Methods and apparatuses are provided for increasing the frequency resolution of a multi-channel QAM modulator and using a novel IDFT/IFFT and polyphase filter bank architecture to provide a more computationally efficient and high density multi-channel QAM modulator. The implementations of the improved multi-channel QAM modulator modulate QAM symbol streams onto respective carrier signals where the frequency of each carrier signal is an integer multiple of a fraction of the input sample rate of the respective QAM symbol stream. The modulated carriers are then combined using a novel IDFT/IFFT and polyphase filter bank architecture.

In a communication system, information is transmitted via message signals through a physical medium from a source to a destination. For example, a cable-based system can be used to deliver high-definition digital entertainment and telecommunications such as video, voice, and high-speed Internet services from a headend to subscribers over an existing cable television network. The cable television network can take the form of an all-coax, all-fiber, or hybrid fiber/coax (HFC) network.
The message signals conveying the information to be transmitted can undergo modulation prior to transmission. Modulation generally is the process of converting the message signal into a form that can be transmitted over the physical medium. This can be achieved, for example, by superimposing the message signals on a carrier signal that is suitable for transmission over the physical medium. In a cable-based system, for example, digital bit streams representing various services (e.g., video, voice, and Internet) from various digital information sources are received at the headend where each digital bit stream is QAM modulated onto a respective carrier signal having a frequency that corresponds to a center frequency of a 6 MHz-wide RF channel to produce a single channel modulated RF carrier signal.
A plurality of single channel modulated carrier signals can be combined to produce a multi-channel signal. The multi-channel signal can be converted to an optical signal and transmitted downstream via a fiber to a fiber node that serves a group of end users ("service group"). The fiber node can include an optical receiver that converts the received optical signal to an electrical signal that then is transmitted to the service group, for example, via receiving devices such as cable modems (CMs) and/or settop boxes (STBs).
There is a growing demand for multi-channel modulators that can accommodate more channels; however, existing multi-channel modulators are computationally inefficient, among other limitations.

High-density multi-channel QAM modulator using an IDFT/IFFT and polyphase filter bank


The present application provides a computer system which allows a user to make available a dataset for analysis by others whilst hiding the contents of the dataset.

Many companies and institutions have a large amounts of data that can provide great value to the wider world, but the data may represent a significant investment on behalf of the company or may involve proprietary information that cannot be shared and hence they may be reluctant to share it as it could then be further distributed by or re-used at will by the 3rd party.
So whilst there may be value in the data. The value only remains intact where the data remains secret. The flip side is that the value can only be monetised by sharing the data.
It will be appreciated that this results in a catch 22 situation because once the data is made available, it can be easily copied and distributed whereas hoarding the data because of the reasonable fear of loss of control diminishes the value of the data and holds back progress and innovation.
Additionally, it will be appreciated that the nature of the data might contain personal information which a data owner might not be permitted to share with third parties which might preclude them from ever sharing the data.
The present application is directed at the problem of being able to share (potentially for financial gain) the raw data without having to disclose the actual data.
Equally, it will be appreciated that the situation also applies to internal situations within a company. For example a company may wish to allow employees or third party consultants access to analyse their dataset(s) but is reluctant to make the dataset(s) fully available for fear that it may be copied and passed on to others.

System and method for secure analysis of datasets


This invention relates to the use of functional reporter molecules in the detection and measurement of nucleic acid sequences in a sample, as a determination, for example, of pathogenic disease existence or potential. The invention is predicated on the utilization of a transcription step between the production of an appropriate reporter molecule and replication based amplification in order to increase the number of detectable species as an indirect reference to target nucleic acid sequence.

It is a goal in this art to detect various nucleic acid sequences in a biological sample, in which the said sequences, as so-called target nucleic acid, is present in small amounts relative to its existence amongst a wide variety of other nucleic acid species including RNA, DNA or both. Thus, it is desirable to detect the nucleic acid encoding polypeptides that may be associated with pathological diseases or conditions, such as, for example, DNA correlating to that of the human immunodeficiency virus. In addition to the detection of nucleic acids encoding such viral particles, it is desirable to detect other nucleic acids characteristic of a pathological disease or condition such as a defective gene, as in the case of hemophilia, or in the detection of anti-pathogen antibodies of such diseases or conditions.
Characteristically, the nucleic acids associated with such are present, if at all, in very small amounts relative to total nucleic acid in a given biological sample, such as blood or other body fluid or tissue sample of a given individual to be tested.
Other important cases where the application of such technology finds use are detailed in said U.S. Ser. No. 852,692, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,858 and need not be repeated here.
The detection of such nucleic acid species requires such specificity that, if present, it is detectable and measurable from amongst the wide variety of other nucleic acid species with which it is environmentally associated. Some of these species may bear close homology, at least in isolated segments, with the target nucleic acid. Further, as noted above, these target nucleic acid species are very often found only in very minute amounts in the biological sample being tested. And yet, for proper diagnosis of the underlying disease state, it is essential that even small amounts of such target nucleic acid be detectable unequivocably for fidelity of the assay system.
Two fundamental approaches have been advanced for accomplishing the goal of the art. In one, the amount of nucleic acid in the sample is not altered or affected. Instead, a reporter system is developed whereby a large number of detectable molecules corresponding to the nucleic acid target are produced for ready detectability and measurement. Such a reporter system is a signal-generating system associated with the target nucleic acid producing a detectable signal representative of the number of molecules of target sequence. Such systems have employed a chromophore generating moiety linked to a oligonucleotide probe that hybridizes with the target nucleic acid sequence. The chromophore moiety can be isolated from those oligonucleotide probes that have properly hybridized to target, and measured. One such chromophore generating group is an enzyme such as alkaline phosphatase which has a chromogenic substrate producing under suitable conditions detectable and measurable colored molecules. Another such system employs radioactive labeling of the nucleic acid probe such that the signal generated by such properly hybridized target nucleic acid can be detected and measured.
A second approach has been developed that is fundamentally different in that it involves increasing the copy number of the target nucleic acid sequence itself, in particular in an amount greater than that of nucleic acid sequences with which it is associated in the sample. This can be done by selective amplification of the target nucleic acid sequence. One can refine the culture techniques of the sample such that somehow the target nucleic acid sequence is amplified preferentially to other nucleic acid sequences. These techniques are cumbersome and time consuming and subject to trial and error.
Another example of the second approach is amplification of a target nucleic acid sequence in a so-called "polymerase chain reaction" (PCR). This technique was reported by Saiki et al., Science 230, 1350 (1985) and Mullis et al., European Patent Application Publication Nos. 200362 and 201184 (See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202), and particularly entails (1) hybridizing to a segment of target nucleic acid sequence a primer, (2) extending said primer with a polymerase, and (3) rendering single stranded the duplexes resulting from the chain extension reaction. This procedure can be repeated over a number of cycles so as to amplify the underlying target nucleic acid sequence. The procedure requires at least two nucleic acid probes and has three steps for a single cycle.
Certain RNAs are known to be susceptible to replication by certain polymerases, such as bacterial phage RNA-dependent RNA polymerase such as Q.beta. replicase and the replicase from brome mosaic virus (BMV). In this technique, the RNA can serve as a sequence template for replication by the RNA polymerase resulting in an amount of replicated RNA sequences that is an exponential increase of the amount initially present. See Miele et al., J. Molecular Biology 171, 281 (1983). A system in which probe for a target sequence is linked to an RNA capable of being replicated by Q.beta. replicase is described by Chu et al., Nucleic Acids Research 14, 5591 (1986) and by BMV replicase by March et al., Positive Strand RNA Viruses, Alan R. Liss (Publisher; New York) (1987; Proceedings of UCLA Symposium, 1986).
Until recently it has not been appreciated that (autocatalytic) replication could be employed to provide convenient, broadly applicable, highly sensitive reporter systems for analyses of nucleic acid sequences. Above-cited U.S. Ser. No. 852,692 provides the use of nucleic acid probe-replicative RNA adducts for use in detecting target nucleic acid sequences by amplification thereof via the exponential replicative process of the replicative RNA associated with the nucleotide probe. Thus, that invention combines the art of replication of RNA with the use of oligonucleotide hybridization probes to detect target nucleic acid by associated replicative amplification. Details of that invention can be readily adduced by reference to the co-pending patent application or its counterpart, published international application, both cited supra. One practical drawback of that method resides in its necessary use of relatively long, hence sensitive, sequences of replicatable RNA that may prove inherently unstable in the assay environment.
It is an object of the present invention to take further advantage of the basic replicative process for amplification, for ease in the detection of sequences corresponding to target nucleic acid sequences. It is a further object of the present invention to take advantage of other biological processes that serve in result to achieve amplification of a given nucleic acid sequence. In particular, advantage is taken of the natural transcription process (as the first step in expression of DNA to produce polypeptide products) whereby double-stranded nucleic acid templates containing a promoter sequence recognized by a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase is used to produce a plurality of corresponding RNA transcripts. Again, using this process, a large number of RNA transcripts can be produced, that are themselves replicatable.
It is a further object of the present invention to combine the advantages of the replicative and transcript-producing procedures as a means for detecting and measuring corresponding target nucleic acid.
It is thus an object of the present invention to produce, in all events, a given RNA transcript sequence that corresponds by presence and amount to target nucleic acid sequence and that can be replicated to a plurality and that can be adapted by association with a signal grouping that is accountable for its detection and measurement.
It is thus an overall object of the present invention to meet the goals enumerated by the art and to overcome the disadvantages and problems encountered by prior researchers' endeavors. The present invention utilizes, if at all, only relatively short, hence stable, RNA sequences that need only contain a sequence that insures replicatability and nothing more. Thus, the present invention provides a straightforward technique that can be utilized with stable fidelity in an acceptably short period of time, employing the convenience of known reagents and having the precision necessary to reach consistent scientific results; one that can be employed in a reproducible assay setting and that is adaptable for use in kits for laboratory/clinical analyses. It is, hence, an object of the present invention to increase the detectability of certain nucleic acid sequences (target segments) by amplification of sequences associated with the presence of the target sequences in an in vitro or ex vivo system, utilizing the advantages provided by the natural transcription and replicative processes per se.

