When a new resource is allocated to a particular execution environment within a grid environment managed by a grid management system, then a grid verification service automatically selects and runs at least one functionality test on the new resource as controlled by the grid management system. Responsive to a result of the functionality test, the grid verification system verifies whether the result meets an expected result before enabling routing of the grid job to the new resource, such that the functionality of the new resource is automatically verified before access to the new resource is allowed to maintain quality of service in processing grid jobs.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to improved grid computing and, in particular, to automated verification of resource functionality for resources within a grid environment. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to verifying grid resource functionality before enabling routing of a grid job submitted to the grid environment to the resources, such that the functionality of resources handling grid jobs is ensured.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ever since the first connection was made between two computer systems, new ways of transferring data, resources, and other information between two computer systems via a connection continue to develop. In typical network architectures, when two computer systems are exchanging data via a connection, one of the computer systems is considered a client sending requests and the other is considered a server processing the requests and returning results. In an effort to increase the speed at which requests are handled, server systems continue to expand in size and speed. Further, in an effort to handle peak periods when multiple requests are arriving every second, server systems are often joined together as a group and requests are distributed among the grouped servers. Multiple methods of grouping servers have developed such as clustering, multi-system shared data (sysplex) environments, and enterprise systems. With a cluster of servers, one server is typically designated to manage distribution of incoming requests and outgoing responses. The other servers typically operate in parallel to handle the distributed requests from clients. Thus, one of multiple servers in a cluster may service a client request without the client detecting that a cluster of servers is processing the request.
Typically, servers or groups of servers operate on a particular network platform, such as Unix or some variation of Unix, and provide a hosting environment for running applications. Each network platform may provide functions ranging from database integration, clustering services, and security to workload management and problem determination. Each network platform typically offers different implementations, semantic behaviors, and application programming interfaces (APIs).
Merely grouping servers together to expand processing power, however, is a limited method of improving efficiency of response times in a network. Thus, increasingly, within a company network, rather than just grouping servers, servers and groups of server systems are organized as distributed resources. There is an increased effort to collaborate, share data, share cycles, and improve other modes of interaction among servers within a company network and outside the company network. Further, there is an increased effort to outsource nonessential elements from one company network to that of a service provider network. Moreover, there is a movement to coordinate resource sharing between resources that are not subject to the same management system, but still address issues of security, policy, payment, and membership. For example, resources on an individual's desktop are not typically subject to the same management system as resources of a company server cluster. Even different administrative groups within a company network may implement distinct management systems.
The problems with decentralizing the resources available from servers and other computing systems operating on different network platforms, located in different regions, with different security protocols and each controlled by a different management system, has led to the development of Grid technologies using open standards for operating a grid environment. Grid environments support the sharing and coordinated use of diverse resources in dynamic, distributed, virtual organizations. A virtual organization is created within a grid environment when a selection of resources, from geographically distributed systems operated by different organizations with differing policies and management systems, is organized to handle a job request.
While clusters or other groups of servers can be grouped within a grid environment, Grid technologies do not solve all the problems associated with ensuring quality of service and performance where groups of resources are managed by different management systems with different standards are handling grid jobs. In particular, an attribute and benefit of grid technology is that resources are moved around into different virtual organizations, also referred to as execution environments, to optimize available resources. Clients submitting jobs to any computing system expect that the resources provided to handle a grid job are functional. A problem in the grid environment, however, is that with each resource reallocation to a new execution environment, however, the functionality of the resource is no longer verified. For example, when a network adapter is allocated in a new execution environment, connectivity with the network adapter is no longer verified unless a system administrator runs a test to ensure the connectivity of the network adapter. As the number of resources and resource reallocations increases in a grid environment, using a system administrator to manually select and run tests for each resource will degrade performance.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a computer-implemented method, system, and program for detecting new resources in an execution environment, testing each resource for functionality, and verifying the functionality of a resource, before routing a grid job to that resource, to assure quality of service of each job submitted to a grid environment.

Verifying resource functionality before use by a grid job submitted to a grid environment

International Business Machines Corporation


A pipette tip is obtained from molding of a plastic material. At least part of the outer surface of the pipette tip has been treated with a water repellent material. The pipette tip is suitable for applying a predetermined amount of a liquid sample during chemical analyses, particularly for applying a measured amount of a liquid having a small surface tension and a high viscosity.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pipette tip, which is obtained from molding of a plastic material and which is suitable for applying a predetermined amount of a liquid sample during chemical analyses. This invention particularly relates to a pipette tip, which is obtained from molding of a plastic material and which is suitable for applying a predetermined amount of an aqueous solution having a small surface tension and a high viscosity, particularly for applying a predetermined amount of a body fluid during clinical assays.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, dry type clinical and chemical assays are carried out widely for easy and quick analyses. With the dry type clinical and chemical assays, droplets of liquid samples are independently applied to chemical analysis slides containing reagents which will react with specific constituents, such as glucose and urea nitrogen, in the liquid samples, such as blood. Changes in color, which are caused to occur by the reactions between the reagents and the specific constituents, are colorimetrically analyzed, and the amounts of the specific constituents in the liquid samples are thereby determined.
A droplet of a liquid sample has heretofore been applied to a chemical analysis slide with operations wherein a predetermined amount of the liquid sample is taken up into a pipette, a round droplet of the liquid sample is formed at the leading edge of the pipette, and the droplet is carefully applied to the center part of the chemical analysis slide.
During the analyses, in general, pipette tips formed of a plastic material are used. By way of example, a measured amount of a liquid sample falling within the range of 10 .mu.l to 120 .mu.l is taken up into a pipette tip, and a predetermined amount of the liquid sample falling within the range of several micro-liters to 100 .mu.l is fed out of the pipette tip. At this time, if the outer circumferential surface of the pipette tip is wet, part of the liquid sample will shift to the outer circumferential surface of the pipette tip. Such liquid shifting phenomenon will cause errors to occur in the results of analyses.
Disposable type pipette tips formed of plastic materials have heretofore been used widely in the physicochemical, medical, and biological fields. In most cases, aqueous solutions are processed with the disposable type pipette tips. The disposable type pipette tips are formed of plastic materials having good water repellency, such as polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene. Therefore, when the disposable type pipette tip is used to process an ordinary aqueous solution, little solution will adhere to the outer circumferential surface of the pipette tip. However, if it occurs that a liquid remains on the outer circumferential surface of the pipette tip, during the feeding of a liquid sample out of the pipette tip, the liquid sample will be dragged to the outer circumferential surface of the pipette tip and will shift thereto.
The extent of adhesion of a liquid sample to the outer circumferential surface of a pipette tip and the extent of the liquid shifting to the outer circumferential surface depend largely on the surface tension and the viscosity of the liquid sample and the physical properties of the surface of the pipette tip.
For example, in cases where a polypropylene pipette tip is used which is designed to feed out a measured amount of a liquid sample falling within the range of 10 .mu.l to 100 .mu.l little liquid shifting phenomenon occurs with pure water, physiological saline, or the like.
However, blood plasma and blood serum, which are processed during clinical assays, have a high viscosity falling within the range of 1.5 to 2.5 cP. Therefore, the liquid shifting phenomenon easily occurs with such liquid samples. Also, whole blood samples have a viscosity as high as 10 cP to several tens of centipoises, and the liquid shifting phenomenon very easily occurs with such liquid samples.
FIG. 3A is an explanatory view showing how a droplet of a liquid sample is formed at the leading edge of a conventional pipette tip during the feeding of the liquid sample out of the pipette tip after the outer circumferential surface of the edge part of the pipette tip has been wiped with tissue paper, or the like. FIGS. 3B and 3C are explanatory views showing how a droplet of a liquid sample is formed at the leading edge of a conventional pipette tip during the feeding of the liquid sample out of the pipette tip without the outer circumferential surface of the edge part of the pipette tip being wiped. In FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C, reference numeral 1 indicates the edge part of the pipette tip, and reference numeral 2 indicates the leading edge of the pipette tip. Reference numeral 3 indicates the droplet of the liquid sample, and reference numeral 4 indicates the top layer of an analysis medium to which the liquid sample is to be applied.
As illustrated in FIG. 3A, when a liquid sample, which has been taken up into a pipette tip, is fed out, a spherical droplet should be formed under the leading edge of the pipette tip. In such cases, the sizes of the droplets become constant. Therefore, the liquid sample can be fed out reliably when the distance between the leading edge of the pipette tip and the sample receiving surface (for example, the surface of a liquid contained in a vessel, the surface of a wall of a device, such as a glass device, or the surface of spreading layer of a chemical analysis slide) is kept constant.
However, as illustrated in FIGS. 3B and 3C, if the liquid shifting phenomenon occurs, the droplet formed during the feeding of the liquid sample shifts upwardly. In such cases, the distance between the leading edge of the pipette tip and the bottom of the droplet thus formed becomes markedly smaller than the correct distance. Therefore, the droplet cannot reach the sample receiving surface, and cannot be applied thereto.
In cases where the liquid sample is applied manually, the position and the angle of the leading edge of the pipette tip can be found visually and can be adjusted in accordance with how the liquid sample is fed out. Therefore, the adverse effects of the liquid shifting of part of the liquid sample and the upward shifting of the droplet of the liquid sample can be eliminated. However, in cases where the liquid sample is applied automatically, the relationship between the position of the sample receiving surface and the position of the leading edge of the pipette tip is fixed. Therefore, if the upward shifting of the droplet of the liquid sample occurs, no liquid sample can be applied to the sample receiving surface.
Particularly, in the dry chemistry field, in order for a high analysis accuracy to be obtained, a droplet of a liquid sample must be formed as slowly as possible at the leading edge of a pipette tip. Thereafter, the droplet must be carefully applied to the surface of a chemical analysis slide. In such cases, serious problems will occur if the droplet of the liquid sample shifts upwardly.
In order to eliminate the problems described above, a method has been proposed wherein a surface sensor is used to detect the position of the sample receiving surface or a sensor is used to detect whether a normal droplet is or is not formed at the leading edge of a pipette tip.
Also, various attempts have heretofore been made to select the material and the shape of a pipette tip such that an aqueous solution sample may remove smoothly from the pipette tip, thereby to obtain a high accuracy of quantitative determination.
For example, a method has been proposed wherein a pipette tip is constituted of polypropylene, a silicone resin, or a fluorine resin. A method has also been proposed wherein only the leading edge of a pipette tip is made thin and short such that a droplet of a liquid sample does not easily shift upwardly. However, none of the proposed methods is suitable or satisfactory from the viewpoint of simplicity and the cost of the apparatus, and the effect on the prevention of the upward shifting phenomenon of a droplet of a liquid sample, particularly whole blood or blood plasma.
A liquid adhering to the edge part of a pipette tip may be wiped off each time a liquid sample is taken up into the pipette tip. With this method, the adverse effects of the liquid shifting phenomenon and the upward shifting phenomenon can be minimized. However, considerable time and labor are required to wipe the edge parts of pipette tips, and wiping failures will often occur. Also, even if an operator who carries out the wiping operation wear gloves during the wiping operation, there is the risk that he touches a blood sample, or the like, and is infected with a virus of hepatitis, or the like. Problems also occurs with regard to the discarding of wiping materials.


