A truck bed cover and extender includes two panel assemblies each attached to the inside of one of the bed walls. A panel assembly includes one or more panels attached to a frame. Each assembly is configured to move through three positions: a stowed position, wherein the assembly is stowed inside the truck bed substantially against the wall to which it is attached; a horizontal position, wherein the assembly is substantially horizontal and wherein the assemblies cooperate to form a partial or complete cover of the bed's cargo area; and an extended position, wherein the assembly substantially vertical, extending above the truck bed.

Cargo beds of vehicles, such as pickup trucks and trailers, are versatile for hauling many types of cargo. However, a cargo bed cannot be securely closed to protect its contents from weather and theft. Also, cargo beds of pickups have low walls that limit the size and amount of goods to be hauled. Several devices have attempted to resolve both of these problems at once by providing a multiple-section cover that attaches to the truck bed walls and can be moved from a horizontal position, covering the bed, to a vertical position, extending the truck walls.
However, these devices have several drawbacks. Primarily, these devices must be placed in a "cover" or "extended" position, and can never be stowed-away on board the truck. In some cases, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,222, the device takes up cargo space by attaching to the bed floor or otherwise extending into the bed. Many devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,160, attach to the top surface of the bed walls, which may scratch the paint and prevent use of the bed's stake holes, commonly found on this surface. Known devices endeavor to cover the entire bed, so that no goods taller than the bed walls may be transported when the cover is in the horizontal position. A convertible cover that addresses these drawbacks is needed.
In many states, a commercial driver's license and commercial license plates are required to advertise the driver's business on the side of his vehicle while driving. These registrations are considerably more expensive than standard registrations. Without them, it is typically legal to have advertising on the vehicle while it is not in use, so many business owners have advertising magnets that they apply when the vehicle is stopped and remove in order to drive it. Magnets present a problem in that they can be lost or stolen, and they can damage articles that are susceptible to damage from magnets, such as laptop computers. It would be desirable to have advertising on the vehicle that can be hidden without being removed.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for covering and extending the height of a truck bed that can be stowed away in the bed without taking up cargo room. It is a further object that the apparatus not attach to the top surface of the bed walls. It is a further object that the apparatus provide partial cover to allow large goods to be transported in the bed. It is another object to provide a convertible cover/extender for a truck bed that adds versatility to the truck bed. It is a further object that the convertible cover/extender provide a surface for advertising content that may be easily hidden from view.

Stowable truck bed cover and height extender


An article includes an auxiliary elastic member extending in a waist-circumferential direction and arranged between a waist-surrounding elastic member extending in front and rear waist regions and leg-holes of a base sheet assembly in a stretched state. The base sheet assembly includes a first sheet and a second sheet. The auxiliary elastic member includes first elastic elements and second elastic elements. In the article, the first and second elastic elements respectively have longitudinally opposite end portions, middle portions and the remaining portions. The end portions of the first and second elastic elements are secured to the first and second sheet, the middle portions of the first elastic elements are secured to the second sheet and the remaining portions of the first and second elastic elements as well as the middle portions of the second elastic elements are let free from the first and second sheets.

The present invention relates to a pull-on disposable wearing article for absorption and containment of bodily discharges.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-107225A discloses a pull-on disposable diaper comprising a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core interposed between these top- and backsheets in which front and rear waist regions are joined to each other in the vicinity of lateral marginal zones of these waist regions to obtain a pants-shape having a waist-hole and a pair of leg-holes. This pull-on disposable diaper further comprises a plurality of waist-surrounding elastic members attached to a peripheral edge zone of the waist-hole so that the waist-surrounding elastic members may contract in a waist-circumferential direction, a plurality of leg-surrounding elastic members attached to peripheral zones of the respective leg-holes so that the leg-surrounding elastic members may contract in a leg-circumferential direction and a plurality of auxiliary elastic members attached to the waist regions between the waist-surrounding elastic member and the leg-surrounding elastic members so that the auxiliary elastic members may contract in the waist-circumferential direction.
The auxiliary elastic members are arranged in the front waist region so as to be spaced apart from one another by regular dimensions in a longitudinal direction and having longitudinal opposite end portions lying in the vicinity of the lateral marginal zones of the front waist region and middle portions lying between the end portions and extending across the core. Longitudinally opposite end portions of the waist-surrounding elastic member are interposed between the top- and backsheet and secured to these sheets. The middle portions of the auxiliary elastic member are secured neither to the backsheet nor to the core, i.e., let free from the backsheet and the core. Such arrangement is effective to protect the region of the backsheet in which the middle portion of the auxiliary elastic member lies from formation of gathers and to ensure a smooth touch of the backsheet even when the auxiliary elastic members contract in the waist-circumferential direction.
In the diaper disclosed in the above-cited Publication, there is an anxiety that movement of the wearer's waist transmitted to the auxiliary elastic member extending in the front waist region may cause the middle portion of the auxiliary elastic member to shift in the longitudinal direction and, in consequence, the auxiliary elastic member to locally gather together. The auxiliary elastic member locally gathering together in this manner may form a bundle, so a stretch stress of the auxiliary elastic member may increase and uncomfortably tighten the wearer's waist. The auxiliary elastic member locally gathering together may hinder a contractile force of the auxiliary elastic member from being utilized to press the entire area of the core against the wearer's waist and sometimes deteriorate a bodily discharge absorbing capacity expected for the part of the core lying in the front waist region.


In this disclosure, in a network comprising a plurality of network devices, a network device includes processing circuitry configured to: receive packet data corresponding to a network flow originating at a first device, the packet data destined to a second device; generate an entropy label to add to a label stack of the packet data, wherein the entropy label is generated from one or more attributes corresponding to the network flow that originated at the first device and is destined to the second device; generate a flow record including the entropy label, wherein the entropy label identifies the network flow amongst a plurality of network flows in the network; and send, to a controller of the network, the flow record, wherein the controller identifies the flow record based on the entropy label corresponding to the network flow originating at the first device and is destined to the second device.

A computer network is a collection of interconnected computing devices that can exchange data and share resources. In a packet-based network, the computing devices communicate data by dividing the data into small blocks called packets, which are individually routed across the network from a source device to a destination device. The destination device extracts the data from the packets and assembles the data into its original form.
Certain devices (i.e., nodes), such as routers, maintain routing information that describes routes through the network. A "route" can generally be defined as a path between two locations on the network. Upon receiving an incoming packet, the router examines keying information within the packet to identify the destination for the packet. Based on the destination, the router forwards the packet in accordance with the routing information.
Packet-based networks increasingly utilize label switching protocols for traffic engineering and other purposes. Multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) is a mechanism used to engineer traffic patterns within Internet protocol (IP) networks according to the routing information maintained by the routers in the networks. By utilizing MPLS protocols, label switching routers (LSRs) can forward traffic along a particular path, i.e., a label switched path (LSP), through a network to a destination device using labels prepended to the traffic. An LSP defines a distinct path through the network to carry MPLS packets from the source device to a destination device.

End-to-end flow monitoring in a computer network


The invention relates to a filling level sensor for a fuel tank with a float which is fastened to a lever arm and at least one contact which is arranged on the lever arm and is in connection with a slider track formed as a thick-film resistor. The thick-film resistor consists of at least two precious metals, one precious metal being silver and present in a smaller proportion than the other precious metal.

The subject matter of the invention is a filling level sensor with a float which is fastened to a lever arm and at least one contact which is arranged on the lever arm and is in connection with a slider track formed as a thick-film resistor.
Such filling level sensors for a fuel tank of a motor vehicle have long been the known state of the art. The thick film is in this case applied to a substrate, which is often a ceramic. The actual thick film comprises one or more metals. It is known to use silver for this, on account of its good conductivity and corrosion resistance. When such a thick-film resistor is used in a filling level sensor in a fuel tank, it has been found that, in spite of its good corrosion resistance, silver is attacked by fuels. In particular, some aggressive constituents in certain fuels react with silver in such a way as to cause deposits on the surface of the thick-film resistor over the operating time of the filling level sensor. These deposits are characterized by a changed conductivity. As a consequence, the deposits lead to changes in the measured resistance values that are contrary to the actual conditions in the fuel tank. The filling level sensor consequently no longer operates accurately, or in the worst case the filling level sensor fails.
It is also known to use gold or platinum as a material in thick-film resistors to avoid this disadvantage. Such thick-film resistors do indeed have a higher corrosion resistance. Apart from the higher costs for these materials, the adhesive strength of such thick films is inadequate. Moreover, thick films of gold or platinum have a poor soldering behavior. In order nevertheless to achieve adequate contact stability, they have disproportionately large soldering areas for the terminal contacts. This configuration with the associated high costs has previously been accepted, and regarded as the technical optimum.
The present invention is based on the object of providing a filling level sensor with a thick-film resistor which has a high corrosion resistance with respect to fuels and ensures good adhesive strength on a substrate.

