An elastic wave filter device includes a ladder filter unit, a first inductor, a second inductor, and a capacitor. The ladder filter unit includes at least three parallel arms including a first parallel arm. The first inductor is connected between the first parallel arm and a ground potential. The second inductor is connected between at least two of the parallel arms, other than the first parallel arm among the at least three parallel arms, and the ground potential. The capacitor is connected between a connection point of the first parallel arm and the first inductor and a connection point of the second inductor and the at least two parallel arms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an elastic wave filter device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Elastic wave filter devices utilizing elastic waves, such as surface acoustic waves or boundary acoustic waves, have been widely used as filter devices. As one type of such elastic wave filter devices, a ladder surface acoustic wave filter device is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-72411. FIG. 14 illustrates a schematic circuit diagram of the surface acoustic wave filter device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-72411.
In a surface acoustic wave filter device 100 illustrated in FIG. 14, multiple series arm resonators S101 to S103 are connected in series in a series arm 103 that connects signal terminals 101 and 102. First and second parallel arms 104 and 105 are provided between the series arm 103 and a ground potential. The parallel arms 104 and 105 are provided with parallel arm resonators P101 and P102, respectively. An inductor L101 is connected between the parallel arm resonator P101 and the ground potential. An inductor L102 is connected between the parallel arm resonator P102 and the ground potential. An inductor L103 is connected between a connection point of the inductors L101 and L102 and the ground potential. A capacitor C101 is connected between a connection point of the parallel arm resonator P101 and the inductor L101 and a connection point of the parallel arm resonator P102 and the inductor L102.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-72411 describes that attenuation at frequencies lower than those of a pass band can be increased by providing the inductors L101 to L103 and the capacitor C101.
In elastic wave filter devices, there has been a demand for an increase in attenuation of harmonics, e.g., second and third harmonics of a pass band. However, the surface acoustic wave filter device 100 is incapable of sufficiently increasing attenuation of harmonics.


A composite membrane includes a filtration membrane and a layer on a surface of the filtration membrane. The layer includes a polymer including a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) derivative with a hydrophilic moiety attached to at least one vertex thereof. A method for making a composite membrane includes applying to a surface of a filtration membrane a photopolymerizable composition including a POSS compound, a hydrophilic comonomer, and a photoinitiator. The composition is cured to form a hydrophilic layer on the filtration membrane.

Membrane technologies such as microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofilitration (NF), and reverse osmosis (RO) have been widely used for water purification because they are energy efficient, cost-effective and simple to operate. However, many commercial membranes experience substantial flux declines when they are exposed to contaminants such as, for example, inorganic salts, emulsified oil droplets, and natural organic matter. These contaminants in the water can deposit on the membrane surface and/or block the pores of the membrane, which foul the membrane and decrease its useful life.
Current approaches to address this fouling problem include pretreatment of the feed water, periodic depressurization of the membrane tube, flow reversal, and use of cleaning agents to remove fouled films from membrane surface. These techniques require energy and/or additional chemicals, and reduce productive membrane operating time, which directly contributes to increased operating costs.
Modifying a surface of the membrane with a fouling-resistant material is another approach that can potentially increase the useful life of the membrane and reduce operating costs. Materials such as, for example, nanoparticles, enzymes, and epoxy compounds, have demonstrated some fouling resistance, but there is still a need to develop highly water-permeable, anti-fouling materials that retain high water flux through the membrane over an extended membrane operating time.

Polymeric films made from polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) and a hydrophilic comonomer

International Business Machines Corporation


A mass spectrometer (MS) that is adapted to allow rapid gas-phase hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) labeling of ions in one or more traveling wave ion guides (TWIGs) with or without ion mobility separation. The addition of isotopic labeling by gas-phase HDX offers a sensitive alternative dimension for conformational detection, which enables high resolution detection of gaseous conformations based on shape and surface reactivity. Gas-phase, isotopic HDX labeling or “curtain” labeling, can be performed by infusing a reactive, isotopic labeling gas, e.g., ND3, into one or more of the traveling-ion wave guides (TWIG) in the MS. Analyte ions retained in the potential wells of a traveling wave generated by one or more of the TWIGs can be isotopic labeled at adjustable gas pressures. Labeling times can also be controlled by adjusting the speed of the traveling wave and can be performed within milliseconds of ionizations, probing protein conformations present in solution.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a device, system, and method for improved detection of gas-phase conformations of, for example, protein-ligand complexes, functional macromolecular protein assemblies, and the like, and, more particularly, to a device, system, and method that use rapid deuterium labeling in a traveling-wave ion guide of a mass spectrometer performed alone or in tandem with ion mobility separation for improved detection.
2. Summary of the Related Art
Numerous studies have demonstrated that protein-ligand complexes and even large functional macromolecular protein assemblies can retain their non-covalent bonding when in the gas phase. This phenomenon enables the determination of stoichiometry and binding interactions by various gas-phase techniques such as limited collisional dissociation and ion mobility separation. In contrast, smaller globular proteins appear to adopt a multitude of gas-phase conformations depending on the condition of the electrospray process and the amount of time that elapses before detection. Although this conformational ensemble likely extends beyond that present in solution, gas-phase conformations of globular proteins offer a window into the non-native and solvent-free conformational landscape including intermediates along, for example, folding pathway and trapped misfolded species.
This information can be relevant for understanding important areas of biology such as protein folding, protein aggregation, and amyloid formation. Furthermore, several recent experimental studies suggest that solution-phase conformers of even small globular proteins can be largely preserved for 30-60 milliseconds following electrospray ionization (ESI). To take advantage of this phenomenon, sensitive analytical tools are needed for the rapid characterization of conformations of both small globular proteins and large macromolecular complexes in the gas phase.
Several techniques are available for interrogating the conformational properties of gaseous protein ions. These techniques include ion mobility spectrometry by which ions in an inert bath gas at high pressure are separated by drift-time and measurement of the kinetics of gas-phase chemistry such as proton transfer reactions, hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX), and the like. Although ion mobility spectrometry has proved an invaluable tool and has recently been introduced in commercially-available instruments, gas-phase HDX measurements provide an additional dimension for conformational interrogation that ion mobility spectrometry alone cannot provide.
Indeed, in a pioneering study by others, gas-phase HDX was used to provide some of the first experimental evidence of stable, coexisting, gas-phase, protein conformations. Other studies have shown that gas-phase HDX can sometimes expose the presence of additional gas-phase protein conformers not resolved by ion mobility spectrometry, and vice versa. Measuring the HDX of proteins in solution by mass spectrometry is an established method. Recent developments further enable the measurement of deuterium levels of individual amide hydrogen ions, similar to NMR spectroscopy. In contrast, mass spectrometric detection of gas-phase HDX has yet to see wide-spread use in biological research and the emerging field of native mass spectrometry. By combining conformation information obtained with solution HDX and those of gas-phase HDX experiments, it is possible to determine more definitively which conformations, present in the gas-phase shortly after ionization, are the same as those existing in solution.
In the field of mass spectrometry, chemical compounds can be ionized to generate charged molecules or molecule fragments from which their mass-to-charge ratios (m/z) can be measured, e.g., in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS). Typically, mass spectrometers (MS) include an ion source, a mass analyzer, and a detector. The ion source converts molecules from a solution sample into ions, which are then sorted in the presence of an electromagnetic field according to mass by the mass analyzer. The detector measures the quantity of discrete ions present.
Isotopic labeling studies of gaseous proteins have typically been confined to mass spectrometers having custom-built ion traps/drift-tubes or Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) instruments. Ion traps use electric fields, e.g., a Paul trap, to capture ions and to determine their mass-to-charge ratio (M/z). A FT-ICR cell instrument uses a combination of electric and magnetic fields to trap ions in the confined volume of the ICR cell, e.g., a Penning trap, and determines the m/z value of ions based on the cyclotron frequency of ions in the fixed magnetic field. For gas-phase, isotopic labeling experiments in both ion traps or FT-ICR cells, a deuterated bath gas is introduced into the trap/cell so that the trapped molecules can be incubated in the presence of the bath gas for various periods of time.
Numerous gas-phase HDX studies have been performed using FT-ICR instruments in which ions are labeled while stored in an external RF-only ion guide or where ions are contained in the ICR cell. This enables defined ion-molecule reaction times from seconds to hours. Trapping ions in multipole-type ion reservoirs rather than in ICR cells facilitates the use of higher reagent gas-pressures and shorter gas-phase labeling times, e.g., less than 50 msec. The continuous accumulation of ions in an external ion reservoir during a gas-phase HDX reaction, however, can give rise to complex exchange kinetics as ions of the same origin are labeled for different amounts of time depending on their time of entry into the ion reservoir. Furthermore, filling the ion reservoir beyond its space charge limit can result in vibrational excitation and dissociation, which can further complicate interpretation of HDX kinetics. Notably, such issues have been addressed with custom-designed, gated-beam ESI sources having ion shutters and/or by using a MALDI source that does not produce continuous ion beams.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a device, system, and method for performing gas-phase HDX labeling of the conformations of known or unknown ions in a traveling wave ion guide. Moreover, it would be desirable to accomplish this in tandem with ion mobility separation.

