This invention allows a toll authority to monitor transaction numbers which are sent from a transponder (14) to an interrogator (12). By incrementing the transaction counter stored in the transponder with successful transactions the toll authority can ascertain whether accounting of a transaction has been missed (i.e., a transaction number missing from the sequence), or double-counted (i.e., two transactions with the same transaction number).

The following commonly assigned patent applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference:
This invention generally relates to recognition systems of the type which include an interrogator and a transponder, and more particularly to such a system in which the interrogator transmits an interrogation signal to the transponder in response to which the interrogator transmits back to the interrogator a response signal. The invention further generally relates to systems and methods implementing smartcards with the recognition system. In specific embodiments, the invention relates to an Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) type of recognition system.
The invention will be described in the context of an Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) system capable of exchanging data codes between an interrogator and a transponder. The AVI field is but one environment in which the inventive concepts described herein can be applied. Systems using batteryless transponders, as well as transponders with batteries, may be used for identifying or locating objects bearing the transponders such as cattle, luggage or other items.
With respect to AVI systems, generally, the interrogator is provided in a toll booth of a toll road, parking garage or other limited access facility. The interrogator (reader) identifies passing automobiles by sending wireless interrogation signals to a transponder (tag), which would normally be a small, self-contained unit placed, for example, on the dashboard or windshield of the car. In this way the car (or other vehicle or object) can be identified in a speedy and efficient manner. Depending on the use of the system, an account associated with the driver, owner, or other designated person can be debited with an access charge. Compatibility standards for one such AVI system are set out in Title 21, Division 2, Chapter 16, Articles 1-4 of the California Code of Regulations, herein known as the Caltrans specification or Caltrans spec. The AVI equipment for toll collection typically consists of two functional elements: vehicle-mounted transponders and fixed-position interrogators.
In prior art applications there have been so-called xe2x80x9cmoney on the tagxe2x80x9d applications. In these applications the user would take his transponder to a toll agency where special equipment could program data, representing a certain amount of money, into the transponder. The main disadvantage to this prior art application is the loss of privacy in that the user would have to take his transponder to another person, that person typically being the tollway agent. See e.g., U.S, Pat. No. 5,144,5,53 to Hassett et al. This prior art application also has a substantial disadvantage in that it does not provide the convenience of the smartcard.
Within the prior art of payment systems, it is known to use xe2x80x9csmartcardsxe2x80x9d for exchanges of goods and services. Smartcards are generally about the size of a credit card and have a microprocessor embedded in them. The smartcard can generally read, write and store information. In a typical application, the user will access an automated machine through which data representing an amount of money may be written into the smartcard memory. Each time a good or service is purchased using the smartcard, the data in the smartcard memory is debited to reflect the amount of the transaction. An advantage of using smartcards, in addition to potential increases in user privacy, is the potential to eliminate point-of-sale equipment. Smartcards have been implemented, or are anticipated to be implemented, in numerous applications: pay phones, automated banking, automated vending and the like. Automated machines for storing data in smartcards might be placed in post offices or stores.
In prior art AVI applications using smartcards, dual gantry systems are used. In the dual gantry system the transponder smartcard access is begun at a first gantry. Because of the slowness of the transponder smartcard interface the transaction must be completed at a later gantry. The disadvantages of such a prior system is the cost associated with construction of multiple gantries per toll plaza. Another disadvantage of such a system is the complexity of coordinating actions between the first gantry and the later gantry.
This invention allows a user to have a smartcard and a smartcard-based transponder. This smartcard-based transponder can accept money from the smartcard. The amount transferred from the smartcard can be stored in the transponder memory. At a toll plaza, a toll amount can be subtracted within a short period of time, so that a vehicle bearing the transponder will not pass through an interrogator read zone (the zone in which the transponder and interrogator may perform RF communications) before an appropriate toll amount can be decremented from the amount stored within the transponder.

Transaction accounting of toll transactions in transponder systems


A ferromagnetic thin metal film type magnetic recording medium is disclosed, comprising a non-magnetic support having thereon a ferromagnetic thin metal film, wherein a perfluoropolyether having at least one polar group having the saturation adsorption amount (mg/m.sup.2) of at least 4.0 mg/m.sup.2 against the ferromagnetic thin metal film is coated or applied onto the surface of the ferromagnetic thin metal film. There is also disclosed a method for preparing a ferromagnetic thin metal film type magnetic recording medium comprising forming a ferromagnetic thin metal film, subjecting the ferro-magnetic thin metal film to a treatment with oxygen gas, ozone gas, a heat treatment or a treatment with an inert gas, and then applying a perfluoropolyether having at least one polar group to the ferromagnetic thin metal film.

Ferromagnetic thin metal film type magnetic recording mediums comprising a support having thereon a magnetic layer of a ferromagnetic thin metal film formed by vacuum film-forming methods such as a vacuum evaporation method, sputtering process, ion plating process, etc., have excellent electromagnetic characteristics in comparison with coated type magnetic recording mediums having a magnetic layer composed mainly of a ferromagnetic powder and a binder resin because the magnetic layer of the ferromagnetic thin metal film does not contain any binder resin. Accordingly, the ferromagnetic thin metal film type recording mediums are drawing attention as magnetic recording mediums for high-density recording and may be put to practical use.
Particularly, the vacuum evaporation method has advantages in that the method is a dry treatment system, the film forming rate is high, and the manufacturing process is relatively simple in comparison with other film forming methods under vacuum. Various proposals have been made for a long time to improve the ferromagnetic thin metal film type magnetic recording mediums prepared by the vacuum evaporation method. For example, such proposals are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,632 and 3,342,633.
The ferromagnetic thin metal film type recording mediums have serious practical problems in regard to running properties, durability and corrosion resistance.
A magnetic recording medium and a magnetic head slide at a high speed when they are brought into contact with each other during the course of recording, reproduction and erasing of signals during magnetic recording. During these operations, it is required that the magnetic layer of the magnetic recording medium is not abraded and broken. That is, the magnetic layer is run smoothly and stably.
JP-A-60-69824 (the term "JP-A", as used herein, means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") and JP-A-60-85427 disclose a method wherein a layer containing a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, a fatty acid, a metal salt of a fatty acid, a fatty acid ester or an alkylphosphoric ester as a lubricating layer or a protective layer for the magnetic layer of the ferromagnetic thin metal film type recording medium is formed on the surface of the magnetic layer to meet the above requirements.
Many methods using fluorine-containing compounds as a material for the protective layer have been proposed. For example, JP-A-61-107528 discloses that compounds having a branched perfluoroalkenyl group are used to improve durability. U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,308 discloses a method using perfluoroalkyl polyether compounds.
JP-B-60-10368 (the term "JP-B", as used herein, means an "examined Japanese patent publication") discloses a method wherein perfluoroalkyl polyether compounds having modified terminal groups obtained by modifying one or both terminals of a perfluoroalkyl polyether molecular chain with a polar group such as a carboxyl group are used as compounds for the protective layer.
The use of multi-chain perfluoroalkyl polyether amides obtained by the dehydration-condensation of a compound having two or more amino groups with a carboxylic acid having a perfluoroalkyl polyether chain as a lubricant for disc type ferromagnetic thin metal film type magnetic recording mediums has been disclosed (Sugiyama, et al., Proceedings (page 425) of the 34th All Japan Meeting of the Lubricant Society of Japan, B.28).
Further, JP-A-64-33713, JP-A-1-112516, JP-A-3-102614, JP-A-1-112528 and JP-A-62-192029 disclose that compounds having a polar group such as an isocyanato group or an oxo acid group can improve durability.
Among the above-described compounds for the protective layer, the perfluoroalkyl polyethers having modified terminals have a particularly excellent lubricating effect, and are useful as the material for the protective layer of the ferromagnetic thin metal layer type magnetic recording medium.
The magnetic recording mediums have been used in many places under varying environmental conditions in recent years. Thus, it has been demanded that the magnetic recording mediums have good running durability over a wide range of environmental conditions (i.e., wide varieties of temperature and humidity conditions) ranging from high-temperature and high-humidity conditions to low-temperature and low-humidity conditions. Conventional techniques cannot always sufficiently cope with these requirements.
Further, when the problem of corrosion resistance is taken into consideration, conventional techniques are considered to be more insufficient under the above working environmental conditions.
Since the magnetic layer is a thin metal film, corrosion resistance is an essential problem of the ferromagnetic thin metal film type magnetic medium in that the magnetic layer itself is deteriorated by the effects of oxygen and water in the air during storage.
The improvement in corrosion resistance is directed to minimizing and/or solving the following problems;
(1) Formation of rust from water condensed and dried on the ferromagnetic thin metal film;
(2) Gradual decrease in the amount of magnetic flux during storage under high temperature and humidity conditions (demagnetization);
(3) Formation of rust on the surface of the ferromagnetic thin metal film by the effects of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide gases present in air; and
(4) Deposition of salts such as NaCl, MgCl.sub.2, etc., contained in seawater in coastal regions on the surface of the ferromagnetic thin metal film and subsequent formation and spreading of rust from the deposited or starting point (salt damage).
With regard to the above items (1), (2), and (3), various methods have been proposed for improving the corrosion resistance of the ferromagnetic thin metal film to a level which causes no practical trouble. With regard to the salt damage (item 4), however, an appropriate method has not been found as yet.
Further, it was found that the methods for solving the problems of the above items (1), (2), and (3) are not considered to be fully sufficient overall when all of the characteristics of the magnetic recording medium are taken into consideration. For example, some methods are effective in improving the corrosion resistance of the vapor deposition tape, but are not effective in other aspects or causes new problems.
For example, in a method wherein a protective layer comprising an inorganic material such as SiO.sub.2, C or TiO.sub.2 is provided on the ferromagnetic thin metal film, the protective layer must have a thickness of at least 300 .ANG. to obtain the desired corrosion resistance. Such a large thickness causes a lowering in reproduction output due to spacing loss and the lowering of output is not preferred in short wave recording regions where the thin metal film medium is used, in particular.
Further, in methods for imparting corrosion resistance to the ferromagnetic thin metal film by various after-treatments (for example, a method wherein the magnetic recording medium is allowed to stand in an atmosphere under given temperature and humidity conditions, a method wherein a passive film is electrochemically provided and a method wherein a vapor deposition web film is subjected to an oxidation treatment), corrosion resistance to water can be improved (the problems of the items (1) and (2)), but it is still insufficient to prevent rust from being formed on the ferromagnetic thin metal film by salts (salt damage).
Further, JP-A-58-26319, JP-A-58-23622, JP-A-58-60432, JP-A-59-63031 and JP-A-59-60738 disclose a method wherein the ferromagnetic thin metal film is brought into contact with ozone during the formation of the film or the ferromagnetic thin metal film is exposed to an ozone atmosphere after the formation of the film to thereby improve corrosion resistance. This method is remarkable in improving the corrosion resistance of the ferromagnetic thin metal film relative to other conventional methods.
However, these methods alone are still considered to be insufficient with respect to corrosion resistance against salt damage (the problem of the above item (4)).
Most methods for improving corrosion resistance, in particular, do not relate to an improvement in running properties.
JP-A-3-207019 discloses a method wherein a specific amount of a perfluoropolyether having a polar group is fixed to the surface of the ferromagnetic thin metal film to thereby improve running properties and durability. However, when the improvement in corrosion resistance against salt damage is more desirable or the working atmosphere with respect to high/low-temperature and humidity conditions becomes more severe, this method cannot provide the improvement in running durability because the manufacturing method and the specific amount thereof are apparently insufficient due to the formation of a dense protective film.
As described above, a method capable of providing a ferromagnetic thin metal film type recording medium excellent in electromagnetic characteristics which is best suited for high density recording has not been proposed yet. In recent years, conventional methods do not provide the desired results when the ferromagnetic thin metal film type recording medium is exposed to a wide range of working atmosphere conditions.
The present invention has been accomplished with a view to solving the above-mentioned problems.

