An object of the invention is to provide a radiation-shielding material that has a high radiation-shielding capability and can be easily coated, molded and sheeted. Metals or the like having a radiation-shielding capability are blended with an elastomer precursor in a high concentration thereby providing a radiation-shielding material that has a higher radiation-shielding capability than ever before and can be easily coated, molded and sheeted in any desired configuration.

Various shields have recently been developed for the purpose of preventing radiation exposures resulting from leading-edge radiotherapeutics, plant sites making use of atomic power such as atomic power generation sites, and radioactive waste discharged from them; however, there is still much left to be desired in terms of the ability of radiation-shielding materials to shield off radiations, materials themselves, production processes, etc.
Radiations are largely broken down to particle beams such as α-rays, β-rays and neutron beams and electromagnetic waves such as γ-rays and X-rays. Alpha rays are less penetrating so that they can be shielded off with a single one paper sheet. Beta beams, too, can be shielded off with a few mm-thick aluminum foil. However, γ-rays are more penetrating, and in order to obtain a 90% shielding rate concrete will have to have a thickness of 29 cm and even lead will have to have a thickness of 2.5 cm. Neutron beams are much more penetrating, and they cannot be shielded off without hydrogen atoms contained in water or thick concrete walls.
In most cases, heavy metals such as lead and concretes have often been used so far as such radiation-shielding materials. Lead is harmful upon absorbed in human bodies, and must be handled pursuant to strict regulations prescribed in the Ordinance on Prevention of Lead Poisoning. Lead must also be disposed under the category of specific hazardous industrial waste while mounting environmental, cost and other problems are taken into consideration.
As disclosed in Patent Publications 1 and 2 and described in Non-Patent Publication 1, concrete must have an increased thickness so as to obtain high shielding rates. Although concrete does not give rise to any problem with fixed structures, yet there are some grave problems with vessels of drum can or container size used for storage and transportation of radioactive materials: the amount of radioactive materials filled up in them is limited, and the weight of vessels themselves is too heavy for delivery. In addition, concrete may often crack with the progress of hydration reactions, resulting possibly in a leakage of radioactive material.
On the other hand, iron having a density of 7.8 g/cm3 is lighter in weight than lead having a density of 11.3 g/cm3; in order to obtain a shielding rate of 90% for Cs 137 γ-rays, however, at least 75 mm thickness is required as compared with 25 mm thickness for lead or the weight is twice as large as lead. Iron cannot thus provide any effective shielding material.
As disclosed in Patent Publications 3, 4, 5 and 6, heavy metals such as tungsten, an alternative to lead, are often kneaded with resins for sheeting. For instance, heavy metals may be milled with thermoplastic resins using a machine having strong shearing force such as a Banbury mixer or a kneader, after which the milled material is extruded through an extruding machine into a sheet product. This radiation-shielding material sheet may be cut depending on the configuration of an application site for use.
As disclosed in Patent Publication 7, a solvent may be used to make the liquid viscosity of a shielding material low enough for cast molding. However, Patent Publication 7 shows that the obtained sheet or molded product has a thickness of 5 mm at most, and says that such sheets may be put one upon another for greater thicknesses. A greater number of sheets will have limited use because of difficulty in retention of shape.
Further, the radiation-shielding rate is greatly affected by the density of the shielding material; so Patent Publications 3 and 4 teach that the packing fraction of heavy metals, etc. is low and, hence, the density of the shielding material is low, too, resulting in a low X-ray shielding rate. However, Patent Publications 5, 6 and 7 show that the packing fraction of heavy metals is increased up to 90% by weight or greater to increase the density of the shielding material up to that of lead, thereby making sure of the shielding rate comparable to that of lead.

Coating type radiation-shielding material and radiation-shielding elastomer material


Provided are a method, an apparatus and a device for obstacle in lane warning. The method includes receiving information of an obstacle in a front lane of a first vehicle, where the first vehicle is in front of a second vehicle; and performing an obstacle warning on the second vehicle according to the information of the obstacle. The second vehicle receives the information of the obstacle, and performs the obstacle warning on the second vehicle according to the information of the obstacle to prevent the second vehicle from failing to detect the obstacle in a blind area when the sight of the second vehicle is blocked by the first vehicle; the front vehicle notifies the subsequent vehicle of the obstacle in the lane immediately, which facilitates the driver to handle the situation in advance, improves the vehicle's ability to sense the obstacle and prevents the collision from occurring.

In the prior art, while a vehicle is driving along, there might be an obstacle in the driving lane. However, when the driver has restricted range of visibility because the driver's line-of-sight is hindered or partly hindered, the driver might not be able to spot the obstacle in lane fast enough, leading to traffic accident.

Method, apparatus and device for obstacle in lane warning

BEIJING BAIDU NETCOM SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A signaling cap device comprises an audible message reproducing unit, a switch, a power supply, and a former of an audible message number, whereas the audible message reproducing unit is operative upon removal of the cap to reproduce one of N audible messages recorded therein depending on the message number.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,347 to MacLean et al, 1997, discloses an electronic bottle cap comprising a housing that includes a power supply, an audible message reproducing means connected to a speaker, and a switch for closing a circuit upon removal of the cap from the bottle.
The device according to MacLean reproduces a prerecorded audible message right after the cap is removed from the vessel.
The drawback of the above device is the delivery of only one audible message. Besides, there is no possibility to set a time interval after removal of the cap from the vessel, at the end of which a message is delivered. The device according to MacLean does not provide a possibility to connect an audible message to the time of the day and to the length of the time interval after the previous cap closing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,586 to Dobbins, 1998, discloses a sound signaling cap comprising a housing with a power supply, an audible message reproducing means connected to a speaker, and a switch for closing a circuit upon removal of the cap from the bottle.
The device according to the patent above reproduces a prerecorded audible message right after the cap is removed from the vessel.
The device described above also has its limitations. It cannot reproduce different audible messages on each removal of the cap from the vessel, each time the same audible message is delivered. Besides, there is no possibility to set a time interval after removal of the cap from the vessel, at the end of which a message is delivered. Also, the device does not provide a possibility to connect an audible message to the time of the day and to the length of the time interval after the previous cap closing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,597 to Dobosi et al., 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,356 to Woodruff, et al., 1998, U.S. Pat. No. 6,144,842 to Gariepy, 2000, disclose devices in the form of a medicine bottle, containers or appliances having alarm devices or alarm systems that reproduce sound signals upon opening caps of such device. The limitation of all these devices is that it can reproduce only one type of a sound signal upon each opening of the cap.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a signaling cap able to reproduce new audible messages upon each removal of the cap from the vessel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cap with the possibility to set a length of the time interval after the removal of the cap from the vessel, at the end of which the next audible message is reproduced.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connection of a reproduced audible message with the time of the day and the length of the time interval that passed after the previous opening of the cap.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the cap the description of which is given below.
The signaling cap according to the present invention comprises displaced in its housing an audible message reproducing unit connected to a speaker and to a power supply, a switch for locking the electric circuit upon the cap removal, and a former of an audible message number displaced in the housing. Audible message reproducing unit is operative to reproduce one of N audible messages recorded therein in accordance with an audible message number. The audible message reproducing unit is attached to the former of an audible message number. The power supply is connected to the audible message reproducing means and to the former of an audible message number via the switch.
Further, the signaling cap according to the present invention can be equipped by a timer displaced in the housing and operative upon voltage supply to form an interval of time with a length depending on an audible message number. The timer is connected to the audible message reproducing unit, to the former of an audible message number, and via the switch to the power supply.
Further, the signaling cap is equipped with an electronic clock displaced in its housing and connected to the power supply and to the former of an audible message number.
Further, the signaling cap according to the present invention is equipped by an additional timer displaced in its housing and connected to the former of an audible message number and to the power supply via the switch.
The introduction of the former of an audible message number with corresponding connections and the specificities of the audible message reproducing unit provide the delivery of a new audible message upon each successive cap removal from the vessel, because each time the power is supplied to the former of an audible message number it produces a new message number.
The introduction of the timer with corresponding connections provides the possibility to set a length of the pause before each message is delivered. Further, the introduction of the electronic clock or the introduction of the additional timer with corresponding connections provides a possibility to select a message for reproduction depending on the time of the day or on the time passed after the previous cap opening.


A system and method to reduce leakage power while minimizing performance penalties and noise is disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the system includes at least one sleep transistor operatively coupleable between a system power supply and at least one circuit powered by the system power supply to control the application of power to the circuit. The sleep transistor is also operatively coupleable to receive a sleep control signal to turn the sleep transistor on and off. A body bias voltage generator is operatively coupleable to a body of the at least one sleep transistor to substantially reduce leakage current when the sleep transistor is non-operational or idle and to improve the operational characteristics of the sleep transistor when the transistor is operational by reducing the performance penalty of the sleep transistor and by reducing impact of noise on the circuit and other devices.

