A lighting device comprising first and second groups of non-white light sources emitting light outside a first area on a 1976 CIE Chromaticity Diagram bounded by a curves 0.01 u′v′ above and below the blackbody locus and within a second area enclosed by saturated light curves from 430 to 465 nm and from 560 to 580 nm and segments from 465 to 560 nm and from 580 to 430 nm and a supplemental light emitter in the range of 600 to 640 nm. Also, a lighting device, comprising a first string of non-white phosphor converted light sources with excitation sources having dominant wavelengths that differ by at least 5 nm, a second string of non-white light sources, and a third string of supplemental light emitters in the range of 600 to 640 nm.

General illumination devices are typically rated in terms of their color reproduction. Color reproduction is typically measured using the Color Rendering Index (CRI Ra). CRI Ra is a modified average of the relative measurements of how the color rendition of an illumination system compares to that of a reference radiator when illuminating eight reference colors, i.e., it is a relative measure of the shift in surface color of an object when lit by a particular lamp. The CRI Ra equals 100 if the color coordinates of a set of test colors being illuminated by the illumination system are the same as the coordinates of the same test colors being irradiated by the reference radiator.
Daylight has a high CRI (Ra of approximately 100), with incandescent bulbs also being relatively close (Ra greater than 95), and fluorescent lighting being less accurate (typical Ra of 70-80). Certain types of specialized lighting have very low CRI (e.g., mercury vapor or sodium lamps have Ra as low as about 40 or even lower). Sodium lights are used, e.g., to light highways—driver response time, however, significantly decreases with lower CRI Ra values (for any given brightness, legibility decreases with lower CRI Ra). See Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage. Method of Measuring and Specifying Colour Rendering Properties of Light Sources, CIE 13.3 (1995) for further information on CRI.
The color of visible light output by a light emitter, and/or the color of blended visible light output by a plurality of light emitters can be represented on either the 1931 CIE (Commission International de I'Eclairage) Chromaticity Diagram or the 1976 CIE, Chromaticity Diagram. Persons of skill in the art are familiar with these diagrams, and these diagrams are readily available (e.g., by searching "CIE Chromaticity Diagram" on the internet).
The CIE Chromaticity Diagrams map out the human color perception in terms of two CIE parameters x and y (in the case of the 1931 diagram) or u′ and v′ (in the case of the 1976 diagram). Each point (i.e., each "color point") on the respective Diagrams corresponds to a particular hue. For a technical description of CIE chromaticity diagrams, see, for example, "Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology", vol. 7, 230-231 (Robert A Meyers ed., 1987). The spectral colors are distributed around the boundary of the outlined space, which includes all of the hues perceived by the human eye. The boundary represents maximum saturation for the spectral colors.
The 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram can be used to define colors as weighted sums of different hues. The 1976 CIE Chromaticity Diagram is similar to the 1931 Diagram, except that similar distances on the 1976 Diagram represent similar perceived differences in color.
In the 1931 Diagram, deviation from a point on the Diagram (i.e., "color point" or hue) can be expressed either in terms of the x, y coordinates or, alternatively, in order to give an indication as to the extent of the perceived difference in color, in terms of MacAdam ellipses. For example, a locus of points defined as being ten MacAdam ellipses from a specified hue defined by a particular set of coordinates on the 1931 Diagram consists of hues that would each be perceived as differing from the specified hue to a common extent (and likewise for loci of points defined as being spaced from a particular hue by other quantities of MacAdam ellipses). A typical human eye is able to differentiate between hues that are spaced from each other by more than seven MacAdam ellipses (but is not able to differentiate between hues that are spaced from each other by seven or fewer MacAdam ellipses).
Since similar distances on the 1976 Diagram represent similar perceived differences in color, deviation from a point on the 1976 Diagram can be expressed in terms of the coordinates, u′ and v′, e.g., distance from the point=(Δu′2+Δv′2)1/2. This formula gives a value, in the scale of the u′ v′ coordinates, corresponding to the distance between points. The hues defined by a locus of points that are each a common distance from a specified color point consist of hues that would each be perceived as differing from the specified hue to a common extent.
A series of points that is commonly represented on the CIE Diagrams is referred to as the blackbody locus. The chromaticity coordinates (i.e., color points) that lie along the blackbody locus obey Planck's equation: E(λ)=Aλ−5/(e(B/T)−1), where E is the emission intensity, λ is the emission wavelength, T is the color temperature of the blackbody and A and B are constants. The 1976 CIE; Diagram includes temperature listings along the blackbody locus. These temperature listings show the color path of a blackbody radiator that is caused to increase to such temperatures. As a heated object becomes incandescent, it first glows reddish, then yellowish, then white, and finally blueish. This occurs because the wavelength associated with the peak radiation of the blackbody radiator becomes progressively shorter with increased temperature, consistent with the Wien Displacement Law. Illuminants that produce light that is on or near the blackbody locus can thus be described in terms of their color temperature.
Light emitting diode lamps have been demonstrated to be able to produce white light with component efficacy>150 L/W and are anticipated to be the predominant lighting devices within the next decade. See e.g., Narukawa, Narita, Sakamoto, Deguchi, Yamada, Mukai: "Ultra-High Efficiency White Light Emitting Diodes" Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 32 (1993) L9 Vol. 45, No. 41, 2006, pp. L1084-L10-86; and on the World Wide Web nichia.com/about_nichia/2006/2006—122001.html.
Many systems are based primarily on LEDs which combine blue emitters+YAG:Ce or BOSE phosphors or Red, Green and Blue InGaN/AlInGaP LEDs; or UV LED excited RGB phosphors. These methods have good efficacy but only medium CRI or very good CRI and low efficacy. The efficacy and CRI tradeoff in LEDs is also an issue in the lighting industry with regard to fluorescent illumination. See Zukauskas A., Shur M. S., Cacka R. "Introduction to Solid-State Lighting" 2002, ISBN 0-471-215574-0, section 6.1.1 page 118.
CRI Ra is the most commonly used metric for measuring color quality today. This CIE standard method (see, e.g., Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage, Method of Measuring and Specifying Colour Rendering Properties of Light Sources, CIE 13.3 (1995)) compares the rendered colors of 8 reference color swatches illuminated by the test illumination to the rendered color of the same swatches illuminated by reference light. Illumination with a CRI Ra of less than 50 is very poor and only used in applications where there is no alternative for economic issues. Lights with a CRI Ra between 70 and 80 have application for general illumination where the colors of objects are not important. For some general interior illumination, a CRI Ra of at least 80 is acceptable.
The whiteness of the emission from a lighting device is somewhat subjective. In terms of illumination, it is generally defined as to its proximity to the planckian blackbody locus ("BBL"). Schubert, in his book Light-Emitting Diodes, second edition, on page 325 states, "the pleasantness and quality of white illumination decreases rapidly if the chromaticity point of the illumination source deviates from the planckian locus by a distance of greater than 0.01 in the x,y chromaticity system. This corresponds to the distance of about 4 MacAdam ellipses, a standard employed by the lighting industry. See Duggal A. R. "Organic electroluminescent devices for solid-state lighting" in Organic Electroluminescence edited by Z. H. Kafafi (Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton, Fla., 2005). Note the 0.01-rule-of-thumb is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for high quality illumination sources." A lighting device which has color coordinates that are within 4 MacAdam step ellipses of the planckian locus and which has a CRI Ra>80 is generally acceptable as a white light for illumination purposes. A lighting device which has color coordinates within 7 MacAdam ellipses of the planckian locus and which has a CRI Ra>70 is used as the minimum standard for many other white lighting devices including CFL and SSL (solid state lighting) lighting devices. (see DOE-Energy Star Program requirements for SSL Luminaires, 2006). A light with color coordinates within 4 MacAdam step ellipses of the planckian locus and a CRI Ra>85 is more suitable for general illumination purposes. CRI Ra>90 is preferable and provides greater color quality.