Replicative RNA-based amplification/detection systems

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York


A driving mechanism for radio-controlled clocks includes a gear having a pre-decided point and a permanent magnet including an N pole and an S pole is secured to the gear. An angle clamped between a line connecting the pre-decided point and a center of the gear and another line connecting the N pole and S pole is fixed.

A conventional radio-controlled clock generally includes a micro antenna, receiving chips, microprocessors, and driving mechanism. The standard time data received by the chips from the micro antenna is regulated and sent to the microprocessor which checks the data of the clock according to the standard time date. The driving mechanism is responsible for the movement of the second, minute and hour arms. When checking with the standard time data, the second arm, minute arm and hour arm are initialized to zero position first and then adjusted to the correct positions. The initialization is made by using photoelectric sensors to precisely position the arms. Some radio-controlled clocks use two motors cooperated with two individual reduction gear sets to drive the gears in the clocks. Due to the fact that the gears are engaged with each other, the precise position for the driving gear is important during assembly stage.
The radio-controlled clocks include a gear and a permanent magnet that is activated to rotate when electric current powers the coil of motor. The magnetic and the gear are connected with each other so that the gear is co-rotated with the magnet. An angle between a line between N-S poles of the magnet and a pre-decided point on the magnet has to be fixed. If the angle is not fixed, when the power is cut, the point on the gear has to be moved to be aligned with the line of N-S poles and this affects the position of the second arm. The assemblers have to spend a lot of time to check and re-adjust the position of the second arm.
Therefore, it is desired to have a driving mechanism for radio-controlled clocks wherein the gear and the permanent magnet are secured with each other so that the angle is fixed.

Driving mechanism for radio-controlled clocks


A data encoding scheme for transmission of data from one circuit to another circuit considers the Hamming Weight of combined multiple words to determine whether to invert or not invert an individual word to be transmitted. The multi-word data encoding scheme performs DBI encoding with data inversion conducted based on the total HW in the combined multiple words. The decision to invert or not invert each of the multiple words is made based on the sum of the individual Hamming Weights of each of the words. Such encoding has the advantage that SSO noise is dramatically reduced when the encoded data has a large number of words transmitted from one circuit to another circuit over a wide parallel bus.

The present disclosure relates to encoding data for transfer on a chip to chip communication link.
Integrated circuit devices communicate with one another using input/output (I/O) circuits that are configured to transmit and receive multi-bit data over a plurality of signal lines. When multiple output drivers on the circuits change state at the same time at a high speed to transmit the multi-bit data, the changing current drawn by the output drivers from a power supply induces a voltage that results in power supply disturbance, commonly referred to as simultaneous switching output ("SSO") noise (or simultaneous switching noise ("SSN)). SSN can cause undesired transient behavior among the output drivers, input receivers or internal logic on the circuits.
Techniques used for reducing SSN on parallel links include data bus inversion (DBI), also referred to as dynamic bus inversion. DBI inverts some or all of the multi-bit data to be transferred based on certain criteria relating to the logic state of the bits in the multi-bit data to be transmitted over the parallel communication link to reduce SSN by decreasing the number of transmitter switching transitions that occur across the communication link. For example, conventional DBI techniques may invert the logic states of the bits of an 8-bit word from "0" to "1" or from "1" to "0" if the 8-bit word has Hamming Weight ("HW") exceeding four, such that the DBI-encoded word has HW not greater than four and thereby limiting the number of transmitter switching transitions. A DBI bit is added to the encoded data to indicate whether or not the data was inverted, with DBI=1 typically indicating that the encoded data is an inversion of the original un-encoded data and DBI=0 indicating that the encoded data is identical to the original un-encoded data (no inversion occurred). Hamming Weight as used herein refers to the number of non-zero (i.e., logic level "1") bits in n-bit digital data Dn, although HW may also be defined to refer to the number of zero (i.e., logic level "0") bits in the n-bit data Dn. Both definitions of HW are within the scope of the present disclosure. With conventional DBI, SSN may be reduced by 50% per word compared to the SSN in the un-encoded data.
Conventional DBI is carried out on a per-word basis, where a word is a set of data bits, which can be 1 byte (e.g., 8 bits), 2 bytes (e.g., 16 bits), etc. That is, the decision to invert or not invert the data bits of a word depends solely on the logic states or the HW of that particular word. As a result, when multiple words of data are transmitted over a parallel communication link with conventional DBI encoding, the HW of the multiple words in combination may be high, even though the HW of each word is low due to the DBI encoding. This becomes problematic when the communication link is a wide parallel bus for transmitting multiple words of data.


A knife for deboning rib meat from ribs includes a plurality of spaced apart blades arranged in side by side relation, each blade having forward end, a rearward end and a sharp bottom edge, a deboning head transversely interconnecting the blades and which includes a sharp bottom edge, wherein a sharp grooved surface interconnects a forward end of both blades and the deboning head and a handle connected to the rearward end of the blades. The sharp grooved surface is contoured to a rib of predetermined animal.

Below are the measurements that are needed:
1. Field of Invention
The present invention is directed to a cutting tool for removing the meat from a carcass. More particularly, the cutting tool is a deboning knife that slices rib meat from rib bones.
2. Background of the Invention
Removing the meet from the ribs of an animal can be difficult due to its size and shape, and its attachment. This is particularly a problem when deer hunting. Typically, one is required to haul the kill back from a kill zone to an area where the deboning of meat can take place which is done manually.
Hunters commonly remove the meat from a carcass using a cutting tool such as a knife. The method for manually removing the meat from ribs comprises inserting a knife adjacent one rib and performing one lengthwise slice along the rib to release the tendons connecting the meat thereto. Then to an opposing rib, the knife is inserted adjacent the opposing rib and another lengthwise slice is performed to release the tendons connecting to that rib and thereby provide a strip of meat.
Severing the tendons from the carcass in separate cutting actions is presently time consuming to hunters in the field. A conventional deboning knife blade is generally flat and not easy to work with for cutting jerky. The user repeatedly repositions the knife during use to better accommodate the shape of the rib it is cutting against. Thus, cutting meat strips currently requires time and skill.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a deboning or rib knife which is particularly well suited to reduce the time required to remove rib meat and enable performing such rib meat removal at the site of the kill and ridding the need to carry the unwanted part of the carcass (i.e., ribs) back to a particular area where deboning is currently performed.


Methods and apparatus relating to buffering in media and pipelined processing components are described. In one embodiment, a buffer may include an arbiter to receive data structure information from a producer, a memory to store the information, and an address generator to indicate a location in the memory to store the data structure information. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

In computing, a buffer generally refers to a storage area where data is temporarily stored. Most computing operations involve some sort of buffering, for example, where input data for a computation or output data resulting from a computation are stored. A buffer may also be used when data is moved from one location to another. As such, how a buffer is implemented may have significant effect on overall system efficiency or latency.
Moreover, differing types of data may require different types of implementations to achieve operational efficiency, lower product cost, or faster speed. Accordingly, design of buffers may become a complicated task.

Configurable multi-level buffering in media and pipelined processing components


A sonic drilling head includes a spindle which is both rotated and vibrated at sonic frequency to effect ground penetration of members such as drill rods, etc. Two pairs of rotating eccentric masses are mounted in a sine generator housing. The pairs of masses have intersecting axis. A spiral bevel gear and drive shaft rotate the first pair of masses which engage the second pair of masses so that the pairs of masses are driven in opposite directions. Rotation is imparted to the spindle through a geared bearing isolated by a pack of precision disc springs, which also cooperate with a second set of precision disc springs to isolate the vibrations of the rotating eccentric masses from an outer housing of the sonic drill head.

