This invention is directed to caddy devices mountable on non-porous surfaces by means of suction cups which are easily repositioned in all directions. The devices are characterized by streamlined frame portions, support elements for slidably receiving suction cups and recessed covers that conceal the mounting apparatus from plain view. The disclosed configurations insure close attachment of the caddy device to the mounting surface. Stabilizing structures are also provided for the caddy frame. In various illustrated embodiments, the caddy can be a towel ring, toilet tissue holder, storage rack or multipurpose organizer.

Shower caddies have evolved over the past decade with increased popularity based on convenience and design choice. Most art-recognized devices are suspended from the shower arm or pipe which extends from the wall of a bath area. Representative examples are described in Stroh U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,966. Each shower caddy of this type utilizes a mounting technique that restricts the caddy to a single location defined by the shower head. The overall design is not practical for many applications where faucets and soap dishes present obstacles to efficient installation. Uneven loads cause some caddies of this general design to swing from the shower head pivot. Other configurations require aesthetically displeasing mounting apparatus which detract from the overall appearance of the surrounding area.
Certain prior art corner caddies are held in place with double-faced pressure sensitive tape. An example of this limited design is illustrated by Smith U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,310. The caddy device is necessarily mounted in a corner of the bath area. Conventional adhesives make the caddy difficult to reposition or remove for cleaning or replacement. Many adhesives fail in a humid environment causing the "loaded" caddy to fall off the mounting surface.
Several known devices have used suction cups to prevent free movement of a suspended caddy. The prior art designs generally provide for suction cups mounted on a caddy post extending in a direction perpendicular to the suction cup face. These expedients offer little strength under normal loading conditions and are insufficient by themselves to mount a caddy with any degree of reliability.
Modern families have many bathing accessories that are used in the shower and tub area. Commercial advertising encourages each family member to purchase his/her own shampoo, hair conditioner, complexion soaps, body lotions and skin softeners. Additional bath items include brushes, loofas, sponges, razors, shaving cream and the like. Many other accessories are used in non-bath areas, such as kitchens, pantries, laundry rooms, workshops and the like. This has created a practical and commercial need for larger, more versatile caddies which are conveniently and securely mounted on a non-porous surface. A series of caddy devices is sometimes necessary to accommodate several family members and alternative end-use applications.
The various caddy devices should overcome the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art designs, while accommodating the requirements of modern lifestyles. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a variety of caddy devices which are capable of convenient and versatile installation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide caddy organizers which are easily removed and repositioned.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide caddy devices with a streamlined profile and improved mounting system which facilitates close attachment to a mounting surface.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a series of "hang-anywhere" caddy devices which are suitable for areas other than the bath.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an aesthetic and/or functional apparatus for mounting caddy devices on a non-porous surface.
These and other objects will be apparent from this disclosure.


A chip of thermoelectric conversion material may have a concave portion and may be capable of realizing high joining properties to an electrode. Such a chip of thermoelectric conversion material may have a concave on at least one surface of the chip of thermoelectric conversion material. The shape of such chips of may be rectangular parallelepiped, cubic, and/or columnar shape.

As one of effective usage means of energy, there have hitherto been devices for undergoing direction interconversion between thermal energy and electric energy due to thermoelectric conversion module having a thermoelectric effect, such as the Seebeck effect and the Peltier effect.
Above all, use of a so-called n-type thermoelectric conversion device is known as the thermoelectric conversion device. The n-type is typically constituted in a manner that a pair of electrodes spaced apart from each other is provided on a substrate, and for example, a P-type thermoelectric element is provided on one of the electrodes, and an N-type thermoelectric element is provided on the other electrode, such that the elements are similarly spaced apart from each other, and the upper surfaces of the both thermoelectric elements are joined to an electrode of an opposing substrate.
In recent years, there has been a demand for an improvement in thermoelectric performance including a reduction in thickness and high integration of thermoelectric conversion devices. PTL 1 discloses a method of forming a pattern of a thermoelectric element layer directly by the screen printing method or the like by using a thermoelectric semiconductor composition containing a resin and the like, including the viewpoint of thinning by film thinning, as a thermoelectric element layer.

