The present invention comprises a new class of novel aryl and heteroaryl substituted fused pyrrole compounds useful for the prophylaxis and treatment of diseases or conditions, such as TNF-.alpha., IL-1.beta., IL-6 and/or IL-8 mediated diseases, and other maladies, such as pain and diabetes. In particular, the compounds of the invention are useful for the prophylaxis and treatment of diseases or conditions involving inflammation. Accordingly, the invention also comprises pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the invention, methods for the prophylaxis and treatment of inflammation and other maladies, such as pain and diabetes, using the compounds and compositions of the invention, and intermediates and processes useful for the preparation of compounds of the invention. The subject invention also relates to processes for making such compounds as well as to intermediates useful in such processes.

The present invention comprises a new class of compounds useful in treating diseases, such as TNF-.alpha., IL-1.beta., IL-6 and/or IL-8 mediated diseases and other maladies, such as pain and diabetes. In particular, the compounds of the invention are useful for the prophylaxis and treatment of diseases or conditions involving inflammation. This invention, in particular, relates to novel aryl and heteroaryl substituted fused pyrrole compounds, compositions containing such compounds and methods of use of such compounds. The subject invention also relates to processes for making such compounds as well as to intermediates useful in such processes.
Interleukin-1 (IL-1) and Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-a) are proinflammatory cytokines secreted by a variety of cells including monocytes and macrophages in response to many inflammatory stimuli (e.g. lipopolysaccharide--LPS) or external cellular stress (e.g. osmotic shock, peroxide). Elevated levels of TNF-.alpha. and/or IL-1 over basal levels have been implicated in mediating or exacerbating a number of disease states including rheumatoid arthritis; Pagets disease; osteophorosis; multiple myloma; uveititis; acute and chronic myelogenous leukemia; pancreatic .beta. cell destruction; osteoarthritis; rheumatoid spondylitis; gouty arthritis; inflammatory bowel disease; adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS); psoriasis; Crohn's disease; allergic rhinitis; ulcerative colitis; anaphylaxis; contact dermatitis; asthma; muscle degeneration; cachexia; Reiter's syndrome; type I and type II diabetes; bone resorption diseases; graft vs. host reaction; ischemia reperfusion injury; atherosclerosis; brain trauma; multiple sclerosis; cerebral malaria; sepsis; septic shock; toxic shock syndrome; fever, and myalgias due to infection. HIV-1, HIV-2, HIV-3, cytomegalovirus (CMV), influenza, adenovirus, the herpes viruses (including HSV-1, HSV-2), and herpes zoster are also exacerbated by TNF-.alpha..
Elevated levels of IL-1 over basal levels have been implicated in mediating or exacerbating a number of disease states including rheumatoid arthritis; osteoarthritis; rheumatoid spondylitis; gouty arthritis; inflammatory bowel disease; adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS); psoriasis; Crohn's disease; ulcerative colitis; anaphylaxis; muscle degeneration; cachexia; Reiter's syndrome; type I and type II diabetes; bone resorption diseases; ischemia reperfusion injury; atherosclerosis; brain trauma; multiple sclerosis; sepsis; septic shock; and toxic shock syndrome. Viruses sensitive to TNF-.alpha. inhibition, e.g., HIV-1, HIV-2, HIV-3, are also affected by IL-1.
TNF-.alpha. and IL-1 appear to play a role in pancreatic B cell destruction and diabetes. Pancreatic .beta. cells produce insulin which helps mediate blood glucose homeostasis. Deterioration of pancreatic .beta. cells often accompanies type I diabetes. Pancreatic .beta. cell functional abnormalities may occur in patients with type II diabetes. Type II diabetes is characterized by a functional resistance to insulin. Further, type II diabetes is also often accompanied by elevated levels of plasma glucagon and increased rates of hepatic glucose production. Glucagon is a regulatory hormone that attenuates liver gluconeogenesis inhibition by insulin. Glucagon receptors have been found in the liver, kidney and adipose tissue. Thus glucagon antagonists are useful for attenuating plasma glucose levels (WO 97/16442, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). By antagonizing the glucagon receptors, it is thought that insulin responsiveness in the liver will improve, thereby decreasing gluconeogenesis and lowering the rate of hepatic glucose production.
Several approaches have been taken to block the effects of TNF-a. One approach involves utilizing soluble receptors for TNF-a (e.g., TNFR-55 or TNFR-75) which have demonstrated efficacy in animal models of TNF-a mediated disease states (for a PEG dimer of TNFR-55 see Edwards CHI Meeting Nov. 13-15 (1995) and rhu sTNFR:Fc p-75 see Moreland). A second approach to neutralizing TNF-a utilizing a monoclonal antibody specific to TNF-a, cA2, has demonstrated improvement in swollen joint count in a Phase II human trial of rheumatoid arthritis (Feldmann et al Immunological Reviews p.195-223 (1995)).
The above approaches block the effects of TNF-a and IL-1 by either protein sequesterazation or receptor antagonism, but an additional approach to blockade is to intervene in the cellular production and secretion of IL-1 and/or TNF. There are numerous points for intervention between the extracellular stimulus and the secretion of IL-1 and TNF-a from the cell including interfering with transcriptional processes, interfering with translational processes, blocking signal transduction which may alter protein translation and/or transcription; and blocking release of the proteins from the cells. The most reliable effect to document is upon applying a given stimulus to a cell in vitro (eg. monocyte), a certain amount of TNF or IL-1 (note: quantitated by enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay, ELISA) is secreted over basal levels in the culture medium. Evidence as to the nature of intervention between the extracellular stimulus and the secretion of IL-1 and TNF-a from the cell can be provided by in vitro biochemical experiments, but it does not preclude the fact that the compounds may be intervening at a yet undetermined point on the pathway between extracellular stimulus and secretion of protein. Pentoxifylline is an example of a compound that is believed to intervene at the transcriptional level of IL-1 protein synthesis. Evidence suggests that the antiinflammatory glucocorticoids block at both the transcriptional and translational levels (Lee et al Circulatory Shock 44:97-103 (1995)) of inflammatory mediators. Chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) accumulate in lysosomes of monocytes (Borne Handbook of Cardiovascular and Anti-Inflammatory Agents p27-104 (1986)). CQ and HCQ inhibit cartilage cathepsin B and cartilage chondromucoprotease, and they may have membrane stabilizing effects on the lysozomes.
Since TNF-a is upstream in the cytokine cascade of inflammation wherein elevated levels of TNF-a lead to elevated levels of other cytokines including IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8, inhibiting the production of TNF-a may also reduce levels of other cytokines including but not limited to IL-1, IL-6 or IL-8. IL-8 is implicated in exacerbating and/or causing many disease states in which massive neutrophil infiltration into sites of inflammation or injury (e.g., ischemia) is mediated by the chemotactic nature of IL-8 including but not limited to the following: asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, adult respiratory distress syndrome, cardiac and renal reperfusion injury, thrombosis and glomerulonephritis. In addition to the chemotaxis effect on neutrophils, IL-8 also has the ability to activate neutrophils. Thus, reduction in IL-8 levels would lead to diminished neutrophil infiltration. Evidence has been reported that suggests P-38 plays a role in TNF induced transcriptional activation of IL-6 production (see: Walter Fiers EMBO Journal 1996, vol. 15, p 1914-23) and of IL-8 production (Dinarello, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 1995 Vol 92, 12230-4).
In rheumatoid arthritis, both IL-1 and TNF-a induce synoviocytes and chondrocytes to produce collagenase and neutral proteases which leads to tissue destruction within the arthritic joints. In a model of arthritis, collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats and mice, intraarticular administration of TNF-a either prior to or after the induction of CIA led to an accelerated onset of arthritis and a more severe course of the disease (Brahn et al Lymphokine Cytokine Res. (11):253-256, (1992); and Cooper Clin. Exp. Immunol. 898:244-250, (1992)).
It has been reported that TNF-a plays a role in head trauma, stroke, and ischemia. For instance, in animal models of head trauma (rat), TNF-a levels increased in the contused hemisphere (Shohami et al J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab. 14:615-619 (1994)). In an model of ischemia wherein the middle cerebral artery was occluded in rats, the levels of mRNA of TNF-a increased (Feurstein et al Neurosci. Lett. 164: 125-128 (1993)). Administration of TNF-a into the rat cortex resulted in significant PMN accumulation in capillaries and adherance in small blood vessels. The TNF-a promotes the infiltration of other cytokines (IL-1b, IL-6), and also chemokines, which promote neutrophil infiltration into the infarct area (Feurstein Stroke 25:1481-1488 (1994)).
TNF-a may play a role in promoting certain viral life cycles and disease states associated with them. For instance, TNF-a secreted by monocytes induced elevated levels of HIV expression in a chronically infected T cell clone (Clouse et al, J. Immunol. 142: 431 (1989)). The role of TNF-a in the HIV associated states of cachexia and muscle degradation has been discussed (Lahdevirta et al The American J. Med. 85:289 (1988)).
Elevated levels of IL-1 over basal levels have been implicated in mediating or exacerbating a number of disease states including rheumatoid arthritis; osteoarthritis; rheumatoid spondylitis; gouty arthritis; inflammatory bowel disease; adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS); psoriasis; Crohn's disease; ulcerative colitis; anaphylaxis; muscle degeneration; antiviral therapy including those viruses sensitive to TNF-a inhibition--HIV-1, HIV-2, HIV-3; cachexia; Reiter's syndrome; type II diabetes; bone resorption diseases; ischemia reperfusion injury; atherosclerosis; brain trauma; multiple sclerosis; sepsis; septic shock; and toxic shock syndrome.
In rheumatoid arthritis models in animals, multiple intraarticular injections of IL-1 have lead to an acute and destructive form of arthritis (Chandrasekhar et al Clinical Immunol Immunopathol. 55:382-400 (1990)). In studies using cultured rheumatoid synovial cells, IL-1 is a more potent inducer of stromelysin than is TNF-a (Firestein Am. J. Pathol. 140:1309-1314, (1992)). At sites of local injection, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and monocyte emigration occurs. The emigration is attributed to the induction of chemokines (i.e. IL-8), and the up regulation of adhesion molecules (Dinarello Eur. Cytokine Netw. 5:517-531 (1994)).
IL-1 does play a role in promoting certain viral life cycles. Cytokine-induced increase of HIV expression in a chronically infected macrophage line has been associated with the concomittant and selective increase of IL-1 production (Folks et al J. Immunol. 136:40-49, (1986)). The role of IL-1 in cachexia has been discussed (Beutler et al J. Immunol. 135:3969-3971 (1985)). The role of IL-1 in muscle degeneration has been discussed (Baracos et al N. Eng. J. Med. 308:553-558 (1983)).
IL-8 has been implicated in exacerbating and/or causing many disease states in which massive neutrophil infiltration into sites of inflammation or injury (eg ischemia) is mediated by the chemotactic nature of IL-8 including but not limited to the following: asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, adult respiratory distress syndrome, cardiac and renal reperfusion injury, thrombosis and glomerulonephritis. In addition to the chemotaxis effect on neutrophils, IL-8 apparently also has the ability to activate neutrophils. Thus, reduction in IL-8 levels could lead to diminished neutrophil infiltration.
Substituted imidazole and fused imidazole compounds have been described for use in the treatment of cytokine mediated diseases by inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF. Substituted imidazoles for use in the treatment of cytokine mediated diseases have been described in WO 93/14081; WO 96/21452; and WO 96/21654 (each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Substituted imidazoles for use in the treatment of inflammation has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,807 (which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Substituted fused imidazole compounds for use in the treatment of cytokine mediated diseases have been described in WO 88/01169; WO 90/15534; WO 91/00092; WO 92/10190; WO 92/10498; WO 92/12154; and WO 95/35304 (each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
Several classes of diamino substituted azaindole compounds have been reported to be useful in the treatment of a variety of diseases including inflammation (U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,187, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Several classes of substituted indole and azaindole compounds are known to be useful as endothelin receptor antagonists for treating hypertension, renal failure and cerebrovascular disease (WO 94/14434 and WO 95/33748, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). A related class of substituted indoles has been reported as useful in the treatment of atherosclerosis (DE 2909779 A1, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Variously substituted 7-azaindoles have been prepared and reported for use as anti-ulcer drugs (JP 06247966, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
The preparation of 3-(4-pyridyl)indole compounds has been reported (U.S. Pat. No. 3,551,567; FR 1587692; DE 1795061; Ukr. Kim. Zh. (Russ. Ed.) (1982), 48(1), 76-9; Khim. Geterotsikl. Soedin. (1980), (7), 959-64; each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). The preparation of 2,3-diphenylindole derivatives has been reported (U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,308; U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,912; and FR 1505197; each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).

