The invention relates to a method for filling bottles or similar containers with a liquid product at a filling position, using a filling element for the controlled delivery of the product into the respective container, the foam formation of the product inside the respective container already being reduced and/or suppressed during the formation stage by a treatment or by influencing the product.

Methods for filling bottles or other containers are known in various embodiments. What is often a disadvantage is that during or after the filling, the product foams. Sometimes the foam overflows the container. This leads to product loss and contamination of both the container and the filling machine.
This undesired foaming has different causes. It can happen, for example, as a result of turbuence. In the case of pressure filling, foaming can occur upon relieving the pressure in the container to a lower pressure, or upon pulling the container off the filling element.
Foaming can also result from the type of product. In a CO2 containing product that is introduced into the containers under pressure, undesired foam formation is caused after completion of the filling and during the relief of the filled containers to atmospheric pressure by the CO2 gas bound in the product or also by unbound CO2 gas exiting during relief, particularly when an exceedingly long killing and relief phase is not desired after completion of the filling in order to increase the performance of a filling machine (number of filled containers per unit of time).
Even when containers are filled under normal pressure or by a free jet filling method where the containers and their container openings are spaced apart from the filling element and the product thus flows into the containers in a free jet, for example when bottling still beverages or juice beverages, undesired foaming may often occur due to a property of the product, for example due to pulp or fruit fibers and/or to gas bubbles adhering to them, the gas bubbles having been introduced into the product.

Method for filling bottles or similar containers and filling machine


An electronic device with a dictionary function includes a dictionary data memory, a dictionary search section which makes a dictionary search on the basis of a user operation, a series process storage section which stores data items representing the ones in a series of dictionary search processes performed at the dictionary search section, a detection section which detects an instruction to point in a direction given by a user operation, and a series process reproduction section which reads the series of processed data items stored in the series process storage section in response to the detection of an instruction to point in a specific direction at the detection section and displays a display screen corresponding to each of the processes on a display section.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments described herein relate generally to an electronic device with a dictionary function of retrieving explanatory information on any word or phrase and a dictionary information display method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the electronic dictionary devices have been configured to have more and more functions. For example, an electronic dictionary device can not only retrieve an entry word coinciding with a search word input by the user and display explanatory information on the entry word but also display an example or a commentary included in the explanatory information on another screen or directly specify a desired word included in text displayed in any stage to make an entry word search (jump search), thereby displaying the explanatory information immediately.
As described above, the electronic dictionary device enables the user to start from dictionary information currently being displayed to related pieces of dictionary information on the screen so as to cause the related pieces of dictionary information to transit to one after another. When having searched for related words one after another, the user may want to learn the words together with their background.
In this case, with a conventional electronic dictionary device, the user has to repeat exactly the same operation as a series of dictionary searches done by the user, which is very annoying. In addition, the user might not be able to perform the same operation unless the user has a clear memory of what the user has done in the series of dictionary searches.
In this connection, various devices have been proposed which have a macro function, a shortcut function, or the like of recording a series of consecutive operations in advance and enabling the recorded series of operations to be performed en bloc on the basis of a user operation (refer to, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2009-164995 and Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No, 10-149486).
With the conventional device that enables the previously recorded series of operations to be performed en bloc on the basis of a user operation, it is difficult for the user to check the result of each operation because the series of operation is performed all at once.
Therefore, even if such a conventional device is applied to the electronic dictionary device, the user cannot reconfirm a series of pieces of dictionary information obtained by searching for related words consecutively by jump search or the like to memorize or learn the series of pieces of dictionary information including how the last piece of dictionary information has been reached.
It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an electronic device with a dictionary function of capable of displaying, one by one consecutively, a series of pieces of dictionary information search for and a dictionary information displaying method.

Electronic device with a dictionary function and dictionary information display method


A process is disclosed for detecting cells in a liquid sample, which includes: i) filtration of the liquid sample through a porous membrane which is suitable for retaining detectable cells, where at least one subregion of a support is configured as transparent supporting body and the membrane is arranged over its area on the transparent supporting body in such a way that detectable cells are retained on at least part of the surface of the membrane and that at least part of the sample liquid passes through the membrane, ii) application of a liquid optical medium which has essentially the same refractive index as the supporting body, and iii) optical measurement of at least a subarea of the membrane in order to detect detectable cells.

Microscopy is a widely used method of analysis. Especially in the "life sciences," it is an indispensable tool for, for example, characterizing tissues and cells. The slide has become established as the "interface" between the medium to be examined and the components of a microscope to be imaged. The slide is a glass plate with dimensions of 26×76 mm (ISO 8255-2) and a thickness of 1 to 1.5 mm. For example, the objects are applied to the slide in a thin layer (tissue section, liquid film) and usually covered with a cover glass (frequently 18 mm×18 mm; 0.16 mm thick). The filtration technique is likewise a widely used laboratory technique, especially for separating solids of various sizes or liquids.
In the combination of microscopy and filtration technique, the filter residue is examined microscopically following the filtration process. For this purpose the filter medium, e.g., the filtration membrane, must be removed from the filtration device and placed on the slide. This process requires high experimental deftness, especially in the case of thin membranes (e.g., 10 μm thick, 25 mm diameter) and is very time-consuming. In order for this process to be used routinely and cost-effectively, for example in medical diagnostics, e.g., in the examination of tumor cells filtered from a blood sample, it would be necessary to develop a simple and cost-advantageous solution that can be performed even by untrained personnel. In particular, isolation of selected individual cells, such as circulating tumor cells (mCTCs), or cell clusters for subsequent molecular diagnostic examination will be of increasing significance in the future because of the scientific advances made in this area.

Arrangement and process for optical analysis and specific isolation of biological samples


A water-dispersible composite structure, which comprises one or more layers, and a method of producing the same. At least a part of the layers is formed by a fibrous web or sheet containing 50-90 parts by weight of wood fibers and 10-90 parts by weight of annual or perennial plant fibers and/or 10-50 parts by weight of synthetic short-cut fibers, and 0.1-20% by weight of a binder, calculated from the weight of the fibers, and at least a part of the binder being a water-soluble polymer and another part a water dispersible binder, and the fibrous sheet or web being produced by wet forming. By means of the invention, the fibers of the composite structure can be recovered and recycled by equipment conventionally used in the paper and paperboard industry.

Dispersible nonwoven fabrics are known in the art. They find uses as dispersible and flushable fabrics for hygienic applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,541 teaches water dispersible formulations and materials and methods for influencing their water dispersibility. The water dispersible formulations comprise 1 to 90% by weight of at least one water soluble cellulose ether binder. In addition, the formulations contain at least about 10% to about 99% by weight of long cellulose fibers ranging in length from greater than about 300 microns to about 2 millimeters or more. It is stated in the document that the inclusion of significant quantities of long cellulose fibers increases the water dispersibility of water soluble cellulose ether binders. Gas releasing agents can be included to increase the rate of water dispersibility of the formulations. Use of the materials in the healthcare and food industries is suggested.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,241 discloses absorbent textile-like structures for single use purposes, which materials exhibit strength and durability to allow for proper use but which are still capable of being disposed of in sewage systems after use. The structure comprises water-sensitive fibers having ionizable groups; materials can be selected from, for example, cyanoethyl cellulose or hydroxyethyl cellulose.
Other flushable wet wipes are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,081 and EP 1 285 985.
US 2014/0318726 discloses a fabric comprising pulp and solvent spun fibers which can be used in rapidly dispersible wet wipes. The solvent spun fibers comprise fibrillated cellulosic for example of the Tencel kind. In the examples of the patent application, a blend of wood pulp with Tencel short cut fibers was used to make wetlaid fabrics. The fibers are refined, 1% CMC is added as a dispersing aid, and an epichlorhydrin based wet strength resin is added to increase the wet strength. The slurry thus formed is then wet-laid, e.g. on a papermaking machine, to form a sheet. The sheet then passes through a hydroentanglement process either on-line or as a separate off-line process to form a fabric.
The obtained wipes are said to be flushable through a standard toilet system and capable of disintegrating into dispersible fragments that biodegrade after disposal.
Although the disclosed materials are dispersible in water, they are designed for use as disintegrating and discardable materials (single-use materials). For this reason, the known, dispersible materials are still lacking in terms of strength and structural integrity, when compared with corresponding non-disintegrating material. As a result, they find their primary application in products which allow for full disintegration already in waste water and sewage systems. The materials they contain are therefore wasted after use and no recycling is possible.
The use of hydroentanglement in the art will impair repulping of the material for recovery and recycling of the constituent materials.
There is a need for dispersible structures materials which have good mechanical properties while still being capable, by conventional recycling processes employed in the paper and paperboard industry, of being dispersed in aqueous phase to yield fractions of the constituent fibers and of being recycled.

