A pre-filled adhesive pavement marker having a body with downwardly facing openings that are pre-filled with an adhesive. An adhesive pad including an adhesive can be provided on a surface of a pavement. The pre-filled adhesive pavement marker can be attached to the adhesive pad to thereby adhere the pre-filled pavement marker to the surface of the pavement.

Pavement and road markings and devices are fixed onto roads, pathways, runways and service areas for a variety of reasons. For example, raised pavement markings (RPMs), raised reflective pavement markings (RRPMs) and other tactile markings are often used to guide and warn road users or delineate reserved areas.
RRPMs are advantageous in that they assist warn and guide road users with audible and steering vibration feedback to the driver and they function in inclement weather for example when a roadway is heavily sheeted in water or fog.
Bituminous road surfaces are made from composite materials containing rock and emulsion. Road devices are often anchored in place using bitumen-based adhesives or bonding agents, which have the same properties as the emulsion used in the road surface. To install the device, a block of adhesive, or pre-formed adhesive pad, is firstly heated and then applied onto the road surface. The device is then placed onto the adhesive while still hot and optionally rotated and/or moved until the device is in the correct orientation and position. The adhesive is then left to cool and set hard to anchor the device in place.
The connection between the device and the road surface can become weak or vulnerable to breakage over time, particularly when the road and device have been exposed to repeated fluctuations in temperature. Bitumen expands and softens in warm temperatures and contracts and hardens in cold temperatures. Changes in ambient temperature, therefore, lead to tension in the road surface and in the adhesive medium connecting the devices to the road surface. Road devices do not expand or contract with the road surface to which they are connected to accommodate such changes.
The difference between the surface tensions in an inflexible solid-state road device, the flexible adhesive pad and the as constructed bitumous road surface is, therefore, constantly changing. Prolonged exposure to temperature fluctuations as a result of daily and climatic weather changes eventually leads to breakage of the connection between the device and the surface causing the device to disconnect from the surface. Impacts and wear caused by wheels of traffic exacerbates the weakening of the connection. Road devices that separate, come loose and break away from their mountings can be hazardous, particularly in heavy and fast-flowing traffic conditions. Devices can become airborne causing damage to property and personal injury and, in extreme cases, can have fatal consequences.
Great improvements have been made in the manufacture of RRPMs over time such as their Impact strength, ultraviolet protection and reflective properties. RRPMs are commonly manufactured from glass, aluminium or specially formed hardened plastics or polymers and are therefore inflexible. The connection of RRPMs to their adhesive pad and the roadway surface has not evolved nor has it been improved in accordance with road traffic safety or RRPM manufacture. RRPMs are inflexible and they are installed onto a flexible adhesive pad and this connection releases under climatic and road traffic forces.
The associated costs in the replacement maintenance and reinstatement of safety delineators due to their adhesive failure rate is a significant problem in the global road marking industry.
A need therefore exists for improved solutions for adhering pavement markers to pavement or roadway surfaces.


Methods and system are presented for monitoring database processes to generate machine learning predictions. A plurality of database processes executed on database implementations can be monitored, wherein the monitoring includes determining a start time, an end time, and a number of rows impacted by portions of the database processes, and the monitored database processes generate instances of machine learning data including at least the number of rows impacted and an associated duration of time. Using a machine learning component and the machine learning data, a duration of time can be predicted for a candidate database process for execution on a database implementation.

The proliferation of computing and connected devices has generated vast amounts of data that requires management. As data grows in size the technological challenges related to efficiently managing the data, such as writing, querying, and generally storing structured data, become increasingly complex. For example, given the cost of computational resources, efficient data management is highly valued. In addition, organizations have become more reliant on data analytics, and thus timely and reliable data processing is also in high demand. Accordingly, efficient and predictable data processing can greatly benefit organizations that rely on data analytics.

Monitoring database processes to generate machine learning predictions


An ink-jet recording apparatus has rollers, a conveyor belt, a conveyor belt driving mechanism, an ink-jet head, an absorber, a scraper, a supplier, and a supply controller. The conveyor belt spans the rollers. The driving mechanism rotates the rollers to move a record medium disposed on one surface of the conveyor belt in a predetermined conveyance direction. The absorber absorbs cleaning fluid and contacts and applies the cleaning fluid to the one surface of the conveyor belt. The scraper comes into contact with the one surface of the conveyor belt and scrapes the cleaning fluid attached to the one surface. The supplier supplies cleaning fluid to the absorber. The supply controller controls a supply of cleaning fluid from the supplier to the absorber, so that the supply controller makes the supplier supply cleaning fluid to the absorber in response to a print command, for a first period of time before the driving mechanism rotates the rollers to make the conveyor belt start traveling.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink-jet recording apparatus that conducts recording by ejecting ink to a record medium.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2004-196505 discloses an ink-jet recording apparatus, which, when a printing operation including traveling a conveyor belt and ejecting ink from ink-jet heads onto a record medium disposed on the conveyor belt is performed, brings an absorber having cleaning fluid absorbed therein into contact with the traveling conveyor belt to thereby apply the cleaning fluid to the conveyor belt and wipes off the cleaning fluid, ink, etc., from the conveyor belt by means of a rubber blade. In this ink-jet recording apparatus, after a printing operation is completed, a predetermined amount of cleaning fluid is supplied to the absorber which is then covered with a cap so as not to dry up.

Ink-jet recording apparatus having a cleaning fluid absorber and a scraper


The present invention includes an orthotic brace which offers advantages in being able to be adjusted to fit the small of the back of a specific wearer, and may attain an infinite number of positions within its range of motion, while providing effective reinforced lumbar support.

Several prior art orthotic braces feature front and rear panels to provide lumbar support to the patient.
For instance, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,478,759 and 5,967,998, hereby incorporated herein by reference, a single front support panel is attached to one or more rear panels to provide lumbar support to the patient upon closure. Devices of this type provide better support in comparison to belt-type devices. These devices may feature a reinforcement insert, typically of relatively rigid plastic, inserted into a soft material rear portion which in turn is connected to a front portion by straps. Other braces of the prior art include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,327 having a number of straps for connecting right and left sections with the straps secured to the jacket with hook-and-loop strips. U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,110 describes a jacket-type orthoses that limits motion in the thoracic or lumbo-sacral areas and uses a rigid orthoses design that may be adjusted by a patient pulling on a plurality of laces, each attached to a short strap having hook-and-loop material thereon which is used to attach the straps to predetermined positions on the rigid brace members. Other prior art U.S. patents for orthoses include U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,543, for a lumbo-sacral brace using an elastic belt fastened with a pouch in combination with a semi-wrap-around polyurethane foam splint cured in place in the pouch; U.S. Pat. No. 2,100,964, describing a surgical belt is illustrated in which a plurality of laces are interconnected to a single strap on either side thereof; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,183, disclosing a dorsal lumbo sacral support combines elastic and non-elastic straps in a support device for a person's back, thoracic or pelvic areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,665 relates to a lumbo-sacral support having an elastic body encircling band and inelastic tensioning system, while U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,288 illustrates a soft body brace attached to a patient with a plurality of straps to provide a back support system with interchangeable and positionally adjustable orthotic support.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,553 is also a lumbo-sacral orthosis orthopedic support for encircling the torso and has a plurality of straps, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,979 is an orthopedic appliance made of resilient material conforming to the lower back of a person and uses a plurality of adjustable straps. U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,304 discloses a thoracic lumbar sacral orthosis device formed as a jacket and has support plates which can attach thereto, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,585 concerns a lumbo-sacral orthopedic support which encircles the torso of a patient and has adjustable strap portions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,933 describes an orthopedic lumbo-sacral corset using semi-rigid elements and inflatable pads.
The foregoing patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
One of the problems with these types of braces is that the reinforcement inserts placed in the rear panel portion of an orthotic brace typically are relatively stiff and cannot be formed to fit the small of the back of a particular patient. The patient must use an array of straps on at least one side of the brace to tilt the rear panel containing the reinforcement insert.
While more malleable materials might be used to conform to the shape of a particular patient's back, these softer materials alone typically are incapable of transmitting enough static force to provide lumbar support to the patient.
Accordingly, in light of the aforementioned shortcomings of currently available orthotic braces, there is a need for a flexible lumbar orthosis which can be adjusted on the patient so as to conform to the back of a patient to provide a more customized fit, without sacrificing lumbar support rigidity, and while easily adjusted without having to adjust the brace by rearranging the straps or other portion of the brace.


The present invention relates to a catalytic continuous process for producing methyl methacrylate, said process comprising the step of reacting methacrolein with oxygen and methanol in the presence of a heterogeneous noble-metal-containing catalyst in an oxidative esterification reaction to give methyl methacrylate, characterized in that the stationary concentration of the starting material methacrolein is equal to or less than 12% by weight based on the total weight of the reaction mixture in the reactor, and the ratio F between the total liquid volume within the reactor expressed in liters divided by the total weight of catalyst in the reactor expressed in kilograms is equal to or less than 4.

