers with a silane solution has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,540 and UK Patent Specification 882058. In such treatment processes, the filler is immersed in a silane solution, then dried. The silane is believed to improve the affinity or receptivity of the glass mat for the polymer. There is no suggestion of using such a treatment in a foundry application, and the drying step consumes energy.
J. Robins and others have several patents relating to the use of isocyanate binder systems in the foundry industry. In one such U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,721, there is a disclosure of precoating the sand with a silane, col. 4, lines 32-39, but as that patent points out, pre-coating in this system offers no advantage over adding the silane at some other point.
The addition of silane to resin binder solutions to increase bonding strength is well known. Methods and compositions wherein a silane is added to the resin solution have been disclosed in the two patents just discussed and also in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,256,623, 4,111,253 and 3,234,259, and UK Patent Specification 876,033.
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Glucan is a generic term referring to an oligo- or polysaccharide composed predominantly or wholly of the monosaccharide D-glucose. Glucans are widely distributed in nature with many thousands of forms possible as a result of the highly variable manner in which the individual glucose units can be joined (glucosidic linkages) as well as the overall steric shape of the parent molecule.
The glucan referred to in this invention typically is a linear chain of multiple glucopyranose units with a variable number of side-branches of relatively short length. The glucosidic linkages are predominantly (not less than 90%) .beta.-1,3 type with a lower number (not greater than 10%) of .beta.-1,6 type linkages; the .beta.-1,3 linkages form the bulk of the backbone of the molecule, while the .beta.-1,6 linkages occur predominantly in the side-branches. The chemical name of this form of glucan is poly-(1,3)-.beta.-D-glucopyranosyl-(1,6)-.beta.-D-glucopyranose. Glucan is well described molecule.
The form of glucan is found principally in the cell wall of most fungi (including yeasts and moulds) and in some bacteria. Glucan, in combination with other polysaccharides such as mannan and chitin, is responsible for the shape and mechanical strength of the cell wall. The glucan typically accounts for approximately 40% to 50% of the weight of the cell wall in these cells.
The chemical structure of fungal cell wall glucan has been studied in detail, with the following sentinel articles being incorporated herein by reference--Bacon et al (1969); Manners et al (1973).
Fungal cell wall glucans have long been used in industry, particularly the food industry, usually in a semi-purified form. Their uses have included use as stabilizers, binders, thickeners and surface active materials.
It also has been known for some forty years that fungal cell wall glucans are biologically active, exerting a number of effects on the reticuloendothelial and immune systems of animals. The outstanding biological effect in this regard is their ability to stimulate non specifically the activity of the body's primary defence cells--the macrophage and the neutrophil. This is thought to be due to receptors to .beta.-1,3 glucan displayed on the surface of these cells (Czop and Austen. 1985). The interaction between glucan and its receptor producing such stimulatory effects as enhanced phagocytosis (Riggi and Di Luzio, 1961), increased cell size (Patchen and Lotzova, 1980), enhanced cell proliferation (Deimann and Fahimi, 1979), enhanced adherence and chemotactic activity (Niskanen et al, 1978), and production of a wide range of cytokines and leukotrienes (Sherwood et al. 1986, 1987).
The aforementioned biological responses to fungal cell wall glucan have been reported to result in a number of clinical effects including: enhanced resistance to infections with fungi (Williams et al. 1978), bacteria (Williams et al, 1983), viruses (Williams and Di Luzio, 1985), protozoa (Cook et al, 1979) following systemic application: enhanced antitumour activity following systemic application (Williams et al. 1985) or intralesional application (Mansell et al. 1975); and enhanced immune responsiveness following systemic application (Maeda and Chihara, 1973). It will be readily seen that these clinical effects are highly beneficial and important and represent an opportunity to develop novel pharmaceutics based on fungal cell wall glucans, such pharmaceutics having potentially wide application in both veterinary and human medicine.
Of the various fungal cell wall glucans tested, that from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has proven to be acceptable in terms of efficacy and safety as an immune stimulant in animals and humans. Hereinafter this will be referred to as Saccharomyces cerevisiae ("Sc")-glucan. Predominantly or wholly .beta.-1,3 glucans from other fungi, bacteria or plants from the Graminaceae family have been shown to be immunostimulatory in animals but compared to Sc-glucan either are not as potent or if they do have comparable or greater potency then that is usually associated with a higher level of undesirable side-effects.
Sc-glucan has been shown to be biologically active as an immune stimulant in animals in various forms. These include (a) a large molecular weight (typically greater than 3.times.10.sup.6 d), water-insoluble, microparticulate form, or (b) smaller molecular weight (typically less than 500,000 d) forms which are dispersible or soluble in water. Water-solubility is described as being achieved either through cleavage of the large microparticulate glucan form to smaller molecules using processes such as enzymatic digestion or vigorous pH adjustments, or by complexing to salts such as amines, sulphates and phosphates. The principal advantage of the smaller, water-soluble form vs the larger microparticulate form is that it is safer when given by parenteral routes of administration such as intravenously. Also, it is likely that the smaller sized molecules are more bio-available on a molar basis.
To date it has neither been technically possible nor economically feasible to synthesise glucan on a commercial basis. Thus preparation of commercial quantities of .beta.-1,3 glucan for therapeutic uses requires that it be extracted from fungi, bacteria, algae or cereal grains.
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Detecting planets outside of the solar system is frequently complicated by the relative proximity of extrasolar planets to the stars they orbit. Since planets can be located only by the reflected light of their star, the star will be significantly brighter than the planet of interest, in some cases on the order of ten million times brighter. In light of the relative proximity of a planet to its star, it is necessary to attenuate the light of the star to obtain a useful image of the planet. In general, this has been accomplished through the use of coronagraphs. The design of coronagraphs can vary, including simple coronagraphs that utilize an occulting disk to block the star's light and nulling coronagraphs that use a phase mask to shift the phase of light, as opposed to directly blocking it. An occulting disk is usually used to block the sun and retrieve corona images. However, it is more suitable to use a phase mask for star systems because the entrance aperture dominates the diffraction effect of images.
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There are numerous instances where persons desire enlargement of the soft tissue in their bodies. The inventor herein has worked extensively in this area by inventing and patenting various devices and methods for growing and enlarging soft tissue through different means. Generally, these devices have been focused on enlarging a woman's breasts, although other various applications have also been disclosed and described in the inventor's prior patent filings. Also, generally, these inventions operate under a principal of applying a controlled tension to a patient's soft tissue such as by applying a vacuum, or through a mechanical structure which induces a tension. Various problems have been solved by the inventor in inventing these devices, many of which have contributed to the efficacy and suitability of these devices for application to a human patient. Various embodiments of these devices have been demonstrated through various trials to be effective when used in a prescribed manner.
A problem which exists universally, and which the inventor herein has encountered with his various inventions, is that of patient compliance. Even the best of medical devices can be rendered ineffective or produce less than desirable results should the patient fail to use the device in the manner in which it is prescribed. In particular, it is anticipated that the inventor's devices will be prescribed by a medical practitioner for a patient's wear using a protocol relating to wear times and pressures induced or tensions exerted in the soft tissue. It is expected that a medical practitioner will be able to judge these after a careful examination of the patient and through selection of a prescribed treatment regimen. Although this information will be reliably communicated to a patient, at present there is little guarantee that a patient will indeed follow that prescribed regimen to thus achieve desirable results.
In order to solve these and other problems in the prior art, the inventor herein has succeeded in designing and developing a patient monitoring device which may be readily integrated into a control for any of the inventors prior embodiments of a soft tissue enlargement device. This patient monitoring device can include a microprocessor controller having a memory and being linked to one or more sensors. These sensors may sense for example a temperature reading such that when the device is placed adjacent the patient's soft tissue, the patient's natural body heat is sensed by the temperature sensor to thereby indicate that the device is being properly worn. Still another possibility for a sensor includes a pressure sensor which can be placed in any of the vacuum lines or under the vacuum domes provided as part of the soft tissue enlargement device to sense when the pump which draws the negative pressure or vacuum has indeed created such a negative pressure or vacuum. This indicates that the patient is indeed wearing the device as the vacuum or negative pressure is created between the device and the patient's soft tissue. Still another sensor, a third sensor, could also be coupled to the microprocessor controller and provide an additional input of a differential nature, e.g., pressure taken at a different part of the device, or another temperature sensor, or any other convenient parameter which may be monitored and which will provide an indication that the patient is indeed wearing the device as prescribed. For example, a mechanical push button or snap switch having a relatively light pressure actuator may be conveniently placed in a strap or other part of the device which would be actuated as the device would be fastened or secured properly to the patient's body. Other types of sensors could be thought of by those of skill in the art as would be appropriate to the particular device and application.
By using a microprocessor controller, a clock and memory may be provided as part of the controller or in separate microchips so that the length of time that the sensor is above a preselected threshold can be determined and indicate the amount of time that the patient has been wearing the soft tissue enlargement device. Thus, the amount of time that the soft tissue enlargement device remains unworn may be readily determined as well as the amount of time that the device is being worn, and these times may also be indexed to a time of day to provide an additional degree of reliability for the data being collected. As with any typical microprocessor controller, an output port of the controller may be used to communicate the data to another computer, a display such as a computer monitor, a printer, or other recorder as might be desired to collect the data. In still other applications, it might be desired to telecommunicate the data collected by the patient monitor through a communication link such as through a LAN, WAN, or even the Internet.
While the principal advantages and features of the invention have been described above, a fuller understanding of the invention may be attained by referring to the drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiment which follows.
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The present invention relates to the melt reduction of iron oxides. This practice fundamentally involves feeding iron oxides, possibly in the form of iron ore, mixed with carbonaceous material, such as coke particles, to an iron melt where the carbon reacts with the oxides so that the iron is added to the melt, the reaction gases being discharged from the enclosure of the furnace containing the iron melt.
When practiced conventionally by the use of a direct current electric arc furnace, with the arcing electrode cathodic and the melt anodic, the materials, normally intermixed, must be of a relatively large particle size to prevent them from being blown about by the gases evolving from the melt and by action of the arc, so as to be lost by being carried away via discharged reaction gases. It is desirable to have the reducing reaction proceed as rapidly as possible, this suggesting that the particles of the materials be reduced to a fine grained condition, such as in the form of powder.
The use of a direct current arc formed between a cathodic arcing electrode and an anodic iron melt, is advantageous because the action of the arc displaces slag floating on the melt, to form a bare spot of iron free from slag, the presence of slag interfering with the desired reaction.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,551, dated Feb. 24, 1976, discloses the use of a tubular arcing electrode operated as a cathode, the melt being the anode, this permitting very fine-grained iron oxide material and carbonaceous material to be fed directly into the arc of a DC arc furnace, the arc action displacing any slag to form a spot of bare iron, to which the powdered materials are fed directly, the magnet and electrical forces of the arc having the effect of confining the flow of powdered materials.
However, the above patented invention has the disadvantage that the refractory lining of any furnace used, is directly exposed to the arc flare with attendant danger of early lining deterioration. The constantly fed flow of fine-grained or powdered materials is to the inside of the arc electrode having the vertical feeding passage or hole; the feed materials can have no shading or shielding action with respect to the arc flare.
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The present invention relates to battery backup systems and, more particularly, to battery backups for electrical appliances using wall transformers.
Many companies use keep track of employee time through the use of time clocks that punch time cards. Other time clocks read barcodes or magnetic strips and send the data read to a central computer. With either type of system, employees are unable to clock in or out when a power outage occurs. Although computer servers have battery backups, companies do not typically purchase AC inverters or expensive battery backup options for time clocks or other equipment powered from wall transformers.
A wall transformer is an enclosure that plugs directly into an AC power wall socket, and outputs either a low DC voltage or a low AC voltage, and outputs either a low DC voltage or a low AC voltage. The normal range of the voltages is 5 to 28 volts. The output voltage is communicated to the time clock or other electrical appliance through a wire cable.
Power outages occur for a number of reasons, including a failure at the power company or in the lines between the power company and the consumer. Power outages are a more-than-occasional inconvenience during periods of an energy crisis. A power failure at a business is a particular problem, resulting in substantial loss of operational efficiency, or even complete shutdowns. For many businesses, the expense of large traditional power backup systems is such that they are cost prohibitive. Rather than having to supply a custom backup system for every electrical appliance, a common, interchangeable backup system is preferably for many types of devices.
Uninterruptible power supply (xe2x80x9cUPSxe2x80x9d) systems are used to supply back-up power for computers and other electronic devices. Such systems supply a secondary source of high AC voltage. UPS""s have the disadvantage of being prohibitively expensive for many businesses. Other external backup systems use batteries that have DC-AC inverters to supply a secondary source of high AC voltage. Such systems plug directly into an AC outlet and have standard wall-type AC outlets of their own. In order to change which devices are using the backup, a series of disconnections and reconnections is necessary.
Accordingly, there exists a need to devise a common external backup system that mitigates the above mentioned drawbacks. Further, there exists a need to provide a system that could readily adopt to existing devices using a wall transformer, which could be moved from device to device as needed to properly shutdown or complete any necessary data transfer or operation.
A battery backup system is provided for power wall transformer when a power supply failure occurs. The system includes a detachable backup battery that may interface with the device to be powered without disconnecting the device from connection to an AC power supply. As such, the backup battery may be relocated as need to power different devices connected to an AC power supply.
In one embodiment the invention comprises an adaptor disposed intermediate the AC power supply and the device to be powered. The adaptor is plug connectable to an AC source, the device to be powered, and a backup battery. In normal operation the backup battery is charged by the AC source, which also operates the electrical device. During power interruption, the backup battery powers the device and is isolated from the power supply. In this embodiment the backup battery may be supported by the adaptor, and removed from the adaptor to the location of another adaptor, which does not have a backup battery connected thereto. By such means a limited number of backup batteries may be used to provide power to various electrical devices, on a priority basis.
In another embodiment the backup battery is plug connectable to a wall transformer that normally powers an electrical device by direct connection to an AC source. In this embodiment the backup battery is again relocatable to another source without a need to disconnect the wall transformer from its normal connection. Ths avoids interruptions in operation of a first electrical device, while the backup battery is relocated to power another device.
The invention is suitable for use to power AC or DC or DC devices, by means of conventional converter circuitry. Switching circuitry may also be provided to allow the system to adapt to either AC or DC operation.
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Massively Multiplayer Online Games (“MMOs”) allow multiple players to play together simultaneously, usually in a virtual world. MMO role-playing games (“MMORPGs”) are popular types of MMOs where player-controlled characters to interact with each other in the virtual world. The player-controlled characters may have goals, jobs, or roles, and go on quests, missions, or even run errands. Most tasks that can be done in the real world can now also be done in MMORPGs.
Many MMORPGs also allow players to perform tasks and assume roles in the virtual world that would not be possible in the real world. For example, characters may wield a battle axe with skill, fly, cast spells, shoot lasers, have mechanical bodyparts, teleport, phase, or use other special powers or abilities. In an example well-known MMORPG, World of Warcraft® (“WoW”), characters move around a two-dimensional or three-dimensional virtual world meeting and interacting with other characters, completing quests, defeating bosses in dungeons, battling other characters, going on massively multiplayer raids, and making friends. WoW has around ten million monthly subscribers, and each subscriber may have multiple characters.
Most MMORPGs have a server-side authentication mechanism that checks a user's identity before the user is allowed to begin controlling his or her character in the virtual world. The user enters his or her information from a client-side device such as a personal computer, a game console, or a mobile device. Once the user is authenticated, many of the games allow the user to select a character and begin a game session in the virtual world. Server(s), referred to herein as “world server(s),” control the interactive gameplay between the character and other characters as the characters move around the virtual world. To support interactive gameplay, world servers may manage visibility of the characters, movement, spells, effects, inventory, items, currency, achievements, stats, non-player character artificial intelligence (“NPC AI”), combat, trade, or textual, verbal, or visual communication such as chat, speak, and yell functions.
The virtual world may include different types of terrain, sky, light, texture, buildings, trees, creatures, objects, non-player characters (NPCs), and characters controlled by other players. Example objects may include items that can be equipped, consumed, stowed, bought, sold, or used by the character, and other entities in the environment that are moveable or non-moveable, moving or non-moving, breakable or non-breakable, visible or non-visible, living or dead, and even entities that inflict damage or restore health, or are enchanting or disenchanting. Equipped items such as armor, shields, helmets, boots, necklaces, gauntlets, and swords or other weapons may boost the ability to dodge, parry, absorb, or reduce damage or critical hit probability of incoming attacks, or boost the damage, critical hit probability, piercing effect, or accuracy of outgoing attacks.
A single instance or version of the virtual world may be hosted by world server software running on one or multiple machines. An operating instance of the virtual world is referred to herein as a “realm,” and the operating instance of the virtual world may utilize a world server and other supporting servers (collectively, “realm servers”) to facilitate management of the characters in the virtual world. Different machines running world sever software may be designated for handling different zones of the virtual world. High populations of characters may also be split up among multiple instances of the virtual world in order to accommodate the high populations and to reduce the transactional and computational load on each individual instance of the virtual world, potentially resulting in a better quality of gameplay. The multiple instances of the virtual world may be hosted by world server software running on one or multiple machines in one or multiple locations. In one example, different instances of the virtual world are hosted by different machines in different locations of the real world, such as different cities, regions, or zones of the real world. Users may choose to connect to a virtual world instance that is hosted on a machine near the location of the user in the real world.
Multiple instances of the virtual world may be running simultaneously and independently such that characters may interact with other characters in the same instance of the virtual world without being able to see characters in other instances of the virtual world. World server(s) managing a single instance of the virtual world may keep track of character movements and actions in the single instance of the virtual world, without needing to keep track of character movements and actions in other instances of the virtual world. Different instances of the virtual world may be based on the same map or different maps that have at least some corresponding zones or regions. In one example, two maps may have a certain city in common but may otherwise be different. The corresponding city may or may not be identical in the two maps.
A zone is a region or territory of a virtual world that includes many different regions or territories at different locations. Some zones may share boundaries with each other, and others may not. Different characters in an instance of a virtual world may see each other in a zone of the realm regardless of party affiliation. The zone does not need to be re-instantiated for each party in order to support interaction among the characters in the party because the zone has been instantiated once for all of the characters in the realm.
Information about characters that belong to an instance of a virtual world may be stored at a character information server that may be on a same local network and at a same location as a world server for the virtual world. In this manner, the world server and the character information server may communicate without requiring packets to be sent on a third party network, which may be subject to uncontrollable delay. Characters may be tied to a single instance of the virtual world for the life of the character or for individual game sessions between world servers and clients. Alternatively, a character's membership to an instance of the virtual world may be transferred to another instance of the virtual world at the request of the player, and optionally for a fee. Upon a transfer of a character from a first instance of the virtual world to a second instance of the virtual world, information about the character is retrieved from a first character information server that is collocated with and supports the first instance of the virtual world, and sent to a second character information server that is collocated with and supports the second instance of the virtual world.
Many characters level up together as versions of a game are released and as the game becomes popular in new countries, regions, or languages. The game may support a variety of characters that have reached different progress or experience levels such that some instances of the virtual world become imbalanced with too few characters of certain types and/or levels. Splitting up a virtual world into multiple instances is helpful for managing high populations in the virtual world, but splitting up the virtual world into multiple instances may make it more difficult for characters to find other characters that are in similar, unique circumstances. For example, low-level characters may not be able to find other low-level characters if their instance is populated primarily with high-level characters.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
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Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to conveyors in general and to conveyors for moving logs in particular.
Oriented chips or wafers of wood are used to construct oriented strandboard which has several structural and cost advantages over plywood. The strandboard is a truly modern composite material where the orientation of wood fibers in the wafers making up the board can be engineered to give the board desired properties of stiffness and strength. As compared to plywood, strandboard is more efficient at utilizing all the wood fiber present in relatively small diameter logs, and thus is lower cost them plywood. Moreover, strandboard is without the voids typically present in lower grades of plywood. Strandboard is manufactured from wood wafers cut by a flaker from debarked logs. The debarked logs are advanced along the long axes of the logs approximately 30 inches into the flaker. The logs are held fixed while the blades of the flaker, which extend parallel to the axes of the logs, are caused to rotate about a line parallel to the axis of the logs but displaced from the logs, to thereby reduce a 30-inch portion of the logs to wafers. The wafers are thin veneer-like wood chips or flakes which are used to form the oriented strandboard. Existing feed mechanisms between a debarker, in which the bark is removed from the logs, and the flaker typically employ two separate chain conveyors which operate by indexing the logs forward than pausing while the flaker makes its cutting stroke and then retracts.
Chain drives, while widely used for conveying logs, have several disadvantages, particularly where used to feed a flaker. Maintenance costs are higher than is desirable, as the weight and force with which logs can impact the drive systems results in the expenses of down time for repairs. Further, the cycle of advancing, pausing while the flaker makes its cutting stroke, and advancing again is less than ideally suited to the chain drive with the result that energy costs are higher than necessary.
What is needed is a conveying system of greater reliability, lower cost, and greater efficiency for feeding logs between a debarker and a flaker
The conveyor system of this invention extends between a log debarker and a flaker. The conveyor has five plates that are arranged within a conveying trough. The plates are continuous and extend the length of the conveyor. Three plates line the bottom of the conveyor trough and are supported on rollers, and two plates are positioned vertically on either side of the trough bottom to form approximately the lower half of the trough sides. The vertical plates forming the sides rest within C-channels lined with ultra high molecular weight plastic. Each of the five plates is driven with a hydraulic piston. In operation, all five plates together move forward approximately 30 inches at a constant velocity, and then each plate is retracted separately. The motion of the plates is such that the static coefficient of friction holds the logs against the plates during the forward stroke, but the dynamic coefficient of friction, which is lower than the static coefficient of friction, allows the plates to slide with respect to the logs resting thereon. The effect is a stepwise advance of the logs from the inlet to the outlet of the conveyor. Also, because the logs typically are held in contact with other logs when a single plate is retracted, the logs resting on or against the plate are held from reverse motion by the other logs which are engaged with the non moving plates. Because the plates are moved by simple hydraulic pistons which are ideally suited for discontinuous motion, energy usage as compared to a chain drive conveyor is reduced and the required drive power is substantially reduced to approximately 40 percent, of the installed horsepower of a comparable chain drive conveyor. The stroke and timing of the piston movements are easily controlled by a hydraulic control system which, for optimum reconfiguration, may be controlled by a programmable logic controller, or may use simple cam driven timing mechanisms.
It is an feature of the present invention to provide a conveying system between a log debarker and a flaker which is more reliable and of lower cost.
It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a conveying system between a log debarker and a flaker which has lower operating costs, and lower energy usage.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a conveying system optimized for moving logs between a debarker and a flaker.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Security of mobile terminals, such as portable communication devices (PCDs) (e.g., cellular telephones), portable digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, or any suitable device that is capable of communicating with a wireless network, is increasingly important to mobile terminal users. Security algorithms are often employed to achieve security between a mobile terminal and another network entity. These security algorithms often rely upon a secret that is shared between the mobile terminal and the other network entity that permits the mobile terminal to be authenticated. Typically, this shared secret is embodied in the form of a cryptographic key or username/password combination.
A Generic Bootstrapping Architecture (GBA) is a framework architecture that allows bootstrapping of a security key between a mobile terminal and the home network, which can then be used to further derive security keys for use between the mobile terminal and a network application server. The network application server or the network node using the shared secret with the mobile terminal can reside in any kind of network, e.g., visited network, open Internet, or it can even be another device. Recently, GBA has been thought of for use in combination with identity management systems such as, for example, the Liberty Alliance. Accordingly, Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Generic Authentication Architecture (GAA), which may, for example, be based on mobile algorithms AKA (authentication and key agreement) for 3GPP or CHAP (challenge-handshake authentication protocol) and CAVE (cellular authentication and voice encryption) for 3GPP 2, may be employed to provide single sign on access to multiple services or websites after an initial sign on and authentication of the user. With the deployment of GBA, other protocols may also be used for bootstrapping such as, for example, protocols developed by CableLabs or the Open Mobile Alliance. The main difference between those variants lies in the actual method used to generate the shared secret. The deployment, usage and handling of the service specific shared secrets remain the same for all the above mentioned variants of GBA. This allows network operators with heterogeneous network infrastructures, e.g., if a network operator owns a fixed and a mobile network, to allow users to use the same service independent of how they want to access the service (e.g., via PC, phone etc). Additionally, for the operator, backend servers can be re-used to a large extent.
When accessing protected resources such as services or websites over a network, particularly for the first time, it is often necessary to fill out an often extensive form that includes a multitude of routine personal information. A username and password are often entered to be associated with the personal information in an “account” such that future request for services or visits to a particular website only require a user to enter their username and password to authenticate a user. A single user may have a plethora of accounts with different services and/or websites and each time a change is made to their personal information, each account would have to be updated separately. Further, different services may have different requirements for usernames and passwords and may result in different usernames and passwords for each service or website. Accordingly, certain mechanisms have been developed to mediate access to protected resources or provide an open authentication mechanism. OpenID is a shared identity service that allows Internet users to log on to different web sites using a single digital identity. Thus, users may not need a different user name and password for each site and all personal information can be updated in one location. OpenID is a decentralized, free and open standard that lets users control the amount of personal information they provide. OpenID is an example of a protocol that has been developed for use in connection with open authentication. This protocol is based on the redirection feature of current web browsers, but does not address authorization. It should be noted, that the service channel might be different from the connection used to authenticate.
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Business applications have traditionally been offered as desktop applications. Desktop applications, which are typically installed on individual client machines, generally provide a rich, responsive, and available interface that includes a wide range of user interface (“UI”) controls and other design elements. Also, because business applications have traditionally been offered as desktop applications, the development of desktop applications is generally known. However, some drawbacks of desktop applications include operating system (“OS”) dependence, security vulnerability, and maintenance difficulty.
Regarding OS dependence, a desktop application designed for one operating system may not execute on another operation. Sometimes a desktop application designed for one version of an operating system may not even run on another version of the same operating system. Regarding security vulnerability, multiple desktop applications running on the same computer and operating system may suffer from various application conflicts, such as namespace conflicts or dependency conflicts between software components. Regarding maintenance difficulty, deploying and updating each instance of the same desktop application on multiple client machines can be tedious and time-consuming, especially for large enterprises with a substantial collection of client machines.
In contrast to desktop applications, World Wide Web (“web”) applications are OS-independent. Most web applications operate on any standard web browser connected to the Internet, irrespective of the underlying operating system. Further, because web applications run in the web browser, application conflicts like namespace conflicts and dependency conflicts can be avoided. Additionally, a web application which runs in the cloud can be deployed and updated in a single instance where the web application is hosted.
The process of converting existing desktop applications into web applications usually involves a complete rewrite of the desktop application. This can be incredibly cost prohibitive and error prone. Further, some conventional web interfaces (e.g., HTML4 or earlier) do not provide adequate functionality for providing the same rich interface that the desktop application can. As a result, existing web versions of desktop applications typically provide reduced functionality in a simpler interface when compared to the installed desktop applications.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a laid-on paper cut-off system for a toilet seat. For cutting off laid-on paper delivered onto the toilet seat. In a toilet or closet provided with a delivery roller part for pulling out the laid-on paper from a laid-on paper roll, the laid-on paper having perforated lines for cutting off the laid-on paper for each amount of use, and delivering the laid-on paper onto the toilet seat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been a common practice that, in order to prevent unsanitary use by directly contacting the skin with the toilet seat and to alleviate coldness when sitting on the toilet seat, laid-on paper for the toilet seat is laid on the toilet seat for use. Heretofore, the laid-on paper has been stored, being superposed on one another in a storing box placed at a position close to a closet, and, when necessary, the laid-on paper has been taken out of the storing box one after one for use. However, recently a method has been practiced where the laid-on paper is rolled into a roll shape, pulled out of the roll and delivered onto the toilet seat. This laid-on paper has perforated lines for each amount of use, and the laid-on paper which has been used is cut off along the perforated line and disposed after the use.
However, there is a very troublesome problem in that cut-off of the laid-on paper after the use is performed one by one manually
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In the aviation industry it is conventional to reproduce aircraft passenger cabins by using mock-ups. These mock-ups are generally produced on a 1:1 scale and are arranged within a supporting structure which corresponds functionally to the fuselage structure of the aircraft. The mock-ups serve a number of purposes. First and foremost, they provide an accessible reproduction of the passenger cabin to be subsequently produced, the reproduction corresponding exactly to the passenger cabin to be produced on both a geometric and a visual level. For this purpose, the same materials, matched with respect to colour, are used for example for the floor, wall panels and roof lining as those which will be subsequently used in the final assembly process. In this way, the effect of the colour scheme and spatial design of the cabin fittings on the mood of potential passengers and/or crew can be tested. Furthermore, the creation of different mock-ups with different styling can facilitate the decision-making procedure of potential customers. The addition of fixtures such as passenger seats, galleys, toilets, luggage compartments and lighting equipment forms an environment identical to the cabin to be subsequently produced. This is a practical way of trying out different ideas in terms of fittings, for example different seating designs, and the way these fittings interact with potential passengers can be investigated. A further purpose of these mock-ups is to investigate and optimise the ergonomic interaction between the people involved on the one hand and the fixtures in the cabin on the other under realistic visual conditions. Corresponding findings can be achieved to a limited extent by purposefully studying appropriate drawings and/or by means of virtual reality, but only mock-ups on a 1:1 life-size scale provide a true indication of a customer's experience in the cabin. Mock-ups of the aforementioned type are consequently a necessary link in the chain of development of an aircraft cabin. However, a substantial drawback of mock-ups of this type is that a new mock-up has to be produced for every variant in terms of fittings. Since ever increasing numbers of fittings variants are required simultaneously for a particular aircraft type for the purposes of validation and verification, considerable costs in terms of labour and material are incurred. When a mock-up is no longer required, the majority of the material used, including the supporting structure, cannot be used for other purposes and must be disposed of. The above shows that the advantages of the aforementioned mock-ups are only useful for a small part of the activities to be carried out during the development of an aircraft passenger cabin. The use of these mock-ups basically applies to the development and optimisation of the appearance of cabin fittings. In contrast, the cabin equipment includes lighting, air-conditioning, communications, safety, fresh water, sewage systems, etc. The aforementioned systems are developed and optimised by conventional procedures using, inter alia, appropriate test rigs which are constructed separately independently of the respective mock-up. These test rigs are specific experimental set-ups which are accommodated in a fixed manner in testing sites or laboratories, depending on the test requirements, and have the function of identifying the properties of components, systems and cabin installations. For this purpose, special devices are integrated in these test rigs for detecting these measurement data and simulating the system environment. The individual test stands are connected to one another in part by means of an electrical or fibre-optic data exchange to fulfil functions to which a plurality of cabin systems contribute, the connections, which are determined by the spatial conditions, not being able to be constructed as originally intended, and therefore possibly resulting in part in unrealistic system performance. In order to avoid these drawbacks, systems which interact closely with one another are constructed once again in a fixed manner in another test rig with original connections. In some cases, supporting structures for simulating the fuselage structure of the aircraft are also required to construct these system-related test rigs. Devices for experimentally testing comfort-related requirements in particular in the cabin are used to determine whether specific defined requirements or specifications are satisfied. In isolated cases which are not known in the art, this is already achieved in actual mock-ups of fittings in which the visual impression of a cabin can be determined by developers and customers. The cooperation between a fittings variant with specific features for carrying out cabin functions, for example the interaction between one or more systems with fittings components, is not tested in this case. A substantial disadvantage of the test rigs described above is that a plurality of test set-ups are required to carry out individual system tests and to achieve system integration, thus resulting in high material and labour costs.