Chip of thermoelectric conversion material


A plasma generator for three phase mains alternating current operation has three plasma generation tubes interconnected with a nozzle, each plasma generation tube having a plasma initiator for forming a plasma into an electrode ring, the electrode ring including substantially tangential gas introduction orifices which cause gas entering the electrode ring to helically rotate. Each of the electrode rings is coupled to a unique one of the three phases of AC voltage supply, such that when the initiator plasma is introduced into one of the electrode rings, a plasma discharge occurs with a path from the electrode ring, through the plasma generation tube, and to a different electrode ring. Each electrode ring has gas introduced in a helically rotating manner such that the erosion of the surface of the electrode ring is uniform over the entire surface, and minimally erosive in a single arc attachment spot, since the arc spot is constantly moving as provided by the helical trajectory of the gas entering the electrode.

Plasma generators form high energy plasma gas, which is then used for a variety of application, including plasma-jet cutting, coatings, hard-facing, vitrification of radioactive materials, disinfection of waste, and many other applications. Industrial plasma generation systems may consume large amounts of power on the order of mega-watts (MW), and for these systems, it is desired that the plasma generator be simple and reliable. One problem of particular interest in high power plasma generation systems is extending the life of the electrode at the plasma-conductive interface. The plasma attachment region, known as the arc spot, of the electrode may preferentially erode compared to the other regions of the electrode, resulting in premature replacement of the electrode. In general, it is desired to have an electrode with large exposed surface area that is suitable for some form of liquid cooling.

Alternating current multi-phase plasma gas generator with annular electrodes


A data processing device for processing time-sequence data includes a data extracting unit extracting time-sequence data for a predetermined time unit from time-sequence data; and a processing unit obtaining scores for nodes of an SOM configured from multiple nodes provided with a spatial array configuration, the scores showing applicability to time-sequence data for a predetermined time unit thereof. The node with the best score is determined to be the winning node which is the node most applicable. The processing unit obtains scores as to the time-sequence data for one predetermined time unit, regarding a distance-restricted node wherein distance from the winning node as to the time-sequence for a predetermined time unit immediately preceding the time-sequence data of one predetermined time unit is within a predetermined distance. The distance-restricted node with the best the score is determined to be the winning node.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing device, a data processing method, and a program, and more particularly relates to a data processing device, a data processing method, and a program to lessen the burden of processing by a robot or the like, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Forward models and inverse models can be applied to realize robots which autonomously perform tasks, for example.
FIG. 1 illustrates the concept of forward models and inverse models. Let us say that there is certain input data serving as time-sequence data (data in time-sequence), and there is an object of control, which outputs output data serving as other time-sequence data, that is provided for the input data. Here, while detailed information relating to the object of control is unknown (i.e., while the interior of the object of control is unknown), the input data provided to the object of control, and the output data obtained from the object of control with regard to the input data, can be observed.
The physical value of the input data provided to the object of control and the output data obtained from the object of control with regard to the input data may be large or small, as long as it is observable. Also, any object (thing) will work as long as input data can be provided thereto and further output data can be obtained as to the input data.
Accordingly, various objects can be the object of control, examples of which include a ball, musical instrument, automobile, gas stove, to mention just a few. For example, in the case of a ball, applying (providing) force as input data yields the position and speed of the ball as output data which changes as to the input data. Also, in the case of an automobile, operating the steering wheel, gas pedal, brake, etc., i.e., providing operations thereof, yields the position and speed of the automobile as output data which changes as to the input data. Further, in the case of a gas stove, operating the size of the flame as input data yields room temperature as output data which changes as to the input data.
