A remote control that includes multiple fast forward modes and a skip mode.

The present invention relates to an interface for a video device.
Many users have large libraries of video tapes upon which is stored desirable video content. The user places the video tape within a video cassette recorder and presses the play button on the video cassette recorder or an associated remote control. The user then watches the video content. Normally while watching non-interesting portions of the video or otherwise in an attempt to search for particular content on the cassette the user may fast forward a portion of the video tape, such as double speed. Unfortunately, having merely a single fast forward speed results in some difficulty for the user to appropriately view the content as it passes by because it may be to fast or to slow for proper viewing. In addition, having merely a single fast forward speed results in some difficulty for the user to quickly move forward a substantial duration.
Another type of personal video recording device uses a digital recording medium, such as a recordable digital video disc or hard drive, to record video content. The personal video recorder is primarily used to record video broadcast or other available video content for viewing at a different time. Typical personal video recorders include a multitude of different buttons to fast forward, skip commercials, switch to recorded video watching mode, and switch to television watching mode. In order to activate each of these functions the user must examine his remote control and determine where the button is located for the particular function.
For example, a personal video recorder available from TiVO may include a single fast forward button that when depressed cycles from 2× speed, to 4× speed, to 8× speed, as the button continues to be depressed. The user may then release the button while at the desired fast forward speed to maintain that fast forward speed. In this manner the user may selectively speed through a portion of the video content. Typically the user examines the remote control to locate the fast forward button. Also, the user typically examines the remote control to locate the appropriate button to return to normal viewing.
The TiVO personal video recorder may also include a jump commercial button. The jump button typically skips forward ("fast forwards") in increments of approximately 30 seconds, which is the normal duration of a commercial. This is convenient for a user who does not like to watch commercials. Typically the user examines the remote control to locate the jump button. Also the user typically examines the remote control to locate the appropriate button to return to normal viewing.


A system and method for producing an output logarithmic digital signal from an input digital signal having a plurality of bit values in which the output logarithmic signal has a precision defined by a parameter is described. The system (45) includes a search circuit (50), an interpolation circuit (55) in coupled with the search circuit, a shift circuit (60) in coupled with the interpolation circuit and a combiner (65) that produces an output logarithmic digital signal (90) from a received search circuit output (75) and a received shift circuit output (88).

This invention generally relates to computational systems and methods, and more particularly, to systems and methods that perform numerical computations such as speech recognition systems.
The need for systems capable of performing optimized logarithm computations exists in many mathematical and engineering fields. Unfortunately, at present, systems that perform logarithmic calculations fall into three categories. The first is floating point implementations of logarithms, the second is table-ized fixed-point implementations, and the third is straight integer implementations.
In the first category (floating-point implementations) floating point numbers are utilized to represent the inputs and outputs of the system. Floating-point logarithms systems are usually implemented employing a math co-processor with some form of power series or Newton-Raphson method of convergence. As a result, this category of systems requires complex circuitry and substantial processing time to obtain a final value.
Tabularized fixed-point representation systems provide a scaled integer representation of the true logarithm value. In other words, log(x) would be represented as xe2x80x98yxe2x80x99 multiplied by log(x) where xe2x80x98yxe2x80x99 is a fixed scaling factor to preserve precision. These systems draw intermediate values of the logarithm from a table. The table contains the value of log(x) to the appropriate scale at compile time. These types of systems require the creation and manipulation of a table of values and can require substantial memory space (as a result of storing intermediate values in the table) to obtain a final value.
The last category is integer truncation of the logarithm value. Systems in this category return the value of the highest bit in the argument (x). While useful for search applications where precision is not required, the lack of precision in this type of systems means that all bits on the right of the decimal place are lost. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method that produce logarithmic values with run-time specified precision quickly without utilizing tables and/or multiplications.

Fast system and method for producing a logarithmic signal approximation with variable precision


A memory address generating apparatus comprising an address converting circuit, after setting a first setting region storing substitution source data and a second setting region storing substitution destination data that are a substitution target of the substitution source data in an address space provided by the memory, if a specified address specified by the processor as the access destination to the memory is included between a first beginning address and an end address of the first setting region, changing the specified address to a substitution destination address generated by adding a difference between the specified address and the first beginning address to a second beginning address of the second setting region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory address generating apparatus, a processor having the same, and a memory address generating method.
2. Description of the Related Art
An accessible memory such as a program memory or a data memory is incorporated in or attached externally to a microcomputer or a processor that performs a signal process such as a DSP. Addressing modes of processor for accessing such a memory include a direct addressing mode, an indirect addressing mode, a relative addressing mode, a base addressing mode, etc. Therefore, to achieve these addressing modes, the processor is equipped with a memory address generating apparatus that generates addresses for accessing the memory. See for example Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H06-337812.
By the way, as the processor is required to perform more sophisticated and complicated processes, the memory is required to store more volume of data, which is continuously increasing year by year. Under such a situation, for example, in one of the processors, DSP (Digital Signal Processor), when a digital filter calculation (FIR (Finite Impulse Response), IIR (Infinite Impulse Response), etc.) is performed which includes multiplication, accumulation, etc., while the same multiplier and adder are used, a plurality of processes is performed by dynamically switching the filter coefficients of the digital filter calculation. In this case, the filter coefficients include a mixture of static data that will be common contents in a plurality of processes and dynamic data that will be different contents in a plurality of processes. Therefore, while the processor stores the static data and dynamic data for each of a plurality of processes in the memory, this is redundant and contributes to the increase of the usage capacity of the memory, since a plurality of the static data is stored in the memory although the static data have the common contents for each process.
Additionally, for example, if the memory is a mask ROM, a bug may be discovered in a program stored in the mask ROM or the program contents may be changed along with the change in the system specification after the mask ROM is manufactured. In such a case, since the mask ROM is difficult to rewrite for debugging or changing the program because of the nature of the mask ROM, the bug or the unchanged program is stored in the mask ROM without modification. This also contributes to the increase of the usage capacity of the memory.

Memory address generating apparatus, processor having the same, and memory address generating method


The present invention relates to canine COX-1 and COX-2 proteins; to canine COX-1 and COX-2 nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such COX-1 and COX-2 proteins, respectively; to antibodies raised against such proteins; and to compounds that inhibit the activity of such proteins. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. The present invention also includes therapeutic compositions comprising such inhibitory compounds, particularly those that specifically inhibit COX-2 activity, as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to treat animals.

Prostaglandins are important mediators of inflammation and are also involved in a cytoprotective role in gastric mucosa. Of particular interest in the present application are the prostaglandin producing enzymes COX-1 and COX-2, also known as prostaglandin H synthase-1 (PGHS-1) and prostaglandin H synthase-2 (PGHS-2). COX-1 is the constitutive isoform and is mainly responsible for the synthesis of cytoprotective prostaglandins in the GI tract whereas COX-2 is inducible and plays a major role in prostaglandin biosynthesis in inflammatory cells and in the central nervous system. Considerable research has been conducted to isolate therapeutic agents which are specific for the inhibition of COX-2, i.e. agents which have the anti-inflammatory benefit of COX-2 inhibition without the GI tract irritation associated with inhibition of COX-1; see, for example, Vane et al., 1998, Annual Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol., 38:97–120; Masferrer et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 91:3228–3232; Vane et al. 1995, Inflamm. Res. 44:1–10; Seibert et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 91:12013–12017; and Dubois et al., 1998, The FASEB Journal, 12:1063–1072.
Previous research indicates that COX inhibitors can have different selectivity ratios if profiled in assays using cells from different species or sources and it has been postulated that some classes of inhibitors may be species specific in nature; see, for example, Ricketts et al., 1998, AJVR 59:1441–1446, Warner et al., 1999, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 96:7563–7568, Laufer et al., 1999, Inflamm. Res., 48:133–138, Giuliano et al., 1999, British J. Pharmacol., 126:1824–1830, Riendeau et al., 1997, Can. J. Physiol. Pannacol., 75:1088–1095, Khan et al., 1998, Toxicologic Pathology, 26(5): 612–620, and Golden et al., 1999, Osteoarthritis, 25(2):359–378. Therefore, isolation and sequencing of canine COX-1 and COX-2 genes may be critical for use in identifying COX-2 specific inhibitors specifically for use in dogs.
Thus, there remains a need to develop COX-2 specific therapeutic agents for use in dogs as well as reagents and methods to identify such therapeutic agents.