Filling level sensor for a fuel tank of a motor vehicle


Silver halide color photographic ligt-sensitive material which comprises a support having thereon at least one silver halide emulsion layer containing a diketomethylene yellow dye forming coupler having bonded, directly or through a connecting group, to the coupling active position a group which provides a compound having a development inhibiting property when the group is released from the coupler active position upon the color development reaction, wherein said group is a 4,7-dihalogen-2-benzotriazolyl group.

It is well known that color photographic light-sensitive materials, using the subtractive process for color reproduction, comprise silver halide emulsion layers selectively sensitive to blue, green and red light and associated with yellow, magenta and cyan dye forming couplers which form (upon reaction with an oxidized primary amine type color developing agent) the complementary color thereof. For example, an acylacetanilide type coupler is used to form a yellow color image; a pyrazolone, pyrazolotriazole, cyanacetophenone or indazolone type coupler is used to form a magenta color image; and a phenol type, such as a phenol or naphthol, coupler is used to form a cyan color image.
Usually, the color photographic light-sensitive materials comprise non-diffusible couplers incorporated independently in each of the light-sensitive layers of the material (incorporated coupler materials). Therefore, a color photographic light-sensitive material usually comprises a blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer (or layers) which contains a yellow coupler and which is mainly sensitive to blue light (substantially to wavelenghts less than about 500 nm), a green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer (or layers) which contains a magenta coupler and which is mainly sensitive to green light (substantially to wavelengths of about 500 to 600 nm) and a red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer (or layers) which contains a cyan coupler and which is mainly sensitive to red light (substantially to wavelengths longer than about 590 nm).
It is also known to incorporate into a light-sensitive color photographic material a compound capable of releasing a development inhibitor during development upon reaction with the oxidation product of a color developing agent. Typical examples of said compounds are the DIR (Development Inhibitor Releasing) couplers having a group having a development inhibiting property when released from the coupler introduced at the coupling position of the coupler. Examples of DIR couplers are described by C. R. Barr, J. R. Thirtle and P. W. Wittum, Photographic Science and Eng., vol. 13. pp 74-80 (1969) and ibid. pp 214-217 (1969) or in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,227,554, 3,615,506, 3,617,291, 3,701,783, 3,933,500 and 4,149,886.
The purpose of DIR couplers is to reduce grainines and improve sharpness of the image due to intralayer or intraimage effects (that is in the same layers or the same dye image) and improve color reproduction due to interlayer or interimage effects (that is in different layers or different dye images). Usually, however, the DIR coupler causes, in the light-sensitive silver halide multilayer color element in which is used, interimage effects mainly in the high-density areas of the negative image, while it is often desirable to obtain interimage effects in the low-density areas which much more affects image characteristics such as color saturation and brilliance.
Therefore, in order to more effectively use the DIR couplers, it is desirable to develop novel DIR couplers which improve interimage effects of lightsensitive silver halide multilayer color elements.
Several substituents on the phenyl ring of the 2-benzotriazolyl development inhibiting group of DIR couplers have been described, for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,617,291, 4,145,219 and 4,477,563, in GB Pat. Appln. 2,010,818, in EP Pat. Appln. 115,302 and 101,621. However, there is nothing in the cited references which would suggest that appropriate selection and combination of substituents on the phenyl ring of a 2-benzotriazolyl development inhibitor group would give the aforementioned desired improvements in interimage effects.

Silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A method for executing transactions including obtaining a memory location required by a first transaction, where the first transaction is identified using a first transaction identification and a first transaction version; determining a second transaction with ownership of a memory group including the memory location, where the second transaction is identified using a second transaction identification and a second transaction version; copying an intermediate value associated with the memory group from the second transaction into transactional metadata associated with the first transaction; changing ownership of the memory group to the first transaction; and committing the first transaction.

A computer system may execute multiple sequences of instructions concurrently. A sequence of instructions may be provided by a user (e.g., a computer programmer) or by a machine. The concurrent execution of multiple sequences of instructions may be carried out by one or more processors associated with the computer system.
A computer system may have a memory of any size. The memory may be accessible by the multiple sequences of instructions. As the multiple sequences of instructions are executing concurrently, it may be important to prevent one sequence of instructions from observing the partial results of an operation being executed by another sequence of instructions.
Transactional memory allows a sequence of instructions to be defined as a transaction. A transaction is capable of accessing and/or modifying one or more memory locations of the shared memory in a single atomic step. Accordingly, one transaction cannot observe partial results of an operation being executed by another transaction. Transactional memory can be implemented in hardware and/or software.

System and method for executing transactions


A sheet transport path switching mechanism includes a movable guide to be moved rotatably about a support shaft parallel to the width direction of a transport path so as to selectively take either a main posture where the movable guide directs a sheet to the downstream side of a main transport path relative to a branch point, and a branch posture where the movable guide directs a sheet to a branch transport path. An engagement hook is provided in an apparatus body and supports a central region in the longitudinal direction of the movable guide to prevent the movable guide from being deformed due to interference with a sheet fed toward the branch transport path. The mechanism prevents deformation of the movable guide while facilitating reduction in material and production costs and adequately meeting requirements of waste treatment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet transport path switching mechanism suited to be applied to a sheet handling apparatus as represented by an image forming apparatus, such as copying machines, facsimile machines and various printers.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus, such as copying machines and facsimile machines, is known as one type of sheet handling apparatuses. The image forming apparatus is designed such that an optically read document image is formed on a photosensitive drum as an electrostatic latent image, and a toner image obtained by supplying toner to the electrostatic latent image is transferred (developed) onto a sheet. The developed sheet obtained through the toner transfer treatment is subjected to a fixing treatment using a fixing device, and then discharged outside through a given discharging transport path.
The discharging transport path is arranged to receive the sheet from a position directly below a development unit, which is disposed at an approximately middle position of the inner space of a housing of the image forming apparatus to extend horizontally, through the fixing device. For instance, as shown in FIG. 11, such a discharging transport path 100 includes a main transport path 101 extending approximately vertically upward, and a branch transport path 102 extending horizontally from a branch point 103 located at an appropriate position of the main transport path 101, toward a side sheet-discharge port 104 formed in the side surface of the housing of the image forming apparatus.
The main transport path 101 is arranged to allow its downstream end to be connected to an upper sheet-discharge port facing to a sheet-discharge tray (not shown) formed in the upper surface of the housing. A movable guide 110 is provided at the branch point 103 to allow the subsequent transportation for a sheet P transported from the development unit to be switched between the continuing transportation by the main transport path 101 and the branched transportation by the branch transport path 102.
The movable guide 110 comprises a shaft 111 extending to get across a transport path in a direction parallel to the width direction of the transport path, and a plurality of switching fins 112 fixed to the shaft 111 to extend in a direction orthogonal thereto. Each of the switching fins 112 has an approximately triangular shape in side view. More specifically, the switching fin 112 has a bottom edge formed in an arc shape concavedly curved obliquely downward, and a side edge located on the inward side of the housing and formed in an arc shape convexedly curved obliquely upward. The respective lower ends of the bottom and side edges intersect with one another to form an acuminate corner.
Both ends of the shaft 111 are pivotally supported by the inner surface of the housing corresponding to the branch point 103, to allow the movable guide 110 to be rotatably moved about the axis of the shaft 111. Specifically, the movable guide 110 can be rotationally moved in opposite directions to selectively take either one of a main posture where the side edges of the switching fins 101 retire to a position capable of avoiding the interference with the main transport path 106 and a branch posture where the bottom edges of the switching fins 101 face to the branch transport path 102 (FIG. 11 shows the movable guide 110 in the branch posture).
When the movable guide 110 is set up in the main posture, the sheet P fed from the fixing device to the main transport path 110 is guided by the right side-edges of the switching fins 112 in FIG. 11 to continuously pass through the main transport path 110, and then discharged from the upper sheet-discharge port to the sheet-discharge tray. Otherwise, when the movable guide 110 is set up in the branch posture, the sheet P passes through the branch transport path 102 while being guided by the bottom edges of the switching fins 112, and is then discharged outside from the side sheet-discharge port 104.
For example, the movable guide 110 is formed as a single piece through an injection molding process using a synthetic resin material to facilitate the reduction in material cost and production cost. In this case, the plurality (typically 10 to 20) of switching fins 112 become significantly deformable because they are integrated with the thin shaft 111 in a kite-train-like structure. Thus, if a relatively thick sheet P, such as a postcard, is fed to the branch point 103 where the movable guide 110 is arranged in the branch posture, it is difficult for the thick sheet P to turn around at a right angle while being guided and bent by the bottom edges of the switching fins 112. Consequently, the thick sheet P presses the bottom edges of the switching fins 112 upward to bend the shaft 111 convexedly upward. This precludes the sheet P from being properly fed toward the branch transport path 102, resulting in the occurrence of troubles, such as sheet jam.
While Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 11-130314 and 2000-211773 disclose a movable guide, none of the publications includes any description on the measure against the bending or deformation of the movable guide. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-316017 includes a description on one structure for preventing the deformation of a movable guide. Specifically, the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-316017 discloses a movable guide 110 having a metal reinforcing rod which is provided in the inside of a shaft 111 along the axis thereof to prevent the movable guide 110 from being deformed so as to avoid the occurrence of the aforementioned trouble.
However, the conventional movable guide 110 incorporating the metal reinforcing rod in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-316017 involves problems of the increase in material cost due to the reinforcing rod, and the increase in production cost caused by the need for boring a through-hole over the entire longitudinal length of a produced movable guide along the axis of a shaft, and inserting the reinforcing rod into the through-hole.
Furthermore, in the above movable guide, the metal reinforcing rod is mixed with the synthetic resin body. Thus, when the movable guide is discarded, it is difficult to sort out the discarded components by materials. It is hard to say that the movable guide is desirable in view of waste treatment.

