A control system for determining when one or more persons exit a designated environment or location. The control system includes a magnetic cuff or anklet attached to the ankle of a person in the location or environment and an electronic detection system located in a threshold detector unit mounted in the floor of the location or environment. The electronic detector system is characterized by an amplified "Hall Effect" integrated circuit (IC) which is designed to detect movement of the magnetic cuff or anklet through a detection zone up to about 10 inches above the threshold plate. Various alarm apparatus may be connected to the "Hall Effect" IC circuit to announce movement of the person upon which the magnetic cuff or anklet is attached through the entrance way.

1. Field of the Invention
In certain medical and security related environments it is desirable to create a signal when certain persons exit a designated environment. For example, in a nursing home environment it is desirable that a signal be created if a selected patient or resident exits the nursing home. In a similar manner, it is desirable that a signal be created if a person exits their bed under circumstances where such exit would be deemed an unsafe or undesirable activity.
Most of the existing detection systems utilize radio frequency (RF) techniques wherein the object (person to be detected) is fitted with a small RF transmitter and the control unit (or detection device) is installed adjacent to a monitored passageway such as a building exit. These systems detect the monitored person by reception and recognition of the unique frequency associated with the person, to the exclusion of all other persons not emitting this pattern. The complexity of these systems varys from the non-sophisticated to the very complex pattern (or signal analysis) type. These systems may be very expensive, depending upon the degree of complexity, which is normally related to the desire of reducing the occurrence of false alarms. Many of these systems utilize batteries in an RF transmitter which is fitted to the patient, either on the wrist or at another location, which batteries must be periodically replaced. In some cases, the entire transmitter assembly must be replaced, thereby leading to fairly expensive recurring costs in the use of the system and many systems utilize detection elements such as magnets in both shoes of the person monitored.
Many such systems are currently available on the market and typical of these is the "Code Alert" wanderer monitoring system developed by R. F. Technologies, Inc., of Milwaukee, Wis. A similar system known as "Wander Guard" selective alert system includes a signalling device worn by the wanderer and a receiver mounted in the door or recessed in the wall of a structure. If a wanderer walks through the monitored area, a distinctive beeper alerts nursing staff or security to the movement of the patient or resident. The "Wander Guard" system is developed by Senior Technologies, Inc., of Lincoln, Nebr. A similar system is "Smart Lock" which is designed to lock an exit only when approached by a monitored resident. When the resident retreats from the door, the "Smart Lock" control quietly returns the door to its unlocked state. The "Smart Lock" system is developed by McKerly Company of Concord, N.H.
Many such detectors are the subject of United States patents, typical of which is the "Passageway Selective Detector Mechanism and System" detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,696, dated Nov. 26, 1985, to Donald G. Brown. The passageway selector detector mechanism and system includes a mat which is positioned within a passageway such as a doorway, gate or the like. Embedded within the mat are magnetically operable electric switches which are electrically connected to an alarm or a signal member and to a source of electrical energy. Thus, when any of the switches is operated, the alarm or signal members are energized. The mechanism and system includes magnetic elements located in the shoes of selected personnel for operation of at least one of the electric switches as the selective personnel travels over the mat. The magnetic element may include an inner sole within the shoes of the selected personnel to actuate an electric switch, which magnetic element actuates the alarm or signal member as the selective personnel steps upon the mat. The magnetic element may also include a magnetic member carried by a wheelchair in which the selective personnel travels and which actuates an electric switch, which energizes an alarm or signal member as the selective personnel travels over the mat in the wheelchair. U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,340, dated Jul. 31, 1990, to Henry L. Brille, details a "Tamper-Resistant Magnetic Security System". The security system is adapted for use in a physical security monitoring environment and includes a switch unit having a common conductor a guard conductor and at least three switches. Each of the switches incorporates a deactivated condition and an activated condition and each is adapted to be placed in its activated condition in response to a magnetic field of predetermined magnetic flux. The switch unit also includes a logic circuit electrically interconnecting the switches and the common and guard conductors, the logic circuit completing a series circuit between the common conductor and the guard conductor whenever at least two predetermined, but not all, switches are in magnetically actuated condition. As associated actuated unit includes at least two permanent magnets and provides discreet magnetic fields of predetermined flux density and positioned to individually activate the two or more predetermined switches and complete the series circuit between the common conductor and the guard conductor when the actuator unit is located in predetermined juxtaposition with respect to the sensor unit. A "Frequency Divider With Single Resonant Circuit and Use Thereof As a Transponder in a Presence Detection System" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,641, dated Mar. 31, 1987, to L. G. Ferguson, et al. The device includes a portable frequency divider which includes a single resonant circuit including a nonlinear conductor having a core made of amorphous magnetic material and a capacitance connected in series with the conductor, to define a resonant circuit that detects electromagnetic radiation at a first predetermined frequency and responds to the detection by transmitting electromagnetic radiation at a second frequency which is a subharmonic of the first frequency. U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,612, dated May 5, 1987, to E. Majia, et al, details a "Pattern-Comparing Security Tag Detection System". The security apparatus is designed to detect a security tag which is hidden in an article to be detected. The digitized wave shape of a tag signature signal is preferably obtained by distortion of an oscillating magnetic field (whereby the distortion signal being detected constitutes a signature signal) and is compared with a stored digital representative of a signature signal and an alarm enabling signal is generated in the event of correlation in a predetermined number of times in a predetermined time period. The storage signal is modified by the specific factors and characteristics of the apparatus, as well as environmental factors. U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,569, dated Nov. 21, 1989, to S. Dey, covers a "De-Activatable Frequency-Dividing-Transponder Tag". Detailed is a presence-detection-system tag in which a frequency-dividing transponder may be decisively deactivated notwithstanding the intensity of the ambient magnetic field. The tag includes a frequency-dividing transponder, including an active strip of magnetic material which, when magnetically biased to be within a predetermined magnetic field intensity range, responds to excitation by electromagnetic radiation of a first predetermined frequency by radiating electromagnetic radiation of a second predetermined frequency that is, a frequency-divided quotient of the first predetermined frequency. A first biased strip of magnetic material is disposed relative to the active strip of magnetic material for biasing the active strip of magnetic material within the predetermined magnetic field intensity range, only when the first biased strip is magnetized. Further included is a second biased strip of magnetic material disposed relative to the active strip of magnetic material for further biasing the active strip to be outside of the predetermined magnetic field intensity range and thereby preventing the active strip of magnetic material from radiating electromagnetic radiation of the second predetermined frequency in response to excitation by electromagnetic radiation of the first predetermined frequency when the first and second bias strips of magnetic material are both magnetized. A coded tag includes such two active strips having different magnetomechanical resonant frequencies and either tag may be detected in a presence detection system that includes means for transmitting an electromagnetic radiation signal of a first predetermined frequency into a surveillance zone and means for detecting electromagnetic radiation of the second predetermined frequency within the surveillance zone. The system further includes a magnetizer for magnetizing the second bias strip to deactivate the frequency-dividing transponder of the tag.
One of the problems which exists with existing patient monitoring and control systems is the problem of properly and efficiently fitting the patient or the patients' shoes with a desirable transmitter or other detection device which cannot be removed. For example, in a nursing home or hospital environment, certain residents or patients may not have a cognitive awareness of or concern for their attire. Most of the people in this category suffer from some type of dementia such as Alzheimer's, or in some cases, brain injury. Consequently, the residents or patients cannot be relied upon to wear the required devices or their shoes when they attempt an unauthorized exit from their room in the hospital, nursing home or other facility.
The "Hall Effect" integrated circuit (IC) offers promise for use in a detection system, since it is capable of sensing a magnetic field. Specifically, this device detects motion, position or change in the field strength of an electromagnet, permanent magnet or a ferromagnetic material with an applied magnetic bias. However, manufacturers specifications normally limit the useful sensitivity or range of "Hall Effect" IC switches and sensors to an extremely small distance of about 1/2 of an inch. With increased complexity and the use of strong magnetic assemblies, this sensitivity can be extended to about 1 inch. In contrast, the selective exit control system of this invention is capable of detecting human movement by actually detecting the movement of magnetic material in a manner which yields a sensitivity of up to ten times the normal sensitivity of the conventional "Hall Effect" IC switch. This increased sensitivity is absolutely necessary to the efficacy of the invention, since the passage of a person's foot over a floor-mounted object such as a threshold or the like, is variable in terms of linear clearance and averages from about two to three inches. It should be noted that increases in "gain" and increases in "sensitivity" from an electronic standpoint are not synonomous. Increases in "gain" are relatively easy to obtain, while even minor increases in sensitivity are extremely difficult to achieve. The sensitivity of solid state "Hall Effect" IC switches is generally controlled by the manufacturer. This tends to limit use of these switches to standard "textbook" applications. When these devices "see" a state of minimum magnetic field strength they will switch in a predictable manner.
Accordingly, the first important component of the selective exit control system of this invention is use of a "Hall Effect" IC sensor which has a continuously variable output related to the magnetic field strength that it "sees". In this regard, it performs an analog rather than a digital switch function. However, the "Hall Effect" IC sensor can "see" a very small change in magnetic field strength, but the resulting signal is of such small magnitude as to be virtually unusable.
The second important component of the invention is based on the understanding that the "unusable" signal generated by the "Hall Effect" IC sensor can be essentially doubled, that is, increased in sensitivity, by using two "Hall Effect" IC sensors instead of one, and configuring them in an electronic "push-pull" arrangement, such that one output is positive as the other output is negative for the same magnetic stimulus. Each of these "Hall Effect" IC outputs is connected to one of two "stage one" operational amplifier (buffer-amplifier) inputs. In this manner, the "stage 1" buffer/amplifier resistors can be conventionally selected to provide a selected "gain".
The third important component of the invention is the use of a pair of mutually reinforcing, permanent magnet assemblies which include exceptionally strong "rare earth" magnets that are both oriented to simultaneously increase and broaden the magnetic field strength in a preferred direction, in this case, downwardly. These magnets assist in converting the low, "unusable" signal into levels which can be further processed in a useable manner according to the invention.
The fourth important component of the invention includes implementation of a comparator circuit. The normal use of comparators requires two separate inputs, one of which is a fixed reference and the other a variable input, such that if the variable input goes slightly above the fixed reference, the comparator will change its output state. This standard design was unacceptable for use in the selective exit control system of this invention because the absolute difference between the two input voltages was very small. Accordingly, any drift or slight deviation in the input over time would cause the results to lack stability and repeatability. The solution was to design the circuit such that the fixed reference is not a fixed voltage level, but is derived from the variable input.
The fifth important aspect of the invention is the selection of component values in the electronic arrangement such that the circuit allows "finger-printing" or signature analysis of the wave-shape characteristics insofar as they are representative of expected or actual human movement. Since the two comparator inputs are derived from the same point, signals which are too fast or too slow are purposely ignored by the detection circuit. This discrimination against signals which appear not to be representative of human movement is provided by the unique arrangement and choice of component values in the invention.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a non-mechanical, electronic and magnetic detection system which creates a signal when a selected person wearing a single, removable or non-removable, fitted cuff or anklet containing one or more magnetic elements, walks through a detection zone.
Another object of this invention is to provide an electronic system for detecting wandering patients or residents by utilizing a combination of strong "rare earth" magnets fitted on an anklet or cuff in non-removable fashion and effecting an increased field strength, such that solid state "Hall Effect" magnetic sensors, using special techniques which enhance detection sensitivity, may detect and create a signal over a distance of up to about 10 times that normally associated with magnetic sensing devices.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a non-mechanical selective exit control system which includes a non-battery operated magnetic anklet designed for mounting on the ankle of a patient or resident and fitted with a pair of spaced rare earth magnets disposed so as to increase the field strength of the magnets and further including a "Hall Effect" integrated circuit (IC) detection system which is enhanced electronically and fitted within a threshold strip to facilitate detection of the magnetic anklet of the patient or resident when he or she steps through the detection zone generated by the enhanced "Hall Effect" IC sensors.