This invention relates to a sonic or sine generator drilling head for use on a drill rig.
Soil samples may be taken by at least two methods: drilling and by directly driving samplers into the earth. Sonic drilling is a method of driving a sampler in which vibratory energy is applied to the drill rod. This technique is particularly effective when the vibrations coincide with the natural resonant frequency of the drill rod or casing, because the effective force generated at the bit face is significantly multiplied. The vibrational force causes soil particles along the side of the drill to fluidize or break apart from the surrounding ground. The term xe2x80x9csonic drillingxe2x80x9d stems from the fact that the frequency of vibrations normally used is in the 50-200 Hertz range, which is within the lower range of audible sound that can be detected by the human ear. In addition to earth probing, vibrational force can be used to facilitate installation of other objects into the ground.
Various techniques are available for providing the vibrational force necessary for sonic drilling. One method is a direct-drive vibration machine.
An example of a sonic drill utilizing a direct-drive mechanical vibration or brute force mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,027,908 and 5,409,070 both to R. Roussy, incorporated herein by reference. The Roussy design features a motor connected to and driving a horizontal shaft through a pair of splined gears. The shaft is connected to a crank by means of a second shaft having ball ends with splined connections. A pair of the cranks drive offset counter rotating rollers. Each roller is housed in a cylindrical cavity. The offset rollers provide a cam movement to the following cylindrical cavities resulting in a vibrational up-and-down motion of vertical shafts and the drill string.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, four eccentric masses are rotatably mounted in a sine generator housing, with each of the masses offset from an adjacent mass by 90xc2x0, so that the four eccentric masses are on mutually perpendicular intersecting axes, which also intersect the axis of the spindle. A spiral bevel gear drives two of the eccentric masses through gear teeth on the masses, and the driven masses drive the other two masses through corresponding gear teeth. The spiral bevel gear is rotated by a drive shaft which connects the spiral bevel gear to a speed increaser assembly mounted on the outer housing. The drive shaft allows for parallel, axial, and angular misalignment with respect to the spiral bevel gear and the speed increaser assembly, which is driven by a drive motor. In one embodiment, the drive shaft is connected to the spiral bevel gear and to a speed increaser pinion through splined connections and is biased vertically by a pack of disc springs, to preload upper and lower retainers mating with spherical surfaces of an end of the shaft. The spindle is rotated by a separate rotary drive motor, which drives a drive gear connected to the sine generator housing. The rotary drive motor is mounted to an outer housing and separated from the sign generator assembly by a pack of precision disc springs. Another set of precision disc springs are mounted between the drilling spindle and another bearing that is supported by the housing. Together, these packs of precision disc springs isolate the drive mechanisms and the outer housing from the vibrations of the sine generator.
These and other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:


The present invention relates to a switching unit with a scalable and QoS aware flow control. The actual schedule rate of an egress queue, wherein the outgoing traffic belonging to a particular class of service is backlogged, is measured and compared to its expected schedule rate. If the egress queue is scheduled below expectation, then the bandwidth of every virtual ingress-to-egress pipe connecting an ingress queue, wherein the incoming traffic belonging to the same class of service is backlogged before transmission through the switch core fabric, to that egress queue is increased, thereby feeding that egress queue with more data units.

The present invention relates to a switching unit comprising:                a switch core fabric,        an output termination module coupled to said switch core fabric,        an input termination module coupled to said switch core fabric,said output termination module comprising:        an egress queue adapted to backlog data units belonging to a class of service,        an egress scheduler coupled to said egress queue, and adapted to schedule data units from said egress queue towards an output termination port,said input termination module comprising:        an ingress queue adapted to backlog data units belonging to said class of service and bound to said output termination module,said switching unit further comprising, as forming part of said input termination module, of said switch core fabric and of said output termination module, at least point-to-point transmission means adapted to convey data units from at least said ingress queue to at least said egress queue, said at least point-to-point transmission means being considered, with respect to said ingress queue and to said egress queue, as a virtual ingress-to-egress pipe connecting said ingress queue to said egress queue.
To operate a switching unit efficiently, and to support controlled Quality of Service (QoS) differentiation in a bursty, unpredictable traffic pattern environment, the switching unit has to be complemented with a flow control mechanism. The granularity of the individual amounts of user traffic for which a flow control decision has to be made, the number of destinations and Classes of Service (CoS) to be distinguished, and the state of technology that can be used to implement the flow control, determine the rate and precision of the flow control decisions, and whether this flow control can be realized in a centralized or distributed manner. As the switching unit size and the applied flow granularity grow, either higher processing and communication speed, or more calculation and communication resources are required.
Credit based flow control grants every potential source of traffic in the switching unit a given limited amount of traffic it can allow into the fabric. The source can use the obtained credit at its own discretion. The credit is renewed on demand or on a regular basis. The calculation rule for granting the credit has to be fair over time to avoid giving an unjustified advantage to a particular physical path across the switching unit.
Internal Dynamic Rate-based Flow Control (IDRFC) is a credit based flow control, involving bandwidth negotiation between each and every input and output termination module within a fixed time schedule (IDRFC cycles).
The cited document discloses a switching unit that implements a weighted IDRFC algorithm for sharing an internal excess bandwidth among the input termination modules, according to bandwidth requests from the input termination modules. The bandwidth request and grant related to an input termination module linked by a virtual ingress-to-egress pipe to an output termination module are both calculated for a determined number of relative administrative weights corresponding each to a different CoS, with a different request and a corresponding grant for every weight.
The processing power required for calculating bandwidth requests and grants scales linearly with the number of CoS. The scalability of a switching unit implementing such a flow control is thus limited.


Methods, systems, and products for computer processing. In one general embodiment, the method comprises running an inner process in the context of an executing thread wherein the thread has an original address space in memory and hiding at least a portion of the memory from the inner process. The inner process may run on the same credentials as the thread. Running the inner process may include creating a new address space for the inner process in the memory and assigning the new address space to the thread, so that the inner process comprises its own address space. The inner process may he allowed to access only the new address space. The kernel may maintain the thread's original address space along with the new address space, so that multiple address spaces exist for a particular thread. The kernel may pass selected data from the thread to the inner process.

Computer functionality is achieved through processes. A process is a program in execution including several components in memory, such as program code, data, and a process stack for holding temporary data (subroutine parameters, return addresses, temporary variables, etc). The process includes an address space in memory (i.e., process memory) which contains these components.
Processes need to consume or expose functionality in order to produce output. Often, functionality is provided by a third party as a shared object, or library. These shared objects may be loaded into a process at runtime. When loaded into memory, these processes have access to the complete process memory.

International Business Machines Corporation


A mark unit includes a holding section that is disposed at the top of a display section so that a light-emitting section is positioned on a side of a display screen of the display section and a weight section is positioned on a side opposite to the display screen to hold the light-emitting section on the side of the display screen that intersects a horizontal plane.

The present invention relates to an indication position calculation mark unit.
An indication position calculation system that calculates an indication position of an indicator on an indication surface (e.g., monitor or screen), such as a shooting game system using a gun-type controller or a presentation system using a pointing device, has been known. In such an indication position calculation system, two indication position calculation marks (e.g., infrared light sources) are disposed near the indication surface. The marks are imaged using a light-receiving sensor provided on the end of the indicator, and the indication position of the indicator on the indication surface is calculated based on the positions of the marks in the image. Japanese Patent No. 2961097 discloses such technology, for example.
In such an indication position calculation system, the marks must be disposed near the indication surface. When forming an indication position calculation system using a general-purpose monitor, screen, or the like, the marks are placed at the top of the monitor, screen, or the like. However, a flat-screen monitor (e.g., liquid crystal monitor) generally does not have an upward surface on which the marks can be placed. Therefore, the marks may be attached near the indication surface using a double-sided tape. However, this mark attachment work is troublesome. Moreover, an adhesive mark may remain on the monitor, screen, or the like. A clip may be attached to the mark, and the mark may be clipped on the monitor, screen, or the like. However, a monitor generally does not have a portion on which the mark can be clipped.

Indication position calculation mark unit


A content item hosted by a content item source (such as a weblog post of a weblog) may receive updates (e.g., comments submitted by users), and may be discussed among users in a chat group of a chat service. The content item source and the chat service may coordinate to notify users of updates to the content item, and to share content regarding the content item. When a user requests to subscribe to updates of the content item, the content item source may invite the user to join a chat group of the chat service created for discussion of the content item. Additionally, updates to the content item received by the content item source may be automatically posted as messages in the chat group, and messages posted in the chat group regarding the content item may be automatically posted as updates to the content item at the content item source.

