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There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,494 (Anderson) a building wall construction of the type referred to above. In this construction, U-shaped metal fasteners or studs (also referred to as furring channels) are provided the legs or flanges of which include serrated edges that permit the fasteners to be pressed into polystyrene foam sheets. Thereafter, nails or pins driven through metal studs are used to secure the studs, and thus the polystyrene sheets, to a concrete wall. The metal studs provide a backing to which panels of gypsum are secured, the gypsum panels being screwed into the metal studs and thus supported thereby.
Although the studs or fasteners of the Anderson patent take several forms, each is relatively expensive to manufacture, at least as compared with the fastener of the present invention. For example, the fasteners must be made of reasonably heavy duty metal in order to maintain the shapes (U-shaped channel or other specialized shapes) contemplated therein and substantially more handling is required than with the fastener of the present invention.
Other patents of possible interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,562,784 (Olsen); 1,328,201 (Rendano); 1,389,866 (Georgeson et al); 3,106,751 (Fish); 3,394,516 (Taylor et al); 3,696,572 (Jureit); and 1,297,611 (Upson). | {
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Radiosurgery is a non-invasive medical procedure for various kinds of tumors and one of the most effective means for treating local and regional targets such as brain tumors. Instead of a surgical incision, radiosurgery delivers a high dose of high energy photons in radiated beams to destroy the tumor. Radiosurgery is a very efficient method for treating cancers and avoids loss in quality of life compared to other more invasive methods such as surgery or chemotherapy. Since radiated high energy photons can also damage normal cells that are irradiated as the beam passes through a patient to irradiate a tumor, the key of a good radiosurgery plan is to maintain a sharp radiation dose falloff from the high radiation dose regions (high dose regions) inside the tumor to the low radiation dose regions (low dose regions) of nearby healthy structures. The steep radiation falloff rate of dose distribution—known as the “dose falloff rate”—guarantees that normal, healthy tissue and other body parts or structures near the target receive a low dose of radiation while the center of the target or tumor receives a high dose of radiation. Sharper radiation dose falloff will results in better tumor control and less damage to the normal tissue and other body parts surrounding the tumor that are irradiated by the radiation beams.
Focused Beam Geometry:
Currently, most radiosurgeries are performed in a “step-and-shoot” manner and use a number of precisely focused external beams of radiation that are aimed at the target from different directions to increase the dose falloff rate (see FIG. 1). In this technique, as the number of radiation beams increases, the dose falloff rate improves. Therefore, a large number of radiation beams focus on a target to create a high dose region around the target at the point of intersection of the beams. Intuitively, if the number of beams is increased, the contribution of each beam inevitably decreases, resulting in a lower dose to the tissues and structures some distance away from the target. This is because more beams pass through different parts of the body at lower radiation doses but collectively provide the same radiation dose to the target.
However, in these conventional radiation treatments the number of radiation beams is constrained to several hundred beams due to various spatial and physical constraints. For example, in Gamma Knife® radiosurgery, the number of radiation beams is limited to about two hundred beams. Physically, it is not possible to drill a large number of apertures in a fixed size metal screen without eventually causing interference among the beams escaping from the apertures.
For intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), it is usually not practical to deliver more than a dozen beams due to prolonged treatment time. Even with rotational techniques, such as Tomotherapy, intensity-modulated arc therapy (IMAT), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), and arc-modulated radiation therapy (AMRT), the maximum number of radiation beams is still limited to a few hundred.
Fundamental Physics Underlying Photon Radiosurgery:
The fundamental physics underlying photon-based radiosurgeries includes high energy photon production and photon interactions with matter.
Generally, high energy photons used in current radiosurgeries are produced either by radioactive decay from Cobalt-60 sources or bremsstrahlung interactions in a linear accelerator. In the linear accelerator, electrons are accelerated in an electric field to a high energy and then collide with a metal target. This generates radiation particles or photons in a bremsstrahlung process. The photons produced from Cobalt-60 are called “γ-ray” or gamma rays whereas the photons produced from a linear accelerator are called “X-ray” or X-rays.
Typically photons produced by different sources are heterogeneous in energy. For example, the energies of γ-rays emitted by Cobalt-60 are 1.17 and 1.33 MeV. The energy spectrum of X-rays from a linear accelerator shows a continuous distribution of energies for the bremsstrahlung photons superimposed by characteristic radiation of discrete energies. The energies of photon beams created by a 6 MV accelerator are continuous from 0 to 6 MeV with a large number of photons having energy around 2 MeV. For examples, Gamma Knife®(see FIG. 3) uses γ-rays emitted from radioactive Cobalt-60 sources to irradiate tumors, while Cyberknife® (see FIG. 4), which is essentially a linear accelerator carried by a robotic arm, uses X-rays to irradiate tumors.
When photons pass through matter, they interact in one of three ways: Photoelectric effect, Compton effect and Pair production. For radiosurgery, the predominant interaction is the Compton effect, where the incident photons collide elastically with orbit electrons. During this elastic collision, energy is imparted from the incident photons to orbiting electrons and sets off a chain of reactions. These electrons know as secondary electrons, as they travel through matter, produce ionization and excitation along their path. On a cellular level, these ionizations damage DNA and cause cell death in the body.
Important Beam Characteristics for Treatment Planning:
A percent depth dose curve relates the absorbed dose deposited by a radiation beam into a medium. FIG. 2(a) shows the percent depth dose curve of Cobalt-60 with an 80 cm Source Surface Distance (SSD). Two parameters of a radiation beam are its Tissue Maximum Ratio (TMR) and Off Center Ratio (OCR). TMR is defined as the ratio of the dose at a given point in phantom to the dose at the same point at the reference depth of maximum dose. OCR is the ratio of the absorbed dose at a given off-axis point relative to the dose at the central axis at the same depth. FIG. 2(b) shows the TMR of Cobalt-60 and a 6 MV accelerator. FIG. 2(c) shows the OCR of a 6 MV accelerator. | {
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The present invention relates generally to a method of and apparatus for automatically filling containers and, in particular, to an improved method and apparatus for aseptically filling and capping, empty, flexible bag-type containers.
This invention relates to filling machines used to automatically uncap, fill with flowable fluids, and recap flexible bag-type containers in a sterilized manner. When filling bags with fluid substances used in the food industry, the maintenance of aseptic conditions is, of course, essential during the filling procedure. Some conventional filling machines generally feed a continuous strip of spouted flexible bags, which bags are joined together along transversely oriented perforations, to a separating station. Each bag has either a capped tube or spout associated therewith and is then separated from the strip by a separating device. Thereafter, successive ones of the capped spouts are advanced to a filling station, whereat an accurate amount of fluid substance is metered into each bag, after the bag has, of course, been uncapped. Both the spout and bag are fully supported during the filling cycle and the bag spout is recapped. As noted, it is important that the filling be done in a sterilized manner. Towards this end, known systems typically utilize a steam sterilization system. The latter has certain drawbacks insofar as steam cleaning tends to lead to condensation during the filling procedure with the consequent shortcomings of the fluid substance being diluted and steam tends to be corrosive. Following filling, the filled bags can be automatically loaded onto a conveyor or into a box. As each filled bag is discharged, another bag is advanced automatically to the filling station for the next filling operation cycle.
With these known systems it is mandatory that the filling head and chamber mechanisms be cleaned. A variety of approaches have been employed One that is fairly common is to manually remove, scrub and wash the components thereof and then sterilize such components. Of course, manual cleaning is less than entirely satisfactory because it, among reasons, is laborious and time consuming not to mention does always lend itself to sterile conditions during reassembly.
While filling machines of the aforenoted type perform adequately, there is nonetheless a desire to improve upon their performance in terms of a number of factors including enhanced sterility of machine, spout and caps, ease of operation, and improved bag filling rates. | {
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The present invention relates generally to spoolable tubing suitable for use in the oil industry, and more particularly to spoolable tubing consisting of a composite material with the ability to withstand high stress.
Spoolable tubing, that is tubing capable of being spooled upon a reel, is commonly used in numerous oil well operations. Typical oil well operations include running wire line cable down hole with well tools, working over wells by delivering various chemicals down hole, and performing operations on the interior surface of the drill hole. The tubes used are required to be spoolable so that the tube can be used in conjunction with one well and then transported on a reel to another well location. Steel coiled tubing is typically capable of being spooled because the steel used in the product exhibits high ductility (i.e. the ability to plastically deform). Unfortunately, the repeated spooling and use of steel coiled tubing causes fatigue damage that can suddenly cause the steel coiled tubing to fracture and fail. The hazards of operating steel coiled tubing, i.e. risk to personnel and high economic cost resulting from down time needed to retrieve the broken tubing sections, forces steel coiled tubing to be retired after a relatively few number of trips into a well.
Steel coiled tubing has also proven to be subject to expansion after repeated uses. Tube expansion results in reduced wall thickness with the associated reduction in the pressure carrying capability of the steel coiled tubing. Steel coiled tubing known in the art is typically limited to an internal pressure up to about 5,000 psi. Accordingly, higher pressure and continuous flexing typically reduces the steel tube's integrity and service life.
For example, the present accepted industry standard for steel coiled tube is an A-606 type 4 modified HSLA steel with yield strengths ranging from 70 ksi to 80 ksi. The HSLA steel tubing typically undergoes bending, during the deployment and retrieval of the tubing, over radii significantly less than the minimum bending radii needed for the material to remain in an elastic state. The repeated bending of steel coiled tubing into and out of plastic deformation induces irreparable damage to the steel tube body leading to low-cycle fatigue failure.
Additionally, when steel coiled tubing is exposed to high internal pressures and bending loads, the isotropic steel is subjected to high triaxial stresses imposed by the added pressure and bending loads. The high triaxial stresses result in significant plastic deformation of the tube and diametral growth of the tube body, commonly referred to as "ballooning". When the steel coiled tube experiences ballooning, the average wall thickness of the tube is reduced, and often causes a bursting of the steel tube in the area of decreased thickness.
Steel coiled tubes also experience thinning of the tube walls due to the corrosive effect of materials used in the process of working over the well and due to materials located on the inner surface of the well bore. The thinning resulting from corrosive effects of various materials causes a decrease in the pressure and the tensile load rating of the steel coiled tubing.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a non-steel coil tubing which is capable of being deployed and spooled under borehole conditions, which does not suffer from the limitations of steel tubing and is highly resistant to chemicals.
For the most part, prior art non-metallic tubular structures that are designed for being spooled and also for transporting fluids, are made as a hose whether or not they are called a hose. An example of such a hose is the Feucht structure in U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,052 which has longitudinal reinforcement in the side walls to permit a flexible hose to collapse preferentially in one plane. However, the structure is a classic hose with vulcanized polyester cord plies which are not capable of carrying compression loads or high external pressure loads. Hoses typically use an elastomer such as rubber to hold fiber together but do not use a high modulus plastic binder such as epoxy.
Hoses are designed to bend and carry internal pressure but are not normally subjected to external pressure or high axial compression or tension loads.
When the ends of a hose are subjected to opposing forces, the hose is said to be under tension. The tensile stress at any particular cross-section of the hose is defined as the ratio of the force exerted on that section by opposing forces to the cross-sectional area of the hose. The stress is called a tensile stress, meaning that each portion pulls on the other.
With further reference to a hose subjected to opposing forces, the term strain refers to the relative change in dimensions or shape of the hose that is subjected to stress. For instance, when a hose is subjected to opposing forces, a hose whose natural length is L0 will elongate to a length L1=L0+Delta L, where Delta L is the change in the length of the hose caused by opposing forces. The tensile strain of the hose is then defined as the ration of Delta L to L0, i.e. the ratio of the increase in length to the natural length.
The stress required to produce a given strain depends on the nature of the material under stress. The ratio of stress to strain, or the stress per unit strain, is called an elastic modulus. The larger the elastic modulus, the greater the stress needed for a given strain.
For an elastomeric type material, such as used in hoses, the elongation at break is so high (typically greater than 400 percent) and the stress-strain response so highly nonlinear; it is common practice to define a modulus corresponding to a specified elongation. The modulus for an elastomeric material corresponding to 200 percent elongation typically ranges form 300 psi to 2000 psi. In comparison, the modulus of elasticity for typical plastic matrix material used in a composite tube is from 100,000 psi to 500,000 psi or greater, with representative strains to failure of from 2 percent to 10 percent. This large difference in modulus and strain to failure between rubber and plastics and thus between hoses and composite tubes is what permits a hose to be easily collapsed to an essentially flat condition under relatively low external pressure. This large difference also eliminates the hose's capability to carry high axial tension or compression loads while the higher modulus characteristic of the plastic matrix material used in a composite tube is sufficiently stiff to transfer loads into the fibers and thus resist high external pressure and axial tension and compression without collapse.
The procedure to construct a composite tube to resist high external pressure and compressive loads involves using complex composite mechanics engineering principles to ensure that the tube has sufficient strength. It has not been previously considered feasible to build a truly composite tube capable of being bent to a relatively small diameter, and be capable of carrying internal pressure and high tension and compression loads in combination with high external pressure requirements. Specifically a hose will not sustain high compression and external pressure loads.
Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for providing a substantially non-ferrous spoolable tube that does not suffer from the structural limitations of steel tubing and that is capable of being deployed and spooled under bore hole conditions.
A further object of the invention is to provide a composite coiled tube capable of working over wells and delivering various chemicals down hole quickly and inexpensively.
Another object of the invention includes providing a coiled tubing capable of repeated spooling and bending without suffering fatigue sufficient to cause fracturing and failing of the coiled tube.
Other objects of the invention include providing a spoolable tube capable of carrying corrosive fluids without causing corrosion in the spoolable tube, providing a coiled tube having less weight, and providing a coiled tube capable of withstanding higher internal pressure levels and higher external pressure levels without loosing tube integrity.
These and other objects will be apparent from the description that follows. | {
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The present invention relates to a folding knife. In particular, the present invention relates to a folding knife having a cantilever spring to assist a user in opening the knife and a plunge lock to lock the knife in an open position.
Folding knives typically include a handle and one or more blades pivotally attached to the handle, the blades having a compact closed position and an extended open position. Additional features are added to folding knives in order to make such knives more useful and easier to operate. Such features may include a mechanism used to assist the user in opening the knife, a mechanism used to lock the blade into an open position, and a mechanism to bias the blade into the closed position. Adding additional features increases the cost and complexity of the folding knife. Cost considerations may outweigh the desire for additional features for folding knives that are intended for sale at moderate prices. Accordingly, there is a need for a mechanism that provides additional features that does not unacceptably raise manufacturing costs. Further, there is a need for such a mechanism that performs multiple desired functions using the same parts.
The components required to effectuate features such as an assisted opening function or a blade lock function utilize space in a folding knife that may otherwise be used for other purposes. Accordingly, there is need for a simplified mechanism that provides desirable features but does not utilize a great deal of space within a knife handle.
It would be desirable to provide a folding knife that includes a mechanism that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs. | {
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The disclosed subject matter relates generally to subsea hydrocarbon production and, more particularly, to a subsea Christmas tree with condition monitoring.
In order to control a subsea well, a connection is established between the well and a monitoring and control station. The monitoring and control station may be located on a platform or floating vessel near the subsea installation, or alternatively in a more remote land station. The connection between the control station and the subsea installation is usually established by installing an umbilical between the two points. The umbilical may include hydraulic lines for supplying hydraulic fluid to various hydraulic actuators located on or near the well. The umbilical may also include electrical and or fiber optic lines for supplying electric power and also for communicating control signals and/or well data between the control station and the various monitoring and control devices located on or near the well.
Hydrocarbon production from the subsea well is controlled by a number of valves that are assembled into a unitary structure generally referred to as a Christmas tree. Christmas tree and wellhead systems have the principle functions of providing an interface to the in-well environment, allowing flow regulation and measurement, and permitting intervention on the well or downhole systems during the operational life of the well. The actuation of the valves in the Christmas tree is normally provided using hydraulic fluid to power hydraulic actuators that operate the valves. Hydraulic fluid is normally supplied through an umbilical running from a remote station located on a vessel or platform at the surface.
In addition to the flow control valves and actuators, a number of sensors and detectors are commonly employed in subsea systems to monitor the state of the system and the flow of hydrocarbons from the well. Often a number of sensors, detectors and/or actuators are also located downhole. All these devices are controlled and/or monitored by a dedicated control system, which is usually housed in the remote control module. Control signals and well data are also exchanged through the umbilical.
Conventional Christmas trees typically only have a few sensors designed to provide information on the production process. These sensors fail to provide any information regarding the operation or efficiency of the Christmas tree or wellhead. If a particular sensor fails to operate accurately, it may provide errant information regarding the production process. Uncertainties in the accuracy of the well monitoring and the limited amount of data make it difficult to optimize the production process or to predict impending failures.
This section of this document is intended to introduce various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the disclosed subject matter described and/or claimed below. This section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the disclosed subject matter. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. The disclosed subject matter is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above. | {
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When a foreign substance is introduced into the human body, the individual typically reacts by mounting an immune response by generating antibodies to this substance. A second encounter with the same substance usually elicits a faster and stronger response. In most cases, this response gives protection from the clinical course of an infection (immunity). However, the immune response is not always beneficial, as in the case where the substance provokes an antibody-mediated allergic response. About 5 to 10% of the world population suffer from allergies, and it has been estimated that 30-35 million U.S. citizens (15% of the population) suffer from at least one significant allergy.
The central molecule of the most common allergies is the antibody of the immunoglobulin E class (IgE). In terms of mass, IgE constitutes only a minute segment of total serum. Serum immunoglobulin levels of IgE are in the range of 200 nanograms (ng) per milliliter (ml), as compared to 12 mg/ml for IgG and 1 mg/ml for IgM. The low levels of IgE raises the question of its physiological function. There is evidence that IgE may play a role in the body's defense against large parasites like worms, but, if so, it is only marginally effective. Generally parasitic infections require treatment with anti-parasite drugs, and, in any case, parasites are generally not considered to be a health problem outside of third-world countries. There is no other known beneficial role of IgE.
The first step in an allergic reaction is the binding of an allergen to IgE molecules which are anchored to the surface of mast cells and basophils via specific receptors (IgE/Fc receptors). Attempts to block IgE/Fc receptors with isolated Fc fragments have been reported (Helm et al., 1989). This approach has two limitations. First, the affinity of the Fc fragment for the Fc receptor is about tenfold lower than that of an intact IgE molecule, making it necessary to administer high concentrations in order to effectively block IgE binding. Secondly, injection of this fragment at high concentrations may result in an immune response to the fragment itself. If antibodies to Fc were indeed generated, they would crosslink Fc fragments on the Fc receptors and thereby activate every mast cell and basophil. This could result in anaphylactic shock.
A second approach currently being tested is to administer antibodies which bind the Fc receptor-binding domain of the IgE molecule. These antibodies essentially absorb IgE from the circulation and prevent it from binding to mast cells and basophils. The shortcomings of this approach are (1) that the antibodies will not effectively bind IgE molecules already bound to Fc receptors, and (2) the antibodies must be administered in high doses, thus increasing the risks of complications. | {
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Digital images and documents may contain many elements or content types including text, halftone, graphics, bitmap images, variations thereof and other elements. When rendered to a display or a printer, each of these elements may be processed in a different way to optimize the quality of the presented output. This differential processing requires that the image be segmented into elements or content types. This is typically performed by computing a so-called segmentation map from a digital image of a document page. Often this reduces to a problem of pixel or region classification, since the set of element types or content types is known a priori. Given the segmentation map of an input page, each content type region can then be optimally processed according to the requirements of its corresponding elements or content type.
In some known methods, as shown in FIG. 1, object data for a rendering job is received 10. This data 10 is typically in the form of printer job language commands or graphics engine rendering commands such as HPGL commands, PCL commands, GDI commands or others. These commands identify the content type for the graphic elements they define and this information can be easily extracted from the command data 10 to identify 12 the content types in the document. Once the content types are identified 12, the configuration of the objects can be analyzed 14 to help evaluate document complexity. A complexity factor is calculated 16 from this data. While these techniques work well for document data that is compartmentalized into command structures, such as object-based commands, it is of no use on bitmap data, raster data and other forms of non-object-based data. Additionally, the available methods have not been combined with processing algorithm data to create an algorithm-related complexity factor. | {
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The subject compound and its synthesis method have been already disclosed (Non-patent Literature 1). Furthermore, its therapeutic or prophylactic activity against urinary frequency or urinary incontinence, antipruritic activity, analgesic activity, therapeutic or prophylactic activity against functional bowel disorder such as irritable bowel syndrome and antitussive activity have also been already disclosed (Patent Literature 1 to 5, an antitussive activity was disclosed after the priority date of the present application).
There is a concern that the storage stability may be decreased when the subject compound disclosed in the above-mentioned literature is formulated into an injection solution, liquid formulation or the like using it as a pharmaceutical active substance, since the subject compound in a state of solutions is likely to be affected by light, heat and oxygen. Although a common method for increasing solubility rate includes a method wherein the compound is lyophilized to be an amorphous powder, there is also a concern that the storage stability may be decreased since the hygroscopicity and the specific surface area increase compared to those powders having a high crystallinity.
For these reasons, considering an easy handling of such pharmaceuticals that have a high storage stability of the subject compound or convenience for patients, oral solid preparations are desirable for the known medical uses.
However, there is a concern that sufficient oral absorption may not be obtained when oral solid preparations are made using the subject compound as a pharmaceutical active substance, since the solubility rate of the subject compound in water is low.
Therefore, it has been considered that some sort of means for increasing the solubility rate of the subject compound concurrently with ensuring the storage stability is required.
When crystalline powders having a low solubility rate in water are used as a pharmaceutical active substance, methods in which the pharmaceutical active substance is ground into a fine powder may be used so that the solubility rate of the pharmaceutical active substance increases, which results in the increased oral absorption, and thus the increased bioavailability. However, there is a high possibility that, when the crystalline powders are finely ground according to such methods, crystalline powders may lose their crystalline structure and become amorphous, which results in the decreased storage stability. Thus, selection of the fine grinding process is relevant.
As a fine grinding process, those wherein tumbler mills such as a ball mill, fluid energy mills such as a jet mill, impact mills such as a hammer mill and a pin mill are used are known. However, properties of the powders obtained after grinding vary depending on a combination of the physicochemical properties of the compounds and the selected grinding process.
Although Patent Literatures or Non-patent Literatures listed below disclose the subject compound and its use, they are completely silent about the methodology for providing an appropriate crystalline finely-ground particles of the subject compound. Therefore, these literatures do not suggest at all that the subject compound may become a more useful pharmaceutical active substance when the subject compound is grounded by a specific grinding process so as to obtain crystalline finely-ground particles having a high solubility rate and thus a remarkably high bioavailability at the same time as having an ensured storage stability. Patent Literature 1: WO 2004/033457 Patent Literature 2: WO 2005/094826 Patent Literature 3: WO 2006/049248 Patent Literature 4: WO 2007/055184 Patent Literature 5: WO 2007/072749 Non-patent Literature 1: Simon C. et. al., Tetrahedron, 50, 9757, 1994. | {
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An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system in its simplest form automates the process of directing calls to the appropriate individual. In recent years, however, IVR systems have evolved into very complex computerized voice applications that enable callers to order products, for example, over the telephone and without ever being connected to a human being. Such systems require tremendous human effort to develop and maintain due to a large number of interconnecting dialog states. A dialog state may be thought of in terms of the information between when a caller provides an input and when the system waits for the next input (e.g., pressing of a number on a telephone handset or a verbal command) from the caller in order to determine a next dialog state. For example, a caller to a pharmacy may be first instructed to “press 1 for English or press 2 for Spanish.” If the caller presses “1”, then the IVR system traverses to an English language dialog state where the user is prompted to “enter 1 to refill your prescription; 2 to speak with a pharmacist; or 3 to check the status of your refill order.”
IVR applications are constructed in a similar manner to standard computer applications and HTML web pages. In fact, VoiceXML (“VXML”) is a simple Extensional Markup Language standard created specifically for developing IVR applications. While the language standard may be simple, the IVR applications that are built off of it may be incredibly complex and thereby difficult to test. Traditionally, system testers take on the role of end users by calling the IVR system and interacting with the system as would be expected from an average end user. Therefore, it is easy to appreciate that testing very large and complex systems requires the expenditure of many man-hours and further requires attention and patience. Testing with large numbers of accounts and testing of all (or most) paths is usually impossible in the prior art. Testing, however, is vital to ensuring that all of the paths correctly link the various dialog states.
In recognition of the problems associated with creating, testing, and maintaining IVR applications, tools have been developed to assist in the testing process. Load testing tools include a call-processing unit that places a number of simultaneous and/or repeated calls to the IVR application. While these tools have the ability to detect deviations in application response (e.g., length of pause between inputs, length of audio cues, system hang-ups, etc), these tools do not provide insight into the actual behavior of the voice application. The test scripts used in such load testing, in the prior art, must be manually created and then later updated each time the application is changed.
Therefore, a need exists for a system that facilitates testing of IVR voice applications in a less time consuming manner, and facilitates reducing the time to develop a voice application. A need exists for a system that facilitates testing of a greater number of the call flow paths of a voice application. A need exists for a system that can discover the call flow paths of a voice application, and perform a complete voice application analysis through direct interaction with the voice application. | {
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U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,488, assigned to the assignee of the prevent invention, which is incorporated herein by reference ('488 patent), describes an intake manifold having an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) passage formed therein extending generally parallel to a cooling passage formed in the manifold. The EGR flow in the '488 patent is considered ported because EGR flows through secondary EGR passages extending from the EGR supply passage to individual runners in the intake manifold.
In an EGR system according to the '488 patent, the EGR ports are provided in close proximity to the cylinder head. The EGR ports are provided within the individual intake runners, which results in communication between the ports. Such communication short circuits a tuned induction system, resulting in a degradation of engine performance and can provide for unequal distribution of EGR. This unequal distribution can also affect engine performance and emissions because the EGR is not properly controlled between cylinders. This makes it difficult to control the EGR to ensure smooth running of the engine.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,535,717 and 5,492,093 provide a system for introducing EGR into the an air induction system. These patents provide introduction of EGR within a balance tube, or into one of the runners, or a primary runner. This system does not promote equal distribution or mixing, as air is typically stagnant in the primary runner unless balance tube valve and the intake valves for the cylinders are open, and therefore distribution of the EGR is uneven between the cylinder banks. As described above, this unequal distribution may produce undesirable operation of the vehicle. A valve for such a balance tube is open normally in mid-range operation, such as between approximately 3000 and 4500 RPM. Thus, outside this range (at low speed or high speed operation), the balance valve is closed and the EGR gas is not properly mixed, and therefore an Inefficient, unequal cylinder bank distribution exists.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an EGR system which is balanced between the cylinders of a multi-cylinder engine and which provides proper mixing of the recirculated exhaust gas with the intake air at separate or coincidental reservoirs. | {
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In order to study phenomena happening in the sea-bottom sediments, capsules have been conceived in the past which bear instruments and which were attached to a cable along which they were transferred down to the sea-bottom. After arriving there, the capsule took a sediment sample which was then mounted up to the ocean surface.
It has further been proposed to use for this purpose a submarine vehicle with or without an operator on board, this vehicle being guided down to the site where the samples were to be taken. Unfortunately, these two methods can be applied down to a restricted ocean depth only and are not suited for a long-term investigation. Moreover, these methods do not allow to implant measuring instruments inside the sediment.
The document IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, vol. OE-10, No. 1, January 1985, pages 38 to 49, suggests to use free penetrators which fall by gravity to the sea-bottom and penetrate into the sediments for collecting measuring data therefrom. These data are then transmitted to the ocean surface through an ultrasound transmission channel. According to this paper, it seems possible to define in advance the penetration depth of the penetrator into a given sea-bottom sediment. A drawback of such a penetrator is constituted by the fact that it remains definitively in the sediment and that its instrumentation cannot be retrieved at the end of the investigation phase. This drawback is particularly cumbersome if the penetrator does not reach its correct measuring position after its gravity descent, be it that it has not reached the desired site, or that it entered incorrectly, for example obliquely. | {
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Acrolein is a material known to have toxic effects. Contact with acrolein is preferably avoided or minimized. It would be desirable if a method could be discovered which would remove acrolein from mixtures of other valuable materials in a selective fashion while removing essentially none of the other compound or compounds. For example, it is known to separate acrolein from acrylonitrile using extractive distillation with water. However, this technique will not work to extract acrolein from an aqueous solution of acrylonitrile when it is desirable to keep the acrylonitrile in the aqueous solution. The presence of acrolein in acrylonitrile solutions also results in the presence of an acrolein/cyanohydrin adduct, which is also to be avoided.
Some methods of removing, acrolein from waste gas include, but are not necessarily limited to, the use of membrane separation, catalytic oxidation, activated carbon, and silica gel containing an iron phthalocyanine catalyst. Catalytic oxidation and distillation at certain pH levels have also been used to remove acrolein from acrylonitrile. Other processes for removing acrolein from acrylonitrile include ion exchange resins and condensation, the latter procedure which has also been used to remove acrolein from acrylic acid. However, there remains a need for acrolein scavengers that can selectively react with acrolein relative to the other species in the solution. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wafer scale integration semiconductor device (referred to as WSI semiconductor device hereinafter) comprising a plurality of semiconductor circuit chips all integrated on one wafer and more particularly, to a circuit for supplying a power-supply voltage to each of the semiconductor circuit chips.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As an example of a WSI semiconductor device, a Full-Wafer MOS RAM is described in IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID STATE CIRCUITS, VOL. SC-15, NO. 4, AUGUST 1980 and DIGEST OF TECHNICAL PAPERS in ISSCC 79, pp. 18-19.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of a Full-Wafer MOS RAM (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Random Access Memory).
Referring to FIG. 1, a lot of RAM chips 2 are formed on a wafer 1. Each of the RAM chips 2 comprises a V.sub.CC power supply line coupled to a power-supply voltage V.sub.CC and a V.sub.SS power supply line coupled to a ground voltage V.sub.SS. The V.sub.CC power supply lines in the RAM chips 2 are coupled to each other by an aluminum interconnection 3 and connected to a V.sub.CC power supply terminal 4. The V.sub.SS power supply lines in the RAM chips 2 are coupled to each other by an aluminum interconnection 5 and connected to a V.sub.SS power supply terminal 6. In addition, each of the RAM chips 2 comprises an address line and a control line. The address line and the control line in each of the RAM chips 2 are coupled to each other by another interconnection (not shown) and connected to a common address terminal and a common control terminal, respectively.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing one of the RAM chips 2 shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, an MOS circuit 7 constituting a RAM (Random Access Memory) is formed on the RAM chip 2. In addition, a power supply terminal 8 coupled to a power supply voltage V.sub.CC and a ground terminal 9 coupled to a ground voltage are formed on the RAM chip 2. The power supply terminal 8 is connected to the MOS circuit 7 through a V.sub.CC power supply line 10, and the ground terminal 9 is connected to the MOS circuit 7 through a V.sub.SS power supply line 11.
