An apparatus for recovering oil spilled upon a body of water. Oil accumulators (10) having numerous open-ended cells (20) entrain spilled oil upon the surfaces (24, 26, 32) of the cells (20) when partially submerged in an area where oil has been spilled upon water. The oil accumulators (10) are rotated so as to lift the oil entrained upon the cell surfaces (24, 26, 32) from the water. An oil remover (12) may have superheated steam nozzles (64) located immediately above the oil accumulator (10). When oil-bearing cells pass beneath the nozzles (64), superheated steam may warm and expel the oil from the cells (20). An oil collector (14) collects the oil removed by the oil remover (12) where gravity flow transports the oil to a storage reservoir.

With the increased use of oil in modern industrial processes and manufactures, accidental oil spills have become more common. Frequently, such spills occur during the transport and shipping of oil when it is transferred from one container to another or when an oil container is ruptured for one reason or another.
Oil tankers with oil-holding capacities of many thousands of barrels navigate the world's oceans to ship oil from oil-bearing regions to oil-consuming regions. Foul weather and navigational errors can sometimes cause these tankers to run aground and rupture, forcing them to spill some or all of their contents. Offshore oil rigs sometimes suffer damage or blowouts that can cause oil to spill upon the ocean's surface. Other circumstances may occur where oil is spilled in significant or large quantities upon oceans, lakes, rivers, or streams.
When oil is spilled, it presents significant ecological problems to the environment in which it is spilled. Crude oil is toxic and adversely affects the life processes of most creatures and plants. Crude oil also contains several fractions, some of which are volatile and evaporate soon after exposure to the air. Others of these fractions are less volatile and form dense, thick globules or mats that may linger for several months, even years.
Due to the toxic nature of spilled oil, and due to the ecological consequences of such spilled oil, significant interest has arisen over the past several years in search of methods to recover such spilled oil. Such interest is reflected in the following patents:
______________________________________ Patent Number Inventor Date Issued ______________________________________ 5,169,519 Elsas 08 Dec. 92 5,137,630 Eklund 11 Aug. 92 5,089,121 McWhinnie 18 Feb. 92 5,051,181 Sandkvist 24 Sep. 91 5,043,064 Abell et al. 27 Aug. 91 5,028,325 Hamilton 02 Jul. 91 4,834,880 Lundin 30 May 89 4,485,013 Cockman 27 Nov. 84 4,360,430 Ellis 23 Nov. 82 4,336,137 Byers 22 Jun. 82 4,316,806 Canevari 23 Feb. 82 4,105,554 Janson 08 Aug. 78 3,904,528 Yocum 09 Sep. 75 ______________________________________
While these patents reflect some of the interest that has been shown in the development of the spilled-oil recovery art, the means by which they accomplish this task varies significantly. Some use mops or the like by which the oil is wicked out of the water. Others use conveyors that engage the oil to remove it from the water. Such conveyors often require scraping or the like once the oil has been engaged by the conveyor. Still others use chemical means that may allow for easier engagement or recovery of the spilled oil. However, such chemical means of oil recovery may impart to the water and local environment additional chemical contaminants that may not be welcome and might be toxic.
While the background art indicated above may have some virtues not present in the present invention, generally they rely upon complicated machinery requiring several components subject to easy wear and deterioration. Mops gradually become less effective as their use continues. Conveyors requiring bristles or fingers that are scraped will require replacement after continued use as well. With chemical recovery systems, the chemicals used to recover the spilled oil is naturally dissipated and dispersed over time, requiring replenishment on an ongoing basis.


An apparatus including a circuit which causes the float voltage of one or more battery chargers to change so as to compensate for changes in the ambient temperature of the batteries connected to the chargers. The circuit does not regulate the charge voltage to the battery but rather provides a battery temperature dependent variable voltage drop in the sense load of the charger(s). The circuit includes a thermistor which is used to sense the temperature of the battery. The temperature dependent resistance of the thermistor is used in a resistive divider for a reference voltage. Selection of the values for the divider components allows the battery temperature dependent variable reference voltage to be a linear approximation of the temperature compensation curve of the battery.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to battery chargers and more particularly to an apparatus which causes the float voltage of one or more chargers to change so as to compensate for changes in battery ambient temperature.
2. DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
Battery chargers, also known as rectifiers, are used by telephone operating companies to charge and maintain the charge on the batteries used by those companies. Once the battery is charged, the charge is maintained by the float voltage of the charger.
When batteries are exposed to wide variations in ambient temperature their life will be shortened unless the float voltage of the charger changes with the variation in ambient temperature. In other words, it is necessary to compensate for variations in ambient temperature by changing the float voltage so as to maximize battery life.
In the past this change in float voltage was accomplished either through a circuit internal to the charger which would provide the compensation based on the internal temperature of the charger or by a sensor extended outside of the charger. In either of the above arrangements each charger has its own compensation circuit. This may lead to problems where two or more chargers are connected to share the same load. With each charger having its own temperature compensation circuit, the chargers could drift apart which would be contrary to the desired load sharing.
It is desirable then to have a temperature compensation apparatus which can easily be included in chargers without redesigning the charger circuitry. It is further desirable that one temperature compensation apparatus be capable of controlling one or more chargers so that the chargers can, when they are connected to share a load, maintain that load sharing with changes in temperature. The apparatus of the present invention meets these requirements.

Apparatus for temperature compensating one or more battery chargers


A method of forming a window cap wafer (WCW) structure for semiconductor devices includes machining a plurality of cavities into a front side of a first substrate; bonding the first substrate to a second substrate, at the front side of the first substrate; removing a back side of the first substrate so as to expose the plurality of cavities, thereby defining the WCW structure comprising the second substrate and a plurality of vertical supports comprised of material of the first substrate.

The present disclosure relates generally to semiconductor device manufacturing and, more particularly, to fabrication of window cavity cap structures in wafer level packaging of semiconductor devices.
Bolometers are devices that act as thermal infrared (IR) sensors by absorbing electromagnetic radiation and thus increase their temperature. The resulting temperature increase is a function of the radiant energy striking the bolometer and is measured with for example, thermoelectric, pyroelectric, resistive or other temperature sensing principles. In the context of uncooled infrared imaging technologies, an infrared bolometer focal plane array (FPA) typically refers to resistive microbolometers, in which a temperature increase is measured by a corresponding resistance change. More specifically, a microbolometer is a type of resistor used as a detector in a thermal camera, for example. The microbolometer may include a tiny vanadium oxide or amorphous silicon resistor with a large temperature coefficient on a silicon element with large surface area, low heat capacity and good thermal isolation. Infrared radiation from a specific range of wavelengths strikes the vanadium oxide or amorphous silicon and changes its electrical resistance. Changes in scene temperature cause changes in the bolometer temperature, which are converted to electrical signals and processed into an image.
As is the case with certain microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices, bolometers may need to be packaged in vacuum conditions for best performance. Exemplary requirements for the packaging of bolometer arrays include reliable hermetic sealing, the integration of IR window material with good infrared transmission, and high yield/low cost packaging. Both the reliability and the cost of MEMS devices depend upon encapsulation techniques chosen. For MEMS based bolometers, packaging may be done at the chip level or at the wafer level. A common way of packaging in this instance is to fabricate a protective, IR-transmitting cap wafer and bond it to an exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate containing the active areas prior to dicing. The cap wafer is formed with cavities therein such that when the cap wafer is flipped and bonded to the device wafer, the cavities provide sufficient clearance to accommodate and protect the MEMS devices therein.

Fabrication of window cavity cap structures in wafer level packaging


A waist-secured golf ball retainer comprises at least a ball cup for loading a golf ball, wherein a snap clamp disposed at the circumference of the ball cup clamps at a player's waistband; an opening formed in bottom end of the ball cup; a plurality of equally spaced .pi. cuts arranged in wall of the ball cup for forming a plurality of elastic snap pieces, wherein the root end of each elastic snap piece is connected with the cup wall and the top end is movable; a protruded snap-pressing arc edge is formed at the top end of each elastic snap piece for snap-pressing the golf ball; two ball cups being combinable via a continuous face to form the retainer wherein a plurality of receptacles and a storage hole are disposed in the top face while a storage groove in a lateral end of the continuous face respectively; and by the above construction, an easy loading or unloading, a stable clamping of the retainer to a player waistband, and a long lifetime for using the retainer being made possible without needing worry of escape of the golf ball.