Water-dispersible composite structure and method of producing the same


A method of making a cover material for an absorbent article including the steps of providing a fibrous nonwoven substrate, the substrate having a tortuousity value in the range of about 0.8 to about 3.0, applying a particulate skin care material to the substrate, the particulate skin care comprising a particulate material having a particle size in the range of about 1 micron to about 75 microns, and applying a compressive force to the substrate to impregnate the substrate with the particulate skin care material.

Many types of disposable absorbent products, such as sanitary napkins, panty liners and the like are commercially available that have a high capacity for absorbing body exudates, such as menses. Absorbent articles of this type typically include a liquid pervious topsheet, an absorbent core, and a liquid impervious backsheet. Although these articles are effective at absorbing fluid it is known that the skin located directly underneath the article is more susceptible to skin disorders such as erthema, heat rash, pressure marks and other minor skin inflammations. This irritation and/or inflammation results from extended contact with the menses, urine or both. In addition, absorbent articles of this type are generally worn for extended periods of time and as such do not permit the skin to ventilate in efficient manner which also contributes to skin irritation.
In view of the above, substantial efforts have been made to provide skin care compositions on the body-facing surface of disposable absorbent articles. These efforts have been focused on the cover materials of such articles because the cover material typically has the greatest contact with the skin. Further, the benefits obtained by such skin care compositions are often only realized if the skin care material is transferred to the skin of the wearer.
The skin care compositions used on known absorbent articles generally fall within one of three categories: (1) compositions that are essentially dry particulate materials at room temperature, are dry to the touch, and do not undergo a phase change at "elevated temperatures"; (2) compositions that are essentially liquids at room temperature, are wet to the touch, and/or compositions that undergo a phase change at an elevated temperature, enabling the application of the skin care material in an essentially liquid form at either room temperature or an elevated temperature; and (3) suspensions or solutions that are combinations of (1) and (2). "Elevated temperatures" as used herein mean a temperature in the range from about 0° C. to about 150° C.
Those absorbent articles that include essentially liquid skin care compositions have the disadvantage that it can be difficult to apply the material to the absorbent article at the high manufacturing speeds employed during the manufacture of disposable absorbent articles. In addition, absorbent articles having an essentially liquid skin care material applied to a body facing surface thereof also often have a sticky feel during use that users find uncomfortable. Further, essentially liquid skin care compositions may also interfere with the absorbency of the article.
Absorbent articles that employ essentially dry particulate skin care compositions have other disadvantages. In particular it has been found that during the manufacture of such absorbent articles the skin care material cannot be effectively retained in the article during manufacture causing the material to be prematurely released. This premature release can cause problems during manufacture and also limits the efficacy of the skin care material in the final product. To overcome this problem, immobilizing agents such as emollients or waxes may be employed to assist in securing the particulate material to the surface of the absorbent article. However, such immobilizing agents present many of the same problems discussed above with respect to liquid skin care compositions. Further, the use of immobilizing agents may also prevent the effective transfer of the skin care material to body during use of the article.
In view of the above there is a need for a cover material for use in absorbent articles that includes an essentially dry particulate skin care material that can be utilized in the manufacture of disposable absorbent articles, and at the speeds required during the manufacture of such absorbent articles. There is also a need for such a cover material that effectively retains the essentially dry particulate skin care material in place during manufacture without the use of an immobilizing agent yet also releases the skin care material during use of the absorbent article.

Method of making a cover material including a skin care composition


Internally, a production file system and each of its related snapshot file systems have a common file system identifier (fid′) and a unique respective file system identifier (fsid′). Externally, the production file system and each of its related snapshot file systems has a common file system identifier (fsid) and a unique respective file identifier (fid). For example, the “fsid” and “fid” for the production and snapshot file systems are interchanged between a client-server protocol layer and a logical volume layer in a file server. Moreover, the file handle for an object indicates whether an object is in either a production file system that is not configured to have related snapshots, a production file system that is configured to have related snapshots, or a snapshot file system. When the object is in a snapshot file system, the file handle also indicates the related production file system.

Snapshot copies of a data set such as a file or storage volume have been used for a variety of data processing and storage management functions such as storage backup, transaction processing, and software debugging.
Backup and restore services are a conventional way of reducing the impact of data loss from the network storage. To be effective, however, the data should be backed up frequently, and the data should be restored rapidly from backup after the storage system failure. As the amount of storage on the network increases, it is more difficult to maintain the frequency of the data backups, and to restore the data rapidly after a storage system failure.
In the data storage industry, an open standard network backup protocol has been defined to provide centrally managed, enterprise-wide data protection for the user in a heterogeneous environment. The standard is called the Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP). NDMP facilitates the partitioning of the backup problem between backup software vendors, server vendors, and network-attached storage vendors in such a way as to minimize the amount of host software for backup. The current state of development of NDMP can be found at the Internet site for the NDMP organization. Details of NDMP are set out in the Internet Draft Document by R. Stager and D. Hitz entitled "Network Data Management Protocol" document version 2.1.7 (last update Oct. 12, 1999).
One way of managing backup and restore services in a file server is to use a snapshot copy facility providing read-write access to a production data set and concurrent read-only access to any selected one of a number of related snapshot file systems. Each of the related snapshot file systems is the state of the production file system at a respective point in time when the snapshot file system was created. For a user to access a production file system named "D", for example, the user may enter a "change directory" (cd) operating system command of the form:    cd/A/B/C/Dwhere "C" is a directory containing "D", "B" is a directory containing "C", "A" is a directory containing "B", and "A" is contained in a root directory presently selected by the operating system for servicing client requests for file system access.
At this point, the file system named "D" has become the root directory presently selected by the operating system for servicing user requests for file system access. The user can then enter operating system commands that specify a path name with respect to the root directory "D" to a specific subdirectory or file in the file system "D".
The snapshot file systems for the production file system are contained in a special subdirectory named ".ckpt". If there are seven snapshots, including one snapshot of the file system "D" taken at 3:00 a.m. on each day of the week, for example, then the subdirectory named ".ckpt" is in the root directory of "D". This subdirectory named ".ckpt" contains the snapshots "sun", "mon", "tue", . . . , "sat". In this case, to view the snapshot file system last taken at 3:00 a.m. on a Monday, the user would enter:    cd/.ckpt/mon
The user may restore a specific subdirectory or file after the user discovers that the original version of the subdirectory or file in the production file system has become corrupted. In this situation, the user may view the snapshots in order to find the most recent snapshot containing a version of the subdirectory or file that has not been corrupted, and then restores the original version in the production file system with the most recent version that has not been corrupted. For example, if the user finds that the production version of a file named "customers" has become corrupted and the most recent uncorrupted version is found in the snapshot taken the morning of last Tuesday, the user may restore the production version of the file with Tuesdays' version by entering a "copy" operating system command of the form:    copy/.ckpt/tue/customers customers

Client-server protocol for directory access of snapshot file systems in a storage system


Expression and stability of desirable proteins in transgenic plants are promoted and maintained by treatment with a protein transport enhancer. Preferably, the transgenic plant is a commodity crop that has been modified to express pesticidally effective protein proteins.

