A band control system of the present invention is applicable to a digital subscriber line network in which a first apparatus and a second apparatus situated at a subscriber station and a center, respectively, are interconnected by a metallic cable for interchanging at least a digital data signal with each other. The band control system includes a commanding device included in one of the first and said second apparatuses for monitoring the receipt of ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) cells from the other apparatus and sending, based on the result of monitoring, a band variation command to the other apparatus to thereby cause it to vary a band by using a frequency band not used for signal transfer. A band varying device is included in the other apparatus for receiving the band variation command and varying the band in accordance with the command.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a band control system for a digital subscriber network and a band control method therefor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a band control system implementing flexible control and efficient use of a band between IADs (Integrated Access Devices) and a DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer) situated at subscriber stations and a center, respectively, and a control method therefor.
2. Description of the Background Art
A VoDSL (Voice over Digital Subscriber Line) network using an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) communication system and a DSL technology provides a transfer path for multimedia communication using voice, data and image. DSL technologies implement high-speed digital transfer over metallic cables, i.e., existing telephone subscriber lines.
A problem with the conventional DSL technologies is that the transfer rate is dependent on the quality of metallic cables and transfer distance and therefore indefinite despite a preselected transfer rate. Consequently, a communication band statistically set beforehand brings about the congestion of ATM cells and thereby causes some users to be blocked. It is therefore necessary to dynamically control band assignment in order to obviate the congestion of ATM cells.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-184061, for example, discloses a technology for dynamically controlling band assignment in a DSL communication system. It has been customary with conventional technologies, including the above technology, to send band control information indicative of the variation of a communication band by using special ATM cells, e.g., RM (Resource Management) cells. This, however, presses the communication band and thereby makes the use of the frequency band uneconomical when such special ATM cells are used to dynamically guarantee the band during communication.
Technologies relating to the present invention are also disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-331192.

Band control system for a digital subscriber network and band control method therefor


Mechanisms are provided for synthesizing a computer implemented neural network. An initially trained neural network is received and modified by introducing a new hidden layer of neurons and new connections that connect the new hidden layer of neurons to an output layer and a previous layer of neurons previously directly connected to the output layer of neurons to generate a modified neural network. The modified neural network is trained through one or more epochs of machine learning to generate modified weight values for the new connections and the new connections are pruned based on the modified weight values to remove a subset of the new connections and leaving remaining connections in the modified neural network. A merge operation is performed on the remaining connections in the modified neural network to generate a custom convolution filter and modified neural network. The modified neural network is then retrained for deployment.

The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method, and more specifically to mechanisms for building a custom convolution filter for a neural network using an automated evolutionary process.
Artificial neural networks, or simply "neural networks," are computer models comprising a set of algorithms that are trained using a machine learning process and a set of training data, to perform various operations in artificial intelligence primarily directed to recognizing patterns in data. These artificial neural networks have been used successfully for various types of artificial intelligence operations including image recognition, object classification, predictive analysis, natural language processing, acoustic pattern recognition, speech synthesis and a plethora of other complex artificial intelligence operations.
The neural network emulates a biological neural network and human thought process using computer hardware/software configured in a specific manner to achieve a desired operation. The artificial neural network is composed of artificial neurons or nodes that are connected by links to one another, with the neurons or nodes being provided in different layers of the artificial neural network. To emulate biological neuron connections, weights are utilized in the artificial neural network where a positive weight reflects an excitatory connection, while a negative weight emulates an inhibitory connection. In the artificial neural network, for each neuron or node, all inputs to the neuron or node are modified by a weight and summed, which is referred to as a linear combination. An activation function is used to control the amplitude of the output, e.g., an acceptable range of output is usually between 0 and 1, or −1 and 1.
Simple artificial neural networks may be composed of a single input layer, a single hidden or middle layer, and a single output layer. However, more complex neural networks, referred to as deep neural networks (DNNs) may provide multiple layers between the input and output layers. Such DNNs can model complex linear and non-linear relationships. One type of deep neural network is referred to as a convolutional neural network (CNN). CNNs are regularized versions of multilayer perceptrons, where the term "multilayer perceptron" refers to fully connected networks where each neuron in one layer is connected to all neurons of the next layer. CNNs have been successfully used for image analysis, so much so that in other applications, input data may often be converted to an image representation for input to a CNN so that the CNN is able to classify the image of the data and thereby classify the underlying data which was converted to the image representation.
In convolutional neural networks (CNN) every network layer acts as a detection "filter" for the presence of specific features or patterns present in the input data, e.g., image data. The "convolution" in CNNs is an algorithm that specifies how an input is modified by a filter, e.g., how the value of each pixel in an image is modified by using information from neighboring pixels. For example, in a CNN performing image processing, multiple filters are used to slice an image and map each slice one by one to learn different portions of an input image, where the mapping generates an output each time a match to the filter is found in the input image. As an example, the input image data may be thought of as a matrix of pixels (e.g., 4×4 matrix of pixel values) and the filter may likewise be a filter specifying a recognizable pattern (e.g., 3×3 matrix of values). The filter is applied (e.g., matrix multiplication) to each portion of the input image data using a stride indicating the degree of movement of the filter along the input image in a horizontal and vertical manner (columns and rows in the input matrix). The resulting values from application of the filter to the input image data are stored as an output matrix, or feature map, that encodes the presence or absence, and degree of presence, of the feature it detects. For an overview of CNN operation, see Suhyun Kim, "A Beginner's Guide to Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs)" and Prabhu, "Understanding of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)—Deep Learning," both available at the Towards Data Science website.

Building of custom convolution filter for a neural network using an automated evolutionary process

International Business Machines Corporation


This invention provides a flare control modification for pilot-in-the-loop aircraft maneuver command electronic flight control systems. During flare, pilot pitch control inputs are interpreted as incremental pitch attitude commands. The flare control modification allows conventional piloting technique (i.e., pitch controller pull-and-hold) to be used during flare, while retaining the benefits of maneuver command system masking effects of gusts, winds, wind shear, and variations in airplane weight, balance, and aerodynamic configuration.