Aryl and heteroaryl substituted fused pyrrole antiinflammatory agents


An apparatus for extruding plastic materials, particularly plastic explosives or propellants, has a casing, at least one pressing member moving therein, e.g. a rotating extruder screw and a shaping retainer plate terminating the casing at the outlet side, which is fixed to the casing and can be raised therefrom if an excessive overpressure occurs. So as to ensure rapid raising and a rapid release of the overpressure when a safety hazard occurs, the retainer plate is fixed to the casing by a mechanical or a gas pressure spring, whose spring tension is adjustable. It is also possible to provide a hydraulic pressure directed in opposition to the spring and by which the retainer plate can be raised in random manner from the casing.

Apparatuses of the aforementioned type, which can be constructed as screw extruders, screw presses, ram presses, etc., are in particular used in plastics processing for the extrusion of plastic materials. However, they are also used for extruding other homogeneous and inhomogeneous plastic materials, e.g. in the production of explosive or powder strands. In the latter case, the pressure and temperature conditions within the extruder, particularly on the extruder head and on the retainer plate must be very accurately controlled, as a function of the components of the material to be processed, so as to ensure that the material does not detonate or deflagrate. Despite carefully respecting the operating parameters, it is not possible to entirely exclude such irregularities. As the material is under feed and shaping pressure and is completely enclosed within the casing, high energy levels are evolved during detonation or deflagration, which can lead to the destruction of machine components or the entire machine and also possibly the area around the machine.
It has therefore been proposed for special applications to fix the retainer plate to the casing by using hydraulic holding clamps, so as to permit the retainer plate to lift in the case of an excessive overpressure in the casing. However, this constructional measure only has the desired effect if the pressure build-up does not occur too rapidly. In addition, the holding clamps only have a limited travel, so that the exit cross-section on raising the retainer plate does not permit a sudden overpressure reduction
However, the problem of an excessive pressure build-up in the casing also exists when extruding other materials. There can be numerous different causes for this, e.g. clogging of the retainer plate in the case of small shaping cross-sections, modification to the material composition and/or the plasticity of the material.
In the case of extruders for pressure-sensitive or temperature-sensitive products, it is known (DE-C-34 31 274), to provide a retainer plate with a linear row of nozzles and to construct the plate in two-part manner with a parting plane located in the nozzle row. One of the two parts of the retainer plate is fixed and the other Connected in articulated manner with the extruded casing and is consequently pivotable. The pivotable plate can be brought by a pneumatic cylinder from the closed into the open position In order to permit raising in a manner dependent on the pressure or temperature, in the extruder is provided a measuring device, which records the pressure or the temperature or some other measured quantity essential for the same and by a control system controls the pneumatic cylinder. This construction is much too slow for rapid pressure rises. It can also not be looked upon as an automatically operating overpressure preventer, because it is a measuring-technical control system. Therefore, it is particularly unsuitable for explosives. In addition, the pneumatic cylinder closes again after opening, without removing any hazard which may be present.

Apparatus for extruding plastic materials

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.


An electrophoretic display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include: a first substrate, a first electrode formed on the first substrate, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, a second substrate facing the first substrate, and a plurality of charged particles arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, pairs of the charged particles having different polarities. Each charged particle has at least two threshold voltages, where the threshold voltages are voltage magnitudes below which a voltage applied across the first and second electrodes does not move the associated charged particle. The pixels may represent any one of colors such as red, green, blue, white, and black by including two charged particles of different colors in one pixel and changing the attractive and repulsive force threshold voltages of each of two charged particles of different colors contained in the pixel.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to flat panel displays. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrophoretic display and a method of driving the electrophoretic display.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Electrophoretic displays ("EPDs") are flat panel displays that are commonly used in applications such as electronic books. Electrophoretic displays can be classified into vertical electric field type electrophoretic displays and horizontal electric field type electrophoretic displays.
A vertical electric field type electrophoretic display typically includes two display panels having field generating electrodes, and an electric ink layer that is interposed between the two display panels. The ink includes microcapsules containing white or black positive charged particles and black or white negative charged particles.
A horizontal electric field type electrophoretic display includes a display panel having two field generating electrodes, an opposite display panel, and an ink layer that is interposed between the display panel and the opposite display panel. The ink contains white or black positive particles or negative particles.
The horizontal electric field electrophoretic display displays images by applying a voltage to the two field generating electrodes, thus generating a horizontal electric field that causes white and black charged particles to move toward those electrodes that have the same polarity.
In comparison with liquid crystal displays, electrophoretic displays have higher reflectivity and contrast ratio, and project images that are not as dependent on viewing angle. These characteristics allow the electrophoretic displays to project images that, to many readers, resemble books. Further, black and white color bi-stable characteristics of the electrophoretic displays enable images to be maintained even without continuous application of a voltage, thus saving power consumption.
Electrophoretic displays are often cheaper than liquid crystal displays, as they do not require a polarizer, alignment layer, or liquid crystal.
Electrophoretic displays typically use red, green, and blue charged particles, or red, green, and blue color filters to display colors. However, since electrophoretic displays are reflective display devices, electrophoretic displays cannot display a white color with only red, green, and blue charged particles, or red, green, and blue color filters.
To address this issue, electrophoretic displays often include white pixels without a color filter or with white charged particles. However, the use of white filters or particles yields a smaller color gamut. Further, because a white pixel corresponds to a quarter of a dot, white pixels cannot provide sufficiently bright white color and as a consequence contrast ratio is lowered.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that is not known in the prior art.

