A heater includes a heating element, a first electrode, a second electrode and a temperature controller. The heating element includes carbon nanotube layer and a binder. The carbon nanotube layer defines a number of wrinkles. The temperature controller is electrically connected to the heating element by the first electrode or the second electrode. The temperature controller is capable of controlling a temperature of the heating element by controlling a voltage and electric current applied to the heating element.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a heater.
2. Description of Related Art
Heaters are widely used in different fields such as a vehicle seat, a heating blanket, and a heating care belt. An electric resistance wire is commonly used as a heating element. Material of the electric resistance wire is usually metals or alloy of low tensile strength and low bending resistance. As a result, electric shocks can be caused by a breakage of the electric resistance wire. Therefore, a lifespan of the heater may be relatively short.
What is needed, therefore, is to provide a heater having a high tensile strength and a high bending resistance property.


Dynamically providing instant comments. A first instruction is received for activating an instant commenting tool for enabling instant commenting on a web media object on an online environment. The web media object is identified by the activated instant commenting tool in response to the received first instruction. An instant comment session is provided for a first user to leave comments to the web media object. The comments from the first user from the provided instant comment session are recorded. The recorded comments are rendered as a persistent portion of the web media object on the online environment.

The Internet has greatly changed ways individuals communicate with one another. For example, online message boards, or bulletin board, are now popular forms of communication. Individuals who wish to communicate with others can leave messages or start discussions on a message board and the intended recipient(s) can visit the message board to view posted messages and discussions. Unfortunately, there is usually no privacy; everyone with a proper authorization (e.g., a username and a password) can view any of the messages. The message board also does not openly display an individual's status at a given moment. That is, the message board does not notify an individual other than himself or herself whether someone is in a "signed-in" or "signed-off" status. Furthermore, because the message board is asynchronous, no instantaneous communication is established between individuals unless the sender and the recipient happen to be visiting the message board and leaving messages for each other at the same time. In addition, the message boards are static in the sense that, in order to enjoy the availability of the message boards, users need to visit web portals or web sites to use the service, leave messages, and review messages.
Another Internet-related communication tool is an instant messaging tool. Instant messaging provides an immediate chat or conversation session between parties. The instant messaging tool can be public, such as a public chat room in which parties can sign in to chat with others, or private, such as where each individual first downloads an instant messaging client application onto one's computing device and selects which party to be included in its instant messaging list of parties. Another variant of instant messaging tools includes a web-based instant messaging client application that provides similar functions as the downloadable instant messaging client application. However, these instant messaging tools have a common shortfall: conversations between the parties are not persisted or permanently stored like the online message boards. In addition, the users need to visit the web site that has the web-based instant messaging application or download the instant messaging application in order to have a chat session. If the users are in web site or using other applications, such chat or conversation session is not available.
Furthermore, these two features serve two distinct purposes and goals: the message board implementation aims to be a public forum for open discussions while the instant messaging are directed to private conversation or chats that are causal. As such, an instant messaging service or tool is not designed for and incapable of recording the entire content of the conversation. Similarly, a message board service is incapable of providing instant messaging because it would require resources on a server to provide the instant conversation channels between one or more users at the same time.


The invention relates to an assembly for refrigerant circuits that is arranged between the compressor and the evaporator thereof including a housing with a through channel. Within the through channel is a microchannel part having a filtering portion and a decompression portion wherein filtering and decompression of the passing refrigerant can be performed generally at the same time.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an assembly for refrigerant circuits that is arranged between the compressor and the evaporator thereof and includes a housing with a through channel.
2. Prior Technology
Within conventional vehicle air conditioning refrigerant circuits there are, on the one hand, at least one contaminant-removing filter and one decompression valve between a compressor and an evaporator and provided as assemblies at different positions of the refrigerant circuit in the connecting pipelines. Thereby, upstream of the respective decompression element, a filter is arranged either locally distanced and separated in order to prevent that the decompression element from being contaminated by foreign matter and/or plugged.
A locally distanced installation of both assemblies in a refrigerant circuit for vehicle air conditioning units is described in printed G 93 03 177.7. As provided therein a can-shaped separation device (a filter assembly) is installed that removes foreign fluids or foreign matter from the refrigerant. Then the cleaned refrigerant is directed to a decompression valve assembly which is locally separated from the separation device, and is decompressed there, before it is directed to the evaporator.
A spatial separation of both the assemblies within one housing in a refrigerant circuit, with a solenoid valve arranged therein, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,755,048. In order to prevent foreign matter from entering into the refrigerant circuit during the assembly process, this construction has at its inlet a particle filter arranged upstream in a housing containing both the assemblies. That means that the particle filter and the valve passage are arranged separately, spatially distanced from each other.
A refrigeration device with two evaporators is described in DE 195 47 744 A1. A drying device with a filter assembly positioned therein is contained in the refrigerant circuit upstream of the decompression devices, which are arranged upstream of both the evaporators. A solenoid valve is located between the drying and both the decompression devices, controlling the refrigerant flow into the evaporators. The decompression devices and the filter assembly are locally contained in the pipeline system thus being distanced from each other.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,959 refrigeration system components with cartridge-associated heat decompression valves are described. The decompression valve is placed within a decompression valve-containing housing, which is designed in form of a cartridge, in the upper part of the cartridge housing and in the bottom space region a ring-like filter assembly is installed. The refrigerant fed in first passes the filter assembly, then a standpipe and is finally directed to the decompression valve. Therefore also here a spatial separation of the filter and decompression valve within one housing is given.
An arrangement for the control of a refrigeration circuit with a decompression capillary tube is described in EP 0 240 811 A1. On the input side a filter assembly is connected to the pipeline of the condenser and on the outlet side a longer capillary tube is placed downstream of the filter assembly as a decompression element directed to the evaporator. Thus a spatial succession of the filter assembly and the decompression element is provided.
In all above mentioned arrangements of filter assemblies and decompression assemblies both of the assemblies are, at least successively arranged one after the other separated from each other both physically and functionally, which causes high cost of the refrigerant circuits.
The invention aims at providing an assembly for refrigerant circuits that is suitably designed in such a way it is simply designed and cost-effective, being able to be installed in refrigerant circuits demanding less assembly effort.


White blood cell products and storage media for white blood cells are disclosed. The storage medium includes sodium chloride, sodium acetate, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and glucose. White blood cells stored in such medium remain viable for at least up to 72 hours.

Whole blood is made up of various cellular components such as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets suspended in its liquid component, plasma. Whole blood can be separated into its constituent components (cellular or liquid), and the desired separated component can be administered to a patient in need of that particular component. For example, platelets can be removed from the whole blood of a healthy donor, collected, and later administered to a cancer patient whose ability to "make" platelets has been compromised by chemotherapy or radiation treatment.
White blood cells, sometimes referred to as leukocytes, are nucleated cells that play an important role in the human immune system. White blood cells protect the body's cells and tissue from foreign agents, infections and the like.
Leukocytes can be divided into three (3) groups, namely, granulocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes. (Granulocytes may further be subdivided into neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils.) Monocytes and lymphocytes are sometimes also referred to as mononuclear cells (MNC) because of their single lobed cell nucleus.
While white blood cells have routinely been separated from whole blood, their use as a component for later administration to a patient has not been as widely practiced when compared to other blood components such as red blood cells and platelets. However, recent advances in the medical community's understanding of the relationship between the immune system and the treatment of disease, such as certain cancers, CTCL and other disorders has focused more attention on the collection and use of white blood cells. White blood cells and, more specifically, mononuclear cells are increasingly being considered for use in therapeutic treatments of patients suffering from disease. White blood cells that have been separated as part of a whole blood separation process are, with greater frequency, being collected and later cultured or otherwise activated into cellular agents for use in the treatment of certain diseases.
Inasmuch as white blood cells typically only have a limited shelf life, (when kept at room temperature) they must be administered or otherwise used or cryopreserved soon after their collection. When cells are kept outside the body, they begin undergoing apoptosis, a form of cell death. However, use within 24 hours often proves to be logistically impractical, particularly where the white blood cells may have to be delivered to a different location or may have to be subjected to a culturing, treating or other processing step. Thus, white blood cells are often stored in a storage medium that helps maintain the viability of the white blood cells. Currently, the storage medium RPMI1640 is widely used in the storage (and culturing) of white blood cells. RPMI1640 is a complex storage medium that has been developed for culturing leukocytes and often requires some supplementation with human serum. In addition to its inorganic components, RPMI1640 further includes approximately 20 amino acids and 12 vitamins. As such, white blood cells stored in RPMI1640 cannot be readily transfused, but must typically be washed to remove the storage medium from the white blood cell product.
Storage media for the preservation of blood cells, blood fragments or other blood components are known. For example, synthetic media for the storage of platelets are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,569,579 (Murphy) and 5,908,742 (Lin et al.), which are incorporated herein by reference. InterSol®, a commercially available platelet storage medium is generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,742, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. InterSol® contains sodium citrate, sodium acetate, sodium phosphate and adjusted to iso-osmolarity with sodium chloride.
Further examples of media useful in the storage of blood components, such as platelets, are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2009/0191537A1, filed Dec. 18, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference and International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US2012/32551, filed Apr. 6, 2012, the contents of which are likewise incorporated herein by reference. Storage media for red blood cells are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2011/0117647, the contents of which are also incorporated herein by reference. The solutions described above are typically readily transfusible to the patient.
While the solutions described above have worked satisfactorily for platelets and other blood components, synthetic solutions suitable for storing white blood cells and that maintain white blood cell viability and are readily transfusible to a patient are not widely available.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a white blood cell product wherein the viability of the white blood cells is maintained in excess of 24 hours, so that the white blood cells can be used for subsequent administration to a patient.
In addition, it would be desirable to provide a medium that can be used for the storage of white blood cells and that can be readily transfused to a patient. In other words, it would be desirable to provide a readily transfusible white blood cell product (i.e., cells and medium).
Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide a storage solution or solution or medium that can be used to wash white blood cells, to remove any undesired agents or components of a storage medium such as those used in the culturing of white blood cells.
In addition, it would be desirable to provide a storage medium or solution that can itself be used as a culture medium or as part of a culture medium in combination with certain culturing components, such as human serum.
White blood cell products and the storage solutions and media used in such white blood cell products are described in greater detail below.

