Provided are a foam molded product and a method of producing the same. The foam molded product is a molded product containing a resin and including a surface layer, a compressive deformation layer, and a foam layer. The thickness of the surface layer is 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm. The compressive deformation layer is located between the surface layer and the foam layer. Foam particles forming the compressive deformation layer have an average H/L of 0.5 or less (H: length in compression direction; L: length in perpendicular direction relative to compression direction). Foam particles forming the foam layer have an expansion ratio of not less than 3.0 times and less than 30 times.

Foam molded products formed of resins are being used as components of automobiles and electronic devices and structural materials for containers in place of conventional solid resin materials and metal materials. These foam molded products have features such as low density, high heat insulation, and shock absorption, and it is mainly these characteristics that are effectively exploited. On the other hand, these foam molded products have poor impact resistance and scratch resistance compared to conventional solid resin materials as a consequence of their low density, and the scope of use thereof has so far been limited.
Moreover, as a result of foam molded products being formed by bead foam shaping or extrusion foam shaping, bead marks where bead foam particles have fused or a surface where the structure of holes by which steam is supplied in foam shaping is transferred may be formed, and thus it has not been possible to achieve the surface smoothness displayed by solid resin materials.
One known technique for providing a foam molded product with impact resistance and scratch resistance is a technique of melting the surface of the foam molded product to form a non-foam layer such as disclosed in Patent Literature (PTL) 1. It is disclosed that in this surface melt-shaping method, the surface of a foam layer is melted by a heated metal plate or a heated mold, a non-foam layer of a certain thickness is shaped through bead foaming pressure or external pressure application, and thus the scratch resistance and rigidity of the surface are improved and a design surface is obtained.
Moreover, one known technique for imparting surface smoothness is a technique of forming a compressed layer at the surface of a foam molded product such as disclosed in PTL 2. It is disclosed that by forming a compressed layer at the surface by this technique, high strength and a smooth surface having better quality of external appearance are achieved.
Furthermore, a technique involving combination with a skin material and formation of a compressed layer at the interface between the skin material and a foam layer such as described in PTL 3 has been disclosed as a technique for imparting design.

Foam molded product and method of producing same


A container for carrying loose products, the body of which, without inner protective liner, is made of stainless steel. For unloading loose products there is provided at least one elongated dorsal opening, which is equipped with an openable door and to which there is applied a conveyor consisting of a flexible element generally shaped like a funnel, which can be configured in a condition packed inside the opening in the position of closing of the door, and in a distended condition outside the body of the container in the position of opening of the door.

The present invention relates to containers for carrying loose or bulk products of the type comprising a generally parallelepipedal body having at least one closable opening for introduction of loose or bulk products inside it, and an end wall equipped, at the bottom, with means for unloading the loose products.
The body of such containers is traditionally made of metal, generally steel. In order to prevent the loose products introduced into the container from being contaminated by possible contaminating agents, known containers of this type are normally provided, on the inside, with a protective bag, referred to as xe2x80x9clinerxe2x80x9d, which is usually made of plastic material to prevent direct contact between the loose products and the internal walls of the body of the container. The protective liner is for the most part formed at the bottom with a tubular appendage, which can be used for outlet of the loose products through a circular opening for discharge.
The above solution is relatively complicated and costly both on account of the presence of the protective liner and as regards disposal of the protective liner itself, which must be removed and replaced whenever the container is used for carrying products that are different. Furthermore, the conformation of the liner reduces the useful space available inside the container.
According to a further known solution, the body of the container is made of aluminium, which avoids the need for recourse to the internal protective liner, and the discharging means consist, also in this case, of a circular outlet to which there is associated a shut-off valve having a complementary shape. The latter solution is, however, costly if the expenses of fabrication and possible repair connected to the use of aluminium are taken into account.
A further drawback which regards the above known solution lies in the fact that the discharge of loose products through the shut-off valve is relatively slow owing to the modest cross section of the outlet, whereas, instead, a high speed of discharge would be desirable.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks.
According to the invention, the above purpose is achieved essentially thanks to the fact that a container for carrying loose products of the type defined at the beginning of this description is characterized in that the body is made of stainless steel and said discharging means include:
at least one generally elongated opening;
a door which can be displaced between a closed position and an open position of said elongated opening; and
a conveyor made up of a flexible element generally shaped like a funnel with a widened end fixed at the edge of said elongated opening, and a restricted free end, said conveyor being able to assume a configuration in a generally packed condition within said elongated opening in the position of closing of said door, and a configuration in a distended condition outside the body in the position of opening of said door.
Thanks to the above idea of solution, the same advantage is achieved as that of containers with a body made of aluminium, i.e., the elimination of the protective liner, which is, instead, used in traditional containers made of steel, with further advantages both in terms of simplification of construction and in terms of greater speed in discharging the loose products from the container.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the aforesaid elongated opening extends substantially throughout the width of the end wall of the body of the container. Alternatively, there may be provided more than one elongated opening, and in this case the container may be divided internally into different sections designed to contain different products, each of which can be discharged separately through a respective elongated opening.
According to a further advantageous characteristic of the invention, the container may moreover comprise closing means for fastening in a removable way the aforesaid flexible conveyor in an area near to said widened end.


A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided including: providing a reinforcing member on one surface of a wiring substrate that has a first region where a semiconductor chip is mounted and a second region around the first region, and has terminals extending from the first region to the second region formed on another surface thereof, in a manner that the reinforcing member overlaps the terminals and a part thereof protrudes from the first region to the second region; punching through from a surface side having the reinforcing member in the wiring substrate, thereby continuously cutting the reinforcing member from an inboard side thereof to an outboard side along a boundary between the first region and the second region; and punching through from the surface side having the reinforcing member in the wiring substrate, thereby cutting the terminals along the boundary between the first region and the second region.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to semiconductor device manufacturing methods and manufacturing apparatuses.
2. Related Technology
A reinforcing member is adhered to a wiring substrate in a COF (Chip On Film) device that is one form of a semiconductor device. The reinforcing member is to reinforce terminals of a wiring pattern, whereby the terminals can be inserted in a connector. The reinforcing member is attached to a wiring substrate, and then cut together with the wiring substrate in a predetermined shape.
Conventionally, the cutting step is conducted in a single process from one surface side of the wiring substrate. According to this, when a region of the terminals on the wiring substrate is cut, burs may be generated in a direction in which the terminals can be peeled. Or, when the reinforcing member is continuously cut from the inside thereof to the outside, cracks or indents may be generated in a region of the semiconductor device that becomes a final product. It has conventionally been difficult to solve these problems simultaneously.
It is an object of the present invention to improve the reliability concerning semiconductor device manufacturing methods and manufacturing apparatuses.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Semiconductor device manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus


A method of making pattern data of a photomask pattern includes: the processes of adding, to each of first cells, information of the first cell higher than the first cell on the basis of a hierarchical structure; selecting, from the first cells included in one level of the hierarchical structure, the first cell identical to one of the first cells included in a level higher than the one level and the first cell placed inside two or more of the first cells included in a level immediately higher than the one level, and forming a cell group with the selected first cells; making pattern data of the first cells not included in the cell group in consideration of the optical proximity effect and forming a fourth cell group with second cells including the pattern data; and replacing the first cells with the corresponding second cells in input data.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments discussed herein are relates to a method of making pattern data of a photomask used to manufacture a Large Scale Integration (LSI) circuit device, a program for making the pattern data, and a medium for storing the program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacture of an LSI circuit device, an element pattern forming a circuit has been desired to be miniaturized for higher integration. Further, in the formation of a minute pattern, to obtain a predetermined element characteristic, the element pattern needs to be formed on a semiconductor substrate as designed and with high accuracy. However, if a photomask pattern used to manufacture the LSI circuit device has not been formed in consideration of the optical proximity effect, the element pattern as designed cannot be formed on the semiconductor substrate in the transfer of the pattern onto the semiconductor substrate.
Therefore, to form a photomask pattern in consideration of the optical proximity effect, correction in consideration not only of rotation information, axis inversion information, and magnification information but also of Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) as it is called (OPC processing) has been performed on design data for forming the element pattern to make data used to form the photomask pattern.
The above-described OPC processing is performed on the design data for forming all element patterns on the basis of the space and the width of the element patterns and optical conditions. Therefore, if the number of pattern data items for forming the element patterns is large, the OPC processing requires a long period of time.
In view of the above, a proposal has been made to first determine the OPC processing for a first area, and then reuse the OPC processing for the first area in a second area having a pattern identical to the pattern included in the first area, to thereby reduce the time period required for the OPC processing (e.g., Japanese Patent No. 3343246).
Further, another proposal has been made to first register second cells obtained by the OPC processing previously performed on first cells which are formed by a plurality of element patterns and repeatedly used, and then replace the first cells with the second cells to perform the OPC processing on the entire design data, to thereby reduce the time period required for the OPC processing (e.g., Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 2007-86587 and 2005-84101).
It is obvious from the above description that the time period required for the OPC processing can be further reduced, if it is possible to effectively identify particular areas or cells to be subjected to the OPC processing, and to effectively identify, among the areas or cells, a larger number of areas or cells considered to be equivalent in the purpose of the OPC processing.

