A method for increasing the throughput, or the precision, or both the precision and the throughput, of a flow cytometer, or of a hematology analyzer employing a flow cytometer, by utilizing the technique of laser rastering. Laser rastering involves sweeping a laser beam across a flowing sample stream in a hematology analyzer. An apparatus suitable for carrying out the method of this invention comprises an optical module comprising a source of light, a scanning device, a lens or system of lenses, a flow cell, detectors, and filters; and an electronic module comprising preamplifiers, analog signal conditioning elements, analog-to-digital converters, field-programmable gate arrays, digital signal processing elements, and data storage elements.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to flow cytometers and hematology analyzers, and, more particularly, to hematology analyzers that count and identify biological cells using light scattering and fluorescence techniques in an optical flow cell.
2. Discussion of the Art
Flow cytometry is a technique for counting, examining, and sorting microscopic particles suspended in a stream of fluid. Flow cytometry allows simultaneous, multiparametric analysis of the physical and/or biochemical characteristics of single cells flowing through an optical/electronic detection apparatus. When used in hematology analyzers, flow cytometry enables the precise counting of cells in a measured volume of blood or other biological fluid sample and the identification of those cells based on the use of light scattering and/or fluorescence detection. As used herein, the phrase "flow cytometry" refers to the techniques and apparatus used in flow cytometers as well as in flow-cytometry-based hematology analyzers and other diagnostic instruments.
In flow cytometry, a beam of light, such as, for example, laser light of a single wavelength, light of a broader spectral nature from a light-emitting diode (LED), or some other source of light, is directed onto a hydrodynamically focused stream of fluid. A number of detectors are aimed at the region where the stream passes through the light beam, one or more detectors being in line with the light beam and typically several detectors positioned perpendicular to the light beam. The detector(s) in line with the light beam detect forward scatter, in one or more angular annuli or regions, or absorption or albedo, or both forward scatter and absorption or albedo. The detectors positioned perpendicular to the light beam detect side scatter, fluorescence, or both side scatter and fluorescence. Each suspended particle passing through the beam scatters the light in some way, and fluorescent chemicals in the particle may be sufficiently excited to emit light at a longer wavelength than that of the light source. The combination of scattered and fluorescent light is detected by the detectors, and by analyzing fluctuations in intensity at each detector (typically one detector for each desired fluorescent emission band and one detector for each annulus or region of scattering angles), it is possible to determine various facts about the physical and biochemical structure of each individual particle. Forward scatter correlates with the volume of the cell and side scatter depends on the complexity of the particle, such as, for example, the shape of the nucleus, the amount and type of cytoplasmic granules or the roughness of the cellular membrane. Fluorescent markers can be conjugated with monoclonal antibodies that selectively bind to certain types of cells or cells in a particular pathological state. Representative examples of instruments employing flow cytometers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,017,497; 5,138,181; 5,350,695; 5,812,419; 5,939,326; 6,579,685; 6,618,143; and U.S. Patent Publication 2003/0143117 A1. These patents describe a flowing stream of cells and a stationary beam.
A subfield of cytometry, laser scanning cytometry (LSC), involves scanning a laser beam across a field of interrogation. However, the field of interrogation is stationary, typically a section of a microscope slide to which cells have been adhered, and the measurement rate (i.e., the number of cells analyzed in a given unit of time) obtainable through such a scheme is far below what can be obtained by conventional flow cytometry. Furthermore, LSC is an imaging method suitable for detailed analysis of a relatively limited number of cells, whereas flow cytometry is a light-scattering and fluorescence-tagging method of analyzing large quantities of cells. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,072,382, 5,523,207, and 6,002,788.) Two other techniques closely related to LSC are volumetric capillary cytometry (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,238) and microvolume LSC (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,603,537 and 6,687,395, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0280817). All of these techniques rely on a scanning laser beam impinging upon a specimen fixed to a controllable stage and on methods based on highly resolved imaging, confocal scanning, or spectroscopy techniques.
Several teachings in the prior art (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,083,014, 5,444,527, 5,521,699, 5,644,388, 5,824,269, 6,671,044, and 6,975,400, and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2002/0146734 and 2002/0057432) describe an imaging flow cytometer that combines the flow characteristics of a conventional analyzer with imaging capabilities. In the prior art, (a) the laser or other light source is stationary, necessitating the use of a charge-coupled detector (CCD) array in order to capture information from across the field of interrogation; and (b) the information obtained is of an imaging nature rather than of a scattering nature. This approach causes the process to run significantly more slowly than in flow cytometry; in other words, in order to obtain more detailed information for each cell by the use of the disclosed imaging strategy, the measurement rate is reduced, i.e., the overall number of cells actually analyzed in a given unit of time is reduced.
One of the key advantages of imaging methods is that such methods are capable of capturing fine details of individual cells, which enable a trained professional to make positive identifications in borderline cases. However, the greater detail obtainable by imaging methods are balanced by the reduction in the total number of cells that can be analyzed in this way in a given period of time. In methods based on scattering, identification is based on characteristics that are averaged over the cell (such as cell size, hemoglobin content, lobularity of the nucleus, etc.); however, the loss of fine detail in individual cells is compensated for by the ability to collect desired information for tens of thousands of cells in a matter of seconds. Such information can be used to plot the results in aggregate according to a few characteristics (such as, for example, size, lobularity, etc.).
The CELL-DYN® Sapphire® hematology analyzer (commercially available from Abbott Laboratories), an instrument based in part on flow cytometry, processes a minimum of 105 complete blood count (CBC) samples per hour under standard conditions (This aspect of performance is referred to as the throughput of the instrument.). Other commercially available hematology analyzers are capable of processing up to 150 standard CBC samples per hour, although they usually result in higher rates of reflex testing, slide review, or both reflex testing and slide review. It would be desirable to increase the effective throughput of hematology analyzers (i.e., accounting for both the mechanical throughput and the rate of first-pass reportability) so as to be able to process a higher volume of standard CBC samples per hour than currently possible, while at the same time maintaining a low rate of reflex testing and slide review. This improvement would enable use of such an analyzer in a high-volume laboratory (reference laboratory or hospital core laboratory), which requires the processing of large numbers of standard, mainly normal, CBC samples per day with as few slide reviews as possible. It would also enable higher throughput of samples in any of the other laboratory environments where an analyzer is used.
There are several obstacles to higher throughput, such as, for example, loading samples, aspirating samples, dispensing samples, diluting samples, mixing samples, incubating samples, staging samples, delivering samples to the flow cell, and the time required for a sequential measurement of a series of samples. These obstacles can be thought of as bottlenecks, where the narrowest bottleneck determines the overall throughput of the instrument. The current narrowest bottleneck in the CELL-DYN® Sapphire® instrument is the time involved in the sequential measurements through the optical flow cell. The performance currently achieved involves a compromise between acceptable levels of coincidences, acceptable precision of results (total number of cells counted), constraints from the present hardware/electronics architecture, i.e., arrangement of hardware and electronic components, and constraints from the assay strategy involving reagents and dilution. As used herein, a "coincidence" is interpreted to mean an event where two or more cells, either of a similar type or a dissimilar type, are sufficiently close that they cannot be resolved by the instrument, are counted as one, and are misidentified in one or more detection parameters.
Increasing the flow rate through the flow cell by widening the sample stream, by increasing the velocity of the sample stream, or both of the foregoing, have all been attempted. In a conventional flow cytometer, where the sample stream is intersected by a stationary beam, the measurement rate in the linear regime (defined as the number of cells being analyzed per second, n) is given byn=ρxstreamzstreamvstream,  (Eq. 1)where ρ represents the concentration of cells in the sample stream, xstream represents the transverse dimension of the illuminated portion of the sample stream, zstream represents the longitudinal dimension of the illuminated portion of the sample stream, and vstream represents the flow velocity. In order to increase the measurement rate, one can attempt to increase any one of those four quantities. However, under the circumstances encountered in the state of the art, increasing ρ leads to greater coincidence events, as does increasing xstream and zstream. Increasing vstream can lead to risks related to the onset of turbulence or other kind of hydrodynamic instability, which can severely reduce the precision of the measurements, because the resulting sample stream oscillates or fluctuates unpredictably across a stationary light beam.
Other options include simply doubling the entire measurement hardware, with two sets of measurements occurring in parallel on separate flow cells interrogated by separate sources of light. Two sources of light can be employed or a single source of light can be split into two. The shortcomings of this approach are increased complexity, a greatly increased cost, a greatly increased risk to reliability because of the large number of additional components, and increased service costs.
It would be desirable to improve throughput of a flow cytometer without incurring higher coincidences, without degrading precision of results, without significantly changing the hardware and/or electronics (and consequently having to meet most of the same constraints), without changing the chemistries and dilutions currently in use, and while maintaining the currently available desirable attributes associated with a high rate of first-pass reportability of results.

Method and apparatus for rapidly counting and identifying biological particles in a flow stream


The volume of lubricating oil stored in the sump of an internal combustion engine for a vehicle is in significant excess of the volume of oil circulating through the engine at any one time. The circulating oil, drawn from the sump, may be rapidly heated during its passage through the engine, but the excess volume remaining in the sump dilutes and cools the circulating oil as it returns to the sump. By separating the oil volume into a portion which is circulated through the engine and a second portion which has only limited opportunity to mix with and cool the circulating oil the circulating oil may attain its operating temperature more rapidly. Once the stored volume of oil in the engine has also reached its operating temperature the circulating oil and stored oil may be recombined.

