Firewalls remain the frontier defense for securing networks that are vital to private industry, government agencies, and the military. They enforce a security policy by inspecting and filtering traffic arriving at or departing from a secure network [3, 21, 22]. Meaningful inspections often involve a complex process, and if firewalls are to remain effective, they must adapt to constantly changing network demands, technology, and security threats.
As firewall technology evolves to meet new demands and threats, it must continue to act transparently to legitimate users, with little or no effect on the perceived network performance. The networks between two communicating machines should be invisible, especially if traffic requires specific network Quality of Service (QoS), such as bounds on the packet delay, jitter, and throughput. The firewall should process the legitimate traffic quickly, efficiently, and never violate the desired QoS. Unfortunately, the firewall can easily become a bottleneck, given increasing traffic loads and network speeds [12, 14, 18, 20, 21]. Packets must be inspected and compared against complex rule sets and tables, which is a time-consuming process. In addition, audit files must be updated with current connection information. As a result, current firewalls have difficulty maintaining QoS guarantees. Since a firewall can be overwhelmed with traffic, it is also susceptible to Denial of Service (DoS) attacks [21]. Such attacks merely overload/saturate the firewall with illegitimate traffic. Audit files and state tables quickly fill available storage space and legitimate traffic queued behind suspicious traffic encounters long delays. Legitimate users notice poor network performance, and, in the worst case, the secure network is disconnected from the outside world.
Inspecting traffic sent between networks, a firewall provides access control, auditing, and traffic control based on a security policy [3, 21, 22]. The security policy is a list of ordered rules, as seen in Table 1, that defines the action to perform on matching packets. A rule r can be viewed as a k-tuple (r[1], r[2], r[3], . . . , r[k]), where r[i] is specified as a variable length prefix.
TABLE 1Example Security Policy Consisting of Multiple Ordered RulesSourceDestinationNo.Proto.IPPortIPPortAction1TCP140.*** 80accept2TCP150.**120 80accept3TCP140.**130 20accept4UDP150.***3030accept5*****deny
In the examples described herein, rules will initially be represented as the 5-tuple (protocol, IP source address, source port number, IP destination address, destination port number). Fields can be fully specified or contain wildcards ‘*’ in standard prefix format. For example the prefix 192.* would represent any IP address that has 192 as the first dotted-decimal number. In addition to the prefixes, each filter rule has an action, which is to accept or deny. An accept action passes the packet into or from the secure network, while deny causes the packet to be discarded. Rules are applied in order to every arriving packet until a match is found; otherwise, a default action is performed [21, 22].
Unfortunately, security policies may contain anomalies, such as a packet that matches multiple rules, where the matching rules specify conflicting actions. Security policy anomaly detection and correction is the subject of continued research [13, 21] and is not the focus of the present subject matter. Given the type of security policy required, rule sets can become quite large and complex. Security can be further enhanced with connection state and packet audit information. For example, a table can be used to record the state of each connection, which is useful for preventing certain types of attacks (e.g., TCP SYN flood) [21, 22].
Traditional firewall implementations consist of a single dedicated machine, similar to a router, that sequentially applies the rule set to each arriving packet. However, packet filtering represents a significantly higher processing load than routing decisions [15, 18, 22]. For example, a firewall that interconnects two 100 Mbps networks would have to process over 300,000 packets per second [21]. Successfully handling this high traffic becomes more difficult as rule sets become more complex [4, 14, 22]. Furthermore, firewalls must be capable of processing even more packets as interface speeds increase. In a high-speed environment (e.g. Gigabit Ethernet), a single firewall can easily become a bottleneck and is susceptible to DoS attacks [4, 7, 10, 12]. An attacker could simply inundate the firewall with traffic, delaying or preventing legitimate packets from being processed. Building a faster single firewall is possible [8, 15, 18, 19, 20]; however, the benefits are temporary (traffic loads and interface speeds are increasing); it is not scalable; it is a single point of failure; and it is generally not cost-effective for all installations.
A data-parallel firewall (or firewall sandwich) where each firewall node implements an entire firewall rule set is another approach to increase the speed of processing traffic [4, 12, 14, 22]. As shown in FIG. 1, the system consists of multiple identical firewalls 100 connected in parallel. Each machine implements the complete security policy and arriving packets are distributed across the machines for processing in parallel [4]. A packet distributor 102 implements a load balancing algorithm to distribute different packets to different firewall nodes. How the load-balancing algorithm distributes packets is vital to the system and is typically implemented as a high-speed switch in commercial products [11, 12]. Although data-parallel firewalls achieve higher throughput than traditional firewalls [4] and have a redundant design, they have difficulty maintaining QoS across networks. For example, legitimate traffic can encounter delays if it is queued behind traffic that requires more processing. Under these circumstances, users notice poor network performance, which is growing concern as more network applications require QoS assurances. Furthermore, stateful inspection requires all traffic from a certain connection or exchange to traverse the same parallel machine, which is difficult to perform at high speeds [14]. Therefore, new firewall architectures are needed to meet the demands of future networks and the challenges of increasing security threats.


Solar energy appears to be the single most attractive source of energy. Solar systems are not liable to wind damage, as is the case with wind energy systems except in extreme weather conditions, which are exceptional, and would damage even conventional energy transmission systems. Solar collector can be installed almost anywhere, unlike tidal energy systems which must be located in coastal areas. Solar energy systems consume no fuel and the energy is, therefore, "free", in a sense. It causes no emissions to pollute the environment. It does not appear to require complex transmission and delivery systems such as electrical power lines, gas or oil pipe lines, or other delivery systems, provided it can be collected "on site", i.e., where it is to be used.
Solar energy has however one major disadvantage, namely, that it is available only intermittently, in the hours of daylight. Accordingly, it is obvious that sufficient solar energy must be collected during the hours of daylight, that a sufficient quantity of energy can be stored, for reuse during the hours of darkness when solar energy is not available. Clearly, systems could be engineered to carry out these functions on a very large scale. However, that would then require the collection and storage of large quantities of solar energy which would then have to be transmitted from place to place, for example, to a large number of homes, connected to a central solar collector. This would result in excessive capital costs, and would likely result in relatively high energy transmission losses. Clearly, such centralized systems would fail to take advantage of the principal significant fact concerning solar energy, namely, in that it is substantially universally available over a large portion of the face of the earth, and thus does not require special transmission systems, to transmit the energy from one place to another. The theoretically ideal solar energy system would be self-contained, so that individual systems could be provided for individual buildings or homes, so that each building or home could be essentially energy self-sufficient. In this way, complex transmission or storage systems would not be required.
It is however apparent that in the design of any solar energy collector system it will be necessary to collect solar energy falling on a relatively substantial surface area, to provide sufficient energy even for a single home or building. In order to achieve this, numerous proposals have been made for providing solar collectors based on some form of concave curved mirror usually of parabolic shape having a relatively large surface area. The mirror catches the sun's rays falling on all points of the mirror, and concentrates them into a single point, resulting in a high energy concentration of light at that point. Usually, at the focal point of the mirror, a secondary reflector is provided for reflecting the concentrated point of light, and redirecting it, so as to convert the energy of the concentrated light beam into some other form of energy. Typical proposals of this general type are shown in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,286,581, 4,295,462, 4,340,031, and 4,696,285. It is, of course, implicit in any of these solar collector devices that the actual mirror itself must be located in the open air. In all of these proposals, the mirror concentrates the solar energy falling on the mirror at the focal point of the mirror. The concentrated light is re-directed into a portion of the collector where the energy of the light beam is then converted into heat. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,581, the solar energy is utilized to heat a tubular chamber, or cavity, and a fluid medium is passed through the chamber or cavity, and absorbs the heat from the concentrated light rays. The energy in the fluid is then transported to some other location for use. In these proposals the mirror was usually mounted on some form of a suitable equatorial tracking mount, so that the mirror could always be pointed directly at the sun. Accordingly, in the proposals of the type described above, it was usually necessary for the entire apparatus consisting of the mirror, the secondary reflector, and also the heat conversion chamber, all to be mounted together and moved simultaneously to track the path of the sun. Such systems therefore require highly complex suspension and tracking mechanisms, to provide the facility for accurate tracking of the sun, by all of the components simultaneously and also require heat transmission systems for transmitting the heat from the outside to the inside of a building.
Other proposals for collecting solar energy have been made of a more simplistic nature, for example as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,226. In this type of proposal, large chambers are filled with any suitable heat storage medium. In this case, the medium is simply rock or stone. The chambers are fixed in position, and have glass panels through which the sun's rays may pass and heat up the stones. In the particular example, of this patent, insulating panels are adapted to be swung down over the glass panels, when the heat generated by the sun's rays falls below a certain preset minimum temperature.
Systems of this kind are relatively massive installations, and are suitable in only relatively limited "sun belt" portions of the globe, and must obviously be located for optimum operation in a fixed location, i.e., facing south in the northern hemisphere.
Another proposal is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,166. In this patent, a concave mirror is provided, mounted on a suitable tracking mount, and having a secondary light concentration mirror at the focal point. The light falling from the main mirror on the secondary mirror is concentrated into a light beam. A central opening in the main mirror allows this concentrated light beam to pass through the main mirror. An energy collection chamber is provided immediately behind the main mirror, for receiving energy from the concentrated light beam. The converted energy is then transmitted from this chamber, to a location where it may be of use. While this system is somewhat simpler to construct, it still has the disadvantage that the energy conversion takes place out of doors, and requires the transmission of an energy conversion medium, typically, for example, a fluid medium, from the solar collector itself into the building or facility where the energy is required, typically to heat the building or to provide hot water for a domestic hot water system. Thus thick insulation must be provided to limit heat losses in transmission.
In a further proposal, in U.S. Pat. 4,373,514 granted on Feb. 15, 1983 to Lois, there is shown a form of solar collector system in which the collimate beam is routed through a conduit, around various angles. This system uses at least three separate mirrors, to bring the light beam along the angled conduit, to a point where it could be converted. However Lois does not disclose an equatorial mount for tracking the sun's path each day, and each day of the year, and consequently would have very little if any efficiency. In addition, the use of three separate mirrors within the conduits produces further heat transmission losses, which accumulate from mirror to mirror. Consequently, the system would be impractical for the purposes of for example domestic heating or heating of individual buildings, and would be extremely expensive.