It should be noted that the term "data" as used in "input data", "output data", later-described "control data", and so forth, throughout the present Specification, and the drawings, claims, and all other documents attached thereto, is not restricted to the concept of structured or formatted information; rather, this term encompasses all forms of energy and force applied to the object or effected thereby, as long as such can be physically observed, measured, and/or quantified. A specific example of the scope of such input would be to say that the action of operating a valve, for example, in the above-described gas stove, to change the size of the flame would constitute such input data, but the intent of operator to do so would not. More specifically, any physical action of which the physical value is meaningful to, or effectually acts upon the object, is what is meant by this term, and accordingly, verbal instructions given to the gas stove would not be included in this scope if the gas stove is only operable by a twist knob for example, but would be included in this scope if the gas stove were provided with, for example, a microphone, speech recognition functions, command analysis functions, and a mechanism to execute physical action of changing the flame size so as to carry out the verbal command issued by the user. On the other hand, in a rather unlikely case wherein the input data to be applied is to physically throw the gas stove a certain distance, for example, the force applied thereto to that end would be the input data. In this way, the intent, or motive, behind the input data is not unrelated to what constitutes the input data; however, the intent or motive is never part of the input data. Moreover, even in a case wherein control of the object is realized by electroencephalography, such as technology being developed by MIT Media Lab Europe wherein a device or computer can be controlled wirelessly directly from the human brain, the output from the headset would serve as the input data to the object of control, while the intent or motive of the user would not. The scope of the term "data" as used in the present specification is to be thus understood.
With an arrangement wherein input data is thus provided to an object of control and output data is obtained thereby, the modeled object of control is a forward model.
With a forward model, upon inputting input data (upon input data being provided), an estimation value of output data obtained from the object of control as to that input data is output. Accordingly, with a forward model, output data which would be obtained from the object of control as to input data can be predicted even without providing the object of control with actual input data.
On the other hand, an inverse model is a model wherein a target value of output data obtained from the object of control is determined, and the input data to be provided to the object of control so as to obtain the output data of that target value is estimated. While a forward model can be viewed as mapping input data to output data, an inverse model is the opposite thereof.
Hereinafter, the input data to be provided to the object of control so as to obtain output data of the target value with an inverse model will be referred to as "control data" as appropriate.
Forward models and inverse models such as described above can be applied to robots, more particularly to the configuration of robots.
Let us say that a robot has a microphone and camera so as to be capable of input of audio (sound) data and image data, and also has a speaker and actuator (motor) so as to be capable of outputting audio (audio data) and moving an arm by driving the motor following motor data (motor signals).
With such a robot, a traditional approach for outputting audio data as output data or moving a desired arm as output data, in response to input data such as audio data or image data, is to use an audio recognition device or image recognition device and to program (design) beforehand what sort of audio data should be output or what sort of motor data should be output in response to recognition results of the audio data or image data input to the robot.
Conversely, using a forward model enables a robot which outputs desired audio data as output data or moving a desired arm as output data, in response to input data such as audio data or image data to be envisioned as an object of control, and the actual robot to be configured as a forward model of the robot envisioned as the object of control (hereinafter referred to as "anticipated robot" as suitable), as shown in FIG. 2. That is to say, a robot can be configured as a forward model of the envisioned robot, if an actual robot can be made to learn the relation between input data and output data to and from the anticipated robot.
Specifically, input data such as the audio data and image data to be input to the anticipated robot, and output data such as audio data and motor data to be output in response to the respective input data, are prepared beforehand as a set, and provided to an actual robot. If the actual robot can obtain a forward model of the anticipated robot estimating (i.e., outputting) output data corresponding to the input data, using only the set of input data and output data externally provided thereto (hereinafter referred to as "teaching data" as suitable), then output data such as desired audio data and motor data and the like can be output in response to input data such as audio data and image data and the like which is actually input.
Also, using an inverse model enables arm control equipment for controlling a robot arm, as the object of control, as shown in FIG. 3.
That is to say, let us say that there is a robot arm here which is moved by a motor which performs driving according to motor data, which is input data, and that the position of the tip of the arm changes accordingly. Further, let us say that, with the center of gravity of the robot as the point of origin thereof, the position of the tip of the arm can be represented with the coordinates (x, y, z) in a three-dimensional coordinate system, in which the forward (frontal) direction of the robot is the x axis, the sideways direction of the robot is the y axis, and the vertical direction thereof is the z axis. In this case, the motor performs driving in accordance with the motor data so as to further change the position of the tip of the arm, such that the tip of the arm traces a certain path, in accordance with the three-dimensional coordinate system. Note that here, the sequence of coordinates of the path which the tip of the arm traces (tip position path) will be referred to as "tip position path data".
