A game apparatus includes a housing enclosing a cavity in which is mounted support member, such as a golf tee, and an object, such as a golf ball. The diameter of the golf ball is greater than the maximum distance between the golf tee and a sidewall of the housing. Moreover, selected walls or portions of the housing may be formed of transparent material to limit a game player view of the cavity.

This invention pertains to the art of novelty devices and more particularly to a game of skill and chance. The invention is particularly applicable to a housing having a cavity in which a golf tee is mounted. A golf ball is also disposed in the cavity and the goal of the game is to seat or position the ball on the tee by manipulating the housing. However, it will be appreciated that the invention need not be limited to a golf ball and tee (although that embodiment has particular appeal to golfers) and may employ similar structural arrangements that achieve the same result.
A number of games of skill and chance are known in the art. In fact, some of these employ a cup-shaped receptacle disposed in a cavity in which the object of the game is to manipulate game pieces into the cup. Exemplary of these various games are the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 584,967--Strong PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 714,421--Willey PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 753,831--Munro PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 858,712--Fulkerson PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,516,918--Goldback PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,636,216--Cornell PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,196,429--Siciliano PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,233--Kotwas, et al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,813,720--Bascle PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,864--Peterson PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,306--Tollefson PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,820--Olson, Jr. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,526--Anson


A method and a system for fusing images in an image processing field are described. The method includes: capturing at least two frames of images having different intensity under different exposure time in the same scene; fusing the images having different intensity values according to an intensity mapping relation between every two frames of images in the images having different intensity values, and obtaining a fused image is, in which the intensity mapping relation represents a corresponding relation between an intensity value of a pixel location in a bright image and that at the corresponding location in a dark image. Through the method and the system for fusing the images according to the present invention, the dynamic range of the image is enhanced, and the fusing process has a desired result and is easy to implement.

In real world, an intensity dynamic range is 108:1, and the dynamic range that could be sensed by human eyes is quite large. The human eyes may perceive the starlight having the intensity of 10−3 cd/m2, and may also sense the sunlight having the intensity of 105 cd/m2. The human eyes may perceive every detail in the real scenes under quite bright and dark situations. It may be known that through the automatic adjustment of the human eye pupils, the intensity dynamic range capable of being recognized by the human eyes is approximately 108:1. Even in the same scene, the human eyes may recognize the intensity dynamic range of 105:1 without any adjustment.
The intensity dynamic range of recent image capturing devices (such as digital image capturing devices and video cameras) is relatively low, so the relevant details cannot be seen in the especially bright scenes, and the relevant dark details cannot be captured in the especially dark parts. Therefore, the capturing device cannot match with the demand of the practical scene and the intensity dynamic range capable of being sensed by the human eyes. In the surveillance application, such as the surveillance on the express way, capturing at night, and capturing for sunrise and sunset, it includes the high light source, such as front and back lights of vehicles, street lights, sun, and surfaces with the high reflectivity, directly facing the lens of the image capturing device and the details having the low intensity, such as shadows, sceneries behind the light source, and other regions cannot be irradiated by the lights. Usually in these occasions, we have to adjust the exposure time. However, for some cases, it is impossible to capture all the details in the high light region or that in the low light region of the high contrast scene through adjustment. Therefore, it is necessary to provide various methods for enhancing the capability of capturing the details and the corresponding intensity dynamic range of the image capturing device.
The images having the high dynamic range fused by recently popular methods in the academic community, usually has to calibrate a response curve of the image capturing device by an optimizing manner. A high dynamic range (HDR) image is calculated according to the response curve of the image capturing device and an image sequence captured under different exposure situations. Visually, HDR image ranged from 0 to 105 or even larger is calculated by the image sequence with pixel values of 0-255. To display such HDR image on a common display device, a tone mapping operator are performed on the obtained HDR image (the 0-105 HDR image is mapped to a common 0-255 image).
In the prior art, a technical solution uses an image capturing device to capture the image. The exposure time of each frame is set according to the pixel intensity distribution before capturing. The images having the long and the short exposure time are captured alternate. The pixels between each frame and the neighboring frames are determined at the stage of initializing frame. The intensity range of the corresponding frame is calculated by a relevant pixel selected from the corresponding pixel. The intensity range of the frame is concerted into a common 8-bit image by the tone mapping.
After analyzing the prior art, the inventor finds some problems as follows.
In the prior art, it is necessary to frequently calibrate the response curve of the image capturing device, as the response curve changes with some environmental characteristics, for example, the temperature. During the tone mapping stage, the mostly popular method with the best effect is based on a self-adaptive tone mapping algorithm. However, this process may irreversibly damage the good physical characteristics maintained by the two complicated calibrations and the heavy computation mentioned above, for example, the intensity value of the image is proportional to the scene intensity and irrelevant to the exposure time etc. More, this is of a high computational complexity. Thus, it is difficult to implement as one realtime system, and the fused image is not satisfactory.


An agent for treating ulcer containing, as an effective component, a particulate composite hydrotalcite obtained by solidly dissolving a small amount of zinc in the particulate hydrotalcite, exhibiting excellent effect for treating the peptic ulcer and, further, working as a Zn-supplying agent. The agent for treating the ulcer is represented by the following formula (1),(MgaZnb)1-xAlx(OH)2(An−)x/n.mH2O  (1)                wherein An− is CO32−, SO42− or Cl−, n is 1 or 2, and x, a, b and m are values that satisfy the following conditions,0.18≦x≦0.4, 0.1≦a<1, 0<b≦0.5, 0≦m<1.

Agents for treating ulcer have long been studied, and a numerous kinds of products have been developed. Peptic ulcer is caused by a high acidity of acid in the stomach, accelerated excitation of autonomic nerve, interruption in blood circulation in the walls of the stomach, stress, etc. As the anti-ulcerating agents, there have been used a mucous membrane-protecting agent and an aggressive factor inhibitor for inhibiting the secretion of acid in the stomach, such as H2 blocker and proton pump inhibitor. As the modern anti-ulcerating agents, there have been known an H2 blocker containing decreased numbers of granules and a proton pump inhibitor that inhibits the formation of granular super-oxide (non-patent document 1). In recent years, further, attention has been given to the wound-healing action of zinc (Zn), and an agent for treating the ulcer has been developed by blending an organic material with zinc (Zn). For example, there have been developed a histamine H2 acceptor by utilizing such a feature that a complex of zinc (Zn) can be easily incorporated, as well as a cimetidine/zinc complex obtained by blending the cimetidine of an antagonist with zinc (patent document 1).
Most of these agents for treating the ulcer are organic materials which may affect the safety of the human bodies.
As the inorganic agent for treating the ulcer, there have been used synthetic particulate hydrotalcites which are gastric antacids (patent document 2 and patent document 3). It has been said that the synthetic particulate hydrotalcites are ideal medicinal gastric antacids.
The synthetic particulate hydrotalcite that is a gastric antacid is also effective as an agent for treating the ulcer, and its preparation method has been disclosed in U.S. patent specifications (patent document 4 and patent document 5). The particulate hydrotalcite is typically represented by a chemical formula Mg6Al2(OH)16CO3.4H2O. When used as the agent for treating the ulcer, however, the conventional particulate hydrotalcite must be internally used for extended periods of time often causing damage to the mucous membrane of the internal walls of the stomach.                [Non-patent document 1] Digestive Diseases and Sciences, Vol. 45, No. 9, pp. 1786-1791 (September, 2000)        [Patent document 1] JP-A-6-49035        [Patent document 2] JP-B-46-2280        [Patent document 3] JP-B-50-30039        [Patent document 4] U.S. Pat. No. 3,539,306        [Patent document 5] U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,704

