A composition suitable for topical application to the skin or hair, comprises:. a. a dialkyl or dialkenyl phosphate salt having the structure (1): ##STR1## and b. a branched or unbranched, monoalkyl or monoalkenyl phosphate salt (or mixtures thereof) having the structure (2): ##STR2## where R.sup.01, R.sup.02 and R.sup.03 are each chosen from branched or unbranched, alkyl or alkenyl groups having an average of from 7 to 9 carbon atoms; PA0 X, Y and Z are each chosen from H, alkali metal, ammonium and substituted ammonium counterions; and PA0 a, b and c are each chosen from 0 or a value of from 1 to 4;. the weight ratio of the monoalkyl or monoalkenyl phosphate salt to the dialkyl or dialkenyl phosphate salt being from 1:1000 to 1:5.

The damaging effect of conventional detergents used to wash the body surface, particularly where young, tender or damaged skin is involved, has been the subject of intense study for many years in a search for milder-to-the-skin products, which not only cleanse the skin efficiently, but also leave the skin with a pleasant smooth silky feel after the skin surface has been dried off.
The use of certain mono- and di-alkyl phosphate salts for this purpose has been advocated in view of their mild characteristics, but some of this group of salts are used as antifoam agents because of their lather suppressant properties, and would therefore require careful formulation if lather control is not required.
To this end, U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,485 (Kao Soap Co. Ltd.) describes a detergent composition having low irritation properties on human skin, wherein the surfactant component is dialkyl or dialkenyl phosphate salt (DAP) and/or monoalkyl or monoalkenyl phosphate salt (MAP), each alkyl or alkenyl group having from 10 to 16 carbon atoms), the weight ratio of `DAP` to `MAP` being from 20:80 to 0:100. This system is stated to possess good detergency.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,710 (Kao Corporation), report a study to improve properties of detergent composition which make use of anionic phosphate surface active agents, which Kao maintain are highly innoxious and particularly mild to the skin. As a result, Kao have found that when phosphate ester salts having a specific ion pair, notably mono- or di-alkyl (C8-18) phosphates, are used in combination with alkanol amine salts of higher fatty acids and alkyl amine oxides, the detergency and foaming characteristics are remarkably improved.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,376 (Kao) discloses an alternative composition, comprising an alkanolamine salt of a mono or dialkyl (C8-18) phosphate or mixtures thereof, to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,710 in which the problem of poor foaming due to the dialkyl phosphate salt is dealt with by incorporating with the phosphate a compound chosen from an amidoamine amphoteric surfactant or hydroxysulphobetaine, or an aliphatic lactylate or glycolate.
It is clear from a study of the three Kao references, that all the evidence on which their disclosures are based is restricted to alkyl phosphates or dialkyl phosphates in which the alkyl group has at least 10 carbon atoms. There is absolutely no reference at all to any evaluation of an alkyl phosphate ester or dialkyl phosphate ester salt where the alkyl group or groups contains only 9 carbon atoms, or less.
Applicants in their search for a mild surfactant for use in cleansing human skin or hair, with the added attribute that a full, soft lather is produced without necessarily incorporating a secondary surfactant such as those proposed by Kao, have unexpectedly discovered that certain dioctyl phosphate salts meet their requirements in this respect. Furthermore, even higher lather volumes can be produced when the amount to be incorporated in such formulations of the corresponding monooctyl phosphate salt, which usually contaminates commercially available dioctyl phosphate salt, is reduced to a lower than usual level. The compositions so obtained are accordingly capable of producing a superior lather volume and an outstanding lather creaminess. Also, the composition is so mild to the skin that it can safely be used for cleansing the mucosae, such as the mouth and the vagina, and other more delicate skin areas. It can also be used in shampoos for frequent, e.g. daily, hair washing, without risk of scalp irritation or damage attributable to harsher products. In addition to these excellent attributes, the ease of rinsing from hair or skin and superior silky-smooth after-use skin feel properties of the compositions, including freedom from skin roughness and erythema, have great consumer appeal.

Chesebrough-Pond's USA Co., division of Conopco, Inc.


A flow path opening/closing valve is equipped with a main body having a valve chamber housing therein a rotatable valve body, and a sleeve that abuts without gaps against an inner circumferential surface of the valve chamber, such that the inner circumferential surface of the valve chamber and an inner circumferential surface of the sleeve slide without gaps against an outer circumferential surface of the valve body, for thereby shielding the valve chamber by the valve body and the sleeve. First and second seat members, and first and second o-rings that urge the first and second seat members toward the side of the valve body are arranged inside first and second annular grooves, which are provided on the inner circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flow path opening/closing valve for switching a flow through state of a fluid by opening and closing a flow path through which the fluid flows.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, a flow path opening/closing valve has been known which, for example, is connected to a flow path through which a fluid flows, and which controls a flow through state of the fluid by switching a state of communication of the flow path.
As a flow path opening/closing valve of this type, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,704, there is disclosed a "ball valve" structure having a spherical valve. In the flow path opening/closing valve, a valve chamber is provided, which accommodates therein the spherical valve in the interior of a valve main body. By rotating a shaft, which is connected to an upper portion of the valve, a through hole of the valve establishes communication between a pair of passages (fluid inlet port and fluid outlet port) formed in the valve main body. Annular seal members are provided on the side of the fluid inlet port and the side of the fluid outlet port of the valve, which function as valve seats for supporting the valve, and slide against the outer circumferential surface of the valve to prevent fluid from leaking into the interior of the valve chamber.
Further, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0283787 discloses a "ball valve". As shown in FIG. 5, seal members 4a, 4b have a pair of curved surfaces and are arranged in the interior of a first body 2a. End surfaces of the seal members 4a, 4b abut against each other such that the seal members 4a, 4b sandwich therebetween a spherical valve body 6 in which the fluid passage is formed. The spherical valve body 6 slides against the curved surfaces and is retained rotatably. O-rings 8a, 8b are provided respectively on surfaces of the seal members 4a, 4b, which face toward the fluid inlet port and the fluid outlet port. The second body 2b is fitted into the first body 2a, and by the second body 2b pressing the o-ring 8b, the seal members 4a, 4b are pressed into contact, whereby a sealing effect is carried out in cooperation with the o-ring 8a.


The present invention relates to a method and system (10) for distance determination of RF tags (4) and its applications based on measuring the round trip delay, avoiding deterministic collisions between a plurality of wide band response signals transmitted by the tags (4) by adding a pseudo-random time delay to the wide band response signal, and iteratively reducing the collision probability between plurality of wide band response signals.