The text of this background section is to prepare the reader for understanding practices described in this disclosure. The text is not presented with a consideration of whether it discloses prior art.
Multi-cylinder, reciprocating piston, internal combustion engines for automotive vehicles typically contain an oil circulation system for lubrication of valves, cylinder walls, pistons, connecting rods, cranking mechanisms, and the like. Generally, a predetermined quantity of lubricating oil (e.g., four to six quarts) is stored in bucket-like sump container attached to the engine below the cranking mechanism. When the engine is operating, an oil pumping mechanism, often driven off the engine, draws lubrication oil from the sump container and pumps it upwardly over all moving engine parts. The oil is drawn through an oil pick-up or inlet tube positioned below the surface of the sump oil. The oil flows in an oil circulation path, as intended and provided, over engine parts requiring lubrication. As it completes its flow, the oil drains downwardly back into the sump container. Typically, less than half of the stored volume of oil is in circulation at any moment of engine operation. In this way an adequate supply of oil is assured despite irregular motion of the vehicle, or leakage of the oil or burning of some of the oil as it is exposed on cylinder walls.
The oil is heated during engine operation, often to temperatures of about 90° C. to about 110° C. and at this temperature the oil has a viscosity and flow properties well suited for lubrication of engine surfaces. But when engine operation has ceased, the stored and now quiescent oil is cooled to the ambient temperature in which the vehicle is situated. Since this temperature may be well less than about 30° C., temperature-dependent properties of the oil are often less than desired for engine operation. So the oil may be relatively cold and viscous as its circulation is commenced immediately following an engine cold start. Sometimes vehicles intended for cold climates have special oil heaters located in the sump container for keeping the oil at a desired temperature between intermittent usages of the engine. Most vehicles do not have such an oil heater. But there is a need to reheat the circulating oil for better engine operation and less engine wear. A difficulty is that the total volume of oil is considerably larger than the amount being circulated and heated by the engine at any operating moment.

Temperature-controlled segregation of hot and cold oil in a sump of an internal combustion engine


A method and network node of a first cellular network, for enabling mitigation of interference in the first cellular network caused by radio communication in a second cellular network. The network node obtains a total interference in a first cell of the first cellular network, and estimates a first interference contribution in the first cell caused by radio communication in the first cellular network. The network node then determines a second interference contribution in the first cell caused by radio communication in the second cellular network based on the estimated first interference contribution and the obtained total interference. The network node also utilizes the determined second interference contribution to counteract the interference in the first cell caused by the radio communication in the second cellular network. Thereby, it is possible to counteract the interference in the first cell when the second interference contribution fulfills a threshold condition such that actions and measures for counteracting the inter-system interference can be initiated only when needed or when it is deemed effective for improving performance in the cell.

In recent years, several cellular networks for wireless communication have been established to provide radio coverage for serving wireless terminals in different areas. The cellular networks are constantly developed to provide increasingly better coverage and capacity to meet the demands from subscribers using services and advanced terminals, e.g. smartphones and tablets, which require more and more bandwidth and resources for data transport. As a result, it is common to configure a network with different cell sizes to provide needed capacity and flexibility depending on expected traffic intensity in different areas, commonly referred to as a heterogeneous network. Such a network typically comprises hierarchical cell structures including large macro cells covering relatively large areas of kilometer size, and also smaller cells of a few meters size, e.g. micro cells, pico cells and femto cells, to mention some customary examples. The smaller cells are added to the macro cells in an overlapping fashion to increase the capacity locally in so-called "hot spot" areas.
In this disclosure, the term base station represents a radio node of a cellular or mobile network which node is capable of communicating with wireless terminals over radio channels. Depending on the terminology used, a base station may also be called NodeB, eNodeB, eNB, base transceiver station, and so forth. Further, the term "terminal" represents any wireless terminal or device capable of radio communication with a base station in a cellular network.
The different types of cells mentioned above thus have base stations serving mobile terminals to enable radio transmissions in the cells, including downlink signals from the base stations to the terminals and uplink signals from the terminals to the base stations. It can easily be understood that in a large cell, high transmission power is required due to the relatively long distances between the communicating nodes, i.e. between terminals and their serving base stations, while considerably lower transmission power is sufficient in a small cell since the communicating nodes are closer to one another.
Interference is a well-known problem that occurs when nearby radio transmissions disturb the reception of downlink signals in a terminal or uplink signals in a base station. The interfering nearby radio transmissions may contain data and/or control information. So-called inter-cell interference occurs when transmissions in one cell disturb signal reception in another adjacent cell. Numerous solutions exist for avoiding such interference e.g. by coordinating transmissions in adjacent cells and/or by configuring the radio coverage of the cells within a network. It is also possible to change base station antenna azimuth, apply filters, etc., to reduce or avoid interfering signals at the receiver.
However, more than one cellular network may cover basically the same area or adjacent areas, e.g. different networks controlled by different operators, and it may be a problem that radio transmissions in one network can cause interference to signal reception in another network, which can be referred to as "inter-system interference" or "inter-network interference". Some examples of how such inter-system interference can occur are illustrated in FIGS. 1a-1c, where reception of signals in a first cellular network "1" is interfered by transmission in another cellular network "2". In this respect, networks 1 and 2 can be seen as a "victim" network and an "aggressor" network, respectively, even though interference may at the same time arise in the opposite direction from network 1 to network 2 as well. In this simplified illustration, the networks 1 and 2 are shown geographically apart from one another although in reality they may have more or less overlapping coverage areas. Further, the networks 1 and 2 may have a mix of large and small cells, schematically suggested by small and large base stations in the figure, where the cells may be arranged in a hierarchical fashion and there is typically no coordination of cell configurations between different networks.
In a first example scenario shown in FIG. 1a, a terminal T2 in the aggressor network 2 sends uplink signals UL2 to a serving base station BS2, while at the same time a terminal T1 in the victim network 1 receives downlink signals DL1 from a serving base station BS1. In this case, the terminals T1 and T2 happen to be close to one another while terminal T2 is relatively far away from its serving base station BS2, e.g. in a macro cell, and T2 must therefore transmit its uplink signals UL2 with quite high power. This transmission therefore causes interference "I", indicated by a dashed arrow, to the reception of downlink signals DL1 in the nearby terminal T1.
In a second example scenario shown in FIG. 1b, a terminal T2 in the aggressor network 2 likewise sends uplink signals UL2 to a base station BS2, while at the same time a base station BS1 in the victim network 1 receives uplink signals UL1 from a terminal T1. In this case, terminal T2 happens to be close to base station BS1 but far away from its serving base station BS2, e.g. in a macro cell, and T2 must therefore transmit its uplink signals UL2 with quite high power. This transmission therefore causes interference "I" to the reception of uplink signals UL1 in base station BS1. This interference may be particularly severe in case the base station BS1 has its antenna, e.g. mounted on top of a tower or on a wall, close to the ground where terminal T2 is situated.
In a third example scenario shown in FIG. 1c, a base station BS2 in the aggressor network 2 sends downlink signals DL2 to a terminal T2, while at the same time a terminal T1 in the victim network 1 receives downlink signals DL1 from a base station BS1a. In this case, terminal T1 happens to be close to base station BS2 which is far away from the served terminal T2, e.g. in a macro cell, and BS2 must therefore transmit its downlink signals DL2 with quite high power. This transmission therefore causes interference "Ia" to the reception of downlink signals DL1 in terminal T1 and may also cause interference "Ib" in another base station BS1b in the victim network 1, if BS1b is located close enough to BS2. As in FIG. 2, the interference Ia may be particularly severe if BS1 has a low tower with its antenna close to the ground where T1 is situated. Further, if base station BS1b in FIG. 1c, or base station BS1 in FIG. 1b, serves a small cell, e.g. a micro, pico or femto cell, it may have a relatively small and rudimentary receiver with reduced hardware requirements making it sensitive to interference, thus heightening the problem of inter-system interference.
Normally, two networks controlled by different operators use different parts or frequency ranges of the radio spectrum, referred to as allocated bandwidth, such that no transmission should occur on the same frequency in two networks. Nevertheless, radio transmission within a certain frequency range typically means that energy is also emitted to some extent on contiguous frequencies outside, i.e. below and above, the used frequency range, which may cause so-called "out-of-band" interference from one network to another, which is illustrated by a power-frequency diagram in FIG. 2. This shows that one output power distribution over frequency used in an aggressor network, shown by a full line 200, can cause potentially harmful interference in a victim network using another output power distribution over frequency, shown by a dashed line 202.
Even though the two networks transmit most of their power in separated frequency ranges, i.e. within their respective allocated bandwidths which are separated from one another, some power from the aggressor network still "leaks out" out-of-band coinciding with the frequency range allocated to the victim network. As a result, the "noise floor" experienced in the victim network, shown by a dotted line 204, is raised from a background level 206 of thermal noise and own interference to the level of a power 208 leaked from the aggressor network, such that the Signal-to-Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR) is reduced which in turn can deteriorate quality, coverage and capacity in the victim network. As mentioned above, both of two neighboring networks can suffer from such inter-system interference from one another at the same time, so the above explanation and examples may be valid in both directions. It is thus a problem that the cause for such a reduced performance due to inter-system interference is difficult to detect and that it may be a waste of resources and efforts to take actions for reducing inter-system interference when not really needed.

