The invention relates to a method for managing a steering control of an aircraft landing gear provided with at least one wheel steerable by the steering control, comprising the following steps:                monitoring one or several taxi parameter(s) (51, 54, 64, 59, 61) of the aircraft to determine whether said aircraft enters a towing situation,        setting the steering control in a free steering mode of the steerable wheel, if the aircraft enters the towing situation;        activating the steering control so that the steerable wheel has an angular controlled steering by the steering control if the aircraft leaves said towing situation.

In airports, aircrafts are often towed by tractors, more particularly in the vicinity of air terminals. For this purpose, it is known to connect an aircraft to a tractor using a bar fastened to a fastening point located on the auxiliary landing gear of the aircraft, more precisely on the lower part of the latter which carries the wheel or wheels. Towing the aircraft using a tractor especially adapted for towing the aircraft directly by the wheels, of the auxiliary landing gear is also known. To enable the lower part of the landing gear to be steered to follow the motions imposed by the tractor, it is important to uncouple such lower part from the rest of the aircraft in rotation.
Such uncoupling can be obtained by uncoupling the arms of the torque linkage which connect the lower part to the wheel steering element, the function of which consists in steering the wheel or wheels in response to a steering command given by the pilot. Such method has the disadvantage of requiring the intervention of a ground operator as close to the auxiliary landing gear as possible, which can be dangerous if the pilot unduly activates the steering element. Besides, it is sometimes difficult to connect the arms of the torque linkage to each other, when the towing is completed. In addition, the ground operator can forget to connect the torque linkage arms upon completion of the towing.
Such uncoupling can also be obtained by deactivating the steering control, i.e. by placing the steering control in a free steering mode, in which the steering element becomes passive and leaves the rotation of the lower part of the landing gear free, which avoids separating the arms of the torque linkage. In this last case, the auxiliary landing gear is generally equipped with a neutralization lever which is activated by a ground operator to place the steering control in a free steering mode. Then again, the operator must get as close to the auxiliary landing gear as possible to activate the neutralization lever Besides, a lever is carried by a neutralization element positioned on the auxiliary landing gear, in an uncovered area exposed to bad weather and to vibrations, which may lead to a malfunction of the lever or of the associated contactor. Then, the towing may be performed when the steering control has not been placed in the free steering mode, such that the non neutralized steering control attempts to oppose any steering of the wheel caused by the tractor towing the aircraft to keep the wheels in the orientation requested by the steering control, which can lead to a deterioration of the towing bar and of its hook on the auxiliary landing gear, and in any case to a useless fatigue of the steering element. Besides, the operator can simply forget to activate the neutralization element, which can result in the same disadvantages.
To remedy these disadvantages, it was thought to position the neutralization lever under cover, i.e. directly in the aircraft cockpit. Thus, the pilot himself activates the neutralization lever to place the steering element in free steering mode with a view to enable the towing of the aircraft. But the pilot can also forget to activate the neutralization lever which can result; in the same disadvantages. Besides, when the pilot is not in the aircraft, a second operator must take the controls to activate the lever, which is not practical.

Method for managing the wheel steering control of an aircraft


A process for upgrading light cycle oil (LCO) to a high octane gasoline and a high aromatic feedstock for aromatic complex, by utilizing fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) is disclosed. FCC cracks unconverted diesel range stream from a hydrocracker to a high octane gasoline. This process further improves the quality (e.g., research octane number (RON), and Sulfur) of gasoline by utilizing FCC and hydrocracking process.

Light Cycle Oil (LCO) is a middle distillate stream from Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCC) or Resid Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCC). Typically, 10-30 wt % yield of LCO is obtained on fresh feed basis from an FCC Unit. It is an aromatic rich stream and aromatic content in LCO varies from 60 wt % to 90 wt % depending upon operational severity and type of feedstock. Out of the total aromatics in LCO stream, 20-30 wt % is mono-aromatics, 60-70 wt % is di-aromatics and 10-20 wt % is poly-aromatics type of compound (PAH). Due to high aromatic content, the Cetane number of LCO is very poor (CN<25). Presently, LCO is processed in a Diesel Hydro-treating Unit (DHDT) and blended in the refinery diesel pool. In high pressure hydrotreater (90-120 bar), Cetane of LCO stream improves 15-25 units through saturation of aromatics to naphthenes. However, the Cetane number of hydrotreated LCO does not go beyond 40-42 range. Also, hydro-treated LCO fails to meet the specific gravity criteria of EURO-VI diesel (0.87-0.91 against 0.845). Therefore, hydrotreatment of LCO at very high pressure and converting the aromatics to naphthenes without meeting CN specification is inefficient utilization of costly hydrogen.
Other available option for adding value to this stream is to convert LCO into feedstock for aromatic complex for the production of aromatic (e.g., benzene, toluene and xylene). Being an aromatic rich stream, the chemical potential lies in its high aromaticity. The di- and tri-aromatics present in this stream can be converted into mono-aromatics through mild hydrocracking route. This route comprises of two steps. Hydro-treating of LCO is being carried out in the first step and in the second step, hydrotreated stream subjected to hydrocracking. Both the operations are carried out at moderate hydrogen pressure (25-75 bar g). Such pressure protects mono-aromatic molecules from oversaturation and maximizes the Alkyl benzene concentration in the product stream. The unconverted stream has a boiling range same as diesel and contains naphthobenzene types of molecules. This stream is low in Cetane number high in density compared to Euro-VI diesel pool. Therefore, further treatment is required for accommodating in BS/EURO-VI diesel pool.
High aromatic content in the middle distillate streams of any thermal or catalytic cracker unit is the major hurdle to incorporate these streams into the refinery diesel pool. On hydrotreating these streams, the multi ring aromatics get converted to mono-aromatics but with fused naphthenic ring (i.e. naphtho benzene). The saturation of first ring or second ring occurs at very low hydrogen partial pressure; however, saturation of last aromatic rings requires very high hydrogen partial pressure. Even after saturating all the aromatic rings, the CN improvement is very insignificant compared to the hydrogen consumption. Therefore, efforts are being made for profitable utilization of these types of streams.
US2018171246A1 discloses an installation for the hydro-treatment and hydro-conversion of hydrocarbon-containing feedstocks, with a common fractionation section, for the production of at least one of the following products: naphtha (light and/or heavy), diesel, kerosene, distillate and residue.
WO2017146876A1 discloses an integrated process for increasing olefin production through which heavy cracker residues of fluid catalytic cracking unit and steam cracking unit are completely mixed, and mixed stream is properly recycled and further combined with atmospheric tower bottoms. Combined stream is deasphalted and hydro-treated to produce a proper feedstock for steam cracking unit for manufacturing light olefin compounds.

Process for the production of petrochemical feedstock and high octane gasoline from middle distillates


A machine tool having a quick release draw tube includes a headstock with a spindle. A draw tube is slidably supported within the spindle and includes inner and outer surfaces. The draw tube includes a series of circumferentially spaced holes on the outer surface thereof. A draw tube locking or unlocking device cooperates with the spindle and includes a ball detent that is selectively received in one of the recesses provided on the draw tube for locking the same within the spindle. The machine tool also includes an adapter plate for mounting over the extended nose of the spindle for substituting a collet by a jaw chuck.

The present invention is directed to machine tools, and more particularly to a machine that includes a quick release draw tube and a headstock adapter for a jaw chuck.
In machine tool industry, it is a known practice to disassemble the collet closer assembly in order to replace, repair or provide maintenance to draw spindle-tube that is rotatably maintained in the main spindle of the headstock. The main function of the draw tube is to grasp and hold a workpiece holder, such as a collet or chuck, during the machining operation. Over time, the draw tube is worn out and thus requires maintenance. Moreover, the draw tube may need to be replaced when the existing draw tube is broken or becomes unsuitable for further use. The only manner by which the draw tube can be replaced or repaired, is to disassemble the collet closer assembly, which requires shutting down the machining operation and further requires substantial attention on the part of a skilled technician to provide maintenance. This procedure is no doubt inefficient and adds to the labor cost of machining a workpiece.
Notwithstanding this recurrent problem, the industry has been unable to provide a solution which is efficient, fast and easy to work with. Therefore, there is a need in the machine tool industry for a mechanism by which a draw tube can be easily replaced, repaired or otherwise serviced, and which eliminates long machine down time.
Further, there is also a need in the art for an adapter device that allows a machine operator to mount a jaw chuck or the like workpiece holder on the headstock in place of a collet easily and without substantial effort.

Machine tool having a quick release draw tube and jaw chuck adapter


There has been a need to develop a method for preparing a bread dough using potassium bromate, an excellent bread improver, which provides baked breads free from residual bromate without affecting the flavor and taste of the breads. It has also been desired to develop a method for making breads using such a bread dough. The present invention provides a method for preparing a bread dough, which comprises incorporating potassium bromate as an aqueous solution, in combination with ferrous sulfate and ascorbic acid in the step of forming a sponge dough such that the solubility of the incorporated potassium bromate is increased in the bread dough to facilitate chemical decomposition of bromate, so that the resulting baked breads are free from residual bromate or have a reduced content of residual bromate. Also provided is a method for making breads, which comprises baking the bread dough.

