Abstract: An inexpensive device and method of fabricating microlenses able to be pre-aligned with other optical components (e.g., mirrors, splitters, and prisms, cylindrical lenses, plano-plates and prisms) fabricated on the same substrate to form an integrated optical platform. This integrated optical platform enhances optical systems by reducing coupling losses, cross-talking, and dispersion, and allowing for the simultaneous optical focusing of one or more light beams in a true, three-dimensional arrangement. The novel device comprises an optical lens having an out-of-plane orientated, optical axis (i.e., the optical axial is parallel to the substrate on which the optical bench system is located) with a quasi-parabolic surface.

Abstract: An accurate and inexpensive integral micro-optical system for coupling and aligning optical fibers with other optical components, such as other optical fibers, diffusers, beam shapers, beam splitters, mirrors, or lenses is disclosed. The micro-optical coupler disclosed comprises one or more fiberport collimators and one or more microlens arrays, optically aligned during fabrication so that an optical fiber, or other source of light, was coupled to another optical fiber, or other light receiver, by simple inserting the optical source in one side of the micro-coupler and inserting the optical receiver in the other side of the micro-coupler. Often the fabrication process for this system can be done in a single lithography procedure. Since the optical axis of each component was aligned during the fabrication step, no subsequent alignment was required.

Abstract: A filtration device. The filtration device includes a tank, photocatalyst, a light source and a non-woven membrane module. The tank includes a reacting section and a separating section. The photocatalyst is added to water. The light source, disposed in the reacting section, provides light to react with the photocatalyst and thereby decompose pollutants in the water. The non-woven membrane module, disposed in the separating section, intercepts the photocatalyst in the water, producing purified water.

Abstract: A method for making multicolored plastic mixed material of colored drawing comprises {circle around (1)} preparing a mold having at least two color areas, in each color area is formed an injection hole. {circle around (2)} injecting different colored plastic materials into the color areas of the mold via the injection holes during the same ejection molding process, and the different colored plastic materials will be mixed with each other in overlapping areas, the user can create different shaped color areas by changing position of the injection holes, time, speed and amount of plastic injection, and in the gradient lines will appear in the overlapping areas. {circle around (3)} unmolding a resultant multicolor plastic product from the mold.

Abstract: The apparatus for reducing biological wasted sludge includes a sludge hydrolysis reactor, a sludge neutralization reactor and a membrane bioreactor (MBR). The method of the present invention includes subjecting a biological wasted sludge to hydrolysis and neutralization treatments to offer an intermediate feed suitable to be treated in the MBR. The hydrolyzed sludge and microorganisms are retained in the MBR, so that a further hydrolysis of sludge and decomposition of organics undergo to achieve the objectives of stabilization of sludge and reduction of sludge. Thanks to the filtration membrane of the MBR, specific microorganisms can be acclimated and accumulated in the MBR to decompose substrates in the sludge which are difficult to be decomposed, and an effluent of expected water quality can be meet.

Abstract: A cross-layer rate adaptation mechanism for wireless local area network (WLAN) can obtain the channel state by calculating the Eb/N0 ratio of ACK frame transmitted from the receiver side. The mechanism determines the transmission rate of the next frame by referring to a predefined reduced mode table. When receiving an ACK frame fails, the mechanism can automatically lower the transmitting rate of the next transmission. Therefore, the method can reduce the damage to the system when ACK frame failure happens.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a biological membrane filtration wastewater treatment system including a porous biological filtration bed zone and a membrane separation zone. The porous biological filtration bed zone has the dual function of providing biological treatment and higher filtration rates, wherein a fixed bed or moving bed is utilized so that the porous biological filtration bed zone has the advantages of high loading rates, high removal efficiencies, high stability and ease of operation. The membrane separation zone utilizes a membrane filtration module to filter an effluent from the porous biological filtration bed zone, so that solid particles therein are separated and remain in the system. Therefore, a high quality of effluent is obtained.