Method and network node for mitigation of interference


The invention relates to a tilt prevention assembly for a series of drawers in a tool cabinet, comprising a frame which, when in use, is connected to the tool cabinet, as well as a securing member pivotably mounted to the frame, which securing member is pivotable between a securing position in which the securing member forms an obstruction for the movement of the closed drawers, and between a releasing position in which a drawer is moveable at least to an extended position. The tilt prevention assembly also comprises an actuator member that is arranged for pivoting the securing member under the influence of the movement of the drawers to the securing position or the releasing position.

A tilt prevention assembly is known from WO962557, and is used to prevent two drawers of a tool cabinet to be in the open position at the same time, thereby reducing the chance of tilting the tool cabinet. In the known tilt prevention mechanism two plate shaped members are provided, which are connected to one another via a pivotable mechanism. The plate shaped members collaborate with a cam provided on each of the drawers. Therein one of the plate shaped members is implemented such that it can be brought to a securing position, in which securing position the plate shaped member abuts the cam, such that the drawer is unable to move outwards. The other plate shaped member is implemented such that it, under the influence of the cam on the drawer, brings the first plate shaped member to the releasing position, when pushing the extended drawer back.
A drawback of the known tilt prevention assembly is, that it is relatively complex, with relatively a lot of components, thereby making the assembly relatively difficult and costly to produce. The plate shaped members are unstable, as a consequence of which a blow to the tool cabinet, as in the case of riding over a cable with a moveable tool cabinet, can cause the plate shaped members to pivot to the securing position. Then, it is no longer possible to open a drawer. Due to the relative complexity of the assembly, the reliability of the known assembly is less than to be desired.

Tilt prevention assembly for a series of drawers in a tool cabinet


A system and method are provided for maintaining alignment of timing signals of a source synchronous interface between driver and receiver portions of an electronic system in a behavioral model based simulation environment. The system comprises a memory unit, an analysis controller unit coupled to the memory unit, and a timing alignment unit coupled to the analysis controller unit. The timing alignment unit is executable responsive to the analysis controller unit to generate behavioral models for mutually assigned first and second nets which transmit respective timing signals between the driver and receiver portions, and actuates transient simulation on the behavioral models to simulate transmission of the timing signals through the first and second nets. A timing skew between respective transmissions of the timing signals through the first and second nets is measured responsive to the simulated transmission for compensation during a general simulation of the source synchronous interface.

The subject system and method are generally directed to optimizing the electrical integrity analysis of an electronic system to be implemented (be it on a chip, package, or board level). The system and method provide for automated measures to ensure that various electrical integrity analyses in a simulated environment, such as for signal integrity, accurately and efficiently account for flight time skew of timing signals that the electronic system would actually encounter (and suitably account for) when physically implemented. The system and method provide such measures which automatically model the real world operating conditions due to geometry and other factors and more accurately reflect the timing of signals in the physical implementation.
With the ongoing trend of electronic systems implementations growing in sophistication and complexity, it is increasingly important to employ highly accurate and efficient simulation techniques to characterize performance baselines of electronic system designs prior to actual fabrication. Simulation-based analyses, such as Signal Integrity (SI) analyses, are ways to establish the baseline performance of electronic system designs before expending valuable resources in prototyping the same.
These analyses are carried out using suitable simulation and analysis tools. In the case of SI analysis, the analysis is carried out using simplified simulation runs based on behavioral models, rather than on actual transistor or other such hardware models. The benefits of this—in terms of streamlined simulation runs, and the faster analyses and reduced design cycles they permit—are considerable given that a typical electronic circuit board design may contain thousands of nets or more. While simulation runs based on actual transistor models would provide more extensive information about all that is occurring in the modeled hardware, the processing loads and execution times required for the runs would be prohibitive for many applications. Moreover, since SI analysis focuses primarily on signal quality (strengths, speed, fidelity, and the like), the added information would hardly enhance SI analysis enough to justify the additional processing and time costs.
Among the tradeoffs of such streamlined simulation, however, is that certain non-trivial effects are not adequately considered, at least not in sufficiently automated manner. Effects like flight time skew manifest in physical implementations are not intrinsically accounted for in behavioral model based SI topologies employed to represent the given electronic system (or portion thereof). It is normally left to a designer to account for these effects, by either calculating them manually or deriving them through other external means. The timing adjustments which result must then be entered in the simulation and analysis tool if the analytic simulation runs on the SI topologies are to be properly configured.
Such manual calculation means require the user to analyze the nets, then identify and actuate simulation of the required nets (i.e., the clock and its associated strobes) to model read/write leveling. The generated waveforms must then be post processed to calculate the flight time skews and calculate the appropriate timing signal offsets to properly align the associated waveforms during simulation of the read and write cycles. This manual process is not only cumbersome and highly prone to error, it is quite time consuming. The practical effect of this is added complication and delay to the design cycle.
There is therefore a need for a system and method which automatically generates the timing adjustments necessary for accurate simulation of the electronic system portion(s) being analyzed. There is a need for an automated approach whereby such effects as flight time skew in timing signals may be properly accounted for in a behavioral model based simulation environment.

System and method for automatic correction of flight time skew of timing signals in simulated source synchronous interface operation


A distributed direct memory access (DMA) architecture where greater than seven DMA channels are provided and utilized. Alternative methods are disclosed for paging or swapping DMA channels so that more than seven may exist in a computer system, but only seven may be available at a time to remain compatible with conventional DMA controller software. In one method, channels may be assigned identical addresses, with one enabled at one time. In another method, channels are assigned unique addresses but the DMA master addresses only a subset of the total number of channels so that up to seven are available to compatible software at any one time.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus of interfacing a direct memory access (DMA) controller to a non-ISA bus and more particularly to utilizing a personal computer (PC) compatible DMA controller in a distributed DMA architecture on non-ISA buses, especially the PCI bus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Personal computers are constantly changing as new technologies evolve and are incorporated into the computer. Performance improvements in microprocessors and memory have resulted in computers so powerful that they can perform tasks that before could only be performed by large mainframe computers. However, to fully replace a mainframe computer, the computer must have significant memory and storage capacity supported by a hearty I/O (input/output) subsystem.
Several standardized I/O buses are available to the system designer including: ISA (Industry Standard Architecture), EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture), PCI (Peripheral Component Interface), and VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) local bus sometimes called VL-bus or VLB. Today's computers are typically designed with a PCI bus with either an ISA bus or EISA bus. Familiarity with the PCI Local Bus Specification, Production Version, Revision 2.1, dated Jun. 1, 1995, which is published by the PCI Special Interest Group of Hillsboro, Oreg., is assumed for the purposes of this application, and it is hereby incorporated by reference.
When an ISA or EISA bus is present standard I/O peripherals, such as a floppy disk, are connected to the ISA or EISA bus. This is particularly relevant since the floppy disk is a peripheral which uses direct memory access (DMA).
Direct memory access is a method by which a peripheral may access memory without processor intervention, provided the DMA transfer was previously initialized. DMA transfers are normally used to transfer blocks of data between an I/O device, such as the floppy disk controller, and memory. Direct memory access reduces the amount of processor interactions with memory, thereby freeing the processor for other processing tasks.
The legacy of the IBM (International Business Machines) AT class personal computer (PC) dictates that compatible computer systems include two DMA controllers on the ISA bus. These DMA controllers are functionally compatible with an 8237 DMA controller made by Intel and other companies. The DMA controllers conventionally reside in the personal computer at certain address ranges. Although more recently it is common to combine the functionality of the DMA controller with other functions traditionally found on the ISA bus into a single integrated circuit to conserve circuit board space, the DMA controller is still present at the compatible address ranges. A representative description of the DMA controller is found in the 8237 A High Performance Programmable DMA Controller datasheet published by Intel Corporation, and hereby incorporated by reference. Technical data regarding the implementation of DMA controllers in a PC can be found in technical literature such as the Compaq Deskpro 386 Personal Computer Technical Reference Guide, Volume I, chapter 2, hereby incorporated by reference. Familiarity with the DMA controller is assumed.
The DMA controller is a peripheral interface circuit for allowing peripheral devices to directly transfer data between main memory. It includes four independent channels and may be expanded to any number of channels by cascading additional controller chips. In the PC architecture, two DMA controllers are used. One DMA controller is used for byte transfers, and the second DMA controller is user for word (16-bit) transfers. All four channels (designated 0, 1,2 and 3) of the byte-wide DMA controller are dedicated to performing byte DMA operations. Of the four channels (designated 4,5,6 and 7) of the word-wide DMA controller, channels 5,6 and 7 are dedicated for word DMA operations. Channel 4 is used for cascading the two controllers together and, therefore, is not available for normal DMA. Because the byte-wide DMA controller is cascaded into the word-wide DMA controller, the byte-wide DMA controller is sometimes called the secondary DMA controller and the word-wide DMA controller is called the primary DMA controller.
The ISA and EISA buses include signals for performing DMA operations. A peripheral connected to the ISA bus may request a DMA operation by providing a DMA request signal (DREQ*, where * is the channel number) over the ISA bus to the DMA controller. In response to a DREQ signal, the DMA controller will provide a DMA acknowledge (DACK*) signal to the peripheral when the DMA controller has been granted the ISA bus and is ready to perform the operation. The DMA controller then accesses the peripheral to move data over the ISA bus and between the peripheral and memory. However, since the PCI bus or the VL-bus do not incorporate the ISA DMA signals, ISA DMA devices cannot be placed on these buses.
With the PCI bus becoming more popular because of its higher performance, it is desirable to connect many of the ISA peripherals directly to the PCI bus instead of the ISA bus. However, the incompatibility between the ISA DMA controller architecture and the PCI bus prevents the joining of these components.
In certain systems, such as portable computers, the limited space requirements allow only one expansion bus to be supported. If only the PCI bus is provided and the ISA bus is not, then ISA DMA capability is not directly supported. One method of supporting the ISA DMA operations is to include the DMA controllers in a single PCI device. However, all DMA devices must connect to this single device, so essentially the ISA bus must be present. Another alternative is to place the DMA controllers on the PCI bus. The special DMA signals can then be routed as sideband signals without interfering with PCI operations. However, with the advent of Plug and Play, any function that supports DMA should be programmable to more than one channel without the use of jumpers, and therefore, the relatively high number of sideband signals (fourteen DREQ* and DACK* signals) cause this solution to be unworkable, especially for portable applications. Familiarity with the Plug and Play Specification hereby incorporated by reference, available from Microsoft Corporation, is assumed for the purposes of this application.
Moreover, the DMA signals could be serialized to reduce pinouts, but then response time on the negative edge of the DREQ* signals might lead to late terminations. Therefore, this solution is not preferred.
The performance of the PCI bus is much greater than that of the ISA and EISA buses. Further, by not providing a PCI to ISA bridge chip costs can be reduced. As such, it is desirable to create a mechanism for incorporating ISA type DMA into devices that connect directly to the PCI bus or VL-bus so that a more flexible solution to ISA DMA can be provided for portable computers.

