A cooperating system includes a web server and a communication service control server, where information of an error in a communication network is not notified until the web server makes an inquiry to the communication service control server. To solve this problem, a communication system is configured to include a session control server for controlling communication sessions from/to a plurality of terminals, an application server for communicating with the session control server, a web server for communicating with the application server, and a network for coupling the session control server, the application server and the web server. The application server is configured to transmit status related information including information on each communication session status of the plurality of terminals to the web server. The web server is configured to detect each communication session status of the plurality of terminals based on the received status related information.

This invention relates to a communication system, and more particularly, to a communication system in which SIP session control is used.
The third generation mobile network system aims to provide various multimedia services of high quality and high speed. The multimedia services include voice, data, video and the like. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has been promoting standardization of an "All IP based mobile communication network" to provide a multimedia service using an internet protocol (IP) technique on a packet switching network.
A session control system in the All IP based mobile communication network is called an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS). The IMS has been used in the session control technique in the next generation network (NGN).
A session initiation protocol (SIP) is used as a session control protocol (For example, see IETF RFC3261, "SIP: Session Initiation Protocol §4"). The SIP is a protocol for performing session control of the IP multimedia communication specified for internet engineering task force (IETF).
A voice over IP (VoIP) is a representative service using the SIP. The VoIP is a technique which transmits/receives voice information on the IP network. The VoIP communication using the SIP requires a setting of a virtual speech path (a session) between communication devices which transmit/receive voice information. Voice data which is IP packetized is transferred through the set virtual speech path. In the VoIP communication, the SIP controls initiation, maintaining and termination of sessions between the communication devices.
Media information such as attributes of the voice data is determined at the session initiation. The media information is notified using a session description protocol (SDP) included in a SIP message. The SDP describes various pieces of session information (an IP address, a port number, a media type, for example).
Further, an application programming interface (API) is being considered for being able to use a communication service provided by a provider from a Web service provided by a third party.
The Parlay Group is a group that specifies an open API which does not depend on a network or a vendor. The Parlay Group is planning to use "Parlay-X" as the open API. "Parlay-X" specifies APIs for the purposes of the usage in a Web service environment, and the Web service of which usage is not limited to an implemented language. The "Parlay-X" provides Web developers with abstracted communication APIs.
The APIs specified in the "Parlay-X" include, for example, 3rd party call control (3PCC) which provides a two-party speech service by initiating from a Web application side. (For example, see 5th Draft ES 202 504-2 Parlay X 3.0, "Part 2: Third Party Call", [online], August 2007).
The Parlay Group cooperates with the European telecommunications standard institute (ETSI) and the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP). The "Parlay-X" is published by the three groups and defines a standard open interface; however, how the "Parlay-X" is implemented is not specified.


An information-processing apparatus includes a print-job-transmission unit operable to transmit a print job to a first image-processing apparatus, and a driver-information-transmission unit configured to transmit at least one driver-information item including a driver list which is the list of at least one driver existing on the information-processing apparatus to the first image-processing apparatus upon receiving cancellation information indicating that the transmitted print job is cancelled by the first image-processing apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network-printing technology provided to instruct a device to perform printing. When the printing is not executed for some reason, the network-printing technology allows for instructing a different device to perform the printing again.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a user instructs a device to perform printing from a host computer and goes to the device to take a printed matter, the user often finds that the printing is not done. Here, the device denotes every image-forming apparatus. Further, the host computer denotes every information-processing apparatus.
There are various reasons for the printing which is not done. For example, print jobs are accumulated in the device so that the user's turn has not come yet, or it is difficult to start the printing for a device error.
If it is difficult to easily solve the above-described problems and start the printing immediately, it will take a long time and troubles. More specifically, the user obtains the printed matter by performing the processing procedures including cancelling the print job through the device instructed to perform the printing by the user, going back to the host computer, and instructing a different device to perform the printing.
Performing the above-described processing procedures takes a long time and troubles, since the user has to move between the processing procedures. For omitting the above-described processing procedures and simplifying reprinting, an automatic-vicarious-printing technology and/or a remote-copying technology have been provided.
According to the automatic-vicarious printing, a host computer confirms the state of the device before the printing is performed and automatically transmits a print job to a device which is an alternative destination, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-305760.
According to the remote-copying technology, a spooled job is transferred from the device to a different device, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-189578.
Further, if it is difficult to transmit received print data to a printer which is an output destination specified by a client machine during the automatic-vicarious printing, a printer server searches for an alternative printer by using a printer list managed inside the printer server.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-056756 discloses a network-print system configured to transmit a print job to a printer that is searched as an alternative printer and that has the same capability as that of a printer which received the first print instruction.
The above-described printer list is managed on a server so that the registration of a new printer and/or the changing of the printer list is performed on the server.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-056756 also discloses a system which issues a print instruction from a client machine including a server having the above-described printer list so that alternative printing can be performed through a printer registered with the printer list without using the server.
However, the automatic-vicarious printing is performed under certain restrictions. For example, an alternative device has to be determined in advance, or the alternative device has to be the same model as the printer originally specified by the client machine.
For achieving the remote copying, an original device which is the device that received the first print instruction has to grasp the address of a device provided at the transfer destination. Further, it is uncertain whether a user who issued the print instruction knows the location of the device provided at the transfer destination.
Although a client machine including a server having a device list is used, it is uncertain whether the user who issued the print instruction knows the place where a device registered with the device list is installed and/or the capability of the device.
Further, when the host computer instructs devices to perform printing, page-description languages (PDL) compatible with the drivers of the individual devices are used. Therefore, a drawing method itself, the drawing method being used in an application, may be changed.
In that case, the print instruction is transmitted from an application provided on the host computer to the device via the driver, which is the most appropriate method of transmitting the print instruction for the device.

Forwarding print job and driver information from a first image forming apparatus to a second image forming apparatus


An optical module includes optical transmission member, optical element, substrate, electrode pad between the optical element and external circuit, and optical block including optical transmission member mounting portion. The optical transmission member mounting portion is formed on the optical block in optical axis direction such that optical transmission efficiency is the maximum. A manufacturing method of the optical module includes mounting and electrically connecting the optical element on one face of the substrate, calculating a position on a 2-dimensional plane of optical input/output point of the optical element, forming base material of the optical block to impregnate the optical element onto the substrate, forming the optical transmission member mounting portion at the position on the 3-dimensional plane of the optical input/output point calculated in the former step on the base material, and mounting the optical transmission member on the optical transmission member mounting portion.

Recently, a high-speed transmission technique of mass data such as high-quality 3D image contents in a device or between devices has emerged, and signal attenuation, noise, EMI/EMC, impedance matching, cross talk, skew, connection wire miniaturization, and the like have been issued.
Generally, in data transmission in a device or between devices, that is, an electric lead based on a copper wire has been used in a device, and a cable using it has been used between devices, but the copper wire cannot satisfy a high-speed transmission need, and does not dissolve various technical issues mentioned above.
As a technique to solve this problem, recently, an optical connection technique has been studied and developed. An optical module can achieve mass data high-speed transmission because parallel electrical signal lines of several ten channels are replaced by a serial optical signal line, and can solve the technical problems such as noise, EMI/EMC, impedance matching, cross talk, skew, and connection wire miniaturization.
In order to apply optical transmission and optical connection devices using optical materials to various use environments, various kinds of products such as optical connectors and optical modules have been developed. They basically provide a connecting function of connecting two or more light pathways separated from each other, and additionally provide a function of forming and changing an optical signal transmission path using optical phenomena such as refraction, reflection, interference, and diffraction, and amplifying or merging an optical signal. An optical element that has such a configuration has a function of connecting two different areas (optical area and electrical area), or provides design for securing optimal transmission efficiency while performing a role of connecting an optical area and an optical area. The problem is errors included in an optical connector system and the like. For example, since a device (die bonder or the like) for mounting an optical element on a substrate necessarily includes an error, a final mounting position of the optical element is indefinite and, even in the case of an optical transmission member, a center of a core is eccentric, that is, an error of a manufacturing area occurs.
In order to solve the problem mentioned above, a process of active optical alignment has emerged. The active optical alignment means a series of processes of searching and finding a point or a state representing optimal optical transmission efficiency in optimal disposition or arrangement of constituent elements for optical signal transmission such as optical elements, and fixing to maintain such a point or state. However, since the active optical alignment requires much time in an operation process and is unsuitable for mass production, recently, structural elements, are designed and disposed in a connector to contrive optical alignment, or a passive optical alignment manner to directly dispose positions of optical elements on a light pathway tends to be spread.
In addition, according to miniaturization of electronic devices, there is an issue of miniaturization and low disposition even in optical devices such as optical connectors used therein, and it is important to optimize the existing layout or to devise a new layout in elements in a device to satisfy such requirements.
An optical module (hereinafter, referred to as 'Prior Art 1') illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a transmission unit 10a, a reception unit 10b, and an optical transmission path 2 which is a connection wire between the transmission unit and the reception unit. The transmission unit includes a VCSEL chip 3a on a substrate 6a, an electrode pad 5a, a bonding wire 7a, a liquid resin 8a, and a height support member 4a, and the reception unit includes a PD chip 3b on a substrate 6b, an electrode pad 5b, a bonding wire 7b, a liquid resin 8b, and a height support member 4b.
In an operation of the optical module illustrated in FIG. 1, an electrical signal from a board connected to the transmission unit is converted into an optical signal in the VCSEL chip 3a and is vertically output by a control of a driver IC (not illustrated) through the electrode pad 5a on the substrate 6a, and the optical signal is reflected by a 45° mirror face formed at an end of the optical transmission path 2 to change a route, and then is transmitted to the reception unit through the optical transmission path 2.
In the reception unit, the optical signal is reflected by a 45° mirror face formed at an end of the optical transmission path 2 to change a route, is input to the PD chip 3b on the substrate 6b, and then is converted into an electrical signal in a PD chip 3b through a control of an IC (not illustrated) through the electrode pad 5b on the substrate 6b, and the electrical signal is input to the board connected to the reception unit.
A photoelectric complex connector illustrated in FIG. 2 is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 2010-266729 (Title of Invention: "Photoelectric complex connector", hereinafter, referred to as 'Prior Art 2'), which is described as follows. Prior Art 2 illustrated in FIG. 2 is configured by a plug 20 coupled to a connector 30 called a receptacle mounted on a board in a device, and the plug 20 includes a housing 21, an electrical terminal 22 and a ground terminal 23 which are mounted on both sides of the housing 21, a ground plate 24 which is mounted on a bottom face in the housing 21, a VCSEL chip 26 on a sub-mount 25 mounted on the ground plate 24, a driver IC 27, a bonding wire 28 which has a connection wiring function among the electrical terminal 22, the ground, terminal 23, the VCSEL chip 26, and the driver IC 27, and an optical fiber 29 which is inserted into the housing 21.
Prior Art 3 illustrated in FIG. 3 provides an optical connector including a PCB substrate 50 on which an optical element 40 is mounted, an optical sub-assembly (OSA) 70 which accommodates an optical transmission member 80, includes a 45° optical reflection face having a function of vertically changing a direction of an optical signal and a lens unit which integrates an optical signal, and is made of an optical transparent material, a guide member 90 which fixes the optical transmission member to the OSA, and an optical alignment member 60 which is placed on the PCB substrate and has a structure for optical alignment of transmitting the optical signal from the optical transmission member to the optical element at high transmission efficiency or transmitting the optical signal from the optical element to the optical transmission member at high efficiency, and particularly, the optical alignment is performed by coupling of an alignment protrusion 71 and an alignment groove portion 61 formed in the optical alignment member 60 and the OSA 70, respectively.