The present invention relates to an electric motor comprising a casing on which a plurality of heat dissipating fins extending in a longitudinally direction are disposed along a circumferential direction to form a longitudinally extending cooling airflow passage between adjacent heat dissipating fins; a first end cap and a second end cap attached to the casing at the ends to form a substantially closed interior space; a rotating shaft rotatably supported by the first end cap and the second end cap; a rotor positioned within in the internal space and mounted to the rotating shaft; and a stator positioned within in the internal space, surrounding the rotor and disposed adjacent to the casing. The electric motor further comprises an airflow guiding device disposed on the heat dissipating fins and allowing the heat dissipating fins to expose partially to the surrounding environment in the circumferential direction of the casing, the airflow guiding device is configured to divert the cooling airflow that tends to escape from the cooling airflow passages to the surrounding environment in the middle of the cooling airflow passages back into the cooling airflow passages. According to the present invention, it is possible to cool evenly the electric motor and improve the heat dissipation efficiency.

This invention relates to electric motors, and in particular to the cooling of electric motors.
As a power of an electric motor used in an electric vehicle such as an electric motorcycle, an electric bicycle, and an electric car increases, effective cooling of the electric motor becomes more and more important. The maximum allowable operating temperature of an electric motor component such as a bearing, a rotary seal, a magnet, and a copper winding determines a maximum continuous power of the electric motor. When the electric motor operates, heat loss occurs in the stator and the rotor. Although the electric motor can be cooled by liquid, such electric motors are usually cooled by airflow in order to simplify its structure and reduce the cost. To this end, a plurality of heat dissipating fins extending in a longitudinal direction of the motor casing are generally disposed along a circumferential direction of the motor casing on the electric motor casing which is a heat transfer surface of the electric motor, and a cooling airflow passage extending in the longitudinal direction is formed between the adjacent heat dissipating fins. The cooling airflow exchanges heat with the heat dissipating fins as it flows along the cooling airflow passages, thereby removing heat from the heat dissipating fins and dissipating heat into the surrounding environment.
For an electric motor whose cooling airflow passages are completely open toward the surrounding environment, when the cooling airflow flows along the cooling airflow passages, the speed of the cooling airflow becomes lower and lower, and the cooling airflow may spread to the surrounding environment before it completely flows through the cooling airflow passages. This will cause a portion of the electric motor located downstream of the cooling airflow passages to be insufficiently cooled. In order to solve this problem, it has been proposed to provide a cylindrical shroud on the electric motor casing. The cylindrical shroud renders the cooling airflow passages to be formed as closed passages that are open only at both ends, thereby preventing the cooling airflow from spreading from the middle of the cooling airflow passages to the surrounding environment. However, such a cylindrical shroud prevents the external natural airflow from contacting the heat dissipating fins, reducing heat dissipation efficiency, especially when no forced cooling airflow flows through the cooling airflow passages.
Therefore, there is a need to improve the cooling of the existing electric motors.


A liquid crystal display device is one in which unevenness of display, spots, etc. caused by lowering of voltage retention by impurity ions are sufficiently eliminated and reliability of long time/long term use is improved. A liquid crystal display device is formed with a liquid crystal layer between a first substrate and a second substrate configured via a seal, wherein the liquid crystal display device includes electrodes on the liquid crystal layer side of a non-display region of the first substrate and/or the second substrate, and the potentials of the electrodes are substantially the same.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an active matrix liquid crystal display device in which each pixel electrode arranged in a matrix form is selectively driven with active elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display device is necessary as a means for displaying information or pictures, and recently, active matrix liquid crystal display devices have been widely used in applications such as a TV and a monitor. In such applications, a liquid crystal display device is illuminated for a long time and further used over a long period of time, leading to a desire for further improvement in reliability for long term use.
In an active matrix liquid crystal display device, the device is greatly influenced by voltage retention, and thus studies have been made for sufficient elimination of partial unevenness of luminance, spots, etc. caused by lowering of voltage retention by impurity ions within the panel.
Conventionally, in order to prevent display defects from being caused by elution of impurity ions to a display region in a liquid crystal display device, dummy electrodes or dummy pixels are arranged in a non-display region and a voltage is applied to the dummy pixels to retain impurity ions of the non-display region section within the non-display region and to improve reliability (refer to e.g., Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-04-295824 (pgs. 2-3, FIG. 1) and Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-09-5780 (pgs. 2, 5, FIG. 1)).
A mechanism of occurrence of unevenness of display and spots caused by impurity ions and conventional liquid crystal display devices will be described. FIG. 7A is a plan view of a panel of a conventional liquid crystal display device. And, FIG. 7B is a cross sectional view of a part of a display region 21 and a non-display region 22 of the panel cut along the cross sectional line F-F′ of FIG. 7A. As illustrated in FIG. 7A, in conventional devices, the dummy pixel 24 driven in the same way as a dummy electrode or a pixel is arranged in the non-display region 22 between the display region 21 and the seal 23.
In such liquid crystal display devices, the non-display region on the inner side of a seal consists of (I) dummy pixels or dummy electrode sections paired by a combination of a first substrate and a second substrate, (II) a BM (black mask) stripped section of the second substrate and an insulating layer section of the first substrate placing opposite the BM stripped section, and (III) a seal/liquid crystal boundary section. Impurity ions used in the BM material, and impurity ions attached to the BM surface that were not washed off are eluted from (II). The display region has an orientation film printed on the BM, resulting in a slight influence by elution of impurity ions.
Also, impurity ions that have not reacted during hardening of the seal are eluted from (III).
These impurity ions enter a display region to cause a reduction in voltage retention, resulting in the occurrence of unevenness of luminance, spots, etc.
In order to prevent the above-described problems from occurring, conventionally, impurity ions are retained within the region of (I) by driving a dummy electrode or a dummy pixel and applying a voltage thereto, thereby the influence on a display region is prevented.
However, in the above-described conventional art, the following two points need to be further improved.
(1) Elution of impurity ions within a non-display region is accelerated.
(2) Impurity ions retained within a dummy electrode or a dummy pixel enter a display region when power is turned off, which results in causing unevenness of luminance and spots.
Regarding (1), an electric field is generated in a non-display region under the influence of driving a metal wiring, a dummy electrode or a dummy pixel of a first substrate, and the electric field draws out impurity ions attached to a BM of the non-display region and impurity ions used in the BM or a seal itself, resulting in acceleration of elution of impurity ions.
Next, regarding (2), conventionally, eluted impurity ions are retained within a non-display region by application of a voltage to a dummy electrode or a dummy pixel, but when power is turned off, the retained impurity ions are eluted to a display region.
As is mentioned above, a sufficient reliability may not be obtained when liquid crystal display devices are used for TVs, etc. that are used over a long period of time and turned on and off many times, by a method of trapping impurity ions with a dummy electrode or a dummy pixel as in conventional liquid crystal display devices, and thus, a sufficient elimination of unevenness of display, spots, etc. caused by reduction of voltage retention by impurity ions, and further improvement in reliability of long time/long term use in active matrix liquid crystal display devices, etc. are desired.