Until very recently, the primary flight control systems of commercial aircraft have utilized mechanical cables to transmit pilot-produced control inputs to the control surfaces of the aircraft. Pilot-produced inputs are created by a pilot moving various pitch, roll and yaw axis control devices, such as the column, wheel and rudder pedals located in front of the pilot (and copilot) seat(s) in an aircraft cockpit. The control surfaces of the aircraft include the elevators, ailerons, spoilers and rudder of the aircraft. In operation, a pilot manually "flies" an aircraft by moving various pitch, roll and yaw axis control devices so as to position the control surfaces in a way that makes the aircraft follow a desired flight path through space. Aircraft weight, center of gravity location, and aerodynamic configuration and location in a flight envelope determine how the pilot positions the pitch, roll and yaw axis control devices in order to follow a desired flight path. Changes in any of these factors may require that the position of the control devices be different, even when performing the same maneuver. Especially in adverse weather conditions (e.g., turbulence, wind shear, precipitation and poor visibility), pilot workload from manually operating pitch, roll and yaw axis control devices, plus navigation and other equipment, can become excessively high. Excessive pilot workload has the possibility of compromising safety, particularly during critical portions of a flight, such as approach, flare and landing.
Over the years, flight control system improvements, such as hydraulically powered control surfaces, "feel" systems, ratio changers and yaw dampers have helped to reduce pilot workload and to provide a more uniform aircraft response to given pilot control inputs when an aircraft is operating with different center of gravity locations and in different parts of its flight envelope. While these improvements have helped to reduce pilot workload under normal operating conditions, they have only partially solved the pilot workload problem in adverse weather conditions. The pilot workload problem in adverse weather conditions has been only partially solved because, even with these improvements, the basic way a pilot flies an airplane has remained unchanged--the pilot still commands control surface positions directly by positioning pitch, roll and yaw axis control devices.
The generation of commercial transport aircraft presently being developed will feature electronic flight control systems that are expected to provide a quantum reduction in pilot workload and a quantum improvement in flying qualities. Electronic flight control systems, such as fly-by-wire (FBW) and fly-by-light (FBL) flight control systems, will permit a pilot to command parameters other than control surface position with available control devices. For example, one system presently being considered for use on the next generation of Boeing aircraft allows a pilot to command pitch attitude rate-of-change through a pitch-axis control device. The pitch-axis control device is presently contemplated to be in the form of either a conventional control wheel column or a sidestick controller. Based on the pilot's positioning of the control device, the electronic flight control system will command the elevators of the aircraft to move in the manner required for the aircraft's actual pitch attitude rate-of-change to follow the pilot's commanded pitch attitude rate-of-change. In other words, a given input on the pitch axis control device will command a given rate-of-change of the pitch attitude of the aircraft. Returning the control device to a neutral position will zero the rate-of-change, not the pitch attitude. As a result, when the control device is placed in a neutral position, the aircraft will maintain the previously set pitch attitude. Changing from one pitch attitude to a different pitch attitude will require that a pilot move the control device to cause the pitch attitude to decrease (or increase) until the desired pitch attitude is achieved. That is, movement of the pitch axis control device will cause a pitch attitude change to occur that will ultimately result in the aircraft reaching level attitude (if this is the desired pitch attitude), at which time the control device will be moved to its neutral position. The magnitude of pitch axis control device movement will control the magnitude of the rate-of-change of pitch attitude.
The foregoing system reduces pilot workload because the electronic flight control system forces the aircraft to follow the pilot's pitch attitude rate-of-change commands regardless of aircraft inertia or aerodynamic configuration, location in the flight envelope, or the presence of external disturbances such as turbulence and wind shear. While a pitch attitude rate-of-change electronic flight control system is expected to considerably improve pitch-axis flying qualities during the takeoff, climb, cruise, and descent portions of a flight, the use of pitch attitude rate-of-change commands during the flare portion of a landing poses problems in two specific areas. First, in a conventional flare maneuver, a pilot pulls back on a control column and holds it back until the main wheels of the aircraft touch the runway, i.e., the aircraft lands. This action causes a pitch attitude change that is dependent on how far the stick is pulled back and held. In a pitch attitude rate-of-change electronic flight control system, a pitch attitude change is caused by applying a control pulse, not a steady pull and hold, to a pitch axis control device. This procedural difference requires pilot retraining and the additional expense associated with such retraining in order for a pitch attitude rate-of-change electronic flight control system of the type described above to be used during the flare portion of a landing. The second problem area relates to the risk of overflaring. The risk of overflaring is increased substantially using a pitch attitude rate-of-change electronic flight control system if a pilot does not return the pitch axis control device to its detent (i.e., neutral) position at the precise time the pitch attitude of the aircraft achieves the angle that produces a low sink-rate landing. If the pitch attitude changes, a pilot using a pitch attitude rate-of-change electronic flight control system is required to move the pitch axis control device to a position that creates the pitch attitude required to continue a low sink-rate landing. In summary, unconventional pilot maneuvering techniques during the flare portion of a landing are required with a pitch attitude rate-of-change electronic flight control system of the type described above.
One obvious way to avoid the foregoing problem is to deactivate the pitch attitude rate-of-change electronic flight control system during the flare portion of a landing. This approach has the disadvantage of losing all of the turbulence rejection, configuration masking and flight-envelope location masking effects normally provided by an electronic flight control system. Because flare is a high pilot workload portion of a flight, the loss of handling qualities and turbulence rejection benefits during landing flare is highly undesirable.
One proposed approach to avoiding the foregoing and other problems is to provide a flare control modification for pilot-in-the-loop aircraft maneuver command electronic flight control systems. During flare, pilot pitch control commands are interpreted as incremental flight path angle commands above a reference flight path angle, nominally a -3.degree. glide slope. The flare control modification allows conventional piloting techniques (i.e., pitch controller pull-and-hold) to be used during flare while retaining the benefits of the maneuver command system masking effects of gusts, winds, wind shear, and variations in airplane weight, balance, and aerodynamic configuration. Such an approach is described in U.S. application Ser. No. 282,265, entitled "Flight Path Angle Command Flight Control System for Landing Flare" by Messrs. Sankrithi and Pelton, filed Dec. 8, 1988, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. While such an approach solves the foregoing problems, it has two perceived disadvantages. Specifically, many pilots feel that their task changes from one of controlling flight path directly to one of controlling flight path indirectly by direct control of airplane attitude during landing flare. This "feeling" results from the fact that, as the ground approaches, pitch attitude cues become very intense as a pilot looks out the windows of an aircraft. Experienced pilots have learned to accurately land an aircraft using attitude cues and attitude controls. Thus, many pilots feel that a direct pitch attitude control system is more appropriate than a flight path angle control system during landing flare. A second perceived disadvantage of a flight path angle control system is associated with the fact that pilots use thrust control in combination with pitch control to obtain desired landing performance. In many scenarios using prior art (e.g., non-electronic) control systems, a pilot establishes a proper landing attitude with a given stick deflection followed by a reduction in throttle setting. This results in the aircraft "sinking" to touchdown. Sinking is accomplished at a nearly constant pitch attitude (and a nearly constant stick deflection). The dynamics of the situation involve an angle of attack increase and a corresponding flight path angle decrease (i.e., flight path angle becomes more negative) as speed bleeds off and pitch attitude is held nearly fixed. With an incremental flight path angle control system, as speed bleeds off with a fixed stick deflection, the flight path is maintained, and the airplane only slows down. Both attitude and angle of attack increase slightly. To increase sink rate, the pilot must relax stick force. The overall net effect of direct flight path angle control during flare is a tendency to "float". This results in a large percentage of touchdowns occurring beyond the desired touchdown spot.
The present invention is directed to avoiding the foregoing and other problems by providing a flare control modification for a maneuver command electronic flight control system that maintains the advantages of the system while allowing the pilot to use conventional piloting techniques during the flare portion of a landing. More specifically, the present invention is directed to providing a pitch axis command electronic flight control system for landing flare that reduces the risk of overflaring during the flare portion of a landing while retaining the turbulence rejection, configuration masking and location in the flight envelope masking benefits produced by closed-loop electronic flight control systems.

Pitch attitude command flight control system for landing flare


Apparatus and associated methods relate to monitoring health of a hydraulic system. A method includes monitoring pressure within the system and determining when a potential fatigue condition may occur based on counting the number of times pressure in the system has exceeded the at least one threshold. In some embodiments, strain cycle data is calculated based on a time sequence of signals generated by a hydraulic fitting, which is indicative of strain of the hydraulic fitting. An output signal indicative of the fatigue condition determined is generated. In some embodiments, the strain data includes a number of strain cycles that the time sequence of signals crosses from below a strain threshold to above the strain threshold.

Hydraulic systems can experience fatigue in response to dynamic strain conditions. For example, piston pumps can cause pump pressure relations that have periodic or pseudo periodic temporal behaviors. Such cyclic pressures can cause parts exposed thereto to be fatigued, which in turn can cause such parts to crack, soften, harden, or otherwise change condition. Furthermore, if a hydraulic system experiences a failure or condition that causes overpressure conditions in the hydraulic fluid, components of the hydraulic system that are exposed to such overpressure conditions can be weakened or can fail. Therefore, a system that predicts the fatigue condition of hydraulic system components based on sensed strain is needed.

Determining a fatigue condition of a hydraulic system


A multi-layer package substrate includes a first build-up layer including a first dielectric layer and at least a second build-up layer including a second dielectric layer on the first build-up layer. The second build-up layer includes a top metal layer with a surface configured for attaching at least one integrated circuit (IC) die. The first build-up layer includes a bottom metal layer and a first microvia extending through the first dielectric layer, and the second build-up layer includes at least a second microvia extending through the second dielectric layer that is coupled to the first microvia. A barrier ring that has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) matching material relative to a CTE of a metal of the second microvia positioned along only a portion of a height of at least the second microvia including at least around a top portion of the second microvia.

A variety of integrated circuit (IC) chip packages are known that provide support for at least one IC die to enable the mounting of the IC die and its interconnection to a printed circuit board (PCB). In fabricating an IC package, the IC die(s) may be placed on a package substrate to form an IC package. One common IC package arrangement comprises a semiconductor die flipchip (FC) mounted to top side land pads of a package substrate that has microvia connections from the top said land pads to the bottom side of the package substrate, where the bottom side of the package substrate is typically connected to land pads on a printed circuit board (PCB).
One type of package substrate commonly used in fabricating IC packages is a single-core organic package substrate. Single-core organic package substrates include a single organic core layer comprising an organic material and one or more build-up layers formed on the top and/or below the organic core layer. Coreless package substrates are also known that comprise all build-up layers that alternate between metal layers and dielectric layers. Connections through the dielectric layers are provided by metal filled vias known as microvias which may be drilled then filled. The build-up layer(s) provide interconnectivity for I/O, power, configuration information. For example, FC ball grid array (BGA) devices may use build-up substrate technology with microvias to provide connections through the various dielectric layers.