In addition, a large proportion of the material used, in particular for the supporting structure, cannot be used further in subsequent tasks. It is further disadvantageous that the individual test set-ups are installed in a fixed manner in a laboratory or a test hall, so it is not possible to move the test rigs for location-independent testing. It follows from the above that the field of application of the development of cabin systems for aircraft, insofar as it involves the reproduction of fittings and equipment for the purposes of reproducing complex physical processes and/or the validation of operability or comfort properties, represents a phase of aircraft development which requires a high degree of expenditure in terms of material and workmanship before the aircraft is actually produced.
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{
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for displaying mammography images.
2. Description of Related Art
Mammography is an essential screening tool to diagnose the early breast cancer. The prior mammograms are negative-film images obtained by a mammography machine with an ionizing radiation passing through breasts. In practice, one examination may take mammography on the same breast at different directions in order to obtain various sections of mammography images. Next, a doctor can manually suspend a plurality of mammograms on a plurality of light boxes in a consulting room to inspect and compare one by one for any abnormal findings. Sometimes, the mammograms in a previous examination or other mammograms are inspected for reference. Otherwise, for convenient comparison, an order and direction of suspended mammograms are adaptively adjusted. When more parallel mammograms are required, it is not satisfactory because the number of light boxes or the place is limited. Such manually suspending way and demand of the light boxes are inconvenient, time-wasting, expensive, and difficult to increase the diagnostic efficiency.
Accordingly, a special suspending method for the mammograms is provided to meet with the habitual behaviors of people and individual in use, the medical environments, and the operation procedures. However, the effectiveness is limited due to the manually suspending way, even the special suspending method is provided.
Therefore, it is desired to provide a method for displaying mammography images for improving the above displaying method without changing the old suspending habit, so that the practice and completeness are satisfied.
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An STI technology has been studied so as to improve a LOCOS method that is widely used in manufacturing process of microelectronic devices. According to this STI technology, a semiconductor substrate is etched so that a shallow trench is formed therein, and an insulating material is filled in the shallow trench thereby forming an isolation region. If a conventional LOCOS method is used, the insulating material is formed by thermal oxidation for long time. However, if the conventional STI method is used, a thermal oxidation process is not required. Therefore, problems caused by the thermal oxidation process can be reduced by using the STI technology. For example, during the conventional LOCOS process, a bird's beak phenomenon which is formed at a boundary of an isolation region and an active region, can be reduced.
The conventional STI region is formed as follows.
First, a trench is formed in a semiconductor substrate. An insulating layer is deposited so as to fill inside the trench. The insulating layer is polished by a chemical vapor polishing("CMP") process until a surface of the semiconductor substrate is exposed, thereby filling the insulating layer within the trench.
However, there are problems in the conventional method of forming STI region. During the CMP process to the insulating layer until the surface of the semiconductor substrate is exposed, the insulating layer within the trench is removed faster than the insulating layer on the surface of the semiconductor substrate. Accordingly, a surface of the insulating layer within the trench is partially removed thereby occurring a dishing phenomenon.
Due to the dishing phenomenon, the surface of the semiconductor substrate is not planarized and the STI layer does not have sufficient insulating characteristic.
Accordingly, there have been suggested methods for preventing the dishing phenomenon at the surface of the insulating layer within the trench conventionally.
Referring to FIG. 1A, a pad oxide 12, a silicon nitride 14 are successively deposited on a semiconductor substrate 10. The pad oxide 12 is formed by a surface oxidation process and the silicon nitride 14 is formed by an LPCV or APCVD process.
Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, a trench mask 15 is formed by etching the silicon nitride 14 and the pad oxide 12 by a known photolithography process until a selected portion of the semiconductor substrate 10 is exposed. Herein, the exposed semiconductor substrate 10 is a region where a device isolation may be performed.
Referring to FIG. 1C, by using the trench mask 15, the exposed semiconductor substrate 10 is anisotropically etched by a selected depth thereby forming a trench T. Next, an insulating layer 16 with selected thickness capable of filling the trench T, is deposited on a resultant surface of the semiconductor substrate 10. At this time, an oxide film deposited according to the CVD process, for example, is used for the insulating layer 16. Herein, a recess r is formed in the insulating layer 16 formed at a portion of the trench T by a step difference of the trench T.
Afterward, referring to FIG. 1D, a polysilicon film 18 is formed on a surface of the insulating layer 16. The polysilicon film 18 serves for delaying the etch rate in the insulating layer 16 within the trench.
And then, a resultant surface of the semiconductor substrate 10 is washed. Continuously, the polysilicon film 18 is polished by the CMP process until a surface of the insulating layer 16 is exposed. As shown in FIG. 1E, then the polysilicon film 18 is filled in a recess r of the insulating layer 16. Herein, the polysilicon film 18 filled in the recess r, is called as a mask polysilicon 18a.
Next, the surface of the insulating layer 16 is washed so that remaining slurry and other contaminants are removed. As shown in FIG. 1F, the insulating layer 16 and the mask polysilicon 18a are etched-back by a selected thickness. Herein, the insulating layer 16 covered with the mask polysilicon 18a is not etched-back relatively due to the difference of etch rate between the polysilicon and the insulating layer. Accordingly, the insulating layer 16 at the trench portion T is relatively protruded to the upside.
Referring to FIG. 1G, the insulating layer 16 is polished according to the CMP process until a surface of the silicon nitride 14 is exposed. Herein, although the CMP process is performed, there is occurred no dishing phenomenon at an upper part of the insulating layer 16 within the trench T since the insulating layer 16 within the trench T is relatively thicker than the insulating layer on the silicon nitride 14.
Referring to FIG. 1H, the silicon nitride 14 and the pad oxide 12 are removed by a known method, thereby forming an STI 18 incurring no dishing phenomenon.
However, the conventional method of forming the STI requires a number of processing steps such as steps of etching trenches; forming oxide and polysilicon films; polishing the polysilicon film by the CMP method; etching-back the oxide film; and polishing the oxide film by the CMP method.
Especially, this method required two times of CMP processes, and the manufacturing process thereof is complicated thereby degrading productivity.
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I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital signal protocol and process for communicating signals between a host communications device and a client audio/visual presentation device at high data rates. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technique for transferring multimedia and other types of digital signals from a wireless device to a micro-display unit or other presentation device using a low power high data rate transfer mechanism.
II. Related Art
Computers, electronic game related products, and various video technologies (for example DVD""s and High Definition VCRs) have advanced significantly over the last few years to provide for presentation of increasingly higher resolution still, video, video-on-demand, and graphics images, even when including some types of text, to end users of such equipment. These advances in turn mandated the use of higher resolution electronic viewing devices such as high definition video monitors, HDTV monitors, or specialized image projection elements. Combining such visual images with high-definition or -quality audio data, such as when using CD type sound reproduction, DVDs, and other devices also having associated audio signal outputs, is used to create a more realistic, content rich, or true multimedia experience for an end user. In addition, highly mobile, high quality sound systems and music transport mechanisms, such as MP3 players, have been developed for audio only presentations to end users.
In a typical video presentation scenario, video data is typically transferred using current techniques at a rate that could be best termed as slow or medium, being on the order of one to tens of kilobits per second. This data is then either buffered or stored in transient or longer term memory devices, for delayed (later) play out on a desired viewing device. For example, images may be transferred xe2x80x9cacrossxe2x80x9d or using the Internet using a program resident on a computer having a modem or internet connection device, to receive or transmit data useful in digitally representing an image. A similar transfer can take place using wireless devices such as portable computers equipped with wireless modems, or wireless Personal Data Assistants (PDAs), or wireless telephones.
Once received, the data is stored locally in memory elements, circuits, or devices, such as RAM or flash memory, including external storage devices, for playback. Depending on the amount of data and the image resolution, the playback might begin relatively quickly, or be presented with longer term delay. That is, in some instances, image presentation allows for a certain degree of real time playback for very small or low resolution images not requiring much data, or using some type of buffering, so that after a small delay, some material is presented while more material is being transferred. Provided there are no interruptions in the transfer link, once the presentation begins the transfer is reasonably transparent to the end user of the viewing device.
The data used to create either still images or motion video are often compressed using one of several well known techniques such as those specified by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG), and other well known standards organizations or companies for in the media, computer, and communications industries to speed the transfer of data over a communication link. This allows transferring images or data faster by using a smaller number of bits to transfer a given amount of information.
Once the data is transferred to a xe2x80x9clocalxe2x80x9d device such as a computer or other device, the resulting information is un-compressed (or played using special decoding players) and prepared for appropriate presentation based on the corresponding available presentation resolution and control elements. For example, a typical computer video resolution in terms of a screen resolution of X by Y pixels typically ranges from as low as 480xc3x97640, through 600xc3x97800 to 1024xc3x971024, although a variety of other resolutions are generally possible, either as desired or needed.
Image presentation is also affected by the image content and the ability of given video controllers to manipulate the image in terms of certain predefined color levels or color depth (bits per pixel used to generate colors) and intensities, and any additional overhead bits being employed. For example, a typical computer presentation would anticipate anywhere from around 8 to 32, or more, bits per pixel to represent various colors (shades and hues), although other values are encountered.
From the above values, one can see that a given screen image is going to require the transfer of anywhere from 2.45 Megabits (Mb) to around 33.55 Mb of data over the range from the lowest to highest typical resolutions and depth, respectively. When viewing video or motion type images at a rate of 30 frames per second, the amount of data required is around 73.7 to 1,006 Megabits of data per second (Mbps), or around 9.21 to 125.75 Megabytes per second (MBps). In addition, one may desire to present audio data in conjunction with images, such as for a multimedia presentation, or as a separate high resolution audio presentation, such as CD quality music. Additional signals dealing with interactive commands, controls, or signals may also be employed. Each of these options adding even more data to be transferred. In any case, when one desires to transfer high quality or high resolution image data and high quality audio information or data signals to an end user to create a content rich experience, a high data transfer rate link is required between presentation elements and the source or host device that is configured to provide such types of data.
Data rates of around 115 Kilobytes (KBps) or 920 Kilobits per second (Kbps) can be routinely handled by modern serial interfaces. Other interfaces such as USB serial interfaces, can accommodate data transfers at rates as high as 12 MBps, and specialized high speed transfers such as those configured using the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 standard, can occur at rates on the order of 50 to 100 MBps. Unfortunately, these rates fall short of the desired high data rates discussed above which are contemplated for use with future wireless data devices and services for providing high resolution, content rich, output signals for driving portable video displays or audio devices. In addition, these interfaces require the use of a significant amount of host or system and client software to operate. Their software protocol stacks also create an undesirably large amount of overhead, especially where mobile wireless devices or telephone applications are contemplated. Furthermore, some of these interfaces utilize bulky cables which are too heavy and unsatisfactory for highly aesthetic oriented mobile applications, complex connectors which add cost, or simply consume too much power.
There are other known interfaces such as the Analog Video Graphics Array (VGA), Digital Video Interactive (DVI) or Gigabit Video Interface (GVIF) interfaces. The first two of these are parallel type interfaces which process data at higher transfer rates, but also employ heavy cables and consume large amounts of power, on the order of several watts. Neither of these characteristics are amenable to use with portable consumer electronic devices. Even the third interface consumes too much power and uses expensive or bulky connectors.
For some of the above interfaces, and other very high rate data systems/protocols or transfer mechanisms associated with data transfers for fixed installation computer equipment, there is another major drawback. To accommodate the desired data transfer rates also requires substantial amounts of power and/or operation at high current levels. This greatly reduces the usefulness of such techniques for highly mobile consumer oriented products.
Generally, to accommodate such data transfer rates using alternatives such as say optical fiber type connections and transfer elements, also requires a number of additional converters and elements that introduce much more complexity and cost, than desired for a truly commercial consumer oriented product. Aside from the generally expensive nature of optical systems as yet, their power requirements and complexity prevents general use for lightweight, low power, portable applications.
What is lacking in the industry for portable or mobile applications, is a technique to provide a high quality presentation experience, whether it be audio, video, or multimedia based, for highly mobile end users. That is, when using portable computers, wireless phones, PDAs, or other highly mobile communication devices or equipment, the current video and audio presentation systems or devices being used simply cannot deliver output at the desired high quality level. Often, the perceived quality that is lacking is the result of unobtainable high data rates needed to transfer the high quality presentation data. Therefore, a new transfer mechanism is needed to increase data throughput between host devices providing the data and client display devices or elements presenting an output to end users.
The above drawback, and others, existent in the art are addressed by embodiments of the current invention in which a new protocol and data transfer mechanism has been developed for transferring data between a host device and a recipient client device at high data rates.
An advantage of embodiments of the invention is that a technique is provided for data transfer that is low in complexity, low cost, has high reliability, fits well within the environment of use, and is very robust, while remaining very flexible.
Embodiments for the invention are directed to a Mobile Digital Data Interface (MDDI) for transferring digital data at a high rate between a host device and a client device over a communication path which employees a plurality or series of packet structures linked together to form a communication protocol for communicating a pre-selected set of digital control and presentation data between the host and client devices. The signal communications protocol or link layer is used by a physical layer of host or client link controllers. At least one link controller residing in the host device is coupled to the client device through the communications path or link, and is configured to generate, transmit, and receive packets forming the communications protocol, and to form digital presentation data into one or more types of data packets. The interface provides for bi-directional transfer of information between the host and client.
In further aspects of embodiments of the invention, at least one client link controller, or client receiver, is
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The present invention relates to a valve joint and the process of its manufacture.
Many fluid product dispensing devices comprise valves, particularly measuring valves, to dispense the product contained in the device, by means of an aerosol propellant. For ecological reasons, conventional aerosol propellants of the CFC type used in the past have been steadily replaced by aerosol propellants, which are less harmful to the environment, such as particularly the gases HFC 134a or HFC-227. The use of these aerosol propellants however brings with it a certain number of problems. On the one hand they place increased stress on the joints, which can bring about more significant swelling, liable to lead to a problem of blocking of the valve which slides within: the joints, a problem generally denoted by the expression xe2x80x9cstickingxe2x80x9d. On the other hand the joint may be led to release compounds known by the term extractables. These extractables are compounds, extracted from the joints by the propellant, which contaminate or pollute the fluid product to be dispensed.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a joint and a manufacturing process of said joint which does not have the above-mentioned drawbacks.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a joint and a process for its manufacture which is simple and inexpensive to carry out.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a joint, which can be used with HFC-134a or HFC-227 gases, in respect of which the release of extractables is reduced.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a joint, which can be used with HFC-134a or HFC-227 gases, which reduce valve blocking problems.
The object of the present invention is therefore a process for manufacturing a valve joint of a dispensing valve of a fluid product dispensing device, said joint being intended to come into contact with a fluid product comprising an aerosol propellant of the HFC-134a or HFC-227 type, with or without alcohol, characterised in that said process includes a joint surface treatment, said surface treatment reducing the friction coefficient of the joint so as to reduce the risks of the valve blocking and/or said surface treatment creating a barrier on the joint surface so as to reduce the level of extractables from said joint.
To advantage, said joint includes one or more of the following materials: nitrile, neoprene, butyl, halobutyl, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene), SBR (styrene butadiene), HNBR (hydrogenated nitrile).
According to a first embodiment of the invention, said surface treatment is of the chemical type.
To advantage, said surface treatment includes grafting halogens on the joint surface.
To advantage, the halogens include chlorine and/or fluorine.
To advantage, said surface treatment includes oxidising the joint surface in a chlorinated medium.
To advantage, said surface treatment includes immersing the joint in a solution containing water, hydrochloric acid and bleach.
According to a second embodiment of the invention, said surface treatment is of the physical type.
To advantage, said surface treatment includes modifying the joint surface by means of electron beams.
To advantage, said surface treatment includes subjecting the joint to an irradiation treatment, the power of which may vary from about 150 KeV to about 10 MeV.
Another object of the present invention is a valve joint of a dispensing valve of a fluid product dispensing device, said joint being intended to come into contact with a fluid product comprising an aerosol propellant of the HFC-134a or HFC-227 type, with or without alcohol, characterised in that said joint comprises a surface subjected to a surface treatment, said surface treatment being adapted to lower the friction coefficient of the joint so as to reduce the risks of the valve blocking and/or to create a barrier on the joint surface so as to reduce the level of extractables from said joint.
To advantage, said joint includes one or more of the following materials: nitrile, neoprene, butyl, halobutyl, EPDM, SBR, HNBR.
According to a first embodiment variant, the joint surface is modified by grafting atoms of chlorine and/or fluorine.
According to a second embodiment variant, the joint surface is irradiated by electron beams, the power of which may vary from about 150 KeV to about 10 MeV.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a display apparatus, and particularly to a display apparatus wherein liquid crystal molecules are driven in an in-plane switching mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display apparatus of an in-plane switching mode attracts attention as a liquid crystal mode which implements a wide viewing angle and a high contrast. FIG. 13 illustrates operation of a liquid crystal display apparatus of a fringe field switching (FFS) mode which is one of in-plane switching modes. In FIG. 13, an optical axis is indicated by a double-sided arrow mark.
Referring to FIG. 13, the liquid crystal display apparatus of the FFS mode shown includes a common electrode 201 provided on a driving substrate not shown. Electrode portions 202a of a pixel electrode 202 are formed by patterning on the common electrode 201 with an insulating film interposed therebetween, and an orientation film 203 is provided in such a manner as to cover the pixel electrode 202. A liquid crystal layer 205 is sandwiched between the orientation film 203 on the driving substrate side and a face of an opposing substrate (not shown) on which an orientation film 204 is formed. Further, two polarizing plates 206 and 207 are disposed under crossed Nicols with the substrates sandwiched therebetween. Here, the rubbing direction of the two orientation films 203 and 204 coincides with the direction of one of transmission axes of the two polarizing plates 206 and 207. Further, the rubbing direction of the two orientation films 203 and 204 and the transmission axis of one of the polarizing plates 206 and 207 here, the polarizing plate 207 are set so as to be substantially in parallel to the extension direction of the electrode portions 202a of the pixel electrode within a range within which the direction in which liquid crystal molecules m rotates is defined.
In the liquid crystal display apparatus of the FFS mode, when no voltage is applied between the common electrode 201 and the electrode portions 202, the axis of liquid crystal molecules m which form the liquid crystal layer 205 is directed perpendicularly to the transmission axis of the polarizing plate 206 on the incidence side but parallelly to the transmission axis of the polarizing plate 207 on the emergence side. Thus, light incident from the polarizing plate 206 comes to the polarizing plate 207 on the emergence side without any phase difference provided thereto by the liquid crystal layer 205 and is absorbed by the polarizing plate 207 thereby to display the black. On the other hand, if a voltage is applied between the common electrode 201 and the pixel electrode 202, then the orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules m is rotated to an oblique direction with respect to the extension direction of the pixel electrode 202 by an in-plane electric field generated between the common electrode 201 and the pixel electrode 202. Thereupon, the field strength upon white display is optimized so that the axis of the liquid crystal molecules m at a central location in the thicknesswise direction of the liquid crystal layer 205 may exhibit rotation by 45°. Consequently, when the light h incident from the polarizing plate 206 of the incidence side passes through the liquid crystal layer 205, it is converted into linearly polarized light rotated by 90° and passes through the polarizing plate 207 on the emergence side thereby to display the white.
In such a liquid crystal display apparatus of the FFS mode as described above, a plurality of scanning lines 213 and a plurality of signal lines 215 are wired in a matrix along outer peripheral sides of a rectangular display screen of a driving substrate 211, and a pixel electrode 202 is provided at each of intersecting locations of the scanning lines 213 and the signal lines 215. Each pixel electrode 202 is provided in a substantially rectangular outer shape within a pixel region a of a substantially rectangular shape defined by scanning lines 213 and signal lines. The pixel electrodes 202 are patterned in a comb-like shape such that they have a plurality of electrode portions 202a extending in parallel to the major sides of the outer shape as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3,742,837.
Another example of a configuration of a pixel electrode is shown in FIG. 15. Referring to FIG. 15, a pixel electrode 202 having a substantially rectangular outer shape is provided in a pixel region a of a substantially rectangular shape defined by scanning lines 213 and signal lines 215 wired along outer peripheral sides of a display screen. A plurality of electrode portions 202a extend obliquely with respect to the outer shape of the pixel region a. The configuration of the pixel electrode just described is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,145,621.
Both of the configurations described above with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15 have an optical configuration similar to that described hereinabove with reference to FIG. 13. In short, the rubbing direction of the two orientation films 203 and 204 and the direction of the transmission axis of one of the polarizing plates 206 and 207, in FIG. 13, of the polarizing plate 207, are set substantially in parallel to the pixel electrode 202, that is, the comb-shaped electrode portions 202a.
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1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention generally relates to electronics.
2. Background of the Related Art
Electronics are very important in the lives of many people. In fact, electronics are present in almost all electrical devices (e.g., radios, televisions, toasters, and computers). Many times electronics are virtually invisible to a user because they can be made up of very small devices inside a case. Although electronics may not be readily visible, they can be very complicated. It may be desirable in many devices for electronics to operate at fast speeds. This may be important, as many devices utilize electronics to process data or information. Accordingly, the faster a device can operate, the more data or information that can be processed in a given amount of time. For example, a DVD player processes data at a faster rate than a CD player, because reproducing moving images stored on a DVD is more intensive than reproducing audio stored on a CD.
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Single layer fuel lines and vapor return lines of synthetic materials such as polyamides have been proposed and employed in the past. Fuel lines employing such materials generally have lengths of at least several meters. It is important that the line, once installed, not materially change during the length of operation, either by shrinkage or elongation or as a result of the stresses to which the line may be subject during use.
It is also becoming increasingly important that the lines employed be essentially impervious to hydrocarbon emissions due to permeation through the tubing. It is anticipated that future Federal and state regulations will fix the limit for permissible hydrocarbon emissions due to permeation through such lines. Regulations which will be enacted in states such as California will fix the total passive hydrocarbon emission for a vehicle at 2 g/m.sup.2 per 24 hour period as calculated by evaporative emission testing methods such as those outlined in Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations, section 1976, proposed amendment of Sep. 26, 1991. To achieve the desired total vehicle emission levels, a hydrocarbon permeation level for the lines equal to or below 0.5 g/m.sup.2 per 24 hour period would be required. Finally, it is also imperative that the fuel line employed be impervious to interaction with corrosive materials present in the fuel such as oxidative agents and surfactants as well as additives such as ethanol and methanol.
Various types of tubing have been proposed to address these concerns. In general, the most successful of these have been co-extruded multi-layer tubing which employ a relatively thick outer layer composed of a material resistant to the exterior environment. The innermost layer is thinner and is composed of a material which is chosen for its ability to block diffusion of materials, such as aliphatic hydrocarbons, alcohols and other materials present in fuel blends, to the outer layer. The materials of choice for the inner layer are polyamides such as Nylon 6, Nylon 6.6, Nylon 11 and Nylon 12.
Alcohol and aromatics components in the fluid conveyed through the tube diffuse at different rates through the tubing wall from the aliphatic components. The resulting change in the composition of the liquid in the tubing can change the solubility thresholds of the material so as, for example, to be able to crystalize monomers and oligomers of materials, such as Nylon 11 and Nylon 12, into the liquid. The presence of copper ions, which can be picked up from the fuel pump, accelerates this crystallization. The crystallized precipitate can block filters and fuel injectors and collect to limit travel of the fuel-pump or carburetor float as well as build up on critical control surfaces of the fuel pump.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,329 to Brunnhofer, a five-layer fuel line is proposed which is composed of a thick outer layer formed of Nylon 11 or Nylon 12, a thick intermediate layer of Nylon 6, and a thin intermediate bonding layer between and bonded to the intermediate and outer layers formed of a polyethylene or a polypropylene. On the interior of the tube is an inner layer of Nylon 6 with a thin intermediate solvent-blocking layer formed of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer transposed between. The use of Nylon 6 in the inner fluid contacting surface is designed to eliminate at least a portion of the monomer and oligomer dissolution which occurs with Nylon 11 or Nylon 12.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,833 to Brunnhofer, a three-layer fuel line is proposed in which a tube is formed having a co-extruded outer wall of Nylon 11 or Nylon 12, an intermediate alcohol barrier wall formed from an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, and an inner water-blocking wall formed from a polyamide such as Nylon 11 or Nylon 12. In DE 40 06 870, a fuel line is proposed in which an intermediate solvent barrier layer is formed of unmodified Nylon 6.6 either separately or in combination with blends of polyamide elastomers. The internal layer is also composed of polyamides; preferably modified or unmodified Nylon 6 while the outer layer is composed of either Nylon 6 or Nylon 12.
Another tubing designed to be resistant to alcoholic media is disclosed in UK Application Number 2 204 376 A in which a tube is produced which has a thick outer layer composed of polyamides such as Nylon 6 or 6.6 and/or Nylon 11 or 12 which are co-extruded with an alcohol-resistant polyolefin, a co-polymer of propylene and maleic acid.
Heretofore it has been extremely difficult to obtain satisfactory lamination characteristics between dissimilar polymer layers. Thus all of the multi-layer tubing proposed previously has employed polyamide-based materials in most or all of the multiple layers. While many more effective solvent-resistant chemicals exist, their use in this area is limited due to limited elongation properties, strength and compatibility with Nylon 11 and 12. Additionally, the previous disclosures fail to address or appreciate the phenomenon of electrostatic discharge.
Electrostatic discharge can be defined as the release of electric charge built up or derived from the passage of charged particles through a medium or conduit composed of essentially non-conductive materials. The electrostatic charge is repeatedly replenished with the passage of additional volumes of fuel through the conduit. Discharge repeatedly occurs in the same localized area gradually eroding the area and leading to eventual rupture of the tubing. Such a rupture of the tubing can lead to the danger of fire and explosion of the flammable contents of the tubing.
Thus it would be desirable to provide a tubing material which could be employed in motor vehicles which would be durable and prevent or reduce permeation of organic materials therethrough. It would also be desirable to provide a tubing material which would be essentially nonreactive with components of the liquid being conveyed therein. Finally, it would be desirable to provide a tubing material which would be capable of preventing the build-up of electrostatic discharge therein or would be capable of safely dissipating any electrostatic charge induced therein.
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1. Field of the Invention
The object of the invention appears from the title. By textile properties there is primarily meant a soft and warm handle. In particular the invention concerns very low weight film materials, and embodiments of the invention are directed to film material which additionally exhibits through-going porosity and/or high strength such as tear propagation resistance, tensile strength and puncture strength.
2. Description of the Related Art
During the last 40-50 years there have been presented a number of proposals and a few industrial processes for manufacture of film materials formed of thermoplastic polymer material exhibiting textile properties, but due to complications in the manufacturing process and/or relatively high machine costs, these technologies have in general not been competitive with non-woven technologies based on spun filaments. In particular this has been a difficulty for materials with low weight per area. The object of the present invention can be further specified as aiming at relatively low machine costs, and simplicity in the carrying out of the process.
WO 06/072604 and WO 06/120238, both concerning inventions which have been developed in the laboratory of the inventors, disclose stretching of monoaxially oriented film in a direction transverse to the original orientation, by passage between intermeshing grooved rollers on which the crests are generally flat and have sharp edges. There is hereby formed a fine pattern of thicker linear “bosses” and intervening thinner “webs”, and due to the sharp edges on the crests of the grooved rollers there is a distinct separation between the two regions in the pattern.
In both inventions this stretching is a step in the manufacture of crosslaminates. In the first mentioned patent the produced pattern of thickness differences serves to form an internal micro-channel system in the crosslaminate, channels which in connection with mutually displaced perforations in the two films form an advantageous type of through-going porosity.
In the second mentioned invention the purpose of the introduction of the fine pattern of “webs” which have become biaxially oriented, is to improve the tear propagation resistance.
As it appears from both of the above-mentioned WO publications, the stretching between the intermeshing grooved rollers with crests having sharp edges is carried out in such a way that the original direction of orientation is parallel or practically parallel with the grooves. However, in trials preceding the present invention the inventors used their grooved-roller machine, designed for the abovementioned two inventions, in a different way, namely to stretch a 20 micron thick coextruded uniaxially melt-oriented HDPE film under an angle of about 45° to the melt orientation and with an engagement between the crests of the grooved rollers which was deeper than tried before. This produced a film of unique structure, namely the structure which appears from the microphoto FIG. 1. This structure gave the film a surprising soft and warm feel. It became 15 clear that such film in itself, or in form of an assembly of several films, is very suited for several textile applications. As it will appear from the following, this film structure and an assembly of such films can be manufactured by an uncomplicated process and using relatively inexpensive and safely working machinery, the key machinery being the grooved rollers with sharp-edged crests and industrially well established, uncomplicated machinery designed to make a uniaxial orientation extend under an acute angle to the continuous direction of a film web.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to graft copolymers made with 2-methacryloyloxyethyldimethylammontum (MEDMA)/sulfonate ion pairs which are useful for absorbing aqueous electrolyte solutions. A further aspect of the invention relates to a method of using graft copolymers made with 2-methacryloyloxyethyldimethylammonium/sulfonate ion pairs for absorbing aqueous electrolyte solutions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Polymers for absorbing aqueous electrolyte solutions are used in numerous commercial and industrial applications. For example, polymers are used to improve the water absorbency of paper towels and disposable diapers.
Though known water absorbing polymers are highly absorbent to deionized water, they are dramatically less absorbent to aqueous electrolyte solutions such as salt water, brine, and urine. For example, hydrolyzed cross-linked polyacrylamide absorbs 1,024 grams of deionized water per gram of polymer, but only 25 grams of synthetic urine per gram of polymer. Cross-linked polyacrylate absorbs 423 grams of deionized water per gram of polymer, but only 10 grams of synthetic urine per gram of polymer. Hydrolyzed cross-linked polyacrylonitrile absorbs 352 grams of deionized water per gram of polymer, but only 25 grams of synthetic urine per gram of polymer. Analogous starch grafted copolymers generally have very poor absorbency to synthetic urine.
It would be a valuable contribution to the art to develop graft copolymers with high absorbency to aqueous electrolyte solutions. It also would be a valuable contribution to the art to develop inexpensive graft copolymers with high absorbency to aqueous electrolyte solutions. Furthermore, it would be a valuable contribution to the art to develop biodegradable graft copolymers which were high absorbency to aqueous electrolyte solutions. The market for these types of copolymers is large and the uses are numerous. Therefore, seemingly small improvements in the absorbency translate into large savings in the quantity of copolymer required to absorb these liquids and large savings to the consumer.
Thus, it is a object of the present invention to provide graft MEDMA/sulfonate copolymers which are highly absorbent to aqueous electrolyte solutions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide highly biodegradable graft copolymers which are highly absorbent to aqueous electrolyte solutions.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of using the graft copolymers of the present invention for absorbing an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising the step of contacting the graft copolymers of the present invention with the aqueous electrolyte solution.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the description of the invention which follows.
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The encapsulation of liquid substances and their controlled, targeted delivery is important to industry. However, the efficient encapsulation of liquid substances, especially volatile substances, has proven difficult. Although applications of encapsulation techniques are increasing year on year, there remain significant shortcomings and limitations. In particular, the encapsulation of volatile compounds is an area in which little progress has been made.