The demagnetization or removal of a magnetic field may be accomplished in several ways as described at http://www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/CommunityCollege/MagParticle/Physics/Demagnetization.htm, on Oct. 12, 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein. One demagnetization approach is to heat a material above its Curie temperature to produce a random orientation of the magnetic domains, which demagnetizes the material. Another demagnetization approach is to subject the material to a reversing and decreasing magnetic field produced by driving a (de)magnetizer with a decreasing alternating current. This AC demagnetization process, shown in FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART), can be accomplished by pulling a component out and away from a coil with AC passing through it. The same can also be accomplished using an electromagnetic yoke with AC selected. Also, many stationary magnetic particle inspection units come with a demagnetization feature that slowly reduces the AC in a coil in which the component is placed. As can be seen in FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART), which depicts a demagnetization hysteresis curve 102, the current passing through a magnetizing coil decreases in accordance with an alternating current having a current curve 104. The demagnetizing field of the magnetizing coil corresponds to a flux curve 106 that corresponds to the current curve 104, where the alternating polarity H field that is produced by the coil results in a smaller and smaller B field being present in the material inside the coil. An alternative demagnetization approach is the subject of the present invention.


There have been an increasing number of machines activated by cordless power supply utilizing electromagnetic inductance, such as electric toothbrushes, cordless telephones, and portable devices (e.g., PTL 1). There have also been developments of machines activated by cordless power supply utilizing magnetic resonance, in relation to wall-hang television sets and personal computers (e.g., PTL 2). To add this, there have been many developments and suggestions for magnetic elements for wireless power transmission capable of feeding high power with high power transmission efficiency, in the field of wireless power transmission.
However, feeding high power with high power transmission efficiency in such a magnetic element for wireless power transmission causes an excessive heat generation. This generated heat in the magnetic element for wireless power transmission may cause a problem to the magnetic element itself or to the functional parts of the element.
To address this problem of heat generation, for example, one approach is to adopt a structure of substrate having an in-built coil such as the one disclosed in PTL 3, in which a planar coil conductor to serve as the heat source is covered with a magnetic layer so as to radiate the heat outside through a conductor layer for heat transfer which is provided to the magnetic layer. This, without a doubt, enables radiation of heat generated by the planar coil to the outside.


A commonly assigned patent of G. and S. Olive, U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,462, issued Dec. 18, 1979, describes a process in which acetonitrile is prepared by high temperature reaction of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and ammonia over a transition metal catalyst. Various catalysts and operating conditions are exemplified.
It happens that the described reaction is usually accompanied by a number of side reactions, with the significance of particular reactions depending upon the catalyst and other conditions.


The scientific designing of systems for effecting controlled and sustained release of fragrances and malodour counteractants from semi-solid substrates including fabric, human skin and hair surfaces into the environment proximate such substrates has been the subject of ongoing investigations. Such systems include the targeted deposition onto substrate surfaces for extended periods of time of rupturable microcapsules composed of thin polymeric walls and containing substantial quantities of monophasic liquid compositions of such fragrance compositions and malodour counteractant compositions.
In designing and then employing such systems it has been found necessary to achieve optimization of (a) the nature and content of the targeted microcapsules, such as microcapsule dimensions, including average effective diameters and average wall thickness, polymer wall composition, specific ingredients, weight ratio of capsule wall: functional product composition, ratios of microcapsule volume:substrate area to which microcapsules are adhered and loaded, microcapsule weight:substrate area to which microcapsules are adhered in combination with (b) their respective rates of release of the functional products contained therein as a function of time, temperature and abrading use thereof, such as rubbing fabrics or skin having the microcapsules adhered thereto or, brushing of groups of hair follicles to which the microcapsules are adhered to.
Accordingly, a need has been found to exist for (a) simulating such abrading use in the laboratory, and (b) enabling analytical measurement of the results of such abrading use on a continuing basis, including analytical measurement over an extended period of time of the several components of the headspace composition proximate the microcapsule-bearing substrate being abraded, as well as the rate of change of the several components of the headspace composition proximate the microcapsule-bearing substrate being abraded with respect to time and temperature.
The prior art discloses techniques for enabling the analysis of fragrances, including movement-activated fragrances adsorbed onto a porous substrate and evolving into the environment proximate such substrate, such as, towels as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,511,852 and 6,495,375. In addition, the use of relatively large and dense objects having a high degree of surface hardness, such as, steel spheres, for causing formation of dust from vinyl polymer-coated granules for the purpose of enabling analytical measurements, such as, analysis of vinyl polymer-coated enzyme granule dust is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,324,649 and 5,879,920 and published U.S. Patent Applications 2001/0056177 and 2002/0193275, wherein reference is made therein to the “Heubach attrition test”. The Heubach attrition test is described in detail in “Enzymes in Detergency”, ed. Jan H. Van Ee et al. (Marcel Dekker, N.Y., 1997) at pages 310-312 of Chapter 15 (Becker et al. “Formulation of Detergent Enzymes”). A schematic diagram of the Heubach apparatus is set forth on page 312, FIG. 3b. In addition, (i) for effecting particle size reduction, U.S. Patent Application 2001/0016259 A1, discloses the use of mobile steel balls maintained in motion by means of the operation of a shaker, and (ii) for effecting solubilization of solids in liquids, U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,456 discloses the use of a reciprocating shaker to hasten the dissolution process.
However, nothing in the prior art discloses or infers any method or apparatus for effectively and efficiently enabling the qualitative and/or quantitative chemical analysis of the components of the headspace above abraded microencapsulates containing fragrances and/or malodour counteractants as a result of the simulated abrading use such as rubbing and/or brushing on such functional product-containing microcapsules which are affixed to a semi-solid substrate, including fabric, skin or hair follicles.


This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7 119 with respect to Japanese Application No. 2002-285353 filed on Sep. 30, 2002, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
This invention generally relates to a walk-in apparatus for a vehicle seat. More particularly, the present invention pertains to the walk-in apparatus for the vehicle seat, which provides a forward slide movement of the vehicle seat relative to a vehicle floor in conjunction with a forward reclining movement of a seat back of the vehicle seat relative to a seat cushion.
A known walk-in apparatus is disclosed, for example, in a U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,819 as a seat slide device for a vehicle.
The walk-in apparatus assembled to a slide rail mechanism, which slidably supports a vehicle seat in longitudinal direction relative to a vehicle floor, is adapted to release a lock plate by a released lever which rotates in conjunction with a pivotal movement of the seat back when the seat back of the vehicle seat is reclined as well as to release by a slide rail mechanism including an operation handle for unlocking the lock plate by hand. Such lock plate is applied biasing force for locking the slide movements of the slide rail mechanism.
Thus, such walk-in apparatus includes the reclining plate as a component of the reclining arm mechanism for rotating the seat back by a pivotal movement in forward direction of the vehicle, and the reclining plate are connected to release lever as a component of the slide rail mechanism through a rod.
However, the known walk-in apparatus has the slide rail mechanism which is adapted to release the locking of the slide movement by way of both operating the operation handle and forwardly reclining the seat back. In this apparatus, if the seat back is reclined for operating the walk-in apparatus without knowing that the operating handle happens to be locked because of unexpected reasons, a member for locking the slide rail mechanism may be transformed or even broken due to input of the unreasonable load, as a result, the locking operation of the slide rail mechanism malfunctions.
Thus, the walk-in apparatus needs to be comprised in consideration of ensuring the locking operation of the slide rail mechanism even if the unreasonable load is applied to the member for locking the slide rail mechanism when the operating handle of the slide rail mechanism is locked.
The invention involves a walk-in apparatus of a vehicle seat which comprises an upper rail assembled to the vehicle seat, a lower rail engaged slidably with the upper rail and assembled to a vehicle floor; a lock plate locking a slide movement of the upper rail on the lower rail, a release lever which is adapted to engage with the lock plate for releasing the locking of the slide movement of the upper rail on the lower rail by the lock plate and a reclining plate which rotates in conjunction with a seat back when the seat back is rotated equal to or more than a predetermined angle in forward direction characterized in that the walk-in apparatus of the vehicle including a connecting member for connecting the release lever and the reclining plate is adapted to disengage the release lever from the reclining plate when a load is applied to the connecting member equal to or more than a predetermined value.


