A multilayer film having at least one barrier layer and at least one outer layer, suitable for medical applications, such as ostomy applications, which is effective as barrier for odors and has sufficient properties with respect to provide a pliable, tear resistant with noise damping film is provided. The multilayer film includes polyolefin elastomers, plasticized PVDC, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers and additives.

Multilayer films containing barriers to odor and moisture are widely used in the medical and food industry fields. As a common medical use, such multilayer barrier films can be used to manufacture ostomy bags or pouches for collecting unpleasant human waste after surgery. An ostomy refers to a surgical procedure which creates an artificial opening in patient to permit the drainage of human waste from the body, such as colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy. Human waste contains various compounds with different molecular sizes. Ostomy pouches desirably should have certain characteristics to meet medical and social needs, including impermeability to odor compounds and water to prevent the release of unpleasant odors of the human waste, stability under dry and moisture conditions, a tough structure having a high tensile strength and elasticity to prevent tearing, softness and low toxicity to prevent damage to patients' skin for patients and to provide comfortable wear, and damping properties to absorb noise to avoid embarrassment of the wearer.
The release of body waste and the emission of intestinal gas may cause a transitional vibration in the body tissues accompanied by noisy sound with malodor. It is desirable that the films for manufacturing ostomy pouches have noise damping properties to absorb sound. In addition, an ostomy pouch with a quiet film which has relatively low plastic crackling noise when the ostomy pouch is flexed or wrinkled is preferred to help avoid embarrassment of the wearer. Therefore, typically multilayer films used for making ostomy pouches comprise at least one barrier layer and at least one outer layer to provide the desired characteristics.
The film used for ostomy applications commonly has a multilayer structure which comprises at least one outer layer as a layer contacting patients' skin or as a surface protective layer, at least one barrier layer to prevent small molecules from penetrating the film, tie layers as adhesive layers to contact and join the layers together, and other intermediate layers as needed. In general, the layers contact and locate immediately adjacent to the barrier layer are tie layers functioned as adhesive layers. The outer layer serves as the cling component and the surface protective film in multilayer stretch film.
The thicknesses and compositions of each individual layer and the overall multilayer structure will depend on various factors pertained to the multilayer films, which are adaptive to the intended applications, convenience and cost of manufacturing, specific physical and chemical properties, and the environment to which the multilayer films will be exposed. Commonly, the thickness of the multilayer film is in the range of from 20 μm to 350 μm, but the compositions of the polymeric layers are variable.
Conventionally, multilayer films for ostomy applications utilize polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) or copolymers of vinylidene chloride with a copolymonomer such as methylacrylate or vinylchloride as the gas barrier layer. Low density polyethylene (LDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) blended with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer can be used as the structural and sealant layer. Such multilayer films have resistance to odor transmission and are not adversely affected by the presence of moisture.
Various compositions and multilayer structures have been disclosed to construct multilayer films for relevant applications with desired characteristics, such as for ostomy uses. Regnier et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,474 B1) discloses essentially amorphous (low-crystallinity), non-chlorinated polymeric films as effective barriers to odors and organic molecules, discloses the use of at least one polymer layer having noise dampening properties, and discloses the use of copolymers of olefins and polar co-monomers additionally to improve the high frequency sealing properties of the film. It also discloses the uses of chlorinated polymers optionally with the essentially amorphous, non-chlorine containing barrier films, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), PVDC/VC copolymers (PVDC/VC), PVDC/methyl acrylate copolymers (PVDC/MA), and mixtures thereof.
Vietto et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,711) discloses quiet and pliable films which comprise at least one layer formed from a polymeric blend including copolymers of ethylene and vinyl-acetate and an elastomeric polyolefin for manufacturing drainage containers or bags for medical applications. Giori (U.S. Pat. No. 7,270,860 B2) discloses a multilayer heat-sealable chlorine-free film comprising an odor barrier layer of an amorphous polyamide resin blended with an anhydride-modified olefinic polymer or copolymer. The multilayer films made of such amorphous polyamine modified with a functionalized polyolefin have reduced rigidity with less plastic crackling noise when compared to non-modified amorphous polyamine.
Chang et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 9,301,869 B2) describes a multilayer film comprising a barrier layer formed from a non-chlorine containing amorphous polyamide resin and a maleic anhydride modified olefin or an epoxy modified olefin, tie layers made of a maleic anhydride grafted resin, inner layers made of an ethylene propylene copolymer based resin, and an outer layer made of an ethylene vinyl acetate or ethylene methyl acrylate copolymer or a blend thereof.
Commonly the elastomer used in preparing the polymer for constructing the outer layer of the multilayer film is chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) which leads to a derived copolymer based on high density polyethylene. When the ostomy pouch is made of such copolymer, it has relatively poor tear strength, and that can lead to the failure of the ostomy pouch prior to end use. Thus, improvements in such pouch materials is needed and these are now provided by the present application.


The present invention provides a polyhydric phenol compound represented by the formula (I):

A chemically amplified resist composition is used for semiconductor microfabrication.
In semiconductor microfabrication, it is desirable to form patterns having high resolution, high sensitivity and good line-edge roughness, and it is expected for a chemically amplified resist composition to give such patterns.
JP 2006-58739A discloses a chemically amplified resist composition containing a polyhydric phenol compound wherein at least one hydroxyl group bonded to a phenyl group is protected by a 1-ethoxyethyl group.

Polyhydric phenol compound and chemically amplified resist composition containing the same

Abstract: wherein at least one selected from R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 is a group represented by the formula (II):

Abstract: wherein X1, X2, X3 and X4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a C1-C4 alkyl group, n represents an integer of 0 to 3, Z1 represents a C1-C6 alkyl group or a C3-C12 cycloalkyl group, and ring Y represents an alicyclic hydrocarbon group,and the others are hydrogen atoms, and a chemically amplified resist composition containing the same.


A dental mouth prop for maintaining the jaws of a dental patient in an opened condition includes a body for isolating a posterior tooth to be worked upon and for facilitating the evacuation of saliva and other fluids from the region of the mouth around the isolated tooth. The body includes a sidewalls positionable on opposite sides of the tooth to be worked upon and which are joined together so as to form a workspace-defining cavity between the sidewalls. The body also includes hollow portions positionable adjacent the gum tissue of the mandibular arch for collecting and extracting fluids which migrate to the region adjacent the isolated tooth. The prop also includes a bite flap member engageable by the teeth of the mandibular or maxillary arch opposite the tooth to be worked upon and which is pivotally attached to the prop body to accommodate pivotal movement of the flap member to a position corresponding to the occlusal bite plane of the engaging teeth.