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method and apparatus is provided for long-term extracorporeal preservation of living tissue. A tissue preservation device including a gas permeable membrane and perfusate allows oxygenation of the living tissue. The gas permeable membrane allows gas from a cyclically pumped source to permeate and expand the membrane, simultaneously oxygenating the perfusate and pumping the oxygen-enriched perfusate through the tissue. Simply constructed of a few basic components, the tissue preservation device is capable of operating in many physical orientations, and requires no electrical power for operation. Also provided is an apparatus for cooling and transporting the tissue preservation device.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for highly portable perfusion for long-term extracorporeal preservation of living tissue.
Although tissue transplantation and implantation have been viable since the 1960's, and have increased in popularity since that time, techniques for preservation of tissue have not become normalized. Initially, simple cold storage was used. Perfused cold storage and hyperbaric cold perfused storage were subsequently shown experimentally to be superior to simple unperfused cold storage. Since both techniques could not be practically applied, nonperfused cold storage continued to be preferred. A disadvantage of simple nonperfused cold storage, however, is the limited period of viability of the tissue, typically due to significant oxygen loss.
Because of the distance that often separates tissue donors and recipients, the portability of storage devices is of critical importance. In addition, the desire to increase the pool of tissue available for transplantation into any one recipient mandates that the storage time for the tissue be extended beyond that permitted with simple hypothermic storage, thus opening the possibility for a world-wide network of donors and recipients.
Pulsatile perfusion devices have been developed to sustain and extend the viability of extracorporeal living tissue for several hours pending the implant of the tissue. The advantage of this technique is that it mimics the natural state of the tissue by inducing flow through its arterial supply of oxygenated fluid, or perfusate. However, only limited success has been achieved with perfusion of tissue in the atmosphere (i.e., without submersing the perfused tissue in the perfusate). The danger of this method of perfusion is that a pressure gradient may develop across the capillary wall of the tissue, which is proportionate to the output of the perfusion pump. Under hypothermic conditions, perfusion pressures in excess of 20 mm Hg have resulted in capillary damage destroying and compromising the viability of the tissue being preserved.
Hypothermic perfusion of tissue during storage can significantly extend storage time to 12-24 hours, without loss of tissue viability, due to reduced tissue metabolic rate and oxygen consumption. For example, cooling to 15.degree. C., in the presence of oxygen, reduces oxygen consumption of myocardial tissue to one-fifth of the rate at normal body temperature. However, hypothermia alone is less protective than when it is combined with oxygenated perfusion, in that a continuous supply of oxygen is available in the latter case to support the remaining metabolic oxygen requirements.
Hypothermic perfusion devices have been designed and are known in the art. However, devices that are currently available for hypothermic perfusion are large, require significant volumes of compressed gas and electrical power, and/or also may necessitate an upright level orientation for operation.
One such device is that contemplated by Doerig, U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,954. Doerig appears to disclose an organ perfusion device that, in one embodiment, submerges the organ being preserved in the perfusate and pumps perfusate through the organ. The perfusate is oxygenated through a separate gas inlet valve. No provision is made, however, for sealing the perfusate from the lid of the device, thus leaving the perfusate open to atmospheric pressure, permitting the level of the perfusate to fluctuate, and also providing a means by which biological or chemical contaminants can enter the system. Like most conventional perfusing units, the Doerig device is significantly limited in its portability due to the necessity of maintaining the device in an upright orientation. Travel over extended distances, as is becoming increasingly necessary in modern times, would increase the likelihood of upsetting this delicate balance and endangering the organ.

Combined perfusion and oxygenation organ preservation apparatus

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


In a graphical modeling environment, bus signals, which group a plurality of signals together for simplifying a model, include a partial or complete physical definition. Models are simplified by passing bus signals through graphical objects representing functional entities, without degrouping the bus signal. During simulation of the model, code can be generated for the bus signal having a complete definition independent of other components of the graphical model.

Graphical modeling environments are programs that enable a user to construct and analyze a model of a process or system. Examples of graphical modeling tools include time-based block diagrams, such as Simulink from The MathWorks Inc., state-based and flow diagrams, such as those found within Stateflow® also available from The MathWorks, Inc., data-flow diagrams, such as LabVIEW, available from National Instruments Corporation, and software diagrams and other graphical programming environments, such as Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagrams.
Time-based block diagrams, which are an example of a type of graphical modeling environment, are software packages that enable a user to model, simulate, and analyze dynamic systems i.e., systems whose outputs change over time, and generate a program corresponding to the system. Time-based block diagrams environments can be used to explore the behavior of a wide range of real-world dynamic systems, including electrical circuits, shock absorbers, braking systems, and many other electrical, mechanical, and thermodynamic systems.
Simulating a dynamic system in a time-based block diagram is typically a two-step process. First, a user creates a graphical model, such as a block diagram, of the system to be simulated. A graphical model may be created using a graphical user interface, such as a graphical model editor. The graphical model depicts time-based relationships between the systems inputs, states, parameters and outputs. After creation of the graphical model, the behavior of the dynamic system over a specified time period is simulated using the information entered into the graphical model. In this step, the graphical model is used to compute and trace the temporal evolution of the dynamic systems' outputs ("execute" the graphical model), and automatically produce either deployable software systems or descriptions of hardware systems that mimic the behavior of either the entire model or portions of the model (code generation).
Block diagrams are an example of graphical models created within a graphical modeling environment, such as a time-based block diagram, for modeling a dynamic system. A block diagram model of a dynamic system is represented schematically as a collection of nodes interconnected by lines, which represent logical connections between the nodes. Signals correspond to the time-varying quantities represented by each line connection and are assumed to have values at each time instant. Each node may represent an elemental dynamic system, and the relationships between signals and state variables are defined by sets of equations represented by the nodes. Inherent in the definition is the notion of parameters, which are the coefficients of the equations. These equations define a relationship between the input signals, output signals, state, and time, so that each line represents the input and/or output of an associated elemental dynamic system. A line emanating at one node and terminating at another signifies that the output of the first node is an input to the second node. Each distinct input or output on a node is referred to as a port. The source node of a signal writes to the signal at a given time instant when its system equations are solved. The destination node of this signal read from the signal when their system equations are being solved. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the term "nodes" does not refer exclusively to elemental dynamic systems but may also include other modeling elements that aid in readability and modularity of block diagrams.
For example, in Simulink®, an example of a time-based block diagram from The Math Works Inc., a model of a dynamic system is a block diagram comprising a plurality of nodes, called blocks, which are interconnected by lines that represent signals. In Simulink®, each block represents a functional entity, such as an elementary dynamic system, which implements a mathematical operation, i.e., an algorithm or equation, on the data being processed by the system represented by the block diagram. Each block produces an output either continuously (a continuous block) or at specific points in time (a discrete block). The type of the block determines the relationship between a block's outputs and its inputs, states, and time. A block diagram can contain any number of instances of any type of block needed to model a system. The signals in a block diagram model represent a time-varying quantity that is updated, i.e. read-by and written-to, by the blocks. Simulink® and other software products for modeling a dynamic system provide a graphical user interface (GUI) for building models of dynamic systems as block diagrams. Each block diagram may be built by dragging and dropping blocks provided in pre-defined blocksets or custom developed by the user.
After creation of the graphical model, such as a block diagram, representing the dynamic system, the user simulates the behavior of the system over a specified time span. The information entered into a model is used to perform the simulation and a processor solves the equations defined by the nodes in the simulated model to produce simulation results. Alternatively, the processor converts the graphical model to executable code. Automatic code generation is a process whereby software is automatically produced from a graphical model of a dynamic system. The software produced may be compiled, then executed on a digital computer, implementing the functionality specified by the model.
The solution (computation of system response) of a graphical model, such as a block diagram, is obtained by evaluating the relationship between the signals and state variables representative of a dynamic system over time, where time starts at a user-specified "start time" and ends at a user-specified "stop time". Each evaluation of these relationships is referred to as a time step. The signals in the graphical model represent quantities that change over time, and these quantities are defined for all points in time between the start and stop time during execution of the graphical model.
In Simulink® and other graphical modeling environments, the nodes, blocks or other model components used to model a dynamic system are generally either "virtual", meaning the blocks play no active role in a simulation or "nonvirtual", meaning the blocks play an active role in simulating a system represented by the graphical model. Virtual blocks are merely used to organize a graphical model graphically, while nonvirtual blocks represent elementary dynamic systems that affect the model's behavior. A virtual block is provided for graphical organizational convenience and plays no role in the definition of the system of equations described by the block diagram model. The signals of a block diagram are also generally either "virtual" or "nonvirtual".
In large graphical models, there may be an extensive set of lines that connect one section of the model to another section. Virtual blocks, such as a bus creator block and a bus selector block reduce block diagram clutter by managing groups of signals as a "bundle", known as a bus signal, to improve the readability of models. In the current state of the art, the bus signal comprises a collection of signals grouped together as a collection of logical signals, i.e., by name. The virtual bus creator blocks help bundle a number of signals together to form a single bus signal. This single bus signal then connects the two sections of the model. At the destination end of the bus signal, a virtual bus selector block helps un-bundle the individual signals so that they can be connected to other blocks.
Currently, bus signals have no specification and merely a comprise a visual grouping of signals for simplifying the appearance of a block diagram or other graphical model. To simulate an operation on signals in a bus signal having different data types, the signals must be de-grouped prior to passing each signal separately through a non-virtual block representing an operation to be performed on the signal. Furthermore, in current time-based block diagrams and other graphical modeling systems, some nodes or blocks impose restrictions on the attributes of the signals they can handle, and some nodes or blocks, such as a unit-delay block in Simulink® and Stateflow blocks, do not accept bus signals, meaning that the bus signal must be decomposed before passing the signals contained therein through the blocks in the graphical model.

