A wind cap for buildings serves to anchor a building structure securely to the underlying terrain. The wind cap is a series of base plates which are temporarily and removably placed upon the roof of a structure, with a corresponding series of tiedown straps secured over the plates and attached to ground anchors on opposite sides of the structure. Two of the base plate components may be hinged together along their common edges for placement over the ridge line of the roof. Single plates are placed along the eaves and at intermediate points of the roof span. Each plate includes at least one pair of roller support arms adjustably extending upwardly therefrom, with a roller installed between each arm pair. The rollers eliminate the drag of the tiedown strap passing thereover, thereby eliminating asymmetrical loads on the underlying plates and roof as the straps are tightened.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to assemblies and systems for securing roofs to their underlying structures in order to avoid damage due to high winds. More particularly, the present invention comprises a series of tiedown straps which are secured to corresponding ground anchors on opposite sides of a building structure, and which pass over corresponding bearing plates placed upon the roof structure. The bearing plates each include one or more rollers extending upwardly therefrom, upon which the tiedown straps bear.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wind damage to building structures is a common result when high winds occur, particularly in the case of conventional frame structures having gabled roofs. The roofs of such structures generally depend upon their weight to achieve most of their security, and high winds can create enough lifting force to completely counteract the weight of the roof upon the structure. When this occurs, the roof, or portions thereof, are often blown away, with the underlying structure being weakened and exposed to further damage when the roof is removed.
As a result, many different systems and devices have been developed for securing a roof positively to its underlying structure, and/or to the terrain underlying and/or surrounding the structure. Many such systems incorporate straps or cables, which are anchored to the foundation of the underlying structure, or to the surrounding terrain. Most such systems further incorporate some type of bearing plates or the like, which are placed atop the roof for the cables or straps to bear against in order to avoid damage to the roof covering (shingles, etc.) due to chafing of the cables or straps thereon.
However, a characteristic of such systems is that the cables or straps must be stretched longitudinally over the roof and the bearing plates or the like thereon. The cables or straps generally have on the order of a few hundred pounds of force applied to them, in order to exert a positive downward force upon the underlying roof. This results in a certain amount of longitudinal resistance along the length of the cables or straps, as they drag against their underlying bearing plates. The result of this can be uneven forces applied to the cables or straps, with the frictional drag pulling the bearing plates in a direction along the length of the straps or cables, rather than applying a purely compressive load to the roof structure to hold it in place. Depending upon the specific direction and magnitude of such longitudinal forces along the straps or cables applied to the bearing plates, the forces may be additive to the horizontal wind loads applied to the structure and may weaken the structure further, even though the roof is being held securely in place.
The present invention provides a solution to the above problem by reducing the friction between the tiedown straps used with the present invention, and the underlying bearing plates. Each of the bearing plates includes at least a pair of spaced apart support arms extending therefrom, with the distal ends of each pair of support arms having a roller secured therebetween. The tiedown straps bear against the rollers, which are free to rotate or revolve upon their axles extending across the support arm pair. Thus, practically no longitudinal force is transferred to the underlying base plate resting upon the roof structure. Rather, substantially all of the force developed by the tiedown strap against the underlying bearing plate comprises a compressive force, acting to force the plate directly against the roof structure. This also equalizes the tensile forces along each segment of the tiedown strap, between each of the rollers and between the outermost rollers and the opposed ground anchors.
The present wind cap assembly provides numerous advantages over many other previously developed systems. Using the present system, no modifications are required to the building structure or to its foundation. The tiedown straps never contact the building structure itself; only the bearing plates contact the roof structure. Also, the tiedown straps and bearing plates are easily removed when not needed, and may be quickly reinstalled when needed once the ground anchors have been installed.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is presented below.
U.S. Pat. No. 777,441 issued on Dec. 13, 1904 to Wily Small, titled "Roof Anchoring Device," describes a hold-down system comprising a series of cables which extend over the roof of the structure from opposite ground anchors. The Small system requires that the roof be modified with cable passages along the eaves, and the cable guides placed upon the roof structure are permanently secured to the roof by nails or screws. Small provides cable guides in the form of longitudinal channels through which the cables pass, but no means (rollers, etc.) is provided for reducing the friction of the cables as they are stretched across the roof structure and through the guides. Finally, Small also provides a ridge line base plate having an angle therein corresponding to the gable angle of the roof, but Small must provide separate plates for each different gable angle, as his ridge line plates are formed as unitary, monolithic components having fixed gable angles formed therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,864,403 issued on Jun. 21, 1932 to Charles B. Bradley, titled "House Anchor," describes a system more closely related to that of the above noted '441 U.S. patent to Small than to the present invention. The Bradley system comprises a series of eyebolts which are screwed permanently into the roof structure, along with holes formed in the eaves for passage of the cables therethrough. As in the case of the Small roof anchoring system discussed above, Bradley fails to provide any means for reducing the friction of the tiedown lines as they pass through the guides, nor does he provide any means for adjusting the relative positions of the lines and guides.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,309,822 issued on Mar. 21, 1967 to William H. Dunkin, titled "Exterior Anchoring Apparatus For Surface Sheet," describes a series of tie rods and clamps for securing corrugated or other sheet panels to a roof. The Dunkin system does not anchor the roof to any underlying structure and cannot prevent the entire roof from being blown from the underlying building in a high wind, as can the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,531 issued on Aug. 15, 1967 to Nardie F. Grimelli et al., titled "Tie-Down For House Trailers Or The Like," describes a series of tiedown embodiments for securing a mobile home to the underlying surface. In one embodiment a flexible cable or chain passes through guide channels placed on the structure, in much the same manner as the ridge and eaves mounted channels of the '441 U.S. patent to Small, discussed further above. Grimelli et al. do not provide any means for reducing friction along the length of the cable or means for guiding such a hold down cable over the ridgeline of a gabled roof, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,498 issued on Aug. 13, 1974 to Robert A. Jones, titled "Method Of Stabilizing A Comparatively Flat Roofed Structure Against Wind," describes the use of adhesive for the permanent attachment of a relatively large number of concrete blocks atop the roof of a mobile home. The blocks merely add weight and break up the airflow over the roof. Jones does not provide any means of positively tying the blocks or the underlying roof structure to the underlying terrain, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,708 issued on May 17, 1994 to Filmore O. Frye, titled "Anchor System For Completed Structures," describes a series of means for securing various components of a building structure to the underlying surface. One embodiment comprises brackets which secure the roof trusses and rafters to the underlying wall stud structure, but not to the underlying terrain. Another embodiment provides for securing the exposed portions of the shingles to the underlying roof sheathing. Yet another embodiment provides for securing the exposed ends of the rafters to the building foundation or to the underlying terrain. None of the embodiments provide tiedown straps or lines which pass over and across the building to secure to opposed ground anchors on opposite sides of the building, nor any low friction guide means for such tiedowns, which features are a part of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,896 issued on Jun. 14, 1994 to Ronald C. Winger, titled "Apparatus And Method For Securing Building During High Wind Conditions," describes a series of tiedowns which secure to the exposed ends of the rafters and to ground anchors somewhat spaced from the structure. Winger provides for the retraction of his tiedowns into containers secured to the rafters for storage when not required. No tiedown system passing completely over the roof structure and securing to ground anchors on opposite sides of the building structure is disclosed by Winger. Moreover, Winger has no motivation to provide base plates with rollers atop the roof, as provided in the present invention, as his tiedowns do not pass over the roof structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,640 issued on Oct. 18, 1994 to Filmore O. Frye, titled "Anchor System For Completed Structures," is a divisional patent of the '708 U.S. patent of the same title and to the same patentee discussed further above. The same points raised in the discussion of the '708 U.S. patent are seen to apply here as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,993 issued on Jan. 31, 1995 to Belton R. Phillips, titled "Tie Down For Building Structures," describes a completely concealed system in which tension rods are secured to brackets holding down the ceiling joists or rafters to the top plates of the walls, with the rods passing through the walls and bottom plates to anchors in the underlying ground. The Phillips anchor system does not pass over the roof, and accordingly does not include any form of base plates and rollers disposed upon the top of the roof for applying force to the roof from overlying tiedown straps.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,378 issued on Feb. 14, 1995 to Filmore O. Frye, titled "Anchor System For Completed Structures," is another divisional patent of the '708 U.S. patent of the same title and to the same patentee discussed further above. The same points raised in the discussion of the '708 U.S. patent are seen to apply here as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,861 issued on Sep. 12, 1995 to Donald L. Lawson, titled "Method And Apparatus For Securing Parts Of A Building To Each Other And To A Foundation," describes the installation of tension straps within the walls of a structure. The bottom ends of the straps are anchored to the foundation of the building, with the upper ends of the straps being secured to brackets, which, in turn, secure to the ceiling joists and/or rafters of the structure. The result more closely resembles the assembly disclosed in the '993 U.S. patent to Phillips, discussed further above, than it does the present invention with its exterior tiedown straps.