A fluid transfer assembly is described that includes a fitting comprising a lumen having an opening, and at least one barb, the at least one barb extending circumferentially around the lumen proximate to the opening. The assembly also includes a flexible conduit, a deformable sleeve, and an elastomeric liner disposed between the sleeve and the conduit. The fitting extends at least partially into the conduit such that the conduit extends over the at least one barb. The elastomeric liner applies substantially 360 degree radial pressure to the conduit such that the conduit is sealingly compressed around the at least one barb of the fitting. The assembly is fluid tight up to a burst pressure of the conduit.

Biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical drug developers and manufactures often develop and manufacture products in a fluid form. These products must be handled with care to maintain an aseptic environment and avoid contamination. Drugs developed and produced by biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical companies are often produced through a multitude of steps that may require transfer of the fluids between one or more of the steps. In addition, samples are often drawn from each batch throughout the manufacturing process to keep a close watch on characteristics, including but not limited to, cell viability, density and characterization, fluid chemistry, pH, and sterility.
The manufacturing and testing processes required by biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical companies create significant opportunities for fluid transfer. Each occurrence of fluid transfer that relies upon separate containers, conduits, or components to leave the source and arrive at the destination creates an opportunity for leaks or contamination.
The present disclosure describes improvements fluid transfer assemblies to maintain aseptic environments and avoid contamination during fluid transfer.


Additive compositions and aqueous drilling fluids which impart improved wellbore stability in drilling shale formations consisting essentially of one or more water-soluble high molecular weight polymers capable of forming relatively strong nucleophilic sites when treated with base and one or more potassium salts which have sufficient alkalinity to raise the pH of the resultant drilling fluid to above 9.0, but whose anions are relatively weak nucleophiles compared to the polymeric nucleophilic sites.

During well-drilling operations, formations are often encountered which lose physical and dimensional integrity when exposed to aqueous drilling fluids (muds). In most cases, such formations comprise reactive shales. Prior to the advent of oil-based, emulsion and invert emulsion muds, great difficulty was encountered in drilling these types of shales. On the other hand, while hydrocarbon-containing muds make drilling through reactive shales possible, they pose safety and environmental hazards and can interfere with well-logging operations.
A variety of water-based drilling additives has been developed over the years in an attempt to deal with shale drilling problems effectively while avoiding the problems encountered when oil-based muds were used. Vail et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 2,133,759, disclose muds containing alkali metal silicates, but sodium is the sole silicate that they disclose using, and they state that not all sodium silicates are suitable. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,146,693, Vietti et al. disclosed a drilling fluid containing one of several sodium salts, including sodium silicate, the sodium salt content of the mud being in excess of 20% by weight. Sawdon, in U.K. Patent Application 2 089 397 A, disclosed an aqueous wellbore fluid for use as a drilling, well completion, packing, perforating or workover fluid containing at least 20% by weight of potassium carbonate; optionally a water-soluble polymeric viscosifier, such as carboxymethylcellulose, was added to the wellbore fluid. Gray et al., in "Composition and Properties of Oil Well Drilling Fluids", 4th Edition (Gulf Publishing Company 1980), reported the use of potassium salts in drilling fluids to suppress the swelling of bentonite, potassium chloride being preferred. Another standard industry reference that describes the shale stabilizing effect of the potassium ion in polymer muds may be found in SPE 10100 "Fundamentals and Use of Potassium/Polymer Drilling Fluids to Minimize Drilling and Completion Problems Associated with Hydratable Clays," by R. P. Steiger, presented at the 56th Annual Fall Technical Conference, Dallas, Tex., Oct. 5-7, 1981. Anderson et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,595, disclosed shale-stabilizing drilling fluids containing flaxseed gum together with potassium and/or ammonium salts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,341, to Block, relates to a drilling fluid containing AlO(OH) and a crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol together with a potassium salt, such as potassium chloride, as a clay-stabilizing composition. Corley et al., in the Oil & Gas Journal, Jan. 27, 1987, described shale inhibition using an aqueous system, maintained at a pH of 9.0 or less, which contains an unidentified nonionic polymer combined with potassium phosphate complex of undefined composition. Lu et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,384, disclose an aqueous drilling mud consisting essentially of carboxymethyl guar. Lu et al. additionally stated that the thermal stability of their drilling muds can be enhanced up to at least 275.degree. F. upon the addition of a water-soluble metal carbonate such as potassium or sodium carbonate or bicarbonate. However all examples of such compositions were limited to the use of sodium carbonate or bicarbonate.
The current technology of choice for aqueous-based shale-stabilizing muds involves the use of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (PHPA) combined with potassium chloride. Scheuerman disclosed such a combination in U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,437 as part of a regimen for dealing with shale-drilling problems. Systems involving PHPA in combination with various electrolytes, including potassium chloride, at pHs of 8.5 to 10.0, were also reviewed by Clark et al. in SPE/IADC 16081, presented at the Mar. 15-18, 1987 SPE/IADC Drilling Conference in New Orleans, La.
While the systems developed thus far show improvement over the older water-based mud technology, they are sometimes inadequate when difficult shale formations are encountered. Operators are, therefore, forced to revert to hydrocarbon-containing fluids. It is desirable to provide improved additives for water-based muds that would minimize or completely avoid the need for oil-based systems when drilling problem shale formations.

Shale-stabilizing drilling fluid additives


A method for thread laying and a thread laying machine; thread laying has been achieved by a machine that has a vacuum table and above it a gantry with a thread dispensing device on a shuttle operating in an x- and y- direction; the gantry may be fixed to a pair of carriage on the x-axis driven in unison or each of the carriages may be independently driven; curved threads as well as threads on a mold may be laid down on a substrate; typical material produced is sail material of considerable thread pattern complexity; single threads or a multiple of threads may be laid down through one thread head with an adhesive properly coating the threads; multiple thread heads as well associated apparatus such as laser cutters and the like are mounted on the gantry.