System for requesting access to DMA channel having address not in DMA registers by replacing address of DMA register with address of requested DMA channel


An alarm management device capable of constructing logics for suppressing tailgate alarm without depending on controllers, and of managing engineering and management thereof with concentration. The invention relates to an alarm management device for managing alarms issued in a plant. The alarm management device is provided with alarm state management apparatus for managing issuance states of acquired alarms, alarm engineering apparatus for setting alarm issuance patterns, alarm suppression judgment apparatus for judging suppression target alarms from the alarm issuance states and alarm issuance patterns, and alarm processing apparatus for executing suppression of the suppression target alarms among the acquired alarms in response to an instruction of the alarm suppression judgment apparatus.

There has been conventionally continuous issuance of a multitude of alarms from field equipment, a distributed control system (DCS), and so forth, whereby a screen for monitoring alarm messages is filled with alarm messages, to be rendered in a so-called alarm flood state, thereby contributing to oversight of an important alarm or erroneous judgment by a plant operator. To that end, it is required to suppress the notification of alarms to the operator in response to states of the plant and operation situations.
Consequently, even if a multitude of alarms are issued, there has been executed an alarm management wherein only necessary alarms are notified to the operator at the optimum time by making a choice of information.
There is a dynamic alarm suppression method as one of alarm suppression methods. If an alarm is issued in a plant due to the occurrence of anomalies at some spots in the plant, it secondarily triggers anomalies at other spots in the plant, causing the issuance of a tailgate alarm. For example, if flow anomalies occur at upstream, it causes flow anomalies to occur at downstream.
In such a case, it is possible to ease strain on the operator by notifying only a triggered first alarm to the operator and suppressing a secondary tailgate alarm so as to be eliminated from a watch list.
FIG. 6 is a view for explaining conventional alarm suppression.
A DCS controller 1a, a safety instrumented system (SIS) controller 1b and a PLC controller 1c are connected to a control bus 2, respectively. A DCS engineering station 3a, an SIS engineering station 3b and a PLC engineering station 3c, each provided for a plant engineer to execute engineering for every DCS controller 1a, SIS controller 1b and PLC controller 1c, are connected to the control bus 2, respectively. Situations of the plant are monitored by a plant operator in a monitoring station 4 connected to the control bus 2.
The conventional suppression of a tailgate alarm (hereinafter referred to as tailgate alarm suppression) is executed as detection logics for every DCS controller 1a, SIS controller 1b and PLC controller 1c. For example, in case the tailgate alarm of the field equipment connected to the DCS controller 1a is to be suppressed, the plant engineer executes engineering relative to the DCS controller 1a through the DCS engineering station 3a, or constructs logics so that the tailgate alarm, that is secondarily issued while triggered by the issuance of some alarm, is not notified.
[Patent Document 1] JP2003-186536A
According to the conventional tailgate alarm suppression, it is necessary to construct logics for executing suppression for every kind of controller and for every device, leading to difficulty in engineering.
Further, if there occurs errors in constructed logics, there is the possibility of exerting an influence upon the operation of the controllers.
Still further, since the logics are constructed for executing the tailgate alarm suppression for every controller, there was a problem in that an alarm, that is issued while extended over the controllers, can not be suppressed.


A current detecting circuit (19) detects an output voltage of an inverter, a voltage error computing unit (21) computes an voltage error between the output voltage and a voltage command value, a deadtime compensation amount storage unit (18) stores a relationship between the voltage error, and an output current value detected by a current detecting circuit (20). A deadtime compensation computing unit (17) computes a deadtime compensation amount from the deadtime compensation amount storage unit (18) according to a current command value, and an adder (16) adds the deadtime compensation amount and the voltage command value so as to obtain the added correcting voltage command value. The operation of the inverter is controlled on the basis of the computed correcting voltage command value which enables inverter control devices to accurately control output current due by accurate correction of the output voltage.

1. Filed of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inverter control device for use with a driving device such as a motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 6 shows an example of an inverter and a conventional system structure of the inverter control device. An inverter 11 for driving a motor 1 comprises transistors 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2f including an emitter and a collector, and any of which is connected to a direct-current power supply. Each base of the transistors is connected to output signals from comparators 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, or 4f to open or close a flow of current. According to output voltage command values eu*, ev*, and ew* of each phase which is commanded, a duty ratio is controlled, as follows, in comparison with a reference wave signal by comparators 5a, 5b, and 5c. Namely, the output voltage command values eu*, ev*, and ew* which are input to the comparators 5a, 5b, and 5c are compared to a triangular wave signal output from a reference wave generating circuit 9 to make a pulse signal. As the duty ratio of the pulse signal is directly proportional to the output voltage command values eu*, ev*, and ew*, an average value of the voltage applied to the motor 1 is also directly proportional to the output voltage command values eu*, ev*, when the triangular wave signal is high.
In this conventional inverter control device, for example, when the transistors 2a and 2b that make up the inverter 11 are simultaneously turned on, a direct current power supply 3 is short-circuited, and there is a possibility of damage to the circuit due to the flowing of the excessive current. To preventing such a problem, in an example as shown in FIG. 6, an idle time is commonly given to each ON signal of the paired transistors 2a and 2b by circuit elements so as to control to have a predetermined interval in the control of the ON signal of the inverter, with the circuit elements comprising resistors 6a, 6b, and 6c, capacitors 7a, 7b, and 7c, and resistors 8a, 8b, and 8c. This interval is generally called a deadtime, and the deadtime has been produced by a deadtime producing circuit 10 consisting of the comparators 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, and 4f, and the above circuit elements.
Existence of the deadtime allows the output voltage of the inverter to generally become nonlinear against the output voltage command values eu*, ev*, and ew* which are input. In an example of a u-phase, the relationship between the output voltage command value and an actual output voltage eu can be approximated by equation (1). EQU eu=eu*-ed(iu) (1)
Where iu represents an output current value of the inverter, and ed(iu) is a function of iu presented with equation (2). The function represented with equation (2) is shown in FIG. 8. ##EQU1## Where edu represents a constant determined by the deadtime, and iu# is a fixed constant determined by the time constant of the motor windings.
FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a system structure of a conventional inverter control device for the purpose of correcting nonlinearity between a command value and an output by means of such deadtime. This inverter control device uses the relationship of equation (1) and controls the inverter by applying a correction command value, which is added with the deadtime compensation represented by equation (2), to the voltage command value, and performs deadtime correction. In this device, a deadtime compensation computing unit 17 computes deadtime compensation amounts ed(iu), ed(iv), and ed(iw) on the basis of phase current detecting values iu, iv, and iw, and equation (2). On the other hand, subtracters 13a, 13b, and 13c compute a current error between an current command value and an actual output current value so that a current control computing unit 15a, 15b, and 15c may output the voltage command values eu*, ev*, and ew* according to the current error. Adders 16a, 16b, and 16c add the voltage command values eu*, ev*, and ew* to the respective deadtime compensation amounts euc*, evc*, and ewc*, and output euc*, evc*, and ewc* as correction voltage command values. In an example of u-phase, the relationship between the phase voltage command value and the correction voltage value may be represented with the following equation (3). EQU euc*=eu*+ed(iu) (3)
Where, as mentioned above, in a device as shown in FIG. 7, the fixed constant is iu# and edu in equation (2) can be used to find the deadtime compensation amount ed(iu) of equation (3). This correction voltage command value is input to a PWM (pulse-width-modulated) circuit 12, and transistors 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2d, 2e, and 2f are turned on or off on the basis of the correction voltage command. It is known that the PWM circuit 12 is used of the same circuit as the inverter control circuit shown, for instance, in FIG. 6. Current detectors 14a, 14b, and 14c shown in FIG. 7 are examples of such detectors for detecting the output current iu to be applied in equations (2) and (3).
Since in a conventional inverter control device as shown in FIG. 7, there exists deadtime, the output voltage of the inverter is nonlinear against the output voltage command which is input and an accurate output voltage can not be obtained. FIG. 9(A) represents the voltage command and the reference wave of the u-phase shown in FIG. 6, in which the triangular wave, transistors 2a and 2b, and the waveform of terminal voltage of the u-phase are shown respectively. Here, Td shown in FIG. 9 indicates deadtime duration, V a plus voltage of the direct-current power supply 3 in FIG. 6, and -V a minus voltage. As shown in FIG. 9, in such a conventional device, when the polarity of the output current of the inverter of FIG. 9(E) is positive, the terminal voltage of the u-phase is V while the transistor 2a in FIG. 9(C) is ON, and, in contrast, when a polarity of the output current in FIG. 9(E) is minus, the terminal voltage of the u-phase is V when the transistor 2b in FIG. 9(D) is OFF. Moreover, when the output current of the inverter in FIG. 9(G) is zero, the terminal voltage of the u-phase is either V when the transistor 2a is ON or -V when the transistor 2b is ON, and the terminal voltage of the u-phase is at a floating level during the deadtime in which both of the transistors 2a and 2b are OFF. Accordingly, an accurate output voltage can not obtained because the output voltage of the inverter is nonlinear versus the input voltage command value, at a changing point of the current polarity, in other words, at neighborhood of the zero point of the output current.
In a conventional inverter control device as shown in FIG. 7, a nonlinear element of the output voltage against the voltage command according to the deadtime is approximated and corrected by applying equation (2). Here, iu# and edu in equation (2) are constant, but, in reality, the value of iu# is changed as the time constant of the motor windings changes due to heating of the motor or the like. The value of edu is not always limited to only one due to a variety of switching devices. The edu error occurs because the value of edu is changed by the heating of the switching devices. Strictly speaking, it may not be approximated by equation (2) when the output current iu is in the range of -iu#<iu<iu#. Since the error of the deadtime compensation amount occurs by these factors, accurate deadtime compensation can not be performed. Accordingly, the conventional device has such a problem that it is hard to accurately control the output current of the inverter.