The present invention relates to a method for making breads, more specifically, by incorporating potassium bromate as an oxidizing agent into a bread dough, wherein the resulting baked breads are free from residual bromate.
Potassium bromate has been widely used in the world since 1910s when it was recommended as a bread improver in the United States. In Japan, there is a guideline for use of potassium bromate, stating that "potassium bromate is limited to use for yeast leavened bakery products in an amount of up to 0.03 g (as bromate) per kg of wheat flour (i.e., 30 ppm based on wheat flour) and should be decomposed or removed before completing final products," that is, potassium bromate must not remain in the products after baking.
In conventional techniques, prevention of residual bromate in bakery products has been accomplished, either by using sufficient time for fermentation and baking of a dough to ensure complete chemical reaction of bromate or by incorporating a reduced amount of potassium bromate, or both.
The inventors of the present invention have already developed a method for prevention or reduction of residual bromate in bakery products by incorporating ascorbic acid (see, e.g., JP 8-116857 A).
The limitation "bromate should be decomposed or removed" or "bromate must not remain" in the Japanese guideline is intended to mean that bromate cannot be detected when measured by the most sensitive analysis at the time of the measurement, i.e., that bromate is below the detection limit. In view of this limitation, the inventors of the present invention have attempted to incorporate ferrous sulfate in the step of preparing a dough using potassium bromate and have succeeded in reducing residual bromate in bakery products to less than 3 ppb, a non-detectable level as measured by their developed ultra-sensitive HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) analysis with a detection limit of 3 ppb for bromate in the baked breads (see, e.g., Japanese Patent No. 3131898).
However, the term "free from residual bromate" or "prevention of residual bromate" as used herein is intended to mean that bromate does not remain in an amount greater than 1 ppb, the "detection limit for bromate" as measured by further improved state-of-the-art HPLC analysis at the filing of the present invention.
However, the above conventional techniques neither confirm their efficacy for complete removal or significant reduction of residual bromate in breads, nor disclose the incorporation of potassium bromate as an aqueous solution. Further, in these conventional techniques, ferrous sulfate is incorporated in an amount of 50 ppm to 370 ppm based on total wheat flour required to prepare a dough, which amount significantly exceeds the range acceptable for the breads of the present invention to maintain the loaf volume, flavor and taste of breads.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A soft tip applicator attaches to a syringe for spreading expressed liquid from the syringe onto a surface, such as skin. A detachable hollow microneedle assembly supports transdermal injection of syringe contents.

In 1952, French doctor Michel Pistor developed the treatment method known as mesotherapy that is now widely practiced worldwide.
The treatment method involves injecting a small amount of the therapeutic agent into the skin layer and the subcutaneous layer using a special motorized injection device and a microinjection needle or needle array.
Mesotherapy has been used in the treatment of acute and chronic pain, partial obesity, and to improve the appearance of skin wrinkles and skin aging. Its effect is immediate, there is only mild discomfort in the treatment, and there are few side effects.
In comparison to mesotherapy devices, injecting medicaments into the skin with a single needle connected to a manual thumb pressure plunger type syringe takes much longer, is more painful and quickly results in operator fatigue.
In current mesotherapy devices, a meso gun or an injection gun is used as a means for automatically injecting a chemical liquid. However, it is necessary to change needle array cartridges to adjust the depth of penetration into the skin as each cartridge has needles with a fixed length/depth in these meso gun devices.
An adaptation of a syringe-connectable applicator for skin surface treatments, as shown in U.S. patent Ser. No. 10/441,763, may be effective and useful in administration of mesotherapy treatments without a complex injection gun.
The applicator is combined with a hollow microneedle injection apparatus to provide percutaneous delivery of bioactive agents, such as medicines or cosmetics, to the skin. The applicator is detachable from the microneedle injection apparatus and allows the user to apply treatment liquid coincident with hollow microneedle injection.
The entire assembly of cannula, connector, applicator, and its connection to the syringe must have a continuous lumen so liquid can be expressed from the syringe, into the injection apparatus, and out through the lumens of needles in the array. As most syringes incorporate a standard luer lock, an embodiment of the applicator incorporates a standard luer lock connection.

Sterile applicator assembly with hollow microneedle array


The disclosure relates to rendering content on a display. An embodiment creates a plurality of sessions between the display and a content delineating device, determines, by the content delineating device, a sensitivity level of content, and renders content having a first sensitivity level in a first session and content having a second sensitivity level in a second session.

An always-on display screen may display both private and non-private information. A user must take proactive steps to prevent others from seeing private information on the screen. For example, a user may tilt the screen away from others, dim the screen, reduce the font size, reduce the window size, move to a private area, use an externally mounted polarizing filter, etc., or simply not view private information when others are around.
An electronic reader is an example of an always-on device that displays private and non-private information. For example, certain electronic readers allow users to access their email (potentially private information), which can then be read by anyone that can view the screen.
Further, the content source of the information may not be aware of the privacy rules or capabilities of the display, or have any meaningful way to ensure that the user is viewing private information privately. As such, the source may have to prevent the private information from being displayed on certain types of devices.
There is needed a mechanism whereby an application can configure the display such that content is displayed appropriately.

Content-driven screen polarization with application sessions


A method for preparing carbon materials having high surface area and high macropore volume to provide high permeability. These carbon materials are prepared by dissolving a carbonizable polymer precursor, in a solvent. The solution is cooled to form a gel. The solvent is extracted from the gel by employing a non-solvent for the polymer. The non-solvent is removed by critical point drying in CO.sub.2 at an elevated pressure and temperature or evaporation in a vacuum oven. The dried product is heated in an inert atmosphere in a first heating step to a first temperature and maintained there for a time sufficient to substantially cross-link the polymer material. The cross-linked polymer material is then carbonized in an inert atmosphere.

This invention pertains generally to carbon having a high surface area and particularly to monolithic carbon having a high microporosity and a high macropore volume resulting in high fluid permeability.
Porous carbon has been found to be useful in applications where high surface area (>500 m.sup.2 /g) is particularly desirable, among these being: battery and supercapacitor electrodes; as media for separating and purifying liquids and gases and recovery and storage of gases. Conventional high surface area carbon is generally a particulate material having particle sizes in the range of about 15 .mu.m to 5 mm. For separations processes, this particulate carbon material is often packed into beds or columns through which a liquid or gas flows. The efficiency of particulate powder beds is reduced by the fact that particles cannot be packed to 100% of their theoretical density; there will always be some space between particles and the efficiency of the particulate bed is reduced by the interstitial spaces between the particles. Further, these spaces provide a means whereby the process fluid can flow through the bed without effectively contacting all the carbon particles. Fluids passed through columns or beds packed with carbon powder can become contaminated with small carbon particles eluted from the column or bed and entrained in the fluid.
When used as an electrode, particulate, porous carbon material is mixed with a binder and the mixture pressed into an appropriate shape. The internal resistance of carbon powder electrodes is dependent upon the extent and quality of particle-to-particle contact. As the quality and extent of these contacts decreases the internal resistance of the electrode increases which in turn degrades the performance of the electrode. Binders, generally being of higher resistance than the carbon particles they surround, will also increase the particle-to-particle resistance thereby degrading the performance of the electrodes.
It has been recognized that one way to overcome the problems associated with porous carbon powders is to develop carbon materials in the form of a continuous, monolithic structure and prepared in such a way so as to possess the desirable properties of high surface area and low electrical resistance. As illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,260,855; 5,021,462; 5,208,003; 4,832,881; 4,806,290 and 4,775,655 carbon foams, aerogels and microcellular carbons have been developed which overcome many of the problems associated with porous carbon powders used for separations or electrodes, supra. Many of these carbons either have most of their porosity in the micropore (<2 nm) or mesopore (2-50 nm) size range and, consequently, have low permeability to liquids and gases but have surface areas that are generally on the order of several hundred m.sup.2 /g. Other carbons possess significant macroporosity (0.1-1 .mu.m) and thus have increased permeability to liquids or gases but with surface areas that are typically very low (10-100 m.sup.2 /g). These carbons must be treated in some way in order to increase the surface area.
A composite, semipermeable membrane comprising a microporous adsorptive material supported on a porous substrate for use in separating multicomponent gas mixtures has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,864. However, here, as in other methods of separating gaseous mixtures employing carbon, an activation step is required in order to increase permeability and selectivity of the carbon membrane.
In order to prepare high surface area carbons some sort of treatment is generally required to enhance the pore structure of the carbon. This step, generally termed activation, comprises heating the carbon in an oxidizing atmosphere such as air or steam. For many applications it is desirable that the porosity be tailored. In the case of adsorption of gases, it is known that pore size is a critical parameter of the adsorption process, i.e., the pore size should closely approximate the size of the gas molecule to be adsorbed. Thus, for greater adsorption of gases above their critical temperature the adsorbent should be microporous rather than macroporous. However, conventional methods of activating carbon are not pore-size specific. The use of oxidizing agents such as steam or heating the carbon in the presence of an oxidizing agent such as air increases both the macro as well as the microporosity of the carbon. The relationship between pore size distribution and the absorptive properties of carbons as well as a critique of activation methods is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,820. As pointed out therein the activation process can require many cycles before the desired pore size distribution is achieved. Which, while the activation process is necessary for many applications, makes it very unattractive because of the long times required for the process to be accomplished.
As discussed earlier, a class of carbons, namely carbon foams, aerogels and microcellular carbons has been developed which overcomes many of the problems associated with carbon powders used for separations or electrodes processes. However, these carbons are typically derived from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) or PAN-based polymers and as such require a special processing scheme, namely a pretreatment or "preoxidation" step wherein the PAN polymer precursor material is carefully heated in an oxygen containing atmosphere, typically air, in order to stabilize the precursor material prior to the pyrolization step. Without this pretreatment or "preoxidation" step, carbonization of the PAN or PAN-based precursor material occurs with significant degradation of the polymeric material leading to low molecular weight fragments being formed in preference to carbon with a consequent low carbon yield. Because the pretreatment step is quite exothermic, failure to carry out the pretreatment step without careful control of processing conditions can lead to the PAN or PAN-based polymer precursor becoming so hot it may fuse, decompose or burn. While PAN or PAN-based polymers can produce monolithic carbon having desirable properties, the necessity for a carefully controlled pretreatment step prior to carbonization is a significant economic detriment to this method of preparing carbon for electrodes or separations processes.
For the reasons set forth above, there has been a particular need to develop a carbon material that has a monolithic structure, the high macropore volume associated with high permeability for fluids and a high surface area composed principally of microporosity, a tailored pore size distribution, and does not require either a carefully controlled pretreatment process in an oxidizing atmosphere to prepare the carbon material or an uncontrollable activation process to achieve high surface area. Responsive to these needs, a novel processing method has been developed for producing porous carbon materials for uses such as, but not limited to, electrodes for batteries and supercapacitors, for separating and purifying fluids and recovering and storing gases. Polymer precursor materials processed in accordance with the present invention can yield porous monolithic carbon materials which possess both high permeability (high macropore volume) and high surface area, wherein the high surface area is the result of microporosity (pores <2 nm in diameter), without the use of an activation step.

