Instruments for thermally-mediated treatment of a patient""s lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to induce an injury healing response to thereby populate the extracellular compartment of walls of the LES with collagen matrices to altere the biomechanics of the LES to provide an increased intra-esophageal pressure for preventing acid reflux. A preferred embodiment is a bougie-type device for trans-esophageal introduction that carries conductive electrodes for delivering Rf energy to walls of the LES (i) to induce the injury healing response or (ii) to xe2x80x9cmodelxe2x80x9d collagenous tissues of the LES by shrinking collagen fibers therein. Typically, an Rf source is connected to at least one conductive electrode that may be operated in a mono-polar or bi-polar fashion. A sensor array of individual sensors is provided in the working end. A computer controller is provided, which together with feedback circuitry, is capable of full process monitoring and control of: (i) power delivery; (ii) parameters of a selected therapeutic cycle, (iii) mono-polar or bi-polar energy delivery, and (iv) multiplexing of current flow between various paired electrodes. The controller can determine when the treatment is completed based on time, temperature, tissue impedance or any combination thereof.

This invention relates to instruments and techniques for thermally-mediated therapies of targeted tissue volumes in a patient""s LES (lower esophageal sphincter) to treat gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) in a minimally invasive manner. The thermally-mediated treatment, in a low temperature range, selectively injures cells and proteins within the (LES) to induce a predictable wound healing response to populate the targeted tissue with collagen matrices as a means of altering the bio-mechanical characteristics of the LES. In a slightly higher temperature range, an alternative thermally-mediated treatment is used to shrink native collagen fibers within the LES to xe2x80x9cmodelxe2x80x9d the dimensions and laxity of the LES. The novel treatment techniques are preferably performed with a trans-esophageally introduced bougie-type instrument and are adapted to take the place of more invasive surgical methods for treating GERD (e.g., Nissen fundoplications) in the treatment of the less severe GERD cases.
Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder caused by dysfunction in a patient""s lower esophageal sphincter (LES). In normal swallowing, the LES progressively opens to allow food to pass into the stomach and thereafter tightens to prevent food and stomach acids from flowing back into the esophagus. Gastro-esophageal reflux occurs when the stomach""s contents flow upwardly into the esophagus. Typically, such acid reflux results from anatomic abnormalities in the LES and surrounding structures, such as overly relaxed muscle tone within the LES, a shortened esophageal length within the abdominal cavity, insufficient intra-abdominal pressures, and/or from a contributory factor such as a hiatal hernia.
Prolonged acid reflux can cause serious complications such as esophagitis, erosions, esophageal bleeding or ulcers. In addition, chronic scarring caused by acid reflux can cause a narrowing or stricture in the esophagus. Some patients develop Barrett""s esophagus which is a form of severe damage to the esophageal lining. It is believed that Barrett""s esophagus is a precursor to esophageal cancer.
As many as 20 million American adults suffer from moderate to severe GERD. For chronic GERD and heartburn, a physician may prescribe medications to reduce acid in the stomach, such as H2-blockers (cimetidine, famotidine, nizatidine and ranitidine). Another form of drug therapy utilizes a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) that inhibits an enzyme in the acid-producing cells of stomach from producing acid (omeprezole, lansoprezole). Yet another form of drug therapy includes motility drugs for quickening the emptying of stomach contents (cisipride, bethanechol and metclopramide). The above-described drug therapies will reduce acid reflux thus reducing pain to the patient, but either have no impact on, or even increase alkaline reflux which can cause severe erosions in the esophagus. Further, there exists increasing evidence that lifetime drug therapies can result in atrophic gastritis in certain patients, which is known precursor to Barrett""s esophagus.
Since GERD is caused by an anatomic (mechanical) defect, certain surgeries are well suited to correct the defect by effectively lengthening the LES and/or increasing intraluminal pressures within the LES to prevent acid reflux. The leading surgical procedure is a endoscopic Nissen fundoplication, in which the surgeon develops a fold (plication) in the fundus of the stomach and then wraps and sutures the plication generally around the LES to increase intra-esophageal pressures therein. An endoscopic Nissen fundoplication is difficult to perform and typically requires the use of several disposable surgical instruments that are expensive. An open surgery to accomplish a Nissen fundoplication also is possible but undesirable because it requires lengthy postoperative recuperation and results in a long disfiguring upper abdominal incision.
There is therefore a need for a new therapies for treating GERD that offer mechanical or biomechanical solutions to the anatomic defect that underlies gastro-esophageal reflux. Preferably, such new approaches to alleviate acid reflux will not rely on lifetime drug therapies which do not correct the anatomic defect causing acid reflux.
The principal objects of this invention are to provide instruments and techniques for least invasive delivery of thermal energy through a tissue surface to a targeted tissue volume to accomplish the controlled remodeling of the treated tissue, and may also be referred to as bulking tissue. The targeted tissues that can be treated in a xe2x80x9cleast invasivexe2x80x9d manner include, but not limited to, soft tissues in the interior of a body (in particular, collagenous tissues such as fascia, ligamentous tissue), collagen-containing walls of vessels and organs, and anatomic structures having, supporting or containing an anatomic lumen (e.g., esophagus, urethra). Such tissues hereafter may be referred to as xe2x80x9ctargetedxe2x80x9d tissue volumes or xe2x80x9ctarget sitesxe2x80x9d.
More particularly, the invention discloses techniques and instruments that utilize radiofrequency (Rf) energy delivery to selectively injure cells and extracellular compositions (e.g., proteins) in a target site to induce a biological response to the injuryxe2x80x94such biological response including cell reproduction to an extent but more importantly the population of the extracellular space with collagen fibers in a repair matrix. Thus, the controlled alteration or modeling of the structural and mechanical characteristics of a targeted tissue site is possible by synthesis of new collagen fibers (or xe2x80x9cbulking effectsxe2x80x9d) therein. The above-described objects of the invention are enhanced by controlled manipulation of certain bio-physical characteristics of the target tissue prior to the delivery of Rf energy to induce the injury healing process. Besides the synthesis of collagen matrices, another object of the invention is the acute shrinkage of native collagen fibers in the targeted tissue volume. Such acute collagen shrinkage can cause tightening of a targeted tissue volume.
The injury healing process in a human body is complex and involves an initial inflammatory response which in collagenous tissues is followed by a subsequent response resulting in the population of new (nascent) collagen in the extracellular space. A mild injury may produce only an inflammatory reaction. More extensive tissue trauma invokes what is herein termed the injury healing response. Any injury to tissue, no matter whether mechanical, chemical or thermal may induce the injury healing response and cause the release of intracellular compounds into the extracellular compartment of the injury site. This disclosure relates principally to induction of the injury healing process by a thermally-mediated therapy. The temperature required to induce the response ranges from about 40xc2x0 C. to 70xc2x0 C. depending on the targeted tissue and the duration of exposure. Such a temperature herein may be referred to as Tncs (temperature that causes xe2x80x9cnew collagen synthesisxe2x80x9d). The temperature needed to cause such injury and collagen synthesis is lower than the temperature Tsc (temperature for acute xe2x80x9cshrinkage of collagenxe2x80x9d) in another modality of the method of the invention disclosed herein.
In order to selectively injure a target tissue volume to induce the population of the extracellular compartment with a collagen matrix, xe2x80x9ccontrolxe2x80x9d of the injury to a particular tissue is required. In this disclosure, a Rf energy source is provided to selectively induce the injury healing process. (It should be appreciated that other thermal energy devices are possible, for example a laser). In utilizing an Rf energy source, a high frequency alternating current (e.g., from 100,000 Hz to 500,000 Hz) is adapted to flow from one or more electrodes into the target tissue. The alternating current causes ionic agitation and friction in the targeted tissue as the ions follow the changes in direction of the alternating current. Such ionic agitation or frictional heating thus does not result from direct tissue contact with a heated electrode.
In the delivery of energy to a soft tissue volume, I=E/R where I is the intensity of the current in amperes, E is the energy potential measured in volts and R is the tissue resistance measured in ohms. In such a soft tissue volume, xe2x80x9ccurrent densityxe2x80x9d or level of current intensity is an important gauge of energy delivery which relates to the impedance of the tissue volume. The temperature level generated in the targeted tissue volume thus is influenced by several factors, such as (i) Rf current intensity (ii) Rf current frequency, (iii) tissue impedance levels within the targeted tissue volume, (v) heat dissipation from the targeted tissue volume, (vi) duration of Rf delivery, and (vii) distance of the targeted tissue volume from the electrodes. A subject of the present invention is the delivery of xe2x80x9ccontrolledxe2x80x9d thermal energy to a targeted tissue volume with a computer controlled system to vary the duration of current intensity and frequency together, based on sensor feedback systems.