This invention relates generally to dental appliances and relates more particularly to a mouth prop positionable within the mouth of a dental patient.
While performing various dental procedures on a preselected tooth within the mouth of a patient, it is highly desirable that the tooth be as dry as possible. This is especially true in teeth restoration processes involving the application of sealants to pits and fissures. Such a process, for example, may require that the occlusal surface of a tooth be washed and dried and subsequently maintained in a dry condition prior to the application of the sealant. It has been found that the task of maintaining the tooth in a dry condition is facilitated by isolating the tooth from surrounding mouth tissue which may otherwise wet the tooth.
Conventional techniques for isolating a tooth commonly involve the wedging of cotton rolls between the tooth and surrounding tissue for absorbing fluids which may move into the region surrounding the tooth. However, cotton rolls must be typically replaced during the course of a dental operation, and the process involved in replacing cotton rolls is commonly cumbersome and time-consuming. In addition, it is very easy to contaminate the tooth with fluids each time that the rolls are changed.
Other techniques of isolating a tooth involve the use of a rubber dam and a clamp. However, the clamp is normally uncomfortable and usually requires an injection of a local anesthetic. Alternative techniques for isolating a tooth involve devices which either have no capacity for fluid evacuation, cannot adapt to variations in relationship between the maxillary and mandibular arches, are complicated in construction, are difficult to use, provide inadequate isolation or are relatively expensive.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved dental appliance for isolating a preselected tooth of a dental patient for working upon the tooth.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an appliance which facilitates the maintenance of a dry working field about the isolated tooth.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such an appliance which performs the dual functions of isolating a preselected tooth of the patient and maintaining the jaws of the patient in an opened condition while the tooth is being worked upon.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an appliance which is relatively comfortable when positioned within the mouth of a patient.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such an appliance which adapts to variations in occlusal relationships of the maxillary and mandibular arches.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such an appliance which is uncomplicated to use and relatively inexpensive to construct.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide such an appliance which can be easily sterilized for reuse.

The University of Tennessee Research Corporation


A control device and signaling are provided to operate selected numbers of the ballasts in a multi-ballast, multi-lamp luminaire. The luminaire has a control input for receiving a control signal from a wall switch, for example. The number of ballasts operated by the luminaire increases or decreases sequentially in response to one of consecutive pulses, signal level transitions or interrupts in the control signal. The control device can be programmable or hard-wired to the relays (e.g., a counter and decoder) to allow for a more economical implementation. Different subsets of the ballasts can be selected via the programmable integrated circuit to distribute the burn times of the lamps.

The present invention relates generally to a control device for essentially any illumination device or system comprising multiple ballasts and multiple lamps. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dimming apparatus for gas discharge or incandescent luminaires having multiple ballasts and lamps therein that enables selected ones of the ballasts and their associated lamps to control the illumination level of a specific area
Different tasks require various levels of illumination. For example, an office worker may desire brighter illumination over his desk than a computer operator would want over his computer console.
Dimming devices have been proposed to adjust the lumen level of light sources. For example, a wireless lighting control system can employ a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and receiver to adjust the illumination level of a light source(s) for a particular area. However, this type of RF control system has drawbacks. Specifically, the luminaires may not always receive the RF signaling from the transmitter, and so the lumen level may not be adjusted as desired. Accordingly, factors such as signal strength (e.g., the proximity of the transmitter to the receiver) becomes an issue for adjusting the illumination level. This can be a significant problem in a facility where the luminaires are suspended from the ceiling (e.g., on the order of thirty feet or more above the ground) and are difficult to reach for maintenance purposes. Many RF control systems employ sequential circuit operation and control signaling to benefit from the simplicity of only having to use one specific RF signal for the control command. Assuming a sequential control circuit is used, if one luminaire is unable to receive signals re-transmitted from the transmitter of another luminaire, and therefore does not extinguish or enable its lamps to adjust the lumen level as desired, that luminaire can become out of sequence with the other luminaires in the facility, causing improper lighting. To correct such a problem, all of the luminaires would have to be cycled off and then on, and the RF receiver(s) and transmitter(s) repositioned in order to obtain better reception within the RF control system of the luminaires. Accordingly, a need exists for a lighting control system that is hard-wired with respect to the luminaires and provides accurate and consistent lumen level adjustment within the operating area.
In addition, existing lighting control systems are disadvantageous because they generally employ sequencing through predetermined steps to power up and power down selected ones of a plurality of lamps. Some lamps are therefore subjected to shorter burn times than other lamps. For example, in a luminaire having eight lamps that are controlled by four two-lamp ballasts, the typical cycle is operate none of the lamps, two of the lamps, four of the lamps, six of the lamps, or all eight of the lamps, depending on how may signals are sent by the radio transmitter. When only two lamps are desired, the same two lamps are typically powered on, while the remaining lamps are powered down. Similarly, when only four or six of the lamps are desired, the same subsets of lamps are selected, while the remaining lamps are subjected to less burn time. Using fixtures wherein some lamps age more rapidly than others presents maintenance problems. A need therefore exists for a lighting control system that rotates use of each of the lamps in a multiple-ballast and multiple-lamp luminaire to more evenly distribute their burn times.
In accordance with the present invention, a lighting control system is provided to selectively operate ballasts in a multi-ballast, multi-lamp luminaire via relays to control the lumen output level of the luminaire.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the lighting control system employs a sequential control device and signaling to operate selected numbers of the ballasts in a multi-ballast, multi-lamp luminaire.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the luminaire is provided with a control input for receiving a control signal. The control signal can be generated via a wall-mounted switch or other device operable to generate an output signal. The number of ballasts operated by the luminaire increases or decreases sequentially in response to one of consecutive pulses, signal level transitions or interrupts in the control signal.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the control device is hard-wired to the relays (e.g., a counter and decoder combination) to obviate the need for a programmable integrated circuit and allow for a more economical implementation.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the control device is a programmable integrated circuit that provides for operation of selected numbers of the ballasts in response to a control signal. Different subsets of the ballasts can be selected to distribute the burn times of the lamps.
In accordance with still yet another aspect of the present invention, the lighting control system can arrange addressable luminaires in different zones and addresses for selected luminaires can be transmitted via the control signal. The programmable integrated circuit can also track actual burn times of luminaires and use this information to select which ballasts to operate.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a luminaire having a plurality of ballasts connected to a plurality of lamps is provided which further comprises: (1) a plurality of relays connected to respective ones of the plurality of ballasts; (2) a control device connected to each of the plurality of relays; and (3) a control input for providing a control signal to the control device. The control device comprises a counter for counting and generating an output signal in response to the control signal, and a decoder configured to receive the output signal and sequentially select which of the plurality of relays to actuate, thereby operating the corresponding ones of the plurality of ballasts in response to the output signal. The control signal is a DC signal comprising pulses. The counter is operable to increment the output signal in response to each pulse. The decoder is configured to implement a truth table whereby all of the plurality of ballasts are powered on in response to a first one of the pulses, and then one or more subsets of the plurality of ballasts are powered down in response to subsequent ones of the pulses until all of the plurality of ballasts are powered down.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the decoder is configured to implement a truth table whereby all of the plurality of ballasts are powered down in response to a first one of the pulses, and then one or more subsets of the plurality of ballasts are powered on in response to subsequent ones of the pulses until all of the plurality of ballasts are powered on.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a luminaire having a plurality of ballasts connected to a plurality of lamps is provided and further comprises: (1) a plurality of relays connected to respective ones of the plurality of ballasts; (2) a control device connected to each of the plurality of relays; and (3) a control input for providing a control signal to the control device. The control device comprises a programmable controller that is programmed to sequentially select which of the plurality of relays to actuate and thereby operate the corresponding ones of the plurality of ballasts in response to the control signal. The programmable controller is operable to select which of the plurality of ballasts to operate to distribute the burn times of the plurality of lamps.