Particular problems are encountered in the encapsulation of perfume oils, which are volatile substances found in fine fragrances and other fragrance formulations. Although the use of microcapsules to encapsulate perfume oils has been proposed, fragrance formulations typically contain polar solvents such as ethanol in which the microcapsules are dispersed. These polar solvents can readily penetrate the wall of the microcapsules, causing the perfume oils to leach prematurely from the microcapsules. It would be desirable to provide microcapsules which enable perfume oils to be released in a controlled manner during use, e.g. by rupturing the microcapsules during normal human movement.
There is a need in the art for improved microcapsules for encapsulating liquid substances, especially microcapsules which exhibit an improved release profile. In particular, there is a need for microcapsules for encapsulating liquid substances such as perfume oils, wherein the microcapsules are substantially impermeable to polar solvents such as ethanol yet, at the same time, are capable of releasing their contents in a controlled manner during use. There is also a need for improved processes for the preparation of microcapsules.
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This invention relates generally to a cable management apparatus for routing cables. In particular, the invention relates to a cable management apparatus which may be fastened to a cabinet for housing electronic modules to route cables within the cabinet.
Electronic modules that house various application cards for various high speed networking functions are typically inserted into standardized racks in a vertically stacked configuration. These standardized racks typically have upright supports, each of which have spaced openings along the length of the supports. A plurality of horizontally oriented cross members is typically provided on each side of the rack to provide support for the upright supports. Brackets and conventional fasteners are typically used to secure the electronic modules to the upright supports.
Each standardized rack may house several electronic modules. Standardized racks in turn are typically housed in a cabinet having a top, bottom, and sidewalls. Conventional cabinets typically include a pair of doors positioned along the front side and the backside of the cabinet so that a technician can access the front and back end of the electronic modules within the cabinet.
Typically, a large number of cables are routed to and from each of the electronic modules within the cabinet. As a result, cable management problems arise due to the large number of cables that have to be routed within the cabinet. This problem is compounded due to the size restrictions placed on conventional electronic modules and cabinets. For example, the large number of cables within the cabinet may cause interference problems with respect to the input and output terminals of the electronic modules within the cabinet. Moreover, the large number of cables may make it difficult for a technician to identify various cables thereby making the installation and removal of cables a burdensome and time-consuming process.
In conventional cabinets, it is desirable to route cables from certain electronic modules in a horizontal fashion to the sides of the cabinet so that they do not interfere with the inputs and outputs of the other electronic modules. When the cables reach the sides of the cabinet, they are typically bent in an upward or downward direction so that they can be routed vertically along the sides of the cabinet.
Problems arise in providing a cable management solution for this arrangement. For example, cables that are directed to the sides of the cabinet may be routed through a small gap created between one of the horizontally oriented cross members of the rack and the sidewall of the cabinet. However, this typically requires that the cables be bent at an angle of 90 degrees, which may result in unacceptable bending stresses on the cables. Similarly, the bending stresses on the cables may in turn create unacceptable stresses at the connection points of the cables located at the electronic modules. Moreover, the horizontally oriented cross members are typically thin planar members that have sharp edges. As a result, routing cables over an edge of conventional cross members may damage the cables.
In addition, conventional cross members are fixedly mounted to the rack, and therefore cannot be adjusted up or down to vary the direction of the cables and account for varying cable sizes. This drawback is compounded by the fact that there are typically only a few cross members provided for a conventional rack, and they are typically spaced apart from one another. As a result, one or more of the electronic modules may be positioned within the cabinet at a location between two cross members. This may make it difficult, if not impossible, to route cables horizontally from an electronic module in a direction towards the sidewall of the cabinet and route the cables between a cross member and the sidewall.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a cable management apparatus that overcomes the disadvantages described above, and to provide a simple and cost effective cable management apparatus.
One aspect of the invention provides a cable management apparatus including a bracket member and a cable guide member fastened to the bracket member. The bracket member includes a body portion for fastening to a cabinet for housing a plurality of electronic modules. The bracket member further includes a stem portion. The cable guide member includes a shelf portion having a surface and a flange portion. The flange portion is angled with respect to the surface of the shelf portion to allow a plurality of cables to contact the surface of the shelf portion to route the plurality of cables within the cabinet. The body portion may preferably include a plurality of body portion openings to allow the body portion to be fastened to the cabinet. The flange portion may preferably be fastened to the stem portion. The stem portion may preferably include a plurality of stem portion openings to allow the cable guide member to be fastened to the stem portion. The flange portion may preferably include at least one flange portion opening to allow the flange portion of the cable guide member to be fastened to the stem portion of the bracket member. The at least one flange portion opening may preferably include two flange portion openings. The shelf portion may preferably include a plurality of shelf portion openings spaced along the shelf portion for receiving cable ties to secure the plurality of cables to the surface of the shelf portion. The flange portion may preferably be angled with respect to the surface of the shelf portion more than 90 degrees. The body portion and the stem portion may each preferably have a generally rectangular shape. The stem portion may preferably extend outward perpendicular from the body portion. The bracket member may preferably be a planar member. The body portion may preferably include a length and the shelf portion may preferably include a length. The length of the body portion may preferably be equal to the length of the shelf portion. The shelf portion may preferably include at least one curved edge portion. The at least one curved edge portion may preferably be comprised of two curved edge portions.
Another aspect of the invention provides a cable management apparatus including a cabinet for housing a plurality of electronic modules. A bracket member is fastened to the cabinet, and a cable guide member is fastened to the bracket member. The bracket member includes a body portion fastened to the cabinet. The bracket member further includes a stem portion. The cable guide member includes a shelf portion having a surface and a flange portion. The flange portion is angled with respect to the surface of the shelf portion to allow a plurality of cables to contact the surface of the shelf portion to route the plurality of cables within the cabinet. The cabinet may preferably include a sidewall, and the bracket member may preferably be fastened to the sidewall. A brace member may preferably extend along the sidewall, and the bracket member may preferably be fastened to the brace member.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of routing a plurality of cables within a cabinet for housing a plurality of electronic modules. A bracket member and a cable guide member are provided. The bracket member includes a body portion and a stem portion. The cable guide member includes a shelf portion having a surface and a flange portion. The flange portion is angled with respect to the surface of the shelf portion. The cable guide member is fastened to the bracket member. The body portion of the bracket member is fastened to a cabinet for housing a plurality of electronic modules. A plurality of cables contacts with the surface of the shelf portion. The plurality of cables is routed within the cabinet.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of routing cables. A cabinet for housing a plurality of electronic modules is provided. A bracket member and a cable guide member are also provided. The bracket member includes a body portion and a stem portion. The cable guide member includes a shelf portion having a surface and a flange portion. The shelf portion further includes a plurality of shelf portion openings spaced along the shelf portion. The flange portion is angled with respect to the surface of the shelf portion. The bracket member is fastened to the cabinet. The cable guide member is fastened to the bracket member. The body portion of bracket member is fastened to the cabinet. A plurality of cables contacts with the surface of the shelf portion. The plurality of cables is routed within the cabinet and the plurality of cables is secured to the surface of the shelf portion.
The invention provides the foregoing and other features, and the advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention, in general, to conveyor apparatus and, more specifically, to conveyor apparatus for conveying material from press machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the material forming industry, press machines are commonly utilized to perform a wide variety of cutting, piercing and other forming operations on material in order to form the material to the desired shape. Such press machines typically comprise a press having a base and a movable head. Male and female dies are mounted to the base and the movable head, respectively, such that movement of the head, typically in a downward direction, will bring the dies into mating engagement and form the material disposed therebetween to the desired shape.
In such an operation, considerable quantities of scrap material are generated. This scrap material must be removed if efficient, high speed press operation is to be maintained. In some press operations, the scrap material is allowed or is directed to fall from the die area in the press onto the floor surrounding the press machine. Due to the high speed operations of todays press machines, considerable quantities of scrap are quickly generated. This amount of scrap poses a danger to the operator of the press as well as requiring intermittent stoppage of the press operation in order to remove the scrap from the immediate press area.
It is known to provide a continually moving conveyor to remove scrap from the immediate area of the press. The most common type of continuously operating conveyor includes an electric drive motor which operates a conveyor disposed so as to receive the scrap directly from the press after the completion of each forming cycle and to continuously remove it from the die area. Although effective, this continuous operation of the conveyor consumes energy even during the portion of the press cycle where no scrap is being generated. In addition, the continuous operation causes considerable wear on the moving parts of the conveyor causing frequent breakdowns and stoppages in order to repair or replace the worn or broken components. This results in a further loss of production.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a means for conveying material, particularly scrap material, from a press machine which overcomes the problems of prior art material removal apparatus. It would also be desirable to provide a means for conveying material from a press machine which reduces the wear on the material removing components. It would also be desirable to provide a means for conveying material from a press machine which reduces the energy required by the use of such material removal equipment compared to similar prior art material removal equipment. Finally, it would be desirable to provide a means for conveying material from a press machine which is adapted to fit a wide variety of press machine applications.
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The present invention is directed to methods and devices for nebulizing fluids. In a specific application of the present invention, the device is used to nebulize fluids for delivery to the lungs. Although the present invention is particularly useful for nebulizing fluids for inhalation, it is understood that the present invention may be used for nebulizing fluids in other fields and for other purposes.
In a first aspect of the present invention, a nebulizing device is provided which has at least two nebulizing elements. In a preferred embodiment, the nebulizing element has a vibrating element with a plurality of apertures. The vibrating element is preferably a relatively stiff element, such as a rigid dome-shaped element, but may be any other suitable structure. The vibrating elements are vibrated to expel fluid through the apertures.
The device may be operated to provide independent delivery of two different fluids. In a specific application of the present invention for nebulizing liquids for inhalation, the first fluid may contain an immune modulator or a mucolytic, such as alpha dornase, and the second fluid could contain an antibiotic, such as an aminoglycocide like tobramicin, or quinolone, pentamidine, or an antifungal such as amphotericin B. Another application for the device is for the first fluid to contain a short acting beta agonist and the second fluid to contain a corticosteroid. The beta agonist provides symptomatic relief and the corticosteroid treats the underlying immune reaction. The beta agonist may be any suitable beta agonist such as albuterol. These drugs complement one another in the treatment of asthma. Other combinations of drugs may be delivered with the device which relate to the same ailment or to different ailments.
The first and second fluids may also be delivered in the same breath. In one aspect, the first fluid may be delivered earlier than the second fluid. For example, the first fluid could contain a bronchodilator which opens the lungs for delivery of the second fluid. Alternatively, the second fluid could be a bronchorestrictor delivered after the first fluid to help retain the first fluid in the lungs. Of course, any combinations of liquids may be delivered as the first and second fluids and the examples given are merely illustrative.
Although the device may be operated to deliver two or more fluids, the device may be used to deliver a single fluid. When delivering only one fluid, the combination of nebulizers provides enhanced flow. For example, the nebulizing elements may together be used to deliver 40-300 microliters, more preferably 100-250 microliters, in one breath. Stated another way, the nebulizing elements are used to deliver at least 100 microliters and more preferably at least 200 microliters of fluid in one breath by the user. Stated still another way, the device delivers the preferred amounts in no more than four seconds of operating time. The first and second nebulizers also provide the ability to provide relatively large increases and decreases in fluid flow rate by simply activating or de-activating one or more of the nebulizers. Of course, the flow rate of each of the nebulizers may be adjusted by changing the power or frequency of operation.
In another aspect of the present invention, the nebulizer may also instruct or permit the user to inhale a set number of doses over a period of time. For example, the device may permit and/or instruct the user to inhale six doses of the first fluid, such as a beta agonist, per day and only two doses of the second fluid, such as a corticosteroid. The control system may also permit a set number of doses of one of the fluids in relation to the amount of the other fluid delivered. In this manner, the relative amounts of the two fluids can be regulated.
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In recent years, the production of cheese has tended to become mechanical, as is witnessed by my earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,154,002; 3,156,567; 3,449,127 and 3,636,630 and the Brockwell U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,941. The ultimate goal, of course, has been to develop machinery which will produce a desired cheese of high uniformity in texture, flavor and quality with the desired salt and moisture content, untouched by human hands in the making. Although progress has been made, all of the heretofore known methods and devices have fallen far short of the goal of their designers, particularly in the area of the need and desire for uniform salting.
It has been recognized throughout the industry that brine salting of cheese should yield preferable results, if it can be accomplished without undue loss of both salt and cheese product and without undue expense and difficulties in the operation. Early attempts along this line were made, as witnessed by the McCadam U.S. Pat. No. 3,078,169, but none have proved satisfactory. In fact, they have proved to be so unsatisfactory that the industry has tended to give up on the problem and to assume that it is not capable of being solved in a practical manner, if at all.
Most such methods and devices, such as that disclosed in the McCadam U.S. Pat. No. 3,078,169 incur substantial loss of both cheese product and salt, which makes its implementation prohibitive. Some utilize high temperatures which inevitably produce high fat losses. Most have returned to efforts to utilize dry salt in an improved manner. My own patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,630 is directed toward that end, since manual sprinkling of salt on the curd as generally practiced has been not only unsanitary but haphazard by virtue of unevenness of distribution and of absorption by the curd.
The application of dry salt also introduces highly undesirable foreign solids, which are impurities contained within the salt. Uneven distribution of salt content makes it impossible to produce a product which is uniform in either moisture content, texture or flavor. Mechanical application of dry salt, although an improvement over manual application, is nevertheless incapable of entirely precluding occasional local, non-uniform salt and moisture content, texture and flavor.
No one has heretofore come forward with either a method or apparatus which is commercially successful for utililizing brine salting on a production line basis, or on any basis, for that matter. Some, such as Brockwell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,941 outline the problems involved and seek to minimize costs involved in producing machinery for the continuous production of cheese. While such motives are praiseworthy, the ultimate goal is not reached unless a truly high grade cheese will result from following the construction and methods disclosed therein. The machine shown in the above Brockwell patent cannot produce such a cheese. The use of a whey-based brine as taught by the above patent, for example, is unsatisfactory because of the tremendous build-up of bacteria and acidity when the whey is placed in a tank with solid salt to produce the needed brine; also, the required salt content within the curd cannot be obtained by a brief application of brine, such as is shown in the above Brockwell and McCadam patents. Ideally, curd should be allowed to soak in brine, but that is commercially impractical.
The percentage of salt retention by the curd is an important cost consideration in the use of brine for salting purposes. Since brine which is not absorbed, cannot be collected and applied repeatedly, substantial cost is involved unless a relatively high percentage of absorption is obtained in the application of brine to the curd. The method and apparatus disclosed herein successfully solves the above problems and have proved highly successful for use on a production line basis to produce cheese of the highest quality at a substantial profit, provided by an improved resultant product as well as actual out-of-pocket savings in its manufacture.
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1. Field
The invention is in the field of restraining chutes for livestock, which restrain an animal from movement during certain handling or doctoring of the animal. It is particularly concerned with chutes designed to restrain horses.
2. State of the Art
Restraining chutes in general use today all have some form of stationary side and front restraining structure, and rear restraining structure which is openable and closeable to allow entry and exit of the animal to be restrained. Some chutes provide an openable and closeable front restraining structure in the form of a rail or rails, which are slid horizontally through brackets that hold them in horizontal restraining position, or in the form of gate structure which pivots outwardly.
A major problem with present restraining chutes is that it is not uncommon for an animal being restrained, such as a horse, to rear up and get his front legs over the front restraining structure and be hung up thereon. If the front cannot be opened, it is extremely difficult to lift the animal up and to get its legs back over the front restraining structure. Even in instances in which such front restraining structure is openable, as in some of the chutes presently available, it is difficult to open such structure under the weight of the animal. Thus, it is difficult to slide a rail horizontally out of its holding brackets with the weight of the animal bearing down on it, and it is almost impossible to open a gate outwardly under similar circumstances.
An additional problem with present restraining chutes is that, if an animal falls down, it is very difficult to get the animal back up or to remove the animal from the chute in its down position.
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This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patent application number 104141341, filed on Dec. 9, 2015.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to charge pump technology, and more particularly, to a charge pump based on a clock generator integrated chip for use in a touch panel, which has a transistor set of a chip thereof electrically coupled to a first input end and at least three second input ends that are arranged in two rows subject to odd number and even number, and then coupled to a package substrate and a circuit board in a similar arrangement and also electrically coupled to a clock generator, enabling the traces in the chip to be arranged in a staggered manner with the first circuit and second circuit of the circuit board spaced apart without intersection, minimizing generation of parasitic capacitance.
2. Description of the Related Art
A touch panel can be joined with a display screen to create a touchscreen for use in a notebook computer, tablet computer, smart phone or any other electronic device as an input interface for sensing any touch input in the display zone. The sensing circuit of a touch panel has a charge pump circuit incorporated therein and configured to amplify input voltage for generating a high level output voltage to enhance the anti-noise capability of the touch panel.
FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a charge pump according to the prior art. This design of charge pump comprises a chip X, a package substrate Y and a circuit board Z. The chip X is mounted on the package substrate Y. The package substrate Y is mounted on the circuit board Z. The chip X comprises a transistor set X1, and a clock generator X2 disposed at one lateral side relative to the transistor set X1. The transistor set X1 consists of seven transistors. Further, the chip X has nine connection ends X3 respectively disposed to face toward the clock generator X2 and the transistors of the transistor set X1. Two of the nine connection ends X3 are respectively electrically coupled to the clock generator X2. The other connection ends X3 are respectively electrically coupled to the transistors of the transistor set X1. The package substrate Y comprises a plurality of pins Y1 respectively electrically coupled to the pins at the connection ends X3. The circuit board Z comprises a first circuit Z1, a second circuit Z2, six capacitors Z3, and a logic high/low power supply Vdd. The logic high/low power supply Vdd is electrically coupled to the connection end X3 that is electrically coupled to the first transistor of the transistor set X1. The first circuit Z1 and the second circuit Z2 have the respective one ends thereof respectively electrically coupled to the two connection ends X3 that are electrically coupled to the clock generator X2, and the respective opposite ends thereof shunted and electrically coupled to the capacitors Z3 and then the connection ends X3 of the other transistors of the transistor set X1 excluding the first transistor. Because the clock generator X2 provides a pulse signal CK and a negative pulse signal CKB through the two connection ends X3 and because the transistors that receive the pulse signal and the negative pulse signal must arranged in rows and spaced from one another, points of intersection Z4 are created after shunting of the first circuit Z1 and the second circuit Z2.
Due to creation of the points of intersection Z4 after shunting of the first circuit Z1 and the second circuit Z2, the circuit board Z needs to provide an extra layer for the arrangement of traces, increasing the number of layers and complexity of the structure of the circuit board Z and resulting in increased circuit board cost. Further, the arrangement of long and large area traces in the circuit board brings relatively larger parasitic capacitance, lowering the charge pump operating efficiency and resulting in negative pulse signal interference.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a charge pump that eliminates the drawbacks of the aforesaid prior art design.
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Currently, there is a shortage in the number of red blood cell (RBC) units available for blood transfusions. Donated human red blood cells (currently the only source for these transfusions) do not adequately meet current demands and are unlikely to meet future demands. For example, in the United States, 14 million red blood cell units are made available for transfusions each year, and an annual deficit of 1 million units still exists. Internationally, the deficit is around 200 million units annually. In the future, these deficits may become even more severe, as the current deficit projections do not take into account the more acute need for blood in cases of mass civilian casualties, such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks and wars.
The shortage in red blood cell units and the lack of suitable substitutes results in many preventable deaths. For example, more than 530,000 women die each year during pregnancy or childbirth, with hemorrhage being the leading cause of death (accounting for up to 44% of maternal deaths in some areas of sub-Saharan Africa). Many of these deaths could be prevented with the proper supply of red blood cell units or with a proper substitute for red blood cell transfusions.
While the current deficits are in part due to a shortage in the number of blood donors, a number of other factors also contribute to the current crisis. Several of these factors relate to the pool of available donated human red blood cells being limited by existing obstacles to safe transfusion. For example, red blood cell units may carry infectious diseases and many multi-level proactive interventional programs of stringent red blood cell donor screening and expensive nucleic acid testing procedures have been implemented to protect recipients. With each new emerging disease, new diagnostic tests are performed, further limiting the available donor pool and further increasing costs. In addition, donated human red blood cells contain proteins and cytokines that may cause reactions in up to 2% of transfusions with symptoms ranging in severity from mild allergic reactions to severe shock and even death. Also, red blood cell transfusions may lead to various metabolic conditions (e.g. hyperkalemia, hypocalcemia and alkalosis), and multiple red blood cell transfusions may exert an immunosuppressive effect on the recipient, increasing risk of hospital-acquired infections.1 These potential complexities further increase costs associated with donor red blood cell transfusions.
In addition to the above-mentioned obstacles to safe transfusion, costs are also increased due to requirements for cross-matching donor and recipient red blood cell units before transfusion, as well as the short storage life (typically 15 days) and expensive storage requirements (e.g., must be kept at 2-3° C., special storage solutions are required to extend red blood cell life to 42 days, etc.) of red blood cell units.2 While there have been many recent improvements in technology, the collection and storage of donated red blood cells remains a difficult and expensive task. There is a need for a less expensive and more effective alternative to donated human red blood cell transfusions.
A list of publications referenced in this disclosure follows, each of which is incorporated by reference for the cited portions of their respective disclosures: 1. L. M. Napolitano, Crit. Care Clin, 25: 279-301 (2009). 2. W. J. Williams, E. Beutler, A. J. Erslev, R. W. Rundles, Hematology. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York (1977). 3. T. Standl, Transfus. Med. Hemother., 21: 262-268 (2004). 4. A. I. Alayash, Nature, 3: 152-159 (2004). 5. T. M. S. Chang, Crit. Care Med., 32: 612-613 (2004). 6. B. T. Kjellstrom, J. Intern. Med., 253: 495-497 (2003). 7. Y. O. Schumacher, M. Ashenden, Sports Med., 34: 141-150 (2004). 8. K. C. Lowe, E. Ferguson, J. Intern. Med., 253: 498-507 (2003). 9. H. G. Klein, Oncology, 16: 147-151 (2002). 10. S. E. Hill, Can. J. Anesth., 48: S32-S40 (2001). 11. R. M. Winslow, J. Intern. Med., 253: 508-517 (2003). 12. E. Niiler, Nature Biotechnol., 20: 962-963 (2002). 13. E. Maevsky, G. Ivanitsky, L. Bogdanova, O. Axenova, N. Karmen, E. Zhiburt, R. Senina, S. Pushkin, I. Maslennikov, A. Orlov I. Marinicheva, Art. Cells, Blood Subs., and Biotech., 33: 37-46 (2005). 14. P. E. Keipert, Adv. Exp. Med. Biol., 540: 207-213 (2003). 15. C. P. Stowell, Curr. Opin. Hematol., 9: 537-543 (2002). 16. J. G. Riess, Chem. Rev., 101: 2797-2919 (2001). 17. A. S. Rudolph, A. Sulpizio, P. Hieble, V. MacDonald, M. Chavez, G. Feuerstein, J. Applied Phys., 82: 1826-1835 (1997). 18. E. Moore, J. Am. Coll. Surgeons, 196: 1-17 (2003). 19. T. M. S. Chang, Trends Biotechnol., 17: 61-67 (1999). 20. H. Sakai, K. Tomiyama, K. Sou, S. Takeoka, E. Tsuchida, Bioconjugate Chem., 11: 425-432 (2000). 21. W. T. Phillips, R. W. Klipper, V. D. Awasthi, A. S. Rudolph, R. Cliff, V. Kwasiborski, B. A. Goins, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 288: 665-670 (1999). 22. R. O. Wright, B. Magnani, M. W. Shannon, A. D. Woolf, Ann. of Emergency Med., 28: 499-503 (1996). 23. Y. Teramura, H. Kanazawa, H. Sakai, S. Takeoka, E. Tsuchida, Bioconjugate Chem., 14: 11711176 (2003). 24. S. Takeoka, H. Sakai, T. Kose, Y. Mano, Y. Seino, H. Nishide, E. Tsuchida, Bioconjugate Chem., 8: 539-544 (1997). 25. R. M. Winslow, Drug Delivery Rev. 40: 131-142 (2000). 26. R. M. Winslow, Annu. Rev. Med. 50: 337-353 (1999). 27. T. M. S. Chang, Crit. Care Med. 32: 612-613 (2004). 28. T. M. S. Chang, Curr. Opin. Invest. Drugs, 3: 1187-1190 (2002). 29. H. Sakai, S. Takeoka, S. I. Park, T. Kose, H. Nishide, Y. Izumi, A. Yoshizu, K. Kobayashi, E. Tsuchida, Bioconjugate Chem., 8: 23-30 (1997). 30. M. C. Farmer, B. P. Gaber, Methods Enzymol. 149: 184-200 (1987). 31. A. S. Rudolph, R. W. Klipper, B. A. Goins, W. T. Phillips, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88: 097610980 (1991). 32. D. Bhadra; S. Bhadra; P. Jain; N. K. Jain, Pharmazie, 57:5-29 (2002). 33. H. Sakai; A. G. Tsai; S. I. Park, S. Takeoka, H. Nishide, E. Tsuchida; M. Intaglietta, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. 40: 66-78 (1997). 34. K. Nakai, A. Usuba, T. Ohta, M. Kuwabara, Y. Nakazato, R. Motoki, T. A. Takahashi, Artif. Organs 22: 320-325 (1998). 35. M. Antonietti, S. Forster, Adv. Mater. 15: 1323-1333 (2003). 36. W. T. Phillips, R. W. Klipper, V. D. Awasthi; A. S. Rudolph; R. Cliff, V. Kwasiborski, B. A. Goins, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 288: 665-670 (1999). 37. S. M. Moghimi, J. Szebeni, J. Prog. Lipid Res. 42: 463-478 (2003). 38. B. M. Discher, Y. Y. Won, D. S. Ege, J. C. Lee, F. S. Bates
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Super twisted pneumatic (STN) liquid crystal displays are passive matrix LCD displays which are substantially less expensive to produce than comparably sized active matrix LCD displays, such as thin film transistor (TFT) LCD displays. As a result, STN displays have significant appeal to the makers of low and medium priced laptop and notebook personal computers. Unfortunately, while STN displays provide substantial cost advantages, they do present unique operational problems which must be accounted for during display data processing.
One of the most significant problems with STN displays is the short data retention time of the display elements. Consequently, the display elements (pixel) must be refreshed (scanned) at a rate significantly higher than the refresh rate of comparable active matrix LCD display elements in order to insure that the maximum allowable time between refresh is not exceeded. This in turn requires that the associated display processor be capable of streaming display data to the display at a rate high enough to support the higher refresh rate.
Dual scan super twisted pneumatic (DSSTN) displays attempt to handle the problem of short data retention time by dividing the display screen into two simultaneously scanned regions or areas. During the refresh of each frame, one area is refreshed with current data from the primary frame buffer space while the other area is refreshed with data recycled from the last scan of that area, as retrieved from an independent buffer space in the frame buffer memory. On the next refresh cycle, the first panel is refreshed with recycled data from the independent buffer during the previous scan and the second panel is refreshed with current data from the frame buffer. In other words, display data for a given panel is used twice.
The dual scan-dual buffering scheme advantageously allows the display processor to meet the minimum refresh data requirements of STN displays. However, such a scheme also has substantial disadvantages. Among other things, the demands on the frame buffer system are significantly increased. Specifically, three different types of operations are required for display refresh alone. First, reads are required from the primary frame buffer space to support refresh of the screen area being refreshed with current data. Second, reads are required from the independent buffer space to support refresh of the area being refreshed with recycled data. Finally, writes of the current data into the independent buffer space are required to store data for recycling during the next refresh cycle. All these operations must be performed in view of all the other demands made on the frame buffer memory subsystem by the CPU and display controller. Among other things, the frame buffer must also provide for CPU access for data updates, bit-block transfers (BLTs), cursor generation, and allow the display controller to perform such operations as basic graphics functions and DRAM refresh.
An additional problem arises since the buffering of the data being recycled requires additional capacity in the frame buffer. The dynamic random access memories (DRAMs) most often used to construct frame buffers are only manufactured in fixed capacities and fixed word widths. Consequently, the capacity of memory subsystems supporting a given data bus width can typically be varied only in corresponding fixed incrementations. Thus, depending on the capacity already required to support traditional frame buffer operations and the size of the memory devices used, the additional storage capacity required for recycling may force the use of the next largest incrementation of memory. The next incrementation however may have substantially more capacity than required to meet both the needs of the traditional and the additional frame buffers. As a result, memory space is wasted and unnecessary costs incurred.
Thus, the need has arisen for circuits, systems and methods for implementing dual scan displays. In particular, such circuits, systems and methods should reduce frame buffer subsystem overhead and reduce wasted memory space and the associated costs.
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This invention relates to piston suspension assemblies for small electrodynamic acoustical transducers and particularly to those utilizing a single piece of resilient plastic material for the sound radiating dome and the piston suspension.
Piston suspension assemblies of many different shapes have been devised for use in cone displacement electrodynamic acoustical transducers containing permanent magnets to provide the electromagnetic fields required for operation. Small acoustical transducers are inexpensive and are typically found in portable two-way radio communications devices or personal electronic radio receiving apparatus.
To allow adequate expansion of the sound radiating dome, which will result in improved linear excursions during operation, small electrodynamic acoustic transducers require much larger piston suspensions than exist today. The piston suspensions found in the prior art are frought with many different types of stresses which occur at different positions within the plane of the sound radiating dome and piston suspension during cone displacement. One such stress is a "bending" stress which occurs along the circumference of the sound radiating dome at the junction of the piston suspension; a second stress is found stretching along a plane, perpendicular to the radii of the piston suspension, in the sound radiating dome. During operation, these types of stresses result in continued wear and tear of the piston suspension and sound radiating dome, thereby causing a decrease in the performance of the transducer in its ability to produce linear excursions during operation. This will result in the acoustical transducer becoming less and less effective as operation continues over a period of time.
The piston suspensions which are common in the prior art utilize arcuate slots contained within a flat (not curved) piston suspension. Generally, these slots, while relieving some of the stresses discussed above, create "bending" type stresses elsewhere in the piston suspension (i.e. in the material between the slots) and concentric "stretching" type stresses within the arcuate slots of the flat suspensions, which occur by the twisting motion of the sound radiating dome or cone during its displacement.
The prior art also illustrates that the piston suspensions of acoustical transducers are generally made from any varied materials and from a material different from that which the sound radiating dome is made. The resiliency of such materials is varied, which affects the linearity of the resulting excursions. This difference in material will introduce an additional cost in the manufacturing of the end product.
The prior art also illustrates that the sound radiating dome of an acoustical transducer is smaller in size for a given linear excursion, than the sound radiating dome associated with the piston suspension of the present invention.
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The present invention relates in general to digital-to-analog converters, and more particularly to the segmented type of converter having multiple resistor sections for carying out the conversion process.
In mixed signal circuits which involve both analog and digital signals, circuits are generally required for converting the analog signals into corresponding digital signals, and vice versa. Digital-to-analog converters provide an analog output as a function of the digital input. Many different varieties of conversion circuits are commercially available to satisfy the various constraints required, such a speed, resolution, differential non-linearity, monotinicity, etc. The digital-to-analog conversion process can be carried out according to different techniques, including the use of weighted current sources, R-2 ladder networks, as well as many other well-known conversion schemes. Because of the wide utilization of microprocessors employed to process digital information, it is a common practice to integrate digital-to-analog converters on the microprocessor chip. Because the use of chip area is always a concern, the minimization of components is therefore of paramount importance.