The present invention relates generally to integrated circuits and the like, and more particularly to a system that uses body-biased sleep transistors to reduce leakage power and to minimize performance penalties and noise in integrated circuits and the like.
Ever increasing performance demands are being placed on computer circuits, microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and other ICs and VLSICs. ASICs, ICs and VLSICs are being required to operate at continually increasing clock speeds to perform more operations in a shorter period of time. To provide these faster operating speeds, circuits and processes are being designed to operate at lower threshold voltages. With the lower threshold voltages, the flow of leakage current from a system power supply to a circuit supplied by the system power supply can increase. The leakage current can therefore result in a significant amount of power consumption in a circuit. This can be critical in mobile, battery powered electronic devices, such as cellular telephones, mobile radios, laptop computers and handheld computing devices and the like, where the ability to operate for extended periods of time on battery power is of primary importance to users.
One arrangement for reducing leakage current and power consumption in a circuit is through the use of sleep transistors that can have either high or low threshold voltages. This arrangement is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/151,827 by Ye et al., file Sep. 11, 1998 and entitled xe2x80x9cA Method and Apparatus for Reducing Standby Leakage Current Using a Leakage Control Transistor That Receives Boosted Gate Drive During an Active Modexe2x80x9d and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. When the sleep transistor is active or turned on, the system power supply is supplying current to the circuit. When the sleep transistor is idle or turned off, the intent is that no current is supplied to the circuit. However, depending upon the characteristics of the sleep transistor and the circuit or load, there will be some leakage current through the sleep transistor and power consumption in the circuit. There will be some voltage drop across the sleep transistor and the circuit effectively has a Air small voltage supply that can cause a performance penalty in terms of operational delays and noise interference. The magnitude of this performance penalty, as well as the degree of leakage power reduction will depend upon the size and operating characteristics of the sleep transistor. Larger sleep transistors typically provide a smaller leakage reduction factor but also a smaller impact on performance. In other words, there is a trade-off between performance impact and leakage reduction. Large sleep transistors minimize the performance impact, but take up a larger amount of area and do not provide as much leakage reduction. Smaller sleep transistors reduce leakage by a larger amount or factor but also suffer some impact to performance.
Accordingly, for all of the reasons discussed above, and for other reasons that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need for a system and method to reduce leakage current and power consumption in a circuit on an IC or other electronic device while minimizing the impact on performance and the generation of noise that can adversely affect the operation of the circuit or other components on the IC.

System using body-biased sleep transistors to reduce leakage power while minimizing performance penalties and noise


Disclosed is a defect inspection device for determining anomaly of an inspection object. The defect inspection device may include: a lighting system which includes a light source for transmitting light onto the inspection object; and a dynamic diffuser located between the light source and the inspection object and capable of controlling a diffusivity of light transmitted onto the inspection object; and one or more processors for controlling the dynamic diffuser based on characteristics of the inspection object.

In the process of producing an object at a factory, the object may be defective due to machinery, process, or other reasons. In the factory, it is common to go through a procedure to check whether the object is defective before production of the object is completed and the object is released.
In recent years, in the art, in order to quickly inspect a defect of a target article by shortening a process time, a technology for determining whether an inspection object is defective by using a computer vision has been introduced.
However, since a computer vision technology in the prior art uses only a lighting system to which a diffuser plate is attached, the computer vision technology has a disadvantage in that a recognition rate of a surface defect such as a fine scratch, step, or dent deteriorates when inspecting the inspection object, which has a smooth surface, a shiny surface, or a glossy surface due to severe light scattering.
Korean Patent No. 10-1517929 (Title of the Invention: Robot Vision Device Capable of Non-stop Inspecting Object) discloses a device that photographs an inspection object by using an articulated robot disposed outside the inspection object and determines the good or bad of the inspection object from a photographed image.


The present disclosure describes a light fixture for general lighting. The light fixture is includes a light source assembly that uses a point source of light such as an LED, an aspheric reflector, and a lightguide made of transparent materials, that redirects and distributes the light from the point source to an area light. The novel light fixture is not only functional and provides low-glare illumination, it also has an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

High brightness light emitting diodes (LEDs) have the benefits of high efficiency, small form factor, broad choice of spectrum, and long lifetime. However LEDs generally cannot be a lighting unit by themselves, in part due to their point-source nature, produced glare, and aesthetics. Secondary optics, such as lenses and diffusers, are commonly used to transform high brightness LEDs into a comfortable light source for the user. A separate housing unit is often used to enclose the illumination core, to further control the emission, directionality, and quality of the light. Light fixtures using LEDs thus typically require several components, in addition to the LEDs, to function as a complete lighting unit. Accordingly, a need exists for improved and more versatile luminaires incorporating LEDs or other solid state light sources.


The present embodiments provide apparatus and methods for facilitating cauterization of tissue. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a proximal barrel and a distal barrel, which are coupled together and moveable with respect to one another. At least a portion of the proximal barrel may be coupled to an endoscope to secure the apparatus to the endoscope. At least one electrocautery member is disposed within a lumen of the distal barrel and configured to cauterize at least a segment of tissue pulled into a lumen of the proximal barrel and/or the lumen of the distal barrel.

There are various instances in which it may become necessary or desirable to cauterize a segment of a patient's tissue. For example, during an endoscopic procedure, it may become desirable to remove a segment of a mucosal layer of tissue from an underlying submucosal layer of tissue.
Typically, one or more cutting instruments, such as a needle knife, may be used to cauterize a segment of tissue. In an endoscopic procedure, the cutting instrument may be advanced through an auxiliary lumen of an endoscope. The cutting instrument then may be advanced beyond the distal end of the endoscope and actuated by supplying an electrical current to the tip of the instrument. Once heated, the cutting instrument may be positioned to engage and cauterize the target tissue. The cauterized tissue then may be captured and removed, for example, by using a forceps advanced through the auxiliary lumen of the endoscope.
When cutting instruments, such as needle knives, are used in the above-described manner, the result may yield an imprecise cauterization of tissue. In particular, when a sharp, pointed and/or heated instrument is advanced distal to the endoscope, a risk exists of improperly maneuvering the cutting instrument and therefore inadvertently cauterizing or searing healthy or non-target tissue. As an example, if the gallbladder is being separated from the liver using a cutting instrument such as a needle knife, it may be difficult to safely and precisely dissect the gallbladder using the extended cutting instrument.
Further, difficulties may arise when segregating mucosal tissue from underlying submucosal tissue. In these procedures, the extended cutting instrument is generally moved in a circular motion, which may increase the risk of incision to the underlying submucosal tissue. Moreover, if a snare or other mechanical instrument is used in lieu of a heated cutting instrument during such procedures, it also may yield an imprecise removal of tissue.


The present disclosure introduces a system and method for distributing content. Content is stored on a server located on a vehicle prior to departure by the vehicle for a destination. A portable device is provided by a passenger on the vehicle. A communication link is established between the server and the portable device, and the content is transmitted to the portable device.

This invention relates to a system and method for providing content, and more particularly, to a system and method for providing content to portable devices.
In today's global economy, travel is common and necessary for business and leisure purposes. One aspect of travel has been the delivery of content to passengers for communicating safety instructions, displaying travel information, and providing entertainment during travel. Travel service providers strive to provide content to passengers while considering the needs and desires of the passengers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for providing content to portable devices


An inkjet ink includes a pigment incorporated in an aqueous ink vehicle. The pigment includes metal oxide and/or mixed metal oxide particles and a plurality of reacted dispersant molecules attached to the outer surfaces of the particles to form a coating on the outer surfaces. The reacted dispersant molecules are attached to the metal oxide and/or mixed metal oxide particle outer surfaces through a silanol linking group of the reacted dispersant molecules. The coating is present in an amount ranging from about 10 wt % to about 50 wt % with respect to the wt % of the metal oxide and/or mixed metal oxide particles.

