The invention relates to (among other things) oligomer-PTK inhibitor conjugates and related compounds. A compound of the invention, when administered by any of a number of administration routes, exhibits advantages over PTK inhibitor compounds lacking a water-soluble, non-peptidic oligomer.

Protein kinases ("PKs") are enzymes that catalyze the phosphorylation of hydroxy groups on tyrosine, serine and threonine residues of proteins. The consequences of this seemingly simple activity are staggering; cell growth, differentiation and proliferation, i.e., virtually all aspects of cell life in one way or another depend on PK activity. Furthermore, abnormal PK activity has been related to a host of disorders, ranging from relatively non-life threatening diseases such as psoriasis to extremely virulent diseases such as glioblastoma (brain cancer).
Generally, the PKs can be categorized into two classes, the protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and the serine-threonine kinases (STKs). However, other kinases are reported that phosphorylate other amino acids, such as histidine. Kinases with dual (serine/threonine and tyrosine) specificity are also reported (e.g., MEK or MAPKK).
Many PTKs are involved with growth factor receptors. When bound by a growth factor ligand, growth factor receptors are converted to an active form which interacts with proteins on the inner surface of the cell membrane. This leads to phosphorylation on tyrosine residues of the receptor and other proteins and to the formation inside the cell of complexes with a variety of cytoplasmic signaling molecules that, in turn, affect numerous cellular responses such as cell division (proliferation), cell differentiation, and cell growth.
Growth factor receptors with PTK activity are known as receptor tyrosine kinases ("RTKs"). They comprise a family of transmembrane receptors with diverse biological activity. The HER subfamily of RTKs includes EGFR (epithelial growth factor receptor), HER2, HER3 and HER4. These RTKs consist of an extracellular glycosylated ligand binding domain, a transmembrane domain and an intracellular cytoplasmic catalytic domain that can phosphorylate tyrosine residues on proteins.
Another RTK subfamily consists of insulin receptor (IR), insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-1R) and insulin receptor related receptor (IRR). IR and IGF-1R interact with insulin, IGF-I and IGF-II to form a heterotetramer of two entirely extracellular glycosylated alpha subunits and two beta subunits which cross the cell membrane and which contain the tyrosine kinase domain.
A third RTK subfamily is referred to as the "platelet derived growth factor receptor" ("PDGFR") group, which includes PDGFR-α, PDGFR-β, CSFIR, c-kit and c-fms. These receptors consist of glycosylated extracellular domains composed of variable numbers of immunoglobin-like loops and an intracellular domain wherein the tyrosine kinase domain is interrupted by unrelated amino acid sequences.
Another group, which, because of its similarity to the PDGFR subfamily (and is sometimes subsumed into the PDGFR subfamily) is the fetus liver kinase ("flk") receptor subfamily. This group is believed to be made up of kinase insert domain-receptor fetal liver kinase-1 (KDR/FLK-1, VEGF-R2), flk-1R, flk-4 and fins-like tyrosine kinase 1 (flt-1).
A further member of the tyrosine kinase growth factor receptor family is the fibroblast growth factor ("FGF") receptor subgroup. This group consists of four receptors, FGFR1-4, and seven ligands, FGF1-7. While not yet well defined, it appears that the receptors consist of a glycosylated extracellular domain containing a variable number of immunoglobin-like loops and an intracellular domain in which the tyrosine kinase sequence is interrupted by regions of unrelated amino acid sequences.
Still another member of the tyrosine kinase growth factor receptor family is the vascular endothelial growth factor ("VEGF") receptor subgroup. VEGF is a dimeric glycoprotein similar to PDGF but has different biological functions and target cell specificity in vivo. In particular, VEGF is presently thought to play an essential role is vasculogenesis and angiogenesis.
In addition to the RTKs, there also exists a family of entirely intracellular PTKs called "non-receptor tyrosine kinases" or "cellular tyrosine kinases" (CTKs). CTKs do not contain extracellular and transmembrane domains. More than 24 CTKs in 11 subfamilies (Src, Frk, Btk, Csk, Abl, Zap70, Fes, Fps, Fak, Jak and Ack) have been identified. The Src subfamily appears so far to be the largest group of CTKs and includes Src, Yes, Fyn, Lyn, Lek, Bik, Hck, Fgr and Yrk.
The serine/threonine kinases, STKs, like the CTKs, are predominantly intracellular although there are a few receptor kinases of the STK type. STKs are the most common of the cytosolic kinases.
RTKs, CTKs and STKs have all been implicated in a host of pathogenic conditions including, significantly, various cancers. Other pathogenic conditions which have been associated with PTKs include, without limitation, psoriasis, hepatic cirrhosis, diabetes, angiogenesis, restenosis, ocular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory disorders, immunological disorders such as autoimmune disease, cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis and a variety of renal disorders.
With regard to cancer, two of the major hypotheses advanced to explain the excessive cellular proliferation that drives tumor development relate to functions known to be PK regulated. It has been suggested that malignant cell growth results from a breakdown in the mechanisms that control cell division and/or differentiation. It has been shown that the protein products of a number of proto-oncogenes are involved in the signal transduction pathways that regulate cell growth and differentiation. These protein products of proto-oncogenes include the extracellular growth factors, transmembrane growth factor PTK receptors (RTKs), cytoplasmic PTKs (CTKs) and cytosolic STKs, discussed above.
Many small molecule PTK inhibitors have been developed over the years, including, but not limited to, imatinib, dasatinib, canertinib, erlotinib, gefitinib, lapatinib, sorafenib, sunitinib, and vatalinib. These molecules have been prescribed for many diseases, including, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), renal cell carcinoma, and solid tumors, including breast, lung, and colorectal cancers; and are used as anti-neoplastic agents and as radio-sensitizing agents. However, treatment with these agents suffer from many side effects, including, hypertension, fatigue, asthenia, diarrhea, hand-foot syndrome, neutropenia and myelosuppression, peripheral edema, headache, and hypocalcemia.
Therefore, pharmacotherapy with such therapeutic PTK inhibitors would be improved if these and/or other adverse or side effects associated with their use could be decreased or if their pharmacology may be improved. Thus, there is a large unmet need for developing novel PTK inhibitor compounds.
The present invention seeks to address these and other needs in the art.

