The present invention involves a novel tripyrrole dimethine-derived "expanded porphyrin" (texaphyrin), the synthesis of such compounds, their analogs or derivatives and their uses. These expanded porphyrin-like macrocycles are efficient chelators of divalent and trivalent metal ions. Metal complexes of these compounds are active as photosensitizers for the generation of singlet oxygen and thus potentially for inactivation or destruction of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), mononuclear or other cells infected with such virus and tumor cells as well. A variety of texaphyrin derivatives have been produced and many more are readily obtainable. Various metal (e.g., transition, main group, and lanthanide) complexes with the texaphyrin and texaphyrin derivatives of the present invention have unusual water solubility and stability which render them particularly useful. These metallotexaphyrin complexes have optical properties making them unique as compared to existing porphyrin-like or other macrocycles. For example, they absorb light strongly in a physiologically important region (i.e. 690-880 nm). These complexes also form long-lived triplet states in high yield and act as efficient photosensitizers for the formation of singlet oxygen. These properties, coupled with their high chemical stability and appreciable solubility in polar media such as water, add to their usefulness.

The porphyrins and related tetrapyrrole macrocycles are among the most versatile of tetradentate ligands.sup.1 (see Example 1 for the references in this paragraph). Attempts to stabilize higher coordination geometries, however, with larger porphyrin-like aromatic macrocycles have met with little success..sup.2-5 Indeed, to date, only the uranyl complex of "superphthalocyanine" has been isolated and characterized structurally,.sup.2 although several other large porphyrin-like aromatic macrocycles, including the "sapphyrins",.sup.3,6 "oxosapphyrins",.sup.6,7 "platyrins",.sup.8 "pentaphyrin",.sup.9 and "[26]porphyrin",.sup.10 have been prepared in their metal free forms.
Although the porphyrins and related tetrapyrrolic compounds remain among the most widely studied of all known macrocycles,.sup.1 relatively little effort has been devoted to the development of larger conjugated pyrrole containing systems.sup.2-12 (references cited in this paragraph are shown in Example 2). Large, or "expanded" porphyrin-like systems, however, are of interest for several reasons: They could serve as possible aromatic analogues of the better studied porphyrins.sup.2-8 or serve as potential biomimetic models for these or other naturally occurring pyrrole-containing systems..sup.13,14 In addition, large pyrrole containing systems offer exciting possibilities as novel metal binding macrocycles..sup.2,9-12,15 For instance, suitably designed systems could act as versatile ligands capable of binding larger metal cations and/or stabilizing higher coordination geometries.sup.2,16 than those routinely accommodated within the normally tetradentate ca. 2.0 .ANG. radius porphyrin core..sup.17 The resulting complexes could have important application in the area of heavy metal chelation therapy, serve as contrast agents for magnetic resonanace imaging (MRI) applications, act as vehicles for radioimmunological labeling work, or serve as new systems for extending the range and scope of coordination chemistry..sup.15,18 In addition, the free-base (metal-free) and/or diamagnetic metal-containing materials could serve as useful photosensitizers for photodynamic therapeutic applications. In recent years a number of potentially pentadentate polypyrrolic aromatic systems, including the "sapphyrins",.sup.3,4 "oxosapphyrins",.sup.5 "smaragdyrins",.sup.3,4 platyrins.sup.6 and "pentaphyrin" .sup.7 have been prepared and studied as their metal-free forms. For the most part, however, little or no information is available for the corresponding metallated forms. Indeed, the uranyl complex of "superphthalocyanine " was the only metal-containing pentapyrrolic system which has been prepared and characterized structurally..sup.2 Unfortunately, the "superphthalocyanine" system is apparently not capable of existence in either its free-base or other metal-containing forms..sup.2 Thus, prior to the present invention, no versatile, structurally characterized, pentadentate aromatic ligands were available,.sup.11 although a number of nonaromatic pyridine-derived pentadentate systems had previously been reported..sup.19,20
Gadolinium(III) complexes derived from strongly binding anionic ligands, such as diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA),.sup.1,2,3 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane N,N',N, ",N'"-tetraacetic acid (DOTA),.sup.1,4,5 and 1,10-diaza-4,7,13,16-tetraoxacyclooctadecane-N,N'-diacetic acid (dacda),.sup.1,6 are among the most promising of the paramagnetic contrast currently being developed for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).sup.1 (references cited in this paragraph are shown in Example 3). Indeed, [Gd. DTPA].sup.- is now undergoing clinical trials in the United States for possible use in enhanced tumor detection protocols..sup.1 Nonetheless, the synthesis of other gadolinium(III) complexes remains of interest since such systems might have greater kinetic stability, superior relaxivity, or better biodistribution properties than the existing carboxylate-based contrast agents. One approach currently being pursued is based on using water-soluble porphyrin derivatives, such as tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (TPPS)..sup.7,8,9 Unfortunately, the large gadolinium(III) cation cannot be accommodated completely.sup.10 within the relatively small prophyrin binding core (r.congruent.2.0 .ANG..sup.11), and, as a consequence, gadolinium prophyrin complexes are invariably hydrolytically unstable..sup.7,8,12,13 Larger porphyrin-like ligands, however, might offer a means of circumventing this problem..sup.14-22
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and cancer are among the most serious public health problems facing our nation today. AIDS, first reported in 1981 as occurring among male homosexuals,.sup.1 is a fatal human disease which has now reached pandemic proportions (the references in this and the following four paragraphs are shown in Example 5). Cancer, in spite of some very significant advances in diagnostics and treatment in recent years, remains the third leading cause of death in this country. Finding better ways to detect, treat, and reduce the transmission of these disorders are thus research objectives of the highest importance.
One of the more promising new modalities currently being explored for use in the control and treatment of tumors is photodynamic therapy (PDT)..sup.1-5 This technique is based on the use of a photosensitizing dye, which localizes at, or near, the tumor site, and when irradiated in the presence of oxygen serves to produce cytotoxic materials, such as singlet oxygen (O.sub.2 (.sup.1 .DELTA..sub.g)), from otherwise benign precursors (e.g. (O.sub.2 (.sup.3 .SIGMA..sub.g -)). Much of the current excitement associated with PDT derives from
just this property: In marked contrast to current methods (e.g. conventional chemotherapy), in PDT the drugs themselves can (and should) be completely innocuous until "activated" with light by an attending physician. Thus a level of control and selectivity may be attained which is not otherwise possible.
At present, diamagnetic porphyrins and their derivatives are considered the dyes of choice for PDT. It has been known for decades that porphyrins, such as hematoporphyrin, localize selectively in rapidly growing tissues including sarcomas and carcinomas,.sup.6 although the reasons for this selectivity remain recondite. Currently most attention is focusing on the so-called hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD),.sup.2-5,7-21 an incompletely characterized mixture of monomeric and oligomeric porphyrins produced by treating hematoporphyrin dihydrochloride with acetic acid-sulfuric acid followed by dilute base..sup.22,27 Fractions rich in the oligomeric species, which are believed to have the best tumor-localizing ability,.sup.23,26 are marketed under the trade name Photofirin II.RTM. (PII) and are currently undergoing phase III clinical trials for obstructed endobronchial tumors and superficial bladder tumors. Here, the mechanism of action is thought to be largely, if not entirely, due to the photoproduction of singlet oxygen (O.sub.2 (.sup.1 .DELTA..sub.g)), although alternative mechanisms of action, including those involving superoxide anion or hydroxyl and/or porphyrin-based radicals cannot be entirely ruled out..sup.28-33 Promising as HPD is, it and other available photosensitizers (e.g., the phthalocyanines and napthaphthalocynines) suffer from serious disadvantages.
While porphyrin derivatives have high triplet yields and long triplet lifetimes (and consequently transfer excitation energy efficiently to triplet oxygen),.sup.3b,3g their absorption in the Q-band region often parallels that of heme-containing tissues. Phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines absorb in a more convenient spectral range but have significantly lower triplet yields;.sup.4 moreover, they tend to be quite insoluble in polar protic solvents, and are difficult to functionalize. Thus at present the development of more effective photochemotherapeutic agents appears to require the synthesis of compounds which absorb in the spectral region where living tissues are relatively transparent (i.e., 700-1000 nm),.sup.1d have high triplet quantum yields, and are minimally toxic. The present inventors have recently reported.sup.5 (see Example 1) the synthesis of a new class of aromatic porphyrin-like macrocycles, the tripyrroledimethine-derived "texaphyrins", which absorb strongly in the tissue-transparent 730-770 nm range. The photophysical properties of metallotexaphyrins 1.sub.C -7.sub.C parallel those of the corresponding metallaporphyrins and the diamagnetic complexes 1.sub.C -4.sub.C sensitize the production of .sup.1 O.sub.2 in high quantum yield. FIG. 19 shows the schematic structure, metal complexes and derivatives of compounds of the present invention (1.sub.C -7.sub.C).
Singlet oxygen is also believed to be the critical toxic species operative in experimental photsensitized blood purification procedures..sup.34-39 This very new application of photodynamic therapy is of tremendous potential importance: It shows promise of providing a safe and effective means of removing enveloped viruses such as HIV-1, herpes simplex (HSV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), various forms of hepatitis-inducing virus, as well as other opportunistic blood-borne infections (e.g. bacteria and malaria-plasmodium) from transfused whole blood. Given that AIDS is currently a not effectively treated and usually fatal disease, the benefit of such a blood purification procedure would be of inestimable value.
At present, sexual relations and needle-sharing are the dominant mechanisms for the spread of AIDS..sup.1 An increasing percentage of AIDS infections, however, are now occurring as a result of blood transfusions..sup.1,40-43 Unfortunately, banked blood components are essential products for the practice of modern medicine and as a result this method of transmission is not likely to be precluded by simple changes in lifestyle. Rather, an absolutely fail-proof means must be developed to insure that all stored blood samples are free of the AIDS virus (and ideally all other blood-borne pathogens). To a certain extent this can be accomplished by screening the donors' histories and carrying out serologic tests. At present, however, the serologic tests for HIV-1 are insufficient to detect all infected blood samples, in particular, those derived from donors who have contacted the disease but not yet produced detectable antibodies..sup.42,43 In addition, new mutants of the AIDS virus have been detected; some or all of which may escape detection by current means..sup.1 Thus, an antiviral system is needed which removes any form of HIV-1 from stored blood. This is particularly important since a stored blood sample from one infected donor could potentially end up being administered to several different patients, in, for instance, the course of pediatric care.

