A garment includes at least one garment panel made of a fabric including a first yarn having a first denier and a second yarn having a second denier, the first denier being greater than the second denier. The first yarn forms an auxetic structure comprising a pattern of interconnected segments on the garment panel. The second yarn forms a fill portion extending between the interconnected segments of the auxetic structure.

Many garments are designed to fit closely to the human body. When designing an article of apparel for a close fit to the human body, different body shapes and sizes must be considered. Different individuals within a particular garment size will have different body shapes and sizes. For example, two individuals wearing the same shoe size may have very differently shaped heels. As another example, two individuals wearing the same shirt size may have very different chest to abdomen dimensions. These variable measurements between similarly sized individuals makes proper design of closely fitting garments difficult.
In addition to accounting for different body measurements for different individuals within a size, various contours of the human body must also be considered when designing closely fitting articles of apparel. These contours of the human body often include various double curvature surfaces. Spheroids, bowls, and saddle-backs are all examples of surfaces having double curvatures. If a garment is not properly sized for a particular wearer, the wearer may experience undesirable tightness or looseness at various locations. Such an improper fit may result in discomfort, excessive wear, buckling, bending or creasing of the garment at the poorly fitting locations.
The contour and fit of a particular of apparel may be further complicated by the desire to use comfortable fabrics for the article of apparel. While some materials such as cotton are typically comfortable against human skin, the material wrinkles easily and does not easily conform to body contours. Materials such as cotton are also poor perspiration managers, as they tend to absorb perspiration and retain moisture against the skin.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a garment or other article of apparel comprised of a fabric that is capable of conforming to various body shapes within a given size range. It would also be desirable to provide a fabric that is capable of conforming to various double curvatures on the human body. Furthermore, it would be advantageous for such fabric to be comfortable against human skin while also managing perspiration and moisture for the wearer. In addition, it would be desirable for such a garment or article of apparel to be attractive, relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture.


A semiconductor package includes a baseplate having a die attach region and a peripheral region, a transistor die having a first terminal attached to the die attach region, and a second terminal and a third terminal facing away from the baseplate, and a frame including an electrically insulative member having a first side attached to the peripheral region of the baseplate, a second side facing away from the baseplate, a first metallization at the first side of the insulative member and a second metallization at the second side of the insulative member. The insulative member extends outward beyond a lateral sidewall of the baseplate. The first metallization is attached to the part of the first side which extends outward beyond the lateral sidewall of the baseplate. The first and second metallizations are electrically connected at a region of the insulative member spaced apart from the lateral sidewall of the baseplate.

Air cavity packages for RF power applications include an RF power transistor die with the source terminal attached to a metal flange and a ceramic (alumina) based window frame for isolating the gate and drain leads of the power transistor from the source-connected flange. Such packages are relatively expensive and have poor CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) matching. Standard RF power packages are often built with either CPC (copper, copper-molybdenum, copper laminate flange), CuW or CuMo flanges all having a CTE closely matched to ceramic. However, the CTE of the flange tends to be quite lower than the system cooling blocks/coins which are soldered onto the flange. CTE mismatch between the flange and the cooling blocks/coins creates solder fatigue, component fracture and bowing issues. Also, there is a CTE match with the leads so that the window frame and corresponding leads are CTE matched with the customer PCB (printed circuit board).
In addition, conventional RF power packages have gate and drain leads attached to and protruding outward from the ceramic window frame. The leads provide input and output terminals to the package. However, the leads typically comprise Alloy42, Kovar, copper or similar materials and are typically 3-7 mil thick. Such leads are soft and readily bend in the region unsupported by the window frame, creating a problem with the seating plane height for soldering. In addition, conventional metal/ceramic packages transmit RF energy through high loss Ni/Pd/Au or Ni/Au plating due to the skin effect in RF. Another approach is a plastic/molded LCP (liquid crystal polymer) window frame in place of a ceramic window frame. However, LCP window frame type packages have an inherent gross leak issue which results in decreased reliability and higher yield loss. A more reliable, lower cost air cavity RF power package is therefore desirable.


In an example embodiment, there is disclosed a technique that enables a wireless device to achieve coexistence with an interfering source. The wireless device determines when interference is present and not present during a service period and reports the duration of interference free interval. At the end of an interference period, the wireless device can send a trigger signal indicating the start of an interference free interval to request data be sent to the wireless station until the expiration of the duration of the interference free interval. In particular embodiments, the signal sent by the wireless device can include an offset, for example a timing synchronization function (TSF) value, to indicate the end of the interference-free interval, perhaps computed so as allow for some clock drift.

Many silicon vendors are integrating their wireless fidelity (WiFi) and BLUETOOTH (BT) radios into an integrated design where an antenna is shared with both radios. This creates coexistence problems because BLUETOOTH does not employ a listen before talk (LBT) protocol. Consequently, WiFi throughput may suffer while BLUETOOTH is active and vice versa. In some devices, such as a handset, coordination between transmission of WiFi and BLUETOOTH radios is readily achievable; however, reception can be a problem. For example, where BLUETOOTH and WiFi share a common antenna, the WiFi radio can become severely desensitized and unable to receive transmissions, such as downstream transmissions from an access point (AP), while the BLUETOOTH radio is transmitting; or can be deliberately prevented from transmitting frames, including acknowledgements, to its AP in order not to interfere with active BLUETOOTH communications.

Using unscheduled automatic power save delivery to achieve coexistence with interfering sources


A method for providing contingent payments includes receiving, from a first user through a user device over a network, a contingent payment request. The contingent payment request is stored in a database. A contingent payment intent is provided on a user profile that is associated with the first user. The user profile is monitored. When it is determined that at least one contingent payment factor in the contingent payment request has been satisfied by a second user, funds are transferred from a user account associated with the first user to a merchant account in order to purchase a first product that is associated with the contingent payment request. In an embodiment, the second user may provide a coupon on the user profile that satisfies the at least one contingent payment factor and results in the purchase of the first product using the user account.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to online and/or mobile payments and more particularly to a contingent payment system.
2. Related Art
More and more consumers are purchasing items and services over electronic networks such as, for example, the Internet. Consumers routinely purchase products and services from merchants and individuals alike. The transactions may take place directly between a conventional or on-line merchant or retailer and the consumer, and payment is typically made by entering credit card or other financial information. Transactions may also take place with the aid of an on-line or mobile payment service provider such as, for example, PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. Such payment service providers can make transactions easier and safer for the parties involved. Purchasing with the assistance of a payment service provider from the convenience of virtually anywhere using a mobile device is one main reason why online and mobile purchases are growing very quickly.
Conventionally, payers making purchases using online payment systems have been required to search for the product they wish to purchase and, upon finding that product at a price are willing to pay, complete the purchase of the product at that price immediately. However, some payers may only wish to make certain purchases based upon a number of factors that may or may not occur in the future. For example, a payer may want to purchase a product, but the payer may not be willing to purchase that product at the price that product is currently being offered, may not wish to purchase that product for a certain amount of time, may only want to purchase that product in response to a particular outcome of an event occurring, combinations thereof, and/or a variety of other contingencies know in the art. Traditionally, such payers must personally monitor the factors that figure into their decision for making a purchase in order to attempt to complete the purchase according to their desires. Making purchases in such a manner can be so time-consuming for the payer that, in many situations, the desired purchase may simply not be possible, resulting in dissatisfied payers and lost sales for merchants.
Thus, there is a need for an improved online payment system that provides for contingent payments.


Method and user equipment for requesting scheduling resources from a serving radio network node, the method comprises obtaining traffic characteristics associated with radio communication between the radio network node and the UE. The method further comprises predicting, based at least on the obtained traffic characteristics, data to arrive in a transmission buffer; and transmitting a scheduling request to the network node before said data arrives in said transmission buffer.

