A three-dimensional image making apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an image input device configured to obtain image information of the object; an object distance processing device configured to obtain object distance information of the object; a printer configured to print an object image of the object and to form a relief configuration of the object; and an information-processing device configured to control the printer to print the object image based upon the image information and to form the relief configuration, superimposed on the object image, based upon the object distance information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional image making apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a three-dimensional image making apparatus for printing an object image and for forming a relief configuration of the object image on a printing material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatuses and methods for measuring and reproducing three-dimensional objects are well known. Examples of such apparatuses and methods include auto-focussing devices (AF device), three-coordinate measuring machines, holographic imaging devices, and stereo photography.
An AF device is able to measure an object distance automatically and enables a camera to focus on a film surface automatically. Generally, AF devices measure the object distance for a typical single point on a three-dimensional object. In the strict sense, AF devices do not reproduce three-dimensional images of objects. Although some AF device measure object distances for several points on an object, the fundamental idea of auto-focusing art is to measure the object distance for a single point on an object.
Three-coordinate measuring machines of contact measurement type can measure x, y and z coordinate positions at every point on an object. These machines typically use a contact-type micrometer. A three-coordinate measuring machine of contact measurement type traces the surface of an object with the contact-type micrometer and inputs x, y and z coordinate data into a computer. From the coordinate data, a three-dimensional image may be displayed on some sort of display device.
However, generally, tracing the surface of an object with a contact-type micrometer must be performed manually because objects can have various shapes and auto tracing of such objects is difficult. Furthermore, in order to measure a three-dimensional object precisely with a three-coordinate measuring machine, it is necessary to trace the entire object surface in detail.
A holographic imaging device can form a three-dimensional image of an object. Holographic imaging devices use a coherent light source of which luminous flux is divided into two steams of luminous flux. One stream of luminous flux is applied to the object to be imaged and is reflected from the object as object waves. The second stream of luminous flux is used as a reference light for holography. By interfering these two streams of luminous flux, interference fringes are generated. The interference fringes can be recorded as a hologram on a high-resolution photographic material such as a photographic plate.
The hologram recorded on the photographic plate functions as a kind of diffraction grating. When the reference light is applied to the hologram, object waves are reproduced, resulting in a three-dimensional object image as if the object actually exists within the hologram. Thus, the holographic imaging device can record three-dimensional information directly because the hologram itself includes three-dimensional data. However, it is another matter whether three-dimensional data in the hologram is usable or practical.
The above-mentioned conventional apparatuses for measuring three-dimensional objects are not without their problems. For example, AF devices and three-coordinate measuring machines process three-dimensional information with a computer and display three-dimensional images on a device such as a monitor display. A three-dimensional image displayed on a monitor display is expressed as a perspective drawing that is viewed from a specific direction or as a drawing depicted in contour lines of the object displayed. However, the perspective drawing or the drawing depicted in contour lines is not strictly a three-dimensional drawing, but instead is a two-dimensional drawing only similar to a three-dimensional image. The perspective drawing or the drawing depicted in contour lines does not recreate reality of a three-dimensional object. And, a second problem with using a monitor display to display the image is that monitor displays lack portability.
A holographic recording medium, such as a photographic plate, does have portability. However, holography also has some problems. For example, when a hologram is recorded onto a photographic plate, any object movement whatsoever, no matter how slight, will reduce the quality of the recorded image significantly. Furthermore, holography is not very practical because reproducing a holographic image is conditioned on the light source at the time of reproduction, and without a proper light source, reproduction will be poor. Also, a holographic image is the same size as the object that it was based upon. Moreover, reproducing an image in color causes difficulty in the manufacturing and reproduction of holograms.
Meanwhile, conventional stereo photography, which has been used since the days of the daguerreotype camera, is known as an art of re-creating the reality of a three-dimensional object. In the stereo photography, by using two cameras positioned laterally a predetermined distance apart, two pictures of the same object are taken. A three-dimensional, stereo image of the object can be formed by viewing the two pictures in a manner that observer""s right and left eye observe corresponding right and left picture. Stereo photography is an excellent method of making and viewing three-dimensional images because people can perceive real three-dimensional configuration by using the stereoscopic vision that a human being possesses naturally.
Furthermore, the two pictures necessary to produce a stereo photography can be easily generated with a computer based upon object image data, such as object distance and three-coordinate data obtained by a three-coordinate measuring machine or by an AF device. Stereo photography is not without its problems either.
For instance, viewing two pictures to form a stereo image requires considerable skill and concentration because each eye must concentrate on each picture independently. Also, it takes a considerable amount of time to form a three-dimensional image in observer""s brain. And, eye positioning for viewing the two pictures must be accurate or a stereo image cannot be formed.
Another major problem with stereo photography is that only one person can view a stereo image at a time, and a group of people cannot share in the viewing of a photograph at the same time, like is possible with conventional photography.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned problems of conventional three-dimensional image making apparatuses.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a three-dimensional image making apparatus that can easily form a three-dimensional image with reality on a recording medium and can form a three-dimensional image that a plurality of persons can view at the same time.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable and easily manufacturable recording medium on which three-dimensional image can be easily formed.
Objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in accordance with embodiments of the present invention with a three-dimensional image making apparatus, including: an image input device configured to obtain image information of the object; an object distance processing device to obtain object distance information and an object distance of the object; a printer configured to print an object image of the object and to form a relief configuration of the object; and an information-processing device configured to control the printer to print the object image based upon the image information and to form the relief configuration, superimposed on the object image, based upon the object distance information.
In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the information processing device may compress the object distance information so that compression rate of the object distance information is increased as the object distance increases, and controls the printer to form the relief configuration based upon the compressed object distance information.
In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the object distance processing device may obtain object distance information relating to object distance at each pixel of the image, and the information processing device may process the object distance information at each pixel so that the relief configuration is emphasized according to spatial frequency at the pixel, and control the printer to form the relief configuration based upon the processed object distance information.
In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the information processing device may process the object distance information at each pixel so that the relief configuration is emphasized according to a spatial frequency at the pixel, and controls the printer to form the relief configuration based upon the processed object distance information.
Objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in accordance with embodiments of the present invention with a printing material, including: a substrate layer; a blister ink layer being blistered by applying light or heat, the blister ink layer forming the relief configuration according to applied quantity of light or heat; and a printing layer on which the image is printed, wherein the substrate layer, the blister ink layer and the printing layer are piled up in turn.
Objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in accordance with embodiments of the present invention with a printing material, including: a substrate layer; a blister ink layer, which has been already blistered, being shrunk by applying light or heat, the blister ink layer forming relief configuration according to applied quantity of light or heat; and a printing layer on which the image is printed, wherein the substrate layer, the blistered ink layer and the printing layer are piled up in turn.
In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the printer includes a device to print the image, on said printing layer, and a device to form the relief configuration by blistering or shrinking the blistered ink layer through applying light or heat, and the information-processing device, controls the printer to superimpose the relief configuration on the object image, based upon the object distance information obtained by the object distance processing device.
In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the printer includes a printing device for printing an image and a relief-forming device for forming relief configuration, independently.

Three-dimensional image making apparatus for forming a relief configuration of an object


A method is provided for operating an internal combustion engine that includes, but is not limited to ascertaining a possible instant of a stoppage of the internal combustion engine and injecting fuel to fill a cylinder of the internal combustion engine. The injection performed shortly before the instant of the stoppage of the internal combustion engine.

Motor vehicles having an automated start/stop mechanism, a deactivation of the internal combustion engine and an activation of the internal combustion engine, which follows in a short time, can occur. For this purpose, the fuel supply of the internal combustion engine is interrupted, so that the internal combustion engine comes to a stop. To start the internal combustion engine, a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine is set into motion with the aid of an electrical drive unit, in order to suction an ignitable fuel/air mixture into cylinders of the internal combustion engine and start it. However, there is a need to improve the starting comfort of internal combustion engines.
It is at least one object of an embodiment to disclose measures with the aid of which good starting comfort of an internal combustion engine is made possible. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.

