The system includes a source of solid, liquid or sludge waste and a source of waste gas. A waste conversion device receives the solid, liquid or sludge waste and converts it into a hydrogen-rich gas. An internal combustion engine receives as fuel the hydrogen-rich gas and the waste gas and burns them to produce mechanical work. A generator is operatively connected to the internal combustion engine to generate electricity. Some of the generated electricity may be used to power the waste conversion device. The system allows for high-efficiency, lean-burn operation while reducing the amount of waste converted to hydrogen-rich gas.

This invention relates to waste conversion, and more particularly, to a system utilizing solid, liquid or sludge waste along with waste gas to generate electricity.
Industries such as the petrochemical industry generate substantial amounts of waste material that could be used for electricity generation, but is often not so utilized. Such waste typically includes solid, liquid or sludge waste, along with waste gas such as pentane. Oftentimes, the pentane is flared-off thereby wasting its energy content. Previous technologies have not been fully able to take advantage of the electricity generating capability of the wide-range of waste that is available. It is desirable to use both gaseous and non-gaseous waste to produce electricity, and to produce such electricity with the highest possible efficiency.
Previous technologies such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,847,353 and 6,066,825, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, disclosed the use of waste conversion apparatus to convert waste material into hydrogen-rich gas, which was then converted into electricity in a lean burn reciprocating engine producing electricity at high efficiency with low generation of nitrogen oxides. A significant amount of energy, however, is lost in the conversion of the waste into hydrogen-rich gas, thereby lowering overall efficiency. An objective of the present invention is to reduce the amount of waste that is converted into hydrogen-rich gas to increase efficiency.
The waste conversion system according to one aspect of the invention includes a source of solid, liquid or sludge waste along with a source of waste gas. A waste conversion device receives the solid, liquid or sludge waste and converts it into a hydrogen-rich gas. An internal combustion engine receives as fuel the hydrogen-rich gas and the waste gas. A generator is operatively connected to the internal combustion engine to generate electricity. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the waste gas is also converted into hydrogen-rich gas. In another embodiment, the system further includes a water shift reaction chamber for receiving the hydrogen-rich gas to convert it into additional hydrogen and carbon dioxide for subsequent delivery to the internal combustion engine.
In a preferred embodiment, the waste conversion device is a Plasma Enhanced Melter(trademark) which may receive electricity from the generator for its operation. The system of the invention may be operated such that the ratio of energy contained in the hydrogen-rich gas to energy contained in the waste gas is in the range of 0.1-0.5. It is preferred that the internal combustion engine be operated at an equivalence ratio in the range of 0.3-0.7, and at a compression ratio in the range of 10-15. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the solid, liquid or sludge waste is K and F Waste and the waste gas is a pentane containing gas. The waste gas may also include syngas produced by the refinery process.
The present invention provides a more efficient approach to utilizing waste to generate energy because only a fraction of the waste is converted into the hydrogen-rich gas. Typically, only the solid, liquid or sludge is converted to hydrogen-rich gas; in some cases, a portion of the waste gas may also be converted into additional hydrogen-rich gas if necessary to assure stable lean burn operation. The addition of the hydrogen-rich gas to the waste gas enables lean operation of the internal combustion engine and increases the efficiency of electricity generation.
An important application of the technology disclosed herein is the extraction of energy from waste sludges and pentane containing gases produced by oil refineries as part of the refining process. The solid waste serves as the primary source of hydrogen-rich gas and this hydrogen-rich gas enables higher efficiency electricity generation using waste gas such as a pentane containing gas. The system of the invention therefore minimizes the amount of waste converted to hydrogen-rich gas.

Symbiotic solid wastexe2x80x94gaseous waste conversion system for high-efficiency electricity production

Integrated Environmental Technologies, LLC


A chemical-liquid injector includes a piston-driving mechanism (130) that moves a piston member of a syringe containing a contrast medium, which includes an actuator and a ram member which is moved back and forth by the actuator, a control circuit (150) which is electrically connected to the actuator, and an operating knob unit (170) which includes an operating knob that is to be operated by an operator, and a rotation sensor that outputs an electric signal corresponding to a rotation of the operating knob. The control circuit is configured to generate a predetermined control signal accordingly, on the basis of a signal from the rotation sensor, and the piston-driving mechanism is operated according to the control signal.

Currently, as medical imaging diagnosis apparatuses, apparatuses such as CT (Computed Tomography) scanners, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) apparatuses, PET (Positron Emission Tomography) apparatuses, ultrasonic diagnosis apparatuses, and angiographic imaging apparatuses have been known. While using such imaging apparatuses, a chemical liquid such as a contrast medium and a physiological saline (hereinafter, simply referred to as 'a chemical liquid') is often injected into a patient's body.
As an apparatus that automatically injects a chemical liquid, various apparatuses have hitherto been known. Although a configuration and performance of an apparatus varies depending on as to for what type of test that apparatus is to be used (in other words, depending on as to with which type of an imaging apparatus that apparatus is to be used), in general, in chemical-liquid injectors for angiography, an operating knob that is to be operated manually is provided to an injection head in many chemical-liquid injectors.
In Patent Document 1 for instance, an injection head including an operating knob mechanically connected to a driving-force transmission mechanism of a piston-driving mechanism has been disclosed. By this operating knob being manually turned a little in a predetermined direction by an operator, a rain member of the piston-driving mechanism advances, thereby making it possible to push out a small volume of a chemical liquid from a syringe. Such an operating knob, as an example, is operated for venting (extracting) air from a chemical-liquid tube.
An 'angiography' is a test in which a catheter is introduced into a blood vessel, and after positioning a distal-end of the catheter near a target portion of the blood vessel to be checked, a chemical liquid such as a contrast medium is allowed to flow into the blood vessel, and shooting is carried out by using an imaging apparatus. The blood vessel that has been contrastradiographed is projected on a display and the like, and a medical staff carries out diagnosis and treatment while observing the images. In angiography, injecting of a chemical liquid being carried out through a fine catheter, it has a characteristic that an injection pressure (infusion pressure) becomes extremely high. This point is one of the major differences between a chemical-liquid injector for angiography, and a chemical-liquid injector for CT scanning and a chemical-liquid injector for MR scanning.

Chemical liquid injector, method for controlling chemical liquid injector, and computer program


In some embodiments, the invention relates to methods for creating a monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to antigen. The method may start from a polyclonal population of antibodies such as a non-specific polyclonal population or a polyclonal population of antibodies that specifically bind to the antigen. The method includes obtaining nucleic acid molecules encoding heavy and light immunoglobulin chains (or variable regions thereof) of multiple immunoglobulins from an animal; obtaining mass spectra information of peptide fragments of a population of polyclonal immunoglobulins that specifically bind to an antigen of choice; comparing and/or correlating the mass spectra information of the peptide fragments of the polyclonal immunoglobulins with predicted mass spectra information of predicted amino acid sequences encoded by the nucleic acid molecules, and then assembling the heavy and light chains to create an antibody (or variable region thereof) that specifically binds to the antigen.

Antibodies are biologically and commercially significant polypeptides that bind with great specificity and affinity to a particular target molecule, called an antigen. Antibodies are produced by immune cells of vertebrate animals, and all naturally-occurring antibodies share the same basic structure, namely two identical heavy chains covalently bonded to two identical light chains. The N-terminal regions of a single heavy chain and a single light chain form an antigen-binding site that is particular to each individual antibody. The C-terminal region of the heavy chains determines the particular isotype of the antibody, and the same antibody-producing cell can produce antibodies of different isotypes, where all the antibodies produced by the cell have the same antigen-binding site. The different isotypes typically perform different functions in the animal. For example, antibodies of the E isotype (i.e., IgE antibodies) are involved in the allergic response while antibodies of the A isotype (i.e., in IgA antibodies) can be found in mucosal membrane, saliva, and breast milk. The four-chain antibody molecule can exist by itself (e.g., an IgG antibody) or with additional monomers to form dimers (e.g., an IgA antibody) or even pentamers (e.g., an IgM antibody).
With the basic structure of an antibody well-understood, one can produce recombinant antibodies by manipulating the different regions of an antibody using standard molecular biology techniques. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,180,370 and 6,548,640 (herein incorporated by reference in their entirety) describe humanizing an antibody that naturally occurs in a non-human animal by manipulating various regions of the non-human antibody using molecular biology techniques. Other methods for manipulating or generating recombinant antibodies using standard molecular biology techniques are described (see, e.g., PCT Publication No. WO91/17271, PCT Publication No. WO92/01047; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,969,108, 6,331,415, 7,498,024, and 7,485,291, all of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety).
During an immune response, an animal will generate numerous different antibodies, each with a different antigen-binding specificity. This population of antibodies is called a polyclonal population of antibodies. If the immune response is directed toward a particular antigen, most (but not all) of the polyclonal antibodies made by the animal will specifically bind that antigen. However, with differences in binding affinity and binding sites on the antigen, some of the polyclonal antibodies are more favored than other polyclonal antibodies. In their Nobel Prize-winning discovery in 1975, Kohler and Milstein discovered a way to isolate and immortalize a single antibody-producing cell, which produces a monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to the antigen of interest, from a polyclonal antibody-producing animal (Kohler and Milstein, Nature 256: 495-497, 1975). This immortalization technology, which involves fusing the antibody-producing cells to an immortalized cell to produce a monoclonal antibody-producing hybridoma, has been the industry standard for making monoclonal antibodies for the past 35 years.
Despite its popularity and its longevity, the Kohler and Milstein hybridoma method has numerous drawbacks. For example, it is very time-consuming and labor-intensive. More relevantly, given how time-consuming and labor-intensive it is, only a small fraction of the antibody-producing cells of the animal are immortalized and screened for their ability to produce an antibody that specifically binds to the antigen. Finally, even once a hybridoma with the desired antigen specificity is isolated, obtaining the amino acid sequence of the antibody to facilitate further manipulation, such as humanization, of the antibody, is arduous and time-consuming.
There is a need for improved methods for creating monoclonal antibodies that specifically bind to a desired antigen.