Various embodiments for aggregating packages into a pouch in a shipping environment are disclosed. For example, package details associated with a package are compared to one or more incompatibility factors, and if the package details do not match the one or more incompatibility factors, a package identifier uniquely identifying the package is added to a pouch manifest. If the package is not compatible with the pouch, an error message may be displayed to a user indicating that the package is incompatible. In addition, package details may be compared with compatibility factors identifying criteria for packages that are compatible with the pouch and questionable compatibility factors identifying criteria for packages that may be compatible with the pouch. Compatibility factors and questionable compatibility factors may include, for example, service options, delivery notification options, or destination zip code(s).

To reduce overhead costs and/or costs to their customers, senders, such as retailers and business enterprises, may look for a shipping carrier that can deliver their packages in the shortest delivery timeframe and for the lowest cost. Web-based shipping systems, such as those provided by iShip, Inc., and locally-run shipping systems, such as the ConnectShip system offered by UPS, display various carriers that are available to ship a package (e.g., depending on the location of the sender and the recipient) and the delivery services (e.g., next day, second day, ground) provided by each carrier. In addition, the systems provide the estimated costs and the expected delivery date for each delivery service.
Another method of reducing shipping costs is to consolidate shipments. For example, FedEx and UPS offer customers the ability to consolidate shipments destined for European Union (EU) countries under one international air waybill, clear customs through one port of entry in one shipment, and be delivered to multiple recipients located in the EU countries. These solutions consolidate shipments based on the destination country of each shipment, but they do not take into consideration other shipping parameters for each shipment when consolidating the shipments.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved systems and methods for consolidating shipments.

Systems and methods for aggregating packages in a shipping environment


A camera equipped with a magnetic recording apparatus is provided which includes a cartridge chamber that is loaded with a film cartridge containing a magnetically recordable film, a takeup spool on which the film is wound, a drive motor that drives the takeup spool to wind up the film, a shield case that contains the drive motor, a motor mount having a fitting portion that fits on a centering member of the drive motor, and a magnetic information reading device that reads the magnetic information recorded on the film. The shield case consists of a cylindrical main body, and a bent portion formed by bending an end portion of the cylindrical main body on the side of the motor output shaft. The motor is fastened to the motor mount with at least two screws, with the bent portion sandwiched between the motor and a motor mounting surface of the motor mount. An upper surface of the fitting portion of the motor mount protrudes from the motor mounting surface of the motor mount toward the drive motor, and a clearance between the motor and the upper surface of the fitting portion is controlled to be smaller than the thickness of the bent portion of the shield case.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera equipped with a magnetic recording apparatus that is capable of recording magnetic information on a magnetically recordable film, and reproducing the magnetic information recorded on the film. The present invention also relates to a fixing structure that fixes a shield case that shields a magnetic flux generated from a motor, together with the motor.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A certain type of camera is known wherein information on photographing, such as a photographing date and an exposure value, may be recorded on a magnetic recording medium applied by coating to a photographic film with respect to each frame. The photographing information thus recorded on the film is read in at a processing laboratory, and printed out as characters on a back surface of a print, for example.
In this type of camera, the film may be transported by driving a drive motor provided inside a takeup spool. In this case, the magnetic information recorded on the film may be broken or damaged due to a leakage magnetic flux from the drive motor, or may not be reproduced due to reproduction noises caused by such a leakage flux. In view of this problem, there have been proposed (1) a camera as disclosed in Japanese laid-open Patent Publication No. 4-26832, for example, wherein a drive motor is contained in a magnetic shield case that serves to prevent a magnetic flux from leaking from the drive motor, and (2) a camera as disclosed in Japanese laid-open Patent Publication No. 5-34798 wherein a magnetic shield member formed of Permalloy or a takeup spool whose outer circumferential surface is coated with Permalloy is used, thereby to suppress or reduce magnetic noises from a motor, for example.
In the cameras (1), (2) as disclosed in the above-identified publications, however, an end face of the motor on the side of its output shaft is not shielded, and therefore influences of magnetic noises cannot be completely eliminated when a magnetic head is disposed on the side of the output shaft of the motor. Thus, it has also been proposed to provide a shield case that contains the motor and reduction gears coupled to the motor output shaft, so as to suppress magnetic noises due to a leakage flux from the end face of the motor on the side of the output shaft.
In the camera as described just above, however, the shield case and the motor are fixed in separate steps, resulting in an increased number of assembling steps and an increased cost.

Camera equipped with magnetic recording apparatus and shield case fixing structure


Described is an apparatus which comprises: a comparator unit to receive at least three data signals with respective clock signals embedded in the at least three data signals, the comparator unit to provide first, second, and third clock signals; and a delay unit coupled to the comparator unit, the delay unit to receive the first, second and third clock signals to generate delayed versions of the first, second and third clock signals respectively.

Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI®) Alliance C-PHY® is a high-speed serial interface specification to provide high throughput performance over bandwidth limited channels for connecting to peripherals, including displays and cameras. C-PHY® interface is based on 3-phase symbol encoding technology for delivering high bits per symbol (e.g., 2.28 bits per symbol) over three wire trios.
C-PHY® interface was proposed to increase the efficiency of data rate by encoding and decoding the data using three states of wires (high, mid, and low). C-PHY® interface offers the advantage of jitter tracking since the clock is embedded in every cycle of data transaction. However, there is a significant disadvantage when it comes to the design implementation of C-PHY® interface. For example, skews in the signals delivered over the three wires may cause timing violation using traditional clock recovery circuits when recovering clock embedded in the signals.

Skew tolerant clock recovery architecture


A plastic reclosable fastener with slider for opening and closing the reclosable fastener on plastic-film bags and the like is disclosed. The plastic reclosable fastener and slider include a provision for restraining the slider in closed position and thereby maintaining the male and female elements of the fastener in interlocking relation to avoid inadvertent opening of the elements of the fastener when the slider reaches the fully closed position at the end of its travel along the fastener. The ends of the flanges of the fastener that are created by the slider-restraining notch are provided with diverging structure to facilitate re-entry of the slider separator structure between the flanges when the slider is moved toward the opposite end of the fastener to open the male and female elements of the fastener.