In the field of computing, many scenarios may involve a content item, such as a news article, a factual description such as an encyclopedia, or a weblog post, which may involve one or more user updates, such as additions or changes of information or comments comprising a discussion of the content item. Such content items are often posted by a content item source, such as a webserver hosting a website comprising a set of content items, which may accept updates from users and associate them with the news article. In some scenarios, the user updates may be posted in a series that is organized in various ways (e.g., sequentially, by priority, or according to threads); in other scenarios, the user updates may comprise alterations of the body of the content item (e.g., an editable wiki page regarding a particular topic.)
A user who is interested in the topic of a content item may wish to follow the updates posted to the content item. In many such scenarios, the user may simply issue a series of requests to the content item source for the content item (such as a web page of a website), and may examine the content item for new material. In other scenarios, the user may be able to query the content item source for a list of updates, e.g., a real simple syndication (RSS) feed that presents a series of updates to the content item. In still other scenarios, the user may be able to request the content item source to notify the user upon receiving updates to a particular content item (such as a post in a web forum regarding a particular topic, for which the web forum software may be configured to send an email message to the user upon receiving an additional post in the topic.) However, some content item sources may not be configured to permit users to subscribe to updates, and users may have to visit and revisit many content item sources in order to remain informed about updates to particular content items of interest.

Following content item updates via chat groups


Disclosed are techniques for routing messages from a message delivery network (MDN) to one of a plurality of end user carriers, wherein there are a plurality of message routes capable of servicing each end user carrier. An MDN may receive a message from a sending message service provider. The MDN may identify a destination end user carrier servicing the end user device for the message. The MDN may produce a rank ordered list of message routes from the MDN to the destination end user carrier by solving a linear constrained optimization model configured to converge upon an optimized ranking of message routes from the MDN to the plurality of end user carriers. The MDN may then attach the rank ordered list of message routes to the message before forwarding the message to a gateway within the MDN. The gateway may then initially attempt delivery of the message using the highest ranked message route from the rank ordered list of message routes. If the delivery attempt fails, the next highest ranked message route may be attempted until the message is delivered or no other message routes are available to try. Other embodiments are described herein.

An MDN may receive a message from an external sending service provider that is intended for an external message recipient. There may be multiple message routes available to the MDN to deliver the message to the end user. Each message route may have pros and cons to it. For instance, some message routes may be more costly to use than others. Some message routes may be more reliable with respect to deliverability of the message than others. Some message routes may be temporarily experiencing network issues that impact the ability of the message to be delivered. However, MDNs do not often prioritize message routes when delivering messages. This may lead to cost inefficiencies and poor delivery rates especially if the MDN continuously attempts delivery over a message route that is currently experiencing technical difficulties. What is needed are systems and methods for determining the optimal message routes to use in delivering a message.

Techniques for routing messages through a message delivery network


A heat exchange system for use in operating equipment in which a working fluid is utilized needing a heat exchange system to provide air and working fluid heat exchanges to cool the working fluid at selectively variable rates in airstreams. The system comprises a plurality of heat exchangers including a first heat exchanger in the plurality of heat exchangers that is mounted with respect to the equipment so as to permit corresponding portions of the airstreams to pass through the core thereof during at least some such uses of the equipment. Also, a second heat exchanger is mounted with respect to the equipment so as to selectively permit corresponding portions of the airstreams to pass through the core thereof during such uses of the equipment. A core actuator is mounted with respect to the second heat exchanger to selectively increase or reduce the passing of those corresponding portions of the airstreams through the core.

The present invention relates to lubrication systems for turbine engines and for associated equipment, and more particularly, to air and lubricant heat exchangers for use in maintaining desired temperatures of the lubricants in such engines and equipment.
Lubrication systems for turbine engines, such as a turbofan engine, and for associated equipment, such as an integrated drive generator, provide pressurized lubricant, an oil, to lubricate, cool and clean the engine main bearings, gear box gears, and the like, and again for the lubrication of bearings and other parts in equipment associated with such turbine engines. During such lubrications, heating of the lubricant is caused to occur due to mechanical energy losses in the lubricated apparatus. Thermal management of such lubricants is very important for continued successful operation of such lubrication systems in the apparatus lubricated thereby.
The amount of heat necessary to be ejected from lubricants in such systems is increasing because of the use of larger electrical generators, for instance, in aircraft turbine engines due to increasing consumption of electrical power in the aircraft powered thereby, and because of the advances in aircraft turbine engines such as the use of geared turbofans for such aircraft with large fan-drive gearboxes. Despite the added heat generated by the such modified and expanded equipment, the necessary lubricating oil operating temperature ranges to provide satisfactory lubricating performance have not changed for the most part and, in some instances, the upper operating temperature limits have been reduced.
The lubrication system for a turbofan engine in an aircraft typically has a first heat exchanger providing lubricating oil passing through passageways in that heat exchanger that is cooled by the fuel stream flowing past these passageways. This arrangement permits the lubricating oil to reject heat therein to the fuel in the aircraft thereby heating that fuel to help recover some of the energy lost in the combustor of the engine. Because in some flight situations more heat is generated in the lubricating oil than is needed for warming the fuel, a portion of the lubricating oil can be forced to bypass the heat exchanger for the fuel and the lubricating oil, and the oil can be directed to a further heat exchanger where the heat therein is transferred to the air in the secondary airstream provided by the fan of the turbofan engine. In a typical arrangement, a duct is provided in the fan cowling through which a portion of the airstream is diverted, and the air and lubricating oil heat exchanger is placed in this duct so that the lubricating oil passing through passageways in that heat exchanger is cooled by the duct airstream flowing past these passageways in the exchanger. If such additional cooling of the oil is not needed in a flight situation, the lubricating oil can again be forced to bypass this air and lubricating oil heat exchanger.
However, the fan airstream that is diverted to pass through the lubricating oil and air heat exchanger in such duct systems must always flow at least in part through that exchanger, perhaps regulated by some air valve or stream limiting door, and the exchanger must be large enough, insofar as assuring that a sufficient part of the cooling engine fan airstream flows over a sufficient amount of lubricating oil flowing in passageways therein, to provide adequate oil cooling for the most extreme flight conditions encountered. This is true even though this heat exchanger size is not needed for many, or even most, of these flight conditions. Such a larger sized exchanger correspondingly requires larger fairings about that exchanger leading to a) possible detachment of the fan streams therefrom and the resulting vortex losses absent further preventive measures, b) a larger inlet to the duct possibly resulting in the "spilling" out of incoming air and the accompanying eddy and mixing losses, and to c) a larger range of required motion for the required larger size duct outlet flaps possibly leading to this flap interfering more with the fan airstream passing the outside of the flap when in the range of being nearly fully open to being fully open. These three consequences, even in an optimally configured arrangement will result in losses. Thus, such an air and lubricating oil heat exchanger duct based system continually leads to thrust losses in the turbofan engine despite being unnecessary for cooling the lubricating oil in many flight. situations. Hence, there is a strong desire for a lubricating oil thermal management system to control fuel and oil temperatures that also reduces such thrust losses and additionally reduces the volume required therefor in the more compact available spaces in advanced turbofan engines.

Thermal management system for turbofan engines


Five novel plant transcription terminators MYB2, KTI1, PIP1, EF1A2, and MTH1 are isolated from soybean and their functions in the regulation of RNA transcription and processing in plants are described.

Recent advances in plant genetic engineering have opened new doors to engineer plants with improved characteristics or traits, such as plant disease resistance, insect resistance, drought tolerance, extreme temperature tolerance, herbicidal resistance, yield improvement, improvement of the nutritional quality of the edible portions of the plant, and enhanced stability or shelf-life of the ultimate consumer product obtained from the plants. Thus, a desired gene (or genes) with the molecular function to impart different or improved characteristics or qualities, can be incorporated into a plant's genome. The newly integrated gene (or genes) coding sequence can then be expressed in the plant cell to exhibit the desired new trait or characteristic. It is important that appropriate regulatory signals be present in proper configurations in order to obtain expression of the newly inserted gene coding sequence in the plant cell. These regulatory signals typically include a promoter region, a 5′ non-translated leader sequence, and a 3′ transcription termination/polyadenylation sequence.
A promoter is a non-coding genomic DNA sequence, usually upstream (5′) to the relevant coding sequence, to which RNA polymerase binds before initiating transcription. This binding aligns the RNA polymerase so that transcription will initiate at a specific transcription initiation site. The insertion of promoter sequences in recombinant DNA constructs dictates when and where in the plant the introduced DNA sequences will be expressed.
In contrast, sequences located downstream (3′) to the relevant coding sequence, i.e. transcription terminators, appear to control quantitative levels of expression (Ali and Taylor, Plant Mol. Biol. 46:251-61 (2001)). Transcription terminators function to stop transcription and also have important effects on the processing and degradation of RNA strands generated by transcription. In recombinant DNA constructs, terminators are typically inserted immediately after the 3′-end of the translated region of a gene of interest.
Recombinant DNA constructs may contain more than one gene cassette, each consisting of a promoter, gene of interest, and a terminator. If RNA transcription is not terminated effectively, the transcription of one gene cassette may interfere with the expression of a gene in another cassette. Similarly, unwanted transcription of trait-unrelated (downstream) sequences may interfere with trait performance. Weak terminators, for example, can generate read-through, thereby affecting the expression of genes located in neighboring expression cassettes (Padidam and Cao, Biotechniques 31:328-30, 332-4 (2001)). However, the use of appropriate transcription terminators in recombinant DNA constructs can minimize read-through into downstream sequences (e.g., other expression cassettes) and allow more efficient recycling of RNA polymerase II, thereby improving gene expression.
Often, the same transcription termination sequence is used multiple times in one transgenic organism, sometimes resulting in unintended silencing. Thus, there is a demand for alternative transcription termination sequences. Unfortunately, the prediction of functional, efficient transcription termination sequences by bioinformatics is difficult since virtually no conserved sequences exist to allow for such a prediction. Thus, there is an ongoing interest in the isolation of novel terminators that are capable of controlling transcription termination and that improve gene expression.