In the initial cellular phase of injury healing, granulocytes and macrophages appear and remove dead cells and debris. In the inflammation process, the inflammatory exudate contains fibrinogen which together with enzymes released from blood and tissue cells, cause fibrin to be formed and laid down in the area of the tissue injury. The fibrin serves as a hemostatic barrier and thereafter acts as a scaffold for repair of the injury site. Fibroblasts migrate and either utilize the fibrin as scaffolding or for contact guidance thus further developing a fiber-like scaffold in the injury area. The fibroblasts not only migrate to the injury site but also proliferate. During this fibroplastic phase of cellular level repair, a extracellular repair matrix is laid down that is largely comprised of collagen. Depending on the extent of the injury to tissue, it is the fibroblasts that synthesize the collagen within the extracellular compartment as a form of connective tissue (hereafter nascent collagen), typically commencing about 36 to 72 hours after the injury.
Thus, in the injury healing response, compound tissues or organs are repaired by such fibrous connective tissue formation (or matrix formation). Such fibrous connective tissue is the single most prevalent tissue in the body and gives structural rigidity or support to tissues masses or layers. The principal components of such connective tissues are three fiber-like proteinsxe2x80x94collagen, reticulin and elastin along with a ground substrate. The bio-mechanical properties of fibrous connective tissue and the repair matrix are related primarily to the fibrous proteins of collagen and elastin. As much as 25% of total body protein is native collagen. In repair matrix tissue, it is believed that nascent collagen is in excess of 50%.
The unique properties of collagen are well known. Collagen is an extracellular protein found in connective tissues throughout the body and thus contributes to the strength of the musculo-skeletal system as well as the structural support of organs. Numerous types of collagen have been identified that seem to be specific to certain tissues, each differing in the sequencing of amino acids in the collagen molecule.
It has been previously recognized that collagen (or collagen fibers as later defined herein) will shrink or contract longitudinally when elevated in temperature to the range of 60xc2x0 C. to 80xc2x0 C., herein referred to as Tsc. Portions of this disclosure relate to techniques for controlled shrinkage of collagen fibers in the soft tissue, and more generally to the contraction of a collagen-containing tissue volume, (including both native collagen and nascent collagen) for therapeutic purposes.
Collagen consists of a continuous helical molecule made up of three polypeptide coil chains. Each of the three chains is approximate equal length with the molecule being about 1.4 nanometers in diameter and 300 nm. in length along its longitudinal axis in its helical domain domain (medial portion of the molecule). The spatial arrangement of the three peptide chains in unique to collagen with each chain existing as a right-handed helical coil. The superstructure of the molecule is represented by the three chains being twisted into a left-handed superhelix. The helical structure of each collagen molecule is bonded to together by heat labile intermolecular cross-links (or hydrogen cross-links) between the three peptide chains providing the molecule with unique physical properties, including high tensile strength along with moderate elasticity. Additionally, there exist heat stabile or covalent cross-links between the individual coils. The heat labile cross-links may be broken by mild thermal effects thus causing the helical structure of the molecule to be destroyed with the peptide chains separating into individual randomly coiled structures. Such thermal destruction of the cross-links results in the shrinkage of the collagen molecule along its longitudinal axis to up to one-third of its original dimension, in the absence of tension.
A plurality of collagen molecules (also called fibrils) aggregate naturally to form collagen fibers that collectively make up the a fibrous matrix. The collagen fibrils polymerize into chains in a head-to-tail arrangement generally with each adjacent chain overlapping another by about one-forth the length of the helical domain in a quarter stagger fashion to form a collagen fiber. Each collagen fiber reaches a natural maximum diameter, it is believed because the entire fiber is twisted resulting in an increased surface are that succeeding layers of fibrils cannot bond with underlying fibril in a quarter-stagger manner.
Thus, the present invention is directed to techniques and instruments for controlled thermal energy delivery to portions of a patient""s LES, in alternative therapies, either:
a) to selectively injury cells and proteins in walls of the LES to induce an injury healing response which populates the extracellular compartment with a collagen fiber matrix (xe2x80x9cnascent collagenxe2x80x9d) to bulk and alter the architecture and flexibility characteristics of tissue volumes within walls of the LES; or
b) to, optionally, shrink either xe2x80x9cnativexe2x80x9d collagen or xe2x80x9cnascentxe2x80x9d collagen in tissue volumes within the wall of the LES to further alter mechanical characteristics of the LES and increase intra-esophageal pressures.
More in particular, the device of the present invention for xe2x80x9cmodelingxe2x80x9d a collagen matrix in targeted tissue (or xe2x80x9cbulkingxe2x80x9d targeted tissue) in walls of the patient""s LES is fabricated as a flexible bougie that carries thermal energy delivery means in its distal working end. Typically an Rf source is connected to at least one electrode carried in the working end. The working end may carry a single electrode that is operated in a mono-polar mode or a plurality of electrodes operated in either a mono-polar or bi-polar manner, with optional multiplexing between various paired electrodes. A sensor array of individual sensors also is carried in the working end, typically including (i) thermocouples and control circuitry, and/or (ii) impedance-measuring circuitry coupled to the electrode array.
A computer controller is provided, together with the feedback circuitry from the sensor systems, that is capable of full process monitoring and control of: (i) power delivery, (ii) parameters of a selected therapeutic cycle, (iii) mono-polar or bi-polar energy delivery, and (iv) multiplexing Rf delivery. The controller also can determine when the treatment is completed based on time, temperature, tissue impedance or any combination thereof.
In a first method of the invention, the device is introduced through the patient""s mouth until the working end and electrode array is positioned within the LES. The therapeutic phase commences and is accomplished under various monitoring mechanisms, including but not limited to (i) direct visualization, (ii) measurement of tissue impedance of the target tissue masses relative to the device, and (iii) utilization of ultrasound imaging before or during treatment. The physician actuates the pre-programmed therapeutic cycle for a period of time necessary to elevate the target tissue mass to Tncs (temperature of new collagen synthesis) which is from 45xc2x0 to 60xc2x0 depending on duration of energy delivery.
During the therapeutic cycle, the delivery of thermal energy is conducted under full-process feedback control. The delivery of thermal energy induces the injury healing response which thereafter populates the mass with an extracellular collagen matrix and reduces the flexibility of the LES over the subsequent several days and weeks. The physician thereafter may repeat the treatment.
In a second method of the invention, (either the initial or a subsequent therapeutic cycle) the delivery of Rf energy may be elevated to shrink collagen fibers at a range between 60xc2x0 to 80xc2x0 C. to reach Tsc. The effect of such collagen shrinkage is to rigidify or bulk the treated tissue volumes in the wall of the LES.
Following an initial therapeutic cycle, the treatment can be repeated until the desired increase in intra-esophageal pressures is achieved. It is believed that such periodic treatments (e.g., from 2 to 6 treatments over a period of several weeks) may be best suited to treat the LES.
The above-described modalities of (i) induced synthesis of collagen in collagenous tissues, and (ii) shrinkage of collagen in collagenous tissues describe the effects on LES tissue volumes. These methods of treating the LES are defined herein by a particular temperature range that causes the exact cellular/extracellular effects in the targeted tissue volumes, and are intended to be inclusive of other descriptive terms that may be used to more generally characterize treatments, such as tightening tissue, bulking tissue, fusing or fusion of collagenous tissues, creating scar tissue, sealing or welding collagen-containing tissue, shrinking tissue and the like. The methods disclosed herein are not defined to include ablating tissue, which occurs at higher temperature levels.
In general, the present invention advantageously provides least invasive thermally-mediated techniques for increasing intraluminal pressures in a patient""s LES to prevent gastro-esophageal reflux.
The present invention provides novel devices and techniques for thermally inducing an injury healing response to alter cellular/extracellular architecture in the LES.
The present invention provides techniques for thermal induction of bulking of tissue volumes around a sphincter in an anatomic lumen.
The present invention advantageously provides an electrode array for delivering a controlled amount of Rf energy to a specific targeted tissue volume in the LES having a particular shape or pattern.
The present invention provides an electrode array for delivering a controlled amount of Rf energy to a specific target collagen-containing tissue volume to achieve a controlled contraction of the collagen fibers therein.
The present invention provides a novel device and technique for contraction of collagen fibers around the lumen of an anatomic structure to reduce the dimension of the lumen.
The present invention also provides an instrument and method in which a bougie-type member has a working channel to accommodate an endoscope, an accessory instrument or for therapeutic agent delivery or suction.
The present invention advantageously provides a device that is inexpensive and disposable.
Additional advantages and features of the invention appear in the following description in which several embodiments are set forth.

