A system is provided for selecting a foreground region of an image, given a set of pixels defining the boundary of the foreground region of the image. The system includes a component to dilate the pixel set and a component to determine a foreground value (F) and to determine an opacity value (a) based on estimated foreground and background values for each pixel of the dilated set to facilitate a separation of the region from background portions of the image.

The present invention relates generally to computer systems, and more particularly to a system and method to enable smooth mixing and integration of a selected foreground image with an unassociated background image by determining mixture-based opacity values along a contour of the foreground image.
Digital images and related image processing have created a profound impact in all aspects of modern society. From blockbuster movies to the classroom, from business presentations to the daily weather report, digital images affect and influence peoplexe2x80x94dozens, perhaps, hundreds of times per day. For example, with the advent of communications technologies such as the Internet, business persons, students, researchers and ordinary citizens routinely transmit and receive digital images in the normal course of daily activity. Thus, since digital images have become a staple in modern society, ever changing and more sophisticated requirements for image processing are consistently challenging systems designers and architects.
One such challenge relating to image processing is associated with seamlessly combining portions of a first image with portions of a second image. For example, when observing the nightly weather report, the image of the weather person is often interposed with a plurality of background screens depicting various weather patterns. In the case of high-tech movie special effects and/or other computer generated images, an object, person and/or scene portion, known as the foreground, is often digitally extracted from an associated background scene and placed into a second scene having entirely different backgrounds from the first scene. In order to accomplish this type of image extraction and migration however, it is important that remnants or artifacts of the first scene do not appear in the second scene, and that the extracted object, person or scene portion seamlessly migrate into the second scene. In other words, the migrated foreground image should appear without rough edges and appear as though the new background scene was the original background. Unfortunately, conventional image processing systems many times do not effectively achieve these goals.
One such conventional model for extracting foreground image regions from an associated background region relates to utilizing an artificial/engineered and/or clean background (e.g., blue screen), and extracting the foreground image from the artificial background via a background subtraction technique. This may be achieved by processing image pixels and determining whether a threshold level has been attained after subtracting known background pixel values from each pixel value in the image. For example, according to the conventional model, given the known background pixel values of the artificial background, the known background pixel value is subtracted from each pixel in the image and compared to a predetermined threshold. If the result of the subtraction is below the predetermined threshold, the pixel is assumed to be a background pixel and thus not assigned a value in the extracted image. If the result is above the predetermined threshold, the pixel is assumed to be a foreground pixel and thus retains its original value. Unfortunately, background subtraction and other extraction techniques may not cleanly separate foreground regions of the image and enable smooth placement of the foreground onto a new background. Some of the problems associated with these techniques relate to xe2x80x9cbluescreenxe2x80x9d reflections in the extracted foreground, potential xe2x80x9cholesxe2x80x9d in the foreground, wherein the values of the foreground and background are mixed, jagged edges along the contours of the extracted image, and xe2x80x9cbleedingxe2x80x9d of the previous background into the new background. Moreover, providing artificial clean backgrounds is often not possible and/or difficult to achieve.
In view of the above problems associated with conventional image processing systems, there is a need for a system and/or methodology to facilitate precise extraction of a foreground region of an image from an associated background region, and to enable smooth migration of the foreground region to other background regions.
The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the invention nor delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The present invention relates to a system and methodology for enabling portions of image regions to be extracted from adjacent background regions via a mixture-based opacity determination near the contours of the extracted image region. In this manner, blurring effects and unwanted background portions are mitigated in the extracted image region. An extraction tool may be employed to return a set of pixels associated with the contour of an image foreground region. In accordance with the present invention, the set of pixels are dilated to include regions of blur relating to the contour. Each pixel in the dilated set is analyzed wherein two values are computed to separate the image foreground region from its background. These values may be determined as a foreground value and an alpha value. The dilation process may include a user selecting a width of dilation for the set of pixels. Once selected, a standard morphological algorithm of dilation may be applied to xe2x80x9cwidenxe2x80x9d the set. It is to be appreciated that other techniques for performing dilation may be employed, and that some of these techniques may vary the degree of dilation for each pixel in the contour set.
Generally, because of image blurring, image pixels near a foreground/background boundary result in a mixture of both the foreground color and the background color. This mixture may be generally modeled linearly as follows: I=xcex1F+(1xe2x88x92xcex1)B, wherein I represents an actual pixel value, F is the foreground color, B is the background color, and xcex1 is the alpha value which represents a mixing ratio of foreground and background colors. Since an I value may be known from a given image, xcex1, F and B are to be determined.
Related to the image smoothness, it may be expected that a nearby pixel from the foreground side of a contour may have a value similar to the value that mixed with the background to generate 1. Thus, according to one aspect of the invention, an F value for a given contour pixel may be borrowed from the nearest foreground pixel, defined as the pixel that is closet to the pixel in question, which is not in the dilated pixel set. It is to be appreciated that there are many other possibilities for determining the F value. For example, F values may be determined via (1) an average of several nearby foreground pixels, (2) a stochastically selected, weighted average of nearby pixels, (3) a pixel generated by a texture reconstruction process applied to nearby foreground pixels, as well as (4) a mixture of an I value and the pixel value generated by any of (1-3)) above. Similarly, a B value may be borrowed for a given contour pixel from the nearest background pixel. Utilizing the determined values for F and B, and knowing I, the value of alpha (xcex1), which is the mixing ratio of foreground and background colors may be solved approximately, for example via the following equation:   α  =                    (                  I          -          B                )            ·              (                  F          -          B                )                            "LeftDoubleBracketingBar"                  F          -          B                "RightDoubleBracketingBar"            2
After determining the mixing ratio, image pixels within the dilated region may be extracted and mixed with a subsequent background region. Thus, improved image extraction from a blurred background region may be achieved over conventional systems by determining alpha, F and B.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for selecting a foreground region of an image, given a set of pixels defining the boundary of the foreground region of the image. The system includes a first component to dilate the pixel set and a second component to determine a foreground value (F) and to determine an opacity value (a) based on estimated foreground and background values for each pixel of the dilated set to facilitate a separation of the region from background portions of the image.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for integrating extracted images. The method includes: selecting a set of contour pixels defining a foreground region of an image; dilating a set of adjacent pixels for each contour pixel; and utilizing a mixture-based computation for determining an opacity value (a) for each contour pixel and each pixel within the dilated set of adjacent pixels.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for extracting images. The system includes: means for selecting a set of contour pixels defining a foreground region of an image; means for dilating a set of adjacent pixels for each contour pixel. The system utilizes a mixture-based computation to determine an opacity value (a) for each contour pixel and each pixel within the dilated set of adjacent pixels.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a signal is provided for integrating extracted images. The signal includes communicating information associated with an image. A first component selects a set of contour pixels defining a foreground region of the image, and dilating a set of adjacent pixels for each contour pixel via the signal. A second component utilizes a mixture-based computation for determining an opacity value (a) via the signal for each contour pixel and each pixel within the dilated set of adjacent pixels to smoothly mix the foreground region of the image with a subsequent background region associated with another image. The signal is communicated over at least one of a network system and a wireless system.
The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative aspects of the invention. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed and the present invention is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

System and method providing mixture-based determination of opacity


A pretreatment composition comprising a combination of an adhesion promoter and corrosion inhibitor which is applied to the surface of a substrate and a process for pretreating the surface of a substrate before the deposition of thin metallic films to prepare mirrored substrates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to protective coatings for thin films of metals, such as silver or aluminum, a combination of silver and copper, or the like, which are applied to substrates. More specifically, the present invention relates to pretreatment compositions for thin metallic films, such as silver, which are applied to substrates such as glass.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the art to deposit thin metallic films on substrates for functional and/or aesthetic reasons. For example, thin films of silver are deposited on glass to produce mirrors or other reflective surfaces for purposes such as energy conservation. Depending on the intended use, the thin metallic films may vary widely in thickness. For example, the metallic films on mirrors typically vary in thickness and range from about 3 to about 10 microinches (from about 76.2 to about 254 millimicrons) whereas partially reflective metallic films on windows, where the films serve as solar reflectors, vary in thickness and range from about 4.times.10.sup.-8 inches to about 20.times.10.sup.-8 inches (about 1 to about 5.1 millimicrons).
To preserve the integrity of the thin metallic films, protective materials in the form of, say, additives, pertinent among which are corrosion inhibitors, are employed therewith. Conventionally, protective materials, typically incorporated in coatings, are applied to the back of the metallic films. This mode of application is herein denoted as a "conventional" application. In contrast, the protective materials of this invention are applied as pretreatment compositions.

Corrosion inhibitive pretreatment for "copper-free" mirrors


A vacuum cleaner includes a housing having at least one holding device configured to receive a vacuuming tool in a parked position and at least one illumination device associated with the holding device.

