The present invention provides a peritoneal dialysis solution that contains heat stable osmotic agents such as D-glucitols, gluconic acids and alkylglycosides produced the reduction, oxidation or glycosylation of icodextrins respectively. As a result, osmotic agents that are stable under autoclaving or heat sterilization conditions are provided which reduces the amount of bioincompatible materials in the sterilized peritoneal dialysis solutions. Methods of preparing the D-glucitols, gluconic acids and alkylglycosides are disclosed.

The present invention relates generally to peritoneal dialysis and solutions for the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of modified icodextrins in peritoneal dialysis solutions as an osmotic agent and as an alternative to the use of glucose as an osmotic agent. The present invention also relates to methods of preparing peritoneal dialysis solutions that are stable under autoclaving conditions.
Dialysis provides a method for supplementing or replacing renal function in certain patients. Principally, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis are the two methods that are currently utilized.
In hemodialysis, the patient""s blood is passed through an artificial kidney dialysis machine. A membrane in the machine acts as an artificial kidney for cleansing the blood. Because it is an extracorporeal treatment that requires special machinery, hemodialysis is fraught with certain inherent disadvantages such as the availability of dialysis machines and the possibility of infection and contamination.
To overcome the disadvantages associated with hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis was developed. Peritoneal dialysis utilizes the patient""s own peritoneum as a semi-permeable membrane. The peritoneum is a membranous lining of the abdominopelvic walls of the body. The peritoneum is capable of acting as a natural semi-permeable membrane because of its large number of blood vessels and capillaries.
In operation, a peritoneal dialysis solution is introduced into the peritoneal cavity utilizing a catheter. After a sufficient period of time, an exchange of solutes between the dialysate and blood is achieved. Fluid removal is achieved by providing a suitable osmotic gradient from the dialysate to the blood to permit water outflow from the blood. This allows the proper acid-base, electrolyte and fluid balance to be achieved in the blood. After an appropriate dwell period, the dialysis solution or dialysate is drained from the body through a catheter.
Conventional peritoneal dialysis solutions contain glucose as an osmotic agent to maintain the osmotic pressure of the solution higher than the physiological osmotic pressure (about 285 mOsmol/kg). Glucose is a preferred osmotic agent because it provides rapid ultrafiltration rates. However, certain disadvantages have become associated with the use of glucose.
For example, glucose is known to decompose to 5-hydroxymethyl-furfural (5-MHF) in an aqueous solution during autoclaving or steamed sterilization. Smith, et al. AM. J. Hosp. Pharm., 34:205-206 (1977). Because 5-HMF is considered to be harmful for the peritoneum (Henderson, et al., Blood Purif., 7:86-94 (1989)), it would be desirable to have a peritoneal dialysis solution with an osmotic agent as effective as glucose but which does not produce 5-HMF or other harmful decomposition products during autoclaving or sterilization. In short, a substitute osmotic agent for glucose is needed.
One family of compounds capable of serving as osmotic agents in peritoneal dialysis solutions is icodextrins, including maltodextrins. However, while these compounds are suitable for use as osmotic agents, they are also known to degrade during heat sterilization to aldonic acids and formaldehyde. Because the presence of formaldehyde in peritoneal dialysis solutions is inappropriate due to its poor biocompatibility, the use of icodextrins, including maltodextrins as a substitute for glucose as an osmotic agent is unsatisfactory.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved peritoneal dialysis solution which utilizes an osmotic agent other than glucose and which is stable under autoclaving or steam sterilization conditions.
The present invention provides a solution to the aforenoted need by providing a sterilized peritoneal dialysis solution comprising a glucose polymer linked predominately by xcex1-1,4 bonds. The term xe2x80x9cpredominatelyxe2x80x9d is used because it is anticipated that within polymer molecules, other bonds such as xcex1-1,6 bonds will be present as well, but in lesser amounts. Accordingly, as used herein, the term xe2x80x9cpredominatelyxe2x80x9d means at least 85%. Thus, a glucose polymer linked predominately by xcex1-1,4 bonds includes at least 85%, by number, xcex1-1,4 bonds.
In an embodiment, the glucose polymer linked predominately by xcex1-1,4 bonds is selected from the group consisting of D-glucitol having the formula
gluconic acid having the formula
and alkylglycoside having the formula
wherein R is selected from the group consisting of CH3, CH3CH2 and (CH2OH)2CH, CH2(OH)CH(OH)CH2, and (CH2OH) (CHOHCH2OH)CH.
In an embodiment, the glucose polymers, linked predominately by xcex1-1,4 linkages, of the peritoneal dialysis solution may include up to 10% of other linkages including, but not limited to, xcex1-1,6 linkages.
In an embodiment, the peritoneal dialysis solution of the present invention is substantially free of formaldehyde.
In an embodiment, the peritoneal dialysis solution of the present invention is substantially free of furfurals.
In an embodiment, starch utilized as the osmotic agent is substantially free of terminal aldehyde groups.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method of preparing a stabilized osmotic agent of a peritoneal dialysis solution comprising the steps of providing a solution of starch dissolved in water and adding NaBH4 to the solution of partially hydrolyzed starch to reduce the starch.
In an embodiment, the method of the present invention further comprises the step of purifying the reduced starch solution by passing the reduced starch solution through an anionic exchange resin.
In an embodiment, the dissolving and adding steps of the method of the present invention are carried out at room temperature.
In an embodiment, the method of the present invention further comprises the step of allowing the solution to scan for approximately 10 hours after the NaBH4 is added to the starch solution to reduce the starch.
In an embodiment, the starch of the present invention is maltodextrin.
In an embodiment, the method of the present invention reduces maltodextrin to D-glucitol linked predominately by xcex1-1,4 bonds and having the formula
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for preparing a stabilized osmotic agent of a peritoneal dialysis solution which comprises the steps of providing a solution of starch dissolved in water, providing a solution of NaOCl, and adding the NaOCl solution to the starch solution to oxidize the starch.
In an embodiment, the method of the present invention further comprises the step of purifying the oxidized starch solution by passing the oxidized starch solution through a gel permeation chromatograph.
In an embodiment, the oxidation of the starch is carried out at room temperature.
In an embodiment, the combined solutions are allowed to stand for approximately 2 hours.
In an embodiment, the starch is maltodextrin.
In an embodiment, the method of the present invention oxidizes the maltodextrin to a gluconic acid linked predominately by xcex1-1,4 bonds and having the formula
In an embodiment, the maltodextrin can be oxidized electrochemically.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method of preparing a stabilized osmotic agent for a peritoneal dialysis solution which comprises the steps of dissolving the starch in an acid and an alcohol selected from the group consisting of methanol, butanol, glycerol or other alcohols.
In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of stirring the starch, alcohol and acid for 2-16 hours.
In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of stirring the starch, alcohol and acid at a temperature of about 100xc2x0 C.
In an embodiment, the starch is maltodextrin.
In an embodiment, the acid is hydrochloric acid or other acids such as sulfuric acid.
In an embodiment, the method of the present invention hydrolysizes and alkylates the starch to an alkylglycoside linked predominately by xcex1-1,4 bonds and having the formula
and wherein R is selected from the group consisting of CH3, CH3CH2 and (CH2OH)2CH. When hydrolysis is performed on starch pre-treated with periodate, R is the remnant of a glycol-split glucose unit.
It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to provide an improved peritoneal dialysis solution which is stable under autoclaving and steam sterilization conditions.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides an improved osmotic agent as an alternative to glucose.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it provides improved methods of preparing peritoneal dialysis solutions.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it provides improved osmotic agents for peritoneal dialysis solutions which are stable under autoclaving or steam sterilization conditions.