Optical module including optical block for passive optical alignment, and manufacturing method thereof


A discharge gas treatment apparatus and method which lower treatment cost and which attain efficient removal of mercury contained in a discharge gas are provided. The discharge gas treatment apparatus, includes a cooling apparatus for controlling the temperature of the discharge gas to a predetermined temperature in accordance with the hydrogen chloride concentration of the discharge gas; an NOx removal catalyst unit for reducing nitrogen oxide contained in the discharge gas and for causing reaction between mercury and hydrogen chloride contained in the discharge gas, the discharge gas having been controlled to the predetermined temperature and having been introduced to the apparatus, with ammonia being added thereto; and a wet-format desulfurization apparatus, disposed on the downstream side with respect to the NOx removal catalyst unit, for removing sulfur oxide and mercury chloride contained in the discharge gas through dissolving sulfur oxide and mercury chloride in a liquid absorbent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for removing mercury contained in a gas discharged from a boiler or a similar apparatus (hereinafter may be referred to as a discharge gas treatment apparatus and a discharge gas treatment method).
2. Background Art
Known methods for removing mercury contained in a discharge gas produced from a boiler, a gas turbine, a combustion furnace, etc. include a treatment method employing an adsorbent such as activated carbon and a gas-liquid contact method in which a liquid absorbent is sprayed onto a discharge gas in a scrubber.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 10-230137 discloses a discharge gas treatment method for removing mercury and NOx. In the method, a mercury-chlorinating agent and ammonia are added to a discharge gas, whereby mercury chloride is formed from metallic mercury and NOx is removed, in the presence of a solid catalyst. Subsequently, wet-format NOx, removal is performed by use of an alkaline liquid absorbent.
In the method, mercury chloride is formed through the following scheme (1):2Hg+4HCl+O2→2HgCl2+2H2  (1).The thus-formed mercury chloride is dissolved in water, to thereby remove mercury contained in the discharge gas.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2000-197811 discloses a discharge gas mercury removal method. In the method, a discharge gas containing water-insoluble element-form mercury is brought into contact with a layer which is filled with at least one of a metal chloride, a metal bromide, a metal fluoride, and a metal iodide in the form of pellets or a honeycomb structure, whereby a water-soluble mercury species is formed. The thus-formed water-soluble mercury species is dissolved in a solution, to thereby remove mercury contained in the discharge gas.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2003-53142 discloses an apparatus for removing mercury contained in a discharge gas. The apparatus employs a catalytic oxidation apparatus in which hydrochloric acid contained in the discharge gas is reacted with mercury in the presence of a catalyst at low temperature (300° C. or lower), to thereby form mercury chloride. The thus-formed mercury chloride is dissolved in water, whereby mercury contained in the discharge gas is removed.
However, when the aforementioned method employing an adsorbent such as activated carbon is employed, merely a small amount of mercury is adsorbed on the adsorbent. Therefore, when a large-volume discharge gas is treated, an excessive amount of mercury cannot be treated by the adsorbent.
When the above gas-liquid (discharge gas-liquid absorbent) contact method is employed, mercury chloride having high solubility in the liquid absorbent can be removed. In contrast, a large amount of metallic mercury, having low solubility in the liquid absorbent, cannot be removed, and metallic mercury must be removed by means of another apparatus.
In the discharge gas treatment method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 10-230137, addition of a mercury-chlorinating agent elevates treatment cost. In addition, unreacted chlorinating agent may corrode or break an apparatus such as a heat exchanger or an absorption-desulfurization tower, which is disposed on the downstream side of the gas flow.
The method of removing mercury contained in a discharge gas disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2000-197811 must employ a layer filled with a metal chloride or a similar material, leading to an increase in treatment cost. When the metal chloride powder is employed in the layer, a collection apparatus such as a collection filter for collecting reacted powder must be disposed, whereas when the metal chloride solution is used in the layer, a collection tank for collecting a solution after reaction must be disposed. As a result, apparatus cost increases.
The method of removing mercury contained in a discharge gas disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2003-53142 employs an additional catalytic oxidation apparatus. Therefore, apparatus cost is elevated.

Apparatus and method for treating discharge gas


The invention describes a process for trimerisation olefins, which process includes the step of contacting an olefinic feedstream with a catalyst system which includes a transition metal compound and a heteroatomic ligand and wherein the trimer is an olefin and wherein the heteroatomic ligand is described by the following general formula (R)nA-B-C(R)m.