Method of making pattern data, and medium for storing the program for making the pattern data


A fuel controller for an internal combustion engine has a misfiring sensor which can detect when misfiring occurs in an engine cylinder. When misfiring is detected, the fuel injector corresponding to the misfiring cylinder is prevented from supplying fuel to the misfiring cylinder, while the fuel injectors for the other cylinders continue to operate normally. The fuel injector for the misfiring cylinder can be disabled by a switching circuit which turns off a power amplifier for driving the fuel injector. Misfiring can be detected by sensing changes in the rotational speed of the engine between prescribed crankshaft angles due to a reduction in torque when misfiring occurs.

This invention relates to a fuel controller for an internal combustion engine. More particularly, it relates to a fuel controller which can stop the supply of fuel to an individual cylinder which is misfiring.
Electronic fuel injection systems for internal combustion engines of automobiles are becoming increasingly common. In these systems, an optimal air-fuel ratio is calculated by a microprocessor on the basis of various operating parameters such as the engine speed, the air intake rate, the air intake temperature, and the engine temperature. Electromagnetically-operated fuel injectors are then controlled so as to achieve an air-fuel mixture having the optimal air-fuel ratio.
Many automobiles are equipped with a catalytic converter for removing harmful components from the engine exhaust gases. A typical catalytic converter is a three-way catalytic converter which simultaneously oxidizes carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons while it reduces oxides of nitrogen (NOx). An electronic fuel injection system is usually designed to maintain the air-fuel ratio near the stoichiometric ratio so that the catalytic converter can function effectively.
Occasionally, due to breakage of parts, poor electrical connections, or equipment malfunctions, combustion does not take place properly in one or more cylinders of an engine and so-called "misfiring" occurs. Due to misfiring, a mixture of uncombusted fuel and air flows into the catalytic converter, and a sudden chemical reaction takes place, causing an enormous increase in the temperature of the catalytic converter. Under these conditions, the catalytic converter can not function properly, and harmful exhaust components are discharged into the atmosphere. The increase in temperature also produces degradation of the catalytic converter and shortens its life span. Furthermore, when the automobile is stationary, if dead grass or other combustible material should contact the catalytic converter when it is at an abnormally high temperature due to misfiring, there is the possibility of a fire starting.
To prevent such problems, various devices have been proposed for detecting misfiring and stopping the supply of fuel to an engine when misfiring takes place. For example, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 63-63933 discloses an apparatus which detects misfiring by measuring the pressure inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. When it is determined that misfiring has occurred in a cylinder, the supply of fuel to all the fuel injectors of the engine is stopped.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,794 discloses a fuel injection control method in which misfiring is detected by comparing the voltage of the primary coil of an engine ignition coil with a predetermined value. If misfiring is detected, fuel injection is stopped by reducing the fuel injection quantity to zero.
However, in these and other conventional systems, even if only a single cylinder of the engine is misfiring, the fuel supply for all the cylinders is stopped, thereby stopping the engine. Therefore, the vehicle must be towed to a repair shop, even though the cylinders which were functioning normally were sufficient to enable the vehicle to run under its own power to the repair shop.

Fuel controller for an internal combustion engine


A communication apparatus searches for another communication apparatus using either a method with which to perform direct wireless communication or a method for specifying a service via an apparatus for constructing a wireless network, and in a case where another communication apparatus is using one of the methods and the detected another communication apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition, the communication apparatus does not perform a search using the other method.

Field
The present disclosure relates to a search for another communication apparatus by a communication apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the Wi-Fi® Miracast® Release 2 (R2) standard has been formulated by the Wi-Fi® Alliance. In the Wi-Fi® Miracast® R2 standard, a transmission apparatus transmits image data or sound data as information of a screen displayed on or a sound reproduced by the transmission apparatus to a reception apparatus, whereby the transmission apparatus and the reception apparatus can share the displayed screen or the reproduced sound.
The Wi-Fi® Miracast® R2 standard prescribes a peer-to-peer (P2P) search function in which a transmission apparatus or a reception apparatus searches for an opposing device in compliance with the Wi-Fi Direct® standard (the Wi-Fi® Peer-to-Peer specification). The Wi-Fi® Miracast® R2 standard prescribes, in addition to the P2P search function, a basic service set (BSS) search function in which a transmission apparatus or a reception apparatus searches for an opposing device in an infrastructure network.
US2016/0065667 discusses a method in which a communication apparatus searches for an opposing device in compliance with two different wireless communication standards.
In the Wi-Fi® Miracast® R2 standard, in a case where a communication apparatus searches for an opposing device, the communication apparatus can use both the method for searching for the opposing device by the P2P search function and the method for searching for the opposing device by the BSS search function.
If the communication apparatus searches for the opposing device by both search methods, there is the advantage that an opposing device that is not detected by one of the search methods can be detected by the other search method. However, if the communication apparatus always searches for the opposing device by both search methods, the communication apparatus can detect the same opposing device by both search methods. In such a case, there is the disadvantage that power is unnecessarily consumed.

Communication apparatus, control method, and storage medium


Provided is a method to manufacture a liquid crystal display device in which a contact hole for the electrical connection of the pixel electrode and one of the source and drain electrode of a transistor and a contact hole for the processing of a semiconductor layer are formed simultaneously. The method contributes to the reduction of a photography step. The transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer where a channel formation region is formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor and a liquid crystal display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, reduction in cost, thickness, and weight of liquid crystal display devices has been greatly needed.
As one of methods for achieving cost reduction of liquid crystal display devices, simplification of a manufacturing process of liquid crystal display devices can be given.
Driving methods of liquid crystal display devices are broadly classified into a passive matrix method and an active matrix method. In recent years, active matrix liquid crystal display devices which are excellent in image quality and high-speed response have been in the mainstream.
In an active matrix liquid crystal display device, each pixel is provided with a switching element. As the switching element, a thin film transistor is mainly used. As such a thin film transistor, a top-gate transistor whose channel formation region is provided below a gate electrode and a bottom-gate transistor whose channel formation region is provided over a gate electrode are given. These thin film transistors are generally manufactured using at least five photomasks.
Reducing the number of photomasks as much as possible is one of important factors to manufacture liquid crystal display devices at lower cost. In order to reduce the number of photomasks, a complicated technique such as backside light exposure (for example, see Patent Document 1), resist reflow, or a lift-off method, which requires a special apparatus, is used in many cases. The use of such a complicated technique might lead to various problems such as reduction in yield of liquid crystal display devices and degradation of electric characteristics of thin film transistors.
Further, as one of methods for achieving reduction in thickness and weight of liquid crystal display devices, reducing the thicknesses of substrates between which a liquid crystal material is sandwiched, by mechanical polishing, chemical polishing, or the like, are given.
Mainly, glass substrates are used as substrates between which a liquid crystal material is sandwiched and thus, there is a limit on reduction in thicknesses of such substrates by mechanical polishing, chemical polishing, or the like. Moreover, there is a problem that as the thicknesses of such substrates are reduced, the strength of the substrates is lowered and a liquid crystal display device is more likely to be damaged by external impact. Therefore, it is ideal to manufacture a liquid crystal display device with the use of significantly tough supports (such as a resin film and a metal film) as substrates between which a liquid crystal material is sandwiched.

Liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing the same

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A software deployment method creates and provides an installation parameter file for each computer to be deployed according to a software deployment task. The installation parameter file of each computer to be deployed is used to guide a network installation of software on the computer. A corresponding software deployment system, a software deployment server, and a software deployment user server are also provided. The installation parameter files are generated collectively according to the software deployment tasks, so that the computer equipment is guided by the installation parameter file to install the software automatically. Therefore, the software deployment on the computers in batches is more convenient. Moreover, as the installation parameter file corresponds to each computer to be deployed, the software type and the parameter configuration of each computer to be deployed can be adjusted flexibly, which facilitates the customization of the software.