The present invention relates to distance determination of RF tags, used in RF identification systems, and more particularly, to a method and system for distance determination of RF tags and its applications, based on measuring the round trip delay.
RF identification (RFID) systems are used to track objects, animals and/or people in a large range of applications. RFID systems are radio communication systems that communicate between a radio transceiver, called a reader, and a number of inexpensive devices called Tags. An RFID system generally includes a plurality of tags which are attached to objects being monitored and one or more readers which are used to communicate with the tags. An encoder is optionally used to program the tags with unique identification information.
One of the tasks commonly performed in RFID systems is determining which tags are located in the vicinity of a reader. For example, the reader may be located near a gate and it is desired to know which tags pass through the gate. Generally, the reader is transmitting broadcast signals in its vicinity and the tags receiving the broadcast signal are responding to the broadcast signal. Moreover, it is required to prevent occurrence of collisions between the response signals of different tags. Various methods have been suggested for preventing collisions. Exemplary collision overcoming methods are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,777,561, 6,265,962 and 6,377,203.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,561, issued to Chieu et al, there is disclosed a method for selecting groups of radio frequency RF tags for communication between a base station and the tags. The tags are selected into groups according to a physical attribute of the signal transmitted by the tags to the base station, or according to the physical response of the tags to a physical attribute of the signal transmitted from the base station to the tags.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,265,962, issued to Black el al, there is disclosed a method for reading one or more RFID transponders that are active and capable of communicating, comprising: providing a carrier signal; detecting the presence of at least one transponder, the detecting including using a demodulator and modifying the carrier signal by suppressing the carrier signal for a predetermined number of clock cycles; receiving data from all active transponders, the receiving including receiving the data in groups of one or more bits and checking the validity of each group of data as the group is received; determining whether a valid data transmission has been received by detecting inability to compute a proper synchronization word, a proper CRC, or a proper word length; in response to determining an invalid data transmission, modifying the carrier signal to inform all active transponders that there was an incomplete read; and transmitting the complete data for each transponder to a computer system for processing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,203, issued to Doany, there is disclosed a method for simultaneously reading a serial number from multiple colliding RF signals from RF identification tags by employing a primary communication channel and multiple secondary channels. A locator or reader unit interrogates the tags, which respond with an RF signal. Upon receiving multiple signals, the locator or reader unit commands the RFID tags and requires them to transmit another response, which is transmitted in one of the secondary channels based on a portion of their unique serial identification number, thereby forcing the tags to sort in the secondary channels. These secondary channels are assigned using a portion of the unique serial identification numbers for the tags. The reader then detects an acknowledgment in the occupied secondary channels and commands a tag in a particular channel to move to the primary channel. Once the signal is transmitted in the primary channel, the reader reads the identification number. If there is further collision, the collided tags are returned to the secondary channel and sorted again using a different portion of their ID number. This process continues until all the tags are sorted and identified. Once the tags are all sorted, the tags are assigned yet another channel distinct from the secondary channels that are used for sorting.
The most significant limitation of each of the just described collision overcoming methods of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,777,561, 6,265,962 and 6,377,203, is that all of these collision overcoming methods are time consuming. Moreover, the required time greatly increases with the number of tags participating in the collision.
In one collision avoiding method used with the ALOHA protocol (described below), transmitters re-transmitting after a collision, wait a pseudo-random period before re-transmitting the signal, so that the chance of a collision occurring between the retransmitted signals is small. The random periods are longer than the transmitted signals, such that response signals of transmitters selecting different random delays do not collide. ALOHA protocol is implemented according to the following two principles: (a) If a station has data to transmit, transmit it. (b) If transmissions collision from different stations occurs, wait a random time and transmit the data again. Additional information regarding the ALOHA protocol can be found in "Computer Communications", Principles and Business Applications, by Andy Sloane, Mcgraw Hill ISBN 0 07 709443 3.
In some applications, it is important to know that the identified tag is located within a certain distance from the reader. For example, the identification of the tag may be required in order to open a door to an access-limited area If a tag remote from the reader is identified by the reader, the door may be opened to an unauthorized individual.
One solution to that distance measurement problem is to limit the transmission range of the reader. This, however, may cause some tags not to be identified due to their orientation and/or interference.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,685, issued to Schrott el al, there is disclosed an apparatus and method for locating containers and contents of containers using radio frequency tags. A base station system for communicating with radio frequency tags attached to one or more objects. The base station has computers having CPUs and memories. A separate position detector determines the position of the tags within a time increment and within a field of the base station. A communication process, executed by the CPUs, reads information from the tags within the time increment and associates the position determined with the information of the respective tag in the memories. The method features a movable base station antenna providing a narrow tag interrogation beam is used as the position detector. The antenna of the reader is designed to have rotational motion to allow for scanning in a vertical plane. Scanning accomplished as a function of position with the antenna scanning vertically while the object moves horizontally. In that mode of scanning, each tag is scanned individually as it passes the base station antenna so that the combination of horizontal object motion with vertical scanning results in a xy coordinate associated with each tag readout. The horizontal motion can be determined by knowing the velocity of the object.
However, the just described method suggesting using a separate position detector to detect the position of the tag identified by the reader is notably limited because it adds to the cost and complexity of the RFID system. In addition, the position detection is performed after the tags are identified in a separate stage, which adds to the time required for the system operation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,977,913, issued to Christ, there is disclosed a method for locating an object within a predetermined area comprising the steps of: (a) sensing a signal output by the object using a plurality of sensors disposed within the predetermined area; (b) forwarding a plurality of received signal levels from the plurality of sensors to a central processor; (c) comparing the plurality of received signal levels with a plurality of reference values to determine a location of the alarm signal, wherein step (c) comprises performing a best fit analysis of the plurality of received signal levels with the plurality of reference values; (d) transmitting one at a time a plurality of reference transmission signals; (e) measuring a received signal level output from each of the plurality of sensors after each transmission.
However, position detection systems, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,977,913, are complex and generally require a plurality of readers in different locations.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,738, issued to Vega, there is disclosed a RFID reader containing a detector circuit for detecting the presence of a signal carrier frequency transmitted by the transponder in response to a signal from the reader. The detector circuit has a resonator circuit which is connected to a receiver electrode. The resonator comprises a piezoelectric element with a high quality factor 'Q' at the resonant frequency to enhance sensitivity. The alarm carrier signal is rectified and fed to either a peak detector or an envelope detector circuit. A voltage source generates a voltage threshold to allow for operating range adjustment. A comparator compares both voltages and generates an alarm signal if the voltage signal reaches the threshold voltage. The RFID further having the capability to read the RFID contents.
The system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,738 limits the range of the tags it identifies by relating only to signals whose voltage level is above a predetermined threshold. The threshold may be user-adjusted in order to allow for different ranges of operation. The use of power thresholds is inaccurate, as the power may depend on the orientation of the tag and/or on obstructions between the tag and the reader. In addition, the system of U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,738 does not disclose a solution for resolving collisions when a plurality of tags respond together.
To date, the inventor is unaware of prior art teaching of a method of communicating between a reader and one or more terminal stations features receiving from a plurality of terminal stations a plurality of RF response signals, determining for the plurality of the received response signals a round trip delay, and thereby determining, for each of the response signals, a distance between the reader and the terminal station from which the response signal was received.
Moreover, the inventor is unaware of prior art teaching of a method of communicating between a reader and one or more terminal stations features receiving from a plurality of terminal stations, on a single channel, a plurality of RF response signals, determining for the plurality of the received response signals a round trip delay, and thereby determining, for each of the response signals, a distance between the reader and the terminal station from which the response signal was received.
To one of ordinary skill in the art, there is thus a need for, and it would be highly useful to have a method and a corresponding system, for determination of RF tags, based on measuring the round trip delay. Moreover, to one of ordinary skill in the art, there is also a need for a method and a corresponding system, for determination of RF tags, based on measuring the round trip delay by using a single channel. Operation by a single channel simplifies the RFID system design and reduces the cost of implementation.
It is also desirable to have a collision overcoming method consuming minimal time that is almost not increasing with the number of tags participating in the collision.
Furthermore, it is desirable to have a collision overcoming method that is relatively simple, inexpensive to implement and does not require a plurality of readers in different locations.

Method and system for distance determination of RF tags


A system and method for automatic categorization of items into categories. Machine learning establishes or updates a data structure including term weights for text fields and distributions for numeric fields, based on a sample of pre-categorized items. An automatic categorization engine processes items by referencing the data structure on a field-by-field basis, determining a ranking score for each alternative category to which an item may be assigned. A category assignment may be based on ranking scores and may be flagged for a user to review. A user interface facilitates review and confirmation of automatic category assignments, either comprehensively, as flagged by the automatic categorization engine, or according to user determined criteria.

