Author: claimsbot

1. A method for separating HBr from HBr-containing hydrocarbons, comprising:
a) providing a container and a solid material composed of at least one metal oxide and a support therein; contacting HBr-containing hydrocarbons with the solid material at a certain temperature; reacting the metal oxide with HBr to produce metal bromide and water; directing the hydrocarbons into a storage tank;
b) switching HBr-containing hydrocarbons to another similar container when metal oxide exhausts, to perform the process a); purging first container by steam; directing oxygen or air into first container, regenerating metal oxide at a certain temperature and recycling Br2;
c) connecting two or more such containers by switch valve and thereby forming a purification system, cycling the process a) and process b) and HBr is separated from HBr-containing hydrocarbons.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hydrocarbons are alkanes, alkenes andor aromatics.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said metal oxide is selected from MgO, CoO, Co2O3, CuO and mixture thereof.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said metal oxide is prepared by soaking the support in the solution of one or more acetate, nitrate andor bromide of Mg, Co and Cu, and then drying and calcining them.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support is silica.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said silica is commercial silica or prepared from silicates, SiCl4 or silica ester.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of contacting HBr-containing hydrocarbons with the solid material is carried out at a temperature of between about 100 \u25a1 and about 600 \u25a1.
8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of contacting HBr-containing hydrocarbons with the solid material is carried out at a temperature of between about 150 \u25a1 and about 400 \u25a1.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of contacting HBr-containing hydrocarbons with the solid material is carried out at a temperature of between about 170 \u25a1 and about 300 \u25a1.
10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of regenerating metal oxide is carried out at a temperature of between about 250 \u25a1 and about 600 \u25a1.
11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of regenerating metal oxide is carried out at a temperature of between about 300 \u25a1 and about 500 \u25a1.
12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of regenerating metal oxide is carried out at a temperature of between about 320 \u25a1 and about 450 \u25a1.
13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the purification system is composed of 2\u02dc8 containers filled with the solid material connected by switch valve.
14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the containers are columnar fixed bed reactors.

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. An additive package for warm-mix asphalt formulations for the pavement of road surfaces, said additive package comprising
a) from about 20 to about 60 wt %, based on the total weight of the additive package of surfactant component, and
b) about 30 to about 80 wt % of the additive package of an asphalt rheology modifying component,
wherein said asphalt rheology modifying component comprises at least one wax component and at least one resin component,
wherein the surfactant component comprises at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of amines, diamines, polyamines, ethoxylated amines, ethoxylated alkyl diamines, ethoxylated alkyl polyamines, amido amines, amidopolyamines, imidazolines, any of their corresponding organic or inorganic salts, and mixtures thereof,
wherein the wax component is selected from the group consisting of carnuba wax, beeswax, montan wax from coal, Fischer Tropsch wax from coal, petroleum or gas origin, amide waxes, fatty acids and soaps; fatty alcohols, hydrogenated fats, fatty esters, and mixtures thereof,
wherein the resin component is selected from the group consisting of tall oil pitch, pine tar pitch, tall oil rosins, rosin acids, pine rosins, gum rosins, maleated rosins, fumarated rosins, resinous by-products from tall oil processing or the processing of gum rosins, petroleum resins, phenolic resins, maleated tall oil pitch, tall oil heads, natural rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, polychlorprene, crumb rubber, asphaltenes, uintahite, dried asphalt, Trinidad refined asphalt, by-products from the deasphalting of oils, oxidised asphalts, zero penetration asphalts, and mixtures thereof, and
wherein said resin component has a Drop melt point >60\xb0 F. and a Penetration <50 at 25\xb0 C.
2. The additive package of claim 1 wherein the surfactant component comprises at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of
I. Amines
wherein R is a saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted, optionally branched or cyclic, hydrocarbon group with 8-24 carbon atoms, R1 and R2 can be the same or different and are hydrogen or hydrocarbon chain with 1-24 carbon atoms;
II. Diamines and Polyamines
R\u2014(NH\u2014R3)x\u2014NH2
where R has the same meaning as above, and R3 represents a linear or branched hydrocarbon radical with 1-6 carbon atoms, and x represents an integer of less than or equal to six;
III. Ethoxylated andor Propoxylated Amines
where R has the same meaning as above; and x and y are independently 0, 1 or 2 and each R4 is independently H or CH3;
IV. Ethoxylated andor Propoxylated alkyl Diamines and ethoxylated alkyl polyamines
wherein R and R3 have the same meaning as above; x, y, and z are independently 0, 1 or 2 and x+y+z< or =5, and each R4 is independently H or CH3;
V. Amido amines
wherein R, R1, R2 and R3 has the same meaning as above; and
VI. Amidopolyamines and imidazolines
RCO\u2014(NH\u2014R3)x\u2014NH2
wherein R and R3 have the same meaning as above, and x=an integer of from 1 to 10.