Hair treatment agents containing a mixture of special linear alkanes, an amidoamine and/or a cationized amidoamine, and at least one cationic surfactant (esterquat and/or quaternary ammonium compound) are provided. In one example, the hair treatment agents are suitable for the care of hair, in particular to improve the wet and dry combability, the disentanglement, the hold, and the gloss of hair.

Besides natural environmental influences, human hair is also exposed to a series of other, particularly cosmetic, stresses. These hair-straining stresses include, for example, the coloring of hair and its deformation, for example by perming. Cosmetic hair care products are used to reduce the negative effects of the (environmental) influences impairing the hair structure, while also retaining and improving the natural hair structure. Silicon-organic compounds are an essential active ingredient in many of these cosmetic agents, in particular silicons such as trisiloxane, which are exemplified by nurturing properties. The disadvantages of these silicons are the reduced penetration of active and auxiliary ingredients into the hair and the complication of hair styling, each caused by the moistening of the hair surface. Furthermore, for reasons of sustainability, efforts must be made to use as high a proportion of bio-degradable active ingredients as possible in cosmetic products. The preparation of low-silicon or silicon-free care products is therefore a relevant problem in the field of hair cosmetics.
In the prior art, the group of linear paraffins was discussed as one of numerous active ingredient classes suitable for the substitution of the silicons. For example, the patent application WO 2010/115973A1 (Biosynthis) describes cosmetic compositions that contain mixtures of linear C8-C12 alkanes and C14-C24 alkanes in addition to other constituents. However, these compositions still have a range of disadvantages and, despite previous achievements, there is still a demand for low-silicon or silicon-free hair care products based on volatile light emollients.


A molded plastic holder for printed material includes a substantially flat support panel which is designed to be mounted to any vertical surface. Molded as part of and integrally joined to the support panel along a lower edge is a curved clip which curves outwardly at its base so as to provide a clearance space to receive the material and then extends inwardly in order to create a pressure point which presses against any material placed in the holder in order to retain the material securely in place. The intergrally molded clip has an inherent spring tension which allows it to be easily pulled forward for the insertion of material into the holder and to spring back to apply the desired holding force. Although the majority of support for the articles in the holder is provided by that material simply resting against the lower inside surface of the clip at its point of connection to the support panel, the pressure added by the clip helps to retain the material in position and with certain types of material, the slight pressure added by the clip bends the material slightly such that its outer edges are easily accessible to be grasped by the user when the material is to be withdrawn from the holder.