Multiple ballast and lamp control system for selectively varying operation of ballasts to distribute burn times among lamps


A digging wheel assembly includes a supporting wheel having a peripheral zone and a plurality of receiving elements affixed to the supporting wheel in the peripheral zone in a spaced, circumferential distribution. Each receiving element has a receiving pocket and a receiving slot. Digging tool components are disposed along the peripheral zone of the supporting wheel in a circumferential distribution. Each digging tool component is disposed between two circumferentially adjoining receiving elements; one being a leading receiving element and one being a trailing receiving element as viewed in the rotary working direction of the assembly. Each digging tool component has a leading part extending from a front end of the digging tool component in the rotary working direction and being accommodated in the receiving pocket of the leading receiving element. Each digging tool component also has a trailing part extending from a rear end of the digging tool component against the rotary working direction and being accommodated in the receiving slot of the trailing receiving element. The receiving elements form a securing arrangement for removably affixing the digging tool components to the supporting wheel.

The invention relates to the fastening of the buckets and possibly also the skim cutters to cutting wheels, such as bucket wheels or under water cutting wheels, wherein the buckets and possibly also the skim cutters are exchangeably attached by way of connecting elements to the outer circumference of the cutting wheels. The buckets and skim cutters will also be generally referred to as digging tool components and the bucket wheels and cutting wheels will also be generally referred to as supporting wheels. The entire rotary structure will also be referred to as digging wheel assembly.
German Unexamined Published Patent Application 3,822,235 discloses a bucket wheel body, particularly for surface mining apparatus, which is composed of a supporting body that is rotatably mounted on the axis of the bucket wheel and is provided with a plurality of buckets that are connected with the carrier body by means of at least one ring carrier. The ring carrier is disk-shaped and, seen in the circumferential direction, is provided with two superposed approximately horizontally extending flanges that are connected with the ring carrier outside of the bucket wheel body. By means of connecting elements, the front and rear regions of the buckets provided at the ring carriers are releasably connected with the bucket wheel body.
German Unexamined Published Patent Application 3,737,893 discloses a bucket wheel bucket which has at its rear a device for preventing the buckets from being loaded with larger chunks of material (rock deflector), with the device being composed like a cage of a plurality of rods extending in the conveying direction of the bucket wheel and being disposed between the back of the preceding bucket and the next following bucket. The buckets as well as the rock deflector are fastened by way of connecting elements so that exchangeability when worn is ensured.
The drawbacks of the prior art are essentially that complicated structures must be provided on the circumference of the bucket wheel so that the buckets can be connected with it by means of the connecting elements. Such connecting elements are often formed by sleeves and pins cooperating therewith which, under certain circumstances, require much mechanical working and may deform if under certain conditions the digging forces are high so that ultimately problems arise again during the removal of the buckets. In the past, it has also been found that the reaction forces generated by the digging forces often caused the connecting elements, on the one hand, and the fastening elements, on the other hand, to break off.

Fastening of the buckets and possibly also the skim cutters on cutting wheels


A method is provided which enables quick, convenient, inexpensive, and high sensitivity confirmation of nucleic acid amplification after a nucleic acid amplification reaction. The DNA fragment in accordance with the present invention is a single-stranded DNA fragment containing a hairpin structure which in turn contains a bulge, wherein the DNA fragment is used as being attached to the 5′ end of a primer used in nucleic acid amplification. The nucleic acid amplification confirmation method in accordance with the present invention quantifies a hairpin primer containing the DNA fragment at its 5′ end by using bulge-binding fluorescent molecules after carrying out PCR or like nucleic acid amplification reaction using the hairpin primer. SNPs are detected quickly and conveniently at low cost and with high sensitivity by applying the nucleic acid amplification confirmation method, for example, to allele specific PCR.

PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and other techniques to amplify particular nucleic acids are applied in various fields in biotechnology. (Hereinafter, throughout this specification, these PCR and other nucleic acid amplification reactions will be referred to as "nucleic acid amplification reactions.")
A nucleic acid amplification reaction like PCR generally requires a process of confirming whether a target nucleic acid has been specifically amplified. (Amplification of nucleic acid by PCR or a like nucleic acid amplification method will be simply referred to as "nucleic acid amplification" throughout this specification.)
Amplification of nucleic acid is confirmed, for example, as follows: The reaction liquid having undergone PCR or a like nucleic acid amplification reaction is subjected to get electrophoresis using polyimide or another like gel. The DNA fragments obtained by the PCR amplification are then stained.
Nucleic acid amplification in a nucleic acid amplification reaction can be confirmed also by other conventional methods. For example, the turbidity of the reaction liquid having undergone a nucleic acid amplification reaction may be measured. A microarray may be used including a probe which binds specifically to target nucleic acid. Another example is real time PCR by which the amplification can be confirmed in real time by using a fluorescent-labelled probe which binds to a double-stranded DNA or specifically to a target PCR product.
The nucleic acid amplification reaction, including PCR, is used also, for example, to analyze single nucleotide polymorphisms (hereinafter, "SNPs"). The methods above are also used in these cases to confirm nucleic acid amplification.
Patent literature 1 proposes a primer for use with wildtype and one or two kinds of primers for use with mutation type simultaneously or separately acting, together with a DNA polymerase, on a chromosome or its fragment which includes an SNP site to be analyzed, in order to find if any primer-based extension has occurred. Electrophoresis is used in the analysis to confirm presence of an amplified nucleic acid.
Patent literature 2 suggests use of a universal primer and two kinds of specific primers, one for use with a reference sequence and the other for use with a mutated sequence, both of which include an SNP site, in order to amplify a target part of a sequence. This SNP analysis, similarly to patent literature 1, confirms presence of amplified product by subjecting the reaction liquid obtained to electrophoresis.
Patent literature 3 suggests use of target genome DNA and pairs of primers, in order to amplify a nucleic acid which includes an SNP site for typing. The amplified product obtained is hybridized using, for example, a labelled probe for the typing.
Quick and convenient SNP analysis would enable tailor-made medical care (for example, bedside diagnostics for the best therapy and drug administration), making promising POC (Point Of Care) technology. To achieve these goals, a method is desired which can more quickly and more conveniently confirm amplification of a nucleic acid after a nucleic acid amplification reaction.

DNA fragment used as attached to 5′ end of primer used in nucleic acid amplification reaction and use of DNA fragment

Furukawa Electric Advanced Engineering Co., Ltd.


In a heating medium utilizing apparatus utilizing heating medium heated by a heating device, it is aimed to provide a pipe which achieves both of the strength of a connection part to an external pipe and the ease of pipe layout without increasing a manufacturing time. On a tip portion of an internal pipe through which the heating medium or fluid to be heat-exchanged with the heating medium flows, a pipe expanding process to expand a pipe diameter and a pipe shrinking process to shrink the pipe diameter are carried out, thereby forming the connection part to be connected to the external pipe connected to external equipment by work hardening.