Electronic commerce is a burgeoning industry. Buyers go online to find products that they used to walk through stores to locate. Part of the attractiveness of electronic shopping is the ease of locating products.
Vendors rely on taxonomies of product categories to help customers find products. A taxonomy typically is a multilevel, hierarchical classification of products, though many other approaches to categorizing products can be considered taxonomies. Many online vendors offer products from a variety of sources. The sources may offer similar, competing products or they may offer the same product at different prices. For customers who are shopping for the best price, it is particularly important for products to be properly classified in a taxonomy, so that similar and identical products are assigned to the same category.
Each time an online vendor receives product information to post in an electronic catalog, the product information needs to be classified. In some cases, parts of a printed catalog are updated and the entire catalog is resubmitted. In other cases, information from multiple vendors needs to be combined into a single catalog. The information supplied may include catalog content, images, buyer specific contract pricing, and inventory availability. In any case, the classification process is tedious, time consuming, relatively expensive and error prone. Therefore, it is desirable to have an automatic classification system which is capable of learning from previous product classifications and also capable of combining information from multiple vendors.
Substantial efforts have been devoted to automatic text classification, such as automated article clipping services. For instance, the Text REtrieval Conference (TREC) has been sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to bring together information retrieval researchers from around the world. The SMART/TREC collections of data have become standard test collections for information retrieval research. Many papers have grown out of TREC-related work, such as Amitabh Kumar Singhal""s dissertation, Term Weighting Revisited (Cornell, January 1997). However, the work necessarily is focused on text classification, rather than product categorization, because the data collections consist of published articles, abstracts and U.S. patents. None of these collections include typical product information. The data items in these collections tend to include far more text than a typical product description for a catalog. Other work is ongoing in the area of web search engines, which attempt to retrieve the web pages most relevant to a user query.
Accordingly, it is desired to extend past work on information retrieval, taking into account the nature of product information, to generate an automatic product classification system in support of building catalogs for electronic commerce.
The present invention may be practiced as either a method or device embodying the method. One aspect of the present invention is a method of machine learning to automatically categorize items from a plurality of pre-categorized items, including counting a frequency of term usage by category for text fields, weighting the frequency by category based on a frequency of usage in other categories, and determining a distribution by category for values in one or more numeric fields. Terms may be a single word or both single words and phrases. Numeric fields may include prices or dimensions of a product to be listed a product catalog. Weightings of frequencies may be stored in a sparse matrix, a B-tree or other suitable data structure. The weighting of frequency use may be determined by a term frequency-inverse document frequency ranking algorithm or any of a variety of other ranking algorithms that are well known. The pre-categorized data used for machine learning may be filtered to eliminate outliers based, for instance, on standard deviations from a mean value or on a percentile of high and low outliers to be eliminated. An alternative aspect of the present invention for machine learning is learning the category assignments of particular, pre-categorized items. This proceeds on an item by item basis, instead of a category by category basis. This alternate embodiment includes counting a frequency of term usage by item for text fields, weighting the frequency by category based on a frequency of usage in other items or categories, and determining a distribution by category for values in one or more numeric fields. Related aspects of the first embodiment may apply to this alternate embodiment.
Another aspect of the present invention is automatically categorizing an item having both text and numeric fields. This aspect of the invention may include parsing terms from text fields of an uncategorized item, identifying categories associated with the terms, calculating ranking scores for the terms in the identified categories, and adjusting the ranking scores based on distributions for numeric fields associated with the item. Ranking scores may be normalized based on the number of terms in an uncategorized item. The invention may further include selecting one or more categories to assign an item to based on adjusted ranking scores. Alternative categories may be rank ordered and items flagged for review by a human user. The calculation of ranking scores for identified categories may include summing the weighted frequencies for terms parsed from text fields and normalizing the sum of frequencies based on the number of terms parsed. Alternatively, it may include summing by text field the weighted frequencies of the parsed terms, combining the sums across text fields according to a predetermined weighting formula, and normalizing the combined sum of weighted frequencies. One predetermined weighting formula would assign a greater weight to a text field in a filed containing a shorter description of the uncategorized item than a text field containing a long description. Adjusting such ranking scores may involve applying an additive or multiplicative factor or a decision rule. Another, alternative embodiment of the present invention is automatic categorization based on comparing terms of an uncategorized item to terms of previously categorized items, instead of terms in categories. In this embodiment, previously identified items are the subject of ranking scores, instead of categories. The categories to which the pre-categorized items are assigned are used as a template for assigning additional items. This is particularly useful when multiple vendors offer to sell the same item and parrot the manufacturer""s description of the product. The first and alternate embodiments can be used together, for instance, relying on the alternate embodiment when a threshold ranking score is achieved and relying on the first embodiment otherwise.
The present invention further includes a user interface and method for assisting a human user in verifying or correcting automatic category assignments. Category assignments normally will be made with confidence scores. A method implementing the present invention may include selecting an automatically categorized item having a low confidence score, displaying alternative categorizations of the selected item together with their confidence scores and resetting the assigned category of a displayed item based on user input. Preferably, a single action by a user will indicate a preferred category for reassignment or a confirmation of the automatically selected category. It is also preferred to display alternative categorizations sorted by confidence score, preferably with the category assignment having the most favorable confidence score appearing prominently at the top of a list. It also will be helpful for a user to be able to see the details behind the calculation of one or more selected confidence scores, particularly during an initial phase when a library of pre-categorized items is being assembled as a basis for automatic classification.

Method for automatic categorization of items


A system and method for automatically evacuating and filling neon tubing is disclosed wherein an electrical controller is provided to automatically control the evacuation and fill cycles. For this purpose, pneumatic actuator valves are utilized in the manifold system to selectively control the flow functions in the process during the evacuation and fill cycles. A bombarder signal is delivered to a bombarder unit by the controller, which generates electrical current through the electrodes of the tubing being processed to heat the tubing. A pressure gauge is placed in the manifold system to sense tube pressure and generate an electrical pressure signal which is transmitted to the electronic controller. A temperature sensor is placed in temperature sensing relation with the tubing to sense the temperature of the tubing and generate an electrical temperature signal also transmitted to the controller. As the tubing heats, the pressure is controlled by opening and closing a pump valve to automatically provide desired pressure conditions in the tubing as it is heated. When the tubing reaches a second temperature, the pump valve is opened to evacuate the tubing. At the same time, the bombarder current is automatically terminated by the controller. The tubing is evacuated until a first pressure is reached. At that time, the controller automatically closes a first pump valve and opens a diffusion pump valve to switch the evacuation process to a diffusion pump which draws down the pressure to about 1 micron or less. After the evacuation process is over, the diffusion pump is closed by the controller. When the tubing cools to a filling temperature, as sensed by the temperature sensor, the controller receives the fill temperature signal, and opens up a gas valve to back fill the tubing until a desired filling pressure is reached.

The invention relates to a system and method for automatically evacuating neon tubes and filling the tubing with a neon gas or gas mixture.
Previously, various pumping systems have been proposed for evacuating and filling neon tubes, such as used in neon signs, with neon and other gas mixtures. Typically, the neon pumping system has included a manifold, a mechanical pressure gauge having a visual display connected to the manifold, and a series of greaseless stopcock valves, which are manually operated, controlling the various flows in the manifold. The stopcock valves typically connect the neon tubes with a vacuum pump assembly, and a source of replenishment gas, such as neon or other gas mixture. Stations for filling neon tubes may be placed on opposing ends of the manifold. There is a system stopcock connected between the manifold and the vacuum pump. A diffusion pump may be connected in a by-pass line with the vacuum pump so as not to be connected in use except after the vacuum has been reduced to a certain level, and it is necessary to achieve an even higher vacuum. Alternatively, a diffusion pump may be connected in a second line, with a second vacuum pump. In use, the system stopcock is opened, and the main stopcock to the vacuum pump is opened simultaneously with turning on the pump. The system is manually operated to control the pressure in the tubes as visually determined from the gauge display, and evacuate the tubes to a desired vacuum whereupon the system stopcock to the vacuum pump is closed. During the evacuation process, an electrical potential is placed across the neon tubes to cause the tubes and gases therein to be heated. The stopcock to the vacuum pump may be opened if the pressure becomes too high in the tube during heating. When the temperature and vacuum conditions inside the tube have reached a desired level the electrical potential is removed from the tubes, and the tubes are allowed to cool. Afterwards, the stopcock to the gas source is opened to backfill the tubes with gas, or gas mixture.
One problem with the prior neon pumping systems is that the manual operation often results in the neon tubes not being filled properly. If the neon tubes are not filled properly, then their life will be reduced, and/or they may not produce the desired lighting effect during their life. The suitability of prior neon pumping systems has been limited to that of small neon shops.
It has also been proposed to manually evacuate neon tubes, and afterwards, to automatically fill the neon tube with a gas. The gas flow is automatically cut off when desired gas-filling settings are reached. The gas transfer is electronically controlled to provide consistent filling specifications each time a tube is processed. However, this does not overcome all the problems associated with manual control, nor control all of the conditions required to process neon tubes to exact specifications, particularly as would be suitable for the mass production of neon tubing and lights.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a neon evacuation and filling system and method for neon tubes which is automated so that optimal conditions are produced in a tube during evacuation and gas backfilling to provide correct color and long life for the tube and neon sign.
Another object of the invention is to provide an automated system and method for evacuating and filling neon tubes which eliminates human error and performs the steps in the evacuation and filling processes whereby the processing of large numbers of neon tubes may be had according to predetermined specifications to facilitate the mass production of high performance neon tubes.
Another object of the invention is to provide an automated system for evacuating and filling neon tubes which carries out the operational steps of evacuating and filling a tube with neon, or other gas mixture, yet is very simple and reliable to operate.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a system for evacuating and filling neon tubes in an automated manner which is simple, reliable, and reduces the problems associated with electrical controls of such a system that employs high temperatures and electrical potentials on the tubing during operation.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a fully automated system and method for evacuating and filling neon tubes an electrical controller programmed with operational data of the automatically controls pneumatic actuator valves in response to sensed parameters to carry out evacuation and gas filling of a tube in an optimal manner.

Automated neon tube evacuation and gas filling system and process


An image forming apparatus includes a control portion, a stop processing portion, a resumption processing portion, and a notification processing portion. The control portion, to which power supply is stopped when an operation mode of the image forming apparatus is a power-saving mode, measures an elapsed time until when printed matter processed according to the print job is collected. The stop processing portion, when the operation mode shifts to the power-saving mode, stops measurement of the elapsed time before power supply to the control portion is stopped. The resumption processing portion, if the printed matter exists in the sheet discharge portion when the operation mode shifts to a normal mode, resumes measurement of the elapsed time by the control portion. The notification processing portion, when the time measured by the control portion reaches a predetermined first reference time, notifies that the printed matter has not been collected.

The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus configured to execute a print job that is transmitted from an external portion, and a notification method that is executed in the image forming apparatus.
There is known an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral configured to execute a print job that is transmitted from an external information processing apparatus. This type of image forming apparatus is known to notify that output printed matter has not been collected. For example, in this type of image forming apparatus, when an uncollected state of printed matter of a print job continues for longer than a predetermined period of time, it is notified to a transmission source of the print job that the printed matter has not been collected.
In addition, there is known an image forming apparatus that can shift its operation mode from a normal mode to a power-saving mode, in which less power is used than in the normal mode. Specifically, in the power-saving mode, power supply to some of the components of the image forming apparatus is stopped.