Some aqueous inkjet inks are formulated with large metal oxide pigment particles; i.e., particles that have an effective particle size that is larger than 100 nm. Examples of such inks include TiO2 pigment-based inks and ceramic pigment-based inks. In some instances, the large metal oxide pigment particles settle out of the aqueous medium of the ink during a period of nonuse, and the particles agglomerate in the sediment. It has been found that the agglomeration of settled pigment particles affects the long term usability of the inkjet ink. For instance, the agglomerated particles may compromise the jetting reliability of an inkjet pen, e.g., agglomerated particles may clog the nozzles of the inkjet pen during printing.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A multi-media pointing device including a handheld, self-contained remote unit having a set of command buttons and a microphone mounted on the exterior of the remote unit housing. Contained within the housing are a pair of angular motion detectors, keyboard and motion data processing circuitry, and infrared or radio frequency transmission circuitry. The preferred embodiment further includes a separate base module having infrared or radio frequency receiver circuitry, circuitry for interfacing to a computer, and output ports for sending the received keyboard, motion and audio signals to the computer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to multimedia peripheral apparatus, and more particularly to an improved wireless multimedia pointing and data-entry device and system.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Personal computer driven video and multimedia presentation systems are replacing static slide and overhead shows for business executives, training personnel and teachers. In addition, personal computers disguised as video disc players or "interactive television" systems are being introduced into the home to replace the conventional encyclopedias, to entertain children and to simplify such mundane tasks as balancing the checkbook.
In general, modern computer multimedia system software employs graphical user interfaces, including windows, icons and pull-down menus, for the user to access and control the system. Such interfaces require both pointing (graphical) and alphanumeric input, which have been traditionally provided via a mouse and keyboard. However, conventional keyboards and mice were designed to be used while sitting at a desk, directly in front of a display monitor. Computer multimedia applications, in contrast, are typically not used at a desk; business and educational presentations are generally done while standing in front of a large screen, while home multimedia applications are generally accessed from an armchair position.
TV-type remote control units are available that can serve as remote keyboards for multimedia systems. However, these remote keyboards usually do not provide means for pointer input; as such, they are virtually useless with the graphical "window" oriented user interfaces that characterize modern multimedia software. In other systems, wireless optical pointing devices, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,843 issued to P. Hansen, provide pointer input to a computer; however, these devices provide no provision for alphanumeric input, thus drastically limiting their usefulness for multimedia systems. Further, these pointing devices require a complex configuration of lenses, filters, light sources and detectors, a two-way communication link between the remote control and the receiver, and complex electronic circuitry, thus making them prohibitively expensive for widespread multimedia use, especially in the home multimedia market.


A method for characterizing a sand-pack or gravel-pack in a subsurface formation includes inducing a pressure change to induce tube waves in fluid in a well drilled through the subsurface formation. At a location proximate to a wellhead at least one of pressure and a time derivative of pressure in the well is measured for a selected length of time. At least one of a physical parameter and a change in the physical parameter with respect to time, of the sand-pack or gravel-pack, is determined using the measured pressure and/or the time derivative of pressure.

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of drilling and completing oil and gas wells. More specifically it relates to creating and characterizing a sand-pack or gravel-pack, such as that shown in FIG. 1. These terms (sand or gravel pack) refer to the insertion of a volume of sand or gravel inside the bottom section of a wellbore, or in a volume surrounding a perforated section of a cased wellbore, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B to mitigate the problem of fine particulate material from within the formation being drawn into the wellbore by the flow of oil, gas, water or a mixture thereof during subsequent production from the wellbore and hydrocarbon reservoir.
Unconsolidated reservoir formations with high permeability are most susceptible to sand production, which may start during first flow or later when reservoir pressure has fallen or water breaks through. Sand production commences with varying degrees of severity, not all of which require action. The rate of sand production may decline with time at constant production conditions and is frequently associated with cleanup after stimulation of the reservoir formation.
Sometimes, even continuous sand production may be tolerated, but this option may lead to a well becoming seriously damaged, production being reduced or stopped or surface equipment being damaged or made inoperative. What constitutes an acceptable level of sand production depends on operational constraints such as resistance to erosion, separator capacity, ease of sand disposal and the capability of artificial lift equipment to remove sand-laden fluid from the well.
Well known techniques for completing sand-production susceptible reservoirs physically restrain sand movement. The four main classes of completion are resin injection, slotted liners and prepacked screens, resin-coated gravel without screens and gravel packing.
Resin injection is used to cement the sand grains in situ. A resin is injected into the formation, generally through perforations, and is then flushed with a catalyst. The resin binds rock particles together creating a stable matrix of permeable, consolidated grains around the wellbore casing. Clay concentration can hinder the effectiveness of the consolidation process, so a clay stabilizer is often used as a preflush. Complete coverage of larger zones is difficult unless selective placement tools are used. Although resin consolidation is used successfully, it accounts for no more than about 10% of sand-control completions.
Slotted pipes, screens and prepacked screens offer the lowest-cost for sand production control in the form of filtering of producible sand. Slotted liners have the largest holes, wire-wrapped screens have smaller openings, while screens prepacked with resin-coated sand offer the finest filtering. Each type can be run as part of the completion string and are particularly suited for high-angle wells, which cannot be easily completed otherwise. Slots are typically sized to cause bridging of the largest 10% of the formation particles, filling the annulus between the screen and casing, or open hole, with formation sand creating a filter for remaining particles. Slotted liners and prepacked screens are used in only about 5% of sand control options.
Resin-coated gravel may be used as a downhole filter without installing a screen. The gravel is circulated into position as a slurry, either inside casing or open hole and then squeezed to form a plug across the production zone. Adjacent particles are bonded together by the resin, strengthening the pack. In wells having casing already in place, the plug may be completely drilled out to leave gravel-filled perforations. The pack may also be drilled out to the top of the perforations in open hole so that hydrocarbons are produced through the pack. A narrow hole can be drilled through the pack to provide a conduit to reduce drawdown through the pack. The pack creates significant additional flow resistance that may affect productivity. If the drillout technique is employed to reduce flow resistance, all perforations must be evenly packed and the resulting pack may be fragile. The technique represents about 5% of sand-control treatments, mainly concentrated on low-cost onshore wells.
Gravel packing has been used by the oil industry since the 1930s. Today, it is the most widely used sand control measure, accounting for about three-quarters of well completion sand control techniques. A slurry of selected sized gravel in a carrier fluid is pumped into the annular space between a centralized screen and either perforated casing or open (uncased) wellbore. The gravel also enters perforations if a cased-hole gravel pack is being performed. As pumping continues, carrier fluid leaks off into the formation or through the screen and back to surface. The gravel pack creates a granular filter with very high permeability (about 120 Darcies) but prevents formation sand entering the well.
Gravel packs have certain drawbacks. During installation, carrier fluid is injected into the formation which may damage the reservoir permeability and restrict production. The pack then tends to trap the damage in the perforations, preventing clean up. Once in place, the pack in perforation tunnels increases drawdown which may seriously affect productivity.
For a gravel pack to maintain long-term productivity, the gravel must be clean, tightly packed and placed with the minimum damage to the formation. These requirements depend on the correct selection of gravel, carrier fluid and placement technique. They also rely on scrupulous cleanliness during placement operations to prevent the contamination of the gravel pack by small particles that significantly reduce pack permeability.
Minimizing the pressure drop in the perforation tunnels is important to successful gravel packing and this requires gravel that is as large as possible. But since the pack must act as an effective filter, the gravel also has to be small enough to restrain formation particles. This depends on the size of the formation sand, which is usually measured using sieve analysis.
With the gravel pack in place, there are two elements to be evaluated: that gravel has been packed everywhere it was intended to go, and that the well is producing hydrocarbons satisfactorily. Since voids in the pack may lead to early completion failure, post-pack evaluation is important to detect incomplete fill and allow repairs to be undertaken. Prior to placement, gravel may be coated with radioactive isotopes and the pack assessed using gamma ray logging. However, the coating is usually inconsistent and may wash off, making quantitative analysis unreliable.
One way to improve the accuracy of such radioactivity gravel pack logs is to use particles that have been manufactured with isotope encapsulated within each particle's resistant shell. This also offers increased subtlety through use of multiple isotopes. The perforations may be prepacked using particles containing, e.g., scandium followed by particles containing iridium. Packing placement efficiency can be monitored, using a gamma spectroscopy tracer log.
Alternatively, the effectiveness of fill or packing may be gauged using nuclear density logging to estimate the density of material in the annulus. However, not all changes in density are related to changes in gravel-pack quality. For example, changes in the screen, pipe base, casing, tubing and formation sand all affect the density measurement. A base log run prior to the gravel packing can clarify any such ambiguities in the density log. In addition, a reference screen may be set below a sump packer to register zero pack response.
Density measurement is not appropriate when the completion fluid has a high density (more than 14 lbs/gal) or where low-density packing particles have been used. In these cases, neutron activation logging can be used. The neutron activation logging technique uses a pulsed-neutron logging tool modified to allow a gamma ray device to be mounted below it. The pack is bombarded with fast neutrons. Silicon and aluminum in the gravel are activated and gamma rays are emitted as the elements return to their natural stable state. The number of gamma rays is proportional to the amount of silicon and aluminum activated, and pack quality may be inferred.
In uncased wellbore (open-hole) packs, a compensated neutron log can be used to detect hydrogen-rich fluids in the gravel-pack pore space, making it sensitive to changes in pack porosity. The compensated neutron tool near and far detectors are used to reduce the effects of hole conditions on the measurements made. The curves of the two detectors are scaled to overlay in areas of low porosity, wherein is indicated a good pack.
Another technique for testing gravel packs centers on assessing performance using well tests and production logging. In assessing gravel pack performance a number of diagnostics are available, including skin factor (which measures formation damage as a function of its permeability) and multi-rate flow tests. Many of such evaluation methods require the deployment of costly and rig-time consuming wireline methods at least once and often twice or more. They may also have limited depth of analysis beyond the immediate wellbore. It is clearly desirable to develop a method that can provide reliable characterization of the sand/gravel pack without these costly and limited downhole measurements.