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,935 issued on Feb. 20, 1996 to Thomas Coxum, titled "Roof Anchor System," describes another concealed system in which the tension components are installed within the walls and secure the upper structure to the foundation. The Coxum system thus more closely resembles the assemblies disclosed in the '993 U.S. patent to Phillips and the '861 U.S. patent to Lawson, both discussed further above, than it does the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,786 issued on Jul. 23, 1996 to James P. Lozier et al., titled "Hurricane-Resisting Building Roof Structure Tie-Down," describes a system having a series of guides which permanently attach to the ridge and eaves of the roof, with corresponding straps passing over the guides and anchored to ground anchors on each side of the structure. The Lozier et al. system differs from the present invention in several respects: (1) no rollers are provided to essentially eliminate friction as the tiedown straps are tightened; (2) no adjustment is provided for different gable angles, in the roof ridge guide; (3) Lozier permanently secures all of his tiedown strap guides to the roof structure; (4) Lozier requires that eaves guides of completely different configuration from the roof ridge guide, be attached beneath the eaves of the structure; (5) Lozier also requires that the rain gutters be modified to provide wells through which the tiedown straps pass, rather than providing eaves guides which carry the straps outwardly over and past the gutters, as in the present system; and (6) Lozier secures the lower ends of the straps to the foundation of the structure, rather than to ground anchors somewhat separated from the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,545 issued on Nov. 5, 1996 to James A. Adams, titled "Apparatus For Holding A Roof On A Building During High Winds," describes a system in which the tiedown straps passing over the roof secure alternately to opposite rafter ends and over the roof to opposite ground anchors. This has the effect of placing the entire roof under a series of shear forces, with each adjacent tiedown applying a force across the roof opposite that of its neighbor tiedown. Adams provides such a system in order to equalize the lateral forces on the walls beneath the roof, but blowdown of the wall structure has never been a problem so long as the roof remains attached to the structure. However, it is important to relieve lateral stresses on the roof structure, which the present invention accomplishes by means of the base plates and their rollers, over which the tiedown straps pass. Adams fails to provide any form of plate or guide between the tiedown straps and the roof itself. The tiedowns rest directly upon the surface of the roof, where they may abrade the shingles and/or otherwise damage the roof if any play between the tiedowns and the roof surface occurs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,794 issued on Dec. 3, 1996 to Joseph Sporta, titled "Apparatus And Method For Securing An Object Against Gale-Force Winds," describes a large net which is stretched over a mobile home and secured by ground anchors. No guides or other apparatus for preventing direct contact between the net and the underlying structure are disclosed. There would appear to be some problem with entering and exiting the structure with the net in place, as its lower edge appears to be positioned very close to the ground when installed. This is not a problem with the spaced apart tiedown straps used with the present structural tiedown invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,788 issued on Apr. 29, 1997 to Uwe H. Bimberg et al., titled "Roof Anchoring Apparatus," describes a system in which a series of cables are passed over a corresponding number of bracket assemblies on the roof, to hold the roof firmly in place. The bracket assemblies differ from the present system in that they must be raised above the underlying structure to provide clearance for a downwardly extending flange. The flange extends downwardly past the eaves when installed at that location, but requires additional structure when installed elsewhere on the roof. The present system uses a series of essentially identical base plates, which may be installed singly or as hinged together pairs across the crest of the roof as required. In any event, Bimberg et al. fail to disclose any form of rollers which serve to reduce or essentially eliminate friction between the straps or cables and the underlying roof plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,512 issued on Nov. 18, 1997 to Norman W. Spoozak et al., titled "Hurricane Lockdown System," describes a roof tiedown assembly comprising a cable contained in the eaves of the roof, with a series of cables connecting the eaves cable to a series of ground anchors. No tiedown straps, cables, or lines pass over the upper surface of the roof, as they do in the present invention. Accordingly, Spoozak et al. do not disclose any form of guides and strap rollers for placement atop a roof, as provided by the present invention. Moreover, the Spoozak et al. system requires modification to the roof or installation during construction of the roof, unlike the present invention which is installed over an existing roof structure with no modification to the roof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,090 issued on Aug. 11, 1998 to Harris M. Gitlin et al., titled "Variable Tension Roofing And Structural Protective Harness," describes the use of an extremely large "shade cloth" stretched over the entire structure and extending to the tiedown anchors installed in the ground surrounding the structure. Gitlin et al. provide rollers along the roof crest, but the cover does not roll back and forth over the rollers as the straps do in the present invention. Rather, the roller is used to roll up the shade cloth material thereon when wind protection is not required. The Gitlin et al. apparatus bears a closer resemblance to the covers disclosed in the '794 U.S. patent to Sporta than it does to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,477 issued on Oct. 13, 1998 to George Gaffney, titled "Apparatus And Methods For Securing A Building," describes a system using a series of straps which pass over the roof. The straps pass through a series of gabled plates along the crest of the roof, but the straps are not raised above the roof. In fact, the straps pass through slots in the plates and bear directly against the roof surface at the crest. No other bearing plates are provided by Gaffney. In contrast, the straps of the present invention never come in direct contact with the roof structure, but are separated therefrom by a series of base plates along the span of each strap passing over the roof. Moreover, Gaffney does not disclose any rollers or adjustable roller support in the single type of gable plate he provides.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,572 issued on Nov. 16, 1999 to Bernabé Laboy, titled "Roof Tie-Down Support Member," describes a series of plates for installation on the surface and along the ridgeline of a roof, with the plates having transverse grooves therein for the installation of transverse cables thereacross. Laboy does not provide any cables extending over and across the ridge of the roof, as provided in the present invention. Moreover, no rollers to minimize friction between the cables and the plates and to equalize tensile forces along the cables between plates are provided by Laboy. In addition, Laboy does not secure his roof tiedown system to the ground, but rather to the underlying building structure. In contrast, the present tiedown system utilizes ground anchors for securing the straps.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,975 issued on Jul. 18, 2000 to J. Parr Wiegel, titled "Hurricane Protection For Mobile Homes And Small Buildings," describes a large tarp which is stretched from a ground anchor line on one side of the structure, over the structure to an opposite ground anchor line. Wiegel utilizes a roller having a length equal to that of the tarp, with the roller being installed in the ground or along the eaves of the structure. The tarp is rolled onto the roller for storage. No guide rollers extending from roof plates are provided by Wiegel. The Wiegel apparatus more closely resembles that disclosed in the Gitlin '090 U.S. patent, than it does the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,339 issued on Dec. 19, 2000 to Robert M. Cornett, Sr. et al., titled "Structural Tie-Down Apparatus," describes another system using tension rods concealed within the wall structure. The lower ends of the rods are anchored in the foundation, while the upper ends are secured to a cable installed across the ends of the rafters. This system does not provide any means of securing the roof sheathing, as no external tiedown apparatus is provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,593 issued on Aug. 7, 2001 to Thomas Thompson, titled "Roof Tie Down Connecting Fork And Yoke," describes a system having a pair of hinged together plates permanently secured to the end gable rafter of a roof structure. A bolt serves as the pintle of the hinge, and extends above the roofline for the securing of roof tiedown components thereto. The lower end of the bolt extends downwardly for the attachment of an anchor strap thereto. The problem with this system is that in most new construction, the end gables are constructed in the field, and are nailed to the prefabricated, otherwise flat trusses used to support the roof. Thus, there is no structural continuity extending from the gable eaves overhang to the rest of the roof structure, other than any roof sheathing which may be applied. Moreover, Thompson does not provide any external anchors extending over the central area of the roof. Rather, he relies entirely upon two opposed anchors at each end of the gabled eaves, which do not provide significant anchoring strength, as noted above. No roof mounted base plates or adjustable strap support rollers are disclosed by Thompson.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2001/37,611 published on Nov. 8, 2001, titled "Anchor For A Structural Tie-Down Apparatus," is a continuation in part of the issued '339 U.S. Patent, which has already been discussed further above. The same differences noted above between the '339 U.S. patent to Cornett, Sr. et al. and the present invention are seen to apply here, as well.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/100,226 published on Aug. 1, 2002, titled "Truss Anchoring Assembly For Buildings," describes yet another concealed tiedown installation with tension rods passing through the walls and securing to brackets at the rafter ends. The Huppert assembly is more closely related to the systems disclosed in the Lawson '861, Coxum '935, and Cornett, Sr. et al. '339 U.S. patents, each of which has been discussed further above, than it is to the present invention.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/134,414 published on Sep. 26, 2002, titled "Flexible Wind Abatement System," describes still another tarp which is installed to completely cover the building structure. The Gower system thus more closely resembles the tarp covers of the Sporta '794, Gitlin et al. '090, and Wiegel '975 U.S. patents, each of which is discussed further above, than it does the present roof anchor invention.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/166,289 published on Nov. 14, 2002, titled "Building Tie Down Kit For Securing Roofs, Doors, And Windows Against Storm Wind Damage And Method Of Assembly," describes a chain envelope which is secured over the top of a building structure. The result is closer to the various tarps and the like disclosed in the Sporta '794, Gitlin et al. '090, and Wiegel '975 U.S. patents than it is to the present anchoring system invention.
Finally, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/189,174 published on Dec. 19, 2002, titled "Retrofit Hurricane And Earthquake Protection," describes a large number of patterns for forming a series of metal brackets, and the brackets formed therefrom, for use in more securely tying together various building components at the time of construction. No external tiedowns or roof plates are provided by Thompson.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a wind cap for buildings solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