The present invention relates in general to support holders for racks which retain printed material, files, charts and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to such holders and racks which include a retention clip to pin the received material in position.
Over the years a number of holders and receptacles for printed material have been designed. While there is great diversity in the various configurations, these holders and receptacles typically include front and rear panels and enclosing side panels. The bottom surface is typically enclosed either by a separate panel or by angling the front and rear panel such that their lower edges are in contact. The interior cavity which is defined is open and the material which is received is retained without any particular orientation or arrangement. In some designs, a series of receptacles are provided in a stack such that different types of materials can be segregated.
Typical of some of the aforementioned types of holders and receptacles are the magnetic wall pockets, utility wall pockets and desk top pockets offered by Defecto Corporation of Indianapolis, Ind. Some of these products are covered by United States Design Patents D286,600 issued Nov. 11, 1986 to Meyer et al. and D289,122 issued Apr. 11, 1987 to Meyer et al.
In each of these Patented configurations the holder or receptacle (i.e, pockets) includes sides which control the dimension of the article which can be received. Although the length dimension of the article is typically turned sideways so that the extension above the pocket is minimized, there is complete freedom as to the orientation of the article. Nevertheless, having enclosing side walls does limit the versatility of the pocket due to size restrictions. Consequently, for articles whose size may vary or when the type of article to be retained in the holder is not known, pockets with these confining sides may not be suitable.
One area where such pockets have more limited use due to the nature of the articles and material to be received is in the operating and examination rooms of hospitals and clinics. In these rooms medical files and charts are typically present and there is a need to temporarily retain or store such files and charts during examination of the patient. These medical charts and files are often placed on a counter or table or are left outside of the room. If there is a need to refer to the file or enter data, then not having it in a convenient and readily accessible location contributes to confusion and a lack of organization. Another area of potential use for the present invention is in computer rooms where large printouts are moved and handled.
With the holder of the present invention, a front clip is provided to aid in retaining the articles which are placed in the holder. This clip is molded integrally as part of the holder and has a sufficient spring tension to enable various thicknesses of material to be retained. The spring tension of the clip also creates a slight flex or bend in the received articles such that the outer edges are pushed forward and made easier to grasp. The front clip structure of the present invention is extended to another style of holder or receptacle which includes side panels that extend forward from a rear panel.
This other style according to the present invention is specifically designed to receive a large quantity of identical brochures or folders and the holder width is sized to match the width of the printed material which is received in the holder. Consider for example product and informational brochures which are distributed by businesses such as travel agencies, doctor offices, hotels, drug stores, etc. There is a need to display such informational material in an attractive manner and still maintain visibility of what is available. For instance, a drug store may wish to provide a number of health care brochures on a wide range of topics. If the cover of the brochures cannot be seen it is awkward for a person to easily select the brochure of interest.
While a number of holders exist for magazines, catalogs, pamphlets and brochures, they all suffer from various defects in design which severely limit their aesthetic qualities and usefulness. One defect is that these holders do not provide any type of structure to cause the material to stand and remain standing in an upright orientation. If the holder is full, the material in the holder is somewhat supported by its own surrounding mass. However, as the pamphlets and brochures are taken the mass diminishes and the remaining pamphlets and brochures begin to sag and curl. Either the top edge of this material droops over in a forward direction making it difficult to read and identify, or the bottom edge curls up and the top edge drops down becoming more difficult to locate, identify and grasp.
By means of the clip of the present invention, a slight arch is created in the printed material creating a concave curvature extending from the top to the bottom with the curvature running side to side. This arch provides each item with a structural configuration which is self-supporting and this precludes the aforementioned problems of sagging and curling. The side panels of this particular holder style according to the present invention are configured with interlocking means so that several holders can be joined together as an assembled unit.


Techniques for improving search using generalized linear mixed models are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method comprises: receiving a search query comprising at least one search term and being associated with a user; extracting features from corresponding profiles of a plurality of candidates; for each one of the candidates, generating a corresponding score based on a generalized linear mixed model comprising a generalized linear query-based model and a random effects user-based model; selecting a subset of candidates from the plurality of candidates based on the corresponding scores; and causing the selected subset of candidates to be displayed to the user in a search results page for the search query.

Generalized linear models suffer from a lack of personalization, particularly when used in the area of information retrieval, such as generating search results in response to a search query, resulting in the most relevant content being downgraded in favor of irrelevant content in the search results. As a result, users of such an information retrieval system spend a longer time of their search and request a computer system to perform actions with respect to the irrelevant content, leading to excessive consumption of electronic resources, such as a wasteful use of processing power and computational expense associated with generating and displaying irrelevant content, and a wasteful use of network bandwidth associated with transmission of messages based on irrelevant content.

Generalized linear mixed models for improving search


A method for producing a plurality of measurement regions on a chip, and a chip having a plurality of measurement regions which is obtainable by the method.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the technical field of microfluids, in particular to microfluids in combination with semiconductor technology. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for producing a plurality of measurement regions on a chip.
The present invention moreover relates to a chip having a multiplicity of electrically addressable measurement regions.
Description of Related Art
Microfluid systems are outstandingly suitable for carrying out chemical and biological detection reactions with low sample volumes.
In the field of clinical chemistry, in particular in biological and chemical diagnostics, chip-based systems, known as microarrays, are increasingly relied upon in particular in the detection of pathogens, such as, for example, viruses. Chip-based investigation methods allow simultaneous detection of a multiplicity of chemical or biological reactions in the smallest space. In this manner, on the one hand the requirement for cost-intensive laboratory equipment can be saved, and on the other hand a multiplicity of measurements can be carried out at the same time, so that even the results of complex investigations as a rule are available promptly.
Such chips which are suitable for chemical and biological investigation methods, in particular medical investigation methods, conventionally have a plurality of measurement regions, each of which is functionalized with different chemical or biological molecules so that different chemical reactions can take place and be detected in the individual measurement regions.
A chip having a multiplicity of measurement regions is known, for example, from U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0131278 A1. This is a silicon-based chip on the surface of which a multiplicity of electrode pairs is arranged by metallising and structuring. In each case, one electrode pair is present in a measurement region and the measurement regions are arranged in a chequered manner in one plane and form an array.
The electrode pairs each comprise microstructured finger electrodes intermeshed with one another, so that the electrodes in each case have adjacent interfaces over wide regions. The individual measurement regions are separated from one another by mechanical barriers in the form of small walls between the individual measurement regions, so that the measurement regions are present in the form of small compartments or cavities.
The individual measurement regions in such chips or microarrays are conventionally functionalized individually, in the context of chemical or biological diagnostics usually with biologically active substances. The biologically active substances can be, for example, antibodies which react chemically with specific antigens.
The chemical reaction can change the electrochemical relationships in the particular measurement region, so that the chemical reaction is detectable electrically by the electrode arrangement.
However, it is also possible that the molecules applied to the chip surface—capture molecules—react with specific target molecules, in particular bind these chemically, and the compound formed in this way is subsequently reacted chemically, this subsequent chemical reaction being detectable with the electrode arrangement.
The functionalizing is conventionally carried out by what is known as a spotting process, in which each measurement region is treated with a different solution or dispersion of a functionalizing reagent. Water is conventionally used as the solvent or dispersing agent for the functionalizing reagent, so that the measurement regions as a rule are formed hydrophilically, but at least are not hydrophobic.
The functionalizing reagent is immobilized on the chip surface by chemical reactions with the chip surface in the measurement regions or with the electrodes.
In order to obtain a result which is as unambiguous and reproducible as possible by using the chip, it is essential that the various liquids used during the spotting process are not mixed with one another, but each remain by themselves in the envisaged measurement region.
The mechanical barriers provided between the individual measurement regions in the above-mentioned U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0131278 A1 usually cannot prevent liquid from passing over from one measurement region into another, since due to the small extent of the individual measurement regions, which is in the micrometer range, and the relatively small width of the barrier between the individual measurement regions in combination with the high surface tension of the water, the liquids mix with one another.
In order to counteract this disadvantage, International Patent Application Publication WO 2014/191114 A2 proposes providing the regions between the individual measurement regions with a hydrophobic coating, in particular with a monolayer based on a perfluoroalkylsilane. Improved results in the spotting process can in fact be achieved in this manner, although the formation of a hydrophobic monolayer on the chip leads to problems in the actual measurement, especially if the chip has to be wetted over a large area with several reagents in succession for the detection. In particular, those reactions in which a substance, for example an antigen, is bound to the substrate, for example an antibody, bonded to the chip surface and the compound formed must then be reacted again for the detection are difficult to carry out with the system described. Individual separate vessels on the chip surface would be advantageous here, also because of the larger sample volume.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,637 B2 describes a system for producing hydrophilic measurement regions and hydrophobic intermediate regions, wherein in this case also the regions between the individual measurement regions are said to be raised as little as possible.
Highly hydrophilic measurement regions moreover have the disadvantage that, in particular with an otherwise hydrophobic chip surface, the spotting process can indeed be carried out very precisely and cleanly, but complete removal of individual reagent or sample solutions if the chip surface is wetted several times is possible only with difficulty.
Measurement methods are often sought in which a chip can be treated with several reagent or sample solutions, for example with different solutions of several amplification products for detection of a virus, wherein the specific antibodies present in different measurement regions each bind to particular antigens. Between each wetting of the chip with a solution containing amplification products the chip is cleaned such that all residues of the previous amplification product solution are removed from the chip surface. After the chip surface or the measurement regions have been wetted with the amplification product solutions, a developer solution which reacts with the particular compounds or conjugates in the measurement regions is then applied to the chip surface. This reaction can be detected by the electrodes. It is advantageous here for the chip and in particular the measurement regions to be covered such that the individual measurement regions form closed vessels. A particularly high reproducibility of the results is ensured in this way.
A chip would thus be desirable for which the fluid properties are developed such that on the one hand clean spotting of the individual measurement regions is possible, and on the other hand the chip can be wetted several times in sequence with different reagents, wherein the reagents in each case can be removed again without residue before wetting is carried out with a further reagent. Such properties depend not only on the material of the chip or of the measurement regions and of the mechanical barriers or coatings defining the measurement regions, but rather also on the concrete dimensions of the chip and of the measurement regions, in particular the depth and the diameter of the measurement regions and the spacing of the individual measurement regions.
The prior art thus lacks a concrete configuration of the measurement regions in combination with suitable materials in order to ensure not only defect-free spotting of the individual measurement regions but rather also an improved and reproducible measurement on the chip.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for producing a plurality of measurement regions on a chip, and chip having a plurality of measurement regions