Sheet transport path switching mechanism


A direct-mode communication system comprises a first client direct-mode communication apparatus and a backhaul network. The first client direct-mode communication apparatus transmits a register signal to the backhaul network to register with the backhaul network. After the first client direct-mode communication apparatus is registered, the backhaul network determines a location relationship between the first client direct-mode communication apparatus and a second client direct-mode communication apparatus, and transmits a wi-fi connection signal to the first client direct-mode communication apparatus according to the location relationship. The first client direct-mode communication apparatus creates a wi-fi direct-mode communication connection with the second client direct-mode communication apparatus according to the wi-fi connection signal.

In a conventional direct-mode communication system, coordination must be carried out by a backhaul core network firstly in order to create a communication connection between client direct-mode communication apparatuses. Then, the communication connection can be created between the client direct-mode communication apparatuses for direct message transmission. In this way, data exchange can be accomplished more simply and quickly.
However, creation of the communication connection between the client direct-mode communication apparatuses may require use of an additional connection module and an additional communication protocol. This makes the hardware design more complex or makes the existing hardware of the communication apparatuses unable to support this.
Accordingly, an urgent need exists in the art to provide a solution that can create a communication connection between client direct-mode communication apparatuses more efficiently through use of the existing hardware modules but through adjustment of the communication protocol so as to increase the flexibility in use of the direct-mode communication system.

Direct mode communication system and communication attaching method thereof


The present invention provides an exhaust gas purifier capable of appropriately purifying harmful components discharged even from an internal combustion engine or a combustion instrument operated mainly in excess-air conditions. Particularly, the exhaust gas purifier is capable of appropriately removing nitrogen oxides, particulate matters including soot, etc. and in addition, capable of maintaining its purification capability without reduction. the exhaust gas purifier has, in the exhaust passage (2) of an internal combustion engine (1), a nitrogen oxide adsorbent (4) for temporarily adsorbing nitrogen oxides and desorbing the adsorbed nitrogen oxides in a temperature-increased environment or a reducing environment, an adsorbed substance desorbing means (3) being disposed on an exhaust gas upstream side of the nitrogen oxide adsorbent (4), the adsorbed substance desorbing means (3) heating the exhaust gas or air or converting the exhaust gas or air into a reducing atmosphere, a combustion apparatus (5) being disposed on an exhaust gas downstream side of the nitrogen oxide adsorbent (4), the combustion apparatus (4) including air supply means (15), fuel supply means (6), and ignition means (7); and a filter apparatus (40) being disposed on an exhaust gas downstream side of the combustion apparatus (5) to be able to capture a particulate substance contained in the exhaust gas.

A target substance subject to exhaust gas purification is a particulate matter such as nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbon, soot and the like. Various apparatuses for purifying these substances have been conventionally developed.
As an apparatus for reducing the nitrogen oxide (NOx), a denitration apparatus or the like has come into practical use, in which a reduction catalyst using an ammonia or an urea as a reducing agent is installed in an exhaust passage, thereby selectively reducing the nitrogen oxide. Further, in a comparatively compact gas engine or an automotive gasoline engine, there has been developed a three-way catalyst which can simultaneously decompose three elements comprising the nitrogen oxide, the carbon monoxide (CO) and the unburned hydrocarbon (HC), and the three-way catalyst contributes to an effective purification of the exhaust gas.
However, it has been known that the three-way catalyst effectively achieves a purifying operation in the case that the three-way catalyst is operated at a theoretical air fuel ratio or within a range close thereto, but is not effectively operated under the other conditions, particularly in exhaust gas in which air (oxygen) is excess. In order to cope with this, in the gas or gasoline engine operated in the excess air state, a nitrogen oxide occluding catalyst system has come into practical use, which temporarily occludes the nitrogen oxide in an occluding agent at a time of being operated under the excess air (oxygen) condition, and next discharges and reduces the occluded nitrogen oxide by being operated under the excess fuel condition.
However, there has been known that in the nitrogen oxide occluding catalyst system, the catalyst is poisoned by sulfur oxide (SOx) in the exhaust gas derived from a sulfur component in a fuel, and a purifying capacity of the nitrogen oxide is rapidly reduced, and the nitrogen oxide occluding catalyst system is used only in the engine using a low sulfur containing fuel in an actual condition. There has been developed a purifier (Patent Document 1) having a structure which reduces nitrogen oxide adsorbed to the occluding substance and discharging the sulfur oxide or the like, by occluding the nitrogen oxide using the occluding substance in a nitrogen oxide purifying tower and burning the nitrogen oxide in the nitrogen oxide purifying tower. However, because the structure is made such as to burn within the purifying tower having the occluding substance built-in, a durability of the occluding substance becomes actually problematic.
For removing a particulate substance such as the soot, an electric precipitator and a DPF come into practical use. The DPF is structured such as to capture the particulate substance by a filter, and burns and removes the captured particulate substance by an electric heater or the like. There has been recently developed a DPF in which a catalyst component having an oxidizing operation is carried in a fine particle filter, and the particulate substance can be continuously removed.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2003-27927


According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including: a first processor; a second processor that has an information processing capability and a power consumption higher than those of the first processor; a temperature monitoring module configured to acquire an operating temperature of the second processor; a throttle number determination module configured to determine whether the throttling control is performed a given number of times or more within a given time interval; and a processor switching control module configured to perform, when the operating temperature of the second processor is equal to or higher than a given temperature: stopping an operation of the second processor; causing the first processor to perform an information process; and prohibiting the operation of the second processor.

1. Field
An aspect of the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that uses plural processors that can individually perform an information process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, technology for using plural processors (for example, GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) or the like) of such a type that can individually perform an information process has been disclosed in JP-2008-009181-A.
The information processing apparatus disclosed in JP-2008-009181-A includes an internal graphic controller (the first processor) that can perform display control of a display and control means that causes the internal graphic controller to perform a process other than the display control in a case where a graphic controller (the second processor) is externally installed and is configured to decrease the process load of a CPU by using the internal graphic controller out of the two graphic controllers for a process other than the display control such as a process for the operation of a trans code or numeric calculation.
Meanwhile, a method (hereinafter, referred to as a switchable method) in which one processor is used for an information process by dynamically switching among plural processors as needed has been known. The switchable method is useful particularly in a case where there are differences in the capability or the power consumption of the plural processors.
For example, in a case where two processors including the first and second processors are used and the second processor has relatively high capability and high power consumption, compared to the first processor, by using the switchable method, a low-load information process is performed by the first processor for suppressing the power consumption, and a high-load information process is performed at a high speed by using the second processor, whereby an information process that utilizes the characteristics of the processors can be performed.
However, in the conventional switchable method, the temperatures of the processors are not considered at the time of switching among the processors. Accordingly, by using the conventional switchable method, it is difficult to prevent thermal runaway of the processors.