Sail cloth has traditionally consisted of a weave of warp and weft threads. These threads lay transverse to one another, with the warp being the thread more capable of bearing the stresses than the weft.
Rather than being manufactured as a unitary piece, a sail is often constructed out of various panel layouts which are seamed together finally to construct a complete sail. Cutting the sail into panels allows the warp threads to be oriented in the direction of the various principal force lines, usually towards the boundary points of loading, i.e., attachment points of the sail to the vessel. These high load points include the head, the clew and the tack of the sail, where the loads are especially severe. However, in cutting the panels to approximate these principal force lines, the proper orientation is normally not achievable with woven cloth material. In addition, the warp threads "run off" the cloth, that is, the warp threads end at the edge of the panel, thus lacking any continuity along the force lines for any significant distance. This contributes to bias loading of the woven material. Woven material tends readily and sometimes (if laminated with a film) irreversibly distend when bias loaded.
Another disadvantage to a warp-weft technology lies in the potential for distention and weakness caused by the over and under nature of a woven material. Stretching and distortion of the material further result if the cloth is "off-parallel" and bias loaded to the weft direction. Certain processes may overcome this distortion, if the distortion is slight, including resinating the material, calendaring the material under heat conditions to stabilize the cloth, creating a very tight weave, laminating an isotopically resistant film, such as polyester film unto the cloth etc. However, most of these processes tend to be either material, labor, or capital intensive, and the approach of creating a tight weave results in an uneconomical use of thread in that only a certain percentage of the warp threads carry the actual load in addition to the relatively unused weft thread portion. Often the sail panels are tailored to reduce the bias behavior of the material, by narrowing the width of the panel at considerable increase in labor costs e.g. for sewing. Seams also introduce stress concentration wherever the needle punctures the sail material.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,639 to Conrad, the inventor innovatively relieved the sail skin fabric of its primary role as "stress bearing member", by introducing stress-bearing structural members incorporated in the sail skin, in the form of fabric strips, yarns, monofilaments or laminate strips.
With U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,080 to Conrad, the concern over the warp, weft and cloth-panel orientation has been completely eliminated. Structural threads are predeterminedly located on each panel in a manner to achieve proper orientation of each of the threads in the panel and these threads are tied into a series of continuous catenaries for a sail.
Along with the simplified panel layout of a reduced number of panels, proper catenaries in the sail are formed in an improved manner thereby reducing the weight of the sail and improving its performance and durability. A monocoque construction of a sail is achieved by the proper joining of the principal or primary stress-bearing structural yarns in their catenary form in combination with the secondary structural elements, e.g., the grid members or scrim members.
More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,700 to Conrad, presents advances in the construction of light-weight sails, the corners of these sails, reef points for main-sails and other incorporated components in the sail, i.e., batten pockets, spreader patches and the like. Panels are made of a film with threads, foam, and film with or without threads. This last patent also discloses a wide variety of film and thread materials which may be useful. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,593,639, 4,708,080 and 5,038,700 are incorporated by reference.
One attempt to overcome the problems associated with prior sail material bias distention of the sails has been presented by U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,003 to Mahr, which proposes a scrim of intersecting lines of yarn laminated between film and cloth, where the scrim is arranged to provide strength, integrity and stretch resistance to the sail material in the weft and bias directions. This technology still addresses the woven material problems and requires woven material substrates. Scrim comprised of parallel strands (i.e. warp and weft) and one knit strand was introduced as part of a laminated sail by U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,822 to Doyle et al.
Now that warp-weft direction of cloth and panel orientations are no longer a concern, the benefits of panel construction have changed accordingly. Rather than using panel layouts to align the warp threads with the load lines, the panel selection and layouts are now used as a method for optimizing the manufacturing of a sail appropriate for mass production, as well as a method for accurate laying of structural members in a sail, i.e., the primary and secondary structural members. Moreover, multiple laminates are also possible with the lamination schedule also adding to the necessary product enhancements.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,784 to Baudet reveals a method of sail-making in a unitary laminated piece. This method is costly and less attractive for mass production. A three dimensional mold is required on which only one sail is made. Each mold must be adjusted for each different sail as such method does not lend itself to broad seaming. Demand for an individual panel with a particular structural thread pattern in greater numbers than for other panels and different reinforcing patterns such as for reef points makes molded sails less suitable for flexible manufacturing and rapid changes. Hence, for an individual complete sail with a particular structural thread pattern, machine flexibility is highly desirable for thread variations in count, in size, in length and in layout pattern which cannot be achieved with a molded sail construction.
The quality of the product sail is diminished when made on a mold. Lamination problems occur when lamination is performed on the three dimensional mold. Further, although three dimensional mold techniques disclose applying tension to threads, these threads cannot be curved on the mold--it is believed impossible to do so unless the curved threads are restrained by pins.
By comparison, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a sail panel for construction of a sail, with structural reinforcement threads incorporated in the sail panel in a large variety of complex and difficult patterns. In the present invention as well as the method presented in U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,080, threads are laid in tension across the sail skin through the use of pins around which the threads are looped. The pins not only provide the tension necessary to properly lay the threads down on the sail skin, but they also provide the direction necessary to lay accurately the threads down in their predetermined pattern.
In the prior art, known apparatus and methods include methods for manufacture of laminated reinforced film, for making fiber reinforced tape, for production of bias fabrics, warp knitting machines, and the like. Generally, prior art warp knitting machines have a weft insertion magazine which lays weft threads in parallel across the entire breadth of the machine and also has a substrate providing arrangement wherein the plane of the substrate subtends an acute angle with the plane of the weft thread and is further provided with at least one boundary element, in particular, a hold down means on the side of the substrate path opposite to the needle bar.
The thread is typically wound around certain elements, including a spindle, retractable element, needles and clamping means, and the like, before returning to their parallel path across the table. All of the known methods and apparatus relate to reinforcement means, threads, fibers, and the like that are laid out parallel to each other, failing to provide means for laying out reinforcement means, threads, fibers, and the like in non-parallel patterns.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,239 to Chen, a fiber reinforced tape is manufactured by moving the tape through a first area while looping a thread on one side of the tape in a plane transverse to the direction of the movement of the tape. Each angled loop is held initially by a retractable pronged element and is then secured onto each end of the reinforced tape product by a vacuum belt, depositing the thread on the tape in a zig-zag pattern. Rollers such as heated roller then secure the thread to the tape. The apparatus described by Chen comprises a cross-belt moving in a closed loop transverse to the direction of the tape's movement, with the cross-belt having a carrier for the thread and looping means at each end of the cross-belt that move in and out of the plane of the thread as the thread is carried by the cross-belt. The machine can only produce a zig-zag pattern on the underlying film and not a varied pattern with convergent-divergent section, e.g. in the same panel, in opposite orientation to each other. A pressure belt is available to keep the loop ends in place, however actual adhesion occurs afterwards when the rollers secure the thread to the tape.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,703 to Osborn describes an apparatus for making a fiber-reinforced composite film sheet, which comprises a creel and fiber guides for forming the first lap of machine-direction fibers, and a pair of endlessly revolving roller chain assemblies supporting rows of spindles which are arranged to be initially interwoven, then divergent, and finally in parallel movement to form the second lap of transverse-direction fibers. This second lap of fibers are looped over selectively spaced-apart rows of spindles, and cam means are used to lift each row of loops from the spindles before lamination of film to the fibers. The machine is unable to create non parallel patterns of thread. It lays down threads that are substantially parallel to each other and cross threads that are at about 90.degree. to the machine direction threads.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,440 to Krueger describes an apparatus for production of bias fabrics which provides for a layer of parallel strands held together by external means (including, but not limited to stitching). The layer is formed at various angles relative to the long axis of the fabric and is wrapped around a series of needles formed on moving conveyors, maintaining the parallel orientation of the strands within. The machine is driven by an oscillating crank mechanism whose oscillating drive shaft moves more slowly before its direction is reversed, causing the movement of the yarn carrier to be naturally slowed at the end of each course. The yarn carrier is attached to an arm extending the width of the fabric, and the yarn carrier is attached to the arm and lays down a plurality of yarns with each sweep. The machine at all times lays down a parallel tow of strands or threads. It does not have the ability to lay down non-parallel threads and in opposite orientation in the non-parallel configuration.
Further inflexibilities in the apparatus are found since both conveyor belts move at a constant speed toward the bonding mechanism where the fabric layers are bound together. The conveyor belts are only capable of movement in one direction, and they cannot move independent of one another, nor at different speeds from each other. This limits the range of patterns that can be created by the mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,825 to Gidge describes an apparatus for forming cross-wise filaments for non-woven fabric which is subsequently further modified by length-wise direction filaments. The machines uses pins or grippers to put crosswise filaments in position to be adhered to edge elements. Pins are located on opposite ends of a table and in a center island that moves longitudinally along the table. Substantially parallel filaments are laid down by this machine. Gidge attempts to achieve a high degree of parallel uniformity by limiting the distances by which edge spacing pins can move, and by rigidly fixing the edge spacing pins relative to each other as a group.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,108,028 to Sprunck et al. describes an apparatus for the reinforcement of glass fibre webs or mats. According to the apparatus in Sprunck et al., a mat on a conveyor belt is reinforced by reinforcement means unravelled from a bobbin. Reinforcement means are blown by a stream of air from its holder into a gripper mouth. In the gripper mouth, the reinforcement means are stretched transversely across a mat at right angles to the direction of movement. The transverse reinforcing means, in a stretched-out position and in parallel relation, then rest on the mat. A band burner is ignited so that the transverse reinforcing means between the conveyor belt and the bobbins are melted at a position close to the edge of the conveyor belt. The gripper mouth then receives another feed of reinforcement means and returns across the mat for another pass. The result is the placement of strands across the mat in the undesirous form of individual and discontinuous strands.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,990 to Izumi describes an apparatus for manufacture of non-woven fabric. This apparatus reveals a means for extending yarns in a taught state in side-by-side parallel relation and equidistant from each other with other weft yarns about 90.degree. across the warp yarns. Yarn is ejected by a jet of air under high pressure by a yarn injecting device through a slit over warp yarns extended side-by-side and equidistant from each other. The intersections of the warp and weft yarns are interconnected by a heating press, and the weft yarn is then cut from its source by a cutter.
The apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,123 to Cave et al. presents a method for laying down a weft filament by propelling the filament through a chamber with an air gun over a moving substrate. The filaments are cut, clamped and pulled down onto the substrate. The apparatus propels the filaments by air and jet streams through an elongate hollow chamber across the substrate, a complex and questionably reliable method for laying down filament is involved. By pivoting the apparatus, the angles, at which the filaments can be laid onto the substrate, can be controlled. However, it is believed extremely difficult to propel a yarn impregnated with an adhesive. When the filament is clamped, it is pulled down through a closed aperture, then moved down onto the substrate while under tension once the aperture opens. Deposited on the substrate is the filament in the undesired form of an individual and discontinuous strand. In addition, absent from the apparatus in Cave et al. is a means to provide continuous, immediate and direct control of an adhesive coated filament as it travels across the substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,436 to Debroche et al. describes a machine for the manufacture of a tire reinforcement cord yarn. The patent describes a tacky yarn fed to a device for receiving reinforcement cord that represents physically the path of the cord just before it touches the molded surface on which it is placed (i.e., a tire) and assures great precision of the laying of the cord. The device is formed of plates and located on opposite sides of the cord so as to assure a guidance of the cord. The device can be shaped so it can move the cord slightly away from its normal trajectory. The device also consists of flexible holding means so that the device can adjust to the curvature of the tire. The filaments however are laid out in parallel.
A method for making a composite component using a transverse tape is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,824 to Youngkeit. This method comprises a laying of a flat tow at various angles across a conveyor belt to form a composite layer. Because the tow is flat, it is cut at each edge. The tow band consists of resin impregnated strand portions which are unwoven, unknitted and unstitched. If the tow were to turn around a pin, it would build up unwanted thickness, provide erratic turns, create a waste of material and cause uneven and poor fabrications of film--thread bonding.
Youngkeit fails to provide means for maintaining tension in the tow band because the tow band must be cut after placement of the tow band onto the base surface. Since the tow bands lie parallel to each other, there is no need in Youngkeit for pivot points around which strands are wrapped.
Australia Pat. No. 282,875 to Byrne presents a method and apparatus for obtaining reinforced web or sheet material or open mesh scrim. Individual strands or filaments are delivered and laid on top an advancing web or sheet material by at least two paired flying shuttles. The strands are laid out in transverse parallel relationship onto the web or sheet material.
In Canada Pat. No. 523,494 to Polley, lengths of parallel reinforcement thread are delivered in sucession and extended in parallel to one another across a paper web. The thread is delivered by two rotating members, one having a thread delivery head and the other a thread pickup head. A closeable jaw is located on the thread pickup head, and aids in keeping the thread taught upon receipt to ensure a clean and easy severance of the thread by a rotary cutter.
The apparatus described by Polley fails to provide continuous, immediate and direct control of threads as it travels across the paper web.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,045 to Hutson describes biased multi-layer structural fabric composites stitched in a vertical direction. Three layers of parallel fibers, with no secondary fibers in the plane of each layer, are laid down in the warp and weft stitching technology of Hutson. At least one of the layers is biased at certain angles. All of the threads are laid down in parallel in their respective layers. The fabric is saturated with a resin and cured. Three carriages lay down each layer of parallel fibers and a stitching machine stitches the layers together in the vertical direction, using a belt of hooks or needles at a sufficient height for the number of layers.
The apparatus described in Hutson requires careful coordination of the speed of the lay down carriage with the knitting machine and the means for advancing the fibers toward the stitching machine.
The apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,323 to Hittel et al. introduces a warp knitting machine having a weft thread magazine and a substrate provider for delivering the substrate along the substrate path. The magazine can transversely lay weft threads across the breadth of the machine again in parallel on the weft path upstream of the needle bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,049 to Vetrovec describes a rotary way of forming reinforced web with a zig-zag pattern of threads. Web is reinforced by glued warp and also can be bonded to a dry base strip. Loops around randomly arranged points are unobtainable. Only loops at consecutive points along the needles and the like are obtainable.
A method of manufacturing a flexible sheet material is achieved in U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,551 to Britton, by introducing a plurality of parallel strands by a weft laying device onto a paste-like bonding material deposited on an endless belt. Subsequent pluralities of strands are similarly introduced in the warp and weft directions atop each other. The material is finished upon curing by a heated roller. The apparatus is specifically designed for laying out all strands in substantial alignment with one another. This is done by the pivoting of a rail about an axle by a minimal angle determined by the weft laying device's (i.e., weft carriage) position as it completes a strand.
Sinusoidal waves can be created in a reinforced composite material as shown by the methods and apparatus in U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,650 to Holmes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,054 to Clausen et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,202 to Eroskey et al. In Holmes, sinusoidal waves are generated by a shaft that rotates a pin causing a reciprocating arm to move transverse to a corrugated medium.
The ability to generate sinusoidal waves is not suitable for the manufacture of sail panels for sail construction because strands in a sail panel must bear a load equally or be oriented in a catenary fashion, i.e., threads must be interconnected between point loads such as a tack, a clew and a head. A sail's efficiency in the wind increases with the ability to resist bulging or conversely the ability to be flattened. Since sinusoidal patterns in a sail panel would create a distortion, the sinusoidal generating apparatus presented in Holmes, Clausen and Eroskey is not suitable for making a sail material.