Rapid gas-phase isotopic labeling for enhanced detection of protein conformations


This disclosure describes systems, methods, and computer-readable media for optimizing data collection in a distributed environment by leveraging real-time and historical data collection performance statistics and server performance data. In some configurations, a computing device can be initially configured for data collection. In such configurations, the initial configuration can include preferred target servers for a particular task. The computing device can request batches of data from the preferred target servers, and process the information through a buffer. Techniques and technologies described herein collect the batches of data from servers as well as corresponding data collection statistics (e.g., server performance per task, server historical performance, etc.) and server performance data (e.g. server status).

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
The collection of large amounts of data in information handling systems, without degrading business activity, is a constant challenge. Many factors may affect the complexity of data collection, such as, for example, the volume of data, environmental complexity, time constraints, and performance limitations. Current solutions for large data collection rely on fixed paths to and retrieval from preferred servers. However, these current solutions may be inefficient and ineffective in a dynamic storage environment.


Rack arrangement designed for installation in, for example, a warehouse or a factory for storage of loads. A pair of stationary racks having a plurality of vertically and/or laterally partitioned storage spaces are arranged in spaced parallel relation. A movable rack or racks having a plurality of similarly partitioned storage spaces are arranged between the two stationary racks, with a working space defined between the facades of any selected pair of adjacent racks. A rail is mounted on the top of each stationary rack and supported thereon. A girder supported and guided by the pair of rails is movable along the length of the rails. A load transfer unit is supported and guided by the girder for movement within the working space. The load transfer unit includes a take-in/take-out device which is up-and-down movable within the transfer unit, able to support a load, and is retractably movable relative to a storage space for delivery of the load to and from the storage space.

Rack arrangement using movable racks has been known. In Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-19044, for example, there is proposed a movable rack arrangement wherein a plurality of longitudinally extending movable racks are back and forth movably arranged within a space defined by a support structure and the like so that a working space may be provided in front of the facade of each of the movable racks. On the support structure side and above the movable racks are arranged in parallel opposed relation a pair of rails extending along the length of the movable racks, with arms adapted to be movably guided by the rails. There are also provided forks which are movably guided by the arms and upwardly and downwardly movable.
According to this known arrangement, by moving plural movable racks it is possible to provide a working space in front of the facade of a target movable rack. Each fork is movable within the working space through the movement of the associated arm, and transfer of a load to and from a target location is possible through the operation of the fork.
In such prior art arrangement, however, the rails must be rigidly fixed to the support structure through support members, such as brackets; and naturally the support members are large-sized, particularly in their vertical aspect. This makes it necessary to provide considerable space above the movable racks. In other words, the provision of the support structure for the rails results in decreased storage efficiency of the movable racks. Additionally, the support structure must be large-sized in order to sustain the arm-side load.


An apparatus for delivering particulate material to a frozen confectionery material to provide a single serving to a consumer. The apparatus comprises a chamber for storing the particulate material, and a supply of frozen confectionery. The chamber has an open exit, wherein the chamber is adapted to be rotatable in use such that the open exit follows a pathway having both an upper region and a lower region, and arranged to pass through the lower region at a non-zero speed a plurality of times during a single serving. The open exit is sized to allow a portion of stored particulate material to fall out of the chamber via the open exit under gravity each time the open exit passes through the lower region of the pathway. The apparatus also is arranged to bring particulate material that has left the chamber into contact with the supply of frozen confectionery.

There is a significant consumer demand for frozen confectionery, particularly ice cream, which contains particulate material. When such particulate material is not merely added as a topping but is mixed into the frozen confectionery then they are also referred to as mix-ins.
Apparatus and machines exist which are capable of dispensing a frozen confectionery with a selection of mix-ins that have been selected by an end user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,093 discloses an apparatus for dispensing a single serving of ice cream and comprises a hopper for containing nuts as a topping. The hopper has a rotatable valve at the bottom with two indents so that a half revolution dispenses a fixed quantity of nuts to the ice cream.
WO 2011/162796 discloses an apparatus which delivers ice cream and particulate material simultaneously as a single-serve. The particulate material can be dispensed by actuation of a lever to deposit the particles. Also disclosed are cylindrical metering devices where partial rotation of the cylinder delivers a fixed amount of particulate material from a hopper position above. Also disclosed is that the particulate material can be dispensed from a rotatable hopper that contains baffles. A particular combination of counter-clockwise and clockwise partial revolutions ensures that a fixed metered quantity of particulate material leaves the hopper per single serving.
EP 1348342 discloses an apparatus which delivers a single serving of ice cream containing particulate material. The particulate material is fed into a chamber comprising a rotary vane from above and the ice cream is fed into the chamber from the side whereup they mix together before being dispensed from the chamber from below.
Improvements in this area would therefore be highly desirable.

Apparatus for delivering frozen confection comprising particulate material


A recirculating wastewater evapotranspiration and disinfection system is disclosed in which wastewater is collected, stored, aerated. and circulated through an unsaturated and optionally heated planter/filter bed containing soil microorganisms and living plants in which aerated wastewater is circulated and recirculated through the system until all of the wastewater and its constituents are utilized by any of evaporation, transpiration, gasification and living plant production and their by-products, or otherwise disinfected for reuse, while energy is gratuitously recovered in the process for productive use.

The technologies associated with wastewater are devices that treat wastewater in a saturated aqueous environment, employing various means to remove constituents which are gasses (which are the byproduct of biological processes), accumulated solids such as grit and sludge residuals which are disposed of on land or by incineration and to dispose the partially treated remaining effluent to receiving waters. The rising awareness of the costs for treatment and disposal of wastewater and the residuals of saturated wastewater treatment is demanding that a new approach be taken that does not create any residuals nor requires the discharge of partially treated effluent into the soil or receiving waters. The invention responds to these demands by providing for the zero-discharge of effluent in an unsaturated_environment planted with valuable living plants that will use-up all of the wastewater and it's constituents by evaporation, transpiration and being incorporated into the mass of the plants themselves. This is accomplished by collecting, filtering and aerating the wastewater and distributing same by irrigation to a lined growing bed planted with plants selected based on the type of wastewater and the environment in the phytosphere. The invention is constructed to as to collect the effluent from the bed that has not been immediately utilized and recirculating via a tank and pump system it until it has all been used up. The plants additionally provide value-added benefits to the user by either providing for a beautiful landscape or greenhouse or to provide biomass products for sale as fiber, fuel, flowers or building materials. In this way the invention affords pollution prevention with economic and ecological integrity.

Recirculating wastewater evapotranspiration and disinfection system


A hybrid electric vehicle drive apparatus has a setting portion for setting a limit value of a driving torque that a motor outputs when driving a hybrid electric vehicle by the power of the motor only, based on a maximum torque that the motor enables to output and a starting torque used to start an internal combustion engine by the motor. The setting portion sets the limit value to a first value and sets the limit value to a second value which is greater than the first value when a vehicle speed of the vehicle does not increase even though an accelerator pedal position degree increases while the vehicle is being driven only by the motor.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the configuration of a power output apparatus for a vehicle which is described in patent literature 1. As shown in FIG. 10, the power output apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes an engine 6, a motor 7, a battery which supplies electric power to the motor 7 (not shown), a first speed changing portion which is connected to the engine 6 via a first clutch 41 and which includes a third-speed gear pair 23, a fifth-speed gear pair 25 and a first-speed shifter 51 and a second speed changing portion which is connected to the engine 6 via a second clutch 42 and which includes a second-speed gear pair 22, a fourth-speed gear pair 24 and a second-speed shifter 52. The power of at least one of the engine 6 and the motor 7 is inputted to the first speed changing portion, and the power of the engine 6 is inputted into the second speed changing portion. The driving with the odd numbered speed gears and the EV driving can be effected through the first speed changing portion, and the driving with the even numbered speed gears can be effected through the second speed changing portion. The speed change can be effected by changing the clutch engagement between the first clutch 41 and the second clutch 42. In the event that it is determined that the gradient of a road surface on which this vehicle is driven is equal to or greater than a threshold, a limit value of torque outputted by the motor 7 in driving the vehicle with the power of the motor 7 only is set as a torque limit value which is greater than a normal one within the scope of a maximum torque. As a result, for example, when the vehicle is driven in the EV driving mode on an ascending slope, the acceleration requirement and the improved fuel economy can both be satisfied.


