A thrust bearing is interposed between a carrier plate and a sun gear. Grooves are formed on a surface of a thrust race of the thrust bearing the surface of the thrust race opposes the carrier plate, so that the grooves connect a space at inner peripheral side of the thrust bearing with a space at outer peripheral side of the thrust bearing. A pinion shaft is formed with a longitudinal hole that opens at an axial end face of the pinion shaft, and with two radial holes that open at an outer peripheral surface of the pinion shaft. These radial holes communicate with the longitudinal hole to constitute the lubricating oil paths. An oil catcher is fixed to the axial end face of the pinion shaft to form a guide oil path, which extends from the vicinity of an outer peripheral surface of the thrust bearing to an aperture portion of the longitudinal hole along an outer surface of the carrier plate and the axial end face of the pinion shaft. The inner-most peripheral portion of the oil catcher is bent toward the sun gear to enlarge an opening portion of the guide oil path. A lubricating oil discharge opening is formed in an input shaft shaft, which opening opens near a space located at an inner peripheral side of the thrust bearing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lubricating structure of a planetary gear, and in particular, to a lubricating structure where the supply of lubricating oil to a gap between an inner peripheral surface of a pinion and an outer peripheral surface of a pinion shaft constituting the planetary gear is made efficient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional technique of this type is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 61-48643. That is, the conventional technique disclosed in this Publication relates to a forced lubricating mechanism of a planetary gear of an automatic transmission for vehicles. In this lubricating mechanism, an oil reservoir is fixed to a side surface of a planet carrier to supply lubricating oil to an aperture in a pinion shaft end face. An oil path is formed in the inside of the pinion shaft. A bearing having a thrust race is disposed between the planet carrier and a ring gear supporting member adjacent thereto so that the thrust race of the bearing is made to abut against the ring gear supporting member. An outer peripheral portion of the thrust race is bent toward the planet carrier side to overlap with the aperture portion of the oil reservior, and furthermore, the planet carrier and the ring gear supporting member are made to receive a force at opposing sides thereof to each other. In this respect, as a concrete structure for making the the planet carrier and the ring gear supporting member to receive the force at opposing sides thereof to each other, in the case where a sun gear, a pinion, or a ring gear is transmitted with power in a direction of forward rotation while the vehicle is travelling, each gear is formed with a helical gear so that the sun gear and the ring gear supporting member receive a force at opposing sides thereof.
In such a structure, the lubricating oil flows outwardly in a radial direction between the planet carrier and the ring gear supporting member further, the lubricating oil flows through the bearing outwardly in the radial direction, and is supplied to the oil reservior so that the lubricating oil is supplied from the oil reservior to a bearing interposed between the outer peripheral surface of the pinion shaft and the inner peripheral surface of the pinion through the oil path in the inside of the pinion shaft, and to a thrust washer interposed between the planet carrier and the pinion end face. However, since the mutually opposing sides of the planet carrier and the ring gear supporting member receive the force, the thrust race of the bearing is pressed against the ring gear supporting member, and the formation of a gap between the thrust race and the ring gear supporting member is prevented. Thus, a large part of the lubricating oil flowing between the planet carrier and the ring gear supporting member is moved along the planet carrier so that a relatively large quantity of the lubricating oil can be supplied to the oil reservior reliably.
However, in the conventional technique disclosed in the publication, it is structured so that the planet carrier and the ring gear supporting member receive the force at mutually opposing sides thereof thereby to achieve advantageous effect as mentioned above. However, in order to realize this, it is necessary to form each gear with a helical gear twisted in a predetermined twisting direction, and depending on the twisting direction of the helical gear, it is impossible to divert a helical broach, which is used to manufacture other helical gears to manufacture the helical gear twisted in the predetermined twisting direction. A new helical broach, which meets the predetermined twisting direction, will be required resulting in the increase of manufacturing cost.
Furthermore, it is only during forward rotation that the thrust race is pressed against the ring gear supporting member. During reverse rotation, a gap is formed between the thrust race and the ring gear supporting member. The lubricating oil flows out through the gap. This creates a problem in that the amount of lubricating oil that can be supplied to the oil reservoir is decreased.
In this respect, in order to solve such a problem, it will be considered, for example, to provide a spring between the thrust race and the ring gear supporting member to press the thrust race against the ring gear supporting member. However, there is a drawback in that such a measure increases the number of parts, the man-hours, and the cost so that it is not an effective resolution.


Highly polymerizable diamine compounds having a phosphorylcholine group are disclosed. High-molecular weight polymers are obtained from the highly polymerizable diamine compound having a phosphorylcholine group as a monomer, and the polymers have improved mechanical strength, water resistance and heat resistance while maintaining excellent biocompatibility and processability of MPC polymers. Processes for producing the polymers are disclosed. The diamine compounds having a phosphorylcholine group are represented by Formula (I). The polymers contain at least 1 mol % of a specific structural unit with a phosphorylcholine group represented by Formula (II) and have a number average molecular weight of not less than 5,000. In the processes, the diamine compound is used as a monomer.

It is known that living organisms react defensively against implanted artificial organs or medical devices to show prominent rejections such as blood coagulation, inflammation and encapsulation. This is a result of a series of bioactivation reactions that start from adsorption of proteins on materials constituting the artificial organs and medical devices. Accordingly, treatments with artificial organs or medical devices entail simultaneous use of drugs, for example anticoagulants such as heparin and immunosuppressants.
However, side effects of these drugs are more serious when the treatment extends over a long period of time or as patients advance in age.
To solve these problems, a series of medical materials known as biocompatible materials have been developed. Of such biocompatible materials, polymers having phosphorylcholine groups that are phospholipid polar groups have been developed focusing on the structure of biomembrane surfaces. In detail, polymers that have structural units from 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) (hereinafter "MPC polymers") show particularly high biocompatibility (Non-Patent Document 1).
MPC is a methacrylate and homopolymers thereof are water soluble, whilst copolymers thereof with vinyl monomers are water-insoluble MPC polymers having a structure suitable for covering the surface of medical devices. By coating the device surface with the water-insoluble MPC polymers, blood coagulation can be prevented without anticoagulants, and subcutaneous implantation tests have proven very high biocompatibility (Non-Patent Document 2). The water-insoluble MPC polymers have been used as surface-coating materials for medical devices that are clinically applied in the United States and Europe. An increasing number of such coated devices have been approved also in Japan. The polymers are thus expected to dramatically improve the effectiveness of medical devices and to improve patient's quality of life.
However, mechanical strength, water resistance and autoclave sterilization heat resistance are still insufficient because of the MPC's inherent hydrophilicity and the flexible main chain structures of the MPC/vinyl copolymers. There is therefore a need for materials that exhibit improved mechanical strength, water resistance and heat resistance while maintaining the superior biocompatibility and processability of the MPC polymers.
The present inventors have reported specific diamine compounds having a phosphorylcholine group, and polymers from the compound as a monomer that have excellent water resistance, heat resistance and biocompatibility (Patent Document 1).
Non-Patent Document 1: Ishihara et al., Polymer Journal, Vol. 22, p. 355, 1990
Non-Patent Document 2: Ishihara et al., Geka (Surgery), Vol. 61, p. 132, 1999
Patent Document 1: WO 2004/074298
The diamine compounds, however, show relatively low reactivity in polymerization. Accordingly, there should be developed novel diamine compounds with a phosphorylcholine group that have higher polymerization reactivity (hereinafter, the highly polymerizable phosphorylcholine group-containing diamine compounds). With such highly polymerizable phosphorylcholine group-containing diamine compounds, it is expected that high-molecular weight polymers may be easily obtained and mechanical strength, water resistance, heat resistance and biocompatibility of the polymers may be improved, thereby increasing utility as materials.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide highly polymerizable phosphorylcholine group-containing diamine compounds, high-molecular weight polymers from the highly polymerizable phosphorylcholine group-containing diamine compound as a monomer that achieve improved mechanical strength, water resistance and heat resistance while maintaining the excellent biocompatibility and processability of the MPC polymers, and processes for producing the polymers.
The present inventors diligently studied to achieve the above object in view of the aforesaid circumstances. They have then found that diamine compounds having a specific structure can give polymers capable of improved mechanical strength, water resistance, heat resistance and biocompatibility. The present invention has been completed based on the finding.