This invention relates to a golf appliance, more particularly, to a waist-secured golf ball retainer for retaining a golf ball when playing.
A waist-secured golf ball retainer is a golf appliance facilitating a golf player to carry a spare golf ball with himself for replenishment. In general, it is already known that a golf course is a large-scale sport site, hence, occasionally, a player may get in trouble groping for the ball hit to fly into a cluster of bush or some elsewhere if he doesn't have a spare ball at hand that may incur some impatient players becoming displeased.
FIGS. 1 and 2 express two prior waist-secured golf ball retainers in different types.
In FIG. 1, the ball retainer contains a folded clamp for being hooked to a waistband, wherein a semi-circular 1st snap clamp is disposed at a lower half of the folded clamp; a 2nd snap clamp is cross-jointed with the 1st snap clamp by a screw element to provide a space for accommodating a golf ball; and, an accessory belt with a plurality of U-shaped holders is disposed transversely at an upper half of the folded clamp for holding tees.
After a golf ball is loaded in abovesaid ball retainer, the ball's weight is mostly concentrating on the lower branch of the 1st snap clamp to make the same pendent gradually owing to imbalance of weight distribution. In addition, the lower branch is usually somewhat pressed downwards when loading or unloading a golf ball that may deteriorate pendency of the 1st snap clamp. Moreover, the golf ball is held at four points in the cavity enclosed by the 1st and the 2nd snap clamp, therefore, in case any snap clamp thereof is deformed, the golf ball may escape from the cavity. Nevertheless, as abovesaid four support points are isolated from each other without any reinforcement auxiliary components, the golf ball clamp devices are liable to be deformed due to overlapped bags in transportation.
In regard to fabrication and assembling of the ball retainer, it requires a plurality of moldings for forming the folded clamp, the 2nd snap clamp, and the accessory belt respectively, which are then assembled by human labor at considerable cost.
As shown in FIG. 2, a ball retainer made of a soft material contains an integrally molded bag piece with a plurality of cup-shaped bags and receptacles, wherein the diameter of each bag opening is slightly shorter than that of a golf ball to prevent the ball in the cavity from escaping; another opening is formed at a front face of each bag with cooperative laterally disposed protruded dots for squeezing out the spare ball; the receptacles are prepared for plugging the tees; and, two through slots are reserved for penetrably disposing a player's waistband.
As the foregoing mentioned ball retainer is made of a soft material for squeezing purpose, however, it can not be clamped on a player's waistband at anytime or anywhere if desired, and instead, the player can wear it only in some designated places, such as a closet. Further, the spare golf balls are loaded in the bags, the weight of the balls may deform the soft bags, which will sway following movement of the player and slap his waist from time to time to obviously influence feelings and atmosphere.

No. 6, Lane 49, Jen-I Street, Wu-Jih Hsiang


A solution contained in a regeneration tower is supplied to a filtering unit. The filter unit filters out solid particles contained in the solution. A washing unit washes out with backwash water solid particles filtered out by the filter unit. An evaporating unit receives the backwash water containing the solid particles, and heats received backwash water thereby obtaining solid-particles concentrated backwash water.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CO2 recovery system and a solid-particle removing method for use in the CO2 recovery system that can filter out solid particles contained in CO2-absorbing solution that is used for removing CO2 from exhaust gas and then remove the filtered-out solid particles.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years the greenhouse effect has been pointed out as one of causes of the global warming, and a countermeasure against it is urgently required internationally to protect global environment. CO2 emitted into the atmosphere has been considered the prime cause of the greenhouse effect. CO2 sources range various fields of human activities, including burning of fossil fuels, and demands to suppress their CO2 emission from these sources are on constant increase. Scientists have energetically studied means and methods for suppressing emission of CO2 from power generation facilities such as power generation stations which use an enormous amount of fossil fuels. One of the methods includes bringing combustion exhaust gas of boilers into contact with an amine-based CO2-absorbing solution. This method allows removal and recovery of CO2 from the combustion exhaust gas. Another method includes storing recovered CO2, i.e., not returning the recovered CO2 to the atmosphere.
Various methods are known to remove and recover CO2 from combustion exhaust gas using the CO2-absorbing solution. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H5-245339 discloses a method of contacting the combustion exhaust gas with the CO2-absorbing solution in an absorption tower, heating an absorbing solution having absorbed CO2 in a regeneration tower, and releasing CO2, regenerating the absorbing solution, and circulating the regenerated absorbing solution to the absorption tower again to be reused.
As shown in FIG. 7, in a conventional CO2 recovery system 1000, CO2-containing exhaust gas 1002 discharged from a factory 1001 is cooled with coolant water 1003 in a cooling tower 1004. The factory 1001 can be a boiler. The cooled CO2-containing exhaust gas 1002 is then conveyed to an absorption tower 1006 where it is brought into countercurrent contact with CO2-absorbing solution 1005. The CO2-absorbing solution 1005 can be an alkanolamine-based solution. CO2 in the CO2-containing exhaust gas 1002 is absorbed into the CO2-absorbing solution 1005, that is, CO2 is removed from the CO2-containing exhaust gas 1002. The CO2-absorbing solution 1005 containing CO2 (hereinafter, "rich solution 1007") is conveyed to a regeneration tower 1008. The rich solution 1007 drips downward in the regeneration tower 1008. When the rich solution 1007 reaches a lower portion of the regeneration tower 1008, most of the CO2 absorbed in the rich solution 1007 is released, and the rich solution 1007 turns into lean solution 1009 capable of working as the CO2-absorbing solution 1005. The lean solution 1009 is heated with saturated steam 1030 in a regeneration heater 1014. Thereafter, the lean solution 1009 is returned to the absorption tower 1006 and it is reused as the CO2-absorbing solution 1005. The saturated steam 1030 after use is discharged from the regeneration heater 1014 as steam concentrated water 1031.
In the CO2 recovery system 1000, material such as a sulfur oxide (SOx) remain un-removed in a desulphurization step. Such residual material reacts with alkanolamine contained in the CO2-absorbing solution 1005 in the CO2-removing process thereby producing a thermostable salt. The thermostable salt mixes with the lean solution 1009, which creates various issues. The thermostable salt cannot be removed under normal conditions in a course of producing the lean solution 1009 from the rich solution 1007, so that the thermostable salt accumulates in the system while the lean solution 1009 circulates.
The CO2 recovery system 1000 includes a reclaimer 1040 to which the lean solution 1009 that is produced in the regeneration tower 1008 is supplied. The reclaimer 1040 heats the lean solution 1009 to produce a condensed depleted material such as a salt. The condensed depleted material is then removed.
More particularly, the lean solution 1009 passing through a lean-solution supply line 1022 is extracted through an extracting line 1041 that is stretched from the lean-solution supply line 1022 to the reclaimer 1040. The reclaimer 1040 receives saturated steam 1046 from a saturated-steam supply line 1045 into a saturated-steam supply pipe 1050 and heats the lean solution 1009 with the saturated steam 1046. The depleted material is removed from the extracted lean solution 1009 in the reclaimer 1040. The lean solution 1009 is heated in the reclaimer 1040 to, for example, 130° C. to 150° C., so that vaporized CO2-absorbing solution 1047 is obtained from the lean solution 1009. The vaporized CO2-absorbing solution 1047 is supplied to the lower portion of the regeneration tower 1008. A condensed waste-product accumulated on a bottom of the reclaimer 1040 is removed from the system, for example, the boiler, for example, by pumping with a pump.
In the conventional CO2 recovery system 1000, solid particles such as soot dust or fly ashes (coal ashes) remain un-removed by a desulfurization device (not shown) are removed in the absorption tower 1006. However, a part of the solid particles still remain un-removed in the lean solution 1009. The solid particles in the lean solution 1009 are filtered out by a filtering member, and the filtered-out solid particles are then removed. The filtering member after use is replaced with a new one and the old filtering member is discarded as a waste product. The filtering member can be, for example, a cartridge filter or a precoat filter.
If an amount of the solid particles in the lean solution 1009 is large, the filtering member needs to be replaced frequently, which brings heavy workload and produces a large amount of the waste product.
Assuming that the amount of the exhaust gas from the CO2 recovery system 1000 is, for example, about 1,000,000 Nm3/h and the amount of dust out of the exhaust gas is, for example, about 5.0 mg/Nm3, about 40% of the dusts is removed in the cooling tower 1004 and the desulfurization device (not shown) and about 60% (i.e., the remaining dust) is removed in the absorption tower 1006. In other words, the amount of dusts removed in the absorption tower 1006 is as much as 1,000,000 (Nm3/h)×5.0 (mg/Nm3)×0.6%=3.0 kg/h.
A maximum collectable dust-amount of a typical filter is about from 100 grams to 200 grams per bottle. It means that 15 to 30 filters are replaced every hour. Such frequent filter replacement is impossible in practical, and the conventional filtering cannot use in the large-capacity CO2 recovery system.
The lean solution 1009 contains the CO2-absorbing solution 1005 that contains amine. Therefore, a chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the lean solution 1009 is high, and the lean solution 1009 cannot be drained out as effluent.
There is a need for producing a large-capacity CO2 recovery system, such as the amount of exhaust gas is, for example, 1,000,000 Nm3/h and the amount of dust removed in the absorption tower is as much as, for example, 3.0 kg/h, that can remove without breaks a large amount of the solid particles from the lean solution 1009.
The present invention has been achieved to solve the above problems in the conventional technology and it is an object of the present invention to provide a CO2 recovery system capable of recovering a large amount of CO2 thereby producing dust to be removed in the absorption tower as much as, for example, 3.0 kg/h and a solid-particles removing method for use in the CO2 recovery system that can remove the solid particles from the lean solution.


An intrusion warning system for protecting a partition, for example, a wall, ceiling, window, fenced cage, against intrusion by cutting through and/or climbing over. A vibration detector is mounted on the partition and the partition vibration detected by sensing the electric signal generated by the detector. The sensed electric signal is filtered, AM detected, shaped and processed to determine if an intrusion type event has occurred. Since research has determined that the materials composing a partition cause the vibration frequency induced into the detector to vary considerably, the system has a plurality of band filters to allow selection of the band to best monitor the partition for a given application. The system supports this selection with a built in display for the input level through an input amplifier and filters for the frequency band selected. A given stimulus to the detector thus can be analyzed for each band and the band providing the highest output selected. This band selection capability permits moving the signal band into a region of lower noise if a particular partition often vibrates at a given frequency from a known non-intrusive source. A step switch, having equal fixed increment of gain positions, is provided to set the pre-amplification of the detector produced signal. Thus an appropriate level can be set for the particular partition being monitored and the flexing thereof during a threat situation, and the system can be set up for given types of partitions without special equipment for gain setting determination.