Method for preparing a magnetic recording medium


A method and a device are described for transmission of control information for the adjustment of operating parameters of drivers in the data interface of a RAM module by means of a controller, with control bits for adjustment purposes being sent during an adjustment mode by the controller as a burst of data bits at the data clock rate to the RAM module. According to the invention, each control bit which is sent from the controller via the data channel in the burst is represented by a sequence of n≧2 data bits, which have a binary value corresponding to the relevant control bit and follow one another at the data clock rate. The binary value of each control bit sent via the data channel is determined in the RAM module by detection of the binary value of the sent burst within the relevant sequence at a time at which the m-th data bit in the sequence appears, where m>1.

Random Access Memory (RAM) is a memory which can be written to and read from with the capability for direct random access to addressed memory cells. One preferred, but not exclusive, field of application of the invention is dynamic RAMs (DRAMS), in particular "synchronous" dynamic RAMs (SDRAMS), as are used as main memories or graphics memories in computers.
A RAM module is normally integrated on a semiconductor chip and contains a large number of memory cells, which are arranged in the form of a matrix in rows and columns and are generally distributed over a plurality of individually addressable banks. The chip has a plurality of external connections (also referred to in the following text as "pins"), including address pins for application of the information for the addressing of the respective memory cells to be addressed, data pins, including a strobe pin, for inputting and outputting the memory data to be written to and read from the addressed memory cells with an accompanying strobe signal, and instruction pins for application of instructions for controlling the operation of the memory. During operation, the RAM module is connected via the pins that have been mentioned and associated connecting lines to corresponding pins of a control module ("controller"), which sends the memory data to be written and receives the data that has been read, and also sends the address information as well as the control instructions.
The pins (data pins and strobe pin) which are used for data transmission are a component of a bidirectional "data interface" both at the controller and at the RAM module, which data interface also contains output drivers (Off-Chip Driver OCD) for amplification of the signals to be transmitted and reception drivers (Off-Chip Receiver OCR) for amplification of the received signals.
In order to make the RAM module flexible in terms of its options for use, that is to say to make it possible to match it to different types of use and different environments, means are normally provided in order to set various state variables, which are in this case referred to as "operating parameters" or "parameters", for short, as desired. These "mode" settings are normally made during an operating interval that is reserved for this purpose, for example in the initialization phase whenever the module is started up, by the controller, which for this purpose sends the required mode information to the module, where it is stored in a mode register. The content of the mode register then governs the values of the said parameters for subsequent operation during use of the module.
In order to store information in the mode register, the controller sends an instruction MRS ("Set Mode Register") in the form of a specific pattern of parallel bits to the instruction connections of the RAM module, and at the same time sends the mode information, likewise as a pattern of parallel bits, to other existing connections of the module. Since no memory data is transmitted between the RAM module and the controller and no memory cells are addressed either during the mode setting interval, the address connections as well as the data connections can be used for inputting the mode information during this time. A specific set of address connections is normally selected in order to carry out the role of mode information connections during the mode setting interval. Each of these dedicated connections is connected to the data input of one, and only one, cell, which is associated with it, in the mode register, whose set input is triggered by the adjustment instruction MRS.
The size of the mode register (the number of cells) is thus limited to the number of setting information connections. This restricts the adjustment capabilities, to be precise both in terms of the numbers of parameters which can be adjusted and in terms of the variation width or the fineness of the adjustment of the parameter values. For this reason, additional mode settings, which go beyond the capacity of the mode register, must be provided in a different way. It is thus advantageous, for example, for drivers in the data interface of the RAM module each to have the capability to set one or more operating parameters relatively finely. This applies in particular to the output drivers.
One important parameter, for example, of the output drivers in the data interface of the RAM module is the current level which a driver such as this must apply for a defined output load in order to reverse the charge on the relevant connecting line from the previous logic potential to the other logic potential, within one period of the data clock rate when the binary value of the signal to be transmitted changes. In systems with a high data rate (that is to say with a high data clock frequency), this current level must be matched to the system environment (line impedance, termination impedance) as a function of the data rate. Since the said current level also depends on the operating voltage and is also subject to various environmental influences, such as the temperature, it is necessary to adjust the output drivers from time to time. Similar adjustments may also be required for the reception drivers in the data interface of the RAM module.
All of the drivers that have been mentioned normally each have a pull-up branch, which is switched on in response to the one binary value of the signal to be amplified, in order to connect the output node of the driver to the "high" logic potential H, and a pull-down branch, which is switched on in response to the other binary value of the data signal, in order to connect the output node of the driver to the "low" logic potential L. The current level of a driver can be increased or decreased by increasing or decreasing the driver impedance. Because of unavoidable asymmetries in the characteristics of the pull-up and pull-down transistors, it is expedient to adjust the pull-up driver impedance and the pull-down driver impedance separately, by variation of the effective on-state impedance in the branches. This can be achieved by varying the number of parallel-connected switching transistors or by special resistive elements in the branches.
It is known for the control information for adjustment of parameters of the output drivers in the data interface of a RAM module (OCD parameters) to be transmitted from the controller via the data and strobe lines to the RAM module during an adjustment interval. The connecting branches which pass via these lines between the controller and the RAM module are referred to here as a "data channel". The control information is transmitted in serial form as a burst of control bits at the data clock rate. One appropriate method is specified in the so-called "DDR2-JEDEC Standard for DRAMs". This standard relates to a memory mode in which the data clock rate is twice as fast as the basic clock rate of the memory system (Double Data Rate "DDR"). The control bit burst contains 4 bits, which indicate which driver parameter (pull-up impedance or pull-down impedance) should be adjusted, and in which direction (increase by one step or reduce by one step). The adjustment is then carried out in the RAM module by means of a setting device which influences the stated parameter, by one step in the indicated direction. A test transmission of data is then sent via the output drivers of the RAM module to the controller using the parameter settings that have been applied, and the controller analyses the reception of this data. This action is repeated until the optimum settings are found for the OCD parameters.
The conditioning of the RAM module for this adjustment mode is carried out by inputting a specific bit pattern into selected cells in the mode register. Once the optimum settings of the OCD parameters have been found, these settings are locked by inputting a different specific bit pattern into the said cells in the mode register.
This known adjustment method has the disadvantage that the control bit burst sent via the data channel has a wider bandwidth the higher the data clock rate is. Since the bandwidth of the data channel is limited, there is thus a risk of the control bit burst being distorted, when the data clock rate is high, to such an extent that the binary values of the individual bits are no longer reliably identified in the RAM module.