Large quantities of methyl methacrylate (MMA) are used for producing polymers and copolymers with other polymerizable compounds. The principal application, consuming approximately 80% of the MMA, is the manufacture of polymethyl methacrylate acrylic plastics (PMMA). Methyl methacrylate is also used for the production of co-polymers, such as methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene (MBS), used for instance as a modifier for PVC.
It is therefore highly desirable that methyl methacrylate can be produced by a process which results as simple as possible, is cost-effective and protects the environment.
Methyl methacrylate (MMA) is presently manufactured by several industrial methods, the principal one being the acetone cyanohydrin (ACH) route, using acetone and hydrogen cyanide as raw materials by way of the resultant ACH as main intermediate. The intermediate ACH is then converted with sulfuric acid to a sulfate ester of the methacrylamide, methanolysis of which gives ammonium bisulfate and MMA. Although widely used, the ACH route co-produces substantial amounts of ammonium sulfate, treatment of which incurs very high costs.
Other processes, which are not based on the afore-mentioned ACH route, are described in the relevant patent literature and are also well established on a production scale. Among the raw materials used in this context as starting materials are those based on C-4-compounds, for example isobutylene or tert-butanol, which are converted by way of a plurality of stages to the desired methacrylic acid derivatives.
In particular, Asahi Kasei has developed a two-step process for producing MMA, firstly through oxidation of isobutylene or tert-butanol at high temperatures with atmospheric oxygen in the gas phase on a heterogeneous catalyst to give methacrolein (MAL), followed by a second step with oxidative esterification reaction of MAL with methanol and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst. This process is described inter alia in the publications U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,178 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,012,039. Detailed information about this process is also provided in the article Trends and Future of Monomer-MMA Technologies, SUMITOMO KAGAKU 2004-II. In this publication, the direct oxidation process developed by Asahi is described in detail and in particular the disadvantages of the second step corresponding to the direct oxidative esterification step converting MAL to MMA. Indeed, the collection of MAL, recycling of excess methanol, separation of by-products and the like can be assumed to require a large amount of energy. It appears that there is a problem with the yield dropping when trying to raise productivity and reducing the excess methanol to reduce recycling. In general terms, the formation of by-products during the oxidative esterification, such as carbon dioxide, methyl formate, undesired carboxylic ester, requires complicated steps to isolate the final product MMA. For example, the starting material MAL, used in the oxidative esterification, is an extremely unstable compound which is likely to easily undergo a polymerization reaction. These side reactions in the oxidative esterification reactor are strongly to be avoided, because the polymerization of MAL results in clogging and deactivation of the active sites on the catalyst's surface, and causes a decrease in the catalyst's performance. Consequently, it is actually difficult to perform a long-term continuous running because the by-products, such as polymers, tend to accumulate disadvantageously.
This problem is pointed out in JP2004-345974 filed in the name of Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation. In said document, it is explained that the small hole of the oxygen diffuser is usually plugged up by polymer by-products, resulting in a bad supply and circulation of oxygen gas in the reactor. The solution proposed in said document is a continuous oxidative esterification process, wherein the temperature of the oxygen in the reactor has to be maintained between 0° C. and 80° C. in order to reduce clogging in the direct oxidative esterification reactor.
Another solution to this clogging problem in the reactor is provided in JP2004-345975, filed in the name of Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation. In said document, it is described a continuous oxidative esterification process of MAL to MMA with oxygen and methanol in the presence of a heterogeneous noble-metal-containing catalyst, wherein the polymer by-products are dissolved in methanol and subsequently removed from the reactor.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,472 B1, it is explained that the process from Asahi is only commercially satisfactory when the reaction if performed under special conditions, namely, a reaction temperature as high as 60° C. or more, and a MAL feed concentration of the reaction system as high as 20 wt % or more.
Nevertheless, under these reaction conditions, the selectivity for MMA becomes low and the by-production of methyl formate due to the oxidation of methanol is sharply increased.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,472 B1, in order to solve the afore-mentioned problems, Asahi developed a new Pd catalyst to be used in the one-step process for preparing MMA through oxidative esterification of MAL with methanol and oxygen, which allows working under these reaction conditions and still obtain a good yield and selectivity in the direct oxidative esterification of MAL to MMA.
However, there still exists the need to investigate further on possible alternative solutions in order to provide a technically and cost-effective MMA production process with high selectivity, which does not have the disadvantages of the afore-mentioned processes, like for example, by-product formation, too short run time periods for a continuous process because of clogging problems, low MAL conversion and low selectivity in the production of MMA.

Process for producing methyl methacrylate


A first wireless communication device including a network interface and a transceiver. The network interface is to transmit data from the first wireless communication device to a second wireless communication device and receive data from the second wireless communication device. The data transmitted from the first wireless communication device includes a data packet having a preamble. The preamble includes a first sub-field to indicate a transmission characteristic of the data packet, the first sub-field including a first value to indicate the transmission characteristic, and a second sub-field including a second value. The second value is to selectively indicate, based on the first value, whether to perform a first function on the data packet, and whether to perform a second function on the data packet different from the first function. The transceiver is to transmit the data packet from the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device.

Wireless local area networks (WLANs) may include an access point (AP) and one or more client stations. Various operating standards for WLANs include, but are not limited to, Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a, 802.11ac, 802.11af, 802.11ah, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n. Some standards (e.g., 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ah) implement a mixed mode preamble.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for providing WLAN data packet having dual configurations


A power supply circuit to supply an internal voltage to an output node includes: a pull-up driver, in response to a result obtained by comparing the internal voltage to a first reference voltage, configured to generate the internal voltage from a power supply voltage, a pull-down driver, in response to a result obtained by comparing the internal voltage to a second reference voltage, configured to discharge the internal voltage, a pull-up drive blocking unit configured to block the pull-up driver from being driven, in response to the result obtained by comparing the internal voltage to the second reference voltage, and a pull-down drive blocking unit configured to block the pull-down driver from being driven, in response to the result obtained by comparing the internal voltage to the first reference voltage.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a semiconductor integrated circuit, and more particularly, to a power supply circuit.
2. Related Art
Power supply voltages necessary to operate semiconductor memory apparatuses have decreased. In order to continue the trend, a variety of ways for obtaining stable memory operation characteristics have been proposed. For example, a power supply circuit using a voltage down converter is utilized in various manners.
In particular, a power supply circuit to generate a precharge voltage or cell plate voltage used in a semiconductor memory apparatus supplies a stable voltage using a pull-up driver and a pull-down driver, according to a scheme for generating a voltage having a lower level than an external power supply voltage.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a conventional power supply circuit.
Referring to FIG. 1, the power supply circuit to supply an internal voltage VINT to an output node ND includes a pull-up unit 10 and a pull-down unit 20.
The pull-up unit 10 includes a first comparator 11 and a pull-up driver 13.
The first comparator 11 is configured to compare the internal voltage VINT to a first reference voltage VREF1 and generate a pull-up signal PU1.
The pull-up driver 13 is configured to be driven by receiving the pull-up signal PU1 and generating the internal voltage VINT from a driving voltage VDD.
The pull-down unit 20 includes a second comparator 21 and a pull-down driver 23.
The second comparator 21 is configured to compare the internal voltage VINT to a second reference voltage VREF2 and generate a pull-down signal PD1.
The pull-down driver 23 is configured to be driven by receiving the pull-down signal PD1 and discharging the internal voltage VINT via VSS.
FIG. 2A is a waveform diagram illustrating an ideal operation of the power supply circuit of FIG. 1.
The first reference voltage VREF1 is set lower than the second reference voltage VREF2. The first reference voltage VREF1 is set lower by a predetermined level than the target level of the internal voltage VINT which is to be supplied, and the second reference voltage VREF2 is set higher by a predetermined level than the target level.
When the internal voltage level VINT is lower than the first reference voltage VREF1, the first comparator 11 activates the pull-up signal PU1. The pull-up driver 13 is driven to increase the level of the internal voltage VINT.
On the other hand, when the internal voltage level VINT is higher than the second reference voltage VREF2, the pull-up signal PU1 is deactivated, and the second comparator 21 activates the pull-down signal PD1. The pull-down driver 23 is driven to decrease the level of the internal voltage VINT.
When the internal voltage level VINT is between the first and second reference voltages VREF1 and VREF2, both of the pull-up driver 13 and the pull-down driver 23 are not driven. When the internal voltage level VINT is located in a predetermined level region based on the target level, the internal voltage level VINT is maintained. This region is referred to as a dead zone.
In reality, due to high integration of semiconductor memory apparatuses and varying process variations, the power supply circuit of FIG. 1 does not operate normally as illustrated in FIG. 2A, and rather, may operate to produce undesirable results.
FIG. 2B is a waveform diagram illustrating an undesirable result which may occur when the power supply circuit of FIG. 1 actually operates.
The first and second comparators 11 and 21 are implemented with a differential amplifier including transistors. Therefore, ideally, the first and second comparator 11 and 12 compare the first and second reference voltages VREF1 and VREF2 to the internal voltage VINT, respectively. In reality, however, the threshold voltages VT of transistors receiving the first and second reference voltages VREF1 and VREF2 and the internal voltage VINT may have an effect on the operation. For example, threshold voltage mismatch may occur between input transistors inside one comparator. The threshold voltage mismatch may change the comparison levels of the first and second comparators 11 and 21, which are compared to the internal voltage VINT. The first reference voltage VREF1 is set lower by a predetermined level than the second reference voltage VREF2, but the first comparison level to be substantially compared to the internal voltage VINT by the first comparator 11 may be higher is than the second comparison level to be substantially compared to the internal voltage VINT by the second comparator 21. FIG. 2B illustrates a problem occurring in such a case.
In FIG. 2B, A represents the first comparison level to be substantially compared to the internal voltage VINT by the first comparator 11, and B represents the second comparison level to be substantially compared to the internal voltage VINT by the second comparator 21.
When the internal voltage level VINT is lower than the first comparison level A, the pull-up driver 13 is driven, and when the internal voltage level VINT is higher than the second comparison level B, the pull-down driver 23 is driven. When the internal voltage level VINT is between the first and second comparison levels A and B, both of the pull-up driver 13 and the pull-down driver 23 are driven to form a current path from a driving voltage VDD to a ground voltage VSS. Therefore, unnecessary current consumption may occur.


