Provided is a high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet having excellent ductility and stretch-flangeability as well as weldability in a range in which a tensile strength is 980 MPa or higher and a 0.2% yield strength is less than 700 MPa (preferably 500 MPa or higher). In the high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet of the present invention, the chemical composition is adjusted as appropriate, and the area ratio of below-mentioned metal structures at a position of ¼ sheet thickness in the steel sheet satisfies following requirements: tempered martensite: 10 area % to less than 30 area %, bainite: more than 70 area %, total of tempered martensite and bainite: 90 area % or more, ferrite: 0 area % to 5 area %, and retained austenite: 0 area % to 4 area %. The high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet has excellent ductility, stretch-flangeability, and weldability, and has a tensile strength of 980 MPa or higher and a 0.2% yield strength of less than 700 MPa.

A three-dimensional platform comprising a tessellated surface of pieces, each piece comprising a top and sides. The pieces comprise a fixed square piece having at least two opposing sides orientated acutely relative to the top to define a fixed square retention surface. The remaining surfaces orientate substantially perpendicular relative to the top. There is a mobile square piece having at least two opposing sides orientated obtusely relative to the top to define a mobile square retention surface. The remaining surfaces are oriented substantially perpendicular relative to the top. A mobile triangular piece having all sides orientated obtusely relative to the top. The fixed square retention surface indexes only with either the mobile square retention surface or the triangular piece surface to effect retention of the pieces to define the three-dimensional platform.

A method for providing a randomized card engine for use in wagering card games which thwarts advantage play methods in live or electronic gaming formats, which includes the steps of shuffling, or simulating the shuffling of, a plurality of standard decks of physical playing cards to form a set of playing cards in a randomly-ordered condition, dividing the set of randomly-ordered playing cards into a plurality of subsets, and providing each subset of the plurality of subsets for independent use in a respective card wagering game.

An automobile interior temperature stabilizer includes a holder adapted for placing within a vehicle cabin and a temperature stabilizing member which is made of latent heat material that absorbs and releases heat without rising in its temperature and is disposed in the holder, wherein the temperature stabilizing member has a threshold temperature range that the temperature stabilizing member is arranged for absorbing cabin heat within the vehicle cabin to cool down the vehicle cabin when an interior temperature of the vehicle is higher than the threshold temperature range, and the temperature stabilizing member is arranged for releasing stored heat to the vehicle cabin to warm the vehicle cabin when an interior temperature of the vehicle is lower than the threshold temperature range. Therefore, the automobile interior temperature stabilizer is able to maintain the cabin temperature of the vehicle without using any power from the vehicle.

In a cooled component system, a heat exchanger mounted on a surface of the industrial component is housed in an isolated access compartment adjacent to but separated from the primary compartment containing the industrial component. Housing the heat exchanger in a separately accessible compartment permits access to the heat exchanger for cleaning or other purposes without having to shut down the industrial component being cooled. A means for moving a cooling media over the surface a the heat exchanger might also be included to maximize heat exchange.

A digital down converter with an equalizer translates an ADC output signal to a low frequency spectral region, followed by decimation. All operations of correction of the processed signal are carried out with a reduced sampling rate compared with sampling rates of the prior art. Equalization is performed only in a frequency pass band of the down converter. The achieved reduction of the required computation resources is sufficient to enable the down converter with equalization to operate in a real time mode.

Methods and apparatus to parallelize data decompression are disclosed. An example method adjusting a first one of initial starting positions to determine a first adjusted starting position by decoding the bitstream starting at a training position in the bitstream, the decoding including traversing the bitstream from the training position as though first data located at the training position is a valid token; and merging, by executing an instruction with the processor, first decoded data generated by decoding a first segment of the compressed data bitstream starting from the first adjusted starting position with second decoded data generated by decoding a second segment of the compressed data bitstream, the decoding of the second segment starting from a second position in the compressed data bitstream and being performed in parallel with the decoding of the first segment, and the second segment preceding the first segment in the compressed data bitstream.

A computer-implemented method, system, and apparatus for storing binary data is disclosed. A processor receives a digital bit stream and transforms the digital bit stream to an encoded digital bit stream. The encoded digital bit stream comprises a data message encoded by an OCTS-expanded table for storage. The processor stores the encoded digital bit stream on a digital data storage device or system.

