When generating a projection image which is an image formed of image information on a plurality of visual lines viewing a first structure in a three-dimensional medical image from a given viewpoint being projected on a given projection plane, setting an assumed position of a treatment tool in the three-dimensional image, detecting a surface of the first structure from the three-dimensional medical image, identifying a second structure in the three-dimensional medical image located at a position masked by the first structure, detecting an intersection point between an assumed path formed when the treatment tool is moved from the assumed position towards the second structure and the surface of the first structure, and displaying the intersection point in an identifiable manner at a position to which image information on a visual line connecting the viewpoint and the intersection point is projected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for generating a projection image which is an image formed of image information on a plurality of visual lines viewing a structure in a three-dimensional medical image from a predetermined viewpoint being projected on a predetermined projection plane.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with the advancement of modalities, such as multidetector-row CT (MDCT), high quality three-dimensional image data have become available. In image diagnosis using such image data, virtual or pseudo three-dimensional subject images have been used more frequently, as well as high resolution cross-sectional images. Further, the extraction of organ structures from three-dimensional medical images using image recognition technologies are also performed, and it has become possible to generate virtual or pseudo three-dimensional images from three-dimensional medical images of well distinguished structures. Then, the images so generated are used in the planning and simulations prior to surgery and navigations during surgery.
As for the method of generating a virtual or pseudo three-dimensional image, a method using rendering technology, such as surface rendering or volume rendering is known. In particular, an image obtained by perspective projection (central projection) from a virtual viewpoint inside of a subject is called a virtual endoscopic image, which is an image as if observed by an endoscope.
Technologies for supporting endoscopic surgery using such virtual endoscopic images are proposed.
For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20020128547 describes an apparatus that detects a position of an endoscope by a sensor and generates, with the detected position as the viewpoint, a virtual endoscopic image having a wider field angle than the endoscope, and displays a real endoscopic image captured by the endoscope and the virtual endoscopic image in a superimposing manner.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-021353 describes an apparatus that detects a position of an endoscope in real time, generates a virtual endoscopic image having the same field of view as that of the endoscope and visualizing a vascular arrangement within the field of view, detects a position of a treatment tool used in the endoscopic surgery in real time, generates a composite image by combining an image representing the treatment tool to the virtual endoscopic image at the position of the treatment tool, and displays the composite image and a real endoscope image.
In an endoscopic surgery, the visual line direction differs from the operation direction of the treatment tool. This makes it difficult, even by observing, in perspective, a lesion in an organ using virtual endoscopic images from endoscope viewpoints described in the patent documents described above, to understand the operation direction of the treatment tool, i.e., the state in an approaching path of the treatment tool towards a lesion in the images. For example, for a virtual endoscopic image in which the visual direction VL corresponds to the center of the field of view, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 7, it is difficult to understand a position where the treatment tool enters into an organ. Although it is possible to observe other structures present in the organ, such as a blood vessel and the like, to be taken into account for the surgery by translucent processing, it is difficult to understand whether or not such a structure is present in the path of the treatment tool from the entry position to the lesion.
The present invention has been developed in view of the circumstances described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for generating a projection image that allows easy understanding of the state of an approaching path of a treatment tool for an attention structure masked by another structure, such as a lesion in an organ. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a computer readable recording medium on which is recorded a projection image generation program of the present invention.

Projection image generation apparatus and method, and computer readable recording medium on which is recorded program for the same


Provided are a method and an apparatus for searching neighboring Bluetooth® devices through an external terminal having programming capability. The inventive method provides for a slave Bluetooth® device to receive, from the external terminal, the MAC address and optional device name from a target Bluetooth® device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved Bluetooth® device search and connect process. More particularly, the inventive process for Bluetooth® pairing may be performed with a third party terminal that has programming capability. The third party terminal will make a list of neighboring Bluetooth® devices and will provide the list to a pairing (slave) device. Neighboring Bluetooth® device lists may be composed by using either a "third party terminal" Bluetooth® capability, or alternatively, through an "inquiring device" (e.g., pairing) Bluetooth® capability, whereby an inquiring device uses a list of neighboring Bluetooth® devices provided by a third party to connect to other Bluetooth® devices. This third party paging invention can be applied to other wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi and WiMax, and any reference herein to the term "Bluetooth®" is also meant to include applications to all other manner of wireless, as well as wired technologies.
2. Description of the Related Art
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Wireless terminals such as computers, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), barcode scanners, printers, etc are becoming increasingly useful among consumers and within industry. These devices often use Bluetooth® as a wireless technology, Bluetooth® is a technology promoted by the Bluetooth® SIG of Kirkland, Wash., for providing short range wireless communications that makes it possible to wirelessly connect Bluetooth® enabled devices within a relatively short range at low cost. In Bluetooth® communication, radio frequencies are used to exchange voice and data signals between Bluetooth® devices within a relatively short range without the need for physical cables. For example, when a mobile communication terminal and a laptop computer are each equipped with a Bluetooth® module, they can be wirelessly connected each other, i.e. without using cables. Almost all types of digital devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), desktop computers, facsimiles (FAXs), keyboards, and joysticks can utilize Bluetooth® communication if they have a Bluetooth® module.
A device having a Bluetooth® module searches neighboring Bluetooth® devices and performs a pairing process with the searched Bluetooth® device so that it can wirelessly communicate with the searched Bluetooth® device(s). The pairing process is an authentication process in which an inter-device common link key defined in the Bluetooth® interface standard is created to authenticate an inter-device common link. Bluetooth® functionality is widely implemented in various electronics, including cell phones, barcode readers, keyboards and printers. Bluetooth® devices require paging and inquiring process to establish connection between two Bluetooth® devices. To this end, peripheral Bluetooth® devices such as barcode scanners, keyboards, joysticks and printers are normally developed as a Bluetooth® slave device, without the capacity to initiate direct Bluetooth® connection features to the other Bluetooth® devices (whether master devices such as a PC, a PDA, or slave devices such as the illustrative barcode scanners, keyboards, joysticks and printers.) However, users of these peripheral (slave) Bluetooth® devices may nevertheless need to initiate a connection to other Bluetooth® devices directly sometimes, but cannot do so in the current art of Bluetooth® enabled electronic devices.
Furthermore, certain Bluetooth® enabled electronic devices are structured so as to magnify the above problem further. For example, one popular electronic device in use today is the Apple iPhone®, which is available from Apple, Inc., of Cupertino, Calif. As evidence of the aforementioned additional difficulties encountered in the known art, the Apple iPhone® does not even provide page (search) and inquiry (connect) function for these peripheral devices. This is because the Apple iPhone® and some other proprietary devices differ in an additional aspect. Specifically, typical (e.g., non-iPhone®) connecting Bluetooth® devices (master devices such as PCs and PDAs) provide rudimentary Bluetooth® manager software. This software allows for the master device to search neighboring Bluetooth® devices (Bluetooth® calls this process as "pairing"), and permits a user to select a device to connect (Bluetooth® calls this process as "inquiring"), such that a connected device may be requested to enter a PIN to connecting device and thereafter, the two devices are connected if the PIN matches. Unfortunately, however, iPhone® has blocked the ability to list peripheral/neighboring Bluetooth® devices (except for a nominal Bluetooth® headset) during its search process, and as such, does not support any other manner of Bluetooth® enabled devices, thus slave and other devices cannot perform a connection.
Thus, full, reciprocal connectivity between all manner of peripheral Bluetooth® devices (whether barcode scanners, printers, keyboards and joysticks) and all types of master Bluetooth® devices remains elusive because one simply cannot initiate either the pairing and/or inquiring process given the lack of either programming features, or due to the lack of displays for controlling the pairing and the inquiry (inquiring) process. Further to this point, and as alluded to above, peripheral Bluetooth® devices typically lack either programming capability or display functions such that a paged (searched) device list cannot be controlled in proper manner, despite the fact that this is a very common Bluetooth® manager function that exists (for non-iPhone® type connections) on most non-peripheral (master) Bluetooth® terminals. Because of this, if a user needs to select a Bluetooth® device to inquire from paged (searched) list, it is not a trivial task (from the peripheral Bluetooth® device perspective) to provide the searched list and to allow for the user to select a device from a list. More specifically, this is also because there is a lack of either programming capability, or because of a lack of input and output capability such as buttons, display, visible light, display, speakers, or other external communication ports.
Accordingly, prior art systems, as described below (each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in their respective entireties) merely try to achieve efficient way connecting two Bluetooth® devices and do not address the deficiencies described above. For example, US patent publication number 2008/0076389, titled "An Automatic Pairing Method for a Bluetooth®-Enabled Mobile Terminal" purportedly proposes an automatic paring and connection method using additional authentication signals that are defined between devices, whereby the two devices reportedly check whether they are "automatic pairing and connection enabled" devices (such as Samsung phone and Samsung headset) and perform automatic pairing and connection process without standard user involved paging and inquiring procedure. Similarly, US patent publication number 2007/0197164, titled "Method and Device for Automatic Bluetooth® pairing" purportedly defines a device connection method wherein a slave device tries to connect master device if there is a connected history stored therein. Also, US patent publication number 2005/0220221, titled "Identifying a local device by name" supposedly proposes maintaining a Bluetooth® device name locally in order to speed up inquiring process so as to focus on searching and connection method of slave devices. To this end, users of Bluetooth® enabled electronic devices of all kinds (not just the illustrative iPhone®), are in need of a way to connect directly to peripheral/neighboring Bluetooth® devices, with or without an additional authentication process.