Method for the preparation of high surface area high permeability carbons


The present invention provides novel block copolycarbonates comprising residues from a hydroxy terminated polyetherimide or polyimide, residues from a dihydroxy compound, and residues from an activated carbonate. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the polyetherimide or polyimide blocks exhibit high Mw while the resulting block copolycarbonate exhibits a single Tg. The novel block copolycarbonates of the present invention are produced under melt polymerization conditions in the presence an activated carbonate source.

Block copolymers of polycarbonates including segments of other polymers have been known, see for example, Goldberg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,335, Adelmann, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,922, and Behnke et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,839 which disclose block copolymers of bisphenol-A carbonates including segments derived from polyalkylene glycols. In Schreckenberg et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,437, the polyalkylene glycols are advantageously end-functionalized, e.g., with diphenol carbonates. Such block copolymers are useful per se as film formers and shaped articles because of toughness conferred on the polycarbonates by the segments of other polymers. The block copolymers can also be blended with polycarbonate resins, and a whole host of other thermoplastic addition and condensation polymers to provide thermoplastic addition and condensation polymers to provide thermoplastic molding compositions showing markedly improved resilience properties compared with the unblended resins.
A highly useful family of heat resistant thermoplastic polymers is comprised of polyetherimide resins made by reacting a bis ether anhydride and an aromatic diamine. See, for example, Heath and Wirth, U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,867, who discloses the reaction product of 2,2-bis[4-2,3-dicarboxyphenoxy phenyl]propane dianhydride (BPA-DA) and metaphenylene diamine. The linear polymer is terminated with amino groups, and has a very high molecular weight and high melting point (Tg, typically=216° C.). Such a material cannot be readily blended with aromatic polycarbonate, because mixtures with two Tg's are obtained, one for the polyetherimide resin, and one for the polycarbonate. Furthermore, because of the amino terminal groups, polyetherimides cannot be successfully used as blocks in copolymers with aromatic polycarbonate segments, as is done with polyethers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,048 discloses a method for preparing low molecular weight polyetherimides which are end functionalized with hydroxyl groups. When such polyetherimides are reacted with a polyhydric phenol and a carbonate precursor, there is surprisingly obtained a block copolymer which exhibits only one glass transition temperature Tg. Such low molecular weight polyetherimide copolymers also exhibit a high intrinsic viscosity, making them useful as engineering thermoplastics, and they are surprisingly compatible with other resins making available a number of new molding compositions.
An interfacial process for making the aforementioned low molecular weight polyetherimide block copolycarbonate was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,977. This process disclosed the formulation and isolation of the polyetherimide oligomer prior to its copolymerization with polycarbonate. Several disadvantages are associated with this method including the excessive number of steps required to produce the block copolycarbonate as well as the excessive number of pieces of process equipment required to produce the same. Further, the interfacial process of making the block copolycarbonate is believed to cause uneven distribution of the blocks within the copolymer due to slow reaction rates and or different reactivities of the dihydroxy and the polyetherimide oligomer. Such uneven distribution required that the polyetherimide blocks be kept at a low molecular weight to promote randomness of the blocks within the copolycarbonate and to promote a single Tg or a one phase system of the resulting copolycarbonate. It would be advantageous to find a process that provided a copolycarbonate wherein the copolycarbonate had polyetherimide blocks with high molecular weight while maintaining a single phase for the resulting copolycarbonate.


A generally conically-shaped collapsible grain chute removably affixed to the bulk seed distributor of an agricultural planter to provide an effective and efficient apparatus for emptying the bulk seed bin. The chute may include a cinch cord to selectively open and close the chute to control the flow of seed therethrough.

In general terms, the instant invention relates to an agricultural seed planter, and more particularly to a grain chute for attachment the bulk seed assembly distributor of a seed planter to improve the cleanout process when either changing the variety of seed being planted or prior to seasonal storage of the unit.
By and large, modern agricultural seed planters employ a plurality row dispensing bins, each of which has an associated metering device for applying preselected quantities of the seed to the land. These individual bins generally have limited storage capacity, for example one to three bushels, and therefore require frequent refilling. To avoid the lost time and excess fuel usage associated with frequent refilling, apparatus was developed using a central bulk supply of seed carried by the frame of the planter so that the dispensing bins can be resupplied with seed during operation in the field. A seed distribution system in which grain is conveyed from a main hopper can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,473. This system utilizes a single main hopper which dispenses seed to a plurality of individual or mini-hoppers that each, in turn, supply seed to an individual row planting mechanism. The seed is fed from the main hopper into each mini-hopper by entraining it in an air stream contained in separate, individual transfer hoses that are connected between the main tank and each of the individual mini-hoppers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,706 illustrates another seed planting system that also utilizes a central storage hopper for supplying a plurality of smaller, satellite hoppers via a plurality of individual hoses or tubes running from the central hopper to each of the individual satellite, row hoppers. Thus, while the systems of the '473 and '706 patents provide for the maintenance of seed supply quantities in the row hoppers during seeding operations, they also require the incorporation of a large number of separate seed transport tubes in those systems where multiple, mini-hoppers are present.
The '473 and '706 patents are merely illustrative of the general type of seeder relevant to the instant invention. There are many improvements or alternative arrangements available today on the market, but all "air seeders" generally work on the same or similar principles. A bulk storage bin, supported by the planter frame, feeds seed via gravity into a manifold-like distributor, located below the storage bin, where the seeds are air pushed into a multiplicity of outlets through individual hoses to the satellite hoppers. In some instances, more than one bulk storage bin, most often two, is used, each feeding a separate portion or section of the mini-hoppers.
Some difficulties and shortcomings have been identified in the field operation of systems such as described above, particularly when the bulk storage bins are to be emptied for end of the season storage or when making a change in the type or variety of seed being planted. To completely empty the bulk storage bin the operator must either remove the distributor or the bottom enclosure cover thereof and catch the extra grain in a sack or sacks. This is a somewhat difficult task in that the sack may become full, requiring quick replacement, or may have an inadequately small opening, allowing seed to miss the sack and fall directly on the ground.
It would be quite advantageous to have a means for fully and conveniently emptying the bulk bins of a seed planter without losing expensive seed or creating an over planted area in the field.


Response time jitter for high priority commands in a multimedia datastreaming system is bounded by issuing only non-blocking I/Os and by limiting the number of concurrent SCSI bus commands. A device driver in the system bounds the maximum time a VCR command must wait after it is released from a VCR queue by limiting the number of I/Os on the bus to a predetermined number functionally related to the magnitude of jitter permitted in the deterministic response requirement, and the time required for each data I/O to be issued to the decoder card. The number is such that the I/Os may issue within the jitter time with enough time remaining for issuance of a high priority VCR I/O. By limiting the I/Os to a predetermined number, the I/Os issued are constrained to be non-blocking to avoid hanging the I/O scheduler when a deterministic hhigh priority command arrives. A consequence of allowing only a limited predetermined number of I/Os is that all I/Os issued must be non-blocking to avoid the scheduler hanging at a time when a deterministic command arrives. Accordingly, the driver tracks the state of each decoder card and, in particular, the number of free buffers which can accept input data. The driver thereby ensures that the decoder card will not block before issuing a write I/O.