Diamine compound having phosphorylcholine group, polymer thereof, and process for producing the polymer


An apparatus (10) and method are provided for directly viewing, through a viewport assembly (26), the process for forming a layer of mercury cadmium telluride of a predetermined composition on a surface of a wafer (not shown). According to the invention, a molten melt (20) comprising mercury, cadmium and tellurium is provided in a vertically oriented crystal growth chamber (14), which, in turn, is housed in a reactor tube (12). A wafer (not shown) is contacted with the crystal growth melt while cooling the melt below its liquidus temperature at a predetermined rate sufficient to cause a crystal growth layer of mercury cadmium telluride to form on the wafer (not shown). Viewports (26, 48) located approximately radially adjacent to the melt (22) provide direct see through capability to visually monitor the crystal growth process. The present invention is advantageous because the apparatus and method disclosed provide for ease of the growth set-up and operation, yielding mercury cadmium telluride layers of uniform composition and of high purity.

A technique used in semiconductor materials manufacturing is thin film growth in a liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) reactor with a mercury-rich melt. By a process well known in the art, a cadmium zinc telluride substrate is exposed to a solution comprising tellurium, mercury and cadmium. This process requires a system capable of withstanding the high mercury vapor pressures that occur at growth temperatures in the approximate range of 500.degree. C., which are required to maintain the crystal growth solution in a molten form. To contain these pressures, the growth chamber of a conventional reactor is normally built from stainless steel, instead of the quartz growth chambers that can be used for low pressure reactors. These steel designs of conventional reactors provide little or no visibility of the film growth process.
Because it would be desirable to view and monitor the film growth in process, the steel chambers currently available may offer ports to view the film growth operations from the top of the chamber or from a side port using a mirror located at the top of a chamber. However, these techniques do not offer optimal visibility in that the distance from the melt to the viewing device is relatively large and the vertical vapor activity from the melt makes it difficult to see the melt across the vertical distance without interference. A quartz washer may be suspended above the melt to reduce the vertical vapor activity; but the presence of the washer may distort the viewing. Additionally, using a mirror to view the melt is awkward and leads to difficulty and complexity in the design and operation of a high pressure reactor. Finally, little external lighting is provided in current reactors, thereby making viewing of the film growth process difficult.
It has therefore become desirable to devise a reactor to allow for direct observation of film growth operations in a high pressure liquid phase epitaxy reactor. A technique for directly viewing growth operations from the side of the reactor chamber, previously not possible, will be discussed in this disclosure.

High pressure liquid phase epitaxy reactor chamber and method with direct see through capability


A positioning mechanism for positioning in a direction of movement. The positioning mechanism comprises a first member and a second member movably mounted relative to one another, and additionally comprises an elongate bending element disposed between the first member and the second member, perpendicular to the direction of movement. The elongate bending element includes two end portions attached to the second member. A portion of the elongate bending element other than the end portions is coupled to the first member. The elongate bending element bends lengthways in response to an applied driving signal to move the first member relative to the second member in the direction of movement.

The present invention concerns a compact, high-precision positioning mechanism, and, in particular, a compact, high-precision positioning mechanism that is suitable for positioning objects in scanning probe microscopes, moving-medium type memory devices, micro-manipulators and the like.
A scanning probe microscope determines the surface topology of a sample by measuring a physical parameter that exists between a probe tip and the surface of the sample. The parameter may be, for example, the capacitance or contact voltage between the probe tip and the surface, or the magnitude of a tunnelling current that flows between the probe tip and the surface. Such a scanning probe microscope is capable of measuring the physical parameter peculiar to an extremely small region of the surface of the sample. This region may have dimensions of the order of a few tens of nanometers. A moving medium-type memory device based on a scanning probe microscope can record a single bit in a region having a diameter of approximately 30 nm. A micro-manipulator based on a scanning probe microscope can work on a scale of several tens of nanometers.
In the type of scanning probe microscope in which the object whose surface topology is to be measured is caused to move relative to the probe tip, the object is typically mounted on a stage and the stage is moved. Moving the stage moves the object the same distance. Scanning probe microscopes require that the position of the object whose surface topology is to be measured, or the position of the stage, deviate from its target position by a distance that is smaller than the working scale of the microscope. A moving medium-type memory device requires that the position of the stage on which the memory medium is mounted deviate from its target position by a distance that is substantially smaller than the linear dimensions of the region of the memory medium in which one bit is recorded. Conventional positioning devices that perform this type of positioning may use piezoelectric elements as actuators. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,132 of Tagawa et al.
Conventional positioning devices that perform the type of positioning just described, such as the positioning device disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,132, may use piezoelectric elements as actuators. FIG. 1 shows a conventional positioning mechanism that uses stack-type piezoelectric elements as its actuators. The positioning mechanism shown in FIG. 1 is composed of the square stage 1, the inner frame 3 surrounding the stage 1, and the outer frame 5 surrounding the inner frame 3. The x-direction stack-type piezoelectric elements 7 and 9 are interposed between the stage and the inner frame, and the y-direction stack-type piezoelectric elements 11 and 13 are interposed between the inner frame and the outer frame. The inner suspension springs 15 disposed between the stage and the inner frame support the stage in the inner frame, The outer suspension springs 19 disposed between the inner frame and the outer frame support the inner frame in the outer frame. The x-direction piezoelectric elements 7 and 9 are located at the centers of two sides of the inner frame that are opposite one another in the x-direction. The y-direction piezoelectric elements 11 and 13 are located at the centers of two sides of the inner frame that are opposite one another in the y-direction. The sides of the inner frame on which the y-direction piezoelectric elements are located are orthogonal to the sides of the inner frame on which the x-direction piezoelectric elements are located.
The inner suspension springs 15 disposed between the stage 1 and the inner frame 3 are located on different opposed sides from those on which the x-direction piezoelectric elements 7 and 9 located. Two suspension springs are located on each of the opposed sides. The outer suspension springs 19 disposed between the inner frame and the outer frame 5 are located on different opposed sides from the opposed sides on which the y-direction stack-type piezoelectric elements 11 and 13 are located. Again, two suspension springs are located on each of the opposed sides.
The x-direction piezoelectric elements 7 and 9 cause the stage 1 to move in the x-direction shown in FIG. 1, and the y-direction piezoelectric elements 11 and 13 cause the stage and the inner frame 3 to move together in the y-direction shown in the same figure. Generally, stack-type piezoelectric elements require pre-loading to enable them to operate with adequate precision. Such pre-loading can be applied using springs (not shown), for example, located so that they resist the expansion and contraction forces generated by the piezoelectric elements. In the example shown in FIG. 1, pre-loading is generated simultaneously with the movement of the stage 1 or the inner frame 3 by pressing the x-direction stack-type piezoelectric elements 7 and 9 towards the stage 1 with a constant pressure, or by pressing the y-direction stack-type piezoelectric elements 11 and 13 towards the inner frame 3 with a constant pressure. When the x-direction stack-type piezoelectric elements 7 and 9 cause the stage 1 to move in the +x-direction, the piezoelectric element 7 is driven to cause it to expand, and the piezoelectric element 9 is driven to cause it to contract.
Movement of the stage 1 to any desired position in the XY plane in the conventional positioning mechanism described above requires that two stack-type piezoelectric elements be provided for each dimension of movement. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the stage is moved in two dimensions, so requires a total of four stack-type piezoelectric elements 7 through 13. A stack-type piezoelectric element can typically provide a maximum expansion or contraction of approximately 0.1% of the overall length of the element in the direction of movement. For example, a piezoelectric element with an overall length of 10 mm will provide a maximum expansion or contraction of approximately 10 xcexcm. Accordingly, to move the stage 1 by approximately xc2x150 xcexcm requires a stack-type piezoelectric element with a length of approximately 50 mm. Moreover, the length of the stack-type piezoelectric elements is aligned parallel to the direction of movement, so that the lengths of the stack-type piezoelectric elements add to the dimensions of the stage and the inner frame. The result of this is that the overall dimensions of a conventional positioning mechanism using stack-type piezoelectric elements for actuators exceed 100 mm. Consequently, the conventional positioning device just described is unsuitable for use in moving medium-type memory devices, where small size is especially required.
The suspension springs 19 should have a high compliance in their directions of movement and their compliance in the z-direction should be sufficiently low to enable them to support the moving structure composed of the inner frame 3, the stage 1 and the two stack-type piezoelectric elements 7 and 9 with little deflection in the z-direction. This requires that the suspension springs have a large thickness in the z-direction, and a very small width in the direction of movement. Suspension springs with such large aspect ratio are very difficult to fabricate. Furthermore, the mass of a moving structure having such large dimensions reduces the self-resonance frequency of the positioning mechanism. This makes it impossible to change the position of the stage 1 rapidly.
The use of lever and hinge structures that magnify the displacement provided by stack-type piezoelectric elements has been proposed to increase the range of movement provided by such actuators. However, such structures are complex and have low rigidity so that positioning mechanisms that employ them have a low self-resonance frequency. Such positioning mechanisms are therefore unsuitable for high-speed operation. Moreover, the levers used in such mechanisms generate unnecessary angular moments in directions different from the direction of movement. This reduces the precision of the positioning that can be obtained.
What is needed is a positioning mechanism that provides a range of movement of at least several tens of microns for use in scanning probe microscopes, moving medium-type memory devices, micro-manipulators and the like. This range of movement should be provided without increasing the overall size of the positioning mechanism. Moreover, it should be possible to form the positioning mechanism, including the movable element as an integral unit in a single substrate to reduce the cost mass-production.
The invention provides a positioning mechanism for positioning in a direction of movement. The positioning mechanism comprises a first member and a second member movably mounted relative to one another, and additionally comprises an elongate bending element disposed between the first member and the second member, perpendicular to the direction of movement. The elongate bending element includes two end portions attached to the second member. A portion of the elongate bending element other than the end portions is coupled to the first member. The elongate bending element bends lengthways in response to an applied driving signal to move the first member relative to the second member in the direction of movement.
The invention provides a positioning mechanism that has a range of movement of several tens of microns. The positioning mechanism may be used in such applications as a scanning-probe microscope, a moving medium-type memory device and a micro-manipulator. This range of movement is obtained without increasing the overall size of the apparatus in which the positioning mechanism is used. The compact size and large range of movement of the positioning mechanism are the result of using elongate bending elements disposed perpendicular to the direction of movement as actuators. These advantages are particularly the result of using bimorph bending elements as actuators.
The moving member of the positioning member is preferably supported by suspension springs. Electrically-conductive tracks can be located on the surface of the suspension springs to enable signals originating in the movable member to be connected to a circuit located outside the movable member.
The positioning device can be mass produced at low cost by forming the frame(s), suspension springs and movable member as an integral unit in a single substrate. The preferred material of the substrate is single-crystal silicon or a similar material.
A moving medium-type memory device that has the positioning mechanism built into its memory substrate or its probe substrate can have a high bit density. The bit density can be high because the effects of thermal expansion on the bit positions in the memory medium can be minimized by making the probe substrate and the memory substrate from the same material, such as single-crystal silicon. Because of the small size and light weight of the moving parts of the positioning mechanism, and because the elongate bending elements used in the positioning mechanism generate negligible forces in directions perpendicular to the direction of movement, the gap between the probe substrate and the memory substrate can be reduced to less than about two microns. Such a small gap further reduces the effects of thermal expansion and enables the bit density to be further increased.
In a moving medium-type memory device that has a positioning mechanism built into one of its substrates, and in which the positioning mechanism includes one elongate bending element for each of two orthogonal directions of movement, the probe substrate can be offset relative to the elongate bending elements mounted in the stage substrate. This reduces the size of the memory device.