Peritoneal dialysis solution containing modified icodextrins


A high-pressure discharge lamp has a lamp bulb of silica glass encapsulating mercury, an inactive gas, and a mixed halogen gas containing at least two halogen gases, and at least a pair of electrodes disposed in the lamp bulb in confronting relation to each other. The type and content of a primary halogen gas whose content is the greatest in the mixed halogen gas are determined based on a bulb wall load.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-pressure discharge lamp for emitting light due to a plasma discharge in the presence of a mercury gas atmosphere, and a method of manufacturing such a high-pressure discharge lamp.
2. Description of the Related Art
General high-pressure discharge lamps have a lamp bulb of silica glass with a substantially spherical discharge space defined centrally in its longitudinal direction, and a pair of electrodes of tungsten disposed in the discharge space in confronting relation to each other. The discharge space is filled with mercury, a halogen gas, and an inactive gas. The two electrodes are inserted from respective insertion holes defined in the opposite ends of the lamp bulb. The insertion holes are hermetically sealed by rear portion of the respective electrodes which are covered with respective sheets of molybdenum foil serving as a thermal buffer.
When a trigger voltage is applied between the electrodes, a glow discharge is induced between the electrodes in an inactive gas atmosphere in the discharge space, vaporizing the mercury filled in the discharge space. A plasma discharge is generated in a high-pressure mercury gas atmosphere within the discharge space, emitting highly brilliant light of good color-rendering capability.
When the discharge is caused in the discharge space at a high temperature under a high pressure, the tungsten (W) of the electrodes are vaporized and deposited on the inner surface of the bulb wall which defines the discharge space. The conventional high-pressure discharge lamp is therefore problematic in that the tungsten deposited on the inner surface of the bulb wall blackens the bulb wall, lowering the luminance of the discharge lamp. At present, it is customary to encapsulate a halogen gas into the discharge space to prevent the bulb wall from being blackened. The halogen gas filled in the discharge space produces halogen ions which are combined with the vaporized tungsten and deposits the tungsten on the proximal portions of the electrodes at a relatively low temperature. Such a halogen cycle is repeated to prevent the bulb wall from being blackened.
As described above, the halogen gas is effective to prevent the luminance of the discharge lamp from being lowered due to blackening of the bulb wall. However, if the halogen gas is excessively present in the discharge space, then it tends to erode the electrodes and the molybdenum foil, possibly causing the gas to leak from the lamp bulb and rupturing the lamp bulb. There have been developed various techniques for optimizing the concentration of the halogen gas in the discharge space to simultaneously solve the problem of the reduction of the luminance due to blackening and the problem of gas leakage and lamp bulb rupture (see, for example, Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 11-149899 and Japanese patent No. 2829339).
Today, there are demands for high-pressure discharge lamps of smaller size and higher luminance. To meet these demands, it is necessary to either increase the electric power applied to the high-pressure discharge lamps or increase the amount of mercury filled in the discharge space. If the applied electric power or the filled amount of mercury is increased, then an electric power load (thermal load) on the discharge lamp is increased. The electric power load is called a bulb wall load (L) which is expressed by L=P (the electric power applied to the discharge lamp: W)/S (the inner surface area of the bulb wall which defines the discharge space: mm2). Generally, as the bulb wall load L increases, the discharge lamp exhibits a greater tendency to be quickly deteriorated (blackened, whitened, electrodes consumed, etc.) per unit time. The greatest cause of the deterioration is that the halogen cycle does not function properly. Specifically, the halogen cycle functions properly when halogen gas atoms, whose number of moles is greater than the number of moles of tungsten atoms expelled from the electrodes by the discharge, are present in the discharge space. If the number of moles of halogen gas atoms is smaller than the number of moles of tungsten atoms, then the halogen cycle partly fails to function properly, i.e., tungsten atoms occur which cannot be combined with halogen gas atoms. As a result, those tungsten atoms occur which cannot be combined with halogen gas atoms are deposited on the inner surface of the bulb wall which defines the discharge space, causing blackening of the bulb wall. The blackening of the bulb wall induces a reduction in the transparency of the bulb wall (whitening) and an undue consumption of the electrodes.


Each signal line enters a preliminary polarity inversion period prior to a normal polarity inversion period so as to be inverted to the opposite polarity. By the preliminary polarity inversion a signal line on a border of blocks experiences a potential hike and the potential oscillates, which, however, is restored later by the application of a correct potential in the normal polarity inversion period. When transferring data per block, the problem of different potential states between the border of the blocks and an area surrounding it, which is caused by the potential oscillation of the signal line on the border of the blocks, is relieved.

There have been used a variety of data transfer devices which exchange data between elements, such as a display section or a photo-receiving section where signal lines and scanning lines are provided in a matrix pattern, and other elements.
For example, active-matrix substrates used in display devices such as a liquid crystal display device have signal lines for supplying display signals to pixels, and scanning lines for driving a switching element provided for each pixel. In order to drive these signal and scanning lines, external driving circuits (signal line driving circuit, scanning line driving circuit) are installed.
Conventionally, the external driving circuits were provided with the same number of output terminals as the number of signal lines and scanning lines for driving these lines. However, attempts have been made to reduce the number of components of the external circuit and to reduce the cost of installing it, by a method in which the number of ICs is reduced to half or one-third, and signals are supplied selectively by signal line switching elements by branching the ICs. For example, in a method disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 234237/1996 (Tokukaihei 8-234237) (published date: Sep. 13, 1996), scanning lines are divided into blocks, and the blocks to which the scanning signals are destined are switched in time so that the scanning lines are sequentially applied to each block by dividing one vertical period with respect to time.
The foregoing conventional structure, however, had a problem that an error occurred on transfer data by the application of a potential on a signal line at a border line while the potential of the signal line is being oscillated by a parasitic capacitance which exists between the signal line and adjacent signal lines.
For example, in the case of a display device, there is a problem that the signal line and pixels which correspond to the border of the blocks are oscillated at the time of switching the blocks by the parasitic capacitance between the signal line and the pixel electrodes. The following explains this principle with reference to a timing chart of FIG. 32, and FIG. 1 which shows a structure according to the present invention. Note that, in reality, there are many other signal lines and their corresponding elements other than those shown in the drawing, which, however, are omitted here for convenience of explanation. The following explanation is based on the case where signals of maximum amplitude are outputted from output lines s1 to s4, which respectively correspond to output terminals of the signal line driving circuit 1, for effecting black display over the entire screen.
Signal lines f′, f, a, and b make up a single block ("first block" hereinafter), and signal lines c, d, e, and e′ makes up another block ("second block" hereinafter). While a scanning line g1 is being selected, a signal is first supplied to the signal lines a and b from the signal line driving circuit 1. The signal is applied to pixels A1 and B2 because the scanning line g1 is selected. Here, no signal is supplied to the signal lines c and d. Then, the signal lines a and b, and the pixels A1 and B1 become on hold, and a signal is supplied to the signal lines c and d from the signal line driving circuit 1, which is then applied to pixels C1 and D1 because the scanning line g1 is selected.
While the scanning line g1 is selected, a signal is sent to control wires SW1 and SW2 subsequently, so as to conduct signal line switching elements (SWa, etc.). First, by selecting SW1, the signal line switching elements SW1 and SW2 are conducted. This allows the signal from the signal line driving circuit 1 to be supplied to the pixels a and b. The signal is applied to the pixels A1 and B1 because the scanning line g1 is selected. Here, no signal is supplied to the signal lines c and d since SW2 is not selected here. Then, SW1 becomes non-selected and SWa and SWb become non-conducted, placing the signal lines a and b and the pixels A1 and B1 on hold. Then, when SW2 is selected and the signal line switching elements SWc and SWd are conducted, the signal from the signal line driving circuit 1 is supplied to the signal lines c and d, which is then applied to the pixels C1 and D1 because the scanning line g1 is selected.
Note that, even though the same signal is supplied to the signal lines a through d in this example of black display over the entire screen, the signal from the signal line driving circuit 1 is normally switched while one scanning line (g1) is selected.
Here, there exists parasitic capacitance Csd between pixel electrodes and signal lines. FIG. 1 only shows Csd at the pixels A1, B1, C1, D1 and pixels A2, B2, C2, D2, there are a number of Csds which equal the number of pixels provided in each signal line, and therefore there are actually capacitance which cannot be ignored compared with the electrostatic capacitance of the entire signal lines. Here, when the destination of the signal is switched from the first block to the second block, i.e., when SW2 is selected while SW1 is non-selected, there occurs polarity inversion of the potential of the signal line s, as shown in FIG. 32. The signal line b is capacitively coupled with the signal line c via the pixel electrodes (plurality of pixels, e.g., B2, in the direction of the signal line c), and since SW1 is non-selected, there is a potential hike of some degree on the signal line b by the polarity inversion of the signal line c. Further, since the scanning line g1 is being selected, the potential hike is supplied to the pixel B1, and the scanning line g1 is switched under this condition.
Because the foregoing operation occurs with respect to all scanning lines, only a single line which corresponds to the signal line b in the display of the entire screen is supplied with a voltage which is higher than that for the other pixels, and as a result the line is recognized as a black line.
The same hike also occurs when SW1 is selected while SW2 is non-selected; however, since the potential is replaced with a correct potential by the selection of SW2 at the next timing, no display problem will be caused with respect to pixel C1. Further, the oscillation due to Csd during non-conduction of the scanning line g1 does not have any difference as an effective value with respect to a display period as a whole, and does not cause any problem.
Even though the foregoing explained the driving over two blocks, for example, in the case of driving over four blocks on the entire screen, there is a problem that a total of three black lines are recognized at the respective borders of the blocks.
This problem is also present in devices other than the display device, for example, such as an X-ray sensor. That is, signal lines and scanning lines are provided in a matrix pattern on a substrate, and a photo-detecting section having a photo-detecting elements is provided thereon. X-rays are detected by the photo-detecting section and converted to an electrical signal, which is then transferred to an external display device, etc., via the signal lines. Even in this case, when signals are transferred by dividing the signal lines into blocks as in the foregoing case, there will be an error on transfer data by the application of a potential on a signal line at the border while the potential of the signal line is being oscillated by a parasitic capacitance which exists between the signal line and adjacent signal lines.