3. The additive package of claim 1 wherein said surfactant component comprises at least one amine andor modified amine surfactant selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated tallow amines, fatty amines, fatty amine derivatives, tall oil amidoaminesimidazolines, bis hexamethylene triamine and higher oligomers of hexmethylediamine, alkyl amine surfactants with a hydrocarbon chain consisting of 8 to 22 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof.
4. The additive package of claim 1 wherein said surfactant component is selected from the group consisting of tallow n-propylene diamine, tris-ethoxylated tallow N-propylene diamine, a mixture of imidazolines and amidopolyethylenepolyamines, a mixture of imidazolines and amidoamines, hydrogenated tallow propylene diamine, ethoxylated hydrogenated tallow propylene diamine, tallow dipropylene triamine, tallow tripropylene tetramine and derivatives thereof, and amides resulting from the condensation fatty acids with dimethylaminopropylamine.
5. The additive package of claim 1 wherein said wax component is selected from the group consisting of paraffin wax, polyethylene wax, ethylene bis stearamide, stearyl amide, stearylstearamide; aluminum stearate, calcium stearate, fatty acids; fatty alcohols, hydrogenated fats, fatty esters and mixtures thereof.
6. The additive package of claim 5 wherein the congealing point of said wax is between 60\xb0 C. and 150\xb0 C. with a Brookfield viscosity at 135\xb0 C. in the range of 10-40 cPs.
7. A warm mix asphalt formulation for the pavement of road surfaces, said formulation comprising a mixture of bitumen and aggregates, and from about 0.2 to 10% by weight of the additive package of claim 1, based on the weight of the asphalt.
8. The formulation of claim 7 wherein the temperature required to compact said asphalt is 15-60\xb0 F. lower than conventional hot mix asphalts.
9. The asphalt formulation of claim 7 wherein said asphalt and aggregates are mixed in a mixer, and wherein said additive package a) is blended into said asphalt binder before the aggregates are introduced to the mixer; or b) added to the aggregates, or portion of the aggregates before the asphalt is introduced to the mixer; or c) added to the mixer after the asphalt has been added to the aggregate in said mixer, or combinations of a)-c).
10. A method for lowering the compaction temperature of warm mix asphalt, said method comprising adding to said warm mix asphalt a compaction temperature lowering amount of the additive package of claim 1.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein from about 0.2 to 10% by weight of the additive package of claim 1, based on the weight of the asphalt, is added to said warm mix asphalt, and wherein the temperature required to compact said asphalt is at least 15-60\xb0 F. lower than conventional hot mix asphalts.
12. The warm mix asphalt of claim 7 wherein said additive package is added as a single package, or the individual components of said package are added separately to the warm mix asphalt.
13. The warm mix asphalt of claim 7 wherein the additive package, or individual components thereof, are added at various stages of the warm mix process.
14. The warm mix asphalt of claim 13 wherein the additive package, or individual components thereof are blended into the asphalt binder before the asphalt is introduced to the aggregate in the hot-mix plant, added to the aggregate, or a portion of the aggregate, before asphalt is added to the mixer, andor added to the mixer in the hot-mix plant after asphalt has been added to the aggregate.

1. A method for reading a memory cell, wherein the memory cell comprises two sourcedrain regions and a gate, wherein the sourcedrain regions are each connected to a respective local bitline, and, wherein one of the sourcedrain regions of a neighboring memory cell is connected to one of the local bitlines, the other sourcedrain region of the neighboring memory cell is connected to another local bitline, the method comprising:
connecting the local bitline that connects the sourcedrain region of the memory cell and the sourcedrain region of the neighboring memory cell to a first global bitline;
connecting the local bitline that connects the other sourcedrain region of the memory cell to a second global bitline;
connecting the local bitline that connects the other sourcedrain region of the neighboring memory cell to one of a plurality of local power rails;
applying a gate potential to the gate of the memory cell;
applying a potential to the first global bitline and applying another potential to the second global bitline; and
measuring the current flowing through the first global bitline.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the potential of the local power rail is kept at a fixed level.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the potential of the local power rail is based on the potential applied to the first global bitline.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein further memory cells and further local bitlines are connected to the memory cell and the neighboring memory cell to form a virtual ground array, wherein the further memory cell that has one of its sourcedrain regions connected to the same local bitline as the memory cell has its other local bitline that connects its other sourcedrain region connected to a local power rail.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein all the local bitlines except for the local bitlines that are connected to the first global bitline and the second global bitline are connected to one of the plurality of local power rails.