Method and apparatus for improved connection of wireless devices using third party programming capability


A negative differential resistance (NDR) diode and a memory cell incorporating that NDR diode are provided. The NDR diode comprises a p-type germanium region in contact with an n-type germanium region and forming a germanium pn junction diode. A first gate electrode overlies the p-type germanium region, is electrically coupled to the n-type germanium region, and is configured for coupling to a first electrical potential. A second gate electrode overlies the n-type germanium region and is configured for coupling to a second electrical potential. A third electrode is electrically coupled to the p-type germanium region and may be coupled to the second gate electrode. A small SRAM cell uses two such NDR diodes with a single pass transistor.

In the semiconductor industry there is a continuous effort to increase the amount of information that can be stored by an individual memory chip, to decrease the power consumption by the chip and to improve the reliability of the stored information. The effort to increase the memory storage necessarily dictates a corresponding effort to reduce the size of the memory cell. Reducing the size of the memory cell and the power consumption are not always consistent with the goal of improving reliability of the stored information.
The standard static random access memory (SRAM) cell is a six transistor cell. The only way to reduce the size of this cell is to shrink or reduce the design rules; that is, to reduce the minimum allowable size of elements or spacing between elements. Reducing the design rules increases manufacturing difficulty and reduces reliability. One alternative proposal for reducing memory size has been to replace the six transistor cell with a cell comprising one transistor and two negative differential resistance (NDR) diodes. Unfortunately, to date the available NDR diodes provide a peak to valley current ratio of only ten or less which is insufficient for large scale SRAM applications. In addition, the available NDR diodes have required thin alternating layers of compound semiconductor materials deposited by molecular beam epitaxy. Such diodes cannot be easily and inexpensively integrated into large scale memories.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an NDR diode that can be easily manufactured and integrated into a large scale integrated circuit. In addition, it is desirable to provide a memory cell that includes NDR diodes that can be readily manufactured, has a small "footprint", reduces power consumption, and is stable and reliable. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Negative differential resistance diode and SRAM utilizing such device


This invention provides zinc-free aqueous brine compositions. These zinc-free aqueous brine compositions have a density of about 14.3 pounds per gallon to about 15.8 pounds per gallon, and a true crystallization temperature of about 20° F. or less, and comprise water and two or more inorganic bromide salts, where the inorganic bromide salts include calcium bromide and cesium bromide. Processes for forming these zinc-free aqueous brine compositions are also provided.

Conventional aqueous brine fluids, like calcium bromide, which can have densities up to about 14.2 pounds per gallon (1.70 kg/L), are widely used in oilfield production as clear completion fluids, drilling fluids, packer fluids, and so forth. For some wells, downhole pressures can reach 30,000 psi (2.1×108 Pa). Such high pressures occur downhole at least in the Gulf of Mexico, and temperatures at the mud line in the Gulf of Mexico can reach 40° F. (4.4° C.). As a general observation, each 10,000 pounds per square inch (6.9×107 Pa) increase in pressure can increase the crystallization temperature of an aqueous brine by about ten Fahrenheit degrees (about 5.6 Celsius degrees).
Typical aqueous brine fluids include calcium bromide having densities up to about 14.2 ppg (1.70 kg/L). A calcium bromide aqueous brine of about 14.2 ppg (1.70 kg/L) density has a true crystallization temperature of less than 10° F. (−12.2° C.). Calcium bromide aqueous brines having densities as high as 15 ppg (1.8 kg/L) can be made; however, these solutions have a true crystallization temperature of about 61° F. (16.1° C.). These higher density calcium bromide aqueous brines are not suitable for use in some downhole applications, such as conditions often found in the Gulf of Mexico, because precipitates will form in these higher density calcium bromide aqueous brines due to their relatively high true crystallization temperatures.
Zinc-containing calcium bromide aqueous brines of high density, e.g., about 14.5 pounds per gallon (1.74 kg/L) or greater, are easily obtained by blending enough zinc bromide into the calcium bromide aqueous brine to reach the desired density value. Zinc-containing calcium bromide aqueous brines have true crystallization temperatures that are usually about 20° F. (−6.7° C.) or lower, making these zinc-containing brines more suitable for downhole use. However, inclusion of zinc necessitates increased reporting to government agencies for environmental reasons, resulting in more costly environmental mitigation measures. For example, zinc is regulated as a Priority Pollutant by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Hence, there is a need to develop high density aqueous brine fluids that are zinc-free, and that have true crystallization temperatures that are suitably low for downhole use.


A lighting system includes multiple extendable and retractable light units. Each light unit includes a housing with inner and outer sleeves, which are telescopically interconnected. A drive assembly is located in each housing for extending and retracting the inner sleeve whereby a luminaire mounted in the inner sleeve can be selectively elevated. The housings are adapted for flush-mounting in the ground with their inner sleeves retracted. The lighting system can include a centralized control subsystem for collectively and individually operating the individual light units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lighting systems, and in particular to an automated lighting system with extendable and retractable light units controlled by a centralized control system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lighting systems are available in a wide variety of designs, which accommodate various lighting applications and environments. For example, fixed-position lighting systems are commonly used for applications with relatively constant conditions. Other lighting systems can be repositioned as needed for particular illumination tasks. Both fixed-position and movable lighting systems are used for indoor and outdoor applications. Outdoor lighting applications present several challenges to the designer. For example, ambient weather conditions must be considered and can include precipitation, temperature extremes, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, etc.
Another consideration affecting lighting design relates to concealing and/or otherwise protecting the lighting fixtures or units when they are not being used. For example, landscape lights are generally associated with exterior applications and can be used for illuminating and accentuating landscape designs. Low voltage power supplies (e.g., 12 V) are commonly used to reduce electrical shock hazards and to enable multiple light units to receive power via light gauge electrical leads from common power sources. Such power sources are commonly connected to the power systems of buildings and the transformed electrical power is distributed to multiple lighting units around the premises. For example, a common application for low-voltage lighting systems relates to illuminating walkways, driveways and other circulation structures for pedestrians and vehicles. Such light fixtures can be conveniently installed in the ground with the wiring runs between the power source and the fixtures buried below grade. Ground-mounted systems can effectively illuminate the ground-level surfaces of circulation structures such as driveways and walkways, and are particularly effective and attractive in applications not requiring general illumination.
In many applications, particularly outdoors, it would be advantageous to retract the light fixtures below grade for protection from surface traffic, such as vehicles, pedestrians and maintenance equipment. Maintenance, such as mowing, snow removal, etc., can be performed more efficiently if the light fixtures are temporarily retracted into below-grade receptacles.
Such extendable and retractable fixtures have previously been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,075,834; 5,513,085; 5,068,773; 5,072,345 and 5,124,902 all show retractable light fixtures. However, heretofore there has not been available an extendable/retractable light fixture with the advantages and features of the present invention.

Automated lighting system with extendable and retractable light units


An imaging device and an imaging method by millimeter wave 3D holographic scanning are disclosed. In an embodiment, the millimeter wave 3D holographic scanning imaging device may include: a conveying apparatus configured to convey an object located thereon in a first direction; and at least one millimeter wave transceiving module arranged beside the conveying apparatus, each configured to be enabled to scan the object when the conveying apparatus conveys the object through the respective millimeter wave transceiving module, wherein each millimeter wave transceiving module is arranged to have its longitudinal direction extend in a direction intersecting the first direction, and includes a millimeter wave transceiving antenna array for transceiving millimeter wave signals.

Currently the most widely used imaging security inspection technology includes mainly an X-ray imaging technology and a millimeter wave imaging technology. The millimeter wave imaging technology is increasingly being recognized by the market. The millimeter wave imaging technology is mainly divided into a passive millimeter wave imaging technology and an active millimeter wave imaging technology, and the active millimeter wave imaging technology mainly refers to a holographic imaging technology.
In the existing active millimeter wave 3D holographic imaging technology used in the security inspection, it is required that an object to be inspected, such as a human body or an article, stays in a specific location for a while. Thus, the inspection cannot be performed continuously, and a clearance rate is lower. In addition, since there is a moving part, a larger space is occupied.
In view of this, it is necessary to provide novel imaging devices and imaging methods by millimeter wave 3D holographic scanning.