In order to cause the arm to trace a desired tip position path, i.e., in order to obtain output of desired tip position path data as the output data, motor data whereby the motor performs driving such that the arm traces such a tip position path needs to be provided to the motor as input data.
Now, if an inverse model can be obtained for estimating motor data serving as input data (control data) whereby certain tip position path data can be obtained as target values, using only teaching data made up of the set of motor data serving as input data and tip position path data serving as output data due to the motor data having been supplied to the motor, the inverse model can be used for arm control equipment for determining motor data corresponding to tip position path data which is the target value.
With arm control equipment serving as an inverse model for an arm, inputting tip position path data as input data to the robot allows the robot to use the arm control equipment to determine the corresponding motor data (control data). The robot then drives the motor thereof following the motor data, whereby the arm of the robot moves so as to trace a path corresponding to the tip position path data which is the input data.
Thus, if a forward model or inverse model can be obtained using only the set of input data and output data (i.e., teaching data), a robot which outputs output data corresponding to the respective input data can be readily configured, using forward and inverse models.
As for a method for obtaining such a forward model or inverse model as described above, there is modeling using a linear system.
With modeling using a linear system, as shown in FIG. 4 for example, with input data to the object of control at point-in-time t as u(t) and output data thereat as y(t), the relation between the output data y(t) and input data u(t), i.e., the object of control is approximated as a linear system obtained from Expression (1) and Expression (2)x(t+1)=Ax(t)+Bu(t)  (1)y(t)=Cx(t)  (2)
Here, x(t) is called a state variable of the linear system at the point-in-time t, with A, B, and C being coefficients. To facilitate description here, if we say that the input data u(t) and output data y(t) are one-dimensional vectors (scalar) and the state variable x(t) an n'th dimensional vector (wherein n is an integer value of 2 or higher in this case), A, B, and C are each matrices of constants obtained from an n×n matrix, n×1 matrix, and 1×n matrix, respectively.
With modeling using a linear system, the matrices A, B, and C are determined such that the relation between the observable input data u(t) and the output data y(t) observed when the input data u(t) is provided to the object of control satisfies the Expression (1) and Expression (2), thereby yielding a forward model of the object of control.
However, modeling using a linear system is insufficient for complicated objects of control, i.e., is insufficient for modeling an object of control having non-linear properties, for example.
That is to say, an actual object of control is complicated, and often has non-linear properties, but modeling the object of control by approximating a simple linear system results in great estimation error in the output data estimated as to the input data in a forward model or input data (control data) estimated as to the output data in an inverse model, so estimation with high precision is difficult.
Accordingly, as for a method to obtain a forward model or inverse model as to an object of control which has non-linear properties, there is a method for using a neural network to learn teaching data, i.e., a set of input data provided to the object of control and output data observed from the object of control when the input data is provided thereto. A neural network is a network configured by mutually connecting man-made elements imitating neurons (neurons), and can learn the relation between externally provided teaching data, i.e., the relation between input data and output data.
However, in order to suitably model the object of control with a neural network, there is the need for the size of the neural network to be great according to the complexity of the object of control. Increasing the size of the neural network markedly increases the time necessary for learning, and also stable learning becomes more difficult. This also holds true in the event that the order of dimension of the input data or output data is great.
On the other hand, in the event of obtaining a forward model or inverse model using only the set of input data and output data (teaching data), there is the need for learning to be performed using the teaching data, and for whether or not the teaching data falls under one of several patterns to be recognized. That is to say, there is the need for patterns of input data and output data serving as teaching data to be learned and recognized.
The technique for learning and recognizing patterns is generally called pattern recognition, and learning under pattern recognition can be classified into learning with a tutor (supervised learning) and learning without a tutor (unsupervised learning).