DE 40 36 314 C2, which is incorporated by reference herein, describes canister vacuum cleaners having a floor nozzle connected to a suction hose and a suction wand, and with holding means on the housing and on the suction wand or the base unit, which holding means interact to hold the wand to the housing in a parked position after completion of the vacuuming operation.
The Assignee of the present invention manufactures and sells a canister vacuum cleaner under the model number S5311, for example, which is provided with three holding devices (see "Miele Bodenpflege-Geräte, Fachhandels-Programm, Stand: 1. Oktober 2009" [Miele floor care appliance specialist retailer's catalogue of Oct. 1, 2009] pages 17/18 and 32/33). In the rear portion of the housing, there is provided a first holding device which, when the vacuum cleaner is in its operating position (standing on its wheels), receives a latching element provided on a floor nozzle coupled to the vacuum cleaner via a suction hose and a suction wand. This holding device is intended for short breaks during vacuuming. Two additional holding devices are provided on the sides of the housing to receive the floor nozzle when the vacuum cleaner is in a storage position (standing on the rear side of the housing). This is the position in which the vacuum cleaner is often stored after use.

Vacuum cleaner having a holding device for holding a vacuuming tool in a parked position


A cervical immobilizing device includes a pair of arms that can be folded to an upright position to engage and support a patient's head, an actuating device for folding the arms to the supporting position, and a locking device for locking the position of the arms in the folded supporting position. The actuating device is coupled to the outer ends of the arms for folding the arms to an upright position symmetrically and uniformly. In one embodiment, the actuator device is flexible member that passes around a guide to a position which can be gripped by the user. The locking device can be a cinching, ratcheting or clamping device, or a combination thereof, on the actuator device. In one embodiment, the folding arms include a coupling device for coupling the arms to a base in a sliding arrangement to enable the arms to slide along the base to a folded position. A blank is also disclosed that can be folded to form the cervical immobilizing device.

During the transport of patients or accident victims that have suffered cervical injuries, it is essential to immobilize the head and cervical portions to prevent further injury. A variety of head and cervical immobilization devices have been used in the emergency medical industry for many years. Several of these devices are designed to fold flat during storage and can be erected when needed.
One type of head immobilizing device is designed to be attached to a rigid backboard. Other devices include a rigid structural portion that do not require the use of a rigid backboard. Examples of this type of device are disclosed generally in U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,748 to Winner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,218 to Kendrick and U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,999 to Nesbit.
Another type of device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,711 to Williams. This device is intended to be attached to a rigid backboard for immobilizing the head of an injured patient. The device includes flexible members that are bent independently to wrap around the sides of the head and secure to the base for locking the position of the members. The head supporting members are attached to the base by a hook and pile type fastening device.
Another form of cervical immobilization device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,418 to Wilson. This device has a pair of collapsible members for conforming to the patient's head. Rigid support members are then attached to a base by a hook and loop fastener for restraining the patient's head and neck.
The above-noted devices can be effective in immobilizing a patient's head and neck during transport of an injured patient. However, these devices have certain limitations and there is a continuing need in the industry for improved head immobilizing devices.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An LED lighting module formed by combining components into an integrated type to achieve efficiency in light emission-light diffusion-heat dissipating operations is provided. Also, a lighting lamp is provided in which a plurality of LED lighting modules are combined to enable wide light distribution, and heat generated from the lighting lamp can be convected through a plurality of vent holes formed in all side surfaces of the lamp to achieve improved illumination efficiency and lengthen the lifespan of the lamp to tens of thousands of hours. For this, the LED lighting module is formed by combining, into an integrated type, an LED module in which a plurality of vertical projection type and side projection type LED elements are arrayed, a light diffusion cover having blades protruded from the left and right sides thereof, and a thin heat dissipating plate, thereby obtaining a lightweight and economically advantageous lighting module.

An LED lighting lamp rapidly replaces lighting apparatus that uses conventional light sources, such as a fluorescent lamp and an electric lamp, owing to its advantages of high energy efficiency and a long lifespan. An LED element used in the LED lighting lamp has advantages, such as the amount of emission heat smaller than that of a conventional lighting light source, low consumption power, a long lifespan, and a shock-resistance property. Furthermore, the LED element is advantageous in that it does not generate environment pollutions because mercury or gas for discharge is not used like in a fluorescent lamp in its manufacture process.
If a proper power and heat dissipation means are provided, an LED element can maintain a turn-on state without a loss although it is used for ten thousand hours or more. The light outputs of all light sources are gradually reduced over time. A person does not feel a reduction of the light output up to 80% of an initial luminous intensity. If an evaluation is performed based on the above, a lifespan for lighting of an LED element is expected to be forty thousand to fifty thousand hours or more. Accordingly, the LED element can be said to be a light source having a very long lifespan as compared with an electric lamp of 1,500 hours and a fluorescent lamp of ten thousand hours.
If a driving current is increased in an LED element in order to obtain a high brightness, high output, and economic light source for lighting, however, most of electrical energy is converted into heat and the joint portions of the LED elements become a high temperature state because a power loss in the LED elements is increased. The LED element is characterized in that if temperature of the joint portion rises although a current is constant, light output and light efficiency are deteriorated and an operation lifespan is also reduced. Accordingly, in order to improve lighting performance and an operation lifespan, it is necessary to discharge heat, generated from the joint portions of the LED elements, externally as soon as possible.
In general, an LED lighting lamp of an electric bulb type, having a small size and a small internal space, has a structural disadvantage in externally discharging heat generated from LED elements as compared with lighting of other forms. Accordingly, to increase the light output by mounting a large number of LED elements on a lighting lamp of an electric bulb type or a compact type has a limit to a mounting area and a heat dissipation area. Accordingly, there are problems in that it is difficult to obtain a lighting light source of high brightness and light from the LED elements, that is, light sources, is changed and the lifespan of the LED elements is reduced because heat is easily accumulated within the lighting lamp when the lighting lamp is mounted on lighting apparatus.
Furthermore, in a common LED lighting lamp, a light-emission unit was constructed by arranging high-brightness LED elements in the front surface of a heat dissipation frame in which a plurality of cooling pins is formed and the lighting lamp was fabricated by covering the light-emission unit with a milk-white diffusion cover in order to reduce dazzling. However, this method is problematic in that there is a great luminance difference at the time of lighting because the backlight of the light-emission unit is narrowly formed in all directions, luminance is low due to a great light loss resulting from the dark milk-white diffusion cover, an the lifespan of the lamp of the LED element is reduced because heat is also accumulated within the diffusion cover.
Furthermore, the mounting area is limited because a circuit board in which a plurality of LED elements is arranged is mounted on the front of the heat dissipation frame, which makes it difficult to dispose a large number of LED elements. For this reason, in order to obtain a large amount of light using a limited number of LED elements, expensive and high-brightness LED elements must be used or the size of the heat dissipation frame must be further increased. As a result, there are problems in that the lighting lamp becomes heavy and bulky and it is difficult to popularize the lighting lamp due to a high price result from a high manufacture cost.
Accordingly, in order to greatly expand power-saving and eco-friendly LED lighting environment by replacing the existing electric lamp and compact type fluorescent lamp, the improvement of light efficiency of an LED lighting lamp, a wide backlight condition without dazzling, and lighter, efficient, and economic heat dissipation means must be prepared.

LED lighting module and lighting lamp using same


The present disclosure is directed to a power system component for a work machine. The power system component may include a wheel having one or more free-form welded members. The wheel may include a front end, a back end, and a central, axial spine member extending from the front end to the back end. The wheel may also include an outer shell adjacent the spine member at the front end, extending toward the back end, and flaring radially away from the spine member near the back end. The outer shell may include a front surface, a back surface, and one or more protrusions extending from the front surface. The wheel may further include at least one void defined between the spine member and the back surface of the outer shell and at least one reinforcing structure connecting the outer shell with a portion of the spine member between the front end and the back end.

The performance of internal combustion engines may be enhanced with forced induction, such as, for example, supercharging or turbocharging. Forced induction devices, such as superchargers or turbochargers, are essentially air compressors that force more air into the combustion chambers of an engine than the engine could otherwise draw in on its own. With this increased air, more fuel may be injected to create a balanced, but more potent air-fuel mixture. This air-fuel mixture may combust more forcefully, thus enabling the engine to produce more power.
Forced induction devices may include turbine wheels and/or compressor wheels that spin to compress intake air, and thus, increased air flow to the engine. These wheels, however, have mass, and therefore, inertia. The ability to overcome this inertia and get these wheels spinning ("spool up") can be a substantial factor in the responsiveness of the engine. That is, the faster the forced induction device can accelerate these wheels, the more responsive the engine may be. In addition, faster acceleration of these wheels enables transient emissions (i.e., emissions created by other than steady state engine operation, such as acceleration or constant rpm with increasing load) to be better controlled with less sacrifice of engine performance. The air-fuel ratio may be maintained while rapidly increasing fuel supplied to the combustion chamber if the forced induction device can spool up quickly to match the increased fuel with increased air. The ability to maintain a desired air-fuel ratio allows for better emissions control. It may be desirable, therefore, to reduce the mass of these wheels in order to reduce their inertia and allow for faster spool up.
Forced induction systems have been developed that use more than one forced induction device (e.g., twin-turbos). By using two smaller turbos, instead of one large one, the twin-turbos may spool up faster because the two smaller compressor wheels may be less massive than the single large one. These types of systems, however, could still benefit from lighter components. Further, a system with multiple forced induction devices may be more costly and/or complex to produce and maintain.
Wheels for certain types of devices have been developed with hollow inner geometry in order to reduce mass and/or allow for passage of fluid through them. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,533, issued on Sep. 24, 2002, to Beyer ("the 533 patent"), discloses a hollow wheel for a hydraulic turbine. The wheel of the '533 patent, however, is designed for a hydraulic turbine that spins at about 90 rpm. In contrast, forced induction devices can spin at speeds up to 200,000 rpm. These high rotational speeds call for utmost precision in the manufacturing process to insure the structural integrity of the component under such high demands. Some manufacturing techniques, such as casting, have limitations with regard to the precision and/or kinds of structures that they are capable of producing. Innovative casting techniques have been developed, but may be complicated and/or cumbersome.
The disclosed power system component is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.