Soybean transcription terminators and use in expression of transgenic genes in plants


A latch assembly for a closure panel of a vehicle, the latch assembly including: a housing; a ratchet and pawl pivotally coupled to the housing, the ratchet for interaction with a striker such that one of the latch assembly and the striker being mounted on the closure panel and the other of the latch assembly and the striker being mounted on a body of the vehicle; a presentment mechanism mounted to the housing having one or more presentment members, such that the one or more presentment members is driven for influencing a position of the ratchet during presentment of the striker out of a slot of the ratchet to a presentment position; and an actuator for engaging with the presentment mechanism to effect the driven of the one or more presentment members.

Current door latching systems which do not employ physical handles to activate opening of the door need some kind of door presenter to provide for door opening after latch release has occurred. Presentment of the door facilitates the vehicle user to grab the door and move it to the fully open door position. Current door designs provide for an additional presentment actuator to achieve the required presentment operation, which is disadvantageous due to extra materials and cost associated with multiple actuation mechanisms.

Integrated door presentment mechanism for a latch


A display processor of a display system may receive an image that includes a test pattern. An input checksum may be associated with the test pattern. Hardware units of the display processor may process the image. The display system may generate an output checksum based at least in part on the test pattern after processing of the image. The display system may detect a fault in the hardware units of the display processor based on determining a difference between the input checksum and the output checksum.

An automobile may include a display device that can provide information, data, images, videos, and the like to the driver of the vehicle. For example, the display device may display the video captured by the rear view camera to assist the driver of the vehicle in safely reversing out of a parking space. Further, the display device may be part of, or operably coupled to, an automotive advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) such that the display device may also display blind spot warnings to alert the driver that there are vehicles situated at the driver's blind spot.


An object of the present invention is to provide an optical information recording medium by which the getting thereof in and out of a reproducing apparatus and the reproducing of recoding data can be stably and reliably performed and the recording content can be visually confirmed, and which has the reversible display function of performing at least one of the recording, erasing and rewriting of the display which is excellent in the uniformity of the image, easily, with a good appearance and without damaging the optical information recording medium; a manufacturing method of the above-noted optical information recording medium; and an image processing method using the above-noted optical information recording medium. For this object, the present invention provides the optical information recording medium comprising a substrate, an optical information layer disposed on the substrate and a reversible thermosensitive layer in which at least a part of the information recorded in the optical information layer can be recorded in such a manner that the part of the information can be visually recognized, in this order; and further a cushion layer in at least a part of the space between the optical information layer and the reversible thermosensitive layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical information recording medium having a reversible display function, manufacturing method thereof and an image processing method using the optical information recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Beisdes a read-only optical information recording medium, such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), a recordable DVD (e.g., DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM) is put to practical use. These recordable DVD media, such as DVD+R and DVD+RW media are developed on an extended line of developing the technique for a conventional recordable compact disk, such as a compact disk recordable (CD-R) and a compact disk rewritable (CD-RW) and for maintaining the compatibility of the above-noted recordable DVD media with a read-only DVD, the recordable DVD media are designed in such a manner that the recording density (the track pitch and signal mark length) and substrate thickness of the recordable DVD media satisfy not only the requirements for CD but also the requirements for DVD.
For example, a DVD+R is produced, like a CD-R in such a manner that a substrate for the information recording in which an optical recording layer is disposed on a substrate by a spinning coating and on the optical recording layer, a metal reflective layer is disposed, is laminated through a laminating material with a substrate having the same form as that of the above-noted substrate for the information recording. In this case, for producing the optical recording layer, a dye material is used.
One of features of the CD-R is having a high reflectance (65%) which satisfies the requirements for CD. For obtaining a high reflectance by the above-noted composition of CD-R (or DVD+R), it is necessary that the light absorbing layer satisfies a specific complex reflectance at a wavelength of a recording/reproducing light.
A compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM) or a digital versatile disk-read only memory (DVD-ROM) already has data recorded in them, at the time they have been produced and is used as a read-only optical information recording medium. In them, an index showing the recorded content or various designs is printed on the surface of the protective layer using an ultraviolet-curing ink or an oil ink. Such a printing is usually performed by a printing means, such as a screen printing or an offset printing. These printing means are suitable for a so-called mass printing in which the same pattern is printed in a large amount simultaneously.
When in a write-once optical information recording medium, such as a DVD+R, DVD-R and CD-R, an elecrtronic information or the like is recorded, the recorded data cannot be recognized unless the optical information recording medium is reproduced. Therefore, as a recording method of the above-noted index and various designs, the following methods are proposed. (1) a method for writing the index or designs on the protective layer using an oil felt pen, (2) a method for applying a thin label thereon for forming the indication, (3) a method for recording the indication according to an inkjet recording process by disposing an ink-receiving layer on the surface of the optical information recording medium (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 05-238005) and (4) a method for recording the indication according to a sublimation dye transfer recording method by disposing a dye-receiving layer on the surface of the optical information recording medium ( see JP-A No. 08-48080)
On the other hand, a rewritable optical information recording medium, such as a DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM and CD-RW is disadvantageous in that in the case where the index or the like is recorded for the indication according to the above-noted felt pen recording method, inkjet recording method or sublimation dye transfer recording method, even if a recorded content is changed, the indication cannot be changed and an actual recorded content differs from the indication, so that the recorded content cannot be known by reading the indication. In this case, when by using a thin label used for the CD-R, the thin label is replaced with a new one repeatedly depending on the change of the recorded content for changing the indication, the optical information recording medium might be scratched.
After the optical information recording medium is inserted into a reproducing apparatus, the recording medium is clamped and while the recording medium is rotated, to the recorded-data read-out side of the recording medium, a laser light is irradiated through a pickup, thereby reproducing the recorded data. For performing the insert of the optical information recording medium into the reproducing apparatus or the reproduction of the recorded data stably and reliably, the specifications for the thickness, the warpage and the dynamic in balance of the optical information recording medium are prescribed. When a printing medium is adhesive-bonded to the printing indicating surface of the label surface of the optical information recording medium without consideration of the above-noted propertries of the optical information recording medium, the mass balance (the so-called dynamic in balance) of the produced optical information recording medium is impaired. When the dynamic in balance is impaired, the optical medium is rotated irregularly and the reproducing and recording of the information may have a defect. Recently, for enhancing the transfer rate of the data, a large rotation number is required and it is necessary that the dynamic in balance is more improved, so that in the printing of the title, the optical information recording medium has preferably a thickness which is near to the above-noted specification.
In the case where the title or the like is printed on the printing indicating surface of the optical information recording medium using a printing apparatus, when the heat applied by the thermal head to the data recording layer, is transmitted excessively to the data recording layer, the recorded data become destroyed. Due to the variety of the warpage and thickness which the optical information recording medium usually have, the adhesion properties of the printing medium with the thermal head are impaired and when the heat from the thermal head is not uniformly tranmitted to the color-developing layer of the recording medium, the printing quality is lowered. Therefore, JP-A No. 08-180642 proposes the strengthening of the adhesion properties of the printing medium with the thermal head by disposing a flexible resin layer as an under layer of a layer in which the ink for the thermofusible transfer printer can be fixed. JP-A No. 2000-155989 proposes a technique of preventing the heat transmitting to an optical recording member by disposing a thermal insulating layer between the optical recording member and a thermosensitive color developing layer. However, in the above-noted two disposals, when the flexible resin layer or the thermal insulating layer is individually disposed, a disadvantage is caused respectively wherein the transmission of the heat to the optical recording member can be difficultly prevented or wherein the adhesion properties of the printing medium with the thermal head cannot be satisfactorily improved.
In the case where a printing medium is adhesive-bonded on the printing indicating surface of the label surface of the optical information recording medium, depending on the wrapage degree of the optical information recording medium, the adhesion properties of the printing medium with the thermal head are impaired and with respect to the indication of the printing medium, a defect is caused. The adhesion between the printing medium and the thermal head varies depending on the size of the thermal head as follows.
When an optical information recording medium having a warpage angle of within ±0.7° is contacted with a printing indicating medium using a thermal head having a size of 35 mm, the maximum distance between the optical information recording medium and the thermal head is so large as 30 μm to 60 μm, so that the adhesion between the printing medium and the thermal head is impaired and a disadvantage is caused wherein the image display of the printing medium becomes ununiformly.
Accordingly, an optical information recording medium by which the getting thereof in and out of a reproducing apparatus and the reproducing of recoding data can be stably and reliably performed and the recording content can be visually confirmed, and which has the reversible display function of performing at least one of the recording, erasing and rewriting of the display which is excellent in the uniformity of the image, easily, with a good appearance and without damaging the optical information recording medium, has not yet been provided and a prompt development thereof has been desired nowadays.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Optical information recording medium, manufacturing method thereof and image processing method


A pixel circuit, a parameter detection method, a display panel and a display device are provided. The pixel circuit includes a data writing-in circuit, a driving circuit, a reset control circuit, a detection control circuit, and a light emitting element. The detection control circuit is configured to control the connection or disconnection between the first electrode of the light emitting element and the sensing line under the control of a detection control signal provided by the detection control line. The reset control circuit is configured to control the connection or disconnection between the first electrode of the light emitting element and the second electrode of the light emitting element under the control of a reset control signal provided by the reset control line.