1-Hexene is an important commercial product. In addition to its use as a specific chemical, it is also extensively used in polymerisation processes either as a monomer or co-monomer. This invention defines a catalyst system that facilitates the production of 1-hexene from ethylene in high selectivity, while avoiding the co-production of significant quantities of other higher oligomers and polyethylene.
In this regard, it is known from prior art (U.S. Pat. No. 6,184,428) that a nickel catalyst comprising a chelating ligand, preferably 2-diphenyl phosphino benzoic acid (DPPBA), a nickel precursor, preferably NiCl2.6H2O, and a catalyst activator, preferably sodium tetraphenylborate, catalyses the oligomerisation of ethylene to yield a mixture of linear olefins containing 1-hexene. The selectivity towards the linear C6 α-olefin is claimed to be 33%. Similarly the Shell Higher Olefins Process (SHOP process, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,676,523 and 3,635,937) using a similar catalyst system is reported to yield 11 mass % 1-hexene in its product mixture (Chem Systems PERP reports 90-1, 93-6 and 94/95S12).
Ziegler-type technologies based on trialkylaluminium catalysts, independently developed by Gulf Oil Chemicals Company (Chevron, e.g. DE patent 1,443,927) and Ethyl Corporation (BP/Amoco, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,053), are also commercially used to oligomerise ethylene to mixtures of olefins that reportedly contain 14-25 mass % 1-hexene (Chem Systems PERP reports 90-1, 93-6, and 94/95S12).
The selective trimerisation of ethylene to 1-hexene via transition metal catalysis has been extensively studied and patented. Some of these trimerisation catalysts are capable of trimerising longer chain olefins. This is an important feature, since the trimeric products derived from longer chain olefins could be utilised as synthetic lubricants (e.g. polyalphaolefins/PAOs), as well as in various other applications such as components of drilling muds and as feedstock to prepare detergents and plasticisers. Most of the known catalysts for selective ethylene trimerisation are chromium-based. Recently, chromium-based trimerisation catalyst systems, containing heteroatomic ligands with both phosphorus and nitrogen heteroatoms (WO 03/053891) as well as sulphur and nitrogen heteroatoms (WO 03/053890), have been developed by the applicant. These ligands include a spacer of at least one carbon atom between the heteroatoms to allow true tridentate coordination with the chromium. Tridentate coordination complexes are generally believed to be more selective towards 1-hexene than bidentate complexes. An example of such a heteroatomic ligand for ethylene trimerisation is bis-(2-diethylphosphino-ethyl)-amine. Although the catalyst system containing this ligand is extremely selective towards 1-hexene (with overall 1-hexene selectivity exceeding 96 mass %), it exhibits only moderate catalyst activities.
Another example of such a heteroatomic ligand with both phosphorus and nitrogen heteroatoms for ethylene trimerisation is (o-methoxyphenyl)2PN(Me)P(o-methoxyphenyl)2 as described in WO 02/04119. This patent application discloses the use of ligands described by the following general formula: (R1)(R2)X—Y—X(R3)(R4) wherein X is phosphorus, arsenic or antimony; Y is a linking group such as —N(R5)— and R1, R2, R3 and R4 are each independently hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl or substituted heterohydrocarbyl groups, at least one of which has a polar substituent which is not a phosphane, arsane or stibane group. The ethylene trimerisation catalyst system containing (o-methoxyphenyl)2PN(Me)P(o-methoxyphenyl)2 is somewhat less selective (claimed selectivities towards 1-hexene range between 75 and 91.5 mass %) than the system described in WO 03/053891, but it is more active. Thus, based on the above description, an essential attribute of the ligands disclosed in this patent application, is that at least one of the R1, R2, R3 and R4 groups must have a polar, or electron donating, substituent. Open literature shows that the use of (o-ethylphenyl)2PN(Me)P(o-ethylphenyl)2, a compound without any such polar substituents on at least one of R1, R2, R3 and R4, as a ligand under catalytic conditions resulted in no catalytic activity towards 1-hexene (Anthea Carter et al., Chem. Commun., 2002, 858-859). The coordinating phosphorus heteroatoms in the above-mentioned ligand are spaced apart by one nitrogen atom. It is believed that the nitrogen atom does not coordinate with the chromium (at least in the absence of an activator) and that without any further electron donating atoms on the ligand, it is a bidentate system. It is further believed that any polar, or electron donating substituents especially in the ortho-position of the phenyl groups (R1, R2, R3 and R4) facilitate the formation of a tridentate system. This feature is reiterated in Chem. Commun., 2002, 858-859 by stating; "This has led us to hypothesise that the potential for ortho-methoxy groups to act as pendent donors and increase the coordinative saturation of the chromium centre is an important factor."
The applicant has now shown that, contrary to the findings of Carter et al., excellent ethylene trimerisation activities and selectivities are indeed possible using inexpensive PNP ligands containing non-polar substituents on the ortho positions of the phenyl rings attached to the phosphorus. Higher overall selectivities are in fact achievable when using these ligand systems compared to ligands in which the ortho position has a polar substituent as was reported by Carter et al.


A hosted facilities management system and method capable of simultaneously monitoring a plurality of conditions, equipment, and systems within one or more facilities is described and claimed. The monitoring system collects, archives, and processes data pertaining to utility services at a facility, environmental conditions within a facility, security around and within a facility, hazardous conditions within a facility, and equipment functionality including but not limited to manufacturing, telecommunications, and data management operations. Anomalous conditions are identified and reported. Data is filtered and compressed to facilitate the efficient storage and management of conditional state data collected from multiple sources. Archived data is retrieved and reported to client facilities via various means. Graphical, numerical, and plot reports are viewable over a distributed network.

No Government License Rights.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hosted facilities management system and method providing for the simultaneous monitoring of a plurality of conditions, systems, and components in a plurality of facilities based upon collecting, archiving, filtering, retrieving, and reporting conditional state data from the monitored facilities.
2. Description of the Related Art
The automation of business operations has greatly increased the technical complexities and the vulnerabilities of buildings and facilities. Automation is due in part to a competitive business environment demanding twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week fault-free operations. Many business operations depend on computers and communication systems requiring a controlled, reliable power supply, as well as a precisely maintained environment. Computerized manufacturing operations impose further challenges in terms of the constant monitoring of equipment and environment for operational failures and anomalous conditions. Such modern facilities and equipment are highly susceptible to fire and smoke damage thereby requiring real-time surveillance and rapid-response suppression systems. Reliance on expensive business equipment also increases the likelihood of intrusion and theft thereby requiring security surveillance.
Unfortunately, business automation coincides with the advent of the hostile building environment. Current building philosophies embrace a closed model thereby requiring electromechanical systems to provide an artificial environment within which personnel and equipment operate. For example, windowless or fixed window buildings not only require air conditioning to control the accumulation of heat but also a monitoring system to assess air quality and a circulation system to remove carbon dioxide, particulates, and hazardous gases generated by personnel and equipment. Each system requires a fault-free power supply and constant monitoring to identify mechanical failures.
Traditional facility management systems consist of a dedicated PC or server executing dedicated software. Monitoring is typically limited to one facility condition, for example the environment, one specific system residing within the facility, for example a computer network, or a specific system and one or two conditions specifically relevant to that system. Traditional management systems are generally located within the monitored facility and are based on a centralized monitoring unit attached to one or more sensors. Under the traditional model, the burden of data analysis and alert notification is borne by specialized and dedicated operations personnel located within the facility. It is readily obvious that such equipment, software, installation, and operation require continuous investment by the facility owner over the lifetime of the management system. It is also readily obvious that traditional approaches do not provide a comprehensive management capability for the real-time, total monitoring of multiple facilities.
Four examples of the traditional model are found in the related arts. Each is described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,078 issued on Jul. 8, 1980 to John E. Games et al. describes a facility management system (FMS) with a centralized processing unit interconnected to a plurality of remote controllers. The FMS monitors and controls the environmental conditions within several buildings from a central control building all located at one facility. Like many traditional management systems, Games monitors and controls a single condition, namely environment, within a single facility wherein the management equipment resides.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,478 issued on Feb. 17, 1987 to Lawrence K. Stevens et al. describes a general-purpose, centralized monitoring and alarm system enabling a user to define alarm variables and limits via a text-based system. Like other traditional management systems, Stevens facilitates the monitoring of a single system, for example environmental control equipment, within a single facility wherein the management system resides.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,955,946 issued on Sep. 21, 1999 to Ali Beheshti et. al. describes an alarm/facility management unit specifically relating to an end-to-end network manager for the real time monitoring of network elements and environmental conditions affecting such elements. Beheshti monitors the health of a communications facility by monitoring the condition of specific components within the network. Therefore like traditional management systems, Beheshti facilitates the monitoring of a single system, in this case a network, and achieves this by locating the monitor, a rack mounted unit, within the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,690, issued on Apr. 6, 1999 to Boatman et. al. describes an environmental monitoring system for collecting and recording environmental data pertaining to either air or water quality at various sites. Like traditional management systems, Boatman facilitates the monitoring of a single facility condition thereby lacking the means to collect, filter, archive, retrieve, and report conditional state data from a plurality of systems, sensors, and equipment within a plurality of facilities.
The related arts clearly demonstrate the limits of existing management systems. Presently, building and facility managers require a management tool that provides for the complete, efficient monitoring of complex interrelated facility systems, building systems, and equipment therein. Specifically, what is required is a single tool that conveniently enables personnel to evaluate top level conditions (i.e., utilities, environment, security, hazards, and equipment), to identify the location of any and all problems (i.e., area, sector, building, floor, or room), to identify any and all activated sensors and malfunctioning component (i.e., pumps, generators, communication equipments, air conditioning units, ventilation units, fire detection devices, smoke detection devices, intrusion detection devices, UPS (uninterrupted power supply), CRAC (computer room air conditioner), or PDU (power distribution unit)), and to determine which specific conditional level parameters are violated (i.e., current, voltage, load, and frequency).
The management tool should minimize on-site equipment, activities, and personnel at the client facility. The monitoring tool should collect, filter, and archive state data and provide a convenient graphical interface for the retrieval and reporting of all data. The management tool should be sufficiently robust to collect and archive the large volume of data associated with the monitoring of a plurality of diverse facilities. The management tool should provide instant notification to the client facility when a system, a component, or an operational level failure occurs or anomalous condition arises. The management tool should provide a historical archive to predict the onset of future failures and conditions. The management tool should be based on software residing at the host facility and accessible to the client. Finally, the management tool should provide user access through one or more communications means (i.e., telephone, fax, Internet, wireless telecommunications, and wireless data transmission). None of the above mentioned inventions is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention provides a centralized, hosted monitoring solution for the total management of a plurality of facilities. Such facilities might consist of one or more buildings or structures. The instant invention is sufficiently flexible to provide a customized monitoring solution for each and every monitored facility. The preferred monitoring solution requires no dedicated server or software at the client facility. Communications is provided through existing end-point connections to the client""s network, which are normally underutilized, and links to the Internet for data collection and reporting purposes. The use of existing networks and Internet links reduces or eliminates activities, such as wiring, thereby providing for quicker and simpler installation and removal of the management system.
The hosted nature of the instant invention provides several important advantages. First, no on-site personnel are required to monitor the facility. Second, the centralized location of monitoring hardware and software at a host facility reduces operational costs associated with upgrades and updates. Third, data analysis is performed by trained personnel at the host facility. Fourth, access to and retrieval of site specific data is achievable by authorized personnel through a personal computer with either wire-based or wireless Internet access or through a cellular phone with similar access.
It is an object of this invention to provide a management system that minimizes on-site equipment, activities, and personnel at the client facility. It is a further object of this invention to provide a monitoring tool to collect, filter, and archive state data and provide a convenient graphical/numerical interface for the retrieval and reporting of all data. It is an objective of this invention to be sufficiently robust to collect and archive the large volume of data associated with the monitoring of a plurality of diverse facilities. It is an object of this invention to provide a management tool for instant notification to the client facility when a system, a component, or an operational level failure occurs or anomalous condition arises. It is an object of this invention to provide a management tool that creates a historical archive thereby facilitating the prediction of future failures and conditions. It is an objective of this invention to be based on software residing at the host facility and accessible to the client. It is an objective of this invention to provide a system for the centralized, off-site location of analytical expertise to prevent, diagnose, and correct facility failures. Finally, it is an objective of this invention to provide a management tool allowing user access through one or more communications means, examples including but not limited to telephone, fax, Internet, wireless telecommunications, and wireless data transmission.