Oligomer-protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor conjugates


A connection device for connecting between a multifunction peripheral and USB devices. A hub unit is disconnectably connected to the multifunction peripheral via a first interface for enabling power supply from the multifunction peripheral to the hub unit. The hub unit is also disconnectably connected to the USB devices via a second interface for enabling power supply from the hub unit to the USB devices. A dedicated power supply connector is connected to a power supply section of the multifunction peripheral via wiring for enabling power supply from the multifunction peripheral to the hub unit. A hub circuit relays data between the multifunction peripheral and one of the USB host connectors of the hub unit. Power from the first interface to the hub circuit is supplied through a first power path, and power from the multifunction peripheral to the USB devices is supplied through a second power path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connection device for connecting between electrical devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
USB is a typical serial interface for connecting between a host computer and a peripheral device. USB is established as a general-purpose serial interface standard. In general, a host computer is referred to as a USB host, and a peripheral device is referred to as a USB device.
USB devices are classified into a bus-powered type which receives power from a host computer via the VBUS of a USB port, and a self-powered type which uses its own power supplied from a commercial power source, a battery, or the like. The bus-powered USB device is advantageous in that power from a host computer is available, but the USB standard defines the upper limit of a current value to 500 mA. On the other hand, the self-powered USB device, which uses its own power supply, has some degree of freedom in available current values.
If a hub for expanding the number of USB ports of a host computer so as to enable connection of a plurality of USB devices to the host computer is configured as a general bus-powered one, the hub sometimes limits current supplied to each of the downstream USB ports to approximately 100 mA. This is because current to be supplied from the host computer to the hub is limited to 500 mA at the maximum, and hence it is impossible to allow a maximum current of 500 mA to be supplied to each of the downstream USB devices. If the supply of the maximum current is allowed, a case will occur in which the operations of the USB devices connected to the hub cannot be guaranteed.
When it is desired to allow each USB device downstream of the hub to use current up to the maximum of 500 mA, a solution is to configure the hub as a self-powered one. A general hub, if configured as a self-powered one, can be provided with a power supply separately from the power supply of a host computer, which makes it possible to configure the hub such that current is distributed to each of USB ports up to the maximum of 500 mA.
In addition to the above-described hub configurations, there has conventionally been proposed a technique of configuring a hub for both of a self-powered mode and a bus-powered mode and switching between the two modes according to the situation. For example, a hub is provided with a detection circuit for detecting a self-powered power supply, and if there is a power supply e.g. from the commercial power source, the hub supplies power via a power path of the self-powered power supply, whereas if not, the hub supplies power via a power path of a bus-powered power supply (see e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-94539).
Further, there has been proposed a technique of switching between a self-powered power supply and a bus-powered power supply according to the maximum current that is to be consumed by each of USB devices connected to a hub and the bus power supply capability of a host computer (see e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-70785).
These techniques enable a hub to dynamically employ an optimal power supply configuration according to its own power supply configuration and the situation of USB devices connected thereto.
On the other hand, USB has come to be used in OA devices, such as multifunction peripherals equipped with a scan function, a print function, and so forth. Some multifunction peripherals are provided with a function of outputting data read from an original document to a USB memory and reading image data stored in the USB memory to print out the same.
Further, a multifunction peripheral has connected thereto by USB an IC card-authenticating card reader for the management of the use of Office Automation (OA) devices, a keyboard for facilitating character input which is troublesome if a touch panel is used, and so forth.
When a multifunction peripheral uses a plurality of devices, such as the card reader and the keyboard, in combination, it is desirable that the multifunction peripheral itself (i.e. the main unit thereof) is provided with a plurality of USB ports. However, functions of the multifunction peripheral, which users desire to use, differ from one user to another.
Therefore, it is desirable that each user can select a configuration of the multifunction peripheral. For this reason, a multifunction peripheral is configured, for example, such that only a single USB port is provided in the main unit thereof, and a hub circuit is provided as a separate unit from the main unit such that it can be attached to the USB port afterwards as a hub unit.
The thus configured multifunction peripheral is capable of meeting the needs of users who necessitate multiple functions, without placing extra costs on users who use only limited functions.
It is desirable for users that a hub unit is configured such that each of USB ports thereof can guarantee up to 500 mA which is the upper limit defined by the USB standard, and this is also the case with a hub unit provided for a multifunction peripheral. From this viewpoint, it is desirable that the hub unit of a multifunction peripheral is configured to be self-powered.
Further, differently from a general hub, the hub unit of a multifunction peripheral is demanded to be so configured that it is supplied with power from a host computer, i.e. the main unit of the multifunction peripheral, even when the hub unit is self-powered. This is because although the hub unit of a multifunction peripheral may be supplied with power from the commercial power source, this is not preferable due to the inconvenience of connecting an AC power supply chord to the hub unit as a separate single unit and the necessity of laying out the cord.
The hub unit of a multifunction peripheral is often disposed close to the console section of the multifunction peripheral. This arrangement takes into consideration the convenience of a user who performs attaching and removing operations when a USB memory or the like is used by being connected to the multifunction peripheral.
In the case of a large-size multifunction peripheral configured in view of the above-mentioned points, if a unit as a power supply source is disposed far from the console unit of the main unit of the multifunction peripheral, a power path from the power supply source of the main unit to the hub unit becomes long.
In such a case, the electrical resistance component of wiring inevitably increases. Therefore, as the value of current flowing through the wiring increases, the amount of voltage drop increases in proportion to the length of the power path. As a consequence, a voltage drop can occur in self-powered power supply.
Even in the hub unit used in the above-described situation, it is required to prevent voltage to be supplied from being lowered to a level below the USB standard (5V±5%) even when a rated current of the hub flows, i.e. even when a maximum voltage drop that can be expected occurs.
However, when the supply voltage of the power supply source is increased in the main unit of the multifunction peripheral or when a power supply circuit is added to the hub unit, the component costs of the main unit of the multifunction peripheral or the hub unit increase, and the degree of difficulty in device design also increases. Particularly when the supply voltage of the power supply source is increased in the main unit of the multifunction peripheral, if the voltage is also for use by another component unit of the multifunction peripheral, it is required to re-examine the degrees of influence of the increase on the units, and hence a burden on device design increases. Further, when the number of wiring members is increased or low-resistance wiring members are used so as to reduce the resistance components of cables forming a power path, material costs increase, and the price of the product becomes high.

Connection device for connecting between electrical devices


A telescope capable of motorized focus and/or collimation. The telescope includes control electronics capable of correcting the focus and/or collimation based on identified information, such as, for example, information about optical or other elements of the telescope, information about a user or imaging device, or the like. In various embodiments, such identified information is acquired through radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies. In other embodiments, an automated system controls the actuators based at least in part upon identification information, such as through user or device recognition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to the automated focusing and collimation of optical devices such as, for example, telescopes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Astronomy, and in particular, optical astronomy is increasingly popular, and advancements have been introduced in recent years to the instruments used for astronomical observation. High performance optical telescopes for the amateur and more advanced enthusiasts may include, for example, diffraction limited optical systems offering high resolving power as well as CCD cameras for recording vivid images. Such telescopes may have accurate computer controlled drive systems for positioning the telescope using databases of deep-sky objects, stars, objects in our solar system and even earth satellites. With such sophisticated equipment to assist the astronomer, astronomy can be wonderfully enjoyable while the images obtained can be impressive and awestriking.
Proper focusing and collimation are important for quality imaging. Telescopes are designed to collect substantially collimated light from distant objects in the sky and to focus the light onto a focal plane. In a Cassegrain telescope, light is collected by a large primary mirror and reflected toward a secondary mirror, which reflects the beam of light to the focal plane. (The primary mirror may alternatively be referred to herein as the primary, while the secondary mirror may alternatively be referred to herein as the secondary as is customary in the art.) The curved primary and secondary mirrors focus the beam onto the focal plane where an ocular or camera may receive the light for viewing or recording an image. The optical system, comprising the primary longitudinally displaced along an optical axis a distance from the secondary mirror, has an effective focal length, which is determined in part by this longitudinal separation. The longitudinal distance separating the primary and secondary may be adjusted to alter the location where the images come to focus. Conventional telescopes are focused by translating the primary mirror such that a sharp image is formed at the desired image plane.
Proper orientation of the mirrors with respect to the optical axis and to each other is also important for quality imaging. Misalignment in the form of tilt of the primary or secondary may result in image distortion.

Apparatus and methods for focusing and collimating telescopes


A seal is particularly suited for closing the ends of an antifriction bearing which is located on a journal where its inner races are captured between wear rings and backing elements having overhangs which are directed back toward the end of the bearings and, as such, encircle the wear rings. Indeed, a seal exists at each end of the bearing for isolating the annular space between the inner and outer races of the bearing. Each seal includes a case that is fitted into the end of the outer race and projects axially from that race as well as radially inwardly toward the wear ring. In addition, it has two elastomeric lips which are presented toward the wear ring, one being configured primarily to retain lubricant in the annular space between the two races of the bearing and the other to exclude contaminants from that space. The seal also has an elastomeric spray shield which is attached to the case and projects radially outwardly from it toward the overhang. Indeed, the inwardly presented surface of the overhang deflects the shield back toward the end of the bearing. The elastomer of the shield may have low resistance to abrasion, in which case, it wears away until it offers very little resistance to rotation, or it may have a high compression set, in which case, it acquires a permanent deformation and again offers very little resistance to rotation.

This invention relates in general to sealing shafts and the like and, more particularly, to a seal that is particularly adapted for use with an overhang that encircles it.
A type of antifriction bearing, known as an all-purpose bearing, exists which is furnished as a sealed self-contained assembly that is preset and prelubricated. As such, the bearing is simp1y fitted over an axle journal and into a housing to enable the axle to rotate relative to the housing or vice-versa. All-purpose bearings have experienced wide-spread use on axles of railway cars, but they are also used in other applications, such as for crane wheels, table rolls and shears, and even for the work rolls of rolling mills.
All-purpose bearings often operate in hostile environments, and this is particularly true when they are used at the journals of railway cars. Here they are subjected to contaminants, such as moisture and road grit, which must remain out of the interiors of the bearings to prevent premature failure. Hence, the presence of seals at the ends of all-purpose bearings.
The typical seal for an all-purpose bearing has a seal case which is fitted into an end of the outer race for the bearing and an elastomeric seal element which is bonded to the seal case and bears against a wear ring at the end of the corresponding inner race for the bearing. Actually, the seal element contacts the wear ring at two axially spaced locations, namely along a primary lip that is on the so-called oil side of the seal and also along dust or secondary lip that is on the air side. A garter spring encircles the primary lip to urge it snugly against the wear ring, where it is supported on a thin, yet continuous, film of lubricant known as an elastohydrodynamic oil film. The dust lip likewise bears against the wear ring, but merely under the bias of the elastomer from which the seal element is molded. Indeed, a separate seal and wear ring exists at each end of the typical all-purpose bearing.
In some installations where all-purpose bearings are used, the seals at the ends of those bearings are further protected by overhangs which project axially from backing members between which the bearing is clamped and encircle the wear rings. For example, on the typical journal for a rail car axle, the wear ring at the inboard end of the bearing bears against a cone backing ring that fits snugly against a shoulder at the inboard end of the journal, whereas the wear ring at the outboard end fits against an end cap that extends across the end face of the journal . Some backing rings and end caps have overhangs which project axially around the seals that encircle the wear ring against which they fit. The overhangs create a more tortuous route for contaminants to enter the bearing, and inasmuch as they rotate with the axle journal, they propel water and other contaminants away from the seals.
Whereas, the overhangs used with conventional all-purpose bearings are separate and apart from the seals which they protect, the seal of the present invention actually cooperates with the overhangs to establish additional barriers to the ingress of contaminants. Yet, the seal requires no special or additional procedures for assembling the bearing, nor does it impose any additional torque or drag during operation of the bearing.