Nowadays, people not only have strict demands on the appearance and quality of products, but also pay more attention to the price and practicality of products. In the display field, especially the field of organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, due to its functions such as a wide color gamut, a wide viewing angle, thin and light, low energy consumption, high contrast, flexible, OLED displays have been widely accepted by the people, and gradually become the future development direction of display technology. However, in the field of large-size OLED display, due to its oxide process, the unstable characteristics of thin film transistor TFT (TFT) is its biggest disadvantage. The instability of TFT causes the deterioration of the image quality, and how to improve the image quality has always been the direction of technical personnel.
A conventional large-size OLED display device improves the image quality by using external compensation methods. For the display device, the image is displayed in a unit of a frame. There will be a frame idle time between adjacent frames. The principle of a traditional external compensation method is that the parameter detection is performed on a row of pixel units during the frame idle time, that is, parameters of one row of pixel circuits can be sensed in one frame, and the detection speed of the parameters is slow, which leads to a slow compensation speed.

Pixel circuit, parameter detection method, display panel and display device


A method of attachment of a ski to a snowmobile, the snowmobile capable of displacement about a gliding surface. The method comprises the step of providing the snowmobile with at least one steering link defining a push axis. It also comprises the step of providing a snowmobile ski having a ski body defining an undersurface, a snowmobile mounting member connected to the ski body, and at least one blade member attached to the ski body and arranged about the ski body undersurface, the blade member defining a leading end portion and a trailing end portion. The method finally comprises the step of attaching the snowmobile mounting member to the steering link such that the push axis substantially registers with the leading end portion of the blade member when the snowmobile glides on the gliding surface, thus enhancing adherence of the ski to the gliding surface.

The steering of snowmobiles is conventionally accomplished by a pair of ground engageable skis which are mounted on the front of the snowmobile and are turned in the direction in which the snowmobile is to be propelled. The turning radius of a snowmobile which is equipped with conventional skis, traversing very hard snow or ice is very large because the conventional ski runners merely slide along the gliding surface without "digging in". To overcome this, snowmobile skis are provided with keels on the underside thereof, having sharpened carbide blade members which cut or bite into the gliding surface to positively control the turning of the snowmobile.
However, merely providing blade members on the underside of the ski does not automatically bring about adherence of the ski to the gliding surface.

Method of attachment of a ski on a snowmobile, and resulting snowmobile


An upper feed device is configured to be arranged above a bed of a sewing machine and feed a work cloth. The upper feed device includes a feed portion, a mechanism arrangement portion, and a drive portion. The feed portion includes a first feed mechanism and a second feed mechanism and is configured to feed the work cloth in a feed direction. The first feed mechanism and the second feed mechanism are arranged side by side in a first direction, which is parallel to a top surface of the bed and orthogonal to the feed direction. The mechanism arrangement portion is configured to arrange the first feed mechanism and the second feed mechanism in different positions in a second direction, which is orthogonal to the top surface of the bed. The drive portion is configured to drive the first feed mechanism and the second feed mechanism in synchronization.

The present disclosure relates to an upper feed device that is disposed above a bed portion of a sewing machine and is configured to feed a work cloth, and relates to a sewing machine that includes the upper feed device.
An upper feed device of a sewing machine is known that is disposed above a bed portion of the sewing machine and that can feed a work cloth in coordination with a feed dog. For example, a known presser foot with a belt feed device includes two left and right belts for feeding a cloth. The sewing machine can feed the work cloth by the belts of the presser foot operating in coordination with the feed dog.


The present invention relates to an inserter (100), having a proximal (20) and distal (30) end, for inserting and positioning an intra-uterine device (IUD) (120), which is attached to a withdrawal string (130), said inserter (100) comprising: a) a plunger (102), having a central longitudinal axis, configured for slidable mounting of a hollow protective tube (110), the distal (30) end of the plunger (102) being configured for dismountable connection with the IUD (120), which protective tube (110) is configured to slidably cover the IUD (120); b) a handle (104), which is attached to the proximal (20) end of the plunger (102); and c) a longitudinal member (150) that forms part of the handle (104), which extends in the distal (30) direction with respect to the plunger (102), which longitudinal member (150) contains a friction contact surface (152) against which the protective tube (110) can frictionally engage, wherein the frictional engagement of the friction contact surface (152) against the protective tube (110) is manually actuatable and wherein the frictional engagement of the friction contact surface (152) against the protective tube (110) increases resistance to sliding of the protective tube (110) relative to the plunger (102).

Hormonal or copper intra-uterine devices (IUDs) or intra-uterine systems (IUSs) are used as a common method of anti-conception and/or for treatment of menorrhagia and/or for treatment of other conditions. The term IUD (intra-uterine device) will be used herein to refer to both IUDs and IUSs.
IUDs are commonly T-shaped, having an elongated member (from hereon called the central rod) having at one end a transverse member comprising two wings. The wing tips (also known as hands) at the end of these wings may be rounded off. The central rod and the wings form a substantially T-shaped piece when the device is positioned in the uterus. In addition to a T-shape, IUDs also exist in other shapes such as a ring, a rod, a '7' or an 'S'.
The intra-uterine device (IUD) can be partially or wholly made from plastic material, biocompatible material or metal, such as silver or gold, and sometimes contains a copper wire wound partly around it. The copper ions that are released act as a spermicide, further enhancing the contraceptive properties of the IUD. Intra-uterine devices are also capable of releasing drugs, hormones (such as levonorgestrel) or other active agents to treat menorrhagia or other conditions.
Intra-uterine devices often have a withdrawal string attached to the central rod of the device. After insertion of an IUD, the string remains positioned within the cervix for a period of up to 5 to 10 years to facilitate extraction of the IUD by the health care provider. The withdrawal string also allows the patient to check whether the IUD is still correctly in place.
The IUD and string are introduced into the uterus by means of a separate inserter device. Several types of inserter devices exist in the prior art. Most common inserters are constructed for introducing the IUD in a contracted and covered state during insertion in order to facilitate the introduction of the IUD into the cervical canal. Typically, this covered state is provided by a protective tube, in which the IUD can be housed during insertion. In addition, the protective tube usually has a rounded, blunt end which will pass through the cervical canal easily and which will not damage the fundus of the uterus upon contact therewith.
However, because of the delicate nature of the insertion procedure, existing inserters are often inefficient in handling, which is mainly due to the various moving parts. Production costs are relatively high because of the different parts that need to be assembled correctly. Furthermore, the more complicated the device assembly, the higher the demands and costs are for quality control.
Several IUD inserters contain a stopping mechanism, facilitating correct positioning of the IUD within the uterus. However, these stops are discrete and only tailored to the insertion of one particular IUD with a specific size and shape. Therefore, the same inserter cannot be used to insert an IUD that differs in shape or size. Discrete stops also prevent fine-tuning by the medical practitioner, who is confined to a limited set of specific configurations.
Therefore, the main objective of the current invention is to provide an inserter device suitable for inserting a conventional intra-uterine device (IUD) connected to a withdrawal string, said inserter device being inexpensive to produce and easy to use, yet still ensuring accurate and safe insertion of the IUD. Furthermore, said inserter device should be practical for insertion of a range of IUDs, without any structural modifications to the inserter necessary.
It is an objective of the current invention to provide an inserter that is inexpensive and easy to produce on a large scale. Another objective of the current invention is to provide an inserter that comprises a minimum of moving parts and separate parts. Another objective of the current invention is to provide an inserter that is low cost and can therefore provide contraception to a global market, third-world countries in particular. Another objective of the current invention is to provide an inserter unlikely to break, safe to use and unlikely to harm the patient. Another objective of the current invention is to provide an inserter that is easy to use, therefore allowing for lesser trained professionals to insert the device. Another objective of the current invention is to provide an inserter that allows correct positioning of the IUD within the uterus. Another objective of the current invention is to provide an inserter that provides an infinite number of insertion positions, whereby the correct insertion position can be tailored to the IUD to be inserted. Another objective of the current invention is to provide an inserter that allows easy manipulation and fixation of the withdrawal string during the insertion procedure. Another objective of the current invention is to provide an inserter that is designed primarily for the insertion of conventional devices which are to be inserted in a compressed configuration. The invention as described in this application, and preferred embodiments thereof, will comply with one or more of the above-mentioned objectives.