A rotary cutter assembly constructed in accordance with this method of securing a rotary cutter to a body has a cutter pocket with a first shoulder and a truncated second shoulder. A receptacle extends into the first shoulder. A first retainer retains a first axle end of the rotary cutter and engages the first shoulder to prevent axial movement in a first direction. A projection on the first retainer engages the receptacle to prevent removal of the first retainer radially from the cutter pocket. A second retainer retains a second axle end of the rotary cutter. The second retainer has a step down portion engaging the truncated second shoulder of the cutter pocket to prevent axial movement in a second direction. A locking ring overlies the truncated second shoulder and the step down portion of the second retainer to prevent removal of the second retainer radially from the cutter pocket.

Canadian Patent Application 2,461,082 entitled "Drilling on gauge sub" was filed on Mar. 9, 2004. The '082 patent describes a housing with reamer cutters positioned in cavities around the housing. This tool has performed well. However, in one instance a customer continued to use the tool long past its scheduled servicing date and one of the reamer cutters was lost downhole.

Method of securing a rotary cutter to a body of a down hole tool and a rotary cutter assembly


A method for cleaning a semiconductor device has the steps of securing a wafer (16) with a modified chuck (11) and applying a cleaning solution (18) to the backside (20) of the wafer (16). The cleaning solution (18) is formulated to remove PTFE from the wafer (16). The cleaning solution (18) is applied to the edge (14) of the wafer (16) because of the characteristics of the modified chuck (11) to remove PTFE impurities that gather on the edge (14) of the wafer (16).

Advances in electronic devices generally include reducing the size of the components that form integrated circuits. With smaller circuit components, the value of each unit area (real estate) of a semiconductor wafer becomes higher because of the ability to use more of the wafer area for the integrated circuit components. To properly form an integrated circuit that employs a much higher percentage of useable wafer area, it is critical that contaminants on the semiconductor wafer surface be reduced to levels that are commercially acceptable. In integrated circuit fabrication, a process known as chemical mechanical polish (hereinafter "CMP") has become popular and is used to achieve flat surface for photolithography patterning. A conventional CMP system incorporates numerous elements for maneuvering the semiconductor wafer such as wafer boats, load cassettes, robotic arms, carriers, and other transportation means. During the traditional CMP process, the semiconductor wafer is exposed to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or Teflon® manufactured by DuPont and other plastic materials used to form the wafer boats, carriers and handlers and can generate polymeric defects after being exposed to chemicals during the post-CMP cleans, as well as the post Via, Trench and Etch Stop etch cleans. Although the carbon fluorine (C:F) bond found in polytetrafluoroethylene is a particularly strong bond, the PTFE will eventually break down from the physical handling in conjunction with the chemicals used during conventional CMP processes. In addition, wafer handling can also cause physical abrasion between the semiconductor wafer and the PTFE coated carrier devices.
An additional problem is the front edge of the semiconductor wafer may be contaminated subsequently with these defects by contacting the wafer boats or wafer handlers. Importantly, these polymeric defects may be disturbed and scattered all over the front wafer surface during the down stream processing. These defects will then be buried by the following dielectric layered depositions which can cause significant yield loss at each level of interconnection.
In addition, current back wafer cleaning processes typically only remove copper contamination with nitric acid. The current processes are not capable of cleaning non-copper devices and cannot remove the polymer residues derived from the PTFE lining on the carrier devices. PTFE is a combination of carbon and fluoride and is a very tough, uniform material and it is very difficult using normal and conventional chemistries to remove polymeric residues derived from PTFE. In addition, the current back wafer cleaning processes cannot clean the front edge of the wafer held by the carrier devices.
In addition, the prior methods are incapable of dissolving the PTFE defects due to the high chemical stability of the carbon fluorine bond.

Method and apparatus for removing polymer residue from semiconductor wafer edge and back side


A double clutch transmission of a motor vehicle with a first input shaft (W1) formed as a hollow shaft and a longer, second input shaft (W2) arranged coaxially inside the first input shaft (W1). Each of input shaft is in driving connection, by way of an associated input constant (EK1, EK2), with at least one countershaft (W3a, W3b) arranged axis-parallel to the first and the second input shafts (W1, W2). To avoid jamming of the gearteeth (4, 5a, 5b; 6, 7a, 7b) of the respective, non-load-transmitting input constant (EK1, EK2), the fixed wheel (6), arranged on the associated input shaft (W2) in at least one of the input constants, is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner by first carrier gearteeth (19) on a support sleeve (20) which, in turn, is connected in a rotationally fixed manner by second carrier gearteeth (21, 21′) to the input shaft (W2) concerned.

Double clutch transmissions with various configurations have been known for a long time. Apart from special designs, a common feature of all double clutch transmissions is that they have two input shafts, the first of which is formed as a shorter, hollow shaft and the second is longer and is arranged coaxially inside the first input shaft. The two input shafts can be connected to the drive shaft of a drive motor, in each case by way of an associated friction clutch of a double clutch arrangement.
Different versions of double clutch transmissions differ from one another essentially in the number and arrangement of countershafts and in the disposition of the output shafts. Further differing features of double clutch transmissions consist in the type and number of driving connections between the transmission shafts, which can be in the form of input constants, output constants, or shiftable gear ratio steps.
For example, DE 35 46 454 C2 describes a double clutch transmission with a first input shaft in the form of a hollow shaft, a longer, second input shaft arranged coaxially inside the first input shaft, and a countershaft arranged axis-parallel to the two input shafts. At the same time the countershaft forms the output shaft of the double clutch transmission and for that purpose has at its end on the motor side a bevel pinion for driving a bevel gear of an axle differential. By way of associated shiftable gear wheel sets whose fixed wheels are arranged respectively on one of the input shafts, the two input shafts can be selectively connected to the output or countershaft; the first input shaft via the gear wheel set of the even gears (G2, G4) and the second input shaft via the gear wheel set of the uneven gears (G1, G3, G5) and the reverse gear (R). A special feature is that the known double clutch transmission comprises a shiftable clutch for coupling the two input shafts, whereby during starting off the two friction clutches can at the same time be used as starting clutches, so avoiding unacceptably severe heating of a single friction clutch.
In contrast, DE 41 23 493 C2 describes a double clutch transmission with a first input shaft formed as a hollow shaft, a longer, second input shaft arranged coaxially inside the first input shaft, and a countershaft arranged axis-parallel to the two input shafts, in which the output shaft is formed by a further transmission shaft arranged colinearly, i.e. coaxially and axially adjacent to the two input shafts. Whereas the first input shaft is in driving connection with the countershaft via an input constant, the second input shaft can be connected selectively to the countershaft by way of two shiftable input gear ratio steps whose fixed wheels are arranged on the second input shaft. On the output side, the countershaft can be selectively connected, via three shiftable output gear steps, to the output shaft which, to engage a direct gear, can also be coupled directly to the second input shaft.
A further double clutch transmission with a first input shaft made as a hollow shaft and a longer, second input shaft arranged coaxially inside the first input shaft is known from DE 101 53 014 A1. This double clutch transmission has two countershafts arranged parallel to the two input shafts, which together with the two input shafts are arranged in a V-shape and are in connection with a common drive output element, in each case by way of a fixed output wheel. To engage the uneven gears (G1, G3, G5) the second input shaft can be connected selectively, via shiftable gearsets, to the first countershaft and to the second countershaft. To engage the even gears (G2, G4, G6) and the reverse gear (R), the first input shaft can be connected selectively, via shiftable gearsets, to the first and to the second countershaft. The fixed wheels of the gearsets are respectively arranged on the associated input shafts.
In transmissions of countershaft design and also in double clutch transmissions, the radial distance between the input shafts and the countershafts can deviate from the ideal value by an amount on the order of a few tenths of a millimeter. Moreover, deflection of the load-transmitting input shafts and countershafts under load results in further deviations from the ideal radial distance. At the gear wheels of the non-load-transmitting input constants and of the shiftable gear steps such deviations can result in jamming and consequently to reduced transmission efficiency and increased wear. Whereas in the case of the shiftable gears, jamming can usually be avoided by virtue of a greater axial play of the radial bearings by which the loose wheels are mounted to rotate on the transmission shaft concerned, until now no suitable measure for this has been known for fixed wheels of the transmission arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on an input shaft.