Package substrate with CTE matching barrier ring around microvias


A biopsy device is disclosed that includes a housing maintaining a stylet and a cannula. A control device is operably coupled to operate the stylet and the cannula. A handle operates to modify the device from a loading configuration with an expanded profile to a delivery configuration with a reduced profile.

Biopsy needle devices with handpieces containing an actuating apparatus which activates the motion of a biopsy needle are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,625 to Bates et al. discloses a biopsy device containing a handpiece and stylet which projects independently of a cannula and wherein the handpiece contains an attachment means for the cannula. The insertion guide used in such systems includes a cannula guide made up of a hollow small tube in which the proximal end bears a trigger, and is equipped with an attachment means, as well as a luer lock for a syringe to introduce a medicament to the site after tissue removal.
Procedures using actuated biopsy needles typically involve first inserting the biopsy needle and cannula insertion guide into the patient's body by positioning the distal end of the needle in proximity to the object to be sampled. Upon determining the desired position (e.g., by ultrasound, magnetic resonance (CAT scan) or other technique), a stylet and cannula cutting edge are sequentially activated to obtain the sample. Once the sampling step has been performed, the attachment means are released and the biopsy needle withdrawn from the cannula insertion guide to check the sample. If the sample is incorrect or otherwise insufficient, a new biopsy needle is inserted into the cannula insertion guide and the sampling sequence is repeated. After obtaining the desired sample, a medicament can be administered to the site by applying a syringe to the insertion guide.
Current biopsy devices include wings extending from the handpiece to allow a user to grasp and/or load the actuating apparatus. While the wings are useful in loading the actuating apparatus, extension of the wings from the handpiece can interfere with an approach position of the biopsy device with respect to the tissue of interest. In particular, the wings can interfere with a desired angle of approach for the biopsy device, thus preventing a user from obtaining a desired sample in relation to a mass.


Systems and methods include acquisition of a plurality of text segments, each of the text segments associated with a flag value indicating whether the text segment is associated with a correct replacement text or an incorrect replacement text, determination of one or more n-grams of each text segment of the plurality of text segments, generation, based on the one or more n-grams of each text segment and the flag value associated with each text segment, a model to determine a flag value based on one or more input n-grams, reception of an input text segment, determination of a second one or more n-grams of the input text segment, determination, using the model, of an output flag value based on the determined second one or more n-grams, and presentation of the input text segment and the output flag value on a display.

Modern computing systems store vast amounts of data for their respective enterprises. Users execute software applications to access, process and visualize this data. Due to increasing globalization of company workforces, it is often desirable to translate the texts used within software applications so the applications may be effectively used by speakers of different several languages.
Systems are available for automating such text translation. For example, a translation system may access a multilingual text repository (MLTR) to translate input texts in a first language (e.g., German) to output texts in a second language (e.g., French). An MLTR may include industry-specific multilingual text associations, such that a first German word may be translated to a first French word if the translation is associated with a first industry and to a second French word if the translation is associated with a second industry. These translation systems may additionally or alternatively utilize machine-learned translation processes and/or a company-specific MLTR.
Some translation scenarios require verticalization of translated text. Verticalization describes a monolingual translation process, in which a first word in a first language (e.g., "article") is replaced with a second word in the first language (e.g., "material"). Conventional verticalization utilizes a rule-based system, which is typically error-prone and produces unacceptable results. Consequently, to ensure quality standards, a human is required to review a list of the replaced terms after verticalization.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art system for translation and verticalization. According to the illustrated example, application platform 10 executes translation service 12 and verticalization component 16. Consumer 20 passes texts to translation service 12, which determines corresponding translated text based on MLTR 14. Translation service 12 then accesses verticalization component 16, which determines proposed replacement text for one or more of the translated texts based on pre-defined rules and associations stored in monolingual text repository 18.
Linguist 30 may receive the translated texts and any proposed replacement texts. Linguist 30 reviews the proposed replacement texts and determines whether any of the proposed replacement texts should be corrected. Linguist 30 transmits indications of corrections to translation service 12, which applies the corrections to the proposed replacement texts and returns the thusly-translated and verticalized texts to consumer 20.
Systems are desired to reduce the amount of human effort required in conjunction with verticalization.


A camera zoom device and method for a mobile communication terminal. The camera zoom device includes a zoom dial rotating about a rotation axis; a zoom dial rotation sensing unit for sensing a rotation angle of the zoom dial; a zoom controlling unit for determining a zoom direction (zoom-in or out) and a zoom magnification depending on the sensed rotation angle; and a zoom lens driving unit for driving a zoom lens unit depending on the zoom direction and the zoom magnification. The camera zoom device zooms in or out depending on the rotation angle of the zoom dial, thereby enabling a convenient and prompt camera zoom function, and preventing lens shaking that is commonly caused when the zoom function is performed by pressing keys.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mobile communication terminal, and in particular, to a camera zoom device and method for a mobile communication terminal including a camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the technological developments in portable terminals and the miniaturization of cameras, it has become possible to provide a mobile communication terminal including a camera. Accordingly, a camera phone has become very popular. Additionally, mobile communication terminals having a zoom camera function are also available.
In general, the mobile communication terminal having the zoom camera function includes a zoom key for zooming in or out using. However, a zoom-in or out method using the zoom key has a disadvantage in that it is inconvenient and time consuming for a user to separately press the zoom key whenever in order to zoom in or out. For example, when the user photographs the object, the user focuses a camera lens to an object and presses the zoom key several times as necessary.
Additionally, such a zoom-in or out method using the zoom key has a drawback in that the camera lens is shaken due to user's hands trembling, thereby resulting in out of focus and inexact photographs.

Camera zoom device and method for a mobile communication terminal


A thread-cutting device for zigzag sewing machines for forming uniformly short thread ends regardless of the top stitch position of the last stitch. The thread cutter 28 is movable in a plane that is parallel to the thread catcher 33 and is connected by a drive unit 45 through 58 having stop sections 54, 55 to the drive of the thread catcher 33 such that the thread catcher can be moved, together with the cutter, into the cutting position located below the center of the stitch hole. While the thread cutter 28 stops in the cutting position, the thread catcher completes the thread separation process. The thread cutter 28 is moved back during the return movement of the thread catcher 33 only after the threads have been cut. The drive unit 45 through 58 for the thread cutter 28 is of positive-locking design, as a result of which even thick threads are cut reliably. The thread cutting device is particularly suitabloe for installation (even subsequent installation) in stitch group zigzag sewing machines.

This invention relates in general to a thread cutting device and in particular to thread cutting devices leaving uniform length ends on zig zag sewing machines.
A similar thread cutting device is known from West German Utility Patent DE-GM No. 1,968,920. In this thread cutting device, the thread cutter, cooperating with the cutting edge of the thread take-up is attached to the lower side of the needle plate at a location spaced laterally from the stitch hole, of oblong shape.
Since the needle has a greater distance from the stationary thread cutter during zigzag sewing in overstitch position than in the other, there will be thread ends of different lengths on the fabric sewn after the thread is cut; the shortest thread ends will be formed in the overstitch position facing the thread cutter, and the longest thread ends will be in the overstitch position facing away from it.
West German Patent Specification DE-PS No. 31,24,795 discloses another thread cutting device for zigzag sewing machines, in which the thread take-up has, on its site opposite the barb, a second barb for the needle thread loop leg leading to the needle in order to make the length of the needle thread ends connected to the needle and the thread reservoir independent of the stitching position of the needle. However, the arrangement of the second barb does not affect the length of the thread ends on the fabric being sewn, i.e., their length depends on the last stitching position, just as in the first thread cutting device.
Finally, West German Patent Specification No. 17,60,703 discloses a thread cutting device for double chain stitch sewing machines, which has a thread take-up that can be moved in parallel to the plane of the needle plate and has a cutting edge, as well as a thread cutter that is arranged in parallel to this and can be moved in the same direction, and a thread clamp that can be moved together with the thread cutter. The thread take-up is provided with a lug that engages with one elongated slot of the thread cutter and one thread clamp each, such that the thread cutter and the thread clamp move together with the thread take-up from the resting position into the work position and vice versa whenever the pin has traveled over the entire length of the elongated slots. To prevent the thread cutter and the thread clamp from moving prematurely and in an uncontrolled fashion, they are held in their two end positions by a spring-loaded ratchet mechanism.
Aside from the fact that this thread cutting device was not designed for double lock stitch but for double chain stitch sewing machines, which are used for straight sewing rather than for zigzag sewing, it is also unsuitable for cutting through thicker threads of greater tear strength, which offer such a great resistance to cutting that the force to be applied for cutting is greater than the holding force of the spring-loaded ratchet mechanism, because in this case, the thread cutter would be forced out of the actually intended cutting position located in the immediate vicinity of the stitch hole before the threads are cut through completely, and the cutting process would be completed only in the starting position of the thread cutter located relatively far from the stitch hole. However, undesirably long thread ends would thus be obtained on the fabric sewn.