6. A non-volatile semiconductor memory comprising:
a plurality of memory cells connected to a plurality of local bitlines to form a virtual ground array;
a plurality of global bitlines;
a plurality of first switching elements for connecting each of the local bitlines to one of the global bitlines;
a plurality of local power rails; and
a plurality of second switching elements for connecting the local bitlines to one of the local power rails.
7. The semiconductor memory according to claim 6, further comprising a control unit for controlling the first switching elements and the second switching elements.
8. The semiconductor memory according to claim 7, wherein the first switching elements and the second switching elements operate independently from each other.
9. The semiconductor memory according to claim 8, wherein the control unit operates the first switching elements and the second switching elements so that each of the local bitlines is either connected to one of the global bitlines or to one of the local power rails or is neither connected to a global bitline nor a local power rail.
10. The semiconductor memory according to claim 9, wherein the control unit operates the first switching elements so that the local bitlines connecting a memory cell that is to be read are connected to two respective global bitlines.
11. The semiconductor memory according to claim 10, wherein the control unit operates the second switching elements so that the local bitlines not connecting the memory cell that is to be read are connected to one of the local power rails.
12. The semiconductor memory according to claim 6, wherein the local power rails are connected to a fixed potential.
13. The semiconductor memory according to claim 12, wherein the fixed potential is related to a potential that is applied to one of the global bitlines connected by the first switching elements while reading a memory cell.
14. The semiconductor memory according to claim 13, wherein the fixed potential is based on the potential of the global bitline through which a current that is measured to determine the state stored in the memory cell is flowing.
15. The semiconductor memory according to claim 12, wherein the local power rails are formed in a metallization layer that is the same metallization layer as the local bitlines or wordlines.
16. The semiconductor memory according to claim 12, wherein the local power rails are connected to a wordline decoder.
17. The semiconductor memory according to claim 12, wherein each local power rail comprises a plurality of power rails that are connected in parallel.
18. The semiconductor memory according to claim 6, wherein the local power rails are connected by bitlines that are formed in the same layer as the global bitlines.
19. The semiconductor memory according to claim 18, wherein each local power rail comprises a plurality of power rails that are connected in parallel by the bitline connecting the local power rails.
20. The semiconductor memory according to claim 18, wherein the bitlines connecting the local power rails are connected to sense amplifiers.
21. The semiconductor memory according to claim 18, wherein the bitlines connecting the local power rails are connected to a bitline decoder.
22. The semiconductor memory according to claim 6, wherein the local power rails are connected to a fixed potential and wherein the value of the fixed potential depends on whether memory cells are to be read, written or erased.
23. The semiconductor memory according to claim 6, wherein the memory cells comprise nitride read only memory cells.
24. A non-volatile semiconductor memory comprising:
a plurality of memory cells connected to a plurality of local bitlines to form a virtual ground array;
a plurality of global bitlines;
a plurality of first switching elements for connecting each of the local bitlines to one of the global bitlines;
a plurality of local power rails;
a plurality of second switching elements for connecting the local bitlines to one of the local power rails; and
means for controlling the first switching elements and the second switching elements.

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 series-fed collinear high gain omnidirectional antenna adapted to radiate electromagnetic energy at an intended frequency having a wave length, the antenna comprising:
a first radiative element comprised of a first cone having a first apex and a second cone having a second apex, wherein the first apex is secured to the second apex;
a second radiative element comprised of a third cone having a third apex; and
a first phasing stub extending outwardly away from the second cone to a first phasing stub apex and extending inwardly from the first phasing stub apex the third cone, wherein the first phasing stub includes a first length configured synchronize radiative phase between the first radiative element and the second radiative element.
2. The series-fed collinear high gain omnidirectional antenna of claim 1, further comprising:
an imaginary longitudinal central axis extending through first apex, second apex, and third apex;
an imaginary plane extending orthogonal to the imaginary longitudinal central axis and through the second axis; and
wherein the first phasing stub apex is proximate the imaginary plane.