Machines for making laminate suitable for stress bearing materials such as sails


The present invention relates to coupled enzyme assays. In particular, the present invention provides a coupled fluorescent assay for detection of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-dependent methyltransferase activity and S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase enzyme activity.

Methylation is a common covalent modification of biological small molecules, nucleic acids, and proteins. Methylation is a prominent posttranslational modification in intracellular signaling pathways. In eukaryotes, genomic DNA and histones that comprise chromatin are subject to this modification. Methylation of cytosine bases in CpG dinucleotide repeats is enriched in transcriptionally repressed chromatin and mediates epigenetic silencing within these domains (Hermann et al., Cell Mol. Life Sci. 61 (2004) 2571-2587). Histones H3 and H4, which constitute part of the histone octamer in the nucleosome core particle, undergo methylation at distinct arginine and lysine residues (Trievel, Crit. Rev. Eukaryot. Gene Expr. 14 (2004) 147-170). In addition, linker histone H1b, which binds to the exterior of the nucleosome, is subject to methylation at Lys-26 (Kuzmichev et al., Mol. Cell 14 (2004) 183-193).
Efforts by numerous groups have identified many of the enzymes that methylate DNA and histones in chromatin. These enzymes all share a common mechanistic feature in that they utilize S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) as the methyl-donating cofactor. The enzymes that catalyze methylation of CpG repeats are generally known as DNA methyltransferases or DNMTS (Herman et al., supra), while the enzymes that methylate arginines and lysines in histones are collectively referred to as histone methyltransferases (HMTs). HMTs can be further classified based on their amino acid specificity: protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) and histone lysine methyltransferases (HKMTs) (Trievel, 2004, supra). Methylation of specific arginines and lysines within core and linker histones by HMTs has been directly linked to transcriptional regulation. For example, methylation of Lys-4 in histone H3 is enriched in transcriptionally active loci, whereas H3 Lys-9 methylation is a hallmark of heterochromatin and silent euchromatin (Sims et al., Trends Genet. 19 (2003) 629-639). Moreover, several HKMTs have recently been implicated in DNA repair checkpoints in the cell cycle (Sanders et al., Cell 119 (2004) 603-614; Giannattasio et al., J. Biol. Chem. (2005)), suggesting that these enzymes may have broader roles in chromatin remodeling than previously believed.
Elucidating the determinants of the substrate specificity of HMTs is pivotal to understanding the biological functions of these enzymes. Unlike histone acetyltransferases (HATs), which are generally promiscuous with regard to their substrate specificity (Marmorstein, J. Mol. Biol. 311 (2001) 433-444), most HMTs are highly selective and site-specifically methylate discrete residues within histones. This selectivity is exemplified by HKMTs, many of which modify only individual lysyl residues within histones H1b, H3, or H4 (Trievel, 2004, supra, Kuzmichev et al., supra). To characterize the substrate specificities of these enzymes, radioactive methyltransferase assays, which measure the incorporation of tritiated methyl groups from radiolabeled AdoMet into protein or peptide substrates, have been used to determine sites of lysine methylation within histones and other nuclear proteins (Nishioka et al., Methods 31 (2003) 49-58). The steady state kinetic parameters of several HMTs have been quantitatively measured using this technique, including the human histone H3 Lys-4-specific methyltransferase SET7/9 (Trievel et al., Cell 111 (2002) 91-103) and the H3 Lys-9-specific enzymes mouse ESET (Wang et al., Mol. Cell 12 (2003) 475-487), Drosophila SU(VAR)3-9 (Eskeland et al., Biochemistry 43 (2004) 3740-3749), and mouse G9A (Patnaik et al., J Biol. Chem. (2004)). Although highly sensitive, the radiometric assay is laborious and not suited to high-throughput applications. Furthermore, the accumulation of AdoHcy during this assay can result in significant product inhibition of HMTs (Patnaik et al., supra, Kim et al., Cancer Res. 63 (2003) 7619-7623) and lead to errors in determining the steady state kinetic parameters of these enzymes.
What is needed are more efficient and accurate assays for HMT activity.

Assays for S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-dependent methyltransferase activity

The Regents of the University of Michigan


A method and apparatus for cleaning, detecting, and/or removing contamination from the surfaces of nominally transparent materials utilizing internal illumination of those surfaces with at least one electromagnetic radiation beam at an angle of incidence equal to or greater than the critical angle for total internal reflection. With appropriate selection of light sources and materials, the technique is effective at detecting and removing water, ice, particles, films and a variety of contaminants.

