Various arrangements are presented to facilitate the handoff of presentation of content between a head mounted display (HMD) and another presentation device, such as a television. For example, based upon separate events, video and audio being presented to a user via a presentation device may be handed off to an HMD that the user is wearing for continued presentation. In response to a first reference event occurring, the HMD may initiate continued presentation of the video content that was being viewed by the user on the presentation device. At a later time, in response to a second reference event, the HMD may initiate continued presentation of the audio content.

Head mounted displays (HMDs) are becoming increasingly common, allowing the user of the HMD to view video via one or more displays or projectors of the HMD and, with some types of HMDs, listen to audio via one or more speakers of the HMD. While HMDs are becoming increasingly common, for various reasons (e.g., power consumption, limited video resolution, comfort, desire to not have sensory isolation in a group setting, etc.), a user may desire to use another presentation device, such as a television, to view content while wearing the HMD or having an HMD nearby.

Systems and methods for managing content presentation involving a head mounted display and a presentation device


A stress relief structure is provided. The stress relief structure includes a stress relief body, at least one first stress relief base and at least one second stress relief base. The stress relief body has an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to each other. The first stress relief base is disposed on the upper surface of the stress relief body. The second stress relief base is disposed on the lower surface of the stress relief body. The at least one first stress relief base and the at least one second stress relief base are interlaced to each other.

In recent years, 3D stacking technology has been developing to shorten the length of the leads between the chips, to reduce the dimension of the devices, and to establish a 3D stacked structure of the chips in the semiconductor industry, wherein through-substrate vias are important components in 3D stacking technology for connecting chips stacked vertically.
In the application of the through-substrate vias, in addition to through-silicon vias (TSVs), through-glass vias (TGVs) are also currently available. However, due to coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch between the filling material in the through-glass vias and glass and the glass substrate being more brittle and less elastic, uneven thermal stress is generated around the through-glass vias, causing peeling and pop-up in the through-glass vias, and even causing chip cracks.
In the known method for reducing stress, changing the material and the appearance of the through-glass vias, or adding other materials to the structure are usually adopted.

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A method for coupling an alkane with an alkene using a hydrogen transfer catalyst and an alkene dimerization catalyst to form one or more higher molecular weight hydrocarbons.

Light alkane gases (ethane, propane, butane) and low-boiling liquids (pentane, hexane, etc.) represent a considerable proportion of petroleum-derived hydrocarbons. These light alkanes are found in natural gas and petroleum reservoirs, and also generated as low-value byproducts of refinery processes such as catalytic cracking as well as in Fisher-Tropsch conversion of synthesis gas. The latter processes may also produce corresponding alkenes; streams containing substantial amounts of both alkane and alkene are commonly obtained. These light hydrocarbons have limited value as useful fuels, particularly in the transportation sector, which generally requires heavier hydrocarbons. As the cost of raw petrochemicals rises due to increased demand and an anticipated reduction in supply, and concern over carbon emissions leads to demands for increased energy efficiency, a method to convert these under-utilized light hydrocarbons into more valuable heavier products would greatly impact the production of chemical fuels.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Tandem transfer hydrogenation and oligomerization for hydrocarbon production


A method and system for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments is provided. Specifically, under the present invention, a record having data, a record department label and an optional identifier is received. The record is compared to an organizational table having entries that each include an organizational department label and a list of hierarchical levels. Based upon the comparison, an entry in the organizational table that corresponds to the record department label is identified. Once identified, the list of hierarchical levels from the identified entry is added to the record and a view of the record is generated. The view includes categorized columns of the added list of hierarchical levels and the optional identifier.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a method and system for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments. More particularly, the present invention provides a method and system for generating a view of the record that includes categorized columns of a hierarchy of departments and an optional identifier.
2. Background Art
As the use of technology in business grows, business organizations are increasingly using computerized methods to track data. One important type of data that is commonly tracked is performance data, which measures the productivity of employees. Once tracked, organizations can analyze the data to improve the efficiency of the business. Tracking such data, however, can be extremely complicated for an organization that includes numerous levels or departments arranged into a hierarchy. Specifically, it is important for the relationship between departments in the hierarchy to be clearly defined so that the effect of one department""s performance on another""s can be determined. It is also important to be able to track performance data for each department in the hierarchy. This can allow the organization to effectively pinpoint problems and determine the performance of each hierarchical level.
To date, many have attempted to provide computerized organizational tables or charts that set forth the entire hierarchy of an organization. These tables can be used in conjunction with data to create a report or the like depicting the performance data for each department in the hierarchy. Typically, the tables include separate fields for each department. However, manipulated and/or editing such tables raises several problems with respect to both the data and the table. Specifically, in today""s business world, departments are constantly being reorganized resulting in changes to the hierarchy. When the hierarchy changes, corresponding changes must be made to the table. Generally, this requires adding or deleting a new field to the table for each department added or eliminated. Moreover, changes to the table require corresponding changes to the agents used to populate the data into a report. Thus, the required changes are complex, time consuming, and costly.
In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for a method and system for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments. In addition, a need exists for a method and system to provide a view of the record that has categorized columns of hierarchical levels.
The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of existing systems by providing a method and system for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments. Specifically a record having data, a record department label, and an optional identifier will be received. The received record will be compared to an organizational table having an entry for each department. Each entry includes an organizational department label and a list of hierarchical levels to which the particular department belongs. Based upon this comparison, an entry in the table that corresponds to the record department label is identified. The list of hierarchical levels from the identified entry is then added to the record. Once added, a view of the record is generated that includes categorized columns of the added list of hierarchal departments and the optional identifier.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (1) receiving a record having a record department label; (2) comparing the record to an organizational table to identify an entry in the organizational table having an organizational department label that matches the record department label; (3) adding a list of hierarchical levels from the identified entry to the record; and (4) generating a view of the record, wherein the view has categorized columns of the added list of hierarchical levels.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (1) providing an organizational table having an entry for each of the departments, wherein each entry comprises an organizational department label and a list of hierarchical levels; (2) providing a record having a record department label; (3) adding the list of hierarchical levels from an entry in the table corresponding to the record department label to the record; and (4) generating a view of the record, wherein the view includes categorized columns of the added list of hierarchical levels.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a method for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (1) providing an organizational table having an entry for each of the departments, wherein each entry comprises an organizational department label and a list of hierarchical levels; (2) providing a record having an identifier and a record department label; (3) adding the list of hierarchical levels from an entry in the table corresponding to the record department label to the record; and (4) generating a view of the record, wherein the view includes categorized columns of the added list of hierarchical levels and the identifier.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a method for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (1) providing an organizational table having an entry for each of the departments, wherein each entry comprises an organizational department label and a list of hierarchical levels; (2) providing a record having an identifier and a record department label; (3) identifying an entry in the organizational table having an organizational department label that corresponds the record department label; (4) adding the list of hierarchical levels from the identified entry to the record; and (5) generating a view of the record, wherein the view includes categorized columns of the added list of hierarchical levels and the identifier.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a system for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments is provided. The system comprises: (1) a record system for receiving a record, wherein the record includes a record department label; (2) a cross-reference system for identifying an entry in an organizational table that corresponds to the record department label, and for adding a list of hierarchical levels from the identified entry to the record; and (3) a view system for generating a view of the record, wherein the view includes categorized columns of the added list of hierarchical levels.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a system for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments is provided. The system comprises: (1) a record system for receiving a record, wherein the record includes a record department label; (2) a cross-reference system for identifying an entry in an organizational table having an organizational department label that matches the record department label, and for adding a list of hierarchical levels from the identified entry to the record; and (3) a view system for generating a view of the record, wherein the view includes categorized columns of the added list of hierarchical levels.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a system for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments is provided. The system comprises: (1) a record having a record department label and data; (2) an organizational table having an entry for each department, wherein each entry includes an organizational department label and a list of hierarchical levels; (3) a cross-reference system for identifying an entry in the organizational table having an organizational department label that matches the record department label, and for adding the list of hierarchical levels from the identified entry to the record; and (4) a view system for generating a view of the record, wherein the view includes categorized columns of the added list of hierarchical levels.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, a program product stored on a recordable medium for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments. When executed, the program product comprises: (1) a record system for receiving a record, wherein the record includes a record department label; (2) a cross-reference system for identifying an entry in an organizational table that corresponds to the record department label, and for adding a list of hierarchical levels from the identified entry to the record; and (3) a view system for generating a view of the record, wherein the view includes categorized columns of the added list of hierarchical levels.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, a program product stored on a recordable medium for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments. When executed, the program product comprises: (1) program code configured to receive a record, wherein the record includes a record department label; (2) program code configured to identify an entry in an organizational table that corresponds to the record department label, and for adding a list of hierarchical levels from the identified entry to the record; and (3) program code configured to generate a view of the record, wherein the view includes categorized columns of the added list of hierarchical levels.
Therefore, the present invention provides a method and system for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments.