3. The series-fed collinear high gain omnidirectional antenna of claim 2, further comprising:
a dome shaped ground plane having a ground plane apex; and
wherein the third apex is secured to the ground plane apex.
4. The series-fed collinear high gain omnidirectional antenna of claim 3, further comprising:
a coaxial cable for feeding power to the antenna;
wherein the coaxial cable includes a first power line connected to the third cone and a second power line connected to the ground plane;
wherein the first power line energizes the third cone and the first radiative element; and
wherein the second power line energizes the ground plane.
5. The series-fed collinear high gain omnidirectional antenna of claim 4, wherein the first cone, second cone, and third cone include a side length of at least \xbc of the wavelength of the intended frequency.
6. The series-fed collinear high gain omnidirectional antenna of claim 5, wherein the first length is at least \xbd of the wavelength of the intended frequency.
7. The series-fed collinear high gain omnidirectional antenna of claim 6, further comprising a ground plane rim spaced at least \xbd of the wave length of the intended frequency from the ground plane apex.
8. A series fed collinear antenna comprising:
a first cone shaped element having a first apex and a first base and adapted to radiate electromagnetic energy;
a second cone shaped element having a second apex and a second base and adapted to radiate electromagnetic energy;
a phasing stub having a length and extending outwardly away from the first cone shaped element and the second cone shaped element;
wherein the phasing stub electrically connects the first cone shaped element and the second cone shaped element; and
wherein the length is configured synchronize radiative phase between the first cone shaped element and the second cone shaped element.
9. The series fed collinear antenna of claim 8, wherein the first base and the second base are proximate.
10. The series fed collinear antenna of claim 9, wherein the phasing stub extends outwardly from the first cone shaped element to a phasing stub apex, and wherein the phasing stub extends inwardly from the phasing stub apex to the second cone shaped element.
11. The series fed collinear antenna of claim 10, further comprising an imaginary central axis extending through the first apex and the second apex;
an imaginary first plane extending orthogonally through the central axis and through the first apex;
an imaginary second plane extending orthogonally through the central axis and through the first base; and
wherein the phasing stub apex is disposed between the imaginary first plane and the imaginary second plane.
12. The series fed collinear antenna of claim 10, further comprising
an imaginary middle plane extending orthogonally through the central axis and through a midpoint between the first axis and the first base; and
wherein the phasing stub apex is disposed between the imaginary first plane and the imaginary middle plane.
13. The series fed collinear antenna of claim 10, further comprising a dome shaped ground plane having a ground plane apex, a ground plane rim, and an arcuate length extending therebetween.
14. The series fed collinear antenna of claim 13, wherein the series fed collinear antenna is adapted to radiate electromagnetic energy at an intended frequency, and wherein the arcuate length is at least \xbd of a wave length of the intended frequency.
15. The series fed collinear antenna of claim 10, further comprising a stabilizing beam extending between the first cone shaped element and the second cone shaped element.
16. An antenna comprising:
a first element having a first end and a spaced apart second end and adapted to radiate electromagnetic energy;
a second element having a third end and a spaced apart fourth end and adapted to radiate electromagnetic energy;
at least one phasing stub having a phasing stub length and extending outwardly away from the first element to a phasing stub apex and extending inwardly to the second element from the phasing stub apex;
a transmitter for supplying electrical power to one of the first element and the second element;
wherein the at least one phasing stub electrically connects the first element and the second element in series; and
wherein the phasing stub length is configured to synchronize radiative phase between the first element and the second element.
17. The antenna of claim 16, wherein the second end and the third end are proximate, and wherein the stabilizing beam extends between the first element and the second element.
18. The antenna of claim 16, further comprising:
a dome shaped ground plane having a ground plane apex, a ground plane rim, and an arcuate length extending therebetween;
wherein the antenna is adapted to radiate electromagnetic energy at an intended frequency; and
wherein the arcuate length is at least \xbd of a wave length of the intended frequency.
19. The antenna of claim 18, wherein the phasing stub length is at least \xbd of a wavelength of the intended frequency.
20. The antenna of claim 16, further comprising:
a first end of the at least one phasing stub, wherein the first end is secured to the first element;
a second end of the at least one phasing stub, wherein the second end is spaced apart from the first end and secured to the second element;
a midpoint of the at least one phasing stub, wherein the midpoint is generally equidistant between the first end and the second end; and
wherein the phasing stub apex is located between the first end and the midpoint.