Disclosed herein is a removable storage media unit that facilitates the easy and quick transfer of data from one unit into another. By addressing the need to transfer data between two instances of removable storage media units, such as flash based removable memory, (and between removable mobile storage devices in general) without the use of a PC or PDA, the present invention makes it possible to disseminate or share data more easily and efficiently.

Electronic devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDA's), often use memory sticks, memory cards or other forms of removable media. To transfer data contained in two instances of such removable media, it is often necessary to plug one into a personal computer or notebook computer, copy its content over, plug the second one into the personal computer or notebook computer, and finally transfer the copied contents from the personal computer or notebook computer over to the second instance of the removable media.
An electronic device often has customer specific data and content. In addition, client software often have associated data and configuration information. If the electronic device is lost, the customer specific data and content, data and configuration information associated with the client software, etc. are lost forever even though a new electronic device, similar to the old one, can be purchased. Backing up such data, configuration, etc., onto a personal computer (PC) is one option. Backing up such data in another storage device requires the use of a PC or similar device to transfer the information. Thus, backup of data from one storage media to another requires the availability or purchase of a PC.
People are always backing up data or transferring it to others, often with the use of a PC that plays the role of an intermediary device that can transfer data from one removable storage device to another. For example, floppy drives in PC are often used to copy data from one floppy to another.
From digital cameras and MP3 players to PDAs and USB flash drives, removable media such as flash memory technology (NOR, NAND) continues to permeate its way into more and more consumer electronic devices. The next big high-volume market poised to lead removable flash card sales in the near future is the cell phone market. An emerging feature these next generation multimedia phones will have is a memory expansion slot, and, as a result of strict design parameters flash vendors have introduced, a new generation of mobile flash storage formats. These formats include Memory Stick Duo, miniSD and Reduced-Sized MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC). Mobile media is becoming a necessity and people are buying them to store data. However, the same problems of requiring a PC to transfer data from one floppy to another also plagues the USB based flash drives (and also other removable media).
In response to the many different functions of handsets, the design of a memory expansion slot in the handset itself has emerged. These new phones that can accommodate memory cards give additional capacity to the phone making it possible to back-up files as well as transfer documents, pictures and music between the handset and a PC. And now, since removable flash memory cards are featured in smaller and smaller devices, a new generation of reduced-sized removable flash memory formats has emerged. These new flash cards offer significant savings in card area and in the area required to support the memory card in the host device, two critical design parameters for ultra-portable devices, such as handsets.
The first entry into this market was Sony's long awaited Memory Stick Duo. About half the size of a regular Memory Stick, the new Memory Stick Duo measures approximately 0.79 inches×1.22 inches×0.06 inches (20 mm×31 mm×1.6 mm) and weighs 0.07 ounces. This compares to the 2.0×0.85×0.11 inches and the 0.14 ounces that a regular Memory Stick packs. The size of the new Memory Stick Duo makes it just about equivalent to that of a Secure Digital card (or MultiMediaCard).
The Memory Stick Duo isn't a replacement for the original Memory Stick, which accounts for nearly a quarter of all flash memory card sales in the United States. Rather, the new Memory Stick Duo is an extension of the Memory Stick, enabling Sony to further reduce the size of its devices. Sony has also made available a full size adapter for the Duo that allows the card to fit in existing Memory Stick slots.
Another recent entry into the mobile removable flash memory card market is SanDisk's miniSD. MiniSD cards are targeted at the cell phone market, and in particular, the newest generation of 2.5G and 3G phones that are featuring camera functionality. The new format was developed by Toshiba, Matsushita and SanDisk, the three original developers of the SD card. The miniSD format was recently adopted by the SD Association as an ultra-small form factor extension to the SD card standard. Another key benefit of the miniSD card is its compatibility with the existing SD format. Since it's an extension of the SD card standard, it uses the same interface.
In November of 2002, the members of the MultiMediaCard Association finally approved a new reduced-sized standard for the MultiMediaCard, called, the Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC). Like the Memory Stick Duo and miniSD card, the new RS-MMC is clearly designed for the mobile phone and PDA markets. The format can also serve as a platform for digital camera manufacturers to build even smaller cameras. The new storage form factor is about the same width as an existing MMCard, but measures almost one-half the size in length, reducing the total volume by more than 40 percent.
There's clearly an evident trend among removable flash card vendors toward smaller flash memory cards. However, it is not possible to transfer information from one removable flash card into another without the help of a computer, PC, or digital processing unit, even when the vendor is the same and even when the units are themselves similar in technology and capabilities.
KanguruGuard is a built in encryption and compression program which now comes standard on all KanguruMicro Drive2.0 models. Once activated, it creates two unique folders within your KanguruMicro Drive2.0. One folder, called "Secret", automatically encrypts and compresses any data which is dragged and dropped into it. This is extremely useful when dealing with secure or confidential data. Access to this folder can only be established through use of a secure password of your choosing. The second folder, called "Zip", compresses any data which is dragged and dropped into it. This effectively increases your KanguruMicro Drives storage capacity, allowing you to store 2-3 times the amount normally possible. However, there is no easy mechanism to transfer data across two units (similar or dissimilar ones) of KanguruMicro Drive2.0 models, without the use of a computer or PC or some such digital processing device. Also, if a PC were used to transfer contents from one KanguruMicro drive into another, a user has to retrieve them from one unit into another, or drag and drop contents from one unit into another. There is no automatic mechanism by which such transfers occur.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art through comparison of such systems with the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