Methods and reagents for creating monoclonal antibodies


In a semiconductor device having a gate electrode and an insulating film covering the gate electrode on a compound semiconductor substrate, the vector sum of the stress in the gate metal and the stress produced by the insulating film on the gate electrode is zero. A production method of a semiconductor device includes producing a gate electrode having the same but opposite stress of an insulating film by sputtering under an adjusted gas pressure a target of WSi.sub.x and depositing an insulating film covering the gate electrode.

FIG. 7 shows a prior art refractory metal self aligned gate FET. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 1 designates a semi-insulating GaAs substrate. An active layer 2 is disposed in a (100) GaAs substrate 1. A gate electrode 3 comprising tungsten silicide is disposed on the active layer 2. High dopant concentration layers 4a and 4b are disposed in the GaAs substrate 1. Ohmic electrodes 5a and 5b are disposed on the layers 4a and 4b, respectively. The reference character IF.sub.3 designates compressive stress from the insulating film 6 applied to the end of gate electrode 3 and reference character IF.sub.4 designates tensile stress in the tungsten silicide at the end of the gate electrode 3.
In this prior art example, a tensile stress F.sub.4 caused by the tungsten silicide 3 and a compressive stress F.sub.3 caused by the insulating film 6 are applied to the gate electrode 3. When such stresses are generated at the end of gate electrode 3, the semi-insulating GaAs substrate 1 is distorted below the gate electrode 3, and piezoelectric charges are generated in the substrate directly below the gate electrode 3. A distribution of positive and negative charges is generated as is generally known.
FIG. 10 shows the distribution of piezoelectric charges shown in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. ED-31, No.10.1984. In FIG. 10, reference numeral 10 designates a semi-insulating GaAs substrate, reference numeral 13 designates a gate electrode, reference numerals 16a and 16b designate insulating films (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4), and reference character F designates a stress applied to the end of gate electrode 13 from the insulating films 16a and 16b. When the stress F is generated, distortion occurs in the substrate 10. Herein, when a compound semiconductor such as a semi-insulating GaAs substrate is used for the substrate, Ga and As atoms produce a polarization due to the distortion and the distribution of piezoelectric charges vary dependent on the crystalline direction in the substrate. For example, when stresses as shown in FIG. 7 are generated at the end of gate electrode 3, the positive charges increase in the [011] direction of GaAs with a (100) crystal face, while negative charges increase in the [011] direction thereof, and the piezoelectric charges are not generated in the [010] direction.
It is generally known that as the gate length is shortened, the short channel effect arises in which the threshold voltage is shifted toward the negative side. When the distribution of piezoelectric charges arising due to the stress applied to the substrate varies with the crystalline direction of the substrate, as in compound semiconductors such as GaAs as discussed above, the short channel effect varies dependent on the direction of the gate electrode 3 of the field effect transistor which is produced on the substrate. FIG. 8 shows the gate direction dependence of the short channel effect where the field effect transistor has the stresses as shown in FIG. 7. As shown in the figure, the controllability and the variation of the V.sub.th are stable in an FET having a [010] gate direction, while the V.sub.th shift due to the short channel effect is large in the FET having a [011] gate direction. Furthermore, the .differential.V.sub.th /.differential.L.sub.g at the submicron region is unfavorably large in an FET having a [010] gate direction.
FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) show a circuit diagram and a plan view of a pattern arrangement in a case where an integrated circuit is constructed using the field effect transistors shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 9(a) shows a circuit construction for DCFL (Direct Coupled FET Logic) and FIG. 9b) shows a pattern diagram thereof.
In FIG. 9(b), reference numerals 7a and 7b designate gate electrode pads, reference numerals 8a, 8b, 8c designate ohmic contact electrodes, and reference numeral 9 designates ground. As shown in FIG. 9b), the ohmic electrodes 8a and 8b function as a source electrode and a drain electrode associated with the gate electrode 7a, and the ohmic electrodes 8b and 8c function as a source electrode and a drain electrode associated with the gate electrode 7b, and the ohmic electrode 8b and gate electrode 7b, and the ohmic electrode wiring 8a and ground 9 are connected by wire bondings 11b and 11a, respectively. When an integrated circuit is constructed including the field effect transistors of FIG. 7, the direction of gate electrode 3 which is disposed on the semi-insulating GaAs substrate 1 should be the same direction in all cases. As shown in FIG. 9b) from the crystal direction dependence of the piezoelectric charges distribution generated directly below the gate electrode 3 of the field effect transistor, the gate electrode wiring 7b should be patterned in the same direction as the gate electrode wiring 7a, thereby resulting in a rectangular pattern configuration.
The prior art semiconductor device of such a construction has following problems because of the crystal direction dependence of piezoelectric charges generated below the gate electrode 3.
1) When an FET having [011] gate direction is adopted, the V.sub.th shift due to the short channel effect is large and the controllability of V.sub.th is low.
2) When an FET of [011] gate direction is adopted, the .differential.V.sub.th /.differential.L.sub.g for a submicron gate length is increased and the V.sub.th is likely to be affected by variations in gate length, increasing the variation of V.sub.th .
3) When an FET having [010] direction is adopted, the controllability and variation of V.sub.th are improved but there is crystal breakage in this direction, thereby requiring another device in producing a mask. Further, the chip size is unfavorably increased, thereby resulting in lowering of the yield.
In this way, because the threshold voltage varies with the gate direction, FETs constituting an integrated circuit are required to have the same gate direction and the degree of freedom in design is reduced, limiting the reduction of chip area.

Semiconductor device with reduced stress on gate electrode


A stent is provided having a base body circumscribing a cylindrical shape and radially expandable from a contracted starting position into a dilated support position, including a plurality of meander-shaped struts disposed in the circumferential direction and arrayed on one another in the axial direction, each strut being meander-shaped in its coarse structure and made of a flexible material, and at least one axial connector in the axial direction, connecting the meander-shaped struts of two axially adjacent meandering curves, wherein the at least one axial connector connects the inside radius of a zenith point of a first meandering curve with a second meandering curve, characterized in that the at least one axial connector at the inside radius of the zenith point of the first meandering curve has an at least double-arm structure.

Implantation of stents has become established as one of the most effective therapeutic measures for treatment of vascular diseases. Stents assume a supporting function in the hollow organs of a patient. Stents of conventional construction have a base body with a plurality of circumferential support structures. For example, metallic struts have a base body which is initially in a compressed form for insertion into the body and then is dilated at the site of use. One of the main areas for use of such stents is for permanently or temporarily widening and keeping open of vascular obstructions, in particular constrictions (stenoses) of the coronary vessels. In addition, aneurysm stents are known that serve to support damaged vascular walls or seal off intracerebral vascular bulges.
Conventional stents for the treatment of stenoses have a cylindrical base body of sufficient load-bearing capacity that opens the constricted vessel and keeps it open to the desired degree to restore unobstructed blood flow. The circumferential wall of the base body is typically formed by a lattice-like bearing structure, allowing for the stent to be inserted in a compressed (crimped) state with a small outside diameter up to the point of constriction of the vessel to be treated, and to be sufficiently widened, e.g., by means of a dilatation balloon catheter until the vessel has the desired increased inside diameter. The steps of placing and expanding the stents during this procedure and their final positioning in the tissue upon completion of the procedure must be monitored by the cardiologist. This may be accomplished by means of imaging methods such as x-ray examinations.
The stent has a basic body made of an implant material. An implant material is a nonviable material that is used in medicine and interacts with biological systems. The basic prerequisite for the use of a material as implant material that is in contact with the physical body environment during its intended use is its physical compatibility (biocompatibility). Biocompatibility refers to the ability of a material to induce an appropriate tissue reaction in a specific application. This includes adaptation of the chemical, physical, biological and morphological surface properties of an implant to the recipient tissue with the goal of clinically desirable interaction. The biocompatibility of the implant material further depends on the chronological course of reaction of the biosystem in which it is implanted. Irritations and inflammations may occur at relatively short notice and cause tissue changes. Biological systems thus react in different ways, depending on the properties of the implant material. According to the reaction of the biosystem, implant materials may be categorized as bioactive, bioinert and biodegradable/resorbable materials.
Stents have a cylindrical base body including a lumen along the axial direction. The base body has a plurality of meander-shaped struts, forming the circumferential support structures, e.g. circumferential cylindrical meandering rings or helices, arranged one after the other along the axial direction. The support structures are connected in the axial direction by means of connecting elements, so-called axial connectors or connectors. At least in vascular support stents these axial connectors must on the one hand be arranged in such a manner that sufficient bending flexibility of the stent is guaranteed, and on the other hand they should not obstruct the crimping and/or dilatation processes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,720 proposes a stent design in which the stent base body has apertures. These apertures serve to accommodate radiopaque markers made of a material that does not allow the passage of x-rays. While the apertures in this stent design only minimally affect crimpability, they hinder homogenous plastic deformation of the support elements and thus have a significant negative impact on the mechanical properties of the stent.
A cause for increased vascular inflammatory reactions upon stent implantation is the targeted use of stent overdilatation, which is necessitated by a certain spring-back of the stent shortly after implantation, so-called recoil. Such recoil, whose degree depends on the respective design and, particularly, the material used, is shown by any material composition used for implants. To achieve a minimum lumen size that is physiologically reasonable for the treated vessel after implantation, overdilatation of the stent is necessary to offset recoil. This overdilatation causes the vessel to be overstretched so that vessel damage occurs, causing the body to respond with an inflammatory reaction and subsequent increased formation of new tissue (neointimal proliferation). Both reactions need to be minimized in the context of stent implantations.
Especially when using magnesium or a magnesium alloy as a degradable stent material, it is particularly important, due to their not very favorable mechanical material properties, to minimize the effects on the distribution of forces, combined with an effective utilization of crimp space, which calls for optimal design of the axial connectors.