Some of the most commonly used LEDs in solid state lighting are phosphor excited LEDs. In many instances, a yellow phosphor (typically YAG:Ce or BOSE) is coated on a blue InGaN LED die. The resultant mix of yellow phosphor emitted light and some leaking blue light combines to produce a white light. This method typically produces light>5000K CCT and typically has a CRI Ra of between ˜70 and 80. For warm white colors, an orange phosphor or a mix of red and yellow phosphor can be used.
Light made from combinations of standard "pure colors," red, green and blue, exhibit poor efficacy due primarily to the poor quantum efficiency of green LEDs. R+G+B lights also suffer from lower CRI Ra, in part due to the narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM) values of the green and red LEDs. Pure color LEDs (i.e., saturated LEDs) usually have a FWHM value in the range of from about 15 nm to about 30 nm.
UV based LEDs combined with red, green and blue phosphors offer quite good CRI Ra, similar to fluorescent lighting. Due to increased Stokes losses, however, they also have lower efficacies.
The highest efficiency LEDs today are blue LEDs made from InGaN. Commercially available devices have external quantum efficiency (EQE) as great as 60%. The highest efficiency phosphors suitable for LEDs today are YAG:Ce and BOSE phosphor with a peak emission around 555 nm. YAG:Ce has a quantum efficiency of >90% and is an extremely robust and well tested phosphor. Using this approach, almost any color along the tie line between the hue of the LED and the hue of the phosphor (e.g., FIG. 1 shows a tie line between a blue LED (i.e., an LED that emits blue light) that has a peak wavelength of about 455 nm and a yellow phosphor that has a dominant wavelength of about 569 nm).
In many lighting devices, the portion of the lumens of blue light is greater than approximately 3% and less than approximately 7%, and the combined emitted light appears white and falls within the generally acceptable color boundaries of light suitable for illumination. Efficacy as high as 150 L/W has been reported for LEDs made in this area, but commercially available lamps generally have CRI Ra in the range of from 70 to 80.
White LED lamps made with this method typically have a CRI Ra of between 70 and 80, the primary omission from the spectrum being red color components and, to some extent, cyan.
Red AlInGaP LEDs have very high internal quantum efficiency, but due to the large refractive index mismatch between AlInGaP and suitable encapsulant materials, a lot of light is lost due to total internal reflection (TIR). Regardless, red and orange packaged LEDs are commercially available with efficacies higher than 60 L/W.
Additional information on LEDs for general illumination, shortcomings and potential solutions may be found in "Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for General Illumination" OIDA, edited by Tsao J. Y, Sandia National Laboratories, 2002.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,095,056 (Vitta '056) discloses a white light emitting device and method that generate light by combining light produced by a white light source (i.e., light which is perceived as white) with light produced by at least one supplemental light emitting diode (LED). In one aspect, Vitta '056 provides a device which comprises a light source which emits light which would be perceived as white, a first supplemental light emitting diode (LED) that produces cyan light, and a second supplemental LED that produces red light, wherein the light emitted from the device comprises a combination of the light produced by the white light source, the first supplemental LED, and the second supplemental LED. While the arrangement disclosed in Vitta '056 allows the CCT to be changed, the CRI and the usefulness of the device reduces significantly at lower color temperatures, making this arrangement generally undesirable for indoor general illumination.
One technique for providing high efficiency and high color rendering is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,940. The '940 patent describes combining non-white light with red/red-orange light to provide high color rendering and high efficiency. The teachings of the '940 patent are implemented in the TrueWhite technology incorporated in the LR6 6″ recessed downlight, and the LR24 2′×2′ architectural lay-in fixture from Cree, Inc. of Durham, N.C. The LR6 and the LR24 use phosphor converted LEDs that provide a blue LED and a YAG phosphor to provide blue-shifted-yellow ("BSY") light that is combined with light from red LEDs to provide white light with a CCT of 2700K or 3500K and a CRI of greater than 90. FIG. 2 illustrates how a non-saturated non-white phosphor converted LED and a red/orange LED can be combined to provide white light.
The expression "phosphor converted" is used herein to mean a light emitter that includes an excitation emitter (e.g., a light emitting diode) and at least one phosphor, in which the excitation emitter generates light of a first wavelength, at least a portion of which is absorbed by the phosphor and re-emitted by the phosphor (in at least one different wavelength, typically in a range of wavelengths), whereby light of the first wavelength mixes with light re-emitted by the phosphor.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the LR6 and LR24 fixtures. As seen in FIG. 3, the LR6 and LR24 each have three strings of LEDs. Two of the strings include BSY LEDs and a third string includes red LEDs. The BSY LEDs are selected from two or more bins to provide a combined color point that is approximately opposite the BBL from the dominant wavelength of the red LEDs. The current through the red LEDs is then adjusted to pull the color point of the BSY LEDs to the BBL. Details on the operation of the LR6 and LR24 are found in:
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/755,153, filed May 30, 2007 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0279903), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/859,048, filed Sep. 21, 2007 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0084701), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,940 , issued on May 8, 2007, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/868,134, filed on Dec. 1, 2006, entitled "LIGHTING DEVICE AND LIGHTING METHOD" , the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/948,021, filed on Nov. 30, 2007 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0130285), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/475,850, filed on Jun. 1, 2009 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009-0296384), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/877,038, filed Oct. 23, 2007 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0106907), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/248,220, filed on Oct. 9, 2008 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0184616), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/947,392, filed on Nov. 29, 2007 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0130298), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/117,280, filed May 8, 2008 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0309255), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/257,804, filed on Oct. 24, 2008 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0160363), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/328,144, filed Dec. 4, 2008 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0184666), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/116,346, filed May 7, 2008 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0278950), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/116,348, filed on May 7, 2008 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0278957), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety; and
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/328,115, filed on Dec. 4, 2008 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009-0184662), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety.
The LR6 and LR24 each provide a CRI of greater than 90. Phosphor converted BSY LEDs with increased brightness have become available, the wavelength of the underlying excitation blue LED of these brighter BSY LEDs being lower. With this decrease in blue LED wavelength, it may become more difficult to achieve the desired high CRI. To overcome this issue, the LR6-230V has been fabricated to include a longer wavelength supplemental blue LED that replaces one of the BSY LEDs as shown in FIG. 3 and as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/248,220, filed on Oct. 9, 2008 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0184616), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety. A schematic diagram of the LR6-230V is provided as FIG. 4.