In case of installing the heating medium utilizing apparatus at an installation site, a pipe connection part is often connected by a ring-type joint. As for the ring-type joint, a brass ring is compressed and deformed by nut and a copper pipe to be sealed, and thus the copper pipe needs to have a hardness being higher than the brass ring.
Patent Literature 1 describes that the copper pipe is processed, thereby producing a joint without using brass. Further, at the time of setting-up the ring-type joint, to avoid water leakage caused by deformation of the copper pipe, some products of copper pipe are made of H material to be used for a local pipe connection part.


A ratchet-type buckle (100) is disclosed for use with a ladder strap (80), wherein the buckle includes a toothed, barrel-shaped strap engagement member (140) that is rotatably mounted between oppositely disposed sidewalls (130) that are pivotally coupled to a base (110). The engagement member is positioned to drivably engage and hold the strap. A holding pawl (160) allows forward rotation and hinders backward rotation of the engagement member. A driving pawl (180) is incorporated into a lever assembly (170), which is pivotally coupled to the sidewalls, the driving pawl positioned to engage and rotate the engagement member teeth when the lever assembly is pivoted in a forward direction. The pivotal coupling of the sidewalls to the base permit the engagement member to be lifted away from the base, to release the strap. The sidewalls are preferably biased towards the base.

This invention relates to bindings used for sports equipment and, more particularly, to ratchet-type buckles used in such bindings.
In many sports, for example, winter sports such as snowboarding and skiing, users bind their boots to a sporting apparatus such as a pair of skis or a snowboard. Conventional snowboard bindings are generally classified as either high back bindings or plate or step-in bindings. In such bindings, it is generally desirable to have a comfortable and secure attachment to the apparatus that is easily engaged and disengaged. Although the present invention will clearly have applications in fields other than snowboarding, including, in particular, other sports equipment applications, the present ratchet design was originally developed for snowboard binding applications; and for purposes of disclosing and teaching the operation of the invention, the ratchet will therefore be described with reference to snowboard bindings.
In snowboarding especially, a tight and secure binding of the boots to the snowboard is important. If there is too much slack or play in the binding attaching the snowboarder to the snowboard, then the snowboarder will not be able to control the snowboard as precisely as is desired. A snowboarder""s boot is held to the snowboard in a binding. Most snowboard bindings utilize a cradle that is bolted to the top of the board that receives the snowboarder""s boot. Typically, two straps extend around the top of the bootxe2x80x94one at the instep and the second at the toexe2x80x94to secure the boot to the snowboard. Unlike ski bindings, the snowboard boot binding generally will not release the boot from the binding during a fall. In fact, it is generally desirable that the binding straps hold the boot securely enough that the boot cannot inadvertently slip out of the binding, even if the snowboarder falls during a run.
Many types of snowboard bindings have been developed to secure the snowboarder""s boots to the snowboard. Because of the importance of a tight coupling between the snowboard boots and the snowboard, buckles for snowboard bindings frequently include tightening devices that provide some mechanical advantage to facilitate strap tightening. For example, various strap designs have been developed that utilize a ratchet-type buckle that mounts to a first binding element, such as an instep pad, and a second binding element or strap having a plurality of transverse ridges, or teeth, often referred to as a ladder strap.
In prior art ratchet buckles, a lever having a plurality of teeth on one end is pivotally mounted to a buckle body that slidably receives the ladder strap. Such ratchet buckles are disclosed, for example, by Dodge in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,416,952 and 5,745,959, and by Allsop in U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,435. The ladder strap is inserted into the buckle body and the lever is pivoted to engage the strap teeth and advance the strap. A separate holding device (i.e., a pawl) is provided to engage the strap teeth and prevent backward movement of the strap as the lever is lifted away from the strap and returned to the start position, to re-engage the strap, and be re-pivoted to further tighten the strap, as necessary. A disadvantage of such prior art ratchet buckles is that they engage and disengage the strap teeth multiple times during the tightening process, which generates wear and tear on the ladder strap, which is typically made from a softer material. Multiple engagements and disengagements of the strap also increase the likelihood that the device will slip during tightening, either due to misalignment of the mechanisms with the strap, wear and tear on the strap or buckle, or due to foreign matter such as dirt and ice interfering with a proper engagement. Another disadvantage to such devices is that the toothed driving end of the lever is typically disposed a distance from the holding device, so that the strap must be inserted a fair distance into the strap to engage both the lever and the holding device before the lever will operate to tighten the strap.
Other ratchet-type buckles have been developed that utilize a plurality of spring-loaded pawls that alternately drive (tighten) and hold the ladder strap. Such a buckle is disclosed, for example, by Lin in U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,259. The buckle taught by Lin, however, has the same disadvantages identified above. Multiple engagements and disengagements of the ladder strap will increase wear on the strap, and both of the longitudinally spaced-apart pawls must be engaged by the strap for the device to operate properly.
Another ratchet buckle mechanism is disclosed by Olivieri in U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,980, which teaches a device having a rotatable sprocket that engages transverse teeth on a ladder strap. In Olivieri, the sprocket is rotatably mounted to the buckle, which is prevented from rotating in one direction by a spring-loaded holding pawl. A driving pawl is provided on a pivotable lever, which is pivoted to rotatably drive the sprocket and tighten the strap. However, the device disclosed by Olivieri has no apparent means to release the strap. Although the inventor states that to release the strap it suffices to depress the back end of the driving pawl, the disclosed action would not release the locking pawl, and therefore the strap will not be released. It appears that to release the strap the user must press the driving pawl and pull back the holding pawl, which may be very difficult, particularly if the user must simultaneously pull on the ladder strap. Moreover, the sprocket will still engage the strap, and will therefore rotate as the strap is pulled out, which increases wear on the buckle and strap.
There remains a need for a ratchet buckle for use with a ladder-type strap that minimizes wear and tear on the strap and is easily releasable.
The present invention is directed to a buckle for engaging a ladder strap that provides a ratchet mechanism that facilitates tightening the strap, and that relatively easily releases the strap. The ratchet-type buckle includes a base the receives the strap, a pair of oppositely disposed sidewalls, and a strap engagement member rotatably mounted to the sidewalls. The strap engagement member is movable between a first and a second position, and includes a plurality of teeth that drivably engage the teeth of the strap when the strap engagement member is in the first position. A holding pawl permits forward rotation of the strap engagement member, and interferes with backward rotation of the strap engagement member. A lever assembly includes a driving pawl that drivably engages the strap engagement member to rotate the strap engagement member and tighten the strap.
In an aspect of the present invention the holding pawl is biased towards the strap engagement member.
In an embodiment of the present invention the sidewalls are pivotally attached to the base, the pivotable sidewalls accommodating movement of the strap engagement member between the first and second positions, and the sidewalls are biased towards the strap engagement member first position.
In an embodiment of the present invention the strap engagement mechanism comprises a generally cylindrical barrel having a plurality of outwardly disposed longitudinal teeth that are spaced to engage the teeth on the ladder strap.
In an embodiment of the present invention the strap assembly includes left and right link members that are pivotally attached to the strap engagement member and a lever body pivotally attached to the link members, wherein the forward portion of the lever body is the driving pawl that drivably engages the strap engagement member.
In another embodiment of the present invention the lever assembly is of unitary construction and includes a central driving pawl portion.