Surgical instruments for treating gastro-esophageal reflux


A disposable syringe having particular application to vacuum tube phlebotomy and comprising respective inner and outer needle carrying and protective cylinders which are coaxially aligned and axially extensible relative to one another. The inner and outer cylinders may be locked in a retracted position, whereby a hypodermic needle is accessible for drawing blood samples from the patient to an evacuated tube at the inner cylinder. After the last blood sample has been taken, the inner and outer cylinders may be locked in an axially extended position, whereby the hypodermic needle is completely surrounded and shielded by the outer protective cylinder so as to permit the safe handling of the syringe while avoiding an accidental needle strike and the possible spread of a contagious disease.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disposable syringe having particular application to vacuum tube phlebotomy and comprising means by which to shield an associated hypodermic needle to reduce the possibility of an accidental, and possibly life threatening, needle strike and the spread of contagious disease.
2. Prior Art
Hypodermic syringes are used for a variety of purposes. By way of a first example, the syringe may be used for vacuum tube phlebotomy, where samples of the patient's blood are successively drawn into respective evacuated tubes by way of a double ended hypodermic needle. In a second example, the syringe may be used to expulse fluid medication to a patient by way of a single ended hypodermic needle and a conventional injection procedure. In either example, the syringe may be used to treat a patient having a communicable disease. Prior to disposal of the syringe, the hypodermic needle thereof is sometimes broken to prevent reuse. Health care workers are especially susceptible to accidental and potentially infectious needle strikes due to the careless handling or breaking of the needle and disposing of the syringe after use. The resulting mini-accidents caused by an accidental needle strike typically require a blood test for such diseases as AIDS and hepatitis. The corresponding cost and inefficiency of testing health care workers who have received an inadvertent needle strike result in considerable waste, which may particularly damaging to a health care facility which is striving for economy.
The following U.S. patents provide examples of syringes having a hypodermic needle which may be shielded after use to prevent an accidental needle strike:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,571,653, Oct. 16, 1951; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,822, Nov. 2, 1982; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,120, Jan. 10, 1984; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,057, Dec. 23, 1986.


A soldered electrical interconnection is made between a device and a circuit carrying substrate. A device (200) is formed with two solderable surfaces, the second solderable surface (204) adjacent to, but not touching, the first solderable surface (202). A sphere of solder (206) is placed upon a solderable surface (202) of the device and reflowed. The component and solder sphere assembly is placed on a circuit carrying substrate (210) and reflowed, such that the solder sphere reflows and is wetted to both solderable surfaces on the device.

There exists a need to reliably interconnect very high density leadless circuit packages to circuit carrying substrates. Conventional design chip carriers employ solder joints on the peripheral edges of the leadless circuit package to interconnect to the circuit carrying substrate. This method produces large solder joints that are difficult to dimensionally control, due to variations in the amount of solder deposited, variations in the amount of solderable surface area and variations in the quality of the solderable surfaces. In addition, these types of leadless circuit packages are not amendable to very high density interconnection, due to constraints in the physical size of the solder joint needed and the lack of useable area on the perimeter of the carrier.
Very high density interconnect schemes employ an array of solderable pads on the underside of the leadless circuit package. This type of carrier is capable of significant higher density interconnections, and is known as a pad array chip carrier. Interconnecting these carriers to circuit carrying substrates is a difficult process, requiring very strict control of the dimensional tolerances of the components and the many processing variables in the soldering operaton.
One solution to this problem is to provide a fixed amount of solder on the pads of the pad array chip carrier prior to reflow to the circuit carrying substrate. Referring to FIG. 1, a pad array chip carrier 100 contains a solderable pad 102 configured such that the cross-sectional area and shape corresponds approximately to the cross-sectional area and shape of a solder sphere 106. The solder sphere 106 is then placed on the pad 102 and reflowed using methods known to those in the art. When complete, the pad array chip carrier has an array of precisely defined solder spheres attached to each solderable pad. The pad array chip carrier assembly (100 and 106) is placed on the circuit carrying substrate 110 and oriented such that the soldered sphere is aligned to and touching solderable pad 108 (FIG. 1B). The assembly is reflow soldered a second time to solder the pad array chip assembly to the circuit carrying substrate (FIG. 1C).
During the soldering operation, the distance between the pad array chip carrier and the circuit carrying substrate is typically reduced by 35-40%. This distance reduction is referred to as "collapse". Dimensional variations (camber) in the circuit carrying substrate and the pad array chip carrier cause the initial distance between the pad array chip carrier and the circuit carrying substrate to be non-uniform. This non-uniformity prevents some of the solder spheres from contacting the circuit carrying substrate. The collapse is not large enough to insure that every one of the spheres are soldered to the circuit carrying substrate, and some interconnections are not formed. In a typical pad array chip carrier, at least 64 and as many as 256 interconnections may be needed, and failure of only one interconnect constitutes failure of the entire device. The dimensional variations serve to impose an upper limit on the physical size of the pad array chip carrier that may be reliably interconnected. Using materials meeting industry standards of quality, pad array chip carriers no greater than 0.7 inch .times.0.7 inch can be used, thus limiting the maximum number of interconnections to less than 100.
Mismatches in the thermal co-efficient of expansion between the pad array chip carrier and the circuit carrying substrate impose large stresses on the assembled package during thermal excursions. To minimize these stresses, larger solder pad areas are employed in certain areas, such the corners of the device, to reduce the amount of stress. The use of large solder pads on the underside of the pad array chip carrier reduces the height of the resultant solder sphere, thus reducing the amount of collapse during reflow to the circuit carrying substrate. A typical situation is a collapse of only 20%. This attempt to reduce solder joint stress results in a reduction in the collapse, and thus a reduction in the amount of allowable tolerances, and non-uniformity between the two components, a reduction in the size of a pad array chip carrier that can be used, and an increase in the number of unsoldered connections. The amount of collapse may be restored by comparably increasing the size of the solder sphere, However, this solution is only applicable to those cases where all the pads are of uniform size, and results in significantly decreased interconnection density. If it is desired to effect larger pads in selected areas only, such as corners of the pad array chip carrier, multiple sizes of solder spheres must be employed in order to achieve a uniform height of spheres on the underside to the pad array chip carrier prior to attachment to the circuit carrying substrate. In practice, this solution is difficult to achieve, and requires a significant increase in the complexity and amount of tooling necessary to precisely place solder spheres of multiple diameter on the same pad array chip carrier.
Clearly, a need exists to achieve increased collapse distance and to accommodate the use of pads of mixed sizes within a single pad array chip carrier.

Enhanced collapse solder interconnection


A non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program, the information processing program causing a computer to function as a reading module which reads data from an information storage medium by establishing near field wireless communication with the information storage medium, a first processing module which executes a first application program generating second data with the use of first data read by the reading module, a writing module which writes the second data into the information storage medium by establishing near field wireless communication with the information storage medium, and a second processing module which executes a second application program different from the first application program with the use of the second data read by the reading module.

There has conventionally been a technique for communicating among apparatuses, for example, through near field wireless communication such as near field communication (NFC). In near field wireless communication, in response to a storage medium (what is called a tag) being closer to an information processing apparatus, communication is started between the information processing apparatus and the storage medium.
A type of a storage medium communicating with an information processing apparatus through near field wireless communication has conventionally been specified, and processing making use of a storage medium different in type has not been performed as processing of the same application program.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program allowing use of data in the storage medium among different application programs, an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, and a method of controlling an information processing apparatus.
A non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program according to one aspect of the present disclosureexecuted by a computer capable of near field wireless communication with an information storage medium, and the information processing program causes the computer to function as a reading module which reads data from the information storage medium by establishing near field wireless communication with the information storage medium, a first processing module which executes a first application program generating second data by using first data read by the reading module, a writing module which writes the second data into the information storage medium by establishing near field wireless communication with the information storage medium, and a second processing module which executes a second application program different from the first application program by using the second data read by the reading module.
In the exemplary embodiment, the first processing module generates as the second data, environmental data relating to the first data as a result of execution of the first application program.
In the exemplary embodiment, the environmental data is design data having a content displayed as a result of execution of the second application program.
In the exemplary embodiment, the environmental data is design data within a virtual space displayed as a result of execution of the second application program.
In the exemplary embodiment, the environmental data is data displayed in connection with a character arranged in a virtual space as a result of execution of the first application program.
In the exemplary embodiment, the environmental data is data representing a configuration of the virtual space.
In the exemplary embodiment, the first processing module generates the second data in response to an operation by a user as a result of the first application program.
In the exemplary embodiment, the first processing module accepts selection by the user as a result of execution of the first application program, and generates the second data in accordance with accepted selection.
In the exemplary embodiment, the first processing module accepts selection of a plurality of parts relating to a displayed content from the user as a result of execution of the first application program, and generates the second data in accordance with the selected parts.
In the exemplary embodiment, the first processing module generates as the second data, a part of data generated by using the first data as a result of execution of the first application program.
In the exemplary embodiment, the information storage medium is RFID.
In the exemplary embodiment, the information storage medium is an RF tag.
In the exemplary embodiment, the near field wireless communication is NFC wireless communication.
In the exemplary embodiment, the first application program and the second application program are game programs different from each other.
An information processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing apparatus capable of near field wireless communication with an information storage medium, and includes a reading module which reads data from the information storage medium by establishing near field wireless communication with the information storage medium, a first processing module which executes a first application program generating second data by using first data read by the reading module, a writing module which writes the second data into the information storage medium by establishing near field wireless communication with the information storage medium, and a second processing module which executes a second application program different from the first application program by using the second data read by the reading module.
An information processing system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an information storage medium and an information processing apparatus capable of near field wireless communication with the information storage medium. The information processing apparatus includes a reading module which reads data from the information storage medium by establishing near field wireless communication with the information storage medium, a first processing module which executes a first application program generating second data by using first data read by the reading module, a writing module which writes the second data into the information storage medium by establishing near field wireless communication with the information storage medium, and a second processing module which executes a second application program different from the first application program by using the second data read by the reading module.
A method of controlling an information processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a method of controlling an information processing apparatus capable of near field wireless communication with an information storage medium, and includes the steps of reading data from the information storage medium by establishing near field wireless communication with the information storage medium, executing a first application program generating second data by using read first data, writing the second data into the information storage medium by establishing near field wireless communication with the information storage medium, and executing a second application program different from the first application program by using the read second data.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Non-transitory storage medium encoded with computer readable information processing program allowing use of data in storage medium among different application programs, information processing apparatus, information processing system, and method of controlling information processing apparatus