Data transfer method, image display device and signal line driving circuit, active-matrix substrate


The present application discloses crystals of 2-acetoxy-5-(α-cyclopropylcarbonyl-2-fluorobenzyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrothieno[3,2-c]pyridine hydrobromate, crystal compositions and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them and their use. The crystals of prasugrel hydrobromate of the present application possess excellent stability and solubility.

Vascular diseases such as thrombus and embolism are pathophysiologically initiated by platelet activation firstly. Therefore, antiplatelet therapy is crucial for the prevention of vascular diseases. ADP (adenosine diphosphate) is an important pathologic and physiologic platelet agonist. When a blood vessel is damaged, ADP is released from damaged cells and activated platelets to the blood, and then acts on other platelets. ADP receptor antagonists inhibit the attachment between the fibrinogen and the platelet membrane GPIIb/IIIa, activate platelet adenylate cyclase, and increase cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) level in platelets and thereby inhibit platelets mainly by inhibiting platelet membrane ADP receptor expression, binding and activity.
Prasugrel (formula I), a new generation of ADP receptor antagonist, is a novel prodrug-type antiplatelet drug (CN1074446A). For ADP-induced platelet aggregation in rats, oral administration of prasugrel is ten times more potent than that of ADP receptor antagonist, clopidogrel, which is available from the market.

The plasma concentration of active metabolites of prasugrel is ten times higher than that of clopidogrel as well, indicating that the greater efficacy of prasugrel may result from its faster metabolic rate.
CN1452624A discloses prasugrel hydrochloride and maleate, which exhibit good activity in oral absorption, metabolization, and inhibition of platelet aggregation and weak toxicity.
CN101255169A discloses prasugrel hydrobromate, which exhibits improved water solubility and thermal stability as compared to hydrochloride, and unsatisfactory performance in high humidity and light stability. However, for pharmaceutical compounds, stability is one of important features thereof, and good stability often has a beneficial effect on industrial processes including preparation, storage, usage (manufacturing raw material into formulation) and the like.

Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry

Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd


A computer-implemented method includes a webpage design server comparing a current date to a start date associated with a version of a webpage and when the current date is after the start date, the webpage design server automatically altering a webpage delivery system so that the version of the webpage is returned by the webpage delivery system when the webpage is requested.

Webservers provide content through the Internet to client devices. The content that is provided by the webserver is uploaded to the webserver from one or more website design devices. When a website is to be changed, a user must access a website design device to upload the changes to the webserver.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the background.


Reductant dosing systems and methods for engine exhaust aftertreatment are disclosed. The opening and closing of a metering valve in the reductant dosing system is controlled in a manner that mitigates pressure oscillations in the dosing system. The metering valve is opened in response to the dosing command exceeding a minimum threshold value and the differential pressure across the metering valve exceeding a differential pressure threshold. The metering valve is closed in response to either the differential pressure across the metering valve dropping below a differential pressure threshold or the actual dosed quantity exceeding the dosing command.

Selective catalytic reduction ("SCR") exhaust aftertreatment systems are an important technology for reducing NOx emissions from internal combustion engines such as diesel engines. SCR systems generally include a source of reductant such as a urea solution, a pump unit for pressurizing the urea solution, a metering unit for providing a controlled amount or rate of urea solution to an SCR catalyst, and an injector which provides urea solution to a urea decomposition region of an exhaust flowpath located upstream from an SCR catalyst. Many SCR systems also utilize pressurized gas to assist the flow of urea solution to the injector.
While providing important reductions in NOx emissions, SCR systems suffer from a number of shortcomings and problems. The supply of the urea solution under pressure can result in high pressure oscillations after long hours of continuous operation of the system. High pressure oscillations adversely affect system performance and deteriorate dosing accuracy. In addition, high pressure oscillations stress system components, in some cases beyond design limits, which creates reliability and warranty concerns. There is a long felt need for advancements mitigating these and other shortcomings associated with SCR systems utilizing pressurized dosing of a reductant such as a urea solution.

Reductant dosing control systems and methods


The present invention is directed to a method of stimulating steroidogenesis in a host by administering a steroidogenesis stimulating effective amount of alpidem, which has the following formula: ##STR1##

Benzodiazepines are one of the most widely used class of drugs in therapy due to their anxiolytic and anticonvulsant properties. It is now well established that besides their interaction with specific recognition sites located in the brain, benzodiazepines bind to membranes prepared from various tissues containing the so-called peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor site(s) (PBR). Benzodiazepines have been demonstrated to elicit their primary therapeutic actions in the central nervous system through specific binding sites on GABA-gated chloride channels. PBR are also abundant in neural tissue where they appear to be preferentially associated with astroglial cells.
The central nervous system is also known to synthesize steroids. Steroids have been demonstrated to be potent modulators of GABA.sub.A receptors, implying a physiological role of steroids as regulators of GABAergic transmission.
Heretofore, a certain known compound Ro 5-4864 of the benzodiazepine class was believed to stimulate PBR and as a result androgen production. See Ritta et al, Life Sciences; Vol. 40, pp. 791-798 (1987).
One problem with the benzodiazepine class of compounds in stimulating androgen production is that they, at therapeutic doses, do not selectively stimulate the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor, but rather, and as is well known, their primary pharmacological indication is for use as centrally acting anxiolytic or anticonvulsant agents. Another problem associated with the benzodiazepines is that therapeutic doses for stimulating steroidogenesis also stimulate the benzodiazepine receptors in the central nervous system.
Likewise, other agents such as the imidazopyridines have been known to have an affinity for the PBR. Langer et al, Pharmacol. Biochem. and Behavior (1988) Vol. 29 pp. 763-766 discuss the affinity of two imidazopyridines, i.e. zolpidem and alpidem for PBR. This paper is silent as to the use of these compounds for selectively stimulating steroidogenesis or the doses necessary to bring about this stimulation while at the same time minimally stimulating the centrally acting benzodiazepine receptors.
As a result, the present inventors have investigated which compounds would have a high affinity for PBR for stimulating steroidogenesis and yet have a low affinity for the centrally acting benzodiazepine receptors which are responsible for their anxiolytic and anticonvulsant properties.