Electrophoretic display and driving method thereof


Augmented reality (AR) telepresence systems and methods are disclosed for obtaining a 3D model of a physical location from a 3D-capture system comprising one or more 3D depth sensors disposed throughout the physical location, generating a truncated 3D model of the physical location, the truncated 3D model corresponding to the intersection of the generated 3D model and a field of view of a user terminal camera at the physical location, and transmitting the truncated 3D model to a remote location.

Augmented Reality (AR) is a concept and a set of technologies for merging of real and virtual elements to produce new visualizations—typically video—where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time. 3 dimensional (3D) models and animations are some examples of virtual elements that can be visualized in AR. However, AR objects can basically be any digital information for which spatiality (3D position and orientation in space) gives added value, for example pictures, videos, graphics, text, and audio.
AR visualizations typically include a means to display augmented virtual elements as a part of the physical view. AR visualizations may be implemented using for example a tablet with an embedded camera, which captures video from the user's environment and shows it together with virtual elements on its display. AR glasses, either video-see-through or optical-see-through, either monocular or stereoscopic, can also be used for viewing.
In AR, graphical tags, fiducials or markers have been commonly used for defining position, orientation and scale for AR objects. Graphical markers have certain advantages over the using of natural features. For example, graphical markers help to make the offline process for mixed reality content production and use more independent of the actual target environment. This allows content to be positioned more reliably in the target embodiment based on the position of graphical markers, whereas changes in the environment (e.g. changes in lighting or in the position of miscellaneous objects) can otherwise make it more difficult for an augmented reality system to consistently identify position and orientation information based only on the environment.

Apparatus and method for supporting interactive augmented reality functionalities


A light source includes a substrate on which an excitation light source is mounted, a lens including a light transmitting portion that transmits light from the excitation light source and a body attached to the substrate, a first thermal expansion absorber that protrudes from the body and has high heat resistance and elasticity, and a cover fixed to the substrate in a state where the body of the lens is sandwiched between the cover and the substrate via the first thermal expansion absorber.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2012-160666, including FIGS. 1 and 2, and paragraph [0078], discloses an LED module (a light source unit) in which a base portion (a fixing portion to a housing) of a light direction converting element which is an optical system for reflecting the light of the LED portion is fixed by three screws (fixing units to the housing) with respect to a case on which an LED portion (an excitation light source) is mounted.

Light source unit and fixing method of lens thereof


The invention relates to a plate for fixing the bones of a joint, in particular of a metatarso-phalanageal joint, for the purpose of performing arthrodesis, wherein:                the plate comprises two sections, respectively a proximal section and a distal section, each section having a respective longitudinal axis of symmetry S1, S2 such that the projection onto a horizontal plane of tie axis of symmetry S2 of the distal section presents an angle of inclination relative to the projection of the axis of symmetry S1 of the proximal portion, the projections intersecting at a point A; and        the projection onto a vertical plane of the axis of symmetry S2 presents an angle of inclination relative to the projection of the axis of symmetry S1, their intersection taking place at a point A2 which is distinct from the point A1.

In the event of arthrosis in joints between bones, and in particular in a metatarso-phalangeal joint, it is often necessary to perform arthrodesis in order to fuse the two bones together. As a general rule, arthrodesis constitutes an operation that is difficult in that it sets a joint in a position that is defined and it does so in a manner that is not reversible. Thus, it is very important for arthrodesis of a metatarso-phalangeal joint to be performed correctly insofar as the joint is involved as an essential actor in the walking cycle of a human being. It will thus be understood that it is essential for the two bones to be positioned relative to each other prior to fusion with an orientation that is implemented as accurately as possible in order to avoid any subsequent difficulty.
It is therefore essential for the axes of the bones to be fixed relative to each other so as to comply as well as possible with the flexing and the axes of the patient, and this must be done as a function of the patient's sex, gait, and morphology.
Until now, metatarso-phalangeal arthrodesis has been performed using fixing plates of a variety of shapes and provided with slots for receiving fixing screws in order to secure the plate to each of the two bones to be fused together.
Thus, by way of example, fixing plates are known that present a curved "quarter-tube" cross-section which the surgeon places across the joint between the bones to be fused together. That known plate is bent by the surgeon so as to take up an angle in the dorsi-flexion plane having a value that has been determined by the surgeon and that is specific to the patient. Once a joint has been blocked, plates of that type thus make it possible to confer a particular orientation in elevation on one of the two bones on which arthrodesis is performed. This constitutes an advantage to the patient since the joint is blocked under conditions close to normal conditions of use for that joint, thereby reducing difficulty for the patient while walking and reducing possible future complications. Nevertheless, fixing plates of that type turn out to suffer from a variety of drawbacks, and in particular they are quite difficult for the surgeon to bend. In addition, it turns out that bending is rarely performed with sufficient accuracy and that bending gives rise to deformed zones of the plate presenting edges that can be quite sharp and likely to generate irritation or inflammation on coming into contact with adjacent tissue such as tendons, muscles, ligaments, skin, etc. Finally, plates of that type are unsuitable for bending through a varus-valgus angle, which means that they are not capable of implementing arthrodeses that are sufficiently close to conditions of optimum geometrical orientation between the two bones to be fused together for the purpose of reducing to the greatest possible extent any risk of subsequent difficulties and complications for the patient.
Fixing plates that are completely plane are also known, and although they greatly reduce the risk of complications for the patient following the operation of installing them, insofar as no bending is performed, they nevertheless do not make it possible to perform an arthrodesis in which the bones present specific dorsi flexion and varus-valgus angles.
As a general rule, it also turns out that fixing plates for bending by the surgeon require a special bending tool to be used that is specific to each type of plate, thereby constituting a further constraint. Finally, it turns out that a fixing plate that has been bent suffers from weakening of its metal in the bend zone, and that can constitute a drawback in terms of strength. Furthermore, the need to provide openings through the plate for passing fixing screws complicates the operation of bending the plate, specifically because of the presence of said openings.

Plate for fixing the bones of a joint, in particular a metatarso-phalangeal joint


A data processing device and a data processing method capable of improving resistance to errors. Code bits of an LDPC code with a code length N of 16200 bits is written to, for example, eight storage units. When the code bits are stored in the storage units, a process of changing the storage start position of the code bits for each storage unit is performed as a sorting process of sorting the bits of the LDPC code such that a plurality of code bits corresponding to 1s in an arbitrary row of the parity check matrix of the LDPC code are not included in a single symbol which is read from the storage units. The present technology can be applied to, for example, the transmission of the LDPC code.

An LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) code has a high error correction capability and is recently beginning to be employed in a transmission method including satellite digital broadcasting such as DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting)-S.2 conducted in Europe (for example, see Non-Patent Document 1). Further, employing the LDPC code in next generation terrestrial digital broadcasting is under consideration.
Recent studies have revealed that the LDPC code shows performance close to the Shannon limit as a code length increases, similarly to a turbo code or the like. Further, since the LDPC code has a property that a minimum distance is in proportion to a code length, there are advantageous, as features thereof, in that a block error probability characteristic is good, and a so-called error floor phenomenon observed in a decoding characteristic of a turbo code or the like hardly occurs.
The LDPC code will be concretely described below. The LDPC code is a linear code, and need not necessarily be binary, but the LDPC will be here described to be binary.
The most distinctive feature of the LDPC code is that a parity check matrix defining an LDPC code is sparse. Here, the sparse matrix is a matrix in which the number of elements "1s" of a matrix is very small (a matrix in which most of elements are "0").
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a parity check matrix H of an LDPC code.
In the parity check matrix H of FIG. 1, a weight (a column weight) (the number of "1s") of each column is "3," and a weight (row weight) of each row is "6."
In encoding (LDPC coding) by an LDPC code, a code word (an LDPC code) is generated, for example, by generating a generation matrix G based on the parity check matrix H and multiplying a binary information bit by the generation matrix G.
Specifically, an encoding device performing LDPC coding first calculates the generation matrix G in which a formula GHT=0 is established with a transposed matrix HT of the parity check matrix H. Here, when the generation matrix G is a K×N matrix, the encoding device multiplies the generation matrix G by a bit string (a vector u) of information bits including K bits, and generates a code word c (=uG) including N bits. The code word (the LDPC code) generated by the encoding device is received at a reception side through a predetermined communication path.
The LDPC code can be decoded by a message passing algorithm that has been proposed as probabilistic decoding by Gallager and is based on belief propagation on the so-called tanner graph including a variable node (which is also called a message node) and a check node. Here, the variable node and the check node are hereinafter appropriately referred to simply as a node.
FIG. 2 illustrates an LDPC code decoding process.
Hereinafter, a real number value (reception LLR) in which a "0" likelihood of a value of an i-th code bit of an LDPC code (one code word) received at a reception side is represented by a log likelihood ratio is also appropriately referred to as a reception value u0i. Further, a message output from a check node is represented by uj, and a message output from a variable node is represented by vi.
First of all, in decoding of an LDPC code, as illustrated in FIG. 2, in step S11, an LDPC code is received, a message (check node message) uj is initialized to "0," a variable k having an integer as a counter of a repeating process is initialized to "0," and the process proceeds to step S12. In step S12, as a calculation (variable node calculation) represented by Formula (1) is performed based on the reception value u0i obtained when the LDPC code is received, a message (variable node message) vi is obtained, and as a calculation (check node calculation) represented by Formula (2) is performed based on the message vi, a message uj is obtained.
                    [                  Mathematical                                                              Formula                                                                                1                ]                                                                      v          i                =                              u                          0                            i                                +                                    ∑                              i                =                1                                            d                                  v                  -                  1                                                                                u              j                                                          (        1        )                                [                  Mathematical                                                              Formula                                                                                2                ]                                                                      tanh                                (                                          u                j                            2                        )                          =                              ∏                          i              =              1                                                      d                c                            -              1                                                                                tanh                                      (                                                v                  i                                2                            )                                                          (        2        )
Here, in Formulas (1) and (2), dv and dc are parameters, which are arbitrarily selectable, representing the number of "1s" of the parity check matrix H in the longitudinal direction (column) and the lateral direction (row), and for example, in case of a (3, 6) code, dv is 3, and dc is 6.
In the variable node calculation of Formula (1) and the check node calculation of Formula (2), since a message input from an edge (a line connecting a variable node with a check node) from which a message is desired to be output is not a calculation target, a calculation range is 1 to dv−1 or 1 to dc−1. Further, actually, the check node calculation of Formula (2) is perform by generating a table of a function R (v1, v2) represented by Formula (3) defined by one output to two inputs v1 and v2 in advance and using the table consecutively (recursively) as represented by Formula (4).[Mathematical Formula 3]x=2 tan h−1[tan h(v1/2)tan h(v2/2)]=R(v1,v2)  (3)[Mathematical Formula 4]uj=R(v1,R(v2,R(v3, . . . R(vdo−2,vdo−1))))  (4).
In step S12, the variable k increases by "1," and the process proceeds to step S13. In step S13, it is determined whether or not the variable k is larger than a predetermined repeated decoding number C. When it is determined in step S13 that the variable k is not larger than C, the process returns to step S12, and the same process is repeated.
Further, when it is determined in step S13 that the variable k is larger than C, the process proceeds to step S14, and the message vi is obtained and output as a decoding result finally output as a calculation represented by Formula (5) is performed, and then the LDPC code decoding process ends.
                    [                  Mathematical                                                              Formula                                                                                5                ]                                                                      v          i                =                              u                          0                            i                                +                                    ∑                              j                =                1                                            d                y                                                                                u              j                                                          (        5        )
Here, the calculation of Formula (5) is performed using the message uj from all edges connected to the variable node, unlike the variable node calculation of Formula (1).
FIG. 3 illustrates an example of the parity check matrix H of a (3, 6) LDPC code (a coding rate is 1/2, and a code length is 12).
In the parity check matrix H of FIG. 3, a weight of a column is 3, and a weigh of a row is 6, similarly to FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 illustrates a tanner graph of the parity check matrix H of FIG. 3.
Here, in FIG. 4, a check node is represented by plus "+," a variable node is represented by equal "=." The check node and the variable node correspond to a row and a column of the parity check matrix H, respectively. A connection line between the check node and the variable node is an edge, and corresponds to an element "1" of the parity check matrix.
In other words, in FIG. 4, when an element of a j-th row and an i-th column of the parity check matrix is "1," an i-th variable node (a node of "=") from the top is connected with a j-th check node (a node of "+") from the top by an edge. The edge represents that a code bit corresponding to a variable node has a constraint condition on a check node.
In a sum product algorithm used as an LDPC code decoding method, the variable node calculation and the check node calculation are repeatedly performed.
FIG. 5 illustrates the variable node calculation performed at the variable node.
In the variable node, a message vi corresponding to an edge that is desired to be calculated is obtained by the variable node calculation of Formula (1) using messages u1 and u2 from the remaining edges connected to the variable node and the reception value u0i. The messages corresponding to the other edges are similarly obtained.
FIG. 6 illustrates the check node calculation performed at the check node.
Here, the check node calculation of Formula (2) may be rewritten to Formula (6) using a relation of a formula a×b=exp{ln(|a|)+ln(|b|)}×sign(a)×sign (b). Here, sign (x) is 1 when x≧0 and −1 when x<0.
                    [                  Mathematical                                                              Formula                                                                                6                ]                                                                                u                j                            =                                                          2                                                                      tanh                                          -                      1                                                                                (                                                                  ∏                                                  i                          =                          1                                                                                d                            c                                                    -                          1                                                                                tanh                                                                          (                                                                                v                              i                                                        2                                                    )                                                                                )                                                                                =                                                          2                                                                      tanh                                          -                      1                                                                                [                                          exp                                                                                {                                                                                ∑                                                              i                                =                                1                                                                                d                                                                  c                                  -                                  1                                                                                ln                                                                                (                                                                                                                                        tanh                                                                                (                                                                                v                                          i                                                                                2                                                                            )                                                                                                                                                )                                                                                }                                                ⨯                                                                              ∏                                                          i                              =                              l                                                                                d                                c                                                            -                              1                                                                                sign                                                                                (                                                              tanh                                                                                (                                                                                v                                      i                                                                        2                                                                    )                                                                                )                                                                                ]                                                                                =                                                                  2                                                                                tanh                                                  -                          1                                                                                [                                                  exp                                                                                {                                                          -                                                              (                                                                                ∑                                                                          i                                      =                                      1                                                                                d                                                                              c                                        -                                        1                                                                                -                                                                          ln                                                                                (                                                                                tanh                                                                                (                                                                                                                                                                v                                                  i                                                                                                                                                                2                                                                                )                                                                                )                                                                                )                                                                                }                                                                          ]                                                              ⨯                                                                  ∏                                                  i                          =                          1                                                                                d                            c                                                    -                          1                                                                                sign                        (                                                  v                          i                                                )                                                                                (        6        )
In case of x≧0, when a function φ(x) is defined as a formula φ(x)=ln(tan h(x/2)), since a formula φ−1(x)=2 tan h−1(e−x) is established, Formula (6) may be changed to Formula (7).
                    [                  Mathematical                                                              Formula                                                                                7                ]                                                                      u          j                =                                            ϕ                              -                1                                                                (                                                ∑                                      i                    =                    1                                                        d                                          c                      -                      1                                                                                ϕ                                                        (                                                                                        v                        i                                                                                    )                                                              )                                ⨯                                    ∏                              i                =                l                                                              d                  c                                -                1                                                                sign                                            (                                  v                  i                                )                                                                        (        7        )
In the check node, the check node calculation of Formula (2) is performed according to Formula (7).
In other words, in the check node, a message uj corresponding to an edge that is desired to be calculated is obtained by the check node calculation of Formula (7) using messages v1, v2, v3, v4, and v5 from remaining edges connected to the check node as illustrated FIG. 6. The messages corresponding to the other edges are similarly obtained.
The function φ(x) of Formula (7) may be represented by a formula φ(x)=ln((ex+1)/(ex−1)), and is φ(x)=φ−1(x) when x>0. When the functions φ(x) and φ−1(x) are implemented as hardware, an implementation method using an LUT (Look Up Table) may be used, but both become the same LUT.

Data processing device and data processing method


Embodiments of the invention are directed to microfluidic devices. In one embodiment, a microanalysis chip comprises a body having at least one transfer-separation channel with a channel bottom that has a bottom opening. The transfer-separation channel terminates in a discharge aperture.