Typically, complex systems require a separate and expensive equalizer at the output of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). Rather than providing a separate equalizer, the effective Signal Transfer Function (STF) of a Multi-stAge noise SHaping (MASH) ADC can be modified by leveraging available digital filtering hardware necessary for quantization noise cancellation. The modification can involves adding calculations in the software previously provided for computing digital quantization noise cancellation filter coefficients, where the calculations are added to take into account equalization as well. As a result, the signal transfer function can be modified to meet ADC or system-level signal-chain specifications without additional equalization hardware. The method is especially attractive for high-speed applications where magnitude and phase responses are more challenging to meet.

For continuous-time multi-stage noise shaping analog-to-digital converters (CT MASH ADCs), quantization noise cancellation often requires accurate estimation of transfer functions, e.g., a noise transfer function of the front end modulator and a signal transfer function of the back end modulator. To provide quantization noise cancellation, digital quantization noise cancellation filters adaptively tracks transfer function variations due to integrator gain errors, flash-to-DAC timing errors, as well as the inter-stage gain and timing errors. Tracking the transfer functions is performed through the direct cross-correlation between the injected maximum length linear feedback shift registers (LFSR) sequence and modulator outputs and then corrects these non-ideal effects by accurately modeling the transfer functions with programmable finite impulse response (PFIR) filters.

A probabilistic digitizer for extracting information from a Josephson comparator is disclosed. The digitizer uses statistical methods to aggregate over a set of comparator readouts, effectively increasing the sensitivity of the comparator even when an input signal falls within the comparator's gray zone. Among other uses, such a digitizer may be used to discriminate between states of a qubit.

The disclosure relates to a circuit for stabilizing a digital-to-analog converter reference voltage. One example embodiment is a circuit for stabilizing a voltage on a reference node. The circuit includes a digital-to-analog converter that includes an array of capacitors and arranged for: receiving an input voltage via an input node, receiving a voltage via a reference node and a digital-to-analog code via a controller node, and outputting a digital-to-analog output voltage. The circuit also includes a capacitive network on the reference node comprising a fixed capacitor arranged to be pre-charged to an external reference voltage and a variable capacitor arranged to be pre-charged to an external auxiliary voltage. Further, the circuit includes a measurement block. In addition, the circuit includes a calibration block arranged for determining an updated setting of the variable capacitor based on the digital-to-analog code and the measured voltage on the reference node.

Method for producing a uranium concentrate in the form of solid particles, by precipitation from a uranium-containing solution using a precipitating agent, in a vertical reactor comprising a base, a top, a central part, an upper part, and a lower part, the solid particles of the uranium concentrate forming a fluidized bed under the action of a rising liquid current which circulates from the base towards the top of the reactor successively passing through the lower part, the central part and the upper part of the reactor, and which is created by introducing a liquid recycling current (flow) at the base of the reactor, said liquid recycling current being tapped at a first determined level (A) in the upper part of the reactor and sent back without settling to the base of the reactor, excess liquid being also evacuated via an overflow located at a second determined level (B) in the upper part of the reactor; a method in which the upper limit (C) of the fluidized bed of solid particles is controlled so that it is positioned at a level below the first and second determined levels.

Method for the production of a coarse-grained ammonium sulphate product by crystallization and installation for carrying out the method from an ammonium sulphate solution in a DTB type crystallizer having an internal suspension circuit and a clarifying zone, from which a clarified partial flow of solution is constantly drawn off into an external circuit, is heated in a heat exchanger to dissolve the solids contained therein and is guided back as a clear solution into the lower region of the crystallizer. A fine crystal suspension flow is drawn off from the clarifying zone as a further partial flow and guided back into the internal circuit of the crystallization stage without any previous dissolution of the solid proportion contained therein.