Positioning mechanism having elongate bending elements oriented perpendicular to the direction of movement


Methods and apparatus are provided for generating a database layout. A layout for a database is generated by receiving a user specification of a database vendor, purpose and environment for the database; receiving a user configuration of layout options for the database in a context of the given database vendor and purpose and for an indicated protection type; receiving a user selection of a storage profile for the database; and determining a correct size and product model for storing the database with the configured layout based on a quantitative profile factor assigned to the database vendor, purpose and environment and a quantitative layout factor assigned to the protection type. The quantitative profile factor can be based on a target layout complexity factor. The quantitative layout factor can be based on whether specified file types need to be stored on one or more tiers of a tiered storage system.

Database modeling and design is an important part of database management and performance. Nonetheless, there is currently no mechanism for implementing proven storage-optimized database layout methodology consistently in business data environments. Enterprises make substantial investments in databases and associated storage for critical enterprise data. The database layout, however, is typically designed with little, if any, consideration of how to make the best use of the storage when preparing the database layout. Each database is typically designed independently based on the subject matter knowledge, experience, and beliefs of any given database administrator, database architect and storage administrator.
The performance, throughput, and support challenges resulting from an initial misalignment between data layout and optimized storage are an accepted price of doing business in database technologies. Subsequent adjustments to data layout, however, can be costly, although there are tools available to assist with downstream storage/data layout alignment.
Given the significant investment of time and money attributed to storage infrastructure and databases in an enterprise setting, a need exists for improved methods and apparatus for generating a database layout that employs encapsulated approaches to data layout on storage.

Methods and apparatus for generating a database layout


The present invention discloses a method for providing adjusted content in a webpage in a website. The method comprising the steps of: tracking visitors that are visiting the monitored website to identify one or more parameters relating to visitor profile, navigation behavior and/or content usage, analyzing the parameters that were identified selecting at least one statistical algorithm, which is relevant for the type of knowledge that was identified, real time monitoring visitor behavior including: profile, navigation path and/or content usage of each visitor in the monitored website, real time analyzing the monitored behavior according to the relevant statistical algorithm and real time replacing or adding content in the webpage to be presented for a specified visitor according analysis results in a specified part of the webpage.

Current solutions for personalizing business websites content according to visitor profiles are implemented for business websites, which are targeted for consumers. However, the personalization of business websites content is enabled only for identified visitors that are adapting the shopping content and sale's promotion, according to known preferences and activity of the visitor.
Known in the art Real-time website personalization is using simple click stream data that exist on the browser level or e-commerce product catalog which is small scale data. In B2B the challenge is to be able to map relevant content to visitors based on business relevancy and stage in the sales cycle, the known solutions enable only "rule-based" personalization only for known visitors. It is the object of the present invention to detect anonymous visitors and engage content utilizing predictive analytics in real-time using big data processing.

Method for adjusting content of a webpage in real time based on users online behavior and profile


A method is provided in one example and includes receiving video data captured by a camera at a location; comparing a portion of the video data to security information characteristics stored in a policy; and identifying a violation of the policy when the portion of the video data does not match at least one of the security information characteristics stored in the policy. In more particular instances, the method can include triggering an alert when the violation of the policy is identified.

Security cameras are increasingly being used in areas such as banks, casinos, airports, military installations, museums, industrial plants, and other areas where monitoring is needed. A typical security camera monitors activity in an area and then transmits a video of the area through a video feed (e.g., for storage or for monitoring in a control room or some other centralized location). The video from the security camera is often watched by a security guard to ensure that the area being monitored remains secure. It is important that the integrity and the authenticity of video feed from the security camera is not compromised and, further, that the video being watched is an accurate representation of the area needing monitored. However, the ability to authenticate video from the security camera presents a significant challenge to personnel tasked with security responsibilities.

System and method for validating video security information


A route planning platform can identify a plurality of nodes interconnected by a plurality of paths in a road network, can divide the road network into a plurality of partitions, and can generate a respective contraction hierarchy for each partition of the plurality of partitions. The route planning platform can generate, based on the contraction hierarchies of the plurality of partitions, an overlay network and can generate a contraction hierarchy for the overlay network. The route planning platform can obtain information relating to an origination point and a destination point associated with the road network and can identify a first partition associated with the origination point and a second partition associated with the destination point. The route planning platform can determine a route from the origination point to the destination point based on the respective contraction hierarchies of the first partition, the second partition, and the overlay network.

A device can use a contraction hierarchy method to determine a shortest route between an origination point and a destination point in a road network. During a preprocessing stage, the device creates a contraction hierarchy of the road network. During a query stage, the device searches the contracted version of the road network to determine the shortest route.

Using partitioned contraction hierarchies to determine a route from an origination point to a destination point


The embodiments relate to a medical device and to a method for controlling a movement of the mobile medical device. The medical device includes a chassis and a control apparatus, wherein the medical device is embodied by the chassis to perform a movement in at least two spatial directions on a plane of motion and to execute a rotary movement about an axis of rotation standing perpendicularly on the plane of motion, and the control apparatus is embodied for controlling the chassis.

In the medical environment, mobile medical devices are also being deployed to an increasing extent in addition to stationary devices. The mobile medical devices may be embodied as movable and/or drivable. Such mobile medical devices may be deployed at different locations as and when needed or, when not being used, may be removed temporarily from their working environment and parked at a suitable location.
Mobile patient support apparatuses are used, for example, for moving and transferring patients in a hospital-like environment, possibly in order for the patients to undergo an examination by a medical imaging device. The patient couches of the medical imaging devices themselves may be embodied as mobile, as a result of which it is possible to simplify the workflow. Furthermore, medical imaging devices may be embodied as mobile, in which case in particular the gantry of the medical imaging device is embodied as mobile. Mobile X-ray systems, mobile diagnostic stations, mobile devices for intensive medicine, or mobile robot systems for medical applications are also known.