A method and apparatus adapted to bunch together a predetermined number of inverted PTPs and uninverted PTPs into a bundle, and then transfer each PTP bundle to a bucket conveyor which moves intermittently in parallel with a conveying passage. A multitude of PTPs, a portion of which are inverted with respect to the conveying direction and the rest of which are not inverted, are conveyed along a first conveying passage while maintaining the blistered surfaces of the inverted and uninverted PTPs in parallel with each other. A selected portion of the PTPs being conveyed in the first conveying passage is pinched and separated from the same passage. The separated PTPs are bunched together while the spacing between the separated PTPs is narrowed in the conveying direction. The bunched PTPs are transferred onto a second conveying passage across the first conveying passage. The bunched PTPs are loaded into a bucket provided on a bucket conveyor which intermittently travels along the second conveying passage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus adapted to bunch together a predetermined number of inverted and uninverted PTPs ("press-through packs", as for tablets or the like) being conveyed on a conveying means into a bundle, and to transfer the PTP-bundle to a bucket conveyor which moves intermittently in parallel with a conveying passage, in order to facilitate the binding operation of the bundled-PTPs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a generally known PTP 1 has a plastic sheet 2 provided with a plurality of blisters 2a in one surface thereof (hereinafter, referred to as "blistered surface"), tablets 3 or such are put in the blisters 2a, and the blisters 2a containing the tablets 3 are sealed hermetically by a sheet 4, such as an aluminum foil.
A plurality of such PTPs are usually superposed into stacks and bundled with a band or packed into a box or other containers. In order to reduce the thickness of the stacks, one out of two PTPs being conveyed is inverted so that the blistered surface 2 of one PTP faces the blistered surface of the other. Then, the PTPs are slightly shifted so as to prevent abutment of the blisters 2a, as shown in FIG. 2.
The present applicant has previously proposed a method and apparatus for conveying PTPs in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/237,144, in order to form the aforesaid PTP stacks automatically. In this application, firstly, a plurality of PTPs aligned parallel with each other are conveyed along a conveying passage with their blistered surfaces facing the same direction. Then, a selected portion of the PTPs being conveyed on the conveying passage are pinched and separated from the remaining PTPS, and the separated PTPs are inverted so that their blistered surfaces oppose the blistered surfaces of the remaining PTPs. Finally, the thus-inverted PTPs are returned onto the same conveying passage and are conveyed together with the uninverted PTPs.
A predetermined number of the inverted and uninverted PTPs have to be subsequently bundled and bound together with a band or other appropriate binding means. However, the aforesaid conveying passage is driven continuously and the PTPs are relatively spaced away from each other, so it is difficult to bundle and take out a predetermined number of PTPs under continuous conveyance.

Method and apparatus for bunching PTPs and for transferring the bunched-PTPs


A large-capacitance insulating core, a high-voltage electrical appliance and a multi-functional high-voltage bushing. The insulating core is internally provided with a capacitance increasing structure. The capacitance increasing structure is a plurality of capacitive screen sets formed by a forward capacitive screen set and a reverse capacitive screen set that are alternatively arranged and in parallel connection. The forward capacitive screen set includes a plurality of capacitive screens arranged alternatively with insulating layers, an innermost capacitive screen of the forward capacitive screen set is connected to a high potential, and an outermost capacitive screen is connected to a low potential. The reverse capacitive screen set includes a plurality of capacitive screens arranged alternatively with insulating layers, an innermost capacitive screen of the reverse capacitive screen set is connected to a low potential, and an outermost capacitive screen is connected to a high potential; and an innermost capacitive screen set and an outermost capacitive screen set in the plurality of capacitive screen sets of the capacitance increasing structure are both the forward capacitive screen sets, and can satisfy the voltage-sharing and large-capacitance requirements simultaneously. The high-voltage electrical appliance and the multi-functional high-voltage bushing include the large-capacitance insulating core.

In order to improve insulation levels of a high-voltage electrical appliance, such as a transformer bushing, a wall bushing, a cable terminal, a transformer, an insulated busbar and other capacitive insulating cores, a plurality of coaxial capacitive screens are generally used in an insulation structure to play a role of balancing an electric field, the innermost layer is connected to a high-voltage potential, and the outermost layer is connected to a low-voltage potential or a ground potential to form a capacitance voltage-sharing core with a plurality of capacitive screens in series.
For many years, the skilled in the art is trying to use this high-voltage capacitor to draw energy from the power grid, which is used as a power supply of low-voltage appliance, or replaces the voltage transformer to measure the high voltage, or detects an insulation state of the high-voltage electrical appliance, etc., thereby having larger effect in an intelligent power grid. However, the capacities of the capacitors in series are relatively small, i.e., epoxy resin can only reach 1000 to 1500 pF using as a medium, the drawn energy drown is small (tens of milliamps to hundred milliamps), is easy to be interfered by the electric field, and is difficult to meet the requirement above.

Large-capacitance insulating core, high-voltage electrical appliance and multi-functional high-voltage bushing

BEIJING RUIHENG XINYUAN INVESTMENT CO., LTD


An improved calibration method for calibrating the measured value of an analyte in a liquid sample by referring to a calibration curve drawn by plotting the interrelation between the calibration values of n (n is an integer of not less than 2) calibrators containing different contents of the analyte and the measured values of the analyte contained in respective calibrators. In the improved method provided by the invention, the function of the calibration curve is determined by a first step of estimating an imaginal point, the imaginal point either corresponding to a calibration value larger than the uppermost value of the n calibrators and vicinal to the upper limit of the determination range of the analyte or corresponding to a calibration value smaller than the lowermost value of the n calibrators and vicinal to the lower limit of the determination range of the analyte or a calibration value vicinal to the zero value, and a second step of determining the function of the calibration curve by plotting the imaginal point with two to n measured values.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in calibration of measured values obtained by analyzing liquid samples. More particularly, it provides a calibration method wherein the measured values distributed in a wide range can be calibrated or corrected even when standard samples or calibrators containing an analyte in the concentration of limited range can be prepared.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the conventional quantitative analysis of an analyte contained in a liquid sample, the content of analyte in a test sample is determined by measuring an optical density (absorbancy or optical density of the transmitting or reflected light) of the liquid sample after it is subjected to a proper chemical or enzymatic reaction. In such a method, it is a common practice to determine the content of analyte by using a standard curve (commonly referred to as "calibration curve") which has been preliminarily drawn by plotting the interrelation between the known contents of analyte in the standard samples and the optical densities of the standard samples.
However, a number of standard samples must be prepared and examined to draw a standard curve, and thus cumbersome and time-consuming operations are needed therefor. Particularly when a liquid sample obtained from a living body, such as whole blood, plasma or serum, is used as in the case of a clinical assay, it is difficult to prepare always many standard samples (body fluids) each containing a known content of an analyte. To obviate such a difficulty, it has been proposed and practised to prepare a tentative standard curve which is corrected or calibrated by finding the difference or error from the standard curve. In detail, only a few standard samples or calibrators are examined to find measured values which are used to correct the standard curve to prepare a calibration curve which is used for the determination of real measured values of respective samples.
For example, calibrators containing standard values (calibration values; The term "calibration value" used throughout the specification means the given value for which calibration is to De made, and may be referred to as "real value" or "correct value") of H, M and L are subjected to the same assaying procedure to find optical densities or other proper parameters from which real measured values h, m and l are found by referring to the standard curve. The interrelation between the standard values H, M and L and the real measured values h, m and l are plotted to draw a calibration curve as shown in FIG. 2, and the measured value of each examined sample is corrected by using the thus drawn calibration curve. In an automated analyzer, the function of the calibration curve (generally in the form of a quadratic equation) is determined from the data (l, L), (m, M) and (h, H) by the least squares method to obtain the following correction equation of: EQU Y=.alpha.+.beta.X+.gamma.X.sup.2
Then, the measured value is corrected by using the thus obtained correction equation. When the differences in content between the standard values (calibration values) L, M and H are sufficiently large as is the case illustrated in FIG. 2, the effect of curvature of the calibration curve (i.e. the contribution of the term of second order) is small even if the measured values l, m and h are varied independently, so that the measured values distributed in a wide range can be appropriately corrected by the use of the calibration curve.
However, if the differences in content of the standard correct values L, M and H are not large enough, the correct value above the uppermost standard value H and the correct value below the lowermost standard value L tend to contain large errors. Particularly when the measured values l, m and h are varied in the manner as shown in FIG. 3, the calibration curve has an extreme value within the determination range to make it impossible to correct the measured values.
Such a problem arises, for example, in a dry analysis method wherein a dry analysis element is used to analyze an analyte in a liquid sample taken from a living body fluid, such as whole blood, plasma or serum.
The dry analysis element is generally composed of plural layers including, for example, a reagent layer, a porous spreading layer, etc., laminated sequentially on a transparent support. An aqueous liquid sample is spotted on the spreading layer to migrate into the reagent layer which is colored by the action of the analyte contained in the sample. The density of the colored reagent layer is determined by measuring the optical density of the reflected light, and the quantity or content of the analyte contained in the sample is determined by means of colorimetric method. Specific examples of dry analysis element are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,846,808, 3,036,893, 3,368,872 and 3,992,928, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 53888/1974 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,158), 164356/1980 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,272), 222769/1985 (corresponding to EP 0 162 302A), 4959/1986 (corresponding to EP 0 166 365A) and 90859/1980 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,001), Clinical chemistry, 24, 1335-1350, (1978), Analytical Chemistry, 55 (4), 498-514, (1983 ) and Clinical Chemistry, 27, 1287-1290, (1981).
The liquid sample spotted on the spreading layer spreads on the spreading layer to cover a generally circular zone having an area substantially in proportion to the volume of the spotted sample, and then liquid ingredients migrate into the reagent layer while the solid ingredients are filtered off. As a result, a substantially constant volume of aqueous liquid sample is fed to each unit area of the reagent layer. This function is known as a spreading function or metering function. However, the spreading function is significantly affected by the properties viscosity, specific gravity, pH, etc.) of the spotted aquaeous liquid sample. Accordingly, when an analyte contained in a body fluid, such as whole blood, plasma, serum or urine, is to be analyzed, it is preferable to use a calibrator which has properties resembling the body fluid taken from a living body. For example, when albumin or a total protein in blood is quantitatively analyzed, used calibrators are prepared by dissolving lyophilized human blood serum to have proper standard contents. However, the properties of the calibrators are significantly differentiated from those of the body fluids of natural origin as the content of albumin or total protein is varied
in a wide range. For this reason, the difference between the lowermost content of analyte and the uppermost content of analyte in the calibrators cannot be set large enough to cover a wide determination range. As a result, when a calibration curve is drawn by using the least squares method, adequate calibration cannot be made within a wide range since an extreme value is found in the thus drawn calibration curve at the worst case.