The present invention includes a method for making a formulation for treating mucosal discontinuities, comprising: providing phenolic compounds and treating the purified phenolic compounds with sulfuric acid to make sulfonic acids and sulfonate salts. The present invention also includes formulations prepared by the method.

The present invention relates to an odorless formulation for treating mucosal discontinuities. The present invention also includes a method for making the formulation and a method for using the formulation.
The term, "mucosal discontinuities" as used herein refers to discontinuities which are present or which are inflicted on mucosal tissue of living beings. Mucosal discontinuities include wounds which are internal or external bodily injuries or lesions which are caused by a physical force or by another mechanism. The physical force is one or more of a mechanical, chemical, viral, bacterial, or thermally induced physical force. The physical force disrupts the normal continuities of biologic structures of living beings.
Mucosal discontinuities include contusions, wounds in which the skin is unbroken, incisions, wounds in which the skin is broken by a cutting instrument, lacerations, and wounds in which the skin is broken by a dull or blunt instrument. Discontinuities include wounds caused by accident or by surgical procedures.
Patients who suffer major wounds and other discontinuities benefit from treatment that enhances healing and pain relief. Wound healing mechanisms comprise a series of processes whereby tissue, such as mucosal tissue, is repaired. In particular, in repair, specialized tissue is regenerated. New tissue is reorganized.
Wound healing typically comprises three phases. A first phase is an inflammation phase that lasts up to about 3 days. A second phase is a cellular proliferation phase that lasts from about 3 to 12 days. A third phase is a remodeling phase that lasts from about 3 days to 6 months.
During the first inflammation phase, platelet aggregation and clotting form a matrix which traps plasma proteins and blood cells to induce the influx of various type of cells. During the second cellular proliferation phase, new connective or granulation tissue and blood vessels are formed. During the third remodeling phase, granulation tissue is replaced by a network of collagen and elastin fibers leading to the formation of scar tissue.
When cells are injured or killed as a result of a wound, the wound healing step is desirable to resuscitate the injured cells and to produce new cells to replace the dead cells. The healing process produces a reversal of cytotoxicity, a suppression of inflammation, and a stimulation of cellular viability and proliferation. Wounds typically require low levels of oxygen in the initial stages of healing to suppress oxidative damage and higher levels of oxygen in the later stages of healing to promote collagen formation by fibroblasts.
One type of mucosal discontinuity includes aphthous ulcers. Aphthous ulcers are believed to be caused by a virus, in some instances, as well as genetics, trauma, hormonal changes, and gastrointestinal factors.
Aphthous ulcers have shapes that range from single, multiple, round, to oval shaped. The ulcers range in size from 2–40 mm. The ulcers occur on mucus membranes of the tongue, cheeks, lips, soft and hard pallets, gingiva, pharynx and on the floor of the mouth. The ulcers are also found in the genital, anal, and in conjunctival mucosae.
Aphthous ulcers are extremely painful lesions. The ulcers appear as small macular red lesions. The ulcerated area quickly undergoes necrosis, leaving a sharply defined rounded ulcer, varying from about 2 to 5 mm in diameter. The ulceration is fairly deep with a yellow white base representing the tissue at the surface. The margin of the ulcer somewhat indurated and the margin of the mucosae has a surrounding erythematous zone. The marginal erythema ranges from slight to extensive, depending upon the degree of the secondary bacterial involvement.
The aphthous ulcer is present for about seven days and it undergoes gradual healing. It heals as a general rule in approximately 10–14 days and does not tend to leave a scar. Characteristically, there is a recurrent pattern of one of more of these ulcers. The ulcers recur as soon as one month apart and there are cases where, for a period of years, the individual is never without ulcers. New ulcers form as the existing lesions heal. In other cases, aphthous ulcer attacks may occur two to three times during a year. The lesions also often appear following some intense emotional stress, but they may first appear following a gradual change in environment or following an emotional situation in a non-familiar environment.
Aphthous ulcers have been found to occur in greater frequency in women. The ulcers appear several days prior to the menstrual period. The first encounter with aphthous stomatitis for women frequently follows the onset of menstruation. Women susceptible to these lesions often report freedom from the lesions during pregnancy. There is a tendency for a greater frequency of these lesions in females than in males. Although they occur at any age level, the ulcers occur more often in adults.
The term "Periadenitis Mucosa Necrotica Recurrens" is sometimes used to describe aphthae that coalesce to form an elongated, deep ulcerated area. From a symptomatic standpoint, it has found that about 24–48 hrs. before onset of an aphthous lesion, there is a vague discomfort, sometimes described as a tingling sensation in the area. As the tissue undergoes necrosis and an ulcer forms, the lesions become very painful. The aphthous lesions are often considered the most painful oral ulcerations. The discomfort may become particularly intense during periods of fatigue.
The histopathology of the disease is one where the microscopy picture is non-specific, generally showing an ulceration of the mucosae. The surface epithelium exhibits a central area of destruction. The connective tissue is densely infiltrated with lymphocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, plasma cells, and histocytes. There is evidence of active fibrosis at the base and sides of the ulcerated area.
Differential diagnosis of aphthous ulcers includes traumatic ulcers, acute herpetic stomatitis, stomatitis medicamentosa, and erythema multiforme. The diagnosis of aphthous stomatitis is based upon the clinical manifestation and the patient's history. Biopsies are usually unnecessary due the extreme discomfort involved and are avoided unless necessary to rule out other lesions considered differentially diagnostic.
Many substances in agents have been used in an attempt to cure and or relieve the discomfort of aphthous lesion. For example, cauterizing drugs, such as phenol, chromic acid, alum and silver nitrate, have been used for many years. These agents alleviate pain by destruction of small nerve endings. The healing time of the lesion is prolonged due to the escharotic action of these drugs on the surface epithelium and the active fibrosis at the base and sides of the ulcerated areas. Vitamins have also been tried with inconsistent results. Antibiotics have been used with conflicting results.
One observer found that Aureomycin applied locally, three times a day appeared to have a definite effect. With treatment, the duration of the ulcers was reduced from about 10–5 days and there was an analgesic effect lasting one half to two hours. Temporary relief has also been sought and sometimes achieved by using milk of magnesia or heavy syrups. Other more exotic remedies have been tried with little or no success. These remedies include vaccination with cowpox virus, and nutrient supplements.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,920,835, 3,984,556, and 3,988,470, all issued to Van Scott et al., disclose methods for treating acne, dandruff and palmar keratosis, respectively. The methods generally comprise applying to an affected area a topical composition that comprises about 1% to 20% of a lower aliphatic compound composition that contains from 2 to 6 carbon atoms selected from a group consisting of alpha hydroxy acid, alpha-ketoacids and esters thereof, and 3-hydroxybutyric acid in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,982 issued to Tauda et al. discloses a method for decomposing hydrogen peroxide by reacting the hydrogen peroxide with a phenol or aniline derivative in the presence of peroxidase.
One prior art formulation is manufactured by Northern Research Laboratories of St. Paul, Minn. The formulation is a reddish-brown material that has a strong phenolic odor.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Odorless formulation for treating mucosal discontinuities


A device including a base layer; a wipe layer attached to the base layer to define an interior space between the wipe and base layers; a plurality of blisters positioned within the interior space, each blister having a blister volume, wherein the sum of the blister volumes is a total blister volume; and an indication disposed on the wipe layer or the base layer corresponding to a single blister or a group of blisters indicating the ratio of the blister volume of that single blister or the sum of the blister volumes of that group of blisters to the total blister volume is disclosed.

This disclosure pertains to cleaning, absorbent, and application devices, and containers for liquids.
As consumers become more sophisticated, they look for new cleaning products to make their lives easier. While certain combinations of substances may provide a benefit, they may not be conveniently available to consumers in a usable form because they are reactive with each other in storage. Therefore there is a need for a product form that allows novel cleaning substances to be safely and reliably provided to the consumer.
Cleaning devices and other similar devices that include a fluid container commonly include one or more bladders or liquid-containing pouches. Such pouches are designed to burst along a frangible seam or portion when pressure is applied to the device and therefore the pouch. Such devices are not selective and burst under sufficient pressure; in the case of multiple pouches within a device the user has no way of knowing how many or what percentage of pouches within the device have burst. In the case of multiple pouches containing multiple substances, the user has no way of knowing how many or which types of pouches within the device have burst.

Disposable wipe with substance-filled blisters


A laser beam generating device is provided for generating multiple mutually orthogonal light beams. The device includes a laser light generator that generates at least three output beams. A beamsplitter of the laser light generator has two incident surfaces orientated at forty-five degrees in relation to an optical axis. A first portion of a light from a light source is incident on a first of the two incident surfaces and output as a first output beam in a first direction orthogonal to the optical axis. A second portion of the light is incident on a second of the two incident surfaces and output as a second output beam in a second direction opposite the first direction. The light source is arranged in relation to the beamsplitter such that a third portion of the light bypasses the beamsplitter and forms a third output beam projected parallel to the optical axis.

A laser beam generating device is commonly used in the construction industry for alignment and measurement of construction layouts. A conventional laser beam generating device generates multiple light beams using an optical system. The optical system may include a light source which generates a light beam and a beamsplitter for splitting the light beam into multiple beams. The beams are typically orthogonal to another beam and/or directed in a direction opposite to another beam.
In an effort to employ a minimal number of components, an optical system for a laser light generating device may include a specialized beamsplitter. For example, the specialized beamsplitter may include multiple pieces which are joined together for generating five orthogonal light beams from a single light source. Although the laser light generating device may employ a minimal number of components for the optical system, the complexity of such an optical system and specialized beamsplitter may result in a bulky and expensive laser beam generating device.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.


A compression ignition engine (60) has a control system (66) for processing data, one or more combustion chambers (62), and fuel injectors (64) for injecting fuel into the chambers. The control system controls fueling by processing engine speed and load, to select one of four fueling modes (HCCI+RVT, HCCI+IVC, HCCI+IVC+EVC, and CD+RVT) for operating the engine (FIG. 5). When HCCI+RVT mode is selected, intake valves operate with regular valve timing (RVT), and the engine is fueled to cause homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) combustion. When HCCI+IVC mode or HCCI+IVC+EVC mode is selected, intake valve timing is changed relative to RVT, and the engine is fueled to cause HCCI combustion. When the processing selects the CD+RVT mode, the intake valves operate with RVT, and the engine is fueled to cause CD combustion. In HCCI+IVC+EVC mode, exhaust valve closing is retarded relative to its timing in HCCI+IVC mode to reduce cylinder pressure and temperature.