A classical computer operates by processing binary bits of information that change state according to the laws of classical physics. These information bits can be modified by using simple logic gates such as AND and OR gates. The binary bits are physically created by a high or a low energy level occurring at the output of the logic gate to represent either a logical one (e.g., high voltage) or a logical zero (e.g., low voltage). A classical algorithm, such as one that multiplies two integers, can be decomposed into a long string of these simple logic gates. Like a classical computer, a quantum computer also has bits and gates. Instead of using logical ones and zeroes, a quantum bit (“qubit”) uses quantum mechanics to occupy both possibilities simultaneously. This ability means that a quantum computer can solve certain problems with exponentially greater efficiency than that of a classical computer.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to transporting timer protocols over a network using the Generic Frame Procedure. More specifically, the invention relates to an architecture and a procedure well suited to enable the transport of Sysplex Timer protocols over Generic Frame Procedure networks.
2. Background Art
Over the past several years and continuing to the present, computer manufacturers are providing processing architectures based on a multi-system shared data approach. Through these architectures, multiple large-scale computer systems, each of which is often referred to as a computer processing complex (CPC) or a central electronic complex (CEC), are interconnected, through, for example, a coupling facility or other inter-processor communication mechanism, to permit each such system to gain read-write access to data residing on one or more shared input/output devices, such as a direct access storage device (DASD). The resulting inter-connected computer system is commonly referred to as a “sysplex”. In a sysplex, as with a typical multi-processing environment, a processing workload is generally distributed among all of the inter-connected computer systems such that each computer system is responsible for processing a portion of the entire workload. Owing to the inherent high reliability and highly cost-efficient expansion potential of a sysplex architecture, sysplexes are particularly attractive in handling so-called critical business support applications that involve real-time transaction processing and can tolerate essentially no downtime.
Certain currently available machines that can be readily incorporated into a sysplex, such as illustratively the Enterprise System/9000 (ES/9000) Series manufactured by the International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation, can each support, if appropriately configured, multiple actively and simultaneously executing copies of various operating systems (OS) to implement separate corresponding individual and unique application processing environments. (Enterprise System/9000 is a registered trademark, and ES/9000 is a trademark, of IBM Corporation)
Sysplexes, and other networks, may employ various technologies for transmitting data within the sysplex or network. For example, one technology, which has been in use for some time in telecommunication networks, but has only begun to find emerging applications in sysplex communications is referred to as SONET/SDH. SONET/SDH, which is an acronym for Synchronous Optical Network/Synchronous Digital Hierarchy, is a set of related standards for synchronous data transmission over fiber optic networks. SONET/SDH is currently used in wide area networks (WAN) and metropolitan area networks (MAN). A SONET system is comprised of switches, multiplexers, and repeaters, all connected by fiber. The connection between a source and destination is called a path.
More recently, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has proposed a new industry standard G.704.1 called Generic Frame Procedure (GFP). This is intended to allow standard datacom protocols such as ESCON or FICON to be encapsulated into a SONET/SDH compliant frame structure, so they can be transported across installed SONET networks. Since there is a large amount of SONET infrastructure installed by telecom carriers and other service providers, GFP is seen as the means for allowing enterprise systems to carry data traffic over existing SONET networks at very low incremental cost. In turn, this enables channel extensions over hundreds of kilometers for disaster recovery applications, such as large storage area networks. In order to remain competitive in the telecom carrier market, many wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) equipment manufacturers are adopting GFP transport.
Many networks, however, are not fully compatible with GFP. For example, in a Sysplex, timing data, referred to as Sysplex Timer links, cannot be readily transported over GFP at the present time.


This invention relates to improvements made on the method of nitriding disclosed in the Japanese Pat. No. 776055 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-41023) of the same inventor. In this method, a salt-bath including titanium and/or zirconium as catalyst is used, and the electrolysis is made at relatively low temperature of less than 500.degree. C. Although nitrided case of considerably deep and high hardness is obtainable by this method, these characteristics are still confined to some extent, and besides that the method is only applicable to the low carbon, or low alloy-low carbon steels.