The present invention relates to improvements in plastic reclosable fasteners with sliders for opening and closing the reclosable fasteners on plastic-film bags and the like and particularly to detent structure for restraining the slider in closed position when the slider reaches the fully closed position at the end of its travel along the reclosable fastener and for facilitating reopening of the fastener.
Plastic zippers with sliders are well known in the art. The plastic zippers have a pair of male and female fastener elements in the form of reclosable interlocking rib and groove elements with a slider having separator structure for opening and closing the rib and groove elements. In the manufacture of plastic-film bags, a pair of these male and female fastener elements extend along the mouth of the bags and these male and female elements are secured in any suitable manner to the flexible walls of the bags. These elements may be integral marginal portions of such walls or they may be extruded separately and thereafter attached to the walls along the mouth of the bag. It frequently is desirable that the plastic-film bags be leakproof. One example of a plastic-film bag having a slider and flexible closure strips adapted to be joined by such slider to form an air-tight closure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,951--Zimmermann. Another example of a plastic-film bag with a leakproof zipper and slider is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,194--Herrington et al. For leakproof plastic-film bags it also is desirable that the bags include structure for retaining the slider in closed position. Examples of this type construction are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,208--Herrington et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,764--Herrington et al.

Plastic reclosable fastener with structure for restraining slider in closed position and for facilitating reopening fastener


A cap that is suitable for use on conventional liquid containers, particularly water bottles for recreational use. The cap includes a release mechanism for dispensing liquids. The release mechanism is at an angle from the vertical axis of the cap.

Bicycling and other recreational activities often employ the use of water bottles that retain water or other fluids and selectively dispense such fluids upon pressure or related activity initiated by the end user. The conventional bottles often use some form of release valve that prevents dispensing until desired by the user. These valves often are mechanical valves or a pressure relief based valves that are capable of dispensing upon a selected force or action.
It is a common practice among both recreational and professional cyclist to drink out of a water bottle during cycling activity. This action will of course require the cyclist to take their eyes and attention from the road, path or trail upon which they are traveling. The consequences, particularly at elevated speeds can be detrimental to the rider. Many crashes have been caused by a rider's attention being diverted, particularly during group riding activities. In part, the standard water bottle valve is nominally in an upright position extending along the vertical axis of the water bottle or container. This position of the valve requires the rider to extend or move their head upward to enable the dispensing and ingestion of the liquid. This is particularly true as the water bottle contains limited amount of fluid as it empties. The movement of the head into an upward angle necessarily diverts the rider's eyes in the same direction, thereby creating a potentially unsafe situation because the rider's eyes are not focused on the direction that they are heading.


Simultaneous drawing of mixed polyester filaments is improved by use of chain-branched polyester for the polymer from which the polyester filaments are spun.

Polyesters have been produced commercially on a large scale for processing into shaped articles such as fibers, primarily from poly(ethylene terephthalate). Synthetic polyester yarns have been known and used commercially for several decades, having been first suggested by W. H. Carothers, U.S. Pat. No. 2,071,251, and then Whinfield and Dickson suggested poly(ethylene terephthalate) in U.S. Pat. No. 2,465,319.
Although many polyester polymers (including copolymers) have been suggested, the polyester most widely manufactured and used hitherto for textile fibers has been poly(ethylene terephthalate), which is often referred to as homopolymer PET. Homopolymer PET has generally been preferred over copolymers because of its lower cost, and also because its properties have been entirely adequate, or even preferred, for most end-uses. It is known, however, that homopolymer PET requires special dyeing conditions (high temperature requiring super-atmospheric pressure) not required for nylon fibers, for example, so copolyesters have been suggested and used commercially for some purposes. Homopolymer PET is often referred to as 2G-T, while poly(trimethylene terephthalate) is referred to as 3G-T (although some have started calling this PTT), and poly(tetramethylene terephthalate) is referred to as 4G-T, and so on. Some interest has been shown in 3G-T, and also in 4G-T, but 2G-T is the polyester polymer that has so far been used the most, so is discussed mostly hereinafter, but it will be understood that the invention is expected to apply also to other polyesters, for instance other C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkylene terephthalates, such as 3G-T and 4G-T mentioned above, and copolyesters.
Polyester fibers are either (1) continuous filaments or (2) fibers that are discontinuous, which latter are often referred to as staple fiber or cut fibers, and are made by first being formed by extrusion into continuous polyester filaments, which are processed in the form of a tow of continuous polyester filaments before being converted into staple. An important stage in the processing of such continuous polyester filaments has been "drawing" to increase the orientation of the long chain polyester molecules, and thereby improve the properties of the filaments. The present invention relates to improvements in this drawing stage and to the improved products resulting therefrom.
Mostly, the objective of synthetic fiber producers has been to replicate advantageous properties of natural fibers, the most common of which have been cotton and wool fibers.
Most of the polyester cut fiber has been of round cross-section and has been blended with cotton. Recently, however, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,591,523 (DP-6255) and 5,626,961 (DP-6365-A) and application No. 08/662,804 (DP-6400) filed Jun. 12, 1996, and now allowed, corresponding respectively to WO 97/02372, WO 97/02373 and WO 97/02374, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, have disclosed inventions relating to polyester tows that are suitable for conversion to slivers on a worsted or woollen system and downstream processing on such systems, eventually into fabrics and garments. The present invention has been made in the course of that work, so is described with particular reference to its value in drawing polyester filaments in tows for further processing in such systems, but is not confined to drawing such tows and is believed to have potential for use more broadly when drawing other bundles of polyester filaments.
As, for example, has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,523 (DP-6255), filaments of different denier per filament (dpf) have sometimes been desired, so surprise was expressed in Example 1 of that patent that it was possible to spin undrawn polyester filaments that had been spun of significantly different denier on the same spinning machine without adjusting the natural draw ratio and then subsequently to draw an intimate mixture of these spun filaments simultaneously in the same tow at the same draw ratio to provide filaments with excellent properties that were different because of their differing dpfs (col 6, lines 15-29). The present invention expands on this surprising finding and extends it to the drawing simultaneously of other mixed filament bundles beyond the mixed filament tows specified in that patent.


A non-acidic, aqueous fertilizer suspension having a pH equal to or greater than 7 includes at least one water-insoluble calcium salt and at least one water-soluble calcium salt. The water-insoluble salt may be calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate tribasic, and calcium phosphate dibasic while the water soluble salt may be calcium acetate, calcium citrate, calcium chloride, calcium gluconate, calcium hydroxide, calcium lactate, calcium lignosulfate, and calcium iodate. The fertilizer suspension may include a multifunctional surfactant/dispersing agent/thickener, a multifunctional chelator/dispersant/stabilizer, a biocide and at least one plant nutrient selected from the group consisting of boron, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, and zinc. In the fertilizer compositions, the total calcium salts comprise about 2% to about 70% by weight of the composition and the water-insoluble calcium salt comprises at least about 50% by weight of the total of the water-insoluble and water-soluble calcium salts.

Calcium is an essential macro nutrient for plant growth. Calcium is needed by plants for cell growth and division, for the growth of root tips and shoot tips, the retention of leaves and as an integral part or the cellular structural integrity. Efforts to supply calcium in a fertilizer have been complicated by the poor alkaline solubility of calcium salts. This poor solubility leads to problems in storage due to product instability and in application where calcium precipitates can clog irrigation drip feed lines. Prior attempts to solve these problems have produced solid formulations, which require the inconvenience and time to solubilize these solid formulations on site. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,171,349, 5,395,418 and 6,312,493.
Attempts to provide aqueous, calcium-based fertilizers have relied on soluble calcium salts that result in an acidic formulation. As an example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,602 which describes various aqueous fertilizer suspensions that have a pH in the range of 0.5 to 2. These formulations also use soluble calcium salts which can readily and rapidly leach from the soil. Another disadvantage is that these low acid formulations may exacerbate acid soil conditions and the effects of the ever-more-common acid precipitation. Yet another disadvantage of these types of aqueous calcium fertilizers is the relatively low concentrations of calcium that can be achieved with the use of soluble salts.
An attempt to prepare a stable aqueous fertilizer suspension that provides sufficient nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (referred to as "NPK" materials) in addition to other plant micronutrients such as calcium and magnesium is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,260. This patent teaches fertilizer suspensions that have a pH in the range of 2 to less than 7 and that have a particle size of less than 50 microns and more preferably 0.2-20 microns. This approach requires extensive and costly processing that includes at least two millings to produce very small suspendable particles. This approach also has the disadvantages of requiring significant manufacturing effort and of producing a surface crusting and slight precipitation of the ingredients.
As such, it would be desirable to provide an aqueous, non-acidic calcium-based fertilizer that will not leach from the soil and provide neutralization of the acidity in the soil and precipitation. As used herein, "non-acidic" refers to any neutral or alkaline composition having a pH in the range of 7.0 to 14.

Non-acidic, high calcium load aqueous fertilizer


The present invention relates to an eye-drop composition comprising 2-amino-9-[[(1S,2R)-1,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)cyclopropyl]methyl]-1,9-dihydro-6H-Purin-6-one, and the use thereof for the diagnosis and treatment of herpetic eye infections in companion animals.