A fastener for retaining a bolt in a hole in a structure, comprising a bushing integrally formed with and extending from the bottom surface of a retainer, the bushing being dimensioned for insertion into the hole in the structure and having a wall thickness ranging from about 0.005 inches to about 0.030 inches, wherein the bushing is configured to be expanded within the hole, thereby securely coupling the expanded bushing within the hole of the structure and anchoring the retainer to the surface of the structure surrounding the hole. A tool for installing a fastener, comprising a tapered mandrel configured for insertion within a fastener situated within a hole of the structure, a drive mechanism configured to retract the mandrel through the fastener and thereby expand the fastener, and a force sensor configured for measuring a force applied by the drive mechanism to retract the mandrel through the fastener.

Existing nut plates and similar fasteners suffer from several disadvantages. For example, some nut plates attach only to the surface of a structure via adhesive only, resulting in relatively weak attachment and a corresponding tendency to come loose and fall of the structure. Further, any coldworking of a bolt hole in the structure must be done separately from the installation of such nut plates, thereby increasing labor and cost. Other nut plates include a barrel that extends and is expanded within a bolt hole in the structure; however, the thick barrel walls require increased hole diameters, which can reduce edge distance of the hole and reduce lifespan of the structure. Further nut plates have multi-piece constructions including a sleeve that does not play a role in anchoring these nut plates to the hole in the structure, and these nut plates suffer from low torque out thresholds and other disadvantages. Further, the growing use of composite substructure in airframes is creating the need for a better solution for fastening systems, particularly for blind portions of major assemblies. The use of the traditional riveted nut plate retainer is problematic due to the cost of drilling holes in composites, particularly the small holes required for nut plate rivets. Currently other options are limited and include surface bonded retainers, which have a well-deserved reputation for falling off, and expanded retainers that depend on friction for retention while limited to very low expansion levels. Thus, there is a need for improved fasteners.

Rivetless fastener and installation tool


A process of manufacturing a silica glass article comprising the steps of: (1) irradiating a silica glass article with electromagnetic waves to generate defects therein; and (2) immersing the thus irradiated silica glass article in an atmosphere comprising a hydrogen gas, thereby providing the resulting silica glass article with a characteristic that is effective for preventing it substantially from increasing its absorption within an ultraviolet region due to ultraviolet ray irradiation. Also disclosed are a silica glass article or a glass fiber produced according to the manufacturing process.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a silica glass article and a manufacturing process therefor. More particularly, the invention relates to a silica glass article including an optical fiber suitable for use in an ultraviolet region, having an excellent initial transmission characteristic and capable of preventing increase in a transmission loss occurring due to ultraviolet ray irradiation, and to a manufacturing process therefor. The industrial utility of ultraviolet rays having a wavelength of 160 nm to 300 nm has increased in industrial fields of photolithography, a laser process, sterilization, disinfection and the like. A silica glass article according to the present invention is free from substantial deterioration caused by ultraviolet ray irradiation and can be advantageously be used in such fields.
2. Description of Related Art
Silica glass articles have been used as light transmitting mediums, such as optical fibers and various optical elements. In particular, use of the optical fibers having advantages of light weight, small diameter and no induction, has recently been widened in various industrial fields including communication, image transmission and energy transmission. As one of the fields, use of the optical fiber to transmit ultraviolet rays has been expected in the medical and precise processing fields. However, when glass is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, it deteriorates and its transmission loss increases. That is, there arises a problem in that deterioration takes place because of ultraviolet ray irradiation. Since the transmission loss of a silica optical fiber having the silica glass as the core thereof is smaller than that of an optical fiber made of multicomponent type glass, the silica optical fiber is a preferred element to transmit ultraviolet rays. However, the problem of the deterioration which takes place because of ultraviolet ray irradiation remain unsolved.
It is possible for light transmission in silica glass to be superior to that in air if the wavelength is not longer than 200 nm. The reason for this is that dissociation of oxygen gas takes place because of ultraviolet ray irradiation in air. Therefore, a high transmission can be expected if the deterioration which takes place because of ultraviolet ray irradiation can be reduced in the wavelength region not longer than 200 nm.
It has been considered that the deterioration which takes place because of ultraviolet ray irradiation is mainly attributed to a defect in glass. In the present invention, the "defect in glass" means a broken portion of the glass network structure or a portion of the glass network structure that is stretched due to a distortion of the glass and is apt to break easily. FIG. 4 shows a plurality of examples of reported defects in glass of silica glass. As representative defects in glass, defects related to E' center (.ident.Si.cndot.) and oxygen-deficient type defects (.ident.Si--Si.ident.) are exemplified. The above-mentioned defects in glass absorb ultraviolet rays at wavelengths of 163 nm, 215 nm and 245 nm. It has been considered that the foregoing defects in glass occur in a glass synthesized in an atmosphere somewhat lacking in oxygen, or in a glass having a low concentration of OH groups.
As a technique for reducing deterioration due to ultraviolet ray irradiation of silica glass, a technique has been disclosed in JP-A-5-147966 (hereinafter referred to as Document (1)) (The term "JP-A" used herein means an unexamined published Japanese patent application), in which the content of OH groups in a pure silica core is adjusted to from 10 ppm to 1000 ppm, the contents of F (fluorine) is adjusted to from 50 ppm to 5000 ppm and the contents of Cl (chlorine) is adjusted to substantially zero. An optical fiber thus obtained has an excellent initial characteristic of transmitting ultraviolet rays and is capable of reducing deterioration due to ultraviolet ray irradiation because fluorine is contained in a specific amount.
There are several known techniques that are not aimed to improve deterioration due to ultraviolet ray irradiation but are related to an improvement in radiation resistance of a fiber for transmitting visible rays or near infrared rays. For example, JP-A-60-90853 (hereinafter referred to as "Document (2)), has suggested a process in which any one of a glass soot body, a transparent glass preform and an optical fiber is processed in a hydrogen atmosphere to delete defects in the glass so as to improve the radiation resistance of the optical fiber. In the foregoing document, only a result of measurement of an increase in the loss experienced with respect to a near infrared rays having a wavelength of 1.3 .mu.m is described. In addition, the effect of improving the ultraviolet ray resistance obtained by the above-mentioned process disappears within about two months.
In "Improvement in Radiation Resistance of Optical Fiber by Hydrogen Treatment and .gamma.-Ray Irradiation", Tomon, Nagasawa, et al. pp. 1-213, Vol. 1, papers for lectures in National Conference of Semiconductor and Its Material Section of Electronic Communication Society, 1985, issued in 1985 by Electronic Communication Society (hereinafter referred to as "Document (3)"), a process has been reported for the purpose of preventing increase in light absorption of a pure silica-core optical fiber at a wavelength of 630 nm (visible ray) occurring due to .gamma.-ray irradiation. In this document, two-step treatment for an optical fiber is performed. In the first step, an optical fiber is doped with hydrogen molecules and then, in the second step, is irradiated with .gamma.-rays. Thus, seeds (precursors) of defects in the glass are converted into defects that absorb photon energy of a 2 eV band. Then, hydrogen previously dispersed in the fiber in the previous step and the defects in glass are chemically bonded to each other so as to improve the radiation resistance in the visible ray region. Also in the Document (3), there is no description about the characteristic of the fiber against ultraviolet rays.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,820 (hereinafter referred to as "Document (4)"), suggests an optical fiber and its manufacturing process that serves as a means for preventing increase in a loss in a visible ray region when a pure silica core fiber is used as an image fiber for transmitting visible rays in a radiation field. The proposed optical fiber is manufactured by previously irradiating pure silica core fiber with radiation in a large dose of 10.sup.5 Gy or greater, so that increase in the loss in a visible ray region having a wavelength of from 400 nm to 700 nm does not exceed 30 dB/km. Moreover, a process for manufacturing the optical fiber has been suggested, but the characteristic in the ultraviolet ray region has not been described.
JP-A-5-288942 (hereinafter referred to as "Document (5)), as in Document (4), has suggested a process for improving radiation resistance of an image fiber for transmitting visible rays. In the process, an image fiber is irradiated with g-rays in a large dose of 10.sup.7 Roentgen to 10.sup.9 Roentgen (10.sup.5 Gy to 10.sup.7 Gy) and then is heated in a hydrogen atmosphere. Also no description about the characteristic in the ultraviolet ray region has been made in the above-mentioned document.
In the Document (2), hydrogen is added so that the radioactive resistance of the optical fiber in the near infrared rays is improved. Recently there have been disclosed several processes in which hydrogen molecules are added to silica glass in an attempt to improve ultraviolet ray resistance. For example, JP-A-3-23236 (hereinafter referred to as "Document (6)") suggests silica glass in which OH groups are contained in an amount of 100 ppm or higher, substantially no oxygen defect exists and hydrogen gas is contained, so that ultraviolet ray resistance is improved. JP-A-5-32432 (hereinafter referred to as "Document (7)") suggests a process, in which deterioration due to ultraviolet ray irradiation is prevented by controlling the concentration of hydrogen in silica glass to 1.5.times.10.sup.17 molecules/cm.sup.3 or higher. Moreover, the concentration of chlorine is made to be 100 ppm or lower to reduce hydrogen consumption in glass when ultraviolet ray irradiation is performed so as to maintain ultraviolet ray resistance. JP-A-6-16449 (hereinafter referred to as "Document (8)") suggests silica glass which has improved ultraviolet ray resistance by designing to contain OH group in an amount of 100 ppm or lower and chlorine in an amount of 200 ppm or lower, and to have a hydrogen concentration of 10.sup.16 molecules/cm.sup.3 or lower, a refractive index fluctuation of 5.times.10.sup.-6 or lower and a birefringence of 5 nm/cm or lower. U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,067 (hereinafter referred to as "Document (9)") suggests silica glass in which the amount of OH groups is 50 ppm or smaller and hydrogen is contained by at least 10.sup.18 molecules/cm.sup.3 and which is free from optical damage if the silica glass is irradiated with 10.sup.7 pulses of KrF laser, the output of which is 350 mJ/cm.sup.2. U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,125 (hereinafter referred to "Document (10)") suggests silica glass which has improved ultraviolet ray resistance because hydrogen molecules are added to silica glass to which fluorine has been added.
JP-A-7-300325 (hereinafter referred to as "Document (11)") suggests a process which is able to improve ultraviolet ray resistance by means similar to that suggested in Document (5) in such a manner that hydrogen-molecule-contained silica glass is irradiated with .gamma.-rays so as to make the concentration of hydrogen in the irradiated silica glass to be 5.times.10.sup.16 molecules/cm.sup.3 or higher so that the ultraviolet ray resistance is improved. JP-A-9-124337 (hereinafter referred to as "Document (12)") suggests a process with which the ultraviolet ray resistance is improved by irradiating glass containing hydrogen molecules at a concentration of from 2.times.10.sup.17 molecules/cm.sup.3 to 5.times.10.sup.19 molecules/cm.sup.3 with ultraviolet rays of 150 nm to 300 nm for 20 hours or longer.
The Document (1) discloses an optical fiber having an excellent initial transmission characteristic of ultraviolet rays. However, a satisfactory effect cannot be obtained to prevent the deterioration due to ultraviolet ray irradiation. On the contrary, absorption caused at the absorption edge of ultraviolet rays is enlarged undesirably. Therefore, adjustment of an optimum amount of addition cannot easily be achieved.
No description has been made about the deterioration due to ultraviolet ray irradiation in each of the Documents (2) to (5) relating to improvement in the radiation resistance required for transmitting near infrared rays. As described later, the processes adapted to a fiber for transmitting visible rays or a fiber for transmitting near infrared rays cannot maintain the effect to prevent deterioration due to ultraviolet ray irradiation for a required period of time. Moreover, unsuitable means for an optical fiber for transmitting ultraviolet rays have been employed.
The processes disclosed in the Documents (6) to (11) are arranged in such a manner that the contents of OH groups, F or Cl are adjusted. Although the above-mentioned adjustment of the components attains an effect of initial defects in glass, a satisfactory effect cannot be attained to reduce defects induced by ultraviolet rays.
The hydrogen treatment employed in the processes disclosed in Documents (6) to (12) is such that the defects in glass caused by ultraviolet ray irradiation and the hydrogen molecules dispersed in the glass by the hydrogen treatment are bonded to each other so that increase in absorption of light is restrained. The restraining period, however, is limited to a period of time in which hydrogen molecules remain in the glass. Since the processes disclosed in the Documents (6) to (12) are mainly adapted to a bulk-form glass member, the volume of the glass member is sufficiently large with respect to the velocity at which hydrogen in the glass is dispersed. It is considered that hydrogen molecules remain in the member for a long time and thus ultraviolet ray resistance can be maintained.
If the techniques in the Documents (6) to (12) are adapted to an optical fiber, hydrogen is undesirably dispersed out the outside in a short time. Thus, there arises a problem in that the ultraviolet ray resistance cannot be maintained. That is, hydrogen molecules in an optical fiber (having an outer diameter of 125 mm) are generally gradually discharged to the outside of the optical fiber at a room temperature and the concentration is lowered to about 1/10000 in about two months as shown in FIG. 6. That is, the above-mentioned restraining effect is effective in only about two months after the hydrogen treatment has been performed. Therefore, increase in the absorption cannot be restrained for a long time with the conventional techniques.