The present invention relates to a double layer capacitor, a method for the preparation thereof and the use thereof in a combined application with batteries.
The development of capacitor technology based on the principle of energy storage in the electrochemical double layer formed at the interface between an ion-conducting phase, i.e. the electrolyte, and an electron-conducting phase, i.e, the electrode, has provided capacitors of extremely high capacitance. Such capacitors are usually referred to as double layer capacitors, supercapacitors, electrochemical capacitor or ultracapacitors.
The energy storage in such capacitors may involve electrochemical processes like in batteries, i.e. energy is stored chemically in the capacitor electrodes and the electrode reactions involve redox processes. One such system is the rubidium silver iodide low voltage electrochemical Hypercap capacitor from Technautics. Alternatively, the capacitor may be based entirely on the double layer energy storage principle. Such capacitors will below be referred to as double layer capacitors.
One important application of double layer capacitors is in hybrid combinations with batteries. Traditionally, double layer capacitors provide high power capabilities compared to batteries, e.g. during pulse applications a higher power is obtainable from the double layer capacitor than from the battery. Accordingly, the power capability of hybrid combinations is higher than for the battery alone, and further the stress on the battery is reduced due to more uniform load. A number of patents describes the use of such battery-capacitor hybrid systems, among those U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,250 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,266 to Motorola.
High capacitance and low impedance are the two main technical features providing the high power capabilities of double layer capacitors. The capacitance provides the energy for the load, whereas the low impedance allows good power accessibility in that the energy is available without too high internal losses.
In particular, as most pulsed loadings operate in the Hz-range from 1Hz to 1kHz, the capacitor impedance in this should be low, i.e. the main part of the energy stored in the capacitor should be available in this frequency range. A number of patents and patent applications describe approaches to double layer capacitors of low internal resistance.
European patent application EP 763,836 to Nisshinbo Industries discloses a polarisable electrode for use in a electric double layer capacitor, having a low internal resistance and a high capacitance, the carbon mixture of the electrode characterised by comprising fibrillated carbon. A conductive agent may be added to the carbon mixture to improve electrical conductivity. Such electrode has long life and can be charged and discharged at large electric currents.
European patent application EP 660,345 to Nisshinbo Industries discloses a polarisable electrode comprising a solid active carbon, characterised in that the electrode on the surface and/or inside has discontinuous portions free from said solid active carbon. A conductive agent such as graphite or carbon black may be added to the carbon mixture to improve electrical conductivity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,288 to Japan Gore-Tex, Inc. discloses a planar layered electrode comprising acicular electrically conductive particles to provide low electrical resistance and which has high electric storage capacity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,634 to Isuzu describes electrodes for double layer capacitors, which are compressed for reduction of internal resistance.
Low impedance double layer capacitors should display low intra-component impedance as well as low inter-component impedance. Whereas the above prior art has been focussed on low intra-component impedance in the electrode structures, the impedance of the interface to the current collectors is just as important. Electrodes of high resistance at the current collector-electrode interphase, e.g. due to poor adhesion and poor electrical contact, will suffer from poor power capability due to internal losses.
A number of patents describes double layer capacitors of elaborated electrode-current collector interface.
JP-06,084,700 to Matsushita discloses a conductor layer made of carbonaceous material such as graphite provided between the electrode and the collector, the binder being an acrylic acid-styrene copolymer and providing increased adhesion for the electrodes. JP-61,102,025 to Matsushita discloses an electric double layer capacitor of polarising electrodes from activated carbon fiber felt, the electrode having a conductive layer on one side. The conductive layer may be aluminium, titanium, nickel or tantalum, stainless steel or a conductive paint containing carbon particles. The electrolyte of said capacitor is a solution of (NEt4) ClO4 in propylene carbonate. Upon repeated charging and discharging, the capacitor has stable capacitance.
JP-60,050,914 to NEC discloses a double layer capacitor having a reduced internal resistance, the capacitor having electrodes covered by conductive layers consisting of a polymer such as polypropylene and a conductor such as carbon black or carbon fibers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,283 to Matsushita describes electrodes for a double layer capacitor composed of electrically conductive substrates, coated with a mixture of activated carbon with a water-soluble material-based binding agent. Such capacitor has low internal resistance, withstanding high voltages.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,378 to Isuzu describes an electrode for a double layer capacitor formed from a porous sintered body of joined active carbon particles, conductivity being provided during sintering. Such capacitor has reduced internal resistance as low contact resistance between electrode body and current collector is obtained.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,398 to Isuzu describes an electrode for a double layer capacitor applied on an electrically conductive film, the surface of which is dissolved in a solvent and the dissolved portions of said current collector being present in the pores of the electrode bodies. Such capacitor has low internal resistance due to intimate contact at the molecular level.
Accordingly, several approaches to low internal resistance capacitors exist, including introducting of conductive coatings at the interface between the electrode and the current collector. Still, however, the is a need for a conductive coating which is stable under the severe conductions existing at this interface. This conductive coating should provide good adhesion to the current collector and to the electrode, and it should maintain its mechanical integrity upon handling such as folding and winding. Further, the coating should be stable at highly oxidative potentials at the positive electrode, and at highly reductive potentials at the negative electrode as well as being stable against corrosive electrolytes.
Therefore, it is the objective of the present invention to provide a double layer capacitor with a conductive coating, which is mechanically, chemically, and eletrochemically stable during manufacture and operation. Such coating comprises a conductive agent, a binder and optionally auxiliary materials. Auxiliary materials may be materials used entirely during the processing of the conductive coating and which are removed from the final coating, or they be materials which facilitate the processing and which remain in the final coating.
From a comprehensive study of a high number of conductive coatings it has now been found, that those coatings based on binders of the melamine resin type fulfil the above objectives.
Surprisingly it was found, that the melamine resin binders provide long term reduction stability at potentials as low as +1.OV vs. Li/Li+. Whereas the considerable stability of melamine resins against oxidation is well known from their long term stability under ambient conditions, their high stability against reduction is surprising considering their chemical composition. Traditionally only fluorinated compound display stability under such reductive conditions.
From the study it was also found, that despite the fact that melamine resins are hard and often brittle, the coating based on melamine resin binders showed good mechanical integrity and flexibility during processing of double layer capacitors.
Thus, according to the present invention a double layer capacitor is provided, which comprises a conductive coating comprising a melamine resin binder at the interfaces between current collectors and electrodes. In particular, the present invention provides a double layer capacitor comprising metal foil current collectors, carbon electrode structures with a polymer binder, conductive coatings comprising a melamine resin binder at the interfaces between current collectors and electrodes, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. Such double layer capacitors display long term low impedance at the electrode-current collector interface and high power capabilities.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the melamine resin is a alkylated melamine formaldehyde resin, preferably a methylated melamine formaldehyde resin. As reaction partner for the polymerisation process alkyd resins are preferred.
Further, the excellent performance has been found to be mostly pronounced for those double layer capacitors, which have conductive coatings of a thickness of 1-10 xcexcm.
The conductive coating comprising a melamine resin binder preferably has a composition prior to coating of:
5-50% by weight, preferably 10-40% by weight, more preferably 20-35% by weight of carbon blacks;
5-20% by weight, preferably 5-15% by weight, more preferably 10-15% by weight of graphite;
5-40%, by weight, preferably 10-30% by weight, more preferably 15-25% by weight of melamine resin binder and polymerisation reaction partner;
25-85% by weight, preferably 30-74% by weight, more preferably 35-53% by weight of solvent; and
0-10% by weight, preferably 1-5% by weight, more preferably 2-5% by weight of auxiliary materials, preferably selected from the group consisting of dispersing agents, defoaming agents and rheological control agents.
The carbon blacks should display high structure and are advantageously selected from the group consisting of furnace blacks, acetylene blacks and lampblacks. The graphites should display low particle size, advantageously in the range of 0.5-20 xcexcm, preferably 0.5-10 xcexcm.
The solvents are preferably alcohols R1xe2x80x94OH, wherein R1 represents C1-C4 alkyl, and glycols and glycol ethers R2xe2x80x94(OCHR3CH2)nxe2x80x94OH, n=1-3, wherein R2 represents hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl and wherein R3 represents hydrogen or methyl.
The dispersing agent may be non-ionic, anionic, cationic, as well as amphoteric. Preferably an anionic dispersing agent, such as Disperbyk 170 from BYK Chemie is used.
The defoaming agent may be a mineral oil or silicone oil defoaming agent, preferably a silicone oil defoaming agent, such as BYK-080 from BYK Chemie.
The rheological control agent may be an organo clay, silica and castor oil derivative, preferably an organo clays, such as Viscogel B7 from Chimica Mineraria SpA.
The conductive coating may be commercially available products with a melamine resin binder, such as the XZ302 screen printing dye from Wiederhold Siebdruckfarben of Germany. This dye is based on carbon black and graphite and a thermosetting resin of the melamine resin type, the solvent mixture comprising 2-(2-butoxyethoxy) ethanol, 2-butoxyethanol, butan-1-ol and 1-methoxypropan-2-ol. The retarder UV4 from Wiederhold Siebdruckfarben may be used for optimisation of viscosity and drying time.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the melamine resin-based conductive coating is used in double layer capacitors of electrolytes based on tetraalkyl-ammonium salts. Thus, it has been found, that those double layer capacitors based on tetraalkylammonium salts have a high capacitance and a higher power capability than double layer capacitors using electrolyte compositions of other salts like lithium and sodium salts. Although not fully understood, the formation of any interface layer appears highly dependent on the ionic species of the electrolyte, as well as on the surface structure and chemical composition of the electrode carbon. The excellent performance of double layer capacitors based on tetraalkylammonium salts is ascribed to little, thin, stable and dense interface layers being formed at the electrode-electrolyte interfaces of such capacitors, allowing a narrow charge separation and a high capacitance. In contrast, in the case of lithium salts, thicker, unstable and less dense interface layers are formed, which provide less capacitance. Accordingly, the concept of conductive coatings based of melamine resin binder is particularly advantageous in those cases, where the electrolyte salt is a tetraalkylammonium salt. Thus, the higher capacitance of capacitors of such salts is most effectively applied when combined when the low impedance and low internal loss of the conductive coatings of the present invention.
Although a high number of tetraalkylammonium salt may be used, the above advantage is especially pronounced for tetramethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetramethylammoniumhexafluorophosphate, tetraethylammonium hexafluorophosphate and tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate, in particular tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate. The electrolyte solvent may be any non-aqeuous solvent selected from the groups of carbonates, lactones and nitriles. Preferably the electrolyte solvent is selected from the group of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, xcex3-butyrolactone, xcex3-valerolactone and acetonitrile and mixtures thereof. More preferably the electrolyte solvent is xcex3-butyrolactone.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the electrolyte is confined in a separator, consisting of a porous structure made from a polymer, preferably polyethylene or polypropylene.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the current collector is a metal current collector, preferably of nickel, copper or aluminium, more preferably of aluminium.
The electrode structures of the double layer capacitors of the present invention comprises carbon, binder, solvent and optionally graphites and any auxiliary compounds
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the carbons of the electrode structure are high surface active carbons.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the binder of the electrode structure is selected from the group consisting of melamine resins, polyvinyl butyrals and fluorocontaining polymers, preferably PVdF and PVdF-copolymers, including PVdF-hexafluoro propylene copolymers. For the processing of such binders, solvents therefor are preferably selected from the group consisting of glycol ethers and glycol ether esters, dimethyl formamid, dimethyl acetamid and N-methyl-pyrrolidone.
The invention further relates to a simple, low-cost method of preparing double layer capacitors.
According to the invention the conductive coating is prepared from a paste comprising carbon black, graphite, melamine resin binder, solvent and optionally any auxiliary compounds. Carbon blacks and graphites materials are added along with any dispersing agents and defoaming agent and a polymerisation reaction partner are mixed in alcohols, glycols or glycol ethers. The melamine resin is added along with any rheological control agent to produce a uniform paste, which is coated or printed onto the current collector and heated to 100-150xc2x0 C. for 10-30 min.
Electrode pastes are prepared similar to the above conductive paste from active carbon, binder, solvent and optionally graphite and any auxiliary compounds, and coated or printed onto the conductive coating.
The coating or printing technique applied is preferably a screen printing, gravure printing or a slot die coating technique.
Double layer capacitors are formed by sandwiching between two of the above conductive coating-electrode laminates a porous separator. The capacitor laminate is subsequently confined in a polymer coated metal pouch and impregnated with the electrolyte solution. Eventually, the pouch is sealed.
A final aspect of the invention relates to the use of double layer capacitors according to the present invention in a hybrid combination with batteries, in which combination the double layer capacitor provides peak current, whereas the battery provides the base load currents. In such applications the battery capacity utilisation is improved, as the stress on the battery is reduced.


