In a data communications network, a split proxy can include a split proxy server disposed behind a firewall in a private portion of the data communications network; a split proxy client disposed in a client computing device positioned externally to the private portion of the data communications network; a split proxy client interface to at least one client application in the client computing device, and a split proxy server interface to at least one server application corresponding to the at least one client application in the private portion of the data communications network. A tunnel can be established between the split proxy client and split proxy server. The tunnel can host all Internet Protocol (IP) data traffic between the client application and the corresponding server application in the private portion of the data communications network.

1. Statement of the Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of network communications and more particularly to a multichannel SOCKS server configuration.
2. Description of the Related Art
Internet security increasingly has become the focus of information technology professionals who participate in globally accessible computer networks. In particular, with the availability and affordability of broadband Internet access, many computers in the corporate Intranet now enjoy high-speed access to services on the Internet. Notwithstanding, continuous, high-speed access is not without its price. Specifically, those computers and computer networks which heretofore had remained disconnected from the security risks of the Internet now have become the primary target of malicious Internet hackers, crackers and script kiddies, collectively referred to as "malicious hackers".
In response to the risks of global network connectivity, several solutions have been developed which inherently restrict unfettered access between computing devices in the corporate Intranet, and computing devices in the global Internet. For instance, proxy servers have been positioned with the corporate Intranet where the proxy servers can limit data communications connectivity between external HTTP-based content providers and local Web clients. Other proxy type solutions include other types of data transfer protocols, such as FTP, telnet, and the like. For example, the SOCKS proxy protocol can be applied not only to HTTP-based content providers, but to other data transfer protocols such as FTP.
SOCKS is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard for a generic proxy protocol for TCP/IP based networking applications. As SOCKS has been defined in RFC 1928, the SOCKS protocol provides for a flexible framework for developing secure communications by easily integrating other security technologies. Notably, SOCKS includes two components: the SOCKS server and the SOCKS client. The SOCKS server is implemented at the application layer, while the SOCKS client is implemented between the application and transport layers. The basic purpose of the SOCKS protocol is to enable hosts on one side of the SOCKS server to gain access to hosts on the other side of the SOCKS server without requiring direct IP-reachability.
In operation, when an application client requires connectivity to an application server, the application client first can connect to a SOCKS proxy server. The proxy server subsequently can connect to the application server on behalf of the application client, and can relay data between the application client and the application server. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, in a conventional SOCKS proxy implementation, the SOCKS server appears to the application server as the application client.
Because of its simplicity and flexibility, SOCKS has been used as a network firewall, generic application proxy, in virtual private networks, and in extranet applications. Notably advantages of a SOCKS proxy implementation include transparent network access across multiple proxy servers, easy deployment of authentication and encryption methods, rapid deployment of new network applications and simple network security policy management. Yet, the conventional SOCKS proxy implementation cannot provide a comprehensive solution to address all enterprise computing communications topologies.
For example, while the conventional SOCKS proxy implementation addresses the need for a client computing device within the Intranet to access computing devices in the global Internet, the conventional SOCKS proxy likewise does not handle the inverse situation where an external client in the Internet requires access to computing resources within the Intranet. However, the advent of pervasive computing and the near-ubiquity of mobile computing devices has given rise to an entirely new set of data connectivity needs. In particular, not only must pervasive computing devices have secure, authorized access to Intranet computing resources, but also the computing resources must smoothly handle unique communications issues associated with pervasive computing, including roaming and bandwidth limitations.

Efficient transmission of IP data using multichannel SOCKS server proxy


A brush device for cleaning an interior of a bottle includes a shaft being insertable into an interior of a bottle. Each of a plurality of bristle sets is coupled to the shaft and is positioned adjacent an end of the shaft. Each of the bristle sets is insertable into the interior of the bottle to scrub the bottle. A handle is coupled to an end of the shaft distal to the bristle sets. The handle is graspable to facilitate manipulation of the shaft and the bristle sets to scrub the interior of the bottle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to baby bottle brushes and more particularly pertains to a new baby bottle brush for cleaning an interior of a bottle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of baby bottle brushes is known in the prior art. The prior art commonly teaches a brush coupled to a cap that is inserted into a baby bottle to scrub an interior of the baby bottle.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a device that has certain improved features that allow for a length of the device to be adjusted to accommodate bottles of the different sizes. Additionally, the device has a cover for protecting the device from being damaged when not being used to clean a bottle.


To provide a rubber composition for breaker having balanced properties among rigidity, heat resistance, adhesiveness, humid aging adhesion and elongation, and a pneumatic tire having a breaker layer or a belt layer comprising the rubber composition. A rubber composition for breaker comprises 55 to 65 parts by weight of carbon black, 5 to 15 parts by weight of silica, 3.5 to 4.5 parts by weight of sulfur, at least 0.08 part by weight of cobalt, a resorcinol resin and a methylene donor based on 100 parts by weight of a rubber component containing a natural rubber and/or an isoprene rubber as a main component.

The present invention relates to a rubber composition for breaker, in particular, a rubber composition for breaker having well-balanced properties among rigidity, heat resistance, adhesiveness, humid aging adhesion and elongation property, and a pneumatic tire having a breaker layer or a belt layer comprising the rubber composition.
In recent years, there is a growing demand for life extension of tires, and it has been tried to improve abrasion resistance of cap tread rubber or to enlarge tread width of a tire. However, this increases heat build-up characteristics of a tire, causing hardening of the breaker rubber or decrease of elongation at break, which results in problems such as burst phenomenon of tire or that separation between a tread and a belt is easily caused.
For improving these situations, it is effective to bring down the heat build-up characteristics of the cap tread, but it then becomes difficult to meet the demand for the abrasion resistance. In addition, there is another general technique of forming a two-layered tread of a cap and a base using a low heat build-up compound for the base tread. However, low heat build-up rubbers usually have poor reinforcing capability, and therefore abrasion resistance decreases when the base tread is exposed at a late stage of abrasion, causing poor abrasion appearance (chipping) or crack at the bottom of the groove. Therefore, the low heat build-up rubber can be used only in such an amount that it is not exposed to the surface in case of wearing, and lowering effect on heat build-up remains small.
Accordingly, there are urgent needs for a rubber compound for breaker durable to such high heat build-up conditions for a tread rubber.

Rubber composition for breaker and pneumatic tire using the same


The present invention relates to cell plans and cell plan changes in point to multipoint systems (PMP). A cell plan arrangement is provided comprising cells having four 90° sectors to which individual sector at least one of four orthogonal channels, such as channels distinguished by two frequencies and two polarisations, are allocated. A method is furthermore provided allowing gradual sector-by-sector migration into a 45° sector cell plan. The cell plan offers advantageous carrier to interference ration (C/I) improvements.

In cellular systems, cell planning is necessary as the frequency spectrum is limited and since it is usually necessary to re-use the given frequency spectrum. In fixed wireless cellular systems the carrier to interference ratio (C/I) is an important system parameter, which infers limitations on other system design parameters such as which particular modulation scheme can be used for transmitting signals over the air.
For the above type of systems, C/I improvements can be obtained by spatial filtering, e.g. utilizing fixed multi-beam antennas in cellular systems.
EP1176839 shows a point to multipoint system having sectorised antennas splitting the cells into 90° sectors. By "slanting the hubs", please confer FIG. 12 and 13 of EP1176839, it should be possible to minimize co-polar interference.
WO9721309 shows a cell plan using 180° sectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5838670 shows a point to multipoint radio access microwave system of which FIG. 2A and 2c show cell plans consisting of two unique cell configurations that are periodically distributed over a geographic area. The cell pattern has a reuse distance of two. The cell configurations of FIG. 2A make use of 90° sectors whereby the same channel is used in opposite directions. The structure of the cell configuration of FIG. 2C makes use of 45° sectors and has been reproduced as FIG. 2 of the present document.
FIG. 1 shows a known cell plan according to a sector antenna point to multipoint (PMP) time division multiplex access (TDMA) system denoted MINI-LINK BAS by Ericsson, "MINI-LINK BAS Planning and Engineering Manual", AE/LZT 111 0541 R1B, Ericsson Microwave Systems AB, 2001.
Typically, the frequency band and the number of channels are fixed according to official regulations pertaining to the site where the system is allowed to operate. So when more users demand more capacity, one way to enhance the capacity of the system is to further sectorise the cells.
This operation will require a new cell plan requiring new equipment and antennas to be mounted in the base-stations and modification of existing antennas from for instance a 90° sector pattern to a 45° sector pattern. In systems where various polarisations are used, antennas may be re-arranged so as to accomplish a change from e.g. a vertical polarisation to a horizontal polarisation. Therefore, migration properties of the above type of system should be considered.

