An inkjet printer head driving apparatus and a control method thereof include a switching unit turning on and off each of heating elements to heat and eject ink through nozzles, a level shift unit having a level converter converting to a predetermined potential level a potential level of a signal inputted to drive the switching unit, a transient time extending part provided with at least one time extending element to extend a transient time during which a potential level of the signal inputted from the level converter to the switching unit is converted from a first signal level to a second signal level and vice versa, and a control unit outputting to the level shift unit the delayed signal as a nozzle selection signal to select the nozzles corresponding to a to-be-recorded image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet printer head driving apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to an inkjet printer head driving apparatus and a control method to minimize high-frequency noise components which may occur as a heating element is driven to eject ink through nozzles formed on a printer head.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a printer prints images or information processed by an external device, such as a computer, on a recording medium, such as a sheet of paper. The printer is mainly classified into one of a wire dot type, a thermal transfer type, and an inkjet type.
An inkjet printer head has a plurality of nozzles ejecting ink to form the images on the recording medium. The inkjet printer head of a printing mechanism in an inkjet printer functions to complete a printing job as requested, and is driven by a head driving device to fulfill printing jobs by ejecting an appropriate amount of printing ink on the recording medium.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram explaining a head driving device 100 of a conventional inkjet printer.
As shown in FIG. 1, the head driving device 100 for the inkjet printer includes a logic control unit 110, a latch unit 120, a gate array 130, a level shift unit 140, and a switching unit 150.
The logic control unit 110 has a decoder 112 to receive an encoded data signal from a microcomputer (not shown) controlling overall operations of the inkjet printer, and decoding the encoded data signal, and a shift register 114 synchronized with a clock signal CLOCK of a clock terminal thereof to receive data decoded in the decoder 112 and output the data to the latch unit 120.
The latch unit 120 latches data decoded in the logic control unit 110 according to a latch signal LATCH.
The gate array 130 includes a plurality of AND gates connected to receive an output signal of the latch unit 120 and a strobe pulse signal STRB to determine a heating time of heating elements R.
As shown in FIG. 2, the level shift unit 140 includes a level converter 142 and a buffer 144.
The level converter 142 raises a potential level of data transmitted from the gate array 130. For example, if the potential level ranging from 0V to 5V is outputted from the gate array 130, the level converter 142 steps up the potential level to an optimum driving potential level for the switching unit 150 which drives the heating elements R.
The buffer 144 buffers a voltage outputted from the level converter 142, shapes a waveform of the output voltage, delays the output voltage of the level converter 142 for a predetermined time, and outputs a result, such as the delayed output voltage.
The switching unit 150 is connected to cause a power supply Vph to be supplied to turn on and off the heating elements R according to output signals of the level shift unit 140. The switching unit 150 includes a plurality of FETs 152 used as switching devices and coupled between the power supply Vph and ground GND.
That is, the potential levels outputted from the level shift unit 140 are transmitted to gates of the FETs 152 of the switching unit 150 to form current paths between drains and sources, thereby heating the heating elements R to eject ink from selected nozzles.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram schematically showing a part of a printer head 170 connected to a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) 160 to explain how an LC resonant circuit formed on the FPCB and the printer head affects the printer head as the switching unit for driving the heating elements R is turned on.
Referring to FIG. 3, the FPCB 160 is a printed board having wirings formed thereon to transmit electric power and electric signals to the printer head 170. FPCB cables of the FPCB 160 are coupled with bonding pads 172 provided in the printer head 170 to electrically connect the printer head 170 with a printer system.
At this time, the FPCB 170 includes resistance components R1 and R2 and inductance components L1 and L2 on the FPCB cables, and internal power lines of the printer head 170, connected with the FPCB through the bonding pads, have resistance components R3 and R4.
Further, the printer head 170 is generally attached to one side of an ink cartridge, and has a plurality of nozzles (not shown) through which ink is ejected, the heating elements R heating the ink to eject the ink through the nozzles, and the bonding pads 172.
As shown in FIG. 3, between a head power terminal Vph and the ground GND are connected in series the inductance components L1 and L2 and the resistance components R1 and R2 of the FPCB cables, the heating element R formed on the printer head 170, the FET 152 driving the heating element R, and resistors R3 and R4. Further, a capacitor C2 is connected in parallel with the heating element R between head power terminal (power supply) Vph and the ground GND.
Here, the FET 152 switches on and off according to an output signal of the gate array 130. For example, the FET 152 is turned on if a high-level signal is outputted from the gate array 130, and is turned off if a low-level signal is outputted from the gate array 130.
If the FET 152 is turned on with an output signal of the level shift unit 140, electric current flows through the heating element R, which forms an LC resonant circuit of the inductance component L1 and the capacitor C2 between the head power terminal Vph and the ground GND. Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 4A through 4D, waveforms, such as a voltage VPH of the head power terminal Vph and a current waveform IR of the heating element R, are oscillated when the heating element R is driven with voltages A and B, and the oscillations are attenuated due to resistances of the heating element R and the resistance components R1 to R4 of power lines so that the voltage and current waveforms VPH and IR return to their original states. At this time, a resonant frequency becomes
  1      2        π              LC      which is generated in the LC resonant circuit. That is, the resonant frequency is changed by an inductance component L and a capacitance component C. Accordingly, as the inductance component L and the capacitance component C between the head power terminal Vph and the ground GND become larger, oscillating periods of the waveforms become longer.
The inductance component L occurring from the inductance components L1 and L2 becomes larger as the FPCB cables are extended. Further, the capacitance component C becomes a total sum of parasitic capacitances occurring among the gate, source, and drain of the FET 152 times the total number of the FETs 152, and a value of the capacitance component C becomes larger as the FETs 152 is scaled up in each size or in number.
In the meantime, since the FETs 152 are in a high impedance state when the FETs 152 are turned off, an oscillation attenuation effect due to the resistance components R1 to R4 is ignored so that the oscillations continue longer than at the time the FETs 152 are turned on.
Further, the more driven the FETs 152 are at the same time, the higher an oscillation level of the head power terminal Vph becomes, which causes an electrical state of the printer head 170 to be unstable so that the printer head 170 may be broken down, and which causes high-frequency signals to be supplied to the power lines so that electromagnetic interference (EMI) characteristics may become worse.
Accordingly, in order to minimize the influence of the capacitance and inductance components, the rising/falling times of a gate signal of the FETs 152 have to be designed large enough in consideration of a capacitor charging/discharging time. However, since the FETs 152 are manufactured using a plurality of semiconductor processes, it is difficult to meet the above requirements.

Inkjet printer head driving apparatus and control method thereof


A stepped dimming ballast comprising a filter and rectifier circuit (1), a DC high voltage stabilizing circuit (2), a frequency control and switch circuit (3), a load current feedback circuit (5), a voltage signal processing circuit (6) and a voltage signal sampling circuit (7). The present invention is adapted for use in conjunction with a silicon controlled rectifier dimmer and/or a regular light switch whereby it is novel in structure and able to effect dimming in two predetermined and reliable operation modes.

A dimmable fluorescent lamp is needed for a long time. Unlike an incandescence lamp in which a common silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) is employed to effect dimming, a fluorescent lamp is a nonlinear load and exhibits a negative resistance characteristic such that the dimming cannot be correspondingly effected in the same manner. In the available domestic and commercial dimmers a TRIAC is usually employed, and a characteristic of which is the requirement of a holding current for maintaining the on state thereof after it has been triggered. The characteristic suits the operation modes of a resistive load such as an incandescence lamp so well but being undesired by a capacitive load such as a fluorescent lamp for the reason that blinking might occur and a proper working state thereof might not be maintained in course of dimming while such dimmers are employed, which in turns has an adverse effect on the life span of the fluorescent lamp.
There is a need for dimmers in a variety of places under various circumstances in daily life, whereby a number of SCR dimmers have already been installed in different places. It is thus desirable for a dimmable fluorescent lamp adapted for such dimmers and it is also preferable to effect dimming by means of a regular light switch in those places without such dimmers.

Stepped dimming ballast for fluorescent lamps


A circumferential groove has a groove bottom and a pair of groove walls. Groove bottom includes groove bottom protruding portions protruding radially outwardly from a groove bottom reference surface and having a first groove bottom surface extending radially. The first groove bottom surface includes a first surface portion on one side of a center line of the circumferential groove and a second surface portion positioned on the other side, and an angle between them is 20° to 170°. The groove wall includes groove wall protruding portions protruding toward an inside of the circumferential groove from a groove wall reference surface defined as a circumferential surface at a widest groove width position of the circumferential groove and having a first groove wall width surface 12 extending in a tyre width direction and a second groove wall surface having an angle larger than the first groove wall width surface.

Conventionally, in order to improve on-snow performance, an attempt has been made to specify the shape of groove walls of the circumferential groove extending continuously in the tyre circumferential direction formed in the tread portion. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-137763 (Patent Literature 1) has proposed a tyre having improved on-snow performance by providing enlarged width portions in the circumferential grooves.