With the informationization of industry, the application field of computer equipment has been expanding increasingly. For example, minicomputers are applicable to professional computing services, common computers are applicable to personal, home and general office environments, and blade servers are applicable to specific industrial or commercial environments. Generally, diversified computer equipment is regarded as a combination of hardware and software. Based on the application field, the corresponding software environment is designed on the computer hardware in production. As the demand for the computer equipment is increasing rapidly and continually in the market, it is often required to perform software deployment on the computer equipment in batches.
In the course of implementing the present invention, the inventor finds that in the normal process of manufacturing the computer equipment, the software deployment is usually performed on the computer equipment by means of an optical disk, which is low in efficiency and more liable to incur human error, so it is not suitable for batch operation. In addition, in the industry the software is also deployed rapidly on the computer equipment by using a mirror restoration mechanism; however, parameters of the computer software cloned through this mechanism cannot be customized, so the mirror restoration mechanism is not flexible.

Software deployment method and system, software deployment server and user server


A process and device for packaging elongate products where a packaging material is drawn from a supply in a transportation direction includes sealing around the elongate products longitudinally and transversely. The packaging material is delivered in the form of a partial tube having one open longitudinal side and one closed longitudinal side, and a width between the open longitudinal side and the closed longitudinal side. A plurality of first transverse seals are made across the partial tube, extending less than the width of the partial tube, to form a plurality of transverse pockets in the tube and the elongate products are inserted into the pockets. A plurality of second transverse seals are made to form a transverse sealing seam across the full width of the tube. A seal is made on the open longitudinal side of the partial tube to form a longitudinal sealing seam.

From WO 96/23711 a device for packaging tampons is known. From a strip-like packaging sheet a tube is formed around a mandrel and the two edges of the sheet are sealed with a longitudinal sealing seam. The tube is then separated into individual pieces. The tube pieces are sealed at one end with a transverse sealing seam. The tampons are then placed in the tube pieces and the second end is sealed with a further transverse sealing seam.
Alternatively, bag forming, filling and sealing packaging machines are known. A packaging sheet is drawn from a supply and formed into a tube around the elongate products supplied in an evenly spaced manner extending longitudinally in the direction of transportation, the said sheet is sealed with a longitudinal sealing seam. Then, in a transverse sealing station transverse sealing seams are formed between the products and the tube is cut through in the middle of these transverse sealing seams. These bag forming, filling and sealing packaging machines operate in a more rational manner than the device described in WO 96/23711.
In the case of tampons a cord is provided hanging loose at one end. If the above-described bag forming, filling and sealing packaging machine were used to package tampons this cord could get into the longitudinal sealing seam, which would be undesirable. By reason of the long length of the tampons the packaging capacity of the machine would be relatively low.

Process and device for packaging elongate products and packages produced thereby


In one example, a system can execute a first machine-learning model to determine an overall classification for a textual dataset. The system can also determine classification scores indicating the level of influence that each token in the textual dataset had on the overall classification. The system can select a first subset of the tokens based on their classification scores. The system can also execute a second machine-learning model to determine probabilities that the textual dataset falls into various categories. The system can determine category scores indicating the level of influence that each token had on a most-likely category determination. The system can select a second subset of the tokens based on their category scores. The system can then generate a first visualization depicting the first subset of tokens color-coded to indicate their classification scores and a second visualization depicting the second subset of tokens color-coded to indicate their category scores.

Many industries rely on machine-learning models, such as neural networks and support vector machines, in making decisions. Such machine-learning models may be executed on a computer to generate outputs, which may serve as the basis for making said decisions. For example, a system administrator may execute a machine-learning model configured to predict how much memory or storage space will be required to meet demand at a future point in time. Based on the predicted memory or storage consumption output by the machine-learning model, the system administrator can decide whether to preemptively add additional memory or storage units to the computer infrastructure to meet that future demand. Because these types of decisions can have a significant impact on operations and customers, and they are influenced by the outputs of the machine-learning models, it may be useful to understand why a machine-learning model generated a particular output.

Graphical user interface for visualizing contributing factors to a machine-learning model's output


A method, relevant equipment and system for determining a User Equipment (UE) or UEs affecting a neighboring cell are disclosed. The method for determining UE or UEs affecting a neighboring cell includes: receiving load information sent by a neighboring cell, where the load information indicates an interfered Physical Resource Block (PRB) of the neighboring cell; determining a UE or UEs that occupy, when scheduling is performed, the interfered PRB; determining UEs located in an Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC) measurement area corresponding to the neighboring cell; and obtaining an intersection of the UE or UEs that occupy, when scheduling is performed, the interfered PRB and the UE or UEs located in the ICIC measurement area corresponding to the neighboring cell. The technical solution under the present invention enables accurate determining of the UE or UEs that affect the neighboring cell.

A key step in an Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC) method is to find the UEs that affect neighboring cells. In the prior art, when a UE is located in an ICIC measurement area, the serving cell receives a Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) measurement value reported by the UE, where the measurement value is obtained by measuring a neighboring cell, and the serving cell determines the UE affecting the neighboring cell according to the RSRP measurement values reported by multiple UEs.
For example, the locations of UE A and UE B are as shown in FIG. 1. Although UE B is farther away from the neighboring cell than UE A, the radio channel transmission environment of UE B is better than that of UE A. Therefore, the RSRP measurement value reported by UE A may be the same as that reported by UE B, and the NodeB of the serving cell is unable to determine, according to the RSRP measurement value, which UE affects the neighboring cell.

Method, equipment for submitting a measurement report


A filter for fluid has a filter housing and a filter element disposed in the filter housing. An element-associated electrical connecting element associated with an electrical/electronic functional component is provided. A housing-associated electrical connecting element is provided. When the filter element is mounted in the filter housing, the element-associated electrical element and the housing-associated electrical connecting element are connected electrically with each other and form an electrical connection. A positioning assist device assists in positioning the element-associated electrical connecting element and the housing-associated electrical connecting element relative to each other.

The invention concerns a filter for fluid, in particular fuel, oil, water, urea solution or air, in particular of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, comprising a filter housing and comprising an element-associated and a housing associated electrical connecting element, wherein the element-associated and the housing-associated connecting elements are connected to each other when the filter element is mounted in the filter housing.
Moreover, the invention concerns a filter element of a filter for fluid, in particular fuel, oil, water, urea solution or air, in particular of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, that can be exchangeably arranged in an openable filter housing by means of an installation movement at least in an axial direction relative to a mounting axis coaxially to the latter such that it seal-tightly separates an inlet of the filter housing for the fluid to be purified from an outlet for purified fluid and that comprises at a connecting end face at least one element-associated electrical connecting element of at least one electrical/electronic functional component.
Moreover, the invention concerns a filter housing of a filter for fluid, in particular fuel, oil, water, urea solution or air, in particular of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, that can be opened and in which a filter element can be exchangeably arranged by means of an installation movement at least in axial direction relative to a mounting axis coaxially to the latter such that it seal-tightly separates an inlet of the filter housing for the fluid to be purified from an outlet for purified fluid.
DE 20 2007 010 602 U1 discloses a fuel filter of a motor vehicle for diesel fuel. The fuel filter comprises a filter housing, closed off by a detachable cover part. The cover part is provided with an inlet and with a discharge for the fuel. In the filter housing, an exchangeable filter element is secured which in predetermined servicing intervals after detachment of the cover part can be removed and replaced with a new filter element. A substantially tubular heating element for heating the fuel is arranged in the functional filter chamber at the raw side at radial spacing to the circumferential wall of the filter housing. The heating element is connected fixedly and non-detachably with the filter body for which purpose it is attached to the end disk by gluing, embedded by foaming, injection molding or the like. The heating element comprises an electrical heating wire. Two ends of the heating wire are bent radially inwardly for electrical contacting. A housing which is injection-molded of plastic material forms together with plug pins an electrical connecting plug.
The invention has the object to design a filter, a filter element, and a filter housing of the aforementioned kind with which an installation of the filter element into the filter housing, in particular positioning of the filter element in a correct mounted position, can be simplified. Moreover, an electrical connection of the element-associated electrical connecting element with the housing-associated electrical lines is to be realized in a simple way.