Canine COX-1 nucleic acid molecules and fragments thereof


A refrigerator appliance and ice dispenser is provided herein. The refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, an ice maker attached to the cabinet, a dispenser recess defined on the refrigerator appliance, and a dispenser conduit disposed within the dispenser recess. The dispenser conduit may include a chute wall. The chute wall may define an ice passage, one or more fluid inlets, a manifold channel, and one or more fluid outlets. A fluid inlet may be positioned radially outward from the ice passage in fluid communication with a fluid source selectively supplying a fluid flow thereto. The manifold channel may extend within the chute wall about at least a portion of the ice passage. The manifold channel may be in downstream fluid communication with the fluid inlet. A fluid outlet may be defined through the chute wall in downstream fluid communication with the manifold channel.

Dispensers for liquids or ice are typically provided in refrigeration appliances, such as refrigerators, freezers, and vending machines. In certain of such appliances, both hot and cold water may be provided. Moreover, in some appliances, coffee or other beverages may be dispensed as well. Often, these dispensers include some sort of recess or compartment into which a container or vessel, such as a cup, is placed to receive the dispensed substance.
In many instances, a conduit for dispensing liquids extends downward into a dispenser recess. As an example, a liquid conduit may extend in front of or behind an ice nozzle. Such configurations may be unsightly and aesthetically unappealing to users. Moreover, they may complicate assembly and, in some conditions, interfere with the movement of ice through the ice nozzle (e.g., by blocking a portion of the passage of the ice nozzle or restricting movement of the ice nozzle). It may be desirable to selectively change or vary the characteristics of the liquids dispensed through the conduit. For example, containers of different sizes may be easier to fill if the spray angle or flow rate from conduit is varied. However, incorporating additional liquid conduits may exasperate the above-described issues.
In additional or alternative instances, lighting may be provided for the dispenser compartment to assist the user in placing the container so as to receive the dispensed substance. Typically, such lighting is an incandescent bulb placed in a top portion of the compartment. While such a bulb will generally illuminate the compartment sufficiently, the bulb does not provide much information to a user.
Accordingly, a refrigerator having a dispenser assembly incorporating features addressing one or more of the above-described issues would be useful. In particular, it would be advantageous for a dispenser assembly to include features for improving liquid dispensing or lighting at an ice dispenser.

Refrigerator appliance and ice dispenser defining a liquid outlet


In accordance with the invention, an illumination device comprises a highly thermally conductive substrate having a surface, a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) supported by the surface and arranged in an array to provide illumination. At least one reflective barrier at least partially surrounds each LED. The reflective barrier is shaped to reflect away from the LED light emitted by other LEDs in the array. Advantageously the LEDs and reflective barrier are thermally coupled to a heat spreader to dissipate heat generated by the LEDs. The substrate preferably comprises an LTTC-M heat spreader, and the reflective thermal barriers preferably comprise metal ridges or cups.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are being used as light sources in an increasing variety of applications extending from communications and instrumentation to household, automotive and other visual displays. LED arrays comprise a plurality of LEDs arranged on a common substrate. One problem with LED arrays is the significant heat generated by dense concentrations of LEDs. Solutions to the thermal problems associated with LED arrays are the subject of a related application entitled, "Light Emitting Diodes Packaged For High Temperature Operation" U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/638,579, filed Aug. 11, 2003. The Ser. No. 10/630,579 application is incorporated herein by reference.
Another problem in LED arrays concerns illumination efficiency. Illumination efficiency is a measure of the percentage of generated light that actually leaves an LED package and that can serve as useable light in the intended application. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a typical LED array 10. LED dies (semiconductor chips) 12 generate light. LED dies 12 are typically box-like in structure with 6 sides. Since they are almost always mounted on one of the light surfaces, the other 5 surfaces are capable of emitting light generated by the device. Some of the light is absorbed by nearby walls 22 of array package 11, some is reflected back to the emitting die, and some is absorbed directly by nearby LED die 12 in the array. The remainder of the light exits the package.
There is a relationship between illumination efficiency and the thermal problems of LED arrays. Self-heating by absorption contributes to thermal problems. Thus, there is a need for an LED packaging arrangement that can increase the illumination efficiency of LED array devices and reduce the thermal problems produced by absorption.

Illumination device for providing directionally guided light


An information processing system includes a recording apparatus and a portable device, wherein the recording apparatus includes a recording control section, a selection section, a creation section, a digest information transfer control section, an operation information reception control section, and an operation information reflection section, and wherein the portable device includes a digest information reception control section, and an operation information transfer control section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing system, a recording apparatus, a portable device, an information processing method, and a program. More particularly, the invention relates to an information processing system, a recording apparatus, a portable device, an information processing method, and a program for enabling the operations performed on the portable device to be reflected easily on the contents recorded on the recording apparatus such as a hard disk recorder.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been proposed techniques for transferring the contents recorded by the recorder such as a hard disk recorder or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) recorder to a portable device for away-from-home viewing. Such techniques are disclosed illustratively in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2006-202475 and 2007-080366.
The deletion of and other operations on the contents recorded on the ordinary recorder are typically carried out by the user giving relevant instructions by operating a control panel or a remote controller of the recorder.
That means it is necessary for the user to stay close to the recorder when manipulating its control panel or remote controller in order to delete or otherwise operate on the recorded contents.
Meanwhile, the user staying away from the recorder may delete or otherwise operate on the contents recorded on the recorder illustratively by operating the apparatus by means of a network such as the Internet. For example, the user away from home may go on the network such as the Internet to operate the recorder remotely when deleting or otherwise operating on the recorded contents.
However, to operate the recorder by use of the network such as the Internet requires making complicated settings that would allow the user to connect to and handle the recorder via the network.
In order to delete any content from the recorder while staying away from home, the user on the road needs to know what kinds of contents have been recorded on the recorder.
One way for the user away from the recorder to know the contents recorded thereon involves having the contents transferred from the recorder to the portable device and carrying the apparatus with him or her while on the road, as mentioned above.

Information processing system, recording apparatus, portable device, information processing method, and program


An ink jet printing apparatus prints an image by employing a print head capable of ejecting ink through an ejection opening. The ink jet printing apparatus comprises: a blade having a distal end portion which wipes an ejection opening face of the print head where the ejection opening is formed; and a blade cleaner having a face which moves relatively to the bade in a predetermined direction while being in contact with the distal end portion of the blade. The face of the blade cleaner includes a plurality of inclined faces which are located by being shifted in the predetermined direction and inclined in the predetermined direction. The plurality of inclined faces have different inclination angles in the predetermined direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet printing apparatus that includes a blade that wipes an ejection face of a print head on which an ejection opening is formed, and a blade cleaner that cleans the blade.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an ink jet printing apparatus, a foreign substance, such as an ink droplet and dust (including a paper powder caused by a printing medium like a sheet of paper), may be attached to an ejection face of an ink jet print head on which an ejection opening is formed. In order to clean the ejection face of the print head, a flexible blade is employed to wipe the ejection face. Since the foreign substances attached to the ejection face are removed by using the blade, defective ink ejection through the ejection opening can be prevented.
The blade is a flexible plate member, and a distal end portion of the blade includes a top face located at the tip and side faces located on the respective sides of the blade in the direction of thickness. In a wiping operation, the blade is moved while the distal end is bent in contact with the ejection face. Accordingly, the foreign substance on the ejection face is collected by the distal end of the blade, and the ejection face is cleaned. However, there is a possibility that the foreign substance thus collected by the distal end of the blade may be attached again to the ejection face in the next wiping operation. Therefore, a blade cleaner for cleaning the blade is used to prevent re-attachment of the foreign substance.
An arrangement wherein the blade is bent and moved in contact with an inclined face of an ink absorber, serving as the blade cleaner, to remove the foreign substance from the distal end of the blade is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H07-285226 (1995) and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-180013.
According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H07-285226 (1995) and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-180013, since the blade is moved with the distal end being bent in contact with the ink absorber, it is easy to remove the foreign substance from the side faces of the distal end of the blade. However, the foreign substance attached to the top face of the distal end is not easily removed.


An inline floor hockey playing surface including a substantially horizontal planar main playing surface provided with a goal or net close to either end of the playing surface and opposite thereto. A ramped half-pipe surface surrounds the horizontal planar surface. An upper deck platform surrounds the top of the ramped half-pipe surface. Side walls and end walls enclose the upper deck platform. Players can utilize both the ramped half-pipe surface as well as the upper deck platform surface during game competitions.