HCCI is a known process for fueling a diesel engine in a manner that creates a substantially homogeneous air-fuel charge inside an engine cylinder during a compression upstroke of an engine cycle. After a desired quantity of fuel for the charge has been injected into the cylinder to create a substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture, the increasing compression of the charge by the upstroking piston creates sufficiently large pressure to cause auto-ignition of the charge. In other words, the HCCI mode of operation of a diesel engine may be said to comprise 1) injecting a desired amount of fuel into a cylinder at an appropriate time during the compression upstroke so that the injected fuel mixes with charge air that has entered the cylinder during the preceding intake downstroke and early portion of the compression upstroke in a manner that forms a substantially homogeneous mixture within the cylinder, and then 2) increasingly compressing the mixture to the point of auto-ignition near or at top dead center (TDC). Auto-ignition may occur as the substantially simultaneous spontaneous combustion of vaporized fuel at various locations within the mixture. No additional fuel is injected after auto-ignition.
One of the attributes of HCCI is that relatively lean, or dilute, mixtures can be combusted, keeping the combustion temperatures relatively low. By avoiding the creation of relatively higher combustion temperatures, HCCI can yield significant reductions in the generation of NOx, an undesired constituent of engine exhaust gas.
Another attribute of HCCI is that auto-ignition of a substantially homogeneous air-fuel charge generates more complete combustion and consequently relatively less soot in engine exhaust.
The potential benefit of HCCI on reducing tailpipe emissions is therefore rather significant, and consequently HCCI is a subject of active investigation and development by many scientists and engineers in the engine research and design community.
One aspect of HCCI seems to impose a limit on the extent to which it can provide drastically reduced tailpipe emissions of soot and NOx. At higher engine speeds and larger engine loads, the rate of combustion is difficult to control. Consequently, known engine control strategies may utilize HCCI only at relatively lower speeds and smaller engine loads. At higher speeds and/or larger loads, the engine is fueled so that the fuel combusts by conventional diesel (CD) combustion upon being injected into charge air that has been compressed within a cylinder to a pressure that is sufficiently great to cause the fuel to combust as it is being injected.
With the advent of processor-controlled fuel injection systems capable of controlling fuel injection with precision that allows fuel to be injected at different injection pressures, at different times, and for different durations during an engine cycle over the full range of engine operation, a diesel engine becomes capable of both CD combustion and HCCI combustion.
As will be explained by later description, the present invention takes advantage of the capabilities of those fuel injection and processing systems to control fuel injections in different ways depending on certain aspects of engine operation. Exactly how any particular fuel injection system will be controlled by an associated processing system in any given engine will depend on specifics of the engine, the fuel injection system, and the processing system.
Because a diesel engine that powers a motor vehicle runs at different speeds and loads depending on various inputs to the vehicle and engine that influence engine operation, fueling requirements change as speed and load change. An associated processing system processes data indicative of parameters such as engine speed and engine load to develop control data for setting desired engine fueling for particular operating conditions that will assure proper control of the fuel injection system for various combinations of engine speed and engine load.
Pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/809,254, filed 25 Mar. 2004 discloses a diesel engine and associated processor-controlled fuel injection system that processes certain data to select one of plural fueling modes for operating the engine. When a result of the processing selects a first fueling mode (HCCI mode), the engine is fueled during an engine cycle to create a substantially homogeneous air-fuel charge within one or more combustion chambers. That charge is compressed to combust by auto-ignition, with no more fuel being introduced after auto-ignition. When a result of the processing selects a second fueling mode (HCCI-CD mode), the engine is fueled during an engine cycle to create a substantially homogeneous air-fuel charge within the one or more combustion chambers. That charge is compressed to combust by auto-ignition (HCCI), after which more fuel is introduced into the one or more combustion chambers to provide additional combustion (CD). That engine utilizes HCCI combustion at relatively smaller loads and relatively smaller speeds and what is referred to as HCCI-CD combustion at relatively larger loads and relatively higher speeds.

Strategy for fueling a diesel engine by selective use of fueling maps to provide HCCI+RVT, HCCI+IVC, HCCI+IVC+EVC, and CD+RVT combustion modes

International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC


Embodiments of this invention store and distribute from a central system units of information corresponding to files distributively stored in a plurality of remote systems. The remote systems may have intermittent network connection. A separate system, which may also have intermittent network connection, may access the units of information on the central system. The separate system may request that the central system transfer a particular file corresponding to a unit of information. The availability of the file on the remote system may be detected. A process may be initiated to send to the file from the remote system to the separate system, either through the central system or bypassing the central system.

Networks provide a way for data to be transferred between devices. Various kinds of network architecture exist. One type of network architecture, typically called a file server/client system, provides for a server system which allows one or more client systems connected to the network to store and access files on the server system. A client storing certain data may transfer the data to another client by first transmitting the data over the network to the server. The other client may then retrieve the data over the network from the server. To provide clients with convenient access to store and retrieve data, the server generally is constantly connected to the network.
As demand for server stored data increases, the cost of storing files on server systems may also increase. For example, more storage devices may be needed. Additionally, the server's ability to provide access to and distribute the files may diminish with increasing numbers of requests. Therefore, what is desirable is an improved method and system for storing and distributing files.

Method and systems for storing and distributing data


A network element for a digital transmission network is proposed. The network element contains two switching matrices for switching data cells, as well as ingress ports that receive TDM traffic flow and packet traffic flow and segment the traffic flows into cells. A control system for controlling the configuration of the ingress ports and the switching matrices controls the ingress ports, in case of no failure of the switching matrices, to forward the TDM traffic flows to both switching matrices and to split the packet traffic flow over the two switching matrices.

In digital transmission networks, data of a traffic flow is transmitted from a source host, for example a computer or a communication device, to a destination host, which may be another single host in case of a unicast, multiple hosts forming a multicast group, or a broadcast domain. A traffic flow is considered as the data transmitted in a specific transport connection or a media stream. A traffic flow is a logical equivalent to a call from a source host to a destination host or a connection between the source host and the destination host. Each host is connected via a physical connection to at least one node of the digital transmission network. Digital transmission networks comprise different nodes, wherein a physical connection between two nodes is called a link. A single node may be connected to multiple other nodes via respective links. For transmitting a traffic flow from the source host to the destination host, the traffic flow may have to be switched by intermediate nodes along a transmission path connecting the source host and the destination host.
A first technology for transmitting data of a traffic flow is based on the principle called time division multiplexing (TDM). An example for a network using TDM for transmission is an SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) network as described in the document "ITU-T Recommendation G.707/Y.1322 (10/2000)—Network node interface for the synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH)". Payload data of a traffic flow is written at the source host into a number time slots that form a data unit called virtual container (VC), which may be considered a TDM signal. A virtual container is of fixed size and transmitted by the SDH network from the source host to the destination host at a certain periodicity. Thus, a virtual container represents a certain data rate for transmitting data of a traffic flow from the source host to the destination host. For example, a virtual container specified as a VC-4 provides a data rate of 140 Mbit/s. For transmitting virtual containers between two network nodes, virtual containers are multiplexed into transmission frames called synchronous transport modules STM by time division multiplexing, and the STMs are transmitted from one node to another node. Also, an STM may be considered a TDM signal. The node receiving an STM at an ingress port switches a VC to an egress port by TDM switching. This means, that once a switching node is configured, the time slots of a VC received within an STM at an ingress port are switched to a specific egress port depending on the position of the time slots of the VC within the STM. Thus, the TDM technology is a circuit switching technology. At the egress port, the VC is multiplexed into another STM, which then is transmitted to another node. Thus, a VC represents a data traffic flow transmitted from a source host to a destination host along a path, while an STM represents one or more traffic flows transmitted from one node to another node. For switching a VC, a TDM matrix may be used, which is typically implemented as a memory. Each matrix input writes data into predetermined portions of the memory within a predetermined time interval, while each matrix output reads data from predetermined portions of the memory within predetermined time slots. Another type of switch that may be used for switching a VC is a so called cell switch. Timeslot of a received VC are segmented into data cells, the data cells are stored in a queue, and the data cells are switched from an input of an agnostic matrix to an output of an agnostic matrix depending on the configuration of the matrix. At the output, the data cells are reassembled to time slots of a VC again and then the VC is transmitted within an STM. Each input port of the cell switch is able to write data cells into a predefined memory portion corresponding to a single output port at a predefined data rate, for a example a data rate DRIN. The input ports are able to write data cells into the predefined memory portion of the output port in parallel. The single output port is able to read out data cells from the predefined memory portion at another data rate DROUT. The data rate DROUT at which the output port is able to read out data cells is smaller than the sum of the data rates at which all the input ports are able to write into the predefined memory portion.
In networks using the above described method of TDM for data transmission, the incoming data rate of data received at an ingress port and the outgoing data rate of data to be transmitted at an egress port of a specific node are constant. Furthermore, the dimensioning of the switching node and the switching matrix, is chosen such, that all incoming data is switched and transmitted at the output ports without any data loss.
In circuit switched networks, a high availability of the network resources is demanded in order to avoid data loss. Therefore, components of network resources are provided redundantly. For switching, two switching matrices are provided in a network node, which are both configured in the same way. The same switched data is duplicated and forwarded to input ports of both switching matrices, while switched data is read from an output port of only one switching matrix. In case of a failure of one switching matrix, data is read from an output port of the surviving switching matrix.
A second technology for transmitting data of a traffic flow is based on packet switching, for example based on the Internet Protocol as specified in the paper "RFC 791; Internet Protocol, Darpa Internet Program, Protocol Specification; Information Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, 4676 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, Calif. 90291; September 1981". A data packet carries payload data of the data traffic, as well as overhead information identifying a source address and a destination address. A traffic flow is a sequence of packets sent from a particular source host to a particular destination host, which may be a unicast destination or a multicast destination. As previously mentioned, a traffic flow is a logical equivalent to a call from a source host to a destination host or a connection between the source host and the destination host. At a node acting as a switching node, the data packets are switched from an ingress port to an egress port according to the content of their overhead information. Data packets are not fixed to a certain size, but of variable size, and do not arrive with a constant frequency at a node, but randomly.
Data packets are not fixed to a certain size, but of variable size, and do not arrive with a constant frequency at a node, but randomly. Therefore, the data rate caused by data packets received at a network node is not constant. The data rate of received data packets during a short time interval may be high compared to the average data rate of a longer time interval. Such a shorter time interval is called a burst. Data packets may be switched by cell switches, wherein a data packet is segmented into data cells for switching. The data rate during the burst time interval may exceed the data rate at which a cell switch is able to switch the data cells representing the data packets. In such a case, a data packet may have to be dropped at an ingress port resulting in data loss. Alternatively, data packets may be stored in an ingress buffer at the switching node and then read out from the buffer and switched during a later time interval, during which the data rate of received data packets is lower than the data rate at which the node is capable to switch data packets. The effect caused by the buffering of the data packets is a delay of the data packets. Thus, the buffering at the ingress affects the latency of the data traffic carried by the data packets. Furthermore, in the case that multiple packet traffic flows shall be switched from different ingress ports to a same egress port, the sum of the data rates of these packet traffic flows may exceed the data rate at which data can be read out at an output port of the cell switch.
For handling bursts of data cells caused by bursts of data packets, a common technique is to provide at each egress port an egress buffer for intermediate storing of these data cells. As it is discussed in the book "Gigabit Networking, Craig Partridge, published by Addison-Wesley, Oct. 30, 1993" in Chapter 5.1 to 5.4, when using a cell switch, it is of advantage to use egress buffers instead of ingress buffers for handling packets bursts. This reduces the amount of time that data cells have to be stored in a buffer before they can be transmitted at the egress ports. Therefore, egress buffers are to be preferred over ingress buffers for handling bursts of data packets.