A cutting insert having a base portion structured to be coupled to a tool body, the base portion having a leading end, a trailing end, and a mounting face extending therebetween. A number of cutting portions extend from the base portion opposite the mounting face. Each cutting portion of the number of cutting portions includes a cutting face disposed adjacent the leading end of the base. The cutting face having an angled portion disposed at a first angle with respect to a reference plane oriented parallel to the leading end and perpendicular to the mounting face. The cutting face also having a curved portion disposed between the angled portion and the base portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to machine tools for cutting grooves in a hole previously formed in a workpiece and, more particularly, to an insert for use in machining grooves within a bore.
2. Background Information
It is often necessary or desirable to create an internal recess or groove within a tube or hole of a machine part. Such grooving process is typically carried out in one of two ways. One solution is to use a grooving tool attached to a tool holder on a single axis rotary drive. The end of the grooving tool that is placed in the hole has one or more cutting inserts. These cutting inserts are often radially extendable and retractable. Such feature allows the tool to be inserted into a hole, then rotated and extended radially to form the groove along the inside surface of the hole.
Examples of such extendable inserts are well known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,333,935 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,545,443 each shows extendable inserts for internal grooving. Generally, a central rod is moved in an axial direction and has a tapered surface at its end. The tapered surface engages one or more cutting inserts in a wedging action to convert the axial force into a radial force moving the insert into cutting position. The means for moving the central rod is often mechanical, but electrical or hydraulic movement of such a rod is not new to the art. Regardless of the means for effecting movement, an elaborate control system is generally required to control the movement of the central rod. This control is necessary because the position of the central rod determines the diameter of a cut that will be made in the wall of the workpiece.
Another solution, such as described in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/159,901, utilizes a solid bodied cutting tool body having a number of pockets in which cutting inserts having a desired cutting profiled are installed. In order to carry out grooving operations on the wall of a bore of a workpiece, tool body is both rotated about a central axis while simultaneously interpolated along a generally circular path about the central axis of the bore.
Regardless of the solution, each utilizes one or more replaceable cutting inserts of a selected profile. Ideally, such cutting inserts are durable, capable of forming the desired grooves in a timely manner, and capable of forming grooves of a desired quality. Although known cutting inserts have been generally suitable for such operations, there exists a need for improved cutting inserts for use in such groove cutting operations.


A suppressed ion chromatographic apparatus using a regenerant recycle loop, comprising (a) an ion separation device, (b) a membrane suppressor, (c) a detector, (d) a container for regenerant solution, (e) a first conduit between the ion separation device and the suppressor, (f) a second conduit between the regenerant solution container and the suppressor, (g) a third conduit between the suppressor and the regenerant solution container, and (h) a regenerant solution recycle loop out of fluid communication with the detector outlet.

The present invention relates to ion chromatography systems for determination of both anionic and cationic analytes.
Ion chromatography is a widely used analytical technique for the determination of anionic and cationic analytes in various sample matrices. Ion chromatography, also called suppressed ion chromatography, includes a chromatographic separation stage using an eluent containing an electrolyte, an eluent suppression stage, followed by the detection stage, typically using an electrical conductivity detector. In the chromatographic separation stage, ionic analytes of an injected sample are eluted through a separation column and separated from each other using an electrolyte as the eluent. In the suppression stage, an eluent suppression device, or suppressor, is the critical system component used to convert the eluent into a weakly conducting form and enhance the conductance of target analytes. This technique has been described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,897,213, 3,920,397, 3,925,019, and 3,926,559.
Even though ion chromatography today comprises a number of separation and detection modes, ion chromatography with suppressed conductivity detection remains the most widely practiced form of the technique. The original suppressors were columns packed with ion-exchange resins in appropriate ionic forms. Those packed-bed suppressors had a relatively large dead volume and required frequent off-line chemical regeneration. To overcome this problem, suppressors based on ion-exchange fibers and membranes were developed. Over the years, several designs of electrolytically-regenerated membrane suppressors as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,999,098, 5,248,426, 5,352,360, and 6,325,976 have been also developed to overcome the limitations associated with the chemically-regenerated membrane suppressors. The electrolytic suppressors offer several advantages in ion chromatography. They provide continuous and simultaneous suppression of eluents, regeneration of the suppression bed, and sufficient suppression capacity for all common IC applications. They are easy to operate because either the suppressed eluent or water is used to create regenerant ions electrolytically, and there is no need to prepare regenerant solutions off-line. They are compatible with gradient separations. They have very low suppression zone volume, which makes it possible to achieve separations with very high chromatographic efficiency.
In the operation of electrolytically-regenerated membrane suppressors, it is sometimes preferred to operate the electrolytic membrane suppressors in the external water mode because the type of detector used is not amenable to the recycle mode of operation or because lower suppressed background noise achievable in the external water mode of operation is desirable. The external water regenerant is typically operated at flow rates that are 2 to 10 times higher than the eluent flow rate and thus typically consume a significant amount of water regenerant. For example, a total of 2628 liters of water is required if an ion chromatography system is operated continuously at a separation flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and the water regenerant is operated at 5 mL/min and 24 hours per day for 365 day per year. When a constant supply of large amounts of high purity water from an external source is required for continuous operation, the IC system operators face the waste disposal and other logistical challenges to system operation.
Even though the use of chemically-regenerated membrane suppressors have decreased somewhat in recent years, the membrane suppressors offer the benefits of long lifetime, low noise, and better compatibility with applications where organic solvents are used as in the eluents. In the operation of chemically-regenerated membrane suppressors, an external source of either acid or base regenerant solution is required to generate the suppressor continuously. The external acid or base regenerant is typically operated at flow rates that are 2 to 10 times higher than the eluent flow rate and thus typically consume a significant amount of regenerants. The consistent preparation of such large amount of the regenerant as well as the disposal of the used regenerant can pose serious logistical challenges to the system operators in terms of costs and labor, especially in cases where unattended or less frequently attended operations are required.
There is a need to minimize waste disposal, and reduce operating costs of the regenerant solutions used in the operation of both the chemically-regenerated and electrolytically-regenerated suppressors.


Provided herein is a method of detecting cancer through generalized loss of stability of epigenetic domains as well as compositions useful therein. The present invention is based on the discovery that generalized loss of stability of epigenetic domains was determined to be a characteristic across various cancer types. Genome-scale bisulfite sequencing of cancers revealed a surprising loss of methylation stability in the cancer methylome, involving both CpG islands and shores, as well as large (up to several megabases) blocks of hypomethylation affecting more than half of the genome, with concomitant stochastic variability in gene expression.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methylome analysis, and more specifically to a method for detecting cancer through generalized loss of stability of epigenetic domains of the genome.
Background Information
Epigenetics is the study of non-sequence information of chromosome DNA during cell division and differentiation. The molecular basis of epigenetics is complex and involves modifications of the activation or inactivation of certain genes. Additionally, the chromatin proteins associated with DNA may be activated or silenced. Epigenetic changes are preserved when cells divide. Most epigenetic changes only occur within the course of one individual organism's lifetime, but some epigenetic changes are inherited from one generation to the next.
One example of an epigenetic mechanism is DNA methylation (DNAm), a covalent modification of the nucleotide cytosine. In particular, it involves the addition of methyl groups to cytosine nucleotides in the DNA, to convert cytosine to 5-methylcytosine. DNA methylation plays an important role in determining whether some genes are expressed or not. Abnormal DNA methylation is one of the mechanisms known to underlie the changes observed with aging and development of many cancers.
Cancers have historically been linked to genetic changes such as DNA sequence mutations. Evidence now supports that a relatively large number of cancers originate, not from mutations, but from epigenetic changes such as inappropriate DNA methylation. In some cases, hypermethylation of DNA results the an inhibition of expression of critical genes, such as tumor suppressor genes or DNA repair genes, allowing cancers to develop. In other cases, hypomethylation of genes modulates expression, which contributes to the development of cancer.
Cancer is generally viewed as over 200 separate organ-specific diseases of abnormal cell growth, largely controlled by a series of mutations, but also involving epigenetic, i.e. non-sequence based, changes that might involve the same sets of genes'. DNA methylation at CpG dinucleotides in particular has been studied extensively in cancer, with hypomethylation reported at some genes, hypermethylation at others, and a global loss of DNA methylation ascribed to repetitive DNA elements that are normally methylated.
Since the discovery of altered DNA methylation in human cancer, the focus of cancer epigenetics has been on candidate regions of the genome, either high-density CpG islands, gene promoters, or dispersed repetitive elements2,3, and there has not been a comprehensive genome-scale understanding of the relationship between DNA methylation loss and gain in cancer and in normal differentiation.