Thread cutting device having a translatably slidable knife and catcher, being driven for forming uniformly short stitch thread ends in a zig zag sewing machine


In an exercise apparatus a rigid frame includes upper and lower back supports pivotally connected in axial alignment. Upper and lower back support pads are mounted on the rigid frame for supporting a user in a reclined position with the weight of the user providing resistance to the exercises. Leverage arms are mounted at the head end of the upper back support. The leverage arms extend above the rigid frame such that the free ends thereof may be grasped by the user while performing abdominal exercises. The lower back support includes handles extending outwardly from the foot end thereof for grasping by the user while performing glute exercises. A thigh pad is mounted on the upper end of a lever arm pivotally attached to the foot end of the lower back support. Upon pushing the thigh pad by the user, the foot end of the rigid frame is raised along with the body of the user. Abdominal curls or crunching exercises are performed by grasping the leverage arms and pulling up the upper back support. An adjustable resistance wheel is provided for varying resistance to the exercises.

This invention relates to an exercise device, particularly a variable resistance exercise device for strengthening the abdominal and gluteus muscles. The present invention includes a platform or bench to support a user in a reclining position with resistance to the exercise provided by the weight of the user.
The fitness industry has heretofore provided various exercise devices, particularly for home use, for exercising a user's lower torso. U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,936 issued on Dec. 25, 1984, provides a platform or board to support a user in a reclining position with the weight of the user providing resistance to the exercises. A movable frame having a single nonadjustable pivot axis is actuated by the user and may be positioned at selected fulcrum points along the platform to provide the desired resistance. Such an exercise machine is relatively inexpensive and can be utilized for exercising various body muscles.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,447 issued on Sep. 13, 1994, an exercise machine is provided having a platform on which a user is supported in a reclining position. The weight of the user is utilized as the resistance for various exercises performed on the exercise machine. A lever pivotally connected to the platform may be actuated by the user for raising or lowering one end of the platform with respect to a pivot point. U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,114 issued on Aug. 13, 1996 provides an exercise device for exercising the upper and lower abdomen and the back. The device includes rigid upper and lower back supports which are pivotally joined. Resistance means attach to the pivotal portions of the device to allow adjustable resistance to exercise motions. Each of the above described devices however are directed to one mode of exercise for strengthening specific muscles.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an exercise device which is light weight and portable utilizing the user's body weight to provide resistance to the exercises.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an exercise device in which the glute and abdominal muscles are exercised while the user is in a prone or supine position.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an exercise device in which the exercise resistance is adjustable providing a means of progressive resistance exercise.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after referring to the following specification and drawings.


A switching element comprising: an insulative substrate; a first electrode and a second electrode provided on one surface of the insulative substrate; and an interelectrode gap which is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and which has a gap on the order of nanometers in which switching phenomenon of resistance occurs by applying predetermined voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the one surface of the insulative substrate contains nitrogen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switching element.
2. Description of Related Art
As devices are reduced in size and densities are enhanced, it is now required to further miniaturize electric element. As one example, there is known a switching element capable of carrying out a switching operation by applying voltage between two electrodes (interelectrode nanogap) which are separated from each other by a fine gap.
More specifically, there is developed a switching element which is made of silicon oxide and gold, which are stable materials, by a simple producing method called shadow evaporation (inclined deposition). According to this switching element, switching operation can stably be repeated (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-79335 for example).
In addition to the silicon oxide, an element using silicon nitride instead of silicon oxide is known. More specifically, there are MEMS (Micro Electron Mechanical Systems) element (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-306208 for example) using a silicon nitride film as an insulating film, and a molecular element (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-234799 for example) using a silicon nitride layer as an insulating layer. In these elements, the silicon nitride functions only as an insulator.
In the switching element of a patent document 1, it is required to further reduce operating voltage.

Funai Electric Advanced Applied Technology Research Institute Inc.

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology


An information processing apparatus acquires user name information contained in user authentication information transmitted from an authentication server. Then, the information processing apparatus describes the acquired user name information according to a predetermined format which the printer driver can refer to, and stores it in a storage area which the printer driver can refer to. The printer driver, if the user name information is stored in the storage area, and the user name information satisfies a condition described in the format, transmits the user name information added to the print data to a printer apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an authentication method, an information processing apparatus, and a storage medium, and more particularly, to the ones suitable when used for adding user information to print data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a system for managing users that have performed printing in order to manage security or costs has been desired. For realizing these desires, acquiring user name information for identifying users such as login names of users and computer names, when printing is performed, and adding them to the print data, and managing the users using the user name information have been performed.
To describe more specifically, management of users is performed by extracting, for example, user name information in the printing process, or a user name and a password are input via an operation unit of a printer apparatus, and if these coincide with the user name information added to the print data, then printing is executed.
However, if an authentication system using an integrated circuit (IC) card or the like is used therewith, when printing is executed, it is desired to perform print management based on the user name information other than login names or computer names of a system that the printer driver can acquire automatically from a user interface (UI) setting, an operating system (OS), or the like. In order to realize this, it is necessary to extract user name information from information described in the IC card or the like with the printer driver, and to add the user name information to the print data.
However, an information format that is applied to the IC card or the like varies according to authentication systems. For this reason, it is necessary to provide a printer driver for each authentication system, in order to extract user information to be used for identification of a user from user authentication information.
Although only the user name information authenticated by the authentication system should be captured into the printer driver, it is difficult for the printer driver to acquire the authenticated user name information.
As a technique relating to management of users when printing is performed, there is a technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-207661. In the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-207661, first, "user name", "group name" and "password" are set for a printer driver UI by an operation of a user, and these pieces of information are transmitted to the printer apparatus together with the print data. Then, if the information transmitted together with the print data coincides with information registered on the printer apparatus, printing is executed.
However, like the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-207661, with a method in which a user inputs user name information into the printer driver UI, it may be possible to set up information that has not been authenticated by the authentication system.
Further, it is also possible to acquire a login name and a computer name of a user from an OS to use them as user name information, but the user name information to be authenticated by the authentication system such as the IC card or the like does not necessarily coincide with the login name and the computer name acquired from the OS.
Therefore, it is necessary to build a printing system in which, without changing a printer driver, the printer driver can acquire user name information from among user authentication information relating to users authenticated by the authentication system, and can add the user name information to the print data.

Authentication method, information processing apparatus, and storage medium


The present application relates to a test strip process device. The test strip process device includes an inner cylinder, an outer cylinder, a mounting cover and a liquid supply assembly. One end of the outer cylinder is open, and the other end of the outer cylinder is closed. Both ends of the inner cylinder are open, and the inner cylinder is located in the outer cylinder. An end of the inner cylinder away from the open end of the outer cylinder is hermetically connected to the inner side wall of the outer cylinder, and a test strip chamber is formed between an outer peripheral wall of the inner cylinder and an inner peripheral wall of the outer cylinder. The mounting cover is detachably connected to an end wall of the open end of the outer cylinder, and the liquid supply assembly is provided on the mounting cover.

Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new coronavirus strain with highly contagious, which may cause fevers, coughing, difficulty in breathing and even death in infected people.
The infected people infected with the COVID-19 may have main clinical manifestation such as fever, fatigue, dry cough, even hypoxia, but less symptoms of upper respiratory such as nasal congestion and runny nose. After infected with pneumonia, about half of the patients may develop dyspnea after one week, and the severe may rapidly progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, uncorrectable metabolic acidosis and coagulation dysfunction. At present, the screening of COVID-19 need to be conducted in combination with clinical symptoms, the results of blood routine, CT examination or nucleic acid examination.
However, there may still exist detection inaccuracy in the related technologies, which will bring serious problems to the detection of the COVID-19. Therefore, there is still need for improving the detection accuracy of COVID-19.