Method and device for transmission of adjustment information for data interface drivers for a RAM module


A bumper structure includes a bumper beam that extends in a vehicle width direction and a bumper absorber that is provided along a front surface of the bumper beam and that has an opening in a top center portion of the bumper absorber in the vehicle width direction. The bumper beam includes a center portion that extends parallel to the vehicle width direction and a pair of oblique portions that obliquely extend backward and outward in the vehicle width direction from respective ends of the center portion. The bumper absorber includes a pair of load receiving portions outside the opening in the vehicle width direction, and the load receiving portions are arranged at positions corresponding to a pair of bent portions that are formed at boundaries between the center portion and the respective oblique portions.

Bumper structures including a recessed opening formed in a top center portion in a vehicle width direction of an impact absorption member which is attached on a front surface of a front bumper beam have been disclosed.
For example, in bumper structures disclosed (especially depicted with figures) in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2007-182162 and 2008-056081, a protruding portion is formed in a top center portion of an impact absorption member in a vehicle width direction, and the protruding portion is depressed into a triangular shape so as to fit the shape of a front grill.
In a bumper structure disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-213105, an impact absorption member is formed so that the cross section of a center portion of the impact absorption member in a vehicle width direction has a smaller height and thickness than the cross sections of ends of the impact absorption member in the vehicle width direction, and there is a space between a front surface of the impact absorption member and a bumper face.
In a bumper structure disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-042783, two ribs are formed on a top surface of an impact absorption member, and an opening is formed between these ribs.
However, in the case where the bumper structures described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2007-182162 and 2008-056081 are employed, when a vehicle collides with the other vehicle having a height greater than that of the vehicle, there will be an unsquashed portion of the impact absorption member of the vehicle sandwiched between the bumper of the other vehicle and the bumper beam of the vehicle. When there is an unsquashed portion, a downward moment is produced due to a difference in the amount of squash between the top and bottom portions thereof. The downward moment causes the impact absorption member to slide downward, and as a result, a phenomenon called underride in which the vehicle runs underneath the other vehicle occurs. When the underride occurs, the bumper structures may not be able to appropriately absorb a collision load.
On the other hand, in the case where the bumper structures described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2006-213105 and 2010-042783 are employed, since an opening is formed in the top center portion of the impact absorption member of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction, the bumper of the other vehicle collides with the bumper beam via the opening when the vehicle collides with the other vehicle having a height greater than that of the vehicle. Thus, only a small portion of the impact absorption member is squashed, and the underride does not occur. However, there is a problem that since only a small portion of the impact absorption member is squashed, a load will not be distributed by the impact absorption member, and the collision load will concentrate in a limited area in the vicinity of the center of the bumper beam. As a result, the collision load will not be appropriately absorbed.


Methods for constructing efficient inhibitors of target TNF superfamily receptors, single chain target TNF superfamily ligands that inhibit of target TNF superfamily receptors while failing to engage or inhibit non-target TNF superfamily receptors, and methods of their use to treat diseases are provided. Single chain RANKL, TNF, and TRAIL ligands that effectively inhibit their target receptors while failing to inhibit non-target TNF superfamily receptors are also provided.

Excess activation of TNF superfamily (TNFsf) receptors can induce a myriad of pathological conditions (1, 2). While some biological agents have positively impacted the course of these diseases, each carries substantial complications (3). The TNFsf member RANKL is a cytokine that regulates osteoclast formation and function (4-7) and excess activation of its receptor, RANK, can promote many if not most forms of pathological bone loss. RANKL exists as a homotrimer in solution (8). Each of the three interfaces separating the monomers contains a binding groove accepting a single copy of RANK or the anti-osteoclastogenic decoy receptor, osteoprotegerin (OPG) (9-11). As each trimer assembles, loops and strands at the edges of apposed monomers combine to form the sides of the receptor-binding clefts. It is the shape of the binding clefts which determine receptor selectivity. For wild-type RANKL, each of the three identical receptor-binding clefts, spaced equally around the outside of the cytokine, can accept a single copy of RANK or the anti-osteoclastogenic decoy receptor, osteoprotegerin (OPG)
RANKL, a member of the TNF superfamily, binds to multiple receptors (RANK and OPG) with different biological effects. Within this superfamily, there are several examples of cytokines demonstrating receptor promiscuity (17). For example, TNFα, which recognizes TNFR1 and TNFR2, is central to the pathogenesis of disabling disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis (18). Treatment of these diseases has been greatly facilitated by global TNFα blockade using humanized antibodies or soluble receptor (19, 20). As effective as these drugs are, they carry major complications such as predisposition to malignancy and serious infections, including tuberculosis (21, 22). Current evidence indicates that the positive effects of anti-TNFα therapy reflects suppressed activation of TNFR1, while negative consequences are due to inhibition of the pro-immune properties of TNFR2 (23, 24). For example, the osteolysis responsible for orthopedic implant loosening appears to be solely mediated by TNFR1 (Merkel et al., 1999; Am. Journ. Pathol. 154(1):203-210). In fact activation of TNFR1 promotes osteoclastogenesis, leading to bond resorption, while activation of TNFR2 inhibits it. Further, TNFR1 activation inhibits pre-osteoblast differentiation, and so blunts bone formation, while activation of TNFR2 does not (Abbas et al., 2003; Cytokine 22(1-2): 33-41. Thus TNFR2 signaling inhibits bone remodeling, but not bone formation, and so displays protective properties in the context of inflammatory osteolysis. Nago et al, 2011, J. Bone Miner. Metab; 29(6): 671-681. and Hussain et al., 2008, J. Bone Miner. Metab; 26(5):p 469-477). The need for DR4 vs. DR5 specific TRAIL variants stems from the apparent DR4- or DR5-specific sensitivities of various tumors to selective receptor agonists. For example, acute myeloid leukemia appears to be more sensitive to a DR4-selective variant yet resistant to killing by a DR5-selective TRAIL variant (Szegezdi, Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine Volume 15, Issue 10, pages 2216-2231, October 2011). Additionally, it has been reported using several different chronic lymphocytic leukemia cell lines that an agonist antibody specific for DR4 induce apoptosis whereas an agonist antibody specific for DR5 fails to do so (Xiao, Leukemia and Lymphoma July 2011, Vol. 52, No. 7, Pages 1290-1301). Conversely, DR5-selective TRAIL variant was effective in killing a breast cancer cell line whereas a DR4-selective TRAIL variant was not despite similar expression of DR4 and DR5 in these cells (Kelley 2005 The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 280, 2205-2212). The sensitivity of various cancer types including primary cells and cell lines is reviewed extensively in van Roosmalen et al. (van Roosmalen Biochemical Pharmacology, Volume 91, Issue 4, 15 Oct. 2014, Pages 447-456). RANKL, TNF, and TRAIL interact with their receptors in a homologous fashion (9, 10, 25, 26).
"Novel variants of RANKL protein" WO2003059281 (PCT/US2003/000393) of Desjarlais, J. R., et al., and TNF Family Ligand Variants" US20140096274 A1 of Quax, W. J., et al. discuss RANKL variants. "Single-chain antagonist polypeptides" WO2001025277 of Andersen, K. V., et al. discusses modification of osteoprotegerin ligand. The articles "Crystal structure of the TRANCE/RANKL cytokine reveals determinants of receptor-ligand specificity" of Lam, J., Nelson, C. A., Ross, F. P., Teitelbaum, S. L., Fremont, D. H; J Clin Invest. 2001 October; 108(7):971-9 and "Structural and functional insights of RANKL-RANK interaction and signaling" of Liu, C., et al., J Immunol. 2010 Jun. 15; 184(12):6910-9 discuss structural features of RANKL.
The sole medically approved inhibitor of this pathway, denosumab, targets the cytokine itself but not its receptor and its effects last for 7-9 months (12). Given the profound suppression of bone remodeling accompanying cytokine removal or other anti-bone resorptive strategies, shorter acting agents are needed.

Oligomers for TNF superfamily inhibition


The arylsulfonyl(alkyl)amides, notably N-(n-butyl)benzenesulfonamide, well adopted as heat-stable plasticizers for polyamides, e.g., nylon 11 and nylon 12, are directly prepared by (a) intimately contacting an arylsulfonyl halide with a stoichiometric excess of both an alkylamine and an alkaline agent, with the alkaline agent being present in aqueous solution, (b) eliminating water and excess alkylamine from the organic phase produced in stage (a), and (c) separating final product arylsulfonyl(alkyl)amide from the residual organic phase remaining after stage (b).

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to the preparation of arylsulfonyl(alkyl)amides, and, more especially, to the preparation of arylsulfonyl(alkyl)amides by contacting an arylsulfonyl halide with a stoichiometric excess of an alkylamine in the presence of an aqueous solution of excess alkaline agent.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
The arylsulfonyl(alkyl)amides are known compounds that are useful as plasticizers for the polyamides, in particular for the nylons 11 and 12. It is important that these plasticizers not be susceptible to degradation by heat. The plasticizer is incorporated at a high temperature (200.degree. to 250.degree. C.), and, in use, must not be a source of formation of acid products, which present the risk of developing objectionable coloration. Such acid products can also adversely affect the mechanical properties of the polymers (chain rupture).
European Patent Application EP 7623, published Feb. 6, 1980, describes a process for the purification of arylsulfonyl(alkyl)amides by the action of an alkaline agent at 200.degree. C. to obtain a heat-stable compound.