Information processing apparatus to selectively disable or throttle an external graphics controller


The present invention provides a garment to be worn externally on the female person and a method for positioning and securing a radiotherapeutic appliance internally within the female genital organs during local radiation therapy. The garment provides at least one supporting band of material to be worn around the female body and provides access on-demand to the vulva of the person. The garment also provides at least one extensible member for positioning and securing the radiotherapeutic appliance such that the appliance is maintained in position and secured against movement during the radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy involves the use of high-energy x-rays or ionizing radiation in the treatment of malignant neoplasms and occasionally in the treatment of certain benign conditions. Depending on the type of cancer, its stage of development, its spread, and its location within the body, radiation therapy may be used as the primary curative treatment for cancer; or as an adjunctive treatment to surgery; and/or chemotherapy. The radiant energy employed during radiation therapy is thought to produce biologic change by damaging the DNA molecule of target tissues and thus hampering further effective replication of those tissues and cells. A common misconception is that therapeutic radiation severely affects malignant cells while sparing normal tissues. In actuality, the critical difference in the effect of radiation on various tissues is the ability of the normal cells and tissues to recover from radiation damage.
Two forms of radiation therapy are conventionally known: external radiation therapy (teletherapy) and internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy). External radiation therapy is administered using x-ray, gamma-ray, or electron-producing machines. Internal radiation therapy involves the insertion of radioactive isotopes directly into tumors or the tissues surrounding tumors to produce a local concentration of radiation often using appliances such as the vaginal cylinder radiation implant. The major advantage of local irradiation is that a relatively high dose of ionizing radiation can be applied to a limited anatomical area or region with accuracy and precision while protecting other tissues from potential harmful effects. Note, however, that a basic principle of radiation therapy states that the intensity of radiation is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the radiation source (inverse square long). Thus, the proper positioning of the radioactive implant or appliance internally is of utmost importance.
The treatment of cervical cancer, uterine cancer, and vaginal cancer in the female patient are often considered as the prime examples of a successful combination of internal and external radiotherapy. External radiation therapy is usually used initially to diminish the volume of the central tumor or tumor bed area. Then, an additional dose of radiation is delivered to the tumor or designated area at greatest risk for recurrence using intracavitary or interstitial radiation devices and implants. Intracavitary implants include the vaginal cylinder radiation implant, and the tandem and colpostats. Interstitial vaginal implants include the "MUPIT" or Martinez Universal Perineal Interstitial Tool. The tandem and colpostats and MUPIT implants are inserted in the operating room under anesthesia; and are secured by suturing the labia closed or by suturing the appliance to the body.
It is estimated today that approximately 300 radioactive implant procedures are performed each year within hospitals in the greater metropolitan Boston area. All of the currently employed protocols for positioning and securing a vaginal cylinder radiation implant containing radioactive materials are makeshift and haphazard. Some hospitals rely heavily on the use of adhesive tape to immobilize the implant with the invariable consequence that the patient suffers major skin irritations and skin burning. One institution typically employs trache tape while others use adhesive tapes of various kinds. Alternatively it should be noted and appreciated also that one hospital routinely sutures the labia together to secure the implant after it has been inserted internally into the vagina. This is presently considered the most drastic and draconian procedure used today for securing a radiation implant internally.
It is useful here to briefly describe a current procedure for using a vaginal cylinder radiation implant which is to be positioned within the vagina for radiotherapy of either the vaginal wall or the cervix. The vaginal cylinder radiation implant is used most often for patients with early stage endometrial (uterine) cancer and is used less frequently for patients with cervical or vaginal cancer. These women are usually fairly healthy aside from their diagnosis of early stage localized cancer; and many have had a total abdominal hysterectomy prior to beginning the course of radiation therapy. The cylindrical implant is usually used following 5-6 weeks of daily external radiation treatments to the pelvis. The implant delivers an additional concentrated dose of radiation to the area at highest risk of recurrence of tumor while reducing the risk of bowel complications.
About two weeks after completing the external radiation treatments, the patient comes in to the hospital for an implant teaching session and pre-admission testing. The radiation oncology nurse teaches the patient about the upcoming implant procedure and gives the patient a tour of the hospital room where she will be confined during her stay.
The evening before her hospital admission, the patient begins a prepatory bowel cleanout. On admission to the hospital, a nurse completes the cleanout and inserts a foley catheter into the patient's bladder; the patient is then ready for the vaginal implant. Accompanied by the radiation oncology nurse, the physician inserts the pre-lubricated vaginal cylinder implant into the patient's vagina while the patient is lying in bed. The handle at the end of the cylinder protrudes externally from the vagina for approximately two inches after insertion. The current practice involves packing the vagina with gauze to keep the implant from moving. The outside skin around the vagina is then covered with gauze and is typically taped with elastoplast and adhesive to secure the implant. This tape is brought up to the abdomen anteriorly and the buttocks posteriorly to provide adequate support. Once the implant is taped in place, the radiation nurse and the physician leave the room, with the patient lying in bed.
Due to the radioactivity, the door to the patient's room is kept closed and visits are limited. Nurses can visit up to 30 minutes per 8 hour shift. Other visitors are limited to 30 minutes per person per day. No pregnant women or children under 18 are allowed in the room. The patient does have access to television and telephone, and books, knitting, or other diversionary things she has brought with her to occupy herself.
During the treatment, the patient must remain in bed, on her back or on her side, with her legs relatively straight. She is maintained on a clear liquid diet; has a urinary catheter in place; and is placed on anti-diarrheal medications to prevent her from having a bowel movement during the implant stay. Medications are provided if needed for anxiety and pain. Although the treatment is not considered very painful, it is often uncomfortable and many patients also experience feelings of significant isolation.
Even with the minimal movements that a patient makes lying in bed, the tape holding the implant often curls and bunches, a condition which causes skin irritation and discomfort. The nurse is limited in what she can do with the tape because the implant may become dislodged if the tape is manipulated. She may trim the end of the tape as much as is possible without jeopardizing the security of the implant; this may mitigate the discomfort but usually does not eliminate it.
Regardless of the difficulties and discomfort, it is critical that the implant remain immobilized and lodged at the chosen site. Tape has been used conventionally simply because it is freely available; however, tape takes time to put on and it presents discomfort and pain unrelated to the actual treatment for the cancer. Adjusting the tape may decrease the patient's discomfort but certainly reduces the nurse's quality time available for that patient.
After the prescribed number of radiation hours, the implant must be removed by the physician. The tape is removed first and then the implant is taken out. Removal of the implant itself is usually not painful; however, the taped area of the skin is often reddened and sore since the outer layer of skin may be taken off when the tape is removed. The irritation caused by this process may last up to two weeks, so the patient may continue to feel discomfort simply due to the means of securing the implant.
Clearly, there is a well recognized and long-standing need for alternatives and improvements in the means for securing and immobilizing a radiotherapeutic device or implant internally within the vagina. The use of tape causes skin irritation and tape burns; increases the discomfort for the patient; may cause radiation exposure to staff nurses who attempt to make the tape more comfortable for the patient; and places unnecessary demands of the attending nursing staff. Note, however, that the only presently available alternative is the suturing of the labia with the concomitant increased risk of infection and the major increase of patient discomfort. Accordingly, a garment which can be worn externally on the body and which is able to position and secure a radiotherapeutic appliance internally within the vagina would be generally recognized as a major achievement and beneficial advance in this area by both oncologists and nurses alike.

Garment and method for positioning and securing a radioactive implant internally within the female genital organs


A method of pressing flowing-down molten glass from the opposite sides thereof by a pair of shaping mold members to thereby manufacture a glass optical part having surfaces corresponding to the shaping surfaces of the mold members is characterized in that a groove forming ring is provided around the shaping surface of at least one of the shaping mold members, a groove is formed in the molten glass by the groove forming ring during the press and the flowing-down molten glass is cut above that portion thereof which is being pressed, thereby obtaining a glass molded article having an ear protruding outwardly of the groove relative to an optical part body portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a glass optical part, and in particular to a method of obtaining an optical part by pressing glass in its molten state from the opposite sides thereof by shaping mold members while causing the glass to flow down.
2. Related Background Art
As methods of obtaining an optical part from a glass blank by press molding, there are the so-called reheat press method and direct press method.
In the reheat press method, a glass blank similar in shape to a final molded article is once formed, and this blank is contained in a shaping mold apparatus and heated and pressed to thereby obtain a final molded article corresponding to the shape of a cavity formed by the mold member of the mold apparatus.
In the direct press method, molten glass is introduced into a shaping mold apparatus and pressed to thereby directly obtain a final molded article corresponding to the shape of a cavity formed by the mold member of the mold apparatus.
Now, the glass blank used in the above-described reheat press method should preferably be good to some degree in shape accuracy and surface accuracy and therefore, the glass blank is ground and polished in some cases to obtain a final product of predetermined accuracy. However, this requires time and labor for grinding and polishing and thus, in some cases, the above-described direct press method is utilized to manufacture said glass blank.
As the direct press method, there is a system as described, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 63-248727 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1-133948 wherein molten glass is sandwiched from the opposite sides thereof by the use of a pair of shaping mold members horizontally opposed to each other while the molten glass is caused to flow down from a nozzle, and the glass is cooled and cured in a cavity thus formed, thereby obtain a molded article of a predetermined shape. In this system, a ring-like cutting member is disposed around the optical surface shaping surface of one of the shaping mold members and this cutting member is moved forward simultaneously with or after the forward movement of the mold members to thereby cut and remove the protruding portion of the glass and form an optical part of a desired shape. This system is preferable in that an optical part can be obtained without the cutting traces of the flowing-down molten glass remaining on the optical surface.
However, in the above-described system, when the glass is cut by the ring-like cutting member, dust may be created by the contact of the cutting member with the other mold member and such dust may adhere to the shaping surfaces of the mold members after the parting of the molded article and may further adhere to the glass surface which will provide the optical surface during the next press, thereby deteriorating the optical characteristic of the molded article.
Further, as described above, the ring-like cutting member contacts with the other mold member and therefore is short in life and frequent replacement thereof is necessary, and this has hampered improvements in the manufacturing efficiency.