An excimer lamp is such that that an interior of a discharge vessel is filled with a first gas including krypton (Kr) or xenon (Xe); a second gas including chlorine (Cl) or bromine (Br); and a third gas which is at least one species selected from among the group consisting of argon (Ar), neon (Ne), and helium (He), and which exhibits a partial pressure Pb that is not less than a partial pressure Plg of the first gas.

A light source body (hereinafter referred to as an "excimer lamp") utilizing dielectric barrier discharge in which a voltage is applied by way of quartz glass or another such dielectric body to cause luminescence of luminescent gas(es) with which a luminescent tube is filled is conventionally known.
Excimer lamps radiate short-wavelength light, specific emission wavelength(s) being exhibited thereby depending on the type(s) and combination of luminescent gas(es) employed. For example, excimer lamps utilizing luminescent gas(es) in the form of rare gases such as argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), and xenon (Xe), and excimer lamps utilizing luminescent gases in the form of gas mixtures of the foregoing rare gases with halogen gas(es) such as fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), iodine (I), and bromine (Br), are known.

Excimer lamp and light irradiation device


The embodiments of the application provide a communication method, terminal equipment, and network equipment. The method comprises: determining a first data transmission format used to generate first transmission version of uplink data; selecting, from a data resource pool, a first data transmission resource used to transmit the first transmission version; transmitting, to network equipment, a first scheduling configuration message containing information of the first data transmission resource and the first data transmission format; encoding and modulating, according to the first data transmission format, the uplink data, to generate the first transmission version; and transmitting, to the network equipment, by means of the first data transmission resource, the first transmission version, so as to facilitate the network equipment to receive, demodulate and decode, according to the first scheduling configuration message, the first transmission version. The embodiments of the invention can reduce communication latency without decreasing communication reliability.

A 5th-Generation (5G) communication technology has increasing requirements on low latency and high reliability of communication. At present, a latency is mainly reduced by adopting a shortened Transmission Time Interval (TTI) technology, namely modifying an existing frame structure and reducing an inter-subframe spacing to shorten a signaling feedback and scheduling period, shorten a round trip latency of a system and speed up the rhythm of data transmission and reception. An inter-subframe spacing of an existing Long Term Evolution (LTE) system is 1 ms (including 14 Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols), and the shortened TTI technology is intended to shorten the inter-subframe spacing to be 0.2-0.5 ms (including 3-7 OFDM symbols). However, even though a shortened TTI is adopted to shorten the sub-interface spacing from 1 ms to 0.2-0.5 ms, the scheduling period may still be shortened by about 2-4 ms only, and the latency is still very long.
Therefore, there is an urgent need for a technical solution capable of reducing communication latency without reducing communication reliability.

Communication method, terminal equipment, and network equipment

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


The invention provides epoxide resin molding compositions for protectively covering semiconductor components, which are accessible in a cost-effective manner and have good processibility. The epoxide resin molding compositions provide virtually inflammable molded materials with a high glass transition temperature and a low thermal expansion coefficient without the addition of flameproofing agents, when they contain the following constituents:. (A) an aromatic and/or heterocyclic polyepoxide resin which is free of phosphorous, optionally in combination with an aliphatic epoxide resin; PA1 (B) an epoxide-group-containing phosphorous compound; PA1 (c) an aromatic polyamine as a curing agent; and PA1 (D) filler material.