Method and system for viewing a record of an organization having a hierarchy of departments

International Business Machines Corporation


Two methods and apparatus for reducing power consumption in battery powered computers are disclosed. The first places the computer in a sleep mode whenever a certain data input function is called. The second applies statistical analysis to calls to another data input function. By measuring the number of times the computer has tried to read data from the keyboard over the past predefined period, the variance between the high and low number of calls over the present and preceding time periods, and whether the number of times the computer has tried to read data has both exceeded the present limit and remained within the preset variance limit for a predefined minimum time, the desirability of activating a sleep mode for the computer can be determined.

This invention is in the field of digital computers. Specifically, it is a method and apparatus for placing the computer in an `idle` or `sleep` power saving mode while the computer waits for input.
In any computer, the speed of the computer's internal clock determines the rate of data processing. If all other factors are constant, a faster clock rate will result in faster processing. The penalty for faster processing is, unfortunately, increased power consumption. Every clock pulse causes at least some of the transistors in the central processing unit (`CPU`) to change state. This change of state consumes power. Thus, the faster the clock rate, the more often transistors change state and the more power is consumed.
Although increased power consumption is not a major problem when a conventional A.C. power supply is available, it is a problem when batteries are used as the power source. To increase the useful operating time of computers powered by batteries, any means for reducing power consumption without impairing the operation of the computer is desirable.
One particular area where power savings may be realized is during the times when the computer is waiting for input from a keyboard or from an interface port. During these periods, the CPU continues to function in its standard mode, despite there being no work to do. Consequently, despite the fact that nothing is accomplished, power requirements are unchanged. A device or method which would reduce the power consumption of the CPU during these periods of waiting for data input is clearly desirable.

Method for reducing power consumption includes comparing variance in number of times microprocessor tried to read input in predefined period to predefined variance


A sample storage apparatus includes: a lid member; a sample storage container; first and second fluid sucking sections; first and second fluid discharging sections; first to fourth flow paths; and a first fluid identification sensor. The first flow path is connected to the first fluid sucking section, the second flow path is connected to the second fluid sucking section, the third flow path is connected to the first fluid discharging section, and the fourth flow path is connected to the second fluid discharging section. The first fluid identification sensor for identifying a fluid is disposed in the first flow path.

In technical fields in which cells must be cultured, such as regenerative medicine, an apparatus that cultures cells for a long term while maintaining a sterile environment has been developed. In order to check the conditions of cells that are cultured in such an apparatus, a culture solution and the like must be carried out into a non-sterile space while maintaining the sterility of the culture space. In the case where a culture solution in a cell culture vessel is to be subjected to a sampling operation, conventionally, a process must be performed in which a sample in an incubator that is a sterile space is once carried out into a pass box or the like that is disposed adjacently to the incubator, and then taken to the outside, and therefore the sampling operation is troublesome and time-consuming.
As a countermeasure against the problem, a sampling system of the isolator type in which a plurality of cell culture vessels can be accommodated in an incubator that is maintained in a sterile environment has been proposed (for example, JP-A-2012-200239). In the system, in order to maintain a sterile space, a one-way valve that limits a flow of a culture solution to a direction from the inside of the sterile space to the outside is disposed. Thereby the sterility of the interior of an isolator is maintained.


Systems, methods and computer program products for multi-path replication in databases are described herein. A non-limiting embodiment includes instantiating a plurality of replicate connections to a replicate database, providing transactions to the replicate database through a plurality of transaction streams, where the transaction streams associated with respective instantiated replicate connections. Transactions occurring in distinct transaction streams are applied, in parallel, at the replicate database. Another non-limiting embodiment includes instantiating a plurality of replication sender threads, where the replication sender threads communicate in parallel with respective replication servers over respective replication paths. Data sharing one or more attributes can be bound to a replication path in communication with the respective replication servers.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to database systems, and particularly to database replication using multiple replication paths.
2. Background Discussion
Data replication is the process of maintaining multiple copies of a database object in a distributed database system. Performance improvements can be achieved when data replication is employed, since multiple access locations exist for the access and modification of the replicated data. For example, if multiple copies of a data object are maintained, an application can access the logically "closest" copy of the data object to improve access times and minimize network traffic. In addition, data replication provides greater fault tolerance in the event of a server failure, since the multiple copies of the data object effectively become online backup copies if a failure occurs.
Conventional replication architecture supports a single path (or stream) of data between a primary (or source) database and a replication server. Specifically, database transactions are replicated at a target (or replicate) database, serially, in a single replication path, to maintain a transaction commit order at the primary database.
In some instances, however, this replication architecture can prove disadvantageous. For instance, when throughput activity at the primary database is high, the replication server (responsible for replicating transactions at the target database) cannot maintain the low replication latency expected by users at the target database. In other words, time taken to replicate database operations increases significantly as a large number of operations begin to be committed at the primary database.
Thus, as replicated transaction and data volume increases, traditional replication solutions utilizing a single replication path cannot match data generation/transaction speeds at the primary database. This causes both data accumulation and significant transaction latency.
In addition, transactions applied at the primary database can have different replication priorities. Some transactions are expected to be replicated sooner than other transactions at the target database. However, conventional replication techniques are limited to serially replicating transactions in an order that the transactions were committed in at the primary database. Accordingly, systems and method for replicating data that maintain low replication latency during periods of high throughput activity at the primary database and that have the ability to prioritize transactions are needed.


A home network controller provides a user-visible indication of the integrity of a physical connection to a home network. The home network controller periodically checks an interrupt status register for receipt of a physical-layer packet. Receipt of a physical-layer packet serves as a proxy for a functional physical connection, and non-receipt of a packet serves as a proxy for a non-functional physical connection. To avoid race conditions, the controller will indicate failure of a previously functional physical connection if no packet was received during the period but a packet was transmitted during the period and a packet was transmitted during the immediately previous period. A heartbeat signal avoids deadlocks by transmitting a packet if the interrupt status register indicates no packets were received or transmitted during the period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to home networking systems, in particular to a home local area network (LAN) having the capability to detect media in the network.
2. Description of the Related Art
The personal computer has become a powerful platform in the home for work, communication, education and entertainment. As the Internet becomes an essential means of information access, many new digital appliances are being developed to exploit communication of voice and video across digital networks Just as there is a critical need for high-speed connections to information and broadband entertainment sources outside the home, there is a growing need to rapidly move digital data between devices within the home. Businesses accomplish this by deploying local area networks (LANs); however, networks are not commonly deployed in the home due to the cost and complexity of installing the new wiring required by traditional LANs. A need to share Internet access, digital information, and computing resources among PCs and other information appliances has sparked consumer demand for a home networking solution. Several groups have proposed solutions which create a network in the home that will utilize existing resources such as telephone wiring, power lines, or radio-frequency (RF) transmission to connect computers and devices without requiring expensive rewiring of the home.
Although office LANs may have dedicated personnel to manage the networks, home LANs are unlikely to have such dedicated management personnel. End-users will want a network which is easy to troubleshoot when something goes wrong. One concern with a network, particularly one such as a home network, is link integrity, or a concern with the physical connection to the network. End users expect some kind of visual indication that a physical connection in the network is working. With traditional networks such as 10Base-T Ethernets, hub devices and transceivers exchange hardware link heartbeat pulses when the connection is idle. Either the hub or the transceiver can display a visual indication of packet transmission as an indication of link integrity.
Home LANs without a centralized hub device typically do not have a hardware means of detecting link integrity. In addition, standard tests used to certify Network Interface Cards (NMCs) can fail a xe2x80x9cmedia detectxe2x80x9d test because of the lack of an indication of link integrity.
Many other problems and disadvantages of the prior art will become apparent to one skilled in the art after comparing such prior art with the techniques as described herein.
Briefly, a home network controller provides indication of the integrity of a link in a home local area network (LAN). The home network controller can provide a visual indicator of the status of the link to assist in troubleshooting of the home LAN.
The home network controller includes a physical interface connected to a link of the home LAN. Software and circuitry in the home network controller monitor the status of the link to verify link integrity.
The home network controller uses receipt of a physical layer packet as a proxy for link integrity. The home network controller software reads an interrupt status register to check for receipt and transmission of a packet during a current monitoring period.
If a packet has been received since the previous check of the interrupt status register, then the link is declared working To avoid false indications of link failure caused by a transmission at a tail end of a previous monitoring period, the home network controller software can make a decision based on two successive periods. If during the preceding period a packet was transmitted, but no packet was received during the current period, then an indication that packet transmission occurred in the current period indicates that the link has failed.
To avoid deadlocks, the home network controller can stimulate packet transmission by using a heartbeat signal. The heartbeat signal will transmit a packet on the home LAN if no packet was received and no packet was transmitted during the current period, as evidenced by the interrupt status register.