Conventional methods for performing high throughput mass spectrometric (MS) protein identification employ either 2D-PAGE technology or various modes of multidimensional chromatography. 2D-PAGE is commonly used in proteomics (i.e., the study of proteins). In a typical 2D-PAGE process, 3000 to 5000 different proteins can been separated. After separating, spots of the separated proteins can be cut out and analyzed using mass spectrometry.
Conventional 2D-PAGE technology, however, has a number of drawbacks. Drawbacks include low sensitivity (e.g., 1 ng protein detection limit with silver staining), the limited range of proteins that can be analyzed, (membrane proteins, high molecular, low molecular proteins are underrepresented), and low sample throughput. The low sample throughput is due to the labor and time intensiveness of this method. For example, 2D-PAGE systems allow for the processing of only 10 gels in two days per system. In order to take advantage of MS, additional equipment (e.g., robotic gel spot cutters and digest workstations) is required. Besides being complex and costly, these automated systems are not generally suited to identify low abundance proteins.
Other chromatographic methods based on multidimensional chromatography (e.g., LCxe2x80x94LC) may offer faster analysis cycles. However these methods have limitations including low detection limits and the limited scope of proteins that may be analyzed (e.g., due to solution condition limitations imposed by the selected chromatographic method).
Embodiments of the invention address these and other problems.
One embodiment of the invention is directed to a microanalysis chip comprising a body defining at least one transfer-separation channel including a channel bottom having a bottom opening, the transfer-separation channel terminating in a discharge aperture.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for chemically affecting a sample, the method comprising: providing a microanalysis chip including a body having a transfer-separation channel with a channel bottom having a bottom opening; inserting a pillar into the bottom opening such that a sample supported by the pillar communicates with the transfer-separation channel; and passing a reagent fluid into the transfer-separation channel in order for the reagent fluid to come in contact with the sample to chemically affect the sample.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a dispenser assembly comprising: a dispenser chip including a dispenser body including a vertical channel; and a sample chip having a base and a sample structure, the sample structure comprising a pillar and a sample surface, wherein the vertical channel of the dispenser chip is cooperatively structured to receive the pillar.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a microfluidic chip comprising: a body having a bottom surface; a plurality of discharge apertures; and a plurality of transfer-separation channels in the body, each transfer-separation channel defined by a channel bottom with a bottom opening, and having a portion upstream of the bottom opening and a portion downstream of bottom opening, and wherein each transfer-separation channel terminates at one of the discharge apertures.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a microfluidic assembly comprising: a microfluidic chip comprising (i) a body having a bottom surface, (ii) a plurality of discharge apertures, and (iii) a plurality of transfer-separation channels in the body, each transfer-separation channel defined by a channel bottom with a bottom opening, and having a portion upstream of the bottom opening and a portion downstream of bottom opening, and wherein each transfer-separation channel terminates at one of the discharge apertures; and a sample chip comprising a base including a non-sample surface and a plurality of sample structures having a plurality of sample surfaces.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method of processing an analyte, the method comprising: processing an analyte on a sample surface on an sample chip; transferring the processed analyte through a transfer-separation downstream of the sample surface, wherein the transfer-separation channel is in a microfluidic chip above the sample chip; and analyzing the processed analyte downstream of the sample surface.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a microfluidic chip comprising: a body having a bottom surface; and a plurality of vertical channels in the body, wherein each opening is cooperatively structured to receive a pillar of a sample chip.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method of processing analytes, the method comprising: inserting a plurality of sample surfaces into a plurality of vertical channels in a dispenser chip, wherein the plurality of sample surfaces are on pillars of a sample chip; depositing a plurality of liquid samples on the sample surfaces while the sample surfaces are in the vertical fluid channels; binding analytes from the plurality of liquid samples to the sample surfaces; withdrawing the sample surfaces from the vertical fluid channels; inserting the plurality of sample surfaces into a plurality of openings in a microanalysis chip so that the plurality of sample surfaces are in communication with a plurality of transfer-separation channels in the microanalysis chip; and processing the analytes using reagents flowing through the transfer-separation channels while the analytes are bound to the sample surfaces.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to an analysis system comprising: an analysis assembly comprising (i) a microanalysis chip comprising a body comprising at least one transfer-separation channel defined by a channel bottom having a bottom opening, the transfer-separation channel terminating in a discharge aperture, and (ii) a sample chip having a plurality of sample surfaces; and an analysis device adapted to receive an analyte from the discharge aperture.
These and other embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the Figures and the Detailed Description.


A method for producing a rotor cup for an open-end spinning rotor includes forming separating structures on a front-side rim of the rotor cup for breaking up and preparing a yarn end for piecing. The separating structures are formed by a non-mechanical manufacturing method without contact between the front-side rim and a mechanical forming tool. A rotor cup formed in accordance with the method is also provided.

For the production of open-end spinning rotors, a multitude of different methods have become known. Spinning rotors are frequently made by turning, and are provided with a coating to make them more resistant to the abrasive action of fibers. In order to be able to resume the spinning procedure after an interruption of the spinning process, for example, through a thread break or a quality cut, it is necessary to, in a defined manner, cut to length the yarn end to be pieced, and to prepare it for piecing. Moreover, for preparing a yarn end, various methods have become known. For example, it is customary to fray the yarn end by means of an air flow.
DE 10 2012 110 926 A1 describes a method for preparing a yarn end for piecing in, with which the yarn is not prepared for piecing by a separate preparation device outside the spinning device, but is prepared within the spinning device through the rim of the spinning rotor. For this purpose, the yarn is sucked into the vacuum channel via a draw-off tube and a draw-off nozzle, through which the open-end spinning device is supplied with negative pressure, and is held therein. In this case, the yarn runs over the open rim of the spinning rotor and is broken up by this as soon as the spinning rotor starts to rotate. For separating and preparing the yarn end, the rim of the spinning rotor features separating structures. To produce the separating structures, the rim of the spinning rotor is provided with cuts, which provide the effect of a saw. According to an alternative embodiment, the cuts are filled with an abrasive material, which then also has a sawing or grinding action.
DE 10 2015 117 204 A1 likewise shows such a spinning rotor with separating structures for preparing a yarn end for piecing. In doing so, the separating structures are not formed by cutting, but by knurling on the spinning rotor.

Method for producing a rotor cup for an open-end spinning rotor along with a rotor cup for an open-end spinning rotor


A pressing roller (10) for the processing of web paper material, in particular of the type used in cooperation with an engraving roller (G1) for the bonding of two or more embossed plies of web paper material, comprises a cylindrical pressure surface (11) defined by a plurality of annular resilient pressure bodies (15) of rubber material that have a high surface hardness which allows to avoid the effect of “double embossing” and at the same time have a high elastic yielding which allows to obtain adequate nip also with relatively low contact pressures.

