Embodiments of this disclosure provide a signal processing method and device. The method includes: transmitting first information via RMSI, and/or transmitting second information via RRC signaling; wherein SSB related information indicated by the first indication information is at least partially same as SSB related information indicated by the second indication information.

In a new radio (NR) system, a base station needs to transmit a synchronization signal block (SSB) for a terminal device to perform synchronization, system information acquisition and measurement, etc.
The base station may notify, by means of remaining minimum system information (RMSI) (also known as system information block 1 (SIB1)) and radio resource control (RRC) signaling, the terminal device of which SSBs are actually transmitted by the base station.
However, the RMSI and the RRC may indicate differently in regard to the SSBs actually transmitted by the base station. In this case, according to the different SSB indications, user terminal devices in different states (e.g., connected state and idle state) may have different understandings with respect to physical channel (or physical signal) resource allocation, and may have different understandings with respect to an association relationship between the physical channel (or physical signal) and the actually transmitted SSB according to different SSB indications, thus possibly leading to a waste of resource and increased complexity of system resource configuration.


An athletic supporter provides enhanced support and comfort by employing an attachment means between the pouch and waistband. This attachment means provides a plurality of position for attachment that allows the support to be adjusted to the situation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to athletic equipment and in particular athletic supporters.
2. Art Background
The avowed purpose for athletic supporters is the support of the genitals and scrotum during athletic endeavors or during less strenuous activities. The supporters generally include a waistband, a downward and then rearward projecting pouch appended to the front of the waistband to support the scrotum and genitals and a pair of straps extending from the bottom of the pouch to separated positions on the waistband. Supporters are made in a few discrete sizes. However this concept of a few sizes fitting all is often unsatisfactory. Even if a generically sized supporter fits when new, lending some of the desired support, washings and use soon take their toll.
Attempts to extend the usefulness of supporters have often involved improvement of the materials, e.g., elastic materials. Some other approaches involve mechanical expedients. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,117, issued Dec. 15, 1970, describes an adjustable waistband having a fastener, e.g., a Velcro .RTM. fastener, to reduce or enlarge the circumference of the waistband. This adjustability does not significantly improve the support provided. An alternate approach to increased convenience (U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,357, issued Feb. 27, 1979) employs, as shown in FIG. 1, a pouch, 1, with no straps at the bottom of the pouch but having two adjustable straps, 3 and 4, attached to opposing ends at the top of the pouch and adapted to attach to the waistband of a separate garment, e.g., a bathing suit. Lack of straps at the bottom of the pouch significantly decreases support.
Attempts to compensate for the varying degrees of support required for different activities for the variety of human configurations and for the ranges of use have not been entirely successful.


A multiple-disc filter body for separating solid particles from a fluid flowing through the filter body from its inlet side to its outlet side, comprises a stack of filter discs in which the side faces of each pair of adjacent discs are formed with ribs of at least two different heights such as to define filtering passageways of a larger size on the inlet side of the filter stack and filtering passageways of a smaller size on the outlet side of the filter stack in series with the larger-size filtering passageways, whereby coarse particles are first separated by the fluid in the larger size filtering passageways, and then finer particles are separated from the fluid in the smaller size filtering passageways.

The present invention relates to multiple-disc filters, and particularly to the construction of the discs used in such filters.
Multiple-disc filters are gaining wide spread use in a large number of applications, for example in water irrigation systems for removing foreign particles which may clog the water irrigation devices. Such filters include a stack of filter discs in which the side faces of each pair of adjacent discs are formed with ribs defining filtering passageways between them. The present invention is particularly applicable to the multiple-disc filter construction illustrated in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,661,250 and 4,592,839, in which the ribs of one face of each pair of adjacent discs are of a first configuration, and the ribs on the other face of each pair of adjacent discs are of a second configuration and contact the first configuration ribs of the next adjacent disc such that the filter passageways between each pair of adjacent discs are of a size determined by the height of the second configuration ribs. In the preferred embodiment described in the above-cited U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,250, the first configuration ribs are of sinuous shape, and the second configuration ribs are of annular shape. It has been found that filters of such a construction have a low sensitivity to clogging by dirt particles, may be more effectively cleaned in a quick and simple manner, and have an increased dirt-removing and dirt-holding capacity, as compared to conventional multiple-disc filters.

Multiple-disc filter having smaller passageways on the outlet side


This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to optical modulators. In one aspect, a device includes a substrate, a first electrically insulating material disposed over the substrate, a first graphene layer and a second graphene layer disposed in the first electrically insulating material and being separated by the first electrically insulating material, and a waveguide disposed on the first electrically insulating material. At least a portion of the second graphene layer overlays at least a portion of the first graphene layer. The waveguide overlays both the first graphene layer and the second graphene layer.

To boost the development of future supercomputers and data centers, ideal optical modulators with ultrahigh speed, small footprint, large optical bandwidth, athermal operation, and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility are needed. Modulators are classified in two operational categories: electrorefractive and electroabsorptive. For the refractive approach, the modulation is typically achieved by varying the plasma dispersion effect and free carrier absorption in silicon to control the real part of material permittivity. However, for a single-pass two-beam interference like Mach-Zehnder's, such a change is typically poor. Hence, a device several hundreds of micrometers long must be employed to manipulate the relative phase of the interfering beams for output power control. This results in a large footprint and a high capacitance, which consequently raises the power consumption. Other refractive modulator designs with multiple-pass single-beam interference, such as resonators, require a large quality factor (>104) or a narrowband modulation (<0.1 nm), which results in a stringent fabrication process. In addition, precise temperature stabilization to keep the device on resonance is needed, causing an increase in the total power consumption.
In contrast, absorptive modulators (such as germanium-based devices) utilize the changes of the imaginary part of the material permittivity by applying an electrical field through the structure, mostly with a reverse bias voltage on a p-i-n-like structure. The electroabsorption effect of germanium has offered a high modulation speed but with a limited optical bandwidth due to finite band gap. As a result, it cannot cover the entire optical communication regime (1525-1565 nm (C band) and 1570-1610 nm (L band)). Furthermore, CMOS-compatible applications require special processes (such as epitaxial growth, wafer bonding, or die bonding), which limits the thermal stability of the final devices.

Double-layer graphene optical modulators and methods of fabrication thereof

The Regents of the University of California


A low-cost micro-controller debugging system with a ROM or RAM emulator is disclosed. The system includes a target microcontroller (MCU) and at least one ROM connected together, with a debugger unit which debugs that target MCU. A ROM/RAM emulator is connected to the target MCU and the debugger unit for emulating the ROM.

Conventionally, processor-based electronic systems, such as micro-controllers or microprocessors, require test instrumentation capable of diagnosing and correcting system faults and faulty electronic components. Such conventional diagnostic testers have relied upon the technique of emulating the system's processing unit in order to control the remainder of the system so that a series of diagnostic tests may be conducted, which isolate the system's processing unit from the remainder of the components.
Generally, the technique of emulation performs two basic functions. In isolating the processing unit from the remainder of its system components, it may quickly be determined whether the processing unit itself is faulty, or whether the problem lies in some other component. Second, using an emulator to control the remainder of the system, rather than the system's processing unit, allows the diagnostic tester much more flexibility in exercising the remaining components of the system, which might not otherwise be possible. This is due to the fact that a processing unit in the system largely depends upon other system components in order to execute programs, and it is very likely that one or more of these other components could be the source of the problem. The diagnostic test routines can effectively remove these components from the system selectively, or exercise these components from the processing unit's emulator in such a way that their functions are isolated from one another so that diagnosis of the system may proceed in an orderly fashion.
The problem with such conventional testers is, however, that they are expensive. A diagnostic tester emulating a processing unit is unique to the particular processor unit used in the device under test (DUT). Since there are a large variety of different processors, as well as micro-controllers, currently in use in various types of systems, it can be very expensive to acquire a plurality of testers, one for each type of processing unit. These customized testers also require the use of complex circuits, which contribute to the overall cost.
Additionally, such conventional testers may require a special in-circuit emulation ("ICE") chip with lots of glue circuitry. Such ICE chips need to be customized as they are not product chips, adding to the overall cost of such testers. Finally, such conventional testers usually end up becoming quite a bulky piece of electronic equipment, due to the complicated electronics and wiring needed. Such bulkiness makes it cumbersome for the test engineers to move the board around, or use it outside of the lab.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a low-cost debugging system without the conventional ICE-based debugging system. Such debugging system should be able to cooperate with a ROM/RAM emulator, as well as use production chips to access external memory. Finally, it is desirable to provide a debugging system that can be built with lower cost, and yet remain portable for in-lab or on-the-road usage.

