A motor vehicle is equipped with an infrared camera for viewing roadway conditions in terms of a thermal image, and outputs a video signal to a head up display (HUD) which projects the camera view to the operator via the windshield or other combiner to display a virtual image in the operator's field of view. The HUD is configured to magnify the image to the same size as the visual or real scene, and compensates for camera and windshield distortion. The virtual image is presented above or below the real scene or may be superimposed on the real scene. A video processor allows selection of only the warmest objects for display.

It has often been proposed to use infrared cameras to produce images of a roadway revealing warm objects such as humans, animals or other sources of infrared radiation. This has the advantage of detecting such objects at night particularly if they are beyond the range of vehicle lights. Such systems have typically used a video monitor or the like to display the detected objects. A traditional monitor is bulky and difficult to locate in a convenient place for viewing, and requires the operator to look away from the roadway to observe the infrared image. The image would be quite small relative to the real roadway scene so that there could be some difficulty in accurately judging the distances of the objects being displayed. Thus if an object is not visible in the real scene, it is hard to determine its location.
It is also known to employ head up display techniques to project instrument images or vehicle parameter data onto the vehicle windshield or other combiner so that the display is in or immediately adjacent to the operator's line of sight. Such displays have been quite small relative to the roadway scene due to the limited space available for the required image source and projection mirrors.

Head up display with night vision enhancement


A valve used in a sewage handling system allows outer casing components to be disconnected from each other while both of the fluid transporting or retaining components that are connected to the valve remain sealed from the environment when the valve is in a closed position. Yet, the valve can be operated by simple rotation of a single actuator. For example, the valve connects a conduit connected to a toilet with a sewage holding tank. The valve includes first and second connecting parts of an outer casing which are circular cross section housed cylinders with one end perpendicular to the axis of elongation of the cylinder and the second end forming an oval face disposed at an angle of about 35.degree.-55.degree. to the axis of elongation. First and second inner valve components have the same basic shape as the outer casing parts so that when the first inner element is aligned with a first outer casing part, the valve is completely closed and may be disassembled, whereas when the inner and outer parts are out of phase 180.degree., the valve is completely open and allows sewage to flow from the conduit to the holding tank.

In the handling of sewage especially on boats and recreational vehicles, sewage is typically transported from a toilet (e.g., utilizing a vacuum pump) to a sewage holding tank, which is emptied at a suitable location where it can be handled and in an environmentally-responsible manner. Sometimes it is desirable to move the holding tank, disconnect the sewage hose or other conduit coming from the toilet, or repair or replace components of the system. While one way that this could be effected is to provide a plurality of valves connecting the holding tank to a sewage conduit, for example, one then has the expense of two or more valves, and the operation of the two or more valves is required to open or shut down the system.
According to the present invention, a system, and a valve that is ideally suited for the system (although it is useful in other contexts too), are provided which allow ready disconnection of a conduit in a holding tank (or other fluid conducting or retaining components) so that both are sealed from the environment, utilizing a single valve actuator.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a valve is provided comprising: An outer casing including a first connecting part for connection to a first fluid transporting or retaining component, and a second connecting part distinct from but mating with the first connecting part, and for connection to a second fluid transporting or retaining component. First and second inner movable valve elements movable from an open position allowing flow of fluid from a first fluid transporting or retaining component to a second fluid transporting or retaining component, and a closed position in which fluid cannot flow between first and second fluid transporting or retaining components, the inner elements when in the closed position allowing disassembly of the first connecting part from the second connecting part without either of the first and second fluid transporting or retaining components communicating with the surrounding environment at the valve.
First and second stationary seals may act between the outer casing and the movable valve element. The first seal may be disposed adjacent the connection of the conduit to the outer casing, the second seal opposite the first seal from the outer casing and in alignment with the first seal.
The outer casing first and second parts each comprise a circular cross section hollow cylinder having an axis of elongation, the first end substantially perpendicular to the axis of elongation, and the second end forming an oval surface disposed at an angle significantly less than 90.degree. (preferably about 35.degree.-55.degree.) with respect to the axis of elongation. The oval surfaces of the outer casing parts are in face-to-face engagement with each other. The first outer casing part second end is typically open, and the second outer casing part second end is typically closed.
The first and second movable valve elements comprise a circular cross section hollow cylinder having a sidewall and an axis of elongation, the first end substantially perpendicular to the axis of elongation, and a second end forming an oval surface disposed at an angle significantly less than 90.degree. (typically about 35.degree.-55.degree.) with respect to the angle of elongation. The oval surfaces of the first and second movable valve element are in face-to-face engagement with each other. The first movable element has a solid sidewall and open second end, and the second element has an open second end and an opening in the sidewall for cooperation with tile first fluid conducting or retaining component, while the open first end communicates with the second fluid conducting or retaining component when the movable valve elements are in the open position.
The first and second movable valve elements are mounted in the outer casing for rotation about an axis of rotation aligned with the axis of elongation of the cylinders forming the valve elements. An actuator is typically provided adjacent the first end of the first movable valve element, and the first end of the first outer casing has an opening therein through which the actuator extends (into contact with the first movable valve element). A vent may be provided in an overlapping area of the valve elements.
According to another aspect of the present invention a valve per se is provided. The valve comprises the following elements: an outer casing including a first connecting part for connection to a first fluid transporting or retaining component, and a second connecting part distinct from but mating with the first connecting part, and for connection to a second fluid transporting or retaining component. First and second inner movable valve elements movable from an open position allowing flow of fluid from a first fluid transporting or retaining component to a second fluid transporting or retaining component, and a closed position in which fluid cannot flow between first and second fluid transporting or retaining components. The outer casing first and second parts each comprise a circular cross section hollow cylinder having an axis of elongation, a first end substantially perpendicular to the axis of elongation, and a second end forming an oval surface disposed at an angle of significantly less than ninety degrees with respect to the axis of elongation, the oval surfaces being in face-to-face engagement with each other. The first outer casing part second end is open and the second outer casing part second end is closed. The first and second movable valve elements each comprise a circular cross section hollow cylinder having a sidewall and an axis of elongation, a first end substantially perpendicular to the axis of elongation and a second end forming an oval surface disposed at an angle significantly less than 90 degrees with respect to the axis of elongation; the oval surfaces of the first and second movable valve elements in face-to-face engagement with each other; the first movable valve element having a solid sidewall and open second end, and the second element having an open second end and an opening in the sidewall for cooperation with the first fluid conducting or retaining component while the open first end communicates with the second fluid conducting or retaining component when the movable valve elements are in the open position.
The invention also relates to a sewage handling system comprising at least one toilet, a sewage holding tank having a sewage receiving opening therein, and a conduit operatively connected to the at least one toilet (e.g., through a vacuum pump). The conduit comprises the first fluid transporting or retaining component as described above, and the holding tank the second.
Various indicia may also be provided on the components--for example, on the actuator and on a seal-containing projection opposite the connection of the conduit to the outer casing--for indicating when the valve is in the closed position, and therefore, that the components can be disassembled. Alternatively, seals may be provided on a movable element instead of associated with the outer casing, if the proper quality of sealing material can be used economically for the intended environment.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved sewage handling system, and a valve ideally suited for use in such a system, but also suitable for other purposes. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.