Expanded porphyrins: large porphyrin-like tripyrroledimethine-derived macrocycles

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


A mainboard for a display panel has at least one socket for receiving a cable. The socket is rotatable between first and second orientations. This enables the socket to be oriented to face sideways if the display panel is mounted on a wall and to face rearwards if the display panel is not mounted on a wall.

It is common for display panels to be mounted or stood on a horizontal or substantially horizontal surface, such as a desk or table or dedicated stand or cabinet or the like. Especially in the case that the display panel is a television but also in some other display panels, it is common for the sockets for video and audio input/output, etc. to face rearwards. However, the same display panel may also be mounted to a vertical or substantially vertical surface, such as a wall or pillar or vertical display stand or the like. In that case, as the rear of the display panel is often very close to the vertical surface, access to the sockets to connect and disconnect cables can be restricted or even impossible, which is inconvenient and frustrating for the user.

VESTEL ELEKTRONIK SANAYI VE TICARET A.S.


A system and method for detecting an error in a transmission of data through an ATM cell in a ATM switching system is disclosed. The present invention allows a system manager to easily detect errors as the errors occur in the ATM switching system.

The present invention relates to a data communication and more particularly to monitoring an Asynchronous Transfer Mode cell bus.
The Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is the technology selected by the Consultative Committee on International telephone and Telegraph (ITU) International standards organization (now called the ITU-T) to realize a Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (B-ISDN). ATM is a very high speed transmission technology utilized in data communication. A general concept of ATM is disclosed by Harry Neviton in Newton""s Telecom Dictionary, Flatiron Publishing, pp. 67-8, 1998 and is fully incorporated herein.
ATM is a high bandwidth, low-decay, connection-oriented, packet-like switching and multiplexing technique. The usable capacity is segmented into 53 fixed size cells, consisting of header and information fields, allocated to services on demand. The small, fixed length cells require lower processing overhead and allow higher transmission speeds than traditional packet switching methods. Also, ATM automatically adjusts the network capacity to meet the system needs and can handle data, voice, video and television signals.
All broadband transmissions (whether audio, data, imaging or video) are divided into the fixed length cells and routed across an ATM network consisting of links connected by ATM switches. Each ATM link comprises a constant stream of ATM cell slots into which transmissions are placed or left idle, if unused. The cell-switching technology of ATM combines the best advantages of both circuit-switching (for constant bit rate services such as voice and image) and packet-switching (for variable bit rate services such as data and full motion video) technologies.
Particularly, each cell consists of 53 eight-bit bytes, called octets, wherein five octets are header field and the remaining 48 octets are user data. The header contains data that identifies the related cell, a logical address that identifies the routing, header error correction bits for priority handling and network management functions. The user data contains the xe2x80x9cpayloadxe2x80x9d or the information to be transmitted.
An ATM switching system in the related art includes a bus master and a plurality of bus slaves connected to the bus master. Also, a system manager may monitor the status of ATM cell buses utilizing a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). Namely, the cell buses are monitored during the transmission and reception of Packets by periodically requesting and receiving responses to analyze the CRC value of the transmitted and received data.
As an error detection method for detecting group error in the transmitted data, the CRC utilizes polynomial codes for error detection as well as the minimum bits required for expressing the data to detect errors. For CRC, additional bits need not be attached to each character, like a parity checking method. However, a Frame Check Sequence (FCS) calculated based upon the actual contents of a frame is attached to the end of the frame and transmitted. Accordingly, generation of polynomial to calculate the FCS is required.
As described above, CRC allows a system manager to periodically detect errors in the ATM switching system. Therefore, errors cannot be detected as the errors occur in between the periods while the ATM switching system is in operation.
An object of the present invention is to solve at least the problems and disadvantages of the related art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hardware based method of monitoring ATM cell buses.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purposes of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein,


Disclosed herein is a suspension arm component for vehicles with sufficient strength or rigidity to withstand repetitive compressive and tensile forces, and a method for manufacturing such a component by pressing or hemming process alone, without recourse to any welding process, forming quickly and simply, a process with advantages in terms of material yield and cost. The suspension arm component for vehicles includes first flange pieces as well as second flange pieces, and a pair of half members, each having a hat-like shaped cross-section perpendicular to its axis, are joined together to protrude the first flange part and the second flange part from an expanded part, where both the first flange part and the second flange part extend linearly along the axis of the main body part. The main body part presents a rectangular shape in its side view.

Arm components for vehicles, such as suspension arms that connect car bodies with wheels or radius rods that connect sub frames to wheel side structures, need to have sufficient rigidities in order to resist or to transmit large forces that are applied in propelling or braking the vehicles.
An arm component such as those mentioned above is typically constituted of a tube with a specified outer diameter and a wall thickness having a connecting bracket welded on one end and a connecting collar welded on the other end, where the connecting bracket being connected to the wheel side structure and the connecting collar connected to a mounting shaft on the chassis side via a rubber bush inserted the inside thereof. However, such an arm component is undesirable not only because of its heavy weight and also because of its complexity of manufacturing processes as it requires welding as it consists of three parts, a tube, a bracket and a collar.
Of late, a press-formed suspension arm was proposed recently as shown in Patent Document 1. This suspension arm, although it has a large seat for spring in its middle part, having a cross-section perpendicular to its axial direction shaping like a rectangular box with one side of which is open, generally comprises a flat back member extending along its longitudinal direction and a pair of left and right arm half members drooping down from the left and right side of the back member. The suspension arm is press-formed, where each arm half member is simultaneously formed with a through hole at one end thereof to constitute a part to serve as said connection bracket or connection collar, as well as a connection indentation at a position away from said end. Further, the bottom wall of said connection indentations of both arms are welded together in order to connect the right and left half members. The suspension arm thus formed is advantageous in terms of its weight and from the standpoint of manufacturing process since it is press-formed from a single sheet of metal.

Arm component for vehicles and its manufacturing method


An alert may be triggered to notify a pedestrian of the current operational mode of a nearby vehicle. For instance, a vehicle may operate in an autonomous or manual mode, and may occasionally switch from one mode to the other. A pedestrian who may be unaware of the current operational mode of a nearby vehicle may notice the alert and proceed accordingly. In one embodiment, an indication of the current operational mode of the nearby vehicle may be transmitted to an electronic device associated with the pedestrian. The device may generate a notification to the pedestrian based on the current operational mode. In an additional or alternative embodiment, the alert may be transmitted by the vehicle externally to be visible or audible to the pedestrian. In some embodiments, the alert may be triggered only for particular operational modes (e.g., only for autonomous or only for manual).

Individuals have been operating vehicles as a means of transportation for decades. Recently, more and more vehicles have incorporated autonomous (or semi-autonomous) operational features or modes, in which an on-board computer or mobile device associated with a vehicle may operate the vehicle with little to no human input. However, vehicles having autonomous operational modes may also include manual features or modes, in which a human operator controls at least some aspects of the operation of the vehicle. Such vehicles may occasionally switch from operating autonomously to operating manually, or vice versa, for various reasons.
Autonomous vehicle operation may have some advantages over manual vehicle operation, but may also have some additional safety risks, for instance, in certain areas in which autonomous vehicle operation is less common, or in certain unpredictable conditions. Similarly, manual vehicle operation may have some advantages over autonomous vehicle operation, but may also have some additional safety risks, for instance, in certain areas in which manual vehicle operation is less common or in certain conditions in which human operators may be tired, distracted, or otherwise impaired. Accordingly, pedestrians or other bystanders who are aware of the operational mode of a nearby vehicle may proceed differently depending on whether the nearby vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode or a manual mode. However, pedestrians generally have no way of knowing the current operational mode of a nearby vehicle, let alone when the operational mode of a nearby vehicle has changed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Autonomous vehicle mode alert system for bystanders

STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY


A shielding device used on hand-held cellular phones comprises a substantially rectangular shield which extends adjacent to the antenna. A downwardly extending slide arm portion of the shield terminates in a substantially pointed end surface formed by the outer edge of the shield sloping inwardly to engage the inner edge of the slide arm, said outer edge having a notch on the exterior surface thereof. The device also includes a paddle arm portion extending perpendicular to the shield area and then downwardly to terminate in an enlarged paddle engaging the rear of the phone. The shield is mounted to a hand-held cellular phone with the shield area extending vertically upward adjacent to the antenna and the paddle arm extending over the top of the phone and terminating in the rear paddle and the paddle arm extending over the top of the phone. The shield is held in place by an O-ring which surrounds the phone and fits in the notch in the slide arm. The shield comprises polished aluminum while the slide arm and paddle arms are coated with plastic vinyl to enhance friction and prevent scratching of the phone surface. The shielding area deflects a majority of the radiation and simultaneously absorbs whatever is not deflected while physically blocking the user from actual contact with antenna when in use.