In the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standardization body technologies like Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) and Long Term Evolution (LTE) have been and are currently developed.
LTE is the latest technology standardised. It uses an access technology based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) for the downlink (DL) and Single Carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) for the uplink (UL). The resource allocation to mobile stations, in LTE denoted user equipment (UE), on both DL and UL is performed adaptively by the concept of fast scheduling, taking into account the instantaneous traffic pattern and radio propagation characteristics of each UE. Assigning resources in both DL and UL is performed in a so-called scheduler situated in a base station, in LTE often denoted eNodeB. As illustrated in FIG. 1, LTE transmissions are sent from base stations 102, in a telecommunications network 104, to UEs 106, 108.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, a sub-frame 200 may be transmitted in accordance with the LTE standard, and may consist of 12 or 14 sub-carriers 204 in the frequency domain. In the time domain, the sub-frame may be divided into a number of OFDM (or SC-FDMA) symbols 208. An OFDM (or SC-FDMA) symbol 208 may include a cyclic prefix 206. A unit of one sub-carrier and one symbol is referred to as a resource element (RE) 202. Thus, a sub-frame may consist of, for example, 84 REs in a 12×7 configuration as shown in FIG. 2.
In e.g. LTE, uplink transmissions are scheduled by a base station. A grant is transmitted on the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) and the UE responds with a transmission using the resources specified in the grant and with the size specified in the grant. The UE can let the base station know that it wants to transmit by sending a scheduling request (SR) on the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) at predefined times. Typically the UE transmits an SR which is followed by one or many grants, each resulting in one uplink transmission. This is commonly referred to as dynamic scheduling.
With the higher speeds a number of various applications that a user of the UE can be engaged in have evolved. It is for instance of interest for a user to involve him- or herself in online games, where small amounts of uplink data are transferred fairly often from the UE to another device involved in a game. Here the transferred data may be gaming commands and the other device may be another UE or another type of user terminal like a PC or even a server. Gaming is one example of delay-sensitive traffic. The increase of this delay-sensitive traffic and its significant share in the Internet traffic leads to the radio interfaces of wireless communication systems having to meet various latency requirements to ensure that a UE user can enjoy the activities employing this type of traffic. Another example of delay-sensitive traffic is ping. Ping is for instance used to estimate the delay of a channel as well as to measure the performance in radio systems in order to for instance compare and/or rank different systems.
Setting up of traffic in a wireless communication network is often referred as allocation of resources. When resources are allocated to a UE desiring to send data in the uplink, there are normally a number of activities that have to be performed. First the UE sends a scheduling request (SR) informing the base station that the UE has an unspecified amount of data to send. This is followed by the base station responding with a grant, which grant includes information on what time/frequency resources the UE shall use. The UE then transfers a Buffer Status Report (BSR) informing the base station that the amount of data the UE intends to send is within a predefined range. The amount of data available is specified for logical channel groups rather than individual bearers. After receiving the BSR the base station issues a grant for further data. It is not until it receives this further grant that the UE can transmit the actual data it intends. This process is time consuming, especially if the UE is to run through the process each time it desires to transfer data.
Instead of dynamic scheduling, semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) can be used. The purpose with SPS is to save resources on the PDCCH when it is known beforehand when data will arrive to the UE. When SPS is used, a semi-persistent scheduling interval is signalled to the UE through the RRC protocol. Special grants (SPS grants/semi-persistent scheduling uplink grants) are then used to configure a recurring grant with the specified interval. One grant can hence be used for multiple transmissions. The semi-persistent grant is valid until it is cancelled by a special grant that explicitly releases the semi-persistent grant. To optimize the power saving with SPS, a mechanism has been added so that no SR is triggered by specified logical channels while an SPS grant is configured.
It is not required that an SR precedes the grant. When the base station knows that a UE has a periodic service or for some other reason can predict future data arrivals it can transmit a grant to the UE without waiting for an SR. It is also possible to blindly transmit grants in order to speed up the scheduling and hence reduce the delay. These scheduling methods are called predictive scheduling and the grants are transmitted from the base station to the UE on the downlink control channel, e.g. PDCCH.
WO2012/148331 discloses a method applying predictive scheduling. Upon receipt of a service indicator from a UE the base station determines an uplink transmission scheme for the UE based on the service indicator. Uplink prescheduling according to the prior art may however result in waste of system resources in case the UE has nothing to send and replies to the prescheduling grants including an empty BSR and padding. Therefore predictive scheduling may lead to a waste of resource and is thus restricted to situations when the traffic load is below certain threshold values so that it will not conflict with regular scheduling in higher traffic load situations.


A veined cutting tool for producing holes in various materials is disclosed. The veined cutting tool includes a tungsten carbide body using a sintered abrasive particulate such as diamond (PCD) or Cubic Boron Nitrite (PCBN). The cutting tool shields a portion of the PCD or PCBN edge on the cutting side to reduce the overall length of the exposed PCD or PCBN to prevent the cutting edge from chipping and increase the service life of the cutting tool.

Veined cutting tools as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,713,286 and 4,762,445 provide for drills, end mills, reamers and other cutting tools with multiple cutting edges fixed to a tungsten carbide body using a sintered abrasive particulate such as diamond (PCD) or CBN. These tools have proven to be advantageous in drilling, reaming, and milling various advanced composite materials and non-ferrous materials and are now well known as cutting tools.
Generally, the high cost and delicate nature of these tools restrict them to use only where cutting conditions can be closely controlled by computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines to avoid impact, vibrations, and/or variable feed conditions that would destroy the cutting edges.
One area where such veined PCD or PCBN tools are widely used is in drilling advanced carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites and stackups of these materials with aluminum or titanium on CNC equipment for advanced aircraft frames. However, many areas of these planes do not allow for the use of CNC drilling equipment making portable power feed air motors the preferred method of drilling the necessary fastener holes.
Prior to this invention, the use of PCD or PCBN drills with these air motors was not considered feasible for drilling difficult materials like layers of advanced composites and titanium. Typically, these air motors use what is called a hard tooling fixture with guide bushings. PCD or PCBN drills were known to chip the sides or margins of the drill as they were guided by these bushings due to the delicate nature of the exposed PCD cutting edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,251 also teaches a method of making a PCD or PCBN drill using a brazeable PCD or PCBN blank and makes reference to other variations for brazeable PCD and PCBN drill construction using commercially available blanks from Megadiamond or Debeers.
Such cutting tool construction taught or referenced by U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,251 invariably uses low rake angles to strengthen the cutting edge and to compensate for the ready nature of these edges that tend to chip. Such art does not teach a way of preventing the chipping of the cutting edges.
In view of the limitations of prior art PCD drill bits, reamers, and milling cutting tools, the present invention was developed to address these limitations and is an improved PCD cutting tool having a shielded PCD or PCBN cutting edge.


A device and method for automatically building a database for a home zone service in a mobile communication system. The device comprising a memory and processing unit, wherein the memory includes an address location database for storing latitude and longitude data corresponding to respective addresses, and a zone database for storing zone data for the respective locations, and wherein processor includes a client registration processor for creating a client database in the memory upon the receipt of client information, and a database processor for searching the address location database for the latitude and longitude information corresponding to the client""s address when the registration of a new client is requested by the client registration processor, for searching the zone database for zone data for a location corresponding to the latitude and longitude information, and for creating a home zone database in the memory by taking the zone data as the home zone data for the client.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mobile communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device and method for automatically building a database for the home zone service in a mobile communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various services, such as data service, pre-paid service, and home zone service, are offered by mobile communication service providers to strengthen their competitiveness. The home zone service offers a different charging rate system to mobile subscribers according to the location where the call is made. When a client talks over a mobile telephone in a specified zone that can be designated by the subscriber (e.g., near home), the client will be charged at a lower rate equivalent to a local call, and a national significant number (NSN) is used for billing purposes. However, when the client talks outside of the home zone, the client will be charged at a higher rate corresponding to the mobile service rate. In this case, a mobile directory number (MDN) is used for billing purposes.
In order to apply a different charging rate according to the location where the client uses the mobile telephone, the mobile communication service providers should have previously recorded information (i.e., classified locations defining the home zone information and information on clients registered for the home zone service) that can be used to generate different charging rates.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a device and method for automatically building a database for identifying the home zone service for billing purposes in a mobile communication system.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the device having a memory and processing unit is provided for building a home zone database in a mobile communication, wherein the memory includes an address location database for storing latitude and longitude data corresponding to the respective addresses of the client, and a zone database for storing zone data defining the home zone coverage area by the respective base station, and wherein the processor includes a client registration processor for creating a client database in the memory upon receipt of the client information, and a database processor for searching the address location database for the latitude and longitude information corresponding to the client""s address when the registration of a new client is requested by the client registration processor, for searching the zone database for the home zone coverage area corresponding to the latitude and longitude information of the client, and for creating a home zone database defining the home zone for the client.

Device and method for automatically building database for home zone service


A hybrid module (2) with a vibration reducing system (4) which is coupled between an output side (8) and an input side (6) of the hybrid module (2). The vibration reducing system (4) is configured to reduce an injected torsional irregularity, wherein the vibration reducing system (4) has a preload that is greater than an assembly-related preload. The hybrid module (2) also includes an electric machine (10) which is coupled to the input side (6) or to the output side (8) of the hybrid module (2). The electric machine (10) is configured to introduce a torque at the input side (6) or at the output side (8) which is directed against a rotational irregularity coming from a drive arrangement (5) in order to reduce the rotational irregularity.