In the multimedia field and other related fields involving digitized data streams, including video content and the like for example, a user or application may desire to control the media streams in some fashion. As but one example, in video-on-demand systems, a user may desire to be able to issue commands from a network PC or "set-top box" to control playback of a selected movie title reposing at an audio/video server. Such control perhaps may desirably take the familiar form of conventional VCR transport commands, such as play, pause, stop, and record.
In yet another example in the broadcast industry, a TV studio may require the capability of transmitting a plurality of channels of video content and to interpose commercials at prescribed intervals. In such an application, user commands from a programming manager or automatic commands originating from pre-programmed user input in a program executing on an application server may, in like manner to the video-on-demand system VCR commands, be desired to facilitate the playback occurring at the appropriate desired times.
In prior such systems, it was conventional to be content with accepting non-deterministic response times for such commands. In other words, one might desire a command to be executed no later than perhaps one second after its issuance, however there was no assurance that this would happen.
Although this deficiency alone of simply not being able to count on VCR commands executing at a certain time is unacceptable in many applications, in some applications this problem is often exacerbated and compounded in a way not readily apparent. Continuing with the television studio example, it is a characteristic of the industry to reserve very precise timeslots or windows in which certain content is to air, such as station breaks and ids and commercials of predetermined lengths.
Due to network constraints and the like, it is completely unacceptable only to know that a command for example to "Play" will occur before n milliseconds so that it is assured of occurring on or slightly before the hour.
Rather, it may be highly desirable to provide for both a lower bound as well as an upper bound so the station may satisfy commercial customers and maintain precise scheduling of program content and commercials. Commercial airtime is notoriously extremely expensive and often can be valued in the thousands of dollars per second. Inadvertent clipping of commercials or program time can result in irate sponsors, and expensive "make goods" being offered to the customer, not to mention irate viewers who have had the beginning of their favorite show "walked on" by an ill-timed commercial. Thus, some mechanism would be desirable to ensure that VCR commands would execute within a known, deterministic range or window of, for example, 900 milliseconds-1100 milliseconds.
In such multimedia systems, it is also conventional to handle multiple output data streams. Accordingly, it is also conventional to provide in such systems a plurality of output video decoders. Yet an additional serious problem which arises in such systems relative to these decoders is that in such conventional systems, decoders essentially compete for the same resourcees while possibly running at different rates. In such a case, instances frequently arise in which some of the cards may get starved by other cards wherein they esssentially have no data stream data to output. This obviously severely impacts the throughput of the entire system. Accordingly, it further would be desirable to provide an efficient mechanism for minimizing the chances of starvation of such decoders.
Still another problem arises in conventional implementations of multimedia systems. Typically in such systems a bus protocol is provided, interfacing between various output decoder cards and the data stream system. A representative such bus is the familiar small computer system interface or "SCSI" bus. Such buses have traditionally been "unfair" in the sense that they exhibit the undesirable property that devices with high SCSI priorities can monopolize the bus when bus utilization becomes high. This contention from the SCSI bus seriously impacts the ability to schedule I/O commands in an optimal sequence. Accordingly, mechanisms were also sorely needed for enforcing bus fairness in such multimedia systems.

System and method for bounding response time jitter for high priority commands in a multimedia datastreaming system

International Business Machines Corporation


A curb vent stack plunger for clearing sewer drains includes an elongated pole. A first substantially circularly shaped rubberized disc is located adjacent the bottom end of the pole and lies in a first plane perpendicular to the axis of the pole. A second substantially circularly shaped rubberized disc is secured to the pole at a distance spaced upwardly from the bottom end. The second disc lies in a second plane perpendicular to the pole axis but parallel to the first disc. A soft rubberlike semi-spherically shaped bumper is secured to the remote bottom end of the pole.

Sewerage from a house or business normally flows away from the property to a sewer main located in a street through a pipe generally referred to as a lateral. Occasionally the lateral backs up due to a blockage in the line between the house and the main. Various ways and means of freeing or clearing the blockages in the sewer lateral have been employed, but for the most part, they are attended by considerable time and expense.
One of the most common systems employed in the case of stoppage is to apply a high pressure source to the lateral by connecting a hose to a high pressure water main and extending the hose into the basement trap or into the vent pipe to flush or blow out the obstruction. If the stoppage is not too severe, this may sometimes be effective, but in the case of a more severe stoppage, the high pressure may pack or wedge the obstruction more firmly in the pipe.
Reaming or routing tools are also sometimes used. Such devices, however, are difficult to handle and operate. They are, therefore, used only by professionals which obviously increases the cost of having a sewer line cleared.
Located between the property and the main sewer line, in most cases, is a standpipe or riser. This is normally located adjacent the street curb and is commonly referred to as a curb vent. The curb vent is a vertical pipe that goes from the sewer lateral and extends upwardly to or above ground level. The curb vent allows for overflow in the event that there is a backup in the lateral between the curb vent and the house. This prevents the backup from going back into the house.
The curb vent also allows for access to the lateral. This may be necessary, for example, to clear the lateral by inserting a snake or rooter or the like either toward the house or toward the sewer main. It has also been known to insert a plunger down into the curb vent to clear a blockage. By quickly forcing the plunger down into the curb vent, the force of the moving water can frequently clear the blockage.
Known curb vent stack plungers are comprised of a long pole of an inch or so in diameter and about five or six feet long. A rubberized fabric disc having an outer diameter which is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the curb vent stack is secured to the bottom end of the pole. The disc functions as the plunger as the pole is forced downwardly into the curb vent.
While known curb vent plungers have been somewhat successful, they also suffer from a number of deficiencies. First, the outer edge of the disc can sometimes come out of contact with the wall of the curb vent stack. This can occur when the pole moves toward the wall and is not in axial alignment with the pipe, that is, when the pipe is maintained perfectly vertical. This makes the plunging action less effective and sometimes allows water and sewerage to splash upwardly and out of the top of the vent. Again, this occurs because the disc is not perpendicular to the vent stack and the compressed sewer water slips passed and up the bore usually spraying the user in the face.
Secondly, known curb plungers can damage the lateral. The disc is normally connected to the pipe with a bolt, with the head of the bolt becoming the lowermost part of the plunger. When the known curb plunger is forced downwardly, the bolt frequently strikes the bottom surface of the interior of the lateral. If enough force is applied, the lateral can break requiring costly repairs.
There is, therefore, a need for a curb vent stack plunger that is effective and that will not cause damage to the sewer lateral.


The invention relates to a system, in which applications are interconnected by means of a network. Text data can be output as speech data by at least one application. A service that is provided for converting the text data into speech output by at least two applications.

It is known practice to convert information which is available in the form of texts or numerical values into an audio signal for output in the form of speech. This is necessary, by way of example, if there is no possible way of outputting data visually, that is to say a screen or display is not available, but rather only a loudspeaker or a simple telephone. Speech output of numerical values is used by directory inquiries, for example, in order to notify the customer of the desired telephone number. To this end, the information which is to be output is first of all divided into information units which are as small as possible. Using a table or an algorithm, each in formation unit is converted into a syllable or into a sequence of syllables. The compiled succession of syllables is converted into an audio signal by an output unit. In the directory inquiries example, the speech signal produced is transmitted to the caller via the telephone network.
Another known example of the conversion of text into speech is the "e-mail to speech" function with which services for distributing electronic mail, "e-mail systems", are often equipped. In this case, an e-mail may be "read" from any telephone line by virtue of the user calling a specific line for the e-mail server. Following authentication, a service provided in the e-mail system converts the text of the e-mail into speech and "reads" the content of the e-mail aloud to the user. If the conversion involves analyzing the syntax—which is also referred to as "parsing"—then the service for creating the succession of syllables is also called a "parser". Unlike the service which is used for directory inquiries, the parser used in the e-mail system is more complex, because not just single digits are converted, but rather the full vocabulary of a natural language, and usually an intonation is produced in addition. In this case, the parsers often draw a distinction between different natural languages, that is to say have a different "pronunciation" for German, English, French etc. and may furthermore often even use either male or female speech patterns (speech samples) for output or else speech patterns recorded by the user himself beforehand. For the purpose of speech output, frequently also referred to as speech "synthesis", use is normally made of units which are equipped with specially programmed DSPs (DSP=Digital Signal Processor) or other components produced specifically for this purpose.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,051 B1 "System And Method For Speech Service Bureau" discloses a central service in a communication network for handling telephone calls automatically. In this case, the central service receives all of the relevant data for a telephone call which is to be held via a data interface, for example an XML interface. This central service then uses a communication installation to set up a voice connection to a telephone subscriber, and uses a speech output device ("T-T-S=Text-to-Speech Engine") to handle interactive communication with the telephone subscriber. Depending on the telephone number dialed, the central service is connected either to landline telephones or mobile telephones (and hence natural communicating parties) or else voice mail systems, telephone answering machines or similar machines which can be connected to a telephone line. In this case, the known method involves speech output always being effected in the form of an audio signal via a telephone line. The central service may be supplied with the data required for the next call via various paths, and therefore via different data interfaces. In this context, the known arrangement represents a "virtual call center", so to speak, which calls a customer for a particular use, for example for telephone banking, provides him with information by means of speech output and stores his keystrokes on the telephone.
The printed document WO 01/57851—Freeland et al., "Speech System", shows an arrangement for outputting a text message in the form of speech. The arrangement shown in this case allows speech output using a voice which is an approximation of the voice of a selected natural person. In this context, the voice profiles of known personalities are preferably provided for selection. For the purpose of speech output, a communication network is then used to transmit a text message to a centrally arranged service which converts the text message into synthetic speech and then outputs the speech on another, previously specified terminal in the communication network.
In the usual systems for speech output of text-based information, it has been found to be a drawback that each unit or each service needs to reserve its own respective devices, that is to say software and hardware, as special applications for speech output of text-based information for the purpose of synthesizing and outputting the speech data.