Dating back to the 15th century, American Indians played lacrosse. The game's main purpose was to settle tribal disputes and more importantly, to prepare and toughen warriors for battle. Legend has it that team selection and victories supernaturally controlled. Equipment and players are still ritually prepared by ceremonies that resemble those practiced before departing on the war path. Non-indians witnessing this game likened the sticks used to play the game to the "crosier", which were carried by bishops as a symbol of their office. Hence the name lacrosse. In the 1800's in Montreal, non-indians took up the game lacrosse and has since been designated as the national sport of Canada. The United States, England, Ireland, Scotland and Australia all play lacrosse and complete on the international level. Touted as the fastest game on two feet, lacrosse is considered to be an arduous test of strength and endurance.
Due to its cold winter weather, Canadians also participated greatly in the sport of ice hockey, which is considered to be the fastest game on two skates. Obviously, since ice hockey is placed on ice, it's playing time is limited to outdoor rinks or ponds in cold weather, as well as indoor rinks both in warm and cold weather. However, due to the rapid increase in popularity of ice hockey, particularly in the United States, rink time is often difficult to obtain and is limited in nature.
The invention of inline skates brought the world the ultimate cross training mechanism for ice hockey. Although conventional roller skates have been used to play a floor version of hockey, inline skates most closely simulates the moves on ice and the uncompromising maneuverability that makes ice hockey so fast and exciting. Now a viable sport in its own right, and the fastest-growing team sport in America at the present time, inline roller hockey has captured the majority of the inline market. The organizations that support the sport of inline hockey have nurtured the ranks of recreational skaters to skilled team play with future opportunities at the college level and professional sports.
Aggressive skating is one of the fastest-growing individual segments of inline skating. Freeform dance of risky "aggressive" tricks are performed on rails and ramps with ballet-like motion on inline skates. The sport is urban, extreme and artistic, exuding an attitude emulated by today's youth.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,593, issued to Palakanis, is directed to a roller skating rink having a FIG. 8 shaped track including a pair of banked opposite end sections connected to a pair of intermediate sections. As shown particularly with respect to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the banked section 34 raises to a maximum height of approximately 18 feet above the horizontally disposed portion and it attains its full height throughout a 60.degree. central angle indicated by the numeral 35 in FIG. 1. However, as illustrated in the Palakanis patent, this banked section only extends around each end of the roller skating rink.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,310, issued to Farnen, describes a portable half pipe including an elevated section 42d as well as an arcuate track assembly 44d supported at its upper end by backing beams 34d, at its mid-arc by support truss structure 36d and at its bottom by base beam 32d. As specifically stated in this patent, platform 42d provides a surface upon which skaters can stand and rest while not skating on the half pipe 20. Clearly, this elevated platform 42d as well as the entire skateboard ramp described in the Farnen patent is not designed to allow a skater to entirely skate around the periphery of a horizontal planar surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,025, to Pobee-Mensah, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,109, issued to Cagle, describe enclosed surfaces for playing a ball game. Both of these patents include sidewalls as well as end walls for maintaining the ball as well as the players within the playing surface. However, neither of these patents include a ramped surface as well as an elevated upper deck platform which completely surround the playing surface.


The present invention is an improvement upon the known method of anionically polymerizing monomers by contacting the monomers with an anionic polymerization initiator which is an organo-substituted alkali metal compound. The improvement comprises decreasing the viscosity of the polymer cement by adding at least 0.01 equivalent of a metal alkyl compound per equivalent of alkali metal initiator if the metal alkyl is added before or at the beginning of polymerization. If the metal alkyl is added during the polymerization or after but before the living polymer is terminated, then at least 0.01 equivalent of the metal alkyl compound per equivalent of living polymer chain ends is should be used. The alkyl groups of the metal alkyl are chosen such that they do not exchange with the organo substituents of the alkali metal, which can be the living polymer chain ends or the organo substituents of the initiator. To avoid this undesired exchange reaction, the alkyl groups of the metal alkyl compound are selected to be more basic and/or less bulky or both than the organo substituents of the alkali metal compound.

This invention relates to the manufacture of polymers by anionic polymerization of monomers, especially conjugated dienes and/or vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons, in a hydrocarbon solvent. More particularly, this invention relates to an improvement in such a process whereby the throughput of the manufacturing system is increased by reducing the viscosity of the polymer cement (the solution of the anionic polymer in the hydrocarbon solvent).
Anionic polymers, including polymers of conjugated dienes and/or vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons, have been produced by numerous methods. However, anionic polymerization of such or other monomers in the presence of an anionic polymerization initiator is the most widely used commercial process. The polymerization is carried out in an inert solvent such as hexane, cyclohexane, or toluene and the polymerization initiator is commonly an organo alkali metal compound, especially alkyl lithium compounds. The solvent used is almost always a non-polar hydrocarbon because such solvents are much better solvents for the polymers of such monomers, especially conjugated diene polymers or blocks when they form a part of block copolymers.
As the polymer is created from the monomers, a solution of the polymer forms in the inert hydrocarbon solvent. This solution is called the polymer cement. These polymerizations may be carried out at a variety of solids contents and it is reasonably obvious that if the process can be run at high solids content, the manufacturing cost will be decreased because the cost of solvent will be decreased and more polymer can be produced in a given amount of time.
Unfortunately, with polymer cements of anionic polymers, one of the most significant rate limiting aspects is the viscosity of the polymer cement. This is especially true in the manufacture of block copolymers of conjugated dienes such as butadiene or isoprene and vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons such as styrene.
Solutions of living anionic polymers, living polymer cements, tend to be higher in viscosity than their terminated analogs, terminated polymer cements. The higher viscosity of living polymer cements in polymerization tends to limit the production capacity of equipment used to make these products. Higher concentrations of terminated polymer solutions could be pumped and mixed with the existing equipment but polymerization at these higher concentrations is not possible due to the prohibitively high viscosities of the living polymer solutions. Production rates are limited by the viscosity of the living anionic polymer solutions in polymerization since the polymer chain must be kept xe2x80x9clivingxe2x80x9d, i.e., not terminated, until the desired molecular weight is achieved.
The present invention is an improvement upon the known method of anionically polymerizing monomers by contacting the monomers with an anionic polymerization initiator which is an organo-substituted alkali metal compound. The improvement comprises decreasing the viscosity of the polymer cement by adding at least 0.01 equivalent of a metal alkyl compound per equivalent of alkali metal initiator if the metal alkyl is added before or at the beginning of polymerization. If the metal alkyl is added during the polymerization or after but before the living polymer is terminated, then at least 0.01 equivalent of the metal alkyl compound per equivalent of living polymer chain ends (i.e., styryl-lithium or dienyl-lithium moiety) should be used. Preferably, in both cases, from 0.01 to 1.5 equivalents is used and most preferably, 0.01 to 1.0 equivalents.
The metal alkyl is preferably added during the polymerization but it can be added before polymerization begins. It can also be added subsequent to polymerization before termination if desired. The alkyl groups of the metal alkyl are chosen such that they do not exchange with the organo substituents of the alkali metal, which can be the living polymer chain ends or the organo substituents of the initiator. To avoid this undesired exchange reaction, the alkyl groups of the metal alkyl compound are selected to be more basic and/or less bulky or both than the organo substituents of the alkali metal compound. The organo substituents of the alkali metal compound are aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic, or alkyl-substituted aromatic and include multi-functional initiators such as the sec-butyl lithium adduct of diisopropenyl. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the organo-substituted alkali metal species at the time of the addition of the metal alkyl is a styryl-lithium or dienyl-lithium moiety. The preferred metal alkyl for use herein is triethyl aluminum.

Increased throughput in the manufacture of anionic polymers by reduction in polymer cement viscosity through the addition of metal alkyls


A method is provided for beam shaping in a radio communication system having subscriber stations and a base station, and an antenna device with a number of antenna elements that emit a downlink signal weighted with a coefficient of an actual weighting vector to a subscriber station, the actual weighting vector being updated via feedback information from the subscriber station. The subscriber station estimates the direction of a control vector in an M-dimensional vector space using measurements of the downlink signals, it detects a deviation of the estimated direction from the direction of a reference control vector and transmits information representative of the deviation to the base station. The base station then adapts the weighting vector using the representative information.