Method for operating an internal combustion engine, control unit, computer program product, computer program, and signal sequence


A developing device for an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a developing roller made up of a sleeve and a magnet roller and a doctor facing the surface of the sleeve. The edge of the doctor faces the sleeve at a particular position selected to stabilize the amount of a developer to be scooped up, protect the developer from deterioration, and allow an adequate amount of charge to deposit on the developer by friction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing device for developing a latent image formed on an image carrier with a developer and a printer, facsimile apparatus, copier or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
One of conventional developing devices for use in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses is configured to cause a developer, which is a toner and magnetic grain mixture, to magnetically deposit on a developer carrier in the form of a magnet brush. The magnet brush is brought into contact with a latent image formed on an image carrier in movement, thereby developing the latent image with toner. This type of developing device is taught in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 5-40406, 7-72739, 8-137255, 10-20664, 10-232561, 11-38761, and 11-338259.
In the developing device of the type described, the developer carrier is made up of a sleeve and a magnet roller fixed in place inside the sleeve. The magnet roller is provided with a magnetic pole for exerting a magnetic force in the directions normal to and tangential to the sleeve, so that the developer is retained on and conveyed by the sleeve. A doctor or metering member faces the surface of the sleeve in order to regulate the amount of the developer deposited on the sleeve. The normal magnetic force mainly serves to retain the developer at the position of the magnetic pole while the tangential magnetic force mainly serves to convey the developer along the surface of the sleeve. A developer staying portion is formed upstream of the doctor in the direction of developer conveyance for promoting the frictional charging of the developer, so that the developer can rise on the sleeve in the form of a magnet brush or brush chains.
While various schemes have heretofore been proposed for implementing dot reproducibility high enough to insure high image quality, it is well known that reducing the grain size of the magnetic grain of the developer, among others, is effective.
To achieve high image quality. With an image forming apparatus using the developing device of the type described, it is necessary to stabilize the amount of the developer scooped up, to protect the developer from deterioration, and to make the amount of charge to deposit on the developer adequate. The amount of the developer scooped up refers to an amount in which the developer passes a gap between the sleeve and the doctor. The magnetic force distribution of the magnet roller, as measured on the surface of the sleeve facing the doctor, contributes a great deal to achievement of the above objects.
More specifically, if the tangential magnetic force on the sleeve surface facing the doctor is excessively small, then the conveying ability of the sleeve is noticeably effected by the wear of the sleeve surface and that of the developer surface, causing the amount of the developer scooped up to noticeably vary. Also, the normal magnetic force on the sleeve surface is excessively greater than the tangential magnetic force on the sleeve surface, increasing the amount of the developer to be retained on the sleeve. As a result, excessive friction acts between the grains of the developer and deteriorates the developer (so-called toner spent), preventing image quality from being enhanced despite the use of magnetic grains of small grain size.
On the other hand, if the tangential magnetic force of the magnetic pole facing the doctor is greater than the normal magnetic force of the same pole, then the tangential magnetic force improves the conveying ability of the sleeve for thereby reducing the variation of the amount of the developer scooped up ascribable to the surface configurations stated above. It has been proposed to cause the doctor to face the portion of the sleeve surface where the normal tangential force is smallest in order to enhance the conveying ability. This kind of scheme, however, reduces the amount of the developer to be retained on the sleeve and therefore friction to act between the developer grains, causing the background of an image to be contaminated and degrading the ability to follow a solid image. Particularly, a developing device for a color image forming apparatus tends to consume much toner because color images include more solid images than conventional monochromatic images. It is therefore difficult to deposit a desired amount of charge on a great amount of toner. A short amount of charge on toner is apt to bring about background contamination, fog and other image defects.
A magnetic member may be positioned on the metering member of the magnet brush type developing device, as also proposed in the past. The magnetic member causes the magnetic grains to chain in a doctor gap between it and the sleeve surface in the form of a curtain by exerting a restraining force, so that the toner grains passing through the curtain are additionally charged on contacting the magnetic grains. However, if the restraining force of the magnetic member is excessively great, then excessive stress acts on the magnetic grains and sleeve and is apt to cause their surfaces to wear. Consequently, frictional resistance on the surface of the sleeve and the surfaces of the magnetic grains is reduced and causes the magnetic grains and sleeve to slip on each other, thereby critically lowering the conveying ability of the sleeve and the amount of the developer scooped up. The resulting images suffer from granularity or halftone irregularity. On the other hand, if the restraining force of the magnetic member is short, then the magnetic grains fail to form the curtain and cannot promote the charging of the toner grains at all.
Technologies relating to the present invention are also disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 62-138860, 5-6103, and 10-39620.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a developing device capable of stabilizing the amount of a developer to be scooped up, protecting the developer from deterioration and making the frictional charge of the developer adequate to thereby insure stable, high image quality, and an image forming apparatus using the same.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a developing device capable of making the magnetic restraining force of a magnetic member positioned on a metering member adequate, and an image forming apparatus using the same.
A developing device of the present invention includes a developer carrier for conveying a developer, which consists of toner and magnetic grains, deposited thereon to a developing position where the developer carrier faces an image carrier. A magnetic field forming member is fixed in place inside the developer carrier for exerting a normal magnetic force and a tangential magnetic force. A metering member faces the surface of the developer carrier with the intermediary of a gap for regulating the amount of the developer being conveyed by the developer carrier toward the developing position. Assume a normal flux density distribution range corresponding to, among normal flux densities Bmy of normal magnetic forces that can be measured on the surface of the developer carrier, a single maximum flux density max (Bmy). Then, the metering member is positioned such that its edge faces, within the above normal flux density distribution range, a portion of the developer carrier satisfying the following conditions (1) through (3):
(1) the normal flux density Bmy is at least one-half of the normal maximum flux density max (Bmy);
(2) the tangential flux density distribution range flux density Bmx, which can be measured on the surface of the developer carrier, located downstream of a portion of the developer carrier where the tangential flux density [[Bmy]] Bmx is maximum in the direction of developer conveyance; and
(3) the normal flux density distribution Bmy is equal to or higher than the tangential flux density Bmx.

Developing device and image forming apparatus using the same


A synchronous flash memory includes an array of non-volatile memory cells. The memory array is arranged in rows and columns, and can be further arranged in addressable blocks. Data communication connections are used for bi-directional data communication with an external device, such as a processor or other memory controller. A data buffer can be coupled to the data communication connections to manage the bi-directional data communication. This buffer can be a pipelined input/output buffer circuit. Finally, a write latch is coupled between the data buffer and the memory array to latch data provided on the data communication connections. One method of operating a synchronous memory device comprises receiving write data on data connections, latching the write data in a write latch, and releasing the data connections after the write data is latched. A read operation can be performed on the synchronous memory device while the write data is transferred from the write latch to memory cells. Further, the memory device does not require any clock latency during a write operation.

The present invention relates generally to non-volatile memory devices and in particular the present invention relates to a synchronous non-volatile flash memory.
Memory devices are typically provided as internal storage areas in the computer The term memory identifies data storage that comes in the form of integrated circuit chips. There are several different types of memory. One type is RAM (random-access memory). This is typically used as main memory in a computer environment. RAM refers to read and write memory; that is, you can both write data into RAM and read data from RAM. This is in contrast to ROM, which permits you only to read data. Most RAM is volatile, which means that it requires a steady flow of electricity to maintain its contents. As soon as the power is turned off, whatever data was in RAM is lost
Computers almost always contain a small amount of read-only memory (ROM) that holds instructions for starting up the computer. Unlike RAM, ROM cannot be written to. An EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory) is a special type non-volatile ROM that can be erased by exposing it to an electrical charge. Like other types of ROM, EEPROM is traditionally not as fast as RAM. EEPROM comprise a large number of memory cells having electrically isolated gates (floating gates). Data is stored in the memory cells in the form of charge on the floating gates. Charge is transported to or removed from the floating gates by programing and erase operations, respectively.
Yet another type of non-volatile memory is a Flash memory. A Flash memory is a type of EEPROM that can be erased and reprogrammed in blocks instead of one byte at a time. Many modern personal computers (PCS) have their basic input/output system (BIOS) stored on a flash memory chip so that it can easily be updated if necessary. Such a BIOS is sometimes called a flash BIOS. Flash memory is also popular in modems because it enables the modem manufacturer to support new protocols as they become standardized.
A typical Flash memory comprises a memory array that includes a large number of memory cells arranged in row and column fashion. Each of the memory cells includes a floating gate field-effect transistor capable of holding a charge. The cells are usually grouped into blocks. Each of the cells within a block can be electrically programmed in a random basis by charging the floating gate. The charge can be removed from the floating gate by a block erase operation. The data in a cell is determined by the presence or absence of the charge in the floating gate.
A synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) is a type of DRAM that can run at much higher clock speeds than conventional DRAM memory. SDRAM synchronizes itself with a CPU""s bus and is capable of running at 100 MHZ, about three times faster than conventional PPM (Fast Page Mode) RAM, and about twice as fast EDO (Extended Data Output) DRAM and BEDO (Burst Extended Data Output) DRAM. SDRAM""s can be accessed quickly, but are volatile. Many computer systems are designed to operate using SDRAM, but would benefit from non-volatile memory.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a non-volatile memory device that can operate in a manner similar to SDRAM operation
The above-mentioned problems with memory devices and other problems are addressed by the present invention and will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.
In one embodiment, a method of writing to a synchronous non-volatile memory device is provided. The method comprises receiving write data on a first clock cycle and executing a data write operation, and executing a data read operation on a next clock cycle immediately following the first clock cycle.
Another method of operating a synchronous memory device comprises receiving write data on data connections, latching the write data in a write latch, releasing the data connections after the write data is latched, and performing a read operation on the synchronous memory device while the write data is transferred from the write latch to memory cells.
In yet another embodiment, a method of operating a synchronous memory device comprises receiving a read command and corresponding column address on a first clock cycle to request output data from a memory array of the synchronous memory. The output data is provided on an external data connection a predefined number of clock cycles following the first clock cycle. The method includes receiving a first command of a write command sequence on a second clock cycle immediately following the first clock cycle to initiate a write operation to the memory array such that the write command is provided in coincidence with or prior to providing the output data on the external data connection.
A synchronous memory device is provided in one embodiment and comprises a memory array arranged in rows and columns, data communication connections for bi-directional data communication with an external device, and a data buffer coupled to the data communication connections to manage the bi-directional data communication. A write latch is coupled between the data buffer and the memory array to latch data provided on the data communication connections.