Double clutch transmission of a motor vehicle


A plurality of pieces of image data processed by a preprocessed circuit are sequentially received and at least one representative image is selected from among the plurality of pieces of image data by a representative image selection circuit. For example, one piece of image data out of every 250 pieces of image data is selected from among 1000 pieces of acquired image data to select four pieces of image data as representative images. An irradiated area extraction circuit extracts X-ray irradiated areas of the representative images. A reconstruction area determination circuit determines a CT reconstruction area on the basis of the X-ray irradiated areas. The reconstruction circuit reconstructs CT images from all or part of the acquired image data on the basis of the CT reconstruction area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to radiography apparatuses for performing computer tomography (CT) reconstruction on a plurality of pieces of image data, and more particularly, to a radiography apparatus for determining a CT reconstruction area on the basis of an X-ray irradiated area of the image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 16 schematically illustrates a known technology. CT reconstruction is performed using a plurality of pieces of image data 001 as input image data, and CT images 002, which are tomograms, are acquired. Representative image data 003 is one piece of image data included in the image data 001. A CT reconstruction area 004 is designated by a radiographer.
In order to acquire the CT images 002 from the image data 001, a CT reconstruction area must be determined. The following three procedures are known as the main procedures for determining a CT reconstruction area:    (A) Perform CT reconstruction on the whole image data as a reconstruction area without designating a reconstruction area;    (B) Perform reconstruction using a fixed reconstruction area determined in advance; and    (C) Perform CT reconstruction by using the representative image data 003 from among the plurality of pieces of image data 001 as a scanogram and designating the CT reconstruction area 004 by a radiographer, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-316840.
However, according to procedure (A) in which the whole image data is used as a reconstruction area, an increased computation time is necessary for CT reconstruction and a CT image of an area unnecessary for diagnosis is generated. Thus, diagnosis efficiency may be reduced. Also, according to procedure (B) in which a fixed reconstruction area is used, a CT image of an area necessary for diagnosis may not be acquired depending on the influence of the position or shape of a patient. Also, a CT image of an area unnecessary for diagnosis may be generated. Furthermore, according to procedure (C) in which a radiographer designates a reconstruction area, the radiographer must manually perform a troublesome operation. This manual operation reduces the throughput of CT radiography.

Radiography apparatus and radiation image processing method


A method an apparatus of communicating data, such as in a sending node or a receiving node of networked system, includes transmitting via a network connection having at least M data channels at least one data block, the data block having M data bits having an original data bit order, in a full transmission bit order at a full data block transmission rate via a full network data path comprising M functioning data channels. The method and apparatus further includes transmitting the at least one data block in a degraded transmission bit order at a degraded data block transmission rate via a selected degraded network data path comprising at least one, but less than M, functioning data channels.

Networked systems transmit data between distributed nodes via some form of network connection. Unfortunately, these network connections can be unreliable and sometimes introduce errors to the transmitted data. Network connections typically comprise physical links which form data channels. Link failures constitute a significant portion of data transmission errors in networked systems and are typically of three types: (1) transient, (2) intermittent, and (3) permanent. Transient failures are due to various effects such as noise, alpha particle hits, and vibration. Intermittent and permanent failures may be caused by one or more faulty wires in the link, a loose link connection, or some other physical link failure.
In order to overcome these link failures, networked systems typically utilize some type of error correcting code (ECC) technique. ECC techniques can correct certain errors that occur during data transmission over a network connection. Many types of ECC techniques are available, and one commonly employed ECC technique is a single error correction code utilizing a Hamming code.
In one traditional single error correcting code technique utilizing a Hamming code, a sending node employs a first logical function to calculate parity bits from the data bits and appends the parity bits to the data bits prior to transmission. The data bits and their associated parity bits are then transmitted in a predetermined configuration to a receiving node via the network connection. The receiving node then employs the first logical function to calculate the parity bits from the received data bits and compares the calculated parity bits to the received parity bits. A mismatch between one of the calculated parity bits and its corresponding received parity bit indicates a data bit error, and the receiving node can identify and correct the data bit that is in error.
Unfortunately, as its name implies, the error correcting capability of this single error correction code technique is limited to situations where only one bit of a transmitted data block is in error. While this ECC technique can detect the presence of multi-bit errors, it cannot correct them, and events creating such link failures will cause a networked system to malfunction. Thus, where two or more links of a network connection fail, a networked system utilizing a single error correcting code scheme will typically be able to detect the error but not correct it, which typically results in a system malfunction.
Many networked systems would benefit from a transmission scheme that provides continued reliable data transmission in the presence of multiple-bit link failures.

Degradable network data path transmission scheme

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An imaging lens system includes a lens and a transparent plate. The lens is disposed between an object and a sensor, and the lens includes a flat surface facing the object and an aspheric surface facing the sensor. The transparent plate is connected to the lens and disposed between the object and the lens. An abbe number of the lens is in a range from 30 to 50, an abbe number of the transparent plate is in a range from 40 to 60, and an effective focal length (EFL) of the imaging lens system is in a range from about 0.3 millimeters to about 0.4 millimeters.

Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a lens system, and more particularly to an imaging lens system.
Description of Related Art
Endoscopes generally include a series of lenses used to convey an image of a scene viewed from a distal end of the endoscope to a proximal end, where an image sensor may capture the image. Some mucus, such as gastric juice or chyme may exist in the environment where the endoscopes are used. For protecting the lenses from contamination and ensuring the light entrance, the endoscope includes a cover glass between the lenses and the scene, so that the mucus in the scene/environment can be blocked by the cover glass and light can travel through the cover glass toward the lenses.
However, the cover glass may not coordinate with the lenses effectively. For example, a portion of light passing through the cover glass may not pass through the lenses. Also, due to the size of the cover glass and the distance between the lenses and the cover glass, the endoscopes may have a long length and a long width that are disadvantage to the miniaturization of the endoscopes. Therefore, there is a desire to modify the configuration of the cover glass and the lenses.


A method and apparatus for forming silicon spheres (40) from irregular-shaped particles (38) for use in solar cells are disclosed. The apparatus (10) generally comprises a vertically aligned cylindrical chamber (12) having an abrasive lining (32) integrally formed therein. The abrasive lining (32) is preferably a silicon carbide material. A gas source (36) is tangentially injected into the chamber (12) to create an gas vortex inside the chamber (12). This vortex induces the repeated collision of the particles (38) against the abrasive lining (32) to eventually form the silicon spheres (40) and simultaneously sizing the silicon spheres (40).

Recently, a system has been developed which efficiently produces electricity from the sun's radiation and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,076, assigned to the present assignee. In that system, a solar array is disclosed which uses a plurality of silicon spheres that are housed in a pair of aluminum foil members to form contacts for a P-type and N-type region. Multiple arrays are interconnected to form a module of solar cell elements for converting sunlight into electricity.
An important feature when manufacturing solar cells is the uniform formation and purification of the silicon spheres. In the past, silicon spheres have been manufactured by etching irregular-shaped particles of silicon with an acid or caustic solution. Once the particles had been exposed to the acid or caustic solution, they were melted, which induced the migration of impurities contained within the particles to their surface. Eventually, silicon spheres were formed by repeating the etching and melting steps until the final product was formed.
When forming silicon spheres using the prior etching technique, a low yield resulted due to the agglomeration of the silicon particles during the melting process. Once a silicon agglomerate is formed, the material is useless and must be disposed of due to its abnormal shape. This etching technique has also been considerably expensive due to the cost of chemicals and disposal requirements of the waste products formed during processing. Additionally, it has been found that approximately 95% of the silicon particles were etched away to form the final product, resulting in high costs due to the material loss. Further, once the silicon spheres are formed, a time consuming and expensive additional step has been heretofore required to separate the spheres into size categories before implementation into solar arrays.
Therefore, a need has arisen for a method and apparatus for forming uniform spheres while simultaneously removing impurities, and for separating spheres by size during processing. Such an improved method and apparatus should also reduce chemical costs, chemical losses, and time requirements associated with previously developed sphere forming techniques.