Hybrid modules are used in many vehicles in various constructions. In some applications, the hybrid modules are connected to an internal combustion engine or combustion engine on an input side and to a shiftable transmission and further components of the powertrain on their output side. Rotational irregularities or unwanted vibrations can also be injected or coupled into the hybrid module via the internal combustion engine during transmission of a driving torque. A torque component that can lead to the unwanted vibrations or rotational irregularities may possibly also be attributable to an ignition behavior and/or a speed or operating condition of the internal combustion engine.
In many cases, the hybrid module comprises a vibration reducing system for reducing the unwanted vibrations in the hybrid module or powertrain. Accordingly, the vibration reducing system is intended to help homogenize an alternating torque resulting from a combustion engine or the internal combustion engine so that it does not lead to vibrations or noise excitation in the hybrid module, the powertrain or other components of a vehicle in which the hybrid module is installed. Unwanted vibrations can also be caused or promoted by other factors, for example, a roadway surface or subsurface over which the vehicle moves.
Therefore, conventional vibration reducing systems are mostly configured such that they can reduce vibrations occurring in all operating conditions of the combustion engine or driving conditions of the vehicle. As a result, conventional vibration reducing systems generally have a multistage vibration reducing system characteristic or spring characteristic with a knee. Conventional vibration reducing systems can be constructed, for example, as a two-mass flywheel, power split or converter combined with a torsion damper, a turbo torsion damper and/or a two-damper converter. In some cases, the aforementioned dampers are also combined with a speed adaptive mass damper. Vibration reducing systems of this kind are also known as passive vibration reducing systems.
In some hybrid modules, these passive vibration reducing systems can be combined with an electric machine for active vibration reduction or as active vibration reducing system. For example, DE 197 48 665 A1 discloses a device for vibration isolation in a powertrain of a motor vehicle. In this case, an electric machine is arranged as vibration reducing system in the powertrain upstream of a vibration isolation device. By means of the electric machine, torques are applied to the input shaft and to the output shaft, respectively, in such a way that the vibration isolation device has an increased or reduced effective spring stiffness.
Therefore, there is a need to find a better compromise between improved vibration reduction in a hybrid module and a simple construction of the hybrid module.

Hybrid module and drive train having such a module


A method of communication between a first apparatus and a second apparatus, and pertains to the field of communications technologies. The method includes receiving, by the second apparatus before the second apparatus is associated with the first apparatus, a radio signal from the first apparatus carrying a message frame, detecting rich media information in the message frame, and providing the rich media information on a user screen of the second apparatus to help a user make an association decision.

As shown in FIG. 1, in a wireless local area network (WLAN), an access point (AP) may send a WI-FI signal, and WI-FI devices such as a mobile phone, a personal computer (PC), and a wearable device may receive the WI-FI signal. Alternatively, a mobile phone, a PC, and a wearable device may respectively send a WI-FI signal or simultaneously send a WI-FI signal, and an AP may receive the WI-FI signal.
FIG. 2 shows a display screen when a WI-FI device accesses WI-FI. A displayed WI-FI network name list is merely a character string name list, and a WI-FI access screen is monotonously simple.

Communication method and apparatus for pr-association rich media exchange


Disclosed is an abnormality detection apparatus including: a collection unit that collects state information indicating a state of each part of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in a predetermined cycle; a storage unit that stores the state information collected by the collection unit as a log for each predetermined unit; an arithmetic unit that generates a monitoring band for monitoring the state of each part of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, based on the log; and a determination unit that determines whether the state of each part of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is abnormal, based on the state information and the monitoring band.

When a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is operated for a long time, the reproducibility of the process decreases due to various factors such as, for example, wear and deterioration of components, change in the internal environment of the chamber due to the accumulation of by-products generated from the process, change in utility environment of, for example, gas and cooling water to be supplied, and sudden breakdown of components. The frequency of occurrence of the events varies depending on the operation state of the apparatus, and the occurrence of the events may be easily predicted or not.
In the case where the occurrence of the events is easily predicted, it is possible to preventively and conservatively cope with the events by performing replacement or adjustment of consumable parts by periodical maintenance. Meanwhile, in the case where the occurrence of the events is not easily predicted, it is difficult to cope with the events by the periodical maintenance.
Therefore, in the related art, long-term trends are monitored by converting output values output by various sensors during the performance of the process into representative values (e.g., an average value, a maximum value, and a minimum value) in a predetermined period, for example, in step units included in the process, and using the representative values (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2015-037086).


A mechanism useful as a slip clutch or brake, including a first member having a cylindrical inner wall, a second generally cylindrical member received coaxial within the first member so as to be rotatable therein, and at least one generally annular third spring member between the first and second members, the at least one third member having an external surface in contact with the inner wall of the first member, the second member having at least one longitudinal recess defining two wall surfaces, the at least one third member having ends extending inwardly into the at least one recess, each of the ends of the at least one third member contacting the wall surfaces.

This invention relates to a mechanism, which is useful as a slip clutch sometimes-termed torque limiters, and also useful as a holding device or brake and a method of making the same.
Slip clutch mechanisms of various constructions are used in many applications to couple a driving shaft to a driven shaft or other device, and to limit the transmitted torque. They may also be used in or as hinges to hold one device in a predetermined angular position with respect to another device, for example, the lid of a case for a laptop computer. In the latter type of uses the slip clutches provide the function of brakes.
The prior art discloses many different slip clutch constructions using various spring arrangements to establish a slip torque between a driving and driven member to thereby limit the torque transmitted.
Some of these prior art devices are relatively complicated, requiring a large number of parts and helical springs and most are limited in the slip torque range they can provide. Also, there is a constant demand of organizations using small slip clutches for a more economical device.
The present invention provides a new and improved slip clutch construction which uses a minimal number of different parts, which construction permits a wide range of slip torques and which is simplified in manufacture. The invention also provides a slip clutch having the above characteristics which is bi-directional in operation.
An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved mechanism for slip clutch or brake design and construction and which permits a wide range of slip torques for a given size clutch and a wide range of holding forces when used as a brake.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved mechanism for a slip clutch with a more easily controllable and repeatable slip torque, which is less susceptible to wear.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved slip clutch, which utilizes a minimum number of different parts and is easy to assemble.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved method of making a mechanism of the type described having the foregoing characteristics.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved mechanism of the type described which provides a wide range of design choices and method of making the same.
Briefly stated, the invention, in one form thereof, comprises a slip clutch which comprises only three different components, a first hollow cylindrical member having an inner wall, a second generally cylindrical member received coaxial within the first member and at least one third member between the first and second members and having frictional engagement with the inner wall of the first member. The second member has a longitudinal recess in the form of a flat or defined by angularly spaced apart walls on radii from the longitudinal axis of the second member The at least one third member is generally annular has its ends bent inwardly and forming arms extending into the recess and arranged to be contacted by or contact one of the recess defining walls. Upon rotation of the first member as a driving member, the second member is driven through the frictional contact of the third member with the inner wall and the arms of the at least one third member acting on the recess defining walls. When the second member is rotated as a driving member, a recess-defining wall contacts an arm of the third member and drives the first member through the frictional contact of the third member therewith.
The invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. The invention, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof may be best appreciated by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