Zero latency-zero bus turnaround synchronous flash memory


A process to produce 1-octene and 1-decene includes (a) separating a composition containing an oligomer product—which contains from 15 to 80 mol % C6 olefins, from 20 to 80 mol % C8 olefins, and from 5 to 20 mol % C10+ olefins—into a first oligomer composition containing C6 alkanes and at least 85 mol % C6 olefins (e.g., 1-hexene), a second oligomer composition containing at least 85 mol % C8 olefins (e.g., 1-octene), and a heavies stream containing C10+ olefins, then (b) contacting a metathesis catalyst system with the first oligomer composition to form a first composition comprising C10 linear internal olefins, (c) contacting the C10 linear internal olefins with an isomerization hydrofunctionalization catalyst system to form a second composition containing a functionalized alkane, (d) retro-hydrofunctionalizing the functionalized alkane to form a third composition containing 1-decene, and (e) purifying the third composition to isolate a fourth composition containing at least 90 mol % 1-decene. Processes to produce 1-hexene and 1-decene also are described, as well as related manufacturing systems.

The synthesis of specific carbon number normal alpha olefins—in particular, 1-hexene, 1-octene, and 1-decene—are of significant importance in the chemical industry. However, with current catalysts and reaction processes, it is difficult to selectively produce only the desired carbon number alpha olefin fraction, rather than a complex mixture of olefin products. It would be beneficial to develop new ways to produce desirable combinations of specific C6-C10 alpha olefins. Accordingly, it is to these ends that the present invention is generally directed.

Selective 1-hexene/1-octene production with 1-decene


The present invention is to provide an apparatus for crimping a terminal to an electrical wire, which have respective part numbers, and allows miniaturization of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a base, a drive portion, a plurality of applicators, a plurality of connection/disconnection portions and a control device. The drive portion drives the associated applicator to crimp the terminal to the electrical wire. The connection/disconnection portions each are disposed in one-to-one relation ship against the respective applicators. The each connection/disconnection portion is positionable at a connection and a disconnection position, where a driving force is transmitted to or released from the associated applicator. The control device controls the associated connection/disconnection portion so that the applicator corresponding to the part numbers of the electrical wire and the terminal can achieve crimping with the driving force from the drive portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for crimping an electrical terminal to an electrical wire, and relates to a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of terminal crimping apparatuses are disclosed (for example, JP,S62-116481,A and JP,H01-313870). The terminal crimping apparatus includes an applicator having an anvil, a crimper and a drive portion. The drive portion effects relative movement of the anvil and the crimper to crimp the terminal to the electrical wire.
A motor vehicle utilizes a variety of the terminals and the electrical wires with various part numbers. The different part numbers of the electrical wire and the terminal require the different anvils and crimpers, and spacings therebetween. The conventional terminal crimping apparatuses referred above include a plurality of applicators for allowing crimping of the different part numbers of the electrical wires and terminals.
The applicators of the conventional apparatuses each include its own drive portion, so that the terminal crimping apparatuses tend to be enlarged.
The applicant of the present invention discloses a terminal crimping apparatus including a plurality of applicators each having a plurality of anvils and crimpers (JP,H10-247577,A). The desired anvils and crimpers are selected from the anvils and crimpers disposed on the apparatus.
The applicator of the crimping apparatus includes the plurality of the anvils and crimpers, so that the applicator tends to be enlarged. The terminal crimping apparatus actuates also the anvils and the crimpers which do not crimp the terminals to the electrical wires. The terminal crimping apparatus actuates all anvils and crimpers when one set of the anvil and crimper is operated.
This configuration increases size of the drive portion and also size of the terminal crimping apparatus.


A vacuum-insulated, double-walled metal structure comprises inner and outer shells made of a metal and seamed together to form a double-walled structure with a space between them, the space being exhausted of air. At least one of the inner and outer shells is provided with at least one activated foil of a metal selected from the group consisting of copper, titanium and zirconium. The inner shell may be wound with an activated titanium or zirconium foil, and covered by another metal foil selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, titanium and zirconium, except for a part of its bottom. The metal foil wound on the metal structure is activated by preliminarily exhausting air from the space so that a pressure therein becomes reduced to a low vacuum of the order of 10.sup.-2 Torr, and then heating the double-walled structure at not less than about 400.degree. C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vacuum-insulated, double-walled metal- structure, such as, for example, vacuum bottles, nonfreezing pipes for example, and a method for its production.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A vacuum-insulated, double-walled metal structure, for example, a vacuum bottle, generally comprises inner and outer metal shells seamed together at their opening ends, a space formed between the inner and outer shells being exhausted of air. In order to increase the thermal insulating properties of the vacuum bottle, it is common practice to coat the surfaces of the inner and outer shells defining the vacuum space with a reflective layer which prevents any radiation from the inside of the bottle to the outside, and vice versa. Such a reflective layer is generally made of a metal such as silver, nickel or copper, deposited on the surfaces of the inner and outer shells defining the vacuum space by electroplating or electroless plating. However, the plating is time-consuming, resulting in increase in a production cost of the vacuum bottle.
To solve such a problem, it has been proposed to cover the outer surface of the inner shell with an aluminum or copper foil which serves as a reflective layer, in laid open Japanese patent No. 61-31111. The use of aluminum or copper foil makes it possible to reduce the time required for the formation of the reflective layer on the inner shell, but it also has the following disadvantages as well as those of the prior art.
In producing a vacuum bottle, it is necessary to heat the double-walled bottle during exhausting air from the space between the inner and outer shells to remove absorbed gases from the surfaces of inner and outer shells as well as to clean the surfaces of the inner and outer shells defining the vacuum space. However, if the heat treatment is carried out under the presence of air, the aluminum or copper foil is oxidized as well as the plating, resulting in considerable decrease in the reflective properties.
In order to prevent the reflective layer from oxidizing, the heat or degassing treatment has been generally performed after exhausting air from the space between the inner and outer shells so that the pressure in the space is reduced to a high vacuum of not less than 1.times.10.sup.-3 Torr. However, the temperature rise of the inner shell is considerably decreased since the thermal transfer due to convection scarcely occur under such a high vacuum. Thus, the heat treatment takes a lot of time. In addition, it is difficult to remove the absorbed gases from the outer surface of the inner shell sufficiently. If the gases adhered to or absorbed in the surfaces of inner and outer shells are not removed sufficiently therefrom during exhaustion, they would gradually leave the surfaces of the inner and outer shells afterward, reducing considerably the vacuum in the space, and so decreasing the thermal insulating properties of the vacuum bottle.
In order to prevent the vacuum bottle from lowering of the thermal insulating properties, there have widely been used getters which absorb gases released from the surfaces of the inner and outer shells. However, such a getter is generally of a pellet or disk form, so that it is required to use a fixture or a suitable means for fixing it to the inner or outer shell. Thus, the use of such a fixture is troublesome and causes increase in the production cost of the vacuum bottle.

Vacuum-insulated, double-walled metal structure and method for its production


A method is disclosed for carrying out microwave assisted chemical reactions. The method includes the steps of placing reactants in a microwave-transparent vessel, placing the vessel and its contents into a microwave cavity, applying microwave radiation within the cavity and to the vessel and its contents while concurrently externally cooling the vessel conductively.