A handwriting capture device which includes an integral printer for printing forms and for feeding the forms over a digitizer for signature by a customer. The handwriting capture device employs a highly sensitive digitizer to accurately capture signature information entered using a writing force greater than or equal to a predetermined writing force. The handwriting capture device includes a housing having a top surface, a resistive membrane digitizer mounted in the top surface, circuitry for processing digitizer information and for controlling operation of the printer, and a clamp for retaining a receipt in place over the digitizer during movement of the device. The clamp also serves to minimize finger contact with the digitizer.

The present invention relates to handwriting capture devices and printers, and more specifically to a handwriting capture device with integral forms printer.
A common task is to print a form and then write information on or sign the form. For example, it is common to print information on and sign a credit receipt. Multiple copies of such forms are usually required. Thus, it is generally desirable to capture the handwriting or signature in digital form, so as to provide a paper copy and an electronic copy of the record of the transaction. In the case of credit receipts, a customer takes the paper copy and a retail or financial network processes the electronic copy.
In commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,906 to Protheroe et. al., a handwriting capture device having a retention mechanism to hold and orient a form above the handwriting capture element is disclosed. An operator inserts and aligns a credit receipt into the handwriting capture device. While the customer signs the receipt the handwriting capture device captures the signature in digital representation. This patent is hereby incorporated by reference.
Two problems that often occur in completing such transactions relate to the act of placing the printed form on the handwriting capture device. One problem is that this task is time consuming and requires operator care in proper orientation and placement of the printed form over the capture mechanism. The other problem is that if misorientation occurs, the electronic copy or the system obtaining the electronic copy has to compensate for any misorientation of the form relative to the capture mechanism. Otherwise the resultant image will inaccurately show the position of the handwriting or signature on the form.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a handwriting capture device with an integral forms printer, which creates a form and orients it over the handwriting capture element, thereby providing proper and automatic orientation of the form relative to the handwriting capture device.

Handwriting capture device with integral forms printer


The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for treatment of a disease or condition characterized by or associated with stimulation of both DPr2 and TPr signaling, said composition comprising an effective amount of a dual receptor antagonist of DPr2 for prostaglandin D2 and TPr for thromboxane A2 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Inflammation is a common and important feature of a wide variety of human diseases and disorders including infective, metabolic, cardiovascular, hematologic, thrombotic, fibrotic, neurologic, cancer, immunologic, autoimmune, obesity and aging. Inflammation stimulates the inducible enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) present in all cells to unleash lipid mediators originating from arachidonic acid that include thromboxane A2 (TxA2) and prostaglandin D2 (PGD2).
Clinicians recognize that thromboxane A2 stimulated thromboxane prostanoid receptor (TPr) activation leads to endothelial, platelet, and granulocyte activation and release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). The vascular injury, vasculitis, thrombosis and thromboinflammation that ensue lead to ischemia reperfusion injury and are currently treated with antiplatelet agents and/or anticoagulants. It is known that thromboxane A2 (TxA2) mediates and contributes to various diseases such as bronchial asthma, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disorders, fibrosis and cancer. A number of TxA2 synthase inhibitors and TxA2 receptor (TPr) antagonists have been developed to treat these diseases.
Likewise, clinicians recognize that PGD2 binds at each of two G protein-coupled receptors: prostaglandin D2 receptor 1 (DPr1) and prostaglandin D2 receptor 2 (DPr2). PGD2 activation of DPr1 receptors stimulates cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP signaling) and leads to anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-platelet, anti-fibrotic, and anti-chemotactic responses for eosinophils and basophils and thereby anti-allergic responses, and strengthens endothelial barrier function. PGD2 activation of DPr2 (formerly known as CRTh2) receptors mediates polarization of the immune response from a T-helper cell Th1 to a T-helper cell Th2 immune response while mediating effects including pro-inflammatory, immunosuppressive via activation of ILC2 and MDSC cells and inhibition of the innate immune response, pro-fibrotic, pro-apoptotic via induction of ER stress, pro-chemotactic for eosinophils and basophils and thereby pro-allergic responses. This response commonly occurs in allergic rhinitis, asthma and in some viral infections, including respiratory syncytial virus, severe SARS-CoV-1, and severe SARS-CoV-2. The Th2 inflammatory responses are characterized by the recruitment and activation of mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, and goblet cells, as well as hyperplasia in airway and intestinal epithelia. Although these immune responses function as protective immunity against helminths invading cutaneous or mucosal sites, they are inappropriately activated in the conditions listed above, doing more harm than good. Furthermore. PGD2/DPr2 signaling induces apoptosis in a variety of cli types, further aggravating tissue injury induced by activation of TxA2/TPr signaling.
In 2004 Böhm et al. reported that thromboxane A2 is unstable and is rapidly converted in vivo to a stable metabolite 11-dehydro-thromboxane-B2 (11dhTxB2). Although previously thought to be an inactive metabolite, 11dhTxB2 acts as a full agonist of the DPr2 receptor [Böhm et al., J Biol Chem. (2004) doi:10.1074/jbc.M310270200] (FIG. 1). Therefore, patients with diseases as varied as diabetes, obesity, kidney failure, hypertension, atherosclerosis, sickle cell disease, rheumatoid arthritis, SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1, sepsis. Kawasaki disease, HIV, dengue infection, influenza, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, cancer, hepatitis C, type I herpes simplex virus, vaccinia, vesicular stomatitis virus, chikungunya virus, and Newcastle disease virus, which are characterized by high TxA2 have an increased risk of developing maladaptive immune response and more severe complications through amplification of both TxA2/TPr and PGD2/DP2 signaling and TxA2/TPr-PGD2/DPr2 interactions mediated by 11dhTxB2.
During training, clinicians may learn of the mechanisms of action that underlie inflammation, aging, obesity, cardiovascular disease, immune dysfunction, autoimmunity, infection, cancer and other diseases. In general, however, specialization follows general training, and the practitioner changes focus to diseases commonly associated with their specialty and the treatment of these disorders. As an example, while cardiologists have focused on TxA2/TPr signaling, immunologists and allergists have focused on the antagonism of PGD2/DPr2 signaling. Thus, the 2004 report by Böhm et al. has been largely ignored in clinical practice. Furthermore, in general, the scientists, pharmaceutically companies and drug developers have promoted the evolution from receptor antagonists that exhibit low selectivity to drugs that are selective for a single receptor. This change led to the development of selective DPr2 antagonists including fevipiprant, setipiprant, ADC-3680, AZD-1981, MK-1029. MK-7246. OC459, OC000459, QAV-680, and TM30089; and selective TPr antagonists including Seratrodast (AA-2414), Terutroban (S18886), PTA2. 13-APA, GR-32191, Sulotroban (BM-13177), SQ-29,548, SQ-28.668. ONO-3708. EP-045, BMS-180,291, and S-145.
This invention provides a solution to this long-felt shortcoming in integrating divergent signaling pathways mediating a particular disease (FIG. 1). As an example, in COVID-19, the inventor, using a single drug, namely ramatroban, targets both PGD2/DPr2 and TxA2/TPr signaling thereby having a single drug serve multiple benefits as an immunomodulator, anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic agent.


An image processing apparatus includes an extraction unit, a counting unit and an information embedding unit. The extraction unit extracts a circumscribed figure of a pixel block in an image. The counting unit counts contact portions between the circumscribed figure extracted by the extraction unit and the pixel block. The information embedding unit embeds information to be embedded by adjusting a number of the contact portions between the pixel block and the circumscribed figure extracted by the extraction unit based on the number of contact portions counted by the counting unit and the information to be embedded.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, a computer-readable medium and a computer data signal.
2. Related Art
In the field of an information embedding technology for embedding information in a binary image, there has been proposed a technique of embedding information by dividing an image into plural blocks and inverting pixels in the blocks to adjust the number of black pixels. The expression "embedding information in an image" means modifying the image in accordance with the information (in some cases, the image is not modified) and also means reading the modified image with a scanner and to performing image processing for the read image so as to take out the embedded information from the read image.