The present invention addresses the concern over possible health hazards caused by the emission of microwave radiation from hand-held cellular phones. Cellular phones have greatly increased in numbers and popularity due to their convenience and flexibility as prices have come down. Major communications companies have entered the field in order to take advantage of the exploding market for cellular phones. The only problem which could dampen these expectations is the concern over health hazards.
The invention proposes a shielding device for cellular phones in order to shield the user from the microwave emissions from the antenna. Since the invention deflects the majority of the radiation, absorbs the remaining radiation which could contact the user and blocks physical contact with the antenna, any risks due to microwave radiation are substantially minimized or eliminated. Consequently, the cellular phone industry and user would be able to overcome the present "scare" due to potential radiation risks.


A mobile support stand for hospital equipment has a plurality of poles projecting upwardly from a wheeled base with IV hangers at the upper ends of the poles. The base has a span sufficient to provide the needed stability against tipping, with legs projecting outwardly from the base with wheels at their free ends for supporting and transporting the stand. At least one of the legs is retractable between a fully extended, operative position and a retracted, non-extended position. A securing mechanism allows the stand to be secured to existing mounting holes on a hospital bed with the retractable leg facing outward, and once the stand is secured to the bed the retractable leg is retracted out of the way so that the floor space taken up by the bed and attached stand is minimized.

The present invention relates generally to mobile support stands of the type used to support and move various types of equipment, and is particularly concerned with the type of support stands used in the medical field such as wheeled IV stands with hooks for suspending IV's and optionally supporting other medical equipment such as pumps and monitors.
Mobile support stands are well known in the medical field in which a relatively long vertically extending pole is mounted on a wheeled base for moving the equipment between different locations. The base must be relatively broad so as to support the equipment without tipping even when transported on a ramped surface.
Single pole mobile support stands of this type typically have a wheeled base of relatively small area. Multiple IV stands are often needed for critically-ill patients requiring a larger number of IV's and monitors. Multiple pole IV stands are known which have up to four IV poles on a single wheeled base. These stands have to have a relatively broad wheeled base in order to provide a stable support for the weight of IV's and medical equipment carried on the stand, so that the stand does not tend to tip over. These stands have an elongate base with legs projecting outwardly in opposite directions from each end of the base, each leg carrying a caster or wheel. The leg must have a relatively wide span to provide the needed stability, and thus the stand takes up quite a lot of room beside the bed, reducing access to the patient. In some cases, the stand is secured to the bed via cable ties, which is inconvenient. Also, if a bedridden patient must be moved for treatment purposes, the stand must be moved with the bed and will take up an excessive amount of room in hospital corridors and in elevators and is very hard to maneuver single handedly by one individual. Typically, up to three and sometimes four attendants are needed to transport a person in bed with multiple IV stands.


Provided are a computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for presenting information about multiple data series. The multiple data series are obtained. A main graphing area with a graph showing one or more of the obtained data series, an active process execution metrics area with information about the one or more obtained data series shown in the graph, and an available process execution metrics area with one or more thumbnail views of one or more of the obtained data series available for selection to be shown in the graph are displayed.

Embodiments of the invention relate to simplified graphical analysis of multiple data series.
Extract, Transformation and Load (ETL) processes are often executed on a repeating basis, where a particular ETL process is executed in a runtime environment, which is shared with many other system resource-intensive activities. Given varying system load, the ETL user may want to monitor variances across a range of ETL process runtime metrics (i.e., "data series" in graphing terms) to identify performance problems or bottlenecks caused by overloaded system resources and/or by other causes.
Herein, the terms "metric/data series" may be used. Both "metric" and "data series" describe a measurement that may be used to gauge some quantifiable component of performance of an ETL process, but "data series" may be described as a set of data for this measurement that may be used to create a graph.
A typical ETL process may utilize a range of system resources, including varying aspects of: Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory, disk Input/Output (I/O), and disk space. In addition, various metrics/data series related to the performance of the ETL process itself are of interest, including, but not limited to: total data rows processed (Total Rows); total number of rows processed on the input (Rows In); total number of rows processed on the output (Rows Out) and an indication of current performance (Rows per second). The measurements of systems resources used by the ETL process and related to the performance of the ETL process may be described as current metrics/data series for a particular measurement of an Extract, Transformation, Load (ETL) process.
In order to monitor variances in these repeating process executions, the ETL user may want to compare and analyze the ETL process execution related metrics/data series across two or more executions of a given ETL process. Moreover, the ETL user may want to carry out this comparison and analysis via a Web 2.0 based User Interface (UI) hosted on a remote computer via a client session. Analysis may be done by creating graphs of each specific metric/data series for each of the ETL process executions, so that the ETL user can see the variance in the metric/data series over time.
With traditional graphing tools, graphs can be displayed for different metrics/data series in an overlay. Graphical User Interface (GUI) buttons may be used to select/deselect metrics/data series for display in a composite (overlay) graph. The user activates a metric/data series for display in order to get an indication of the metric/data series performance.
Thus, there can be numerous metrics/data series involved when analyzing a typical ETL process execution. When large numbers of metrics/data series are presented using traditional graphing tools, the graphical view presented to the user may be congested. Similarly, adding increasing numbers of metrics/data series to a graph can result in a congested graphical view. In such congested graphical views, it may be difficult to differentiate one metrics/data series from another.
Traditional graphing tools enable simplifying the graphing view by removing metrics/data series from being included in the graph. However, once a metric/data series is removed from the graph, the user then loses a graphical view on that removed metric/data series.

Simplified graphical analysis of multiple data series

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed are complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices and methods of manufacturing such CMOS devices. In some embodiments, an example CMOS device may include a substrate, and a buffer layer formed on the substrate, where the buffer layer comprises Si1-xGex, where x is less than 0.5. The example CMOS device may further include one or more pMOS channel layer elements, where each pMOS channel layer element comprises Si1-yGey, and where y is greater than x. The example CMOS device may still further include one or more nMOS channel layer elements, where each nMOS channel layer element comprises Si1-zGez, and where z is less than x. In some embodiments, the example CMOS device may be a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) CMOS device and may further include a first fin structure including the pMOS channel layer element(s) and a second fin structure including the nMOS channel layer element(s).

Strained crystalline layers may be used in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices. For example, in U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/178406A1, Chu discloses a strained crystalline layer having a tensile-strained silicon germanium (SiGe) portion and a compressive-strained SiGe portion. Alternatively, in some embodiments disclosed by Chu, the tensile-strained SiGe may instead be a tensile-strained silicon (Si) layer and the compressive-strained SiGe layer may instead be a compressive-strained germanium (Ge) layer.
According to Chu, the strained crystalline layer may be epitaxially bonded, or grown, on top of a SiGe relaxed buffer layer, such that the tensile-strained layer has a Ge concentration below that of the SiGe relaxed buffer, and the compressive-strained layer has a Ge concentration above that of the SiGe relaxed buffer. Chu explains that such a strained crystalline layer and relaxed buffer may be formed on top a semi-insulator substrate or on top of an insulating divider layer.
As disclosed by Chu, the tensile-strained layer may be suitable for hosting electron-conduction type devices, and the compressive-strained layer may be suited for hosting hole-conduction type devices. Implanted source and/or drain structures are further disclosed.

Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor device comprising silicon and germanium and method for manufacturing thereof


A three dimensional imaging device has a converging lens system defining an optical axis extending in a direction Z, and a color sensitive position sensitive detector having a series of pixels extending in at least one of two mutually perpendicular directions X and Y both perpendicular to the direction Z. The lens system serves to simultaneously image a plurality of distributed points on a target surface onto the detector to generate first data on the coordinate of each point in at least a selected one, and preferably both, of the directions X and Y. A mask with a pair of differently colored filters, e.g. red and blue, spaced apart from each other in the selected direction is mounted in the lens system for forming a pair of discrete images on the detector of each point, such images being formed each in a respective color. The result is to generate, by means of measurement of the spacing between the images, second data on the coordinate of each point in the direction Z. The first and second data can then be extracted for all the points by scanning the pixels.