The present invention relates generally to the field of microwave-assisted chemistry techniques, and in particular relates to more sophisticated techniques such as chemical synthesis carried out on relatively small volumes of reactants.
Microwave-assisted chemistry techniques are generally well established in the academic and commercial arenas. Microwaves have some significant advantages in heating certain substances. In particular, when microwaves interact with substances with which they can couple, most typically polar molecules or ionic species, the microwaves can immediately create a large amount of kinetic energy in such species which provides sufficient energy to initiate or accelerate various chemical reactions. Microwaves also have an advantage over conduction heating in that the surroundings do not need to be heated because the microwaves can react instantaneously with the desired species.
The term xe2x80x9cmicrowavesxe2x80x9d refers to that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between about 300 and 300,000 megahertz (MHz) with wavelengths of between about one millimeter (1 mm) and one meter (1 m). These are, of course, arbitrary boundaries, but help quantify microwaves as falling below the frequencies of infrared radiation but above those referred to as radio frequencies. Similarly, given the well-established inverse relationship between frequency and wavelength, microwaves have longer wavelengths:than infrared radiation, but shorter than radio frequency wavelengths.
Because of their wavelength and energy, microwaves have been historically most useful in driving reactions in relatively large sample amounts. Stated differently, the wavelengths of most microwaves tend to create multi-mode situations in cavities in which the microwaves are being applied. In a number of types of chemical reactions, this offers little or no disadvantage, and microwave techniques are commercially well established for reactions such as digestion or loss-on-drying moisture content analysis.
Microwaves, however, have been less successfully applied to small samples of materials. Although some chemistry techniques have the obvious goal of scaling up a chemical reaction, in many laboratory and research techniques, it is often necessary or advantageous to carry out chemical reactions on small samples. For example, the availability of some compounds, may be limited to small samples. In other cases, the cost of reactants may discourage large sample sizes. Other techniques, such as combinatorial chemistry, use large numbers of small samples to rapidly gather a significant amount of information, and then tailor the results to provide the desired answers, such as preferred candidates for pharmaceutical compounds or their useful precursors.
Microwave devices with larger, multimode cavities that are suitable for other types of microwave-assisted techniques (e.g. drying, digestion, etc.) are generally less-suitable for smaller organic samples because the power density in the cavity is relatively low and non-uniform in its pattern.
Accordingly, the need for more focused approaches to microwave-assisted chemistry has led to improvements of devices for this purpose. For example, in the copending and commonly assigned (CEM Corporation, 3100 Smith Farm Road, Matthews, N.C. 28106) U.S. applications referred to above, and the commercially available devices sold under the assignee""s DISCOVER(trademark) trademark, the assignee of the present invention has provided a single mode focused microwave device that is suitable for small samples and for sophisticated reactions such as chemical synthesis. Single mode devices are also available from Personal Chemistry Inc., Boston, Mass., under the EMRYS(trademark) trademark.
The very success of such single mode devices has, however, created associated problems. In particular, the improvement in power density provided by single-mode devices can cause significant heating in small samples, including undesired over-heating in some circumstances.
Accordingly, some potential advantages remain to be accomplished. For example, in chemical synthesis the temperature at which a particular reaction is initiated, run or maintained can be critical to the reaction""s success. At various temperatures, products or reactants can degrade undesirably or competing reactions can form compounds other than those desired or intended. Because single mode instruments can be so efficient in heating certain materials, this efficiency can occasionally result in overheating of synthesis reactants and thus negate the advantage provided by the single mode instruments. Stated differently, the application of microwaves controls the efficiency of the reaction rather than the bulk temperature of the reactants (and potentially the solvent, if used). Thus, greater efficiency is gained when a greater amount of microwave energy can be applied without producing an undesired increase in the bulk temperature of the materials being irradiated. Thus, although bulk temperature is a factor to be controlled, it represents a by-product of the successful use of microwaves rather than a requirement.
Furthermore, most microwave temperature control is often accomplished using the duty cycle (the ratio of the duration (time) that a signal is on to the total period of the signal) of the microwave device; i.e., turning the applied power off and on again on a repeated basis. Thus, in many cases, when a microwave device is set to run at xe2x80x9c50% powerxe2x80x9d, the applied power (usually expressed in watts, W) remains the same, and the ratio of the duty cycle is reduced; i.e., the xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d portion of the cycle is decreased and the xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d portion is increased. Although such macro control is suitable for larger samples or less sensitive chemical procedures such as digestion and moisture analysis, it can be quite unsatisfactory for carrying out sophisticated chemical reactions or for using the small samples that are typical for laboratory-scale organic synthesis techniques.
The duty cycle technique for moderating power, and thus secondarily temperature, also has the disadvantage of being somewhat inefficient. Stated differently, when the duty cycle is moderated, molecules are being intermittently, rather than continuously, excited by microwave radiation. Thus, instead of being maintained at a particular energy level or exposed to a continuous power level, the molecules are continually cycling between a microwave-excited and a normal or ground state. As a result, the advantages of using microwaves to apply energy to molecules for the purpose of initiating or accelerating sophisticated reactions can be compromised.
An extended discussion of the nature and situational disadvantages of the duty cycle in microwave assisted chemistry is set forth in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,288,379, the contents of which are incorporated entirely herein by reference. In particular, a useful background discussion is set forth at column 1 line 66 through column 2 line 52.
Thus, although the duty cycle technique has it disadvantages and inefficiencies, it has historically been the only method available to prevent reactions of any type, and particularly sophisticated organic synthesis reactions, from proceeding above a desired temperature.
Accordingly, the needs exists for a microwave technique that can apply greater amounts of microwave energy without generating the high bulk temperatures that can be undesirable or even fatal to certain reactions and without sacrificing the advantages of the interaction of the microwaves with the reactants.
Therefore, it is ,an object of the invention to provide a microwave technique that can remain sensitive enough to control the temperature of sophisticated organic synthesis reactions, but without sacrificing the advantages of the interaction of the microwaves with the reactants as often as possible.
The invention meets this object with a method of carrying out microwave assisted chemical reactions in which the method comprises placing reactants in a microwave-transparent vessel, placing the vessel and its contents into a microwave cavity; and applying a continuous single mode of microwave radiation within the cavity and to the vessel and its contents while concurrently externally cooling the vessel.
In another aspect, the invention is a method of carrying out microwave assisted chemical reactions, comprising placing reactants in a microwave-transparent pressure resistant vessel and sealing the vessel, placing the sealed vessel and its contents into a microwave cavity, applying microwave radiation continuously within the cavity and to the vessel and its contents while monitoring the temperature of the vessel or its contents, and while concurrently externally cooling the sealed vessel and its contents.
In yet another aspect, the invention is a method of carrying out microwave assisted chemical reactions comprising placing reactants in a microwave-transparent vessel, placing the vessel and its contents into a microwave cavity, monitoring the temperature of the vessel or its contents, applying a continuous single mode of microwave radiation within the cavity and to the vessel and its contents until the temperature reaches a desired setpoint, and concurrently externally cooling the vessel and its contents while applying the continuous microwave radiation to maintain the temperature substantially at the setpoint.
In a further aspect, the invention is a method of carrying out chemical reactions at specific temperatures comprising applying energy to reactants in a vessel using a source other than conduction heating of the vessel or the reactants, while concurrently cooling the vessel by conduction by contacting the exterior of the vessel with a fluid.
In another aspect, the invention is a method of carrying out chemical reactions comprising applying energy to reactants in a vessel in an instrument that uses a source other than conduction heating of the vessel or the reactants to heat the reactants, concurrently cooling the vessel in the instrument by providing a flow of conduction fluid against the vessel in the instrument, concurrently monitoring the temperature of the vessel or its contents in the instrument, and adjusting the heating source to maintain the desired temperature at the cooling capacity that the instrument can provide to the, vessel.
In yet another aspect, the invention is an instrument for carrying out microwave assisted chemical reactions. In this aspect, the invention includes a microwave cavity, a microwave-transparent vessel in the cavity, a detector for monitoring the temperature of the vessel or its contents in the cavity, means for applying a continuous single mode of microwave radiation within the cavity and to the vessel and its contents until the temperature reaches a desired setpoint as measured by the detector, means for concurrently externally cooling the vessel and its contents while applying the continuous microwave radiation, and means for maintaining the temperature substantially at the setpoint while applying the microwave radiation.

Reaction and temperature control for high power microwave-assisted chemistry techniques


A support for positioning a marking pole relative to a driving surface and a method of using the same is disclosed. The support includes a shaft member extending between a first end and a second end and an intermediate portion between the first end and the second end. A first anchor extends from the second end of the shaft member. A second anchor extends from an area of the shaft member between first end and the second end of the shaft member. The shaft member defines a cantilevered section between the first end and the intersection of anchor. A receiver is at the first end of the shaft and configured to receive a marking pole.

Markers or marking poles are commonly used to identify a periphery or edge of a driving surface so that the edge of the surface is visible to an operator of a vehicle using the driving surface. The driving surface may include, for example, a public road, a private road, or a driveway. Markers are useful, for example, during the winter season when precipitation in the form of snow, ice, and or sleet and accumulates on the ground thereby obscuring the edge of the driving surface. In these conditions, it is easy for an operator to drive off the driving surface. Pole markers are also useful for identifying the edge of the driving surface at night. Pole markers are also useful for identifying the transition between a driving surface and a non-driving surface in hard to see conditions. For example, when leaves or other debris cover the surface.
Snow and other precipitation is commonly removed from a driving surface by a plow fixed on the front of a heavy vehicle such as a truck or a tractor. A blade of the plow is placed on or proximate to the driving surface. The plow is moved forward along the driving surface thereby removing snow accumulated on the driving surface.
A disadvantage of using a plow to remove snow is that the plow will damage or remove curbs and other features at on the edge of the driving surface, such as Belgian block or formed asphalt curbs. Typically, these features are covered by the snow and are not visible to the operator of the plow.
A disadvantage of known markers, however, is that they are positioned by inserting one end of the marking pole into the ground adjacent to the asphalt surface. In the case of the curb, Belgian block or the like, the marker can only be positioned outside the rigid edge material and is thus offset from the true edge of the driving surface. As a result, a plow operator relying on the markers positioned outside of the curb may inadvertently plow into the curb resulting in costly damage.
What is needed therefore is a device and method to securely fix the marker so as to more accurately identify the edge of a driving surface for a pedestrian or vehicle operator.