Image processing apparatus, image processing method, computer-readable medium and computer data signal


The Invention, titled the “Split Chip” by the Inventor, contemplates an RFID enabled consumer oriented tracking system which protects consumer privacy by splitting a miniaturized silicon RFID transponder circuit into a retained piece and a detached piece. The two pieces are electrically connected by a fine piece of conductive material. Each piece is dependent upon the other in order to disgorge data. The electrical connection between the two pieces can be severed by the consumer by tearing the fine piece of conductive material at a designated spot on the substrate making the Split Chip moribund. Upon a return or refund of the consumer item the original data can be recovered through a laser guidance system which connects the retained piece and its alpha numeric identifier to a back end host computer administration network.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and in particular an RFID enabled consumer oriented system which protects consumer privacy.
2. Background
Radio Frequency Identification (hereinafter "RFID"), is a technology powered by small, wireless devices known as tags or transponders which can automatically track physical objects, animals and people when air interfacing with RFID readers, also known as interrogators. RFID can be seen as a means to explicitly label objects, animals and people so that tracking becomes automatic for back end computer host systems. Generally, in the RFID industry, an RFID tracking device which is known alternatively as a tag or as a transponder, is attached to or embedded in a product or product packaging and is air interfaced by radio frequency transmission with the antenna of an RFID reader/interrogator. The microchip itself can be as small as a grain of sand. The expense and size of a standard RFID tag or transponder package is a product of the external antenna which needs to be large enough to resonate at multiples of the wavelengths of currently authorized RFID frequencies. The antenna is usually constructed of copper or aluminum which is an expensive commodity. The authorized resonant frequencies for the antenna are Low Frequency in the 124 kHz to 135 kHz range. These have read distances of roughly two feet. There are High Frequency tags in the 13.56 MHz range with read ranges of over three feet. Moreover, there are Ultra High Frequency tags in the 860 MHz-960 MHz which have read parameters of up to 100 feet and more. RFID is being vigorously touted as a successor to optical barcode technology ubiquitous to consumer products. There are two advantages which RFID technology holds over the current barcode product identification system. First, the barcode indicates the type of object on which it is printed. For example, it will indicate to a cash register or check out automated system that the object in question is a yellow pencil of ABC brand. The RFID system goes a step further in that it emits a unique serial number which distinguishes it among millions of identically manufactured ABC brand of pencils. This unique identifying number can act as a direction finder to database entries which contain a plethora of transaction histories for individual product items. Second, barcodes are optically scanned with laser light which requires line of sight contact with readers in order for the scanning technology to operate properly. This usually means human intervention to carefully position the object to be scanned. RFID technology does not require line of sight to operate properly. It can scan hundreds of items per second. For example, a fast moving conveyor belt in a factory can be scanned for objects of interest with no need for line of sight contact.
In a supply chain application RFID is becoming ubiquitous in the tracking of crates and pallets. These are considered to be discrete, but bulk (not item level), quantities of objects. Tracking in the supply chain scenario is concerned with improving accuracy and timeliness of information regarding the whereabouts and movement of goods which comprise any specific supply chain.
In attempting to keep costs to a minimum RFID tags which are manufactured according to Electronic Product Code (hereinafter "EPC") standards carry extremely limited on board memory. Normally, the only information on the EPC tag is the unique number as well as the usual informational data of a barcode. There can also be a link to database records for any specific tag. Although the EPC tag can be up to 96 bits in data or informational length, the centralized host database can have unlimited entries or cryptographic security algorithms regarding any specific tag in question. Part of the EPC protocol is a reference service known as Object Name Service or ONS. Its purpose is to route tag queries to the database of specific tag owners or to the database of back end computer host managers. In other words, there is a system designed and in place for legitimate back end systems to track and trace all objects in an RFID system.
All communication for RFID interrogators and transponders is via an insecure medium. That medium is air, also known as the atmosphere, and sometimes referred to as the environment. In other words, all wireless communication using RFID technology travels through an atmosphere, or an environment, shared by legitimate and illegitimate users or wireless technology alike. The shared medium highlights security and privacy problems for retail consumers of products containing item level RFID tags, whether attached or embedded.
There are two main privacy concerns espoused by privacy proponents and lobbyists. Specifically, these are clandestine tracking and inventorying. As RFID tags respond to reader interrogation without alerting the holder of a tagged item, surreptitious scanning of tags is a serious security threat. Pursuant to EPC protocol each tag always emits a unique identifier. This includes even those tags which protect data with cryptographic algorithms. The result is that a person in possession of an item level object which has a tag attached to it or embedded into it effectively transmits a fixed identifier number to any nearby interrogators. Therefore, tracking the whereabouts of a retail consumer in possession of an RFID tag is easy for those so inclined. This is true even if the unique identifying number is random or carries no intrinsic data. Consider it to be a beacon, like a lighthouse on a pitch black night, which never turns off.


A development device includes a developer carrier and a developer supply belt. The developer carrier, disposed in contact with an image carrier carrying an electrostatic latent image, carries developer to be charged with a prescribed polarity and develops the electrostatic latent image by application of development voltage. The developer supply belt includes a first roller, a second roller, and a belt. The belt is tightly stretched by the first roller and the second roller, and is disposed in contact with the developer carrier from a contact beginning portion to a contact finishing portion. A potential difference between the development voltage and the voltage of the contact finishing portion is arranged to be zero (0) V or above and 600 V or below.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a development device and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
In a related-art image forming apparatus such as a printer, a photocopier, a facsimile machine, and a multi-functional peripheral employing an electrophotographic method, for example, the related-art printer performs processes of charging, exposing, developing, transferring, cleaning, and discharging in a vicinity of a photosensitive drum. A toner image formed on the photosensitive drum is transferred to and fixed on a sheet serving as a medium.
In such a related-art printer, the developing process is performed by a development device that includes a development roller developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum by adhesion of toner and a toner supply roller not only supplying the toner to the development roller and but also scraping residual toner remained on the development roller after the developing process. Japanese Un-examined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-108090 discloses such a toner supply roller to which voltage is applied so as to supply the toner to the development roller.
In such a related-art development device, since an electric field is formed by the voltage so as to adhere charged toner to the development roller, the residual toner remained on the development roller is not adequately scraped. Consequently, the residual toner remained on the development roller in a previous developing process is used for a next developing process, causing generation of a residual image on the sheet. Such a residual image causes deterioration of an image quality.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a development device and an image forming apparatus capable of reducing the residual image on the medium and enhancing the image quality.

Development device and image forming apparatus


An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a first detecting section, a second detecting section, a display section, and a control section. The first detecting section detects a person present within a predetermined range from the image forming apparatus. The second detecting section detects an eye gaze of the person detected by the first detecting section. When, during a power saving state of the image forming apparatus, the first detecting section detects a person and the second detecting section detects an eye gaze of the person directed in a predetermined direction, the control section wakes up the image forming apparatus from the power saving state and allows the display section to display a predetermined screen according to the direction of the person's eye gaze detected by the second detecting section.

The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus executing processing for wake-up from a power saving state and a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium with an apparatus state transition program stored thereon.
There are known image forming apparatuses equipped with a motion sensor, an eye-gaze sensor, a camera, and so on.
An example of the above image forming apparatuses is one that determines the orientation of the feet of a person in front of the image forming apparatus from an image of the person's feet captured by a foot camera and determines whether or not the person is coming to the apparatus based on the determined orientation of the feet. Furthermore, there is an image forming apparatus in which such a determination result using a foot camera as described above is combined with detection results of a pyroelectric motion sensor and a reflective motion sensor to more accurately determine whether or not a person present near the image forming apparatus is a user of the image forming apparatus.
Another example of the above image forming apparatuses is one that determines whether or not a target location lies in the direction of a user's eye gaze detected by an eye-gaze detection camera and changes operational contents to be displayed according to the determination result to show the user suitable procedures for eliminating a paper jam.

Image forming apparatus executing processing for wake-up from power saving state according to direction of eye gaze detected by eye-gaze sensor


A healthy chair comprises an inclined seat plate, a plurality of feet, and a frontal torso positioning device. The seat plate has a front side and a rear side that is higher than the front side. The frontal torso positioning device is fastened to the seat plate at the rear side thereof and extends forward and upward. Support bars for resting the feet of a user are positioned near the feet of the chair below the rear side of the seat plate. Thereby an upright sitting position is automatically assumed by the user, with the upper body and the thighs enclosing an angle of more than 90 degrees, resulting in a better sitting position, straightening of the spine and better health.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a healthy chair, particularly to a healthy chair which helps to attain a better sitting position, to straighten the spine and to relax.
2. Description of Related Art
The present inventor in fifteen years of experience of healing by massage has discovered a method for eliminating gluing together of muscle tissue or swollen ligaments by correcting the sitting position. In daily life, among standing, sitting and lying, sitting is the most unstable position of the human body. Therefore, a good sitting position helps to eliminate gluing together of muscle tissue or swollen ligaments.
In the human body, muscles and tissues are distributed and balanced around a central vertical line, being arranged in eight vertical sections: (1) above the cerical vertebrae, (2) above the shoulders, (3) above the ribs, (4) above the hip, (5) above the buttocks, (6) above the knees, (7) above the toes, and (8) below the toes. Thus the whole body gains softness and flexibility.
In complex daily life and with psychic changes, certain vertical sections of the human body lose balance and have to rely on other sections up to a point of becoming wound up and entangled, as viewed from a vertical perspective, so that diseases develop.
The human body has a three-dimensional structure with a surface that is held together by surface forces, with forces acting between diagonally opposed points, e.g., from the left half of the upper body to the right upper arm, the right lower arm and the left half of the belly to the right lower arm and the right hip, and from the right rear neck to the left forehead.
For balancing under gravitation, the upper body has five sections, with points of aplication of forces naturally arranged in a zig-zag pattern. FIG. 5A shows points of application of forces as circles and directions of forces as dashed lines, forming the zig-zag pattern. The larger angles between neighboring lines of forces become, the smaller are lever arms and, consequently, exerted torques.
Therefore, sitting in a position that comes close to a standing position has a strong influence on angles of lines of forces in the Z-shaped pattern and on the values of forces.
For the balance of the various parts of the human body, like neck, upper body, belly and hip, lumbar vertebrae are of decisive importance. In today's office work, sitting positions are usually characterized by a forward inclined upper body, with the belly staying in an original position, so that the lower arms are placed before the hip and even before the thighs, resulting in angles of lines of forces in the Z-shaped pattern that are larger than in a traditional upright sitting position. Furthermore, the angles between thigh and belly and the angles between calves and feet let forces at joints become smaller, while forces at the belly become larger, generating tension in the abdominal region.
Conventional chairs mostly have backrests for positioning the upper body. Thereby, angles of lines of forces in the Z-shaped pattern tend to be to small, resulting in too large torques, which possibly leads to gluing together of muscle tissue and swollen ligaments, even to failure of the nervous system.