Simplified data signal support for diagramming environment languages


A method is for handling a sterilized food product and includes securing an aseptic fitment to a filling port of an intermodal container including a rigid shell having an elongate shape with opposed closed ends, and at least one frame assembly supporting the rigid shell. The method also includes sterilizing the intermodal container, and aseptically filling the sterilized intermodal container with the sterilized food product through the aseptic fitment. The method may also include sealing the aseptic fitment after aseptic filling. A related intermodal container and filling station are also disclosed.

In the field of food processing, it is common to process food at one location and transport bulk quantities to another location for further processing or final packaging. Various methods have been developed for containing and transporting food products. For example, fruit juice or milk is often processed at one facility and sent to another facility for final packaging. The two facilities may be located in close proximity to each other or may be in different countries. Because food products are susceptible to degradation due to microbial spoilage, various processing methods are used to retard or prevent the growth of microorganisms during this transportation and storage. These include sterilizing the food product inside a container, hot-filling a clean container, or putting the sterile food product into a sterile container. Other methods include freezing, refrigeration or the use of preservatives.
Disadvantages of sterilizing inside a container include the expense of such a container and the food product degradation due to the amount of heat required. Also, because of the need to sterilize the cold point of the food product, this type of processing is common for final packaging, but not typically done for bulk products. Bulk food product is food product in a quantity that is much larger than that in the final retail or food service package. Bulk food product is typically more than 50 gallons, for example. Likewise, hot filling is typically used for final packaging, but not for bulk products.
In contrast, freezing is a typical method for processing bulk products for transportation. For example, pasteurized fruit juices are often filled into 55 gallon drums, often with a drum liner, and then frozen prior to shipping. Disadvantages of freezing include the energy required for freezing, the energy required to keep the product frozen during the transportation and storage cycle, and the cost of the drums. Additional disadvantages include the potential physical and chemical changes of the product due to freezing. For example, when citrus pulp cells are frozen, the cell walls are disrupted. Upon thawing, the pulp cells have different physical characteristics than pulp cells that have not been frozen.
There are many disadvantages to the use of chemical preservatives for certain food products. These include consumer perception and changes in flavor. In many food products, the use of preservatives is not allowed under standard of identity or by law.
For certain food products, the method of putting a sterile food product into a sterile container has many advantages over the above mentioned processes. This method is typically referred to as aseptic processing. In aseptic processing, a food product is pasteurized to a point where it is considered commercially sterile. In such a state, there is a very low probability of the presence or growth of microorganisms. The sterilized food product is then placed into a sterile container in such as way as to avoid the introduction of microorganisms. Aseptic processing can be used to put sterilized food product into the final consumer container (for example, shelf stable milk or juice) or can be used to store and transport bulk food products in an aseptic state. For example, juices and tomato products are often pasteurized and aseptically filled into 300 gallon bags for storage and transportation to other food processing facilities. Likewise, juices may be pasteurized and aseptically filled into large permanent bulk containers (currently up to two million gallons) for storage prior to blending and packaging.
The most common form of aseptic food product transportation includes the use of 300 gallon bags as mentioned above. Such a bag is filled within a disposable or re-usable container such as a wooden box, or re-usable plastic container, and the bag is sealed with a cap after filling. The wooden or plastic container supports the bag and allows for the boxes to be stacked during transportation. Citrus pulp is currently aseptically filled into such "bag-in-the-box" containers. While widely used, the disadvantages of this method include the cost of the bags and the boxes. When shipped overseas, the return of empty boxes for further use incurs additional cost. An additional disadvantage of such a system is that the bags cannot be aseptically unloaded. At the point of use, the bags are cut open and the product is dumped or pumped out of the bags. It is therefore necessary to further pasteurize the product prior to final packaging.
Another method of aseptic transportation involves the use of aseptic tankers or rail cars and over-the-road containers. The rail cars typically had cone shaped hoppers on the bottom. This method was used by Bishopric Products Co. (formerly of Cincinnati, Ohio) to transport tomato product (Food Technology, July 1976). Tankers were sterilized through the use of steam or chemical sterilant (iodophor, for example) and then filled with sterile product. Such food product was kept under pressure with sterile gas during transportation and was successfully transported in an aseptic state from one site to another.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,675 discloses an apparatus for the aseptic transportation of perishable liquids. The apparatus described is a transportable container, sterilized by a chemical sterilant (peracetic acid) and kept pressurized during transportation by the use of a cylinder of inert gas. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,030,580 and 6,277,328 also disclose a method of aseptically transporting bulk food product in a transportable container. The use of aseptic tankers or rail cars as described in these patents overcomes the cost of bags and boxes and provides for a more economical method of transporting aseptic product.
Hawaii Intermodal Tank Transport LLC, of Palmetto, Fla., supplies aseptic intermodal containers for the aseptic transportation of food product. Such intermodal containers use the same principles as mentioned above for aseptic tankers and rail cars, but provide the additional advantage of being configurable to be transportable by truck, rail or ship. Juice is currently being aseptically transported in such intermodal containers.
With reference to FIG. 1, such an intermodal container 30 includes a cylindrically shaped rigid shell 31 that may be approximately 20 feet long, and that may hold approximately 24,000 liters. The shell includes rear and front closed ends 32a, 32b in the form of shallow domes. A discharge port is positioned behind a rear panel access door 33 at the bottom of the rear closed end 32a. The intermodal container 30 also includes a pair of rear and front rectangular support frame assemblies 35a, 35b that support the rigid shell and permit stacking of the containers, such as for transportation via ship, or when in a storage area, for example. The container 30 may also include inwardly extending corner support arms, not shown, that extend inwardly from the corners of the respective support frame assemblies 35a, 35b and attach to the rigid shell 31. The intermodal container 30 also illustratively includes a ladder 36 carried by the rear support frame assembly 35a, and a horizontal walking platform 37 to facilitate access to the manway and other ports on the top of the rigid shell 31. The intermodal container 30 in some configurations may include an insulation layer associated with the rigid shell 31. In addition, a portable refrigeration unit may be provided to keep the contents cold, and one or more temperature and/or pressure sensors may be provided to monitor the contents.
While providing a safe and economical method to aseptically transport liquid food products, the use of aseptic tankers, rail cars and intermodal containers does not lend itself to the aseptic transportation of high viscosity products, such as, for example, tomato paste, high viscosity fruit purees or citrus pulp. High viscosity food products may be considered as food products that do not readily flow by gravity. These products, if placed into a typical tank with a free-draining bottom will not flow out of the tank or will flow at such a slow speed that gravity draining is impractical. Such products may be pumpable with the correct pump selection and can thus be pumped into an aseptic container. However, because these products do not readily flow by gravity, it is not easy to remove such high viscosity food products from such a container.
An intermodal container typically also includes an aseptic filling/discharge valve that is used to both fill and discharge the food product. When switching from one container to another, a hose is disconnected from one container and connected to another. Since the hose is disconnected and exposed to the atmosphere, the aseptic condition is lost. Therefore, the hose is re-sterilized when connected to the next container. In addition, an outer chamber of the filling valve is also sterilized before passing sterile food product through the valve. This sterilization process may require a substantial amount of time between containers. Since it is a manually intensive process, it may be susceptible to user-error which could result in product contamination. Such aseptic filling of tanks and containers is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,951,184 and 4,047,547, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,675, for example, discloses an apparatus for the aseptic transportation of perishable liquids. The apparatus described is a transportable container, sterilized by a chemical sterilant (peracetic acid) and kept pressurized during transportation by use of a cylinder of inert gas. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,030,580 and 6,277,328 both describe the aseptic transportation of food product with a chemical sterilant.
Juice and other liquid food products are currently being aseptically transported in intermodal containers by Hawaii Intermodal Tank Transport. The intermodal containers can be transported by truck, rail or ship, and they are filled and discharged through a single valve located on the low point of the tank. Re-sterilization of the filling line is required between each container.