This invention relates to novel methods for affecting, controlling and/or directing various crystal formation, structure formation or phase formation/phase change reaction pathways or systems by exposing one or more components in a holoreaction system to at least one spectral energy pattern. In a first aspect of the invention, at least one spectral energy pattern can be applied to a crystallization reaction system. In a second aspect of the invention, at least one spectral energy conditioning pattern can be applied to a conditioning reaction system. The spectral energy conditioning pattern can, for example, be applied at a separate location from the reaction vessel (e.g., in a conditioning reaction vessel) or can be applied in (or to) the reaction vessel, but prior to other (or all) crystallization reaction system participants being introduced into the reaction vessel.

A system and method for separating at least a part of the solids from brine having an initial temperature T1, the system comprising a crystallizer comprising a crystallizer inlet for receiving therein said brine, a crystallizer first outlet for discharging vapor having a first pressure P1, evaporated from at least a part of said brine, and a crystallizer second outlet for discharging a slurry having a final temperature T2 lower than said initial temperature T1; a separator comprising a separator inlet for receiving therein said slurry, a separator first outlet for discharging therefrom said part of the solids separated from said slurry, and a separator second outlet for discharging therefrom a remaining liquid having a temperature substantially equal to T2; a compressor comprising a compressor inlet for receiving therein said vapor, and a compressor outlet for discharging therefrom a compressed vapor having a second pressure P2 higher than said pressure P1; and a condenser comprising a condenser first inlet for receiving therein said compressed vapor, a condenser second inlet for receiving therein said remaining liquid discharged from said separator, for absorbing a latent heat released from said compressed vapor, condensing thereby said compressed vapor, and a condenser outlet for discharging therefrom an outlet liquid having a temperature substantially equal to T1.

Pelletizing device and method for pelletizing pelletizing materials having a pelletizing disk inclined to the horizontal and provided rotatable wherein the pelletizing disk is driven via a motor device. The pelletizing disk comprises a bottom and a side wall, the effective height of the side wall being variable. The side wall comprises an inner side wall device and an outer side wall device, the inner side wall device being disposed height-adjustable relative to the outer side wall device.

A reaction-crystallization apparatus for carrying out reaction and/or solvent extraction and/or crystallization of soluble salts has an upper section having a top and a decanter. The decanter has a vertical vessel having a horizontal weir at the top of the upper section. The top of the upper section has an outlet for removing a light phase at the top of the decanter. The apparatus has a lower section, including a crystallizer. The crystallizer includes: a coaxial draft tube; a feed pipe; an agitator inside the draft tube; and at least one outlet at the bottom for crystal slurry removal. The apparatus has an intermediate section sandwiched between the lower section and the upper section such that the sections are in fluid communication and includes at least one coaxial vertical baffle with a gap between the draft tube and the coaxial vertical baffle and is adjustable by moving the baffle.

An electrical voltage-generating piezoelectric device comprising at least a first blade (1) with a curved portion (10) defining a first arm (11) and a second arm (12) of the blade, the first arm (11) being intended to be fastened to a fixed support, the second arm (12) being substantially flat and having a free end (120) designed to oscillate around its resting position under the effect of mechanical force, at least one piezoelectric element (31) resting upon one of the main surfaces (14) of the second arm (12) of the first blade. The device also includes a second blade (2) identical in structure to the first blade (1), the first arms (11, 21) of the first and second blades (1, 2) being fastened together on all or part of their surfaces and being fixed relative to each other.

In a method of manufacturing a piezoelectric device in which a piezoelectric thin film on which functional conductors are formed is fixed to a support substrate by a fixing layer, an alignment mark is formed on one main surface of a light-transmitting piezoelectric substrate. A sacrificial layer is formed on a main surface of the piezoelectric substrate with reference to the alignment mark and the fixing layer is formed so as to cover the sacrificial layer and is bonded to the support substrate. The piezoelectric thin film is formed by being separated from the piezoelectric substrate and the functional conductors are formed on the surface of the piezoelectric thin film with reference to the alignment mark. The piezoelectric device is able to be manufactured while positions of formation regions of conductors are adjusted efficiently.

A motorization apparatus for a motorized wheel comprises an axle secured to a frame of a vehicle. A rotor unit has poles of magnet material. A stator unit having slots and teeth secured to the axle is inward of said rotor to define a clearance gap therewith such that the rotor unit is rotatable about the stator core. An arrangement of coils is wound around the teeth of the stator unit, the coils adapted to be powered to induce a rotation of the rotor unit relative to the stator unit. A structure comprises hub portions rotatably mounted to the axle, the structure having lateral walls defining an inner volume for the rotor unit and the stator unit, the structure supporting the rotor unit. The structure comprises attachment members connected to spokes of the motorized wheel, located radially inward of the clearance gap between the rotor unit and the stator unit.