Aspects of a method and system for traffic management via virtual machine migration include detecting an abnormal traffic pattern in traffic communicated by a first virtual machine that utilizes a first set of network resources. Responsive to the detection of the abnormal pattern, a second virtual machine that utilizes a second set of network resources may be initialized. The second virtual machine may take over functions performed by the first virtual machine and initialization of the second virtual machine is based on an analysis of the traffic. The second virtual machine may be initialized utilizing stored virtual machine state information in instances that the abnormal traffic is a result of a malicious attack. The second virtual machine may be initialized utilizing current virtual machine state information in instances that the abnormal traffic is not a result of a malicious attack.

An electronic communication network is a collection of two or more computing nodes, which are communicatively coupled via a transmission medium and utilized for transmitting information. Most networks adhere to the layered approach provided by the open systems interconnect (OSI) reference model. The OSI reference provides a seven (7) layer approach, which includes an application layer, (Layer 7), a presentation layer (layer 6), a session layer (Layer 5), a transport layer (Layer 4), a network layer (Layer 3), a data link layer (Layer 2) and a physical layer (Layer 1). Layer 7 through layer 5 inclusive may comprise upper layer protocols, while layer 4 through layer 1 may comprise lower layer protocols. Some networks may utilize only a subset of the 7 OSI layers. For example, the TCP/IP model, or Internet Reference model generally utilizes a 5 layer model, which comprises an application layer, (Layer 7), a transport layer (Layer 4), a network layer (Layer 3), a data link layer (Layer 2) and a physical layer (Layer 1). These five layers can be broken down into a fairly specific set of responsibilities or services, which they provide.
As electronic communication networks become increasingly popular, ways of exchanging data of various types, sizes for a variety of applications and business and consumers alike want faster and faster network access on more and more devices. Furthermore, malicious traffic and/or other security threats also increase with the increased reliance on electronic information. Consequently, communicating the ever increasing amounts of data and number of devices in a network presents many challenges to network and system designers and administrators.
Virtualization is one area that system designers and administrators have looked to for improving networks. In this regard, in non-virtualized systems, a single machine, for example, a server or a client, may be utilized to concurrently support multiple server operations or services. For example, a single server may be utilized for providing access to business applications while also operating as an email server, a database server, and/or an exchange server. The server may generally support the various server operations by utilizing a single operating system (OS). The server operations, via the single OS, make use of server processing resources such as the central processing unit (CPU), memory, network interface card (NIC), peripheral sound card, and/or graphics card, for example. In many instances, the server resources may not be efficiently utilized because the demand for server operations generally vary based on the type of service provided and/or user needs. Consolidating server services into a single physical machine may result in an improvement in server efficiency. However, consolidation also removes the level of protection that is provided when the operations are maintained separately. For example, when the operations are consolidated, a crash or failure in a database server may also result in the loss of email services, exchange services, and/or application services.
Virtualization, however, may improve server efficiency. Virtualization may comprise utilizing multiple operating systems running concurrently on the server so that each operating system supports a different server operation or application or service, for example. The multiple operating systems may be referred to as guest operating systems (GOSs) or child partitions. This approach maintains the level of protection provided when server operations are not consolidated under a single operating system while also enabling the optimization of the usage of the processing resources available to the server. The use of multiple guest operating systems may be referred to as OS virtualization because each GOS perceives to have full access to the server's hardware resources. In this regard, a GOS is unaware of the presence of any other GOS running on the server. In order to implement OS virtualization, a software layer may be utilized to arbitrate access to the server's hardware resources. This software layer may be referred to as a hypervisor or virtual machine (VM) monitor, for example. The hypervisor may enable the multiple GOSs to access the hardware resources in a time-sharing manner. This software layer may be assisted by a trusted GOS (TGOS), which may also be referred to as a parent partition, or Virtual Machine Kernel (VMK) for instance. Although virtualization is useful in many contexts, it does not address many of the challenges faced by system designers and network administrators, and in-fact, presents many new challenges.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Method and system for traffic management via virtual machine migration


An audio configuration method establishes an audio connection between an audio source and multiple audio sinks and determines an audio context of an audio application generating audio content. The audio connection includes multiple components of latency and at least one latency component is configured based on the audio context. The transport may include a group of synchronized isochronous streams and may be associated with a transport latency indicative of time required to deliver packets to the audio sinks and a presentation latency indicative of time required for the audio sinks to render packets. The transport latency may reflect a flush timeout parameter used to extend the lifetime of a packet in exchange for longer transport delay. The flush timeout parameter may be configured in accordance with an audio context of the audio application. Applications with low latency tolerance might perform better with a lower flush timeout and vice versa.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Headsets and other audio devices are a frequently included among the resources of an information handling system. Audio devices may be used, as non-limiting examples, to participate in conference calls and distanced collaboration sessions, play interactive online games, and stream audio content, each of which has different audio latency tolerances. Historically, headsets and other audio devices may have been preconfigured for optimal performance within a particular latency context. Thus, the desirable convenience, economy, and simplicity of a single headset has generally come at the price of varying and inconsistent audio performance across different applications while users who wished to optimize their audio experience across the audio context spectrum may have been required to acquire and have ready multiple audio devices.

Contextual latency configuration for isochronous audio transport


The X-ray detection apparatus is equipped with an X-ray irradiation unit, an X-ray detector, and a movable collimator having a plurality of apertures. The collimator is provided with a window unit through which light passes, and the apertures and the window unit are aligned in one direction. The collimator moves in the direction so as to change the diameter of an aperture for narrowing X-rays from the X-ray irradiation unit to be used for irradiation of a sample and move to a position to allow an imaging unit to photograph a sample through the window unit. It becomes possible to photograph a sample even in a state where the X-ray irradiation unit, the X-ray detector and the collimator are positioned proximally to each other.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an X-ray detection apparatus for irradiating a sample with X-rays and detecting fluorescent X-rays generated from the sample.
2. Description of Related Art
X-ray fluorescence analysis is an analytical method including steps of: irradiating a sample with X-rays; detecting fluorescent X-rays generated from the sample; and making a qualitative analysis or a quantitative analysis of elements contained in the sample according to a fluorescent X-ray spectrum. In general, an X-ray detection apparatus is provided with a collimator for narrowing X-rays to be used for irradiation or fluorescent X-rays, in order to inhibit detection of X-rays other than fluorescent X-rays generated from an analysis object part of a sample. A collimator is prepared by forming an aperture at an object which blocks X-rays, so as to selectively allow fluorescent X-rays from an analysis object part of a sample to enter an X-ray detector by allowing X-rays to be used for irradiation of the analysis object part of the sample or fluorescent X-rays generated from the analysis object part of the sample to pass through the collimator and blocking other X-rays. The size of an analysis object part of a sample varies depending on the type of a sample, the purpose of analysis or the like, and the range to narrow X-rays or fluorescent X-rays also varies. Therefore, an X-ray detection apparatus equipped with a collimator including a plurality of apertures having different diameters has been developed so that the size of an aperture can be changed by moving the collimator. Such an X-ray detection apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-214167. Moreover, some X-ray detection apparatuses are equipped with an imaging unit for photographing a sample.