The present invention relates to a three dimensional imaging device, that is to say a device for obtaining three dimensional data of a target surface, whether such data is displayed in three dimensional form or not. Indeed, the data may never be displayed as such, but may merely be used to control other equipment. Such an imaging device is useful for supplying three dimensional data to other instruments. For example, such data is valuable in the science of robotics, where objects are required to be identified on the basis of their three dimensional shape, and to be manipulated accordingly. Such data is also useful in monitoring the accuracy of the shape of a series of articles intended to be identical with each other. A three dimensional imaging device of this type is inexpensive to manufacture, high speed in operation, compact, and robust, and hence especially well adapted for use in robotics, e.g. for mounting on the end of a robot arm, although the utility of the present invention is by no means limited to robotics.
Such imaging devices are disclosed in my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,347 issued Feb. 24, 1987 (the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference) and the equivalent Canadian patent application Ser. No. 505,166 filed Mar. 26, 1986.
More specifically, my prior patent discloses an imaging device that has a converging lens system defining an optical axis, i.e. direction Z, together with a position sensitive light detector that has a series of pixels extending in at least one direction X perpendicular to such Z direction. The detector is preferably bidimensional, i.e. has an array of pixels extending in mutually perpendicular directions, X and Y, both perpendicular to the Z direction.
The lens system serves to simultaneously image a plurality of distributed points on a target surface onto the detector, whereby to generate first data on the coordinate of each such point in the X direction, and, when the detector is bidimensional, also in the Y direction.
The system also employs a mask having a pair of apertures spaced apart from each other in the X direction for forming discrete images on the detector of each of the points. By virtue of the spacing between such images, they provide second data on the coordinate of each point in the Z direction. A computer scans the pixels to extract the first and second data for all the points and is hence able to determine the X, Y and Z coordinates of each point.
One of the limitations of this prior system is its inability to work accurately at or near focus, i.e. with values of the Z coordinate close to zero.
Another of the limitations of this system is that, in order to avoid sign ambiguity, i.e. to distinguish between positive and negative values of a Z coordinate, it is necessary to apply a bias (using a biprism or axicon lens), as explained in connection with FIG. 4 of the prior patent.


An imaging system, a method for imaging an object of interest, and an image of the object of interest. In one embodiment, an imaging system includes a channel configured to receive information from an object of interest, a 3DSS sub-system configured to capture information from the object of interest and generate at least one of 3D surface data or 3D position data based on the information captured by the 3DSS sub-system, and an OCT sub-system configured to perform a line scan of light reflected from the object of interest, generate OCT image data from the line scan, receive the at least one of the 3D surface data or the 3D position data, and generate one or more OCT images using the OCT image data and the at least one of the 3D surface data or the 3D position data.

Optical coherence tomography is an imaging technique that uses light to capture volumetric three-dimensional images of objects. The images may include both surface and sub-surface features. Optical coherence tomography may use near-infrared light and may be based on low-coherence interferometry.
A three-dimensional (3D) intra-oral image system measures topographical characteristics of teeth and soft tissue surfaces. The 3D intra-oral image system may include an intra-oral camera with a light source. The 3D intra-oral image system may be inserted into the mouth of a patient. After insertion, the 3D intra-oral image system captures images of visible parts of the patient's teeth and surrounding tissue. The 3D intra-oral image system may generate a model of the patient's teeth that may be used in place of traditional cast impressions.

Optical coherence tomography imaging system


A semiconductor device includes an n-conductive type semiconductor substrate having a main side and a rear side, a p-conductive type layer arranged over the main side of the substrate, a main side n-conductive type region arranged in the p-conductive type layer, a rear side n-conductive type layer arranged over the rear side of the substrate, a first trench which reaches the substrate and penetrates the main side n-conductive type region and the p-conductive type layer, a second trench which reaches an inside of the p-conductive type layer, a second electrode layer, which is embedded in the second trench and connected to the p-conductive type layer. Hereby, the semiconductor device, in which the recovery property of a diode cell can be improved without damaging the property of a MOS transistor cell or an IGBT cell and the surge withstand property does not deteriorate, can be obtained.

An inverter circuit for driving a load such as a motor is a switching equipment between direct current and alternating current, converts the direct current to the alternating current and feeds the alternating current voltage into the motor as the load. The inverter circuit for driving an inductive motor includes a MOS transistor as a switching element and a free wheel diode. The MOS transistor is used as the switching element and the free wheel diode functions that current flowing in the motor does not change due to the switching of the MOS transistor by bypassing the current flowing in the motor at the off-state of the MOS transistor. Hereinafter, although the switching element will be described by using the MOS transistor, but the switching element may be an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).
FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of a semiconductor device 90. The semiconductor device 90 is used for the above-mentioned inverter circuit for driving a load such as a motor, and is an example of a semiconductor device including a MOS transistor cell and a diode cell, which are provided over the same substrate. It is shown by the inventors as a comparative example of the present disclosure. In addition, FIG. 16 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the semiconductor device 90 shown in FIG. 15.
In the semiconductor device 90 shown in FIG. 15, a p-conductive type (P) layer 2 is formed over a surface portion on a main side of an n-conductive type (N−) semiconductor substrate 1, and a main side n-conductive type (N+) region 3 having an impurity at high concentration and a main side high concentration p-conductive type (P+) region 4 are formed in a surface portion of the p-conductive type layer 2. Moreover, a rear side n-conductive type (N+) region 6 is formed over a surface portion on a rear side of the n-conductive type semiconductor substrate 1.
In the semiconductor device 90 shown in FIG. 15, a first trench T1 which reaches the n-conductive type semiconductor substrate 1 is formed to penetrate the main side n-conductive type region 3 and the p-conductive type layer 2.
In the semiconductor device 90 shown in FIG. 15, a first electrode layer 8 made of polysilicon or the like, which is embedded in the first trench T1 through an insulating film 7 formed over a sidewall, provides a gate electrode of a MOS transistor cell 90t. A second electrode layer 10 made of aluminum or the like is formed over the main side of the n-conductive type semiconductor substrate 1 through an interlayer insulating film 9. The second electrode layer 10 is electrically coupled with the p-conductive type layer 2 through the main side n-conductive type region 3 and the main side p-conductive type region 4, and provides a source electrode of the MOS transistor cell 90t and an anode electrode of a diode cell 90d. Moreover, a third electrode layer 11, which is formed over the rear side surface of the n-conductive type semiconductor substrate 1 and being electrically coupled with the rear side n-conductive type region 6, provides a drain electrode of the MOS transistor 90t and a cathode electrode of the diode cell 90d.
In other words, in the semiconductor device 90, the main side n-conductive type region 3 is a source region of the MOS transistor cell 90t, the p-conductive type layer 2 is a channel forming layer of the MOS transistor cell 90t, and the rear side n-conductive type region 6 is a drain region of the MOS transistor cell 90t. Moreover, an interface between the n-conductive type semiconductor substrate 1 and the p-conductive type layer 2 is a PN junction surface of the diode cell 90d, the main side p-conductive type region 4 is an anode region of the diode cell 90d, and the rear side n-conductive type region 6 is a cathode region of the diode cell 90d. Therefore, as shown by the equivalent circuit diagram in FIG. 16, in the semiconductor device 90, the MOS transistor cell 90t and the diode cell 90d are connected in parallel to each other.
In case that the diode cell 90d of the semiconductor device 90 in FIG. 15 is used as the above-mentioned free wheel diode of the inverter circuit, the current waveform at reverse recovery step of the diode is important when the diode is switched from on-state to off-state.
FIG. 18A is a circuit diagram for measuring and evaluating a current waveform of the current flowing in the diode cell 90d of the semiconductor device 90 shown in FIG. 15, and FIG. 18B is a diagram showing an example of a current waveform.
Semiconductor devices 90a and 90b in the measuring circuit diagram of FIG. 18A have the same structure as the semiconductor device 90 shown in FIG. 15. A MOS transistor 90 at of the semiconductor device 90a is used as a switching element, and the waveform of the current Id flowing in a diode 90bd is measured by short-circuiting the MOS transistor of the semiconductor device 90b.
As shown in FIG. 18B, when the MOS transistor 90 at of the semiconductor device 90a is in an off-state, circulation current Iif flows in the diode 90bd of the semiconductor device 90b. The MOS transistor 90 at of the semiconductor device 90a is switched to be in an on-state, current flows instantaneously in a reverse direction in the diode 90bd of the semiconductor device 90b. The peak value of the current flowing in the reverse direction is defined as the recovery current Irr. In addition, at the reverse recovery step, in which the recovery current is small, the diode is applied supply voltage. The product of the current and the voltage is defined as the recovery loss. Generally, it is required for a rectifier diode to have a small recovery current Irr, small recovery loss at the reverse recovery step, and gradual recovery of the current at the reverse recovery step.
In the semiconductor device 90 shown in FIG. 15, the diode cell 90d provided with the MOS transistor 90t, in which the interface between the p-conductive type layer 2 of the MOS transistor cell 90t and the n-conductive type semiconductor substrate 1 provides the PN junction surface, operates as a free wheel diode. In the diode cell 90d of the semiconductor device 90, the concentration of the p-conductive type layer 2 which configures the diode becomes high as compared with a common high-speed recovery diode. Thus, holes are injected at high concentration when the diode cell 90d is at the forward operation and the recovery current Irr becomes large at the recovery operation. Therefore, the recovery property becomes worse.
In order to improve the recovery property of the diode, a method that a surface pattern, a concentration profile of an impurity and lifetime or the like are optimized can be applied to a single high-speed diode. However, in the diode cell 90d of the semiconductor device 90, which is provided with the MOS transistor cell 90t, modification for improving the performance of the diode cell 90d may impair the performance of the MOS transistor cell 90t. Therefore, the above-mentioned method can not be applied.
A structure of a semiconductor device for improving the recovery property is disclosed in JP-A-2005-101514.
FIG. 17 is a view showing a commonly known structure including the structure of a semiconductor device disclosed in JP-A-2005-101514 and a cross sectional view of a semiconductor device 91. In the semiconductor device 91 of FIG. 17, with respect to the same component with one included in the semiconductor device 90 of FIG. 15, the same reference numerals are applied.
In the semiconductor device 91 shown in FIG. 17, a channel forming region of a MOS transistor cell 91t is formed by a p-conductive type region 2w which is laterally diffused, and a PN junction surface of a diode cell 91d is used as an interface of an n-conductive type (N−) semiconductor substrate 1 in vicinity of an end portion of the p-conductive type region 2w which is laterally diffused in a lateral direction. Since the impurity concentration in the vicinity of the end portion of the p-conductive type region 2w, which is laterally diffused in the lateral direction, is low, a concentration of injected holes is decreased when the diode cell 91d is at the forward operation, so that the recovery property is improved.
Unlike the semiconductor device 90 shown in FIG. 15, the main side p-conductive type (P+) region 4 is not formed in the semiconductor device 91 shown in FIG. 17. Moreover, an impurity concentration of a surface of the p-conductive type region 2w, which is laterally diffused of the semiconductor device 91 in FIG. 17, is low compared to the p-conductive type layer 2 of the semiconductor device 90 shown in FIG. 15. Therefore, in the semiconductor device 91 of FIG. 17, a pinch resistance of a channel P (the p-conductive type region 2w), which is a base resistance of a parasitic NPN transistor structured by the main side n-conductive type (N+) region 3, the p-conductive type region 2w and the n-conductive type semiconductor substrate 1, becomes large. As a result, since a current amplification factor of the parasitic NPN transistor becomes large, when a high voltage surge is applied to the semiconductor device 91 and an avalanche current flows in the p-conductive type region 2w, the parasitic NPN transistor is easy to operate and the semiconductor device 91 is broken by the high voltage surge. That is, although the recovery property of the diode cell 91d of the semiconductor device 91 in FIG. 17 is improved, a breaking energy becomes very small and a surge withstand property becomes low.