The power FET has become a limiting component in many power management circuits used to regulate voltage and/or current in DC-DC converters, AC-DC inverters, or AC transformers. In recent decades, significant efforts have been made to boost the power FET's output currents and switching speeds to keep pace with the integrated circuit “transistor shrinks”. The smaller transistors increase system switching speeds and the transistor densities within an integrated circuit. Higher densities allow vastly more transistors to be incorporated into a single semiconductor chip, causing it to require larger operational currents. Similarly, smaller transistor dimensions also increase operational system speeds. Any inability to supply a combination of larger currents at higher switching speeds leaves many systems “under powered”. This is particularly the case in multi-core microprocessors where the inability to supply required current at suitably higher speed impairs reliable data transfer with external memory circuits. As a result of this deficiency, processor cores will typically operate at 25%-30% utilization rates. This problem becomes more acute when processor cores are configured in parallel. For instance, a 16 core microprocessor array will function slower than a 4 core microprocessor array due to in adequate power refresh cycling. Therefore, it is desirable to increase power efficiencies by developing power FETs that enable arbitrarily high currents to be switched at arbitrarily high switching speeds. While higher switching speed and current levels are of specific benefit to power FETs, methods that enable switching speeds above 400 MHz or over a distinct band of frequencies could be usefully applied to many other FET applications. Therefore, generalized methods to tune a FET's switching speed and/or current output is also desirable.
Co-location of high efficiency switched-mode power management devices with one or more processor cells also reduces the overall system power losses through much shorter interconnect circuitry. Methods and apparatus that improve the efficiency of supplied power to a processor core by co-locating power management in immediate proximity to computational die are therefore enabling and desirable to the enhanced utilization of microprocessor arrays and the improved operational efficiency of high-speed computational systems.
Most approaches to increase power FET switching speeds have focused on reducing the transistor gate capacitance. This is done generally by making the gate electrode smaller, and by using more sophisticated electronic doping configurations within the transistor junction. A significant drawback to these elements of the prior art is the generation of larger quantities of heat, which is undesirable and must be properly managed to safeguard the performance of neighboring semiconductor devices. While smaller gate structures lower capacitance, they also increase current densities flowing through the transistor junction to attain high currents, which, in-turn, increases generated heat to levels that prevent co-location of power management in close proximity to computational semiconductor die. Higher current levels often require thermal management mechanisms to be added to the system to drain the excess heat generated by the higher levels of resistive loss. Additional or more sophisticated thermal management requirements increase the cost and design complexity of the overall system. Prior art solutions advance improved doping topologies to reduce the ON-resistance of the power FET's transistor junction. However, the proposed solutions alone do not reduce ON-resistance to sufficiently low levels that allow power management systems to be monolithically integrated with or placed in close proximity to the active system devices, or to mitigate or eliminate thermal management devices from the power management system. This is a particular problem in power management systems that are assembled from discrete components. Therefore, it is also desirable to reduce the ON-resistance of a power FET by orders of magnitude to levels that mitigate or eliminate thermal management systems in a power management device.
Many power management systems are utilized in mobile platforms that are subject to frequent or unpredictable mechanical shock. Solder joints are used to electrically interconnect surface mounted passive components (resistors, capacitors, inductors) on a printed circuit board in electrical communication with one or more semiconductor die. Lead-free solders used to achieve modern environmental standards do not have the mechanical integrity of the lead-based solders they are replacing. Fractures in solder joints are the dominant cause for field failures in mobile systems. Additionally, solder joint failures in power management devices are the leading cause for grounding aircraft due to unscheduled maintenance. Therefore, methods that eliminate solder joints from a power management system by monolithically integrating all components on to a semiconductor die are also beneficial and a desirable objective of the present invention.


A dual-mode mobile terminal is a mobile terminal capable of supporting two radio technologies having different communication schemes, and is mainly used in a region in which heterogeneous communication networks coexist. As a representative example of the dual-mode mobile terminal, many developers and companies are conducting intensive research into mobile terminals configured to use not only Long Term Evolution (LTE)-based wireless communication but also Code Divisional Multiple Access (CDMA)—based wireless communication. An enhanced High-Rate Packet Data (eHRPD) scheme may be used as a representative example of CDMA. The eHRPD is a new version of the 1xEV-DO upper layer protocol stack developed by the 3GPP2 standards committee so as to enable wireless communication network interoperability for LTE.
Although a dual-mode terminal capable of communicating with the LTE network and the eHRPD network according to the present invention will hereinafter be disclosed as an example for convenience of description and better understanding of the present invention, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that other wireless communication schemes can also be applied to the present invention without difficulty.
If a user equipment (UE) supports two different communication schemes, the UE may prefer to receive services through a high radio technology from the viewpoint of a general communication enterprise. That is, assuming that the UE supports the LTE scheme and the eHRPD scheme, the UE may prefer to receive a necessary service through the LTE network. However, service coverage of the eHRPD network is larger than that of the LTE network at an initial service step in which switching from the legacy eHRPD network to the LTE network begins. In the initial service step in which switching from the legacy eHRPD network to the LTE network begins, the service coverage of the eHRPD network is larger than that of the LTE network. If the UE is located at a coverage boundary of the LTE network under the above-mentioned situation, the UE may be handed over to the eHRPD network by a network configured handover condition. On the contrary, if the UE receives a necessary service through the eHRPD network, the UE periodically searches for an LTE cell. Then, the UE having searched for the LTE cell may attempt to immediately access the LTE cell without network control. In this case, if the UE is located at an area with poor coverage, such as a cell edge of the LTE cell or a shaded region, the UE again determines the network configured handover (HO) condition. If the network configured handover (HO) condition is satisfied, the UE is handed over to the eHRPD network. The above-mentioned phenomenon (i.e., ping pong phenomenon) may repeatedly occur in so far as the UE stays in a specific region in which the corresponding condition is satisfied.
The above-mentioned problem is based on the fact that a first condition in which the UE performs handover from the LTE network to the eHRPD network is different from a second condition in which the UE performs handover from the eHRPD network to the LTE network. Accordingly, the present invention defines a handover (HO) execution condition capable of solving the above problem, and proposes a method and apparatus for performing efficient handover on the basis of the defined HO execution condition.


Fuel cells have been used as a power source in many applications. For example, fuel cells have been proposed for use in electrical vehicular power plants to replace internal combustion engines. In proton exchange membrane (PEM) type fuel cells, hydrogen is supplied to the anode of the fuel cell, and oxygen is supplied to the cathode. PEM fuel cells include a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) comprising a thin, proton transmissive, non-electrically conductive solid polymer electrolyte membrane having the anode catalyst on one of its faces and the cathode catalyst on the opposite face. The MEA is sandwiched between a pair of electrically conductive elements which serve as current collectors for the anode and cathode, and contain appropriate channels and/or openings therein for distributing the fuel cells gaseous reactants over the surfaces of the respective anode and cathode catalyst. A typical PEM fuel cell and its membrane electrode assembly (MEA) are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,272,017 and 5,316,871 issued respectively Dec. 21, 1993 and May 31, 1994 and assigned to General Motors Corporation.
The term “fuel cell” is typically used to refer to either a single cell or a plurality of cells depending on the context. A plurality of individual cells are commonly bundled together to form a fuel cell stack. Each cell within the stack comprises the MEA described earlier, and each such MEA provides its increment of voltage. Typical arrangements of multiple cells in a stack are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,113 assigned to General Motors Corporation, and which is herein incorporated by reference.
During fuel cell system start-up, a compressor is often utilized to provide compressed air or oxygen to the fuel cell cathode inlet while hydrogen is introduced to the fuel cell anode inlet. Many fuel cell systems currently use large battery packs to start and operate the compressor before output power is available from the fuel cell stack. The battery pack often is utilized with various DC/DC converters to provide the high voltage necessary for the compressor. Usually, a DC/DC converter is needed to get the battery voltage up to the stack level, then another DC/DC converter is needed to get the voltage from the stack level up to the compressor motor controller level. The large battery pack and DC/DC converters contribute significantly to the weight, volume, and cost of the fuel cell system. Thus, it is desirable to provide a simplification of the fuel cell system as well as reducing the mass volume and cost of the system.