Low-cost debugging system with a ROM or RAM emulator


A control for an automatic shifting power transmission employs an algorithm to determine the proper gear ratio during vehicle deceleration. The algorithm establishes downshift grade requirements based on the brake pressure and speed threshold targets based on brake pressure. A grade average is calculated from the operating parameters of acceleration, engine braking, aerodynamic drag, rolling resistance and brake torque deceleration. If the grade average is within downshifting range and the speed target is met, the control commands a downshift to the next lower gear ratio. The downshift grade requirements decrease as brake pressure increases and speed targets increase as brake pressure increases.

Grade braking in passenger vehicles has been left to the purview of the operator of the vehicle. If the operator wishes the vehicle to decelerate or have a constant speed on a down grade, the brake pedal is depressed in an effort to slow the vehicle. Many drivers recognize that, with automatic transmissions, it is possible to control the down grade speed somewhat by shifting the transmission to a lower drive ratio (fourth to third, or fourth to third to second) and employing the brakes simultaneously. As with manual or countershaft type transmissions, this requires a manual input or shift effort from the operator.
In some instances, the operator may be slow to recognize the increasing speed rate of the vehicle. Under these conditions, the brake application pressure must be increased. While this maintains the vehicle speed in a range that the operator finds comfortable, the brake wear, lining and rotor temperature and the amount of brake fade increase. This can have a shortening effect on the life of the brakes which will require the vehicle owner to replace or service the brakes more often.
With the advent of electro-hydraulic controls, many additional automatic functions can be made available to the operator and transmission control becomes more precise. Ratio interchanges are considerably improve with the use of lookup tables to determine the shift sequence and timing. The widespread introduction of anti-lock braking systems has also improved the vehicle braking function.

Adaptive brake compensation for grade braking


There are disclosed imaging members wherein a chemical compound in a crystalline form is converted, at least partially, and preferably substantially completely or completely, to a liquid in the amorphous form, the liquid having intrinsically a different color from the crystalline form. Also described are imaging methods utilizing the imaging members. The conversion of the compound from the crystalline form to the liquid form can be effected by the application of thermal energy or by other imaging techniques.

The development of thermal print heads (linear arrays of individually-addressable resistors) has led to the development of a wide variety of thermally-sensitive media. In some of these, known as "thermal transfer" systems, heat is used to move colored material from a donor sheet to a receiver sheet. Alternatively, heat may be used to convert a colorless coating on a single sheet into a colored image, in a process known as "direct thermal" imaging. Direct thermal imaging has the advantage over thermal transfer of the simplicity of a single sheet. On the other hand, unless a fixing step is incorporated, direct thermal systems are still sensitive to heat after thermal printing. If a stable image is needed from an unfixed direct thermal system, the temperature for coloration must be higher than any temperature that the image is likely to encounter during normal use. A problem arises in that the higher the temperature for coloration, the less sensitive the medium will be when printed with the thermal print head. High sensitivity is important for maximum speed of printing, for maximizing the longevity of the print head, and for energy conservation in mobile, battery-powered printers. As described in more detail below, maximizing sensitivity while maintaining stability is more easily achieved if the temperature of coloration of a direct thermal medium is substantially independent of the heating time.
Thermal print heads address one line of the image at a time. For reasonable printing times, each line of the image is heated for about ten milliseconds or less. Storage of the medium (prior to printing or in the form of the final image) may need to be for years, however. Thus, for high imaging sensitivity, a high degree of coloration is required in a short time of heating, while for good stability a low degree of coloration is required for a long time of heating.
Most chemical reactions speed up with increasing temperature. Therefore, the temperature required for coloration in the short heating time available from a thermal print head will normally be higher than the temperature needed to cause coloration during the long storage time. Actually reversing this order of temperatures would be a very difficult task, but maintaining a substantially time-independent temperature of coloration, such that both long-time and short-time temperatures for coloration are substantially the same, is a desirable goal that is achieved by the present invention.
There are other reasons why a time-independent coloration temperature may be desirable. It may, for example, be required to perform a second thermal step, requiring a relatively long time of heating, after printing. An example of such a step would be thermal lamination of an image. The temperature of coloration of the medium during the time required for thermal lamination must be higher than the lamination temperature (otherwise the medium would become colorized during lamination). It would be preferred that the imaging temperature be higher than the lamination temperature by as small a margin as possible, as would be the case for time-independent temperature of coloration.
Finally, the imaging system may comprise more than one color-forming layer and be designed to be printed with a single thermal print-head, as described in the above-mentioned patent application Ser. No. 10/151,432. In one embodiment of the imaging system, the topmost color-forming layer forms color in a relatively short time at a relatively high temperature, while the lower layer or layers form color in a relatively long time at a relatively low temperature. An ideal topmost layer for this type of direct thermal imaging system would have time-independent temperature of coloration.
Prior art direct thermal imaging systems have used several different chemical mechanisms to produce a change in color. Some have employed compounds that are intrinsically unstable, and which decompose to form a visible color when heated. Such color changes may involve a unimolecular chemical reaction. This reaction may cause color to be formed from a colorless precursor, the color of a colored material to change, or a colored material to bleach. The rate of the reaction is accelerated by heat. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,705 discloses thermally unstable organic acid salts of triarylmethane dyes that are decomposed and bleached upon heating. U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,009 reissued as U.S. Reissue Pat. No. 29,168 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,212 disclose heat-sensitive compounds for thermography containing a heterocyclic nitrogen atom substituted with an—OR group, for example, a carbonate group, that decolorize by undergoing homolytic or heterolytic cleavage of the nitrogen-oxygen bond upon heating to produce an RO+ ion or RO′ radical and a dye base or dye radical which may in part fragment further. U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,629 discloses styryl-like compounds that undergo coloration or bleaching, reversibly or irreversibly, via ring-opening and ring-closing in response to activating energies. U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,449 describes an intramolecular acylation reaction that converts a colorless molecule to a colored form. U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,052 describes pyrolysis of a mixed carbonate of a quinophthalone precursor that may be used to form a dye. U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,263 describes a thermally-removable protecting group that may be used to reveal a dye or to change the color of a dye. U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,870 describes an intramolecular acylation reaction that may be used to induce a color change. A further example of a unimolecular color-forming reaction is described in "New Thermo-Response Dyes: Coloration by the Claisen Rearrangement and Intramolecular Acid-Base Reaction Masahiko Inouye, Kikuo Tsuchiya, and Teijiro Kitao, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 31, pp. 204-5 (1992).
In all of the above-mentioned examples, control of the chemical reaction is achieved through the change in rate that occurs with changing temperature. Thermally-induced changes in rates of chemical reactions in the absence of phase changes may often be approximated by the Arrhenius equation, in which the rate constant increases exponentially as the reciprocal of absolute temperature decreases (i.e., as temperature increases). The slope of the straight line relating the logarithm of the rate constant to the reciprocal of the absolute temperature is proportional to the so-called "activation energy". The prior art compounds described above are coated in an amorphous state prior to imaging, and thus no change in phase is expected or described as occurring between room temperature and the imaging temperature. Thus, as employed in the prior art, these compounds exhibit strongly time-dependent coloration temperatures. Some of these prior art compounds are described as having been isolated in crystalline form. Nevertheless, in no case is there mentioned in this prior art any change in activation energy of the color-forming reaction that may occur when crystals of the compounds are melted.
Other prior art thermal imaging media depend upon melting to trigger image formation. Typically, two or more chemical compounds that react together to produce a color change are coated onto a substrate in such a way that they are segregated from one another, for example, as dispersions of small crystals. Melting, either of the compounds themselves or of an additional fusible vehicle, brings them into contact with one another and causes a visible image to be formed. For example, a colorless dye precursor may form color upon heat-induced contact with a reagent. This reagent may be a Bronsted acid, as described in "Imaging Processes and Materials", Neblette's Eighth Edition, J. Sturge, V. Walworth, A. Shepp, Eds., Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1989, pp. 274-275, or a Lewis acid, as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,819. Suitable dye precursors for use with acidic reagents are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,417,897, South African Patent 68-00170, South African Patent 68-00323 and Ger. Offenlegungschrift 2,259,409. Further examples of such dyes may be found in "Synthesis and Properties of Phthalide-type Color Formers", by Ina Fletcher and Rudolf Zink, in "Chemistry and Applications of Leuco Dyes", Muthyala Ed., Plenum Press, New York, 1997. The acidic material may for example be a phenol derivative or an aromatic carboxylic acid derivative. Such thermal imaging materials and various combinations thereof are now well known, and various methods of preparing heat-sensitive recording elements employing these materials also are well known and have been described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,539,375, 4,401,717 and 4,415,633.
Prior art systems in which at least two separate components are mixed following a melting transition suffer from the drawback that the temperature required to form an image in a very short time by a thermal print-head may be substantially higher than the temperature required to colorize the medium during longer periods of heating. This difference is caused by the change in the rate of the diffusion needed to mix the molten components together, which may become limiting when heat is applied for very short periods. The temperature may need to be raised well above the melting points of the individual components to overcome this slow rate of diffusion. Diffusion rates may not be limiting during long periods of heating, however, and the temperature at which coloration takes place in these cases may actually be less than the melting point of either individual component, occurring at the eutectic melting point of the mixture of crystalline materials.
Despite the many prior art examples of direct thermal imaging systems, therefore, there are none in which the temperature of image formation is substantially time-independent. In particular, there has not previously been described a method for producing an image in which a crystalline chemical compound is converted to a liquid, or amorphous, form, the liquid form having intrinsically a different color from the crystalline form.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention provides a carburized part which is formed by processing a steel into a shape of a part and performing a carburizing treatment on the steel, the steel having a composition consisting essentially of, in terms of % by mass: 0.10% to 0.40% of C; 0.05% to 2.00% of Si; 0.30% to 2.00% of Mn; 0.30% to 3.00% of Cr; 0.025% or less of N; and as a pinning particle forming element which forms a pinning particle by nitrification, one or two or more elements selected from: 0.020% to 0.100% of Al; 0.01% to 0.20% of Nb; and 0.005% to 0.20% of Ti, and optionally: 0.80% or less of Mo, with the remainder being Fe and inevitable impurities, in which a crystal grain size number of a surface layer of the part at a depth of 50 μm or less from a surface is greater than 5, and the crystal grain size number of an inner portion of the part at a depth of 3 mm or more from the surface is 5 or less.