In the above described Full-Wafer MOS RAM, when the power-supply voltage V.sub.CC is applied between the V.sub.CC power supply terminal 4 and the V.sub.CC power supply terminal 6, the power-supply voltage V.sub.CC is applied to each of the RAM chips 2 through the aluminum interconnections 3 and 5, so that each of the MOS circuits 7 is operated.
However, in the above described conventional WSI semiconductor device, if and when an electrically short-circuited state as represented by a resistor 12 exists between the V.sub.CC power supply line 10 and the V.sub.SS power supply line 11 in one of the RAM chips 2 on the wafer 1, excessive short-circuit current flows in the RAM chip 2. Therefore, the power-supply voltage drops, so that a power-supply voltage at a normal level is not applied to the other normal RAM chips 2. Furthermore, if the power-supply voltage continues to be applied to one of the RAM chips 2 on the wafer 1 with the electrically short-circuited state existing, an external power supply which applies the power-supply voltage is destroyed. Thus, if one of the semiconductor circuit chips on the wafer is defective, the entire WSI semiconductor device can not be used. | {
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Leiomyomas are the most common non-cancerous tumor in women of childbearing age. Uterine leiomyomas (or fibroids) are considered to be benign tumors of muscle and connective tissue that develop within or are attached to, the uterine wall. It is estimated from ultrasound examination that over 70% of women will develop fibroids by the time they reach menopause. (Baird et al., Am J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2005; 188: 100-107; and Cramer et al. Am. J. Clin Pathol. 1990; 90: 435-438.) While not all women are symptomatic to warrant therapy, a significant number of women experience moderate to severe symptoms including abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pressure and pain, and reproductive dysfunction.
Current treatment therapies include surgical intervention, such as, hysterectomies and myomectomies. Less invasive procedures include: uterine artery embolization and thermoablative coagulation. Medical therapies include hormone treatment. Currently the only FDA approved hormone treatment is the use of a GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) agonist preoperatively with iron. (Walker and Stewart, Science, 2005; 308; 1589-1592.) The GnRH agonist therapy is often limited to 1-3 months because of measurable bone loss which leads to osteoporosis with long term use. Further, the GnRH agonist treated myomas often return to pre-treatment size within weeks of therapy cessation. Consequently, this treatment is often used to reduce the size of the myoma and allow the woman to prepare for its eventual surgical removal. (Stewart, Lancet, 2001; 357; 293-298.)
These options have undesirable consequences for women who wish to conceive at a later time. Obviously, a hysterectomy would prohibit subsequent conception, and the other surgical options also present risks, including uterine rupture and recurrent fibroids. Medical treatment can also cause significant side effects. For example, GnRH agonists produce an environment in the body that is very similar to that of menopause, with associated side effects like hot Rashes, vaginal dryness, and, as noted above, loss of bone density. These and other problems highlight the continuing need to treat and ameliorate the gynecological disorders such as myomas in general, more specifically but not exclusively, leiomyomas, and endometriosis, and their attendant symptoms.
As further background, the following references describe indole or indoline structures and their therapeutic use.
Merce et al. in WO 2005/013976 disclose indole-6 sulfonamide derivatives of the following formula substituted as described therein:
which are stated to be useful as 5-HT-6 modulators.
Hsieh et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,933,316 disclose indole compounds of the formula below and substituted as described therein:
which are stated to exhibit anti-cancer activities and function by targeting microtubule polymerization/depolymerization.
The above references either do not described efficacious treatment of abnormal tissue growth or compounds useful as progesterone receptor ligands. Further, the described compounds exhibit one or more undesirable characteristics including low bioavailability, low progesterone binding affinity, non specific binding to hormone receptors in general, i.e., absence of progesterone receptor (PR) specific binding, and no or low efficacious treatment of tumors, in general, and more specifically no or low efficacious treatment of myomas, leiomyomas, and endometriosis. Consequently, a significant need remains for effective compounds and treatment method(s) for tumors, gynecological disorders, and related sequelae. The present invention addresses these needs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological disorders. It is commonly diagnosed after 2 or more unprovoked seizures separated by at least 1 day, and it affects approximately 50 million people worldwide. Epilepsy is a serious and potentially life threatening disease and patients with epilepsy have significantly increased morbidity, including closed head injury, fractures, burns, dental injury and soft tissue injury. Decline in or worsening of memory, cognition, depression and sexual function and other lifestyle limitations occur frequently in patients with epilepsy. Patients with epilepsy also have an increased risk of mortality compared to the general population.
Despite the fact that there are already approved pharmacologic agents to treat epilepsy, many patients are not adequately treated with currently available options. It is estimated that nearly a third of patients with epilepsy have either intractable or uncontrolled seizures or have significant adverse side effects secondary to medication limiting their ability to appropriately control their epilepsy with medication.
Ezogabine or retigabine, also known as ethyl N-[2-amino-4-[(4-fluorophenyl)methylamino]phenyl]carbamate is an anticonvulsant used as a treatment for partial epilepsies. Ezogabine works primarily as a potassium channel opener—that is, by activating KCNQ2/3 voltage-gated potassium channels in the brain. Ezogabine was approved by the FDA on Jun. 10, 2010 and is marketed as Potiga™ and Trobalt™. U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,330 and WO 01/01970 describe ezogabine and its use. The most common adverse events with ezogabine are central nervous system effects, particularly dizziness and somnolence. These side effects are typical for antiepileptic drugs. Occasional instances of urinary difficulty may require surveillance. Ezogabine is predominantly metabolized via glucuronidation. Its half-life is 8 hours.
Despite the beneficial activities of ezogabine, there is a continuing need for new compounds to treat epilepsy and other conditions ameliorated by KCNQ2/3 potassium channel opening.
Fluorine-18 compounds that bind to KCNQ2/3 voltage-gated potassium channels are also needed to non-invasively determine the functional status of the channels by positron emission tomograghy (PET). PET imaging of subjects suffering from epilepsy or other conditions ameliorated by KCNQ2/3 potassium channel opening may provide clinically important information related to diagnosis of the condition, appropriateness and dosing of treatment, as well as facilitating the clinical development of new treatments. | {
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Presently, timber is often harvested by a system of clear cutting an area of a forest. Because of its advantageous biological and economical characteristics, clear cutting will probably continue to be used as a harvesting method for the foreseeable future. However, since an area which has been clear cut is typically exposed to a great deal of light, growth of sprouts from the roots or stumps of certain types of felled trees, forming a thicket, will occur. Such thickets are usually created when root-sprouting and coppice creating broadleafs deciduous trees are felled.
Small trees in a thicket can cause a great deal of damage to conifer seedlings, since small trees in the thicket compete with the conifer seedlings for available nourishment and light. Aspen is the most troublesome thicket producing tree, due to its high rate of regeneration. Also, a fungus known as Melampsora Pinitorqua, which attacks both aspen leaves and pine seedlings, may be transmitted from small aspen trees in a thicket to pine seedlings, causing great damage to conifer plantations.
In previous year, thicket growth has been controlled by spraying herbicides from the air or by hand to kill thickets originating from felled deciduous trees. Presently, however, due to environmental concerns, spraying of herbicides from the air is no longer allowed. Also, manual spraying of herbicide tends to expose individuals to the herbicide. Therefore, it is preferable to control thicket growth in another way.
Heretofore, the only solution to this problem was to let the thicket grow and then remove it with bush saws, a method which is costly and necessitates the use of much manpower. | {
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Most electronic systems include a printed circuit board with several surface mount devices connected to the printed circuit board. As used herein, the term surface mount device includes connectors and semiconductor packages. Frequently, the surface mount devices are connected to the printed circuit board through the use of solder. Sometimes it is necessary to remove and replace a surface mount device. When removing a surface mount device, it is necessary to melt the solder and then lift the device from the printed circuit board. When replacing a surface mount device, it is, necessary to uniformly melt the solder that is used to attach the device.
Problems arise in the prior art when melting the solder associated with a surface mount device. The problem arises because existing flow control nozzles do not uniformly distribute a hot gas stream. This is a particular problem in the case of long (e.g., 4 inches) surface mount devices. As a result, the solder melts unevenly. Consequently, solder that is not completely melted will produce greater resistance when lifting the surface mount device from the printed circuit board. This can result in damage to the surface mount device and printed circuit board. Another problem is that the surface mount device may become damaged if it is exposed to excessive heat while waiting for the solder at another part of the surface mount device to melt.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved technique of melting solder associated with surface mount devices positioned on a printed circuit board. The improved technique should provide relatively uniform gas distribution to facilitate substantially uniform melting of the solder. This will allow a surface mount device to be lifted from a printed circuit board or re-soldered to a printed circuit board with minimal damage. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention concerns both a procedure for start-up spinning of a thread in a open-end spinning apparatus and an apparatus for the execution of this procedure.
In accord with a known method, the end of a thread extending from a preparatory position in a thread withdrawal tube of a open-end spinning apparatus is conducted back to a fiber collection surface of an open-end spinning apparatus (DE 27 554 A1) by a sudden reversal of auxiliary rolls. By another reversal of rotation of the auxiliary rolls, the thread, now in its starting spinning operation, is once again withdrawn form the open-end spinning apparatus. The return delivery speed and the lost time up to the initiation of thread withdrawal depend upon the inertia of the auxiliary rolls. Especially, in view of today's customary high speed of rotation of the spin elements, which are designed as spin rotors with small rotor diameters, the dwell time, during which the returned thread end can remain on the fiber collection surface (that is, in the rotor grooving) until the start of the spinning withdrawal, can be measured in very short increments. This time period cannot be controlled by the known apparatus or it can only be maintained by the exercise of considerable effort. | {
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Existing methods for analyzing user behavior in multiple domains is relatively simple. A user close or similar to a given target user is sought for in different domains, so as to position the target user and generate content to be recommended to the user.
The existing technology has the following disadvantages:
The interpretability is poor, so that a correlation between behavior characteristics in different domains cannot be established;
There is too much human intervention, it is requisite to define the means for measuring the user distance and threshold; and
The expandability is poor, a model cannot be quickly established for, and recommendation cannot be made to a new based on the modeling result. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to an information storage medium represented by a large-capacity optical disc and a digital information recording/playback system using the medium.
In particular, the present invention relates to a DVD (digital versatile disc) recording/playback system that considers real-time recording of a moving picture.
The present invention also relates to a recording/playback system which can guarantee continuous playback (or continuous recording) upon continuously playing back (or continuously recording) information using playback devices (disc drives) having various access performances.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a recording/playback system which can prevent any playback timing errors of video information and audio information recorded on the medium. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology of a mirror drive apparatus including a movable unit with a mirror provided therein and used to switch an optical path.
2. Description of the Related Art
A single-lens reflex camera (imaging apparatus) typically includes a mirror box (mirror drive apparatus) configured as what is called a quick-return mirror insertable and retractable to and from the optical path of an imaging lens. The mirror box includes a mirror unit (movable unit) that can change its position (attitude) between an inserted position in which the mirror unit is inserted to the optical path and a retracted position in which the mirror unit is retracted from the optical path.
An example of the mirror box includes a locking mechanism that works against a mirror drive spring to lock the mirror unit in the inserted position and a drive mechanism that releases the mirror unit locked by the locking mechanism so that the mirror drive spring drives the mirror unit to the retracted position (see JP-UM-B-57-16179, for example). | {
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Wireless technology is revolutionizing personal connectivity by providing freedom from wired connections. Conventional wireless connectivity protocols for handheld communication devices, such as Bluetooth®, may provide a small form-factor, low-cost radio solution which may support links between computers, mobile phones and/or other portable and handheld communication devices. Bluetooth® wireless technology is an international, open standard for allowing intelligent devices to communicate with each other through wireless, short-range communications. The Bluetooth® technology allows a Bluetooth® compliant device, such as a Bluetooth®-enabled computer, computer mouse, computer keyboard, speakers, or a handheld communication device, for example, to support its own connections, without wires, cables or any direct action from a user. Bluetooth® is currently incorporated into numerous commercial products including laptops, PDAs, cell phones, keyboards, and printers, for example.
Bluetooth® handheld communication devices, such as mobile telephones and PDAs, are evolving to become more complex as such devices may be adapted to transmit and receive audio and/or video information. However, communicating data, such as audio and video data between Bluetooth®-enabled devices via a Bluetooth® connection requires increased power consumption and may be achieved at data rates that are slower than data rates offered by high-speed connections. Furthermore, conventional wireless connectivity standards for handheld communication devices, such as the Bluetooth® standard, are effective within a limited distance range.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings. | {
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Multiple gate field effect transistors (FETs) are metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) that incorporate more than one gate into a single device. A finFET is a specific type of multiple gate FET in which the conducting channel is wrapped by a thin fin forming the body of the device. The effective channel length of the device in this case is determined by the thickness of the fin (measured from source to drain). The wrap-around structure of the gate provides improved electrical control over the channel, and thus helps mitigate leakage current and other short-channel effects. | {
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The present invention relates generally to the field of optical devices, and particularly a fiber routing tray mounted on a PCB.
In telecommunications equipment, optical modules and electronic circuits for signal monitoring, signal processing, temperature control, and motion control are typically assembled on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) module which is then inserted into a modular network system. Depending on the requirement, specific fore-mentioned components are selected and assembled on a PCB for a particular application. A fiber routing tray mounted on a same PCB is utilized to help route incoming fiber cables to each of the optical modules, optical devices, and electronic circuitry on the PCB. The assembled PCB, also known as a daughter board, is inserted into a motherboard used in a telecommunication equipment.
The purpose of a fiber routing tray is to hold excess fiber cable length, provide a strain relief, and guide fiber cables onto other optical modules and optical devices mounted on the PCB. Inside the fiber tray, a retention clamp is used to hold a fiber cable in place to provide strain relief which prevents incoming fiber cables from being pulled out of position excessively. Conventional designs use a retention bar with a flat shaped clamp. Principle shortcomings of the flat shaped clamp include uneven clamping force of the fiber cables and excessive localized clamping pressure on the topside of the buffered fiber cable, which alters the fiber performance. The flat clamp creates non-uniform clamping pressure around a fiber cable especially on the topside, which results in insertion losses and return losses. Other prior art used epoxy to hold the fiber cable in place for the purpose of a strain relief, however the epoxy did not provide adequate clamping force to hold both the inner fiber cable, and the outer fiber jacket tubing in place. Since the fiber jacket tubing and fiber cable are loosely assembled together, the inner fiber cable can move even though the external fiber jacket tubing is weakly clamped by adhesive. Addition glue adhesive is used to increase clamping effectiveness resulting in messy manufacturing assembly. Repairing or repositioning fiber cables held in place with epoxy is also difficult. Accordingly, the present invention addresses these needs by using a retention bar with a fiber clamp that is contoured to the shape of the fiber cable, to distribute uniform clamping pressure all around the fiber cable. In addition to providing a strain relief, the fiber routing tray guides and route fiber cables onto other optical modules and optical devices mounted on the PCB. The fiber routing tray also provides protection for fusion splices, which connect external fiber cables with internal fiber cables inside the fiber routing tray.
The present invention discloses a fiber routing tray with an internal spool to hold excess fiber cable length, a fiber clamping slot to seat fiber cables for clamping, a retention bar with contoured fiber clamps to provide uniform and sufficient clamping force to a fiber cable for strain relief, a precision dimensioned curve slot to allow assembly slack for connecting fiber cables via fiber connectors, and a fiber entry block to provide adequate spacing of fiber cables and proper entry angles. Advantageously, the present invention significantly improves the clamping force to the fiber cable while reducing insertion and return losses.
Other structures and methods are disclosed in the detailed description below. This summary does not purport to define the invention. The invention is defined by the claims. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to medical apparatuses, and more particularly to a medical apparatus and method for delivering inhaled liquid medication through a nebulizer with controlled efficiency achieved through breath actuation of a continuous flow nebulizer.
2. Description of Related Art
Medical nebulizers deliver an aerosol form of liquid medication that can be inhaled by a patient (i.e., a person) for various pulmonary problems. They are increasingly becoming applicable to non-pulmonary patients using the respiratory mucosa as a means for systemic delivery of medications. For additional related background information, refer to U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,109,318; 2,432,946; 3,769,973; 4,174,712; 4,259,951; 4,823,784; 5,020,530; 5,062,419; 5,165,392; 5,396,883; 5,398,673; 5,427,089; 5,813,401; 5,823,179; and 5,865,171.
In most nebulizers, liquid medication is aerosolized by using a compressed gas source of air, oxygen, or a mixture of several gases to generate a flow of medication continuously. The patient inhales and exhales through a mouthpiece attached to a nebulizer with an open or valved circuit. One problem with these methods of continuous nebulization, is wasted medication during a patient""s exhalation, or pausing to cough, talk, rest, and so forth.
Also, the wasted medication is vented to the surrounding environment which can expose other people nearby, including medical personnel, visitors, family members, and patients. Another possible problem may be contamination of the nebulizer and circuit caused by the patient exhaling back through the nebulizer circuit. The continuous flow of medication either in an open or closed circuit complicates the ability to accurately regulate dosages because of waste or excessive condensation. Finally, it has been suggested that some present and future medication""s integrity may be compromised by excessive continuous nebulizing action.
Accordingly, with these considerations taken into account, there is a need for intermittent nebulization with minimal efforts provided by a patient""s breathing cycle.
The present invention solves the problem of nebulizers which deliver medication and nebulize continuously, and it decreases contamination, by using the patient""s breathing cycle to automatically control the delivery of medication to the patient. The invention is an uncomplicated key-valve control attached to a nebulizer for medication delivery to the lungs. This key-valve control attaches distally to a typical nebulizer using a typical T-piece tubing fitted on the outlet of a nebulizer, and utilizing a typical one-way valve attached proximally between the mouthpiece and T-piece tube. The key-valve control allows the compressed gas source to be diverted to a nebuilizer only during the patient""s inhalation phase with minimal breathing efforts. This invention also allows exhalation through any simple one-way valve at the mouthpiece, and not through the nebulizer, thereby decreasing possible contamination of the nebulizer.
The structure of the preferred embodiment includes two tubes combined as one unit, one outer tube with an inner ring and one smaller inner tube with an inlet hole. The inlet hole is connected to a compressed gas source utilizing a small tubing with a Y-connector at its distal end. One end of the Y-connector attaches to the nebulizer gas inlet, and the other end to the compressed gas source using a typical oxygen tubing.
A solid internal valve-key cylinder with ribbed ends spaced on the distal portion, and a valve at the other end, slides axially within the inner tubing. By this piston action, the space between the ribs of the valve-key align with the inlet hole during inhalation in order to thereby direct the compressed source flow to the nebulizer during inhalation. Also, the ribbed space moves distally during exhalation in order to thereby allow the compressed gas source to escape through the outer tubing through vents at the proximal end of the inner tubing chamber. The valve-key is held in place by a post inserted through the outer tubing at a proper distance to allow correct movement. A spring mechanism on the post pushes the valve-key back to its exhaled resting position. This internal valve-key should be fitted within the inner tubing as tightly to the least amount of tolerance for the patient to easily initiate the required piston action of the invention. This can be accomplished using current medically approved plastic polymers.
This invention thereby allows nebulization by a currently used nebulizers only when the patient is inhaling the aerosolized medication, and it prevents exhalation back through the nebulizer. This, therefore, prevents waste, reduces contamination of the nebulizer, minimizes medication exposure to others, and allows more accurate dosing of medication.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a typical prior art apparatus to which the invention is attached;
FIG. 2 is a cross section side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention along the axis of the distal end of the T-piece shown in the condition when the patient inhales;
FIG. 3 is a cross section side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention along the axis of the distal end of the T-piece shown in the condition when the patient exhales;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view cut away drawing of the preferred embodiment of the main cylindrical body of the invention;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of the preferred embodiment of the valve-key part that slides axially fitted within the inner portion of the small inside tube;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of the preferred embodiment of the blocking post and spring that is inserted into the main cylindrical body of the invention;
FIG. 7 is a side view drawing showing the preferred way a prior art nebulizer and the invention can be attached together;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged side view cut away drawing of an alternative embodiment using only the cylindrical inner chamber of the invention;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view cut away drawing of a second preferred embodiment of the cylindrical inner chamber and valve-key of the invention to stop compressed gas, instead of diverting the flow, by using two rib sealed chambers, an inlet hole with tubing attached to a compressed gas source, and an outlet hole with tubing connected to the nebulizer inlet; and
FIG. 10 is a side view of another alternative embodiment that is miniaturized in order to fit within a nebulizer as part of the nebulizer. | {
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A liquid crystal display is prepared by laminating a polarizing plate on at least one side (usually on each side) of a liquid crystal cell having liquid crystal sealed in between a pair of substrates. As the polarizing plate, it is common to employ one prepared by having a polyvinyl alcohol type film dyed with iodine or a dichromatic dye, stretching it for orientation in a predetermined direction to form a polarizing film, and laminating, on each side of the polarizing film, a triacetyl cellulose film having no optical isomerism and being excellent in transparency, as a protecting film. In the process for assembling a liquid crystal display or in the distribution process of a polarizing plate, a surface protection film is stuck on the surface of the polarizing plate opposite to the adhesive layer of the polarizing plate, to prevent damages or soiling. As the surface protection film, it is common to employ one having an adhesive coated on one side of e.g. a polyester film or a polypropylene film. The surface protection film is peeled off, when the liquid crystal display is to be used, or when the liquid crystal display is to be tested for evaluation of e.g. the display ability, the color, the contrast, etc.
Surface protection films having antistatic treatment applied, are reported in JP-A-2000-026817, JP-A-2000-085068, JP-A-05-331431 and JP-A-09-207259.
In JP-2001-096698, a surface protection film having an antifouling layer provided, is reported. Further, surface protection films having the antifouling properties of their surfaces improved, are reported in JP-A-6-256756 and JP-B-6-29332.
The degree of fineness of liquid crystal display has increased, and fine letters can now been displayed. Along with such progress, the density of the TFT drive elements has increased, and the wiring has become thin. It has not been a serious problem that the static electricity generated when the surface protection film is peeled from a liquid crystal display, induces a trouble of attracting dusts. However, as the degree of fineness of liquid crystal display increases, the liquid crystal display tends to receive a direct hazard by static electricity. There has been a problem such that due to static electricity, abnormal display is induced, or malfunction or an electrostatic discharge damage of the TFT drive elements, tends to be led.
Problems relating to the surface protection film are not limited to static electricity.
In a quality test of a polarizing plate, marking is made by an ink to the surface protection film bonded to the polarizing plate. The surface protection film is required to have a nature such that marking can easily be imparted by an ink and it can not easily be removed even by wiping. This is contradictory to such a requirement that the surface protection film should scarcely be soiled. The surface protection film is required to satisfy the opposing or contradictory characteristics, such as the stain proofing property and the ink fixing property at the same time.
The liquid crystal display surface having anti-glare treatment applied, is surface-roughened. When a surface protection film is stuck thereto, the film and the display surface will not adhere intimately, whereby there may sometimes be a problem that fine air bubbles interposed therebetween present a haze or turbidity. With a TFT type liquid crystal display, areas of individual display elements are very small. Accordingly, even fine air bubbles adversely affect the evaluation of visibility. And, it is necessary to carry out an inspection by peeling the surface protection film. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to harvesters utilized for removing onions and other types or crops which must be uprooted from the soil prior to harvesting.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Several rod weeder mechanisms have been suggested in the past. U.S. Pat. No. 2,355,229, issued Aug. 8, 1944, to Miller, shows the basic concept of the use of a rod weeder for harvesting crops which form below the soil surface. U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,085, issued Sept. 27, 1960, to Roberts, shows a bean vine cutter which uses the rod weeder concept. The Roberts device includes a cleaner bar disposed immediately behind the rotating rod for clearing away cut weeds. The cleaner bar of Roberts is disposed at an angle to the horizontal and Roberts does not discuss the criticality of spacing between the cleaner bar and the rotating rod. U.S. Pat. No. 3,283,830, issued Nov. 8, 1966, to Hamby, shows a rod weeder which uses a plurality of vertically disposed shanks with each shank being slidably attached to a tool bar assembly composed of two parallel, transverse square bars. The rotating rod of Hamby is attached to a plurality of shanks through the use of flangettes which are bolted to the shanks thereby requiring a great deal of effort in replacing the bearings. U.S. Pat. No. 3,340,934, issued Sept. 12, 1967, to Wycoff, shows an agricultural implement which includes a soil agitator mechanism used for loosening soil. The soil agitator operates from a rotating offset pin through an oscillating bell crank which alternatingly raises and lowers a plurality of tines. The alternating operation of the tines of Wycoff would hinder its use in harvesting crops as the pressure created by the one tine alone would tend to damage crops when attempting to loosen them from the soil. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Cobalt-alloy-based thin-film magnetic recording media have been increasingly used in the manufacturing of hard disks for read/write operations in computers. Thin-film magnetic recording media are typically prepared by sputtering a thin magnetic film, or the so-called magnetic recording layer, on a substrate, which is typically a textured aluminum or NiP substrate. A chromium- or chromium-alloy-based underlayer is typically provided which is sandwiched between the cobalt-alloy-based magnetic layer and the aluminum or NiP substrate. After the cobalt-alloy-based magnetic layer is sputtered on the chromium underlayer, a protective overcoat layer, which typically comprises a carbon overcoat, is then applied over the magnetic layer, also by sputtering.
A number of cobalt-alloy-based alloys have been developed and used as magnetic recording films for preparing the thin-film magnetic recording media. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,514 discloses a thin film magnetic recording disk containing a cobalt-nickel magnetic recording layer sputtered over a chromium underlayer. The magnetic disks prepared using the cobalt-nickel film were reported to exhibit a coercivity of 650 Oersteds (Oe), and a loop squareness ratio greater than 0.9.
Coercivity is defined as the magnetic field required to reduce the remanence magnetic flux to 0, i.e., the magnetic field required to erase a stored bit of information. A higher coercivity allows adjacent recorded bits to be placed more closed together in a medium without mutual cancellation. Thus a higher coercivity is preferred for high density disks. Loop squareness is defined as the ratio of coercivity to the magnetic saturation field. As the saturation field becomes smaller, approaching the coercivity, it would take less field strength to write to the medium. This ratio is typically referred to as an overwrite ratio, i.e., the ratio of the old signal residual to the new signal. A small overwrite ratio indicates good writability, and is thus preferred.
A number of cobalt-nickel and cobalt-nickel-chromium alloys based magnetic layers have been developed. They are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,833,044, 4,816,127, and 4,735,840. In an attempt to improve the performance of cobalt-alloy-based magnetic hard disks, a four-component cobalt-alloy-based magnetic layer was develop containing 70-80 atom percent cobalt, 10-20 atom percent chromium, 3-20 atom percent platinum, and 2-10 atom percent tantalum. This magnetic recording medium, which was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,451, exhibited a coercivity of less than 2,000 Oe.
In light of the increasing need for larger capacity hard disks, it is always desirable to develop new magnetic media which would provide improved read/write properties. Preferably, the magnetic recording media would exhibit a coercivity greater than 2,000 Oe and can be used for making hard disks with a capacity of at least 2 GB. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Catheter-related bloodstream infections are caused by bacteria/fungi in patients with intravascular catheters. These infections are an important cause of illness and excess medical costs, as approximately 80,000 catheter-related bloodstream infections occur in U.S. intensive care units each year. In addition to the monetary costs, these infections are associated with anywhere from 2,400 to 20,000 deaths per year.
Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describe various ways to limit catheter-related bloodstream infections in hospital, outpatient and home care settings. The guidelines address issues such as hand hygiene, catheter site care and admixture preparation. Despite these guidelines, 15 catheter-related bloodstream infections continue to plague our healthcare system.
Impregnating catheters with various antimicrobial agents is one approach that has been implemented to prevent these infections. These catheters, however, have given less than satisfactory results. In addition, some microbes have developed resistance to the various antimicrobial agents in the system.
In another system that is commercially available in Europe, a catheter hub containing an antiseptic chamber is filled with three percent iodinated alcohol. Though it has shown to be effective, the catheter hub is expensive and does not fare as well in a formal cost-benefit analysis. Therefore, there is a need for an effective and inexpensive way to reduce the number of catheter-related infections. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to surgical tools and systems which will be controlled by a computer but which will provide feedback to the surgeon.
2. Background Description
Minimally invasive surgery generally describes a process for conducting surgical procedures such as cutting, scraping, activating, etc. inside the body of a subject without having to open an area in the subject to allow the surgeon access to a site or location. Examples of minimally invasive surgery include any endoscopic device with an actuator, i.e., an instrument which is deployed into a body canal, organ, etc., which enables, for example, visual observation on a display of the area around the endoscopic device (some tools do not utilize visual imaging) and which allows selective control of an actuatable device extending from the endoscopic tool. For example, balloon catheters are used in heart surgery under the control of the surgeon that views the position of the catheter inside an artery on a display. The surgeon can selectively actuate a balloon inside the artery at a desired location. A variety of other actions can also be taken such as deployment of a stent, administration of pharmaceuticals at a desired location, etc.
One of the requirements for minimally invasive surgery is that the instruments that are deployed be quite small. Mechanical cutting tools have been miniaturized for these types of surgeries, but suffer from a necessary bulk required for mechanical linkages and other actuation mechanisms. Piezoelectric materials, shape memory alloys, and ionic polymer actuators have also been employed. For example, piezoelectric ultrasonic generators have been used in endodontics, periodontology, bone osteomy, and maxillofacial surgery. Piezoelectric bimorphs have also been used to function as grippers and sensors in robotic surgical devices. Thin film piezoelectric patches have been used on angioplasty balloons for measuring the thickness of arterial plaque. Smart memory alloys such as Nitinol have been used in self-expanding heart stents and in implantable heart valves. Shape memory alloys are also being developed for applications as replacement tissues and filters. Ionic polymer actuators have been suggested for use in fixation devices and in surgical stapling applications.
While there have been many advances allowing for the use of computer controlled actuators, surgery still requires the sound judgment of a skilled surgeon. For example, he or she will need the ability to make fine and precise cuts without damaging other tissues, organs, nerves, etc. in the regions where the cuts are made. A distinct impediment to the advancement of minimally invasive surgery is the ability to provide the surgeon with feedback that allows the surgeon to know exactly what is going on at the surgical site. | {
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The present invention relates to clothes drying, dewrinkling and ironing systems, and more specifically to clothes drying, dewrinkling and ironing cabinets intended mainly for domestic use, as well as to devices relating to conventional ironing.
It is a proven fact that one of the most disagreeable household chores is the process that initiates when clean clothes (garments, sheets, etc.) are taken out of the washing machine and finishes when they are stowed away in the respective wardrobe duly ironed. This process includes such operations as hanging out the washing taken out of the washing machine, bringing it in when dry, organizing the ironing thereof, etc.