Verification of link integrity of a home local area network


An adhesive film has an average slope of about −9.9 to about 0, as measured over a temperature range of about −20° C. to about 80° C. in a graph depicting a temperature-dependent storage modulus distribution of the adhesive film where the x-axis represents temperature (° C.) and the y-axis represents storage modulus (kPa). The adhesive film also has a storage modulus at about 80° C. of about 10 kPa to about 1,000 kPa.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an adhesive composition, an adhesive film formed from the same, and a display member including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Transparent adhesive films are used as adhesive films for the interlayer bonding of stacked parts in an optical display, or for attaching the touchscreen of a mobile phone.
In particular, in an optical display, a capacitive touch pad is attached to a window or film via an adhesive film, and the capacitive touch pad senses changes in capacitance of the window or film. The adhesive film attaching the touch pad is stacked between the window glass and a TSP sensor glass.
Transparent adhesive films improve the clarity of the screen (as compared to existing double-sided tapes) and exhibit good adhesion while also acting like glass by transmitting 97% or more of light. The transparent adhesive film can be used in tablet PCs, TVs and the like, including mid- or large-sized display screens as well as mobile phones.
Recently, due to the increasing severity of the environments in optical displays are used, stored and/or manufactured and to increasing interest in flexible optical displays and the like, a variety of properties are becoming necessary for the transparent adhesive film. In particular, for application in flexible displays, there is a need for a transparent adhesive film that maintains viscoelasticity over a wide temperature range and also exhibits good recoverability.

Adhesive composition, adhesive film prepared from the same and display member including the same


A signal size judging apparatus is disclosed that comprises of a separating circuit, a plurality of judging circuit and a connection status deciding circuit. The separating circuit receives the multiplexed signal and separating it into its constituent basic signals for each channel. The judging circuits are provided to correspond to each of the basic signals for each channel except the foremost channel and is supplied with the basic signals for each of the channels from the separating circuit and judges whether or not each basic signal is connected to the basic signal for the immediately preceding channel. The connection status deciding circuit decides as to how the basic signals for all of the channel are connected on the bases of the possible results of judgment performed by the judging circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signal size judging apparatus, that is, an apparatus for judging the connection status of the basic signals for a plurality of constituent channels, said basic signals having particular bit rate and frame construction, in a digital transmission system capable of transmitting signals of higher bit rate than the particular bit rate. This can be realized by providing an identification signal indicating connection with immediately preceding basic signal within a frame at the time of synchronous multiplexing after frame alignment of the basic signals for the plurality of channels to connect the basic signals for the plurality of channels within a multiplexed signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As an example of the digital transmission system of this kind, the SONET (Synchronous Optical Network) which is to be designated as the standard transmission system in North America will be mentioned hereinafter. In this transmission system, the standard transmission rate and the frame period are set at 51.84 Mb/s and 125 .mu.s, respectively, as shown in FIG. 1. Among 810 bytes (90 bytes.times.8 rows) which constitute one frame, 27 bytes are allocated to the TOH (Transport Overhead) which is designed to administrate the transmission line conditions, and the remaining 783 bytes are allocated to the information bits. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the frame construction of the signal made by multiplexing N signals constituting the frame construction shown in FIG. 1 is defined as the STS-N frame whose transmission rate is set at 51.84.times.N Mb/s.
However, it is impossible to transmit signals which require a frequency bandwidth of over 50 Mb/s when such frame construction is used. For example, basic signals consisting of three channels shown in FIG. 3A are multiplexed in terms of byte unit as shown in FIG. 3B. Here, H1 and H2 designate the start of the basic signal within the payload. However, a signal having the bit rate of 150 Mb/s cannot be transmitted with the frame shown in FIG. 3B. To enable transmission of signals having a bit rate of over 50 Mb/s, it is conventionally done to connect a plurality of frames within the multiplexed signal by providing an identification signal indicating the connection of the basic signal with the immediately preceding basic signal within a frame. In the case of a signal consisting of three channels, for example, as shown in FIG. 3A, the start of the signal within the payload is designated by the first H1 and H2 and the connection of the first channel with the second and the third channels are designated by the identification signs H1.sup.* and H2.sup.*, respectively.
The multiplexed signal receiver includes an apparatus for judging whether the frame concerned transmits an independent signal or is connected with the immediately preceding frame to allow the transmission of a signal having higher bit rate, that is, the size of the received signals. In order to avoid errors in operation caused by the disorder of the transmission lines, the apparatus for judging signal size is constructed so that it judges that the series of frames are actually connected to each other only when the identification signals of connection are received in succession for a certain fixed period of time (usually of the order of three frames).
FIG. 5 is the block diagram of an example of the conventional apparatus for judging signal size. A quadrupling arrangement is exemplified herein. The received multiplexed signal is separated into the basic signals CH1, CH2, CH3 and CH4 for four channels, respectively, by means of the separating circuit 1. The basic signals CH1, CH2, CH3 and CH4 are introduced into the judging circuit 2, where all of the basic signals CH1, CH2, CH3 and CH4 are judged to be connected together provided that inclusion of identification signals showing the connections is confirmed in each of the basic signals CH2, CH3 and CH4. The signal 6 is then set to a logic 1. The basic signals CH1 and CH2 are introduced into the judging circuit 3, where both of the basic signals CH1 and CH2 are judged to be connected together provided that inclusion of identification signal showing the connection is confirmed only in the basic signal CH2. The signal 7 is then set to a logic 1. The basic signals CH3 and CH4 are introduced into the judging circuit 4, where both of the basic signals CH3 and CH4 are judged to be connected together provided that inclusion of identification signal showing the connection is confirmed only in the basic signal CH4. The signal 8 is then set to a logic 1. Signals 6, 7 and 8 are introduced into the connection status deciding circuit 5 and all of the basic signals CH1, CH2, CH3 and CH4 are judged to be connected together when signal 6 is a logic 1. The signal 9 is then set to a logic 1. Similarly, only CH1 and CH2 are judged to be connected together provided that signals 6 and 8 are both a logic 0 and signal 7 is a logic 1. The signal 10 is then set to a logic 1. Furthermore, only CH3 and CH4 are judged to be connected together provided that signals 6 and 7 are both a logic 0 and signal 8 is a logic 1. The signal 11 is then set to a logic 1.
As explained above, since the conventional signal size judging apparatus is provided with a plurality of individual judging circuits for all possible different-sized receiving signals, it has a disadvantage that as the number of multiplex increases, the number of judging circuits also increases, thereby making the circuit scale larger.


A system, device and method for a proximity sensor network are disclosed. The proximity detection device includes a short range wireless receiver, a wireless network transceiver; and a controller connected to the receiver and transceiver. The device receives a short-range radio signal from a user's mobile communications device, and locates the user and takes various actions based on the identity of the user.