The invention relates to a method for the treatment of transgenic plants, especially crop plants that are designed to express pesticidally effective proteins.
Transgenic plants have had a significant impact on commercial agriculture, with promising benefits but raising new pest management issues. Notably, agricultural crops based on plants that have been modified with pesticidally effective crystal protein genes to express pesticidally effective proteins hold the promise of selectively targeting pests by making their food source (the plant tissues) toxic thereby reducing or eliminating the amount of chemical insecticides that are used to control pest populations.
Certain members of the gram positive bacteria belonging to the genus Bacillus produce proteins that are insecticidal. The most well characterized are those of Bacillus thuringiensis (BT), where the insecticidal proteins are found as crystalline bodies with sporulating bacteria. The insecticidal crystal proteins are characterised by their potency and specificity towards specific insect pests, many of which are agronomically important, and their relative safety to non-target insect species and vertebrates, particularly humans. They have enjoyed a long history of use in horticultural industries where the mixture of crystals and spores are sprayed just like a chemical pesticide, but they have not been used with much success on broad-acre field crops.
The insecticidal crystals are composed of a large protein that is essentially inactive. When a caterpillar ingests some of the insecticidal crystals, the alkaline reducing conditions of the insects midgut cause the crystals to dissociate and release the crystal protein. At this stage the protein toxin is inactive, but specific proteases within the gastric juices of the insect chop the protein down to its protease resistant core that is now fully active. This activated insecticidal protein then binds to a specific receptor on the brush border membranes of the cells lining the midgut and inserts itself into the cells membrane. When about eight of these aggregate together, they form a pore or channel through the membrane, and allow the cell contents to leak out causing the death of the cells essential for nutrient absorption. The insects rapidly stop feeding and eventually starve to death or die from secondary bacterial infections within about 24 hours. The processes of crystal solublization, proteolytic processing to an active insecticidal protein and the binding to a specific receptor, all make the BT proteins highly specific and very desirable from an environmental perspective.
Many thousands of different isolates of B. thuringiensis have been collected and their insecticidal protein content and activity spectrums determined. A large number of BT-insecticidal protein genes have also now been cloned and sequenced. To avoid any confusion researchers have proposed a uniform naming system for the crystal protein genes (Cry genes) based on their protein sequence and the types of insects for which they were toxic.
The proteins encoded by the Cry I genes are all similar in protein sequence and are toxic only to caterpillars, ie. the larvae of moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera); the Cry II genes encode proteins toxic to Lepidoptera and/or Diptera (flies and mosquitoes) while the Cry IV proteins are only active against Diptera. Cry III genes produce proteins active against beetle (Coleoptera) larvae. Within these major groupings smaller divisions have been made by considering the similarities or differences between the different protein sequences. The Cry I group, for example was originally divided into Cry IA, IB and IC (although it is now up to Cry IG) where the different sub-groups may only be 50% identical at the protein sequence level. Finer sub-divisions have also been made and Cry IA now consists of Cry IA(a), IA(b) and IA(c).
A number of methods have been developed for introducing desired genes into crop plant cells and growing fertile plants therefrom. See, U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,574 and http://www.cotton.pi.csiro.au/publicat/pest/transgen.htm, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. The method of choice depends in part upon the target species, but cotton modification often rely on a natural gene transfer agent that has evolved its own method of plant genetic engineering. The disease called Crown Gall is a plant tumor disease caused by the soil-borne bacterial pathogen, Agrobacterium tumefaciens. In the early 70""s it was recognized that the bacterium caused the disease by transferring some of its own genetic material into the DNA of the plant cells that it infected. These parasitic genes subverted the normal biochemical machinery of the infected cells and caused them to make novel compounds that only the bacterium could utilize. This process of genetic colonization by the bacterium was just what genetic engineers were looking for, provided that they could stop the bacterium causing the disease symptoms. After further study scientists were able to identify which genes caused the disease and because bacteria are much simpler organisms to genetically manipulate, they were able to replace the disease-causing genes with the novel genes they were constructing from parts of potentially useful genes. The bacterium could then be used to piggy-back genes from the test-tube into plant cells. However not all plant cells exposed to the bacterium eventually receive the novel genes. Removal of unmodified plant cells from modified cells uses antibiotic purification.
Plant cells are sensitive to many of the antibiotics that are used to control bacterial infections in animals and humans. If a gene could be isolated that gave the plant cells tolerance to one of these toxic antibiotics then if physically linked to some desirable gene and inserted into the Agrobacterium, it would provide a useful selection system to kill off those cells that don""t receive the genes during the xe2x80x9cinfectionxe2x80x9d process. Genes have been known in bacteria for many years that give the bacteria resistance to antibiotics by producing enzymes that breakdown or chemically modify the antibiotic so that it is no longer toxic. Using the techniques of gene splicing described above researchers have been able to modify a bacterial gene that encodes an enzyme that detoxifies the antibiotic kanamycin and have produced a new hybrid gene that causes the production of this enzyme in plant cells and prevents their death in the presence of potentially lethal doses of kanamycin. Combining this antibiotic selection system with plant tissue culture procedures it has been possible to use Agrobacterium to deliver genes into a wide variety of plants from petunias to cottons.
Cotton is a crop of particular interest. Commercially available forms of transgenic cotton use the CryIAc (BOLLGARD(trademark) by Monsanto) or a combination of CryIAc with Cry2Ab (BOLLGARD(trademark) II by Monsanto) genes to express the endotoxin protein of B. thuringiensis. Field efficacy reports indicate a 50-70% reduction in the amount of applied pesticide needed to control the pests Helicoverpa armigera and H. punctigera. Also of interest are crop plants modofied with the B. thuringiensis crystal toxin genes designated cryET33 and cryET34 which encode the colepteran-toxic crystal proteins, CryET33 (29-kDa) crystal protein, and the cryET34 gene encodes the 14-kDa CryET34 crystal protein. The CryET33 and CryET34 crystal proteins are toxic to red flour beetle larvae and Japanese beetle larvae. (See, U.S. Pat. No. 6,399,330.)
The use of transgenic crop plants raises new issues in the ongoing struggle towards integrated pest management. Some of these issues concern a reduction in the amount of expressed endotoxin as the plants mature which leads to a loss of efficacy in the latter stages of the growing season (the last ⅓ of the cotton growing season) and the increased probability of surviving pests that can develop immunity to the endotoxin. Such drawbacks have lead to the development of pest control strategies that dictate a planting xe2x80x9cwindowxe2x80x9d relative to the development cycle of local pests and designated pest population minimum threshold values for pesticide application.
Physiological stress and physical damage to the transgenic plants can also result in a reduction of expressed endotoxin protein with a corresponding drop in pest control efficacy. Thus, an extended drought and/or high temperatures can reduce the endotoxin expression rate in the transgenic crop and provide a significant drop in pest protection that can dictate the need for pesticide spraying.
The specific reasons for the drop in endotoxin protein expression are not well understood. In BT cotton, it is theorized that expression of the CryIAc gene drops because the CMV35S promoter concentration declines, the gene is xe2x80x9csilenced, or other post-transcription events. It is also thought that the CryIAc protein is reduced due to increased turnover, sequestration within the plant, or dilution due to growth and aging. It is understood that CryIAc transription levels are unstable in both immature and mature BT cotton plants.
It would be desirable to have a system for treating transgenic plants designed to express pesticidally effective proteins that would promote the expression of these proteins despite increasing plant maturity, physiological stress, and physical damage.
It is an objective of the invention to provide a method for treating transgenic plants, preferably transgenic crops that express pesticidal proteins, and especially for transgenic crops that express insecticidal proteins.
It is another objective of the invention to provide a method for extending the period over which expressed proteins are present in sufficient quantity to control pest insect populations feeding on the treated plants.
In accordance with these and other objectives that will become apparent from the description herein, a method for treating transgenic crop plants according to the invention comprises applying to foliage of transgenic plants that are designed to express pesticidally effective proteins a protein transport enhancer that promotes the expression and/or stability of pesticidally effective proteins within the treated plants.
Although not wishing to be bound by any particular theory of operation, it is thought that the protein transport enhancer acts in one or more of several ways: (a) as a form of protective water substitute for cellular membranes during times of water deprivation stress, (b) as a protein stabilizer for the desired pesticidal protein, and/or (c) as a binder for proteins that facilitates movement via intraplant transport mechanisms. The result is that transgenic crop plants treated according to the invention express and move pesticidally effective proteins into fruit tissues despite physiological stress from water shortage and plant damage. It is thought that the treatment according to the invention will also continue to express effective levels of pesticidal protein through plant growth and maturity.

Protein transport enhancer for transgenic plants


An input gray-scale image is converted to a bilevel output signal by an image-processing apparatus with two binarizing circuits: one employing a uniform threshold and the other a dither matrix. The outputs of these circuits are selected for each pixel by deciding whether the pixel is a bilevel pixel or a gray-scale pixel. The decision is based on the maximum and minimum gray levels in a block of pixels centered on the pixel in question. Images having both bilevel and gray-scale parts can thus be binarized with clean reproduction of black-white edges.