Readily detachable cylindrical sections valve


The present invention relates to Performance Grade asphalt and a method for producing the same. The process includes adding a performance grade modifier and aggregates to an asphalt cement. The performance grade modifier reduces the high temperature limit and the low temperature limit of the performance grade asphalt in a ratio of about 1:1. A vacuum distilled component of recycled used lubricating oil is used as the performance grade modifier. The recycled used lubricating oil is added to the base oil and aggregate in sufficient quantities to achieve the selected operating temperature range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to performance grade asphalt and more specifically to a method for making performance grade asphalt.
2. Related Art
Using asphalt for surfacing heavily traveled roads is common practice. Asphalt historically has been a mixture of heavy residual fuel oil obtained from the process of refining crude oil. Often this residual, referred to as asphalt cement and/or asphalt binder by the asphalt industry, may be the residue from the bottom of a crude vacuum tower in a typical petroleum refinery. The residual product is mixed with aggregate (stone, sand, etc.) to produce road asphalt. The mass ratio of asphalt cement to the aggregate is typically 5%. Traditionally, the critical specification of the asphalt cement was its viscosity. The higher the viscosity of the asphalt cement, the more suited the asphalt grade would be for higher ambient temperatures. Asphalt grades were categorized typically as AC-5, AC-10, AC-20, AC-30 with the higher numbers representing the higher viscosity grades, and therefore better suited for higher ambient temperatures such as would be experienced in the southern states. Other specifications which were tested included penetration, ductility, softening point and moisture susceptibility. The asphalt cement, any added modifying materials, and the aggregate are tested individually, and as a finished asphalt blended mix.
With increased use and load demand on asphalt roadways, the U.S. Department of Transportation recognized the need to modify the asphalt specifications and from 1987 through 1993 conducted the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) to develop new ways to specify, test and design asphalt. The final product from SHRP is referred to as "Superpave" or Superior Performing Asphalt Pavements. For discussion purposes, this term is abbreviated as PG, or Performance Grade, asphalt. While PG asphalt testing still examines the viscosity of the asphalt cement or binder, it also analyzes the asphalt over a temperature range. PG asphalt testing artificially ages the asphalt to determine how the material can be expected to perform on the road surface during a several year period. The testing measures void spaces which can result in cracking, compacting or break up. The testing also measures heating losses which can be important when evaluating the effectiveness of asphalt modifiers from both an economic as well as an environmental standpoint. PG asphalt testing also examines and sets standards for the aggregate component of the mixture including such specifications as size (coarse vs. fine), angularity, flatness and elongation, faceted, fractured, etc.
Distinct from the former AC specifications, which graded asphalts according to viscosity, PG asphalt is categorized or graded by the temperature range over which the particular grade will meet or exceed the minimum required specifications. For example, a typical PG grade of asphalt is PG 64-22. This indicates that the asphalt will meet specification throughout a temperature operating range of 64 degrees C. (147 degrees F.) down to -22 degrees C.(7.6 degrees F.). PG asphalt temperature specifications vary in 6 degree increments. For example, the next lower temperature grade below -22 degrees C. is -28 degrees C. The next higher grade above 64 degrees C. is 70 degrees C. Generally speaking if there is less than 90 degrees C. between the upper and lower temperatures in a PG asphalt grade, that grade can more than likely be produced without the need to add performance improving components or modifiers. However, if a specification requires more than 90 degrees C. between the upper and lower temperatures, such as PG 64-28 or PG 58-34, generally either high-end or low-end modifiers are required. The demand for wide range PG asphalt is greater in the northern latitudes as the ambient temperature range is greater there than in the southern areas.
An ideal asphalt is stiff enough to resist compacting or rutting from heavy highway loads during high ambient temperatures, while having a high enough tensile strength to not be brittle under those same heavy loads during very low ambient temperatures. The differential in low ambient temperatures is greater than the differential in the high ambient temperatures between the northern and southern latitudes. Therefore, the ability to drop the lower end of the PG range is more critical than raising the upper end of the range.
Conventionally, the low end of the range is modified through the addition of a petroleum distillate. Initially, asphalt blenders utilized diesel fuel or home heating oil to drop the low end of the performance range. Typical petroleum distillate blended into asphalt cement lowers the upper temperature about two degrees for every one degree that is reduced at the low end of the temperature range. Thus, conventional petroleum distillate reduces the high temperature limit and the low temperature limit of the asphalt cement in a ratio of about 2:1. In order to maintain the upper temperature range when using such conventional distillate fuel oil to lower the low end of the temperature range, it is necessary to add polymer concentrate to counteract the effects that the fuel oil has on the upper end of the temperature range. These polymer concentrates add considerable expense to the overall cost of the asphalt.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an inexpensive performance grade asphalt. Particularly, there is a need in the art for a method of making an inexpensive performance grade asphalt that is effective over a wide temperature range. Still more particularly, there is a need for a method of making Performance Grade asphalt that improves the high to low temperature limit ratio to less than about 2:1.


A temperature-compensated resonator including a body used in deformation, and a core of the body is formed by a material that is one of glass, ceramic glass, technical ceramic, and metallic glass. At least one part of the body includes a coating whose Young's modulus variation with temperature is of an opposite sign to that of the material used for the core, so that at least a first order frequency variation with temperature of the resonator is substantially zero.

EP Patent No. 1 422 436 discloses a balance spring formed of silicon and coated with silicon dioxide so as to make the thermal coefficient substantially zero around COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute) certification process temperatures, i.e. between +8 and +38° C. Likewise, WO Patent No. 2008-043727 discloses a MEMS resonator which has similar properties of low variation from its Young's modulus within the same temperature range.
However, the frequency variation in the above disclosures can require complex corrections depending upon the application. For example, for electronic quartz watches to be able to be COSC certified, an electronic correction has to be carried out based on a temperature measurement.

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd


A process for forming a tubular wound package suitable for use as the fibrous support for a catalytic converter is disclosed. The process involves winding two yarns on a support using two separate yarn guides to form a series of walls defining both outwardly and inwardly facing pyramids.

There have been two general approaches to making catalytic exhaust converters for automobiles and other motor vehicles. One has involved the use of a loose bed of ceramic pellets as a carrier for the catalyst, and the other has involved the use of rigid ceramic elements as the catalyst carrier. The bed of ceramic pellets has the disadvantage of attrition of the pellets due to self-abrasion so that the bed has to be replaced at relatively frequent intervals, while the use of rigid ceramic carriers has the disadvantage of inadequate resistance to thermal shock and to mechanical shock.
More recently the rigid type of ceramic carriers have been made from retriculated tubes of reinforced ceramic fibers which provide adequate resistance to both thermal shock and mechanical shock.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,194 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,528 disclose a reticulated tube of reinforced ceramic fibers suitable for use as a catalyst carrier for use in the catalytic conversion of internal combustion engine exhaust fumes. The tube is comprised of multiple layers of continuous yarn of ceramic fibers bonded, if desired, with a non-porous binder and contained in a refractory oxide matric suitable for use as a catalyst support.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,109 discloses a catalyst for use in fixed bed flow reactors comprising a porous, self-supporting structure of multiple layers of partially sintered glass-ceramic fibers. The structure preferably is tubular and has diamond shaped apertures in its walls to provide good fluid permeability. When coated with a catalyst, the structures are particularly useful in the catalytic conversion of pollutants in the exhaust fumes of internal combustion engines.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,833 discloses a quasi-isotropic sandwich-type structural core filament winding made on a jig on which the filaments ar interwoven in a . manner where each fiber lays on top of the preceding fiber so that when the winding is completed, a core is produced which consists of a series of tetrahedrons, half of which point upwards and half point downwards. The jig may be of varied shapes so that the core is flat, cylindrical, air foil or other irregular shapes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,702 discloses an apparatus method and package for winding strands to achieve good split efficiency on removal of the plurality of strands from the package for further processing. The apparatus has fiber forming means, means for applying chemicals such as lubricants or binders to the fibers, means to gather the fibers into a plurality of strands, a rotatable winder to wind the strands and a slotted traversing guide. The traversing guide has more than one slot to guide the strands. The slots are disposed perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the winder.