A cord winding mechanism for an electrically powered device such as a vacuum cleaner. The cord winding mechanism may be used with a device having an electric motor. The mechanism may include a cord receiving member for receiving a cord. The cord receiving member may define an interior space and have an axis. The mechanism may include a biasing member that may transmit a rotational force to the cord receiving member to rotate the cord receiving member about the axis. The mechanism may include a retention member that may selectively prevent the cord receiving member from rotating under the rotational force of the biasing member. The cord receiving member may be adapted to receive at least part of the motor inside the interior space of the cord receiving member. The mechanism may include ventilation openings for providing ventilation An electric motor assembly may include the mechanism and a motor. An electric appliance may include a housing and the assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to retractable power cords. More particularly, the invention relates to retractable power cords for electrically powered devices.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, it is well known to incorporate retractable power cords in electrically powered devices such as vacuum cleaners, and the like. However, in the case of vacuum cleaners, conventionally, retractable power cord mechanisms have been used with canister type vacuum cleaners because of the large amount of space required to include a retractable cord. Handheld vacuums, e.g., thus have not conventionally included retractable power cords because handhelds do not have the space to accommodate the length of cord needed for a vacuum cleaner. Thus, some vacuum cleaners have conventionally included non-retractable power cords, or in the case of rechargeable vacuums have had no power cord in the vacuum unit. Unfortunately however, rechargeable vacuum cleaners often can run out of charge at inopportune times, and may suffer from less power, or require additional weight to accommodate batteries. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a handheld electrically powered device such as a vacuum cleaner that could accommodate a retractable cord of sufficient length to be useful, while avoiding the need for the time to recharge and battery weight of rechargeable models.

Retractable electric cord receiving device and ventilation apparatus


The invention disclosed relates to a composition and method for enhancing the contrast of polycyanoacrylate-developed fingerprints and the like. The composition includes a metal chelate of the structural formula ##STR1## wherein R is a UV-absorbing aromatic group, X is an electron attracting group and M is a suitable metal ion, a suitable water-soluble organic solvent and water, at a pH of 3 to 10.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the detection of fingerprints and the like, and in particular to the enhancement of polycyanoacrylate-developed fingerprints on human skin and other surfaces.
The skin is covered with a constantly changing film of sweat as the glands continuously secrete fluid, therefore any substance that is deposited on the surface of the skin is likely to be diluted and become blurred.
The sweat layer is a mixture of secretions from mainly eccrine and sebaceous glands (eccrine secretions; amino acids, urea, chlorides, and sugars; sebaceous secretions; fatty acids, glycerides, assorted hydrocarbons). Only eccrine glands are located on the palmar regions, and materials secreted from the sebaceous glands are transferred to the hands by touching areas such as the face and the back. (Detection of Fingerprints on Skin, D. S. Allman and C. A. Pounds, For. Sci. Rev. 3(2) 1991) Therefore it is possible that the materials deposited in a latent print may differ qualitatively and quantitatively from those of the skin surface on which the print is deposited.
After death the glands no longer secrete material and thus the dilution process ceases. The surface temperature will fall from that of live skin (near 32.degree. C.) to ambient over a few hours. During this time the waxes and oils of the print will not be able to maintain their liquid state. However, before ambient temperature is reached diffusion may still occur on the postmortem surface leading to deterioration of ridge detail. Due to the absence of good detection methods for latents on skin this problem has not been well studied.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of techniques for the detection of fingerprints have been documented.
Fingerprints developed by cyanoacrylate ester (Super Glue) fumes on surfaces such as metals and plastic are well recorded in the literature. More specifically, the fingerprints develop a white residue on their ridges which is often visible to the naked eye as the cyanoacrylate ester molecules polymerize. This polymeric film provides a protective layer which helps preserve the ridge detail. The prints are easily seen on transparent surfaces. But on opaque surfaces (especially white ones) contrast may De poor. This makes it difficult to interpret print detail. Accordingly, dusting with powder or fluorescent dye staining is often used to enhance the print image.
There are many fluorescent dyes available for staining polycyanoacrylate ester such as Ardrox, Brilliant Yellow, Rhodamine-6-G and DCM. The dyes are applied as a methanol solution which is adsorbed onto the surface of the print as well as onto the background. Washing with fresh solvent to reduce the dye in the background also reduces the fluorescence intensity of the print. Fluorescence Is excited by a variety of high power light sources including the xenon arc lamp, Ar ion, Cu vapour or frequency-doubled Nd:YAG lasers. These are expensive high power light sources in the price range of $10-20,000 for lamps or over $100,000 for lasers. Such costly equipment restricts the availability of this technology to police forces which have large budgets.
A further disadvantage is the limitations of these techniques when applied to the detection of fingerprints on human skin. It cannot be overemphasized how important it would be to police authorities to have a technique suitable for the reliable detection of identifiable latent prints on murder victims.
Probably the most commonly used method for detecting prints on cadavers is the iodine-silver plate transfer technique, described for example in J. For. Sci. 22, 599 (1977) J. M. Adcock. The procedure involves fuming of the suspect area with iodine vapour which causes discoloration of the print. This is followed by the application of a polished silver plate to the print. Strong light is used to darken the silver iodide produced which can then be recorded by photography.
Powder techniques that have been applied to the recovery of prints on murder victims include the Magnabrush technique and the Kromekote.RTM. Lift technique. The methods rely on lifting of the print from the skin surface before the print can be identified. A significant level of print. detail will automatically be lost during the lifting process and this is one of the major disadvantages of such techniques.
Recently reports have appeared detailing the development of latent prints on human skin by cyanoacrylate fuming in a "tent" over the body followed by Rhodamine-6-G as a staining agent. However, the background fluorescence resulting from absorption of dye into the skin considerably reduces the contrast between the print and the background leading to loss of detail.
Further, in Fluorescent Metal-Ruhemann's Purple Coordination Compounds: Applications to Latent Fingerprint Detection, Journal of Forensic Sciences, JFSCA, Vol. 35, No. 1, Jan. 1990, pp. 25-34, E. R. Menzel et. al., latents were developed on paper with ninhydrin which reacts with the amino acids to give the dye Ruhemann's purple. This dye was then used to chelate europium ions thus becoming weakly fluorescent under laser illumination. The efficiency of this method is very low, and expensive time-resolved imaging is required to minimize the background fluorescence.