Point to multipoint cell plan and migration


A method, system, and computer-readable medium, for detecting whether an eye blink or non-blink is captured in the image. The method includes filtering, from the image, one or more objects that are predicted to be unsuitable for determining whether an eye blink or no-blink is captured in the image, to provide a filtered image. The method also includes correlating the filtered image with a reference image, and determining, based on the correlating, whether the eye blink or non-blink is captured in the image. The eye blink is a full eye blink or a partial eye blink, and the images may be sequentially captured IR SLO images, in one example embodiment herein. Images determined to include an eye blink can be omitted from inclusion in a final (e.g., OCT) image.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a well-known interferometric imaging technique which is widely used in ophthalmology as a power diagnostic tool, for imaging the retinal structure of a subject. OCT is an interferometric technique whereby an illumination source is directed towards the retina of the subject and the reflected beam, or sample arm, is combined with light in a controlled reference arm, and whereby the interference properties of the combined beam are used to determine and display the structure of the imaged retina. OCT imaging techniques can capture two-dimensional and three-dimensional images from within a subject's eye by using low-coherence light. OCT typically employs near-infrared light, based on low-coherence tomography, wherein relatively long wavelength light can penetrate into the eye.
It also is well known to image the retina of a subject using a Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (SLO) to obtain an image of the retina at multiple wavelengths, where specific wavelengths represent specific layers of the retina. SLO generally involves confocal laser scanning microscopy, and utilizes horizontal and vertical scanning mirrors to scan, by example, a particular retinal region, and create raster images that can be displayed. Although OCT and SLO scanners may be distinct devices, in at least some cases they can be provided together in a combined SLO-OCT scanner, and their scans can be synchronized in time. In such combined SLO-OCT scanners, at least some of the same scanner elements are used in both SLO and OCT techniques, but different lasers are fired in parallel.
When capturing images of a subject's retina using the above techniques, full blinking (i.e., closing of an eyelid), partial blinking, and/or no blinking of the subject's eye, can occur. Full or partial blinking can be detrimental to the outcome of the imaging techniques, because such blinking can at least partially obstruct the scanner's view of the retina. An OCT scan taken during conditions of full or partial blinking can result in an OCT frame stack (e.g., having both averages B-scans and C-scans) that includes "unclear" images resulting from the full or partial blink conditions. Such a frame stack, when viewed as an assembled image, may include unwanted artefacts, and may suffer from an overall reduction in quality relative to a case where only clear images (i.e., those taken during non-blinking conditions, where the scanner has a clear view of the retina) are included in the frame stack. Also, eye blinks can cause a retina tracking system to lose its correct position and thus corrupt a scan position and hence final scan images (e.g., OCT images). Thus, it would be useful to be able to accurately distinguish between clear and unclear images, and to be able to selectively omit unclear images so that they are not included in a final frame stack.
FIGS. 3a to 3c represent examples of clear images and unclear images. More particularly, FIG. 3a shows an example of a tracking frame (e.g., an infrared (IR) tracking frame) 302 obtained by an IR SLO as a result of the SLO scanning a patient's retina during a condition where there was no blinking (and thus the SLO had a clear view of the retina), and a corresponding OCT B-scan 304 obtained in synchronization with the tracking frame 302, by OCT scanning, during the same condition. For convenience, such a condition will hereinafter be referred to as a "clear view condition" or "non-blink condition", and the frame 302 and OCT B-scan 304 also are referred to as "clear images".
FIG. 3b shows an example of a tracking frame 306 obtained by the IR SLO as a result of the SLO scanning the patient's retina during a condition where there was partial blinking (and thus the SLO had only a partial view of the retina), and a corresponding OCT B-scan 308 obtained in synchronization with the tracking frame 306, by OCT scanning, during the same condition. For convenience, such a condition will hereinafter be referred to as a "partial blink condition" or "partial retinal view condition"), and the frame 306 and OCT B-scan 308 also are referred to as "unclear images".
FIG. 3c shows an example of a tracking frame 310 obtained by the IR SLO as a result of the SLO scanning the patient's retina during a condition where there was a full blink (and thus the scanner had no view of the retina), and a corresponding OCT B-scan 312 obtained in synchronization with the tracking frame 310, by OCT scanning, during the same condition. For convenience, such a condition will hereinafter be referred to as a "full blink condition" or "no retinal view condition"), and the frame 310 and OCT B-scan 312 also are referred to as "unclear images".
Analysis of the OCT frames 304, 308, 312 directly could provide some indication of whether the content of the frames indicates the occurrence of full or partial blinks. However, in practice, those types of analyses have proven to be ineffective owing to the images typically having low information content and poor signal-to-noise characteristics. Also, in a simple version of blink detection, it might be envisaged that variations in mean image intensity of returned light could be used to determine that a blink is occurring. However, experimentation has shown that this is not typically the case, because there is a wide range of common intensity characteristics found during blink and non-blink conditions. This is especially true during peripheral scans, where a range of returned intensities can commonly be in the same range for blink (unclear) and retinal (clear) images. In other words, there may be a general similarity between a blink characteristic image and a peripheral retinal image. Indeed, peripheral scans may result in images that are similar to those shown in FIG. 3c for the full blink condition scenario. Thus, it can be ineffective or inadequate to attempt to employ such simple, intensity based, parameterization techniques to attempt to distinguish between obscured (blink and partial blink) and non-obscured (non-blink) scans.

System, method, and computer-readable medium for rejecting full and partial blinks for retinal tracking


An oscillator includes a first oscillating portion that outputs a first oscillation signal having a first oscillation frequency through a first intermediate node to an output terminal, a mounting portion that includes an insulating layer and that mounts the first oscillating portion, a first line provided in the insulating layer and coupled between the first intermediate node and ground, a second line provided in the insulating layer and coupled between the first intermediate node and a power supply terminal, and a third line provided in the insulating layer and coupled between the first intermediate node and the output terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to oscillators, and more particularly, to an oscillator mounted on a mounting portion in which an oscillating portion has an insulating layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Oscillators, in particular, voltage-controlled oscillators are for use in mobile communication terminals such as, for example, mobile telephones, Personal Handyphone Systems (PHS), wireless Local Area Networks (LAN), transceivers, and the like.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a conventional oscillator. The oscillator includes an oscillating portion 11, and the oscillating portion 11 includes: a resonance circuit 20; an oscillating circuit 30; and a buffer circuit 40. A transistor Q1 included in the oscillating circuit 30 and a transistor Q2 included in the buffer circuit 40 are connected in a cascade connection.
The resonance circuit 20 is composed of: a variable-capacitance diode D1; capacitors C2 and C3; and a line S5 such as a stripline or the like. A control voltage Va to be applied to a control terminal Ta, after high-frequency component thereof is removed by a line S4 and a capacitor C1, is applied to the variable-capacitance diode D1. The capacitance of the variable-capacitance diode D1 is varied by the control voltage Va and the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit 20 is changed.
The oscillating circuit 30 is composed of a bipolar transistor Q1 and capacitors C5 and C6, and serves as a clap oscillating circuit, which is one type of Colpitts oscillating circuit. The base of the transistor Q1 is coupled through a coupling capacitor C4 to the resonance circuit 20.
The buffer circuit 40 includes a bipolar transistor Q2. The emitter of the bipolar transistor Q2 is connected to the collector of the transistor Q1 in the oscillating circuit 30, and the base of the transistor Q2 is coupled through a coupling capacitor C8 to the emitter of the transistor Q1.
A line S2 serves as an inductor for choke to remove alternating component, when the power is supplied from a power supply Vb to the collector of the transistor Q2. Resistors R1 through R4 determine how the transistors Q1 and Q2 are biased. Capacitors C7, C10, and C11 short-circuit the high-frequency component to ground.
Like the conventional oscillator of FIG. 1, the oscillator having the buffer circuit 40 therein includes the transistor Q2 and the like, thereby increasing the mounting area with a number of parts. The costs will also be increased. The oscillator that does not include the buffer circuit 40, however, has drawbacks in that the oscillation is not stable and the load change, higher harmonic level, and carrier to noise (C/N) ratio are not excellent.


A method for providing electrical power to two loads on a powered system/unit, the method including supplying electrical power from a first phase and a second phase of a three-phase inverter to a first load, supplying electrical power from the second phase and a third phase of a three-phase inverter to a second load, and independently controlling the first phase and the third phase of the electrical power to comply with an electrical requirement of the first load and/or the second load. The two loads may be DC loads that require DC power for operation, or the loads may be AC loads that require two-phase power for operation. A system for providing electrical power to two loads on a powered unit is also disclosed.

Embodiments of the invention relate to a powered system or unit, such as a locomotive, an off-highway vehicle, a marine vessel, and/or a transportation vehicle. Other embodiments relate to a system and method for supplying electrical power to loads in such a powered system.
Powered systems or units such as locomotives use traction motor inverters and auxiliary inverters to supply power and control auxiliary loads, such as, but not limited to, radiator fans, compressors, blowers, and the like. The inverters are three-phase inverters that provide a balanced three-phase output of electrical power. Currently, an individual three-phase inverter is used to provide power for an individual direct current (DC) load. Therefore, if there are two DC loads, two three-phase inverters are required. In addition to a three-phase inverter, other parts are required for each DC load, such as transformers, rectifiers, and/or DC/DC converters.
Owners and operators of powered systems that require power to be provided to both AC loads and DC loads using power inverters would benefit from a system that requires fewer parts, or an ability to use three-phase inverters in their current form to supply power to dual DC loads and provide independent control of power to each of these loads.