Process for multiple yarn winding in ordered fashion and resulting product


A device is disclosed for securing a spinal rod to the spine which includes a head portion configured to receive a spinal rod, a locking cap configured to engage the head portion and the spinal rod upon rotation of the locking cap relative to the head portion to secure the position of the head portion relative to the spinal rod, and a fastener portion depending from the head portion and configured to engage the spine.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject disclosure relates to implantable spinal stabilization systems for surgical treatment of spinal disorders, and more particularly, to a device for connecting cylindrical spinal rods of a spinal stabilization system to the spine.
2. Background of the Related Art
The spinal column is a complex system of bones and connective tissue which protects critical elements of the nervous system. Despite these complexities, the spine is a highly flexible structure, capable of a high degree of curvature and twist through a wide range of motion. Trauma or developmental irregularities can result in spinal pathologies which limit this range of motion.
For many years, orthopedic surgeons have attempted to correct spinal irregularities and restore stability to traumatized areas of the spine through immobilization. Over the past ten years, spinal implant systems have been developed to achieve immobilization. Examples of such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,102,412 and 5,181,917 to Rogozinski. Such systems often include spinal instrumentation having connective structures such as elongated rods which are placed on opposite sides of the portion of the spinal column intended to be immobilized. Screws and hooks are commonly utilized to facilitate segmental attachment of such connective structures to the posterior surfaces of the spinal laminae, through the pedicles, and into the vertebral bodies. These components provide the necessary stability both in tension and compression to achieve immobilization.
Various fastening mechanisms have been provided in the prior art to facilitate securement of screws and hooks to the connective structures of a spinal stabilization system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,993 to Asher discloses an apparatus for use in retaining a spinal hook on an elongated spinal rod. The apparatus includes a body extending upwardly from a hook portion and having an open ended recess for receiving a spinal rod and an end cap engageable with the body to close the recess. A set screw is disposed in the center of the end cap to clamp the rod in the recess of the body. The end cap and body are interconnectable by different types of connectors including a bayonet connector, a linear cam connector or a threaded connector. Other examples of fastening mechanism for facilitating attachment of screws and hooks to the connective structures of a spinal stabilization system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,669 to Yuan et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,670 to Sherman et al.
In each of these prior art examples, threaded fasteners are used to facilitate securement of the connector to the spinal rod. Yet it is well known that threaded fasteners can become loosened under the influence of cyclically applied loads commonly encountered by the spinal column. Furthermore, during assembly, excessive torque applied to a threaded fastener can cause damage to the fastener as well as to the connective device with which it is associated.
It would be beneficial to provide a more reliable and effective mechanism for facilitating the attachment of screws, hooks and clamps to the connective structures of a spinal stabilization system.
The subject disclosure is directed to a device for securing a spinal rod to a fixation device such as a pedicle screw or a lamina hook. The device disclosed herein includes a head portion configured to receive a spinal rod, a locking cap configured to engage the head portion and the spinal rod upon rotation of the locking cap relative to the head portion to secure the position of the head portion relative to the spinal rod, and a fastener portion extending from the head portion and configured to engage the spine. The fastener portion of the device can be in the form of a screw, hook or clamp, or any other configuration known in the art.
The head portion of the device has a channel extending therethrough for receiving a spinal rod and the channel is preferably bounded by opposed side walls each having an arcuate engagement slot defined therein. The locking cap preferably has opposed arcuate engagement flanges configured for reception in the opposed arcuate engagement slots of the head portion upon rotation of the locking cap relative to the head portion. Preferably, the opposed engagement slots are each defined in part by inclined slot surfaces, with the angle of the inclined surface of one engagement slot being opposite that of the opposed engagement slot. Similarly, the opposed engagement flanges are preferably each defined in part by inclined flange surfaces, with the angle of the inclined surface of one engagement flange being opposite that of the opposed engagement flange. The head portion also preferably includes structure for interacting with the locking cap to prevent the opposed side walls of the head portion from expanding radially outwardly when the arcuate flanges are engaged in the arcuate slots.
Preferably, the locking cap of the device is configured for rotation between an initial position in which the arcuate engagement flanges are 90xc2x0 out of phase with the arcuate engagement slots, an intermediate position in which the arcuate engagement flanges are 45xc2x0 out of phase with the arcuate engagement slots, and a locked position in which the arcuate engagement flanges are in phase and intimately engaged with the arcuate engagement slots.
In this regard, the bottom surface of the locking cap preferably includes a first recess oriented to accommodate a spinal rod when the locking cap is in an initial unlocked position, a second recesses which intersects the first recess at a first angle to accommodate a spinal rod when the locking cap is in an intermediate position, and a third recess which intersects the elongate recess at a second angle to accommodate a spinal rod when the locking cap is in a final locked position. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the subject disclosure, the first recess is an elongate recess, the second recess is a transverse recess which intersects the elongate recess at a 45xc2x0 angle, and the third recess is an orthogonal recess which intersects the elongate recess at a 90xc2x0 angle.
The subject disclosure is also directed to a device for securing a spinal rod to the spine which comprises a head portion having a channel extending therethrough configured to receive a spinal rod, a locking cap including a first portion configured to engage an interior surface of the head portion and a second portion configured to engage an exterior surface of a spinal rod received by the channel to secure the position of the head portion relative to the spinal rod, and a fastener portion depending from the head portion and configured to engage the spine.
Preferably, the locking cap is a two-piece structure which includes an upper portion configured to engage an interior surface of the head portion and a lower portion configured to engage an exterior surface of the spinal rod to secure the position of the head portion relative to the spinal rod upon rotation of the upper portion relative to the lower portion and the head portion. The upper portion of the locking cap includes a bottom surface having an axial reception bore defined therein and the lower portion of the locking cap includes an upper surface having an axial post extending therefrom configured to engage the axial reception bore in the bottom surface of the upper portion of the locking cap and facilitate the relative rotation of the two parts. The upper portion further includes opposed arcuate engagement flanges configured for cammed engagement in correspondingly configured opposed arcuate engagement slots formed in the opposed side walls of the head portion upon rotation of the upper portion relative to the lower portion. The lower portion further includes a bottom surface having an elongated hemi-cylindrical recess that is oriented to accommodate a spinal rod extending through the channel in the head portion.
In accordance with one aspect of the subject disclosure, the fastener portion is formed monolithic with the head portion. In accordance with another aspect of the subject disclosure, the fastener portion is mounted for movement relative to the head portion. In this regard, the head portion defines a central axis oriented perpendicular to the spinal rod channel and the fastener portion is mounted for angular movement relative to the central axis of the head portion. More particularly, the fastener portion includes a generally spherical head and a threaded body which depends from the spherical head, and the head portion defines a seat to accommodate the spherical head and an aperture to accommodate the threaded body. In use, upon rotation of the upper portion of the locking cap relative to the lower portion of the locking cap into a locked position, the position of the head portion relative to the spinal rod and the position of the fastener relative to the head portion become fixed.
These and other unique features of the device disclosed herein and the method of installing the same will become more readily apparent from the following description of the drawings.


To provide an amplifying device which is reduced in size, weight and cost and which can improve the distortion compensation performance. In the amplifying device, input signals are each subjected to digital orthogonal modulation using an IF and further to offset rotation processing in digital orthogonal modulators, then bifurcated into a main signal system and a control system, and detection of a power value is performed at an IF band in a power detecting section of the control system. Therefore, offset rotation processing of the input signals in the power detection is not required, so that a structure for matching phases of a multi-carrier signal and a power value signal is not required, resulting in improving the distortion compensation performance without using an analog delay line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, such as a portable telephone system, and in particular, to an amplifying device for use in a base station device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the mobile communication system, such as the portable telephone system, a base station device is required to ensure arrival of a radio signal at a mobile station device which is located far from the base station device. Accordingly, it is necessary for the base station device to largely amplify a signal through an amplifier for transmitting it.
In the foregoing mobile communication system, the W-CDMA (Wide-band Code Division Multiple Access) system and so on have been adopted as mobile communication systems.
However, since an amplifier is an analog device, its input-output characteristics form a nonlinear function. Particularly, after exceeding the amplification limit point called a saturation point, the output power remains nearly constant even if the power inputted to the amplifier increases.
This nonlinear output causes nonlinear distortion. In case of a transmission signal before amplification, a signal component outside a desired signal band is suppressed to a low level through a band limiting filter. On the other hand, in case of a signal after passing the amplifier, nonlinear distortion is generated so that a signal component leaks to the exterior of the desired signal band (adjacent channels). This causes a phenomenon that the power spectrum expands to the adjacent channels.
As described above, since the transmission power is high in the base station device, the magnitude of the leak power to the adjacent channels is strictly regulated. Under these circumstances, it has been a large problem how to reduce the foregoing adjacent channel leak power.
For amplifying the transmission power while reducing the adjacent channel leak power, a distortion compensation amplifying device using the predistortion technique has been provided in the base station device for amplifying the transmission power.
The conventional distortion compensation amplifying device using the predistortion technique is described in JP-A-2000-151295 for "DISTORTION COMPENSATION CIRCUIT" published on May 30, 2000 (Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Inventors: Kenichi Horiguchi and others).
In this prior art, a portion of an input signal inputted to a signal path having a vector adjuster, a linearizer and an amplifier and a portion of an output signal outputted from the amplifier are respectively extracted, and a combined power level of these signals is detected, and then, based on a detection result, a bias adjustment of the linearizer and an adjustment of the vector adjuster are carried out so as to minimize the power level.
However, since the foregoing conventional amplifying device uses the analog delay line to delay the input signal, it is increased in size, weight and cost. In view of this, it has been under review to achieve an amplifying device without using the analog delay line, wherein a digital delay line is used instead of the analog delay line, the power detection is carried out using a digital input signal, and phases of the multi-carrier signal and the power value signal are synchronized.
In the distortion compensation amplifying device using the predistortion technique, it is necessary to match the phases of the multi-carrier signal and the power value signal in the predistorter for giving accurately the distortion compensation characteristic to the input signal. For detecting the power value using the digital input signal as referred to above, it is necessary to perform a frequency adjustment in consideration of frequency differences between the respective carriers. By matching phases of this processing and the conversion to the carrier frequencies with each other, the phases of the multi-carrier signal and the power value signal can be matched.
However, while the phase control with higher accuracy than that of the amplifying device of FIG. 5 is required for matching the phases, it is difficult to realize it, which has been a problem for improving the distortion compensation performance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method, computer program product, and computer system for defining, at a computing device, psychometric data for a user. An interactive virtual assistant, selected from a plurality of interactive virtual assistants, may be provided on the computing device based upon, at least in part, the psychometric data defined for the user. The user may be prompted, via the interactive virtual assistant, with one or more options.

Virtual assistants are becoming an increasingly common and important part of how users access information. The ability for virtual assistants to understand users and their psychology may improve user interaction and personalization of options and prompts provided by the virtual assistant. Additionally, money causes psychological effects, but how one behaves with money depends on one's psychology. Yet, current interactive financial solutions fail to take psychology into account when prompting users.

Interactive virtual assistant system and method


Hot products of combustion are provided beside an outer surface of a load to be heated, and are given a non-uniform temperature profile in a control direction extending across the outer surface of the load. The non-uniform temperature profile of the hot products of combustion is varied within a range that is predetermined relative to the distance that the outer surface of the load extends in the control direction, whereby the load can be given a predetermined temperature profile in the control direction.