A composite is described which has particular utility in the formation of components for gas turbine engines. The composite broadly comprises a substrate having a surface and at least one layer of a BN/Si3N4 coating on the substrate surface. The coating preferably is formed by alternative layers of a BN material and a Si3N4 material. The substrate may be a cloth material with fibers, such as SiC fibers, woven therein.

The present invention relates to multilayered boron nitride/silicon nitride (BN/Si3N4) coatings and to a method and a system for forming such coatings.
Composite coatings are used in a number of gas turbine engine applications. It is important for these coatings to demonstrate resistance to recession and high temperature oxidation stability.
One of the problems with ceramic matrix composites is the instability of the fiber matrix interface to oxidation. The use of boron nitride as a replacement for carbon has showed an improvement in resistance to high-temperature oxidation. However, it is common knowledge that the oxidation resistance of CVD boron nitride fiber coatings in the presence of moisture is considerably lower. CVD boron nitride fiber coatings have been known to degrade at room temperature in the presence of moisture.
There has been an investigation on the effect of alternating layers of SiC and carbon in SiC/SiC composites. It has been found that in such a system the room temperature mechanical properties are similar to a SiC/SiC composite fabricated with a normal carbon interface. However, when the composite is prestrained beyond the proportional limit (so that the matrix was micro-cracked) and subjected to high temperature oxidation, the composite exhibits brittle mechanical properties. This has been attributed to the removal of the carbon interface by oxidation. In order to enable this type of system to work in elevated temperature applications, a material with a greater oxidation resistance than carbon has to be substituted.
Some speculated that boron nitride could be substituted for the carbon. The major problem with such a substitution however is in the processing of the material. Boron nitride is usually fabricated by reacting a boron halogen with ammonia. The deposition of SiC is affected by the presence of ammonia. Therefore, the deposition of boron nitride has to be carried out in a separate reactor. This results in extra heating/cooling cycles in the process and additional handling of the part from one reactor to the other. This makes a boron nitride/silicon carbide multilayering concept unattractive.

Multilayered boron nitride/silicon nitride fiber coatings


A substantially flat tool for the function of deshelling or cracking an object, combined with a bottle opener and function of a picker or knife, featuring a thin striking surface which favors cracking over smashing.

THE SHELLER, By Shelby Blondell™, SEAFOOD MULTI-TOOL, affords the principle function of a, substantially planar, or flat tool for the function of deshelling or cracking an object combined with a bottle opener and function of a picker or knife. Traditional mallets are thick in surface area causing the object to be hit with a brunt force causing a smashing effect rather than a crack. This is not as affective for eating crustaceans and other foods that have an outer casing or shell such as crabs. Having a flat design, which is not limited to a rectangle shape (As seen in Element 1) allows for an effective use of mallet, less storage space, and possibilities for logos to appear.
Combining the functions of a mallet, bottle opener and a picker, in a single tool provides many advantages of portability, convenience, easy usage, easy storage, and easy cleanup.


According to one embodiment, an automatic analyzer includes a magnetic field generator, a photometric unit, a measurement unit, and a decision unit. The magnetic field generator causes magnetic separation in a reaction liquid stored in a cuvette by magnetic particles. The photometric unit includes a light source unit configured to generate light, and a detection unit configured to detect the light generated by the light source unit and generate an output signal corresponding to the detected light. The measurement unit measures a measurement item based on the output signal. The decision unit decides the use range of the output signal to be used to measure the measurement item in accordance with spatial unevenness of the magnetic separation by the magnetic field generator.

In an automatic analyzer, a cuvette is repetitively irradiated with light, the light that has passed through the cuvette is repetitively detected, and the measured value of a measurement item is calculated using the average value of detected output values. The sampling window of output values to be used to calculate the average value is set within a predetermined time range.
In recent years, to do inspection by separating detection target molecules using magnetic particles, there has been proposed an automatic analyzer including magnets that apply magnetic fields to a reaction liquid in a cuvette. The magnets are arranged so as to make the flux densities of magnetic fields almost even in the reaction liquid in the cuvette. In some cases, however, magnetic separation does not spatially evenly progress in the cuvette because of rotational motion of a reaction disk, positional shifts of magnets, and the like. The phenomenon that magnetic separation does not spatially evenly progress will be referred to as a fluctuation of magnetic separation hereinafter. When a fluctuation of magnetic separation occurs, the accuracy of a measurement result degrades.


A purified novel peptide micrin and its fragments are disclosed. The molecule has hormonal functions and has wide-ranging biological effects. Several uses are disclosed including its therapeutic potential in tissue reduction, tumour suppression, infertility and senescence. A micrin-recognising antibody and the micrin gene are also disclosed.

Organ differential-growth models indicate that control of organ size occurs at the level of the entire tissue volume; that is, no single factor such as cell size or the number of cells within the organ is responsible for size of the organ. How organ mass is sensed is not known. The system of control is complex, as well as robust and stable towards changes in individual factors (Desplan, C. and Lecuit, T., Nature, 422, 123-124, 2003).
An integrated picture has yet to emerge of the totality of controls on tissue and internal organ size, either during development or adulthood. Known molecular influences tend to be upregulatory (i.e. stimulatory, such as growth hormone and the sex steroids), stimulatory or inhibitory depending on the situation (e.g. TGFβ), or specifically inhibitory (e.g. locally produced myostatin on muscle, or Noggin, which counters the growth factor bone morphogenetic protein 7), rather than generally inhibitory, as in the present invention. Further examples of intercellular signalling molecules which might play a role in the control of organ size and form include classical hormones such as insulin and prolactin; effectors such as IGF1 and 2, TGFα, epidermal growth factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF); and morphogens involved in differentiation and patterning such as Wnt, Notch and Hedgehogs.
Circulating hormone levels can control tissue and organ size directly, as in the case of upregulation of the size of the prostate gland by androgens. Some agents influence growth indirectly on a 'global' scale in the body, by exerting an effect on central hormonal growth control in the hypothalamus and pituitary. Estrogen, while also having local effects, is an example of a hormone that exerts control on growth and size in this way. Of particular interest is when the decision point is reached to reproduce rather than continue growing.
In WO 00/32208 impure preparations of sheep ovarian venous plasma were used to show that fractions collected in the 10-30 kDa nominal molecular weight range contained a material which reduced organ mass in adult rats. This was the first time it was shown that a general inhibitor of organ mass existed. The unknown active entity in the material was named 'micrin'. That document provided no information on the chemical nature of micrin.
An object of the present invention is to overcome deficiencies of the prior art. This and other objects will become apparent from the following description.


An image scanning apparatus includes a document holder and a scanner module movably installed in the document holder, A multi-function apparatus may further include the image scanning apparatus. While the scanner module passes over the lower side of a document guide provided between a first glass and a second glass provided at the document holder, spacers installed at opposite ends of the scanner module are moved downward by guide members provided at the document guide, thereby preventing spacer portions provided at an upper end of the respective spacers from being caught by the document guide.

1. Field
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to an image scanning apparatus to scan image information of a document and a multi-function apparatus including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a multi-function apparatus includes an image forming apparatus to form an image on a print medium and an image scanning unit to scan image information of a document.
The image scanning unit may include a document holder in which a document is loaded, a scanner module disposed in the document holder to scan the document loaded on the document holder, and an automatic document feeding unit disposed at the upper side of the document holder to automatically feed a document.
The document holder may include a first glass corresponding to a document fed by the automatic document feeding unit and a second glass corresponding to a document manually loaded on the document holder. The scanner module may be movably installed inside the document holder to scan image information of a document fed by the automatic document feeding unit while being stopped at the lower side of the first glass. Or, the scanner module may be movably installed inside the document holder to scan image information of a document loaded at the upper side of the second glass while moving at the lower side of the second glass.
In recent years, a contact image sensor (CIS) type scanner module has been used as the scanner module. A characteristic of the CIS type scanner module is that it is lightweight.

Image scanning apparatus and multi-function apparatus including the same


Technology is disclosed for measuring distances. A measurement device emits a beam that reflects on the surface of an object. The measurement device determines the distance to the object, based on the time of flight of the beam from transmission to capture by the measurement device. The device includes a light source adapted to provide an outgoing reference beam. A detector is aligned to receive a return beam, wherein said return beam results from a reflection of said outgoing reference beam from an object outside of said distance measurement device. A diffuser is provided adjacent to the detector aligned to receive said return beam.