A user preference information data structure which is capable of classifying and setting user's preference information regarding multimedia contents with multiple items to thereby provide users with user's request-based whole or partial multi-media information, and a method for providing multi-media information by using the user preference information data structure. The multiple item user preference information data structure for multi-media contents comprising: single item user preference information for single items related to the multi-media information; and multiple items user preference information for multiple items formed by combining the single items.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a user preference information data structure and a method for providing whole or partial multi-media content using the user preference information data structure, and more particularly, to a user preference information data structure which is capable of classifying and setting user's preference information regarding multimedia contents with multiple items to thereby provide users with user request-based whole or partial multi-media information, and a method for providing multi-media information by using the user preference information data structure.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recently, as a digital video technique and an image/video recognition technique are developed, information users can easily search video contents or specific segments of the video content as desired.
That is, users easily understand the whole content of a video stream within a short time by searching only a summary version generated according to user's desire, rather than viewing the whole content recorded in the video stream.
For this purpose, researches are being conducted for searching information desired by the user more easily, for which a content-based information is described to the whole or the partial segments of the multi-media stream so that the user can easily search desired information using the content-based data.
The content-based data may include a producer, a director, an actor in the whole multi-media stream or may include information related to appearance or disappearance of things in a video scene, information on when things happen, interval information of the stream such as a relationship between a character and happenings.
Accordingly, when the content-based data is described for the multi-media stream, the user may select a desired multi-media stream, or easily search only a desired portion (or a segment) of the multimedia stream.
The method using the content-based data will now be described.
In order to satisfy the user's request that "show me only the scene in which a main actor is close up in the movie Titanic", the video browsing system can display only the desired scene to the user on the basis of the previously described content-based data regarding the multimedia content.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,013 discloses a method in which a level is set for a violent scene, a nude scene or a portion of appearance of an actor in a multi-media stream and a code is given for segments, to thereby construct a content map. With this method, the user can easily search a desired portion on the basis of the content map.
However, the method for providing multi-media contents or parts of contents using the content map has a problem that whenever the user wants his or her desired information, the searching condition should be described by the user.
In order to solve the problem, most systems adopts a method that automatically recommend programs or segments of programs by combining a content map with a use user preference information.
As shown in FIG. 5, user preference information may be stored in a non-volatile memory 501 of a terminal device 500 of the user or a server or in a portable non-volatile memory such as a smart card. The user preference information can be automatically learned from the usage history of the user.
In this manner, on the basis of the usage history user preference information can be updated or the user can directly edit his or her user preference information to obtain his or her desired information automatically, thereby expressing a user preference/non-preference.
The user preference/non-preference includes a genre of information such as a melodrama, an action movie, a horror movie, politics, news, economic news, soccer, etc, or general information items related to multi-media content such as producer(s), production date, director(s), characters, a degree of special effects, etc.
The user conventional preference information data structure may indicate preference or non-preference for each item (i.e., a genre of information, a producer, a production date or a director, etc.), and as shown in FIG. 1, it is general to have a preference level (or a value) for each item.
The conventional user preference information data structure can be represented as follows
Pref={(I,v): I denotes a preference item                v is user's preference value related to item I}
FIG. 1 is a table expressing user preference information in accordance with a conventional art, in which preference/non-preference level is differently set for a single item field (i.e., each director, each genre or each actor, etc.) and each item.
FIG. 2 illustrates a construction of a user preference information data structure in accordance with a conventional art. The user preference information 100 includes a plurality (0, 1, . . . , n) of item user preference information 110. The sub-tree of the user preference information 110 includes a preference item identifier 111 for searching multi-media information or a partial portion of the multi-media information and an item preference/non-preference level 112.
The item user preference information 110 may be formed by items of a similar category, for example, a group (or a set) of preference items by genres or actors. The group (or the set) may be designed to have one-dimensional structure or a hierarchical structure.
The preference item identifier 111 includes items such as a producer, a director or an actor of the multi-media information. The item preference/non-preference level (or a value) 112 indicates the degree of preference for the preference items.
In this manner, the method recommends or provides a multi-media stream or a portion of the multi-media stream (a segment or a still image) fitting the user's taste by automatically filtering multi-media stream or its segment according to the user's preference.
However, generally, as a data format in very diverse types, and further, the content of the multi-media information also includes various genres, there are great number of items to describe the user preference information.
Accordingly, the conventional user preference information data structure formed merely with the single item and a corresponding user preference/non-preference level. But, multi-media information providing method by using the data structure of the conventional art is unsatisfactory in the aspect that since the information desired by the user is expressed merely by the single item and its corresponding preference item level, it can not fully express the user preference.
For example, in case where the user has a high preference level for each of preference item 'A' and 'B' while he or she does not prefer the content that 'A' and 'B' appear together at the same time, the user preference expressing method for the single item in accordance with the conventional art fails to fully express the user preference.

Multiple item user preference information data structure and method for providing multi-media information


A medical device programmer and a method of operation in which a first data value is received and used in the execution of one or more algorithms. One or more suggested pulse generator settings are calculated from the one or more algorithms based on the first data value, and the one or more suggested pulse generator settings are displayed on an interactive display screen of the medical device programmer. In one embodiment, the first data value is a duration interval of a QRS complex. From the duration interval, suggestions are made as to one or more ventricular chambers in which to provide pacing pulses. Additionally, pacing intervals for an AV delay are suggested based on measured P-R intervals, or pacing intervals for an LV offset are suggested based on a measured duration interval of a V-V-interval between a right ventricular event and a left ventricular event.

