Author: claimsbot

1. A method of recycling vulcanized rubber comprises the steps of:
providing a quantity of vulcanized rubber, a glycerol and hydrochloric acid solution, and a reactor;
grinding the quantity of vulcanized rubber from a macroscopic particle size to a smaller diameter;
filling the reactor with the glycerol and hydrochloric acid solution;
submerging the quantity of vulcanized rubber within the glycerol and hydrochloric acid solution in order to form a preparatory mixture;
decomposing the quantity of vulcanized rubber by simultaneously heating and agitating the preparatory mixture in order to chemically break sulfide bonds within the quantity of vulcanized rubber;
separating a solid residue from a decomposed preparatory mixture, wherein the decomposed preparatory mixture includes a smaller quantity of vulcanized rubber, a quantity of de-vulcanized rubber, and the glycerol and hydrochloric acid solution;
mixing an additional quantity of hydrochloric acid into the decomposed preparatory mixture within the reactor;
decomposing the smaller quantity of vulcanized rubber by simultaneously reheating and agitating the decomposed preparatory mixture in order to chemically break sulfide bonds within the smaller quantity of vulcanized rubber;
recovering a full quantity of de-vulcanized rubber from the reactor through a solid-liquid separation process;
2. The method of recycling vulcanized rubber, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glycerol and hydrochloric acid solution comprises an initial volumetric ratio of glycerol to hydrochloric acid at 10:1 at standard temperature and pressure (STP).
3. The method of recycling vulcanized rubber, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the macroscopic particle size of the quantity of vulcanized rubber is reduced between 0.841 mm and 0.044 mm.
4. The method of recycling vulcanized rubber, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preparatory mixture is heated between 150 and 200 degrees Celsius.
5. The method of recycling vulcanized rubber, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional quantity of hydrochloric acid is mass equivalent to a quantity of hydrochloric acid present in the glycerol and hydrochloric acid solution.
6. The method of recycling vulcanized rubber, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decomposed preparatory mixture is reheated between 230 and 250 degrees Celsius.
7. The method of recycling vulcanized rubber, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reclaimed rubber and the glycerol and hydrochloric acid solution is heated between 4 to 6 hours.
8. The method of recycling vulcanized rubber, as claimed in claim 1, the solid-liquid separation process is selected from a group consisting of: a centrifuging process, a decanting process, a membrane separation process or combinations thereof.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A biological observation apparatus for performing surgical treatment, comprising:
an optical-image forming part for forming an optical image in which, by using a difference in an optical characteristic between an adipose layer and surrounding tissue of the adipose layer in a specific portion, a region including the adipose layer, which contains a greater number of nerves relative to the surrounding tissue, can be distinguished from a region including the surrounding tissue; and
a display portion that, based on the optical image formed by the optical-image forming part, displays distributions of the adipose layer and the surrounding tissue or a boundary therebetween in the optical image.
2. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical characteristic is a spectral characteristic.
3. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical-image forming part is provided with an irradiating portion that radiates illumination light onto a biological tissue and an imaging portion that, of reflected light reflected at the biological tissue due to the illumination light radiated by the irradiating portion, captures reflected light in a wavelength band in which an absorption characteristic of \u03b2-carotene is greater than an absorption characteristic of hemoglobin, thus acquiring a reflected-light image.
4. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the imaging portion captures reflected light in a wavelength band within a range from 450 to 500 nm.
5. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the imaging portion acquires a first reflected-light image and a second reflected-light image by capturing first reflected light based only on a first wavelength band within a range from 450 to 500 nm, where the absorption characteristic of \u03b2-carotene is greater than the absorption characteristic of hemoglobin, and second reflected light based only on a second wavelength band within a range from 500 to 600 nm, where the absorption characteristic of hemoglobin is greater than the absorption characteristic of \u03b2-carotene, by making a distinction between the two, and
the display portion displays a combined image formed by combining the first reflected-light image and the second reflected-light image by using different colors.
6. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the imaging portion acquires a third reflected-light image by capturing third reflected light based only on a third wavelength band within a range from 600 to 650 nm, where the absorption characteristic of \u03b2-carotene and the absorption characteristic of hemoglobin are both low, by making a distinction from the first reflected-light image and the second reflected-light image, and
the display portion displays a combined image formed by combining the first reflected-light image, the second reflected-light image, and the third reflected-light image by using different colors.
7. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the irradiating portion radiates illumination light based only on a wavelength band in which the absorption characteristic of \u03b2-carotene is greater than the absorption characteristic of hemoglobin.
8. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the irradiating portion separately radiates first illumination light based only on the first wavelength band and second illumination light based only on the second wavelength band.
9. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the irradiating portion separately radiates first illumination light based only on the first wavelength band, second illumination light based only on the second wavelength band, and third illumination light based only on the third wavelength band.
10. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the irradiating portion radiates illumination light in wavelength bands including the first wavelength band to the third wavelength band at the same time, and
the imaging portion is provided with a color CCD.
11. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the irradiating portion radiates illumination light in wavelength bands including from the first wavelength band to the third wavelength band at the same time, and
the imaging portion is provided with a spectroscopic part for spectrally separating reflected light from the biological tissue into reflected light in a first wavelength band, a second wavelength band, and a third wavelength band and three imaging devices that separately capture the reflected light in the first to third wavelength bands spectrally separated by the spectroscopic part.
12. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:
a mode switching portion that can switch between a first observation mode for capturing reflected light based only on a wavelength band in which, in a blue wavelength band, the absorption characteristic of \u03b2-carotene is greater than the absorption characteristic of hemoglobin and a second observation mode for capturing reflected light in all wavelength bands from blue to red.
13. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:
a magnification switching portion that can switch an observation magnification,
wherein the mode switching portion switches to the first observation mode when the magnification switching portion switches the observation magnification to a high magnification and to the second observation mode when the magnification switching portion switches the observation magnification to a low magnification.
14. A biological observation apparatus comprising:
an imaging portion that, when illumination light is radiated onto biological tissue in which surface tissue is distributed so as to cover underlying tissue, acquires a return-light image from return light from the biological tissue in a wavelength band in which an absorption characteristic of the surface tissue differs from an absorption characteristic of the underlying tissue; and
a display portion that displays an image in which a distribution of tissue structure at a surface of the biological tissue is shown based on the return-light image.
15. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the imaging portion acquires a return-light image in a wavelength band in which the absorption characteristic of the surface tissue is greater than the absorption characteristic of the underlying tissue.
16. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the imaging portion acquires a return-light image in a wavelength band in which the absorption characteristic of the surface tissue is less than the absorption characteristic of the underlying tissue.
17. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the display portion displays an image in which a distribution of the surface tissue is shown based on the return-light image.
18. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the display portion displays an image in which a distribution of the underlying tissue is shown based on the return-light image.
19. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein one of the surface tissue and the underlying tissue is an adipose layer containing a nerve.
20. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the absorption characteristic of the surface tissue is the absorption characteristic of \u03b2-carotene.
21. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the absorption characteristic of the surface tissue is the absorption characteristic of hemoglobin.
22. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the wavelength band is a wavelength band in which the absorption characteristic of \u03b2-carotene is greater than the absorption characteristic of hemoglobin.
23. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the wavelength band is from 450 to 500 nm.
24. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the wavelength band is a wavelength band in which the absorption characteristic of \u03b2-carotene is less than the absorption characteristic of hemoglobin.
25. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the wavelength band is in a range from 500 to 600 nm.
26. The biological observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the return light is reflected light.

1. A semiconductor device comprising:
a plurality of memory arrays, and
a plurality of memory array control circuits,
each of said plurality of memory array control circuits including:
a readwrite control circuit for controlling a readwrite operation to the memory array, and
a selection circuit for selecting and activating the memory array based on a clock signal and an output signal from said readwrite control circuit,
wherein
said readwrite control circuit includes:
a counter for incrementing a count number when a write command is inputted, and decrementing said count number when a read command is inputted, and
a determination circuit for determining whether or not effective data exists in said memory array, based on said count number of said counter.
2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said selection circuit includes a logic gate receiving the output signal from said readwrite control circuit and said clock signal, and said logic gate supplies said clock signal to the memory array when said output signal is activated.
3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein
said semiconductor device further comprises a memory controller,
said memory controller includes an address management circuit for managing a reading-completed read address, and
said address management circuit having:
a plurality of buffer memories,
a buffer memory specification circuit for specifying the buffer memory to store said read address from the plurality of buffer memories, and
a write address determination circuit for determining a write address required at the time of the write operation by sequentially referring to said buffer memories.