Optical measuring systems exist for making more accurate distance measurements. One traditional type of system is the narrowband ranging system. This system emits one or more modulated optical signals that produce reflections on an incident target. The system captures the reflections and determines the distance to the target based on phase shifts detected in the captured reflections. These systems typically require the use of an expensive high precision receiver, such as an avalanche gain photodiode. The performance of these systems can also erode as the signal to noise ratio falls. This can be a significant drawback, because environmental conditions in the working area can provide substantial signal attenuation.
Another traditional type of system is the wideband pulsed system. This system also emits one or more optical signals that produce reflections on an incident target. The system captures the reflections and measures the round trip signal delay to obtain the distance to the target. The system determines the time difference between the time a signal pulse departs the system and the time that the system receives a reflection of the pulse. Traditional systems identify pulse departure and arrival through threshold detection i.e. comparing the signals to a threshold level. One typical technique is half-maximum detection, which establishes a reference threshold based on the peak intensity of the signal pulses. Unfortunately, this technique does not operate well in low signal to noise ratio environments. The system has difficulty establishing a consistent detection point, because the low signal to noise ratio increases estimation errors in the measurement of signal amplitude. Challenges also arise when trying to measure time delay between signal pulses. When an asynchronous clock is employed to measure the time between pulses, significant inaccuracies can occur unless the system employs measurement intervals with impractically long durations. In order to avoid such measurement intervals, the system can employ expensive high-speed components with substantial power consumption.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/414,440 entitled Distance Measuring Device, filed Apr. 15, 2003, describes a number of embodiments of a "time of flight" distance measuring device. The device emits a beam that reflects on the surface of an object. The measurement device captures the return beam and determines the distance to the object, based on the time of flight of the beam from transmission to capture by the measurement device.
One implementation of the measurement device enhances accuracy by deriving feedback reference pulses from pulses in the emitted beam and injecting them into the device's receive path. This creates a receive waveform that includes one or more feedback reference pulses in the emitted beam and corresponding return pulses in the return beam. This enables the measurement device to directly measure time delay between a return pulse and a reference pulse that lead to the generation of the return pulse.
A variety of problems are encountered in optical ranging systems when the range being measured is decreased. For a beam that is contained within the field of view of the receiver, there is a 1/R2 relationship between the return signal strength and the distance (where R is the distance of the reflected beam from the detector). To obtain measurements at short distances, a large dynamic range in the reflected beam is required. This adds complexity to signal detection and processing circuitry. In systems with separate transmit and receive apertures, decreasing the distance measured eventually causes a drop off in signal strength at the returned detector. This signal drop off occurs as the received signal moves off of the active surface of the detector. For time of flight ranging systems requiring wide detection bandwidths, a large detector is not feasible. This means other techniques must be available to prevent a short range signal dropout. In time of flight range finders incorporating pulsed laser diodes, such as that described in the co pending application cited above, there is often a dependence of the time behavior of the return signal on the distribution of the return signal falling on the detector. If only a portion of the return signal falls on the detector, as experienced at short distances, changes in the pulse shape can result.
Aspects of the present invention can be accomplished using hardware, software, or a combination of both hardware and software. The software used for the present invention is stored on one or more processor readable storage media including hard disk drives, CD-ROMs, DVDs, optical disks, floppy disks, tape drives, RAM, ROM or other suitable storage devices. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the software can be replaced by dedicated hardware including custom integrated circuits, gate arrays, FPGAs, PLDs, and special purpose computers. In one embodiment, software implementing the present invention is used to program one or more processors. The processors can be in communication with one or more storage devices, peripherals and/or communication interfaces.

Distance measurement device with short range optics


The invention relates to an actuator (10) for closing and/or opening a mobile part, especially a door, a tailgate or the like. Said actuator comprises a support (20), an actuating element (30), an electronic unit (50) and a detector system (60), the actuating element (30) being arranged on the support (20), the detector system (60) being arranged in the region of the actuating element (30) and at least a locking or unlocking action being triggerable directly or indirectly on the detector system (60). The electronic unit (50) interacts with the detector system (60) and the electronic unit (50) controls a locking system (40) for locking or unlocking. The invention is characterized in that a receiving unit (70) is integrated into the support (20) and/or into a handle shell (32) in a material fit, at least a part of the electronic unit (50) being permanently accommodated in the receiving unit (70).

Such operating devices are familiar to those skilled in the art, e.g., from automotive engineering. The patent DE 101 53 143 C1 discloses an operating device used on the side doors of motor vehicles. The operating device here has operating means with which a door on a motor vehicle can be opened or closed. In addition, a detector system that responds to proximity of the human hand is integrated into the operating means. In the event of response, functions such as unlocking of the door lock that are defined by the detector system are triggered in the motor vehicle. The electronic system required for these functions is integrated into an additional housing, which is attached to the rear side of the operating device. This separate mounting and support of the electronic system on the operating device has proven to be complicated and cost intensive.
Based on the aforementioned prior art, the present invention develops an operating device which will avoid the aforementioned disadvantages while using only a few parts.


An example system is configured to control conditions in an enclosed space. The system includes scavenger and process plenums, a liquid-to-air membrane energy exchanger (LAMEE), a first liquid-to-air heat exchanger (LAHX), a second LAHX, and a fluid circuit The scavenger plenum is configured to direct scavenger air from a scavenger inlet to a scavenger outlet. The process plenum is sealed from the scavenger plenum and is configured to direct process air from a process inlet to a process outlet The process inlet receives heated air from the space and the process outlet supplies cooled air to the space. The LAMEE is arranged inside the scavenger plenum. The LAMEE is configured to use the scavenger air to evaporatively cool a first fluid flowing through the LAMEE. The temperature of the first fluid at a LAMEE outlet is lower than the temperature of the first fluid at a LAMEE inlet. The first LAHX is arranged inside the process plenum. The first LAHX is configured to directly and sensibly cool the heated air from the space to a supply air temperature using a second fluid flowing through the first LAHX. The second LAHX is arranged inside the scavenger plenum downstream of the LAMEE. The second LAHX is configured to receive and cool the second fluid heated by the first LAHX using the scavenger air. The fluid circuit transports the first and second fluids among the LAMEE, the first LAHX, and the second LAHX.

The present patent application relates to conditioning systems and methods for conditioning the air in an enclosed space, including, for example, a data center.
There are many applications for which controlling the environmental conditions within an enclosed space is important—for example, cooling data centers. A data center usually consists of computers and associated components operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The electrical components in data centers produce a lot of heat, which needs to be removed from the space. Air-conditioning systems in data centers can consume as much as 40% of the total energy.
There are several methods to reduce the air-conditioning system's energy consumption in cooling only applications such as data centers, including, for example, conventional evaporative/adiabatic coolers, including indirect/hybrid designs for space cooling. Two general methods currently used are air-side economizers and water-side economizers. The air-side economizer runs outdoor air into the data center whenever outdoor air conditions are suitable to reject the heat from the data center. Using the air-side economizer can increase the risk of dust accumulation and air contaminants inside the space and may be limited to relatively cold and dry climates. The water-side economizer is usually a cooling tower which cools some or all of the return water in a chilled water loop. Water mineral deposition, micro-organisms and biofilm growth (e.g. Legionella bacteria), corrosion of metal components and other maintenance challenges in the tower are some of the drawbacks for the water-side economizer. Also, the water-side economizer application may be limited to relatively hot and dry climates.
Another recent cooling method is using direct evaporative coolers (DEC) to cool buildings and other enclosed spaces. Conventional direct evaporative coolers, although typically more energy efficient than vapor compression systems, have some drawbacks. The supply air temperature coming out of the cooler may be challenging to control and is dependent on the outdoor air temperature and humidity level. The supply air may be excessively humid. These systems need careful maintenance to ensure that bacteria, algae, fungi and other contaminants do not proliferate in the water system and transfer into the supply air stream. Since these systems utilize direct contact between the evaporating liquid water and supply air, carryover of contaminants into the air stream can occur, which can, in turn, lead to reduced indoor air quality, odors and "sick building syndrome." Also, buildup of mineral deposits in the unit and on the evaporative pads can reduce performance and require maintenance.

Systems and methods for managing conditions in enclosed space


A rule is received at a client application from an input text control. The received rule includes a sequence of characters and is parsed into a plurality of tokens. For each of the tokens, a plurality of behaviors associated with that token are configured to generate a behavior configuration. Each of the generated behavior configurations can be modified by an authorized user. A user interface (UI) control is generated based on the behavior configurations.

Business rule languages empower technical and business users to change rules and calculations in applications with less effort, cost, and without extensive programming skills. Business rule management applications facilitate a nexus between a business rule with syntax and the syntax used in daily work of an enterprise. An essential function of systems based on business rule is the partial or complete separation of business logic from application code so that professional staff can design, model, and maintain the business rule.