An animal model of coronary heart disease has been developed where myocardial infarct can be induced by altering the animal's diet. In all embodiments, this animal model is a result of reduced activity of scavenger receptor class BI (SR-BI) and apolipoprotein E (ApoE). In a preferred embodiment, the model is a result of crossbreeding two transgenic mouse lines: a knockout of SR-BI (SR-BI−/−) and an impaired ApoE expressor (hypoE). The impaired ApoE gene results in only 2-5% expression of ApoE and a reduction in cholesterol homeostasis. Resulting animals are predisposed to hypercholesterolemia but can live longer than a year on a normal low fat diet. Serum plasma levels can be significantly elevated by changing the animal's diet to one containing high levels of fat and cholesterol. Within a month on a high fat, high cholesterol diet, animals develop atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction occurs. Survival depends on the nature of the diet and the conditions of animal husbandry and can typically be around 20-30 days after administration of the modified diet depending on the specific conditions. Housing the animals alone or in groups significantly affects survival of these animals on a high fat diet. Analysis of B- and T-cell deficient SR-BI/ApoE/RAG2 triple knockout mice established that B- and T-lymphocytes do not play a key role in the pathophysiology of the SR-BI ApoE dKO model of human disease. These animal models can be used to study mechanisms and progression of CHD as a function of diet, treatment with drugs to be screened for efficacy or undesirable side effects, and social environmental effects.

This invention is generally in the area of a transgenic animal model that can be induced to have heart attacks for studying coronary heart disease and assaying novel treatments for coronary heart disease.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common form of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. About 12.6 million Americans suffer from CHD, which often results in a heart attack. Each year, about 1.1 million Americans suffer a heart attack and 515,000 of these heart attacks are fatal. One of the risk factors for developing CHD is elevated blood cholesterol. As blood cholesterol rises, so does risk of coronary heart disease. When other risk factors (such as high blood pressure and tobacco smoke) are present, this risk increases even more. A person's cholesterol level is also affected by age, sex, heredity and diet. Cholesterol is vital for healthy cells. It is so important that the body does not rely on a dietary source, it makes its own. However, if the body accumulates too much cholesterol, it will deposit on the walls of arteries, which become damaged and may become blocked. If this happens, a heart attack could result. Excess cholesterol is produced when the diet is rich in saturated fats.
It is useful to study mechanisms of CHD and novel therapies to treat CHD. Animal models are particularly advantageous for studying the progression and presentation of diseases and offer a tremendous opportunity to test the efficacy of potential therapeutics and treatments. An ideal animal model for CHD would have features of the progression and incidence of CHD. It would be truly advantageous to have an animal model where heart attacks could be easily and reliably induced.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to produce an animal model for CHD where heart attacks can be reliably induced by altering the animal's diet.
It is a further object of the present invention to use the inducible heart attack model of heart disease to study the progression of CHD and test the effects of potential drugs and therapies.


A hybrid quantum-classical computing method for solving optimization problems though applications of non-unitary transformations. An initial state is prepared, a transformation is applied, and the state is updated to provide an improved answer. This update procedure is iterated until convergence to an approximately optimal solution.

Quantum computers promise to solve industry-critical problems which are otherwise unsolvable or only very inefficiently addressable using classical computers. Key application areas include chemistry and materials, bioscience and bioinformatics, logistics, and finance. Interest in quantum computing has recently surged, in part due to a wave of advances in the performance of ready-to-use quantum computers.
Optimization problems, including solving systems of linear equations, eigenvalue problems, and constrained minimization of cost functions, are the key component of many science and engineering applications. Classical methods for numerical solution of optimization problems are well developed but suffer from the curse of dimensionality; that is, conventional systems typically perform sub-optimally when the problem size increases.
An emerging genre of algorithms in the space of quantum computing is hybrid quantum-classical algorithms, where a parametrized quantum circuit is used for solving a certain task using a quantum computer and where a classical computer is used for optimizing the quantum circuit parameters with respect to some objective function that is efficiently measurable on the quantum computer.
However, one potential challenge in implementing hybrid quantum-classical algorithms effectively concerns optimizing the quantum circuit. As the problem size of a task grows, the number of parameters that need to be optimized also grows, giving rise to high-dimensional black-box optimization problems that are difficult for a classical computer to solve. Such difficulty is rigorously manifested in a recent study (McClean et al., 2018) showing that the optimization landscape has vanishingly small gradient in most regions. To surmount the problem, one known potential solution (McClean et al., 2016) is to start from an educated initial guess of a good quantum circuit for the problem instead of a quantum circuit chosen in a random or ad hoc manner.
Quantum computers provide alternative means of solving the optimization problems by taking advantage of unique features of quantum mechanics that are not accessible by classical computers. One well-known method for solving eigenvalue problems on a quantum computer is phase estimation. Assuming that one can start with a quantum state encoding a reasonably good approximation of the eigenvector sought, phase estimation can generate a quantum state encoding the exact eigenstate sought as well as the corresponding eigenvalue up to certain error.
Another well-known technique for solving eigenvalue problems on quantum computers is the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE). As a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm, VQE prepares a quantum state with a quantum circuit with tunable parameters. The approximate ground state (lowest eigenvector) and ground state energy are obtained by tuning the parameters of the quantum circuit while measuring the energy of the state with respect to the Hamiltonian (the Hermitian matrix whose lowest eigenpair is sought).
However, both the phase estimation and VQE rely on unitary transformations of the initial quantum state to generate the desired output state. The unitary transformations can be implemented on a quantum computer. However, such methods relying on unitary operations are dependent on a good initial approximation to the true solution to the optimization problem—but good initial approximations are rarely known in most practical scenarios, limiting the use of techniques relying on unitary transformations.
Furthermore, in some conventional approaches, the initial approximation to the solution is subject to restrictive assumptions that the distance between the initial approximation and the exact solution of the optimization problem is sufficiently small, in order to enable fast convergence. One reason for possibly slow convergence is that the optimization method is restricted to unitary transformations on the quantum computer part of the hybrid quantum-classical computer, due to the nature of closed quantum system evolution. Such restrictions on the initial approximation being sufficiently close to the solution cannot be met in many practical applications, significantly limiting the use of quantum computing.

Hybrid quantum-classical computer system and method for optimization


The invention pertains to a device for the cooling of edible foams, where a cooling or freezing system for pre-freezing of the foam is directly outlet-connected to an aeration system, a motor driven extruder device designed as combined deep freezing and transport device is outlet-connected to the cooling and freezing system, in which the pre-frozen foam can be cooled down to storage temperature, and the aeration device, the cooling or freezing system and the extruder device are connected together by means of pipes. The device of the present invention is characterized in that the extruder device has at least one double screw system with two screws positioned parallel to each other with their rotational axes. The lands of the screws of the double screw system scrape against the inner cylinder mantle surface of the housing surrounding it. The threads of the second screw are centered between the threads of the first screw and an increased spacing of the rotational axes of the screws is created, so that the front side of the screw thread of the other screw facing the surface of the cylinder mantle of each screw, has a radial distance from it. The lands of the screws with the surface of the cylinder mantle of the screws and of the inner surface of the cylinder mantle of the housing bounds an extremely flat screw channel.

In wide areas of the foods industry, foams are used for the production of foods and/or luxury foods. These foams have in the first place, the advantage that they increase the enjoyment value of the particular product, and secondly, the volume will be increased by beating in some air.
Two classical examples of these food foams are whipped cream and ice cream. The volume of both products is increased to about double by the incorporation of air. The fine distribution of the air bubbles is an essential quality criterion both for ice cream as well as for whipped cream. In both the aforementioned products, it is only this incorporation of air which makes the product suitable for consumption:
In whipped cream, the high fat content would essentially prohibit the product's consumption in its original liquid form.
In ice cream, the incorporation of air results in the ice cream attaining a creamy consistency; without the incorporation of air, it is merely a solid-frozen block.
The technologies for continuous aeration (incorporation of air) in whipped cream and ice cream manufacturing are known around the world. The technologies for whipped cream and ice cream do, indeed, differ from one another significantly, but their basic principle is nonetheless the same.
The distribution of deep-frozen products, and thus the sales of such, have more than doubled in recent year. Although deep-freezing was used initially only to keep vegetables fresh, the entire range of foodstuffs is presently available in the form of deep-frozen versions of all goods also available in fresh form. Having started with the deep-freezing of vegetables, the dissemination of deep-frozen food now ranges from ready-cooked meals to all types of bakery goods. Within this range of deep-frozen goods, ice cream occupies a special and significant rank. In fact, for ice cream this is the only possible marketing route, via a complete and uninterrupted deep-frozen chain. The industry has been making efforts to market cakes and gateaux on a whipped-cream basis in the form of deep-frozen products for some fifteen years. Continuously rising sales in this sector illustrate the great market potentials for this segment. The technology for manufacture of such deep-frozen cakes and gateaux is, however, largely underdeveloped, if one disregards the use of continuously operating automatic aerators.
Ice cream manufacturing technology has not undergone any further significant technical changes since the introduction of continuous cooling and freezing systems (freezers). Here, work is still conducted on the same principles as were used thirty years ago, if one disregards technical modifications concerned solely with control of the ice cream cooling and freezing system.