Device and method for switching data traffic in a digital transmission network


An absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus has a particle collision surface (224) that extends downward from a cylinder outer surface (211) in between the lowermost part of a supply cylinder (21) and a second sheet conveying roller (41). Some of the particles emitted forward in the rotation direction of the supply cylinder (21) from recessed supply portions (212) that have passed a first cover part (221) collide with the particle collision surface (224), and the colliding particles are guided by the particle collision surface (224) onto a first sheet member (91). This suppresses direct collision of particles emitted from the supply cylinder (21) with a second sheet member (92) on the second sheet conveying roller (41). Scattering of particles that have collided with the second sheet member (92) around the first sheet member (91) and the second sheet member (92) is thus suppressed.

Absorbent articles such as absorbent pads for light incontinence that are used by being attached to the inner sides of disposable diapers conventionally use absorbent sheets produced by sandwiching and fixing particles of a highly absorbent resin or the like between two sheet members of a nonwoven fabric or the like. In manufacturing such absorbent sheets, particles of the highly absorbent resin are supplied onto one sheet member that is conveyed at a constant speed, and then the other sheet member is layered on and bonded to the one sheet member.
An absorbent-article sheet member manufacturing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-17563 (Document 1) includes a cylinder part in which a plurality of concave portions to be filled with highly absorbent resin particles are formed in the outer surface, a first sheet conveying roller for conveying a first sheet member in the vicinity of the lowermost part of the cylinder part, and a second sheet conveying roller that is disposed forward of the lowermost part of the cylinder part in the rotation direction and is for conveying a second sheet member and layering the second sheet member on the first sheet member. In the apparatus, particles are ejected from concave portions that pass the vicinity of the lowermost part of the cylinder part, and some of the ejected particles collide with the second sheet member on the second sheet conveying roller and then fall on the first sheet member. The outer surface of the second sheet conveying roller has a plurality of grooves extending fully circumferentially. These grooves absorb the impact of particles that collide with the second sheet member on the second sheet conveying roller, thus suppressing scattering of particles in the surroundings.
With the absorbent-article sheet member manufacturing apparatus of Document 1, there are cases in which particles that have collided with the second sheet member on the second sheet conveying roller bounce back upwardly or laterally and scatter around the first sheet member and the second sheet member. In particular, particles that have collided with the second sheet member at positions higher than the central axis of the second sheet conveying roller are more likely to bounce back to positions higher than where they collided and scatter in the surroundings.

Absorbent-article sheet member manufacturing apparatus


Embodiments of the present invention relate to control apparatus and methods for a printing system, for example, comprising an intermediate transfer member (ITM). Some embodiments relate to regulation of a velocity and/or tension and/or length of the ITM. Some embodiments relate to regulation of deposition of ink on the moving ITM. Some embodiments regulate to apparatus configured to alert a user of one or more events related to operation of the ITM.

Digital printing techniques have been developed that allow a printer to receive instructions directly from a computer without the need to prepare printing plates. Amongst these are color laser printers that use the xerographic process. Color laser printers using dry toners are suitable for certain applications, but they do not produce images of a photographic quality acceptable for publications, such as magazines.
A process that is better suited for short run high quality digital printing is used in the HP-Indigo printer. In this process, an electrostatic image is produced on an electrically charged image bearing cylinder by exposure to laser light. The electrostatic charge attracts oil-based inks to form a color ink image on the image bearing cylinder. The ink image is then transferred by way of a blanket cylinder onto paper or any other substrate.
Inkjet and bubble jet processes are commonly used in home and office printers. In these processes droplets of ink are sprayed onto a final substrate in an image pattern. In general, the resolution of such processes is limited due to wicking by the inks into paper substrates. The substrate is therefore generally selected or tailored to suit the specific characteristics of the particular inkjet printing arrangement being used. Fibrous substrates, such as paper, generally require specific coatings engineered to absorb the liquid ink in a controlled fashion or to prevent its penetration below the surface of the substrate. Using specially coated substrates is, however, a costly option that is unsuitable for certain printing applications, especially for commercial printing. Furthermore, the use of coated substrates creates its own problems in that the surface of the substrate remains wet and additional costly and time consuming steps are needed to dry the ink, so that it is not later smeared as the substrate is being handled, for example stacked or wound into a roll. Furthermore, excessive wetting of the substrate causes cockling and makes printing on both sides of the substrate (also termed perfecting or duplex printing) difficult, if not impossible.
Furthermore, inkjet printing directly onto porous paper, or other fibrous material, results in poor image quality because of variation of the distance between the print head and the surface of the substrate.
Using an indirect or offset printing technique overcomes many problems associated with inkjet printing directly onto the substrate. It allows the distance between the surface of the intermediate image transfer member and the inkjet print head to be maintained constant and reduces wetting of the substrate, as the ink can be dried on the intermediate image member before being applied to the substrate. Consequently, the final image quality on the substrate is less affected by the physical properties of the substrate.
Various printing devices have also previously been proposed that use an indirect inkjet printing process, this being a process in which an inkjet print head is used to print an image onto the surface of an intermediate transfer member, which is then used to transfer the image onto a substrate. The intermediate transfer member may be a rigid drum or a flexible belt (e.g. guided over rollers or mounted onto a rigid drum), also herein termed a blanket.

Control apparatus and method for a digital printing system


A present invention novel frequency-phase discriminator has input channels for real and imaginary data which are coupled to two programmable despreaders. The first despreader has its real and imaginary outputs coupled to individual programmable data rate filters which have their individual outputs coupled to a quadrant detector that generates a phase angle direction signal and sign magnitude. The second despread has its real and imaginary outputs connected through individual programmable inverters to data rate filters which have their individual outputs coupled to a quadrant selector that selects error signal data rate information from one of four quadrant axes signals. A command generator is programmably coupled to the output of the quadrant detector and to the input of the quadrant selector and provides a selection signal to the quadrant selector which produces a frequency error signal output employed in a frequency lock loop or in a phase lock loop.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to discriminators for use in phase lock loops and frequency lock loops of a communication receiver. More particularly the present invention relates to a novel programmable digital frequency discriminator which is command programmable to operate as a phase discriminator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, analog phase lock loops have been provided with frequency sweep circuits. Such adjunct circuits were employed to achieve frequency acquisition lock and then disabled so that the phase could be acquired and tracked by the phase lock loop.
Heretofore, digital frequency lock loops and digital phase lock loops have been proposed as separate circuits on separate semiconductor chips. Such circuits have been arranged in a module or as additional circuitry to be sequentially operated, however, this would create a condition or requirement for additional logic circuit chips and/or discrete components. There is a present need for a simple and inexpensive digital discriminator capable of being implement on a single very large scale integrated circuit that is externally programmable.