System and method for hosted facilities management


Various techniques are disclosed for facilitating manipulation of virtualized storage volumes and/or file systems of one or more different types of operating systems (OSs) implemented on distributed computer systems. According to different embodiments, various aspects may be directed to different embodiments of virtualized filer appliances and/or filer applications which may be used for facilitating manipulation of virtualized storage volumes and/or file systems of one or more different types of operating systems (OSs) implemented on distributed computer systems. In at least one embodiment, a filer appliance may be implemented as a virtual appliance that includes functionality for performing automated file-level and/or volume-level operations for a selected set of file systems. In one embodiment, a filer appliance may be implemented as a virtual machine which is configured or designed to handle managing of one or more volumes. In one embodiment, the filer appliance may include one or more virtual interfaces for interfacing with one or more virtual volumes and/or one or more other virtual appliances, virtual applications, etc. Various other techniques are disclosed herein for facilitating dynamic and automated configuration of virtual appliances implemented at distributed computing systems.

The present disclosure relates to gaming machines such as slot machines and video poker machines. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to automated techniques for use in visualized appliances and applications.
In utility computing environments, a grid may be described as a distributed network of computer system, which comprises of heterogeneous and non-dedicated elements.
The heterogeneity of a grid is not only defused in terms of computing elements and operating systems but also in terms of implementation of policies, policy decisions and the environment. A long-term vision of enterprise grid computing community is non dedicated seamless interoperability of different disparate systems which may be part of the same organization or different organizations.
Traditionally, applications were developed for a target environment that was homogeneous, reliable, secure, and centrally managed. However, last decade has seen the development and growth of internet technologies, which resulted in the advent of collaborative computing and data sharing. As a result, newer modes of interaction have evolved resulting in the seed and use of distributed resources. Organizational resources may be data or information resources, compute resources, infrastructure resources, human resources and so on. Recently, organizations have begun to realize the benefits of outsourcing, where nonessential elements of their information technology requirements are outsourced to various forms of service providers. These have resulted in requirements for distributed application development and deployment on heterogeneous environments.
Presently, applications and middleware are typically developed for a specific platform (e.g., Windows NT, Linux, UNIX, a mainframe, J2EE, Microsoft NET) that provides a hosting and runtime environment for applications. The capabilities provided by such platforms may range from integrated resource management functions to database integration, clustering services, security, workload management, and problem determination—with different implementations, semantic behaviors, for these functions on different platforms.

Automated filer technique for use in virtualized appliances and applications


The disclosure provides an example of a system including a radio frequency (RF) wireless communication network (network) including a plurality of nodes in an area and a computer coupled to the network. Each of the nodes includes a transmitter and a receiver. At plurality of times, each transmitter transmits RF spectrum signals (signals) and each receiver receives the signals and also generates an indicator data of a signal characteristic of the received signal propagated in the network. When each time among the plurality of times is a current time, the computer obtains the indicator data of the signal, determines a modification in the indicator data at the current time from the indicator data at a preceding time due to a movement of an occupant in the area and detect an occupancy condition in the area based on the modification in the indicator data and a parameter of a configuration of the network.

Information about the occupancy of a given finite area can have many uses, from safety enhancement to marketing science. Here, an "occupant" is typically a person but can also be an animal, a mobile machine, or any changeable aspect of the finite area that affects radio propagation and that it may be desirable to sense. Sensed occupancy information can vary in completeness and value: e.g., one may estimate the total number of occupants at a given time, estimate statistical aspects of occupants' movements over time, or estimate tracking the movements of occupants over time.
Occupancy has been measured by manual count (e.g., at venue entrance), computer vision systems, electric-eye counters, and other methods. In recent years, a number of systems and methods have been proposed for occupancy detection within a particular area utilizing radio frequency (RF) based technologies. Examples of such systems include video sensor monitoring systems, radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, global positioning systems (GPS), and wireless communication systems among others. However, many of these systems have several disadvantages. For example, the video sensor monitoring system requires a considerable number of dedicated sensors that are expensive and the system requires a large amount of memory for storing data. The RFID systems rely on occupants carrying an RFID tag/card that can be sensed by the RFID system to monitor the occupants. The GPS system uses orbiting satellites to communicate with the terrestrial transceiver to determine a location of the occupant in the area. However, such systems are generally less effective indoors or in other environments where satellite signals may be blocked, reducing accuracy of detecting the occupant in the area. There also have been proposals to detect occupants in an area based on effects on an RF signal received from a transmitter due to the presence of the occupant(s) in the area. These RF wireless communication systems generally detect an occupant in the area based on change in signal characteristics of a data packet transmitted over the wireless network. However, all the above methods require human effort and/or dedicated hardware (e.g. cameras, directional transmitters, etc.) that entail complexity and expense. Also, an inaccurate detection of the occupant in a region can occur by detecting an object, which does not move when multiple transmitters are transmitting the RF signals from multiple different regions of the area.

Occupancy detection in a radio frequency wireless communication network


The present disclosure relates to a dishwasher having a structure improved in convenience of use. The dishwasher includes a tub having a front opening and a top opening, a front door configured to open and close the front opening, a cover frame disposed on the top opening and including an opening opened in the up-down direction, a top door configured to open and close the opening of the cover frame, and a frame injector disposed on the cover frame to inject washing water from one side of the cover frame.

A dishwasher is an appliance that automatically washes food residues on tableware using a detergent and washing water.
As an example, a dishwasher includes a main body having a front opening and a tub disposed therein, a door installed on the main body to open and close the front opening, a basket provided to receive tableware, an injection nozzle provided to inject washing water, and the like. In such a front loading type dishwasher, food residues on the tableware may fall on a floor where the dishwasher is installed in the process of loading the tableware into the basket.
As another example, a dishwasher includes a main body having a top opening and a tub disposed therein, a door installed on the main body to open and close the top opening, a basket provided to receive tableware, an injection nozzle provided to inject washing water, and the like. In such a top loading type dishwasher, interference between an upper space of the tub and the door may make it difficult to load tableware having a certain size or more.
Therefore, there is a great expectation for a new type of dishwasher capable of removing the limitations of the front loading type dishwasher and the top loading type dishwasher.


The present comparison technique operates on objects having the same type, similar types, or different types. Multiple comparison objects may be compared against one or more reference objects. The comparison objects may be obtained from a prior cmdlet in a pipeline of cmdlets operating in an object-based environment. The reference object and comparison object may be compared in an order-based manner or in a key-based manner. In addition, specific properties may be specified which will identify which properties of the reference object and the comparison object to compare during the comparison. The comparison may generate an output that identifies the difference and/or similarities. The output may be pipelined to another cmdlet for further processing.

Administrative tasks support the day to day operation of computing devices, such as laptop, desktops, and the like. System administrators, who maintain networked computing devices, perform many administrative tasks. One administrative task involves identifying problems with computing devices that are not operating as desired. One technique for diagnosing this type of problem involves comparing the computing device with a working computing device. This comparison may include visually reviewing settings between the two devices using a graphical user interface or performing a comparison between similar files on the two devices.
Different utilities for comparison have been available for quite some time. However, each type of file uses a tool particular to that type of file and has its own syntax and peculiarities. For example, if the type of file is a text file, a textual compare tool is used. Similarly, if the type of file is a binary file, a binary compare tool is used. In general, each of these comparison utilities walks through the files until a difference is encountered. When a difference is encountered, the difference is reported to the system administrator. While these comparison utilities are helpful, they often report differences that are not related to the problem. Therefore, there is a need for a comparison technique that provides more accurate results and more versatility.

System and method for seamlessly comparing objects


The present invention relates to the identification of polynucleotides and polypeptides involved in insulin and adiponectin signaling and regulation of glucose production. The invention further relates to the use of the identified polynucleotides and polypeptides, and inhibitors of the polynucleotides and polypeptides, in the regulation of glucose production and the monitoring and treatment of metabolic disorders such as diabetes.