Method of manufacturing a glass optical part


A dual-penetration anal sex toy for couples is disclosed. For heterosexual couples, this toy is designed to enhance vaginal penetration with an anal-to-anal connection. A cock ring or means for attachment may fix the device against the wearer's perineum and act as a pivot-point to transfer the thrusting motion of the wearer directly to a prostate massaging butt plug. Because of the pivot point and possible simultaneous anal penetration both partners can feel a direct connection with the anal movements of the other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the technical field of sex toys. More particularly, the present invention pertains to the field of sex toys that are inserted into the body of two partners at the same time.
2. Description of Related Art
Sex toys have been around since the beginning of recorded history. As of 2013, the worldwide sex toy industry is estimated to be a $15 billion dollar a year industry with approximately 70% of the manufacturing being done in China. Common older types of penetrative sex toys include: dildos, Ben Wa balls, horseshoes, double penetration dildos, strap-on dildos, kegel exercisers, motorized sex machines, butt-plugs, anal beads, and prostate massagers; any of which can be fitted with vibrators. These sex toys are traditionally made of silicon, rubber, hard plastic, metal, glass, or cyber skin; although stranger materials can and are used.
More recently a product called a Feeldoe®, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,603, filed Jan. 22, 1996 has entered the market. The Feeldoe® allows a woman to insert one end into of the toy into her vagina thereby holding it in place while she uses the other end to penetrate her sexual partner; obviously, this design will not work well for a man and a woman. Other dual-pleasure toys, such as two-sided dildos either focus on vaginal penetration, or fail to transfer kinetic energy from one partner's anus to the other's. Likewise, strap-on dildos tend to focus on the sensations of the receiver and not the giver by butting the end of the dildo against the pubis, which has no erogenous sensitivity.
Until now, no sex toy has been developed that allows for a heterosexual couple to comfortably engage in simultaneous anal penetration while also performing normal vaginal intercourse.

Dual-penetration sex toy for heterosexual couples


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: forming a first circuit substrate having a first interconnection; forming a second circuit substrate having a second interconnection; bonding the first circuit substrate to the top surface of the second circuit substrate so as to be stacked facing each other; and performing an etching process of simultaneously removing parts formed on the first interconnection and the second interconnection in a stacked body of the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate so as to form a first opening in the top surface of the first interconnection and to form a second opening in the top surface of the second interconnection. The forming of the first circuit substrate includes forming an etching stopper layer on the surface of the first interconnection out of a material having an etching rate lower than that of the first interconnection in the etching process.

The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a semiconductor device, and an electronic apparatus.
Electronic apparatuses such as a digital video camera and a digital still camera include a semiconductor device such as a solid-state imaging device. Examples of the solid-state imaging device include a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor.
In the solid-state imaging device, plural pixels are arranged in the surface of a semiconductor substrate. Each pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element. The photoelectric conversion element is, for example, a photodiode and generates a signal charge by receiving light incident via an external optical system through the use of a light-receiving surface and photoelectrically converting the received light.
In solid-state imaging devices, in general, light incident from the surface of the semiconductor substrate on which circuits or interconnections are formed is received by the photoelectric conversion element. In this case, since the circuits or interconnections block the incident light, it may be difficult to improve photosensitivity. Accordingly, a "backside illumination type" has been proposed in which light incident from the rear surface opposite to the surface of a semiconductor substrate on which circuits or interconnections are formed is received by photoelectric conversion elements (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2005-150463 and 2008-182142).
In a semiconductor device such as the solid-state imaging device, "three-dimensional mounting" has been proposed in which plural substrates having different functional elements formed thereon are stacked and are electrically connected to each other. In "three-dimensional mounting", since optimal circuits corresponding to the functions are formed on the substrates, it is possible to easily realize an enhancement in the performance of the device. For example, a sensor substrate having sensor elements formed thereon and a logic substrate having logic circuits, which process signals output from the sensor elements, formed thereon are stacked to construct a solid-state imaging device. Here, pad openings are formed by penetrating the semiconductor substrate so as to expose the surface of a pad interconnection and the elements are electrically connected to each other via the pad openings. That is, the sensor substrate and the logic substrate are electrically connected to each other via a TSV (Through Silicon Via) (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-245506).

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, semiconductor device, and electronic apparatus


Provided is an AD conversion apparatus including a bit selecting section that sequentially selects conversion target bits of the output data, from an upper bit downward; a data control section that outputs comparison data determining a value of the conversion target bit, each time a conversion target bit is selected; a DA converting section that outputs an analog comparison signal corresponding to the comparison data; a timing generating section that outputs a comparison control signal ordering comparison initiation; a changing section that changes a timing of the comparison control signal according to a bit position of the conversion target bit, such that the timing of the comparison initiation indicated by the comparison control signal is later for higher conversion target bits; a comparing section that begins comparing the input signal to the comparison signal at the comparison initiation timing indicated by the comparison control signal having the timing changed by the changing section; and a completion detecting section that outputs a completion signal causing the bit selecting section to select a next conversion target bit, after the comparing section has output the comparison result.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an AD conversion apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to an asynchronous successive approximation AD conversion apparatus.
2. Related Art
Asynchronous successive approximation AD conversion apparatuses are known as in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-170185 (referred to hereinafter as "Patent Document 1") and Shuo-Wei Mike Chen, Robert W. Brodersen, "A 6b 600MS/s 5.3 mW Asynchronous ADC in 0.13 μm CMOS", ISSCC 2006 DIGEST OF TECHNICAL PAPERS, Feb. 8, 2006, p.574-575, p.674 (referred to hereinafter as "Non-patent Document 1"). These asynchronous successive approximation AD conversion apparatuses change each bit without synchronizing the changing with a clock.
Asynchronous successive approximation AD conversion apparatuses having a longer processing period for lower bits than for upper bits are known as in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-264071 (referred to hereinafter as "Patent Document 2") and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-292064 (referred to hereinafter as "Patent Document 4"). These AD conversion apparatuses can achieve more accurate comparison results when processing lower bits.
In each successive approximation AD conversion apparatus, the comparator begins the comparison process after the comparison signal output from the DAC settles. However, when the comparator begins the comparison process a long time after the comparison signal output from the DAC settles, the conversion period becomes undesirably long. Accordingly, an asynchronous successive approximation AD conversion apparatus desirably begins comparing the input signal to the comparison signal soon after the comparison signal output from the DAC settles.
Furthermore, since the successive approximation AD conversion apparatuses of Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 have longer processing periods for lower bits than for upper bits, the conversion period becomes undesirably long.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The method for the automatic configuration of a DSL modem, comprises connecting a DSL modem to an analog telephone line, automatically determining available communication resources on the analog telephone line, and thereafter automatically configuring the DSL modem based on the available communication resources. Automatic configuration of the DSL modem is essentially undertaken by (i) automatically ascertaining if a circuit capable of communicating DSL signals is available by automatically detecting if a DSL communication circuit exists on the analog telephone line, and thereafter (ii) automatically configuring the DSL modem for a virtual communication route that is confirmed to be working by automatically identifying a virtual communication route for communications between the DSL modem and a communications network. A DSL modem which performs this method is also provided.