An electronic imaging device that is focused by capturing data samples from a region of at least one photodetector while changing focus settings and analyzing the data samples to identify an optimum focus setting. The size of the regions from which the data samples are captured is reduced during focusing to reduce the amount of data to be processed.

Electronic imaging devices are used in a wide range of applications and are steadily becoming less expensive and simpler to use. Electronic imaging devices, such as digital cameras, typically convert light to electrical signals using a two-dimensional photodetector. The photodetector contains a two-dimensional array of thousands or even millions of light-sensitive cells, each capturing one picture element (or pixel) of an image. As an image is focused onto the photodetector, an electrical charge builds up in the photodetector cells. The magnitude of the electrical charge corresponds to the intensity of the image lightxe2x80x94brighter light generates a larger electrical charge. Thus, the image light focused on the photodetector generates a pattern of varying electrical charges across the photodetector. The magnitudes of the electrical charges across the photodetector are analyzed and stored in the electronic imaging device as an electronic representation of the image. In a digital imaging device such as a digital camera, the magnitude of the electrical charges is converted into a number in an analog to digital (A/D) converter.
Several types of two-dimensional photodetectors are commonly used in electronic imaging devices, including charge-coupled devices (CCDs) and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors. The electrical charges in a CCD are read by shifting or moving them in a series across the photodetector and reading them one by one at an output. The electrical charges in the CCD are amplified if needed and read by an external A/D converter. CCD photodetectors provide high-quality images because they are not very susceptible to noise, but they consume a great deal of power and must be read in serial fashion, bit by bit. CMOS sensors are generally more susceptible to noise than CCDs but are much less expensive because they can be manufactured on standard silicon integrated circuit production lines. Each cell in a typical CMOS sensor includes several transistors to amplify the electrical charge internally and move it across traditional wires. Each row is generally accessible, starting at row zero and providing input pulses to shift to the desired row. A clock input is then used to access the desired pixels in the selected row. Thus, desired image data can be accessed without shifting the entire image to the output.
Several main focusing techniques exist for electronic imaging devices having photodetectors such as CMOS sensors or CCDs, including active and passive focusing. Active focusing involves shining infrared light from the electronic imaging device onto a focus object. A photosensor in the electronic imaging device receives infrared light reflected from the focus object and compares it with the transmitted infrared light to determine the distance from the electronic imaging device to the focus object. A lens in the electronic imaging device can then be set to the proper focus position according to that distance. Active focusing can be very fast, but it increases the cost of an electronic imaging device and it does not work well with some types of focus objects.
Passive focusing involves capturing consecutive images while adjusting the lens in the electronic imaging device and comparing the images to determine when the electronic imaging device is properly focused. For example, the electronic imaging device may search for the focus position that results in the maximum intensity difference between adjacent pixels in an image. Passive focusing is well suited for inexpensive imaging devices because it does not require additional expensive and complex components. However, conventional passive focusing is substantially slower than active focusing. This situation adds to the already long image capture delay in most electronic imaging devices.
An embodiment of the invention decreases the time required to passively focus an electronic imaging device by effectively decreasing the field of focus used to focus the electronic imaging device. During the passive focusing process, images are repeatedly captured at different focus settings and the image data is analyzed to determine which of the focus settings used is best, using any suitable technique such as searching for maximum contrast.
During this passive focusing process, images are captured at different focus settings using a randomly accessible photodetector such as a CMOS sensor in the electronic imaging device. As the passive focusing process is being performed, the images are analyzed to identify at least one region in the image which is most affected by focus changes. Subsequent images captured for the passive focusing process are captured from the most affected region rather than from the entire randomly accessible photodetector. (Alternatively, a sequentially accessible photodetector such as a CCD may be used, with unwanted image data discarded.) The process of identifying changing regions may be performed recursively during the focusing process, selecting successively smaller regions to sample from the previous larger regions, thereby reducing the amount of data processed and reducing the time required to passively focus the electronic imaging device.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present invention provides a method, system, and components for protecting reticles and specifically for minimizing haze formation on reticles during storage and use. By substantially continually maintaining a purge in a storage housing having a reduced humidity level on reticles or by temporarily storing the reticle in a container in proximity to a desiccant or getter when not being purged, haze formation can be eliminated, minimized, or sufficiently controlled. Moreover, a filter media in the container may be positioned to be “recharged” during the substantially continual purging of the reticle, a reduced desirable humidity level can be readily maintained in the reticle container when the container is not currently being purged. Additionally, the system of the invention can comprise an ionizer associated with the purge system. For example, the ionizer can be associated with at least one of the plurality of purge lines of the purge system. The system of the invention can also include a purge gas source connected to the purge system that comprises a source of CDA or extra CDA. The storage housing can comprise a plurality of shelves that each include a plurality of reticle storage receptacles.

Particulate and airborne molecular contaminants (AMC) pose considerable problems in semiconductor manufacturing facilities. These contaminants can cause reticle defects such as hazing. In general, reticle pods are used to protect reticles from these contaminants during storage and transport. Nonetheless, accumulation of these contaminants is common in reticle pods, which can degrade overall reticle quality. With such accumulation, there exists the opportunity for contaminants to enter the reticle pod when removing a reticle therefrom to use with a semiconductor tool. A typical approach for minimizing contaminants within a reticle pod involves periodic cleanings. One shortcoming with periodic cleanings is the potential for decreased manufacturing efficiencies.
Purging of wafers and reticles with nitrogen is known. Purging with nitrogen can eliminate contaminants in the reticle containment but presents problems in that nitrogen needs to be contained and controlled. Although nitrogen is not considered toxic, a nitrogen enriched environment with reduced oxygen, asphyxiation can result. Thus, leakages of nitrogen into space with personnel is not acceptable. Nitrogen enrichment can be detected only with sophisticated sensing equipment. Pure clean nitrogen is not inexpensive. Hazing can still occur with traditional nitrogen purging.
Thus, there remains a significant need for economically and safely protecting reticles during storage and transportation from contaminants and from hazing.


A method, system, and apparatus of a touch-based authentication of a mobile device through user generated pattern creation are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a mobile device includes recognizing a tactile force on a touch screen without a visual aid as an unlocking gesture, storing the unlocking gesture to a memory of the mobile device, associating another tactile force on the touch screen with the unlocking gesture, and transforming the mobile device from an initial state to an unlocked state based on the association between the another tactile force and the unlocking gesture. The method may include transforming the mobile device to operate as a telephonic communication device in the unlocked state.

Security of a mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone, a mobile player, an Apple® iPhone®, etc.) may be of concern to a user. Furthermore, the user may utilize the mobile device in manner similar to a personal computer (e.g., browse the Internet, access email, etc.). Consequently, the mobile device may include confidential information (e.g., a web browser history, an email account, a past call history, a text message, a voice message, etc.). Due to the nature of this type of information, a security breach may be costly to the user or his/her organization (e.g., a difficulty in recreating lost information).
A design of the mobile device may make it problematic to implement an additional security protocol. For example, the mobile device may utilize a touchscreen (e.g., a display which can detect a location of forces in a display area) for user input rather than a physical keypad. The user may be able to access the mobile device utilizing the touchscreen simply by tapping a surface of the touchscreen in an arbitrary manner and/or performing a templated gesture (e.g., a pattern such as movement from left to right) on a surface of the touch screen. As a result, confidential information may be accessed by anyone merely in physical possession of the mobile device.
The touchscreen mobile device may include a virtual keypad (e.g., a form of a template to guide the user, an alpha-numeric virtual key pad, etc.). The user may use the virtual keypad to enter a pass code to access information. This process may be slow and/or cumbersome (e.g., a fingertip of the user may be of comparatively same size as an area of a virtual keypad symbol, the virtual keypad may not have the same tactile feel as the physical keypad, etc.). Use of a virtual keypad may also be inconvenient and/or dangerous when an attention of the user is diverted (e.g., walking, working, eating, etc.). A handicapped user (e.g., a sight-impaired person, a person with out fingers or hands, a person with impaired dexterity, etc.) may have difficulty inputting information with the virtual keypad. Furthermore, the alpha-numeric pass code may be difficult to remember for a primary user and/or secondary users of the mobile device. Thus, security of the mobile device may be breached resulting in theft and/or misappropriation of the confidential information that may be stored in the mobile device.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Mobile device authentication through touch-based gestures


The boss portion of an arm is oscillatably supported with respect to a support member. A tension pulley is rotatably engaged with a tip portion of the arm. A guide plate is fixed to the axial tip portion of the support member to face the boss portion. A friction plate is sandwiched between the boss portion and the guide plate to apply an oscillational resistance to the boss portion by a spring. A vibration attenuating member is provided in the guide plate so as to control the vibration of the guide plate caused by a stick-slip phenomenon in contacting portions between the friction plate, boss portion and guide plate.