System and method for transferring data between removable storage media units


A combination of surface plasmon field enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy (SPFS) and isotachophoresis (ITP) technologies for detecting biomolecules is disclosed. It uses ITP to preconcentrate the reactants and accelerate the reaction, and then delivers the reacted sample to an SPFS sensor for detection. A microfluidic device with a T-junction is provided, which has two reservoirs respectively containing a low-mobility trailing electrolyte buffer and a high-mobility leading electrolyte buffer, and a main fluid channel between the two reservoirs, where the SPFS sensor is located on a side channel joined to the main channel. A two-step technique is employed, including a step of sample loading and ITP extraction, and a step of delivery of concentrated sample to the detector chamber by pressure-driven flow. In another embodiment, the SPFS sensor is located on the main fluid channel between the two reservoirs. In a particular example, the technique is used in a DNAzyme assay.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method that uses surface plasmon field enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy (SPFS) and isotachophoresis (ITP) to achieve ultra-rapid and highly-sensitive biological molecules detection.
Description of Related Art
Surface plasmon field-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy (SPFS) is a known biosensing technology. See T. Liebermann, W. Knoll, Surface-plasmon field-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 171 (2000) 115-130 ("Liebermann 2000"); Wolfgang Knoir, Fang Yu, Thomas Neumann, Lifang Niu, and Evelyne L. Schmid, Principles And Applications Of Surface Plasmon Field-Enhanced Fluorescence Techniques, in Topics in Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Volume 8: Radiative Decay Engineering, Edited by Geddes and Lakowicz, Springer Science+Business Media, Inc., New York, 2005, p. 305-332. These references are incorporated by reference in their entireties to show the principle and setup of SPFS biosensors in general. SPFS offers high-sensitivity detection through advanced sensing technology.
FIG. 1A of this application, taken from FIG. 5 of the Liebermann 2000 paper, illustrates the setup of an SPFS system. FIG. 1B of this application, taken from FIG. 6(a) of the same paper, illustrates the structure of the prism and flow cell used in the SPFS system. The basic concept of SPFS is described below with reference to FIGS. 1, 1A and 1B. An SPFS biosensor includes a thin metal film on a glass or plastic prism. The metal may be, for example, gold, silver, aluminum, etc. A capture molecule is immobilized on the surface of the metal film. A biological sample is applied on the metal film. When an incident light of a certain wavelength is irradiated on the prism at a certain angle, a strong electrical field is generated at the surface of the metal film. Because of quenching from the metal film, the best place for fluorescence excitation is in the region about a couple of tens to hundreds nm above the surface. In a typical device, the quenching region is within about 0-5 nm from the metal surface, and the enhanced region is about 10-200 nm from the surface. If a fluorescent label is trapped in this enhanced region, strong fluorescent signal is generated.
SPFS biosensors are based on fluorescence detection. In conventional SPFS biosensors, in addition to first antibodies that are immobilized on the thin metal film, fluorescent labeled second antibodies are generally used for protein detection. This is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. The first antibodies 101 are immobilized on the thin metal film. The target 102 (i.e. substance to be detected, such as a protein) is added to the biosensor and captured on the immobilized first antibodies. Then, the fluorescent labeled second antibodies 103 are added to the biosensor and they bind to the target. The first antibody 101, the target 102 and the second antibody 103 form a structure such that the fluorescent label 103F on the second antibody is located in the region of enhanced electric field above the thin metal film, and a strong fluorescent signal is generated. For unbound second antibodies or those that form non-specific binding, their fluorescent labels tend to be located outside of the enhanced region, either in the metal quenching region or farther away from the surface, so they are not excited. The biosensor can be washed before the detection result is obtained. These multiple steps make the biosensor more complicated to use and the turnaround time long.
PCT application WO 2011155435 A1, Near field-enhanced fluorescence sensor chip, also describes surface plasmon field enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy.
Isotachophoresis (ITP) is an electrophoresis technique that uses two buffers including a high-mobility leading electrolyte (LE) and a low-mobility trailing electrolyte (TE). In peak-mode ITP, sample species bracketed by the LE and TE focus into a narrow TE-to-LE interface by application of an electric field of typically a few hundred volts per cm. Due to the high concentration of sample species in a small volume at the interface, high efficiency (rapid) molecular-molecular interaction can occur. ITP has been used, for example, to selectively extract and concentrate medically relevant biomarkers from body fluids such as whole blood and urine sample.
An ultra-rapid nucleic acid detection technology using ITP is described in Rapid Detection of Urinary Tract Infections Using Isotachophoresis and Molecular Beacons, M. Bercovici et al., Analytical Chemistry 2011, 83, 4110-4117 ("Bercovici et al. Analytical Chemistry 2011"). This method accelerates DNA hybridization by using ITP. FIG. 1 of this article, reproduced as FIG. 2 of the instant disclosure, shows the principle of detection. The article describes: "FIG. 1a schematically presents the principles of the assay. ITP uses a discontinuous buffer system consisting of LE and TE, which are typically chosen to have respectively higher and lower electrophoretic mobility than the analytes of interest. Both sample and molecular beacons are initially mixed with the TE. When an electric field is applied, all species with mobility higher than that of the TE electromigrate into the channel. Other species (including ones with lower mobility, neutral or positively charged) remain in or near the sample reservoir. Focusing occurs within an electric field gradient at interface between the LE and TE, as sample ions cannot overspeed the LE zone but overspeed TE ions." (Id., p. 4111, left column.) "FIG. 1. (a) Schematic showing simultaneous isotachophoretic extraction, focusing, hybridization (with molecular beacons), and detection of 16S rRNA bound to a molecular beacon. Hybridization of the molecular beacon to 16S rRNA causes a spatial separation of its fluorophore and quencher pair resulting in a strong and sequence-specific increase in fluorescent signal. (b) Raw experimental image showing fluorescence intensity of molecular beacons hybridized to synthetic oligonucleotides using ITP. (c) Detection of oligonucleotides having the same sequence as the target segment of 16S rRNA. Each curve presents the fluorescence intensity in time, as recorded by a point detector at a fixed location in the channel (curves are shifted in time for convenient visualization). 100 pM of molecular beacons and varying concentrations of targets were mixed in the trailing electrolyte reservoir. The total migration (and hybridization) time from the on-chip reservoir to the detector was less than a minute." (Id., p. 4111, right column.) A setup for the on-chip ITP assay using a microfluidic chip is shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B of the instant disclosure, reproduced from FIGS. 2 and 3(a) of the above article. Han, C. M., Katilius, E., Santiago, J. G., "Increasing hybridization rate and sensitivity of DNA microarrays using isotachophoresis," Lab on a Chip 2014 discloses a method to increase hybridization between immobilized DNA probe and free DNA by ITP.
DNAzymes are DNA molecules that have the ability to catalyze specific chemical reactions. As nucleic acids, DNAzymes offer several advantages to enzymes, including increased thermal stability and pH resistance. They have been shown to be very specific, capable of differentiating between targets differing by as little as a single nucleotide. One application of DNAzymes is in the fluorescent detection of nucleic acid targets. Y. V. Gerasimova, E. Cornett, and D. M. Kolpashchikov, "RNA-Cleaving Deoxyribozyme Sensor for Nucleic Acid Analysis: The Limit of Detection", Chembiochem (2010), 11, 811-817 describes an assay in which a two-stranded DNAzyme is used to catalyze a reaction between a substrate internally labeled with both a fluorophore and quencher, and a 20-nucleotide DNA target. Both the substrate and the target are complementary to different sections of the DNAzyme. When the two strands of the DNAzymes, the substrate, and the target come together into one large complex, the DNAzyme cleaves the substrate, separating the fluorophore from the quencher and resulting in a signal increase. Once cleaved, the DNAzyme and target are free to react with another substrate, leading to signal amplification. This article demonstrated a 0.1 nM limit of detection, but the assay time was over 3 h.

Detection of biological molecules using surface plasmon field enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy (SPFS) combined with isotachophoresis (ITP)

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY


According to one embodiment, a light source device includes a wiring substrate including a mount region, a plurality of light sources arranged and mounted on the mount region of the wiring substrate, and a heat reactive adhesive sheet adhered to the wiring substrate.

In recent years, liquid crystal display devices are widely used as a display device of smartphones, tablet computers, vehicle-navigation systems, etc. Generally, liquid crystal display devices comprise a liquid crystal panel and a backlight device overlaid on a rear surface of the liquid crystal panel to illuminate the liquid crystal panel. The backlight device comprises a frame (or bezel), a reflective layer, a light guide plate (light guide), an optical sheet (a prism sheet or diffusion sheet), a light source device (light source unit) which apply light incident on the light guide. The light source device includes a wiring substrate such as an FPC and a plurality of light sources (for example light-emitting diodes or LEDs) mounted on the wiring substrate. Such a light source device is held in a predetermined position, for example, by attaching the wiring board to the light guide and the frame with a double-sided tape as an adhesive material.
Conventionally, the width of the frame of a liquid crystal display device is reduced mainly by narrowing the frame on right and left sides thereof. However, in recent years, there is an increasing demand of greatly narrowing the frame on the light source side (light-entering side), which is the widest part of the frame. In order to narrow the frame on the light-entering side, it is necessary to decrease the distance from the light sources (LEDs) to the display area. However, if the distance is shortened, the difference in luminance between a bright portion at where a light source is provided and dark portion where it is not becomes prominent (non-uniformity in luminance). In order to reduce non-uniformity in luminance, it is necessary to reduce the intervals between light sources in the arrangement.
When the distance between a light source and the display area is reduced and further, the intervals between the light sources are reduced, the adhesion area of the double-sided tape which fixes the wiring board to the light guide plate or frame is decreased, making it difficult to assure sufficient adhesion area to maintain the adhesion strength. As a result, the adhesion between the wiring board and light guide may become incomplete, causing such drawbacks that non-uniformity in luminance occurs and the double-sided tape peels off during a drop test, making it difficult to achieve the narrower frame.

Light source device, backlight device comprising the same and liquid crystal display device