An access method is executed by a multi-core processor system. The access method includes activating a driver that corresponds to a first CPU, based on a start of execution of a first application; starting measurement of an access time period, based on access of a peripheral device; outputting, when the access time period exceeds a predetermined time period, a detection signal to reset the driver; and prohibiting, when the access time period exceeds a predetermined time period, writing into a register retaining data to be written into the peripheral device from the first CPU.

Conventionally, apparatuses monitor devices that are internally and/or externally connected to an information processing apparatus, such as a watchdog timer and a diagnosis apparatus. Techniques are also present to periodically check the devices and detect abnormalities of the devices by using these apparatuses. According to one technique, a backup system is managed separately from a main system and, the main system and the backup system are switched when an abnormality of a device is detected in the main system.
A technique for the occurrence of an abnormality is disclosed. According to the technique, an additional apparatus of an input and output apparatus is provided of a multi-core processor system that includes plural cores, whereby the number of a started-up central processing unit (CPU) is recorded (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. S55-108026). A technique is disclosed for restoration executed after the occurrence of an abnormality. According to the technique, in controlling a co-processor that aids a CPU, hanging up is detected and the co-processor that hangs up is reset (see, for example, Published Japanese-Translation of PCT Application, Publication No. 2007-507034).
A technique is disclosed to reduce a response time period between devices. According to the technique, a control apparatus is disposed in a shared system of plural CPUs and plural inputs/outputs (I/Os); when a start-up I/O is operating, a control signal is recorded; and after the completion of the operation, a dummy I/O is transmitted (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H6-208536).
Of the above conventional techniques, the techniques according to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. S55-108026 and Published Japanese-Translation of PCT Application, Publication No. 2007-507034 are each directed to abnormalities caused by faults of hardware. However, according to the techniques, faults caused by software access of devices are determined as normal states and therefore, a problem arises in that abnormal states are overlooked.
In a multi-core processor system, if an abnormal state is overlooked, the state occurs where application software (hereinafter, referred to as "app") having a problem stalls retaining an access right for a shared device and another app can not acquire the access right for the shared device. As a result, a problem arises in that the other app unable to acquire the access right also stalls, that is, the consecutive stalls occur. When consecutive stalls occur, another problem arises in that, among the apps that stall, the app that is the software having a problem has to be identified.

Resetting a peripheral driver and prohibiting writing into a register retaining data to be written into a peripheral on exceeding a predetermined time period


According to the present invention, there is disclosed a method of stabilizing the output signal of a system that detects microbiological growth in a sealed sample container that contains a sample which may contain an unknown microorganism. One embodiment relates to a method of providing a sealed sample container which contains a fluid mixture of a culture broth, the sample, and at least one poising agent for stabilizing the base line pressure within a headspace above the fluid mixture in the sample container. By monitoring pressure changes within the headspace of the sealed sample container, the presence of microbiological growth within the sealed sample container as a function of the change of the pressure in the headspace is indicated.

Current methods are manual for detection of microorganisms. In such manual systems, a sample of material to be tested is incubated, usually in a suitable growth medium. Various manipulations such as agitation are required during the incubation and monitoring period. The detection of growth is achieved by visual inspection. For example, technicians observe and assess the growth of bacteria on a Petri dish, or evaluate the clarity of a broth (turbidity). The visual observations and assessments are subjective and, therefore, subject to error. In addition, these manual methods are labor intensive, require significant manipulation, and entail observation of all samples by laboratory personnel.
A number of methods have been suggested to detect the presence or absence of microorganisms by less subjective means. U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,581 (1973), Cady et al., discloses a method for monitoring microbiological growth by measuring the change in the conductivity of selected nutrient media inoculated with a sample.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,646 (1975), Wilkins et al, describes measurement of gas production of microorganisms. A pressure transducer is applied to a test tube and connected to a power source and strip recorders. Measurements are recorded on the strip recorders producing a plot of an electrical signal, which is generated over time, indicative of the presence and quantity of microorganisms. The instrument is very large and cumbersome, making it impractical to monitor multiple samples.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,213 describes a system by which the growth of microorganisms in a sealed container is detected by measuring reduction in headspace pressure as the microorganism consumes oxygen and comparing the reduction in pressure to a reference standard of the initial pressure. A vacuum sensor senses a reduction in pressure in the headspace of a container and provides an electrical signal to remote electronics. A major problem with such a system is that it is limited to those organisms that consume oxygen. Many microorganisms do not consume oxygen. Thus, the presence of a vacuum is not a universal indicator of microbial growth. Another problem with such a system is that in many instances the maximum decrease in the headspace pressure is small in comparison to the natural variations of the atmospheric pressure. In addition, this method requires precise pressure sensors since it functions on the basis of absolute value of initial and threshold pressures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,839 describes a system by which the presence of microbiological growth in a sealed sample container is detected by measuring the rate of change of headspace pressure in the container as the microorganism consumes oxygen and comparing the change in pressure to a reference standard of the initial pressure. A vacuum sensor senses a reduction in pressure in the headspace of a container and provides an electrical signal to remote electronics. A major problem exists for weak consumers, or slower growing organisms, where background redox reactions can occur because the reagents added to the culture broth cause an unpredictable change in the pressure differential in the headspace due to reduction oxidation. A major problem with such a system is that it suffers from false positives due to background redox reactions.
It is well known that pH buffers are utilized for end point growth determinations using pH dyes, such as phenol red. The pH buffers are known to stabilize background pH drift due to chemical reactions within the test system. It is with this concept that one uses Redox buffer/dye systems to stabilize background chemical redox reactions, which can be applied generally to a detection system for microbial growth.
Use of poising agents to stabilize redox dyes for determination of end point growth reactions, such as antibiotic susceptibility has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,959 by Lancaster et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,395,506 discloses a device for monitoring cells for detection and evaluation of metabolic activity of eukaryotic and/or prokaryotic cells based upon their ability to consume dissolved oxygen. The methods utilize a luminescence detection system which makes use of the sensitivity of the luminescent emission of certain compounds to the presence of oxygen, which quenches (diminishes) the compound's luminescent emission in a concentration dependent manner.

Detection of microbiological growth in a sealed container using a poising agent


A facsimile machine has an image memory for storing image data while a host device cannot receive the image data from the telephone line. When the host device becomes able to receive data, the facsimile machine starts transmitting the stored image data to the host device. The host device can later process the received image data.

This invention relates to a facsimile machine capable of communicating with a host device.
A conventional facsimile machine capable of communicating with a host device, such as a host computer, can be set in a "printing mode" or a "transfer mode", and is configured to be set to one of the modes at the initial setting. In the printing mode, received signals including image data from the telephone line is demodulated by a modem, then the coded image data output from the modem is stored in an image memory. The stored image memory is later decoded by an image processing section, and recorded on recording paper by a recording section. On the other hand, in the transfer mode, the image data is transmitted from the image memory to the host device via an interface section.
When the transfer mode is selected at the initial setting, and if the host computer is not switched on, or the facsimile machine and the host computer are not connected by a cable, or if the host computer is not in a state in which it can receive the image data from the facsimile machine because it is busy in performing jobs on other applications, the facsimile machine will not respond to the calling facsimile machine or the printing mode is selected (the operating mode is switched to the printing mode) automatically, to receive the data.
In a conventional facsimile machine, if the transfer mode is selected at the initial setting and if the facsimile machine receives the image data from the telephone line in the state in which the host device cannot receive image data, the facsimile machine executes the receiving operation in the printing mode. This causes a problem that the host device cannot perform intended or desired processing on the data, such as conversion and display, and the data must be transmitted again after the host device becomes able to receive the image data for the desired processing.