Silica glass article and manufacturing process therefor


A user interface for a database management system uses an interactive display to display information selected from the database in magnitude ordered rows comprising a set of items. Each row is an assertion consisting of a plurality of components including an entity, an attribute and a value of the attribute. The components are arranged in that fixed order in decreasing significance, respectively. In the database management system, the database is itself also stored in this format. A database engine in the database management system utilizes a B-tree index to the database and a meta accessing method for items from the database in a working cache.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved database interface, database management system (DBMS) and database engine employing the "Entity-Attribute" data model. More particularly, it relates to such a database interface, management system and engine that incorporates a data model that corresponds closely to an information organization scheme that a human user would employ naturally. Most especially, the invention relates to such a database interface, management system and engine that is significantly faster in the execution of its data manipulation functions than conventional database management interfaces, systems and engines.
The invention further relates to improvements in interactive data storage and retrieval by computer with a video display terminal, keyboard, one or more direct access mass storage devices such as flexible or fixed disks, a processor, and random access memory. More particularly, it further relates to a method of externally displaying and internally representing computer-stored information which has advantages in: (1) ease of use; (2) ease of learning; (3) simplified combination and separation of databases which were possibly created at different times or by different users; (4) simplified internal manipulation of data; and (5) increased performance. Even more specifically, the invention relates to the combination of the prior-art Entity-Attribute semantic data model or some variant of it with the supporting "Item Space" logical data structure. Most specifically, the invention relates to: (1) the display of Entity-Attribute structured information on an interactive video terminal or on paper in a value-ordered, one-row-per-Attribute mode; (2) the encoding of the connection between an Entity and an Attribute into one or more "composite keys", hereafter called "Items"; (3) the simplified internal manipulation of information so encoded, such as especially the directness of merging separate databases into one or of separating one database into several; (4) the increased performance flowing out of the simplification of the internal manipulation of information so encoded; (5) the increased performance flowing out of the compatibility of information so encoded with the "Engine", which uses an improved B-tree algorithm; (6) the improvements to the B-tree algorithm utilized in the Engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of data models are employed in prior art database management systems. The most widely known and employed data models in the prior art are of the hierarchical, network and relational types. The hierarchical model is the oldest of these models. IBM's Information Management System is representative of this type. In this approach, a plurality of subordinate records are organized under a root record, with as many levels as are appropriate. One of the major shortcomings of the hierarchical model is that real world situations frequently do not fit into a hierarchical structure. As a result of constraints imposed by the hierarchical model, such a database contains redundant information in its records, the consistency of which must be maintained manually. Insertions and deletions of some kinds of information produce anomalies, or unavoidable inconsistencies, in the database.
As a result of these and other shortcomings of the hiearchical model, the 1971 Conference on Data Systems and Languages resulted in the CODASYL model, which is the most widely used network data model. In the network data model, database queries follow the data in looped chains to find the requested information. While the network data model essentially eliminates the above difficulties of the hierarchical model, a major problem of this approach is the complexity of the database designs that typically result. Normalization difficulties occur with the network approach as well, which will be explained below in connection with the relational model.
A relational database consists of a series of tables, each table being composed of records of a certain type. The intuitiveness and simplicity of the relational model are immediately apparent. These characteristics give the relational model much of its appeal. Most of the important commercially available microcomputer database management systems at the present time are relational databases. One aspect of this model is the complete absence of explicit links between record occurences. This is both a significant strength of relational database management systems because it allows very simple and powerful query languages, and a significant weakness, because it makes relational database management systems notably slow. However, the generality of the model and the increased ease of producing both database designs and query procedures have made the relational model the most popular for recent database management systems.
An area of concern with relational database management systems is normalization. Normalization refers to the degree of semantic correctness in the database design. Consider a simple relational database having only one relation, i.e., Person. The fields of the relation are the person's name, street address, zip code, and child. This is satisfactory as long as the person has only one child. However, the real world situation of more than one child can be handled only by adding another complete instance of relation, with all the fields the same except for the child field. This means that the database is not normalized. The problem with this example is solved by splitting the Person relation into two relations: PersonAddr and PersonKidz. This solves the normalization problem, but creates a new database. Construction of the new database requires enumeration of the entire database, splitting each relation into its new pieces, and even for a simple data model, this can be very expensive in time and storage space.
The lack of normalization, though obvious in the above example, can be subtle in many database applications. Detecting a lack of normalization depends on the database designer's degree of understanding of issues involved in normalization and his or her familiarity with the material to be represented in the database. The degree of difficulty of modifying a relational database after its structure has been redesigned makes what seems like a simple change, adding information to what is already there, a process of creating a new database, into which the contents of the old database are dumped.
A variant of the relational model, called the binary relational model, breaks down the information in the database into the smallest possible pieces at the outset, to avoid normalization problems. This model has two fields: a key and an attribute. The key is used for retrieval and may be called an entity name. When a value is placed in an attribute value field, the result is a data model having entity-attribute-value triples. This model is called the entity-attribute model, and the present invention concerns improvements in that model.
The Entity-Attribute data model has many variants, and there are many systems in use which employ some form of it. Even the LISP programming language has a feature--property lists--which exhibits the fundamental characteristics of an Entity-Attribute system, although the terminology is different. Much of the recent work in the field of Artifical Intelligence has been in developing "knowledge representation languages" in order to encode general knowledge and facts for "expert systems". Knowledge representation languages and systems have proven the descriptive power of the Entity-Attribute or similar models. However, these systems address the needs of programmers and "knowledge engineers" rather than everyday users. The need for a truly simple user view into a database is as urgent as the need for database flexibility and representational power.
Relational model databases abound also. These systems organize data into tables or "mathematical" relations. Unfortunately, the mathematics of relations escapes most everyday users of databases, and the quest for ease-of-use amounts to little more than a tradeoff between representational power and simplicity. For example, relational systems for everyday users rarely allow true relational joins, and many can only use a single table at a time, even though the representational utility of the model fundamentally relies on ability to decompose relations into multiple "normalized" relations.
Idea processors have a superficial similarity to the Item Editor, in that they allow what appears to be highly flexible data structuring. In reality, however, these systems are not databases at all, since they enforce no formal semantics, at least as "understood" by the idea processor. Instead, they merely serve as indexing methods for collections of "snippets" of text, or, even more simply, as improved text editors which can selectively hide certain levels in a user-defined "outline" hierarchy.
The value-ordered one-row-per-Attribute display, or "Item Editor", allows everyday users to construct and edit fully general Entity-Attribute databases in much the same way as they would edit text using modern word processors. In fact, an Item Editor scrolls the display "window" up and down over the sequence of Items like a word processor scrolls the display window up and down over a document. The person perusing and editing the single sequence of Items in an Item Editor has a single, uniform visual image to contend with, either through the display or paper--this contrasts with the non-visual, abstract, inquiry- or view-dependent concept of a database with which relational DBMS programmers and database administrators are familiar.