Mobile medical device and method for controlling a movement of the mobile medical device


The inventive compounds are small molecule therapeutics that are potent inhibitors of Arginase I and II activity. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions of the inventive compounds and methods for using the inventive compounds for treating or preventing a disease or a condition associated with arginase activity.

The present invention relates generally to inhibitors of arginase and their use for the treatment of pathological states. Two isoforms of arginase have been identified to date. arginase I (ARG I), that is expressed in the cytosole and arginase II (ARG II), that is expressed in mitochondria. The arginase enzymes together with the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzymes play an important role in regulating the levels of nitric oxide in cells and in the development of pathophysiological disease states.
The arginases are implicated in various pathological states. These include without limitation erectile dysfunction, pulmonary hypertension, hypertension, atherosclerosis, renal disease, asthma, T-cell dysfunction, ischemia reperfusion injury, neurodegenerative diseases, wound healing, and fibrotic diseases. Although the mechanism of action of arginase enzymes in these disease states is still a subject of ongoing research, several studies imply that the arginase enzymes are often upregulated during pathological disease states.
For example, it is postulated that upregulation of arginase activity results in reduced levels of arginine which in turn reduces the level of nitric oxide (NO) a physiologically important signaling molecule that is required for cell division, arterial vasodilation, regulation of blood flow and for controlling muscular and neurological signal transduction.
In addition to its role in regulating nitric oxide (NO) levels, arginase also affects production of critical polyamines such as putrescine, spermidine and spermine. As arginase catabolizes L-arginine it produces ornithine. Ornithine is subsequently converted to putrescine, spermidine and spermine via ornithine decarboxylase, spermidine synthase and spermine synthase respectively. Thus, the arginase enzymes control physiological signaling events by controlling the intracellular levels of polyamine signal transducers. See Wang, J-Y; and Casero, Jr., R. A., Ed; Humana Press, Totowa, N.J., 2006. Ornithine also provides an alternative biosynthetic pathway to proline and thereby supports collagen production (Smith, R. J.; Phang, J. M., The importance of ornithine as a precursor for proline in mammalian cells. J. Cell. Physiol. 1979, 98, 475-482. Albina, J. E.; Abate, J. A.; Mastrofrancesco, B. Role of ornithine as a proline precursor in healing wounds. J. Surg. Res. 1993, 55, 97-102.)
Given the role of arginase in various pathological states, the present invention provides boron-containing compounds as inhibitors of arginase activity, as well as methodologies for using the inventive compounds as therapeutics.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Inhibitors of arginase and their therapeutic applications


System and method for determining crackability of a password in real time. The system and method include and involve a server system that serves a software package, and a client system that is coupled to the server system. The client system is configured to receive the software package. The software package includes a password entry facility permitting a user to enter a password candidate string one character at a time, and a strength determination facility configured to communicate with the password entry facility and to determine the crackability of the password candidate in real time repeatedly as each character of the password candidate string is entered into the password entry facility.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods used to permit a user of a computing and data processing system to set a password that is used to limit access to the user's data stored within the computing and data processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
User identification codes and passwords are well known. Our society uses passwords such as alpha numeric strings of characters (e.g., "COAT," "9821," "WAYCOOL4," etc.) for many purposes such as to obtain cash from cash machines, to access computer and data processing system accounts (e.g., online accounts) where personal data is stored, and, generally, to provide a level of security to protect one's personal information from unwanted eyes.
Unfortunately, users of data processing and online systems often set passwords that are poor security guards. That is, users often pick passwords that are easy to "crack," or be determined by others. When a password is easy to crack, a data thief may obtain access to systems and personal information, which can be wrongfully used. For example, some Internet and World Wide Web sites now permit users to pre-configure their online profiles to include credit card numbers and the like. If a user of such an online system were to select a password that is easily cracked, the user's credit card number could be stolen and wrongfully charged. In such cases, consumers and product and service providers suffer losses.
To address the problems associated with setting passwords, providers such as online providers have proposed various solutions. For example, some providers (e.g., WWW site operators, etc.) have addressed such problems administratively by implementing password establishment rules such as those associated with minimum length strings, upper and lower case character requirements, etc. Such solutions still do not prevent users from selecting and setting passwords containing strings of characters (alpha numeric strings) that may be easily cracked (e.g., the password "Usgovernment"). As such, rules based solutions do not allow a user to make a decision as to the relative strength of particular password candidate; instead, such rules based solutions require users to engage in brute force selection of passwords until one is selected that meets the particular rules in effect.
Another solution that has been proposed is to run a password cracking program against a submitted password candidate for a relatively short period of time to determine if the password can be easily cracked. Unfortunately, such programs are often time consuming to run, are subject to limited algorithms for determining "crackability" (i.e., a password's susceptibility to being determined by unwanted eyes) and are not run in real time. As such, users often must wait for a determination to be made prior to accessing a system (e.g., an online system, etc.).
Thus, there exists a need to provide new and improved systems and methods to solve the aforementioned problems associated with selecting and setting passwords such as those that may be used with online systems and services (e.g., WWW services, etc.). To be viable, such systems and methods must permit a user to select a password in real time and learn of its relative strength (e.g., its crackability) prior to actually setting the password.

System and method for determining relative strength and crackability of a user's security password in real time


To provide a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device including a memory cell having a higher reliability.

The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, and in particular, relates to a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device which includes a memory cell having a plurality of gates.
There is considered, for example, a microcomputer as a semiconductor device including a flash memory and a CPU (Central Processing Unit). For example, it is preferable that the flash memory uses a nonvolatile memory which is an element in which recorded information remains when power is shut down. By mounting the nonvolatile memory and a logic semiconductor device over the same semiconductor substrate in a mixed state, it is possible to form a microcomputer having a high performance. The microcomputer in which mounts the nonvolatile memory and the logic semiconductor device are arranged is used widely for industrial machines, home appliances, car-mounted apparatuses, and the like.
Generally, the nonvolatile memory included in the microcomputer stores a program necessary for the microcomputer and is used for optional read-out of the program. Therefore, it is preferable to use the microcomputer which mounts the nonvolatile memory and the logic semiconductor device in a mixed state. An example for a memory cell structure of such a nonvolatile memory which is suitable for the mixed mounting with the logic semiconductor device includes a memory cell having a sprit gate structure in which a control MIS (Metal Insulator Semiconductor) transistor and a storage MIS transistor are formed in an integrated manner.
Among the memory cells having the split gate structures, a MONOS (Metal Oxide Nitride Oxide Silicon) type memory cell using MONOS for the storage MIS transistor is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-29631 (Patent Document 1).
Meanwhile, since realization of a thinner gate insulating film has been limited recently in the MIS transistor, a structure obtained by using a high dielectric constant insulating film (so-called, high-k film) for the gate insulating film and using a metal film as a gate electrode is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-49282 (Patent Document 2), for example.
Furthermore, for the MONOS-type memory cell, a structure in which the storage MIS transistor is formed in a side wall part of the control MIS transistor is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-282987 (Patent Document 3), for example.

Manufacturing method of semiconductor device

Abstract: First and second stacked structures in a memory cell formation region are formed so as to have a larger height than a third stacked structure in a transistor formation region, and then an interlayer insulating layer is formed so as to cover these stacked structures and then polished.