There are many situations where it is desired to remove, reduce the amount of, or prevent the formation of contaminants such as water, ice, particulate, and other substances from windows or other surfaces. Recent solicitations have sought improved ways to keep submarine periscope windows dry and clean, ways to keep clean the mirrors and windows of high power lasers, and ways to clean the surfaces of the "last optic" in future laser fusion reactors. Photographs and TV pictures are also sometimes seriously degraded by the water drops on the protective window in front of the camera. Forward looking infrared (FLIR) systems also benefit from clean and dry windows. In addition, the push to high yields of smaller and smaller circuit features in the semiconductor industry has made contamination removal from semiconductor surfaces a high priority.
A great deal of research and development has been published on the use of lasers to remove contaminants, such as particles and films, from the surfaces of solid materials. All of this prior work illuminated the contaminated surface from the outside of the surface, usually from the side that is exposed to vacuum or air.

Method and apparatus for cleaning with internally reflected electromagnetic radiation


A versatile, small-mouthed container is readily dis-assemblable and re-assemblable to provide direct access to its internal cavity. Portions are mutually sealingly connectable by an annular coupling ring with two sets of threads, one each respectively to mate with threads on an upper and a lower cylindrical container portion. More than two cylindrical portions and more than one coupling ring can allow assemblage of larger containers and of containers of reconfigurable capacity. Some coupling rings provide for fluid communication between adjacent body portions and others provide a degree of blockage. Inserting or removing a partitioning disk into the ring can change a ring's degree of blockage. Various partitioning disks are provided with different degrees and types of blockage, when not deployed, the disks can be retained at the base of the container. Recessed latches prevent inadvertent opening at specific coupling interfaces.

There has been an increased use in reusable containers, particularly among those who are concerned about the environmental impact of disposable plastic containers or those who are possibly concerned about chemicals from which the plastic is made. A wide variety of containers and vessels are known. A water bottle for example generally has a cylindrical shape, necking to a smaller dispensing opening for convenient drinking. These bottles have many drawbacks. One example is the difficulty of putting ice in a water bottle. Ice cubes are generally much larger than the opening designed for drinking.


The invention relates to synergistic combinations of known fungicide active ingredients and their application in plant protection.

N-alkyl-morpholines are applied as fungicides in plant protection (DE-PS Nos. 1164152 and 1198125 and DD No. 140112).
A disadvantage of the known agents is that they have only a narrow spectrum of activity, preferentially for mildew fungi (Erysiphales) in cereals. By their phytotoxic side effects they can be used only in a restricted field of application.
The various acylamide derivatives (DD Nos. 118 979 and 118 510, DE-PS Nos. 2 515 091, 1 448 810 and 2 903 612, GB-PS No. 1 603 730 and EP No. 26 873), on the other hand, possess a good efficacy against fungi from the group of Oomycetes, but they are inactive against other plant pathogenic fungi of economical importance.
Furthermore, it is known that benzimidazole- and dithiocarbamate fungicides are applied in plant protection to control fungal diseases (GB-PS Nos. 1 193 461, 1 190 614 and 1 000 137). A disadvantage of the benzimidazole fungicides results from the quick appearance of resistance in the target fungus population.
For simultaneous control of different species of fungi the use of a mixture of N-alkyl-morpholines with dithiocarbamates was recommended (DD No. 111 014).
It is also known that N-alkyl-morpholine derivatives in combination with methyl N-(2-methoxyacetyl)-N-(2,6-xylyl)-D,L-alaninate (HU-PS No. T/33363) are beneficially used against fungal disease.

Chinoin Gyogyszer- Es Vegyeszeti Termekek Gyara, R. T.


Structures for a field-effect transistor and methods for fabricating a structure for a field-effect transistor. First and second device structure are respectively formed in first and second device regions, and a first dielectric layer is formed over the first and second device regions. The first dielectric layer includes a recess defining a step at a transition between the first and second device regions, and a second dielectric layer is arranged within the recess in the first dielectric layer. A third dielectric layer is arranged over the first dielectric layer in the first device region and over the second dielectric layer in the second device region. A contact, which is coupled with the second device structure, extends through the first, second, and third dielectric layers in the second device region.

The invention relates generally to semiconductor devices and integrated circuit fabrication and, in particular, to structures for a field-effect transistor and methods for fabricating a structure for a field-effect transistor.
Complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor processes may be used to build a combination of p-type and n-type field-effect transistors that are used to construct, for example, logic cells. Field-effect transistors generally include a channel region, a source, a drain, and a gate electrode. When a control voltage exceeding a characteristic threshold voltage is applied to the gate electrode, carrier flow occurs in the channel region between the source and drain to produce a device output current.
Field-effect transistors fabricated using semiconductor-on-insulator technologies may exhibit certain performance improvements in comparison with comparable field-effect transistors built directly in a bulk silicon substrate. Generally, a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer includes a thin device layer of semiconductor material, a substrate, and a thin buried insulator layer, such as a buried oxide layer, physically separating and electrically isolating the device layer from the substrate. Contingent on the thickness of the device layer, a field-effect transistor may operate in a fully-depleted mode (FDSOI) in which the channel region reaches fully across the device layer to the buried insulator layer when typical control voltages are applied to the gate electrode.
In certain instances, the device layer and buried insulator layer may be removed to expose the substrate over a hybrid region of the SOI wafer and a field-effect transistor may be fabricated using the exposed substrate in the hybrid region. Due to the localized removal of the device layer and buried insulator layer, the field-effect transistor in the hybrid region is recessed in elevation relative to field-effect transistors formed using the device layer. This elevation differential may lead to difficulties when etching openings for contacts in an overlying interlayer dielectric layer. Specifically, during the overetch, unbalanced etch loading can locally widen the shallower contact openings proximate to the source/drain regions of the field-effect transistors formed using the device layer, which may eventually lead to shorting or premature dielectric breakdowns.
Improved structures for a field-effect transistor and methods for fabricating a structure for a field-effect transistor are needed.

Etch stop layer for use in forming contacts that extend to multiple depths


An optical transmission system includes an optical transmitter configured to generate a plurality of optical signals encoded and modulated with the same client data being carriers with the same wavelength, and having different carrier phases, and output the plurality of generated optical signals using a plurality of optical transmitter output ports, each of the optical transmitter output ports corresponding to one of the plurality of optical signals, and one or a plurality of first directional couplers including a plurality of first input ports, each of the first input port connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of optical transmitter output ports.

With the spread of Fiber to the Home (FTTH) and smartphones, there has been an increasing demand for a large capacity and more economical optical network accommodating rapidly increasing data traffic.
For realization of such an optical network, a digital coherent technology for realizing practical coherent detection using digital optical signals is attracting attention in addition to research and development, and the practical use of such is accelerating (for example, Non-Patent Literature 1). The digital coherent technology is a technology for actively applying and developing digital signal processing put into practical use in wireless fields to optical fiber communication. With coherent detection, reception sensitivity and frequency utilization efficiency are improved, and signal distortion compensation performance in long-distance optical fiber transmission, which has been difficult in the related art, are greatly improved.
However, in communication in the optical network, an optical signal arriving at a point (node) serving as a branch point may be transmitted to a plurality of points. For example, an optical signal λ1 and an optical signal λ2 transmitted from a point A may arrive at a point B, which is a branch point, the optical signal λ1 may be transmitted to the point C, and the optical signal λ2 may be transmitted to the point D. Further, for example, the optical signal λ1 and the optical signal λ2 transmitted from the point A and an optical signal λ3 and an optical signal λ4 transmitted from a point E may arrive at the point B, which is the branch point, an optical signal obtained by multiplexing the optical signal λ1 and the optical signal λ3 may be directed and transmitted to the point C, and an optical signal obtained by multiplexing the optical signal λ2 and the optical signal λ4 may be directed and transmitted to the point D.
In coherent optical communication, an optical cross-connection device may be used when transfer paths (hereinafter referred to as "paths") of a plurality of optical signals are controlled as described above. The optical cross-connection device may set a different path for each wavelength by assigning a signal for each wavelength and demultiplexing a wavelength at each point. In general, the optical cross-connection device demultiplexes a plurality of arriving optical signals into a plurality of optical signals with different wavelengths, for example, using a wavelength selection device, such as a grating. The optical cross-connection device classifies the plurality of demultiplexed optical signals into respective paths using an optical switch or the like. The optical cross-connection device combines the plurality of optical signals to be transmitted to the same path.

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


In various embodiments, a lighting device is provided. The lighting device includes a phosphor volume for at least partial wavelength conversion of primary light into secondary light, a primary light semiconductor light source for irradiating the phosphor volume with primary light, a measurement light generating arrangement for generating measurement light having a spectral composition outside the primary light and the secondary light, a measurement light detector sensitive to the measurement light, and a measurement light filter, which is fixedly connected to the phosphor volume and is optically arranged between the measurement light generating arrangement and the measurement light detector.