Entity-attribute value database system with inverse attribute for selectively relating two different entities


A system for recharging a battery having; memory that stores computer-executable instructions; a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory that facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions; the instructions having: a battery; a thermal insulating layer; the thermal insulating layer; adapted and configured as the exterior of the battery; the battery adapted and configured with the thermal insulation layer for harnessing heat created by a plurality of solar panels; the plurality of solar panels configured on the exterior of the battery; an application interface unit; the application interface unit adapted and configured to control the plurality of solar panels; wherein the processor transforms heat energy collected by the plurality of solar panels and stored in the thermal insulation layer into energy to power a communication device.

Wireless charging is an appealing technology because it allows you to charge your smartphone without the use of Universal Serial Bus (USB) plugs. Just place the smartphone on a wireless charger and it will start charging. Of course, the wireless charger itself must still be plugged into the wall. Wireless charging is more accurately described as "inductive charging" because it uses magnetic induction. The short explanation is that it uses magnetism to transmit energy. The current coming from the wall power outlet moves through the wire in the wireless charger, creating a magnetic field. The magnetic field creates a current in the coil inside the device. This coil is connected to the battery and the current charges the battery. Devices must have the appropriate hardware in them to support wireless charging—a device without the appropriate coil can't charge wirelessly.
Wireless chargers emit an alternating current via a transmitter coil, which then induces a voltage in the receiver coil found in the device. Qi (pronounced "chee") wireless charging pads are capable of charging smartphones, tablets, Bluetooth® headsets, cameras and portable power packs. However, to wirelessly charge a mobile device, one requires a wireless charging pad. To date, a mobile device or smart phone cannot charge itself wirelessly. The current invention seeks to solve this problem.
The average life span of a cell phone battery is from 400 to 500 charge cycles. That means the average battery lasts from one to two years. A decrease in the duration of the battery's lifespan between charge cycles indicates that the battery should be replaced. Lithium ion batteries usually maintain their full capacity for most of their lifetimes, and then die suddenly. Using a mobile device or smart phone frequently means battery power must be optimized and maximized. A use of a mobile device or other computing device can maximize battery power by limiting the number of charges. Charging a phone when it is at half power, as opposed to a phone with depleted power, trains a battery to hold only half of a charge. If possible, one should only charge the phone when its power has been completely depleted. Thus, there is a need for a battery that can maximize the amount of time one can use a device without having to consistently be charging the battery.
The two most common types of mobile device batteries are nickel cadmium (NiCd) and lithium ion (Li-ION) batteries. Nickel cadmium batteries are low maintenance batteries with a high performance rate, which means they can sustain normal power until the battery is nearly exhausted. Lithium ion batteries have twice the energy of nickel cadmium batteries, and they are 33 percent lighter. The main difference between lithium and lithium ion batteries is that lithium batteries are a primary cell and lithium ion batteries are secondary cells. The term primary cell refers to cells that must be discarded after one use. Secondary cell is a term that refers to a battery's ability to be recharged. Thus lithium ion batteries are most attractive to mobile devices as well as other computing devices. Lithium ion batteries can be charged several times before becoming ineffective. Lithium ion batteries use a number of other materials to form their anode. The success of a battery also depends on the temperature of the battery. Extreme temperatures may hurt battery life. This includes extreme hot or extreme cold. Thus, there is a need for a battery, that affected by temperature in a positive way, and that can be charged wirelessly and with longevity.
Review of Related Technology:
U.S. Pat. No. 8,350,520 teaches a system and method for a self-charging battery cell in which beta emissions from a Strontium-90 source are obtained by a sensor device and converted into electric energy. In embodiments, a scintillation device is used to intake emissions from a Strontium-90 source, and consequently emit a light or plurality of light flashes. A sensor device, e.g., a photodiode, is utilized to convert the light or plurality of light flashes into electric voltage, current and/or energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,910,235 discloses a lithium battery which includes a lithium battery body, and a generating device; the generating device is fitted on one side of the lithium battery body, and it includes a motive power mechanism, and a magnetic line of force cutting mechanism; the magnetic line of force cutting mechanism is connected to wires connected to inside of the lithium battery body; the motive power mechanism has a magnetic element therein, which will move so as to cause the magnetic line of force cutting mechanism to produce an induced current to charge the lithium battery body the when the lithium battery is manually moved.
United States Patent Publication No. 20130227694 discloses a mobile device charging station configured to analyze, measure and respond to/correct the state of a mobile device. The charging station can employ an embedded cryptographic subsystem that can make use of anti-tamper/tamper evident techniques to protect stored firmware images/cryptographic material.
International Patent Publication No. WO 2015027128 discloses a system for charging a personal electronic device ("PED"). The system includes a power storage module (or "portable power source") including a magnetic transfer module, a charging module, and a storage module. The power storage module wirelessly transfers power to the PED via a device interface module, to power a device charging module in the PED.
Chinese Patent No. CN103296721 teaches a mobile phone charging software which comprises a charging unit, a detecting unit and a protecting unit. The charging unit is used for charging an intelligent mobile phone and is connected with a mobile phone charging interface, the detecting unit comprises a current detecting subunit, a temperature detecting subunit and a voltage detecting subunit, the protecting unit comprises a power-off protecting subunit, and the detecting unit is connected with the charging unit and the protecting unit. The mobile phone charging software has the advantages that the safety degree of a battery charging procedure is increased, the charging efficiency is improved, a battery is protected in the charging procedure, and the service life of the battery is prolonged.
Chinese Patent No. CN 103296721 discloses a mobile phone charging software which comprises a charging unit, a detecting unit and a protecting unit. The charging unit is used for charging an intelligent mobile phone and is connected with a mobile phone charging interface, the detecting unit comprises a current detecting subunit, a temperature detecting subunit and a voltage detecting subunit, the protecting unit comprises a power-off protecting subunit, and the detecting unit is connected with the charging unit and the protecting unit. The mobile phone charging software has the advantages that the safety degree of a battery charging procedure is increased, the charging efficiency is improved, a battery is protected in the charging procedure, and the service life of the battery is prolonged.
United States Patent Publication No. 20130026982 teaches a battery charging device, method and system are disclosed for wirelessly charging a battery. A transmitter can transmit an RF wireless power signal to a battery charging device, and a receiver within the battery charging device can receive the RF wireless power signal. The battery charging device can thereafter transfer the received RF wireless power signal to a battery receiving portion to charge the battery. In an embodiment, the RF wireless power signal is transferred at a frequency of about 13.56 MHz to overcome wave shadowing. A battery recharging feedback control circuit can optionally be applied in combination with the battery charging device and can monitor a power quantity of the RF wireless power signal.
Various devices are known in the art. However, their structure and means of operation are substantially different from the present invention. Such devices fail to provide a device that is optimized for charging a battery through thermal heat energy captured by solar panels built into the device's battery. At least one embodiment of this invention is presented in the drawings below, and will be described in more detail herein.