Programmable digital frequency-phase discriminator


A suction device sucks air and liquid from a planar surface, and the scraper blade active portion moves on a surface. The active portion is in the form of a single blade, made from a flexible or semi-rigid material, intended to be moved in one direction against the planar surface. There is an internal cavity connected to a mechanism for sucking air and liquid. At a distal portion of the blade and behind the ridge to be moved on the surface, two walls together form an angle and meet at the ridge. A first wall is presented first towards the surface to be scraped during a scraping operation having, alongside and close to the ridge, a plurality of holes opening into the cavity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a suction device designed capable of sucking air and liquid from a planar surface, and more particularly to the active part of said suction device intended to be moved on said surface.
The present invention is more particularly related to the field of scrapers for cleaning planar surfaces such as glazed surfaces, using suction to remove residual cleaning water.
The present invention is however not limited to this use and may very well be applied to the cleaning of surfaces other than glazed surfaces.
On the other hand, the active part of the suction device according to the invention can be associated on said device with ancillary means for treating the surface to be cleaned, whether they are cleaning means such as a wipe for example, and/or means for projecting cleaning liquid or steam.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
These scrapers generally include a flexible scraper blade associated with an active suction means at the level of the lower edge of said blade. Such cleaning devices are already known, namely those described in WO2010018312 for example, or in WO2009086891.
The suction can be carried out in different ways, such as for example between two blades forming a suction mouth, or through a textile wipe arranged under a scraper blade and in which the residual water is collected.
The scraping operation consists in moving the scraper on the planar surface by a succession of more or less rectilinear movements, preferably from top to bottom when said surface is vertical. Irrespective of the device being considered, the user always faces the same problem, the remaining of a mark of residual water at the end of the path of the scraper. This is essentially due to the fact that the angle the scraper blade forms with the planar surface is not constant, but increases, and that the mouth through which the suction occurs is therefore not optimally shaped.
Thus, as can be seen in the attached FIG. 1, in the case of a mouth A made of two blades B and C forming an angle between them so as to join each other on a line of contact with the surface S to be treated, the deformation of the blades B and C when they are applied against said surface S causes the withdrawal of the blade B in front of the surface S, with respect to the other blade C, and this distance will generate, at the end of the path, a small stream of water F, which will not be sucked. The higher the pressure, the larger will be the deformation and the larger will also be the stream of water.
On the other hand, upon application against the surface to be treated, the two blades B and C deform and come close to each other, which restricts the suction capacity and which requires notches, not shown, permitting the passing through of said liquid to be created on the edge of the blade that first enters into contact with the residual liquid.
Furthermore, in the case of two blades, a loss of suction is observed at the ends of the space separating the two blades.
Also, in the case of a wipe collecting residual liquid, when at the end of the path the device is separated from the planar wall, the wipe leaves a trace, even though it is a minimum trace, despite the carrying out of a suction through the latter.
Also known are scrapers, which comprise a single blade drilled with channels ending behind the scraping ridge, and which are intended to evacuate water under the action of a negative pressure. Such a scraper is described in EP 0 422 977, where the channels are extended by pipes. The disadvantage of this type of scraper, besides the fact that the channels can easily become clogged, is that by capillary action water tends to cling to the walls of the channels, so as to require a high negative pressure, and therefore a more powerful motorization with all the consequences this involves, namely a higher consumption, a higher weight, etc.

Suction device designed to suck air and liquid from a planar surface, and scraper blade for such a device


A method, system, and apparatus for bone fusion. Bone fusion can be performed using an elongated plate having a top face and a bottom face and defining a plurality of screw apertures therethrough. The elongated plate has a longitudinal dimension between a first and second ends and a lateral dimension between first and second sides. The screw apertures are defined in a generally straight line along the longitudinal dimension of the elongated plate, and three or more of the screw apertures are configured to facilitate different trajectories of bone screws through each of the three or more screw apertures. The screw apertures are configured to facilitate trajectories of bone screws to secure at least three bones to the elongated plate.

Fusion of damaged or degenerated bones in joints is common in the orthopedic field. Joint fusion involves fixing two or more bones relative to one another so that they no longer move relative to one another. Joint fusion can be accomplished by securing the bones that are to be fused together using some type of appliance. In some cases, bones may simply be secured together using screws, while in other cases a plate or another appliance is used to stabilize the bones during the fusion process. Joint fusion may also involve packing bone graft material (e.g., fragments of bone removed from another location in the patient's body) between the bones of interest to facilitate a fusion process.
Joint fusion may be performed as a treatment for certain types of arthritis. For example, if arthritis of the wrist does not respond to other treatments, such as anti-inflammatory medication, application of splints, or steroid injections, a total wrist fusion may be performed in which the radius, most or all of the carpal bones, and one or more of the metacarpals are fused. However, total wrist fusion substantially diminishes function as it immobilizes virtually the entire wrist joint. Although total wrist fusion may be necessary to relieve chronic and severe pain from certain forms of arthritis, it is typically preferable to maintain as much natural motion of the wrist joint as possible.
Accordingly, limited wrist fusion may be the preferred treatment for certain types of arthritis. In limited wrist fusion, at least some of the bones of the carpus are fused together without fusing the metacarpals to the carpals or the radius to the carpals. One common limited wrist fusion procedure for patients with advanced degenerative change in the wrist is known as "four corner" fusion. Four corner fusion involves fusing the capitate, hamate, lunate, and triquetrum bones in the carpus to reduce pain from the joint while still preserving some motion. Four corner fusion may be used, for example, to treat scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC wrist) or scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse (SNAC wrist). Four corner fusion may also be used to treat other conditions, such as trans-scaphoid perilunate fracture dislocation.
Four corner fusion may be performed simply using screws to secure the capitate, hamate, lunate, and triquetrum bones together. Overall stability can be improved, however, using an appliance that is secured to the carpus bones using screws. Moreover, such an appliance can serve as a guide for appropriate placement of screws, which can make the procedure easier to perform.
One appliance for use in four corner fusion is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,839 B1, issued to Weiss and Collins. The '839 patent discloses a four corner fusion apparatus that comprises an annular plate with a substantially conical shape having a top outer edge of greater diameter and a smaller diameter inner bottom edge. A conical burr is used to rasp out a conical cavity at the juncture of the capitate, hamate, lunate, and triquetrum bones. The conical, annular plate is then placed in the resulting conical cavity and bone screws are inserted through apertures in the plate into the capitate, hamate, lunate, and triquetrum bones and tightened to pull the bones together.
Another appliance for use in four corner fusion is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0025772, filed by Leibel, Cooney, Linscheid, and Berger. The '772 publication discloses a carpal compression plate for use in four corner fusion. The carpal compression plate has a concave profile and a diamond shape, and is described as having a low profile that reduces the amount of bone resection relative to the appliance disclosed in the '839 patent. The plate includes four screw apertures, at least one of which is elongate and is narrower at a peripheral end and countersunk or otherwise shaped to be broader at a central end. As one or more the screws are tightened into the elongated screw apertures, they tend to migrate from the more peripheral portion of the elongated aperture to the more central portion, drawing the bones attached to these screws to be fused tightly together. In addition, a multi-lobate central aperture is intended to provide ease of access to the joint space between the capitate, hamate, lunate, and triquetrum bones after fixation of the fusion plate to allow easier placement of bone graft.


An image processing apparatus is connected to a specific network for processing an image according to image information input to the image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus includes an apparatus information storage unit for storing apparatus information of other apparatus connected to the network; an inquiry unit for inquiring an operational state of the other apparatus according to the apparatus information stored in the apparatus information storage unit; a determining unit for determining the operational state of the other apparatus according to an inquiry result of the inquiry unit; and a switching control unit for switching an operational state of the image processing apparatus between an active state and a power save state according to a number of apparatus that the determining unit determines as being in the active state.

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus connected to a specific network for processing an image according to image information input to the image processing apparatus.
A conventional image processing apparatus such as a printer is often connected to a specific network such as an LAN (Local Area Network) and the likes in use. When the conventional image processing apparatus does not receive data for a specific period of time, the conventional image processing apparatus becomes a power save state (PowerSave), thereby reducing power consumption (refer to Patent Reference).    Patent Reference: Japan Patent Publication No. 2000-56869
When a plurality of printers as the conventional image processing apparatus is connected to the network, and all of the printers are in the power save state, it takes long time for one printer to become an active stat capable of printing, thereby making it difficult to deal with an emergency situation. This problem is not limited to the printers, and common in other image processing apparatus capable of being connected to a network.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of solving the problems of the conventional image processing apparatus while reducing power consumption.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.


A cap electric lamp of the type used in optical systems, for example, or as a vehicle headlamp, includes a glass lamp vessel with a first and a second neck-shaped portion in mutually opposing arrangement with seals through which current supply conductors extend to an electric element arranged in the lamp vessel. A metal sleeve is provided having a longitudinal slot around the first neck-shaped portion holding the lamp vessel with a clamping fit. This sleeve has a welding zone and a first and second clamping zone, each of which has a loop in the shape of an open hair pin. The clamping zones have respective, mutually opposing welding lugs which are interconnected by a welded joint so as to close the sleeve. A metal fixing member is provided with tongues which are welded to the sleeve in a welding zone of the sleeve. A lamp cap of insulating material is connected to the lamp vessel in which the fixing member is fixed and which has contact members to which the current supply conductors are connected. The welding zone is provided with mutually opposing closing tags alongside the longitudinal slot.