This invention relates to an image-processing apparatus for converting an input image with multiple gray levels to a bilevel output signal consisting of black and white dots, more particularly to such an apparatus that converts a page consisting of texts and gray-scale images into bilevel output with clean edge reproduction.
In scanning devices such as facsimile machines, a variety of schemes have been used to convert photographs and other images with multiple gray levels to bilevel output images having only two levels: black and white. A simple method is to binarize the input image against a fixed threshold, converting levels of gray that equal or exceed the threshold to black and other levels to white. Such uniform thresholding is highly unsatisfactory, because it completely fails to represent continuous shades of gray and results in great loss of detail.
A widely adopted alternative method is to dither the thresholds by varying them at individual pixel positions. This is normally done with a dither matrix such as a four-by-four matrix of threshold values, which is applied to four-by-four pixel blocks in a repeated manner to cover the entire input image. Such dithering can reproduce gray-scale images with considerable success. When the input image comprises bilevel portions such as line graphics and text, however, dithering creates unwanted effects such as blurred or serrated edges.
A prior-art solution to this problem, known as the block adaptive thresholding method, is to identify blocks of pixels as either bilevel or gray-scale in nature and apply a fixed threshold or dither matrix accordingly, as described in the paper "Bilevel Rendition Method for Documents including Gray-Scale and Bilevel Image" by N. Tetsutani and H. Ochi in The Transactions of the Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers of Japan. Vol. J67-B No. 7, July 1984 (in Japanese).
A problem in this prior-art solution is that blocks may be mis-identified. In particular, when an all-white block is disposed next to an all-black block, both blocks may be mistakenly identified as gray-scale blocks, so some blurring of edges still occurs.


The invention relates to a process cartridge mounting mechanism for mounting a process cartridge to a mounting position in a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge mounting mechanism includes an openable cover mounted to the main assembly. The cover is opened and closed when the cartridge is mounted to or demounted from the main assembly. The mechanism also includes a first main assembly side guide, which is provided in the main assembly and which is movable in interrelation with opening and closing operation of the cover; a second main assembly side guide, which is movable in interrelation with opening and closing operation of the cover; a first cartridge guide, provided in the cartridge at one longitudinal end of a cartridge frame, for guiding the cartridge toward the mounting position; and a second cartridge guide, provided in the cartridge at one longitudinal end of a cartridge frame, for guiding the cartridge toward the mounting position. The cartridge is mounted to the mounting position in interrelations with a closing operation of the cover.

The present invention relates to a process-cartridge mounting mechanism, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and a process cartridge.
Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an apparatus which forms an image on recording materials through an electrophotographic image formation process. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (a laser beam printer, an LED printer or the like), a facsimile machine and a word processor.
The process cartridge is a cartridge that contains as a unit an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a charging means, a developing means or a cleaning means in the form of a cartridge which is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus. The process cartridge may contain an electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least one of a charging means, a developing means, and a cleaning means in the form of a cartridge which is detachably mountably to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus. The process cartridge may contain an electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least developing means in the form of a cartridge which is detachably mountably to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus.
Such a process-cartridge type is conventionally used. With this process-cartridge type, the maintenance of the apparatus can be carried out in effect by the user without a service person, so that operability is remarkably good. For this reason, the process-cartridge type is widely used in the field of image forming apparatus.
In order to provide good images in such an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using a process cartridge, the process cartridge is desirably mounted correctly at a predetermined position in the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and the interface portions thereof, such as various electrical contacts and the drive transmitting mechanisms, are correctly connected.
Referring first to FIGS. 23 to 25, there is shown an example to accomplish these goals wherein for the mounting-and-demounting of a process cartridge CR relative to the main assembly P of the image forming apparatus, a positioning boss CB is provided coaxially with the photosensitive drum in the process cartridge CR, and a guide GL for guiding and positioning the positioning boss CB is provided in the main assembly P of the image forming apparatus. When the operator inserts the cartridge CR along the mounting guide GL to the predetermined position, the fixing member (unshown) provided in the main assembly P of the apparatus contacts to the cartridge CR, and the rotation thereof around the positioning boss CB is prevented, as is known.
Additionally, it is also known that cover member C of the main assembly P of the apparatus is provided with a spring for urging the cartridge CR mounted in the main assembly P in the mounting direction.
It is also known that back cover UC (FIG. 25) is provided inside the cover member C, and by closing the cover member C, the cartridge CR is pushed into the regular position.
The present invention is intended to provide a further development in this area.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a process-cartridge mounting mechanism, a process-cartridge mounting method, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge is detachably mountable, wherein the mounting operability at the time of mounting the process cartridge to the main assembly of the apparatus is improved.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a process-cartridge mounting mechanism, a process-cartridge mounting method, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge is detachably mountable, ,wherein the process cartridge can be substantially automatically mounted to a mounting position in the main assembly of the apparatus.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process-cartridge mounting mechanism, a process-cartridge mounting method, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge is detachably mountable, wherein the process cartridge can be mounted to the mounting position of the main assembly of the apparatus in interrelation with a closing operation of the cover member.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process-cartridge mounting mechanism, a process-cartridge mounting method, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge is detachably mountable, wherein the process cartridge can be automatically mounted to or demounted from the mounting position of the main assembly of the apparatus.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process-cartridge mounting mechanism, a process-cartridge mounting method, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge is detachably mountable, wherein the mounting-and-demounting operability, relative to the main assembly of the apparatus, of the process cartridge is improved.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process-cartridge mounting mechanism for mounting a process cartridge to a mounting position in a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge comprises an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means actable on the photosensitive member. The process cartridge mounting mechanism comprises: an openable cover member mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, the cover member being opened and closed when the cartridge is mounted to or demounted from the main assembly of the apparatus; a first main assembly side guide, which is provided in the main assembly of the apparatus and which is movable in interrelation with opening and closing operation of the cover member, the first main assembly side guide including a first supporting portion and a first urging portion; a second main assembly side guide, which is provided in the main assembly of the apparatus and which is movable in interrelation with the opening and closing operation of the cover member, the second main assembly side guide including a second supporting portion and a second urging portion; a first cartridge guide, provided in the cartridge at one longitudinal end of a cartridge frame, for guiding the cartridge toward the mounting position, the first cartridge guide including a first supported portion to be supported on the first supporting portion and a first urged portion to be urged to the first urging portion; and a second cartridge guide, provided in the cartridge at one longitudinal end of the cartridge frame, for guiding the cartridge toward the mounting position, the second cartridge guide including a second supported portion to be supported on the second supporting portion and a second urged portion to be urged to the second urging portion. The cartridge is mounted to the mounting position in interrelation with a closing operation of the cover member.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image of a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable. The apparatus comprises: (a) an openable cover member mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus, the cover member being opened and closed when the cartridge is mounted to or demounted from the main assembly of the apparatus; (b) a first main assembly side guide which is provided in the main assembly of the apparatus and which is movable in interrelation with opening and closing operation of the cover member, the first main assembly side guide including a first supporting portion and a first urging portion; (c) a second main assembly side guide, which is provided in the main assembly of the apparatus and which is movable in interrelation with the opening and closing operation of the cover member, the second main assembly side guide including a second supporting portion and a second urging portion; and (d) mounting means for mounting a process cartridge. The process cartridge includes: process means actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive member; a first cartridge guide, provided in the cartridge at one longitudinal end of a cartridge frame, for guiding the cartridge toward the mounting position, the first cartridge guide including a first supported portion to be supported on the first supporting portion and a first urged portion to be urged to the first urging portion; a second cartridge guide, provided in the cartridge at one longitudinal end of the cartridge frame, for guiding the cartridge toward the mounting position, the second cartridge guide including a second supported portion to be supported on the second supporting portion and a second urged portion to be urged to the second urging portion. The cartridge is mounted to the mounting position in interrelation with a closing operation of the cover member.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material. The image forming apparatus includes an openable cover member mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus. The cover member is opened and closed when the cartridge is mounted to or demounted from the main assembly of the apparatus. The apparatus also includes a first main assembly side guide, which is provided in the main assembly of the apparatus and which is movable in interrelation with the opening and closing operation of the cover member. The first main assembly side guide includes a first supporting portion and a first urging portion. The apparatus further includes a second main assembly side guide, which is provided in the main assembly of the apparatus and which is movable in interrelation with the opening and closing operation of the cover member. The second main assembly side guide includes a second supporting portion and a second urging portion. The apparatus also includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, process means actable on the photosensitive member; a cartridge frame, and a first cartridge guide, provided in the cartridge at one longitudinal end of a cartridge frame, for guiding the cartridge toward the mounting position. The first cartridge guide includes a first supported portion to be supported on the first supporting portion and a first urged portion to be urged to the first urging portion. In addition, the apparatus comprises a second cartridge guide, provided in the cartridge at one longitudinal end of the cartridge frame, for guiding the cartridge toward the mounting position, the second cartridge guide including a second supported portion to be supported on the second supporting portion and a second urged portion to be urged to the second urging portion. The cartridge is mounted to the mounting position in interrelation with a closing operation of the cover member. According to this invention, the process cartridge can be moved toward the mounting position by the first main assembly side guide and the second main assembly side guide, and is movable in interrelation with the opening and closing operation of an opening and closing member or a cover member.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Process cartridge mounting mechanism, electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and process cartridge