There have been many attempts to expedite and simplify this process, but no household domestic appliance has been developed to date offering a complete and final solution.
EP1146162 discloses a cabinet for clothes drying and dewrinkling, as well as a method for carrying out said drying and dewrinkling. Said invention facilitates the task of ironing to a considerable extent, as the level of dewrinkling that is achieved is such that subsequent use of the iron is only necessary for a small number of garments and for only very localized parts thereof.
The fact however that it is still necessary to resort to conventional ironing (even though it is only for a few garments) means that the user cannot dispense with the ironing board and cannot avoid the problems stemming from the need to use the iron (take the ironing board out of the place where it is stored, set it up in a suitable place, take it down and stow it away again after use, etc.).
There are a wide variety of ironing board units. U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,681 describes a folding ironing board that is kept in a purpose built cabinet for its storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,860 discloses an ironing board unit that can be mounted on a door. The invention includes an upright member with a hook that is hung from the frame of the chosen door, a transverse member fixed to said upright member, an ironing board hingedly attached to said transverse member, and a leg hingedly attached to said ironing board.
The main object of the invention is to provide a household appliance that offers a complete, global and integrated solution to the domestic chore that commences when clean clothes are taken out of the washing machine and concludes when they are duly ironed and stowed away.
Said household appliance is a clothes drying, dewrinkling and ironing cabinet that comprises a main enclosure for housing clothes, with access to said main enclosure by way of a door, means for drying and dewrinkling said clothes in said enclosure, and an ironing board unit. This ironing board unit is a folding one and is mounted on the inside face of the cabinet door.
In this way, once the cabinet drying and dewrinkling program is concluded, the user has the possibility of opening said cabinet, setting up the ironing board unit housed on the inside face of the cabinet door and ironing those garments that are considered to need pressing.
This means that the user of this invention:
Versus the user of an ironing board with a collapsible underframe, has the advantage of not having to take the ironing board unit out of the place where it is stored and set it up in a suitable place, nor of having to take it back to its place again once ironing is completed.
Versus the user of a fold-down ironing board in respect of a fixed support, has the advantage of not having to take the clothes from the drying and dewrinkling cabinet to the place where the folding board unit is located.
Furthermore, since the invention makes it possible for the ironing board not to have to be kept somewhere else in the house (it is inside the drying and dewrinkling cabinet), it also affords a saving in time and effort as well as saving space.
Apart from the ironing board unit, the rest of the equipment needed for ironing, such as the actual iron itself, will also be kept in the drying and dewrinkling cabinet.
Another object of the invention is to provide the cabinet covered by the invention with an ironing board unit that comprises a board that is automatically placed in a predetermined height when the user folds it down.
The ironing board unit of the invention comprises:
a board;
a support movably connected to the inside of the door, one end of said board being hingedly connected to said support;
a leg hingedly connected to the under side of said board; and
pushing means for displacing said support upwards while said board is being folded down.
The pushing means make force upwards against the support. When the board is folded away, said force is balanced by way of the weight of the support and the board. When the user begins to fold the board down, the gravity center of the board is displaced from the end that is hingedly connected to the support towards the opposite end. So, as the force of the pushing means becomes bigger than the weight that the pushing means are bearing, said pushing means displace the support upwards. Thus, the end of the board that is hingedly connected to the support (and the support itself) is higher when the board is folded down than when the board is folded up. When the board is folded away by the user, the weight of said board overcomes the force of the pushing means and said board is placed back in its original position.
Considering that 0.90 m is a standard height for the board when it is in its working position and that a standard length for an ironing board is 1.20 m, if there was not an upwards displacement while folding the board down, the door of the cabinet should be higher than 2.10 m in order to store the board when folded away. With the ironing board unit of the invention, the door of the cabinet and the cabinet itself do not have to be so high, and said ironing board unit can be adapted to cabinets of different height.
The ironing board unit of the invention further comprises fixing means for fixing the support in a predetermined height while the user is folding the board down. In this way, said fixing means will make said support stop in said predetermined height when said board is being folded down. Said predetermined height may be previously adjustable by the user. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates to a door latch for an electrical equipment enclosure generally, and more particularly to a door latch which can prevent the door of an electrical equipment enclosure from being forced open during a short circuit over current condition without requiring bolts within the latch, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional electrical distribution and control systems, electrical switching devices are often enclosed in a housing having an openable cover or door. Conventional electrical equipment enclosures such as those containing, for example, a motor starter, electric switch, or circuit breaker require durable latches to prevent the enclosure door from blowing open under the arc gas pressure generated upon occurrence of a short-circuit overcurrent condition within any of the enclosed electric equipment.
In FIG. 1, a conventional switch device enclosure 100 is having a switching device (not shown), such as a circuit breaker or switch installed therein. A hinged cover or door 104 is openable via at least one hinge 133 to provide access to the interior of enclosure 100. When closed, the door 104 prevents direct operative access to the enclosed switch (not shown). An operating handle 102 mounted external to the enclosure 100 and movable in the directions indicated by arrow 119 is configured to drive a mechanism (not shown), which in turn acts to toggle the switch (not shown) from a power ON position to a power OFF position. Labels having text such as “ON” and “OFF”, are positioned on enclosure 100 to correspond to operating handle 102 positions that likewise correspond to, and thus indicate, the state of the enclosed switch (not shown). The door 104 is retained in a closed position by at least one releasable door-latching mechanism 128 (FIG. 2A) having a releasable pawl or latch member 108 (FIG. 2A) comprising a tab 118 extending therefrom.
Referring to FIG. 2A, a cut-away side view of the interior of the enclosure of FIG. 1 is shown in the vicinity of the latch mechanism 128. A conventional latch member 108 is rotatably mounted to enclosure 100 by a rivet or pin 138 which provides an axis of rotation A1 for latch 108. A center line CL1 through the center axis of rotation pin 138 and generally orthogonal to the surface of door 104 is shown in FIG. 2A for reference. Latch member 108 comprises a tab 118 having a latching surface 119 configured to latchably cooperate with a latching portion 134 the outer surface of door 104. When enclosure door 104 is closed, an aperture or slot 114 disposed in the door 104 is configured to allow tab 118 to protrude through to the exterior of enclosure 100. To secure the door 104 in a closed position, a bias spring 120 is anchored between latch member 108 and enclosure 100 and disposed to apply a bias force F1 in a first latching direction D1 to maintain at least a portion of latching surface 119 proximal to a latching portion 134 of the outer surface of door 104. Generally, a small air gap 137 is provided between latching surface 119 and latching portion 134. The latching portion 134 of the outer surface of door 104 is conventionally disposed, with respect to the centerline CL1 of the axis of rotation A1, in first latching direction D1. In this way, the latching surface 119 of tab 118 interferes with the surface of door 104 to prevent inadvertant opening of door 104.
To allow the door 104 to open, the latch member 108 is unlatched by manually applying a force F2 to latch member 108 in a second de-latching direction D2 generally opposite to the first latching direction D1, sufficient to cause latch member 108 to rotate in a second de-latching direction D2 around the axis of rotation A1 and allow tab 118 to pass through slot 114.
Latch member 108 is provided with an aperture 112 configured to receive a locking member (not shown) such as the hasp of a lock (not shown) for locking the cover 104 closed.
As shown in FIG. 2B, in the event of a high-pressure condition in enclosure 100, for example, if the switching device (not shown) in the enclosure 100 experiences a short circuit fault, a relatively high instantaneous pressure is generated inside the enclosure 100. Under such a high internal pressure, a resultant expansive force vector Fe is applied generally orthogonal to the enclosure door 104 which causes the door 104 to deflect or move in an outward direction. The door 104, at latching portion 134, in turn contacts the latching surface 119 of tab 118, thus applying the expansive force vector Fe to tab 118. The latching surface 119 of tab 118 is conventionally configured to create a moment arm of length R1 in the first latching direction D1, between the centerline CL1 of the axis of rotation A1 and the latching surface 119 of tab 118. It will be appreciated that, in the event of a high expansive force Fe applied to the latching surface 119 in a direction generally orthogonal to the interior of enclosure door 104, a rotational force, or torque, TR1, is developed in a second de-latching direction D2, is applied to latch member 108 having a magnitude that is the product of the expansive force Fe and moment arm R1, such that TR1=Fe×R1. The rotational force TR1 biases the latch 108 in the second de-latching direction D2, and, if of sufficient magnitude, for example greater than the force applied by bias spring 120, results in the rotation of latch 108.
As shown in FIG. 2C, and as discussed above, in the event of a high-pressure condition in enclosure 100, the conventional latch 108 may unlatch or move out of position, and allow the door 104 to open, thus releasing hot gasses and debris. | {
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Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) is a next-generation communication network for carriers from the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) that uses the IP protocol as its foundation. As is known, 3GPP is a cooperation of international standards bodies for the promotion of cellular systems that support high-speed data, known as “3rd-Generation” (3G) systems. The IMS supports data, video, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based voice over IP (VoIP) and non-SIP packetized voice, such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) H.323 standard and the Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP). IMS was also designed to integrate with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and provide traditional telephony services.
The IMS was conceived to offer support for a wide variety of types of communication sessions whether over wireless or wireline, including instant messaging (IM), push-to-talk, videoconferencing and video-on-demand (VOD). The IMS thus blends services for converged wireline and wireless networks. The IMS architecture separates the service layer from the session and access layers. The defining of clear application programming interfaces (APIs) between the different layers makes service creation easier for third parties and easily deployable by service providers.
Due at least to the fact that an IMS session is capable of supporting a wide variety of communication protocols and platforms, a need exists for providing flexibility to users in terms of migration between communication devices employed during an IMS session. | {
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The present invention relates to medication adherence and automated drug administration systems in general, and more particularly, systems and methods to provide improved automated drug administration systems that also promote medication adherence.
The issue of medication adherence is a well-known problem in the field of health care. Positive patient outcomes from treatment require that therapies are delivered or performed as prescribed. However in the course of medical treatment, patients may be prescribed medication, treatments, or other therapeutic regimens which are administered on an outpatient basis, where the patient may not be directly observable by a health care practitioner. Although often, when a medical procedure, treatment, or therapy is performed on an outpatient basis, the procedure or treatment may be self-administered by the patient, not all patients are competent or reliable, and here medication compliance is an issue.
Although in some cases, family, friends, or designated caregivers may assist in delivery of outpatient medical care, in many situations obtaining the reliable assistance of a capable, willing, and responsible human caregiver may be problematic or prohibitively expensive. Thus in many situations such as home, outpatient clinic, nursing home, or other outpatient situations, there is a need to independently verify that the patient has followed the therapeutic regimen as prescribed. The need to independently verify patient compliance with a prescribed therapeutic regimen is often described in the art as “medication adherence” or “medical adherence”. Various prior art drug administration systems have been proposed which use a variety of technologies and methods to promote and verify patient medication adherence.
Techniques used by some prior art systems to dispense medicine may include ejecting containers containing a single dose of medication. These prior art medical dispensing containers are frequently configured to permit dispensing of only a single medication, or multiple medications, in a sequential manner. | {
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This invention relates to the production of titanium diboride and is directed to an improved highly reactive, non-pyrophoric, sub-micron amorphous and/or crystalline titanium diboride powder, and coatings, layers, components, and monolithic shapes made therefrom.
A variety of methods have been developed for producing metal boride powders such as titanium diboride, as follows:
1. Direct combination of the metal with boron or a metal hydride and boron.
2. Hydrogen reaction of a boron halide with a metal source such as an oxide.
3. Electrolysis of a melt consisting of a metal oxide, boron oxide, and an alkali flux.
4. Reduction of a metal oxide with boron (borothermic) or co-reduction with oxide by carbon (carbothermic).
5. Reduction of oxides by metals.
6. Arc-plasma reaction from vapor reactants.
Methods 1-3 are used mainly in laboratory experimentation. Method 4 has been employed commercially but the borothermic method requires large amounts of boron over what the final product contains and is thus too wasteful for high production levels. The carbothermic method, however, is the one generally used to commercially produce titanium diboride. In this method, the raw materials are heated to a temperature in the range of 1800.degree.-2000.degree. C. until titanium diboride is formed. The powdered titanium diboride ultimately recovered requires forming temperatures in about this same range. Method 5 has been attempted but found to produce contaminants of other borides as well as borates and titanates, and has not been considered a commercially viable method. Method 6 produces pyrophoric titanium diboride from expensive reagents.
The principle disadvantages of the above methods are, for 1, expensive raw materials and the likelihood of formation of potentially explosive boranes; for 2-4, expensive raw materials and reaction vessels; for 5, production of contaminant borides, borates and titanates; and for 6, expensive raw materials, reaction vessels and formation of pyrophoric titanium diboride.
The carbothermic method, method 4, is currently being used commercially to produce relatively large grained, crystalline titanium diboride. High temperatures (1800.degree.-2000.degree. C.) are required in the processing; and in order to obtain the product in sub-micron size, final grinding, a source of contamination, is also required. The resultant powdered, sub-micron titanium diboride is crystalline (hexagonal), low in surface area (6 m.sup.2 /gm BET), and is difficult to sinter and form into dense shapes. The powder must be vacuum sintered at 2200.degree. C. or hot pressed under high pressure at 1800.degree.-2200.degree. C. Even at carefully controlled processing conditions, micro-stresses are caused by grain growth and thermal expansion of individual crystallites by different amounts in the a and c directions.
Another titanium diboride material disclosed by Byrnestad, U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,021, is an ultra-fine material with a particle size of less than 1/10 of a micron. However, this material has a relatively small surface area and is highly pyrophoric. Other disadvantages of the Byrnestad material include the need for relatively high temperature and pressure in forming dense shapes by hot pressing or sintering. Additionally, the dense shape formed from the Brynestad material has a relatively large grain size, a relatively low modulus of rupture and a relatively low elastic modulus.
A Japanese titanium diboride, Japanese Pat. No. 089363, is a non-pyrophoric material having a grain size of less than 2.5 microns; however, the Japanese material is produced by using an excess of MgO in the raw materials to control the violent reaction. The resulting MgO/TiB.sub.2 powder is purified by using chloride based leach solutions which can result in a chlorine-contaminated final product. Additionally, the raw materials must be ball milled together prior to reaction, a process which along with adding impurities from the milling process adds extra time and expense. The resultant TiB.sub.2 must be ultra-centrifuged to remove the supernatant liquid, another processing step adding to the cost. A further disadvantage of the Japanese product is the need to form the product in an inert atmosphere (argon), thus also adding expense. | {
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Cisplatin is an inorganic platinum agent (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum or cis-DDP) with anti-neoplastic activity, which forms highly reactive, charged, platinum complexes which bind to nucleophilic groups such as GC-rich sites in DNA, inducing intrastrand and interstrand DNA cross-links, as well as DNA-protein cross-links. These cross-links result in apoptosis and cell growth inhibition.
Formation of any platinated coordination complex with DNA is not sufficient for cytotoxic (that is, cell-killing) activity. The corresponding trans isomer of cisplatin (namely, trans-DDP) also forms a coordination complex with DNA but unlike cisplatin, trans-DDP is not an effective chemotherapeutic agent.
Cisplatin has been shown effective against lung cancer, testicular cancers, ovarian carcinomas, various head and neck cancers, and patients with lymphomas. However, better drugs are always desired that have greater potency and less toxicity. Moreover, there are certain types of cancer against which cisplatin is not effective.
Previously, health care workers have used cisplatin in combination therapies to treat cancer. However, despite the hope that the drugs will work together, producing a synergistic, or at least an additive effect, to cure the cancer has proved elusive. Moreover, not only has combination therapy with cisplatin failed to show additive effects, there often have been other deleterious side effects caused by the combination therapy. Even if the side effects present in combination therapy are minimized, the costs often times prove to be prohibitive.
Some combination therapies have proved to be somewhat effective against certain types of cancers. An example that has been used is the combination of cisplatin with 5-fluorouracil to treat terminally ill colon carcinoma patients. In one study, the tumors in three of nine patients decreased in size by more than 50% for varying lengths of time. However, cisplatin alone showed no effect on colon cancers in phase I clinical trials.
Resistance to platinum drugs, perhaps the most serious drawback, is multifactorial in nature, which complicates the design of compounds able to circumvent the underlying resistance mechanisms. While certain tumors tend to acquire resistance after treatment with platinum, other forms of the disease are inherently chemoresistant. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), for instance, a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, is notoriously insensitive to treatment with classical cytotoxic agents, including the first generation of platinum-based drugs. Despite the poor clinical prognosis of the disease, dual-agent regimens containing cisplatin (or less toxic carboplatin) in combination with a non-platinum agent are currently the only treatment options for patients with advanced NSCLC. This sobering fact demonstrates the urgent need for novel chemotypes to combat this aggressive form of cancer.
Cellular Uptake of Cisplatin
Cisplatin generally is administered to cancer patients intravenously as a sterile sodium chloride saline solution. Once cisplatin is in the bloodstream, it is believed that cisplatin remains intact due the relatively high concentration of chloride ions (˜100 mM). The neutral compound is thought to enter the cell either by passive diffusion or active uptake. Inside the cell, the neutral cisplatin molecule undergoes hydrolysis, in which a chlorine ligand is replaced by a molecule of water, generating a positively charged species. Hydrolysis occurs inside the cell because the concentration of chloride ion is much lower, in the range of ˜3-20 mM.
The following reactions are the postulated mechanism for the process that occurs in the cell:[PtII(NH3)2Cl2]+H2O->[PtII(NH3)2Cl(H2O)]++Cl−[PtII(NH3)2Cl(H2O)]++H2O->[PtII(NH3)2(H2O)2]2++Cl−
Cisplatin is thought to coordinate with DNA mainly through the N7 nitrogen on purine bases. Generally; these nitrogen atoms (specifically, the N7 atoms of purines) are free to coordinate to cisplatin because they do not form hydrogen bonds with any other DNA bases.
Many types of cisplatin-DNA coordination complexes, or adducts, can be formed. The most important of these appear to be the ones in which the two chlorine ligands of cisplatin are replaced by purine nitrogen atoms on adjacent bases on the same strand of DNA; these complexes are referred to as 1,2-intrastrand adducts. The purine bases most commonly involved in these adducts are guanines; however, adducts involving one guanine and one adenine are also believed to occur. Generally, the formation of these adducts causes the purines to become destacked and the DNA helix to become kinked.
It is postulated that binding affects both replication and transcription of DNA, as well as mechanisms of DNA repair. The effects of both cisplatin and trans platinum on DNA replication have been studied both in vitro (using cell extracts outside the host organism) and in vivo (inside the host organism). The mechanism is believed to invoke 1,2-intrastrand adducts between cisplatin and DNA, which stops all polymerases from processing (e.g., replicating and transcribing) DNA.
In order to overcome the problem of tumor resistance to known platinum compounds, other platinum compounds need to be developed that damage DNA radically differently than the classical cross-linkers. Novel types of cytotoxic lesions may evade the cellular DNA repair machinery and/or trigger cancer cell death by alternate mechanisms at the genomic level.
Unlike the clinical cross-linking agents, it would be desirable to develop compounds that damage DNA by a dual mechanism involving monofunctional platinum binding to guanine or adenine, and intercalation of certain moieties on compounds into the base pair step adjacent to the site of platination. Accordingly, it would also be desirable to develop compounds that do not mimic the action of cisplatin.
It would be desirable to develop compounds that show a strong cytotoxic effect in a broad range of solid tumors in vitro similar, or superior, to that of the presently available clinical drugs. It would be desirable to develop compounds that prove effective against NSCLC cell lines of different genetic backgrounds. Modifications can be made to the linker geometry, the spectator ligands on the metal center, and/or intercalating portions of the molecule.
The present invention discloses the groundbreaking discovery of alternative platinum based compounds that have a dramatic effect on the treatment of various types of cancer by employing unique biocoordination chemistry leading to heretofore unseen biological activity. Moreover, the newly designed compounds of the present invention are the first examples of hybrid agents that are able to slow progression of an inherently resistant form of cancer in vivo. | {
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As digital electronic processing systems trend toward higher operating frequencies and smaller device geometries, power management has become increasingly important to prevent thermal overload while maintaining system performance and prolonging battery life in portable systems.
The two principal sources of power dissipation in digital logic circuits are static power dissipation and dynamic power dissipation. Static power dissipation is dependent on temperature, device technology and processing variables, and is composed primarily of leakage currents. Dynamic power dissipation is the predominant loss factor in digital circuitry and is proportional to the operating clock frequency, the square of the operating voltage and the capacitive load. Capacitive load is highly dependent on device technology and processing variables, so most approaches to dynamic power management focus on frequency and voltage control.
One conventional approach to power management halts the processing system to adjust core clock frequencies and voltages, during which time the processor does not execute operating system code or application code, and then restarts the system after the new frequencies and voltages have stabilized. Such an approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,754,837, as illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 illustrates a processor or processing system 1 contains a programmable voltage ID (VID) register 3, a clock frequency control register 4 and a count register 5. When the processor determines that a change in the voltage and/or frequency is desired, the desired voltage and frequency control information is loaded into the VID register and the clock frequency control register, respectively. Access to those registers triggers a stop request 9 to the CPU core logic 11. In response to the stop request, the CPU completes the current instruction and issues a stop grant signal 13 to indicate to a power controller 7 that processing has stopped. The stop grant state is maintained, for a time determined by a value in the count register, while the voltage and/or frequency are changed and stabilized. In addition to the processing time lost during the stop grant state, this approach may also result in large transient power surges when the processor restarts.
Another conventional approach to power management, described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,788,156, changes the clock frequency of a processor while the processor is operating, but requires the frequency changes to be made in small increments to avoid processing errors that large frequency steps would cause. As a result, this approach may require a significant time period to achieve a desired operating frequency.
Yet another conventional approach to power management, described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,778,418, employs a fixed relationship between voltage and frequency, either through a lookup table or by use of a frequency to voltage converter. In this approach, a frequency increase is always preceded by a voltage increase and a frequency decrease always precedes a voltage decrease. In addition, a frequency increase is delayed while the voltage is ramped up to a corresponding voltage. The new frequency and voltage are not scaled independently, and the new operating point may not be optimum with respect to an application's processing demand. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Data processing systems and networks often require data that satisfies certain constraints. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to a 4-head sequential switch scanning type magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing video signals.
Remarkable progress has been made in recent years in reduction of the size of magnetic recording/reproducing apparatuses for recording and reproducing video signals (hereinafter referred to as "VTRs") and compact, light-weight and portable VTRs with a built-in video camera have been developed in the standards using a 1/2 in.-wide magnetic tape.
VTRs of this type are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 20403/1970. In accordance with this prior art reference, a magnetic tape is wound helically around about 3/4 of the periphery of a cylinder to which four heads are mounted with spacings of 90.degree. between them and the number of revolution of the cylinder is set to be 3/2 times that of an ordinary 2-head type VTR so that the tape is sequentially scanned by each head to record or reproduce video signals. This recording/reproducing system is referred to as a "4-head sequential switch scanning system", and provides the advantage that the cylinder diameter can be reduced to 2/3 of the ordinary 2-head type VTRs and the system can be made compact.
Therefore, the system is extremely suitable for VTRs with a built-in video camera which are carried around outdoors for recording and reproduction.
Incidentally, when recording or reproduction of the tape is made by the heads, the tape travels while generally being oscillated. This vibration results from vibration of the outer peripheral surface of the rotary cylinder, the projecting quantity of the heads from the rotary cylinder and the shapes of the projecting portions, the fitting positions of the heads to the rotary cylinder, imbalance of the inertial mass of the rotary cylinder at the rotating position, distortion of the rotary axis of the rotary cylinder, and so forth. In addition, non uniform rotation of the rotary cylinder occurs due to the ripple of a motor. If video signals are recorded on the tape which travels while being oscillated as described above by the heads which are mounted to the rotary cylinder having by itself non-uniform rotation, the signals thus recorded have come to possess a time base strain having the number of revolution of the rotary cylinder as the fundamental frequency.
FIG. 10 is a waveform diagram showing the time base strain in the recording and reproducing modes when the recording head and the reproducing head are the same for each track as will be described elsewhere. In this diagram solid line a represents the relationship between a scanning time t and the time base strain .delta. of the signal recorded on the tape. Signals having such a time base strain are scanned and recorded on the tape by each head.
The time base strain resulting from the revolution of the cylinder is in synchronism with the phase of revolution of the cylinder. Therefore, it has substantially the same amplitude and phase characteristics in the recording and reproducing modes. When each track is scanned and reproduced by the same head as in the recording mode, the time base strain occurs in substantially the same way as in the recording mode as represented by dash line b in the diagram so that the time base strain in the recording mode is offset and the time base strain of the reproduced video signal falls to a very low level.
An azimuth recording system has been employed for ordinary 2-head type VTRs and each head is subject to a servo-mechanism in such a manner as to reproduce and travel the track which is in conformity with its azimuth angle. For this reason, the head used in the recording mode for each track is the same as the head in the reproducing mode and the level of the time base strain of the reproduced video signal is very low. In other words, the time base strain can be eliminated sufficiently by signal processing.
In the 4-head sequential switch scanning type VTRs, however, the azimuth angles of the two heads which are adjacent to each other with the 90.degree. spacing between them are different, but the azimuth angles of the two heads facing each other with the 180.degree. spacing between them are equal to each other. Therefore, every other track formed on the tape is formed sequentially by the head having the same azimuth angle.
Accordingly, since conventional VTRs employ a servo-mechanism so that each head reproduces and scans the track which is in conformity with the azimuth angle of the head, the track on the tape is sometimes reproduced and scanned by a different head which faces the head used for recording at 180.degree. but has the same azimuth angle. In such a case, the phase of rotation of the rotary cylinder in the reproducing mode comes to be inversed by 180.degree. with respect to the phase in the recording mode As shown in FIG. 11 which is a characteristic diagram showing the time base strain when the recording head and the reproducing head are different for each track as will be described elsewhere, the time base strain in the recording mode due to the rotation of the rotary head has a phase represented by dash line b which is different by 180.degree. from the phase of the time base strain in the recording mode represented by solid line a. The time base strain of the reproduced video signal corresponds to the difference between these time base strains a and b and hence becomes an extremely high level.
It is very difficult to sufficiently eliminate the time base strain of the reproduced video signal occurring in the manner described above by signal processing, so that jitter and color non-uniformity develop on the reproduced picture and quality of the reproduced picture is extremely deteriorated.
FIG. 12 shows an example of measured jitter frequency distribution of reproduced video signals. Solid line in the drawing represents the case where the head for scanning each track is the same in both recording and reproducing modes and dash line represents the case where the head is different. It can be understood from t he diagram that deterioration of the number of revolution of the rotary cylinder and its higher harmonic components is remarkable when the head is different in the recording and reproducing modes. | {
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Inflammatory skin disorders acne, rosacea, and psoriasis afflict many millions of people. While not usually lethal, these conditions can cause physical discomfort and affect emotional well-being. There are currently a large number of different treatments for inflammatory skin disorders including corticosteroids, vitamin D analogs, coal tar, ultraviolet light, retinoids, methotrexate, cyclosporine, hydroxyurea, antibiotics, and biologic agents such as TNFalpha inhibitors. While these therapies have proven useful for many patients, many cause undesirable side-effects and none are ideal for every situation. | {
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One major common problem faced by cellular and landline service providers is market competition. In today's climate of competitive markets, cellular service providers have found that one way for them to grow market share and defend their businesses is to be proactive and form alliances, and to partner with landline service providers. In addition, cellular service providers seek to differentiate their service offerings, and to capture the largest portion of market revenue by meeting an ever increasing demand for access to a wide range of media forms such as MP3 encoded audio, still and video imaging, data, instant messaging, and email. In a similar manner, the landline service providers have found that to grow market share and ward off competition, they too must be proactive and form alliances, and to partner with cellular service providers. Support for broad economical access to these converging forms of communication is needed to enable unfettered market growth, and to support the development and use of new handheld devices needed to provide increasing levels of mobile multimedia communication functionality.
Although the formation of alliances and partnerships between cellular service providers and landline service providers may help to ward off competition, such alliances and partnerships are faced with other problems. For example, the erection of cellular infrastructure such as cellular towers may be an expensive venture since this may require acquisition of real estate, whether in the form of outright purchases or through leasing. Cellular infrastructure also requires the establishment of one or more expensive backbone links to handle core network traffic. Another cellular-related problem is that the cellular signals do not penetrate and propagate in buildings such as homes and offices very well. This is especially true with the frequencies that are typically utilized in the United States, which may vary between 800 MHz and 1900 MHz or 1.9 GHz.
The use of digital media is growing at an extremely rapid pace. Most consumers today have a variety of devices that gather, store, process, generate, communicate, play back, and/or display information electronically, in a digital form. Examples of such devices include digital still and video cameras, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop and desktop personal computer (PC) systems, video cassette recorders (VCRs), personal video recorders (PVRs), document and photo scanners, digital and high definition television sets, stereo audio equipment, and cellular phones, to name only a few. Many times, this multimedia information is of interest to others, and the consumer has a desire to share the information with friends, family, and business associates. In some situations, the exchange may be accomplished by attaching copies of the information to electronic mail sent to those with whom the information is to be shared. In other situations, physical media containing a copy of the information may be sent by regular mail or express carriers, or delivered personally. The act of electronically sharing copies of multimedia information can be confusing even when the individual with whom the information is to be shared is physically with the individual doing the sharing.
Although technically savvy individuals may make such information available via, for example, an Internet web page, most consumers have no means of sharing electronic information in a convenient manner, while still maintaining control over who has access. The individual having a use for the information may not be aware that it is available. Most acts of sharing electronic forms of information subject to change, requires repeated, active involvement in providing updated copies. For example, information such as a personal calendar, address book, or telephone directory, may be of use to business associates or family members. Making certain that others that may make use of the information have the most recent copies currently requires active effort to effect the updates. Access to information on devices such as those listed above typically involves cabling the device that is the source of the information to the device that is to receive the information, and the use of software for transferring the information. The physical connection of cables between pieces of equipment, and the configuration and use of software for such a transfer is an intimidating activity for many users. This limits the exchange of such digital information to those having familiarity with the processes involved in sharing.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings. | {
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Mobile data traffic is projected to grow at a phenomenal rate in the years to come. To cope with such growth, cellular network operators and equipment vendors are exploring various technologies to significantly improve network capacity. Utilization of more radio spectrum, heterogeneous network (HetNet) deployment, cell site densification, and coordinated multiple-point (CoMP) transmission and reception are among the ones that are currently being explored.
Interference mitigation receiver is also a focus area. It can improve the network capacity of existing deployments. It can also maximize the benefit of HetNet and CoMP. A post-decoding successive interference cancellation (IC) receiver can achieve open-loop MIMO capacity under the condition of perfect per-layer rate control. A MIMO stream is detected and decoded first and then cancelled from the received composite signal before the next stream is detected.