The present invention relates to a method for transmitting feedback information for beam-shaping in a radio communication system having a number of subscriber stations as well as a base station, whose associated antenna device has several antenna elements so that spatial resolution is possible during beam-shaping. The present invention further relates to a subscriber station suitable for use with such method.
In radio communication systems, messages, (voice, video information or other data) are transmitted by transmission channels with the aid of electromagnetic waves (a radio interface). The transmission takes place both in the downwards direction (downlink) from the base station to the subscriber station and in the upwards direction (uplink) from the subscriber station to the base station.
Signals that are transmitted using electromagnetic waves are subject to interference during their propagation in a propagation medium, mainly by disturbances. Disturbances due to noise mainly occur due to noise in the input stage of the receiver. Signal components pass through different propagation paths due to diffraction and reflection. Consequently, a signal can arrive at a receiver several times, from different directions, with different delays, attenuations and phase angles in each case. Moreover, parts of the reception signal can coherently superimpose at the receiver with changing phase relationships and lead to fast fading there.
From DE 197 12 549 A1, the use of smart antennas is known (i.e., antenna arrangements with several antenna elements), to increase the transmission capacity in the upwards direction. This enables the deliberate alignment of the antenna gain in a direction from which the uplink signal comes.
From A. J. Paulraj, C. B. Papadias, "Space-time processing for wireless communications", IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, November 1997, p. 49–83, various methods are known for the spatial separation of uplink and downlink signals.
For the downlink direction (i.e., from the base station to the subscriber station), particular difficulties occur because the beam-shaping has to be performed before the influencing of the transmitted signals through the radio channel. From R. Schmalenberger, J. J. Blanz, "A comparison of two different algorithms for multi antenna C/I balancing", Proc. 2nd European Personal Mobile Communications Conference (EPMCC), Bonn, Germany, September 1997, p. 438–490, an algorithm for beam-shaping in the downwards direction is known, whereby a direct propagation path (line of sight link) between the base stations and the subscriber stations and an iterative calculation of beam-shaping vectors is presumed. The expensive iterative calculation must be completely repeated each time the properties of the transmission channel change.
From DE 198 03 188 A, a method is known whereby a spatial covariance matrix is determined for a connection from a base station to a subscriber station. At the base station, a characteristic vector is calculated for the covariance matrix and used for the connection as a beam-shaping vector. The transmitted signal for the connection is weighted with the beam-shaping vector, and antenna elements are applied for the radiation. Intracell interference is not included in the beam-shaping because of the use of joint detection, such as in the terminals, and any corruption of the received signals due to intercell interference is ignored.
Clearly, in an environment with multipath propagation, this method produces a propagation path with good transmission properties and concentrates the transmission power of the base station spatially on this propagation path. However, this does not mean that interference on this transmission path could not lead to fast fading of the signal and, thus, to interruptions in the transmission.
The recommendations of 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project,) therefore provide methods whereby the subscriber station estimates a brief channel impulse response hm of the channel from the mth antenna element to the subscriber station and calculates weighting vectors wm to be used to weight the transmitted signal before radiation by the mth antenna element. Corresponding concepts are also dealt with in M. Raitola, A. Hottinen and R. Wichmann, "Transmission diversity in wideband CDMA", published in Proc. 49th IEEE Vehicular Technology Conf. Spring (VTC '99 Spring), p. 1545–1549, Houston, Tex. 1999.
A serious problem with this method is that the vector of the weighting factors estimated by the subscriber station have to be transmitted to the base station and for this only a small bandwidth of 1 bit per slot is available, according to the recommendations of the 3GPP. The vectors therefore can be transmitted only roughly quantisized. If the channel changes quickly and the weightings have to be updated from one time slot to the other, only two different relative phase positions of the antenna elements can be set. If the channel changes more slowly and, for example, four time slots are available for transmission of the vector, 16 different values of the vector still can be represented.
The known concepts do, however, have their limits. If the number of antenna elements of the base station is greater than two, then the bandwidth required to transmit the vector increases with the number of its components; i.e., the number of antenna elements. As such, a large number of antenna elements would, on the one hand, be desirable to be able to align the transmission beam as accurately as possible but, on the other hand, because of the limited available bandwidth, the weighting vector cannot be updated as often as would be necessary to match the fast fading.
An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a method of feedback transmission in a radio communication system of the type described above, and a subscriber station suitable for use in such a system, that enable continuous updating of the weighting vectors used by the base station with a high degree of accuracy matching the speed of change of the weighting vectors while at the same time minimizing the utilization of the uplink bandwidth for updating the weighting vectors.

Method and device for feedback transmission in a radio communication system


An apparatus for performing shade correction for a lens in an image sensor includes a gain profile extractor, a common profile calculator, a gain controller calculator, and a memory device. The gain profile extractor generates a respective channel gain profile for each of a plurality of color channels from image data. The common profile calculator generates a common profile from the channel gain profiles. The gain controller calculator generates a respective gain controller for each of the plurality of color channels from the common profile and the channel gain profiles. A memory device stores the common profile and the gain controllers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a lens system of an image sensor, and more particularly, to brightness correction for a lens in such a lens system.
2. Background of the Invention
A lens generally has curved surfaces such that the curvature of the lens causes light to be concentrated toward a focus center. Thus, light passing through the lens is not spread uniformly. Accordingly, correction for nonuniformity of brightness of an image passed through the lens is necessary. Such a correction is referred to as lens correction or shade correction.
FIG. 1A illustrates the non-uniformity of the brightness of an image transmitted through a lens. FIG. 1B graphically plots the brightness profiles for the R (red), G (green), and B (blue) color components along a horizontal section running through the focus center for the image of FIG. 1A.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate that that light is concentrated toward the focus center for the image transmitted through the lens. For example, the peak of the brightness profile in FIG. 1B is the focus center of the lens with the brightness being the lowest toward the edges of the image.
FIG. 2A shows an image regenerated from the image of FIG. 1A using general lens correction. FIG. 2B graphically plots the brightness profiles for the RGB color components along a horizontal section running through the focus center for the image of FIG. 2A. FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate that light intensity is more uniformly distributed over the image.
Lens correction techniques are generally classified into radial lens correction or grid lens correction. Profile information for color channels are used for lens correction. For example, channel gain profiles denoting 2-dimensional brightness distributions of R, GR, GB, and B color channels are used for lens correction. R denotes a Red color channel, and B denotes a Blue color channel. GR denotes a Green color channel adjacent to a Red color channel in a row, and GB denotes a Green color channel adjacent to a Blue color channel in a row.
FIG. 3A shows the image of FIG. 1A with a grid formed thereon. FIG. 3B exemplarily illustrates a grid lens correction technique for the image of FIG. 3A, according to the prior art. For example in FIG. 3B, a point E is surrounded by grid summit points A, B, C, and D where respective color correction gains are known.
Thus, the brightness at the point E is corrected using the color correction gains at the grid summits A, B, C, and D. For example, a color correction gain E at the point E is represented by Equation 1 below:E=A*(1−x)*(1−y)+B*x*(1−y)+C*y*(1−x)+D*x*y  [Equation 1]In the equation above, A, B, C, and D are color correction gains respectively at the points A, B, C, and D. x and y above represent the distance ratios as shown in FIG. 3B.
Such a grid lens correction technique is accurate, but requires storage of all data for the grid summits. Such storage of the data of all the grid summits may require costly memory capacity.

Shade correction for lens in image sensor


There is disclosed processes and systems for improving the efficiency of the separation of insoluble contaminants from a fluid in a floatation unit.

Water contaminated with small amounts of oil, suspended solids, and/or other insoluble substances is a byproduct of many industrial operations such as, for example, the production and refining of crude petroleum and natural gas; the manufacturing of chemicals, paint, textiles, paper and pulp; the generation of electricity; and the processing of metals, food and beverages. A major problem faced in these industrial operations is the economic separation of the oil, suspended solids, and/or other insoluble substances from the water so that the water can be reused or discharged into the environment.
This separation problem is especially prevalent in the offshore production of crude petroleum and natural gas, wherein oil and gas wells produce water or brine ("produced water") in conjunction with the oil and gas. The produced water is typically ladened with oil and other contaminants. Before the produced water can be reinjected into the well or disposed back into the sea, oil and other insoluble substances must be removed below acceptable limits. Accordingly, numerous methods and systems have been devised to reduce the content of insoluble substances from produced water derived from offshore oil and gas wells.
One method for separating oil and other insoluble substances from produced water is via the use of a floatation system, such as a gas floatation unit. Gas floatation units, for example, utilize gas bubbles (carried by a liquid medium) which are introduced into the fluid via low pressure (e.g., via an eductor) or under high pressure (e.g., within a pump). In theory, the bubbles are released from a delivery fluid into the fluid to be treated, attach to oil droplets and/or suspended solids, float them to the surface of the fluid where the gas is also released, and the oil and other insoluble substances are subsequently collected and separated from the fluid. One specific type of gas flotation unit is a dissolved gas floatation (DGF) unit. Exemplary dissolved gas flotation units/systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,452,869; 3,576,738; 3,725,264; and 4,022,695.
While various floatation systems have been developed over the years, floatation tanks of such systems typically require substantial volume and space to yield adequate separation results. Further, floatation systems which utilize the aforementioned dissolved gas may require several pumps in order to provide sufficient gas to produce bubbles for effective separation of the oil/insoluble substances from an associated fluid. Operating large floatation tanks and operating numerous pumps increases footprint, as well as equipment, material, and operating costs. Given a set volume of gas, those skilled in the art understand that a large population of small bubbles provide better contaminant removal than a smaller population of large bubbles. However, according to Stokes Law, smaller bubbles require a longer period of time (residence time e.g., tank size) to separate from the water phase than larger bubbles.