Ceramic or refractory materials, such as bricks, tiles and the like, are cured by firing in a furnace known as a kiln. For example, bricks may be cured by firing in a roof-fired ceramic kiln. Stacks of bricks are placed on wheeled pallets that are known as kiln cars. The kiln cars are moved slowly through the kiln from one end to the other. The kiln has a preheating zone at one end, a cooling zone at the opposite end, and a heating zone in between. Burners and/or injectors at the roof of the kiln cause flames to project downward into the heating zone to heat the bricks as they move through the kiln.
Typically, the stacks of bricks are spaced apart from each other and are indexed through the kiln. The flames are projected downward into the spaces between the stacks of bricks for a period of time. The kiln cars are then advanced forward to their next positions, and the flames are again projected downward into the spaces between the stacks of bricks. This process repeats until all of the stacks of bricks have been moved sequentially through the preheating zone, the heating zone, and the cooling zone to emerge from the kiln in a heat-treated state.
The burners and injectors in a roof-fired kiln can be arranged in long rows above a wide area. However, projecting the flames downward from above can cause the stacks of bricks to become heated more quickly near the top than the bottom.


A Hydraulic Pumping Unit equipped with a flywheel, a high-slip electric motor and a reversible hydraulic pump such that during the downstroke of the Unit, the hydraulic pump operates as a hydraulic motor, accelerating the flywheel and accumulating in this way the energy of the downgoing rodstring in the form of kinetic energy.. The interaction between the flywheel, electric motor and weight of the rodstring adjusts automatically the range of speed variation.. The upward and downward speeds of the Hydraulic Pumping Unit can be adjusted by hand or automatically by electronically commanded step motors, in such a way that the Hydraulic Pumping Units adjusts itself to the varying conditions of the oilwell.

The present invention refers to an Hydraulic Pumping Unit, for the use in oilwells, characterized by the use of an kinetic energy accumulation system, to compensate the upward and downward moving masses of the rod strings.
The Hydraulic Pumping Units are often used in oilwells because they present operational advantages as compared with the conventional mechanical pumping unit. The even and straight movement of the hydraulic piston can be transmitted immediately to the string of sucker rods, without the use of gears and transmission belts. Because of the small weight of the Hydraulic Pumping Unit, the same can be mounted directly on the wellhead flange, avoiding in this way the need for the heavy bases necessary with mechanical pumping units. Stroke length and speed can be easily adjusted without the loss of time to change belt pulleys, and the absence of gear reducers, roller bearings and belt-drives helps to reduce the cost of maintenance, It must be mentioned also, that the initial cost of the Hydraulic Pumping Unit is normally much smaller than that of an mechanical unit.
In spite of the advantages mentioned above, and the apparent simplicity of the Hydraulic Pumping Unit in its actual configuration, the same presents some operational problems which are the causes of frequent failures of operation and increased cost of maintenance.
In the first place, the problem of balancing of the moving masses, which is solved at the mechanical unit with simple rotating counterweights, must be mentioned.
Almost all of the Hydraulic Pumping Units actually in operation, use one of the following systems for balancing:
1 Use of hydraulic accumulators with floating piston or with an elastic bladder, both of them with pre-charge of high pressure nitrogen. This system presents the inconvenience to need frequent recalibration of the nitrogen pressure. Also, the floating piston gets easily stuck, due to the small pressure differential between oil and nitrogen, and the lifetime of the elastic bladder is not long enough to be satisfactory for the conditions at oilfields. PA0 2 Different configurations of pulleys, cables or chains, moving mechanically guided carriers for counterweights, are also used for balancing of Hydraulic Pumping Units, but the introductions of all these elements increase considerably the cost of maintenance.
With the intention to solve the inconveniences mentioned above, the present invention was developed in accordance with the disposition shown in the annexed drawings and the following detailed description.


To provide a projected capacitive touch switch panel having sensor units that are easy to adjust and that minimally reflect visible light, and furthermore having adequate environment-resistance properties. A projected capacitive touch switch panel 1 comprising a glass substrate 2 that has a sensor unit 3 for performing detection along the X direction, and a glass substrate 4 that has a sensor unit 5 for performing detection along the Y direction, in which: the two glass substrates are laminated, and the sensor units are sandwiched between the glass substrates so as to face each other; each of the sensor units has a sensor electrode comprising an Al thin film, and a blackened film including at least one metal selected from Cr, Mo, and W.

In household electrical appliances, AV devices, PC/OA devices, industrial machinery, and other electrical devices, touch switch panels involving projected capacitance schemes are used as one type of input means. In a projected capacitance scheme, a plurality of sensor electrodes are arrayed in a grid configuration along an X direction and a Y direction. Projected capacitive touch switch panels are typically configured from X-direction and Y-direction transparent sensor electrode layers formed of indium tin oxide ("ITO"), a wiring layer leading to the electrodes, an insulation layer (dielectric layer) provided between transparent electrodes, a surface-protective layer, and the like, the projected capacitive touch switch panels having external control units. When the panel surface is touched by a finger, capacitive coupling occurs between the sensor electrodes and the finger, changing the capacitance of the sensor electrodes. The control unit quantifies the amount of change in the capacitance of the sensor electrodes, and assesses that a finger has touched [the panel surface] when the quantity exceeds a predetermined threshold value. This makes it possible for the control unit to detect which position (XY coordinates on a plane) has been touched by the finger.
One structure known as a specific structure of a projected capacitive touch switch panel is configured such that X-direction transparent sensor electrodes are formed on one glass substrate, a Y-direction transparent sensor electrode layer is formed on another glass substrate, and the glass substrates are superposed so that one of the glass substrates is positioned between the transparent sensor electrodes, constituting an insulation layer (dielectric layer). In another proposed structure, transparent sensor electrodes are formed of ITO on each of two glass substrates, the transparent sensor electrodes are arranged so as to face each other, the glass substrates are superposed with a spacer member interposed therebetween, and a dielectric material is injected between the transparent sensor electrodes (see Patent Document 1). Similarly, a structure was proposed in which transparent sensor electrodes are formed of ITO on each of two glass substrates, the transparent sensor electrodes are arranged so as to face each other, and an insulating adhesive layer is formed between the transparent sensor electrodes (see Patent Document 2).


A motorized extension pole including a first hollow pole member having a second pole member telescopically mounted in said first pole member. The second pole member is selectively moved between extended and retracted positions with respect to said first pole member by a battery powered drive motor. The drive motor is mounted within a handle attached to the inner end of the first pole member. A coupling mechanism interconnects the handle to the first pole member which permits the first pole member to be selectively rotated without rotating the handle so that the control switch on the handle is always located in a convenient position. The pole also includes limit switches for controlling the retraction and extension of the second pole member.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a length-adjustable extension pole and more particularly to a length-adjustable extension pole including a battery powered, variable speed, reversible motor which extends and retracts the inner pole member with respect to the outer pole member of the extension pole. Even more particularly, this invention relates to a length-adjustable extension pole wherein the inner and outer pole members may be selectively rotated with respect to the handle of the pole so that the control switch on the handle is always in a convenient location.
2. Description of the Related Art
Extension poles have been available for many years to enable a person to clean windows which are located above the person's normal reach. Extension poles are also used to paint areas of buildings which are located above the person's normal reach. Extension poles may also be used to string lights and ornaments on trees during the holiday season.
Most extension poles include an elongated outer pole member, having first and second ends, which telescopically receives an elongated inner pole member having first and second ends. The inner pole member is longitudinally adjustable with respect to the outer pole member and is usually held in place by a threaded collet at the second end of the outer pole member to clamp the pole members together.
When it is necessary to adjust the length of the extension pole, the collet is loosened to permit the inner pole member to be slidably adjusted with respect to the outer pole member. When the adjustment has been made, the collet is again tightened. The adjustment process described above may be awkward since the extension pole must be lowered to enable the person using the pole to loosen the collet, adjust the length of the pole, and then tighten the collet. The adjustment is made even more inconvenient since there will be a paint roller, window cleaning attachment, chain saw, hedge trimmer, gutter cleaner or other object secured to the upper end of the inner pole member.
The extension pole of the co-pending application identified above represents a significant advance in the art. However, it has been found that if the extension pole must be rotated so that the object on the outer end is in a desired attitude, the switch on the handle is sometimes inconveniently positioned since the handle rotates with the pole members.


When the two same CIS are used for a first image sensor and a second image sensor and they are arranged to face opposite sides of an original document with longer sides (i.e., a main scanning direction) thereof being aligned, if an arrangement order of the array of the imaging elements and the light guiding unit in a document conveying direction is the same, the connectors are located at opposite side ends in a front-rear direction. Thus, an electric cable connected to the connector of the second image sensor is arranged above the second image sensor and extends in a longitudinal direction. Additionally, a horizontal portion of the electric cable is supported on an upper surface of a casing accommodating the second image sensor.

1. Technical Field
An aspect of the present invention relates to an image reading apparatus configured to read an image from a sheet of original document being conveyed. Specifically, the aspect of the present invention relates to an image reading apparatus including a first reading unit configured to read an image from one side of the original document being conveyed and a second reading unit configured to read an image from the other side of the original document being conveyed.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, there has been suggested a contact image sensor (hereinafter, referred to as "CIS") including an array of a plurality of imaging elements, a light guiding unit and a connector. The light guiding unit is arranged parallelly with the array of imaging elements, and the connector is disposed at one end portion of the array of imaging elements and outputs signals from the imaging elements. There has also been suggested an image reading apparatus configured to read an image, with the CIS, from original document being conveyed by rollers. In the image reading apparatus, images are read from both sides of the original document with two CISs and positional relationships of the array of imaging elements, the light guiding unit and the connector in the two CISs are the same.