A device for securing equipments such as personal computers, monitors, printers and the like by using a cable which is secured to a relatively immovable fixture. The device comprises a wire cable with a plastic sheath and having a bulbous protrusion on one end, a plurality of fastener blocks, a metal ring and a cam lock assembly. The cable locking device is secured to various equipments by fastener blocks with the cable passing through the blocks, the bulbous protrusion on the cable end preventing the cable from being pulled through the blocks. The free end of the cable is looped around a suitable pillar or immovable object, passing through a ring and thence through a cam lock assembly. By turning a key in the cam lock, the lock assembly is clamped to the cable, preventing the cable loop from being removed. Access to the screws holding the blocks to the equipment is prevented by the cable passing through the blocks above the screws. The invention can also be used without the fastener blocks, to secure guns and rifles from accidental use, by passing the cable through the barrel and clamping the cable by the lock assembly in the gun breech.

This invention relates to a wire cable locking device useful for securing equipments such as personal computers, monitors, printers, video cassette recorders and other expensive electronic devices, preventing them from being easily removed by unauthorized persons. The invention may also be used for locking guns and rifles of all types, preventing their use.
There are numerous cable locking devices patented and for sale, the most common application being for locking bicycles. There are armored cables, as well as many different types of locking mechanisms. There is not however, a simple cable locking device which can be used for securing equipment such as computers and auxiliary equipment which are portable, easily removed, and the object of much theft from unattended offices. Therefore, there is a need for the present invention.
The present invention for a wire cable locking device was disclosed to the USPTO under the Disclosure Document Program filed Sep. 1, 1992.
In accordance with the invention, the device comprises a wire cable with a plastic sheath and having a bulbous attachment on one end and a stop sleeve on the other end, a plurality of fastener blocks, a metal ring and a cam lock assembly. The cable locking device is secured to various equipments by fastener blocks with the cable passing through the blocks. The free end of the cable is looped around a suitable pillar or immovable object, passing through a ring and thence through a cam lock assembly. By turning a key in the cam lock, the lock assembly is clamped to the cable, preventing the cable loop from being removed. A bulbous attachment on the other end of the cable prevents the cable from being pulled through and disengaged from the equipment fastener blocks.
The invention can also be utilized with the cable loop placed through a padlock secured to an apparatus electrical cord. Both the foregoing methods will effectively secure the equipments from removal and deter theft.
Another use of the invention is for locking guns and rifles. In this mode of use, the fastening blocks would not be needed, the cable and lock assembly being sufficient, as explained in this specification, to prevent usage of the locked gun or rifle.
Accordingly, a prime object of the invention is to provide a wire cable locking device which permits simultaneously securing a plurality of equipments with one key lock.
Another object is to provide a wire cable locking device which is of low cost, easy to use, flexible and adaptable to different physical equipment layouts.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the study of the following portion of the specification, the claims and the attached drawings.


The invention relates to a method, device (24) in a network node of a communication network (N) and computer program products for determining deviating behavior of a user terminal (10). According to the invention the device (24) obtains a first group of event data sets (EDS1) and a second group of event data sets (EDS2, EDS4), where each group includes at least one event data set. Each event data set in the first group includes user terminal generated event data related to events in a specific user terminal (10) and each event data set in the second group includes network generated event data related to the specific user terminal. The device then performs a comparison involving the first group of event data sets and the second group of event data sets and determines the existence of deviating behavior of the user terminal based on the comparison.

In telecommunication networks today user terminal capabilities are becoming increasingly available for 3rd party service providers. Both user terminal manufacturers and network operators have thus opened up their APIs (Application Program Interface) for such other developers to use. By exposing functionalities for service providers possibilities to develop services enhanced with basic telecommunication functionalities such as telephony and messaging increases. The number and variety of various types of 3rd party applications that can be provided in relation to user terminals and communication networks have therefore increased considerably.
However, this does not only introduce new experiences to a user. By introducing new possibilities for service providers one does not only enable creation of enhanced services but the user terminal is also subjected to risks. These risks include deviating behaviour like the risk for software that acts maliciously (either intentionally or by mistake). There is no good way of controlling that new services developed behave as promised, i.e. that events occurring in the user terminal are expected, without extensive testing. Such testing is the traditional solution to the problem and includes certification of applications. In the new environment certification is difficult since services can build on each other and use components developed by separate entities. Testing should furthermore be made before an end user, like a consumer, uses the end terminal.
Another existing way to control 3rd party applications in the user terminal environment is to use "sandbox"-solutions, i.e. solutions where the 3rd party applications are only allowed to be executed within a "sandbox" with very limited access to the user terminal capabilities. These types of solutions do however create so many limitations and restrictions that they limit the creativity of the software developers. This does in fact not identify a user terminal having a deviating behaviour, but instead limits the probability of deviating behaviour through limiting the capabilities of applications.
Firewall technology is another important technology used to grant or block access for certain applications. Firewalls exist both as personal firewalls that can be installed on the user terminal or network firewalls that are deployed in the network.
Personal firewalls control access on the terminal side by analyzing all network traffic sent and received by the terminal with some additional user control. Network firewalls work in a similar fashion with the main difference that all traffic passing through the firewall is analyzed. The amount of traffic passing through will heavily depend on deployment, i.e. how close to the users the network firewall is deployed. One limitation with these firewalls is that they do not combine the terminal centric analysis with the network centric analysis. Another limitation is that firewalls do not as such identify deviating behaviour, but can only be used once deviating behaviour has been identified.
There is therefore a need for improvement in this field of technology and then especially a need for new mechanisms that can check such applications for enhancing the safety of the user terminal as it is used by an end user and for avoiding network abuse.


Embodiments of a computer system, a method, and a computer-program product (e.g., software) for use with the computer system are described. These embodiments may be used to generate an application description of one or more data-described applications that provides one or more functions in a virtual environment on a portable electronic communication device, such as a cellular telephone. This application description may be based at least in part on a schema that defines one or more fields, one or more formats and/or one or more sequences of data. Using the application description, a given data-described application may interpret data in the virtual environment. Moreover, by compiling the schema with the appropriate data to describe an application, the application running on a virtual environment can support multiple models and configurations of the portable electronic communication device.

The present invention relates to a technique for generating an application description for a set of data-described applications that execute in a virtual environment on a portable electronic device.
An increasing number of software applications are being developed for portable electronic devices, such as cellular telephones. However, at any given time, there are a wide variety of portable electronic devices, including numerous models that are provided by multiple manufacturers. These models often have different hardware and software configurations. Attempting to support all of these configurations is complicated, time-consuming and expensive for software developers. Consequently, many software applications can only be used on a small subset of the available portable electronic devices, which is frustrating for the manufacturers, users, and network operators. Furthermore, in order to support even a small subset of the portable electronic devices, rigid constraints are typically imposed on the software applications, which significantly constrains innovation.