When functioning properly, the human heart maintains its own intrinsic rhythm, and is capable of pumping adequate blood throughout the body's circulatory system. However, some people have irregular cardiac rhythms, referred to as cardiac arrhythmias. Such arrhythmias result in diminished blood circulation. One mode of treating cardiac arrhythmias uses drug therapy. Drugs are often effective at restoring normal heart rhythms. However, drug therapy is not always effective for treating arrhythmias of certain patients. For such patients, an alternative mode of treatment is needed. One such alternative mode of treatment includes the use of a cardiac rhythm management system. Such systems are often implanted in the patient and deliver therapy to the heart.
Cardiac rhythm management systems include, among other things, pacemakers, also referred to as pacers. Pacers deliver timed sequences of low energy electrical stimuli, called pace pulses, to the heart, such as via an intravascular leadwire or catheter (referred to as a "lead") having one or more electrodes disposed in or about the heart. Heart contractions are initiated in response to such pace pulses (this is referred to as "capturing" the heart). By properly timing the delivery of pace pulses, the heart can be induced to contract in proper rhythm, greatly improving its efficiency as a pump. Pacers are often used to treat patients with bradyarrhythmias, that is, hearts that beat too slowly, or irregularly.
Cardiac rhythm management systems also include cardioverters or defibrillators that are capable of delivering higher energy electrical stimuli to the heart. Defibrillators are often used to treat patients with tachyarrhythmias, that is, hearts that beat too quickly. Such too-fast heart rhythms also cause diminished blood circulation because the heart isn't allowed sufficient time to fill with blood before contracting to expel the blood. Such pumping by the heart is inefficient. A defibrillator is capable of delivering a high energy electrical stimulus that is sometimes referred to as a defibrillation countershock. The countershock interrupts the tachyarrhythmia, allowing the heart to reestablish a normal rhythm for the efficient pumping of blood. In addition to pacers, cardiac rhythm management systems also include, among other things, pacer/defibrillators that combine the functions of pacers and defibrillators, drug delivery devices, and any other implantable or external systems or devices for diagnosing or treating cardiac arrhythmias.
One problem faced by cardiac rhythm management systems is the treatment of heart failure (also referred to as "HF"). Heart failure, which can result from long-term hypertension, is a condition in which the muscle in the walls of at least one of the right and left sides of the heart deteriorates. By way of example, suppose the muscle in the walls of the left side of the heart deteriorates. As a result, the left atrium and left ventricle become enlarged, and the heart muscle displays less contractility. This decreases cardiac output of blood through the circulatory system which, in turn, may result in an increased heart rate and less resting time between heartbeats. The heart consumes more energy and oxygen, and its condition typically worsens over a period of time.
In the above example, as the left side of the heart becomes enlarged, the intrinsic heart signals that control heart rhythm can also be impaired. Normally, such intrinsic signals originate in the sinoatrial (SA) node in the upper right atrium, traveling through and depolarizing the atrial heart tissue such that resulting contractions of the right and left atria are triggered. The intrinsic atrial heart signals are received by the atrioventricular (AV) node which, in turn, triggers a subsequent ventricular intrinsic heart signal that travels through and depolarizes the ventricular heart tissue such that resulting contractions of the right and left ventricles are triggered substantially simultaneously.
In the above example, where the left side of the heart has become enlarged due to heart failure, however, the ventricular intrinsic heart signals may travel through and depolarize the left side of the heart more slowly than in the right side of the heart. As a result, the left and right ventricles do not contract simultaneously, but rather, the left ventricle contracts after the right ventricle. This reduces the pumping efficiency of the heart. Moreover, in the case of left bundle branch block (LBBB), for example, different regions within the left ventricle may not contract together in a coordinated fashion.
Heart failure can be treated by biventricular coordination therapy that provides pacing pulses to both right and left ventricles. See, e.g., Mower U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,688. Heart failure may also result in an overly long atrioventricular (AV) delay between atrial and ventricular contractions, again reducing the pumping efficiency of the heart. Providing heart failure patients with improved pacing and coordination therapies for improving AV-delay, coordinating ventricular contractions, or otherwise increasing heart pumping efficiency continues to be area in which improved techniques and therapy protocols are needed.


Disclosed is a passive electromagnetic pen, which includes a pen core, a first iron core, and an iron core holder, wherein a coil is wound outside the first iron core, the first iron core is fixed to an end of the iron core holder close to a pen tip of the pen core, a second iron core, an elastic component, a pressure regulating plate, and a first structure matched with the pressure regulating plate are disposed in the iron core holder sequentially from front to back, and the pen core is configured to pass through a center of the first iron core, and then drive the second iron core to move; and the pressure regulating plate when in rotation is configured to be in surface contact with the first structure by a surface, so as to generate an axial displacement to change an axial displacement of the elastic opponent.

With the rapid development of computer technology, various hardware devices are changing with each passing day and emerging in endlessly. In input devices, there are various handwriting and drawing input devices to be more beneficial for input needs of handwriting and drawing, including a handwriting board, a drawing board, and the like, which can be collectively called the "drawing board".
The drawing board may be divided into a resistive type, a capacitive type, an electromagnetic type, a surface acoustic wave type, an optical (infrared) type, and the like in technology, wherein the electromagnetic type is most widely used, and has been recognized by the market. The electromagnetic drawing board is further divided into an active type and a passive type. Accordingly, an electromagnetic pen included in an electromagnetic drawing board system is also divided into an active type and a passive type. A change of a frequency of the passive electromagnetic pen may be implemented by a variable capacitance technology or a variable inductance technology. In the electromagnetic drawing board system adopting the variable inductance technology of the passive electromagnetic pen, a changed inductor is connected in parallel with a capacitor on a PCBA initially. An antenna board may emit a frequency to charge the pen, when the antenna board stops emitting, the pen may be changed from receiving energy to emitting energy, and the inductor on the pen is changed, and is connected in parallel with the fixed capacitor on the PCBA, which may change a frequency emitted by the pen, such that the antenna board is capable of obtaining different frequencies of the pen, and different changes of a pressure value of the pen (reflecting a weight sense) are generated.
The variable inductance technology of the passive electromagnetic pen is mostly used in a coil-wound solenoid, and an inductance value is changed by moving an iron core in the solenoid; or in two iron cores on a same axis, one iron core is wound with a coil, and the other iron core is not wound with a coil, and the inductance value is changed by changing a distance between the two iron cores. Since the coil needs to be wound on the solenoid in the former, a diameter of the pen may be larger than that of the pen in the latter. In addition, the coil is wound on the solenoid in the former, which increases a distance between the coil and the iron core, such that energy loss of the former is larger than that of the latter.
However, at present, the passive electromagnetic pen adopting a distance relationship structure of two iron cores is composed of many parts, each part has its own manufacturing error, and each part is made of different materials. Therefore, a problem of size inconsistency often occurs during assembly and production, which leads to a condition that when the passive electromagnetic pen is delivered, an axial displacement space of an internal elastic component thereof is smaller or larger than a standard axial displacement space (which means that an actual size of the passive electromagnetic pen is smaller or larger than a standard size), such that it is difficult to ensure that weight senses of each passive electromagnetic pen are consistent, thereby being not conducive to mass production.


A hydroelectric power system and pump suitable for the system are disclosed which can make efficient use of the energy available in water flows with considerably variable flow rates. A simple, compact variable displacement axial piston pump can be operated so as to provide an essentially constant output pumping pressure and variable output volume that varies efficiently in accordance with water flow rate. The system is particularly suitable for shoreline tidal power generation and provides firm power output throughout the tidal slacks occurring during the tidal reversals.

Many coastal locations in the world have the potential for tidal power generation but lack the ability to provide firm power. Present tidal power production designs and systems typically lack the infrastructure or adequate efficiency to store and release a practical amount of energy during slack tide. For instance, Graham Island of Haida Gwaii is presently without an adequate firm source of "green" energy to replace the diesel generators now in use there. Graham Island has the potential for both wind and tidal power according to S. Hart, 2008, "Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte Islands Demonstration Tidal Power Plant Feasibility Study. A Hatch Energy report for British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources." However, both sources provide intermittent energy production in the absence of storage.
Various systems have been proposed in the art that use water movement as a source of energy and fluid pumped to an elevated reservoir to store the energy prior to using the fluid to drive a turbine for generating electricity. For instance, published US application US2007/258771 discloses a simple way using a class #2 simple lever machine principal to harvest and transport energy from the bottom of an ocean or lake from the action of water waves beyond the shore and up on land. The fulcrum for this lever is an anchor on the seafloor, at the opposite end of this lever, the force, or energy, is an attached water container that rises and falls with water wave action. A water pump anchored to the seafloor and reaching the underside of the water container receives the energy and pumps water continually and harmoniously with the vertical movements of this water container to shore and into a fresh water reservoir. After the water has lost its energy to do work from its loss of elevation below the reservoir it can be recycled back to the water pump. This application will show the water from the reservoir to be used in the generation of electricity and either recycled back to the water pump, or wasted after use, and a continual supply of fresh water from another source is available for use.
However, the pumps suggested for use in hydroelectric power systems like the preceding are typically limited in their ability to efficiently adjust for the variable, intermittent energy available from tides and/or waves. Pumps considered in the prior art may be unable to both provide sufficient output pressure to pump fluid to the reservoir at times of weak energy supply (e.g. slack tide), while also taking full advantage of the available energy at times of strong energy supply (e.g. peak tide flow rate).
Axial piston pumps using designs and configurations based on rotating piston clusters and fixed (non-rotating) swash plates have been used for decades in diverse high rpm industrial applications (e.g. transmissions). Generally, such pumps are fixed displacement types in which the angle of the swash plates with respect to the rotating piston clusters is fixed. However, axial piston pumps with variable displacement are also known in the art in which the angle of the swash plates in the aforementioned designs can be adjusted with respect to the rotating piston clusters during use. Further still, fixed displacement axial piston pumps with fixed piston clusters and swash plates that rotate at a fixed angle to the shaft are also known in the art.
There remains a continuing need for more efficient hydroelectric power systems and pumps therefor to store and release energy from water sources flowing at considerably varied speeds. The present invention addresses this need while additionally providing other benefits as disclosed herein.


A motor driving device is disclosed that includes a first drive circuit that drives a first electric motor and increases a rotational speed of the first electric motor according to an increase in a duty ratio of a pulse signal output from an electronic control unit. The motor driving device also includes a second drive circuit that drives a second electric motor and increases the rotational speed of the second electric motor according to the increase in the duty ratio of the pulse signal. The second drive circuit smooths the pulse signal from the electronic control unit to produce a direct-current voltage. Also, the second drive circuit supplies electric power to the second electric motor by applying the direct-current voltage to the second electric motor.