In one embodiment, a method for creating one or more infographics, comprising: receiving and storing data associated with an individual or an entity, in a format according to a schema that includes at least two properties associated with the individual or entity; reading at least a portion of the data; determining which of the at least two properties in the schema do not have corresponding read data associated with the individual or entity; based on that determination, selecting an infographic definition from among a plurality of infographic definitions defining the appearance of at least a portion of an infographic; generating one or more infographics based on (i) the at least a portion of the data and (ii) the selected infographic definition; and providing the one or more generated infographics to an output device.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates, generally, to the display of data, and more particularly, to the graphical presentation and arrangement of data for visual presentation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Infographics (or data visualizations) are graphical representations of information, data, or knowledge, which representations include one or more text elements and/or graphic elements. The use of infographics has increased in recent decades in both consumer and corporate domains. However, most professionals (including, e.g., individuals, organizations, professional practitioners, service providers, and small-business owners) do not employ infographics to present their professional résumé or profile, nor to convey information about their accomplishments, skills, capabilities, services, or effectiveness, for various reasons.
At the most fundamental level, many professionals lack the ability to produce attractive graphics on their own, let alone infographics designed to effectively convey particular personalized professional or service information. Accordingly, specialists such as design professionals and computer/web developers are typically hired to produce such graphics. Once an infographic has been designed, several rounds of manual rework with the specialist might be involved, such as to significantly change its design (e.g., converting a horizontal plot to a vertical plot) or to update the style of the graphic or its elements (e.g., its fonts, or colors). Additionally, an infographic designed at a particular point in time might involve an additional round of manual rework with the specialist each time new information becomes available.
In addition, the typical professional does not have their personal or professional data organized in a coherent and usable format for the construction of an infographic via a purely algorithmic drawing technique. Often, such data is in lexical, unstructured form, such that generating an infographic would involve the costly and time-consuming process of gathering and transforming the data into a coherent and usable format. Moreover, the use of data in a given infographic often involves manually plotting the data prior to the construction of the infographic itself, often to explore manually the best way for presenting that set of data prior to finalizing the presentation, often even prior to being able to identify an appropriate type of infographic for displaying the data.
Other barriers to the creation of infographics exist even for specialists who routinely create such infographics. Conventionally, there has been no marketplace that connects those seeking to have personal/professional infographics created with the designers, creators, and editors of those infographics, nor a marketplace with infographics templates available for purchase. Nor are conventional methods known for tracking or quantifying a viewer's engagement with and/or attention to a given infographic, including the numbers of loads and/or views, and the numbers of clicks, views, time spent viewing, and/or events associated with the individual components of a given infographic. No conventional scheme is known for test-marketing (using, e.g., A/B or multivariate testing) a given infographic rendered in different views and formats in order to identify the most effective presentation of a given set of data. Nor do systems exist for varying the presentation of a particular infographic based on a owner-supplied list of rules, or other data gathered and/or generated by a potential infographic viewer, such as the specific URL or entry path a potential viewer takes to a given infographic, their clickstream behavior prior to seeing an infographic, or preferences they might provide prior to the viewing of an infographic. Further, no systems are known for readily extracting and showing benchmarks for comparable data that happens to be expressed across a collection of infographics, especially those with varying design formats. Additionally, there are typically no systems for packaging a collection of individual infographics into larger objects that can be treated as coherent documents, nor any methods for enabling the infographic to be dynamic and interactive, such as by showing a summary view of a set of data that can be further expanded through event-driven triggers, without having to specifically model those interactions on a one-off basis, in conjunction with a computer programmer.
Additional challenges exist because there are no known systematic, repeatable solutions for those seeking to work with collections of infographics that collectively represent more than one individual or subject area. More specifically, there is no known systematized method for assembling a "portfolio" of professionals, where the professionals are represented by individual instances of one or more particular infographics reflecting either the identity of those professionals or some aspect of their professional skills or services. Even if such a portfolio were assembled, there are currently no methods for normalizing the infographic presentations according to a design "override" established by a portfolio builder or viewer (including, e.g., selection of which data elements to include/exclude, and optionally remapping the presentation related to those elements). Nor are there known methods for transmitting the portfolio to a third party or website for viewing and interaction, or methods for allowing the viewer to further remap the presentation of those elements to their own specification.
Additionally, there are no known conventional methods for dynamically creating an "aggregate infographic" that collectively summarizes the equivalent infographics in the portfolio. For example, if there are a number of infographics representing an individual attorney's practice specialties, there is no known method for using an aggregate infographic to portray the skills of an entire group of lawyers, whether through layered overlays or through aggregated sums that could point to the individual data comprising those sums. Even if a portfolio as described above were assembled, there are also no known methods for measuring engagement with the portfolio as a whole, including numbers of views and identifying interaction/engagement with particular infographics within the portfolio. Finally, there are no known methods to take a collection of homologous infographics and automatically generate benchmarks, averages, and mean comparisons, particularly where the presentation of those infographics or the amount of data they contain varies.

Automated presentation of information using infographics


A cleaning device including a container for a cleaning liquid, a sprayer for discharging liquid from the container, an elastomeric extrusion surrounding the container, an integral wiper, extending along the extrusion, for wiping a surface and a sponge, bonded to the extrusion, for scrubbing a surface. The container, sponge and wiper one each oriented parallel to a single longitudinal axis.

Self contained window cleaning devices are known and are described in, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,742,789 (Ray) 2,859,463 (Hirsch) and 2,886,839 (Leopoldi).
Ray describes a window washer including an elongated fluid container and a plunger operated fluid ejector mounted on the container. An elongated sponge and separate wiper blade are secured to the container by a bracket. The longitudinal axis of the sponge and wiper blade are transverse to the longitudinal axis of the container.
Hirsch describes a window cleaning implement which includes a rigid base member, a first clip for securing a container of a cleansing liquid to the base member and a resilient pad secured to the base member. A pair of second clips for securing multiple layers of a soft liquid absorbent material over the resilient pad and a squeegee secured to the first clip are also provided.
Leopoldi describes a window cleaning device which includes a resiliently compressable container having a pair of opposed narrow sidewalls and provided with a spray top. A squeegee is integrally formed with the container along one sidewall and a block of sponge material is bonded to the container along the opposite sidewall. A rigid scraper plate is removably secureable to the container to reinforce the container so that the container may be used as a handle for the squeegee without distorting the working edge of the squeegee.
None of these prior art devices is, however, wholly satisfactory. The devices described by Ray and Hirsch are somewhat complex and cumbersome and the device describe by Leopoldi, although more compact than the other two devices, requires a tradeoff in performance since the container and integral squeegee are formed from the same material.


The invention provides genetic approaches to inhibit or treat pain which employ mutant μ opioid receptors.

Among the agents used in pain management, opioid analgesics are the most efficacious in controlling moderate and severe post-operative pain. However, opioid analgesics have well-known adverse effects such as respiratory depression, constipation, nausea, and neurotoxicity (Bruera et al., 1999), as well as tolerance and physical dependence. Decades of research have focused on designing an opioid analgesic that has the analgesic efficacy of morphine but is devoid of its adverse effects.
Pharmacological studies have defined three classes of opioid receptors, the δ, κ, and μ opioid receptors. One approach to develop agents having opioid analgesic efficacy in the absence of tolerance and/or physical dependence is to develop opioid drugs that selectively target one or a subset of opioid receptors. Another approach is the use of recombinant, e.g., mutant, opioid receptors. For example, Carlezon et al. (1997) overexpressed the AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) using herpes simplex virus-mediated gene transfer. Carlezon et al. found that the expression of GluR1 increased the sensitization of virally-transduced animals to morphine's stimulant and rewarding effects. Kong et al. (1993) substituted aspartic acid 95 in transmembrane segment 2 of the cloned mouse δ opioid receptor with an asparagine (D95N). The D95N mutant receptor had reduced affinity for δ receptor-selective agonists such as enkephalin, [D-Pen2, D-Pen5]enkephalin and [D-Ser2,Leu5]enkephalin-Thr6. The binding of δ-selective non-peptide agonists was also reduced. In contrast, δ receptor-selective antagonists, such as naltrindole, the benzofuran analog of naltrindole, and 7-benyllidenenaltrexone, bound equally well to the wild-type and mutant receptor. Non-selective opioid agonists such as bremazocine and buprenorphine, which interact with δ, κ, and μ opioid receptors, showed no difference in binding to the wild-type and mutant δ receptor.
Claude et al. (1996) investigated the involvement of a conserved serine (Ser196 at the μ, Ser177 at the δ, and Ser187 at the κ opioid receptor) in receptor activation. Claude et al. noted that classical opioid antagonists such as naloxone, naltrexone, naltriben, and H-Try-Tic[ψCH2NH]Phe-Phe-OH (TIPPψ, Tic=1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid) could inhibit forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity in CHO cells stably expressing a μ/δ opioid chimeric receptor, μδ2. Antagonists also activated the G protein-coupled inward rectifying potassium channel (GIRK1) in Xenopus oocytes coexpressing the μδ2 opioid receptor and the GIRK1 channel. In vitro experiments in which the Ser196 residue of the μ opioid receptor was substituted with other amino acids, indicated that a mutation of Ser196 to Ala resulted in greater agonistic efficacy with classical opioid antagonists (Claude, 1997).
What is needed is an improved method to identify agents that have desirable effects of opioids in the absence of unwanted side effects.

Isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding mutant μ opioid receptors


A fluid-powered rotary actuator having a body adapted for coupling to a movable member to transfer rotational force thereto. A drive member includes a flange extending axially outward from a body first end, and a stub shaft extending coaxially within the body toward a body second end. The flange includes first, second and intermediate portions, with the first portion axially outward of the second portion. The second portion has a ball race, the first portion is threaded, and the intermediate portion has straight splines formed thereon. The drive member has an elongated aperture, and first and second fluid conduits formed therein. A fluid-transfer tube is carried by a piston and extends into the central aperture. Pressurized fluid applied to a flange first port is communicated through the first fluid conduit to a first piston side, and pressurized fluid applied to a flange second port is communicated through the second fluid conduit via the transfer tube to a second piston side. A mounting member is adapted for coupling to a support frame to transfer rotational force thereto. The mounting member has an aperture with straight splines which mesh with the intermediate portion straight splines to permit adjusting longitudinal movement of the mounting member relative to the flange while holding the flange stationary against rotation relative to the support frame.