Preparation of arylsulfonyl (alkyl) amides


A projection display comprises a display device, a projection optical system that has an aperture and is adapted to magnify and project an image appearing on the display device and a display panel including an image-formation device located near an image projected through the projection optical system for formation at a viewing pupil position of an aperture image of the projection optical system and a diffuser that has scatter action and is adapted to magnify the aperture image of the projection optical system into left and right viewing pupils. Misalignment warning pupils are adjacent to or overlap partly with the left and right viewing pupils via the display panel, and misalignment warning projectors for issuing a misalignment warning are located on the display panel and adjacent to at least one of the projection optical systems.

The present invention relates generally to a projection display, and more particularly to a projection display of the type that can project a viewing pupil having a limited area for the purpose of viewing a bright projected image.
The applicant has already filed patent applications concerning the inventions set forth in patent publications 1, 2, 3 or the like to come up with a 2D projection display, a 3D projection display, a projection display that enables a plurality of viewers to view separate projected images, or the like, each of which comprises a single or plural display devices, a single or plural projection optical systems including an aperture (exit pupil) for magnifying and projecting an image appearing on each display device, and a display panel comprising a Fresnel lens or Fresnel mirror located near images projected through such projection optical systems to form an aperture image of each projection optical system at a viewing pupil position and a diffuser plate or a hologram diffuser plate comprising a pit-and-projection diffusing surface having scatter action to magnify the aperture image of each projection optical system. Each one enables a viewer to view a bright projected image while the viewable pupil area is limited.
Patent Publication 1
JP(A) 2003-207743
Patent Publication 2
JP(A) 2004-102204
Patent Publication 3
JP(A) 2004-177920
With such projection displays designed to project the viewing pupil having a limited area, it is impossible to view any bright, normal projected image as the viewer's eyes are off that limited pupil area.
However, as long as one of both eyes of the viewer stays in the viewing pupil area especially in the horizontal direction, it is not necessarily easy for the viewer to take notice of another eye being off the limited pupil area.


The invention provides a process for measuring the relative movement of at least two components, such as a fixed wheel, a loose wheel and a sliding sleeve of a synchronizing device. For analyzing the measuring values after the detection thereof, first at least a portion of the measuring values is adjusted by linking them with one another, taking into account known marginal conditions. By means of a subsequent standardization of the series of measuring values, in addition, as required, the reference system (the location of the observer of the measurement), can be freely selected. Thus, it is possible to observe the event from a particularly suitable reference system, such as the synchronizing rotational speed. The joint display of the series of measuring values precisely defines the relative movement of the observed components.

This application claims the priority of German patent document 197 03 488.8, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a process for measuring the relative movement of at least two components.
The measuring of the relative movement of components with respect to one another is important wherever these components interact with one another. Operations in which such interactions occur, for example, are engaging operations in clutches, the moving of a tooth of a gear wheel into the tooth space of a second gear wheel, displacements of meshing gearwheels under load, bending of shafts and bodies, and many other operations. Such measurements are carried out in order to more closely examine the course of the observed event.
In this context, very high demands are made on the measuring precision. In addition, the analysis of the measuring value becomes difficult, particularly when the observed components are moved not only with respect to one another but each component is also moved separately. Other components which cannot be measured by measuring techniques also influence the sequence of movements. In brief, the analysis of the measuring values becomes difficult because several parameters influencing the sequence of movements must be analyzed simultaneously.
The measuring of the synchronizing operation when a gear in a synchronized vehicle transmission is engaged, which so far has been difficult, can be used for demonstrating this problem:
A known observation of this operation by visual methods presents problems because the corresponding components move fast and observing them is difficult because of the excess oil.
In a known detection of the rotating movements by corresponding angular momentum generators, because of the rotational speed level as well as the measuring inaccuracies of the rotational speed generators, the actual event of the synchronization which takes place in a range of smaller changes of the detected signals is difficult to identify and analyze.
The moving direction of individual components can briefly change during the contact. Direction change is difficult to reproduce by conventional illustration methods, for example, line recording of the rotational speeds.
As a rule, the contact of components causes a change in the movement direction or a change of their speed. In the case of rotating components, this momentum change is normally detected by measuring techniques as a change of the rotational speed. Without any further analysis, this often brief change of rotational speed provides little information regarding the direction of force, angular change or contact points.
These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the measurement process according to the invention in which, after detecting the series of measuring values, while first taking into account known marginal conditions, at least a portion of the series of measuring values is adjusted by a mutual linking. By using known marginal conditions during the adjustment of the series of measuring values, the precision of the measurement is clearly improved using simple devices and without any additional expenditures with respect to the sensor assembly or the measuring process. As a result of the marginal conditions, the relationship of the measuring value in the range of the marginal conditions is known precisely or nearly so.
Furthermore, by means of a subsequent standardization of the series of measuring values, as required, the reference system, that is, the location of the observer of the measurement is freely selectable so that it is possible to observe the event from a particularly suitable reference system. The common representation of the series of measuring values precisely defines the relative movement of the components to be observed so that, on the whole, an analysis of the measurement is possible. This improves the precision and its ability to be analyzed.
An example of an adjustment while taking into account suitable marginal conditions is the following: If, during a measurement, two components, in this case, two gear wheels, move at precisely the same speed because they mesh with one another without slip, as a rule, a different rotating speed of a few rotations per minute is sensed as the measured quantity. This rotational speed difference, which differs from the actual value, has its causes in the measuring precision of the measuring chain of both components which is finitely limited and is within a permissible tolerance (see also FIG. 3). The speed difference, which is determined for reasons of a measuring inaccuracy, is computed as an "offset" from the mathematical difference of both signals and is added to the numerical values of the measured speed of at least one of the two components. Only a time range may be used for the speed adjustment in which the above-mentioned marginal conditions (speed equality) are valid. This ensures that the numerical values of both speeds, on the average, exhibit no relative deviations. The speed offset can be determined very precisely when one copy of the measuring series is smoothed by means of a digital (e.g., Butterworth) low-pass frequency of approximately 5% of the used sensing frequency and the difference is formed from the smoothed signals. The speed adjustment is permissible only if the measuring chains of the measured components are within the tolerance of a required measuring accuracy and within the measuring range valid for the respective measuring chain (outside an unacceptable limit range). In addition, it must be ensured that the measuring value sensing system has no aliasing effects or other systematic disturbances.
It is suggested to first calculate a position of the components from the series of measuring values. For this purpose, the pertaining movement or rotations are normally computed from the numerical values of the measured speeds or rotational speeds by means of a time-related integration. From the numerical values of the measured accelerations, the pertaining movement or rotations are calculated by a double time-related integration. In the case of each of these integrations, an integration constant will occur which is determined by the marginal conditions and is fixed to suitable values. This results in a positional adjustment of the components. The following is a corresponding example: By means of the present invention, the angle of rotation of mutually meshing components can be determined (for example, in the case of synchronous couplings), from the integration of the rotational speeds. The integration constants will be determined such that, at a selected point in time, where the components mesh with one another, the angle of rotation of the first components is 0.degree. and the angle of rotation of the second component amounts to the matching angular pitch. Thus, a penetration of the bodies is impossible. The position of both components is therefore determined.
If, as suggested, the marginal conditions for adjusting the series of measuring values are selected such that these marginal conditions are within the range of an event to be observed, that is, are valid in this range, the precision is increased exactly where the key point of the observation is situated. All conditions may be used as marginal conditions which increase the analysis and measuring precision.
To standardize the measuring values, it is suggested to use one of the series of measuring values. In this approach, the observer's location is identical with that component whose measuring values, such as its rotational movement, were used for the standardizing.
As an alternative, it is suggested to use a fixed value for the standardizing. In this approach, the observer takes up an apparently fixed location. It would be particularly advantageous if, in addition, this fixed value were to be selected from one of the series of measuring values. The reason is that the location of the observer would correspond to the position or movement of an observed component at a fixed point in time. Thus, changes of speed and direction relative to the reference system of the observed moved component become particularly easily visible.
In addition to the measured parameters, while utilizing geometric and physical marginal conditions, the position of additional components can be estimated with high precision and can be determined by means of the same method.
For the joint representation of the series of standardized measuring values, it is suggested to represent these as time-parallel lines in a diagram form. This permits a direct comparison of the different series of measuring values and an analysis of the measurement.
As an alternative, it is suggested that photo-realistic computer graphics or images, which are moved (that is, animated) by means of the series of standardized measuring values, be used for the representation of the observed components. In this case, it is particularly advantageous that also complex operations with different movements, such as combined rotational and longitudinal movements, are also represented in a clear and simultaneous manner which clearly improves the analysis of the measurement. The visual display permits an additional plausibility control of all measured parameters and provides a deeper understanding of the measured operation. By means of a perspectively correct display of the geometry, critical contact points can be recognized and clues can be obtained therefrom for constructive measures.
In this type of display, it is possible to change the visual characteristics of the objects used for the display or to select them such that additional information can be obtained. Thus, for example, a transparent or cut-open display of a sliding sleeve permits viewing the components disposed underneath or reviewing the engaging range of the toothings.
An observation in order to compare the different operations is also possible, whether in a time sequence (in order to determine the consequences of wear) or after constructive changes in that the different displays are stored and are then displayed in a time-parallel manner. The suggested process is particularly suitable for the comparison of a simulation and a measurement since the same method will now be used for the display. For the same reason, it will now also be particularly simple to integrate the results of the measurement into a CAD-system or a CAD-display.
It must be appreciated that such a clear type of display considerably facilitates the understanding of the observed movement sequences, provides visual information about movement dynamics and contact points and facilitates the fast introduction into the topics. This understanding results in ideas concerning solutions and suitable countermeasures.
The illustrated process may also be used for measuring the relative movement during the synchronizing of a clutch. This application is particularly advantageous because the synchronization operation has superimposed rotational and sliding movements of several components; specifically, the movements of the components pinion shaft, loose wheel and sliding sleeve. The pinion shaft component includes a synchronizing ring which is connected with it. Because of the shape of the components, these movements are subject to geometric marginal conditions and an analysis of the measurement is possible only when simultaneously considering all movements. Thus, within the framework of the application suggested here, as a marginal condition for the linking of the series of measuring values, it is assumed that, in the engaged condition, the rotational speeds of the pinion shaft, the fixed wheel and the loose wheel are identical and that the position of the sliding sleeve in the engaged condition is known.
The suggested application can be further improved particularly with respect to the representation and the ability of the measurement to be analyzed, if the rotational speeds of the pinion shaft and of the loose wheel takes place on the basis of one of the two rotational speeds. The representation of the component movement takes place relative to a standardized movement. Because of the standardizing, the component whose series of measuring values is used for the standardizing appears to be stationary so that the movements of the other components can be observed precisely. This is advantageous particularly in the range of the final synchronization.
In this context, it was found to be particularly advantageous to use for the standardization not a series of measuring values but the rotational speed of the clutch, that is, the rotational speed of one of its components in the engaged condition as a fixed measuring value. The location of the observer is now the synchronizing rotational speed so that movements of the pinion shaft connected with the vehicle mass, as well as of the loose wheel during the actual synchronizing operation, are displayed In particular, it is also possible, in this case, to display or to recognize a vibration of the pinion shaft. In the display, the components seem to virtually move into the synchronization operation.
On the whole, the present invention provides not only a process, but an application of this process which is very useful in the case of new developments during the elimination of series-related problems. As a result, it is possible to rapidly implement the identification of causes, recognition of operating mechanisms and the development of remedial measures.