Such a lamp, in which the electric element is a pair of electrodes, is known from European Patent Application EP 0 478 058 A1corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,319.
The lamp is designed to be used as a light source in optical systems, for example as a vehicle headlamp.
The sleeve and the fixation member are necessary for fixing the lamp vessel to the lamp cap in a position in which the electric element, or in the case of a pair of electrodes the discharge arc between them, is aligned relative to reference locations on the lamp cap. As a result, the electric element is given a predetermined position when the lamp is placed in an optical system. The lamp vessel may be shifted, tilted, and rotated during alignment, as necessary.
It is of major importance for the sleeve to hold on to the lamp vessel securely and nevertheless to cause no damage to the glass. It should be prevented that the sleeve loses its grip in the case of a temperature rise, during lamp operation, owing to a comparatively great thermal expansion, while on the other hand it should be prevented that the sleeve clamps too strongly at normal temperatures, when the lamp is extinguished, and generates undesirable strain in the glass.
It was found that the known sleeve involves the risk of causing damage to the glass it clamps when it is closed through making of welded joints during mechanized manufacture. Premature lamp failure can occur as a result of this. It was also found to be difficult to provide the known sleeve in mechanized manufacture.


In carton boxes of that particular dispenser type, where the broad front side (2) of the box exhibits a dispenser opening, which is internally covered by a slide panel (18) with an opening (20), the slide panel is displaceable into a dispensing position by an outward pivoting of an associated end flap (26) of the box. The slide panel is prevented from falling into the box in that it has laterally projecting side flaps (28) which ride on the top edges of inner, upright side wall portions (8) of the box, this riding engagement being secured by the side flaps being folded down along the upper, exterior area of the side wall portions (8). Outer side wall portions (12) folded own from the front or top panel (2) are at their lower edge area welded or glued to the root zone of the inner, upright side wall portions. The associated folding of the said side flaps (28) may result in an inward pivoting of the inner side wall portions (8), which in turn disables a perfect face-to-face engagement in the lower joining zone (A, B) between the side wall portions. According to the invention this drawback is eliminated in arranging for a longitudinal cutting line (C) near the middle of the inner side wall portion (8), such that by the folding down of the side flap (28) it will only be the strip area above this line which is forced inwardly, while the remaining lowermost strip area can be joined safely face to face with the outer side wall portion (12).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a carton box of such a type which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 of U.S. Pat. No. A 4,066,207, reproduced as FIGS. 1 and 2 in the present drawing. An important element of this box type is an interior front panel 18 which is displaceable for exposing a dispenser opening 20 and is supported against falling into the box in having projecting side flaps 28, which are folded down over the respective top edges 40 of upright, inner narrow-side portions 8 of the box, while an exterior front panel 2 has corresponding narrow-side portions 14, which are folded down at the outside of the said portions 8 as upstanding from the rear box panel and are secured to these portions along a root area A thereof, such that the box sides can be fully closed at the lower or rear box panel while at the top or front there will be an interior, free slot, in which the folded down side flap 28 of the displaceable front panel 18 may be freely displaced for an effective opening and closing of the box.
By an automatic erection of these boxes it is, in principle, relatively easy to establish the particular engagement between the said parts, viz. in causing the relatively shortly protruding side flaps 28 on the inner, displaceable front panel 18 to be automatically folded down over the top edges 40 of the upstanding side portions 8 as a consequence of the overlying narrow-side portions 14 of the outer front panel 2 being correspondingly folded down for being secured to the said lower root area A of the upstanding side portions 8 of the rear panel.
After this folding down the side flaps 28, in being only shortly protruding, will show a marked tendency to fold back due to the resiliency of the carton material, whereby they will outwardly affect the middle area of the exterior, folded down narrow-side portions 12 and 14 of the outer front panel 2. This implies complications with respect to the lower fixing of these side portions to the root areas A of the upright side portions 8 of the rear panel, because it is disadvantageous that the relevant lower plate areas A,B are thereby exposed to separating forces immediately after the folding down, by which the fixing engagement is to be established.
Moreover, after their folding down, the short side flaps will act as spacer members between the upper areas of the respective inner and outer side portions, thereby making a desired face-to-face engagement of the lower areas of the side portions difficult.
On this background it is necessary to arrange for a complicated mechanical fixation of the pressed together surface areas A and B until, during the current production, a stabilized binding between the surfaces has been achieved. Alternatively, it is possible to use a particularly strong binder, but also this will imply increased production costs.


A structure includes a substrate. A trench structure is arranged within the substrate. A film is placed under an interlevel dielectric pad and between portions of the trench structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to the integration of circuit components under a bond pad and more particularly, integration of deep trench mesh, CMOS, bipolar, and bipolar-CMOS (BiCMOS) structures and/or radio frequency (RF) passive structures under a bond pad.
2. Description of the Related Art
Radio frequency (RF) applications exist consisting of CMOS, bipolar, and bipolar-CMOS (BiCMOS) technology. In RF technology, a large number of different devices can be constructed. In CMOS technology, MOSFET transistors, resistors and diodes are constructed. In bipolar technology, bipolar transistors are formed. In bipolar CMOS technology, both MOSFETS and bipolar elements are formed. In Silicon Germanium (SiGe) devices, germanium is introduced into the base layer of an otherwise all-silicon bipolar transistor which creates significant improvements in operating frequency, current, noise, and power capabilities. At the same time, the key advantages of a state-of-the-art, 200 mm silicon process are maintained, including high integration level and economy of scale.
These high-performance technologies include both active and passive elements. CMOS technology consists of primary MOSFETs. RF-CMOS contains both RF passive elements and MOSET elements. RF BiCMOS SiGe Heterostructure Bipolar Transistors (HBT) technology include multiple SiGe HBT devices, and include passive elements such as transmission lines, inductors, capacitors, and resistors. Both RF CMOS and RF BiCMOS SiGe structures have applications in wireless communications and data-conversion components. RF CMOS has applications for wired and wireless application space such as cell phones, Blue tooth, Wi-Fi and other wireless applications. RF BiCMOS SiGe technology have further applications with products such as inexpensive safety systems for automobiles, including radar for collision warning or advanced cruise control; wireless voice and data handsets, with both RF and digital subsystems on a single chip; high-speed A/D and D/A converters for data acquisition, direct-to-baseband radio receivers; and low-cost, portable Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receivers.
However, conventionally these RF circuit component structures are not placed under bond wire pads for RF CMOS and RF BiCMOS SiGe. In particular, they are not placed under bond wire pads for two physical reasons. First, when you apply pressure to the bond wire onto the pads, you can change the device characteristics by the physical pressure that is applied to the device. Second, mechanical problems or stress can crack the insulators in the pad. In such a case it is possible to actually crack or what is called singe around the device itself. Such problems will impact the integrity of the product. Moreover a crack has the negative effect of allowing humidity to get into the strip and additionally can result in leakage problems or damaged devices.

Product and method for integration of deep trench mesh and structures under a bond pad

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed is a protective case for an electronic device. The protective case has two layers, an inner cushion insert that surrounds a portion of the electronic device and an outer elastomeric shell. The cushion insert includes raised impact portions that extend through the cover, and that are capable of absorbing shocks from impacts.

Numerous different types of electronic devices currently exist for communication, entertainment and other purposes. These include cell phones, MP3 players, video players, smartphones, communication devices, such as walkie-talkies, navigation devices, such as GPS devices, and other types of electronic devices, such as various types of computers, including laptop computers, hand-held computers, ultra-mobile computers and tablet computers. These devices often include touch screens, interactive panels including, but not limited to, capacitive coupled interfaces, keyboards, scroll wheels, tilt switches, push button switches, and other interactive controls. Due to the sensitive nature of these electronic devices, it is desirable to provide protection for these devices.


This disclosure is generally directed to an RFID system that includes a hybrid RFID tag offering a functionality of a passive RFID tag and an active RFID tag. When operating as a passive RFID tag, an RF signal received from an RFID reader is harvested to produce a DC voltage for powering the hybrid RFID tag. The harvested DC voltage is coupled into a capacitor at a slow-charging rate so as to avoid a capacitor inrush current causing an abrupt power supply voltage drop. A controller chip in the hybrid RFID tag can execute some RFID functions at this time, thereby speeding up a response to the RFID reader. The capacitor is then charged at a fast-charging rate for storing a reserve charge. The hybrid RFID tag can subsequently use the reserve charge to operate as an active RFID tag without waiting for an RF signal from the RFID reader.