4. A semiconductor device comprising:
a plurality of memory arrays, and
a plurality of memory array control circuits,
each of said plurality of memory array control circuits including:
a readwrite control circuits for controlling a readwrite operation to the memory array, and
a selection circuit for selecting and activating the memory array based on a check clock signal and an output signal from said readwrites control circuits,
wherein
said semiconductor device includes:
a band determination circuit for determining a band based on a command interval of a command inputted to write data in said plurality of memory arrays; and
a control circuit for determining said plurality of memory arrays to write said data at the same time in a dispersed manner, based on an output of said band determination circuit.
5. A semiconductor device comprising:
a plurality of memory arrays, and
a first memory array control circuit among a plurality of memory array control circuits includes a first logic gate for receiving a clock signal and a fixed potential signal,
each of said plurality of other memory array control circuits including:
a readwrite control circuit for controlling a readwrite operation to the memory array, and
a second logic gate for receiving an output signal from said readwrite control circuit and said clock signal, and
said second logic gate supplying said clock signal to the other memory array when said output signal is activated.
6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein
said semiconductor device further comprises a memory controller,
said memory controller includes an address management circuit for managing a reading-completed read address, and
said address management circuit having:
a plurality of buffer memories,
a buffer memory specification circuit for specifying the buffer memory to store said read address from the plurality of buffer memories, and
a write address determination circuit for determining a write address required at the time of the write operation by sequentially referring to said buffer memories.
7. A semiconductor device comprising:
a plurality of memory arrays, wherein each of said plurality of memory arrays is assigned a priority, and
a plurality of memory array control circuits provided so as to correspond to said plurality of memory arrays,
each of said plurality of memory array control circuits including:
a readwrite control circuit for controlling a readwrite operation to the corresponding memory array, and
a selection circuit having a logic gate for controlling the corresponding memory array, wherein:
said readwrite control circuit is configured to output a control signal with a first logic value when the corresponding memory array has effective data;
said logic gate is configured the corresponding memory array responsive to the control signal,
the plurality of memory array control circuits includes a first memory array control circuit corresponding to a first memory array among the plurality of memory arrays and a second memory array control circuit corresponding to a second memory array among the plurality of memory arrays, the second memory array having one level of priority higher than a priority level of the first memory array,
the first memory array control circuit includes a first logic gate and a first readwrite control circuit and the second memory array control circuit includes a second logic gate and a second readwrite control circuit,
the first logic gate is configured to receive a first control signal from the first readwrite control circuit, and a second control signal from the second readwrite control circuit corresponding to the second memory array having the one level of priority higher than the priority level of the first memory array corresponding to said first memory array control circuit, and
the first logic gate provided in the first memory array control circuit activates the first memory array when the first control signal has the first logic value or the second control signal has the first logic value.
8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein
said semiconductor device further comprises a memory controller,
said memory controller includes an address management circuit for managing a reading-completed read address, and
said address management circuit having:
a plurality of buffer memories,
a buffer memory specification circuit for specifying the buffer memory to store said read address from the plurality of buffer memories, and
a write address determination circuit for determining a write address required at the time of the write operation by sequentially referring to said buffer memories.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A device for noninvasive detection of an electric field or potential, or derivatives thereof, in a medium exhibiting a linear or second-order electrooptic effect, this device comprising:
an optical source for illuminating at least one region of the medium to be probed with a light beam, whose path defines an optical axis;
mapping means for mapping a phase shift of the light beam, said phase shift being induced by an electric field or potential, or derivatives thereof, in the region to be probed,
wherein the mapping means comprise a confocal microscope in which the region to be probed is placed in a manner suitable for forming an image of one plane of the region to be probed.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mapping means comprise an interferometer for splitting the light beam into a reference beam and a probe beam and for measuring the phase shift between the reference beam and the probe beam after the latter has passed through the region to be probed, in this interferometer, and wherein a photodetection means for photodetecting light together with a processing and servocontrol unit carry out a servocontrol of the respective path lengths of the reference beam and the probe beam being active up to a cutoff frequency fc and these mapping means having a signal sampling frequency fa higher than the cutoff frequency fc.
3. The device as claimed in claim 2, which includes moving means for moving the medium in the probe beam along three non-collinear directions in space.