In a rudimentary digital-to-analog converter having a 12-bit resolution, as many as 4,096 series resistors can be utilized to produce a different magnitude of analog voltage in response to each of the 4,096 digital words. The amount of semiconductor space required for all these resistors would be prohibitively large. In addition to each resistor, there are required corresponding switches across each resistor for selecting voltage levels in response to different input digital combinations.
A segmented digital-to-analog converter (DAC) provides an adequate solution to the problem of a large number of resistors to carry out the conversion algorithm. FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates two resistor segments or strings of a 12-bit DAC 10. The digital-to-analog converter 10 includes a main DAC 12 and a subsidiary (xe2x80x9csubxe2x80x9d) DAC 18. The main DAC 12 includes a number of series resistors to provide 2x different analog levels in response to X most significant digital bits.
A sub-DAC resistor string 18 includes a number of series-connected resistors to provide 2y different analog levels for the least significant bits of the DAC 10. The DAC 10 includes X+Y digital input bits, and produces 2(x+y) analog levels. A fewer number of resistors are required in a segmented DAC driven by a corresponding number of digital input bits.
A first switch multiplexer 20 is connected between the main DAC resistor string 12 and the sub-DAC resistor string 18. The switch multiplexer 20 is of conventional design for allowing the sub-DAC resistor string 18 to be connected in parallel to any one or more of the resistors in the main DAC resistor string 12. The switch multiplexer 20 is required to provide connections to 2x different resistor combinations in the main DAC 12.
The sub-DAC 18 also includes a switch multiplexer 22 for selecting 2y different resistance values. The output 24 of the second switch multiplexer 22 is connected to an operational amplifier 26. An output 28 of the amplifier 26 provides 2(x+y) different analog outputs corresponding to the different combinations of the X+Y digital bits applied to the DAC 10.
While the switch connections between the main DAC resistor string 12 and the sub-DAC resistor string 18 provides a multiplying function and reduce the number of resistors required to complete the X+Y bit conversion, various shortcomings of this arrangement exist. For example, the coupling of the sub-DAC resistor string 18 to the main DAC resistor string 12 can present an unbalanced load thereon, as a function of the overall resistance of the sub-DAC resistor string 18. This can occur when the individual resistors of the string 18 are switched in or out of the circuit. When an unbalanced load is connected across the main DAC resistor string, a nonlinear conversion results. While FIG. 1 illustrates that only the main DAC resistor string 12 is supplied with a reference supply voltage, the same loading factor exists when the sub-DAC resistor string 18 is independently powered by a reference supply voltage. Various attempts have been made in the prior art to overcome this loading problem between the main and sub-DAC resistor strings. As noted in the background portion of U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,591 by Tuthill, there is proposed the remedy of placing a buffer amplifier between the main DAC resistor string and the sub-DAC resistor string. The buffer amplifiers do effectively isolate the main and sub-DAC resistor strings. But, substantial semiconductor area is required to isolate the resistor strings with a pair of buffer amplifiers. Also, the dynamic range of the main DAC is severely limited by the input range and the finite common mode rejection of the buffer amplifiers.
Instead of isolating the main DAC and the sub-DAC resistor strings with buffer amplifiers, the use of current sources is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,588 by Rivoir et al. By utilizing a constant current to drive the main DAC and another constant current source to drive the sub-DAC, a balanced operation therebetween can be accomplished so that neither resistor string draws current from the other. The loading problem is thus alleviated, irrespective of the switch connections. When utilizing current sources, it is imperative that the output impedance thereof is some orders of magnitude higher than the voltage of the resistor string being driven. Otherwise, inaccuracies in the conversion process become significant, especially when large voltage excursions in the sub-DAC are experienced.
Current mirrors are well known for use as current sources and current sinks in DAC resistor strings. While accurate current control can be achieved, the output impedance of such a structure is not always as high as desired. Utilizing two transistors in series as either a current source or a current sink in a DAC resistor string could increase the output impedance of the current source by a factor of the gain of the second transistor. This solution can cause other problems.
It can be seen from the DAC 10 shown in FIG. 1 that, depending on the switch setting of the switch multiplexers 20 and 22, analog voltages very near the reference voltage, or very near the circuit common voltage (ground) can be coupled to the output amplifier 26. Unless expensive, precision instrumentation amplifiers are utilized, a wide dynamic input range (rail-to-rail) of amplifiers is not always available. However, it is most desirable to design DAC resistor strings that operate xe2x80x9crail-to-railxe2x80x9d, otherwise wasted voltage ranges due to headroom resistors must be used. In other words, to reduce the dynamic range over which the amplifier must operate, resistors can simply be placed in series at the top and/or bottom of the DAC resistor strings. Such resistors waste power and require additional semiconductor area.
The accuracy in the conversion of the digital input to an analog output is a function of the values of the resistors with which the resistor strings are formed in the semiconductor material. While exact value resistors are difficult to form in integrated circuits, the repeatability of making a nominal resistance value is high.
The value of the DAC resistors themselves is only one consideration in forming or scaling accurate resistance values for the resistor strings. Another consideration is the contact resistance for each semiconductor resistor. Since each resistor has two contacts, there may be a contact resistance in series with each semiconductor resistor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,199 illustrates DAC resistor strings where the various segments of a resistor string are connected together by metal contacts. When utilizing resistors of different values, the contact resistance presents a problem when attempting to scale the resistor values. For example, if the resistance for each contact is 10 ohm. Then the total resistance for a nominal 1 k resistor would be 1,020 ohm. If it were desired to make one resistor that is exactly ten times the 1 k value, then the total resistance of that resistor would be 10,020 ohm. The scaling of semiconductor resistors is thus difficult. In various DAC resistor strings, the values of resistors can be multiples of the others, and thus it is difficult to make the resistors with any degree of precision.
Even when the contacts are not directly in series with the individual resistor elements of the resistor string, the process variations in forming the contacts to the various resistor elements can adversely affect the values of the resistors. In those situations when the resistor string itself is one continuous resistor formed as a polysilicon strip or some other resistive material, or otherwise, the formation of a contact or tap overlying and in electrical contact with the polysilicon strip may affect the resistance of that part of the polysilicon underlying the contact.
It has been found that the repeatability of resistors having desired values is affected by the location of the resistors on the semiconductor material, as a function of what electrical components are formed adjacent to the resistors. Resistors formed adjacent other resistors tend to be more uniform in value than resistors formed near different components, such as transistors, capacitors, etc. Hence, it has been found that by forming dummy resistors on each lateral side of a number of active resistors, the active resistors are better matched in value. While the formation of dummy resistors adjacent the active resistors improves the resistor value matching, additional semiconductor area is required for nonactive resistor components.
The variation in resistor values as a result of semiconductor processing is realized by those skilled in the art, and as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,199 by Sugawa. Each resistor string of the D/A converter is fabricated as two separate resistor strings, but with various nodes of one resistor string short circuited to the same voltage nodes of the other resistor string. Moreover, the voltage strings are cross-connected in a reverse manner so that the supply voltage of one end of one resistor string is
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As an apparatus that cooks a large volume of fried rice or pilaf by stir-frying steamed rice mixed with other ingredients and seasonings, there has been known a continuous stir-fry cooking apparatus of a rotating drum type. This continuous stir-fry cooking apparatus includes a heating drum provided in a rotatable manner with the center axis of the cylindrical body being oriented in a horizontal direction, a steamed rice and cooking ingredient charging portion provided at one end of the heating drum, a product discharging portion provided at the other end of the heating drum, a drum heating means provided on the outer periphery of the heating drum, and a stirring blade that rotates about an axis line different from the center axis line of the heating drum with the tip end coming in close proximity to the inner peripheral surface of the heating drum (for example, refer to Patent Document 1) .
[Prior Art Document]
[Patent Document]
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2002-209754
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Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatuses, methods and systems for sensing or measuring physiological data, analyzing the data, and outputting user-friendly information providing an interpretation of the data for improved management of one or more physiological conditions.
Description of Related Art
With reference to blocks 10 and 12 of FIG. 1, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) provide a user such as a patient, clinician or caregiver with a patient's glucose measurements throughout the day (e.g., a glucose measurement every one to five minutes 24 hours per day). Accordingly, the quantity of data provided to the CGM user is tremendous. This data is typically presented to the end user as a graphical display wherein the glucose values measured by the CGM are plotted as a function of time of day. Examples of such data are the graphical display of blood glucose measurements over a 14 hour period shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B of U.S. Pat. No. 7,905,833, and the tabular display shown in FIG. 10 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,890,295 of a continuous electrical current signal (ISIG) (i.e., table column E) measured at various times (i.e., table column D) by a glucose sensor.
The user can usually set what time period to view his measured data (e.g., the x-axis in FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,882,940), thereby adjusting the time period of viewable measured data to one hour, or 24 hours, or 72 hours, for example. The user can also set alarm levels to generate audible alarms, for example, when a measured glucose value is below a low glucose alarm level or above a high glucose alarm level.
Nonetheless, the graphical, tabular or numerical display of measured physiological data (e.g., blood glucose measurements from a CGM) is difficult and, in many cases, cumbersome for a user to interpret and decide what action(s) is needed to manage a physiological condition, as depicted in blocks 14 and 16 of FIG. 1. Further, even relatively simple alphanumeric displays such as the device screens depicted in FIGS. 6A-6D of U.S. Pat. No. 7,022,072 can be difficult for a user to interpret, that is, specific outlier data (e.g., measured values outside a threshold) are merely reported, but no user-friendly information is provided to indicate, for example, what the outlier data signifies about the user's monitored physiological condition or how such data can be mitigated. In other words, a need exists for a device that interprets measured data to provide information to the user in a convenient and more easily comprehended manner such as a video display on a user device that provides a virtual coach (e.g., a video and/or graphical and/or audible presentation with audio and/or visual output) that provides user-friendly interpretation of specific outlier data, for example, and an explanation of why the outlier data occurred and, optionally, suggestions for user actions to mitigate the effects of the outlier data such as in the context of a monitored physiological condition (e.g., an automatically generated output that states “Hypoglycemic events were measured during this time on 3 of the last 5 days. A mid-morning snack can help prevent or lessen the impact of future AM hypoglycemic events.”).
In existing physiological condition monitors or measuring devices, measured physiological data is merely presented as data, leaving the user with the difficult task of interpreting what the data means. Even with availability of alarms to advise a user of measured data being outside a selected threshold, a multitude of other data may need to be considered and interpreted to determine a course of action, if any, that should be taken in response to that alarm. A need exists for a physiological condition measuring and/or monitoring device that automatically analyzes and interprets measured data, along with any other user data that may impact a physiological condition, to select and output information regarding the measured data that is determined to be what the user needs to know (e.g., selected outliers or patterns and why they likely occurred and/or actions to offset or correct the outliers or patterns, or prospectively determined data and/or actions to prevent predicted outlier data sets).
The T1D Exchange Clinical Registry currently enrolls approximately 15,000 persons with Type 1 Diabetes across approximately 65 diabetes centers in the United States from whom to collect and store data to create a biobanking dataset and Type 1 diabetes portal.
According to downloading trend information available via this portal, less than 5% of these persons download data (e.g., their blood glucose values collected from their monitoring devices) on a weekly basis. Only about 12% of these persons download their data on a monthly basis. An astonishing 88% of these participants never view their downloaded data. The majority of T1D Exchange participants are reluctant to download and view their data because it takes too much time and they do not receive meaningful information from the data. T1D Exchange participants find the data simply too difficult to interpret and use in a meaningful manner and prefer to manage their diabetes test by test, injection by injection, relying instead on their healthcare provider to advise them when they need to make significant changes to their diabetes management regimens.
The EV1000 clinical platform from Edwards Lifesciences further illustrates problems with current methods of presenting physiological status of a patient in a clinical setting. Although the EV1000 clinical platform is intended to be the state of the art in providing patient physiological data in a more intuitive and meaningful way (e.g., in an operating room (OR) or in an intensive care unit (ICU)), the monitored data is merely graphically represented without any interpretation and determination of what information a clinician needs to know about the monitored data or recommended course of action or display of clinically acceptable courses of actions based on the monitored data. The display of more monitored data, even if done in an attractive graphical manner, does not necessarily make that data useful to a healthcare provider, particularly in a critical care setting such as an OR or ICU. Some form of interpretation of that data is often needed, and the cognitive load on the practitioner actually increases with added data.
A need therefore exists, in both ambulatory and non-ambulatory healthcare settings, for physiological condition monitoring devices that remove cognitive load/burden from the user when interpreting the data and deciding on a course of action. That is, a need exists for a monitoring method and/or apparatus that takes digital output from a device (e.g., downloaded data) and interprets the data for the user to provide the user with useful information (e.g., a determination of what information the user needs to know about retrospective data or a prospective data analysis).
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to expenditure tracking systems and, more particularly, to an improved automated expenditure tracking system comprising a novel method and apparatus for automatically tracking check expenditures and deposits using printed bank checks having a plurality of graphic icons disposed thereon representative of particular expenditure categories.
2. Description of the Related Art
Millions of people utilize bank checks every day for personal and business use to transact sales of goods and services and to pay bills via funds deposited in a checking or money-market account. Millions more people use Automated Teller Machines ("ATM"), Point Of Sale terminals ("POS") or other Electronic Funds Transfer ("EFT") machines to withdraw or transfer cash electronically in order to make cash purchases and to obtain convenient amounts of cash for discretionary spending.
It is often desirable when making check transactions or ATM or POS withdrawals from a checking account to be able to keep track of and monitor expenditures according to a predetermined set of expenditure categories for purposes of budgeting and/or managing personal or business finances. For instance, it is convenient for a bank checking account customer to know at the end of each month not only how much money is currently available in the customer's checking or money-market account, but also what types and amounts of expenditures have been made during the previous month or several months on such items as food, clothing, entertainment, mortgage, rent, etc. In this manner, a bank customer managing his personal or business finances can identify possible problem areas in which expenses should be reduced in an effort to reduce overall costs and to save money. Such budgeting and monitoring of expenditures is often critical for successful long-term financial planning.
Experience has shown that most individuals fail to plan adequately for their financial future. A recent U.S. Census Bureau survey reports that over 85% of Americans 65 or older are living on an income of less than $10,000.00 per year. The majority of these households, however, earned enough income to set aside for more than an adequate retirement investment, but failed to do so. Unfortunately, many working individuals today are following the same trend toward future financial insecurity. Particularly in the hectic modern-day world of two income families and even greater financial pressures, it is absolutely essential to be able to monitor expenditures and investments in order to provide for a sound financial future.
The U.S. Small Business Administration has similarly noted that a large percentage of all new small businesses fail within the first year of operation. This is partially attributable to a lack of adequate financial planning and monitoring of expenditures by relatively inexperienced business managers. Without adequate budgeting and monitoring of business expenses, the cash flow of even a moderately successful business can be quickly subsumed by losses from poor investments and wasteful spending. Again, budgeting and monitoring of expenditures is critical to the financial well being of small businesses.
One of the main reasons individuals and small businesses fail to adequately plan their finances is the current lack of a convenient mechanism for budgeting and monitoring expenditures and investments. Larger businesses and more affluent individuals hire accountants and other professionals to budget and monitor their expenditures. But many working individuals and small businesses simply cannot afford such personalized professional services. These individuals and small businesses either perform these accounting services themselves or go without them.
For those individuals and small businesses that choose to perform their own accounting services, several tools have recently become available. Most notable are several computer accounting software programs that are now readily available to assist individuals and small businesses in personal and business financial planning. Typically, such software programs can be used with a personal computer or similar device capable of performing basic financial computations.
One particularly popular computer accounting software program is marketed under the name "Quicken.TM." and is available from Intuit, Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif. This program allows users to assign expenditure account categories by entering a text description of each into the program's database. For each check transaction, the user then identifies the appropriate account category and types in the check number and check amount. Once the information has been entered into the computer, it can be manipulated electronically to generate various types of account statements, expenditure charts and the like, which can be accessed by the user via a video display monitor, an attached printer or magnetic disk storage media. Deposits and other transactions are handled in a similar fashion by the user's manually entering the raw data from the deposit slip, transaction receipt or the like, into the computer.
A significant drawback of these types of computer accounting software programs is that they require the bank customer or user to enter into the computer "raw" data from each check transaction occurring within a given transaction period. This data may, for instance, be entered by the bank customer from his returned checks or from a separate ledger book in which check transactions are routinely entered and recorded. Inputting this data may require a considerable expenditure of time and effort where, for instance, the bank customer has made hundreds of individual check transactions during a given transaction period.
This secondary data entry step is also highly inconvenient. Experience has shown that, while many people want financial management tools, most lack the time and discipline necessary to maintain accurate financial records on their own. Busy families, individuals, and small businesses demand accurate financial reporting in order to reach their financial goals, but they often do not want to expend the significant amounts of time and effort required to maintain such records themselves. Many individuals, in particular, find the use of a personal computer or a keypad highly inconvenient for entering and recording check expenditure information. Recent statistics indicate that almost half of all American households are intimidated by computers. Other bank customers simply do not have access to a computer and, therefore, cannot benefit from these types of computer accounting software programs.
Even among those individuals and small businesses who own a computer and who have purchased accounting or financial planning software, research has shown that a significant percentage of them are not consistent with their inputting and reporting of check transactions. Quite often, after several months of neglect these computer software users, faced with many hours cf "catch-up" work, abandon their bookkeeping tasks altogether. The result is that the computer software goes largely unused, defeating the very purpose of budgeting and financial planning.
Other expenditure tracking systems have been proposed in which the bank check, itself, can be labeled or marked by a bank customer with numbered expenditure categories. Upon presentment of such a check for payment, the bank teller reenters the expenditure category number in magnetic code ("MICR") on the bottom of the check. The check is then processed using a MICR decoder. A centralized computer records the transaction amount and expenditure category number for each check and provides the customer with a periodic statement of expenditures. In this manner, the labor intensive step of re-entering expenditure account information into a computer is, in effect, shifted from the customer to the bank.
A drawback of these types of expenditure tracking systems, however, is that they are not well suited for individual and small business. Specifically, the numbers used to represent expenditure categories are not easily identifiable by customers as representing any particular type of expenditure. Rather, in order to record the appropriate category number a customer is required to refer to a separately recorded index or legend of accounts in order to match each number with its corresponding expenditure category. This cross-referencing of expenditure categories is highly inconvenient where, for irstance, the customer does not have convenient reference to the recorded legend at the time the check is made out and the transaction executed. In such cases the customer either guesses, or he simply does not record the expense at all. This can cause undesirable inaccuracies in the expenditure tracking system. Numbered expenditure categories are simply not sufficiently intuitive or descriptive to allow the use of these types of expenditure tracking systems by the general banking public.
Another significant disadvantage with prior art expenditure tracking systems in general is that they cannot adequately account for ATM and POS transactions, which occupy an increasingly larger percentage of checking and money-market account transactions. To account for such transactions a customer must keep a copy of all receipts and then separately record them in either a written ledger or computer data base and reconcile these receipts with their bank statement at the end of each month or other financial period. Again, this takes time and effort and can result in undesirable inaccuracies as customers fail to stay current with recorded expenditure information.
Each of the above prior art systems require bank customers and/or the bank itself to perform secondary data entry operations, either in a separate account ledger or via a computer or MICR encoder keypad, in order to provide accurate monitoring of expenditures. It would represent a significant advance in the art to provide an automated expenditure tracking system which eliminates the need for such secondary data entry. It would represent a further advance in the art to provide such a system that is easy and inexpensive to use, is intuitive and easy to understand even in cross-linguistic environments without the need for special instructions or training, and that maintains consistent reporting regardless of a customer's level of diligence in recording individual expenditures.
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Wind power is considered one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly energy sources presently available, and wind turbines have gained increased attention in this regard. A modern wind turbine typically includes a tower, a generator, a gearbox, a nacelle, and one or more rotor blades. The nacelle includes a rotor assembly coupled to the gearbox and to the generator. The rotor assembly and the gearbox are mounted on a bedplate support frame located within the nacelle. In many wind turbines, the gearbox is mounted to the bedplate via one or more torque supports or arms. The rotor blades capture kinetic energy of wind using known airfoil principles and transmit the kinetic energy in the form of rotational energy so as to turn a main shaft coupling the rotor blades to the gearbox, or if a gearbox is not used, directly to the generator. The generator then converts the mechanical energy to electrical energy that may be deployed to a utility grid.
More specifically, the majority of commercially available wind turbines utilize multi-stage geared drivetrains to connect the turbine blades to an electrical generator. The wind turns the turbine blades, which spin a low speed shaft, i.e. the main shaft. The main shaft is coupled to an input shaft of a gearbox, which has a higher speed output shaft connected to a generator. Thus, the geared drivetrain aims to increase the velocity of the mechanical motion. Further, the gearbox and the generator are typically supported by one or more bearings and mounted to the bedplate via one or more torque arms or supports.
Over time, the main shaft and associated bearings may become worn and/or damaged due to loads and forces from the wind acting on the wind turbine components. Unfortunately, repair of the main shaft and/or the main bearing assembly often requires the turbine head (machine head) to be removed from atop the nacelle and transported to a factory wherein the bedplate is stood up vertically to remove the main shaft and bearing assembly, which is a very time-consuming and expensive procedure.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,696,302 discloses a method for repairing or replacing a main bearing on a wind turbine without removing the rotor and main shaft. This method is not suited for wind turbine designs wherein bearing replacement or repair requires removal of the rotor and main shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,108,997 discloses a method for stabilizing the main shaft within the bedplate on a single bearing unit to repair or replace the gear box. This method is not suited for a procedure that requires removal of the rotor and main shaft to replace or repair the main bearing assembly.
To date, there has been no viable method for repairing, replacing, or upgrading a dual main bearing unit seated in a bedplate uptower in the field wherein the procedure requires removal of the rotor and main shaft from the bedplate.
Thus, the industry is in need of new and improved systems and methods for repairing, replacing, or upgrading the main shaft bearing seated in the bedplate of the wind turbine in the field, wherein the bedplate remains installed in a horizontal position atop the tower, or is removed from the tower in the field.
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An electronic program guide (EPG) is a (typically) interactive graphical user interface (GUI) that a receiver of a digital television (DTV) signal can generate. An EPG is superimposed on the DTV event, e.g., program, that is currently being displayed. The EPG provides a viewer/user with information about the events currently being shown and that will be available for some amount of time into the future.
Some EPGs can only provide textual descriptions of the events themselves, of the ratings of potentially-objectionable content in the events (content advisory ratings) and of the encoding information. Encoding information can include indications of DOLBY stereo audio, which video format is used (e.g., there being 18 video formats according to the American Television Standards Committee standard for terrestrial digital television), closed captioning availability, etc. Examples of such EPGs are depicted in FIGS. 1-2.
A specific type of DTV signal is a terrestrial broadcast DTV signal that conforms to the standards of the Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC). Among the many ATSC standards for aspects of a terrestrial DTV signal, the specification for meta data used in an EPG is contained in ATSC A/65 and its addenda, A/66 and A/67. Such meta data is referred to as Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP) data. The PSIP specification promulgated by the ATSC only provides for textual descriptions of the events themselves, of the ratings of potentially-objectionable content in the events and of the encoding information. As such, the current PSIP specification only provides for an EPG that is about as visually-compelling as those of FIGS. 1-2, In other words, the current PSIP-specified EPG is not visually compelling, i.e., it is bland in appearance.
Given the great improvement in the quality of event images made possible by an ATSC-compliant terrestrial DTV signal, such a bland EPG is inconsistent. Broadcasters and content providers want to add more viewer-compelling advertising and event-content information to the EPG displays. It is a problem that there is no standard way of providing such advertising and event-content information.
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The present invention relates to an apparatus adapted to be mounted on the back of a patient and for monitoring the motion components of the spine during movement of the patient.
In diagnosing physical injuries or deterioration of the human spine, it is common to utilize a small goniometer which is attached on the back of the patient, and which indicates the static posture of the patient. Such instruments are adequate for documenting the bend or curvature of the spine, but they are incapable of documenting the motion or velocity or acceleration components, which are also useful in diagnosis.
More sophisticated diagnostic devices are also known which are capable of measuring the velocity components of the spine during movement of the patient. These velocity measuring devices are designed to permit the patient to physically enter the device, and thus they are very large and quite expensive. Also, in view of their size, these devices have a substantial moment of inertia which tends to mask the motion patterns of the patient.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive apparatus for monitoring the motion components of the human spine, and which is useful in diagnosing a physical injury or deterioration of the spine.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the described type and which is adapted to be mounted on the back of the patient so as not to interfere with normal body movements, and which can be worn "on the job" so as to permit an analysis of the motion components which are required to be performed by a worker.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in the embodiment illustrated herein by the provision of an apparatus which comprises an elongate exoskeleton comprising a plurality of generally flat elements disposed in a longitudinally spaced apart arrangement. A spacer is disposed between each adjacent pair of elements for maintaining the separation of the elements, and the spacers are longitudinally aligned and define a central longitudinal axis. A plurality of openings extend longitudinally through each of said elements, with each of said openings of each element being spaced from the central axis and being longitudinally aligned with a corresponding opening of the remaining elements.
The apparatus further comprises support means for supporting the exoskeleton on the back of a patient and so that the exoskeleton is generally aligned along the spine. The support means comprises a top plate, strap means for releasably securing the top plate on the upper back of the patient, a base plate, belt means for releasably securing said base plate on the lower back of the patient, and wire means extending longitudinally through each of the aligned openings of the elements, with each of said wire means being resiliently extensible in length, and with the opposite ends of each wire means being respectively attached to the top plate and the base plate. Thus, flexing movement of the exoskeleton caused by the movement of the patient causes each of said wire means to selectively change in length. The apparatus also includes movement signaling means mounted to the support means for detecting longitudinal movement of each of the wire means caused by changes in the length thereof, and for providing an output signal representative of such movement.
In the preferred embodiment as illustrated herein, there are three openings in each of the elements and which are disposed in a triangular arrangement. Also, each of the elements further includes a bore extending therethrough which is aligned with the central axis, and a cable means extends longitudinally through the bores of the elements. One end of the cable means is fixedly mounted to the top plate, and the other end is rotatably mounted to the base plate. Further, a rotation signaling means is mounted to the base plate for detecting rotation of the cable means in either direction and providing an output signal representative thereof.
The present invention thus permits three planes of movement to be simultaneously monitored, namely, the sagittal (i.e. forward and back), the transverse (i.e. twisting), and the lateral planes. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the monitored motion characteristics in each such plane include the angular position of the spine as a function of time, the angular velocity as a function of time, and the angular acceleration as a function of time.
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Streptococcus pyogenes Group A streptococcus, is a common human pathogen that is best known as the cause of throat and skin infections. S. pyogenes also has the potential to cause more serious and potentially life threatening diseases such as scarlet fever and toxic shock like syndrome. S. pyogenes has also been implicated as the cause of the majority of cases of puerperal fever.
The surface antigen R28 is expressed by some strains of S. pyogenes. Early studies indicated that R28 is unrelated to virulence (Lancefield and Perlmann. J. Exp. Med (1952) 96:83–97), since antibodies to R28 did not protect mice against lethal infection with an R28-expressing strain of S. pyogenes.
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is found in the normal flora of the human vagina and may cause life-threatening disease in newborn children who are often exposed to GBS at birth. Most isolates of GBS express either of the surface proteins Rib or a which are members of the same protein family.
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The gene pool of various animals can be maintained either by collecting, breeding and housing the animals or by preserving the gametes (sperm and oocytes) or embryos in vitro. The latter method is more flexible and usually more cost-effective as well. In vitro gamete and embryo preservation has also been used in connection with in vitro cultures of gametes and embryos to reproduce human and non-human animals. For example, in in vitro fertilization (IVF) for the mammalian species, the collected sperm and oocytes are preserved and cultured in vitro before the oocytes are fertilized. After fertilization, the resultant embryos are cultured in vitro until a certain stage of maturity (usually blastocysts) is reached, after which the embryos are implanted to induce pregnancy.
The in vitro preservation and culture of gametes and embryos has been used more successfully in some species than in others. A freeze-thaw cycle reduces the percentage of viable sperm more dramatically in avian semen samples than in mammalian semen samples. On a related note, the freeze-thaw process can also reduce the percentage of viable oocytes and embryos. The frequency of productive pregnancy induced in bovines is 80% lower when the in vitro fertilized embryos implanted were frozen and thawed before being implanted. In addition, mammalian embryos are very sensitive to temperature change. For example, less than one-half of a degree temperature change can kill a mammalian embryo. In contrast, natural bird embryos, which are natively in contact with white yolk, are fairly resistant to temperature change (e.g., fertilized chicken eggs can be held at 32° F. for 10 hours without significant effect on hatching rate).
Moreover, IVF pregnancies also yield offspring having a higher rate of abnormalities than natural pregnancies. IVF procedures have yielded larger bovine calves and smaller human babies at a much higher frequency than natural pregnancies. These abnormalities may arise from poorly characterized differences between the environments encountered in vivo and in vitro by gametes and embryos. Also, many supplements of conventional culture systems do not naturally contact embryos in vivo during early embryo development. More particularly, the proteins encountered by gametes and embryos in vitro (e.g., bovine serum albumin, amniotic fluid and fetal calf serum) come from fully formed individuals that have homeostatic organs and adaptations to handle waste, control pH, transport food, and accommodate temperature insult.
In birds, reptiles, marsupials and egg-laying mammals such as monotremes (Hughes and Hall, 1998), natural embryos are in contact with white yolk, a minor egg yolk constituent (less than 2%) that differs in composition, structure, and physical properties from yellow yolk (Burley and Vadehra, 1989). White yolk, but not yellow yolk, contacts the early embryo and there is no clear demarcation between embryo and white yolk (Lillie, 1919) because of the meroblastic cleavage wherein some of the developing cells appear to have no membrane between the cytoplasm and the white yolk.
Growth of the avian ovum is known as vitellogenesis. As in most mammals, an avian chick has its full complement of oocytes at hatching. Marza and Marza (1935) divided oogenesis in the hen into three phases. The first, which can last for several years, is a quiescent period in which the primordial yolk is laid down and maintained. White yolk slowly accumulates in the second period, which lasts for about 2 months. In the final phase, which lasts for 5–9 days just prior to ovulation, yellow yolk is rapidly deposited.
White yolk surrounds and appears to compartmentalize yellow yolk. From a bulb-shaped white yolk latebra at the center of the egg yolk, an elongated stem extends toward the blastoderm if an embryo is present (or toward the blastodisc if the egg is unfertilized or if embryogenesis did not commence). The stem flares out at its distal end into the Nucleus of Pander. Contiguous with the Nucleus of Pander is a small amount of white yolk lying just below the vitelline membrane. Fabian (1982) determined that the Nucleus of Pander was directly over the center of the yolk in 90% of 181 White Leghorn eggs examined. Romanoff and Romanoff (1949) identified light colored rings within the mass of yellow yolk as white yolk, but these rings are not white yolk. Rather, these rings should be called light yolk as they are identical to yellow yolk except for color and probably reflect some diurnal aspect of yellow yolk deposition (Gilbert, 1971; Burley and Vadehra, 1989).
Yellow yolk protein and lipid are synthesized in the liver and then are transported via circulation to the ovary (Burley and Vadehra, 1989). White yolk generally has a non-liver origin. White yolk remains liquid after a freeze-thaw cycle whereas yellow yolk becomes firm and gelatinous, a change known as yolk gelling (Burley and Vadehra, 1989). Tanabe-Yuji et al. (2000) determined that 14 hours after oviposition one small white follicle of the ovary has a layer of yellow yolk spheres deposited just under the perivitelline membrane. Such follicles are called transition follicles. A hen in lay has a series of developing follicles from small white follicles to one the size of a laid egg.