Method of stimulating steroidogenesis with alpidem

FIDIA-Georgetown Institute for the Neurosciences


In an electromagnetic valve, after a solenoid assembly, in which a housing surrounds an outer circumference of a solenoid composed of a coil and a bobbin and a resin connector is formed on the housing by injection molding, and a valve body assembly, in which a valve body member is slidably housed to move reciprocatingly in a valve case cylindrical hollow of a valve case member, are independently sub assembled, the valve body assembly is integrated with the solenoid assembly in such a manner that the valve case member is axially inserted into a cylindrical hollow of the bobbin and, then, an axial end of the housing is fixed to an outer circumference of the valve case member by crimping. Accordingly, if a malfunction of a component part occurs during manufacturing processes, less number of component parts are rejected as failure.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Applications No. 2001-224673 filed on Jul. 25, 2001 and No. 2002-52828 filed on Feb. 28, 2002, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic valve for controlling fluid flow, typically, applicable to a variable discharge high pressure pump for a diesel engine for controlling fuel amount thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
JP-A-11-336638 discloses an electromagnetic valve applied to a variable discharge high pressure pump for a diesel engine.
The electromagnetic valve has, as main components, a valve case, a valve body slidably housed in the valve case, a solenoid including a coil and a stator for attracting the valve body on energizing the coil. According to the electromagnetic valve, a displacement position (lift amount) of the valve body is governed by an amount of current applied to the coil so that an opening area of a fluid passage, through which fuel flows, is defined for controlling fuel amount.
Further, the lift amount of the valve body, which defines the fuel amount, is variable according to a change of electromagnetic characteristic upon energizing the coil. Accordingly, improvement technology for making the electromagnetic characteristic stable is required.
Furthermore, it is demanded to mass-produce the electromagnetic valve at lower cost. To meet this demand, one of the preferable practical ways is that the electromagnetic valve is manufactured through a plurality of sub-assembling processes since, if a certain component part of the electromagnetic valve results in failure or malfunction in one of the sub-assembling processes, only relevant component parts already assembled through the sub-assembling process to include the failure or malfunction component part can be rejected from its manufacturing line and it is not necessary to scrap an entire body of the electromagnetic valve.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electromagnetic valve with better electromagnetic characteristic in which a plurality of sub-assemblies of component parts are integrated into one body so that, if a malfunction of a component part occurs during the manufacturing processes, less number of component parts are rejected as failure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing the electromagnetic valve mentioned above.
To achieve the above objects, in the electromagnetic valve to be fixed to a base housing for controlling fluid flow therein, a solenoid, which has a bobbin provided inside with a solenoid cylindrical hollow and a coil wound around an outer circumference of the bobbin, is integrated with a housing made of magnetic material into one body to constitute a solenoid assembly in which the housing surrounds an outer circumference of the solenoid. On the other hand, a valve case member, which has a stator and a valve case and is provided inside with a valve case cylindrical hollow extending from the valve case to the stator, is integrated with a valve body member, which has an armature and a valve body, into one body to constitute a valve body assembly in which the valve body member is slidably housed to move reciprocatingly in the valve case cylindrical hollow. The valve body assembly is inserted into the solenoid cylindrical hollow so that the stator is positioned in a vicinity of the coil and an axial end of the housing is partly fixed to an outer circumference of the valve case member to prevent the valve body assembly from dropping out of the solenoid assembly.
With the electromagnetic valve mentioned above, when the coil is energized so as to generate magnetic flux passing through the stator and the armature, the armature together with the valve body is attracted toward the stator with better magnetic characteristic for controlling the fluid flow. Further, since the solenoid assembly and the valve body assembly are independently sub assembled, if a malfunction of a component part incorporated in one of the solenoid assembly and the valve body assembly occurs during manufacturing processes, only component parts constituting the one of the solenoid and valve body assemblies are rejected as failure parts and it is not necessary to scrap an entire body of the electromagnetic valve.
It is preferable that a resin connector for supplying current to the coil is formed by injection molding on the housing to constitute a part of the solenoid assembly. A malfunction of the connector during the manufacturing processes results in failure of only the solenoid assembly and never influences on the valve body assembly.
Further, preferably, the valve case member is provided with a valve case flange protruding radially out of the outer circumference thereof and the axial end of the housing is in contact with and partly fixed to the valve case flange by crimping, staking, welding or press fitting. If a portion where the housing is partly fixed to the valve case flange is disassembled, the solenoid assembly having resin and metal combined component parts can be easily separated from the valve body assembly having only metal component parts, which facilitates a disassembly work of the electromagnetic valve for a resources recycling purpose.
It is preferable that a part of the valve case flange further protrudes radially beyond an outer circumference of the housing so that the valve case flange may be fixed to the base housing. As an alternative, the housing may be provided with a housing flange to be fixed to the base housing so that, when the housing flange is actually fixed to the base housing, the valve case flange is sandwiched between the base housing and the housing flange. The valve case flange or the housing flange serves to easily install the electromagnetic valve on the base housing by fastening, for example, with bolts.
In particular, when the housing flange, not the valve case flange, is fixed to the base housing, connecting force with which the housing and the valve case flange are fixed to each other may be relatively small to an extent that the valve body assembly is tentatively prevented from dropping off the solenoid assembly, since, once the housing flange is fastened to the base housing, the valve case flange is tightly sandwiched between the base housing and the housing flange.
Further, it is preferable that the housing flange is provided with a flange accommodating hole in which the valve case flange is housed and an inner wall of the flange accommodating hole is partly deformed plastically so as to cling to an outer periphery of the valve case flange. This construction has an advantage that, when the electromagnetic valve is disassembled for the resources recycling purpose, the solenoid assembly can be more easily separated from the valve body assembly.
More preferably, the housing flange is provided radially outside the flange accommodating hole with a punch hole so that the inner wall of the flange accommodating hole has a thin thickness portion positioned between the punch hole and the valve case flange. In this case, the thin thickness wall is more easily plastically deformed toward the valve case flange by expanding diameter of the punch hole, for example, with a punch tool.
Moreover, it is preferable that the housing flange completely covers the valve case flange so that, when the housing flange is fixed to the base housing, the valve case flange is not exposed to outside. This construction serves to improve rustproof characteristic of the valve case member.
Further, the housing is, preferably, formed in shape of a cylinder whose axial end is opened and whose another axial end is closed. In this case, the valve body assembly is inserted from an opening side of the housing into the solenoid assembly and the valve body assembly is capped with the solenoid assembly. Accordingly, the valve body assembly is protected from rusting.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the stator and the valve case are integrally formed as a single component part and the stator is provided with a thin wall portion at a position facing the armature so that magnetic flux can pass through the armature by bypassing the thin wall portion. As a result, the electromagnetic valve can be manufactured with less number of component parts and at lower cost.
Further, as the connector is formed by injection molding on the housing before the valve body assembly is assembled to the solenoid assembly, injection pressure of the injection molding never applies to the thin wall portion, which prevents thin wall portion from being deformed.

Electromagnetic valve and method of manufacturing same


A method of detecting failure to tighten screws against works includes steps of detecting every screw tightening operation against a work after start of a screw tightening step, counting the number of times of the screw tightening operations detected in the previous step, detecting the completion of the screw tightening step, and comparing a counted value at the time of the completion of the screw tightening step with a predetermined value, thereby informing of a result of comparison. A device for carrying out this method includes a current relay responsive to a large load current during the tightening operation of an electric screwdriver in a screw tightening step, a presettable counter for counting the number of operations of the current relay for the purpose of counting the number of screw tightening operations, setting knobs operated for setting a desirable number of screws to be tightened, photoelectric switches for detecting completion of the screw tightening step for the work, and an alarming device for comparing a counter value obtained by the presettable counter and the value set by the knobs when a screw tightening work completion signal is generated by any one of the photoelectric switches. The alarming device includes a buzzer energized when counted value does not reach the preset value set at the presettable counter.

This invention relates to a method of detecting failure to tighten screws against works and a device therefor, suitable for preventing occurrence of failure to tighten the screws in working step for tightening the screws against the works.
In an assembly line for electrical equipments, for example, various parts are mounted on an electrical equipment body as work by means of screws in a plurality of working steps. Generally, a worker in charge for each step tightens the previously allotted number of screws against each electrical equipment body sequentially conveyed along the assembly line with a tool such as an electric screwdriver or pneumatic screwdriver.
Whether or not the screws are correctly tightened against each work depends upon the degree of skillfulness and carefulness of the worker. Accordingly, it is inevitable that the failure to tighten the screws occurs at a certain rate. Particularly, various types of one electrical equipment have recently been produced in a small number in order that a diversity of consumers' needs can be met. In such circumstances, the number of screws to be used differs from one type of the electrical equipment to another and positions where the screws are tightened are changed with design changes even in one type. Accordingly, contents of work in the screw tightening step are also changed at relatively short intervals. Consequently, the workers cannot sometimes cope with the changes in the work contents, which has caused frequent occurrence of failure to tighten the screws. Conventionally, the products are checked in a final inspection at the assembly line. However, the products are visually inspected, which inevitably causes oversight.

Method of detecting failure to tighten screws against works and device therefor

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A center beam railroad freight car including a cover for the lateral surfaces of the top chord of the center beam to reduce cargo damage, and wherein a bottom plate of a center sill of the car extends laterally as an inboard portion of a cargo-carrying floor.