Wireless battery recharger and application


A powertrain includes an engine having a crankshaft, a transmission having an input member, and a damper operatively interconnecting the input member and the crankshaft to transmit torque from the crankshaft to the input member. An electric motor/generator is operatively connected to the transmission input member to selectively transmit torque thereto. A damper bypass system is operatively connected to the crankshaft and the input member. The damper bypass system is configured not to transfer torque from the crankshaft to the input member, but transmits torque from the input member to the crankshaft in response to input member torque exceeding crankshaft torque.

A hybrid powertrain typically includes an engine and one or more motor/generators that cooperate to efficiently supply power to propel a vehicle. Some vehicles with hybrid powertrains are able to turn off the engine and rely on torque supplied solely from at least one of the motor/generators in certain operating modes to improve fuel economy; when operating conditions require positive engine torque, the engine is restarted using torque from one of the motor/generators in what is referred to as an "autostart." In some hybrid powertrains, the motor/generators are part of the transmission, and torque from the motor/generators to restart the engine is transmitted to the engine crankshaft via the input shaft of the transmission.
A damper is often used in the connection between the engine and the transmission input shaft to reduce vibration and filter out high-frequency engine torque oscillations while transferring engine torque. The damper is desirable when torque is being transmitted from the engine to the transmission, but the damper is not desirable when torque is being transmitted from the transmission or the motor/generator to the engine during an autostart.
Some hybrid powertrains utilize a damper bypass clutch (DBC), which is engaged during an engine autostart in order to bypass the damper. When engaged, the DBC provides a separate, undamped connection between input shaft and the crankshaft. The DBC is released during normal operation, restoring the damper function. The DBC is typically hydraulically actuated, and controlled by a powertrain controller. The powertrain controller engages the DBC in anticipation of an autostart event.

Engine damper bypass for hybrid powertrains


A multi-band antenna comprising two or more low frequency radiators dimensioned to operate in a low frequency band, and two or more high frequency radiators dimensioned to operate in a high frequency band. Each high frequency radiator is substantially coplanar with the low frequency radiators, and is formed in a spiral with the high and low frequency radiators interleaved. A hybrid feed network has two or more antenna ports, each antenna port being coupled with a low frequency radiator and a high frequency radiator. The antenna can be used for receiving GPS L1/L2 signals. The antenna is configured to send and/or receive circularly polarized radiation.

The invention relates to a multiband antenna, typically for receiving Global Positioning System (GPS) signals.
Conventional two arm frequency independent Archimedean spiral antennas used to receive GPS L1/L2 signals exhibit poor group delay (d/df) variation performance over the hemispherical coverage required, and low efficiency. The variation rises from the movement of the active radiating region over the bandwidth of the GPS signal, multiple regions radiating beyond the primary region, and the use of only two ports. This variation degrades the performance of the system, requiring corrections in software to offset the variation. The variation is also undesirable in GPS surveying applications where low group delay variation is critical to obtain extremely accurate GPS locations. Low efficiency causes difficulty in acquiring low angle satellite signals and arises from the balun assembly needed to feed the two spiral ports, and current losses in the arms before reaching the radiating region.
WO 01/13465 (Kunysz) discloses an aperture coupled slot array antenna. Energy is coupled into each slotted opening by a transmission line in the shape of a circular arc. An impedance load is coupled to a terminal end of the transmission line to provide a leaky-wave antenna configuration and to thus ensure a uniform amplitude coupling to all slotted openings.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,407 (Jagdmann) discloses a spiral antenna in which the outer ends of the spiral arms are direct fed by a hybrid feed network. A multi-band antenna is disclosed with interleaved sets of low frequency and high frequency slotted openings.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,277 (Kesler) discloses a dual frequency microstrip patch antenna. A top microstrip patch element is separated from the ground plane by a larger second microstrip patch element. The top microstrip patch element is driven by a feed network consisting of three hybrid couplers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,422 (Wang) discloses a two arm spiral-mode microstrip antenna in which the spiral arms are driven by a hybrid circuit with either 0 degree or 180 degree phase shift between the two arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,282 (Lalezari) discloses a multi-frequency antenna in which high frequency and low frequency radiating elements are each driven by respective feed circuits. A stacked patch antenna operates in a first frequency band and a crossed dipole element operates in a second frequency band.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,099 (Chait) discloses a linearly polarized spiral antenna system. Two spiral arms are coupled at both ends to a drive circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,166,694 (Ying) discloses a printed twin spiral dual band antenna. A single (relatively long) low frequency spiral arm and a single (relatively small) high frequency spiral arm are coupled with a feeding pin, matching bridge, loading resistor and grounded post.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,784 (Phelan) discloses a 4-arm spiral antenna with inner ends coupled to a network of diodes, and outer ends coupled to switches.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,936 (Izadian) discloses a multiple band antenna, including one embodiment (FIG. 8) in which an array of four longitudinal radiating elements form two orthogonal dipole pairs. Hybrid circuits provide output signals in response to illumination of the dipole pairs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,481 (Mace) discloses a multi-frequency antenna array in which an array of patches operable at high frequencies define a rectangular grid which is operable at low frequencies.
The paper E. Gschwendtner, W. Wiesebeck, xe2x80x9cLow-Cost Spiral Antenna with Dual-Mode Radiation Pattern for Integrated Radio Servicesxe2x80x9d, available at www.comcar.de/papers/ap2000.pdf describes a four arm spiral antenna with a coplanar waveguide transmission line connected to the centre of the spiral.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,617 (Connolly) discloses a quadrifilar helix antenna in which a 180 hybrid circuit drives the four radiating elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,955,997 (Ho) discloses a microstrip-fed cylindrical slot antenna. The antenna is driven by a non-isolating inline power splitter with an excess quarter-wavelength line in one output arm which generates the required 90 degrees phase differentials between the radiating slots.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,201,513 (Ow) discloses a two-arm spiral antenna driven by a two port balun assembly.
It is an object of the invention to provide an alternative antenna and feed network configuration with improved characteristics, or at least to provide a useful alternative.
A first aspect of the exemplary embodiment provides a multi-band antenna comprising two or more low frequency radiators dimensioned to operate in a low frequency band; two or more high frequency radiators dimensioned to operate in a high frequency band, each high frequency radiator being substantially coplanar with the low frequency radiators; and a hybrid feed network having two or more antenna ports, each antenna port being coupled with one or more of the radiators.
A second aspect of the exemplary embodiment provides a multi-band antenna comprising two or more low frequency radiators dimensioned to operate in a low frequency band; two or more high frequency radiators dimensioned to operate in a high frequency band; and a feed network having two or more antenna ports, wherein each antenna port is coupled with a low frequency radiator and a high frequency radiator.


A user terminal device connected in a network is provided. The user terminal device includes a display to display a main user interface (UI) screen including therein a first install menu to install an application and a second install menu to install a driver, an input unit through which one of the first install menu and the second install menu is selected on the main UI screen, and a controller to carry out an application installation in which an application program is installed onto a device connected in the network, if the first install menu is selected, and carry out a driver program installation in which a driver program is installed onto the user terminal device, if the second install menu is selected. The controller causes the display to display a map image, indicative of an arrangement of devices in an environment where the network is constructed, and carries out the application program installation or the driver program installation onto the device selected from the map image.

1. Field
Embodiments generally relate to a user terminal device for managing a network device and a method thereof, and more particularly, to a user terminal device for displaying a map image indicating therein an arrangement of devices connected in a network environment, and managing a network device accordingly, and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic appliances today have been increasingly diversified thanks to the development of electronic technologies. It is very common that users own a number of electronic devices in their offices or homes, and connect those devices by networks for more efficient use thereof.
By way of example, since image forming apparatuses such as printers, copiers, multi-function units, or scanners are used less frequently than personal computers, the devices are connected by a network and shared, instead of being installed for every member of the office. Such way of networking is applied to not only the image forming apparatuses, but also many other devices.
Accordingly, a user of a terminal device in a network can use a plurality of devices connected in the same network by installing corresponding driver programs on his terminal device or installing a corresponding application onto a target network device he intends to use.
However, in the abovementioned case, the user has inconvenience of having to check the target device and input required information, or go to the target device and install necessary program thereon.
The abovementioned inconvenience experienced in the installation of program particularly increases in the large network environment which involves a lot of devices and users.
Accordingly, a need arises for a method which enables a user to check locations or information of each network device easily, and to manage and manipulate the entire network devices more efficiently and conveniently.

User terminal device for managing network device and method thereof


A method for generating a universal distributed data storage includes: receiving a plurality of data values; generating a key for each of the plurality of data values, wherein the respective key is generated via application of a hashing algorithm to the associated data value; storing, in a database, each of the plurality of data values and the associated generated key as a plurality of key-value pairs; receiving a plurality of additional key-value pairs, wherein each value of the plurality of additional key-value pairs is not included in the plurality of data values; and storing, in the database, each of the plurality of additional key-value pairs, wherein each key included in the plurality of additional key-value pairs is generated via application of the hashing algorithm to the associated value and is not included in the keys generated for each of the plurality of data values.