Mechanism useful as a slip clutch or brake and method of making same


There is provided a sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly including an outer member having an inner periphery formed with a plurality of rolling surfaces defined therein, an inner member having an outer periphery formed with rolling surfaces opposed to those rolling surfaces and a plurality of rows of rolling elements interposed between those rolling surfaces. One of the outer and inner members serving as a stationary member is provided with a strain amplifying mechanism for amplifying a strain in the stationary member, which occurs when the rolling elements pass by. A strain sensor element is provided for detecting the strain amplified by the strain amplifying mechanism. A calculator is provided for calculating from an output of the strain sensor element, the load acting on the bearing assembly or the load acting between the vehicle wheel and the road surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly having a load sensor built therein for the detection of a load acting on a bearing assembly of a vehicle wheel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For safety travel of an automotive vehicle, a wheel support bearing assembly equipped with a sensor for detecting the rotational speed of each of vehicle wheels has hitherto been well known in the art. While the automobile traveling safety precaution is generally taken by detecting the rotational speed of the respective vehicle wheel arranged in various locations, it is not sufficient with only the rotational speeds of the vehicle wheels and, therefore, it is desired to achieve a control with the use of other sensor signals for safety purpose.
In view of the above, it may be contemplated to achieve the vehicle stability control based on a load acting on each of the vehicle wheels during travel of an automotive vehicle. By way of example, a large load acts on the outside wheels during the cornering, on the wheels on one side during the run along horizontally inclined road surfaces or on the front wheels during braking, and, thus, a varying load acts on the vehicle wheels. Also, even in the case of the uneven live load, the loads acting on those wheels tend to become uneven. For this reason, if the loads acting on the wheels can be detected as needed, suspension systems for the vehicle wheels can be controlled beforehand based on results of detection of the loads so that the stability control of the automotive vehicle during the traveling thereof (for example, prevention of a rolling motion during the cornering, prevention of sinking of the front wheels during braking, and prevention of sinking of the vehicle wheels brought about by an uneven distribution of live loads) can be accomplished. However, an appropriate space for installation of the load sensor for detecting the load acting on the respective vehicle wheel can hardly be found and, therefore, the stability control through the detection of the load is difficult to realize.
Also, in the event in the near future the steer-by-wire is introduced and the system, in which the wheel axle and the steering come not to be coupled mechanically with each other, is increasingly used, transmission of information on the road surface to the steering wheel held by a driver, by detecting a wheel axis direction load would come to be required.
In order to meet those needs hitherto recognized, a wheel support bearing assembly has been suggested, in which a strain gauge is affixed to an outer ring of the wheel support bearing assembly so that strains occurring in the outer ring can be detected when the rolling elements move past the outer ring. (See, for example, the Patent Documents 1 and 2 listed below.)                [Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2003-530565        [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. WO 2005/121731 A1
It has however been found that in the case of the sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly of the construction described above, the strains induced in the outer ring during the passage of the rolling elements are so small that detection with the strain gauge is difficult to achieve. In order to overcome this problem, the use is required of a strain gauge with high sensitivity, resulting in a problem associated with cost increase.
An object of the present invention is to provide a sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly capable of easily and accurately detecting the load acting on the bearing assembly or the load acting between a vehicle wheel and a road surface.
A sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly of the present invention is a bearing assembly for rotatably supporting a vehicle wheel relative to an automotive vehicle body, which includes an outer member having an inner periphery formed with a plurality of rolling surfaces defined therein, an inner member having an outer periphery formed with rolling surfaces opposed to the rolling surfaces in the outer member, a plurality of rows of rolling elements interposed between those rolling surfaces, a strain amplifying mechanism for amplifying a strain in a stationary member served by one of the outer and inner members, which strain occurs when the rolling elements pass by, a strain sensor element for detecting the strain amplified by the strain amplifying mechanism, and a calculator for calculating, from an output of the strain sensor element, a load acting on the bearing assembly or a load acting between the vehicle wheel and a road surface.
When a load acts on a wheel support bearing assembly or between a vehicle wheel and a road surface, a strain is induced in the stationary member of the wheel support bearing assembly, but such strain is too low for a strain gauge or the like to detect it directly. However, in the sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly referred to above, the use is made of the strain amplifying mechanism for amplifying the strain, which is induced when the rolling elements move past one of the outer and inner members serving as the stationary member, and also of the strain sensor element for detecting the strain amplified by such strain amplifying mechanism to thereby increase the sensitivity of detection for the strain. Since as hereinabove described arrangement is made so that the load acting on the wheel support bearing assembly or the load acting between the vehicle wheel and the road surface can be calculated from an output of the strain sensor element by the calculating means, the load acting on the vehicle wheel or the load acting between the vehicle wheel and the road surface can be easily and accurately detected.
In the present invention, the stationary member may be served by the outer member, in which case an outer peripheral surface of the outer member is formed with, at least in an axial range in which the rolling surface of the outer member lies, a thin walled area having a wall thickness smaller than that of a proximity thereof, and the strain amplifying mechanism is provided at the thin walled area. The axial range referred to above, in which the rolling surface lies, is intended to mean a range in which even a portion of the rolling surface is included, and therefore may mean, for example, a range including a portion that is merely radially opposed to an axial end of such rolling surface.
The provision of the thin walled area as referred to above is effective to allow the strain amplifying mechanism to amplify the strain in the outer member which comes to be higher than that in other locations when the rolling elements pass by and, therefore, the detecting sensitivity can be increased correspondingly.
Where the bearing assembly is an angular contact ball bearing, the strain amplifying mechanism is preferably arranged at a location where a line of action of the angular contact ball bearing intersects a radially outward surface of the thin walled area. According to this feature, when the rolling elements move past the thin walled area in the outer member, the strain induced in the thin walled area of the outer member can be effectively amplified by and generated from the strain amplifying mechanism.
The strain amplifying mechanism may include a strain generating member connecting between the thin walled area in the outer member and a portion proximate to the thin walled area, in which case a cutout is provided in a portion of this strain generating member with the strain sensor element provided in the cutout.
In the case of this construction, owing to the cutout, the strain in the outer member can be effectively amplified and transmitted to the location where the strain sensor element is installed and, therefore, the detecting sensitivity can be increased correspondingly.
The thin walled area may include a groove provided in the outer peripheral surface of the outer member so as to extend axially.
The thin walled area may be provided at four locations upwardly, downwardly, leftwards and rightwards of the outer member. If the thin walled area, where the strain amplifying mechanism is provided, is provided at the four locations each arranged upwardly, downwardly, leftwards and rightwards of the outer member, loads acting in various directions can be detected.


This invention relates to compositions and applications for a topical skin care composition that includes from about 52 wt % to about 90 wt % Camellia sinensis (green tea) extract; from about 0.5 wt % to about 15 wt % Calendula officinalis extract; from about 0.5 wt % to about 10 wt % Trifolium pratense (red clover blossom) extract; from about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt % Lavandula angustifolia essential oil in coco-caprylate/caprate; from about 0.5 wt % to about 5 wt % glycerin; an emulsifier component in an amount from about 2 wt % to about 10 wt %; and a preservative component in an amount from about 0.5 wt % to about 3 wt %, wherein the amounts are by total weight of the composition.

Many options exist to improve the appearance and quality of skin. Therapeutic and cosmetic skin formulations aimed at replenishing skin moisture; protecting against on-going loss of moisture; removing dead skin cells; decreasing irritation; minimizing irritant release; and minimizing skin conditions associated with, for example, inflammation are among the most sought after formulations. However, such compositions often include harsh ingredients that can lead to unwanted side effects when applied to the skin. For example, petroleum jelly is inexpensive, abundant, and can be smoothly applied to the skin. However, petroleum jelly has a number of disadvantages. In particular, petroleum jelly is a petroleum based product which may cause contact dermatitis on the skin and can be toxic.
Therefore, a need exists for mild, "natural" topical skin care compositions that reduce the undesired toxicities associated with harsh chemicals while providing superior improvements to skin appearance and quality.


In accordance with various embodiments, the disclosed subject matter provides a display device and a related fabricating method. In some embodiments, the display device comprises: a substrate and a plurality of display units on the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of display units comprises: a first color sub-pixel, comprising a first quantum dot material and a first light source, wherein the first color sub-pixel is configured to provide a first color light by stimulating the first quantum dot material with the first light source; and a second color sub-pixel, comprising a second quantum dot material and a second light source, wherein the second color sub-pixel is configured to provide a second color light by stimulating the second quantum dot material with the second light source.

Along with the development of display technology, outdoor large-screen display becomes a popular display research area. The size of conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) is limited by the fabricating process of display substrate and the driving method of thin-film-transistor. So it is difficult to achieve a large-screen outdoor LCD display. The outdoor large-screen displays are generally light emitting diode (LED) chip array displays. However, the light emitting diode chip of LED chip array displays has a wide emission spectrum, resulting in a narrow color gamut of the display device.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a display device, and a related fabricating method.


The present invention relates to methods and compositions for treating tumors using vectors that preferentially target tumor cells. In particular, the invention relates to Sindbis virus vectors which have a preferential affinity for high affinity laminin receptors (HALR). These vectors are efficiently targeted to tumors and have the ability to cause tumor necrosis.