A system and method provides a piezoelectric stack arrangement for reduced driving voltage while maintaining a driving level for active piezoelectric materials. A stack arrangement of d36 shear mode single crystals of both air X-cut and Y-cut ±1:45° (±20°) arrangement are bonded with discrete conductive pillars to form a shear crystal stack. The bonding area between the neighboring crystal parts is minimized. The bonding pillars are positioned at less than a total surface are of the single crystal forming the stack. The stack fabrication is facilitated with a precision assembly system, where crystal parts are placed to desired locations on an assembly fixture for alignment following the preset operation steps. With the reduced clamping effect from bonding due to lower surface coverage of the discrete conductive pillars, such a piezoelectric d36 shear crystal stack exhibits a reduced driving voltage while maintaining a driving level and substantial and surprisingly improved performance.

The present invention relates to a zinc oxide-based piezoelectric device, utilisable both as a sensor and as an actuator. More in particular, the present invention relates to a piezoelectric device (1, 101) comprising at least two carbon fibre crossed yarns (2a, 2b; 102a, 102b), at the intersection of which a zinc oxide layer (3, 103) in nanorod form is arranged, wherein an end (4a, 4b) of each of said yarns (2a, 2b; 102a, 102b) is connected to an operative unit (5).

A MEMS piezoelectric device includes a monolithic semiconductor body having first and second main surfaces extending parallel to a horizontal plane formed by first and second horizontal axes. A housing cavity is arranged within the monolithic semiconductor body. A membrane is suspended above the housing cavity at the first main surface. A piezoelectric material layer is arranged above a first surface of the membrane with a proof mass coupled to a second surface, opposite to the first surface, along the vertical axis. An electrode arrangement is provided in contact with the piezoelectric material layer. The proof mass causes deformation of the piezoelectric material layer in response to environmental mechanical vibrations. The proof mass is coupled to the membrane by a connection element arranged, in a central position, between the membrane and the proof mass in the direction of the vertical axis.

A monolithic integration of phase change material (PCM) switches with a MEMS resonator is provided to implement switching and reconfiguration functionalities. MEMS resonator includes a piezoelectric material to control terminal connections to the electrodes. The PCM is operable between an ON state and an OFF state by application of heat, which causes the phase change material to change from an amorphous state to a crystalline state or from a crystalline state to an amorphous state, the amorphous state and the crystalline state each associated with one of the ON state and the OFF state. A method of fabricating the MEMS resonator with phase change material is provided. A reconfigurable filter system using the MEMS resonators is also provided.

A piezoelectric vibrating piece includes a vibrating piece body including a vibrator and at least one pair of excitation electrodes formed on a front surface and a back surface of the vibrator. The vibrating piece body is a twice rotated quartz-crystal vibrating piece. The pair of excitation electrodes are arranged in a Z'″-axis direction determined by an X'″-axis and obliquely disposed with respect to the Y″-axis direction. The X'″-axis is rotated by 260° to 300° counterclockwise about a Y″-axis using a +X″-axis direction as a reference. The pair of excitation electrodes are formed to have respective semicircle shapes including straight line portions extending in the X'″-axis direction and to be disposed in a state where the straight line portions overlapping with one another. The straight line portion of the excitation electrode includes an inclined portion that gradually decreases in thickness toward an end portion of the excitation electrode.

The present disclosure refers to an elasticized structure and a method for making such an elasticized structure. The elasticized structure, includes a first piece and at least one second piece. The first piece is superimposed and fixed onto the second piece in at least a first fixing zone and at least a second fixing zone. The second piece is at least partially made of an elastic material and has an internal zone comprised between the first fixing zone and the second fixing zone. The elasticized structure is able to assume a tensioned position and a rest position. In the rest position, the first piece has a hump comprised between the first fixing zone and the second fixing zone and flat parts alongside said first fixing zone and said second fixing zone, respectively.