The present invention relates to a warning or alarm system for protecting a structure against intrusion by breaking or cutting through, or climbing over partitions, or walls around or within a structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a system wherein a vibration sensitive detector, particularly a shielded electrical cable which produces an electrical signal due to the minute flexing of the cable caused by vibrations, is attached to the partition, and the vibrations produced when an attempted intrusion occurs are detected and processed to provide an alarm to indicate the attempted intrusion and particularly whether a cut or break-through (short term event) type intrusion or a climb over (sustained activity) type of intrusion is being attempted. A system of the above general type is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,239, issued Dec. 11th, 1982 to R. Mongeon.
When an insulated electrical cable is flexed, or when pressure is applied thereto, the resulting stress produced in the previously uncharged dielectric material of the cable by the movement results, due to the triboelectric effect, in the generation of a very small electric signal which may be sensed with appropriate sensing circuitry. When such a cable is attached to a partition, or a fence, minute flexing of the cable due to vibration of the partition results in the generation of an electric signal corresponding to these vibrations. However, electric signals will be produced both by vibrations, and hence electrical cable vibrations, which are desired to be detected, i.e., vibrations caused by attempted intrusions, as well as by vibrations which are not desired to be detected, i.e. vibrations from extraneous sources, such as air conditioners, nearby carts, or normal activities in adjacent rooms or areas, etc. Since the detection of these extraneous source caused signals could lead to false alarms, special signal processing is required in order to distinguish signals originating from intrusion related vibrations from signals originating from extraneous source related vibrations.
In order to provide adequate protection for a wall or other partition, it is desired to know whether an intruder is attempting to break or cut through the partition or is attempting to climb over same. In general, the signals resulting from attempts to break, or cut through a partition are of short duration, are abrupt, and are generally repeated a number of times within a predetermined short period of time. On the other hand, signals corresponding to attempts to climb a partition, drill through it, or pressure a collapse, generally have longer duration and a lower base frequency-than cut-through types of vibration signals and persist for a longer period of time.
Research has determined that the different materials comprising a partition vary considerably in the frequency of the vibrations induced onto the vibration detector, i.e., the cable. Moreover, as indicated above, the frequency of the vibrations for a given partition may differ greatly and over a relatively wide frequency band depending on the type of intrusion. In view of the low level of the input signals, this can result in difficulty in differentiating the vibrations from background noise, particularly if a partition is generally vibrating at a given frequency for a known and non-intrusive source, resulting either in non-detection of the actual intrusion induced input signal or a false alarm due to an extraneous vibration source. To overcome this detection problem it is often necessary to, in effect, customize a particular system at the factory for a particular type partition or installation after taking measurements with special equipment at the site of the system installation to determine an optimum operating band width. Such, of course, is rather expensive and time consuming.


An artificial neuron, which may be implemented either in hardware or software, has only one significant processing element in the form of a multiplier. Inputs are first fed through gating functions to produce gated inputs. These gated inputs are then multiplied together to produce a product which is multiplied by a weight to produce the neuron output.

Artificial neural networks have utility in a wide variety of computing environments, such as speech recognition, process control, optical character recognition, signal processing, and image processing. Processing engines for many of the foregoing computing environments may be implemented through neural networks comprising a plurality of elemental logic elements called neuron circuits.
A neuron circuit (or processing element) is the fundamental building block of a neural network. A neuron circuit has multiple inputs and one output. The structure of a conventional neuron circuit often includes a multiplier circuit, a summing circuit, a circuit for performing a non-linear function (such as a binary threshold or sigmoid function), and circuitry functioning as synapses or weighted input connections. Refer to FIG. 1, wherein inputs x.sub.1 -x.sub.n are weighted by respective synapses w.sub.1 -w.sub.n and accumulated together by summing circuit 2. The output of summing circuit 2 is fed into non-linear circuit 4 to generate the neuron circuit output 5.
FIG. 2 shows a non-linear transfer function in the form of a sigmoid-shaped function which is used by the prior art neuron circuit shown in FIG. 1. In the example shown, the sigmoid curve 6 is expressed by the equation: EQU OUTPUT=1/(1+e.sup.-NET) EQUATION 1
FIG. 3 shows another prior art neuron circuit, referred to as a perceptron neuron, which employs a binary threshold function. In this example, the perceptron neuron uses a binary threshold 14 as the non-linear function.
In summary, a typical conventional neuron circuit requires circuitry for weighted input connections, a summing circuit, a multiplier circuit, and complex circuitry for performing the non-linear function. Thus, the number of conventional neuron circuits which can be manufactured on a semiconductor chip is severely limited.
Therefore there is a significant need for a neuron circuit which has a minimum of components and which is simple and inexpensive to implement.
Conventional neural networks built of prior art neuron circuits require very lengthy training cycles, and even then they usually fail to converge on the correct result for every possible combination of input values. This is referred to in the art as achieving only a "local minimum" rather than a "global solution".
For example, the Feb. 18, 1993 issue of Electronic Design, p. 51, states that approximately 3 trillion (3.times.10.sup.12) training operations are required to train a typical neural network utilizing prior art neuron circuits. This typically requires weeks or even months of computational time, often using a super-computer.
Therefore, there is also a significant need for an artificial neuron that can form the basis of a neural network which does not require lengthy training cycles and which converges on a global solution in a single training cycle.

Artificial neuron and method of using same


The ball scooping position of a ball is setted downwardly of a reference line and the angle of the ball scooping position with respect to the reference line is setted at an angle of xe2x88x9215xc2x0. The end face of the rising portion of a tube is disposed so as to coincide with the reference line. The axis of the rising portion is setted so as to be present outside of a line corresponding to the ball center locus of a raceway. The inner surface of the pickup portion of the tube is connected with the ball scooping position of the ball rolling groove of a nut by a surface which exists outside of the ball rolling groove of the nut.

The present invention relates to a ball screw.
A ball screw is a linear guide apparatus which is composed of a screw shaft, a nut and a plurality of balls. In the outer peripheral surface of the screw shaft and in the inner peripheral surface of the nut, there are formed spiral-shaped ball rolling grooves. These two spiral-shaped ball rolling grooves cooperate together and define a raceway along which the balls are allowed to roll. In case that the balls roll on the raceway while being loaded, the nut moves linearly with respect to the axis of the screw shaft. That is, the spiral-shaped ball rolling grooves of the screw shaft and the nut provide a ball rolling raceway. Also, in the case of a ball screw of a tube type using a tube-shaped ball circulating passage, there is disposed a tube which allows the balls to circulate from one end side of the raceway to the other end side thereof.
FIG. 3 is a partially sectional view of a conventional ball screw of the tube type. In FIG. 3, a one-dot chained line A is a straight line which connects a central point O3 of a ball 3a with an axial core center O of the ball screw. The central point O3 of the ball 3a is presented at a ball scooping position where a ball 3 shifts from a loaded rolling portion formed within a raceway 6. Here, the loaded rolling portion means a portion where the balls rolled within the raceway in the loaded manner, are released from the located manner. Also, another one-dot chained line B is a straight line (a reference line) which is perpendicular to the rising direction of a tube 7 from the raceway 6 and passes through the axial core center O.
As shown in FIG. 3, in the conventional ball screw of the tube type, the ball scooping position is setted upwardly of the reference line B (that is, on the rising side of the tube 7). An angle xcex8 of the ball scooping position with respect to the reference line B is setted at an angle in the range from 15xc2x0 to 36xc2x0. Also, the tube is disposed in such a manner that an axis 71a of a rising portion 71 of the tube 7 coincides with a line 60a corresponding to a ball center locus 60 of the raceway 6.
On a screw shaft 1 side of the rising portion 71, there is disposed a tongue 72 which can be inserted into a ball rolling groove 4 of the screw shaft 1. Normally, the tongue 72 is projected downwardly of the end face of the tube 7 and thus the tongue 72 exists in the advancing direction of the ball 3. With this structure, the ball 3, which has reached at the ball scooping position, can be contacted with and picked up by the tongue 72. Then, the ball 3 is allowed to move through a space defined between the tongue 72 and a hole 21 formed in a nut 2, and can be then guided into the tube 7. The hole 21 is formed such that it continues with the inner surface of the rising portion 71 of the tube 7.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional ball screw of the tube type, there are following problems. That is, the advancing direction of the ball 3 is changed at a boundary point D between the ball rolling groove 5 of the nut 2 and hole 21 as well as at a leading end point E of the tongue 72. In this bout, noises, which are generated when the balls 3 pass through these points, become loud. Also, not only noises which are generated when the balls 3 moving toward the tube 7 are butted against the tongue 72, but also noises which are generated when the balls 3 are butted against the screw shaft 1 after the balls 3 have moved from the tube 7 to the raceway 6, are loud. Further, the collision of the balls 3 with the tongue 72 applies large stresses to the tongue 72 repeatedly and thus, especially when the ball screw is rotated at a high speed, there is a fear that the tongue 72 can be damaged or broken.
Therefore, in the conventional ball screw of the tube type, there is a need for reduction in the vibrations and noises thereof. As measures to deal with the large vibrations and noises, conventionally, there are employed a method of increasing the thickness of the tube and a method of increasing the strength of the tongue through a heat treatment. However, with use of these methods, the manufacturing cost of the ball screw becomes high.
The present invention aims at eliminating the drawbacks found in the above-mentioned conventional ball screw of the tube type. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a ball screw, which reduces the vibrations and noises effectively and also is manufactured at a low cost over the conventional ball screw.
In attaining the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a ball screw, comprising: a screw shaft including a spiral-shaped ball rolling groove formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof; a nut including a spiral-shaped ball rolling groove which is corresponded to the spiral-shaped ball rolling groove formed on the screw shaft so as to form a raceway therebetween and is formed in an inner peripheral surface thereof; a plurality of balls respectively disposed within the raceway defined by the two spiral-shaped ball rolling grooves; and a tube for circulating the balls from one end side of the raceway to the other end side thereof and including rising portions which are disposed in a rising direction from the raceway, the tube being connected to the one end side of the raceway and the other end side thereof via the rising portions respectively; wherein an architectonic ball scooping position, where the balls are released from a loaded rolling portion formed in the raceway, is positioned on or in adjacent to a reference line, which is perpendicular to the rising direction of the rising portion and passing through an axial core point of the screw shaft, and wherein the tube is disposed in such a manner that the axis of the rising portion presents at a nut-side outside of a line corresponding to a ball center locus of the raceway in the diameter direction. in addition, the architectonic ball scooping position is also positioned downward of the reference line and positioned on the opposite side to the rising portion.
In the ball screw according to the present invention, preferably, the nut-side inner surface of the rising portion of the tube may be connected with the ball scooping position of the ball rolling groove of the nut by a surface existing outside of the ball rolling groove of the nut, that is, a surface existing outwardly in the diameter direction of the tube.