Adipose tissue exerts a powerful effect on glucose metabolism by regulating the concentration of circulating adiponectin (Goldfine et al., Lancet 362:1431 (2003)). High adiponectin in the lean state is linked to elevated insulin sensitivity whereas low adiponectin in the obese state is linked to insulin resistance and diabetes (Arita et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 257:79 (1999); Hotta et al., Artererioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 20:1595 (2000); Maeda et al., Diabetes 50:2094 (2001); Weyer et al., J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2001, 86:1930 (2001)). Endogenous glucose production is elevated in diabetes (Wahren et al., Annu. Rev. Nutr. 27:329 (2007)). Studies in mice and liver cells show that adiponectin lowers glucose production by increasing the insulin sensitivity of the liver (Berg et al., Nat. Med. 7:947 (2001); Combs et al., J. Clin. Invest. 108:1875 (2001); Combs et al., Endocrinology 145:367 (2004)).
The signal transduction pathway of adiponectin is currently linked to (a) adiponectin receptors that bind to the full-length or the carboxy-terminal 'globular' fragment of adiponectin, (b) binding of the intracellular domains of adiponectin receptors 1 and 2 to the adaptor APPL1 and (c) the activation of AMPK, a signaling intermediate that reduces the gene expression of rate limiting enzymes for glucose production (Combs et al., J. Clin. Invest. 108:1875-(2001); Combs et al., Endocrinology 145:367 (2004); Tomas et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:16309 (2002); Yamauchi et al., Nat. Med. et al., J. Biol. Chem. 281:2654 (2006); Andreelli et al., Endocrinology 147:2432 (2006); Mao et al., Nat. Cell Biol. 8:516 (2006); Brooks et al., J. Biol. Chem. 282:35069 (2007); Yoon et al., Exp. Mol. Med. 41:577 (2009); Wang et al., J. Biol. Chem. 282:7991 (2007)). However, the inhibition of glucose production by this pathway is not completely clear.
Glucose production depends on autophagy, a regulated mechanism of intracellular degradation that is inhibited by insulin (Amherdt et al., J. Clin. Invest. 54:188 (1974)). Autophagy provides the biochemical intermediates for glucose production through the hydrolysis of proteins, glycogen and triglycerides (Mortimore et al., Annu. Rev. Nutr. 7:539 (1987); Kotoulas et al., Pathol. Res. Pract. 202:631 (2006); Singh et al., Nature 458:1131 (2009)). Insulin inhibition of autophagy in isolated hepatocytes is linked to the activation of mTOR (Blommaart et al., J. Biol. Chem. 270:2320 (1995); Kanazawa et al., J. Biol. Chem. 279:8452 (2004)). Hence, reports that AMPK, an essential mediator of adiponectin action, inhibits mTOR and stimulates autophagy are perplexing (Shaw et al., Cancer Cell 6:91 (2004); Meley et al., J. Biol. Chem. 281:34870 (2006); Xu et al., Cell Death Differ. 14:1948 (2007); Liang et al., Nat. Cell Biol. 9:218-(2007); Meijer et al., Autophagy 3:238 (2007); Cheng et al., J. Biol. Chem. 279:15719 (2004); Hoyer-Hansen et al., Mol. Cell. 25:193 (2007)).
The present invention addresses previous shortcomings in the art by providing a novel polynucleotide and polypeptide that connects insulin, adiponectin, and glucose production and that can be used for diagnostic and therapeutic methods.

SOGA polynucleotides and polypeptides and uses thereof

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill


A method for manufacturing a pressure vessel includes the steps of obtaining a metal liner and applying a first layer of adhesive to an outer surface of the metal liner. The metal liner is then placed into a vacuum bag and a vacuum is applied, thus securing the adhesive to the outer surface of the metal liner. After curing of the adhesive, a filamentary material is wound around the liner, where the filamentary material adheres to the first layer of adhesive forming an overwrap layer on the outer surface of the metal liner, forming the pressure vessel.

In many technical fields, a need exists for storing various liquid or gaseous media, such as compressed or liquefied gases, for extended periods of time and frequently at very high pressures. Many attempts have already been made in the past to satisfy this need by developing lightweight pressurized medium containers or pressure vessels that would accommodate the pressurized medium without suffering leakage losses or structural damage.
For a variety of reasons, not the least important of which is the relatively high ratio of pressure that the vessel walls are able to withstand to the weight of a vessel of a given capacity, it has been found advantageous to give such walls a multilayer or composite structure, including an inner liner and an outer shell surrounding the liner and in intimate contact therewith. The liner is formed of a material usually a metallic material that is compatible with (i.e. inert with respect to) and also completely or at least highly impermeable to the medium being stored.
All-metallic pressure vessels have been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,127,712; 2,661,113; 3,140,006; and 4,964,524, of which all but the second one are directed to vessels of multilayer construction. In this instance, one of the purposes of the liner is to form an inert protective barrier preventing the medium from reaching through gross leakage or permeation through the liner to the outer shell and possibly damaging the shell. However, due to their considerable thickness and intimate contact or engagement with the shell, the liners of all-metallic pressure vessels generally contribute significantly to the load bearing capacity of the vessel. In classical state of the art vessel fabrication, the liner represents a significant fraction of the total weight. Experience with such and similar all-metallic pressure vessel constructions has shown, on the other hand, that they are limited in applicability because they are either too heavy (a criterion that is of paramount importance for applications where weight is at a premium, such as in outer space applications), or expensive to manufacture, or prone to failure, especially due to metallic material fatigue at weakened or stress concentration regions after having been subjected to a number of pressurization and depressurization cycles.
With the advent and development of high strength filaments such as glass, graphite, and synthetic plastic material fibers, and of materials, such as epoxy resins, capable of forming a matrix embedding such filaments and bonding them together into a composite structure, attempts have been made, some more successful than others, to use such composite materials for the outer shell of the pressure vessel. Of course, due to the high strength-to-weight ratio of such materials, the overall weight of the resulting vessel is significantly reduced relative to that of a comparable all-metallic vessel of the same capacity and pressure rating. Examples of vessels of this kind are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,744,043; 2,827,195; 3,943,010; 3,969,812, 4,040,163; and 5,653,358.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,358 among other elements, describes a tank of composite structure. A vessel is comprised principally of an inner liner (such as a metal liner) coated with a primer and an overwrap or jacket. To that end, the outer jacket is constructed, in a known manner, by superimposed and overlapping layers of impregnated filamentary material that contains glass, graphite or Kevlar™ fibers wrapped in different directions around the liner, with the interstices between the fibers or filaments being filled by impregnating material such as hardenable epoxy resin that, upon setting or hardening, forms a matrix that firmly embeds such fibers or filamentary material.
Thus, after hardening, the filamentary and impregnating material together form a composite, fiber reinforced solid body that is capable of withstanding most if not all of the forces applied to the vessel during its lifetime.
However, the prior art methods of applying the wrapped jacket to the metal liner of the vessel suffers from many drawbacks. In the prior art, a metal liner is first coated with a primer and then the adhesive is used to structurally couple the liner to the overlying filament wound composite. Most commonly a reticulating film adhesive is used. In such an application, pre-cut pattern shapes or gore panels are applied by gloved hands prior to the commencement of composite lay-up. In this application, fibers are impregnated with a wet winding resin before application. The bearing pressure for bondline curing, required to ensure a good bond between the adhesive and the metal liner, is developed as a by-product of the tension in the fiber tows (jacket material) that are filament wound in a pre-programmed repeating closure pattern over the liner and adhesive.
Upon completion of the winding, which consists of multiple layers of the reinforcing fibers and impregnating resin, the composite structure is cured. The adhesive and wet winding resins are compatible and co-curable.
This wet winding process by its nature develops variable bearing pressures on the liner as a result of fiber buildup near the polar regions (ie. boss and/or exit of the vessel) of the wind. This frequently results in roping/bridging of the fiber with a resulting loss of bearing pressure. The bearing pressure also varies due to resin rheology (time and temperature dependent viscosity response.) Resin trough behavior is recognized as resin bleedout during the early stages of wet winding cure (first stage also known as gelation). The variability in bearing pressure is a limiting factor in developing optimal adhesion of the overwrap layer to the metal liner. The critical parameter is adhesion to the metal liner, the adhesion to the co-cured overlying composite structure is readily achieved through selection of compatible and co-curable adhesives and wet winding epoxies.
It is understood, that structural coupling between the inner liner layer and the outer jacket layer is critical, particularly when the pressure vessels are filled with loads under high pressure. Poor adhesion between the overwrap layer and the metal liner caused by irregular bearing pressure during the overwrap application can result in liner elastic stability/buckling failure. The thin metal liner, as a standalone structural entity, is incapable of supporting the high bearing pressure imposed at zero or low pressure by the overlying composite after vessel autofrettage. The elastic stability or buckling failure of the liner results in dramatic reductions in fatigue life, resulting through cracks in the metal liner and leakage of contents within a small number of cycles.