Often times, when data is stored in a database it is associated with an identifier for easier access and identification. In many cases, the identifier assigned to a data value or set of data values may be unique to the associated data with respect to other identifiers used for all of the data stored in that particular group of data (e.g., a table of data) or database. Such identifier is often referred to as a "primary key," where the database may require each new data value or set of data values added to a table or database to have a unique primary key associated therewith for storage.
In many instances, primary keys must be unique to the individual table and/or database in question, but may be repeated throughout multiple tables or databases. For example, in many cases sets of data values in a table are assigned a number where the first set of data values begins at 1 or another predetermined value, with each new entry using the next number in sequence (e.g., 2, 3, 4, etc.). Other tables in the same database may use the same numbering system, where multiple sets of data values in a database may each be assigned the same identifying number (e.g., 1), but where the identifying number may be unique for the respective table in the database (e.g., each table only has a single set of data values with the assigned identifier of "1").
Such a system, which may be useful for smaller databases, may be detrimental in instances where two data sets may be combined, particularly when multiple entities are involved. For example, two companies may have a need to exchange sets of documents stored in internal storage. Each company may use the same numbering system for identification, which may result in multiple documents having conflicting identifiers. As a result, either the documents must be stored in separate tables and/or databases, or identifiers must be modified for one or both of the sets. In the former instance, it may be difficult to make adjustments to both tables/databases at once and may be inconvenient for the purposes of sorting and storage. In the latter instance, the two parties must both agree on the alternative identification with one or both parties modifying their previous identification system accordingly, which can be highly inconvenient and potentially detrimental due to the prevailing use of the identifiers in the rest of their business. In addition, any future changes to identifiers, such as due to changing in business practices, or in an instance where a deal is struck with a third entity with whom there are conflicting identifiers, must be propagated to the other entity. As entities communicate and deal with more and more entities, the conflicts may compound where changes to identifiers may occur at an unreasonable rate and negatively affect each entity's ability to do business.
Thus, there is a need for a technical solution to enable a universal distributed data storage where every data set, regardless of entity, type of data, method of storage, etc. can be combined without any collisions in identification, and where the integrity is not affected by future additions of data to the data set.

Method and system for distributed data storage with eternal integrity guarantees


A mounting structure for a fuel shutoff valve unit (U) includes a valve device (50) which is provided in a fuel tank (31) of a saddle type vehicle (1) and in which a breather passage (Y) which discharges volatile fuel to the outside is formed and a valve (51) which prevents leakage of liquid fuel is provided, wherein, in the saddle type vehicle including a filler tube (F) which is provided inside the fuel tank (31) and supplies fuel supplied from the outside to the inside of the fuel tank (31), a support member (B) which is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the filler tube (F) and supports the fuel shutoff valve unit (U) inside the fuel tank (31) is provided.

A valve device (a rollover valve) which prevents fuel leakage when a vehicle body is inclined at at least a predetermined angle or falls over while gasoline vapor filling a tank is let out may be provided in a fuel tank of a saddle type vehicle. In a process of mounting such a valve device in the fuel tank, being able to securely mount the valve device while improving workability is required.
Patent Literature 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2008-138732) discloses a technique for mounting a float valve inside a fuel tank.
According to the mounting method, a flange part of the float valve mounted inside the fuel tank is disposed and fastened between a holder and a cover member, and the float valve is fixed to the fuel tank.

Mounting structure for fuel shutoff valve unit


The present disclosure relates to a method and system for apportioning tasks to person in an environment. The method comprises capturing a first-value indicating a sympathetic-nerve based activity and a second-value indicating a parasympathetic-nerve based activity for at least one person operating in an environment. Thereafter, a quantitative-relation is determined between the first and second values. At-least one task is assigned for execution by said person within the environment based on such quantitative relation.

Institutions and organizations are known to incur significant time, energy, and resources to develop and implement mechanisms for monitoring performance and thereby allocate tasks within the work-force during operations. For example, in a factory, workmen may be evaluated for time-efficiency and skill exhibited during a task-completion. Based on said tests, further work is allocated to achieve an overall-efficiency in the interests of the organization
However, such type of analytical-systems usually remain limited to taking into account workmen' timebased efficiencies for task-completion. As a result, the resulting task-allocation remains indifferent to the workman's health and psyche and ends up allocating-work that may prove detrimental to the workman's state. In a worst case scenario, the task-allocation executed irrespective of mental and health state may result in hospitalization or untimely-demise.
In other words, time efficiency shown by the workman towards a task may not indicate as to how the workman had been physiologically and psychologically linked to the task during the performance of task. Moreover, the conventional apportionment based mechanisms refrain from allocating tasks to workman based on a prevailing 'health' (i.e. mental and/or physical state) state of a workman.
Accordingly, the conventional task-allocation mechanisms in working-environment usually end up burdening a sick-person with tasks that may take unwanted toll on its health.
Further, the conventional apportioning-mechanisms also fail to predict physiological-behavior of a person in working-environment. In other words, the work-allocation as per the conventional-mechanism completely ends up being based on past recorded events and fails to take into account as to what may be a physiological and psychological state of the workman on any given day.
There lies at-least a need for a mechanism that at-least considers psychological state of a workman as a parameter during apportioning work with respect to a workman.
Further, there lies at-least a need for a mechanism that at-least considers health of a workman as a parameter during apportioning work with respect to a workman.
Furthermore, there lies at least another need for a mechanism that at-least predicts a state of the workman prior to apportioning-work.
Last but not the least, there lies at least a need to provide an improved work-apportioning system in any working environment.

Method and system for apportioning tasks to persons in environment

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


Color purity of a light emitting element is improved without an adverse effect such as reduction in voltage and luminance efficiency. The light emitting element has a light emitting laminated body including a light emitting layer between a pair of electrodes. A buffer layer is provided to be in contact with at least one of the electrodes. One of the electrodes is an electrode having high reflectance and the other is a translucent electrode. By employing a translucent electrode, light can be transmitted and reflected. An optical distance between the electrodes is adjusted in accordance with a thickness of the buffer layer, and accordingly, light can be resonated between the electrodes. The buffer layer is made of a composite material including an organic compound and a metal compound; therefore, voltage and luminance efficiency of the light emitting element is not affected even if a distance between the electrodes becomes long.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting element which emits light by feeding current and a light emitting device using the light emitting element.
2. Description of the Related Art
A light emitting device using a light emitting element having a layer including an organic material between a pair of electrodes which emits light by feeding current between the electrodes has been developed. Such a light emitting device is advantageous to be a thin shape and lightweight compared with other display devices which are referred to as thin display devices, has favorable visibility because of self-light emission, and has high response speed. Therefore, the light emitting devices are actively developed as display devices for the next generation, and at the present day, part of the light emitting devices is in practical use.
In such a light emitting element, holes are injected from an electrode which functions as an anode and electrons are injected from an electrode which functions as a cathode in a layer including an organic material. Then, a light emitting material in the layer including an organic material is excited by recombining holes and electrons, and light corresponding to the difference in energy between a ground state and an excited state is emitted when the light emitting material returns to a ground state.
Such a light emitting device which is advantageous to be a thin shape and lightweight is especially suitable for application of a mobile device. The lower power consumption of a light emitting device mounted to a mobile device in which there is a limitation in battery, the better, and power saving is always requested. In addition, a requirement of reducing energy consumption is more and more increased in association with an environmental problem, an energy problem, and the like in a television, a display, and the like in addition to a mobile device.
In particular, a television, a display, or the like with beauty in an image is a deserved requirement for a consumer now. One of the factors which affect beauty in an image is color reproductivity. In a case of a full-color display device, all colors are reproduced using three colors of red, green, and blue, or four colors of red, green, blue, and white. A bright display can be obtained by using a material which emits light with a wavelength having higher color purity; however, there are only a few materials with both high color purity and high reliability in the present situation.
The enhancement of external extraction efficiency of light emitted from a light emitting element is also effective for reducing power consumption. Patent Document 1 (Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-323277) mentions that, to enhance external extraction efficiency of light, each layer of an organic compound material layer except for a light emitting layer is set to have a different thickness corresponding to luminescent color and a reflection interference phenomenon is utilized, and accordingly, extraction efficiency of each color is enhanced. Patent Document 2 (Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-142277) mentions that each transparent electrode is set to have a different thickness corresponding to luminescent color and an interference phenomenon of reflected light is utilized, and accordingly, extraction efficiency of each color is enhanced.
However, in the structure in Patent Document 1, voltage and luminance efficiency is reduced in a case where a thickness of each layer of the organic compound material layer is set in consideration of a reflection interference phenomenon, while the thickness of each layer of the organic compound material layer is necessary to be set so that the function thereof is shown essentially. In addition, in the structure in Patent Document 2, the reduction in voltage and luminance efficiency is small. However, in order to form a transparent electrode corresponding to each color, the number of processes is increased because one of the electrodes of the light emitting element is formed so as to form a transparent electrode corresponding to each color, and productivity is very low. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to improve color purity of a light emitting element without reduction in voltage and luminance efficiency and current and luminance efficiency.
As described above, it is favorable as power consumption is lower, and the present situation is far from a situation that low power consumption is sufficiently attained. Therefore, power consumption is desired to be further lowered. Thus, it is another object of the present invention to provide a light emitting element and a light emitting device capable of lowering power consumption.