White yolk can be collected in at least two ways. It can be separated from yellow yolk after one or more freeze-thaw cycles. It can also be collected from small immature follicles (diameter between 1 and 8 mm) where yellow yolk has not been deposited.
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This invention relates to a portable golf ball cleaning device to be carried in a golfer's pocket.
Golf balls are designed with aerodynamic surface characteristics, which can be altered by the presence of dirt or other surface contaminants thereby changing flight trajectory or distance qualities. The accurate roll of the ball on the green is also affected by dirt or debris on the ball. Additionally, dirt or stains on the ball are distracting when focusing on the ball during putting. The golf ball becomes dirty when coming into contact with the turf during play. According to the rules of golf, normally the ball may only be cleaned before putting on the green or before teeing off on the tee. Since putting accounts for over forty percent of all strokes in a golfer's score, a clean ball for putting is especially important. Also, if cleaned on the green before putting, the ball does not require further cleaning before teeing off on the next hole. Therefore, the green is considered the optimum point for cleaning a golf ball during play.
In order to clean the ball on the green, some golfers carry a wet towel on the cart or bag and carry the towel on the green. Most golfers clean the ball on the green by wiping it with their fingers or wiping it on their clothing or licking it. These methods are not only messy and ineffective but can be harmful to the health of the golfer due to chemicals on the green. Therefore, a portable device is needed for cleaning a golf ball on the green.
A number of portable devices have been developed for cleaning a golf ball during play, which are known in the art.
Cart ball washers have been designed to be located on a riding golf cart. U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,906 to Mauro discloses an example of such a device. However, a cart is not allowed on the green.
Bag ball washers have been designed to be located on or in a golf bag. U.S. Pat. No. 3,098,252 to Sundquist, U.S. Pat. No. 2,622,257 to Lemonds et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,608,705 to Duff and U.S. Pat. No. 1,710,816 to Evans, disclose examples of such devices. However, a bag is not allowed on the green.
Belt ball washers have been designed to be located on a golfer's belt. U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,464 to Shioda, U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,287 to Ingram et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,675 to Barton et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 2,572,349 to Kaplan, disclose examples of such devices. Although, these devices can be carried on the green, the belt location interferes with the swing and movement of arms and hands during play and also detracts from a golfer's appearance.
The only practical location for carrying a golf ball cleaning device on the green is in a golfer's pocket.
The Cart, Bag and Belt devices in the prior art have problems and disadvantages, including but not limited to one or more of the following:
(a) the device cannot be carried in a golfer's pocket due to a large size which cannot be reduced sufficiently without changing the technology;
(b) the device cannot be carried dryly in a golfer's pocket due to a design allowing liquid to leak into the pocket or allowing a wet cleaning means to come into prolonged contact with the pocket.
(c) the device is not economical to produce due to the design complexity, the number of parts, the assembly process and the cost of materials.
Pocket Closed Container ball washers have been designed to be carried in a golfer's pocket. U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,040 to Sharrow et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,219 to MacConnell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,578,224 to Cadman and U.S. Pat. No. 1,565,414 to Byrne, disclose examples of such devices. These devices require a sealed lid in order to prevent cleaning liquid from leaking into a golfer's pocket.
The Pocket Closed Container devices in the prior art have problems and disadvantages, including but not limited to one or more of the following:
(d) the device cannot be carried comfortably in a golfer's pocket due to rigid or heavy structure required to meet strength needs of a sealed lid;
(e) the device cannot be carried quietly in the pocket due to rigid or hard structure required to meet strength needs of a sealed lid, thereby rattling against other objects carried in the pocket;
(f) the device does not provide quick ball cleaning due to a lid which must be removed before cleaning and replaced after cleaning;
A Pocket Open Container ball washer has been designed to be carried in a golfer's pocket. U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,603 to Purlia et al. discloses this device. The device consists of an only partially absorbent cleaning means and a holder means having an opening with an inwardly extending lip to prevent cleaning liquid from leaking into the pocket.
The Pocket Open Container device in the prior art has problems and disadvantages, including but not limited to the following:
(g) the device does not provide effective ball cleaning due to an inwardly extending lip above the upper surface of the cleaning means thereby limiting ball wiping area on the upper surface of the cleaning means;
(h) the device does not provide effective ball cleaning due to a cleaning means utilizing a non-absorbent material for ball contact, which provides for brushing and scrubbing, but not for wiping and absorbing;
(i) the device is not easy to adjust for the degree of wetness due to a cleaning means consisting only partially of absorbent material and due to an inwardly extending lip above the upper surface of the cleaning means, thereby limiting wetness adjustment to an opening facing down position in which all unabsorbed cleaning liquid flows from the device in an uncontrolled manner;
(j) the device is not easy to keep clean due to an inwardly extending lip above the upper surface of the cleaning means, which creates spaces in which dirt and debris can accumulate with no easy means of removal.
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Multi-processor data processing systems harness the collective computation power of multitude of processors. A memory system is central to a multi-processor system and must be scaleable in order to provide sufficient bandwidth to each processor while sharing data between the multiple processors. For certain applications, an efficient means of sharing data is critical to effective collaboration between the threads running on the multiple processors.
Most data blocks that are written by a CPU tend not to be read or written by other agents/processors shortly after ownership has been obtained. However, some blocks may be very heavily shared in short periods of time, if the blocks are being used to synchronize multiple threads of execution. Communication or synchronization latency overheads can be one factor in determining the scalability of a multi-threaded workload on a multi-processor system, like a chip multi-processor.
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Underground drilling operation often requires connecting a drill tool (e.g., drill bit, backreamer, etc.) to a drill string. It is desirable to connect the drill tools to a drill string in a manner that facilitates quick and easy assembly and disassembly. Low torque coupling, commonly referred to as “torque-less” connection, can provide such functionality. The useful life and strength of such connections can be improved upon. The present disclosure provides a low torque coupling with improved strength and durability.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to accelerometers and other force-sensing devices, and more particularly to a gun-hard, in-plane MEMS capacitive accelerometer that includes a proof mass formed from a single piece of material positioned above a plurality of electrodes on a substrate. When the substrate accelerates, the proof mass moves in a direction parallel to the upper surfaces of the substrate, changing the capacitance between the proof mass and the substrate. This change in capacitance can be used to measure the displacement and to determine the acceleration of an object to which the substrate is attached.
2. Description of Related Art
Accelerometers are a critical component in the Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) commonly used in navigation and guidance systems for all types of vehicles. A typical IMU consists of three equal modules, each including a linear accelerometer, a gyroscopic rotational rate sensor, and associated electronics. These three-axis IMUs are used for navigation, guidance, and data-measurement systems in aerospace applications ranging from aircraft and spacecraft, to precision-guided missiles and artillery rounds. In many of these applications, the IMU is exposed to extreme vibrations and shock loads; it must be designed to withstand these harsh conditions.
Inertial Measurement Units capable of surviving harsh shock loads are known as gun-hard IMUs. These high-performance IMUs remain fully functional even when exposed to forces that are thousands of times stronger than the pull of gravity. Use of high-performance accelerometers and other components allow for reliable, consistent, and precise guidance of the vehicle or projectile on which the IMU is installed.
High-performance accelerometers with near micro-gravity resolution, high sensitivity, high linearity, and low bias drift are critical for use in gun-hard IMUs. Traditionally, IMUs included large mechanical accelerometers and conventional spinning mass gyroscopes. However, most current IMUs, and especially gun-hard, high-performance IMUs, are made using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication techniques.
MEMS fabrication technology plays a critical role in ensuring that large mass, large capacitance, and small damping are simultaneously obtained in the accelerometer while achieving micro-gravity resolution. Silicon capacitive accelerometers have several advantages that make them very attractive for gun-hard IMUs. Silicon capacitive accelerometers have high sensitivity, good direct current response and noise performance, low drift, low temperature sensitivity, low power dissipation, and a simple structure. It would be beneficial to have a gun-hard, high-performance, three-axis accelerometer built on a single chip using MEMS fabrication techniques. But this requires building both out-of-plane and in-plane accelerometers on the chip using the same fabrication techniques.
Known in-plane accelerometer configurations include MEMS comb-finger accelerometers, where the sensing gaps are formed between side walls and the sensitivity is determined by the size of the sensing gaps. A conventional MEMS comb-finger accelerometer is shown in FIG. 7 and designated generally by numeral 700. Accelerometer 700 includes a proof mass or sensing plate 702 attached by springs to two anchors 704 and having a plurality of movable fingers 706. Movable fingers 706 are interdigitated with a plurality of fixed fingers 708, with a lateral gap formed between the movable and fixed fingers. The minimum size of the lateral gap is limited to between about 1/10th and 1/15th of the plate thickness by the aspect ratio of the Dry Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) technology used to fabricate in-plane accelerometer 700. This means that the minimum lateral gap for a plate that is 75 μm (microns) thick is between 5.0 and 7.5 μm. Existing DRIE technology is only capable of producing gaps as small as 10 μm; it is not possible to fabricate a MEMS comb-finger, in-plane accelerometer using this technique for a plate that is 75 μm thick.
Other fabrication techniques combining surface micromachining and bulk micromachining can be used to reduce the lateral gap to 1.1 μm. Polysilicon deposition techniques are one example. However, the process flow for these techniques is very complicated—resulting in a low yield. Moreover, the resulting structure is fragile—making the structures unsuitable for high shock applications. These known techniques cannot be used to fabricate gun-hard MEMS accelerometers.
Additionally, the conventional comb-finger accelerometer configuration has inherent nonlinearity issues. To improve linearity, the change in the lateral gap must be limited to a small range, which leads to a small differential capacitance output.
Given these limitations, there is a compelling need for a gun-hard, high-performance, three-axis accelerometer that includes both an in-plane accelerometer and an out-of-plane accelerometer built on a single chip using the same MEMS fabrication techniques. The present invention addresses this need.
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The present invention relates to a hydraulic control system for controlling the oil pressure of frictional engagement means participating in a shift of an automatic transmission, by an electrically controllable valve mechanism.
In case a shift is to be executed by the automatic transmission, the working oil pressure to be fed to the frictional engagement means such as a clutch or brake participating in the shift is so electrically controlled (or regulated) as to establish predetermined hydraulic characteristics by using a duty solenoid valve or linear solenoid valve thereby to improve the shifting characteristics. Generally speaking, the control characteristics are set while estimating the viscosity of the oil at an ordinary oil temperature. In case, however, the oil has a low temperature, its viscosity is high so that the pressure regulating characteristics can not be achieved, as expected. Even if the oil pressure target value is commanded along a solid curve, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the actual oil pressure so responds as is plotted by a broken curve. Specifically, the actual oil pressure delays in response from the oil pressure target value. In the characteristics, only the oil pressure target value advances, but the actual oil pressure rises with a delay.
The characteristics of this actual oil pressure will be specifically described in the following. The target oil pressure is gradually changed at the initial stage of a shift but is raised at the final stage of the shift, so that the difference between the actual oil pressure and the target value increases to cause the change in the actual oil pressure abruptly. At the final stage of the shift, the actual oil pressure abruptly increases to give a torque capacity abruptly to the frictional engagement means. When the frictional engagement means thus acquires the torque capacity abruptly, the output torque abruptly rises, as plotted by a broken curve. This abrupt rise of the output torque invites a disadvantage that the shifting shock is caused.
In order to eliminate such disadvantage, the occurrence of the shifting shock is to be suppressed in the system, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 35153/1989, by changing the oil pressure target value according to the oil temperature. In other words, this system raises the oil pressure target value to eliminate the response delay of the oil pressure at a low temperature by increasing the output of the actual oil pressure. According to this system, the applying oil pressure rises while a packing clearance is being reduced by compressing the return spring of the frictional engagement means by the oil pressure. Even after the packing clearance has been reduced, however, the control with the high output continues so that the high oil pressure is further fed with the reduced packing clearance. As a result, the applying oil pressure may abruptly rise to cause the shifting shock, as in the case of the description made with reference to FIG. 8.
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to tissue cauterization. More particularly, the invention concerns an electrocautery system with various electrodes and a mechanism for automated or user-selected operation or compensation of the electrodes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various physiological conditions call for tissue and organ removal. A major concern in all tissue removal procedures is hemostasis, that is, cessation of bleeding. All blood vessels supplying an organ or a tissue segment to be removed have to be sealed, either by suturing or cauterization, to inhibit bleeding when the tissue is removed. For example, when the uterus is removed in a hysterectomy, bleeding must be inhibited in the cervical neck, which must be resected along the certain vessels that supply blood to the uterus. Similarly, blood vessels within the liver must be individually sealed when a portion of the liver is resected in connection with removal of a tumor or for other purposes. Achieving hemostasis is necessary in open surgical procedures as well as minimally invasive surgical procedures. In minimally invasive surgical procedures, sealing of blood vessels can be especially time consuming and problematic because there is limited access via a cannula and other small passages.
Achieving hemostasis is particularly important in limited access procedures, where the organ or other tissue must be morcellated prior to removal. Most organs are too large to be removed intact through a cannula or other limited access passage, thus requiring that the tissue be morcellated, e.g. cut, ground, or otherwise broken into smaller pieces, prior to removal.
In addition to the foregoing examples, there exist a variety of other electrosurgical instruments to seal and divide living tissue sheets, such as arteries, veins, lymphatics, nerves, adipose, ligaments, and other soft tissue structures. A number of known systems apply radio frequency (RF) energy to necrose bodily tissue. Indeed, some of these provide significant advances and enjoy widespread use today. Nevertheless, the inventors have sought to identify and correct shortcomings of previous approaches, and to research possible improvements, even when the known approaches are adequate.
In this respect, one problem recognized by the inventors concerns the small size of today's electrode structures. In particular, many electrosurgical instrument manufacturers limit the total length and surface area of electrodes to improve the likelihood of completely covering the electrodes with tissue. This small electrodes strategy results in the surgeon having to seal and divide multiple times to seal and divide long tissue sheets adequately. Such time consuming processes are also detrimental to patients, increasing anesthetic time and potentially increasing the risk of injury to surrounding structures, as the delivery of energy and division of tissue is repeated again and again.
The consequences of partial electrode coverage can be significant. This condition can cause electrical arcing, tissue charring, and inadequate tissue sealing. Mechanical, e.g. blade, or electrosurgical division of tissue is performed immediately following tissue sealing, and the division of inadequately sealed tissue can pose a risk to the patient because unsealed vessels may hemorrhage. Arcing presents its own set of problems. If electrocautery electrodes generate an arc between them, instead of passing RF energy through targeted tissue, the tissue fails to undergo the intended electrocautery. Furthermore, depending upon the path of the arc, this might damage non-targeted tissue. Another problem is that adjacent electrodes in a multiple electrode system may generate electrical cross-talk or generate excessive thermal effect in the transition zone between two adjacent electrodes that fire sequentially. Previous designs prevented this by imposing a mechanical standoff for the jaws that the electrodes were fastened onto. However, this standoff prevented very thin tissue from making contact with the opposing electrodes, preventing an optimal electrical seal in these regions. These standoffs, if too shallow, can also result in arcing between electrodes.
At typical radiofrequency energy (RF) frequencies in the 300 kHz to 10 MHz range, tissue impedance is largely resistive. Prior to tissue desiccation, initial impedances can vary greatly depending on the tissue type and location, vascularity, etc. Thus, to ascertain the adequacy of tissue electrode coverage based solely on local impedance is imprecise and impractical. A feasible and dependable methodology for determining electrode coverage by tissue would allow for the development of electrodes of greater length and surface area for use in the safe and rapid sealing and division of tissue sheets during surgical procedures. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a methodology for determining the area of tissue coverage of one or more electrodes.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for an imaging device capable of focus detection by a phase difference detecting technique.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an imaging device, such as a digital single-lens reflex camera, focus detection has been suggested using a phase-difference detection technique with an image pickup device (also referred to below as an image pickup device provided with a phase-difference detecting function) with a plurality of pairs of photoelectric converting units (photo diodes), each pair receiving a subject light beam through a pair of partial regions of an exit pupil (for example, right and left pupil portions) to generate an electric charge signal. Examples of this image pickup device are as follows.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-250931 discloses an image pickup device with a phase-difference detection function, the image pickup device configured to have a two-way split photoelectric converting unit (referred to below as a half-sized photoelectric converting unit) in each normal pixel (each of R, G, and B pixels) for obtaining an image signal of a subject, that is, the image pickup device in which a pair of half-sized photoelectric converting units is disposed on a lower portion of one microlens.
Also, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-303409 discloses an image pickup device with a phase-difference detection function, the image pickup device in which a pair of photoelectric converting units receives light from a pair of partial regions of the exit pupil by restricting subject light beams at a pair of adjacent pixels by an opening formed at a light-shielding mask using a metal layer.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the transfer of data in digital systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a protocol and apparatus that provide improved interconnect utilization. In particular, a two-step write operation according to the present invention avoids resource conflicts, thus permitting read and write operations to be issued in any order while maintaining continuous data traffic.
2. Description of the Related Art
A computer, such as a computer system 10 shown in FIG. 1A, typically includes a bus 12 which interconnects the system""s major subsystems such as a central processing unit (CPU) 14, a main memory 16 (e.g., DRAM), an input/output (I/O) adapter 18, an external device such as a display screen 24 via a display adapter 26, a keyboard 32 and a mouse 34 via an I/O adapter 18, a SCSI host adapter 36, and a floppy disk drive 38 operative to receive a floppy disk 40. SCSI host adapter 36 may act as a storage interface to a fixed disk drive 42 or a CD-ROM player 44 operative to receive a CD-ROM 46. Fixed disk 42 may be a part of computer system 10 or may be separate and accessed through other interface systems. A network interface 48 may provide a connection to a LAN (e.g., a TCP/IP-based local area network (LAN)) or to the Internet itself. Many other devices or subsystems (not shown) may be connected in a similar manner. Also, it is not necessary for all of the devices shown in FIG. 1A to be present to practice the present invention, as discussed below. The configuration of the devices and subsystems shown in FIG. 1A may vary substantially from one computer to the next.
In today""s high-performance computers, the link between the CPU and its associated main memory (e.g., CPU 14 and main memory 16, respectively) is critical. Computer programs currently available place imposing demands on a computer""s throughput capabilities. This need for increasingly higher bandwidth will continue.
One method for improving the throughput of this interface is to provide a dedicated bus between CPU 14 and main memory 16. Such a bus is shown in FIG. 1A as a memory bus 50. Memory bus 50 allows CPU 14 to communicate data and control signals directly to and from main memory 16. This improves computational performance by providing a pathway directly to the system""s main memory that is not subject to traffic generated by the other subsystems in computer system 10. In such systems, the pathway between main memory 16 and bus 12 may be by way of a direct memory access (DMA) hardware construct for example.
FIG. 1B illustrates a block diagram in which components (e.g., CPU 14 and main memory 16) communicate over an interconnect 60 in order to process data. Interconnect 60 is a generalization of memory bus 50, and allows one or more master units such as master units 70(1)-(N) and one or more slave units, such as slave units 80(1)-(N). (The term xe2x80x9cNxe2x80x9d is used as a general variable, its use should not imply that the number of master units is identical to the number of slave units.) Components attached to interconnect 60 may contain master and slave memory elements. In the case where interconnect 60 serves as memory bus 50, CPU 14 communicates with main memory 16 over interconnect 60 using pipelined memory operations. These pipelined memory operations allow maximum utilization of interconnect 60, which is accomplished by sending data over interconnect 60 as continuously as is reasonably possible given the throughput capabilities of main memory 16.
The block diagram of FIG. 1B is applicable to intrachip, as well as interchip, communications. It will be understood that one or more of slave units 80(1)-(N) may consist of other components in addition to memory (e.g., a processor of some sort). The block diagram of FIG. 1B can, of course, be simplified to the case of a system having only a single master.
FIG. 1C shows a memory device 100. Memory device 100 might be used in a computer system, for example, as main memory 16 of computer system 10, or in combination with similar devices to form main memory 16. Memory device 100 is capable of being read from and written to by a memory controller (not shown). An interconnect 110 is used to communicate control information over control lines 112 and data over data lines 114 from the memory controller to memory device 100. Interconnect 110 is thus analogous to memory bus 50. To support such communications and the storage of data, memory device 100 typically includes three major functional blocks.
The first of these, a transport block 120, is coupled to interconnect 110. Interconnect 110, which includes control signal lines 112 and data signal lines 114, is used to read from and write to memory device 100. Interconnect 110 provides the proper control signals and data when data is to be written to memory device 100. Transport block 120 receives these signals and takes the actions necessary to transfer this information to the remaining portions of memory device 100. When memory device 100 is read, transport block 120 transmits data as data signal lines 114 in response to control signal lines 112. Transport block 120 includes a control transport unit 122 which receives control signal lines 112, and controls a read data transport unit 124 and a write data transport unit 126 to support the communication protocol used in transferring information over interconnect 110 (e.g., transferring information between CPU 14 and main memory 16 over memory bus 50).
In its simplest form, transport block 120 is merely wiring, without any active components whatsoever. In that case, control transport unit 122 would simply be wires, as read data transport unit 124 and write data transport unit 126 would require no control. In effect, transport block 120 is not implemented in such a case. Another possible configuration employs amplifiers to provide the functionality required of transport block 120. In yet another possible configuration, transport block 120 includes serial-to-parallel converters. In this case, control transport unit 122 controls the conversion performed by read data transport unit 124 and write data transport unit 126 (which would be the serial-to-parallel converters). Other equivalent circuits may also be used with equal success.
The second of the major functional blocks is an operations block 130. Operations block 130 receives control information from transport block 120, more specifically from control transport unit 122, which provides the requisite signals to a control operation unit 150.
In FIG. 1C, control operation unit 150 is implemented as an architecture designed to control generic DRAM memory cells. A specific DRAM memory cell architecture (or other architecture), however, may require different control signals, some or all of which may not be provided in the architecture shown in FIG. 1C. Control operation unit 150 includes a sense operation unit 132, a precharge operation unit 134, and a core transfer operation unit 136.
Data being read is transferred from the third functional block, a memory core 180, via data I/O bus 185 to a read data operation unit 160. From read data operation unit 160, the data being read is transferred to read data transport unit 124 (and subsequently, onto data signal lines 114) in response to control signals from control operation unit 150. Read data operation unit 160 may consist of, for example, data buffers (not shown) that buffer the outgoing data signals to drive read data transport unit 124.
Data to be written is transferred from write data transport unit 126 to a write operation unit 170 in response to control signals from control transport unit 122 (if used) and control operation unit 150. Write data operation unit 170 receives write data from write transport unit 126, which is passed on to memory core 180 via data I/O bus 185. As shown, write data operation unit 170 may be controlled by core transfer operation unit 136. Write data operation unit 170 may consist of, for example, data buffers (not shown) that buffer the incoming data signals.
Write data operation unit 170 may also contain mask buffers that buffer mask information received from write data transport unit 126. As with data buffering, these actions may be taken under the control of core transfer operation unit 136. The mask information is then passed to memory core 180 via data I/O bus 185, as well. The mask information is used by the memory core to selectively write parts of the data within the memory core. Alternatively, no mask is employed, with the result that all the data is written unconditionally.
The circuitry of control operation unit 150 may take any number of appropriate configurations, depending in part on the architecture of the memory core employed. For example, the memory cells of memory core 180 may be static random access memory (SRAM) cells, read-only memory (ROM) cells (which can, of course, only be read), dynamic RAM (DRAM) cells, or another type of memory cell. The type of memory cell employed in memory core 180 affects the architecture of control operation unit 150, as different memory cells often require different control signals for their operation.
Operational block 130 thus contains core transfer operation unit 150, read data operation unit 160, and write data operation unit 170. Again, in the simplest configuration of transport block 120, the subsystems of transport block 120 are merely wires. Moreover, the functionality provided by the subsystems of transport block 120 is merely one of transferring data and control information.
Assuming that the memory core employs DRAM-type memory cells, operations which may be performed on memory core 180 (referred to herein as core operations) may be generalized into four primary categories:
1) Precharge;
2) Sense;
3) Read; and
4) Write.
While these generalized operations are dealt with in detail later in this section, they are introduced here to illustrate the following effects on the block diagram of FIG. 1C. Given the generalized operations to be performed, the circuitry of control operation unit 150 may be logically divided into the three subs
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Technical Field
The present invention relates to a machine for storing and dispensing a viscous product, and more particularly, a soft food or beverage product.
Description of Related Art
Frozen or refrigerated food, dessert and/or beverage dispensers, such as frozen ice cream and yogurt machines for example, are typically equipped with mechanical mixing and dispensing devices that mix ingredients together, or operate to keep the ingredients or product in a mixed and viscous condition for purposes of dispensation on an as needed basis. Such dispensers require a multitude of equipment and processes to formulate, heat or refrigerate, store and ultimately dispense the viscous beverage or product. In most typical dispensers, the actual food or beverage product is in contact with the mixing apparatus and in which the product is stored and dispensed which can lead to health and consumption hazards if such equipment and exposed components are not routinely and completely cleaned and sanitized. Additionally, the wear and tear on the equipment components and surfaces that are in contact with such food and beverage products over a period of repeated use leads to malfunction rendering the unit inoperable until repairs are made.
As a result, there remains a need in the art for an improved soft food and beverage dispenser that overcomes the limitations of existing food and beverage dispensers.
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Biologically active molecules that interact specifically with certain proteins or interfere with signalling pathways have tremendous value not only for the functional analysis of genes but also for drug development. Drug development is more and more influenced by new screening techniques to find biological active molecules. In forward chemical genetic screening approaches targets are not specified a priori. However, screening against the entire pathway eliminates any bias about what might score in the screen. Forward chemical genetic screens probe modulations of complex biological processes rather than isolated targets (Schreiber et al (2003) and De Palma et al (2004)). A forward chemical genetic screen can be applied to identify compounds that are capable of inhibiting certain biological functions of cells, such as the proliferation of cancer cells. Cancer is defined by any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division. Therefore, compounds that inhibit abnormal and uncontrolled cell division might be useful as therapeutic compounds. By utilizing this approach potent and selective inhibitors can be found that inhibit vital functions of cells, such as cancer cell proliferation and are suitable in the treatment of cancer.
In chemical genetics screens, small molecule libraries are used to identify in high-throughput screens interesting compounds that interfere with a certain biological function of a cell. Typically, the libraries, used in these screens, consist of collections of diverse compounds with predicted drug-like properties.
The discovery of novel targets for e.g. angiogenesis inhibitors or cell proliferation inhibitors and validation of their biological relevancy based on chemical genetics provide in addition new insight for the biological role of certain targets as well valuable information for the development of new active compounds.
A forward chemical genetic screen has been applied to screen for compounds that are capable of inhibiting proliferation of cancer cells. This approach has led to a novel series of compounds useful for the treatment and/or prevention of proliferative diseases.
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The subject matter described herein is generally concerned with air purification technology that employs new and improved photocatalyst materials especially efficient in decomposing volatile organic compounds that may be present in an air stream, with methods for manufacturing such photocatalyst materials, and with methods and apparatus for using such materials to clean and purify air streams. A specific application for the photocatalyst materials of this invention is to treat an air stream drawn from a “clean room” environment to remove and/or decompose organic contaminants before recycling the treated air stream back to the “clean room.”
It is known in the art of air purification to prepare photocatalytic materials based on metals or metal oxides having semiconductor-like characteristics for removing contaminants from air. For example, the metals titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), tin (Sn), zinc (Zn), and similar metals, and the oxides of these metals, e.g., TiO2, ZrO2, SnO2, and ZnO2, are known to demonstrate the semiconductor characteristic of exhibiting at least two possible energy levels which may be referred to as a valence band state and a conduction band state. Thus, when excited or activated by light energy of a suitable wavelength, these materials respond by exciting electrons into the conduction band and leaving electron “holes” in the valence band. Depending on the photocatalytic material, solar light, fluorescent light, ultraviolet light, or other forms of light irradiation may be used effectively to activate the photocatalytic material.
The field known as heterogeneous photocatalysis has attracted considerable attention in recent years. A comprehensive overview of heterogeneous photocatalysis using titanium dioxide (TiO2) appears in a 1995 Chemical Reviews article by A. L. Linsebigler et al. entitled “Photocatalysis on TiO2 Surfaces: Principles, Mechanisms, and Selected Results,” which article is incorporated herein by reference. This article discusses the potential application of TiO2-based photocatalysts to destroying organic compounds found in polluted air and wastewaters.
The above-cited article provides the following useful summary of how photocatalysis operates to decompose a contaminant such as an organic compound: “In a heterogeneous photocatalysis system, photo-induced molecular transformations or reactions take place at the surface of a catalyst . . . . The initial excitation of the system is followed by subsequent electron transfer and/or energy transfer. It is the subsequent deexcitation processes (via electron transfer or energy transfer) that leads to chemical reactions in the heterogeneous photocatalysis process . . . . Photocatalysis processes involve the initial absorption of photons by a molecule or the substrate to produce highly reactive electronically excited states. The efficiency of the photoinduced chemistry is controlled by the system's light absorption characteristics.”
When the photocatalytic material is activated by light energy, the electrons generated tend to form “super oxide” anions (typically represented as O2−) and the holes form hydroxide (OH−) radicals, with the result that the activated photocatalyst has an unusually strong oxidation capability. Specifically, the O2− and OH− radicals are capable of rapidly and effectively oxidizing an organic contaminant contacted at the surface of the photocatalyst thereby converting the contaminant into water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) or, sometimes, to small amounts of relatively harmless mineral acids, for example HCl. Thus, volatile organic contaminants in an air stream can be effectively decomposed and removed from the environment by contacting the air stream with the light-activated photocatalyst.
The phenomenon known as “band-gap photoexcitation” is described in more technical terms in the previously cited Chemical Reviews article as follows:
“Unlike metals which have a continuum of electronic states, semiconductors possess a void energy region where no energy levels are available to promote recombination of an electron and hole produced by photoactivation in the solid. The void region which extends from the top of the filled valence band to the bottom of the vacant conduction band is called the band gap. Once excitation occurs across the band gap there is a sufficient lifetime, in the nanosecond regime, for the created electron-hole pair to undergo charge transfer to adsorbed species on the semiconductor surface from solution or gas phase contact. If the semiconductor remains intact and the charge transfer to the adsorbed species is continuous and exothermic the process is termed heterogeneous photocatalysis.”
The Chemical Reviews article then further explains how one of the deexcitation pathways for the electrons and holes is a photoinduced chemical reaction at the semiconductor surface:
“The photoinduced electron transfer to adsorbed organic or inorganic species or to the solvent results from migration of electrons and holes to the semiconductor surface. The electron transfer process is more efficient if the species are preadsorbed on the surface. While at the surface the semiconductor can donate electrons to reduce an electron acceptor (usually oxygen in an aerated solution) (pathway C); in turn, a hole can migrate to the surface where an electron from a donor species can combine with the surface hole oxidizing the donor species (pathway D).”
As also taught in the art, however, the electrons and holes generated by exciting a photocatalyst with light energy have a tendency to quickly recombine thereby neutralizing the powerful oxidation capacity of the activated photocatalyst. Thus, the Chemical Reviews article further teaches that: “In competition with charge transfer to adsorbed species is electron and hole recombination.” Photocatalytic efficiency is therefore generally improved if the photocatalyst can be prepared so as to remain in an excited state (with “free” electrons and holes) for a longer period of time to preserve the high oxidation capability of the material.