Conventionally, it has been considered that, in order to improve mechanical properties, it is desirable to retain crystal grains to be fine in gears, bearing parts, shafts and other mechanical parts, and have been performed in that manner.
For example, in mechanical parts such as gears and bearing parts, which require high surface strength, JIS steel types such as SCr420 are generally used after having been processed into the shapes of parts and then subjected to a surface-hardening treatment by carburization hardening. However, in this case, studies for refining crystal grains as much as possible have been conducted conventionally.
Specifically, when the above-described parts are subjected to a carburizing treatment, particularly, when the parts are subjected to a carburizing treatment at a high temperature, coarsening of the crystal grains in the surface layer is easily caused.
Conventionally, various studies and proposals to prevent crystal grains from becoming coarse in a surface layer have been made.
A technique of pinning grain boundaries by precipitating nitride particles such as AlN and Nb (C,N) in a dispersed state as pinning particles at a manufacturing step before a carburizing treatment has been widely known as a technique for preventing crystal grains from becoming coarse, and techniques of this kind are disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 below.
In the technique of precipitating nitride particles of AlN or the like in a dispersed state as pinning particles at a manufacturing step before a carburizing treatment, in order to sufficiently precipitate the nitride particles of AlN or the like (pinning particles), large amounts of N and Al or Nb are added in steel in advance.
In this case, coarsening of the crystal grains is prevented in the surface layer at the time of the carburizing treatment, and crystal grains in the inner portion of the part are also retained to be fine due to the pinning effect by nitride particles of AlN or the like to be precipitated in the steel.
It has been conventionally considered that a part in which the crystal grains in the surface layer are prevented from becoming coarse and the crystal grains in the inner portion of the part are refined in this manner, that is, a part having fine crystal grains in both of the surface layer and the inner portion of the part, has satisfactory mechanical properties, particularly, satisfactory fatigue properties.
In addition, in Patent Document 3 below, in order to prevent denitrification and coarsening of crystal grains caused by the denitrification during a carburizing treatment, or in order to ensure fine crystal grain stability by supplying nitrogen to a surface layer to form nitride particles on the surface layer, a technique of introducing a nitriding gas such as NH3 into a treatment furnace during a vacuum carburizing treatment (including a temperature rising period by heating) is disclosed.
However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 3, the nitriding gas introduction is merely described and a relationship in quantity of nitride particles and a relationship in crystal grain size of nitride particles between the surface layer of the part and the inner portion of the part, and the like are not described.

Carburized component and method for manufacturing same


An apparatus for rapidly laying down or retrieving a ground cover while simultaneously laying down or retrieving heavy chains and the like used to secure the ground cover onto the ground. The apparatus of the present invention can lay down or retrieve 3,500 feet or more of ground cover and heavy chains at a rate of at least about 100 feet per minute or more.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to machines using cover reels for laying down and taking up ground covers and particularly to a machine that rapidly lays down a ground cover on a road while simultaneously securing the cover to the road with chains, and rapidly retrieving the cover and chains for reuse.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous machines have been described which use reel mechanisms to lay down covers on the ground and take them up. Some of these have been for covering baseball fields, football fields, new-laid concrete, winter recreation surfaces, and land fills. Some machines have been described for laying down or taking up plastic piping or grass turf. These machines have no means to rapidly secure the ground cover on the ground with chains or similar material and to rapidly retrieve the ground cover and chains. In road construction industry, rain can wet a road surface under construction to the point where further construction is not possible until the road dries. It may take several days, after a rainfall, for a road to dry out enough to resume construction.
There exists a need for a practical apparatus that can apply and secure a cover to a road construction site quickly to protect it from weather and other environmental conditions, and rapidly (within a few minutes) retrieve the cover for reuse and allow work to resume. However, in windy conditions it is necessary to weight or secure the cover to the ground as the cover is being laid on the ground. Also, it is necessary to remove the cover from the ground to the cover reel with minimum space between the two because, if wind gets under the cover the wind will blow the cover off center, twist it, and disrupt rewinding or laying down the cover. The present invention provides a novel, practical means for meeting these needs and will, thus, save considerable time and expense by reducing the interference of inclement weather with road construction.
The present invention is an apparatus for rapidly laying down or retrieving a ground cover while simultaneously laying down or retrieving retaining material, such as heavy chains, for securing the ground cover onto the ground. The apparatus is useful for laying a cover over a road, dam, or building construction site within a few minutes to protect the construction site from rainfall reducing the damage, delay, and cost it causes. It is, thus, also useful for preventing construction delays due to rainfall at road construction sites, prior to laying asphalt or concrete. The cover can then be rapidly retrieved within a few minutes by the apparatus when there is no longer a threat of rain so work can continue without costly delay. In a preferred embodiment, the invention has a frame which is attached rotatably to a prime mover such as a forklift or tractor. The frame has support arms which support a cover reel. Raising and lowering means are connected between the prime mover and frame to raise and lower the frame and cover reel, preferably by rotating the frame downward or upward. Chain reels or sprockets, with a motor/transmission assembly, and containers are located on the prime mover or frame for winding or unwinding the anchor chains.
The cover on the reel can be lowered to the ground or close to the ground and laid onto the ground rapidly by the action of the prime mover pushing the cover reel forward, freely unwinding the cover from the cover reel which has adjustable hydraulic drag to prevent backlash. The chains will unwind freely from the containers behind the cover reel through a series of guide rollers and onto the cover serving to hold the cover in a fixed position on the ground. The cover can be rewound and taken up onto the cover reel in a similar manner. The cover is attached to the cover reel and is then pushed forward by the prime mover, rapidly winding up the cover as the cover reel rotates. Simultaneously, the chains are taken up by the chain reels or sprockets which are rotated by a motor/transmission assembly. In both procedures of rapidly laying down or taking up the cover, a downward pressing force can be applied to the cover reel by the raising and lowering means to facilitate winding, unwinding, or alignment of the cover on the ground, or the weight of the cover reel and frame alone may be sufficient for these purposes. Alternatively, the cover reel can be power driven to adjust drag and tension in the cover during laying down and retrieval.
An advantage of the present invention is a cover reel assembly that can apply and secure a cover with heavy securing chains to the ground at a rate of 100 feet per minute or more.
Another advantage of the present invention is a cover reel assembly that can take up a cover and heavy securing chains from the ground at a rate of 100 feet per minute or more.
Another advantage of the present invention is a cover reel assembly that can lay down and retrieve the cover and heavy securing chains without the occurrence of backlash or wrinkles in the cover.
Another advantage of the present invention is reducing lost time from rain and xe2x80x9cconditions too wet to workxe2x80x9d during construction.
Another advantage of the present invention is a cover reel assembly that can provide a cover which will heat and insulate the road therefore allowing work to continue in freezing or near freezing weather.

Apparatus for rapidly laying, retrieving, and securing ground covers


A gamified pharmaceutical packaging, dispensing system, and methodology is disclosed. The innovative gamified smart packaging system and methodology provides a variety of incentives to patients and relevant teams to take their medications, on time, and at the correct dosage. The system comprises monitored pharmaceutical dispensing devices that communicate with a plurality of compute devices, or smartphones. Each time the patient dispenses the medicine from the dispensing device, a signal is transmitted to the compute device. Upon receiving the signal, the compute device records the dispensing event, calculates a specific “score” for that event, and reports the patient's cumulative “score” of successfully dispensing the medicine. If a dispensing event signal is not received in a timely fashion, the system sends a prompt to the patient to take their medication. Accumulating points by properly taking the prescribed medication allows the patient and/or team to be eligible to receive various benefits.