With a work device that holds to a surface by vacuum pressure and can move on the surface to perform jobs and is connected to a base station through a supply line, there exists a danger that the work device will fall if the attractive force (vacuum pressure) weakens. To prevent such danger, the work device is connected to the base station through a safety line, with which it is possible to stop the fall of work device. As such, the work device can also be utilized in locations where it could fall from a great height in the event of failure, for instance, on the outside of buildings.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for performing jobs on a surface with at least one work device that includes a device for generating an underpressure between itself and the surface, and a drive for moving on the surface, and that is connected to a base station by a supply line.
British Patent No. GB 2 268 457 A teaches such a device in which several work devices, which are held to a sloping or vertical surface by vacuum pressure and can be moved along this surface, are connected to a compressed air source and a control through a supply line. Over the supply line, a data exchange between the work devices and the control takes place, on one hand, and, on the other hand, the work devices are supplied with energy in the form of compressed air for the purpose of generating the underpressure. This type of device is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,510 to Collie.
A particular disadvantage of these devices is that, if the vacuum pressure generator fails and can no longer hold them on the surface, the work devices, being unprotected, can fall off and can cause serious damage given utilization at great heights.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device for performing jobs on a surface with a base station that overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and that improves safety and, in particular, prevents falls from great heights.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a device for performing jobs on a surface, including at least one work device having a weight, vacuum generating device generating a holding force between the at least one work device and the surface, and a drive device for moving the at least one work device on the surface, a base station having a supply line connected to the at least one work device, and a safety line connecting the base station to the at least one work device, the safety line having a bearing capacity greater the weight of the at least one work device.
By virtue of the safety line between the base station and the at least one work device, the work device can only fall a limited distance in the event of a failure of the devices for holding onto the surface by suction. As such, the device can also be utilized on the outside of tall buildings without a risk of the work device falling and causing damage property or injuring persons at the foot of the building. If the work device on the outside of a building falls, it can only drop a limited distance corresponding to the length of the safety line, the invention being selected such that the work device cannot fall to the ground.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, to secure the work device, the base station has a larger mass and/or is provided with a device or means for anchoring itself at its environment. For instance, the base station can include non-slip feet or an extra clamp or line for anchoring at other objects. In particular, the base station has a mass approximately two to three times of a mass of the work device.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the base station has at least one energy device for storing and providing energy.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the base station advantageously contains a rechargeable battery with an appertaining charger and a current supply terminal. The overall device can, thus, be utilized with great flexibility, it being possible to achieve a particularly long operating period, given the ability to provide substantially larger batteries in the base station than would be possible in the work device, for which a low weight is desirable due to the energy-sapping vacuum adhesion mechanism.
Furthermore, the work device is supplied with at least one working medium through the supply line. For instance, if the at least one work device is utilized for cleaning the surface, a cleaning agent or cleaning liquid can be supplied over the supply line. Likewise, used working media such as used cleaning liquid can be drained off through the supply line.
In such a case, the base station includes devices for providing working media and devices for catching used working media. In preparation for use, the rechargeable battery is charged in the base station in that the base station is simply connected to the current supply network, and in that working media such as cleaning or rinsing liquids that are required for the work are refilled. To accomplish this, the work device need not be connected to the base station. The base station and the work device can then be moved to the working location and are ready for use after the safety line and supply line are connected as warranted.
The supplying of the work device with energy and/or with at least one working medium from a base station through a supply line is also possible regardless of a safety line.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, to prevent tangling of the supply line or safety line, devices for winding and unwinding the safety line and the supply line can be provided in the base station and/or the work device. These devices can be biased so that the lines are unwound as soon as the at least one work device is moved away from the base station and automatically rewound again when it is moved toward the base station again. The winding/rewinding also reduces the risk that objects will be pulled down by the safety line and/or the supply line or that the safety line and/or supply line will get hung up on objects when the work device is moved.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the unwinding of the safety line can be braked or locked according to speed so that, in the event of a failure where the work device detaches, the fall is stopped with optimal speed, as with a safety harness.
Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a device for performing jobs on a surface with a base station, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Device for performing jobs on a surface with a base station


A nipple assembly is removably attachable to a baby bottle via a retainer ring and comprises a nipple having a flow aperture through one end, and a nipple flange structured to support the nipple. A flow control valve assembly is mounted to the nipple flange and extends inwardly from an inner surface of the nipple flange, the flow control valve assembly is structured to allow pressures to equilibrate between the inside and outside of the baby bottle, without allowing fluid to leak therethrough. A training cup spout assembly is removably attachable to a cup and comprises a spout having a spout channel extending therethrough. The spout channel has a dual valve assembly mounted therein to permit flow for drinking, as well as to prevent leakage of fluid from the cup. A flow control valve assembly may be mounted to the training cup spout assembly to permit pressure equilibration.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a flow control valve assembly for use in combination with a nipple assembly for a baby bottle. The flow control valve assembly is structured to provide a smooth and even flow of fluid from the baby bottle into the baby's mouth and stomach and, importantly, to prevent unnecessary introduction of air into the baby's stomach which may cause various forms of distress, such as colic, while positively sealing when suckling stops to prevent leakage. The present invention is further directed to an improved training cup spout assembly comprising a dual valve assembly, either alone, or in combination with a flow control valve assembly. The dual valve assembly is structured to permit flow therethrough with minimum suction pressure to teach infants to drink without suckling, as well as to positively seal the spout to prevent leakage of liquid therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, baby bottles comprise a nipple assembly having a nipple with an aperture through one end to allow fluid to flow from a bottle and through the nipple upon application of suction over the aperture in the nipple, such as, the natural suckling action of a newborn or infant child. Of course, it has long been understood that while an accepted means for delivering fluids, such traditional baby bottle/nipple structures are not always best for the newborn or infant. As one example, during sustained suckling, a vacuum builds inside of the baby bottle, oftentimes decreasing or even stopping fluid flow as the nipple partially or fully collapses. When either occurs, it is common for a newborn or infant or child to suck air into his or her stomach while struggling to get fluid out of the collapsed or partially collapsed nipple. The introduction of air into a newborn or infants stomach is responsible for causing discomfort, and can result in colic.
One attempt to overcome this problem is to provide a collapsible fluid insert which is placed inside of a baby bottle to eliminate a vacuum build-up inside of the bottle itself such as can cause a nipple to partially or fully collapse, and thus minimize the introduction of air into a newborn or infant's stomach while feeding. While arguably effective for this purpose, the addition of a separate fluid insert inside of a bottle adds to the time required to prepare a bottle for feeding, as well as to clean up afterwards. Furthermore, these additional components necessarily add additional cost, which can be significant given the fact that most infants will continue to feed from a bottle/nipple structure for one to two years or more.
Another alternative involves the incorporation of a pressure equalization valve across a portion of a nipple which is not subject to suction by the newborn or infant, e.g., at the base of the nipple. When the pressures inside and outside of a baby bottle are essentially the same, the tendency of a nipple to collapse is significantly reduced, and the introduction of air into a newborn or infant's stomach as a result of the same is also significantly reduced. While this alternative eliminates the time and cost disadvantages of a separate fluid bag inside of a bottle, it presents different drawbacks in that known pressure equalization valves do not easily open under mild suction pressures and as a result, the newborn or infant is again struggling to feed, which can lead to ingestion of air. More importantly, in general, known pressure equalization valves do not positively seal resulting in unnecessary leakage. As a result, the risk for air ingestion is not fully eliminated, and time is often required to clean up formula, milk or other fluid that has leaked out onto the newborn or infant, its clothes, and the surrounding areas.
As such, it would be beneficial to provide a flow control valve assembly that provides the benefit of pressure equilibration, yet prevents unnecessary leakage or spillage therethrough. It would be further advantageous for such a flow control valve assembly to adjustably open depending on the amount of suction pressure being applied via a nipple, such that pressure equilibration occurs even under mild suction pressures. Yet a further benefit may be realized from a flow control valve assembly comprising planar sealing surfaces which remain substantially parallel to one other at any point between a fully closed orientation and a fully open orientation, to facilitate ease in opening and positive sealing upon closure.
As infants grow and mature, they are eventually weaned off baby bottle/nipple structures in order to drink out of a cup or glass without suckling. Of course, this transition does not occur overnight, and oftentimes, many months are required before a child learns how to drink without suckling, and even longer to learn to hold a cup or glass without spilling its contents all over him or herself, and their surroundings.
As such, training cups having a fluid tight cover and a spout are often employed to aid children with this transition. In its simplest form, a training cup includes a spout open through a lid into a fluid containing cup or bottle. Of course, at least at first, children will knock over, tip over, and even throw the cup or bottle, and fluid is free to spill out making mess which must be cleaned up. In order to combat this problem, various valves have been employed in association with a spout in attempts to prevent this spillage and subsequent cleanup effort. Unfortunately, these valves suffer the same types of problems noted above with regard to known pressure equalization valves, that is, they often do not readily or adjustably open to permit fluid flow and once again, more importantly, they fail to positively close and seal thereby still allowing fluid to leak or spill and still creating a mess which must be cleaned.
As such, it would be further beneficial to provide a training cup spout assembly having a valve mechanism that opens easily to permit fluid flow therethrough upon application of minimal pressure forces to the spout, and that positively closes and seals to prevent leakage or spillage through the valve assembly once pressure is removed from the spout. Yet another benefit may be realized by providing a training cup spout assembly having a redundant valve assembly to assure positive closure and sealing to prevent fluid leakage or spillage therethrough. A further advantage may be obtained by providing such a training cup spout assembly with a flow control valve assembly to provide a smooth and even flow of fluid through the spout of the training cup or bottle.

Nipple closure having flow control valve


Systems are configured for generating temporally corrected pass-through images. In some instances, the systems obtain depth maps of an environment at a first timepoint, generate a 3D representation of the environment by unprojecting the depth information represented in the depth map, and obtain one or more first images of the environment captured at a second timepoint. The systems may also be configured to perform a first intermediate projection to identify first texture information from the one or more first images, identify a display pose associated with the system, generate a display projection of the 3D representation, and creating a composite image based on the display projection and the first texture information.