Abstract: A bus architecture and a data transmission method thereof are applicable to a signal transmission environment between functioning components of an information system, so as to transmit data, addresses and/or control signals between any two of the functioning components of the information system in a serial transmission manner via at least one wire. During the data transmission method, the bus architecture can convert a parallel signal to a serial signal and/or convert a serial signal to a parallel signal, and the sequence of the two conversions being performed or the proceeding of only one or both of the conversions depends on practical requirements.

Abstract: Method of waste water/water treatment in a submerged membrane bioreactor is disclosed. The bioreactor includes a tank containing a mixed liquor having microorganism; porous carriers in the mixed liquors; and a filtration module immersed in the mixed liquor and having a permeate side into which fluid can flow only through the filtration module. The method includes introducing an influent into the tank; applying a negative pressure source to the permeate side so that liquid in the tank penetrates the filtration module into the permeate side and flows out from the tank; and aerating the mixed liquor in the tank so that the porous carriers keep contact with the filtration module, and thus reduce fouling of the filtration module.

Abstract: This invention proposes a mobility management method and system for wireless data networks, such as GPRS and UMTS systems. The wireless data network consists of at least one mobile device and one network apparatus. The cells in a wireless data network are partitioned into several routing areas. In the wireless data network, the mobility management activities for a mobile device are characterized by a mobility management finite state machine exercised in both the mobile device and network apparatus. There are three states in the machine: idle state, standby state and ready state. Both the mobile device and network apparatus employ a ready counter, which counts the number of cells crossed by the mobile device in the packet idle period between two packet transmissions. If the counted number reaches a threshold, the mobility management state switches from the ready state to standby state.

Abstract: An inexpensive device and method of fabricating micromixers able to enhance the mixing efficiency of fluids by inducing diffusion and turbulence mixing within the micromixer, and by increasing the interfacial surface contact between fluids is disclosed. The device is a passive micromixer capable of mixing at least two different fluids (e.g., a DNA sample and a reagent) by creating impinging plumes of fluid using at least two or more arrays of micro-nozzles sized and shaped to cause the plumes to impact each other directly or interfacially. This novel, passive micromixer may be fabricated on a single substrate using a newly developed lithography technology for thick films of SU-8 resist.

Abstract: An inexpensive device and method of fabricating microlenses able to be pre-aligned with other optical components (e.g., mirrors, splitters, and prisms, cylindrical lenses, plano-plates and prisms) fabricated on the same substrate to form an integrated optical platform. This integrated optical platform enhances optical systems by reducing coupling losses, cross-talking, and dispersion, and allowing for the simultaneous optical focusing of one or more light beams in a true, three-dimensional arrangement. The novel device comprises an optical lens having an out-of-plane orientated, optical axial (i.e., the optical axial is perpendicular to the substrate on which the optical bench system is located) with a quasi-parabolic surface.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) includes a resistor network for generating multiple reference voltages. The resistor network includes multiple resistors connected in series to form a resistor string. A first portion of the resistors between either one of two end nodes and a central node of the string have substantially equal electrical resistances. A second portion of the resistors are refinements of at least part of the first portion resistors and are arranged further from the central node than the resistors of the first portion. Resistances of the second portion resistors are greater than resistances of the first portion resistors. When an electrical potential is applied between the two end nodes, the multiple reference voltages are produced between adjacent resistors. An ADC is also described including first and second capacitor arrays and a comparator. An apparatus and method are disclosed for generating a binary value corresponding to an analog input voltage.

Abstract: A method of wastewater/water treatment includes introducing an influent into a reactor so that a portion of contaminants in the influent is decomposed by microorganism in the reactor during a retention time of the influent in the reactor, and thus an effluent has a less amount of contaminants in comparison with the influent. The microorganism is grown fixedly on modified porous carriers in the reactor. The modified porous carrier contains a polymer foam and adsorbent particles entrapped in pores of the polymer foam, so that the modified foam not only has a large specific surface area, but also characteristics such as water affinity or an affinity to a certain type of contaminants. As a result, the efficiency of reducing contamination in the influent water is enhanced.