Method for correcting a calibration curve


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a protection circuit and an air conditioner, which are applied to the field of air conditioner technologies and used to protect an indoor unit. The protection circuit provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure includes: a positive temperature coefficient thermistor; a signal input terminal; and a communication module; wherein a first end of the positive temperature coefficient thermistor is connected to the signal input terminal, and a second end of the positive temperature coefficient thermistor is connected to the communication module.

An air conditioner, as an air conditioning device, has gradually become a necessity of people's daily life. During the use of the air conditioner, an indoor unit and an outdoor unit need to cooperate with each other to realize cooling and heating.
Due to the complicated installation of the air conditioner, an incorrect wiring is inevitable. Since the outdoor unit of the air conditioner may be connected to at least one indoor unit of the air conditioner, and the indoor unit needs to correctly configure a power line and a communication line, if the wiring is incorrect, a strong electrical signal of 220V/380V will be connected to the communication line, resulting in all indoor units to be completely damaged and greater economic losses.
At present, a power socket is separated from a communication socket, and wiring personnel need to identify the socket to complete wiring work. Although the incorrect wiring is reduced to some extent, if the wiring is incorrect, the indoor unit may still be damaged.

QINGDAO HAIER AIR CONDITIONER GENERAL CORP., LTD.


An IP packet version converting apparatus and method, the IP packet header converting method includes recognizing one of fields of a header of an IP packet of a first type, in which a value regarding an expansion function is recorded, the expansion function being incompatible between the IP packet of the first type and an IP packet of a second type; and converting the field recognized in one of the fields of the header of the IP packet into a field compatible with the IP packet of the second type.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an Internet protocol (IP), and more particularly, to an IP packet version converting apparatus and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
An IPv4 packet can be converted into an IPv6 packet and vice versa by using a stateless IP/ICMP translator, which is defined in Request for Comments (RFC) 2765. For example, in the process of converting an IPv4 packet into an IPv6 packet or vice versa, only functions specified in both a header of the IPv4 packet and a header of the IPv6 packet are compatible between the IPv4 packet and the IPv6 packet, while functions specified only in one of the header of the IPv4 packet and the header of the IPv6 packet are not compatible and are thus ignored.
A fragment function of the IPv4 packet can be successfully handed over to the IPv6 packet and a fragment function of the IPv6 packet can be handed over to the IPv4 packet using an expansion header of the IPv6 packet. In short, functions defined in the RFC 2765 are normally transferred between the IPv4 packet and the IPv6 packet. However, functions not specified in the RFC 2765 are ignored in the process of converting the IPv4 packet into the IPv6 packet or vice versa, which results in problems in the converting process. More specifically, there is a great possibility of undesirably losing values recorded in a specific field of the header of the IPv4 packet, a specific field of the header of the IPv6 packet, or the expansion header of the IPv6 packet in the process of converting the IPv4 packet into the IPv6 packet or vice versa. Thus, if those values are accidentally lost, corresponding functions may not be transferred between the IPv4 packet and the IPv6 packet.
For example, an IPv4 security function defined in RFC 3514 is specified in a fragment offset field of the header of the IPv4 packet. Since the IPv4 security function is likely to be ignored in the process of converting the IPv4 packet into an IPv6 packet, it may not be transferred to the IPv6 packet. Accordingly, the IPv6 packet without the IPv4 security function is likely to be vulnerable to hacking attacks.


For rolling a workpiece with a rolling tool with several rolling elements arranged in hydrostatic bearings, during rolling, only some of the rolling elements engage the workpiece, while the rolling elements not engaging the workpiece essentially seal off the hydrostatic bearing. In such a rolling tool, the rolling elements are arranged so as to be distributed over an area, and each of the hydrostatic bearings includes a circumferential seal in the region of the rolling elements.