Medium, solutions and methods for the washing, culturing and storage of white blood cells


In a device for generating a quadrangular illuminating field, having a light mixing rod, which has a quadrangular cross-section as well as a quadrangular inlet area and a quadrangular outlet area and guides light coupled in via the inlet area to the outlet area, in order to generate therein the quadrangular illuminating field, the outlet area is limited by four rectilinear sides, of which two each meet in one of the corners of the outlet area at an angle which is not equal to 90xc2x0.

This application claims priority of German patent application no. 101 03 097.5, filed Jan. 24, 2001, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to a device for generating a quadrangular illuminating field, having a light mixing rod, which has a quadrangular cross-section as well as a quadrangular inlet area and a quadrangular outlet area and guides light coupled in via the inlet area to the outlet area, in order to generate therein the quadrangular illuminating field, said outlet area being limited by four rectilinear sides, of which two each converge in one of the corners of the outlet area. The invention further relates to the use of such device for generating a quadrangular illuminating field in an optical device comprising a surface to be illuminated, which has a predetermined shape, and illumination optics, which form an image of the outlet area on the surface to be illuminated.
Such device for generating a quadrangular illuminating field is employed, for example, in the illumination optics of a digital projector, as it is called, which also comprises, in addition to the illumination optics, a generally rectangular imaging element, such as a tilting mirror matrix or an LCD matrix, and projection optics for projecting the image generated by the imaging element. In such a digital projector, it is required for high-quality images that the imaging element be illuminated as uniformly as possible by the illumination optics. Therefore, the illumination optics contain the light mixing rod, whose outlet area conventionally has a rectangular shape, if the imaging element is rectangular. It has been found, however, that a complicated optical system is necessary for forming an image of the illuminating field in the outlet area of the light mixing rod on the imaging element, so as to ensure that the image is formed in a manner as free from distortion as possible. In many cases, there also arises the additional problem that the outlet area and the surface of the imaging element are not situated in planes which are parallel to each other, but are inclined relative to each other, which also causes distortions leading to decreased uniformity of the illumination of the imaging element.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to improve the above-described type of device for generating a quadrangular illuminating field such that it allows illuminating, as uniformly as possible, a surface which is to be illuminated and has a predetermined shape.
According to the invention, this object is achieved, in connection with the above-described type of device for generating a quadrangular illuminating field, in that the two sides respectively meeting in one corner of the outlet area do not converge at a right angle. Preferably, all four interior angles have values differing from each other in the corners. Thus, the shape of the outlet area of the light mixing rod may be selected such that the distortion caused by forming an image of the outlet area on the surface to be illuminated is compensated. The surface to be illuminated will then be uniformly illuminated. The light mixing rod may preferably extend rectilinearly or at an angle.
In a preferred further embodiment of the device according to the invention, the light mixing rod is formed such that each of its cross-sectional areas is limited by four rectilinear sides, which converge at the same angles as the sides of the outlet area. This configuration allows the light mixing rod to be produced in a simple manner and with the required accuracy. Thus, for example, it may be formed as a solid mixing rod by grinding a blank, or as a hollow mixing rod with four reflectively coated plates.
Moreover, the device according to the invention may be further embodied such that the cross-sectional area of the light mixing rod decreases from the inlet area to the outlet area. Since, in a light mixing rod, the product of the inlet area with the aperture of the inlet area equals the product of the outlet area with the aperture of the outlet area, a larger aperture is possible at the outlet area. At the same time, the inlet area may be large, which facilitates the coupling-in of the light in the light mixing rod.
A particularly preferred further embodiment of the device according to the invention consists in that the light mixing rod is made of a light-transparent material and is, consequently, a solid mixing rod, in which the light which does not travel directly from the inlet area to the outlet area is guided by total reflexion. Since no losses occur in said total reflexion and, consequently, only the losses caused by material absorption are present, nearly all of the coupled-in light is guided to the outlet area, so that a very high efficiency in light transmission is realized. Moreover, it is also an advantage that excessive heating of the light mixing rod is prevented because total reflexion involves no losses which might contribute to such heating.
A particular further embodiment of the device according to the invention consists in that the light mixing rod has a hollow cross-section, which is formed by four reflective surfaces extending from the inlet area to the outlet area. This configuration of the light mixing rod allows simple and accurate production. A further particular advantage of this embodiment is that the outlet area is not formed by an end surface of the material, from which the light mixing rod is produced, but is the region at the end of the light mixing rod between the four reflective surfaces, thus usually an air portion, since the light mixing rod is conventionally present in a surrounding atmosphere and thus in air. This leads to the advantage that no soiling or misting, which might adversely affect the uniformity of the generated quadrangular illuminating field, can form in the outlet area.
In particular, the device according to the invention may be further embodied such that the light mixing rod comprises a solid mixing rod portion made of a light-transparent material and an end portion optically coupled therewith, which is provided with reflective surfaces and has a hollow cross-section and whose end averted from the solid mixing rod portion forms the outlet or inlet area. As the outlet or inlet area is formed by the end of the end portion averted from the solid mixing rod portion, this prevents that soiling or misting may accumulate on this surface, so that the illuminating field generated in the outlet area is not adversely affected.
An advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention consists in that the light mixing rod comprises a first and second light guiding region for separately guiding components of the coupled-in light due to a partition extending from the inlet area to the outlet area. Thus, it is possible to create an intentional non-uniformity of the luminance in the illuminating field. This non-uniformity may be adapted to uniformly illuminate the surface to be illuminated.
The device according to the invention may be used, in particular, in an optical device comprising a surface to be illuminated, which has a predetermined shape, and illumination optics, which form an image of the outlet area on the surface to be illuminated. Preferably, the optical device also comprises projection optics for projecting the surface to be illuminated onto a projection surface. Thus, an optical device is provided wherein a more uniform illumination of the surface to be illuminated is possible due to the device according to the invention, because the distortions caused by the illumination optics may be compensated by suitably selecting the shape of the quadrangular outlet area of the light mixing rod.

Device for generating a quadrangular illuminating field and use of such device in an optical device comprising a surface to be illuminated having a predetermined shape


A barrier film for electronic devices exhibiting and maintaining excellent water barrier property. The barrier film for electronic devices features a water permeability (23° C., RH50%) that is set to be not more than 10−4 g/m2/day and a water content that is maintained to be not more than 2000 ppm.

In order to avoid leakage of electric charges caused by water, a high degree of water barrier property is required for a variety of electronic devices that have been developed and put into practical use in recent years, such as organic electroluminescent (organic EL) devices, solar cells, touch panels and electronic papers.
As means for improving properties and, specifically, gas-barrier properties of various plastic substrates, there has been known an art of forming a thin inorganic film (inorganic barrier layer) of silicon oxide by vapor deposition on the surfaces of the plastic substrates (patent document 1). The film provided with such a thin inorganic film has been widely used as a barrier film. The barrier film, however, is not sufficient for fulfilling the water barrier property required for the above-mentioned electronic devices. Besides, the water remaining in the resin used as the plastic substrates causes the devices to be strikingly deteriorated.
To satisfy such requirements, furthermore, there has been proposed a water barrier laminate having a structure on which a water-trapping layer is laminated, the water-trapping layer using a hygroscopic ionic polymer as the matrix (patent document 2).
The water-trapping layer is formed by applying a coating composition for forming the ionic polymer-containing trapping layer on the inorganic barrier layer that is formed on the surface of a plastic film by vapor deposition or the like method, followed by curing. Upon forming the trapping layer, the water-trapping layer exhibits improved water barrier property.
Even by using the barrier film capable of exhibiting improved water barrier property, however, the problem has not yet been solved, i.e., the devices are deteriorated by the water remaining in the resin that is used as the plastic substrates.