A measuring device comprises a measuring unit and a synchronization unit. In this context, the measuring unit is embodied to implement a measurement task on the basis of first measurement parameters. The synchronization unit is accordingly embodied to synchronize the first measurement parameters with a further measuring device. The measuring device is then embodied to implement the measurement task jointly with the further measuring device on the basis of at least the first measurement parameters.

With conventional measuring devices, the case often occurs that a single measuring device is not sufficient to fulfil a given measurement task. For example, in the case of a signal generator, the number of necessary signal outputs may not be adequate for a desired measurement task. In particular, the limits of individual measuring devices are often reached in the case of measurement tasks with regard to new communications standards, such as LTE, in which different signals of a plurality of antennae must be simultaneously generated or respectively measured.
In order to implement such a measurement task with conventional measuring devices, it is necessary to make the required settings manually in all of the participating measuring devices. This is particularly problematic in the case of any change of the measurement task, since the required settings must be implemented again in every participating measuring device.
Accordingly, it is disadvantageous that a considerable user effort is necessary for the implementation of a measurement task using at least two measuring devices.

Measuring device, measuring system and method for operating a measuring system with rapid synchronization of settings


There is disclosed an apparatus for automatically processing the end portions of a plurality of pieces of tubing of a constant predetermined length, comprising two separate processing modules the distance between which may be quickly changed for processing tubing of a different constant predetermined length, each module being independently powered and having its own transport means for moving the tubing in "hand-to-hand" fashion to and from all of the processing stations thereon, the transport means being designed to handle only the ends of the tubing disposed in the vicinity of the module. Means for synchronizing the transport means on the two modules is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to the fabrication of parts from tubing on a mass production basis, for example the fabrication of such parts as automotive fuel, vapor, brake and transmission oil cooler lines by processing individual lengths of tubing to deburr the ends, assemble fittings, flare the ends and then blow out the tubing to remove any debris.
The closest existing machine of which Applicants are aware is the one disclosed in Applicants' prior U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,874,048, issued 4/1/75 and assigned to the assigness of the present application, and particularly the assembling section 32 thereof. In that disclosure tubing is cut to measured lengths which are fed to a series of aligned work stations where they are progressively operated upon by assembling end fittings, flaring the end, and then bending the tubes to the required shape. Transfer between stations is accomplished by oscillating shafts disposed between the stations carrying transfer arms which swing back and forth above the work level. Each work station has a pair of tube clamps and each pair of arms carries grab clamps. Controls prevent release of the tube clamps at each station until the grab clamps have engaged the tube, and prevent release of the grab clamps until the tube clamps at the next station have engaged the tube.
Although that machine is capable of fabricating a large number of constant length pieces of tubing in a relatively short time period, like most mass production equipment it is relatively large and requires a great deal of time and effort to modify the machine to handle constant length tubing of a different length.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved tubing processing machine, relatively compact in size, which is extremely flexible in application in that it can very easily and quickly (less than one minute), and without requiring special operator ability, be converted from being set for performing a sequence of operations on tubing of one constant length to being set for performing the same sequence of operations on tubing of a different constant length. Tubing fabricated on the machine of the present invention may be delivered for bending to the bending section of the aforesaid patented machine.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

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Implementations of the present invention include a compound and methods for inhibiting karyopherin beta 1 activity by administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a substituted benzoxazepine. The compound of Formula II, 9-[(1-methylpiperidin-3-yl)methoxy]-4-[(6-methylpyridin-2-yl)methyl]-7-(5-methylthiophen-2-yl)-3,5-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazepine or one of its salts, inhibits the import of protein and transcription factors, such as NFAT and P65/NFKB into the nucleus of a cell, and thus has anti-cancer effects enabling the compound to be used for cancer treatment.

Nuclear transport is the import or export of proteins across the nuclear pore complex (NPC). Nuclear transport proteins are involved in the transport process and they determine the nuclear transport capacity of a given cell. The transport capacity may have a direct impact on gene expression, signal transduction and cell growth and development.
Karyopherin beta (β) 1 (Kpnβ1) is a nuclear transport protein involved in the import of cargo proteins and RNAs across the NPC, from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. Kpnβ1 is a member of the Karyopherin β superfamily of nuclear transport proteins. There are over twenty members of the Karyopherin β protein family, which can function as either import or export receptors, mediating either the nuclear entry or exit of proteins. Kpnβ1, also known as Importin β, is a major nuclear import receptor in the cell that transports proteins containing a nuclear localisation signal (NLS) through the NPC into the nucleus. Kpnβ1-dependent nuclear import is typically characterised by the recognition of the NLS on the cargo protein by the Kpnβ1 adaptor protein, Karyopherin α (Kpnα), also known as Importin α. After cargo recognition, Kpnα binds Kpnβ1 and the trimeric complex translocates into the nucleus.
The Crm1 inhibitor Leptomycin B (LMB) is the only accepted and commercially available compound known to inhibit nuclear transport. Recently, small molecule peptidomimetic inhibitors of Kpnα/β-mediated transport were identified in an in vitro screen, however, these inhibitors have low potency and are not cell permeable, and hence no inhibition of Kpnα/β-mediated nuclear import could be observed in vivo (Ambrus G, Whitby L R, Singer E L, Trott O, Choi E, Olson A J, et al. Small molecule peptidomimetic inhibitors of importin alpha/beta mediated nuclear transport. Bioorg Med Chem 2010 Nov. 1; 18(21):7611-20).
Peptide inhibitors that bind Kpnα with a strong affinity have also been described, yet these do not inhibit Kpnβ1 directly (Kosugi S, Hasebe M, Entani T, Takayama S, Tomita M, Yanagawa H. Design of peptide inhibitors for the importin alpha/beta nuclear import pathway by activity-based profiling. Chem Biol 2008 Sep. 22; 15(9):940-9). Ivermectin is a broad-spectrum anti-parasitic that inhibits the Kpnα/1 complex, but it does not appear to block import mediated by Kpnβ1 alone (Wagstaff K M, Sivakumaran H, Heaton S M, Harrich D, Jans D A. Ivermectin is a specific inhibitor of importin alpha/beta-mediated nuclear import able to inhibit replication of HIV-1 and dengue virus. (Biochem J 2012 May 1; 443(3):851-6). Karyostatin 1A (Hintersteiner M, Ambrus G, Bednenko J, Schmied M, Knox A J, Meisner N C, et al. Identification of a small molecule inhibitor of importin beta mediated nuclear import by confocal on-bead screening of tagged one-bead one-compound libraries. ACS Chem Biol 2010 Oct. 15; 5(10):967-79) and Importazole (Soderholm J F, Bird S L, Kalab P, Sampathkumar Y, Hasegawa K, Uehara-Bingen M, et al. Importazole, a small molecule inhibitor of the transport receptor importin-beta. ACS Chem Biol 2011 Jul. 15; 6(7):700-8) are the first small molecule inhibitors of Kpnβ1 to be identified, however, their off-target effects have not yet been examined. Moreover, no inhibitor of nuclear import has as yet been tested for its anti-cancer effects. There thus remains a need for the identification of novel and effective Kpnβ1 inhibitors and for the inhibitors to be tested for their anti-cancer activities.
The preceding discussion of the background to the invention is intended only to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was part of the common general knowledge in the art as at the priority date of the application.

Substituted benzoxazepine for cancer therapy

University of Louisville Research Foundation Inc.