The present invention relates to a method for rolling a workpiece with a rolling tool with several rolling elements arranged in hydrostatic bearings. The present invention further relates to a rolling tool with several rolling elements arranged in hydrostatic bearings, and an arrangement of such a rolling tool and a workpiece.
To ensure clarity, it is necessary to establish the definition of several important terms and expressions that will be used throughout this disclosure. The term xe2x80x9crolling tool with several rolling elements arranged in hydrostatic bearingsxe2x80x9d refers to any tool which is suitable for exerting pressure forces onto a workpiece by way of rolling elements. This includes, in particular, planishing and solid-rolling. These are technologically very effective methods for smoothing surfaces, in particular of metallic components, and for solidification of the skin in order to increase fatigue resistance.
For planishing and solid-rolling, i.a., hydrostatic rolling tools are used, as described in European Pat. No. EP 0 353 376 A1. Highly loaded workpiece contours arranged on the inside are usually not accessible to these tools. Other methods must be used for contours which are so small and complex that known tools, due to their design size, do not fit into the regions to be worked. Furthermore, the tools, which usually only comprise one ball or roller or several balls or rollers, require a three-dimensional movement sequence which completely matches the workpiece contour, said movement sequence having to be carried out by the machine control system. This requires an expensive control system which most of the time turns out to be impracticable.
The shot-peening process is thus often used for skin solidification of complex contours, as there is a lack of better methods. The shot-peening process is associated with the disadvantage of shallow penetration depth and thus reduced effectiveness compared to roll methods. Moreover, the confined spaces in the case of complex contours often result in the used peening material banking up instead of flowing away freely. This further reduces the effectiveness of the shot-peening process.
Complex contours can also be rolled with single-roll mechanical tools or hydrostatic tools. The rolling process then takes place at an action point between the roll and the tool surface. The area of the workpiece can be achieved by two-dimensional movement of the tool or the workpiece. This includes, for example, rotation of the tool and advance of the tool. In the case of complex areas such as for example free-form areas, a feed movement in the third axis is superimposed.
Occasionally, rolling tools with several hydrostatic roll elements arranged on a circumferential line of a tool are used. These tools are suitable for treating interior circular lines, and, if the tool or the workpiece carries out a feed movement, they are also suitable for treating interior cylinder surfaces. However, the use of these tools is limited to applications of this kind.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved method for rolling a workpiece with a rolling tool with several rolling elements arranged in hydrostatic bearings, which obviates prior art shortcomings and allows simple and effective treatment of workpieces.
According to one aspect of the present invention, in a method for rolling a workpiece, a rolling tool has several rolling elements which are arranged in hydrostatic bearings, wherein during rolling, only some of the rolling elements engage the workpiece, while those rolling elements that are not in engagement with the workpiece essentially seal off the hydrostatic bearing.
Unlike conventional methods that use rolling tools with several rolling elements arranged in hydrostatic bearings, whereby all rolling elements are in constant engagement during the entire rolling process, the rolling method according to the present invention is based on the recognition that there are new possibilities for producing hydrostatic rolling tools if sealing is provided for the hydrostatic bearings which are not engaged. This sealing action is achieved in a simple way by those rolling elements which do not engage the workpiece in order to assume the sealing function of the associated hydrostatic bearings. As a result, the control operation is considerably facilitated because the lateral movement component of the rolling element can be exploited for sealing the hydrostatic bearing during interaction with the workpiece and during the disengagement of the rolling element.
It has been shown that the hydrostatic pressure acting on the rolling elements is normally sufficient to press the rolling element against a circumferential area which acts as a valve seat.
According to another feature of the present invention, the rolling tool may be moved in a linear or rotational manner. Thus, any interior or exterior surfaces of the workpiece can be manipulated by the rolling tool. The arrangement of the hydrostatic bearings on a tool body can be suited to the profile of the workpiece to be worked on. However, it is also possible to design rolling tools for universal use which tools can be guided so as to move in a translational and/or rotary way along the workpiece surfaces.
An advantageous variant of the process according to the invention provides for a repeated treatment of a same position of the workpiece, when the rolling tool is moved linearly in one direction. It is also possible to roll closely adjacent areas of the workpiece, using rolling elements which are successively guided over the workpiece. When using a plurality of rolling elements, it is also possible to repeatedly roll the same positions of the workpiece, using different rolling elements of the same tool. In this way, the rolling quality can be enhanced through suitable selection of the tool size or number of the rolling elements.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a rolling tool includes several rolling elements arranged in hydrostatic bearings in which the rolling elements are arranged so as to be distributed over an area.
Unlike conventional rolling tools having rolling elements arranged along a straight circumferential line, the rolling tool according to the invention provides for the rolling elements to be arranged so as to be distributed over an area of the rolling tool. In this way, the rolling elements are able to roll in a single rolling operation, not only a line, but also an area of the workpiece.
According to another feature of the present invention, the area may be curved at least in one direction. The area can thus be suited to the contour of the workpiece or allows between the tool and the workpiece an optimal engagement that is easy to control.
The area on which the rolling elements are arranged in spaced-apart relationship may also include concave and convex kinks, wherein rolling elements are suitably arranged in the region of the kinks. In this way, the rolling tool can be suited to specific workpieces for optimal rolling operation.
The rolling elements can be arranged on the rolling tool along parallel lines or along parallel circumferential lines. Currently preferred is a configuration in which those rolling elements disposed successively in rolling direction are arranged in offset relationship. As a consequence of the offset arrangement of the rolling elements, no single position of the workpiece is rolled repeatedly, but instead, closely adjacent positions of the workpiece are rolled so as to roll an area as evenly as possible.
When the number of rolling elements arranged in hydrostatic bearings on a rolling tool exceeds five bearings which are supplied together with hydraulic fluid, then the quantity of fluid required during the rolling process increases to such an extent that effective rolling operation is no longer possible. For this reason, according to the invention, it is proposed that, in the case of rolling tools having several rolling elements arranged in hydrostatic bearings, each of the hydrostatic bearings includes a circumferential seal in the region of the rolling elements.
In conventional hydrostatic bearings, it was possible to stop the supply of hydraulic fluid for all bearings together. However, individual control of the supply of hydraulic fluid to individual bearings was not possible. In accordance with the present invention, a circumferential seal may be provided in the region of the rolling elements. The arrangement of a seal in this position allows opening or closing of the seal through lateral movement of the rolling elements. Thus a hydrostatic bearing can be opened or sealed by interaction between rolling element and workpiece, without the need for an additional control system or regulating system.
According to another feature of the present invention, the hydrostatic bearings may include a sealing gap which is so dimensioned as to act as hydraulic throttle. It is the basic function of the sealing gap to enable or stop the through-flow of hydraulic fluid. The design as a hydraulic throttle has the advantage that even when the sealing gap is open, only a quantity of hydraulic fluid, defined by throttle action, flows through the sealing gap and reaches the region between the tool or the rolling element and the workpiece. In this way too, the quantity of hydraulic fluid issuing through the multitude of hydrostatic bearings is reduced.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, an arrangement includes a rolling tool with several rolling elements arranged in hydrostatic bearings, and a workpiece, whereby some of the rolling elements protrude beyond the hydrostatic bearing commensurate with a distance between the hydrostatic bearing and the workpiece, while some other rolling elements protrude beyond the hydrostatic bearing by more than the distance.
In this arrangement, the position of the rolling element thus changes in dependence on whether or not the rolling element engages the workpiece. Thus, the position of the rolling element can be exploited for sealing and controlling a throttle. When there is particular firm bearing pressure between the rolling element and the workpiece, the throttle between the hydrostatic bearing and the rolling element is opened up wide, with a considerable quantity of hydraulic fluid issuing as a consequence. However, if the bearing pressure between the rolling element and the workpiece is low, the throttle is opened only slightly so that only a relatively small quantity of hydraulic fluid leaves the hydrostatic bearing. Finally, when the rolling element no longer engages the workpiece, the throttle turns into a seal, preferably completely sealing off the issue of hydraulic fluid.

Method of and tool for rolling a workpiece, and arrangement of a rolling tool and a workpiece


A processing device coupled to a host device via a connection device and including a connection port, a control unit and a switching unit is disclosed. The connection port connects to the connection device. The control unit controls a switching signal according to the kind of the connection device when the connection port is coupled between the connection port and the host device. The switching unit transmits an external power to the control unit according to the switching signal. When the switching unit transmits the external power to the control unit, the control unit operates according to the external power provided by an external device. When the switching unit does not transmit the external power to the control unit, the control unit operates according to a host power provided by the host device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a processing device, and more particularly to a processing device receiving different power during different states.
2. Description of the Related Art
With technological development, the types of peripheral devices of computers have increased. Generally, each peripheral device communicates with a computer via a connection cable in a wire transmission structure. Some peripheral devices receive independent power from external devices. For example, an adapter transforms home power into an operation power and provides the transformation result to the peripheral devices.
However, a portion of the connection cables also comprise a function to transmit power. When a connection cable with the transmitting function is coupled between a peripheral device and a computer, a host power provided by the computer is transmitted to the peripheral device via the connection cable. When the peripheral device simultaneously receives the operation power provided by an adapter and the host power provided by the computer for a long period of time, one power collides with the other power to damage the peripheral device.

Processing device receiving different power during different states


The present invention provides methods and compositions comprising inorganic solids for use as pigments in paints, papers and plastics.