Virtual environment for data-described applications


A coaxial injection device for injecting and dispersing reagents into a reactor, including an exterior duct for high-velocity gas injection; an outer-middle injector with at least one nozzle for liquid injection; an inner-middle duct for low-velocity gas injection; and an interior injector with nozzle for liquid injection; wherein, the exterior duct is formed by the internal wall of an insert and the external wall of the outer-middle injector; and is located externally to and circumferentially surrounds all other injectors and ducts; the outer-middle injector is formed by two concentric cylinders with end plate and injector nozzles; the inner-middle duct is formed by interior wall of the outer-middle injector and the exterior wall of the interior injector; the interior injector is formed by a cylinder with an endplate, the endplate having a nozzle; thereby ensuring the mixing and dispersion of the liquids and gases into the reactor to increase reaction homogeneity, reaction efficiency, reactor efficiency and reduced byproduct formation. A multiple coaxial injection device system and a method for operating the system are also described.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to chemical injection devices and, more particularly, to a co-axial chemical injection device using high-velocity gases.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Chemical injection devices are generally known. Example of some prior art devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,592 issued to Peter-Hoblyn et al. on Aug. 30, 1994 for Lance-type injection apparatus for introducing chemical agents into flue gases teaches the removal of sulfur oxides (SO.sub.x) and nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x) from combustion effluents is enhanced by the supplying of reactants in a particular distribution pattern in the gas flow. To achieve the particular distribution pattern and to avoid impingement of the reactant on the heat exchanger tubes of the combustor, an elongated injection lance comprising c cooling jacket and plural spaced injections ports is employed. The cooling jacket protects the reactant supply to the injection ports from the high temperatures of the combustion gases.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,218 issued to DeVita on Jan. 15, 1991 for Process and injector for reducing the concentration of pollutants in an effluent teaches a process and apparatus for reducing the concentration of pollutants in an effluent from the combustion of a fuel or waste material is presented. The process and apparatus enables injection of an effluent treatment fluid at low treatment fluid flow rates yet provides an even dispersion of treatment fluid within an effluent passage with little or no clogging. An atomization conduit, positioned coaxially within a treatment fluid supply conduit, extends into the effluent and supplies an atomization fluid, such as steam or air. A treatment fluid is supplied through a supply conduit and through at least one jet in the atomization conduit wall at a velocity of between 2-60 feet per second, causing atomization of the treatment fluid within the nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,036 issued to DeVita on Apr. 10, 1990 for Boiler and injector for reducing the concentration of pollutants in an effluent teaches a process and apparatus for reducing the concentration of pollutants in an effluent from the combustion of a fuel or waste material is presented. The process and apparatus enables injection of an effluent treatment fluid at low treatment fluid flow rates yet provides an even dispersion of treatment fluid within an effluent passage with little or no clogging. An atomization conduit, positioned coaxially within a treatment fluid supply conduit, extends into the effluent and supplies an atomization fluid, such as steam or air. A treatment fluid is supplied through a supply conduit and through at least one jet in the atomization conduit wall at a velocity of between 2-60 feet per second, causing atomization of the treatment fluid within the nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,834 issued to Burton on Jun. 27, 1989 for Process for reducing the concentration of pollutants in an effluent teaches a process and apparatus for reducing the concentration of pollutants in an effluent from the combustion of a fuel is presented. The process and apparatus enables injection of an effluent treatment fluid at independently variable droplet sizes and distance of injection to a wide variety of distribution patterns within an effluent passage. An atomization conduit, positioned coaxially around a treatment fluid conduit, extends into the effluent and supplies an atomization fluid. The supply conduit is axially slidable with respect to the atomization conduit and supplying a treatment fluid through the supply conduit. The relative axial position of supply conduit and the atomization conduit is adjusted and the rate of flow of the atomization fluid is selected to inject droplets of a size effective to a desired distance within the passage.
The use of urea and NH3-generating compounds is known in the prior art. Example of the use of urea and NH3-generating compounds include U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,249 issued Feb. 12, 1991 to Bowers for Reduction of nitrogen- and carbon-based pollutants through the use of urea solutions and U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,612 issued May 22, 1990 invented by Bowers for Reduction of nitrogen- and carbon-based pollutants teaches process using a dispersion of aqueous urea solution is injected into an effluent for reducing nitrogen oxides in an effluent from the combustion of carbonaceous fuel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,293 issued May 22, 1990 invented by Epperly, et al. and assigned to Fuel Tech, Inc. for Multi-stage process for reducing the concentration of pollutants in an effluent teaches a process for the reduction of the concentration of nitrogen oxides in the effluent from the combustion of a carbonaceous fuel, the process comprising selecting a plurality of locations for introduction of chemical formulations and introducing at each of said locations at least one chemical formulation, selected from the group consisting of urea, ammonia, hexamethylenetetraamine, an oxygenated hydrocarbon, a paraffinic hydrocarbon, an olefinic hydrocarbon, an aromatic hydrocarbon, an ammonium salt of an organic acid having a carbon to nitrogen ratio of greater than 1:1, a hydroxy amino hydrocarbon, a heterocyclic hydrocarbon having at least one cyclic oxygen, a five- or six-membered heterocyclic hydrocarbon having at least one cyclic nitrogen, hydrogen peroxide, guanidine, guanidine carbonate, biguanidine, guanylurea sulfate, melamine, dicyandiamide, calcium cyanamide, biuret, 1,1′-azobisformamide, methylol urea, methylol urea-urea condensation product, dimethylol urea, methyl urea, methyl urea, and mixtures thereof, effective to reduce the concentration of nitrogen oxides at the effluent temperature existing at said location, such that optimization of the level of injection at each of said locations leads to the reduction of the level of nitrogen oxides below a predetermined target level.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,386 issued Jun. 17, 1980 to Arand, et al. for Urea reduction of NOx in combustion effluents and U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,924 issued to Arand, et al. on Apr. 20, 1982 for Urea reduction of NO.sub.x in fuel rich combustion effluents teach methods for reducing NOx in combustion effluents involving introducing urea into the combustion effluent.


A method and apparatus are provided for printing multicolored three-dimensional objects. The method includes: selectively exposing a photosensitive thermoplastic feedstock to light within an extrusion nozzle, the feedstock comprising a thermoplastic base mixed with a photosensitive material; extruding the exposed feedstock into a deposit to print an object; and photo-chemically developing the deposit to provide color to the deposit. An apparatus is provided for three-dimensional printing with an extrusion nozzle including a light exposing component for selectively exposing the photosensitive thermoplastic feedstock to light within the extrusion nozzle.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) (Fused Deposition Modeling and FDM are trademarks of Stratasys Inc.) is a manufacturing technology for three-dimensional printing by laying down material in layers in the form of a plastic filament from a nozzle ejecting molten material. This three-dimensional printing technique is also referred to as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) or Plastic Jet Printing (PJP).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Printing multicolored three-dimensional products

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a package structure. An array chip including a plurality of first dies is provided. A wafer including a plurality of second dies is provided. A package step is carried out to package the array chip onto the wafer so as to electrically connect the first die and the second die. The present invention further provides a semiconductor wafer and a package structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer, a package structure and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a semiconductor wafer having array regions and die regions, a package structure and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the modern society, the micro-processor systems comprising integrated circuits (IC) are ubiquitous devices, being utilized in diverse fields such as automatic control electronics, mobile communication devices and personal computers. With the development of technology and the increase of original applications for electrical products, the IC devices are becoming smaller, more delicate and more diversified.
As well known in the art, an IC device is produced from dies that are fabricated by conventional semiconductor manufacturing processes. The process for manufacturing a die starts with a wafer: first, different regions are marked on the wafer; secondly, conventional semiconductor manufacture processes such as deposition, photolithography, etching or planarization are used to form the needed circuit trace(s); then, each region of the wafer is separated to form a die, and packaged to form a chip; finally, the chip is attached onto a board, a printed circuit board (PCB), for example, and the chip is electrically coupled to the pins on the PCB. Thus, each function on the chip can be performed.
In order to achieve the miniaturization demands, new packaging process and package structure are needed.

Wafer, package structure and method of manufacturing the same


A diaphragm for a diaphragm valve comprises a base body made from an elastomer, the base body having a side facing towards the media and a side facing away from the media. A force transmission component is disposed at the base body on the side facing away from the media for the attachment of a spindle drive for a diaphragm valve. Furthermore, the base body has a reinforcement area, the reinforcement area being disposed on the outside of the base body on the side of the base body facing away from the media.