Process for measuring the relative movement of at least two components


Suture clip appliers, suture clips and methods of their use for securing sutures during an endoscopic or laparoscopic procedure are provided, wherein the method includes the steps of providing a suture clip applier having a working tip configured to retain and fire a suture clip; providing a suture clip having a biased closed configuration; loading the suture clip into the working tip of the clip applier; translating the suture clip distally relative to the working tip to a first position wherein the suture clip is splayed open; inserting a suture into the opened suture clip; and translating the suture clip distally relative to the working tip such that the suture clip is ejected from the working tip and biased to the closed configuration to close on and to retain the suture.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a device for use in a surgical procedure. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a surgical suture clip applier adapted for securing sutures during an endoscopic or laparoscopic procedure.
2. Background of Related Art
In surgical operations it is well known that surgical sutures are applied to repair the body tissue. Such sutures generally are of the non-absorbable or the absorbable type and are generally applied with the use of surgical needles. If the sutures are non-absorbable, they may or may not be removed after an estimated predetermined healing period has passed. Absorbable sutures are absorbed gradually over time by coming in contact with moisture in the human body.
In many surgical procedures, application of sutures generally involves knotting or tying the suture after it is applied to the body tissue in order to retain its position with respect to the tissue and to maintain the tissue in the repaired position. In cases where the surgeon has full access to the operative site by virtue of a large incision, knotting the suture or applying knotting or equivalent devices is relatively simple due to the access provided by the incision.
In endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures, on the other hand, large incisions are avoided. In laparoscopic procedures surgery is performed in the interior of the abdomen through a small incision; in endoscopic procedures surgery is performed in any hollow viscus of the body through narrow endoscopic tubes inserted through small entrance wounds in the skin. Laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures generally require that any instrumentation inserted into the body be sealed, i.e., provisions must be made to ensure that gases do not enter or exit the body through the laparoscopic or endoscopic incision as, for example, in surgical procedures in which the surgical region is insufflated. Moreover, laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures often require the surgeon to act on organs, tissues, and vessels far removed from the incision, thereby requiring that instruments to be used in such procedures generally be both long and narrow.
In laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures surgical sutures are generally applied by directing and manipulating needled sutures through an aperture in the body or through elongated narrow tubes known as cannulae with the assistance of specially designed needle graspers, needle drivers, and the like. However, tying the sutures in such procedures can be relatively difficult due to the limited access afforded to the surgeon through the narrow tubes. In particular, since biocompatible, preferably bioabsorbable, sutures are generally used in such procedures it would be desirable to have available a cinching device and system that facilitates tying the sutures through the tubes in a manner to retain their position in the body tissue at least until the healing process is in full progress. The use of the term "endoscopic" herein contemplates endoscopic as well as laparoscopic procedures.