The conventional auto tensioners are of a structure having a function of regulating the movement of a tension pulley so that a vibration and impact from a belt are attenuated while allowing the movement of the tension pulley according to the tensile force of the belt generated by temperature variations in the environment, changes caused by an expansion or contraction over time, or the like.
One of such auto tensioners is disclosed in the Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. H11-133955, which relates to the application by the Applicant. The auto tensioner has an arm for supporting a tension pulley. An annular friction plate is sandwiched between the end face on the front side of the boss portion of the arm and a guide plate integrally fitted to the front end of a support shaft for supporting the arm so that the extension restoring force of a helical torsion coil spring has the friction plate pressure-contact with the boss portion and the guide plate.
In the case of the foregoing type of an auto tensioner, the respective sliding portions between the friction plate, boss portion and guide plate occasionally suffer a succession of behaviors such as sticking to one another or slipping, generally termed as the stick-slip, depending on how the load from the extension restoring force of the helical torsion coil spring is imposed and the status of the movement and vibration of the tension pulley. The generation of the stick-slip phenomenon causes the guide plate made of steel plate to vibrate, which results in generation of an unusual sound or noise in the auto tensioner.
As a technique to control generation of such an unusual sound or noise in the auto tensioner, the thickness of the guide plate made of steel plate can conceivably be increased. However, materials of high rigidity such as a steel plate or the like have disadvantages of poor attenuation of a vibration and a natural resonance caused by the vibration, thereby generating a secondary noise or the like. Therefore, in terms of controlling the vibration of the guide plate due to the stick-slip and the consequent reduction of the unusual sound and noise in the auto tensioner, there can be no good results expected from merely increasing the thickness of the guide plate. Further, to increase the thickness is not preferable leading to an increased weight of the auto tensioner.
Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide an auto tensioner capable of reducing an unusual sound or noise generated by the vibration of the guide plate subject to the stick-slip in the sliding portions of an arm for supporting a tension pulley.


An inverting mechanism of a glass forming machine includes: a supporting structure; a shaft horizontally located over the upper portion the supporting structure; drive means coupled to a shaft to provide rotational movement to the shaft; a cylindrical body having a longitudinal opening in an eccentric reference axis, which is coupled to the shaft through its longitudinal opening, in an eccentric position; at least one hollow cylinder coupled with each cylindrical body having attached supports to its outer part which are connected to neck ring holder arms so that, by means of a first sliding movement of the hollow cylinder on the cylindrical body, it provides a lateral movement to open and close the neck ring holder arm supports in parallel and, by means of a rotational movement, it moves the neck ring holder arms with a 180° movement from a parison mold to a finish blow mold.

Glassware such as narrow neck glass are usually produced in glassware forming machines such as those which can include multiple similar individual forming sections by blow-blow process, while wide-mouth jars, glasses and other glassware are produced in forming machines known as Series "E" and "F" through the press-blow process, so-called "hot mold".
During the glass containers manufacturing process by means of the blow-blow or blow press process, the gob glass is introduced into a parison or preformed mold, where, depending on the process, the gob settles by means of a blowing or vacuum process to the lower part of the parison mold to form the crown of the container. Then, once the container crown is formed, a counter-blow is made to form a parison or preform of the container. Subsequently, the container preform is transferred by an inverting mechanism with a 180 degree move of the parison mold to a final blow where final shape is given to the container.
Within the forming process, one of the main mechanisms of the forming machines is the inverting mechanism which, in addition to transferring the item from the parison mold to the blow mold, has the integrated function of opening and closing a pair of crown holder holding arms to retain a transferable crown mold which is able of opening and closing during the forming action of the container and to retain the item in its reversion from the parison mold to the blow mold.
Examples of glassware transfer mechanisms are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,201, by Joseph A. Borbone et al, refers to an invert and neck ring holder mechanism for displacing a parison from a blank station to a blow station. The invert and neck ring holder mechanism has an opposed pair of side brackets, a worm gear housing supporting a worm gear, and a motor/worm housing for supporting the worm gear housing intermediate the opposed side brackets. The invert and neck ring holder mechanism also has a pair of cylinder assemblies extending between the sides of the worm gear and the side brackets. The cylinder assemblies include a cylinder having a support. Each cylinder is axially displaceable from a first location adjacent the worm gear to a second location adjacent the associated side bracket and rotationally displaceable to displace its neck ring holder support from a first position at the blank station to a second position at the blow station.
A first switch indicates that said first cylinder assembly cylinder is proximate its associated side bracket, a second switch indicates that the first cylinder assembly neck ring holder support is at the first position, a third switch indicates that the second cylinder assembly cylinder is proximate its associated side bracket, and a fourth switch indicates that the second cylinder assembly neck ring holder support is at the second position.
The U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,766 by Wilhelm Schneider et al, an invert mechanism for moving parisons between a pre-forming station and a finishing forming station of a glass forming machine is disclosed. The mechanism is disposed above a cover plate of a frame of the glass forming machine. An electric motor is disposed with its horizontal longitudinal axis above the cover plate. A driven shaft of the electric motor is connected to a horizontal invert shaft by means of a transmission. Between the driven shaft of the electric motor and the transmission a planetary gear is connected.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,515 by Larry N. Shue, et al, describes an invert assembly for an individual section glassware forming machine includes an invert base that is oscillated about an axis between angularly spaced apart first and second positions, a double ended ball screw positioned co-axially with the axis and having spaced apart oppositely threaded portions, first and second nuts each threadably engaging one of the oppositely threaded portions of the ball screw so that the nuts reciprocate toward and away from each other in response to rotation of the ball screw, and first and second neck ring arms respectively engaging the first and second nuts so that the neck ring arms reciprocate toward and away from each other along the axis with the first and second nuts. Preferably, the invert base is oscillated about the axis by a first reversible electric motor, and the ball screw is driven for rotation in opposed directions by a second reversible electric motor to move the nuts and neck ring arms toward and away from each other along the axis.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 7,779,650 of Victor Tijerina, et al, is related to a method and machine for the production of hollow glassware, such as bottles, jars, cups and other glass items, by the blow-and-blow, press-and-blow, press-and-blow and direct press processes in glassware forming machines including among their multiple mechanisms, a parison forming station including a blank mold, an inverting mechanism including at least one open-able horizontal holding arm and at least one transferable and open-able neck ring mold, per cavity, removable held by the horizontal holding arm of the inverting mechanism, to be initially placed under the blank mold to form a parison which is held by said transferable and open-able neck ring mold once formed and transferred by the inverting mechanism from this parison forming station to an intermediate station at an upright orientation.
Traditionally, inverting mechanisms include an opening and closing neck ring arm mechanism consisting of a rotary cylinder divided into two sections that have a series of internal longitudinal slots or horizontal grooves. One pair of neck ring retention arms is connected to each section of the rotary cylinder to open and close the neck ring retention arms and the neck ring holder molds in parallel. Each rotary cylinder section, through its slots or longitudinal grooves, is respectively coupled on cylindrical bodies including upper longitudinal slots. Each body is coupled to a central shaft, which are separated by an intermediate gear or neck ring of a reducer connected to a set of piston cylinder to rotate the arrow and, the cylindrical bodies and each rotary cylinder section, move the neck ring arms with a 180° degrees from that parison mold to a final blow mold.
The parallel opening of the neck ring retention arms, and the neck ring molds for neck ring mold retention and release is carried out by pneumatically moving each rotary cylinder section over the cylindrical bodies, from a first central position in coincidence with the lateral faces of the intermediate gear or neck ring of a reducer, to a left and right position respectively. Springs at the ends of the shafts allow the cylinder sections to be returned to their original position once the pneumatic actuation flow is suspended.
The upper longitudinal slots of the cylindrical bodies and the internal longitudinal slots or grooves of the rotary cylinders of the arm holders transmit torque or turning force to the crown arms and allow the rotary cylinders to longitudinally slide over the cylindrical bodies during the opening and closing of the arm holders.
However, one of the main problems with the coupling of the above-mentioned parts by means of slots or longitudinal grooves is that, because compressed air is used to open the neck ring arms, air pressure is lost through the junction of the grooves because, when a certain clearance is maintained, the air escapes through small gaps between them, as there is no complete seal as far as the teeth of the grooves are concerned.
Another disadvantage found with respect to coupling the grooves is in terms of their manufacture, since it is necessary to manufacture an internal groove (for the rotary cylinders of the arm holders) and an external longitudinal groove in the upper part of the cylindrical bodies, which requires a lot of time and precision of machining since, if there is too much play between grooves, there is greater air escape and if the joint is too tight they get stuck.
An additional disadvantage is that, due to the constant displacement of the neck ring arm (with a movement of 180 degrees) or to open or close the neck ring arms, the slots or grooves are worn and therefore, when there is variation between the teeth, the torque applied causes certain variations in the movement of the mechanism, which even though they may be in the range of thousandths, affects the angle point of calibration of the arm.