System and method for providing power to two loads from a single three-phase inverter


This invention provides a photographing module at least including: an electric drive assembly comprising a movable member, a holder, a magnetic circuit system and an elastic member, wherein the magnetic circuit system comprises at least three magnets and at least three coils so as to drive the movable member to perform a linear movement with respect to the optical axis and an angle of inclination with respect to at least an axis, and a magnetic pole direction of each magnet is perpendicular to the optical axis, an axis with respect to the coil winding axis of each coil is perpendicular to the optical axis; a photo sensor positioned on an image side of the photographing module and connected to the holder of the electric drive assembly; and a vibration sensor at a proper position of the photographing module capable of detecting directions and magnitude of a vibration.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographing module, and more particularly, to a photographing module capable of performing a movement with respect to an axis and a compensation for an angle of inclination.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with the increasing developments of consumer electronic products, the demand for digital consumer products is becoming even larger than before while product quality is becoming even more essential for consumers. Digital camera users, for example, hold higher standards towards shooting quality, hoping to capture their life moments with perfect images. However, image blurs due to vibrations caused by handheld shooting tend to occur to prior art photographing modules with an autofocus function. To avoid shooting blurred images, the user needs to use a camera stand or other tools to stabilize the camera, which is quite inconvenient in use. Therefore, a need exists in the art for an autofocus photographing module that overcomes the vibration drawback due to handheld shooting to improve image quality.
FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectional view of a prior art photographing module. The photographing module includes a yoke 101, a pad 102, a holder 107, a movable member 105, an elastic member 106, a magnetic circuit system, a photo sensor 108, and a lens unit 109. As shown in FIG. 1B, the magnetic circuit system comprises a magnet 103 and a coil 104. When a current is directed through the coil 104, the coil is electrically driven so that it will interact with the magnetic field of the magnet 103 to generate a force that drives the movable member 105 to move with respect to an axis (Z-axis) and thus achieve autofocusing.
Though the prior art photographing module can achieve autofocusing, it is not capable of providing an angle of inclination with respect to any axis. Accordingly, the compensation for an angle of inclination cannot be performed, and compensation for image blurs due to vibrations caused by handheld photo shooting cannot be performed, either. There remains a need in the art for an improved photographing module to resolve the aforementioned drawback.


A successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter (SAR ADC) for high-speed applications. The SAR ADC uses at least one set of capacitors. Each set of capacitors is formed by 2M capacitor cells. The set of 2M capacitor cells is allocated into p capacitors C(p−1) to C0 decreasing in capacitance. C(p−1)<C(p−2)+C(p−3)+ . . . +C0, and C(p−1) includes (2M-1−2q) capacitor cells.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter (SAR ADC).
2. Description of the Related Art
A successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter (SAR ADC) is a type of analog-to-digital converter that converts a continuous analog waveform into a discrete digital representation by a search scheme.
One of the most common implementations of SAR ADC, the charge-redistribution SAR ADC, uses a plurality of capacitors. The capacitors are individually switched in a search scheme for the approximation of an analog input of the SAR ADC. However, because of the long settling time required for the capacitors, the charge-redistribution technology is not a good fit for high-speed applications.

High-speed successive approximation analog-to-digital converter


An exemplary embodiment includes a method of operating a drivetrain. The drivetrain includes a PTO and a transmission having multiple speed ratios. The PTO includes a PTO output member and a PTO input member. The method includes monitoring a speed value representative of a rotational speed of a PTO component, comparing the speed value to a preselected PTO overspeed value, reducing the rotational speed of the PTO component, and overriding a manual command to increase the rotational speed of the PTO component above the preselected PTO overspeed value.

Many vehicles are provided with a power take off (PTO) drive. The engines for these vehicles are typically fuel throttle controlled, preferably electronically, and are generally connected to an electronic data link of the type defined in, for example. SAE J1922 and/or SAE J1939 protocol. The electronically controlled engine is usually provided with its own electronic control unit (ECU). An input shaft brake may be incorporated that provides quicker manual upshifting as is well known in the prior art. It is understood that a data link or databus complying with SAE J1922, SAE J1939, CAN and/or ISO 11898 protocols, or similar protocols, carries information indicative of engine torque, engine speed, transmission output shaft speed. PTO speed, and brake information.
Fully or partially automated transmission systems wherein a microprocessor-based electronic control unit (ECU) receives input signals indicative of various system operating conditions and processes same according to logic rules to issue command output signals to one or more system actuators are known in the prior art, as may be seen by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,361,060; 4,593,580; 4,595,986; 4,850,236; 5,435,212; 5,582,069; 5,582,558; 5,620,392; 5,651,292; 5,679,096; 5,682,790 and 5,735,771; the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Compound manually shifted mechanical transmissions of the range, splitter and/or combined range/splitter type are in wide use in heavy-duty vehicles and are well known in the prior art, as may be seen by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,754,665; 5,272,929; 5,370,013 and 5,390,561, 5,546,823; 5,609,062 and 5,642,643, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Typically, such transmissions include a main section shifted directly or remotely by a manual shift lever and one or more auxiliary sections connected in series therewith. The auxiliary sections most often were shifted by a slave actuator, usually pneumatically, hydraulically, mechanically and/or electrically operated, in response to manual operation of one or more master switches. Shift controls for such systems may be seen by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,455,883; 4,550,627; 4,899,607; 4,920,815; 4,974,468; 5,000,060; 5,272,931; 5,281,902; 5,222,404; and 6,463,893, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,446, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a fully automated, blocked-type transmission wherein the main section is automatically shifted to main section neutral during each shift.
PTO systems for vehicle drivetrains may be seen by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,070,982 and 6,497,313, and typically include a PTO synchronizing clutch, or hot-shift clutch, to synchronize and engage PTO input and output components, such as shafts, gears, or clutch members. Some systems include a PTO where some components may be damaged if operated during maximum engine rotational speed. In these applications, when the engine is operated at an undesirable speed, the PTO clutch may be used for disengaging the PTO driven device until the engine speed is reduced.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine has an oxygen storage volume computing unit for computing an oxygen storage volume of a catalyst by using a real air/fuel ratio detected by an air/fuel ratio sensor installed on the upstream side of a catalyst, a center air/fuel ratio representing a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio and an estimated air flow volume or detecting a flow rate of air flowing into the catalyst. A center air/fuel ratio correcting unit for correcting a center air/fuel ratio based on output of a rear air/fuel ratio sensor provided on the downstream side of the catalyst, and an oxygen storage volume computed by an oxygen storage volume computing unit, and the oxygen storage volume computing unit computes an oxygen storage volume by using a center air/fuel ratio corrected by the center air/fuel ratio correcting unit.

The present invention relates to a control apparatus and a control method for an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to a control apparatus and a control method for an internal combustion engine, the control apparatus including means for controlling an air/fuel ratio and means for determining deterioration of the catalyst based on an oxygen storage volume of the catalyst.
Among control units for controlling the air/fuel ratio of an internal combustion engine, there is a type that computes an absolute volume of oxygen stored in a catalyst based on output of an air/fuel ratio sensor (an O2 sensor or a linear air/fuel ratio sensor) for detecting exhaust components installed on the upstream side of the catalyst in the exhaust passage of the engine and also based on output of an airflow sensor for measuring a volume of air drawn into the combustion chamber of the engine, and that controls the air/fuel ratio based on an estimated oxygen storage volume of the catalyst (e.g., JP-A-2002-81339).
As a detector for detecting a degree of deterioration of the catalyst, there is a type that estimates an absolute volume of oxygen stored in the catalyst based on output of an air/fuel ratio sensor mounted on the downstream side of the catalyst, and detects deterioration of the catalyst based on this estimated value (e.g., JP-A-5-133264). In addition, there has been proposed a diagnosis unit for diagnosing deterioration of the air/fuel ratio sensor, which is designed to improve the robustness (anti-deterioration properties) of the air/fuel ratio sensor on the upstream side of the catalyst (e.g., JP-A-8-220051).

Control apparatus and method for internal combustion engine


A manually-operated dispenser for user-controlled discharge of an internally-stored fluid includes a variable length assembly normally driven to its maximum longitudinal extension for fluid-tightly closing a fluid discharge opening and a vent opening disposed at opposite ends of an elongated housing, a piston bounding an end of an internal fluid reservoir and operatively movable along the housing for volumetrically reducing the reservoir and for driving stored fluid toward and through the discharge opening, and an actuator assembly manually operable by the user for causing controlled foreshortening of the variable length assembly whereby the fluid discharge and vent openings are concurrently opened permitting the forced discharge of a correspondingly controlled volume of stored fluid. An associated dispenser end closure cap incorporates a movable shuttle assembly for protectively receiving and substantially fluid-tightly enclosing an applicator integrally carried on the dispenser when the cap is operably emplaced on the dispenser for storage between fluid discharging uses thereof.