Device for cooling of fluids and edible foams


A display device includes a light emitter comprising a set of light emitter portions, wherein at least one light emitter portion of the set is configured to emit light with an excitation wavelength, and a color conversion layer including a set of conversion layer portions. At least one conversion layer portion of the set comprises a film comprising a solid polymer composition that includes luminescent crystals of perovskite structure, which are selected from compounds of formula (I): M1aM2bXc (I), wherein M1 represents Cs, M2 represents Pb, and X independently represents anions selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br, I, cyanide, and thiocyanate. The luminescent crystals are of size between 3 nm and 3000 nm, and emit light of a wavelength in response to excitation by the light emitted by at least one corresponding light emitter portion of the set, wherein the excitation wavelength is shorter than the wavelength.

Displays are an integral part of our world and are implemented in different sizes into a broad range of electronic devices. In particular color displays are very popular giving rise to various technologies for maximizing their color gamut, i.e. the broad spectrum of colors that can be displayed.
For displaying a broad range of colors, most of the common display technologies, such as the liquid crystal display (LCD) technology, relay on the integration of color filters for filtering the red, green and blue light of the respective light source. The desired color hue is therefore achieved by controlling the intensity of the red, green and blue light.
The color gamut of such displays is limited to the color spectrum emitted by the respective light source, which light source is typically not centred to the primary red, blue, and green wavelengths, and thus renders the displaying of highly saturated colors impossible.


Disclosed is a laminated resin sheet consisting of (a) at least one layer of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymeric resin (EVOH resin), (b) at least one layer of a hot-melt adhesive resin and (c) at least one layer of a polystyrene-based resin, the layer (b) being interposed between the layers (a) and (c) to serve to adhesively bond them together. The laminated sheet has excellent moldability only when the EVOH resin has a thermal characteristic specified in terms of the integrated value of the peak areas in a diagram obtained by the DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) measurement in the course of temperature elevation.

The present invention relates to a multilayered structural body and a method for the preparation of a structural body such as a vessel having a multilayered wall. More particularly, the invention relates to a multilayered structural body imparted with low permeability to gases utilizing a styrene-based resin retaining excellent moldability of such resins in general and method for the preparation of a vessel having such a multilayered wall.
As is known, plastic resins are widely used as a wrapping material by virtue of their excellent properties such as absence of hygenic problems, good protection for the wrapped material, adaptability to shaping into desired forms, handiness, low costs and capability of giving various kinds of light-weight or see-through vessels or bags. In particular, plastic films have an extremely great and rapidly growing demand as a low-cost wrapping material of foods capable of excellently keeping the freshness of the foods wrapped therewith.
Polystyrene-based resins as a class of thermoplastic resins have excellent moldability at an elevated temperature and high rigidity of shaped articles thereof so that they are widely used as a wrapping material of foods. On the other hand, copolymeric resins consisting of the moieties of ethylene and vinyl alcohol have low permeability to gases so that they are also widely used as a wrapping material of foods, especially, when the foods are desired to be protected from the influences of the atmospheric oxygen or moisture.
A multilayered laminate consisting of layers of a polystyrene and an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, referred to as an EVOH copolymer hereinafter, is a well known material and various types have been proposed thereof. A problem in the application of such a multilayered laminate is that, since the optimum molding temperature differs between a polystyrene-based resin and an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer as a matter of course, such a laminate cannot be molded into a structural body such as a vessel by molding at a relatively low molding temperature which might be suitable for molding of a polystyrene-based resin sheet per se.
Japanese Patent Kokai 52-112120 discloses a five-layered laminate consisting of two layers of a polystyrene-based resin and a layer of an EVOH copolymer sandwiched between the polystyrene resin layers with a layer of an adhesive resin intervening between the layer of the EVOH copolymer and each of the polystyrene resin layers. No consideration, however, is made in this disclosure on the moldability of the laminate relative to the constitution of the laminated sheets.


Provided is a canceration information providing method capable of presenting the information related to canceration of the cells with high reliability. A cell in which the amount of DNA is greater than or equal to the amount of DNA of the normal cell in the S period is extracted from a cell group of V11≤N/C ratio≤V12 (first counting step). If the number of cells obtained in the first counting step is greater than or equal to the threshold value S1 (S107: YES), “Cancer” is set to a flag 1. A cell in which the amount of DNA is 2C is extracted from a cell group of V13≤N/C ratio≤V11 (second counting step). A ratio of the number of cells obtained in the second counting step and number of cells obtained in the first counting step is calculated, and “Cancer” is set to a flag 2 if the ratio is greater than or equal to a threshold value S2 (S111: YES). If one of the flags 1, 2 is “Cancer” (S113: YES), the display of retest necessary is performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a canceration information providing method and a canceration information providing device for analyzing cells and providing information related to canceration of the cells.
2. Description of the Related Art
An analyzer for automatically analyzing the cells of a subject and providing information related to the canceration of the cells is known (see e.g., U.S. Patent Application publication No. 2008/108103). U.S. Patent Application publication No. 2008/108103 discloses a device that flows a measurement specimen including cells collected from a subject to a flow cell, irradiates the measurement specimen flowing through the flow cell with light to acquire a scattered light signal for the individual cell, extracts a characteristic parameter by analyzing the waveform of each scattered light signal, and discriminates cancer/atypical cell from a plurality of cells using the characteristic parameter.
For example, in the tissue diagnosis of the uterine cervix, the process from the normal state to cancer has a plurality of stages, "Normal", "CIN1", "CIN2", "CIN3", and "Cancer" in order from the normal state. "CIN1" is a state in which the atypical cells are growing in one third from a basal layer to a surface layer, and is a state in which the possibility of regressing spontaneously is high. Thus, treatment is determined as unnecessary in "CIN1". "CIN2" is a state in which the atypical cells are growing in two thirds from the basal layer to the surface layer. "CIN3" is a state in which the atypical cells are growing substantially entirely from the basal layer to the surface layer. Treatment is sometimes determined as necessary in "CIN2" and "CIN3". If the state of "CIN3" further advances, this results in "Cancer". When reaching "Cancer", immediate treatment is particularly necessary, and it is very important that this state is reliably detected.
The analyzer described in U.S. Patent Application publication No. 2008/108103 has a problem in that "CIN1" in which treatment is unnecessary is determined as "Cancer", or so-called false alarm increases when trying to reliably detect "Cancer" since the atypical cells also exist in the "CIN1". When attempting to reduce such false alarm, it may become difficult to reliably detect "Cancer".

Cervical cancer information providing method and device


What is disclosed is a novel system and method for determining printer performance in terms of image quality (IQ) on-paper using on-belt measurements. First, image noise is measured via sensing of single-separation device-dependent colors on an imaging member for a target marking device. Such single-separation device-dependent colors, in one embodiment, comprise cyan, magenta, yellow and black. A predictive correlation model is used to project the image noise of the single-separation device-dependent colors when printed on a substrate. A noise prediction model is used to estimate image noise performance values of multi-separation device-dependent colors on a substrate from the projected single-separation device-dependent colors on a substrate. In one embodiment, the predictive correlation model comprises a separation-dependent polynomial equation. The estimated image noise performance values on a substrate are used to determine image quality metric of the target marking device.

With the advent of in-line sensing technologies, it has become more and more common that color marking systems are able to gather information about image quality (IQ) defects and utilize that information, for example, to improve their image quality performance. The success of these technologies relies heavily on the timely availability of the information of image quality defects. One option for obtaining IQ defect information is through on-belt sensing of test-patterns at the inter-document zones (IDZs) or on the normal imaging area of the belt without making test prints on-paper. However, on-belt sensing suffers from several limitations. Among these are that it is only appropriate for measuring single-separation colors since unfused toner is essentially opaque and toner layers below the surface cannot be adequately sensed. Another limitation is that the on-belt measurement is not in itself relevant to the customer because the customer sees only the fused toner image on-paper. As a result, it is generally not feasible with current approaches for enabling technologies such as those which require IQ defects information corresponding to the customer-relevant measurement of fused toner image on-paper over a full range of colors. Moreover, since the severity of image quality defects tends to change over time (due to wear-and-tear, etc.) it is important that image quality defect information over the entire color gamut of the device be updated constantly.
Accordingly, what is needed in this art are increasingly sophisticated systems and methods for determining device image quality performance of single-separation colors in complex digital document reproduction architectures.