The term “packaging” applied to diode-laser bars refers to mounting a diode-laser bar on some sort of cooling base or heat-sink. This base may be a relatively massive base providing a “conductively cooled package” (CCP). For higher power operation, the base may be water-cooled, for example by a micro-channel arrangement. Typically the diode-laser bar is soldered “p-side down” onto an insulating sub-mount. The sub-mount, in turn, is soldered to the heat-sink.
Packaging involves a number of compromises and trade-offs. As the materials of the bar, sub-mount, heat-sink, and solder have different thermal properties, particularly the coefficient-of-thermal-expansion (CTE), there is invariably a trade-off between thermal performance and CTE-matching (or mismatching). Indium (In) soldered bars on copper (Cu) perform well thermally, i.e., tolerate some CTE mismatch, but soft solders such as the indium solder can be unreliable. One hard solder that is essentially completely reliable is an 80:20 gold-tin (Au—Sn) solder. This solder however cannot tolerate any CTE mismatch between the soldered components.
There is a need for a diode-laser bar packaging arrangement that will provide effective CTE-matching using high thermal-conductivity materials, Preferably the packaging arrangement should be capable of being water-cooled.


Technical computing applications and/or programming environments provide operators, (e.g., engineers, scientists, software developers, mathematicians, educators, etc.), across a diverse range of industries, with an environment for performing technical computing. The technical computing applications and/or programming environments provide mathematical and graphical tools for mathematical computation, data analysis, visualization and algorithm development. The technical computing applications and/or programming environments may be used to solve complex problems by developing mathematical models that can be used to simulate and/or analyze the problems.
The technical computing applications and/or programming environments are often implemented as desktop applications that allow operators to interactively perform complex analysis and modeling on a single workstation. However, the single workstation can be limiting to the size of the problem that can be solved due to limited processing capacity associated with the single workstation or an amount of time available to solve the problem. In this case, the single workstation may be allocated full-time to performing the analysis and modeling while other computing resources, on a network, remain idle.
Hence, distributed computing is useful for distributing tasks to multiple computing resources, especially for a computationally intensive problem. However, most technical computing applications or programming environments were not initially designed for distributed computing. Additionally, developing new technical computing applications for use in a distributed computing environment may be prohibitively costly, time consuming, and/or complex. Thus, users may resort to performing technical computing using a desktop application, on a single workstation, which may limit a level of complexity of problems to be solved and/or increase processing time relative to performing the technical computing in a distributed computing environment.


The term "branding" means the marking of timber with identification symbols relating to the type or quality (grade) of the timber. After the timber has been felled it is normal to rough saw the green timber before it is dried. The green timber has a high moisture content (e.g. greater than 100% for softwoods and up to 150% for hardwoods) and must be dried before use, usually outdoors or in a kiln. Green timber is particularly difficult to brand on account of the high water content. Moreover hardwood is generally wetted during sawing as the saw blade often has to be cooled with a water spray.
Existing methods of branding freshly-sawn timber involve the use of various types of ink which provide neither distinctly legible grades of mark nor marks which can be maintained on the timber for a sufficient length of time, particularly in view of the rigorous conditions under which sawn timber is transported, stored and worked.
In particular, the branding must show satisfactory water resistance for storage outdoors. As timber is quickly passed out of the saw mill the brand must also be capable of drying within a short time. Typically less than 5 to 10 minutes. The branding fluid must also be economical and compatible with existing equipment.
It is an object of the present invention to mitigate these disadvantages associated with known methods of branding timber.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to techniques used in the field of microbial industry. More precisely, the present invention relates to a method for producing L-lysine or L-arginine by fermentation and a microorganism used in the production method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Amino acids such as L-lysine, L-glutamic acid, L-threonine, L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine and L-phenylalanine are industrially produced by fermentation using microorganisms that belong to the genus Brevibacterium, Corynebacterium, Bacillus, Escherichia, Streptomyces, Pseudomonas, Arthrobacter, Serratia, Penicillium, Candida or the like. In order to improve the productivity of these microorganisms, strains isolated from nature or artificial mutants thereof have been used. Moreover, various techniques have been disclosed for increasing the L-amino acid producing abilities by using recombinant DNA techniques to enhance L-amino acid biosynthetic enzymes.
Productivities of L-amino acids have been considerably increased by breeding of microorganisms such as those mentioned above and improvements of production methods. However, in order to respond to further increase in demands in future, development of methods for more efficiently producing L-amino acids at lower cost have still been desired.
As methods for producing L-amino acids by fermentation of methanol, which is a fermentation raw material available in a large amount at a low cost, there have hitherto known methods using microorganisms that belong to the genus Achromobacter or Pseudomonas (Japanese Patent Laid-open (Kokai) No. 45-25273), Protaminobacter (Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 49-125590), Protaminobacter or Methanomonas (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 50-25790), Microcyclus (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 52-18886), Methylobacillus (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 4-91793), Bacillus (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 3-505284) and so forth. The inventors of the present invention have so far developed methods for producing L-amino acids using Methylophilus bacteria based on breeding by artificial mutagenesis and recombinant DNA techniques (Japanese Patent Application No. 11-368097).
In recent years, there have been identified proteins that have a function of specifically excreting an L-amino acid to outside a cell of microorganism and genes therefor, and in particular, Vrljic et al. identified a gene involved in excretion of L-lysine from a Corynebacterium bacterium to outside of a cell (Vrljic M., Sahm H., Eggeling L., Molecular Microbiology 22:815–826 (1996)). This gene was designated as lysE, and it was reported that L-lysine producing ability of Corynebacterium bacteria could be improved by enhancing this gene in Corynebacterium bacteria (WO97/23597). It is also known that productivities for some L-amino acids can be improved by increasing expression amounts of amino acid excreting proteins in Escherichia coli (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-189180). For example, it is reported that productivities of cysteine, cysteine and so forth can be improved by enhancing expression of ORF306 gene in Escherichia coli (EP885962).
However, there has so far been disclosed no example of demonstrating that the excretion process of an amino acid constitutes a serious obstacle for amino acid production by fermentation of methanol using a methanol assimilating bacterium. There is also no report on any amino acid excretion gene that can provide such an excretion activity in a methanol assimilating bacterium.
Furthermore, it has not been known that the lysE gene has a function of excreting amino acids other than L-lysine.


1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a component and method for producing a computerized display output wherein information bearing hexagons having common borders are rendered so as to appear above or below an underlying map.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of computer graphics, image data is output to a display device to provide information to the computer user. The generation of images or objects to be represented on the display device is conventionally referred to as rendering.
In some computer images, the information displayed is map data, which is useful to the computer user in many circumstances. For example, in some cases, the map data identifies geographic boundaries, natural or man-made structures, topography, and the like. In other cases, the information on the map is combined with additional information such as motion and weather. Overall, maps rendered on computer displays are very useful to the general public.


The present invention relates to a bulky asphalt-impregnated sheet having different properties on both surfaces thereof and a method and a system for manufacturing such bulky asphalt-impregnated sheet.
Recently, we have developed an asphalt roofing which comprises a base material of a bulky sheet of non-woven fabric made of filaments intertwisted with each other and an asphalt with which said base material is uniformly and completely saturated and which also covers both sides of said base material. This asphalt roofing can be produced by feeding said bulky sheet along a vertical path into a bath of molten asphalt, thereby permitting the air contained within the bulky sheet to successively escape vertically through the bulky sheet itself into the atmosphere while permitting the bulky sheet to be uniformly and completely saturated with said molten asphalt, and then withdrawing said sheet into the atmosphere and drying the same. The present invention utilizes an intermediate product of such asphalt roofing, namely, a bulky sheet which is impregnated with and covered, on its both sides, by asphalt which is still in a fluid or semi-solidified state, to produce a novel product, that is a bulky asphalt-impregnated sheet having materials of different properties and different functions on both sides thereof. This novel product can be produced by dipping a bulky sheet of non-woven fabric into a bath of molten asphalt to saturate said bulky sheet with the asphalt, withdrawing said sheet upward from said bath of molten asphalt, scraping off the asphalt on one surface, either front or rear surface, of said sheet while the sheet is being pulled upward and the asphalt is held in a fluidized or semi-solidified state, and then supplying and firmly adhering a material of different property onto said sheet.
The conventional asphalt roofing is produced by preparing a felt-like base material mixed with paper or asbesto fibers or a base material made of non-woven fabric of synthetic fibers, impregnating said base material with molten asphalt and then forming asphalt coating layers on both sides of said base material. In case of the felt-like base material made of paper or asbesto fibers, the base material has a thickness of about 1.4 mm, including base material having a thickness of about 0.6 mm and a surface asphalt layer having a thickness of about 0.4 mm. Therefore, the scraping off of the thin surface layer of the asphalt under fluidized or semi-solidified state will necessarily result in breaking or tearing of the base material made of the fragile fibers.
Also, in the case of a base material made of non-woven fabric, the base material has a thickness below 2 mm and the surface asphalt layer has a thickness to below 0.5 mm. The base material has a sufficiently high strength to allow the surface asphalt layer to be scraped off, but the exposed surface is hard and smooth so that the adhering ability is decreased. Furthermore, since the base material has a small thickness, it tends to soften and deform if the material of different property is supplied at high temperature. Accordingly, a roofing having materials of different properties on both side surfaces cannot be obtained, except a combined structure including two sheets adhered together.