System for converting text data into speech output


A flexible printed circuit board assembly comprising a first flexible printed circuit board and a second flexible printed circuit board, wherein each of the first and second flexible printed circuit boards is provided with a position fixing coupling to determine the position of the second flexible printed circuit board relative to the first flexible printed circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to technology that facilitates the joining of flexible printed circuit boards using position fixing couplings integrally formed on the printed circuit boards.
2. Description of the Related Art
A device, such as a camera, uses a flexible printed circuit board as a circuit for controlling various electronic components in the camera. Flexible printed circuit boards joinable to other flexible printed circuit boards are known. For that purpose, there are provided a plurality of terminals on the flexible printed circuit boards.
In this case, in the joining of flexible printed circuit boards, the boards must be positioned so that the corresponding terminals line up correctly, and then the flexible printed circuit boards are connected by soldering.
However, conventional flexible printed circuit boards are not provided with couplings for positioning formed on the flexible printed circuit boards. Therefore, fixing the positions of two conventional flexible printed circuit boards when joining them is left in the hands of skilled professionals who perform the soldering. More concretely, when two flexible printed circuit boards are joined, a skilled professional must subtly adjust the position of the flexible printed circuit boards so that the terminals on respective flexible printed circuit boards come into contact with each other, and must also hold the two flexible printed circuit boards in the hands until the soldering operation is finished. This sequence of operations is labor intensive, and the precision of the positioning is not high. In particular, in cases where soldering is required in a location on the flexible printed circuit boards where it is difficult to perform soldering and positioning, the above-mentioned drawbacks are most noticeable.
In addition, due to restrictions in the workplace and the workspace, there are many cases where the circuit boards must be installed in the camera or other device after the actual soldering of the terminals to join the flexible printed circuit boards has already been performed. This also causes constraints in the assembling and installing operations.

Two dimensional coupling for flexible printed circuit boards


A speech-processing system receives input data representing text. A first encoder processes segments of the text to determine embedding data representing the text, and a second encoder processes corresponding audio data to determine prosodic data corresponding to the text. The embedding and prosodic data is processed to create output data including a representation of speech corresponding to the text and prosody.

A speech-processing system includes a speech-synthesis component for processing input data, such as text data, to determine output data that includes a representation of synthetic speech corresponding to the text data. The synthetic speech includes variations in prosody, such as variations in speech rate, emphasis, timbre, or pitch. The prosody of the speech may be learned by processing training audio data and then determined by processing the text data.


There is provided a stereoscopic image forming apparatus which can reduce the image memory capacity and the time required for synthesizing a three-dimensional striped image. A three-dimensional image is synthesized such that pixels of the same coordinates in respective images of a multiple viewpoint image sequence of the subject viewed from a plurality of viewpoints are arranged as adjacent pixels in accordance with the arrangement of the viewpoints of the images based on the acquired subject image and an acquired parallax map corresponding thereto. Pixels values of the subject image corresponding to the respective pixels of the three-dimensional image are found according to a parallax deviation derived from the corresponding parallax map and are written into the respective pixels of the three-dimensional image. The synthesized three-dimensional image is outputted, whereby a stereoscopic image can be observed through an optical member having a cyclic structure superposed on the outputted image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image forming apparatus, stereoscopic image forming method, stereoscopic image forming system and stereoscopic image forming program that can be suitably applied to formation of a stereoscopic image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the integral photography and the three-dimensional lenticular sheet image system are known as methods for forming a stereoscopic image (Okoshi, T. 1976, "Three-dimensional imaging techniques", New York: Academic Press).
Such stereoscopic image forming methods are based on the photography. For example, in the method using the three-dimensional lenticular sheet image system, a three-dimensional lenticular sheet image is formed by shooting a subject from a plurality of different viewpoints to acquire respective images and printing these images on one photographic plate through a lenticular sheet. The conventional stereoscopic image forming method has the following disadvantages (1) to (3):
(1) An elaborate and large-scale shooting apparatus such as a multi-lens camera is required since images of a subject shot from multiple viewpoints are required;
(2) Similarly, an elaborate, large-scale printing apparatus is required for forming a stereoscopic image; and
(3) Specific adjustment and skill are required in shooting and printing even with the use of those elaborate, large-scale shooting and printing apparatuses.
To overcome the above disadvantages, a method has been proposed which comprises shooting a subject from two viewpoints at the right and left by a camera to which is mounted a stereophotographing adapter to acquire a pair of stereo images, and synthesizing a stereoscopic image from the pair of stereo images through electronic interpolation. This method, however, has a problem of requiring the stereophotographing adapter not required by normal shooting.
It is therefore ideal to acquire multiple viewpoint images from one image to form a stereoscopic image. An example of this method to obtain multiple viewpoint images from one image would comprise cutting out a subject region from the background in an image, and displacing a background image and a subject image by a predetermined parallax to synthesize a stereoscopic image when multiple viewpoint images are generated so that a user can feel as if the cutout subject region were coming up close when viewing the image with the lenticular sheet superposed on the image.
However, an apparatus that implements the above conventional method requires a large image memory capacity because multiple viewpoint images are temporarily generated from one image and thereafter a three-dimensional striped image is synthesized. Moreover, much time is required to synthesize the stereoscopic image, which must be reduced.

Stereoscopic image forming apparatus, stereoscopic image forming method, stereoscopic image forming system and stereoscopic image forming program


The present invention relates generally to a head-mounted projection display, and more particularly, but not exclusively to a polarized head-mounted projection display including a light engine and a compact, high-performance projection lens for use with reflective microdisplays.

The head mounted projection display (HMPD), as an alternative to the conventional eyepiece-based head mounted display (HMD), has attracted much interest in recent years, because it offers the ability to design a wide field of view (FOV), low distortion and ergonomically compact optical see-through head mounted display (OST-HMD). Like most OST-HMDs, however, one of the limiting factors for the HMPD technology is its low image brightness and contrast, which limits the feasibility to apply such information to outdoor or well-lit indoor environments such as operating rooms. Due to the multiple beamsplitting through a beamsplitter and low retroreflectivity of typical retroreflective materials, the overall efficiency of a HMPD is around 4%. For instance, with a miniature backlit active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) as the image source, the luminance of the observed image is estimated to be 4 cd/m2, while the average luminance of a well-lit indoor environment is over 100 cd/m2. As a result, the low-brightness image of HMPDs will appear washed out in such well-lit environments. In fact, most optical see-through HMDs, including HMPD, are typically operated under a dimmed lighting condition.
To address this problem, a polarized head-mounted projection display (p-HMPD) was proposed (H. Hua and C. Gao, "A polarized head-mounted projective displays," Proceedings of 2005 IEEE and ACM International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality, pp. 32-35, October 2005) and a prototype based on a pair of transmissive AMLCDs was designed recently (H. Hua, C. Gao "Design of a bright polarized head-mounted projection display" Applied Optics, Vol. 46, Issue 14, pp. 2600-2610, May 2007). A pair of 1.3″ color AMLCDs was used as the image sources which have a resolution of (640*3)*480 pixels. 1.4″ Alphalight™ RGB LED panels (Teledyne Inc., Los Angeles, Calif.) were used as the backlighting sources. By carefully manipulating the polarization states of the light propagating through the system, a p-HMPD can potentially be three times brighter than a traditional non-polarized HMPD design using the same microdisplay technologies. A schematic design of a monocular p-HMPD configuration is illustrated in FIG. 1.
The image on the LCD display is projected through the projection lens, forming a real intermediate image. The light from the LCD is manipulated to be S-polarized so that its polarization direction is matched with the high-reflection axis of the polarized beamsplitter (PBS). After the projected light is reflected by the PBS, it is retroreflected back to the same PBS by a retroreflective screen. The depolarization effect by the retroreflective screen is less than 10% within ±20 degrees and is less than 20% up to ±30 degrees. As a result, the retroreflected light remains dominantly the same polarization as its incidence light. In order to achieve high transmission through the PBS after the light is retroreflected back, a quarter-wave retarder is placed between the PBS and the retroreflective screen. By passing through the quarter wave retarder twice, the incident S-polarized light is converted to P-polarization and transmits through the PBS with high efficiency. Thus the projected image from the microdisplay can be then observed at the exit pupil of the system where the eye is placed.
However, since a transmissive LCD microdisplay has a low transmission efficiency of around 5%, the overall performance of the first p-HMPD prototype is still unsatisfactory in a well-lit environment. Furthermore, owing to its inherent low pixel fill factor, a transmissive AMLCD microdisplay typically has a relatively low resolution. Accordingly, it would be an advance in the field of head-mounted projection displays to provide a head-mounted projection display which has higher luminance while maintaining high contrast.