Imaging devices and imaging methods by millimeter wave 3D holographic scanning


An adjustable jig includes rigidly formed arms that have rectilinear shapes provided with opposite edges, an elongated central opening formed therein and opposed ends abutted with adjacent arm ends. Fasteners are interfitted within the arm openings such that the arms become statically affixed to each other and are detachable from associated ones of the openings. Each fastener includes a tri-lobed nut that has a threaded bottom end. A cap is conjoined to the threaded bottom end and has an outwardly beveled perimeter converging upwardly towards a bottom surface of one of the arms. Each arm has two of the fasteners interfitted through the opening associated therewith. A level gauge is included for establishing a horizontal plane along one arm and is releasably conjoined to a top surface of one arm and positioned at an interior edge thereof.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to adjustable jigs and, more particularly, to an adjustable jig for use when INSTALLING bargeboards.
2. Prior Art
Numerous types of template devices for indicating at which point and along which line a surface should be cut have been provided in the prior art. Unfortunately, such devices are usually limited to one specific shape which greatly limits the use thereof. Further additions to the prior art introduced templates that have an adaptable body. A disadvantage of such templates, however, is the fact that they are limited to shapes that are triangular and square in nature, and tend not to be adaptable among a variety of shapes either. In most instances, it is to the tradesman's advantage to know whether the surface they will be working on is level or not. Unfortunately, no prior art template of knowledge is provided with a level indicator, which requires the laborer to carry a separate level gauge. This can be cumbersome and inconvenient, especially in confined working areas.
Accordingly, a need remains for an adjustable jig for use when INSTALLING bargeboards in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an adjustable jig that is convenient and easy to use, increases the speed and accuracy with which a task is completed, and improves the laborer's efficiency. Such an adjustable jig reduces the amount of time and effort required to lay out and produce replacement bargeboards during the course of a vinyl soffit and fascia installation project. The stainless steel, aluminum or plastic construction of the apparatus further prevents same from being affected by corrosion, thus ensuring repeated use thereof.

Adjustable jig for use when installing bargeboards


A method for stabilizing a vehicle in a transverse direction, in which: for a first braking force distribution in which each vehicle wheel is braked using the maximum braking force transmittable to the road surface in the current driving situation, the yawing moment acting on the vehicle is ascertained; for at least a second braking force distribution that differs from the first braking force distribution in that at least one wheel is not braked using the maximum braking force, the yawing moment acting on the vehicle is ascertained; a setpoint yawing moment is ascertained; and from at least the first and second braking force distributions, the braking force distribution whose associated yawing moment comes closest to the setpoint yawing moment is set at the vehicle.

Today, numerous motor vehicles have electronic stability programs, which increase driving safety by actively intervening in the vehicle motion. In this context, braking actions at the individual wheels are normally used to control the yawing motion of the vehicle in a stabilizing manner in the extreme range of driving dynamics, and thus, to keep the vehicle controllable for the driver. In so doing, the braking actions are set such that they are as unnoticeable as possible and result in only a slight reduction in speed.
Published German patent application document DE 36 25 392 A1 describes a closed-loop control system for preventing skidding movements of a motor vehicle, in which skidding movements are automatically correctible without the necessity of steering movements. This is achieved by selective deceleration and/or accelerations and/or a correction of the wheel angle of individual wheels.

Yaw rate control with simultaneous maximum deceleration


A lead implantation tool is disclosed herein. The tool may be configured to operably couple to a lead connector end of an implantable cardiac electrotherapy lead including an active fixation helix tip and wherein the lead connector end includes a contact pin proximally extending from the lead connector end. The tool may include a feature configured to couple to the contact pin and a first mechanism configured to convert linear movement into rotational movement of the contact pin relative to the lead connector end. The tool may further include a second mechanism that causes a stylet extending through the tool and into the contact pin to at least one of distally and proximally displace within the contact pin.

An active fixation lead may utilize a helix at its distal end for fixation into the heart tissue. The lead may have a lead connector end at its proximal end that includes a contact pin that is welded to an inner coil, which extends through the lead body and is welded to the helix at the distal end of the inner coil. The helix, inner coil and contact pin are rotatable as a unit within the lead body.
In order to extend the helix from the distal end of the lead body and anchor the helix into to heart tissue, a clip-on tool or implant tool is used to rotate the contact pin relative to rest of the lead connector end and the lead body. The effectiveness of this helix fixation method varies based on the number of contact pin rotations. For example, insufficient rotation can result in inadequate helix fixation to the heart tissue, and excessive rotation can damage the weld joints or result in perforation of the heart wall.
There is a need in the art for a lead delivery device that facilitates proper fixation of the helix to heart tissue. There is also a need in the art for a method of achieving proper fixation of the helix to heart tissue.

Device and method for the implantation of active fixation medical leads


A laser includes first through fourth gain media, first through fifth wavelength selective filters, and first through fourth wavelength selective mirrors. The first through fourth gain media emit laser beams of different wavelengths. Each of the first through fifth wavelength selective filters includes first through fourth input/output ports. The fifth wavelength selective filter selects light of periodic wavelengths. The first through fourth wavelength selective filters have their respective first input/output ports connected to the first through fourth gain media, respectively, have their respective fourth input/output ports connected to the first through fourth wavelength selective mirrors, respectively, and have their respective second input/output ports connected to the first through fourth input/output ports, respectively, of the fifth wavelength selective filter.

In trunk-line optical communication systems, large-capacity optical transmission is performed using a wavelength division multiplexing communications system. Multiple optical signals of different wavelengths are transmitted through a single fiber in this system. In such a wavelength division multiplexing communications system, a tunable laser capable of varying an oscillation wavelength within a broad wavelength range is indispensable. In the wavelength division multiplexing communications, predetermined wavelength channels (an ITU-T grid) are set, and the wavelength of each tunable laser is tuned to each wavelength channel.
The transmission capacity of a wavelength division multiplexing communications system is the product of a bit rate per wavelength channel and the number of wavelength channels, and the transmission capacity increases as the number of wavelength channels increases. The number of wavelength channels is determined by an employed wavelength range (for example, a wavelength range of 1525 nm to 1565 nm referred to as "C-band") and the wavelength spacing (interval) of wavelength channels. Accordingly, even in the same wavelength range, it is possible to increase the number of wavelength channels and accordingly to increase the transmission capacity by reducing the wavelength spacing.
In the present wavelength division multiplexing communications systems, the modulation baud rate of each wavelength is 10 Gbaud or 25 Gbaud, and as depicted in FIG. 1A, the wavelength spacing is set to 50 GHz (approximately 0.4 nm). In contrast, in next-generation wavelength division multiplexing communications systems, it has been under study to increase the transmission capacity by reducing the wavelength interval to the same value as the modulation baud rate, which is a physical limit, using the Nyquist method or optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (optical OFDM). Specifically, as depicted in FIG. 1B, it has been under study to increase the transmission capacity by reducing the wavelength interval to the same value as the modulation baud rate, which is a physical limit, namely, 25 GHz in the case of 25 Gbaud.
Reference may be made to Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-245344 for related art.


A vacuum bandage is provided for use with a wound having a wound surface. The bandage is connectable to a vacuum source and includes a wound dressing member having a wound contacting surface, a top surface, and a port configured for communication with the vacuum source. The wound dressing member further includes holes in the wound contacting surface configured for communication with the wound surface of the wound and a passageway between the port and each hole. The vacuum bandage further includes a pack adjacent to the top surface of the member. The pack may include an aperture positioned about the port.

The present disclosure relates to packing for placement over a chronic wound, and particularly to packing for use with a vacuum bandage coupled to a vacuum source.
Gauze or commercially available foam packing is typically used to pack a wound. One example is the ALLEVYN® Cavity Wound Dressing available from Smith & Nephew. This particular wound dressing is made of a polyurethane foam. Gauze is often used to absorb liquid and exudate present on the wound surface.


A system and method for monitoring a vertical shaft impact crusher comprises a plurality of sensors which continuously monitor the current status of a plurality of crusher component parts, a computer in communication with the sensors, and a graphical user interface in communication with the computer and on which is displayed a plurality of virtual instruments. The computer interprets the signals received from the sensors and renders a perceptible indication of a plurality of crusher conditions on the plurality of virtual instruments, each of which conditions are associated with or derived from one or more of the signals received from the sensors. In a preferred embodiment, a recorded history of the status of each of the conditions may be viewed on a historical data viewer for a selected time period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rock crushing machines and, more particularly, to a system for monitoring, recording, and evaluating a plurality of conditions on a vertical shaft impact crusher.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Vertical shaft impact (VSI) rock crushers provide the rock crushing industry with an efficient and remarkably effective tool for breaking rocks down to a functional particle size. VSI crushers work on the principle that mineral material fed axially into a spinning rotor is flung outwardly at high speed into a chamber surrounding the rotor. Material first ejected from the rotor is retained in the chamber and acts as a rock lining which protects the walls and other parts of the chamber. Thus the breakdown of the rock is caused in great part by the forces of the rocks subsequently ejected from the rotor impacting the rock lining of the chamber rather than other parts of the machine. VSI crushers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,257 to MacDonald, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,188 to Rodriguez.
While one of the great advantages of VSI crushers is the employment of rock-on-rock impact as the disintegrating force, the forces bearing on these machines remain extreme and highly variable. The rotor is a substantial structure rotating at high speed mounted on a bearing cartridge assembly having top and bottom radial bearings. The top and bottom radial bearings are enclosed in a bearing cartridge assembly which includes the main shaft which rotates with and supports the rotor. Smooth operation of the bearing cartridge assembly and rotor depends on the continued health of each of the radial bearings within the cartridge assembly.
The rotor is impelled by a motor typically having three phases, each of which separately draws current, rotating the motor shaft. The continuous operation of the motor requires that each phase operate under an upper temperature limit, and that each motor bearing continues to function smoothly. If excess load is placed on the motor, the amperage draw of the motor will increase, causing a rise in winding temperatures and undesirable stress on the motor.
The continued smooth rotation of the rotor requires that the machine be constantly lubricated. Many VSI crushers are equipped with automated lubrication mechanisms. However, if the lubrication mechanism should fail, or be otherwise neglected, e.g. by failing to refill the lubricant reservoir, the crusher will not be properly lubricated.
Access to the crusher chamber is generally provided through an opening protected by a lid or closed door. An open crusher lid during operation creates a dangerous condition. Similarly, the typical VSI crusher operates using a plurality of V-belts, access to which is provided through an opening covered by a V-belt guard. If the guard is left open during operation of the crusher, the operator can be exposed to a dangerous condition.
The proper reduction of certain minerals requires that the aggregate be fed into the machine at high temperatures. Operation of the crusher when the rotor and crusher chamber are exposed to high feed temperature may adversely affect the operation of the machine.
Understandably, VSI crushers experience regular breakdowns which are frustrating, expensive and time consuming. Generally, the cause of the breakdown of a crusher is determined by a physical inspection of the problem after the breakdown has occurred. In far too many cases, the crusher is only returned to operation after a part is repaired or replaced resulting in an expensive production loss period of downtime. Heretofore, there has been no effective predictive method to monitor the various conditions of an operating VSI crusher so that preventative action can be taken.