Such diaphragms are standard components in diaphragm valves for use in process and systems technology for conveying any media in a pipeline. The functional principle of a diaphragm is in general always based on providing an elastically deformable wall, with the aid of which the flow cross section may be modified in the area of the valve seat. For this purpose, the elastic diaphragm is moved in the direction of the valve seat or away from the valve seat.
DE 20 2014 103 142 U1 discloses a diaphragm valve having a diaphragm including the features of the preamble from Claim 1. Furthermore, the reinforcing fabric layering in the interior of the carrier material of the membrane is introduced. Further membranes featuring a reinforcement layer completely embedded in the elastomer are disclosed in DE 2 063 509, DE 74 20 903, DE 102 26 410 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,615,471. Membranes featuring a reinforcement layer on the side of the elastomer facing towards the media are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,130,954. DE 20 2009 013 401 discloses a diaphragm being circulated on both sides in an overrun air recirculation valve. U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,609 discloses multilayered elastomer diaphragms.
These requirements for such a diaphragm heavily depend on the installation situation and the field of application of the diaphragm valve. Conventionally, the diaphragm in a diaphragm valve is pressed under preloading force into a resting position. The background is that, in the case of a power and/or pressure failure, it is imperative to know the switching position of the valve. If the valve now is to be switched, an actuator, which overcomes the preloading force and forces the diaphragm into an alternative switching position, is actuated. This conventionally is carried out with the aid of pressurized air, solenoid coils or the like. The switching process is carried out in sudden bursts and, depending on the specific application, is carried out repeatedly or once only.
Against this background, the diaphragm of a diaphragm valve has to fulfill two different criteria: On the one hand, it has to be ensured that the diaphragm in the closed position of the diaphragm valve sufficiently seals. This is carried out in that the elastic base body of the diaphragm is compressed against the valve seat and, in so doing, a sealing surface is generated. Thus, the diaphragm has to be sufficiently elastic. Furthermore, the elasticity of the diaphragm has to be so high that the fast switching processes do not result in component failure.
On the other hand, the diaphragm has to withstand constant compression stresses, in particular for diaphragm valves which are closed in their resting position. It has to be ensured that plastic deformations and/or tears do not result in the diaphragm. Thus, the base body furthermore has to have a certain capability of resistance. Moreover, in the closed state, the total pressure of the medium to be retained is always applied at the diaphragm. The diaphragm has to withstand this counter pressure, without which a formation of tears or a deformation of the diaphragm results. In general, the challenge of optimization is now to improve the elasticity and the capability of resistance of the diaphragm. Conventional diaphragms having elastomers as a base body achieve the required elasticity for generating the sealing effect; however, they often do not achieve the required capability of resistance in regard to the formation of tears.
In order to address this optimization issue, the prior art suggests that the elastomer of the diaphragm features a reinforcement layer, which is configured in the interior of the elastomer. In this instance, the reinforcement layer is to provide the necessary tear strength of the diaphragm, and the elastomer is to provide the elasticity of the diaphragm. Thus, it results that such reinforced diaphragms, which are known from the prior art, substantially have three layers.
Since the mentioned reinforcement layer completely runs in the interior of the elastomer, the outer effective surfaces of the diaphragm and the total thickness of the diaphragm remain unaltered, as a result of which design changes in the valve body are not required.
For the purpose of simplification, it can be assumed that a defined thickness of the elastomer is technically predefined. This thickness is selected so that the diaphragm is sufficiently flexible and adequately resistant when interacting with the reinforcement layer. If now a reinforcement layer is configured within the diaphragm, the thickness of the elastomer remains constant in sum; however, the reinforcement layer insert reduces, typically halves, the thickness of the elastomer, which forms between the outside of the elastomer and the reinforcement layer.
This entails various disadvantageous effects. For example, it may be disadvantageous that the reduced thickness of the elastomer results in a sealing effect of the valve which is more prone to defects.
A further disadvantageous effect is based on the fact that the reinforcement layers are conventionally connected to the elastomer using an adhesive agent. Presently known adhesive agents however mostly include chemical components, which are not to come into contact with critical media, for example, food substances or medicaments. Moreover, a plurality of other chemical and biological processes under no circumstances are to come into contact with chemical components from the adhesive agent. As described above, a reduction of the thickness of the elastomer as a result increases, owing to the reduced wall strength of the elastomer layer adjoining the medium, the risk that the chemical components from the adhesive agent diffuse through the elastomer into the medium or that the chemical components come into direct contact with the medium because of material defects.
In conclusion, it is to be noted that reinforced diaphragms known previously have a greater strength because of the reinforcement layer; however, this entails a limited performance and a significant expenditure in manufacturing. In particular, this is based on the three-layer configuration of the diaphragm.

Diaphragm for a diaphragm valve and method for the manufacture of the diaphragm


An approach is provided for preventing traffic over-reporting via identifying misleading traffic data. The approach involves, for example, detecting a connection attempt between a wireless communication infrastructure device and a plurality of probe devices. The wireless communication infrastructure device is associated with a known height. The approach also involves processing one or more wireless signals associated with the connection attempt to determine height data of the plurality of probe devices. The approach further involves determining based on the height data that at least two of the plurality of probe devices are carried by a single entity. The approach further involves providing data indicating the at least two of the plurality of probe devices as an output.

Navigation and mapping service providers are continually challenged to provide digital maps with traffic incident reports to support navigation applications and advanced applications such as autonomous driving. For example, providing users up-to-date data on traffic flow and traffic incidents (e.g., accidents or bottlenecks) can potentially reduce congestion and improve safety. However, traffic incident information can be manipulated. By way of example, an artist walked a handcart filled with smart phones down the street to cause a web mapping service's algorithm to report a traffic jam on the street. Therefore, map service providers face significant technical challenges to suppress such misleading traffic incident information.

Method and apparatus for preventing traffic over-reporting via identifying misleading probe data


A food package particularly adapted for packaging food products for eat-in or carryout service is prepared from a pair of combination tray/cover components made from identical blanks of paperboard or the like. Each tray/cover component comprises a base panel with opposed side walls and a rear wall which are retained in an upright condition by glue flaps attached to the rear wall and adhered to the side walls. The front wall remains in the same general plane of the base panel to form an open ended tray for eat-in use. For carryout use, two components are joined together wherein tabs on the ends of the front wall of one component are engaged in slots provided in the rear walls of another component to form a tray/cover combination.

The present invention relates to packaging and is particularly concerned with food packaging prepared from flat blanks of corrugated paperboard.
Generally, packaging components are manufactured for the specific products to be packaged Where food products are involved, sometimes the packages are designed for eat-in use and other packages are designed for carryout use. The requirements of different packages for eat-in and carryout means that someone who sells food products for both uses must maintain on hand dual inventories of packaging materials. Meanwhile it has heretofore been recognized that manufacturing and inventory requirements can be simplified by using a common blank to form two halves of the same package. U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,354 discloses a tray with a telescoping cover formed from identical blanks. U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,538 discloses a paperboard carton with common tray-cover components, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,324 (owned by the present assignee herein), discloses yet another telescoping carton made from identical blanks of paperboard. However, none of the aforementioned prior art patents disclose a package particularly suitable for two different uses, i.e., eat-in and carryout.
In this regard, the present invention is directed to a new and improved package construction in which the same component is used in combination to form a carryout package, or singly as an eat-in package for food products such as pizza. In its carryout mode, two like components are combined to form a tray and lid whereas in the eat-in version, only one component is used to form a tray. Unlike the prior art constructions that require separate sets of fold or score lines, which are selectively utilized depending upon whether an inner or outer package half is to be formed, the present invention provides a construction wherein the fold lines and folding sequence are the same for each component of the package. Thus the packaging components of the present invention are economical to make and the user need only carry one inventory for both carryout or eat-in service.


The present application discloses an information indicating and determining method and apparatus, and a computer storage medium, being used for indicating QCL group information of a DMRS port, enabling a terminal to determine the QCL group information of the DMRS port. The embodiments of the present application provide an information indicating method, comprising: determining QCL group information of a demodulation reference signal DMRS port; and notifying a terminal of the QCL group information.

In the New Radio (NR) system, the data demodulation process requires the channel estimation based on the Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS). In the prior art, the DMRS in the NR system will be transmitted in the same pre-coding way as the corresponding data layer.
However, there is no solution of indicating and determining the information about the DMRS port in the prior art.

Information indicating and determining method and apparatus, and computer storage medium

DATANG MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.