Vehicle air-conditioner systems have been proposed that have a plurality of electric air blowers (e.g., two air blowers) and a motor driving device that drives each of the air blowers together. For instance, a conventional configuration of an electrical circuit for the motor driving device is shown in FIG. 3.
The motor driving device 10 includes inverter circuits 20, 30, an oscillation circuit 31, and field-effect transistors 32, 33. The inverter circuit 20 drives a three-phase brushless motor MO1 for the air blower based on a pulse signal P0, which is outputted from an electronic control unit 40 (ECU).
More specifically, a stator of the three-phase brushless motor MO1 has armature windings A, B, C that provide a rotor with a rotating magnetic field. The inverter circuit 20 increases a rotational speed of the three-phase brushless motor MO1 (i.e., the rotor) by applying a higher voltage to the armature windings A, B, C when the duty ratio of the pulse signal P0 increases. With reference to FIG. 3, the duty ratio is expressed as: TH/TH+TL.
The inverter circuit 30 drives a single-phase brushless motor MO2 for the air blower based on the pulse signal P0 outputted from the ECU 40. More specifically, the inverter circuit 30 outputs a pulse signal P1 to the field-effect transistor 32, and outputs a pulse signal P2 to the field-effect transistor 33.
The pulse signals P1, P2 have the same frequency of f1 and there is a 180° phase shift between these two signals as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The inverter circuit 30 increases the corresponding duty ratio of each of the pulse signals P1, P2 according to an increase in the duty ratio of the pulse signal P0. Additionally, electric motors employed as the brushless motors MO1, MO2 are different from each other due to different volumes of required air to be supplied.
The oscillation circuit 31 outputs a pulse signal P3 that has a constant frequency of f2 (e.g., 20 KHz), which is greater than f1 as shown in FIG. 4C. The pulse signal P3 is output to a corresponding gate terminal of each of the field-effect transistors 32, 33.
Consequently, as shown in FIG. 4D, the field-effect transistor 32 switches on and off at the frequency of f2 during a period H1 based on the pulse signal P3 outputted from the oscillation circuit 31 and the pulse signal P1 from the inverter circuit 30.
As shown in FIG. 4E, the field-effect transistor 33 switches on and off at the frequency of f2 during a period H2 based on the pulse signal P3 outputted from the oscillation circuit 31 and the pulse signal P2 from the inverter circuit 30.
The single-phase brushless motor MO2 is connected to the field-effect transistors 32, 33 and a direct-current power supply Vcc. The stator of the single-phase brushless motor MO2 has armature windings A, B that provide the rotor with the rotating magnetic field.
Accompanying the switching of the field-effect transistor 32, an electric current from the direct-current power supply Vcc passes through the armature winding A. The electric current from the direct-current power supply Vcc passes through the armature winding B following the switching of the field-effect transistor 33.
Because of the 180° phase shift between the pulse signals P1, P2 as described above, the switching of the field-effect transistor 32 alternates with that of the field-effect transistor 33. Accordingly, energization of the armature winding A from the direct-current power supply Vcc alternates with that of the armature winding B.
The oscillation circuit 31 increases the duty ratio of the pulse signal P3 as the duty ratio of the pulse signal P0 outputted from the electronic control unit 40 increases. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the inverter circuit 30 increases the corresponding duty ratio of each of the pulse signals P1, P2 according to the increase in the duty ratio of the pulse signal P0. As a result, as the duty ratio of the pulse signal P0 increases, an average electric current that passes through the armature windings A, B from the direct-current power supply Vcc increases. Thus, the rotational speed of the single-phase brushless motor MO2 increases in proportion to the duty ratio of the pulse signal P0. Consequently, the rotational speeds of the brushless motors MO1, MO2 are controlled by means of the duty ratio of the pulse signal P0 from the electronic control unit 40 so that the brushless motors MO1, MO2 are driven together.
However, conventional systems such as the motor driving device 10 described above have certain problems. For instance, in motor driving device 10 described above, the oscillation circuit 31 that oscillates at the constant frequency of f2 is employed in controlling the rotational speed of the single-phase brushless motor MO2. The oscillation of the oscillation circuit 31 generates undesired radiation, which can adversely affect other devices, such as audio devices (e.g., radio), video devices (e.g., television), and the like.


Certain viscous oil reservoirs are too deep to be commercially mined but lack an adequate top seal to employ in situ recovery methods such as SAGD. Without an adequate top seal, gases from the reservoir can rise into overlying aquifers and potentially to the surface. While ice-like hydrates would not normally form above the oil reservoir during in situ recovery, an additive can be added to promote hydrate formation. In this way, a hydrate barrier can be formed to act as a top seal to contain these gases.

Viscous oil, such as heavy oil or bitumen, residing in reservoirs that are sufficiently close to the surface may be mined.
Viscous oil residing in reservoirs that are too deep for commercial mining may be recovered by in situ processes. Commonly, viscous oil is produced from subterranean reservoirs using in situ recovery processes that reduce the viscosity of the oil enabling it to flow to the wells; otherwise, an economic production rate would not be possible. In commercial in situ viscous oil recovery processes, the temperature or pressure is modified or a solvent is added to reduce the viscosity or otherwise enhance the flow of the viscous oil within the reservoir. Such a solvent is referred to herein as a "viscosity reducing solvent" or simply a "solvent".
Various in situ processes for recovering viscous oil are known including CSS (Cyclic Steam Stimulation), CSD (Constant Steam Drainage), SAGD (Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage), SA-SAGD (Solvent Assisted-Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage), VAPEX (Vapor Extraction), CSDRP (Cyclic Solvent-Dominated Recovery Process), LASER (Liquid Addition to Steam for Enhancing Recovery), SAVEX (Combined Steam and Vapor Extraction Process), water flooding, and steam flooding.
An example of CSS is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,559 (Best). An example SAGD is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,485 (Butler). An example of SA-SAGD is described in Canadian Patent No. 1,246,993 (Vogel). An example of VAPEX is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,274 (Frauenfeld). An example of CSDRP is described in Canadian Patent No. 2,349,234 (Lim). An example of LASER is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,759 (Leaute et al.). An example of SAVEX is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,872 (Gutek).
In certain processes, such as in SAGD (Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage), a dedicated injection well and a dedicated production well are used.
In other processes, such as in CSS (Cyclic Steam Stimulation), the same well is used both for injecting a fluid and for producing oil. In CSS, cycles of steam injection, soak, and oil production are employed. Once the production rate falls to a given level, the well is put through another cycle of injection, soak, and production.
Certain viscous oil reservoirs are too deep to be commercially mined but lack an adequate top seal to employ in situ recovery methods using a fluid injectant (e.g. SAGD, SA-SAGD, and VAPEX) due to the potential loss of the injectant (for example steam or a solvent), or other gases, from the reservoir upwardly and, for instance, into an aquifer or to the surface. Significant deposits in the Athabasca oil sands region of Alberta, Canada, possess these characteristics.
Therefore, one limitation of solvent, steam, and solvent-steam combination in situ viscous oil recovery methods is the requirement for an adequate top seal. Reservoirs at this relatively shallow depth and lacking an adequate top seal are often silty sands or shales that may not adequately contain gases within the reservoir.
It would be desirable to have a method of recovering in situ viscous oil residing in reservoirs lacking an adequate top seal.

Creation of a hydrate barrier during in situ hydrocarbon recovery


Disclosed is a discharge lamp with enhanced vertical illuminance and accordingly improved light distribution characteristics that is easy to manufacture and suitable for mass production. For a discharge lamp in which a discharge path with a double helix configuration is formed or a discharge lamp in which a plurality of U-shaped tubes are placed on an arc tube holder to form a single tortuous discharge path, a width of a turning part 106 is specified so as to narrow spaces formed in an arc tube top part, or swelling parts are provided in a vicinity of the arc tube top part so as to narrow the spaces.