On-paper image quality metric using on-belt sensing


To increase the frequency of input of image signals in terms of design in a field-sequential liquid crystal display device. Image signals are concurrently supplied to pixels provided in a plurality of rows among pixels arranged in matrix in a pixel portion of the liquid crystal display device. Thus, the frequency of input of an image signal to each pixel can be increased without change in response speed of a transistor or the like included in the liquid crystal display device.

A color filter method and a field sequential method are known as display methods for liquid crystal display devices. In a liquid crystal display device in which images are displayed by a color filter method, a plurality of subpixels each having a color filter that transmits only light with a wavelength of a given color (e.g., red (R), green (G), or blue (B)) are provided in each pixel. A desired color is produced in such a manner that transmission of white light is controlled in each subpixel and a plurality of colors are mixed in each pixel. On the other hand, in a liquid crystal display device in which images are displayed by a field sequential method, a plurality of light sources that emit lights of different colors (e.g., red (R), green (G), and blue (B)) are provided. A desired color is produced in such a manner that the plurality of light sources sequentially emit light and transmission of light of each color is controlled in each pixel. In other words, a desired color is produced by dividing the area of one pixel between lights of given colors in a color filter method, whereas a desired color is produced by dividing a display period between lights of given colors in a field sequential method.
The field-sequential liquid crystal display device has the following advantages over the color-filter liquid crystal display device. First, in the field-sequential liquid crystal display device, it is not necessary to provide subpixels in a pixel. Thus, the aperture ratio or the number of pixels can be increased. In addition, in the field-sequential liquid crystal display device, it is not necessary to provide a color filter. That is, loss of light due to light absorption in the color filter does not occur. For that reason, the transmittance can be increased and power consumption can be reduced.
Patent Document 1 discloses a field-sequential liquid crystal display device. Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid crystal display device that includes pixels each including a transistor for controlling input of an image signal, a signal storage capacitor for holding the image signal, and a transistor for controlling transfer of electric charge from the signal storage capacitor to a display pixel capacitor. In the liquid crystal display device having this structure, writing of an image signal to the signal storage capacitor and display corresponding to electric charge held at the display pixel capacitor can be performed concurrently.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Liquid crystal display device and method for driving the same

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A sound reflector device for symmetrical association, in spaced relationship, with the bell or sound-emitting end or any other orifice of a musical instrument whereby a portion of sound is reflected rearwardly from the sound-emitting end of the instrument towards the ears of the player.. The sound reflector permits the playing of a musical instrument whereby the player, because of the rearwardly reflected sound, has a truer appreciation of the sound being emitted.

Various attachments for, for example, brass instruments having a bell component have been suggested for a variety of reasons including muting, partial reflection and/or partial deflection of sound emanating from the wind instrument.
However, none of the known instrument attachments provide for the unique symmetrical association as does the instant invention for the purpose of reflecting sound in what may be considered symmetrical fashion rearwardly towards the player of the instrument. Usually, sound projects out of the bell of the instrument, away from the player. The audience hears the sound, both direct out of the instrument and reflected off the room or venue walls where the instrument is played.
Musicians and the like have longed for the ability to be able to change sound wave form promulgation and also change the timbre of an instrument so that certain sounds can be reflected and/or absorbed depending upon certain end results desired. Many means have been suggested in the prior art for achieving this, but none have succeeded to the point that professional musicians with a trained ear for sound have been completely satisfied with the end results. An acoustic lens is a device which alters the propagation of a waveform. The device of this invention acts in this manner. In one case, the air coming out of the bell of the trumpet contacts the diaphragm. The phase relationship at this point is reversed 180.degree. and some of the soundwave reverses its course.
With the herein disclosed invention, it is possible to achieve all of the aforementioned attributes in a single attachment that is adapted for symmetrical, spaced association with the bell or other sound projecting end of a wind instrument. Additionally, by the utilization of the device of the invention, one learning to play a musical instrument is for the first time surrounded with true sound that he himself is generating and thus obtains a true understanding and measure of the sounds that are generated with the musical instrument that he is learning to play.
As exemplary of some of the prior art, a preliminary patentability search of the U.S. Patent Office records was conducted and the following patents were uncovered by the search:
______________________________________ Patent No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 1,045,700 J. J. Greenwood Nov. 26, 1912 1,508,024 William A. McArthur Sept. 9, 1924 Des. 69,112 H. L. Buskey Dec. 29, 1925 2,574,591 W. W. Rudd Nov. 13, 1951 3,016,782 W. E. Laas Jan. 16, 1962 3,392,619 R. M. Hill July 16, 1968 3,099,183 E. H. Alles July 30, 1963 3,429,215 Gerald H. Finch Feb. 25, 1969 3,555,956 Daniel W. Martin Jan. 19, 1971 3,760,679 Benjamin R. Gossick; Sept. 25, 1973 Karl A. Schneider Re. 30,300 Thomas L. Ploeger Jun. 10, 1980 4,226,162 Alfred Ebach Oct. 7. 1980 4,998,959 Thomas Purdie Mar. 12, 1991 ______________________________________
A more in-depth description of each of the pertinent patents follows:

Brass and wind musical instrument attachment and method related thereto


A TTL-to-CML translator circuit includes a TTL input stage (20), a translation chain (22), a first CML differential pair (24), a level shifter (26), and a second CML differential pair (28). The first CML differential pair (24) is coupled between a TTL ground potential (GTTL) and a negative supply potential (VEE). The second CML differential pair (28) is connected between a CML ground potential (GCML) and the negative supply potential. The level shifter (26) serves to electrically isolate the TTL ground potential and the CML ground potential, thereby producing relatively noise free CML-compatible output signals.

This invention relates generally to logic level translators and more particularly, it relates to a logic translator circuit for converting transistor-transistor-logic (TTL) level signals to current-mode-logic (CML) level signals which have a higher speed of operation, a reduction in power dissipation and immunity from ground bounce noise.
As is generally well known in the art, various types of digital logic circuitry are widely utilized in the area of computer data processing systems in different parts of the processing system. In order to transfer data from one part of the processing system having one logic type (i.e., TTL) of integrated circuit devices to another part having another logic type (i.e., CML/ECL) of integrated circuit devices, there is often required a translation from the one logic type to the other logic type. Since many of these processing systems are designed with both TTL and CML/ECL logic circuits, there has arisen a need in the industry for interface circuits such as TTL-to-CML/ECL translators so that these two different types of logic circuits will be compatible with each other.
TTL logic circuits typically operate on logic signal levels below +0.8 volts and above +2.0 volts while CML logic circuits typically operate on different logic levels between -1.0 to -1.6 volts. While the precise levels utilized in the CML/ECL logic circuits differ among manufacturers, the voltage swing between the two CML logic levels is commonly less than the voltage swing between the two TTL logic levels. Further, the TTL circuit makes use of a positive power source voltage VCC (i.e., +5.0 volts) and a ground potential TGND). On the other hand, the CML circuit makes use of a negative power supply voltage VEE (i.e., -5.2 volts) and a ground potential CGND). Both ground potentials TGND and CGND are typically at zero volts.
Prior art translators use diodes and other semiconductor devices to obtain a fixed voltage drop to translate from one type of binary signal level to another type of binary signal level. However, these prior art translators suffer from the disadvantage in that they used a common ground which is shared by both the TTL input and CML output signals. For example, the TTL input signals and the CML output signals would share the same bus line as a common ground. Such a logic level translator 10 of the prior art is shown in FIG. 1 and has been labeled "Prior Art." This prior art translator can be found in "Analysis and Design of Digital Integrated Circuits" written by David A. Hodges and Horace G. Jackson, p. 296, published in 1983 by McGraw-Hill, Inc.
This prior art translator 10 includes a TTL input stage 12 and a CML output stage 14. The TTL input stage 12 is coupled between a positive power supply voltage VCC (i.e., +5.0 volts) and a ground potential GND. The TTL input stage 12 receives TTL logic levels at input nodes A and B. The CML output stage 14 is coupled between a negative power supply potential VEE (i.e., -5.2 volts) and the same ground potential (GND). The CML output stage 14 can deliver both an OR output at the collector of the transistor Q5 and a NOR output at the collector of the transistor Q4. As a result, any TTL currents flowing in the commonly shared ground bus (GND) will produce noise signals (referred to as ground bounce noise) in the CML output stage 14 of the translator. Also, any variations in the positive power supply potential VCC used in the TTL input stage 12 would be coupled to the CML output stage 14 of the translator. Further, the input threshold of the TTL input stage depends directly on the value of the voltage V.sub.r at the base of the transistor Q5 and the value of the voltage V.sub.BB at the base of the transistor Q2. Moreover, the use of a resistor R3 to perform a level shifting limits the transient current, thereby causing propagation delays which reduces the speed of operation of the translator.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved TTL-to-CML translator circuit which is immune to ground bounce noise but yet has a higher switching speed with reduced power dissipation. The logic level translator circuit of the present invention represents an improvement over the translator circuit 10 of FIG. 1 which isolates the TTL and CML ground bus lines so as to reduce the noise that may be transferred between the TTL ground bus and the CML ground bus.