Coupling devices have been used extensively for many years in the railroad industry to connect adjacent ends of a pair of railway cars together to form a train consist of several cars. On those railway cars which will be used in interchange service, however, such coupling devices must receive approval from the Association of American Railroads (AAR) before they can be installed on the cars. It has come to be quite well known, in this railway application, that such coupling devices perform a number of important functions. Obviously, an important function of the standard coupling device is that it facilitates the connection and disconnection of individual cars to and from, respectively, a train consist. Another important function of a standard coupler is that it enables such railway cars to negotiate the various curved portions of the track structure which are encountered during operation. Further, these coupling devices will enable a number of cars to be readily combined so that a train consist can be made up, or such cars can be easily separated individually for either loading or unloading cargo thereto or therefrom, respectively, as required. This will allow a railroad to leave a particular car at a customer's plant while delivering or picking up other cars at other locations.
In more recent times, the railroad industry has come to recognize, however, that a number of rather significant advantages can be achieved by the interconnection of several railway cars together to form a generally semi-permanent unit. This is particularly the case, for example, where such individual railway cars are adapted for use in what is commonly known in the railroad industry as "piggyback" service. A primary reason for this is that the cargo to be either loaded or unloaded is brought to or removed from, respectively, a central location which is owned and operated by the railroad normally. Generally, this cargo is either over-the-road trailers or very large containers to be shipped by sea. The individual cars which have been connected together in such substantially semi-permanent fashion are commonly known in the railroad industry as a "10-pack". These 10-pack units do not require the use of standard couplers except at each outer end of each 10-pack unit. The primary reason why such standard coupling devices are not required is that in view of their dedicated service these 10-pack units will only be broken periodically. For example, this will normally only occur when maintenance must be carried out on an individual coupler component or on some other component positioned on such railway cars that will necessitate such car be taken out of service at least temporarily. It has become obvious to the railroad industry that with the use of this coupling arrangement it is possible for them to achieve a significant reduction in their costs. Such cost-savings can be attributed to a number of reasons. For example, these reasons include lower equipment weight which results in enhanced energy savings and fewer railway trucks which results in both lower equipment cost as well as a significant reduction in maintenance requirements. However, now with the rather extensive use of these semi-permanent coupling arrangements, particularly with new cars being built for piggyback service, and with the ever increasing loads that are now being carried by modern railway cars and trains, it has been determined that it is of the utmost importance for a close-buttoned relationship to be maintained between the draft components of the coupler devices. Such close-buttoned relationship is necessary, for example, so that the effects of the impact forces, which are usually encountered under normal buff conditions during train operation, can be reduced to an acceptable level. In this manner, unnecessary damage to both cargo and rolling equipment can be held to a minimum.
Taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,628, is one prior art type of articulated coupling apparatus which can be used for the above-identified purpose of connecting adjacent ends of a pair of railway cars together in such semi-permanent manner. This particular articulated coupling arrangement, as taught and illustrated therein, includes a male connection member secured to one end of a first railway car body and a female connection member which is secured to an adjacent end of a second railway car body. However, as can be seen the ends of both the male connection member and the female connection member which are secured to such car bodies do not provide any flexibility in how they are attached to such car body. The female connection member is rotatably-engaged in a center plate bowl portion of the bolster of a railway car truck in this prior art arrangement. This rotatable engagement is carried out in a manner that is well known in the railway art. The outer end portion of the male connection member is disposed for movement within a cavity formed in the outer end portion of such female connection member. To connect both the male connection member and the female connection member together in such semi-permanent manner, a pin member is utilized. This pin member is positioned in a vertical direction and is disposed in axially aligned apertures which are formed in each of the male connection member and the female connection member.
As taught in this reference, the aperture which is formed in such male connection member for receiving the pin member therein must be somewhat larger than the pin member itself. This larger aperture is required so that, while in operation, certain required movements of the coupling arrangement can be achieved. Additionally, a rear surface portion of such aperture that is located in such male connection member and which receives the pin member therein has a horizontally disposed concave configuration and a vertically disposed convex configuration. This particular configuration is required because it enables both the male connection member and the female connection member to move in each of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction in relationship to one another. Furthermore, this configuration provides, at the same time, a relatively substantial area of surface contact between the rear surface area of such pin aperture and the pin member itself.
The outer end surface of the outer end portion of such male connection member is provided with a convex configuration. This convex configuration abuttingly engages a complimentary concave surface which is formed on a front face portion of a follower member. In this coupling arrangement, such follower member is carried within the rear portion of such cavity disposed in the outer end portion of such female connection member. A pair of vertically disposed, slot-like cavities are provided on such follower members adjacent the rear surface thereof.
A first portion of a resilient member is disposed within each of such vertical slot-like cavities. A second portion of each such resilient member extends outwardly from such rear face portion of the follower member. In this manner, a portion of the exposed outer surface of each such resilient member can be engaged by a vertically disposed wedge-like element. This wedge-like element must be provided in this prior art coupling arrangement to urge both the follower member and the male connection member forward.
When this occurs the rear surface portion of the aperture formed in the outer end of the male connection member will be maintained substantially in contact with the pin member at all times.
This contact between such pin member and the rear surface portion of such aperture in the male connection member is absolutely necessary in this coupling arrangement because most of the articulated connecting members are manufactured as cast components. Consequently, in order for the manufacturer to achieve any significant reduction in the cost of this coupling device, such cast articulated connecting members receive very little, if any, finish-type machining which could provide the necessary and desirable dimensional control. In other words, these cast connecting members will generally be assembled into such coupling device as cast. Therefore, as a result of this cost-saving practice, it is quite often very difficult to provide an articulated coupling device which will be self-adjusting under the various wear conditions that will be encountered by such coupling device during in-track operation. Nevertheless, it is of the utmost importance to minimize the slack encountered in the various coupling connections during such in-track service for the reasons discussed above.
Other prior art-type articulated coupling arrangements are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,146 and Canadian Patent number 1,231,078. However, the shortcomings which are overcome by the invention to be taught hereinafter are also found in these prior art references.


1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a surgical fastener applying apparatus and, more particularly, to a surgical fastener applying apparatus having reusable and disposable components.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Surgical fastener applying apparatus, wherein tissue is first grasped or clamped between opposing jaw structures and then joined by means of surgical fasteners, are well known in the art. In some such apparatus, a knife is provided to cut the tissue which has been joined by the fasteners. The fasteners are typically in the form of surgical staples, although, other surgical fasteners may also be utilized, such as, for example, clips or two part polymeric surgical fasteners.
Surgical fastener applying apparatus typically include two elongated beam members which are used to capture or clamp tissue therebetween. Typically, one of the beam members carries a disposable cartridge assembly which houses a plurality of staples arranged in at least two lateral rows, while the other beam member includes an anvil which defines a surface for forming the staple legs as the staples are driven from the cartridge assembly. Where two part fasteners are used, the beam member which includes the anvil carries a mating part of the two part fastener, e.g. the receiver. Generally, the staple formation process is affected by the interaction between one or more longitudinally moving camming members and a series of individual staple pushers. As the camming members travel longitudinally through the cartridge carrying beam member, the individual pusher members are biased upwardly into a backspan of the staples supported within the cartridge assembly to sequentially eject the staples from the cartridge. A knife may be provided to travel with the camming members between the staple rows to cut the tissue between the rows of formed staples. An example of such an instrument is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,631,794, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
Because of the dangers associated with improper sterilization of surgical apparatus, fastener applying apparatus are typically disposable after use. Although the cartridge assembly may be replaced to perform multiple fastener applying operations on a single patient, the staple applying apparatus is typically disposable after a surgical procedure has been completed. This requirement of disposability may increase the costs associated with surgical procedures. Although reusable fastener applying apparatus have been developed, such apparatus can be overly complex and prove difficult to sterilize.
A need exists in the art for a fastener applying apparatus which includes reusable components, is not overly complex and is configured to facilitate proper sterilization after use in a surgical procedure.