Sensors are all around us. Sensors are transducers, in that they convert one form of energy into another. For example, widely available electrochemical sensor-based Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors are installed in many homes and are used to detect the presence of CO as a result of incomplete combustion. Those sensors precisely measure current through a test cell. The current corresponds to CO level and an alarm is activated accordingly.
Advances in sensor miniaturization through microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), micromachining, photolithography and other miniaturization improvements have put sensors and detectors into places such as automotive brake shoes and bearing races that just a few short years ago were not technically or economically sensible.
Providing power to sensors in portable, moveable and out of the way places has significantly limited sensor use. Methods of extending battery or other on-board power supplies in order to extend a sensor system service life have focused mainly on improved battery technology and reducing system power requirements. To a lesser extent, methods of energy harvesting, such as piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting, have helped extend service life but remain costly to implement.
Business and home network administrators are increasingly looking to wireless networking technology to allow rapid and cost-effective changes to work space layout, network configuration and network capacity by deploying wireless networks that are easy to use, install and maintain, all without compromising system performance or security. Low range wireless networking protocols, such as but not limited to, 802.11x protocol, WI-FI wireless networking technology, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Wireless USB (WUSB), BLUETOOTH wireless networking protocol, ZIGBEE wireless open standard technology and the like, facilitate communication between compatible wireless devices. Those wireless communication technologies have been applied to sensors.
Sensors have been used to identify or track persons in a building. Motion sensors have been used to detect the presence of a person, but are not effective in identifying the person. Fingerprint sensors and retina scanners have been used in security systems to identify persons, but those sensors require active participation by the identified person. Similarly, face and voice recognition software has been used to identify persons, but those techniques also require the active participation by the subject to produce reliable identification. Key fobs and ID cards have been used to identify persons in a building, but those devices must be carried by persons for the purpose of being identified by the system.
It would therefore be desirable to provide systems and methods for identifying and tracking persons within a building, and taking actions based on that identification, without requiring the persons to take affirmative measures to identify themselves to the system. To the inventors' knowledge, no such system or method currently exists.


An automobile includes a door, inner and outer rocker panels, and a floor pan joined to the inner rocker panel. A structural frame extends under the body. A frame standoff member is mounted to the inner rocker panel and extends inboard to a frame rail. The frame standoff member is separated from the frame rail by a clearance gap. Once the gap is closed due to lateral deformation of the door, rocker panels, and floor pan, the frame standoff member will resist further deformation of the door and rocker panels without dynamically coupling the door or rocker panels to the frame rail during normal operation of the vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automobile having enhanced resistance to laterally directed impacts.
2. Disclosure Information
Destructive testing of automotive vehicles typically includes the imposition of dynamic loading to the vehicle bodysides, typically in the form of a pendulum strike on the bodyside, or by crash testing. Such testing, in either form, imposes severe loading on the structural members of the body, particularly the door, B-pillar, and rocker panel assemblies. As testing requirements become more stringent, management of impact energy to reduce the intrusion of a barrier into the passenger compartment becomes even more difficult. In the case of separate frame and body vehicles, the resistance of the body to lateral intrusion may be enhanced if the frame rails, which have great strength in a lateral bending mode, could be coupled to the rocker panels and overlying closure panels. Unfortunately, dynamic coupling of the rocker panel, B-pillar, and closure structures with the frame may create an undesirable noise and vibration path between the frame rail and the balance of the body structure during normal operation.
The inventors of the present structural system have determined that the ability of an automotive body to manage laterally directed impact loads will be enhanced with the addition of the frame standoff member described herein, without adversely affecting the vehicle""s interior noise and vibration signature. The present frame standoff device allows the vehicle""s body to react in a more controlled manner against laterally imposed loads, and at an earlier time during a crash sequence, because deformation of the body""s doors, B-pillar, and rocker panel will be resisted by the column strength of the frame standoff member.
With a more typical prior art construction, such as that disclosed,in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,509 the space between the inner rocker panel and the outboard face of the frame rail or other facing structure must first be closed by plastic deformation of the sheet metal bridging between these two structures. This sheet metal is usually flat and comprises a portion of the floorpan. As a result, the sheet metal is unable to absorb significant energy and in any event the magnitude of the intrusion is reduced little by the sheet metal. The present invention provides much greater energy absorption during the bodyside deformation by providing the capability for column resistance to deformation, rather than the mere bending of sections of sheet metal.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an automotive body and chassis includes an outer rocker panel and an inner rocker panel joined to said outer rocker panel, with a closure structure having a portion overlying and extending outboard from said outer rocker panel. A frame rail extends longitudinally under the floor pan inboard of the inner rocker panel, with the frame rail having a generally vertical outboard face. A frame standoff member is rigidly attached to the inner rocker panel and extends laterally inboard from the inner rocker panel to the outboard face of said frame rail. The frame standoff member is normally being separated from the outboard face of the frame rail by a clearance gap such that lateral displacement of the closure panel and said outer and inner rocker panels relative to said frame rail resulting from an impact load upon the closure structure will be resisted by the frame standoff member and the frame rail once the clearance gap has been closed.
The frame standoff member preferably includes a structural column having a first end welded to said inner rocker panel. The standoff member may also include an upper flange welded to the floor pan. The configuration of the frame standoff member may include a box-shaped structural column welded at one end to an inner rocker panel.
An automotive body and chassis according to the present invention preferably further includes a frame cross member extending across the body under the floor pan and inboard from said frame rail at a longitudinal position proximate the frame standoff member.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for augmenting the capability of an automobile to react to an impact load imposed laterally upon a closure structure of the automobile, includes the steps of reacting to the impact load initially with laterally directed plastic deformation of said closure structure and a rocker panel structure abutting a lower portion of said closure structure, as well as a floor pan extending inboard from said rocker panel structure, and
reacting to the load secondarily by means of column compression of a frame standoff member mounted to an inboard portion of the rocker panel structure, with the frame standoff member extending inboard of the rocker panel structure to a longitudinally running frame rail, and with the frame standoff member and the frame rail being separated by a clearance gap which allows the rocker panel structure to be uncoupled from the frame rail during normal operation of the vehicle, such that the frame standoff member is subjected to column compression between the rocker panel structure and the frame rail once the floor pan and the rocker panel structures have deformed sufficiently to cause the clearance gap to close.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the present frame standoff member allows an automotive body to react to higher laterally directed impact loads with greater resistance to deformation, by utilizing the superior bending strength of chassis frame rails, thereby reducing lateral intrusion.
It is a further advantage of the present invention that the enhanced resistance to lateral intrusion offered by the inventive structures will not negatively impact the noise, vibration, and harshness characteristics of an automobile equipped according to this invention.
Other advantages, as well as objects and features of the present invention, will become apparent to the reader of this specification.

Automotive vehicle with enhanced lateral collision intrusion resistance


Systems and techniques for crowd sourced online application management are described herein. A received application and an application cache policy may be identified. Execution of the application may be monitored to determine a behavior characteristic for a subset of application components. A cache policy may be determined for the subset of application components based on the monitoring. A cache improvement plan for the application may be provided based on the cache policy for the subset of application components.

Online (e.g., network-based) applications may entail the request and retrieval of files from a remote machine to a local machine prior to executing the application. Caching is a mechanism whereby a local copy of these remote files may be kept in order to reduce network overhead and delay in file retrieval. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Hypertext Markup Language version 5 (HTML5) definition—which may be used to implement online applications, for example, in a web browser—has added a cache feature called AppCache. AppCache defines a cache manifest file in which HTML5 files may be designated as 'cache', 'network', and 'fallback'. The 'cache' designation indicates that a file should be cached. The 'network' designation indicates that the file should be retrieved from the network (i.e., not cached). The 'fallback' designation indicates an offline alternative for a corresponding online file (e.g., for when the network is unavailable). Crowd sourcing includes soliciting contributions from a group of users, such as an online community, to solve a problem.