Abstract: The apparatus for reducing biological wasted sludge includes a sludge hydrolysis reactor, a sludge neutralization reactor and a membrane bioreactor (MBR). The method of the present invention includes subjecting a biological wasted sludge to hydrolysis and neutralization treatments to offer an intermediate feed suitable to be treated in the MBR. The hydrolyzed sludge and microorganisms are retained in the MBR, so that a further hydrolysis of sludge and decomposition of organics undergo to achieve the objectives of stabilization of sludge and reduction of sludge. Thanks to the filtration membrane of the MBR, specific microorganisms can be acclimated and accumulated in the MBR to decompose substrates in the sludge which are difficult to be decomposed, and an effluent of expected water quality can be meet.

Abstract: A configuration of sub-comparators for use within an analog to digital conversion circuit is disclosed. A number of the sub-comparators are adapted to receive equalization and power down control signals. In one embodiment, several of the sub-comparators are cascaded together in the analog to digital conversion circuit. An equalization signal and a power down control signal are applied to at least some of the sub-comparators enabling the sub-comparators to attenuate or eliminate offset voltage and environmental noise associated with the signal to be sampled. Furthermore, in accordance with another aspect, the analog to digital conversion circuit includes a latch type differential sub-comparator, which can attenuate or eliminate output levels of the sub-comparators from residing in an unstable input region of the digital converter.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) includes a resistor network for generating multiple reference voltages. The resistor network includes multiple resistors connected in series to form a resistor string. A first portion of the resistors between either one of two end nodes and a central node of the string have substantially equal electrical resistances. A second portion of the resistors are refinements of at least part of the first portion resistors and are arranged further from the central node than the resistors of the first portion. Resistances of the second portion resistors are greater than resistances of the first portion resistors. When an electrical potential is applied between the two end nodes, the multiple reference voltages are produced between adjacent resistors. An ADC is also described including first and second capacitor arrays and a comparator. An apparatus and method are disclosed for generating a binary value corresponding to an analog input voltage.

Abstract: A submerged membrane bioreactor includes a tank containing a mixed liquor having microorganism; and a filtration module immersed in the mixed liquor and having a permeate side in fluid communication with the mixed liquor only through the filtration module. The filtration module includes a porous support having a first surface forming the permeate side and a second surface opposing to the first surface; and a non-woven fabric membrane covering the second surface and having a thickness of 0.1-2 mm and a pore size of 0.2-100 &mgr;m.

Abstract: This invention proposes a mobility management method and system for wireless data networks, such as GPRS and UMTS systems. The wireless data network consists of at least one mobile device and one network apparatus. The cells in a wireless data network are partitioned into several routing areas. In the wireless data network, the mobility management activities for a mobile device are characterized by a mobility management finite state machine exercised in both the mobile device and network apparatus. There are three states in the machine: idle state, standby state and ready state. Both the mobile device and network apparatus employ a ready counter, which counts the number of cells crossed by the mobile device in the packet idle period between two packet transmissions. If the counted number reaches a threshold, the mobility management state switches from the ready state to standby state.

Abstract: A method of wastewater/water treatment includes introducing an influent into a reactor so that a portion of contaminants in the influent is decomposed by microorganism in the reactor during a retention time of the influent in the reactor, and thus an effluent has a less amount of contaminants in comparison with the influent. The microorganism is grown fixedly on modified porous carriers in the reactor. The modified porous carrier contains a polymer foam and adsorbent particles entrapped in pores of the polymer foam, so that the modified foam not only has a large specific surface area, but also characteristics such as water affinity or an affinity to a certain type of contaminants. As a result, the efficiency of reducing contamination in the influent water is enhanced.