Method and apparatus for aseptic filling of food product


The present invention provides salts consisting of an organocarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of succinic acid and maleic acid and a compound represented by formula (I)

An FGF (fibroblast growth factor) is known as a growth factor for controlling a variety of physiological functions such as cell growth, cell migration, cellular infiltration, cell survival, differential induction, wound healing and angiogenesis.
The FGF controls the various physiological functions via FGF receptors (FGFRs: FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3 and FGFR4), that is, receptor tyrosine kinases. Each FGFR includes three types of domains of an extracellular domain, a transmembrane domain and an intracellular tyrosine kinase domain. When an FGF binds to the extracellular domain of an FGFR, a dimer of the receptor is formed. Thereafter, the intracellular tyrosine kinase is activated, and then, an intracellular signal is transmitted mainly via a MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase)/ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) pathway or a PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase)/Akt pathway.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that various cancers such as breast cancer, bladder cancer, EMS (8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome), stomach cancer, endometrial cancer and prostatic cancer are caused as a result of induction of FGF/FGFR signal abnormality accompanying FGF production enhancement, FGFR gene amplification, FGFR overexpression, FGFR fusion protein production, FGFR mutation and the like (Non Patent Literature 1). Furthermore, the following have been reported as cancers accompanied by the FGF/FGFR signal abnormality: Non-small-cell lung carcinoma, small-cell lung carcinoma, ovarian cancer, sarcoma, colon cancer, melanoma, glioblastoma, astrocytoma, and head and neck cancer (Non Patent Literatures 2 and 3), thyroid cancer (Non Patent Literature 4), pancreatic cancer (Non Patent Literatures 5 and 6), liver cancer (Non Patent Literature 7), skin cancer (Non Patent Literature 8), kidney cancer (Non Patent Literature 9), and lung squamous cell carcinoma and the like (Non Patent Literatures 10, 11, and 12).
Besides, the FGF/FGFR signal is one of main angiogenic signals in endothelial cells along with a VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor)/KDR (kinase-insert domain-containing receptor) signal, and is reported to be involved in the interaction between cancer stromal cells (fibroblasts) and cancer cells (Non Patent Literature 1).
Accordingly, an FGFR inhibitor targeting an FGF/FGFR signal is expected to work as an antitumor drug, against cancers accompanied by the FGF/FGFR signal abnormality, based on its inhibitory action against the signal abnormality and its inhibitory action against the angiogenic signal. Recently, a selective FGFR inhibitor regarded to be insusceptible to be affected by a confronting effect of another signal, such as a selective FGFR inhibitor against FGFR1, FGFR2 or FGFR3, which is obviously different in the structure from a compound of the present invention, has been reported. In the development as an antitumor drug for humans, however, the selective FGFR inhibitor falls behind an antitumor drug simultaneously targeting both the FGF/FGFR signal and the VEGF/KDR signal, and has not been put on the market yet (Non Patent Literatures 13 and 14; Patent Literatures 1 and 2). Patent Literature 3 discloses pyrimidine derivatives but does not disclose an inhibitory action against the signal abnormality of the FGF/FGFR signal. Patent Literature 4 discloses pyridine derivatives or pyrimidine derivatives that inhibit angiogenesis induced by the VEGF and the FGF. None of these literatures, however, discloses the compounds of the present invention.

Salt of monocyclic pyridine derivative and crystal thereof

Abstract: and crystals thereat which can be used as bulk materials for pharmaceuticals.


In a method for calibrating or aligning a multistage selective amplifier including an oscillator circuit and at least one tuning circuit, the tuning voltages respectively necessary for aligning the respective tuning circuits to the required receiving frequency are calculated directly from a mathematical relationship between the respective tuning voltage and the oscillator voltage. In order to achieve this, a characteristic multiplicative coefficient and a characteristic additive factor for each tuning circuit are stored in a memory upon manufacturing or switching on the device. In order to select a desired receiving frequency, the respective stored values as well as an oscillator voltage are provided to an amplification circuit, which correspondingly amplifies the oscillator voltage by the multiplicative coefficient and the additive factor and then provides the resulting output value as a tuning voltage to the respective tuning circuit. Thus, all necessary tuning voltages can be determined from the two respective stored values per tuning circuit, as necessary for selecting any desired receiving frequency.