X-ray detection apparatus for X-ray fluorescence analysis


A portable remote control device enables user interaction with an appliance by detecting user gestures made in a hover zone, and converting the gestures to commands that are wirelessly transmitted to the appliance. The remote control device includes at least two cameras whose intersecting FOVs define a three-dimensional hover zone within which user interactions are imaged. Separately and collectively image data is analyzed to identify a relatively few user landmarks. Substantially unambiguous correspondence is established between the same landmark on each acquired image, and a three-dimensional reconstruction is made in a common coordinate system. Preferably cameras are modeled to have characteristics of pinhole cameras, enabling rectified epipolar geometric analysis to facilitate more rapid disambiguation among potential landmark points. As a result processing overhead and latency times are substantially reduced. Landmark identification and position information is convertible into commands that alter the appliance behavior as intended by the user's gesture.

Remote control of an electronic appliance by a user is often accomplished using a handheld device with a number of buttons, e.g., a TV remote control. As the user presses a button, an associated wireless signal is emitted to remotely control the appliance, perhaps changing channels, or volume level. But such mechanisms are quantized in the sense that their remote control output command sets are rather limited by the number of discrete remote control buttons.
Some remote control devices include a touch screen that the user contacts to control a remote device. But such remote control device can only detect user interactions that contact the touch screen, and cannot detect user gestures made in three-dimensional space away from the touch screen surface. Some touch screen devices employ electromagnetic and/or capacitive technologies that try to sense presence of an object close to the touch screen. This proximity requirement tends to restrict sensing natural ad hoc gestures made in three-dimensional space.
What is needed is a method and portable or handheld remote control device to sense user interaction, including natural interface gesture interaction, in a three-dimensional zone to remotely control at least one appliance. Typically the depth of this zone will be less than the arm length (≦1 m) of the user, which is a comfortable range distance for the device. The remote control device is preferably implemented with low power consumption generic inexpensive components that have small form factor. The remote control device should process data to reduce imaging ambiguities and substantially expedite processing of a sparse number of three-dimensional data points needed to identify user gestures, including natural user interactions with the device. Transmitted commands from the remote control device system should meet applicable industry standards of accuracy and resolution.
The present invention provides such systems and methods for implementing such systems.

Portable remote control device enabling three-dimensional user interaction with at least one appliance


Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for compensating for impairments of a wireless device. In accordance with a disclosed method, a set of equalizer taps for an analog pipeline of the wireless device is determined. A first set of complex filter taps and a second set of complex filter taps are also determined, by modifying the set of equalizer taps according to an estimated imbalance of the analog pipeline of the wireless device. A signal associated with the analog pipeline is processed with a complex filter according to the first set of complex filter taps and the second set of complex filter taps. The processing provides a combined imbalance compensation and equalization of the signal. The complex filter may include a first complex half-filter associated with the first set of complex filter taps and a second complex half-filter associated with the second set of complex filter taps.

The present description relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to methods, systems, and apparatus to compensate for impairments of a wireless device. Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
Generally, a wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple mobile devices. Base stations may communicate with mobile devices on downstream and upstream links (i.e., over wireless channels). Each base station has a coverage range, which may be referred to as the coverage area of the cell. During system operation of the base station, various components may introduce impairments into a wireless device (e.g., due to thermal and temporal variations). Common impairments may be associated with analog image rejection filters that can be asymmetric across a spectrum of interest, and in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) modulators. The former may cause unwanted droops in the passband of a transmitted signal, and the latter may inject gain and phase variations between the I/Q components of the transmitted signal. These impairments may deteriorate the quality of wireless signals transmitted between the base station and a mobile device, thereby reducing the effective data rate between the base station and the mobile device.

Combined imbalance compensation and equalization of a signal


A process for production of styrene polymers is disclosed, comprising polymerizing styrene monomers by the use of a catalyst comprising (a) a titanium compound and (b) a contact product of an organoaluminum compound and a condensing agent, and further in the presence of hydrogen. The styrene polymers produced by the present process have a stereo structure that substituent groups are mainly in the syndiotactic configuration. Thus the styrene polymers have high heat resistance and high solvent resistance as compared with atactic polystyrene commonly used and are useful as materials for production of articles for which high heat resistance and high solvent resistance are required.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for production of styrene polymers, and more particularly to a process for efficiently producing styrene polymers having such a stereo structure that side chains are mainly in the syndiotactic configuration.
2. Description of the Related Art
Polymers of vinyl compounds having substituent groups can be divided into three groups depending on the configuration of substituent groups, i.e., side chains of the polymers: isotactic, syndiotactic and atactic. Many of such vinyl polymers which have been heretofore been produced are isotactic or atactic.
Most of styrene polymers which have heretofore been produced are atactic although when usual radical polymerization initiators are used, there can be obtained styrene polymers having a stereo structure that is somewhat rich in the syndiotactic configuration. It is also known that when Ziegler type catalysts are used, there can be obtained styrene polymers having an isotactic structure.
However a method whereby styrene polymers of high syndiotactic configuration can be produced efficiently has not been known.
The present inventors have succeeded in developing a process for efficiently producing styrene polymers having a stereo structure that side chains are mainly in the syndiotactic configuration (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 104818/1987).
In accordance with the above process, there can be obtained styrene polymers having a stereo structure that side chains are mainly in the syndiotactic configuration, but the molecular weight of the styrene polymers is difficult to control even if operations such as controlling the polymerization temperature are applied.