Light emitting device and electronic device

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


An electronic device and a hinge thereof are disclosed. The hinge includes a base, a first link, a second link, a third link and an elastic member. The first link is pivoted to the base and rotatable about a first axis. The first link includes a first groove. The second link is pivoted to the base and rotatable about a second axis. The third link includes a first end pivoted to the second link and a second end slidably joined to the first groove. The elastic member is disposed between the second link and the third link and propped against the second link and the third link.

Hinges are often used in electronic devices, for example a hinge often connects a display and a host of a laptop. A stand is mounted to a housing of a tablet to support the tablet, and a hinge is used to connect the stand and the housing. FIGS. 1A to 1D show a stand 20 of a conventional tablet 10 lifted and rotated to a predetermined angle. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the tablet 10 is taken out by a user and then held by one hand of the user. Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 1C, the user uses the other hand to lift the stand 20 and prepares to rotate it. Finally, the stand 20 is rotated by the user to the predetermined angle as shown in FIG. 1D.
The conventional tablet 10 must be operated by two hands to lift and rotate the stand 20 to the predetermined angle, and more than two steps are necessary to complete the operation.


An environmentally sealed connector for connecting a spring-loaded terminal to a flexible circuit includes a spring-loaded terminal and a connector cap having a terminal cavity receiving a portion of the spring-loaded terminal therein in order to electrically couple the spring-loaded terminal to the flexible circuit. A connector base is releasably coupled to the connector cap and covers the terminal cavity and the portion of the spring-loaded terminal therein. An elastic member is disposed between the connector cap and the connector base in sealing engagement therewith and surrounds the terminal cavity and the portion of the spring-loaded terminal.

The field of the disclosure relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly, to environmentally sealed, reusable connectors for flexible circuits.
At least some known connectors for flexible cables or circuits, such as flat flexible cables (FFCs), are not environmentally sealed and reusable. Typical sealed FFC connectors require an electrical terminal to be pressed into or otherwise connected to the FFC, a wire to be attached to the electrical terminal, and a permanent sealant (e.g., epoxy, plastic, resin, and the like) disposed or permanently affixed around the connector in an overmold process. By using, for example, an epoxy as the sealing agent, the FFC and connector cannot be reused. As such, there is a need for a reusable and an environmentally sealed connector for electrically coupling an FFC to one or more wires and that can withstand extreme outdoor environments, including submersion under water for extended periods.

Environmentally sealed, reusable connector for printed flexible electronics


A belaying system includes a fastening component suspended on a securing means. The fastening component secures a load connected to the fastening component. The fastening component includes a bar. The fastening component and the bar hold the securing means. When unlocked, the bar rotates to enable the fastening component to be removed from the securing means. When locked, the bar cannot rotate and the fastening component cannot be removed from the securing means. The bar is unlocked with an unlocking element. The bar is locked with a locking element. The unlocking element and the locking element are fastened directly or indirectly by and/or on the securing means separately from one another. When the unlocking element is fastened to the fastening component the bar is unlocked and the fastening component remains suspended from the unlocking element. When the locking element is fastened to the fastening component the unlocking element is unfastened.

The invention relates to a belaying device with a fastening component, mountable on a securing means that is connectable to a person to be belayed by means of a connecting element.
A safety device of this type can replace a via ferrata set. Via ferrata sets ensure the safety of climbers on so-called "secured" via ferrata or high rope courses. They are also used, however, for exposed work on house fronts, roofs, bridges, masts, etc., as well as in shipping, particularly on sailing boats. Furthermore, the invention can also be used to secure objects, for example against shoplifting, in space travel or for secure prisoner transfer. For better visualisation, subsequently it is referred to personal protection against falling. Here, securing yachtsmen, for whom the main danger is not falling but drifting off in the water, and objects, for which wrongful dislodgment should be avoided, and other application methods are supposed to be meant analogously.
As a rule, a belaying set comprises two carabiners, each of which is attached to the person securing himself via a connecting piece formed by a rope or a belt, e.g. on a safety belt, such as a waist belt. Rollers (single or multiple roller) are also used in the belaying set instead of a snap hook or rollers with a snap hook clasp, particularly in high rope courses. Belaying sets in rope courses, as a rule, consist of two or three fastening components, the connecting pieces to the person secured can be of various lengths. The fastening components are frequently attached to the free ends of a Y- or V-shaped rope or strap, which is furnished with a rope or strap or another suitable connecting piece centrally with an attachment device for attachment onto a safety belt of the person securing himself. Frequently, one or more damper are also incorporated into these connections, in order to defuse the fall of a person into the safety device. As a rule, the safety device is attached at the front or at the back of the safety belt.
When climbing, the climber should always be hooked by at least one fastening component onto a safety device (e.g. steel cable, another rope, rungs, safety ring, frame, single or double roller insolvably attached to the cable, or a safety ring), pre-installed onto the via ferrata or onto the high rope course. The second fastening component is either likewise hooked on, or it has been opened in order to re-attach it during changes in direction or gaps in the pre-installed safety device, i.e. it can be hooked into the continuation of the pre-installed safety device.
The following problems arise here:
In using via ferrata sets, accidents occur time after time that are the result of human error on the part of the user or of other participants. Particularly for children and inexperienced users, not least due to the nervousness caused by the altitude of high rope courses and vie ferrate, improper handling occur over and over, such as unhooking both fastener components at once. It also occurs time and again that participants inadvertently unhook all fastener components of each other or that participants are not aware of the risk and deliberately unhook both (or all) fastener components at the same time. This means that they are not secured, which, in the worst case, may result in the user's falling from a great height.
In accordance with the state of the art, single carabiners, lockable against accidental opening, are well-known, including from WO 2004/113745 A1, from which an embodiment is known, in which a carabiner comprises a blocking mechanism that can be moved into the release position for remote unlocking using a lanyard. In accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 2,116,880 A, a carabiner latch can be unlocked using a key rod. FR 2 483 781 A1 describes a snap hook, which is additionally opened by spring force. Furthermore, DE 79 19 515 U1 publishes a safety hook with remote opening which can be activated via a Bowden cable. U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,728 A describes various blocking mechanisms for individual snap hooks. DE 10 2005 009 946 B3 describes a via ferrata set which emits an alarm signal if both snap hooks are removed from the safety cable at the same time. U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,796 describes a belaying device where both carabiners are connected by a Bowden cable, wherein only one of the securing means can be detached at a time. DE 10 2006 010 898 describes the same process, wherein the fastening component identifies a safety cable as safe by its diameter. Two fastening components that communicate with one another are likewise described in the unpublished AT 1771/2006, wherein a secure attachment point is identified each time by an identification component to be permanently mountable. This facilitates rapid modification of high rope courses or vie ferrate and, furthermore, an impact on the direction of use, the use of rungs, safety rings, and a safety of vertical ascents and descents.


An electronic apparatus comprising a housing, a metallic antenna and a printed circuit board is provided. The housing comprises a metallic front casing and an insulating rear casing. The metallic front casing has a display panel and a number of buttons. The insulating rear casing is buckled to the metallic front casing. The insulating rear casing has an outer surface. The metallic antenna is disposed on part of the outer surface. The printed circuit board is disposed in the housing. The printed circuit board is electronically connected to the metallic antenna, the display panel and the buttons.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to an electronic apparatus, and more particularly to an electronic apparatus which disposes a metallic antenna on the housing to form a metal surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional mobile phone communicates with the station via an antenna. Antennas are categorized into external antenna and embedded antenna. In an embedded antenna, the antenna is embedded inside the housing. In an external antenna, the antenna is exposed outside the housing. However, when an antenna is projected from the housing and becomes an external antenna, the overall length of the electronic apparatus (such as a mobile phone) is prolonged. An electronic apparatus with an external antenna is not only inconvenient for the user to carry with but also against the features of lightweight, slimness, thinness, and compactness in the design of electronic apparatus.
When the antenna is disposed inside the housing and becomes an embedded antenna, if the housing is a metallic housing, the antenna will have poor quality in the transmission and reception of signals due to the shielding effect and will fail to maintain good communication with the station. In order to maintain the quality of the antenna in the transmission and reception of signals, the bottom casing of the housing can be made of plastics and designed as a plastic bottom casing, but the top casing is still made of metal to possess the metallic feature of the top casing. Under the above arrangement, the antenna will not be shielded by metallic substances when receiving or transmitting signals, thereby the quality in the transmission and reception of signals is maintained.
The bottom casing is typically made of plastics. Despite the top casing has a metallic appearance, the appearance of the overall housing is not thoroughly metallic, and the mobile phone does not possess a consistent metallic aesthetics. Therefore, consumers' expectation of a fashional appearance of the mobile phone can not be satisfied, and the practicality of the mobile phone is largely reduced. According to the aforementioned disclosure, a conventional mobile phone is unable to improve the appearance and its communication quality at the same time. Failing to break through the fixed type of appearance design, the conventional mobile phone will lose its competitiveness in the market.
The same matching problem of the material of antenna and the material of housing also occurs to any electronic apparatus having an antenna such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or any electronic apparatus using global positioning system (GPS).