When immobilizing enzymes such as glucose isomerase by adsorption on a carrier such as an ion exchange resin, the enzyme prior to adsorption on the carrier is separated from a high molecular weight, non-dialyzable polysaccharide which inhibits adsorption of the enzyme to the carrier.

In recent years there has been heavy emphasis on the development and industrial application of processes which involve the use of immobilized enzyme. Immobilized enzyme is generally produced by contacting an enzyme preparation (either a crude or purified solution of the enzyme) with an adsorptive carrier therefor. These immobilized enzymes are particularly useful because they facilitate continuous as opposed to batch processing.
In attempting to adapt various enzymes for immobilized enzyme usage, however, certain problems such as low levels of absorption on the carrier have been encountered. This problem is particularly undesirable because it results in immobilized enzyme compositions having low operational efficiencies.
The present invention involves, in part, the discovery of a major cause and of means for overcoming the foregoing problem. Consequently, this invention permits use of many enzymes which have not heretofore been successfully or practicably employed in immobilized form.
The difficulties heretofore encountered in the immobilization of certain enzymes have been found to derive from the presence of certain polysaccharides of high molecular weight which are commonly present in enzyme preparations. These polysaccharides are also adsorbed by carriers and have been found to inhibit the adsorption of the enzyme, presumably through blockage of active sites on a carrier which would normally attract and hold the enzyme.


An automatically retracting chalk line dispenser having a first and second casing elements, chalk line, reel, coil spring, and thumb-lever. The thumb-lever operates as a brake thereby allowing for either controlled retraction or an effective lock on the chalk line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to carpentry tools and more particularly to an automatically retracting chalk line dispenser for conveniently dispensing and retracting a chalked string, such as those commonly used by carpenters to form straight lines.
2. Related Art
Chalk lines are used by carpenters and other building tradesmen to mark straight lines between two end points on a work surface. A line is "drawn" by stretching a chalk-covered string over the work surface between the two designated end points and snapping the string to release the chalk. The chalk line designates a straight line from one end point to the other, since the string that makes the line is stretched tightly between the two end points.
Contemporary chalk line dispensers typically comprise a housing in which a quantity of chalk dust may be disposed and inside of which a spool of string is pivotally mounted such that the string may be extended from the housing while carrying thereupon a small amount of chalk dust. The string is extended such that it coincides with a line for which marking is desired. The string is then held stationary at both ends and plucked near the middle such that chalk dust is shaken from the string when the string impacts the surface to be marked, thereby forming a straight line between the two ends of the string. A line catch or hook may be utilized to anchor the string at the distal terminus of the line to be formed while the chalk line device is held stationary at the lines proximal the terminus by the user. The string is typically manually retracted into the device via a rotatable handle and winding mechanism. The disadvantages with this type of device is the time, effort, and physical ability required to retract the string.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,656 to Lane et al. discloses an automatically retracting chalk line dispenser having a drive casing, a reel casing, and a thumb-operated lever for releasing a clutch to enable spring reeling of the line. Lane does not disclose a thumb-operated lever which acts as both a clutch and a brake, nor does Lane disclose an eyelet for securing the chalk line dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,616 to Millen, Jr. et al. discloses an automatically retracting chalk line dispenser including a casing forming a chalk reservoir, a spool assembly, and an automatic centrifugal speed regulator assembly. Millen discloses a complex and expensive device for regulating the speed of the chalk line rewinding. Millen does not disclose an inexpensive and reliable device for regulating chalk line rewind speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,324 to Moore discloses a manually retractable chalk line dispenser having a tearddrop-shaped main body. Moore does not disclose automatic retraction of the chalk line nor a simple device for locking extended chalk line. Also, Moore does not disclose an eyelet for securing the chalk line dispenser.
There remains a need in the art for an automatically retracting chalk line dispenser having structure to simplify its use and effective chalk line control mechanisms for increased functionality.


Disclosed is an electrodeposited copper foil, in which a center line roughness average Ra (μm), a maximum height Rmax (μm), and a ten-point height average Rz (μm) of a matte side satisfy an Equation below, 1.5≤(Rmax−Rz)/Ra≤6.5. The electrodeposited copper foil according to the present invention maintains low roughness and high strength, and exhibits a high elongation rate, and particularly, has excellent glossiness, so that the electrodeposited copper foil may be used in a current collector of a medium and large lithigum ion secondary battery and a semiconductor packaging substrate for Tape Automated Bonding (TAB) used in a Tape Carrier Package (TCP).

A copper foil is generally used as a current collector of a secondary battery. As the copper foil, a rolled copper foil obtained by rolling processing is mainly used, but fabricating cost of the rolled copper is high and it is difficult to fabricate a copper foil having a wide width. Further, since the rolled copper foil uses lubricating oil during the rolling processing, adhesion with an active material may be degraded by a contamination of the lubricating oil, so that a charging and discharging cycle characteristic of the battery may be degraded.
A lithium battery accompanies a change in volume during charging and discharging and a heating phenomenon according to overcharging. Further, in order to improve adhesion with an electrode active material and, in relation to expansion and contraction of an active material layer according to the charging and discharging cycle, in order to prevent wrinkle, fracture, and the like from being generated in the copper foil, which serves as a current collector, with little influence from a copper foil base material, surface roughness of the copper foil needs to be low. Accordingly, a highly elongated, highly strong, and low rough copper foil, which is capable of resisting to a change in volume and a heating phenomenon of the lithium battery and has excellent adhesion with an active material, is required.
Further, according to a demand for a light, thin, short, and small electronic device, in order to increase a degree of integration of a circuit within a small area according to high performance, compactness, and lightness, a demand for fine wiring of a semiconductor mounted substrate or a main board substrate is increased. When a thick copper foil is used for fabricating a printed wiring board having a fine pattern, an etching time for forming a wiring circuit is increased and lateral wall verticality of a wiring pattern is degraded. Particularly, when a line width of the wiring pattern formed by etching is small, the wiring may be disconnected. Accordingly, in order to obtain a fine pitch circuit, a thinner copper foil is demanded. However, a thickness of a thin copper foil is limited, so that mechanical strength of the thin copper foil is weak, so that a frequency of the generation of a failure, such as wrinkle and bending, is increased during fabricating the wiring substrate.
Further, a plurality of terminals of an Integrated Circuit (IC) chip is directly bonded to an inner lead disposed in a device hall positioned at a center portion of a product in a semiconductor packaging substrate for Tape Automated Bonding (TAB) used in a Tape Carrier Package (TCP) and the like, and in this case, a current is made to momentarily flow in the inner lead by using a bonding device to heat the inner lead and apply a predetermined pressure to the inner lead. Accordingly, the inner lead formed by etching the electrodeposited copper foil is elongated and stretched by a bonding pressure.
Accordingly, a copper foil having a small thickness, high mechanical strength, a high elongation property, and low roughness is required.

Electrodeposited copper foil, and electrical component and battery comprising same


A method for managing a queue of cells received from a plurality of sources, wherein the last cell received is stored at a receive address in a buffer, and a time stamp is established for the last cell received that represents the theoretical time it is to leave the queue. The receive address is inserted into a programmer at a location identified by the time stamp of the last cell received, and an occupancy bit associated with the time stamp is set to an active state. The first cell(s) to leave the queue from the first active occupancy bit following that of the cell that has just left the queue is determined, with the occupancy bits being classified in increasing order of the associated time stamps, and the occupancy bit of the first cell is set to an inactive state when it leaves the queue.

The present invention concerns a method of managing a queue of digital cells.
In the field of digital transmission, the objective of a method of the above kind is to determine, for data or cells received from various sources, the order in which the cells are to be forwarded to an external unit.
The order in which the various cells are forwarded can naturally differ from that in which they are received. This operation of classifying the received cells is generally called queue management.
Queue management relies on a priority level of each source, priority level often being a function of the rate at which the sources send successive cells.
French Patent Application No. 2 715 258 proposes a data sorting system for queue management of the above type. The system comprises a down column of chained registers for storing the data, the first register of the column being adapted to receive the data to be classified. It also comprises an up column of chained registers, the last register of this column containing the data to be forwarded. Each register of the up column is also associated with a register of the down column in a one-to-relationship and classification is effected by exchanging data stored in the registers of the down column with data stored in the registers of the up column. Without going into how this register works in detail, it is clear that managing the transfer of data between the interconnected registers represents some degree of complexity because of the stepwise progress of the data in each column.
Transferring each item of data requires a number of transfers corresponding to the number of registers that the data must pass through. It follows that the greater the number of registers in each column, the greater the cost of this operation in terms of the number of transfers.
The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a queue management method requiring a limited number of operations to classify cells. It is particularly well suited to relatively long queues.
The method of the invention for managing a queue of cells received from a plurality of sources comprises the following steps:
storing the last cell received at a receive address in a buffer, and
establishing for the last cell received a time stamp representing the theoretical time it is to leave the queue,
and the method further comprises the following steps:
inserting the receive address in a programmer at a location identified by the time stamp of the last cell received,
setting an occupancy bit associated with the time stamp to an active state,
determining the first cell(s) to leave the queue from the first active occupancy bit following that of the cell that has just left the queue, the occupancy bits being classified in increasing order of the associated time stamps, and
setting the occupancy bit of the first cell to an inactive state when it leaves the queue.
When the last cell received comes from a source assigned a priority level, the time stamp of that cell depends on the priority level.
For example, the source sends cells at a rate corresponding to an average period, the priority level corresponds to that period, and the time stamp is greater than or equal to that of the preceding cell from the source plus the period.
Moreover, the time stamp is also greater than or equal to the time stamp of the first cell.
In an advantageous implementation of the method, the successive occupancy bits are grouped into words and a flag is established for each of these words which has the value 0 when all the bits of the words are inactive and which has the value 1 otherwise.
Moreover, the flag of the corresponding word is recalculated after setting an occupancy bit.
It is therefore possible to look for the first non-zero flag and then the first non-zero bit associated with that flag to determine the first cell(s) to leave the queue.
However, according to an additional feature, the successive flags are grouped into fields and an index is established for each of these fields which has the value 0 when all the bits of the word are inactive and which has the value 1 otherwise.
In this case, after setting an occupancy bit and recalculating the flag of the corresponding word, the index of the field comprising that flag is recalculated.
Thus, advantageously, the first non-zero index and then the first non-zero flag associated with that index and finally the first non-zero bit associated with that flag are looked for to determine the first cell(s) to leave the queue.
Also, the time stamp is preferably established modulo a predetermined capacity constant.
According to an additional feature, the programmer includes at least two pages and the first cell(s) to leave the queue are determined page by page.
In any event, the invention also covers the situation in which one of the locations of the programmer contains a chained list of addresses.