While high-speed Internet connections to large businesses have been in existence for quite some time, high speed Internet connections to homes and small businesses have only recently become more commonplace. Technologies such as Dial-up analog modems, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), Cable modems, Satellite, and DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), are all competing for market share. The two technologies at the forefront, DSL and Cable, offer much faster Internet access than dial-up modems, for a cost substantially lower than ISDN.
Analog modems over regular telephone lines are not fast enough for today's broadband multi-media content. In fact, so-called 56 Kbps modems actually move data at approximately 44 Kbps because of telephone-line imperfections. Furthermore, these modems only reach that speed when receiving data, not sending it.
Basic ISDN transfers data at 56 Kbps, while an improved form of ISDN has a maximum speed of 128 Kbps. ISDN is, however, expensive, running up to several hundreds of dollars a month. Furthermore, ISDN is only approximately four times the speed of a 33.6 Kbps modem.
Another option, satellite, which uses the same type of mini-dish antenna typical of broadcast television can receive data at up to 400 Kbps. However, transmitted data still has to be sent through a traditional analog modem at 33.6 Kbps or 56 Kbps.
Cable modems, enable one to hook up a PC to a local cable television line and receive data at about 1.5 Mbps. This data rate far exceeds that of both 56 Kbps analog modems, and the 128 Kbps of ISDN. The actual bandwidth for Internet service over a cable TV line is up to 27 Mbps for receiving data, and up to about 2.5 Mbps of bandwidth for transmitting data. However, since the local provider may not be connected to the Internet on a line faster than a T-1 at 1.5 Mpbs, a more likely data rate will be closer to 1.5 Mpbs. Cable, however, suffers the drawback that it is carried on existing cable television lines, which not all homes, and especially not all small businesses are equipped with. Furthermore, available bandwidth is shared with other cable users in the same geographic area.
DSL, on the other hand, is 20 times faster than satellite connections, 60 times faster than ISDN, and 250 times faster than 33.6 Kbps analog modems. DSL or xDSL, as used herein, refers to different variations of DSL, such as ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), HDSL (High bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line), and RADSL (Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber Line). Assuming that the location of one's home or business is close enough to a telephone company central office that offers DSL service, one can receive data at rates up to 6.1 megabits (millions of bits) per second. More typically, individual connections will provide from 1.544 Mbps to 512 Kbps downstream and about 128 Kbps upstream. Best of all, those bits are transmitted via the same copper wire one uses for telephone calls, but without the complex setup of ISDN. DSL does this by taking advantage of unused frequencies that exist on standard telephone lines. An added advantage is that the original POTS (plain-old telephone service) frequencies remain free to handle voice traffic over the same copper wires. Yet another advantage is that one does not share the line with others in the same geographical area. Within a few years, DSL is expected to replace ISDN in many areas and to compete with the cable modem in bringing multimedia to homes and small businesses around the world.
One of the major problems facing the rollout of DSL connections is the cost and complexity of initial setup of a DSL modem at a remote location. This is because most DSL technologies require that a signal splitter be installed at a home or business, requiring the expense of a visit by a Telephone company technician to the remote location for setup of the lines and installation of the DSL modem. It has been estimated, that a typical service call to set up a modem, currently costs in the region of $300 for the DSL service provider.
A signal splitter is a device for isolating voice and data signals transmitted on analog telephone wires. These splitters reduce the cost of rolling out DSL, as they reduce the complexity of initial setup for DSL consumers. The splitter, essentially, comprises a low pass filter that splits data and voice communication. Such a splitter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,340 to Bell, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,803 to Russell, et al., both of which are incorporated herein by reference. As most homes and offices are wired with two pairs of twisted copper wires (hereafter "twisted pairs"), the splitter typically splits data to an outer pair of the wires and voice to an inner twisted pair of the wires. Therefore, voice communication devices (POTS devices) can only be plugged into communication-jacks that connect to the inner twisted pair, and data communication devices can only be plugged into communication-jacks that are connected to the outer twisted pair. The DSL consumer, however, must ensure that the correct devices are plugged into the correct communication-jacks, and ensure that line converters are installed between the devices and the communication-jacks to switch inner and outer pairs, if necessary.
Furthermore, the DSL consumer has to configure his/her DSL modem by manually entering configuration information supplied by his/her DSL service provider into his/her computer. Often, the DSL service provider must spend a substantial amount of resources providing telephone assistance to talk DSL consumers through the setup process, and/or send out technicians to install the DSL modem.
More recently, micro-filters or μfilters for splitting data and voice signals have been developed. These μfilters are also low pass filters that are placed between each POTS device and a regular telephone jack. The μfilters, therefore, allow two copper wires to be utilized instead of four, as there is no division of data and voice at a central splitter. A typical double twisted pair analog telephone line can, therefore, support two independent data and/or voice communication lines. The μfilters, however, do not alleviate the problems associated with configuration of the DSL modem.
A need therefore exists for an automatically configurable DSL modem that can be installed by a consumer with little, or no, technical skill.

System and method for auto-configuration of a DSL modem


Apparatus for releasably attaching an outrigger to a canoe so that the outrigger will release from the canoe rather than breaking the outrigger or the canoe. The inner ends of the outrigger yakus are attached to the canoe with a touch fastener material in shear so that the yakus are held firmly in place but will release under high shear forces on the touch fastener material.

This invention relates to outrigger canoes and, more particularly, to a safety release for attaching an outrigger to a canoe. More specifically, it relates to a safety outrigger canoe comprising, a hull for carrying a paddler seated thereon; a pair of yakus disposed perpendicular to the hull each having an inner end and an outer end; an ama carried parallel to the hull by the outer end of each of the pair of yakus; and, safety release means for attaching and holding the inner end of each of the pair of yakus to the hull under normal conditions and for releasing the inner end of each of the pair of yakus from the hull when the ama is subjected to a force which would otherwise break the yakus.
Outrigger canoes are rapidly gaining popularity for sport and entertainment. Throughout the islands of the Pacific in particular, the outrigger canoe has long afforded a means of transportation not only for fishing and inter-island travel locally, but for travel over long distances as well. Such outrigger canoes come in all sizes from small one-man canoes to large canoes holding many paddlers.
More recently, one-man kayaks and canoes have been found to provide good exercise as well as good sport for health minded individuals. Thus, they are rapidly gaining in popularity. For good swimmers and more athletically inclined individuals, the kayak is very popular. Interest in ocean-going kayaking was stimulated in part by the popular Magnum P.I. television series which often featured the show's star, Tom Sellick, paddling his kayak in the beautiful waters of Hawaii.
An ocean-going kayak is long and of narrow beam. Thus, the user of a kayak must be fit and concentrate on what he/she is doing in order to prevent the kayak from rolling over and dumping the user in the water. Once in the water, a certain amount of skill is required to get back in the kayak in a paddling position. By contrast, a canoe fitted with an outrigger is much more stable and resistant to capsizing. Thus, it is more desirable for those of lesser skill or more interested in leisure activities requiring less concentration on the boat such as fishing, recreational paddling, or "surfing" the boat through waves.
As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, an outrigger canoe 10 having an outrigger 12 comprises a hull 14 upon which the paddler 16 sits and steers with a rudder 18 employing foot peddles (not shown). The outrigger 12 comprises a pair of yakus 20 attached to the hull 14 on one end and to an ama 22 on the other end. The outrigger 12 as depicted in the drawing figures is a single outrigger having only one ama 22. A double outrigger would have the yakus 20 extending in like manner on both sides of the hull 14 with amas 22 on both sides of the hull 14 to resist rolling in both directions. In early outrigger canoes, the yakus 20 were lashed to the hull 14 with rope or vines. Contemporary outrigger canoes are made of fiberglass and the yakus 20 are typically bolted to strongbacks 24 formed into the hull 14 employing stainless steel bolts 26.
As depicted in FIG. 2, if the canoe 10 becomes positioned broadside to a wave coming from the right as the figure is viewed, there will be a counter-clockwise capsizing force 28 exerted on the ama 22. If the paddler 16 does nothing, the canoe 10 will capsize. Not wishing to capsize, however, the paddler 16 will lean in the direction of the ama 22 to create a counteracting rotational force 30. If the force 28 is not too large, the counteracting force 30 will prevent the capsizing of the canoe 10 and nothing adverse will happen.
In a high wave situation such as encountered when taking the canoe 10 through the surf or when intentionally "surfing" the canoe 10, placing the canoe intentionally or inadvertently in a broadside situation can have more disastrous results as pictured in FIG. 3. The capsizing force 28 and the counteracting force 30 form a couple acting through the strongbacks 24 and the yakus 20. In anticipation of this, the original builder of the canoe is placed on the horns of a dilemma and regardless of the design choice made, the paddler 16 will be placed in a dangerous situation. The design choice is one of deciding what is to be the weakest link. If the yakus 20 are made stronger than the strongbacks 24, the strongbacks 24 will break requiring major reconstruction to the canoe 10. If the strongbacks 24 are made stronger than the yakus 20, the yakus 20 may break when not really necessary. While the yakus 20 are easier and less costly to replace, the problem is that when one or both yakus 20 breaks, the canoe cannot be used because rotational stability cannot be achieved even through concentration as is possible with a kayak since the paddler 16 sits on the top of a canoe as depicted in FIG. 1 rather than on the bottom as in a kayak. Thus, the paddler's center of gravity is too high for stability without the outrigger 12. If the outrigger 12 is broken in either manner described above and the paddler 16 is close to shore, it becomes a matter of inconvenience only unless the paddler 16 is a non-swimmer who should not have been out on a canoe in the first place. When further out, however, not being able to paddle the canoe back can present a serious problem for even a good swimmer.
The situation with outrigger canoes, therefore, is similar to that which existed not too many years ago with respect to ski equipment. When done mostly by experts, the skis were securely fastened to the skier's boots. In a bad fall that could not be avoided, the skier often broke leg bones because of the secure fastening of the skis to the boots which imparted sever forces to the leg bones in a fall. With the advent of skiing as a popular sport enjoyed by many people of differing skill levels, various forms of safety bindings which released the skis from the boots under extreme forces soon were invented and became popular.
Wherefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a safety release attachment for the yakus to the canoe in an outrigger canoe or similar device.

Safety release outrigger attachment for an outrigger canoe


An underwater combination of a passive and an active acoustic mechanism is sed to detect and locate a surfaced or submerged object or target. The passive mechanism utilizes a pair of separated hydrophones to detect an object. The hydrophones are then followed by bandpass filters according to the frequency of interest and the outputs thereof correlated to locate the object. A positive correlation output indication initiates the active acoustic mechanism which then verifies the detection of an object by transmitting a pulse sonar. The output of a transducer responsive to the reflected pulse sonar is then analyzed to indicate whether the detected object is surfaced or submerged and whether the detected object is approaching, departing or stationary.