An increase in the oxidation capability of a photocatalyst can therefore be achieved by decreasing the rate at which recombination of electrons and holes occurs. This effect can sometimes be achieved by doping a photocatalyst with a relatively small amount of a suitable dopant or dopants, for example with a noble metal. For example, a suitable dopant molecule in a photocatalyst can act as an electron trap side to, at least temporarily, bind a free electron and thereby slow its tendency to recombine with a hole. Similarly, a suitable dopant molecule in a photocatalyst can act as a hole trap site to, at least temporarily, block a hole and thereby slow its tendency to recombine with an electron.
Another means of improving the photocatalytic efficiency of a particular photocatalyst is by increasing the band-gap energy of the photocatalyst. This effect can also sometimes be achieved by doping a photocatalyst with a relatively small amount of a suitable dopant or dopants.
Thus, it is known in the art to improve the photocatalytic efficiency of a metal oxide photocatalyst by doping it with a noble metal. For example, a metal oxide photocatalyst based on Ti, Zr, Sn, Zn, or a similar metal, typically made from a metal alkoxide precursor, can be advantageously doped with a noble metal such as platinum (Pt), gold (Au) or silver (Ag) to provide trap sites in the photocatalyst. Metal alkoxides suitable as precursors in forming these photocatalysts typically have the general chemical formula [M-O-alkyl] in which M is a suitable metal, O is oxygen, and the alkyl group is selected from methyl, ethyl, and similar alkyl groups typically having 6 or fewer carbon atoms.
In a typical application of this preparation process, a noble metal precursor, such as a solution or dispersion of a noble metal in a suitable solvent or dispersant, is prepared. The metal oxide photocatalyst is then doped with the noble metal by any of several familiar methods such as a dipping method, a deposition method, a co-precipitation method, an impregnation method, or a Sol-gel method. In the typical dipping method, the metal oxide photocatalyst is briefly immersed in a bath of the noble metal precursor and then withdrawn. Particles of the noble metal become deposited on and/or within the photocatalyst as the solvent or dispersant evaporates and/or drips off the photocatalyst. The dipping procedure may have to be repeated multiple times to achieve effective doping of the photocatalyst. By comparison with the dipping method, however, the Sol-gel doping method tends to be a very complicated and lengthy (slow) process.
This prior art technique, however, suffers from numerous limitations, drawbacks and disadvantages. One important drawback of the prior art approach is the high costs of the materials. Nobel metals such as Pt, Au, and Ag are also precious metals, which are very expensive. Even the metal alkoxide precursors are relatively expensive industrial commodities. A second disadvantage of the prior art technique is that it is relatively complicated—involving preparation of two precursors—and relatively lengthy.
Another important limitation of the above-described conventional method, however, is that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to reliably prepare nano-sized metal oxide particles for use as the photocatalyst using the metal alkoxide precursor technique. It has been found that the particle size of the photocatalyst is highly inversely correlated with photocatalytic efficiency. Specifically, it has been found that smaller photocatalytic particle size is associated with greater efficiency in decomposing contaminants, presumably because smaller particle size correlates with greater surface area and therefore with a larger active contact area between the photocatalyst and an air stream being treated.
More recent developments in photocatalyst technology have used TiO2 doped with various dopants to prepare useful photocatalyst materials. U.S. Pat. No. 6,627,173, which is incorporated herein by reference, for example, teaches a process for preparing doped, pyrogenically prepared titanium dioxide, doped with zinc oxide, platinum oxide, magnesium oxide or aluminum oxide for use as a photocatalyst or UV absorber. In this patent, the titanium dioxide is doped by injecting an aerosol of the oxide into the production stream. This process, however, requires relatively complex production equipment
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to therapeutically active azacyclic compounds, a method of preparing the same and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds.
The novel compounds are useful as stimulants of the cognitive function of the forebrain and hippocampus of mammals and especially in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
2. Description of Related Art
Due to the in general improved health situation in the western world, elderly-related diseases are much more common now than in the past and are likely to be even more common in the future.
One of the elderly-related symptoms is a reduction of the cognitive functions. This symptom is especially pronounced in the pathophysiological disease known as Alzheimer's disease. This disease is combined with, and also most likely caused by, a up to 90% degeneration of the muscarinic cholinergic neurons in nucleus basalis, which is part of substantia innominata. These neurons project to the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus and have a general stimulatory effect on the cognitive functions of the forebrain as well as of hippocampus, namely learning, association, consolidation and recognition.
It is a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease that although the cholinergic neurons degenerate, the postsynaptic muscarinic receptors in the forebrain and hippocampus still exist. Therefore muscarinic cholinergic agonists are useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and in improving the cognitive functions of elderly people.
It is well known that arecoline (methyl 1-methyl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-3-carboxylate) is such a cholinergic agonist.
Arecoline however has a very short biological half life and a small separation between central and peripheral muscarinic effects. Furthermore arecoline is a rather toxic compound.
EP-A-0307142 discloses a class of thiadiazoles, substituted on one of the ring carbon atoms with a non-aromatic azacyclic or azabicyclic ring system, and substituted on the other ring carbon atom with a substituent of low lipophilicity, or a hydrocarbon substituent, which are muscarinic agonists and therefore useful in the treatment of neurological and mental illnesses and severe painful conditions.
It is an object of the invention to provide new muscarinic cholinergic compounds.
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It is desired that absorbent articles such as diapers, training pants or incontinence garments provide a close, comfortable fit about the wearer and contain body exudates. Moreover, it is desirable that such absorbent articles, after being soiled, can be removed from the wearer in a convenient and clean manner without undesirably soiling the care giver or surrounding area such as the clothes of the wearer. In certain circumstances, it is also desirable that such absorbent articles are capable of being pulled up or down over the hips of the wearer to allow the wearer or caregiver to easily pull the article on and easily remove the article if it has not been soiled. For example, such absorbent articles can assist in the toilet training of children.
Conventional diapers have typically included a front waist portion and a back waist portion which are releasably connected about the hips of the wearer during use by conventional fasteners such as adhesive tape fasteners or hook and loop type fasteners. For example, the conventional fasteners have typically included a pair of fasteners, such as adhesive tape tabs, located on the outermost corners of the diaper in the back waist region of the diaper and a complimentary fastener, such as a taping panel, located on the outer surface
In such a configuration, the diaper has been positioned between the legs of the wearer while the wearer is lying down and the adhesive tape tabs have been releasably attached to the taping panel to secure the back waist portion to the front waist portion of the diaper to secure the diaper about the waist of the wearer. Such conventional diapers are easy to fasten about and remove from the wearer after use without undesirably soiling the care giver. However, such conventional diapers are not provided in a prefastened configuration and, thus, are not configured to be pulled up or down over the hips of the wearer when the fasteners are attached.
Several attempts have been made to provide absorbent articles which effectively contain body exudates, are capable of being pulled up or down over the hips of the wearer and provide ease of cleaning and removal after being soiled. For example, some conventional absorbent articles, such as conventional training pants, have included integral side panels which connect the front waist portion to the back waist portion of the absorbent article. The side panels have been made stretchable such that the waist opening of the absorbent article can expand to allow the absorbent article to be pulled up or down over the hips of the wearer if desired. Such side panels have also been designed such that they may be torn to remove the training pant from the wearer after it has been soiled.
However, many of such attempts have not been completely satisfactory. For example, absorbent articles such as training pants have not always been able to achieve a close conforming fit to the wearer while still being able to expand enough to be pulled up and down over the hips of the wearer. Often such training pants fit the waist of the wearer loosely which can undesirably result in leaks. As a result, many of such articles have not contained bodily exudates as effectively as conventional diaper-type articles which can be adjusted to achieve a more conforming fit to the wearer. Moreover, the inspection and removal of soiled absorbent articles which have integral side panels, such as conventional training pants, have not always been completely satisfactory. For example, the side panels have been difficult to tear when attempting to remove the article from the waist of the wearer instead of pulling the article down over the hips of the wearer.
Accordingly, despite the attempts to develop improved absorbent articles, there remains a need for absorbent articles which can provide the benefits of both conventional training pants and conventional diapers. That is, there remains a need for absorbent articles which conform to the wearer to effectively contain bodily exudates, which are capable of being pulled up and down over the hips and buttocks of the wearer without opening, which are readily secured about and removed from the wearer in a convenient and clean manner and which allow easy inspection by the care giver to assist in determining whether the article is soiled. Moreover, there is a need for improved methods of reliably and consistently making such pant-like disposable absorbent articles.
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The present invention relates generally to a device for vaporizing a liquid at a controlled rate. More specifically, it relates to a device for vaporizing a liquid with a rapid pressure drop and mixing the vaporized liquid with a carrier gas in a manner which allows independent control of the flow rates of the liquid and carrier gas. The invention is particularly suited for supplying vaporized reactants to the reaction chamber of a chemical vapor deposition system.
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes are widely used in the deposition of thin films used in semiconductor devices and integrated circuits. Such processes involve deposition resulting from a reaction of chemical vapors homogeneously or heterogeneously on a substrate. The reaction rate is controlled, e.g., by temperature, pressure and reactant gas flow rates. The use of low vapor pressure liquids as precursors for such processes has several advantages and has become more common.
Prior CVD processes involve transport of low vapor pressure liquid using a bubbler or boiler. In these processes, a carrier gas saturates the liquid and transports the vapor. The amount of vapor transported depends on the downstream pressure, carrier gas flow, vapor pressure in the ampoule holding the source liquid source, and the like. Thus, the amount of vapor transported is not an independent parameter and therefore is difficult to control. As a result, CVD processes using a bubbler or boiler have not demonstrated the ability to consistently control the flow rate of the vaporized reactant, which decreases the quality of films produced by these processes.
An additional shortcoming of CVD processes using bubblers is that these processes have difficulty producing the high reactant flow rate needed to achieve a high film deposition rate. With a bubbler, increasing reactant flow rate requires either increasing the bubbler temperature or the carrier gas flow rate. However, the reliability of downstream hardware limits the use of a bubbler temperature above a certain value, and the adverse effect of excessive carrier gas flow rate on the quality of the deposited film limits the use of high carrier gas flow rates, thus limiting the amount of vapor that can be transported. Thus, the amount of reactant vapor that can be transported is undesirably limited.
In known boilers, the liquid is heated, and the vapor formed is controlled using a high temperature gas flow controller. In this arrangement, the amount of vapor transported depends on the downstream chamber pressure and the boiler temperature. However, the vapor pressure of liquids commonly used in the deposition of semiconductor films (e.g., tetraethylorthosilane TEOS) is very small at normal operating temperatures; as a result, vapor transport limitations occur when a boiler is used in high pressure (e.g., atmospheric pressure) CVD processes. Heating the boiler to the liquid boiling temperature could obviously improve the vapor transport for such processes, but the boiler temperature is limited by the reliability of the downstream hardware.
The above-referenced previously filed U.S. patent application describes a CVD process in which vapor is formed by flowing heated carrier gas over a bead of liquid. The liquid evaporates into the carrier gas, creating reactant vapor for CVD. The evaporation rate is controlled by adjusting the flow rate of liquid into the bead; at high flow rates, the size and surface area of the bead increases until the evaporation rate equals the liquid flow rate. However, above a given limit, increases in liquid flow rate will result in only partial vaporization. An advantage of this process over the bubbler and boiler techniques is that it allows independent control of the liquid flow rate. However, like the bubbler and boiler techniques, this technique relies on heated evaporation to vaporize the liquid, and thus can produce only limited vaporization rates.
A need therefore remains for a reliable and low maintenance liquid vaporizer which can vaporize liquid at high flow rates and additionally allow independent control of liquid and carrier gas flow rates. The present invention addresses that need.
The invention features a vaporizer which accepts a carrier gas and a pressurized liquid. An internal cavity receives the carrier gas through a carrier aperture and combines the carrier gas with vapor formed from liquid received through a liquid aperture. The mixed gas and vapor are exhausted out of the cavity via a third aperture. The liquid is vaporized by the pressure differential between the liquid and vapor: a closure element which is substantially wider than the liquid aperture is disposed adjacent to the liquid aperture so that a pressure gradient forms between the liquid aperture and the remainder of the cavity. The liquid passing through this pressure gradient vaporizes due to expansion.
An advantage of the invention is that the vaporizer forms vapor by expansion in a pressure gradient, rather than evaporation by heating, and therefore can vaporize liquid at high flow rates such as those needed for some semiconductor fabrication processes.
In preferred embodiments, the closure element is a diaphragm movable relative to the liquid aperture to increase or decrease the flow rate of the liquid. The closure element is moved by an electrically controlled actuator such as a piezoelectric element. To control the flow rate of the liquid, a liquid flow meter is connected to measure the flow rate of liquid into the liquid inlet port. A feedback control system compares the measured flow rate to a selected value and controls the piezoelectric actuator so that the flow rate approximates the selected value.
An advantage of this embodiment is that the liquid flow rate is controlled solely by the movement of the diaphragm, so that (unlike the vaporization systems described above) the liquid flow rate is independent of the carrier gas flow rate and therefore can be more accurately controlled.
In further preferred embodiments, a heater heats at least a portion of the value body near to the cavity so as to inhibit the liquid, which has cooled due to expansion, from condensing on the walls of the cavity after it has vaporized.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to temperature compensated crystal oscillators for easily adjusting output frequencies, and more particularly to a temperature compensated crystal oscillator and method for adjusting an output frequency thereof, which can adjust the output frequency of the crystal oscillator by inserting a thin film resistor between layers comprising a layered structure and trimming the thin film resistor through a bottom layer a laser beam.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Crystal oscillators using crystal vibrating chip are essential parts to generate oscillation frequencies for controlling transmission and reception of signals between mobile communication terminals. The crystal oscillators have excellent frequency stability compared with other oscillators. A generally used crystal oscillator is a temperature compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) for solving the problem of the variation of an oscillation frequency due to ambient temperature,
FIG. 1 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a conventional temperature compensated crystal oscillator. As shown in FIG. 1, the temperature compensated crystal oscillator comprises a frequency adjusting circuit 10, a temperature compensation circuit 20, a crystal oscillator 30 and an oscillation circuit 40 realized as an IC chip. The temperature compensation circuit 20 controls the crystal oscillator 30 to resonate at a predetermined frequency to correspond to capacitance and inductance varied according to ambient temperature using a thermistor. Then, the crystal oscillator 30 oscillates at the compensated resonance frequency through the oscillation circuit 40.
The temperature compensation crystal oscillator additionally has the frequency adjusting circuit 10 so as to provide a correct output frequency at room temperature. In the temperature compensated crystal oscillator, it is impossible to adjust inductance as in a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). Therefore, the temperature compensated crystal oscillator generally uses a method for adjusting a trimmer capacitor or a trimmable chip resistor. Especially, the trimmable chip resistor 9, which is favorable in terms of an arrangement area and easiness of trimming operation, is generally used as shown in FIG. 1.
FIGS. 2a and 2b are respectively a side sectional view and a schematic perspective view of a conventional temperature compensated crystal oscillator 50. The temperature compensated crystal oscillator 50 is an embodiment of the temperature compensated crystal oscillator of FIG. 1, and shows the structure for adjusting a frequency using a trimmable chip resistor. As show in FIG. 2a, the temperature compensated crystal oscillator 50 has a structure in which a crystal oscillating unit 53, parts 55 for temperature compensation and oscillation circuits, and a trimmable chip resistor 59 are mounted on the top layer 51 of layered structure comprised of two layers. Further, a metal case 57 is covered on the upper surface of top layer 51, such that a mounting area on the upper surface of top layer 51 is shielded from external electrical and mechanical influences. Because the case 57 is made of a metal, a hole 57a is formed at the metal case 57 so as to trim the chip resistor 59 with a laser beam, as shown in FIG. 2b, and then the chip resistor 59 is trimmed through the hole 57a.
However, the trimmable chip resistor employed in the conventional temperature crystal oscillator of FIG. 2 has a size of several mm2. As a result, it requires a considerable mounting area compared with the crystal oscillator having a size of only approximately 5.0xc3x973.2 mm2 or 4.7xc3x972.9 mm2. Consequently, the size of trimmable chip resistor increases the size of a final product, and makes the miniaturization suitable for mobile communication terminals difficult.
Accordingly, in this technical field, it is strongly required to develop a temperature compensated crystal oscillator having a new structure and a method of adjusting the output frequency using the new structure, wherein a trimmable chip resistor can be mounted without greatly increasing the product size and can be trimmed in the state of final product, that is, at the last step of the process.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a temperature compensated crystal oscillator, in which a planar thin film resistor is formed on the upper surface of a bottom layer of a layered structure, thus minimizing an installation area occupied by the thin film resistor for adjusting an output frequency.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an output frequency adjusting method, by which an output frequency can be adjusted in the state of a final product by trimming a planar thin film resistor with a laser beam through the lower surface of a bottom layer having an upper surface on which the planar thin film resistor is arranged.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a temperature compensated crystal oscillator including a crystal oscillating unit and at least one part for temperature compensation and oscillation circuits, comprising a plurality of layers having an upper layer on which the crystal oscillating unit and the part are mounted, and at least one layer on which conduction patterns are formed; and a planar thin film resistor arranged on an upper surface of a bottom layer of the layered structure for adjusting an output frequency of the temperature compensated crystal oscillator.
The present invention can be provided in two types, according to a mounting structure formed on the upper layer.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, a layered structure is comprised of a first layer on which conduction patterns for mounting the crystal oscillator and the part are formed, a second layer arranged under the first layer and provided with an upper surface on which other conduction patterns connected to the conduction patterns of the first layer are formed, and a third layer arranged under the second layer, wherein the first layer is the upper layer on which the crystal oscillating unit and the part are mounted, and the third layer is the bottom layer on which the planar thin film resistor is formed.
Further, in another embodiment of this invention, a layered structure is comprised of a first layer having an upper surface on which the crystal oscillating unit is arranged and having a cavity formed therein, a second layer on which conduction patterns for mounting the part for temperature compensation and oscillation circuits are formed at a region exposed to the cavity of the first layer, and a third layer arranged under the second layer, wherein the first and second layers compose an upper layer on which the crystal oscillating unit and the part are respectively formed on upper surfaces of the first and second layers, and the third layer is the bottom layer on which the planar thin film resistor is formed on its upper surface.
Moreover, in the preferred embodiment of this invention, at least one fourth layer is additionally arranged between the second and third layers so as to sufficiently realize signal lines of the temperature compensated crystal oscillator, wherein other conduction patterns connected to conduction patterns of other layers can be formed on the upper surface of the fourth layer. In this case, the second to fourth layers can be preferably manufactured as a single printed circuit layer so as to form signal lines, such as the temperature compensation circuit, the oscillation circuit and the frequency adjusting circuit, in one process.
More preferably, the conduction patterns formed on the upper surface of the fourth layer are formed at a remaining region except a region vertically overlapped with a region, at which the planar thin film resistor is formed, so as to reduce the risk of damage caused by a laser beam trimming process. Most preferably, a laser beam blocking film covering a region on the upper surface of the fourth layer, vertically overlapped with a region at which the planar thin film resistor is formed, can be additionally formed. At this time, the laser beam blocking film is preferably made of a thin metal film.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for adjusting an output frequency of a temperature compensated crystal oscillator comprised of a layered structure, comprising the steps of providing a temperature compensated crystal oscillator in which a planar thin film resistor is arranged on an upper surface of a bottom layer of a layered structure; and trimming the planar thin film resistor arranged on the upper surface of the bottom layer by irradiating a laser beam on the lower surface of the bottom layer so as to obtain a predetermined output frequency.
Furthermore, in the temperature compensated crystal oscillator, a laser beam blocking layer made of a thin metal film is preferably arranged at a region on the upper surface of another layer to be arranged over the bottom layer so as to include, a region vertically overlapped with the region at which the planar thin film resistor is formed. Further, a mark is formed at a region on the lower surface of the bottom layer, corresponding to the position of the planar thin film resistor formed on the upper surface of the bottom layer, and a laser beam is irradiated along the mark, thus allowing the trimming process to be easily performed.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel chemokine polypeptides and encoding nucleic acids. More specifically, therapeutic compositions and methods are provided using isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding a human myeloid progenitor inhibitory factor-1 (MPIF-1) polypeptide (previously termed MIP-3 and chemokine xcex28 (CKxcex28 or ckb-8)); a human monocyte-colony inhibitory factor (M-CIF) polypeptide (previously termed MIP1-xcex3 and chemokine xcex21 (CKxcex21 or ckb-1)), and a macrophage inhibitory protein-4 (MIP-4), as well as MPIF-1, M-CIF and/or MIP-4 polypeptides themselves, as are vectors, host cells and recombinant methods for producing the same.
2. Related Art
Chemokines, also referred to as intercrine cytokines, are a subfamily of structurally and functionally related cytokines. These molecules are 8-14 kd in size. In general chemokines exhibit 20% to 75% homology at the amino acid level and are characterized by four conserved cysteine residues that form two disulfide bonds. Based on the arrangement of the first two cysteine residues, chemokines have been classified into two subfamilies, alpha and beta. In the alpha subfamily, the first two cysteines are separated by one amino acid and hence are referred to as the xe2x80x9cC-X-Cxe2x80x9d subfamily. In the beta subfamily, the two cysteines are in an adjacent position and are, therefore, referred to as the -C-C- subfamily. Thus far, at least eight different members of this family have been identified in humans.
The intercrine cytokines exhibit a wide variety of functions. A hallmark feature is their ability to elicit chemotactic migration of distinct cell types, including monocytes, neutrophils, T lymphocytes, basophils and fibroblasts. Many chemokines have proinflammatory activity and are involved in multiple steps during an inflammatory reaction. These activities include stimulation of histamine release, lysosomal enzyme and leukotriene release, increased adherence of target immune cells to endothelial cells, enhanced binding of complement proteins, induced expression of granulocyte adhesion molecules and complement receptors, and respiratory burst. In addition to their involvement in inflammation, certain chemokines have been shown to exhibit other activities. For example, macrophage inflammatory protein I (MIP-1) is able to suppress hematopoietic stem cell proliferation, platelet factor-4 (PF-4) is a potent inhibitor of endothelial cell growth, Interleukin-8 (IL-8) promotes proliferation of keratinocytes, and GRO is an autocrine growth factor for melanoma cells.
In light of the diverse biological activities, it is not surprising that chemokines have been implicated in a number of physiological and disease conditions, including lymphocyte trafficking, wound healing, hematopoietic regulation and immunological disorders such as allergy, asthma and arthritis. An example of a hematopoietic lineage regulator is MIP-1. MIP-1 was originally identified as an endotoxin-induced proinflammatory cytokine produced from macrophages. Subsequent studies have shown that MIP-1 is composed of two different, but related, proteins MIP-1xcex1 and MIP-1xcex2. Both MIP-1xcex1 and MIP-1xcex2 are chemo-attractants for macrophages, monocytes and T lymphocytes. Interestingly, biochemical purification and subsequent sequence analysis of a multipotent stem cell inhibitor (SCI) revealed that SCI is identical to MIP-1xcex2 . Furthermore, it has been shown that MIP-1xcex2 can counteract the ability of MIP-1xcex1 to suppress hematopoietic stem cell proliferation. This finding leads to the hypothesis that the primary physiological role of MIP-1 is to regulate hematopoiesis in bone marrow, and that the proposed inflammatory function is secondary. The mode of action of MIP-1xcex1 as a stem cell inhibitor relates to its ability to block the cell cycle at the G2S interphase. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of MIP-1xcex1 seems to be restricted to immature progenitor cells and it is actually stimulatory to late progenitors in the presence of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF).
Murine MIP-1 is a major secreted protein from lipopolysaccharide stimulated RAW 264.7, a murine macrophage tumor cell line. It has been purified and found to consist of two related proteins, MIP-1xcex1 and MIP-1xcex2.
Several groups have cloned what are likely to be the human homologs of MIP-1xcex1 and MIP-1xcex2. In all cases, cDNAs were isolated from libraries prepared against activated T-cell RNA.
MIP-1 proteins can be detected in early wound inflammation cells and have been shown to induce production of IL-1 and IL-6 from wound fibroblast cells. In addition, purified native MIP-1 (comprising MIP-1, MIP-1xcex1 and MIP-1xcex2 polypeptides) causes acute inflammation when injected either subcutaneously into the footpads of mice or intracisternally into the cerebrospinal fluid of rabbits (Wolpe and Cerami, FASEB J. 3:2565-73 (1989)). In addition to these proinflammatory properties of MIP-1, which can be direct or indirect, MIP-1 has been recovered during the early inflammatory phases of wound healing in an experimental mouse model employing sterile wound chambers (Fahey, et al. Cytokine, 2:92 (1990)). For example, PCT application U.S. 92/05198 filed by Chiron Corporation, discloses a DNA molecule which is active as a template for producing mammalian macrophage inflammatory proteins (MIPs) in yeast.
The murine MIP-1xcex1 and MIP-1xcex2 are distinct but closely related cytokines. Partially purified mixtures of the two proteins affect neutrophil function and cause local inflammation and fever. MIP-1xcex1 has been expressed in yeast cells and purified to homogeneity. Structural analysis confirmed that MIP-1xcex1 has a very similar secondary and tertiary structure to platelet factor 4 (PF-4) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) with which it shares limited sequence homology. It has also been demonstrated that MIP-1xcex1 is active in vivo to protect mouse stem cells from subsequent in vitro killing by tritiated thymidine. MIP-1xcex1 was also shown to enhance the proliferation of more committed progenitor granulocyte macrophage colony-forming cells in response to granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor. (Clemens, J. M. et al., Cytokine 4:76-82 (1992)).
The polypeptides of the present invention, M-CIF originally referred to as MIP-1xcex3 and Ckxcex2-1 in the parent patent application, is a new member of the xcex2 chemokine family based on amino sequence homology. The MPIF-1 polypeptide, originally referred to as MIP-3 and Ckxcex2-8 in the parent application, is also a new member of the xcex2 chemokine family based on the amino acid sequence homology.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there are provided novel full length or mature polypeptides which are MPIF-1, MIP-4 and/or M-CIF, as well as biologically active, diagnostically useful or therapeutically useful fragments, analogs and derivatives thereof. The MPIF-1, MIP-4 and M-CIF of the present invention are preferably of animal origin, and more preferably of human origin.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there are provided polynucleotides (DNA or RNA) which encode such polypeptides and isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding such polypeptides, including mRNAs, DNAs, cDNAs, genoric DNA as well as biologically active and diagnostically or therapeutically useful fragments, analogs and derivatives thereof.
MPIF-1 Polynucleotides
The present invention also provides isolated nucleic acid molecules comprising a polynucleotide encoding the MPIF-1 polypeptide having the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:4) or the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA clone deposited in a bacterial host as ATCC Deposit Number 75676 on Feb. 9, 1994. The nucleotide sequence determined by sequencing the deposited MPIF-1 clone, which is shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:3), contains an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 120 amino acid residues, with a leader sequence of about 21 amino acid residues, and a predicted molecular weight for the mature protein of about 11 kDa in non-glycosylated form, and about 11-14 kDa in glycosylated form, depending on the extent of glycoslyation. The amino acid sequence of the mature MPIF-1 protein is shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:4).
Thus, one aspect of the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (1)(a) a nucleotide sequence encoding an MPIF-1 polypeptide having the complete amino acid sequence in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:4); (1)(b) a nucleotide sequence encoding the MPIF-1 polypeptide having the complete amino acid sequence in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:4) but minus the N-terminal methionine residue; (1)(c) a nucleotide sequence encoding the mature MPIF-1 polypeptide having the amino acid sequence at positions 22-120 in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:4); (1)(d) a nucleotide sequence encoding the MPIF-1 polypeptide having the complete amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA clone contained in ATCC Deposit No.
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The following non-patent literature 1, which is the standards of IPv6 over Low-power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPAN), is conventionally known. 6LoWPAN allows IPv6 to be available on IEEE 802.15.4. In 6LoWPAN, wireless devices performing communication over IPv6 in a low-power consumption wireless link do not include enough internal resources, and in some cases, it takes 20 to 30 msec to transmit a ping packet in the same link, for example. High resource devices such as PCs can transmit a ping packet in the order of milliseconds or less.
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With the development of the touch-control display technology, capacitive touch-control display screens have been applied more and more widely. The touch-control display screen of the existing electronic apparatus generally includes a display layer and a touch sensing layer. The display layer includes electrodes, such as a pixel electrode, a common electrode and a thin film transistor (TFT) array, for implementing a liquid-crystal display. The touch sensing layer includes an electrode for detecting a touch on the touch-control display screen. Generally, the touch sensing layer and the display layer are stacked from the top (the external surface direction of the electronic apparatus) to bottom of the touch-control display screen, so that the touch-control display function is implemented.
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Systems and services exist that are designed to help people remember personal information. An example of such a service is Evernote provided by Evernote Corporation of Mountain View, Calif. Some examples of the types of information that can be stored in Evernote are: clips from web sites, business cards, emails, documents, meeting notes, reminders, photographs (personal, landscapes, wine labels, etc.), wish-lists, receipts, audio notes, etc. Evernote lets users capture and retrieve any type of information using custom software running on a desktop or laptop computer, telephone, tablet, PDA or smartphone. Alternatively, Evernote also has a web-application which gives users access to their stored information without having to install any software. Once information is in Evernote, users can search for it using any combination of time, date, geo-location, tags, content attributes or keywords. Evernote also automatically identifies and indexes the printed and handwritten words inside of images. The general name for a piece of information in Evernote is a “note.”
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide systems and techniques that advantageously facilitate the searching for and presenting of relevant notes in connection with other website content accessed by a visitor and that facilitate control by the site owner of website content clipped to a note by the visitor.
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It is known that papilloma viruses infect the epithelium of human beings and animals. Human papilloma viruses (hereinafter referred to as HP viruses) are found in benign epithelial neoplasms, e.g. warts, condylomas in the genital zone, and malignant epithelial neoplasms, e.g. carcinomas of the skin and the uterus. Zur Hausen, 1989, Cancer Research 49: 4677-4681. HP viruses are also considered for the growth of malignant tumors in the respiratory tract. Zur Hausen, 1976, Cancer Research 36: 530. Besides, HP viruses are considered at least jointly responsible for the growth of squamous carcinomas of the lung. Syrjanen, 1980, Lung 158: 131-142.
Papilloma viruses have an icosahedral capsid without envelope in which a circular, double-stranded DNA molecule of about 7900 bp is present. The capsid comprises a major capsid protein (L1) and a minor capsid protein (L2). Both proteins coexpressed or L1 expressed alone, result in vitro in the formation of virus-like particles Kirnbauer et al., 1993. Journal of Virology 67:6929-6936.
Papilloma viruses cannot be proliferated in monolayer cell culture. Therefore, their characterization is extremely difficult, the detection of papilloma viruses already creating considerable problems. This applies especially to papilloma viruses in carcinomas of the skin. A reliable detection thereof and thus well-calculated steps taken thereagainst are not possible by now.
Thus, it is the object of the present invention to provide a product by which papilloma viruses can be detected, particularly in carcinomas of the skin. Furthermore, a product should be provided to be able to take therapeutic steps against these papilloma viruses.