Method and apparatus for forming spheres


A polarizing plate comprises a polarizing element; and a hydrophilic polymer film adhered on the polarizing element and having an in-plane orientation. The transmittance of the polarizing plate as a single unit for light having a wavelength of 590 nm is 40% or more under an environment of 23° C. and 55% RH, the crossed-Nichols transmittance T2 of the polarizing plate is 0.03% or less under an environment of 23° C. and 55% RH, and a change ΔT2 in the transmittance T2 of the polarizing plate when the relative humidity changes from 20% RH to 80% RH at 23° C. satisfies the following formula:0.05×T2<ΔT2<0.9×T2.

The present invention relates to a polarizing plate and liquid crystal display, particularly to a polarizing plate and liquid crystal display wherein the fluctuation of tint (tincture) due to humidity change is kept suppressed when the liquid crystal display of VA mode is observed from off-center or from the direction of slant.
The cellulose ester represented by the triacetyl cellulose employed as a polarizing plate protective film is a hydrophilic polymer, as compared to polycarbonate or norbornane based polymer. When the polymer is hydrophilic, the adhesive surface in contact with the polarizing film mainly made up of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is characterized by extremely easy handling. Conversely, being hydrophilic (hygroscopic) involves a problem of fluctuation of the tint in a slanting direction resulting from environmental changes such as temperature and humidity. To suppress such environmental changes, countermeasures have been taken in the conventional art by changing the type of plasticizer, increasing the amount thereof or introducing a rod-like compound for the purpose of reducing the percentage of water absorption (e.g. Patent Documents 1 and 2).
The fluctuation of the tint in a slanting direction can be improved to some extent by reducing the percentage of water absorption, for example, through increase in the amount of plasticizer. However, a problem has arisen in the practical use when compared to the case of using the less hydrophilic material such as polycarbonate and norbornane based polymer (e.g. Patent Document 3).
The present inventors have found out that what is important to suppress the fluctuation of tint in a slanting direction is to suppress the fluctuation in the front contrast (amount of white light/amount of black light) and the fluctuation in the leakage of front light when black is displayed, and the aforementioned reduction in the percentage of water absorption is less important. To achieve this, it is important to taken into account not only reduction in the percentage of water absorption by the plasticizer and others, but also the production process conditions and interaction by use of other additives.
Normally, in addition to the plasticizer, the following substances may be added to the polarizing plate protective film: polyvinyl alcohol (PVA); ultraviolet absorber for protecting the dye and liquid crystal cell including the PVA and iodine against ultraviolet rays; and particles for providing sliding property in order to maintain the film winding form. To improve the quality of the polarizing plate, these additives are essential.
In the present invention, it has been found out that fluctuation in tint can be suppressed if the environmental fluctuation in the leakage of front light during display in black is kept within the range determined in accordance with the present invention. However, reduction of the environmental fluctuation in the leakage of front light during display in black requires the fluctuation of depolarization to be suppressed. Even if the phase difference film using a hydrophilic polymer is employed in the polarizing plate protective film mere control of the incoming and outgoing water into and out of the film is not effective for the fluctuation of depolarization. Presence of an ultraviolet absorber or particle for incoming and outgoing water will cause fluctuation in the degree of depolarization. This will cause environmental fluctuation of tint when observed in a slanting direction. However, complete elimination of all of these additives is not preferred from the viewpoint of the liquid crystal display.
The present inventors have made efforts to solve the aforementioned problem, and have found out that the environmental fluctuation in the leakage of front light during the display of black can be suppressed by controlling the production process conditions and the amounts of the ultraviolet absorber and particle
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication 2002-267847
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication 2004-4550
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication 2005-114995

Polarizing plate and liquid crystal display device


A lever (60) of a connector can be rotated towards a connection side, and a moving plate (80) is pressed by cam pins (35) of the female connector housing (30) to reach an advanced position. As the lever (60) is rotated toward a separation side, first and second engaging portions (88), (89) are directly or indirectly engaged with separation cam surfaces (64D) of the cam grooves (64) to move the moving plate (80) to a retracted position. The moving plate (80) is not engaged with connection cam surfaces (64C) of the cam grooves (64), and the first and second engaging portions (88, 89) are provided at the outer edges of the openings of fitting recesses (85) of the moving plate (80) deviated from sides corresponding to the connection cam surfaces (64C) of the cam grooves (64).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lever-type connector and to a corresponding connector assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H11-67338 discloses a lever-type connector assembly with male and female housings that are connectable with and separable from each other. The male housing includes a receptacle and tabs of male terminal fittings project into the receptacle. A lever is supported rotatably on the outer surfaces of the receptacle. The lever has cam grooves, and the female connector housing has cam pins that are engageable with the cam grooves. A moving plate is mounted in the receptacle and is movable back and forth between a retracted position at an opening side of the receptacle and an advanced position at a back side of the receptacle while the tabs of the male terminal fittings are passed therethrough.
The moving plate includes fitting recesses, into which the cam pins are insertable. U-shaped fitting tubes each project at the opposite sides of the outer edge of the opening of each fitting recess. Each fitting tube is comprised of a pair of projecting pieces and an end plate. The fitting tubes are entirely insertable into the cam grooves, and receiving grooves are formed in the fitting tube portions for receiving the cam pins.
The lever can be rotated towards a connection side while the cam pins are engaged with the cam grooves and the fitting tubes. Thus, the cam pins or fitting tubes slide in contact with connection cam surfaces of the cam grooves to connect the housings. Additionally, the cam pins press inner surfaces of the fitting recesses and side surfaces of the receiving grooves to move the moving plate to the advanced position. The lever also can be rotated towards a separation side while the cam pins are engaged with the cam grooves and the fitting tubes. Thus, the cam pins or fitting tubes are pressed against and slide in contact with separation cam surfaces of the cam grooves to separate the housings, and the cam pins press the side surfaces of the receiving grooves to move the moving plate to the retracted position.
In the above case, the cam pins enter the receiving grooves of the fitting tubes to form cylindrical cam followers. However, since the projecting pieces of the fitting tubes project at the opposite sides of the cam pins, the cam pins become relatively narrower and less strong.
The cam pins can be strengthened by eliminating the fitting tubes. However, the moving plate cannot follow the cam pins as the lever is rotated towards the separation side if the fitting tubes are eliminated completely. Hence, the moving plate will not return to the retracted position.
The invention was developed in view of the above and an object is to provide a lever-type connector that avoids reducing the strength of a cam pin and moving a moving plate according to the rotation of a lever.

Lever-type connector and connector assembly


The object of the present invention is to provide a gene of a protein having an enzyme activity which makes it possible to regulate or control the content of saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids in plant cells, and an enzyme protein as the expression product.. There is disclosed a protein with a KASII enzyme activity which has a specific amino acid sequence, typically the amino acid sequence of a .beta.-ketoacyl-ACP synthetase II (KASII) enzyme protein derived from cyanobacterium (Anacystis nidulans) or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the one described above.. There is also disclosed a KASII enzyme protein gene coding for the amino acid sequence of the above described protein.. Furthermore, there are disclosed a recombinant vector which comprises said gene, and a cell into which said gene has been introduced.