Crowd sourced online application cache management


A display control apparatus includes: reading means for reading still image data from a recording medium on which the still image data are recorded in a predetermined order; display control means for displaying the still images read by the reading means; and still image accepting means for accepting commands regarding display of the still images, wherein when a command for a slideshow of the still images has been accepted by the still image accepting means with one of the still images under display, the reading means reads pieces of the still image data successively, starting with the still image data next to the still image data corresponding to the one under display, and the display control means displays still images corresponding to the still image data read by the reading means successively, following the one under display, whereby to make the slideshow display.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display control apparatus and a display control method, and a program thereof, and particularly to a display control apparatus and a display control method, and a program thereof, by which a user can display images as a slideshow, starting with a desired still image.
2. Description of Related Art
Cameras have become popular lately, such as video cameras capable of imaging both movie images and still images, i.e., video cameras having both functions of a conventional video camera and a conventional still camera.
Also, to display a plurality of still images produced by imaging, apparatus have been widespread, such as digital still cameras and personal computers, which can perform a so-called slideshow for displaying these still images successively in a predetermined order. In such apparatus, a user selects a slideshow display item from among menu items, or operates a special slideshow button, whereby to command a slideshow display. See, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-288068 (at FIG. 8)
Referring to FIG. 1, a case where the user commands a slideshow display by selecting the slideshow display item from among the menu items will be described.
In an example of FIG. 1, note that a screen 1 is displayed on a touch panel and that still images to be displayed on the screen 1 are recorded in the order they have been imaged.
On the screen 1 of FIG. 1, one of the still images recorded, which has been designated for display by the user, is displayed. Also, a stop button 11, a back button 12, and a forward button 13 are displayed at the lower part of the screen 1 of FIG. 1.
The stop button 11 is operated (pressed) to stop display of the screen 1. The back button 12 is operated to select for display a previous still image which has been imaged immediately before the still image under display on the screen 1. The forward button 13 is operated to select for display a next still image which has been imaged immediately after the still image under display on the screen 1.
Additionally, a Menu button 14 is displayed at the upper right of the screen 1 of FIG. 1. The Menu button 14 is operated to select any of various menu items including the slideshow display item.
To run a slideshow, the user operates the Menu button 14, whereby buttons through which to select any of the various menu items appear onscreen, and then operates a button for selecting the slideshow display item from among these buttons, to command a slideshow display.
Thus, to command a slideshow display requires the user to first operate the Menu button 14 and then select the slideshow display item, making the operation complicated. Therefore, the user is reluctant to use the slideshow function frequently.
Note that the buttons are displayed, i.e., provided on the touch panel in FIG. 1, but may be provided alternatively on the apparatus.
Referring next to FIG. 2, a case where the user commands a slideshow display by pressing a special slideshow button will be described.
In an example of FIG. 2, a slideshow button 31 is provided on a predetermined surface 30 of the housing of the apparatus. This slideshow button 31 is operated to command a slideshow display. The user operates the slideshow button 31 when commanding a slideshow display.
Note that the slideshow button 31 is provided on the apparatus in FIG. 2, but may be provided otherwise on the touch panel.
However, where the user has commanded a slideshow display, the above-mentioned apparatus that perform a slideshow, display a plurality of still images for the slideshow stored in a predetermined order, starting with the first one of the images.
Therefore, such apparatus have not been capable of satisfying the user needs for running a slideshow of the plurality of still images stored in the predetermined order, starting with a still image occurring at any point in the order, for sequential display of the subsequent images.

Slideshow display control for a display control apparatus


A cryptographic framework embodies modular methods for securing data, both at rest and in motion, via an extensible encryption method. Key derivation and synchronization methods are defined. Using a small set of initialization values (keys), a multi-dimensional geometric form from which two or more entities (participants) may derive the same discrete set of public and secret keys. Participants can initialize a random number generation method of practically infinite non-repeating length. Furthermore, the random number generator can be used as a One Time Pad synchronized between participants, without ever exchanging said One Time Pad. Furthermore, a method for ciphering and deciphering data including a method for splitting the encrypted data into multiple files or streams and for recombining the original data back. Finally, a method for extending the encryption to include a practically unlimited number of external authentication factors without negatively impacting encryption performance while simultaneously increasing cryptographic strength.

The history and body of art surrounding the ciphering of information dates back over two millennia. This is a rich field of practice. The first major significant advancement in cryptography in the modern era was offered by (RSA) Rivest, Shamir and Adlemen in their invention (U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,829). Subsequent directions in block ciphers ushered in by the National Institute for Standards and Technologies (NIST) release of the Advanced Encryption System (AES) have expanded the art another generation. Most recently the use of Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) has opened up yet another new direction in cryptography. There is an ever expanding field of art in Public Key Infrastructure, Key Derivation and Exchange Methods and more. Each succeeding generation of encryption algorithms has advanced the art. However, each method heretofore has been limited to a nature that is uni-functional and not extensible.
Society is increasingly relying on cryptographic systems to secure a great many applications covering virtually every aspect of modern life including financial systems, health care information, electronic communications from simple messaging to global video teleconferencing, military and surveillance applications, corporate asset protection and more. Simultaneously, as virtually all of this data is now instantiated in computer systems by necessity, a wide range of opportunists, thieves, other malicious actors, nation-states and more, are regularly attacking cyber resources, including encrypted resources, and compromising the digital assets contained in those systems. Existing solutions from RSA to AES are increasingly vulnerable to a variety of clever social engineering, brute force and mathematical attacks that weaken their ability to protect the data assets they are used to secure. Furthermore, as the volume of users increases, the volume and rate of data being securely stored or transmitted is increasing non-linearly. In some situations, existing art is insufficient to meet these demands. For example, block cipher systems such as DES and AES introduce network latencies that make high definition video conferencing impractical in all but the most expensive hardware-augmented solutions.
Each cryptographic method offers its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Only a system utilizing a One Time Pad (OTP) approach, properly implemented, can offer "information-theoretically secure" encryption (meaning that the system remains secure even if an adversary has unlimited computing resources and power). The OTP was invented by Gilbert Vernam in 1918. Claude Shannon subsequently proved mathematically, as published in the Bell Labs Technical Journal in 1949, that properly implemented OTPs were information-theoretically secure. However, in order to meet Shannon's rubric for being properly implemented, there are four elements that have historically proven difficult enough to implement to make an OTP less than a practical solution.
These requirements are:                The OTP must be a single cipher key that is non-repeating and is equal or greater in length than the plaintext which is being ciphered        The OTP must be held in complete secrecy known only to the trusted parties        (ideally, never exchanged)        The OTP must never be used again        The OTP must be indistinguishable from random data
Each of these requirements, taken alone, has significant and daunting practical implications, but when considered together, until now, no practical solution has emerged.
Shannon's requirements mean that two or more parties be able to use a new and different internally random OTP for every exchange of secured data; that the OTP be of equal or greater length than the plaintext and, ideally, never exchanged by the trusted parties. Clearly, in modern systems where data sizes are often megabytes, gigabytes or terabytes in size—it is impractical to generate a sufficiently long and randomized OTP and find a way to securely transmit that OTP to the recipient. One Time Pads offer so-called perfect secrecy, but, historically, at too high a cost to be practical.
Additionally, historically, encryption systems have intimately tied encryption keys (authentication factors) to pass-phrases, biometrics, or software and/or hardware-based symmetric/asymmetric keys alone (either public or private). In some cases, implementations of various cryptographic algorithms in software or hardware have accepted more than one authentication factor. For example, an AES-256 implementation could require both a passphrase and a fingerprint for authentication to encrypt/decrypt. However, these are typically combined using a variety of methods into a single authentication input and thus form a single key of known 256 bits of length/strength (as in the case of AES-256). More than one authentication factor, while it has added entropy to the finite number of bits available, has not typically meant an increase in bits of strength of encryption. Therefore, historically, multi-factor authentication offers increased security, but only in as much as it adds entropy, not bits of strength, to the encryption.
Thus, a need exists for an approach to encryption that offers real and practical solutions to Shannon's requirements, as well as an approach that offers real multi-factor authentication that actually increases security, as well as entropy and that outperforms block cipher solutions to facilitate real-world and relevant data streaming and other applications.

Methods and systems for deriving a cryptographic framework


To facilitate a wall-mounted installation of multi-unit water heaters in a location with limited clear wall space, spacer brackets may be installed on the wall to extend a mounting surface away from a plane of the wall. A mounting bracket may be attached to the mounting surface of the spacer brackets. To reduce installation time and costs, a plurality of water heaters may be affixed to a frame prior to installation. A hot water, cold water, and fuel supply manifolds may be coupled to each hot water outlet, cold water inlet, and fuel supply inlet, respectively, of the plurality of water heaters. The mounting bracket comprises a mounting shelf configured to receive the frame, thereby securing the multi-unit water heater system to the wall. The multi-unit water heating system, the spacer brackets, and the mounting bracket may be provided as a kit.