Cancer gene therapy would benefit greatly from the availability of a vector that has a high efficiency of gene expression and the ability to target tumors. A number of transfection systems have been developed to deliver heterologous genes into in vivo tumors to investigate cancer gene therapy, but all have limitations. For example, retroviral vectors have been used for gene delivery because they mediate stable gene transfer with a low potential for immunogenicity; however, transfer efficiencies are relatively low (see, e.g., Di Ianni et al. J. Hematother. Stem. Cell Res., 1999, 8:645-652; Morling et al., Gene Ther., 1995, 2:504-508; Lam et al., Hum. Gene Ther., 1996,7:1415-1422; Kume et al., Stem Cells, 1999, 17:226-232) and germ line modification is a potential problem (see Thompson, Science, 1992, 257:1854). In addition, retroviral vectors, with few exceptions, are susceptible to lysis by serum components in human blood (see Miyao et al., Hum Gene Ther, 1997, 8:1575-1583; Russell et al., Hum Gene Ther, 1995, 6:635-641 and Rother et al., J Exp Med, 1995, 182:1345-55). This greatly limits their in vivo applications. Adenoviral vectors appear to be more efficient for gene transfer in vivo, but these vectors may be used only in a localized manner, because they lack the ability to be delivered via the bloodstream (see Duncan et al., J Gen Virol., 1978, 40:45-61; Alemany et al., J Gen Virol., 2000, 81 Pt 11:2605-2609 and Alemany et al., Nat Biotechnol., 2000, 18:723-727), and may cause toxicity to patients due to the highly immunogenic properties of adenoviral proteins (see Ginsberg, Bulletin of the New York Acad. Med., 1996, 73:53-58 and Sparer et al., J. Virol., 1997, 71:2277-2284).
Despite these advances, cancer continues to be a major public health problem requiring new solutions. Current efforts at developing therapeutic vectors founder on problems of vector safety and expression efficacy of the therapeutic gene.
Many properties of alphavirus vectors make them a desirable alternative to other virus-derived gene delivery systems being developed, including the ability to (i) rapidly engineer expression constructs, (ii) produce high-titered stocks of infectious particles, (iii) infect non-dividing cells, and (iv) attain high levels of expression (Strauss and Strauss, Microbiol. Rev. 1994, 58:491-562; Liljeström et al., Biotechnology 1991, 9:1356-1361; Bredenbeek et al., Semin. Virol. 1992, 3:297-310; Xiong et al., Science 1993, 243:1188-1191). Defective Sindbis viral vectors have been used to protect mammals from protozoan parasites, helminth parasites, ectoparasites, fungi, bacteria, and viruses (PCT Publication No. WO 94/17813).
A cDNA encoding Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) and methods of preparing attenuated Togaviruses have been described (U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,440). Infectious Sindbis virus vectors have been prepared with heterologous sequences inserted into the structural region of the genome (U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,879). In addition, RNA vectors based on the Sindbis Defective Interfering (DI) particles with heterologous sequences have also been described (U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,309). Alphaviruses, specifically the Semliki Forest Virus, were used medically to deliver exogenous RNA encoding heterologous genes, e.g., an antigenic epitope or determinant (PCT Publications No. WO 95/27069 and WO 95/07994). Vectors for enhanced expression of heterologous sequences downstream from an alphavirus base sequence have been also disclosed (PCT Publication No. WO 95/31565). Alphavirus-based vectors were also used for protein production or expression of protein sequences for immunization (PCT Publication No. WO 92/10578). A cDNA construct for alphavirus vectors may be introduced and transcribed in animal or human cells (PCT Publication No. WO 95/27044).
Sindbis virus is a member of the alphavirus genus and has been studied extensively since its discovery in various parts of the world beginning in 1953 (see Taylor et al., Egypt. Med Assoc., 1953, 36:489-494; Taylor et al., Am. J. Trop. Med Hyg, 1955, 4:844-862; and Shah et al., Ind. J. Med. Res, 1960, 48:300-308). Like many other alphaviruses, Sindbis virus is transmitted to vertebrate hosts from mosquitos. Alphavirus virions consist of a nucleocapsid, wrapped inside a lipid bilayer, upon which the envelope proteins are displayed. The envelope proteins mediate binding to host cell receptors, leading to the endocytosis of the virion. Upon endocytosis, the nucleocapsid, a complex of the capsid protein and the genomic viral RNA, is deposited into the cytoplasm of the host cell. The Sindbis virus genome is a single-stranded 49S RNA of 11703 nt (Strauss et al., 1984, Virology, 133: 92-110), capped at the 5′ terminus and polyadenylated at the 3′ terminus. The genomic RNA is of (+)-sense, is infectious, and serves as mRNA in the infected cell. Translation of the genomic RNA gives rise to the nonstructural proteins, nsP1, nsP2, nsP3, and nsP4, which are produced as polyproteins and are proteolytically processed. Early during infection, the nonstructural proteins, perhaps in association with host factors, use the genomic (+)-sense RNA as template to make a full-length, complementary (−) strand RNA. The (−) strand is template for synthesis of full-length genomic RNA. An internal promoter on the (−) strand is used for transcription of a subgenomic 26S mRNA which is co-linear with the 3′ terminal one-third of the genomic RNA. This 26S subgenomic mRNA is translated to produce a structural polyprotein that undergoes co-translational and post-translational cleavages to produce the structural proteins: C (capsid), E2, and E1 (envelope). The capsid protein C encapsidates the genomic RNA to form nucleocapsids. These interact with the cytoplasmic domain of the cell surface-bound viral envelope proteins, resulting in the envelopment of the nucleocapsid inside a membrane bilayer containing the envelope proteins, and the budding of progeny virions out of the infected cell. Sindbis virus infection has been shown to induce apoptosis in a host cell (Levine et al., Nature, 1993, 361; 739-742; Jan AND GRIFFIN, J. Virol., 1999, 73:10296-10302).
Although gene transduction based on Sindbis virus has been well-studied in vitro (see Straus et al, Microbiol. Rev., 1994, 58: 491-562; Altman-Hamamdzic et al., Gene Ther., 1997, 4; 815-822; Gwag et al., Mole. Brain Research., 1998, 63: 53-61; Bredenbeek et al., J Virol, 1993, 67; 6439-6446; Liljestrom et al., Biotechnology, 1991, 9: 1356-1361; Piper et al., Meth. Cell Biol., 1994, 43:55-78; and Grusby et al., Proc Natl. Acad. Sci USA., 1993, 90:3913-3917) and there are several reports of in vivo Sindbis virus gene transfer to the central nervous system (Duncan et al., J Gen Virol., 1978, 40:45-61; Alemany et al., J Gen Virol., 2000, 81 Pt 11:2605-2609; and Alemany et al., Nat Biotechnol., 2000, 18:723-727) as well as to to antigen presenting cells (see Tsuji et al., J Virol, 1998, 72:6907-6910; Hariharan et al., J Virol, 1998, 72:950-958; Pugachev et al., Virology, 1995, 212:587-594; and Xiong et al., Science, 1989, 243: 1188-1191), in vivo use of Sindbis virus system has been rather limited.
However, a major drawback to the use of Sindbis virus-based vectors was the fact that these vectors were thought (prior to this invention) to lack useful target cell specificity. For mammalian cells, at least one Sindbis virus receptor is a protein previously identified as the high affinity laminin receptor (HALR), whose wide distribution and highly conserved nature may be in part responsible for the broad host range of the virus (Strauss and Strauss, 1994, supra; Wang et al., J. Virol. 1992, 66:4992-5001). It was therefore thought desirable to alter the tropism of the Sindbis virus vectors to permit gene delivery specifically to certain target cell types (see PCT Publication No. WO 98/44132). Such alteration of tropism was suggested to require both the ablation of endogenous viral tropism and the introduction of novel tropism, e.g., by engineering a chimeric viral envelope protein containing an IgG binding domain of protein A.
In the mature Sindbis virus virion, a (+)-sense viral genomic RNA is complexed with capsid protein C to form icosahedral nucleocapsid that is surrounded by lipid bilayer in which two integral membrane glycoproteins, E1 and E2 are embedded (Strauss and Strauss, 1994, supra). Although E1 and E2 form a heterodimer that functions as a unit, the E2 domain appears to be particularly important for binding to cells. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) capable of neutralizing virus infectivity are usually E2 specific, and mutations in E2, rather than E1, are more often associated with altered host range and virulence (Stanley et al., J. Virol. 1985, 56:110-119; Olmsted et al., Virology 1986, 148:245-254; Polo et al., J. Virol. 1988, 62:2124:2133; Lustig et al., J. Virol., 1988, 62:2329-2336). Also, a Sindbis virus mutant was identified which contained an insertion in E2 and exhibited defective binding to mammalian cells (Dubuisson et al., J. Virol. 1993, 67:3363-3374).
In summary, there remains a need in the art for an effective treatment for cancer. In particular, the art needs an effective therapy that specifically targets tumor cells for destruction without significant adverse consequences for normal cells. The present invention addresses these and other needs in the art.

Tumor therapy with alphavirus-based and high affinity laminin receptor-targeted vectors


The invention relates to a chewing gum tablet (20) comprising at least two cohered chewing gum modules (21, 22, 23), said tableted chewing gum being formed by compression of chewing gum granules, at least one of said chewing gum modules comprising gum base granules, said gum base granules comprising an elastomer system, said chewing gum tablet comprising an elastomer system in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the tablet. According to the invention, a compressed chewing gum tablet has been obtained featuring extremely impressing abilities of incorporating well-defined amounts of chewing gum ingredients combined with acceptable rheological properties of the compete tablet.