The present invention relates to underwater acoustic detection and localization, and more particularly to a combination passive-active underwater acoustic method and apparatus for the detection and location of a surfaced or submerged object.
In the past, most acoustic mechanisms (used for example in mines or surveillance devices) were either active or passive, but not combinations of both. In the few instances wherein a combination device has been used, they have failed to provide adequate information to permit satisfactory discrimination between objects or vehicles on the water surface and those that are submerged. Moreover, some of the prior art types of mechanisms were easily countered by various types of noise generators.

Method and apparatus for underwater acoustic detection and location of an object

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A system and method is provided for minimizing delay time for controlling media content capture during live video broadcast production. The system includes a video production receiver that receives media content streams from one or more cameras that includes live media content captured by the cameras and encoded in a first encoding format. Moreover, a multi-view interface displays the media content and a video production controller generates control instructions based on inputs to the interface to change operation of the cameras capturing the respective media content. A camera controller is included that transmits the generated control instructions to the cameras to change the operation for capturing the respective media content. Moreover, the video production controls production of a live video stream for video broadcast production using media content that is captured from the cameras and that is encoded in a second encoding format different than the first encoding format.

Live television broadcasting typically involves capturing media content from a live scene (e.g., a sports venue, news broadcast, etc.), transmitting the captured content to a remote production facility where the video and audio signals are managed by production switchers, and then encoding the signals for transport to a distribution network. Each step in this process involves a certain level of delay, which, as a result, means that live television broadcasts today are far from being actually "live" or in "real-time". For example, typical transmission delay times can range from a few seconds to tens of seconds, which is the time delay between when media content is captured to when a program is transmitted and ultimately viewed by the end consumer. Moreover, this delay can be variable. For example, if an end consumer watches the same program on a tablet, there will be a different delay than if the consumer watches it on a monitor fed by an set-top box ("STB"), or yet different again from a monitor fed by an over-the-air signal using ATSC ("Advanced Television Systems Committee") transmission, as one example.
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a conventional system for producing a live television broadcast. As shown, the system can include a plurality of cameras 21A and 21B (two cameras are shown, but there can be multiple media streams generated by cameras) that capture media content from a venue 10 (e.g., a sports venue) and provide media streams 22A and 22B to a local encoder 30. The encoder 30 in turn encodes the media streams and provides the media as contribution feeds to a remote production facility 31 using satellite communication, for example. The production facility 31 will typically include video production equipment 11 that can be composed of production switches, controllers, processors, timing modules, a codec, and other equipment provided to process the incoming media streams for a television broadcast production. Furthermore, a technical director 12 can be located at the remote production facility 31 to control the video switcher(s) and make editorial and artistic decisions for the video production.
One significant technical problem with this arrangement is limited available bandwidth at venues to transmit the contribution feeds to the remote production facility. For example, at many venues, the available bandwidth may only be 1 GbE, for example. As a result, broadcast production will necessarily be limited to a minimum number of media streams that can provided by cameras 21A and 22B and may even be limited in the resolution of the video production that can be transmitted to the facility. For example, encoded high definition (HD) signals may consume too much bandwidth and create unacceptable latency periods. Accordingly, the broadcast system shown in FIG. 1 is quite limited in video production capabilities for live broadcast and cannot handle many cameras and/or incoming media streams.
FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of another system for producing a conventional live television broadcast. Quite simply, for a large event like the Super Bowl or the Olympics, a television network may move both the video production equipment 11 and technical director 12 to the location of the venue 10 using a production truck 10, for example. However, this arrangement is also not ideal from a live video production perspective. For example, it is difficult and costly to move a large portion of the production crew including the technical director 12 to the venue. Moreover, the technical director 12 may have difficulty within the small confines of the truck 10 viewing the many media streams from the various cameras and manage/control the video switcher accordingly.
In either conventional system, the technical director 12 will typically operate the video switcher (and associated devices) and also serve as the chief of the production crew. Using the video switcher, the technical director 12 will switch video sources and also perform live digital effects and transitions, and insert prerecorded material, graphics and titles. In live video broadcast productions, the technical director 12 must coordinate the production and make rapid decisions. Thus, referring back to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, if the technical director 12 is located in a production control room of the remote production facility 31, the technical director 12 will often issue control decisions 32 that are fed back to cameras 21A and/or 21B to adjust the capture of media content, such as shading, video capture angles, etc. However, this control process creates further time delay in the video broadcast.
Specifically, FIG. 3 illustrates a timing diagram of a conventional system for producing a live television broadcast. Time is shown along the X axis with the starting point in time being the real time event, which would be from a perspective of a person actually attending the sporting event at the venue 10, for example. Albeit small, there will even be a first delay T1 from when light is captured by the camera lens and the pixel data is output. Moreover, as further shown, there are delays at each stage of the process. For example, there is a second delay T2 from the camera(s) to the encoder 30 and a third delay T3 when the signal is decoded at the remote production facility 31 before each media stream can be presented to the technical director after a fourth delay T4. Although each delay is shown as being identical, it should be appreciated that the delays will vary according to bandwidth constraints and other propagation delays, such as device processing, conductor impedance of network links, and the like.
As described above, the technical director 12 can then operate the video switcher to issue control commands back to the local equipment (e.g., cameras 21A and 21B) at the venue 10. However, these command signals will also experience an effective delay Tcontrol when they are fed back to the devices. As further shown, each subsequent step of production, encoding at the production facility, decoding (by a STB, for example) and ultimate playout by an end consumer device each experiences an additional delay. However, the time delay Tcontrol is unacceptable from the consuming perspective as the technical director's editorial decisions will not be based on the actual live events (in real time or close thereto), but only after viewing a delayed image of the events. This results in uncertainty, and missing certain actions during the event, which then detracts from the end consumer's experience.
Thus, a live video broadcasting environment is needed that exploits virtualization techniques so that the end consumer is provided with the illusion that the live event is being produced in real time.

System and method for controlling media content capture for live video broadcast production


An optical matching oil that is immune to timewise variations in its refractive index, that undergoes little increase in viscosity below room temperature, and that also resists crystallization below room temperature. The optical matching oil is based on an organosilicon compound with the following general formula ##STR1## wherein R is selected from the group consisting of methyl, vinyl, and 2-methylphenethyl with the proviso that at least one R group is the 2-methylphenethyl group.

The present invention relates to an optical matching oil. More specifically, the present invention relates to an optical matching oil that consists of an organosilicon compound whose molecule contains at least one 2-methylphenethyl group.
Like optical adhesives and optical greases, optical matching oils are employed as filling agents between the lens and prisms present in optical devices and as filling agents in optical fiber connectors. When air bubbles remain in the optical matching oil filled between lenses, between prisms, or between the ends of optical fibers, or when air bubbles are generated at the contact surface between an optical matching oil and a lens, prism, or optical fiber terminus, the transmitted light or optical signal is scattered, causing a flare or transmission loss. As a consequence, one type of optical matching oil in use up to now has been based on a low-viscosity phenylsilicone oil having a viscosity of 10 to 100 centistokes and a refractive index of 1.46 to 1.51.
However, phenylsilicone oils by themselves have relatively high viscosities and must therefore be diluted with low-molecular-weight silicone oils, such as, dimethylsilicone oils. This has created the problem of a timewise variation in the refractive index of the optical matching oil due to volatilization of the low-molecular-weight silicone oil. Another problem is associated with the use of such optical matching oils in ambients below room temperature. This type of optical matching oil suffers from a deterioration in performance in such ambients due to a sharp increase in the viscosity of the phenylsilicone oil base or even crystallization of part of the phenylsilicone oil. For these reasons, there is a need for an optical matching oil that is immune to timewise variations in its refractive index, that presents little increase in viscosity below room temperature, and that resists crystallization below room temperature.


A gutter system includes an indicator for indicating that the gutter system is clogged or partially clogged. The indicator includes a floating device such as a ball. There is provided a retainer that retains the ball within the gutter system and in the vicinity of a downspout and downspout opening that forms a part of a gutter system. The retainer comprises a housing of an open construction and includes a bottom, sidewall structure and a top portion. Since the housing is an open construction, water passing through the gutter can normally flow through the housing. When the gutter system is clear and does not have any substantial obstructions, it follows that the water accumulation within the gutter will be relatively small. However, when the gutter system is clogged or partially clogged, then there will be some accumulation of water in the gutter system. When there is accumulation of water, the floating device will float to an upper elevated position where the same can be seen from ground level. This indicates a clogged or partially clogged gutter system.