It is well recognized that the failure to properly take prescribed medication, either by not taking the medication, not taking it at the correct time or dosage (which could entail taking either too little or too much of the medication), is a very real problem both in the United States and internationally. According to an article published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, U.S. citizens fail to comply with medication prescription protocols for a variety of reasons, including failure to understand the protocol, belief that the patient no longer needs the medication, or simply being forgetful. International pharmaceutical users likely experience the same medication adherence issues.
In the U.S. alone, non-compliance with prescription protocols costs anywhere between $100 billion to $289 billion annually. Moreover, in the U.S., it is estimated that approximately 50 percent of all medications for chronic disease are not properly taken by patients or the prescribed protocol is not followed. Various studies further estimate that failure to follow prescription protocols causes approximately 125,000 deaths each year, and up to 10 percent of all emergency hospitalizations. Furthermore, during clinical trials of new drugs where every data point is valuable, the inability of patients to take their medications in a timely fashion may disqualify the results for that patient and in turn delay the approval of effective medication.
For many ailments for which medication is prescribed, symptom relief is usually a sufficient enough incentive for the patients to take their medication in a timely fashion. But many other ailments and maladies exist for which there are either no recognizable symptoms—especially those associated with lifestyle choice, either past or present—or where the symptom relief is achieved only over an extended period of time. For such ailments, the lack of a near-term symptom-reduction benefit significantly reduces the patient's incentive to continue taking medications at the prescribed intervals and doses.
Various prior devices, systems and methodologies have been created to attempt to effectively address this issue of an incentive-based pharmaceutical drug adherence program or protocol. Patents and patent applications exist for such incentive-based systems, as well as for smart, or intelligent, dispensing systems. The following provides an overview of some of the known prior patents and applications.
Incentive Systems for Medication Adherence
Heath et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,508,346, System And Method For Automating And Verifying Medication Compliance (Heath), discloses a reward system linked to a smart dispenser. The Heath system receives from a remote processor alerts of medications to be taken and reads from the dispenser whether dispensing has occurred, and presents a message to the user of the compliance results. The system displays a reward for the patient when the patient complies with the instructions. There is no description of the type of "rewards" that may be given, and there is no disclosure of incorporation of any teams or competitive gamification.
Bartholomew, Ill et al., US 2012/0245960, Points-Based Reward Program For Improving Medication Adherence And Outcomes (Bartholomew), describes a "frequent flyer" type of program for medication users. A patient registers with a website and receives points that can be used for various merchandise/services. The website and not the pharmaceutical package sends a reminder to take the medication as well as refill reminders to the patient via phone, email, or SMS. Points can also be earned from participation in various educations activities, and also by achieving particular lab values. In Bartholomew there is no disclosure or suggestion of gamification using team members, or involving doctors or other caregivers.
De Oliveira et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,439,758, Medication Compliance Using Persuasive Computing (De Oliveira), awards points for taking medication. The points can be applied to various rewards. Points received are based on the time difference of taking a medication and the scheduled dose time. Timing information is received from the opening of a pillbox that has a smart lid that communicates with a local computing device (e.g., a smartphone) which uploads the information to a server. The De Oliveira system includes the use of competition and a chat feature for competitors to remind each other to take their medications. Patients receive points for reminding others to take their medications. There is no disclosure in De Oliveira relating to the use or structure of teams.
Filipi et al., US 2014/0219064, Medical apparatus for data storage (Filipi), focuses on a smart watch as a notification system. The specification describes a gaming functionality, such as one assigning points to a patient based upon compliance, which may be used to encourage greater compliance and/or foster competition between patients. Prizes may also be selected or awarded to a patient based upon the assigned points. As with the above patents and applications, in Filipi there is no disclosure identifying the use of teams of patients or other caregivers.
Smart Dispensing Technology
A relevant good example of the innovative use of smart dispensing technology for pills is provided by Nguyen, US 2010/0076595, Smart pill dispenser (Nguyen). This hardware disclosure is to a pill dispenser capable of (1) tracking prescription information, (2) an alert mechanism to prompt the user to take his or her pills, (3) a sensor to detect the time a pill has been removed, (4) automatically track the number of pills in the dispenser, (5) control the number of pills being dispensed, (6) linking with other dispensers, and (7) a communication link. The two-way communications link can inform a doctor, transmit data from other sensors (e.g., sensors for blood glucose, heart rate, etc.), or receive prescription modifications from the doctor. The system also describes the receipt of a notice of an upcoming appointment, as well as to interact with any insurer or pharmacy. Similar to the above patents and applications, there does not appear to be any disclosure or suggest of using gamification and collaboration features.
Kulkarni, U.S. Pat. No. 7,877,268, Intelligent Box, discloses a smart pill box that tracks the weight of its contents to account for when medications have been taken. Specifically, it records the timing of a change in weight. It includes a "disease management system" to prompt the user to take his medications. It also includes a communication system that may be a "telephone line to external systems to store the information of the patient's compliance," and thus can be used to alert a doctor or nurse of non-compliance. The user is prompted to take his or her medicine for the appropriate vial in the pill box by an audio alarm that indicates time to take medicine and an LED indicated which vial should be removed from the box to take the pill. Similar to the above patents and applications, there does not appear to be any disclosure or suggest of using gamification and collaboration features.
Brue, U.S. Pat. No. 7,158,011, Medication Compliance Device (Brue), targets dispensing of multiple medications and teaches a portable, multi-compartment box with containers for different medications along with a microprocessor that can be programmed to set off an alarm and open at various time intervals. The device further includes a communications port for uploading compliance data and downloading of information. As with most of the other noted art, there does not appear to be any disclosure or suggest of using gamification and collaboration features.
Hanpeter, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,316, Medication compliance monitoring device having conductive traces upon a frangible backing of a medication compartment (Hanpeter), discloses use of smart pill bottle technology and applies such technology to blister-pack medications. Hanpeter teaches a blister pack with conductive traces that connect to an electronic memory circuit. The electronic memory circuit detects the ruptures and stores the time data thereof over said extended period of time. During the patient's follow-up visit a microcomputer is employed to retrieve the dose-removal-time data from the memory circuit. There is no gamification or incentive protocols suggested or described in the Hanpeter patent.
Czaja et al., US20140277705, Medication Compliance Monitor—Method and Apparatus (Czaja), further describes use of escalation as a means to prevent dispensing. In Czaja, a medication dispenser wirelessly connects to an app. The app authenticates the user, and provides features of scheduling and alerting (through audio or text messaging) for the user and a third party (in the case of non-compliance). The dispenser detects dispensing by weight and can prevent dispensing. Again, there is no gamification or incentive protocols suggested or described in this application.
The known and currently existing pharmaceutical incentive systems and methodologies described above, and otherwise, do not fully address the primary problems and issues of patients not complying with prescription drug protocols. Accordingly, there is a need for a comprehensive, automatic, incentive-based system and method to monitor patients' adherence to medication protocols, and to incentivize compliance with such protocols during the entire prescription duration, and thereby address the problem of patients' non-adherence to prescription regimens.