Inorganic particles have a wide variety of uses as pigments or as additives to pigments that are important in the manufacture of paints, plastics, paper, laminates, coatings and other applications.
There have been significant efforts to produce inorganic pigments with desired characteristics (i.e., particle size, shape, coating and/or crystallinity) for the particular application. The prior art mixes, blends, or coats inorganic base particles with other inorganic solids to obtain compositions with useful properties such as brightness, opacity, and light scattering. Typically, insufficient mechanical dispersion of the base particle and other inorganic solids causes the composition to flocculate or agglomerate reducing, among other things, light-scattering, brightness and opacity. The tendency to flocculate or agglomerate can also be reduced by coating the inorganic base particles with suitable inorganic solids that effect the surface charge and other properties.
One particularly useful inorganic base particle comprises titanium dioxide. Titanium dioxide base particles are often incorporated into paint, plastic, paper, or other coating systems. This pigment imparts desirable properties such as, for example, brightness, opacity, light scattering, and durability.
It is known that light-scattering characteristics of pigments do not improve greatly above a certain pigment concentration. One reason light-scattering efficiency is decreased at high pigment concentrations is an effect known as xe2x80x9ccrowding.xe2x80x9d
An inorganic pigment particle of optimum size may have a light scattering cross-section that is 3-4 times larger than the projected cross-section (area) of the pigment particle. At high pigment concentrations, where the pigment particles are close to each other, overlapping of light scattering cross-sections causes a severe reduction in the pigment""s scattering efficiency. For example, in order to avoid crowding in a TiO2-based pigment when used in paper, the distance between the TiO2 pigment particles should be kept to about 0.1 xcexcm or more apart.
The crowding effect becomes even more serious when pigment particles are blended or mixed, which often causes agglomeration of the particles in the resultant composition. This effect is particularly seen in some papermaking processes.
There are other factors that can affect the scattering efficiency of pigment mixtures with high pigment particle concentration, especially in papermaking processes. Scattering efficiency in these processes depends strongly on the medium in which the pigment particle is incorporated. For example, the scattering efficiency of pigment particles dispersed in air can be 2 to 3 times higher than the same pigment particles dispersed in resins or fillers.
In order to reduce the crowding effect, it is common to add an extender, also called a spacer or filler, to the pigment in order to space apart the pigment particles. Some spacers and fillers include calcium carbonate, clay, silica, alumina, and other metal oxide particles. Typically, spacers and fillers have a lower cost than the base inorganic solid (i.e., titanium dioxide) and therefore reduce the cost of the resultant pigment composition.
Considerable research effort has been directed to making pigment compositions having reduced amounts of base particles. There have been attempts to blend or mix base particles with other less expensive inorganic solids resulting in spaced pigment products. However, the resultant products from blending or mixing have poor light-scattering, brightness and opacity characteristics. For example, when clay is mechanically mixed or blended with titanium dioxide, it is not possible to control the distribution of clay spacer particles throughout the mixture uniformly because the clay particles do not attach effectively to the surfaces of the titanium dioxide particles. In addition, blending methods are especially susceptible to pigment particle agglomeration, which reduces light scattering characteristics of the pigment product.
Other methods of coating pigment particles seek to achieve better dispersion by forming the spacer particles in situ on the pigment particles. For example, precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) spacer particles are deposited on the surface of titanium dioxide base particles by bubbling carbon dioxide through a slurry containing lime and titanium dioxide. This precipitation method achieves the making of PCC spacers, but does not provide proper control over the precipitated particle size. Common problems include insufficient size of the precipitated spacers and agglomeration of the spacers. These problems are due in part to the complexity of many factors that influence the formation of the spacers, such as reactant concentrations, additives, temperature, processing pH, ageing periods.
Based on the foregoing, there remains a need for methods and compositions with desired characteristics (i.e., particle size, shape, coating, or crystallinity) for end use applications. There is also a need for inorganic pigment methods and compositions with minimal agglomeration and improved light-scattering efficiency, brightness and/or opacity.
The present invention provides methods and compositions for changing the characteristics of pigments by precipitating inorganic solids in the presence of a suitable surfactant. The present invention provides compositions and methods that are cost-effective and produce inorganic compositions with minimal agglomeration and improved light-scattering efficiency, brightness and/or opacity. It has also been found that inorganic particles precipitated on the base particle can have substantially spherical shape and be a particular size that improves the light-scattering efficiency, brightness and/or opacity of the pigment composition.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides a pigment composition comprising one or more inorganic base particles and one or more substantially spherical shaped spacer particles deposited thereon, the pigment composition having a particle size range between about 0.1 and about 0.5 microns.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a pigment composition comprising one or more titanium dioxide base particles, one or more substantially spherical shaped calcium carbonate particles deposited thereon and a surfactant, the pigment composition having a particle size range between about 0.1 and about 0.5 microns.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, an inorganic composition comprising one or more substantially spherical shaped inorganic particles, the particles having a size range between about 0.1 and about 1 microns is provided.
In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides an inorganic composition comprising one or more substantially spherical shaped calcium carbonate particles, the particles having a size range between about 0.1 and about 1 microns.
In another exemplary embodiment, of the present invention provides a method of preparing pigment particles comprising the steps of: preparing an aqueous slurry of base pigment particles, adding a surfactant and one or more than one spacer precursor to the slurry, and precipitating the spacer precursor on the base pigment particles under conditions so as to form substantially spherical shaped spacer particles on the base pigment particles, the base pigment particles having a particle size range between about 0.1 and about 0.5 microns.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a method of making substantially spherical calcium carbonate particles comprising adding a surfactant to a source of calcium carbonate to obtain substantially spherical calcium carbonate particles.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method of making substantially spherical calcium carbonate particles comprising adding carbon dioxide to a mixture comprising lime, water, and a surfactant to obtain substantially spherical calcium carbonate particles.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a pigment composition comprising one or more titanium dioxide base particles, one or more substantially spherical shaped silica particles deposited thereon and a surfactant, the silica having a particle size range between about 5 and about 50 nanometers.
In yet another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method of preparing titanium dioxide pigment particles comprising the steps of: preparing an aqueous slurry of base titanium dioxide, adding a surfactant and a source of calcium carbonate to the slurry, and precipitating calcium carbonate on the base titanium dioxide particles under conditions so as to form substantially spherical shaped calcium carbonate particles on the titanium dioxide particle, wherein the titanium dioxide particle has a particle size range between about 0.1 and about 0.5 microns.
In alternate embodiment, the present invention provides a method of preparing pigment particles comprising the steps of: preparing an aqueous slurry of base titanium dioxide pigment particles, adding a surfactant and one or more silica spacer precursors to the slurry, and precipitating the one or more silica spacer precursors on the base pigment particles under conditions so as to form substantially spherical shaped silica spacer particles on the base pigment particles, the base pigment particles having a particle size range between about 0.1 and about 0.5 microns.
In yet another alternate embodiment, the present invention provides paints, plastics and paper comprising the pigments of the present invention.
In other embodiments, the present invention provides paints, plastics and paper comprising the pigment made by the methods of the present invention.

Inorganic particles and methods of making


An image processing apparatus includes: a casing; a posture detection unit detecting whether a posture of the casing is a vertical posture; an imaging unit capturing an image of a subject and outputting the captured image; an image transform unit transforming the captured image into a horizontally and vertically transformed image with the same size as that of the captured image by rotating the captured image so as to reverse its horizontal and vertical sides and further reducing the captured image; a recording reproduction unit recording image data generated from the captured image; and a control unit controlling the image transform unit and the recording reproduction unit to generate the image data from the horizontally and vertically transformed image instead of the captured image, when the posture of the casing is the vertical posture.

The present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method.
In general, a still image or a moving image is captured using an apparatus such as a camera or a video camera. An image signal obtained by capturing the still image or the moving image is recorded as image data in accordance with predetermined formats. Here, in many formats used to record the image data, an aspect ratio of the screen for defining the horizontal-to-vertical ratio of an image is determined. For example, in a case of a moving image, a horizontal-to-vertical ratio of 16:9, a horizontal-to-vertical ratio of 4:3, or the like is generally used as the aspect ratio of the screen. In recent years, techniques for processing these aspect ratios of the screen have been developed. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-3240 discloses a technique for determining plural kinds of aspect ratios of the screen and outputting an image at an optimum aspect ratio.

Image processing apparatus and image processing method


An interactive and motivational game apparatus and game are disclosed for encouraging children to eat a healthy meal. Provided is a table game apparatus comprising meal time images, and interactive elements including light, sound, or motion that game players can interact with by pressing activation buttons located on the game apparatus.

Children are often reluctant to eat or drink healthy portions during meal time. They become distracted or bored with sitting at the table which frustrates parents and caregivers. It is known that children respond well to positive reinforcement, enjoy playing games, and respond well to interactive electronic devices, particularly when they have some element of direct control. The present invention provides parents with a game apparatus that will take the frustration out of meal time, give children a feeling of control and provides a fun electronic game that will keep them stimulated and engaged in consuming food.
A number of devices have been contemplated to encourage children to eat but most are associated with containers for food. A child's dish or bowl adapted to retain a toy or other prize which may be received by the child only when he has eaten substantially all of the food in the dish is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,561,594, to Pokras. U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,329 to Roberts, describes a combination of a food dish and an electronic sound unit with latching means for securing the sound unit to the dish, and a feeding utensil for use with the food dish, and a proximate switch means that enables the sound unit when the utensil is brought into proximity to the proximate switch. Another child's feeding bowl is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,258 to Fitzgerald wherein the bowl includes separate food compartments and a chance control means for identifying a compartment that can be eaten out of. Another feeding bowl accessory device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,743,071 to Tronca, wherein a rim member designed to be attached to a food container, has a head member that is positioned over the container allowing children to put food through the head member. These devices may encourage children to eat with entertaining stimulus, but may also be distracting since they are in control by the child. In addition, these devices would require cleaning after every meal, and may be subject to breaking or damage from the handling required to clean it after every use.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an interactive and motivational eating game apparatus and game for encouraging children to eat, without the drawbacks of direct food contact, complicated game play, and limited ability of parent or caregiver to direct the game outcome.

Interactive healthy eating table game apparatus and game


A method, apparatus, and system are disclosed for hybrid power system braking. In one embodiment, a vehicle weight input is received by a brake controller. In response to receiving the vehicle weight input, a maximum negative braking torque is determined. Regulation of negative braking torque according to vehicle weight is accomplished by one or both of a regenerative braking device and mechanical braking device.

Environmental concerns and limited natural resources are highlighting the desire for reduced fuel consumption. One promising avenue toward the reduction of fuel consumption is the use of hybrid powertrains. Many hybrid powertrains utilize regenerative braking to increase the overall efficiency of the system. Regenerative braking recovers kinetic energy from a moving vehicle and utilizes the recovered energy to store electrical potential energy. In presently available hybrid powertrain systems, regenerative braking can be triggered by means other than actuation of the brake pedal, such as by lifting of the accelerator pedal. This creates difficulties in regulating the maximum breaking, particularly in vehicles where vehicle weight widely varies due to cargo loading, which results in widely variable braking requirements. Too little regenerative braking on, for example, a heavily loaded vehicle can produce inadequate deceleration causing the operator to depend more on friction braking and harm fuel economy and increase brake wear. Too much regenerative braking on an empty or lightly loaded vehicle can cause excessive deceleration and possible traction control issues on the roadway. Therefore, further technological developments are desirable in this area.

Hybrid vehicle braking adjustment for vehicle weight


Stunning device (1) for small animals or fish of 2 kg to 7 kg weight comprises pneumatically powered piston assembly (2) which includes an extendible piston. Support (3) for piston assembly (2) includes base member (4) and multi-component trigger (22, 23, 24, 26). Piston assembly (2) is positioned to define a space between base member (4) and head plate (21) for receiving the head (27) of the animal. When the piston is activated by head (27) contacting plate (22), it extends and strikes head (27) just behind and/or between the eyes with sufficient force to kill the animal with a shock to the brain, but without affecting the external appearance of the animal or fish. The piston extends only once and then retracts, and trigger (22, 23, 24, 26) is reset by removing head (27) from device (1).