A method for the injector-individual adaption of the injection time of motor vehicles is based on linking the IIC method and the MFMA method. Before starting to drive, the IIC method is carried out, and while driving MFMA measurements are carried out. The measurement points obtained are used as subsequent measurement points for the IIC function. Thus injector-individual characteristic fields can be determined, in which deviations due to manufacturing and also aging and wear of the components during the service life are considered.

In the internal combustion engines of motor vehicles torque requirements are converted into mass flows. Each mass flow (mf) corresponds to an assigned injection time (ti) as a function of the fuel pressure (fup) (ti characteristic field). The relationship is used for all injectors, meaning that injector-individual differences, caused for example by manufacturing differences or ageing of the components over their entire lifetime, are not taken into consideration. Such differences between the actual mass flow and the required mass flow can cause effects such as making the mass flows too small (absence of injections, uneven running), making them too big (engine overheating) and making emissions worse.
There are currently two known processes which make it possible, at least partly, to adapt the ti characteristic fields of individual injectors.
a) IIC (Injector Individual Correction):
This method in which an individual correction of each injector is carried out was originally developed to increase the number of injectors yielded during production. In such cases, with a large number of injectors the ti characteristic fields are measured with mass flow measuring technology and an average ti characteristic field is calculated. The ti characteristic field deviations of all subsequently measured injectors in relation to the average ti characteristic field are measured for a few measuring points (for example for four measuring points MP1: 300 bar/4 mg, MP2: 700 bar/15 mg, MP3: 1000 bar/3 mg, MP4: 1600 bar/40 mg) and extrapolated on the basis of statistical methods for the entire ti characteristic field. The data is then stored for vehicle operation in corresponding characteristic fields.
With this method the measurement has to be undertaken on an injector test bed because of the measurement means needed. It is not possible to repeat the measurement while the vehicle is being driven. Although this method makes a correction of the ti characteristic field possible over the entire injection range, no correction of the values determined is possible during the lifetime (operating time) of the vehicle. This method is therefore restricted to the period before the vehicle is on the road.
b) MFMA (Minimum Fuel Mass Adaption):
With this MFMA method the deviations of the actual and required fuel mass in the minimum fuel mass range (<3 mg) are determined by means of engine speed changes and constantly adapted during the lifetime (operating life) of the motor vehicle. In such cases small injections are carried out at a cylinder in push phases in which no injections normally take place and the associated fuel mass is calculated based on models from a change in the engine speed (n). The correction values are stored in the characteristic fields for individual injectors for the tested minimum fuel masses.
This method is highly accurate and deviations are corrected during the lifetime. However it is only able to be used in the minimum fuel mass range (fuel masses<3 mg), since otherwise injections are perceived acoustically or as vehicle acceleration. Furthermore an expansion of the fuel mass correction beyond the minimum fuel mass range is not possible since the ti characteristic field has different gradients and corrections for an injector can be both positive and negative.
A correction for the complete ti characteristic field during the overall lifetime of a motor vehicle is thus not possible with the IIC and MFMA methods described above.

Method for the injector-individual adaption of the injection time of motor vehicles


A method of calibrating stimulation threshold levels of a cochlear implant, comprises sending a series of stimulation signals having a predetermined length in time to a selected subset of a plurality of stimulation electrodes of the cochlear implant of a user, wherein for each signal of the series of stimulation signals, the stimulation level is larger compared to the stimulation level of the previous stimulation signal; receiving an electrophysiological signal for each stimulation signal from a measurement electrode attached to the head of the user; calculating a cross-correlation signal for each of the received electrophysiological signals for each stimulation level following the first stimulation signal with respect to the first electrophysiological signal received for the first stimulation signal, determining, whether the respective cross-correlation signal exceeds a predetermined threshold level, wherein the sending of the series of stimulation signals is stopped and the stimulation level is set as the threshold stimulation level for the selected subset of stimulation electrodes, in case it is determined that the cross-correlation signal exceeds the predetermined threshold level for a first time, and outputting the level of stimulation at which the sending is stopped.

Before being ready for clinical use, all cochlear implants electrical levels are calibrated for the user of the cochlear implant, i.e. it is required to find each level that induces first audible and most comfortable sound for all activated electrodes. However, the process of fitting the CI typically is very time consuming. Further, the CI fitting process is problematic when a user is not able to inform the audiologist on the sound they can hear, e.g. as in the case of small children or handicapped persons.
Therefore, it is important to find an automatic and objective method to fit CI electrode stimulation levels. For such an automatic and objective method, the inventors have found that subjective (fittings) and objective (eCAPs) thresholds are correlated.
Typical waveforms, delays and amplitudes of electrophysiological responses to external stimulations are well-known. However, near-threshold responses are frequently mixed with noise and therefore difficult to distinguish from noise signals.
Hence, conventional automatic detection telemetries (e.g. autoNRT©) are based on a threshold estimation method using a regression using signals from several supra-threshold stimulations. This leads to time-consuming measurements with potential overstimulation of the cochlea of the user, which is very uncomfortable for the user of the cochlear implant.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a solution that addresses at least some of the above-mentioned problems.

Cross-correlation threshold estimation method (XTEM)


A method for producing a hybrid composite component from organo sheets and a metallic reinforcing element in such a way that the method may be inexpensively and simply performed and the hybrid composite component has the lowest possible weight and may absorb relatively high forces.

In motor vehicle interiors, a multitude of structural components of metal are known, as well as components made from injection-moulded materials. In order, on the one hand, to save weight and, on the other hand, nonetheless to achieve the necessary strength, "hybrid components" comprising a plastics body and interlockingly integrated metallic reinforcing elements are used as lightweight components.
Hybrid components of injection-moulded plastics materials are moreover also known in which blanks of "organo sheet" are embedded as reinforcements at heavily stressed locations. Organo sheet here denotes a textile fabric enclosed in a thermoplastic. The fabric may in particular be a woven fabric, laid fabric or nonwoven fabric of natural, carbon, glass or mineral fibres. If a thermoplastic is used for the encapsulation of the organo sheet by injection moulding which is materially identical or similar to the matrix of the organo sheet, it is possible during injection moulding to achieve a bonded connection between the organo sheet and the surrounding plastics material. The use of hybrid components often results in a weight saving relative to a purely metal component.
A bonded connection is understood to mean a connection in which the connected components are held together by atomic or molecular forces. This results in a non-detachable connection, which can only be undone by destroying the connection.
Some components or functional elements in motor vehicle interiors have to be made at least partially from a metallic material due to where they are used, their function and the loads arising at the component, or a metallic reinforcement is needed. In the case of a component made from an organo sheet which must be reinforced by a metallic component or which must be joined to a metallic component, a reliable connection must be produced, which must in particular also absorb/transfer relatively high forces in the region of the join.
An example which may be mentioned of such a join/connection in the region of the motor vehicle seat is the back-rest adjuster, which is made from a metallic material due to the forces arising and to be absorbed or due to the construction of the adjuster and the resultant connection technology. The back-rest adjuster may then be joined to a frame of the seat structure consisting of an organo sheet. Such a hybrid connection is conventionally produced in that a metallic reinforcing element is placed onto an organo sheet and the connection is imparted by encapsulating said element in a thermoplastic.
A method is known from German Patent Publication No. DE 10 2012 218 711 A1 for producing a multilayer moulding of hybrid structure from at least one organo sheet and one metal sheet connected therewith in a load-resistant manner. In this case, the metal and organo sheets are inserted into a forming tool in a non-deformed and unconnected state and are formed therein in the heated state, wherein the metal and organo sheets are connected together over the surfaces thereof.
Furthermore, German Patent Publication No. DE 10 2009 016 177 A1 discloses a composite component for motor vehicle internal trim elements and a method for the production thereof. To produce the composite component, a decorative layer and a fibre-reinforced plastics plate are inserted into an injection mould. After the process of joining the decorative layer and the fibre-reinforced plastics plate to produce a semi-finished product-like two-layer part, in a subsequent step a plastics material is injected into a cavity between fibre-reinforced plastics plate and associated mould half to mould on a functional layer. In this case, partial melting of the organo sheet is brought about, as well as through-flow through the organo sheet in the region of through-holes.
German Patent Publication No. DE 10 2013 213 711 A1 discloses a method for producing a structural component for motor vehicles by hot forming of an organo sheet. To reinforce regions of the structural component produced from organo sheet, additional receiving points are provided in the organo sheet which are injection-moulded closed with thermoplastic material after hot forming of the organo sheet.
FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional representation of a prior art hybrid composite component V1 of organo sheets 2a, 2b and a metallic reinforcing element 3. Two plate-shaped first and second organo sheets 2a, 2b are arranged on top of one another, having been bonded together in a preceding method step.
A metallic reinforcing element 3 rests on a surface region O of the first organo sheet 2b. The metallic reinforcing element 3 comprises first and second end regions 4, into which through-holes 5 have been introduced. The end regions 4 resting on the surface region of the first organo sheet are encapsulated in a plastics material 6 by injection moulding. This results in a bonded connection between plastics material 6 and the connected organo sheets 2a, 2b, and an interlocking connection between metallic reinforcing element 3, the organo sheets 2a, 2b and the plastics material 6. The interlocking connection between end regions 4 of the metallic reinforcing element 3 and the plastics material 6 is additionally improved by through-holes 5 introduced into the end regions 4 of the metallic reinforcing element 3.
The through-holes 5 are filled with the plastics material during the method step of encapsulation by injection moulding. This results, in the region of the through-holes 5, in additional anchoring/a bonded connection between plastics material 6 and the connected organo sheets 2a, 2b at the surface region O of the first organo sheet 2b facing the through-holes.