The diagnosis of ocular infections in animals can be problematic. For example, the diagnosis of feline herpes virus 1 (FHV-1) is typically based on clinical signs and PCR-confirmed presence of viral DNA. However, diagnosis is complicated by the occurrence of false negative PCR results and the fact that a positive PCR result may also reflect low level viral shedding or even latent infection. Therefore, it is often impossible to prove that the observed clinical signs are indeed linked to the presence of FHV-1 DNA. An accurate and quick diagnosis is key to ensure an efficient treatment and to avoid over-medication.
Different antiviral compounds are known for the treatment of herpes virus infections. The compound 2-amino-9-[[(1S,2R)-1,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)cyclopropyl]methyl]-1,9-dihydro-6H-Purin-6-one (also known as "A-5021") is a potent inhibitor of herpes virus replication (Neyts et al., Antiviral Research 2001, 49, 115-120; Iwayama et al., Antimicr. Agents Chemother. 1998, 42, 1666-1670). For example, A-5021 has been reported to be a potent and selective antiviral agent against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and varicella-zoster (VZV) in vivo. However, the medical and veterinary use of A-5021 is hampered by its poor solubility. Solubilization of A-5021 to pharmacologically active concentrations is heavily pH dependent, and obtaining a stable solution comprising more than 1 mg/mL of A-5021 (or 0.1% w/v A-5021 solutions) typically requires pH values of either below 4 or above 10. Eye drop compositions having a pH value of about 7 and comprising more than 1 mg/mL A-5021 have been reported by Itahashi et al. (Cornea 2008, 27, 334-338), but these compositions have a poor stability and thus can not be used in practice. Therefore the preparation of stable pharmaceutical formulations of solubilized A-5021 is not straightforward.
There is a need for improved methods of diagnosing viral infections and for compositions which effectively treat (ocular) herpetic infections, which mitigate at least one of the problems stated above.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A multimedia decoder unit having error concealment and fast muting capabilities. The audio decoder provides error concealment using a dynamic recovery delay that is based on the error rate of an input digital bitstream and also uses frame repeating. The decoder allows fast audio muting whereby audio can be muted within two audio frames of a mute signal that immediately freezes the video frame, e.g., a channel change. With respect to the dynamic recovery delay, a template of fixed length is used to inspect the last frames within the template. If error is found, then the error sum is used as an index into a table length which provides a dynamic template length. Error within the dynamic template length is computed and if larger than a tolerance, the current frame is muted. This allows the recovery delay to be adaptive and based on the error rate while still allowing mute merging. Muting the current frame can be achieved by repeating the previous frame but the delay data of the last block of the previous audio frame is added to the first block of the repeated audio frame to provide a smooth frame interface. In response to a mute command, the decoder zeros the audio output bitstream stream to provide zero frames at the audio output buffer (AOB). In addition, the decoder also directly zeros audio frames in the AOB that lie between its the read and write pointers to guarantee that only two frames of audio be played after the mute signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of multimedia electronic systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an audio decoder unit for decoding digital multimedia bitstreams representing audio information.
2. Related Art
Audio/visual (AV) material is increasingly stored, transmitted and rendered using digital data. Digital video representation of AV material facilitates its usage with computer controlled electronics and also facilitates high quality image and sound reproduction. Digital AV material is typically compressed ("encoded") in order to reduce the computer resources required to store and transmit the digital data. The systems that transmit multimedia content encode and/or compress the content to use their transmission channel efficiently because the size of the multimedia content, especially video, is very large. For instance, in order to more efficiently broadcast or record audio signals, the amount of information required to represent the audio signals can be reduced. In the case of digital audio signals, the amount of digital information needed to accurately reproduce the original pulse code modulation (PCM) samples can be reduced by applying a digital compression process, such as AC3, for instance, resulting in a digitally compressed representation of the original sample.
Digital AV material can be encoded using a number of well known standards including, for example, the AC3 audio standard, the DV (Digital Video) standard, the MPEG (Motion Picture Expert Group) standard, the JPEG standard, the H.261 standard, the H.263 standard and the Motion JPEG standard to name a few. The encoding standards also specify the associated decoding processes as well. The multimedia contents are typically stored on the storage media and are transmitted as bitstreams which represent audio for video frames. In particular, the ATSC digital terrestrial transmission standard adopts the AC3 format for audio encoding and the MPEG2 format for video encoding.
MPEG is the compression standard for audio, video and graphics information and includes, for example, MPEG1, 2, 4 and 7. It is standardized in the ISO-IEC/JTC1/SC29/WG11 documents. MPEG1 is the standard for encoding audio and video data for storage on CD-ROM devices (compact disc read only memory). The MPEG1 specification is described in the IS-11393 standard. MPEG2 is the standard (adopted for ATSC) for encoding, decoding and transmitting video data for storage media, e.g., DVD (digital video disc), etc., and also for digital broadcasts. MPEG2 supports interlaced video while MPEG1 does not. Therefore, MPEG2 is used for high quality video displaying on TV units. The MPEG2 specification is described in IS-13818. The MPEG4 standard is used for encoding, decoding and transmitting audio, video and computer graphics data. It supports content based bitstream manipulation and representation. The specification is described in IS14496. MPEG7 is the standard of the meta information of multimedia (MM) contents. The example of the meta data is data is describes or is related to the MM contents, such as, identification and/or other descriptions of the author, producer information, directors, actors, etc. The MPEG7 standard is currently under standardization, and is in draft form but available. The draft specifications are described in the ISO-IEC-JTC1/SC29/WG11 documents.
One problem with using encoded digital audio information is that errors can occur between the transmission and reception of the audio data. The decoder unit can detect when a particular frame of the audio data contains error by using well known CRC checking schemes. In the past, the frame having the error would be muted by filling in the frame with zeros. This is called a hard mute. However, the hard mute, when played back, causes a very audible "pop" sound which is not pleasing to the ear nor does it sound natural. Therefore, an attenuation function or "window" was applied to the error frame to soften the mute. However, even soft mutes can have a "pop" associated therewith depending on the window function applied. Also, hard and soft mutes still have a duration of silence associated therewith that can be distinguished by the ear. Therefore, when many error frames are detected in the same bitstream neighborhood, these intermittent durations of silence (mutes) followed by sound (unmute) and silence again (mute) can be very unappealing to the ear and annoying and can also damage speaker systems.
Another problem with using encoding digital audio information involves muting commands and audio signal synchronization. For instance, if a user watching a program on a digital TV changes the current channel, the currently played AV information should stop incident to the channel change, e.g., mute the audio and freeze the video, then the channel should change. However, in conventional systems, audio artifacts can result because the audio may not mute fast enough as a result of situations described below. The video signal is used as a master and the audio signal is the slave in many encoding schemes. Also, the amount of playback time in a video frame may not be exactly the same as in a video frame in many encoding standards. Therefore, the audio frames and video frames are not exactly synchronized in the decoding and playback processes. Secondly, the channel change operation takes some time to complete because the AV system needs to parse the bitstream from the new channel and feed the data to corresponding audio and video decoders. This results in a situation where the audio and video are slightly delayed during decoding and playback. When the decoder receives a mute command, it is able to immediately freeze the video frame, because the video signal is the master. However, many decoded audio frames may be stored in the output buffer, resulting in some audio playback after the video freeze. This is very noticeable to the ear and confusing because the audio playback coincides with video frames that are not displayed simultaneously.

Digital audio decoder having error concealment using a dynamic recovery delay and frame repeating and also having fast audio muting capabilities


Technology for allocating network adapter resources such as air interface time and queue space amongst multiple virtual network stations or other virtual adapters is disclosed. As one example, the resource allocation may be based on analysis of the relative latency, jitter, or bandwidth considerations for applications communicating via each of the multiple virtual adapters. The resource allocation may also be based on how efficiently each of the virtual adapters utilized previously allocated resources.

Virtualization technology enables physical resources to be shared by multiple virtual devices. As one example of such technology, multiple virtual stations or other virtual adapters may be associated with an underlying network adapter (i.e., a network interface card or a network controller). These multiple virtual adapters may provide network connectivity or access to a communications medium via the underlying network adapter's physical resources such as buffers, wireless radio(s), other kind of transceiver(s), and/or antenna(s). For example, virtual adapters may provide this connectivity or access to applications such as user-mode programs, kernel-mode processes, virtual machines, or the like.
In these and other scenarios, multiple applications or multiple virtual adapters may contend for the same resources (e.g., the resources associated with the underlying network adapter). Such contention may result in connectivity problems (e.g., slow data rates, dropped connections, difficulty in establishing connections, etc.). In addition, such contention may lead to inefficient usage of the resources associated with the underlying network adapter.