By using selective amplifier circuits embodied as tuners, various broadcast programs, such as radio or television programs, or any signal in general can be received on a selected one of various frequencies, amplified and then reproduced. Tuning circuits are necessary for selecting the desired receiving frequency, which makes it possible to receive a particular signal that is being transmitted on this frequency. In this context, an oscillator circuit establishes an oscillator frequency that is shifted by a fixed intermediate frequency relative to the desired receiving frequency, and then provides this oscillator frequency to a mixer. Input, drain, and/or intermediate circuits, which serve as a frequency filter for filtering at the receiving frequency are connected in the circuit before the mixer. The reception signal is prefiltered through the input, drain and/or intermediate circuits, and then the prefiltered signal is also provided to the mixer. The fixed intermediate frequency is formed from the oscillator frequency and the prefiltered reception signal.
In this context, the tuning circuit serves to ensure that the input circuit, drain circuit, and/or intermediate circuits are tuned to the desired receiving frequency, and that the oscillator circuit is tuned to the corresponding oscillator frequency that is frequency shifted by the intermediate frequency (IF) relative to the receiving frequency. When all of the circuits are tuned to the respective intended nominal frequencies, this condition is designated as aligned, balanced or synchronous operation, with which the optimum reception is ensured.
The prior art methods of achieving such calibrating and tuning of a multistage selective amplifier have suffered various difficulties and disadvantages. Generally according to the known methods, all the tuning voltages of all the tuning circuits of the amplifier, which respectively set these circuits to the desired frequency, had to be stored in a microprocessor, or had to be determined through a complex and time consuming iterative process. The known tuning circuits for carrying out such known methods had to be able to store a large quantity of data relating to the tuning voltages, or had to carry out a lengthy iterative process, whereby the desired value could only be slowly approximated in an iterative stepwise manner.
Published European Patent Application 0,044,237 (Shepherd et al.) discloses a method of tuning an electronic circuit, and particularly a television receiver, using a plurality of variable elements and carrying out a regulation of the oscillator frequency by means of a phase-locked loop (PLL). Particularly, this reference refers to tuning a filter or oscillator using capacitance diodes. The known calibrating apparatus for carrying out the known method comprises a programmable read-only memory (PROM) that is already permanently programmed at the time of manufacturing the circuit, to store the characteristic curve function by means of which the respective desired values can be calculated. During operation of the circuit, the stored data are used to generate control signals for carrying out the electronic tuning of the circuit.
However, in this known arrangement, it is disadvantageous that the characteristic curve function is already stored in the memory at the time of manufacturing the circuit, because any possible changes or differences that might arise over time cannot be taken into account. In other words, any purposeful change in the circuitry, or in the desired tuning characteristics, or any other variation or deviation over time, requires a reprogramming of the memory, or a newly programmed memory. Any device specific deviations cannot be taken into account with this method or apparatus. Moreover, it is important in this known method to store as many points of the characteristic curve as possible in the memory, because the accuracy of the method is dependent on the number of the stored characteristic curved points. As a further disadvantage, it must be considered that this known method necessarily involves a highly active data transfer traffic when changing frequencies. Namely, each change in frequency requires new data values to be written or transferred from the memory into the phase-locked loop.
In known electronically tunable selective amplifiers, and particularly tuners, voltage controlled reactance elements such as capacitance diodes are used for tuning the pre-circuit or input circuit, intermediate circuit, and oscillator circuit. In these respective circuits, separate and independently variable tuning voltages are provided to the respective capacitance diodes that are used for the tuning. Depending on the selection of a new channel or frequency, the tuner is automatically calibrated or aligned to this new frequency by means of a microprocessor in connection with the independently adjustable tuning voltages. In order to achieve this, the microprocessor first disconnects the antenna from the input of the input circuit, and instead couples thereto a phase-locked loop controlled oscillator that is oscillating at the respective present frequency of the respective selected channel. The calibration or aligning of the individual circuits is carried out successively for each circuit by varying the respective tuning voltage that is allocated to the respective circuit. A detector connected to the output of the last circuit serves to signal when the maximum of the bandpass curve has been achieved, whereupon the calibration of the individual circuits is ended. After the end of the overall calibrating process, the antenna is once again connected to the input circuit instead of the oscillator. The tuning voltages that have been determined in this manner are then digitally stored until a new channel or frequency is selected, whereupon the calibrating process will begin anew.
In contrast to the above described known method, European Patent 0,147,518 (Heucke-Gareis et al.) discloses a method of carrying out the calibrating process using an external connectable, automatically or manually operating calibrating device. This calibrating device comprises an external intermediate memory, which intermediately stores the tuning steps or tuning parameters that have been determined according to an iterative tuning process, and then transmits optimized tuning values into a permanent or non-volatile internal memory allocated to an amplifier or tuner. In the later selection of a different channel or frequency, these stored values are then called-up from the memory and the individual tuning voltages are correspondingly adjusted. Because this internal memory must be capable of storing considerable quantities of data, the method also provides for calibrating only each n.sup.th channel and then interpolating the necessary tuning values for the channels lying therebetween.
One major disadvantage of the above described known method is the high memory space requirement, and a second major disadvantage is the data traffic that is necessary for each change of frequency or channel. The necessity of carrying out such a data transfer substantially disadvantages a rapid searching or seeking function or a frequency jump function for tuning to a new frequency. Such functions are not very important in present television tuners, but are extremely important in present day car radios. Namely, these functions make it possible to jump to a second alternative transmitting frequency of the same broadcast program in a rapid and preferably inaudible manner in the event of diminishing reception quality on the originally selected frequency, or to carry out a rapid seeking or searching of successive transmitting frequencies for briefly monitoring the programs present on these frequencies. Such a rapid frequency jumping function is also necessary when laying out a table of the programs to be received on the various frequencies.
German Patent Laying-Open Document 2,524,171 (Rinderle) discloses a tuning circuit that provides the necessary tuning voltage by means of a tuning potentiometer, and that includes further trimming potentiometers between the individual tuning circuits for achieving the desired aligned operation. The use of such tuning and trimming potentiometers is considered to be inexact and subject to operating errors or deviations, and does not achieve rapid and exact tuning to a selected frequency.
It is further known to use a phase-locked loop for regulating the oscillator frequency, instead of using a tuning potentiometer. This known arrangement has the advantage that a processor simply provides the desired oscillator frequency to the phase-locked loop, and the aligned operation is then necessarily defined by the setting of the calibrating potentiometer.

Method of calibrating a multistage selective amplifier


A gas delivery system comprises a common mounting block that supports the components in a predetermined arrangement and defines passageways between components so that a gas can flow through the passageways and components along a predetermined flow path. The mounting block is formed so that at least a portion of at least one mechanical part of at least one component is provided in the block, the passageways connect the components together and the remaining portion of each component not formed in the block is removably attached to the block. The electrical circuitry that is used to operate the components is separately provided remote from the components so that replacement of a component replaces those mechanical parts of the components not provided in the block, without requiring the replacement of the electrical components. Finally, a time sharing signal distribution circuit can be used to share electrical control and processing circuits with the components of a plurality of gas sticks of a gas box delivery system.

High purity gas delivery systems, such as those used in semiconductor manufacturing or other thin film coating processes, typically include a source of high purity gas coupled through a series of gas distribution and control components such as a mass flow controller, one or more pressure sensors and/or regulators, a heater, one or more filters or purifiers, and shutoff valves. In semiconductor processing, a series-connected set of such components is usually referred to as a "gas stick". The components used and their particular arrangement in a gas stick can vary depending upon their design and application, with many component arrangements being known in the art. In a typical semiconductor processing arrangement, multiple gas sources are connected to the chamber through multiple gas sticks, which are typically mounted to a frame, forming a complete system known as "gas box". See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,662,143; 5,819,782 and 5,863,023.
As the dimensions of semiconductor devices decrease and their densities increase, semiconductor manufacturing processes have become increasingly intolerant of particulate contamination. One important source of such contamination is the gases used during the process, and particularly particulates carried by the wetted surfaces in the passageways through the components and those connecting the components of the gas stick which delivers gas from the source to the chamber. Moisture or dust which accumulates within a gas stick or component will be carried with the source gas and deposit onto the semiconductor devices being processed, creating defects. Moisture also may corrode the wetted surfaces, leading to flaking of particles from these surfaces.
To reduce contamination of this sort, gas sticks and other gas processing components used in manufacturing semiconductor devices are usually made in low-dust, low-moisture environments, and purged for lengthy periods of time at elevated pressures after manufacture. The components are then typically packaged and sealed in pressurized nitrogen for shipment. As a result, the interior of the component or stick is exposed only to the clean room environment in which the semiconductor processing equipment is located, and only for the brief period of time between removal of the packaging and sealing of the stick or component into the processing equipment.
In addition, the gas processing components in a gas stick, and other components and connections in the gas distribution system, will wear and need replacement at various times throughout the life of the assembly of equipment. Typically, a component is replaced by closing the valves most nearly adjacent to the component, uncoupling and replacing the component, and reopening the adjacent valves. To simplify this operation and minimize the extent of the gas stick exposed to room air during this procedure, each component is typically connected to its neighboring components or tubing with removable couplers, and valves are placed between components at several locations along the stick. This tubing and the removable couplers can often be the source of leaks, and require careful attachment and detachment when repairing and/or replacing component parts. Further, the act of uncoupling a component or portion of the stick and removing it from the stick exposes that component and the replacement component to ambient conditions, and also exposes substantial wetted surface between the component and the nearest valves (including the inside of any connecting tubing, and potentially other components), to ambient conditions. Thus, the gas stick must be extensively purged when the components are reassembled.
One approach to eliminating connection parts, such as tubing and couplers, and facilitating maintenance of the components of the gas stick is to "down mount" the components on multiple fixing blocks, as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,782 (Itafuji). However, each component of a gas stick typically comprises highly machined parts and expensive electrical circuitry, making each component relatively expensive to manufacture and replace. When a component fails, the entire component is replaced even though in most instances the failure is mechanical (and in the case of a mass flow sensor, it is the sensor that usually fails). Each component is typically constructed with a mounting block, which in turn is made with multiple machine operations, making the component expensive. Thus, while down mounting the component parts on multiple fixing blocks solves one problem, it still is relatively expensive to replace defective parts.