Method for producing a hybrid composite component from organo sheets and a metallic reinforcing element


A single-mode optical fiber has a prescribed mode field diameter (MFD1 (μm)) at a first wavelength λ1, in which a bending loss when measured at a second wavelength λ2 (μm) and wound with a bending radius r (mm) is Lb (dB) for one bending, a connector/splice loss with an optical fiber that has a prescribed mode field diameter MFD2 (μm) at the first wavelength λ1 is Ls (dB) for one connection/splice point at the second wavelength λ2 (μm), and an mode field diameter dependence of a total loss coefficient calculated by a formula (1) has a local minimal value in a range of MFD1±0.5 μm, with the formula (1) being as follows:L=ws·Ls+wb·Lb,  (1)ws+wb=1,  (2)ws>0, wb>0,  (3)where ws and wb in the formula (1) represent dimensionless weighting factors and are set within a range that satisfies the formulas (2) and (3).

Conventionally, developments of a transmission system and an optical fiber that use Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) have been actively advanced with the objective of increasing the data transmission rate in backbone and/or long-distance systems. The characteristics such as suppression of the nonlinear effect or chromatic dispersion control have been demanded for optical fibers for WDM transmission. In recent years, optical fibers in which the dispersion slope is decreased for a system called metro (metropolitan area network) with a span of about several kilometers or optical fibers that are subjected to virtually no loss increase due to Hydroxyl Group (OH) have been proposed.
When introduction of optical fibers to offices and homes (Fiber To The Home; FTTH) is taken into consideration, characteristics different from those for the above-described optical fibers for transmission are required. In the case of wiring the fibers in the building or the house, there is the possibility that a very small bending with a   diameter such as 30 mm or 20 mm occurs. Furthermore, when the extra length of the cable is stored, it is very important that a loss increase does not occur even if the cable is wound around a small radius. That is, it is a very important characteristic for the optical cable for FTTH to resist a small-radius bend. The connectivity with optical fibers (many of which are SMFs with a normal bandwidth of 1.3 μm) used from the base station to the building or to the house is also an important point.
Patent Document 1: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0213531
Patent Document 2: PCT International Publication No. WO 01/27667 pamphlet
Non-Patent Document 1: I. Sakabe, et al., "Enhanced Bending Loss Insensitive Fiber and New Cables for CWDM Access Network," Proceedings of the 53rd IWCS, pp. 112-118 (2004)
Non-Patent Document 2: S. Matsuo et al., "Bend-insensitive and low-splice-loss optical fiber for indoor wiring in FTTH," OFC 2004, ThI3
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A Domain Name System (DNS) server is configured for dynamically selecting, for a client device, a selected resolution from available resolutions, the selected resolution identifying at least one destination for the specified service. The dynamic selection of the selected resolution is based on an attribute of the client device and/or a determined attribute of the network. Hence, the selected resolution directs the client device to a specific server based on prescribed selection criteria, for example service level agreements, the location of the client device, network performance or detected congestion conditions, authentication of the user of the client device, etc. The selected resolution also can be for enforcement of load balancing policies.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to domain name system (DNS) servers configured for resolving a query for a location of a requested service by a client device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Domain name system (DNS) servers have enabled users of client devices to locate services on a wide area network (such as the Internet) based on resolving the name of the service to a destination server. Each DNS server is configured for resolving a query for a specified service (i.e., a service specified in the request) according to a prescribed Domain Name System (DNS) described in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request for Comments (RFC) 1034 and RFC 1035. For example, a conventional DNS server may be configured for responding to a query by providing a prescribed resolution, or a list of prescribed resolutions. An example of a resolution for a service (e.g., "mail.nowhere.com") is a service name (e.g., "mail.server1.nowhere.com"), or an explicit IP address (e.g., "10.10.10.10" in IPv4 format).
For example, a client device (e.g., a browser on a user's computer) may send a query to a prescribed DNS server for resolution of the service "mail.nowhere.com"; in response to the query, the DNS server can send a resolution in the form of a name (e.g., "mail.server1.nowhere.com") or an explicit IP address (e.g., "10.10.10.10"). If the DNS server returns a name, then the host needs to resolve the received name until an explicit IP address is obtained. Note that the client device also may be configured for storing (e.g, as a default entry) an IP address of a name that is recognized as a host identifier.
Hence, the resolution for the service points to a destination, based on the resolution identifying a server (e.g., if the resolution specifies an explicit IP address or a service name recognized by the client device as a host identifier) or another DNS server for more specific resolution.
The DNS server also could return a list of resolutions, where the host computer can connect to any one of the resolutions specified in the list. In this case, a client device can initially attempt to access the first resolution specified in the list; if access is unsuccessful, the client device can attempt to access the second resolution in the list, etc., until connection with one of the resolutions is successful.
A fundamental aspect of conventional DNS servers as described herein is that each of the resolutions supplied by the DNS server are stored statically within (or local to) the DNS server, resulting in "prescribed" resolutions. As described in RFC 1034 (e.g., sec. 2.4), the DNS has Domain Name Space and Resource Records, which are the specifications for a tree structure name space and data associated with the names; each node and leaf of the domain name space tree specifies a set of information, and query operations are attempts to extract specific types of information from a particular set. A query names the domain name of interest and describes the type of resource that is desired. RFC 1034 also describes name servers as holding information about the domain tree's structure and set information. Resolvers are described in RFC 1034 as programs that extract information from name servers in response to client requests.
Hence, the same prescribed resolution (or list of resolutions) is supplied to any requesting client device, regardless of any other consideration. Resolvers rely on the Domain Name Space and Resource Records stored within the name servers by retrieving the resolutions in response to the client requests. If the resolver cannot answer a query from a name server's information, the resolver will pursue the query using referrals from the name server to access other name servers. For example, one resource available on the Internet is referred to as a "NSLOOKUP" command, where a DNS server is sent a query to look up and find IP address information for a prescribed service, for example a domain name. The NSLOOKUP command enables a client device to look up information in the domain name system (DNS) according to RFC 1034, and RFC 1035. For example, sending a NSLOOKUP command for the service "yahoo.com" results in a DNS server executing the resolver to return a list of two IP addresses. Hence, a host computer eventually receives an IP address.
However, the receipt of the same prescribed resolution in the form of a prescribed IP address by multiple client devices does not necessarily result that all the client devices receiving the prescribed IP address will communicate with the same server. In particular, a destination service may employ load sharing to distribute processing across a plurality of servers, providing the appearance to the client devices that the same IP address is being used for the destination service. In particular, a gateway that is advertised as owning the prescribed IP address may forward the client request to one of a plurality of servers. This arrangement, however, is particularly disadvantageous from a network management standpoint when multiple servers are to be used in providing the request of service.
Another form of DNS services that has been implemented has been referred to as "dynamic DNS", where a router configured for providing Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) IP address assignment to a host network node will update a DNS server with the IP address that has been assigned to the host node. Use of dynamic DNS is particularly beneficial in cases where the host computer, for example a home computer, stores a web page and serves as a web server for a personalized domain name; in this case, the router updates the DNS server with the service name and DHCP assigned IP address. An example of dynamic DNS is provided by the service the DYDNS at the website address "www.dydns.com". In addition, commercially available Linksys® routers are configured for assigning an IP address according to DHCP, linking the assigned IP address with the user's domain name (or host identifier), and updating the DNS server with the user's assigned IP address and domain name (or host identifier).
Despite the "dynamic DNS" feature offered by devices such as the Linksys® routers, the IP address and corresponding domain name (or host identifier) are still stored by the external device (namely the Linksys® router or the service DYDNS) without any involvement by the DNS server; in other words, the updating technology is implemented external to the DNS server. Hence, the DNS server still relies on a static resolution based solely on retrieval of stored resolutions. Consequently, the DNS server returns the same resolution in response to any query for the specified service, regardless of the nature of the query. Hence, each host node sending a query to a DNS server will receive the same resolution, regardless of identity, location of the host node.
In other words, the mappings between a service name and a destination (e.g., destination host identifier or IP address) that are used to create a resolution are statically configured or programmatically defined by a source that is external to the DNS server: the source is solely responsible for the mapping that creates the resolution accessed by the DNS server.
An additional problem is that the aforementioned DNS servers do not provide any information in the list of resolutions that enable implementation of any policies associated with priority, preference, or load balancing. In particular, the list of resolutions did not provide any information identifying the relative capacity of the respective servers identified in the respective resolutions.
Assume a list of resolutions specifies four servers, and one server has ten times the capacity (10C) of the remaining three servers (1C), such that the total capacity is thirteen units of capacity (13C). In this case, it would be desirable for a given client device to access the larger server 10 out of 13 times (76.9 percent of the time), and any one of the remaining three servers 1 out of 13 times (7.7 percent of the time) in order to optimize load balancing between the servers.
This desirability for implementing a form of load balancing resulted in "DNS SRV", as specified in RFC 2782, entitled "A DNS RR for specifying the location of services (DNS SRV)." RFC 2782 describes "SRV records" that are generated by a DNS server in response to a DNS query. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a list 10 of resolutions 12 according to RFC 2782. Each resolution 12 includes not only a destination field 14 (e.g., a server name or IP address), but also a corresponding weight 16 and priority 18. The weight 16 and priority 18 enable a client device to participate in performing load balancing based on applying a randomized selection.
In particular, the weight 16 specifies the corresponding capacity (e.g., "1", "2", "4", "9") of the server (e.g., W1, W2, W4, W9) identified by the destination field (e.g., "W1.nowhere.com", "W2.nowhere.com","W4.nowhere.com","W9.nowhere.com") 14. The priority 18 specifies the order in which the DNS server prefers that the servers specified in the destination field 14 be accessed. In particular, RFC 2782 specifies that a client device must attempt to contact the "target host" (i.e., destination server) with the lowest-numbered priority it can reach; target hosts with the same priority should be tried in an order defined by the weight field.
Hence, if an SRV record 10 specifies multiple resolutions 12, the DNS server relies on the client devices to perform load balancing by selecting between the servers using a random selection algorithm. In other words, the client device is expected to randomly choose the server between the servers based on the specified weight and priority.
Hence, in contrast to conventional DNS, a client having received a SRV record 10 is expected to first select a server from the list of servers having the lowest priority 18; an alternate server having a higher priority 18 can be accessed only if the access attempts to all the servers having the lowest priority 18 were unsuccessful.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a chart 20 of probabilities 22 that client devices will select the servers 14a, 14b, 14c, and/or 14d according to a particular sequence 24. Assuming equal priority values 18, the RFC 2782 specifies that the client device is to randomly choose from the list 10 according to the weight values 16. As illustrated in FIG. 1, server 14a has a capacity of "1", the server 14b has twice the capacity of server 14a, the server 14c has four times the capacity of server 14a, and server 14d has nine times the capacity of server 14a. Hence, the total available capacity is 16 units. Hence, based on a randomized selection by a statistically significant number of client devices having received the list 10, the client devices should select, as their first access attempt 26, the servers according to the following probabilities 28: server "W1" 14a  1/16 of the time, server "W2" 14b  2/16 of the time, server "W4" 14c  4/16 of the time, and server "W9" 14d  9/16 of the time. In other words, for a given request by a client device, assuming a truly random selection by the client device, the probability that the client device will select server 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d on its first access attempt 26 is 6.25%, 12.5%, 25%, and 56.25%, respectively.
If a client device is unsuccessful in reaching a destination 14 (e.g., 14a) specified in the list 10 in its first attempt 26, the client device should select another destination 14 (e.g., 14b) in its second access attempt 30 according to the probabilities 32 in an attempt to receive a response, based on only 15 units of capacity being available among the remaining servers. For example, assuming that the client device in the initial attempted access 26 selected the server "W1" 14a, then in selecting a server for the second request 30 the probability 32 is that the client will select the server "W2" 14b 13.33% of the time, the server "W4" 14c 26.67% of the time, and the server "W9" 14d 60% of the time. If the server from the second selection 30 is unavailable, the client device should perform a third selection 34 according to the probability 36.
Hence, the client device should select the servers according to the sequence 24 according to the corresponding probability 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the highest probability is that the client device will select the servers according to the sequence "W9 W4 W2 W1" (21.43%), and the lowest probability is that the client device will select the servers according to the sequence "W1 W2 W4 W9" (0.26%).
Hence, the probability that a given client device will access the servers 14 specified in the list of resolutions 10 is based on the relative weight values 16 (with respect to probability). Moreover, as described above, the DNS server supplies the same SRV record 10 to all the client devices. Consequently, the weights 16 in the SRV record 10 enable load balancing to be implemented by the client devices, based on the statistical distribution of requests as illustrated in FIG. 2.
However, the method by which the client devices, as a statistical population, perform load balancing is based solely upon implementation of randomization functions in each of the client devices in how each client selects a server. In addition, the same mapping will be returned to every device regardless of any other consideration. Hence, there is an implied trust by the DNS SRV server that the client will apply the DNS SRV algorithm, using random selection, in order to accomplish load balancing. Hence, the choice of load balancing is based solely on reliance of the client device interpreting how to resolve the name according to the list returned.
Hence, any failure in the randomness applied by a group of clients may introduce a bias that affects the random distribution required for even load balancing. In addition, the aforementioned arrangement does not consider that client devices may be configured to disregard random selection, for example in the case of a user that decides to select a server solely based on capacity, thereby disregarding the intended randomness requirements of the client devices to ensure even load balancing.
In summary, there are only two mechanisms for implementing load balancing: relying on client devices to perform random selection of available servers, or an external resource changing the DNS mapping. Although an external resource may be configured for removing from the DNS mapping the identities of failed servers with the respective identities of replacement servers, or change the DNS mappings based on server capacity and performance, the DNS server has no involvement whatsoever in selecting a destination in response to a query; rather, the DNS server merely supplies the stored resolutions associated with the specified service (i.e., the service specified in the query).