Numerous constructural arrangements implementing manually-operated dispensers for discharging a quantity of fluid from an internal storage reservoir are known in the art. Such dispensers have been employed in a variety of applications, and for discharging many types of fluids in gaseous, liquid and flowable plastic states. Dispensers intended for sale to and use by consumers for discharging a cosmetic fluid onto an integral applicator when actuated by such a user comprise a particularly common application for dispensers of this kind.
Cosmetic fluid dispensers for manual user operation must be capable of relatively inexpensive fabrication from readily available materials. While it is important to minimize manufacturing costs, however, such dispensers must generally be fabricated to close tolerances to insure proper fit and cooperative interengagement between both fixed and relatively moveable parts and, further, to provide for reliable operation of the dispenser throughout its intended useful life--most typically until the initial supply of stored fluid is exhausted. Assuring continued operative reliability is made more difficult by the often hostile characteristics of the specific cosmetic fluids being stored and dispensed such as, for example, nail enamels which are relatively caustic to many common construction materials and which quickly thicken and harden in the absence of adequate fluid-tight seals bounding those portions of the dispenser exposed to or containing the dischargable fluid. Many heretofore known and commercially implemented dispenser constructions employ relatively complex mechanical designs which incorporate large numbers of mutually engaging parts that must all cooperatively interact for successful operation of the device. Dispenser constructions of this type are difficult and expensive to fabricate and often suffer an unusually high failure rate as the devices approach the end or latter portion of their intended useful lives. The aesthetic appearance of known dispensers--which is not uncommonly a significant and important part of their allure to the consumer at the point of sale--also often declines significantly from their pre-sale condition as the devices are repeatedly used, becoming less and less attractively appealing to the user. Soiling of the user's hands is also a not atypical problem as the discharged fluid, after repeated actuations of the dispenser, begins to cover exposed portions of the fluid-discharge end of the device and to leak onto and within an associated closure cap.
It is accordingly a desideratum of the invention to provide a manually-operable dispenser for discharging an internally-stored fluid. It is a particular object of the invention to provide such a dispenser which overcomes the deficiencies and drawbacks of prior art devices.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a dispenser which is operable for discharging a user-controllable volume of stored fluid.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a dispenser which features enhanced reliability of operation through fabrication using only a minimum number of relatively movable parts.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a dispenser of particularly attractive aesthetic appearance that is maintained even after numerous fluid-discharging actuations and throughout its intended useful life.
Still another object of the the invention is to provide a closure cap for such a dispenser which is cooperatively constructed for protectively enclosing an applicator integrally carried on the dispenser.
A further object of the invention is to provide such a dispenser that may be constructed of readily available materials at economically-favorable costs.

Manually-operated fluid dispenser and associated closure cap


A method of operating a nonvolatile memory device by programming pages using a N-bit programming mode until a threshold voltage distribution shift for an un-programmed page in the same memory block is determined, and thereafter programming the un-programmed page using a M-bit programming mode, where M is less than N.

The inventive concept relates generally to nonvolatile memory devices and, more particularly, to methods of operating nonvolatile memory devices.
Data is programmed to and read from the individual memory cells of a nonvolatile memory device in accordance with a plurality of threshold voltage distributions. That is, respective threshold voltage distributions are assigned a corresponding logic state.
Nonvolatile memory cells may be configured as single-level memory cells (SLC) capable of storing one bit of data per SLC, or as multi-level memory cells (MLC) capable of storing two or more bits per MLC. As the number of bits ("k") stored by MLC increases, the number of corresponding program states (and associated threshold voltage distributions) increases according to the relationship "2k". As a result the voltage level widths of respective threshold voltage distributions used to program MLC can become quite narrow. That is, given a maximum threshold voltage range for a MLC, this range must be ever more finely partitioned into coherent threshold voltage distributions, each respectively associated with a corresponding data state.
To better manage the programming, reading, erasing, and/or storing of data, the memory cell arrays of contemporary nonvolatile memory devices are divided in a number of memory blocks, where each memory block is further divided into a plurality of pages. This division of blocks and pages may be made in view of logical data definitions and/or the physical layout of memory cells in a memory cell array. Data is usually programmed/read according to page units while data is erased according to block units.
Circumstances often arise wherein some of the pages in a given block have been programmed, but other pages remain un-programmed (i.e., remain in an erased state). Under these conditions, one or more read operations may be directed to memory cells of the "programmed pages". Unfortunately, under the stress or influence of executing such read operations, the threshold voltage distribution of the memory cells in the "un-programmed pages" may be undesirably shifted (or broadened). This effect is a type of read disturbance. In extreme cases of read disturbance, when a program operation is subsequently directed to one of the un-programmed pages—now having memory cells with shifted threshold voltage distribution(s) being interpreted as fail bits (e.g., erroneously programmed bits)—the program operation may fail.

Method of operating a nonvolatile memory device having read disturbed page


A robotic load device gripper for picking up an edge of a disk, and more particularly, pertains to a robotic load device for outer diameter pickup of a disk, either selected or randomly selected, such as at quarter inch spacings, from cassettes, containers, or in groups of disks for predetermined placement.

1. Technical Field--Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a robotic load device gripper for picking up an edge of a disk, and more particularly, pertains to a robotic load device for outer diameter pickup of a disk, either selected or randomly selected, such as at quarter inch spacings, from cassettes, containers, or in groups of disks for predetermined placement.
2. Background Art--Description of the Prior Art
Prior art pickup of disks has been by either lobster claw devices with two moving joints to grip the outer diameter edges of a disk, or by a ring device to create a vacuum on the inner diameter of the disk for pickup.
These prior art devices allow construction of the disks by surface contact between the device and the disk, and by moving ports.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a robotic load device for engaging the outer rim of the disk for pickup and placement to minimize particle generation by assuring the disk surface is not touched.

Robotic load device for outer diameter pickup of a disk

International Business Machines Corporation


The apparatus comprises a lever member having a first regulator which is provided at an end of the lever member and functions as a force point, and a second regulator which is provided at another end of the lever member and functions as a movable fulcrum. An action point hole is provided between both of the ends of the lever member and is engaged with a crank pin of a crankshaft. The first regulator is connected with a piston as a reciprocal motion member, and the first and second regulators has a support member for movably supporting the force point and the movable fulcrum such that the force point and the fulcrum are movably in a lengthwise direction of the lever member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for mutual conversion between circular motion and reciprocal motion which is used for converting reciprocal motion of, e.g., the piston of a four-cycle reciprocating engine into rotary motion of a crankshaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 24 shows a cylinder section of a conventional four-cycle reciprocating engine. This engine has a structure in which a connecting rod 4 is connected between a piston 2 and a crankshaft 3, in order to convert reciprocal motion of the piston 2 moving up and down in the cylinder 1, into rotary motion of the crankshaft 3. In this figure, the reference numeral 5 denotes a radiating plate.
A known factor that hinders an increase in output efficiency of this kind of four-cycle reciprocating engine is a side thrust unnecessarily generated by the piston 2. This side thrust cannot be avoided since the piston 2 and the crankshaft 3 are coupled to each other by using the connecting rod 4. More specifically, since a friction heat is generated by the side thrust during process of the reciprocal motion of the piston 2, all the mechanical energy cannot be transmitted from the piston 2 to the crankshaft 3. The side thrust is also a factor which vibrates and shocks the piston 2.
Thus, conventionally, the connecting rod intervenes linear motion into rotary motion. However, since the piston oscillates as the crank moves, a side thrust is generated between the piston and the cylinder, e.g., in a four-cycle engine. Due to an energy loss thus caused by the side thrust, the engine idling speed must be increased to about 1,000 rpm, causing a problem in fuel consumption.
The side thrust causes not only the energy loss but also cracking and breaking of a piston through collision of the piston against side walls of the cylinder. In order to prevent these damages, the piston must be made of a heavy, strong metal, and as a result, the weight of the piston cannot be decreased by making the piston with, e.g., ceramics.
FIG. 5 shows a relationship between a piston position in a cylinder and an engine rotation angle in a conventional four-cycle reciprocating engine. In FIG. 5, a continuous line graphically shows an ideal displacement of a piston in a cylinder. Compared with this displacement, a piston of a conventional reciprocating engine moves as indicated by a broken line in the figure and shows that a pressure raising speed of a fuel gas is later than an ideal speed within a compression process from 0.degree. to 180.degree. while the lowering of the pressure of the fuel gas is earlier than the ideal speed within a process from 180.degree. to 360.degree.. For example, where ignition is obtained at a position of 160.degree., the compression ratio of a fuel gas of a conventional engine is smaller than the ideal compression ratio (which is called a late rise of a piston), and therefore, an expansion pressure is consequently decreased. Further, in the expansion process, the pressure of the combustion gas decreases earlier than the ideal pressure (which is called an early fall of the fuel piston), and the pressure generated by combustion of the fuel gas cannot sufficiently be converted into a mechanical energy.
FIG. 6 is a graph showing a relationship as a conversion efficiency between a gas volume V (m.sup.2) in a cylinder and a gas pressure MPa (in mega-pascal) in case where a combustion energy is converted into a mechanical energy. In this figure, a broken line indicates an energy efficiency of a conventional reciprocating engine and a solid line represents that of the present invention.
The late rise and early fall of a piston which reduce a heat efficiency of a reciprocating engine are called subtraction motion. Particularly, in engines for ships, the connecting rod is designed to be as long as possible in order to eliminate the subtraction motion and as a result, these engines sometimes have a height of 15 m.
FIG. 7 is a view analyzing operations of the piston 2, connecting rod 4, and the crankshaft 3 of FIG. 24, where s denotes the process of the piston 2, L denotes the length of the connecting rod 4, r denotes the rotation radius of the crankshaft 3, .alpha. denotes an angle between the connecting rod 4 and a line connecting centers of the piston 2 and the crankshaft 3 with each other, and .theta. denotes a rotation angle of the crankshaft 3.
The displacement of a piston of a conventional engine is represented by the following equation. EQU s=r(1-cos .theta.)+L(1-cos .alpha.) L.multidot.sin .alpha.=r.multidot.sin .theta.
This equation is developed as follows: EQU s=r(1-cos .theta.)+L(1-(1-r**2 sin**2.theta./L**2)**0.5) (1)
where **2 denotes a square and **0.5 denotes a square root.
As can be seen from the equation (1), the displacement s of the piston includes a term of the 0.5th degrees in the rotation angle .theta. of the crankshaft 3. Therefore, the displacement s of the piston does not show a shape of an ideal sine wave.
Further, a conventional engine uses a flywheel and counter-weight for a crankshaft to smoothen engine rotation. These components, however, absorb an energy generated by the engine during engine acceleration, and the energy thus absorbed is then consumed as a wasteful thermal energy during braking for engine deceleration.