Filter for fluid, filter element of a filter, and filter housing of a filter


In a radiographic image acquiring apparatus, in the event that one radiation detection device is selected from among a plurality of radiation detection devices, each of which are capable of converting radiation into a radiographic image, the radiographic image acquiring apparatus includes an acquisition unit for acquiring all of the radiographic images from the plurality of radiation detection devices, including the radiographic image from the one radiation detection device, at a time when application of radiation with respect to a subject is carried out.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiographic image capturing system and a radiographic image capturing method for irradiating a subject with radiation and converting radiation that has passed through the subject into a radiographic image by means of a radiation detection device. The present invention also relates to a radiographic image acquiring apparatus for acquiring the radiographic image from the radiation detection device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the medical field, it has widely been practiced to apply radiation to a subject and to convert radiation that has passed through the subject into a radiographic image by a radiation conversion panel, and then to acquire the radiographic image from the radiation conversion panel. One known type of radiation conversion panel is a stimulable phosphor panel, which stores radiation energy representative of a radiographic image in a phosphor, and then, when the stimulable phosphor panel is irradiated with stimulating light, a radiographic image is obtained as stimulated light representative of the stored radiographic image. In this case, the stimulable phosphor panel is supplied to a radiographic image acquiring apparatus, and by carrying out acquisition processing of the radiographic image, the radiographic image can be obtained as a visible image.
Further, recently, in sites of medical practice such as operating rooms or the like, it is necessary to acquire and display radiographic image information from a radiation conversion panel immediately after capturing a radiographic image, for the purpose of quickly and appropriately treating patients. As a radiation conversion panel which meets such a requirement, there have been developed a direct conversion type of radiation detection device, in which solid state detection elements are used that directly convert radiation into electrical signals, as well as an indirect conversion type of radiation detection device utilizing a scintillator, which converts radiation into visible light, and solid state detection elements for converting the visible light into electrical signals.
Incidentally, in a medical organization, a radiographic image capturing system may be set up having a plurality of radiation detection devices equipped with the aforementioned radiation conversion panels. (See, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-073462 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-219586.)
An explanation shall now be made concerning application of radiation to a subject (image capturing) and acquisition processing of radiographic images, for a case in which all of the radiation detection devices within the radiographic image capturing system are radiation detection devices equipped with a radiation conversion panel (hereinafter also referred to as a Flat Panel Detector or FPD) of a direct conversion or indirect conversion type.
First, a doctor or radiological technician selects one radiation detection device from among the plurality of radiation detection devices and, concerning the FPD of the selected radiation detection device, prepares the same so as to be capable of storing electrical signals (electrical charges) converted from the radiation.
Next, the doctor or radiological technician positions the subject (patient) between a radiation source and the one radiation detection device. In such a state, when radiation is irradiated from the radiation source onto the one radiation detection device through the subject, the FPD converts radiation that has passed through the subject into electrical charges, which are then stored. After application of radiation, the radiographic image acquiring apparatus acquires the electrical charges that have been stored in the FPD as a radiographic image corresponding to the subject.
In this manner, with the radiographic image capturing system according to the conventional art, one radiation detection device is selected, radiation is irradiated onto the radiation detection device from the radiation source while passing through the subject, and by acquiring a radiographic image from the one radiation detection device, the radiographic image acquiring apparatus associates the subject with the radiographic image.
Incidentally, responsive to a condition of the one radiation detection device (for example, in the event of malfunctioning of the one radiation detection device, or if the charge amount of a battery thereof is not a sufficient charge amount required to capture an image), cases may occur in which image capturing is carried out using a different radiation detection device in place of the one radiation detection device. In such a case, when radiation is irradiated onto the other radiation detection device from the radiation source while passing through the subject, the subject is reflected in the radiographic image of the other radiation detection device.
However, in a case where the radiation detection device is changed, yet one forgets to notify the radiographic image acquiring apparatus of the details concerning carrying out of image capturing, there is a concern that the radiographic image acquiring apparatus may acquire the radiographic image from the selected one radiation detection device, and thus erroneously associate the subject with the radiographic image therefrom. In this case, because when the radiographic image acquiring apparatus acquires the radiographic image from the one radiation detection device, the subject is not properly reflected in the radiographic image, it is determined that an image capturing failure has occurred, and image capturing must be carried out again with respect to the subject.
Stated otherwise, with the radiographic image capturing system according to the conventional art, in the event that the radiation detection device (the other radiation detection device), which is equipped with the FPD that actually was irradiated with radiation, does not match with the radiation detection device (the one radiation detection device) equipped with the FPD from which the radiographic image is acquired, image capturing is carried out again without acquiring the radiographic image possessed by the other radiation detection device and in which the subject's image is reflected, and thus there is a concern that the subject is unnecessarily exposed to radiation.

Radiographic image acquiring apparatus, radiographic image capturing system, and radiographic image capturing method


A device and method is disclosed for a hybrid multi-mode airborne and rotary wing radar Electronically Scanned Antenna (ESA). Pulsed Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC) Transmit and Receive Modules (TRM) are nested with Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) transmit elements within the aperture of an ESA. FMCW elements only transmit while the pulsed TRM receive both the pulsed return and the FMCW return. During the hybrid configuration, both the pulsed and FMCW performance is limited to less than the full ESA aperture. In an alternate configuration, individual TRM are configured for transmit and receive of both FMCW and pulsed signals are coupled within the aperture of the ESA. The individual elements offer full aperture performance in both pulsed and FMCW operation. A diplexer controls channel deconfliction between the pulsed and the FMCW transmissions/receptions while a switching network directs the individual elements to hop between the pulsed and FMCW modes.

Pulsed radar may be optimally suited for meteorological phenomenon detection, such as rain, turbulence, wind shear, etc. However, for non-weather modes of operation, pulsed radar may have certain limitations concerning minimum range restrictions due to the two-way radar-to-target pulsed format and radar-to-target-to-radar propagation time. Continuous wave radar or Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) may be well suited to close range and moving target reception due to the continuous wave and detail resolution nature of the signal.
A radar system employing an Active Electronically Scanned Antenna (AESA) may be beneficial to users as the size weight power and cost (SWP-C) of such antenna arrays are increasingly efficient for incorporation by the operator.
Radar application modes of critical importance to an operator may include aircraft low visibility taxi operation including operations suited for Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (SMGCS) standards. In such an environment, an operator may be required to monitor and maintain clearance in the area 200-300 feet in front of the operators own aircraft position. Goals of aircraft operators may include a non-cooperative collision avoidance system for such short range threats and an ability for an aircraft to image or perceive close in obstacles i.e., taxiway lights, runway lights and signage, other aircraft and the like. A Radar Cross Section (RCS) on the order of one square meter (1 m2) may be a desired target size for an onboard radar system to image. Additional goals of an onboard system may include an ability to accurately image such a 1 m2 target within 300 feet at a speed of 20 knots (kts) as the target makes a 90 degree turn. Traditional FMCW radar may be better suited for these shorter range goals.
Additionally, challenges remain for operators of a rotary wing aircraft to image such short range targets. A short range capability (e.g. less than 100 feet of range) may enable a rotary wing aircraft to navigate in situations previously prohibited (e.g., sand storms, low visibility launch/recovery operations). Also, during low altitude operations, an ability to image an obstacle, a terrain feature, or a station keeping reference point may enhance rotary wing low altitude capabilities. In these situations, traditional radar may experience "brownout" or a return of unusable significance to an operator due to particular atmospheric conditions. Traditionally, a FMCW radar may be better suited for such a short range solution than would be a pulsed radar.
Previous attempts of solving the problems described above may include Laser Radar (LIDAR) and infrared (IR) systems attempting to image an obstacle or target through a certain atmospheric condition. Both of these attempts may suffer from propagation loss sue to an inability to penetrate the particular atmospheric condition (e.g., blowing sand).
FMCW, however, has limitations considering long range radar solutions for imaging small RCS target (e.g. small aircraft, weather) detection. Pulsed radar may provide a better picture of longer range contacts.
Mounting two types of radar on an airframe may be prohibitively expensive and may be too heavy for adequate performance. A well-known pulsed radar mounted on the forward nose of an aircraft may contribute a significant portion to the overall weight and internal volume of the aircraft. An additional FMCW radar mounted to the same aircraft may encumber electrical and thermal management systems, challenge designers for proper placement, and negatively impact performance.
Multi-chip modes of semiconductor dies may be well-known in the art of semiconductor technology. Semiconductor chips have been organized and placed in a variety of geometries and stacks as mounted on a circuit board substrate. However, the use of Multi-chip modes to overcome the challenges herein has yet to be realized.
Consequently, a need exists for development of an AESA-based hybrid system able to merge pulsed and FMCW elements into a single AESA antenna system specifically capable to solve both short range and long range solutions.

Hybrid pulsed-FMCW multi-mode airborne and rotary wing radar ESA device and related method


A screw portion is provided on an image sensing unit, a screw hole portion to be engaged with the screw portion is provided on an optical path delimiter, and the screw portion and the screw hole portion are engaged together to thereby fix the image sensing unit and the optical path delimiter so that a lens barrel of the optical path delimiter is in contact with a transparent lid bonded to a surface of a solid-state image sensor. The solid-state image sensor, the transparent lid, a DSP, a wiring board and the like are sealed by a sealing portion made of a resin. Even when distortion occurs due to warpage, flexure or the like on the board where the solid-state image sensor is disposed, the accuracy of the positioning of the lens with respect to a pixel area of the solid-state image sensor is never decreased, it can be prevented that the solid-state image sensor or a signal processor is damaged by an external shock, and the optical device module is easily fabricated.