Image forming apparatus capable of notifying uncollected printed matter, notification method


Methods and systems for performing an ophthalmic surgical treatment procedure include one or more wicking members to secure a volume of treatment fluid to a distal end of a surgical instrument. Such a surgical instrument may include an elongate tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therebetween, the elongate tubular member being configured to penetrate a body cavity of a patient. The instrument may further include a wicking member extending beyond the distal end of the elongate tubular member. The wicking member may be configured to secure a volume of treatment fluid delivered through the lumen to the wicking member for application from the wicking member to target tissue in the body cavity.

Intraocular procedures are commonly performed to treat many serious conditions of the posterior segment of the eye. For example, vitreo-retinal procedures may treat conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy and diabetic vitreous hemorrhage, macular hole, epiretinal membrane, cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis, retinal detachment/tearing, and many other ophthalmic conditions.
A surgeon may perform intraocular or other intra-cavity procedures with a microscope and special lenses designed to provide a clear image of the interior of the cavity. Access to cavities is provided through several tiny incisions just a millimeter or so in diameter, which are made on the sclera at the pars plana to allow access to the inside of the eye. The surgeon inserts microsurgical instruments through the incisions, such as a fiber optic light source to illuminate inside the eye, an infusion line to maintain the intraocular pressure within the eye and the eye's shape during surgery, and instruments to cut and remove the vitreous body or to perform other surgical operations. A separate incision may be provided for each microsurgical instrument when using multiple instruments simultaneously.
With respect to retinal detachment/tearing, as one treatment option the surgeon may introduce a bubble of gas into the eye of the patient to secure the detached/torn retina against the sclera of the eye. While the gas bubble may dissipate over a period of weeks, proper positioning of the patient's head during that period may be required so that the gas bubble applies pressure in the required direction. While the procedure is simple and cost-effective, the requirement to maintain a specific position in which the head faces down can be onerous. Accordingly, this approach and other approaches to current treatment of tissue tears within a body cavity, such as retinal detachment/tearing within the eye, have not proven entirely satisfactory.

Devices and methods for a cannula-delivered treatment material application device


In one aspect, a method for managing a patient-provider relationship, includes the step of providing a tiered structure for patient specific financial support. The method includes the step of providing a tailored patient financial workflows for pre-care financial commitment, approvals and post-care claims adjudication. The method includes the step of providing a multiple financial support options ranging from one off patient payment commitments, revolving options for multiple commitments or a fixed monthly amount determined by the patient. The method includes the step of providing a unified master servicing agreement that coordinates and manages the patient support experience and integrates the often-disparate servicing aims for payers, providers, credit underwriters.

Payssurance provides employees with an employer supported benefit to help manage their health expenses and avoid the undue financial strain from increasing cost share. Employees track costs in real-time, understand existing financial resources, and use the integrated 'healthfund advance' to pay providers.
A recent study found that 44% of patients faced a hard choice between delaying medical care and incurring long-term debt to cover anticipated care. (See The Commonwealth Fund, The Problem of Underinsurance and How Rising Deductibles Will Make It Worse, May 2015.) The study found that a large percentage of these patients had to either significantly cut other personal expenses or dip into their long-term savings to cover their medical expenses. Utilizing either option severely stressed the patient's financial well-being.
Employers continue to face the increasing burden of providing healthcare to employees and their families. Employers continue to optimize enrollment strategies, benefit designs, cost share to employees but are unable to make a dent in their cost structure. Currently, 19% of payroll costs are attributable to benefits which is up by 55% from 2007.
Employer's approach to changing the enrollment mix to high deductible plans is challenged as employee adoption of these plans is reached static levels of estimated 30%. Employees continue to show a reluctance to adopt high deductible plans given their continuing concerns about exposure to high deductibles and perception of healthcare access being limited in these plans.
Employers utilize Payssurance to gain deeper insights into total employee financial health, develop health benefit designs to improve employee financial well-being and apply greater rigor in contributing to employees.
Payssurance has a network of financing options that can be brought to bear with or without subsidy by the plan sponsor. Our proprietary software uses both population-based, individual financial and other data sets to group populations into cohorts and serve up for each employee/patient their most advantageous set of payment options.
Most healthcare providers find themselves in a perpetual margin squeeze between rising costs and flat or shrinking reimbursements. These increasing financial pressures result from an increasing share of patients covered by high deductible plans, from lower commercial reimbursements on "narrow-network" products and the state health benefit exchanges, from baby boomers leaving the commercial population and entering Medicare, and from lower Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements from budget constrained state and federal governments. In this tough environment, most not-for-profit healthcare providers spend at least five percent (5%) of their total revenue on a combination of charity care, revenue cycle activities, and bad debt write-offs. This percentage is often much higher for healthcare providers in states with limited or no Medicaid expansion. With increased public healthcare financing through various subsidies and outlays and the accompanying regulatory scrutiny that comes with increased government financial oversight, healthcare providers are being required to implement internal control and audit systems to report revenue, charity and bad debt amounts in a more holistic way (both their pre- and post-care activities). A major component of this holistic approach is an in-depth understanding of each patient's financial capacity assessed as early in the payment cycle process as possible. Providers generally obtain prior authorization from insurers before care is rendered. However, without a comprehensive financial view of each patient, healthcare providers find it difficult to ascertain the patient's true ability to pay the anticipated balance that will be due after claims adjudication. Lacking this insight, health systems have a difficult time managing their overall revenue cycle, focusing collection efforts on those who really should pay their patient balances, identifying charity care targets, and determining appropriate accounts to write-off as bad debt. A recent study found that 44% of patients faced a hard choice between delaying medical care and incurring long-term debt to cover anticipated care. The study found that a large percentage of these patients had to either significantly cut other personal expenses or dip into their long-term savings to cover their medical expenses. Utilizing either option severely stressed the patient's financial well-being.

Methods and systems of a patient insurance solution as a service for gig employees


A silicon-carbon alloy layer and a silicon-germanium alloy layer are sequentially formed on a silicon-containing substrate with epitaxial alignment. Trenches are formed in the silicon-germanium alloy layer by an anisotropic etch employing a patterned hard mask layer as an etch mask and the silicon-carbon alloy layer as an etch stop layer. Fin-containing semiconductor material portions are formed on a bottom surface and sidewalls of each trench with epitaxial alignment with the silicon-germanium alloy layer and the silicon-carbon alloy layer. The hard mask layer and the silicon-germanium alloy layer are removed, and an oxygen-impermeable spacer is formed on sidewalls of each fin-containing semiconductor material portion. Physically exposed semiconductor portions are converted into semiconductor oxide portions, and the oxygen-impermeable spacers are removed. The remaining portions of the fin-containing semiconductor portions include semiconductor fins, which can be employed to form semiconductor devices.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures, and particularly to bulk semiconductor fins with self-aligned shallow trench isolation structures and a method of manufacturing the same.
Semiconductor fins formed on a bulk substrate as known in the art suffer from height variations caused by the variations in the recess depth of shallow trench isolation structures. Further, the profiles of the semiconductor fins can vary due to variations in the profile of mandrel structures and/or tapers introduced in the anisotropic etch process employed to pattern the semiconductor fins. In addition, channel dopant contamination can occur due to a punchthrough stopper implantation process, which causes implanted ions to pass through channel regions during the implantation process.

Bulk semiconductor fins with self-aligned shallow trench isolation structures

International Business Machines Corporation


The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for providing context aware searching using concept markers. Embodiments provide concept markers configured to facilitate the identification and refinement of relevant content associated with a query with a high degree of precision. In embodiments, in response to a user query, documents and concept markers relevant to the query are determined. The identified documents are associated with the concept markers and are ranked based on the quality of the association. Upon a user selecting at least one of the concept markers, the search results are refined in response. The refining includes re-ranking the documents based on a combination of the original query and the selected concept marker. The suggested concept markers are similarly re-ranked. The disclosed techniques provide for a high precision identification of relevant content as well as high precision refining of the search results.

Data is the lifeblood of the knowledge economy of today's world. There is, however, a large amount of data available in almost any subject matter area. Identifying relevant data from amongst the available data presents a significant challenge. In existing knowledge search systems, natural language queries are often preferred. In such systems, a user may ask a question or questions, and the system attempts to identify relevant information to address the questions. However, in these systems there is often a disconnect between what the user knows, the question that is asked, and the content data. This disconnect can be the result of the user not knowing particular terms of art or missing important concepts in the query which are essential to finding the most relevant answers. These existing systems may rely on question-answer pairs, in which a potential question is paired with a corresponding answer. When a user submits a known question, the system provides the paired answer to the user. However, these systems are deficient, as they lack the functionality to address deviations from the known question. Thus, when the question submitted by the user is not one of the known questions with a paired answer, the existing systems are either unable to provide an answer, may answer a question deemed to be close to the original query, or may suggest a different question from amongst the known questions. These deficiencies make existing systems inefficient, inflexible, and unable to adapt to a user's needs.
Additionally, the submitted question may be a complex question with multiple answers. Traditionally, users have had to formulate the initial query, review the results and iteratively refine the search by editing the query and resubmitting it, or by using category filters and/or tags with minimal system-generated assistance. However, using category filters and/or tags presents problems in that the tags merely filter out content that is not associated with the tag, without consideration as to how the selection of the tag may affect the original query.