A still image pickup device is provided with an image pickup element positioned on an image plane on which an object image is focused in a detection area and having an image pickup surface smaller than the detection area, for converting a part of the object image into an electrical image signal; a moving device for two-dimensionally moving the image pickup surface on the image plane; an input device for entering the image signal supplied from the image pickup element; and a control unit for controlling the moving device to move the image pickup surface based on the entry of the image signal by the input device, wherein the image pickup element converts another part of the object image into another image signal at a position to which the image pickup surface is moved and the input device enters the above-mentioned another image signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a still image pickup device for entering a still image with a high definition and with a wide image angle.
2. Related Background Art
In this field there is already known an arrangement of plural cameras, in which the image outputs from said cameras are mutually connected to obtain an image with a high definition and a wide image angle.
Also there is known a structure for scanning a line sensor of a large number of pixels in one direction for entering the image.
Furthermore there is known a structure for applying the pixel displacement to an area sensor, thereby displacing the pixel by a half pitch in the x and y directions at a high speed, thereby doubling the apparent number of pixels to achieve a high definition.
Such conventional structures have been associated with the following drawbacks.
Firstly, the arrangement employing plural cameras involves functional defects in that significant displacement in image due to parallax is unavoidable in taking the image of a short-distanced object, and in that blind fields are generated due to the spaces between the cameras. Also the necessity for adjustments for positions and sensitivities of the cameras complicates the structure and data processing, thus inevitably increasing the dimension of the apparatus.
Secondly, the structure utilizing the line sensor requires a long signal reading time, because the scanning operation has to be conducted over the size of the image field, and a faster scanning operation is restricted by the sensitivity of the line sensor.
Thirdly, the structure utilizing the pixel displacement method cannot be easily adapted to the image entry of a wide image angle, though it can improve the resolving power.

Still image pickup device with two-dimensionally displaceable image pickup surface


A railcar bogie includes: a bogie frame including a cross beam and plate springs and being rotatable relative to a bolster in a yawing direction, the cross beam extending in a car width direction, the plate springs supporting both respective car width direction end portions of the cross beam and extending in a car longitudinal direction; and stoppers provided at the bogie frame and configured to contact interference members to restrict a rotation range of the bogie frame when the bogie frame rotates relative to the bolster in the yawing direction, the interference members being connected to the bolster. When the bogie frame is located at a neutral position relative to the bolster in the yawing direction, the stoppers are arranged at car width direction lateral sides of the cross beam so as to overlap the cross beam in a side view.

A bogie for supporting a carbody of a railcar and allowing the railcar to travel along a rail is provided under a floor of the carbody. One type of the bogie includes: a bolster attached to the carbody; and a bogie frame supporting the bolster from below, and the bogie frame rotates relative to the bolster in a yawing direction when, for example, the railcar travels along a curved line.
PTL 1 discloses a bogie configured such that: cushion rubber as a stopper is attached to a cross beam of a bogie frame so as to be located in a space between left and right side sills of the bogie frame; and the cushion rubber contacts and interferes with a traction beam to restrict the displacement of the traction beam in a leftward/rightward direction.


A method for painting an engine by the electrocoating process includes coating preselected components of the engine with an electrically nonconductive ceramic material prior to assembly, and pressurizing the engine prior to immersion in an electrically charged paint bath.. The method is particularly useful for avoiding paint deposition on preselected components, such as the hot exhaust elements, of an engine. A thermal insulating and corrosion resistant coating for the preselected components is thus provided, and undesirable paint burnoff during subsequent engine operation is avoided.

Electrocoating is a well known process for painting electrically charged articles by immersion in a bath of paint having an electrical charge of opposite polarity to that of the article. In this painting process up to 90%, or more, of the paint adheres to the workpiece. Also, paint coatings applied by the electrocoating process have very uniform film properties, and the thickness of the paint film is accurately controllable. Further, there are virtually no runs, sags, or tears in the paint film.
However, for a number of reasons, the electrocoating process has not heretofore been used to paint assembled engines even though that process is especially effective for completely coating a workpiece having sharp edges, points, and hidden or otherwise inaccessible outer surfaces. First, there are surfaces on an assembled engine, such as exhaust manifolds and turbocharger housings, that become very hot during engine operation. If these surfaces are coated with paint, the paint will burn off during operation, producing smoke and undesirable fumes. To avoid paint burnoff it is necessary to carefully mask the surfaces that are subsequently subjected to high operating temperatures prior to the painting operation or, alternatively, strip the surfaces after painting. Both of these operations are labor intensive and difficult to control.
Submersion of the workpiece in a fluid paint bath, an integral step in the electrocute process, makes the requirements for effective masking or subsequent stripping more difficult. Furthermore, paint applied by the electrocoat process has excellent penetrating ability and can readily flow past gaskets, seals, bearings and temporary covers over openings on the engine. This, of course, is very undesirable and can seriously damage the engine.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the problems set forth above. It is desirable to have an effective, economical process for painting an assembled engine. It is also desirable to have such a process wherein preselected portions of the assembled engine are not coated with paint in the course of carrying out the paint process, and further, that paint not enter into the internal cavities and passageways of the engine.


Methods of inhibiting the proliferation of protozoal parasites employing taxol or taxol analogs are provided by the present invention. Such methods may be useful for treating such infections in mammals such as humans.

Protozoans infect and kill millions of people annually. However, in most cases, efficacious chemotherapeutic agents and vaccines are unavailable to treat these diseases.
Human malaria, caused by a protozoan sporozoa, is an acute and chronic protozoal disease caused by four species of plasmodia, namely Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae. P. falciparum is the most virulent of these and the only one that kills acutely. The plasmodial parasites are transmitted by female mosquitoes of several species of the genus Anopheles. The World Health Organization recognizes malaria as the world's major primary health problem, causing more morbidity and mortality than any other disease. An estimated 300-500 million cases occur annually resulting in 3-5 million deaths, mostly among children. Malaria is a serious problem mainly in the tropical and subtropical world, especially Africa, South and Central America, India and Southeast Asia. Isolated cases of malaria have recently been reported in the southeastern and southwestern United States. The drug chloroquine is often used to treat malaria, however, the rapid spread of chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum and the lack of a malaria vaccine emphasizes the long-felt need to develop new strategies and agents for controlling this disease.
Babesiosis, an infection by protozoan sporozoa of the genus Babesia, is transmitted by hard-bodied ticks. The causative organisms, parasites resembling those of malaria, invade and destroy erythrocytes. Babesia infections in wild and domestic animals occur worldwide and are well known in veterinary medicine. Human infections are more rare and occur exclusively in Europe and North America. In many countries, Babesia is responsible for serious economic losses to the exclusively in Europe and North America. In many countries, Babesia is responsible for serious economic losses to the: livestock industry. No effective chemotherapeutic treatment or vaccine has been known for treatment of babesiosis.
Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) is a zoonotic infection caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. It affects as many as 15 million people living in South and Central America. African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping sickness) is a chronic infection with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense or an acute one with T.B. rhodesiense. These hemoflagellate protozoa are transmitted cyclically by several species of blood-sucking tsetse flies of the genus Glossind. There are no efficacious and safe drugs for treating the chronic forms of these infections.
Taxol is a diterpenoid isolated from the stem bark of the western yew, Taxus brevifolia. Taxol is a mitotic spindle poison that stabilizes microtubules and inhibits their depolymerization to free tubulin. Taxol has been demonstrated to possess antineoplastic activity and has been identified as an anti-cancer agent, particularly in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer.
Over ten years ago, Baum et al. Proceeding of the National Academy of Science, U.S.A. 1981, 78, 4571-4575, found that taxol inhibited the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Trypanosomes, being flagellated protozoans, belong to the protozoal Phylum mastigophora. Baum et al. found that the addition of taxol inhibited the replication of T. cruzi in a dose-dependent fashion. Baum et al. treated cultures containing trypanosomes with 1 .mu.M to 10 .mu.M of taxol. However, treatment of trypanosomiasis was never developed and there are presently no efficacious and safe drugs for treating these infections, particularly the chronic forms. Mastigophora, such as the Trypanosoma and Leishmania species, are flagellated protozoans that asexually reproduce by binary fission. This is quite different than the Protozoa Sporozoa, which includes the Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Isospora, Sarcocystis, Crytosporidium and Pneumocystis species, which reproduce by asexual (schizogony) and sexual (sporogony) multiplication. Another important distinguishing feature of the Mastigophora from the Sporozoa is the unique microtubular cytoskeleton that lies just beneath the plasma membrane of the Mastigophora. Baum et al. suggested that it was the perturbation of this unique submembranous cytoskeletal network by taxol that prevented Trypanosoma cruzi daughter cells to separate during cytokinesis, thus blocking replication. The mode of action of taxol described by Baum et al. is not applicable to the Sporozoa for the reasons described above.
Treatments for malaria and babesiosis have been similarly disappointing. Methods which are known for the treatment of malaria and babesiosis have not been satisfactory due to expense, limited efficacy, drug resistance, and safety. Methods for the treatment of malaria and babesiosis infections are greatly needed. The present invention provides methods satisfying this long-felt need.