Sand pack and gravel pack acoustic evaluation method and system


The present disclosure is directed formulations, delivery systems and/or methods of use that have a novel a sustained release multi-phasic concentration pattern that may be used, among other things, for reducing mammographic breast density and/or breast stiffness in warm-blooded animals. For example, the formulation may comprise: the administration of an effective amount of androgenic agent and an effective amount of an aromatase inhibitor to a subject that provides a sustained release multi-phasic concentration pattern in the blood of the subject over time as measured by serum concentration for the androgen and plasma concentration for the aromatase inhibitor and improves, among other things, breast tissue stabilization and/or increases of the levels of androgen receptor expression. The present disclosure is also directed to the use of an effective amount of an androgenic agent in combination with an effective amount of an aromatase inhibitor for the prophylaxis or treatment of autoimmune inflammatory mastitis (AIM) in a patient in 15 need thereof. Autoimmune inflammatory mastitis includes the conditions of idiopathic inflammatory macromastia, plasma cell mastitis, granulomatous mastitis.

Testosterone is critical in the regulation of immune function in both men and women (Gubbels Bupp, 2018). There are several physiological and disease states where it is desirable to increase the tissue level of 5 alpha dihydrotestosterone (DHT) while at the same time reducing oestradiol level within the same tissue without causing significant perturbations in serum oestradiol levels. DHT is predominantly an intra-tissue hormone derived from testosterone which is delivered to that tissue via the circulation. Delivery of testosterone to the tissue which requires treatment in women is problematic due to the relatively small therapeutic window available to dose with testosterone without causing androgenic side-effects.
Within most tissues, there is also five alpha reductase enzyme which converts testosterone to DHT. Therefore, in a therapeutic situation where it is desirable to increase DHT without increasing oestradiol there is an unmet need which the present disclosure is directed to provide pharmaceutical formulations that work towards inhibition of aromatase enzyme and induction of 5 alpha reductase enzyme to effect an alteration in the DHT to oestradiol ratio within that tissue.
Both in men and women subcutaneous testosterone has been used to deliver zero-order kinetic dosing of testosterone. However, the use of testosterone alone in many physiological and disease states is not desirable due to the high level of aromatase enzyme within the tissue, which is undergoing therapeutic intervention. An example of this is women with high mammographic breast density where there is a very high level of aromatase enzyme within the tissue, which converts testosterone preferentially to oestradiol. It has been estimated that 43% of women in the United States of America from 40 and 75 years of age have mammographic breast density (MBD), which is categorized as high, i.e., having a Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS®) score of 3 and 4 (or c and d). The American Cancer Foundation has suggested that this high breast density is a significant risk factor for the development of breast cancer. Traditionally, therapeutic intervention for the peri-menopausal transition is either a low dose combination oral contraceptive or continuous estradiol and a synthetic progestin delivery system to protect the uterus from both increased endometrial cancer risk and unwanted uterine bleeding. This an inappropriate treatment for women with high breast density and/or breast stiffness as they reduce an already precarious testosterone level and increase breast density and/or breast stiffness. However, these are the current recommendations of the Menopause Society of North America and the Menopause Society of Australia.
Another problem in the prior art is breast pain and its treatment. Breast pain is a significant problem in female health. It has been estimated that 45% of woman in their thirties indicated that breast pain impinges on their quality of life, and 10% indicated that they had experienced breast pain for at least half their life. There is little in the way of treatment; tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors have been used as an off-label medication for this condition. However, tamoxifen is associated with significant side effects that impact on its compliance in patients, and aromatase inhibitors have been contraindicated in pre-menopausal women as a single agent due to resultant perturbations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. There is a need in the art for better treatments to reduce breast pain in women.
The elasticity of breast tissue is recognized as a factor in the formation of breast cancer. It has been demonstrated that increased elasticity in breast cells results in an increased mechano-transduction across the genome of a cell, which may result in greater malignant transformation. There is a need in the art for compositions that provide pharmaceutical formulations that decreases mechano-transduction on the genome of a cell to reduce the risk of malignant transformation.
A further problem in the art is that of tissue specific autoimmune inflammatory conditions, particularly those presenting in the breast. These conditions may be termed Autoimmune Inflammatory Mastitis (AIM). The anatomical, histological, and physiological roles of salivary glands and mammary glands are similar as they both belong to the effector sites of the associated mucosal immune system leaving them vulnerable to autoimmunity. Autoimmune breast tissue, compared to normal breast tissue, has been demonstrated to have elevated aromatase (that converts androgens to estradiol) and other factors associated with inflammation, such as IGF2, EGFR, TGF-β, PDGFR-α and β, which have been found to be upregulated. AIM is usually treated with heavy immunosuppressive therapy and/or disfiguring surgery and there is therefore a need for an improved therapy.
How a drug composition is delivered and it impacts on a body may be related to the pharmacokinetics and/or pharmacodynamics profile of the drug composition, the drug delivery system and/or where the drug is delivered to the subject's body. In broad terms, pharmacokinetics is a description of the rate and extent of uptake, distribution and/or elimination of drugs in the body. In other words, how a body, or a portion of the body, affects a drug composition. In broad terms, pharmacodynamics is a description of how drugs affect the body or a portion of the body. Drug compositions may have different pharmacokinetics and/or pharmacodynamics profiles. For example, some drug compositions may have zero order, first order, or second order kinetics. The kinetics and/or dynamics may have an impact on the efficacy of a drug composition and/or the efficacy of the on treatment. Thus, the role that pharmacokinetics and/or pharmacodynamics plays in certain drug compositions, or certain drug delivery systems may be relevant to a particular drug, drug composition, and/or outcome for a subject.
Previously implants have been produced that combine testosterone with an aromatase inhibitor so that there may be an inhibition of the conversion of testosterone to oestradiol. However, if the manufacture and concentration of the compounds result in the active ingredients being delivered via zero-order kinetics, the end result is a lowering of serum oestradiol level which is not desirable in many situations as it results in estrogen deprivation symptoms and the potential for side effects from higher sustained levels of the aromatase inhibitor. There is an ongoing need for a pharmaceutical formulation and/or delivery system for providing a high intra-tissue DHT to oestradiol ratio. There is also an ongoing need for alternatives to currently available treatments for diseases and conditions for which an increase in the tissue level of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) whilst at the same time reducing oestradiol level within the same tissue without causing significant perturbations in serum oestradiol levels is beneficial.
The present disclosure in one or more embodiments is directed to addressing and/or ameliorating one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to at least provide a useful pharmaceutical formulation or therapeutic delivery system, as will become apparent from the disclosure herein. The present disclosure in one or more embodiments may also provide other advantages and/or improvements as discussed herein.

Pharmaceutical formulations and systems for delivery of an androgenic agent and an aromatase inhibitor with sustained multi-phasic release profiles and methods of use


A throw weight includes a handle and a bag rotatably associated with the handle. The bag is designed to hold a weight which can be interchanged with other weights. The bag and handle are particularly constructed and oriented relative to one another for the purpose of correctly stabilizing the weight and to facilitate ease of throwing. The bag may include an opening at an end of the bag opposite the handle.

1. Field
Example embodiments are directed to a throw weight.
2. Description of the Related Art
Indoor track and field events are a popular throughout the United States. One popular indoor track and field event is the indoor weight throw. In this event, athletes compete by throwing a weight as far as possible. Some conventional throw weights include a handle connected to a bag which encloses a weight. In competition, an athlete grabs the handle, and rotates his/her body several times to increase a velocity of the throw weight. Once the athlete achieves a sufficient angular velocity, the athlete lets go of the throw weight.