System and method for monitoring a vertical shaft impact crusher


A circular saw assembly of the type that includes a motor housing, a handle coupled to the motor housing, a generally circular saw blade disposed within a blade housing at a first end of the motor housing, and a foot member through which the blade extends for guiding the saw assembly along a work surface, where the circular saw assembly including a depth of cut locking system and an angle of cut locking system. The depth of cut locking system includes an arcuate bracket with an arcuate slot, and an engagement member extends through the slot and is operatively connected to the motor housing and slideable in the arcuate slot. The angle of cut locking system includes a bracket having an arcuate slot and an engagement member movable in the slot and configured to the bracket. A biasing member is provided to bias the engagement member, and at least one detent recess is provided to retain the engagement member therein.

The present invention generally relates to power tools and particularly to power hand tools.
The power hand tools such as miter saws, circular saws, as well as other hand tools are often provided with the capability of adjusting the depth of cut or the bevel angle. Where such adjustability is provided in a tool, there is generally a measurement display and indicator present on the tool that will enable the user to set the angle or depth of cut at the desired location after which a locking lever is generally tightened to hold the tool in its desired position. Professional users often adjust the bevel and depth setting on circular saws, miter saws and other tools, which takes time and care to get the desired setting accurately. Because there are common angles such as 22-½° and 45° for bevel angles, and particular thickness settings for depth of cut adjustments that correspond to common lumber thicknesses, e.g., ¼ inch, ½ inch, ¾ inch, 2 inches, it has been a practice for toolmakers to design the adjustable locking mechanisms to have detents at these common angles and depths.
While there has been much time and energy directed to the design of detent mechanisms that are convenient to use and accurate, there is a continuing goal of designers to develop detent systems that have superior operating capability.


A protective electrical junction box assembly and method of splicing which eliminates the expense and timed needed to pull new wire to add new wire or an electrical device to pre-existing wiring is disclosed. In use, a first protective sheath surrounding a first set of pre-existing electrical wires is separated to expose the first set of wires. The exposed portion of these wires is placed into apertures of a protective junction box. The separated ends of the first sheath are attached to the junction box. A portion of the second set of typically new wires is placed into the junction box. The second sheath surrounding these wires is also attached to the junction box. The first set of electrical wires are then spliced to the second set of wires within the junction box before covering and securing the junction box in place.

The present invention relates to electrical wire splicing. More particularly, the present invention relates to a junction box assembly and method which facilitates adding new wiring, such as from new electrical devices, to pre-existing wiring.
Quite often electricians have needed to intercept power from existing wiring in order to provide additional power for additional devices. This need usually occurs in attics and crawl spaces of homes and businesses. When an electrician has to add a device to pre-existing wiring, the electrician typically cuts an existing conduit or cable, sets a junction box and re-pulls new wires. The new wires must be re-pulled as the existing wires are too short to splice and add new wires.
This process is laborious, expensive and time consuming. Furthermore, slicing open conduits in crawl spaces and attics creates the possibility of hazards such as fires, shock or shorts.
Accordingly, there is a need for an assembly which eliminates the need to pull new wire in order to splice in wires from an added electrical device. The assembly should minimize hazards such as fires, shock and shorts. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.
The present invention resides in a protective electrical junction box assembly which eliminates the expense and timed needed to pull new wire to add new wire or an electrical device to pre-existing wiring. In a first embodiment, the junction box has threaded flex connectors extending from the box. Slots are formed in the box and through the flex connectors for receiving existing wires to be spliced. In another embodiment, the box includes a cable retaining connector also having slots but connectable to a clamp, typically associated with the retention connector, which holds the cable securely in place to the junction box.
In use, a first protective sheath surrounding a first set of typically pre-existing electrical wires is separated to expose the first set of wires. The exposed portion of these wires is placed into apertures of the junction box. The separated ends of the first sheath are attached to the protective junction box. A portion, often the ends, of a second set of typically new wires is placed into the junction box. The second sheath surrounding these wires is also attached to the junction box. The first set of electrical wires are then spliced to the second set of wires within the junction box. The assembly and method of splicing of the present invention eliminates the need to pull new wire as the new wire is spliced into the existing wire.
When the protective sheath comprises a conduit, such as metal or romex conduit, the junction box having the pair of hollow flex connectors which extend from the junction box is used. An open-faced slot is pre-formed in the junction box and the flex connectors for inserting the exposed first set of wires within the junction box. The separated ends of the protective conduit sheath are attached to the junction box by forcing the ends onto the hollow flex connectors, often by twisting.
When the protective sheath comprises cable, the junction box having the retention connectors defining junction box apertures is used. An open-faced slot is pre-formed in the junction box and retention slots for placement of the exposed first set of electrical wires within the junction box. The cable is inserted into the retention connectors and clamped to the junction box, typically with clamps associated with the retention connectors.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

Electrical junction assembly and related splicing method


Occupancy amount of physical resource of a virtual server (VS) is calculated based on maximum physical resource amount indicating performance of a physical server (PS), the occupied virtual resource coefficient indicating relation of physical resource amount used by the VS to the physical resource amount allocated to the VS and the allocated physical resource coefficient indicating relation of the allocated physical resource to the maximum physical resource amount of the PS, and change value of the occupied physical resource amount from a predetermined occupied physical resource amount is calculated based on the calculated occupancy amount and the predetermined occupied physical resource amount. The migration time required of the VS is calculated based on the calculated change value, variation ratio indicating degree of influence exerted by change of the occupied virtual resource coefficient of the VS on the required migration time and reference execution time set based on the predetermined occupied physical resource amount.

The present invention relates to a computer system including a virtualization system and more particularly to technique of deciding a migration method (means and execution order) of a virtual server.
Virtualization systems include, as disclosed in, for example, JP-A-2004-234114 and US2007/0169121A1, means for migrating a virtual server between virtualization systems for the purpose of failover upon occurrence of physical trouble and load dispersion. The migration means each have different stop time, execution speed and necessary resources and accordingly a manager decides the migration means for each of virtual servers beforehand in consideration of availability of work operated in each virtual server.

Method for migrating a virtual server to physical server according to a variation ratio, a reference execution time, a predetermined occupied resource amount and a occupancy amount


The disclosure discloses a method for providing a service from a Time Division Duplex (TDD) cell to a terminal, which includes: configuring a cell of which frequency bands can interfere a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) uplink frequency band and a cell of which frequency bands can interfere an FDD downlink frequency band in cells provided by an eNB as an uplink cell only for transmitting uplink data and a downlink cell only for transmitting downlink data respectively on an eNB of a TDD system in advance, and storing configuration information of the uplink and downlink cells in the eNB; transmitting the configuration information of the uplink and downlink cells to a UE by the eNB; receiving, by the UE, the configuration information of the uplink and downlink cells, and transmitting data with the eNB by at least one of the uplink and downlink cells. The disclosure further discloses a system for providing a service from a TDD cell to a terminal, so as to not only avoid interference between the frequency bands of the FDD and TDD systems and implement coexistence of the FDD and TDD systems, but also fully utilize spectrum resources, ensure the high utilization rate of the spectrum resources and save resources.