Process for production of styrene polymers


A three-dimensional shape measurement system produces three-dimensional information of an object, such as an eye fundus, by directing light onto the object, receiving the light reflected from the object, photoelectrically converting the received light and processing the electric signal. The system includes laser beam control circuitry for focal point shifting in the direction of the optical axis, and a pair of detectors for detecting variation in the focal position of the light reflected from the object and deriving information respecting the shape of the object in the direction of the optical axis. Signal processing circuitry drives the laser beam control circuitry to produce a focused condition and adjusts the output signals of the detectors to a prescribed state.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a three-dimensional shape measurement system, and more particularly to a three-dimensional shape measurement system which produces three-dimensional information regarding a solid object under examination by receiving light reflected from the object, converting the received light into an electric signal, and processing the electric signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous methods have been developed for optically measuring the three-dimensional shape of solid objects in a non-contact manner. Among the various applications of such optical three-dimensional shape measurement methods in the field of medicine, one that has drawn particular attention in recent years is a measurement apparatus for obtaining three-dimensional information regarding the fundus of the human eye.
Examination of the eye fundus provides important information not only for ophthalmologists but also in the field of internal medicine, where it is used in the diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes and other diseases. Photographing of the eye fundus with an eye fundus camera or the like has thus become a widely used medical procedure. Quantitative information regarding the pattern of irregularities (bumps and depressions) on the eye fundus is highly useful in the diagnosis of glaucoma and retinal detachment, as well as various types of edemas and tumors, and may be critical in preventing blindness. Because of this, attempts have been made to obtain three-dimensional image information regarding the eye fundus in addition to the ordinary two-dimensional image information.
One method of conducting such three-dimensional measurement involves projecting a specific grating pattern on the eye fundus, measuring the grating image shift by observation of the projected pattern from a direction differing from the direction of projection by a prescribed angle, and thus ascertaining the pattern of fundus depressions and the like. ( See U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,931.)
Another method used for three-dimensional measurement of the eye fundus is based on the principle of stereoscopic photography. For example, a fundus camera is used to take two photographs at different angles from different entrance pupils and the resulting photographs are image-analyzed to ascertain the amount of fundus irregularity. Moreover, there has recently been developed a system that enables three-dimensional information to be obtained automatically by linking a TV camera with a computer, thus eliminating the need for photographic film. (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,703.)
However, in all of these prior art methods the imaging optical system of the eye is used nonaxially. As a result, the spatial resolution, accuracy and reproducibility of the three-dimensional measurement is poor and the processing of the signals is complex. Thus none of the methods is entirely satisfactory in terms of practical utility.
On the other hand, apparatuses that use the laser scanning method for in vivo observation of the eye fundus are becoming increasingly popular. (See Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. Sho 62-117524, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,005, Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. Sho 64-58237, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,692.) An attempt has been made to use this type of apparatus for measuring three-dimensional shape through a process that involves taking a plurality (e.g. 32) tomographic images of the eye fundus while progressively shifting confocal apertures located in front of a light detector and then reconstructing the fundus image. (See SPIE Proceedings, Vol. 1161, Sessions 7 and 8.) Since this laser scanning method uses the imaging optical system of the eye in a coaxial manner, the measurement accuracy is correspondingly high.
As a practical matter, however, the taking of a plurality of images requires the use of a large-capacity memory device, while the fact that the time needed for the measurement is not negligible means that the measurement accuracy is apt to be impaired by eye movement.
In response to this situation, the applicant therefore earlier proposed a highly innovative system for measuring the three-dimensional shape of objects that is based on a totally new principle. (See Japanese Patent Public Disclosure NO. Hei 1-113605, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,144 and Optics Communications, Vol. 74, 1989, pp. 165-170.) The principle of this invention is illustrated in simplified form in FIG. 4.
In FIG. 4, the laser beam from a laser beam source 60 is two-dimensionally deflected (scanned) by X-Y scanning unit 61 and the scanned beam is projected onto the fundus of an eye 62 under examination. The light reflected and scattered by the fundus passes back through the X-Y scanning unit 61, is split by a half mirror HM, and focused in the vicinity of two confocal apertures A1 and A2.
The apertures A1, A2 are disposed on the optical axes so as to sandwich the fundus focal plane. As a result, the increase and decrease in light intensity caused by irregularities (bumps and depressions) on the object (the eye fundus) are in reverse relationship between the two apertures.
The intensities of the light passing through the apertures A1 and A2 are detected by detectors D1 and D2, which produce output signals carrying irregularity information. Since the intensity of the output signals is also completely dependent on the reflectance of the object, the signals are sent to a signal processing unit 63 in which division processing is electrically conducted therebetween so as to cancel out the effect of the object reflectance and obtain information relating solely to the object irregularities. The result of the measurement or a measurement image is displayed on a TV monitor 64.
FIG. 5 shows the intensity variation at the two detectors, in which the horizontal axis indicates the distance along the optical axis and (A1) and (A2) on the z axis represent the positions of the two apertures. Defining f1 (z) and f2 (z) as functions of the light intensity variation at the apertures, the signal intensities I1 and I2 at the detectors D1 and D2 can be expressed as follows EQU I1=f1(z) * Io(x, y) (1) EQU I2=f2(z) * Io(x, y) (2)
where Io(x, y) is the variation in intensity of the light from the fundus and is dependent on position (x, y).
Therefore, by carrying out the following calculation involving division, it is possible to cancel out the effect of the reflectance dependent on position (x, y) and to obtain information of a form relating to the height or depth z. EQU I1/I2=f1(z)/f2(z) (3) EQU or EQU (I1-I2)/(I1+I2)=Af1(z)-f2(z)U/Af1(z)+f2(z)U (4)
Since applying this method for measurement of the three-dimensional shape of the eye fundus enables the imaging optical system of the eye to be used coaxially, it is able to provide high measurement accuracy. Moreover, it does not require a large-capacity memory, can be realized by simple signal processing in the signal processing unit 63 and enables the measurement of the object to be conducted in such an extremely short time as to provide substantially real-time observation of the three-dimensional shape.
However, the method does have a drawback in that when it is actually applied in a three-dimensional shape measurement system the effective range of the three-dimensional measurement in the z direction is limited to the region between (A1) and (A2) in FIG. 5. It is thus difficult to conduct accurate measurement when the focal plane of the object being measured falls outside the effective measurement range.
Moreover, where the measurement is carried out with respect to an eye fundus and has to be conducted in vivo, the measurement is complicated by the fact that the variation in refraction among the eyes of different patients causes variation in the focal plane. While it has been the practice to internally adjust the optical system in the instrument as required for examining patients with myopia, hyperopia and other refractive problems, an inexperienced operator is apt to have difficulty making the complex adjustments required so that erroneous measurements are likely to occur.
Another problem relates to the division processing required for implementing the method. High-speed, broad-band division circuits generally have a narrow input dynamic range and, as a result, the processing accuracy decreases when the intensity level of the detection signal falls outside this range.
The intensity level of the detection signal just before it is input to the division circuit is greatly dependent on the reflectance of the patient's eye fundus, the eye refractive condition, the transparency of the eye optical system and other factors. While it has been possible to adjust the detection signal level by changing the multiplication factor of the detectors themselves or that of the following circuitry, this is a complicated operation that may be a cause for measurement error if not conducted properly.

Three-dimensional shape measurement system


There is disclosed a pneumatic tire for heavy duty use having a tread which is composed of a rubber composition comprising 100 parts by weight of an (A) isoprene-based rubber and 30 to 70 parts by weight of (B) carbon black which has a nitrogen-adsorption specific surface area (BET) of 120 to 160 m.sup.2 /g; a dibutyl phthalate absorption amount (DBP) of 80 to 130 ml/100 g; a most frequent value of aggregate diameter distribution (D.sub.st) of 60 to 70 nm; and a half peak width (.DELTA.D.sub.50) of 65 to 80 nm, and as the case may be, 3 to 20 parts by weight of (C) silica which has a nitrogen-adsorption specific surface area (BET) of 210 to 260 m.sup.2 /g; and an oil absorption amount of 200 to 260 ml/100 g. The above pneumatic tire is capable of enhancing the low heat-buildup property without detriment to the abrasion resistance of a tread rubber, and favorably reconciling both the low heat-buildup property and the abrasion resistance of itself.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire for heavy duty use. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a pneumatic tire for heavy duty use which is particularly well suited for constructional vehicles and the like and in which a carbon black-reinforced rubber composition is employed in a tread of the tire, said rubber composition being excellent in abrasion resistance and heat buildup performance (property of exhibiting low heat-buildup).
2. Description of the Related Arts
In order to improve the abrasion resistance of tread rubber of pneumatic tires, such improvements have heretofore been made by calling attention to the colloidal characteristics of reinforcing carbon black such as its particle diameter and structure (aggregates) For the improvement in carbon black for pneumatic tires, there is adopted in general, a method in which the interaction between carbon black and a polymer is enhanced by using carbon black having small particle sizes and high structures, and thus the reinforcing property is improved by the enhanced interaction therebetween. There is also adopted a method in which the blending amount of carbon black is increased to improve the abrasion resistance of the tread ruber.
In general, however, fine graining of carbon black is liable to deteriorate the low heat-buildup property, that is, heat buildup performance of a rubber composition. Thus, fine-grained carbon black gives rise to a serious problem when used for a heavy duty pneumatic tire such as a tire for a truck and a bus that are in use under severe conditions in many cases. In addition, the use of excessively fine-grained carbon black in a rubber composition brings about such problems as an increase in the amount of the phase wherein carbon black and a polymer are bound to each other, namely so-called carbon gel, accompanied by an increase in the viscosity of an unvulcanized rubber composition, and the resultant marked deterioration of the processability thereof. The use of the said carbon black further causes such a problem that the carbon black is poorly dispersed in a rubber composition with the result that the abrasion resistance thereof is adversely decreased.
In addition to the foregoing, when carbon black as a reinforcer is added to rubber in an excessive amount, there are raised a problem that the resultant rubber composition is unreasonably hardened, thereby making it difficult to carry out industrial processing, and at the same time, a problem in the physical properties of the rubber composition including inferior dispersion of the carbon black in the rubber composition and a failure to contrive enhancement of the abrasion resistance.
On the one hand, the use of carbon black having a high structure causes such a problem as unreasonable increase in the elastic modulus of the rubber composition, accompanied with deterioration of its fatigue resistance.
It follows from what has been mentioned hereinbefore, that the conventional methods for enhancing the abrasion resistance of a rubber composition by means of carbon black exert evil influences upon its low heat-buildup property, and particularly in the case of a heavy duty pneumatic tire, there has been an inevitable limit to the effect on improvement in its abrasion resistance.
On the other hand, there has recently been proposed as well a method for decreasing the proportion of large-diameter components of the aggregate that are considered to be the factors of inhibiting rubber enhancement, by sharpening the aggregate distribution of the primary particles of carbon black (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 264647/1988 (Sho-63), 279624/1994 (Hei-6), etc.