A process for transforming pre-used asphaltic roofing shingles into products such as paving bricks, by removing foreign matter, using a comminutor that pulls shingles downwardly through a plurality of pairs of high-speed, counter-rotating, inter-meshing blades stacked within a housing; classifying the particles, applying a release agent to the inside of the mold, charging the mold with a predetermined weight and size distribution of particles, compressing the material in the mold at high pressure, and ejecting the formed material from the mold for delivery to customers. The brick and other products are included in the scope of the application.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to waste recovery and recycling, and specifically to a process for transforming pre-used asphaltic roofing shingles into paving bricks.
2. Background of the Invention
Up to 11 million tons of asphaltic roofing shingles are disposed of annually in North America. Possibly 20% of this material comprises unused shingle manufacturing waste that can be incorporated into hot-mix asphalt. The remaining 8 million tons is pre-used weathered shingles called 'tearoffs'.
A small but growing quantity of these pre-used shingles is being comminuted and used in several applications such as low-value suppressant of dust on minor roads and parking lots; as aggregate in road construction and maintenance; as an additive both to cold and hot mix paving asphalt; and in the manufacture of hot-molded paving bricks or blocks.
The bulk of the 8 million tons is, however, land filled.
No product has been manufactured through compression of cold shingle particles to the best knowledge of the inventor. U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,914 awarded to Gehrke in 2000 indeed explicitly excludes that possibility. The inventor, however, has invented a suitable shredder and discovered mold release agents. Their novelty enables advantageous cold-shredding and cold-forming of bricks from shingles. In combination they represent a novel process.
The transformation of asphaltic shingles into products requires skill in the two arts of comminution and of subsequent aggregation or dissolution into a mix. It is a characteristic of asphalt that its viscosity decreases with increasing temperature. Therefore those skilled in the prior art appreciate that in general shingle comminution requires low temperatures in order to prevent the material from aggregating and sticking to the equipment, while the aggregation of shingle particles or their dissolution into a mix requires heat.
The heating of asphalt is costly. It also becomes sticky, hard to handle, and potentially harmful as it releases particulate matter and reactive organic gasses, possibly including volatile organic compounds. The avoidance of heat is therefore an obvious advantage.
Ford, U.S. Pat. No. 1,290,954 of 1919 was the first to patent a method of reclaiming unused asphalt shingles. He taught chilling or freezing the material prior to grinding, and molding the particles through pressure at an undisclosed temperature into products such as waterproof containers. Ford rejected previous attempts to add hot solvent to comminuted shingles due to high demands for power and heat. Contemporary grinders would have been of the type patented by Hull, U.S. Pat. No. 194,776 of 1877, using cooperating hammers or 'rubbers' attached to a cylinder and concave as in an agricultural thresher.
Robinson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,732,281 of 1929 invented a process of transforming small, unused shingle trimmings and punchings from manufacturing waste that avoided the need for comminution. He designed a screw apparatus with a succession of shearing actions to heat and agglomerate the material at temperatures as high as 265° F. (129° C.) into a plastic mass suitable for forming into products.
Minge et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,368,371 in 1945 taught a method of comminuting unused shingles in a series of three high speed hammer mills, successively fitted with finer screens of 1½ inch, ¾ inch and ¼ inch. The first two mills operated at 1,850 rpm and the third at 3,500 rpm. To avoid the inherent problem of material heating and machine blockage, limestone was fed with the shingles into the second mill, while forced air provided additional cooling in the third mill. The particles were then mixed with asphalt heated to 500° F. (260° C.) to make a material suitable for use in the manufacture of shingles.
Schweigert et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,592 in 1972 proposed a low-speed granulating or shearing device with any number of cooperating knives fitted with a piercing-cutting tooth mounted on two counter-rotating shafts. The low speed of 20 to 50 rpm avoided the problem of heating, but left relatively large pieces of shingle requiring further reduction in a high-speed hammer-mill. A patent for such a process was awarded to Drouin in 1992—see below.
Good, deceased et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,851 in 1980 taught a method of recovering components from comminuted unused manufacturing waste shingles by solvent extraction at temperatures between 80 and 125° C. (176 to 257° F.) and at pressures between 5 and 100 p.s.i. This formed a miscella that was separated using evaporative techniques.
Babus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,641 in 1982 proposed the agitation of non-comminuted new manufacturing waste shingles in soft asphaltic oil at 300° F. (149° C.) to make a mix suitable for paving.
Brock, U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,893 in 1987 taught the combining of comminuted new and pre-used shingles into a hot-mix paving composition. Hot particles were added to appropriate quantities of liquid asphalt and aggregate, or of reclaimed roadway material. The proportion of shingles was limited by the capacity of the softest asphalt with a high penetration number of 250 to offset the hard asphalt in new shingles with a low penetration number of 11 and reach the standard penetration number of 50 to 60 for asphalt in hot-mix paving. The limit for adding shingles, some of which comprise 52% asphalt, was calculated to be within the range of 2 to 8%. This varied according to (a) the hardness of the added liquid asphalt, (b) on the proportion of asphalt in the shingle material, (c) its hardness, and (d) on the amount of recycled roadway with a hardness of 30 to 50. Brock also taught the use of a hog or hold-down conveyor invented by Knight, U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,192 in 1974. This controlled the flow of shingles into the hammer mill to avoid overloading. Brock, U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,472 in 1993 proposed a method of preparing shredded shingles for later use in a form that resisted sticking together.
Drouin et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,025 in 1992 proposed fine comminution of pre-used and unused asphalt shingles achieved through successive reduction in a shredder and hammer mill. Water or solvent was added to prevent heating and aggregation. The liquid was then mixed with other slurries to create a pulp that was suitable for cold forming into asphalt fiberboard, or as a damp-proof coating.
Gaudio, U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,338 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,032 in 1993 proposed cold mixing of roughage derived from crushed concrete with recycled roadway in appropriate ratios with comminuted pre-used shingles and light oil. The product was used for pavement construction and repair.
Richards, U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,702 in 1993 invented a method of hot molding an interlocking paving brick of 200×100×60 mm or 80 mm (8×4×2.5 inches or 3 inches) from a mixture of recyclables such as polyethylene bottles, tires and pre-used shingles, with asphalt comprising 40% by volume. The mixture was heated to a temperature of 325 to 375° F. (163 to 191° C.) and compressed at a pressure of 750 psi, with the hot mold submerged in cold water. Richards, U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,007 in 1994 taught a process for manufacturing a multi-layered composite block from the same material.
Grzybowski U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,497 in 1993, taught how to use a mixture of comminuted new and pre-used asphalt shingles as the dominant, and possibly sole, source of bitumen in a cold-patch material suitable for pavement repairs.
Chiovitti, U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,965 in 1994 invented a way of mechanically recovering and separating the asphalt/fiber and aggregate components of new and pre-used shingles by agitating comminuted shingles in a water tank.
Omann, U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,038 in 1994 proposed a comminutor comprising a plurality of cutter bars to kick, pull apart, cut and shear material such as wood, concrete and new and pre-used shingles aggregated in substantial clumps. Gross particles were produced requiring further reduction in a hammer mill. See below the patent awarded to Omann.
Glynn, U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,485 in 1994 taught a method of preparing a cold emulsion of asphalt, water, pumice, soap, and caustic soda in which to suspend, separate and mix aggregate with comminuted shingles and other recyclables such as shredded tires, plastics and glass, together with soils contaminated with petroleum or other hazardous materials. The proportion of shingles was 4 to 6% by weight. The product was a cold-mix concrete that set after expelling the water under pressure.
Omann, U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,426 in 1995 proposed using the comminutor patented by his brother (see above) to reduce shingles to large pieces that were further reduced in a succession of modified hammer mills cooled by compressed air or alternatively with water. The particles were then heated by microwaves to 200° F. (93° C.) for use in patching or paving roadways, or packaged for home use.
Pavelek, U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,899 in 1996 taught a method of laying down a road surface comprising conventionally comminuted pre-used shingles sandwiched between two layers of aggregate.
Chivers, U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,659 in 1997 proposed a method of reducing new and pre-used asphalt shingles to fine particles. Clogging of the comminutor was avoided by adding limestone or dolomite to shingles in any ratio up to 100:56. This permitted temperatures in the hammer mill to reach 300° F. (149° C.) without the material aggregating or sticking to the machinery.
Zickell et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,755 in 1998 taught a method of heating uncomminuted asphalt shingles to about 350° F. (177° C.) in a milling apparatus and mixing in virgin liquid asphalt. The resulting paste could be poured or pumped for undisclosed uses.
Gehrke et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,914 in 2000 disclosed a process for producing a paver measuring 4×8×2½ inches. He heated comminuted new and pre-used shingles under infrared heaters to a temperature of 130 to 150° F. (54 to 66° C.), and fed them into an extruder. The output was molded in two stages separated by a critical delay at a pressure of 60 tons, or the equivalent of 4,125 psi. Gehrke stated that an inferior and brittle block could be produced by pressure alone without heat, and that excessive heat decomposed part of the asphalt to ash that was brittle when aggregated.
Deschamps and Hanus, Canadian Pat. No. 2,148,878 in 2001 proposed a high-speed shredder that pulled shingles or other material downwardly through preferably three successive pairs of counter-rotating, intermeshing blades or knives within a housing. This reduced the material into successively smaller pieces quickly and without heating and without the use of sieves or grates. The design offered relatively simple and inexpensive construction with superior performance. This shredder forms an integral part of the process specified in this application.
Petermeier, U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,930 in 2002 taught how to form an interlocking paving brick from comminuted new and pre-used shingles heated to a temperature of 215 to 275° F. (102 to 135° C.) and pressed in a heated mold at a pressure of 300 to 760 psi.
Mischo, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2002/0011687A1 in 2002 proposed the comminution of shingles on a small scale with a conventional hammer mill. The output was sieved. The larger particles were used as material input for one product, while the remaining particles were heated to a temperature between 200 and 300° F. for extrusion and hot-molding into bricks and similar products.
With the sole exception of the Deschamps' shredder, these processes taught in the prior art are associated with various difficulties and disadvantages;
a. The processes taught by Babus and Brock for mixing treated asphalt shingles into hot mix asphalt composition limited the shingle proportion to 8%, and typically to 1%. The asphalt in new shingles, at times comprising 500% of the shingle by weight, was too hard (low penetration) for use in a hot mix containing only 6% asphalt. Furthermore only new shingles could be used because in pre-used shingles the asphalt was further oxidised and hardened to varying and unpredictable degrees by exposure to UV and air. Babus used only new shingles. Brock incorporated pre-used shingles, but compensated for their hardness by adding an offsetting quantity of soft high penetration asphalt. In practice the incorporation of pre-used shingles in hot-mix is difficult, complicated and severely limited. None of these factors applies in this application.b. Conventional comminutors screen the particles internally by grinding and regrinding them until they are reduced sufficiently to pass through the sieve or grate. This action heats the material, which becomes plastic, and increases power consumption. The plastic material agglomerates and adheres to the machinery, eventually blocking the screen. The material then backs up, overheats, and stops the machine. The material cools to a rock-hard consistency that is difficult and time-consuming to remove. These difficulties are explained in Omann U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,426 in 1995 and Chivers, U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,659 in 1997. This application teaches how to avoid such problems.c. Feeding a hammer mill with shingles that are clumped together can overload the shredder, as explained in Brock, U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,893 in 1987. He alleviated the problem by incorporating a hog. Such a device is not required in this application.d. Some, including Omann, U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,426 in 1995, and Drouin et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,025 in 1992, proposed the use of two comminutors; a slow-speed shredder for gross reduction and a high-speed hammer mill for fine reduction. The consequence was increased capital investment and maintenance, which are avoided in this application.e. Drouin et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,025 in 1992 proposed cooling shingles in the comminutor with water. This method is in common use today. For example, the HC 2400B hammer mill manufactured by Peterson Pacific Corp for comminuting wood, operates at 2,100 rpm with ½-inch grate. It is modified for use in shingles with strengthened cutters and larger water lines. However wet particles must be dried before being adding to hot asphalt because of the dangers associated with steam, which is explosive in the confines of a mold. The complication and cost of drying do not apply in this application.f. Draining wet shredded particles and drying them in a heated rotating drum was proposed by Richards, U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,702 in 1993, by Gehrke et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,914 in 2000, and by Petermeier, U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,930 in 2002. This created polluted water that could concern the regulatory authority, and influence their willingness to issue a certificate of approval. No discharges result from this application.g. As an earlier alternative to cooling water, Minge et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,368,371 in 1941 proposed blending the shingles with up to 20% sand or screenings to prevent agglomeration in the comminutor. This added material cannot however be separated out and is economical only when needed in the final product. The additional material increases the load on the comminutor and reduces the capacity to reduce shingles. No such disadvantage accompanies this application.h. Another method for reducing heat build-up in the comminutor was to remove the screens and sieve the particles separately. Unacceptably large particles were returned to the front of the machine repeatedly until of the desired size. The percentage of such returns could be large, but are minor in this application.i. The use of comminuted shingles as road aggregate, dust suppressant or as an additive to hot-mix asphalt has relatively low added value compared with the paving bricks and other products described in this application.j. The need to maintain the heated shingle particles at a minimum of 212° F. (100° C.) required heating the weighing container and mold. This added cost and complication that are avoided in this application.k. Gehrke et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,914 in 2000, proposed a two-step compaction process with a delay of minutes between the steps. This added complication and reduced productivity. The factor is absent from this application.l. Gehrke et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,914 in 2000 taught the heating of particles to 130 to 150° F. (54 to 66° C.) and applying a pressure of 60 tons or 4,125 p.s.i. By contrast, in this application the particles are at ambient temperature and the pressure applied is substantially greater than 5,000 p.s.i., and preferably about 11,500 p.s.i.m. Gehrke et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,914 in 2000 stated that an inferior and brittle block could be produced by pressure alone without heat. It is assumed they referred to a pressure of 4,125 p.s.i., which is substantially lower than the process pressure used in this application.n. Petermeier, U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,930 in 2002 proposed molding a brick at temperatures of 215 to 275° F. (102 to 135° C.) in a mold hotter than the particles. Even so, a low friction surface to prevent the plastic material from adhering to the mold was proposed in certain circumstances. This application avoids special surfaces and high temperatures.
In the preceding, the products into which shingles have been recycled relate almost entirely to road building, to road maintenance, or to formed and molded paving products, which is the subject of the present invention. The methods previously taught have employed temperatures ranging from 135° F. (54° C.) to 375° F. (191° C.), and pressures between 200 and 4,125 p.s.i. Only Gehrke et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,914 in 2000 described the cold molding of paving bricks, which is the subject of the present invention, but explicitly rejected it for reasons including product performance.