Various ways of producing chewing gum tablets are known within the art, both with respect to the applied basic ingredients and with respect to the methods by which the final chewing gum tablets are made.
Thus, conventional chewing gum may for example be prepared by initial preparation of a gum base by mixing of water-insoluble ingredients such as elastomers and resins, typically under pressure and raised temperature. Secondly, the chewing gum ingredients, typically the water-soluble ingredients and for example flavor are added to the gum base, again by mixing. The final tablet may then be provided by a simple forming of the final chewing gum mix into the desired chewing gum tablet forms, e.g. by a kind of compacting. The above-mentioned process may be performed on a continuous basis or on a batch basis.
Such type of chewing gum is typically preferred when addressing the broad consumer market, or large-scale production, among many reasons due to the very advantageous texture of the final product. Hence, for many years this method has broadly been preferred.
An example of such chewing gum is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,090, in which at least one preprocessed string of final chewing gum mixture is laminated or gathered together with another layer of different compositional character.
Another method applied, which is basically very different than the above described, may broadly be described as an initial conventional mixing of the gum base, as above described followed by a granulation of the obtained gum base mix. The obtained gum base granules may then be mixed with further chewing gum ingredients, such as sweeteners and flavor. This final granules mix may then be compressed under high pressure (typically when applying cooling) into to a chewing gum tablet.
This type of chewing gum, tableted or compressed chewing gum, has been widely used especially within a segment of medical chewing gum due to the thereto-related relatively careful way of handling the chewing gum ingredients and especially the active ingredient typically being quite vulnerable to for example high temperatures.
The present invention deals with the last mentioned type of chewing gum, the compressed chewing gum.
Typically, as mentioned above, compressed chewing gum has been acknowledged as quite suitable for the use of vulnerable ingredients.
One problem of the above-mentioned compressed chewing gum is that the chewing gum may be relatively expensive in manufacture and moreover, if a further processing is desired, such as coating of the final tablet, the initially gained benefits may be somewhat lost due to increased manufacturing costs and even worse, due to the stress- and temperature invoked weakening of the tablet during coating.
A further problem of the above-mentioned compressed chewing gum is that undesired interaction between chewing gum ingredients restricts the possible variations and applications offered by the technique.
A chewing gum tablet of the above-described type is disclosed in DE 28 08 160. The disclosed chewing gum tablet is obtained by compression of a chewing granulate, and the tablet may be formed by several different layers of chewing granulates mixed with different ingredients, such as sweeteners or active ingredients. A problem of the disclosed tablet is that the requirements to the mixture of the different layers are somewhat strict in the sense that all the layers are made on the basis of chewing gum granules mixed with different ingredients. In other words, chewing gum granulates must be present in a substantial amount in each layer, thereby restricting the choice of ingredients and especially the possible concentrations.
It is an object of the invention to obtain a compressed chewing gum suffering from few or none of the above-mentioned disadvantages.


A hybrid memory system provides rapid, persistent byte-addressable and block-addressable memory access to a host computer system by providing direct access to a both a volatile byte-addressable memory and a volatile block-addressable memory via the same parallel memory interface. The hybrid memory system also has at least a non-volatile block-addressable memory that allows the system to persist data even through a power-loss state. The hybrid memory system can copy and move data between any of the memories using local memory controllers to free up host system resources for other tasks.

The background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
All publications herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
Data saved on memory can be accessed via a byte-addressable means, which allows for rapid access with an optimized memory space but more processing power. Memory can also be accessed via a block-addressable means, which allows for rapid access with less processing power but a non-optimized memory space. Since non-volatile memory tends to be slower than volatile memory, non-volatile memory is traditionally accessed via only block-addressable means.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,850,438 to Lee teaches a combination EEPROM and Flash memory in one chip. Lee's Flash memory is block-erasable and stores data having less frequent update rates while the EEPROM memory is byte-erasable and stores data with a high update frequency rate, allowing data to be written to the EEPROM while the data is read from the Flash memory simultaneously. Lee's chip, however, fails to utilize the rapid speeds of volatile memory, which prevents its chip from being used in ultra-high-speed embodiments. In addition, Lee's system only allows data to be transferred to/from each memory, and does not allow data to be rapidly transmitted from one memory to another directly within Lee's chip itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,208,071 to Talagala teaches a volatile, natively byte-addressable auto-commit memory that writes the contents of the byte-addressable volatile memory media to non-byte-addressable memory media of the auto-commit memory in response to a trigger event. Talagala's system, however, utilizes a traditional system bus to commit data from the volatile memory buffer to the non-volatile backing media, which requires OS drivers to be written and utilized for transmitting data from Talagala's volatile byte-addressable memory to its non-volatile block-addressable memory.
Thus, there remains a need for a system and method to rapidly utilize both block-addressable and byte-addressable means within a single memory solution.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus, system, and method of byte addressable and block addressable storage and retrieval of data to and from non-volatile storage memory


An image processing apparatus capable of being remotely controlled by an information processing apparatus via a network includes a request transmission unit configured to transmit a remote control request to the information processing apparatus via the network, a detection unit configured to receive changing information for changing a setting value for the image processing apparatus from the information processing apparatus via the network and detect a content of the change of the setting value based on the changing information, and a display unit configured to display a message for prompting an operator of the image processing apparatus to determine whether to permit changing of the setting value according to the content of the change of the setting value detected by the detection unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a remote control system including an image processing apparatus and an information processing apparatus connected with each other via a network, an image processing apparatus, a control method for the image processing apparatus, and a recording medium storing a program therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, if a defective print or a defective reading has occurred on an image processing apparatus having a reading function and a printing function, and if a user has requested the maintenance of the image processing apparatus, a service engineer is generally dispatched to the installation location of the image processing apparatus to change and adjust a setting value for the image processing apparatus. In this case, the service engineer can directly operate the image processing apparatus to change the setting value for the image processing apparatus and execute test printing, test reading, and rebooting of the apparatus to apply the changed setting.
With the recent development of the network environment, a management method for executing a maintenance operation on an image processing apparatus connected to a network from a remote apparatus via the network has become more common. As a method for changing a setting value for an image processing apparatus from an external apparatus, a conventional method exists that controls the image processing apparatus remotely from a monitoring apparatus, by transmitting an operation screen displayed on an operation unit of the image processing apparatus to the monitoring apparatus (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05-122424).
In the conventional method discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05-122424, an operation screen of an image processing apparatus is transmitted to a monitoring apparatus in bit patterns and the image processing apparatus can be remotely controlled by indicating a predetermined position of a displayed bitmap image on the monitoring apparatus. In such a conventional method, an operation screen of an image processing apparatus installed in a remote place is displayed on an information processing apparatus, such as a personal computer (PC), via a network. Thus, the user can operate the image processing apparatus, view and verify information and data, and can execute remote control of the image processing apparatus. As a viewing application, a World Wide Web (WWW) browser and Virtual Network Computing (VNC) can be used.
However, in the above-described conventional method, if the remotely located monitoring apparatus changes the value set on the image forming apparatus, or compulsorily reboots the image forming apparatus via the network, then the user cannot recognize what setting or adjustment has been set or executed on the image forming apparatus. In this case, the user may feel disoriented because the user is not notified thereof.
Furthermore, the maintenance screen displayed for a service engineer may not be easy to understand. Accordingly, it may not be easy for the service engineer to predict what effect on the image processing apparatus may occur by changing the setting value for the image processing apparatus. In addition, it may be necessary to continue the maintenance operation if the problem to be solved (a failure item such as "printed on inappropriate position", "tint adjustment", or "density adjustment") has not been solved, after verifying whether the failure has been solved by the maintenance.
Therefore, the conventional methods do not enable changing a setting for an image processing apparatus and verifying whether the failure has been solved by changing the setting through an interactive communication via a network between a remote information processing apparatus connected to the image processing apparatus, which is the target of the remote control from the information processing apparatus.

Remote control system, image processing apparatus, control method therefor, and recording medium storing program therefor


A bed and chair with commode for a patient is disclosed. The bed and chair with commode includes a rectangular main frame, which stands on at least four legs, four frames fitted on the main frame, patient's body over it when patient is lifted up off the bed, side guards being fixed on both sides of main frame for supporting the straps or nets over it and for avoiding the patient from falling down a lifting means for lifting the body of patient over the straps or nets, and a commode pan or pot being fitted under the middle frame with the help of hinge and linkage arrangement. The sliding back of the bed moves upwards and downwards by a mechanism when the back support frame is raised to chair position or lowered to bed position.