System and methods for context aware searching


A slider has an upper blade of a slider body having an insert groove of a locking pawl, a temporary engagement portion for which temporary engages and fixes the locking pawl, and a claw hole. The temporary engagement portion is adapted so that, with the locking pawl fixed in position, the position in height of the upper end of the temporary engagement portion is the same as or lower than that of the upper surface of the upper blade. This prevents the temporary engagement portion from being pressed and crushed when the temporary engagement portion is in contact with the tab and so on. As a result, an automatic stop mechanism of the slider can stably function.

Conventionally, as a slider used for a slide fastener, there has been known a slider with an automatic locking mechanism, where if a tab is released from manipulation after the opening and closing of the slide fastener, a locking pawl disposed in the slider automatically makes an action to maintain a locked position of the slider, and if the tab is not manipulated, the slider can be maintained in a sliding locked state. In addition, specific examples of the slider with the automatic locking mechanism are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,598 (Patent Document 1) or British Patent No. 1201522 (Patent Document 2).
For example, in the slider 80 disclosed in Patent Document 1 as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, an upper blade 82 is provided with an insert groove 83 into which the locking pawl 96 is inserted, a claw hole 85 which is formed near the edge of the rear-opening-side end of the upper blade 82 so as to start from the upper surface side of the upper blade 82 and to pass through an element guide lane 84, protrusions 86 for temporary engagement which are disposed upwardly on the left and right sides of the insert groove 83 in the front end portion of the upper blade 82, and left and right tab retaining portions 87 for retaining a tab 91.
In addition, in the locking pawl 96 disclosed in Patent Document 1, a claw portion 97 which passes through the claw hole 85 of the slider body 81 is disposed in the one end portion of the locking pawl 96, a hook portion 98 which is inserted into the insert groove 83 of the slider body 81 is disposed in the other end portion of the locking pawl 96, and a cover portion 99 which covers a connection rod 94 of the tab 91 is disposed between the claw portion 97 and the hook portion 98.
In addition, the tab 91 disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a tab body 92, left and right arms 93 which are disposed to extend from the tab body 92, and the cylindrical connection rod 94 which connects the front end portions of the left and right arms 93. In addition, a concave portion 95 having a semi-circular shape in the cross section of the connection rod 94 is formed at the left-right-directional center of the connection rod 94.
In addition, in Patent Document 1, in the case where the aforementioned tab 91 and locking pawl 96 are assembled with the slider body 81, first, the connection rod 94 of the tab 91 is inserted into the tab retaining portion 87 of the slider body 81, and the tab retaining portion 87 is temporarily engaged, so that the tab 91 is rotatably retained in the slider body 81. Subsequently, the locking pawl 96 is inserted into the insert groove 83 of the slider body 81 where the tab 91 is retained, by performing position alignment so that the claw portion 97 of the locking pawl 96 passes through the claw hole 85 of the slider body 81. Therefore, the locking pawl 96 is disposed at a predetermined position of the slider body 81.
After that, the protrusion 86 of the slider body 81 is temporarily engaged, so that the other end portion of the locking pawl 96 is temporarily engaged and fixed with a predetermined clearance. As a result, the slider 80 disclosed in Patent Document 1 illustrated in FIG. 14 can be assembled. In addition, in FIG. 14, for clearly illustrating the assembled state of the slider 80, the tab 91 is drawn by a virtual line.
In this manner, in the assembled slider 80 disclosed in Patent Document 1, as illustrated in FIG. 14, in the state where the tab 91 collapses down toward the rear opening side, since the cover portion 99 of the locking pawl 96 is inserted into the concave portion 95 of the tab 91 and the relative position of the locking pawl 96 with respect to the slider body 81 is lowered, so that the claw portion 97 of the locking pawl 96 is inserted (protruded) from the claw hole 85 of the slider body 81 into the element guide lane 84.
On the other hand, in the case where the tab 91 is allowed to be erected or collapse toward the front end side of the slider 80, since the cover portion 99 of the locking pawl 96 is detached from the concave portion 95 to be lifted up by the connection rod 94 of the rotating tab 91, the claw portion 97 of the locking pawl 96 is detached from the element guide lane 84. In this case, as described above, the other end portion of the locking pawl 96 is fixed with a predetermined clearance. Therefore, when performing the falling and erecting manipulations for the tab 91, the other end portion of the locking pawl 96 can be moved into the insert groove 83 by using the clearance. Accordingly, it is possible to smoothly perform the inserting and detaching operations of the claw portion 97 with respect to the element guide lane 84.
Accordingly, when the slide fastener is configured by using the slider 80, for example, in the case where the tab 91 is fallen down to the side of the rear opening by releasing the manipulation for the tab 91, the claw portion 97 of the locking pawl 96 can be allowed to protrude toward the element guide lane 84 so as to be engaged with the element rows. Therefore, the slider 80 is locked with respect to the element rows, so that the locked position can be maintained. On the other hand, in the case where the tab 91 is allowed to be erected in order to manipulate the slider 80, the claw portion 97 is detached from the element guide lane 84, so that the engagement between the claw portion 97 and the element rows is released. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly slide the slider 80 along the element rows.
In addition, similarly to the slider disclosed in Patent Document 1, the slider disclosed in Patent Document 2 also includes a slider body, a locking pawl which is disposed to an upper blade of the slider body, and a tab whose one end is rotatably retained in the upper blade.
In this case, the upper blade of the slider body is provided with an insert groove into which the locking pawl is inserted, a claw hole which is penetrated in a rear-opening-side end edge of the upper blade so as to pass through an element guide lane from the upper surface side of the upper blade, and left and right tab retaining portions which retain a connection rod of the tab.
In addition, in the slider body, the aforementioned protrusion where the locking pawl is temporarily engaged and fixed as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is not provided, and in order to fix the other end portion of locking pawl with a predetermined clearance, a fixing portion, which traverses the insert groove so as to construct a bridge, is fixed on the upper surface of the upper blade.
The tab disclosed in Patent Document 2 includes a cam for lifting up the locking pawl at the time of erecting the tab with respect to the slider body in a central portion of the cylindrical connection rod which connects the left and right arms.
In the case where the slide fastener is configured by using the slider disclosed in Patent Document 2, similarly to the case of Patent Document 1, by allowing the tab to be fallen down to the side of the rear opening, the claw portion of the locking pawl is engaged with the element rows, so that the locked position of slider can be maintained. In addition, by allowing the tab to be erected, the claw portion is detached from the element guide lane, so that the slider can be smoothly slid.    Patent Document 1: U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,598    Patent Document 2: British Patent No. 1201522


A process is disclosed for determining surface information by a projected structure with periodically changing brightness curve which is shifted by 1/n, n=whole number greater than two, of the grating constant, and the projection image is acquired of a CCD camera, and information is determined for every image point, which information represents the brightfield intensity multiplied by the respective grating phase, the sine components and cosine components are extracted from these images and gives:

a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process and device for depth selection in microscope images.
b) Description of the Related Art
It is known to carry out depth measurements in microscope images as well as to suppress image portions located outside of the focal plane by means of structured illumination (AXIOMAP by ZEISS, WO 97/06509, WO 98/45745).
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,400 (DE 9308486U), an inclined grating projection is generated by means of wedge-shaped glass bodies with changeable orientation.
These methods are based on methods derived from interference microscopy in which periodic structures projected in the object plane are converted to interference patterns and evaluations which are made possible in this way are carried out.
For this purpose, gratings are imaged in the object planes and displaced by integral fractions of the grating constant either continuously over a certain period of time (phase shift method) or stepwise (phase step method). An image is acquired in every time interval or of every position of the grating by means of a pixel-synchronous CCD camera and the images are calculated together.
The conditions are assessed most simply when a grating with a cos2-shaped or sin2-shaped intensity variation is shifted three times by xc2xc grating constant in the direction of the grating periodicity, e.g., in the x-direction. (The method functions in principle with shifts by each integral fraction  less than xc2xd of the grating constant).
The image of the initial position is interpreted as an image with sinusoidal intensity modulation vertical to the direction of the grating bar or line (sin x), the next as cos x, and the following as xe2x88x92sin x and the last as xe2x88x92cos x.
Therefore, information is provided for every image point representing the brightfield intensity multiplied by the respective grating phase. Further relevant information can be derived from this output data.
The four images can be described as follows:
1. Ixy1=0.51obxy*(1+m*sin x)
2. Ixy2=0.51obxy*(1+m*cos x)
3. Ixy3=0.51obxy*(1xe2x88x92m*sin x)
4. Ixy4=0.51obxy*(1xe2x88x92m*cos x),
where Iobxy is the intensity (reflectivity, transmission, fluorescence) contributed by the object location x, y to the imaging, and m is the modulation factor of the grating imaging. Subtracting 3 from 1 and 4 from 2 gives:
I. Ixy=Iobxy*m*sin x
II. Ixy=Iobxy*m*cos x.
Like components vanish with this procedure.
Conversely, by adding 3 to 1 and 4 to 2, the modulation of the image content with the angle functions vanishes in both cases. Brightfield images A1 and A2 are obtained:
A1: Ixy=Iyx3+Ixy1=Iobxy,
A2: Ixy=Ixy4+Ixy2=Iobxy.
i.e., two complete brightfield images are contained in these four partial images.
The modulation m with the angle functions has impressed information on these images about the distance from the exact focal plane. The modulation factor m of the grating imaging changes depending on the utilized grating constant, objective aperture, wavelength and the distance from the focal plane.
When using an objective, a light source and a grating, the first influencing factors remain constant, i.e., the modulation factor in a given arrangement is a function of focusing.
This modulation factor multiplied by the brightfield information can be calculated from I. and II. by means of Pythagorean trigonometry by individual squaring followed by addition:   m  =                    I        obxy            *                                                  sin              2                                    x                    +                                    cos              2                                    x                                      I      obxy
When m is taken solely as a function of location, a xe2x80x9cdistance imagexe2x80x9d of the image points from the optimum focal plane is obtained. Omitting division by the brightfield image, information is obtained which is virtually identical to that which can be obtained in confocal microscopes. The object characteristics are presented with decreasing intensity as the distance from the object plane increases, i.e., a determined layer of the object is shown.
Since the modulation factor mxe2x89xa61, the depth selectivity can be increased by raising to a higher power.
By means of selecting limits, setting threshold values for display, it is possible to represent a layer of varying thickness by itself in a synthetic image in that everything located at a distance from the focus is excluded from the display by the threshold values.
This possibility is limited by the signal/noise ratio, the step errors in the grating displacement, the nonlinearities in detection, and the number of nodes by which the modulated grating is represented by the CCD camera generally used.
In principle, the following information can be obtained from the object from the partial images described above:
1. Complete brightfield images without modulated grating structure (A1, A2);
2. Distance information of object areas from the exact focus (without direction) (m);
3. Brightfield information of object becoming darker with increasing distance from the focus (confocal images) (A*m);
4. Images in which only a thin layer around the focus is shown as a complete brightfield image (A where m greater than limit value);
5. By raising m to a higher power, a selectable smaller area around the focus.
The apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,881 is an arrangement belonging to the large group of spinning disk arrangements, as they are called. These arrangements require an intermediate imaging (Relaigh) system. This means that the microscope must be expanded by additional optics and accordingly rendered more expensive.
In order to achieve usable confocal effects in arrangements with a spinning disk, structures must be projected into the object plane in such a way that they have a size in that location which is comparable to the resolution limit of the arrangement. Further, the coverage of a structured mask should be no larger than 5% in order to suppress the xe2x80x9cbreaking throughxe2x80x9d of information located outside of the focal plane. This precaution leads to a very low light yield or light efficiency (xe2x89xa65%). In the this patent, wedge-shaped slits are imaged in the object plane. As a result of this construction, the confocal effect varies in radial direction (with respect to the image of the disk). In the present invention, because of the cos2-(sin2)-shaped intensity distribution of the pattern, the light efficiency is almost 50% and the achievable confocal effect is not spatially dependent in the displayed field. The device can be added to any reflected-light microscope or fluorescence microscope with an accessible field diaphragm plane in the illumination beam path without requiring additional optics.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,831,736 describes a confocal laser scanning microscope in which not all of the radiation returning from the object is detected, but only an angular area limited to the pupil plane. This area is cut out by a sector diaphragm whose direction can be changed in a stepwise manner. Based on the waveform of the detected signal depending on the orientation of the sector diaphragm, spatially dependent information about the inclination of the object structures can be obtained in addition to the depth information that can be obtained in microscopes of this type; however, because of the reduced aperture on the detection side, this information is obtained with decreased lateral and depth resolution.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,308 plane plates with different inclinations are slid or rotated into the beam path of the projector successively in front of a grating pattern so that a different position of the projected pattern occurs with every one of the inclined plane plates (described in optics texts as plane plate micrometer). The apparatus described in the patent has two disadvantages:
1. Because of the large paths to be traveled and the large masses to be moved, the changing of the plates is carried out too slowly for modern applications.
2. Different optical parts are used which are subject to tolerances. In critical applications, this leads to errors which cannot be compensated in practice.
The aim of the apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,153 differs from that of the present invention. This apparatus is concerned with changing the grating constant of a pattern. The patent makes use of Abbe""s theory of imaging and simulates what was realized by Abbe with his diffraction apparatus for demonstrating microscope imaging theory. Changing the grating constant in depth measurement with structured illumination, as it is called, is required in order to enlarge the detectable depth range in macroscopic objects.
The arrangements described in both of the above-mentioned patents suffer from a common disadvantage. In order to detect the depth of objects, the parallax must be used, i.e., the pattern must be projected with inclined principal beam direction. It has been shown that surfaces which are inclined toward the observation direction are reproduced in a distorted manner with this method. This disadvantage can be compensated with simple objects, but not with complicated ones. Errors of this type can be compensate almost completely with projection from two directions at an inclination opposite to the observation axis.
The arrangements of U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,400 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are used for this purpose. The disadvantage of the arrangements shown in this reference consists in that the change in the projection direction requires an independent drive and large paths must be traveled and large masses must be moved. Therefore, the attainable speeds do not meet modern requirements.
With central illumination, the images contain no information about whether an image point lying outside of the focal plane is extrafocal or intrafocal. It is possible, however to obtain this information through oblique grating projection in an advantageous manner and a principal object of the present invention is directed to this approach.
Depending on the object height, the grating lines are shifted more or less in the direction of incidence of the illumination.
Phase information xcfx86xy by pixel can be obtained from the above equations I. and II. by division analogous to examination by interference microscopy.       ϕ    xy    =      arctan                                sin                                xe2x80x83                              x                          cos                                xe2x80x83                              x                    .
In so doing, the modulation factor and object intensity vanish. Therefore, it can be decided whether the respective pixel is located above or below the focal plane. It can be decided, based on the mathematical sign of p, whether the respective pixel lies above or below the focal plane. Whether a positive sign signifies above or below, and vice versa, depends on given technical factors pertaining to equipment.
Experience has shown that reconstruction algorithms for the surface profile exhibit errors or fail entirely especially in the case of highly structures objects when there are areas with low modulation or without modulation.
This last circumstance can be countered in that four images are obtained for illumination with opposite incidence. Projection-dependent distortion is compensated by adding the synthetic images.
The phase itself is not determined, but rather the mutual position of the grating lines through comparison of their position in the first quartet of images with their position in the second. In so doing, it is advantageous to determine the modulation factor in addition and to exclude from representation by mathematical means those areas whose modulation lies below a determined threshold.
If the lines of the grating in image A1 are shifted in a certain direction compared with image A2, this also signifies a direction of defocusing conditioned by factors caused by the arrangement.
In contrast to known algorithms, this procedure also enables examination of objects that are extremely structured and/or expanded in depth and, in connection with the fine adjustment available in the microscope, by acquiring images of the object from different planes, enables the three-dimensional reconstruction of such objects.
The use of oblique illumination has further advantages for depth selectivity and lateral resolution of the image. Oblique grating projection has a further advantage in case of uniformly reflecting surfaces with inclined faces.
By means of reflection, the returning information is reflected back by twice the angle of inclination of the surface elements. When using objectives with very high apertures, this also leads to a limiting of inclined areas capable of examination to xe2x89xa636xc2x0. By means of oblique projection, the usable inclination range in the methods mentioned above which do not distinguish between the intrafocal and extrafocal position of object details can be expanded by the projection angle differing by 90xc2x0.
In the AXIOMAP, a slide with a grating with cos2-shaped intensity variation could be inserted into the field diaphragm plane. The grating was displaced by a stepper motor.
A switchable carrier with two identical wedges, but with opposite orientation, was arranged between the grating and the aperture diaphragm. The inclination of illumination could be changed in this way.
A disadvantage in this method was the long switching time from one state to another. There was also no possibility of central illumination without disassembling the accessory device. These disadvantages are avoided in the new device according to present invention.
It was the object of our Invention to find an arrangement by which the phase of the grating pattern can be changed very rapidly (it must be possible to detect at least 30 individual images per second). This object was met by combining the plane plate micrometer, known per se, with a rotary scanner. This makes it possible to change the phase of the pattern with one and the same optical part in an extremely short time and with very high precision without causing further influences on the beam path. In this case, any errors which might occur can be compensated as systematic errors.
In the arrangement described in the Application, the attainable speed is increased in that the movable wedge need only be rotated by a small angle to achieve the desired change in the projection direction. Further, the change in the projection direction does not require a separate drive; rather, this object is met by suitable control of the scanner in connection with a mechanical flipflop.
It is not the object of the present invention to expand a confocal scanning microscope, but rather to transform a normal brightfield or fluorescence microscope with a normal light source into a confocal microscope with a minimum of changes.
It is an object of the present invention to find an arrangement by which the phase of the grating pattern can be changed very rapidly (it should be possible to detect at least 30 individual images per second). This object was met by combining the plane plate micrometer, known per se, with a rotary scanner. This makes it possible to change the phase of the pattern with one and the same optical part in an extremely short time and with very high precision without causing further influences on the beam path. In this case, any errors which might occur can be compensated as systematic errors.