Rotary helical splined actuators have been employed in the past to achieve the advantage of high-output from a simple linear piston-and-cylinder drive arrangement. The actuator typically uses a cylindrical body with an elongated rotary shaft extending coaxially within the body, with an end portion of the shaft providing the drive output. An elongated piston sleeve has an outer sleeve portion splined to cooperate with corresponding splines on the body interior or a ring gear, and an inner sleeve portion splined to cooperate with corresponding splines on the shaft exterior. The piston sleeve is reciprocally mounted within the body with the shaft extending therewithin, and has a head for the application of fluid pressure to one or the other opposing sides thereof to produce axial movement of the piston sleeve.
As the piston sleeve linearly reciprocates in an axial direction within the body, the splines of the outer sleeve portion engage the splines of the body to cause rotation of the piston sleeve. The resulting linear and rotational movement of the piston sleeve is transmitted through the splines of the inner sleeve portion to the splines of the shaft to cause the shaft to rotate. Bearings are typically positioned interior of the body to rotatably support one or both ends of the shaft relative to the body.
While such an arrangement produces a relatively high-torque output, the capability of the actuator to support high moment loads and large axial and radial thrust loads has been limited. The actuator typically has a slender shaft with bearings between the shaft and end flanges or end caps of the body, with the bearings positioned radially inward of the body sidewall. It is desirable to use rotary actuators to rotate heavy loads and loads that produce large bending movements. For example, a rotary actuator may be used to rotate a large-diameter platform which extends radially far beyond the actuator body and which carries a crane, bucket lift or other mechanism having a boom reaching far outward of the platform. Once such arrangement is shown in the inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,016.
The conventional actuator is not well constructed to handle the high moments encountered when the shaft centrally supports a platform, since it does so in an almost needle point balanced arrangement. In such an arrangement, when the boom of the device carried by the platform is extended, the moments become extremely large and difficult for the conventional actuator shaft and shaft bearing configuration to handle. Further, the axial thrust loads encountered due to the weight of the platform, the crane, or other mechanism mounted thereon, and the workload it carries, are far too great for the conventional actuator shaft bearing configurations. Other uses of the actuator are envisioned which also subject the actuator shaft to high moments and large axial thrust loads, such as use to rotate a log grapple or to steerably turn the wheel assembly of a vehicle while supporting the weight of the vehicle above the wheel assembly.
A shortcoming of conventional actuators with bearings supporting the shaft at both ends of the body is that if a large bending load is transmitted through the shaft, such as when supporting a crane platform, any resulting radial movement or bowing of the shaft can cause the shaft, the piston sleeve and the ring gear to bind. This may inhibit operation of the actuator and damage the actuator. While increasing the size of the shaft and the bearings helps reduce the shaft movement and bowing that occurs under such loads, and hence the resulting binding, the result is a heavy and expensive actuator.
Another problem involves the cost of manufacturing actuators, especially ones designed to handle high moments and large axial and radial loads. In the past the actuator body has typically been designed with a thick wall construction, and since the bearing races are formed in the body sidewall of the actuator, the body must be hardened. The result is a heavy and expensive body. Even in lighter load applications where a thin-wall body construction is used, end caps with a plurality of the rods extending therebetween are often needed.
It will therefore be appreciated that there has long been a significant need for fluid-powered rotary actuators capable of handling increased moments and axial and radial shaft loads. The actuator should have a compact and lightweight design which allows use of a thin wall body construction without requiring use of tie rods. The actuator should be economical to manufacture. Preferably, the actuator should be able to operate even under large bending loads that produce some bowing of the shaft. The actuator should also permit preloading of the bearings which rotatably support the shaft with respect to the body without requiring disassembly of the actuator. Also, the actuator should provide for smooth start up and stopping action as the piston sleeve reaches its end limits of axial travel. Finally, the actuator should provide convenient means for attachment of hydraulic hoses that avoids twisting and damage of the hoses. The present invention fulfills these needs and further provides other related advantages.


A downlight reflector assembly for a light-emitting diode (LED) light source includes a kicker reflector and an upper scoop. The kicker reflector has a reflector wall extending between a small top opening and a large bottom opening along a transverse axis. The reflector wall has an internal surface with an illuminated area and a non-illuminated area. The upper scoop is mounted in the small top opening of the kicker reflector and has a reflective multi-faceted surface with a concave curvature relative to the LED light source. The upper scoop extends from the top opening in part along the transverse axis and covering a portion of the top opening. The multi-faceted surface faces both of the illuminated area of the kicker reflector and the top opening for reflecting light rays received through the top opening towards the illuminated area.

Lighting designers evaluate the quality of a recessed light fixture based in part on how well the fixture distributes light on a wall adjacent to the fixture. This type of fixture is typically referred to as a downlight wall-wash. Ideally, the lighting designers strive to achieve uniform light distribution on the wall and smooth transition down the wall toward the floor. For example, multiple wall washers are installed next to each other to eliminate arch-type of light distribution (also known as "scallops") and to create a uniform wall pattern horizontally and vertically across the wall, with no variation in footcandles.
Wall-wash reflectors have been traditionally designed with a reflector shape intended to support a multi-directional light source in which light is generated in all directions, e.g., incandescent, high-intensity discharge (HID), and compact-fluorescent (CFL) light sources. For example, traditional reflectors had a parabolic shape in which a window was cut out and replaced with a re-directing partial parabolic kicker. The light source was located at the center of the parabola and the kicker was located on a side of the reflector. The result was that a portion of the light was directed towards the floor and a portion of the light was directed up toward the wall.
As light-emitting diodes ("LEDs") have become a viable source for downlights, manufacturers have continued to design wall-wash reflectors using the traditional parabolic-shape approach. Specifically, the LED light source was moved from the center of the parabola to the top of the parabola, and additional side reflective kicker was included. The result, however, was that the majority of the light was reflected toward the wall into a small circular "hot spot" pattern.

Wall-wash fixture for directional light sources


A wooden frame for window or door leaves is composed of frame pieces, each one of which comprising a first part facing outwards in a wall opening and a second part facing inwards. The outer, first part of the individual frame piece is delimited by two surfaces converging outwardly and at an acute angle relative to each other, said surfaces emanating from dividing cuts made in an initial log, said cuts extending radially from the area of the center of the log. In that way, the annual rings in the wood material are orientated in such a way that imagined tangents to individual annual rings cut through said surfaces substantially perpendicularly to the planes of the surfaces and older annual rings being situated closest to the free, narrow edge of the part.

Rot damage constitutes a great problem in connection with wooden windows of previously known type. Rot damage on wooden windows gives rise to considerable costs for house-owners. A basic reason for the problem is that the frames of the windows are made of wood pieces the characteristics and fibre-orientation of which are, in all essentials, uncontrolled. Thus, the window manufacturer buys board blanks the location of extraction of which in the original log may lie just anywhere. In some cases, the board may be extracted from the outer sap of the log and in other cases extracted from the central heartwood. The window manufacturer totally lacks control of the orientation of the annual rings. Sometimes the presence of heartwood in the individual frame piece may be orientated inwards in the frame and sometimes outwards. The turning of the wooden material is above all guided by the presence of possible knots, which are orientated towards the hidden side of the frame. Usually possible knots are drilled out and replaced by knotfree wooden plugs which are glued without any particular selection in comparison to the surrounding frame wood and external weather exposure respectively. In the traditional sawing of logs, the log is split or divided by means of a plurality of parallel sawing cuts, which, particularly in case of small dimension logs, entails that the annual rings of the wood will be mainly orientated lying in the surface which is turned outwards in the finished frame piece. By the fact that the bulking susceptibility of the wood is larger in the tangential direction (in practice about 7%) than in the radial direction (about 4%), paint or other surface treatment layers outside the individual frame piece are exposed to large, alternating shrinkage and elongation stresses which lead to crack formations in the protecting paint layer as well as in the proper surface wood. The rot problem is particularly marked in the bottom piece of the frame and the lower parts of the side pieces of the frame, which in practice relatively fast (from 8 to 15 years) tend to putrefy up to a height of about 20 cm as a consequence of water penetration in cracks and capillary suction of water from the lower ends of the side pieces, which ends are connected to the bottom piece of the frame. Another disadvantage of traditional frames is that all of the frame pieces mainly are of a rectangular cross section shape. This cross section shape means that the viewing or panoramic angle for an observer being indoors is limited by the outer edges of the frame pieces facing the centre of the frame rather than the inner edges which are closer to the observer. Therefore, for a given frame size, the panoramic angle will be relatively small.