Disclosued herein is a headlamp unit. The unit comprises a multi-surface concave reflector having a beam axis along which a light beam projects forward to produce a beam pattern, the reflector including upper and lower concave light reflecting parts which are respectively located at upper and lower positions with respect to a given portion of the reflector, and left and right concave light reflecting parts which are respectively located at left and right positions with respect to the given portion and have respective focuses on their respective optical axes, the optical axes being inclined with respect to the beam axis, each of the left and right concave light reflecting parts having respective curves of second degree when cut by vertical and horizontal planes; and first and second filaments of an electric bulb which are located on the beam axis. The optical axes of the left and right concave light reflecting parts are inclined toward the left and right concave light reflecting parts with respect to the beam axis, respectively, and the focuses of the left and right concave light reflecting parts are located at generally right and left positions with respect to the first filament, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to automotive headlamps of a type having therein a concave light reflector and more particularly to a concave light reflector for the headlamps, which has an improved light reflecting surface suitable for making the headlamp project superior high and low beam patterns.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, various types of light reflectors have been proposed and put into practical use particularly in the field of automotive headlamps. Some of them are of a concave type having a light reflecting surface which constitutes a paraboloid of revolution. When such light reflector is practically used in an automotive headlamp, an electric lamp for producing a high beam is located at a focus of the reflector and another electric lamp for producing a low beam is located in front of the focus. Furthermore, a lower half of the lamp for the low beam is concealed from the reflector, and tips of the two electric lamps are coated with light shielding material.
However, due to the inherent construction of the light reflector used therein, the conventional headlamp of such type has the following drawbacks.


A refrigerator that includes a storage room and a door configured to provide or prevent access to the storage room is described. In the refrigerator, a hinge assembly connects the door to the storage room at a height relative that can be adjusted by operating the hinge assembly. To do so, the hinge assembly includes a hinge shaft having a screw thread and an adjustment member movable along the hinge shaft. Thus, the hinge assembly supports the door and allows adjustment to the height of the door relative to the storage room.

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator.
Generally, a refrigerator is a home appliance, which stores foods in a storage space that is covered by a refrigerator door to keep foods at low temperatures, and enables foods to be stored in a fresh state by cooling the inside of the storage space using cold air generated through heat exchange with refrigerant that circulates through a cooling cycle.
Due to changes in dietary life and well-being trends, consumers prefer larger, multi-functional refrigerators, and various convenient refrigerators have been introduced in the market.
A refrigerator includes a main body defining a storage space and a door rotatably coupled to the main body. The door may be coupled to the main body by a hinge assembly.


An image forming apparatus includes photosensitive drums, a transfer belt having an outer surface facing the photosensitive drums, a tension roller in contact with an inner surface of the transfer belt, a cam in contact with the tension roller and movable to a first position to increase the tension to the transfer belt and a second position to decrease the tension to the transfer belt, a support having a supporting surface facing the outer surface of the transfer belt, and a lever mechanically linked to the cam and the support and rotatable from a third position at which the cam is in the first position to a fourth position at which the cam is in the second position. As the lever is moved from the third to the fourth position, the supporting surface is raised against the outer surface of the transfer belt.

Conventionally, an image forming apparatus (for example, a multifunction peripheral or MFP) includes a transfer belt and an image process unit including a photosensitive drum. The image process unit including the photosensitive drum is a consumable item, that the user replaces as needed. In order to prevent the transfer belt from being damaged at the time of replacing the image process unit, it is necessary to separate the transfer belt from the photosensitive drum. In order to bring the transfer belt into a non-contact state with respect to the photosensitive drum, the transfer belt is moved by a position switching roller arranged inside the transfer belt.
However, when the transfer belt is deteriorated and stretched by use over time, a sufficient tension cannot be applied to the transfer belt. Therefore, it becomes difficult to sufficiently separate the transfer belt from the photosensitive drum. As a result, a part of the image process unit is rubbed or hooked to the transfer belt to damage the transfer belt when the image process unit is replaced.

Image forming apparatus having a support below a transfer belt and a lever for raising the support, and method


A zoom mechanism for zoom lenses drives a focusing lens group in a linear manner and lens groups other than the focusing lens group in either a non-linear or a linear manner, during a zooming operation and, after the zooming operation, drives the focusing lens group for the focusing operation to correct a difference caused in the zooming operation.

The present invention relates to a zoom mechanism for zoom lenses, and more particularly, to a zoom mechanism for zoom lenses which performs a zooming operation by moving a plurality of lens groups including a focusing lens group in their respective optical axis directions.
A lens shutter camera provided with a zoom lens generally comprises a zoom drive mechanism for driving each of the lens groups during the zooming operation and a focus drive mechanism for driving a focusing lens group during the focusing operation. In the prior art, however, in a mechanism for driving a focusing lens group, mechansims for zooming and focusing operations are provided in duplication. Accordingly, when an auto-focus apparatus is constructed with an electric motor driven zoom, its drive source (motor) doubles, resulting in an increase in size, number of parts and cost of a camera.
In addition, in a conventional zoom mechanism for zoom lenses, non-linear movement of a lens group is generally embodied by using a cam ring, cam member, non-circular gear or the like. In another case, a mechanism has been proposed in which after a zooming operation has been performed by moving a focusing lens group together with other lens groups in a unitary manner, a position of the focusing lens group is corrected during the focusing operation. With a cam ring, however, the cost and size of a camera increase. While a mechanism without a cam ring has also been proposed, such mechanism is complicated and the size of a camera cannot be made so small. In addition, while a proposal of reducing the number of cam members has been made, an amount of correction increases, resulting in a larger-sized camera body, complicated control and a reduced shutter release time.


A measuring device of air flow rate for an air conditioning system which accurately measures the flow rate of cooling air blowing out of the openings of some rectangular units and in which the locations of the openings can be changed according to the location of equipment. The measuring system includes a plurality of panels constituting a floor surface, ceiling surface, or wall surface, a rectangular vent unit with openings located in place of a given one of the panels, a space with a given height formed by pillars on the back sides of the rectangular vent unit and the panels, and an air conditioner for supplying cooking air to the space. The cooling air from the space passes through the openings. A measuring means for measuring the flow rate of cooling air passing through the openings is located in a rib which forms the openings.

An example of the background art in this technical field is the technique disclosed in JP-A-H7 (1995)-208766. According to this technique, in a room of a datacenter which must be air-conditioned, the floor is a free access floor entirely covered by rectangular units of a prescribed size through which air cannot get in and out. The free access floor enables an air conditioning apparatus to supply cooling air for cooling IT equipment in the datacenter to the underfloor space of the free access floor. One or more than one of the rectangular units constituting the underfloor space is (are) replaced by a unit (units) with an opening so that cooling air is supplied to the room through the unit(s) with an opening.
This system may be used not only in a datacenter but also in a clean room which must be always ventilated and air-conditioned. Alternatively a ventilation space for supply air and exhaust air which is constituted by rectangular units and freely accessible may be provided on a ceiling or wall surface.
The above system, in which the ventilation space is constituted by rectangular units and ventilation is done through a unit with an opening, has a feature that the location of the opening can be adjusted according to the destination of ventilation air or the object which takes in the air for efficient air ventilation even after installation of the system.
Furthermore, JP-A-H7 (1995)-333015 describes a device for measuring the air-conditioned state of a freely accessible underfloor space which includes various sensors and measuring instruments mounted on the back surface of a free access floor member or a plate of the same size and made of almost the same material, in which these sensors and instruments are capable of measuring at least the flow direction, flow velocity, temperature, and humidity to measure an air-conditioned state and are integrated into a unit. According to this measuring device, an ordinary free access floor plate can be replaced by this plate so that the air-conditioned state under the free access floor can be measured for a desired time period.
Furthermore, JP-A-2008-121911 describes a measuring system which includes a measuring unit with a wireless transmitter, as a measuring device to measure the air-conditioned state under a free access floor easily. According to this system, at least three wireless receivers are provided in places and the location of the measuring unit is detected according to the intensities of signals received by the receivers.
In a datacenter, the cooling air generated by an air conditioning apparatus (hereinafter referred to as an air conditioner) is supplied to the space under the floor, the space above the ceiling or the space behind the wall. The supplied cooling air cools the equipment which generates heat, such as a server, storage and network (hereinafter referred to as equipment) and the room.
In a room as a datacenter like this, the floor, ceiling or wall is constituted by rectangular units. One or more than one of these rectangular units can be replaced by a unit (units) with an opening. As a consequence of such replacement, cooling air can be taken in or out through the newly installed unit(s) and the location of the opening can be changed according to the destination of ventilation air or the object which takes in the air so that air ventilation can be done efficiently.
In that case, it is necessary to accurately measure, at several points, the flow rate of cooling air supplied through the unit(s) with an opening to the room where the equipment is installed. A possible approach to measuring the air flow rate is to bring an air flow rate measuring device close to the opening and measure the air flow rate directly. This approach has a problem that it may be impossible to make a measurement accurately because the air flow rate measuring device may block the opening.
In the measuring device described in JP-A-H7 (1995)-333015, the measuring device is accessed through a unit with an opening and the opening pressure drop during measurement is different from that during normal operation, so the measurement of the air flow rate in a situation that the measuring device is not installed cannot be obtained.
Furthermore, the layout of the room may be changed at any time and the optimum location of a rectangular unit with an opening varies depending on the layout of the room. Therefore, when a wireless transmitter is provided as in the measuring device described in JP-A-2008-121911, the place where a measurement has been made can be identified and it is easy to cope with change in the layout or change in the location of the measuring device.
However, the measuring device described in JP-A-H7 (1995)-333015 and the measuring device described in JP-A-2008-121911 are both designed to measure the air flow under the floor and in most related techniques, the air flow rate measuring device is fixed in a prescribed position of a free access floor member without an opening. These related techniques have a problem that it is impossible to measure the air flow rates in all openings by using a small number of measuring devices and changing their locations as necessary.
An object of the present invention is to provide a measuring device of air flow rate for an air conditioning system which accurately measures the flow rate of cooling air blowing out of the openings of some rectangular units and in which the locations of the openings can be changed according to the location of the equipment.