This invention relates to a compound or group of compounds present in an active principle derived from plants of species Euphorbia peplus, Euphorbia hirta and Euphorbia drummondii, and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds. Extracts from these plants have been found to show selective cytotoxicity against several different cancer cell lines. The compounds are useful in effective treatment of cancers, particularly malignant melanomas and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the compound is selected from the group consisting of jatrophanes, pepluanes, paralianes and ingenanes, and

There is a strong association between exposure of the skin to the ultraviolet light component of sunlight and the development of skin cancers, such as malignant melanoma and the non-melaroma skin cancers, mainly basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). The incidence of these cancers has been rapidly increasing world wide. In Britain, there were 4000 newly-diagnosed cases of malignant melanoma in 1994, an 80% increase over the past 10 years (Wessex Cancer Trust, 1996). In the United States, approximately 34,100 new cases were expected, an increase of 4% per year. Queensland, Australia, has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world, but early detection and widespread public health campaigns and the promotion of the use of sunscreens and reduction of ultraviolet exposure have helped to reduce the number of deaths. BCCs currently affect one in 1,000 in the U.K. population, and the incidence has more than doubled in the last 20 years (Imperial Cancer Research Fund, U.K., 1997). One million new cases of BCCs and SCCs are expected to be diagnosed in the USA in 1997, compared to 600,000 in 1990 and 400,000 in 1980 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S.A., 1997). In Australia, there is no reason to suspect that a similarly increasing incidence would not also apply, despite extensive publicising of the dancers of solar and UV radiation, with the Queensland population being at the greatest risk.
Over 90% of all skin cancers occur on areas of the skin that have been regularly exposed to sunlight or other ultraviolet radiation, with U.V.B. responsible for burning the skin and associated with malignant melanomas, and U.V.A. associated with premature skin aging and the development of ECCs and SCCs (Wessex Cancer Trust, 1996). Childhood sun exposure has been linked to the development of malignant melanoma in younger adults. Other risk factors include a genetic predisposition (fair complexion, many skin moles), chemical pollution, over-exposure to X-rays, and exposure to some drugs and pesticides. Depletion of the ozone layer of the stratosphere is considered to contribute to long-term increases in skin cancer.
Surgical removal is by far the most common treatment for malignant melanomas, BCCs and SCCs. This can take the form of electrodesiccation and curettage, cryosurgery, simple wide excision, micrographic surgery or laser therapy. Other treatments, used when the cancers are detected at a later stage of development, are external radiation therapy, chemotherapy or to a lesser extent bio-immunotherapy or photodynamic therapy. The choice of treatment is dependent on the type and stage of the disease and the age and health of the patient (National Cancer Institute, U.S.A., 1997).
All of the present treatments suffer from severe limitations. The major concern is the poor recognition of cancerous cells at the site of excision and the high likelihood of recurrence, necessitating follow-up surgery and treatment, with the risk of further disfigurement and scarring. In one publication, the reported rates for incompletely-excised BCCs was 30-67% (Sussman and Liggins, 1996). Immune suppression associated with surgery may cause any remaining cells to proliferate, and increase the risk of metastases. In melanoma patients there is a high risk that the cancer has already metastasized at the time of initial surgery, and late recurrence leading to death is common. Present alternatives to surgery, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy, also carry risks of immune suppression and poor specificity. Immunotherapy and gene therapy hold the greatest promise, but the rational application of these is likely to be still decades away.
When the tumour is past the stage amenable to surgery, the most common treatment for melanoma or metastatic skin cancer of all types is chemotherapy, which has been largely unsuccessful (Beljanski and Crochet, 1996)
In theory, an ideal drug would be one that when applied topically to an exposed melanoma, BCC or SCC, selectively necrotises the tumour cells or induces them to undergo apoptosis, without causing damage to the surrounding healthy skin cells. In practice, this has yet to be achieved. The drugs currently available are neither selective nor penetrative.
The lay public is also enamoured of the concept of topical chemotherapy. There have been many documented "home remedies" for skin cancer, which have had disastrous consequences, eg the use of boot polish (Adele Green, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, pers. Comm.) The major danger is the production of scar tissue, underneath which the tumour cells continue to grow. An extract derived from plants of the genus Solanum (kangaroo apple or devil's apple) and purportedly containing solasodine glycosides has been available in Australia as a non-prescription preparation treatment of sunspots and solar keratoses, under the name "Curaderm". However the preparation was shown in a small clinical trial against BCCs to be ineffective, with 14/20 patients showing persisting tumour on histological examination of tissue from the treated site. In some cases, histological examination of the site of treatment revealed malignant tissue embedded in scar tissue. The authors warned against self-diagnosis and treatment, particularly with irritant substances (Francis et al, 1989).
However, anecdotal reports suggest that plant sap extracts are still being used by the general public for the treatment of sunspots or solar keratoses, with some success being claimed.
The sap of plants of the family Euphorbiaceae, particularly the genus Euphorbia, has been used in the folk medicine of many countries. The genus was named after an early Greek physician in deference to its purported medicinal properties (Pearn, 1987). Only recently have some of these claims been investigated scientifically. The genus is enormously diverse, ranging from stall, low-growing herbaceous plants to shrubs and trees. Nearly all reports of activity of these plants and their extracts are anecdotal or derived from traditional medicine, and the nature of the preparations used is frequently either unknown or very poorly described. Activity has been claimed against a huge variety of conditions, ranging from warts, "excrescences", calluses, "cheloid tumours", corns, whitlows or felons, "superfluous flesh" and the like, to a variety of cancers (see, for example, Hartwell: Lloydia 1969 32 153).
As part of the screening program for anti-cancer activity carried out on 114,000 extracts from 35,000 terrestrial plant species carried out by the United States National Cancer Institute, a number of species of Euphorbia were tested. An aqueous suspension, an olive-oil suspension, an alcohol extract and an acid extract were screened for activity against the transplantable tumour cell line sarcoma 37. Four species were tested. Of these, Euphorbia peplus showed no activity in any of the extracts; Euphorbia drummondii, Euphorbia pilulifera, and Euphorbia resinifera showed weak activity of an acid extract, an alcohol extract, and an olive-oil suspension respectively (Belkin and Fitzgerald, 1953). A review of the scientific and medical literature of the past five vears revealed a diversity of powerful active principles such as di- and tetra-terpenes, flavonoids, sterols and proteins in this genus, and many bioactive effects have been reported, with both positive and adverse effects noted. These reports are summarized in Table 1. In particular the genus Euphorbia is well known to produce tumour promoters such as phorbol esters (Hecker, E.: "Cocarcinogens from Euphorbiaceae and Thymeleaceae" in "Symposium on Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry" (Wagner et al, eds., Springer Verlag 1970 147-165)).
TABLE 1SpeciesActive principleActionReferenceEuphorbia aleppicawhole plant:prostatic and lungOksuz, S. et alaleppicatines, diterpeneneoplasms(1996)polyesters, cycloartenetriterpenes, scopoletin,kaempferol,4-hydroxybenzoic acidEuphorbia biglandulosacerebrosides?Falsone G et alDesf.(1994)Euphorbia bougheiilatexskin irritant and tumourGundidza, M. etpromoting effectal (1993)Euphorbia characiaslatex: lipasehomology (43.5%) with BMoulin, A. etchain of ricinal (1994)Euphorbia cooperei NEwhole plant: phorbolskin irritantGundidza, M. etBresteral (1992)Euphorbia fisherianaalkaline extracttreatment of epilepsyLiu Y. et al(1994)Euphorbia hirtawhole plantinhibition of bacteriaVijaya, K. etof Shigella sppal (1995)Euphorbia hirtawhole plant: flavonoidantidiarrhoeic activityGalvez, J. etal (1993)Euphorbia humifusawhole plant:?Yoshida, T. ethydrolysable tannins,al (1994)polyphenol glucosideEuphorbia hylonomaroot:Chinese herbal medicineGuo, Z. et al3,3′,4-tri-O-metmethyl-?? action(1995)ellagic acid, beta-sitosterolEuphorbia kansuiwhole plant: ingenolsstimulation ofMatsumoto, T.expression of theet al (1992)macrophage Fc receptorEuphorbia lathyrispelletised plantrodenticideGassling andmaterialLandis (1990)U.S. Pat. No.4906472Euphorbia marginatalatexmitogenic lectinStirpe, F. etal (1993)Euphorbia peplus? quercetin,Folk remedies for warts,Weedon and Chickhyperoside, kaempferol,corns, asthma, rodent(1976) andsitosterol, alkaloids,ulcer, BCCreferences citedglycosidesthereinEuphorbiaditerpenesselectively cytotoxic forFatope, M.O. et alpoisoniihuman kidney carcinoma(1996)cell line A-498Euphorbialatexinhibition of molluscJurberg, P. et alsplendensBiomphalaria glabrata(1995)(vectors ofschistosomiasis)Euphorbiawhole plantreduces EBV-specificImai, S. (1994)tirucallicellular immunity inBurkitt's lymphoma
The most intensively studied species of this group is Euphorbia pilulifera L (synonyms E. hirta L.; E. capitata Lam.), whose common names include pill-bearing spurge, snake-weed, cat's hair, Queensland asthma weed and flowery-headed spurge. The plant is widely distributed in tropical countries, including India, and in Northern Australia, including Queensland. According to the "Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics" (Leung and Foster, 1996), the whole flowering or fruiting plant is used in herbal remedies, principally for cough preparations, and in traditional medicine for treatment of respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, coughs and hayfever. This reference reports the active constituents of Euphorbia pilulifera to be choline and shikimic acid, and that other compounds present include triterpenes, sterols, flavonoids, n-alkanes, phenolic acids, L-inositol, sugars and resins. Of these components, shikimic acid is an essential intermediate in the synthesis of aromatic amino acids, and has been reported to have carcinogenic activity in mice (Evans and Osman, 1974; Stavric and Stoltz, 1976). Jatrophanes, ingenanes, and a tetracyclic diterpene designated pepluane were identified in the sap of Euphorbia peplus by Jakupovic et al (1998a). The jatrophanes were stated to have a different conformation from those of previously-known jatrophanes. Jatrophanes are also stated to belong to a group of non-irritant diterpenes, which could have accounted to their being overlooked in previous studies. There is no disclosure or suggestion at all of any biological activity of the jatrophanes or of the new pepluane compound; nor is it suggested that any of these compounds might be useful for any pharmaceutical purpose.
A recent report describes selective cytotoxicity of a number of tigliane diterpene esters from the latex of Euphorbia poisonii, a highly-toxic plant found in Northern Nigeria, which is used as a garden pesticide and reputed to be used in homicides. One of these compounds has a selective cytotoxicity for the human kidney carcinoma cell line A-498 more than 10,000-times greater than that of adriamycin (Fatope et al, 1996).
In a series of patent applications, Tamas has claimed use of Euphorbia hirta plants and extracts thereof for a variety of purposes, including tumour therapy (EP 330094), AIDS-related complex and AIDS (HU-208790) and increasing immunity and as an anti fungoid agent for treatment of open wounds (DE-4102054).
Thus, while there are isolated reports of anti-cancer activity of various Euphorbia preparations (see Fatope et al, 1996; Oksuz et al, 1996), not only are the compounds present in at least one Euphorbia species reported to be carcinogenic (Evans and Osman, 1974; Stavric and Stolz, 1976; Hecker, 1970; 1977), but at least one species has a skin-irritant and tumour-promoting effect (Gundidza et al, 1993), and another species reduces EBV-specific cellular immunity in Burkitt's lymphoma (Imai, 1994).
To our knowledge, there has been no reliable or reproducible report of the use of any extract from Euphorbia species for the treatment of malignant melanoma or SCCs. An anecdotal. report of home treatment of a BCC with the latex of Euphorbia peplus (petty spurge or milk weed) was the publication of Weedon, D. and Chick, J., entitled "Home treatment of basal cell carcinoma" (1976). The authors stated that medicinal properties have been claimed for the milky juice of this plant since the time of Galen, and it was widely used as a home remedy for corns, warts, and asthma. At the turn of the century it was used by some physicians in Sydney for the treatment of rodent ulcers. The author's patient claimed to have treated himself over many years for multiple BCCs.
"The patient, a 54 year old male, had been seen sporadically at the Royal Brisbane Hospital since 1971. On one visit he was noted to have a clinical basal cell carcinoma on the anterior part of his chest which was confirmed by biopsy of a tiny specimen taken from one edge Some days later when the biopsy site had healed the patient applied the sap of Euphorbia peplus every day for 5 days. The area became erythematous and then pustular, after which the lesion sloughed off. On his return 6 weeks after treatment, the patient agreed to let us surgically excise the small area of residual scarring. Multiple sections showed dermal scar tissue which contained a few chronic inflammatory cells, but showed no evidence of residual tumour."
The authors stated that "this communication should in no way be taken as a recommendation of the form of therapy". There are a few reports cautioning on the corrosive nature of the sap, and minor eye damage that has resulted from the home treatment of warts using Euphorbia peplus (Eke, T., 1994). It appears likely that the effect reported by Weedon and Chick resulted from the irritant activity of the Euphorbia peplus sap, and that, as in the case of the Solanum extract "Curaderm" reported by Francis et al (1989), there is a high risk of residual tumour cells surviving in or under the scar tissue that results from such treatment.
The inventor has now surprisingly found that sap of plants from three different Euphorbia species, Euphorbia peplus, Euphorbia hirta and Euphorbia drummondii, specifically inhibits growth of three different human tumour cell lines, including malignant melanoma. Moreover, at very low concentrations, sap from Euphorbia peplus and Euphorbia hirta induced differentiation of malignant melanoma cells so that they adopted the morphological appearance of normal melanocytes. At similar or even lower concentrations an extract stimulated activation of the metallothionein gene promoter and expression of a reporter gene in MM96L malignant melanoma cells. The results were particularly striking, since the melanoma cell line which was used is refractory to inhibition by all of the conventional chemotherapeutic agents which have been test d against it (Maynard and Parsons, 1986).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Abstract: pharmaceutically-acceptable salts or esters thereof, and more particularly jatrophanes of Conformation II.