Wooden frame, frame piece and method of manufacturing such frame pieces


A method of transmitting electronic signals for use with a wireless network arrangement comprising assimilating and storing data relating to successful communication routes within the network arrangement and the transmission and receiving of electronic signals between the minimum number of devices in wireless network arrangement to improve efficiency of data communication and to reduce the power consumption of the network.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for improving performance and reducing power consumption of a wireless network system and more specifically relates to a method for improving performance and reducing power consumption of a constantly supervised battery powered wireless mesh network system.
2. Background of the Related Art
Wireless mesh networks are known for their useful application in communicating information over a wide area, using a network of multiple nodes (devices) that are capable of sending and receiving data.
Generally, information is transmitted from a start point to an end point, both of which may be either a control panel or a device within the mesh network. In known mesh network arrangements, information may be passed via a number of devices between said start and end points, thus requiring that all devices within the mesh remain in an active state so that they are ready to send and receive messages upon demand.
It will be appreciated that the requirement to remain in a constantly active state is not only inefficient, but also consumes significant power. In particular, the power demands often mean that a battery powered mesh network arrangement is unfeasible, as the limitations of the battery life of each device would prevent such as mesh network from being constantly supervised (i.e. each component being in an active state).

Method for improving performance and reducing power consumption of a wireless network arrangement


A belt band conveyor having an endless transport belt that is guided over deflection rollers, to which a guide element that projects beyond the belt plane is attached. The guide element can be handled separately before it is attached to the transport belt and moves along as the transport belt moves. On its guide surfaces, which extend in the transport direction of the transport belt, running surfaces that are inclined relative to the belt plane roll off from rotating guide rollers as the transport belt moves. A plurality of separate clamping shoes are attached along the transport belt, each of which has an attachment profile attached to the transport belt, and a spring-elastic clamping element connected with such profile. An elastic/flexible guide strip that extends in the transport direction over the entire length of the transport belt is clamped in place relative to the attachment profile.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a belt band conveyor, particularly a curved belt conveyor, having an endless transport belt that is guided over deflection rollers. There is a guide element that projects beyond the belt plane and which can be handled separately before it is attached to the transport belt, and which moves along as the transport belt moves. The guide element has guide surfaces that extend in the transport direction of the transport belt. Running surfaces that are inclined relative to the belt plane roll off from rotating guide rollers on the guide surfaces, so that transverse forces that occur crosswise to the transport direction of the transport belt are compensated.
2. The Prior Art
A curved belt conveyor is described in German Patent No. DE 42 13 035 A1. This document describes a circulating endless transport belt which is connected with an edge bead that runs along its outside edge, is continuous, is inseparably connected with it, and circulates along with it. Several guide rollers are elastically pressed against this flank, which points towards the center of the curve, in order to compensate the longitudinal and traverse forces that occur as a result of the curve progression, even in the case of a severely distorted curve, and in the case of significant level differences between the deflection rollers at the end, with low friction wear.
A similar curved belt conveyor having a transport belt that is deflected via cone-shaped support rollers, which has a continuous, co-circulating, bead-shaped edge strip, is described in German Patent No. DE 38 26 953 A1. The edge strip, again, is guided between guide rollers that have inclined running surfaces, in order to compensate the centripetal forces that occur during operation.
A similar belt band conveyor is described in DE 198 54 327 A1. There, a toothed belt component of a continuous toothed belt that circulates with the transport belt is provided to transfer the force of the drive forces from a gear crown to the transport belt. The toothed belt component is connected with the transport belt by bonding, vulcanizing, or gluing. The toothed belt component has a bead strip on its ends that point radially inward, in each instance, which is continuous over the length of the transport belt. Again, inclined running surfaces of guide rollers engage on the bead, in order to be able to absorb the forces directed to the inside radius of belt curves, and in order to achieve secure guidance of the transport belt in this manner.
A further development of the belt band conveyor described above is disclosed in German Patent No. DE 199 53 691 A1, which relates to a belt tensioning device. There, a continuous toothed belt is attached to the bottom of the transport belt, moving with it, and an endless profile that lies opposite is attached to the top of the belt. The profile has an elevation that faces away from the edge region of the transport belt, which again contacts guide rollers. In order to secure the position of the transport belt when the belt starts up under stress, and in order to prevent the teeth of the gear wheel of the drive roller and the teeth of the toothed belt from becoming disengaged, several ball bearings are additionally provided, which contact the profile at the top of the transport belt.
Another system of a curved belt conveyor is described in German Patent No. DE 198 05 204 A1. There, a continuous holder strip is attached on the inside of a circulating transport belt, via the outside radius of the holder strip. Slide sleeves that can rotate about axles of rotation arranged perpendicular to the transport belt plane are attached to the holder strip; they are guided in guide grooves of guide rails, with a positive lock.
All of the aforementioned belt band conveyors have the disadvantage that the lifetime of the guide strips is very short. At high speeds, such guide strips fail after a relatively short period of use. In the case of wear-related damage or complete failure of the guide strips, the entire transport belt must be replaced. This is time-consuming and expensive.
Other embodiments relate to curved belt conveyors in which guide rollers that circulate with the belt are attached, and are guided in locally fixed guides. Such a curved belt conveyor is described in European Patent No. EP 0 880 462 B1. Several co-circulating rollers are provided on the endless transport belt of this conveyor, to guide it and to compensate radial forces that are directed toward the inside of the curve; the axles of rotation of these rollers are attached to the transport belt by way of attachment means that project through openings in the transport belt. As the transport belt circulates, the running surfaces of the co-circulating rollers run along either only vertical or vertical and horizontal stationary guide surfaces of a support frame.
Similar curved belt conveyors are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,082 and NL-A-8702617. In the case of all these curved belt band conveyors, however, permanent excess stress in the region of the roller attachment to the belt can occur, in connection with the risk of canting and/or tearing in this region, so that these belt band conveyors cannot guarantee long life. However, a long life of the belt is particularly important, particularly in the case of belt curves, because as a rule, the belt is the most expensive element, and the replacement part is accordingly expensive. Another disadvantage in the case of these belt band conveyors is the great noise development, particularly at high circulation speeds.

Belt and conveyor having separate clamping shoes


A data processing apparatus for generating running performance information indicative of a running state of at least one device, has a data storage process section that obtains device state information indicative of a result of detection of a state of the at least one device, and obtains operational activity performer information indicative of a result of detection of whether an operational activity performer that performs an operational activity to the at least one device or an operational activity with the at least one device is present at a predetermined position for the operational activity performer to do the operational activity on the at least one device or the operational activity with the at least one device, and causes the device state information and the operational activity performer information to be stored in a result-of-detection storage.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus, a data processing system, and a data processing method each of which generates running performance information on a device based on the result of detection of a state of the device.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, in various manufacturing plants etc., running information on a manufacturing device (production equipment) is obtained and a production process is managed based on the running information.
An example of a method for obtaining running information on a manufacturing device is disclosed in Patent Literature 1, which discloses a technique of detecting a running state of a machine by detecting, with a sensor outside the machine, a lightening state of a signal light indicative of a running state of the machine (a signal light indicating that the machine is in operation and a signal light indicating that the machine is at a halt due to abnormality).
Furthermore, Patent Literature 2 discloses a technique of (i) preparing a layout showing a plurality of devices based on images obtained by a camera or cameras capturing the devices and indicators which are mounted on the devices and are indicative of running states of the devices, respectively, (ii) recognizing running information on the devices (colors of indicators) from the images of the indicators, and (iii) displaying the running information on the devices (colors of the indicators) on the layout.
Furthermore, Patent Literature 3 discloses a technique of detecting a state of a manufacturing device based on a signal supplied from the manufacturing device to an output device such as a warning light and a buzzer and calculating periods of times during which individual states continue. Specifically, in the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 3, a period of time from when a buzzer indicating occurrence of abnormality is activated to when the buzzer is deactivated is calculated as an operator moving time, and a period of time from when the buzzer is deactivated to when the manufacturing device starts to operate normally is calculated as a recovery working time.