Method of detecting cancer through generalized loss of stability of epigenetic domains, and compositions thereof


An ink head includes: a common ink chamber; a first nozzle including a first nozzle hole, a first flow channel and the common ink chamber, and a first actuator; and a second nozzle including a second nozzle hole, a second flow channel and the common ink chamber, and a second actuator, the second nozzle being adjacent to the first nozzle in a first direction. The first flow channel is linked to the common ink chamber via a first opening. The second flow channel is linked to the common ink chamber via a second opening. A center position of the first opening is shifted from a center position of the second opening in at least a third direction, the third direction crossing the first direction when viewed along a second direction, the second direction being from the common ink chamber toward the first flow channel.

A known ink head includes multiple nozzles arranged in one direction, and a common ink chamber. Each nozzle includes a nozzle hole, a flow channel that links the common ink chamber and the nozzle hole, and an actuator that ejects ink from the nozzle hole. When the actuators of the multiple nozzles of such an ink head are simultaneously driven, the ink in the common ink chamber is simultaneously suctioned by the multiple nozzles. When the ink inside the common ink chamber is simultaneously suctioned by adjacent nozzles, there is a possibility that sufficient ink cannot be supplied to each nozzle hole. In such a case, the ink droplets that are ejected from the nozzle holes do not have the prescribed amounts.


An assembler, which can be provided as part of a debugger and/or development system, avoids register allocation errors, such as register bank conflicts and/or insufficient physical registers, automatically.

As is known in the art, some processors have multiple register banks from which operands are fed to a processing unit that performs a designated operation, e.g., shift, add, subtract etc. A first bank of registers provides operands to one port of the processing unit and the second bank of registers provide operands to a second port of the processing unit. While this arrangement has certain advantages, operands for a given instruction cannot come from the same bank of registers.
In some known assemblers, the programmer typically writes instructions using physical register names (e.g. R0) rather than virtual names (e.g., num_packets), so that register bank conflicts are generally easy to avoid. However, some assemblers enable the use of virtual names. While the ability to use virtual names provides certain advantages, such as ease of use, register bank conflict issues may become more of an issue.
A further issue that can arise in the assembly of source code can occur when the number of physical registers required by the code exceeds the number present in the target hardware.

Debug system having assembler correcting register allocation errors


A yarn winding apparatus for high speed yarn winding with long spindles and multiple bobbins having a reduced diameter, the apparatus having spindles with one or both of the bobbin holder or driving shaft made of a composite layer made of reinforcing fibers and a matrix component and a supporting member made of metal provided on at least one of an inner surface and outer surface of the composite layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a yarn winding apparatus, more particularly, to a yarn winding apparatus which enables one to wind yarn at a high speed on a long spindle having a small diameter while avoiding serious spindle vibration.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent yarn winding apparatuses have been increased in the speed of the spindles with, for example, take yarn up at more than 5000 m/min, to improve the productivity of the yarn making process.
Also, use has been made of a spindle carrying multiple bobbins. In other words, a spindle having a relatively longer length, to further improve the productivity, since a plurality of yarn packages can be obtained in one winding operation.
A yarn winding apparatus having a longer spindle capable of carrying multiple bobbins is already known from EP 234,844, for example.
When spindles carrying multiple bobbins are put into practical use, the amount of the bobbins consumed will be increased remarkably since a large number of bobbins are mounted on the spindles in one yarn winding operation.
At the present time, bobbins are not collected for reuse but are scrapped after one use.
This is because great expense is required to manage and collect the bobbins both in term of equipment and personal.
Generally, the dominant expense in the production of bobbins is the material cost.
Bobbins having a relatively small diameter are thus naturally cheaper than bobbins having a relatively large diameter.
Also, when the diameter is reduced, the volume of yarn wound on a bobbin in one winding operation is increased, contributing to larger sized package.
Also, when the diameter is reduced, the volume of yarn wound on a bobbin having a small diameter, in other words, a spindle having a small diameter, and to increase the speed of the spindle for winding yarn and to elongate the spindles in a yarn winding apparatus.
In the prior art, there has not been a practical yarn winding apparatus which features simultaneously an increased rotational speed of the spindles, a greater spindle length, and a minimized spindle diameter.
Note that, conventional yarn winding apparatuses feature a maximum yarn winding speed of 6000 m/min, spindles made of metal and having a inner diameter of 120 mm and a total length of bobbins mounted on the spindles of 1200 mm.
Rotating bodies made of a composite layer made of reinforcing fibers and a matrix component are sometimes seen in the field of centrifugal separators.
A spindle of such a composite layer made of reinforcing fibers and a matrix component is very inferior to a spindle made of metal in mechanical strength, such as surface hardness, impact resistance, and wear and abrasion resistance. Therefore wear and deform action will occur on the sliding portion between a cylindrical body, i.e., a bobbin holder, and a bobbin fixing device, the connecting portion between the cylindrical body and a boss, the connecting portion between the boss and the driving shaft of the bobbin holder, and a bearing portion for supporting the driving shaft, due to frequent usuage of the yarn winding apparatus.
This wear and deform action cause considarable vibration, significantly reducing reliability and durability.
Therefore, spindles made of composite layer made of reinforcing fibers and a matrix component have not been used in practice.
On the other hand, a high speed rotating cylindrical body made of a composite layer made of reinforcing fibers and a matrix component and used for yarn winding apparatus is known in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 56-147916.
However, in the prior art, there is no information about the usage of a long spindle carrying multiple bobbins having a relatively small diameter for high speed yarn winding.
When a spindle made of a composite layer made of reinforcing fibers and a matrix component is used in a yarn winding apparatus, the precision of processing, the surface hardness, and the like of the sliding portion, the connecting portions, and the bearing portion are required to be high to enable high speed spindle performance.
In addition, this high level of precision should be maintained at a constant level without any variation with time caused by vibration due to rotation of the spindle, variation in package weight, or external force or stress, for example, the binding force created on the connecting portion.
When a yarn winding apparatus enabling high speed yarn winding with a long spindle made of metal having a small diameter is used, the increased spindle length naturally causes less stiffness of the spindle and a weaker supporting construction.
A separate problem arises in that other vibration will occur due to lack of spindle strenth, thus hindering high speed yarn winding.
Generally, it is believed that high speed yarn winding at a stable condition, requires that the spindle rotated at a high speed, be used without approaching the critical speed causing a considerable bending vibration, from the start to the end of yarn winding.
When high speed yarn winding is carried out utilizing a long spindle made of metal having a smaller diameter, for example, having an inner diameter of 94 mm and the whole length of 1200 mm, the critical speed is generally around 6000 m/min.
In other words, the critical speed drops to an unprecedantedly low range of yarn winding speed in which no critical speed occurs heretofore.
If vibration occurs in yarn winding at a speed of around 6000 m/min, it is difficult to continue stable yarn winding and furher there is mechanical damages to the yarn winding apparatus.
Thus, this kind of yarn winding apparatus cannot be used in practice.


The invention provides isolated nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of Xenopus CENP-E (XCENP-E), antibodies to XCENP-E, methods of screening for CENP-E modulators using biologically active CENP-E, and kits for screening for CENP-E modulators.