Ratchet-type buckle and snowboard binding


A wiring duct plug that does not have a movable part for selecting any of a plurality of conductive lines, and has a high operational reliability is provided. A wiring duct plug can be directly connected to a respectively corresponding conductive line, and comprises a plurality of movable electrode terminals, rotating together with a rotator. At the connection position, at least two but not all of the plurality of movable electrode terminals are joined into one at the base end portion and electrically coupled to one of non-movable electrode terminals, and the remaining movable electrode terminal is electrically coupled to the other non-movable electrode terminal.

As a plug for use in a wiring duct, a plug having an electrical switching means has been conventionally known (see Patent document 1).
This type of plug is described in a patent publication, as a solution in the abstract of as follow:
"A plug 1 is electrically and mechanically coupled to a power distribution duct 20 in which a plurality of conductors 21 are contained. The plug 1 comprises a plug body 4 that includes an insertion portion 2 inserted into and locked with the power distribution duct 20, and an exposed portion 3 that communicates with the insertion portion 2 and is exposed outside the power distribution duct 20. The insertion portion 2 is provided with a conductive portion 11 that can be electrically connected to an arbitrary conductor 21. The plug 4 is provided with an electrical switching means 10 for switching between arbitrary conductors 21 and electrically connecting an arbitrary conductor 21 to the conductive portion 11."


An expansion structure of memory module slots is provided. A circuit switch board and a substrate are disposed on a motherboard, wherein a plurality of first memory module slots is disposed on the motherboard, at least one second memory module slot is disposed on one side of the substrate, and a plurality of third memory module slots is disposed on the other side of the substrate. The third memory module slots are electrically connected to the second memory module slot, and two ends of the circuit switch board are plugged into one of the first memory module slots and the second memory module slot. When memory modules are plugged in the third memory module slots, the memory modules are electrically connected to the first memory module slots respectively through the circuit switch board and then transmit data and signals with the motherboard.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an expansion structure of memory module slots, and more particularly, to an expansion structure of memory module slots that is capable of assembling more memory modules onto a motherboard.
2. Related Art
A central processing unit (CPU) of a computer host takes a random access memory (RAM) as a data storage area. Computing results and program instructions of the CPU are all stored in the RAM, and the data stored in the storage area is available once it is required by executing a program.
Currently, the computer host has more and more powerful functions, and accordingly, the requirement for the calculation function is increasingly high, and thus, more RAMs are demanded. FIG. 1A is a side view of a memory module being plugged in a motherboard, and FIG. 1B is a schematic isometric view of the memory module. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a north bridge chip 21a and a plurality of memory module slots 22a adjacent to the north bridge chip 21a are disposed on a motherboard 20a. Memory modules 50a may be plugged in the memory module slots 22a by golden fingers. Each of the memory modules 50a further includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 51a and a plurality of memories 52a, and the memories 52a are respectively disposed on two end surfaces of the PCB 51a. The north bridge chip 21a is mainly used to control the signal transmission between the CPU and the memory modules 50a.
Therefore, under the current situation of increasing data processing speed and increasing large data quantity for being processed, the capacity of the corresponding memory modules also becomes higher, and meanwhile, more memory module slots are required for more memory modules to be plugged in. However, the memory module slots are directly disposed on the surface of the motherboard, and thus, if more memory modules are intended to be assembled, more memory module slots have to be disposed on the surface of the motherboard, and thereby occupying more area of the motherboard. Under the limited assembling area of the motherboard, the assembling of other electronic elements is affected. On the other hand, the area of the motherboard must be enlarged to accommodate more memory module slots, which, however, causes an increase in the volume of the computer host, and thereby running against the trend for the computer host to become light in weight and small in size.

Expansion structure of memory module slot


A fantasy server application may comprise a platform generator component to generate a resource document with a host segment arranged to present a host resource document and a guest segment arranged to present a guest resource document, a host manager component to send a request to generate the host resource document with fantasy content from a fantasy content database to a host server program, receive a response with the host resource document, and add the host resource document to the host segment, and a guest manager component to generate a guest reference for use by a client device, the guest reference arranged to refer the client device to a guest server program arranged to generate the guest resource document with fantasy content from the fantasy content database, and add the guest reference to the guest server program to the guest segment. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

A fantasy game is one where participants act as an owner to build a team that competes against other fantasy owners based on statistics generated by real individual players of a game. Fantasy sport is a class of fantasy games. For instance, a fantasy owner might draft a fantasy football team to compete with other fantasy football teams based on statistics generated by real football players from the National Football League (NFL). A common variant uses a computer model to convert statistical performance into points that are compiled and totaled according to a roster selected by a manager of a fantasy team. As with a real team, a fantasy owner is given various online tools to sign, trade and cut fantasy players just like a real team owner.
As popularity of fantasy games increase, a plethora of specialized fantasy applications are developing to support various aspects of a fantasy game. Fantasy games are difficult to learn and win, and therefore fantasy gamers are always looking for an edge over the competition. For instance, before a game season begins, fantasy owners may gather to draft real players for their fantasy teams. The draft typically involves a complex weighing of multiple factors to make a draft decision within a limited period of time. A number of specialized fantasy applications are available that are specifically designed to assist a fantasy owner in drafting players. A fantasy owner may utilize other specialized fantasy applications as well, such as applications designed to customize starting lineups for a game, project player performance, automatically negotiate trades, and so forth.
One problem associated with the proliferation of specialized fantasy software applications, however, is that it creates a disjointed program environment for a fantasy owner. Specialized fantasy applications are not designed to interoperate with each other, and often use completely different sets of fantasy data. As such, each specialized fantasy application is designed with a unique user interface that is presented in a separate portion of a display, such as a user interface frame. It is not uncommon for a fantasy gamer to have multiple applications running simultaneously on a computer, with each application having its own user interface frame, and constantly switching focus between each frame to gather information needed to play one or more fantasy games. Furthermore, some specialized fantasy applications may be native applications installed and executing on a client device, while others are web applications executing on a server device. To engage in a game session, a fantasy gamer may need to search and select the native programs through a program manager to execute the native applications, and launch a web browser and select a uniform resource locator (URL) to execute the web applications, each of which may have separate accounts, payment methods, security credentials, subscription managers, authentication procedures, resource requirements, and so forth. Layer on the fact that many fantasy gamers are frequently playing multiple teams on multiple sites, and this segmented program environment becomes even more disjointed. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements have been needed.