4. The device as claimed in claim 2, which includes scanning means for scanning the region to be probed and a reference region, with the light beam at an acquisition frequency f of images recorded by measuring means for measuring the variations in the phase of the light beam above the cutoff frequency fc.
5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the scanning means scan the region to be probed and the reference region along a first direction in space at a frequency fx and along a second direction in space at a frequency fy, in order to form an image of n pixels along the first direction and m pixels along the second direction, the frequencies fx and fy being chosen such that fx=fy n and fy=fa m.
6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the scanning means comprise four acoustooptic deflectors, two for deflecting the light beam, upstream of the confocal microscope, each in one of the first and second directions in space respectively, and two for rectifying the light beam, each in one of the first and second directions in space respectively, downstream of the confocal microscope.
7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one acoustooptic deflector, downstream of the confocal microscope is set so as to make 0th-order of the light beam inclined to the optical axis and to retain paraxial 1st-order.
8. The device as claimed in claim 7, which comprises a Galileo telescope for increasing an angle between the 1st-order and the optical axis.
9. The device as claimed in claim 1, which further includes, upstream of the confocal microscope, controlling means for controlling a polarization of the probe beam incident on the region to be probed.
10. A method for noninvasive detection of an electric field or potential, or derivatives thereof, in a medium exhibiting a linear or second-order electrooptic effect, in which:
at least one region of the medium to be probed is illuminated with an optical source with a light beam whose path defines an optical axis;
a phase shift of the light beam, induced by an electric field or potential, or derivatives thereof, in the at least one region of the medium to be probed is mapped;
wherein the at least one region of the medium to be probed is placed in a confocal microscope, which is itself inserted in mapping means for mapping the phase shift of the light beam in a manner suitable for forming an image of a plane in the at least one region of the medium to be probed.
11. The method as claimed in claim 10, in which, knowing the electric field is mapped in the medium, from medium electrooptic property distribution.
12. The method as claimed in claim 10, in which an electric field of known configuration is generated in the medium so as to reveal electrooptic properties of the medium.
13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein an interferometer is used to split the light beam into a reference beam and a probe beam and to measure a phase shift between the reference beam and the probe beam after the latter has passed through the region to be probed, a photodetection means for photodetecting light together with a processing and servocontrol unit servocontrol respective path lengths of the reference beam and the probe beam and images are acquired by the photodetection means at a signal sampling frequency fa higher than the cutoff frequency fc for the servocontrol of the respective path lengths of the reference beam and the probe beam.
14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the medium is moved in the probe beam, along three non-collinear directions in space.
15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the medium is excited at a frequency fe and the variation in the phase shift between the probe beam and the reference beam is measured at this same frequency fe.
16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the region to be probed and a reference region are scanned with the probe beam at an image acquisition frequency f for images recorded by the means for measuring the variations in the phase of the light beam higher than the cutoff frequency fc.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the region to be probed and the reference region are scanned along a first direction in space at a frequency fx and along a second direction in space at a frequency fy, in order to form an image of n pixels along the first direction and m pixels along the second direction, the frequencies fx and fy being chosen such that fx=fy n and fy=fa m.
18. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one acoustooptic deflector downstream of the aufocal telescope is set so as to make 0th-order of the light beam inclined to the optical axis and to retain paraxial 1st-order.
19. The method as claimed in claim 18, in which an angle between the 1st-order and the optical axis is increased by means of a Galileo telescope.
20. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the region to be probed includes at least one part of an optoelectronic component to which a potential is applied.
21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the potential is applied via at least one electrode, the shape of which is suitable for creating an electric field gradient.
22. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the potential is applied via at least one multipolar electrode.
23. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the optoelectronic component is placed in an optically active medium.
24. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the propagation of an electrical pulse in the optoelectronic component is studied.
25. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the region to be probed includes at least one part of a fractal aggregate.
26. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the region to be probed includes at least one part of a biological medium.
27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the region to be probed includes at least one part of a biological membrane.
28. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the region to be probed includes at least one part of a neuron or of a neural network.
29. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the region to be probed includes at least one part of an artificial membrane.
30. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the region to be probed constitutes at least one part of a chemical medium.
31. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the medium is doped with molecules or ions having electrooptic properties, or conferring electrooptic properties on the medium.