The present invention relates to an optical device module incorporated in digital cameras, camera phones and the like and having a solid-state image sensor for photographing a subject, and a method of fabricating the optical device module.
A solid-state image sensor provided in digital cameras, camera phones and the like is for capturing the subject to be photographed. The solid-state image sensor is integrated into a module together with a lens, an infrared intercepting material and a signal processor processing the image information captured by the image sensor, and is provided as an optical device module. In recent years, digital cameras, camera phones and the like incorporating the optical device module have been reduced in size, and the optical device module has also been reduced in size.
In the optical device module, it is necessary that the optical center of the pixel area of the solid-state image sensor coincide with the optical center of the lens, and it is also necessary that the plane formed by the pixel area be orthogonal to the optical axis of the lens. When the accuracy of the positioning of the lens with respect to the solid-state image sensor is low, a problem occurs such that focus cannot be achieved or that the image captured by the solid-state image sensor is dark. For this reason, an adjustment mechanism for adjusting focus is provided, and focus adjustment is performed after the optical device module is fabricated. However, the provision of the adjustment mechanism hinders the size reduction of the optical device module.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-110946 proposes an image sensor module package in which a solid-state image sensor is bonded onto a circuit board, a housing holding an IR filter is bonded onto the circuit board so as to cover the solid-state image sensor, and a holder holding a lens is fixed to the housing. The fabrication process is simplified by fixing the holder and the housing by press fitting.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-297282 proposes a camera module in which a holder holding a lens and an optical filter is fixed by a bonding agent onto a package where an image sensor is fixed. The holder is bonded by use of two kinds of bonding agents, a volatile curing bonding agent that cures by the volatilization of the solvent and an ultraviolet curing bonding agent that cures by the application of ultraviolet light, the lens position is adjusted after temporary bonding, and after the position is determined, the bonding agent is cured to thereby fix the holder. Since the position adjustment can be performed after bonding, the lens positioning accuracy can be improved.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-301938 proposes an optical device module in which a signal processor that processes signals outputted from a solid-state image sensor is bonded to a wiring board, the solid-state image sensor is bonded onto the signal processor, a transparent lid is bonded to a surface of the solid-state image sensor and a lens holder holding a lens is bonded to the transparent lid. Since the lens holder is bonded to the transparent lid bonded to the surface of the solid-state image sensor, the accuracy of the positioning of the lens with respect to the solid-state image sensor can be improved.

Distortion and shock resistant optical device module for image capture


A carbon canister includes a main body with a chamber containing activated carbon, an end cover mounted to the main body, the end cover and the main body enclosing and forming a cavity, the end cover having a desorption port for connecting with and engine, a Venturi tube mounted in the cavity and including an inlet segment, and a throat and a back suction tube. An inner diameter of the throat is smaller than an inner diameter of the inlet segment. The inlet segment communicates with the activated carbon containing chamber, the throat communicates with the desorption port, the back suction tube connects to the throat, and the back suction tube extends to the bottom of the cavity. Thereby, a negative pressure is created, the fuel collected within the carbon canister is desorbed to the engine so that the fuel utilization is improved, and the exhaust emission is reduced.

Due to the pollution of motor vehicle exhaust to the environment, the national requirements for exhaust emission are increasingly strict. Especially with the issuance of the "National VI" standard, the emission index of fuel cars has become more stringent. The functionality of the fuel supply system is increasingly important in the case that the combustion efficiency of the engine has reached its peak.
The carbon canister in the prior art has the following disadvantages:
(1) During the desorption of the carbon canister, some of the fuel vapor is collected in the housing of the carbon canister after forming droplets, which is difficult to be combusted and utilized by an engine or the utilization efficiency is extremely low. Thus, more volume of carbon powder or carbon powder with stronger function is needed to absorb the volatilized fuel vapor so as to reduce the exhaust emission and meet with the strict emission standard, which increases the cost of the carbon canister.
(2) When the carbon canister is mounted at a position lower than the fuel tank, the fuel tends to flow into the carbon canister and combines with the carbon powder, so that the working capacity of the carbon powder is deteriorated. The carbon canister below the fuel tank thus requires a larger volume than the carbon canister above the fuel tank. The carbon canister is difficult to be generalized among different vehicle models on the same platform, which increases the fabrication cost.


A laser processing method which can prevent an object to be processed from being cut along a line to cut from a modified region acting as a cutting start point when separating a suction table and a holding member from each other is provided. An expandable tape 23 holding an object to be processed 1 while being stuck to a frame 51 is secured by suction onto a suction table 52 of a vacuum chuck with a porous sheet 53 interposed therebetween. Since the sheet 53 has a Young's modulus lower than that of the table 52, the tape 23 is restrained from biting into fine pores of the sheet 53. As a consequence, even when the table 52 and tape 23 are separated from each other by releasing the suction securing after forming a modified region 7, no strong bending stress acts on the object 1. This can prevent the object 1 from being cut along a line to cut from the modified region 7 acting as a cutting start point when separating the table 52 and tape 23 from each other.

Conventionally known as a laser processing method of this kind is one in which an expandable holding member (expandable tape or the like) holding a wafer-like object to be processed is directly secured by suction onto a suction table of a vacuum chuck, and the object is irradiated with laser light while locating a converging point within the object, so as to form a modified region within the object along a line to cut (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-179302


There is provided an information processing system, information processing apparatus, and a method of controlling the same. Upon receiving an encrypted application and encrypted license information, the information processing apparatus decrypts the encrypted license information and the encrypted application. It is determined whether or not the decrypted application is a web application, and in the case where the application is determined to be a web application, a URL contained in the application and information contained in the license information are registered, and a display item corresponding to the application is displayed in a menu screen.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information processing systems, information processing apparatuses, methods of controlling the same, and storage media.
Description of the Related Art
A technique is known in which an information processing apparatus such as a PC displays, using a web browser installed in the information processing apparatus, an operating screen of a web application provided from a web server to which the information processing apparatus is connected over a network, and a user makes operations through the operating screen. To use the web application, the user obtains a license for using the web application from a provider of the web application. The operating screen of the web application is then displayed by the web browser of the user's information processing apparatus. As such, a system for the provider of the web application to verify whether or not the connection is being made from a user who has properly purchased a license is necessary. To realize such a system, for example, the operating screen of the web application requests the input of a username and a password, and the user is determined to have properly purchased a license in the case where the username and the password input through that screen match registered information.
Meanwhile, there are also web applications aimed at information processing apparatuses shared by many people, such as multifunction peripherals (MFPs) that have scanning functions, printing functions, and so on. In the case where many people share a single information processing apparatus, web application licenses are sometimes issued for the client terminal as a whole rather than for individual users.
Such license management is not only carried out for respective individual web applications; there are also systems in which license sales and management are collectively carried out by a representative for web applications developed by different web application developers. In this case, based on information from a web browser in a client, a server having a web application makes an inquiry to a license management server that manages licenses and verifies whether or not a license for the web application has been properly purchased by the client.
There is also a system that uses a license file in the installation of an application installed in an information processing apparatus. Such a license file is issued in the case where a license has been purchased for the application, and whether or not a license has been properly purchased for the application is verified by verifying the license file.
Meanwhile, web browsers in information processing apparatuses such as MFPs are often used primarily in order to use web applications. In such a case, for security reasons, a function for restricting the input of URLs, the saving of bookmarks, and so on is provided in order to restrict users from freely accessing web sites. There are also functions for restricting access based on user privileges (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-76621, for example).
Regarding a web application, it is not necessary to install the web application, and thus the license for the web application cannot be managed using a license file. However, a method that verifies a license can be employed for an application installed in an information processing apparatus when the application is installed. Different license management systems are thus necessary depending on the form of the application, and thus different management costs arise for the providers of the applications, the parties that manage the licenses, and so on. Meanwhile, from the user perspective, licenses are authenticated using different procedures depending on the install form of the application, which is cumbersome.
In the case where user information is not to be used when using a web application, user authentication is carried out for the purpose of license management. In such a case, carrying out user authentication in the web application in order to authenticate a license is cumbersome for users.

Information processing system, information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium


A motor control device including: a following control unit that calculates a pre-correction torque command based on a difference between an operation command signal for commanding an operation of a motor and a detection signal resulting from detecting an operation of the motor; an adder that outputs a post-correction torque command by adding the pre-correction torque command to a correction torque command; and an electric-current control unit that outputs a drive current driving the motor based on the post-correction torque command, wherein the motor control device executes control so that the detection signal matches the operation command signal, and further including: a reference-periodic-signal computation unit; an amplitude/phase estimation unit; and a correction-torque computation unit, so that the correction torque command is updated such that a difference between the correction torque command and the post-correction torque command becomes smaller.