Dynamic configurable rule representation


A system for automatic identification and notification of relevant program defects. A defect report server opens a defect description in response to receiving the defect description from an end user. Then, the defect report server extracts each word and phrase contained within the program defect description. After extracting each word and phrase, the defect report server searches a plurality of defect databases for each extracted word and phrase. If an extracted word or phrase is found in a defect database, the defect report server calculates a word relevancy percentage for each of the extracted words or phrases found in the search. Finally, if the word relevancy percentage for each extracted word and phrase exceeds a threshold, the defect report server sends all relevant defects associated with each extracted word and phrase that exceeded the predetermined threshold to a defect owner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for automatic identification and notification of relevant software defects.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computers utilize a master control program known as an operating system. The computer loads the operating system first when the computer is turned on. The operating system sets the standards for all programs that run in the computer. Programs communicate with the operating system for all user interfaces and file management operations. A program is a set of files that make up computer software that is used by an end user. Programs may include, for example, generic productivity software, such as spreadsheets, word processors, and database programs, and specialized software, such as e-mail, web browser, payroll, and accounting programs.
Programs consist of instructions and programming statements known as source code, which is written by a developer. Open source refers to software created by a development community rather than a single commercial vendor. Typically, volunteers from many organizations develop the source code of open source software, which is free and available to anyone who would like to use the software or modify the software for their own purposes. This allows an organization to add a feature itself rather than hope that the vendor of a proprietary product will implement its suggestion in a subsequent release.
Although open source software is technically free, many companies sell a distribution version of an open source operating system or application for a fee. The distribution combines the free source code along with proprietary development utilities and a technical support package.
Open source developers claim that a broad group of programmers produce a more useful and more bug-free product. The primary reason for this claim is that other developers are constantly reviewing the source code. This constant review of the original developer's source code by other developers is a natural byproduct of open source software. Peer review of programs is an important safeguard against poorly written source code. However, developers of closed source or proprietary software programs counter by claiming, "Too many cooks spoil the broth!" Closed source developers believe that having complete control over a program's development ultimately results in a better product.
Software development requires testing of a program that has been modified in order to ensure that bugs or defects have not been introduced into the source code. When program is enhanced, testing is usually only performed on the new feature or modification. However, adding source code to a program often introduces errors in other routines, causing many of the old and stable functions to be tested along with the new ones. Regression testing is one example of software testing utilized by program developers.
A bug or defect is a persistent error in the program's source code. The defect can be corrected by re-writing the program's source code. The defect may cause the program to produce invalid output or cause the program to crash or freeze-up. The defect or problem is either insufficient logic or erroneous logic.
Developers may record defects and modifications to a program's source code in a bug tracking software program. Defect or bug tracking software is software designed to assist developers manage software development. Bug tracking software programs are designed so that any member of a program's development team can access the defect database to log bugs and make appropriate changes to the source code. The bug tracking software program maintains a record of, for example, time of original bug identification, bug description, changes/fixes applied, as well as the developer who made the entry or change. As a result, the bug tracking software program allows the program's development team to effectively keep track of their own work on the program.
However, small development teams generally manage development environments for software programs. Even if the entire software program's development team is composed of a large number of developers, a modest team usually manages each component of the software package. Consequently, that component's development team must perform any modifications or changes for that particular component of the software package. Thus, each development team is effectively isolated from other development teams. If regression testing is performed and a defect is identified in a program, the development team working on the defective program may waste valuable time re-writing the source code because an existing solution to the identified defect may already be posted on a bug tracking system by a similar but separate development team working in a parallel development effort.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method and system for automatic identification and notification of relevant software defects and possible fixes.

Method and system for automatic identification and notification of relevant software defects


The invention relates to acrylate polymer and copolymer release coatings containing amounts of polyfluoropolymer powder sufficient to alter the adhesion of the release coating on a support after radiation curing of the formulation producing said coating.

Radiation curable coatings differ in their adherence to the various plastic, metallic and paper substrates used in commerce. This difference in adherence can be applied to transferring a coating from one substrate having a relatively weak adhesive bond to a second substrate having a stronger bond.
One set of applications based on that concept is substitution of low cost substrates readily available in commerce for the expensive release substrates currently used for this purpose. Furthermore, the surface texture of the carrying web may be desirably imparted to the cured coating. In this way any of a number of aesthetically pleasing and decorative effects can be produced. In addition, when using a nonporous substrate as the carrying web for transfer of the coating composition to a porous substrate, the quantity of coating required is greatly reduced due to the minimization of wicking of the uncured coating into the porous substrate. The result is a coating which resides largely on the surface of the porous substrate, thus more easily bridging the irregularities of that surface with a minimum of coating material. A particularly good example of this process is the transfer of a coating composition from a polyester web to paper to provide a smooth glossy surface for subsequent vacuum metallization. The metallized surface obtained in this manner is exceptionally shiny and free from flaws and blemishes.
In alternative applications, the substrate can be used as interleaves between plastic sheets, temporary backings for pressure-sensitive adhesives, and papers used as temporary carriers in film and foam casting processes. The release papers may be smooth or embossed, to impart any desired texture to the film or the foam cast against them. They may also be preprinted with an ink that is transferred to the cast film.

Radiation cure release coatings without silicone


A method converts an n-bit floating point number to a logarithmic representation, the number having a first set of bits assigned to a mantissa, and a second set of bits assigned to an exponent. The logarithmic representation has a characteristic and a fraction. The method: (a) sets the characteristic of the logarithm equal to the second set of bits; (b) selects from a logarithm table a first logarithm of a first subset of the first set; (c) selects from the logarithm table a slope of a logarithmic function at the first logarithm; (d) multiplies the slope times a second subset of the first set to obtain an interpolated value; (e) adds the interpolated value to the first logarithm to obtain the fraction; and (f) adds the characteristic and the fraction to obtain the logarithmic representation.

Arithmetic logic units (ALUs) are electronic components that are used to perform specific arithmetic and logic functions. In general, an ALU is considered a part of the central processing unit (CPU) of a general purpose computer or of a micro-processor. Recently, computer designers and manufacturers have begun utilizing ALUs that are incorporated in digital signal processors (DSPs) to meet the demands of special applications, such as pattern recognition, digital image enhancement, radar processing, speech filtering, etc. The architecture of DSPs is particularly well-suited for computing-intensive applications that require frequent high-speed arithmetic operations. More specifically, DSPs are high-speed reduced-instruction-set devices which are capable of carrying out limited tasks such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and shifting operations faster than general purpose processors. A typical DSP includes a micro-instruction sequencer, read-only-memory (ROM), random-access-memory (RAM), a high-speed ALU, a parallel multiplier, and related storage registers. The DSP controls the operation of the ALU through the micro-instruction sequencer.
Although ALUs are capable of performing standard arithmetic operations (e.g., addition, subtraction, and multiplication) in a single computing cycle they are unable to perform, with accuracy, other floating point arithmetic operations in a single clock cycle. A floating point (FP) format allows numbers to be represented in a large dynamic range and with high precision, which are critical for many applications. Due to the limitations of current ALUs, for many applications requiring floating point arithmetic operations, the computing algorithms are often cumbersome and complex because the necessary floating point arithmetic functions must be derived from a lengthy sequence of supported floating point or non-floating point computations.
It would be advantageous for an ALU to be able to perform floating point calculations in a single clock cycle. Furthermore, it would be advantageous for an ALU to be implemented with a floating point architecture that would allow the ALU to perform more functions than are currently available in a typical ALU. The types of functions needed to be performed in a floating point ALU include floating point multiplication, division, square root, logarithms, exponents, and MacLauren series expansions. Finally, such an implementation of a floating point ALU should be consistent with the industry standard 32 bit IEEE floating point format.
The application of the logarithm number (LN) format to perform arithmetic functions is well known in the art. The FP is analogous to the LN. To illustrate, in a digital computer with a 32 bit/word binary format, an FP includes the sign bit and two other parts: the first or exponent part typically uses eight (8) bits and represents the power to which one raises the number two in order to get the approximate number. The dynamic range of numbers that can be represented thus extends from zero all the way through the number two raised to the 128th power. This first exponent part is then multiplied by a second or mantissa part, which typically has twenty-three (23) bits in order to fully define the number. The mantissa is normalized so that it always lies within a limited range of values with the highest value being twice the lowest value, in keeping with the doubling of the number upon each increment of the exponent part.
Similarly, in the LN of the same number, the logarithm exponent is divided into a portion to the left of the decimal point that comprises whole or integer numbers called the characteristic, and a portion to the right of the decimal point called the fraction. It is known in the art that, in a LN of base two, the characteristic is the same as the FP exponent, and the fraction is nearly the same as the FP mantissa, assuming that certain normalization ranges are used. In short, the major difference between the FP and the corresponding LN of the same number is that the FP uses only integer exponents and spans the numbers in between with a linear fractional multiplier, whereas the LN utilizes a continuous spectrum of exponents to represent the number. Thus, the LN exponent need not be multiplied by a fractional quantity in order to fully define the number.
The similarity between the FP and the LN has made it common for FP algorithms to use the exponent and mantissa of FPs as rough guesses for the corresponding characteristic and fraction of LNs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,180, issued to Kmetz, discloses a digital transformation system for converting between FP and LN of the same number by normalizing the FP in the range of one to two, and adapting one function as the other function, after a correction, wherein the correction is generated by a ROM using the one function as an address. However, because the transformation taught by Kmetz apparently only approximates arithmetic operations, the results are not as accurate as full floating point arithmetic operations. For the purpose of the Kmetz method, apparently accuracy is not essential because such transformation is used for speech recognition signal analysis in which the results of many multiplications are averaged together so that accuracy is not contingent upon any one multiplication.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,809, issued to Taylor, discloses a hybrid FP/LN arithmetic processor. The patent discloses a hybrid arithmetic processor which combines attributes of conventional FP arithmetic with LN arithmetic. The arithmetic processor includes an input section for converting FP input operands to LN intermediate operands. A computing section performs arithmetic operations on the LN intermediate operands. An output section converts the LN intermediate output of the computing section to FP.
Taylor further discloses full look-up tables for converting from FP to LN. The look-up tables, as implemented in ROM, apparently require that the number of address lines be equal to the bit width of the input FP mantissa and the word length be equal to the bit width of the corresponding LN fraction. The Taylor method apparently requires a full mapping technique for converting from FP to LN. The full mapping technique requires a high utilization of ROM resources and is difficult to implement for a floating point format of 32-bit width, e.g., the IEEE floating point format.
Thus, there is a need in the art for improved speed and accuracy in performing floating point arithmetic operations.