LTE technology has two duplex modes: FDD and TDD. In the FDD mode, a User Equipment (UE) performs uplink transmission and downlink reception at an uplink frequency band and a downlink frequency band respectively, so that the uplink transmission and downlink reception can be performed at the same time. In the TDD mode, the UE performs uplink transmission and downlink reception at different time respectively, so that the uplink transmission and downlink reception cannot be performed at the same time. The spectrum resources of the LTE are mainly of 2,500 to 2,690 MHz, as shown in FIG. 1, the uplink frequency band of LTE FDD is of 2,500 to 2,570 MHz, the downlink frequency band of LTE FDD is of 2,620 to 2,690 MHz, and the frequency band of LTE TDD is of 2,570 to 2,620 MHz.
With the development of radio technology, the FDD&TDD hybrid scheme of the LTE is the mainstream planning scheme in the planning process of a network, so that the network coverage of FDD and TDD may coexist in the same area. If the LTE FDD system and LTE TDD system coexist, the coexistence of adjacent frequency bands will become a primary problem to be solved.
When the LTE FDD system and the LTE TDD system coexist, the adjacent frequency bands between the two systems may be interfered due to out of band emission, spurious emissions and the like as the two systems work at adjacent frequency bands, thereby affecting the network performance. For example, as shown in the scenario in FIG. 2, there are two evolved NodeBs (eNBs) in total, eNB_1 and eNB_2, which cover cell 1 (Cell_1) and cell 2 (Cell_2) in an FDD mode and a TDD mode respectively, wherein Cell_1 and Cell_2 provide a service to UE_1 and UE_2 respectively, the coverage areas of eNB_1 and eNB_2 are somewhat overlapped and both UE_1 and UE_2 are located at the overlapped part of the coverage areas, as in such, if the working frequency bands of eNB_1 and eNB_2 are adjacent, there will be interference between the adjacent frequency bands, specifically, if the TDD working frequency band of eNB_2 is adjacent to the FDD uplink frequency band of eNB_1, the downlink data of eNB_2 may interfere the uplink reception of eNB_1 due to out of band emission and other reasons, namely, the transmission of eNB_2 interferes the reception of eNB_1, and at the same time, the uplink transmission of UE_1 may also interfere the downlink reception of UE_2 at the UE sides; and if the TDD working frequency band of eNB_2 is adjacent to the FDD downlink frequency band of eNB_1, the downlink transmission of eNB_1 may interfere the uplink reception of eNB_2 and the uplink transmission of UE_2 may interfere the downlink reception of UE_1.
To avoid the adjacent-band interference between the TDD system and the FDD system, as shown in FIG. 3, a Guard Band (GB) can be arranged between the FDD and TDD frequency bands but is not available for neither the TDD system nor the FDD system; due to the existence of the GB, there will be a space between the working frequency bands of the LTE FDD system and the LTE TDD system to avoid the adjacent-band interference; whereas, the unavailability of the GB for any system may cause the waste of spectrum resources and is not favourable for the development and popularization and application of TDD technology. Therefore, the interference between frequency bands and the waste of spectrum resources are the primary problems for the coexistence of the FDD system and TDD system of the LTE.
In the LTE, one UE is served by only one Component Carrier (CC) and there is only one component carrier in each cell. The cell corresponding to the component carrier serving the UE is the serving cell of the UE, by which the UE is provided with a series of functions, including secure input, Non Access Stratum (NAS) mobile information, radio link detection, paging and the like. With the gradual advancement of the LTE standard, carrier aggregation technology has become a significant feature of the LTE-Advanced standard. In the carrier aggregation technology, each eNB may be configured with multiple Component Carriers (CC) and the UE may also be configured with and utilize multiple member carriers, including primary component carriers and secondary component carriers. The primary component carrier is the one providing a complete service to the UE in the carrier aggregation, namely, without secondary component carrier, the UE can work normally only by the primary component carrier. The secondary component carrier is introduced to the LTE-Advanced standard to expand the operation bandwidth of the LTE equipment and improve the throughput and cannot provide a complete service to the UE nor exist separately without the primary component carrier. The UE aggregating multiple component carriers may perform transmission and reception on the component carriers. As shown in FIG. 4, UE_1 is configured with three component carriers f1, f2 and f3, and UE_2 is configured with two component carriers f4 and f5, where fn (n is a positive integer), represents carriers of different frequencies. In the carrier frequency band of the LTE, some TDD and FDD carriers may be adjacent to one other in frequency, so these carriers may interfere with one another to cause the LTE system not to work normally and affect the user experience.
For the LTE technology, the implementation of the coexistence of the FDD and TDD systems is confronted with the problems of interference between frequency bands and waste of spectrum resources, which also affect the implementation of carrier aggregation in the LTE-Advanced standard.

Method and system for providing service from TDD cell to terminal


In a servo control apparatus constituted by a converter unit 3 for rectifying an AC power supply voltage to produce a DC power supply voltage, and a plurality of inverter units 5 for producing drive power supply voltages of motors from the DC power supply voltage, the servo control apparatus is provided with a power supply breaker 2 which is connected to the side of the AC power supply of the converter unit 3; and a ground fault detecting circuit 16 built in the converter unit 3. When a ground fault happens to occur, the servo control apparatus stops the operations of all of the inverter units 5 so as to cut off the breaker 2.

The present invention is related to a servo control apparatus which is constituted in a multiple shaft manner by a converter unit and a plurality of inverter units.
As conventional techniques for detecting ground faults, for example, a patent publication 1 is opened. The conventional techniques will now be explained with reference to drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for showing an arrangement of one conventional technique. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 101 indicates an AC power supply which is grounded, and reference numeral 102 shows an AC/DC converting circuit (rectifying circuit and converter) which is arranged by a diode bridge and a smoothing capacitor CB. Reference numeral 103 indicates a DC/AC converting circuit (inverter) in which a bridge circuit is arranged by employing respective arms (namely, in U phase, V phase, W phase, X phase, Y phase, and Z phase) of transistors and diodes. The DC/AC converting circuit 103 outputs 3-phase AC power having an output frequency and an output voltage in correspondence with a frequency command. The output of the DC/AC converting circuit 103 is connected to an induction motor 104, so that the induction motor 104 is driven in a variable speed. A load current of the Z phase of this induction motor 104 is detected by a current detector 105, and then, an output signal of the current detector 105 constitutes a signal "i" which is directly in proportional to the load current. This current "i" is continuously compared with each other by an overcurrent detecting circuit 106 so as to perform an overcurrent protection. That is, in the overcurrent protection, when the overcurrent is detected by the overcurrent detecting circuit 106, the operation of the DC/AC converting circuit 103 is stopped. Further, the current "i" is inputted to a comparator 111 of a ground fault detecting circuit 109. In the comparator 111, the signal "i" is compared with a reference value vs2, and when the signal "i" exceeds the reference value vs2, the comparator 111 outputs such a signal of an output "1." A drive control circuit 108 outputs a signal "b" to a base drive circuit 107 during a normal operation. This signal "b" turns ON/OFF the transistors of the respective arms as to the U, V, W, X, Y, and Z phases. When the above-explained signal "b" is not outputted, the drive control circuit 108 further outputs aground fault detecting instruction signal "a" in response to a necessity of investigating a ground fault condition. When the signal "a" is inputted to a ground fault detecting-purpose base driving circuit 110, this ground fault detecting-purpose base driving circuit 110 outputs a drive signal with respect to the transistor of the Z phase for a predetermined time period. At this time, when a ground fault happens to occur in the output, as indicated in FIG. 2, a ground fault current "IG" flows through the transistor of the Z phase. At this time, the current detector 105 apparently detects a current "iG" of the Z phase to produce a signal "i." The comparator 111 compares this signal "i" with the reference value vs2, and outputs a signal "c" of an output "1" when this signal "i" exceeds the reference value vs2. The signal "a" is entered to one input terminal of an AND circuit 113, and the above-explained signal "c" is entered from the comparator 111 to the other input terminal of the AND circuit 13. When both the signal "a" and the signal "c" are "1", the AND circuit 113 outputs a signal "d" of an output "1." The output signal "d" of the AND circuit 113 is inputted to a latch circuit 114 so as to be latched by the latch circuit 114. An output signal "g" of this latch circuit 114 prohibits the operation of the base drive circuit 107, and furthermore, is outputted to a display device 112, so that the display device 112 displays an occurrence of the ground fault and produces an alarm. Also, in addition, this output signal "g" of the latch circuit 114 is outputted as a ground fault detection signal to an external unit.
Also, another conventional technique is shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is such an example that a servo control apparatus of multiple shafts such as a robot is constructed. In an application example to a robot, motors are built in the robot, and the servo control apparatus is connected to a robot control apparatus. Wiring lines wired to the motors are penetrated through the robot, and are moved in response to operations of the robot. originally, cables having anti-bending characteristics are used as these wiring lines. However, in connection with such a fact that action ranges of the robot are expanded, the bending ratio of the cables is increased. As a result, there is such an actual fact that occurring ratios of mechanical wearing of the cables and of disconnections of the cables become very high, as compared with those of other systems. In robot systems, ground fault detecting functions are necessary required. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 shows a power supply, reference numeral 2 indicates a breaker, reference numeral 3 represents a converter unit, reference numeral 4 shows a servo control circuit, and reference numeral 5 shows an inverter unit. Also, reference numeral 6 denotes a ground fault detecting circuit, reference numeral 7 shows a current detector, and reference numeral 8 denotes a motor. Since the current detector 7 is inserted in the output of the inverter unit 5, a zero-phase-sequence current is detected. As a method of detecting a zero-phase-sequence current, a sum of currents which flow through wired lines is detected. If no ground fault occurs, then the sum of currents becomes zero. When the ground fault is detected by the ground fault detecting circuit 6, the ground fault detecting circuit 6 outputs a ground fault signal to the servo-control circuit 4, and thus, the servo control circuit 4 is designed to turn OFF a power element of the inverter unit 5 and the breaker 2.
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-5-328739 (FIG. 1)
However, in the conventional technique, since the zero-phase-sequence current detectors are used in the outputs of the inverter unit, plural sets of these zero-phase-sequence detectors and plural sets of ground fault current detecting circuits are required, the total quantities of which are equal to a total number of the shafts. Also, in order to turn OFF the breaker, the ground fault signals derived from the respective shafts must be received. As a result, plural sets of the wiring lines are required for the total quantity of these shafts. Among current servo control systems for robots, in particular, a strong demand as to compact sizes is made, and volumes occupied by servo control apparatus may become a problem and higher cost is required.