This application is based on Patent Application Nos. 2001-293834 and 2001-293835 filed in Japan, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a discharge lamp with improved light distribution characteristics.
2. Description of Related Art
Examples of conventional discharge lamps include a lamp using a double helical arc tube in which a discharge path with a double helix configuration is formed and electrodes are provided at both ends of the discharge path (first conventional technique), and a lamp using an arc tube composed of a plurality of U-shaped tubes (e.g., three U-shaped tubes) whose side edges are connected with one another to form a single tortuous discharge path and electrodes are provided at both ends of the discharge path (second conventional technique).
FIGS. 1 and 2 are for describing the first conventional technique. FIG. 1 is a top view of a discharge lamp 901 relating to the first conventional technique as viewed from the top of an arc tube. FIG. 2 is a side view of the discharge lamp 901. As shown in FIG. 1, a top part of the arc tube of the discharge lamp 901 has the following shape. The arc tube top part is composed of a turning part 906 that is provided at the center of the arc tube top part and helical parts 907 that are provided to sandwich the turning part 906 between them. In the arc tube top part, spaces 908 are formed between the turning part 906 and the respective helical parts 907.
FIGS. 3 and 4 are for describing the second conventional technique. FIG. 3 is a top view of a discharge lamp 920 relating to the second conventional technique as viewed from the top of an arc tube. FIG. 4 is a side view of the discharge lamp 920. The discharge lamp 920 relating to the second conventional technique includes an arc tube composed of three U-shaped tubes 921, 922, and 923. The U-shaped tubes 921 and 922, and the U-shaped tubes 922 and 923 are respectively connected with each other at their side edges, thereby forming a single tortuous discharge path. A pair of electrodes (not shown) is provided at both ends of the discharge path. The discharge lamp 920 further includes an arc tube holder 924 that holds a bottom part of the arc tube. The three U-shaped tubes are set straight and provided annularly so as to surround the axis of the arc tube holder 924.
The discharge lamps described above can be used as alternative light sources to incandescent electric lamps. However, these discharge lamps have problems in their light distribution characteristics. To be more specific, the discharge lamps relating to the above conventional techniques exhibit lower illuminance in the direction of the arc tube top (hereafter referred to as xe2x80x9cvertical illuminancexe2x80x9d) than incandescent lamps.
Light distribution characteristics are to indicate distribution of light outputs. A discharge lamp has a base usually provided at a bottom part of an arc tube that is opposite to an arc tube top part, and is set with the arc tub top part being oriented downward. When used as ceiling area lighting of a room, a discharge lamp with high vertical illuminance can lighten the whole room brightly, but a discharge lamp with low vertical illuminance can lighten the whole room only dimly due to light escaping in the horizontal direction. To sum up, there are increasing demands for improving vertical illuminance of discharge lamps.
Also, various efforts have been made to improve light distribution characteristics of discharge lamps relating to the second conventional technique that include a plurality of connected U-shaped tubes. One example of such efforts is a lamp in which a top part of an arc tube is bent toward an axis of an arc tube holder, and another example is a lamp in which an arc tube is inclined with respect to an arc tube holder (see e.g., Japanese published unexamined patent application No. S58-48349 and Japanese published unexamined utility model application No. H2-97746).
In fact, the arc tube whose top part is bent is difficult to manufacture and is not suitable for mass production because it needs a mold with a complex shape and requires a complicated work of inserting a softened glass tube into the mold in its manufacturing processes. Also, the arc tube that is set inclined inevitably increases the whole lamp size and lacks in compactness because an angle of inclination needs to be set large and a distance between both ends of the arc tube increases accordingly.
The object of the present invention therefore is to provide a discharge lamp with improved light distribution characteristics that is easy to manufacture and suitable for mass production.
The above object can be achieved by a discharge lamp, including: an arc tube holder; and a double helical arc tube whose both ends are held by the arc tube holder, and that includes a turning part at a top thereof and two helical parts, the turning part joining the two helical parts together, wherein a tube diameter of the turning part gradually increases toward a middle of the, turning part, in such a direction that narrows a non light-emitting region formed between the turning part and a neighboring portion of each helical part at the top of the arc tube.
According to the construction of the discharge lamp in which spaces formed at both sides of the turning part can be narrowed by adjusting a width of the turning part, light distribution characteristics can be improved. Also, in manufacturing processes of this discharge lamp, the width of the turning part can be adjusted, for example, by blowing air or the like into a glass tube that is in a softened state. Therefore, a normal metal mold can be used in the manufacturing processes. As a result, this discharge lamp is easy to manufacture and suitable for mass production.
The above object can also be achieved by a discharge lamp, including: an arc tube holder; and an arc tube that includes a plurality of U-shaped tubes placed on the arc tube holder, predetermined ones of the U-shaped tubes being connected together, to form a single discharge path therein, wherein each U-shaped tube has a swelling part at a top thereof that is an opposite side to the arc tube holder, to narrow a non light-emitting region surrounded by tops of the plurality of U-shaped tubes.

Discharge lamp with improved light distribution characteristics

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A non-covalently assembled hydrogel or organo-gel composition with serum stability is described. Low molecular weight (<2,500 Da), generally regarded as safe (GRAS), materials assemble in the presence of a stabilizing agent at an appropriate molar percentage, forming hydrogel or organo-gel with nanostructures that resist disassembly or destabilization in serum for an extended period of time. The composition is used to deliver one or more therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic agents, allowing for controlled release in response to biological stimuli such as enzymes and a greatly improved dosing efficacy.

Self-assembly in forming molecularly defined, high-ordered structures largely relies on non-covalent interactions. Structures formed from self-assembly are capable of entrapping molecules in solution during the assembly process, resulting in injectable carriers suitable for delivery of hydrophobic and hydrophilic agents.
However, self-assembled structures are generally unstable and are subject to biological, chemical, and mechanical perturbations. For example, the interactions of self-assembled structures with blood proteins are diverse and complex, often leading to dramatic effects on the stability and in vivo behavior of assembled structures. Serum lipoproteins may destabilize the amphiphilic building blocks of assembled structures by perturbing their hydrophobic-hydrophilic interactions. Irregularities at phase boundaries in the assembled structures may promote the destabilizing effects. (Bonte F and Juliano R L, Chemistry and Physics of Lipids, 40:359-372 (1986)). The disruption of assembled structures often leads to loss of contents and failure of therapeutic delivery.
Controlled release in response to pathological environments presents a significant challenge with self-assembled structures. The ability of drug delivery systems to reach target tissues from the point of administration can be limited by multiple barriers. For example, orally administered drug delivery systems must pass through the acid in the stomach, be absorbed across the intestinal epithelium, and avoid hepatic clearance and nonspecific uptake. Systemically administered, self-assembled materials are challenged with destabilization with blood proteins, loss of cargo, and rapid clearance from circulation.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide stabilized, self-assembled hydrogel or organo-gel formed with generally regarded as safe materials. It is another object of the present invention to provide stabilized self-assembled carriers for controlled release in response to biological stimuli.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of delivering active agents to disease sites with increased dosing efficacy and lower toxicity.

Stabilized assembled nanostructures for delivery of encapsulated agents


A branch circuit monitoring system (BCMS) for monitoring branch circuit currents in one or more electrical circuit panels is described. The system is comprised of a data center server, one or more panel processors, each with one or more collection devices, and one or more current sensors per collection device. The BCMS is designed to be installed entirely inside the panel without the need for a dedicated enclosure or power supply to facilitate ease of installation and low-cost. The BCMS also allows for future upgradability through standard software updates so that the system can be updated or patched easily. The BCMS data center server collects, aggregates, stores, and serves historical branch circuit current data from the panel processors to networked users via a web server to provide visualization of data such as tables, charts, and gauges. Finally, the BCMS interfaces to third-party software suites using industry-standard protocols such as Modbus® TCP and BACnet™ for integration with data center infrastructure management or building management system software.

1. Field
Aspects of the present disclosure involve a branch circuit monitoring system providing information concerning the utilization of individual branch circuits, particularly within a data center, and providing the ability to manage those circuits so that individual circuits are not overloaded while at the same time fully utilizing various circuits.
2. Background
Branch circuit monitoring (BCM) devices typically utilize a multitude of current transformers (CTs) connected to a sampling and processing board, either directly or via an intermediary circuit board. The CTs generate a voltage or current electric signal that is proportional to the current flowing in the branch circuit. The standard procedure dictates a sampling of the electric signal and performing mathematical calculations to determine the RMS current. Additional calculations such as real power, apparent power, power factor, and kWh are possible with the estimation or measurement of the voltage of the branch circuit. However, because the circuits are limited by the circuit breaker current rating, the most important and useful measurement is the RMS current value. This value is used to determine if a circuit is in danger of being overloaded, or can be summed with other current values to give a phase current total. Some BCM devices use digital signal processors and a multitude of analog-to-digital (A/D) converters to accomplish this. As the number of circuits monitored grows, the size and complexity of the collection and processing circuitry increases, leading to large systems and relatively high prices per panel. A typical data center may have hundreds of panels and thousands of circuits to monitor, making conventional BCM devices prohibitively expensive to install.
Typical BCM devices require that the circuit panel be de-energized to pass the circuit wires through the CTs, making retrofits difficult in data centers that need continuous operation (or up-time). Use of split-core CTs alleviates some of the difficulty of installing a BCM in a "live" panel, but in general, the main processing circuitry still has the disadvantage of being large and requiring a separate cabinet and power supply for installation. These two requirements increase the cost and complexity of the BCM device installation.
In addition, most prior art BCM devices are designed with application-specific processors and circuitry. This makes upgrading or improving the system difficult and expensive, if even possible.


According to one embodiment, a storage device includes a nonvolatile memory including physical sectors each of which comprises memory cells commonly connected to a word line, each of the memory cells being capable of storing data of not less than 2 bits, each of the physical sectors including pages corresponding to the number of bits storable in the memory cell, and a controller configured to receive a first write command and to write data associated with the first write command to the nonvolatile memory. In a write process using the first write command, the controller is configured to skip an upper page of a physical sector whose lower page is write-accessed by a second write command prior to the first write command.