Method for making a multilayer composite pressure vessel


A computer comprises: a central processing unit (CPU) driving an operating system (OS); a television (TV) receiver part for receiving external television signals; a storage unit for storing the television signals therein; a reserve-recording set-up part for setting up reserve-recording conditions for the television signals; a record-controlling part for storing the television signals in the storage unit according to the set-up reserve-recording conditions; and a power control part for controlling power supply to allow switching between a normal mode and a power saving mode, and for switching from the power saving mode to the normal mode according to the set-up reserve-recording conditions when a time set-up for reserve-recording approaches, wherein the computer system supplies power to the central processing unit in the normal mode, whereas it does not supply power to the central processing unit in the power saving mode. The computer is automatically supplied with power to initiate the reserve-recording of a television program when the computer is in the power saving mode of the central processing unit, thereby minimizing power consumption due to reserve-recording.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a computer system and a method for storing television (TV) signals therein.
2. Related Art
As computer relevant technology has rapidly progressed, a variety of applications thereof have been developed accordingly. Especially, one of the technical fields showing rapid progress is the multimedia field, employing Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) standards for compression of moving pictures. As such a multimedia technology has developed, the computer has been able to serve as a means for the appreciation of digital music and reception of television (TV) broadcasting based on public networks. In the case of the reception of television signals via a computer, it is advantageous that clear images be provided because the number of scanning lines of a monitor of the computer are much greater than those of the television screen.
There is a need to receive and record television signals with a computer in conjunction with power saving features, efficiency, and convenience. Efforts have been made in the area of television signals and video signals.
Exemplars of recent efforts in the art include: Korean Patent First Publication No. 003127/1993 to Sung-Won Cho, entitled METHOD OF CONTROLLING A VIDEO CASSETTE RECORDER BY USING A COMPUTER CONNECTED TO THE VIDEO CASSETTE RECORDER, published on 24 Feb. 1993; Korean Patent First Publication No. 008138/1997 to Bong-Chul OH, entitled METHOD OF PROGRAMMING FOR RECORDING A TV BROADCASTING CHANNEL BY USING A COMPUTER CONNECTED TO THE TV, published on 24 Feb. 1997; Korean Patent First Publication No. 016781/1998 to Yoon-Soo Shin, entitled METHOD OF PROGRAMMING FOR RECORDING IN A VCR BY USING A COMPUTER CONNECTED TO THE VCR, published on 5 Jun. 1998; Korean Patent First Publication No. 017887/1998 to Ki-Bok Moon, entitled METHOD OF PROGRAMMING FOR RECORDING IN A PC-VCR, published on 5 Jun. 1998; Korean Patent First Publication No. 041359/1999 to Kyu-Nam Kim, entitled METHOD OF STORING INFORMATION ABOUT INTERNET SITES, published on 15 Jun. 1999; Korean Patent First Publication No. 004315/2000 to Sham Lee, entitled METHOD OF CONTROLLING A POWER OF A DIGITAL TELEVISION HAVING A PERSONAL COMPUTER FUNCTION AND A TELEVISION FUNCTION, published on 25 Jan. 2000; Japanese Patent First Publication No. 9-128090 to Sato, entitled VTR-INCORPORATED PERSONAL COMPUTER, published on 16 May 1997; Japanese Patent First Publication No. 10-177777 to Nakajima, entitled PROGRAM RESERVATION SYSTEM AND RECORDING MEDIUM, published on 30 Jun. 1998; and Japanese Patent First Publication No. 11-110089 to Kashimoto et al., entitled COMPUTER SYSTEM AND NETWORK CONTROLLER USED BY SAME COMPUTER SYSTEM, published on 23 Apr. 1999.
While these recent efforts provide advantages, they fail to adequately provide a system and method for receiving and recording television signals with a computer, in conjunction with power saving features, efficiency, and convenience.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Computer system and method for storing TV signals therein


A proxy server xe2x80x9cplatformxe2x80x9d is provided that is easily modified and customized to reformat web content in a particular way under certain conditions as determined by the operator of the proxy server. The proxy server retrieves from the Internet web content requested by a client, reformats it into a suitable format for the requesting client, and then forwards the reformatted web content to the requesting client. The proxy server evaluates operator-alterable rules to determine, based on capabilities of the requesting client (and/or on request variables), specifically how to reformat the requested web content so that it will be suitable for passing on to the requesting client. The platform has a xe2x80x9cmodularxe2x80x9d architecture wherein content reformatting is performed by one or more xe2x80x9cmodulesxe2x80x9d. The modules are dynamically-linkable into the executing proxy server platform software at run time. The platform is easily customizable by the operator because modules can be deleted and/or added without affecting other modules. Modules are, in one embodiment, written in accordance with the COM modular programming standard so that individual modules can be removed, replaced and/or added without having to modify or recompile other modules. In one embodiment, web content cached on the proxy server is deemed suitable for passing to a requesting client if evaluation of the rules for the request from the client matches the prior evaluation of the rules that gave rise to the original reformatted web content as cached.