Lifting and shifting of a disabled/bedridden person has always been difficult, risky and problematic. This lifting and shifting is dangerous and painful for the disabled person if done by the untrained person. The patients are scared of this procedure, as there is a danger of slipping and falling and getting injured.
This lifting and shifting is strenuous for the nurse. When he/she is trying to lift the patient, he/she has to bend over the patient to lift him. This posture in the long run gives the nurses a back pain and can turn into permanent back problems. A lot of medical literature is available on back problems of nurses as it is very common in nurses.
A disabled person mainly needs to be shifted from a bed to change the bed or bed sheet. The person also needs to be lifted when putting a bed pan under him. This lifting and shifting is painful and dangerous for the disabled/bedridden person. A patient gets bed sores and skin troubles due to contact with a bed as some portions of skin do not get any air which causes infections and proves fatal on most occasions.
Many lifting and shifting apparatuses are available in the market. All these apparatuses are expensive and unpractical at home as it takes a lot of space and a lot of training for the user. In hospitals, some help is available, but at home one is helpless and finds lifting and shifting very difficult.
It has been observed that it is very difficult to nurse bedridden persons, the main difficulties are:    i. lifting the person up for airing for long time;    ii. lifting the person up and off the bed for change of bed or bed sheet;    iii. lifting the person for putting bed pan under him; and    iv. making the person sit upright in a chair position.
In beds available in the market, only the back frame goes in the upright position. The leg support frames do not go down. Also they do not have commode facility.
It is a common fact that all the patients on fouler (back straitening) bed slide down with the operation of the backrest. They have to be pulled up every day and that is strenuous for nurse or family members and painful for the patient. This sliding forward of patient happens because as the back is strained the patient is pushed forward as there is no sliding movement between the patient and the back frame.
In the available equipment there is no arrangement to stop this pushing. The patient is pushed forward and so slides towards his feet. As a result he has to be pulled up when the back of the bed goes into bed position as it does not pull the patient up but goes does down to bed position so the patient remains in the pushed forward position. In the available equipment nothing is available to solve this problem.
Hence there is a need of an improved bed or lifting apparatus for a patient that has a sliding back which will address and overcome all the problems of the bed or lifting & shifting apparatus of the prior art.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a bed or lifting apparatus for a patient which will address and overcome all the problems of the bed or lifting & shifting apparatus of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bed or lifting apparatus for a patient, which enables the patient to be lifted off the bed for airing the patient and for change of bed.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bed or lifting apparatus for a patient which can be converted into chair.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bed or lifting apparatus for a patient which has the built in commode.
Yet another object of the present invention is to eliminate shifting the patient from chair to bed and vice versa as the bed itself turns into chair.
To overcome this problem a need was felt to invent some mechanism, which will    1. Stop pushing the patient forward (towards legs)    2. Will save the energy of nurse and make their life easy    3. The patient will not have to go through the painful procedure.

Precision Automation and Robotics India Ltd.


Exemplary Embodiments of the invention address the problem of providing semiconductor single-layer carbon nanotubes in which the light emission energy thereof is lowered by approximately 300 meV, and a method for manufacturing the same. In one embodiment of the invention, by applying a method for directly irradiating semiconductor single-layer carbon nanotubes with ultraviolet light in atmospheric air, ozone is generated in the atmosphere, a gram amount of oxygen atoms is introduced to the semiconductor single-layer carbon nanotubes, and semiconductor single-layer carbon nanotubes in which the light emission energy thereof is lowered by approximately 300 meV.

Carbon nanotubes (hereinafter also referred to as "CNTs") are carbon structures in which a carbon sheet (i.e. a sheet of graphite) constituted by carbon atoms planarly arranged in a hexagonal pattern is cylindrically closed. These CNTs are categorized into multi-walled and single-walled CNTs. Single-walled CNTs (hereinafter also referred to as "SWCNTs") are known to have such electronic properties as to exhibit metallic properties or semiconducting properties depending on the way in which they are wound (i.e. the diameter and the degree of helicity).
Semiconductor SWCNTs, which absorb and emit light in a near-infrared region (800 to 2000 nm) where biopenetrability is high, are expected to be extremely useful as fluorescent probes that detect the functions of cells and organisms. Among them, a wavelength region of 1200 to 1400 nm is a region where biopenetrability is highest.
By introducing oxygen atoms or functional groups into these semiconductor SWCNTs, a change in emission wavelength can be effected. For example, irradiating, with light, a mixture of an aqueous solution containing SWCNTs dispersed by a surfactant and water containing ozone added thereto causes a chemical reaction whereby oxygen atoms partially substitute for carbon in the nanotube walls (Ghosh et al., Science, 330, 1656-1659 (2010) and Miyauchi et al., Nat. Photonics, 7, 715-719 (2013)). In a case where oxygen atoms are introduced in this way, most of the oxygen atoms form ether bonds with the SWCNT walls, with the result that the SWCNTs become lower in emission energy than they originally were by approximately 150 meV. Such a chemical modification also has the advantage of increasing the luminescent quantum yield of the SWCNTs.
In addition, by covalently introducing functional groups into semiconductor SWCNTs by an organic synthesis technique, the emission energy can be reduced by approximately 160 to 260 meV (Piao et al., Nat. Chem., 5, 840-845 (2013), Zhang et al., JPCL, 4, 826-830 (2013), and Brozena et al., ACS Nano, 8, 4239-4247 (2014)). For example, in the case of binding of hexanoic acid, the emission energy of the SWCNTs undergoes a low energy shift of 260 meV, and the emission of light from the SWCNTs is believed to be attributed to trion generation (Brozena et al., ACS Nano, 8, 4239-4247 (2014)).

Dispersion solution of semiconductor single-layer carbon nanotube

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


The present invention concerns a brake actuation mechanism for a disc brake, in which a translational movement in the direction of the brake disc leads to a rotation of an input element of an adjustment device, the input element of the adjustment device being designed as part of a ball screw drive. Furthermore, the invention concerns a disc brake with such a brake actuation mechanism.

The invention covers disc brakes which have either a sliding caliper or a fixed caliper and which overlap one or more brake discs. The invention relates mainly, but not exclusively, to disc brakes with lining sections of the spot-type.
Disc brakes, in particular for heavy load trucks, are known in a wide variety of designs, both as regards the type of the brake actuation mechanism, the way in which the braking force is transmitted to one or more brake discs and the way in which the brake pads are adjusted to compensate for wear.
A specific embodiment of a brake actuating device used in disc brakes, for example, is known from the applicant's International Application WO 2011/113554 A2. The brake actuation mechanism known from this application is characterized by an extremely compact design, which requires less space in the caliper housing and is lighter. All components of this brake actuation mechanism are mounted together in the caliper in a functionally cooperating manner by means of a rod mounted in the caliper housing in the axial direction so that they act parallel to the axis of rotation of the brake disc. As a result of a displacement movement of the amplification mechanism, a thrust element together with an adjusting device performs a translational movement in the direction of the brake disc in order to transmit the clamping force.
The adjustment device for wear compensation has a torque clutch which is torque-controlled and serves the selective transmission of a rotation dependent on the direction of rotation between components of the torque clutch. In addition, the adjuster comprises a one-way clutch in which two elements rotatably mounted on the rod, an internal sleeve and a hollow shaft are connected to each other by means of a freewheeling spring, the one-way clutch being designed in such a way that it transmits a rotary movement between the two elements during brake actuation and slips when the brake is released.
For the exact function with regard to clamping and transmission of the braking force as well as the adjusting movement of the state-of-the-art brake actuation mechanism, reference is hereby made expressly to the disclosure content of WO 2011/113554 A2. Other similarly designed brake actuation mechanisms are known from, for example, WO 2013/083857 A2, WO 2014/106672 A2 or WO 2015/140225 A2 of the applicant, to which reference is hereby also expressly made.
The above mentioned brake actuation mechanisms of the prior art have in common that a hollow shaft, which is rotatably mounted on the rod, serves as an input element for the adjusting device and is immediately set in rotation by the lever of the amplification mechanism. For this purpose, a pin or similar element is provided at a suitable point on the hollow shaft, the pin projecting radially from the hollow shaft and being received by a recess in the lever, in the region of its pivot bearing surface, with a defined clearance. This allows the hollow shaft to be set in rotation by a pivoting movement of the lever, which is then introduced into the adjusting device.
However, in the case of frequent brake actuations, such as those that can occur in public transport buses, the connection between pin and recess may be subject to increased wear, which is undesirable for reasons of functional safety and service life.