Arrangement in a server for providing dynamic domain name system services for each received request


A memory management device of an example of the invention controls writing into and reading from a main memory including a nonvolatile semiconductor memory and a volatile semiconductor memory in response to a writing request and a reading request from a processor. The memory management device includes a coloring information storage unit that stores coloring information generated based on a data characteristic of write target data to be written into at least one of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory and the volatile semiconductor memory, and a writing management unit that references the coloring information to determines a region into which the write target data is written from the nonvolatile semiconductor memory and the volatile semiconductor memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory management device that manages access to a memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional information processing device, a volatile semiconductor memory, for example, a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) is used as a main memory device of a processor. Further, in a conventional information processing device, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory is used as a secondary storage device in combination with the volatile semiconductor memory.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2008-242944 (Patent Literature 1) proposes an integrated memory management device. In the integrated memory management device, a NAND flash memory is used as a main memory for an MPU. Further, in Patent Literature 1, a primary cache memory of the MPU, a secondary cache memory, and the NAND flash memory, which is the main memory, are handled in the same memory layer. A cache controller of the integrated memory management device implements, in addition to memory management of the primary cache memory and the secondary cache memory, memory management of the main memory.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-146820 (Patent Literature 2) discloses a technology that adopts a flash memory as the main memory device of an information processing device. According to Patent Literature 2, a flash memory is connected to a memory bus of a system via a cache memory, which is a volatile memory. The cache memory is provided with an address array that records information such as addresses and an access history of data stored in the cache memory. A controller references an access destination address to supply data in the cache memory or the flash memory to the memory bus or to store data in the memory bus.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-266580 (Patent Literature 3) discloses an invention allowing different kinds of semiconductor memory devices to connect to a common bus.
A semiconductor memory device according to Patent Literature 3 includes a random access memory chip and a package including the random access memory chip. The package has a plurality of pins to electrically connect the random access memory chip to an external device. The plurality of pins provides a memory function commonly to the random access memory chip and a nonvolatile semiconductor memory that can electrically be erased and programmed. Each of the plurality of pins is arranged in the position of a corresponding pin of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory.