The need for heated fluids, and heated water, has long been recognized. Conventionally, water has been heated by water heaters containing heating elements. These water heaters are conventionally heated either electrically or with gas burners, where the heated water may be stored in a tank or reservoir. Additionally, such water heaters may be tankless, circulating hot water into a plumbing system without storing the water in a tank or reservoir. Water heaters are often used in private and commercial plumbing networks. Plumbing networks often require water to be continuously circulated into a heater to maintain a desired water temperature in hot-water supply lines.
Many modern businesses, such as Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) for example, use existing water plumbing networks in limited-space mechanical rooms. The mechanical rooms may also have a large amount of other equipment and conduit which span sections of walls to service the needs of the outlet. Accordingly, there may be limited available clear wall space upon which to install new equipment.

Multi-unit water heater flexible mounting system


A vacuum cleaner uses a special self-cleaning filter arrangement including an initial fabric filter having a relatively large mesh size with a broad open mesh ratio of 5 to 11 flat filter threads 0.025 to 0.045 inches in width defining oblong filter openings 0.002 to 0.006 inches in width and having a length not greater than will maintain the structural integrity of the filter openings and a total opening area of 5 to 45 times the cross section of the inlet, which inlet faces away from the filter. The initial filter is preferably backed up by secondary filters which filter particulates passing through the initial fabric filter especially during startup and while the filter cleans itself.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vacuum or suction cleaners and more particularly to high efficiency vacuum cleaners, preferably incorporating multiple filter stages, in which the initial filter stage is self-cleaning by reason of the use of a particularly designed relatively coarse mesh filter material positioned over a debris or particulate collection chamber, preferably containing an impervious dust or particulate collection bag.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A large number of so-called vacuum or suction cleaners have been designed in the past. Such cleaners have usually involved the use of rotary fan means to either draw dust laden air through a perforate filter medium such as a cloth bag or the like or to blow dust laden air into a filter such as a filter bag. Particles of dust or other debris are caught by the filter material while the air passes through. As additional dust and debris is built up on the filter material, the pores or openings in the filter become partially blocked with dust and other particulates. The resulting accumulation of dust itself eventually becomes a filter of sorts and the efficiency of the filter action at first increases. Beyond a certain point, however, the efficiency of the filter decreases as the filter medium becomes more impervious to air due to a thick layer of dust and other debris accumulated on the surface of the filter. Multiple stage filtering has been used to increase the efficiency of filtering and the length of the filtering cycle, i.e. the length of time between cleaning or emptying the filter. The initial filter medium in such arrangements is usually coarser, or in other words, has larger holes or meshes in it, than subsequent filters. The dust accumulated is in such multiple stage filtering arrangements distributed between the multiple filter mediums with the larger particles being collected on the coarser initial filter medium or mediums and the smaller particles being caught on the finer filter medium or mediums. This extends the filter cycle of all the filter mediums, but is not always worth the trouble, since there are then more filters to be changed less frequently rather than less filters to be changed more frequently and the trade off is not always advantageous. Of course, the filter stages can be arranged so that the mesh size of one or more of the filters is such that the particular filter accumulates more than its share of particulates and dust so only one filter at a time usually has to be changed or cleaned. This, however, essentially defeats the original aim of increasing the number of stages in the filter cycle.
Multiple layer filters or filter mediums rather than multiple filters have also been used. Multiple layer filters are comprised usually of somewhat erratically laid fibers or matted fibers, rather than a woven or geometrically oriented fiber arrangement forming a sheet or cloth. Such multiple layer filters have the advantage of being less easily blinded by particulates because the openings can be larger than the particulates to be removed from an air stream. This is because the openings can be larger than the particulates to be removed from an air stream. The opening can be larger because the effective passages, or openings, provided through the filter medium are tortuous with the result that particulates impact the various fibers of the filter medium as such particulates are carried through the tortuous passages by the air stream. The particulates are consequently removed from such air stream by their impacts with the fibers, either by adhering to the fibers or becoming entangled in multiple fibers.
So-called filter aids are also sometimes used with a filter to increase the filtering efficiency. Such filter aids, which are usually fibrous in nature, are placed upon a filter and, in effect, convert a single layer filter to a multiple layer filter. They not only enable smaller particulates to be removed from an air stream than might otherwise be possible with the primary filter, but also serve frequently to prevent blinding or clogging of a filter having a relatively small mesh size. Such prevention of blinding and clogging is accomplished by, in effect, holding larger sized particulates away from the smaller filter orifices. Since filter aid materials must be applied periodically to the principal filter, use of such materials is practical usually only for laboratory environments or specialized industrial environments and not readily adaptable for vacuums or suction-type apparatus or cleaners.
Some vacuum or suction systems have also provided cleaning means such as scrapers, rappers, backflow systems and the like to aid in cleaning the filters and particularly an initial coarse filter, but such arrangements add considerable complication to the apparatus. Thus, while the filter cycle may be lengthened, the extra expense and complication is a considerable disadvantage. In addition, scrapers and rappers sometimes tend to force dust and dirt through the mesh of the filter causing an overall decrease in filter efficiency. Such systems also tend to remove a large portion of the accumulation of dust from the filter surface so that a new layer of dust must accumulate before efficient filtering can take place. Some scrapers are arranged only to remove a certain portion of the dust accumulation by passing the scraper along the filter at a predetermined distance from the filter surface. However, this type of arrangement tends to compact the remaining particulate accumulation on the filter at the same time and this interferes with the efficiency of the filter. Backflow-type arrangements which periodically force dust layers from the filter surface are inefficient since the vacuum or suction filtration cycle cannot operate while the backflow is operating and the time available for actual cleaning or suction is thus considerably decreased. While a judicious selection of filter stages may alleviate many of the above enumerated difficulties, the principal difficulty of intermittent operation due to the necessity of periodically cleaning one or more of the filters remains. The following U.S. patents are examples of the present stage of the prior art as described above.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,198,568 issued Apr. 23, 1950 to E.H. Yonkers discloses a self-cleaning suction cleaner which uses a filter medium sold under the name of Dextilose. The filter material is treated with viscose to form a smooth satin finish. The viscose coating prevents adhesion of dust to the filter medium so that "a heavy accumulation of dust and dirt is not possible, the dust and dirt flaking off from the action of gravity aided by the draft of incoming air and falling into the container below." The filter thus tends "to maintain itself in a clean condition."
U.S. Pat. No. 2,295,984 issued Sep. 15, 1942 to B.C. Wilson discloses a shop-type vacuum in which air enters a canister where it drops out a considerable amount of its particulate matter which is thereby removed and the air then passes upward into an inverted filter and removes additional particulates. The filtering cylinder or bag collapses each time the cleaner is shut off so the accumulation of dirt falls into the lower portion of the canister leaving the filter bag free to pass a maximum amount of air when the cleaner is again activated.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,713,921 issued July 26, 1955 to J. Turner discloses a filtering arrangement in which a spiral wiping bar wipes the inside of a cylindrical filter medium to remove accumulated dust. The wiping spiral leaves a sufficient build-up of particulate material on the filter to allow the filtering of finer particles to continue. Turner is only one example of a large number of prior devices for physically removing dust from filter surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,189 issued Apr. 4, 1972 to Y. Miyake, et al. discloses a two-stage filter vacuum cleaner. The initial discussion in the patent discloses that in order to allow a longer vacuum period it has previously been known to use a two-stage filtering system comprising a dust collecting receptacle with a filtering screen of relatively large mesh size and a second fine mesh size filtering medium located immediately down-stream from the first coarse filtering screen. The invention of the patent involves a two-stage filtering arrangement including a first coarse filter screen made of plastic material, fine metal wires or the like and having a relatively large mesh size. Immediately behind is a main filtering means comprising a filter cloth having a fine mesh size which collects the finer dust particles. Also disclosed is a vibrator for use in shaking the dust from the main filter cloth.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,946 issued June 28, 1968 to H. Nakagawa et al. discloses a two-stage electric suction cleaner including a relatively coarse mesh filter and a finer mesh filter. As disclosed, the coarse filter is less susceptible to clogging and the finer mesh filter does not have to handle as much dust as it would in the absence of the coarse filter. The period of cleaning is thus increased. As disclosed, the size of the holes, particularly in the coarse filter, is closely related to the period of efficient dust collection. This relationship is shown in the graph in FIG. 8 of the patent. FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 disclose a dual arrangement including two concentric bag or cylinder-type filter means.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,190 issued Apr. 4, 1972 to W.J. Lee et al. discloses a vacuum cleaner arrangement including a lower canister which may be lined with a plastic bag or bags to receive detritus dropped from a series of upper filter mediums. A vacuum arrangement is provided in the walls and bottom of the canister to hold the plastic bag against the sides of the canister.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,626 issued Sep. 17, 1974 to Y. Miyake, et al. discloses a two-stage vacuum cleaner incorporating a first relatively coarse mesh adjacent a dust storage chamber followed by a conventional cloth filter which accomplishes the final filtering of fine dust particles. The initial filter screen may be made of plastic materials, fine metal wire, or the like and has a relatively large mesh size. The second filter means is in the form of a dust collecting bag made from cloth or the like for collection of fine dust particles. The two-stage filtering arrangement provides longer time periods between filter cleaning cycles.
While prior devices such as shown in the Yonkers 2,198,506 patent, where the filter medium is smooth and non-adherent so large accumulations of dust cannot form, and the Wilson patent 2,295,984 where the filter collapses at the ends of a suction cycle causing dust to be ejected, are in effect self-cleaning, such devices have not proved completely satisfactory since in most cases too much dust is removed, seriously decreasing the efficiency of the filtering action and in the case of the Wilson arrangement the filter cleaning cycle only occurs when the filtering cycle is interrupted.