Apparatus for mutual conversion between circular motion and reciprocal motion


An injection-compression molding device (1), wherein the rod (3) and the core (5) are connected to each other by means of a joint (20) which allows to have a rigid connection in some steps of an injection-compression molding process, and an articulated connection during the compression step of the injection-compression molding process.

Bottle preforms made of thermoplastic material are typically produced by means of an injection molding process.
Another preform production process, referred to as injection-compression molding, has been emerging in recent years.
In an injection-compression molding process, a mold closing step, an injection step and a compression step are provided for.
A mold closing force is applied during the mold closing step.
During the injection step, a predetermined amount of molten plastic is injected into the mold.
During the compression step, a compression force is applied to complete the molding of the preform.
A molding device for producing preforms by means of injection-compression molding, diagrammatically shown in FIG. 1, typically comprises a frame 2, a rod 3, a molding cavity 4 and a core 5. The core 5 is rigidly fixed to an end of the rod 3.
The frame 2 comprises a central part which extends between an upper and a lower part. The upper part and the lower part are cantilevered with respect to the central part. In particular, the frame 2 is substantially "C"-shaped.
The rod 3, or shaft, is inserted into a guide hole of the upper part of the frame 2 so that it can slide with respect to the upper part of the frame 2.
The molding cavity 4, also referred to as a female mold, defines the outer shape of the preform, and is rigidly fixed to the lower part of the frame 2.
The core 5, also known as the male part of the mold, comprises an end part, which defines the inner shape of the preform.
The molding cavity 4 and the core 5, in particular the end part thereof, are mutually complementary components and together form the mold of the preform.
During the preform molding, the core 5 is inserted into the molding cavity 4 so as to close the mold.
In order to obtain a good-quality preform, in particular without concentricity errors, the core 5 should always be perfectly centered in the molding cavity 4. This ideal condition is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 1. In particular, the longitudinal axis of the core 5 should coincide with the longitudinal axis of the molding cavity 4.
For a known molding device, this condition may only occur when no closing force or tonnage is applied.
Actually, it can happen that the preforms are produced with a certain concentricity error.
Indeed, a closing force, e.g. from 1 to 3 tons for each core 5—molding cavity 4 pair, is applied before the compression step. This closing force is transferred to the frame 2, which thus undergoes a deformation, as shown in FIG. 2. In particular, a relative inclination occurs between the upper part and the lower part of the frame 2, or in other words there is an "opening" of the C shape of the frame 2.
The deformation of the frame 2 results, in turn, in a relative inclination, or rotation, of the core 5 with respect to the molding cavity 4.
In FIG. 2, the angle which is formed between the longitudinal axes of the core 5 and of the molding cavity 4 is indicated by reference "δ". This angle δ substantially corresponds to the opening angle of the frame 2. The inclination of the core 5 with respect to molding cavity 4 causes a concentricity error of the molded preform. The concentricity error is indicated by reference "ε" in FIG. 2.
It is worth noting that FIG. 2 is diagrammatic. In particular, for illustration purposes, in FIG. 2 the amount of the inclination of rod 3 and core 5, as well as the width of the opening angle δ and concentricity error ε, was depicted in an emphasized manner with respect to a possible real situation.
The effect of the deformation of the frame and the consequences resulting therefrom are all the more pronounced the greater the number of core-mold pairs which form part of the same molding device, in particular which are constrained to the same frame.
For example, a molding device which comprises three molding cavities, in which a closing force of 2 tons per molding cavity is applied, will be subjected to a total closing force equal to 6 tons. In this case, the width of the angle δ is equal to about 0.1° and the concentricity error ε is about 0.3 mm.
Therefore, the need to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art is felt.

S.I.P.A. SOCIETA' INDUSTRIALIZZAZIONE PROGETTAZIONE E AUTOMAZIONE S.P.A.


A modular packaging system includes a base system configured to manipulate a product and configured to receive at least one of a group of packaging modules, wherein the base system is used with a variety of packaging modules depending on a desired packaged output. The system also includes a first packaging module selectively coupled to the base system, the packaging module having a first member coupled to the packaging module, the member configured to manipulate an object. The system may also include a second packaging module selectively coupled to the base system, the second packaging module having a lifting device coupled to the second packaging module, the lifting device configured to manipulate an object.

Packaging systems for packaging, bundling, bagging or wrapping a product are generally known; however, such packaging systems do not realize certain advantageous features (and/or combinations of features).
For example, production lines for products such as tissue or paper products (e.g. toilet tissue, napkins, paper towels, etc.) are often used to produce many different labeled products. Traditionally, the product is packaged into cardboard cases to provide "case-packed" products for ease of handling and shipping. A more recent method packages a group of products in a film "overwrap" often referred to as a "bundle". The bundles can be handled similarly to the case-packed products. The method of packaging products into a bundle is generally less expensive than the method of producing case-packed products due to a lower cost of the film packaging material. Bagging and wrapping are other available packaging methods. Wholesalers and distributors of the products may prefer a variety of packaging forms for the products (e.g. case-packed, bundled, bagged, wrapped, etc.), thus creating a need to be able to handle a variety of products using different packaging methods on a single production line.
A typical production line for the above mentioned methods of packaging usually includes an infeed conveyor (e.g. used to carry product to the machine) and a lane diverter (e.g. used to either combine multiple infeed lanes of product to less lanes or to expand from fewer to more lanes depending on the configuration of the production line and the product grouping being produced). Typical packaging methods on such a production line may include 1.) case-packing where diverted lanes of product are collated into the proper configuration for the case, the case is erected from its collapsed state, and the collated products are loaded into the case; 2.) bundling, where diverted lanes of product are oriented and grouped into bundle sized configurations then wrapped and sealed into the overwrap material; 3.) bagging, where diverted lanes of product are oriented and loaded into a bag; and 4.) wrapping, where diverted lanes of product are oriented and wrapped with either a paper or poly overwrap material.
Each packaging method typically includes independent infeed conveying and lane diverting equipment along with a manual conveyor switching device to switch between each packaging method.
Conventional production facilities will have at least one of these packaging methods; more frequently production facilities will have two, three or all four packaging methods. Production facilities with only one packaging method often lack floor space and/or capital for the required equipment of additional packaging methods, thus significantly limiting their marketing abilities. Thus, a need exists for a modular packaging system or the like of a type disclosed in the present application that includes any one or more of these or other advantageous features.                1. A modular packaging system that is simple to use, construct, and manufacture.        2. A modular packaging system that provides for a variety of packaging methods.        3. A modular packaging system that provides for a variety of differently sized packaged products.        4. A modular packaging system that is capable of making efficient use of space through interchangeable packaging modules.        5. A modular packaging system that is capable of manipulating products in a small area.        6. A modular packaging system that is capable of upending products in a small area without tipping them over.        7. A modular packaging system that can be easily repositioned.        8. A modular packaging system that can be easily transformed from one packaging method to a second packaging method.        9. A modular packaging system that is easily coordinated with conventional production line equipment.        10. A modular packaging system that provides convenient and simple access for maintenance.        11. A modular packaging system that may be easily and conveniently adjusted for improved overall efficiency.