A tool wrench assembly for a blasthole drill includes a fork pivotally fixed relative to at least one actuator that moves the fork between an engaged and a disengaged position.

This invention relates to a tool wrench assembly for joining and separating segments of a segmented drill pipe in a blasthole drill.
A drilling rig is conventionally used in surface mining and quarrying operations. Many of these rigs are mounted on a vehicle that travels on wheels or tractor crawlers to move the drilling rig to the desired drilling location. Once positioned, a rotary head drives a drill bit to begin the drilling operation.
However, it is impractical for these rigs to have a one-piece drill bit. As these rigs drill deep into the earth, the bit would need to be as long as the deepest possible drill depth. At these lengths, it would be difficult to transport the bits and would require undesirably large masts for support. Moreover, the tip of the drill dulls during use, requiring frequent replacement. It is much more cost effective to replace only the drill tip portion of the drill bit on an as-needed basis.
Hence, most drilling rigs have segmented drill pipe strings. These drill pipe strings include multiple drill pipe segments that are attached together at screw threads. At the lowermost end of the pipe string, the drill bit is attached.
During joining or separation of the drill pipe segments, one of the segments must be held in place while an adjacent segment is rotated to thread or unthread the segments from one another. Typically, a tool wrench engages the flats on the lower segment or otherwise grips it to prevent it from rotating. See e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,980,143; 5,931,231; 5,996,444; and 6,298,926. See also, U.S. patent publication 2003/0056989. The tool wrench is extended to engage the flats as necessary and is then removed before the drill pipe string is again raised or lowered. The tool wrench may also temporarily support the weight of the drill pipe string when the drill pipe string is not directly attached to the rotary head.
However, particularly during the lifting or withdrawal of the drill pipe segments, an operator may forget to disengage the tool wrench from the flats of the drill pipe segment. This can potentially damage the tool wrench, the components that actuate the tool wrench, and/or the rotary head to which the drill pipe string is attached.
Hence, there is a need for an improved tool wrench assembly. In particular, there is a need for a drilling rig with a tool wrench assembly that is less prone to damage as a result of the inadvertent raising of the pipe string.


A device for managing light pulses for measuring the reaction of a sample exposed to a first light pulse, the measurement being performed by analysis of a signal emitted by the sample subjected to a second light pulse, shifted with respect to the first pulse by a determined interval of time, the device including two optical detectors for detecting the pulses of two light beams emitted by two pulsed laser sources, respectively, each beam emitting pulses with respective repetition frequencies that are different, arbitrary and stable over a determined period in the direction of the sample; the detectors being connected to a computer for determining the interval of time between two pulses coming from the first and the second beam, respectively, and constituting the first and second pulses; the computer being connected to an analyzer for measuring the reaction of the sample having as input parameter the interval of time between the two pulses,                where the computer uses an algorithm making use of the stability of the repetition frequencies for determining the interval of time.

The field benefiting from this invention is that of pump-probe spectroscopy and, in a general manner, any application that requires the use of two ultra-short laser pulses separated by a known and variable time delay making it possible to scan the total time interval to be investigated.
In recent years, studies on the dynamics of biological systems have been the subject of a good deal of research. It has notably been demonstrated that such dynamics can, in certain cases, exhibit continuous evolution over several orders of time, ranging from the picosecond to the second.
Pump-probe spectroscopy is a technique that makes it possible to measure the temporal dynamics of a system during a reaction: a pump pulse triggers a reaction, then a time-shifted probe pulse measures the changes caused. It is then necessary to be able to shift one laser pulse with respect to another over the whole time range studied, with the requirement that this shift be precise to the nearest picosecond.
Currently, three means exist for generating two pulses separated by a known and variable delay.
The first means consists in using a single laser system, the beam of which is separated into two branches. One of the branches is delayed with respect to the other using a mechanical delay line. This system is limited to the picosecond-nanosecond range by the length of the delay line. Moreover, special care is required to retain adequate pointing stability during the mechanical scan.
The second means consists in using two unsynchronized laser oscillators. The delay is chosen by selecting for the amplification the pulse pair with the delay closest to the desired delay. The selection is generally performed by the opening-closing of a Pockels cell around the desired pulse. Because of the asynchronism between the two laser oscillators and the resulting jitter over time, the real delay between the two pulses thus selected is known with a precision that cannot fall below the oscillation period of the laser cavities, i.e. typically in the order of ten or so nanoseconds. In compensation, this system makes it possible to produce arbitrarily long delays.
The third means consists in using two synchronized laser oscillators, the delay of which is made to vary by varying their relative time phase. Associated with a pre-amplification selection as described in the context of the second means, this system overcomes the limitations of the previous solutions by allowing the production of long delays while retaining a precision in the order of picoseconds. However, it demands a costly and complex implementation which cannot be performed a posteriori on standard commercial laser oscillators, unless the manufacturer has made provision for this functionality right from the design of the laser. This system is therefore not accessible to most potential users. Analogously, it is possible to use laser oscillators of different frequencies by making use of the principle of stroboscopy applied to the femtosecond domain, the time coincidence between the two pulse trains being measured by an optoelectronic device. However, to work well in the proposed implementations, this approach demands that the frequencies of the two oscillators be neighboring and known with a very high degree of precision, which requires active control of the laser cavity lengths. This is generally not the case if this was not planned before the acquisition of the systems.
These various methods have been described in various publications, of which the most important are:
Bredenbeck, Helbing and Hamm., Rev. Sci. Instrum. Vol. 75 p. 4462. This article from 2004 describes a synchronous electronic scanning solution proposed by the Institut de Chimie-Physique in Zurich. Long delays are given in multiples of the repetition period of the oscillators through the selection, by a Pockels cell, of the pulse to be amplified. Short delays are generated by introducing a known phase between the two laser oscillators. With this method it is possible to attain a precision of 2 ps over an interval of up to 50 μs.
In 1999 Takagi and Adachi (RSI Vol. 70, p. 2218) introduced the method of asynchronous optical scanning. The scanning is obtained by introducing a known repetition rate difference between the two oscillators. If the introduced difference is negligible with respect to the repetition frequency f1 and f2 of the two oscillators, it has been demonstrated that this creates a magnification for the time axis f1/f2 and consequently an increment for the spectral resolution. In Takagi's study, a temporal magnification of 760000 times was measured.
In 2004 (Keimann, Goble and Holzwarth, "Time domain mid-infrared frequency-comb spectrometer", Opt. Lett. 29, p. 1542 (2004)), this advantage was improved to ultimately obtain a temporal magnification of 45500000 times, which corresponds to 13 cm−1 of spectral resolution. These studies were conducted with femtosecond lasers, emphasizing the discrete nature of pulse spectra, which cleared the way for "frequency comb spectroscopy", which makes use of the phenomenon of beating between each frequency line forming the spectrum of the two shifted pulses. The advantages with respect to conventional Fourier transform spectroscopy experiments lie in the sensitivity of measurement, the spectral width and the spectral resolution obtained with measurement times of a few tens of microseconds.
A method of optoelectronic synchronization has also been proposed in patent application WO/2007/045773 but the temporal resolution obtained is only beneficial when the frequencies of the two oscillators are neighboring.
It would therefore be advantageous to obtain a device for managing the laser pulses making it possible to obtain a delay between two pulses that can vary from the picosecond to the second with picosecond precision, and this while using standard femtosecond lasers.

Device for managing pulses in pump-probe spectroscopy

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE


Block copolymers based on poly(ortho esters) containing amine groups. These block copolymers have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic blocks. They form micelles in aqueous solution, making them suitable for encapsulation or solubilization of hydrophobic or water-insoluble materials; and they also form bioerodible matrices for the sustained release of active agents.