Head-mounted projection display using reflective microdisplays

ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA


A sailing accessory for selectively receiving and holding personal accessories of a user and providing convenient access to the accessories for a helmsman. The sailing accessory includes a top member and a bottom member. The top member includes a slot which extends therethrough. The slot is designed for receiving a top portion of a pedestal guard. The top member defines a work surface. The bottom member is operationally coupled to the top member. The bottom member includes a front edge designed for abutting a back side of the pedestal guard.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cockpit tables and organizers and more particularly pertains to a new sailing accessory for providing safe, convenient, and unobtrusive storage and mounting locations for various equipments to be accessed by the helmsman while underway.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of cockpit tables and organizers is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,162 describes an expandable table, which may be clamped to a pedestal guard opposite of the wheel. This arrangement severely inhibits the access to the table by the helmsman. Another type of cockpit table is U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,859 having a offset support for pivoting the table out of the way to allow passage through the cockpit. While this table is particularly useful when not actively underway, it inhibits normal crew activity while sailing.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a system which allows convenient safe access to various equipments by the helmsman without distracting the helmsman from his primary duties.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a work surface which will hold personal accessories and beverages for the helmsman while the craft pitches and rolls.


The present disclosure relates to the field of background estimation in a time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter (ADC). More specifically, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for background estimation of offset and gain errors in a time-interleaved ADC based on sample count. The error estimation unit of the time-interleaved ADC system includes a counting unit, a subtractor and an integrator. The method for estimating an offset error in a time-interleaved ADC includes determining signs of the signals and outputting corresponding values by the counting unit. The values are further compared and integrated to estimate the offset error. The method for estimating a gain error in a time-interleaved ADC includes determining the absolute values of the signals and comparing the absolute values with a predetermined threshold value. The comparison results are further integrated to estimate the gain error.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to the field of background estimation in a time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter (ADC). More specifically, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for background estimation of offset and gain errors in a time-interleaved ADC based on sample count.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is an effective system to increase the sampling frequency of an ADC. A time-interleaved ADC system has a plurality of channels in parallel each one running at a different sampling rate from each other. Environmental variation creates mismatch between channels, which further causes a degradation of the signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SNDR). Offset and gain errors are two well-known errors in a time-interleaved ADC. Offset mismatch leads to a fixed pattern noise in the global ADC system, while the magnitude of the gain error is modulated by the input frequency (fin).
Classical estimation methods of offset and gain errors are based on the manipulation of the output code of the two channels to extract these errors. Classical cost functions needed to estimate offset and gain errors using operators, such as adders and multipliers, and an integrator to average out the signal and extract the error.
The channel output code size depends on the ADC resolution, and sometimes can be quite large (e.g. between −32768 and 32767 for a 16-bit ADC). This means that the cost function is made of very big operators with input signal size of 2res-1 (res is the ADC resolution), and an over-sized integrator with up to a few billion of low significant bit (LSB).
Therefore there is a need for a smaller sized and cost efficient system and method to offer better estimation of offset and gain errors in a time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter.

Systems and methods for estimation of offset and gain errors in a time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter


A method for improving pigmentation of the rind of anthocyanin-containing apples comprising treating fruit-bearing apple trees or apples before or after harvesting with an effective amount of an agent which comprises 5-aminolevulinic acid, a salt thereof or a mixture thereof as an active component.

The degree of pigmentation of the rind of apples is one of the very important quality requirements and it determines their market value. Improvement in the degree of pigmentation of apple rind has been an important subject for apple growers.
While the mechanism of action in pigmentation of apple rind has not yet been elucidated completely, it is known that sufficient exposure to sunlight leads to an improvement in pigmentation. In order to provide more sunlight, a practice widely followed is to lay a silvery sheet under the trees or to thin out the foliage. However, these methods of increasing the amount of sunlight exposure not only cost the growers a large amount of labor but produce insufficient effects. In addition, thinning the foliage decreases the vigor of the plant.
On the other hand, an approach for improving pigmentation of apple rind by using a chemical agent has also been made. However, a number of chemically synthesized agricultural chemicals, including agents for improving pigmentation of apples, have been revealed to have high toxicity or to remain and accumulate in the environment. For example, recently a permission to "Alar" (SADH) developed for that purpose was revoked on suspicion of carcinogenicity. Therefore, development of naturally occurring substances which have low toxicity and do not remain in the environment has attracted attention as a new direction to be taken in agricultural chemistry.

Method for improving pigmentation of rind of apple


In an image detection device comprising at least one column arrangement consisting of photo detector elements linearly arranged in a row, an image field will be swung alternately across the photo detector elements in both longitudinal directions of the column arrangement. For time-correct summing and output of the detector signals, the photo detector elements of one column arrangement will be connected with a TDI arrangement. The TDI arrangement features a switch arrangement comprising several switches as well as a memory unit containing several memory cells. By appropriate control of the switch arrangement, its switches will be set such that the detector signals generated in the photo detector elements by one and the same image field pixel will be integrated into one and the same memory cell of the memory unit.

This invention relates to an image detection device of the type comprising at least one column arrangement, consisting of a number of N photo detector elements linearly arranged in a row, for generating detector signals, and a TDI (time delay and integration) arrangement assigned to the photo detector elements for the time-corrected collection and output of the detector signals of an image field alternately swung across the photo detector elements, in both longitudinal directions relative to the column arrangement at the photo detector elements.
An image detection device of this type is known from DE-OS 42 31 401. The image detection device described therein operates according to the principle of scanning an image field by using a swing mirror to swing the image relative to the photo detector elements. By this means, the scene viewed will be successively mapped on to the photo detector elements.
This image detection device features at least one column arrangement complete with photo detector elements arranged in a row in image field swing direction, and a TDI (time delay and integration) arrangement. Whilst the image field is swung across the photo detector elements, a pixel within the image field--an image field section corresponding to the size of the photo detector element--will be successively mapped to the photo detector elements following each other within a row of the column arrangement, causing appropriate detector signals to be emitted. With the TDI arrangement, all detector signals belonging to one and the same image field pixel will be integrated by time-correct summing. The TDI arrangement is designed as a CCD structure which--in order to be able to detect detector signals whilst the swing mirror is swung back into its original position--takes the form of a loop. It is designed such that charges may be shifted in both longitudinal directions.
Due to the use of a CCD structure, however, an image detection device of this type will be very sensitive to radioactive radiation; here, radioactive radiation may cause permanent damage to the CCD structure, which may become evident in a deterioration of its noise behavior.


An apparatus and a method for detecting a burial site of human remains are disclosed. An air stream is drawn through an air intake conduit from locations near potential burial sites of human remains. The air stream is monitored by one or more chemical sensors to determine whether the air stream includes one or more indicator compounds selected from halogenated compounds, hydrocarbons, nitrogen-containing compounds, sulfur-containing compounds, acid/ester compounds, oxygen-containing compounds, and naphthalene-containing compounds. When it is determined that an indicator compound is present in the air stream, this indicates that a burial site of human remains is below or nearby. Each sensor may be in electrical communication with an indicator that signals when the sensor has detected the presence of the indicator compound in the air stream. In one form, the indicator compound is a halogenated compound and/or a hydrocarbon, and the presence of the halogenated compound and/or the hydrocarbon in the air stream indicates that a burial site of human remains is below or nearby.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a man-portable, chemical sensor capable of detecting clandestine burial sites of human remains and to a method for detecting clandestine burial sites of human remains.
2. Description of the Related Art
Locating clandestine graves, identification of victims (development of biological profiles from unidentified persons) and odor recognition (in locating and identifying individuals) are still very difficult, costly and time consuming tasks which impact law enforcement, intelligence and military operations around the world. The detection of buried human remains (which may have been buried in a clandestine act where human remains are buried in a hastily dug, shallow grave) is most often accomplished with the aid of manual probing techniques, ground-penetrating radar, or canines trained to detect human remains.
Manual probing is very inexpensive and is used to locate disturbed soil regions, but cannot confirm the presence of a corpse and can only be used in small areas. Ground-penetrating radar is usually expensive and also locates areas of disturbed soil. Under ideal conditions, and if the grave is very fresh, ground-penetrating radar can sometimes indicate the presence of a corpse, but radar can be easily fooled by objects in the environment (e.g., roots, stumps, rocks, debris, man-made objects, etc.) and requires a significant amount of training to interpret the signals indicative of clandestine graves. Canines that detect human remains, commonly referred to as cadaver dogs, have been minimally represented in the law enforcement canine population across the United States. For a variety of reasons, this canine detector specialty has not been given the attention that is afforded both the explosive and narcotic specialties. The current concern facing cadaver dog units is that training is inadequate since it is unknown to what odor signals the dogs respond to when alerting and the alerting may not completely be in response to odor. This jeopardizes search and seizure as well as probable cause rules currently established for search warrants and chain of custody. Many agencies usually employ a combination of these methods when searching for clandestine graves, mass graves or missing persons which also results in an increased cost, significant utilization of man-hours, logistic and time concerns.
In an article entitled "Decompositional Odor Analysis Database" in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, Vol. 49, No. 4, July 2004, Vass et al. reported a study in which the volatile and semivolatile compounds that migrate upward from human burials to the soil surface during decomposition were identified. The study sought to determine the chemical markers associated with odor of human decomposition, primarily aimed at legitimizing the training efforts of cadaver locating dogs. This study focused on human remains in graves of various depths and of various ages (fresh—15 years old) under a variety of environmental conditions. The results of this study has been a collection of different chemical compounds liberated from human decomposition in burial situations, of which only a fraction make it to the surface in a reproducible fashion regardless of the depth of burial and age of the grave.
However, there is still a need for a man-portable clandestine grave detector that will take the guess-work out of current methods using canines and ground-penetrating radar, which have historically been unreliable.