An article of apparel may include a base layer and a cover layer. The cover layer may be stitchlessly-secured to an exterior surface of the base layer and positioned to extend along a side area and from a pelvic region to a leg region of the base layer. A width of the cover layer may be greater in the pelvic region than the first leg region. In some configurations, a frictional resistance of the exterior surface of the base layer may be greater than a frictional resistance of a surface of the cover layer.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to automatically identifying structures of a music stream. A segment structure may be generated that visually indicates repeating segments of a music stream. To generate a segment structure, a feature that corresponds to a music attribute from a waveform corresponding to the music stream is extracted from a waveform, such as an input signal. Utilizing a signal segmentation algorithm, such as a Variable Markov Oracle (VMO) algorithm, a symbolized signal, such as a VMO structure, is generated. From the symbolized signal, a matrix is generated. The matrix may be, for instance, a VMO-SSM. A segment structure is then generated from the matrix. The segment structure illustrates a segmentation of the music stream and the segments that are repetitive.

This disclosure describes systems and methods for controlling pressure and/or flow during exhalation. The disclosure describes novel exhalation modes for ventilating a patient.

A respiratory mask or other sealing interface can be used in combination with a nasal cannula or other unsealing interface in providing respiratory therapies for the treatment of COPD or OSA. The mask can act as a pressure vessel over the top of a nasal cannula, with the intention of increasing expiratory pressure whilst allowing the nasal cannula to provide a user with breathing gases of a high humidity and temperature. The ability to selectively apply increased expiratory pressure may be effective in reducing a user's breathing rate and thus beneficial in the treatment of respiratory distress.

A device comprising: a receive antenna configured to receive a first radio-frequency (RF) signal having a first center frequency; a first transmit antenna configured to transmit a second RF signal having a second center frequency that is a harmonic of the first center frequency; a second transmit antenna configured to transmit a third RF signal having a third center frequency that is a harmonic of the first center frequency and is different from the second center frequency; first circuitry, coupled to the receive antenna and to the first transmit antenna, configured to generate the second RF signal using the first RF signal and provide it to the first transmit antenna for transmission; and second circuitry, coupled to the receive antenna and to the second transmit antenna, configured to generate the third RF signal using the first RF signal and provide it to the second transmit antenna for transmission.

A folded planar antenna device for radio frequency identification (RFID) reading is provided. The folded planar antenna device includes an RFID chip, a conductor member comprising a binocular-shaped slot; and a substrate. The conductor member is mounted on the substrate and the substrate is connected to the RFID chip through the binocular-shaped slot. The folded planar antenna device can be mounted on different objects, such as metal, meat, or liquid container, without being completely de-tuned.

A polymerizable liquid crystal compound represented by Chemical Formula 1: wherein in Chemical Formula 1, groups and variables are the same as defined in the detailed description.

This disclosure relates to the technical field of display apparatus, and in particular to a display apparatus and a vehicle utilizing the same. The display apparatus comprises a transmitting device for forming privacy images on a front windshield of a vehicle body and polarized glasses for viewing the privacy images. In the above technical solutions, privacy images are formed on the front windshield of the vehicle body by the transmitting device, such that the formed images will not interfere with the driver's driving. Meanwhile, the passengers can view the images on the front windshield by wearing the polarized glasses. By using the above transmitting device to form privacy images on the front windshield, an area of display is enlarged to facilitate the passengers' viewing. Passengers sitting in the rear portion of the vehicle can clearly view the images, and the visual effect during the passengers' viewing is improved.

The invention discloses a composite material used for catalyzing and degrading nitrogen oxide and its preparation method and application thereof. The invention of the hollow g-C3N4 nanospheres/reduced graphene oxide composite-polymer carbonized nanofiber material is prepared as follow: 1) the preparation of silica nanospheres; 2) the preparation of hollow g-C3N4 nanospheres; 3) the preparation of graphene oxide; 4) the preparation of surface modified hollow g-C3N4 nanoparticles preparation; 5) the preparation of composites; 6) the preparation of composite-polymer carbon nanofiber material. The raw materials used in the process is low cost and easy to get; the operation of the invention is simple and convenient without the use of expensive equipment in the whole process; the composite has high adsorption efficiency of ppb level nitrogen oxide with good repeatability.