A hollow blade for a turbomachine comprises a unitary body having a multiplicity of transverse cavities in at least the airfoil shaped portion of the blade, and plugs disposed within the cavities and restoring the surface continuity of the intrados and extrados faces of the aerofoil shaped portion, the plugs being rigidly secured to the unitary body, such as by welding.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hollow blade for a turbomachine, especially a large chord fan blade, and also to a method of manufacturing the said blade.
The advantages of using large chord blades in turbomachines are known, particularly in the case of the fan rotor blades in a bypass turbojet engine. These blades must cope with severe operating conditions, and, in particular, must possess mechanical properties giving adequate anti-vibration characteristics and resistance to impact by foreign bodies. The aim to achieve adequate speeds at the tips of the blades has also led to research into reducing the masses of the blades, This has resulted in the use of hollow blades.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
French Patent No. 1 577 388 discloses one example of a hollow blade in which the blade is made up of two wall elements between which a honeycomb structure is arranged, the wall elements being made of a titanium alloy and being formed to the desired profile and shape by hot pressing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,628,226 describes a method of manufacturing a hollow compressor blade involving a metal bonding by diffusion welding of two elements or half-blades having a flat grooved assembly surface.
Other known techniques for obtaining hollow blades, particularly for the fans of turbojet engines, combine operations or pressurized metal diffusion welding and pressurized gas superplastic forming. One example of this technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,823.

Hollow blade for a turbomachine and method of manufacturing said blade

Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation "S.N.E.C.M.A."


Chromatographic separations and resolutions of racemic mixtures and diastereoisomers are enhanced by simultaneously employing an enantiomeric, chiral stationary phase (CSP) and an enantiomeric, chiral mobile phase additive (CMPA) bearing a stereoisomeric relationship to the CSP but having the opposite chirality are enhanced relative to the use of either a CSP or a CMPA alone. Specific CMPA compositions having the structural formulas ##STR1## are also disclosed.

The separation of enantiomers and diastereoisomers (chiral separations) is a growing concern to modern chemists. Enantiomers of racemic drugs and agricultural chemicals, for example, frequently exhibit different degrees of activity and toxicity in biological systems, even though they differ from one another by only a rotational configuration of the molecule. Isolation of the individual enantiomers allows the specific properties of each to be determined.
Chiral separations are one of the most challenging types of purifications because of the extreme similarity between the two components in the racemic mixture; each is merely a mirror image of the other. Others have used chiral liquid chromatographic separations employing either a CSP or a CMPA as the chiral discriminating agent.
Using both a CSP and a CMPA is less frequent, but a publication by M. Fujita, et. al., "Highly Efficient Chromatographic Resolution of [Co(en).sub.3 ].sup.3+ Ion with a Column of TA(ES)Sephadex Containing D-Tartrate Groups", Chem. Lett., Chem. Soc. Japan (1975) pp. 473-474, described an improvement in the separation of Cobalt(III) complexes by using sodium L-tartrate as a CMPA in columns packed with partially esterified D-tartrate-Sephadex. One would expect these columns to be relatively unstable because of the likelihood that the ester functionality would hydrolyze and transesterify. In a related study, Pettersson and Gioeli, J. Chrom. 435 (1988) 225, used quinine as a CMPA to improve separation on an alkylquinidine-silica CSP. Quinine is not an actual enantiomer or diastereomer of the alkylquinidine, but appears to behave similarly. The poor predictability of analyte elution order with different mobile-phase additives may have resulted from this lack of true enantiomeric relationship between the additive and the CSP.

Chiral mobile phase additives for improved liquid-chromatography separations


A method of identifying a show in a video that has been filmed by a spectator's camera includes selecting a color set to identify the show, recording, in a database, a show identifier associated with a code for the color set, before the show is filmed, inserting, within a scene in which the show is performed, a display-panel set, causing the display-panel set to display the color set without considering scene lighting, thereby raising a likelihood that the camera will capture the displayed color set, once the camera has begun filming a video of the scene, causing a tracer to download an image of the video, to search within the image for the color set associated by the database with the show identifier, and to respond to finding the color set by identifying the filmed show with the aid of the show identifier.

A show is an event that runs in one or more scenes and that is performed before spectators. In some cases, a show requires performance artists or athletes. Examples of such shows are athletic events, concerts, and theater. However, other types of shows do not require actual participants. Examples include sound and light shows.
A scene is where a show takes place and where a spectator is likely to have an opportunity to film it with a camera. Examples of a scene include an athletic field or an auditorium. Other examples include the area from which fireworks can be seen, such as the area from which fireworks are set off. In either case, there will be a feature that can be used to support a display panel. An example of such a feature is a boulder, a tree, a post, a fence, a wall, or a vehicle.
Using a smartphone, a spectator can easily film a show and transmit the resulting film almost in real time to a great many third parties. For example, the film can be transmitted to a video-sharing platform that allows third parties to download the film and see that images it contains. As used herein, downloading refers both receiving a complete file containing the video and recording it in non-volatile memory for later playback and to streaming.
The term film of course does not literally mean a piece of celluloid as it once did. The term film and its cognates is used to indicate the functional equivalent of film.
In many cases, distribution of recorded content is illegal because it infringes copyright. To deter such illegal distribution, it is useful to provide a way to identify a show that has been filmed on video.

Method for identifying a show in a video filmed by a camera of a spectator


A sodium cyanide composition having a paste-like consistency is provided which comprises sodium cyanide, a base, water, and a rheology modifier. Also provided are processes for producing and using the composition. The composition can be used in applications that require sodium cyanide solution.

Sodium cyanide (NaCN) has a variety of uses. For example, it is used in electroplating, treating metal surfaces, extracting and recovering precious metals from ores, and a number of other chemical applications. The use of NaCN in the leaching of ores that contain precious metals, such as gold and silver, is especially well known in the art.
The production of NaCN for the above use is accomplished by the so-called "wet" process, wherein hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is neutralized with aqueous sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution, followed by evaporative crystallization to produce a slurry of NaCN crystals. The NaCN crystals are separated from the slurry, dried, and usually formed by dry compression methods into briquettes. The resulting briquettes are about 99 weight percent anhydrous NaCN.
The briquettes are shipped to consumers generally in containers designed to exclude exposure to atmospheric air since the anhydrous NaCN is very hygroscopic and can absorb substantial quantities of water when exposed to atmospheric air. If exposed to atmospheric air, serious difficulties in shipping and storage can result due to caking. Also, there is the added cost of excluding atmospheric air.
The majority of consumers generally convert the NaCN briquettes into an aqueous solution. They dissolve the NaCN, sometimes after breaking the briquettes into smaller particles, to produce a solution containing about 20 to 25 weight percent NaCN. To avoid hydrolysis with the resulting evolution of hazardous hydrogen cyanide vapors, an alkali such as NaOH is added to the dilution water. Sufficient alkali should be added to raise the resulting solution pH to about 12 or higher.
To avoid difficulties and cost associated with storage of the anhydrous product and industrial hygiene hazards due to generation of respirable dust when handling anhydrous NaCN briquettes or breaking the briquettes into smaller particles, some of the larger consumers have changed to direct solution storage. This has been accomplished by dissolution of the briquettes in the shipping container, usually tank trucks or railway cars, or in a storage tank, and unloading the resulting solution into storage tanks.
The manufacture of briquettes has the disadvantages of added investment and operating cost associated with concentrating, separating, drying and compacting anhydrous NaCN only to dissolve and dilute it prior to use. It would thus appear that direct shipment of NaCN solution, particularly where the NaCN production facilities are located in reasonable proximity of the consumer, would be highly desirable. However, the shipment of NaCN solution presents high shipping costs and a high environmental risk of spills in the event of an accident during transportation.
Anhydrous crystals of NaCN can be prepared by a number of processes known in the art. For example, McMinn, U.S. Pat. No. 2,708,151 and Oliver, U.S. Pat. No. 2,726,139, disclose processes for reacting substantially pure HCN with substantially pure NaOH to form solutions containing NaCN. Mann, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,132; Cain, U.S. Pat. No. 2,616,782; Mittasch, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 1,531,123; and Rogers, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,062 disclose processes for preparing NaCN employing impure starting materials. Isolating dry crystals of NaCN from reaction solution presents the hazards of exposing to harmful dust of anhydrous NaCN and additional manufacturing costs.
Accordingly, there is a need for a NaCN composition that can be inexpensively produced and packaged in sufficiently high NaCN weight percentage concentrations, with low risk to the environment when shipped over distances, and efficiently dissolved into solution upon delivery to the consumer. There is also a need to develop a process for producing a NaCN that eliminates the need to separate, dry and compact the NaCN prior to shipment by providing a composition with a paste-like consistency which is highly desirable from the standpoint of safe transport of product to consumers.
An advantage of the present invention is that the NaCN concentration in the paste composition is sufficiently high that the cost of shipping water does not become an overriding concern. Another advantage of the present invention is that the paste composition of this invention eliminates for consumers the hazards of exposure to harmful dusts associated with handling the anhydrous NaCN briquettes, and the need to add caustic to avoid the generation of hazardous HCN vapors due to hydrolysis of the NaCN. Also an advantage of the paste compositions of this invention is that the paste incorporates sufficient base and, therefore, consumers may not need to provide additional base to avoid hydrolysis, when used in an application. Other advantages will become more apparent as the invention is more filly disclosed hereinbelow.