Components for electronics and for low-voltage technology are sensitive to external influences and are corrodible. To guarantee their operation, these components must be protected from unfavorable environmental influences such as moisture, aggressive chemicals and dust as well as from mechanical damage. Nowadays this takes place in technology primarily by protectively covering or embedding the components with curable, i.e. thermoplastic molding compounds, also called molding materials. By far, epoxide resin molding compounds have become the leading family of this application field due to their good processing behavior and the good properties of the molded materials and a favorable price/efficiency ratio. An overview of the composition, processing and material properties and use of epoxide resin molding compounds is found e.g. in G. W. Becker and D. Braun, "Kunststoffhandbuch" (Plastics Handbook), Carl Hasset Verlag Munich, Vienna 1988, Vol. 10 "Duroplaste" (Thermoserring Plastics), pp. 338 to 367.
Epoxide resin molding compositions are with inorganic filler materials highly-filled mixtures of epoxide resins with curing agents, accelerators, flameproofing agents, lubricating and release agents, pigments and other additives such as flexibilizers and coupling reagents. They are produced either in the dry mixing process, melting process, or impregnation process and are distributed commercially as virtually dust-free, granular material or in the form of pellets. A prereaction of the resinous mixture takes place during production and dressing preparation. For the handling and further processing of the molding compositions, it is important that, on the one hand, the pre-reacted mixture be very stable at low temperatures, that is, e.g., be storable below 5.degree. C. for 6 months, and, on the other hand, melt quickly at the processing temperature (approx. 150.degree. to 180.degree. C.), become well able to flow and cure quickly with the least possible reactive shrinkage. Cycle times of a few minutes are being currently realized during the encasement of electronic components right up to their being released from the mold. However, one is still striving to reduce this time further.
The requirement for a highest possible glass transition temperature T.sub.G is acknowledged for both the processing as well as for the protective function of the cured molding compositions. This temperature T.sub.G should lie at least above the mold temperature of 150.degree. to 180.degree. C. in order to guarantee a sufficient mold-release rigidity during the molding process. The glass transition temperature should be higher than the highest locally-appearing operating and processing temperatures for the optimum protection of the components because otherwise important properties of the molded material will deteriorate rapidly when the glass transition temperature is exceeded. Thus, for instance, the diffusion rate of moisture and other materials sharply increases; the dielectric constant and the dissipation factor increase and, due to the elevation of the thermal expansion coefficient the transverse strain between the molding compositions and the component increases and can possibly cause damage to the component. Since a high temperature strain arises during the soldering process (soldering bath temperature: 270.degree. to 290.degree. C., the T.sub.G should be >200.degree. C.
The sensitivity of microelectronic components to mechanical wear and tear increases with their increasing miniaturization so that the stresses exerted on the components during temperature changes are no longer tolerable in conventional protective covering compositions. Recently, therefore, so-called "low-stress" molding compounds have been developed which only exert slight force on the components when the temperature changes. This "low stress" behavior property is obtained through molding compound additives such as organopolysiloxanes or functional butadiene/acrylnitrile polymers, which retain their flexibilizing effect at lower temperatures (c.f.: US Pat. No. 4,701,482, JP-OS 62-214650, JP-OS 62-128162).
To maintain the protective function of the molding compositions, it is important that the molding compositions: be as free as possible from corrosive constituents such as C1.sup.-, Br.sup.-, and Na.sup.+, hydrolyzable chlorine and alpha-radiating impurities; have a good substrate adhesion after curing; be resistant to moisture and organic solvents; and be impermeable and satisfy the mechanical and thermal property requirements (bending strength .gtoreq.100 N/mm.sup.2, impact resistance .gtoreq.5 Nmm/mm.sup.2, linear expansion coefficient .alpha..about.15 to 25.times.10.sup.6 K.sup.-1).
Furthermore, the cured molding compositions must be inflammable or self-extinguishing and withstand one of the most demanding standard material tests, namely the flammability test according to UL 94V, with a V-O rating. During this test, five vertically-clamped standard test pieces, respectively, are twice held in flames on the lower end for 10 seconds each. The sum of the ten postburning times, which cease at extinguishment, must be <50 seconds and no single value may exceed 10 seconds. This requirement is difficult to fulfill, above all at thin wall thicknesses of 1.6 nun and under, as is typical in the electronics industry.
Epoxide resin molding compositions found in technical application fulfill these requirements only because they contain up to 80% inflammable inorganic filler materials and the remaining portion of reactive resin is fortified to be virtually inflammable by considerable portions of core-brominated aromatic constituents or additives and high concentrations of antimony trioxide. The problems with these compositions consist in that they are, on the one hand, indeed excellent, effective flameproofing agents; on the other hand, however, they also have some very dangerous properties. Antimony trioxide is on the list of carcinogenic chemicals. Aromatic bromine compounds not only split off bromine radicals and hydrobromic acid during thermal decomposition which cause pronounced corrosion. In addition, during decomposition in the presence of oxygen, the highly brominated aromatics in particular can form highly toxic polybromodibenzofurans and Polybromodibenzodioxins. Moreover, the disposal of bromine-containing waste materials and toxic waste presents considerable difficulties.
The epoxide resin molding compositions found in technical application do indeed have a very favorable processing behavior property, but after curing they only reach a glass transition temperature in the range of 150.degree. to 180.degree. C. Materials which fulfill the requirement for elevated heat resistance are molding compositions on a polyimide base. However, due to the considerably higher material costs and their poor processing behavior property, which requires higher curing temperatures and longer curing times, the technical application of such molding compositions remains limited to special applications. As a possible alternative to the epoxide resins found in technical application, combinations of maleinimides with alkenylphenols and/or alkenylphenol ethers (DE-OS 26 27 045), of maleinimides, polyallylphenols and epoxide resins (JP-OS 53-134099) or combinations of alkenylaryloxy-group-containing s-triazine compositions and polymaleinimides (EP-OS 0 263 915) are discussed.
A comparatively cost-effective resin system is obtained when aromatic and/or heterocyclic polyepoxide resins, i.e. polyglycidyl compounds, are combined with aromatic polyamines as a curing agent. These kinds of polyamines, which e.g. are known from DE-PS 27 43 680, produce particularly age-stable, heat-deformation resistant lattice network polymers. It can be seen from EP-OS 0 271 772 that while using 1.3.5-tris(3-amino-4-alkylphenyl)-2.4-6-trioxo-hexahydrotriazines as a curing agent, molded compositions are obtained which have glass transition temperatures to 245.degree. C. and are distinguished by favorable processing and working properties.
The disadvantage of not being sufficiently inflammable is acknowledged for all of the resin systems mentioned. Therefore, to fulfill the requirement--which is indispensable for electronics--of withstanding the flammability test according to UL 94V with a rating V-O, the use of highly effective bromine-containing flameproofing agents and antimony trioxide cannot be dispensed with (c.f. DE-OS 27 00 363). This has the consequence that one must allow for, on the one hand, the potential for danger connected with bromine compounds and antimony trioxide and, on the other hand, a deterioration of the quality of the thermo-mechanical properties effected by the bromine compounds. Namely, it is known that the addition of core-brominated aromatics causes a reduction of the glass transition temperature. Thus, it was found, e.g., that the glass transition temperature of polyimides is reduced by the addition of bromine compounds by 40.degree. to 70.degree. C. (c.f. "Polymer Journal", Vol. 20 (1988), pp. 125 fol.). In the systems of epoxides and polyamines described in EP-OS 0 271 772, a reduction of the T.sub.G by approximately 50.degree. C. to values below 200.degree. C. is found during a partial substitution of the epoxide constituents by the corresponding brominated compound according to a total bromine concentration of 4%.
For these reasons there has not been a lack of attempts to replace the bromine-containing flameproofing agent in reaction resin systems with less problematical substances. Thus, for example, filler materials were suggested which have a quenching gas effect such as hydrated aluminum oxides (c.f. "J. Fire and Flammability", Vol.3 (1972), pp. 51 fol.), alkaline aluminum carbonates (c f "Plast Engng" Vol 32 (1976), pp 41 fol.) and magnesium hydroxides (EP-OS 0 243 201) as well as vitrifying filler materials such as borates (c.f. "Modern Plastics" Vol 47 (1970), pp. 140 fol.) and phosphates (U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,766,139 and 3,398,019). However, associated with all of these filler materials is the disadvantage that, in part, they considerably deteriorate the mechanical, chemical and electrical properties of the molded materials.
The flame-retarding effectiveness of red phosphorous has also already been described (GB-patent 1 112 139), optionally in combination with finely dispersed silicon dioxide or hydrated aluminumoxide (U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,135). In this manner, molded materials are obtained which limit the application for electrotechnical and electronic purposes due to phosphoric acid which may possibly result under unfavorable conditions and the corrosion which is connected with the phosphoric acid. Furthermore, organic phosphorous compounds such as phosphoric acid esters, phosphonic acid esters and phosphines have already been suggested as flame-retarding additives (c.f. W. C. Kuryla and A. J. Papa "Flame Retardancy of Polymeric Materials", Vol. 1, pp. 24-38 and 52-61, Marcel Dekker Inc., New York, 1973). Since these compounds are known for their "plasticizing" properties and are used globally to a large extent as plasticizers for polymers (GB-patent 10 794), this alternative, too, is not very promising with regard to the required thermal resistance of molded materials.
A more effective possibility for regulating the inflammability of epoxide resins consists in using phosphorous compounds which can be anchored in the polymer network such as epoxide-group-containing phosphorous compounds. The thermo-mechanical properties of the molded materials obtained in this case during curing, however, are not sufficient. Thus, for example, molded materials with a T.sub.G of 45.degree. to 80.degree. C. are obtained during the aminic curing of epoxide resins resulting from methyl diglycidyl phosphonate and dicarboxylic acids (c.f. "Vysokomol. Soedin.", Ser. B. 29 (1), pp. 45 to 47 (1987)). This agrees with the experience that phosphoric acid ester groupings, both in the main polymer chain as well as in the side chain, basically cause a plasticization and thus a lowering of the glass transition temperature (c.f. "Journal of Macromolecular Science", Vol. Cl, No. 1 (1967), pp. 3 fol.). Moreover, to a large extent these compounds are liquid or crystalline and therefore do not come into question for regulating the inflammability of epoxide resins since they either greatly lower the softening point of the solid resins, produce stickiness or--in the case of crystalline compounds recrystallize (c.f. DE-OS 25 38 675). In all known publications, epoxide-group-containing phosphorous compounds are therefore converted first in a prereaction with bisphenols or phenolic resins (DE-OS 25 38 675 and JP-OS 58-185631), with dicarboxylic acids (c.f. Vysokomol. Sosdin."Ser. B. 29 (1), pp. 45-47 (1987)) or with polyester resins from dihydroxy compounds and dicarboxylic acids (JP-OS 50-043221) and only then are the converted compounds cured --primarily ionically-- in a mixture with the epoxide resins. However, the inflammability achieved in this manner is modest. Thus, limiting oxygen index values ("LOI values") of 23.5 to 24, i.e. values like those one finds in flammable materials such as wool (LOI =25), are achieved in resins which are obtained by means of a prereaction with bisphenols (c.f. DE-OS 25 38 675), whereas the LOI values for known inflammable materials such as polysulphone (LOI =30), polyvinyl chloride (LOI =42), polyvinylidene chloride (LOI =60) and polytetrafluoroethylene (LOI =95) lie considerably higher (c.f. D. W. v. Krevelen "Properties of Polymers", Elsevier Scientific Publishing Comp., Pasterdam, Oxford, N.Y., 1976, pp. 526 fol.). In the case of the conversion products of polyester resins with triglycidyl phosphates (c.f. JP-OS 50-043221), even halogen compounds and antimony trioxide must be added to regulate the inflammability of polyester fibers.
It is therefore an object of the invention to specify epoxide resin molding compositions which are accessible in a cost-effective manner and are comparable in processibility to epoxide resin molding compounds found in technical application, and which yield inflammable molded materials which can be rated as V-O according to UL 94 V with a highest possible glass transition temperature (T.sub.G >200.degree. C.) and a lowest possible thermal expansion coefficient (.about.15 to 25.times.10.sup.6 K.sup.-1) without the addition of halogen compounds or antimony trioxide.

Composition of polyepoxide and phosphorous-containing polyepoxide


The present invention provides in one aspect novel fusion partner cells that ectopically express one or more genes that alter the phenotype of a hybrid cell made from a fusion of the fusion partner cell and a fusion cell, hybrid cell lines produced using the fusion partner cells. The invention in another aspect provides antibodies produced by certain hybrid cell lines, and compositions containing one or a combination of such antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof. The invention also provides in another aspect methods of using the antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof for diagnosis and treatment of diseases characterized by the antigens specifically bound by the antibodies.