The traditionally hard-decision based interference cancellation scheme has been extended to soft-decision based interference cancellation schemes. This allows cancellation to still be performed even when the previously decoded stream is not error free, e.g., when the per-layer rate control is not perfect. Soft symbol estimates can be formed based on the decoder output bit likelihood ratios (or bit log likelihood ratios). When the bit likelihood ratios are of high magnitudes, indicating strong confidence in the bit estimates, the soft symbol estimates are likely to be identical to, or in the vicinity of, the actual transmitted symbols. In such cases, interference contributed by these symbols can be very much cancelled. On the other hand, if the bit likelihood ratios are of low magnitudes, indicating weak confidence in the bit estimates, the soft symbol estimates will be in the vicinity of the origin, resulting in almost no cancellation.
Regardless of whether hard or soft decision based symbols are used in interference cancellation, forming interfering symbol estimates using the decoder outputs is an important aspect. This allows the quality of interference symbol estimates to be boosted by the coding gain. If the interfering symbols come from a MIMO stream intended for the same user equipment (UE) as seen in FIG. 1A, the UE 120 (of network 100) is informed of the interfering data stream's modulation and coding rate, so-called transport format (TF) or modulation and coding scheme (MCS). In this instance, post-decoding interference cancellation can readily be performed. In this Figure, a cell 130 is associated with the serving base station 110, and streams 1 and 2 are respectively assumed to be the desired and interfering data streams from the perspective of the UE 120.
However, in multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) scenarios, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, the interfering data stream is intended for another UE 122. In this figure, it is assumed that the UEs 120, 122 are co-scheduled UEs and data streams 1 and 2 are respectively intended for UE's 120 and 122. Thus, from the perspective of the UE 120, stream 2 is again the interfering stream. Since the interfering data stream is intended for another UE 122, the co-scheduled UE 120 does not have the knowledge of the TF or MCS used in the interfering data stream. It is therefore more difficult to cancel the interfering data stream. In LTE, the encoded bits of a physical data channel are scrambled by, or according to, an identity number associated with the intended UE. Thus, a descrambling step is needed before decoding. It is therefore more difficult to cancel the interfering data stream in the MU-MIMO case.
Severe inter-cell interference can be experienced by a UE 120 at a cell edge. Such interference can originate from different base stations as illustrated in FIG. 1C. In this Figure, it is assumed that the UE 120 is at an edge of the cell 130 being served by the base station 130 and the base station 130 is transmitting data stream 1 intended to the UE 120. It is also assumed that the base station 112 corresponding to a cell 132 is transmitting data stream 132 to its UE 122. Thus, again from the perspective of the UE 120, data stream 2 is an interfering stream. Like the case of MU-MIMO, the TF, MCS or UE ID of the interfering data stream is not known to the victim UE 120 at the cell edge.
The problem of inter-cell interference can be more pronounced in a range-expansion zone of a HetNet deployment as illustrated in FIG. 1D. In this Figure, the serving base station is the pico base station 110 associated with cell 130, which is within a cell 132 served by a macro base station 112. A range expansion zone 140, which is the striped area within the cell 130, represents a zone where the path loss to the macro base station 112 is higher than that to the closest pico base station 110 while the received power from the macro base station 112 is higher than that from the closest pico base station 110 due to large transmit power difference.
When the UE 120 is in the range-expansion zone 140, it can be beneficial to offload the traffic to the pico base station 110 as this allows the macro and other spatially isolated pico base stations to serve other UEs using the same radio resources (code, time and frequency allocation). However, the victim UE 120 in the range-expansion zone can be subject to severe interference from the macro base station 112 if one or more data streams (e.g., data stream 2) are transmitted by the macro base station 112.
For MU-MIMO and other-cell interference, it is beneficial to cancel the interfering data stream based on post-decoding symbol estimates. Such cancellation can provide dramatic throughput increases for an affected UE in many typical scenarios.
Without the knowledge of the TF, MCS or UE ID used in the interfering data stream, a victim UE has to detect this information blindly or through eavesdropping. However, the complexity of blindly detecting the coding rate is very high. Eavesdropping on the signalling channel carrying TF or MCS is also very difficult as such signalling channel is masked by the intended UE's identity, which is not known to the victim UE. The UE IDs may be inferred by using blind (hypothesis-testing) approaches, but the related complexity is again high and the detection robustness in environments with fast user turn-around may be low. Similarly, blindly inferring the UE ID from an LTE data channel is extremely difficult.
In addition to TF, MCS or UE ID, radio resource allocation parameters also need to be known. In high-speed packet access (HSPA), this includes the information about scrambling and channelization codes allocated to the interfering data stream, whereas in LTE, this includes the information about the radio resource elements (REs) allocated to the interfering data stream. Blindly detecting such radio resource allocation parameters is also extremely difficult.
In addition to blind detection complexity issues, obtaining the configuration information via eavesdropping is complicated by the fact that the downlink (DL) control channel for the other UE(s) may be received with insufficient signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR) by the victim UE, due to worse effective geometry and/or transmit power control (TPC) being applied to the control channel.
A base station can signal its current antenna configuration information to inactive UEs for facilitating channel quality indicator (CQI) estimation and has been proposed in Grant et al., US Publication 2007/0286124 A1 herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. According to Grant et al., such signaling is broadcasted. Furthermore, a special group identifier may be used to reach a group of mobile UEs. However, broadcasting antenna configuration information alone does not help much in facilitating interference cancellation at mobile UEs. | {
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The invention relates to a stimulation system, such as a spinal cord stimulation (SCS) system, having a tool for programming an electrical stimulation generator, such as an implantable pulse generator (IPG), of the system. The invention also relates to a method for developing a protocol for the stimulation system.
A spinal cord stimulator is a device used to provide electrical stimulation to the spinal cord or spinal nerve neurons for managing pain. The stimulator includes an implanted or external pulse generator and an implanted medical electrical lead having one or more electrodes at a distal location thereof. The pulse generator provides the stimulation through the electrodes via a body portion and connector of the lead. Spinal cord stimulation programming is defined as the discovery of the stimulation electrodes and parameters that provide the best possible pain relief (or paresthesia) for the patient using one or more implanted leads and its attached IPG. The programming is typically achieved by selecting individual electrodes and adjusting the stimulation parameters, such as the shape of the stimulation waveform, amplitude of current in mA (or amplitude of voltage in V), pulse width in microseconds, frequency in Hz, and anodic or cathodic stimulation.
With newer medical electrical leads having an increased number of electrodes, the electrode and parameter combination increases exponentially. This results in a healthcare professional, such as a clinician, requiring a substantial amount of time for establishing a manually created protocol for providing therapeutic spinal cord stimulation. Therefore, a manual approach for creating a protocol is not an optimal solution for the SCS system. | {
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1. Field
The present invention relates to point-to-multipoint services, in a wireline or a wireless communication system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for channel management in such a point-to-multipoint services in a communication system.
2. Background
Communication systems have been developed to allow transmission of information signals from an origination station to a physically distinct destination station. In transmitting information signal from the origination station over a communication channel, the information signal is first converted into a form suitable for efficient transmission over the communication channel. Conversion, or modulation, of the information signal involves varying a parameter of a carrier wave in accordance with the information signal in such a way that the spectrum of the resulting modulated carrier is confined within the communication channel bandwidth. At the destination station the original information signal is replicated from the modulated carrier wave received over the communication channel. Such a replication is generally achieved by using an inverse of the modulation process employed by the origination station.
Modulation also facilitates multiple-access, i.e., simultaneous transmission and/or reception, of several signals over a common communication channel. Multiple-access communication systems often include a plurality of remote subscriber terminals requiring intermittent service of relatively short duration rather than continuous access to the common communication channel. Several multiple-access techniques are known in the art, such as time division multiple-access (TDMA), frequency division multiple-access (FDMA), and amplitude modulation multiple-access (AM). Another type of a multiple-access technique is a code division multiple-access (CDMA) spread spectrum system that conforms to the “TIA/EIA/IS-95 Mobile Station-Base Station Compatibility Standard for Dual-Mode Wide-Band Spread Spectrum Cellular System,” hereinafter referred to as the IS-95 standard. The use of CDMA techniques in a multiple-access communication system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307, entitled “SPREAD SPECTRUM MULTIPLE-ACCESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM USING SATELLITE OR TERRESTRIAL REPEATERS,” and U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,459, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING WAVEFORMS IN A CDMA CELLULAR TELEPHONE SYSTEM,” both assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
A multiple-access communication system may be a wireless or wire-line and may carry voice and/or data. An example of a communication system carrying both voice and data is a system in accordance with the IS-95 standard, which specifies transmitting voice and data over the communication channel. A method for transmitting data in code channel frames of fixed size is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,773, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE FORMATTING OF DATA FOR TRANSMISSION”, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In accordance with the IS-95 standard, the data or voice is partitioned into code channel frames that are 20 milliseconds wide with data rates as high as 14.4 Kbps. Additional examples of a communication systems carrying both voice and data comprise communication systems conforming to the “3rd Generation Partnership Project” (3GPP), embodied in a set of documents including Document Nos. 3G TS 25.211, 3G TS 25.212, 3G TS 25.213, and 3G TS 25.214 (the W-CDMA standard), or “TR45.5 Physical Layer Standard for cdma2000 Spread Spectrum Systems” (the IS-2000 standard).
In a multiple-access communication system, communications between users are conducted through one or more base stations. A first user on one subscriber station communicates to a second user on a second subscriber station by transmitting data on a reverse link to a base station. The base station receives the data and can route the data to another base station. The data is transmitted on a forward link of the same base station, or the other base station, to the second subscriber station. Likewise, the communication can be conducted between a first user on a mobile subscriber station and a second user on a landline station. A base station receives the data from the user on a reverse link, and routes the data through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to the second user.
The above described wireless communication service is an example of a point-to-point communication service. In contrast, a point-to-multipoint service is a service where information provided by a source of the information is intended for a plurality of users. The basic model of a point-to-multipoint communication system comprises a set of users on subscriber stations, a group of which receives information from one or more sources of information via a wireline or wireless network. In a point-to-multipoint service, in which the source fixedly determines the information content, e.g., news, movies, sports events and the like, the users are generally not communicating back. To save resources, in general, each user's subscriber station participating in the point-to-multipoint service (a member subscriber station) monitors a shared channel modulated by the information. Such a point-to-multipoint service is also referred to as broadcast or multicast, examples of common usage of which comprise TV broadcast, radio broadcast, and the like. Alternatively, the source of information is a user, a member of the group, which transmits information intended for the remaining members of the group. If the user wishes to talk, he presses a push to talk (PTT) button. Typically, the talking user's voice is routed from the subscriber station to the network on a dedicated reverse link channel. The network then transmits the talking user's voice over a forward link shared channel. As in case of the point-to-point communication system, such a communication system allows both landline and wireless subscriber station to access the system. Such a point-to-multipoint service is also referred to as a group service. Examples of the group service communication system use is in dispatch services, such as local police radio systems, taxicab dispatch systems, Federal Bureau of Intelligence and secret service operations, and general military communication systems.
The above-mentioned point-to-multipoint service communication systems are generally highly specialized purpose-build communication systems. With the recent, advancements in wireless cellular telephone systems there has been an interest of utilizing the existing infrastructure of the—mainly point-to-point cellular telephone systems—for point-to-multipoint services. As used herein, the term “cellular” system encompasses system operating on both cellular and personal communication system (PCS) frequencies.
As discussed, to save resources, in general, the point-to-multipoint services rely on assigning a shared forward link channel to be monitored by all the member users. In contrast, the wireless cellular telephone systems assign a dedicated forward and reverse link channels between a base station or sector whose coverage area contains users wishing to communicate. Because of the limited number of such dedicated forward and reverse link channels that can be supported by a wireless cellular telephone system, the number of members who could participate in a point-to-multipoint service provided over dedicated forward and reverse link channels is limited. Furthermore, it is required that both group services and telephone services are enabled in a wireless cellular telephone systems. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for such a channel management that enables both group services and telephone services utilizing an existing infrastructure of a wireless cellular telephone system. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments and, more particularly, to bifurcated shafts for use with surgical instruments.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrosurgical instruments (e.g., surgical forceps) are well known in the medical field, and typically include a handle, a shaft, and an end effector assembly that is operatively coupled to a distal portion of the shaft to manipulate tissue (e.g., grasp and seal tissue). Electrosurgical instruments utilize both mechanical clamping action and electrical energy to effect hemostasis by heating the tissue and blood vessels to coagulate, cauterize, seal, cut, desiccate, and/or fulgurate tissue.
As an alternative to open electrosurgical instruments for use with open surgical procedures, many modern surgeons use endoscopes and endoscopic electro surgical instruments (e.g., endoscopic forceps) for remotely accessing organs through smaller, puncture-like incisions. As a direct result thereof, patients tend to benefit from less scarring, fewer infections, shorter hospital stays, less pain, less restriction of activity, and reduced healing time. Typically, the endoscopic electrosurgical instrument is inserted into the patient through one or more various types of cannulas or access ports (typically having an opening that ranges from about five millimeters to about twelve millimeters) that has been made with a trocar.
Conventional electrosurgical instruments include a pair of jaw members that have a common pivot point (e.g., a pivot pin) disposed towards proximal ends thereof that facilitates manipulation of the jaw members between open and closed positions. In addition, the pivot point facilitates application of pressure by the jaw members to tissue grasped therebetween by preventing the opposed jaw surfaces from moving away from each other at the proximal ends of the jaw members. In this manner, when tissue is grasped between the opposing jaw members, a V-shaped configuration is defined therebetween since the distal ends of the jaw members are further away from each other than the proximal ends of the jaw members. When smaller-diametered tissue is grasped between the jaw members, the V-shaped configuration does not create any substantial problems, since the opposing jaw members are substantially parallel and relatively close to each other. However, when larger-diametered tissue is grasped between the jaw members, the opposing jaw surfaces are not substantially parallel to each other and further away from each other, thus inhibiting complete closure of the jaw members. More particularly, when larger-diametered tissue is grasped between the jaw members, the current density applied to tissue grasped therebetween during surgical treatment (e.g., fusion or ablation) tends to be substantially higher at the proximal end of the jaw members than towards the distal portion thereof, which creates uneven tissue fusion, or uneven ablation. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to collapsible bags for dispensing liquid products, and more particularly to collapsible bags having a surface that provides guiding or capillary paths for dispensing liquid products.
2. Background of the Invention
Various collapsible bags or containers are known in the prior art which are adapted to be filled with liquid contents and sealed and which allow their liquid contents to be suction withdrawn through their annular spouts or fitments. The walls of the bag are typically sheets of plastic, which are typically formed of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, or polyester. The liquid contents can be juices, milk, drink syrups or other liquids such as photoprocessing solutions, cleaning chemicals, or cocktail mixes. An example of these collapsible bags is the so-called “bag-in-box” commonly used in the soft drink industry to deliver the drink syrup to the dispensing machine. The bags are fed into filling machines which uncap them, fill them with the syrup (or other liquid), recap them and box them. The boxes structurally support the bags during storage, shipment, and as they are being emptied. The bags are emptied through a spout in the bag accessible through a hole in the box and using a pump.
A plastic dip tube or dip strip disposed in the bag and secured therein so as to pass over the spout opening or to be secured to the spout opening assists in the withdrawal of the syrup from the bag. The strip prevents the bag from collapsing on the opening and closing it, and also guides the remaining quantities of syrup in the bag to the opening as the syrup continues to be withdrawn. The strip can be attached to the spout and/or to the inside wall of the plastic bag. Alternatively, the dip tube or dip strip can be attached to the perimeter seal of the bag. Examples of dip tubes or dip strips and their collapsible bags are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,636 (Credle), U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,410 (Bond), U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,511 (Bond), U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,596 (Credle), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,421 (Overman et at.) and in WO 99/46,169 (Coca-Cola Company). (All of the patents and other 30 publications mentioned anywhere in this disclosure are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.)
In addition to the separate manufacturing step required to make the dip tube or dip strip and the attendant material required to make the dip tube or dip strip, the application to the bag of a dip tube or dip strip requires yet another separate manufacturing step. Generally, after the spout is secured to the bag, the dip tube or dip strip is disposed in the bag by attachment to the spout, the inside wall of the bag or to the perimeter seal of the bag, or a combination of the above. This adds to the manufacturing time and expense. A further disadvantage of the strips, in addition to the cost of manufacturing them, is that they may become dislodged when the bag is filled at high pressure. A still further disadvantage of the strips is that they may create a back pressure and reduce fill rates. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to testing devices, and particularly to a lens module testing device.
2. Description of Related Art
Lens modules undergo various tests to ensure that standards of quality have been met. These tests are typically carried out manually. For example, the electronic devices in which a lens module has already been installed may be manually connected to testing machines and disconnected after the completion of testing. The manual requirement of such testing procedures is time-consuming and inefficient.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a lens module testing device which can overcome the above-mentioned limitations. | {
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The present invention relates to a novel silicon-containing polymer and a novel photosensitive material containing siloxane linkages, which is useful for resist having photosensitive groups responsive to electrons, X-rays, UV light and deep UV light as are used when producing semiconductor integrated circuits, and which is also usable as an insulation film or a protective film.
The silicon-containing polymers are used in a variety of fields for the reasons that they exhibit excellent heat resistance and cold resistance, that the electric characteristics thereof are stable over a wide range of temperature, and the like. Moreover, silicon-based polymers provided with photosensitive group have been recently developed and their uses are spreading out in electronic materials.
In the electronic field, particularly in the production of semiconductors (integrated circuits), the processing of substrates at high levels of precision has become more complicated and higher precision has been required as the degree of circuit integration has become higher. Accompanying this, techniques for performing processing at a sub-micron scale on substrates at different levels have been proposed and various methods have been tried. As one of them, a two-layer resist technique using a silicon-based resist as a top layer has been proposed, and has recently received much attention. This technique will now be explained.
A resin or resist having resistance to halogen gas is spin-coated onto a bottom layer, which is subject to soft- or hard-baking. Then, a silicon-based resist is spin-coated onto the top layer. Using an exposure device, the top layer resist is exposed to light and only the top layer is developed. Then, using the patterned area of the top layer resist as a mask, the bottom layer resist is etched with O.sub.2 gas plasma. Finally, using the bottom layer resist as a mask, the substrate is etched with halogen gas.
The functions needed for the top layer resist are as follows:
(1) To be excellent in resistance to O.sub.2 plasma. PA1 (2) To be excellent in flatness. PA1 (3) To have a high glass transition temperature. PA1 (4) To have high resolution. PA1 (5) To have high sensitivity.
Silicon-containing resist materials are excellent in resistance to O.sub.2 plasma and some resist materials using them are known. As representatives thereof, a method of attaching a silyl group directly or indirectly to the benzene rings of Novolak resin or polystyrene, a method utilizing a polysilane linkage, and, in particular, recently, a method utilizing a ladder polymer (silsesquioxane linkage) have been proposed.
In the case of the type where a silyl group is attached directly or indirectly to the benzene rings, however, the problem that the resistance to O.sub.2 plasma is insufficient exists because the content of Si is low and Si is introduced into a side chain. Moreover, in the case of the polysilane type, poor coating property and stability are generally encountered, though the content of Si may be increased depending on the kind of compounds. Furthermore, in the case of silsesquioxane type polymers, there is a problem that the sensitivity is not enough though the resistance to O.sub.2 plasma is excellent.
As described above, at present resist materials with excellent resistance to O.sub.2 plasma and excellent flatness which have a high Tg, high resolution and high sensitivity have not been developed.
The present invention was made to overcome the problems as above and the purpose thereof is to provide a novel silicon-containing polymer and a photosensitive material using the same which is excellent in resistance to O.sub.2 plasma, has excellent flatness and which has high Tg, high resolution and high sensitivity.
As a result of diligent studies against such background, the inventors have found that by using a polymer having a single siloxane cyclic compound as a repeating unit or a copolymer having various siloxane cyclic compounds as repeating units, a resist material which is highly sensitive, highly flat and excellent in resistance to O.sub.2 plasma and yet having a high Tg can be obtained, leading to the completion of the present invention. | {
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Options for accessing and listening to digital audio in an out-loud setting were limited until in 2003, when SONOS, Inc. filed for one of its first patent applications, entitled “Method for Synchronizing Audio Playback between Multiple Networked Devices,” and began offering a media playback system for sale in 2005. The Sonos Wireless HiFi System enables people to experience music from many sources via one or more networked playback devices. Through a software control application installed on a smartphone, tablet, or computer, one can play what he or she wants in any room that has a networked playback device. Additionally, using the controller, for example, different songs can be streamed to each room with a playback device, rooms can be grouped together for synchronous playback, or the same song can be heard in all rooms synchronously.
Given the ever growing interest in digital media, there continues to be a need to develop consumer-accessible technologies to further enhance the listening experience.
The drawings are for the purpose of illustrating example embodiments, but it is understood that the inventions are not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the drawings. | {
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Currently in the marketplace there is a need for a cost competitive paper cup that will reduce or prevent burns when an individual holds a cup of hot liquid such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate and the like. There is also a need in the marketplace for a cost competitive paper hot cup that will not leak or will resist leaking when filled with warm and hot liquids.
Various types of paper cups have been developed to address the problem associated with discomfort or injury from warm or hot liquids in a paper cup. Some cups have been developed to insulate the user from the hot liquid such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,129,653; 5,752,653; 5,454,484; 5,226,585; 5,145,107; and 4,548,349; or by forming a handle on the paper cup such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,527,169 and 5,393,292, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Today's hot cup market is a highly competitive market. Unfortunately, there is currently no good solution to the insulation/burn problem. Many manufacturers have tried wrapping corrugated materials around the paper cup in the form of jackets (called java jackets) and have, in some instances secured the corrugated material to the paper cup by an adhesive. All these previous designs have been unacceptable since such designs failed to reach a desired cost level of one and a half times the cost of a standard hot cup (also the equivalent to the cost of a regular cup plus a java jacket). One of the better hot-cup designs available is a 16 oz. Insulair cup made by International Paper. The Insulair cup is formed by melting a polymeric coating around the outside of the cup. The coating material crystallizes and forms a satisfactory-looking cup. One of the problems with this cup is that the cup does a poor job of insulating a user from hot liquids that are in the cup. The Insulair cup only cuts down on the outer temperature of the cup, and does nothing to prevent leaks that can occur at the base of the cup.
There are over 1 billion hot cups per year served at Starbucks alone. These cups include a mandatory java jacket; however, these cups still occasionally leak through the bottom. Other companies such as Caribou Coffee also require that its stores insert a corrugated sleeve on every paper cup served that contains warm or hot liquid. Some companies also insert a corrugated sleeve on paper cups that include cold liquid such as iced coffee, smoothies, etc. The use of the corrugated sleeve prevents injury and/or reduces discomfort when a user picks up the paper cup. The inclusion of the corrugated sleeve on the cup adds a raw material cost and requires the company to monitor and maintain additional inventory, thereby reducing profit margins. The insertion of the corrugated sleeve on the paper cup also increases labor costs for the time spent properly inserting the corrugated sleeve on the paper cup, thereby further reducing profit margins. The failure of an employee to insert or to properly insert the corrugated sleeve on the paper cup can result in injury to a consumer.
Even with the use of the corrugated sleeve on the paper cup, the paper cup is still susceptible to leakage of hot liquid. The hot liquid in the paper cup tends to melt, soften and/or degrade the adhesive that secures the bottom of the paper cup to the sidewall of the paper cup, thereby resulting in the liquid leaking from the base of the paper cup. The leakage of the liquid from the paper cup onto a consumer can result in injury to the consumer when the warm or hot liquid leaks from the bottom of the paper cup. The leaking of liquid from the paper cup can also result in damage/staining to a surface upon which the paper cup rests and/or on other surfaces (e.g., floor, clothing, vehicle, etc.).
When cold liquids are inserted in a paper cup, condensation begins to form on the outer surface and base of the paper cup. This is commonly referred to as sweating. Over time, enough condensation forms to cause water to run down the side of the paper cup and form a water stain around the paper cup. Such staining can damage a surface or cause undesirable staining of clothing or other absorbent materials.
In view of the existing problems associated with paper cups, there is a need for an improved paper cup that 1) protects a user from injury or discomfort from the warm, hot or cold liquids in the paper cup, 2) reduces the incidence of leakage from the paper cup, and/or 3) which reduces sweating problems associated with use of a paper cup. | {
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The present invention relates to display systems and, more particularly, to a traction load meter system for use with a diesel-electric locomotive.
Diesel-electric locomotives have a diesel generator for providing direct current to a number of traction motors which function to accelerate the locomotive. The traction motors are also used for braking the locomotive. Dynamic braking is obtained by disconnecting the motors from the power line and shunting their armatures with resistor banks. These traction motors are designed to operate continuously up to a rated power current and a rated braking current. Such motors are also designed to operate at currents above these rated currents but only for a limited period of time which is dependent upon the amount that the rated current is exceeded. Continued operation of the traction motors over the rated current for longer periods of time results in an overload condition, and operation of the motors in the overload condition could result in shortening of the service life of the motors or otherwise damaging them or the resistor banks.
Heretofore, the cab of the locomotive was equipped with an analog ammeter which indicated whether the motors were in their braking mode or their power mode. The meter also had a portion for indicating that above-rated currents were being drawn by the motors and marking adjacent this above-rated portion indicating the number of minutes the motors could be operated at such above-rated currents. The locomotive engineer was thus required to note the indicated acceptable time for a given above-rated current, and to keep track of the time elapsed in order to know when an overload condition existed. The required operation upon reaching the overload condition was to reduce the current to below the maximum continuous rated current and to operate at this reduced current until the motors had sufficient time to cool down. It will be appreciated that, with the many other duties of the engineer, sometimes this record and timekeeping might be neglected. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention has to do with fruit juice extraction equipment and more specifically with a fruit storage bin that is proximate to and connected to such a fruit juice extraction device. The device is configured to store fruit in a manner that allows gravity feed from the bottom of the bin onto a fruit elevator that elevates the fruit for subsequent gravity feed to the fruit juice extraction equipment. As the fruit is being elevated the device of this invention also causes at least a single wall portion or multiple wall portions to be moved vertically through the fruit storage bin to "tumble" the fruit stored in the bin and thereby prevent "bridging" of the fruit in the fruit storage bin.
2. Summary of the Invention
A fruit storage bin has a two panel angled floor bottom that is surrounded by four bin walls that provide an open container for the storage of fruit such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, etc. prior to the fruit being processed through a fruit juice extractor. The fruit storage bin is provided with mechanism that assists in the removal of fruit from the bin by preventing "bridging" of fruit in the bin.
The mechanism for preventing bridging comprises a pair of generally vertical wall elements that are positioned over slots or perforations in the floor of the fruit bin. The vertical wall elements are mounted for reciprocal movement to, in a preferred embodiment of this invention, a vertically moving fruit elevator that is provided to elevate fruit into a fruit juice extractor. The vertical wall elements have dissimilar shapes that promote the jostling of fruit in the fruit storage bin, again with the intent of eliminating bridging in the fruit storage bin. | {
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The practice of putting material into the interior of tire casings is well known. The interior of tire casings have been sprayed so as to provide a lubricant and thereby reduce friction between the interior of the tire casing and an inner tube; have been sprayed to assist the curing of the interior portions of a tire casing; have been sprayed to introduce a sealent material about the interior of the tire casing so as to reduce the deflation of the tire when punctured by permitting the sealent material to flow to the puncture opening; and also, tires have been coated, as distinct from spraying, with material for the purpose of providing a sealent or even to increase the thickness of the tire so as to reduce the possibility of penetration into the interior of the tire by sharp objects.
Such procedures and the products produced thereby do not distribute the material within the tire casing evenly about the inner periphery of the tire so as to insure that the balance of the tire will not be modified by the material which is being added. This is not significant where a very thin coat of material is sprayed onto the interior of the tire but when the layer of material introduced into the tire is distributed so as to provide a thickness of material, as distinct from a mere coating of material, the problem of even distribution of the material becomes significant in maintaining the balance of the tire. In addition, there is the problem of distributing the material across the inner periphery of the tire casing and along contiguous sidewalls of the inner periphery to provide a layer or liner of material which is of substantially uniform thickness | {
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The present invention relates to data communications and particularly to data communication between components in a computer chassis across a network.
Presently, there are different types of data transmission systems employing existing cabled networks, or board level component traces specifically installed for that purpose. Such systems allow the automatic control and monitoring, at a distance, of components connected to the network.
These known systems generally allow a network or hardware administrator to respond to exigencies in the matter of monitoring and control of a network and its nodes. However, they exhibit a complex structure employing several individual control and monitoring modules managed by a single or several collective control modules, themselves possibly managed by a central module.
Over the years, communications technology has developed for the computer industry into what is now extensive sophistication in hardware and software systems for facilitating various types of communications. Nevertheless, extensive sophistication and advancements in many hardware and software systems can be thwarted from market or commercial applicability for many reasons. For example, if a new communications system is not compatible with an existing system, many users will not purchase the new system. Attempts for a single manufacturer to become the system to which all others must be compatible can be quite difficult to achieve and, even if successful, cost the manufacturer a great deal of investment capital. Attempts for different manufacturers to interface with each other often creates complex and expensive systems which can confuse system purchasers and installers alike, and can often making the problems worse. Also, manufacturers of systems are reluctant to develop or introduce new systems to the market when compatibility and user confusion are such big issues. Accordingly, compatibility with other existing or even future systems has been emphasized in various industries. Industry standards to accomplish compatibility goals of the data communication systems have resulted.
Despite the advancements of compatibility which result when particular industries adopt standards, another problem arises when an industry desires to change or make a transition to new standards. These new standards, for example can often provide higher speed capabilities or other significant improvements over previous standards. The new standards, however, often are not adopted because the new standard is not compatible with the existing standard. In other words, the market will not accept or is reluctant to accept, the new standard because it may require replacement of all existing systems with which the user wants to communicate. This can cause technology stagnation and inhibit rapid advancement of technology.
Home automation systems have long used special techniques for local communication over power mains. This was originally necessitated by the absence of any other type of bus over which xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d devices could xe2x80x9ctalkxe2x80x9d to each other. However, communication over power mains also introduces very specific problems, including those of line noise received from motors and other devices attached to the power mains, the need to ensure that the data itself does not interfere with other devices connected to the mains, and limited bandwidth. For similar reasons, low-bandwidth power-mains communications have also been used for limited data communications between smart devices and local electric utility control systems.