High efficiency industrial vacuum cleaner and filter element


A planet gear assembly comprising a planet carrier provided with at least one crankpin carrying a planet gear, the planet gear comprising a toothing provided with teeth, the toothing being situated around the crankpin and outside the crankpin. A planet gear bearing is arranged at least partially inside the crankpin, the planet gear comprising a foot that extends along an elevation axis at least partially into the crankpin, the planet gear comprising a rim connecting the foot and the toothing, outside the crankpin, the planet gear bearing extending radially from the foot to the internal face of the crankpin.

An epicyclic gear train comprises three members having speeds of rotation that are different, and may even be zero for one of the members. Therefore, an epicyclic gear train conventionally comprises a first toothed member and a second toothed member. At least one toothed planet gear is also carried by a planet carrier. Teeth of each planet gear are at all times meshed with teeth of the first toothed member and teeth of the second toothed member.
An example of an epicyclic gear train comprises a toothed sun gear and a toothed ring gear. Furthermore, the epicyclic gear train comprises a plurality of toothed wheels forming planet gears that are carried by a planet carrier. Teeth of the planet gears mesh successively with the sun gear and with the toothed ring gear. According to an example used in particular on certain helicopters, the ring gear may surround the sun gear. The planet gears are arranged radially between the sun gear and the ring gear. The ring gear may be stationary with respect to a chassis, the sun gear being secured to an input shaft that sets the epicyclic gear train in motion, and the planet carrier being secured to an output shaft.
In this context, a planet carrier may comprise a support carrying the planet gears. Crankpins may be rigidly fastened to the support. The crankpins may be integral with the support or may be secured to the support via a screw/nut system, for example.
Moreover, each planet gear has a toothing. The toothing comprises a hub that extends radially, with respect to an axis of rotation of the planet gear relative to the support, from an inner face to an outer face having the teeth. The toothing is arranged around a planet gear bearing that surrounds the crankpin. The planet gear bearing comprises several rolling elements, for example rollers carried by a cage, which roll on an inner raceway secured to the crankpin and an outer raceway secured to the toothing.
During its operation, an epicyclic gear train is liable to deteriorate, in particular at the interface between the toothing and the planet gear bearing. A crack may thus form at this interface in a toothing of a planet gear. The crack can spread and cause the toothing to open.
The thickness of the toothing can be maximized in order to prevent such an opening from occurring, or the epicyclic gear train can be defined with a tolerance for a toothing possibly opening. These solutions may prove to be heavy and/or bulky.
Document FR 2 287 631 A1 describes an assembly provided with a planet carrier. This planet carrier comprises two crankpins through which a torsionally flexible element passes. Two planet gears are respectively meshed by the two ends of the flexible element via splines. Each planet gear comprises a toothing surrounding the corresponding crankpin, a needle bearing being arranged between the crankpin and the toothing.
Documents US 2011/136617 A1 and FR 3 068 748 A1 are also known.

Planet gear assembly, epicyclic gear train provided with such an assembly, and gearbox


An isolated and purified nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence which consists of GAT CCA CTG TGC GAC AGC TCG GRG ATC (Seq. Id. No. 1) included in the proto-oncogene RET, which sequence in normal cells has the following sequence in the region defined by position 1810 and adjacent nucleotides including position 1845 and adjacent nucleotides: GAT CCA CTG TGC GAC GAG CTG TGC CGC ACG GTG ATC. Information derived from the altered nucleotide sequence found in a tissue or fluid sample, taken from a patient, can be used for determining the type and character of the rumor. The nucleotide sequence or information derived therefrom is used for the manufacture of reagents for the diagnosing of cancer and for the manufacture of pharmaceutical compositions for prevention and/or treatment of cancer.

Genetic alterations are associated with the genesis of neoplasia and could hence function as markers for early diagnosis of cancer. In all treatment of cancer, regardless of the method of therapy, the ability to identify cancerous tissue and cells is of uttermost importance. The need for substances, specifically binding to cancerous cells is also apparent. Further, the possibility of neutralizing or counteracting said alterations is a key to future prevention and treatment of cancer. Substantive research has been conducted to identify the specific alterations associated with different types of cancer. Only the knowledge of the specific alteration or alterations behind each type of cancer makes possible the use of selective methods in diagnosing, prevention and/or treatment.