An antenna apparatus includes a first radiation area, a phase adjustment area and a second radiation area. The first radiation area is disposed opposite to the second radiation area. The first radiation area is connected to one end of the phase adjustment area. The other end of the phase adjustment area is connected to the second radiation area. The first radiation area includes a feeding point of the antenna apparatus. The second radiation area includes a ground point of the antenna apparatus. The phase adjustment area is used to adjust a phase of a signal fed by the feeding point, to change a direction of a space electromagnetic field formed by an electromagnetic signal radiated by each of the first radiation area and the second radiation area.

Various communications products and technologies spring up with booming development of communications technologies. In addition, as integrated circuit technologies become increasingly mature, a product gradually tends to be light, thin, and small. A volume of an antenna that is configured to transmit and receive a signal and that is in a communications product plays an important role in obtaining a light, thin, and small communications product.
An antenna is a component configured to radiate or receive an electromagnetic wave. Usually, an antenna feature may be learned from parameters such as a radiation pattern, operation frequency, a return loss, and an antenna gain.
FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a phased array antenna in a current system. The phased array antenna adjusts a shape of a directivity pattern of a space electromagnetic field by adjusting phase beamforming of each element in different combinations in a process of arraying a plurality of radiating elements. In this solution, a plurality of phases of a plurality of array elements are adjustable, and a direction to which a maximum value of an antenna directivity pattern points is changed by using a phase control method, so as to implement beam scanning. The phased array antenna has a large body size and high costs, and consequently an array antenna cannot be applied to a terminal consumer product.
Therefore, to meet a requirement for a high throughput in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system, an antenna apparatus extremely needs to be developed in a design structure with a single feeding point, to provide an antenna having a simple structure, a small volume, low costs, and an adjustable space electromagnetic field direction.


A method and system for continuously producing a flat steel product from flat stock produced by the arcuate continuous casting method with a horizontal direction of emergence are disclosed. In one form of the invention, flat stock is shaped after solidification of a strand in a first shaping stage at temperatures exceeding about 1100.degree. C. The stock is then inductively reheated to a temperature of about 1100.degree. C. with approximate temperature equalization of an entire cross-section of the flat stock. The flat stock is additionally shaped in at least one additional shaping stage with rolling speeds in accordance with the stock's accompanying reduction in thickness per pass.