A frame pattern inserter inserts a frame pattern generated by a frame pattern generator periodically into a signal to be transmitted. An echo canceling circuit generates a pseudoecho from the signal to be transmitted with the frame pattern inserted therein and an error signal. A timing controller extracts from a received signal a timing signal to control the frame pattern generator, the frame pattern inserter, and the echo canceling circuit, and outputs a phase signal indicating whether jitter of the timing signal is generated as a leading phase shift or a lagging phase shift. A jitter echo canceling circuit generates a pseudojitter echo from the error signal and the phase signal. The timing controller controls the timing signal to cause the jitter to be generated immediately after the frame pattern is inserted into the signal to be transmitted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an echo canceler to be interposed between a transmitter and a receiver of a bidirectional digital transmission device connected to a subscriber's line in an ISDN (integrated-services digital network) or the like, for generating a pseudoecho from a signal to be transmitted and an error signal to cancel an echo that is reflected from the transmitter toward the receiver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, echo cancelers are used to cancel echoes in bidirectional digital communications over subscribers' lines.
As shown in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, a conventional echo canceler comprises a coder circuit 31, a driver circuit 32, a hybrid circuit 33, an echo canceling circuit, 34, and an adder 35.
A binary signal supplied to the echo canceler is applied to the coder circuit 31, which converts the supplied binary signal into a quaternary signal, or a 2B1Q signal, that comprises a 2-bit signal and represents any one of four states which the 2-bit signal can have. The converted quaternary signal is applied to the driver circuit 32 and the echo canceling circuit 34. The quaternary signal applied to the driver circuit 32 is transmitted through the hybrid circuit 33 to a subscriber's line 36. The transmitted signal received from the subscriber's line 36 is applied through the hybrid circuit 33 to the adder 35. The transmitted signal that has been received contains a quaternary signal (echo) which cannot be separated by the hybrid circuit 33.
The echo canceling circuit 34 is supplied with the transmitted signal and the quaternary signal, and generates a pseudoecho signal which is of the same waveform as and of opposite polarity to the echo contained in the transmitted signal. The pseudoecho signal is then applied to the adder 35 and added thereby to the transmitted signal. The sum signal is outputted from the adder 35 as a received signal.
The echo canceling circuit 34 comprises an adaptive digital filter having a tapped delay line for outputting the pseudoecho signal in response to the transmitted signal, a correlator for correlating the transmitted signal and the remaining echo signal contained in the received signal, and a multiplier for adjusting the tap coefficient of the tapped delay line based on an output signal from the correlator.
However, a conventional echo canceler has the disadvantage that if its operation clock signal experiences jitter, the pseudoecho signal and the actual echo will be displaced in timing from each other by an amount corresponding to the jitter and consequently, the echo canceler will fail to sufficiently cancel out the echo.


An optical deflector including a rotary member supported by a bearing shaft and rotatively driven by a motor for deflecting a plurality of laser beams separated from each other in a rotational axis direction of the rotary member is disclosed. The optical deflector includes a polygon mirror having four sides arranged about the rotational axis direction. Each of the four sides is a continuous plane having a plurality of effective reflection areas separated from each other in the rotational axis direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical deflector, an optical scanning apparatus, and an image forming apparatus used for, for example, forming color images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2-16521 discloses an example of a related art case of an optical deflector (deflecting apparatus) used in, for example, a color image forming apparatus. The deflecting apparatus includes: plural polygon mirrors for deflecting plural light beams, respectively; a connecting part formed equal to or smaller than an inscribed circle of the plural polygon mirrors for connecting the plural polygon mirrors; and a drive motor that drives rotatively. Thus, the polygon mirrors form a united body having a two level configuration with one polygon mirror on top of the other. However, since the polygon mirrors are fixed to a rotating shaft by a leaf spring member, the temperature rise and centrifugal force generated by high speed rotation of the rotating shaft causes the fixed polygon mirrors to slightly shift and change the balance of the rotated configuration. This results in the problem of vibration. Particularly, a significant vibration may be created even by a slight shift of the polygon mirrors since the mass of the polygon mirrors having the two-level configuration is heavy.
The optical deflector used in a color image forming apparatus includes a type configured to have plural laser beams incident thereto and deflect the plural incident laser beams. Therefore, this type of optical deflector either has the reflection surface of the polygon mirror formed with a large area (increasing thickness of mirror, thick mirror configuration) or has two separate mirrors spaced apart from each other in the axis direction (double mirror configuration). Meanwhile, a polygon scanner having the thick mirror configuration or the double mirror configuration is to be rotated at a high speed of 25,000 rpm or more with high precision for enabling a color image forming apparatus to achieve high speed printing and provide image quality of high definition. However, as the thick mirror configuration is rotated at high speed, windage loss created by the mirror becomes greater. As a result, the windage loss causes the electric power consumption of the motor to increase. Furthermore, with the double mirror configuration, the reference plane during the mounting of the mirrors is required to be processed (finished) with high precision. Furthermore, the optical face tangle between the two mirrors is also required to be set with high precision. Such complicated process/assembly steps lead to a problem of increased manufacturing cost of the double mirror configuration.
Furthermore, as described above, in a case where the configuration having two levels of polygon mirrors forming a united body is rotated at high speed, the temperature rise and centrifugal force generated by the high speed rotation cause the polygon mirrors to slightly shift, change the balance of the rotated configuration, and result in the problem of vibration. This is caused by the polygon mirrors being fixed to a rotating shaft by a leaf spring member. Particularly, a significant vibration may be created even by a slight shift of the polygon mirrors since the mass of the polygon mirrors having the two-level configuration is large. Furthermore, the slight shifting (balance change of the rotated configuration) and the resulting increase of vibration occurring when rotating the configuration at a high speed in a high temperature environment are caused by, for example, the different coefficients of thermal expansion of the components of the rotated configuration (polygon mirror, a flange fixing a rotary magnet, rotating shaft) or (even in a case where the coefficients of thermal expansion of the components match) tolerance and/or the method of the fixing components.
With respect to the above-described problem, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-177346 (filed by applicant) discloses the below-described optical deflector for providing a polygon scanner and its processing method for achieving high speed rotation with low vibration at high temperature as well as reduction of power consumption and facilitation of assembly.
In the optical deflector disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-177346, a rotary member 8 of a polygon scanner 1 includes polygon mirror reflecting surfaces 8a, 8b separated in an axial direction, a circumferential surface fixing a rotary magnet 11 of an outer rotary motor, and a circumferential surface fixing a bearing shaft 10, in which the polygon mirror reflecting surfaces 8a, 8b and the circumferential surfaces are formed of a single member. The rotary member 8 has circumferential grooves 8h, 8i, and 8k which are used as adhesive coating parts for balance correction and prevention of stress strain against the reflecting surfaces 8a, 8b that occur during shrinkage fitting of the bearing shaft 10 or in correspondence with changes of temperature of the environment. Furthermore, the polygon mirror reflecting surfaces 8a, 8b have upper and lower surfaces of a substantially center part shaped substantially as a concave or a convex part with respect to both ends of a part contributing to deflection in a main scanning direction, to thereby prevent deviation of respective colors of a color image forming apparatus.
Although the optical deflector disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-177346 is able to reduce windage loss of the mirrors that have their sizes increased along with the increase in high speed rotation by forming a two level configuration by removing an intermediate part of the separated reflecting surfaces, it is difficult to increase the high speed rotation further. In addition, environmental burdens such as power consumption and noise pollution are becoming greater as the high speed rotation is further increased.
Furthermore, although the optical deflector disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-177346 is provided with a polygon mirror having 5, 6, or more surfaces for increasing the number of scans per rotation and accelerating printing speed, the reflection surface is to have its width increased to some extent in order to obtain a desired scanning width for the image forming area of the light beam. This results to a problem where the size of the radius of the inscribed circle of the polygon mirrors becomes large. This leads to increase the windage loss of the mirrors.
Furthermore, due to the above-described increase in the radius of the inscribed circle of the polygon mirrors, deformation of the mirrors caused by centrifugal force becomes greater as rotational speed is increased. This results in deterioration of profile regularity. Furthermore, the starting time for the mirrors to reach a predetermined number of rotations (rpm) for scanning becomes longer the more the rotational speed is increased. This increases the amount of power consumed before reaching an actual operating state.

Optical deflector, optical scanning apparatus, and image forming apparatus