Apparatuses, duty cycle adjustment circuits, adjustment circuits, and methods for duty cycle adjustment are disclosed herein. An example duty cycle adjustment circuit may be configured to receive a signal and adjust a duty cycle of the signal a first amount using a coarse adjustment. The duty cycle adjustment circuit may further be configured, after adjusting the duty cycle of the signal a first amount, to adjust the duty cycle of the signal a second amount different from the first amount using a fine adjustment to provide a duty cycle adjusted signal.

As system clock speeds continue to rise, signal reliability and accuracy have become increasingly important, particularly with respect to amplitude, frequency, and distortion. Providing signals with robust duty cycles has also been desirable, as many digital circuits require a precisely controlled duty cycle for proper operation. In some cases, circuits are configured to operate on both rising and falling edges of clocks, further emphasizing the importance of maintaining a consistently accurate duty cycle for a clock signal.
Known approaches for maintaining a reliable duty cycle corrected clock signal have failed with respect to accuracy, as many systems are capable of reliably correcting a duty cycle, but only for a few specific duty cycles (e.g., 50% duty cycle). Response times and ranges of known approaches have also failed to meet increasing demands. Many implementations are unable to correct duty cycles of signals having high duty cycle variation and/or are limited by the amount a duty cycle may be adjusted.

Apparatuses and methods for duty cycle adjustment


Apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided for cutting a trench in soil or earth by driving a cutter tube member through the soil or earth, injecting compressed fluid into the tube member to break up the soil and drive it through the tube member along the flow of compressed fluid, imparting dynamic vibrational forces to the tube member to assist the flow of soil therethrough, ejecting the soil from the tube member, guiding and releasing media and/or filler material into the trench, and backfilling the trench with the ejected soil.

Trenches are cut in soil or earth for various purposes. These include, among others, laying underground media such as, for example, drain tile or utility conduits. Drain tile, also known as "weeping tile," among other names, is perforated piping installed underground and often immersed in a bed of stone, to transport water as part of an irrigation system, or to provide subterranean drainage and keep water from pooling in flat or low lying areas. Utility conduits provide a protected subterranean path for power and communication lines.
Trench-cutting devices perform a significant labor-saving function, with the potential for more efficient, precise and consistent results than cutting trenches by hand, or by using non-purpose-built machinery such as backhoes. Such complex devices may have high power requirements to cut and excavate soil, and may incorporate numerous heavy-duty moving parts, which may also need lubrication. For obvious reasons, such trench-cutting devices may incorporate a fortified, or heavy-duty cutting member, as well as a powerful drive mechanism, to advance and cut trenches in soil of high or variable density.
After a trench is cut, media may be fed into the open trench. This may be done by hand or through the use of feeder devices, which may be integrated with a trench-cutting device. While it is not always required, adding a backfill material to the trench may optimize the performance of the media by protecting it, or facilitating fluid flow to or away from the media, for example. This may require precise and specific positioning of the backfill material and media, or their arrangement in a particular configuration or relationship. However, ensuring that the backfill material is properly deposited into the trench in a desired relationship with the deposited media, for the intended performance or protection of the media, may require additional equipment or labor and inspection while the media is being laid in the trench, or before refilling the trench. Indeed, the performance of such labor or inspection before re-filling the trench may be labor- and time-intensive.
To provide the capability for cutting trenches in various types of soil and over long distances (for example, large-scale agricultural fields and wind farm installations), trench-cutting devices often approach the size, weight and cost of large farming vehicles or construction equipment.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus, systems and methods for excavating trenches in earth or soil and installing underground conduits or other media


An apparatus and method, particularly useful for isolating zones in a hydrocarbon wellbore. The apparatus includes a tubular section, such as a length of casing or liner tubular, arranged to be run into and secured within the wellbore which may be open hole or already cased. At least one sleeve member is positioned on the exterior of the tubular section and is sealed thereto. A pressure control device, which typically consists of a pressurised hydraulic fluid delivery device, can be used to increase the pressure within the sleeve member to cause the sleeve member to move outwardly and bear against an inner wall of the wellbore.

Oil, gas or water wells are conventionally drilled with a drill string, which comprises drill pipe, drill collars and drill bit(s). The drilled open hole is hereinafter referred to as a "borehole". A borehole is typically provided with casing sections, liners and/or production tubing. The casing is usually cemented in place to prevent the borehole from collapse and is usually in the form of at least one large diameter pipe.


A method of treating airway remodeling symptom caused by phthalate esters, by providing a medication comprising: a ginger compound selected from one of (a) [6]-shogaol, (b) [6]-shogaol and [10]-gingerol, (c) [6]-shogaol and [8]-gingerol, and (d) [6]-shogaol and [6]-gingerol, and an acceptable carrier or excipient, which can relieve the airway remodeling symptoms of asthma, particularly to phthalate ester-induced airway remodeling, by suppressing the proliferation and migration of bronchial smooth muscle cells and reducing the instances of fatal asthma.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of treating airway remodeling symptom, particularly to a method of treating airway remodeling symptom caused by phthalate esters.
2. Description of the Related Art
Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory airway disease and is characterized by serious trachea inflammation, trachea hyperreactivity, and airway remodeling. It is reported that the airway remodeling symptom of asthma usually comes accompany with severe inflammation which is induced by allergies-sensitized epithelial cells, with the secretion of inflammatory factors in bronchial epithelial cells, such as cytokines or chemokine, increasing the proliferation and migration of bronchial smooth muscle cells. Wherein, according to current reports, the secretion of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) plays a crucial role in airway remodeling, and which will lead to the increase of bronchial smooth muscle mass, angiogenesis, subepithelial fibrosis, submucosal gland enlargement and the loss of epithelial integrity.
In general, asthma is more severe and less responsive to treatment in certain people who suffer from airway remodeling. The airway remodeling will result in permanent structural changes in airway tissues, airway wall thickness and vascularituy, and finally increase the instances of persistent and fetal asthma attacks. In current medicine, conventional medications for therapy or prophylaxis of asthma includes corticosteroids, leukotriene response modifiers and β2-agonists, wherein the corticosteroids are a quick-relief asthma medication, being capable of relieving the respiratory tract and the symptoms of asthma via increasing the transcription of anti-inflammatory protein, and inhibiting the inflammation and the transcription of pro-inflammatory protein. Yet, the pharmaceutics effects of leukotriene response modifiers are mainly on inhibiting the eosionophil and mast cell to secrete leukotrienes which are fatty signaling molecules and capable of increasing the secretion of mucus and bronchoconstriction. With the treatment of the leukotriene response modifiers, it is efficient to moderate the secretion of mucus. Finally, the β2-agonists can bind to β2-adrenoreceptors of smooth muscle cells and lead to tracheaectasy.
The conventional medication only can improve the acute symptoms of asthma by reducing the inflammation of bronchial tracts or increasing tracheaectasy, and however, the conventional medications are less effective in treating of airway remodeling symptom usually happened in the late or medium phase of asthma. Furthermore, the conventional medications generally consist of artificial chemicals, and which may leads to serious side effects after long-term of treatments, such as liver toxicity.
Hence there is a need of providing a new medication for therapy or prophylaxis of asthma, for the sake of effectively improving the airway remodeling symptom and avoiding the aggravation of condition of asthma, especially in late or medium phase of asthma.

Method of treating airway remolding symptom


A pre-bias protection circuit for a converter circuit including a switching stage having high-and low-side switches connected in series at a switching node and an output stage connected to the switching node having a capacitor having a pre-existing pre-bias voltage at startup of the converter circuit, the pre-bias protection circuit controlling discharge of the pre-bias voltage when the low-side switch is turned ON during a start up of the converter circuit. The pre-bias protection circuit includes a first circuit for providing a first output; a second circuit providing a second output; and a comparator circuit for comparing the first output and the second output and producing a third output comprising a pulse width modulated signal for driving the low side switch such that the pulse width modulated signal starts with a small duty cycle and thereafter increases to a larger duty cycle, thereby to prevent the pre-bias voltage from discharging during startup.