Segregation of genetic material during mitosis is mediated by the microtubules of the mitotic spindle (see, e.g., McIntosh, in Microtubules, pp. 413-434 (Hyams & Lloyd, eds., 1994). During mitosis, chromosomes are dynamically attached to spindle microtubules via the kinetochore, which is a structure located at the centromere of the chromosome. Kinetochores are involved in coordinating chromosome movement via microtubule assembly and disassembly. The kinetochore and its component proteins thus play an important role in the dynamics of mitosis.
Spindle microtubules have a defined polarity, with their slow-growing, "minus" ends anchored at or near the spindle pole, and their dynamic, fast-growing "plus" ends interacting with chromosomes (McIntosh, et al., J. Cell Biol. 98:525-533 (1984)). During prometaphase, chromosomes establish interactions with the fast-growing plus ends of microtubules via the kinetochore. Chromosomes then undergo a series of microtubule-dependent movements, culminating in alignment at the metaphase plate, equidistant from the two spindle poles. This process is called "congression. " However, the molecular mechanisms underlying chromosome congression are poorly understood (see, e.g., Rieder, et al., J. Cell Biol. 124:223-33 (1994)). A major question has been whether any kinetochore-associated microtubule motors play an important role in congression.
The two predominant and opposing forces are currently thought to be responsible for chromosome movement during congression: (1) an anti-poleward polar force associated with regions of high microtubule density near the spindle poles, and (2) a poleward force generated at the kinetochore (Khodjakov, et al., J. Cell Biol. 135:315-327 (1996); Waters, et al., J. Cell Sci. 109:2823-2831 (1996); reviewed in Rieder, et al., Int. Rev. Cytol. 79:1-57 (1982); Mitchison, et al., Annu. Rev. Cell Biol. 4:527-49 (1988); Rieder, et al., J. Cell Biol. 124:223-33 (1994)).
Studies in vitro have demonstrated the presence of both plus and minus end-directed microtubule motor activities on kinetochores that may be responsible for these chromosome movements (Mitchison, et al., J. Cell Biol. 101:766-77 (1985); Hyman, et al., Nature 351:206-211 (1991)). The outstanding issue, however, has been the identity of the molecules at the kinetochore which act as motors and generate the force for chromosome movement.
In general, both genetic and biochemical approaches have demonstrated crucial roles for microtubule motors in spindle assembly, spindle pole separation, and regulation of spindle microtubule dynamics. These motors include Eg5, CHO1/MK1p1, ncd, cut7, bimC, CIN8, KIP1, KAR3, Xk1p2, XKCM1, and XCTK2 (Sawin, et al., Nature 359:540-543 (1992); Blangy, et al., Cell 83:1159-1169 (1995); Sawin, et al., J. Cell Biol. 112:925-940 (1991); Nislow, et al., J. Cell Biol. 111:511-522 (1990); Endow, et al., J. Cell Sci. 107:859-867 (1994); Hagan, et al., Nature 347:563-566 (1990); Hagan, et al., Nature 356:74-76 (1992); Enos, et al., Cell 60:1019-1027 (1990); Hoyt, et al., J. Cell Biol. 118:109-120; Roof, et al., J. Cell Biol. 118:95-108 (1992); Saunders, et al., Cell 70:451-458 (1992), Boleti, et al., J. Cell. Biol. 125:1303-1312; Walczak, et al., Cell 84:37-47 (1996); Walczak, et al., J. Cell Biol. 136:859-70 (1997)). Two kinesin superfamily members, Xenopus Xk1p1 and Drosophila nod localize to chromosome arms. With the exception of these two chromatin-associated motors, which are thought to mediate polar ejection forces, none of these other proteins have been implicated directly in congression or in chromosome movement during other phases of mitosis (Theurkauf, et al., J. Cell Biol. 116:1167-1180 (1992); Afshar, et al., Cell 81:129, Cell 81:128-138 (1995); Vernos, et al., Trends in Cell Biol. 5:297-301 (1995)).
A candidate for powering chromosome movement in mitosis is centromere-associated protein-E (CENP-E), a member of the kinesin superfamily of microtubule motor proteins. Human CENP-E has been cloned and is an integral component of the kinetochore (Yen, et al., Nature 359:536-539 (1992); Yao, et al., The microtubule motor CENP-E is an integral component of kinetochore corona fibers that link centromeres to spindle microtubules (manuscript)). CENP-E localizes to kinetochores throughout all phases of mitotic chromosome movement (early prometaphase through anaphase A) (Yen, et al., Nature 359:536-539 (1992); Brown, et al., J. Cell. Biol; 125:1303-1312 (1994); Lombillo, et al., J. Cell Biol. 128:107-115 (1995)).
Previous efforts have suggested a role for CENP-E in mitosis. Microinjection of a monoclonal antibody directed against CENP-E into cultured human cells delays anaphase onset (Yen, et al., EMBO J. 10:1245-1254,(1991)). Anti-CENP-E antibody injection into maturing mouse oocytes induces arrest at the first reductional division of meiosis (Duesbery, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (in press, 1997)). Antibodies against CENP-E block microtubule depolymerization-dependent minus end-directed movement of purified chromosomes in vitro (Lombillo, et al., J. Cell Biol. 128:107-115 (1995)).
However, these experiments have not demonstrated the precise role of CENP-E in mitosis, nor have they shown the activity of CENP-E, in particular any motor activity. Recently, CENP-E was reported to be associated with minus end-directed microtubule motor activity, raising the possibility that CENP-E might be responsible for poleward kinetochore movements (Thrower, et al., EMBO J. 14:918-926 (1995)). However, biologically active CENP-E has never been isolated, neither from naturally occurring nor recombinant sources.

Plus end-directed microtubule motor required for chromosome congression

The Regents of the University of California


The present invention provides a portable information system the enables a user to access necessary information from a home page of a store even when the user does not know the URL of the home page. In order to attain this, a portable information terminal 1 has a wireless telephone communication function, such as a PHS, and a guide switch 1c that requests area information from the Internet provider 5, transmits via an antenna 1A to base station 3A or base station 3B, and obtains information about the current position by GPS. In addition, the base station 3A and base station 3B are connected to the ISDN public telecommunication network 2, for example, via an exchange, and connect the communication line between the public telecommunication network 2 and the portable information terminal 1. In addition, a server 5c having a database 5d that stores data is connected to the telecommunication network 2 via the access points 4A-4D of the Internet provider 5 and the provider communication network 5a. In the above structure, the portable information terminal 1 accesses the server 5c uses current position information and guide control signals, searches for information about stores in the area that indicated by the current position information, and transmits this information to the portable information terminal 1.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable information system wherein a portable information terminal that has a wireless communication capacity is connected to a communication network (referred to simply as the xe2x80x9cInternetxe2x80x9d hereinbelow), such as the Internet, via a provider, and obtains information about stores, train stations, etc., in an area that corresponds to information about the current position from an information providing device (for example, a WWW server) connected to the Internet.
This application is based on Patent Application Nos. 11-240619 and 2000-149072 filed in Japan, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a personal information processing device, such as a personal computer (abbreviated xe2x80x9cPCxe2x80x9d hereinbelow), is connected to the Internet, normally, after contracting with a commercial provider that provides a telephone line connection service to the Internet, an arbitrary one among a plurality of access points (telephone numbers for connecting to a circuit) provided by the provider is selected, and by making a telephone connection, a communication line to the Internet is established.
Similarly, in recent years, portable information terminals, such as the personal handyphone systems (PHS), having a wireless communication function, have become commercially available in diverse models. Unlike the PC, use of these portable information terminals is not limited to one place, and thus what is termed mobile computing has become possible. This means that the portable information terminal has a modem with a wireless function for connecting to the Internet, and thus, even outdoors, the Internet can be accessed via one of the provider""s access points, like a PC.
At the same time, in the portable information system using the current position acquisition system represented by the conventional car navigation system, based on information about the current position, the user can inquire about information on the Internet through a provider, and can obtain necessary information about facilities that include at least stores and public facilities. That is, there is necessary information (for example, information about a particular store), and the user acts as an agent to obtain this information from the Internet using a pull-type method. That is, in this portable information system, using the GPS (Global Positioning System), after the user knows an arbitrary point (the current position), the information about that area is obtained from the Internet.
Using the above-described portable information system, when the user wants to obtain information, for example, the current position from the GPS, and then tries to get information about a store in the vicinity from a home page on the Internet based on this position information, he connects to the store""s home page using a URL (Uniform Resource Locater).
However, the conventional portable information terminals described above have the disadvantage that if the user does not know the URL of the home page of the store (the URL is not registered in the portable information device), it is not possible to connect to the necessary home page.
In addition, the conventional portable information terminals described above have the disadvantage that if the user does not know the URL of the home page of the store (the URL is not registered in the portable information device), this URL must be searched for on the Internet, and such a search may be vary laborious, so the necessary information cannot immediately be obtained from the home page.
Furthermore, in a search method based on the above-described position information, if a user does not know beforehand what type of stores there are in the area through which the user is traveling, a search for information about a store providing merchandise that the user wishes to purchase cannot be carried out on the Internet, and timely information acquisition cannot be carried out.
In addition, the conventional portable information system has the problem that only simple fixed information (the type of facility, the name of the facility, the address of the facility, the telephone number of the facility, the operating hours of the facility, a map showing the facility) can be registered in the device that is accessed and provides information.
That is, this fixed information is simply an extension of area information, such as the type of facility at a given location, and is not frequently updated.
Thus, the conventional portable information system has the disadvantage that after the user has once obtained information about a facility by accessing a device that provides information, there is no need to know identical information about a facility by repeated access, and there is no value in repeated access.
Therefore, the conventional portable information system is simply an electronic map system that renders maps electronically convenient, focusing on arriving at the location one is going to for the first time without getting lost.
In consideration of the above-described background, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable information system that allows a user to obtain from a home page on the Internet necessary information about stores that is updated periodically without the user having to know the URL of the home page or having to know in advance what kind of stores are located in the vicinity.
The present invention is a portable information system that is connected to a communication network from a portable information terminal and obtains specified information from an information providing device connected to this communication network, characterized in providing a position information acquiring means by which the portable information terminal acquires information about its own position, and a communication means that establishes a communication line between the portable information terminal and the communication network via an access point, and carries out transmission and reception of the position information and the specified information, and wherein a communication network connection part is provided that searches for the information about the corresponding area from the information providing device based on the position represented by the position information received from the portable information device, and transmits the information about the corresponding area that was found to this portable information terminal.
In addition, the present invention provides a portable information system in which a user connects to a line at a server located at a provider with a portable information terminal and obtains information from the home page of a facility that has an advertising contract with the provider, and wherein each facility bears the cost of the communication charges for the portable information terminal connected to the server, and in exchange for bearing the communication charges, the provider supplies statistical information and personal information about the users who access the home page to the facility operating the home page.
By being structured in the above-described manner, the portable information system according to the present invention uses current position information obtained, for example, from the GPS, and the provider""s server transmits information about stores and types of facilities (stations, city offices, health offices, tax offices, etc.), for example, that are provided in advance on the Internet via a telephone line or wireless connection to a user who is passing through the area of the stores and facilities, etc., that are present in the vicinity of the current location.
That is, in the portable information system according to the present invention, the user""s position coming physically within a specified distance to the position of the information originator (the store or facility) serves as a trigger that prompts the transmission of information to the portable information terminal of the user. For example, in the portable information system according to the present invention, by using the GPS, when the distance between two arbitrary points (the position of the user and the position of the information originator) is within a specified range, transmission and reception of information is established.
Therefore, the portable information system according to the present invention is a method of using push-type Internet information access that transmits information on the Internet from a provider prompted by the user passing in vicinity of the store. Here, push-type means that by inputting a trigger signal (for example, guidance control information and current position information from the user), the Internet provider searches for information on the Internet on an information providing device, and transmits it to the portable information terminal of the user, even when there has been no request for the information from the user.
In addition, the portable information system of the present invention can provide an environment for notifying a user via a portable information terminal about information that facilities wish to provide in real time by using the home pages that are produced by the stores and facilities, etc., that are registered in the information providing device.
At the same time, the user can automatically gather information about a facility within a range (a certain distance) centered on himself, and in addition to fixed information displayed conventionally, high-value timely information such as that found in fliers handed out on the street or advertisements folded into newspapers that are delivered can be obtained.
In this manner, according to the portable information system of the present invention, compared to the conventional examples of fixed information for each facility, a communication means is provided that makes possible the exchange of fresh and concise information between the user and the facility.
Furthermore, the portable information system of the present invention is an attempt to provide an area-specific character to the information on the Internet, is a form for use of the Internet between the user and the facility that provides the home page based on this area-specific character (the position at which the user is moving in the region where a facility is present), and opens up new possibilities for the Internet, in contrast to portable information terminals that search for fixed conventional information.
In addition, because the present invention automatically transmits to the portable information terminal information (information about stores and stations within a specified search area) of an area from an information provider facility based on position information even if the user does not know the URL of the home page of the store by using a portable information system that combines the communication network (Internet, etc.) and a position information acquiring means, an information providing service that exhibits a strong area-specific character can be constructed, and since information about stores, train stations, theaters, etc., can be obtained within a specified range centered on the current position, area-specific, concise, and quick (real time) communication between the registered store and user is possible even if the user does not know about the stores, etc., in the region.