Fatty acid synthases are known to be divided into two types; the enzymes in animals and yeasts are fatty acid synthetase complexes (FAS) in which a variety of enzymes are wholly linked as a complex having a single function (type I), while those in higher plant cells and procaryotes are of such type that each of the enzymes become independently disconnected outside the organisms (type II). An acyl carrier protein (ACP) which is a soluble protein is required for the synthesis of a fatty acid with the enzyme type II, and the fatty acids are synthesized as an acyl-ACP. The final product of the synthesis system is palmitoyl-ACP. The palmitoyl-ACP is further converted into stearoyl-ACP by chain elongation before desaturation with a soluble fatty acid desaturase (stearoyl-ACP desaturase) to lead to oleoyl-ACP. Palmitic acid and oleic acid are incorporated into polar lipid, and then the latter is further desaturated (J. Ohlrogge and J. Browse (1995) Lipid Biosynthesis. The Plant Cell, 7, p. 957-970).
The chain elongation enzyme which catalyzes the chain elongation from palmitoyl-ACP to stearoyl-ACP produces stearoyl-ACP from palmitoyl-ACP, malonyl-ACP and NADPH (J. Ohlrogge and J. Browse (1995) Lipid Biosynthesis. The Plant Cell, 7, p. 957-970). These reactions describe the total scheme of a series of enzyme reactions for the production of a stearoyl-thioester by the reduction, dehydration and further reduction of the condensation product of a palmitoyl-thioester and the C2 unit.
Lipid biosynthesis in plants has been studied very extensively (Browse et al., Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Mol. Biol. (1991) 42: 467-506). It has been elucidated from these researches that the production of stearic acid starting from palmitic acid in plant cells is a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme .beta.-ketoacyl-ACP synthetase II (KASII). However, there has been described in the aforementioned publication the isolation of neither the enzyme KASII or its gene, and thus their sequences remain unknown.
Three isozymes of KAS have been found in chloroplast in plants. Among the two isozymes other than KASII, the isozyme KASIII catalyzes the initiation of the synthesis of an acyl chain, while the isozyme KASI catalyzes the elongation reaction of an acyl chain to the palmitoyl-ACP with 16 carbon atoms. A variety of mutants of enzymes involved in the lipid synthesis of plants have been isolated from Arabidopsis, among which the enzymes responsible for the desaturation reaction have been studied extensively. There have also been described for the KASII, the mutant of which has been designated as fab1. In this mutant, the KASII enzyme activity was lowered to 65%, and thus the palmitic acid content increased by 7% in leaves and 3% in roots (Wu et al., Plant Physiol. (1994) 106: 143-150). As regards the complete purification of the enzyme KASII, genes have been cloned from a castor bean (Ricinus communis; Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 500234/1994) and soybean (Glycine max; Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 501446/1995) on the basis of the amino acid sequences of the limitedly degraded peptide of the purified enzyme. In the above described publications, as regards the changes of fatty acids by transformation with these genes, the C16 fatty acid content on the expression of the gene of the castor bean in E. coli was decreased by ca. 20% thus corresponding to a little over 30% of the total fatty acid content, while on introducing the soybean gene into canola the palmitic acid content in the seeds was decreased by 0.8% and on introducing the gene into tobacco the palmitic acid content in the leaves was decreased by ca. 2%. In this connection, no sequence exhibiting distinct homology has been curiously found between the genes of the castor bean and soybean.
By the way, it has been known that in membrane lipids constituting biomembrane, the phase transition temperature varies primarily depending on the unsaturation degrees of the fatty acid linked to the lipid, and as a result the chilling resistance of the organism also varies. It is thought that the unsaturation degree of the membrane lipid is effectively increased with an enzyme such as fatty acid acyltransferase (PCT/JP 92/00024 (PCT/WO 92/13082)), fatty acid desaturase (PCT/JP 94/02288 (PCT/WO 95/18222)).

.beta.-ketoacyl-ACP synthetase II enzymes and genes coding for same


A treatment product including trioxolanes or related stabilized oxygen molecules. Just as oxidation is a somewhat violent electron transfer that results in amino acid malformation, only a molecule with similar electron attraction potential, another oxygen species in the form of a stabilized trioxolane or equivalent, can reverse such damage in most cases. The human body has the ability to fix such oxidation on its own, but this ability declines with age and excess damage. The treatment product described herein including trioxolanes, assists the body in this natural process. The result is reduction of inflammation, aging, and other conditions of the human body.

Trioxolane compounds are known in the pharmaceutical field for treating or preventing medical conditions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,879 for "Medical Uses Of Trioxolane And Diperoxide Compounds" of Herman discloses a trioxolane compound defined as a compound with the following structure where R and R′ represent the same or different organic moieties. The carbons may also have additional organic moiety branches.

Herman discusses treating certain diseases, but several new potential uses for trioxolanes have been discovered including skin conditions such as age spots and melasma. Dermatologists typically distinguish skin conditions such as these from a "disease" such as melanoma or skin cancer. Therefore, Herman and others have not yet addressed the use of trioxolane for treating skin conditions and other medical concerns that result from protein oxidation because they were unaware of this alternative mechanism of action.

Trioxolane and related stabilized oxygen molecules based treatment product


A continuously variable planetary gear set is described having a generally tubular idler, a plurality of balls distributed radially about the idler, each ball having a tiltable axis about which it rotates, a rotatable input disc positioned adjacent to the balls and in contact with each of the balls, a rotatable output disc positioned adjacent to the balls opposite the input disc and in contact with each of the balls such that each of the balls makes three-point contact with the input disc, the output disc and the idler, and a rotatable cage adapted to maintain the axial and radial position of each of the balls, wherein the axes of the balls are oriented by the axial position of the idler.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates generally to transmissions, and more particularly the invention relates to continuously variable planetary gear sets that can be used in transmissions as well as other industrial and land, air and water-borne vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to provide a continuously variable transmission, various traction roller transmissions, in which power is transmitted through traction rollers supported in a housing between torque input and output discs, have been developed. In such transmissions, the traction rollers are mounted on support structures which, when pivoted, cause the engagement of traction rollers with the torque discs in circles of varying diameters depending on the desired transmission ratio.
However, the success of these traditional solutions has been limited. For example, in one solution, a driving hub for a vehicle with a variable adjustable transmission ratio is disclosed. This method teaches the use of two iris plates, one on each side of the traction rollers, to tilt the axis of rotation of each of the rollers. However, the use of iris plates can be very complicated due to the large number of parts that are required to adjust the angular position of the iris plates during shifting of the transmission. Another difficulty with this transmission is that it has a guide ring that is configured to be predominantly stationary in relation to each of the rollers. Since the guide ring is stationary, shifting the axis of rotation of each of the traction rollers is difficult.
A key limitation of this design and improvements of this design is the absence of means for generating and adequately controlling the axial force acting as normal contact force to keep the input disc and output disc in sufficient frictional contact against the balls as the speed ratio of the transmission changes. Due to the fact that rolling traction continuously variable transmissions require various magnitudes of axial force at various torque levels and speeds in order to prevent the driving and driven rotating members from slipping on the speed changing friction balls, where a constant level of axial force is applied, excessive force is applied when torque transmission levels are lower. This excessive axial force lowers efficiency and causes the transmission to fail significantly faster than if the proper amount of force was applied for any particular gear ratio. The excessive force also makes it more difficult to shift the transmission. Improvements in the field of axial force production have been made but further advances are required.
Further improvements have been developed for the increased performance and efficiency of continuously variable transmissions. There is a need to incorporate these improvements into an advanced design for a continuously variable transmission.

Continuously variable planetary gear set


A limb protective covering having a tubular sleeve of waterproof material for receiving a limb and elongated closure member for tightening the sleeve around the limb. A portion of the sleeve above the closure member is folded over the closure member to form a cuff. A belt attaches to the cuff and wraps around the cuff to completely seal the covered limb.

The present invention relates generally to a limb protective covering and particularly to a waterproof protective covering for bandaged or injured portions of arms and legs.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that an injured limb that is bandaged or in a cast must be kept dry to avoid disintegration of the cast or infection of the wound. Furthermore, water on some wounds will cause extreme pain to the injured person. However, injured persons must still bathe, shower, and be exposed to rain. To this end, there have been several attempts to provide a limb protective covering.
The first attempts to provide waterproof limb protectors are illustrated in the following art: U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,935 issued to Mettelnick; U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,317 issued to Broucek; U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,834 issued to Bates et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,864 issued to Wiesenthal et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,220 issued to Bellasalma; U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,125 issued to Goldman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,326 issued to Little et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,941 issued to Cook; U.S. Pat. No. 2,244,871 issued to Guinzburg; U.S. Pat. No. 1,980,480 issued to King; U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,203 issued to Liman; U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,759 issued to MacKay; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,374 issued to Lipsom. Unfortunately, these prior illustrations are either too expensive and complex or are inadequate to maintain a waterproof seal. Liman, Bellasalma, Mettelnick, Broucek, and Bates et al. each disclose the use of a strap encircling the cast shield at the top proximate to the opening. However, the use of a single strap has been found to be inadequate to keep the cast or bandage entirely dry and can often lead to "guttering" when a fold in the cover actually holds water that flows onto the cast or bandage during removal.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,254,765 and 4,530,350 issued to Brown and Grinwis attempted to achieve a better seal by providing an adjustable strap away from the opening. U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,268 issued to Scott also places the strap away from the opening. Although these patents have improved the seal at the opening, the problem of "guttering" was neither recognized nor corrected.
Also, none of these previously cited examples fully solve the problems associated with one-hand placement. If the hand or arm of the user is bandaged or in a cast, the user of the limb protective covering will have only one arm available for tightening the opening around the limb. If elastic is used to tighten the opening around the arm, one-arm placement can cause much pain, because the elastic will rub against the cast or bandage while the limb is placed in the opening. Also, the devices of the prior art are either difficult to put on with one arm or cannot be effectively tightened with one arm.
Further, a single strap on a protective limb covering will still allow the strap to "ride" toward and into the bandage or cast. This riding is caused by movement of the limb.
What is needed, then, is a limb protective covering that is very inexpensive to produce, yet free of the "guttering" problems not recognized in the prior art. Also, a limb protective covering is needed that can be used comfortably and conveniently with only one hand. Further, a limb protective covering is needed that does not "ride" up and down the limb. This needed limb protective covering must provide an excellent seal regardless of the size or shape of the covered limb. This consistent protection is lacking in the prior art.