A NAND flash memory is known as a kind of electrically programmable nonvolatile storage devices. As a technique for increasing the data storage capacity of the NAND flash memory, an MLC (Multi Level Cell) storage scheme in which the threshold distribution of a memory cell is subdivided to allow storage of a plurality of bits in each memory cell is available.
Data write and read for a NAND flash memory is done using, as a unit, a page formed by memory cells commonly connected to each word line. In the MLC memory, data of a plurality of pages corresponding to the number of bits storable in one memory cell are stored in physically identical memory cells. For example, in a 4-value storage device, two pages share the same memory cell. One of these two pages which has a smaller address is called a lower page, while the other having a larger address is called an upper page.
Upon receiving a write command from a host device, a NAND flash memory may write data to an upper page which shares a memory cell with a lower page to which data is written by another previous write command because the memory writes data from a page next to pages to which data are written by write operations up to the immediately preceding write operation. When the NAND flash memory is powered off during the data write to the upper page, the write access to the upper page by the current write command fails, and at the same time the data previously written to the lower page is also destroyed. This impairs the reliability of the NAND flash memory.

Storage device and control method of nonvolatile memory


A method of providing an indication of quality of an image of a document comprises the steps of (a) storing apriori data which is representative of a line contained in at least one field associated with the document, (b) receiving image data which is representative of the image of the document, (c) retrieving the stored apriori data based upon a first portion of the document image data, (d) comparing a second portion of the document image data with the retrieved apriori data, (e) providing an indication of quality of the image of the document based upon the comparison of the second portion of the document image data with the retrieved apriori data, and (f) processing the status signal to alert an operator of quality of the image of the document being below a predetermined threshold.

The present invention relates to quality of document images, and is particularly directed to a method of providing an indication of quality of a document image, such as a check image, and an apparatus therefor.
A check imaging application in which quality of an image of a check is of concern is when a check image is electronically transferred from a sending bank to a receiving bank for check clearing purposes. In this check imaging application, the receiving bank wants to ensure that the electronically transferred check image is of sufficient quality for the intended use before accepting the check image from the sending bank. Another type of check imaging application in which quality of an image of a check is of concern is when a receiving bank receives a physical check from a sending bank and then processes that check to capture an image of the check. In this check imaging application, the receiving bank wants to ensure that the captured check image is of sufficient quality for the intended use before processing the check image any further, such as storing the check image in a check image archive. Still another type of check imaging application in which quality of an image of a check is of concern is when a bank desires to retrieve a check image from a check image archive. The check image may be retrieved from the check image archive for a number of different purposes. For example, the check image may be retrieved for the purpose of printing the check image onto an advice letter to be sent to a bank customer. In this check imaging application, the bank wants to ensure that the check image retrieved from the check image archive is of sufficient quality before printing the check image onto the advice letter to be sent to the bank customer.
The above check imaging applications are typical check imaging applications in which quality of an image of a check is of concern. Quality of an image of a check may also be of concern in other types of check imaging applications. It would be desirable to have a method of providing an indication of quality of an image of a check in many types of check imaging applications.

Method of providing an indication of quality of a document image and an apparatus therefor


A system for mounting and supporting cotton harvesting units for vertical displacement on a forward end of a cotton harvester frame. The mounting and supporting system includes a parallelogram-type linkage assembly for connecting the harvesting units to the frame such that the harvesting units maintain a generally level attitude in either lowered or raised positions. The linkage assembly includes vertically spaced and generally parallel lift arms and tension arms. Each lift arm and tension arm is pivotally attached at its rear end to the frame and at its forward end to the harvesting units. A tilting mechanism connects the rear end of the tension arms to the frame and is operable to move the harvesting units about their pivot attachment to the lift arm to a tilted position and thereby facilitate an increase in ground clearance for the cotton harvester.

Cotton harvesters having two or more harvesting units supported at a forward end of a frame in a side-by-side relation are well-known in the art. Each harvesting unit typically includes rotary picker drums arranged in fore-and-aft relation relative to each other. Each picker drum includes columns of picker spindles radially extending therefrom.
A mounting and support system is provided for connecting the harvesting units to the frame in a manner permitting vertical displacement of the harvesting units between lowered and raised positions. A typical mounting and supporting system includes two elongated tool bar structures extending laterally across the front end of the harvester. One tool bar structure has one or more harvesting units commonly thereon. The remaining harvesting units are commonly mounted on the other tool bar structure. Each tool bar structure is pivotally connected to the frame of the harvester by independently operated lift assemblies.
To facilitate narrow row cotton harvesting (30" row spacing) the picker drums of adjacent harvesting units are preferably nested relative to each other. The nested relationship and close proximity of the harvesting units relative to each other presents interference problems when the harvesting units are independently moved to their raised position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,173 to M. J. Covington et al. provides a lift assembly which advantageously avoids interference problems between adjacent picker drums while permitting their vertical displacement relative to each other. The lift assembly disclosed in the Covington et al. patent vertically moves the harvesting units in substantially parallel relation relative to each other. The ability to move the harvesting units in parallel relation relative to each other furthermore maintains a substantially level attitude for the picker drums of the harvesting units relative to the ground surface over which the harvester moves during operation.
Cotton grows close to the ground on cotton plants. To maximize picking capacity, therefore, each harvesting unit is basically parallel to the ground and typically tilted in a fore-and-aft direction such that a forward end of the harvesting unit is arranged closer to the ground than is the rearward or aft end of the harvesting unit.
When the cotton harvester is driven from one portion or section of a field to another section of the field, the harvesting units are elevated into a raised position. Because the lift assembly is arranged beneath the cab region on the frame of the harvester, the vertical displacement of the harvesting units is limited. Thus, even after the harvesting units are moved into their raised position, the harvesting units remain parallel and close to the ground and define limited ground clearance for the cotton harvester. As will be appreciated, an ability to increase ground clearance reduces the likelihood of damage to the harvesting units as the harvester is transported and enhances harvester mobility.

Cotton harvester mounting and supporting system with high lift capacity


The invention relates to a label comprising an electronic chip for applying to a bottle of liquid, said label comprising;                a first layer (S), called a support layer (S),        a second layer (E), called an electronic chip layer (E), comprising at least an electronic chip and an antenna connected to the electronic chip, and        a third layer (P), called customization layer (P),        in which each layer (S, E, P) has two faces, and the three layers (S, E, P) are placed one above the other in a stacking direction,        and in which the customization layer (P) comprises at least one sublayer (C5), called metal sublayer (C5), made of a metal material, the thickness of the metal sublayer (C5) along the stacking direction being less than or equal to 35 μm.

In the food or cosmetic field, electronic chips are commonly used to make it possible to guarantee the traceability of products. The electronic chips are then generally affixed on the containers of such products.
For some products, in particular in the luxury field such as wines, it is desirable for the electronic chip not to be very visible, the presence thereof decreasing the value of the product.
To that end, it is known to position the electronic chip in an inaccessible location, for example behind a label of a bottle, which makes it possible to preserve the value of the content of the bottle.
However, a potential infringer does not know that the electronic chip is present and may be tempted to propose a counterfeit bottle, thinking that the bottle is not truly protected. The dissuasive aspect of the electronic chip is thus lost.
There is therefore a need for an electronic chip that is visible to a potential infringer but not highly visible to a consumer.

Label comprising an electronic chip for a bottle, and associated production method


An electronic device includes a housing and a display device. The housing includes at least one recess. The display device includes a plurality of layers that externally couple to the housing. One of the layers includes at least one tab extending perpendicular to a surface of the display device. The tab is coupled to at least a portion of a perimeter of the recess.

An electronic device may include a variety of different components. For example, the electronic device may include a display device. The display device may show data to a user. The display device may be coupled to a housing of the electronic device in a variety of manners. In a first example, the housing of the electronic device may include a first portion and a second portion that are coupled together with the various hardware components being disposed wholly within or partially within the housing. The first portion may be a top portion in which the display device is mounted on an interior side of the first portion. The first portion may include a recess for the display device to be exposed to an exterior of the housing such that the data may be viewed. With the display device mounted on the interior side, the first portion of the housing may include flanges that extend over an exterior side of the display device such that the display device is securely housed. However, these flanges decrease an overall surface area in which data may be displayed on the exposed surface of the display device.
In a second example, the housing of the electronic device may include an external mounting such that the display device is externally mounted to the electronic device. Accordingly, the display device has an increased overall surface area in which data may be displayed. When the display device is externally mounted, the display device is taped or glued into place in the external mounting. For example, an interior perimeter of the display device may have the adhesive applied thereto. However, with harsh environmental conditions, other scenarios in which the electronic device may be subject to inadvertent forces, the adhesive losing its integrity, etc., the externally mounted display device may decouple from the housing of the electronic device. For example, the display device may "pop out" of the external mounting.
Accordingly, there is a need to further ruggedize the coupling between the housing of the electronic device and the externally mounted display device.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.