An ink jet recording apparatus includes: a head body provided with a nozzle and a pressure chamber; an actuator including a piezoelectric element and an electrode for applying a voltage across the piezoelectric element; and a driving circuit for supplying a driving signal to the electrode of the actuator. The driving circuit always supplies an auxiliary pulse signal in every printing cycle. When ink is to be discharged, the driving circuit supplies, after the auxiliary pulse signal is supplied, an ink discharge pulse signal for driving the actuator so that the ink is discharged and so that an ink meniscus vibration in the nozzle is resonant with that caused by the auxiliary pulse signal.

The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus.
An ink jet head for discharging ink by a piezoelectric effect of a piezoelectric element has been used in the art in a recording apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile, and a copier. An ink jet head of this type includes pressure chambers filled with ink, nozzles communicated to the pressure chambers, and piezoelectric actuators for applying a pressure on the ink in the pressure chambers. The recording apparatus is provided with a driving circuit for supplying a driving signal to the piezoelectric actuators. When discharging ink, a driving signal is supplied from the driving circuit to the piezoelectric actuator. The piezoelectric actuator receiving the driving signal applies a pressure on the ink in the pressure chamber so as to push out the ink through the nozzle. In this way, an ink droplet is discharged from the nozzle and lands on recording paper, thus forming a predetermined image, or the like, on the recording paper.
While a pulse signal is commonly used as the driving signal, the pulse signal needs to have a sufficient pulse width and a sufficient peak value in order to discharge ink. A pulse signal in which the pulse width or the peak value is too small is insufficient as an ink discharging signal. However, techniques for actively using such a small pulse signal for the purpose of improving the ink discharging performance have been proposed in the art. Specifically, such techniques use minute pulse signals such that ink is not discharged, as auxiliary pulse signals, in addition to ink discharge pulse signals for the purpose of improving the ink discharging performance.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-277744 discloses a technique for driving an ink jet head capable of discharging three different types of ink droplets for forming small, medium and large dots, respectively, wherein an auxiliary pulse signal is applied so as to replace ink in the vicinity of a nozzle opening whose viscosity has been increased with ink in the pressure chamber having an appropriate viscosity only during a printing cycle in which ink is not to be discharged and a printing cycle in which a medium dot is to be formed.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 5-16359 discloses a technique for changing the discharged ink volume (i.e., the volume of ink discharged in a single shot), in which an auxiliary pulse signal is applied before the application of an ink discharge pulse signal, and then an ink discharge pulse signal is applied so that the period thereof is matched with that of the residual pressure wave created by the auxiliary pulse signal.
However, in the ink jet head disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-277744, the auxiliary pulse signal for preventing an increase in viscosity is applied selectively during some of the printing cycles so that the auxiliary pulse signal does not hinder the ink discharging operation. Specifically, if there is only a short interval between an auxiliary pulse signal and an ink discharge pulse signal, the residual vibration caused by the auxiliary pulse signal affects the ink discharge. Therefore, the application of the auxiliary pulse signal is restricted to a printing cycle in which ink is not to be discharged and a printing cycle for forming a medium dot, in which a long interval is ensured between the auxiliary pulse signal and the ink discharge pulse signal. This requires a circuit for turning ON/OFF the application of the auxiliary pulse signal, thus resulting in a complicated control and increasing the cost of the control circuit.
In the ink jet head disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 5-16359, the auxiliary pulse signal is a signal that is applied for the purpose of changing the discharged ink volume, and the auxiliary pulse signal is not applied during a printing cycle in which no ink discharge pulse signal is applied. Therefore, ink in the vicinity of the opening of a nozzle through which ink is not discharged for a number of printing cycles may have a considerably high viscosity, in which case it difficult to appropriately discharge an ink droplet from the nozzle in the next ink discharging operation. This leads to problems such as dot diameter variations and a failure to discharge ink.
The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has an object to improve the discharged ink volume and to prevent an increase in the viscosity of ink in the vicinity of a nozzle opening by using an inexpensive configuration.
An ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention includes: a head body provided with a nozzle and a pressure chamber, which is communicated to the nozzle and is filled with ink; an actuator provided in the head body and including a piezoelectric element and an electrode for applying a voltage across the piezoelectric element for applying a pressure on the ink in the pressure chamber; and a driving circuit for supplying an actuator driving signal to the electrode of the actuator, wherein: in every printing cycle, the driving circuit always supplies an auxiliary pulse signal for driving the actuator to a degree such that the ink is not discharged; and if an ink discharge instruction signal instructing an ink discharge is received, the driving circuit supplies, after the auxiliary pulse signal is supplied, an ink discharge pulse signal for driving the actuator so that the ink is discharged and so that an ink meniscus vibration in the nozzle is resonant with that caused by the auxiliary pulse signal.
Note that the term xe2x80x9cresonancexe2x80x9d is used herein in its broad sense to mean not only resonance at the resonance point, but also resonance within a predetermined range from the resonance point.
In this way, since the auxiliary pulse signal is always supplied irrespective of whether or not ink is to be discharged, it is possible to suppress an increase in the viscosity of ink even for those nozzles through which ink is not discharged for a long period of time. Moreover, since the ink meniscus vibration caused by the auxiliary pulse signal is resonant with that caused by the ink discharge pulse signal, the amount of flexural deformation of the actuator when discharging ink is increased from that in a case where the auxiliary pulse signal is not supplied. Therefore, the discharged ink volume is increased. In a case where the auxiliary pulse signal is applied after the application of the ink discharge pulse signal, it is necessary to provide a time interval after the application of the auxiliary pulse signal so that the residual vibration caused by the auxiliary pulse signal does not affect the following printing cycle. With this recording apparatus, however, the auxiliary pulse signal is applied before the application of the ink discharge pulse signal. Therefore, it is not necessary to take into consideration the influence of the auxiliary pulse signal on the following printing cycle. Thus, it is possible to shorten the printing cycle and to increase the print speed. Since it is not necessary to provide a circuit for turning ON/OFF the application of the auxiliary pulse signal, it is possible to reduce the cost of the driving circuit.
Another ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention includes: a head body provided with a nozzle and a pressure chamber, which is communicated to the nozzle and is filled with ink; an actuator provided in the head body and including a piezoelectric element and an electrode for applying a voltage across the piezoelectric element for applying a pressure on the ink in the pressure chamber; and a driving circuit for supplying an actuator driving signal to the electrode of the actuator, wherein: in every printing cycle, the driving circuit always supplies an auxiliary pulse signal for driving the actuator to a degree such that the ink is not discharged; if an ink discharge instruction signal instructing an ink discharge is received, the driving circuit supplies, after the auxiliary pulse signal is supplied, an ink discharge pulse signal for driving the actuator so that the ink is discharged; and a time T from a completion of the supply of the auxiliary pulse signal until a start of the supply of the ink discharge pulse signal is set to satisfy n*Tc+Tc/4xe2x89xa6Txe2x89xa6n*Tc+3Tc/4, where Tc is a Helmholtz period of a head, and n is zero or a natural number.
The ink discharge pulse signal may be made up of a plurality of pulses.
In this way, an increase in the viscosity of ink is suppressed even for those nozzles through which ink is not discharged for a long period of time not only when forming small dots but also when forming medium dots. Thus, when forming medium dots, it is possible to obtain an effect as that obtained when forming small dots.
Each of the auxiliary pulse signal and the ink discharge pulse signal may be a pulse signal for driving the actuator so as to first depressurize, and then pressurize, the pressure chamber.
In this way, each of the auxiliary pulse signal and the ink discharge pulse signal is a pulse signal having a so-called xe2x80x9cpull-push waveformxe2x80x9d. When such a signal is supplied, the volume of the pressure chamber first increases and then decreases, whereby an ink meniscus is first pulled into the nozzle, and then pushed back outward from the inside of the nozzle. This replaces ink in the vicinity of the nozzle opening, and discharges an ink droplet from the nozzle.
It is preferred that a time T from a completion of the supply of the auxiliary pulse signal until a start of the supply of the ink discharge pulse signal is set to satisfy n*Tc+Tc/4xe2x89xa6Txe2x89xa6n*Tc+3Tc/4, where Tc is a Helmholtz period of a head, and n is zero or a natural number.
Note that the term xe2x80x9cHelmholtz period of a headxe2x80x9d as used herein refers to the natural period of the entire vibration system including the ink (an acoustic element), the actuator, etc.
In this way, the vibration caused by the auxiliary pulse signal is more likely to be resonant with that caused by the ink discharge pulse signal, thus increasing the discharged ink volume.
It is preferred that: a pulse width of the auxiliary pulse signal is set to be xc2xc to xc2xd of a Helmholtz period of a head; and a peak value of the auxiliary pulse signal is set to be less than or equal to a value that is 0.6 times that of the ink discharge pulse signal.
In this way, the auxiliary pulse signal can be used as a signal that is very suitable for replacing ink in the vicinity of the nozzle opening without discharging an ink droplet.
The ink jet recording apparatus may further include: an ink jet head including at least the head body and the actuator; and a driving mechanism for relatively moving the ink jet head and a recording medium with respect to each other.
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to increase the discharged ink volume and to suppress an increase in the viscosity of ink in a nozzle. Therefore, it is possible to improve the ink discharging performance. For example, it is possible to prevent a non-uniformity in the print density in a solid print at the highest driving frequency, and to prevent a dot dropout or dot diameter variations during an initial ink discharging operation or during ink discharging operations at low driving frequencies. Moreover, since it is not necessary to provide a circuit for turning ON/OFF the application of the auxiliary pulse signal, it is possible to reduce the cost of the apparatus.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The present invention provides an effective way to create a virtual MIMO transmission system using mobile terminals that have only one transmit path and antenna. This is accomplished by assigning mobile terminals to a group and assigning certain shared resources and user-specific resources to those mobile terminals in the group. In a synchronized fashion, the mobile terminals will provide uplink transmission in concert, as if they were a single entity having multiple transmission paths and antennas. Preferably, the shared resources bear on how the data is transmitted, and the user-specific resources relate to pilot signals. The data transmitted may be encoded in any number of ways, and in one embodiment, the mobile terminals may relay their information to each other, such that uplink transmissions can incorporate STTD decoding or other space-time codes. The invention is applicable to virtually any multiple access technology, including OFDM, TDMA, and CDMA, preferably synchronous CDMA.