Gamification systems and methods for improved healthcare outcomes


A method for automatic CR image composition includes the following steps for each image in a CR image pair. A vertical gradient image is projected onto a y-axis to obtain a y-axis projection. Edge positions (candidates) are identified from white band edge positions based on an absolute maximum value of the y-axis projection. An intensity change constancy identifies candidates having orientation angles less than a threshold angle with respect to a horizontal. An intensity change value verifies intensity value differences on two candidate sides. A cross-correlation score is computed for the candidates having an error value below a threshold for the intensity change constancy and the intensity change value, by comparing a consistency of the candidates against image data of the CR image pair. A final overlap is identified for the CR image pair, based upon the cross-correlation score.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to image composing and, in particular, to a method and system for automatic Computed Radiography (CR) image composition by white band detection and consistency rechecking.
2. Background Description
In a new type of X-ray image acquisition referred to as Computed Radiography (CR), cassettes containing storage phosphor plates are placed one after another so that anatomy larger than the size of the plates can be imaged by stitching individual images together. Since all the images are acquired at the same time, there is no content difference in the overlap region of neighboring image plates. This is not the case in auto-stepping, where the acquisition device moves stepwise after each acquisition of a small image. In general, when auto-stepping is employed, distortions exist in overlap regions due to depth differences. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a simplified view of a Computed Radiography (CR) image acquisition, according to the prior art.
Since individual images are digitized separately, there is a need to seamlessly combine the individual images after digitization. While such composition could be performed manually, manual approaches to composition are undesirably labor-intensive. Existing automatic methods that are based solely on cross correlation do not operate reliably, since the overlap between successive images is usually very small.
Accordingly, it would be desirable and highly advantageous to have a method and system for accurately and automatically combining Computed Radiography (CR) individual images after digitization.
The problems stated above, as well as other related problems of the prior art, are solved by the present invention, a method and system for automatic Computed Radiography (CR) image composition by white band detection and consistency rechecking.
The present invention provides a method and system for detecting the overlap region of successive images so that a mosaic of the images can obtained automatically and accurately.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for automatic Computed Radiography (CR) image composition by white band detection and consistency rechecking. The method includes the step of receiving an original CR image pair for composition. For each image in the original CR image pair, the following steps are performed. A horizontal gradient image and a vertical gradient image are generated. The vertical gradient image is projected onto a y-axis of the each image to obtain a y-axis projection. Candidate edge positions are identified from among at least two white band edge positions according to a relative value of each of the at least two white band edge positions with respect to a percentage value of an absolute maximum value of the y-axis projection. An intensity change constancy of the candidate edge positions is determined to identify the candidate edge positions having orientation angles less than a pre-defined threshold angle with respect to a horizontal. The orientation angles are orthogonal with respect to angles of maximum intensity change for pixels on the candidate edge positions. An intensity change value is determined to verify intensity value differences on two sides of the candidate edge positions with respect to predefined criteria. An error function is defined to respectively obtain an error value for each of the candidate edge positions with respect to the intensity change constancy and the intensity change value. The candidate edge positions having the error value below a pre-specified threshold are selected. A cross-correlation score is computed for the selected candidate edge positions, by comparing a consistency of the selected candidate edge positions against image data corresponding to the original image pair. A final overlap is identified for the original image pair, based upon the cross-correlation score.
According to another aspect of the invention, I (x,y) represents the each image in the original CR image pair. Ix (x,y) and Iy (x,y) respectively represent the horizontal gradient image and the vertical gradient image. The y-axis projection is equal to       P              (      y      )        =            ∑      x                  xe2x80x83                                    I          y                                  (                      x            ,            y                    )                    .
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the absolute maximum value of the y-axis projection is equal to   Max_Py  =            max      y                          "LeftBracketingBar"                  P                                (            y            )                          "RightBracketingBar"            .
According to still yet another aspect of the invention, xcexa9={c|c=1,2, . . . , Nc} represents a set of indices for the candidate edge positions having y-coordinates at {yc|c=1,2, . . . , Nc} in the each image. The angles of maximum intensity change for the pixels on a candidate edge position c from among the candidate edge positions are Rc(x)=arctan(Iy(x,yc),Ix(x,yc); xxcex5Dc,cxcex5xcexa9, where Dc is a set of points having a vertical gradient that is non-zero.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the set of points Dc is used to exclude over-saturated and under-exposed pixels.
According to a still further aspect of the invention, an orthogonal angle to Rc(x) is Rxe2x8axa5c(x). An average angle of Rxe2x8axa5c(x) represents an orientation angle of the candidate edge position c, and is equal to Ac,       A    c    =            ∑              x        ∈                  D          c                                xe2x80x83                                    R          c          ⊥                                  (          x          )                    /                        "LeftBracketingBar"                      D            c                    "RightBracketingBar"                .
|Dc| is a number of elements in the set of points Dc.
According to an additional aspect of the invention, the method further includes the step of excluding any of the candidate edge positions having an average angle below a pre-determined threshold from further consideration.
According to yet an additional aspect of the invention, the step of determining the intensity change constancy includes the following steps, performed for each of the candidate edge positions. A direction of maximum intensity change is determined for each of pixels on the each of the candidate edge positions. An orthogonal angle with respect to the direction of maximum intensity change is determined. A deviation is calculated of an orientation angle, measured as an average angle of the orthogonal angle, from the horizontal. The candidate edge positions having the deviation less than the pre-defined threshold are identified.
According to still yet an additional aspect of the invention, the step of determining the intensity change value includes the steps of measuring a relative intensity change across a candidate edge position c at two different, pre-defined offset values, and verifying that the relative intensity change satisfies the pre-defined criteria.
These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Method and system for automatic computed radiography (CR) image composition by white band detection and consistency rechecking


A pair of implements such as hay windrow fluffers are interconnected by a hitch assembly allowing for positioning the fluffers in a side-by-side field position or trailing transport position. A tongue assembly on the second implement is connected to the tongue assembly on the first implement when the implements are in a field position. An extendable linkage interconnects the implements and extends laterally when the implements are in a field position and parallel to the line of travel when the implements are in the transport position. The linkage has vertical posts at opposite ends which connect to the tongue assemblies of the implements to allow the linkage to extend over the front first implement when in the transport position.

A farm implement can only be so wide and still be manageable in traveling between fields including use of public highways. Thus, multiple implements will be hitched in side-by-side relationship for field use and then positioned one behind the other for transport. There are many complicated hitch arrangements that address this need, but they suffer from being overly complex in structure and operation. What is needed is a simplified hitch that will readily allow a pair of implements to be quickly moved between a side-by-side field position and a trailing transport position.


A method of this invention produces an aromatic carboxylic acid, by oxidizing an aromatic compound B with oxygen in the presence of a catalytic nitrogen-containing cyclic compound A to thereby yield a corresponding aromatic carboxylic acid, the aromatic compound B having one or more hydrocarbon groups alone as substituents on its aromatic ring, and the catalytic nitrogen-containing cyclic compound A having a skeleton represented by following Formula (i):

Methods for producing aromatic carboxylic acids include a method of oxidizing an aromatic compound having an alkyl group on its aromatic ring, such as xylene, with molecular oxygen in an organic acid in the presence of a Co—Mn—Br catalyst. This method, however, uses highly corrosive bromine and must thereby use production facilities of special materials.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. Hei 08-38909 and JP-A No. Hei 09-327626 propose oxidation catalysts comprising an imide compound having a specific structure or those comprising the imide compound and a transition metallic compound as catalysts for oxidizing substrates with molecular oxygen. These catalysts enable oxidation of an alkyl group bound to an aromatic ring under mild conditions. PCT International Publication Number WO 03/28884 and JP-A No. 2003-128618 each disclose a method of oxidizing an aromatic compound having an alkyl group or a lower-order oxidized group thereof on its aromatic ring with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising an imide compound having a N-substituted cyclic imide skeleton to thereby yield a corresponding aromatic carboxylic acid. This method can produce an aromatic carboxylic acid without the need for special reaction facilities. Even this method, however, is still industrially insufficient in production conditions and productivity.

Abstract: wherein X represents oxygen atom or an —OR group, and wherein R represents hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl-protecting group, as a constitutive member of its ring. The method includes the step of carrying out a reaction at a concentration of the aromatic compound B in the reaction system of 3.0 percent by weight or less, while continuously feeding the catalytic nitrogen-containing cyclic compound A, the aromatic compound B, a reaction solvent, and oxygen to a reactor and continuously extracting a reaction mixture from the reactor. This method can produce aromatic carboxylic acids with industrially good productivity without the need for special reaction facilities and without undergoing many steps.


A collapsible electric scooter, including a base frame enclosing an electric power source, a front assembly rotatably secured to the base frame, where the front assembly includes at least one motorized wheel secured to a front riser with a handle bar, a seat assembly removably secured to the base frame; and a rear assembly rotatably secured to at least one axle of the base frame, where the rear assembly includes at least one rear wheel and at least one rear axle support.

Field of the Invention
The invention broadly relates to a device for transportation, and more specifically to a collapsible electric scooter, even more particularly to a method of collapsing an electric scooter.
Description of the Related Art
Current electric scooters do not allow a user to efficiently collapse the scooter in a few movements and carry the collapsed scooter with minimal effort. Electric scooters typically collapse at each wheel and are quite bulky when fully collapsed. When a user tries to pick up a collapsed scooter in order to relocate it, the collapsed scooter places tremendous strain on the muscles and joints in the human body, which often causes injury to the user attempting to move the scooter. Given that most users of scooters are either elderly or have a physical need for the use of such a scooter, presently available scooters are difficult to collapse and carry.
Although numerous scooters today have tried to make collapsible versions, they remain extremely bulky and make it difficult for the users to move without the assistance of others or without tremendous strain on their body. Scooters are often utilized to remove the physical stress and/or pain the user is experiencing due to the various physical constraints of the user. Use of the scooter itself may be helpful, but users of today's scooters are still hampered by the size of the scooters, when collapsed, and the difficulty in collapsing the scooters through a simple operation.
In addition, current scooters are designed to prevent the scooter and user from tipping over while the scooter is turned. To achieve this, current scooters are often high off the ground to provide a higher center of gravity, which aids in preventing the scooter from tipping over while turning. Unfortunately, this higher design makes it more difficult for the user to mount and dismount from the scooter.
Thus, there is a long-felt need to develop a new type of collapsible electric scooter that is simple to collapse, compact when collapsed, and light weight to allow the user to move the scooter with minimal physical impact. Moreover, there is a further need for a scooter with a lower center of gravity that will still prevent the scooter from tipping over, while providing a lower mounting and dismounting position for the user. There is also a further need for a method of collapsing the electric scooter that allows the user to efficiently collapse the components of the scooter into a compact position for carrying.