Memory management device predicting an erase count


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an organic electroluminescence display device. The display device may include a set of multi-directional spacers that are interposed between the pixels of the display. In one embodiment, the spacers are positioned in both lengthwise and crosswise directions. In another embodiment, the spacers include a first portion that is extends lengthwise between pixels and one or more portions that extend laterally from the first portion between pixels. In yet another embodiment, the spacers include portions that extend in multiple directions between pixels. The spacers may substantially surround each of the pixels and may serve as a boundary, for example, that prevents organic material for one pixel from being incorrectly deposited in another pixel. The spacers can be configured as a support structure, such as, for a metal mask during fabrication of the display device. In addition, the multi-directional aspect of the spacers may be useful in protecting the pixels from damage, such as, when a metal mask is moved during mounting or during fabrication of the display device.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to an organic light emitting diode (OLED) having one or more spacers. More particularly, it relates to an OLED having spacers having dimensions sufficient to prevent organic material intended for a pixel region from leaking or invading into other pixel regions during deposition of the organic material. In addition, the present disclosure may relate to an OLED having spacers that provide an improved mounting structure for a mask used during fabrication of the OLED.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) is a device that includes an organic emission layer (organic EML), which is interposed between an anode and a cathode. When a voltage is applied across the anode and cathode, electrons and holes are injected into the organic EML and recombine to produce excitons. These excitons eventually transition from an excited state to a ground state and light is emitted from the EML as a result. This enables an OLED to operate without the need of an external light source. Accordingly, OLEDs can be fabricated into displays that are lighter and/or thinner than previous technologies, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs).
During fabrication of an OLED display, the matrix of pixels for the display is deposited using a fine metal mask. The mask defines the region of the pixel in which the organic EML is deposited. In order to prevent impingement of the metal mask onto the underlying substrate, spacers are usually provided as a support structure for the fine metal mask. The spacers, however, tend to be sparsely spaced among the pixels and tend to have a relatively small area.
Unfortunately, even with the use of the fine metal mask, material for the organic EML of one pixel can invade into the regions of other pixels. This may occur, for example, due to a deposition shadow during the deposition of the organic EML. In addition, conventional spacers typically provide a limited support structure and it can be difficult to mount the fine metal mask on conventional spacers. Fine metal masks often get caught or snagged by the spacer during mounting or transport of the mask.

Organic electroluminescence display including a spacer and method for fabricating the same


A transmitter includes an equalizer for conditioning a data signal in response to a first and a second equalizer setting. The first and second equalizer settings are both associated with a selected point on a two-dimensional search grid. The search grid includes a first equalizer setting and a second equalizer setting for each point on the search grid. The transmitter transmits a data signal across a first channel medium using settings associated with a selected point on the search grid. A receiver analyzes the received signal from the transmitter to determine a signal quality metric. The search grid is used to select settings from neighboring points to produce signals that are evaluated to produce signal quality metrics. The results of the evaluations are used to efficiently search the search grid for optimum equalizer settings for the transmitter.

Electronic devices communicate using links having electrical (including electro-optical) components. As processing speeds of the electronic devices increase, the speed of communication between such devices also increase. As the speed of communications across various media increases, characteristics that effectively limit the speed of transmission of signals become harder to physically control. Signal processing techniques are used to condition output signals and recognize input signals to compensate for the limiting physical parameters. However, advances in such techniques normally require additional space or power consumption to implement, which increases cost and limits applications having heat or power budgets.
The problems noted above are solved in large part by a system that efficiently searches for settings to condition signals to compensate for the limiting physical characteristics. The system includes an equalizer for conditioning a data signal in response to a first and a second equalizer setting. The first and second equalizer settings are both associated with a selected point on a two-dimensional search grid. The search grid includes a first equalizer setting and a second equalizer setting for each point on the search grid. A transmitter transmits an equalized data signal across a first channel medium using equalizer settings associated with a selected point on the search grid. A receiver analyzes the received signal from the transmitter to determine a signal quality metric. The search grid is used to select settings from neighboring points to produce signals that are evaluated to produce signal quality metrics. The results of the evaluations are used to efficiently search the search grid for optimum equalizer settings for the transmitter.


A tactile presentation device 10 comprises: a substrate 13; a plurality of wirings 11 extending on the substrate 13; a first insulating layer 14 formed on the substrate 13 and covering the wirings 11; a plurality of electrodes 12 disposed on the first insulating layer 14; a second insulating layer 15 covering the electrodes 12; and a drive circuit selectively applying a voltage signal to the electrodes 12 through the wirings 11, based on a control signal input from the outside. Each of the wirings 11 is electrically connected to one of the electrodes 12 via a through hole opened in the first insulating layer 14. At least one of the electrodes 12 presents tactile sense to a user who touches the second insulating layer 15 over the electrode 12 while the voltage signal is being applied. Each of the wirings 11 is partly covered with at least one of the electrodes 12.

In recent years, development of a technique for tactile presentation has been in progress, which spuriously presents tactile sense felt by a person when touching an object with a finger or the like. In the case of applying the technique of tactile presentation to electronic equipment concerning a liquid crystal display or an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display for example, a tactile presentation device of a panel type for presenting tactile sense is provided on the display. According to an image displayed on the display, the tactile presentation device reproduces tactile sense of an object in the image and causes a user who touches the panel to perceive a sense of touch.
A method of presenting tactile sense employs, for example, an actuator type, an electric stimulus type, an electric vibration type or the like. Among them, the electric vibration type utilizes electrostatic force to present tactile sense on the user's skin.
The tactile presentation device of the electric vibration type comprises an electrode for tactile presentation covered with an insulating film, and applies a voltage signal for tactile presentation to the electrode. Here, the voltage signal for tactile presentation is a voltage signal with frequency at which the mechanoreceptor of human skin has sensitivity. When the user touches the insulating film, electrostatic force is generated between the finger skin and the electrode. If the user slides his/her finger on the surface of the insulating film, variation in the frictional force occurs at the frequency of the voltage signal for tactile presentation, allowing the user to perceive a so-called feel of texture.
The tactile presentation device of the electric vibration type may include multiple electrodes disposed on a substrate, each of which is independently driven so as to partially present tactile sense. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-248884 discloses a tactile presentation device that partially presents tactile sense by independently driving multiple electrodes for tactile presentation with a driver.
In the tactile presentation device of the electric vibration type, however, some wiring configurations for applying voltage to the electrodes may cause the user to perceive tactile sense which is not necessary. FIG. 1 is a partial enlarged view illustrating a configuration example of a tactile presentation device 110 according to the related art. FIG. 1 illustrates a partial enlarged view in which a part of a panel for tactile presentation is enlarged. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the tactile presentation device 110 according to the related art comprises wirings 111, electrodes 112 and a substrate 113. Multiple electrodes 112 are arrayed in matrix on the substrate 113, while wirings 111 are connected to the respective electrodes 112. The electrodes 112 and wirings 111 are covered with an insulating film which forms a touch surface to be touched by the user.
The electrodes 112 are connected to an external signal voltage source (not illustrated) through the wirings 111. In the case where a voltage signal for tactile presentation is applied from a signal voltage source to one of the electrodes 112 through the corresponding wiring 111, the electrode 112 is electrically charged to present tactile sense to a finger of the user. The tactile presentation device 110 may independently drive each of the electrodes 112, so as to partially present tactile sense.
An example case is discussed where a voltage signal is applied to an electrode 112a through a wiring 111a indicated by a thick line in FIG. 1 to present tactile sense at the electrode 112a. If a finger of the user touches the surface of the insulating film over the electrode 112a, electrostatic coupling occurs between the electrode 112a and the finger skin through the insulating film. The electrostatic force generated between the electrode 112a and the finger skin varies according to the frequency of the voltage signal, causing vibration to the finger. If, on the other hand, the finger touches a part of the surface of the insulating film other than the electrode 112a, no vibration is supposed to occur because no voltage is applied to the other electrodes 112.
However, since voltage is applied to the electrode 112a through the wiring 111a, unnecessary tactile sense may be developed also on the wiring 111a. FIG. 2 illustrates the development of unnecessary tactile sense according to the related art. As illustrated in FIG. 2, in the case where the finger touches the surface of the insulating film in the vicinity of the wiring 111a, a leakage electric field from the wiring 111a may generate electrostatic coupling between the wiring 111a and the finger skin. That is, tactile sense may be perceived at a portion where the tactile sense is not supposed to be perceived. In the description below, the tactile sense which is not necessary as described above is referred to as "unwanted tactile sense."

Tactile presentation device and electronic equipment


Disclosed is a phase-changeable memory device and method of programming the same. The phase-changeable memory device includes memory cells each having multiple states, and a program pulse generator providing current pulses to the memory cells. The program pulse generator initializes a memory cell to a reset or set state by applying a first pulse thereto and thereafter provides a second pulse to program the memory cell to one of the multiple states. According to the invention, as a memory cell is programmed after being initialized to a reset or set state, it is possible to correctly program the memory cell without influence from the previous state of the memory cell.