Process and apparatus for determining surface information using a projected structure with a periodically changing brightness curve

Abstract: I. Ixy=Iobxy*m*sin x

Abstract: II. Ixy=Iobxy*m*cos x,

Abstract: where   m  =                    I        obxy            *                                                  sin              2                                    x                    +                                    cos              2                                    x                                      I      obxy

Abstract: and the modulation factor m is calculated from I. and II. and is used for representation, An arrangement is also disclosed for changing the projection direction of a grating which is projected on a surface via at least one wedge-shaped prism body which is rotatable about the optical axis and a parallel plate which is tiltable relative to the optical axis, wherein the control of the tilting movement of the parallel plate is coupled with the rotational movement of the prism body in such a way that a change in the orientation of the prism body is carried out after at least three tilting steps.


A charger includes a power supply generating a direct current power supply potential, an output transistor, a USB connector, a controller, and a resistor bridge circuit. The controller has a potential setting circuit which sets the potentials of the first and second connection nodes of the resistor bridge circuit to a middle potential between a power supply potential and a ground potential in a first mode, and sets the potentials of the first and second connection nodes to the power supply potential in a second mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a charger which charges a rechargeable battery built in a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone through a USB interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, for realizing a smaller and lighter charger, there is used a charger which charges a rechargeable battery built in a portable electronic device by using a DC5V power supply supplied from a Vbus terminal which serves as a power supply terminal of a USB (Universal Serial Bus) which is widely used as a serial bus of a personal computer.
Japanese Patent Application publication No. 2007-60778 discloses a charger using a Vbus terminal of a USB, which realizes a high enough charging current without concern about an electric current value of a Vbus terminal used in other peripheral device connected to a USB interface.
Furthermore, for safety, a portable electronic device provided with a dedicated charger which is unchargeable without authentication is prevailing. Two types are known, i.e., devices made by Apple Computer, Inc. (iPod/iPhone/iPad) and smartphone type devices made by other manufacturers.
However, since the authentication method of the portable electronic devices made by Apple Computer, Inc. and the authentication method of the smartphone type portable electronic devices made by other manufacturers than Apple Computer, Inc. are different, it is necessary to provide a dedicated charger for each or a conversion adapter. This leads to cost increase for users and also causes inconvenience to users since users need keep a conversion adapter.

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC


A position estimation apparatus estimates the position of a radio communication device that outputs a signal, where the apparatus includes a distance estimating section, a difference summing section, and a minimum difference candidate point determining section, where the distance estimating section estimates actual distances between wireless access points that receive the signal and the radio communication device as estimated distances based on the reception strength of the signal, where the difference summing section sums values based on differences between the distances between candidate points for the position of the radio communication device and the wireless access points and the estimated distances, where the minimum difference candidate point determining section determines a minimum difference candidate point, and where the position of the minimum difference candidate point is estimated as the position of the radio communication device.

There has conventionally been known estimating the position of a radio device for radio communications based on the distances between the radio device and three or more wireless access points (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-223645, for example). The trilateration and the spring model, for example, have been known as position estimation methods for a radio device.

Apparatus and method for position estimation


An image processing apparatus includes a document loading unit in which a document sheet is loaded, a recording-sheet loading unit in which a recording sheet is loaded, a supply roller that supplies the document sheet or the recording sheet from the document loading unit or the recording-sheet loading unit, a separator that separates the document sheet or the recording sheet in cooperation with the supply roller, a feeding path through which both the document sheet and the recording sheet pass, a reading unit that reads an image on the document sheet, and a recording unit that records an image on the recording sheet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus equipped with a sheet feeding device, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus in which a feeding path is commonly used for both document sheets and recording sheets.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image processing apparatuses, such as facsimile apparatuses, are known in which a part of a feeding path is commonly used for both document sheets and recording sheets for size and cost reduction.
An example of this type of image processing apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,890, which discloses a facsimile apparatus. FIG. 32 shows the configuration of the facsimile apparatus. The facsimile apparatus includes an ASF (automatic sheet feeding) station 301 that separates and supplies recording sheets stacked on a loading table one by one, an ADF (automatic document feeding) station 302 that separates and supplies stacked document sheets one by one, an auxiliary feeding roller 303 that feeds the recording sheets or the document sheets supplied from the ASF station 301 or the ADF station 302, a main feeding roller 304 that feeds the recording sheets or the document sheets at a predetermined speed, an ejection roller 305 that ejects the document sheets or the recording sheets out of the apparatus, a scanner station 306 that reads data on the document sheets, and a recording station 307 that forms images on the recording sheets. In the above configuration, the auxiliary feeding roller 303, the main feeding roller 304, the ejection roller 305, and a guide member defining the feeding path are commonly used for both the document sheets and the recording sheets in order to reduce the size and cost of the apparatus.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-243545 discloses an apparatus in which recording sheets are supplied from a cassette and a manual feeder, serving as recording-sheet loading units, while controlling the rotation of one supply roller. In this case, the supply roller is movable between the loading units to supply sheets from both units.
However, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,890, since the scanner station 306 is provided on the upstream side of the main feeding roller 304, the auxiliary feeding roller 303 is provided to convey document sheets to the main feeding roller 304 while compensating for an unstable feeding speed at the ADF station 302. In actuality, only the ejection roller 305 is commonly used, and the size and cost of the apparatus are not sufficiently reduced, as compared with a case in which document sheets and recording sheets are conveyed by different feeding units and through different feeding paths.
In the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-243545, the mechanism for moving the supply roller and control thereof are complicated. In addition, a separation member must be provided for each loading unit. Therefore, the cost and size reduction is insufficient.


A switch module includes a first single-throw switch having a first input terminal 20 switchable to a common terminal. A second single-throw switch has a second input terminal switchable to the common terminal. A first control is coupled to the first single-throw switch and a second control is coupled to the second single-throw switch. The first and second controls are configured to independently control, respectively, the first and second single-throw switches.

High current electrical networks, such as the primary system in an aircraft electrical system, can utilize an individual single-throw switch for each switchable branch connecting an element in the network. The single-throw switch can conduct tens or hundreds of amperes from one or more sources of electrical power to various essential and non-essential loads in the network. Each switch can often be connectorized and/or rack mounted.
Unfortunately, each switch can require a custom design in a network having many individual switches, thereby increasing cost and complexity. Additionally, each switch can require at least two high-current connector terminals for connecting the switched element, each connector terminal posing a risk to a reliability of the network should the terminal fail. The individual switch can also include a custom housing that retains the connector terminals, protects the switch, and/or occupies a finite volume in the aircraft electrical system.


A turbine rotor blade an open cavity and a series of vortex chambers formed along the pressure and suction side walls to form a cooling air path from the leading edge, along the pressure side wall toward the trailing edge, and then from the trailing edge along the suction side wall to be discharged at the leading edge region on the suction side wall as film cooling air. The vortex chambers and feed slots connected adjacent vortex chambers are enclosed with a thin thermal skin to form a thin airfoil wall.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a gas turbine engine, and more specifically to an air cooled turbine rotor blade.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
A gas turbine engine includes a turbine with rotor blades and stator blades that are exposed to a hot gas flow in order to convert combustion energy into mechanical energy. The turbine efficiency, and therefore the engine efficiency, can be increased by passing a higher temperature gas flow through the turbine, referred to as the turbine inlet temperature. The highest turbine inlet temperature is limited to both the material properties of the airfoils (both blades and vanes have airfoils) and the amount of cooling that can be produced in these airfoils.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art turbine rotor blade of U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,232 issued to Moore on Dec. 30, 1997 and entitled COOLED AIRFOILS FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE. This blade uses near wall cooling in the airfoil mid-chord section that is constructed with radial flow channels plus resupply holes in conjunction with film discharge cooling holes. In this design, the spanwise and chordwise cooling air flow control due to airfoil external hot gas temperature and pressure variation is difficult to achieve. In addition, a single radial flow channel is not the best method of utilizing cooling air because this results in a low convective cooling effectiveness. Also, the dimension for the airfoil external wall has to meet the investment casting requirements.