Methods and systems for enhanced dissolved gas floatation


A stereo imaging based vision system is calibrated to provide heights above the ground plane for any point in the field of view. Therefore, when any object enters the field of view, it generates interest points called “features,” the heights of which are measured relative to the ground plane. These points are then clustered in 3D space to provide “objects.” These objects are then tracked in multiple frames to provide “trajectories.” Such a system could then control alarm signals or actuate gates or motion control devices, for example, based on the various pieces of information generated about the object.

The movement of people or objects through various spaces and passageways must be monitored or controlled for any number of purposes including safety and security purposes. Such monitoring and control are performed most efficiently when it is done automatically by machine with little or no human interventions.
Various sensors are known for use in automatic object detection systems. For example, photo voltaic sensors detect objects interrupting a beam of visible or UV light; mechanical switches and load cells detect objects through direct or indirect contact or by detecting an object weight; thermal sensors detect objects radiating heat; and electromagnetic sensors detect objects such as metal objects that alter electromagnetic fields. These sensors typically send signals to logic circuits which control mechanical actuators, record the object's presence and/or alert an operator based on the presence or absence of an object.
Such sensors are not well suited for certain security systems because they are easily circumvented; they only detect a certain class of objects moving through a narrowly constrained space; and they can not directly determine an object direction or velocity. These sensors often have problems maintaining uniform sensitivity throughout a monitored space or over time and can be prohibitively expensive.
Various camera based systems are also known for use in object detection systems and control systems in security or safety applications. Camera based systems have the additional advantage of providing an image of the monitored space which can be stored for later analysis. Such systems typically use an electronic still camera or an electronic video camera which capture images on an array of charge coupled devices (CCDs) and converts the images into electronic data files for automatic analysis or storage. For example, automatic face recognition systems have long been the subject of experimentation and are now in use in several high security applications. These systems can be too slow, expensive or unreliable for most common applications.
Motion detection systems have been developed using electronic video cameras and frame capturing processes which detect and track certain features in each frame a captured video sequence. For example, automatic door control systems are known that track corners of an object from frame to frame and calculate a velocity vector for the object. The velocity vector is used to determine whether to open or close an automatic door.
Heretofore known feature tracking systems, like the corner tracking system described above, extract data from a monocular image sequence. Such monocular systems provide only 2 dimensional (2-D) from which to compute velocity vectors. Such monocular systems have difficulty distinguishing shadows and lighting effects from actual 3-dimensional objects. This problem is exacerbated in certain security systems wherein, for example, a pre-alarm condition triggers a warning strobe light that affects detected images of the monitored space.
Monocular video monitoring systems operating on 2-D image data must tolerate or blind spots or blind intervals during which regular obstructions appear in the camera's filed of view. For example, some doors or doorframes being controlled by monocular video systems can come into the field of view of the monitoring cameras whenever they are opened. Some systems are programmed to ignore frames or frame segments whenever the door is opened. Other more refined systems use additional sensors to detect a door's actual position over time and ignore only the portions of a frame where the door or door frame is expected to appear. See for example U.S. Patent Application No. US 2001/0030689 to Spinelli.
When monocular vision motion detection systems are first installed they must be "trained" using a reference image in order to establish a frame of reference appropriate to the particular environment. Such training can often involve tedious and expensive procedures. Images coordinates are calculated, stored or output in 2-D image space because real 3-D coordinates are unavailable in monocular systems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for monitoring a passageway using 3D images

Cognex Technology and Investment corporation


A food intake-limiting device for peroral implantation in the stomach adjacent a gastroesophageal junction is disclosed. The device can have an inner basket nested in an outer basket, a proximal entry opening and a distal exit opening to limit a rate of efflux, mesh openings in the outer basket for protrusion of stomach lining into the outer basket, and a plurality of spikes mounted tangentially on the inner basket for transfixing the protruding stomach lining. The inner basket is rotatable with respect to the outer basket to effect the transfixation. Also disclosed are an implantation/extraction tool, and methods for implanting and removing the device in a patient in need of obesity treatment.

The present invention relates to the treatment of obesity, and more particularly to a gastric restriction device and an implantation tool, system and method for peroral implantation and removal thereof.
In the prior art, one method of treating severe obesity is to perform a surgery in which a row of staples S and a ring R are placed in or on the stomach to form a pouch A as seen in FIGS. 1-2. The staples S extend downwardly from adjacent the esophageal junction from the top of the stomach to the ring R to form one side of the pouch A. The ring R restricts the passage of food from the pouch A. The food exiting the esophagus enters the pouch A and, as it is digested by the stomach acids that can enter the pouch A, enters the main volume B of the stomach in a delayed manner through the ring R. This prevents the patient from eating too much food at one time, and is very effective in inducing weight loss. However, the surgery requires opening the abdominal cavity, an extended hospital stay and a risk of surgical complications.


A progress status management system comprises a management target system configured to execute a series of processes to the file, which includes a plurality of process units configured to execute a process to a file, and a progress status management unit configured to manage a progress status of a process executed by the process unit included at the management target system. The progress status management unit, in a case of acquiring the first identification information of a file in a first process unit, acquires the first identification information of the file in the second process unit, and links the acquired first identification information in the first process unit and the acquired first identification information in the second process unit to the same second identification information.

The present invention relates to a progress status management system configured to manage the progress status of a process executed to a file by multiple process units, and more particularly to a progress status management system configured to manage the progress status even when each process unit includes its own unique identification information to the same file.
The amount of unstructured data used in companies is on the rise. The demand for using such data is increasing as there are more occasions where multiple systems requiring file registration such as a test search system are utilized. For example, in order to utilize the test search system, the test search system is required to collect files that are search target and execute a process to generate a search index for the collected files. However, the execution time for the file collection process and the execution time for the search index generation process vary depending on the amount of files. Accordingly, since the execution time for these processes are unknown, a user of such system will have a problem (hereinafter referred to as "problem 1") in that the user is not able to grasp when files become searchable.
In order to solve the problem 1, many test search systems are equipped with a feature to display the progress status of the file collection process and/or the search index generation process. By this a user is able to grasp when and which file will become available.
Further, when building a system for the purpose of utilizing files, it is required to realize a process flow by combining multiple components (process units) configured to execute processes to the files. However, in such case, there lies a problem (hereinafter referred to as "problem 2") in that it is difficult to grasp the process flow.
In order to solve the problem 2, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-126986 (Patent Document 1) has been offered. In this gazette, there is a description (refer to Abstract) "On the assumption that costs required for each activity are all equal, a progress rate is calculated from the number of residual activities to nodes and a path under execution by an active path. As for the calculation method of the progress rate, a progress rate St+1 is calculated by dividing a residual progress rate (100-St) by the total number of activities which are likely to propagate, and adding the result to the current progress rate St." According to this, a user is able to grasp the process flow and the process time for the entire system even when the system includes a combination of multiple components.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-126986

Progress status management system and progress status management method


A triple gate metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) includes a fin structure, a first gate formed adjacent a first side of the fin structure, a second gate formed adjacent a second side of the fin structure opposite the first side, and a top gate formed on top of the fin structure. A gate around MOSFET includes multiple fins, a first sidewall gate structure formed adjacent one of the fins, a second sidewall gate structure formed adjacent another one of the fins, a top gate structure formed on one or more of the fins, and a bottom gate structure formed under one or more of the fins.

Scaling of device dimensions has been a primary factor driving improvements in integrated circuit performance and reduction in integrated circuit cost. Due to limitations associated with gate-oxide thicknesses and source/drain (S/D) junction depths, scaling of existing bulk MOSFET devices beyond the 0.1 μm process generation may be difficult, if not impossible. New device structures and new materials, thus, are likely to be needed to improve FET performance.
Double-gate MOSFETs represent new devices that are candidates for succeeding existing planar MOSFETs. In double-gate MOSFETs, the use of two gates to control the channel significantly suppresses short-channel effects. A FinFET is a double-gate structure that includes a channel formed in a vertical fin. Although a double-gate structure, the FinFET is similar to existing planar MOSFETs in layout and fabrication techniques. The FinFET also provides a range of channel lengths, CMOS compatibility, and large packing density compared to other double-gate structures.