Inverting mechanism for a machine for shaping glass items


A transmission has a first gearshift group, a second gearshift group, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform a method that includes fully coupling the first gearshift group to an engine drive shaft, and partially coupling the second gearshift group to the drive shaft while the first gearshift group is fully coupled to the drive shaft.

An example of known conventional technology, in which a transmission having a plurality of automatic clutches, is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-234654 (hereafter referred to as prior art.). The transmission having a plurality of automatic clutches described in the aforementioned conventional technology is a so-called twin-clutch transmission and is equipped with two input shafts, of which the first input shaft is hollow, the second input shaft passes coaxially through the inside of the first input shaft, and the first input shaft and second input shaft are arranged coaxially with the engine drive shaft. Between the engine drive shaft and the first input shaft is provided the first automatic clutch, and between the engine drive shaft and the second input shaft is provided the second automatic clutch. On the first input shaft is provided a gear mechanism comprised of a gear group consisting of a second speed shift, fourth speed shift, and sixth speed shift. On the second input shaft is a gear mechanism comprised of a gear group consisting of a reverse shift, first speed shift, third speed shift, and fifth speed shift. The gear groups consisting of these gearshifts are equipped with a synchronous engaging device for coupling with the counter shaft on the output shaft side. One selectable gearshift is selected from first through sixth speeds or reverse, and the synchronous engaging device is operated to either place the vehicle in drive or apply the engine brake and coast. In doing so, the gear group of the selected gearshift is coupled with the counter shaft, the first or second automatic clutch pertaining to the gear group of the selected gearshift is engaged, and a transmission path is formed for the drive coupling.

Control device for a transmission having a plurality of automatic clutches


The present invention is directed to compositions and methods for producing avermectins, and is primarily in the field of animal health. The present invention relates to the identification and characterization of two novel genes, herein referred to as the aveR1 and aveR2 genes, that are involved in regulating avermectin polyketide synthase (PKS) expression and avermectin biosynthesis in Streptomyces avermitilis. The present invention is based on the discovery that inactivation of these genes results in an increase in the amount of avermectin produced by S. avermitilis.

Streptomyces species produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites, including the avermectins, which comprise a series of eight related sixteen-membered macrocyclic lactones with potent anthelmintic and insecticidal activity. The eight distinct but closely related compounds are referred to as A1a, A1b, A2a, A2b, B1a, B1b, B2a, and B2b. The "a" series of compounds refers to the natural avermectin wherein the substituent at the C25 position is (S)sec-butyl, and the "b" series refers to those wherein the substituent at the C25 position is isopropyl. The designations "A" and "B" refer to avermectins wherein the substituent at C5 is methoxy and hydroxy, respectively. The numeral "1" refers to avermectins wherein a double bond is present at the C22, 23 position, and the numeral "2" refers to avermectins having a hydrogen at the C22 position and a hydroxy at the C23 position. Among the related avermectins, the B1 type of avermectin is recognized as having the most effective antiparasitc and pesticidal activity, and is therefore the most commercially desirable avermectin.
The avermectins and their production by aerobic fermentation of strains of S. avermitilis are described, among other places, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,310,519 and 4,429,042.
The avermectin (ave) genes, like many genes involved in the production of secondary metabolites and other Streptomyces antibiotics, are found clustered together on the bacterial chromosome. The ave gene cluster for avermectin biosynthesis spans a 95 kb genomic fragment of DNA which includes DNA encoding the avermectin polyketide synthase (PKS) (MacNeil et al., 1992, Gene 115:119-125).
The regulation of antibiotic biosynthesis in Streptomyces is perhaps best characterized in the species Streptomyces coelicolor. Four antibiotics produced by S. coelicolor include actinorhodin (Act), undecylprodigiosin (Red), calcium-dependent antibiotic (CDA), and methylenomycin (Mmy). Each of these antibiotics is encoded by a different cluster of genetically distinct genes. Genes have been identified that are linked to either the Act gene cluster or the Red gene cluster that encode products which specifically regulate the expression of the Act biosynthetic gene cluster or the Red biosynthetic gene cluster, respectively. A number of loci containing genes that globally regulate more than one of the antibiotic biosynthetic gene clusters have also been identified. For example, mutations in two independent loci, absA and absB, have been shown to block the synthesis of all four antibiotics in S. coelicolor (Brian et al., 1996, J. Bact. 178:3221-3231). The absA locus has been cloned and characterized, and its gene products have been shown to be involved in a signal transduction pathway which normally acts as a global negative regulator of antibiotic synthesis in S. coelicolor (Brian et al., 1996, above).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,987 to Champness et al. relates to hyperproduction of antibiotic in Streptomyces spp. as a result of interruption of the absA locus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,839 to Denoya, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,561 to Denoya et al. relate to DNA sequences encoding branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complexes of Streptomyces and methods for enhancing the production of novel avermectins.
Understanding the mechanism by which Type I polyketide synthase expression is regulated in S. avermitilis will permit genetic manipulation of the ave genes to increase the production of avermectins.

Streptomyces avermitilis regulatory genes for increased avermectin production


A stick is provided in which a gripping tube is fixed to a front end portion of an upper connection tube having a large diameter and a circular-arc engagement portion formed by a front-end cut portion of the gripping tube is tightened or loosened with the operation of a cam lever so that the outer periphery of a lower connection tube is fixed in a pressurized and gripped state or the pressurizing force is released, wherein a contracted tube portion is formed in the outer periphery of the lower connection tube at the portion with which the circular-arc engagement portion comes into contact when the lower connection tube is pressed into the upper connection tube so as to reach a shortened position, and when the cam lever is locked at the shortened position, the circular-arc engagement portion comes into contact with the contracted tube portion having a small outer diameter.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a stick with a cam lever type locking device, and more particularly, to a stick with a cam lever type locking device capable of preventing a decrease in the locking force exerted when the stick is normally used by preventing the plastic deformation of an engagement portion in a manner such that the locking force applied to the engagement portion of the locking device is decreased when the stick is accommodated in a shortened state for a long period of time.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a stick is used as assisting means for supporting a body of a user, for example, in the case of climbing, sport games, or walking of a patient. Such a stick has a configuration in which a handle is provided in the end portion of a pole shaft. The pole shaft is generally configured by inserting and connecting plural connection tubes to each other, whereby the pole shaft may be shortened or lengthened in a so-called 'telescopic type' or an 'antenna type' when the pole shaft is accommodated and used.
Among locking devices which fix the stick in a lengthened state or a shortened state, there is a known cam lever type locking device having a configuration in which a stick is locked by allowing an engagement portion to pressurize and grip the outer periphery of a connection tube with the operation of a cam lever, which may be conveniently operated by a woman or an aged person.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a stick which adopts such a locking device.
In FIG. 1, the stick includes plural connection tubes 2, 4, 6, . . . , where among the adjacent connection tubes, the connection tube having a large diameter is referred to as an 'upper connection tube' and the connection tube having a small diameter is referred to as a 'lower connection tube'.
A cam lever type locking device 10 is applied to at least one or more points of the connection portions of the adjacent connection tubes 2, 4, 6 . . . and a general button type locking device 12 is used together. At the time of applying the button type locking device 12, a sleeve 4a is installed at the front end portion of the upper connection tube 4.
Referring to FIG. 1, the connection tube includes three stages of connection tubes. The cam lever type locking device 10 is applied to the first-stage upper connection tubes 2 and the second-stage lower connection tube 4, and the button type locking device 12 is applied to the second-stage upper connection tube 4 and the third-stage lower connection tube 6. Alternatively, the cam lever type locking device 10 may be applied to all of the first-stage and second-stage connection tubes and the second-stage and third-stage connection tubes.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the cam lever type locking device.
In the cam lever type locking device 10 shown in FIG. 2, a gripping tube 20 is fixed to the end portion of the upper connection tube 2 having a large diameter, and a tightening plate 24 extends to a portion where a part of the front end portion of the gripping tube 20 is cut as a cut portion 22. A cam lever 40 is installed in the tightening plate 24 through an operation pin 30 and a hinge pin 50. When the cam lever 40 is pressed downward, the cam surface 42 of the cam lever 40 pulls two tightening plates 24, so that a circular-arc engagement portion 23 of the gripping tube 20 pressurizes and grips the outer periphery of the lower connection tube 4.
Further, FIG. 3 illustrates another example of the cam lever type locking device.
In a cam lever type locking device 100 shown in FIG. 3, a gripping tube 120 is fixed to the end portion of the upper connection tube 2 having a large diameter. A cam lever 140 is installed through an operation pin 130 and a hinge pin 150 by cutting both sides of the front end portion of the gripping tube 120 as a cut portion 122. When the cam lever 140 is pressed downward so as to rotate a cam surface 142, two circular-arc engagement portions 123 are tightened so as to pressurize and grip the outer periphery of the lower connection tube 4.
Incidentally, even in a case where the stick is accommodated in a shortened state, the lower connection tube needs to be fixed so as not to be separated by pressing the cam lever 40, 140. That is, the lower connection tube 4 is pressed into the upper connection tube 2 until the sleeve 4a (see FIG. 1) of the front end of the lower connection tube 4 contacts the front end of the upper connection tube 2, and then the cam lever 40, 140 is pressed so as to fix the lower connection tube 4 (see FIG. 1) in a pressurized and gripped state.
Accordingly, during a time in which the stick is accommodated, the engagement portion 23, 123 of the gripping tube 20, 120 pressurizes the outer periphery of the lower connection tube 4. The gripping tube 20, 120 is formed of metal or plastic, and especially in the case of plastic, when the state in which the gripping tube 20, 120 pressurizes and fixes the lower connection tube 4 is maintained for a long period of time, the engagement portion 23, 123 which receives a reaction force undergoes plastic deformation. That is, the circular-arc portion of the engagement portion is stretched. Such plastic deformation may decrease the locking force of the stick, so that a problem arises in that the lower connection tube 4 enters into the upper connection tube 2 when pressing the stick against the ground.