The present invention is directed to a virtual fence provided using a plurality of video cameras. A method for providing a virtual fence in accordance with an embodiment includes: positioning a plurality of video cameras about a perimeter to be monitored, the perimeter comprising a plurality of designated areas; for each of the designated areas: capturing video data of the designated area using at least one video camera; analyzing the captured video data to detect an event; and sending at least one of image or video data to a central facility only in response to the detection of the event.

Traditional solutions for monitoring a large perimeter using video surveillance systems and/or the like requires the monitoring of a large number of images feeds. Continuous monitoring of each of the image feeds typically requires numerous personnel, which can be cost prohibitive. To reduce cost, a person may be required to simultaneously monitor a large number of image feeds, making it easier for a person to cross the perimeter undetected. In some cases, a sequence of image feeds, each from a different camera, can be displayed. Again, however, this makes it much easier for a person to cross the perimeter undetected.
Accordingly, there is a need for a solution that addresses these and other deficiencies of the related art.


The present disclosure provides a process for producing low density polyethylene with a dissipation factor less than or equal to 1.48×10−4 radian at 2.47 GHz. The process includes free radical high pressure polymerization of ethylene and separation of the unreacted species from the resultant polyethylene to form a recycle stream. The process further includes purging dissipative components from the recycle stream. The purged recycle stream is then introduced into the polymerization reactor.

It is known to insulate a conductor with a polymeric composition such as low density polyethylene (LDPE). For example, foamed LDPE, alone or blended with another polymer, is routinely used to insulate communication cable, such as coaxial cable and/or radio frequency cable.
Rapid advancements in the telecommunication industry are placing greater demand for higher signal quality in communication cable. One way to obtain higher signal quality in communication cable is to lower signal attenuation. It is known that impurities, polar functional groups and/or unsaturation present in the polyethylene can negatively affect the dielectric properties and increase the dissipation factor. Thus, the art recognizes the need for polyethylene with low amounts of impurities, polar groups and unsaturation in order to achieve lower signal attenuation and lower dissipation factor in cable insulation. The art further recognizes the need for an LDPE electrical insulation material with a low dissipation factor that does not compromise the physical properties and/or processability properties of the LDPE.

Low density polyethylene with low dissipation factor and process for producing same


A noise removal device includes a noise remover, a data compressor, a data decompressor, a stillness detector, and an output selector. For a second frame succeeding a first frame, the noise remover performs noise removal on input image data of the second frame to generate noise removed data, based on the input image data of the second frame and decompressed data of the first frame. For the second frame, the output selector: selects the input image data as output image data, when the stillness detector detects that the input image data is data of a still image; and selects the noise removed data as the output image data, when the stillness detector detects that the input image data is not the data of the still image.

In recent years, an increase in display apparatuses of 4K, 8K, and the like has led to an increase in the amount of data for video signal processing. Hence, in video signal processing technology using frame delay whereby signals are temporarily held in frame memory, video signal compression technology is used in order to reduce the bandwidth necessary for video signal processing (for example, see PTL 1). For example, bit compression technology (lossy compression) is used as such video signal compression technology.

Noise removal device, noise removal method, and stillness detection method


A control device is configured to: control a main scanning device and a sub-scanning device to print partial images by single partial printing in a first case where a specific condition is not satisfied, the specific condition indicating that ink supply to a printing head may be delayed in a partial printing and determined for each of the partial image, control the main scanning device and the sub-scanning device to print the partial images by a plurality of partial printings including a first partial printing and a second partial printing in a second case where the specific condition is satisfied, and determine a first area of the partial image to be printed by the first partial printing and a second area of the partial image to be printed by the second partial printing by using a pixel value information, in the second case.

A printer configured to print an image by ejecting ink from nozzles of a printing head is known.
In the printer, for example, when a temperature of the ink is relatively low, a viscosity of the ink is increased, so that delay in ink supply from an accommodation part of the ink to the printing head is likely to occur. When the delay in ink supply occurs, an image quality is deteriorated due to thinning of a printed image, for example.
JP-A-2004-66550 discloses technology of, when the number of continuous ejections of dots counted in a band is larger than a threshold value corresponding to a temperature of the printing head, increasing the number of passes to print the band.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Image processing device and computer program


An illumination controller determines a target brightness setting value from a illuminance value measured by a illumination sensor, determines a brightness correction start time in response to a target brightness setting value and a current brightness setting value and a calculation information that are stored in a memory, calculates an amount of brightness setting change per specified time from the current brightness setting value stored in the memory and the target brightness setting value at a brightness correction start time, and outputs an output brightness setting value in response to the amount of brightness setting change that is calculated. The brightness controller adjusts brightness of the display unit in response to the output brightness setting value output from the illumination controller.

There has been an automated screen correction device for automatically displaying a screen corresponding to a change in ambient light in portable terminals such as mobile terminals and car televisions. This automated screen correction device is equipped with a sensor for measuring the ambient light and outputting an illuminance value, which is ambient environment information. With this structure, the automated screen correction device reads out a brightness adjustment value corresponding to the illuminance value measured by the sensor from a memory. Then, the automated screen correction device sets an optimum illuminance value for the user to a display unit based on calculation of the adjustment value read out and information on display screen mode selected by the user. (For example, refer to Patent Literature 1.)
A conventional brightness correction device, such as this automated screen correction device, determines that the current brightness has changed to a different brightness if, for example, other brightness levels are detected for a predetermined number of times in the current brightness, so as to detect that the brightness has changed. The predetermined number of times is, for example, 50 times.
However, the above conventional brightness correction device frequently changes brightness of display unit due to sensitive reaction to changes in ambient light if light and dark of ambient light significantly changes such as when a car television equipped with this brightness correction device passes through a place where brightness changes again and again, typically a tree-lined street. This results in giving a sense of discomfort to the user.
[Citation List]
[Patent Literature]
[PTL 1] Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-082137