Mixed-reality (MR) systems, including virtual-reality and augmented-reality systems, have received significant attention because of their ability to create truly unique experiences for their users. For reference, conventional virtual-reality (VR) systems create a completely immersive experience by restricting their users' views to only a virtual environment. This is often achieved through the use of a head-mounted device (HMD) that completely blocks any view of the real world. As a result, a user is entirely immersed within the virtual environment. In contrast, conventional augmented-reality (AR) systems create an augmented-reality experience by visually presenting virtual objects that are placed in or that interact with the real world.
As used herein, VR and AR systems are described and referenced interchangeably. Unless stated otherwise, the descriptions herein apply equally to all types of mixed-reality systems, which (as detailed above) includes AR systems, VR reality systems, and/or any other similar system capable of displaying virtual objects.
Many mixed-reality systems include a depth detection system (e.g., time of flight camera, rangefinder, stereoscopic depth cameras, etc.). A depth detection system provides depth information about the real-world environment surrounding the mixed-reality system to enable the system to accurately present mixed-reality content (e.g., holograms) with respect to real-world objects. As an illustrative example, a depth detection system is able to obtain depth information for a real-world table positioned within a real-world environment. The mixed-reality system is then able to render and display a virtual figurine accurately positioned on the real-world table such that the user perceives the virtual figurine as though it were part of the user's real-world environment.
Some mixed-reality systems employ stereo cameras for depth detection or for other purposes, besides depth detection. For example, a mixed-reality system may utilize images obtained by stereo cameras to provide a pass-through view of the user's environment to the user. A pass-through view can aid users in avoiding disorientation and/or safety hazards when transitioning into and/or navigating within an immersive mixed-reality environment.
Some mixed-reality systems are also configured with cameras of different modalities to enhance users' views in low visibility environments. For example, mixed-reality systems configured with long wavelength thermal imaging cameras facilitate visibility in smoke, haze, fog, and/or dust. Likewise, mixed-reality systems configured with low light imaging cameras facilitate visibility in dark environments where the ambient light level is below the level required for human vision.
Even though existing mixed-reality systems can be configured with different types of cameras, there are many challenges associated with presenting the images captured by these cameras through the mixed-reality devices.
For instance, the physical positioning of the cameras is physically separated from the physical positioning of the user's eyes, such that it is not possible to simply render the captured images to the user without causing the user to perceive the real-world environment incorrectly. Even more particularly, a vertical offset between the positioning of the user's eyes and the positioning of the stereo cameras, for example, will cause the user to perceive real-world objects as vertically offset from their true position relative to the user's actual positioning in the real-world. In another example, a difference in the spacing between the user's eyes and the spacing between the stereo cameras can cause the user to perceive real-world objects with incorrect depth.
The differences in perception between the camera's perspective of an object, for example, based on the positioning of the cameras relative to the object, and how a user perceives the object, based on the positioning of the user's eyes relative to the object, are often referred to as "parallax," the "parallax problem" or "parallax error."
FIG. 1 illustrates a conceptual representation of the parallax problem in which a stereo pair of cameras 105A and 105B is physically separated from a user's eyes 110A and 110B. Sensor region 115A conceptually depicts the image sensing regions of camera 105A (e.g., the pixel grid) and the user's eye 110A (e.g., the retina). Similarly, sensor region 115B conceptually depicts the image sensing regions of camera 105B and the user's eye 110B.
The cameras 105A and 105B and the user's eyes 110A and 110B perceive an object 130, as indicated in FIG. 1 by the lines extending from the object 130 to the cameras 105A and 105B and the user's eyes 110A and 110B, respectively. FIG. 1 illustrates that the cameras 105A and 105B perceive the object 130 at different positions on their respective sensor regions 115A, 115B. Similarly, FIG. 1 shows that the user's eyes 110A and 110B perceive the object 130 at different positions on their respective sensor regions 115A, 115B. Furthermore, the user's eyes 110A perceives the object 130 at a different position on sensor region 115A than camera 105A, and the user's eye 110B perceives the object 130 at a different position on sensor region 115B than camera 105B.
Some approaches for correcting for the parallax problem involve performing a camera reprojection from the perspective of the stereo cameras to the perspective of the user's eyes. For instance, some approaches involve performing a calibration step to determine the differences in physical positioning between the stereo cameras and the user's eyes. Then, after capturing a stereo pair of images with the stereo cameras, a step of calculating depth information (e.g., a depth map) based on the stereo pair of images is performed (e.g., by performing stereo matching). Subsequently, a system can reproject the calculated depth information to correspond to the perspective of the user's left eye and right eye.
Some approaches for correcting the parallax problem also include components that operate/occur in different time domains. For example, stereo image capture may occur at one framerate, while depth map calculation may occur at another framerate (e.g., a lower framerate), resulting in different timestamps for stereo images and depth maps obtained by a system for performing parallax correction (e.g., an HMD). Furthermore, a parallax-corrected image will have a timestamp that is subsequent to the timestamps of the components used to generate the parallax-corrected image. Still furthermore, a display timestamp for displaying a parallax-corrected image will be subsequent to the timestamp for generating the parallax-corrected image.
In some instances, particularly where a user is moving their head, a system (e.g., an HMD) may have different poses at the different timestamps associated with generating and displaying a parallax-corrected image. The different poses at the different timestamps may cause environments represented in different components for generating a parallax-corrected image (e.g., depth maps and stereo images) to be misaligned due to the user's head movement. Furthermore, the different poses at the different timestamps may cause displayed parallax-corrected views to be inaccurate with respect to the user's perspective of the real-world environment at the time of display (e.g., as compared to how a user would view an environment without an HMD).
For at least the foregoing reasons, there is an ongoing need and desire for improved techniques and systems for providing temporal corrections for parallax reprojection.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.

Systems and methods for temporal corrections for parallax reprojection


Business object resources are accessed by a consumer application via web protocol. A business event occurring in a provider business application, which the consumer application is authorized to subscribe to, is identified. Each identified business event is assigned to a corresponding business object resource. Access to the business object resource is implemented as a RESTful application programming interface call. A uniform resource identifier is generated for accessing the business object resource affected by an occurring defined business event. At least one event message is created for the occurring defined business event, such that the event message includes the uniform resource identifier. The event message is published to all subscribed consumer applications that are identified as being interested in contextual information of the occurred business event, thereby enabling the calling of the RESTful application programming interface and to access the affected business object resource.

In general the present invention relates to the fields of enterprise application software, machine-to-machine communication and enterprise application integration technology. In particular it relates to a method for accessing business object resources of a provider business application by at least one subscribed consumer application, and a corresponding machine-to-machine communication environment. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a data processing program and a computer program product for accessing business object resources of a provider business application by at least one subscribed consumer application.
The trend to design, build and provide RESTful Web-APIs (Application-Programming-Interfaces) for business functionality is a success factor for enterprise applications in the future. REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style, not a technology that describes several constraints to be applied when building Web-APIs. The web today works on the REST principles using HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) as application protocol.
Enterprise applications are either already using or are starting to use HTTP interfaces the REST way. One problem is that such a RESTful interface is not meant to call back a client because of its statelessness. The server doesn't maintain a list of clients but clients are expected to keep track of their state. A web-based business application is often confronted with customer requirements demanding that internal application business events should trigger an external system. This use case is not supported by a true RESTful API, except for polling which is only as consistent as the polling period. So in pure RESTful APIs there is no built-in solution to trigger events to connected clients. This is intended in REST interfaces and not a limitation.
A further problem comes from client SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) web services in the requesting applications. Often products are polluted by several customer specific implementations of consumer module interfaces like interfaces of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems. Each customer has different ERP interfaces using different technologies which lead to a huge combination of web service customized implementations in the products. Only a small proportion of such customized implementations are reusable. The maintainability and extendibility of such a product can be highly limited.
Furthermore, an application that generates information should—as the responsible system of that information—provide business interfaces of the functional domain with the correct scope and granularity. It should not be the other way round that the system being informed has to implement that interface. Also an application should clearly state which interactions are possible with it and which services can be offered.
In known solutions to these problems a general convention is to use polling by the client, which works perfectly with REST in the web, because of the caching capabilities of HTTP. Further a Web service client is implemented calling the system to be triggered directly, e.g. via SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) or REST. Also WS (Web service) reliable messaging and addressing like SOAP is used, which tends to act like a messaging solution.
In the enterprise world most access by users or systems to an application are protected, and a user or machine needs to authenticate before an access to the Web-API is allowed. So on these known solutions caching does not work for security reasons and therefore polling approaches become too expensive.
Therefore a substitution to polling is needed that informs a client and/or system of changes in the server application. This can be done by building out additional web services to call the clients, but this development effort will occur on the application side for implementing the client service. So for each client additional customized code within the product or an adapter would have to be built and supported, which does not scale with a large number of different clients.
Another known solution uses middleware that combines and implements custom interfaces and can include a message bus. Using such middleware solutions to adapt to customers specific interfaces moves or only temporarily solves the problem but it does not solve it in terms of reusability, maintainability and extendibility as it does not provide a process to approach the resolution of problems. Instead a second application has to be customized and continuously maintained leading to higher complexity and costs.

Accessing business object resources for a machine-to-machine communication environment

International Business Machines Corporation


A new method of spatial localization in solids using the high off-resonance sensitivity of heteronuclear polarization transfer is presented in theory and experiment. Application in imaging and volume-selective spectroscopy are discussed and test experiments to this end are reported.