An image processing apparatus including an image processing unit and configured to generate an enlarged image of an original image. The image processing unit is configured to generate the enlarged image by sequentially and repeatedly executing an edge-enhancement and enlargement process on the original image. The edge-enhancement and enlargement process is a process for enhancing edges in an image while enlarging the image.

Generally, enlarging an image causes the image to be blurred. To address this problem, it is desirable to enhance edges in the enlarged image after enlarging the original image, and various technologies related to edge enhancement that should be performed on an enlarged image have conventionally been proposed (for example, see Patent JP 2011-49696A and JP 2008-271085A).
However, even though various edge enhancement processes are proposed, it is difficult for a user to determine which edge enhancement process to perform on a specific image, and it is not practical to prepare edge enhancement programs for various algorithms.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus, a method of image processing and a recording medium storing an image processing program with which preferred enlarged images in which edges are enhanced can be easily obtained.

Image processing apparatus, method of image processing, and recording medium storing image processing program


Methods, systems, and computer program products for customizing content based on at least one operating characteristic of a mobile client. A mobile gateway receives content from a content source, such as an email server, a Web server, or some other content server. For example, content may include email, calendar, contact, task, Web, notification, financial, sports data, configuration information, etc. The mobile gateway customizes the content based on transforms assigned to each mobile client. Transforms account for differences in the software, display, processor, memory, communication channel, and the like, of each mobile client, without imposing additional processing burdens on the content server. Processing that is common among several transforms may be shared. Mobile clients may be any type of computer, including telephones, pagers, PDAs, laptops, and other mobile gateways.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to providing content to mobile clients. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods, systems, and computer program products for customizing content based on one or more operating characteristics of a mobile client.
2. Background and Related Art
In past years, access to electronic content, such as email, Web pages, financial data, sports information, etc., typically has occurred from either a home or office computer. These home and office computers may be classified in two broad categories, laptop computers and desktop computers. The selection between laptop and desktop generally depends on the needs of a particular user. Where some level of portability is desirable, laptop computers are the obvious choice. Otherwise, desktops are the usual selection because laptops ordinarily command a price premium based on their relatively small size when compared to desktops having comparable processing capabilities.
More recently, society in general has been placing an ever-increasing value on mobile access to information. Heightened demand for content, both in business and personal settings, has generated a need for content to be available immediately, from almost anywhere at almost any hour. Therefore, access limited to laptop or desktop computing systems presents a substantial detriment. One of the most significant drawbacks with desktop computers is readily apparent: it is impractical if not impossible to carry a desktop computer around as a user moves from one place to another. Thus, access to content via desktop computer is limited to the location of the desktop computer.
While laptops ease the burden imposed by transporting a computer from one physical location to another, they are only a relatively minor improvement in terms of providing constant access to information. Among other things, (i) the size and bulk of laptop computers preclude a user from carrying a laptop on his or her person; (ii) limited battery life prohibits constant operation; (iii) boot time makes quick content access impractical; and (iv) laptops usually are connected to a specific network, covering a relatively small geographic area. In short, laptops provide a sensible solution for intermittent access to content, but are ill suited for constant mobile access.
In contrast, truly mobile devices, such as telephones, pagers, personal digital assistants ("PDAs"), and the like, are easily placed in a purse or pocket, operate for many hours by switching to a standby mode when not in use, require no boot time, and use wireless protocols, covering large geographic areas, for communication. Initially, limited processing and display capabilities constrained telephones and pagers to voice or small amounts of text. While PDAs provided more processing and display characteristics, only short range, infrared, wireless connections were available. However, as the demand for constant mobile access to information has become more pronounced, the once separate technologies of computers, telephones, pagers, PDAs, etc., are converging. For example, the displays, processing, and memory of telephones and pagers are increasing, and PDAs are supporting telephone and pager like communication links.
Nevertheless, the rapidly changing technology of mobile devices presents a number of significant obstacles to providing constant mobile access to information. In particular, the operating characteristics of mobile devices vary greatly. For example, various operating systems, application software, and the like, may represent data differently, support different data fields, and/or support different file types. Differences in hardware impose further barriers in furnishing constant mobile access to information. In spite of the technology convergence mentioned above, telephones typically have the least amount of display area, followed by pagers. PDAs generally have more display, memory, and processor power than either telephones or pagers, but these characteristics vary substantially from one PDA to another.
Even for mobile devices having similar display, memory, and processor capabilities, the assortment of communication links and software that are supported by mobile devices often requires one device to be treated differently from another. As a result, content may need to be tailored or customized for each specific device receiving or requesting content. For example, an email delivered to a telephone may only include textual content based on the display capabilities of the telephone, whereas the same message delivered to a laptop computer may include the textual content and some attached multimedia content. Email software on one telephone may support only certain data fields or file formats for attachments, and may require an underlying data format that is different as compared to other telephones. Similar issues exist for other types of content, such as Web pages, financial data, sports information, meeting reminders, calendars, contacts, mailbox summaries, configuration data, etc., due to the wide variety of operating characteristics found in mobile devices.
While customizing content based on the device that will receive the content is desirable, customization leads to problems of its own. For example, email servers often operate at near capacity. Introducing the additional processing necessary to customize content by device operating characteristics may degrade server performance beyond tolerable limits. Furthermore, implementing the customization at an email server requires changes to the email server for each new type of mobile device that becomes available. Frequent changes to email server code imposes substantial coding and testing responsibilities on developers, due to the already complex nature of email servers. Moreover, already overburdened information systems staff are forced into essentially constant upgrade cycles as developers release new software, especially for rapidly advancing technologies like mobile devices. Other types of content servers suffer from similar considerations.

Pushing rich content information to mobile devices


Integrated jitter compliant clock signal generation apparatus and methods are provided. Input signals having different frequencies are used to generate respective clock signals having closely spaced frequencies. The input signals might be generated, for example, in adjacent Phase Locked Loops (PLLs) which receive reference clock signals. The reference clock signals, or signals from which the reference clock signals originate, are also closely spaced. The closely spaced reference clock signals are effectively separated for cleanup and then brought back together to provide the closely spaced clock signals. This allows cleanup of the closely spaced reference clock signals to occur at staggered and more widely spaced frequencies. These techniques could also be applied to reference clock signals which are harmonically related and are used to generate harmonically related output clock signals.

Crosstalk between adjacent clock signal generators can result in spurious emissions or spurs within a frequency band of interest. The frequency band of interest might be a measurement band within which noise must not exceed a certain level, for example.
In high frequency applications above 10 GHz for instance, a serializer/deserializer (serdes) Clock Multiplier Unit (CMU) with a fractional-N based frequency agile cleanup Phase Locked Loop (PLL) function must satisfy very tight noise specifications. However, the use of a fractional-N cleanup PLL to clean up an input reference signal to the CMU requires that the PLL must also be low bandwidth to filter out fractional-N noise or spurs and noise. This in turn can cause poor CMU crosstalk immunity, which can be especially problematic when multiple CMUs supply clock signals which are close in frequency. Integrating many CMUs on one die or board or within one package can cause CMU crosstalk to be a limiting factor for clock signal generation performance such as jitter performance.
Cleanup PLLs could be displaced from each other to reduce crosstalk. The cost associated with providing external cleanup PLLs, however, tends to be much greater than the cost of integrating PLLs on the same chip or board or in the same package as other components, such as the CMUs in the above example. Providing space between PLLs also consumes "real estate", which is limited in a chip, in a package, or on a board. In some applications, dozens of PLLs are needed.
Wider bandwidth PLLs might also reduce crosstalk, but as noted above, narrow bandwidth is preferred for cleanup PLLs. The narrow bandwidth preference might be based on specification requirements for removing jitter on incoming signals, for instance.


A positioning system is designed to align a lens barrel with a sensor assembly. A first end of a lens barrel includes ridges along an edge. The sensor assembly includes a recessed channel with reciprocal ridges for mating with the ridges of the lens barrel. The sensor assembly also includes a plurality of shim platforms structured, each structured to position a wedge shaped shim, the wedge shaped shim including a flat bottom to slide on the shim platform and raise or lower the lens barrel relative to the reciprocal ridges on which the lens barrel rests.