The flexible packaging (10) comprises a body (22) which has, at the outer side, at least one main face (26) which is formed at least partially by a flexible sheet (12). It comprises a reclosing strip (43) which is separate from the flexible sheet (12) and an adhesive (44) which can be reactivated by means of pressure and which is interposed between the outer surface of the flexible sheet (12) and the reclosing strip (43), the adhesive strength of the adhesive (44) to the surface of the reclosing strip (43) being greater than the adhesive strength of the adhesive (44) to the outer surface of the packaging sheet (12), the reclosing strip (43) and the packaging sheet (12) having identical structural features.

The present invention relates to a flexible packaging, of the type comprising a body which has, at the outer side, at least one main face which is formed at least partially by a flexible sheet.
The invention further relates to a method for producing a packaging of this type.
A large number of food products, such as powdered products, such as coffee and flour, or granular products, such as pasta and rice, are packaged in flexible packagings of the above-mentioned type. These packagings are formed from one or more welded sheets. They generally have at least one lower transverse welded seam which is arranged at the base of the body, an upper transverse welded seam which is initially arranged at the upper end of the body, and a longitudinal welded seam. In order to remove the products contained in the packaging, the upper welded seam is completely or partially broken or the upper end of the packaging is completely or partially detached. The open packaging constitutes a pocket which can be accessed from the upper end which forms a neck which delimits a passage for access to the pocket interior.
After the upper transverse welded seam has been partially removed, broken or cut, it is difficult to keep the neck closed in order to prevent the products remaining inside the pocket from spilling out.
In order to keep packagings of this type closed, it has been proposed that an adhesive strip be provided which is attached to the body and one end of which is permanently sealed to the outer face of the body of the packaging, and the other end of which can be adhesively bonded to the opposing face of the body of the packaging after the neck has been folded over on itself, thus keeping the neck compressed between the body of the packaging. An adhesive strip of this type has different properties to those of the sheet and the positioning thereof is a complex operation.
Metal tabs which are attached to the end of the neck are also known, these metal tabs comprising, at one side and the other, extensions which are plastically deformable and which allow the extensions of the tab to be folded down at one side and the other of the neck in order to retain the neck in the rolled position thereof after the neck has been rolled over on itself.
The means for retaining the rolled-over portion of the neck in order to allow the packaging to be reclosed in a secure manner are relatively costly to implement since they require external elements to be attached to the packaging.

Amcor Flexibles Europe, Danish Corporation


A facility is provided for correcting fixed column noise that may appear in a fingerprint image acquired from a capacitive fingerprint sensor. In particular, corrective gain and offset values are determined for each column of pixel signals generated by the sensor and are applied to such signals to greatly diminish the fixed column noise that may be present in that column.

A fingerprint acquisition system acquires an image of a fingerprint that is in contact with an imaging sensor. Such a sensor could be, for example, a CMOS chip comprising, inter alia, a 2-D pixel array, in which each pixel includes a metal plate having a capacitance that changes when the tip of a finger is in close close proximity to the plate. The small ridges and valleys on the finger tip making contact with the surface of the CMOS chip form variations in capacitance across the chip that can be measured using a known current source to remove a fixed amount of charge from each capacitive plate over a predetermined interval of time. The resulting voltage (pixel signals) outputted by the sensor is then used to form an image of the fingerprint.
There are a number of different ways of outputting the values of the pixel signals from the 2-D pixel array. One way of outputting such pixel values is to read out each row of the array in turn starting from the first row using a so-called column-parallel architecture known in the art to access each row of elements 12. In such an architecture, each column requires its own read-out circuit, which allows each element 12 to be accessed at a line rate rather than at a higher pixel rate. In the ideal case, each column read-out circuit would be identical, i.e., matched. However, due to variations in the processes used to manufacture the fingerprint sensor, the column read-out circuits are not perfectly matched.
Disadvantageously, images produced by such a sensor suffer from fixed column noise, which introduces substantial spatial correlations into the image. This problem may confuse subsequent processing designed to extract relevant features for verification purposes.

Apparatus for correcting fixed column noise in images acquired by a fingerprint sensor


The embodiments described herein provide devices and methods to facilitate ripple control communication. Specifically, the embodiments provide devices and methods for decoding ripple control data from ripple signals, such as ripple signals that have been superimposed over power signals used to transmit power. These embodiments provide devices and methods that use band-pass filter, signal multiplier, fast and slow low-pass filters, and accumulate a difference between outputs of these slow and fast low-pass filters. This accumulated difference is then used to decode the ripple control data.

Ripple control communication is based on superimposing a higher frequency signal, commonly called a ripple signal, onto a lower frequency power signal. For example, ripple control communication is commonly used to transmit data over power lines that are otherwise used to deliver power to homes and businesses. In such a system, the power signals transmitted over the power lines typically have a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz. Ripple control communication can be implemented by superimposing ripple signals having a frequency between 150 Hz and 1600 Hz on these power signals. In a typical implementation the ripple signals would also have significantly smaller amplitude compared to the power signals.
So implemented, ripple control communication can provide a variety of functions. For example, ripple control communication can be implemented to provide communication to and from electric meters used to monitor power usage. In such an implementation the ripple control communication can be used to deliver time of use information, thus facilitating the application of different rates to different times of use. As another example, the ripple control communication can be used to communicate to certain appliances. In this application the communication to appliances can be used to selectively turn on or off the appliances. For example, appliances such as electric water heaters can be selectively turned on and off using ripple control communication as a way for electric utilities to provide load balancing on the power deliver network.
One issue with ripple control communication is the receiving and decoding of data from the superimposed ripple signals. For example, because of the varying distances typically involved, the amplitude of the ripple signals received can vary greatly. Additionally, the frequency of the superimposed ripple signal can periodically vary or otherwise can change over time. Such changes in amplitude can result in the need to periodically recalibrate the ripple control receivers. For example, previous techniques for receiving and decoding data from ripple signals have used static thresholds that require significant calibration. Unfortunately, such calibration may be time consuming and difficult to reliably achieve without input from the user, and thus can lead to reduced data transmission reliability. Thus, what is needed is improved techniques for decoding of data from ripple signals with reduced requirements for calibration and user input.

Systems and methods for ripple communication decoding


A segmented air filtration element is provided. The segmented air filtration element includes a center tube defining a central axis and an inner passage therein. The center tube includes a plurality of ribs extending along the central axis and spaced apart from one another. A plurality of segmenting surfaces is attached to the center tube in a radial arrangement with respect to the central axis. The plurality of segmenting surfaces is configured to accommodate a plurality of filter media therebetween such that each of the plurality of filter media is selectively replaceable therefrom.

Air flow in an engine system may contain entrained particulate material therein. This particulate material if not removed, may cause substantial damage to components of the engine system. An air filtration assembly may be provided in association with the engine system to remove the particulate material from the air flow upstream of the components of the engine system. A variety of the air filtration assemblies are known for removal of the particulate material from the air flow. For example, a z-filter media construction including fluted media sheets may be utilized with the engine system. Based on usage, these air filtration assemblies may need periodic servicing or replacement. Frequent replacement of the air filtration assembly may affect an overall operating cost of the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,591,622 describes a filter apparatus having a filter stack including a plurality of porous ceramic plates that are axially spaced from one another to define a plurality of axially spaced apart radial flow areas. The filter stack is mounted within a housing. The plurality of porous ceramic plates alternate between a first set of porous ceramic plates that are nested with a second set of porous ceramic plates. At least one of the sides of the porous ceramic plates defines a plurality of radial flutes arranged in a radial array.


A fault protection system provides fault protection to a permanent magnet (PM) generator. The fault protection system includes one or more overload and short-circuit protection circuits, an unbalanced protection circuit and a thermal protection circuit. The overload and short-circuit protection circuit detects both overload and short-circuit conditions by monitoring current and voltage generated at a single phase by the PM generator. The unbalanced protection circuit monitors and compares current and voltage generated associated with at least two individual phases to determine unbalanced conditions between the phases. The thermal protection circuit detects a thermal overload condition by monitoring the temperature of the PM generator. If the overload and short circuit protection circuit, the unbalanced protection circuit, or the thermal protection circuit detects a fault signal, a control circuit causes a control device to reduce or prevent mechanical power from being supplied to the PM generator, preventing the PM generator from generating power and protecting it from damage.