Tri-gate and gate around MOSFET devices and methods for making same


An object of the present invention is to provide a moisture barrier laminate including a moisture trapping layer that maximizes its moisture trapping performance and exhibits an excellent moisture barrier property. The moisture barrier laminate of the present invention includes a gas barrier film substrate A having a gas barrier layer a1 and a moisture trapping layer B formed on the film substrate A as a base. On a surface of the moisture trapping layer B opposite to the film substrate A, a protective resin layer C having a moisture permeability in a range of 4.0×10 to 5.0×104 g/m2·day at 40° C. and 90% RH is laminated.

In recent years, various electronic devices have been developed and put into practical use, and the examples include organic electroluminescence (organic EL) devices, solar cells, touch panels, and electronic papers. These devices are required to have a high-level moisture barrier property in order to avoid disadvantages such as charge leakage caused by moisture.
It has been known to form an inorganic thin film (inorganic barrier layer) by vapor deposition on a surface of a plastic substrate in order to improve the characteristics, in particular, the gas barrier property, of the plastic substrate (Patent Document 1). Films that comprise the inorganic thin film are used in a wide variety of fields. However, the barrier films are insufficient to satisfy the moisture barrier property required for the electronic device, and residual moisture in the resin used for the plastic substrate significantly deteriorates the device.
In order to satisfy such a demand, the present applicant has proposed a moisture barrier laminate having a structure in which a moisture trapping layer containing a hygroscopic ionic polymer as a matrix is laminated (Patent Document 2).
The moisture trapping layer is formed by applying a coating composition for forming a trapping layer containing an ionic polymer on an inorganic barrier layer formed on a surface of a plastic film by vapor deposition or the like and curing the coating composition. Formation of the layer imparts an excellent moisture barrier property.
However, even by using a barrier film provided with a moisture trapping layer having a high moisture trap performance, the moisture barrier property is not always sufficiently exhibited.


Salt formulations, which are resistant to moisture and cooking conditions, are described herein. The formulations provide particles of micronutrients and vitamins encapsulated within heat resistant pH-sensitive water-insoluble polymers, which are packaged within a salt shell. The pH-sensitive, water-insoluble, thermally stable materials stabilize the micronutrients, particularly at high temperatures, such as during food preparation and cooking, and release the micronutrients at the desired locations such as the stomach, small intestine, etc. Preferred pH-sensitive polymers release at a low pH, less than the pH present in the stomach. The particles can be used to deliver daily-recommended doses of micronutrients simultaneously with salt, eliminating the need for vitamin pills. This is particularly important in populations suffering from severe malnutrition.

Malnutrition/micronutrient deficiency is a severe problem in the developing world, impacting 870 million people and causing five million child deaths each year. Attempts to address micronutrient deficiency include supplementation and fortifications. Supplementation can provide higher doses of micronutrients to specific individuals in a short amount of time. However, supplementation has limitations, including inability to deliver all the necessary micronutrients, neglecting individuals in non-targeted groups, and low compliance due to the difficulty in storing product under uncontrolled conditions (hot wet warehouses, poor record keeping), difficulties in distributing supplements and convincing end users of the need for regular ingestion.
Food fortification has been explored as a means for addressing malnutrition/micronutrient deficiency. However, food fortification is often unaffordable to those people who need it most. Adverse effects, such as sensory qualities of foods, adverse nutrient-nutrient interactions, and poor bioavailability, have also been observed in fortified foods.
Salt is a universally consumed product and therefore has the potential to deliver vitamins and minerals to those in developing countries. Fortified salt, also known as iodized salt, is table salt (NaCl) mixed with minute amounts of various salts of iodide, to prevent iodine deficiency. Double fortified salt, which is table salt containing iron and iodide has also been developed. The iron is microencapsulated with stearine to prevent it from reacting with the iodine in the salt. However, adding iron to iodized salt is complicated by a number of chemical, technical, and organoleptic issues, including the tendency of iron to oxide in the presence of air. Salt has also been fortified with potassium fluoride in an attempt to enhance dental health. None of these fortified salts include more labile supplements such as vitamins.
All of these formulations involve physical mixing of salt with one or more minerals. However, as discussed above, the undesirable reactivity between vitamins and minerals and other limitations have prevented commercialization of such formulations. Moreover, these formulations do not provide a plurality of micronutrients and are not stable under conditions encountered during food preparation and cooking.
Kwan describes a fortified salt containing vitamin A, iron, and iodine. The formulation is a physical mixture of salt and forticants. The formulation also contains surfactants and lipids so that the formulation self-emulsifies. Kwan discloses that an attempt was made to enteric coat vitamin A, but losses of the micronutrient after a three month storage period ranged from 50-99% at both 25° C./20% RH and 45° C./60% RH.
Health Salt, sold by Sundar, is a fortified salt containing a plurality of micronutrients, which is allegedly thermally stable. The formulation appears to be a physical mixture of salt and the various micronutrients. Vinodkumar et al., Int. Vitam. Nutr. Res., 79(5):348-361 (2009), describes manufacturing a multiple micronutrient-fortified salt in a ribbon blender and evaluating the homogeneity of the distribution of the micronutrients in the salt. However, the product costs 2-3 times more than loose salt, black specks of forticants were observed in the product which may turn off consumers, the product had an unusual odor, and it may be difficult to verify analytically some of the micronutrients in the product.
There exists a need for compositions that provide a plurality of micronutrients in a safe and effective manner while overcoming the limitations of supplementation and fortification discussed above.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide compositions for providing a plurality of heat, moisture and salt labile micronutrients, as well as therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents, and methods of making and using thereof.
It is a further object of the invention to provide compositions for providing a plurality of micronutrients, which are stable during food preparation and cooking, and methods of making and using thereof.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide compositions for providing a plurality of micronutrients, which are stable during food preparation and cooking, and which release the micronutrients at a desired site in the gastrointestinal tract, and methods of making and using thereof.

Fortified micronutrient salt formulations


A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a heat source, a moving member and a biasing member. The moving member is movable between a first position where the moving member blocks the radiant heat from the heat source to the fixing belt and a second position where the moving member does not block the radiant heat from the heat source to the fixing belt. The biasing member biases the moving member to the first position. The moving member moves from the first position to the second position by a friction force between the fixing belt and the moving member against a biasing force of the biasing member when the fixing belt is rotated. The moving member moves from the second position to the first position by the biasing force of the biasing member when a rotation of the fixing belt is stopped.

The present disclosure relates to a fixing device fixing a toner image on a recording medium and an image forming apparatus including the fixing device.
Conventionally, an electrographic image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile or a multifunction peripheral, includes a fixing device fixing a toner image on a recording medium, such as a sheet.
For example, there is a fixing device including a fixing belt, a pressuring member configured to come into pressure contact with the fixing belt so as to form a fixing nip and a heat source configured to heat the fixing belt.
With regard to the fixing device with above-mentioned configuration, when rotation of the fixing belt is stopped, a nearest part to the heat source of the fixing belt is heated by the heat source, and there is a concern that the fixing belt overshoots (overheats). Especially, when the rotation of the fixing belt is suddenly stopped according to occurrence of a JAM (paper jamming) or the like, the fixing belt is more likely to overshoot.

Fixing device and image forming apparatus having moving member to block radiant heat and moving by a friction force between a fixing belt and the moving member


A method performed by a controlling computer node in a network with a plurality of subordinate computing nodes, the method including: receiving, from a first subordinate computer node, information indicating computing resource impacts for a plurality of different processing functions; receiving, from a communication endpoint, a processing task; determining an impact upon available resources of the first subordinate computer node if the task were to be assigned to the first subordinate computer node, wherein the determining is performed using the information indicating computing resource impacts; and assigning the task to either the first subordinate computer node or another one of the subordinate computer nodes based at least in part on the determining the impact.

H.248 is a protocol recommendation from the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T), which enables separation of call control from media conversion. H.248 defines a Media Gateway Controller (MGC) and a Media Gateway (MG), where a given MGC may control more than one (but usually fewer than ten) MGs. During the signaling process, which establishes a call from one endpoint to another endpoint, the MGC assigns the call to one of several MGs. However, some MGs may be more congested than others or may have fewer remaining licensed instances of a desired codec for use in a call.
Most MGCs use a round robin approach to distribute calls and rely on a congestion detection mechanism such as the ones described in the ITU-T Recommendation H.248.10 (Gateway control protocol: Media gateway resource congestion handling package) or ITU-T Recommendation H.248.32 (Gateway control protocol: Detailed congestion reporting package) to redirect traffic when congestion occurs. The round robin approach attempts to ensure fairness by spreading out the received calls one after the other to each available MG. However, the round robin approach can result in unbalanced load because one given call may use more resources than another given call (e.g., by using different codecs). When a particular MG happens to be assigned multiple calls using high levels of resources, congestion may occur. The congestion detection mechanism relies on MGs to request call diversion or call drops from the MGC when congestion occurs. The congestion detection mechanism is reactive, though, and is applied after congestion is present.
Other implementations may use an approach similar to the one described in the ITU-T Recommendation H.248.63 (Gateway control protocol: resource management packages) or in EP 2146467A1. This approach relies entirely on the MGC to reserve and/or allocate media capability (referred to as "abstract resource" in the recommendation) on the MGs it controls, hence requiring the MGC to have a holistic view of the internal limitations inherent to its MGs. The MGs then abide by the restrictions imposed by the MGC. Recommendation H.248.63 does not take into account the impact that using one unit of a given media capability has on the overall performance of a MG. There is a need for a more robust and efficient way to manage MGs.