The present invention relates to converter circuits and more particularly to pre-bias protection circuits for the converter circuits.
Voltage, pre-existing at an output stage of a converter, for example, a converter circuit 8 having a transistor stage 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, prior to start up is referred to as pre-bias voltage. When the converter circuit 8 starts up, high- and low-side switches 12 and 14 of the transistor stage 10 will be driven by high- and low-side switch control signals Hdrv and Ldrv from respective high- and low-side gate drivers. When the low-side switch control signal Ldrv is applied to the low-side switch 14 during startup, the output capacitor C0 having the pre-bias voltage may discharge through the output inductor L and the low-side switch 14. Discharging the pre-bias voltage may result in glitches and cause problems in systems, e.g., multi-processor systems.
In order not to discharge the pre-bias voltage, specific attention needs to be taken during a start up of the converter circuit 8. Therefore, because discharge of the pre-bias voltage is undesirable, discharging of the output capacitor C0 of the converter circuit 8 should be prevented and reversal of an inductor current must not be allowed.

Pre-bias protection circuit for converter


In a standard cell, rise time when an output transitions from a low-level voltage to a high-level voltage and fall time when an output transitions from the high-level voltage to the low-level voltage differ from each other. A flip-flop outputs a first input signal, which is input in a cycle immediately before a clock in synchronization with one of rise and fall of the clock, to the standard cell and then fixes an output the signal at one of a high-level voltage and a low-level voltage. Before a second input signal, which is output from the flip-flop after the first input signal, reaches the standard cell, an output of the standard cell is set at one of a high-level voltage and a low-level voltage, which corresponds to a signal whose transition speed is slow, by one of the high-level voltage and the low-level voltage that is output from the flip-flop.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-137269, filed May 13, 2002, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-speed circuit operation of a semiconductor integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a graph showing a relationship between the size ratio of an n-channel MOS transistor to a p-channel MOS transistor (Wn/Wp) and each of rise delay time and fall delay time in a semiconductor integrated circuit. As is seen from this graph, the larger the size of the n-channel MOS transistor, the shorter the fall delay time, whereas the smaller the size of the p-channel MOS transistor, the longer the rise delay time.
In the design of prior art semiconductor integrated circuits, two transitions from a low-level voltage to a high-level voltage and from a high-level voltage to a low-level voltage are effected. The Semiconductor integrated circuits are usually so designed that rise delay time and fall delay time become equal to each other. The reason is as follows. If these two times differ from each other, a signal is delayed in transmission due to a slower transition and thus an operating frequency cannot be increased.
In a domino circuit, only one of rise and fall transitions is considered to be significant. The domino circuit can thus be designed so as to increase the speed of only one transition.
In the domino circuit, however, once a signal makes a transition, it cannot be restored. Therefore, only the positive logic that limits the transition to one direction can be treated, thus increasing the number of logic stages in the circuit. Since the domino circuit is susceptible to noise, it is difficult to design automatically.
A semiconductor integrated circuit according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a standard cell in which rise time when an output transitions from a low-level voltage to a high-level voltage and fall time when an output transitions from the high-level voltage to the low-level voltage differ from each other and a flip-flop which outputs a first input signal, which is input in a cycle immediately before a clock signal in synchronization with one of rise and fall of the clock signal, to the standard cell and then fixes an output at one of a high-level voltage and a low-level voltage, the flip-flop being provided in a stage precedent to the standard cell, wherein before a second input signal, which is output from the flip-flop after the first input signal, reaches the standard cell, an output of the standard cell is set at one of a high-level voltage and a low-level voltage, which corresponds to a signal whose transition speed is slow, by one of the high-level voltage and the low-level voltage that is output from the flip-flop.
A method of designing a semiconductor integrated circuit according to another aspect of the present invention, comprises expressing a logic circuit having standard cells by a logical polynomial, searching the logical polynomial for complementary signals, duplicating a logical polynomial to generate the complementary signals when the complementary signals are detected, forming a logic circuit in accordance with the duplicated logical polynomial, and increasing one of a rise transition and a fall transition in speed in each of the standard cells.

Semiconductor integrated circuit capable of high-speed circuit operation


A fiber optic transmission system including a fiber optic link. Transmitting apparatus transmits an optical signal having a concentration of energy at a particular wavelength. Routing apparatus then routes optical signals in response to the concentration of energy at the particular wavelength of the transmitted optical signal. The routing apparatus is disposed to receive the transmitted optical signal and also reflects a small portion of the transmitted optical signal. A first apparatus for receiving the reflected portion of the optical signal is disposed to cooperate with the routing apparatus and further has apparatus for converting the reflected portion into a control signal. Temperature sensing apparatus is disposed to sense temperature variations in the first receiving apparatus and apparatus for controlling the transmitting apparatus is adapted to receive the control signal and further is disposed so as to regulate the transmitting appratus responsively to the control signal. The controlling apparatus further operates to regulate the power of the transmitting apparatus as a function of temperature sensed by the temperature sensing apparatus so as to maintain a preselected power margin in the fiber optic link.

In the applications of FOLs, it is very useful to isolate failures to a particular transmitter or receiver and to control the optical output power of the transmitter in the presence of environmental changes or transmitter aging. To do this, the optical power output of the transmitter must be monitored. This monitoring is best done without an optical power budget penalty. In prior art devices, an optical power splitter is inserted into the optical path in order to isolate faults. The addition of this component reduces the power budget available for the optical path since it has a significant power loss.
The invention accomplishes output power monitoring without the need for additional components such as the power splitter of the prior art. The invention utilizes a feature of wavelength division multiplexers (WDMs) typically already included in FOLs. Wavelength division multiplexers are used in fiber optic links to allow full duplex operation over single fibers. A functional diagram of a WDM is shown in FIG. 1. Within the WDM, a spectrally selective mirror routes light of different wavelengths to different outputs. During this routing process, a small portion of the transmitter output is reflected off of the mirror as shown by the light ray marked C. This reflected light contains about 10% of the transmitted energy and occurs as a natural consequence of characteristics inherent in the construction of a spectrally selective mirror. In known fiber optic systems such reflections generally result in wasted light energy. The invention provides a means for utilizing the reflected energy which would otherwise be discarded. In this way the invention does not affect the power budget of a conventional WDM optical system while providing additional measurement and control capabilities.
Using the principles of the invention, a full duplex fiber optic transmission system is designed incorporating two wavelength division multiplexers. The WDMs are designed to route the reflected light from the transmitter to an optical detector.

Optical transmitter power measurement and control


A method and system of automated remote collaborative learning broadcasting. A computer-based server receives a plurality of video feeds for a remote interaction. Server receives unique user identifier and bandwidth of unique user viewing a remote interaction. Unique user is identified based upon bandwidth connection as either active or passive. Local audience viewers receive the plurality of video feeds and may select a video feed among the plurality of video feeds. Local audience viewers may seamlessly switch between the plurality of video feeds based upon individual preference. Server tracks local audience viewer's video feed selection. Remote audience viewers receive single video feed determined by local audience viewer selection. Minimum video switching time must be met before switching single video feed to a new view. Video threshold automatically switches video feed based upon prolonged static view if predetermined criteria is met.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to distributed learning and collaborative interaction through video. More specifically, it relates to manual and automated selective viewing of long distance learning and interaction based upon viewer selection and bandwidth.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Remote collaboration technologies focus on delivering interactions to individuals and groups that are not in physical proximity to other participants. Advances in technology have allowed remote collaboration to quickly expand and grow in the academic and corporate environments. Although remote collaboration technologies are increasingly used in both academic and corporate environments, many questions remain regarding their efficacy in the realm of knowledge/skills transfer.
Studies have shown that live events carry with them a more acute sense of relevance and emotional engagement that are likely to increase participant attentiveness and engagement (Jarvelainen, J., Schurmann, M., Avikainen, S. & Hari, R. (2001). "Stronger reactivity of the human cortex during observation of live rather than video motor act." NeuroReport, 12, 16, 3493-3495). In fact, there is considerable data illustrating "presence" and "immediacy" as essential elements for success in traditional online and large group face-to-face interactions (Gunawardena, C. N., & Zittle, F. J. (1997). Social presence as a predictor of satisfaction with a computer-mediated conferencing environment. American Journal of Distance Education, 11, 8-26; Robert, K. and Lenz, A. (2009), Cowboys with cameras: an interactive expedition. British Journal of Educational Technology, 40: 119-134).
Presently, many remote video interactions present the user with a static view of the interaction they are viewing. Viewers are limited to a single viewing lens chosen by someone other than the viewer, usually editors and video crews. This results in a very limited feeling of presence and immediacy throughout the interaction. There exists a need for a system and method that allows viewers to select specific views. Such a system should allow a more dynamic interaction, foster a learner-centered environment where students have more personalized control, and remove costs associated with video editing. Additionally, the system should be adaptable so that individuals with low bandwidth are able to still receive a more dynamic experience.
However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the field of this invention how the shortcomings of the prior art could be overcome.