The present invention is concerned with semiconductor memory devices, which in particular relates to a phase-changeable memory device and method of programming the same.
The demand for semiconductor memory devices operable with random access in high integration density and large capacity is increasing. Flash memories, which are typically used in portable electronic devices, are typically regarded as such semiconductor memory devices. New kinds of proposed semiconductor memory devices each include a capacitor that is made of a nonvolatile material instead of the volatile material of a DRAM. Such devices include ferroelectric RAMs (FRAM) employing ferroelectric capacitors, magnetic RAMs (MRAM) employing tunneling magneto-resistive (TMR) films, and phase-changeable memories (or PRAM) using chalcogenide alloys. The phase-changeable memory devices, as nonvolatile memory devices, are able to be fabricated more readily than other memories and are advantageous in implementing large-capacity memories at low cost.
FIG. 1 is an equivalent circuit diagram illustrating a memory cell of a phase-changeable memory device. As shown in FIG. 1, a memory cell 10 of the phase-changeable memory device is composed of a variable resistor C and an access transistor M.
The variable resistor C is connected to a bitline BL. The access transistor M is connected between the variable resistor C and a ground voltage. A wordline WL is coupled to a gate of the access transistor M. When a predetermined voltage is applied to the wordline WL, the access transistor M is turned on to supply the variable resistor C with a current Ic through the bitline BL.
The variable resistor C contains a phase-changeable material (not shown). The phase-changeable material is conditioned in one of two stable states, i.e., a crystalline state or an amorphous state. The phase-changeable material changes into the crystalline state or the amorphous state depending on the current Ic that is supplied through the bitline BL. The phase-changeable memory programs data therein by means of such a characteristic of the phase-changeable material.
FIG. 2 is a graphic diagram showing a characteristic of a phase-changeable material. In FIG. 2, a reference number 1 denotes the conditioning curve to be the amorphous state while a reference number 2 denotes the conditioning curve to be the crystalline state.
Referring to FIG. 2, the phase-changeable material (GST) turns to the amorphous state when it is rapidly quenched after being heated at high temperature over its melting point Tm during a time Ti by current supply. The amorphous state is usually referred to as a reset state, storing data '1'. Otherwise, the phase-changeable material is settled in the crystalline state when it is slowly quenched after being heated at a temperature higher than crystallization temperature Tc and lower than melting point Tm during a time T2 longer than T1. The crystalline state is usually referred to as a set state, storing data '0'. The memory cell is conductive with resistance variable in accordance with the amorphous volume of the phase-changeable material. The resistance in the memory cell is highest in the amorphous state and lowest in the crystalline state.

Phase-changeable memory device and method of programming the same


A modular bone fixation implant includes a center post having exterior bone engaging features and configured to be implanted within a bone. The center post includes an aperture at an outer end of the center post. One or more interchangeable modular components may be placed within the bone and anchored to the aperture of the center post. Interchangeable modular components may include staples, bone plates, and spacers, each having at least a first end including a post engaging arm sized and shaped to seat within an interlocking feature of the aperture. A locking screw is provided to anchor all components to the center post when the interchangeable modular components have been placed.

Implantable devices such as staples, bone screws, bone plates, and the like, are typically used in surgical bone fixation procedures. Many existing implants such as staples may only allow for fixation between two points, or between a limited number and fixed arrangement of points. Other existing implants, such as bone plates or the like, may provide for fixation at a larger number of points in a fixed orientation due to the rigidity of constituent materials. Such implants may be undesirable for internal fixation in locations such as the midfoot, other portions of the foot, and/or other locations in which several relatively small bones are to be fixed or where variation in skeletal geometry between patients is common.

Modular bone implant devices and means of insertion


A hairdressing tool includes a slender hair holder having a hair inlet at one end thereof and made of a flexible material, a hair inserter for inserting hair in or through the hair holder, and a curler for rolling, curving or bending the hair held by the hair holder into a prescribed shape. A hairdressing method includes holding a prescribed amount of hair in or through a slender hair holder of a hairdressing tool, the hair holder including a flexible material and being capable of holding hair, and rolling, curving or bending the hair held by the hair holder by a prescribed curler possessed by the hair holder.

It has long been known to use a sheet material to curl hair as disclosed, e.g., in JP-U-11-14546, but it is difficult to handle hair with such a sheet material.
In order to facilitate handling and curling hair, JP-A-10-192036 proposes a tubular hair rolling tool and a method of hair rolling. This tubular hair rolling tool has a great merit in that a strand of hair can be handled much more easily.
The hair rolling tool of JP-A-10-192036 has a plastically deformable member attached along the longitudinal direction of the tube. The plastically deformable member is freely bendable and can be retained in a bent shape. With a strand of hair put in the tube, the plastically deformable member is deformed to keep the hair in the deformed state. The hair rolling tool is used in combination with a hair drawing tool. The hair drawing tool is a stick having integrally formed at the end thereof a loop through which a strand of hair is slipped.
Because the hair rolling tool is made of a low stiff material such as Japanese paper or nonwoven fabric, the opening of the hair rolling tool is deformed easily when a parted strand of hair is passed through the loop of the hair drawing tool. As a result, the hair and the loop of the hair drawing tool are apt to be caught on the opening edge, making it difficult to smoothly inserting the hair inside the hair rolling tool. Besides, the loop of the hair drawing tool is made of a plastic material, which makes the hair and the loop more apt to be caught on the opening edge of the hair rolling tool. The larger the loop of the hair drawing tool, the more easily is hair slid therethrough. However, the loop of the hair drawing tool cannot be made larger than the opening of the hair rolling tool because of its material rigidity.
The publication says that, in doing a perm using the hair rolling tool, a permanent wave solution is applied before rolling up hair, and the flat tube is then rolled by hand. Since the hair should be rolled by hand as has been conventionally done, the permanent waving still takes a lot of trouble. The tools are not easily manageable for users to roll up their hair by themselves so that rolling takes them a lot of time and trouble.
Moreover, where the hair rolling tool has a tubular form, the inner and the outer sheets necessarily generate strain on being deformed. The strain becomes greater as the amount of hair held in the tubular hair rolling tool increases or as the curvature of curls becomes larger. If hair is curled without eliminating the strain, it will not be curled into a neat ring but an odd polygonal shape.
JP-U-6-37762 discloses a hair curler composed of two flexible sheets superposed on each other and joined along both sides. One of the flexible sheets composing the hair curler is made of a shape-memory material which can return to its original rolled shape, and the other is a mesh sheet or a nonwoven fabric sheet. The two sheets are detachably joined along one of the sides. It is easy with this hair curler to roll up hair. However, it is difficult to put a strand of hair in the hair curler before rolling.
WO 00/57744 discloses a tubular hairdressing tool as an auxiliary in waving hair by a perm, etc., which is formed of a mesh sheet and has extensibility in both longitudinal and transverse directions. A strand of hair is inserted through the tubular hairdressing tool being extended in the transverse direction and contracted in the longitudinal direction. The tube is extended, then deformed by, for example, twisting at two or more positions together with the hair, and maintained in that state for a prescribed period of time to curl the hair. However, while or after a strand of hair is inserted through the tube, the tip of the hair tends to be bent backward or irregularly waved with the tube contracting, resulting in a failure to curl the hair beautifully.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a hairdressing tool having a tube in which a strand of hair can be inserted easily and rapidly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hairdressing tool, with which a strand of hair can be rolled up easily and rapidly.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a hairdressing tool, with which hair can be waved easily.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a hairdressing tool, with which hair can be curled easily, securely, and neatly.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a hairdressing method which makes it easy to do a hairdressing treatment such as permanent waving or coloring.


A method of processing packets propagated over a packet switched communications network having a control plane, user plane, and a plurality of probes, the method comprising: receiving at least one control plane packet associated with creating at least one user session in the network; selecting a set of user sessions from the at least one user session; determining at least one target feature that characterizes packets propagated over the network; and load balancing all packets sharing the at least one target feature that belong to a same user session of the set of user sessions to a same probe of the plurality of probes for processing by the probe.

Modern communication networks support large, varied, and growing populations of users and an ever-increasing gamut of user services and user applications for users who access the networks using any of various stationary and/or mobile user equipment (UE). The networks span not only global populations and geography, but a plethora of methods, devices, infrastructures, and protocols for propagating data, voice, and video content provided by a host of different large and small service providers.
As the various software and hardware resources that support the networks, configure paths along which network packets propagate in the networks, and provide services mediated by the networks have become more sophisticated, the resources, which may be referred to as network equipment (NE), have become fungible and logically abstracted away from their particular physical structures. The physical devices and apparatus underlying modern communication networks have become commodity resources that are configurable by software to provide virtualizations of network functions, referred to as "Network Functions Virtualization" (NFV), and "Software Defined Networks" (SDNs). And dedicated physical devices that provide particular network functionalities have been or are being replaced by software entities that access the physical commodities of a network, and/or other software entities of the network, on an "as need" basis to communicate with each other and provide functionalities required by the networks. The zoology of software entities are conventionally referred to as virtual entities, with a particular virtual entity typically distinguished by a name of a functionality it provides.
The extensive, complex infrastructure of many modern communication networks typically comprise a mix of dedicated physical devices and an ever increasing, if not dominant number, of virtual network entities engaged in an incessant packet exchange chatter approaching hundreds of gigabits per second (Gbps). Monitoring and troubleshooting the networks as much as possible in real time to maintain performance that provides acceptable quality of service (QoS) and user quality of experience (QoE) for the multitude of services that the networks provide has become a demanding challenge.