Device and method for a collapsible electric scooter


Techniques are described herein for beam pair link procedures used in dual connectivity operations. A master base station may be configured to determine a timing window for a user equipment (UE) to monitor a downlink channel associated with a secondary base station. In some cases, the master base station may determine the timing window during a dual connectivity procedure or during a carrier aggregation procedure. The UE may monitor the downlink channel during the timing window and establish a beam pair link with the secondary base station based on the monitoring.

The following relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to techniques for establishing a beam pair link.
Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such as a Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employ technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), or discrete Fourier transform-spread-OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations or network access nodes, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE).
Some wireless communication systems may use directional beams to establish communication links. In these wireless communication systems, beam pair links that include both a directional transmission beam and a directional reception beam may be established. In addition, these wireless communication systems may also support dual connectivity operations.

Techniques for establishing a beam pair link


This disclosure describes a voice-controlled electronic device that includes a housing and a mounting component. The housing includes a translucent cover attached to a cylindrical-shaped unibody enclosure. The electronic device further includes a microphone array disposed near a first end within the housing, a speaker box disposed within the housing, and a printed circuit board assembly disposed within the housing. Additionally, the electronic device includes a camera disposed within the housing and attached to the printed circuit board assembly, and a depth sensor that includes a depth camera and a projector. In some instances, the camera and the depth sensor point substantially in a direction of the translucent cover. Furthermore, the electronic device includes a light ring that protrudes from a surface of the translucent display and surrounds a lens of the camera.

Homes are becoming more wired and connected with the proliferation of computing devices, such as desktops, tablets, entertainment systems, and portable communication devices. As computing devices evolve, different ways have been introduced to allow users to interact with these computing devices. For example, users can interact with these computing devices through mechanical means (e.g., keyboards, mice, etc.), touch screens, motion, gesture, or speech.


A computer includes a main housing formed with a mounting hole, and a switch device aligned with the mounting hole. The switch device includes a base, a power supply circuit board disposed fixedly on the rear side of the base, a power supply switch disposed on the power supply circuit board, a pressing unit operable to activate the power supply switch, and an infrared receiver disposed fixedly on the base of the switch device for receiving infrared signals.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a computer, and more particularly to a computer having an integration type switch device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The current trend in electronic products is toward increased compactness and attractive design. However, a conventional computer housing is formed with a plurality of openings for receiving a power supply switch, signal indicating lights, an infrared receiver, etc., and for transmission of infrared light rays. Such electronic elements and openings are not concentrated at a single location. This results in an ugly appearance of the computer and difficulties during manufacture.

Computer with integration type switch device


The invention relates to a method for acquiring, by use of a continuous-wave electron spin resonance imaging scheme that sweeps a magnetic field, a 14N nitroxy radical distribution image and a 15N nitroxy radical distribution image in a single image capturing operation. This image acquiring method is characterized in that the central one (B) of three absorption peaks derived from 14N nitroxy radical is caused to move to a higher or lower magnetic field side and Fourier transform is used to determine a parameter (α), which represents the amplitude of the absorption peak of the higher or lower magnetic field side, and a parameter (γ) which represents the peak position of that absorption peak.

There is a demand for a technique that visualizes a distribution of a specific molecule in an organism from a cell level to an individual level. For example, a lifetime of a free radical in an organism is short, and a spatial distribution thereof is desired to be measured during a short period of time (for example, several seconds). As an apparatus for detecting a free radical, there is an electron spin resonance (ESR) imaging apparatus. The ESR imaging apparatus can selectively detect only a free radical by observing a magnetic moment of an unpaired electron spin of a free radical using resonance absorption of electromagnetic waves.
In a general ESR imaging method, a distribution of a kind of free radical can be visualized, but a distribution of two or more kinds of free radical cannot be visualized in a single measurement. As techniques for visualizing a distribution of two or more kinds of free radical, three techniques below are reported.
As a first technique, an example is reported in which a distribution of 14N nitroxy radical and a distribution of 15N nitroxy radical are simultaneously visualized using an overhauser effect MRI (see Patent Literature 1 and Non-Patent Literature 1). In the overhauser effect MRI, electron spins in two radicals are separately excited using different magnetic fields by using a fact that an ESR absorption spectrum of 15N nitroxy radical is different from an absorption spectrum of 14N nitroxy radical when an electron spin is excited. Thus, a distribution of two kinds of free radical is successfully visualized.
As a second technique, an example is reported in which a distribution of two or more kinds of free radical is visualized by estimating a spatial distribution of an electron spin using iterative deconvolution (see Non-Patent Literature 2). In this example, a calculation is performed to reproduce measured projection data using two kinds of spectra. For this reason, time for a calculation of projection data and an image reconstruction is required, and there is a limit to short time processing.
As a third technique, an example is reported in which a distribution of multiple kinds of free radical is visualized by a spectral-spatial ESR imaging method (see Non-Patent Literature 3). The spectral-spatial ESR imaging method can perform a measurement without limiting a kind of free radical. However, to visualize a two-dimensional distribution of a free radical, a three-dimensional spectral-spatial imaging is needed to be performed. To perform the three-dimensional spatial imaging, generally, a spectrum of about the cube of the number of projections (Np) of each direction is needed to be obtained while changing a magnitude and a direction of a magnetic field gradient, and a measurement time increases.

Image acquiring method and image acquiring apparatus

National University Corporation Hokkaido University


To provide a method for producing liquid crystal display panels from a panel assembly, the display panels having a panel thickness smaller than that of the assembly, by which favorable scribe grooves can be formed, which therefore allows contribution to thin profiles and narrow frame regions of the display panels. The method includes a first scribe-formation step of forming, after a first step of thinning a TFT substrate assembly 20A and a CF substrate assembly 30A of a panel assembly 10A by etching, first scribe grooves 20b on an outer surface 20a of the TFT substrate assembly 20A along regions where seals 40 are disposed, and a second thinning step of further thinning the substrate assemblies 20A and 30A by etching, and developing the first scribe grooves 20b formed on the outer surface 20a to expose portions of the seals 40 at bottoms of the first scribe grooves 20b.

A liquid crystal display panel is widely known in recent years as a display of a household electrical appliance such as a computer and a television device. The liquid crystal display panel has a configuration that a pair of substrates consisting of a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate and a color filter (CF) substrate are opposed attached to each other so as to be parallel to each other while having a given space therebetween, in which liquid crystals are sealed.
Generally, a plurality of TFTs, and pixel electrodes connected thereto are arranged in a matrix on the TFT array substrate. Meanwhile, color layers are arranged in a matrix on the CF substrate, and a common electrode is provided over the CF substrate. By varying a voltage applied to the electrodes, alignment of the liquid crystals can be controlled.
In producing the liquid crystal display panel described above, until the midway of the production process, processes of forming pixel electrodes and color layers for a plurality of liquid crystal display panels are performed on oversize mother substrates (oversize glass substrates for providing a plurality of liquid crystal display panels) while the mother substrates are yet to be divided.
Then, the mother substrates are attached to each other first to make an oversize panel, and then the panel is divided into a plurality of liquid crystal display panels. Alternatively, each of the mother substrates is divided first and then attached to each other to make a plurality of liquid crystal display panels (see FIGS. 11A and 11B).
A method for dividing the attached mother substrates as shown in FIG. 1A is used for providing miniature liquid crystal display panels used for mobile telephones or digital cameras. A method for attaching the divided mother substrates as shown in FIG. 1B is used for providing oversize liquid crystal display panels used for oversize liquid crystal televisions.
In these years, it is especially desired to achieve thin profiles and narrow frame regions of miniature liquid crystal display panels used for mobile telephones or digital cameras in order to achieve weight reduction and upsized screens of the panels. In this case, the thin profiles are achieved by achieving thin profiles of the substrates that make up liquid crystal display panels such as the above-described TFT substrates on which the pixel electrode are provided and the above-described CF substrates on which the color layers are provided. In addition, the narrow frame regions are achieved by widening the areas of display regions of the liquid crystal display panels, that is, by reducing the areas of the frame regions of the panels that surround the display regions.
PTL 1 indicated below discloses a technique concerning achieving a thin profile. To be specific, a TFT substrate assembly 200A that has a configuration such that portions to define display regions such as pixel electrodes for a plurality of liquid crystal display panels are arranged in a matrix on a mother substrate, and a CF substrate assembly 300A that has a configuration such that portions to define display regions such as color layers for a plurality of liquid crystal display panels are arranged in a matrix on a mother substrate are first attached to each other with seals 400 sandwiched therebetween so as to surround the display regions as shown in FIG. 12A. Then, liquid crystals 500 are provided in the display regions between the substrate assemblies 200A and 300A. Thus, a panel assembly (oversize panel) 100A is produced.
For example, in attaching the substrate assemblies 200A and 300A, the seals 400 having a frame shape that are made of a thermal hardening resin or an optical hardening resin are provided so as to surround the display regions of the CF substrate assembly 300A, and then the CF substrate assembly 300A and the TFT substrate assembly 200A are aligned opposed to each other in a vacuum chamber (not shown) to apply pressure to the substrate assemblies 200A and 300A under reduced pressure no higher than atmospheric pressure. Then, a process to put back the pressure in the vacuum chamber to atmospheric pressure, and a process to harden the seals 400 are performed.
Next, the panel assembly 100A is etched with the use of an etching liquid made of a fluorinated acid to achieve thin profiles of the substrate assemblies 200A and 300A as shown in FIG. 12B. In the etching, a process to soak the panel assembly 100A in the etching liquid stored in an etching bath (not shown) is performed.
Then, scribe grooves 200b and 300b used for division are formed on outer surfaces 200a and 300a of the substrate assemblies 200A and 300 respectively as shown in FIG. 12C. The scribe grooves 200b and 300b are formed by rotating a rotary blade of a cutter wheel (not shown) along lines for division, in this case, along regions where the seals 400 are disposed while pressing the rotary blade against the outer surfaces 200a and 300a.
Then, by dividing the panel assembly 100A along the scribe grooves 200b and 300b, a plurality of liquid crystal display panels 100 are obtained as shown in FIG. 12D.
Thus, thin profiles of the substrate assemblies 200A and 300A can be achieved while the substrate assemblies 200A and 300A are still in the state of the panel assembly 100A and yet to be divided, which brings an advantage of improving production efficiency compared with the case of achieving thin profiles of the substrate assemblies 200A and 300A for each liquid crystal display panel 100 after division.