Portable information system for receiving information via a communication network

16-8, Kamezumi-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi


A method involves using a first lift mechanism coupled to a remotely-operated ground vehicle to engage a first communication relay and position it at a first angle above a ground surface. A second lift mechanism coupled to the remotely-operated ground vehicle is then used to engage a second communication relay. With a single motion by the remotely-operated ground vehicle, the second communication relay is positioned at a second angle above the ground surface and the first communication relay at a third angle above the ground surface. The third angle is greater than both the first angle and the second angle. The second angle is greater than or equal to the first angle. The first communication relay may then be deployed by the remotely-operated ground vehicle at a first location and the second communication relay may be deployed at a second location.

Remotely-controlled robotic systems, such as those used to investigate and neutralize improvised explosive devices, typically communicate using high-frequency digital links and require line-of-sight (LOS) between the robotic system and the operator. In certain situations, LOS communication is not possible due to various obstacles. One method to overcome these obstacles is to use a tethered connection to the robotic system. However, communication will be lost if the tether breaks. Further, maneuverability of the robotic system may be impeded if the tether gets caught on one or more obstacles. Another method to provide non-LOS (NLOS) communications is to use a system, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,103,212 to Pezeshkian et al., configured to automatically deploy communication relays to keep the communication link intact. However, a disadvantage to this type of system is that the system cannot retrieve the deployed communication relays.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method for remotely-operated deployment and retrieval of communication relays.

System and method for remotely-operated deployment and retrieval of communication relays

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY


In a method for handling sheet goods, in particular value documents, such as bank notes, in an apparatus for processing sheet goods, such as a bank-note machine, sheet goods are removed from a container for sheet goods that is inserted in the apparatus, through an output opening of the container, checked for further processability, and in the case of a negative check result returned into the container through an input opening of the container that is separate from the output opening. The container has a pressing device for exerting a pressure on the sheet goods in the direction of the output opening, wherein the pressing device is displaceable along the height of the container such that sheet goods are both outputtable from a sheet-goods region of the container through the output opening and inputtable back into the sheet-goods region through the input opening.

The present invention concerns a method for handling sheet goods, in particular value documents, such as bank notes, and a container for sheet goods, in particular for value documents, such as bank notes. The sheet-goods container may be in particular a bank-note cassette. The invention furthermore concerns an apparatus for processing sheet goods with the sheet-goods container or bank-note cassette, in particular a bank-note machine.
In an apparatus for processing sheet goods, for example a bank-note machine which is provided for inputting and outputting bank notes, different kinds of bank-note containers can be employed. Depending on the case of application, different bank-note containers can be inserted in the bank-note machine, which are intended for receiving bank notes (so-called deposit cassettes or deposit stores) or for outputting bank notes (so-called dispense cassettes or dispense stores). Dispense cassettes are inserted into the bank-note machine in a filled state, for example, in each case a cassette with bank notes of a certain denomination.
When a bank note is drawn out of a dispense cassette, a malfunctioning of the singler of the cassette can lead to an unwanted double or multiple pick, whereby two or more bank notes are drawn simultaneously. Double and multiple picks often lead to a standstill of the bank-note machine, since they either, for example, fan out and thereby cause a jam in the transport system, or else, if they are recognized by a corresponding check in time after being drawn, are left in the transport system to be removed manually. Double or multiple picks can also be conveyed into a separate pocket in the bank-note machine in order to avoid a standstill of the machine. However, this can lead to an indeterminacy of the fill quantity of the bank-note cassette, if it cannot be established how many bank notes were drawn simultaneously. In other words, the stock reliability of a bank-note cassette can in this way not be guaranteed.


Provided are an integrated optical component which can prevent a detection optical system being affected by variation in working temperature, and a pick-up device using the integrated optical component. The integrated optical component for guiding a light beam emitted from a light emitting element to an optical disc, and for separating a required light beam from reflected light from the optical disc, wherein the integrated optical component includes therein a plurality of optical surfaces, and a diffraction grating for extracting light beams required from tracking control and focus control, from the reflected light is formed in any one of the optical surfaces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical component used for recording and reproducing signals to and from an optical disc, an optical pick-up device using the optical component, and an optical disc apparatus using the optical pick-up device.
2. Description of Related Art
As to conventionally used optical pick-up devices, there has been used several kinds of beam splitters in order to contrive the isolation between a light emitting source and an optical detecting system. By the way, since demands for miniaturizing optical pick devices has been increased, there are such a trend that optical units in which a light source and an optical detecting system are packed in one and the same package have been produced.
In order to materialize the above-mentioned optical unit, an optical component formed thereon with diffraction gratings have been used. Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. H10-154344 discloses in detail the technical configuration of the optical component as an example. Thus, since such an optical component has been materialized, the optical pick-up device has become small-sized, and accordingly, small-sized optical disc apparatus each incorporating a small-sized optical pick-up device have been commercially available.
By the way, the miniaturization and widespread of optical disc apparatus have caused new problems. For example, the miniaturization inevitably causes a light emitting source, a detecting element and an optical component are arranged in close proximity with one another. Further, the long time use thereof and enlargement of utilization thereof for recording causes the optical output power of the light emitting source to be increased, and as well the working temperature thereof is also raised. Further, similar to note-book type personnel computers which have been widespreadly used, the use of the optical component in a small-sized housing causes the environmental temperature to rise up further.
As the working temperature range in which optical units should be used is enlarged, affection by thermal expansion coefficients of components constituting the optical unit comes into force. For example, should the dimensions and positions of the optical components which are formed thereon diffraction gratings be affected, the provability of such a fact that servo control causes errors or offsets would become higher.
The present invention is devised in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an integrated optical component with which variation in working temperature does not affect an optical detecting system which can realize detection of signals which can hardly be affected by cross-talk, and also provide an optical pick-up device using the integrated optical component, and an optical disc apparatus using the optical pick-up device.
To the end, according to the present invention, there is provided an integrated optical component for guiding an optical emitting beam from an optical emitting element to an optical disc, and for picking up required beams from reflection light from the optical disc, incorporating therein a plurality of optical surfaces any one of which is formed thereon with a diffracting grating for extracting optical beams required for tracking control and focusing control, from the reflection light.
Further, there are provided an optical pick-up device using the above-mentioned integrated optical component, and an optical disc apparatus using the optical pick-up device.