Brightness correction device and brightness correction method


Provided is an apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving broadcasting data and supplementary data. The method includes: generating broadcasting data and supplementary data for a plurality of predetermined 3D broadcasting services to be provided to users; multiplexing the generated broadcasting data for broadcasting channels respectively allocated to the plurality of predetermined 3D broadcasting services, and multiplexing the generated supplementary data for one commonly broadcasting channel commonly allocated to the plurality of predetermined 3D broadcasting services; encoding the multiplexed supplementary data corresponding to a conditional access system; and transmitting the encoded supplementary data to the one common broadcasting channel, and transmitting the multiplexed broadcasting data to the allocated broadcasting channels.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a communication system; and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving broadcasting data and supplementary data thereof to provide a high quality 3D broadcasting service in various types in a digital broadcasting system.
2. Description of Related Art
There have many studies actively made to provide services with various Quality of Services (QoS) at a high transmit rate in a communication system. For example, a digital broadcasting system has introduced methods for transmitting various types of video and audio data at a high transmit rate through a limited resource. The digital broadcasting system has been advanced to provide various types of high quality broadcasting services to uses. For example, a 3D broadcasting service has been receiving attention. Accordingly, many researches and studies have been actively made to provide various types of 3D broadcasting services.
In order to provide a 3D broadcasting service, a digital broadcasting system transmits and receives broadcasting data including primary broadcasting images and a supplementary data including supplementary images for the primary broadcasting images. Such primary broadcasting data and supplementary data are transmitted or received through the same broadcasting channel or through different broadcasting channels. In other word, the digital broadcasting system transmits and receives a broadcasting data including 2D images as primary broadcasting images and a supplementary data including supplementary images for transforming the primary broadcasting images to 3D images. The digital broadcasting system multiplexes the broadcasting data and the supplementary data and transmits the multiplexed data through the same broadcasting channel or through different broadcasting channels.
Meanwhile, the digital broadcasting system adopts a conditional access system (CAS) for conditional access of a predetermined broadcasting service or a broadcasting service program. When such a digital broadcasting system adopting the conditional access system transmits the broadcasting data and the supplementary data through the same broadcasting channel or through different broadcasting channels, only subscribed users for corresponding broadcasting service or broadcasting service programs such as a 3D broadcasting service can access the broadcasting data and the supplementary data from the digital broadcasting system.
Since the broadcasting channels for transmitting the broadcasting data and supplementary data are limited, it is required to develop a method for effectively providing various types of high quality broadcasting services such as various forms of 3D broadcasting services using such limited broadcasting channels. In other words, transmitters for providing various 3D broadcasting services transmit broadcasting data and supplementary data through corresponding broadcasting channels. Here, the transmitter may be a broadcasting service provider or a broadcasting station. Such transmitters adopt the conditional access system (CAS) and transmit the broadcasting data and the supplementary data corresponding to the CAS. Accordingly, uses can receive only 3D broadcasting services that the users subscribe among various 3D broadcasting services.
Demand of users to receive various high quality 3D broadcasting services from the digital broadcasting system adapting the CAS has been increased. In order to satisfy such demand, a plurality of transmitters try to provide various forms of 3D broadcasting services by adapting the CAS. However, there is a limitation to provide various high quality 3D broadcasting services using the plurality of transmitters adopted with the CAS because of the limitation of the broadcasting channel.
Therefore, there has been a demand for developing a method for transmitting and receiving data in order to effectively provide various types of 3D broadcasting services through limited broadcasting channels in a digital broadcasting system having a CAS.

Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data in communication system

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


System and methods are provided for calculating a lane maneuver delay for different lane maneuvers and different road segments at different times of the day to generate a predicted lane maneuver delay for use in routing and navigation services. A lane-level map-matcher identifies the lane a vehicle is driving on using positional sensors. Sensor data is obtained from vehicle sensors using the left-turn and right-turn signal lights sensor. A lane maneuver delay value is calculated from the time period a left-turn or right-turn signaling light was kept on before a vehicle completed a lane maneuver. The lane maneuver delay values are aggregated to generate a predicted lane maneuver delay that may be used in lane level routing instructions.

For mapping applications, maps and road traffic patterns have been built using only road geometry and intersections with little or no lane-level insight. As a result, it is difficult to report upcoming traffic congestion. The traffic attempting to turn off at the next junction might be backed up, while the cars that are going past it on the inner lane are travelling at normal speeds or vice versa. The difference in lane traffic and speeds may cause inefficiencies in routing and usage of a roadway network. The inefficiencies that come from poor choice of routes and lanes by individual drivers lead to congestion and delay for both the individual driver and other individuals traveling in other vehicles. Vehicles are unable to get to a destination on time and often are not certain of the best routes to take or which lanes of travel would be the fastest for their mission.
Existing navigation systems provide route guidance primarily by choosing routes based upon expected road segment travel times, turn penalties, and preferences for use of certain types or classes of roads. These systems may readily identify the locations where mandatory lane changes are required to traverse a recommended or chosen path but are not sensitive to the best lanes to use in various traffic situations and in different locations.
With lane level data, more effective routes and lane choices may be determined. However, even after acquiring lane level traffic data, generating accurate lane level traffic flow predictions may be inaccurate. The problem is that even though some services can predict lane level traffic, the services lacks a very important information which is the dynamics of traffic flow around lane transitions and lane maneuvers. While identifying that one lane is moving faster than another may be beneficial, without identifying how or when to switch into the lane, the lane level traffic information may lead to incomplete or erroneous results.

Spatiotemporal lane maneuver delay for road navigation


A lubrication distribution assembly is provided. The lubrication distribution assembly includes a lubrication metering device, which includes a piston. The lubrication distribution assembly also includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor automatically detects a piston stroke length of the piston over at least two movement cycles of the piston. The controller receives the piston stroke length from the sensor, sets an operating point of the piston based on the piston stroke length, and controls the lubrication metering device by utilizing the set operating point.

The disclosure relates generally to a lubrication distribution assembly.
In general, lubrication systems includes lubrication metering devices that can be used for supplying lubricant to associated lubrication points of the lubrication systems. In some cases, lubrication metering devices are formed as conventional piston metering devices that, in each lubrication cycle, supply a predetermined amount of lubricant to the lubrication points by using a piston. Piston detector elements, used in these conventional piston metering devices, serve for determining a position of the piston to control the piston and a supplied amount of lubricant.


Containment systems and methods for assembling containment systems include a plurality of posts supporting panels, the posts having top and bottom connectors to connect posts to panels. The tank may be assembled without tools using tabs on the connectors and slots in the panels, with at least one connector having a tab that is bent down after insertion into a slot to secure a panel to a post.

Large panelized containment systems are used to surround tanks, such as agricultural and oil field tanks, and to contain a leak from a tank or tanks that are located within the containment system. Such containment systems can have large stresses applied thereto when assembled. Typical connectors for panels of containment systems use a bolted connection system in which bolts are attached to and extend from panels, and a separate plate that has openings fitting over the bolt holes.
Panels in containment systems are commonly assembled in many different conditions, such as in extreme temperatures both high and low, and in locations where the use of advanced tools may be hampered by a lack of electricity, availability, and the like. Further, panels for containment systems, such as those described above, typically require the use of small pieces such as nuts and bolts. In cold temperatures especially, the use of nuts and bolts becomes difficult since gloves are often necessary. In cold temperatures, without gloves or other hand protection, manual dexterity, such as that used for working with small parts or tools requiring adjustment (wrenches and the like), is reduced as hands get colder. Further, in cold weather situations, where there may be snow or ice on the ground, if a small part is dropped, it may not be easily retrieved.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for an improved containment system assembly method including post and panel connectors.


Exemplary implementations are directed to wireless power in-band signaling by load generation. An apparatus for communicating with a wireless power transmitter is provided. The apparatus comprises a receiver configured to generate a voltage based on wirelessly received charging power from the transmitter. The apparatus comprises a load configurable to be coupled to and decoupled from the receiver. The apparatus comprises a switching circuit configured to encode a communication to the transmitter by adjusting an average power dissipated by the load detectable by the transmitter. The average power is based on a duty cycle with which the switching circuit couples and decouples the load from the receiver under control of a control signal.

Approaches are being developed that use over the air power transmission between a transmitter and a chargeable device. One such approach is based on inductive coupling between a transmit coupler embedded, for example, in a "charging" mat or surface and a receive coupler plus rectifying circuit embedded in the chargeable device. As will be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art, a first device, such as a wireless power receiver, may communicate with one or more other devices, such as a wireless power transmitter, by modulating a load of the receiver. This communication may be referred to as "reverse link signaling" or "in-band signaling." In many applications, receivers are cost- and size-constrained. Further, since the receivers are often moved with respect to the transmitter, coupling as well as induced voltages in either or both of the transmitter and receiver may be highly variable. Therefore, a need exists for methods and apparatuses for reliable wireless power in-band signaling by load generation, particularly for receivers configured for different applications.