One example of an industry standard for building or home automation data communication systems has been the X10 or X-10 communications protocol for remote control of electrical devices which communicate across standard wiring or power lines of a building such as a home. (In general, methods of ensuring the accuracy of transmitted and received data are known as communications protocols.) The X10 communications protocol allows various home electronic devices, such as lighting controllers or switches, status indicators, security systems, telephone interfaces, computer interfaces, and various home appliances, to readily be linked together for simple control applications. The X10 communications protocol generally has a narrow bandwidth, i.e., 120 KiloHertz (xe2x80x9cKHzxe2x80x9d), for communicating data at a relatively slow speed, i.e., 60 bits/second.
Another industry standard for home automation has been the Consumer Electronic Bus (xe2x80x9cCEBusxe2x80x9d) standard, which describes a local communications and control network designed specifically for the home. Like X10, the CEBus standard provides a standardized communication facility for exchange of control information and data among various devices and services in the home, such as lighting controllers or switches, status indicators, security systems, telephone interfaces, computer interfaces, stereo systems, and home appliances. The CEBus standard was developed by the Consumer Electronics. Group of the Electronic Industries Association (xe2x80x9cEIAxe2x80x9d) and an inter-industry committee of representatives from both EIA and non-member companies. The CEBus standard generally has a wide bandwidth, e.g. 100-400 KHz, for communicating data at a relatively fast speed, i.e., 10 Kilobits/second and is significantly faster and more reliable than the X10 communications protocol. The CEBus standard also allows full networking of consumer application devices. The CEBus standard encompasses both the physical media (wires, fiber, etc.) and the protocol (software) used to create an intelligent home or office.
The newest standard for home automation is the EIA-600 standard, which is intended to handle existing and anticipated control communication requirements at minimum practical costs consistent with a broad spectrum of residential applications. It is intended for such functions as remote control, status indication, remote instrumentation, energy management, security systems, entertainment device coordination, etc. These situations require economical connection to a shared local communication network carrying relatively short digital messages.
Presently, there are different types of data transmission systems which allow computer network components to be automatically controlled and monitored at a distance. These known systems are generally connected by a dedicated network, and consist of individual control and monitoring modules at each node, which are in turn managed by a central system.
The Intelligent Platform Management Interface (or xe2x80x9cIPMIxe2x80x9d) specification was announced by Intel, Dell, Hewlett-Packard Company, and NEC to provide a standard interface to hardware used for monitoring a server""s physical characteristics, such as temperature, voltage, fans, power supplies and chassis.
The IPMI specification defines a common interface and message-based protocol for accessing platform management hardware. IPMI is comprised of three specifications: Intelligent Platform Management Interface, Intelligent Platform Management Bus (IPMB) and Intelligent Chassis Management Bus (ICMB). The IPMI specification defines the interface to platform management hardware, the IPMB specification defines the internal Intelligent Platform Management Bus, and the ICMB specification defines the external Intelligent Chassis Management Bus, an external bus for connecting additional IPMI-enabled systems.
IPMI provides access to platform management information. IPMI-enabled servers monitor and store platform management information in a common format which can be easily accessed by server management software, add-in devices or even directly from other servers.
A management bus, IPMB, allows add-in devices such as Emergency Management Cards to access platform management information, even if the processor is down. The IPMB can also be extended externally to the chassis (ICMB) to enable xe2x80x9csystem-to-systemxe2x80x9d monitoring. This allows a server to manage another ICMB-connected server even if it has no system management software or the processor is down.
Functions such as failure alerting, power control and access to failure logs are supported for systems connected to the ICMB, so multiple servers or peripheral chassis (storage and power supplies) can connect to the ICMB as an alternative to using Emergency Management Cards.
IPMI allows differentiated hardware solutions to be implemented quickly and easily. The IPMI interface isolates server management software from hardware, enabling hardware changes to be made without impacting the software. Although IPMI is not tied to a specific operating system or management application, it is complementary to higher level management software interfaces such as the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), Desktop Management Interface (DMI), Common Information Model (CIM), and Windows Management Interface (WMI), which facilitate the development of cross platform solutions.
IPMI allows system managers to determine the health of their server hardware, whether the server is running normally or is in a nonoperational state. Servers based on IPMI use xe2x80x9cintelligentxe2x80x9d or autonomous hardware that remains operational even when the processor is down so that platform management information is always accessible. The IPMI interfaces enable platform management hardware to be accessed not only by management software but also accessed by third party emergency management add-in cards and even other IPMI-enabled servers. System-to-system monitoring or management via a connected server is becoming increasingly important as system managers deploy complex system topologies such as clusters and rack-mounted configurations. In addition, the scalable nature of IPMI enables the architecture to be deployed across a server product line, from entry to high-end servers, and gives system managers a consistent base of platform management functionality upon which to effectively manage their servers. One specific disadvantage of this approach is that additional physical connections and device support is required to interconnect these components.
The CPU normally requires a number of support chips to handle buffering of data from memory, interfacing to legacy architectures, and caching and bus arbitration. These functions are managed by custom-designed chipsets which perform a xe2x80x9cbridgingxe2x80x9d function. More specifically, a bridging device may provide a connection between two independent buses.
FIG. 6 shows a typical design where bridging occurs between the host processor bus 622 and the PCI bus 604, between the PCI bus 604 and a standard expansion bus 606 (such as ISA or EISA), and between host bus 602 and PCI bus 604. For example, a host/PCI bridge 608 may take various actions based upon an action initiated by the CPU 626; if the CPU is performing a main memory read/write, the bridge 608 takes no action; if the CPU is targeting a device memory located on a bus behind the bridge, the bridge 608 must act as a surrogate target of the CPU""s transaction; if the CPU 626 accesses a PCI device configuration register, the bridge 608 must compare the target bus to the range of PCI buses that exist beyond the bridge, and initiate a transaction message based upon the location of the targeted bus. This particular rendition shows a multi-processor implementation using two processors, 626 and 628.
The present application discloses a method and system of interchassis and intrachassis computer component command and control. The existing power rail is used for network connectivity for intrachassis command and control. An existing common power mains can be used for interchassis command and control. Further, a protocol, for example, the CEBus protocol (or a CEBus protocol modified for the particular power rail) can be used to provide interchassis and intrachassis platform management functionality. This management functionality is similar to that provided by the proposed IPMI specification. A chassis bridge controller is necessary to interface the intrachassis power rail command and control infrastructure with an exterior network. External systems (interchassis communications) can communicate to the bridge via the particular protocol over an existing common power mains as a secondary channel exterior network. However, the management functionality is implemented intrachassis, that is, it is applied to the internal components of the machine.
An advantage of the present disclosure is that a loosely coupled secondary network can be constructed without the need for new cable. This secondary network can be accessed even when the primary network is down. The use of the existing common power mains allows for easy scalability.
Another advantage of the present disclosure is that it eliminates the cost that would be incurred by building a secondary network for command and control information.
Another advantage of the present disclosure is that the burden of the external cables of a secondary network between systems is avoided. This elimination of a second set of network cables eliminates the possibility of undesirable effects such as, EMI, safety issues, and cable management | {
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Pneumonia is currently ranked in the fourth place in the cause-specific death rates of Japanese. This disease is known to often complicate underlying diseases such as cancer and affect an extremely large number of individuals. Culture tests, which have heretofore been performed to search for microbes causative of pneumonia (causative bacteria), allegedly fail to serve as testing methods sufficiently contributing to the selection of treatment, because they require at least a few days and may involve a nearly 1-week additional drug sensitivity test on the cultured causative bacteria. In the case of severe pneumonia requiring hospitalization in intensive care unit (ICU), the accurate and rapid determination of causative bacteria is exceedingly important for the selection of treatment thereof. According to reports, appropriate initial treatment reliably increases the survival rate of pneumonia patients. In fact, however, a technique of identifying causative bacteria as a substitute for the culture tests still remains to be established. Under the circumstances, pneumonia must be treated with causative bacteria unidentified, possibly leading to the emergence of resistant bacteria due to reluctant use of antibiotics based on empirical treatment.
Highly frequently occurring bacterial strains account for nearly 50% of all causative bacteria responsible for pneumonia. Main causative bacteria, also including viruses, are allegedly of approximately 20 to 30 types. Some of these bacteria cannot be cultured by a usual approach. Also in some cases, causative bacteria are difficult to determine even by culture. Particularly, for pneumonia requiring treatment with antibiotics appropriately selected depending on bacterial strains/bacterial volumes, it is very important to simultaneously detect plural types of pneumonia causative bacteria and quantitatively analyze detected signals. Although the optimum therapeutic drug differs depending on the type of causative bacteria, the fact is that medical ethics compels treatment to be started before determination of causative bacteria. The development of an approach capable of rapidly and quantitatively detecting particular bacteria from among a plurality of bacterial strains has been awaited in order to solve these problems.
Proposed is, for example, a method for simultaneously detecting four types of respiratory infection causative bacteria using primers respectively derived from a lytA gene encoding Streptococcus pneumoniae autolysin (LytA), a gene encoding Haemophilus influenza 16S rRNA, a gene encoding Streptococcus pyogenes 16S rRNA, and a gene encoding Mycoplasma pneumoniae 16S rRNA or a primer set thereof in combination with primers derived from a gene encoding Legionella pneumophila 16S rRNA and a mip gene encoding the Legionella pneumophila causative factor MIP protein (see e.g., patent document 1).
Also proposed are a primer set and a probe oligonucleotide set specific for ten types of respiratory disease-related bacteria consisting of a primer set comprising first oligonucleotides and second oligonucleotides and specifically amplifying target sequences present in Bordetella pertussis, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenza, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Legionella pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae with nucleic acids separated from a bacterium-containing sample as templates, and probes specifically detecting target nucleic acids present in the bacteria (see e.g., patent documents 2 and 3).
Also proposed are: a nucleic acid primer set capable of simultaneously amplifying target sequences of five or more types of respiratory disease causative viruses, wherein each primer is selected from oligonucleotides comprising a fragment of ten or more consecutive bases; and probe oligonucleotides for detecting one or more of measles virus, enterovirus, rhinovirus, SARS-related coronavirus (SARS-coV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), adenovirus, human parainfluenza virus 1 (HPIV1), human parainfluenza virus 2 (HPIV2), human parainfluenza virus 3 (HPIV3), influenza virus A (IVA), influenza virus B (IVB), respiratory syncytial virus A (RSVA), and respiratory syncytial virus B (RSVB), comprising one or more oligonucleotides of 10 bp to 100 bp in length selected from the group consisting of oligonucleotides comprising a fragment of ten or more consecutive bases and oligonucleotides complementary thereto. It is disclosed that this approach comprises the steps of: obtaining nucleic acids from a sample; amplifying the nucleic acids using the nucleic acid primer set; and detecting the amplification products. It is also disclosed that: the step of obtaining nucleic acids from a sample comprises the steps of separating RNAs from the sample and obtaining cDNAs from the separated RNAs, wherein the step of obtaining cDNAs is performed using, for example, reverse transcriptase; reverse transcriptase reaction using the reverse transcriptase may be based on RT-PCR; and the amplification step may be performed by PCR (see e.g., patent document 4).
Further proposed is a simple, highly sensitive norovirus detection method for specifically amplifying genes broadly classified into norovirus gene groups genogroup I (GI) and genogroup II (GII) present in trace amounts in a sample, the method consisting of steps including the steps of: performing an NASBA method capable of amplifying nucleic acids at a predetermined temperature on RNAs extracted from the sample to obtain complementary single-stranded nucleic acids; and further amplifying the nucleic acids by an RT-LAMP method capable of amplifying, at a predetermined temperature, the amplification products obtained by the NASBA method (see e.g., patent document 5).
The present inventors have proposed a primer set for use in the detection of plural types of pneumonia causative bacteria, the primer set allowing simultaneous detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenza, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydophila pneumoniae by usual PCR as well as multiplex PCR, real-time PCR, RT-PCR, etc. (see e.g., patent document 6), a method for detecting or quantifying a target RNA, comprising preparing, from a bacterium-specific RNA strand in 16S rRNA, a liquid-phase universal primer in which an RNA polymerase promoter sequence is added via a tag sequence to the 5′ end of a DNA sequence corresponding to a specific sequence of the target RNA (see e.g., patent document 7), and a method for detecting pathogenic microbes, wherein the pathogenic microbes are two or more species selected from one or more bacteria selected from bacteria of the genera Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Klebsiella, Escherichia, Mycobacterium, Legionella, Vibrio, Bacillus, Neisseria, Campylobacter, Chlamydia, Chlamydophila, Mycoplasma, Listeria, Salmonella, and Yersinia, the method comprising a polymerase chain reaction step of carrying out polymerase chain reaction using at least one type of first primer set having a tag sequence and a nucleotide sequence selectively annealing to a target nucleic acid on the DnaJ gene carried by the pathogenic microbes and at least one type of second primer set having a tag sequence substantially identical to the tag sequence of the first primer set, and a step of detecting amplification products comprising the target nucleic acid (see e.g., patent document 8).
The present inventors have also already developed a method for specifically detecting or quantifying a target nucleic acid in a sample, the method comprising the steps of: amplifying the target nucleic acid arbitrarily extracted from the sample using hapten- or peptide-unbound primers to obtain single-stranded nucleic acid; hybridizing the amplification product with a membrane bound-first oligonucleotide probe complementary to the amplification product and a complementary second oligonucleotide probe labeled with a colored high molecular carrier, followed by a detection; and evaluating the detection image by visual judgment, and have established a method comprising performing NASBA amplification reaction with total RNA extracted from, for example, a cultured strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), as a template and detecting the amplification product using a nucleic acid chromatography strip (see e.g., patent document 9).
There is also a report on a reagent (Swiftgene Norovirus GI/GII “Kainos”) for detecting two genotypes of norovirus genes by the NASBA method and nucleic acid chromatography in combination. Judgment using this reagent is based on broad classification into genetically diverse GI type to which 15 or more genotypes belongs and GII type to which 18 or more genotypes belong, and is less than precise for identifying pneumonia causative bacteria. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and particularly to the formation of an embedded portion such as a device separation region or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Attention has been focused on a device separation technique using trenches as a technique for forming device separation regions employed in a semiconductor device.
A conventional process for forming device separation regions using trenches has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-102539.
In the conventional device separation region forming method, resists are left above portions where the trenches are defined, regardless of the widths of device separation regions to be formed. A silicon oxide film has been etched with the resists as masks.
With advances in miniaturization of a semiconductor element or chip, leaving resists on trenches extremely narrow in width is becoming extremely difficult.
The formation of resist patterns over a silicon oxide film encounters difficulties in accurately aligning masks over the pre-formed trenches in regions above the trenches narrow in width. There is a possibility that when a displacement in alignment occurs even slightly, the resists and trenches will be shifted in position from each other on the trenches extremely narrow in width.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems.
According to one aspect of this invention, for achieving the above object, there is provided a method for forming a device separation region, comprising the following steps:
a step for forming a plurality of trenches each serving as the device separation region over a semiconductor substrate;
a step for forming an insulating film over the plurality of trenches and the semiconductor substrate;
a step for forming resists over the insulating film;
a step for leaving only the resists formed above the trenches each having a width larger than a predetermined width, of the plurality of trenches;
a step for removing the insulating film by etching with the remaining resists as masks; and
a step for removing the remaining insulating film by chemical machine polishing after the removal of the remaining resists and forming the trenches buried by the insulating film.
Typical ones of various inventions of the present application have been shown in brief. However, the various inventions of the present application and specific configurations of these inventions will be understood from the following description. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical circuits and, more particularly, to voltage-controlled oscillators.
2. Related Art
Frequency synthesizers, such as a multi-rate fractional-N frequency synthesizer, are well known. In a typical frequency synthesizer, a frequency adjustment is required when the maximum or minimum frequency of the voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is not sufficient to synthesize the desired frequency. For example, a low-frequency gain VCO should have its center frequency adjusted close to the target value. Otherwise, the limited voltage range of the VCO control voltage is insufficient to compensate for variations in frequency due to such factors as temperature, supply voltage variations, and aging.
A common technique to adjust the center frequency of a VCO on an integrated circuit is to laser trim certain circuit elements, such as a capacitor or a resistor, that control the VCO frequency to adjust the VCO center frequency to within the frequency-capture range. One drawback of physical trimming is that the process is expensive and time consuming because the process must be performed on each integrated circuit. Another drawback is that physical trimming permanently limits the range of frequencies. For example, the target frequency of a programmable frequency synthesizer will vary depending on the application. If the VCO frequency is adjusted by trimming to the center frequency of the frequency range that the synthesizer ID supports, the low-frequency gain VCO will not be capable of varying its frequency to the extent necessary to reach the limits of its frequency-range due to its limited control voltage range. Thus, physical trimming permanently constrains the range of frequencies that can be synthesized to less than what could is possibly be generated by the synthesizer.
A VCO frequency auto-calibrating system is disclosed herein. The VCO frequency auto-calibrating system performs frequency self-calibration of its VCO by use of a VCO frequency range detector, monotonicity check circuit, and a lock detector. The VCO frequency range detector detects when the VCO frequency is out of fine-tuning range and provides the appropriate frequency adjustment. The lock detector and the monotonicity check circuit determine when lock has occurred and provide the appropriate VCO frequency adjustment using the VCO""s coarse control voltage so that the VCO""s fine control voltage is approximately at zero volts (i.e., the VCO""s fine-tuning frequency range is centered approximately around a target frequency). Physical trimming is thus eliminated by use of the on-chip trimming circuitry that adjusts the VCO frequency when it is out of range by executing adjustments based on the signals received from the VCO frequency range detector.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a voltage-controlled oscillator frequency calibration system includes a phase-locked loop circuit having a voltage-controlled oscillator, a frequency range detector, a counter, and a digital-to-analog converter. The frequency range detector determines when a target frequency is out of fine-tuning frequency range and provides a first output signal to tune the voltage-controlled oscillator. The counter counts up or down based on a value of the first output signal from the frequency range detector and provides a counter output signal. The digital-to-analog converter receives the counter output signal and adjusts a coarse-tuning control of the voltage-controlled oscillator based on a value of the counter output signal.
The system may further comprise a lock detector that provides a first output signal indicating if the phase-locked loop circuit is locked. A shift register provides a plurality of clock pulses when the first output signal from the lock detector is asserted. A monotonicity check circuit receives at least a first clock pulse from the plurality of clock pulses from the shift register and provides a first output signal to the counter to count up or down to adjust the coarse tuning control of the voltage-controlled oscillator to approximately center the fine-tuning frequency range of the phase-locked loop circuit around the target frequency.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of calibrating a phase-locked loop circuit includes monitoring the phase-locked loop circuit to determine if a target frequency is within a fine-tuning frequency range; adjusting a coarse tuning of the phase-locked loop circuit if the target frequency is outside of the fine-tuning frequency range; monitoring the phase-locked loop circuit to determine if the fine-tuning frequency range is centered around the target frequency; and adjusting the coarse tuning of the phase-locked loop circuit if the fine-tuning frequency range is not centered approximately around the target frequency.
A more complete understanding of embodiments of the present invention will be afforded to those skilled in the art, as well as a realization of additional advantages thereof, by a consideration of the following detailed description of one or more embodiments. Reference will be made to the appended sheets of drawings that will first be described briefly. | {
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There is known a two component mixing apparatus including a cartridge for accommodating different materials and two cylindrical containers, and a mixing tip that is coupled to the cartridge, and that mixes the materials that are extruded from the outlets of the cylindrical containers, and discharges the materials (see, for example, patent literature 1). | {
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For the most part, input/output (I/O) devices are not meant to be shared by multiple operating systems. They are designed to be controlled by one integrated software module that manages all of the functional aspects of such devices. It is even difficult in a given operating system that controls an entire physical machine to ensure that a single software module controls a device. In virtual machine environments that have multiple operating systems running simultaneously, it's much more difficult.
Designers of virtual machine environments are always faced with a trade-off. Individual operating systems can directly control individual devices, or, they can rely on either the virtual machine layer or on other operating systems running on the same machine for I/O services. In the former case, complex management of the entire machine is involved, and in the latter case slowness is a concern. Thus, one problem the presently disclosed subject matter solves is the “device assignment” problem—in other words, how to assign devices to modules such that assignment is not complex and yet processing is fast.
Furthermore, virtual machines (or partitions) that own physical hardware devices can be further broken down based on their trust relationships. In some virtual machine environments, a partition can own a device but not trust any other partition in the machine. In others, a partition may trust another partition, especially one that manages policy for the entire machine. Thus, another problem the presently disclosed subject matter solves is assignment of devices to non-privileged partitions, where there is at least one trusted partition (or component within the virtual machine layer itself) that manages policy for the entire machine. | {
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The present invention relates generally to video games and, more particularly, to a video game system having a control unit with an accelerometer that allows a user to navigate a video game character through a game environment by merely tilting the control unit.
Traditionally, the movement of characters, symbols and/or objects in video games is accomplished by using a joystick, a mouse, a computer keyboard, or game buttons. As used hereinafter, the term xe2x80x9ccharacterxe2x80x9d includes characters, symbols and/or objects. Joysticks typically consist of a handle mounted for pivotal movement between various radial positions. When a player moves the joystick in one direction, an electrical detection signal corresponding to the joystick position is communicated to a game controller to effect movement of a game character on a video display. Thus, the game controller processes the electrical signals and, according to a game program, moves the character in accordance with the position of the joystick.
In some games, the game player uses a joystick or mouse in conjunction with a button or keyboard to shoot targets in the game environment. Traditionally, in these games, the player moves the game character through the game environment by moving the joystick or the mouse. The player then shoots weapons by pressing a button or a keyboard key.
In other games, a light gun is used to choose a target to shoot at by pointing at different positions on the display and pulling the light gun""s trigger (i.e., the player aims and shoots). Traditionally, in these games the game controller automatically selects where the character moves in the game environment after certain targets are shot.
Trackballs represent another form of control mechanism used, for example, in golf and/or baseball games. Trackballs, however, are less favored than joysticks by many game designers and players because, generally, they are more difficult to control than joysticks.
Accordingly, there is a need for a single hand-held control unit that allows a user to navigate a video game character through a game environment by merely tilting the control unit and then shoot a target on a video display by merely pressing a button or pulling a trigger. The present invention is directed to addressing one or more of these needs.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video game system including a game controller, a video display and a hand-held control unit. The game controller is coupled to the control unit and the video display. The control unit houses an accelerometer that senses the tilt of the control unit with respect to an axis. The accelerometer produces an acceleration signal indicating the tilt of the control unit with respect to the axis. The game controller processes the acceleration signal to control the movement of a game character on the video display .
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video game system that further includes a light sensor housed in the control unit. The light sensor detects one or more light pixels from the video display and produces a detection signal to the game controller. The game controller determines from the detection signal the light pixels detected from the video display.
The present invention is particularly suited for video games where hand-held guns, swords, bats, clubs, rackets, gloves, etc. are used to manipulate characters on a video display. | {
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A structured approach to developing web applications includes a model-driven tool such as SAP's Visual Composer, which allows a developer to compose applications in a flexible way by using patterns. A pattern graphically depicts functional components as drag-and-drop services, and defines a data flow between the components. User interface patterns can be defined at various levels, and can be nested within each other, thus creating hierarchies of patterns. At the top level of the hierarchy, a pattern can act as a model or “floor plan” for a user interface that is designed to help end-users complete a specific business process. The floor plan defines the user interface of the application by specifying an overall screen layout for the user interface and managing and orchestrating any nested patterns.
In current implementations of pattern-based configurations, there is a strict separation of components that are related to data handling (i.e., services) and other component that are focused on user interactions (i.e., scenarios). If a service element is changed, e.g. a new attribute is created, this change is not propagated through the whole model because only a service class is associated with the backend meta data, e.g. business object node meta data.
There is currently no generic code distribution mechanism in pattern-based application development environments. Kit developers thus require code distribution, logic for every kit. This increased need for resources to write a kit makes implementation of distribution by different people too different and not always fitting together. Further, the conventional mechanisms for distribution of code created dependency between different kits. Implementing the logic in the pattern components is also not a viable solution, because such implementation violates the modularization of every component. The distribution logic has to be implemented in a more generic layer.
The pattern idea means that it is possible to create new composition unit and plug in these new components without any changes to already existing components. The consequence is that existing components are not allowed to be edited for a new component. An abstraction layer is needed to define that one component wants to host some other components, but does not make any assumptions about the used components, because the used component is added in a dynamic way. | {
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The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventor(s), to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
LED lighting technology is extensively used in a variety of applications. LED lighting typically includes a plurality of LEDs that are driven by a LED driver circuit. Further, LED lighting applications are typically driven by smart and power-efficient lighting and light-fidelity (Li-Fi) communication. The LED drivers can be used to control an intensity of light output by one or more LEDs, by outputting signals to an LED circuit that have predetermined current and pulse characteristics. However, most of the commonly used LED drivers either consume an excessive amount of power while operating in the constant current (CC) mode, and therefore suffer from thermal issues that prevent the LED drivers from being used for high-brightness lighting applications, or cause electromagnetic interference and low frequency flicker issues while operating in a power-efficient switched inductor (SI) mode.
Accordingly, there is a requirement for an improved LED driver that has a wide dynamic range and high power efficiency direct current dimming and can be used in diverse applications. | {
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The term "image processing" has a wide meaning in the art. Image processing includes clarifying an inputted picture, recognizing a picture by abstracting characteristics thereof, and computer graphics technology for example. Image processing also includes special effects technologies such as chroma-keying, which is an image processing method to compose two or more images according to a color in the image. For example, an announcer may stand in front of a blue screen in a studio and a view of the outdoors is composed with the image of the studio, within the blue background. This will make it look as though the announcer were standing outdoors. Special effects technologies also include frame composition, frame division and other special effects used in broadcasting systems. Image processing systems include digital types, analog types, and composite types, which are a composite of the analog and digital types. The digital type image processing system is regarded as the most important because of its high quality of processed data, reappearance, stability in information and the variety of different kinds of processing which can be performed. However, the digital type image processing system processes an image as an aggregate of a number of pixels. This typically requires an immense number of calculation steps and therefore a long time in order to process a sufficient number of pixels with sufficient graduation, and relationship therebetween, for practical use such as for design use, broadcasting use, etc.
For instance, measurement of a particle-size distribution in a typical picture of 512.times.512 pixels with a graduation of 8 bits for each of the primary colors of red (R), green (G) and blue (B), has typically required about 20 minutes calculation time for one frame, using a general purpose personal computer with a calculation processor. Even when using a super-computer of 20 MIPs, this calculation still takes several seconds of processing period. This has prevented the prior art image processor from being used in real-time.
In order to solve this problem of a long calculation period, special-purpose integrated circuits (ICs) have been proposed. For instance, a cathode ray tube controller (CRTC) has been proposed for affine transformation or displaying of a picture, and a specialized integrated circuit for image analyzing of a predetermined number of pixels have been proposed. Unfortunately, these special purpose ICs are only applicable to narrow and specialized types of image processing. A system including such special purpose ICs therefore has a low cost-performance because of its narrowly restricted application. Since such ICs are designed without considering the cooperation with other ICs, particularly ICs made by other companies, it is substantially impossible to construct a multi-purpose image processing system by using a plurality of such ICs.
Some special-purpose hardware systems have been designed for special manufacturing lines. Such a system is, however, usually useful for only one purpose and is restricted in its operating conditions. When the particular condition is not that which was intended, a frequent measurement error may occur or measurement may become impossible. Newly improved image processing algorithms can not be introduced into such systems due to their lack of flexibility. | {
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The present invention relates to a vehicular hydraulic brake system with an anti-locking arrangement wherein first valve means are interposed between a master cylinder and brake-actuating members. The valve means allow interruption of a supply of pressure fluid to the brake-actuating members and removal of pressure fluid from the brake-actuating members. The first valve means is controllable by a slip-monitoring electronics in dependence upon the wheel rotational behavior, and a device for safeguarding availability of a minimum stroke as a reserve is provided.
A vehicular hydraulic brake system having these features is known from German printed and published patent application No. 30 40 562.0. A component of the known vehicular brake system is a hydraulic power booster with a tandem master cylinder connected downstream thereof. As a function of the force exerted on the brake pedal, hydraulic pressure is built up in the pressure chamber of the hydraulic power booster which, after having overcome the friction caused by the seals, provides that the booster piston displaces in the actuating direction. As a result thereof, the working chambers of the tandem master cylinder also will be pressurized. Wheel brakes are connected to the working chambers of the tandem master cylinder. Arranged between the working chambers of the tandem master cylinder and the wheel brakes are electromagnetically actuatable valves, which shut off the connection between the working chamber and the respective wheel brake and which permit removal of pressure fluid from the wheel brakes for the purpose of a pressure decrease in the wheel brakes and to return the fluid to an unpressurized supply reservoir.
The hydraulic power booster of the brake system described further comprises a so-called resetting sleeve which by way of corresponding valve means, can be acted upon during control in the direction of brake release by the presure that is in each case prevailing in the pressure chamber of the hydraulic power booster. The dimensions of the resetting sleeve and of the booster piston are conformed to one another in a fashion so as to allow the resetting sleeve to move into abutment on the booster piston under specific conditions. Thus, when pressurized appropriately, the resetting sleeve generates a force in the direction of brake release which confines the travel of the booster piston to a predefinable extent and which, in case of need, ensures that the booster piston is displaced in the direction of brake release. Thus, the necessary reserve volume is preserved in the working chambers of the tandem master cylinder also during brake slip control.
The brake system described affords very reliable operation, but--as explained--there is need for separate component (resetting sleeve), by means of which a minimum stroke as a reserve of the pistons of the tandem master cylinder is safeguarded.
An anti-lock vehicular brake system (German patent specification No. 23 44 969) is also known, wherein a hydraulic brake power booster is provided. In the booster chamber controlled pressure prevails which, in case of slip control, can be delivered to the brake circuits by way of valve means. However, this known brake system nevertheless requires a hydraulic brake power booster.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide upon a vehicular hydraulic brake system with an anti-locking arrangement of the type initially referred to such as to reduce manufacturing efforts and to attain a solution which is more favorable in terms of cost. In addition, the system is to be compatible with units comprising a braking pressure generator with a vacuum brake power booster. | {
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The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rope management device and in particular to a device for ascending and descending a rope without the assistance of a belayer and that can be changed from a clamping device to an unclamping device under load.
2. Related Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,203 issued on 31 May 2005 to Perry L. Everett et al., and in U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,871 issued on 19 May 2009 to Perry L. Everett et al., there is shown and described rope climbing apparatus that provides a simple and convenient way to ascend and descend a rope without using a belayer. The present invention provides an easier and smoother transition from a rope clamping position to a rope unclamping position, thus conveniently providing an even more effective rope climbing device. | {
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The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for extracting and communicating natural gas from gas wells, for example those operating under vacuum conditions, to a natural gas-fired piece of oil field equipment.