In LARP ("Laser Activated Remote Phosphor") arrangements, at least one laser generates primary light that is converted at least partly into secondary light of a different wavelength by means of a wavelength-converting phosphor volume. The mixed light resulting from the secondary light and, if appropriate, a portion of the primary light that is not converted but is scattered by the phosphor volume can be used as useful light. By way of example, white useful light can be generated from a mixture of blue primary light and yellow secondary light. If, in the case of a transmissive arrangement, the phosphor volume is damaged in the region of the incident primary light beam, disadvantageously coherent primary light can pass through the phosphor volume and possibly not comply with predefined limit values with regard to eye safety. On account of the type of stimulating source (laser), often even a small degree of damage to the phosphor volume should be rated as critical for the purposes of eye safety. When a case of damage is identified, the laser generating the primary light can be deactivated or the primary light can be switched off.
In order to be able to identify damage to the phosphor volume, it is known to employ a relationship of exciting and transmitted power of the primary light and also a power of the secondary light. If, in this case, with constant exciting power, the transmitted power of the primary light increases and the power of the secondary light decreases, damage to the phosphor volume is assumed. One disadvantage of this method consists in the high outlay for the measurement set-up, e.g. owing to a high number of light sensors required. Moreover, the calibration, measurement data recording and the measurement data evaluation are complex. Furthermore, a higher reliability of the detection of the fault case or case of damage is desired. Particularly a detection when there is only a small change in the powers is not always possible without errors, since a laser power in the spectral range of the primary light is transmitted in normal operation as well.
DE 20 2015 001 682 U1 discloses an illumination device for a vehicle including a laser diode arrangement, a light wavelength conversion element for wavelength conversion of the light generated by the laser diode arrangement, and also a safety device for measuring a fault case of the light wavelength conversion element, wherein the safety device comprises at least one signal generator and at least one signal receiver for transmitting and receiving measurement radiation, wherein the at least one signal generator and the at least one signal receiver are arranged on different sides of the light wavelength conversion element, such that measurement radiation from the at least one signal generator penetrates through the light wavelength conversion element.


A CD-SEM (critical dimension-scanning electron microscope) system may utilize a technique for characterizing and reducing shrinkage carryover due to CD-SEM measurements. The system may identify the affects of CD-SEM measurements on the resist and adjust the operating parameters for a particular resist to avoid or significantly reduce shrinkage carryover. In this manner, the system may obtain more reliable CD measurements and avoid damage to the measured feature.

Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEMS) may be used by semiconductor device manufacturers to measure the "critical dimension" (CD) of the sub-micron-sized circuits in a chip in order to monitor the accuracy of their manufacturing process. CD measurements are typically performed after photolithographic patterning and subsequent etch processing.
An SEM uses a beam of electrons which is shaped and focused by magnetic and electrostatic "lenses" within an electron column. This beam causes secondary electrons and backscattered electrons to be released from the wafer surface. The SEM may then analyze the collected electrons (mainly the secondary electrons) to extract information, e.g., an image or measurement. The use of extremely precise and narrow electron beams may enable SEMs to image and measure features on a semiconductor wafer at a much higher resolution than images captured by optical microscopes.

Characterizing resist line shrinkage due to CD-SEM inspection


A method of fabricating a vertically mountable integrated circuit (IC) package is presented. An integrated circuit is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) and electrically coupled to a bond pad on the PCB. The bond pad is coupled with a via that is embedded in the PCB. The IC, the bond pad, the via, and a portion of the PCB are singulated in order to create a vertically mountable IC package. The via is cut through cross-sectionally during singulation so as to expose a portion of the via and thereby provide a mountable area for the IC package. The IC package may be encapsulated or housed in a dielectric material. In addition, the via may be treated with a preservative or other s-uitable electroless metal plating deposition that prevents oxidation and promotes solderability.

A variety of packaging techniques are offered today for integrated circuits (ICs). Packaging an integrated circuit allows it to be mountable to a circuit board, and more particularly a printed circuit board (PCB). In addition, packaging allows an IC to be electrically isolated from other IC packages on a PCB. The packaging itself also provides a measure of protection against exposure to direct physical contact with the IC during assembly and operation.
Packaged ICs are available in a variety of packaging schemes that include a Dual Inline Package (DIP), Small Outline Integrated Circuit package (SOIC), Thin Shrink Small Outline Package (TSSOP), or Shrink Small Outline Package (SSOP) to name a few. These packages include interconnects that are coupled with an IC. The IC itself is surrounded, housed, molded, or encapsulated in a dielectric material such as plastic or ceramic. A DIP encapsulated in plastic may be referred to as a Plastic Dual Inline Package (PDIP). Alternatively, if a DIP is encapsulated in a ceramic material it may be referred to as a Ceramic Dual Inline Package (CDIP).
An example DIP 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1a. DIP 10 includes an IC 12 and a dielectric housing 14. The IC 12 is laterally mounted within the dielectric housing 14. Upon mounting the IC 12, the dielectric housing 14 is sealed. Prior to the dielectric housing 14 being sealed, however, conductive interconnects, such as interconnect 16, made up of a material such as aluminum or copper are wire bonded to the IC 12 via wire and bump bonds 20.
The profile of DIP 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1b. DIP 10 is offset from a PCB 24 by an offset height 26. One drawback to DIP 10 is that its offset height 26 may not be suitable for modem electronics. Many modem electronics devices, such as cell-phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), have stringent offset height requirements for IC packages. Primarily these stringent offset height requirements are due to the drive to make modem electronic devices more compact. By minimizing the offset height of IC packages, a PCB and its mounted IC packages become more compact and thereby make an electronic device more compact.
One IC package that is capable of being more compact is an SOIC package. One such SOIC package 28 is illustrated in FIG. 1c. The interconnects, such as interconnect 30, in this configuration allow the SOIC package to be mounted closer to the PCB 24, thereby reducing the offset height 32. One problem still inherent to this configuration is that a layer of dielectric material 34 still contributes to the offset height 32.
Additionally, another problem associated with conventional IC packages is that they are not easily vertically, or perpendicularly mountable. One application that some modem electronic devices include is compassing. These compassing applications use axis sensors to sense a magnetic field. X and Y-axis (or 2-axis) magnet field sensors may be placed laterally in an IC package (and in turn a PCB) and operate appropriately. X, Y, and Z-axis (or 3-axis) sensors, however, require that one of the sensors be orthogonally placed in relation to the other two sensors.
When a conventional third axis of a 3-axis sensor is mounted, it is difficult to meet the stringent offset height requirement that modem electronic devices require. The offset height of the third axis sensor is increased because the IC and the IC package is mounted perpendicularly, the interconnects are not easily bondable to a PCB, and the dielectric housing contributes to the offset height.
Therefore, an IC package is presented that allows an IC within an IC package to be mounted perpendicularly and minimizes the offset height of the IC package.

Method of fabricating a vertically mountable IC package


A display device includes a first substrate, at least a first protrusion, a first electrode, a second substrate, at least a second protrusion, a second electrode and a display medium. The first protrusion is disposed on the first substrate. The first electrode is disposed on the first protrusion. The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate. The second protrusion is disposed on the second substrate. The second electrode is disposed on the second protrusion, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are displaced in a horizontal direction so as to form a lateral electric field therebetween. The display medium is sandwiched between the first and the second substrates.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure is related to a display device for a low driving voltage display using optically isotropic liquid crystals that is useful for displays with high light efficiency and fast response time.
2. Background
With booming development of technology, consumers have higher demands on display quality of displays. Besides demands for specifications of resolution, contrast ratio, viewing angle, grey level inversion and color saturation of the display, the consumers have higher demands for the response time of the display.
To meet the needs of the consumers, display practitioners devote to developing blue phase liquid crystal displays (LCDs) having a quick response characteristic. Taking a blue phase liquid crystal material as an example, a horizontal electric field is generally required to achieve a light valve function thereof. Currently, an electrode design of an in-plane switching (IPS) display module is used to drive the blue phase liquid crystal molecules in the blue phase LCD.
However, in the electrode design of a typical IPS display module, many regions above the electrodes do not have the horizontal electric field, and many liquid crystal molecules in the blue phase LCD cannot be fluently driven, which may lead to low transmittance of the display module. If a high driving voltage is needed in the IPS display module, power consumption is also high. Therefore, how to resolve the problems of low transmittance and high driving voltage of the blue phase LCD is an important issue to be developed.