With the ever-increasing demand for wireless transmission capacity, be it the number of users able to access a system or the speed at which data is transferred, multiple input multiple output (MIMO) architectures have evolved. MIMO architectures incorporate multiple antennas for transmission and multiple receivers for reception. In combination with various coding techniques, the spatial diversity provided by MIMO systems provides for significant increases in the number of users that can access a system at any given time, as well as the amount of data that can be transmitted over a given period of time. Unfortunately, the nature of mobile communications dictates the need for inexpensive mobile terminals, such as mobile telephones, wireless personal digital assistants (PDAs), and the like. Implementing multiple antennas and transmission paths within mobile terminals significantly increases their complexity, and thus price. To date, the price associated with providing multiple antennas and transmission paths in mobile terminals has significantly outweighed the benefit of more capacity, at least from the consumer's perspective.
Most base stations are already equipped with multiple antennas and receivers, and given the nature of such infrastructure, the cost of providing such has proven largely insignificant. Thus, there exists a wireless infrastructure capable of facilitating MIMO-based communication, yet consumers are unwilling to bear the cost of completing the MIMO environment by buying properly equipped mobile terminals. As such, there is a need to reap the benefit of MIMO-based communications without requiring mobile terminals to have multiple antennas and transmission paths.


A switch assembly for use in an electrical apparatus includes a first contact having a first substrate and a first contact pad. The first contact pad is of copper or of a copper alloy. A second contact has a second substrate and a second contact pad. The second contact pad is of silver or of a silver alloy. The first contact is movably mounting relative to the second contact so that in a make position the first and second contact pads are in electrical contact with one another and in a break position the first and second contact pads are spaced from one another.

This invention relates to a switch assembly suitable for use in high power applications.
A conventional switch assembly includes first and second contacts, with one of the contacts movably mounted relative to the other. The first and second contacts are typically formed of the same material. The contacts are movable between a break position spaced from one another and a make position in electrical contact with one another. A switch assembly in perhaps its most simple form consists of a wall mounted switch for turning a lamp, or the like, on or off. With such a switch assembly, the first and second contacts are formed of a conductive material such as copper. Copper contacts are relatively inexpensive. Also, the copper contacts are suitable for low power applications of this type.
In industrial control applications, switch assemblies are used in various electrical devices such as control relays, contactors, motor starters and the like. These devices may be used in low power applications. However, these devices are often also used in so-called xe2x80x9chigh powerxe2x80x9d applications. The high power applications may be up to 600 VAC and rated for 60 amps. Copper is not generally used in these applications because the higher voltage drop and higher currents can cause overheating which can create relatively high strength tack-welds between the contacts.
Silver cadmium oxide has long been considered a very good material for high power switching applications. The silver provides good conductivity and has no non-conductive oxides. The anti-welding features of the cadmium oxide makes any tack welds brittle enough to break in the normal operation of the devices. However, silver cadmium oxide is a more expensive contact material than copper. Therefore, use of contacts solely of silver cadmium oxide can be costly.
Accordingly, there is a need for lower cost contacts for use in high power applications.
In accordance with the invention, a switch assembly includes a copper contact pad paired with a high power contact material contact pad.
Broadly, there is disclosed in accordance with a first aspect of the invention a switch assembly for use in an electrical apparatus including a first contact having a first substrate and a first contact pad. The first contact pad is of copper or of a copper alloy. A second contact has a second substrate and a second contact pad. The second contact pad is of silver or of a silver alloy. Means are provided for movably mounting the first contact relative to the second contact so that in a make position the first and second pads are in electrical contact with one another and in a break position the first and second contact pads are spaced from one another.
It is a feature of the invention that the first and second substrates may be selected from a group consisting of copper, brass and steel.
It is another feature of the invention that the first contact pad may comprise silver-plated copper.
It is still another feature of the invention that the second contact pad may be of a material selected from a group consisting of silver, silver cadmium oxide, silver tin oxide and silver nickel.
It is still another feature of the invention that the first contact pad may be integrally formed in the first substrate.
There is disclosed in accordance with another aspect of the invention a switch assembly for use in an electrical apparatus suitable for high power applications comprising a first contact having a first substrate and a first contact pad. The first contact pad is of copper or of a copper alloy. A second contact has a second substrate and a second contact pad. The second contact pad is of a high power contact material. Means are provided for movably mounting the first contact relative to the second contact so that in a make position the first and second contact pads are in electrical contact with one another and in a break position the first and second contact pads are spaced from one another.
It is a feature of the invention that the second contact pad may be of a material selected from a group consisting of silver, silver alloy, silver semi-refractory material, silver refractory material and tungsten.
It is disclosed in accordance with yet another aspect of the invention an electrical switch comprising a housing. A stationary contact is fixedly mounted in the housing and has a stationary substrate and a stationary contact pad. A movable contact has a movable substrate and a movable contact pad. The movable contact is movably mounted in the housing so that in a make position the stationary and movable contact pads are in electrical contact with one another and in a break position the stationary and movable contact pads are spaced from one another. One of the stationary contact pad and the movable contact pad is of copper or of a copper alloy, and the other of the stationary contact pad and the movable contact pad is of silver or of a silver alloy.
Further features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the specification and from the drawings.

System and method for electrical contacts and connections in switches and relays