A communication apparatus has an off-hook detection function, and has a first electric power supply for supplying electric power to a telephone control unit for controlling a telephone apparatus, and a second electric power supply for supplying electric power to an off-hook detection unit for detecting an off-hook of the telephone apparatus. The apparatus causes the off-hook detection unit to detect an off-hook of the telephone apparatus when, from a first power mode, a second power mode, in which electric power consumption is less than in the first power mode, is transitioned into.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus connectable to a telephone apparatus, a method of controlling the same, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, next generation networks (NGN: Next Generation Network) that perform voice communication by IP (Internet Protocol) telephone, image communication by IP-FAX communication by the ITU-T recommendation T.38, or the like, are widely used. An NGN is an IP network, provided with a bandwidth guaranteeing function and a security function for the network itself, which realizes integrally a telephone service, a video communication service, a data communication service, or the like.
In addition, SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), with which, a virtual session between communication devices on an NGN is established, and a service is provided while the session is established, has spread and is utilized. A communication device that established a session by SIP, performs a call or image communication using a protocol such as IP, VOIP (Voice Over IP), or the like, or various forms of services are provided such as these being performed simultaneously.
Here, in the communication apparatus, various functions are provided, and there those by which, as a telephone function, for example, an IP telephone or a telephone apparatus corresponding to a PBX (Private Branch Exchange), a telephone apparatus is connectable as an external telephone. For controlling the telephone apparatus corresponding to the PBX, for example, an SLIC (Subscriber Line Interface Circuit) is used.
In a SLIC there is a function for performing D/A and A/D conversion of call voice signals, a function for performing generation of call signals for sounding an incoming call tone of the telephone apparatus, a function for detecting an off-hook of the telephone apparatus, and the like. In general, because it is desirable that the telephone apparatus is always in a usable state, it is necessary to be in an operable state with electric power constantly being supplied to a telephone control unit (the previously described SLIC).
On the other hand, in communication apparatuses in recent years, there are those for which a power saving mode is arranged. When the communication apparatus transitions into the power saving mode, scaling down the consumption of the electric power of the communication apparatus on the whole becomes possible by stopping the electric power supply to a portion of the constituent elements.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-171287, a configuration in which, in a facsimile apparatus to which a telephone apparatus is connected, an off-hook detection is performed by electric power supplied from a sub electric power supply after a power saving mode is transitioned into is disclosed.
There is an image communication apparatus in which an IPFAX function is included which is an image communication apparatus to which a telephone apparatus is connectable as an external telephone. Control of the connected telephone apparatus is realized by a SLIC (a telephone control unit) having functions such as voice data conversion, call signal generation, off-hook detection, or the like. In order to put the telephone apparatus into a state in which it is continuously usable (a continuously off-hook detection capable state), it is necessary to continuously supply electric power to the SLIC. However, because the SLIC consumes large amounts of electric power, electric power consumption becomes large when electric power is continuously supplied to the SLIC.

Communication apparatus and method with off-hook detection and power supply control


The invention relates to a system and a method for ascertaining a color recipe, having the steps of: a) providing a database with a plurality of data sets, b) specifying a target application method, a target substrate, and a desired target hue by means of a user, c) searching the database using a computer program, and d) displaying stored information relating to the color recipe of at least one data set if found. The database for at least one hue comprises at least two different respective data sets, each of which comprises the same hue identification code but different substrates and/or application methods, and different color recipes, and the database for at least one color recipe comprises at least two different respective data sets, each of which comprises the same color recipe identification code but different substrates and/or application methods, and the resulting hue, wherein i) at least 90% of the data sets with different hues contain a respective different hue identification code than the other data sets, and/or ii) at least 90% of the data sets with different color recipes contain a respective different color recipe identification code than the other data sets.

Such systems and methods are used for a wide variety of applications, including in packaging development. For example, when developing packaging, such as food packaging, a new, colorful, multi-color design is created, the exact production of which requires that the colors specified by the packaging developer can be exactly realized when printing the packaging with the color recipes used to reproduce the different colors. However, the hue achieved after the application of a color recipe using an application method, i.e. in the case of printing, the hue achieved after printing a printing ink onto a substrate, depends on a number of factors, in particular on the specific type of substrate and on the application method used. Printing a printing ink with flexographic printing on paperboard can result in a printed product with a significantly different hue than, for example, printing the same printing ink on coated paper using a gravure printing method. In addition, a known gravure printing ink for paper, which produces the hue required by the packaging developer, when applied to the desired packaging board using a gravure printing method, will not lead to the desired hue. It is therefore necessary to find a printing ink that gives the desired hue for the specific substrate and the desired printing method, or, if not already available, it has to be developed.
In addition to the desired hue resulting after application to the target substrate using the specified application method, the color recipe that is suitable for a new application, such as for a new packaging, must meet a variety of other criteria. Depending on the application, the color recipe must, for example, have a specified gloss value and be characterized by a more or less pronounced chemical resistance or a more or less pronounced resistance to light, to name just a few of the required requirements.
In order to make it easier for packaging developers and other users to find a suitable color recipe for a specific system despite these complex relationships, databases and computer programs have already been developed that allow a user to specify desired target parameters such as the target hue, the substrate, the application method with which the color recipe is to be applied on the substrate, the required chemical resistance of the color product obtained after the application of the color recipe to the substrate, and other parameters. The computer program then searches the database for a suitable color recipe and displays the color recipe which, according to the information stored in the database, after application to the target substrate using the specified application method, results in a color product with a hue that comes closest to the required target hue. For this purpose, the database contains a large number of data sets, with each data set including information about a color recipe, about a substrate, about an application method and about the hue of the color product resulting after the application of the color recipe stored in the data set using the application method stored in the data set on the substrate stored in the data set and possibly information on further parameters, such as the chemical resistance. If no color recipe is found which at least approximately results in the desired target hue, the user is shown that no hit was found.
Such a method and system is sold, for example, under the trade name PantoneLIVE.
From U.S. Pat. No. 7,034,960 B2 a method of using a database to develop a color product is known, the method comprising the steps of: i) storing development information in the database, wherein the development information comprises properties related to the development of a plurality of color products, ii) receiving first color information comprising at least a first color, iii) identifying first development information in the database, wherein the first development information includes at least the first color, iv) receiving at least one physical property of the color product and v) using the first development information to determine whether the at least one physical property is compatible with the first color. If the at least one physical property is not compatible with the first color, the method is either terminated or a warning is displayed to the user that at least one physical property is not compatible with the first color. The user can then change his desired design or the requirements placed on the color product until a corresponding hit for a color recipe is found in the database. The latter, however, is not a satisfactory solution, since in this case the user does not receive a color recipe which results in the color product that is desired at the outset.
A disadvantage of the known methods is that they use databases which are comparatively redundant, i.e. which contain a large number of different data sets for the same or very similar information. The known databases contain around 90% of such redundant information. If, for example, a user enters a new data set that concerns a color recipe that is almost identical, is completely identical or at least very similar to a color recipe already stored in another data set, this new data set is still stored, even if this data set contains information about the same substrate and the same application method and thus also about the same or almost identical hue resulting for the color product as the already stored data set. It should be noted that the human eye cannot perceive the slightest differences between two almost identical hues, so that two almost identical hues that result when only minimally differing color recipes are applied to the same substrate using the same application method are usually indistinguishable to the human eye. The database then contains two or more data sets which contain information about an almost identical or very similar color recipe, identical information about the substrate and the application method, and almost identical or very similar information about the hues which result after application of the color recipes using the application method to the substrate and are indistinguishable to the human eye. However, this presence of a large number of data sets which contain almost identical or very similar information is disadvantageous for the user of the method who wants to use a large number of the color recipes stored in the database for one or more projects. This is because the user or the company commissioned by the user with the production of the color recipes, such as the operator of the database, must, for each of the almost identical or very similar color recipes to be used, provide a separate production specification, a separate quality control specification, and storage space for the components of the color recipes and for the color recipes produced. Another disadvantage of the redundant data sets is that they, with regard to the color recipe, the substrate, the application method and the hue resulting after the application of the color recipe using the application method on the substrate, are identical or almost identical with regard to other parameters, such as chemical resistance or temperature resistance, for example, due to the use of different measurement methods to ascertain these parameters in the information contained in the different data sets, due to rounding errors in numerical values obtained in measurements, or due to input error(s) by a user. Two almost identical or even completely identical data sets relating to color recipes then contradict each other with regard to the information stored in the data sets about the properties of the color recipes or at least differ from one another. For all these reasons, the known methods, based on the number of data sets contained therein, cover comparatively few variants of the multitude of variants from the matrix consisting of hue, substrate, color recipe and application method. Another disadvantage of the known methods is that the data sets which relate to identical or almost identical color recipes or which relate to identical or almost identical hues resulting for the color product are not linked to one another in such a way that a person skilled in the art can display a plurality of such data sets which, when applied to different substrates, result in the same hue.
Proceeding from this, the present invention was based on the object of providing a system and a method for ascertaining a color recipe, which, after application using a specified application method on a specified substrate, results in a color product with a specified hue, and which makes it possible, with the smallest possible number of data sets contained in the database, to cover the largest possible number of variants of the matrix consisting of hue, substrate, color recipe and application method. In other words, it is the aim of the present invention to provide a corresponding system and method with which a user has the highest possible likelihood that this will display a suitable color recipe for a target application method specified by him, a target substrate specified by him and a target hue specified by him, with which color recipe he obtains a color product with the specified target hue after the application of the color recipe using the specified target application method on the specified target substrate, wherein the system and the method uses a database which contains the smallest possible number of different color recipes.