Industrial Technology Research Institute

University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


A half-automatic switch is operated in concert with a movement detecting sensor, and is also manually driven to supply power to an electric apparatus. The driving of the half-automatic switch is stopped when it is manually turned off or a signal from the movement detecting sensor is not provided. When the driving of the half-automatic switch is stopped, it is again manually driven irrespective of whether the signal from the movement detecting sensor is provided.

Research on saving electrical energy has been conducted according to an energy saving policy. Particularly, for electrical products, a technology for cutting power supply to products when a user does not use it for a long time has been developed.
In addition, irrespective of a user's control, when a specific condition is satisfied such as there is no person for a predetermined time at a specific position, an automatic on/off switch for cutting the power supply to an electrical apparatus has been developed.
A sensor for detecting a person such as a passive pyroelectric infrared (PIR) sensor and an active microwave sensor may be used in the above case. The switch connected to a load is automatically closed when the sensor detects a person, and thereby power is supplied to the load. However, when a person is not detected by the sensor, the switch automatically opens, and thereby the power supplied to the load is cut.
The automatic on/off switch based on these technologies has advantages of electrical energy savings as well as eliminating the inconvenience of having to manually turn a switch on/off.
For theses reasons, fields to which the automatic on/off switch is applied gradually have increased. For example, the automatic on/off switch is may be used in a field of lighting industry, a field of alarm industry, a field in which electrical energy savings is required due to power consumption, a field of electric home appliances, and others.
Although there are many advantages in using the automatic on/off switch, in fact, there are few fields using it because of problems such as malfunctions of the sensor. More specifically, an active microwave sensor as the sensor for detecting has narrow coverage and further detects all objects that move in the coverage area, thereby causing an unnecessary on/off operation.
Also, since the passive PIR sensor reacts to infrared light from all living things, there are problems such as unnecessary on/off operation of the switch due to a dog or cat, light input from the outside, or heat change.
Further, although a person passes by around where the sensor for detecting is operated, without intent to operate an electric product, the switch is automatically turned on, thereby operating the electric product. Therefore, it is impossible to control the on/off operation of the switch within the coverage area of the sensor.
Additional apparatuses for solving the problems have been developed, but they raise the unit cost in producing the switch. Further, since the problems have not yet been completely solved, the additional apparatuses are not substantially used.
Accordingly, in fact, there are no fields in which the automatic on/off switch is used other than fields using lighting that is installed at an entrance and stairs, an alarm, an automatic door, and others.
As a related art to the automatic on/off switch, there is a saving switch that is disclosed in Korean Patent Issue No. 10-454532. In the saving switch, a corresponding light is manually turned on by a user such as by pressing an auto switch button or a manual switch button. At the same time, a sensor becomes turned off for a predetermined time, so the sensor cannot detect a user when the user enters within the coverage of the sensor. Meanwhile, when the sensor detects a user going out, the light is automatically turned off, or a predetermined sound is output to make the user turn off the light.
However, the switch does not operate when many people are within the coverage area. Also, in this case, although one person goes out of the coverage area, if another person remains there, the switch is turned off. In addition, when the lighting is on, it is automatically turned off only by operating the auto switch button while the lighting is manually turned off by a user if operating the manual switch button.
Accordingly, when a user goes out the coverage area after operating the manual switch button because of mistaking the manual switch button for the auto switch button, the lighting maintains the state of being turned on, thereby increasing the power consumption of the lighting.
As another related art to the automatic on/off switch, there a saving switch having an automatic mode function and a control method thereof which is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 2005-0103121. The related art provides a saving switch that automatically causes lighting to be turned on when a sensor detects a moving object or opening of a door. After this, the saving switch automatically causes the light to be turned off when the sensor again detects a moving object or opening of a door.
The saving switch of No. 2005-0103121 has additional auto on/off functions in comparison with the saving switch of No. 10-454532. Thus, the saving switch of No. 2005-0103121 still has problems related to the saving switch of No. 10-454532 as well as problems that the light becomes unnecessary iteratively turned on/off by malfunction of the sensor.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.


Automatic display unit backup during failures of one more display units through the utilization of graphic user interface objects defined for control transfer and reversion after resolution of the failures is provided herein. A system can comprise a memory operatively coupled to a processor that executes stored executable components comprising a first controller, a second controller, and a failure indication component that provides a first notification based on a first detection of a first failure at the second controller, and a second notification based on a second detection of a second failure at the first controller. Further, the executable components can comprise a control transfer component that automatically transfers control of a second display unit from the v controller to the first controller based on the first notification, or control of a first display unit from the first controller to the second controller based on the second notification.

Flight management systems are employed within an aircraft cockpit to perform complex operations and/or complex calculations that facilitate adherence to a flight plan and that increase the safety of air travel. Various tasks associated with the flight management system can include controlling and/or modifying a multitude of parameters related to navigation of the aircraft. Due to the critical control applications being managed, performance of the complex functions on the multitude of parameters should be performed by the flight management system in real-time with as few disruptions as possible.