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Hemoglobins are widespread throughout the biosphere (Wittenberg and Wittenberg, 1990. Annu Rev Biophys Biophys Chem 19:217-241). They are found in a broad range of organisms from bacteria, through unicellular eukaryotes, to plants and animals, suggesting that they predate divergence of life into plant and animal forms. Plant hemoglobins have been classified into symbiotic and nonsymbiotic types (Appleby. 1992, Sci Progress 70:365-398): symbiotic hemoglobins are found in plants that are capable of participating in microbial symbioses, where they function in regulating oxygen supply to nitrogen fixing bacteria; nonsymbiotic hemoglobins have only recently been discovered and are thought to be the evolutionary predecessors of the more specialized symbiotic leghemoglobins. The ubiquitous nature of nonsymbiotic hemoglobins is evidenced by their broad presence across the plant kingdom (Appleby, 1985, Nitrogen Fixation and CO2Metabolism, eds. Ludden and Bums, pp. 41-51) and the widespread presence and long evolutionary history of plant hemoglobins suggest a major role for them in the life of plants.
Specifically, plant hemoglobins have been known to exist in the root nodules of legumes for almost 60 years (Kubo, 1939, Acta Phitochem 11:19-200; Keilen and Wang, 1945, Nature 155:227-229). Over the years, hemoglobins have been positively identified in three non-leguminous dicotyledonous plants; Parasponia andersonil, Tream tomentosa, and Casuarina glauca (Appleby et al., 1983, Science 220:951-954; Bogusz et al., 1988, Nature 331:178-180; Kort et al., 1998, FEBS Lett 180:55-60). Recently, an Hb cDNA from badey was isolated and the gene was demonstrated to be expressed in seed and root issues under anaerobic conditions (Taylor et al., 1994. Plant Mol Biol 24:853-862), providing further evidence to support the contention that plant hemoglobins have a common origin (Landsmann et al., 1986. Nature 324:166-168). Since Hb has now been demonstrated to occur in two of the major divisions of the plant kingdom, it is likely that an Hb gene is present in the genome of all higher plants (Brown et al., 1984, J Mol Evol 21:19-32; Bogusz et al., 1988; Appleby, 1992, Sci Progress 76:365-398; Taylor et al., 1994; Andersson et al., 1996, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93:427-431; Hardison, 1996, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93:5675-5682).
Very little, however, is known about the function of Hb, although it has been proposed that nonsymbiotic hemoglobins may act either as oxygen carriers to facilitate oxygen diffusion, or oxygen sensors to regulate expression of anaerobic proteins during periods of low oxygen supply. The proteins from barley (Duff et al, 1997, J. Biol Chem 272: 16746-16752) and rice (Arrendondo-Peter et al, 1997, Plant Physiol 115:1259-1266) and AHB1 from Arabidopsis (Trevaskis et al, 1997, Proc Natl Acad Sci 94:12230-12234) have been shown to have high oxygen avidity, with dissociation constants for oxyhemoglobin of 2.86 nM, 0.55 nM and 1.6 nM respectively, resulting in conditions whereby the free protein will remain oxygenated at oxygen concentrations far below those at which anaerobic processes are activated. Thus, while roles for Hb in the facilitated diffusion and sensing of oxygen have been proposed (Appleby, 1992), it is unlikely that these hemoglobins would function as either facilitators of oxygen diffusion or sensors of oxygen, unless the oxygen avidity was modified by interaction with another component within the cell. Thus, while Hb or Hb related proteins are found in all divisions of living organisms, their function has not been well defined.
Herein, it is shown that nonsymbiotic hemoglobins function to maintain the energy status of cells exposed to low oxygen tensions and that this property may be a common feature throughout evolution, either during exposure to hypoxia or under high energy demand.
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Field
Certain embodiments disclosed herein relate to touch free faucets including voice and/or sensor controls configured to support multiple modes of operation. In particular, some embodiments disclosed include operation of one or more touch free faucets using networked computing devices and/or systems.
Description of the Related Art
Touch free faucets can provide a more convenient and hygienic means of washing hands and performing other tasks associated with traditional faucets. Touch-free faucets typically operate by sensing the presence of an object in a detection area, and pouring water in response to that detected object. However, there remains a need to enhance the available features of faucet assemblies with touch-free capabilities and to allow users an opportunity to manipulate various functional attributes.
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In recent years, there is a case where data such as video are transmitted together with voice sounds by communication devices such as mobile phones. To handle such purpose, it is required that a single communication device supports different communication methods. In order to achieve communication devices having multiple bands, there is a case where a plurality of high frequency devices such as duplexers and amplifiers supporting a high-frequency signal are mounted to a single mobile phone terminal. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-41141 discloses a technique in which a reception filter and a transmission filter share an antenna.
In small-size communication devices having multiple bands, it becomes difficult to ensure good isolation characteristics between a plurality of circuits. When at least two transmitting/receiving circuits perform the transmission simultaneously in a state in which isolation characteristics are insufficient, there is a case where the intermodulation distortion occurs. The intermodulation distortion may cause the degradation of the receiving sensitivity and the like.
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Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies are useful for a variety of purposes. The precise antigen specificity of antibodies makes them powerful tools that can be used for the detection, quantitation, purification and neutralization of antigens.
Polyclonal antibodies are produced in vivo by immunizing animals, such as rabbits and goats, with antigens, bleeding the animals and isolating polyclonal antibody molecules from the blood. Monoclonal antibodies are produced by hybridoma cells, which are made by fusing, in vitro immortal plasmacytoma cells with antibody producing cells (Kohler, G. and C. Milstein, Nature 256:495 (1975)) obtained from animals immunized in vivo with antigen.
Current methods for producing polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies are limited by several factors. First, methods for producing either polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies require an in vivo immunization step. This can be time consuming and require large amounts of antigen. Second, the repertoire of antibodies expressed in vivo is restricted by physiological processes, such as those which mediate self-tolerance that disable autoreactive B cells (Goodnow, C. C., et al., Nature, 334:676 (1988); Goodnow, J. W., Basic and Clinical Immunology, Ed. 5, Los Altos, Calif., Large Medical Publications (1984); Young, C. R. Molecular Immunology, New York, Marcel Dekker (1984)). Third, although antibodies can exist in millions of different forms, each with its own unique binding site for antigen, antibody diversity is restricted by genetic mechanisms for generating antibody diversity (Honjo, T., Ann. Rev. Immunol., 1:499 (1983); Tonegawa, S., Nature: 302:575 (1983)). Fourth, not all the antibody molecules which can be generated will be generated in a given animal. As a result, raising high affinity antibodies to a given antigen can be very time consuming and can often fail. Fifth, the production of human antibodies of desired specificity is very problematical.
A method of producing antibodies which avoids the limitations of presently-available methods, such as the requirementxe2x80x2 for immunization of an animal and in vivo steps would be very useful particularly if it made it possible to produce a wide range of antibody types than can be made using presently-available techniques and if it made it possible to produce human antibody types.
The present invention relates to a method of producing libraries of genes encoding antigen-combining molecules or antibodies; a method of producing antigen-combining molecules, also reference to as antibodies, which does not require an in vivo procedure, as is required by presently-available methods; a method of obtaining antigen combining molecules (antibodies) of selected or defined specificity which does not require an in vivo procedure; vectors useful in the present method and antibodies produced or obtained by the method.
The present invention relates to an in vitro process for synthesizing DNA encoding families of antigen-combining molecules or proteins. In this process, DNA containing genes encoding antigen-combining molecules is obtained and combined with oligonucleotides which are homologous to regions of the genes which are conserved. Sequence-specific gene amplification is then carried out using the DNA containing genes encoding antigen-combining proteins as template and the homologous oligonucleotides as primers.
This invention also relates to a method of creating diverse libraries of DNAs encoding families of antigen-combining proteins by cloning the product of the in vitro process for synthesizing DNA, described in the preceding paragraph, into an appropriate vector (e.g., a plasmid, viral or retroviral vector).
The subject invention provides an alternative method for the production of antigen-combining molecules, which are useful affinity reagents for the detection and neutralization of antigens and the delivery of molecules to antigenic sites. The claimed method differs from production of polyclonal antibody molecules derived by immunization of live animals and from production of monoclonal antibody molecules through the use of hybridoma cell lines in that it does not require an in vivo immunization step, as do presently available methods. Rather, diverse libraries of genes which encode antigen-combining sites comprising a significant proportion of an animal""s repertoire of antibody combining sites are made, as described in detail herein. These genes are expressed in living cells, from which molecules of desired antigenic selectivity can be isolated and purified for various uses.
Antigen-combining molecules are produced by the present method in the following manner, which is described in greater detail below. Initially, a library of antibody genes which includes a set of variable regions encoding a large, diverse and random group of specificities derived from animal or human immunoglobulins is produced by amplifying or cloning diverse genomic fragments or cDNAs of antibody mRNAs found in antibody-producing tissue.
In an optional step, the diversity of the resulting libraries can be increased by means of random mutagenesis. The gene libraries are introduced into cultured host cells, which may be eukaryotic or prokaryotic, in which they are expressed. Genes encoding antibodies of desired antigenic specificity are identified, using a method described herein or known techniques, isolated and expressed in quantities in appropriate host cells, from which the encoded antibody can be purified.
Specifically, a library of genes encoding immunoglobulin heavy chain regions and a library of genes encoding immunoglobulin light chain regions are constructed. This is carried out by obtaining antibody encoding DNA, which is either genomic fragments or cDNAs of antibody mRNAs, amplifying or cloning the fragments or cDNAs; and introducing then into a standard framework antibody gene vector, which is used to introduce the antibody-encoding DNA into cells in which the DNA is expressed. The vector includes a framework gene encoding a protein, such as a gene encoding an antibody heavy chain or an antibody light chain which can be of any origin (human, non-human) and can be derived from any of a number of existing DNAs encoding heavy chain immunoglobulins or light chain immunoglobulins. Such vectors are also a subject of the present invention and are described in greater detail in a subsequent section. Genes from one or both of the libraries are introduced into appropriate host cells, in which the genes are expressed, resulting in production of a wide variety of antigen-combining molecules.
Genes encoding antigen-combining molecules of desired specificity are identified by identifying cells producing antigen-combining molecules which react with a selected antigen and then obtaining the genes of interest. The genes of interest can subsequently be introduced into an appropriate host cell (or can be further modified and then introduced into an appropriate host cell) for further production of antigen-combining molecules, which can be purified and used for the same purposes for which conventionally-produced antibodies are used.
Through use of the method described, it is possible to produce antigen-combining molecules which are of wider diversity than are antibodies available as a result of known methods; novel antigen-combining molecules with a diverse range of specificities and affinities and antigen-combining molecules which are predominantly human in origin. Such antigen-combining molecules are a subject of the present invention and can be used clinically for diagnostic, therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, as well as in research contexts, and for other purposes.
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Market adoption of wireless LAN (WLAN) technology has exploded, as users from a wide range of backgrounds and vertical industries have brought this technology into their homes, offices; and increasingly into the public air space. This inflection point has highlighted not only the limitations of earlier-generation systems, but the changing role WLAN technology now plays in people's work and lifestyles, across the globe. Indeed, WLANs are rapidly changing from convenience networks to business-critical networks. Increasingly users are depending on WLANs to improve the timeliness and productivity of their communications and applications, and in doing so, require greater visibility, security, management, and performance from their network.
As enterprises and other entities increasingly rely on wireless networks, security of wireless network environments becomes a critical component to ensure the integrity of the enterprise's network environment against unauthorized access. Indeed, wireless networks pose security risks not typically encountered in wired computer networks, since any wireless client in the radio frequency (RF) coverage area of an access point can, without a physical connection, potentially gain access to the network, or at the very least capture data transmitted in wireless frames. In an 802.11 wireless network, prior art security mechanisms are implemented in a variety of manners. For example, the 802.11 protocol provides for shared-key authentication according to which a wireless client must possess a shared secret key in order to establish a wireless connection with an access point. In addition, as with wired networks, the wireless network infrastructure can operate in connection with application level security mechanisms, such as a RADIUS or other authentication server, to control access to network resources.
Various measures have been developed to protect against eavesdropping. For example, the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) algorithm is used to protect wireless communications from eavesdropping by encrypting wireless traffic based on a shared private key. WEP seeks to establish similar protection to that offered by the wired network's physical security measures by encrypting data transmitted over the WLAN. Data encryption protects the vulnerable wireless link between clients and access points. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) has also been developed to address the known security flaws associated with WEP.
In addition, VPN functionality offers another or additional method of securing wireless connections. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a known communication application that typically operates at Layer 3 and of the OSI Reference model. This mechanism is used to provide secure communication among clients that have established a connection to a VPN server, typically a physical element in such a network. Specifically, a VPN server provides both authentication of, and privacy for, communications between the VPN server and a user device, such as a wireless client device. A traditional application of a VPN server is to secure the communications between user devices that are outside an enterprise's facilities and the enterprise's network over the public internet or dial-up connections. A typical VPN server, after authenticating the communications from the user devices and removing any encryption applied to protect the privacy of those communications, forwards the communications onto the company's internal network, providing reasonable assurance of secure communications. When used to secure wireless networks, Virtual Private Networking (VPN) client software creates a secure connection between a mobile station and a VPN server. The VPN client residing on a mobile station encrypts all data passed between it and a VPN server, making it very difficult for data contained in intercepted wireless frames to be read.
Many VPN solutions, such as Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) and IPSec in tunnel mode, require the use of two client IP addresses, one for the “outer” encapsulating IP packet header and another for the encapsulated IP packet. In a typical deployment, a VPN client obtains an IP address from an ISP which is used for the “outer” IP address and a second IP address from the VPN Server (the “inner” IP address) which is the VPN client's IP address on the VPN protected network. When used to secure wireless communications between a mobile station and an access point that bridges wireless traffic, a mobile station is typically assigned an IP address using DHCP functionality. Conventionally, the inner and outer IP addresses for the client or mobile station are often identical in VPN deployments used to protect wireless networks. This has the undesirable effect of decreasing network security by exposing the inner IP addresses assigned to the mobile stations, as well as any network topology information that can be gleaned from the inner IP address or collection of IP addresses from other mobile stations.
In light of the foregoing, a need in the art exists for methods, apparatuses and systems that prevent eavesdroppers from obtaining access to internal network addresses assigned to mobile stations. Embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill this need.
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Electronic equipment, such as mobile communication devices, is subject to various electronic tests after production. Such tests are generally necessary to ensure proper configuration, calibration and functionality of various elements of the devices under test (DUT). For testing purposes, specific testing devices are employed which simulate a testing environment under predefined testing conditions. For example, testing devices may employ one or more specific testing routines with predefined testing schedules. Those testing schedules regularly involve input of particular test signal sequences into the DUT and/or reception of responses to testing signals input to the DUT. Such responses may be evaluated for consistency, constancy, timeliness and other properties of an expected behaviour of the DUT.
With radio-frequency (RF) communications standards having been stablished for wireless communication systems, ways to characterize such wireless communication systems in various signal propagation environments have become desirable. Environments in which electromagnetic waves propagate are subject to multipath effects such as fading or inter-symbol interference which effects influence the quality of signal transmission. Specifically for Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems with more than one transmission antenna and more than one reception antenna, it is highly desirable to be able to characterize wireless communication systems under realistic conditions, i.e. with testing being performed over-the-air (OTA).
Equipment manufacturers and operators would like to evaluate DUTs by means of standardized measurements performed in realistic environments. As such, the emulation of multipath propagation channels in a controlled environment representing conditions that are substantially equivalent to the real environments is necessary.
For example, document US 2016/0226601 A1 discloses concepts for testing transmitters and/or receivers of wireless communication systems used in conjunction with antenna arrays. Document WO 2010/139840 A1 discloses a testing method in which a simulated radio channel is shifted with respect to a plurality of antenna elements coupled with an emulator for communicating with a DUT by using different directions for the simulated radio channel in an anechoic chamber. Document U.S. Pat. No. 8,912,963 B2 discloses a test system for testing MIMO systems within a test chamber. Rumney, M.; Kong, H.; Jing, Y.: “Practical active antenna evaluation using the two-stage MIMO OTA measurement method”; 8th Europ. Conf. on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP) 2014, pp. 3500-3503, discloses methods evaluating the performance of active antenna array systems (AAS) using the two-stage MIMO OTA measurement method.
It would be desirable to find solutions for testing mobile communication devices that improve the characterization process of active antenna those arrays in mobile communication devices.
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Room-temperature-curable organopolysiloxane compositions with flame-retarding properties imparted to them by adding a platinum compound and an inorganic filler are known in the art. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. (hereinafter referred to as “Kokai”) H4-18451 discloses a room-temperature-curable organopolysiloxane composition consisting of a dimethylpolysiloxane having both molecular terminals capped with trimethoxysilyl groups, silica powder, quartz powder, zinc carbonate, a platinum compound (a platinum-ethylene complex obtained by reacting chloroplatinic acid with ethylene and dehydrochlorinating the reaction product), a triethylamine salt, and dibutyltin dioctoate.
Furthermore, Kokai H5-230376 discloses a composition comprising a dimethylpolysiloxane having both molecular terminals capped with hydroxyl groups, an alumina hydrate, carbon black, a platinum compound {a complex of platinum with a vinylsiloxane (1,3-divinyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethyidisiloxane)}, and methyltris-(methylethylketoxime)-silane.
Another publication, Kokai H5-125285 discloses a room-temperature-curable organopolysiloxane composition consisting of a dimethylpolysiloxane having both-molecular terminals capped with hydroxyl groups, aluminum hydroxide powder, calcium carbonate, a platinum compound (an isopropanol solution of chloroplatinic acid), and vinyltris-(methylethylketoxime) silane.
However, the aforementioned room-temperature-curable organopolysiloxanes admixed with platinum compounds normally have low storage stability, and after long-term storage, are subject to gradual decrease in flame-retarding properties. In particular, flame-retarding properties drop most significantly in a cured body made from the aforementioned composition after long-term storage at high temperatures. This limits the field of application of the aforementioned compositions.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a room-temperature-curable organopolysiloxane characterized by excellent flame-retarding properties which are preserved in a cured silicone article, made from the aforementioned composition, even after long-term storage at high temperatures.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to interconnection of electronic components and, more particularly, to an interconnection within an electronic package, which uses a flex cable, and electrical interconnection between components and assembly substrates.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
Flex cables, such as flat flexible cables (FFC) and flexible printed circuits (FPC) are generally well know. Currently the most typical interconnection method between electronics packages and motherboards is ball grid array (BGA) or land grid array (LGA) type of solderable interconnection. In large modules (containing a lot of functionalities and components) usage of this interconnection method set demands for motherboard technology selection (e.g. wiring of the module requires micro via technology in motherboard).
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a side view of an electronic component assembly 10 known in the prior art. The assembly 10 generally comprises a substrate 12, a plurality of electronic components 14, 15, and fusible elements 16. The electronic components 14, 15 are electrically connected to the fusible elements 16 by conductive paths (not shown) on and/or through the substrate 12. The fusible elements 16 can provide a soldered ball grid array (BGA) or land grid array (LGA) interconnection. These types of array interconnections are currently a very typical interconnection method for connecting complicated electronics packages in applications, such as a microprocessor to another component (for example). One problem which exists with BGA or LGA interconnections is that components cannot be assembled on the bottom side of the module; the side which comprises the fusible elements 16. Thus, the electronic components 14, 15 can be mounted on only the top side 18 of the substrate 12.
Another typical or conventional method of interconnection comprises a board edge plating process. Board edge plating processes are used in existing printed wiring board technology. Electrical contact interconnection areas are formed on lateral side edges of a rigid printed circuit board by a plating process. This type of manufacturing process is difficult and does not always provide an accurate process.
Due to limitations of single sided component assembly on the module, the total area (physical size of the module) is larger than it could be if a double-sided component assembly were used on a physical module. This is solved by improving component assembly processes with the present invention. An example of these are shrinkage of component-to-component spacing rules and usage of smaller component packages in assembly lines. This adds unnecessary complexity to the module electronics manufacturing processes.
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Microfluidic systems or devices, such as inkjet print heads, DNA microarrays, biosensors, cell sorting devices, and lab-on-a-chip devices, rely on sub-millimeter plumbing components to manipulate fluids precisely. A microfluidic system includes various channels, also referred to as capillaries, through which fluids are processed, such as by moving, mixing, and separating the fluids. A microfluidic system may include various components, such as micropumps and microvalves, to control the processing. A micropump may be used to deliver fluids in a continuous or pulsed manner to a channel. A microvalve may be used to control flow rate and direction of fluids entering a channel.
Due to the low Reynolds flow characteristics within microfluidic channels, microfluidic systems are amendable to physics-based models that inform suitable geometric designs and/or operating conditions for a wide variety of microfluidic applications. In one application, microfluidic systems have been used to produce droplets containing an inner fluid that are microencapsulated by a middle (or shell) fluid and that are formed in the presence of and transported by an outer fluid. The fluids are immiscible. As the droplets of the inner fluid are formed, they are surrounded by the middle fluid. Such a microfluidic system may employ a double-capillary junction. (See, Utada, A. S., Lorenceau, E., Link, D. R., Kaplan, P. D., Stone, H. A., and Weitz, D. A., “Monodisperse Double Emulsions Generated from a Microcapillary Device,” Science, Apr. 22, 2005, vol. 308, iss. 5721, pp. 537-541, which is hereby incorporated by reference.) A double-capillary junction may consist of a square glass capillary that encompasses a tapered capillary and a uniformly cylindrical capillary, whose openings are separated by a gap. Using independently controlled syringe pumps, the middle fluid and the outer fluid are fed from opposite directions into the square capillary, and the inner fluid is fed into the tapered capillary. The tapered capillary is centered on an orifice of the cylindrical capillary (i.e., formation channel). The inner, middle, and outer fluids enter the cylindrical capillary via the center, middle, and outer portion, respectively, of the orifice. Under ideal operating conditions characterized by a “dripping” regime, as the three fluids exit via the cylindrical capillary, the middle fluid encapsulates the inner fluid and pinches off into droplets near the orifice that are swept downstream by the outer fluid. The middle fluid may be a photopolymerizable silicone that hardens when exposed to an ultraviolet light source that is placed downstream of droplet formation to form the microcapsules. Within the dripping regime, nearly monodisperse microcapsules form at rates of 1-100 Hz with tunable diameters ranging from 100-600 micrometers, depending on fluid viscosities, flow rates, and capillary sizes.
The efficient operation of a microfluidic system, especially for large-scale production campaigns, typically requires time intensive monitoring and intervention by humans to prevent or minimize disruptions in production that occur when a system enters a mode of abnormal operation (e.g., the middle fluid is not properly encapsulating the droplet) due to abnormalities in fluid flow. The abnormalities in fluid flow that may cause a disruption may include unexpected clogs, air bubbles, chemical impurities, particulates, pressure fluctuations in external pumps, fluid instabilities, and so on. Such disruptions may result in time and material loss, reduced production, reduced quality, and, depending on the severity, even damage to the microfluidic system. To minimize the effects of such disruptions, a person may use a microscope to view the fluid flow of the microfluidic system to assess the cause of the disruption. Depending on the cause, the person can then make various adjustments to the operation of the microfluidic system, such as adjusting the flow rate of a fluid, to return to normal operation. Because the operation requires human monitoring and intervention, the identification of the abnormalities and the determination of needed adjustments are both subjective and time-consuming, which may result in considerable loss of production, especially when the person is not highly experienced. In addition, a large-scale production environment may require highly parallelized arrays of microfluidic platforms that may be too complex to be effectively monitored and controlled by humans.
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1. Field
The present disclosure relates to an organic light emitting display device and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, to an organic light emitting display device with improved stability of a light emission layer and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Technology
An organic light emitting display device may include a self-emission display device including an organic light emitting diode that emits light to display an image. Since the organic light emitting display device has characteristics such as low power consumption, high luminance, and a high response speed, the organic light emitting display device currently receives attention as a display device.
In general, the organic light emitting display device includes a hole injection electrode, a light emission layer, and an electron injection electrode. In the organic light emitting display device, a hole supplied from the hole injection electrode and an electron supplied from the electron injection electrode are coupled with each other in the light emission layer to form an exciton, and light is generated by energy generated when the exciton falls in the ground state.
In the manufacture of an organic light emitting display device, a method of forming the light emission layer may include, for example, a deposition method, a transfer method, and the like.
The transfer method is a method of forming the light emission layer by transferring a light emitting material coated on a donor film to a portion formed for the light emission layer of the organic light emitting display device. For example, a donor film may be disposed over the organic light emitting display device which is a transfer target, heat and the like are selectively applied to the donor film, a light emission material coated on the donor film may be transferred to the corresponding portion of the organic light emitting display device, and then the donor film may be removed to perform transfer only at the corresponding portion, thereby forming the light emission layer.
However, the transfer method includes stripping of the light emission material at an end of the light emission layer portion when removing the donor film, and as a result, an edge of the light emission layer portion may become rough, a protrusion may be generated, or a void may be generated. Electrodes and the like may be disposed on the light emission layer, and a shape of the stripped trace or the protrusion of the light emission layer influences the structure of the electrode, and as a result, the surface of the electrode and the like may become non-uniform. Resultantly, a crack may be generated in the thin film sealing layer and a thin film sealing layer material may not be coated well when the thin film sealing layer is formed on the electrode.
Deterioration in quality of the organic light emitting display device may be generated when the uneven surface is not modified.
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In next generation multimedia mobile communication systems, which have been actively studied in recent years, there is a demand for a system capable of processing and transmitting a variety of information (e.g., video and radio data) at a higher data rate in addition to the early-stage voice service. The wireless communication system is designed for the purpose of providing reliable communication to a plurality of users irrespective of their locations and mobility. However, a wireless channel experiences various problems such as path loss, shadowing, fading, noise, limited bandwidth, power limit of a user equipment (UE), and interference between other users. The designing of the wireless system has other challenges such as resource allocation, mobile issues in association with a rapidly changing physical channel, portability, security, and privacy.
When a transport channel experiences deep fading, if a different version or a replica of a transmitted signal is not additionally transmitted, it is difficult for a receiver to determine the transmitted signal. A resource corresponding to the different version or the replica is referred to as diversity, and is one of most important factors that contribute to reliable transmission over a wireless channel. The use of the diversity can maximize data transfer capacity or data transfer reliability. A system for implementing the diversity by using multiple transmit (Tx) antennas and multiple receive (Rx) antennas is referred to as a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system.
Exemplary schemes for diversity implementation in the MIMO system include space frequency block coding (SFBC), space time block coding (STBC), cyclic delay diversity (CDD), frequency switched transmit diversity (FSTD), time switched transmit diversity (TSTD), precoding vector switching (PVS), spatial multiplexing (SM), etc.
Meanwhile, an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system capable of reducing inter-symbol interference with a low complexity is taken into consideration as one of post-3rd generation wireless communication systems. In the OFDM, a serially input data symbol is converted into N parallel data symbols, and is then transmitted by being carried on N orthogonal subcarriers. The subcarriers maintain orthogonality in a frequency dimension. An orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) is a multiple access scheme for achieving multiple access by independently providing some of available subcarriers to each user in a system using the OFDM as a modulation scheme.
One of main problems of the OFDM/OFDMA system is that a peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) can be significantly large. The PAPR problem occurs when a peak amplitude of a Tx signal is significantly larger than an average amplitude. Further, the PAPR problem is caused by a fact that an OFDM symbol is an overlap of N sinusoidal signals on different subcarriers. The PAPR is particularly problematic in a user equipment (UE) sensitive to power consumption in association with battery capacity. Therefore, the PAPR needs to be lowered to decrease power consumption.
Single carrier-frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) is proposed to decrease the PAPR. The SC-FDMA is frequency division multiple access (FDMA) combined with single carrier-frequency division equalization (SC-FDE). The SC-FDMA is similar to the OFDMA in that data is modulated and demodulated in a time domain and a frequency domain by using discrete Fourier transform (DFT). However, the SC-FDMA is advantageous to decrease Tx power since a Tx signal has a low PAPR. In particular, regarding battery usage, the SC-FDMA is advantageous in case of uplink transmission where communication is achieved from a UE sensitive to Tx power to a base station (BS). When the UE transmits data to the BS, the transmitted data does not require a large bandwidth but a wide coverage is important for power concentration. The SC-FDMA system allows a small signal variation, and thus has a much wider coverage than other systems when using the same power amplifier.
In order to apply the MIMO transmission scheme used in multi-codeword transmission to the SC-FDMA system, it is important to maintain a single-carrier property to guarantee a low PAPR or a low cubic metric (CM).
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer security and detection of malicious software. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for assigning a list of security scanner attributes for computing devices within a hierarchy of computing nodes.
2. Related Art
Many computer users, particularly on the Internet, find delight in infecting another user's computer with malicious software, such as a computer virus. A computer virus is designed to replicate itself across a network of computer systems, and to interfere with the normal use of computer systems by possibly denying access, deleting data, or any of a number of other malevolent tricks. As computer systems become increasingly interconnected, protection from malicious users is becoming increasingly more important.
A software scanner can be used to protect a computer user from malicious software. A scanner makes use of a list of attributes, generated by a computer system administrator, to inspect files and to take actions specified by the list of attributes when it finds any malicious software.
Managing such a list of attributes for virus protection on a large computer network, a Corporate Intranet for example, is difficult because there are many computers and, possibly, many sites separated by large distances. To ensure that the list of attributes provides meaningful protection, the attributes are often managed globally for the network. In order to do so, a security administrator must visit each node in the hierarchy of computing nodes, either in person or across the network, to establish attributes for a software scanner located on each node.
However, a specific node may require a customized list of attributes in order to accommodate a specific hardware configuration or specific functionality. When a custom list of attributes is used for a specific computing device, the security administrator must remember to reset the custom settings at the node whenever the general list of attributes is changed. This can be a time-consuming task if many nodes in the network must be customized.
What is needed is a system that facilitates both efficient global and local control of a list of scanner attributes throughout a network of computing nodes.
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Opiates are powerful analgesics (agents used for the treatment of pain), but their use is hampered by non-trivial side effects, tolerance to the analgesic effects, physical dependence resulting in withdrawal effects, and by concerns surrounding the possibility of addiction. By itself, enhanced analgesic efficacy of an opiate can result in opioid sparing, and therefore a reduction in opioid-related side effects. The side effects of opiates include nausea, vomiting, pruritus, insomnia, constipation, sedation and impaired physical function (Ballantyne et al., 2003 N Engl J Med 349:1943-1953).
In many cases, patients taking opioids balance side effects with analgesia, often choosing to tolerate a certain amount of pain so as to avoid side effects. The more severe side effect of respiratory depression can also limit the tolerated dose, and hence the effective analgesia in many patients.
One of the most problematic aspects of opioid therapy is analgesic tolerance with prolonged treatment. Tolerance can be defined as the need for progressively higher doses in order to maintain the same reduction in pain. Although opioid rotation is currently used to minimize tolerance, this approach requires close monitoring due to variable cross-tolerance and side effect profiles among different patients (Fine, 2004 J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother 18:75-79).
In its most severe form, opioid tolerance can manifest as opioid-induced hyperalgesia; that is, the opiate no longer reduces pain but actually increases or induces pain (Arner et al., 1988 Acta Anaesthesiol Scan 32:253-259; Simonnet et al., 2003 Neuroreport 14:1-7; Fine, 2004 J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother 18:75-79). This hyperalgesia is clinically similar to the hyperalgesia of neuropathic pain, and in vivo models show that brainstem descending pain facilitation pathways are activated in both syndromes (Vanderah et al., 2001 Pain 92:5-9). Like neuropathic pain, opioid-induced hyperalgesia is extremely difficult to treat and is often a physician's greatest fear in initiating opioid therapy.