Stick with cam lever type locking device


Disclosed is an airbag cushion for a seat belt. The airbag cushion includes a main bag, an upper tether, and a lower tether. The main bag includes a center chamber at a central portion thereof, and side chambers provided on opposite sides of the center chamber and in communication with the center chamber such that gas flows between the center chamber and the side chambers. In particular, in the event of a vehicle collision, the side chambers are first filled with the gas and then the gas flows from the side chambers to fill the center chamber. The upper tether is provided to cover a first surface of the main bag. The lower tether is provided to cover a second surface of the main bag and is sewn to the upper tether to define the main bag.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an airbag cushion for a seat belt and more particularly, to an airbag cushion for a seat belt configured so that the airbag cushion is in close contact with a passenger's chest region without being rotated when the airbag cushion is deployed. The airbag cushion thus increases the area of the seatbelt wearer's body supported by the airbag, and enhances safety.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a seat belt is provided on a seat of a vehicle to safely protect a passenger sitting in the seat against an accident that many occur while the vehicle is being driven.
Such a seat belt typically includes a retractor that winds a webbing to accommodate it, an anchor that fixes the webbing pulled out from the retractor to each of left and right pillars of a vehicle body, a tongue that is attached to the webbing passing through the anchor, and a buckle to which the tongue is fastened.
In the event of an accident, the seat belt through the webbing firmly restrains the passenger to prevent his or her body from being ejected forwards from the seat.
However, the seat belt itself cannot sufficiently protect a passenger's body during a collision. In order to address the problem, recently, research and development has been undertaken into the design of an air belt having an airbag cushion deployable from the seat belt.
FIG. 1 shows an operation of an airbag cushion of a conventional air belt. The structure includes an inflator and an air belt. The inflator is installed in an upper portion of a pillar of a vehicle body, and is actuated by an ACU that generates a control signal depending on an impact level of the vehicle. The air belt secures an airbag unit 9 to a webbing 1. Here, the airbag unit 9 is made of a soft material and is supplied with gas through a tube 8 connected to the inflator so as to be inflated and deployed from the webbing 1.
The airbag unit 9 includes a cover 10, an airbag cushion 11, and tear ends 10a. The cover 10 is stitched at both ends thereof to be secured to the webbing 1 and is woven to surround the webbing 1. The airbag cushion 11 is woven so as to be fillable with the gas at a portion covering the webbing 1 in the cover 10, and is supplied with the gas through the tube 8 for inflation. The tear ends 10a form both ends of the cover 10, and are fused or stitched to each other at a side while surrounding the webbing 1 and the airbag cushion 11 such that the tear ends 10a are separated from each other when the airbag cushion 11 is deployed.
However, the conventional airbag cushion is problematic in that it is deployed in a rotating manner towards a side of the webbing when the airbag cushion is inflated by the inflator, so that the airbag cushion may undesirably be positioned in a location other than a passenger's chest region. With such positioning, shock cannot be sufficiently absorbed by the airbag cushion.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.


A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system is provided. The LiDAR system includes an emitter for emitting a light beam, a configurable light processing control unit to affect the light beam, a receiver for receiving the light beam and a computer system. The computer system controls operations of the light processing control unit, computes a distance to a target using a time of flight of the light beam from the emitter to the target and from the target to the receiver and simultaneously corroborates the computed distance by controlling the operations of the light processing control unit to focus and defocus the light beam.

The present invention generally relates to computer controlled laser-based measurement systems and techniques, and more specifically, to a tamper-proof light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system.
LiDAR is a surveying method that measures distance to a target by illuminating the target with pulsed laser light and measuring reflected pulses with a sensor. The time it takes a laser pulse to travel from the LiDAR to a target and back as well as the shift in wavelengths can then be used to make digital 3-D representations of the target and its velocity. While LiDAR is commonly used to make high-resolution maps and is applicable to various other fields (e.g., geodesy, geomatics, archaeology, geography, geology, geomorphology, seismology, forestry, atmospheric physics, laser guidance, airborne laser swath mapping (ALSM) and laser altimetry), the technology can be used in control and navigation for some autonomous vehicles.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


The present disclosure provides a method for sending driving data of a backlight source, a control circuit and a display device. The method includes: acquiring driving data of a plurality of rows of light-emitting elements included in the backlight source; and sending the driving data of the plurality of rows of light-emitting elements to a driving circuit of the backlight source at many times, wherein at least one data packet is sent each time, each data packet includes driving data for driving one row of light-emitting elements and a quantity of data packets sent each time is less than a quantity of rows of light-emitting elements included in the backlight source.

A liquid crystal display (LCD) device may include a liquid crystal display panel, and a backlight source which provides a light source for the liquid crystal display panel. The backlight source may include a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in an array.
In the related art, the liquid crystal display device may further include a control circuit and a driving circuit of the backlight source. The driving circuit of the backlight source is connected to each light-emitting diode in the backlight source. The control circuit may process grayscale data of an image to be displayed to obtain driving data of each LED, and may send the driving data of all LEDs included in the backlight source to the driving circuit of the backlight source. The driving circuit of the backlight source may drive row by row, according to the received driving data of the plurality of LEDs and on the basis of a scanning direction of various rows of pixels in the liquid crystal display panel, the plurality of LEDs to emit light, such that the various rows of pixels in the liquid crystal display panel and the LEDs are updated synchronously.

Method for sending driving data of backlight source, control circuit and display device

BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

BEIJING BOE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.


A tamper resistant check includes a first region on a first surface of the tamper resistant check and a second region on the first surface of the tamper resistant check. The second region on the first surface of the tamper resistant check corresponds to at least one critical field associated with the tamper resistant check including, but not limited to, one or more of the payee field, the amount field, and/or the signature field. The second region on the first surface of the tamper resistant check is designed so that toner-based characters/symbols applied by a laser printer to the second region cannot be removed from the second region without leaving visible evidence of the tampering.