A pump jack (also known as a nodding donkey, pump unit, horsehead pump, beam pump, sucker rod pump, grasshopper pump, thirsty bird and jack pump) is often used to assist in the production of natural gas from low pressure wells by pumping liquid from the wellbore so that natural gas is able to flow from the well. Pump jacks are commonly driven by motors, or engines, which are commonly referred to as prime movers and may run on electricity, diesel, propane or natural gas. Due to their proximity to the well and the inherent difficulty in servicing many well sites, a large number of prime movers operate on natural gas supplied directly from the well. Unfortunately, natural gas-fired prime movers cease to operate when the pressure in a well, or gas supply line, develops a negative pressure or drops to such a low pressure level that it cannot supply natural gas to the prime mover.
As reservoir pressure drops, natural gas production from wells accessing the reservoir decreases. Liquid build up in natural gas wells also causes gas production to drop. When there is not a sufficient level of natural gas provided to a natural gas-fired prime mover due to low pressure in the well, the prime mover and pump jack cease to operate. This situation requires a manual restart of the prime mover, if possible, which may take days or weeks. The resulting fluid build up in the well frequently kills all production of natural gas from the well.
In a large field of natural gas wells, many wells are put under a vacuum to assist in the extraction of gas to be supplied to a gas supply line. When a well, or a field of wells, cease to produce gas without assistance, a compressor may be used to create a vacuum on the well to supply gas to a gas supply line. Whenever a vacuum is drawn on the well, there is usually an insufficient level of gas pressure available to provide fuel for the natural gas-fired prime mover. The vacuum on the well makes the use of a natural gas prime mover impractical or impossible without providing another fuel source.
The foregoing issues show there is a need for an apparatus to provide a consistent supply of natural gas to a prime mover for uninterrupted operations. | {
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In handling electrical cables such as telephone cables, recent changes particularly technical changes have resulted in the need for additional elements of mounting and handling equipment for the cables. For example, a revision contained in the 1978 National Electrical Safety Code (ANSI C2) precludes the use of unprotected PVC jacketed telephone cable in commercial/industrial buildings. Thus, as an alternate to the use of conduit to enclose the existing cables, a new aluminum sheathed cable, which satisfies the new requirements, has been developed.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for a connector for these cables to provide a means for grounding the aluminum sheath in the vicinity of the terminal board to protect personnel in the event that the telephone cable contacts an electrical cable and becomes energized. | {
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Absorbent articles for absorption of body fluids such as menses or blood or vaginal discharges are well known in the art, and comprise for example feminine hygiene articles such as sanitary napkins, panty liners, tampons, interlabial devices, as well as wound dressings, and the like. When considering for example sanitary napkins, these articles typically comprise a liquid-pervious topsheet as wearer-facing layer, a backsheet as garment-facing layer and an absorbent structure, also referred to as core, between topsheet and backsheet. The body fluids are acquired through the topsheet and subsequently stored in the absorbent core structure. The backsheet typically prevents the absorbed fluids from wetting the wearer's garment.
An absorbent core structure can typically comprise one or more fibrous absorbent materials, which in turn can comprise natural fibres, such as for example cellulose fibres, typically wood pulp fibres, synthetic fibres, or combinations thereof.
Absorbent articles can further comprise, typically in the absorbent core, superabsorbent materials, such as absorbent gelling materials (AGM), usually in finely dispersed form, e.g. typically in particulate form, in order to improve their absorption and retention characteristics. Superabsorbent materials for use in absorbent articles typically comprise water-insoluble, water-swellable, hydrogel-forming crosslinked absorbent polymers which are capable of absorbing large quantities of liquids and of retaining such absorbed liquids under moderate pressure. Absorbent gelling materials can be incorporated in absorbent articles, typically in the core structure, in different ways; for example, absorbent gelling materials in particulate form can be dispersed among the fibres of fibrous layers comprised in the core, or rather localized in a more concentrated arrangement between fibrous layers.
Absorbent cores for absorbent articles having a thin structure can further provide an improved immobilization of absorbent gelling materials, particularly when the article is fully or partially loaded with liquid, and an increased wearing comfort. Such thinner structures provide absorbent articles combining better comfort, discreetness and adaptability, such as for example, thin absorbent structures where the absorbent gelling material is located and somehow kept in selected, e.g. patterned regions of the structure itself.
EP 1447067, assigned to the Procter & Gamble Company, describes an absorbent article, typically a disposable absorbent article, such as a diaper, having an absorbent core which imparts increased wearing comfort to the article and makes it thin and dry. The absorbent core comprises a substrate layer, the substrate layer comprising a first surface and a second surface, the absorbent core further comprising a discontinuous layer of absorbent material, the absorbent material comprising an absorbent polymer material, the absorbent material optionally comprising an absorbent fibrous material which does not represent more than 20 weight percent of the total weight of the absorbent polymer material. The discontinuous layer of absorbent material comprises a first surface and a second surface, the absorbent core further comprising a layer of thermoplastic material, the layer of thermoplastic material comprising a first surface and a second surface and wherein the second surface of the discontinuous layer of absorbent material is in at least partial contact with the first surface of the substrate layer and wherein portions of the second surface of the layer of thermoplastic material are in direct contact with the first surface of the substrate layer and portions of the second surface of the layer of thermoplastic material are in direct contact with the first surface of the discontinuous layer of absorbent material.
Absorbent articles according to EP 1447067 and comprising thin absorbent cores with relatively high amounts of absorbent gelling materials and rather low content of fibrous materials commonly have good absorption and retention characteristics to body fluids. However there still remains room for improvement for fluid handling, and particularly in order to better control rewet, e.g. due to gushing, and fluid acquisition effectiveness, in a core structure which is thin and comfortable, yet highly absorbent.
Low rewet, i.e. the capability of an absorbent structure of effectively and stably entrapping fluid within the structure itself, even after e.g. sudden gushes, with low tendency to give it back upon compression, for example upon squeezing of the absorbent structure which may occur during wear, is typically a characteristic which is in contrast with fast fluid acquisition, particularly in a thin absorbent structure. In other words, in order to have a thin absorbent structure which is also highly absorbent it is typically necessary to compromise between these two apparently contrasting features. In fact a thin absorbent structure, in order to rapidly acquire fluid, can typically have a rather “open” structure, which may in turn not provide for an optimal low rewet.
Thus, an absorbent core structure is desired exhibiting thinness for comfort combined with high absorbent capacity, while at the same time providing low rewet and fast fluid acquisition. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a foot switch which transmits a signal for commanding generation of active output to an apparatus main body having a function of generating active output, and relates to an output system including such a foot switch and an apparatus main body.
2. Related Art
One example of such an output system is an ultrasonic surgical system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 05-023347. An apparatus main body of this ultrasonic surgical system includes a main unit for generating drive signals (high frequency voltage signals). A handpiece having a probe at a tip thereof and gripped by the operator is electrically connected to the main unit through a cable. The handpiece includes therein an ultrasonic transducer which converts the drive signals into mechanical vibration (ultrasonic band signals). The ultrasonic vibration generated by the ultrasonic transducer is transmitted to the probe while being amplified. A water supply/suction path is provided in the handpiece and the probe. The system is so arranged that when the water supply/suction path is connected to a water supply/suction device, water supply/suction treatment can be effected through an opening formed at an end face of the probe and its vicinity.
More specifically, treatment can be performed by destroying and emulsifying tissues such as of liver parenchyma while performing perfusion through the opening formed in the ultrasonically vibrating probe, and by sucking/removing the debris together with the superfusate through the supply/suction path. An electric knife system may be used together with such an ultrasonic surgical system. Hemostatic treatment or the like can be effected by connecting the electric knife to the handpiece to make a high frequency output through the handpiece of the electric knife.
Since the treatment device including the handpiece or an electric knife is gripped by the operator during surgery, it is appropriate that on/off operation of the treatment device is performed through a foot switch except for a case where a pinpoint operation is particularly required (for example, when hemostatic treatment is performed by the electric knife). That is because, since depressing a switch for a long time with fingers to keep a treatment device in an on-state is a great burden to the operator, employing a foot switch which enables the operator to keep depressing the switch by the operator's weight is desirable from an ergonomical point of view.
It is to be noted that in order to enable selection from among different output types, for example, selection between water supply operation and suction operation, a plurality of pedals are generally disposed in a foot switch. Afoot switch is required to have an excellent user-interface design so that the operator can readily distinguish the plurality of pedals.
A foot switch is typically electrically connected to an apparatus main body through a cable to transmit the operational statuses of the foot switch pedals to the apparatus main body through the cable. When using a plurality of different output systems in surgical operation (e.g., when using an ultrasonic surgical system and an electric knife system), a plurality of foot switches are used. The plurality of foot switches are placed close to the operator's feet, and used while there locations are permutated depending on the progress of the surgical operation. In such a case, however, the cables of the plurality of the foot switches sometimes tangle with each other, which significantly lowers the operator's convenience since appropriate locations of the foot switches cannot be ensured. Particularly, in advanced manipulation in which the operator often keeps moving around the operating table during a surgical operation, since the locations of the foot switches are required to be changed following the operator's movement even in a particular case, the chance of the occurrences of the cable tangling increases that much.
In order to prevent surgical operation from stopping due to such tangling of cables, it is known as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,388, for example, to transfer the operational statuses of the pedals of a foot switch to an apparatus main body by means of radio communication. The foot switch in the surgical system described in the '388 patent incorporates a battery as a power source, and is arranged such that a warning is displayed in a display device at an appropriate time, so as to prevent interruption of a surgical operation by the low output voltage of the battery resulting from electrical discharge of the battery. The foot switch is also provided with an auxiliary battery.
Here, in the case of transferring the operational statuses of a foot switch pedal to an apparatus main body by radio communication, the required transmit power of radio signals depends on the use environment of use of the surgical system. For example, if noise caused by the use of an electric knife, and affecting the radio signals is at a high level, or the foot switch is distant from the apparatus main body, or there is an electromagnetic obstacle, the transmit power of radio signals should be made large. Contrarily, if the noise is at a low level, or the foot switch is close to the apparatus main body, or there is not any electromagnetic obstacle, it is satisfactory possible to transfer the operational statuses of the foot switch pedal to the apparatus main body even if the transmit power of the radio signals is relatively low.
However, in such a surgical system in which the operational status of the foot switch pedal is transferred to the apparatus main body by radio communication, transmit power of radio signals has to be set at a comparatively high level, so that the communication between the foot switch and the apparatus main body can be maintained even when there occurs a change in the use environment of the surgical system. Accordingly, the period during which the foot switch can be used, i.e. the period during which power can be supplied by a battery, is reduced. In the surgical system described in the '388 patent, the period during which the foot switch is usable can be extended by incorporating an auxiliary battery in the foot switch. However, the incorporation of such an auxiliary battery causes the size and weight of the foot switch to increase, and thus a problem of poor portability is also an issue. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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For reasons of environmental protection, the carefully directed collection and further processing of wastes is absolutely necessary in order, on the one hand, to minimize the amount of waste being created and, on the other hand, to facilitate a removal which protects the environment. Thus, demands made on the suitable collecting containers have also increased. The collecting containers must thereby be in particular adapted to the type of waste and must be adjusted to the waste.
In former times, waste removal was done such that the waste or garbage was collected in very simple containers (garbage cans) and was transported unsorted. In the meantime, special designs for waste-collecting containers have been developed, which in particular are adapted to the respective waste-removal vehicles in order to enable at least a partially automatic emptying of the containers. At this point the different container shapes are being pointed out. Furthermore, special collecting containers were developed for some raw material types, for example to collect old paper, old glass, and others.
In the course of the desires to minimize the volume of waste, tests have been conducted which revealed that among others, the average household waste includes well over 40% of compostable material which, among others, in view of the limited capacities of dumping sites, however, also for environmental protection and recycling reasons, should rather be subjected to a composting process in order to allow these waste materials to decompose in a natural cycle. The conventional collecting containers are not suited for collecting compostable wastes since the waste materials become too moist, rot and/or decompose in some other manner in the known containers so that, on the one hand, a composting cannot take place and that, on the other hand, bothersome effects, in particular odors occur.
The collecting of compostable wastes in common composting containers used in gardens or on farms is not possible for waste removal since often there is no space available for such containers and since these containers cannot be emptied using common waste-removal vehicles. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the field of surgery, the importance of thorough cleaning of exposed tissues has long been recognized. In orthopedic surgery, the need for cleaning bony tissues is an added concern. Traumatic wounds, which can involve both soft and bony tissues, must be thoroughly cleansed of contaminants in order to minimize the risk of serious infection. The same risk requires that soft and bony tissues at surgical sites for procedures such as prosthetic joint replacement must also be thoroughly cleansed.
Cemented joint replacement surgery also requires especially thorough cleaning of the bone bed sculpted to receive an implant, for two additional reasons. The bone cement (typically polymethyl methacrylate) which secures the implant to the prepared bone is not an adhesive material, and accordingly, successful prosthetic fixation depends upon intimate mechanical interlock between cement and the open, three-dimensional network of cancellous bone surrounding the implant site. Thorough removal of fat, debris, and fluids from this bony network prevents these materials from forming an interposed layer between cement and bone, and thus allows for more direct cement-bone contact, helping to contribute to improved long-term mechanical fixation. Secondly, placement of cement into a prepared bony cavity, followed by insertion of the implant, often generates significant pressures which can force fat or particulate debris into the patient's circulatory system. Fat embolism has been a serious potential complication of cemented joint replacement surgery, but the incidence has been shown to be reduced by thorough cleaning, which removes substantial volumes of fat, marrow, and debris from the prepared bone bed.
Cleaning, or lavage, of the prepared bone surface or other tissue is generally accomplished by rinsing and flushing with a saline solution, which washes away surface debris. Traditionally, this has been accomplished by manually squirting saline from a bulb-style syringe. More recently, a variety of commercially available lavage devices have been developed, which deliver the saline solution in a pulsating stream, at higher flow rates and impact forces than can be readily achieved with manual delivery. Examples of these pulsatile lavage devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,829 (Nehring), U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,531 (Mattchen), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,486 (Grulke et al.). Each of these devices delivers a stream of discrete pulses of saline to the surgical site.
Pulsatile lavage has been shown to contribute to improved cleaning of the trabecular bone. Intermittent flow may temporarily interrupt the formation of hydrostatic blockages in the bony pores, and further the pulses of saline may help the bone to "throw off" debris, as it rebounds from the impact of each delivered pulse. Mattchen and Grulke et al. both emphasize the importance of sharp irrigant pulses for effective cleaning. In both of these devices, the pulses of saline are delivered with relatively sharp on-off characteristics, so that the liquid stream comprises a series of repetitive impacts.
Each of the three devices mentioned above (Nehring, Mattchen, Grulke et al.) relies upon a pressurized gas to drive the pumping action. The gas typically employed is compressed nitrogen gas, which is readily available in the operating room because it is a common power source for surgical instruments such as drills and saws. The Nehring patent describes a diaphragm pump, in which the liquid is moved by the expansion of a flexible elastic diaphragm under pressure from the gas. Expansion of the diaphragm pressurizes the liquid contained in an adjacent chamber. Both the Mattchen and Grulke patents describe piston-style pumps to drive the saline solution. In each, the pump is powered by a compressed gas, as mentioned above. The Mattchen device employs a sliding valve timing assembly, and utilizes a disposable pump cartridge which is locked into position in a resterilizable handpiece for use. The Grulke device utilizes a spring-loaded piston pump, contained within a fully disposable handpiece unit to eliminate the need for hospital sterilization.
In all three of these devices, care is taken to ensure that the pathways for saline and pressurized gas are kept completely separate, and that the gas is safely vented away from the surgical site. This is an important patient safety feature, because the nitrogen gas typically employed with surgical instruments diffuses very slowly in physiological fluids, and therefore blood uptake of the gas can form a gas embolus, possibly leading to significant physiological disruption. Pressurized air directed at the surgical site could lead to similar problems, both because of its high nitrogen content and because oxygen also diffuses slowly in physiological fluids.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,437 (Matsen) describes a device for cleaning and drying the bone bed with a stream of physiologically benign flowing pressurized gas, to aid in more complete removal of debris and fluids. Flowing gas has been found to be helpful in loosening impacted bony debris and in lifting debris, fat and fluids from trabecular recesses and bringing them to the surface for more complete removal, which allows for better cement-bone interdigitation. This patent teaches the use of carbon dioxide or another gas with similar diffusibility in physiological fluids, an important safety feature to minimize any risk of gas embolism, as noted above.
Surgical procedures for repair of a variety of conditions caused by disease or traumatic injury may involve the application at the surgical site of one or more agents which serve therapeutic purposes. An example of this would be the application of antibiotics to the tissues exposed by the surgical or traumatic wound, to minimize the risks of wound infection and its accompanying physiological complications.
Surgical lavage devices are generally used to irrigate and cleanse the wound with saline solutions, and antibiotics may be added to the liquid solutions so that they can be washed over the surgical site. Other therapeutic or bioactive agents are applied topically to the exposed tissues. One example of this would be the use of topical hemostatic agents, often applied to the exposed bone surfaces to reduce bone bleeding in orthopedic joint replacement procedures. An agent such as thrombin or epinephrine is mixed into a small amount of liquid and dabbed onto the bone with surgical gauze sponges. In other instances, materials such as hydroxyapatite compounds are applied to the sculpted bone bed in order to facilitate bone growth and repair.
In contemporary surgical devices, delivery mechanisms for such materials are limited to admixing with volumes of saline, or manual delivery such as with sponges. In the first instance, the materials applied are diluted by the liquid solution, and are flushed through and across the site in the liquid stream, limiting the user's ability to place the material at a specific site. In the second instance, delivery efficiency is limited to the uppermost exposed surfaces which can be contacted by a sponge or similar device.
There is a need in the art for surgical devices and methods which address at least some of the above concerns or other concerns for preparing bone and other tissues. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to stands used in flat panel displays, and more particularly, to a height-adjustable stand for an LCD display device.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, flat panel displays such as LCD displays are mounted on a stand that allows rotation of the display and adjustment of the height of the display area relative to the desktop. Typically, the stands use a spring or coil-type mechanism to control the height of the display, where the mechanism is designed to offset the weight of the display so that the display can be placed and remain at a desired height. However, one difficulty that often arises is that the balance between the weight of the stand and the force of the mechanism is not maintained and the stand unwontedly opens or extends to its full height or length during handling. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a new adjustable stand to overcome the aforementioned problems. | {
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A technology of crystallizing an alicyclic structure-containing polymer in a film formed from a resin containing an alicyclic structure-containing polymer having crystallizability by heating the film has been known (Patent Literatures 1 and 2). The film formed of the resin containing such an alicyclic structure-containing polymer having crystallizability usually has excellent heat resistance. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compound semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same and, more particularly, a compound semiconductor device having a capacitor formed on a compound semiconductor layer and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As the compound semiconductor device, the monolithic microwave IC (MMIC) having the field effect transistor (FET), the capacitor, etc. has been known.
As the steps of manufacturing such compound semiconductor device, for example, the FET having a gate electrode whose gate length is less than 1 xcexcm is formed, then the capacitor is formed, and then all of the FET and the capacitor are covered with the insulating protective film having good coverage.
A configuration of such capacitor will be explained with reference to FIG. 1 hereunder.
In FIG. 1, an underlying insulating film 102 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 101 such as GaAs, and a lower electrode 104, a dielectric film 105, and an upper electrode 106 constituting the capacitor 103 are formed in sequence on the underlying insulating film 102. The capacitor is covered with an insulating protective film 107. The lower electrode 104 and the upper electrode 106 come into contact with the insulating protective film 107.
Since the insulating protective film 107 is formed to cover the FET (not shown) together with the capacitor 103, good coverage and low stress are requested for such insulating protective film 107. A weak stress film can be obtained by forming a low density film to be thin such as about 40 to 60 nm.
However, according to the inventor""s experiment, it becomes apparent that a leakage current flows from the upper electrode to the lower electrode via the insulating protective film 107 in the capacitor.
As such insulating protective film, for example, the silicon nitride film which is formed by the ultraviolet (UV)-CVD method is employed. The hydrogen containing rate in the low density silicon nitride film is in excess of 30%. The silicon nitride film is grown at the substrate temperature of 200 to 400xc2x0 C.
If the silicon nitride film is formed at the substrate temperature of more than 600xc2x0 C., the high density film can be obtained because the hydrogen containing rate is reduced lower than 30%. However, if the substrate temperature is increased up to 600xc2x0 C., silicon serving as the impurity doped in the compound semiconductor substrate 101 is activated and moved therein. Therefore, such an undesired phenomenon peculiar to the compound semiconductor device is caused that crystal defect is produced in the compound semiconductor substrate.
If the film thickness of the insulating protective film 107 is formed thicker than 60 nm, there is such a disadvantage that the piezo effect is generated in the compound semiconductor substrate around the gate electrode of the FET, due to the stress by the insulating protective film 107, to thus generate a parasitic capacitance.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a compound semiconductor device having a structure which is capable of reducing a leakage current flowing between an upper electrode and a lower electrode of a capacitor via an insulating protective film and a method of manufacturing the same.
The above subject can be overcome by providing a compound semiconductor device comprising a first electrode of a capacitor, formed on a compound semiconductor substrate via a first insulating film; a dielectric film of the capacitor, formed on the first electrode; a second electrode of a capacitor, formed on the dielectric film; a second insulating film for covering an upper surface and side surfaces of the second electrode; and an insulating protective film for covering the second insulating film, the dielectric film, the first electrode and the first insulating film, and having a hydrogen containing rate which is larger than the second insulating film.
According to the present invention, in the capacitor including the first electrode, the dielectric film, and the second electrode, the first electrode is selectively covered with the insulating film which has the low hydrogen containing rate, and also all the capacitor including the insulating film and the substrate are covered with the insulating protective film which has good coverage and has the high hydrogen containing rate.
Therefore, direct contact between the first electrode and the second electrode can be avoided by the insulating protective film, so that the leakage current can be prevented from flowing between the first electrode and the second electrode via the insulating protective film.
If the plasma CVD method is employed as the growth method of the second insulating film in the event that the second insulating film for covering selectively the second electrode is formed of the silicon nitride or the silicon nitride oxide (SiOxNy (x, y are component number)), the second insulating film can be formed at the substrate temperature of less than 400xc2x0 C. Therefore, movement of the impurity is hard to cause in the compound semiconductor substrate below the second insulating film, so that generation of the crystal defect in the compound semiconductor substrate can be prevented. | {
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Consider the testing of a chemical processing plant which is placed on line and operates indefinitely. Periodically, it is necessary to test the product made in the plant. That is a difficult task to accomplish in many circumstances, especially those where the process operates at very high pressures and temperatures. Typically, high pressures and temperatures make it difficult to obtain a sample. Moreover, expensive metals and expensive fabrication techniques are required to enable the processing plant to be properly confined within the structure which holds the process. This remains a problem even when only a small sample is required for periodic testing. Not only must the sample be removed from the process plant, the sample must be delivered into a sample container for easy transportation to a lab for testing. Consider as an example a petrochemical processing plant where a process is carried out at elevated temperatures of over 1,000.degree. F. and very high pressures limited primarily by the pressure rating of the equipment of the sample collection system. The fluid flowing in the process pipes and pressure vessels of the processing plant may flow at a rate of hundreds of gallons per minute, and yet only a small portion is required for testing, for example, one liter. There is even the possibility that the sample will change from a gas to liquid on reducing the temperature and pressure to remove the sample. Transfer of the sample from the interior of a process plant through the walls of the pipes or other pressure vessels which contain the process requires tapping the process to obtain the sample, and this must be done without permitting the sample to escape to atmosphere. Except in rare cases, such a sample is at least partially, and often extremely volatile. In any event, a sample must be removed from the processing plant, transferred through a set of flow lines, metered into some sort of sample container, and then delivered for subsequent testing, for instance, at a testing laboratory sample analysis or other testing can be carried out. One mode of testing is to fill a small sample container, carry it to the testing lab, and conduct the test there. This enables a single testing lab to test samples from several different locations on a process plant. For instance, a single process plant may comprise several different columns with intermediate stages of processing, thereby generating samples at 10 or 20 different locations; samples are obtained at different times of the day from the several sample locations, the tests are then run, and product quality and purity is then certified as a result of the laboratory testing.
The present apparatus and method enable periodic testing to be carried out in this fashion. This disclosure sets forth a means and mechanism for such testing notwithstanding the fact that testing is required of the product when the product is manufactured at extremely high pressures and temperatures. Immediately, there is a problem in removal of the sample. For instance, as a result of high process temperatures, the removed product typically will be a gas, and will tend to be reduced in size should it undergo a phase conversion from gas to liquid. On the other hand, because of extremely high pressures, a sample will tend to expand when the pressure confinement is reduced. It is therefore somewhat difficult to scale the amount of sample to be removed so that the proper size and consistent size of sample can be provided in a sample container. The present apparatus enables this to be accomplished. Moreover, it is accomplished in the context where one or several sample containers can be serially filled with each separated from the other at the sample taking stage. The timed separation of samples is accomplished by providing fixed flow lines extending to the sample receiving container which are periodically purged with nitrogen to assure that there is no remnant of sample gas in the lines for later sample collection. The purging of lines assures that two samples taken hours apart are not mixed serially by storage in the connective lines. Moreover, this is all accomplished without permitting fugitive emissions to atmosphere. In part, that is prevented and protected against by utilization of a closed housing which is maintained under a blanket of nitrogen. This assures that there will be minimal accumulation of explosive gases in the housing, or gases which otherwise create some type of hazard. Finally, the system operates so that it can be cyclically controlled by a handle for the purpose of periodic operation of a two position, six port valve.
In summary, the present disclosure is a system for transfer of a sample by means of permanently made connections to a process across a flow restriction in the process. Connection is through an inlet line and outlet line. These connections extend to two ports on a six port valve. There is a sample storage loop in the six port valve. The sample storage loop includes a sized volumetric buffer tank. It is sized so that the sample that is delivered at the prevailing pressure and temperature is held in this buffer tank. To the extent that there is either expansion or contraction by transfer out of the process plant to a reduced pressure and a temperature approaching ambient, there is sufficient size in the buffer tank to permit a properly sized sample to be collected. A purge gas source connected to a needle valve with a flow meter connects to a fifth port, and the sixth valve port is connected by means of a sample line extending to a syringe needle for filling a closed sample container. A sequence of operations is also set forth where the sample is delivered for intermediate holding and later for delivery into the sample receiving container. In addition to that, the equipment operates in a sequence to direct a continuous flow of nitrogen for purging of the connective lines. | {
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1. Technical Field
This invention describes a simple apparatus and method for producing vortex ring bubbles of a gas in a host liquid. Once provided with a source of compressed gas, the basic geometry of the device establishes the conditions such that it will repetitively and endlessly produce gas-filled, vortex ring bubbles in a host liquid, at a rate determined only by the pressure and in-flow rate of the gas source. The device requires no high-tolerance components and is low-cost to manufacture. It has no moving parts, and will not wear out. It requires no periodic maintenance servicing, no human intervention, and no fine adjustments to sustain its operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Some forty years ago it was first reported that it is possible to generate rising toroidal ring-shaped bubbles, or ring bubbles as they are sometimes called, of gas within liquids. These are in fact vortex rings in the liquid, in which the gas collects in the ring-shaped core of the vortex and is thereby made visible as a circular tube of gas. In recent years it has become appreciated that these rings are a natural phenomenon that are even produced by whales and dolphins, evidently simply for amusement. Those creatures have sometimes been observed to create a vortex ring from their flippers, into which they exhale a bubble of air that is then drawn into the core of the ring to create the ring bubble. More often however, they create rings by rapidly exhaling a short upwards pulse of air which then evolves into the ring. Skilled professional divers have also been known to produce them by the analogous means of carefully exhaling a short pulse of air upwards into the surrounding water medium. Some experience on the part of the diver is necessary, but with practice quite impressive rings can be created, and these can travel upwards for large distances before breaking up. The skill required lies in being able to properly control the characteristics of the exhaled pulse of air so that rings will form, as opposed to the more familiar chaotic plumes of bubbles. If the right conditions are established, smooth circular rings will evolve. The ease with which this can be done follows from a mechanism of self organization or self stabilization, in which the swirl, or fluid dynamic circulation about the core of the gas ring stabilizes the entire ring so that it quickly develops into a smooth symmetric shape. Self stabilization and self organization of vortex rings is a common natural phenomenon that can be seen in smoke rings in which the self-induced motion quickly organizes even a distorted shape into a smooth circular ring. For the case of the ring bubble, the process leads to a ring that defies intuition by not collapsing into a chaotic plume of bubbles.
In fact it has sometimes been argued that these gas-filled toroidal bubbles are analogous to the familiar smoke rings in air. However, they are more complex as two distinct fluid phases are involved, namely the liquid medium, and the tubular core of gas. It has been known for over a hundred years that a tube of gas in a liquid should spontaneously collapse and break up through the effect of surface tension instability. That this does not happen for the toroidal tube of the ring bubble can be attributed to the stabilizing influence of the fluid dynamic circulation around the tubular core. In physical terms, the centrifugal force of the liquid spinning around the core opposes and balances the collapsing force of the surface tension (the same mechanism stabilizes the more familiar bath tub vortex).
In fluid dynamic terms, the surface tension pressure directed inwards on the gas at the gas/liquid interface of the core, is given by ΔP=σ/R, where σ is the coefficient of surface tension of the liquid and R is the radius of the core of the vortex. The magnitude of the outward pressure arising from the centrifugal force can be determined from an analysis of the forces on a small element of liquid at the interface and can be shown to be 2ρR2ω2, where ρ is the liquid density and ω is the angular spin velocity of the gas/liquid interface. For a stable ring bubble, these two components of force should be equal.
This condition will exist on the inside surface of the core of the ring bubble vortex and shows that a bubble ring is only possible if the right volume of gas is issued and if the right circulation is imparted to it so that the conditions are maintained. In addition, it can be seen that a small thin core will rotate relatively quickly to preserve stability, while a thicker core must turn more slowly.
For the rising vortex ring bubble, there is also an upward buoyancy force present, but that is balanced by a downward cross-flow force arising from the lateral spread of the spinning core of the ring, analogous to the lateral force on a spinning ball. Thus, the ring, once formed, will steadily rise and spread out and thin. If the ring rises a large distance, then the local static pressure falls in relation to the internal pressure within the ring, so that there will be a countering tendency that slows down the thinning of the ring. However, eventually a point is reached where viscosity dampens the energy of the circulation so that surface tension then dominates leading to breakup of the ring. Despite this, very long lived rings can be created before breakup occurs.
Various U.S. patents document methods of producing vortex rings of different co-mingled liquids and gasses. U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,603 by Fohl allows two different fluids to come together in a co-annular nozzle and mix to form a vortex ring. The fluid motions are generated by two moving pistons, but the device does not consider the case of one fluid being a liquid and the other being a gas as would be needed for forming a gas-filled ring bubble. The inventor gives no evidence that the device could produce toroidal ring bubbles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,242 by Latto uses a technique in which a moving orifice plate generates a ring vortex that can be used to enhance fluid mixing. The inventor claims it can be used in water to produce aerated rings through seeding of the vortex flow with bubbles, but this is not the same as producing ring bubbles which are single, coherent self-organized structures. These coherent structures require very specialized conditions of pulse flow and pulse duration if they are to form.