Dependence and addiction are also among the greatest fears of pain patients surrounding the use of opiates. Dependence is characterized by physical or psychological withdrawal upon discontinuation of the opiate and can be independent of addiction, which itself is defined by repeated, often self-destructive behaviors focused on obtaining the drug, according to DSM-IV criteria (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).
However, it is still thought that physical dependence, or the desire to avoid withdrawal, contributes to opiate addiction, particularly at later stages of addiction; whereas, a craving for the euphoric effects of opiates can dominate in earlier stages (Koob et al., 1989 Neurosci Biobehav Rev 13:135-140). The somatic withdrawal signs that can occur when opioid therapy is abruptly stopped in physically dependent individuals include agitation, irritability, muscular jerks, abdominal pain, diarrhea, burning sensations, “gooseflesh” and itching (Miser et al., 1986 Am J Dis Child 140:603-604; Heit, 2003 J Pain Palliat Care Phamacother 17:15-29).
Abrupt cessation of opioid treatment can also cause a hyperalgesia, which has also been referred to as opioid-induced hyperalgesia (Li et al., 2001 Anesth Analg 93:204-209). Although patients receiving prolonged opioid analgesic therapy can or can not develop analgesic tolerance, they usually become physically dependent, requiring careful tapering off of the opiate in order to minimize withdrawal effects (Heit, 2003 J Pain Palliat Care Phamacother 17:15-29; Woolf et al., 2004 Curr Opin Investig Drugs 5:61-66).
Opiates produce analgesia by activation of opioid receptors that belong to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Opioid receptors are also involved in the development of the physical and psychological dependence that are important aspects of drug abuse and addiction.
Studies on GPCRs, including opioid receptors, have shown that the third cytoplasmic loop and the carboxyl-terminal tail are very important for signal transduction (Law et al., 2000 Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 40:389-430), regulation (Law and Loh, 1999 J Pharmacol Exp Ther 289:607-624), and internalization of GPCRs (Trapaidze et al., 1996 J Biol Chem 271:29279-29285; Keith et al., 1998 Mol Pharmacol 53:377-384), and are frequently involved in the association of the receptors with other proteins. In addition to G proteins, examples of proteins known to interact with GPCRs are Gprotein-coupled receptor kinases (Pitcher et al., 1998 Annu Rev Biochem 67:653-692), β-arrestins (Lefkowitz, 1998 J Biol Chem 273:18677-18680), PDZ domain-containing adaptor molecules (Milligan and White, 2001 Trends Pharmacol Sci 22:513-518), and scaffolding proteins such as filamin A (Onoprishvilli et al., 2003 Molec Pharmacol 64:1092-1100).
More specifically, opiates produce analgesia by activation of mu (μ) opioid receptor-linked inhibitory G protein signaling cascades and related ion channel interactions that suppress cellular activities by hyperpolarization. The μ opioid receptor (MOR) preferentially couples to pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins, Gαi/o (inhibitory/other), and inhibits the adenylyl cyclase/cAMP pathway (Laugwitz et al., 1993 Neuron 10:233-242; Connor et al., 1999 Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 26:493-499). The analgesic effects of MOR activation have been predominantly attributed to the Gβγ dimer released from the Gαi/o protein, which activates G protein activated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels (Ikeda et al., 2000 Neurosci Res 38:113-116) and inhibits voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) (Saegusa et al., 2000 Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97:6132-6137), thereby suppressing cellular activities by hyperpolarization.
Adenylyl cyclase inhibition can also contribute to opioid analgesia, or its activation can contribute to analgesic tolerance. This inhibition is due to overexpression of adenylyl cyclase type 7 in the CNS of mice that leads to more rapid tolerance to morphine (Yoshimura et al., 2000 Mol Pharmacol 58:1011-1016). Additionally, adenylyl cyclase activation has been suggested to elicit analgesic tolerance or tolerance-associated hyperalgesia (Wang et al., 1997 J Neurochem 68:248-254). Although the superactivation of adenylyl cyclase after chronic opioid administration is more often viewed as a hallmark of opioid dependence than as a mediator of tolerance (Nestler, 2001 Am J Addict 10:201-217), both are consequences of chronic opioid administration, and tolerance often worsens dependence. Chronic pain patients who have escalated their opioid dose over time often experience more withdrawal than patients on a constant dose.
An important but underemphasized cellular consequence of chronic opioid treatment is excitatory signaling by opioid receptors in place of the usual inhibitory signaling (Crain et al., 1992 Brain Res 575:13-24; Crain et al., 2000 Pain 84:121-131; Gintzler et al., 2001 Mol Neurobiol 21:21-33; Wang et al., 2005 Neuroscience 135:247-261), possibly as a result of the decreased efficiency of coupling to the native G proteins; that decrease in efficiency being the index of desensitization (Sim et al., 1996 J Neurosci 16:2684-2692). Although the cellular effects of opiates are normally inhibitory, several in vitro studies have demonstrated that opiates can elicit excitatory effects either at low doses (Shen et al., 1989 Brain Res 491:227-242; Crain et al., 1990 Trands Pharmaol Sci 11:77-81) or after chronic exposure (Crain et al., 1992 Brain Res 575:13-24).
In vivo, opiates can cause “paradoxical hyperalgesia” at low doses (Kayser et al., 1987 Brain Res 414:155-157; Kiyatkin, 1989 Int J Neurosci 45:231-246; Crain et al., 2001 Brain Res 888:75-82), or after chronic administration, opioid-induced hyperalgesia (Arner et al., 1988 Acta Anaesthesiol Scan 32:253-259). Although descending facilitation of spinal cord dorsal horn neurons has been implicated in tolerance-associated hyperalgesia (Vanderah et al., 2001 Pain 92:5-9), alterations in opioid receptor signaling also occur with chronic opioid treatment (Shen et al., 1989 Brain Res 491:227-242; Crain et al., 1990 Trends Pharmacol Sci 11:77-81; Crain et al., 1992 Brain Res 575:13-24; Gintzler et al., 2001 Mol Neurobiol 21:21-33) and can contribute to the enhanced firing of descending brainstem projections.
Chronic opioid treatment causes excitatory signaling of opioid receptors via a switch in their G protein coupling from Gi/o to Gs proteins (Wang et al 2005 Neuroscience 135:247-261; Chakrabarti et al., 2005 Mol Brain Res 135:217-224) and by stimulation of adenylyl cyclase II and IV by mu opioid receptor-associated Gβγ dimers (Chakrabarti et al., 1998 Mol Pharmacol 54:655-662; Wang et al., 2005 Neuroscience 135:247-261). The interaction of the Gβγ dimer
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This patent application relates to novel high molecular weight alkylene oxide based polyether polyols and a process for their preparation. This application further relates to the use of such high molecular weight alkylene oxide based polyether polyols to prepare prepolymers useful in high performance adhesives and elastomers. This invention further relates to high viscosity polyether polyols useful as lubricants. The invention further relates to high molecular weight polyether polyols useful as thickening agents in hydraulic fluids.
Polyether polyols used in preparing polyurethane adhesives and elastomers are usually prepared by reacting an initiator compound having a plurality of active hydrogen atoms with an alkylene oxide in the presence of basic catalysts such as tertiary amines, sodium and potassium hydroxides and sodium where a sodium derivative such as the alkylate of alkoxide is formed in situ. However, these catalysts must usually be removed by filtration and/or neutralization or other catalyst removal methods prior to use, particularly when prepolymers are to be prepared from such polyether polyols.
Olstowski and Nafziger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,387, issued Aug. 4, 1981, incorporated herein by reference, disclosed preparing polyols by reacting alkylene oxides with hydroxyl initiator compounds in the presence of catalysts of calcium, strontium, or barium salts of organic acids. These catalysts do not need to be removed before the resultant product is used in the preparation of polyurethanes. Such catalysts are generally available in a mineral spirit solvent which further contains monoether glycols. Such monoether glycols contain active hydrogen atoms and act as initiators. This results in the preparation of a mixture of polyols wherein some of the polyols are mono functional with respect to the hydroxyl group. The presence of mono functional polyether polyols decrease the physical properties of the elastomers that are made from them. They also form polyether polyols which have low molecular weight species and result in a high polydispersity. Polydispersity is defined as the weight average molecular weight divided by the number average molecular weight. A high polydispersity indicates that the polyether polyol prepared is a mixture of polyether polyols having a wide range of molecular weights. A high polydispersity and low molecular weight renders such polyether polyols unsuitable for high performance applications such as high performance elastomers and adhesives. Many of the polyether polyols prepared using such a catalyst system are initiated with a monofunctional glycol ether and are monofunctional, and therefore are not useful in high performance applications.
Yates et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,047 discloses a process for preparing polyols using the catalysts described in Olstowski, wherein the catalyst is precipitated from the mineral spirits carrier and the glycol ether coupling agent. The resulting catalyst is solid. To be effective this catalyst must be redissolved in the reaction medium. This extra step takes time and negatively affects the productivity of the reaction and the polydispersity of the product prepared.
Hydraulic fluids are generally thickened with polyether polyols. In order to achieve the desired viscosity of such hydraulic fluids, it is often necessary to use a high concentration of polyether polyols in the water based hydraulic fluids. A common hydraulic fluid is ISO VG 46 hydraulic fluid which has a viscosity of 46 centistokes at 40.degree. C. Most polyether polyols used in this application have a relatively low molecular weight. In order to prepare a hydraulic fluid meeting this requirement with these low molecular weight polyethers a concentration of from about 30 to about 70 percent by weight of polyether polyol is required. This formulation is expensive due to the need for such a high concentration of polyether polyols. There are known high molecular weight polyethylene oxide based polyethers used as thickening agents in hydraulic fluid available from Union Carbide under the tradename POLYOX WSRN-10.TM.. These generally have a molecular weight of 100,000 or greater. These can be used at a low concentration but exhibit poor shear stability and the fluid containing these polyethers is not shear stable and suffers from a reduction in viscosity during use. It would be desirable to have a high molecular weight polyether polyol which could thicken hydraulic fluid to the desired level at a significantly lower concentration and which is shear stable.
Some lubricants are designed to have a certain viscosities at 40.degree. C., ISO VG 1000 lubricants demonstrate a viscosity of 1000 centistokes at 40.degree. C. ISO VG 2000 lubricants demonstrate a viscosity of 2000 centistokes at 40.degree. C. Polyether polyols made with basic catalysts generally do not have sufficient molecular weight to achieve the desired viscosities. High molecular weight polyether polyols which have sufficient viscosity to function as these lubricants are desired.
What is needed are high molecular weight polyether polyols which are useful in high performance applications. What is further needed is a process for the preparation of such high performance polyether polyols. What is also needed is a prepolymer useful in preparing high performance elastomers and adhesives prepared from such high molecular weight polyether polyols. What is further needed are high molecular weight polyether polyols which can be used as a thickener in water based hydraulic fluids and which are shear stable under lubricating conditions. What is needed is a high viscosity polyether polyol which can achieve the desired ISO VG 1000 and ISO VG 2000 viscosities.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The use of a rake to grade a surface is well known within the construction and other labor industries and has been practiced for many years. Laborers of all description employ a grading rake to spread some kind of material evenly over a surface. Grading rakes provide an easy and quick means of spreading material, such as a substrate.
Typically, a grading rake user pushes and pulls the rake head over a substrate, using a handle that is attached to the rake, to manipulate the substrate. There are many reasons to manipulate the substrate, for example a user may wish to level the substrate to a desired level. The leveling of a substrate can be important for structural and aesthetic reasons.
Although grading rakes allow a user to manipulate substrate, there remain issues. Presently, a grading rake user hoping to level a substrate must rely on their judgment to ensure the accuracy of the level. There are other means of checking substrate level, but these means are often complex and costly, and can take a lot of time to implement.
A grading rake user can manipulate substrate on a primary surface; however this manipulation is without reference to a secondary surface. This prevents a grading rake user from manipulating substrate as may be required along secondary surfaces of different material, height and other characteristics.
Grading rakes are fixed tools incapable of user manipulation. Often several different rakes may be required for different grading situations, or substrate manipulation. It is expensive and cumbersome to purchase and transport multiple grading rakes to job sites.
There have been grading rakes disclosed in the past as described in the US patents with publication numbers U.S. Pat. No. 2,152,377-A, U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,670-A, U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,994-A and U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,553. Although these grading rakes provide some type a guiding feature to affect substrate raking, the guiding capabilities are limited.
Therefore there is a need for an adjustable guided rake apparatus that is not subject to one or more limitations of the prior art.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In data conversion processing such as encryption processing, a hash function that executes hash processing for input data is often used. The hash function is a function for calculating a compressed value (digest) having a fixed length, for a given message. As the hash function already known, there are: MD5 having an output value of 128 bits; SHA-1 having an output value of 160 bits; further, SHA-256 having an output value of 256 bits; and the like.
For example, based on an analysis-resistance enhancement request and the like, the hash function is desired to have the following resistances. Preimage Resistance Second Preimage Resistance Collision Resistance
These resistances will be briefly described. In a hash function that outputs y=h(x) where an input is x and the hush function is h, the Preimage Resistance is equivalent to difficulty in calculating the input x that results in h(x)=y for the output y. The Second Preimage Resistance is equivalent to difficulty in finding a different input value x′ that satisfies h(x′)=h(x) when one input value x is known. The Collision Resistance is equivalent to difficulty in finding two different input values x and x′ that satisfy h(x′)=h(x). It can be said that the higher these resistances are, the safer the hash function is.
Up to now, due to progress of analytical methods in recent years, vulnerability of the hash functions that have been used, in terms of the above-described resistances, has been revealed. For example, it has become evident that the Collision Resistances of MD5, SHA-1 and the like that have been often used as the hash functions do not meet many system requirement levels. Further, there is SHA-256 or the like having a comparatively long output length as an existing hash function, but this SHA-256 follows the design policy of SHA-1 and thus, anxiety about safety remains as well and therefore, a safer hash function based on other design policy is desired to emerge.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Zeolites are crystalline aluminosilicate compositions which are microporous and which are formed from corner sharing AlO2 and SiO2 tetrahedra. Numerous zeolites, both naturally occurring and synthetically prepared, are used in various industrial processes. Synthetic zeolites are prepared via hydrothermal synthesis employing suitable sources of Si, Al and structure directing agents such as alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, amines, or organoammonium cations. The structure directing agents reside in the pores of the zeolite and are largely responsible for the particular structure that is ultimately formed. These species balance the framework charge associated with aluminum and can also serve as space fillers. Zeolites are characterized by having pore openings of uniform dimensions, having a significant ion exchange capacity, and being capable of reversibly desorbing an adsorbed phase which is dispersed throughout the internal voids of the crystal without significantly displacing any atoms which make up the permanent zeolite crystal structure. Zeolites can be used as catalysts for hydrocarbon conversion reactions, which can take place on outside surfaces as well as on internal surfaces within the pore.
One particular zeolitic material, classified as ZSM-5, is disclosed in Beck, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,550, issued on Jan. 30, 2001. The zeolite comprises a synthetic porous crystalline material having a composition involving the molar relationship:X2O3:(n)YO2,wherein X is a trivalent element, such as aluminum, boron, iron and/or gallium, preferably aluminum; Y is a tetravalent element such as silicon and/or germanium, preferably silicon; and n is less than 25, and Wherein the slope of the nitrogen sorption isotherm of the material at a partial pressure of nitrogen of 0.4 to 0.7 and a temperature of 77° K is greater than 30.
While there are many types of zeolites, new zeolites provide for improved reaction conditions in the conversion of lower value hydrocarbon streams to higher value hydrocarbon products.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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6-t-Butoxy-3,5-dihydroxyhexanoic esters in which the steric configurations at the 3- and 5-positions are (R)-configuration and (S)-configuration, respectively, are known to be easily converted to a lactone moiety of the chemical structures of compactin and mevinolin which are attracting attention as cholesterol reducing agents [cf. K. Prasad et al., Tetrahedron Lett., Vol. 25, p. 3391 (1984)]. The lactone moiety stated above is assumed to be an active part of an inhibitor on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, one of the predominant enzymes regulating cholesterol biosynthesis, and a number of analogues having this lactone moiety have been synthesized [cf. J. R. Prous (ed.), Drugs of the Future, Vol. 12, No. 5, p. 437 (1987)].
Conventional processes applicable to synthesis of optically active 6-t-butoxy-3,5-dihydroxyhexanoic esters include a process for synthesizing an optically active 1,3-diol compound by making use of naturally occurring D-glucose as reported in T. Lee et al., Tetrahedron Lett., Vol. 26, p. 4995 (1985) and Y. Yang et al., Tetrahedron Lett., Vol. 23, p. 4305 (1982). Further, methods for constructing the two asymmetric carbon atoms one by one include a method comprising diastereo-selective reduction by using a trialkylboron as a specific reactant as described in K. Chen et al., Tetrahedron Lett., Vol. 28, p. 155 (1987), a method comprising asymmetric aldol reaction as described in J. E. Lynch et al., Tetrahedron Lett., Vol. 28, p. 138 (1987), a method of using asymmetric epoxidation as described in K. Prasad et al., Tetrahedron Lett., Vol. 25, p. 3391 (1984), and a method of using a microorganism as described in P. R. Ortizo De Montellano et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol. 98, p. 2018 (1976).
The process for obtaining an optically active 1,3-diol compound by using a naturally occurring substance is disadvantageous in that long reaction steps are required for obtaining the desired product. The processes starting with an optically active substance obtained by optical resolution are inevitably attended by production of an unnecessary enantiomer, giving rise to a problem of production efficiency. Further, in the processes using a microorganism, the steric configuration of the product is limited in many cases and, also, separation of the product from microbial cells is complicated.
A diastereoselective technique in which one asymmetric point is made use of to induce another asymmetry may be applied to synthesis of the 1,3-diol compound according to the present invention. However, such configurational control generally requires an expensive reagent.
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{
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The present invention relates to a plug connection for drilling or boring tubes, pipes and worms of earth boring equipment or the like in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.
A known plug connection for boring tubes is provided at one tube end with a male part and at the opposite tube end with a female part. One half of a radial and an axial coupling is in each case constructed on the male and female part. The radial coupling half on the male part is positioned at a point which is set back with respect to its front end and comprises uniformly external circumferentially distributed wedges or keys and the half of the axial coupling on the male part comprises an external circumferentially fitted annular slot with tapped holes in the slot bottom arranged on a front portion with respect to the radial coupling. On its front end portion, the female part is directly provided with recesses passing through the entire female part wall and these are shaped in complementary manner to the wedges formed on the male part. The radial coupling for transferring the torque is formed by a V or claw coupling. At a set back point on the inner circumference of the female part is provided an annular slot, which in the coupled state comes to rest directly over the all-round slot formed in the male part, so that the two recesses form a circumferentially extending annulus or annular space. The annular slot in the femal part is accessible from the outside via several, e.g. three openings, which essentially have the same axial extension as the annular slot and which directly issue into the latter. At the said openings, it is possible to pass through the complete wall thickness of the female part. For the positive coupling of male and female parts, a locking device is necessary and comprises several units, which have to be individually fitted through the openings into an annulus portion. Such a locking unit comprises two wedges or keys, which are inserted in the opposite circumferential direction through the opening into the annulus. The two wedges must then be prevented from falling out by an additional securing means, e.g. a spring clip and a screw. The screw must be turned into tapped holes formed in the annular slot on the male part.
It is a disadvantage of the known procedure for forming a positive axial coupling between the male and female parts that the locking device comprises several locking units, whereof each is constituted by several loose parts and whereof each must be separately fitted and dismantled. It is also disadvantageous in the known coupling device that each locking unit must be brought into coupling engagement through a separate opening. Thus, several openings or windows uniformly distributed over the circumference of the female part are required, so that the cross-section for femal part force transfer is considerably weakened.
It is also disadvantageous that in the case of the known locking units, it is necessary in each case to provide a securing means, which prevents the inserted parts or mating parts from falling out.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
}
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to using tires as a source of supplemental fuel to heat a rotating kiln, and more particularly to a feed chute apparatus for injecting tires and other combustible materials into the kiln.
2. Description of the Background Art
Rotating kilns are frequently used in the production of cement. Because such kilns operate at extremely high temperatures, it is possible to burn various forms of liquid and solid combustible waste materials as a source of supplemental heat. At the high temperatures found in such kilns, which are on the order of 3400 degrees F. and above, the waste materials tend to combust fairly completely while producing little or no undesirable gaseous or solid emissions. Therefore, these waste materials can serve as a supplemental fuel, thereby reducing the demand for and cost of the primary fuel.
One form of waste that is burned in cement kilns is rubber tires from automobiles and trucks. Rubber tires make a very good source of supplemental fuel for a rotary kiln because they burn at comparatively hot temperatures. The extremely high temperatures within a cement kiln will cause the rubber tires to burn without any significant liquid, solid or gaseous waste byproducts which might otherwise be detrimental to the environment. Accordingly, the burning of tires in rotary kilns helps alleviate the growing problem of tire disposal without significantly impairing the environment.
Conventional feed systems used for injecting tires into a cement kiln have typically suffered from several deficiencies. For example, some feed systems require that the tires be shredded and then packaged into "fuel packages" of a specific size to accommodate the dimensions of the feed system. However, such processing of used tires increases the overall cost of tire disposal, increases the cost of operating the kiln, as well as requires the use of special equipment and additional manpower to cut the tires and package the resulting pieces into suitably sized packages. Therefore, it is more efficient and cost effective to inject whole tires into the kiln.
One known method of tire injection into the kiln uses gravity to drop a tire into an opening in the kiln wall from a loading area as the kiln rotates. The loading area may be positioned vertically or rotates with the kiln and gravity causes the tire or other fuel item to slide into the interior area of the kiln when the loading area becomes disposed substantially vertically. A drawback of that type of system, however, is that the tire is dropped from the top of the kiln into highly fluidized material causing the material to splash and thereby creating excessive turbulence and inconsistent combustion within the kiln. To address that problem, feed systems have been developed that will positively inject the tire into the kiln during a portion of the rotational travel of the kiln without relying on gravity to do so.
For example, one known injection system comprises an entrance chute having an outer end portion protruding outwardly from a wall of the kiln and an inner end portion which protrudes into the kiln. The entrance chute further is disposed such that it is positioned tangentially to the kiln wall. The entrance chute includes a gate assembly having a cam follower assembly and a pivotally mounted gate member. The cam follower assembly causes the gate member to be urged pivotally between open and closed positions in response to movement of the cam follower assembly over a cylindrical camming wall positioned at a predetermined location relative to the kiln. When the cam follower assembly has caused the gate member to open, a plurality of tires or other items forming a source of supplemental fuel are positively propelled into the entrance chute by one or more external tire injecting apparatuses synchronized in operation to rotation of the kiln. A dam formed at the inner end portion of the entrance chute prevents highly fluidized material within the kiln from flowing up into the entrance chute and further forms a channel relatively free of the fluidized material into which the tires may be injected during a predetermined portion, or portions, of rotational travel of the kiln.
However, even the positive injection system described above has drawbacks, namely complexity and cost. Therefore, a need still exits for an efficient, low cost feed system for injecting tires into a rotating kiln. The gravity feed system of the present invention satisfies that need, while overcoming deficiencies found in conventional feed systems.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
}
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing a polymer by polymerizing or copolymerizing a monomer accommodated in pores of a porous metal complex, and more specifically to a method of producing a polymer by polymerizing or copolymerizing an unsaturated organic compound accommodated in pores of a porous coordination polymer.
2. Background of the Invention
It has been known that a porous crystal having pores of approximately 1 nm or less prepared from an organic ligand and a metal ion can accommodate a low-molecular compound in these pores. It is disclosed, for example, in JP-A-9-227572, JP-A-2004-196594, and Chemical Industry, vol. 53, 2002, 808 that a coordination polymer composed of a copper ion and an organic ligand is superior in storage capacity of methane or oxygen. These references, however, are directed to utilization of a coordination polymer as a storage material for a low-molecular compound (gas), and it is not reported that an accommodated low-molecular compound is polymerized therein.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Worldwide, common carrier travel either through plane, train, bus, and similar conveyances is utilized by millions of individuals daily who typically sit in row seating that is minimal in size wherein two side by side seats typically share an armrest that is usually narrow in size. Thus the typical armrest can usually barely accommodate a single user's arm, and certainly not two adjacent passengers' arms comfortably. For shorter duration trips, i.e. commutes up to an hour, this armrest sharing issue is usually a minor inconvenience for most individuals on the common carrier. However, for longer trips, for instance greater than one hour, this armrest sharing issue can easily go from a minor inconvenience to a major inconvenience due to increased sitting fatigue, restlessness, inadvertent shifting movement of the user's arms thus accidently bumping into their neighbor passenger's arms or torso, causing an uncomfortable situation, as neighboring passengers simply want to pass the hours of time in their seat as easily and comfortably as possible. Of course this inadvertent bumping of the adjacent passenger, would most likely wake them up if they were dozing further causing an annoying situation.
In addition, to the previously described undesirable passenger bumping situation, having a way to comfortably secure and store a user's arms for themselves would increase the user's ability to comfortably doze off themselves helping to pass the hours in the cramped and tight seat quarters that they are in, thus reducing arm and shoulder fatigue for the duration of the trip. There has been recognition of this issue, mainly how to make a row seat somewhat comfortable for a significant amount of time on having to be seated for up to eighteen hours or more on an oversees airline flight. Solutions to making a confined row seat comfortable include inflatable back lumbar supports, padded neck collars, and a front inflatable pillow for a passenger to place their face upon. While these solutions have their merits, there is a major consideration of the higher volume and weight that these solutions have, as these are to be carried by the traveler passenger, where space and weight considerations are at a premium.
With the ever increasing limitations upon carry-on bags for weight and size by the common carriers, any additional bulk and weight that these seat comfort solutions provide must be minimal. Further, a consideration of the convenience of setting up the seat comfort device needs to be considered, i.e. if it needs manual inflating/deflating to stow and take with you-this is an inconvenience to consider, plus is the seating comfort solution bulky and or heavy-if so, this could be a major drawback, because travelling “light” these days is more important than ever, especially with the previously mentioned carrier restrictions on carry-on items. In addition, for the seat comfort device, if a number of straps/buckles are required, this further adds to the inconvenience, as the seat comfort device must be deployed and taken down for each leg of the traveler's trip, making for multiple setups and takedowns, adding extra time and hassle. Also, another consideration is safety, as when the traveler is using the seat comfort device, in case of an emergency, i.e. wherein the traveler would have to quickly exit their seat, the seat comfort device cannot impede the traveler's exit from the seat in any manner, as the traveler must be able to leave their seat and the seat comfort device without having to take apart of disengage anything related to the seat comfort device. Thus it is imperative that that passenger seating comfort device be of absolutely minimal size and weight to be a minimal inconvenience to the user to take with them on their travels.
The following prior art examines some of the existing solutions to passenger seat fatigue solutions. Starting with U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,069 to Booth disclosed is a travel blanket having a round elastically bordered head hole through which a traveler can extend around the traveler's head, resulting in a travel blanket that doesn't slip off downward off of the traveler's shoulders and chest. In Booth, a shortened rear portion of the blanket drapes down over a portion of the traveler's back and shoulders via just covering the shoulder blades, basically for warmth of the top of the shoulders only without a need for covering the traveler's back, as the seat back provides warmth, see FIG. 1.
Further, in Booth a much longer front portion covers the traveler's chest, torso, arms, and legs/feet resulting in somewhat of a backless blanket type poncho. Also in Booth, a pocket is positioned along the interior of the front portion for supporting the traveler's arms when the traveler's arms are positioned therein, an option for multiple pockets at different positions is also offered, such that the traveler's arms may both be placed into one pocket or the traveler's arms may be placed into their own separate pockets. Wherein in Booth, the downward weight force of the traveler's arms is retained primarily by the rounded elastic neck opening resting as against the traveler's neck and somewhat by the shortened rear portion, however, if the traveler leans forward in the airplane seat a small amount, the round neck opening will bear the arm weight pull down force as against the traveler's neck solely, making for an uncomfortable situation with the fabric edge pulling against the traveler's neck.
Next, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,560,243 to Peterson, disclosed is a shoulder rest double arm sling comprising a T-shaped sheet of flexible material, the laterally extending arms of the T-shaped sheet being adapted to embrace or encompass the waist of the wearer similar to a backpack, with fastening means on the outer end portions of the arms for securing the arms together. Further in Peterson, the stem portion of the T-shaped sheet is slotted plus centrally and vertically terminating in an elongated oval-shaped opening below the plane of the arms, in which an opening is adapted to accommodate the neck of the wearer, the material of the stem portion at opposite sides of the slotted opening comprising a pair of furcations, which are substantially parallel and are spaced from each other. Also in Peterson, the upper portions of the furcations being adapted to rest on the shoulders of the wearer, and the lower portions of each of the furcations terminating in a sling, with the sling being adjustable whereby the elevation and position of each sling relative to the oval-shaped opening may be changed.
Peterson essentially transfers the arm weight downward force loading from the shoulders only-as is with a typical arm sling, to the wearer's waist-being somewhat like a hiker's or camper's backpack that transfers the bulk of the backpack weight from the wearer's shoulders to their waist or hips, which results on greater comfort, as the wearer's waist or hips can accommodate the weight or force with less long term fatigue than a wearer's shoulders for the same amount of force of weight over extended periods of time.
Continuing, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,197,429 to Neseem, disclosed is a double arm sling, including two pouches, each of the two pouches configured for individually receiving one of a patient's arms, and at least one pair of half-straps. In Neseem, the pair of half-straps is configured to fasten the double arm sling around the torso of the patient. The double arm sling in Neseem may further include at least one pair of tongues coupled to the two pouches and coupled to at least one pair of half-straps, a backing portion coupled to the two pouches, and at least one back pad configured to receive the at least one pair of half straps. Neseem, like Peterson attempts to take the arm weight load or force from the wearer's shoulders, however, Neseem putting the load at mid-torso with multiple padded straps fastened about the wearer's midsection torso.
Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,904 to Wilson, et al. disclosed is an arm-sling vest that includes sleeveless front and back vest panels defining an opening permitting the panels to fit over a person's head so as to rest upon the shoulders. In Wilson et al., lateral edges of the panels include hook and loop fasteners for releasably and adjustably connecting the panels together about a person's torso. Further, in Wilson et al., a pair of support straps are attached to an outer surface of the front vest panel and include free ends extending therefrom. A corresponding pair of retainer patches in Wilson et al., are attached to the front vest panel and positioned above the support straps and aligned therewith, respectively.
The support straps and retainer patches in Wilson et al., include complementary fasteners such that the straps may cradle a person's forearm and be secured to a respective retainer patch. The support straps in Wilson et al., are independently operable such that a person's forearm may be cradled in a plurality of orientations. Wilson et al., somewhat like Peterson and Neseem, transfers a portion of the arm load weight and force away from just the shoulders to more of the entire torso through a snug fitting vest, via attempting to create a larger load bearing surface area as against the torso, thus relieving the shoulders from bearing the entire arm weight force loading, although in transferring the arm weight force to the torso, care must be given to not wrapping the vest about the torso so firmly as to cause discomfort from the torso being overly compressed to interfere with torso movement of human breathing.
Continuing, in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,488 to Schrader disclosed is a sling device for securing to a waistband of a user. The sling device in Schrader extends over the left and right shoulders of the user for supporting
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
}
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