Method and system for ascertaining a hue


An illumination device comprises at least one LED (36), which can be connected through circuit means (50) to a voltage source optionally formed by a battery unit (70) or an accumulator unit (74). Furthermore, a first contact means (60) is provided for connecting the battery unit (70) and a second contact means (64) for connecting the accumulator unit (74) to the circuit means (50). A bottom unit for a battery grip (11) comprising a grip sleeve (90) in which the accumulator unit (74) is arranged, has a basic body (84) mountable at the lower end of the grip sleeve (90), wherein an upper contact element (89) for contacting the accumulator unit (74) and a lower contact element (95) for contacting a contact element (107) of a charging station, to which a current is applied, are arranged in the basic body (84). An electronic circuit unit (99) having a microprocessor (1) is connected between the upper and the lower contact elements (89, 95), which electronic circuit unit (99) is formed and configured such that it controls a charging process for charging the accumulator unit (74).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an illumination device having at least one LED which can be connected through circuit means to a voltage source, which is selectively formed by a battery unit or an accumulator unit, as well as an intelligent bottom unit for controlling the charge of the accumulator unit. The illumination device and the bottom unit are particularly suitable for handgrips of medical diagnostic instruments, such as a laryngoscope.
2. Description of the Background Art
DE 203 08 431 U1 discloses a handgrip for a laryngoscope having a cylindrical elongate housing made of plastics into which a light insert is inserted, which light insert has an elongate battery body of cylindrical shape. A light bulb is provided at the top side of the battery body, which light bulb protrudes into an insertion piece made of transparent material at the upper end of the housing. The light bulb is upwardly biased through biasing means and is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the battery body. A battery unit consisting of two dry batteries having 1.5 V each can be inserted in the battery body, resulting in a voltage of 3 V altogether. It is also possible to introduce an accumulator unit in the battery body, wherein the voltage of a newly charged accumulator usually amounts to 4 V.
Due to technological reasons there are limits to the brightness, i.e. the luminous flux and the illumination intensity, of the light bulbs used in the prior art. The service life of a light bulb in most cases amounts to a few hours.
A possible alternative to the light bulb is nowadays increasingly offered by the LED (light emitting diode) technology. The values for luminous flux and illumination intensity of LEDs can considerably exceed the values of light bulbs. Moreover, the service life to be expected for an LED is multiple times as high as the one of a light bulb.
In the case of LED applications presently used in most cases pre-resistors connected in series are inserted in addition to the LED and then connected to a voltage source (battery or accumulator). The brightness of the LED is thus dependent on the voltage of the battery or the accumulator and therefore fluctuates in an undesirable manner.
The LED should in principle be supplied with a constant current in order to guarantee a uniform brightness irrespective of the battery voltage. In this regard, it is conceivable to supply the LED through a current regulator with a constant current irrespective of the voltage applied.
If, however, it is desired to give a user the possibility to choose between dry batteries and accumulators, the problem arises that different ranges of operation are to be observed for the different types of voltage sources. A dry battery supplies an electronic system with fundamentally different input voltage values than, for example, a Li-ion accumulator cell.
Normally in the case of laryngoscopes two dry batteries connected in series or an accumulator cell are used as energy supply. The two dry batteries connected in series have a range of operation of 2 to 3 V, whereas the accumulators have an operating range of 3 to 4 V.
It is not possible to operate a current regulator in a universal operating range from 2 to 4 V, because this would lead to damage of the accumulators. In order to protect the accumulators, it is indispensable to operate them only up to approximately 3 V. Operating them with a voltage of 2V would lead to irreversible damage of the accumulators.
Known diagnostic instruments operated with accumulator units do neither give an indication of the charging state of the accumulator unit nor do they have any charging management to optimize the charging process. Thus the charging time is not optimized, and furthermore the user does not know whether and if so, for how long he/she can still use the diagnostic instrument until the accumulator unit has to be recharged. This is the more problematic, the older, and thus the more unreliable, an accumulator unit is.

Illumination device and bottom unit, especially for medical diagnostic instruments


A computer system includes a master controller that receives an HTTP request for a first URL. The URL indicates a first state of a first mobile application. A navigation controller navigates to the first state of the first mobile application within a device. A content scraper extracts content from the first state and identifies forward links to corresponding additional states of the first mobile application. The computer system includes an output formatter configured to package the content and the forward links into an HTTP response and transmit the HTTP response to a source of the first HTTP request. The HTTP response includes a forward URL for each additional state of the first mobile application reachable from the first state. For each additional state, the forward URL includes an indicator of the first mobile application and a path to reach the additional state within the first mobile application.

Search engines are an integral part of today's electronic world. A search engine is generally powered by a collection of search indices. A search index may associate keywords or combinations of keywords to particular locations (such as web pages) containing or related to those keywords. In order to generate and maintain these search indices, search engines often use crawlers to find and identify documents and extract information from the documents. A web crawler requests a document (a web page) from the web server and indexes keywords in the document. Web page metadata and heuristics may allow the crawler to recognize the importance or semantic meaning of various aspects of the document.
As the world transitions to more and more content being available through mobile platforms and some content only being available through mobile platforms, search engines increasingly rely on content from applications and not just content from web pages. However, with the wide variety of applications (referred to interchangeably as apps), and the nearly infinite ways in which content can be assembled and presented in these apps, recognizing and interpreting data from apps is very difficult for a search engine. Further, because mobile applications are not readily addressable with URLs (Uniform Resource Locators), as on the World Wide Web, the significant advances made in web crawling technology cannot be directly applied to mobile applications.
The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

System for transforming mobile app into addressable network for stateless access


7-ethynyl-2,4,9-trithiaadamantane and related methods are presented. Manufacturing 7-ethynyl-2,4,9-trithiaadamantane includes the steps of: (1) reducing alkyl 2,4,9-trithiaadamantane-7-carboxylate to produce 7-hydroxymethyl-2,4,9-trithiaadamantane; (2) oxidizing 7-hydroxymethyl-2,4,9-trithiaadamantane to produces 7-carbonyl-2,4,9-trithiaadamantane; and (3) reacting 7-carbonyl-2,4,9-trithiaadamantane with Ohira-Bestmann reagent to produces 7-ethynyl-2,4,9-trithiaadamantane. Molecular wires having 2,4,9-trithiaadamantane surface anchors are also disclosed.

In molecular-electronics manufacturing, there is a long-standing need to integrate or "anchor" a molecular wire into electronic circuitry. Molecular wires are substances or compounds that can transmit a signal between two points in a circuit. The signal is usually electronic, but it can be mechanical, optical, or even magnetic. And when the signal is electronic, the wires are often described as organic molecules with conjugated electronic systems that can effectively transmit electrons one dimensionally.
A molecular wire has one or more chemical functionalities that can bond to a metallic surface- and this is what secures the wire to a surface. These chemical functionalities are commonly referred to as surface anchors. Anchors also act as the wire-electrode interface. So it's important that the anchor provide a stable interface that facilitates the transmission of a signal.
A molecular wire becomes a molecular device when it bonds, via a surface anchor, to at least one electrode of an electronic circuit. A diode is such a molecular device. Molecular devices are used to control current characteristics or quantum effects on current-voltage behavior.
Many conventional surface anchors have a single sulfur atom that chemically bonds with a subject metallic surface, i.e., surfaces of electronic circuitry. So when these types of sulfur-based anchors are employed, the target substrate is typically coated with a thin gold film because a relatively strong bond forms between sulfur and gold. And although single sulphur-metal bonds do form, prior-art anchors based on single thiols or thioethers are inadequate because of: (1) the chemical instability that results from only a single bond with a target substrate and (2) the resulting surface orientation is unpredictable. More specifically regarding surface orientation, anchors that form only a single sulfur-metal bond with a metallic surface have a surface orientation that is often uncontrollable and unpredictable. For example, such an anchor's surface orientation could be either substantially vertical or substantially parallel to a metallic-film surface. Unpredictable surface orientation is problematic because it directly impacts the spatial orientation of the entire molecular wire.
The art can therefore be improved by providing anchors with improved stability and more predictable surface orientation compared to prior-art single-sulfur anchors. More specifically, the art can be improved with anchors that form multiple sulfur-metal bonds.