Printing of an image different from that designated by a user is prevented. Specifically, an image file in which image data has been stored and an order file in which ordering information that designates an image to be printed has been stored are recorded on a memory card. Stored in the image file is time stamp data indicating the time at which image data was stored in this image file. Stored in the order file is time stamp data indicating the time at which the ordering information was stored in the order file. If the time stamp data that has been stored in the order file indicates a time later than the time indicated by the time stamp data that has been stored in the image file, it is judged that the ordered image designated by the ordering information in the order file is the correct image designated by the user. This image is then printed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing apparatus for designating an image to be printed, an image printing control apparatus for printing the image, a print image designation method and an image printing control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital electronic still-video camera captures the image of a subject and records image data representing the image of the subject on a memory card or some other recording medium. One takes the recording medium (or the entire camera if the recording medium cannot be loaded in and unloaded from the camera) to a developing laboratory, where a printer having a high image quality is used to print the image of the subject represented by the image data that has been recorded on the recording medium.
It has been contemplated in such case to record ordering information on the recording medium along with the image data. The ordering information indicates which images among the images represented by the image data recorded on the recording medium are to be printed.
Assume that ordering information has been recorded on the recording medium. If image data representing an image to be printed in accordance with the ordering information is erased, then it is necessary to erase the corresponding ordering information as well. If the corresponding ordering information is not erased from the recording medium, the ordering information will designate the printing of an image represented by image data newly recorded following erasure of the old image data in the area formerly occupied by the old image data which no longer exists on the recording medium. This results in the printing of the wrong image.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to prevent the ordering of the wrong image in a case where ordering information has been recorded on a recording medium.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing an image processing apparatus capable of accessing a recording medium on which has been recorded image data representing a plurality of images and image recording time data representing times at which the image data was recorded, comprising: an ordered-image designating device for designating an ordered image to be printed from among images represented by image data that has been stored on the recording medium; and an ordering information storage device for storing, in association with the ordered image, ordering information for the ordered image designated by the ordered-image designating device and designation time data representing time at which the ordered image was designated.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method suited to the image processing apparatus described above. Specifically, there is provided a method of designating a print image in an image processing apparatus capable of accessing a recording medium on which has been recorded image data representing a plurality of images and image recording time data representing times at which the image data was recorded, comprising the steps of: designating an ordered image to be printed from among images represented by image data that has been stored on the recording medium, and storing, in association with the ordered image, ordering information for the ordered image designated and designation time data representing time at which the ordered image was designated.
In the first aspect of the present invention, image data representing an image and image recording time data representing the time at which the image data was recorded on the recording medium are recorded on the recording medium. The user designates an ordered image to be printed from among images represented by image data recorded on the recording medium. When the ordered image is designated, the ordering information relating to this ordered image and the designation time data representing the time at which this ordered image was designated are recorded on the recording medium in association with this ordered image.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the ordered image designated based upon the first aspect of the present invention is printed. From the viewpoint of an image printing apparatus, the second aspect of the present invention comprises: a reading device for reading, from a recording medium on which have been recorded image data representing an image, recording time data, which is provided for each item of the image data, representing time at which the image data was recorded, ordering information for specifying an ordered image to be printed, and designation time data representing time at which the ordered image was designated, the image data, the recording time data, the ordering information and the designation time data; time data retrieval means (a time data retrieval device) for retrieving the recording time data and the designation time data regarding image data representing the ordered image specified by the ordering information; time determination means (a time determination device) for determining whether the recording time represented by the recording time data found by the time data retrieval means is earlier than designation time represented by the designation time data; and printing control means (a printing controller)xe2x80x94for printing the ordered image by a printing device if the time determination means has determined that the recording time is earlier than the designation time and for executing error processing if the time determination means has determined that the recording time is later than the designation time.
From the viewpoint of an image printing method, the second aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of: reading, from a recording medium on which have been recorded image data representing an image, recording time data, which is provided for each item of the image data, representing time at which the image data was recorded, ordering information for specifying an ordered image to be printed, and designation time data representing time at which the ordered image was designated, the image data, the recording time data, the ordering information and the designation time data; retrieving the recording time data and the designation time data regarding image data representing the ordered image specified by the ordering information; determining whether the recording time represented by the recording time data found is earlier than designation time represented by the designation time data; and printing the ordered image by a printing device if it has been determined that the recording time is earlier than the designation time and executing error processing if it has been determined that the recording time is later than the designation time.
When the ordering information and the designation time data are thus recorded on the recording medium in association with the ordered image, the image data, image recording time data, ordering information and designation time data recorded on the recording medium are read. The image recording time data relating to the ordered image and the designation time data relating to the ordered image specified by the ordering information that has been read are retrieved and a comparison is made between (a) the time at which the image data representing the ordered image indicated by the found image recording time data was recorded on the recording medium and (b) the time at which the ordered image indicated by the designation time data was designated.
When the result of the comparison indicates that the ordered image was designated prior to the recording of image data representing the ordered image, this means that the image that existed at the time of the designation was erased subsequent to the designation. Consequently, when the image specified by the ordering information is printed, error processing (cancellation of printing, for example) is executed because there is the danger that an image different from the image designated by the user will be printed.
In error processing, it is desired that the ordered image be printed after it is displayed on the display device to allow the user to verify that the image displayed on the display device is the ordered image that is to be printed. Further, in regard to error processing for a plurality of ordered images, ordered images of a number (one, for instance) fewer than the plurality of ordered images may be printed to permit confirmation of the ordered images.
When it is determined that an ordered image was designated after the recording of the image data representing the ordered image, it is judged that the ordered image was designated correctly by the ordering information and the ordered image specified by this ordering information is printed.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing an image processing apparatus capable of accessing a recording medium on which has been recorded image data representing a plurality of images, comprising: an ordered-image designating device for designating an ordered image to be printed from among images represented by image data that has been stored on the recording medium; and an ordering information storage device for storing, in association with the ordered image, ordering information for the ordered image designated by the ordered-image designating device, and key information for verifying the ordered image.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method suited to the image processing apparatus described above. Specifically, there is provided a method of designating a print image in an image processing apparatus capable of accessing a recording medium on which has been recorded image data representing a plurality of images, comprising the steps of: designating an ordered image to be printed from among images represented by image data that has been stored on the recording medium; and storing, in association with the ordered image, ordering information for the ordered image designated and key information for verifying the ordered image.
In the third aspect of the invention, image data representing an image is recorded on the recording medium. The user designates an ordered image to be printed from among images represented by image data recorded on the recording medium. When the ordered image is designated, the ordering information relating to this ordered image and the key information relating to the ordered image is recorded on the recording medium in association with this ordered image.
When the ordering information and the key information, is thus recorded on the recording medium in association with the ordered image, the image data, ordering information and key information recorded on the recording medium are read. On the basis of the key information, it is determined whether the ordered image specified by the ordering information that has been read is an image designated by the user. If it is determined that the ordered image is an image designated by the user, the image is printed. If it is determined that the ordered image is not an image designated by the user, then the above-described error processing is executed.
A fourth aspect of the present invention relates to printing processing. From the viewpoint of an image printing apparatus, the fourth aspect of the present invention comprises: a reading device for reading, from a recording medium on which have been recorded image data representing an image, first key information, which is provided for each item of the image data, relating to the image data, ordering information for specifying an ordered image to be printed, and second key information relating to the ordering information, the image data, the first key information, the ordering information and the second key information; key-information retrieval means (a key-information retrieval device) for retrieving the first key information and the second key information regarding image data representing the ordered image specified by the ordering information; key-information match determination means (a key-information match determination device) for determining whether the first key information found by the key-information retrieval means matches the second key information found by the key-information retrieval means; and printing control means (a printing control device) for printing the ordered image by a printing device if the key-information match determination means has determined that the first key information matches the second key information and for executing error processing if the key-information match determination means has determined that the first key information does not match the second key information.
From the viewpoint of an image printing method, the fourth aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of: reading, from a recording medium on which have been recorded image data representing an image, first key information, which is provided for each item of the image data, relating to the image data, ordering information for specifying an ordered image to be printed, and second key information relating to the ordering information, the image data, the first key information, the ordering information and the second key information; retrieving the first key information and the second key information regarding image data representing the ordered image specified by the ordering information; determining whether the first key information found matches the second key information found; and printing the ordered image by a printing device if it has been determined that the first key information matches the second key information and executing error processing if it has been determined that the first key information does not match the second key information.
It is determined whether the first key information (which may be intrinsic information or information generated from the ordered image) matches the second key information. If a match is obtained, it is judged that the ordered image was designated correctly by the ordering information and the ordered image specified by this ordering information is printed. If a match is not obtained, this means that the image designated by the ordering information does not specify the correct ordered image and, hence, the above-described error processing is executed.
The above-mentioned key information (first key information and second key information) may be partial image data representing part of the ordered image, the checksum of the ordered image, data representing the time at which the image data representing the ordered image was recorded on the recording medium, or data representing a random number generated at recording of the ordered image.

Image processing apparatus, image printing control apparatus, print image designation method and image printing control method


A piston includes a piston body having an outer cylindrical surface and defined along a longitudinal piston center axis. The piston further includes a piston bowl with a half section profile with a bowl entry extending radially from the longitudinal piston center axis; a bowl recess extending radially from the bowl entry; and a soot shelf extending from the bowl recess to define a soot shelf axial height (H) and a soot shelf radial width (W). The soot shelf includes an inner step being formed by an inner step base surface extending radially from the bowl recess; an outer step being formed by a step shoulder surface extending axially from the inner step base surface and an outer step base surface extending radially from the step shoulder surface; and a soot shelf shoulder surface extending axially from outer step base surface to the end perimeter surface.

A direct injection diesel engine is an internal combustion engine in which injected fuel is ignited as a result of temperature and pressure conditions within a combustion chamber. The characteristics of the pistons forming the combustion chamber in the engine are particularly important with respect to efficiency and engine-out emissions. For example, engines are subject to increasingly stringent emissions standards for particulate matter, a source of which may be soot formation in the combustion chamber. Accordingly, there is a need for pistons that minimize soot formation.


Low volume desiccant dehumidifiers, such as dehumidifiers used for the processing of resin pellets, which provide high dehumidification performance, simplified mechanical arrangement and high reliability in a desiccant dryer optimally suited for low volume applications.

Desiccant humidifiers or dryers using an absorption/desorption cycle are well known but are not particularly suitable for low cubic-feet per minute (CFM) drying applications because the mechanical complexity of the control apparatus for the absorption/desorption cycle increases the cost of such apparatus beyond its economic feasibility in a low volume application.

Integrally valved, low friction indexing desiccant bed dehumidifier


Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate supporting multiple access modes for a base station in a wireless communication environment. The base station can leverage hybrid, closed, or open access mode. A whitelist of a mobile device that successfully registers on the base station can be selectively updated to include a CSG ID of the base station. For example, the CSG ID of the base station can be added to the whitelist when the base station operates in closed access mode, while adding the CSG ID can be skipped when the base station operates in hybrid access mode. According to another example, the CSG ID can be selectively added based upon a received accept cause value. Additionally or alternatively, a CSG ID and an access mode indicator can be transmitted from a base station to a network node for implementing access control and/or paging optimization at the network node.

Field
The following description relates generally to wireless communications, and more particularly to supporting multiple access modes for base stations in a wireless communication environment.
Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as, for example, voice, data, and so on. Typical wireless communication systems can be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power, . . . ). Examples of such multiple-access systems can include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, and the like. Additionally, the systems can conform to specifications such as third generation partnership project (3GPP), 3GPP long term evolution (LTE), ultra mobile broadband (UMB), and/or multi-carrier wireless specifications such as evolution data optimized (EV-DO), one or more revisions thereof, etc.
Generally, wireless multiple-access communication systems can simultaneously support communication for multiple mobile devices. Each mobile device can communicate with one or more base stations via transmissions on forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from base stations to mobile devices, and the reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from mobile devices to base stations. Further, communications between mobile devices and base stations can be established via single-input single-output (SISO) systems, multiple-input single-output (MISO) systems, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, and so forth. In addition, mobile devices can communicate with other mobile devices (and/or base stations with other base stations) in peer-to-peer wireless network configurations.
Heterogeneous wireless communication systems commonly can include various types of base stations, each of which can be associated with differing cell sizes. For instance, macro cell base stations typically leverage antenna(s) installed on masts, rooftops, other existing structures, or the like. Further, macro cell base stations oftentimes have power outputs on the order of tens of watts, and can provide coverage for large areas. The femto cell base station is another class of base station that has recently emerged. Femto cell base stations are commonly designed for residential or small business environments, and can provide wireless coverage to mobile devices using a wireless technology (e.g., 3GPP Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) or Long Term Evolution (LTE), 1x Evolution-Data Optimized (1xEV-DO), . . . ) to communicate with the mobile devices and an existing broadband Internet connection (e.g., digital subscriber line (DSL), cable, . . . ) for backhaul. A femto cell base station can also be referred to as a Home Evolved Node B (HeNB), a Home Node B (HNB), a femto cell, or the like. Examples of other types of base stations include pico cell base stations, micro cell base stations, and so forth.
Moreover, base stations can employ differing access modes. Thus, some base stations in heterogeneous wireless communication systems can permit access by substantially any mobile device, while disparate base stations can allow access by authorized mobile device(s) to the exclusion of unauthorized mobile device(s). Conventionally, utilization of different access modes for a base station can detrimentally impact various Non-Access Stratum (NAS) procedures for a mobile device. For instance, access control, paging, and whitelist management can be affected by common approaches when employing different access modes.