Disk brake and brake actuation mechanism


An optical network system capable of directly routing optical signals without entailing multiple reception of identical wavelengths. A set wavelength output unit outputs a set wavelength. An Nk-axis filter receives an Nk-axis signal propagated through a ring of an Nk-axis direction and an Nk−1-axis signal split inside the local node, and performs filtering by removing a wavelength identical with that of the Nk−1-axis signal from the Nk-axis signal and adding the wavelength of the Nk−1-axis signal to the Nk-axis signal. An Nk-axis splitter splits the Nk-axis signal into two, one being output to outside through the ring of the Nk-axis direction while the other being output, if k<n, to a confluence with an Nk+1-axis signal, and, if k=n, to a wavelength separation filter. The filter separates a desired wavelength from the Nk-axis signal. Optical transmission media connect nodes so as to constitute an n-dimensional torus network.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical network systems, and more particularly, to an optical network system enabling a plurality of nodes to send/receive optical signals to/from one another.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a result of the recent advance in information communication networks, there has been an increasing demand for simultaneous logical or physical connections of numerous nodes on a network. In the case of a communication system called metro access network interconnecting nodes located in relatively near cities, for example, there has been a demand for schemes that logically combine individual nodes on the network together in the form of a mesh to allow each node to communicate with the other nodes.
A network enabling simultaneous communications of multiple nodes is called full mesh network and has hitherto been drawing attention in the fields of inter-office networking and grid computing as a low-cost, small-scale network permitting unbound communication between nodes.
In optical networks, on the other hand, WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplex) scheme has been advancing whereby multiple optical signals of different wavelengths are multiplexed and simultaneously transmitted over a single optical fiber. Also, for individual nodes on optical networks, increasing importance has been placed on the function as an OADM (Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer) for dropping/adding optical signals of specific wavelengths from/to a wavelength division multiplexed signal beam.
A technique to be applied to conventional optical networks has been proposed wherein a dielectric multilayer film is used as a filter for the splitter or coupler of a node, and fiber Bragg grating is employed in a split light leak shutoff section between the splitter and the coupler (e.g., Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-214473 (paragraph nos. [0014] to [0017], FIG. 1)).
In the case of directly routing optical signals by means of the OADM function without converting the optical signals to electrical signals, the optical signal output from a node is routed to propagate through multiple paths. In such cases, if identical optical signals propagated through different paths reach a certain node at the same time, then the node receives exactly the same optical signal in duplicate via different paths, which makes it impossible to carry out normal optical transmission.
FIG. 15 illustrates such duplicate reception of an optical signal. Nodes 101 to 104 are connected in the form of a mesh as shown in the figure. The node 101 generates an optical signal with a wavelength λa carrying certain information (information "a") (the optical signal with the wavelength λa is added to a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal by the OADM). The signal multiplexed with the wavelength λa is routed directly without being converted to an electrical signal at individual nodes. Let us suppose that the wavelength division multiplexed signal is propagated through paths L1 and L2.
In this case, the node 103 receives, at the same time, the wavelength division multiplexed signal propagated through the path L1 and that propagated through the path L2, and these signals both contain the optical signal with the wavelength λa carrying the information "a" generated by the node 101, which means that exactly the same optical signal is received in duplicate via different paths. Consequently, interference occurs at the node 103, disrupting the communication.
When directly routing optical signals across an optical network, therefore, condition must be fulfilled that an optical signal generated by each node should be transmitted to all other nodes but there should not exist a node that receives, at the same time, identical optical signals propagated through different paths.
In the case of a simple network topology such as a one-dimensional ring network in which multiple nodes are connected in the form of a ring, a WDM optical signal is propagated in one direction, clockwise or counterclockwise. Thus, since a situation where a node receives the same signal in duplicate via different paths does not occur, optical signals can be directly routed. However, in the case of a more complex network topology, it is difficult to perform routing while satisfying the above condition.
Let us consider an exemplary case where an urban area mesh network is configured by an optical network using optical fibers and optical signals are directly routed across the optical network. In the mesh topology, however, each node receives optical signals from all directions, and accordingly, it is difficult to fulfill the condition that none of the nodes should receive the same optical signal in duplicate. A problem therefore arises in that complex network topology cannot be implemented in optical networks in which optical signals are directly routed.
In the case of an existing optical network with relatively complex topology, it is not possible to directly route optical signals across such a network while at the same time satisfying the condition that an optical signal should reach all nodes but no node should receive an identical optical signal in duplicate. In this case, it is necessary that each node perform electrical routing control. That is, optical signals need to be converted to electrical signals to allow destination search and the like to be conducted on the basis of the information indicated by the electrical signals, and then the electrical signals need to be again converted to optical signals, giving rise to a problem that restrictions are placed on the transmission characteristics that optical signals inherently have.


Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a memory subsystem comprising a memory controller, multiple memory modules interconnected with the memory controller by one or more communications media, each memory module comprising a substrate to which multiple memory chips are mounted and electronically connected to the communications media, and a power-supply signal routed to two or more voltage regulators within the memory subsystem from a system power supply, the voltage regulators outputting two or more internal power signals, each power signal providing a different, regulated voltage, which are routed to each of the memory chips. Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a memory module comprising a substrate to which multiple memory chips are mounted and two or more voltage regulators mounted to, or fabricated within, the substrate.

Socioeconomic and technological trends are driving designers of computer systems to reduce power consumption by computer systems and ameliorate problems related to heat dissipation within computer systems by reducing voltages supplied to components of computer systems. Increasing concern for the environmental consequences of power generation are driving consumer demand for "green" products in general, and energy-efficient electronic devices and appliances, in particular. Lower-voltage devices are often more cost effective to operate, over time, and may be less expensive to manufacture. The geometrically increasing densities and increasing operational frequencies of random-access memories and other computer components are creating ever increasing heat-dissipation problems for components of computer systems, mobile telephones, and other electronic device, often ameliorated, to some degree, by reducing voltages, output from power-supplies, at which the memories and other components operate.
Although use of lower voltages may decrease power consumption and heat generation, use of lower voltages may also have unintended effects of degrading signal integrity within components of electronic systems by reducing the magnitude of the voltage swings between binary OFF and ON signals and by increasing response times. Furthermore, the voltage requirements and voltage-reduction tolerances of various internal subcomponents of a component may significantly differ. A voltage reduction that produces no deleterious effects in certain voltage-reduction-tolerant subcomponents may seriously degrade the performance of, and increase the error rate in, another subcomponent. In addition, high-power components may, as a result of voltage reductions, draw greater currents, resulting in increased power dissipation through power-supplying signal lines. Many systems employ multiple, relatively inefficient linear voltage regulators, the efficiencies of which decrease as the voltage output by the voltage regulator decreases relative to the input voltage, to internally distribute power signals with various different voltages. Decreasing output voltages from these voltage regulators may decrease the power efficiency of the containing system or device. For these reasons, designers, manufacturers, and, ultimately, users of electronic systems continue to seek lower-power-consuming computer systems and other electronic systems and devices that lower power consumption without introducing signal degradation, power-distribution inefficiencies, and/or unreliable operation.

Method and system for power-efficient and non-signal-degrading voltage regulation in memory subsystems

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method of making 3-alkoxytetraalkylene sulfone. The method includes mixing an alcohol and a catalyst to form a first mixture. Alkadiene sulfone is reacted with the first mixture to form a reaction product. The reaction product is contacted with water at conditions sufficient to provide an organic phase and an inorganic phase. Subsequent to contacting the reaction product with water, the organic phase and inorganic phase are separated from one another.

Seal swelling agents, such as esters, adipates, sebacates, azeealates, phthalates, sulfones, alcohols, alkylbenzenes, substituted sulfolanes, aromatics, or mineral oils, are introduced into functional fluids used in machinery in order to minimize seal shrinkage. Examples of functional fluids include automatic transmission fluids, hydraulic fluids, lubricants, and other fluids used in heat exchange equipment. Seal swelling agents are used to address the problem of seal shrinkage, wherein seals shrink and ultimately cause functional fluid leakage. When the functional fluid is lost, machinery can slowly breakdown or stop working altogether.
A number of seal swelling agents are known in the art including those listed above. One seal swelling agent of particular interest is a substituted sulfolane as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,588 to Koch, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. However, substituted sulfolanes often include undesirable impurities. These impurities include water, catalyst, unreacted sulfolene, and/or unreacted alcohol. Water has a particularly adverse effect on elastomeric seals commonly used in lubricant applications.
Because of the impurity levels in substituted sulfolanes, and an inability to remove the impurities economically, many companies have chosen to use other seal swell agent additives. One such compound is a naphthalene depleted aromatic compound commercially available from Exxon Mobil Corporation under the trade name AROMATIC 200 ND (hereinafter, "200 ND"). However, the treat rate for 200 ND is relatively high and 200 ND emits an unpleasant odor. Therefore, there is a continuing need to find cost-effective ways to maximize the positive aspects of suitable seal swell agents while minimizing undesirable characteristics of the agents.