Antibodies are the effector molecules of the humoral immune response in mammals (B. Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell (Garland Publishing, Inc. 1994); E. Harlow et al., Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, 1988). Also known as immunoglobulins (Ig), they are produced by B-lymphocytes in response to antigen stimulation. Each B-lymphocyte produces an antibody with a defined specificity for a particular antigen. During an infection, an individual will generally produce multiple unique B-lymphocyte clones, each expressing and secreting a single type of antibody directed at an antigen expressed by the infectious organism. Following the resolution of the infection, the newly-generated B-lymphocytes enter a quiescent state characterized by minimal proliferation and antibody secretion. These quiescent B-lymphocytes can last for the lifetime of the individual and serve as an immunological memory that can be quickly tapped should the individual again encounter the same infectious organism.
The development of monoclonal antibody technology in the 1970s greatly facilitated the study of antibody biology and the adaptation of antibodies for use in research and medicine (B. Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell (Garland Publishing, Inc. 1994); G. Kohler et al., Nature 256:495 (1975)). Monoclonal antibodies are produced by hybrid cells that result from a fusion between normal B-lymphocytes and myeloma cells. The myeloma cell lines used for fusion are B-lymphocyte tumor cell lines that grow well in vitro and can propagate indefinitely, in contrast to normal B-lymphocytes that cannot replicate or produce antibody in vitro for more than a few days. Cells derived from a fusion of the two types of cells combine the in vitro growth characteristics of the myeloma cell line with the production of an antibody derived from the B-lymphocyte.
Hybrid cells (hybridomas) are generally produced from mass fusions between murine splenocytes, which are highly enriched for B-lymphocytes, and myeloma "fusion partner cells" (B. Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell (Garland Publishing, Inc. 1994); E. Harlow et al., Antibodies. A Laboratory Manual (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, 1988). The cells in the fusion are subsequently distributed into pools that can be analyzed for the production of antibodies with the desired specificity. Pools that test positive can be further subdivided until single cell clones are identified that produce antibodies of the desired specificity. Antibodies produced by such clones are called monoclonal antibodies.
Monoclonal antibodies have many advantages that make them particularly useful in research and medicine. They can be produced in large quantities and often have high and specific affinities for their particular antigens. However, their enormous potential utility is counter-balanced by the difficulty in producing antibodies suitable for pharmaceutical use. This is because the current state of the art for monoclonal antibody production is most effective in the production of murine antibodies. Murine antibodies are recognized by the human immune system as foreign. Patients may have allergic or anaphylactic reactions to the antibodies, or may develop their own antibodies directed against the murine antibodies. This can lead to the formation of large immune complexes that can precipitate in tissues and cause serum sickness, a syndrome consisting of fever, muscle and joint aches, rash, and renal and cerebrovascular injury. Consequently, murine antibodies are of limited value for use in humans.
Many investigators have attempted to generate human monoclonal antibodies by generating hybridomas with human B-lymphocytes (N. Chiorazzi et al, J. Exp. Med. 156:930 (1982); C. M. Croce et al., Nature 288:488 (1980); P. A. Edwards et al, Eur. J. Immunol. 12:641 (1982); R. Nowinski et al, Science 210:537 (1980); L. Olsson et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77:5429; J. W. Pickering et al, J. Immunol. 129:406 (1982)). Unfortunately, hybrid cells exhibit poor growth in vitro, low levels of antibody expression, instability of antibody expression, and a poor ability to be cloned by limiting dilution. The explanation for these phenotypes has not been elucidated. Accordingly, most investigators have concluded that the production of human monoclonal antibodies through the generation of hybrid cells formed with human B-lymphocytes is not feasible.
Consequently, diverse and cumbersome approaches have been used to produce human monoclonal antibodies. These include "humanizing" mouse antibodies by creating hybrid murine/hybrid immunoglobulin genes and generating antibodies in transgenic mice that bear human immunoglobulin gene loci. However, these methods are only able to produce antibodies that have been generated in mice by the murine immune system. They do not allow the isolation, production, and use of the naturally-occurring antibodies, the immunological memory that the human immune system produces in response to infections and other antigen exposures. The ability to make monoclonal antibodies directly from human B-lymphocytes is therefore needed and would be of considerable value.

Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research


A method for transmitting a data packet is disclosed. First, the size of the data packet is determined. If the size of the data packet is below a predetermined threshold size, then a transmit complete interrupt delay is set to a predetermined time. The packet is transmitted over a network. Finally, upon completing transmission of the data packet, a transmit complete interrupt is sent after waiting the predetermined time.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to Ethernet controllers, and in particular, a method for using a delay on a transmit complete interrupt only on small sized packets.
2. Background Information
Personal computers (PCs), servers, printers, and other such devices (sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9cdata terminal equipmentxe2x80x9d or DTE) are often connected together as a network or LAN. Many LANs operate according to Ethernet standards and protocols. FIG. 1 shows such a LAN 101. With Ethernet technology, all DTEs 103 in the LAN share the bandwidth of a communication medium 105 (e.g., twisted pair or coaxial cables) that connects the DTEs 103 together. All DTEs 103 in the LAN are reached anytime there is a single transmission of data in the form of xe2x80x9cEthernetxe2x80x9d frames having source and destination addresses. Only the DTE 103 having the destination addresses processes the received transmission. Ethernet networks are known as xe2x80x9cconnectionlessxe2x80x9d networks because by using source and destination addresses, communication can occur without the need to first establish a connection and without immediate acknowledgement of receipt.
PCs and other devices are connected to the LAN by various Ethernet hardware interfaces installed in or coupled to these devices. For example, many PCs are equipped with Network Interface Cards (NIC) 107, such as the commonly used Ethernet NIC card and various Ethernet controller units. The terms Ethernet controller, NIC, and Ethernet NIC are synonymous as used herein. An Ethernet LAN often uses carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) methods, where different nodes listen for transmissions in progress in the communication medium before beginning to transmit.
During the reception or transmittal of Ethernet packets, the NIC must request resources from the central processor unit (CPU) of its host device. The resources may include, for example, the system bus, input/output ports, or memory. Once the transmit or receipt function is complete, the NIC may release some of the allocated resources. When a packet is received, a receive complete interrupt is generated from the NIC to the host device""s CPU to inform the CPU that the NIC needs to copy the received packets into the host device""s memory.
When a transmit of an Ethernet packet is complete, the NIC will generate an interrupt to the host device""s CPU in order to inform the CPU that the NIC is ready to release the resources that it used to transmit the packet. This interrupt is referred to as a xe2x80x9ctransmit complete interruptxe2x80x9d or TxCI.
In certain cases, the TxCI is not sent by the NIC immediately upon completion of the transmittal of the Ethernet packet. Instead, a delay is imposed before the transmit complete interrupt is forwarded to the CPU. This is referred to as a transmit complete interrupt delay (TxCID). This is done because the CPU overhead associated with the transmit complete interrupt is very high. In the prior art, the TxCID is constant for all Ethernet packets.

Selective use of transmit complete interrupt delay on small sized packets in an ethernet controller


Particles for display media used for an information display device, wherein the display media are sealed between two opposed substrates, at least one of which is transparent and wherein the display media, to which an electrostatic field is applied, are made to move so as to display information such as an image or the like, having compound particles of mother particles and child particles, which are embedded in the surface layer of the mother particles and whose surfaces are exposed. Consequently, particles for display media, which are used for an information display device, wherein child particles are not dissociated under a reverse durability test, where rewriting is repeated, and primary performance can be maintained during the reverse durability test are provided. An information display panel and an information display device using the particles for display media are also provided.

As an information display device substitutable for liquid crystal display (LCD), information display devices with the use of technology such as an electrophoresis method, an electro-chromic method, a thermal method, dichroic-particles-rotary method have been proposed.
These conventional techniques are considered to be useful for inexpensive visual display devices of the next generation compared with a LCD due to merits such as wider field of vision close to normal printed matter, smaller power consumption or a memory function, and expected to be spread out to information displays for portable devices, electronic paper and the like. Recently, electrophoresis method for microencapsulating dispersion liquid made up with dispersion particles and coloration solution and disposing the liquid between opposed substrates, is proposed and expected.
However, in the electrophoresis method, there is a problem that a response rate is slow by the reason of viscosity resistance because the particles migrate among the electrophoresis solution. Further, there is a problem of lacking imaging repetition stability, because particles with high specific gravity of titanium oxide is scattered within solution of low specific gravity and it is difficult to maintain a stability of dispersion state. Even in the case of microencapsulating, the cell size is diminished to a microcapsule level in order to make it hard to show the above-mentioned drawbacks, however, an essential problem is not overcome at all.
Besides the electrophoresis method using behavior in the solution, recently, a method that electro-conductive particles and a charge transport layer are installed in a part of the substrate without using solution has been proposed. [The Imaging Society of Japan "Japan Hardcopy '99" (Jul. 21-23, 1999) Transaction Pages 249-252] However, the structure becomes complicated because the charge transport layer and further a charge generation layer are to be arranged. In addition, it is difficult to constantly charge the electro-conductive particles, and thus there is a drawback on the lack of stability.
As one method for overcoming the various problems mentioned above, an information display device is known, wherein the display media are sealed between two opposed substrates, at least one of which is transparent, and wherein the display media, to which an electrostatic field is applied, are made to move so as to display information such as an image or the like.
The particles used for the above information display device need to have fluidity and controllability of charge capacity. Apart from the present invention, there is a known technique that the fluidity is improved and the charge capacity can be controlled by means of attaching the child (minor) particles (extra additive agents such as titania or fumed silica fine particles) to the mother (major) particle. However, when the electrophotographic toner such as the above-mentioned toner extra additive agent attaching type is used as the display media for the above-mentioned information display device, the child particles (extra additive agents) are easily dissociated from the surface of the mother particle, or the child particles are completely embedded into the mother particle due to thermal and mechanical stress arising in a reverse durability test of repeating the reverse of the information display. Thus, there was a problem that the primary performance cannot be maintained during a reverse durability test.