The present invention relates to a method for continuously producing strip steel or steel sheet from flat stock produced in accordance with the arcuate continuous casting method with a horizontal direction of delivery.
The steel industry faces a great need, either as the result of a general trend or in order to overcome the crisis with which in recent years particularly the operators of out-dated systems have been confronted, to lower operating and investment costs while, at the same time, improving product quality and increasing flexibility with respect to the lots produced, i.e., so-called "coils" or steel sheets. With the modernization of existing steel mills or the planning and creation of new steel mills with the use of new technological concepts and devices, a paramount goal has been to increase productivity and profitability while simultaneously improving product quality and achieving a greater range with regard to the "unit size" in which the final product is to be delivered in order to cover the largest possible range of uses.
One of the new technologies that is currently being promoted in view of the current demands on steel production involves the processing steps between a melting of steel and either (i) the winding up of strip steel in the form of "coils" or (ii) the stacking of sheets. The new technology comprises the casting of thin slabs in a thickness close to their final dimensions, which can then be processed further into the desired final product in only a few subsequent passes or deformation steps. This has led to remarkable improvements in continuous casting technology, particularly with respect to mold construction and of the corresponding immersed outlet, and also to improvements in the construction of roll stands and trains with the goal of achieving the desired deformation in the fewest possible number of passes.
Plants for the production of strip steel have become known, even though described as "pilot plants", in which thin slabs of a thickness of about 50 mm are produced by the continuous casting method, as compared with conventional slabs having a thickness range of 150 to 320 mm. These thin slabs pass through the successive rolling/processing steps in different ways; the final product is strip steel of a thickness of only a few millimeters. It has been previously proposed to roll out the cast product, immediately after an intermediate heating in a furnace, for instance in a tandem train having six stands. Since the casting speed cannot be much faster than about 5 meters per minute, the rolling speeds which thus results on the last stand of the rolling train are too slow to maintain the required final rolling temperatures of at least about 865.degree. C. That is to say, the strip undergoes excessive cooling between one rolling step and the next step due to its low speed, which is identical to the casting speed, upon entering the rolling train. This solution was, therefore, abandoned since it was not possible to solve the problem economically even with heat protection devices and heated rolls because this would have resulted in a considerable increase in investment and operating expenses.
Another approach proposes cutting the strip in front of a heating furnace in which the heat treatment (temperature equalization) of the strip over its entire cross-section subsequently takes place. It can, for instance, be a gas-heated roller furnace with which, independent of the casting speed which is to be taken into account, a temperature of the strip at the outlet of the furnace of about 1100.degree. C. can be set, i.e. a temperature which is optimal for the subsequent rolling process. The strip is cut to a standard length, which for a certain weight of the coil can, for instance, be about 50 meters, which requires a corresponding furnace length of about 150 meters if the required buffer action is taken into account.
By uncoupling the rolling train from the casting process proper, the rolling out of the thin slab or "rough strip" can be carried out at higher speeds, so that a drop in temperature to below the minimum temperature permissible for the final rolling stage need not be feared. In this connection, the length of the furnace--which amounts to about three times the length of the length of strip--results, aside from a considerable increase in equipment investment, also in enormous space requirements which cannot be satisfied by many steel mills.
In addition, the dimensions of the plant and thus of the furnace impose limits on the length of the successive lengths of strip to be treated and thus also on the final weight of the coil. The coil's final weight, in turn, limits the range of use for production of coils of very large diameter. Accordingly, a plant of this type also does not afford the possibility of using even thinner initial slabs should this become possible as a result of the further technological development of the continuous casting method. Assuming an initial thickness of 25 mm--as has already been done hypothetically--instead of 50 mm, the strip would have to be divided into lengths of about 100 meters in order to obtain the same final weight of the coil, which would require a length on the order of magnitude of about 300 meters for the treatment furnace, which is not feasible both from a practical and from an economic standpoint.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to create a method of the type described above and a corresponding plant to carry out this method by means of which a steel strip can be continuously produced from a flat product coming from an arcuate continuous casting plant without incurring the above-mentioned disadvantages.
In particular, cutting of the strand between the casting and at least the first rolling is dispensed with, the casting strand passing in the first roll stand at the speed at which the rolled stock leaves the arcuate section of the continuous casting plant. Thus, the method is to be carried out "in line" with practically unlimited flexibility so that it becomes possible to produce coils of any desired weight and length or sheets without changing the dimension parameters of the plant since the cutting of the rolled strip is conducted at least after the first rolling or after conducting all operating steps directly in front of the reeling or stacking device.
The foregoing object is achieved by a method which is characterized by the following steps:
a) Shaping flat stock after complete solidification of the strand in a first shaping step at temperatures of more than 1100.degree. C.; PA1 b) Inductive reheating of the flat stock to a temperature of about 100.degree. C. with approximate temperature equalization over the entire cross-section of the flat stock; and PA1 c) Shaping of the flat stock in at least one additional shaping step at rolling speeds corresponding to the specific reduction per pass. PA1 Adjustment of the shaping steps after passage of a starting bar which is provided upon the casting process; PA1 Separation of the starting bar directly prior to winding up the strip or prior to stacking of the sheets; and PA1 Differentiated heat control in successive steps/zones after passage of the initial bar. PA1 a) A mold for the continuous casting of flat products with a subsequent guide stand in arcuate shape; PA1 b) A first shaping unit for forming the flat product in the guide stand and/or immediately behind it; PA1 c) A device for inductive heating and for approximate temperature equalization over the cross-section of the flat product; PA1 d) At least one additional roll stand; and PA1 e) A cutting device.
In a further embodiment of the method, the strip between the first and the next deformation step is wound up. The rolled-out strip can be wound up according to the desired weight of coil following the forming of the flat product, or it can be stacked after cutting the rolled-out strip following the forming of the flat product in predetermined lengths so as to form stacks of steel sheet, possibly after cooling and straightening. The flat product is therefore first of all passed through a first roll stand at the speed of emergence of the product from the arcuate continuous casting plant and passes through the successive rolling stages always at speeds which correspond to the deformations in the individual passes. The strip which has been rolled in this manner is then either wound up and cut when the desired weight of coil is reached or the strip is subdivided into desired lengths and stacked as sheets. An important aspect of the present invention is the inductive reheating of the flat product, after descaling, to temperatures of about 1100.degree. C. preferably with the best possible temperature equalization since, in this way, excessive cooling of the strip can be favorably counteracted.
A further embodiment of the invention includes one or more steps of inductive intermediate heating of the flat product between the above-mentioned shaping steps. By this intermediate heating, excessive cooling of the rolling stock is also counteracted, so that the required roll temperatures can always be set in the manner that the temperatures in the last shaping step do not drop below a limit value of 860.degree. C.
Another embodiment of the invention provides the following additional steps:
After passage through the roll stands, the starting bar can be cut off by the device which is in any event present for the subdividing of the rolled strips, or it can be cut off by an additional cutting device arranged behind the first forming step.
The plant for carrying out the method of the invention is characterized by the following plant parts in the sequence indicated:
The cutting device can be arranged subsequent to the first shaping unit and between the first shaping unit and the additional shaping unit. A unit can be provided for winding up and unwinding the flat product, the cutting device being arranged in front thereof. The unit for winding up and unwinding the flat product is preferably arranged behind the device for inductive heating and in front of the additional shaping unit.
As an alternative, this system is followed, in accordance with the invention, either by a cutting device for the rolled strip and at least one reel for winding up the strip or by a cutting device for the rolled strip, a cooling device, a straightening machine, and a stacking device for the separated sheets.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the system includes, in addition, at least one inductive heating device in order to effect an intermediate heating between the additional roll stands.
Each of these devices is advantageously provided with heating stages that can be individually controlled.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the system is furthermore equipped with devices for adjusting the cross-section of passage between the rollers of the first shaping unit and the additional roll stands in order to permit the passage of the starting bar present at the head of the casting strand and to reduce the cross-sections back to the customary passage values immediately after passage of the starting strand. Devices are provided for successive control of the individual heating stages of the furnaces immediately after passage of the starting bar. The cutting device for cutting off the starting bar is also used for cutting the rolled strip, i.e. as the cutting device present in the final section of the plant.
In accordance with another proposal of the invention, the cutting device that is arranged behind the first shaping unit is used for cutting off the starting bar.

Method and system for continuously producing flat steel product by the continuous casting method


A high throughput deposition apparatus includes a first process chamber; one or more first deposition sources in the first process chamber; a first main carrier comprising a plurality of first sub-carriers each configured to carry one or more substrate each positioned around an axial direction and configured to receive a first deposition material from the one or more first deposition sources, wherein the first sub-carriers define a curved surface around the axial direction; and a transport mechanism configured to move the first main carrier along the axial direction through the first process chamber.

The present application relates to material deposition technologies, and more specifically to high throughput deposition apparatus.
Material deposition in vacuum is widely used in photovoltaic cells and panels, window glass coating, flat panel display manufacturing, coating on flexible substrates, hard disk coating, industrial surface coating, semiconductor wafer processing, and other applications.
High volume production systems used for these applications typically comprise of interconnected box-shaped chambers that accept one or two rows of substrates. The deposition sources typically have a material usage rates ranging from 20 percent with low cost planar targets to 50% with high cost rotary targets.
There is therefore a need for higher throughput deposition systems that can provide uniform deposition on a higher number of substrates with reduced material waste.

High throughput vacuum deposition sources and system


Embodiments of the present invention generally provide a more reliable variable choke flow control valve. In one embodiment, a variable choke valve for use in a wellbore is provided. The valve includes a tubular housing having an axial bore therethrough and a port through a wall thereof. The valve further includes a tubular sleeve having an axial bore therethrough and first and second holes through a wall thereof and disposed within the housing. The first hole is larger than the second hole, and the sleeve is actuatable among three positions: a first position where the first hole is aligned with the port, a second position where the second hole is aligned with the port, and a third position where the sleeve wall is aligned with the port.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to valves for use in wellbores.
2. Description of the Related Art
Subsequent to the drilling of an oil or gas well, the well is completed by running into such well a string of casing which is cemented in place. Thereafter, the casing is perforated to permit the fluid hydrocarbons to flow into the interior of the casing and subsequently to the top of the well. Such produced hydrocarbons are transmitted from the production zone of the well through a production tubing or work string which is concentrically disposed relative to the casing.
In many well completion operations, it frequently occurs that it is desirable, either during the completion, production, or workover stages of the life of the well, to have fluid communication between the annular area between the interior of the casing and the exterior of the production tubing or workstring with the interior of such production tubing or workstring for purposes of, for example, injecting chemical inhibitor, stimulants, or the like, which are introduced from the top of the well through the production tubing or workstring and to such annular area. Alternatively, it may be desirable to provide such a fluid flow passageway between the tubing/casing annulus and the interior of the production tubing so that actual production fluids may flow from the annular area to the interior of the production tubing, thence to the top of the well. Likewise, it may be desirable to circulate weighting materials or fluids, or the like, down from the top of the well in the tubing/casing annulus, thence into the interior of the production tubing for circulation to the top of the well in a "reverse circulation" pattern.
In instances as above described, it is well known in the industry to provide a well tool having a port or ports therethrough which are selectively opened and closed by means of a sliding sleeve element positioned interiorly of the well tool. Such sleeve typically may be manipulated between open and closed positions by means of wireline, remedial coiled tubing, electric line, or any other well known auxiliary conduit and tool means. In some tools, it is desirable to provide intermediate positions between the open and closed positions so that flow through the tool may be regulated. One way to accomplish this is to mismatch the slots in the sleeve with the port(s) in the housing. Another way is to configure the sleeve with a plurality of different sized slots and to configure the tool so that the different slots may be selectively aligned with the port in the housing.
Typically, in tools having the multi-sized slots, the tool must contain some sort of elastomeric or metallic sealing element used to isolate the port and currently aligned slot from the rest of the slots and the tool. This same sealing element is also used to isolate the slots form the port when the tool is in a closed position. Thus, if the sealing element should fail, the tool cannot be effectively closed. Further, such failure could adversely affect the sealing integrity of the entire production tubing conduit.
Typically, in tools configured to regulate flow by mismatching the slots in the sleeve with the port(s) in the housing, a series of upper and lower primary seals are placed in the housing for dynamic sealing engagement relative to the exterior of the sleeve which passes across the seals during opening and closing of the port element. As with all seals, such primary sealing means also represent an area of possible loss of sealing integrity.
Accordingly, there is a need for a variable choke flow control tool with a seal configuration which is more reliable, thereby reducing the chances of loss of sealing integrity through the tool and the tubular conduit.