Systems, methods, and computer program products for computer node resource management


A display device may include a display panel including an active area displaying an image and a peripheral area surrounding the active area, pad parts disposed on a side surface of the display panel, a light blocking layer disposed on a portion of the peripheral area adjacent to the side surface of the display panel, and circuit units electrically connected to the pad parts.

The disclosure herein relates to a display device and a method of manufacturing the same, and, to a display device capable of reducing or minimizing a light leakage phenomenon and a method of manufacturing the same.
A display device may include a display panel including pixels and a driving chip for driving the pixels. The driving chip may be disposed on a flexible film, and the flexible film may be connected to the display panel. The driving chip may be connected to the pixels of the display panel through the flexible film. This connection type may be defined as a chip-on-film (COF) type.
Pads connected to the driving chip may be disposed on the flexible film, and the display panel may include connection pads connected to the pixels. The pads may be in contact with the connection pads, and thus the driving chip may be electrically connected to the pixels.
The pads may be connected to the connection pads by various methods. For example, the pads may be electrically connected to the connection pads by an anisotropic conductive film. In other embodiments, the pads may be connected to the connection pads by an ultrasonic bonding method.
Recently, techniques for disposing the flexible film on a side surface of the display panel have been studied in order to reduce a bezel width of the display device and to widen a display area of the display device.
It is to be understood that this background of the technology section is, in part, intended to provide useful background for understanding the technology. However, this background of the technology section may also include ideas, concepts, or recognitions that were not part of what was known or appreciated by those skilled in the pertinent art prior to a corresponding effective filing date of the subject matter disclosed herein.

Display device and method of manufacturing the same


A bracket for the in-wall mounting of speakers having a bracket frame member configured to receive at least one speaker and also having a plurality of wing members attached to the bracket frame member. The wing members having a thin portion to facilitate attachment to a wall intermediate a wall frame and a wall covering such that bowling or bulging of the wall covering is mitigated and the need to notch or mortise the wall frame is eliminated. The wing members additionally comprise a thick portion which serves as a clamping member. The position of the wing members relative to the frame member is adjustable after the bracket has been installed into a wall without requiring removal of the bracket from the wall.

The demand for high quality speakers has increased dramatically over the last twenty years. As a consequence, there is a large selection of high-quality speakers available on the market. Unfortunately, speakers are somewhat bulky and cumbersome. Thus, there has also been a demand to mount speakers in the ceiling and in walls.
The mounting of high quality speakers in the ceiling or in walls is an expensive enterprise, particularly since brackets to accommodate such mounting must typically be custom-made. Frequently, considerable effort is associated with the use of such brackets.
The effort required to mount in-wall speakers is of concern both in new construction and retrofit installations. In new construction installations a bracket is attached to the wall frame or studs of the wall prior to the application of a wall covering. In retrofit mounting installations a bracket is used to mount the speaker in a pre-existing wall, i.e., wherein the wall covering has already been applied. In such retrofit applications, an opening is typically formed within the wall covering and the bracket is then inserted through the opening and attached to the wall covering and/or studs disposed within the wall. As will be appreciated, both new installations and retrofit installation of in-wall speakers are difficult and time consuming processes.
Prior art brackets utilizing wings for attaching the bracket to the frame members are known. Such prior art brackets provide a substantial improvement over the use of custom brackets. One such prior art bracket is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,134, issued on Oct. 19, 1988, to Struthers et al., the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
However, the use of prior art brackets which incorporate such wings requires that the frame members or studs to which the wings are attached be notched or mortised in order to accommodate the thickness of the wings such that the wallboard applied thereover does not bulge or bow outwardly due to the thickness of wings disposed intermediate the studs and the wall covering. It has been found that with wing members as thin as 1/16th inch (0.0625 inch) that sufficient bowing of the wall covering occurs to be objectionable.
As such, it would be desirable to provide a bracket for the in-wall mounting of speakers which does not require that the studs of the wall be mortised, i.e., which does not result in bowing of the wall covering.
Furthermore, prior art brackets typically suffer from the deficiency that they do not easily accommodate wall coverings of various thicknesses. Prior art brackets must typically be formed to accommodate a wall covering having a particular thickness, thus reducing the flexibility of the bracket for use in various different installations.
Those brackets which are adjustable to accommodate wall coverings of various thicknesses typically require that the bracket be removed from the wall in order to effect such adjustment. Thus, prior art brackets cannot be easily adjusted while disposed in place within the wall, i.e., in their installed configuration.
As such, it is also desirable to provide a wall mount speaker bracket that provides for quick and simple adjustment while installed within a wall so as to accommodate varying wall covering thicknesses.
Generally, prior art in-wall speaker mounting brackets are specifically intended for use in either new construction installations or in retrofit installations. That is, a particular bracket is typically not suited for use in both types of installation. During new construction, the frame members or studs are exposed for easy attachment of the bracket thereto prior to the application of the wall covering thereover. Thus, easy access to the frame members or studs makes installation of the bracket a comparatively simple matter. However, in retrofit installations, the frame members or studs are covered with a wall covering which not only obscures the studs, but also severely limits access thereto. Thus, in such retrofit installations, it is much more difficult to attach the bracket to the studs.
Although contemporary practice has generally been to provide separate bracket configurations for use in new construction installations and retrofit installations, it would be desirable to provide a single bracket suitable for use in both.

Depth adjustable bracket for wall mount speakers


There is provided an electrostatic image developing toner less likely to cause image degradation even when used for a long period, by controlling CCA particles present on surfaces of toner particles and thereby keeping an amount of tribocharge generated between the toner and a magnetic carrier or the like constant. A charge control agent composition for external addition for controlling charge amount of toner particles includes: at least two types of carrier particles different in average particle size of primary particles; and a charge control agent (CCA), and an electrostatic image developing toner is constituted of a mixture of toner particles and the aforesaid charge control agent composition for external addition.

Conventionally, in electrophotography, charged coloring particles (hereinafter, referred to as a toner) are brought into contact with a surface of a photoconductor or a surface of a dielectric on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, and the charged toner is made to adhere on the surface of the photoconductor or the surface of the dielectric according to an electric charge amount of the electrostatic latent image, whereby a visible image is formed. This visualization operation is generally called development.
Pulverized-type toner that is most commonly used is obtained as coloring particles with an about 5 to 10 μm average particle size by a method in which a thermoplastic resin binder for toner is thermally kneaded with pigment, charge control agent (hereinafter, also referred to as CCA), wax, and so on, and the resultant is pulverized and classified.
Further, chemical toner of suspension polymerization type which has used widely is obtained by dispersing droplets with a 5 to 10 μm average particle size in which binder resin monomers, pigment, CCA, and wax are mixed and dispersed, in water to polymerize the binder resin monomers. Further, chemical toner of an emulsion polymerization aggregation type is obtained by aggregating thermoplastic resin emulsion, wax emulsion, pigment particles, and CCA particles into from 5 to 10 μm particle size.
The most important condition for obtaining a clear developed image by using these toners is that the toner is charged with the same polarity, uniformly, and with an electric charge amount optimum for a developing system. Conventionally, in order to thus uniformly charge toner, CCA is contained in the toner, and in a case of a two-component developer, it is obtained by carrying this toner to an electrostatic latent image and mixing the toner with magnetic carrier particles for charge, or in a case of a one-component developer, it is obtained by tribocharge the toner by a charging member such as a layer regulating blade disposed on a developing roller or disposed to face the developing roller.
The frictional electric charge that the toner acquires is governed by an amount of the CCA present on a surface of the toner. Therefore, attempts have been made to make a expected amount of the CCA existing on the toner surface rather than to knead it in the toner.
For example, in JP-A 2-73371 (KOKAI) and JP-A 2-161471 (KOKAI), attempts are made to make CCA existing on a surface of a toner by using a Henschel mixer, a hybridizer, or the like.
Further, in JP-A 5-127423 (KOKAI) and JP-A 2004-220005 (KOKAI), attempts are made to fix CCA fine particles on surface of toner.
Further, JP-A 5-134457 (KOKAI) discloses a method in which CCA is precipitated from a CCA solution to a toner surface and is made finer, whereby the toner surface is covered with CCA particles.
Further, in JP-A 5-341570 (KOKAI), an attempt is made to mix a toner and an aqueous dispersion of a water-dispersible small particles with a 0.01 to 0.2 μm average particle size and CCA, and by using this dispersion, form a CCA-containing small particle layer made to fixedly adhere on a toner surface. Further, JP-A 2004-109406 (KOKAI) discloses an electrostatic image developing toner in which small particles with from 0.1 to 0.8 μm average particle size are fixed on a toner surface, with CCA being dispersed in the small particles or with the CCA adhering on surfaces of the small particles.
In general, toner is consumed when it comes into contact with a surface of an electrostatic latent image to develop the electrostatic latent image. Processes after which the toner consumed in the developing step is newly supplied, is charged again by friction with an charging member, and the development are repeated. That is, during a period when the above processes of the development and the new supply steadily continue, the toner is capable of continuous development by constantly acquiring the charge.