Process for transforming pre-used asphaltic roofing shingles into products


A dual mode ground penetrating radar includes an enclosure which houses radar electronics. The dual mode ground penetrating radar includes an enclosure housing radar electronics. The dual mode ground penetrating radar further includes a first antenna feed having ferrite loading and extending outside of the enclosure. The dual mode ground penetrating radar further includes a second antenna feed spaced apart from the first antenna feed, the second antenna feed having ferrite loading and extending outside of the enclosure. An RF signal is provided in at least one of the first and second antenna feeds by the radar electronics.

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a geophysical method that uses radar pulses to image a subsurface. This is a non-destructive method of imaging. The non-destructive method uses electromagnetic radiation in the radiowave band (HF/VHF/UHF frequencies) of the radio spectrum, and receives the reflected signals from subsurface structures. The amplitude and phase of the reflected signal depends on changes in the structure's physical properties. GPR can be used in different applications in a variety of media, including rock, soil, ice, fresh water, pavements and buildings. It can detect objects and changes in material, for example subsurface voids, cavities and utilities.
The depth range of GPR is limited by the electrical conductivity of the ground, the transmitted center frequency, the radiated power and receiver sensitivity. As conductivity increases, the penetration depth also decreases. This radiated energy is more quickly converted into heat. For each wavelength in the ground, a certain fraction of the energy is lost causing a loss in signal strength at depth. Typical depth performance of GPRs is about 20 wavelengths. Higher frequencies, with shorter wavelengths, do not penetrate as far as lower frequencies, but give better resolution. In conventional systems, good penetration is achieved in dry sandy soils or dense dry materials such as granite and limestone where the depth of penetration could be up to 50 m. In moist and/or clay-laden soils and soils with high electrical conductivity, penetration is sometimes only a few centimeters.
In conventional low frequency GPR, antennas require long wires with resistors at regular intervals. In these conventional antennas, the resistors are placed in series with the antenna segments in order to dampen the antenna and provide a resistive load. The electronics and batteries are placed in the middle of the antenna. Such an arrangement makes the antennas fragile and costly to manufacture.
It is also noted that the quality of land seismic data suffers from irregularities within the near surface, which is composed of layers that have experienced variable degrees of weathering. Examples of these irregularities include: lateral variation in thickness, lateral and vertical velocity variations, rugged topography, sand dune structures, and effects of near-surface water. The effects of these irregularities on seismic data include: static, scattering, multiples, ground roll, weak penetration of signal into deeper layers, and severe amplitude losses. These effects on seismic data are more severe in arid areas due to the extensive weathering that these areas have experienced during their geological history. Therefore, petroleum companies, for example, working with seismic data in Middle Eastern countries find that these data suffer greatly from adverse near-surface effects. This can be evidenced by the increasing number of forums devoted to issues of the near-surface during the last few years.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.

Dual mode ground penetrating radar (GPR)

King Abdulaziz City For Science and Technology


A digital copying machine as an example of the image processing apparatus is provided with a scanner unit and a printer unit is arranged such that a display state of a printer-side display panel of a printer-side user interface section changes its display state in response to a command entered by a scanner-side user interface. As a result, an image processing apparatus provided with a plurality of user interface sections of desirable operability can be realized.

Conventionally, in an image processing apparatus wherein a scanner unit and a printer unit are provided as separate members at a predetermined positional relationship, the scanner unit and the printer unit respectively provided with user interface sections are typically adopted. These user interface sections are used in displaying a variety of information, or entering commands to execute processing.
In the foregoing image processing apparatus provided with two user interface sections, either one of these user interface sections, which the user finds more convenient to use in its visibility and operability is mainly used. For example, in the typical structure of the image processing apparatus wherein the scanner unit and the printer unit are combined, the scanner unit is provided above the printer unit, for convenience in setting an original document or replacing the original document currently set with another original document. In this typical structure, the mainly used user interface section would be the user interface section of the scanner unit. Therefore, the user interface section of the scanner unit is conveniently situated for the user (in an upper part of the image forming apparatus). This interface section of the scanner unit would therefore be mainly used.
As an example of such conventional image processing apparatus, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-297388/1996 (Tokukaihei 8-297388, published on Nov. 12, 1996) discloses an image processing apparatus wherein display means of the scanner unit displays information on both a scanner unit and a printer unit, while display means of the printer unit displays information on only the printer unit.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-253084/1994 (Tokukaihei 6-253084, published on Sep. 9, 1994) discloses a composite machine terminal equipment provided with a variety of functions such as a print function, a copy function, a facsimile function, etc., wherein when its functions are to be expanded, an operation panel provided as standard equipment and a detachably provided operation panel as an expansion display means are controlled so that both panels can cooperatively operate, to attain an improvement in economical aspect.
In the foregoing conventional examples, complicated information on the printer unit is displayed using the large size display section of the scanner unit or another detachably attached unit. However, the above conventional display structures has such problem that the user gets confused as it is unclear which of the plurality of display sections is to be seen. For example, in a combined use of the scanner unit and the printer unit, generally, the user sees both of the display sections of these units which are provided one above the other, and performs a necessary processing based on the information displayed in either one of the display sections, which the user finds more useful.
Namely, in the conventional image forming apparatuses of the above publications, when the user enters a command for executing a processing, or checks a status of the processing, etc., the user's eyes are caught by both the information in the scanner-side display means and the information displayed in the printer-side display section. It is therefore difficult for the user to check the displayed information and recognize the contents thereof, resulting in poor operability. Particularly, when the user, who is not used to the image forming apparatus, operates the apparatus, the foregoing problem of making the user confused by the different information respectively displayed in the plurality of display means, and in this case, the operability would be more significantly lowered.
Namely, in the image forming apparatus displayed in the above publication, information is displayed on the scanner-side display means and the printer-side display means, and therefore, it is likely that the operator gets confused, and for the user, the information displayed in the user interface is difficult to be recognized.
For example, in the structure wherein the scanner unit is provided above the printer unit, the user of the apparatus typically operates while observing the scanner-side display means. In this state, since the printer-side display means is hidden by the scanner unit, the user needs to crouch down to check the display on the printer-side display means.
Namely, in the conventional image forming apparatuses of the above publications, a large amount of information is typically displayed respectively in the plurality of display means which are provided at positions apart from other, which makes the operator difficult to recognize the contents of all the information. Namely, the image processing apparatus disclosed in the above publication has such a drawback in that the information displayed in the user interfaces are difficult for the operator to recognize, resulting in poor operability. Particularly, in the case where the scanner-side display means and the printer-side display means have mutually different display capacities or functions, the respective information would be displayed in different manner, and in this case, the problem of vexatious complication in recognizing the contents of the displayed information would become more serious.


The present invention provides a method for producing human ceramide in a yeast cell.