Measuring device of air flow rate for air conditioning system


A method for independently controlling hue or saturation of individual colors in a real time digital video image, without affecting the hue or saturation of any other color in the same real time digital video image. Includes selecting a uniquely defined independent color hue control delta value or independent color saturation control delta value, where the delta value represents an extent or magnitude of change in hue or saturation, respectively, of the selected individual color, and, separately evaluating uniquely defined independent color hue control functions or independent color saturation control functions, using input image pixel values of the plurality of input image pixels identified as having the individual color in the real time digital video input image whose hue or saturation was selected to be independently changed, and using the corresponding selected independent color hue control delta value or the corresponding selected independent color saturation control delta value, respectively, for forming and displaying a corresponding plurality of output image pixels having the individual color whose hue or saturation was selected to be independently changed.

The present invention relates to color control of real time digital video images and, more particularly, to a method for independently controlling hue or saturation of individual colors in a real time digital video image, without affecting the hue and saturation of any other color in the same real time digital video image.
Controlling colors in a displayed real time digital video image is typically performed by changing the hue, and/or, by increasing or decreasing the saturation of the colors or color components of the real time digital video image. Herein, an xe2x80x98individual colorxe2x80x99 represents a linear combination of colors or color components, such as red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, and magenta, where, in RGB color space, the basic colors or color components are red, green, and blue, which are used for defining and evaluating the complementary colors or color components yellow, cyan, and magenta, and, in YCM color space, the basic colors or color components are yellow, cyan, and magenta, which are used for defining and evaluating the complementary colors or color components red, green, and blue. Herein, the term xe2x80x98huexe2x80x99 refers to the angle between one color or color component and other colors or color components characterized in a particular color space, for example, RGB color space, featuring a color based three-dimensional coordinate system, within a real time digital video input image. Hue is also referred to as tint, or, as a gradation or shade of a color or color component. Herein, the term xe2x80x98saturationxe2x80x99 refers to the intensity of a color or color component characterized in a particular color space, for example, RGB color space, featuring a color based three-dimensional coordinate system, within a real time digital video input image. Saturation is also referred to as vividness of hue.
Different formats are used for characterizing colors or color components in real time digital video images. In one format, real time digital video images feature colors or color components characterized by linear combinations of the basic colors red, green, and blue, in RGB color space. In another format, real time digital video images feature colors or color components characterized by linear combinations of the basic colors yellow, cyan, and magenta, in YCM color space. In still another format, real time digital video images feature colors or color components characterized by linear combinations of the chromatic parts, Cr and Cb, also known in the art as U and V, respectively, in YCrCb or YUV luminance/chromatic color space, respectively. As is well known in the art, one format of a real time digital video image display can be transformed to another format by using appropriate linear combination functions.
In applications involving display of a real time digital video image, a user may desire to adjust or change the hue or saturation of an individual (single) color or color component of the real time digital video image, without affecting the hue or saturation of any other color or color component of the same real time digital video image. For example, a user may desire to adjust the hue or saturation of only one color, such as red, green, blue, yellow, magenta, or, cyan, of a real time digital video image displayed on a television screen, by pushing or turning a color hue or color saturation or intensity control button or dial on a control device associated with the television screen. Unfortunately, however, controlling hue or saturation of an individual color by this procedure affects the hue and/or saturation of all the colors or color components of the television image, and not just the hue or saturation of the individual color desired to be changed by the user.
In PCT International Patent Application Publication No. WO/00052938, published Sep. 08, 2000, taking priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/261,193, filed Mar. 03, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,012, by the same inventor of the present invention, there is disclosed a xe2x80x9cMethod Of Selective Color Control Of Digital Video Imagesxe2x80x9d. The disclosed method features using simple Look-Up-Tables (LUTs), whose values are calculated from uniquely defined color control functions, to digitally change the saturation or intensity of a single color of the chromatic part of a digital video image without affecting the saturation or intensity of any other color of the chromatic part of the same digital video image. A digital video input image is scanned, row by row, pixel by pixel. Each input image pixel value, defined from the chromatic part of the digital video input image, is assigned an address to be operated on by values in individual color LUTs. For a desired change in an individual color of that image, a new digital video output image is produced featuring the desired change in the individual color without affecting the remaining colors of that same image. Application of the disclosed method to display of digital video images precludes the need to convert video components (for example, YCrCb) into RGB (red, green, blue) components.
Selective color control using the just described method enables viewers of real time digital video images to do two things currently not achievable using conventional methods of color control of real time digital video images. Firstly, to very accurately set or adjust individual colors of a given real time digital video image to the actual colors of the subject of the image, and, secondly, to very accurately modify or alter colors of a given video image to produce desired special effects in that real time digital video image.
However, the just described method is notably limited because there is description of selectively controlling only the saturation or intensity, and not the hue, of individual colors of real time digital video images. Additionally, the disclosed method is based on using an algorithm which is particularly described with respect to real time digital video images featuring colors or color components characterized by linear combinations of the chromatic parts, Cr and Cb, or, U and V, in YCrCb or YUV luminance/chromatic color space, and there is no particular description with respect to other formats of real time digital video images, such as the RGB or YCM color space formats.
To date, the inventor is not aware of prior art teaching of a method for independently controlling hue of individual colors in a real time digital video image, without affecting the hue and/or saturation of other colors in the same real time digital video image.
There is thus a need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have a method for independently controlling hue or saturation of individual colors in a real time digital video image, without affecting the hue or saturation of any other color in the same real time digital video image. Moreover, there is a need for such a method for controlling color of real time digital video images which is efficient and robust, and is particularly applicable to real time digital video images featuring colors or color components characterized by linear combinations of the basic colors of red, green, and blue, in RGB color space.
The present invention relates to a method for independently controlling hue or saturation of individual colors in a real time digital video image, without affecting the hue or saturation of any other color in the same real time digital video image.
Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided a method for independently controlling hue or saturation of individual colors in a real time digital video image, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving and characterizing the real time digital video input image featuring input image pixels; (b) selecting to independently change the hue or the saturation of an individual color in the real time digital video input image, by selecting an independent color hue control delta value or an independent color saturation control delta value, respectively, wherein the independent color hue control delta value represents an extent of change in the hue of the selected individual color and wherein the independent color saturation control delta value represents an extent of change in the saturation of the selected individual color; (c) identifying a plurality of the input image pixels having the selected individual color in the real time digital video input image with the hue or the saturation selected to be independently changed, by performing arithmetic and logical operations using input image pixel values of each input image pixel of the real time digital video input image; (d) determining corresponding output image pixel values for each of the plurality of the input image pixels identified as having the selected individual color in the real time digital video input image with the hue or the saturation selected to be independently changed, by separately evaluating independent color hue control functions or independent color saturation control functions, respectively, using the input image pixel values of the plurality of the input image pixels, and using corresponding selected independent color hue control delta value or the corresponding selected independent color saturation control delta value, for forming a corresponding plurality of output image pixels having the selected individual color with the hue or the saturation selected to be independently changed; and (e) displaying a real time digital video output image including the corresponding plurality of the output image pixels having the selected individual color with the hue or the saturation selected to be independently changed in the real time digital video input image, whereby the hue or the saturation of the selected individual color in the real time digital video input image has been changed without affecting the hue or the saturation of any other individual color in the real time digital video input image.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for independently controlling hue or saturation of individual colors in a real time digital video image, comprising: (a) a real time digital video image display device displaying the real time digital video image featuring input image pixels; (b) a master control device in operative electronic communication with and controlling the real time digital video image display device; and (c) a viewer of the real time digital video image display device operating the master control device for selecting to independently change the hue or the saturation of an individual color in the real time digital video input image, by selecting an independent color hue control delta value or an independent color saturation control delta value featured on the master control device, respectively, wherein the independent color hue control delta value represents an extent of change in the hue of the selected individual color and wherein the independent color saturation control delta value represents an extent of change in the saturation of the selected individual color, whereby the real time digital video image display device in the operative electronic communication with the master control device performs steps including: (i) identifying a plurality of the input image pixels having the selected individual color in the real time digital video input image with the hue or the saturation selected to be independently changed, by performing arithmetic and logical operations using input image pixel values of each input image pixel of the real time digital video input image; (ii) determining corresponding output image pixel values for each of the plurality of the input image pixels identified as having the selected individual color in the real time digital video input image with the hue or the saturation selected to be independently changed, by separately evaluating independent color hue control functions or independent color saturation control functions, respectively, using the input image pixel values of the plurality of the input image pixels, and using corresponding selected independent color hue control delta value or the corresponding selected independent color saturation control delta value, for forming a corresponding plurality of output image pixels having the selected individual color with the hue or the saturation selected to be independently changed; and (iii) displaying a real time digital video output image including the corresponding plurality of the output image pixels having the selected individual color with the hue or the saturation selected to be independently changed in the real time digital video input image, whereby the hue or the saturation of the selected individual color in the real time digital video input image has been changed without affecting the hue or the saturation of any other individual color in the real time digital video input image.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention described below, the real time digital video input image is of a format selected from the group consisting of RGB format, YCrCb format, and, YUV format, whereby the individual colors of one format can be characterized by the individual colors of a second format by using appropriate linear transformations between the formats.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention described below, the real time digital video input image features basic colors red, green, and blue, and, complementary colors yellow, cyan, and magenta, in RGB color space, whereby values of the complementary colors are expressed in terms of and evaluated from linear combinations of values of the basic colors.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention described below, the real time digital video input image features basic colors yellow, cyan, and magenta, and, complementary colors red, green, and blue, in YCM color space, whereby values of the complementary colors are expressed in terms of and evaluated from linear combinations of values of the basic colors.
The present invention successfully overcomes limitations of presently known techniques and methods for real time controlling color, in general, and independently controlling color components such as hue and saturation, in particular, of real time digital video images. Independently controlling hue or saturation of individual colors in a real time digital video image, without affecting the hue or saturation of any other color in the same real time digital video image, enables viewers of video images to do two things currently not achievable using conventional methods for controlling color of real time digital video images. Firstly, to very accurately, yet independently, change or adjust the hue or saturation of individual colors of a given real time digital video image according to the actual hue or saturation of individual colors of the subject of the real time digital video image, and, secondly, to very accurately, yet independently, modify or alter the hue or saturation of individual colors of a given video image to produce desired special effects in the real time digital video image. These benefits of the present invention are immediately applicable to the television and movie industries, where it is critically important for real time digital video images to represent actual hue or saturation of individual colors of a real time digital video image, and to have the capability of producing special effects to real time digital video images.
Implementation of the method of the present invention for independently controlling hue or saturation of individual colors in a real time digital video image, without affecting the hue or saturation of any other color in the same real time digital video image involves performing or completing selected tasks or steps manually, automatically, or a combination thereof. Moreover, according to actual instrumentation and/or equipment used for implementing a particular preferred embodiment of the disclosed method, several selected steps of the present invention could be performed by hardware, by software on any operating system of any firmware, or a combination thereof. In particular, as hardware, selected steps of the invention could be performed by a computerized network, a computer, a computer chip, an electronic circuit, hard-wired circuitry, or a combination thereof, involving any number of digital and/or analog, electrical and/or electronic, components, operations, and protocols. Additionally, or alternatively, as software, selected steps of the invention could be performed by a data processor, such as a computing platform, executing a plurality of computer program types of software instructions or protocols using any suitable computer operating system.