The present invention relates generally to permanent magnet generators and control systems, and more particularly to protection schemes for permanent magnet generators.
In conventional systems that utilize a synchronous wound field generator, output voltage generated by the synchronous wound field generator is a function of the speed of the rotor and the excitation provided to the wound field. The output voltage of the wound field generator is controlled by selectively increasing or decreasing the excitation provided to the wound field. Likewise, protection of the wound field generator during fault conditions is simply a matter of removing the excitation provided to the wound field.
However, synchronous wound field generators do not offer the efficiency or robustness of other types of generators, such as permanent magnet generators. Advances in magnetic materials have made permanent magnet (PM) generators (in which the wound field is replaced with permanent magnets) increasingly popular. The permanent magnets provide the excitation flux needed to generate electricity in the armature windings. The absence of the rotating windings and diode assemblies required in the synchronous wound field generators make the PM generator inherently more rugged, efficient, and reliable. However, because the excitation flux generated by the permanent magnets is constant, the output voltage generated by a PM generator is a function only of the load and operating speed of the machine driving the rotor. Unlike synchronous wound field generators in which protection of the generator during a fault condition is a matter of simply removing the excitation provided to the wound field, the permanent magnets of the PM generator provide constant excitation. Therefore, in order to protect a PM generator, the rotation of the rotor must be reduced or stopped. The problem is further complicated if the PM generator receives mechanical power from a hydraulic motor. For instance, if the motor is a hydraulic motor, then a valve must be closed in order to reduce the mechanical power being provided to the PM generator. Therefore, protection schemes must be capable of quickly detecting and responding to fault conditions.

Permanent magnet generator protection scheme


A packaging box in which, in one plate and one lid plate connected to an upper end portion of the side plate constituting the packaging box, one creasing line parallel to the upper end portion is formed for each, and two cut lines are formed so as to connect the end portions of the creasing lines. Provided is a packaging box from which a stored article can be easily taken out when a lid plate is opened, and which can endure a compressive stress imposed when a multiple number of the boxes are piled up.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging box, from which stored articles can be easily taken out when a lid plate is opened, and which can endure a compressive stress when a multiple number of the boxes are piled up. The packaging box of the present invention is preferably used for, in particular, storing two or more inner boxes containing recording materials.
2. Description of the Background
Conventionally, packaging boxes represented by corrugated fiberboard boxes have been widely used to store two or more stored articles in a lot. A typical packaging box has a rectangular or rectangular parallelepiped storage space constituted by one bottom plate and four side plates, and has a structure enabling storage of stored articles in a lot. Further, a lid plate is connected to an upper end portion of at least one side plate, and the storage space can be covered from the above or opened by folding the lid plate at the aforementioned upper end portion. A lid plate may be connected to the upper end portions of all the four side plates, or only to the upper end portions of a part of the side plates.
It is generally desired that stored articles should be efficiently stored in such a packaging box. For example, it is often desired that two or more inner boxes should be loaded to fill the storage space of the packaging box substantially without gaps. When inner boxes storing light-shielded medical recording materials are stored, two or more of the inner boxes are loaded without gaps along one side plate of the packaging box. If the inner boxes are loaded without gaps as described above, the space can be efficiently utilized, and risks of moving or damaging of the inner boxes in the packaging box during transport can be reduced.
However, if the inner boxes are loaded without gaps as described above, a problem arises that it becomes difficult to take out the inner boxes from the packaging box. That is, even if it is attempted to take out an inner box by inserting fingers between a side plate of the packaging box and the inner box, it often fails since there is no space for inserting fingers. Therefore, the inner box may be slid out by reversing the packaging box and vertically shaking it while the lid plate of the packaging box is opened. However, the inner box is often slid out too swiftly, and accidents resulting in damage of the inner box content often occur. To avoid such a situation, the side plate of the packaging box may be broken to take out the inner boxes. However, if a part of the packaging box is broken, the packaging box cannot be reused, and therefore it is not preferred.
To solve such a problem, a packaging box has been proposed which is designed so that a space for inserting fingers should be formed in a portion across a side plate and a lid plate when the lid plate of the packaging box is opened. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-264923 (Publication 1) and Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No 5-19119 (Publication 2) disclose a packaging box in which two parallel cut lines are formed across a side plate and a lid plate connected to the side plate, and two folding lines parallel to each other connecting the end portions of two of the cut lines are formed. When the lid plate of this packaging box is opened, a portion between the two cut lines is bent so that it should protrude outward, thereby providing a space for placing fingers on the inner box.
In the packaging boxes described in Publications 1 and 2, a mechanism for forming a space for placing fingers when the lid plate is opened is provided in facing side plates and lid plates connected to the side plates. And, it is intended that both of the lid plates connected to the facing side plates are opened to form two spaces, and fingers are inserted into each space to hold the both ends of the inner box and thereby take out the inner box. However, because parallel cut lines are formed along the same direction in the facing side plates and the lid plates connected to the side plates in these packaging boxes, they suffer from a problem of poor strength against a compressive stress imposed along the direction of the cut lines. Such a stress is likely to be imposed when a multiple number of the packaging boxes are piled up, and problems are likely to occur in practical use.
Further, because at least four cut lines and at least four folding lines must be formed in the packaging boxes described in Publications 1 and 2, time and labor are required for manufacture of the boxes. Furthermore, a lid plate must be connected to each of the facing side plates in order to form the mechanism for forming a space in the packaging boxes described in Publications 1 and 2, the degree of freedom in the design of the packaging box is limited. Moreover, to take out an inner box by holding both ends of the box with fingers as described in Publications 1 and 2, both of the lid plates connected to the facing side plates must be opened, and it cannot be considered that the time required to take out the inner box is short.


A stereoscopic display apparatus comprising a judging part judging the dominant eye of the user inputting the position coordinates via the coordinate input part based on the reference coordinates of the dominant eye judgment image formed of the left viewpoint image and the right viewpoint image and the obtained position coordinates, depending on whether the obtained position coordinates are near the reference coordinates of the left viewpoint image or the reference coordinates of the right viewpoint image.

Conventionally, an apparatus has been suggested (Patent Document 1) in which, when an operation element is stereoscopically displayed on a screen and an operator touches a touch panel, an operation instruction to the operation element stereoscopically displayed by a stereoscopic display apparatus is detected based on coordinate data indicating the touched position, a parallax image of the operation element formed by a stereoscopic merging part is changed, and the shape of the operation element stereoscopically displayed on the stereoscopic display apparatus is changed. For example, when the operation element is represented by an image of a push-button-type switch, if the image of the switch is touched on the touch panel for ON/OFF, display of the image of the switch is changed to stereoscopic display or flat display according to ON/OFF, thereby improving operability.
Also, an operation panel apparatus has been suggested (Patent Document 2) in which a stereoscopic parallax image is displayed on a display part and is switched to a flat image before an operation is performed on a touch panel, thereby improving operability.
On the other hand, a visual line direction detecting apparatus has been suggested (Patent Document 3) in which visual lines of both eyes of a driver are detected, a comparison is made between the detection results and a standard visual line movement pattern in a normal driving state according to the state of a road where a vehicle has traveled during a detection period, it is determined which of the visual lines of both eyes is similar to the visual line movement pattern, and then an eye with a visual line direction more similar to the visual line movement pattern is determined as a dominant eye.

Stereoscopic display apparatus and stereoscopic shooting apparatus, dominant eye judging method and dominant eye judging program for use therein, and recording medium


A method of, and apparatus for, dithering an image to be printed. Color component values of odd and even pixels of an image are stored in a dither cell. The dither cell is mapped to a staggered dither cell such that lines of odd pixel component values are staggered relative to lines of even pixel component values. Addressing of the staggered dither cell is determined by an address generator that also addresses a buffer storing an up-interpolated image. Corresponding values in the staggered dither cell and the buffer are compared to determine which nozzles of a printhead are fired.

Microelectronic manufacturing techniques have led to the miniaturization of numerous devices. Mobile phones, personal digital assistant devices, and digital cameras are very common examples of the miniaturization trend.
One device that has not seen the advantage of microelectronic manufacturing techniques is the printer. Commercially available printers are large compared to many of the devices they could support. For instance, it is impractical to carry a color printer for the purpose of instantly printing photographs taken with known compact digital cameras.
A compact printhead has been described in co-pending United States patent applications filed simultaneously to the present application and hereby incorporated by cross reference:
Our DocketUSSNNo.Our Title6428133IJ52USInk Jet Printhead Having a Moving Nozzle withan Externally Arranged Actuator6526658IJM52USMethod of Manufacture of an Ink Jet PrintheadHaving a Moving Nozzle with an ExternallyArranged Actuator6390591MJ58USNozzle Guard for an Ink jet Printhead7018016MJ62USFluidic seal for an ink jet nozzle assembly6328417MJ63USInk Jet Printhead Nozzle Array
Known ink jet printers are only capable of printing dots in a bi-level fashion whereas known image capture devices (cameras) capture images in continuous tones. It is known in the prior art to transform the continuous tone captured images to bi-level images for printing. The known techniques are processing intensive. A more efficient processing method is required for a compact printer system.