The present invention relates to a method for volume-selective nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-spectroscopy or NMR-imaging, wherein a radio frequency (RF)-pulse is irradiated onto a sample located inside a measuring volume in a homogeneous static magnetic field B.sub.o within a time interval during which an additional magnetic field gradient is applied to the measuring volume.
Such a method has been known for example from the LOSY-method published by E. Rommel and R. Kimmich in J. Magn. Reson. 83, 1989, p. 299 ff [0].
In the following, reference is made to publications cited in the reference list at the end of the specification using reference numerals in square brackets.
In the last few years several attempts have been undertaken to develop operational NMR imaging procedures for solid objects. This implies line-narrowing methods, i.e. magic-angle spinning [1] or multipulse sequences [2] , and solid-echo phase-encoding methods [3-5]. It has also been suggested that one should transfer the polarization from abundant protons to rare nuclei such as .sup.13 C in order to avoid the strong homonuclear line broadening of protons [6,7].
The latter approach in principle gives access to the spectral information of .sup.13 C NMR parameters e.g. the chemical shift anisotropy. This is a crucial requirement for potential applications in material science. One is interested in not only a good reproduction of the morphology of the object, but rather would also like to measure physical and chemical parameters characterising the local material properties [3,6]. An example is the local polymer chain orientation in plastic materials which affects spectral properties due to anisotropic spin interactions [3].
Obtaining images which directly render the spatial distribution of such spectral parameters may be an excessively time-consuming process. Image-guided localized spectroscopy therefore is expected to be a more favourable procedure for this purpose. Local solid state spectra using the localized spectroscopy (LOSY) technique [8,9] have been already studied.
In extension to this homonuclear method, heteronuclear techniques based on a new spatial selection mechanism taking place with solid-state polarization transfer methods in the presence of magnetic field gradients are described. (The term "cross-polarization" is also widespread in this context. The more general term "spin-order transfer" would be more appropriate but has not yet come into use.) The spin species predominantly referred to are heteronuclear spins 1/2, e.g. a transfer from protons to .sup.13 C nuclei. In principle spin order transfer to spins with higher quantum numbers is also feasible provided that dipolar coupling mediates the polarization transfer process.

Slice-selective polarization transfer for localized solid-state NMR spectroscopy


The invention provides a multilayered device and the method for fabricating the same. The multilayered device comprises a substrate, a first layer deposited on the substrate, a second layer deposited on the first layer, and a third layer deposited on the second layer. The coverage of the second layer is determined by a rate of crystallization of the third layer. The rate of crystallization of the third layer is determined by measuring X-ray diffraction of the device.

Devices having a multilayered structure have been widely used as electronic devices. Each layer of the multilayered device may be a functional layer for performing a special function for the device. For example, referring to FIG. 1, an organic light emitting device (OLED) 10 is fabricated by forming a hole injection layer (not shown), a hole transport layer (not shown), an emitting layer 120, an electron transport layer 120, and an electron injection layer 130 between an anode 110 and a cathode 140. Each functional layer may be consisted of an organic and/or inorganic material(s) suitable for performing respective special function. OLED can be significantly improved in terms of I-V characteristics, luminescence efficiency, and operating lifetime by inserting such functional layers between the anode and the emitting layer, and between the emitting layer and the cathode.
In a case of a small molecule type OLED, indium tin oxide may be generally employed for the anode, and copper phthalocyanine (CuPC) may be generally employed for the hole injection layer, and N,N′-Bis(naphthalen-1-yl)-N,N′-bis(phenyl)benzidine (NPB) may generally be employed for the hole transport layer, and tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3) may be generally employed for the emitting layer. Alq3 may also be employed for the electron transport layer. Other materials may be employed for each of the functional layers. As the electron injection layer, any one selected from the group comprising LiF, CsF, NaF, NaCl, etc., may be employed. As the cathode, any one selected from the group comprising Al, Ca, Mg, Ag, etc., and their compounds may be employed. In order to improve the luminescence efficiency and the operating lifetime, the thickness of the electron injection layer, for example LiF, may be selected from the optimal range near approximately 10 Å. When the nominal thickness of LiF is about 10 Å, the coverage of LiF on the Alq3 was evaluated to be approximately 66% as will be discussed later.
According to a conventional technique, the coverage of LiF on Alq3 has been estimated by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM), which involves calculating the ratio of the covered area with LiF on Alq3 to the total surface area of Alq3. According to another conventional technique, the coverage of LiF on Alq3 has been estimated by means of X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (XPS), which involves analyzing and identifying the chemical elements along the depth profile of the OLED. However, such conventional techniques are complicated in views of measurement and analysis, and require a long time to get the coverage. Further, the conventional techniques involve destructing the sample during the measurement process.

Device having a multilayered structure and method of fabricating thereof

Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Sogang University


This invention relates to a system for holding food in ready-to-serve state, comprising

This invention relates to a system for holding food in a ready-to-serve state.
In large commercial kitchens it has become common practice to prepare and freeze food several days before it is served so that a few hours prior to being served it can be thawed, divided into portions, made up and, until served, placed on plates that allow the food to be cooled and/or reheated and kept warm.
An earlier design of a warm-up and cooling tray for ready-to-serve food, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,077, features two heat-conducting plates in an enclosure, two Peltier elements positioned underneath these plates, a control device for switching the Peltier elements into a plate-cooling or plate-heating mode, as well as selector switches for selecting the desired mode and temperature.
That type of heating and cooling tray, however, cannot produce plate temperatures that lead to ready-to-serve temperatures within the food in line with current requirements in terms of hygienic considerations, for instance 65xc2x0 C. (150xc2x0 F.) in Europe.
It is therefore the objective of this invention to provide a system for holding food in ready-to-serve state, permitting compliance with current hygienic requirements.
According to the invention this is accomplished with the functional features specified in claim 1. Desirable design variations are described in the subclaims.
The system for holding food in a ready-to-serve state encompasses the following:
one or several heat-conducting plates that can accommodate the food items directly or in containers, ready to be served;
one or several Peltier elements or similar devices as well as one or several heating elements that are or can be coupled to the plate and/or to the containers;
one or several selector switches as well as radio-signal receivers for selector switches by means of which it is possible to select temperatures and/or temperature cycles and/or plate heating and cooling modes; and
a control system capable of activating the Peltier element(s) in accordance with the selection made via the selector switches for the cooling of the plate(s) and, correspondingly, of activating the Peltier element(s) and/or the heating elements for heating the plate(s).
Due to the fact that heating elements can heat the plate(s) more quickly and/or to higher temperature levels than is possible with Peltier elements alone, temperatures can be obtained within the food items that meet the current hygienic requirements.
Specifically, the heating element(s) is/are positioned under the bottom surface of the plate(s) and is/are preferably in the form of sheet- and/or foil-type and/or thin-film and/or screen-printed heaters.
The plate(s) is/are preferably made from a glass-ceramic material but may alternatively consist of metal, glass, ceramics or stone. It is/they are preferably mounted on a horizontal, circular frame that sits on a base whose bottom is closed.
The plate(s) may be snapped onto the frame and/or the frame onto the base. The dimensions of the frame and/or the base specifically correspond to one or several standards of the restaurant trade.
Viewed from the side, the frame and base are inversely symmetrical. The frame preferably accommodates the selector switches and/or their associated radio-signal receivers and/or the control system while the base houses a power supply and/or a cooling fan. Mounted on the bottom surface of the base are two mutually parallel skids.
The Peltier element(s) is/are primarily located on the bottom surface of the plate(s) and/or on the bottom surface of the heating element(s).
The plate(s) may be heated at the selected temperature and/or temperature cycle by means of the Peltier element(s). In that case the temperatures and/or temperature cycles selected would primarily be warming temperatures or warming cycles.
It is also possible, however, to heat the plate(s) to/at the selected temperature or temperature cycle either by means of the heating elements alone or jointly with both the Peltier element(s) and the heating element(s). In that case the temperatures and/or temperature cycles selected would typically be warming or cooking temperatures or, respectively, warming or cooking cycles, with warming temperatures and warming cycles attainable and controllable more rapidly and with less delay than with the sole use of Peltier elements.

System for holding food in a ready-to-serve state

Abstract: one or several heat-conducting plates (6) on which the food can be placed, either directly or in dishes, in ready-to-serve fashion;

Abstract: one or several Peltier elements or similar devices and one or several heating elements, each of which is or can be thermally coupled to the plate(s) (6) and/or to the dishes;

Abstract: one or several selector switches (22) as operating controls or the radio-signal receivers of such selector switches by means of which it is possible to select temperatures and/or temperature cycles and/or warming or cooling modes of the plate(s) (6),

Abstract: a control unit by means of which, in response to the selection made via the selector switches (22), the Peltier element(s) can be enabled to cool the plate(s) and/or the Peltier element(s) and/or the heating element(s) can be energized to heat the plate(s).


The embodiment of the present disclosure provides a phosphor improved in the emission intensity maintenance ratio without impairing the emission intensity. The phosphor is a silicofluoride phosphor and shows an IR absorption spectrum satisfying the conditions of 0≤I2/I1≤0.01 and 6.7≤(I3/I1)/CMn. In those conditional formulas, I1, I2 and I3 are intensities of the maximum peaks in the ranges of 1200 to 1240 cm−1, 3570 to 3610 cm−1 and 635 to 655 cm−1, respectively, and CMn is a weight percent of Mn contained the phosphor.