7-Ethynyl-2,4,9-trithiaadamantane and related methods


The present invention is directed to an Installation for feeding a plurality of loads, e.g. cells of aluminum melting furnaces, with a bulk material such as pulverized aluminum oxide. The installation includes a silo for the bulk material. The silo includes a pressure vessel or pump delivering machinery which is connected with a conveying line. A plurality of receiving vessels are connected with the conveying line via valves in the vicinity of the furnace loads. The receiving vessels are connected to the plurality of loads of the furnaces by at least one pneumatic conveying chute or pneumatic pipe channel. Each conveying chute or pipe channel includes at least one discharge per load.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to aluminum melting furnaces, and particularly to an installation for feeding cells of aluminum melting furnaces with bulk material such as pulverized aluminum oxides.
2. Technical Background
In one approach that has been considered, an installation includes an aluminum oxide storage bunker is connected with a pneumatic (air fluidizing) conveying chute. The conveying chute comprises a multiplicity of lateral discharges, each of the lateral discharges being connected with a pneumatic conveying chute. Each chute includes separate discharges for the individual cells of the aluminum melt furnace.
In another approach that has been considered, an installation for feeding bulk material containers includes a pneumatic conveying line that is connected with the containers by way of a valve arrangement. The valve arrangement is such that each valve closes automatically when the fill level in the container reaches a predetermined value. One drawback to the aforementioned approaches relates to the high energy consumption involved in supplying large furnaces that include a multiplicity of cells.
What is needed is an installation for feeding an aluminum melt furnace having a plurality of loads (e.g. cells), with pulverized aluminum oxide. It is desirable that the installation be equipped to supply of a large number of cells while consuming a relatively low amount of energy.
The present invention addresses the above described needs. The present invention provides an installation that is capable of feeding pulverized aluminum oxide to an aluminum melt furnace having a plurality of cells. The installation of the present invention is equipped to supply of a large number of cells while consuming a relatively low amount of energy.
One aspect of the present invention is an Installation for feeding a plurality of cells of aluminum melting furnaces with bulk material, such as pulverized aluminum oxide. The installation includes a silo for storing aluminum oxide. The silo is connected with a pressure vessel or pump delivering machinery, which on its part feeds a pneumatic conveying line (or air conveyer). Pressure vessel or pump delivering machineries are used to convey bulk material for long distances while consuming relatively low amounts of energy. It is therefore possible to deliver the aluminum oxide material to a plurality of acceptance sites disposed at different locations. According to the invention, so-called receiving or intermediate vessels are coupled to the conveying lines in the vicinity of the aluminum melt furnace. The receiving vessels are connected to the conveying line via valves. Each receiving vessel itself is connected with the cells of the aluminum melt furnace by at least one pneumatic conveying chute. The pneumatic conveying chute includes a discharge mechanism for each cell of the furnace.
A pneumatic conveying chute for conveying bulk material has the considerable advantage that a pressure-tight sealing of the furnace cells is not required. Upon using a pneumatic conveying line at this point, a pressure-tight sealing is indispensable, because otherwise considerable amounts of dust would leak out of the furnace cells and would contaminate the area surrounding the furnace.
It is understood that above and below the conveying chute, a tube may be employed that includes a separate channel in its downward region that can be flushed with air. In upward direction the tube is permeable, such that the desired fluidization of the conveyed bulk material is achieved.
When rigidly connecting the conveying chute with the receiving vessel and the corresponding entry to the cells of the aluminum melt furnace, the risk exists that an adjustment of the conveying chutes in longitudinal direction is required because of the structural arrangements. Therefore another embodiment of the invention provides that the conveying chutes have a first chute segment connected with the receiver vessel, and a second segment which is connected with the lateral discharge and which co-operates with the first chute segment in a telescopic manner. Thus a spatial adaptation of the conveying chutes is realized. Furthermore it is possible to change the position of the receiving vessel without having to change the junctions on the aluminum melt furnace and the conveying chutes, respectively.
The second segment co-operating in a telescopically manner with the first chute segment can also be constructed as a pneumatic conveying line by providing it with a sieve-shaped aerating plate and connecting it to a compressed air source. Thus it is guaranteed that a problem-free conveying of the bulk material up to the discharge, e.g. to the aluminum melt furnace, is secured.
The fill-up valve between the pneumatic conveying line and the receiving vessel is controllable. It must naturally be prevented that the receiving vessel is congested and causes a jam in the conveying line under certain circumstances. According to the invention, a controlling means for actuating the valve is therefore provided, and the controlling means responds to a fill level indicator device, which detects when the level in the receiving vessel reaches a predetermined upper value.
It is conceivable to provide for a second fill level indicator in the receiving vessel, which responds when the receiver is approaching the state of emptiness. In this case, the valve is then opened again. During the operation of the aluminum melt furnaces, e.g. aluminum oxide is discontinuously conveyed through the pneumatic conveying line. As the consumption per time unit is known, the delivery per time unit can be accommodated to this consumption. This also holds for the receiver vessel, so that a fill level measurement for the downward level may also be omitted. If appropriate, the valve can be controlled in a time-dependent manner, namely, it can be opened after a certain time after closing, this time corresponding to that one which is required for each cell of the furnace to be continuously fed from the receiving vessel.
According to a further embodiment of the invention two or more pneumatic conveying chutes per receiving vessel are provided, preferentially on opposing sides, each leading to a load arrangement, e.g. an aluminum melt furnace with a plurality of electrolytic cells.
According to another embodiment of the invention a monitoring and indicating device is provided for the valves. It determines whether the valve is actually closed, after a corresponding actuation signal for adjustment into the closing position has been transmitted to the valve from the fill level indicator and the controlling means, respectively. It has also to be determined whether the valve has been adjusted into the opening position after a fresh refilling of the receiving vessel has become necessary.
A conventional feed valve for such pneumatic conveying systems may be employed as the valve. According to one embodiment of the invention the valve is provided to be a valve ball with an axial passage as the valve member, mounted rotationally in a valve body. An elastic sealing ring is disposed on the side of the valve ball facing the conveying line and co-operates with the valve ball. On the opposite side of the valve ball, sufficient distance to the valve body is provided. To actuate the valve ball, e.g. a pneumatic actuation unit is used with which the valve ball is deviated to an angle of 90xc2x0 from the opening position into the closing position and vice versa. The internal pressure in the receiving vessel is lower than in the pneumatic conveying line operating at overpressure. In the closed position of the valve a pressure difference at the sealing ring is consequently generated, so that the latter is inevitably pressed against the ball surface. The sealing action increases with increasing pressure difference.
The valve ball is sealed only unilaterally, on the side of the higher pressure. On the side of lower pressure no sealing exists, the body featuring a large spacing towards the ball instead. In this way the forces required to open and close the valve are reduced to a minimum. Furthermore, no deposition of bulk material can occur upon perpendicular incorporation of the feed valve, especially in the opened position. This increases the operational safety of the valve, because the forces required to actuate the valve remain calculable.
According to a further embodiment of the invention the conveying line is provided to be connected at opposing sides of a cylindrical body open-ended in the downward direction, and the valve body is provided to be disposed at the bottom end of the cylindrical body in a sealed manner.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the invention as described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary of the invention, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operation of the invention.

Installation for feeding a plurality of loads/cells of aluminum melting furnaces with bulk material such as aluminum oxide