Data processing apparatus, data processing system, and data processing method


The present invention relates to an LED module for automobile headlights. The LED module comprises a water proof structure together with a heat radiating structure in order to prevent the permeation of external moisture while efficiently radiating heat to the outside. The LED module may be combined with a lamp housing and a radiator to constitute an automobile headlight.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Light Emitting Diode (LED) module for automobile headlights. More particularly, the present invention relates to an LED module for automobile headlights, which comprises a water proof structure together with a heat radiating structure in order to prevent the permeation of external moisture while efficiently radiating heat to the outside, and an automobile headlight having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An LED is one type of semiconductors that generate single colors of light when applied with voltage. The color of light generated from the LED is generally determined by chemical ingredients of the LED. The LED is continuously increasing in demand since it has various merits such as long lifetime, low drive voltage, excellent initial drive properties, high vibration resistance and high tolerance with respect to repeated power switching compared to lighting devices which use a filament.
Recently the input power and output brightness of the LED is rising to such an extent that it can be used in an automobile headlight. Since its lighting efficiency is 1.1 to 1.2 times higher than that of a halogen lamp that is generally used in the automobile headlight, the LED can advantageously save power consumption so much when used in the automobile headlight.
In order to apply a module of this LED to the automobile headlight, it is necessary to previously solve the following problems. First, the LED generates more heat than a bulb in the halogen lamp, and therefore a structure for efficiently radiating heat to the outside is required. Furthermore, as a more important aspect, it is necessary to protect the LED from external moisture.

Light emitting diode module for automobile headlights and automobile headlight having the same


Systems, methods, and devices for communicating in a wireless network are provided. In some aspects, an access point for wireless communication a receiver configured to receive information identifying a beacon timing of a second access point. The access point further includes a processor configured to adjust a beacon timing of the access point based on the received information identifying the beacon timing of the second access point and a transmitter configured to transmit a beacon according to the adjusted beacon timing of the access point.

Field
The present application relates generally to wireless communications, and more specifically to systems, methods, and devices for adjusting and distributing beacon timing in a wireless network.
Background
In many telecommunication systems, communications networks are used to exchange messages among several interacting spatially-separated devices. Networks may be classified according to geographic scope, which could be, for example, a metropolitan area, a local area, or a personal area. Such networks may be designated respectively as a wide area network (WAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), local area network (LAN), or personal area network (PAN). Networks also differ according to the switching/routing technique used to interconnect the various network nodes and devices (e.g., circuit switching vs. packet switching), the type of physical media employed for transmission (e.g., wired vs. wireless), and the set of communication protocols used (e.g., Internet protocol suite, SONET (Synchronous Optical Networking), Ethernet, etc.).
Wireless networks are often preferred when the network elements are mobile and thus have dynamic connectivity needs, or if the network architecture is formed in an ad hoc, rather than fixed, topology. Wireless networks employ intangible physical media in an unguided propagation mode using electromagnetic waves in the radio, microwave, infra-red, optical, etc. frequency bands. Wireless networks advantageously facilitate user mobility and rapid field deployment when compared to fixed wired networks.
The medium occupancy of a wireless channel may become congested due to a large number of wireless devices within the network sending and receiving communications. The result of large numbers of wireless devices attempting to communicate at the same time may include larger collision, latency, and power consumption. Thus, improved systems, methods, and devices for reducing congestion of the wireless communication medium are desired.

Systems and methods for beacon timing adjustment in wireless networks


A holder for Allen wrenches or other L-shaped tools formed by a cylindrical body having an array of lengthwise grooves of graduated sizes distributed about its circumference each receiving one of a set of Allen wrenches. A radial hole extending into each groove receives the short end of the respective Allen wrench, which is gripped by a corresponding groove in an elastomeric plug fixed to one end of the holder body. The long end sections of the wrenches project beyond the end of the holder in a circular array, exposed to allow a size fit trial with a socket to be wrenched.

This invention concerns holders of a type adapted to store an entire set of Allen wrenches or other L-shaped tools.
Allen wrenches comprise hexagonal rods bent at a right angle so as to form an L-shaped tool, providing a short and a long end for alternative engagement of Allen screws for maximum leverage or for maximum turning speed.
A storage holder for a set of different Allen wrench sizes has been found convenient to keep track of the rather small wrenches and to organize the set in graduated order to make it easier to locate a selected size. U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,006 describes such a holder. Finding the right wrench for a given socket is largely a matter of trial and error, since Allen wrenches are too small to be clearly marked, and similar socket sizes are difficult to differentiate by sight, even if the holder were provided with size markings.
Such holders are preferably compact to take up minimal space in a tool box. Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a compact holder for Allen wrenches or other L-shaped tools which allows a ready selection of a particular sized tool from an entire set stored in the holder.


A security system having a series of adjacent bullet-proof transparent chambers for successive passage of persons in a queue. A door interlock system controls passage of individuals along with intermittent movement of a conveyor for inspecting hand-carried articles. The system includes manual and automatic controls for detaining a suspected individual and unlocking doors to allow release of other individuals in the chambers. A matrix of such chambers is shown, which handles security check-in for several queues of airline passengers.

This invention relates generally to security systems for protecting members of the public during processing of a queue of successively arriving persons entering or doing business in a secure area, such as a bank or a secured area for departing airline passengers. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for screening or monitoring persons in a queue and isolating and temporarily confining any specific person, who might be transporting weapons or materials deemed to be a threat to others in the secure area.
There are many situations when a person, who is possibly carrying a weapon or harmful substance, must be checked for the presence of these items before being allowed to proceed to a secure area, or to do business where money or other valuable objects are exchanged. There is a long history of protective devices intended to shield bank tellers from an individual who might be carrying a weapon. Devices suggested in the early prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 1,008,125 issued Nov. 7, 1911 to Eichelkraut. That patent describes a security chamber for regulating and controlling the access of persons to cashier""s windows in banks, post offices, theaters and the like, having an interlocking arrangement between the door and the cash window, whereby the window can only be opened when the door is closed and whereby the door can only be opened when the window is closed. This concept has been expanded in patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,338 issued to Hastings on Sep. 28, 1988, wherein a group of cylindrical modules of transparent bullet-proof glass or plastic are positioned in front of respective bank tellers. The Hastings patent provides for the teller to override the individual""s control over the doors to the modules, so as to temporarily confine the occupant until the police arrive. While this system is adequate to confine a single person once the person has exposed a weapon or made a threat while inside a module, it does nothing to detect the weapon or harmful substance in advance of entering the module and consequently exposes the surrounding personnel to injury.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,827 issued Jun. 29, 1976 to Reeves takes a more direct approach by dropping a bullet-proof transparent cage over a criminal who is unfortunate enough to be standing beneath the cage.
A more sophisticated arrangement for detecting weapons, including x-raying hand luggage and interrogating a person seeking passage from a non-secure area to a secure area is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,441 issued May 6, 1986 to Zekich. This system employs a first partitioned revolving door leading to a detection chamber, from which the person departs via a second partitioned revolving door. A search room adjoins the detection chamber and is equipped with door interlocks preventing escape of an individual in the search room. Zekich proposes a number of high security sensors and identification detection devices such as a metal detector, air sampling, excess weight detection, hand geometry reading and so forth. A bullet-proof wall protects the interrogation personnel, but there is no means to protect other people in the queue being screened.
Recently, heightened security measures are being applied at airports to closely monitor departing airline passengers. Traditionally, unorganized queues of passengers place their hand luggage upon conveyor belts passing through an x-ray machine, and then walk through metal detection gates to retrieve their hand luggage.
Randomly, the passengers are checked with metal detection wands and hand luggage is inspected. These measures have proved to be inadequate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,567 issued Jan. 30, 1979 to Grube discloses a system for passengers to accompany both their hand luggage and checked luggage, including weighing the passenger both at the security check point and at the boarding gate. However, presence of a dangerous substance or weapon found at either location poses danger to surrounding passengers and security personnel.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to process a queue from a non-secure area to a secure area, while checking the persons in the queue and protecting surrounding personnel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a secure transit of passengers to an aircraft while detecting weapons or harmful substances carried by passengers.
Still another object of the invention is to provide secure processing of multiple queues and temporarily confining a person in a queue found to possess threatening objects.
Briefly stated, the invention is practiced by providing a security system for monitoring and protecting personnel in an area including at least one queue of successively arriving individuals, comprising a plurality of at least three contiguous chambers, including an entry chamber, an exit chamber and at least one intermediate chamber, said chambers each having bullet-proof transparent walls and bullet-proof doors, said doors including an entry door to the entry chamber, an exit door from the exit chamber, a common door between each intermediate chamber and said contiguous chamber, said doors having remotely controlled locks, means for monitoring a selected individual in a selected chamber, and an automated door interlock system arranged and adapted to remotely unlock selected locks to pass individuals successively through said chambers, and to lock selected locks to detain selected individuals during monitoring.