It is known that, in a device that controls a motor that drives an industrial machine, torque pulsation is caused depending on a rotational position (a rotation angle) of a motor according to the characteristics thereof, and the torque pulsation is called "torque ripple".
For example, in a permanent-magnetic synchronous motor, a cogging torque is caused due to distortion of magnetic-flux changes inside the motor, and the number of times of pulsations (also referred to as "the number of peaks") determined by the configuration of the motor (the number of poles or slots) for one rotation thereof (also referred to as "mechanical angle") are caused. Such a torque ripple sometimes causes a negative influence on operations of the machine, and therefore there has been proposed a method for suppressing the torque ripple by a control device.
As a control device that suppresses a torque ripple, there has been known a device that offsets a torque ripple by a correction torque command given at an equal angular period according to a rotational position in consideration of the torque ripple occurring periodically depending on the rotational position. An amplitude and a phase of the caused torque ripple are different for each motor depending on variations and the like generated during manufacturing of motors, and therefore it is necessary to also set an amplitude and a phase of the correction torque command for each motor.
As described above, as a control device that suppresses a torque ripple by determining an amplitude and a phase of a correction torque command for each motor, for example, the following techniques have been proposed. That is, there has been disclosed a technique including a step of changing a phase of a correction torque command indicating a sine wave over the whole range (0 to 360 degrees) at a predetermined pitch width, and a subsequent step of changing the amplitude of the correction torque command at a predetermined pitch width, by which a magnitude of the torque ripple is analyzed by an FFT computation unit every time the phase and the amplitude of the correction torque ripple are changed, thus determining the amplitude and the phase of the correction torque command that minimize the torque ripple (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
Further, there has been disclosed a technique in which a sampling unit that samples, under a set condition, a post-correction torque command that is a signal to which the correction torque command has been added, an FFT computation unit that calculates a Fourier coefficient by an FFT computation, and a correction-value computation unit that performs computations on a correction value based on the Fourier coefficient, are provided, and a step of sampling performed by the sampling unit and a step of determining the Fourier coefficient of the sampled post-correction torque command and updating the correction torque command are performed for a set number of repetitions, thereby calculating a torque-ripple correction value (see, for example, Patent Literature 2).


A medical implant has a microscopically rough outer coating that serves to bond the implant to animal tissue. The coating is applied to the implant by physical vapor deposition. The coating preferable is applied via a generally oblique coating flux or a low energy coating flux. In some embodiments, the coating has pores. The pores can contain a drug, which can diffuse over a period of time. The coating may be partially nonporous to protect the implant from corrosion. The coating can have an outer porous layer that can bond with animal tissue easily.

Orthopedic implants such as artificial knees and hips are critical to improving the quality of life for millions of people each year. As the population ages, the need for such implants will continue to increase. An important attribute of these devices is how well the body's bone and tissue can bond to them.
One method that is known in the art to promote the attachment of implants to bone is to apply hydroxyapatite to their surface using plasma spray technology. Hydroxyapatite is a natural material to which bones will attach. However, this method is expensive and hydroxyapatite is brittle and difficult to make adhere to the smooth surfaces of implants.
It is also known that open, porous structures can promote the attachment of natural tissue to implanted material. Tantalum is often chosen for such applications because it is extremely corrosion resistant and biocompatible. Porous tantalum can be used as an element in orthopedic devices or they can be made entirely of porous tantalum. This is the subject of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,282,861; 5,669,909; 5,984,967; 6,645,206; 6,613,091 and 6,375,655. It is well known in the art that porous tantalum can be formed by sintering tantalum powder under the proper conditions. Other methods for producing porous tantalum, such as using chemical vapor deposition to fill a vitreous carbon matrix with tantalum, are also known.
Tantalum, however, is a relatively soft, ductile metal and an implant made entirely of porous tantalum would not be strong enough to be used for a highly stressed part in a hip or knee, for example. In applications requiring mechanical strength, alloys containing cobalt, chromium, nickel, titanium and other materials such as stainless steel are often used. In such cases, it is desirable to create a porous surface layer to help natural tissue to bond. Attaching a porous tantalum layer to such materials requires several steps. This is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,442, which describes a method of clamping a porous material to a substrate and using chemical vapor deposition to bond the two. However, in addition to the cost of this method, processing temperatures as high as 925 C are required. These high temperatures can alter the mechanical properties of many alloys. Moreover, clamping a porous layer to the complicated shapes used in orthopedic devices is difficult.
Recently it has been found that small surface features with sizes of approximately 100 nanometers (nm) can promote the attachment of bone cells to metals (Nanobumps Enhance Implants, R&D Magazine, January 2004, p. 46). Surface features of tens to hundreds of nm in size mimic the texture of natural bone and are also comparable to the size of the proteins needed to promote tissue growth. It is believed that the precise shape of these features is not critical to their usefulness and they can be regular or irregular in shape.
Therefore, what is needed is a coating having surface roughness on the order of ten to hundreds of nanometers that can be applied directly to orthopedic implants in a simple manner.


A novel biosurfactant having a high surface activity, as well as a microorganism producing the surfactant is disclosed. The biosurfactant according to the present invention is represented by the formula [I]. ##STR1## The present invention also provides Arthrobacter sp. No. 38 (FERM BP-4435) which produces the biosurfactant of the formula [I].

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel compound having a surface activity, a process for producing the same and to a novel microorganism producing the same.
II. Description of the Related Art
Biosurfactants (hereinafter also referred to as "BS") which are originated from living organisms have structures and functions which are different from those of synthetic surfactants. Since the skeletons of most of known biosurfactants are made of lipopeptides or glycolipids, they are detergents highly bio-degradable. On the other hand, they inhibit growth of some bacteria. Further, it is expected that third recovery of petroleum may be attained by culturing BS-producing bacteria in underground petroleum layers.
Although various biosurfactants are known including surfactin (Arima K. et al., Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 31, 488-494 (1968)), it is desired that a biosurfactant having a higher surface activity than those of the known biosurfactants be provided.

Biosurfactant cyclopeptide compound produced by culturing a specific Arthrobacter microorganism


Pharmaceutical compositions for intravenous administration comprising the compound of Formula I

(5S,8S)-8-[{(1R)-1-(3,5-Bis-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-ethoxy}-methyl]-8-phenyl-1,7-diazaspiro[4.5]decan-2-one (the compound of Formula I; also referred herein as Compound 1) and salts thereof have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,049,320 (the '320 patent), issued May 23, 2006. A process for the synthesis of Compound 1 is specifically exemplified in Example 72a of the '320 patent (See the '320 patent at col. 43, line 55 to col. 45, line 20; col. 75, line 55 to col. 80, line 21; col. 90 lines 35 to 63; and col. 98, line 1 to col. 99, line 24, which is herein incorporated by reference. See also WO2008/11833, Examples 1-6, which are herein incorporated by reference). WO 2005/063243 discloses certain pharmaceutical compositions comprising NK-1 antagonists. The formulations described therein require a polyanionic beta-cyclodextrin derivative with about one to seven sodium sulfonate groups separated from the lipophilic cavity by at least one butyl ether spacer group—i.e., Captisol®. There is no reference therein to iv formulations which minimize hemolysis. In addition, various salt forms of a compound of Formula I have been described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Publication 2007/0244142 and which is also incorporated by reference.

The compound of formula I is classified as a tachykinin compound and is an antagonist of neuropeptide neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptors. The compound of formula I may be in the form of a free base or in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt. The free base or salt may be in the amorphous form or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt used herein may be in a crystalline form or crystalline hydrate or solvate form. In solution and depending upon the pH of such solution, the compound of formula I may be in the form of a mixed free amine/salt form. Prodrugs of a compound of formula I may also be utilized in the formulations suitable for parenteral administration. Prodrugs wherein either free amine (or both amines) in a compound of formula I has the hydrogen replaced with a group selected from —Y and salts thereof wherein Y is selected from —P(O)(OH)2, —S(O)n1R1, —C(O)(C1-6alkyl)X, —C(O)(C1-6alkyl)(aryl), —C(O)OR4; X is selected from —NR2R3, —P(O)(OH)2 or —S(O)n1R1; R1 is H or C1-6alkyl; R2 is H or C1-6alkyl; R3 is H or C1-6alkyl; R4 is H or C1-6alkyl; n1 is 0-4 are suitable for use herein. Suitable cations or dications for the ionized form(s) of the prodrugs include metal salts or organic amine cations including meglumine salts and the like (N-methyl D-glucamine). Such prodrugs may be utilized with or without the described parenteral delivery vehicles in a suitable liquid formulation to treat patients in need of treatment thereof. Such prodrugs are converted to the non-prodrug form of the drug (or salt thereof) upon parenteral administration to the patient. Such prodrugs may be in amorphous form or in crystalline and/or crystalline solvate/hydrate form.
NK-1 receptor antagonists have been shown to be useful therapeutic agents, for example, in the treatment of pain, inflammation, migraine, nausea, emesis (vomiting), and nociception.