An A/D converter switches resolution of m bits to resolution of n bits smaller than the m bits at a predetermined time.

In an image sensor for taking images, a structure having comparators that compare pixel outputs and a ramp-shaped reference potential and ripple counters for measurement of times that elapse before the magnitude relations between the pixel outputs and the reference potential are reversed with respect to each column has been proposed (see Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2006-33453) and Patent Document 2 (JP-A-2005-278135)).
FIG. 1 shows a typical circuit example having a comparator and a counter. FIG. 2 is a timing chart of the circuit in FIG. 1. In the circuit shown in FIG. 1, sweeping of the reference voltage Vramp is started in the comparator 1 and the count operation of the counter 2 is started at the same time. When the reference voltage Vramp is below the input voltage VSL, the output signal VCO of the comparator 1 is inverted from the high level to the low level. At the falling edge, the count operation of the counter 2 is stopped. The count value VCNT has a one-on-one relationship with the voltage width swept by the reference voltage Vramp, and the count value VCNT is a result of analog-digital (AD) conversion of the input voltage.
In Patent Documents 1, 2, the ripple counters are used as the counters, and subtraction is realized by inversion of the respective bits of the ripple counters. Further, the addition operation is realized by holding the count value of the first data and continuously operating the ripple counter for the next data. In this configuration, the CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) operation, which is often performed in an image sensor, is independently performed with respect to each column, and thus, the AD conversion results of the pixel outputs do not depend on the clock signals between the columns and the skew of the reference potential. As a result, the count operation can be performed using the faster clock signals. Further, addition and subtraction of the AD conversion results with respect to each column can be performed, and thus, there is an advantage that the addition operation of the pixel outputs within the same column may be performed on the AD conversion circuits.

A/D converter, A/D conversion method, and program


Disclosed is a method for dynamically mapping a physical/logical relationship between resources. The method for physical/logical relationship mapping between resources includes: abstracting heterogeneous environments of physical resources; expressing the physical resources by a resource instance of a predetermined format to generate logical resources which are grouped and managed in accordance with types of the resources; and analyzing the physical/logical relationship between the resources to generate a relation map.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for physical/logical relationship mapping between resources, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for defining at least one of components such as a device, a network, a service, a user, contents, etc., which may serve as one management unit as a resource and dynamically mapping a physical resource model to a logical resource model.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with development of hardware and software technologies, various types of devices, networks, services, etc., have appeared. As a result, the number of resources that should be managed by people and computers has rapidly increased. In particular, there is a growing need to integrally manage resources in a domain, which are connected to a network per predetermined domain such as a home or a building.
Examples of known methods for the integrated management includes a method in which application programs having predetermined purposes such as security management, energy management, etc., directly access, monitor, and control individual resources or a method for accessing and controlling a logical resource corresponding to a physical resource.
However, the known methods do not provide a function to determine the relation between resources and has a limit in determining the relation between the resources in an application level. Therefore, the known methods are difficult to integrally and exquisitely manage resources. For example, when resources at a location where a predetermined resource is positioned needs to be controlled in batches, information on individual resources should be retrieved and found one by one in order to find the resources at the corresponding location. As another example, even when resources activated for a predetermined period need to be tracked, it is difficult to determine the resources.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,970 (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/241,162) discloses a technology for providing an abstraction of a predetermined level for individual systems and computing a service/component dependency relation (components may be, for example, applications, middleware, hardware, device drivers, operating systems, and systems relating to a computing environment) related to an end-to-end service recognized by a customer, as a technology for managing a run time dependency relation between various components of a computing system. However, in this technology, judgment of existence of one or more relations in the computing environment may describe an entire lifecycle related to at least one component of the computing environment, but an integrated resource management function is not provided, thus, management convenience is not provided to a user, and the resources are not consistently and exquisitely managed.

Method and apparatus for physical/logical relationship mapping between resources

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A structural assembly for fastening together and disengaging a slotted supporting unit and a supported unit having adjustable gripping means mounted thereon cooperable with the slotted supporting unit to apply compressive forces to the supporting unit and resulting tensile forces to the supported unit in order to maintain the fastened together units in facing planer relationship.

The present invention relates to a unique arrangement for fastening facing structural units and more particularly to an inventive mounting system for fastening and disengaging facing panels one of which panels is provided with slots and the other of which panels is provided with gripping members to cooperate with such slots to hold the panels fast in uniform relation.
It is generally known to fasten two structural units together by including slots in one of the units and gripping projections on the other to fasteningly engage in such slots, attention being directed to U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,034, issued to Irving W. Shell on Oct. 10, 1972, which teaches such an arrangement and includes a spring-loaded locking bar to lock one of the projections on one structural unit in place when engaged and assembled with a slot on the other structural unit. Attention further is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,172, issued to Ruediger Einhorn on Jun. 24, 1975, which teaches an adjustable cam locking device included with a slot-projection assembly for a support member mounted to a slotted panel wall. Attention also is directed to the slot and projection assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,856, issued to Gerhard Wesseler on Jan. 25, 1977, which teaches the use of wedges to tighten hook projections when assembled into slots and to U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,368, issued to Frederic R. Pettings et al on Jul. 14, 1981, which discloses the use of a comparatively complex structure including a spring and a locking device disposed in a panel wall to urge and lock a slidable hook member into engagement with a standard to which the panel wall is joined. In addition, attention is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,832, issued to William K. Branham et al on Sep. 1, 1992, which teaches a slotted supporting panel structure similar to the supporting panel disclosed herein, the disclosed supporting panel slots being shaped to receive a mounting stud and clamp assembly which, as described hereinafter can be utilized in consolidation with the novel structure of the present invention.
Finally, it is to be noted that the present invention, although not limited to the use thereof, can effectively utilize commercially available mounting clips in the novel structure described herein. In this regard, attention is directed to the long available set of four mirror clips sold as a package by C.R. Laurence Co., Inc. of Los Angeles, Calif. The package includes two stationary or unitary clips and two spring-loaded adjustable clips, the clips being accompanied by screws for mounting on a mirror support panel. The stationary or unitary clips can be set at a desired height on the support panel to receive and support the bottom of a mirror to be mounted on the support panel. Appropriate markings for setting the adjustable clips at the mirror top can then be made on the support panel and the adjustable clips then set on the support panel at such markings. The mirror then can be mounted by inserting the top edge thereof in the spring-loaded adjustable clips pushing the mirror up on the clips against the spring-load to thus set the mirror down in the bottom unitary clips with the mirror being compressively supported on the support panel between the top and bottom clips.
The present invention utilizes spring-loaded clips of this type and the slotted wall and mounting arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,832, in a novel structural mounting system heretofore unknown in the art, the novel structural arrangement disclosed herein allowing for straight forward and economical manufacture and assembly with a minimum of parts involved and with a minimum of steps required to accomplish assembly operations. Not only does the unique structure of the present invention lend itself to ready domestic and commercial use for mounting lamps, shelves and display items on a wall, but in addition it has unique structural use in other display areas including architectural wall paneling and billboard displays, allowing the holding of a supported member in these numerous possible applications in fast relation to a support member without an undesirable bending or arcing of such supported member.
Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth herein.

Structure for fastening facing structural units


A female electrical contact member has a body extended by a bush open at its free end for insertion of a male member and a male-member-receiving member comprises a ring extended by elastic tongues which grip the male member. The ring is mounted to slide and float in the bush and is connected to the body by a flexible electrical connection. Sliding of the ring in the bush is restricted. The flexible electrical connection forms a loop at a point part way along its length.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a female electrical contact member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The invention relates to a female electrical contact member comprising a body with means at one end for fixing an electrical conductor and a member at the other end for receiving a complementary male electrical contact member, wherein the body is extended by a bush open at its free end for insertion of the male member, the male-member-receiving member comprises a ring extended toward the electrical conductor fixing means by elastic tongues adapted to grip the male member, the ring is mounted to slide and float in the bush and is connected to the body by a flexible electrical connection, and means are provided to restrict sliding of the ring in the bush.
Because of this arrangement, the body of the female electrical contact member can be subject to vibrations, which are weakly transmitted to the ring; however, the ring vibrates without moving relative to the male member, which prevents corrosion between the contact members.
For the ring to be able to move freely inside the bush, a braid is used as the electrical connection and the part between the ring and the end of the body provided with the electrical conductor fixing means forms undulations.
An arrangement of the above kind is entirely satisfactory from the point of view of its operation but it has been found that fabrication is difficult and that the small radii with which the flexible braid is bent leads to relatively high stiffness in the parts joined to the body and to the ring.
One aim of the invention is to remedy this drawback.