While electronic transactions, such as credit card and debit card transactions, have continued to rise in popularity, 75% of all commercial payments are still conducted using printed checks. In addition, the overwhelming majority of printed checks are now created/generated using one or more computing systems, computing system applications, and a laser printer.
A significant problem facing any entity using printed checks is a check fraud. Currently, check fraud takes several forms and accounts for over $20 billion of criminal activity per year with a current annual growth rate of 25% per year. As a result, one in four businesses is a victim of fraud with an average loss of $50,000, and 45% of these cases involve check fraud. Small businesses are particularly vulnerable to check fraud with an estimated 30% of small businesses failing due to fraud of one form or another.
One form of check fraud involves the actual counterfeiting of checks, i.e., a perpetrator creating a fraudulent physical check that is designed to mimic/copy checks provided by financial institutions, such as banks and credit card companies, and/or provided by various financial management systems, such as computing system implemented small business and personal financial management systems. In these cases, once the counterfeit check has been created, the perpetrator can then fill in critical fields of the check, such the payee and amount fields, as desired and forge, or otherwise fraudulently obtain, authorization signatures.
In an attempt to prevent check counterfeiting, the vast majority of checks provided to businesses and individuals currently include one form or another of anti-counterfeiting check features such as a printed, and/or colored, check designs, images, and/or patterns that typically cover the entire surface of the check, including the various check fields such as the amount and payee fields. While these anti-counterfeiting check features often do make it difficult to create counterfeit checks, the introduction of printed, and/or colored, check designs, images, and/or patterns that cover the entire surface of the check opens other opportunities for check fraud, such as check forgery.
Check forgery is the second largest form of crime committed against consumers/small businesses after identity theft. Check forgery is defined as adding, removing, or altering check information in order to perpetuate fraud; as opposed to counterfeiting which, as discussed above, involves copying an original check to perpetuate check fraud.
For instance, the inclusion of anti-counterfeiting check features such as printed, and/or colored, check designs, images, and/or patterns that cover the entire surface of the check make it easier for perpetrators of check fraud to commit check forgery by tampering with critical fields of already generated checks, such as the payee and/or amount fields, without leaving readily visible telltale traces of their work.
As noted above, the vast majority of checks used today, particularly those used by businesses, are laser printed checks whereby the various fields of the check, including the critical fields such as payee and/or amount fields, are filled in/populated with desired characters/symbols using laser printers. Laser printers have been widely adopted for decades and represent a significant technological advance over inkjet printers in terms of cost, practicality, speed, and efficiency. As a result, over 80% of all checks generated by printers are now generated by laser printers.
Unlike ink jet technology, laser printers do not use liquid ink that, in terms of countering fraud, advantageously soaks into the check substrate. Instead, laser printers utilize toner which is a form of powdered ink that is applied to the surface of the check and adhered to the check surface using heat to literally melt the toner onto the surface of the check, but typically not into the check substrate surface. As a result, depending on the quality of the laser printer and the adhesion properties of the check, it can be relatively easy to remove the toner, i.e. the printed characters/symbols, from the surface of currently available checks generated with a laser printer.
As one example, current perpetrators of fraud will often obtain a check generated with a laser printer and then exploit the fact that the laser printer toner resides only on the surface of the check to remove the toner-based characters/symbols using one of several methods. These methods for removing toner, i.e., the printed characters, from the surface of currently available laser printer generated checks include, but are not limited to: using tape, or another adhesive material, to literally lift the toner from the surface of the check in selected critical regions/fields, such as the payee or amount fields; using one or more edged devices, such as a razor, to scratch the toner from the surface of the check in selected critical regions/fields; using a chemical wash, or treated fabric, to wipe away the toner from the surface of the check in selected fields; and various other more or less sophisticated methods for removing the toner from the surface of the check in selected critical regions/fields.
Once a perpetrator of check fraud has removed the toner, i.e., the printed characters/symbols, from the surface of selected fields of the laser printer generated check, the perpetrator is then free to substitute whatever characters/symbols desired and thereby effectively make the check out to whomever they like and/or for whatever amount they desire.
To counter toner removal, some makers of checks now provide checks that include special adhesion coatings, and/or toners that are chemically designed to better adhere to the check surface. However, these approaches have typically provided limited results that, at best, only make it harder to remove the toner but still result in toner based characters/symbols that can be removed from the check surface by even a semi-skilled perpetrator of check fraud.
Fortunately, in the course of perpetrating the toner removal form of check fraud described above, it is extremely difficult to remove the laser printer applied toner from the surface of a laser printer generated check without leaving small traces of either the toner, or other evidence of the tampering, such as light smudging of toner on the surface of the check, small portions of toner that are not completely removed, and/or slight damage to the surface region of the check where the toner has been removed. However, as noted above, in order to prevent the counterfeiting and/or forgery of checks, the vast majority of checks include intricate anti-counterfeiting patterns, designs, images, and/or colored surfaces and while these measures do help prevent check counterfeiting and/or forgery they also serve to mask the small traces of toner, and/or other evidence of tampering, resulting from the removal and replacement of toner-based characters. In short, the same intricate patterns, designs, images, and/or colored surfaces that make the check difficult to counterfeit also serve to camouflage the small traces of toner, and/or other subtle evidence of tampering, that results from the removal and replacement of toner-based characters/symbols. Consequently, using current laser printer generated checks it is relatively easy to remove and replace toner characters without leaving traces of the tampering that are readily noticeable in the anti-counterfeiting patterns, designs, images, or colors on the surface of the check.
As a result of the situation discussed above, check fraud, and particularly check fraud involving toner character removal and replacement, is difficult to detect and contributes significantly to the billions of dollars misappropriated each year by perpetrators of check fraud. What is needed is a method and system from providing tamper resistant checks that are difficult to counterfeit yet readily reveal evidence of tampering.

Method and system for providing tamper resistant checks


A data processing apparatus includes a first frame processing unit that fragments a first input frame and identifies a head of the first input frame and outputs first head position information; a second frame processing unit that fragments a second input frame which is a redundant frame of the first input frame and is input asynchronously with the first input frame, identifies a head of the second frame, and outputs second head position information; a first and a second storage unit that receive and store the fragmented pieces of data output from the first and the second frame processing units respectively; and a fragmented data processing unit that reads the fragmented pieces of data out of one of the first and second storage units based on the first and second head position information and outputs the fragmented data.

Recently, network convergence has been promoted. With regard to digital wrapper layers of the OTN (Optical Transport Network) apparatuses and/or the ODU (Optical channel Data Unit) apparatuses provided in the recommendation G. 709 of ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication sector), a demand as follows has arisen. That is, the demand for a system (such as an OTN Switch (cross connect) and an ODU Switch (cross connect)) having a switching function such as a TSI (Time Slot Interchange) function of SONET (Synchronous Optical NETwork) has arisen.
As for the ODU switching system, many methods of implementing the above mentioned function using an existing packet switch or segment switch are proposed. That is, an ODU frame which has been received from an OTN is fragmented (packetized or segmented using an NPU (Network Processor Unit)). The reason why the frame is fragmented by packetization or segmentation lies in the fact that effective utilization of the existing packet switch and segment switch is realized by fragmenting ODU frames of different formats into general packets or segments. "Packetization" means to fragment a frame into pieces in accordance with an existing standardized packet format and "segmentation" means to fragment a frame into pieces in accordance with a particular format.
In addition, in the OTN for which high reliability of a bearer network is required, a redundancy configuration using a normally used system (Work) and a spare system (Protect, PTCT) (hereinafter, referred to as a Work system and a Protect system) is frequently adopted.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data processing apparatus which is connected to an OTN which is configured to have redundancy. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the OTN installed between a data processing apparatus 1A and a data processing apparatus 1B has a redundancy configuration constituted by an OTN-W of the Work system and an OTN-P of the Protect system.
Packet data is input from a client into the data processing apparatus 1A using a client interface unit 2A. The client interface unit 2A is then connected with network interface units 4A-W and 4A-P via a switch unit 3A to distribute the packet data to the network interface units 4A-W and 4A-P. The network interface units 4A-W and 4A-P then generate OTU (Optical channel Transport Unit) frames from the input packet data and transmit the generated OTU frames to the OTN-W of the Work system and the OTN-P of the Protect system.
The OTU frames are then input into the data processing apparatus 1B from the OTN-W of the Work system and the OTN-P of the Protect system using network interface units 2B-W and 2B-P respectively. And the network interface units 2B-W and 2B-P then fragment the ODU frames from which OTU overheads have been removed into pieces using NPUs. A switch unit 3B connects the network interface units 2B-W and 2B-P with a client interface unit 4B. The client interface unit 4B performs buffering on fragmented pieces of data sent from the network interface unit 2B-W and fragmented pieces of data sent from the network interface unit 2B-P respectively. The client interface unit 4B selects either of the fragmented pieces of data, restores the selected fragmented pieces of data to the previous ODU frame, adds an OTU overhead to the frame to form an OTU frame and then transmits the formed OTU frame to another OTN apparatus. In normal operation (state), the client interface unit 4B selects the fragmented pieces of data sent from the network interface unit 2B-W. When a fault occurs in the Work system or when the Work system is in maintenance, the client interface unit 4B selects the fragmented pieces of data sent from the network interface unit 2B-P as a protection function. Incidentally, in the example illustrated in the drawing, another OTN apparatus is not configured to have redundancy as it does not constitute a bearer network. However, it may be possible to configure it to have redundancy by branching the data into pieces at the succeeding stages of the network interface units 2B-W and 2B-P and adding a switch unit and a client interface unit thereto.
On the other hand, with the progress of a semiconductor micro-patterning technique, the signal capacity processed using a single interface card is increased. Therefore, the range influenced by a line error which would occur upon switching from the Work system to the Protect system to be performed using the interface card in maintenance is being increased accordingly.
A demand for short-interruption-free (errorless) switching to be performed to avoid the line error as described above is being increased and realization of a system having an errorless switching function is being asked.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 6-327074 discloses a technique for preventing cell loss and frame discard from being generated by performing system switching without stopping reception of a packet cell when system switching is performed on a system having a redundancy configuration.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 5-130141 discloses a technique for compensating for the sequencing property of packets by buffering information on a time at which a packet is sent out from a transmitting end and information on a time at which the immediately preceding packet has been sent out at a receiving end by packet transmission which is configured to have redundancy, rearranging the packets in time order and then outputting the rearranged packets.

Data processing apparatus and redundancy switching method


A refrigerant storage device that arranges two end plates to form a cavity and includes a turbulator plate within the cavity. The turbulator plate is arranged within the cavity to reinforce the cavity by providing a plurality of reinforcement portions between the end plates. The cavity is sized and the turbulator plate is configured so a liquid portion of refrigerant flowing through the cavity collects onto the turbulator plate. The device has a rectangular shape that simplifies vehicle packaging and allows the device to be readily integrated into a plate-type refrigerant-to-liquid coolant heat exchanger. The device is formed by a stacking arrangement of parts that provides for a readily scalable design.

Vehicle interior air conditioning systems based on refrigerant-to-air heat exchangers typically use round shaped receivers or accumulators as refrigerant storage devices to storage extra refrigerant. In the case of a typical receiver, the long and narrow shape of these round devices allow the device to contain refrigerant at high pressure with minimal container wall thickness and be packaged in a vehicle adjacent to or as part of the condenser assembly. However, these round devices are difficult to package in a vehicle because the round shape makes inefficient use of vehicle under-hood space. Furthermore, future systems based on refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchangers are being developed that would benefit from a storage device with a shape that was easily integrated into these refrigerant-to-coolant heat exchangers.