Method for independently controlling hue or saturation of individual colors in a real time digital video image


An antenna includes a sheet of dielectric material having two parallel surfaces. A tapered recess in one surface converges towards the other surface with the axis of the recess orthogonal to said surface. The dielectric material has a critical angle of reflection with respect to the axis. A RF horn is located in proximity to the surface with the recess and has an axis in common with the axis of the tapered recess. A RF lens is located between the horn and the tapered recess. The optical properties of the RF horn, RF lens, tapered recess, and dielectric material are such that all rays traced from the horn through the lens and dielectric material to the second surface have an angle with respect to said normal of the second surface greater than said critical angle. RF energy on the second surface from the center of the horn is in phase with RF energy on said second surface from the edge of said horn allowing a surface wave to be launched on the second surface. Perturbing means cause such a surface wave to leak to produce a radiating aperture with a desired illumination characteristic.

This invention pertains to microwave antennas, and more particularly is concerned with microwave antennas excited by planar surface waves.
Many communication systems require a flat, planar, low profile aperture antenna that can be easily conformed to an existing structure such as the skin of an aircraft, or concealed in a flat surface as required in covert communication system applications. In the past, monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) phased arrays have been used for such applications because they provide a low profile aperture. The usual reasons for using a phased array such as high speed beam scanning and multi-beam/multi function requirements do not exist in these applications.
There are two major disadvantages to a phased array technique for such applications it is very costly since the amplitude and phase at each point in the aperture is controlled discreetly; and the upper frequency limitation of the MMIC phased array technology is unacceptable for communication systems in which the need for greater bandwidths requires operation in the submillimeter bands.
Classical surface (slow wave) and leaky (normally fast wave) antenna structures are end fed, typically, by a microwave horn. Planar (two-dimensional) apertures are constructed by physically paralleling individual one dimensional travelling wave elements. They have several disadvantages: the antenna beam is normally in or close to the end-fire direction; the beam direction scans with frequency; and, horn launchers radiate directly resulting in degraded lossy antenna pattern characteristics.
Though it is theoretically possible to make a broadside leaky wave antenna at one frequency by introducing appropriate phase reversals along the element, it is difficult if not totally impractical at EHF.


In a method of generating governing metrics, a high-level goal to be met in a provisioned system is identified. In addition, a low-level governing policy designed to facilitate achievement of the high-level goal is selected and properties relating to the selected low-level governing policy are identified. The identified properties are formulated to define governing metrics relevant to the selected low-level governing policy and the formulated governing metrics are outputted. The formulated governing metrics are configured to be used in at least one of evaluating and controlling resource provisioning in the provisioned system.

Electronic systems are typically implemented to achieve or maintain high-level goals. The high-level goals include, for instance, meeting the requirements set forth in a service level agreement (SLA), such as, minimum available bandwidth, minimum uptimes, and maximum energy consumption goals. In addition to achieving or maintaining the high-level goals, optimization schemes have been proposed to substantially minimize the energy consumed by the electronic systems.
Various metrics have been proposed for achieving and maintaining the high-level goals, as well as, for substantially minimizing the amount of energy consumed by the electronic systems. These metrics are normally defined exclusively for a specific purpose and therefore, if the high-level goal changes, the utility of the metric with respect to the high-level goal decreases. In addition, the metrics are normally defined a priori, and thus often fail to appropriately change with changing goals. Thus, although conventionally formulated metrics are typically capable of achieving and maintaining the high-level goals when the electronic systems are initially operated, these metrics are unable to maintain the high-level goals, or optimization goals, as conditions change with respect to the electronic systems.
It would thus be beneficial to be able to achieve the high-level goals in a substantially optimized manner without suffering from all of the drawbacks and disadvantages associated with conventionally formulated metrics.

Generating governing metrics for resource provisioning


In an air seeder assembly having a base mount member with a at least one base ear with a base bore, and a seed boot with at least one boot ear with a boot bore, a fastening assembly mounting the seed boot to the base mount member is disclosed. The fastening assembly comprises a fastener structure fastening the seed boot to the base mount member by extending through the base bore and the boot bore. The fastening assembly includes a fastener interface device inserted into at least one of the bores. The interface device comprises a substantially tubular insertion portion inserted into the at least one bore and a flange portion connected to the insertion portion, and extends radially outwardly from the insertion portion.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to air seeder boots and more particularly pertains to a new method and apparatus for improving an air seeder boot to provide greater durability to the mounting of the air seeder boot on the air seeder apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Air seeder apparatus are used to move seed for planting from a bin of seeds to a furrow formed in the ground for the purpose of planting the seed for growing crop. The air seeder apparatus includes a seed boot for each row that the air seeder apparatus is capable of planting in one pass of the apparatus across the field. The seed boot includes a passage or channel through which the seed is moved from the seed supply container to the furrow. The bottom end of the seed boot is positioned in close proximity to the ground and the furrow, and is subject to contact with the ground that places stress on the structure mounting the boot to the base mount of the apparatus. The seed boot may be connected to the base mount by a pin, such as a bolt fastener, that passes through ears or tabs that extend from the base mount and the seed boot. The fastener passes through holes in the ears to hold the boot to the base mount, with some degree of pivot movement of the boot being possible. FIG. 1 of the drawings provides an illustration of the prior structure.
Due to the forces applied to the boot by contact with the ground, the mount is subject to significant wear over a planting season. The seed boot may be easily removed from and replaced on the air seeder apparatus, but this can be expensive, and rebuilding the mount structure on the main seeder apparatus is not as easily accomplished and thus presents a greater challenge.