A monoclonal antibody by which medullasin that is a kind of serine proteases existing in granulocytes, production process thereof and an immunoassay of human medullasin using the antibody are disclosed. The monoclonal antibody specifically recognizes human medullasin. The process for producing the anti-human medullasin antibody comprises culturing hybridomas prepared by cell fusion between antibody-producing cells recovered from an animal immunized with human medullasin and myeloma cells, and recovering anti-human medullasin monoclonal antibody which specifically recognizes human medullasin from the culture in which the hybridomas are cultured. The immunoassay utilizes the anti-human medullasin antibody.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anti-human medullasin monoclonal antibody, process for producing the same and immunoassay using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Medullasin which is a kind of serine proteases occurs in granulocytes and the like, and is thought to widely play important roles in defense mechanism, including expression of inflammation, especially chronic inflammation. The amount of medullasin in granulocytes is increased in advanced stage of a number of chronic inflammatory diseases, and is normalized in remission stage. It is observed in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis that the amount of medullasin is prominently increased several days before the advanced stage and is normalized before remission. Multiple sclerosis is an intractable chronic inflammatory disease which mostly results in death in 10 to 15 years, which is characterized by localized demyelinated lesion in white matter of central nerve system and gliosis, and progresses repeating remission and aggravation. Although the cause of this disease has not been clarified, it is thought that this disease is a kind of autoimmune diseases in which autoantibodies attack the nerve tissue upon stimulation of the immune system by a virus or a bacterium. Its diagnosis is quite difficult and is now carried out by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or the like. However, MRI or the like requires a very large-scale equipment and high skill in the measuring operation, and is costly. Thus, a simple diagnosis method by which diagnosis of the disease, understanding of the state of the disease and assumption of the consequence can be accomplished is now being developed. For this, methods for measuring the activity of medullasin in granulocytes in the blood are now studied, and a method based on the ability of medullasin to inactivate apo-ornithine transaminase has been developed. However, since measurement of the activity of medullasin in granulocytes by an enzymatic chemical method is very complicated, simple immunoassay was tried and has been developed, which utilizes a polyclonal antibody.
However, the immunoassay for measuring human medullasin using a polyclonal antibody has drawbacks in that the reactivity of the antibody is not necessarily sufficient, the measuring time is long and the measuring operation is somewhat complicated. Thus, an immunoassay utilizing a monoclonal antibody, by which human medullasin can be measured quickly and simply, is demanded.
The present invention was accomplished under these circumstances and an object of the present invention is to provide a monoclonal antibody which specifically recognizes human medullasin and a method for specifically measuring human medullasin quickly and simply.
The present inventors intensively studied to attain the above-mentioned object and succeeded in obtaining an anti-human medullasin monoclonal antibody by culturing hybridomas prepared by cell fusion between antibody-producing cells recovered from an animal immunized with human medullasin separated and purified from human granulocytes and myeloma cells according to the method by Kxc3x6hler and Milstein, and discovered that human medullasin can be measured specifically, quickly and simply by using this antibody, thereby reaching the present invention.
According to the first aspect, the present invention provides an anti-human medullasin monoclonal antibody which specifically recognizes human medullasin.
According to the second aspect, the present invention provides a process for producing an anti-human medullasin monoclonal antibody comprising culturing hybridomas prepared by cell fusion between antibody-producing cells recovered from an animal immunized with human medullasin and myeloma cells, and recovering anti-human medullasin monoclonal antibody which specifically recognizes human medullasin from the culture in which the hybridomas are cultured.
According to the third aspect, the present invention provides an immunoassay comprising immobilizing human medullasin in a test sample by sandwiching the human medullasin between an anti-human medullasin monoclonal antibody immobilized on an insoluble carrier and a labelled anti-human medullasin monoclonal antibody by antigen-antibody reactions to form a complex, and quantifying the label in the complex.
By the present invention, an anti-human medullasin monoclonal antibody which specifically recognizes medullasin that is a kind of serine proteases existing in granulocytes was provided. By utilizing this monoclonal antibody, quick and simple immunoassay for measuring human medullasin was provided, which may be used for hemodiagnosis or the like for chronic inflammatory diseases, especially multiple sclerosis.

Anti-human medullasin monoclonal antibody process for producing the same and immunoassay using the same

Dainichiseika Color and Chemicals MFG. Co., Ltd.


An ignition system for an internal combustion engine is connected to an ignition coil and to a circuit for providing an ignition signal. The ignition system includes a switch circuit connected to the ignition coil that switches on or off current supplied to the ignition coil, a control circuit that controls the switch circuit based on the ignition signal and a protection circuit that includes a pair of back-to-back connected zener diodes connected between the input terminal of the control circuit and a ground.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ignition system for an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, an electronically controlled ignition system that includes a power switching element, an integrated control circuit (IC) and a protection circuit that protects the ignition system from extraneous electric surges.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP-A 10-274142 discloses an engine ignition system in which current supply to an ignition coil is controlled by a control integrated circuit (hereinafter referred to as the control IC) to control ignition timing. In such an ignition system, a zener diode is provided to protect the control IC from extraneous surges. The zener diode is connected to an input terminal of the control IC at its cathode and to a ground at its anode. If an extraneous surge comes to the ignition system, the zener diode bypasses the surge and prevents it from getting into the control IC.
Recently, there is a tendency to mount an ignition coil in each plug hole of an internal combustion engine. As shown in FIG. 7 of the present application, the ground terminal of an ignition system J1 is connected to an engine body J2, the ground terminal of an ECU (engine control unit) J3 for driving the ignition system J1 is connected to a vehicle body J6 (vehicle GND), the ground terminal of a starter J4 is connected to the engine body J4 (engine GND), and the negative terminal of a battery J5 is connected to the vehicle body J6 (vehicle GND). When starting current is supplied to the starter J4 from the battery J5 as indicated by curve A, a considerable voltage drop is generated between the engine body J2 (engine GND) and the vehicle body (vehicle GND) J6. In this case, the zener diode can not prevent a large amount of current flowing in the forward direction thereof caused by the voltage drop, which may result in failure of the control IC.
Further, the distance between the ignition coil J1 and the ECU J3 becomes longer, so that the length connecting wires connecting the ignition coil J1 and the ECU J3 increases. As a result, the stray capacitance of the connecting wires may cause fluctuation of the signals on the input terminal, which may cause a malfunction of the ignition system.

Engine ignition system having noise protection circuit


Provided is an apparatus and method for extracting feature information of an image using a scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) algorithm. The apparatus may include a first interface configured to generate one or more tile images from a first source image stored in a particular memory, such as a high-capacity short-term memory, and a feature information extractor configured to receive the generated one or more tile images and to respectively extract feature information from each of the one or more input tile images, where the first interface may be configured to generate the one or more tile images by selectively dividing the first source image into the one or more tile images based on a horizontal resolution of the first source image.

1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to an apparatus and method for extracting feature information using a scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) algorithm applied to a high-capacity source image, irrespective of a processing capacity of an SIFT core, by dividing the high-capacity source image into one or more tile images and respectively reading and processing the one or more tile images to extract respective feature information.
2. Description of the Related Art
A scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) algorithm used to extract a location of a feature in an image and to store a descriptor for the feature is widely used in image processing applications.
Feature information generated using the SIFT algorithm, including the feature location and the descriptor, for example, has robust properties against changes in illumination, rotation, scaling, and viewpoint.
Accordingly, the SIFT algorithm may be used for matching at least two images in image processing applications based upon respectively known feature information.
That is, since the SIFT algorithm extracts a robust feature against changes in image size, rotation, and illumination, for example, the SIFT algorithm may be used for correct or enhance a matching in an image.
However, to extract feature information using the SIFT algorithm, a relatively large amount of calculation is required to perform the necessary SIFT algorithm processing of the entire source image.
The SIFT algorithm may be implemented in hardware and/or software for distributed image processing. However, in spite of a hardware cost associated with fast processing of a high-definition high-capacity image, processing of all functions as hardware may be preferable.

Apparatus and method extracting feature information of a source image


An ink-based digital printing system includes a dampening fluid delivery system that forms a dampening fluid layer on a reimageable surface of an imaging plate using vapor condensation. The system includes a delivery nozzle having a chamber that receives atomized dampening fluid, mixes the fluid with hot air or nitrogen gas for rapid vaporization, and directs the vapor onto an imaging member surface for condensation and dampening fluid layer formation.

Related art ink-based digital printing systems, or variable data lithography systems configured for digital lithographic printing, include an imaging system for laser patterning a layer of dampening fluid applied to an imaging member having a reimageable surface. The dampening fluid layer is applied by splitting dampening fluid between a delivery roller and the imaging member surface, wherein the delivery roller contacts the imaging member surface. It is difficult to form a thin and uniform dampening fluid layer using related art dampening fluid application systems such as contact roller systems. Further, contact between the delivery roller and the imaging member surface causes ink contamination of the delivery roller, increased maintenance requirements, increased production costs, and decreased productivity.

Systems and methods for ink-based digital printing using a vapor condensation dampening fluid delivery system


A method of managing and conserving water at a point of use, by installing a control panel and at least one electrically operated valve in a plumbing line, which valve can monitor at least pressure and flow rate, and allow the calculation of the total volume of flow in a particular line. The valve being controlled by a controller programmed to prevent water loss by monitoring the pressure and flow rate in a particular line to detect and prevent water consumption outside controlled parameters by shutting off the valve if the system detects an uncontrolled flow, such as faucet being left on, or a leaky toilet cistern, or the water flow in a zone exceeding a predetermined quota.