Support for multiple access modes for home base stations


A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image onto a recording material by heating the recording material bearing the toner image at a nip portion while conveying the recording material includes a tubular film, a nip portion forming member in contact with an inner surface of the film, a pressure member that forms the nip portion with the nip portion forming member via the film, and a regulation member for regulating a movement of the film that includes a first regulation surface facing an inner face of the film to regulate the movement of the film in a radial direction of film and an second regulation surface facing an end surface of the film to regulate the movement of film in a generatrix direction of the film. The second regulation surface includes a concave and curved surface area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing apparatus which is used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a laser printer and configured to fix an unfixed toner image formed on a recording material to the recording material by heating and pressurization.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a fixing apparatus to be used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, there is used a film fixing type fixing apparatus that is superior in on-demand property.
A film fixing type fixing apparatus includes a tubular film, a heater held in contact with an inner surface of the film, and a pressure member forming a nip portion together with the heater through the intermediation of the film. A recording material which bears a toner image is heated at the nip portion while being conveyed, so that the toner image is fixed to the recording material.
In order to quickly raise the film temperature to a target temperature, a film heating type fixing apparatus uses a film of small heat capacity. As the film material, there is used a metal material such as a stainless steel or nickel, or a heat resistant resin material such as polyimide. Generally, a metal material has a higher strength as compared with a resin material, so that it allows thinning. Further, the metal material has a higher heat conductivity. On the other hand, a resin material has a smaller specific weight as compared with metal, and has small heat capacity, so that it can be easily warmed. Further, a resin material can be formed into a thin film through coating molding, so that resin material can be molded at low cost.
In the film heating type fixing apparatus, due to a design tolerance, or the like, deviation in a degree of parallelization between the pressure member and the film or a difference in pressurization force between the right and left sides may occur. In such cases, deviation of the film may occur in a direction orthogonal to a recording material conveyance direction of the film (hereinafter, this will be referred to as film deviation).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-246151 and Japanese Patent No. 3814542 discuss a configuration in which an end portion of a film is received by a regulation surface of a regulation member and in which some improvement is added to a shape of the end portion of the film, so that the film deviation is regulated, and it is possible to prevent damage of the end portion of the film such as bending or cracking in the end portion of the film through its flaring.
However, from the viewpoint of the recent demand of energy saving for friendliness to environment, a further reduction in power consumption is required of the fixing apparatus. To reduce the power consumption, it is effective to enhance the heat transfer efficiency from the film to the recording material, so that a further reduction in film thickness is in progress. Thus, a shortage of the strength of the end portion of the film is to be expected.
Thus, when a further reduction in film thickness is achieved, the regulation member as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-246151 and Japanese Patent No. 3814542 may be insufficient as a countermeasure against damage of the end portion of the film. Because, in the regulation member discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-246151 and Japanese Patent No. 3814542, there is a fear of the end portion of the film being inwardly bent if a force toward an inner surface direction is applied to the end portion of the film when the film moves to a radial direction due to film deviation.


Communication is an important issue in man-to-robot interaction. Signs can be used to interact with machines by providing user instructions or commands. Embodiment of the present invention include human detection, human body parts detection, hand shape analysis, trajectory analysis, orientation determination, gesture matching, and the like. Many types of shapes and gestures are recognized in a non-intrusive manner based on computer vision. A number of applications become feasible by this sign-understanding technology, including remote control of home devices, mouse-less (and touch-less) operation of computer consoles, gaming, and man-robot communication to give instructions among others. Active sensing hardware is used to capture a stream of depth images at a video rate, which is consequently analyzed for information extraction.

With the advent of super-fast computing systems and highly efficient digital imaging systems, the field of computer vision based man-machine interaction has undergone a period of significant technological advancements. From simple motion detection systems where motion triggers a response from a machine (e.g., surveillance systems) to highly complex three-dimensional ("3D") imaging sign recognition systems have been the subject of significant development in the last few years. For example, in the area of sign based human-machine communications, the recognition of human sign language has been a subject of much study lately as a promising technology for man-machine communications. Other sign recognition systems and even more complex gesture recognition systems have been developed based on various methods to locate and track hands and their motion with respect to other body parts (e.g., arms, torso, head, and the like).
These conventional techniques for sign and gesture recognition generally require markers, specific colors, backgrounds or gloves to aid the machine vision system in finding the source of the sign or gesture. For example, some conventional approaches for hand detection use color or motion information to determine the image region that corresponds to the hand or hands gesturing to the system. In these approaches, tracking hand motion is highly unreliable under varying lighting conditions. Some systems use special equipment such as gloves, while some others use a background with specific color to make the task feasible.
In these conventional systems, even when the hand location can be determined and tracked across image frames, analyzing the shape of the hand to determine the sign being provided is still a very difficult task. The shape recognition task becomes even more difficult when attempting to analyze the shape based on real time processing of the image data. To improve efficiency of the hand shape analysis process, a magnified view of the hand region can be used by focusing the image capturing device to the appropriate region in the scene. However, any body, arm, head, or other posture information might be missed by falling out of the imaging frame.
To capture whole body posture information in the image data some depth capable systems use multiple cameras as a means to determine depth information. Images captured from different angles provide sufficient data to extract 3D information of the subject. To understand the 3D volume obtained, 3D model fitting has also been proposed, yet it is a complex and computation-intensive process, frequently unstable and generally not fit for real-time applications. Stereo vision, which is a popular choice in depth capable systems, usually does not provide image resolution sufficient for hand shape analysis due to lack of texture on the subject. Thus, depth has primarily been used to detect a limited set of simple gestures such as large pointing motions. Some approaches use high-resolution 3D data obtained by using coded lighting for static hand posture analysis. However, these high-resolution systems require massive computational and storage resources generally unavailable or not capable of real-time performance.
Accordingly, what is needed is an approach to computer based gesture and sign recognition for human-computer interaction that (i) can analyze multiple features simultaneously including hand location, hand shape, movement, orientation, speed, and the like, (ii) can recognize gestures without using any special background, marks, or gloves; (iii) be based on computationally inexpensive computation module to achieve real-time gesture recognition; and (iv) that is less susceptible to illumination changes.

The Ohio State University Research Foundation


A pressure regulator includes a cylinder and a piston contained in the cylinder. First and second O-rings are attached to the cylinder and configured to form a seal between the cylinder and an interior wall of the piston. The pressure regulator has a lubrication system that includes a lubrication reservoir between the first and second O-rings defined by an annular groove in an exterior surface of the piston and the interior wall of the cylinder, and an input port extending through the cylinder to the lubrication reservoir. The piston is configured to move along a central axis relative to the cylinder between first and second positions. The first and second O-rings are displaced from the input port during movement of the piston between the first and second positions.

Piston and cylinder arrangements are used in a variety of mechanical devices, such as valves and pressure regulators, for example. O-rings are commonly used to form a seal between an outer wall of the piston and an interior wall of the cylinder, in which the piston is supported for slidable movement relative to the cylinder. The O-rings are typically received within an annular groove of the outer wall of the piston, and slide against the interior wall of the cylinder during movement of the piston relative to the cylinder.
A lubricant, such as grease, is generally coated on the O-rings and the walls of the cylinder and piston to reduce friction between the interior wall of the cylinder and the O-ring. This extends the life of the O-ring and, thus, the operational life of the mechanical device, in which the O-ring is being used.
The amount of lubricant available to lubricate the O-ring is generally reduced over time due to use of the mechanical device. As a result, it is necessary to periodically replenish the lubricant. This generally involves disassembling the mechanical device and applying a new coating of lubricant to the O-rings and the walls of the piston and cylinder.