Particles for display media, information display panel and information display device, utilizing the particles for display media


An image pickup apparatus that is capable of achieving operating feelings desired by and providing an operability suited to user preference. Pulses are generated by a pulse generating device with rotation of an operating member disposed concentrically with the optical axis of a zoom lens system of a taking lens optical system. A change rate in the operating speed of the operating member is detected. The driving speed of the zoom lens system of the taking lens is determined by referring to an operability parameter table of the relationship between a change rate in the repetition period of output pulses with a change in the rotational speed of the operating member and the driving speed of the zoom lens system of the taking lens.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup method and an image pickup apparatus, that control the driving speed of an optical system of the image pickup apparatus based on information generated by an operating member thereof, and a program for implementing the method, and a storage medium storing the program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a technique for changing the driving speed of a zoom lens system (optical system) in response to the operating speed of an annular operating member (rotary operating member) disposed concentrically with the lens optical axis, so that effective zooming is performed in a manner matching the feeling of a human being (user) has been proposed in which the driving speed of the zoom lens system is determined by an exponential function based upon a sampled value obtained by sampling output from an encoder mounted on the operating member (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H10-39192).
However, according to the above prior art, the driving speed of the zoom lens system is set uniformly relative to the operating speed of the operating member by the exponential function, and therefore, with the technique according to the prior art, it is difficult to achieve operating feelings desired by a variety of users.

Image pickup method, image pickup apparatus, program for implementing the method, and storage medium storing the program


A vehicle lamp system, a vehicle lamp, and a method for manufacturing a vehicle lamp system relating to the technical field of automobile lamps/lighting are provided. In one implementation, the vehicle lamp system may comprise a light reflective element and at least one light source, with the light source(s) disposed opposite to the light reflective element, wherein the light reflective element is configured to reflect light emitted from the light source in a diffuse manner to achieve uniform illumination. Vehicle lamp systems and the vehicle lamps provided in accordance with the disclosed technology may possess the advantage of better light uniformity.

With the rapid development of the automobile industry, the field of automobile parts has also made remarkable progress, wherein the technical progress is particularly notable in vehicle lamp which serves as an important part with which each automobile needs to be equipped.
At present, with the continuous advancement of vehicle lamp technologies, not only vehicle lamps must meet the requirements of test values at test points under the laws and regulations, but also more and more vehicle manufacturers are demanding the uniformity of light from vehicle lamps. The vehicle lamps currently available on the market generally comprise LED light emitting chips and a light distribution lens. Light emitted from a light source reaches a light distribution lens of scattering material and then is scattered, and the uniformly distributed LED light emitting chips enable the light distribution lens of scattering material to achieve uniform light emission within a certain angle range. However, since the LED light emitting chip has such a light emitting characteristic that the light intensity is gradually weakened as the included angle between the outgoing light and an optical axis direction (i.e., the direction normal to the light emitting surface of the LED light emitting chip) increases, a dark area may appear in a middle of the portion of the scattering material facing two adjacent LED light emitting chips, resulting in a decrease in the uniformity of light beams. Moreover, due to the limited beam angle under half of maximal light intensity of the scattering material, the lamp light uniformity is restricted such that the range is generally not beyond a range of 30 degrees from the direction of the optical axis of the LED light emitting chip, thus the lamp light uniformity will be greatly reduced when observed at a large angle.

Vehicle lamp system, vehicle lamp, and method for manufacturing vehicle lamp system


The invention relates to a manufacturing process for an impregnated cathode for an electron tube and the impregnated cathode obtained in this manner. The method consists in mixing (b) a powder (Y) containing the emissive elements (generally barium and calcium aluminates) with powder (W) of at least one refractory metal (generally tungsten, if necessary mixed with a platinum ore metal), then pressing (c) this mixture into a pellet (1) which is then sintered (d) at a high temperature in hydrogen (approx. 2000.degree. C.). In the prior art of this method, a powder of at least one refractory metal was pressed and sintered and then impregnated, machined, cleaned, etc. The process according to the invention therefore saves many steps in the manufacture of an impregnated cathode with respect to the prior art.

The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of an impregnated cathode and a cathode obtained by this process. It applies to the production of cathodes for electronic tubes and more particularly but not exclusively for cathode-ray display tubes.
Impregnated cathodes are commonly used to supply electronic current densities of up to 1 or 2 A/cm.sup.2 for continuous current and higher in pulse form.
In the prior art, impregnated cathodes consist of a porous body made of a refractory metal such as pure tungsten, or a mixture of tungsten with either a metal obtained from platinum ore (mixed matrix), as described in document FR A 2 356 263, or with scandium oxide or other rare earths in low concentrations of 3% to 5% by weight.
In general, this porous body is obtained by compressing a finely divided powder of the metal or a mixture of metals with an isostatic press or a single-axis press.
The compact bodies thus obtained are then heated in hydrogen at high temperatures so as to sinter the particles to one another and to increase the density of the porous body.
The porous body is infiltrated with copper or plastic to facilitate machining and then machined to the desired shape. The copper or plastic is then removed by dissolution in acid, or by heating.
The porous body of the desired shape is then brazed onto a molybdenum skirt which is used for maintaining the emissive pad on one side and, on the other, a filament potted in alumina which is used to heat the cathode. Once the filament is in position, the pores of the porous body can be filled with barium and calcium aluminares. In other words, the body is impregnated with these aluminares to form the emissive material of the finished cathode.
For this operation, the porous body is kept in close contact with an aluminate composition, which is heated to a temperature higher than its melting point in a reducing atmosphere. Contact is made either by immersing the porous body in the aluminate or by placing the aluminate on the porous body. As it melts, the aluminate is diffused into the open pores and fills them by capillary action or flowing. The cathode is then mechanically and chemically cleaned to remove any aluminate residue stuck to the surfaces.
Finally, the cathode is activated in a vacuum at a temperature at which the tungsten reduces the barium and calcium aluminate in order to liberate barium oxide. Metallic barium is produced in the zones where the aluminate is in contact with the refractory metal (pores). The metallic barium reaches the ends of the pores and is diffused over the entire emissive surface where, with oxygen, it forms a single surface coat which promotes electronic emissivity by reducing the electron work function.
In addition, a film deposit with a thickness of several thousand angstroms on the emissive surface of these impregnated cathodes and made up of osmium, iridium, ruthenium or an alloy of these bodies can improve the emissivity approximately threefold.
The mixed-matrix cathode coated with a refractory metal film is described in document FR 4 2 469 792 filed in the name of the applicant.
The performance characteristics of cathodes produced by prior art processes are satisfactory for most professional applications because high current densities can be obtained over a life span which does not limit that of the equipment in which the cathode or the electronic tube containing the cathode is installed.
However, the prior art processes briefly summarized above are long, complicated and costly because they include many different types of critically important steps that must be carried out correctly to ensure the quality of the finished product. This makes them prohibitively expensive for consumer applications where the price must come down as the number of cathodes produced increases.
The process described in the present invention is aimed specifically at eliminating these drawbacks. Accordingly, the invention calls for an original process which provides the advantages of impregnated cathodes but uses a much simpler procedure than those of the prior art.

Process for the manufacture of an impregnated cathode and a cathode obtained by this process