Technical Field
This disclosure relates to cameras, and more specifically, to positioning systems for lens and image sensor assemblies.
Description of the Related Art
Within a camera, the lens and the image sensor must be aligned to capture an image or a video. The lens captures light rays from an object in front of the camera and focuses the light rays at a single point when the object is in focus. The image sensor captures the focused light rays from the lens and converts the light rays into an image. When assembling a camera, accurately aligning the lens and the image sensor along an optical axis can be difficult to achieve. Accordingly, present lens positioning configurations lack accuracy and precision for alignment of the lens and the image sensor of a camera along an optical axis.


A method and system that inhibits transmission of location information by a telematics unit outside of a geographic region in which such transmission is prohibited. The method includes identifying the relative location of the vehicle and a call center to which the information is to be sent. If the vehicle is in a country or other geographic region that prohibits transmission of vehicle location data outside of the region and, if the call center is determined by the vehicle to be outside of that region, then the telematics unit inhibits the location data from being sent in any communication between the vehicle and call center.

As makers of automobiles find new ways to reduce costs in the manufacturing thereof, globalization has been incorporated into the mindset. By globalizing or communizing the platforms upon which vehicles are made, costs in design and inventory are greatly reduced. Therefore, original equipment manufacturers of vehicles are striving to maximize the savings in the design, development and manufacture of vehicles by making as many of the parts of a vehicle common throughout the world.
One problem associated with globalization is that it is quite possible that a vehicle will be transported and used in a region of the world that has laws that are different than those of other regions. And while the use of certain technologies is perfectly acceptable in one geographic region, the use of that technology in another geographic region may violate the laws or regulations of that region. In one such example, a telematics unit of a vehicle has the capability of identifying its geographic location with a great deal of certainty. The geographic location is at times transmitted to a call center to facilitate the driver of the vehicle in any one of a number of ways. In certain regions of the world, it is, however, illegal to transmit the geographic location of a vehicle to a call center outside of the county in which the vehicle is being operated. Therefore, there is a need to design a telematics unit that is capable of identifying and determining whether geographic location information is allowed to be transmitted to a call center or whether that information must be inhibited from being transmitted to a call center.

Controlling vehicle telematics unit data transmission based on call center location


A light emitting device comprising at least one first light source (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 211) adapted for, in operation, emitting first light (13) with a first spectral distribution, a first light guide (3) comprising a first light input surface (31), a first light exit surface (32) and at least one first further surface (33, 34, 35, 36), the first light guide being adapted for receiving the first light with the first spectral distribution at the first light input surface, guiding the first light to the first light exit surface and coupling the first light with the first spectral distribution out of the first light exit surface, at least one luminescent element (90) arranged on the first light exit surface of the first light guide, the at least one luminescent element comprising a second light input surface (91), a second light exit surface (92) and at least one light exit surface (92) and at least one second further surface (93, 94, 95, 96), the luminescent element spectral distribution at the second light input surface, converting at least a part of the first light with the first spectral distribution to second light (14) with a second spectral distribution, guiding the second light to the second light exit surface and coupling the second light with the second spectral distribution out of the second light exit surface, the light emitting device further comprising at least one first heat sink element (70) arranged at or on a surface of the luminescent element facing away from the second light input surface (92).

High intensity light sources, and particularly white high intensity light sources, are interesting for various applications including spots, stage-lighting, automotive lighting and digital light projection. For such purposes, as well as for obtaining a desired light shape, light distribution and color distribution with a point of high intensity, it is possible to make use of so-called light concentrators where short wavelength light is converted to longer wavelengths in a highly transparent luminescent material. Such a transparent luminescent material is illuminated by LEDs to produce longer wavelengths within the luminescent material. Converted light, which will be waveguided in the luminescent material, is extracted from a surface leading to a point of high brightness.
Document WO 2012/056382 A1 describes in one embodiment a lighting device comprising a waveguide and a light source. The waveguide may be provided with a luminescent material arranged on or in the waveguide and may thereby be configured to convert light from a light source into luminescent material emission.
A problem associated with this configuration is related to bringing enough light to the light guide while keeping the temperature relatively low. In the prior art configurations LEDs, and in some configurations densely packed LEDS, e.g. 30, 40 or even 50 LEDs, are placed at a close distance from the light guide in order to couple in as much light as possible. As a result of the LEDs being too close to the light guide heat from the LEDs leads to heating of the light guide and decreases the optical performance of both the light guide and LEDs.
DE102008012316A1 discloses a semiconductor light source and a luminescent converter element both arranged on a common heat sink. Light emitted by the semiconductor light source is guided via a light guide to the luminescent convertor element.
EP2202444A1 discloses a LED module that emits light towards a phosphor module. The phosphor module includes a transparent layer, closest to the LED module, and a phosphor layer directly adjacent to the transparent layer. The phosphor module may further include a heat sink.
WO2012/006128A2 discloses a high lumen output and brightness illumination module using an excitation light source and wavelength conversion part with multi-channel heat dissipation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Light emitting device with spectral conversion element


An integrated circuit, comprises a power supply node being connectable to a voltage supply (Vdd); a ground node connectable to ground (GND); and an electrostatic discharge protection structure for diverting an electrostatic discharge away from protected parts of the integrated circuit. A gated domain is present which is supply gated and/or ground gated with respect to the power supply node and/or the ground node, as well as a gating switch for gating the gated domain relative to the power supply node and/or the ground node. The gating switch enables in a connecting state, and in a disconnecting state inhibits, an electrical connection between the gated domain and at least one of: the power supply node and the ground node. The integrated circuit includes ESD gating control circuitry for controlling in case of an electrostatic discharge event the gated domain to be electrically connected to the power supply node and/or the ground node.

Typically, integrated circuits (IC) are provided with an ESD (Electro Static Discharge) protection circuitry. The ESD protection circuitry protects parts of the IC by clamping ESD-stressed terminals during an ESD event, and serves to divert the electrostatic discharge current away from protected parts of the IC, and thus to dissipate the stress energy without damage to the IC.
It is known to provide such ESD protection circuitry to integrated circuits provided with power gating capabilities. Such integrated circuits typically include one or more on-die semiconductor switches, from hereon referred to as the gating switches, which connect local power supply and/or ground of one or more circuit blocks, from hereon referred to as a gated domain, to the main or continuous power supply and/or ground respectively. The gating switch has a low impedance in a closed (connecting) state, and a high impedance in an open (disconnecting) state. The power supply to the power gated domain can be enabled or disabled by the state of the gating switch. Thus, the power supply to a gated domain can be turned off temporarily when not needed, e.g. to reduce the overall power consumption of the integrated circuit or to reduce the noise level. This temporary shutdown time is also referred to as "low power mode" or "inactive mode". When the circuit blocks of the gated domain are required again, they are activated to an "active mode" and the switch is put in the closed state, enabling the connection to the power supply or ground.
As described in M.-D. Ker; C.-Y. Chang; Y.-S. Chang: "ESD protection design to overcome internal damages on interface circuits of CMOS IC with multiple separated power pins", Proceedings 15th Annual IEEE International ASIC/SOC Conference, p. 234-238, 2002, in case an integrated circuit has different circuit blocks with different power supplies, ESD stress applied to a circuit block may cause damage to the interface with another circuit block.
S. Sofer, Y. Fefer, Y. Shapira, "Indirect ESD stressing mechanism in a VLSI circuits having multiple isolated power domains", Proceedings of 32nd ISTFA 2006, p. 389-392, 2006 describes that ESD stress applied to a circuit block may actually cause damage to an area located inside another circuit block which is isolated from the block to which the ESD stress is applied. Accordingly, in case an integrated circuit with gating capabilities is subject to an ESD event, the ESD stress may penetrate to the not-protected, gated domain(s) and damage parts of the gated domain(s), such as the semiconductor components at the interface of the power gated domain.

Integrated circuit and integrated circuit package


A pallet cap includes a plurality of raised surfaces and a plurality of parallel channels separating the plurality of raised surfaces. The pallet cap is securable to an upper surface of a deck of a pallet. The plurality of raised surfaces may include a central raised area, and the plurality of parallel channels may include a pair of inner channels, such that the central raised area is between the pair of inner channels. The pair of inner channels and the central raised area may be between an outer ridge and an inner ridge. The inner ridge and the outer ridge may project upward higher than the pair of inner channels.

Pallets are used to transport goods and containers of goods. The pallets include a deck supported above the floor by columns to create fork-tine openings. Runners may connect the lower ends of the columns. Alternatively, the pallet can be a nestable pallet in which the columns (or feet) can be received in openings in the deck of a similar pallet when empty. The palletized goods are easier to transport and ship.
Bakery trays are often used to ship baked goods. Typical bakery trays include a base and a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from the base. Front and rear walls are shorter than the side walls, so that the baked goods can be removed from the bakery tray when another tray is stacked thereon. The base may include guides projecting downward therefrom.