A light-emitting diode (LED) light-emitting device mainly comprises a combination of a phosphor and a LED chip serving as an excitation light source, and can realize various colors of emission light according to the combination.
Specifically, a white LED light-emitting device, which radiates white emission light, comprises a phosphor in combination with a LED chip that emits light in the blue region. For example, the device comprises a phosphor mixture and a LED chip giving off blue light. In practice, a phosphor emitting yellow light, which is complementary to blue light, is often adopted as the phosphor to produce a pseudo-white LED light-emitting device. Further, a three-wavelength white LED device is also developed which comprises a LED chip emitting blue light, a green- or yellow-light emitting phosphor and a red-light emitting phosphor. As an example of the red-light emitting phosphor used in that light-emitting device, K2SiF6:Mn phosphor is known.
Meanwhile, when conventional fluoride phosphors are continuously excited to emit luminescence, the emission intensity generally tends to go down from the initial intensity in course of time. However, if the phosphors are intended to be used in light-emitting devices, the emission intensity preferably changes little. In other words, the emission intensity maintenance ratio is preferred to be high. It is hence required to improve the emission intensity maintenance ratio. For the purpose of meeting that requirement, it is reported that the phosphors are surface-treated with a solution containing a surface-treatment agent, such as, organic amine or ammonium salt, so as to improve durability thereof under conditions of high temperature and high humidity. However, in order that the phosphors can be subjected to the above treatment after they are synthesized, the step of the treatment must be additionally carried out after the synthesizing process of the phosphors. Accordingly, in view of the production cost, it is desired to develop another method. Further, if conventional fluoride phosphors are brought into contact with water, their emission intensity generally tends to deteriorate. It is therefore not preferred to surface-treat the phosphors with a water-containing solution like the above treatment solution after they are synthesized.

Phosphor, producing method thereof and light-emitting device employing the phosphor


A lamp unit of a vehicle headlamp characterized in a lamp unit of a vehicle headlamp includes a projecting lens arranged on an optical axis extended in a front and rear direction of a vehicle, a first light emitting element arranged on a rear side of a rear side focal point of the projecting lens, and a reflector for reflecting light from the first light emitting element to a front side to be proximate to an optical axis. A vicinity of a rear side focal face of the projecting lens is arranged with a plurality of second light emitting elements for emitting light to the projecting lens.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lamp unit of a vehicle headlamp, particularly relates to a lamp unit of a projector type constituting a light source by a light emitting element of a light emitting diode or the like.
2. Related Art
In recent years, there has been adopted a lamp unit constituting a light source by a light emitting element of a light emitting diode or the like also in a vehicle headlamp.
For example, "Patent Reference 1" describes a lamp unit of a so-called projector type including a projecting lens arranged on an optical axis extended in a front and rear direction of a vehicle, a light emitting element arranged on a rear side of a rear side focal point of the projecting lens, and a reflector for reflecting light from the light emitting element to a front side to be proximate to the optical axis.
Further, "Patent Reference 2" describes a lamp unit of the projector type arranged with a plurality of sets of light emitting elements and reflectors for one projecting lens.
Further, "Patent Reference 3" and "Patent Reference 4" describe a lamp unit of a projector type in which although a light source is not constituted by a light emitting element, an auxiliary light source for irradiating light to a projecting lens is arranged at a vicinity of a front side of a rear side focal point face of the projecting lens.
[Patent Reference 1] JP-A-2005-166590
[Patent Reference 2] JP-A-2005-317226
[Patent Reference 3] JP-A-64-067804
[Patent Reference 4] JP-U-06-028909
When the projector type lamp unit described in "Patent Reference 1" or "Patent Reference 2" is adopted, in the lamp unit constituting the light source by the light emitting element, a light flux utilizing rate for light from the light emitting element can be promoted, however, according to the light emitting element of the light emitting diode or the like, a light emitting amount thereof is much smaller than that of a light source bulb of a halogen bulb, a discharge bulb, or the like.
Therefore, the vehicle headlamp as described in "Patent Reference 1" was devised to arrange a number of the lamp units or, as described in "Patent Reference 2," to arrange a plurality of sets of light emitting elements and reflectors for the single projecting lens.
However, according to the constitution described in "Patent Reference 1," there exists a problem that the vehicle headlamp is large-sized by arranging the number of lamp units.
On the other hand, according to the constitution described in "Patent Reference 2", there exists a problem that the lamp unit itself is large-sized by arranging the plurality of sets of light emitting elements and reflectors for the single projecting lens and, as a result, the vehicle headlamp is also large-sized. Further, when such a lamp constitution is adopted, the lamp constitution is rather complicated.


The present invention provides a technique capable of changing the image capturing direction of a camera at high speed while suppressing noise generated by resonance. At the time of changing the angle of the image capturing direction of a surveillance camera from a base angle to a first angle, if driving of both of a motor for panning and a motor for tilting is simply started simultaneously and completed simultaneously, there is a case such that the motor for panning generates resonance with the body of the surveillance camera or the like and noise becomes too loud. In such a case, the drive speed of the motor for panning, that is, the pulse rate is shifted to a high speed side on which resonance does not generate and the panning is finished first. Specifically, the angle of the image capturing direction is changed from the base angle to a second angle and, after that, changed from the second angle to the first angle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus capable of changing its image capturing direction in a state where a body of the image capturing apparatus is fixed.
2. Description of the Background Art
Since a surveillance camera used by being mounted on the wall, the ceiling or the like of a room has to monitor a wide range, usually, the image capturing direction of the camera can be freely changed by the driving of various motors or the like by a remote control or the like.
Conventionally, such a surveillance camera is turnable around two axes of the horizontal axis and the vertical axis. For example, in the case of using a pulse motor as a drive source for turning the camera around each of the horizontal and vertical axes, by controlling the turn amount in the turn direction around the horizontal axis as a center (hereinafter, referred to as "tilting direction") and the turn amount in the turn direction around the vertical axis as a center (hereinafter, referred to as "panning direction") in accordance with the number of pulses given to the pulse motors, a change in the image capturing direction can be easily controlled.
However, generally, depending on the drive frequency, that is, the pulse rate (the number of pulses given per second, hereinafter, the unit will be abbreviated as "pps") given to a pulse motor, the drive source such as a pulse motor generates resonance with a body of the surveillance camera or the like and noise generates. Consequently, since it is desirable to reduce noise sound as much as possible in a quiet room or the like, the drive source is driven generally on the basis of a pulse rate lower than the drive frequency at which resonance is caused (hereinafter, referred to as "resonance frequency").
There are mainly two types of operating the surveillance camera. One of the types is a type of instructing only the driving direction and the other type is a type of directly instructing a target direction.
In the operation method of the former type, for example, by tilting an operation lever to a desired direction, the image capturing direction can be changed to the instructed direction. In order to stop the changing of the image capturing direction, it is sufficient to move the operation lever to the original position. In the operation method, the user has to operate the lever while watching a captured image and, when the image capturing direction reaches a desired direction, move the lever to the original position to stop the changing of the image capturing direction. When the changing speed of the image capturing direction is too fast, it is difficult to perform an accurate operation. Therefore, it is desirable to change the image capturing direction slowly.
On the other hand, in the operation method of the latter type, for example, a chart indicating a changeable range of the image capturing direction and the present image capturing direction are displayed on the screen of a personal computer or the like. By moving a cursor to a desired image capturing direction (target direction) and clicking the mouse, the image capturing direction can be automatically changed to the instructed target direction. In the operation method, when the target direction is directly designated, a turn in the panning direction and a turn in the tilting direction are simultaneously started and simultaneously completed, thereby enabling the image capturing direction to be changed to the designated target direction as fast as possible. Consequently, a time lag in changing of the image capturing direction is short and the operability is good.
In the operation method of the latter type, however, in order to change the image capturing direction to the target direction as fast as possible, when a pulse rate is simply changed, depending on the changing direction of the image capturing direction, the pulse rate given to one of the two pulse motors may enter the resonance frequency range and it causes large noise sound at the time of changing of the image capturing direction.
As a technique of suppressing the noise which will be generated during changing of the image capturing direction, a noise preventing technique has been proposed, which suppresses noise caused by resonance resulting from vibration of an intermediate gear during changing of the image capturing direction by inserting a friction member into the intermediate gear for transmitting a driving force of a stepping motor to prevent vibration of the gear (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-9367 (1998)).
However, since the resonance which generates during changing of the image capturing direction due to the motor itself is larger than the resonance which generates due to the gear, only by the countermeasure of suppressing the resonance which generates due to the gear like the above-described noise preventing technique, generation of the resonance during changing of the image capturing direction, that is, generation of noise cannot be sufficiently suppressed.