Automated remote collaborative learning software

University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


A packaging bag feeder in a packaging machine includes a bag magazine capable of accommodating a number of packaging bags in a stacked state, a separating mechanism which is configured to separate one of the packaging bags stacked on the bag magazine and a bag placement section on which the separated bag is placed. Every time one bag is placed on the bag placement section, the bag is held and fed to a subsequent packaging step.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a packaging bag feeder in a packaging machine, which is suitable for use in feeding large-sized bags such as zippered bags or gusset bags.
2. Related Art
A packaging bag feeding manner in conventional packaging machines includes a magazine type (Japanese Patent No. JP-B-4149466) in which packaging bags stacked on a magazine are fed and a conveyor type (Japanese Patent No. JP-B-4011567) in which packaging bags are sequentially fed by a conveyor.
Zippered bags have zippers formed on upper portions, respectively. Accordingly, the upper portions of the bags become bulky when the bags are stacked one upon another. On the other hand, Gusset bags have gussets on both sides thereof respectively. Accordingly, the both sides of the gusset bags become bulky when the bags are stacked one upon another. As a result, both types of bags warp when stacked in the packaging bag feeder. This allows the conveyor type bag feeding but disallows the magazine type bag feeing. Furthermore, the use of large-sized bags necessarily increases the length of the conveyor even when the bags a are arranged so as to be shifted little by little on the conveyor, as shown in FIG. 21. This results in a problem that ensuring a space for the conveyor is difficult. Still furthermore, in the magazine type, packaging bags need to be loaded in an aligned manner, with the result that the magazine type is troublesome and reduces the production efficiency.

Packaging bag feeder in packaging machine


Some embodiments include apparatuses, and methods of forming the apparatuses. Some of the apparatuses include a first group of conductive materials interleaved with a first group of dielectric materials, a pillar extending through the conductive materials and the dielectric materials, memory cells located along the first pillar, a conductive contact coupled to a conductive material of the first group of conductive materials, and additional pillars extending through a second group of conductive materials and a second group of dielectric materials. The second pillar includes a first portion coupled to a conductive region, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion coupled to the conductive contact. The second portion is located between the first and third portions. The second portion of each of the additional pillars is part of a piece of material extending from a first pillar to a second pillar of the additional pillars.

Memory devices are widely used in computers, cellular phones, and many other electronic items. A conventional memory device, such as a 3D (three-dimensional) flash memory device, has many memory cells to store information. A memory device has conductive lines and circuitry to provide voltages to the conductive lines in order to access the memory cells during different memory operations. Such circuitry often includes drivers (e.g., switches) to pass voltages from a voltage source to respective conductive lines. Some memory operations may use a relatively high voltage (e.g., ten to 20 times the operating voltage of the memory device). Many conventional drivers are designed to sustain such a high voltage. However, some memory devices may use even higher voltage in some of their operations. Such a higher voltage may make some conventional drivers unreliable. Further, some of such conventional drivers may have limited current mobility and high resistance. Therefore, designing drivers to support a higher voltage and address the mentioned current mobility of driver resistance may add complexity to peripheral circuitry associated with conventional drivers.

Multi-gate string drivers having shared pillar structure


Disclosed is a high yield process for preparing substituted imidazoline fabric conditioning compounds. In this process, a fatty acylating agent, e.g., fatty acid, is reacted with a specific polyamine, and the product of this reaction is reacted with an esterifying agent, both reactions being conducted under specifically-defined conditions. Aqueous dispersions containing these substituted imidazoline compounds possess desirable storage stability, viscosity, and fabric conditioning properties.

Many different types of fabric conditioning agents have been used in rinse-added textile treatment compositions. One class of compounds frequently used as the active component for such compositions, includes substantially water-insoluble quaternary nitrogenous compounds having two long alkyl chains. Typical of such materials are ditallow dimethylammonium chloride and imidazolinium compounds substituted with two tallow groups. These materials are normally prepared in the form of a dispersion in water. It is generally not possible to prepare such aqueous dispersions with more than about 10% of cationic softener without encountering severe product viscosity and storage-stability problems. Although more concentrated dispersions of softener materials can be prepared as described in European Patent Application 0,000,406, Goffinet, published Jan. 24, 1979, and United Kingdom Patent Specification 1,601,360, Goffinet, published Oct. 28, 1981, by incorporating certain nonionic adjunct softening materials therein, such compositions tend to be relatively inefficient in terms of softening benefit/unit weight of active Moreover, product viscosity and stability problems become increasingly unmanageable in more concentrated aqueous dispersions and effectively limit the commercial range of applicability to softener active levels in the range from about 15% to about 20%.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,995,520, Luvisi et al., issued Aug. 8, 1961, discloses the use of the acid salts of certain imidazoline derivatives for softening of fibrous materials such as cotton and paper. The treatment baths used for treating textiles contain from 0.001% to 1% of an acid salt of an imidazoline derivative.
More recent patents also disclose the use of an acid salt of an imidazoline derivative for the softening of fabrics. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,241, Rudy, issued Aug. 1, 1972, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,033,704, Sherrill et al., issued May 8, 1962, disclose fabric conditioning compositions containing mixtures of imidazolinium salts and other fabric conditioning agents.
Another class of nitrogenous materials that is sometimes used as the active component in rinse-added fabric softening compositions is the nonquaternary amide-amines. A commonly cited material is the reaction product of higher fatty acids with a polyamine selected from the group consisting of hydroxyalkylenediamines and dialkylenetriamines and mixtures thereof. An example of these materials is the reaction product of higher fatty acids and hydroxyethylethylenediamine (See "Condensation Products from .beta.-Hydroxyethylethylenediamine and Fatty Acids or Their Alkyl Esters and Their Application as Textile Softeners in Washing Agents," H. W. Eckert, Fette-Seifen-Anstrichmittel, Sept. 1972, pages 527-533). These materials, along with other cationic quaternary ammonium salts and imidazolinium salts, are taught to be softening actives in fabric softening compositions. (See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,460,485, Rapisarda et al., issued July 17, 1984; 4,421,792, Rudy et al., issued Dec. 20, 1983; and 4,327,133, Rudy et al., issued Apr. 27, 1982).
The use of substituted imidazoline compounds as fabric conditioning agents is known. See for example, British Patent Specification 1,565,808, published Apr. 23, 1980. The manufacture of substituted imidazoline compounds generally involves the reaction of a polyamine with an acyl-containing material such as an acid or ester. The products of these reactions tend to be mixtures of several compounds in view of the multi-functional structure of the polyamines (see, for example, the publication by H. W. Eckert in Fette-Seifen-Anstrichmittel, cited above). That is, in addition to the imidazoline compounds formed in the described reaction, open chain mono-, di- and trialkyl species are also formed.
Recent patents also disclose processes for making substituted imidazoline compounds. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,451, Pracht, issued Nov. 11, 1980, discloses a process to form the imidazoline precursor of an imidazolinium salt by reacting acylating or esterifying agents with alkylene or polyalkylene polyamines. U S. Pat. No. 4,189,593, Wechsler et al., issued Feb. 19, 1980, discloses a process for making imidazolines involving contacting aminoethyl ethanol amine with a methyl carboxylate at elevated temperature and thereafter subjecting the reaction product to two successive heat treatments. The product imidazoline is said to be a useful starting material for making amphoteric surfactants. Japanese Laid Open Publication 61-291571 discloses a process for manufacture of 1,2-di-substituted imidazolines by reacting fatty acids or their esters with dialkylenetriamines.
It has been found that in addition to the imidazoline compounds formed in the above described reactions, noncyclic (open chain) amines/amides are also present Furthermore, it has been found that the presence of such noncyclic amines in aqueous dispersions containing substituted imidazoline fabric softening compounds can lead to lower phase stability and undesirable viscosity characteristics. Therefore, there is a need for a new and improved process for preparing substituted imidazolines that minimizes the production of noncyclic amines/amides.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process for making substituted imidazoline compounds that minimizes the production of noncyclic amine/amide by-products.
It is another object of this invention to provide a high yield process for preparing these substituted imidazoline compounds.
It is another object of this invention to provide a fabric conditioning composition comprising the substituted imidazoline compounds.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a method for conditioning fabrics by treating them with aqueous dispersions containing the desired substituted imidazoline fabric conditioning compounds.
As used herein all percentages and ratios are by weight unless otherwise specified.

Process for preparing substituted imidazoline fabric conditioning compounds


An RFID weight-based security method with container compensation which compares total weights. The security method includes receiving item identification information from RFID labels affixed to items in a container, obtaining a reference container weight, obtaining reference item weights using the item identification information, obtaining a combined weight of the items and the container from a scale, comparing the combined weight with the sum of the reference container weight and the reference item weights, and processing payment for the items if the combined weight is within a predetermined threshold of the sum of the reference container weight and the reference item weights.

The present invention relates to security systems for store checkout and more specifically to a radio frequency identification (RFID) weight-based security method with container compensation.
RFID technology is frequently proposed as the next generation of point-of-sale technology. Its major advantage is that it can detect many items at a time as they pass through an RFID reader, which could make the typical checkout experience much faster and easier.
Conventional security methods involve individually identifying, weighing, and comparing weights of items with reference item weight information. These methods break down when a large number of items can be detected all at once. In this case, it makes no sense to sequentially scan items or even remove individual items from a shopping container.
Therefore, it would be desirable to an RFID weight-based security method with container compensation.