FIG. 1 (Prior Art) is a diagram of a system 1, known as the WebTV Network, that provides multiple WebTV clients 2-4 access to the Internet 5 via a WebTV server 6. WebTV clients 2-4 are WebTV set-top box Internet Terminals available from WebTV Networks Inc., of Mountain View, Calif. WebTV server 6 functions as a xe2x80x9cproxy serverxe2x80x9d on behalf of clients 2-4 for purposes of accessing the Internet. Details of this WebTV Network including the proxy server are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,013, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,207.
In one operational example, client 2 attempts to access web content (for example, an HTML document) located on a remote server 7 of the Internet. Client 2 issues a request identifying the desired HTML document to WebTV server 6. If the requested HTML document is stored in a proxy cache 8 on the WebTV server, then WebTV server 6 responds to client 2 by sending the requested HTML document as stored in its proxy cache 8 back to client 2. A browser on client 2 then renders the HTML document such that the document is displayed on the display of client 2. In this sense, WebTV server 6 is a proxy server.
If, on the other hand, the requested HTML document is not present in proxy cache 8, then WebTV server 6 issues a request for the HTML document to remote server 7. Remote server 7 responds by sending the HTML document back to WebTV server 6. WebTV server 6 in turn sends the HTML document to the client 2 that initially made the request. The browser on client 2 then renders the HTML document such that it is displayed on the display of client 2. If the HTML document is a document that is likely to be accessed frequently by clients 2-4, then WebTV server 6 may store a copy 9 of the HTML document in proxy cache 8.
WebTV server 6 also serves to reformat web content. In one example, client 2 attempts to access image data from remote server 7. The image data is, however, in an image format inappropriate for client 2. The requested image data on remote server 7 is, for example, inappropriate in the sense that it is in a format that client 2 cannot decipher and display. Were client 2 to attempt to display this image data, client 2 would fail or would not be able to display the image.
Alternatively, the image data is inappropriate in the sense that the image data is of higher resolution than is necessary. Client 2 may, for example, use a television screen as a display device. An ordinary television generally has a lower pixel resolution than do many computer monitors. Because much of the image data on the Internet is for display on computer monitors, many images on the Internet have relatively high resolution image data which need not be transferred to the low resolution displays of clients 2-4.
If such inappropriate or unnecessary image data from remote server 7 were merely passed through WebTV server 6 in the same format, then client 2 would receive the inappropriate or unnecessary image data. If client 2 could not decipher the format, then client 2 may fail or not be able to display the image. If there were a large amount of high resolution image data that client 2 cannot display, then the communication of the image data to client 2 may take an unnecessarily large amount of time.
WebTV server 6 therefore includes software 10 called a xe2x80x9ctranscoderxe2x80x9d that reformats the image data from the inappropriate format into an appropriate format. Client 2 first issues to WebTV server 6 a request for the image data on remote server 7. Assuming that the image data is not cached in proxy cache 8, WebTV server 6 issues a request for the image data to remote server 7. Remote server 7 responds by sending the image data in the inappropriate format to WebTV server 6. Transcoder software 10 reformats the image data into the appropriate format that client 2 can decipher. WebTV server 6 then sends the reformatted image data to client 2. Client 2 can therefore access image data from the Internet even though that image data as it is available on remote server 7 on the Internet is not in a format that client 2 can decipher and display.
Not only does WebTV server 6 reformat image data, but WebTV server 6 also reformats (i.e., xe2x80x9crewritesxe2x80x9d) the HTML of HTML documents. Consider a situation in which the requested web content on remote server 7 is an HTML document that contains a xe2x80x9cbugxe2x80x9d or a xe2x80x9cquirkxe2x80x9d. A bug may cause a browser of a client to fail. A quirk may cause a browser of a client to exhibit undesirable or unexpected features, even though the browser may not crash. WebTV server 6 therefore includes software 11 called an xe2x80x9cHTML rewriterxe2x80x9d that rewrites offending parts of the HTML to eliminate such bugs and quirks.
In an operational example, client 2 issues to WebTV server 6 a request for a desired HTML document. Assuming that the desired HTML document is not cached in proxy cache 8, WebTV server 6 issues a request for the desired HTML document from remote server 7. Remote server 7 responds by sending the HTML document with the bug or quirk back to the WebTV server 6. Rather than sending the HTML document with the bug or quirk back to clients 2-4, HTML rewriter software 11 reformats (rewrites) the HTML to eliminate the bug or quirk. The WebTV server 6 then sends the reformatted HTML document without the bug or quirk back to client 2 so that the browser on client 2 can render the HTML document without incident.
HTML rewriter software 11 also functions to reduce or eliminate a dead time (xe2x80x9cperceived latencyxe2x80x9d) sometimes experienced by a user of client 2. The browser in client 2 can start to render a web page involving an image if the browser has size information for the image. If the browser has size information for the image, then the browser can begin to lay out the background page leaving a blank of the appropriate size for the image data yet to arrive. If the browser does not have such size information, then client 2 experiences a dead time (xe2x80x9cperceived latencyxe2x80x9d) from the time the request of the web page is made until the image data for the image is actually received on the client and the browser begins to render the page. To avoid this perceived latency at the client, WebTV server 6 stores size information relating to the image in cache 8. When client 2 requests a web page involving an image, WebTV server 6 retrieves the size information from its cache, rewrites the HTML of the web page to include the size information, and then relays the HTML on to client 2. The browser in client 2 can therefore begin to render the web page using the size information for any images on the web page when it receives the HTML for the background page. The browser does not have to wait until it deciphers the HTML of the background page, identifies the image tag, issues a request for the image data identified by the image tag, and receives the actual image data with the size information. The size information is received along with the original HTML. The result of the rewriting of the HTML therefore results in a reduction in xe2x80x9cperceived latencyxe2x80x9d at client 2.
The code of WebTV server 6 presently commercially employed is a monolithic piece of code that typically supports clients of a single type (i.e. WebTV Internet Terminals running particular software). It is inflexible and difficult to adapt and modify. For example, it is difficult to adapt the code to reformat content one way for requesting clients of a first type but to reformat content a second way for requesting clients of a second type. Such a modification would generally require recompiling much or all of the WebTV server code. It would require an intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the WebTV server code. WebTV server 6 is therefore not considered to be well suited for operation, maintenance and customization by an independent operator (an operator other than WebTV that is not intimately familiar with the inner workings of the monolithic code). A WebTV server platform is desired that can be operated by such an independent operator such that the operator can relatively easily modify, delete and/or add to part of the platform software without changing other parts of the platform software, and without having to have a detailed knowledge of the inner workings of the platform software.
A proxy server xe2x80x9cplatformxe2x80x9d is provided that can be easily modified, customized, and maintained by an interactive television service operator (the xe2x80x9coperatorxe2x80x9d) not intimately familiar with the inner workings of the proxy server. The platform has a xe2x80x9cmodularxe2x80x9d architecture wherein content reformatting is performed by one or more xe2x80x9cmodulesxe2x80x9d. The modules are dynamically-linkable into the executing proxy server platform software at run time. The operator can delete modules and/or add modules to customize proxy server operation. In one embodiment, the modules are written in accordance with the COM modular programming standard so that individual modules can be removed, replaced and/or added without having to modify or recompile other modules. Individual modules can have different authors. Modules can be written by the operator, or by WebTV, or by another entity. Regardless of module author, the modules can be made to work together in the proxy server platform provided that the COM standard is followed in realizing the individual modules.
In accordance with one aspect, the proxy server uses information indicative of xe2x80x9cclient capabilitiesxe2x80x9d of the requesting client to determine which modules will process the content before the content is relayed to the requesting client. A first client issues a first request to a proxy server for web content stored on a remote server. The first request contains information indicative of xe2x80x9cclient capabilitiesxe2x80x9d of the first client (for example, the hardware capabilities of the first client and a software version number and software build number). The proxy server uses information indicative of the client capabilities to determine a first format appropriate for the first client. If the requested web content is cached on the proxy server in this first format, then the proxy server sends the web content to the first client. If the requested content is not cached in the first format, then proxy server uses appropriate modules to reformat the web content into the first format. Once reformatted, the web content is sent to the requesting first client. If the web content is not cached on the proxy server or if for some other reason the cached web content is not to be used (for example, it is too old), then the proxy server issues a request for the web content to the remote server, and retrieves the web content. If the web content is not in the first format, then the proxy server uses appropriate modules to reformat the web content into the first format. Once reformatted, the proxy server sends the web content back to the requesting first client.
Next, a second client having different client capabilities from the first client issues a second request to the proxy server for the web content. The second request includes information indicative of the client capabilities of the second client. The proxy server receives this second request and uses the information indicative of the client capabilities of the second client to determine a second format appropriate for the second client.
If the requested web content is cached on the proxy server in this second format, then the proxy server sends the web content to the second client. If the requested content is not cached in the second format, then proxy server uses appropriate modules to reformat the web content into the second format. Once reformatted, the web content is sent to the requesting second client. If the cached web content is not to be used (for example, it is too old), then the proxy server issues a request for the web content to the remote server, and retrieves the web content. If the web content as retrieved from the remote server is not in the second format, then the proxy server uses appropriate modules to reformat the web content into the second format. Once reformatted, the proxy server sends the web content back to the requesting second client. It is therefore seen that the proxy server determines the format in which the web content will be sent back to the requesting client based at least in part on information indicative of the client capabilities of the requesting client.
In accordance with another aspect, the proxy server includes a first module and a second module. The first module reformats content the first way whereas the second module reformats content the second way. The first module, and not the second module, reformats the web content supplied to the first client. The second module, and not the first module, reformats the web content supplied to the second client. Each of the first and second modules is a portion of executable code that is independently dynamically-linkable into the proxy software at run time.
In accordance with yet another aspect, the determination of the type of reformatted content to supply to a given requesting client is made using a set of operator-alterable rules. First, the proxy server receives the information indicative of the client capabilities in the HTTP header or form data of the request. The proxy server uses this information to look up a set of client capabilities from a look-up table or database. The client capabilities so determined are then in turn used as inputs for a subsequent evaluation of the operator-alterable rules. The evaluation of the rules determines, for a requesting client having particular client capabilities, which modules will process the requested web content and/or how those modules will process the requested web content. The rules are written in a relatively easy to understand textual form. The rules in this textual form are then read into the proxy server software such that the operation of the various modules is changed without modifying the code of the modules themselves. The operator need not have a detailed knowledge of the inner workings of the modules, to alter the rules, and/or to add or delete modules.
The modular reformatting software can be used by applications other than a proxy server application. In one aspect, an email server application uses the reformatting software to reformat email attachments from a first format unsuitable for a client to whom the email is addressed into a second format that is suitable for the client to whom the email is addressed. Due to the reformatting, the email client is able to read the email attachment where had the attachment not been reformatted, the client could not read the attachment. The reformatting server uses information indicative of client capabilities of the email client that are passed to the server by the client to determine how to reformat the attachment so that it is in an appropriate format for the client.
Other aspects of the invention and other embodiments are described in the detailed description below. This summary does not purport to define the invention. The invention is defined by the claims.


The present invention generally relates to utilization of at least two known location addresses yielding accurate determination of a user's mode of operations and/or preferences. In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes proximity and/or vector between a current location address and a known home or work address to determine preferences that dynamically change based on the current location and inter-relationship between the current location and at least one other known location address.

User personalization has an important impact on a wide range of activities from travel time, food selection, to targeted messaging. The ability to improve the accuracy of decision engines is largely dependent on the ability to characterize the end user accurately.
Traditional decision engines utilize static user profiles with often large amounts of parametric data as a means of increasing accuracy of decision engines.
Prior art of US Patent Pending 20100004997 is based on an unknown user profile, and uses location including the attempted distinction between a work and home location to determine an anticipated user profile.
The invention being described utilizes a known user profile to dynamically change the mode and thus the sub-segment of the user to more accurately create context for the specific activity and/or location in which the user (again having a known user profile, i.e., gender, age, etc.) is engaged in. Furthermore, the invention recognizes that a specific user having a known user profile engages in a wide range of activities that have fundamentally different behaviors and characteristics that range from limited to a complete absence of similarities to the known user profile.
The combined limitations of static user profiles and large amounts of parametric data leads to inaccuracies and complex interaction with decision engines requiring longer processing times and/or more powerful processors.