Enhancement of polycyanoacrylate-developed fingerprints

Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Solicitor General of Canada


A head-up display apparatus forms a virtual image of a display image viewed from a viewpoint region by projecting the display image onto a projection face. The apparatus includes a screen member and an optical device. The screen member includes an image formation face that forms the display image. The optical device includes a reflection face, which receives and reflects the display image by the image formation face, to project onto the projection face. The image formation face includes, in a grid array, convex portions and concave portions, which are convex and concave from a virtual reference face and alternated with each other along x axis and y axis. A perpendicular line to the virtual reference face at any position of the image formation face passes through an outside of the reflection face of the optical device.

Patent document 1: JP 2010-139927 A
Patent document 2: JP 2009-205102 A (US 2009/0219615 A1)
A head-up display apparatus is known which reflects using an optical reflection face a display image, which is formed on an image formation face of a screen, thereby projecting the display image on a windshield of a vehicle, for instance, as disclosed in Patent document 1. The above screen for the head-up display apparatus has been recently adopted a configuration disclosed in Patent document 2.
With reference to FIG. 9, a screen 130 for projection in Patent document 2 includes a plurality of convex lenses 132 arranged in a grid pattern on an xy-coordinate plane that is also referred to as a reference face. The convex lenses 132 reflect or refract incident lights that fall on the image formation face, emitting the lights with a predetermined diffusion angle. The configuration of the head-up display apparatus in Patent document 1 adopting the screen 130 in Patent document 2 accurately controls the light diffusion of the display image formed on the image formation face so as to reach and cover the whole of the viewpoint region. The display image may be viewed clearly as a virtual display image. The screen 130 in Patent document 2 may be thus suitably adopted in a head-up display apparatus with a high display quality.
The present inventors have found the following disadvantage in the configuration combining the technologies of Patent documents 1, 2. That is, the screen 130 in Patent document 2 has necessarily grooves 139 each having a recessed curved surface in between the adjoining concave lenses 132. The curvature of a convex surface of the convex lens 132 may be small enough whereas the curvature of the recessed curved surface of the groove 139 unfortunately becomes significantly large. Thus, the recessed curved surface of the groove 139 inclines significantly against the reference face, i.e., xy-coordinate plane of the screen 130. This causes a normal line that is normal to a recessed curved surface of the groove 139 to incline significantly against the z axial that is orthogonal to the reference face. Herein, the z axis of the screen may be directed at a position outside of the whole of the reflection face by changing the orientation of the screen. However, a normal line that is normal to the recessed curved surface of the groove 139 may unfortunately hit a position inside of the reflection face.
Such a configuration causes the following situation. For instance, outdoor lights that pass through a windshield may fall upon the reflection face, and be reflected towards the screen. Further, the groove of the screen may irregularly reflect and return a part of the outdoor lights towards the reflection face. Then, the reflection face may project the outdoor lights returned from the screen onto the windshield together with the lights of the display image. As a result, the outdoor lights may be unfortunately reflected on the virtual display image viewed from the viewpoint region.


A rotatable carousel for storing a variety of rear suspended data storage media holders. This carousel includes a base unit having a base member rotatably affixed thereto. A plurality of modular compartment units are securely stacked ont top of one another by engagement with the upper portions of a lower modular unit with the lower portion of an upper modular unit. The lowermost modular unit is affixed by screws to the base member. This causes all of the stacked modular units to rotate relative to the base unit. A top plate is mounted onto the uppermost modular unit.. Compartments are formed in each of the modular units. Apertures in the rear wall of the compartments engage the rear suspension members of the data storage media holders. This provides an efficient and compact storage systems, particular for staging sites.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of storage systems for data storage media such as tape cartridges and optical disks, and particularly to the field of carousel storage systems.
2. Statement of the Problem
Large information systems often require off-site data media storage, such as in the form of tape cartridges and optical disks. Such data storage media is often stored in off-site rack systems, such as the Extreme Density.TM. Storage System, manufactured by Engineered Data Products, Inc., Broomfield, Colo. In some situations, particularly when the data storage media is being "staged" for entry into or retrieval from an information system, such as a mainframe computer or automated cartridge library system, a smaller storage system is necessary.
Examples of the prior data storage media systems for staging include carousels, such as the Stationary Staging Rack, and the Super Carousel, both manufactured by Engineered Data Products, Inc., Broomfield, Colo. and the Mega Rack'N Pack, manufactured by Wright Line, Worcester, Mass. These systems are designed primarily for staging 3480/3490 style magnetic tape cartridges.
Additional styles of data storage media gaining acceptance include eight millimeter (8 mm) tape cartridges, four millimeter (4 mm) tape cartridges, five one-quarter (51/4 inch optical disks, and three one-half (31/2) inch optical disks. Other data storage media will likely be developed as advances in technology occur.
The present carousel systems are not designed to accommodate these additional styles of data storage media. Therefore, new styles of storage systems are being specifically designed to meet the requirements of these styles of data storage media. Thus, a new line of storage rack systems must be purchased and installed for every change in data storage media or change in the media holders. This can be a major expense, particularly when the change in data media storage is in a transitional phase. Several styles of data storage media may be in use at a particular site. Presently a plurality of differing storage rack systems are required to accommodate the various styles of data storage media. Also, the older storage rack systems become outdated and useless as the particular data storage media stored therein is phased out.
An additional problem occurs from configuring existing space requirements for the storage rack systems. An end-user of these products must choose between two sizes of carousels. This typically creates a problem with either under-capacity or over-capacity in the staging or storage areas.
Presently, a problem exists in that there is no existing data storage media carousel system that can be easily configured and/or adapted to hold most popular styles of data storage media and to be adapted to an appropriate capacity level.


A biofilter media has one or more of a set of desired physical characteristics. The set of physical characteristics includes a sphericity of 0.75 to 1, a particle size of 1 to 16 or 4 to 8 mm, a uniformity coefficient of 2 or less and a surface area of 800 to 2000 m2/m3 of media. The media is coated, supports microorganisms and is used to treat a waste gas stream.

The following is not an admission that anything discussed below is prior art or part of the common knowledge of persons skilled in the art.
Biofiltration is an air pollution control technique that has been used to control odour and remove volatile organic compounds (VOC) from waste gas streams generated by wastewater treatment plants and chemical plants, as well as various rendering, food processing, flavour manufacturing and composting facilities.
In a typical biofilter, a waste gas stream is urged to flow through a moist, biologically active, packed bed. The bed contains microorganisms that are immobilized on a thin biofilm that is formed on the surface of the packing material. The microorganisms serve as the biocatalysts in the contaminant degradation process. They transform air contaminants into biomass and other products through their metabolic activities.
The process underlying the operation of a biofilter is a multi-step process that involves phase transfer, adsorption and biodegradation. As a first step, contaminants are transferred from the gaseous phase to the liquid phase. Once in the liquid phase, the contaminants are adsorbed to the biofilter media (also referred to as packing material). Thereafter, the contaminants are biodegraded within the biofilm. The overall efficiency of the biofiltration process is affected by the relative rates of phase transfer, adsorption and the biological reactions.
Several different biofilter media have been used in the past. These may fall in one of two categories: naturally bioactive, and inert. For both types of media, biofilters are typically sized to provide sufficient contact time with the biofilter media in order to achieve phase transfer, adsorption, and biodegradation of odorous compounds. This contact time is referred to as the empty bed residence time, or EBRT. Generally, EBRTs between 30 and 120 seconds are common. However, for both naturally bioactive and inert biofilter media, it has been found that EBRTs below 45 seconds may cut into required safety factors in order to maintain reliable odor treatment (Easter et al., 2006).
Bioactive packing materials may include soil, peat, compost, bark and manure. These materials can retain water and generally contain enough nutrients to sustain an initial microbial population. These materials have been used in many applications because they tend to be abundantly available and are generally inexpensive. However, this type of biofilter media has encountered various drawbacks in the field. Biofilters using these materials tend to require large filter beds on account of the low biodegradation rate and the significant bulk density of the media that tends to limit the filter bed height. Additionally, these media tend to degrade over time. They lose their water retaining characteristics and settling of the media due to biomass growth tends to occur. Eventually, biofilters using this type of media may experience a loss of performance due to a significant gas phase pressure drop in the media and channeling of the waste gas through the filter bed.
Inert biofilter media are porous materials (either naturally occurring or synthetic) that usually require inoculation of microorganisms. Examples of inert biofilter media that have been used in previous biofilter applications include wood chips, activated carbon, gas-aerated concrete, gravel, lava rock, ceramics and polymeric foams. Some synthetic biofilter media have yielded better contaminant removal rates and generally performed better than bioactive packing materials. This is due in part to the fact that they tend to have a larger surface area and have been able to achieve a better distribution of gas flow through the media. However, clogging, compaction and excessive gas-phase pressure drop due to extensive biomass growth still remain a serious problem for these types of biofilter media. These issues can severely impact performance of the biofilter causing a decline in the contaminant removal efficiency.
An example of a synthetic filter media is described in European Patent No. 0 497 214 (Fattinger). The biofilter media has a hydrophilic core coated with a hydrophobic layer. The hydrophilic core is populated by microorganisms. The core is a granular material made from a porous substance, such as gas-aerated concrete, swelling clay or pumice, whereas the hydrophobic layer can be activated charcoal or adsorption resin. A bonding agent may also be used when applying the hydrophobic layer to the hydrophilic core. Fattinger also discloses that this biofilter media may be used to purify exhaust air containing toluene, xylene, ethyl acetate and benzene. This packing material tends to suffer from clogging problems.
A biofilter system using the packing material of Fattinger to remove hydrogen sulfide from waste gas streams was described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,729 (Ferranti). Ferranti describes a plant for the depuration of air polluted with odorous substances, such as hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans and dimethyl disulfide. The plant includes a prescrubbing section, a filtering bed and post-scrubbing section, all placed in sequence. The filtering bed of Ferranti preferably consists of particles of a filtering material made in accordance with Fattinger. The compact plant has a high empty bed residence time (EBRT) for H2S removal at high concentrations. In addition, it was found not to be particularly efficient in removing recalcitrant reduced sulfur compounds from the waste gas streams.
United States Patent Publication No. 2005/0084949 (Shareefdeen) describes another synthetic biofilter media, which is currently made commercially available by the assignee of the present application, BIOREM Technologies Inc. of Guelph, Ontario under the name BIOSORBENS™. This media has had greater success in removing hydrogen sulfide from waste gas streams. The biofilter media has a porous hydrophilic nucleus and a hydrophobic coating on the hydrophilic nucleus. The hydrophilic nucleus is formed of aggregates whose primary ingredients preferably include silica and alumina. The hydrophobic coating includes a metallic agent, microorganisms, nutrients, organic carbon, an alkaline buffer, a bonding agent, an adsorptive agent, and a hydrophobic agent. The inclusion of a metallic agent (preferably iron) in the biofilter media allows the removal of sulfur by the formation of iron sulfide and also serves to enhance the conversion and biological processing of sulfur compounds in the contaminated air. The metallic agent acts as catalyst to increase the rate of biological oxidation and enhance the activity of the microorganisms.
The removal of reduced sulfur compounds from waste gas streams presents a major challenge. While biofilters have been used successfully to remove hydrogen sulfide from waste gas streams, certain reduced sulfur compounds, such as mercaptans and the methyl sulfides (especially dimethyl disulfide) have tended to resist such treatment on account of their relative stability and low solubility in aqueous solutions.