Method for producing liquid crystal display panel, and liquid crystal display panel


The present invention is directed to a method and system for scrolling in a document having multiple columns. A method for scrolling in a page of a document having multiple columns, includes: displaying a plurality of the columns in a display window; associating a different scrollbar with each of the plurality of displayed columns; and selectively enabling a synchronous or independent operation of each of the scrollbars; wherein in synchronous operation, a use of any of the scrollbars results in a corresponding scrolling of the page within the display window, and wherein in independent operation, a use of a selected one of the scrollbars results only in a corresponding scrolling of the column of the page associated with that scrollbar within the display window.

When scrolling in a document containing data (e.g., text, images, etc.) in multiple columns (e.g., in a PDF file, text file, etc.), a reader is often hampered by a scrollbar that "jumps" to the next page in the document when the bottom of the first column on a current page is reached, even though the reader may want to continue reading on the top of the next column on that page. To this extent, the reader must navigate back to the desired page by scrolling up or actuating a back button, which interrupts the flow of reading.
An example of this problem is depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B. In FIG. 1A, assume the reader is reading the text in column 1 on page 1 of a document 10. When the reader scrolls down to the bottom of column 1 on page 1 (e.g., using the scroll bar 12), intending to continue reading the text in column 2 on page 1, as indicated by directional arrow A, a further actuation of the scrollbar instead causes a "jump" to column 1 of page 2, as indicated by directional arrow B, such that page 1 is no longer displayed. In this case, the document 10 is now displayed as depicted in FIG. 1B. The reader must then navigate back to page 1 by scrolling up (e.g., using the scrollbar 12), by actuating a back button 14, etc., which interrupts the flow of reading.
Accordingly, there is a need for a solution that addresses these and other deficiencies of the related art.

International Business Machines Corporation


In a bipolar grasping instrument with two clamping jaws movable relative to each other, electrically isolated from one another and each connectable to a pole of an electric high-frequency voltage source, each of the clamping jaws comprising two clamping elements arranged in spaced relation to one another, forming between them a longitudinal slot and each having a clamping surface, and with a cutting device comprising a cutting element displaceable in the longitudinal slots of the clamping jaws and having a cutting edge, in order to improve the design of the drive mechanism and the operability, it is proposed that the cutting element be arranged in the longitudinal slot of the one clamping jaw such that its cutting edge is contained in the longitudinal slot between the clamping elements of this clamping jaw and does not extend beyond its clamping surfaces in the direction towards the other clamping jaw, and that the clamping elements of this clamping jaw be elastically movable relative to the cutting element opposite to the closing movement of the clamping jaws so far that the cutting edge of the cutting element projects beyond the clamping surfaces.

The invention relates to a bipolar grasping instrument with two clamping jaws movable relative to each other, electrically isolated from one another and each connectable to a pole of an electric high-frequency voltage source, each of the clamping jaws comprising two clamping elements arranged in spaced relation to one another, forming between them a longitudinal slot and each having a clamping surface, and with a cutting device comprising a cutting element displaceable in the longitudinal slots of the clamping jaws and having a cutting edge.
With bipolar grasping instruments it is possible to coagulate tissue in the grasped area so as to control bleeding in this area.
It is known to coagulate certain areas, for example, in vessels, with such instruments and to then transect the vessels by an incision in this coagulated area, with the risk of bleeding being minimized by the preceding coagulation. This requires two completely separate procedural steps which are usually performed with different instruments, namely, on the one hand, the coagulating with a bipolar grasping instrument, and, on the other hand, the transecting of the coagulated tissue with a cutting device.
Bipolar grasping instruments with an integrated cutting device are also known (company prospectus of CIRCON, TRIPOLAR Cutting Forceps; U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,598). In this instrument, the clamping jaws of the grasping instrument are divided by longitudinal slots into two clamping surfaces arranged adjacent one another, and a cutting element provided with a cutting edge, which transects parts of tissue held between the clamping surfaces after the coagulation, can be pushed into the longitudinal slots in the longitudinal direction of the instrument. In this previously known instrument, different drive mechanisms must be provided for closing the clamping jaws to bring about the coagulation and for advancing the cutting element of the cutting device. This instrument, which is preferably designed as a tubular-shafted instrument, is, therefore, of relatively complicated design, and, in addition, the user of this instrument must operate two separate drive mechanisms in order to first grasp and then transect tissue.
The object of the invention is to so design a bipolar grasping instrument of the generic kind that operation is simplified, in particular, by the user only requiring one actuating mechanism for first grasping and then transecting tissue.
This object is accomplished with a bipolar grasping instrument of the kind described at the outset, in accordance with the invention, in that the cutting element is arranged in the longitudinal slot of the one clamping jaw such that its cutting edge is contained in the longitudinal slot between the clamping elements of this clamping jaw and does not extend beyond its clamping surfaces in the direction towards the other clamping jaw, and in that the clamping elements of this clamping jaw are elastically movable relative to the cutting element opposite to the closing movement of the clamping jaws so far that the cutting edge of the cutting element projects beyond the clamping surfaces.
Thus, at the start of the closing movement of the clamping jaws, the cutting element is accommodated in the longitudinal slot of the one clamping jaw such that the cutting edge of the cutting element is contained within the longitudinal slot and, therefore, does not become operative. In this case, the instrument operates like a conventional bipolar grasping instrument in which the clamping surfaces are placed against the tissue to be grasped without the cutting element appearing at all. In this part of the closing movement, coagulation can be brought about by applying a high-frequency voltage in the conventional way, and, after the coagulation, the bipolar grasping instrument can also be removed again like a conventional bipolar grasping instrument.
If, on the other hand, the closing movement is continued with this bipolar grasping instrument after the coagulation, the clamping jaws are moved together so forcefully that the clamping elements of the clamping jaw carrying the cutting device are moved elastically opposite to the closing movement of the clamping jaws, and this releases the cutting edge of the cutting device which owing to the elastic displacement of the clamping elements then protrudes beyond the clamping surface. Therefore, the instrument is now a cutting instrument in which the cutting element can reach into the longitudinal slot of the other clamping jaw, thereby transecting the tissue engaged between the clamping jaws. This cutting movement immediately follows the normal closing movement of the clamping jaws. The user only has to actuate one drive mechanism. In the event of light actuation, the tissue to be coagulated is merely clamped and held firmly, but upon forceful closure of the clamping jaws, the tissue parts held between the clamping jaws are additionally severed.
In a first preferred embodiment provision is made for both the cutting element and the clamping elements to be constructed integrally with the clamping jaw, and for the cutting element to be a rigid part of the clamping jaw, while the clamping elements are joined to the remaining parts of the clamping jaw via elastically deformable areas. In particular, the elastically deformable areas can be formed by elastically bendable webs of low height.
In another embodiment provision is made for the clamping jaw to be of two-part construction, with a first rigid part comprising the cutting element and the bearing of the clamping jaw on the grasping instrument, and with a second part comprising the clamping elements and being elastically movably mounted on the first part.
The clamping elements may, for example, be elastically pivotably mounted on the first part.
It is advantageous for the second part to be of U-shaped design with two parallel legs forming the clamping elements and a web joining these legs and closing off the longitudinal slot towards the distal end of the clamping jaw, and for the second part to be rotatably mounted at the free ends of the legs on the first part. This results in a very stable arrangement of the second part of the clamping jaw carrying the clamping surfaces.
The longitudinal slot in the other clamping jaw, which does not have any cutting device, is preferably closed at both ends thereof, so that the cutting device enters this longitudinal slot closed on all sides during the cutting procedure, and this also contributes towards the other clamping jaw forming a very stable arrangement.
The following description of preferred embodiments of the invention serves in conjunction with the drawings to explain the invention in further detail.