Photon absorption, and thus current generation, is hindered in conventional thin-film solar cell designs, including quantum well structures, by the limited path length of incident light passing vertically through the device. Optical scattering into lateral waveguide structures provides a physical mechanism to increase photocurrent generation through in-plane light trapping. However, the insertion of wells of high refractive index material with lower energy gap into the device structure often results in lower voltage operation, and hence lower photovoltaic power conversion efficiency. The voltage output of an InGaAs quantum well waveguide photovoltaic device can be increased by employing a III-V material structure with an extended wide band gap emitter heterojunction. Analysis of the light IV characteristics reveals that non-radiative recombination components of the underlying dark diode current have been reduced, exposing the limiting radiative recombination component and providing a pathway for realizing solar-electric conversion efficiency of 30% or more in single junction cells.

With appropriate electrical loading, photovoltaic solid state semiconductor devices, commonly known as solar cells, convert sunlight into electrical power by generating both a current and a voltage upon illumination. The current source in a solar cell is the charge carriers that are created by the absorption of photons. These photogenerated carriers are typically separated and collected by the use of PN or PIN junctions in semiconductor materials. The operational voltage of the device is limited by the dark current characteristics of the underlying PN or PIN junction, among other limiting characteristics. Thus improving the power output performance of any solid state solar cell generally entails simultaneously maximizing absorption and carrier collection while minimizing dark diode current.
Quantum well solar cells seek to harness a wide spectrum of photons at high voltages in a single junction device by embedding narrow energy-gap wells within a wide energy-gap matrix. By avoiding the limitations of current matching inherent in multi junction devices, quantum well waveguide solar cells have the potential to deliver ultra-high efficiency over a wide range of operating conditions. Quantum well solar cells have been demonstrated in a variety of different material systems, and the basic concept has been extended to include quantum dots. Clear improvements in lower energy spectral response have been experimentally confirmed in both quantum well and quantum dot solar cells. However, photon absorption, and thus current generation, is hindered in conventional quantum structured solar cells by the limited path length of incident light passing vertically through the device. Moreover, the insertion of narrow energy-gap material into the device structure often results in lower voltage operation, and hence lower photovoltaic power conversion efficiency.
Optical scattering into laterally propagating waveguide modes provides a physical mechanism to dramatically increase photocurrent generation in quantum well solar cells via in-plane light trapping. The refractive index contrast in a typical quantum well solar cell provides lateral optical confinement and naturally forms a slab waveguide structure. Coupling of normally incident light into lateral optical propagation paths has been reported to lead to increases in the short circuit current of InP/InGaAs quantum well waveguide solar cells coated with nanoparticles. However, maintaining high open circuit voltage remains a universal challenge for all quantum well and quantum dot solar cell devices. It is therefore desirable to provide a device with a novel material structure to achieve high open circuit voltages.

High efficiency quantum well waveguide solar cells and methods for constructing the same


A radiation grill includes a housing and radiators which are arranged in the housing. A pullout which, in a position retracted into the housing, closes an opening on a front side of the housing. The pullout carries two glass plates arranged standing, which limit a cooking chamber in the retracted position of the pullout between them. Respectively, at least one of the radiators is arranged outside of the cooking chamber between each of the two glass plates and a side wall of the housing to irradiate grilled food in the cooking chamber. It is provided that movement of the pullout is limited by a stop.

Such a radiation grill has a housing with an upper side, a lower side and side walls connecting the upper side to the lower side. In one of these side walls is an opening into which a holder for food to be grilled can be inserted, which food is then irradiated in the housing laterally by at least two radiators which are arranged at a lateral distance from each other. Food, such as meat, fish or vegetables, can be cooked very quickly and flavorfully with such a radiation grill.
An object of the present invention is to show a way in which such a radiation grill can be improved.


A method and apparatus for producing titanium metal powder from a melt. The apparatus includes an atomization chamber having an inner wall that is coated with or formed entirely of CP-Ti to prevent contamination of titanium metal powder therein. The inner surfaces of all components of the apparatus in a flow path following the atomization chamber may also be coated with or formed entirely of CP-Ti.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a titanium powder production apparatus and method and, more particularly, to such an apparatus and method that prevents contamination of the titanium powder.
2. Description of the Background Art
Powder metallurgy is an important technology in the production of parts made out of titanium for critical applications such as aerospace. Titanium metal powder is the basic raw material in this process path. Atomization using an inert gas such as argon is a commonly used process to produce uniform spherical-shaped powders that possess high packing densities. A typical device for gas atomization consists of a liquid metal stream supply source, the atomizing gas jet, and a cooling chamber. The free-falling stream of molten titanium is impinged with inert gas jet at a high velocity, the atomized droplets of titanium solidify in flight through the chamber, and are collected at the bottom of the chamber. Extremely high values of cooling rates during the solidification of the droplets are desired in order to obtain very specific, controlled structures. Several aspects of design and construction of the atomization chamber are important:                1. The chamber must be constructed with a material that does not react with titanium up on contact;        2. The chamber must be large enough to allow titanium droplets to solidify before they come in contact with the walls or bottom section of the chamber;        3. The chamber should allow complete evacuation to prevent atmospheric contamination; and        4. The chamber design should allow easy access for complete cleaning and inspection of its interior.
Stainless steel is the most commonly used material for the construction of titanium atomization chambers. There exists a possibility that some of titanium droplets hit the atomization chamber before solidification. These droplets react with stainless steel producing low-melting point compounds that are brittle in nature. These compounds enter into the titanium powder stream as contaminants and remain undetected in standard quality control techniques. Components made out of these contaminated powders experience catastrophic in-service failures.

Titanium powder production apparatus and method


A method for operating a drive system (10) of an electric vehicle, comprising a first energy source (21), a second energy source (22) formed as an electrical energy store, and at least one electric machine (30) is disclosed. In a first operating mode, electrical energy is transferred from the first energy source (21) to at least one electric machine (30), and electrical energy is transferred from the second energy source (22) to at least one electric machine (30). In a second operating mode, electrical energy is transferred from the first energy source (21) to at least one electric machine (30), and electrical energy is transferred from at least one electric machine (30) to the second energy source (22).

The invention relates to a method for operating a drive system of an electric vehicle, which comprises a first energy source, a second energy source formed as an electrical energy store, and at least one electric machine. The invention also relates to a drive system for an electric vehicle, comprising a first energy source, a second energy source formed as an electrical energy store, and at least one electric machine, wherein electrical energy can be transferred from the first energy source to at least one electric machine, and electrical energy can be transferred from the second energy source to at least one electric machine, and electrical energy can be transferred from at least one electric machine to the second energy source.
It is becoming apparent that, in the future, use will increasingly be made of electric vehicles which have drive units with an electric machine or a multiplicity of electric machines to drive the electric vehicle. Electric machines for driving electric vehicles are generally three-phase or multi-phase and are driven by inverters.
Such electric vehicles additionally have an electrical energy source or multiple electrical energy sources for supplying the electric machines with electrical energy. Such an electrical energy source is formed, for example, as an electrical energy store and has multiple battery cells, which are wired in series and/or in parallel with one another. Suitable in particular for such applications are lithium ion battery cells. These are distinguished, inter-alia, by high energy densities, thermal stability and an extremely low self-discharge. Such an electrical energy store can, for example, be charged with electrical energy at an external charging station. To drive the electric vehicle, the electrical energy store then discharges electrical energy to the electric machines.
When the electric vehicle is accelerated, the electric machines therefore draw electrical energy from the electrical energy store. When the electric vehicle is braked, the electric machines act as generators and feed generated recuperation energy back into the electrical energy store. If multiple electrical energy stores are provided, then the individual electrical energy stores can have different states of charge (SoC). For optimal operation of the drive system, the states have charge of the individual electrical energy stores should remain at least approximately the same.