Method of managing a queue of digital cells


A method for handling asynchronous database transactions in a web based environment is disclosed. The method comprise providing a first ID from a device via a dedicated persistent connection and generating a second ID in an application server upon receipt of the first ID. The method also include utilizing the first ID and second ID to obtain the appropriate data from a database system and to send the appropriate data to the device. A method in accordance with the present invention uses a database resource adapter, which runs inside an application server, to generate a socket ID internally for every input transaction running with the dedicated persistent socket connection and also saves the customer-specified client ID for database queue creation and legacy application. This operation is transparent to the customers' client application.

Sysplex (multiprocessor cluster-based) enabled infrastructures are utilized extensively for workflow of client applications. For example, they are utilized in automatic teller machine (ATM) transactions. It has been found that some banking customers have experienced significant operational issues when accessing data in such an infrastructure.
Any customer who has a sysplex-enabled infrastructure that uses a web application server, such as WebSphere, with a TCP/IP gateway (for example, IMS Connect) to access a database and sends their asynchronous transactions using dedicated persistent socket will receive a duplicate client ID problem. When the duplicate socket ID problem is generated, the transaction request that was sent will either hang, return an error message, or become lost. This is a severe problem because the customer's clients potentially will be left standing at an ATM machine waiting for a transaction that cannot be completed.
To describe these issues in more detail, refer now to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying figures. There are two scenarios in which the duplicate socket ID problem is generated.
FIG. 1 is a first embodiment of a conventional sysplex enabled infrastructure 10. The infrastructure 10 includes a sysplex distributer 12, two plurality application servers 14a-14n, a TCP/IP gateway 16 and a database system 17. The sysplex distributor 12 assigns a transaction request to a specific application server 14a-14n. Each application server 14a-14n includes a resource adapter 19a-19n. The first scenario is if the customer is in a multi-thread environment where the sysplex distributor (SD) 12 is managing multiple application servers 14a-14n. The purpose of the SD 12 is to manage and balance the workflow and increase server availability.
In this scenario, when an ATM machine 20 whose client ID is ATM1 sends an asynchronous transaction request, the sysplex distributor 12 assigns the transaction request to a specific server, for example, server 14a. The resource adapter 19a inside server 14a sends the transaction request to the database system 17 through a TCP/IP gateway system 16 using a dedicated persistent socket connection 21a. The dedicated persistent socket connection 21 must have a unique client ID, which in this case is ATM1. The client ID identifies the client application and allows only transaction requests from that client application to reuse the socket connection; hence it is a dedicated persistent socket. The transaction is completed when the response is returned to the ATM machine 20 and the interaction ends. However, because the socket 21a is a dedicated persistent socket, that connection from the server 14a to the TCP/IP gateway 16 stays open to be reused for the next transaction request from the ATM1 client application.
If another transaction request is sent by the same ATM machine 20 (whose client ID is ATM1) and the sysplex distributor 12 assigns the request to another web application server, for example application server 14b, the same process occurs. The resource adapter 19b inside application server 14b sends the transaction to database system 17 through the TCP/IP gateway 16 using the persistent socket connection 21b that contains the ATM1 client ID. However, the server 14a already has the ATM1 client ID socket connection open.
The gateway 16 recognizes that the socket connection 21a is open on server 14a and rejects the transaction request from server 14n with the message that it is a duplicated client ID even though the interaction on server 14a had completed. Because each dedicated persistent socket connection 14 must have its own unique client ID and the ATM machine 20 only has one ID, a duplicate socket ID error is generated. If multiple transaction requests are sent through the ATM1 machine 20 and distributed to different servers by the SD 12, many transactions will be rejected due to the duplicate ID problem.
Another scenario that generates the duplicated client ID problem is if the customer uses one application server and creates multiple servant regions within that server. Similar to the SD, the server acts like a workflow manager and directs transaction requests to specific servant regions to increase server availability. The following figure illustrates the process flow in which the duplicated socket ID problem is generated.
FIG. 2 is a second embodiment of a conventional sysplex enabled infrastructure 10′. The infrastructure 10′ includes a sysplex distributor 12′, an application server 14′, a TCP/IP gateway 16″ and a database system 17′. SD 12 assigns a transaction request to servant regions 30a-30n within the server 14′.
In the second scenario, a transaction request is sent to a servant region 30a which is received by database system 17′. A response is returned to the ATM 20′ and the interaction is completed. However, when the ATM 20′ sends in a second request and that request is directed to the servant region 30b, a duplicated socket ID problem is generated because a socket connection 21a′ with the client ID ATM1 is open in servant region 30a. As a result, the TCP/IP gateway 16′ rejects a message and the transaction request fails.
This problem increases exponentially if any customer has a sysplex structure where there are multiple application servers and each of those servers have multiple servant regions.
To address this problem, a customer can choose to use shareable persistent socket for sending asynchronous transactions to the application server to bypass the duplicate client ID problem. However, with this method, the customers must rewrite their client applications and not specify a customer-specified client ID to an application server. This eliminates the capability of using the customer-specified client ID for tracking, security, and maintenance purposes.
Also, because the legacy application running in the database in most cases uses the customer-specified client ID to identify the client application for unsolicited messages, the legacy application must then be re-written for this solution. Furthermore, with this solution, using the sharable persistent socket increases the number of IMS output queues, thus impacting IMS storage requirements.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method that overcomes the above-described operational issues. The system and method should be cost effective, easily implemented and adaptable to web-enabled database systems. The present invention addresses such a need.

Method for handling asynchronous database transactions in a web based environment

International Business Machines Corporation


A computer system, computer media, and computer-implemented method for generating product suggestions and providing product information are provided. The computer system includes a relevance engine, a product database, and a graphical user interface to respond to user queries and to provide product details associated with one or more products included in the user queries. The relevance engine determines which products are similar to products included in the user queries. The graphical user interface displays product suggestions that refine the user queries without executing the query on the product database, where a subset of the product suggestions are linked to product details pages. User selection of any of the product suggestions within the subset directs the user to a product details page for a specific product and bypasses a listing of results having many products that match the refined user queries.

Conventionally, a user receives query formulation assistance from a local application or a remote server that provides cached terms based on queries previously received by conventional search engines from the user or all users that submit queries to the conventional search engines.
Conventional search engines receive queries from users to locate webpages having terms that match the terms included in the received queries. Conventional search engines assist a user with query formulation by caching terms sent to the conventional search engines from all users of the conventional search engines on servers that are remote from the users and displaying one or more of the cached terms to a user that is entering a user query for the conventional search engines. The user selects any one of the cached terms to complete the query and receives a listing of webpages having terms that match the terms included in the user query.
Alternatively, a user may receive assistance with query formulation from a local application executing locally on the client device associated with the user. The application may locally cache terms—on the client device—included in the user queries that were previously submitted to the conventional search engines. The local application displays the locally cached terms to the user when the user is entering subsequent queries to the conventional search engines. In turn, the user may select one or more of the locally cached terms to include in the user query that is sent to the conventional search engines. The conventional search engines receive the user query and generate a listing of webpages having terms that match the terms included in the user query.

Product suggestions and bypassing irrelevant query results


A plurality of metal tracks are formed in a plurality of intermetal dielectric layers stacked in an integrated circuit die. Thin protective dielectric layers are formed around the metal tracks. The protective dielectric layers act as a hard mask to define contact vias between metal tracks in the intermetal dielectric layers.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to the field of integrated circuit design. The present disclosure relates more particularly to metal interconnections within an integrated circuit die.
Description of the Related Art
As integrated circuit technology continues to scale down to smaller technology nodes, the back end of the line connections become very challenging and complicated to implement. Complex patterning schemes such as double patterning are used to provide smaller and smaller interconnection features. Many problems can occur within the integrated circuits as vias and metal lines within the integrated circuit become smaller and closer together. These problems can include difficulty in alignment of photolithography masks during manufacture, as well as electromigration and time dependent dielectric breakdown during the life of the integrated circuit.