A closure system for a pressurized container system for a motor vehicle includes a fuel filler flap and at least one refueling connection. The refueling connection has a non-return valve and a protective cap. The protective cap is designed to be pluggable onto an end of the refueling connection. The fuel filler flap covers a refueling compartment which is set back from the vehicle body. On the side facing the refueling compartment, the fuel filler flap has such a contour that the fuel filler flap can be closed only if the protective cap is fitted on the refueling connection.

The technology disclosed here relates to a closure system for a pressurized container system of a motor vehicle.
Motor vehicles with pressurized container systems are known as such. They comprise a refueling connection, also called a tank nozzle or tank receptacle, which lies behind a fuel filler flap. In order to protect the tank nozzle from dirt and/or condensation or formation of ice, the tank nozzle is protected by a protective cap. For refueling, a fueling nozzle is plugged onto the refueling connection, the fueling nozzle taking up a comparatively large amount of construction space. The fuel filler flap can therefore be closed even if the protective cap is not located on the refueling connection at all or is not correctly positioned. The refueling connection and the following hydrogen conducting components may become untight due to dust and other dirt or their function may be interfered with in some other way. Complete destruction of components is also possible.
It is a preferred object of the technology disclosed here to reduce or to eliminate the disadvantages of the previously known solutions. Further preferred objects emerge from the advantageous effects of the technology disclosed here.
The technology disclosed here relates to a closure system for a pressurized container system for storing fuel in a motor vehicle which is operated, for example, with compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) or with hydrogen. The pressurized container can be, for example, a cryogenic pressurized container or a high pressure gas container. High pressure gas containers are designed so as, substantially at ambient temperatures, to store fuel (e.g., hydrogen) permanently at a maximum operating pressure (MOP) of above approx. 350 barg (=positive pressure in relation to the atmospheric pressure), furthermore preferably of above approx. 500 barg and particularly preferably of over approx. 700 barg. A cryogenic pressurized container is suitable in particular for storing the fuel at temperatures which lie significantly below the operating temperature (what is meant is the temperature range of the vehicle surroundings in which the vehicle is intended to be operated) of the motor vehicle, for example at least 50 kelvin, preferably at least 100 kelvin or at least 150 kelvin below the operating temperature of the motor vehicle (as a rule approx. 40° C. to approx. +85° C.).
The closure system comprises at least one fuel filler flap and at least one refueling connection or tank nozzle or tank receptacle (the term "refueling connection" is used for simplification below). The refueling connection has a non-return valve closing the refueling system, and a protective cap. The non-return valve is designed to avoid fuel from flowing back into the refueling system or fuel flowing out of the pressurized container system through the refueling connection. In particular, a refueling connection as indicated in the standard SAE J2600:2002 (where it is called a "receptacle") is involved. As a rule, one end of the refueling connection is designed to be connected to a fueling nozzle, whereas the other end is fluidically connected via a fuel conducting line system to the at least one pressurized container. That end of the refueling connection which is connectable to the fueling nozzle and the non-return valve can be accommodated in a constructional unit. Furthermore, the two elements can also be arranged adjacent to each other in different housings. The non-return valve therefore takes on the function of the fuel filler cover, which closes a filling opening, of a conventional fuel tank for diesel or petrol.
The protective cap is designed to be pluggable onto the refueling connection. The protective cap protects the refueling connection against possible impurities or other environmental influences. The protective cap is expediently designed to radially seal the refueling connection. For this purpose, the protective cap can have a base from which at least one side wall extends. This side wall can lie in a sealing manner against a circumferential wall of the refueling connection. By means of such a radial seal, large tolerances can be compensated for without substantial closing forces being necessary. In particular, the plugging on can be configured such that the protective cap can be slid on and cannot be screwed on at the same time.
The fuel filler flap is arranged as in the case of conventional motor vehicles. As a rule, it ends flush with the directly surrounding regions of the outer contour of the motor vehicle body, or contour thereof which is visible from the outside (also outer skin of the motor vehicle body below). In particular, the fuel filler flap covers the refueling connection and possible further interfaces, such as, for example, communication interfaces, which are used during the refueling.
The refueling connection and the other interfaces are arranged in a refueling compartment B which is set back from the outer skin of the vehicle body and is covered by the fuel filler flap.
The fuel filler flap, on the side facing the refueling compartment B, has such a contour that the fuel filler flap can be closed only if the protective cap is fitted on the refueling connection. That is, in the closed state of the fuel filler flap, the contour projects into the refueling compartment B to an extent such that, in the closed state of the fuel filler flap, no free space for the protective cap and/or for a loss-preventing means of the protective cap is available in the refueling compartment B, into which free space the protective cap and/or the loss-preventing means is/are disposable in a destruction-free manner, unless the protective cap is mounted onto the refueling connection. It can thereby be ensured in a simple, robust, cost effective and/or error proof manner that the protective cap is plugged on before the fuel filler flap is closed.
As an alternative to the aforementioned contour, the protective cap can also be mounted on that side of the fuel filler flap which faces the refueling compartment, wherein the protective cap is plugged onto the refueling connection by closing of the fuel filler flap. For this purpose, the protective cap can be adhesively bonded or injection molded onto the fuel filler flap. The protective cap is preferably of elastic design such that possible manufacturing tolerances can be compensated for and also a pivoting closing movement of the fuel filler flap is made possible. For this purpose, use can preferably be made of a rubber material.
The loss-preventing means can be designed and arranged in such a manner that the protective cap is not disposable in a destruction-free manner outside the refueling compartment B in such a manner that the fuel filler flap would be or is also closable without the protective cap being located in the refueling compartment B. The loss-preventing means can restrict the spatial positioning of the protective cap in such a manner that, in the closed state of the fuel filler flap, the protective cap is not disposable outside the refueling compartment B laterally next to the fuel filler flap, wherein laterally here comprises at the top, bottom, on the left and/or right next to the fuel filler flap. The loss-preventing means can have a thickness which is greater than a gap S between the fuel filler flap and those regions of the outer skin of the vehicle body that are directly adjacent to the fuel filler flap, and therefore the fuel filler flap cannot close if the loss-preventing means runs through the gap S.
In other words, for the present application, the inner side of the fuel filler cover is shaped in particular in such a manner that closing of the fuel filler cover is possible only upon correct positioning of the protective cap.
This is possible by means of a "key lock arrangement" of protective cap and inner side of the fuel filler cover.
According to the teaching disclosed here, the loss-preventing means is intended to be dimensioned in such a manner that closing of the fuel filler flap is not possible unless the protective cap is located on the tank nozzle. For this purpose, the thickness of the loss-preventing means can be greater than a gap on the fuel filler flap. Alternatively or in addition, the loss-preventing means can be configured by dimensioning and connection point in such a manner that the protective cap cannot be brought in a destruction-free manner outside the refueling compartment. In other words, the action radius of the protective cap is therefore restricted to the compartment which is closable by the fuel filler flap.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Closure system for a pressurized container system for a motor vehicle

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


An apparatus having a transmitter is disclosed. The transmitter generally has a filter coupled to a communication channel. The transmitter may be configured to adjust the filter using information based on an estimate of one or more characteristics of the communication channel.

The performances of communication channels are becoming more sensitive to tap weight values set in a filter of a transmitter. Since the optimal tap weights can vary from channel to channel, manually setting the transmitter tap weight values for each channel is not convenient. Alternatively, using the same tap weight values for a group of channels incurs a performance penalty since the same tap weight values may not be appropriate for every channel in the group.
Referring to FIG. 1, a diagram illustrating a normalized graph of a conventional unequalized channel pulse response 10 is shown. A single impulse generated by the transmitter has a normalized duration of a unit interval (i.e., 1 UI) or symbol interval, with a time zero corresponding to a current cursor 16. Samples 12-14 correspond to an inter symbol interference (i.e., ISI) to future symbols and are called precursor ISI. Samples 18-20 correspond to the IST of past symbols and are called postcursor ISI. Adapting the tap weights of the transmitter filter accordingly helps to reduce both the precursor ISI and the postcursor ISI.
It would be desirable to implement a method and/or apparatus for implementing a back channel adaptation using a channel pulse response.

Back channel adaptation using channel pulse response