1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to block copolymers based on poly(ortho esters) containing amine groups.
2. Description of the Related Art
Interest in synthetic biodegradable polymers for the systemic delivery of therapeutic agents began in the early 1970's with the work of Yolles et al., Polymer News 1:9-15 (1970) using poly(lactic acid). Since that time, numerous other polymers have been prepared and investigated as bioerodible matrices for the controlled release of therapeutic agents.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,079,038, 4,093,709, 4,131,648, 4,138,344 and 4,180,646 disclose biodegradable or bioerodible poly(ortho esters). These polymers are formed by a reaction between an orthoester (or orthocarbonate) such as 2,2-diethoxytetrahydrofuran and a diol such as 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol. The reaction requires elevated temperature and reduced pressure and a relatively long reaction time. Drugs or other active agents are retained in the polymer matrix to be released as the polymer biodegrades due to hydrolysis of the labile linkages.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,767 discloses polymers prepared by reacting a polyol with a polyfunctional ketene acetal. These polymers represent a significant improvement over those of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,079,038, 4,093,709, 4,131,648, 4,138,344 and 4,180,646, since synthesis proceeds readily at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, and the resulting polymers have superior properties.
Further polymers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,998. These polymers contain acetal, carboxy-acetal and carboxy-orthoester linkages, and are prepared by a two-step process beginning with the reaction between a polyfunctional ketene acetal and a compound containing a vinyl ether, followed by reaction with a polyol or polyacid.
Still further polymers of a similar type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,931. The polymers are formed by a reaction between a compound containing a multiplicity of carboxylate functions and a polyfunctional ketene acetal. The resulting polymers have very rapid erosion times.
Despite the ease with which the orthoester linkage hydrolyses, poly(ortho esters) known in the prior art are extremely stable materials when placed in an aqueous buffer, or when residing in the body. This stability is attributable to the extreme hydrophobicity of the poly(ortho esters) which severely limits the amount of water that can penetrate the polymer. To achieve useful erosion rates, therefore, acidic excipients must be physically incorporated into the polymer. While this allows control over erosion rates, the physically incorporated acidic excipient can diffuse from the polymer matrix at varying rates, leaving a matrix that is completely depleted of excipient while the polymer still has a very long lifetime remaining.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,764,364 and 4,855,132 describe bioerodible polymers, in particular poly(ortho esters) containing an amine functionality. The polymers are said to erode more rapidly at lower pH than at higher pH in an acidic aqueous environment.
Micellar System for Tumor Targeting
One of the major problems in treating cancer is the difficulty of achieving a sufficient concentration of an anticancer agent in the tumor. This is due to the toxicity, sometimes extreme, of such agents which severely limits the amounts that can be used. However, a major discovery in cancer chemotherapy has been the so-called EPR (enhanced permeation and retention) effect. The EPR effect is based on the observation that tumor vasculature, being newly formed vasculature, has an incompletely formed epithelium and is much more permeable than established older vasculature which is essentially impermeable to large molecules. Further, lymphatic drainage in tumors is very poor thus facilitating retention of anticancer agents delivered to the tumor.
The EPR effect can be used in cancer targeting by using delivery systems containing anticancer drugs that are too large to permeate normal vasculature, but which are small enough to permeate tumor vasculature, and two approaches have been developed. In one approach, a water-soluble polymer is used that contains an anticancer drug chemically bound to the polymer via a hydrolytically labile linkage. Such drug-polymer constructs are injected intravenously and accumulate in the tumors, where they are internalized by the cells via endocytosis and released in the lysosomal compartment of the cell via enzymatic cleavage of the labile bond attaching the drug to the polymer. Two disadvantages of this approach are that, first, nondegradable, water-soluble polymers have been used, and this requires a tedious fractionation of the polymer to assure that the molecular weight of the polymer is below the renal excretion threshold, and, second, the drug must be chemically attached to the polymer, which in effect creates a new drug entity with consequent regulatory hurdles that must be overcome. The use of polymer conjugates in cancer diagnosis and treatment is discussed in Duncan et al., "The role of polymer conjugates in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer", S. T. P. Pharma Sciences, 6(4), 237-263 (1996), and an example of an alginate-bioactive agent conjugate is given in U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,718.
An alternate approach has been described. In this approach, an AB or ABA block copolymer is prepared where the B-block is hydrophobic and the A-block is hydrophilic. When such a material is placed in water, it will self-assemble into micelles with a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic shell surrounding the core. Such micelles have a diameter of about 100 nm, which is large enough that when they are injected intravenously, the micelles can not leave the normal vasculature, but they are small enough to leave the vasculature within tumors. Further, a 100 nm diameter is too small to be recognized by the reticuloendothelial system, thus enhancing micelle lifetime within the blood stream. Additionally, when the hydrophilic block is poly(ethylene glycol), further enhancement of circulation time is noted, as has been observed with "stealth" liposomes. The use of block copolymer micelles is reviewed in Kwon et al., "Block copolymer micelles as long-circulating drug delivery vehicles", Adv. Drug Delivery Rev., 16, 295-309 (1995).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,412,072; 5,449,513; 5,510,103; and 5,693,751 describe block copolymers useful as micellar delivery systems where the hydrophilic block is polyethylene glycol and the hydrophobic blocks are various derivatives of poly(aspartic acid), poly(glutamic acid) and polylysine. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,412,072 and 5,693,751 describe an approach where drugs have been chemically attached to the hydrophobic segment; while U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,449,513 and 5,510,103 describe an approach where hydrophobic drugs have been physically entrapped within the hydrophobic portion of the micelle. This latter approach is clearly preferable because no chemical modification of the drug is necessary.
Bioerodible Block Copolymer Matrix for Controlled Drug Delivery
In AB, ABA, or BAB block copolymers comprising a hydrophilic A block and a hydrophobic B block, the A and B blocks are incompatible and on a microscopic scale will phase-separate. This phase separation imparts unique and useful thermal properties to the material.
There is considerable prior art in the development of block copolymers comprised of poly(ethylene glycol) and bioerodible hydrophobic segments such as poly(L-lactic acid), poly(L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) copolymers and poly(e-caprolactone), and discussion of their use as drug delivery agents. For example, see Wolthuis et al., "Synthesis and characterization of poly(ethylene glycol) poly-L-lactide block copolymers", Third Eur. Symp. Controlled Drug Delivery, 271-276 (1994), Youxin et al., "Synthesis and properties of biodegradable ABA triblock copolymers . . . ", J. Controlled Release, 27, 247-257 (1993), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,739.
Poly(ortho esters) are known as potential vehicles for sustained release drug delivery. See, for example, Heller, "Poly(Ortho Esters)", Adv. Polymer Sci., 107, 41-92 (1993), and references cited therein, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,304,767, 4,946,931, 4,957,998, and 5,968,543.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,453 describes block copolymers prepared from polyethylene glycols and certain poly(ortho esters).
The documents listed in this section and elsewhere throughout this application are incorporated into this application by reference.


A game machine acquires predetermined information used to reproduce a image of character during a game from a character card, and uses the image of character for a progress of the game. The game machine includes a Bar code reader adapted and configured to acquire from the character card, information of player name that is associated with a image of character as information used to identify each player playing the game. And, the game machine reproduces a plurality of images of characters during the game based on the predetermined information of each character card, and classifies each image of character reproduced during the game based on the information of player name associated with each image of character into classifications which are dealt with differently from each other in the game.

There are game machines in which predetermined information used to reproduce a predetermined image during a game is acquired from a recording medium, and the predetermined image reproduced during the game based on the acquired predetermined information is used for the progress of the game. As an example of the game machines, there has been known a game machine in which a character card with a bar code configured so as to include predetermined information printed thereon is used as a recording medium (for example, see Patent Literature 1).    Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-301264.

Game machine, control method used therein, and storage medium


Provided are systems, methods, and media for building a dynamic digital profile of a user to generate a user grouping recommendation. An example method includes receiving, by a system comprising one or more processors, social media data pertaining to a user. The method includes building, by the system, a digital profile of the user based on extraction of a combination of one or more of image data, text data, and/or location data, in which the building of the digital profile includes generating, by the system, a keywords ranking. The method includes generating, by the system, a user grouping recommendation for the user based on the ranking of keywords, in which the user grouping recommendation includes event data and a list of one or more second users attending the event.

The present invention generally relates to social media based recommendation systems, specifically to social grouping and recommendation systems based on a dynamic social media footprint (i.e., digital profile).
People have extensively involved themselves with social media in recent years. As an individual's digital media footprint expands, so too does the number of applications, digital stores, tools, and other services that rely on the digital media footprint. Some systems generate a digital footprint for a user but those digital footprints are narrow in scope. The narrow digital footprints limit the system's ability to provide broad recommendations for the user. For example, some systems provide an online tool that provides recommendations based on items that the user views or purchases. The purchase history is then leveraged by the system to generate a recommendation as to a next purchase. Similarly, some systems provide an online tool that utilizes location history to recommend a future location. However, those recommendation systems are limited to the scope of the particular tool and thus are limited to providing a recommendation of a further action based on prior actions of a same or similar type that is based on a limited knowledgebase of user associated data.
As used interchangeably herein, the phrases "digital profile," "social media footprint," and "digital footprint" broadly refer to a profile and/or model that uniquely identifies a person based on social media data associated with the person.
As used herein, the phrase "machine learning" broadly describes a function of an electronic system that learns from data. A machine learning system, engine, or module can include a trainable machine learning algorithm that can be trained, such as in an external cloud environment, to learn functional relationships between inputs and outputs that are currently unknown.
As used interchangeably herein, the phrases "product or service" and "item" broadly refer to any tangible or intangible good or service that can be purchased and/or consumed by a user.