Microfluidic devices having an electrowetting configuration and an optimized droplet actuation surface are provided. The devices include a conductive substrate having a dielectric layer, a hydrophobic layer covalently bonded to the dielectric layer, and a first electrode electrically coupled to the dielectric layer and configured to be connected to a voltage source. The microfluidic devices also include a second electrode, optionally included in a cover, configured to be connected to the voltage source. The hydrophobic layer features self-associating molecules covalently bonded to a surface of the dielectric layer in a manner that produces a densely-packed monolayer that resists intercalation and or penetration by polar molecules or species. Also provided are microfluidic devices having an electrowetting configuration that further include a section or module having a dielectrophoresis configuration; systems that include any of the microfluidic devices in combination with an aqueous droplet and a fluidic medium immiscible with the medium of the aqueous droplet; related kits; and methods of manipulating droplets, optionally containing micro-objects such as biological cells, within the microfluidic devices.

An Al—Te—Cu—Zr alloy sputtering target, comprising 20 at % to 40 at % of Te, 5 at % to 20 at % of Cu, 5 at % to 15 at % of Zr and the remainder of Al, wherein a Te phase, a Cu phase and a CuTe phase are not present in a structure of the target. An object of the present invention is to provide an Al—Te—Cu—Zr alloy sputtering target capable of effectively reducing particle generation, nodule formation and the like upon sputtering and further capable of reducing oxygen contained in the target.

An electrically and magnetically enhanced ionized physical vapor deposition (I-PVD) magnetron apparatus and method is provided for sputtering material from a cathode target on a substrate, and in particular, for sputtering ceramic and diamond-like coatings. The electrically and magnetically enhanced magnetron sputtering source has unbalanced magnetic fields that couple the cathode target and additional electrode together. The additional electrode is electrically isolated from ground and connected to a power supply that can generate positive, negative, or bipolar high frequency voltages, and is preferably a radio frequency (RF) power supply. RF discharge near the additional electrode increases plasma density and a degree of ionization of sputtered material atoms.

In an ozone generating system which performs intermittent operation, that is, an operation in an ozone generating operation period in which ozone is generated by discharging gas including oxygen at a discharge electrode part and an operation in an ozone generating operation standby period in which ozone is not generated by stopping discharge are alternately repeated, a gas circulating device which circulates gas in the ozone generating apparatus and removes at least nitric acid from the gas which is circulated is connected to the ozone generating apparatus.

A renal failure blood therapy system includes a renal failure blood therapy machine, concentration levels for each of a plurality of solutes removed from a patient's blood at each of the multiple times, a display device configured to display for selection at least one removed blood solute from the plurality of removed blood solutes, and a device programmed to (i) estimate at least one renal failure blood therapy patient parameter using the determined concentration levels for the at least one selected removed blood solute, (ii) determine a plurality of acceptable renal failure blood therapy treatments that meet a predetermined removed blood solute clearance for the at least one selected removed blood solute using the at least one renal failure blood therapy patient parameter, and (iii) enable selection of at least one of the plurality of acceptable renal failure blood therapy treatments for operation at the renal failure blood therapy machine.

The invention includes novel devices and methods for inhibiting or preventing colonization of fluid flow networks by bacteria that have upstream surface motility. In certain aspects, the devices and methods of the invention prevent or minimize undesirable bacterial colonization of medical devices and/or treat or prevent bacterial infections.

Systems and methods for longevity, anti-aging, fatigue management, obesity, weight loss, weight management, delivery of nutraceuticals, and treating hyperglycemia, Alzheimer's disease, sleep disorders, Parkinson's disease, Attention Deficit Disorder and nicotine addiction involve synchronizing and tailoring the administration of nutraceuticals, medications and other substances in accordance with the body's natural circadian rhythms, meal times and other factors. Improved control of blood glucose levels, extended alertness, and weight control, and counteracting of disease symptoms when they are at their worst are possible. An automated, pre-programmable transdermal administration system is used to provide pulsed doses of medications, pharmaceuticals, hormones, neuropeptides, anorexigens, pro-drugs, stimulants, nutraceuticals, phytochemicals, phytonutrients, enzymes, antioxidants, essential oils, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, coenzymes, or other physiological active ingredient or precursor. The system can utilize a pump, pressurized reservoir, a system for removing depleted carrier solution, or other modulated dispensing actuator, in conjunction with porous membranes or micro-fabricated structures.