Encapsulated damascene interconnect structure for integrated circuits

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A carrier for convenient support of a child on an adult in either the facing-in or facing-away position includes a waist belt with abdominal support portion, a saddle seat that mounts to the abdominal support portion in either position, an over-the-shoulder harness that attaches at spaced locations on the front of the abdominal support portion, then crisscrosses the back and comes over the shoulder to two narrower vest support straps which clip to portions of the seat. A pocket vest slideably mounts on the vest support straps and a retaining strap laces through the abdominal support portion and the height adjustment loops on the pocket vest.

Baby carriers of various types are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: Sutter, No. 781,033; Blekastad, No. 1,464,404; Wood, No. 2,409,331; Kaminski, No. 2,496,216; Haas, No. 3,968,911; Ruggiano, No. 4,271,998; Purtzer, No. 4,402,440; Johnson, No. 4,416,403; Storm, No. 4,492,326; Bartow, No. 4,778,091; and Moseley, No. 4,790,459.
Recently, another type of soft baby carrier with a shoulder harness and a vest with pocket has become available. The number of baby carriers available over the years suggests that there is still a significant need for a baby carrier that offers both firm support and convenience of use.
None of the above-mentioned carriers offers both advantages of significant load-carrying capability using a shoulder harness and firm support under the child in the abdominal region of the person carrying the child.


A virtual machine control device that controls a C-Plane base station virtual machine for providing a base station function of a virtual base station. The virtual machine control device includes: a virtual machine controller configured to activate a clone of the C-Plane base station virtual machine that is a target of software update; and a virtual base station switching controller configured to assign a network assigned to the C-Plane base station virtual machine to the clone after performing the software update to the clone.

With the popularization of the LTE (Long Term Evolution) service, the number of base stations increases. There is an EMS (Element Management System) which operates and manages the base station. Operating a large number of base stations, especially, updating their software is causing an increase in burden on an operator or an equipment vendor.
For example, when the software update is performed to a certain base station, a software update process needs to be performed at a time period when this base station is least frequently used in view of effects on services.
A study is underway to develop a communication node with a virtual machine in a mobile communication network by using server virtualization technology.
In patent literature 1, there is disclosed a management system in which three virtual machines: a virtual machine for an active system, a virtual machine for a standby system, and a virtual machine for a secondary system are prepared and when a failure occurs, the virtual machine is switched to the virtual machine for a standby system having an application associated with that of the virtual machine for an active system so that the user has little influence when the failure occurs and a trouble can be smoothly handle.
Further, in patent literature 2, there is disclosed a communication device in which a plurality of virtual base stations and a virtual management server unit which manages the virtual base station are produced on common hardware in order to reduce the time required to newly install a base station or update software.

Virtual machine control device, method for controlling virtual machine control device, management device, and method for controlling management device


An arrangement for measuring and cancelling bias distortion is designed for correcting the distortion of the binary signals which do not comprise any zero-frequency spectral components, automatically and cyclically measures said distoration (DM) by consecutive analyses of the binary data at a sampling frequency (SCK) which is a multiple of the data frequency in order to determine the sign and the quantized value of the distortion (UDC). It includes distortion cancelling means (CC) which augment the length of the binary elements selectively as a function of the sign of the distortion and proportionally to the quantized value of the said distortion and this is done until the distortion is cancelled completely.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement for measuring the bias distortion in binary signals which arrangement is formed around counting means for counting the binary elements during a measuring period determined by a counting clock.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such an arrangement for measuring bias distortion, also called asymmetrical distortion, is described in British patent specification No. 1 585 121. As it frequently happens, during transmission of binary signals over long distances, that these signals are received in a degraded condition caused by bias distortion, a measurement of this distortion is to be performed. The measuring arrangement known from the above Patent Specification is thus designed for measuring this distortion. A counting clock is adjusted to supply to the measuring means a preselected number of clock pulses for each binary element. The arrival of a positive-going or negative-going edge of the binary signal resets to zero the content of a counter which then restarts counting the clock pulses until the arrival of the next edge of the opposite sense in the binary signal. After a preset number of repetitions of such a sequence an average value is determined and displayed by means of a linear array of lamps. This arrangement has a first disadvantage which relates to the fact that it is necessary for the counting clock to be adjusted to try and find the synchronism with the binary signals to be measured. A second disadvantage appears from the fact that displaying the distortion by means of a linear array of lamps is not very accurate, it does not provide the quantized value of the measured distortion and can thus not be used directly and in a simple manner when automatic correction is desired.

Arrangement for measuring and cancelling bias distortion in binary signals of the type not comprising any zero-frequency spectral components

Telecommunications Radioelectriques et Telephoniques T.R.T.


A mobile communication device includes a processor operably coupled to a memory and to a wireless communication subsystem operable to send and receive data, a camera operably coupled to the processor, a sensor operably connected to provide to the processor a distance between the camera and an element viewable by the camera. Instructions are stored in the memory; when these instructions are executed by the processor, the mobile communication device takes an image with the camera, uses the sensor to determine a distance between the camera and at least one object recorded in the image, receives a request for a desired measurement comprising one of a desired length measurement and a desired area measurement of an element in the image, calculates the desired measurement, and provides the desired measurement to the user.

Cell phones and/or tablets are increasingly the device of choice for many for access to data communication networks and for voice communication. Simultaneously with the trend towards smaller, lighter, power-conserving devices is the trend for increasing capabilities in the mobile communication devices. These conflicting demands can provide challenges for those who design and implement mobile communication devices.

Method to determine length and area measurements within a smartphone camera image


Disclosed is an apparatus for establishing a path in a synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) system and method thereof. The present invention monitors all possible locations for the existence of the C2 byte of the VC-n (n=3,4) signal and a size bit (SS bit) of the TU-m (m=11,12,2,3) signal, thereby enabling it to decide the pointer interpretation and generation path automatically.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for establishing an information path, and more particularly, in a synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) system.
2. Background of the Related Art
Generally, a synchronous digital hierarchy (hereinafter abbreviated SDH) system in accordance with the ITU-T suggestion produces synchronous transfer module (STM) n rank signal by processing DS-1, DS-2, and DS-3 rank signals in a T1 signal system or DS-1E, DS-2E, DS-3E, and DS-4E rank signals in an E1 signal system according to a predetermined hierarchy.
In order to transfer a predetermined asynchronous signal through the SDH system, a series of procedures for converting the corresponding asynchronous signal into an STM-n signal of a synchronous transfer module have to be carried out. Namely, the SDH system accommodates an asynchronous DS rank signal of the T1 or E1 system in a container, forms a virtual container (VC) by attaching a path overhead (POH) to the corresponding container, forms a tributary unit (TU) signal by attaching a pointer byte and a justification bit to the virtual container (VC), and forms a tributary unit group (TUG) signal by multiplexing the TU signal. Then, an administration unit group (AUG) and an STM-n signal are formed successively by carrying out additional processing on the TUG signal.
The present invention relates to realizing a TU-m pointer-processor application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that processes the TU-m (m=11, 12, 2, 3) rank signals as the TU signals, which is compared to the following related art.
When interpreting and producing a TU-m rank pointer, a multiplexing path of an AUG signal of the AUG is selected by a setup of a microprocessor. Processing of the TU-m rank pointer is carried out along the selected path.
FIG. 1 illustrates a path for a general TU-m rank pointer processing. An AUG signal is demultiplexed into AU-4 or AU-3 signal and then pointer-processed. Thereby, the AUG signal is aligned into a VC-4 or a VC-3 signal, respectively. The demultiplexing/multiplexing processing of the AU-4 signal is carried out along a path such as AU-4→VC-4→TUG-3→VC-3→TU-3→TUG-3 and the like, while demultiplexing/multiplexing processing of the AU-3 signal is carried out along a path such as AU-3→VC-3→TUG-2→TU-2(TU-11, TU-12)→VC-2(VC-11, VC-12)→TU-2(TU-11, TU-12) →TUG-2 and the like. In this case, available paths for processing the respective signals are established variously.
An ASIC for carrying out pointer processing along such paths includes a pointer interpretation unit interpreting a pointer, a pointer generation unit producing the pointer, and a microprocessor interface monitoring and controlling the pointer interpretation and generation. Such a construction of an ASIC is well-known in the art and its description will be skipped.
An operator determines a path for the pointer processing in the related art. Namely, the operator, selects a path for processing a pointer in a plurality of paths and then establishes the microprocessor construction for the selected path. As a result, a multiplexing path of the AUG signal of the administration unit group is selected by the selection of the microprocessor construction, whereby the interpretation and generation of the TU-m rank pointer is achieved along the selected path.
As the multiplexing construction of the conventional AUG signal is achieved by the constructional establishment of the microprocessor, path establishment by the operator should precede the established construction. Therefore, the operator has to select a pointer processing path for interpretation and generation of the TU-m rank pointer by himself in the related art. Specifically, system operational efficiency is reduced since the operator does the path establishment.
Besides, a multiplexing/demultiplexing path for pointer processing, as shown in FIG. 1, is constructed as a mirror image, for instance, centering around VC-C. Therefore, when the operator selects a path to be processed and establishes a microprocessor construction to fit the selected path, unnecessary software has to be added to the same path.
The above reference is incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.