Intravenous formulations of neurokinin-1 antagonists

Abstract: or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates or prodrugs thereof are described herein. Methods of preparing the pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating nausea and/or emesis with the pharmaceutical compositions are also described herein.


A method of treating exposure to organophosphate agents and preventing morbidity due to such exposure through the administration of a triptan compound to a subject.

Organophosphate compounds, in particular organic esters of substituted phosphoric acids, have been developed for use as chemical weapons. These compounds inhibit cholinesterases and disrupt the peripheral nervous system by preventing these enzymes from breaking down acetylcholine. Some organophosphate compounds are sufficiently potent that even brief exposure may be fatal.
Organophosphate anticholinesterase agents include tabun (Ethyl N,N-dimethylphosphoramidocyanidate, also referred to as GA), sarin (O-Isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate, also referred to as GB), soman (O-Pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate, also referred to as GD), and VX (O-ethyl-S-[2(diisopropylamino)ethyl]methylphosphonothiolate). Tabun, sarin, and soman in particular are highly volatile and easily disseminated in vapor form. They are also readily absorbed through the lungs, eyes, skin, and intestinal tract.
Present treatments for organophosphate exposure include the administration of anticholinergic agents such as atropine and glycopyrrolate, as well as agents such as pralidoxime (2-PAM) that prevent the aging of AChE and that reverse muscle paralysis. Diazepam, a benzodiazepine, can also be administered to treat organophosphate exposure. The present treatments for organophosphate exposure do not completely treat the effects of such exposure, and in addition are associated with unwanted side effects. In view of this and of the threat posed by organophosphate agents, improved therapies for treating individuals exposed to such agents and for preventing the harm that these agents can cause are needed.

Treatment of organophosphate exposure with triptans


A wearable emergency alert apparatus includes a communication device configured to communicate an alert to a node on a communications network external to the wearable emergency alert apparatus, a shock sensor in communication with the communication device, where the shock sensor is pre-configured to send a message to the communication device based on experiencing pressure from a source external to the wearable emergency alert apparatus exceeding a pre-determined threshold, and where the communication device is configured to communicate the alert based on receiving the message. The apparatus also includes a microcontroller communicatively coupled to one or more of: the communication device, or the shock sensor and a heat sensor communicatively coupled to the microcontroller. Based on the heat sensor obtaining a heat value exceeding a given threshold, the microcontroller activates one or more of: the communication device, or the shock sensor. A power source is also electronically coupled to the communication device and the microcontroller.

Many pastimes can require individuals to explore isolated terrain, thus leaving these individuals stranded in the event of an unforeseen emergency, such as a medical emergency and/or weather-related hazard. For example, in the winter, many outdoor sports come with the risk of the participant being injured and possibly stranded in calamitous events (e.g., avalanches).
In fact, millions of people throughout the world enjoy activities that expose them to the perils of accidents. Every year many avid outdoor sportsmen and women are victimized by sports-related disasters. For example, when the activity involves being outdoors in the cold weather, danger such as potential avalanches, and various accidents while engaging in backcountry and on-piste skiing, off-piste skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, mountaineering, hiking and riding a snowmobile can pose risks to the participant.
In addition to sports-related disasters, individuals participate in certain activities that expose them to risks of injuries, such as head trauma. Riding a motorcycle is an example of a well known pastime that carries with it a high risk of head injuries.

Helmet and method of use for emergency notification


A method for performing block management is provided. The method is applied to a controller of a Flash memory having multiple channels. The Flash memory includes a plurality of blocks respectively corresponding to the channels. The method includes: selecting at least one meta block having at least one valid page as at least one candidate meta block for being cleaned, and accumulating respective valid page counts of blocks respectively corresponding to the channels within the at least one candidate meta block, in order to generate a plurality of accumulated values respectively corresponding to the channels; and when it is detected that all of the accumulated values reach a threshold value, triggering a cleaning operation with regard to all candidate meta blocks, in order to simultaneously move/copy valid data respectively corresponding to the channels during the cleaning operation. An associated memory device and a controller thereof are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to access to a Flash memory having multiple channels, and more particularly, to a method for performing block management/Flash memory management, and to an associated memory device and a controller thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As technologies of Flash memories progress in recent years, many kinds of portable memory devices (e.g. memory cards respectively complying with SD/MMC, CF, MS, and XD standards) or solid state drives (SSDs) equipped with Flash memories are widely implemented in various applications. Therefore, the control of access to Flash memories in these memory devices has become an important issue.
Taking NAND Flash memories as an example, they can mainly be divided into two types, i.e. Single Level Cell (SLC) Flash memories and Multiple Level Cell (MLC) Flash memories. Each transistor that is considered a memory cell in SLC Flash memories only has two charge levels that respectively represent a logical value 0 and a logical value 1. In addition, the storage capability of each transistor that is considered a memory cell in MLC Flash memories can be fully utilized. More specifically, the voltage for driving memory cells in the MLC Flash memories is typically higher than that in the SLC Flash memories, and different voltage levels can be applied to the memory cells in the MLC Flash memories in order to record information of at least two bits (e.g. binary values 00, 01, 11, or 10) in a transistor that is considered a memory cell. Theoretically, the storage density of the MLC Flash memories may reach twice the storage density of the SLC Flash memories, which is considered good news for NAND Flash memory manufacturers who encountered a bottleneck of NAND Flash technologies.
As MLC Flash memories are cheaper than SLC Flash memories, and are capable of providing higher capacity than SLC Flash memories while the space is limited, MLC Flash memories have been a main stream for implementation of most portable memory devices on the market. However, various problems of the MLC Flash memories have arisen due to their unstable characteristics. In order to ensure that the access control of a memory device over the Flash memory therein can comply with related standards, the controller of the Flash memory should have some handling mechanisms in order to properly handle its data access operations.
According to the related art, the memory device having the aforementioned handling mechanisms may still suffer from some deficiencies. For example, the handling mechanisms of the related art cannot ensure that the best processing performance of a Flash memory adapted to have multiple channel configurations can be achieved during a cleaning operation. More particularly, during a cleaning operation with regard to a meta block, if there is no valid page in a certain channel within the meta block, the channel is in an idle state when operations of moving/copying valid data of the meta block are performed. Therefore, a novel method is required for performing block management in order to achieve the best processing performance during a cleaning operation.

Method for performing block management/Flash memory management, and associated memory device and controller thereof


The disclosure relates to a vehicle architecture for controlling and regulating an electric drive of an electric or hybrid vehicle, having a power electronics system which is connected firstly to the electric drive and secondly to a battery or to a battery system. A battery management system is associated with the battery or the battery system. The vehicle architecture comprises a master controller or a controller which is equipped with a master functionality into which functionalities at least of the battery management system and of the power electronics system of the electric drive are exported.

DE 101 39 050 A1 relates to a method and an apparatus for carrying out an automatic state of charge equalization. In this case, data relating to the driving habits of the vehicle owner are statistically acquired. After detecting the need for a state of charge equalization, these data are used to provide an optimum time for initiating a preparation phase for the state of charge equalization and the subsequent performance phase.
DE 10 2005 023 365 A1 relates to battery management for batteries in hybrid vehicles. A battery variable such as T, SOC, SOH is determined using a mathematical battery model which describes the thermal and/or electrical behavior of a battery. The battery can be used in a particularly effective manner when the future electrical load IBat(t) of the battery (4) is estimated and the battery model calculates the future development of the battery variable Z, SOC, SOH on the basis of the estimated electrical load IBat(t).
The battery of an electrically operated vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle comprises an arrangement and electrical connection of secondary cells, for example lithium ion battery cells. The battery also usually comprises a control or regulation device which is used to measure the battery cell voltages, the battery cell temperatures and the total current and to use these measurement variables in a model-based manner to predict the maximum electrical powers or currents which may be requested by an electrical drive from the battery in the next time steps. The result is directly transmitted to the drive, for example, via a data bus system, for example a CAN bus.
The electrical drive of a vehicle, more precisely the power electronics, is likewise informed of a desired torque to be set by the vehicle via such a bus system, the origin of which torque is in the gas pedal position and therefore with the driver, for example. The power electronics attempt to provide this desired torque by connecting a B6 semiconductor bridge. The B6 semiconductor bridge is able to apply its input voltage in modulated form to the phases of the electrical machines and to generate a torque by means of the resulting current. The power electronics are intended to comply with the power/current prediction for the battery at any time in order to avoid stressing the battery beyond the permitted degree.
Since the battery and the drive are a physically connected unit, it is entirely possible for the power electronics to request higher powers or currents from the battery than is beneficial to the battery. In this case, the battery has only the theoretical last possibility of opening its main contactors. If the battery does not do this, which will also be impossible in most driving situations for reasons of safety, the following is the effect on the battery, depending on overloading:
More strongly progressive ageing of the battery cells may result. More severe heating of the battery cells can also be feared and, following therefrom, possibly the contravention of safety-critical temperature levels. Finally, voltage limits for the battery cell which are stored in software are contravened.
The extreme situation which would also affect the power electronics would be a low-impedance short circuit applied to the battery via the bridge circuit in the power electronics.