Charge control agent composition for external addition and electrostatic image developing toner


An electrical component includes a ceramic base body having at least four contact surfaces. Two of the contact surfaces are on opposite sides of the ceramic base body. First protective layers are arranged on regions of the opposite sides of the ceramic base body that do not include the contact surfaces. The first protective layers have a composition that allows the first protective layers to be sintered at a higher temperature than the contact surfaces. Second protective layers are arranged on at least two opposite surfaces of the ceramic base body. The ceramic base body, the first protective layers, and the second protective layers are sintered together.

Many electroceramic components are generally soldered onto platinum in surface mounting. The possibility of surface mounting (SMD ability) can be achieved by attaching the contact surface to the ceramic components. The same applies to the production of wired components. Here too, contact surface must first be applied to the ceramic components. Wires are then attached to these contact surfaces, for example in a soldering process.
Miniaturization of electric components, for example of varistors as protection elements against overvoltages in mobile telephones, requires the production of ever smaller multicomponent elements that have several electrically conducting contact surfaces on their surfaces. Since these components generally have very small dimensions, for example edge length of about 1 mm, the contact surfaces are arranged very close to each other on the surface of the electric component, so it becomes increasing difficult to insulate the contact surfaces from each other electrically. This problem is made more acute by the fact that multilayer contact surfaces are often applied, generally by means of electroplating processes.
The adhesive strength of the electroplated contact surfaces on the ceramic component plays an essential role in this. On an untreated ceramic surface, it is so small, as a rule, that in practice it does not meet the requirements. Therefore, as a rule, a contact base is applied by means of a conducting adhesive or a conducting paste and then enameled. Additional metallic layers can then be deposited onto this contact base by electroplating.
Since some electroceramics, for example varistor ceramics based on zinc oxide, have only a low resistance, a metal layer can be completely or partially deposited onto the ceramic body in such a way that surface leak currents can appear between adjacent contact surfaces. Often, the ceramic bodies are attacked and etched by electroplating baths, which are generally acidic. This can lead, for example in the case of a varistor ceramic, to changing the grain boundaries and thereby to a change in the electric characteristics of the component.
When the electroplating liquid penetrates into the ceramic base body, its electric characteristics can also change so that components that are not overplated between two adjacent contact surfaces have an increased surface leak current.
A process for the production of multicomponent elements is known from patent document U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,768 A, in which a glass paste is applied and enameled onto the sintered ceramic body between adjacent contact surfaces. The disadvantage of this process is that the glass paste and the contact base of the contact surfaces are generally enameled in a similar temperature range at about 800° C., so this can lead to reactions between the glass paste and the conducting paste of the contact base contacting. This reaction can worsen the further deposition of additional contact surfaces by electroplating. Moreover, the reaction between the glass paste and the contact base can lead to increased surface leak currents between adjacent contact surfaces. In addition, in the processes disclosed in the U.S. patent document, only regions between contact surfaces can be provided with the glass paste so that the other regions of the ceramic body that have not provided with a passivation layer can still be etched by the acidic electroplating baths.
In addition, ceramic components are known from patent document DE 196 34 498 C2, on which protective layers of barium titanate, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, or glass are arranged. These protective layers have the disadvantage that they cannot be sintered together with the ceramics used for varistors, for example, and it is therefore expensive to produce such components.

Electroceramic component comprising a plurality of contact surfaces


The invention provides an information management technology which evaluates environmental load information of a product. A system comprises a parts construction database which stores parts numbers, type information and relation information thereof, an environmental load information database which stores environmental load information of the parts, an evaluation rule storage unit which stores an evaluation rule of the environmental load, an evaluation processing unit which extracts the environmental load information of type number information associated with one parts number and judges whether or not corresponding type number information can be an evaluation object type number of the environmental load, a parts totalization processing unit which extracts the environmental load information, totalizes the environmental load information for each master parts or for each product and generates total information of the environmental load information, and an output processing unit which outputs total information.

This invention relates to an environmental load evaluation system, an environmental load evaluation method and an environmental load evaluation program. More specifically, the invention relates to an information management technology of products that will be suitable for content evaluation of environmental impact substances and environmental load inventory evaluation.
A method called "LCA (Life Cycle Assessment)" for quantitatively evaluating a total environmental load of a certain product from its production till its disposal has been studied. To execute this LCA, an object product is first disassembled into parts. A product is generally constituted by parts and the parts are further constituted by slave parts. When the slave parts are serially assorted into sub-slave parts in a master-slave relation, end-parts that cannot be assorted any longer remain. Environmental load information of the end-part is the starting point of calculation of the environmental load information of each product. When the weight is serially built up from a layer of the end-parts up to a layer of master parts, the weight of the product can be calculated. When the contents of environmental impact substances such as heavy metals are serially built up, the total content of the environmental impact substances of the product can be acquired.
On the basis of the concept described above, a technology that adds environmental load information by using information collected from parts construction of a product and information acquired from a business acquaintance and calculates environmental load information of the product is known.
In an environmental information management system for managing a variety of environmental information useful for diversified environmental evaluation and management by grasping impacts on the environment that occurs in the stage selected from among a plurality of stages including raw materials of a product used, a period during production, a period during the use of the product, a time of disposal of the product and recycle of the product, the technology described above is proposed as an environmental information management system (JP-A-2003-196430) including an environmental information unification management unit that uniformly manages a plurality of environmental databases storing various kinds of environmental information, discriminates a storage position of necessary data from a plurality of environmental databases in accordance with a requirement of a user for executing environmental evaluation and management and for acquiring data, converts the data so acquired to integrated information having a unified format and provides the integrated information to the user as the requesting party.

System, method and program for evaluating environmental load


A plunger for use with a dispensing syringe to dispense a biomaterial is disclosed. The plunger includes a plunger body having a plunger head at its distal end and a plunger base at its proximal end. The plunger body defines a plunger passageway extending through the plunger body from the proximal end to the distal end. The plunger head is received within a syringe passageway of the dispensing syringe, and the plunger passageway receives a stylet.

Biomaterials are sometimes used in medical applications. For example, bone grafting is a surgical procedure for repairing bones and typically involves introducing a bone graft material (which is a type of biomaterial) into an area of bone that requires repair, such as a fracture. The bone graft material is intended to stimulate growth of healthy native bone tissue, and new native bone tissue may eventually replace the bone graft material completely. Bone graft material typically includes a combination of crushed bone and a liquid component, such as blood, plasma, or growth factors. Bone graft materials can be allograft (derived from a human other than the one receiving the graft), autograft (derived from the human receiving the graft), and synthetic (created from, for example, ceramics like calcium phosphates).
Bone graft materials are typically delivered to a surgical site using syringe-like delivery devices, which often include attachment devices, such as small diameter cannulus devices. In addition, the components of the bone graft material are sometimes brought together and combined to form the bone graft material in the delivery device. The bone graft material is dispensed from the delivery device. This often involves using a syringe plunger to advance an amount of bone graft material from a syringe and through an attachment device, and then dispensing the bone graft material from the attachment device at the surgical site. Once the syringe plunger is completely depressed in the syringe, all or nearly all of the bone graft material is expelled from the syringe. However, the attachment device still contains an amount of bone graft material, and further operation of the syringe plunger is ineffective for advancing that bone graft material out of the attachment device. This prevents the bone graft material that is trapped in the attachment device from being used during the surgical procedure, and leads to wasting an amount of the bone graft material. Wasting bone graft material is undesirable, however, as its components are costly. In addition, this drawback to current devices requires that more bone graft material be prepared than is actually required at the surgical site, in order to offset the amount that remains in the attachment device.

Assembly for dispensing biomaterial, plunger therefor, and related methods