The present invention relates to freight-carrying railroad cars of the type known as center beam or center partition bulkhead flat cars, and in particular relates a center beam for a center beam car providing enhanced protection for the car's cargo.
Center partition bulkhead flat cars, commonly known as center beam cars, have been known for over 30 years and are depicted, for example, in Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 3,244,120, Wagner U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,031, Baker U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,887, and Saxton U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,584. Evolving design of such railroad cars has been directed generally toward cars with ample strength but of lighter tare weight in comparison to their cargo-carrying capacity. Construction of center beam cars of lighter weight with load-carrying floors located at a uniform height along the length of the car body leaves their load capacity limited by the available space.
Dominguez, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,575 discloses a center beam car in which a longitudinally intermediate portion of the load-carrying floor on either side of the center beam is located at a lower height than the load-carrying floors located in end portions of the car above the trucks on which the car body is carried. In the intermediate portion of such a car, crossbearers extend between lowered portions of the side sills of the car body and are supported beneath the center sill.
The car disclosed by Dominguez, however, has a conventional box-beam center sill structure, and the crossbearers of the car are attached to the center sill by hanger plates attached to the opposite sides of the center sill and extending downward to support an upper flange portion of each of the crossbearers. The structure of the car shown in the Dominguez et al. patent is thus unnecessarily heavy, making such cars expensive to build and operate.
In most previously available center beam cars the center of gravity has been relatively high because the entire load has been carried above the height of the trucks, but also at least partly as a result of the height of the center partition extending as high as the bulkheads on the ends of the car.
The space above the floor on each side of the center beam forms a bunk upon which bundles of cargo, typically wood products, can be stacked. When the bundles are stacked, they are typically secured by cables or straps that extend from a winch device mounted on the periphery of the floor to a top fitting on the center beam. When the cable or strap is tightened it exerts a force inwardly and downwardly so that the stack leans toward the longitudinal centerline of the car and is pulled tight against the center beam.
The bundles are often wrapped in a plastic sheet to protect the goods from rain and snow, and to discourage embedment of abrasive materials such as sand in valuable goods, such as wood. The plastic sheet typically comprises polyethylene, but may comprise another plastic material.
In previously known center beam cars, various components of the center beam are interconnected in such a manner as to present edges or fastening devices which could rub on the cargo. In addition, when the cables or straps are tightened, the innermost, uppermost elements of the topmost bundle bear against the top chord of the center beam. As the car moves, vibration and inertia cause the stacked cargo to move relative to the center beam. Exposed edges or fastening devices in the center beam structure often abrade, tear, or damage the protective plastic sheeting. Portions of the cargo bearing against the center beam can be physically damaged as a result of contact with exposed edges or projections. Moreover, damaged sheeting may permit entry and collection of moisture and dirt leading to discoloration and the growth of mold on wood products. The resulting loss of value for the cargo can be substantial.
Forbes, U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,506, discloses a smooth, non-consumable panel facing for a portion of the posts of a center beam. The smooth facing protects the plastic sheeting from tearing by reducing exposure to projections and sharp edges on the posts. However, a facing applied to the posts of the center beam does not protect the portion of the sheeting in contact with the top chord of the center beam. Abrasion induced by friction and relative movement of the cargo and the top chord can cause rapid failure of the plastic sheeting exposing the goods to a hostile environment.
What is desired, then, is a center beam or center partition bulkhead flat car defining greater useable cargo-carrying volume and having ample strength yet having lighter tare weight than previously available cars of the type, and in particular including improved center sill and crossbearer structures. What is further desired is a center beam car in which the center beam is constructed so as to be substantially free of edges and projections that can damage the cargo or its containers or coverings and in which the top chord is constructed so as to reduce damage resulting from relative movement of the car and its cargo.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Center beam car with depressed cargo-carrying area


In a telecommunications network in which a plurality of switching nodes are interconnected via links each composed of a plurality of trunks and are each connected to a network control center via a control signal link, the network control center determines for each switching node a predetermined number of alternate routes for each first route on the basis of traffic data in the telecommunications network and supplies them as a set of available alternate routes to the switching node. The switching node assigns one or more of the available alternate routes in advance. The switching node responds to a call-connection request to try to connect the call to the first route, and when having failed in the call connection, the switching node retries the call connection through one of the assigned routes.

The present invention relates to a route selection method for telecommunications networks and, more particularly, to an adaptive routing control method which permits optimum routing according to the network status (trunk usage, offered traffic volume, or congestion conditions).
In telecommunications networks with a plurality of switching nodes routes for interconnecting them usually include a first route which achieves the most economical call connection between each originating-terminating node pair. When the first route is not busy, the first route is used to interconnect the originating and terminating nodes, whereas when the first route is busy, alternates routes can be established via one or more other switching nodes. With such a conventional route selection algorithm, however, switching nodes through which alternate routes can be established are limited and the order of their selection also is fixed because of technical restrictions inherent to the call-connection control system employed.
With the recent introduction of switching nodes of a stored program control system and a common channel signaling inter-office system for an inter-office signal transfer, it has become possible to utilize, in place of the above-mentioned route selection algorithm, a dynamic routing method which affords flexible routing based on the distribution of idle trunks in the network.
The dynamic routing method may be classified into time-dependent routing and state-dependent routing (see B. R. Hurley, et al., "A Survey of Dynamic Routing Methods for Circuit Switched Traffic," IEEE COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE, Vol. 25, No. 9, pp. 13-21, September 1987, for example).
The time-dependent routing is a method in which a suitable routing pattern is preset for each predetermined time slot, i.e. a method in which a set of alternate routes and the order of their selection are preset for each first route and a call originating in a switching node is connected to the intended destination node, following the routing pattern preset for the time slot concerned. A typical example of the time-dependent routing is a DNHR (Dynamic Nonhierarchical Routing) system proposed by AT & T, Inc. of the United States (see G. R. Ash, et al., "Design and Optimization of Networks with Dynamic Routing," BSTJ, Vol. 60, pp. 1787-1820, October 1981, for instance).
The state-dependent routing is a method which performs a call connection while updating the routing pattern in real time in accordance with the network status such as trunk usage in the network. This method is implemented by centralized or distributed control.
In the state-dependent routing method by centralized control a network control center collects data about the trunk usage throughout the network, calculates a routing pattern between each originating-terminating node pair, and indicates the routing pattern to each switching node in real time. An example of this state-dependent routing method by centralized control is a TSMR system proposed by AT & T, Inc. of the United States and a DCR system by Northern Telecom of Canada (see the afore-mentioned literature by B. R. Hurley, et al., for instance).
In the state-dependent routing method by distributed control each switching node independently detects the network status and autonomously searches for an alternate route based on the network status information, thereby setting an appropriate routing pattern between an origin-destination node pair. Examples of this method are those proposed by British Telecommunications of Great Britain and Centre National D'etudes des Telecommunications of France (commonly known as "CENT"). Both methods are common in basic principle, and the method by British Telecommunications is called a DAR system (see B. R. Stacey, et al., "Dynamic Alternative Routing in the British Telecom Trunk Network," International Switching Symposium, ISS-87, B12.4.1-B.12.4.5, 1987, or Hennion B., "Feedback Methods for Calls Allocation on the Crossed Traffic Routing," International Teletraffic Congress, ITC-9, pp. HEENNION-1 to HENNION-3, 1979, for example).
Some proposals have been made so far for the dynamic routing as mentioned above but they have the following problems yet to be solved for practical use.
(i) The time-dependent routing of the aforementioned DNHR system, for instance, would work well in a country like the United States where a plurality of standard times are used, the traffic busy hour differs sharply with regions, an appropriate routing pattern for each time slot can be forecast, and updating of the routing pattern can be scheduled. Where the traffic busy hour is common almost all over the country as in Japan, however, the time-dependent routing, if used singly, would not be so effective. In a country like Japan it is of prime importance to efficiently handle offered traffic, quickly responding to an excess or shortage of the trunk-number of transit links which is caused by restrictions on the management of trunk resources such as the trunk assignment interval, the trunk modularity, etc. or unpredictable traffic variations, and the state-dependent routing is more effective rather than the time-dependent routing.
(ii) In general, the state-dependent routing by centralized control permits efficient routing, because a routing pattern can be indicated based on the optimization of the entire network through observation of its status, for example, the trunk usage in the network. However, in the case where the observation cycle is long or an information transfer delay occurs, that is, where a time lag is great between the observation and the execution of a call connection by a routing pattern based on the observation, the state of the network varies during this time resulting in an increase in the probability of effecting erroneous control. This will not produce the intended effect and will lower the call-connection quality.
To avoid such a problem and hence achieve the intended effect, it is necessary to reduce the network status observation cycle and the switching node control cycle. The aforementioned TSMR or DCR system, for example, premises that both cycles are within 10 seconds. In a large-scale telecommunications network in which the number of switching nodes to be controlled is several hundreds and the number of links to be measured is as large as tens of thousands, however, such a high-speed observation and control are difficult. In other words, the amount of data to be processed by the network control center, the amount of data to be transferred between the switching nodes and the network control center, and measurements in the switching nodes and the amount of data to be transmitted and received among them are enormous and the facilities therefor are also vast, resulting in an uneconomical system. In addition, a failure in the control center of such a large-scale network will throw the network into disorder.
(iii) With the a aforementioned DAR system and the self-routing system in the state-dependent routing by distributed control, no network control center is employed and each switching node checks the status of alternate routes by a signal handled in its call-connection procedure and autonomously changes an alternate route accordingly, thereby implementing a preferably routing pattern throughout the telecommunications network. Consequently, the problem mentioned above in (ii) can be avoided. In a large-scale telecommunications network, however, the number of alternate routes for each origin-destination node pair becomes appreciable, incurring various disadvantages. For instance, in a telecommunications network which forms a mesh by 100 switching nodes the number of alternate routes via two transit links between each origin-destination node pair alone is as large as 98.
In such an instance, (a) alternate routes are rechecked through a search by trial and error prior to a call-connection procedure, and consequently, when the number of available alternate routes is unnecessarily large, the search is repeated inevitably many times until a routing pattern updated according to temporary traffic variations is restored to its initial state. Similarly, when a traffic pattern throughout the network changes or transmission equipment breaks down, the search is repeated many times until each switching node shifts to a new favorable routing pattern. This will deteriorate the call-connection quality and increase the amount of data to be processed by each switching node. (b) An increase in the amount of data managed by each switching node calls for an increase in the number of tables for processing data and the number of counters for counting the number of calls. That is to say, the amount of data which is managed for each origin-destination node pair or each first route increases, and consequently, alternate route tables are required and the state of alternate routing must be monitored from the viewpoint of network management. This necessitates a number of counters for counting the number and the traffic volume of alternate calls and the transit-call-completion probability in each alternate route. Moreover, (c) an increase in the number of counters used will cause an increase in the computer running time to be processed for measurement by the counters.