Parallel plate type refrigerant storage device


An antenna includes a plurality of waveguide antenna elements arranged in a first array configured to operate with a first polarization. The antenna also includes a plurality of waveguide output ports arranged in a second array configured to operate with a second polarization. The second polarization is different from the first polarization. The antenna further includes a polarization-modification layer with channels defined therein. The polarization-modification layer is disposed between the waveguide antenna elements and the waveguide output ports. The channels are oriented at a first angle with respect to the waveguide antenna elements and at a second angle with respect to the waveguide output ports. The channels are configured to receive input electromagnetic waves having the first polarization and transmit output electromagnetic waves having a first intermediate polarization. The waveguide output ports are configured to receive input electromagnetic waves and radiate electromagnetic waves having the second polarization.

Radio detection and ranging (RADAR) systems can actively estimate distances to features in the environment by emitting radio signals and detecting returning reflected signals that reflect off surfaces in the environment. As a result, distances to radio-reflective features can be determined according to the time delay between transmission and reception. The radar system can emit a signal that varies in frequency over time, such as a signal with a time-varying frequency ramp, and then relate the difference in frequency between the emitted signal and the reflected signal to a range estimate.
Some systems may also estimate relative motion of reflective objects based on Doppler frequency shifts in the received reflected signals. Directional antennas (e.g., array antennas) can be used for the transmission and/or reception of signals to associate each range estimate with a bearing. More generally, directional antennas can also be used to focus radiated energy on a given field of view of interest. Combining the measured distances and the directional information allows for the surrounding environment features to be identified and/or mapped. The radar sensor can thus be used, for instance, by an autonomous vehicle control system to avoid obstacles indicated by the sensor information.

Adaptive polarimetric radar architecture for autonomous driving


A thermal head in which battery effect-induced corrosion can be retarded while maintaining excellent anti-static capability in an upper conductive protective film, is provided. The thermal head includes a substrate, a heater element arranged on the surface of the substrate, an electrode layer connected to the heater element, and an upper conductive protective film for covering part of the electrode layer. In the thermal head, between the electrode layer and the upper conductive protective film is interposed a lower conductive protective film which is higher in specific resistance than the upper conductive protective film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal head that is incorporated into a printer mechanism, a thermal head manufacturing method, and a thermal printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
As thermal heads of related art designed for incorporation into a printer mechanism, those as set forth hereunder have been known.
For example, disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 61-154954 is a thin-film type thermal head constructed by laminating, on a substrate, a heater element, a wiring conductor layer, and an abrasion-resistant protective film successively in this order. In this thermal head, the abrasion-resistant protective film is designed to have a double-layer structure including a first protective film made of an SiN-based material which exhibits high insulation resistance, and a second protective film made of an SiC-based material or TiC-based material which exhibits low insulation resistance. The second protective film, which is formed on the first protective film, is connected to a common electrode of the wiring conductor layer.
Disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 02-266959 is a thermal head composed of: a substrate; a heater element and an electrode formed on the substrate; an insulating layer made of SiO2 for covering the heater element and the electrode; an electrically conductive layer made e.g. of NiCr, Au, or Al that is formed on the insulating layer; and a protective film made of an SiN-based, SiC-based, or TaO-based material that is formed on the electrically conductive layer. In this thermal head, the electrically conductive layer is kept at the same potential as a recording power supply voltage, and the protective film is connected to ground.
Disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 11-277782 is a thermal head which has, in order to protect a heater element, at least a single protective film formed of a carbon protective film made of a material which is predominantly composed of carbon. The content of oxygen present at the interface between the carbon protective film and a layer formed thereunder is set at 20 atm % or below.
Also disclosed therein is a thermal head which has, as the lower layer formed under the carbon protective film, an intermediate protective film. Moreover, as a layer formed under the intermediate protective film, a lower protective film is provided that is made of a ceramics material such as silicon nitride, silicon carbide, or SiAlON. The intermediate protective film is made of a material which is predominantly composed at least of one kind of metal elements selected from the group consisting of metals of the 4A, 5A, and 6A groups, Si, and Ge.
Disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2000-177158 is a thermal head composed of: a substrate; a heater element formed on the substrate; an electrode layer connected to the heater element; a protective film for covering at least a heating portion of the heater element; and at least two pieces of anti-static layers formed on the protective film. The two (at least) anti-static layers are made of a metal element selected from the 3A through 7A groups, silicon, and oxygen. In this specification, Ta and Nb are suggested as the examples of the metal element.
Moreover, the two (at least) anti-static layers include an insulating anti-static layer formed in contact with the protective film, and a conductive anti-static layer formed as an uppermost layer. The surface resistance of the insulating anti-static layer is set at 1×104 Ω or above, whereas the surface resistance of the conductive anti-static layer is set at less than 1×104 Ω.
Also disclosed therein is a thermal head manufacturing method whereby at least two pieces of the anti-static layers are formed by making changes to the quantity of oxygen supply on the protective film.
Disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2001-47652 is a thermal head composed of a discrete electrode layer, a common electrode layer, and a heater element that are all arranged on a substrate. Moreover, on the heater element is formed an insulating protective film, and on the insulating protective film is formed a conductive protective film which is higher in thermal conductivity than the insulating protective film. The conductive protective film constitutes a stacked-layer structure such that the conductive protective film makes direct contact with the common electrode layer at least in the region corresponding to the entire range of effective print width.
Moreover, the conductive protective film is made of a thick-film conductive paste which contains at least ruthenium, the sheet resistance of which is adjusted to fall in a range from 0.5 to 10 MΩ/square.
Disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2001-270141 is a thermal head composed of: a substrate; a heater element formed on the substrate; a common electrode layer and a discrete electrode layer connected to the heater element; a protective film formed so as to cover the entire top surface of the substrate; and an anti-static conductive layer formed on the protective film. In this thermal head, part of the protective film located on the common electrode layer is removed, so that the common electrode layer and the conductive layer can make interface-contact with each other in the protective film-free region.
Incidentally, regarding a thermal head such as that in which a conductive protective film is formed on an insulating protective film and the conductive protective film is directly connected to a common electrode layer, the inventors of the present application have found the following problem to be addressed. That is, in a process for cleaning the thermal head, the conductive protective film and the common electrode layer are immersed in a cleaning solution at the same time. In this case, a so-called battery effect takes place between the common electrode layer and the conductive protective film, causing Al that constitutes the discrete electrode layer and the common electrode layer to dissolve into Al ions in the cleaning solution. As a result, the electrode layers could suffer from corrosion (galvanic corrosion)

Thermal head, method of manufacturing the same, and thermal printer


A method and a kit for establishing an in vitro prognosis on a patient exhibiting SIRS, the method comprising: (i) measuring the level of expression of the CX3CR1 gene in vitro from the biological material of a patient sample by bringing into contact said sample with a specific reagent of the CX3CR1 gene; and (ii) comparing the expression level of the CX3CR1 gene of the patient to a predetermined expression threshold; wherein (iii) if the expression level of the CX3CR1 gene of the patient is less than the predetermined expression threshold, the survival prognosis of the patient is poor, and if the expression level of the CX3CR1 gene of the patient is greater than the predetermined expression threshold, the survival prognosis of the patient is good.

SIRS (Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) is a systemic inflammatory response triggered by a variety of causes, infectious or not. When the SIRS is triggered by infectious causes, it is considered to be a SEPSIS. Among the states of SIRS triggered by non-infectious causes, mention may be made of all the stress factors which cause a systemic inflammatory response such as, for example, traumatic states, burns, pancreatitises, acute respiratory syndromes, major surgeries accompanied, or not, with cardiopulmonary bypass. The systemic inflammatory response manifests itself with at least two of the following signs: a) temperature above 38° C. or below 36° C.; b) heart rate above 90 beats per minute; c) breathing rate above 20 breaths per minute; d) leukocyte count above 12000/mm3 or below 4000/mm3, according to the defining criteria established by a group of experts in 2001 (M. M. Levy, M. P. Fink, J. C. Marshall, E. Abraham, D. Angus, D. Cook, J. Cohen, S. M. Opal, J. L. Vincent and G. Ramsay, 2001 SCCM/ESICM/ACCP/ATS/SIS International Sepsis Definitions Conference, Crit. Care Med. 31 (2003), pp. 1250-1256). Furthermore, the state of the patient presenting with SIRS is often made more complicated due to dysfunctions of one or several organs, and mostly because of an infectious complication which may be due to a pathogenic endogenous reactivation and/or nosocomial infections which can evolve toward an acute septic syndrome (SEPSIS, acute SEPSIS, septic shock). For all the reasons described above, SIRS patients present an increased risk of mortality, whereby death can occur at different stages of evolution of the SIRS. It is therefore necessary for the clinician to have available to him elements which enable him to determine whether the patient has a good or poor prognosis of survival. Indeed, identifying patient presenting high risks of mortality very early on after the beginning of a SIRS would enable the clinician to improve the success of a targeted and early care in intensive care by attributing adapted hospital resources and providing support to end-of-life medical decisions. Furthermore, identifying patients presenting a low risk of mortality could enable a clinician to anticipate their checking out of the intensive care unit to direct them toward a more suitable department, which is not negligible from an economic standpoint in terms of health management.

Method and kit for establishing an in vitro prognosis on a patient exhibiting SIRS