This invention relates to apparatus which can be used to stun, or slaughter, small animals and fish. In particular, the invention relates to pneumatically operated apparatus.
Processing of animals for food usually involves the initial slaughter of the animal. In the processing of larger animals such as cattle, this is typically done by a blow to an animal""s head using a pneumatically- or cartridge-powered gun with a captive bolt or piston in place of a projectile.
Processing of some fishes also requires slaughter as an initial step in the process. For example, salmon are typically xe2x80x9cstunnedxe2x80x9d by a blow to the head before processing as food. In many instances, the blow is applied with a simple club, there being no readily available apparatus for the procedure. Smaller animals such as rabbits are similarly stunned by a blow to the head, there again being no readily available apparatus suitable for use with animals of this size.
Any apparatus must be capable of delivering a blow to the head of an animal or fish in such a way that stunning can be done humanely. For most processing needs, the apparatus must also be capable of delivering blows quickly and repetitively so that large numbers of animals or fish can be processed.
Pneumatically powered apparatus is used for larger animals because it meets the needs set out in the previous paragraph. However, such apparatus is not suitable for use with smaller animals or fish. Smaller hand-held pneumatic devices are knownxe2x80x94for example, pneumatically powered nail gunsxe2x80x94but these are not suitable for use as a fish or animal stunning device because of their configurations. Such devices are nevertheless capable of delivering an adequate force.
The object of the invention is to provide a stunning device that can be used for the rapid and repetitive stunning of small animals or fish and that utilizes pneumatic power.
In a broad format, the invention provides an animal or fish stunning device comprising:
a pneumatically-powered piston assembly comprising a piston retractably extendable from an open ended cylinder included in said assembly;
a support for said piston assembly including a base member, wherein said piston assembly is positioned with respect to said base member to define a space between said base member and said cylinder open end for receiving a head of an animal or fish, and wherein said piston can extend partially into said space; and
a trigger for activating extension of said piston when said trigger is contacted by the head of said animal or fish when positioned in said space.
The operating principle of the stunning device according to the invention is that that the animal or fish is killed by a blow to the head administered by the piston of the device. The action is initiated by insertion of the animal""s or fish""s head into the space between the base member of the support for the piston assembly and the open end of the cylinder whereby contact with a trigger activates the piston. The trigger and cylinder are configured such that when the piston is activated, it strikes the animal or fish just behind and/or between the eyes. This impact is sufficient to kill the animal or fish due to the shock to the brain.
A design feature of the device is that when activated, the piston extends only once and then retracts. Removal of the animal or fish resets the trigger so that the device can be immediately used to stun another animal or fish.
The piston assembly of devices according to the invention is advantageously pivotally mounted to the support so that the distance between the base member and the open end of the cylinder can be adjusted to allow use with differently sized animals and fishes. The piston assembly can be either fixed in a particular position or mounted such that some degree of movement is possible. This allows for automatic adjustment of the distance between the base member and the open end of the cylinder when differently sized individuals of the same species of animal or fish are to be slaughtered.
The mounting of the piston assembly to the support is typically such that the assembly can be demounted to allow cleaning of both components. Devices advantageously include guide plates to facilitate insertion of the head of the animal or fish into the space between the base member of the support and the open end of the cylinder. Preferably, the distance between guide plates at each side of the entrance to the device is adjustable. Advantageously, the entire device can be dismantled for cleaning of all components.
The support for the piston assembly advantageously comprises a planar base member and planar side members. Alternatively, the support can be a framework of elongate members.
The pneumatic operation of the piston is typically effected by incorporating apparatus commonly known as a xe2x80x9cnail gunxe2x80x9d in the piston assembly of devices according to the invention. As such guns are typically capable of repetitive firing on activation, devices include a mechanism which allows only a single extension of the piston. This will be explained in greater detail below. However, it will be appreciated by one of skill in the art of the manufacture of such devices that the pneumatically-operated piston can be any suitable assembly including a purpose-built assembly.
Devices according to the invention can be used with small animals and are particularly suited for use with animals having a weight of 2 to 7 kg. With regard to fishes, devices can be conveniently used with fish having a weight of up to about 7 kg such as salmon, trout and sea bass. Devices are most particularly suited for the stunning of salmon during the commercial processing thereof.
With devices according to the invention, animals or fish to be processed can be rapidly and efficiently stunned with minimal risk of injury to the operator. Furthermore, as triggering is effected by the head of the animal or fish, both hands of the operator can be used to guide the head of the animal or fish into the device. An additional advantage of devices according to the invention is that the external appearance of the animal or fish is not affected by the killing process. This is particularly important for sale of whole fish. The quality of fish is also enhanced through more rapid and humane killing at the point of harvest.
Having broadly described the invention, stunning devices will now be exemplified with reference to the drawings briefly described hereafter.

Stunning device for killing small animals or fish


An output buffer circuit comprises an input terminal for receiving an input signal, an output circuit coupled to a first node for outputting an output signal in response to a potential level appeared on the first node and a bootstrap circuit coupled between the first node and the input terminal. The bootstrap circuit comprises a delay circuit for delaying the input signal to provide a delayed input signal, a first transistor for receiving a signal inverted from the input signal, a second transistor coupled for receiving the delayed input signal and controlling a the first transistor, a third transistor connected in parallel to the second transistor, a fourth transistor coupled a gate of the third transistor for receiving the input signal and a charge circuit coupled between the delay circuit and the first node for supplying an electric charge to the first node. The charge circuit is activated in response to the potential level appeared on the first node and the delayed input signal.

This invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit such as a semiconductor memory or the like, and particularly to an output buffer circuit having a bootstrap circuit.
An output buffer circuit may have a bootstrap circuit. The bootstrap circuit is provided to output data at high speed and enhance driving capability. The output buffer circuit having the bootstrap circuit has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 161921/84.
The disclosed output buffer circuit is provided with a bootstrap capacitor. When the bootstrap capacitor is discharged, a potential applied to the gate of an output transistor is raised. A power source potential supplied to the drain of the output transistor is supplied to other circuit through the source of the output transistor without a reduction in the power source potential with an increase in the potential applied to the gate of the output transistor.
There has recently been a demand for the appearance of an output buffer circuit which is simple in circuit configuration and capable of outputting data at high speed.


An assembled battery total voltage detection circuit includes a main control circuit, a divider resistor connected between a plus terminal and a minus terminal of an assembled battery insulated from the main control circuit, and a differential amplifier circuit that amplifies voltage divided by the divider resistor. A constant electric potential relative to a ground of the main control circuit is applied to a midpoint of the divider resistor. The main control circuit measures the voltage divided by the divider resistor via the differential amplifier circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an assembled battery total voltage detection circuit, in particular, an assembled battery total voltage detection circuit that measures voltage divided by a divider resistor connected between a plus (+) terminal and a minus (−) terminal.
2. Description of Related Art
A total voltage detection circuit with insulated input and output is conventionally used in, for example, an assembled battery for a pure electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle. The insulation is required because a vehicle occupant otherwise may get a shock when high voltage shorts to a chassis ground of a vehicle. Therefore, in a pure electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle, a main control circuit connected to the chassis ground of the vehicle and a circuit for a high voltage system are insulated from each other by high resistance.
FIG. 2 shows an example of the total voltage detection circuit for an assembled battery. In the circuit in FIG. 2, a total voltage of an assembled battery 1 is divided to a low voltage by using resistors 2 and 3 so that the low voltage constitutes an input voltage into an A/D converter 4. The A/D converter 4 operates with an insulation power source 6 utilizing a reference voltage source 5 as a reference voltage. The A/D converter 4 is insulated via a photo-coupler portion 7. A microcomputer 8 performs operation control and data communication with a power source insulated from a high voltage system.
For an assembled battery total voltage detection circuit, Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. 2004-219414 discloses a technique in which a divider resistor constituted by a series circuit including a high resistor R1, a resistor Rm1, a resistor Rm2, and a high resistor R2 is connected between a plus terminal and a minus terminal of an assembled battery, and a voltage divided by the divider resistor is measured via a differential amplifier circuit, with a connection point (midpoint of the divider resistor) of the resistors Rm1 and Rm2 connected to a ground. Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. 2001-124805 discloses a technique for measurement through converting an assembled battery voltage to a current via a resistor and performing voltage-to-current conversion while insulating.
However, the conventional assembled battery total voltage detection circuit shown in FIG. 2 has a problem that an A/D converter is required besides a main control circuit which is constituted by an insulation power source, a microcomputer, and the like, thereby resulting in an increase in production costs. In the technique disclosed in the patent publications quoted above, high resistance is required to increase voltage divider ratio so as to divide voltage into one that an A/D converter can measure. In this case, current that flows through a total voltage detection terminal (connector) is reduced. Therefore, a costly gold-plated terminal is required so as to secure reliability of contact point of the total voltage detection terminal.
In view of these circumstances, the present invention intends to provide an assembled battery total voltage detection circuit, assuring high reliability and reduction in cost.

Assembled battery total voltage detection circuit