Nucleotide sequence typical for a deletion of proto-oncogene RET in exon 11


A plurality of goods contained at random or in a predetermined arrangement, particularly in a three rows or more in a container such as a corrugated fiberboard box and a plastic container, etc., are stored in a goods storage device arranged in no more than two rows and having a plurality of goods storage sections. After the goods have been shifted to a goods drop-out device having a plurality of goods storing sections arranged in no more than two rows, a shutter disposed along a side surface portion of the goods drop-out device is opened and shut by an actuator, so that the goods which have been shifted to the goods storage section of the goods drop-out device are discharged into a goods storage section unit. By shifting the goods stored in a storage apparatus to a goods take-out device which has moved toward the storage apparatus side, a shifting operation of goods can be performed with ease. By reengaging a partition in an engaging portion selected in such a manner as to correspond to the sizes, configurations, etc. of goods, the goods can be effectively stored and many kinds of goods can be reliably taken out.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a goods handling apparatus and method, for taking out goods from a container such as a corrugated fiberboard box, a plastic container etc., which contains therein a plurality of goods.
The present invention also relates to a goods handling apparatus and method in which goods stored in a storage apparatus are shifted over to a goods take-out device.
The present invention further relates to a goods handling apparatus for taking out goods stored in boxes which constitute a plurality of goods storage sections and particularly to a goods handling apparatus which is suitably used for picking goods in a distribution center.
2. The Prior Art
(1) A prior art goods handling method and an apparatus is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Hei 1-192603.
In the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Hei 1-192603, there are described a goods handling method and apparatus in which all goods contained in a container which stores a plurality of goods are clamped and taken out of the container, and then a part of or all of the goods are released from the clamp, so that a desired number of goods can be picked up.
(2) A prior art system relating to storing boxes arranged in steps is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Sho 59-88110.
In Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Sho 59-88110, there is described a wagon which also serves as a step. This prior art system comprises a step-like wagon with a lower part of its stepped surface serving as a drawer, and a storage box with its bottom surface formed in a step-like configuration coincident with the stepped surface of the step-like wagon, the design being such that when the storage box is placed on the step-like wagon, the wagon with the storage box forms a cube and is able to be stored under a top plate of a cooking table, etc.
(3) A prior art system relating to a goods handling apparatus, including a goods drop-out device, is described for example in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. Sho 63-175622. The prior art described in this publication will now be described. The goods drop-out device described in this publication includes a feed plate on which goods are fed in an orderly arrangement of a plurality of rows, a drop-out port formed on the feed plate and serving to discharge the goods therethrough, a gate plate for opening and shutting the drop-out port, and an activating device for opening and shutting the gate plate, the drop-out port being controlled to be opened and shut to the extent corresponding to a required number of goods. According to this known apparatus, goods fed to the drop-out port in an orderly arrangement of a plurality of rows can be dropped out in a required number by opening the drop-out port to the extent corresponding to the required number of goods in accordance with drop-out instructions.
The prior art described in the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Hei 1-192603 has the following problems.
As a multihand system comprising a plurality of clamping heads arranged in such a manner as to correspond to the arrangement of a stored state of goods in order to clamp a plurality of goods contained in a container is required for the exclusive use of each goods, the cost becomes high.
Nevertheless, assuming that after the goods have been shifted to a goods storage device of the present invention using this multihand, those goods are to be taken out in a goods storage section unit, the goods which are still in the arrangement of the stored state in the container are directly shifted to the goods storage device. As a result, in case the arrangement is three rows or more, the construction of the device for taking out the goods in the goods storage section unit becomes very complicated. Also, in case a plurality of goods drop-out devices each having goods storage sections arranged in the same manner as the arrangement of the goods contained in the container are arranged side by side in a plurality of rows, the entire dimension of the overall goods drop-out devices cannot be limited to integral multiples of the dimension of each container. Instead, the entire overall dimension becomes integral multiples of a dimension obtained by adding the dimension of each container to the dimensions of the shutter and its actuator, and as a result, the system becomes extremely large and various inconveniences are encountered in layout.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a goods handling method and apparatus, in which by shifting a plurality of goods contained in a container to a goods storage device having a plurality of goods storage sections which are arranged in no more than two rows, or otherwise by providing a pivot shaft of the shutter in the vicinity of a lower end portion of a side surface of a goods drop-out device, the constructions of shutters for opening and shutting the goods storage sections and actuators for actuating the shutters can be simplified, and a plurality of goods storage devices and goods drop-out devices can be arranged side by side in rows, thus enabling a saving of installation space.
(2) The prior art described in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Sho 59-88110 had the following problems.
The step-like wagon constituting a wagon which also serves as a step is equipped merely with a drawer (a portion merely for storing goods) at a lower portion of the step surface. It does not disclose nor even suggest that goods stored in a storage apparatus are shifted to a goods take-out device which has been moved to the storage apparatus side, and that after goods, which have been taken out of the goods take-out device, are shifted to the goods drop-out device, goods are dropped out from the goods drop-out device.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a goods handling method and apparatus, in which by shifting goods stored in a storage apparatus to a goods take-out device which has been moved to the storage apparatus side, the shifting work of goods can be performed with ease.
(3) The prior art described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. Sho 63-175622 had the following problems.
In the above-mentioned publication, there is no description nor suggestion about such a construction wherein a plurality of goods storage sections are formed by partitions and the partitions are detachably engaged with a casing. Also, the goods drop-out device described in the above-mentioned publication is, in fact, capable of discharging goods, which are fed thereto in an orderly arranged plurality of rows, by a required number each time. However, as the drop-out port of a feed plate and a gate plate are formed in predetermined sizes in accordance with the sizes, the configurations, etc. of goods, the sizes, configurations, etc. of goods to be discharged are affected by the dimensions of the drop-out port of the feed plate and the gate plate. As a consequence, it is impossible to make it correspond to many kinds of goods having different configurations, etc. To make it correspond to many kinds of goods, it is required initially to prepare a plurality of feed plates each having a drop-out port corresponding to the size, configuration, etc. of each kind of goods and gate plates corresponding to the drop-out ports, so that every time the size of goods is changed, the feed plate and gate plate can be replaced with such initially prepared ones.
There was also such a problem as that it is impossible to drop out goods, which are fed in inverted states, by a required number, owing to the relation between the drop-out port of the feed plate and the gate plate.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a goods handling apparatus in which a goods storage section is formed in such a manner as to correspond to the sizes, configurations, etc. of goods, so that many kinds of goods can be effectively stored and reliably taken out.


A process for the carbonylation of unsaturated compounds by contacting the unsaturated compound with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst system comprising:                (a) a source of palladium and/or platinum; and        (b) an unsymmetrical bidentate diphosphine ligand of formula I,R1R2>P1−R3−P2<R4R5  (I)wherein P1 and P2 represent phosphorus atoms; R3 represents a divalent organic bridging group; and R1, R2, R4 and R5 each individually, or R1 and R2 jointly, and/or R4 and R5 jointly represent organic groups that are covalently linked to the phosphorus; and wherein R1, R2, R4 and R5 are chosen in such way, that the phosphino group R1R2>P1 differs from the phosphino group P2<R4R5.

In this specification, the term carbonylation refers to the reaction of alkenes or alkynes, i.e. ethylenically or acetylenically non-conjugated unsaturated compounds, under catalysis by a transition metal complex with carbon monoxide and a co-reactant having a mobile hydrogen atom, as for instance described in EP-A-0,495,548 and EP-A-0,565,199, WO-A-96/19434, WO-A-98/42717, WO-A-01/68583 and WO-A-01/72697. This process results in carboxylic acid products, or carboxylic acid derivatives, such as esters, amides or anhydrides, depending on the nature of the co-reactant.
EP-A-0,495,548 discloses a catalyst system comprising a palladium cation and diphosphine bidentate ligands bearing di-alkyl-substituted phosphino groups, such as for instance 1,3 bis(di-tertiary butyl phosphino)propane, and the use of such catalysts in various carbonylation reactions.
Although the disclosed catalyst systems show a good activity in carbonylation reactions, application of the process on an industrial scale requires further improvements in catalyst activity and selectivity for the desired products.

Process for the carbonylation of ethylenically or acetylenically unsaturated compounds


A memory module, which includes at least one memory stack, comprises a plurality of DRAM integrated circuits and an interface circuit. The interface circuit interfaces the memory stack to a host system so as to operate the memory stack as a single DRAM integrated circuit. In other embodiments, a memory module includes at least one memory stack and a buffer integrated circuit. The buffer integrated circuit, coupled to a host system, interfaces the memory stack to the host system so to operate the memory stack as at least two DRAM integrated circuits. In yet other embodiments, the buffer circuit interfaces the memory stack to the host system for transforming one or more physical parameters between the DRAM integrated circuits and the host system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward the field of building custom memory systems cost-effectively for a wide range of markets.
2. Art Background
The memory capacity requirements of computers in general, and servers in particular, are increasing at a very rapid pace due to several key trends in the computing industry. The first trend is 64-bit computing, which enables processors to address more than 4 GB of physical memory. The second trend is multi-core CPUs, where each core runs an independent software thread. The third trend is server virtualization or consolidation, which allows multiple operating systems and software applications to run simultaneously on a common hardware platform. The fourth trend is web services, hosted applications, and on-demand software, where complex software applications are centrally run on servers instead of individual copies running on desktop and mobile computers. The intersection of all these trends has created a step function in the memory capacity requirements of servers.
However, the trends in the DRAM industry are not aligned with this step function. As the DRAM interface speeds increase, the number of loads (or ranks) on the traditional multi-drop memory bus decreases in order to facilitate high speed operation of the bus. In addition, the DRAM industry has historically had an exponential relationship between price and DRAM density, such that the highest density ICs or integrated circuits have a higher $/Mb ratio than the mainstream density integrated circuits. These two factors usually place an upper limit on the amount of memory (i.e. the memory capacity) that can be economically put into a server.
One solution to this memory capacity gap is to use a fully buffered DIMM (FB-DIMM), and this is currently being standardized by JEDEC. FIG. 1A illustrates a fully buffered DIMM. As shown in FIG. 1A, memory controller 100 communicates with FB-DIMMs (130 and 140) via advanced memory buffers (AMB) 110 and 120 to operate a plurality of DRAMs. As shown in FIG. 1B, the FB-DIMM approach uses a point-to-point, serial protocol link between the memory controller 100 and FB-DIMMs 150, 151, and 152. In order to read the DRAM devices on, say, the third FB-DIMM 152, the command has to travel through the AMBs on the first FB-DIMM 150 and second FB-DIMM 151 over the serial link segments 141, 142, and 143, and the data from the DRAM devices on the third FB-DIMM 152 must travel back to the memory controller 100 through the AMBs on the first and second FB-DIMMs over serial link segments 144, 145, and 146.
The FB-DIMM approach creates a direct correlation between maximum memory capacity and the printed circuit board (PCB) area. In other words, a larger PCB area is required to provide larger memory capacity. Since most of the growth in the server industry is in the smaller form factor servers like 1 U/2 U rack servers and blade servers, the FB-DIMM solution does not solve the memory capacity gap for small form factor servers. So, clearly there exists a need for dense memory technology that fits into the mechanical and thermal envelopes of current memory systems.

Memory module with memory stack and interface with enhanced capabilities