In the production sector of kitchen towels rolls of tissue paper are now established two different double embossing contrasted processes with lamination of the plies that have had moments of greater or worse success over the years: these are the NESTED method, in which the tips of one of the two plies lurk between the tips of the other ply, and the TIP/TIP method, in which the tips of a ply are glued against the other ply tips, both well known to the sector's operators.
To date, the NESTED method is undoubtedly the most widespread and almost universally used for the production of kitchen paper rolls. This method allows a very simple machining without problems of rollers duration, of rollers temperatures, of weaknesses in the contact between the latter.
A conventional type of machinery for the production of two-ply embossed towel paper rolls with NESTED technology is schematically shown in FIG. 1. In this, a first, V1, and a second ply of tissue paper, V2, are dragged by a group of rollers which perform the embossing, the pairing and the bonding of the two plies. More specifically, each ply crosses a relative deflection roller, R1, R2, a relative contrast roller, C1, C2, and a relative engraving roller, G1, G2, the interaction between which perform the NESTED pairing of the two plies V1 and V2. In correspondence of a first engraving roller G1 it is present a group of application of the glue comprising a glue tank, S, in which catches a buffer roller, T, which transfers the glue to an applicator roller, A, which applies the glue on the surface of the first ply V1. Before leaving the first engraving roller G1 the two paired paper plies are pressed one against the other by a pressing roller, P, which acts against the first engraving roller G1 to allow the glue to bind together the two plies before leaving the machinery through a further deflection roller, R3.
This type of conventional machinery, however, presents a universally known problem with which manufacturers are willing to live, given the operational advantages that this offers compared to the TIP/TIP method: the two sides of the laminated two-ply paper that is obtained have a different "feel" because one is perfectly smooth (because housed in the engraving roller) while the other is rougher because "double embossed" by the action of the pressing roller P (known in the industry as Marrying Roll) which presses the second ply V2 on the tips of the engraving roller G1 to allow the bonding. This defect is also clearly visible because while one face presents the decoration very clearly impressed by the embossing, the other presents a very confusing look and often it is not possible to perceive the embossing pattern of the roller that generated it because it is confused with the double embossing of the first roller G1. In the detail of FIG. 1, which represents an enlarged view of a paper portion output from the pressing roller, it is possible to observe how the side in contact with the pressing roller P itself has the aforesaid roughness effect due to the decomposition into at least two flat surfaces, S1, S2, on two different levels.
This problem has been repeatedly addressed over times with various attempts of solution.
A type of pressing roller P initially used was made of steel. The extremely hard surface allowed to avoid the effect of double embossing and however it was extremely difficult to obtain a uniform contact over the entire width of the ply because they arose big problems of pressure and bending of the rollers as it was necessary that the pressure of the pressing roller P against the engraving roller G1 was extremely high so that the rollers themselves were extremely robust in order to avoid the bending, with very high production costs and dragging difficulties because of the few tips in contact as well as with an enormous difficulty having a uniform contact along the entire width of the ply. To overcome this problem, a conventional type of pressing roller P involves the use of a steel roller with a rubber cover. Subsequently, in order to avoid the effect of double embossing caused by the yielding of the rubber, this rubber cover has been raised to levels of hardness rather high such as 70 SHA and again after this coverage was improved by adopting a double layer of rubber, a softer inside and a harder outside. This way, it was sought to reduce the effect of double embossing due to the superficial yielding of the rubber without, however, preventing the overall yielding of the roller surface and its deformability necessary in order to properly adjust the bonding pressure and to determine the correct nip. However, this solution has proved to be inefficient due to the impossibility to find the kinds of rubbers to be paired making it possible to obtain the desired elastic response characteristics of the roller and of its surface.
In all the above said solutions the pressing roller P requires a structure such as to be able to contrast the bending of the rollers involved in the process, but this structure involves a weight and a significant inertia which contrast the dragging of the roller itself by the engraving roller; for this reason, even if the value of the pressure required to pair the two plies may be relatively low, it is actually necessary to force much more the contact between the rollers to ensure the rotation start of the pressing roller P, which is one of the double embossing causes.
To overcome this problem they have also been proposed pressing roller provided with convex or concave outer surface to compensate the bending but this imposes the necessity to operate always with the same pressures between the various rollers to obtain a uniform bonding over the entire width of the paper.
In the field of handling of paper or other material they are conventionally known dragging wheels which are made, or superficially coated, with rubber material or other plastic material having certain hardness and flexibility characteristics, in which a good deformability is obtained thanks to a particular constructive geometry. Dragging wheels of this type are described for example in British Patent GB 1205097A and in the European patent application EP 2803610 A1 and comprise a metal tubular core on which it is integrally mounted a rubber coating material of thickness high enough to allow to obtain in said thickness a series of axial cavities arranged radially inclined. The rubber material coating has a very high deformability allowed by the particular "lightened" geometry of the coating itself in which the separation septa between successive cavities are elastic elements that allow a high deformability of the surface. Wheels of this type have conventionally the very outer diameter greater than the axial width and are used to support and move the advancing of paper material or the like in a configuration in which a plurality of the above said wheels with axial width much smaller than the width of the tape to be supported are arranged coaxially spaced apart by a certain entity.

Pressing roller for the processing of web paper material


In a device and method for dissipating heat, a heat fin unit includes a stack of fin plates, each of which has an inner periphery provided with an annular spacer. The annular spacers of the fin plates cooperatively form a heat transfer pipe that contains a heat transfer medium, and that has an upper portion closed by a cover, a lower portion mounted on a heat transfer member disposed on a heat-generating source, and an inner pipe surface having a capillary unit formed therein.

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 092100189, filed on Jan. 6, 2003.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device and method for dissipating heat, more particularly to a device and method for dissipating heat efficiently.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional heat-dissipating device 1 is shown to include a heat transfer pipe assembly 11 connected to a heat generating source (not shown), and a heat fin assembly 12 sleeved on the heat transfer pipe assembly 11. The heat transfer pipe assembly 11 includes a base plate 111 connected to the heat generating source, and a heat transfer pipe 112 connected to the base plate 111. The heat fin assembly 12 includes a stack of heat dissipating fin plates 121 sleeved on the heat transfer pipe 112. Each fin plate 121 has an inner periphery that defines a through hole, and includes an annular connecting seat 122 fitted on the heat transfer pipe 112 and extending downwardly from the periphery such that a clearance 13 is defined between each adjacent pair of the fin plates 121 to serve as an air passage. As the heat transfer pipe 112 is known in the art, it will not be described in detail herein for the sake of brevity.
In use, when the working temperature of the heat generating source (e.g., a central processing unit) rises, the heat produced thereby is conducted to the heat transfer pipe 112 of the heat transfer pipe assembly 11 and is dissipated to the ambient through the fin plates 121.
The aforesaid conventional heat-dissipating device 1 is disadvantageous in that the heat transfer pipe 112 and the fin plates 121 are separately formed and require time-consuming assembly work, which means increased costs. Given that the heat transfer pipe 112 and the fin plates 121 are separately formed, a relatively large heat transfer resistance will be encountered in use, which will lower the efficiency of heat transfer. It is especially noted that the fin plates 121 are without any guiding member to guide flow of air through the air passages 13 so as to dissipate residual heat around the fin plates 121. Thus, the heat dissipating effect is not very satisfactory.
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a heat-dissipating device that facilitates production, that can be produced at reduced costs, and that permits efficient heat dissipation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating the aforesaid heat-dissipating device.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a heat-dissipating device includes:
a heat transfer member adapted to be disposed on a heat generating source;
a heat fin unit including a stack of heat-dissipating fin plates, each of the fin plates being formed with a through hole and a periphery that defines the through hole and that is formed with an annular spacer, the annular spacer of an upper one of the fin plates being connected securely to the periphery of a lower one of the fin plates such that adjacent ones of the fin plates form a vertical clearance therebetween and such that the annular spacers of the fin plates cooperatively form a heat transfer pipe, the heat transfer pipe having an inner pipe surface, an upper portion, and a lower portion mounted securely on the heat transfer member;
a heat transfer medium contained in the heat transfer pipe;
a cover for closing the upper portion of the heat transfer pipe; and
a capillary unit formed in the inner pipe surface of the heat transfer pipe.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for fabricating a heat-dissipating device includes:
a) forming a heat transfer member which is adapted to be disposed on a heat generating source;
b) forming a heat fin unit that includes a stack of heat-dissipating fin plates, each of the fin plates being formed with a through hole and a periphery that defines the through hole and that is formed with an annular spacer, wherein the annular spacer of an upper one of the fin plates is connected to the periphery of a lower one of the fin plates such that adjacent ones of the fin plates form a vertical clearance therebetween and such that the annular spacers of the fin plates cooperatively form a heat transfer pipe, the heat transfer pipe having an inner pipe surface, an upper portion, and a lower portion;
c) forming a capillary unit in the inner pipe surface of the heat transfer pipe;
d) mounting the lower portion of the heat transfer pipe on the heat transfer member;
e) providing a heat transfer medium in the heat transfer pipe; and
f) sealing the upper portion of the heat transfer pipe.

Heat-dissipating device and method for fabricating the same


Enables integration of sensor data with other information on servers such as social media sites to detect, confirm and/or publish events. Sensors may measure values such as motion, temperature, humidity, wind, pressure, elevation, light, sound, or heart rate, etc. Sensor data and event tags may be utilized to curate text, images, video, sound and post the results to social networks, for example in a dedicated feed. Event tags generated by the system may represent for example activity types, players, performance levels, or scoring results. The system may analyze social media postings to confirm or augment event tags. Users may filter and analyze saved events based on the assigned tags. The system may create highlight and fail reels filtered by metrics and by tags. Recommendations may be provided to a user based on analysis of sensor data and other information; recommendations may include for example recommended friends, purchases, or activities.

Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments pertain to the field of event detection and tagging through use of sensors and media to detect events found in motion capture data, and/or media such as posts in a social media site and/or other sensors including but not limited to one or more of inertial, i.e., that detect orientation, position, velocity, acceleration, angular velocity, angular acceleration, or physical sensors, environmental sensors, chemical sensors and physiological sensors, i.e., electromagnetic field, temperature, humidity, wind, pressure, elevation, light, sound, heart rate, etc. Embodiments also enable motion capture data analysis and displaying information based on events recognized within the motion capture data or within motion analysis data associated with a user, or piece of equipment and/or based on previous motion analysis data from the user or other user(s) and/or piece of equipment. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, one or more embodiments enable a system that enables intelligent synchronization and transfer of curated event videos, i.e., generally concise event videos, synchronized with motion data from motion capture sensor(s) coupled with a user or piece of equipment. Greatly saves storage and increases upload speed by only saving or sending/obtaining or transferring relevant portions of media, e.g., uploading event videos instead of larger text, audio, image, video information with unwanted information. Creates highlight reels filtered by metrics and can sort by metric. Integrates with multiple sensors to save event data even if other sensors do not detect the event. Events may be correlated and/or otherwise synchronized with image(s) or video, as the events happen or at a later time based on location and/or time of the event or both, for example on a mobile device, which may include a camera, glasses with camera(s) and/or having a processor, mobile devices with camera(s), or on a remote server, and as captured from internal/external camera(s) or nanny cam, for example to enable saving video of the event, such as the first steps of a child, violent shaking events, sporting, military or other motion events including concussions, or falling events associated with an elderly person and for example discarding non-event related video data, to greatly reduce storage requirements for event videos. The system may automatically generate tags for events based on analysis of sensor data; tags may also be generated based on analysis of social media site postings describing the event. The system may use the combination of sensor data and media for example from social media sites to not only detect, confirm and publish events and curate media to provide concise versions of the events, but also determine whether an event is valid or invalid or represents fake news. One or more embodiments may be utilized to analyze multiple social media posts, or threads that are unknown across "friends" to determine events and/or provide emergency notifications, for example to flash all mobile device screens in case of a local emergency or terrorist attack, detected, confirmed and published by an embodiment of the invention.
Description of the Related Art
Existing systems do not utilize sensor data such as inertial data, i.e., motion capture data, including one or more of orientation, position, velocity, acceleration, angular velocity, angular acceleration, or other sensors such as physical, environmental, chemical and physiological sensors, i.e., electromagnetic field, temperature, humidity, wind, pressure, elevation, light, sound, heart rate, etc., to detect, confirm events, or public, i.e., post events, or differentiate similar types of motion events to determine the type of equipment or activity or quality of the event, such as how proficient a user is at a certain activity. Known systems do not curate or otherwise provide concise versions of text, images, (or 360 images), video, (or 360 video), sound or virtual reality for events and post the results to social networks using motion or other sensor data, for example in a dedicated feed. Known systems do not post or filter to social media sites for example using any other filter besides location and time and the text in the social media posts for example. There are no known systems that also use motion or other sensor data to define and event, eliminate false positive events, post true events, and/or correlate the events with social media to confirm the events, or post the events in a particular channel for example. Known systems do not use the combination of sensor data and media for example from social media sites to confirm events and do not curate media to provide concise versions of the events, and also do not determine whether an event is valid or invalid or represents fake news. Known systems do not analyze multiple social media posts, or threads that are unknown across "friends" to determine events, for example in combination with any sensor data and do not provide emergency notifications for example flash all screens, such as smart glasses screens or mobile device screens, etc., in case of a local emergency or terrorist attack.
Existing motion capture systems process and potentially store enormous amounts of data with respect to the actual events of interest. For example, known systems capture accelerometer data from sensors coupled to a user or piece of equipment and analyze or monitor movement. These systems do not intelligently confirm events using multiple disparate types of sensors or social media or other non-sensor based information, including postings to determine whether an event has actually occurred, or not, such as fake news, or what type of equipment or what type of activity has occurred. In these scenarios, thousands or millions of motion capture samples are associated with the user at rest or not moving in a manner that is related to a particular event that the existing systems are attempting to analyze. For example, if monitoring a football player, a large amount of motion data is not related to a concussion event, for a baby, a large amount of motion data is not related in general to a shaking event or non-motion event such as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), for a golfer, a large amount of motion data captured by a sensor mounted on the player's golf club is of low acceleration value, e.g., associated with the player standing or waiting for a play or otherwise not moving or accelerating in a manner of interest. Hence, capturing, transferring and storing non-event related data increases requirements for power, bandwidth and memory.
In addition, video capture of a user performing some type of motion may include even larger amounts of data, much of which has nothing to do with an actual event, such as a swing of a baseball bat or home run. There are no known systems that automatically curate or otherwise trim video, e.g., save event related video or even discard non-event related video, for example by uploading for example only the pertinent event video as determined by a sensor and/or motion capture sensor, without uploading the entire raw videos, to generate smaller media segments, i.e., text, audio, image or video segments that correspond to the events that occur in the media, e.g., video and for example as detected through analysis of the motion capture data.
Some systems that are related to monitoring impacts are focused on linear acceleration related impacts. These systems are unable to monitor rotational accelerations or velocities and are therefore unable to detect certain types of events that may produce concussions. In addition, many of these types of systems do not produce event related, connectionless messages for low power and longevity considerations. Hence, these systems are limited in their use based on their lack of robust characteristics.
Known systems also do not contemplate data mining of events within motion data to form a representation of a particular movement, for example a swing of an average player or average professional player level, or any player level based on a function of events recognized within previously stored motion data. Thus, it is difficult and time consuming and requires manual labor to find, trim and designate particular motion related events for use in virtual reality for example. Hence, current systems do not easily enable a particular user to play against a previously stored motion event of the same user or other user along with a historical player for example. Furthermore, known systems do not take into account cumulative impacts, and for example with respect to data mined information related to concussions, to determine if a series of impacts may lead to impaired brain function over time. No known systems integrate media and sensor data and determine, confirm and publish events, or curated events based on the combination of media and sensor data.
Other types of motion capture systems include video systems that are directed at analyzing and teaching body mechanics. These systems are based on video recording of an athlete and analysis of the recorded video of an athlete. This technique has various limitations including inaccurate and inconsistent subjective analysis based on video for example. Another technique includes motion analysis, for example using at least two cameras to capture three-dimensional points of movement associated with an athlete. Known implementations utilize a stationary multi-camera system that is not portable and thus cannot be utilized outside of the environment where the system is installed, for example during an athletic event such as a golf tournament, football game or to monitor a child or elderly person. In general video based systems do not also utilize digital motion capture data from sensors on the object undergoing motion since they are directed at obtaining and analyzing images having visual markers instead of electronic sensors. These fixed installations are extremely expensive as well. Such prior techniques are summarized in U.S. Pat. No. 7,264,554, filed 26 Jan. 2006, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/647,751 filed 26 Jan. 2005, the specifications of which are both hereby incorporated herein by reference. Both disclosures are to the same inventor of the subject matter of the instant application.
Regardless of the motion capture data obtained, the data is generally analyzed on a per user or per swing basis that does not contemplate processing on a mobile phone, so that a user would only buy a motion capture sensor and an "app" for a pre-existing mobile phone. In addition, existing solutions do not contemplate mobile use, analysis and messaging and/or comparison to or use of previously stored motion capture data from the user or other users or data mining of large data sets of motion capture data, for example to obtain or create motion capture data associated with a group of users, for example professional golfers, tennis players, baseball players or players of any other sport to provide events associated with a "professional level" average or exceptional virtual reality opponent. To summarize, motion capture data is generally used for immediate monitoring or sports performance feedback and generally has had limited and/or primitive use in other fields.
Known motion capture systems generally utilize several passive or active markers or several sensors. There are no known systems that utilize as little as one visual marker or sensor and an app that for example executes on a mobile device that a user already owns, to analyze and display motion capture data associated with a user and/or piece of equipment. The data is generally analyzed in a laboratory on a per user or per swing basis and is not used for any other purpose besides motion analysis or representation of motion of that particular user and is generally not subjected to data mining.
There are no known systems that allow for motion capture elements such as wireless sensors to seamlessly integrate or otherwise couple with a user or shoes, gloves, shirts, pants, belts, or other equipment, such as a baseball bat, tennis racquet, golf club, mouth piece for a boxer, football or soccer player, or protective mouthpiece utilized in any other contact sport for local analysis or later analysis in such a small format that the user is not aware that the sensors are located in or on these items. There are no known systems that provide seamless mounts, for example in the weight port of a golf club or at the end shaft near the handle so as to provide a wireless golf club, configured to capture motion data. Data derived from existing sensors is not saved in a database for a large number of events and is not used relative to anything but the performance at which the motion capture data was acquired.
In addition, for sports that utilize a piece of equipment and a ball, there are no known portable systems that allow the user to obtain immediate visual feedback regarding ball flight distance, swing speed, swing efficiency of the piece of equipment or how centered an impact of the ball is, i.e., where on the piece of equipment the collision of the ball has taken place. These systems do not allow for user's to play games with the motion capture data acquired from other users, or historical players, or from their own previous performances. Known systems do not allow for data mining motion capture data from a large number of swings to suggest or allow the searching for better or optimal equipment to match a user's motion capture data and do not enable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to make business decisions, e.g., improve their products, compare their products to other manufacturers, up-sell products or contact users that may purchase different or more profitable products.
In addition, there are no known systems that utilize motion capture data mining for equipment fitting and subsequent point-of-sale decision making for instantaneous purchasing of equipment that fits an athlete. Furthermore, no known systems allow for custom order fulfillment such as assemble-to-order (ATO) for custom order fulfillment of sporting equipment, for example equipment that is built to customer specifications based on motion capture data mining, and shipped to the customer to complete the point of sales process, for example during play or virtual reality play. Known systems do not publish any of this information on social media sites.
In addition, there are no known systems that use a mobile device and RFID tags for passive compliance and monitoring applications.
There are no known systems that enable data mining for a large number of users related to their motion or motion of associated equipment to find patterns in the data that allows for business strategies to be determined based on heretofore undiscovered patterns related to motion. There are no known systems that enable obtain payment from OEMs, medical professionals, gaming companies or other end users to allow data mining of motion data.
Known systems such as Lokshin, United States Patent Publication No. 20130346013, published 26 Dec. 2013 and 2013033054 published 12 Dec. 2013 for example do not contemplate uploading only the pertinent videos that occur during event, but rather upload large videos that are later synchronized. Both Lokshin references does not contemplate a motion capture sensor commanding a camera to alter camera parameters on-the-fly based on the event, to provide increased frame rate for slow motion for example during the event video capture, and do not contemplate changing playback parameters during a portion of a video corresponding to an event. The references also do not contemplate generation of highlight reels where multiple cameras may capture an event, for example from a different angle and do not contemplate automatic selection of the best video for a given event. In addition, the references do not contemplate a multi-sensor environment where other sensors may not observe or otherwise detect an event, while the sensor data is still valuable for obtaining metrics, and hence the references do not teach saving event data on other sensors after one sensor has identified an event.
Associating one or more tags with events is often useful for event analysis, filtering, and categorizing. Tags may for example indicate the players involved in an event, the type of action, and the result of an action (such as a score). Known systems rely on manual tagging of events by human operators who review event videos and event data. For example, there are existing systems for coaches to tag videos of sporting events or practices, for example to review a team's performance or for scouting reports. There are also systems for sports broadcasting that manually tag video events with players or actions. There are no known systems that analyze data from motion sensors, and media, e.g., video, radar, or other sensors to automatically select one or more tags for an event based on the data. An automatic event tagging system would provide a significant labor saving over the current manual tagging methods, and would provide valuable information for subsequent event retrieval and analysis. Known systems are unable to detect, confirm and publish events based on sensor data and media since they do not integrate the information obtained from these disparate sources.
For at least the limitations described above there is a need for an event detection, confirmation and publication system that integrates sensor data and social media.