Water is a scarce and valuable resource on a global scale. Town water supplies may provide some form of metering of the consumption by for examples a household, hotel, office, or apartment building by providing water meter on the property measuring the quantity of water consumed by a household over a given period. However the meters do not provide any significant information enabling the user to control the use of water in different rooms, or at different outlets, or different appliances, as such meters provide only a bulk measurement which is used for costing purposes. Such water meters do not distinguish between a dripping tap in a basin, the consumption of water for drinking purposes, or for use in washing machines or other appliances, or in fact the consumption or loss of water through leaks in the pipe work between the gate and the household.
Much water is lost through forgetfulness (for example leaving the faucet on unattended), from leaky taps, burst or leaky pipes, and in innumerable ways, from the use of high volume showers, or for example in leaving faucets or showers in the ON position to flush water through the pipes until the outlet reaches the required temperature, or through appliances that do not seal properly and leak water to waste without the householder knowing that the appliances is defective.
There is a need to provide more effective information on water use, and water management enabling householders to minimise unnecessary water usage, and to control their own consumption by knowing which appliances or which users consume too much, or at which times of the day there is excessive water consumption, as information is power, and the right information can enable users to control their water usage in a more cost effective way.


A dispenser includes a dispenser housing, an indicating device connected to the dispenser housing and a container removably engaged with the dispenser housing. The container and the dispenser housing remain connected as the container is moved between an engaged position and a disengaged position relative to the dispenser housing. The dispenser housing includes an upper portion pivotally connected to a lower portion.

Aerosol dispensing devices have been developed that include a dose indicating device to indicate the number of metered doses that have been dispensed from the device, or to indicate the number of doses remaining therein. For example, patients have certain conditions that can be treated with medicaments dispensed in an aerosol and administered to the patient by inhalation. In one format, the aerosol with medicaments are contained in a container, and dispensed in metered, or measured, dosages with an inhalation device, or actuator boot. In such an arrangement, it can be important for the patient to be able to ascertain the number of metered doses remaining in the container, either by an indication of the number remaining therein or by knowledge of the number already dispensed therefrom, such that the patient is not caught unaware with an empty container when in need of the medicament. Thus, it may be important for the inhalation device to provide an accurate indication of either the number of doses remaining in the container, or the number of doses already dispensed therefrom.
In some embodiments, for example metered dose inhalers configured with containers holding HFA propellant, the actuator nozzle or well may need to be cleaned periodically to ensure proper aerosol drug delivery and output. In conventional embodiments, the container is simply removed from the actuator and water is used to clear the actuator nozzle. However, when the dispensing device is configured with an indicator device, for example a device located in the actuator boot, there is potential for a different container to be associated with the actuator boot and indicator device, thereby leading to an inaccurate count of dosages dispensed from or remaining in that container.


A multidirectional input device includes a case; a slider slidable in a first direction and mounted to the case; a movable member mounted on an upper surface of the slider so as to be slidable in a second direction; a first reflection portion provided on any one of the movable member, the case, and the slider; a first light-emitting device arranged to be opposite to the first reflection portion; and a first light-receiving device arranged to be opposite to the first reflection portion, wherein the first reflection portion has a plurality of steps confronting the side facing the first light-emitting device, and a distance between the first reflection portion and the first light-emitting device in a third direction varies according to an area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multidirectional input device used mainly for an operation of various electronic devices in an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a multidirectional input device that can be operated in various ways, i.e., that can be allowed to turn, to be pushed, or to slide, is provided on an instrument panel or a console box in a vehicle compartment. Multidirectional input devices that operate various electronic devices in a vehicle compartment, such as a car navigation system, an audio, or an air conditioner, have been increasing, and there is a demand for a multidirectional input device that enables various and reliable operations.
A conventional multidirectional input device will be described with reference to FIG. 13.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a conventional multidirectional input device. Cover 1, operation body 2, and push button 3 are made of insulating resin. Operation body 2 is mounted on a top surface of cover 1 so as to enable the turning operation and the sliding operation of operation body 2. Push button 3 is mounted at the center of the top surface of operation body 2 so as to vertically move.
Although not illustrated, a rotary operation type electronic component, a push switch, a movable member, a slider, and detection switches are housed in cover 1, and these components form a multidirectional input device. Operation body 2 is mounted to the rotary operation type electronic component such as an encoder, and a lower end of push button 3 is in contact with the push switch. The movable member and the slider slide the push switch and the operation body longitudinally and horizontally. Alternatively, the detection switches detect the sliding direction.
The multidirectional input device thus configured is mounted on a console box, which is provided, for example, on the side of a driver's seat in an automobile, in such a manner that operation body 2 and push button 3 protrude upward. The rotary operation type electronic component, the push switch, and the detection switches are electrically connected to an electronic circuit (not illustrated) in an automobile through connectors or lead wires (not illustrated).
In the conventional multidirectional input device, when a driver slides operation body 2 in various directions, i.e., in a front-back direction and horizontal direction, with plural menus being displayed on a liquid crystal display panel (not illustrated) of the car navigation system, for example, on the front of the driver's seat, a moving contact and a fixed contact of the detection switch in the operated direction, out of the plural detection switches, are connected or disconnected to electrically connect or disconnect the detection switch.
Electric signals outputted from the plural detection switches are outputted to the electronic circuit in the automobile, and the electronic circuit detects the sliding direction of operation body 2, whereby a cursor or a pointer displayed on the liquid crystal display panel moves in the operation direction on the plural menus to select a desired menu.
When the driver pushes the push button 3 after selecting the desired menu by the sliding operation of operation body 2 as described above, the push switch below push button 3 is electrically connected or disconnected. The electronic circuit detects whether push button 3 is electrically connected or disconnected, whereby the selected menu is determined.
When the driver turns operation body 2 with a map being displayed on the liquid crystal display panel, the rotary operation type electronic component such as the encoder is electrically connected or disconnected. The electronic circuit detects whether the rotary operation type electronic component is electrically connected or disconnected, whereby the map is displayed as enlarged or reduced.
In this way, various devices in the automobile can be operated by sliding, depressing, or turning operation body 2 or push button 3 of the multidirectional input device mounted on the console box or the like located near the driver.
See Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-146968 as information on prior art documents relating to the invention of this application.

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


In a method of operating a memory device having a cross point array structure, the memory device includes multiple tiles, and each of the tiles includes memory cells of multiple layers. The method includes accessing, in a first tile, multiple memory cells of a first layer disposed in a region where at least one first line and at least one second line cross each other, accessing, in the first tile, multiple memory cells of a second layer disposed in a region where at least one first line and at least one second line cross each other, and accessing, after the memory cells of the multiple layers of the first tile are accessed, multiple memory cells included in a second tile. Related memory devices and memory systems are also discussed.

The inventive concepts relates to memory devices, and more particularly, to memory devices having a cross point array structure, memory systems, and methods of operating the memory devices.
According to demand for a high capacity and low power consumption memory devices, research for next-generation memory devices is being conducted. The next-generation memory devices may be required to have high integrity characteristics of dynamic random access memory (DRAM), non-volatile characteristics of flash memory, and/or high speed of static RAM (SRAM). As next-generation memory devices, phase change RAM (PRAM), nano floating gate memory (NFGM), polymer RAM (PoRAM), magnetic RAM (MRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), and/or resistive RAM (RRAM) may be highlighted.

Memory device having cross point array structure, memory system, and method of operating memory device