An electronic arrangement and method for providing a signal characterized by reduced phase noise having a signal source for providing a stimulus signal, a modulator coupled to the signal source for generating a modulated signal as function of the stimulus signal and a local oscillator signal, and a mixer combining the stimulus and modulated signals to generate a mixed signal that includes a component characterized by a mathematical difference of the stimulus signal and the modulated signal. The modulated signal is substantially identical to the stimulus signal and offset by a frequency of the local oscillator signal, so that the difference component of the mixed signal results in a local oscillator signal wherein the stimulus signal phase noise generated by the signal source has been mathematically cancelled.

A vector network analyzer (VNA) for analyzing the response of a device under test (DUT), the VNA comprising a plurality of VNA ports configured to be connected to the DUT; a plurality of source ports configured to be connected to the VNA ports; a plurality of couplers for coupling a plurality of coupled signals, wherein said plurality of coupled signals are combined to provide a sum signal; and a receiver configured to receive said forward sum signal.

Disclosed is a piezoelectric material including stereocomplex crystals of poly(D-lactic acid) (PDLA) and poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), wherein poly(D-lactic acid) and poly(L-lactic acid) are crystallized into a stereocomplex, thus exhibiting superior heat resistance and piezoelectric properties. This piezoelectric material, which is obtained using poly(lactic acid), can be produced at very low cost compared to when using PVDF, and is configured to include stereocomplex crystals of PDLA and PLLA and can thus manifest high thermal stability and piezoelectric properties, compared to when using conventional PLLA alone. Such a piezoelectric material can be efficiently utilized in a variety of fields in which low production cost, high processing temperature in the manufacturing process, or high-temperature stability of piezoelectric material products is required.

A vibration analyzing apparatus includes a vibration detecting unit set in a building where a person can reside and configured to detect vibration and output a detection signal based on the detected vibration, a mode determining unit configured to determine presence or absence of vibration of the building caused by an earthquake, and a control unit including a vibration analyzing unit configured to analyze the vibration on the basis of the detection signal, the control unit setting an analysis mode of the vibration analyzing unit. The control unit sets one of a normal time analysis mode for causing the vibration analyzing unit to analyze a vibration waveform indicated by the detection signal on the basis of a first condition and obtaining information concerning residence of the person and an earthquake analysis mode for obtaining information concerning deformation of the building.

Disclosed is an apparatus configured for collection and sterilization of expectorates. According to the embodiments of the invention, the apparatus includes a receptacle having an interior space defined by a bottom wall, and one or more side walls, an opening at a top portion for selectively receiving a separator for the expectorates to pass therethrough and be received at the interior space, and a power source, one or more light sources, such as ultraviolet (UV) light source radiating rays of sufficient wavelengths capable of sterilizing the expectorates received at the interior space, a reflective source surrounding the interior space of the receptacle for substantially reflecting the radiated rays throughout the interior space to effectively sterilize the expectorates received at the interior space, and a receptacle lid removably engaging the separator to close the opening at the top portion of the receptacle.

Electron beam generator comprising an electron emitting device adapted to emit an electron beam when heated to an elevated temperature, wherein the electron emitting device comprises a filament having a spiral portion.

A fluid analyzer includes an optical source and an optical detector defining an optical beam path through an interrogation region of a fluid flow cell. Flow-control devices conduct analyte and reference fluids through a channel and the interrogation region, and manipulate fluid flow in response to control signals to move a fluid boundary separating the analyte and reference fluids across the interrogation region. A controller generates control signals to (1) cause the fluid boundary to be moved across the interrogation region accordingly, (2) sample an output signal from the optical detector at a first interval during which the interrogation region contains more analyte fluid than reference fluid and at a second interval during which the interrogation region contains more reference fluid than analyte fluid, and (3) determine from samples of the output signal a measurement value indicative of an optically measured characteristic of the analyte fluid.