A method or apparatus for sub arc/tubular wire arc welding includes providing a first wire to a first welding arc and a first ac power signal to the first welding arc. The first ac power signal is a substantially constant voltage signal. A second wire may be provided to a second welding arc near the first welding arc, and a second ac power signal is then provided to the second arc. A phase relationship between the first and second ac power signals is selected from a plurality of at least three possible phase relationships. Preferably, the frequency and/or balance of at least one of the signals is selectable. Also, the output frequency is preferably controllable such that it can be more or less than the input frequency.

Submerged arc welding (also called SAW or sub arc) is a type of arc welding where the arc is not visible. Sub arc welding produces coalescence of metals by heating them with an arc between a bare metal electrode and the work piece. The arc and molten metal are submerged in a blanket of granular fusible flux on the work piece. Filler metal is provided by the electrode (or from a supplemental source such as a welding rod or metal granules). The arc is covered by the flux.
Tubular wire welding is a process in which the filler metal or flux is provided within the hollow portion of a tubular wire. Generally, tubular wire welding includes flux cored wire welding and metal cored wire welding. Both sub arc and tubular wire arc welding often are performed at relatively high output currents, such as up to 500 amps or more. Sub arc and tubular wire are welding both generally have a wire fed into an arc with an additional flux or filler metal provided. As used herein, sub arc/tubular wire welding refers to sub arc welding or tubular wire welding.
Many sub arc and tubular wire applications are automatic welding applications where either the work piece is moved under the weld head or the weld head is moved over the stationary work piece. Such automatic systems include wire feeders and are well known in the art. Wire feeders used in sub arc welding may be either constant speed or variable speed. Constant speed wire feeders are typically used with CV power supplies, and variable speed wire feeders may be used with CC power supplies. Each type of wire feeder has advantages and disadvantages. Preferably, a welding power supply should be useable with a constant speed wire feeder, or useable with either type of wire feeder.
Early automatic sub arc welding applications provided a DC output and used power sources with drooping V-A characteristics and voltage following wire electrode feeders. Subsequently, constant voltage (CV) DC sources were introduced to the process and linked to constant speed wire electrode feeders. However, magnetic fields generated by the DC arc current and surrounding the arc and the field associated with the ground currents react with each other in an unpredictable manner, causing the arc to move as if the arc were being "blown" to one side. This is referred to as arc blow. This effect is most objectionable in deep grove welds where erratic movement of the arc disturbs proper formation and placement of the weld puddle. Arc blow becomes a more severe problem as the amperage increases, because magnetic fields correspondingly increase.
Arc blow is less of a problem when using an AC power supply (because there is not a DC arc current). However, a sinusoidal output does not always perform well in sub arc welding processes because the sinusoidal wave exhibits a slow zero crossover which may result in arc rectification.
Square wave welding power sources attempt to use the advantages of sinusoidal AC welding, but with a rapid zero crossing to avoid arc rectification. One known square wave welding power supply is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,515 issued to Risberg. This power supply provides for a square wave AC welding output. The Risberg design provides a constant current (CC) output and thus cannot be used with a constant speed wire feeder. The output of this power supply is at a frequency equal to the input frequency.
Another prior art sub arc welding power supply is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,602 which was issued to Grist, and was owned by the assignee of the present invention. Grist describes an AC constant potential (CV) power source which may be used for sub arc welding. The output of Grist is an AC/CV output having a frequency equal to the input frequency, and having a fast zero crossing. This power supply is used with a constant speed wire feeder.
A TIG (Tungsten inert gas) welding power supply is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,963, which is also owned by the assignee of the present invention, and is hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,963 shows an AC power source for welding which receives a three phase input and provides a single phase AC output, having relatively fast zero crossings, at a frequency 1.5 times the input frequency. This is a type of step-up cycloconverter. However, this prior art does not teach a CV mode of operation, nor a CC controller. This prior art can be operated in a DC mode, but only operates on half of the sinusoidal input (thus, the SCRs and secondary windings must be able to handle twice the current, relative to the current capacity needed if the entire input were used). This can be costly and add weight and size to the machine.
A "step-up cycloconverter", as used herein, is a cycloconverter having an output frequency greater than the input frequency. It receives an AC input at a given frequency and provides an AC output at a higher frequency. This conversion is obtained by phase control or without using switches that are forced off, such as force commutated SCRS, IGBTs or FETs. Thus, a rectifier followed by an inverter or buck/boost converter is not a cycloconverter. The applicants have learned that sub arc welding performed at a frequency greater or less than the input line frequency (50 or 60 Hz) will provide a better weld. Power sources that provide an output at greater that than 60 Hz are known and are generally inverters or other converters. However inverter based converters require the use of expensive switches that may be turned off, such as IGBT's. This is particularly true in applications such as sub arc welding where the current desired may exceed 1000 amps. Accordingly, inverter based power supplies for use in sub arc welding may be expensive and not practical.
Additionally, it is desirable to provide flexibility in a welding power supply so that it may be used for a variety of applications. For example, it is desirable to provide a welding power supply that provides an AC or DC output. Also, it is desirable to provide a welding power supply that provides either a CV or a constant current (CC) output, that may be used with a constant or variable speed wire feeder. Further, a CV type power supply is easier for the user to set up (select operating conditions and parameters). Inverter based welding power supplies may be AC/DC and CC/CV, but as described above, they may be expensive, and not appropriate for sub arc applications.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a welding power supply that is suitable for sub arc welding that maybe operated either a CC, or a CV mode. Also, such a power supply will preferably be operable to provide an output having a frequency different than the input line frequency, when in the AC mode, but not require the use of IGBTs or other switches that must be turned off.
One type of sub arc/tubular wire welding involves the use of two arcs, and two wires, wherein the second arc and second wire follow closely behind the first arc and first wire (less than one inch, or close enough for the magnetic interaction to be meaningful, e.g.). This type of welding is typically done for high deposition or high speed applications.
It is generally desirable to be able to control the phase relationship (or provide phase staggering) between the power signals provided to the two arcs, because the phase relationship affects the magnetic interaction between nearby arcs. Prior art three phase power supplies could provide in-phase relationships, and 120 degree out of phase relationships using a scott-T connection. However, this provides for selection between only two different phase relationships, and requires changing the type of input connection. (As used herein, the number of phase relationships includes only phase shifts from 0 to 180 degrees, and does not include reversing the order. For example, if wire 1 is 120 degrees ahead of wire 2, that is not considered a different phase relationship from wire 2 being 120 degrees ahead of wire 1). The prior art phase staggering is not necessarily helpful because, depending upon the application and particular welding conditions, it may be desirable to have the phase relationship be close to in phase, close to out of phase, or somewhere therebetween. (As used herein, two power supplies have a variable or selectable phase relationship when the phase between the two outputs may be selected to be one out at least three discrete phase relationships between zero and 180 degrees, or any phase within a range of phases.) Thus, it is desirable for a power supply to be able to control the phase relationship so that the phase may be adapted for the particular application and welding conditions. Preferably, such phase control should be provided by a power supply that does not need to be an invertor type power supply, and more preferably, by a phase control power supply to avoid unnecessary cost and power limitations.
It is also generally desirable to be able to control the frequency at which sub arc/tubular wire arc welding is performed, because frequency affects penetration and/or other weld characteristics. The optimal frequency for a particular welding application and welding conditions may vary. Specifically, the particular desired frequency is often either greater or less than the 50 to 60 Hz typically provided by utility power supplies. Generally, invertor-based power supplies may be operated at a wide variety of frequencies. However, invertor based power supplies are expensive and difficult to design to operate at the high current magnitudes typically needed for sub arc/tubular wire welding. Accordingly, a sub arc/tubular wire welding power supply that has a variable frequency, but is not invertor based, is desirable. (As used herein, a power supply is a variable frequency power supply, or has a controllable frequency, when it is capable of providing an output having a frequency selectable from a plurality of discrete frequencies, or from any frequency within a range of frequencies). Preferably, such a welding power supply will be an scr based and/or phase controlled power supply.
Another parameter that is desirable to control for sub arc/tubular wire welding is the balance, because balance affects deposition rate, penetration and other weld characteristics. Balance, as used herein, refers to the percentage of time and/or magnitude of the positive portion of the waveform, relative to the negative portion of waveform. Some welding processes are better performed with a balance other than 50 percent. Invertor based power supplies provide balance control, however due to their expense and unsuitability for high current magnitude welding, they are not particularly useful for sub arc/tubular wire welding. Accordingly, a welding power supply that provides balance control using an SCR based power circuit, and/or phase control, is desired.
Thus, a sub arc/tubular wire arc welding power supply that provides one or more of a selectable frequency output, a selectable balance output, a CV ac output, and that is capable of being used with a second power supply having outputs that are phase staggered is desired.

Method and apparatus for producing welding power