The method according to the invention is for compensation currents to be produced which have arbitrary phases and/or arbitrary amplitudes. To this end, a compensation unit (5) is proposed which is connected to the polyphase system via a transformer unit (4). The compensation unit (5) in this case comprises at least a switching unit (6) and an energy storage unit (7), which is connected to the transformer unit (4) via the switching unit (6).

Electrical power is mainly and preferably supplied via balanced three-phase systems. Unequal loads between the individual phases result in such three-phase systems becoming unbalanced, which furthermore results in power losses or damage in electrical machines which are connected to the three-phase system. Unbalanced three-phase systems are in this case distinguished not only by unbalanced currents and phases but, in particular, also by unbalanced voltages, to be precise owing to the different voltage drops in the individual paths.
The said unbalanced voltages in particular have a negative effect on electrical machines which are connected to the three-phase system. Depending on the extent of the unbalance, increased power losses occur first of all, then reduced life, and, finally, machine failure. For this reason, International Standards and Recommendations have been issued in which the maximum permissible level of unbalance in a three-phase system has been defined (Engineering Recommendation, IEC--The Electrical Council, London, June 1975, page 16).
An unbalance in a three-phase system may occur, for example, due to a single-phase induction furnace, due to a single-phase propulsion system which is connected directly to the three-phase system, or due to an arc furnace, which in principle admittedly represents a three-phase load, but in which an unbalance can occur briefly when one or two arcs are quenched.
One known method to compensate for unbalanced loads was proposed by Ch. P. Steinmetz (L. Gyugyi et. al, Principle and Applications of static, thyristor-controlled Shunt Compensators, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems, Vol. PAS-97, No. 5, September/October 1978, pages 1935to 1945 and, in this case, in particular page 1936, left-hand column). Steinmetz was able to show that a resistive load contained between two phases of a three-phase system can be compensated for by connecting a capacitance of suitable size and an inductance of suitable size between the phase to which the resistive load is connected and the phase which is not loaded by the resistive load. In this case, Steinmetz assumed that this was a pure resistive load. If this condition is not satisfied, then additional complications are involved in order to make it possible to correct the power factor as well.
The aim of a compensating load may theoretically be achieved firstly by eliminating the so-called negative-sequence system (L. Gyugyi et. al, Principle and Applications of static, thyristor-controlled Shunt Compensators, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems, Vol. PAS-97, No. 5, September/October 1978, page 1937, right-hand column), and secondly by correcting the power factor. This can be achieved in a known manner by providing a compensation circuit in triangular form, comprising reactive elements such as capacitors and inductances.
With the availability of power switches--such as thyristors--the power factor can be corrected as required, that is to say it has even been possible to balance three-phase systems with widely varying loads. A circuit developed on this principle is described and explained in the abovementioned article by Gyugyi et. al. (page 1942, right-hand column, FIG. 14).
This known circuit for compensating for unbalanced loads has the disadvantage, however, that no volt-ampere optimization is provided. For this reason, the losses are correspondingly high.

Method to compensate for unbalanced loads in polyphase systems


A faucet mountable water conditioning devices include a relatively simple configuration that allows for reduced cost, easy installation, and a pleasing aesthetic. In one or more implementations, a faucet mountable water conditioning device includes a universal faucet mounting mechanism. The universal faucet mounting mechanism allows the faucet mountable water conditioning device to connect and seal to a wide variety of faucet designs and sizes simply by pressing the mounting mechanism over the faucet. The faucet mountable water conditioning device can also include a base configured to hold a water conditioning source. In one or more implementations a connector can couple the base to the mounting mechanism; thereby, allowing the base to move between active and inactive positions.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to water conditioning systems, and particularly to faucet mountable water conditioning devices.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Faucet-mounted water treatment devices have been in use for several years. Conventional faucet-mounted water treatment devices are often used to filter water in domestic applications, such as, in a kitchen or bathroom sink. Conventional faucet-mounted water treatment devices offer several advantages over other water treatment devices. Some of these advantages include relatively low cost and the ability to install the device at the source of water.
Unfortunately, many conventional faucet-mounted water treatment devices also have various drawbacks. For example, mounting and dismounting of conventional faucet-mounted water treatment devices can be difficult and time consuming. Furthermore, many conventional faucet-mounted water treatment devices are compatible with a limited number of faucet designs; and thus, require additional adaptors or relatively complicated installation procedures.
Additionally, many conventional faucet-mounted water treatment devices are relatively bulky. Due to their size, many conventional faucet-mounted water treatment devices limit space in the sink and otherwise interfere with domestic activities commonly conducted in the sink. In connection with their relatively bulky size, many conventional faucet-mounted water treatment devices are aesthetically unappealing.
In addition to the foregoing, many conventional faucet-mounted water treatment devices have a relatively complicated construction. Indeed, conventional faucet-mounted water treatment devices can include numerous complicated parts. Thus, many conventional faucet-mounted water treatment devices are relatively expensive to produce. Furthermore, many conventional faucet-mounted water treatment devices require the entire assembly to be disconnected from the faucet in order to replace the filter element.
Accordingly, there are a number of disadvantages in faucet-mounted water treatment devices that can be addressed.

Faucet mountable water conditioning devices


In a method for controlling the cut register in a web-fed rotary press, in which the position of the cut in at least one printing material web is set by adjusting the rotational speed of at least one pull unit conveying the printing material web, the rotational speed change carried out on the pull unit is also carried out simultaneously on all the pull units that follow in relation to the running direction of the printing material web and convey only this printing material web. The first pull unit whose rotational speed is adjusted is preferably a printing unit of the press unit printing the printing material web.

The invention relates to a method for controlling the cut register in a web-fed rotary press.
DE 102 45 962 A1 describes a method for controlling the cut register in a web-fed rotary press in which a printing material web, after leaving the last printing unit, is led over pull units each having an adjustable lead to a cross-cutting device, the circumferential speed of one of the pull units being changed in order to adjust the cut register. As compared with setting the cut register by means of a deflection roll that can be displaced or pivoted transversely with respect to the transport direction of the printing material web, this procedure has the advantage of a shorter setting time.

Method for controlling the cut register in a web-fed rotary press


A method of operating a memory device including row pins and column pins includes receiving a first active command through the row pins during 1.5 cycles of a clock signal, receiving a first read command or a first write command through the column pins during 1 cycle of the clock signal, receiving a first precharge command through the row pins during a 0.5 cycle of the clock signal corresponding to a rising edge of the clock signal, receiving a second active command through the row pins during the 1.5 cycles of the clock signal, receiving a second read command or a second write command through the column pins during the 1 cycle of the clock signal, and receiving a second precharge command through the row pins during the 0.5 cycle of the clock signal corresponding to a falling edge of the clock signal.

The inventive concept relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a memory device for supporting a new command input scheme and a method of operating the same.
Electronic devices such as a smart phone, a graphic accelerator, and an artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator process data by using a memory device such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM). As an amount of data to be processed by an electronic device increases, a memory device having high capacity and bandwidth is required. In particular, in order to process data at a high speed, use of a memory device providing high throughput input and output of a multichannel interface method such as a high bandwidth memory (HBM) standard is increasing. As the use of such memory device increases, an efficient input and output interface method is required between a host device (e.g., a memory controller) and the memory device.

Memory device for supporting new command input scheme and method of operating the same


A video signal processing system and method is disclosed. The video signal processing system includes at least two receiving modules configured for independently receiving signals for the same video program. Each receiving module is further configured for processing the signals received and providing a corresponding video stream. The video signal processing system further includes a synchronization module and a data processing module. The synchronization module is configured for determining a latency difference between the at least two video streams, and the data processing module is configured for comparing and combining the at least two video streams to provide a merged video stream, which may have a reduced number of damaged or missing frames.

Growing demand for delivery of video content poses one of the biggest challenges in mobile communications. Providing live video content may be even more challenging in certain situations. One example of such a situation is air travel, and it is becoming increasingly popular and necessary to provide in-flight entertainment to passengers and video teleconferencing for business travelers.
Certain aircraft satellite television systems have been developed to provide in-flight entertainment to passengers. Such systems may utilize antennas for receiving signals from satellites that provide television programming to passengers. While television programming may be provided utilizing such systems, they are very expensive to develop/operate. Furthermore, the satellites utilized for providing the television programming generally are the highest in EIRP (Effective Radiated Power) in order to close the link with inherently small antenna on the aircraft. Leasing high EIRP satellites is expensive.
Ground-based communication systems may provide a low-cost option for delivery of video contents. However, the elevated position and the relatively fast movement of the aircraft with respect to the ground-based communication systems may pose certain challenges (e.g., dropped frames in video contents). Therein lies the need to provide an air-to-ground communications system and method suitable for delivery of video contents.

Air-to-ground communications system and method