In a receiver of a wireless communication system, symbols in a single code block transmitted to a transmitter during a single Transmit Time Interval (TTI) experience different channels due to frequency selective fading of the channels. Accordingly, Post Processing Signal to Interference-plus-Noise Ratios (PPSINRs) of the symbols in the single code block have different values. An effective SINR indicating a reception quality for the single code block may be obtained by combining the PPSINRs of all of the symbols in the code block.
In general, methods for calculating an SINR of each symbol in a code block in a Single Input Single Output (SISO) system are explicitly defined. However, in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system, it is not as easy to calculate an SINR for each symbol because a signal received through a specific antenna contains an interference signal generated by a different antenna. In particular, since a Maximum Likelihood (ML) detector, which is used to improve performance at a MIMO receiver in currently, joint-detects the interference signal and thus does not treat the interference signal as a simple noise. Therefore, it is not easy to obtain an SINR for a symbol of a specific stream when the ML detector is used.
Accordingly, various related-art methods have been provided to obtain a link quality for each stream in an approximate method without calculating an SINR when a ML receiver for each symbol of a stream is used. For example, a method for measuring a link quality in a Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) detection method in a receiver using the ML detector has been provided. However, this method has a problem that the link quality is not exactly measured when a Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) is high. That is, when the SNR is high, the PPSINR of each symbol in the code block is theoretically very low because power of the interference signal generated by the different antenna is operated as a noise. However, since the ML detector actually joint-detects the interference signal, the PPSINR of each symbol in the code block is high. Therefore, an error occurs in the result of measurement of the link quality when the MMSE detection method is used. Such a link quality measurement error may result in an error in channel status information feedback such as Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) feedback, Rank Indication (RI), or Precoding Matrix Indicator (PMI), and thus may cause grave deterioration in performance of a link throughput.
Therefore, there is a demand for a method for measuring a link quality without causing a measurement error or performance deterioration when an ML detector is used in a MIMO system
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.


1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an ink ribbon cartridge containing a replaceable wide ink ribbon.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally an ink ribbon cartridge is used because of its simplicity of handling when a thermal printer is used to print on common printing paper. However, when a thermal printer (e.g., a line printer) uses a large ink ribbon cartridge, it becomes uneconomical if the whole cartridge thrown away after use. To obviate this drawback, the ink ribbon alone is replaced.
For this type of ink ribbon, there is employed an ink ribbon including a band-like sheet comprising a resin film with a layer of ink formed on one side of the ribbon and wound around a pair of paper spools. A prior art ink ribbon cartridge using this type of ink ribbon was constructed such that, at the time of ink ribbon replacement, the cover is opened, the used ink ribbon is taken out, and four spindles inserted in both ends of a pair of paper spools of the ink ribbon are removed and then placed in both ends of one pair of paper spools of a new ink ribbon. After the insertion of the new ink ribbon into the cover, the cover is closed. Subsequently, the ink ribbon cartridge is mounted in a printer or a facsimile system as supported by a spindle on bearings that transmit the torque to the paper spools through the spindles, thereby winding the sheet around the paper spool.
However, the above-described prior art ink ribbon cartridge is of such a structure that any one of the four spindles can be inserted into either of both ends of a pair of paper spools. In addition, in any combination of spindles and spools, the ink ribbon is inserted into the cover to allow the cover to close. Therefore, failures in printing due to improper mounting of the ink ribbon often occurred.
That is, since a layer of ink is formed on one side of the sheet, the ink cannot be transferred to a recording paper if the sheet is mounted with the wrong side out. Also, if the direction of winding is reversed, the sheet can not be wound up, resulting in a failure in printing.


1. Technical Field
This invention relates in general to semiconductor memory devices and, more specifically, to a cache tag that can be configured in accordance with a selected burst length.
2. State of the Art
Modern memory systems for personal computers and the like generally include a main memory that consists of approximately 32 Megabytes (MB) or more of Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), a smaller but faster memory cache that usually consists of about 512 Kilobytes (KB) of Static RAM (SRAM), and an even smaller cache “tag” that usually consists of about 16 KB to 64 KB of SRAM. The role of the memory cache is to provide, for some data requests, faster access to the requested data than the main memory can provide, and the role of the cache tag is to help determine whether or not the requested data is stored in the memory cache.
In one cache architecture, a microprocessor requests data from the memory system by first presenting the address of the requested data on a private cache bus interconnecting the microprocessor, the memory cache, and the cache tag. The cache tag receives the address (or, more commonly, a portion thereof), selects one of its internal memory locations in accordance with the address (or a portion thereof), and then writes out address data stored at the selected memory location to the microprocessor via the private cache bus. At the same time, the memory cache also receives the address, selects one of its internal memory locations in accordance with the address, and writes out the data stored at the selected memory location to the microprocessor.
If the microprocessor determines that the address data written out by the cache tag matches the address of the requested data (or a selected portion thereof), then a “cache hit” has occurred. In this circumstance, the microprocessor uses the data output by the memory cache, since the occurrence of a cache hit indicates that this data is the correct data. Conversely, if the microprocessor determines that the address data written out by the cache tag does not match the address of the requested data (or a selected portion thereof), then a “cache miss” has occurred. In this circumstance, the microprocessor requests the data from the main memory, because the occurrence of a cache miss indicates that the data output by the memory cache is not the correct data.
Defects sometimes occur in a cache tag during the manufacturing process that prevent certain memory locations within the tag from functioning properly. If these defects cannot be repaired through conventional use of redundant elements, then the integrated circuit (IC) device that incorporates the defective tag is typically scrapped. There is, therefore, a need in the art for a device and method that can recover such devices for sale and subsequent use, thereby avoiding the need to scrap the devices.


Flying toys, especially kites, having long been used by all types of people for fun and entertainment. Kites come in all shapes and sizes. One particular type of kite is known as a rotatable airfoil kite. Such kites generally comprise a single elongated airfoil element or wing. This wing contains a circular disk member or stabilizer disk preferably attached at the center portion of the wing.
Various examples of rotatable kites are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,079,115 to Edwards, Jr., et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,017 to Springston, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,794 to Lemelson, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,518 to Jeffrey, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,825 to Sams, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,498 to Jeffrey.
However, these known rotatable kites present several disadvantages to users. Generally, these kites are not very durable and tend to break on impact with the ground or other objects, or even due to a strong wind force. Also, these kites are expensive, cumbersome, hard to assemble, hard to transport, and unstable in flight. Further, these kites are incapable of being flown with tails or streamers.
The present invention solves the problems or disadvantages of known rotatable kites. The invention is lightweight yet very durable. It can be assembled with ease. The invention has a novel characteristic of being foldable for transportation or storage, while at the same time being stable in flight. Alternatively, an inflatable embodiment of the invention allows deflation and folding thereof for easy storage and transportation. The invention is specifically designed to be capable of flying with tails or streamers. Further, the invention is inexpensive and easy to fly.
Edwards, Jr., et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,079,115) disclose a rotatable kite having a wing and a stabilizer disk. However, the kite is difficult to assemble due to plurality of tabs and slots which must be interconnected. Further, the kite is incapable of being folded or deflated for transportation and makes no provisions for flying with streamers.
Springston, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,017) discloses a rotatable kite having a wing and two stabilizer disks. However, the kite is difficult to assemble due to the two disk design, and the need for bracing line. Further, the kite is incapable of being folded or deflated for transportation and makes no provisions for flying with streamers.
Lemelson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,794) discloses a relatively simple rotatable kite having a wing and a stabilizer disk. However, the kite is incapable of folding or deflation for transportation and makes no provisions for flying with streamers.
Jeffrey (U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,518) discloses another relatively simple rotatable kite having a wing and a stabilizer disk. However, the kite is incapable of folding or deflating for transportation and makes no provisions for flying with streamers.
Sams (U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,825) discloses various rotatable kites which are complex and difficult to assemble. Sams also discloses the use of cushioning strips covered with hinge tape to allow for movement of the stabilizer disk. However, these strips are used to prevent the disk from folding completely flat against the wing, unlike the present invention which is capable of such folding. Sams' disk is capable of movement during flight, unlike the present invention whose disk is stable during flight. Further, Sams makes no provisions for flying with streamers or deflation.
Jeffrey (U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,498) discloses a rotatable kite having a wing and a stabilizer disk. However, the kite is difficult to assemble due to a pair of closely spaced radially extending support elements. Further, the kite is incapable of folding or deflation and makes no provision for flying with streamers.