The semiconductor device comprises an insulating film having a device hole; inner leads disposed on one main face of the insulating film; a semiconductor element, which is mounted on the insulating film and connected to the ends of the inner leads; and a resin-encapsulating layer for covering such connections and the like, wherein the device hole of the insulating film has a flat shape externally protruded in the neighborhood of the middle on the short side, and a length of the long side containing the projections is larger than the corresponding length of the semiconductor chip. The expansion of the resin-encapsulating layer coated on the insulating film has a length on the short side of the semiconductor element larger than that on the long side. In a semiconductor device having the UNT structure in particular, a strength of adhesive between the resin-encapsulating layer and the insulating film on the short sides of the semiconductor chip is improved, a crack is prevented from being caused, and high reliability in connection can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a semiconductor device suitable as a driver LSI for a liquid crystal display (LCD).
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in order to reduce electronic modules or devices in size and cost and simplify their configurations, there is a known TCP (tape carrier package) which has a carrier tape having a device hole and wiring such as inner leads, a semiconductor element (e.g., a semiconductor chip) mounted on and electrically connected to the carrier tape, and the resin-encapsulating layer to seal the connecting portion.
Especially, for the LCD which is a thin and low-power consuming display, TCP which has a quite slim semiconductor chip mounted on a tape having a device hole smaller than the chip, and is configured to be connectable in two directions on the long sides of the semiconductor chip, is used as a driver LSI. Such TCP, which is an ultra narrow TCP, will be called UNT hereinafter.
FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B show the structure of the UNT. In the drawings, reference numeral 1 shows a film carrier tape made of polyimide resin or the like. This tape has long and narrow rectangular device holes 2. The device holes 2 are formed to have long sides and short sides, which are smaller than those of the semiconductor chip to be described afterward. The short sides are arranged in parallel with the longitudinal direction (indicated by the arrow) of the carrier tape 1. One face of the carrier tape 1 has wiring such as a group of inner leads (not shown). Each inner lead has its leading ends protruded from two long sides of the device hole 2.
Reference numeral 3 shows the semiconductor chip mounted in a device hole region of the carrier tape 1. The semiconductor chip 3 is electrically connected to the inner leads through bumps of Au or the like. Furthermore, a resin-encapsulating layer 4 of epoxy resin or the like is externally formed on the surface of the semiconductor chip 3 where electrode pads are formed and the connections of the semiconductor chip 3 and the inner leads. The resin-encapsulating layer 4 is formed by a method for dispensing to apply a liquid encapsulating resin by a dispenser for example. Reference numeral 5 shows a dummy inner lead (hereinafter called the dummy lead) with its leading ends protruded from the short sides of the device holes 2. The dummy lead 5 is connected to the electrode pad of the semiconductor chip 3 so to serve to mechanically support and fix the semiconductor chip 3.
The conventional UNT configured as described above, however, has the device hole 2 with its long and short sides made shorter than the corresponding sides of the semiconductor chip 3, allowing substantially no gap between the semiconductor chip 3 and the inner peripheral surface of the device hole 2. Accordingly, the encapsulating resin dispensed onto the electrode pad-formed surface of the semiconductor chip 3, flows to the lower face (opposite from the wiring-formed face) of the carrier tape 1 in such a small amount (expanding length) of about 200 .mu.m from the end faces of the semiconductor chip 3 on the long and short sides. Therefore, a strength of adhesive of the resin-encapsulating layer 4 on the short sides of the semiconductor chip 3 is insufficient.
Specifically, such a semiconductor device has the carrier tape 1 die-cut on the side slightly outside of the resin-encapsulating layer 4, bent or folded into an appropriate shape and mounted on a mother board. Therefore, the resin-encapsulating layer 4 is required to have a strength of adhesive of at least 10 N (Newton) per unit area (m.sup.2) against the carrier tape 1.
But, in the conventional UNT, the resin-encapsulating layer 4 formed on the short sides of the semiconductor chip 3 has such a low strength of adhesive of 2 N/m.sup.2 that the resin-encapsulating layer 4 is cracked in the steps of die-cutting and folding of the carrier tape 1. As a result, the inner leads and the semiconductor chip 3 may have a defective connection or a breakage in the inner leads.


A confirmation link edition unit receives a confirmation link specified by a user. A paragraph correlation unit respectively divides an English text and a Japanese text into a plurality of paragraphs according to the specified confirmation link. A segment correlation calculation unit correlates an English segment to a Japanese segment for each paragraph. A correlation edition unit provides a user the correspondence obtained by the segment correlation calculation unit, and edits the correspondence according to a correction instruction from the user if any.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for correlating each segment of an original language document to each segment of its translated language document.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the internationalization of information, a document described in a specific language (for example, English) is frequently translated into another language (for example, Japanese). In such an environment, it often becomes necessary to compare an original document with its translation. Such necessity occurs in a case where a sentence translated by a translation machine is checked, a case where necessary knowledge is extracted for preparing a translation assistance tool from a set of original text and its translated text, and so on. In this case, it is convenient if the correspondence between each segment of an original document and each segment of its translation is shown. In this case, a "segment" means, for example, a "sentence", a "phrase", a "word" or the like composing a document of a natural language, although it is not especially limited.
As a prior art, a method for automatically detecting the correspondence between an original document and its translation for each segment using a computer, and graphically displaying the correspondence is proposed based on such a request (see, for example, Patent document 1).
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. H9-179868 (that is, Japanese Patent No. 3311567), FIG. 6.
Products for detecting and displaying such a correspondence have already been sold. As such a product, "Winalign" attached to the "Translator's Workbench" of TRADOS Corporation (http://www.trados.com/) is known.
However, in the prior art, the larger the amount of information of a document to be compared, the lower the accuracy of the correspondence between segments. In addition, when the order of paragraphs differs between an original document and its translation, the accuracy of the correspondence between segments is low. Furthermore, if no segment corresponding to a segment in an original document exists in its translation or if a segment not existing in an original document is added in its translation, its influence widely spreads, thereby degrading the accuracy of the correspondence between segments.
The above-mentioned prior art provides an interface for correcting the incorrect correspondence, when an incorrect correspondence is detected. However, if the accuracy of the correspondence between segments is low, a user must do a lot of correction work.


There is provided a tactile alarm system for use in environments having a plurality of audio and/or visual alarms each in communication with a detector measuring a predetermined physical property. The system includes one or more tactile alarms each connected to a different person and each configured to provide tactile stimulation to the person when one or more predetermined physical property falls outside a predetermined range.

In a wide variety of industries and professions, detectors are used to measure physical properties of interest. When one or more of these properties exceed a predetermined range, an alarm condition is signaled to one or more audible and/or visual alarms which respond by activating. For example, in a surgical operating theatre two audible and/or visual alarms can activate in response to two detected properties falling outside their predetermined ranges. In such a case, a plurality of practitioners who may be present in the theatre simultaneously to perform their respective roles are subject to both activated alarms.
During a surgical operation detectors are connected to the patient so as to measure physical properties of the patient which can include heart rate, blood oxymetry, temperature, blood pressure, ECG or other predetermined properties. It may be that different practitioners involved in the surgery are interested in monitoring different properties of the patient depending on their role in the surgery. For example, an anesthetist may be interested in monitoring the patient's heart-rate and blood pressure whereas another practitioner may only be interested in closely monitoring the quantity of a particular chemical in a patients blood.
Presently, all monitored information is available to all members of the surgical team including nursing staff even though they may not have a specific interest in monitoring a particular measured physical property to perform their duties.
Of these measured properties, it is normally the case that when they rise above or fall below a predetermined value or outside a predetermined range, an alarm condition is generated by processing electronics connected to the output of the detectors. Such alarm conditions are provided in the form of an audible and/or visual alert. For example, a visual alarm may appear or flash on a video display unit and/or an audible alarm associated with the display will activate when a measured property falls outside a predetermined range. These alarms are provided for all members of the surgical team and nursing staff and do not discriminate by providing an alarm signal to specific members of the surgical or nursing staff present in an operation. That is, all present personnel will be subject to audible and/or visual alarms when they activate.
In such situations where all members of the operating theatre are subject to those activated alarms, some personnel can either be distracted by them or alerted to an alarm condition that is not of specific interest to them. For example, the activation of an audible or visual alarm in response to a property not of specific interest to a surgeon may cause a distraction which is very undesirable.
In practice, it is common to avoid the interference and distractions caused by the activation of alarms, especially audible alarms, by turning them off or down in magnitude prior to or during a surgery. Notwithstanding that this prevents unnecessary distractions when alarm conditions occur, it defeats the purpose of employing an alarm especially when it is turned off.
It is also well known that medical practitioners and, in particular, junior practitioners are subject to relatively long hours of work. In some cases, a practitioner will only have a very specific role during a surgery, for example an anesthetist, who is only looking at particular vital signs of a patient, often on a monitor which cannot be directly seen from their preferred observation position of the patient without moving. After long periods of time it is not unknown for a practitioner to lose concentration or even fall asleep where audible or visual alarms become ineffective and they may remain unaware of the existence of an alarm condition for an undesirable period of time.
In other fields of endeavour, for example aircraft piloting, a pilot has many tasks to perform sometimes simultaneously wherein the activation of an alarm condition corresponding to a system of the aircraft may go unnoticed for some time. In the specific case of combat pilots who experience high gravitational forces, audible and/or visual signals may not be as efficiently processed by the brain than at normal G-forces and visual alarm signals can be difficult to interpret.
In the case of commercial pilots, a loss of cabin pressure of an aircraft when it is at a high altitude is communicated to a pilot by means of an audible or visual alarm which activates when the pressure falls below a predetermined level. When the cabin pressure falls slowly, it is common for a pilot to be practically unconscious when the alarms are activated. Coupled with the plethora or other audible and visual systems in an aircraft, the pilot in these situations often does not heed the alarms which may have fatal results.

System for providing a tactile stimulation in response to a predetermined alarm condition