A data-written medium in which the data is readable with a light source having a main wavelength of 600 to 700 nm, the medium comprising a substrate and an ink layer containing not more than 0.1 g/m.sup.2 of a chromatic color dyestuff having absorption substantially at 600 to 700 nm and at least one other color dyestuff as the remainder. The ink layer is formed on the substrate so as to have a form constituting the data. Also provided is a data-written medium in which the data is readable with light sources having a main wavelength of 600 to 1,500 nm, the medium comprising a substrate, a first ink layer containing not more than 0.1 g/m.sup.2 of a chromatic color dyestuff having substantial absorption at 600 to 700 nm and another dyestuff as the remainder, and a second ink layer containing a substance having substantial absorption in a near infrared region. Each of the two ink layers is formed so as to individually have a form constituting to two corresponding data.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a data-written medium having a variety of colors, whose data can be read with a light source having a main wavelength of 600 to 700 nm. More specifically, it relates to a bright-colored data-written medium whose data can be read with a light source having a main wavelength of 600 to 700 nm and which is functionally excellent in the prevention of falsification and forgery.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, control systems using bar codes such as physical distribution control systems, product control systems, material control systems, inventory control systems and POS systems have been developed and applied to various fields as a means of obviating complicated key inputting and bookkeeping. The procedures for marking bar codes are classified into a source marking procedure for producing a large number of identical bar codes and an in-store marking, in-house marking or on demand marking procedure for producing a limited amount of individual bar codes. The former procedure is carried out by an offset printing, gravure printing, flexographic press printing, relief printing, or screen printing method. The latter procedure is carried out by using a printer of a thermal transfer, thermal coloring or wire dot type, an ink-jet printer, a laser printer, or the like. Data processing is usually carried out as follows. Printed bar bode or character data is measured for its reflective strength by means of a light source such as a 632.8 nm He-Ne laser, a 660 nm light-emitting diode, a 670 nm visible light laser diode, a 690 nm light-emitting diode, a 780 nm laser diode, a 940 nm infrared-emitting diode, or the like, inputted as coded data or character data, and processed with a computer.
In general, the inks used to print these bar code and character data contain, as a dyestuff, a carbon black having an absorption in a wide range from a visible light region to a near infrared light region. And, due to bar code designing or in order to improve product evaluation, a study is made of the following inks or materials: dark (brown, dark blue, dark green, etc. ) chromatic color inks containing carbon black in combination, blue or green pigment-containing inks for detection with a 600 to 700 nm light source, thermal coloring paper using light-emission of a leuco dye, nigrosine type dye-containing inks for an ink-jet printer; and the like.
These inks or materials for any use are required to have sufficient absorption characteristics in the wavelength region of a light source to detect the data. In particular, the selection of light absorbers for a specific wavelength is essential to determine color indication on hue, saturation and brightness, detection sensitivity or weatherability of the data-written medium.
When near infrared absorbers are used, no absorption occurs in the visible light region, and therefore, even the combined use of these materials with a chromatic color dyestuff does not change the brightness, hue, saturation, etc., of the dyestuff itself. However, when an attempt is made to detect light absorption at a 600 to 700 nm (so-called visible light) wavelength region in order to read coded data or character data, it has been impossible to produce a data-written medium of any color other than blue or green, since the absorber itself has its own color.
On the other hand, in recent years, bar code readers increasingly use a 600 to 700 nm visible light wavelength region, since a shorter wavelength can be increasingly used for detection, and the sensitivity of a detection device has been increased with the development in the laser diode, the gas laser and the charge coupled device.
In view of the above problems, the present inventors have made a study to achieve the following characteristics of an absorber to be used in the 600 to 700 run visible light region.
1) The absorber is required to have sufficient absorption in the 600 to 700 nm wavelength region.
2) The absorber is required to exhibit lower absorption of light in a 400 to 600 wavelength region.
3) The absorber is required to have light resistance higher than that of conventional printing inks.
As a result, the present inventors have found that a data-written medium which can have a variety of colors usable with a conventional bar code reader or an optical character reader can be obtained by using 0.1 g/m.sup.2, in an ink layer, of a chromatic color dyestuff having substantial absorption at 600 to 700 nm in combination with at least one other dyestuff. That is, it has been found that when not more than a specified amount of the chromatic color dyestuff is applied in combination with at least one other warm color dyestuff, a clear-color data storage medium free from turbidity, e.g., a barcode, can be obtained.


A forward error correction method including inserting at least one filler symbol into an input data stream at a pre-determined position, thereby generating a precoded symbol group, FEC encoding the precoded symbol group, thereby generating a code word, removing at least one of the filler symbols from the code word, thereby generating an optimized code word, inserting at least one filler symbol into the optimized code word at the predetermined position, thereby generating a deoptimized code word, FEC decoding the deoptimized code word, thereby generating a decoded symbol group, and removing at least one of the filler symbols from the decoded symbol group, thereby generating an output data stream.

The use of Forward Error Correction (FEC) techniques in the design of digital communications and storage systems is well known. FEC is used to find and correct limited errors caused by a transport or storage system in order to ensure the validity of the received message without requiring retransmissions. In general, FEC encoding techniques, such as Reed-Solomon (RS) encoding, provide data redundancy by adding extra code symbols to a transmitted message which provide the necessary detection and correction information. The number of redundant symbols is determined by the amount and type of error correction required. RS encoding is an example of a block code where the data to be transmitted are divided into blocks, with each block comprising k symbols of data. An additional r redundancy symbols are then added to each block of k data symbols to form a code word of length n=k+r. The "code rate" of the code refers to the ratio k/n, and is used to express the average amount of data symbols versus the amount of transmitted symbols. Thus, a code rate of 0.8 would indicate that the average over all time intervals T of the ratio of data symbols that were encoded in time interval T to the total number of transmitted symbols in time interval T, is 80%.
In general, the additional redundancy symbols must contain enough information to allow the position of an erroneous information symbol to be located and its value determined. For example, an RS decoder can detect and correct up to r/2 incorrect symbols if there are (r=n−k) redundant symbols in each code word, as one redundant symbol is used to detect and locate each error, and one more redundant symbol is used to identify the precise value of that error. Some symbols that are either known or suspected to be in error or otherwise unreliable may be labeled as "erasures." The position of each erasure may be provided in advance to the decoder which then ignores the actual value of the erasure and instead reconstructs its value using the redundancy symbols. Since the position of each erasure is known, only one redundant symbol is needed to reconstruct the value of an erasure, and an additional redundant symbol to determine the location of the erasure is not required. In general, if a code word contains E symbols that are erasures whose locations are known and e symbols that are errors with unknown locations, the code word can be correctly decoded provided that (2e+E)≦r. If the locations of all the errors are known to the decoder, the message can be correctly decoded provided that E≦r, thus requiring half the number of redundant symbols needed to correct errors whose locations are not known.
While conventional FEC techniques may be used successfully to correct errors, FEC encoders/decoders generally must be designed in advance with a predetermined ratio of information symbols to redundancy symbols according to the expected quality of the channel over which the data is transmitted. Thus, in order for a single FEC encoder or decoder to be used for multiple data channels of varying quality, a conventional FEC encoder or decoder will either have to be configured to provide sufficient redundancy for the channel with the poorest expected quality, or will have to be continually reconfigured according to the expected quality of the data of each channel to be encoded or decoded. Alternatively, several encoders and decoders may be implemented in parallel, with one encoder and decoder for each channel.
A FEC technique that can accommodate multiple streams of data of varying quality using a single FEC configuration that provides different levels of redundancy would therefore be advantageous.


A sense amplifier circuit includes a first double-gate metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (DGMOSFET) having a first gate defining a first input to the circuit, a second gate and an output being coupled to a first output of the circuit and a second DGMOSFET having a first gate defining a second input of the circuit, a second gate connected to the output of the first DGMOSFET and an output connected to the second gate of the first DGMOSFET, the output of the second DGMOSFET being coupled to a second output of the circuit.

The present disclosure relates generally to sense amplifier circuits, and more specifically to sense amplifier circuits used in memory devices.
Sense amplifier circuits are typically used for accessing and reading the contents of memory cells, such as those typically found in static random access memory devices (SRAM). These sense amplifier circuits typically include a number of transistors configured to sense and produce an output indicative of memory cell contents.