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


A cabinet for an uninterrupted power source (UPS) is disclosed. The cabinet has three portions that characterize the frame. A front portion contains capacitor assemblies, power DC Link, power electronic components, and a control panel. The control panel and power DC Link are situated for front access and cover the power electronic components and capacitors. A rear portion holds a plurality of magnetic components. The magnetic components are accessible from the back of the cabinet and can be installed last in the assembly of the cabinet and configured for a specific voltage rating. A bus portion is divided from the front and rear portions and contains the bus bars for electrical connection of the UPS.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and, more particularly to a cabinet containing an uninterruptible power supply.
2. Relation to Prior Art
AC commercial power is used as a primary power source for computers and other data processing equipment that in turn use stored program and solid state technology. These circuits are generally very sensitive to input power variations from a desired standard waveform. However, commercial AC power waveforms are subject to many variations due to the demands of other users on the power line and other factors. Typical undesirable variations are over-voltage, under-voltage, voltage outages and signal transients. Undesirable variations also occur due to load conditions, as well as line conditions.
Typically, UPS""s include a battery backup as a secondary or reserve power source, which is activated to supply power to the load upon total failure of the commercial power or significant degradation of the primary power source. A power inverter is used in the UPS to convert the DC power delivered by the batteries into AC power.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional, prior art cabinet arrangement for a UPS. The UPS has a cabinet 10. The cabinet has a plurality of bus bars 20 for connection to a load, such as a computer network (not shown). Typically, the magnetic components 30 for the UPS, such as transformers, autotransformers and inductors, are located in a lower portion or bottom of the cabinet. Separate cabinets are frequently used to hold other magnetic components, such as input transformers and bypass inductors (not shown). Capacitor assemblies 40 are typically above magnetic components 30 in cabinet 10. Power hardware electronics and controls 50, such as inverters and rectifiers, then lie above the magnetic components and the capacitor assembly.
In the typical UPS cabinet, the magnetic components 30 are first to be placed into the cabinet during assembly. Because magnetic components 30 are voltage specific, the installation of the magnetic components determines the voltage rating of the UPS unit. Because the electronic components are typically the same for multiple voltage configurations, it would be desirable to have a UPS cabinet in which the magnetic components could be installed as a last step of the manufacturing process.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.
In view of the foregoing and other considerations, the present invention relates to a cabinet containing an uninterruptible power supply.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of assembling an uninterruptible power supply. An initial step includes assembling a frame defining three portions. A plurality of bus bars install in a first portion of the frame. The bus bars are accessible through the first portion of the cabinet. A capacitor assembly installs in a second portion of the frame. A power assembly also installs in the second portion. The power assembly is accessible through the second portion. A power electronic component panel mounts in the second portion. A control panel mounts adjacent to the power electronic components in the second portion. The control panel is accessible through the second portion. A plurality of magnetic components install in a third portion of the frame. The plurality of magnetic components are accessible through the third portion of the cabinet.


An apparatus of determining blocking in an Ethernet ring network sets blocking with respect to each of the plurality of links in an Ethernet ring network, and determines one of the plurality of links as a link to be blocked by using traffic request amounts of a plurality of service flows with respect to the respective links set to be blocked.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of determining blocking in a ring network and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus of determining logical blocking set to prevent an infinite loop of Ethernet frames transferred in an Ethernet ring network.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In an Ethernet ring network, two ports of respective nodes are connected to ports of adjacent nodes to constitute a ring overall, and a certain link in the Ethernet ring network is blocked to prevent a transmission of Ethernet frames from forming an infinite loop, thus logically forbidding a ring formation. To this end, a predetermined particular port among several ports of the Ethernet ring network is blocked, and here, the blocked link is merely logically determined and a physical link exists, so the logical blocking is lifted, traffic can be immediately transferred.
When logical blocking is set in the Ethernet ring network, an Ethernet frame cannot be transmitted to the blocked link, so transmission paths of numerous service flows that may exist in the Ethernet ring network are determined by the set logical blocking irrespective of an optimum path. For example, in case in which the Ethernet ring network includes N number of links and N number of nodes and a traffic request amount of the service flows transmitted and received between respective nodes is determined by N×N matrix, the number of cases that one link is logically blocked by the logical blocking may be N. Also, since transmission paths between the respective nodes are changed due to each logical blocking, a total amount of traffic transferred through N number of links in the Ethernet ring network is changed. Thus, according to circumstances, traffic is concentrated on at least one link in the Ethernet ring network, causing traffic overload.
In the Ethernet ring network, as for a ring capacity, an equal bandwidth is provided in both directions for all the links, so the ring capacity is determined based on a link that transfers the largest amount of traffic. If a certain link exceeds the ring capacity due to arbitrarily set logical blocking in the Ethernet ring network, the ring capacity should be over-provisioned in order to prevent a loss of an Ethernet frame. As a result, in the network operator position, in order to prevent an unnecessary network over-provisioning for the Ethernet ring network, a scheme for minimizing the ring capacity of the Ethernet ring network by selecting an optimal logical blocking position may be required.
Also, unlike minimization of the ring capacity of the Ethernet ring network, a traffic overload due to logical blocking arbitrarily set in the Ethernet ring network may be prevented through logical blocking that minimizes a traffic request amount of every service flow existing in the Ethernet ring network, so a scheme for logical blocking that minimizes a traffic request amount of every service flow may also be required.

Method and apparatus of determining blocking in ring network

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A computer-implemented method and system for autonomic cloud to edge compute allocations in a sports fantasy league trade transaction. The computer implemented method includes, in one embodiment, calculating, based on an expected return associated with each player on each of a plurality of teams in a fantasy sports league, a valuation for each player. An embodiment includes determining a positional need for each of the plurality of teams in the fantasy sports league, and determining, based on the valuation for each player and the positional need for each team, one or more players to include in a trade with another team of the plurality of teams.

Large scale optimization problems with many different combinations require significant amounts of computational power to explore feasible solutions. Under heavy cloud network traffic, the raw amount of service demand can commonly overwhelm and exhaust an origin server.
Edge computing relates to deployment of data-handling activities or other network compute and processing operations away from centralized servers and always-connected network segments, and toward individual sources of data capture, such as endpoints associated with end users including laptops, tablets or smartphones. Thus, edge computing refers to data processing power at the edge of a network instead of centralizing that processing power in a cloud or a central data warehouse. By processing data closer to the source and prioritizing traffic, edge computing reduces the amount of data flowing to and from the primary network, leading to lower latency, faster overall speed and increased system responsiveness to end user requirements.