There are also a number of U.S. patents that describe different methods of creating gas-filled rings by generating the required pulsed flow of gas in some way. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,914 to Takahashi et al. describes a device that uses an accumulator with a diaphragm in one wall that unseats a spring loaded valve when under pressure allowing gas to flow out into a nozzle. The nozzle has a second elastic valve at its exit which is driven open by the pressure it is exposed to following the opening of the spring valve. As the flow exits through the two valves, the pressure in the accumulator falls, both valves close, creating a short duration pulse of gas. If the mechanical parameters of the device are chosen properly, a gas-filled vortex ring forms at the tip of the elastic valve. In a further embodiment, they replace the spring loaded valve with a pressure sensitive switch on the diaphragm to open the flow from the accumulator to the elastic valve, once a predefined pressure is reached. In a third embodiment, they use a timed pulse to a solenoid-actuated valve to feed the accumulator so that the rising pressure in the accumulator opens the second elastic valve creating the flow. Thus while operator skill or human intervention is not required to produce ring bubbles, proper tuning and setting of the valve parameters is required. If the valves leak, or jam, of fail in some other way, the operation of the device will be compromised.
In another example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,784 to Cullen, a very similar device is described. In one embodiment it uses a small spring loaded annular nozzle at the end of a tube into which an operator blows to unseat the valve momentarily and create the ring. This device attempts to minimize the operator skill that is needed to generate rings. However, the operator effectively acts as a second valve that determines the strength and duration of the pulse that creates the vortex ring, so that some skill and human intervention is needed.
In a second embodiment, the pulse is created by an electrically driven pump actuated by a timed circuit. This is very similar to the third embodiment of Takahashi et al. As before, the pressure at which the vortex forms is a consequence of the resilience of the valves, and the duration of the pulse is also determined by this pressure and the volume of the tubing feeding the valve. Failure or jamming of the valve will compromise the operation of the device.
The method described by Whiteis, U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,270, is somewhat different and allows gas to flow from a pressurized source and to build up in a contained pocket under a plate. This plate tilts around a pivot in response to the buoyancy of the gas buildup. This directs the gas to a nozzle and allows it to momentarily escape into the surrounding liquid. The weight of the plate terminates the flow once a certain volume of gas has been expended. Therefore, although the device does not have a valve in the usual sense, the tilting plate clearly acts as a valve to create the required momentary flow of gas. If the mechanism fails or jams, the device will no longer generate rings. In a second, but different device by the same inventor, Whiteis, U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,375, the gas is captured within an inverted bell-like container and is released by an operator momentarily depressing a lever. This opens a valve at the top of the bell thereby creating a flow out of the container. The duration of the flow is determined by the skill of the operator so that some human intervention is required for the device to work.
Finally, an alternative device, developed by the present inventor, U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,125, uses an electric solenoid valve and timing circuit to open and close the flow from a pressure accumulator through a specially configured nozzle. Because of the short time that the valve is open, and because of unique features of the design of the nozzle exit that control capillary effects, very controlled exit flow can be established. Additionally, the sudden acceleration of the flow through the nozzle generates the fluid dynamic vorticity that is known to be essential to the formation of vortex rings. These two features allow very repeatable vortex ring bubbles to be formed on demand and without operator skill. The unique feature of the invention is that it allows one apparatus to develop different size and shaped rings.
This, and the other inventions that have been described, all use specially configured valves, for the creation of a momentary exit of gas flow through a nozzle, in an attempt to establish the favorable conditions that are necessary to give rise to rings. It can be inferred from these inventions, and as is well known from the science of fluid mechanics, that there are two important characteristics that need to be controlled in order that the exiting flow will self evolve into a vortex ring: 1. The first is the strength of the expended pulse of gas, namely its source pressure. A reasonably high source pressure gives rise to a sudden acceleration of the gas when the valves are opened. This creates an exiting flow that is rich in fluid dynamic vorticity which is well known to be important to developing the fluid dynamic circulation needed for forming vortex rings. 2. The second is the time duration of the pulse. The flow into the ring must be sustained for just the right amount of time so that the evolving flow field will self organize into a single ring. If too short, a ring will not fill out. If too long, the ring will be broken up by the subsequent flow.
It is apparent that the various inventions that have been described strive to properly achieve these two conditions by various means. However, from the preceding discussion, a number of observations can be made and which can be summarized as follows: 1. The various configurations generate a pulse flow but generally require a specially sized mechanical valve, or a resilient valve, or a spring loaded valve to control the pulse flow. Some of them even require a second additional, properly-sized valve in order to operate. Indeed, the prior art clearly suggests that a complexity of valves is the only possible way that the right flow conditions can be established for vortex ring bubbles formation. 2. If any of these valves fail mechanically, or leak, the devices will cease to work correctly. For the devices to operate continuously, periodic maintenance is needed to prevent this. 3. Even with proper maintenance, valves such as these will eventually wear out, so that long-term continuous operation of the devices can not be expected. 4. Some of these devices require properly tuned electronic circuits to operate properly. Failure of any electrical component, or loss of electrical power will cause the devices to cease top operate. 5. Some of these devices will not operate independently of human intervention. Indeed, the skill of the operator may even be essential to the successful generation of ring bubbles. 6. Some of the devices, with their multiplicity of valves and moving parts are quite complex and consequently, would not be low-cost to manufacture. | {
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1. Field
The described technology relates generally to a substrate processing apparatus that simultaneously forms thin films or applies heat treatment to a plurality of substrates, and more particularly, to a substrate processing apparatus that can uniformly process a plurality of substrates by uniformly heating the substrates stacked on a boat disposed in a processing chamber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flat panel displays have replaced cathode ray tube displays, due to superior characteristics, including light weight and small size. Typical examples of flat panel displays are liquid crystal displays (LCD) and organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays. Organic light emitting diode displays have excellent luminescence characteristics and viewing angle characteristics, as compared with liquid crystal displays (LCD) and do not need a backlight, such that they can be implemented in very small sizes.
The organic light emitting diode display generates light having a specific wavelength by energy from excitons produced by recombination of electrons injected from the cathode to an organic thin film and holes injected from the anode. Organic light emitting displays are classified into a passive matrix type and an active matrix type in accordance with the operation method, in which the active matrix type includes a circuit using a thin film transistor (TFT).
The flat panel displays are manufactured by forming a thin film with a predetermined pattern, which has electrical properties, from an organic substance or an inorganic substance on a substrate or performing heat treatment on the formed thin film. Methods of forming the thin film include physical vapor deposition (PVD), in which sputtering is used to apply and deposit plasma on a target and chemical vapor deposition (CVD), in which a reaction gas containing a source material is ejected onto a substrate, chemically forming a film on the substrate. Further, the chemical vapor deposition method is divided by the deposition type into low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), plasma chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and atomic layer deposition (ALD), which forms a source material in an atomic layer unit. The atomic layer deposition (ALD) method provides good uniformity of a thin film and step coverage, as compared with the physical vapor deposition method, such that it is increasingly used in the semiconductor process.
The chemical vapor deposition method uses batch type equipment that puts a plurality of substrates into a deposition chamber at one time and simultaneously forms thin films on the substrates, because the forming speed of a thin film is low when plasma is not used.
In general, substrate processing apparatuses that simultaneously form thin films on a plurality of substrates and perform heat treatment using the lower pressure chemical vapor deposition or the atomic layer deposition include a process chamber providing a space for processing, a boat including a plurality of stacked substrates, a heating unit disposed outside the process chamber, and a conveying unit that carries the boat into/out of the process chamber. In this configuration, the substrate processing apparatuses may further include substrate holders that are seated on the substrates and stacked in the boat, in order to prevent the substrates stacked in the boat from sagging.
In the substrate processing apparatuses, since the inside of the process chamber is heated by the heating unit at the outside of the process chamber and since a large process chamber is needed to accommodate the boat with stacked substrates, it is difficult to uniformly heat the inside of the process chamber only with the heating unit at the outside of the process chamber. Therefore, the portions stacked in the boat, particularly, the center portion and the edges are heated at different temperatures in the substrate, the time for performing heat treatment to the substrates increases, non-uniformity occurs in the formed film due to the non-uniform temperature distribution and non-uniformity occurs in the device characteristics due to differences in the heat treatment temperature. If temperature non-uniformity is excessive, substrate warpage may occur, such that following processes are impossible.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. | {
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The present invention relates generally to a beverage dispenser and more particularly relates to a beverage dispenser with an ice hopper and an ice elevator that can accommodate multiple ice-dispensing orientations.
Countertop beverage dispensers typically use an ice receptacle of some sort for both chilling the beverage fluids flowing therein and providing ice cubes for use in the beverage. For example, an ice hopper containing the ice cubes generally is positioned adjacent to a cold plate or other type of heat transport mechanism so as to chill the concentrate and the diluent flowing therethrough. Because the ice hopper generally is placed beneath the countertop, an elevator mechanism may be used to transport the ice cubes from the ice hopper up to an ice dispenser positioned above the countertop. This elevator mechanism generally uses an ice auger positioned within an elevator sleeve. As the auger rotates within the sleeve, the ice cubes are carried from the bin to the ice dispenser.
The ice hopper generally is pre-configured before installation for use with either a left-sided ice dispenser or a right-side dispenser. By pre-configured, we mean that the ice hopper is intended for use with an ice elevator positioned on one side of the beverage dispenser or the other. As a result, the ice hopper generally is angled toward one side or the other and generally has an agitator therein that tends to force the ice cubes towards that side. As such, a left-handed ice hopper generally cannot be used in right-handed orientation and vice versa. This set up is inconvenient in that the ice hopper manufacture must maintain a supply of left and right handed ice hoppers. Likewise, the installer must order the correct orientation before installation. Further, any change in the design or flow of the ice dispenser or the beverage system as a whole generally cannot be accommodated with the existing ice hopper.
Similarly, existing ice elevators generally are fixed into position at the time of installation. Access to or removal of a single component within the ice elevator may be difficult. As such, cleaning or repair of the ice elevator also may be difficult or time consuming.
What is needed, therefore, is a beverage system with a flexibly oriented ice hopper. The ice hopper should be able to accommodate either left or right handed orientations without undue modifications or down time. Further, the beverage dispenser as a whole, including the ice elevator, should be easy to access, easy to clean, and easy to repair. The beverage dispenser should accomplish these goals in a cost effective and easy to operate manner.
The present invention thus provides a beverage dispenser system having a beverage tower with a first side and a second side. The beverage dispenser system also has an ice elevator and an ice hopper connected to the ice elevator. The ice hopper has a first side exit and a second side exit such that the ice elevator may be positioned on either side of the beverage tower and connected to either side exit of the ice hopper.
Specific embodiments of the present invention include a sub-base such that the ice hopper is position below the sub-base and the beverage tower is positioned above the sub-base. The ice hopper may include an agitator with a number of agitator arms. The ice hopper may have a single bin or a number of bins. Each bin may have an agitator therein. The ice hopper may be made out of a rigid plastic.
The ice elevator may include an ice auger and an ice tower. The ice tower may be made out of a transparent material. The ice tower may include a lower auger housing made out of a PVC. The ice tower also may include an auger sleeve. The auger sleeve may have an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve, and an air space positioned therebetween. The auger sleeve may be made out of a thermoplastic. The ice tower also may include an outer housing surrounding the auger sleeve. A second air space may be positioned between the outer housing and the auger sleeve. The outer sleeve may be made out of a rigid plastic. The outer housing also may have a sliding auger sleeve so as to permit access to the auger sleeve. A conduit may connect the ice hopper and the ice tower.
The ice elevator also may include an ice dispenser position on the ice tower. The ice dispenser may have an ice shoot and an ice dispenser lever so as to activate the ice elevator. The ice dispenser may be made out of a rigid plastic or a transparent material. An ice dispenser sleeve may connect the ice elevator and the ice dispenser. The ice dispenser may have a number of bosses thereon that mesh with a number of slots on the ice dispenser sleeve so as to secure the ice dispenser.
The present invention also provides an ice hopper for use with a beverage dispenser system having a beverage tower and an ice elevator. The ice hopper may have an agitator, a first side exit, and a second side exit, such that the ice elevator may be connected to the ice hopper by either the first side exit or the second side exit.
The present invention also provides an ice elevator for use with a beverage dispenser system. The ice elevator may have an ice auger, an ice tower surrounding the ice auger, and an ice dispenser positioned on top of the ice tower. The ice tower may have an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve. The ice tower may have an air space positioned between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve. The ice tower also may include an outer housing surrounding the outer sleeve. A second air space may be positioned between the outer sleeve and the outer housing. The outer housing may have a sliding auger sleeve so as to permit access to the outer sleeve. The ice dispenser also may have an ice shoot and an ice dispenser lever so as to activate the ice elevator. The ice tower and the ice dispenser may be made out of a transparent material. An ice dispenser sleeve may connect the ice tower and the ice dispenser. The ice dispenser may have a number of bosses thereon that mesh with a number of slots on the ice dispenser sleeve so as to secure the ice dispenser.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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During the fully automatic production of sausages, normally filling machines are used which determine the sausage geometry with regard to length, weight and caliber. Here the term “filling machine” comprises the complete sausage-producing unit, consisting of vacuum filler, twist-off unit, length unit including the parting unit.
Numerous filling machines possess a parting device to subdivide the produced sausage skein into individual sausage portions, i.e. single sausages or chains of sausages with a predetermined number. Once the subdivided sausage portions have left the filling machine, they lie without arrangement on the table provided for them or on a conveyor belt. A conveyor belt can, for example, serve as a feeder for higher level systems, such as a freezing tunnel or cooking equipment.
If sausage portions are transferred onto a table or onto a conveyor belt in a disarranged manner, they must be placed into a suitable package involving increased manual work in sorting. With a disarranged transfer into a freezing tunnel or continuous-flow cooking system optimum distribution cannot occur, because the sausages lie over one another randomly. Consequently, the maximum throughput through the following processing equipment is not achieved. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the fabrication of semiconductor devices such as integrated circuits, memory cells, and the like, a series of manufacturing operations are performed to define features within a chip on a semiconductor wafer (“wafer” hereafter). The chip on the wafer includes integrated circuit devices in the form of multi-level structures defined on a silicon substrate. At a substrate level of the chip, transistor devices with diffusion regions are formed. In subsequent levels of the chip, interconnect metallization lines are patterned and electrically connected to the transistor devices to define a desired integrated circuit device. Also, patterned conductive layers are insulated from other conductive layers by dielectric materials.
The series of manufacturing operations for defining features within the chip on the wafer can include an etching process in which particular portions of a material layer are etched away from the surface of the wafer, such that remaining portions of the material layer form structures to be used in the integrated circuit device. In the etching process, variations in the size and location of areas to be etched away from the surface of the wafer can cause differences in the rate at which material is etched away from one area relative to another area. The variations in the size and location of areas to be etched away from the surface of the wafer is referred to as microloading variation. Therefore, microloading variation across the wafer can cause differences in etch rate across the wafer.
The etching process should continue until each area is etched to completion. Therefore, if a given area is etched to completion faster than other areas, due to differences in etch rate across the wafer caused by microloading variation, the given area will be subjected to a localized overetch period. During the localized overetch period, etching by-products from the etching environment may settle within the given area causing a variation in dimension of the given area, which may correspond to an adverse change in critical dimension of a structure to be defined on the wafer in relation to the given area. Therefore, microloading variation in a given layout to be utilized in an etching process on a wafer may adversely effect dimensional characteristics of correspondingly fabricated structures on the wafer. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Prophylactic and therapeutic agents have long been delivered to patients using various conventional routes of administration, such as topical, oral, intravenous, parenteral, and the like. Once administered to the patient by the selected route, the delivery of the agent to the tissue of interest and its beneficial interaction with the tissue is largely dependent on its inherent physicochemical factors, but may have been facilitated by, for example, selected components of the delivery composition such as carriers, adjuvants, buffers and excipients, and the like.
More recently, the application of electrical signals has been shown to enhance the movement and uptake of macromolecules in living tissue. Application of such electrical signals in tissue relative to the administration of a prophylactic or therapeutic agent can have desirable effects on the tissue and/or the agent to be delivered. Specifically, techniques such as electroporation and iontophoresis have been utilized to significantly improve the delivery and/or uptake of a variety of agents in tissue. Such agents include pharmaceuticals, proteins, and nucleic acids. Potential clinical applications of such techniques include the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs and/or therapeutic genes in tumors, the delivery of DNA vaccines for prophylactic and therapeutic immunization, and the delivery of nucleic acid sequences encoding therapeutic proteins.
Many devices have been described for the application of electrical signals in tissue for the purpose of enhancing agent delivery. The vast majority of these have focused on a means for effective application of the electrical signals within a target region of tissue. A variety of surface and penetrating electrode systems have been developed for generating the desired electrophysiological effects.
In spite of the promise associated with electrically mediated agent delivery and the potential clinical applications of these techniques, progress has been hampered by the lack of an effective means to achieve the overall objective of efficient and reliable agent delivery using these techniques. One of the most significant shortcomings of current systems is the inability to achieve reliable and consistent application from subject to subject. Significant sources of this variability are due to differences in the technique and skill level of the operator. Other sources of variability that are not addressed by current systems include differences in the physiologic characteristics between patients that can affect the application of the procedure.
Given that reliable and consistent application of clinical therapies is highly desirable, the development of improved application systems is well warranted. Such development should include a means for minimizing operator-associated variability while providing a means to accommodate the differences in patient characteristics likely to be encountered during widespread clinical application of electrically mediated agent delivery. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present disclosure relate to a method for patterning an amorphous alloy and an amorphous alloy pattern structure manufacturing using the same, and more particularly, a method for patterning an amorphous alloy, for effectively manufacturing a pattern structure using an amorphous alloy, and an amorphous alloy pattern structure manufactured using the method.
In addition, apparatuses and methods consistent with the present disclosure relate to a dome switch and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a dome switch using an amorphous alloy and a method for manufacturing the dome switch.
2. Related Art
In modern industrial society, as industries such as the automobile, aviation, heavy machinery, and electronic industries have advanced, there is an absolute need to develop materials that exceed properties of typical materials.
With regard to application of crystalline materials to industry, research has been conducted to enhance the properties of crystalline materials by enhancing a solidification method and using heat treatment and so on, and many enhanced materials have been usefully used in actual industrial sites via such research.
However, modern industries have required materials that also exhibit excellent properties in very extreme situations, and accordingly, crystalline materials have a limit for such requirement.
Accordingly, there is a need for technologies for effectively preparing a structure to be used for various uses using materials with enhanced properties compared with a typical material. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Conventionally, enhancement of storage capacities of various kinds of optical disks have been achieved by making smaller an area on disk tracks where information is written, and by making smaller the size of a light collecting spot on a focus face by adopting a shorter-wavelength laser beam for recording and reproducing and an objective lens with a high numerical aperture.
For example, a CD (compact disk) has a capacity of 650 MB, in which the thickness of the disk substrate serving an optically transparent layer (a transparent cover layer and a spacer layer that are provided on an information recording layer and may be referred to as a transparent substrate) is about 1.2 mm, the wavelength of its laser beam is about 780 nm, and a numerical aperture (NA) of its objective lens is 0.45, whereas a DVD (digital versatile disc) has a capacity of 4.7 GB, in which the thickness of the disk substrate serving as an optically transparent layer is about 0.6 mm, the wavelength of its laser beam is about 650 nm, and the NA is 0.6.
In DVD, two substrates whose thickness is, for example, 0.6 mm, are bonded together to be used as a 1.2 mm-thickness disk.
In BD (Blu-ray disc), which has a higher recording density, a large capacity of 25 GB per recording layer is realized by using an optical disk with its optically transparent layer thinned to 0.1 mm, and by applying a laser beam with its wavelength about 405 nm and the NA of 0.85.
Besides, there is HDDVD (high definition digital versatile disc), for example, in which a large capacity more than 18 GB is realized by using an optical disk whose disk substrate serving as an optically transparent layer has the same thickness of 0.6 mm as that of DVD, and by applying a laser beam with its wavelength being about 405 nm and the NA of 0.65.
Recently, in the field of optical recording, a high-density recording method has been studied that uses a super-resolution optical disk in which an optically nonlinearly mask layer whose refractive index varies according to light intensity is formed.
In this method, by causing a refractive index variation at a portion in a light collecting spot on the optical disk where light is locally intensified or temperature is locally raised, it is possible to reproduce information (for example, Non patent document 1) from a mark whose size is smaller than a diffraction limit λ/4NA that is determined from the numerical aperture NA of a condensing lens—a component of the optical head device—and the wavelength λ of the light.
In the super-resolution optical disk as described above, to the extent that the mask layer absorbs light, more readout power is required than that in a conventional optical disk. As a result, low frequency noises (or disk noises) outstandingly appear in a reproduction signal (for example, Non patent document 2).
The low frequency noises mainly appear in a frequency band lower than the diffraction-limited spatial frequency.
By the way, a basic principle of reproducing data on an optical disk is that a mark having concave and convex portions or a mark having differences in refractive index diffracts light, which is then transmitted through an objective lens having a numerical aperture NA so as to be detected as a return light by a receiver, which gives a reproduction signal. That is, in a peripheral circumferential portion of the objective lens with the numerical aperture NA, there is much diffracted light that is produced by a mark sequence with a high spatial frequency. On the contrary, in the central portion of the objective lens, there is much diffracted light that is produced by a mark sequence with a low spatial frequency, so that there are also lots of low frequency noises in the central portion of the objective lens. In addition, there is a tendency that, as the spatial frequency of the shortest-mark sequence becomes higher due to densification, the diffraction angle of the diffracted light by the shortest mark becomes larger, reducing the quantity of light that is taken into the objective lens.
Therefore, the signal-noise ratio becomes lower along with densification. Especially, when the shortest mark becomes shorter than the diffraction limit, the ratio is remarkably lowered. In the super-resolution optical disc, because its readout power is being enhanced, low frequency noises themselves become large, making the signal-noise ratio even lower.
In the super-resolution optical disk, it is considered to be an effective method that peripheral portions of a return light beam, where the ratio of a reproduction signal component to low-frequency-band noises is observed to be high, are intensified to produce a reproduction signal, and thus it is desired that the peripheral portions of the return light beam, where the quantity of light is small, be detected as much as possible without losses.
In a typical device that records or reproduces data to/from an optical disk, a light beam radiated from a light source is focused by an objective lens onto the optical disk, then reflected or diffracted by the optical disk, again taken into the objective lens as a return light beam, and led to a light receiving device. Then, a reproduction signal is produced based on an electric signal outputted from the light receiving device.
In order to form a light collecting spot in good quality on the optical disk through the objective lens, it is necessary to establish a predetermined-aperture limitation so that a light beam having an entrance pupil diameter (effective entrance pupil diameter) which is determined by the design of the objective lens to be effective to focus the light beam, enters the objective lens.
In many cases of the aperture limitation, a light-beam portion outside the effective entrance pupil diameter is light-blocked, and this is realized, for example, by providing an aperture having a diameter equal to the effective entrance pupil in an objective lens holder.
On the other hand, a return light beam from the optical disk is light-blocked except for a light beam portion that passes through the aperture having the effective entrance pupil diameter, and only the limited light beam portion corresponding to within the effective entrance pupil diameter out of the return light beam reflected or diffracted by the optical disk as aforementioned, is led to a light receiving device.
Here, if light beams are considered to be ideal light rays, the return light beam is collimated by the objective lens and then naturally becomes a light beam having a diameter equal to the effective entrance pupil diameter. That is, the diameter of the return light beam becomes equal to the effective entrance pupil diameter. However, actually, the return light beam spreads due to the diffraction of the optical disk and the diffraction action of the light beam under propagation, so that the return light beam again enters into the objective lens with its diameter larger than the effective entrance pupil diameter, meaning that there is an aperture limitation for the return light beam when the effective entrance pupil diameter is equal to the exit pupil diameter of the objective lens, like the above aperture.
As a method for taking in much light from peripheral portions of the return light beam, not only the exit pupil diameter but also the effective entrance pupil diameter may be enlarged by using an objective lens with an increased numerical aperture so as to enhance the reproduction resolution itself. However, this requires using a high-manufacturing-cost objective lens whose light-condensing performance is ensured also for an increased portion in its numerical aperture so as not to degrade the quality of the light collecting spot, leading to a situation where inexpensive optical head devices cannot be provided.
[Non patent document 1] “Observation of Eye Pattern on Super-Resolution Near-Field Structure Disk with Write-Strategy Technique”, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 43, No. 7A, 2004, pp. 4212-4215
[Non patent document 2] “Low Frequency Noise Reduction of Super-Resolution Near-Field Structure Disc with Platinum-Oxide Layer”, ODS Technical Digest, ThC3 (2005) | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In a distributed multiplayer game, end users are often geographically distributed, with each end user using an associated game system. In such games, end users control players and, optionally, associated entities, within the game space. The players/entities may include any virtual objects existing within the game space. During the course of the game, players/entities move within the game space. The portion of the game space in which each player moves is displayed to the associated end user controlling the player. In most multi-player games, all players are capable of moving within the game space simultaneously. In order to ensure accurate and fair play, each end user must be able to see a continuously updated position of each player/entity within the portion of the game space occupied by the player controlled by that end user.
Since continuous exchange of information between game systems is almost impossible, a technique known as dead-reckoning is commonly used to exchange player/entity movement information among game systems. Using a technique known as dead-reckoning, each game system sends player/entity position and movement information (with respect to that player, and entities controlled by that player) to every other game system using dead-reckoning vectors. A dead-reckoning vector includes information about the position and movement of a player/entity in the game space on the sending game system. The exchanged dead-reckoning vectors are processed by receiving game systems to render the associated player/entity in the game space on the respective receiving game systems.
In existing game systems (i.e., distributed multiplayer games limited to a small number of players in close proximity), network delay may be assumed to be negligible. Disadvantageously, however, even if network delay is negligible, due to use of dead-reckoning vectors to project player/entity trajectory, by the time a dead-reckoning vector is received and rendered by a receiving game system, the original trajectory of the player/entity at the sending game system may have already changed. As such, in physical time, there is a deviation at the receiving game system between the real trajectory (denoted as a real path) and the rendered trajectory (denoted as the placed path). This deviation is unavoidable unless every movement for a player/entity is continuously sent to every game system.
In emerging games (i.e., distributed multiplayer games involving a large number of players interacting over large distances using the Internet), network delay is not negligible, thereby resulting in a deviation between the placed path and rendering on the receiving game system of the dead-reckoning vector exported by the sending game system (denoted as an exported path). The trajectory of a player/entity that a sending game system expects receiving game systems to follow in physical time may not be followed in physical time due to non-negligible network delay. In other words, placed paths and associated exported paths may deviate in physical time, thereby creating game-playing inaccuracies. This deviation between placed paths and associated exported paths may be denoted as an export error.
In distributed multiplayer games, game playing accuracy is measured according to the game playing experience as observed by end users in terms of accurate rendering of movements of players/entities on distributed game systems (i.e., maximum game playing accuracy is achieved in the absence of network delay). According to such game playing accuracy, in physical time, end users should experience identical movements of players/entities within the game space. In one embodiment, this notion of game playing accuracy may be defined using the following player/entity trajectories: (1) the trajectory of the player/entity at the receiving game system before the dead-reckoning vector is received and (2) the trajectory of the player/entity at the receiving game system after the dead-reckoning vector is received.
An export error associated with movement of the player/entity at the receiving game system before the dead-reckoning vector is received at the receiving game system is denoted as a before export error. An export error associated with movement of the player/entity at the receiving game system after the dead-reckoning vector is received at the receiving game system is denoted as an after export error. Both before export errors and after export errors are due to a deviation between the exported path on the sending game system and the placed path on the receiving game system (i.e., due to network delay in propagating dead-reckoning vectors from sending game systems to receiving game systems). In existing distributed multiplayer games, receiving game systems experience both before export errors and after export errors, thereby resulting in game-playing inaccuracies. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus to print a color image onto a printing medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus such as a printer, copier, facsimile or multi-function unit that integrates the above functions has a main function of printing an image onto a printing medium. A color image forming apparatus is also available, which prints images in multiple colors.
A color image forming apparatus generally includes a plurality of photosensitive media to form electrostatic latent images for color printing, a plurality of developing units to develop the electrostatic latent images into developed images in corresponding colors, a transfer unit to receive the developed color images on one another and transfer a composite image onto a printing medium, a fusing unit to fix the transferred image to the printing medium, and a discharge unit to discharge the printing medium outside.
The color image forming apparatus carries out auto color registration (ACR) to align images of each color exactly to intended locations. By the ACR, it is checked whether the color images are correctly printed on the printing medium, and if detected, an abnormality is corrected automatically. Accordingly, an ACR sensor is mounted, facing the transfer unit to sense the color images transferred onto the transfer unit.
The ACR sensor has to be kept clean, in order to perform precise sensing. In a conventional way, a user cleans the ACR sensor using a separate cleaning tool, or operates a separate member such as a sensor cover covering the ACR sensor to wipe contaminants off the ACR sensor.
The ACR sensor is cleaned only when the user notices that the sensor is contaminated. Therefore, the ACR sensor is left contaminated and thus has deterioration of sensing accuracy, if the user does not recognize it. As a result, a color image forming apparatus has a degradation of image quality. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) refers to a technology in which a virtualization technology is used to design a network structure with industry standard servers, switches, and storage that are provided as devices at a user end. That is, the NFV technology implements network functions as software that can be run in existing industry standard servers and hardware. NFV technology may also be supported by a cloud computing technology and in some cases, may also utilize various industry-standard high volume server technologies.
Using NFV, networks may be implemented that scale easily due the extensibility provided by virtualization. Nevertheless, conventional NFV architectures may not scale down easily for relatively small, lightweight services that are numerous, but do not require large amounts of workload capabilities from the resources they are executed on. It is with these observations in mind, among others, that various aspects of the present disclosure were conceived and developed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Transistors are key components of modern integrated circuits. To satisfy the requirements of increasingly faster switching speed, the drive currents of transistors need to be increasingly higher. At the same time, the gate lengths of transistors are constantly being scaled down. Scaling down the gate lengths leads to undesirable effects known as “short-channel effects,” with which the control of current flow by the gates is compromised. Among the short-channel effects are the drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) and the degradation of sub-threshold slope, both of which result in the degradation in the performance of transistors.