Method for operating a drive system of an electric vehicle and drive system for an electric vehicle


An antenna array for radar transceivers, in particular for ascertaining distance and/or speed in the surroundings of vehicles, a first antenna part being situated on a carrier and a second antenna part being situated on another carrier situated at a distance from the first. The first antenna part has two generally rectangular primary exciter patches which adjoin each other on one edge, where they are short-circuited toward ground, two primary exciter patches have two separate supply lines, and the second antenna part comprises two mutually separated rectangular secondary exciter patches, which partially cover the primary exciter patches and which have, in the region of the ground short-circuit of the primary exciter patches, in the beam direction, a distance from each other that at least exposes the ground short-circuit.

Radar transceivers, i.e. transmitting/receiving modules, are used in the microwave and millimeter wave range for locating objects in space or for determining the speed, for example of vehicles. Radar transceivers are also used for example for driver assistance systems, which are used, e.g., for determining the distance of another vehicle traveling ahead of a host vehicle as well as for adaptive cruise control. For the purpose of locating objects in space and for determining the speed, such a radar transceiver emits signals at the highest frequency in the form of electromagnetic waves, which are reflected by the target object and are received again by the radar transceiver and processed. In many cases, several of these radar transceivers are wired up to form an overall module.
A radar sensor is described in German Patent Application No. DE 10 2005 056 756 A1, in which a part of the antenna is situated directly on a semiconductor circuit, while a second part is situated on a carrier that is positioned at a distance above the first part. Such a radar sensor generally has an antenna characteristic, i.e., a beam characteristic, that is predetermined by the type of construction.

Antenna array for a radar transceiver and circuit configuration for supplying an antenna array of such a radar transceiver


Methods and systems for treating sleep disordered breathing by stimulating nerves that innervate the palatoglossus and/or the palatopharyngeus muscle are provided. Such therapy can be used in conjunction with hypoglossal nerve stimulation.

Sleep disordered breathing (SBD) occurs when there is a partial or complete cessation of breathing that occurs many times throughout the night. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a type of SBD that involves cessation or significant decrease in airflow in the presence of breathing effort. It is the most common type of SBD and is characterized by recurrent episodes of upper airway collapse during sleep inducing repetitive pauses in breathing followed by reductions in blood oxygen saturation. The pathophysiology of OSA can involve factors such as craniofacial anatomy, airway collapsibility, and neuromuscular control of the upper airway dilator musculature. Electromyogram studies have shown that the tonic and phasic activity of the main pharyngeal airway dilatory muscle (such as the genioglossus muscle) is progressively reduced from wakefulness to non-rapid eye movement to rapid eye movement.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is the frontline treatment for OSA. CPAP therapy utilizes machines, generally including a flow generator, tubing, and a mask designed to deliver a constant flow of air pressure to keep the airways continuously open in patients with OSA. However, the success of CPAP therapy is limited by compliance with reported rates ranging from 50% to 70%. Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) has now been established as an effective form of therapy for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who are unable to tolerate positive airway pressure. This therapy works by protruding and stiffening the tongue muscle thereby dilating the pharyngeal airway. HNS primarily dilates the hypopharyngeal airway, and has a more modest and variable effect on dilation of the retropalatal airway. Patients with significant retropalatal airway collapse (more specifically, circumferential palatal collapse) are not candidates for the only HNS therapy commercially available in the US because of this issue.

Systems and methods for treating sleep disordered breathing


A method for determining physical parameters of an antenna of a mobile network base station includes providing, using the antenna, a mobile radio cell of a mobile network. Cellular parameters of the mobile radio cell are measured using at least one of user equipments and further mobile network base stations. The cellular parameters are transmitted from the at least one of user equipments and further mobile network base stations to an antenna controller. Using the antenna controller, at least one of the physical parameters of the antenna is determined based on the cellular parameters and at least one of a history of the cellular parameters, as measured by the user equipments, and a history of physical parameters of the antenna.

In today's radio networks optimization is needed for a lot of parameters controlling the behavior of the network. For the antenna the characteristics like the azimuth or tilt have got an essential impact on the propagation of radio signals and therefore on radio coverage of the dedicated cells. Both parameters tilt and azimuth influent essentially the interference situation in a radio network and the overall network RF power needed to cover a certain area.
Typically, these parameters are set during installation manually in a physical way and are static during the time. The antenna builder installs the antenna regarding requirements on physical azimuth and tilt of a network operator and considering the antenna specification of an antenna supplier. Firstly, this procedure is prone to errors and secondly every change during lifetime of the antenna must be done manually which causes costs for site visits.
Another solution is described in WO 2009/097 282 A1, which discloses an antenna management system for managing cellular communications network antennas remotely in response to traffic demands and environmental factors, including a packet switching network, antennas, base transceiver stations, tilt controllers, air interface modules, a management database, and a control network. The system utilizes feedback from a variety of sensors including downtilt sensors, azimuth sensors, weather sensors, gas sensors, and a camera, for instance. The system enables data from the sensors to be viewed remotely and analyzed to determine if corrective adjustment of the antenna is needed. After analyzing the data, the system or a user of the system such as a network operator can remotely adjust the antenna to make necessary adjustments.
The system further enables data received from the sensors to be made available over a packet switching network, such as the Internet or a local or wide area network, to any device, such as a computer or mobile station, connected to the packet switching network.
The method according to the prior art is based on the detection of physical orientation of the antenna by using indicators directly at the physical antenna for measuring the azimuth and tilt physically. The drawback of such an approach is that the antenna has to be provided with cost-intensive sensors for measuring the orientation of the antenna, like mechanical sensors measuring downtilt or azimuth of the antenna. Furthermore, suchlike sensors need calibration and maintenance and causes of course constructive efforts resulting in higher costs for the antenna system.