A tissue known as stratum corneum exists on the outermost layer of the skin, which has a moisturizing function for retaining moisture as well as a barrier function for protecting the skin against external stimulation. The stratum corneum consists of keratinocytes, natural moisturizing factors and intercellular lipids, among which ceramides account for approximately one-half of the total intercellular lipids and play a crucial role for these functions. For example, a common characteristic of atopic dermatitis and senile xerosis is a significant deterioration of moisturizing ability, which is known to mainly result from decreased ceramide levels due to lipid metabolic enzyme abnormalities. Ceramides have also been shown to enhance barrier function, provide whitening effect and inhibit melanogenesis. Ceramides can be externally supplied.
J Invest Dermatol. 96:523-526, 1991 (Non-patent document 1) and Arch Dermatol Res. 283:219-223, 1991 (Non-patent document 2) disclose "decreased ceramide levels in atopic dermatitis and senile xerosis"; J Dermatol Sci. 1:79-83, 1990 (Non-patent document 3) and Acta Derm Venereol. 74:337-340, 1994 (Non-patent document 4) disclose "decreased ceramide levels and lipid metabolic enzyme abnormalities"; Contact Dermatitis. 45:280-285, 2001 (Non-patent document 5) and J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 16:587-594, 2002 (Non-patent document 6) disclose "restoration of barrier function by ceramides"; and Cell Signal 14:779-785, 2002 (Non-patent document 7) discloses "inhibition of melanogenesis by ceramides."
Recently, ceramides have attracted great attention for use in medicines for skin diseases associated with dry sensitive skin or in cosmetics or health and/or cosmeceutical foods. In fact, a number of products such as cosmetics and food or supplements containing ceramides have already been commercialized, and the market for ceramide materials is continuing to grow.
Ceramide materials of animal origin such as cow were conventionally used, but are currently replaced by those of plant origin such as rice, wheat, soybean and potato because of problems of infections. A recent basic study (J. Clin. Invest. 112:1372-1382, 2003 (Non-patent document 8)) showed the importance of the structures of ceramides in the moisturizing and barrier functions of the skin, which raised questions about whether plant ceramides structurally different from human ceramides are highly functional lipids. Moreover, ceramides are present in animals and plants in minute amounts and are difficult to extract and purify, thus incurring low productivity and high cost, and therefore, it is highly desirable to develop a new production technique capable of overcoming these problems.
It is known that, in the synthetic/metabolic pathway for sphingolipids, reactions downstream of dihydrosphingosine (DHS) biosynthesis widely differ between higher animal cells (including human cells) and yeast cells, as shown in FIG. 1. Each enzyme protein involved in various steps in the synthetic/metabolic pathway for sphingolipids and the gene encoding the protein have been known to some degree (Biochemistry. 41:15105-15114, 2002 (Non-patent document 9); J Biol Chem. 277:25512-25518, 2002 (Non-patent document 10); Yeast 9: 267-277, 1993 (Non-patent document 11); J Biol Chem 272:29704-29710, 1997 (Non-patent document 12); J Biol Chem 275:31369-31378, 2000 (Non-patent document 13); J Biol Chem 275:39793-39798, 2000 (Non-patent document 14)).
Non-patent document 1: J Invest Dermatol. 96:523-526, 1991
Non-patent document 2: Arch Dermatol Res. 283:219-223, 1991
Non-patent document 3: J Dermatol Sci. 1:79-83, 1990
Non-patent document 4: Acta Derm Venereol. 74:337-340, 1994
Non-patent document 5: Contact Dermatitis. 45:280-285, 2001
Non-patent document 6: J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 16:587-594, 2002
Non-patent document 7: Cell Signal 14:779-785, 2002
Non-patent document 8: J. Clin. Invest. 112:1372-1382, 2003
Non-patent document 9: Biochemistry. 41:15105-15114, 2002
Non-patent document 10: J Biol Chem. 277:25512-25518, 2002
Non-patent document 11: Yeast 9: 267-277, 1993
Non-patent document 12: J Biol Chem 272:29704-29710, 1997
Non-patent document 13: J Biol Chem 275:31369-31378, 2000
Non-patent document 14: J Biol Chem 275:39793-39798, 2000

Methods for producing human ceramide using yeast transformants

Abstract: The method of the present invention comprises:                1) introducing the sphingoid Δ4-desaturase gene (DES1) by transformation of the yeast cell;        2) abolishing the expression of the yeast sphinganine C4-hydroxylase gene (SUR2) by transformation of the yeast cell; and        3) abolishing the expression of the yeast sphingoid base kinase gene (LCB4) by transformation of the yeast cell.


A system (1) for automatically generating geographic specific data. System (1) includes a first database (5) for storing a first set of records, wherein each record includes location data, content data and timestamp data. A second database (15) stores a second set of data records, wherein each record includes location data, content data and timestamp data. A third database (25) stores a third set of records, wherein each record is indicative of a respective geographic location. A communications interface (31) receives unstructured data (32) from data sources (33) and structured data (34) from data sources (35). System (1) includes a computing platform (50) which is responsive to the unstructured data (32) for selectively updating the first set of records, responsive to the structured data (34) for selectively updating the second set of records, and responsive to the first and second set of records for generating geographic specific data in the form of a risk rating for each location.

Any discussion of the background art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
With the growing prevalence of foreign travel by individuals and groups for leisure, business and governmental purposes, there has arisen over the last decade or so a strong desire for access to better information about the travel destinations, particularly when planning for such travel. In parallel, the increasing ubiquitousness of internet access has allowed a number of prior art systems to arise from which travellers, and those with an interest in those travellers, to gain information about the travel destinations and the location of the travellers during the planned travel.
There are a number of prior art systems configured for use by individual travellers. One example of such systems includes the Smartraveller App supplied by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs. This App allows individual travellers to gain access to relatively up-to-date Australian Federal Government approved travel advice and tips for given countries, as well as destination updates to help the potential travellers make informed decisions before travelling abroad. A further example system is provided by the Gogobot App, which provides travellers with weather information based on the traveller's location, and allows the travellers to view, while travelling, suggested local attractions and the like. Other prior art systems include the Foursquare App, the TripAdvisor App, the Cajun Coast App, the Twist App, the AFAR App, the HostelWorld App, the WorldMate App, and the CityMapper App, amongst others. These systems typically offer a combination of similar or overlapping functionalities for individual travellers, although each with its own unique emphasis.
In addition to these presently publicly accessible systems, there are other potential systems illustrated by the disclosure in, for example, Australian patent application AU2003100741. This system proposes risk reduction for travellers through sharing information with other travellers to better inform the collective group. This occurs using two-way 'push' and 'pull' safety and security information via a controlling intermediary (in this case e-Travel Safe). Further examples of traveller information sharing systems are provided in Australian patent applications 2014224103 and 2014224103.
A further example prior art system is provided by the disclosure in US patent application 2010/0324958 which provides an asset, personnel, and travel information accumulation, analysis, and reporting system. A further example system of this general nature is illustrated in WO2013/188466, where a travel advisory generation system enables generation of electronic travel notifications based upon one or more selected parameters such as origin, destination, travel dates and travel provider. Examples of the notifications include events such as labour strikes, mechanical failure, new fees/rules for travel, severe weather events, security threats and high numbers of travellers at a given location.
Other prior art systems are focussed also on providing travel bookings and advice to travellers, and to assisting with travel bookings and changes to bookings. Such systems are illustrated by the disclosure in Australian patent application 2014274504, PCT patent applications PCT/IL2015/050414 and PCT/US2013/066247, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/105,095.
A further prior art system is disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 13/337,005, where a system for managing risk in employee travel is described. This system involves tracking the location of travellers during their travel and notifying the travellers of events that may pose a risk to the proposed travel.
While not related specifically to travellers, there is available a further system provided by Emergency AUS (http://emergencyaus.info/) for providing the public with a single map-based interface that users are able to navigate to locate emergency events such as automotive accidents and extreme weather events. The system draws data from a number of remote data sources containing emergency information and presents this centrally for users to view. There is also the ability for users to submit observations and/or other information about the events.
Even for those of the above systems that issue alerts or other notifications to users, those are typically concerned with specific events rather than the overall risk for a given location. Moreover, the location and nature of the events are obtained from government or other authorised agencies, which invariably involves a delay due to the level of authorisation and verification that is required before information is able to be published by those agencies. The one prior art system which does provide some indication of overall risk, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/337,005, is primarily concerned with allowing organisations to better monitor the location of the personnel in the field and the anticipated risks being faced by those personnel. Moreover, the construction of the risk ratings is manually intensive, and necessarily subjective.
Notwithstanding the existence of these prior art systems, in the current globalised and yet uncertain international environment, safety of travellers, particularly in overseas locations, remains a prominent concern for businesses, non-government organisations, insurance companies, corporate executives, governments and individuals. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved system and method for generating geographic specific risk ratings.

System and method for automatically generating geographic specific data


The present invention comprises a racing table game and method for playing. Game components include, but are not limited to: a table gaming surface having a plurality of lanes with start and finish lines; a plurality of racers; at least two dice; and a plurality of race tickets each corresponding to a racer. In one embodiment of a method of play, game setup and dealer selection occurs. The dealer then randomizes and distributes the race tickets. A player rolls the dice and acts either by paying chip(s) into a purse or moving a racer, as instructed by the dice. Play continues with each player rolling the dice and acting, until a winner is determined with a racer crossing the finish line. That race is over and the purse is divided into shares and distributed to winning ticket holders. When the role of the dealer is transferred, the next race commences.

There are many types of races that humans either participate in directly or orchestrate for their own enjoyment. For example, automobile races and horse races both include a human driver/jockey participating directly in the race while greyhound races have no direct human participant. In either case, the races are about speed and entertainment and are enjoyed by a large and diverse fan base. The fans are those people who are watching, cheering, or otherwise involved in the race but aren't directly participating themselves. Fans often wager on the outcome of a racing event and seek to become more involved with their favorite racing genre through the playing of video games, board games and/or table games that seek to simulate a racing event.
There are a plethora of racing games, for examples, see: U.S. Pat. No. 3,241,279; U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,017; U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,267; U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,078; U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,699; U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,609; U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,673; U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,223; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,118,108; the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.
However, many such games are either overly complicated, or they do not adequately mirror the excitement and speed of the underlying racing event on which they are based. Specifically, no existing game has the combination of speed, excitement, chips, and player involvement inherent in the present invention.