Biofilter media to remove odour causing compounds from waste gas streams


An image forming apparatus has two units which are engageable with a photoconductive element and provided with a substantially identical configuration. Various electrophotographic process devices including a developing device and a cleaning device and to be arranged around the photoconductive element are selectively arranged in the two units. The photoconductive element is passed over two rollers such that part of the element forms parallel flat portions. The two units and the photoconductive element are rotatable integrally with each other.

The present invention relates to a copier or similar image forming apparatus of the type forming a desired image on a recording sheet by electrophotographic process devices which are implemented as units.
A conventional image forming apparatus, e.g., a copier has a main charger, developing device, transfer charger cleaning device and other process devices arranged around a rotatable photoconductive element. Such process devices are sequentially arranged in a particular order and mounted on the framework or similar structural member of the copier body with consideration given to their intervals. Today, while the process devices of a copier are increasing in number and in size to meet the demand for versatile functions, there is an increasing demand for a miniature copier. These contradictory demands make the internal layout of the copier complicated. A copier needs daily maintenance associated with the operation of the copier, e.g., the supply of fresh toner and the discharge of waste toner. Also, when the copier stops operating due to an error such as a paper jam on a transport path or the contamination or deterioration of some process device, the copier has to be inspected and repaired. Such maintenance, as well as periodic inspection, is usually performed by dividing and opening part of interest of the copier. This kind of implementation, however, is not always feasible when it comes to the maintenance and inspection of the individual process units, although desirable for the removal of a jamming sheet. In light of this, the photoconductive element and various process devices may be integrally supported by a process unit, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 140264/1985, for example. The process unit is removably mounted on the copier body, and the photoconductive element and process units are each movable relative to the others.
A problem with the conventional process unit scheme is that the process unit cannot be readily inserted into or pulled out from the copier body since the mounting position within the copier body is fixed. The fixed mounting position brings about another problem that in the event of maintenance or inspection the toner deposited on, for example, the process devices is apt to smear the person's body and cloths and/or the person is apt to touch and damage the photoconductive element by accident. Moreover, even the routine work such as the supply of fresh toner cannot be done without calling for a serviceman with expert knowledge since it involves the disassembly of part of the copier body. In addition, when the copier is left unoperated over a long period of time, the photoconductive element and the process units have their contacting portions deteriorated due to the pressure continuously acting thereon and/or the toner is solidified at the contacting portions. Then, when the copier is started to operate again, a stripe pattern or similar defect appears on reproductions.

Image forming apparatus having rotatable electrophotographic process unit


A system and method for evaluating data in a monitoring network are provided. A processing server obtains monitoring device data from a number of monitoring devices. The processing server processes and stores the monitoring device data according to one or more unique identifiers. Utilizing decision logic, the processing server evaluates the monitoring device data to generate one or more predictive assessments. Each predictive assessment can result in the initiation of actions or notification of authorized personnel based upon the likelihood of a target event occurring.

Generally described, monitoring systems are used to obtain information from a variety of elements. In a representative use, a security monitoring system may provide real-time data reflecting the current status of a monitored environment, such as a physical location within a given premises. For example, a security guard may use a computer terminal to obtain video data from a number of cameras in order to assess the status of a premises. Accordingly, many conventional security monitoring systems can assist users in evaluating whether a security breach, or other monitoring issue, has occurred (e.g., whether there is an unauthorized presence within the premises). Further, some security monitoring systems, upon the detection of a condition, are operable to initiate a number of reactive measures. For example, the monitoring system may alert an appropriate authority, or notify one or more authorized users.
Although the traditional security monitoring system obtains information regarding the status of various aspects of a monitored environment, such as the status of physical devices or the presence or location of individuals, the outputs from most traditional security monitoring network data are fundamentally reactive in nature. With reference to the previous example, if a security monitoring system obtains motion detection data from a monitored premises, the data output, for the traditional security monitoring network is typically limited to a determination of whether motion occurred and whether the detected motion is authorized. Both of these outputs are reactive in nature. Similarly, if a security monitoring network obtains live video data, the data output for the traditional monitoring network will be a transmission of the incoming video data to a display terminal, or more reactive, the archival of the video data. Clearly, the traditional security monitoring network cannot predict when motion will be detected or what the contents of the video motion may be. Thus, most, if not all, monitoring networks, are designed for, and therefore limited to, reactive data processing.
Although it may not be possible to predict events, particularly those linked to human behavior, with total accuracy, there are a variety of situations in which one or more factors may be utilized to establish a likelihood of an event occurring. In some limited situations, a single inputted factor, or condition, may have a sufficiently strong association with a target event such that the presence of the factor will likely determine whether the target event will occur. More commonly, however, the presence of a number of inputted factors, which if considered in isolation would have a limited association with a target event, may cumulatively indicate the likelihood of the target event occurring.
As applied to security monitoring networks and security processing services, the processing of data for the purpose of to the identifying an individual, such as facial recognition, fingerprint, retinal scan, and the like, may be useful for assessing security threats when the data used to identify an individual is linked to data linking that individual to a potential threat, based upon past behavior or other known risk factors In many instances, the risk factors may be unrelated to a specific individual, such as a state of alert at a premises. There are a number of situations in which the processing of multiple data inputs to produce a predictive threat assessment, that is, to process multiple data inputs to assess the likelihood of a target event, is clearly beneficial.
With reference to a security monitoring system implementation, there is an undeniable benefit from generating a threat assessment based on processing a wide variety of factors. For example, considered in isolation, the purchasing of a one-way airline ticket may not pose a sufficient threat to require additional investigation on behalf of law enforcement authorities. However, if the one-way ticket purchase is considered in conjunction with information, such as the purchase of the ticket with cash or the absence of checked baggage, the cumulative information could generate a threat assessment requiring at least some additional follow up, such as an automated notification to a perform an search at a security checkpoint. With another potential embodiment, a storeowner may wish to generate a reward assessment based upon predicted consumer's actions. In these situations, and many others, the data inputs can be interpreted to facilitate future actions. In each of these examples, however, because the assessment is not reactive, conventional monitoring systems are not well suited to provide such services.
Thus, there is a need for a system and method for utilizing associative monitoring data, such as biometric data, to generate future threat assessments. More specifically, there is a specific need for a system and method for utilizing associative security monitoring data to generate predictive threat assessments.

System and method for performing a predictive threat assessment based on risk factors


It is possible to provide a radio communication terminal, a radio communication terminal communication control method, and a radio communication system which can effectively capture a communication system and try connection by a communication method desired by a user even if judgment of a blind spot is made when a transmission operation is performed. The radio communication terminal includes at least: a communication system selection unit (185); and a capture instruction function execution unit (186). The communication system selection unit (185) reports a capture failure to a capture instruction function execution unit (186) only when all the communication systems in which the radio communication terminal can perform a system scan cannot be captured. Moreover, the capture instruction function execution unit (186) does not issue a system scan again unless the capture failure is reported as a result of all the system scan from the communication system selection unit (185).