Smart session load balancer and throttle


Trace amount levels of heavy metals such as mercury in crude oil are reduced by contacting the crude oil with an oxidizing agent and then with a reducing agent. In one embodiment, the oxidizing agent is selected from the group of hydroperoxides, organic peroxides, inorganic peracids and salts thereof, organic peracids and salts thereof, halogens such as iodine (I2), bromine (Br2), and ozone. The treatment converts non-volatile mercury in the crude oil into a volatile form for subsequent mercury removal by any of stripping, scrubbing, adsorption, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, at least 50% of the mercury is removed. In another embodiment, the removal rate is at least 99%.

Heavy metals such as lead, zinc, mercury, silver, arsenic and the like can be present in trace amounts in all types of hydrocarbon streams such as crude oils. The amount can range from below the analytical detection limit (0.5 μg/kg) to several thousand ppbw (parts per billion by weight) depending on the source. It is desirable to remove the trace amounts of these metals from crude oils.
Various methods to remove trace metal contaminants in liquid hydrocarbon feed such as mercury have been disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,372 B1, a liquid hydrocarbon feed is mixed with a miscible sulfur compound and then placed in contact with a fixed bed absorbent for removal of at least a portion of the mercury on an elemental basis. U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,896 discloses the use of absorbent compositions, e.g., polysulfide based, for removal of elemental mercury (Hg) from gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon streams. U.S. Pat. Publication Nos. 2010/0032344 and US2010/0032345 describe processes to remove elemental mercury Hg0 from crude oil consisting of stripping the mercury-contaminated crude with gas in a heated vessel, and then removing the mercury from the stripped gas in an adsorption bed. There are also a number of commercially available processes and products for the removal of elemental mercury Hg0 from hydrocarbon streams including but not limited to ICI Synetix' Merespec™ fixed bed absorbents, UOP's HgSIV™ HgSIV™ regenerative mercury removal adsorbents, and Johnson Matthey's Puraspec™ and Puracare™ granulated absorbents for the removal of mercury from naphtha and/or gaseous hydrocarbon streams.
Studies have been conducted to measure mercury levels in crude oil as well as the percentage of mercury in the forms of particles, which can be removed by filtration. It was shown that in crude oils containing more than 50 ppbw mercury, the percent mercury in particles is over 25% with an average of 66%. It was also shown that in most samples of crude oils and condensates, the predominant form of mercury is non-volatile (e.g., mercuric sulfide or other insoluble mercury compound) and not in the form of elemental mercury Hg0. It is well known in the art that elemental mercury is readily removed from hydrocarbons upon stripping or sparging with a low mercury gas stream.
US Patent Application Nos. 2010/0032344 and 2010/0032345 disclose a process for removing elemental mercury concentration with a liquid/gas contactor, with simulations showing 90% mercury removal at a pressure from <1 to −3 Bars and a temperature of greater than 150° C., conditions common at crude oil well sites. It is indicated that the liquid/gas contact is carried out in a vessel that provides direct contact of the treated gas stream with the liquid hydrocarbon stream without contacting any other materials or devices, giving 90% removal rate.
As adsorption technology does not work well for crude oils and condensates with low levels of mercury, and particularly crude oils containing the non-volatile form of mercury, which has not been well addressed in the prior art. There is a need for improved methods for the removal of mercury from liquid hydrocarbon steams, particularly non-volatile form of mercury.

Process, method, and system for removing heavy metals from fluids


Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for providing content previews. One apparatus operates to display one or more user interface controls as a foreground against a background on a display device; receive user input resulting in a user interface state that has an associated action; and display as the background a preview of the associated action. In another aspect, the user input gives focus to a user interface control that has associated content; and a preview of the associated content is displayed without further action on the part of the user. In another aspect, user interface controls are displayed; and giving input focus to a particular user interface control that has associated content causes an apparatus to play a preview of the associated content without further action on the part of a user.

The present invention relates to presenting preview information in connection with the operation of a user interface.
Users commonly interact with computers, computer program applications, consumer electronics, home electronics, or other devices or equipment using user interface (UI) controls. User interaction with the UI controls can include shifting input focus between or among the UI controls as the user navigates the UI controls. The user selects a UI control by shifting input focus to that UI control. Some UI controls have associated commands that determine the action to be performed when the user activates the UI control. Shifting input focus to a UI control that has associated commands does not result in the execution of the associated commands. Typically the user must take some further action, e.g., press the ENTER key, to execute the associated commands for a UI control after the UI control has input focus. The action to be performed when the user activates a UI control can also be determined by a sequence of user interactions with the UI controls. This is generally true for UI controls on consumer electronics devices, such as televisions with remote controls or mobile telephones, which are not commonly thought of as having or running computer programs.


A combination mirror and amusement system, including a mirror assembly having a mirror and a mirror housing, and a mobile assembly attached to the mirror housing above the mirror. A sound generator may be included, along with a timer that may be set by a user to control the length of time the sound generator generates sound. The system may be used inside a vehicle for observing an infant in a rear facing car seat.

The invention relates to mirrors used inside a vehicle primarily for observing an infant in a rear facing car seat secured to the rear seat of a motor vehicle. Such mirrors may alternatively serve primarily as a source of entertainment and amusement for a child in a forward-facing car seat secured to the rear seat of a motor vehicle.
Mirror devices of the general type described are disclosed, for example, in Kane U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,857,753 and 6,913,364; Kane et al U.S. Pat. No. 7,104,661; and Darling U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,314
Very briefly, in such devices, a mirror is mounted or attached near the top of the rear seat of a motor vehicle in such a way that the driver of the vehicle, by looking in the rear view mirror, can observe an infant in a safety seat of the type in which the infant is positioned facing the rear of the vehicle. The mirror may alternatively be mounted or attached near the top of the front seat of a motor vehicle to function primarily as a source of entertainment and amusement for a child in a forward-facing car seat secured to the rear seat of a motor vehicle.

Combination mirror and amusement system with mobile assembly


A convertible garment comprising a jacket portion with an inner and outer surface; and a pouch on the inner surface of the jacket portion; wherein the pouch is open ended on one side and includes a drawstring.

While out at concerts, dance clubs, having dinner, or other similar venues, it is inconvenient for individuals to have to focus on where to put their jackets or outer garments, without them getting lost, stolen or dirty.
While some venues have coat check windows, It is annoying to wait in long lines for check in and pick up and to have to pay extra money to put your jacket in the closet. If you do not use the coat check you are forced to hold on to your jacket or watch it all night to make sure no one steals it.
The invention garment solves these problems by providing a jacket that has the ability to turn into a bag. The bag can then be easily handled by the individual without stress or worry.
The convertible garment of the invention combines a jacket and a bag that can easily be transformed from one to the other. Preferably the design is a fashion forward jacket that transforms into a convenient light weight shoulder strap bag. The jacket has the ability to fold inside out and turn into a fashionable hand bag.
The garment has a pouch on the inside back surface of the jacket with the straps inside the pouch. To transform into the bag, you simply fold the jacket inside the pouch and close the bag by pulling the strap.
The prior art has shown convertible garments as illustrated in representative patents including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,227,264, 4,637,076, 5,536,969, 5,996,121, 7,575,376, 8,510,865, D369,899 and D683,524; U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2009/0055991, 2010/0111448, 2013/0326794, and International PCT Publication WO 2008121106.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,404,687, 5,787,504, 5,850,634 and 6,405,377 disclose convertible garments which transform a bag into a jacket and vice versa.
RuckJack is a jacket with clips that allow it to be easily converted into a backpack (https//.gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/03/02ruckjack-the-jacket.html).
However, none of these references disclose a convertible garment that can easily transform between a jacket and a bag by turning a pouch inside out and including drawstring straps which are used to close the bag.
Accordingly, there is a need for individuals to be able to transform their fashionable jacket into a trendy handbag without the need or worry about losing their garment or handbag.
The advantage of the invention is to provide such a transformable garment that can easily convert between a bag and a jacket.
An advantage of the invention is to permit the user to have both a trendy and fashionable jacket and bag in one garment.