Autonomic cloud to edge compute allocation in trade transactions

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


An image forming apparatus in one embodiment includes: a first paper feeding control unit; a transfer unit that transfers a toner image onto a front surface or a back surface of the sheet; a second paper feeding control unit that reverses the sheet whose front surface has been transferred; a first decision unit that decides a transfer order on each surface by interleaf control; an execution control unit that controls the transfer on the back surface; and a second decision unit that decides whether a second sheet is to be fed for being transferred. The execution control unit makes the second sheet be fed from the sheet staking unit. The first paper feeding control unit controls such that the first sheet is apart from the second sheet by a predetermined interval distance or more, without changing a transfer order.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and program product for image forming.
2. Description of the Related Art
In duplex printing performed by an image forming apparatus, printing is performed on, for example, a front surface of a sheet that is fed from a sheet stacking unit (referred to as "front surface printing"); the sheet is reversed in a reverse-duplex path; and printing is performed on a back surface (referred to as "back surface printing"). In the case of performing printing, the sheet needs to reach a transfer position at which a toner image formed on a photosensitive element is transferred onto the sheet. In the case of performing both front surface printing and back surface printing on one piece of sheet, the sheet positioned at the transfer position at the time of front surface printing is reversed and then reaches the transfer position again via a predetermined path (the reverse-duplex path). Thus, in the case of performing duplex printing, the sheet passes through the reverse-duplex path before back surface printing after front surface printing. Thus, compared to the case when printing is continuously performed on one surface, the conveying distance increases between two surfaces of the sheets. Thus, an arrival of the sheet to the transfer position is delayed; and the number of prints per unit time of duplex printing (referred to as productivity) may be smaller than single-sided printing.
In this regard, as a technique for improving productivity of duplex printing, there has been implemented a method of changing a printing order at the time of duplex printing. This method is referred to as interleaf control. This method is based on the premise that sheets having undergone front surface printing are scattered on the reverse-duplex path. In this method, prior to back surface printing on the sheet having undergone front surface printing, front surface printing is performed on sheets by the number of sheets which can be scattered on the reverse-duplex path. Thereafter, back surface printing on the sheets having undergone front surface printing that are scattered on the reverse-duplex path and front surface printing on a sheet newly fed from the sheet stacking unit are alternately performed. In this case, it is possible to efficiently use a time until the sheet reaches the transfer position via the reverse-duplex path after front surface printing. However, in the interleaf control, since a mechanical configuration for scattering a plurality of sheets on the reverse-duplex path is necessary, implementation conditions are restricted. For this reason, when it is difficult to perform the interleaf control, duplex printing is performed in a conventional printing order such that front surface printing is performed one sheet; the sheet is conveyed to the transfer position via the reverse-duplex path and subjected to duplex printing; and then front surface printing and back surface printing are performed on the next sheet in the same manner.
However, in conventional duplex printing, regardless of the implementation of interleaf control, timing for newly feeding a new front surface printing target sheet (referred to as "front surface printing sheet") from the sheet stacking unit after back surface printing performed on the sheet having undergone front surface printing is later than feeding timing of a target paper which is to be precedingly subjected to back surface printing (referred to as "back surface printing target sheet"). For this reason, in a conveying layout in which a sheet arrival time from the feeding position (the sheet stacking unit) of the front surface printing target sheet to the transfer position is longer than a sheet arrival time from the feeding position of the back surface printing target sheet to the transfer position, the productivity may decrease.
In recent years, there has been developed an image forming apparatus that prevents a decrease in productivity at the time of duplex printing even when a distance from the feeding position of the front surface printing target sheet to the transfer position is lengthy. For example, according to a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-096977, paper feeding timing is managed in view of both a transfer order and a paper feeding order; in the interleaf control at the time of duplex printing, when the distance between the sheet stacking unit, from which the front surface printing target sheet is newly fed after back surface printing is performed on the sheet having undergone front surface printing, and the transfer position is lengthy, a paper feeding order changes, so that the sheet is fed from the sheet stacking unit prior to the back surface printing target sheet.
However, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-096977, it has been difficult to resolve the problem in that productivity decreases at the time of duplex printing when the interleaf control is not performed. Further, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-096977, as long as there is a printing request, if a condition such as a distance or paper feeding from a certain sheet stacking unit is satisfied, the front surface printing target sheet is precedingly fed. Thus, there may be fed sheets which are more than the number of sheets necessary for satisfying prescribed productivity. For this reason, software control for sheet control becomes complicated, and thus the consumption of a memory resource such as a random access memory (RAM) used for the software control may increase.
Further, it is necessary to guarantee a printing order or a sheet interval between the front surface printing target sheet which is precedingly fed and the preceding back surface printing target sheet. That is, when timing of the front surface printing target sheet fed from the sheet stacking unit is not adjusted anywhere, the front surface printing target sheet may pass the preceding back surface printing target sheet or may bump into the preceding back surface printing target sheet, leading to paper jamming.

Image forming apparatus and program product for image forming


Disclosed is an arrangement for the intrinsically safe detection of movements of a body, such as a wheel. The arrangement includes a magnetic encoder (5, 25) and a sensor (26), the magnetic encoder (5, 25) moving with the body and is magnetically coupled to at least two sensor elements (S1, S2) of the sensor (26) via a magnetic air gap. The sensor (26) has at least two mutually separate signal paths (S1, fl; S2, f2) which have at least one of the sensor elements (S1, S2) and a signal conditioning stage (28, 29). A primary measuring signal path (S1, f1) is constructed so that during normal operation represents an output signal the basic frequency of the encoder movement or the temporal profile of the output signal have patterns. The temporal occurrence of the patterns correspond to the basic relative speed between the sensor (26) and the pole pairs of the encoder (5, 25) which are detected by the sensor.

This disclosure relates to a method for increasing the intrinsic safety of an arrangement for rotational speed detection and/or for the intrinsically safe detection of linear and/or rotational movements of a body, in particular of a wheel, the arrangement comprising a magnetic encoder (5, 25) and a sensor (26). The sensor (26) having at least two sensor elements (S1, S2) which are magnetically coupled to the magnetic encoder (5, 25). The arrangement providing for the intrinsically safe rotational speed detection and/or for the intrinsically safe detection of linear and/or rotational movements of a body, such as a wheel, and to the use of the method and/or of the arrangement in motor vehicles.
It is known to detect the rotational speed of a wheel by means of a sensor arrangement having a magnetic encoder, which rotates with the wheel, and at least one magnetic-field-sensitive sensor, the magnetic encoder being magnetically coupled to the magnetic-field-sensitive sensor via a magnetic air gap.
Sensors, in particular active sensors, based on magnetoresistive effects are used in industry, and particularly often in the motor vehicle industry, owing to their robustness and good signal quality. These good signal properties are ensured, moreover, for example by complying with the tolerances of a specified relative position between encoder track and sensor, in particular the sensor element/elements thereof, upon installation or upon mounting of the sensor. If, by way of example, the tolerances are not complied with as a result of lateral relative offset and a situation of excessively great proximity (excessively small air gap length or excessively strong transverse components of the encoder field strength), signal disturbances can occur which temporarily or permanently alter the sensor output signal in an impermissible manner. The profile of the output signal then no longer corresponds precisely to the movement profile of the pole pairs of the encoder track, rather there typically occur sporadic or permanent frequency multiplications and/or frequency fluctuations, in particular frequency doublings, which can for example also occur in the case of the wheel rotational speed sensors of motor vehicles. In order to avoid such disturbing frequency doublings or frequency multiplications, suitable final acceptance tests are carried out. In order to be able to react appropriately to such phenomena during operation, usually complicated plausibility calculations are carried out. These errors can also become apparent and even be amplified in the course of further signal processing.
Document DE 199 06 937 A1 proposes a rotational speed sensor, the angular pitch of the encoder being coarser than the angular resolution of the rotational speed sensor, and the rotational speed sensor having two magnetic field sensors which are arranged separately from one another and which generate two measurement signals which are phase-offset relative to one another and which are combined in such a way that the output signal has an increased frequency relative to the measurement signals for the purpose of achieving the necessary measurement resolution. Such a rotational speed sensor serves principally for improving the resolution. However, no improvement is achieved with regard to the intrinsic safety of the rotational speed sensor.
The present disclosure includes a method for increasing the intrinsic safety of an arrangement for the rotational speed detection and/or for the intrinsically safe detection of linear and/or rotational movements of a body, in particular of a wheel, and a corresponding arrangement.
The a disclosed method provides for increasing the intrinsic safety of an arrangement for detecting linear and/or rotational movements of a body, in particular of a wheel. The arrangement comprising a magnetic encoder (5, 25) and a sensor (26) with the sensor (26) having at least two sensor elements (S1, S2) which are magnetically coupled to the magnetic encoder (5, 25). The arrangement further provides for the intrinsically safe detection of linear and/or rotational movements of a body, in particular of a wheel, comprising a magnetic encoder (5, 25) and a sensor (26), the magnetic encoder (5, 25) moving and/or rotating with the body, in particular the wheel, and being magnetically coupled to at least two sensor elements (S1, S2) of the sensor (26) via a magnetic air gap.

Arrangement for wheel rotational speed detection with increased intrinsic safety


A container system includes a container having an opening and an insert configured to be placed in the container through the opening. The insert includes a sleeve substantially corresponding in shape to a shape of an inner surface of the container adjacent to the opening.

The present application generally relates to an insert for containers, and more particularly, to an insert for a trash container.
Public bathrooms typically have paper towel dispensers and trash containers that are combined in a single wall mounted unit. An example of such a paper towel dispenser and trash container unit 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The paper towel dispenser 12 is positioned on top of the unit 10. Paper towels can be dispensed from an opening in a bottom panel 14 of the paper towel dispenser 12. Below the paper towel dispenser 12 is a trash container 16. The container 16 includes a front panel 18, a rear wall 20, side walls 22 and a bottom 24. The top of the container 16 is open to define an opening 26. The distance between the trash container 16 and the bottom panel 14 provides sufficient space so that users can pull paper towels out of dispenser 12 and place trash in the container 16 through the opening 26. The trash container 16 may have any shape. In FIG. 1, the trash container 16 is shown to be rectangular and have a curved front panel 18 so as to be more aesthetically pleasing.
Some trash containers may have an inner container for holding a trash bag. The bag is placed inside the container and the upper part of the bag is folded over and outside the top of the container. When the inner container and the bag are placed in the trash container, the inner container and the bag may be partially hidden from view such that the front wall of the trash container is unobstructed. Accordingly, a more aesthetically pleasing paper towel dispenser and trash container can be provided by concealing the bag with the use of the inner container.
To remove the bag when full, a maintenance person can pull the bag out of the inner container without removing the inner container from the trash container. Due to the vacuum created between the bag and the inner container and the friction between the bag and the inner container, the inner container may be pulled out with the bag. However, the inner container may not be completely or easily removable from the trash container because the paper towel dispenser is closely positioned above the trash container. Accordingly, the front panel of the wall mounted trash containers typically function as a door so as to allow access to the container through the front of the trash container. The door may be hinged on one side and latched or locked on the other side. A maintenance person can unlatch or unlock the door and remove the inner container for changing the bag and cleaning the inner container or the trash container.
Maintenance personnel often remove the inner container and simply put the trash bag inside the trash container to simplify the maintenance process. However, to secure the bag in the trash container, the bag is folded over the front panel of the trash container. Accordingly, part of the front panel of the trash container is covered by the bag, which is less aesthetically pleasing than when the inner container is properly used. Furthermore, removal of the bag without opening the front wall of the trash container may still prove cumbersome due to the above-described vacuum and friction between the bag and the trash container.
Based on the above, there is a need for an inner container or insert for a trash container that allows easy access to the bag and removal of the bag without having to open the front panel of the trash container.