Method and apparatus for improving air seeder boot


A diverter for a ball return of a ball screw configured for lifting in and lifting out balls from a ball channel between the spindle nut and the threaded spindle. The diverter is configured in one piece and has 3 functional units, specifically a positioning element, a deflection element having a spade-like lifting-out region and a diverting surface for balls out of or into the ball channel. All surfaces of the diverter that are provided for guidance of balls are configured as circumferentially open grooves (not closed in the manner of a tunnel). A method for assembling such a ball return includes providing two single-piece, structurally identical diverters; providing a pre-assembled module with a spindle nut and a threaded spindle, the spindle nut having two inwardly fitted apertures; inserting the diverters into the apertures; introducing balls; and securing the ball return by attaching a covering sleeve to the spindle nut.

A rolling-ring screw with balls as rolling bodies is usually referred to as a recirculating ball screw or else a ball screw (KGT). Included among the main constituent parts of a KGT are a threaded spindle and a spindle nut which engages around this spindle. During operation, balls recirculate between these two components. The thread flights of the threaded spindle as well as the spindle nuts are in the form of ball grooves with a suitable profile and are matched in a complementary manner to one another such that together (in the assembled state) they form a ball channel or a ball guide. By contrast to a screw/nut connection, in which the thread flanks slide on one another in a planar manner, in the case of the KGT the recirculating balls in the thread take up the transmission of load between nut and spindle. The planar sliding movement is thus replaced by a rolling (off) movement, this being associated with reduced friction.
In order to obtain a closed recirculation path for the balls, ball diverters are used. These ball diverters have the task of lifting out the balls from the ball guide between spindle nut and threaded spindle at a first location and feeding them back at a second location. The ball return thus constitutes a bypass, which bridges one or more thread flights of the nut/spindle system and thus forms a closed recirculation path for the balls of a KGT. In general, the balls in the spindle nut are lifted radially outwardly out of the ball groove and guided inside or outside the spindle nut in a channel or a tube (diverting channel), before they are inserted again in the ball channel between threaded spindle and spindle nut at the location provided for this purpose.
From a technical perspective, a KGT functions as a screw drive, which can convert a rotational movement into a longitudinal movement, the step-down or step-up ratio being determined by the dimensioning of the threaded spindle and the pitch of the thread.
Ball screws are used in many technical applications, primarily in mechanical engineering and there preferably in machine tools. KGTs are increasingly however also being used as longitudinal drives in sectors where previously hydraulic or pneumatic systems were used, e.g. in presses, injection molding machines and power steering systems. Moreover, KGTs also play an increasing role in electromechanical and electrohydraulic braking systems, where KGTs are used as a replacement for hydraulic brake cylinders or parallel to known braking systems in the case of braking assistance systems.
Ball screws can fundamentally be operated in two modes. If the spindle nut is mounted in a positionally fixed but rotatable manner, the threaded spindle however being mounted in a rotationally fixed but longitudinally displaceable manner, the threaded spindle moves along its longitudinal axis as soon as the nut is driven. In the second case, the threaded spindle is mounted in a positionally fixed but rotatable manner, and the spindle nut is mounted in a rotationally fixed and longitudinally movable manner. In the case of a driven threaded spindle, this leads to a linear movement of the spindle nut along the threaded spindle.
The invention is concerned with improving and simplifying the ball diverter. What is meant by diverter below specifically is the component which is responsible for the lifting out of the channel between threaded spindle and threaded nut and also for the guidance in the diverting channel. This component is demanding from a functionally critical and production perspective for several reasons: In a KGT, usually as many balls are used as it takes to always ensure a uniform transmission of load between threaded spindle and spindle nut over the length of the KGT. At the same time, however, the balls need to have enough play among one another to prevent jamming, in particular in the ball diverter. When the balls are lifted out of the ball channel by the ball diverter, they undergo a complex change in direction successively into various spatial directions. The diverter must therefore be capable of compensating the forces of the balls when they undergo these changes in direction. These are, on the one hand, the forces which are released when the balls are relieved of load (out of the channel between threaded spindle and spindle nut) as well as by the repeated change in direction in the diverting channel itself.
Depending on the drive direction of the KGT, in this case any diverter is used in an alternating manner to lift out from and to introduce into the ball channel, and therefore has to be able to fulfil both functions reliably. Not least, the ball diverter is a substantial source of the operational noise of a KGT.


A single-use infection control system for a forced air warming machine having hosing connected to the machine including: a closable container having a chamber to receive the machine, the container constructed from air permeable material that prevents infectious airborne particles from entering the chamber; a sleeve having a first end and a second end, the first end engaged to an aperture on the container and the sleeve surrounding the hosing; and a filter cap constructed from the air permeable material, disposed at the second end and covering an opening of the hosing.

Conventionally, forced air warming machines that are currently available and used in conjunction with forced air warming blankets in medical practice is that they are all multi-use warming machines. That is, the forced air warming machines and its associated connected air hosing are used on many patients for the commercial life of the forced air warming machine. Although the warming blankets are single use blankets, the forced air machine and associated air hosing are multi-use devices.
Forced air warming machines operate by drawing cool air into the machine externally from the machine, then passing through an internal filter and warmed air is forced out of the machine and through the associated air hosing which is connected to the forced air warming blankets.
One problem arises from the use of the forced air warming machine is that infectious airborne pathogens including viruses, bacteria and fungi from the present patient, is deposited airborne onto the internal air filter, and air grill/fins of the forced air warming machine and on the inside of the associated air hosing.
Another problem arises from the use of the forced air warming machine and its associated air hosing, is that other infectious pathogens including viruses, bacteria and fungi from the present patient can be transmitted by physical human contact on the outside of the forced air warming machine itself and on the outside of the associated air hosing.
Further, these internal filters of the forced air warming machines are not changed after each single use on each patient, and are certainly not changed at the end of each day of conducting medical and clinical procedures.
Depending upon the commercial brand of these forced air warming machines, these associated internal air filters are changed every 500-1000 hours of continuous medical use.
Therefore, as a consequence of the above medical practise of using the forced air warming machines, infectious pathogens including viruses, bacteria and fungi, accumulate and colonize in and on the forced air warming machine itself, as well as depositing infectious pathogens on the internal air filter of the forced air warming machine and inside the connected associating air hosing, spreading cross infections, from patient to patient, resulting from such further multi-use.
It therefore an object of the present invention to provide for an infection control system for multi-use forced air warming machines and associated hosing in order to ameliorate all of the above problems.

Infection control system for forced air warming machines


A system includes a processor configured to receive a request from a vehicle module and identify a receiving entity for the request. The processor is further configured to send the request to the identified entity and to receive a response from the identified entity and forward the received response to the vehicle module.

Vehicular infotainment and telematics modules, such as software modules and hardware components, may often benefit from data pulled from the cloud or a remote source such as the Internet. This real-time data can enable advanced driver assistance, can improve the driving experience, and can generally facilitate advanced computing features in a vehicle. Presently, this may present some difficulty, for while an embedded vehicular modem may provide connectivity, the commands and data structures that can be sent and received remotely may need to be very well defined in advance on both the modem and a module that is receiving remote data. Accordingly, if a new feature is added to vehicle software or hardware that may benefit from remote data, a modem software update may be required in order to handle the new requests, which can create a frustrating situation for a vehicle driver.
In one example, a communication services network is described that enables client communication devices to synchronously or asynchronously communicate with one another or with legacy communication devices through a gateway in either (i) a real-time mode or (ii) a time-shifted mode and (iii) to seamlessly transition between the two modes. As the media of a message is either created or retrieved from memory, the sending client device progressively transmits the media over the network. The network progressively routes the media as it is transmitted to the recipient client device or gateway, which progressively stores the media as it is received. With progressive storage, the recipient has the option of rendering the media as it is received in the real-time mode, rendering the media out of storage in the time-shifted mode, or seamlessly transitioning between the two modes. In addition, users may communicate with each other "live", similar to a conventional full duplex telephone call, when messages are synchronously transmitted and rendered in real-time with respect to one another. Alternatively, users may communicate with each other asynchronously by sending messages back and forth at discrete times, or by time-shifting the review of received messages.
In another current implementation, a computer implemented method is provided for monitoring and controlling a plurality of internet protocol (IP) enabled devices on a network. Each of the plurality of IP enabled devices has an internal IP address on the network, but does not have an external IP address for use on the Internet. The method includes the step of performing a port scan to obtain internal IP addresses for the plurality of IP enabled devices on the network. An HTML page is retrieved from each of the plurality of IP enabled devices on the network using the internal IP addresses. A data file name is extracted from each of the retrieved HTML pages and in some embodiments is translated to a new data file name. The method also includes retrieving data from each of the plurality if IP enabled devices on the network as a function of the extracted data file names or using the new data file names. Computer readable storage medium and gateway computing devices, for example in the form of a plug computer, are also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for module remote request handling