Antenna management system and program for optimization of broadcast characteristics of an antenna and method for determining physical parameters of an antenna


A printing apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a printing unit, a detection unit, and a control unit. The conveyance unit conveys a sheet that is a continuous sheet. The printing unit prints an image onto the conveyed sheet. The detection unit detects a splice of the conveyed sheet. A following sheet area follows and is continuous from the splice. The control unit adjusts, in response to the detection unit detecting a splice of the conveyed sheet, the conveyance by the conveyance unit of the following sheet area depending on conveyance characteristics of the following sheet area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for printing using a continuous roll sheet.
2. Description of the Related Art
In printing of a large number of sheets, such as printing in the photo print service, continuous roll sheets are used. In manufacturing the continuous roll sheets, to improve the manufacturing yield, end portions of a plurality of continuous sheets with lengths less than a required length may be attached to each other with a fixing material (hereinafter, referred to as a tape), such as a splicing tape, to form a roll with a required length. The continuous roll sheet has one or more taped splices (connected portions) at random positions.
An apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-239715 detects a tape using an optical sensor to detect a position of a splice, determines an area including the splice as a non-recordable area, and performs control such that printing is not performed onto the non-recordable area.
In printing high-definition photo images and the like, depending on slight differences in the types of the sheet (for example, the type of paper, the quality of paper, and the thickness of paper) to be used, the conveyance characteristics of the sheet change. The changed conveyance characteristics cause differences in the sheet conveyance amount and the sheet conveyance speed, resulting in differences in the print image quality. Due to the differences in the sheet conveyance characteristics before and after the splice portion of the continuous sheet, images having different image quality, such as hues and granularity, are formed. The print image quality change in the middle of the plurality of pages of the printed material such as a photographic album gives a strong feeling of strangeness to the viewer. To solve the problem, it is desirable to maintain the similar quality of the images sequentially printed on the continuous sheet. However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-239715 discloses nothing about the problem and a method for solving the problem.


Apparatus, system, and method for clipping graphics primitives are described. In one embodiment, a graphics processing apparatus includes a mapping unit and a clipping engine that is connected to the mapping unit. The mapping unit is configured to map a graphics primitive onto a canonical representation. The clipping engine is configured to perform a set of clipping operations with respect to the canonical representation.

In conventional graphics processing systems, an object to be displayed is typically represented as a set of one or more graphics primitives. Examples of graphics primitives include one-dimensional graphics primitives, such as lines, and two-dimensional graphics primitives, such as polygons. Typically, a graphics primitive is defined by a set of vertices having a particular order that is specified by a graphics program. For example, one graphics primitive can be defined by three vertices that are ordered as (V0, V1, V2), while another graphics primitive can be defined by the same three vertices that are ordered differently as (V2, V0, V1). In this example, the two graphics primitives are, in fact, visually identical, even though they differ in their vertex ordering.
Conventional graphics processing systems sometimes implement techniques for clipping graphics primitives. Clipping typically refers to a set of operations that determine which portions of an object are to be displayed with respect to a set of clipping planes. Various techniques have been developed for clipping graphics primitives. Examples of these techniques include the Cohen-Sutherland technique, the Liang-Barsky technique, the Sutherland-Hodgeman technique, and the Weiler technique. Of these techniques, the Sutherland-Hodgeman technique is perhaps the most commonly used. For example, to clip a polygon with respect to six clipping planes, the Sutherland-Hodgeman technique typically clips each edge of the polygon with respect to a first clipping plane to produce a first clipped polygon. Each edge of the first clipped polygon is then typically clipped with respect to a second clipping plane to produce a second clipped polygon. The second clipped polygon is then typically clipped with respect to a third clipping plane, and so on until all six clipping planes have been processed.
When clipping a graphics primitive with respect to a set of clipping planes, it is desirable to produce a consistent result, irrespective of a particular vertex ordering of the graphics primitive. However, a conventional clipping technique typically involves a number of operations, such as additions, compares, multiplications, reciprocals, and subtractions, and implementing these operations in realizable hardware often produces a result that is relatively sensitive to the vertex ordering. In particular, a graphics primitive is sometimes clipped by performing a set of floating point calculations, which often involve some approximation or rounding because of a limited precision range associated with floating point numbers. As can be appreciated, floating point calculations are typically not associative, such that (x+y)+z≠x+(y+z) and (x×y)×z≠x×(y×z) for floating point numbers x, y, and z. For example, a floating calculation of (1e100−1e100)+1 can give a result that is 1, whereas a floating calculation of (1e100+1)−1e100 can give a result that is 0. As a result, an output of floating point calculations for clipping a graphics primitive can be dependent upon an order in which these floating point calculations are performed, which, in turn, can be dependent upon a vertex ordering of the graphics primitive. Such dependency on vertex ordering can lead to inconsistencies when clipping graphics primitives that simply differ in their vertex ordering and can produce artifacts, such as when rendering the graphics primitives sequentially or at the same time. For example, differences in resulting coordinate data can lead to one of the graphics primitives being subsequently culled, while another one of the graphics primitives is not subsequently culled.
It is against this background that a need arose to develop the apparatus, system, and method described herein.

Apparatus, system, and method for clipping graphics primitives with reduced sensitivity to vertex ordering


An electric vehicle (HEV/BEV/EV) includes a dynamic traction control (DTC) system configured to perform a DTC process and an electric motor enhanced dynamic wheel torque control by brake (eDWT-B) system configured to perform an eDWT-B process. A controller selects according to a vehicle criterion a combination of the DTC and eDWT-B processes to control a vehicle operation.

Electric vehicle propulsion (EV/HEV/BEV) has been developed in vehicle electrification and hybridization technologies to improve drivability, fuel economy, and energy flexibility and reduce emissions. Vehicle powertrain and driveline electrification provides opportunities towards vehicle dynamic controls for active/passive vehicle stability improvement and performance expansion. Taking advantage of the fast and accurate electric motor torque control capability, the electric drive components have been proposed to be used in traction control and lateral vehicle dynamic controls with observed vehicle handling performance and stability enhancement.

Vehicle dynamic controls coordination system for dual-axle driven electric vehicles


Exemplary technical support systems and methods are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes a media content access device obtaining technical support request information from a user, encoding data representative of the technical support request information into a barcode, and providing the barcode for display on a display screen associated with the media content access device. The exemplary method may additionally or alternatively include a mobile device capturing an image of the displayed barcode and transmitting data representative of the image to a technical support subsystem. The exemplary method may additionally or alternatively include a technical support subsystem receiving data representative of the image of the barcode, decoding the barcode code to obtain the technical support request information, and performing one or more technical support operations in response to the technical support request information. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

The advent of set-top box devices and other media content access devices ("access devices") has provided users with access to a variety of services (e.g., television services, Internet services, telephone services, etc.). For example, a user may utilize a set-top box device to access broadcast television services, pay-per-view services, video-on-demand services, Internet services, and audio programming services.
However, access devices and/or corresponding service providers inevitably experience technical problems that result in service disruptions for users. The problems may be aggravated if the access devices are incapable of communicating with a service provider's remote systems (e.g., because of or in conjunction with the experienced problems), thereby hindering the service provider's ability to learn of, troubleshoot, and/or resolve the problems that are causing the service disruptions. In order to address the problems and/or service disruptions, users may be forced to make telephone calls directly to the service provider's technical support department, which may result in the users waiting on hold for available technical support agents, interacting with computer-based voice response systems, providing identification information and waiting until the users have been identified by the system/agent, waiting while troubleshooting tests are performed, and/or trying to explain problems that the users may not entirely understand. This process may be inconvenient, burdensome, and/or frustrating for the users, thereby leading to dissatisfaction with the service provider.