Event detection, confirmation and publication system that integrates sensor data and social media


A textile substrate is made from two or more strands of yarn that are twisted together using a very low variable twist level. The amount of slight twist and variation in the twist are effective to give the finished carpet made from the textile substrate a uniform appearance in spite of any slight variations in one or more characteristics of the yarn. The textile substrate, by using such a low variable twist level, can avoid streaks in the carpet, for instance, caused by variations in yarn lots and the like.

The present invention relates to textile substrates having yarn or threads provided with variable twist in accordance with a desired pattern, and methods and apparatus for making such textile substrates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,642 to Haselwander relates to a process and system for forming a twisted yarn having multiple plies of yarn which eliminates the need for changing gears, cams, or other mechanical or manual devices and which permits large twist pattern variations in the product such that the length of the segments of a desired twist level may be varied along with the twist level. This yarn can be utilized for forming carpet or other textiles with unique and different patterns and aesthetics. The '642 patent accomplishes this system for forming a twisted yarn by using a motor controlled by a programmable controller which drives the respective motor at precise speeds for precise times to change the speed ratios in accordance with the pattern desired. As discussed in the '642 patent, the pattern achieved by this variable twist level is generally a pattern having a high variation of twist levels, ranging from 1.5 turns of twist per inch to 6.5 turns of twist per inch and the like. Thus, the carpet made by this process generally has twist levels in this entire range. When a textile substrate is formed using this high level of variable twists, as indicated in the '642 patent, different patterns can be achieved on the surface of the textile substrate. Thus, the purpose of the '642 patent is to cause variations in the twist levels such that different patterns are created and such that the variable twist levels can be easily programmed and varied.
As discussed in detail below, unlike the '642 patent, the present invention relates to using a very low variable twist level such that the overall pattern on the textile substrate is visually the same. By using a low variable twist level, as discussed in detail below, variations in the color from yarn lot to yarn lot, as well as other characteristics that may vary from manufacture runs, can be minimized, if not avoided, by using a low variable twist level such that these variations are not visually apparent to a person. Thus, the present invention uses a variable twist in essentially the opposite manner intended in the '642 patent.
In forming textile substrates, yarn is used wherein the yarn during manufacture runs is supplied from various yarn lots or spindles. The yarn generally is colored yarn and many times is colored by a dyeing process. The color of the yarn from lot to lot or spindle to spindle can, unfortunately, vary in color or other characteristics such that when a textile substrate is formed (in other words, the yarn is tufted into the primary backing), variations in the color of the yarn from spindle to spindle can be seen occasionally, and when this occurs, there is a clear demarcation between the spindle changes such that streaking occurs in the carpet substrate. Needless to say, when this occurs, a portion of the product is unusable and must be rejected and considered waste. This occurrence can lead to undesirable waste and costs to the carpet manufacturer. While efforts have been made to ensure that yarn lots are consistent, it is an imprecise science, and any slight color variation from spindle to spindle can, unfortunately, be seen by the observer using the carpet. When twisted yarn is used to make a carpet, this problem can be even more readily apparent. Accordingly, there is a desire in the industry to avoid streaking and to provide some type of process which can compensate for this color variation from yarn lot to yarn lot and other variations that may occur in the yarn from lot to lot.
In the art of twisting yarn and thread, hereinafter together referred to as yarn twisting, a pre-determined twist level and twist direction is selected and remains constant for a particular finished yarn. Twist level is defined as the turns of twist or wrap of the yarn or thread about each other for a given segment of length of the twisted yarn or thread. The twisting of yarn involves twisting at least one strand or ply of yarn together or about another such that there is a pre-determined number of turns of yarn twisted with or wrapped about another yarn. Various twisting techniques are utilized in the art to obtain a twisted multiple ply yarn product. For example, ring twisting wherein strands of yarn pass through a ring and are twisted as the ring rotates about a rotating bobbin on which the yarn is wound; two-for-one twisting wherein two bobbins of yarn are combined within a common can, and the yarns are passed through the center of a rotating yarn twister spindle and out a radial hole; and cabling wherein one or more yarn strands enter the bottom of a rotating twister spindle at the center and exit through a radial hole and enter an eyelet or ring to form a balloon which throws out about a supply bobbin of another yarn with which it is twisted; are three such methods for twisting yarn strands together or one or more yarns twisted about another yarn. In each method it is the general practice to maintain the twist level or number of turns per inch of the yarn constant. Machines that perform these methods include a common drive motor, and the ratio between the yarn speed and the final yarn package speed, which determines the twist level, is obtained by the use of change twist gears. Thus, the twist level of a particular yarn is constant and is monitored to remain constant. In order to change twist level, different change twist gears are utilized, but this can only be done for one twisted yarn at a time, i.e., a single yarn has only one twist level.
It has been found that if the twist level of a given yarn may be varied along its length, products made from such yarn, such as carpet, may have unusual aesthetic styling. In the prior art, an attempt to obtain twist variation along the length of the yarn was proposed in Lloyd (U.S. Pat. No. 2,933,881), which utilizes a variable speed device wherein the output speed is controlled by a control lever either moved by a cam or manually moved to change the speed of the yarn take-up spool to vary the twist of the yarn within the final package. It clearly is impracticable to vary the twist manually with such an apparatus since reproducible results would not be obtainable. If a cam is used to create the twist level variation, the variation is limited by the shape and size of the cam, and if another pattern of twisting levels is desired, the cam must be changed.
Yamada et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,192) involves single strand spun yarns wherein the fibers are spun, drafted and twisted. It was proposed to vary the twist and drafting of the strand while the spun yarn strand is being formed in yarn spinning equipment.
Furthermore, there is no known textile substrate, whether incorporated into carpet tiles or into rolls of carpet, wherein the amount of, and/or variation in, twist level of the yarns is provided to achieve a desired uniform appearance of the carpet in spite of possible variations in characteristics of the yarn provided from different supply spindles or caused by other reasons.

Textile substrate having low variable twist yarn