Integrated optical component and optical pick-up device

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


In a vehicle lane detector that detects a lane sign on a road surface, a condition for determining that the lane sign is detected is changed based on one of a frequency and a ratio of detection error of the lane sign.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle lane detector and a method for detecting a lane sign on a road surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally known vehicle lane detectors detect a lane sign drawn on a road surface on which a vehicle drives. The vehicle lane detector detects a lane sign to be used for a driving support system that executes a lane keeping operation, i.e., an operation to keep the vehicle inside the lane, based on the lane sign, or for a deviation warning system that detects lateral shifts of the vehicle based on the lane sign and gives a warning when the result of detection indicates that the vehicle is likely to derail the lane. Here, the lane sign means a sign that indicates a lane boundary such as a line that separates lanes, white lines or yellow lines, for example, as well as a vehicle guiding sign, such as a dotted-line sign, that is provided to draw drivers' attentions.
For more detailed information on conventional techniques, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. H8-320997 and 2001-14595.
When the road is covered with snow, wet, or dirty, the lane sign cannot be clearly seen. When there are different types of lines on the road surface, as in the city, or there is no lane sign and curbs are provided on the road shoulders, the error in lane sign detection (including "lost", that is failure of detection) is likely to happen. Then, due to detection error or the repetition of detection and "lost", the driving support system or the deviation warning system may be repeatedly switched between ON and OFF, or the deviation warning system may erroneously raise an alarm.


A single injection gradient with a biosensor, both structural and methodological, achieves the binding of analyte to immobilized ligand over a wide concentration range without the necessity of regeneration of the sensing area. A gradient of concentrations adjacent to or within a flow cell facilitates kinetic analysis of interactions without requiring multiple discrete volumes or injections to achieve a range of concentrations. A continuous gradient fluid is preferably formed directly adjacent to the flow cell inlet or a region of sample/buffer dispersion at an injection point into a flow channel of a flow cell. The analyte gradient may be flowed through the flow cell from a low analyte concentration. Multiple component gradients are also provided.

Analytical instruments such as biosensors are well established as a means of recording the progress of biomolecular interactions in real time. Biosensors employ a variety of transduction technologies to detect interactions between biomolecules. Such instrumentation requires microfluidic channels in order to deliver samples to a sensing region, and pumps and valves are preferred means for moving sample through the channels in a controlled reproducible manner.
Recent interest in microfluidics technology has come about because of a growing need for sophisticated control of fluid streams for such sensing applications. A number of prior systems, referred to as integrated microfluidic cards, are composed of a series of substantially planar substrates possessing channels and structures that when bonded form internal passages and active components such as valves and pumps. Despite much progress these systems are rarely as robust as conventional flow injection analysis fluidic systems where the active components are not integrated into the fluidic card; however, these non-integrated systems typically have relatively large dead volumes.
There are several transducers capable of recording the progress of the biomolecular interactions to be detected. One example is a quartz crystal microbalance. Binding of molecules to the surface of a quartz crystal changes the fundamental resonance frequency which allows quantification of the binding event. Other technologies include light scattering, reflectometric interference spectroscopy, ellipsometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, calorimetry, and evanescent field based optical detection. A particularly effective evanescent field based technology, known as surface plasmon resonance (SPR), exploits the behavior of light upon reflection from a gold-coated optical substrate, for example.
SPR is an optical technique that enables real-time monitoring of changes in the refractive index of a thin film close to the sensing surface where materials to be tested are located (typical material types include a ligand attached to the sensing surface, a fluid buffer, and a fluid analyte which is contained (e.g. soluble or insoluble colloidal solution) in a running/flowing material that is to bind with the ligand and be tested). The evanescent field created at the surface decays exponentially from the surface and falls to one third of its maximum intensity at approximately 300 nanometers (nm) from the surface. Hence the SPR technique is sensitive to surface refractive index changes.
The delivery of samples to the SPR active sensing regions is made possible by creating flow channels that cover the active sensing regions. Each flow channel possesses an inlet and outlet to allow for the flow of buffer or samples over the SPR active sensing regions. The thin film sensing surface is derivatized to possess a polymeric coating that enables biomolecules ("ligands") to be permanently immobilized on the coating. The immobilized biomolecules usually possess binding specificity for another biomolecule contained in the sample (the "analyte"). The strength of this binding is given by the affinity constant which is simply the ratio of the binding rate constant divided by the dissociation rate constant. It is possible to measure these constants because an SPR-based biosensor records the progress of binding and dissociation events in real time.
Of particular interest is the kinetic analysis of such interactions. Important constants to measure include the association and dissociation between analyte in the flowing sample and ligands immobilized onto the sensing area. Other factors (e.g., mass transport characteristics of the sample) are also important to know. These are determined by flowing liquid mixtures containing one or more compounds (the analyte(s)) over sensing areas on which receptor chemicals (the ligand(s)) are located to interact with reactive contents of the mixtures. Using different concentrations of samples (i.e., different amounts of the one or more analytes in the mixtures) is important to enable such characteristics to be measured accurately.
There are different ways of achieving multiple concentration information from these known types of systems. One conventional way is to use different injectable volumes of solutions, each having a different concentration. One solution is flowed across the sensing area and data collected. The sensing area is then regenerated by flowing a "cleansing" fluid over the sensing area to remove the previous sample's contents. That is, usually when an analyte binds to an immobilized ligand the interaction must be reversed ("regenerated") in order to run another analyte injection. However, regenerating the surface can damage some of the immobilized ligand thereby resulting in decreased surface capacity for a subsequent test.
Sequentially injected volumes of solutions with different concentrations can be used without regeneration as disclosed in WO 2004/109284. In this step injection approach, the analyte is injected in a first volume at a low concentration then followed by a higher concentration in another volume and so forth until the surface is saturated. In this way it is possible to obtain data representing binding at different concentrations without using regeneration. These different concentrations also can be obtained from a mixture having a varying concentration within itself. See, also, WO 2004/109295, US 2003/0143565, and "Nonregeneration protocol for surface plasmon resonance: Study of high affinity interaction with high density biosensors." Tang, Y., Mernaugh, R. and Zeng, X. (2006), Anal. Chem., 78, 1841-1848.
According to "Analyte gradient-surface plasmon resonance: A one-step method for determining kinetic rates and macromolecular binding affinities." Shank-Retzlaff, M. L. and Sligar, S. G. (2000), Anal. Chem., 72, 4212-4220, regeneration of a surface can be avoided by continuously injecting a sample in which a concentration gradient exists due to operation of an in-line gradient maker. The kinetic models used for processing the data to determine the desired kinetic constants are modified to account for the changing analyte concentration during the single injection.


Antenna switch diversity circuitry can include four switches. A first switch can be connectable to a first transmitter, a first receiver, and a second receiver. A second switch can be connectable to a second transmitter, a third receiver, and a fourth receiver. A third switch can be directly connected to the first switch, the second switch, a first antenna, and a second antenna. A fourth switch directly can be connected to the first switch, the second switch, a third antenna, and a fourth antenna. The first and second switches can be configured to be controlled by a control signal in a manner so as to prevent a signal from the first transmitter and a signal from the second transmitter from being conveyed through a same switch, which can reduce a production of an intermodulation distortion signal by the signal from the first transmitter and the signal from the second transmitter.

A diversity scheme can be a technique used to improve a reliability of a communication of a signal propagated through space as a radio wave. Such a signal can be susceptible to fading, co-channel interference, or both. The diversity scheme can provide for multiple versions of the signal to be communicated through multiple channels. So, for example, if one version of the signal is communicated through a channel that experiences a high degree of fading, but another version of the signal is communicated through a channel that does not experience a high degree of fading, then a combination of the multiple versions of the signal by a receiver can improve the reliability of the communication of the signal.
The diversity scheme can include, for example, multiple antennas to transmit and/or receive the multiple versions of the signal. Such a diversity scheme can be referred to as antenna diversity. Antenna diversity can include techniques with respect to types and arrangements of the multiple antennas and techniques with respect to processing the multiple versions of the signal. For example, the multiple antennas can be arranged so that one antenna is physically separated from another antenna. Such a technique can be referred to as spatial diversity. Spatial diversity is common in broadband cellular network technology. In broadband cellular network technology, antennas can be disposed on base stations, which can be miles apart to produce multiple signal paths for the multiple versions of the signal. Moreover, in broadband cellular network technology, antennas can be disposed at separate locations on a mobile communications device so that it is unlikely that a hand holding the mobile communications device will block all of the antennas on the mobile communications device. Additionally, for example, the mobile communications device can include an algorithm to switch from a first antenna to a second antenna in response to a measurable condition. Such a technique can be referred to as antenna switch diversity.