Gutters are used around eves of houses and other buildings to catch and channel water, and generally to control drainage around the exterior of such buildings. As every homeowner knows, gutter systems, while important, are difficult to maintain operational and clean. Often homes and buildings are disposed adjacent or underlie trees that shed debris such as leaves and pine needles. These leaves and pine needles and other debris often end up in the gutters and downspouts causing them to be clogged and non-functional.
It is difficult to determine if a gutter system or a portion thereof is clogged and non-functional. In many cases, gutters are mounted around the upper story of two story buildings and consequently they are hard to gain access to. About the only way to inspect a second story gutter, for example, is by utilizing a ladder and that is often time consuming and again, difficult and even dangerous for older people.
There has been and continues to be a need for an indicator that will indicate to the homeowner that a portion of the gutter system or downspout is clogged or partially clogged and needs cleaning.

Gutter system indicator for indicating a clogged or partially clogged condition


A method and apparatus is disclosed for forming a mixed material. For example, two components of a bone cement may be positioned in the apparatus and mixed under vacuum. An increase in pressure on one side of a movable piston can move the material for ease of access and reducing voids in the mixed material.

Various devices for mixing at least two components to form a compound may be provided. Many devices, however, often require various external components or multiple pieces to operate successfully, particularly if various features are provided with the device. Also, some devices may be small and require a lot of dexterity for efficient use by a selected user. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a substantially integral system to allow for mixing of various components of the material for application. Moreover, it may be desirable to mix various compounds under vacuum to reduce gas bubbles in the compound, evacuating evolved gases, and other reasons.


A non-toxic and non-cytolytic derivative of streptolysin O which retains at least one (preferably immunodominant) epitope is produced, and can be used especially in diagnostic tests for detecting of the presence of antibodies to Streptococcus pyogenes in a sample.

This invention relates to streptolysin O (SLO) antigens and their use, especially in diagnostic tests. In particular the present invention relates to the identification, construction and production of non-cytolytic and non-toxic SLO derivatives retaining antigenic sites that can detect antibodies in serum samples. The invention also relates to use of these SLO derivatives in diagnostic tests based on specific binding properties, such as binding between an antigen and an antibody.
SLO is a toxic cytolytic protein produced by Streptococcus pyogenes (S.pyogenes) which causes a number of human diseases. During infection, the gene encoding SLO is expressed and SLO is secreted by S. pyogenes. The toxicity of SLO seems to be closely associated with its cytolytic activity.
The infected human host produces anti-SLO antibodies to antigenic sites on the SLO molecule. Thus diagnostic tests detecting these anti-SLO antibodies in human serum, can indicate (past or present) infection by S.pyogenes. The immunodiagnostic assays presently being used for detection of anti-SLO antibodies in human serum utilise impure active SLO protein. These assays generally comprise the following steps:
(a) Take serum sample from patient. PA0 (b) Make serial dilutions of serum sample in a suitable buffer. PA0 (c) For each test include a control containing buffer, but no serum. PA0 (d) Add a standard quantity of active SLO to each dilution of serum and to the control. PA0 (e) Incubate the mixtures for a standard time and at a standard temperature, to allow any anti-SLO antibodies in the mixtures to combine with, and neutralise the added SLO. PA0 (f) Add a standard quantity of red blood cells to each mixture. PA0 (g) Incubate the mixtures for a standard time and at a standard temperature to allow any active (non-neutralised) SLO to lyse the added cells. PA0 (h) Determine the highest dilution of serum that has neutralised the added SLO, that is which corresponds to the dilution producing less than 50% lysis of the added red blood cells.
Thus, where the serum sample contains high levels of anti-SLO antibody, there will be neutralisation of the active SLO up to a high dilution of the serum and therefore no lysis of the red blood cells. Conversely, where the serum sample contains lower levels of antibodies to SLO, there will be neutralisation only at low dilutions of the sample and there will be extensive lysis of the red blood cells at high dilutions of the sample.
However, there are a number of problems with these assays. The assays are difficult, time-consuming and require laboratory facilities. They utilise active SLO and, as stated, this protein is toxic and cytolytic and therefore laboratory facilities and trained personnel are required. The preparation of purified SLO from S. pyogenes is difficult and costly, particularly as SLO is sensitive to degradation by proteases produced by the S. pyogenes.
The present assays for detecting anti-SLO antibodies also use impure preparations of SLO which are unstable in liquid form. Thus, the SLO preparations are supplied as lyophilized powder in vials, each vial containing sufficient material for a set number of serum tests. Before use, the lyophilized powder must be reconstituted in a suitable solvent. However, the reconstituted SLO rapidly loses its activity, probably owing to the presence of contaminating proteases, and therefore it must either be used within a short time or discarded. Thus, it is costly to test individual serum samples as soon as they arrive in the laboratory. To overcome this problem laboratories generally store the samples until they have a sufficient number to enable economic use of a vial of lyophilized SLO. This means that there may be up to one weeks delay between taking the serum sample and obtaining the test result.

Streptolysin O antigen derivatives, its production and uses


An apparatus housed in a booth for automatically producing printed postcards incorporating a self-portrait of the user integrated into a pictorial background including a cash-receiving device, a computer triggered by cash received in the device, a video camera in the booth to view the user, a video monitor on which the video camera image of the user is displayed, a series of pictorial backgrounds in digitized electronic form stored in the computer for selective withdrawal therefrom by the user to be integrated with their image and a printer for obtaining the integrated user's pose and pictorial background and printing it on a postcard for immediate use.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the field of electronic color imaging. More particularly, the invention pertains to an apparatus for electronically producing printed picture postcards, carrying a self-portrait of the user, integrated with a pictorial background elected by the user, a process for using the apparatus to create this self-portrait postcard and the unique product produced thereby.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of picture portraits, it is known to provide a painted backdrop for an individual to stand before, whose picture is taken by a camera so that the end result is a photograph showing the person's image superimposed against the backdrop. Another method is to provide a painted backdrop with holes or apertures cut therein in which a person places his or her face or head to be photographed to reveal the person as having their head superimposed on another background such as another person's body.
Photographs taken in front of painted backdrops present a number of problems. The camera is delicate and must be continually handled to load and unload film, thus the ever-present danger of equipment damage. The number and size of backdrops represents a storage problem and continuously moving them in and out of position causes deterioration to the painted surfaces. The total effort of arranging the backdrops and the user as well as the time taken to load the camera, arrange the backdrop and subject, take the picture and unload the camera, as well as the film developing time make it a long process. Finally, developed film is not the sturdiest of mediums and substantial damage to the film and picture quality may take place, even after slight handling.
In other respects, efforts have been undertaken to obtain a person's image by a video camera and transpose that image via a dot matrix printer onto a t-shirt or other tangible medium. In these situations, either no background is used or a pre-printed background is placed on the t-shirt. In either event, the choice of backgrounds is confined to the product itself and any attempt to increase the number of backgrounds would require more paintings, more backdrop boards or a larger inventory of pre-printed t-shirts.
On another subject, many travelers desire to communicate with their friends and acquaintances throughout their travels. These persons often desire to send a photograph of themselves in front of or near some place of interest encountered during the trip. Using pictures taken with standard roll-type film requires another person to take the picture, having the picture taken in good weather, being in front of the place of interest when the picture is taken, as well as the extra steps of having the film developed, the pictures printed, enclosing the finished pictures in an envelope and applying letter postage for mailing to the recipient. Often, the traveler desires nothing more than to place a small message on the back of a postcard. Heretofore, there have been no postcards available which include the self-portrait of the user available on an instant basis.
This invention comprises a novel apparatus for taking a self-portrait of the user, integrating it in one or more of a plurality of backgrounds chosen by the user and the self-portrait and background printed onto a picture postcard for immediate use thereafter. The self-portrait of the user is obtained after a short time during which the user changes position, while observing the portrait, to determine the most desirable pose. The background may be chosen from a plurality of preset backgrounds that may be indigenous to the area wherein the apparatus is located so as to eliminate the need of the user to physically be at that background when the self-portrait is integrated therein or pictorially represent other backgrounds. The apparatus produces the postcard containing the user's portrait integrated therein while allowing a clearly defined area on the backside of the postcard for application of a message, the address of the receiver and postage for immediate mailing.
The apparatus includes a cash-receiving device, a computer, a video camera, a video monitor, a printer, and a novel means to receive, store and, on command, present a pictorial background and instructions to the user flashed onto the monitor for quick and simple utilization by the user. The apparatus is preferably housed in a booth for location near heavily traveled tourist routes to facilitate use by many persons. While fully automated following manual input initiation, this novel apparatus and process provides the user with the novel features of viewing themselves in a variety of poses, to obtain the best pose, freedom to choose from a variety of backgrounds and rapid production of the finished postcard. The user is therefore easily able to send a fun, colorful record of their trip to friends and relatives showing them in front of a choice of backgrounds without bothering others to take their picture, be photographed in backgrounds showing locations they may not, for one reason or another, be able to visit or photograph and further to save on postage costs by using postcard postage in lieu of letter postage. In addition, the postcards are electronically printed and may be kept by the user as a memento or souvenir of their trip or mailed to friends and relatives. The unique postcard produced by the apparatus shows as a color print as opposed to dot matrix-produced prints hereinbefore known in the art.

Apparatus for making electronically-produced postcards and method of operating same