A wireless communication terminal applied to, for example, CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) communication starts a channel acquisition operation when sending or receiving a signal or when transferring data. Further, the terminal obtains configuration information and timing information of the acquired channel, and obtains position registration information etc. synchronized with the timing of the acquired channel.
The received field strength of this channel sometimes remarkably falls according to a usage environment of the wireless communication terminal (topography, buildings, etc.) When the received field strength of the channel is low, regardless of that the fact that the signal of the channel was received, it is judged that the channel could not be acquired and "in-area" reset processing is shifted to.
In this "in-area" reset processing, the wireless communication terminal runs a system scan where it acquires a channel by a predetermined cycle.
In this regard, when the wireless communication terminal is out of the area, the wireless communication terminal internally turns a flag showing it is "out of area" (out-of-area flag) ON. In such a situation, even if the user performs a send operation, the terminal will not start up the send processing since the possibility of transmission is low while the out-of-area flag is ON and in general for saving power.
Further, once a terminal is judged "out of area", the "in-area" reset processing is carried out by a predetermined cycle, but the communication schemes for running a system scan for reset are limited and the time required for "in-area" reset can no longer be ignored.
For example, when exiting from or entering to a tunnel or at another where the usage environment is extremely different, desirably the "in-area" reset processing is carried out immediately after exiting from the tunnel. However, immediate reset is not possible unless at the timing of an "in-area" reset acquisition operation. Further, even if performing the "in-area" reset acquisition processing, this does not always lead to an immediate "in-area" reset.
In order to overcome the problem described above, the art is known of performing a channel acquisition operation if performing a send operation even when the terminal is judged "out of area" (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2003-23665

Wireless communication terminal, communication control method of wireless communication terminal, and wireless communication system


This air intake control valve includes a valve body rotatably mounted on a surge tank of an internal-combustion engine, rotated between an open position and a closed position to open and close a fluid passage formed in a partition wall internally dividing the surge tank into two parts and a valve body sealing member arranged on the outer periphery of the valve body, providing a seal between the partition wall and the valve body by coming into contact with the partition wall of the surge tank at the closed position of the valve body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air intake control valve and an air intake apparatus.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, an air intake control valve including a valve body to open and close a fluid passage is known. Such an air intake control valve is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-144768, for example.
In the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-144768, there is disclosed a control valve (air intake control valve) including a frame-shaped body (frame) formed with an air intake passage (fluid passage) and a valve (valve body) supported by the frame-shaped body, rotated between an open position and a closed position to open and close the air intake passage of the body.
Furthermore, in general, the structure of a surge tank of an internal-combustion engine internally divided into two spaces by a partition wall, in which the conventional control valve (air intake control valve) described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-144768 is provided in an opening portion formed in the partition wall in order to change the resonance frequency of an air intake system to obtain an effective supercharging effect in a wide engine operation range, is known. In this structure, the frame-shaped body (frame) in a state where the valve is mounted thereon is fitted into the opening portion of the partition wall, the two spaces in the surge tank communicate with each other through the air intake passage formed in the body by rotating the valve supported by the body to the open position, and the two spaces are separated from each other by rotating the valve to the closed position to close the air intake passage.
In the aforementioned conventional structure, however, the air intake passage formed in the frame-shaped body (frame) fitted into the opening portion formed in the partition wall is opened and closed by the valve, and hence there is such inconvenience that it is difficult to sufficiently increase the opening area of the air intake passage opened and closed by the valve. In other words, it is difficult to enlarge the opening portion of the partition wall in the surge tank having a limited space and it is necessary to fit the frame-shaped body into the opening portion, so that the opening area of the air intake passage (fluid passage) is reduced by the width of the frame-shaped body from the opening area of the opening portion of the partition wall. Therefore, when the valve is so rotated to the open position that the two spaces communicate with each other, the opening area of the air intake passage is reduced so that the pressure loss of intake air circulating through the air intake passage is increased. Thus, there is such a problem that the amount of intake air circulating through the air intake passage is reduced and a sufficient supercharging effect cannot be obtained. Furthermore, in the aforementioned conventional structure, the frame-shaped body is fitted into the opening portion of the partition wall in a state where a gasket is generally provided along the outer peripheral surface of the frame-shaped body in order to prevent intake air from leaking from a clearance between the inner peripheral surface of the opening portion of the partition wall and the outer peripheral surface of the frame-shaped body (frame). In this case, the opening area of the air intake passage (fluid passage) is reduced by the thickness of the gasket in addition to the width of the frame-shaped body (frame), and hence there is such a problem that the amount of intake air circulating through the air intake passage is further reduced.

Air intake control valve and air intake apparatus


In an embodiment, a shell assembly for a communications module is described that includes a top shell, a bottom shell, and a thermal boss. The top shell has a top panel and opposing lateral side portions. The bottom shell has a bottom panel and opposing lateral side portions. The top shell and the bottom shell are configured to be assembled together to define a cavity therebetween. The cavity may be configured to receive a transceiver assembly. The thermal boss extends from the top panel and includes a thermal interface surface defining a thermal interface plane oriented at an angle relative to the top panel.

1. Field of the Invention
Some embodiments relate generally to communications modules. More particularly, example embodiments relate to communications modules that include shell assemblies having thermal mechanical features for removing heat generated by operation of the communications module.
2. Related Technology
Communications modules, such as electronic/optoelectronic transceiver or transponder modules, are increasingly used in electronic and optoelectronic communication. Some modules are pluggable, which permits the module to be inserted into and removed from a receptacle of a host device, such as a host computer, switching hub, network router, or switch box. Some host devices include multiple receptacles and can therefore accommodate multiple modules simultaneously. Each module typically communicates with a printed circuit board of the host device by transmitting and/or receiving electrical data signals to and/or from the host device printed circuit board. These electrical data signals can also be transmitted by the module outside the host device as optical and/or electrical data signals.
As a module transmits and/or receives data, the module generates heat. As more components positioned within the modules transmit and/or receive data, the module generates more heat. If the heat generated becomes excessive, it can negatively affect the operation of the module.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.

Communications module with a shell assembly having thermal mechanical features


The tile includes a monolithic support grid structure having a rectangular configuration with four peripheral edges. The support grid structure includes a lattice framework of elongated rib members crisscrossing at right angle on the underside of the support grid structure and defining a network of cells. The support grid structure also includes a plurality of support members, each downwardly projecting from a corresponding intersection between the crisscrossing elongated rib members and having a ground-engaging distal end with a tip that is coincident with a common bottom plane. The tile includes a plurality of tile edge connectors that are positioned on the underside and made integral with the support grid structure.

Various arrangements of modular flooring systems having interlocking tiles to create playing surfaces have been suggested in the past. These arrangements generally include modular tiles of plastic composition which are interlocked with one another to form the playing surfaces, for instance for sports or other activities and/or purposes. The modular tiles are disposed on a supporting ground surface such as a concrete floor, asphalt or any other suitable surface.
One of the challenges in the design of sport playing surfaces made of modular tiles is that the tiles must resist the sudden lateral forces imposed during use. These forces can be the result of actions such as jumping, running, changing direction of movement, etc. Depending on the nature of the sports or the activities, tiles can be designed with a resilient construction capable of absorbing some of the forces or with only rigid parts so as to mitigate any relative movement between the tiles when subjected to lateral forces. Tiles that are entirely made of a rigid material are used in sports where the local lateral forces tend to be very high, such as in-line skating. An in-line skating rink for sports such as hockey or the like can impose very high mechanical stresses on the tiles, particularly at their connection points. Tiles having high mechanical resistance requirements must also have a realistic manufacturing cost.
Consequently, several factors have to be taken into account by designers, which in practice is very difficult using the plastic tiles of known modular flooring systems.
Room for improvements always exists in this technical area.

Tile for use in a modular flooring system


The present invention provides a technique to identify layout of surface regions of an object by image area segmentation. A plurality of images is acquired by imaging an object under a plurality of mutually different illumination conditions. By performing area segmentation on this plurality of images, the layouts of the plurality of image areas which is different from the layout of the object surface regions is obtained. Then, the layout of the surface regions on the object is identified based on the layouts of the plurality of image areas.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to technique for identifying layout of surface regions on an object by means of image area segmentation.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inspection apparatus such as a printed circuit board tester detects a defect in a product subject to testing by comparing the layout of each surface region on the product, which is identified from an image of the product, with layout of each surface region on a reference product. With some kind of inspection apparatus, to identify layout of each surface region on an object, area segmentation is performed for dividing the image of the object into a plurality of areas.
However, on the object surface, there are cases when there are regions of the surface for which the reflection characteristics are different, such as metal, a dielectric, and so on. When segmentation according to color or color depth is performed on an image captured from this kind of object, even when illumination conditions are devised, there are cases that it is not possible to identify the layout of the surface regions on the object by means of image area segmentation.

Surface region identification by image area segmentation