Apparatus for establishing path in synchronous digital hierarchy system and method thereof


An apparatus includes a processor and storage to store instructions that cause the processor to perform operations including: receive an indication of completion of a first task with a first partition such that the first node device is available to assign to perform another task; delay assignment of performance of a second task on a second partition to the first node device for up to a predetermined period of time, in spite of readiness of the second task to be performed on the second partition and availability of the first node device; determine whether an indication of completion of the first task with the second partition such that the second node device is available to assign to perform another task is received within the predetermined period of time; and assign performance of the second task on the second partition to the second node device based on the determination.

It has become increasingly commonplace to use grids of numerous node devices to perform analyses of large data sets (e.g., what is commonly referred to as "big data") in a distributed manner in which tasks of analysis routines are performed at least partially in parallel across multiple selected ones of the node devices. In operating such grids, there are often competing goals in assigning the tasks of analysis routines to the node devices, including the goal of making as full and uninterrupted use of the processing resources of each node device as possible, and the goal of making more effective use of the processing and storage resources of each node device, as well as of the network bandwidth resources of the grid. Adding to the complexity of addressing such competing goals is the common practice of sharing grid resources by causing the tasks of multiple analysis routines to be performed by the node devices of the grid at the same time. A classic approach to assigning tasks is to simply assign the next task to be performed to whichever node device is the next one to have available processing resources. Unfortunately, this classic approach represents a decision to allow considerable inefficiencies in the use of storage and network bandwidth resources.

Node device function and cache aware task assignment


An outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical cell is coated with a heat insulation material. A heat-resistant material is stacked radially outside the heat insulation material. An electrical insulation material is stacked radially outside the heat-resistant material. The order in which the heat insulation material, the heat-resistant material and the electrical insulation material are stacked one on top of another may be changed. A coating material other than the heat insulation material, the heat-resistant material and the electrical insulation material may be provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coated cell and a module battery.
2. Description of Related Art
In a module battery, cylindrical cells of sodium sulfur batteries are housed within a case, as shown in FIG. 4 of Patent Literature 1. The cylindrical cells are erected vertically, and are arranged in a closest packed manner in a horizontal direction.


A cutting plotter equipped with a device for reading register marks for seal cutting capable of accurately reading the register marks printed on a seal material. The cutting plotter includes a head provided thereon with a light emitting element for emitting a predetermined amount of light toward a surface of the seal material and a light receiving element for detecting the amount of light reflected from the surface of the seal material. A difference between the amounts of reflected light detected by the light receiving element is calculated by a first calculation unit and then stored in a storage unit. A relative difference between the difference in the amounts of reflected light stored in the storage unit and a difference between the amounts of reflected light calculated by the first calculation unit is calculated by a second calculation unit. Also, a determination unit is arranged so as to determine whether or not the relative difference calculated by the second calculation unit is within a predetermined tolerance, to thereby determine whether or not the register marks are printed on the seal material.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cutting plotter equipped with a device for reading register marks for seal cutting and a method for reading the register marks by means of the plotter, and more particularly to a cutting plotter including a device for reading register marks for seal cutting which are used for cutting stickers or seals printed on a seal material along respective contours thereof and a method for reading the register marks using the cutting plotter.
2. Description of Related Art
Now, the prior art will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 10 designates a seal material having a plurality of seals 20 printed thereon in a row. The seals 20 are each provided on a surface thereof with any desired characters, numerals, symbols, figures, pictures or the like. The seal material 10 is releasably adhered to a base sheet (not shown).
The seal material 10 also has register marks 30 for seal cutting printed on corners thereof. The register marks 30 each function as a reference for cutting the seals 20. The register marks 30 each have a lateral line and a longitudinal line defined parallel to a lateral axis x of the seal material 10 and a longitudinal axis y thereof, respectively. For example, the register mark 30 may be formed with a shape wherein the lateral and longitudinal lines intersect each other to define any suitable shape such as an L-like shape, a cross-like shape or the like. In FIG. 6, the lines define an L-like shape.
The seal material 10 is placed on a platen of a cutting plotter while being adhered to the base sheet. Then, a head of the cutting plotter is moved relative to the seal material 10 placed on the platen in X- and Y-directions, so that a cutter arranged on the head may cut each of the seals 20 printed on the seal material 10 along a contour 22 thereof, resulting in the seal 20 being separated from the seal material 10, followed by peeling off the seal 20 from the base sheet. Thereafter, the seal 20 is stuck onto a surface of any desired article by means of an adhesive applied to a rear surface thereof.
Thus, cutting of the seals 20 printed on the seal material 10 placed on the platen along the contours 22 by means of the cutting plotter is carried out by relatively moving the head of the cutting plotter in the X- and Y-directions above the seal material 10 placed on the platen on the basis of the register marks 30 printed on the corners of the seal material 10, to thereby cut each of the seals 20 along the contour 22 by means of the cutter mounted on the head.
Recently, in order to accomplish automated cutting of the seals printed on the seal material 10 along the contours 22 by the cutting plotter, it has been highly desired to develop a cutting plotter equipped with a unit for automatically reading the register marks 30 for seal cutting printed on the surface of the seal material 10.
For this purpose, a cutting plotter may be equipped with a register mark reading unit which is so constructed that a head is provided thereon with a light emitting element for emitting a predetermined amount of light toward the surface of the seal material 10 placed on a platen and a light receiving element for detecting an amount of light reflected from the surface of the seal material 10 placed on the platen when light is emitted from the light emitting element.
In such a cutting plotter, the head is relatively moved in X- and Y-directions above the seal material 10 placed on the platen to a position right above a portion of the seal material 10 on which the register mark 30 is supposed to be printed while emitting the predetermined amount of light toward the surface of the seal material 10 placed on the platen from the light emitting element arranged on the head. Then, the amount of reflected light which is emitted from the light emitting element and then reflected from the surface of the seal material 10 is detected by the light receiving element arranged on the head. Thus, whether or not each of the register marks 30 is actually printed on the portion of the surface of the seal material 10 on which the register mark 30 is supposed to be printed is automatically read on the basis of a difference between the amounts of reflected light detected by the light receiving element.
More specifically, the seal material 10 generally has a ground color such as white or the like sufficient to permit substantially all of light incident on the seal material to be reflected thereby. In contrast to this, the register marks 30 printed on the surface of the seal material 10 are colored black or the like, resulting in their absorbing most of light incident thereon without reflecting it. Thus, when the head is relatively moved from a position above a portion of the seal material 10 of which a ground color is exposed to a position right above the portion of the seal material on which a respective one of the register marks 30 is printed while emitting a predetermined amount of light toward the surface of the seal material 10 placed on the platen from the light emitting element, the amount of reflected light which is emitted from the light emitting element of the head, reflected from the surface of the seal material 10 and then received by the light receiving element is varied from about 100% to about 0% with movement of the head. This results in the register mark 30 which is actually printed on the portion of the seal material 10 on which it is supposed to be printed being read.
However, when the cutting plotter including such a register mark reading unit as described above is to read each of the register marks 30 which is actually printed on the portion of the seal material 10 on which it is supposed to be printed on the basis of the difference between the amounts of reflected light detected by the light receiving element, it encounters a critical problem. More particularly, when the difference between the amounts of reflected light detected by the light receiving element on the basis of which whether or not the register mark 30 is printed on the seal material is determined is set so as to have a small value, an unnecessary colored line printed such as in red, blue or the like on a surface of a portion of the seal material which is near the register mark 30 or a stain caused on the portion of the seal material is mistaken for the register mark 30 even when the amount of reflected light which is emitted from the light emitting element and reflected from a surface of the unnecessary colored line or stain is, for example, as small as 30%. This causes the head of the cutting plotter to be relatively moved in the X- and Y-directions above the platen on the basis of the unnecessary colored line or stain mistaken for the register mark 30, resulting in the cutter of the head failing to accurately cut each of the seals 20 along the contour 22.
Furthermore, the register marks 30 printed on the surface of the seal material 10 are inherently different in gloss, shade or the like from each other even when they are likewise colored black, so that the amounts of light reflected from the surfaces of the register marks 30 are not equally substantially 0% but different from each other. Likewise, the portions of the surface of the seal material 10 of which a ground color is exposed are different in gloss, dullness or the like from each other even when they are likewise colored white, so that the amounts of light reflected from the portions are not equally substantially 100%, thus, different from each other.
Therefore, when whether or not each of the register marks 30 is actually printed on the portion of the seal material 10 on which it is supposed to be printed is read on the basis of the difference between the amounts of reflected light detected by the light receiving element while the head is relatively moved in the X- and Y-directions above the seal material 10 placed on the platen to the position right above the portion of the seal material 10 on which the register mark 30 is supposed to be printed while emitting a predetermined amount of light toward the surface of the seal material 10 placed on the platen from the light emitting element arranged on the head, a significant problem occurs in the case that the difference between the amounts of reflected light detected by the light receiving element on the basis of which whether or not the register mark 30 is printed on the seal material is determined is set at a great value. More specifically, when the amount of light reflected from the surface of the register mark 30 is not substantially 0% but as great as, for example about 30% or the amount of light reflected from the surface of the portion of the seal material 10 near the register mark 30 is not substantially 100% but as small as, for example, about 70%, the cutting plotter equipped with the reading unit described above fails to read the register mark 30 which is actually printed on the surface of the portion of the seal material on which it is supposed to be printed.

Cutting plotter equipped with device for reading register marks for seal cutting and method for reading register marks using same