A radio-frequency identification (RFID) system may be used to keep track of various objects such as, for example, packages stored in a warehouse, packages being transported, and products in a store. An RFID system typically includes an RFID reader that wirelessly communicates with individual RFID tags attached to each of the tracked objects. RFID tags can be broadly classified under two categories—active RFID tags and passive RFID tags.
An active RFID tag typically includes an antenna, an integrated circuit (IC) and a battery that provides power to the IC. The active RFID tag can transmit a radio-frequency (RF) signal to the RFID reader at any time. In an example scenario, an active RFID tag that is attached to an object may be configured as a "beacon" that transmits an RF signal to an RFID reader at various times without waiting to hear from the RFID reader. The RFID reader may track a movement of the object based on the RFID signal received from the active RFID tag.
A passive RFID tag typically includes an antenna and an IC as well. The passive RFID tag does not include a battery and derives power for operating the IC, by harvesting energy from an RF signal transmitted by the RFID reader.
The passive RFID tag provides certain advantages over the active RFID tag such as, for example, in terms of cost. However, the absence of a battery in the passive RFID tag leads to certain trade-offs being made in some cases. For example, in some cases, an undesirable time delay may occur before a passive RFID tag provides a response to an RF signal received from an RFID reader. The time delay may be attributed to an amount of time that an energy harvesting circuit may take before harvesting and providing adequate power to the IC to operate. It is therefore desirable to address this shortcoming as well as other shortcomings that may be associated with a passive RFID tag, while simultaneously retaining certain benefits offered by the passive RFID tag.


Computerized testing of an object to identify one or more call sequences that give rise to exceptions. A set of potential operations (consisting of methods and associated parameter values) is automatically generated. A parameter generator may supply interesting parameter values that may more likely result in a thrown exception. A number of call sequences is automatically constructed using the operations in the set of operations as steps in the sequence. Each call sequence is then executed using a new instance of the object. If an exception is thrown, a report may be issued containing information helpful in evaluating whether the exception is appropriate. This information might include the exception type as well as the invalid call sequence that gave rise to the thrown exception. The invalid call sequence may also be minimized to assist the tester in evaluating the root cause and appropriateness of the exception.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to software development technology. More specifically, the present invention relates to mechanisms for testing an object to identify call sequences that result in thrown exceptions.
2. Background and Related Art
Computers have revolutionized the way we work and play. There are an enormous variety of functions and applications that may be implemented by a general purpose computing system in response to the execution of a software application. The utility and functionality of the computing system does, however, rely on the proper coding of the source code that was compiled or interpreted into the binary instructions that are actually executed by the processor. If there is a coding error, this will often result in a deviation from expected functionality.
Extraordinary efforts are currently in place to reduce the number of unexpected functionality deviations in many software programs before and after the software application is shipped to market. However, the creativity of software programmers and designers has led to increasingly complex and powerful software applications. As the complexity of the software application increases, so often does the number of lines of source code needed to generate the software application.
One way of drafting source code in a more organized manner is to use object-oriented programming to cause run-time objects to be generated in memory. These objects have methods associated with them. For example, an object of a particular class called "File" may have a number of methods associated therewith that allow operation on a file. For example, appropriate operations for an object of class "File" may be to open, read, write, close, or check status of the file. Each of these methods may have zero or more permitted parameters associated therewith. For example, the "read" method may include parameters to express how many bytes of the file to read, and/or where to start reading from, and the like. The method with specific parameters is often termed as an "operation". Similarly, a method having zero parameters is also often termed an "operation" even without parameters. Objects also often have associated data. In the file object example introduced above, the file itself (plus potentially some related data often termed "metadata") may be the object data.
Although object-oriented programming has provided significant organization to the programming task, inevitable human errors will be introduced into at least early versions of the source code. In order to reduce performance deviations of the software application, it is common to test the software application to identify any performance deviations. In particular with object-oriented programming, one may also test the proper operation of an individual object.
Even during normal and proper operation of an object, the object may encounter a situation that it cannot address. A particular sequence of operations (also called a "call sequence") may result in such a situation. For example, suppose that after a file object is constructed, one calls the following call sequence in this order as expressed in pseudocode: open(filename), close(filename), write(filename) . . . . The file object will not be able to implement the write operation since the file needs to be open in order to write to it, and since the file was just closed in the previous operation. Call sequences that lead to the object being unable to implement an operation of the call sequence are referred to herein as "invalid call sequences".
When such errors occur due to an invalid call sequence, the object "throws an exception." This means that the object notifies the runtime environment that an error has occurred and the exception is displayed and/or noted for future reference. There are typically different exceptions for different detected errors. A particular exception type may correspond to a particular one or more methods of the object.
For example, the open method of the file object may have a "file not found" exception to describe that the file cannot be opened because it was not found. The read (or write) method of the file object may have a "file read" (or "file write") error to indicate that although the file is open, something about the read (or write) operation has failed. The read (or write) method of the file object may also have a "file closed already" error to indicate that the file is closed and thus cannot be read (or written to). The close method of the file object may have a "file closed already" error to indicate that the file is already closed, and thus cannot be closed again. The check status method of the file object may have a "file not open" exception to indicate that the status of the file cannot be accessed since the file is not open.
The throwing of the proper exception allows the programmer to determine why proper operation was not obtained. If an exception is not thrown at the appropriate time, the object may continue operation for one or more further operations before throwing an unexpected exception that is less representative of the original problem. Accordingly, it is important that the object throws the proper exception in response to a corresponding detected error. One aspect of testing software applications is to make sure that the object throws the right exception in response to an invalid call sequence.
One conventional method of doing this is to have a human tester manually generate an invalid call sequence, execute the call sequence again the object, verify that the correct exception was thrown, and then repeat the process for other invalid call sequences. This can be quite time consuming since it relies on the imagination and effort of the tester to come up with potential invalid call sequences. In addition, the set of invalid call sequences that the tester comes up with can be incomplete despite valiant efforts of the tester. Accordingly, what would be advantageous are mechanisms for testing of an object to detect invalid call sequences in a more automated manner.

Automatic determination of invalid call sequences in software components


The present invention relates to an intervertebral disc prosthesis and insertion instrumentation, the prosthesis comprising at least first and second osseous anchoring means, the first osseous anchoring means disposed proximal to the periphery of the plate on which it is situated and the second osseous anchoring means being offset along the antero-posterior axis, the second osseous anchoring means comprising a basal portion and a sharp-edged portion of width narrower than the basal portion. The instrumentation comprises a rod fitted with at least two feet forming a clip and sliding in a tube, sliding the rod in the tube, in the direction of the manipulation end, causing closing of the clip by contact between the exterior of the feet and a truncated portion of the tube and sliding the rod in the tube, in the direction of the prehension end, causing opening of the clip by contact between an axis and the interior of the feet of the rod.

The present invention concerns an intervertebral disc prosthesis, intended to be substituted for fibro-cartilaginous discs ensuring connection between the vertebrae of the spinal column.
Various types of intervertebral disc prostheses are known in the prior art. Numerous prostheses, such as for example in the patent applications WO 02 089 701 and WO 2004/041129, are constituted by a lower plate and an upper plate forming a sort of cage articulated about a central core. Other prostheses such as those described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,701 and in the patent application WO 03/059212 A1, for example, comprise only a lower plate and an upper plate articulated to one another by means of an articulation surface. The advantage of these two types of articulated prostheses is that they offer freedom of movement for the patient wearing the prosthesis, by enabling inclination and/or rotation of one of the plates relative to the other. The additional advantage of prostheses comprising a central core, mobile between the plates, is that they allow spontaneous positioning of the core in the ideal position to absorb the constraints imposed on the prosthesis. Some of the prostheses whereof the central core is mobile between the plates comprise cooperation means present on the core and on at least one of the plates to limit displacement of the core. In these prostheses described in the prior art, osseous anchoring means are likewise known which fix each of the plates of the prosthesis in each of the vertebrae between which the prosthesis is intended to be implanted. These osseous anchoring means can consist of fins intended to be fixed on the plates of the prosthesis and cooperate with a groove made in the surface of the vertebral plates or in anchors intended to be planted in the vertebral body.
However, the disadvantage of these prostheses is that they are not easy to insert between the vertebrae, since implantation requires good stability of the different elements of the prosthesis between one another. This stability is often missing in prostheses known from the prior art and the known instrumentation does not generally ensure stability of the elements of the prosthesis. In fact, the articulated plates of the prostheses possess degrees of liberty conferring comfort to the patient, but discomfort for the surgeon who fits them. The plates risk inclining and turning about their articulation surfaces. The surgeon is therefore not guaranteed that the elements are properly aligned in the antero-posterior axis of the vertebral column.

Intervertebral disc prosthesis and instrumentation for insertion of the prosthesis between the vertebrae