A file system is capable of reading and writing a large amount of stream data, such as digital video/audio data, in real time, and is also capable of efficiently dealing with a normal data file of a small size. In the file system, realtime stream data is recorded in a recording apparatus while dividing the data into data units, each data unit corresponding to a predetermined time interval and being composed of a series of blocks, so as to form a realtime data file. When the realtime data file is read in real time, the data stored in the series of blocks is read at one time. Whether the data can be recorded or read is determined in accordance with a schedule of a recording/reading process of other realtime data or non-realtime data. The data is recorded or read in accordance with the determination result.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a file system, a file recording method, and a file reading method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a file system, a file recording method, and a file reading method capable of inputting/outputting a large amount of data which needs to be read/written in real time, such as video data and audio data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, standardization of digital compression techniques, such as MPEG 1 and MPEG 2, has proceeded. Also, a high performance CPU (central processing unit), memory, and data accumulating medium are available with low prices. Under this circumstance, many types of multimedia apparatuses for accumulating video and audio data by digitalizing it and for processing a large amount of digital data are commercialized.
When digitalized video and audio data is written to a recording medium or read from a recording medium, a file managing apparatus (called a file system) allocates clusters, manages unused clusters, and manages data list information, as in reading/writing data in a computer.
In a file system, a data area of a recording medium is divided into one or more clusters, each having a specific fixed length, and a cluster map for managing a use condition of each cluster is provided. In a typical computer, a size of each cluster is set to 512 bytes, 2 kilobytes, or 4 kilobytes.
When data is recorded or played back in units of clusters, a recording or playback process is performed based on a unit called a block on a recording medium.
The block is a unit of recording/playback and has a fixed length which is set in each recording medium. In a hard disk, the capacity of the block is usually 512 bytes. The block is accessed based on a number (address) corresponding to a logical block. In a hard disk, by specifying an address of a block at a start position of recording or playback and the number of blocks to be recorded or played back, data of sequential blocks starting from the specified block can be transferred.
The above-mentioned cluster is composed of an integral multiple of the block, and sequential addresses are assigned thereto. In such a file system, sequentiality of blocks is ensured in one cluster, and thus input/output of data is performed in units of clusters (repeats input/output in units of clusters).
In the file system, however, since an area is obtained in units of clusters, the area is fragmented by repeated creation and deletion of files. That is, it becomes difficult to keep clusters forming a sequential file, and as a result, data cannot be transferred continuously.
When data is not continuously transferred in a disk-shaped recording medium, such as a hard disk, seek time for moving a disk head to a cylinder position including a target block (sector) and waiting time until the target sector reaches a head position cause degradation in performance.
For this reason, when disk performance needs to be increased in a file system, the number of blocks forming one cluster may be increased. Accordingly, the sequentiality of blocks forming a cluster can be ensured, and thus many blocks can be input/output at one time even if fragmentation occurs.
However, using such a large cluster involves a problem. That is, even if a data size of a created file is small, e.g., 1 byte, the file occupies one large cluster. The cluster is regarded as a used cluster, which decreases effective usage efficiency. Also, a large amount of data equivalent to one cluster must be transferred in order to input/output only 1-byte data, which is inefficient.
In an apparatus (e.g., a personal computer) dealing with both a file of small data size and a file requiring an input/output performance, such as a stream data file represented by an MPEG 2 data file, a tradeoff between usage efficiency and an input/output performance must be considered.
In a conventional file system, dealing with a plurality of stream data files at the same time is not taken into consideration. When a plurality of stream data files are simultaneously dealt with, for example, when recorded program data is played back while another program data is being recorded, when a program is played back while recording it, or when data of a plurality of programs is recorded at the same time, a technique of protecting a realtime performance against input/output of a normal file which asynchronously interrupts is required.

File system, file recording method, and file reading method


The invention provides a gene sequence which can encode and express adenovirus hexon protein in vitro, and is represented as SEQ ID NO: 3. Also invented a protein which was translated and expressed by the gene sequence according to the invention, and the invention also relates to the use of the protein as an antigen to immunize rabbits to obtain a polyclonal antibody. The antibody mentioned above can detect adenovirus with high sensitivity and specificity.

The following background technique is used to help the reader to understand the present invention and cannot be considered as prior technique.
Adenoviruses (members of the family Adenoviridae, Ad) are a spherical double-stranded DNA virus without capsule. The diameter of adenovirus particles is 70˜100 nm, and the virus capsid is icosahedral symmetric, consisting of 252 capsids, of which 240 are Hexon and 12 are penton. Adenoviruses are divided into two genera: mammalian adenovirus and avian adenovirus. At present, there are more than 100 serotypes of adenoviruses. Epitopes of hexons are the main criteria for judging different serotypes. They include the antigenic components of mammalian adenoviruses.
At present, the method for detecting adenovirus protein is to use a commercially available or prepared corresponding serotype adenovirus polyclonal antibody for the detection of adenoviral protein by Western Blot (WB). There are two methods to obtain Polyclonal antibodies: whole virus immunity and express Hexon full-protein immunization. However, there are still many problems and shortcomings of traditional reagents. The commercially available antibodies have low titer, low sensitivity and high price, and only some common serotypes are available. The whole virus preparation of adenovirus rabbit polyclonal antibodies has the disadvantages of low titer, low sensitivity, and difficulty to obtain the corresponding serologically inactivated viruses. The immunization methods for expressing Hexon full-protein due to Hexon full-protein is large, there are difficulties in expressing and purifying the protein, and which is easy to be translated incomplete, and thus the immune effect is still not satisfactory.
Since the discovery of adenovirus in 1953, there have been reports of outbreaks or epidemics of different serotype adenoviruses around the world. Most countries in the world (including China) have not established a routine detection system for adenovirus infections. Most cases of adenovirus-associated respiratory infections and diarrhea have not been diagnosed in the laboratory. Highly-specific antibodies can play a huge role in the diagnosis of adenovirus infections in laboratory diagnosis and adenovirus epidemics, and there are great requirements and application scenarios.
The adenovirus vector vaccine refers to a vaccine made by using an adenovirus as a vector and recombining the vaccine antigen gene into the virus genome so that it can express a vaccine antigen. The dose of this vaccine is small, the immunogenicity of the antigen is close to natural, the antigen does not require purification, and the vector itself can exert an adjuvant effect to enhance the immune effect. Adenovirus vectors have the characteristics of wide range of host cells, high transduction efficiency, good safety and multiple serotypes for selection. For the development and production of adenoviral vector vaccines, high efficiency specific antibodies are essential. This requires the provision of a new protein and the use of proteins to produce new antibodies to overcome the deficiencies of traditional technologies.

Hexon protein hypervariable region gene sequence of adenovirus and its application


Injection molding apparatus wherein a torpedo is mounted at the front end of a nozzle to provide a fixed ring gate. The torpedo has an elongated central shaft with a nose portion which projects forwardly into a cylindrical opening extending through the mold to the cavity. The outer surface of the nose portion is sufficiently spaced from the inner surface of the opening to form the ring gate through which the melt flows into the cavity. The nose portion of the central shaft enhances heat transfer during the injection cycle and thus reduces cycle time and provides cleaner gates.

This invention relates generally to injection molding and more particularly to a torpedo which is mounted at the front end of a nozzle to provide a fixed ring gate.
The use of injection molding torpedoes having an elongated central shaft with a pointed tip to provide a hot tip gate is well known. An early example is shown in the applicants' U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,999 which issued May 29, 1984. This has the disadvantage that the improvement in thermal conductivity in the gate area is limited by the shape of the hot tip.
It is also known to provide a core ring gate around a valve member which extends through the cavity as well as the gate and is reciprocated between the open and closed positions. An example is seen in the applicants' U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,179 which issued Jun. 4, 1985. In addition to requiring actuating mechanism, this configuration has the disadvantage that it is only suitable for molding products with a core hole through them.

Injection molding torpedo providing a fixed ring gate


A feed containing methane and nitrogen gas is processed in a three-stage membrane system, each stage of which is selective for methane over nitrogen. The methane enriched permeate from the first stage is removed as product gas. The methane-depleted residue from the second stage is purified in second and third cascaded stages to provide second and third permeates and second and third residues. The third stage permeate is recycled to the feed.

A component that can often be found in biogas or in natural gas is nitrogen (N2). While not presenting a major problem for some applications, nitrogen generally reduces the heating value of natural gas. Although small amounts of this inert gas can often be tolerated, natural gas containing levels higher than 4-5% vol of N2 is typically unacceptable.
Various approaches can be employed to reduce nitrogen levels. The most common rejection technology relies on cryogenic separation. While relatively efficient, the cryogenic removal of N2 can requires large equipment and balance of plant, rendering this approach uneconomical in some situations, particularly for small flow rates.
Membrane separation is a very cost effective and simple way to separate gases. Separating CH4 and N2, however, has proved to be challenging. Some rubbery membranes such as poly(dimethylsiloxane) and derivatives, poly(methyloctylsiloxane, and polyamide-polyether copolymer can achieve a CH4/N2 selectivity of 2 to 4. Generally, this is not found satisfactory for generating a high product purity and good product recovery.
It is known that the CH4/N2 selectivity can be increased at low temperatures (below 0° C.). U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,958 to Baker et al., for example, describes operating poly-siloxane membranes at temperatures as low as −50° C., for a CH4/N2 selectivity of up to 6, to remove N2 and generate pipeline quality gas with high methane recovery. The method described in this patent utilizes a turbo-expander to supply the cooling required by the process.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,267 to Baker et al., a two- or three-stage membrane process for CH4/N2 separation is conducted at an intermediate low temperature such that high CH4 recovery is achieved without the use of external refrigeration or turbo-expansion. The incoming feed gas is cooled to a sub-ambient temperature by a combination of residue and permeate streams; the cooling is generated by the Joule-Thomson effect of the membranes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,630,011 B1 to Baker et al. describes a separation of CH4 and N2 that uses a multi-stage membrane process to achieve high methane recovery. The process is optionally operated fully or partially at low temperature for enhanced performance.
In a publication by K. A. Lokhandwala et al, several two stage and three stage arrangement membrane process for nitrogen removal were discussed, see K. A.
Lokhandwala et al., J. Membrane Sci., vol. 346, page 270-279, titled "Membrane separation of nitrogen from natural gas: A case study from membrane synthesis to commercial deployment".
In a publication by R. Pathare and R. Agrawal., all five possible different membrane arrangement for two stage or three stage design are listed based on membrane cascade schemes, see R. Pathare and R. Agrawal, J. Membrane Sci., vol. 364, page 263-267, titled "Design of membrane cascades for gas separation".

Membrane nitrogen rejection process and system

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