A semiconductor device having an on-chip voltage regulator to control on-chip voltage regulation and methods for on-chip voltage regulation are disclosed. A semiconductor device includes a circuit positioned between a ground bus and a power bus. A power switch array is positioned between the circuit and one of the ground bus or the power bus to generate a virtual voltage across the circuit. A monitor is positioned between the ground bus and the power bus. The monitor is configured to simulate a critical path of the circuit and to output a voltage adjust signal based on an output of the simulated critical path. A controller is configured to receive the voltage adjust signal and to output a control signal to the power switch array to control the virtual voltage.

Electronic devices incorporating integrated circuits, such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), often employ power saving techniques to reduce power consumption and thereby achieve extended battery life. Small, portable devices such as mobile telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), for example, typically incorporate circuitry for implementing inactive modes to limit power consumption by logic circuitry. Inactive modes may include stand-by, low power and sleep modes.
Power dissipation in digital circuits, and more specifically in Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) circuits, is approximately proportional to the square of the supply voltage. Therefore, an effective way to achieve low-power performance is to scale down the supply voltage. CMOS circuits on ASICs are capable of operating at significantly reduced power levels. In order to avoid increases in propagation delay, however, the threshold voltage of the CMOS devices also is reduced.
The reduction in threshold voltage generally causes an increase in stand-by current due to changes in the sub-threshold leakage current of Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) devices. The leakage current that flows through an "off" transistor tends to increase exponentially as the threshold voltage of a device is reduced. Therefore, electronic devices such as mobile telephones and PDAs that remain in an inactive mode for an extended period of time can exhibit significant leakage current, and cause undesirable drain on battery power during the inactive mode.
In order to reduce leakage current during stand-by modes, some ASICs include power switches (e.g., headswitches and/or footswitches) that are electrically connected between the logic gates of a CMOS circuit and the power bus VDD or ground bus VSS. A headswitch can be a PMOS transistor positioned between the local power bus routing of an ASIC core or block and the top-level power bus routing. A footswitch can be an NMOS transistor positioned between the local ground bus and the top-level ground bus. Generally, headswitches and footswitches are CMOS or other devices which disconnects power or ground potential to source of circuit under test or circuit being controlled. Power switches may be used herein to refer to either a headswitches or footswitches.
During an inactive mode ("sleep mode"), the power switches (e.g., headswitches and/or footswitches) are turned off to disconnect the logic gates from the power/ground supply and thereby "collapse" the voltage across the connected circuit. Because the headswitch or footswitch has a high threshold voltage, the amount of leakage current drawn from the power supply by the power switches (e.g., headswitches and/or footswitches) is substantially reduced relative to the leakage current that would otherwise flow through the logic gates. During an active or operation mode, the headswitches or footswitches are turned on to connect the power supply or ground, respectively, to the gates. Therefore, during an active mode, the logic gates are powered by substantially the same voltage as if they were directly connected to the power supply and ground.
An example directed to a conventional power switch implementation will now be described. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional semiconductor device 100. The semiconductor device 100 includes at least one circuit 105 and a controller 110. The controller 110 determines whether footswitches (e.g., NMOS transistors) included in a power switch array or matrix 115 are turned "on" or "off". In particular, the controller 110 is configured to receive an external signal indicating whether the circuit 105 is operating in an active mode, or alternatively whether the circuit 105 can enter or remain in an idle state or sleep mode. Based on the external signal, the controller 110 signals the switches (e.g., footswitches) of the power switch matrix 115 to be "on" or "off" (e.g., by applying a signal to a gate thereof). The power switch matrix 115 is connected between a local ground at the circuit 105 and a ground bus 120 that carries a ground voltage VSS. Also shown in FIG. 1 is a power bus 125 that provides a power voltage VDD to the circuit 105.
FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional headswitch configuration. The semiconductor device 200 includes at least one circuit 205 and a controller 210. The controller 210 determines whether the headswitches (e.g., PMOS transistors) included in a power switch array or matrix 215 are turned "on" or "off". In particular, the controller 210 is configured to receive an external signal indicating whether the circuit 205 is operating in an active mode, or alternatively whether the circuit 205 can enter or remain in an idle state or steep mode. Based on the external signal, the controller 210 signals the headswitches of the power switch matrix 215 to be "on" or "off" (e.g., by applying a signal to a gate thereof). The power switch matrix 215 is connected between a local VDD at the circuit 205 and a power bus 225 that carries a supply voltage VDD. Also shown in FIG. 2 is a ground bus/VSS 220 coupled to circuit(s) 205.
As will be appreciated in view of the description given above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, the controller (110, 210) turns the switch matrix (115, 215) on or off based on a mode signal received from an external entity. However, a transition of multiple transistors that can collectively constitute the power switch matrix (115, 215) from a first state (e.g., off) to a second state (e.g., on) can potentially cause a significant inrush current to be induced in the respective semiconductor device (100, 200), which may cause damage or malfunctioning of the controlled circuit(s) (105, 205).

Semiconductor device having on-chip voltage regulator


A hand-held spray pump includes a pump mechanism which may be pre-assembled and a pump housing which receives and encloses the pump mechanism. The pump mechanism includes a minimal number of inexpensive parts which are slidably assembled and snapped together. The housing includes a body portion and a cover portion with the body portion slidably receiving a trigger for operating the pump mechanism and for slidably receiving the pump mechanism. After the pump mechanism has been inserted into the body portion, the cover is snap-fitted over the pump mechanism. By utilizing the aforedescribed configuration, the pump housing may be readily changed without requiring changes in the configuration of the pump mechanism.

Hand-held spray pumps are manufactured by the millions and are mainly used to dispense products such as household cleaners. These pumps have tended in the past to be rather complex in configuration and having numerous complex parts. In addition, hand-held spray pumps require assembly of these rather complex parts which can be in and of itself complex. Since manufacturing expense is frequently associated with product complexity it is desirable to reduce complexity if possible.
In marketing and utilizing hand pumps, it is from time to time desirable to change various aspects of the pump housing. Since changes in the configuration of the housing may well require chances in the orientation and thus the operation of the pump mechanism, this can be an expensive undertaking if the pump mechanism is integral with the pump housing. Since the configuration of the usual pump mechanism does not necessarily depend on the liquid being pumped or the purpose for which pumped liquid is employed, the same fundamental pump mechanism may be used for many liquids. In order to accommodate the mode in which liquid is dispensed from the pump mechanism, it is necessary to only reconfigure the nozzle through which the liquid is ultimately dispensed and perhaps the design of structure just upstream of the nozzle.
Hand-held spray pumps are now almost universally fabricated from resin materials which are becoming increasingly expensive. Accordingly, it is desirable to configure pump structure with minimal amounts of resinous material.
While the prior art includes a number of approaches for reducing the number of parts in hand-held spray pumps as well as several spray pumps in which an attempt is made to separate the structure of the pump mechanism from that of the housing and even that of the trigger, the prior art does not include hand-held spray pumps to minimize expense while maximizing convenience through addressing each of the above-identified concerns.

Hand pump assembly with a pump mechanism which is independent of the pump housing


A method for operating a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The method includes detecting an off-load transient of the gas turbine engine. The method includes reducing a total flow of fuel to a combustor section of the gas turbine engine to a first reduced flow in response to detecting the off-load transient. The method includes adjusting a position of an inlet guide vane in response to detecting the off-load transient until either an on-load transient is detected or until an amount of time elapsed since detection of the off-load transient exceeds a maximum override time.

Gas turbine engines include compressor, combustor, and turbine sections. The compressor section includes inlet guide vanes. A control system may control the angle of the inlet guide vanes and the inlet flow area of the compressor section. In order to compensate for an off-load transient or reduced load conditions, the control system may adjust the angle of the inlet guide vanes to reduce the amount of compressed air that is delivered into the combustor section.
U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. 2014/0165583 to F. Oliverio discloses a bleed valve override schedule on off-load transients. A method is disclosed for controlling a position of a bleed valve of a gas turbine engine. The onset of an off-load transient may be determined. Values representative of the turbine rotor inlet temperature and the exhaust outlet temperature may be determined. The amount of time elapsed since the onset of the off-load transient may be determined. Three provisional bleed valve command positions may be determined based on value representative of the turbine rotor inlet temperature, the value representative of the exhaust outlet temperature, and the amount of time elapsed, respectively. The provisional bleed valve command position associated with the lowest relative value may be selected. The bleed valve position may be adjusted to match the selected bleed valve command position.
The present disclosure is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems discovered by the inventor or that is known in the art.

Combustion stability logic during off-load transients