Allocation of shared resources for virtualized networking


An ink set containing at least a yellow ink composition, a magenta ink composition, and a cyan ink composition:                said magenta ink composition containing as a colorant at least one type of compound expressed by the formula M-1 in claim 1, and at least one type of compound expressed by the following formula M-2 in claim 1,         the yellow ink composition containing as a colorant at least one type of compound expressed by the formula Y-1 in claim 1; and        the cyan ink composition containing as a colorant at least one type of compound selected from the group consisting of compounds or salts thereof expressed by the Formula C-1 in claim 1.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ink set, particularly to an ink set that can form an image with excellent ozonefastness, lightfastness and moisturefastness, as well as to an ink cartridge, inkjet recording method, and recorded matter that use this ink set.
2. Related Art
In recent years attention has focused on the inkjet recording method. The inkjet recording method is a printing method where printing is performed by spraying an ink composition as small droplets, and these small droplets adhere to a recording medium such as paper or the like. This method has the characteristics of enabling high-speed printing of a high-resolution high quality image using a relatively inexpensive device. Furthermore, inkjet recording devices that use this method have wide acceptance in the market because of the excellent printing quality, low cost, relatively quiet operation, and excellent graphics capability. Of these devices, thermal (bubblejet (registered trademark)) and piezoelectric drop on demand printers have been especially commercially successful, and are widely used as printers for personal computers at the office and home.
Furthermore, in recent years, printed matter has been obtained by forming a color image using an inkjet recording method that uses a plurality of color ink compositions. Generally, formation of a color image is performed using three colors, namely a yellow ink composition, a magenta ink composition, and a cyan ink composition, or if desired, using four colors by adding a black ink composition. Furthermore, color images are also formed using six colors with the addition of a light cyan ink composition and a light magenta ink composition to the aforementioned four colors, or using seven colors by also adding a dark yellow ink composition. Combinations of two or more of these ink compositions are referred to as an ink set.
The ink compositions which are used in forming the aforementioned color image are required to have good coloring properties for the individual color of each ink composition, as well as the capability to create favorable intermediate colors when a plurality of ink compositions are combined, and the recorded matter obtained thereby must not discolor when stored.
Furthermore, in recent years continuous improvements have been made in the head, in the composition, recording method, and media in order to achieve "picture quality" printing using a color inkjet printer, and the image quality obtained is similar to a photograph and at a level indistinguishable from a "silver chloride photograph". On the other hand, efforts are underway to improve the storage properties of the images of recorded matter obtained using a color inkjet printer by improving the ink compositions and the media, and in particular the lightfastness of the image has been improved to a practical level (for example, refer to JP-A-2000-290559 and JP-A-2001-288392). However, degradation of the image occurs not only because of the effect of light, but also because of oxidation due to oxidative gases existing in the environment such as ozone, and water (humidity) in the environment, and therefore discoloration and fading of the image will proceed. Therefore, in order to further improve the storage properties of the image of the recorded matter, the ozonefastness and humidityfastness should also be improved along with improving the lightfastness of the image formed by the ink composition. Therefore, various investigations have been performed in order to improve the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of the inkjet recorded matter, but in particular, efforts to date have been made to improve the ozonefastness of the colorants used in the ink composition (refer to International Patent WO02/060994 and JP-A-2002-371214).
Furthermore, in an ink set, if the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of a specific ink composition are noticeably inferior to the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of the other ink compositions, the color formed by that specific ink composition will fade and discolor faster than the other colors, so the color balance of the entire image will be poor, and an observer will be aware of the degradation in the picture quality of the image in a shorter period of time than they could be aware of fading of an image formed by only one ink composition. Therefore, with an ink set, in addition to improving the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of each of the ink compositions which form the ink set, preferably the level of the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of each of the ink compositions, or in other words the degradation speeds and the fading speeds of an image formed by each of the ink compositions due to light, ozone, and water will preferably be as similar as possible. In other words, the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of each of the ink compositions that make up the ink set should be excellent, and preferably the difference in the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of each ink composition will be small.
Furthermore, images with varying color intensities can be formed and an image without a grainy feel can be obtained by using an inkjet that includes two different tints of ink compositions with different color concentrations in the same color system. An ink set that includes two types of ink compositions with different color concentrations in this manner is used primarily for printing photograph images, but when forming the photographic image, generally an ink composition with a low color concentration is usually used in order to relieve or eliminate the graininess of the image. Furthermore, when evaluating the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness, a pattern with an optical concentration near 1.0 is formed as an evaluation sample using ink compositions with low color concentration. Therefore, in order to improve the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of the overall ink set and the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of recorded matter with photographic images, improving the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of the ink compositions with low color concentration is critical. On the other hand, ink compositions with rich color concentrations are used for printing extremely vivid images and graphic art patterns, so improving the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of these ink compositions is also important.
Furthermore, a black ink composition plays an important role from the viewpoint of achieving image contrast in the image, and therefore black ink compositions are commonly included in an ink set. Therefore, when a black ink composition is included in the ink set, the black ink composition must have excellent lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness, while at the same time the degradation speed of the black ink composition due to light, ozone, or water must not differ extremely from the degradation speed of the other ink compositions which make up the ink set.
As described above, in an ink set, each of the individual ink compositions that make up the ink set must have good lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness, while at the same time the balance between the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of the different ink compositions must be good, and when exposed to light, ozone, and water, a specific color must not fade and/or discolor faster than the other colors. Furthermore, a bronzing phenomenon may occur when attempting to improve the lightfastness, ozonefastness, and humidityfastness of each of the ink compositions which make up an ink set, and this bronzing phenomenon must also be reduced. Bronzing phenomenon refers to the phenomenon of floating red visible ink printed regions when printing is performed at high duty, and is thought to have a tendency to easily occur particularly when fill printing (printing to fill in an area at 100% duty) using an ink composition that uses a metal phthalocyanine based dye as the colorant. The bronzing phenomenon affects the color balance of the entire image, and can lead to poor image quality.
Furthermore, any ink set that improves the degradation of image quality or the like and that is capable of recording and image with good ozonefastness on a recording medium, as well as an ink cartridge that stores this ink set, a recording method that uses this ink set, and recorded matter that is recorded using this ink set has previously been proposed (for example, refer to JP-A-2005-105135).
While these ink sets or the like provide a practical level of lightfastness and ozonefastness for consumer applications, but there is demand for further improvement of lightfastness and ozonefastness for diversified applications and for versatility at the edge of inkjet technology. Furthermore, ensuring humidityfastness is an important characteristic for accommodating diversity of applications.

Ink set, ink cartridge, inkjet recording method, and recorded matter


A sheet break detector apparatus is disclosed for detecting a break in a sheet disposed contiguously between an upstream and a downstream felt of a paper machine dryer section. The detector apparatus includes an infrared light emitter disposed adjacent to the sheet disposed between the felts for emitting a beam of infrared light towards the sheet moving contiguously between the felts. An infrared light receiver is disposed on an opposite side of the felts relative to the emitter for receiving the beam in the absence of the sheet, the beam being blocked by the presence of the sheet while the felts permit the passage therethrough of the beam. A transmitter is connected to the receiver for transmitting a signal from the receiver in the absence of the sheet. An alarm is connected to the transmitter such that in the event of sheet break, the beam of light is received by the receiver and the signal is transmitted to the alarm so that an alarm signal is generated, indicating that a sheet break has occurred.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet break detector apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a sheet break detector apparatus for detecting a sheet break in a transfer of a paper machine dryer section.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
In the operation of a typical papermaking machine dryer section, the web or sheet of paper extending therethrough may break eight or more times a day.
When a web breaks, it is essential that such breakage be detected as soon as possible so that the web can be rethreaded.
Typically, when a break occurs in a dryer section, the loss of production amounts to around $40,000 per hour.
Furthermore, if a web breakage is not readily detected, there exists the problem of two dryer felts rubbing against each other, particularly in the case of a web transfer section in a Bel-Champ.TM. dryer section in which the web may be transferred without open draw between respective dryer sections. A Bel-Champ.TM. dryer section is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,067 assigned to Beloit Corporation.
Such scuffing between adjacent felts may result in burning one or the other of the felts.
Felts typically cost in the region of $40,000 each, and the downtime required to replace a felt may be several hours.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a simple means for quickly detecting a web breakage.
In the prior art, optical detecting systems have been employed, which include a photoelectric sensor. However, such photoelectric sensors require the provision of a felt having a color difference relative to the sheet or web in order for such photoelectric sensors to work efficiently.
Also, sensors have been provided which sense the vacuum level existing within a vacuum roll disposed upstream or downstream relative to the double felted web transfer section.
Such vacuum sensors do not work effectively if only a low vacuum exists within the vacuum transfer roll.
Also, such vacuum sensors would not operate if a grooved roll was substituted for the typical vacuum transfer roll.
Applicant has discovered that a beam of infrared light will freely pass through at least two dryer felts, but that such infrared beam will be blocked when a sheet or web of paper is interposed between the respective dryer felts.
Therefore, the present invention provides a sheet break detector apparatus which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art arrangements and provides a detector apparatus which makes a considerable contribution to the art of drying a web in a paper machine dryer section.
A primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a sheet break detector apparatus which works efficiently regardless of the color of the dryer felt.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a sheet break detector apparatus which operates independently of the existence of a vacuum applied to a vacuum transfer roll.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description contained hereinafter, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings.


Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for summarizing, displaying, and navigating content. In one embodiment, text content is parsed to generate representative terms that are linked to portions of the text content to which they correspond. The representative terms can be provided to a user alongside the text content to provide an up-to-date navigable overview of the text content for the user.

The present invention relates generally to the field of data processing, and more particularly to generating navigable overviews of text content.
Presently, large amounts of content are constantly being generated and consumed by computer users. Navigating and reviewing such content to find content of interest can require considerable time and resources. Automated summarization technologies may be used to analyze content and generate summaries of content for the benefit of users. In addition, certain visualization technologies, such as word clouds, can be used to assist a user in visualizing content in terms of relative importance.

International Business Machines Corporation