The use of multi-gate transistor architecture may help the relief of short-channel effects by improving electrostatic control of the gate on the channel. Fin field-effect transistors (FinFET) were thus developed. To further increase the control of the channels, and to reduce the short-channel effects, transistors having gate-all-around (GAA) structures were also developed, wherein the respective transistors are also referred to as gate all around transistors. In a gate all around transistor, a gate dielectric and a gate electrode fully encircle the channel region. This configuration delivers a good control of the channel, and the short-channel effects are reduced. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Catalytic processes for the hydrogenation of aliphatic and aromatic nitriles to produce amines are known. Representative patents illustrating the hydrogenation of nitriles to produce various amines are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,491 discloses a method for the production of secondary amines from fatty nitriles, e.g., tallow nitrile, utilizing a nickel catalyst promoted with copper, chromium or molybdenum. Secondary amine production is enhanced by hydrogenating the nitrile in a two-stage process with the second stage being carried out in the absence of ammonia. Temperatures range from 100.degree.-200.degree. C. while pressures range from 50-5000 psig.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,781,399 discloses a process for producing long-chain dialiphatic secondary amines as well as dialkyl and dialkylene amines and aromatic secondary amines and aromatic aliphatic secondary amines. The patent notes that the reaction to produce secondary amines is difficult to control and yet obtain a desired secondary amine product of good color and quality at acceptable reaction rates. The catalytic hydrogenation of the aliphatic nitrile is carried out using a nickel catalyst, preferably Raney nickel under anhydrous conditions. Alkali and alkaline earth metal hydroxide addition is undesirable when the feed source contains small amounts of free fatty acids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,120 discloses a process for the hydrogenation of nitriles to primary amine using a rhodium catalyst. The reaction is carried out in the presence of a two phase solvent system comprising an aqueous phase and an immiscible organic phase.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,108 discloses a process for preparing secondary alkyl amines by the hydrogenation of alkyl nitriles using a nickel-containing catalyst-containing copper as a promoter. The patent suggests catalytic systems for the hydrogenation of nitriles which include catalyst components of nickel, copper and cobalt as well as dual systems, e.g., nickel-copper chromite and cobalt-copper chromite.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,258 discloses a process for the hydrogenation of unsaturated materials, such as unsaturated hydrocarbons and aliphatic and aromatic nitriles. The catalyst used for effecting hydrogenation is a ruthenium-containing catalyst combined with a platinum metal, e.g., ruthenium combined with platinum, palladium or rhodium. In the hydrogenation of propionitrile, coprecipitated and mixed metal ruthenium-platinum and ruthenium-palladium complexes gave high concentrations substantial levels of tertiary amine while the ruthenium-rhodium catalyst composition give high concentrations of secondary amines.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,251 discloses a cyclic process for producing mono, secondary and tertiary polyamines by continuously hydrogenating the nitrile in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst such as cobalt, platinum, palladium, nickel and so forth.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,506 discloses ;a process for producing secondary amines by the hydrogenation of nitriles over a cobalt catalyst promoted with zirconium.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,165,515 discloses a process for the production of amines by the catalytic hydrogenation of nitriles using cobalt and cobalt promote with barium or manganese.
An article, Hydrogenation of Nitriles, J. Volf and J. Posek; Studies in Surface Science & Catalysis, Volume 27, p.105-144, 1986 discloses the hydrogenation of nitriles using a variety of catalysts, e.g., nickel, cobalt, rhodium, ruthenium, platinum and palladium. The effect of these catalysts on product slate is also shown. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electric steering and drive system for a vehicle having a wheel-based steering system with a pair of drive shafts, a differential gear mechanism connected to the drive shafts, a traction drive including at least one traction motor connected to at least one of the drive shafts, and an electric steering drive which is drive-connected to the differential gear mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicles having a wheel-based steering system travel around bends by one drive side being driven at a different speed to the other. The wheel-based steering system is used mainly in tracked vehicles. In order to travel around bends, the drive device drives the traction track on the outside of the bend at a higher speed than the traction track on the inside of the bend and therefore, in addition to the task of driving, also assumes the steering function of the vehicle. In order to rotate a vehicle of this type on the spot, the traction tracks of the two vehicle sides can be driven in opposite directions.
As the steering system also fails in vehicles of this type in the event of the failure of or problems with the drive system, special measures have to be taken in order to bring the vehicle at least to a standstill safely. In military vehicles, the requirements are even higher. Vehicles of this type are also intended to be drivable and steerable in the event of partial damage to their drive system, in order to move themselves, for example, out of a danger zone under their own power, but optionally admittedly with reduced drive power.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,591 describes an electromechanical drive system for fully tracked vehicles. A generator which is driven by an internal combustion engine is provided for the generation of the electric power. According to one embodiment, this drive system comprises an electric traction motor, which drives both vehicle sides in the same direction via a central shaft, and an electric steering motor which drives a zero shaft, the rotational speed of which has a positive effect on one side and a negative effect on the other side. Steering differentials on the left and the right add the rotational speeds of the two motors and forward the sum to the track wheels. This electromechanical steering system can transfer a multiple of the nominal power of the steering motor as what is known as “regenerative power” from the drive side on the inside of the bend to the drive side on the outside of the bend. As a result of this electromechanical power transfer, the reactive power flows via the mechanical gear mechanism arrangement and not via the electric motors, with the result that the latter can be configured in accordance with the primary performance of the vehicle.
A further embodiment of this document provides an electric traction motor which drives the carrier of a differential bevel gear mechanism. An electric steering motor is provided on both output shafts of the differential bevel gear mechanism, which output shafts are connected to the track wheels of the vehicle. In this arrangement, the electric steering motors can be used to assist the traction drive. For this reason, the three electric motors can be designed to be smaller. In this arrangement, however, drive power cannot be transmitted from one drive side to the other drive side mechanically.
In a similar arrangement is known from US 2004/0116228, a differential gear mechanism which comprises two planetary gear mechanisms is provided between the two drive sides. The two planetary gear mechanisms are arranged next to one another and their planetary carriers are coupled fixedly in terms of rotation to one another. An electric steering motor can drive the two sun gears in opposite rotational directions and the planetary gear mechanisms output their drive via their internal gears. The internal gears are connected to a first end of motor shafts of electric traction motors. The track drive wheels or wheels are arranged at the other ends of the motor shafts. If the single current supply circuit fails, a vehicle having a drive axle of this type can no longer be steered.
EP 1 060 941 B1 has disclosed a device for the actuation and operation of an electric vehicle drive. The vehicle has current generation devices and devices for detecting the operating signals of the driver for driving, braking and steering. The operating signals are forwarded via devices for the electronic processing of signals to power units which actuate electric traction motors.
One drive motor is provided for each drive side, which drive motor is assigned in each case one power unit. Each drive motor and power unit is divided in each case into at least two part motors or part units. The part units of the power units and the part motors of the two drive sides are connected to one another in such a way that every power unit can actuate in each case at least one part motor of every drive motor present. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Swimmers have a long standing history with hand paddles which are primarily used to increase the pulling resistance of the stroke to enable the swimmer to move more quickly through the water, and as a byproduct, build back, shoulder, and arm muscles. In addition to muscle growth, proper technique is the other main contributor to increasing a swimmer's speed in the water. Previously patented paddles such as, U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,418, U.S. Pat. No. 7,179,146, U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,233, U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,998, have focused on contouring the hand paddle so that the swimmer's hand is properly positioned and/or use apertures to increase the feel of the water to encourage proper technique and hand awareness during a stroke. Most hand paddles comprise of one rigid structure that conforms and attaches to the hand in a variety of ways, but does not actively react to how the hand moves in the water. Other hand paddles such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,541,100, U.S. Pat. No. 2,017,463, U.S. Pat. No. 1,708,331, U.S. Pat. No. 1,663,328, have been designed to incorporate a moving or pivoting component that actively reacts to the relative water flow with respect to the swimmer's hand or foot. Such paddles with a moving or pivoting component focus on an underwater recovery where the moving component is used as a tool to increase the pulling resistance of the swimmer yet enter a lower state of resistance during the underwater recovery to enable the swimmer to move through the water more quickly.
Throughout the development of swimming stroke mechanics, it is widely accepted that a swimmer's palm must be perpendicular to the direction of travel and pressing water in the rearward direction. If the swimmer ceases to press water in the rear direction while the hand is still in the water, then the swimmer is not increasing his or her body speed in the desired direction. If the swimmer's hand becomes non-perpendicular to the overall direction of travel, then the swimmer will essentially be decreasing the amount of resistance at which he or she is able to push the water backwards. These two basic principles are widely accepted by anyone that is skilled in the art, yet executing those technical principles on a consistent basis is challenging. Due to the onset of fatigue, swimmers will cease to press the water rearwards after the hand moves past the shoulder and the swimmer may also rotate his or her palm to decrease the amount of water that is captured by the hand pulling motion and in return reduce the stress on the arm, shoulder and back muscles. The swimmer may also pause or glide the hand near the surface of the water at the beginning of the stroke to incorporate a resting period within a stroke. In the forward gliding state, the palm is not perpendicular to the desired direction of travel which means that the hand is not being utilized for the forward propulsion of the stroke. A swimmer must quickly position his or her hand so that it is perpendicular to the direction of travel and continuously press water to the rear of the stroke until the hand exits the water.
Swimmers often have a difficult time determining his or her hand position during the stroke because of the inability to feel or see what his or her hand is doing at the back of the pulling stroke. Often a swimmer will believe that he or she is pushing water throughout the entire pulling stroke, but rather the hand is not maintaining the pressure required and often exits the water prior to a full stroke. Video analysis and coaching are used to address issues similar to this, but each method results in a delay between the action and the notification to the swimmer.
Accordingly, it is the objective of the invention to provide real time physical and visual feedback to the swimmer and observers, if proper stroke technique is not being executed for any type of swimming that relates to the use of a swimmer's hands propelling the body forward.
Another objective of the invention is to address proper hand orientation relative to the path at which the hand is pulling during the stroke.
It is yet another objective of the invention to encourage a proper hand position at the beginning of the pulling stroke so that the hand is positioned perpendicular to the direction of travel.
It is a further objective of the invention to provide the ability to indicate the onset of fatigue during a swim by notifying the swimmer instantly when his or her stroke begins to deteriorate. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The invention concerns a magnet winding in an air coil configuration with windings built from conducting elements which surround a magnetic field axis and are wound in at least two layers with at least one layer transition.
A magnet winding of this kind is, by way of example, known in the art from the publication "SOLENOID MAGNET DESIGN, The Magnetic and Mechanical Aspects of Resistive and Superconducting Systems" by D. Bruce Montgomery, 1980, Robert E. Krieger Publishing Company, Huntington, N.Y.
For many applications, a highly homogeneous magnetic field, which can be produced with the aid of axially symmetric, in particular, rotationally symmetric coil configurations is necessary. For the production of such fields, loops or rings are necessary which, in practice, must be wound from wires whose diameter can be relatively large compared to the winding radius, in particular, with coils from normally conducting copper wire. Actual coils require a transition from one winding layer to another which results in a considerable winding error. In an angular region about the coil axis in which the transition from one layer to another takes place, the corresponding innermost radial winding has, on the average, only one conducting element per two layers compared to two conducting elements in the other angular region outside of the layer transition, that is to say, one in each layer. In this manner, a local defect in the magnetic field is produced by the coil in the region of the layer transition. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Ink jet printing systems typically operate by applying ink from print head nozzles onto a print media such as paper. The wetted print media is then typically moved to a drying station that contains one or more heaters that are positioned to heat the ink and hence facilitate its drying on the print media. The heaters typically consist of a number of bulbs that produce the drying heat that is utilized to dry the ink on the page. To facilitate circulation of the heat within the drying station, a fan is typically used to ensure that the heat is moved or otherwise circulated within the drying station.
As an example, consider FIG. 1 which schematically shows an exemplary ink jet printing system generally at 100. System 100 typically includes a print head assembly 102 which can include a number of different nozzles for selectively applying ink to a print media such as a piece of paper 103. Paper is advanced into the region in which the assembly resides, has ink applied to it, and is moved into a drying station generally indicated at 104. The drying station typically includes a heater assembly 106 that includes one or more heat sources, and a fan 108 to direct heated air in the direction of the paper to facilitate the ink drying process.
One of the problems that systems, such as system 100, can experience is that the air that is circulated to facilitate the drying process can undesirably move into the region occupied by the print head assembly, as indicated by the arrows. When this happens, ink that is being expelled from the nozzles can be dispersed by the air and provided into an aerosol state. When this occurs, the ink can otherwise be deposited onto portions of the print media that are not intended to carry the deposited ink. Hence, the print quality is undesirably decreased. Additionally, another problem that can be caused by this undesired air circulation is that the performance of the print head assembly can be adversely impacted. Specifically, the print head assembly, also termed “TIJ pens”, has temperature ranges within which its operation is desired to fall. When the print head assembly operates outside of this temperature range, as for example, operating at elevated temperatures, the overall performance and lifetime of the print head assembly can be undesirably reduced. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and method for removing magnetic articles from a flow of loosely packed material containing a mixture of magnetic articles and non-magnetic articles. More specifically, this invention relates to apparatus for separating metal objects such as tableware and the like from rubbish having food and paper waste and to a method for removing magnetically attracted, reusable tableware and the like from a free fall flow of loosely packed material containing a mixture of magnetic articles and non-magnetic articles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Methods and apparatus for separating magnetic articles from a flow of loosely packed material containing a mixture of magnetic articles and non-magnetic articles, such as for example tableware or other metal objects, from rubbish is well known in the art.
One apparatus and method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,792 automatically separates magnetic substances, such as tableware, from non-magnetic substances, such as food and paper waste. The apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,792 utilizes a conventional endless conveyor belt, pulleys mounted at opposite ends of a steel frame and a pair of magnets mounted inside the interior of the pulley located at the discharge end of the conveyor to establish a magnetic field force extending radially through the conveyor belt around the pulley. The magnetic field attracts the magnetic substances, such as tableware, and holds the same against the surface of the conveyor belt. As the conveyor belt moves around the pulley, the food and paper waste fall from the end of the conveyor belt by gravity into a suitable trash receptacle while the attracted tableware remains against the conveyor belt until the tableware is transported and released into a separate receptacle. A similar method and apparatus, which is used for crushing and separating metallic containers and having a conveyor and magnetic pulley arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,496.
Other apparatus which utilize conveyor belts and a magnetic pulley or magnetic drum for separating magnetic materials from non-magnetic materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,844,251 and 2,964,184, respectively.
Apparatus for salvaging metal articles from rubbish is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,913,113 and utilizes a rotating drum having an inlet for receiving rubbish containing the metal articles and internal fins which agitate the rubbish into a falling stream of loose mixed rubbish. The rubbish stream falls near a helical magnet extending axially through the center of the drum wherein the helical magnet attracts the metal articles thereagainst and transports the same axially to the end thereof where the metal articles are removed therefrom. The nonmagnetic substances forming the balance of the rubbish are discharged from the outlet of the drum.
A circular magnet in combination with a spinning non-magnetic disc member wherein the magnetic field developed from the magnet attracts and separates magnetic parts from rubbish into engagement with a spinning disc and the disc impells the separated magnetic part along a predetermined path for collection thereof is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,887.
Magnetic separators having various shapes and sizes of coaxially aligned magnetic members are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,129,822; 2,858,021; 2,094,615; 2,992,733; 2,992,734; 3,998,741 and 4,046,680. One magnetic separator having axially aligned magnets is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,716 and relates to a magnetic separator for dry and wet material containing magnetically attractable particles. The magnetic separator includes a stationary vertical housing which provides a vertical path for gravity movement of material within the housing and a rotating magnetic system concentrically arranged along the vertical axis of the housing. The magnetic system which is rotated by a drive means, comprises a plurality of magnetic discs and pole discs alternating with the magnetic discs in the axial direction of the housing. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to rinse additive compositions containing insoluble inorganic zinc salts which are useful for inhibiting glassware corrosion which can occur in an automatic dishwasher.
Corrosion of glass in automatic dishwashers is a well known phenomenon. A paper by D. Joubert and H. Van Daele entitled "Etching of Glassware in Mechanical Dishwashing" in Soap and Chemical Specialties, Mar. 1971, pp. 62, 64, and 67, discusses the influence of various detergent components, particularly those of an alkaline nature. This subject is also discussed in a paper entitled "The Present Position of Investigations Into the Behavior of Glass During Mechanical Dishwashing" presented by Th. Altenschoepfer in April, 1971, at a symposium in Charleroi, Belgium, on "The Effect of Detergents on Glassware in Domestic Dishwashers". See also another paper delivered at the same symposium by P. Mayaux entitled "Mechanism of Glass Attack by Chemical Agents".
It has been determined that the glassware corrosion problem actually consists of two separate phenomena; one is corrosion due to the leaching out of minerals from the glass composition itself together with hydrolysis of the silicate network, and the second is deposition and redeposition of silicate material onto the glass. It is a combination of the two that can result in the cloudy appearance of glassware that has been washed repeatedly in an automatic dishwasher. This cloudiness often manifests itself in the early stages as an iridescent film that becomes progressively more opaque with repeated washings. The harsh washing conditions of the automatic dishwashing process, particularly the use of detergency builders and the high alkalinity, are believed to cause glassware corrosion.
Use of zinc, in general, in automatic dishwashing detergent compositions to prevent glass corrosion is known, See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,820, Rutkowski, issued July 18, 1972, which discloses hanging a strip of metallic zinc in the dishwasher to prevent corrosion of glassware. U.S. Pat. No. 3,255,117, Knapp et al, issued June 7, 1966, discloses the use of soluble zinc salts in automatic dishwashing detergent compositions to prevent glassware corrosion. This reference states that introducing soluble metal salts (alkali aluminate, zincate, or berylliate) in automatic dishwashing detergent compositions can result in precipitation out of insoluble material. Such material is said to be very undesirable as it can adhere to dishwasher parts and dishware during the washing cycle. This precipitation is said to be avoided by carefully adjusting the levels and proportions of the various components in product formulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,318, Green, issued Oct. 31, 1967, also describes the use of soluble zinc salts (sodium aluminate, sodium zincate) to prevent attack by automatic dishwashing detergent compositions of overglaze colors and decorations on fine china and the aluminum of pots and pans. The problem of precipitate formation is discussed and said to be avoided by spraying a solution of the soluble zinc salt onto granular polyphosphate particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,575,576, Bacon et al, issued Nov. 20, 1951, describes the use of a water-soluble zinc or aluminum salt to prevent the corrosion of vitreous and ceramic surfaces. It is stated that the problem of compounding alkali metal salts such as sodium carbonates, -phosphates, -silicates, or -sulfates with water-soluble zinc or aluminum compounds is that an undesirable precipitate is formed. This problem is said to be overcome by the careful choice of particular components at particular ranges and proportions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,180, Austin, issued Aug. 28, 1973, describes use of a precipitated silico-aluminate compound for inhibiting overglaze attack in china. Again, the problem of precipitate formation when soluble zinc and aluminum salts are utilized for this purpose is discussed. (See also U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,627, Gray, issued June 29, 1976.)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,270, Baird et al, issued Apr. 17, 1984, discloses a rinse additive formulation containing a low-foaming nonionic surfactant, a chelating agent, a hydrotrope-water solubilizing system, and a soluble magnesium, zinc, or bismuth salt. The metal salt is said to be present for protection against glassware corrosion caused in the rinse. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,794, to Barrat et al, issued Nov. 22, 1983. More specifically, the water-soluble zinc salts of chloride, sulfate, or acetate are taught.
Despite these disclosures, there is a continuing need for methods of providing protection against glassware corrosion in the dishwasher without causing the formation of insolubles.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide compositions which protect glassware against corrosion in the dishwasher without causing the formation of insolubles which can adhere to dishwasher parts and dishware.
It has been surprisingly discovered that by utilizing certain insoluble inorganic zinc salts in rinse additive compositions, the above objectives can be attained. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an encryption/decryption apparatus using an advanced encryption standard (AES) Rijndael algorithm, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for improving an encryption/decryption rate using an AES Rijndael algorithm.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Due to the widespread application of electronic payment methods using the Internet and mobile communication networks, the security of private information is very important. The ongoing development of Internet and mobile communication network technology is shadowed by the development of hacking technology for the malicious purpose of stealing private information, etc.
An encryption/decryption process is needed to secure private information, and an AES Rijndael algorithm is used to improve security.
The Rijndael algorithm was designed by Joan Daemen and Vincent Rijmen. Details of its design are described in an AES proposal document submitted to the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology). The U.S. government has adopted the Rijndael encryption algorithm as a standard through NIST. The AES algorithm was announced by FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) 197 as a NIST published document. The AES Rijndael algorithm is now used worldwide. A large amount of research is aimed at efficiently implementing the AES Rijndael algorithm.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a conventional encryption/decryption apparatus using an AES Rijndael algorithm.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional encryption/decryption apparatus 100 includes a round key generator 110, a round key memory 120, and a round executor 130.
The round key generator 110 generates round keys for performing first to last rounds using an input key. For example, when the AES algorithm uses a 128-bit round key, the round key generator 110 divides the 128-bit round key into four 32-bit partial round keys.
The round key memory 120 stores the round keys generated in the round key generator 110. For example, the round keys stored in the round key memory 120 may be round keys for first to last rounds including first to fourth partial round keys 201a to 201d, 202a to 202d, - - - , 203a to 203d as indicated by reference numerals 201, 202, - - - , 203 shown in FIG. 2.
The round executor 130 performs the first to last rounds for encrypting plaintext, or decrypting ciphertext, using the round keys stored in the round key memory 120. The round executor 130 includes first to fourth registers and performs a function for loading the 32-bit partial round keys to the first to fourth registers by accessing the round key memory 120 four times.
The round executor 130 performs the first to last rounds using the loaded round keys and outputs generated ciphertext or plaintext.
When the above-described AES Rijndael algorithm performs the first to last rounds using the 128-bit round key, the round executor 130 should load the partial round keys to the first to fourth registers by accessing the round key memory 120 four times per round. To perform the first to last rounds, the round executor 130 should access the round key memory 120 (N+1)*4 times, which makes encryption/decryption time-consuming. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiographic image capture device, system, program storage medium and method, and in particular to a radiographic image capture device, system, program storage medium and method that captures a radiographic image expressing radiation passed through an imaging target site.
Description of the Related Art
Recently, radiation detectors such as Flat Panel Detectors (FPDs) are being implemented in which a radiation sensitive layer is disposed on a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) active matrix substrate and with which radiation can be converted directly into digital data. Radiographic image capture devices that employ such radiation detectors and can capture radiographic images expressing irradiated radiation are also being implemented. Radiation conversion methods used by radiation detectors employed in such radiographic image capture devices include indirect conversion methods, in which radiation is first converted into light with a scintillator and then the converted light is converted into electric charge with a semiconductor layer such as a photodiode, or direct conversion methods in which radiation is converted into electric charge with a semiconductor layer such as amorphous selenium. There are various materials that may be used in the semiconductor layer for each method.
In such radiographic image capture devices, if the radiographic image capture device itself can detect states such as initiation of radiation application, termination of radiation application, and an amount of radiation application, it becomes unnecessary to connect an image capture control device (referred to as a console) that performs overall control of the radiographic image capture device and the radiation source to the radiation source. Such a configuration is preferable from the perspective of simplifying the system configuration and simplifying control by the image capture control device.
An example of such technology related to radiographic image capture devices that can detect states of radiation application is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4217443. This radiographic image capture device includes a pixel area with plural pixels disposed on a substrate. Each pixel includes a phosphor material that converts incident radiation into visible light, a first photoelectric conversion element that converts the visible light into electrical signals, and a switching element that switches the output operations of the electrical signals from the photoelectric conversion element. Image data is generated based on the electrical signals output from the first photoelectric conversion elements. The radiographic image capture device includes a second photoelectric conversion element that detects the amount of incident radiation, and the switching elements and the second photoelectric conversion elements are disposed between the substrate and the first photoelectric conversion elements in the pixel area.
Japanese Patent No. 4217506 discloses a radiation imaging device having a conversion section provided with plural pixels, each having a first conversion element, wherein the conversion section is provided on the side of a substrate on which radiation is incident. The radiation imaging device outputs image data according to the amount of radiation incident to the conversion section. The radiation imaging device includes second conversion elements that detect at least one of a radiation application amount incident to the conversion section, the start and end of incidence of radiation to the conversion section. The second conversion elements are disposed between the first conversion elements of adjacent pixels in the conversion section on the side of the substrate on which radiation is incident. The second conversion elements have a width in one direction that is smaller than the pitch of the pixels.
However, in the above technologies, since the sensors for detecting radiation are embedded between the pixels for image generation, electric charges generated by photoelectric conversion are temporarily accumulated in these sensors. As a result, at least one of charge leakage (blooming) or induction charges due to floating capacitance may occur in the above technology, and this may cause deterioration in captured image quality. Such issues are more significant as the pixel pitch of the radiation detector is smaller. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a turning bar draw-off device for a tubular film extrusion installation, with a plurality of turning bars which can be rotatingly driven around a common axis of rotation or in reverse by rotary drive mechanisms.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Turning bar draw-off devices for tubular film extrusion installations are known, for example as taught by German Patent Reference DE 21 56 079 C2. They are used for repeatedly changing the direction of tubular films previously extruded in the tubular film extrusion installation and conveyed to the turning bar draw-off device, and to move them off to a following winding device, wherein the repeated changing of the direction of the tubular film path occurs successively over the turning bars. As a result of the rotary or reversing movements of the turning bars, generated by rotary drive mechanisms, around a common axis of rotation, which customarily coincides with the axis of the supplied tubular film, tolerances in the thickness of the extruded tubular film are evenly distributed over the width thereof in the wound state, to assure a uniform winding result.
While the turning bar draw-off devices known are satisfactory with regard to their functioning, their mechanical structure is extremely elaborate and cost-intensive because of turning bars which must be driven with partially different rotary or reversing speeds, so that this appears to be worthy of improvements. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to marine vehicles, and more particularly, to buoyancy controlled marine vehicles.
2. Background of Related Art
Although underwater environments are more diverse than those on land, difficulties associated with gathering underwater data has severely limited our knowledge of these habitats. In fact, many experts agree that the difficulty in assessing some underwater environments is commensurate in scope with many space missions. While space exploration has been able to rely on numerous unmanned missions, however, most oceanic monitoring and exploration is still performed by manned vehicles, and is often constrained by the limitations of these vehicles.
A variety of marine vehicles have been developed to explore underwater environments. The great majority of these vehicles are, or have evolved from, rigid-hull submersibles. The deployment and effectiveness of these vehicles has been severely limited, however, by the need to incorporate long tethered cables to a mother ship, propellers that become entangled and snarled in sea grass or debris, and rigid hulls that prevent maneuvering in close proximity to fragile ocean features, such as arctic ice or coral reefs, for fear of damaging the environment.
In addition, traditional marine vehicles are often complex machines that are mechanically propelled and require large amounts of fuel or heavy batteries to function. The use of fuel and heavy batteries for mechanical propulsion can limit the length of the vehicles' missions, as the fuel quickly runs out and the batteries quickly die. These shortcomings necessitate a different approach to oceanographic exploration.
Some researchers have developed vehicles that use buoyancy and gravity to yield locomotion, instead of fuel and batteries. In these designs, a torpedo shaped vehicle can be angled forward and downward in the water, and the buoyancy of the vehicle can be reduced. The vehicle then descends, and the forward angle causes the vehicle to move forward and downward at a given glide path. When the vehicle reaches a predetermined depth, the buoyancy can be increased, causing the vehicle to rise toward the surface of the water. A forward angle can be maintained during this ascent, again causing the vehicle to move forward in addition to upward at a given glide path. When the vehicle reaches a predetermined depth, its buoyancy can be decreased and the first forward angle reinstated, again causing the vehicle to move forward and downward. This process can be repeated until the vehicle moves a desired distance or to a desired location.
The buoyancy vehicles described above have several disadvantages. First, constant depth cannot be maintained, since depth change is necessary to impart movement. Second, side to side movement is difficult or impossible to impart without adding complex components. Third, the vehicles are heavily influenced by oceanic currents, since they generally have difficulty modifying their trajectories to compensate for the flow of the water. These disadvantages make the vehicles poorer choices for oceanic exploration, as they have very limited capabilities.
To overcome these limitations, a number of researchers have explored vehicles that are based on biomimicry of batoids, such as rays or skates. Live batoids have superior hydrodynamic characteristics and make extremely efficient use of energy. They also have excellent underwater movement capabilities. Known vehicles that imitate batoids, however, are mechanically actuated, and locomotion and maneuvering of these designs have been limited by the high complexity and power consumption of their actuators. More specifically, movement of flexible portions of the vehicles, such as their fins, has been limited by the availability and reliability of known mechanical designs as well as the amount of energy that is required to actuate these designs.
What is needed, therefore, is an efficient vehicle suitable for extended underwater missions. The vehicle can use buoyancy to effectively control its motion, but should do so in a manner that provides desirable locomotion and maneuvering capabilities. In some embodiments, the vehicle should mimic a batoid. It is to such a system that embodiments of the present invention are primarily directed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article conveying device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A device for supplying a large number of rod shaped materials (11) to the next step while separating the materials one by one in the middle of conveyance, the device including a fixed floor (41) formed in a step form in which an upstream side surface in the conveying direction of the rod shaped material (11) displaces to the downstream side in the conveying direction towards the upper side, a moving floor (42) adjacently positioned in parallel to the fixed floor (41) and formed in a step form in which the upstream side surface in the conveying direction of the rod shaped material (11) displaces to the downstream side in the conveying direction towards the upper side, and a reciprocate driving means (47), arranged on the lower side of the moving floor (42), for reciprocating a step part (45) of the moving floor (42) to the upper side and the lower side of a step part (43) of the fixed floor (41) is known as an article conveying device, as described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 7-23731. In the article conveying device, when the step part (45) of the moving floor side moves to a level above the step part (43) of the fixed floor side by the drive of the reciprocate driving means (47), the step part (45) of the moving floor side captures one rod shaped material (11) from the group of rod shaped materials placed on the step part (43) of the fixed floor side, and sequentially moves the relevant rod shaped material to the step part (43) of the upper stage on the fixed floor side.
In the article conveying device of Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 7-23731, the fixed floor and the moving floor are adjacently positioned in parallel, where the rod shaped material serving as an article to be conveyed is captured by the pair of moving floor side step parts arranged lined in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, and the rod shaped material is moved to a pair of similarly arranged fixed floor side step parts. Therefore, the article must be a long length article having a length exceeding the interval of the pair of moving floors, and the length exceeding the interval of the pair of fixed floors. The disposing orientation of the article must be orthogonal to the conveying direction so as to be received by the pair of fixed floor step parts. In the prior art, the article of various dimensional shapes cannot be discharged by substantially constant amount if placed in any direction. Furthermore, since the direction of the long length article cannot be changed, the articles of various dimensional shapes cannot be directed to the orientation in a constant direction if placed in any direction. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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