Among other things, enabling late bets in a game of Baccarat includes accepting a first bet from one or more participants. Two cards are dealt to each of a player position and a bank position. A player position score and a bank position score are determined based on the two cards dealt to each of the player position and the two cards dealt to the bank position. Based on the determined scores for the player position and the bank position, a determination is made on whether to deal a third card to at least one of the player position and the bank position.

In general, commercially available versions of the game of Baccarat generally provide game participants a choice of three standard bets per hand: BANK, PLAYER and/or TIE. And while other side bets are sometimes accepted, both standard bets and side bets are accepted by casinos only prior to the beginning of each hand.


A bicycle rack support device for a vehicle to attach a bicycle rack for carrying a bicycle by the vehicle is provided. The bicycle rack support device includes a bracket, a collapsible latch assembly having a first engagement member and a second engagement member, a horizontal support bar, and a vertical support bar. The first engagement member is operatively engaged along the bottom portion of the bracket and coupled to the horizontal support bar. The second engagement member is operatively engaged along the top portion of the bracket and coupled with the vertical support bar. The vertical support bar is pivoted and may move towards rearward from the partially back opened recess away from the horizontal support bar to be angularly adjusted. The vertical support bar is further pivoted forward towards the horizontal support bar to be locked on the horizontal support bar.

With increasing global awareness of the health-related issue, most of the individual are now adapting one ore more health related activities to sweat out and keep themselves healthy and fit. Among various health activates, riding bicycles is among one of most popular one as it is very health improving and maintaining activity. To make bicycle ride more pleasant and enjoyable, people often take their bicycles to interesting spots, such as on vacation by carrying the bicycle on their vehicles, such as personal cars, via bicycle racks.
One of the conventional bicycle racks are connected to a rear end of the vehicle and generally includes a connection end which is connected with a hitch located rear side and beneath a bump of the vehicle. Such conventional bicycle racks also include an L-shaped post having a plurality of securing members for securing bicycle frames thereto. Another conventional bicycle rack uses hooks and belts to hook the bicycle rack on the hatch back of the vehicle. Two support arms extend from the rack so as to support the bicycle thereon. Fastening members are used to fasten the bicycle on the support arms.
Both of the conventional bicycle racks may carry multiple bicycles, however, neither of the conventional bicycle racks provide convenience of opening tail gates of vehicles while the bicycle racks are coupled to the vehicles. Further, while the conventional bicycle racks are assembled to the hitch of the vehicles, there are probability of being stolen when not is use and therefore required to be removed and coupled when in use or not in use.
Accordingly, there exists a need to overcome shortcomings of the conventional bicycle racks. For example, there exists a need of such a bicycle rack which may provide convenience of opening tail gates of vehicles while the bicycle racks are coupled to the vehicles. Further, there is need of such a bicycle rack which may protect from theft. Further, there is need of such a bicycle rack which may be easy to assemble and disassemble with the hitch of the vehicle.


A method for reinterpreting stenographic data includes receiving stenographic data into a memory and analyzing the stored stenographic data at least one of in real time and thereafter to determine if a user desires to adjust at least one of anti-stacking values and at least one registration point of a stenographic key by at least one of adjusting at least one registration point of the stenographic key and examining the change to the stored data in real time on a display, and utilizing the adjustment of the at least one registration point on the stenographic data and adjusting at least one anti-stacking value and examining the change to the stored data in real time on a display, and utilizing the adjustment of the at least one registration point on the stenographic data.

Various keystroke devices exist in the art. The most prevalent keystroke device is a computer keyboard. The keys of a standard computer keyboard are merely switches electronically indicating only a depressed state. Therefore, no signal is output or indicated by the keyboard when a keyboard is at rest, and a signal corresponding to depressed key(s) is output or indicated only when at least one key is depressed sufficiently far to "set off" the switch of that key or the switches of that set of keys.
A typewriter also has a keyboard, which can be mechanical and/or electronic. Like the computer keyboard, actuation (e.g., depression) of a key is intended to print a character. In electronic typewriters, when a key is actuated sufficiently far, a signal is sent to a processor to have the corresponding key(s) printed on the typing medium (e.g., paper). Mechanical typewriters are similar to electronic typewriters, but with one significant difference. Mechanical typewriters connect the key of the keyboard directly to the hammer containing the corresponding character to be printed on the page. Such a connection typically places the key at the end of a lever connected to a fulcrum and, when the lever is depressed at a proximal end, the distal end of the lever forcibly contacts or causes a hammer to pivot its distal end towards the page. A printing ribbon is disposed between the page and the end of travel of the hammer and a character formed at the end of the hammer is printed on the paper because the raised character presses the printing ribbon against the page. Because such an assembly is a mechanical connection dependent upon the pressure imparted by the user, the hammer can hit the page with varying degrees of force. A relatively hard contact produces a clearly printed character on the page. In contrast, a relatively soft contact may produce a lightly printed character, which also can be referred to as a "shadow." For mechanical typewriters, it is more desirable to have clearly printed characters than to have shadow characters. Therefore, improvements were made over the history of mechanical typewriters to guarantee relatively uniform contact between the hammer and the page, which improvements were, thereafter, incorporated into most electronic typewriters.
Another keystroke device can be found on stenographic devices. The most modern stenographic devices are entirely electronic and virtually immediately translate the stenographic key actuations into an accurate written representation of the spoken word. These modern devices are analogous to the electronic typewriters and computer keyboards in that a specific actuation of a key or set of keys will cause a clear printing or storage of the corresponding character or set of characters. Insufficient depression of a key(s) will not generate any output. Alternatively, depression of a set of keys (which is common for stenographic writing) where one or more keys is sufficiently actuated but one or more other key(s) is insufficiently actuated will generate an output that does not correspond to the stenographers' intended output. Thus, the stenographer or computer associated with the stenographic device might not be able to accurately translate the inadequately actuated key(s) depending upon what was actually output to the paper or the electronically stored file.
The earlier stenographic devices provided an advantage over the modern stenographic devices. The older devices gave a stenographer some ability to determine a correct output from an incorrect input because these older mechanical devices printed the output on the paper in varying degrees of lightness. Stenographers refer to a lightly printed output as "shadow" output. So, if an intended output was lightly printed on the stenographic paper, that stenographer might have been able to determine what was intended during the original dictation and correctly translate the spoken word in the final transcript. Modern stenographic devices, however, are not able to electronically understand or store shadow output. If the stenographer does not actuate a key adequately, then no output is generated. And, if keys of a set of keys are actuated in varying degrees, then incorrect output is transcribed.
Stenographic devices also provide the user with the ability to physically adjust the depression actuation level for each stenographic key. In this way, when the user has a "strong" finger, the adjustment may be relatively lower because that finger presses the key down far. In contrast, when the user has a "weak" finger, the adjustment may have the actuation level be relatively higher because that finger does not press the key down as far as the "strong" finger presses other keys. Even with such adjustments, it is possible for the user to mis-adjust one or more of the keys. In such a situation, subsequent stenographic writing will be incorrect as it will include additional strokes where the level was set too high and will not include some strokes when the level was set too low.
Other problems stenographers have faced for many years are referred to as "stacking" and "splitting." Either "stacking" or "splitting" results when a reporter presses several keys simultaneously and not all keys make contact with the sensing mechanism at the same time or are released at the same time. Stacking refers to a situation where multiple keys are pressed at the same or substantially the same time and are erroneously recorded as a single keystroke. Splitting refers to a situation where one keystroke is recorded as two keystrokes.
Since traditional keyboards can only record "on" and "off" values, the prior art has relied on simple timing algorithms to try to minimize stacking problems. More advanced versions of stenographic software provide "anti-stacking" algorithms. However, presently-known algorithms can cause the opposite problem to occur, i.e., splitting.
Therefore a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.

Device and method for reinterpreting stored stenographic keystrokes

Advantage Technology and Innovations, Inc.