Method and apparatus for wireless power in-band signaling by load generation


A dipole antenna apparatus, and method of manufacture of such an apparatus, are provided. The antenna apparatus has a conductive plate extending in a first plane, and a pair of conductive elements arranged to form a dipole antenna, where the pair of conductive elements are located in a second plane parallel to the first plane. Each conductive element forms a conductive ring in the second plane that surrounds a non-conductive inner area. The first conductive element in the pair of conductive elements has a conductive bridge extending across the conductive ring to divide the non-conductive inner area into at least two portions. A conductive connection then extends from the conductive bridge to the conductive plate. As a result, in normal use the conductive plate acts as a reflector for the dipole antenna, but in the event of a direct current event the presence of the conductive bridge and the conductive connection causes the conductive plate to operate as a ground plane for direct current within the first conductive element of the dipole antenna. It has been found that such an approach provides a particularly efficient, low cost, design for a dipole antenna.

The present technique relates to the design of a dipole antenna apparatus, and a method of manufacturing such a dipole antenna apparatus.
In many applications, such as radio and telecommunications, a dipole antenna is a very commonly used class of antenna. For example, a dipole antenna is one of the most common elements used in base station antenna arrays. A dipole antenna is a balanced structure in terms of input impedance, and does not require an additional feeding network. Moreover, when placed above a metallic reflector, the antenna becomes directional.
Whilst the above properties make dipole antennas very attractive for use in applications such as base station antenna arrays, it is highly desirable for the dipole antennas to be cheap and easy to manufacture. One common way to produce a dipole antenna is using a printed circuit board (PCB) design, since such designs can be cheap to manufacture and easy to tune. However, they can suffer from poor radiation efficiency due to the losses in the dielectric materials.
It is also important in many applications to provide appropriate direct current (DC) grounding, so as to enable the dipole antenna to be protected from events such as lightning strikes, which can result in significant direct current passing through the dipole antenna.

Dipole antenna apparatus and method of manufacture


A portable electronic device and a video conference system integrated with the portable electronic device are described. The video conference system has a portable electronic device, a computer, and a display. The portable electronic device generates first video data. The computer receives second video data and second voice data from a remote electronic device. The computer receives the first video data through a transmission interface. The computer has an audio-receiving device for receiving an audio signal and generating first audio data. The display receives and displays the second video data. The computer displays the second audio data and sends the first video data and the first audio data to the remote electronic device through a network transmission medium, so that a video conference is conducted.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a portable electronic device and a video conference system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable electronic device and a video conference system where the image-capturing module of the portable electronic device is used to perform the video conference.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a cell phone is mainly used for communication. A PDA (personal digital assistant) is a device for storing and processing personal data. With the advance of digital image technology, camera modules have been integrated into some modern cell phones and PDAs. Pictures taken by such a camera module can be sent to a remote participant.
Some cell phones, such as some wireless LAN, CDMA, or WCDMA, have a high transmission speed. These cell phones can hold video conferences when communicating with another participant. However, the screens on cell phones are usually very small. If the video conference has many participants, the participants are hard to see since the image resolution is not good. A conventional video conference conducted by cell phones also lacks sufficient resolution for displaying documents, data papers, pictures, or products during the video conference. Besides, holding a video conference over a wireless connection is costly.
With the development of network technology, information exchange through the Internet has become very common and convenient. The video and audio data compression technology is also developing fast. Therefore, it is possible to transfer video and audio data via the Internet if the bandwidth is high enough.
Conventionally, a camera and a microphone have to be added to a computer in order to perform a video conference. The connection is established through the Internet and a real-time video and audio communications are made.
However, in a video conference held in this manner, the computer and the cell phone (or PDA) cannot be linked efficiently, or a link may not even exist in the video conference. If a cell phone already has a video conference function, buying another video conference system on a computer is wasteful.

Portable electronic device and video conference system integrated with the same


The disclosure updates website tags based on detected link changes. Link metadata based on a website is collected by an auto-tagger application. Previously collected link metadata associated with the website is accessed by the auto-tagger application. Upon detecting a link change between the collected link metadata and the accessed previously collected link metadata, the auto-tagger application identifies at least one auto-tagging rule associated with the detected link change. Tags of the website are updated by the auto-tagger application based on the identified at least one auto-tagging rule. Automatically detecting link changes and updating tags in response to the detected link changes enables consistent, accurate web analytics while reducing user effort required for website tag maintenance.

Many modern websites are designed to include tags that enable tracking of user interactions with the websites, and other analytics. Tags are portions of code that are linked to elements of a website that, when triggered based on interaction with the linked elements, cause actions to be performed such as incrementing counters, logging data, sending data to other applications or third parties, etc. Thus, tags provide important functionality for enabling the performance of a website to be observed via web analytics. However, a website's tag configuration is vulnerable to careless web development activities that may cause tags to be triggered inaccurately or not triggered at all. For instance, a web developer may make changes to a website that redirects a link from a first destination webpage to a second destination webpage yet fail to update a tag associated with the redirected link. Until the tag is updated, it may be triggered inaccurately based on the user interaction with the link, resulting in web analytics that indicate the first destination webpage is being accessed when it is not. Such inaccurate or "broken" tags may be difficult to identify and go unnoticed by web developers for extended periods of time. Incorrect web analytics data based on inaccurate tags increases the challenge of managing and developing effective websites based on collected user interaction data.

Automated tagging application for maintaining up-to-date web analytics


A roof-mounted solar power system for generating electrical power that includes a plurality of solar modules adapted for generating electrical power from sunlight, and with each of the plurality of solar modules having substantially the same size, aspect ratio and surface coloring. The plurality of solar modules are mounted on the deck of a roof to form a bank of solar modules having at least one irregular edge. The solar power system further includes one or more non-power generating edge treatments having substantially the same size, aspect ratio and surface coloring as the solar modules and that are adapted for installation along the irregular edge. Each edge treatment is adapted for a cutting away of at least one corner thereof to smooth the irregular edge of the bank of solar modules to a regular edge.

The trend toward alternate energy sources has lead in recent years to a demand for wind, geothermal, solar, hydrogen, and other sources of energy that do not derive from fossil fuels. The capturing of solar energy includes, without limitation, the collection and storage of heat from the sun and the collection and storage of electricity derived from sunlight. In the later case, solar cells and multi-cell solar modules have been developed that convert sunlight directly into electrical energy, which then may be used, stored in batteries, and/or placed back on the electrical grid. While solar modules are feasible in many applications, such as on industrial and commercial buildings, some consider them unsightly for use on roofs of residential homes. Further, traditional solar modules cover the shingles of a residential home, obscuring the architectural contribution of the shingles to the home. There is a need for a system to collect solar energy from the roof of a residential home that is not unsightly and that is integrated into and actually enhances the architectural appearance of the shingles of the home. It is to the provision of such a system that the present invention is primarily directed.

Solar roof panel system with edge and surface treatments


An image forming apparatus is provided which forms an image on a sheet on the basis of image data selectively received from a plurality of host apparatuses. The image forming apparatus comprises a plurality of input/output ports, connected to the respective host apparatuses for receiving image data from the host apparatuses, keys for setting priority orders of the plurality of input/output ports, memories for storing the priority orders set by the keys, and a CPU for selecting one of the input/output ports in accordance with the priority orders stored in the memories, if image data is received simultaneously from two or more of the host apparatuses, a memory and photosensitive assembly for receiving image data from the input/output ports selected by the keys and for forming an image corresponding to the received image data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus (e.g., a laser printer or an electronic copying machine) for forming an image in accordance with image data supplied from a host apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus (such as a laser printer or an electronic copying machine) is connected to a host apparatus (such as a computer or an image reader), and forms an image on a sheet (i.e., an image forming medium) in accordance with image data supplied from the host apparatus. This type of image forming apparatus is expensive and yet it is not often accessed by the host apparatus. Therefore, effective use is not made of the image forming apparatus.
This problem may be solved by providing a multi-port type host interface for the image forming apparatus, so as to permit the image forming apparatus to be accessed by a plurality of host apparatuses. More specifically, the multi-port type interface incorporates a priority circuit that causes the image forming apparatus to be used in accordance with priority orders which are previously assigned to the ports of the interface circuit. If the image forming apparatus is simultaneously accessed by two or more host apparatuses, in other words, if it is simultaneously supplied with image data from two or more host apparatuses, the host apparatuses are selected in accordance with the priority orders and are thus connected to the image forming apparatus in accordance with the degree of emergency. By using the image forming apparatus on this time divisional basis, it is intended that efficient use may be made of the image forming apparatus.
However, in these conventional systems the priority orders assigned to the ports of the multi-port type interface are fixed. Therefore, if the operator wants to alter the priority orders, it is necessary to change the connection of cables. This operation is very troublesome and time consuming. Further, even if the operator wants the image forming apparatus to be temporarily accessed by a particular host apparatus, this cannot be done easily. That is, the operator must first turn off the image forming apparatus and then modify the cable connection, for temporary priority use of the particular host apparatus. Therefore, from a practical standpoint such temporary priority use is impossible.