Extracting data for professional event and participant grouping recommendations

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


In a memory cell array on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate, a floating gate electrode for accumulating charges for information is arranged. The floating gate electrode is covered with a cap insulating film and a pattern of an first insulating film formed thereon. Further, over the entire main surface of the semiconductor substrate, an second insulating film is deposited so that it covers the pattern of the first insulating film and a gate electrode. The second insulating film is formed by a silicon nitride film formed by a plasma CVD method. The first insulating film is formed by a silicon nitride film formed by a low-pressure CVD method. By the provision of such an first insulating film, it is possible to suppress or prevent water or hydrogen ions from diffusing to the floating gate electrode, and therefore, the data retention characteristics of a flash memory can be improved.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and its manufacturing technique and more particularly to a technique which is useful for the semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory.
Some semiconductor devices include a nonvolatile memory circuit portion therein for storing a comparatively small amount of information, such as information used at the time of, for example, trimming, recovering, and LCD (Liquid Crystal Device) image adjustment, and the production number of a semiconductor device.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-110073 (Patent Document 1) describes a semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory circuit portion of this kind. In Patent Document 1, a configuration is disclosed, in which data rewrite (write and erase) is carried out by means of an FN tunnel current over the entire channel surface in a capacity portion for data write and erase of a nonvolatile memory cell. In the nonvolatile memory cell in Patent Document 1, a single layer floating gate electrode is formed over the main surface of a semiconductor substrate via a gate insulating film. At each position of the plane of the floating gate electrode, the capacity portion, the capacity portion for write/erase, and a read portion are arranged. The floating gate electrode is covered with a silicon nitride film and a silicon oxide film deposited thereover. The silicon nitride film has a function as an etching stopper when forming a contact hole in the silicon oxide film.
For example, in International Publication WO2005/101519 pamphlet (Patent Document 2), a configuration is disclosed, in which a silicon oxide film is provided between the silicon nitride film and the floating gate electrode in the semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory circuit portion with the same configuration as that in Patent Document 1.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-16249 (Patent Document 3) discloses a technique for providing a silicon nitride film formed by the low-pressure CVD method as a film for suppressing hydrogen from diffusing outwardly in the upper layer side of a film containing hydrogen, which covers a MIS, in order to effectively supply hydrogen to a gate insulating film of a MIS type element.

Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same


A system and method for preventing scale in a well. The system includes a conduit providing fluid communication between a first location and a second location and a sensor at the second location configured to measure scale deposition in the fluid and a value of a fluid parameter. A scale deposition at the first location is determined from the scale deposition at the second location and the fluid parameter at the second location. A scale inhibitor is injected at the first location based on the determined scale deposition at the first location.

In a production process at a wellbore, formation fluid containing hydrocarbons and water is drawn from a downhole formation into a production tubing and lifted uphole to a surface location. Inorganic scale-forming constituents such as calcium, magnesium, etc. are often present in the water and hydrocarbons. These scales tend to precipitate at various locations on the tubing, eventually limiting production from the wellbore. In order to prevent the formation of the scale, scale inhibitor is pumped into the fluid at a downhole location at a level determined from measurements of water sample chemistry and operation parameters of a production process.
Due to technical difficulties, it is impractical to place a scale sensor in a production well. However, scale measurements at a surface location do not take into account differences between the environmental conditions downhole vs. at a surface location that have an effect on the risk of scale precipitation. Therefore, there is a need to be able to determine scale parameters downhole that account for differences in environmental conditions between surface and downhole locations.


A circuit arrangement, in particular in DECT systems, for the regeneration of an input signal containing characteristic digital data sequences with N>1 allowed discrete values per digital position, having. conversion means that produce a regenerated digital output signal from the comparison of the input signal with at least N-1 reference level, PA1 at least one integration element for obtaining the at least one N-1 reference level by integration of the segments of the input signal consisting of the characteristic data sequences, PA1 a drivable switching means for the activation or, respectively, deactivation of the integration of the input signal, PA1 a checking means that respectively activates the integration process by driving the switching apparatus at the beginning of a characteristic data sequence in the signal curve and, when the end of the data sequence is recognized, deactivates it again in order to avoid a shifting of the at least N-1 reference levels, as well as PA1 at least one delay element via which the supplying of the input signal to the at least one integration element takes place with a delay in relation to the supplying of the input signal to the conversion means, whereby a level-falsifying integration beyond the end of a characteristic data sequence is prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement, in particular for wireless telecommunication apparatuses according to the DECT standard, for the regeneration of an input signal containing characteristic digital data sequences.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In today's data processing installations, communication apparatuses and communication systems, the transmission, storing and processing of data increasingly takes place with the aid of digital technology. Data is thereby stored as sequences of discrete values. This digital coding is based in most cases on a binary representation in which the allowed range of values is limited to two different discrete values, designated as a rule as "HIGH" or "1," and "LOW" or "0." The individual elements positions in a data sequence coded in this way are designated in binary coding as "bits" (from binary digit). However, digital representations are also used with three or more different discrete values in the allowed value range.
If a sequence of digital values is represented as an electrical signal, a signal curve results from a sequence of signal impulses that respectively represent a position of the underlying digital value sequence. In the ideal case, all impulses representing the same digital value are thereby identical to one another and differ clearly, e.g. in form or level height, from impulses that represent other digital values. In this way, each digital value is reversibly and unambiguously allocated to a specific type of impulse.
In digital technology, one very often makes use of a coding in the form of what are called "rectangular impulses" that are equally long among themselves, whereby each impulse includes a signal level that is constant within a range of tolerance and whose height characterizes it. For the signal level, only discrete values are thereby allowed, whose number is equal to the number N of different values in the underlying digital range of values, whereby each digital value is reversibly and unambiguously allocated to one of the signal levels.
In the transmission, storing or processing of digitally coded data with the aid of (generally electrical or optical) signals, in practice, disturbances constantly occur that lead to deviations from the ideal signal curve. If these deviations, e.g. due to repeated transmission of a signal, become too large, the underlying digital value sequence can no longer be recovered unambiguously from the signal and malfunctions may occur. In general, this problem is countered by regenerating the corresponding signals, e.g. after a transmission via a transmission path or during the reading out from a memory, using corresponding means, whereby the original signal curve is reproduced to the greatest possible extent.
From EP 0 133 067 A1, e.g., such an apparatus is known for the regeneration of a readout signal from optical storage diskettes, which includes for the correction of a readout clock signal a deformation circuit connected after a readout processor.
The regeneration of digital signals is also used in wireless telecommunication apparatuses operated, for example, according to the digital DECT standard, in order to free the signals transmitted via radio between the base station and the mobile part (or, respectively, the mobile part and the base station) from disturbances that occur thereby.
A corresponding circuit arrangement for DECT systems as shown in FIG. 1 is disclosed in DE 42 36 774 C2. The binary-coded signal to be regenerated, designated the input signal UE in the following, is thereby supplied to an analog comparator K, which compares it with a reference level U.sub.IG and outputs, at its output, the signal U.sub.A, regenerated in a sequence of equally long rectangular impulses with identical bit structure. The reference level U.sub.IG is obtained by means of segment-by-segment integration of the input signal U.sub.E by means of an integration element IG.
The fact is thereby exploited that, according to the DECT standard, in each transmission channel the synchronous initializer word, which includes the first 16 bits of a transmission frame consisting of 420 bits and which serves for synchronization together with the synchronous acknowledgment word including the subsequently following 16 bits, represents a characteristic data sequence. It consists of a periodic alternating bit sequence of HIGH and LOW values, which for the transmission direction "mobile station--base station" begins with "1010 . . . " and for the reverse transmission direction "base station--mobile station" begins with "0101 . . . . " The integration of an input signal U.sub.E, as shown in FIG. 3a, respectively extends only to this characteristic bit sequence and is broken off with the aid of a switch S.sub.1, driven by a checking apparatus CTRL, if after the synchronous initializer word two identical bit values follow one another in succession for the first time. In this way, there results, as shown in FIG. 3b, a reference level U.sub.IG, approximately at the height of the average value U.sub.DC of the HIGH and LOW levels of the input signal U.sub.E, which is stable during the regeneration of the subsequently following signal curve. However, a disadvantage of the disclosed solution is that the first bit value identical to the immediately preceding one is not recognized until integration has already taken place over the associated signal impulse, whereby a reference level U.sub.IG results that is offset in relation to its previous value U.sub.DC. This undesired offset UOFF of the reference level must then subsequently be corrected, via an adder component ADD, by means of an offset compensation unit OK, connected with a switch S.sub.2. The magnitude of the offset U.sub.OFF to be corrected is thereby dependent on the level of the input signal U.sub.E.
If, as is also the case for the DECT wireless transmissions, this input signal U.sub.E arises by means of the demodulation of a radio signal, the magnitude of the offset U.sub.OFF to be compensated is dependent on the level of the demodulated signal U.sub.E, and thus, according to the type of the modulation, depends, e.g., on the amplitude range or the frequency range of the transmitter. The modulation range of a transmitter can thereby include a wide range of variation.
At least in DECT wireless telecommunication apparatuses, there is a further disadvantage because, due to the synchronous initializer words inverted with respect to one another, the polarity of the required compensation must be opposed for the two directions of transmission "mobile station--base station" and "base station--mobile station."
An object of the present invention is thus to indicate a circuit arrangement, improved in relation thereto, for the regeneration of an input signal containing characteristic digital data sequences, in which the cited disadvantages are avoided.

Circuit arrangement for regenerating an input signal containing digital data sequences