A reservoir in which fluid entering the reservoir is mixed with fluid already present in the reservoir is provided. The mixed fluid is then drawn from the reservoir in such a manner that the fluid drawn from the reservoir has a composition which closely approximates the average composition of the fluid in the reservoir. In this manner, the rate of composition change of fluid released from the reservoir is less than the rate of compositional change of fluid entering the reservoir.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling the rate of composition change of a fluid having a changing composition. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus and method for controlling the rate of composition change of fuel in a vehicle capable of using fuels of differing composition.
It is well known that ever tighter emissions regulations and petroleum depletion have prompted research into the feasibility of using alternative fuels in motorized vehicle engines. Currently, ethanol/gasoline and methanol/gasoline mixtures are among the alternative fuel possibilities being considered.
Alternative fuel mixtures exhibit physical properties and performance characteristics which are different from pure gasoline, including dissimilar combustion burn rates, volumetric energy content, vapor pressures, octane ratings, and heats of vaporization. The operating parameters of vehicle engines utilizing alternative fuels must be adjusted to accommodate such differences in order for the engines to operate efficiently. The operating parameters which must be adjusted include the air bypass, fuel flow, spark timing, and air/fuel ratio.
The aforementioned adjustments can be made automatically by an engine control computer. Engine control computers are well known and are commonly used in vehicles. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,630 to Wineland et al. However, in order for an engine control computer to correctly make the requisite adjustments, the instantaneous composition of the fuel being burned in the engine must be known by the computer. To the extent that fuel composition information sent to the engine control computer differs from the actual composition of fuel being burned in the engine, adjustments made to the engine will be improper. Improper engine adjustments, in turn, can result in poor engine performance and excess emissions due to incomplete combustion. Thus, a close correlation between the composition of fuel actually being burned in an engine and that which is made known to the engine control computer is needed to facilitate the use of alternative fuel use in motorized vehicle engines.
A common method of providing fuel composition information to engine control computers is through the use of in-line fuel sensors which exploit differences in physical properties between gasoline and ethanol or methanol to measure the instantaneous composition of fuel flowing past the sensor. The sensor then sends a signal to the computer which corresponds to the composition of the fuel flowing past the sensor.
A frequently encountered problem with alternative fuel vehicles is rapid composition change of the fuel flowing from the fuel tank to the engine. The fuel in alternative fuel vehicles will typically consist of multiple components, such as combinations of gasoline, methanol and ethanol. In addition, the fuel may also contain various fuel additives or water. Prior to the complete mixing of the fuel by the fuel pump as it circulates fuel through the fuel system, "pockets" of fuel having varying compositions will flow in the fuel line towards the engine, thus introducing rapidly and continuously varying compositions of fuel to the engine. As will be explained, engine control systems cannot adequately cope with such rapid composition changes. The rate of fuel composition change is particularly severe when phase separation occurs or when the fuel tank is nearly empty and a different blend is added.
Phase separation in the fuel tank and in the fuel system occurs when the weather is cold and/or the water content of the fuel blend is above its threshold of tolerance for the current temperature. In this instance, when the vehicle's engine is not running such that the fuel is not flowing but is stationary in the fuel tank and fuel system, the fuel will separate into two or more immiscible phases. The higher density methanol rich, ethanol rich, or water rich phase will settle towards the lower portions of the fuel tank and fuel system while the lower density gasoline rich phase will accumulate towards the upper portions of the fuel tank and fuel system. When the engine is subsequently started and the fuel pump resumes circulating fuel through the fuel system, the phase separated mixture will form an emulsion as it begins to mix. Prior to forming an emulsion, the composition of the fuel being sent to the engine changes very rapidly. After the emulsion forms, the rate of composition change slows but is still higher than the rate at which engine control systems can adequately control the performance of the engine due to inadequate mixing of the emulsion.
Another situation in which a high rate of compositional change is encountered is when a vehicle has been operating on one fuel blend, the fuel tank is nearly empty, and a fuel blend having a very different composition than the previous blend is added, the composition of the fuel in the fuel tank will mix to form a fuel having a composition close to that of the added blend. When the engine is started, the fuel system (i.e. fuel lines, fuel pump, fuel filter, etc.) will initially be full of the previous blend. After a short time, the new blend will enter the fuel system from the fuel tank, causing the rate of composition change of the fuel reaching the engine to temporarily be much higher than is controllable by the engine control system.
When the rate of fuel composition change is high, particularly after phase separation or fuel blend change on an empty tank, engine control systems utilizing an engine control computer/fuel sensor arrangement are unable to keep up with the changing composition. This is due, in part, to the distance separating the fuel sensor and the engine. When the fuel composition is changing rapidly, the fuel composition information being sent to the engine control computer, based on the instantaneous composition of fuel flowing past the sensor, will differ from the composition of fuel actually being introduced into the engine. The result will be improper engine adjustments being made by the engine control computer, resulting in poor engine performance and excess emissions.
Accordingly, it is seen that a need exists in the art for a means of controlling the rate of composition change of a fluid having a changing composition, particularly when that fluid is a fuel in an alternative fuel vehicle.

Apparatus for controlling the rate of composition change of a fluid


Computer equipment having a prompt access function that can be operated prior to booting an operating system. The computer equipment comprises a processing system and a displaying system. The processing system has hardware resources with a backup/recovery module. The backup/recovery module establishes at least one recovery unit to hold backup data. The displaying system is used for displaying data contained in the processing system, corresponding to the recovery unit. The displaying system has a selecting means for selecting a status corresponding to the processing system. Thereafter, the displaying system displays the selected status. In the computer equipment of the invention, there is no limit on the amount of the recovery units which can be accessed simultaneously. The recovery unit is only loaded when it is required. Consequently, system resources can be saved, and mis-operation can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer equipment having a prompt access function, and more particularly to a computer equipment and method that does not need to mount restore points in advance, while unlimited restore points can simultaneously be accessed at once.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conventional backup/recovery softwares often create recovery points to backup data in a computer system for restoring the computer system to a state of creating the recovery points. For example, the conventional backup/recovery software, such as the Goback software developed by Adaptec Corporation, adopt a dynamic backup technique in creating recovery points. The valid data is backed up prior to making changes to the data. Such Goback software developed by Adaptec Corporation can restore the computer system to a previous state, in accordance with the backed up data, from a current state.
The conventional backup/recovery software must mount every recovery points before such recovery points can be accessed. Each recovery point is mounted as a logical drive respectively, and attach to the computer system, so as to make available for access. Users can access every logical drive in order to access every file contained in the corresponding recovery point. These recovery points can make users to preview the contents of the recovery point prior to restoring the computer system.
Prior to viewing the previous created recovery points, these recovery points have to be mounted as logical drives. Meanwhile, these recovery points should be loaded into a main memory.
However, these recovery points can't be viewed simultaneously. The reason is that the operating system (OS) can only support twenty-six drives at most, that is, from A to Z, Accordingly, the conventional backup/recovery software only allow users to view twenty-three recovery points at one time for drives A, B and C means A disk, B disk and C disk, located in the computer system. Moreover, these limited recovery points are indirect in checking to make users mis-operated.
In other words, every recovery point created by the conventional backup/recovery software has to be loaded into a main memory while the recovery points are mounted as the logical drives. The recovery points are loaded and executed with operating system (OS) intervention. This is done before the recovery points are previewed, and system resources are wasted consequently.
In addition, the users can even though preview the contents of the recovery point, however, users cannot realize whether the computer system can be booted or not if the computer system is restored to a certain state of creating the recovery points. Furthermore, this operation can only be implemented in the Windows operating system. Providing that the Windows operating system cannot be booted, the preview operation cannot be implemented.

Computer equipment having a prompt access function and related method