An access point may control reporting configurations based on current power state of a cell in wireless communications network. The first cell may provide reporting configuration instructions to a second cell, instructing selection between at least two defined configurations for reporting system information or load information from the second cell, based on whether the first cell is in a powered up state or a powered down state. The first cell may transmit notifications to the second cell indicating when the first cell is transitioning to a current power state, which may be one of the powered up state or the powered down state. The first cell may select one of the at least two configurations for interpreting reporting data received from the second cell, based its current power state, to obtain the system information or the load information from the second cell.

Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, data, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., bandwidth and transmit power). Such multiple-access systems may use various RATs, for example, code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE), and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
Generally, a wireless multiple-access communication system can simultaneously support communication for multiple wireless access terminals. Each access terminal communicates with one or more base stations, also called access points, via transmissions on the downlink and uplink. The downlink refers to the communication link from the base stations to the access terminals, and the uplink refers to the communication link from the access terminals to the base stations. This communication link may be established via a single-in-single-out, multiple-in-single-out or a multiple-in-multiple-out (MIMO) system. Each base station may service one or more cells providing wireless coverage over an area determined by characteristics of an antenna group for the cell and by changing conditions of the wireless system, including but not limited to interference from neighbor base stations or other radio conditions, and time-dependent wireless resource demand within the cell.
Mobile phone and data service to a particular access terminal may be provided by multiple cells with overlapping coverage areas, using multiple different RATs. The demand for wireless voice and data service in a particular geographic area may vary in a generally predictable or unpredictable fashion, in response to demand from individual users of the access terminals. It is desirable to manage these fluctuations in demand in an efficient manner, with or without overlapping coverage from base stations using different RATs.

Configuration control of inter-cell signaling based on power state


A truck tractor (1) having, in addition to the driver and passenger seats (27, 29) in the driver cabin, a kitchenette (39) with a sink (43) and a stove (41) as well as a refrigerator (45) in an upper level. A bench (23) serves for dining, which is arranged behind a table (38). The living area is accessed via stairs (26) from a lower level, in which a half bath and a shower stall as well as a sleeping area with a bed and the appropriate infrastructure are located for the living area and the engine (1).

The invention is directed to a truck tractor arrangement.
Truck tractors with a driver cabin and living quarters arranged behind said driver cabin are known and are very frequently used primarily in the United States of America, so that the driver can live comfortably during drives frequently lasting several weeks. Such vehicles are the pride of the drivers and owners of the tractor trailer-rigs.
In the truck tractors with living quarters of prior art the space available between the axles of the truck tractor is usually used very poorly because the living quarters fail to form a real unit with the driver cabin. Accordingly the driver is only provided with very restricted conditions in the living and sleeping areas. Additionally, any storage space improving comfort is not provided and/or is not used for this purpose.


A computer-automated image visualization method for displaying images from an image data set comprising a plurality of image elements, each image element having an associated image value, including providing a visualization application with a library of presets, each preset defining a mapping between image values and their representation in a graphical user interface; loading an image data set from a data file containing the image data set; displaying an initial representation of the loaded image data set on a graphical user interface; receiving user input from a location in the representation to indicate a region of interest in the image data set; determining properties of image elements in the region of interest; making a list of potentially suitable presets from the library of presets based on the determined properties of the region of interest; and presenting the potentially suitable presets to the user for selection.

Embodiments described herein generally relate to the selection of presets for the visualization of image data sets.
In the medical field, two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) image data sets are collected by a variety of techniques—referred to as modalities in the field—including conventional X-ray, computer-assisted tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), ultrasound and positron-emission-tomography (PET). Examples of 2D images include not only conventional X-ray images, but also 2D images derived from 3D image data sets, i.e. volume data sets, such as a "slice" of a CT scan or a "slab" of volume data from a CT scan in a multi-planar reformatting (MPR) view. Time resolved 3D studies are also well known and are usually referred to as 4D studies, with time being the fourth "dimension". For example, time-resolved perfusion in abdominal organs is measured using 4D dynamic contrast enhanced CT (DCE-CT). It is also known to co-present images of the same patient taken with different modalities, such as combining CT and PET scans into a single image. These combined representations are sometimes referred to as 5D studies.
In a visualization application, images presented to the user are represented by a gray scale, there being one gray scale in a monochrome representation and multiple gray scales in color representations. For the sake of simplicity of explanation, we assume monochrome representation in the following. The gray scale values map back to the scanner's originally sampled image value (e.g. in Hounsfield Units (HUs)). It is a known fact that human vision cannot distinguish very well between different shades of gray. It has been said that a person can, at most, only perceive about 20-30 different levels of gray at a time. Therefore, it is often helpful to confine the gray scale to a relatively small range of signal values which contains the tissue type of interest, rather than attempting to visualize the full scale at once. The restricted range of the gray scale is conventionally defined in terms of a "window width" and a "window level". The window level defines the center point within the range of signal values to be displayed. The window width is the range of densities around this center point to be displayed as a gray scale value from white to black. In a monochrome representation, densities which fall below this range will be displayed as black, and densities above this scale will be displayed as white. For example, in a CT data set, bone is known to be dense and hence have high values of Hounsfield Unit (HU). To provide a good visualization of bone features in a CT data set, the window level is therefore set to a high value, e.g. 350. The window width is set to be relatively large, since bone tissue is known to span a large range of HUs, e.g. 1200.
A particular combination of window level and window width known to be suitable for visualizing particular tissue types or other features is referred to in the field as a "preset". A preset thus defines a mapping between image values in an image data set and what shade pixels or voxels having those image values are given when displayed to a user. For any given modality, a variety of presets will be stored and available for user selection. For example, if the user has a CT data set loaded, the user can switch between different presets suitable for showing different organs, blood vessels, bone and so forth. While the term preset probably originated because of the fact that window settings were pre-determined and stored for user selection, somewhat confusingly the term preset is now used more generally in the field to refer to any set of visualization parameters, even if the set is not pre-determined. For example, some applications adjust or set window settings on-the-fly during a user viewing session. The term preset in this document is used in this industry standard way to include both pre-determined and on-the-fly-determined visualization parameters.
Over time, within any given modality a wide variety of clinical uses has developed. For example, CT scanning may be used to study bone and various types of tissue from relatively hard to relatively soft. In CT, the values of the voxels contained in the volume data set can span a very wide range. Consequently large numbers of presets have been found, each optimized for particular clinical uses. Moreover, many CT and MR studies use contrast agents to highlight features of clinical interest. There are many different types of contrast agent with different properties for the relevant modality. For example, there may be a preset optimized for viewing angiograms taken with a particular contrast agent. These clinical application specific, pre-optimized visualization parameters are typically stored and made available to users as elements in a library of presets with clinically relevant names to assist a user making an appropriate selection of preset. Users can also make their own presets and store them in the library, either ab initio or by modifying existing presets.
An example list of presets for 2D X-ray images or MPR views of volume data sets acquired by CT might be:                1) Abdomen        2) Abdominal Angio        3) Angio        4) Bone (Hard)        5) Bone (Soft)        6) Calcium        7) Fat        8) Liver        9) Liver (Contrast)        10) Lung        11) Mediastinum        12) Thoracic Angio        13) Head
As clinical knowledge becomes ever more developed and specialized, more and more presets are defined and stored, and as a result it becomes ever more difficult for a user to make the most appropriate choice of preset from the large number available. For example, the choice of preset will depend on the subject, what type of data is being represented, whether (and if so, how) the data are calibrated and what particular features of the image data set the user might wish to highlight, which will depend on the clinical application.

Selection of presets for the visualization of image data sets