Supervised learning is a method wherein information is provided regarding to which class learning data of each pattern belongs (called "true label"), and learning data belonging to a pattern is learnt for each pattern, with many learning methods using neural networks or the HMM (Hidden Markov Model) having been proposed.
FIG. 5 illustrates an example of supervised learning.
With supervised learning, learning data to be used for learning is provided beforehand in anticipated categories (classes), such as categories of phonemes, phonetic categories, word categories, and so forth, for example. For example, in a case of learning audio data of voices "A", "B", and "C", audio data for a great number of each of "A", "B", and "C" is prepared.
On the other hand, anticipated categories are prepared by category for models used for learning as well (models by which learning data of each category is learnt). Now, models are defined by parameters. For example, HMMs or the like are used as a model for learning audio data. An HMM is defined by the probability of state transition from one state to another state (including the original state), an output probability density function representing the probability density of observed values output from the HMM, and so forth.
With supervised learning, learning of the models of each category (class) is performed using only the learning data of that category. That is to say, in FIG. 5, learning of the category "A" model is performed using only learning data of the category "A", learning of the category "B" model is performed using only learning data of the category "B", and learning of the category "C" model is performed using only learning data of the category "C".
With supervised learning, there is the above-described need to use learning data of each category to perform learning of a model of that category, so learning data is prepared for each category, learning data of that category is provided as to model learning for the category, and thus a model is obtained for each category. Consequently, accordingly supervised learning, a template (a model of a class (category) represented by the true label) can be obtained for each class, based on the true label.
At the time of recognition, a template which most closely matches data which is the object of recognition (a template with the greatest likelihood, or a template with the smallest distance or error) is obtained, and the true label of that template is output as the recognition result.
On the other hand, unsupervised learning is learning performed in a state wherein no true label is provided to learning data of each pattern, and is a learning method which uses a neural network or the like, for example. Unsupervised learning differs greatly from supervised learning in that no true label is provided.
Now, pattern recognition can be viewed as quantization of a signal space where data (signals) to be recognized by the pattern recognition is observed. Particularly, pattern recognition in cases wherein the data to be recognized is vector data may be called vector quantization.
With learning of vector quantization (codebook generation), a representative vector corresponding to a class (referred to as "centroid vector") is situated in the signal space where the data to be recognized is observed.
A representative technique for unsupervised learning of vector quantization is the K-means clustering method. With the K-means clustering method, in an initial state, centroid vectors are randomly situated, a vector serving as learning data is assigned to a centroid vector at the closest distance, and the centroid vectors are updated by an average vector of the learning data assigned to the centroid vectors, with this process being repeatedly performed. Note that a group of centroid vectors is called a codebook.
Now, the method for accumulating a great number of learning data and using all to perform learning is called "batch learning"; K-means clustering is classified in batch learning. As opposed to batch learning, learning wherein each time learning data is observed the learning data is used to perform learning, thereby updating parameters (centroid vector components, output probability density functions defining an HMM, etc.) a little at a time is called "on-line learning".
A known form of on-line learning is learning with SOM (self-organization map), proposed by Teuvo Kohonen. With learning with SOM, the weight of an input layer and output layer of a SOM is gradually corrected (updated) by on-line learning.
That is to say, in a SOM, an output layer has multiple nodes, with weight vectors provided to each node of the output layer. In a case wherein the weight vector is a centroid vector, vector quantization learning can be performed.
Specifically, with nodes in an output layer of a SOM, a node of which the distance between a weight vector and a vector serving as the learning data is the closest is determined to be the winning node matching that vector best, and the weight vector of the winning node is updated so as to be closer to the vector serving as the learning data. Further, weight vectors nearby the winning node are also updated so as to be closer to the learning data. Consequently, as learning progresses, nodes with similar weight vectors are placed so as to be closer to one another on the output layer, and dissimilar nodes distant one from another. Accordingly, a map is configured on the output layer, corresponding to a pattern included in the learning data, as if it were. This sort of learning wherein similar nodes (nodes of which weight vectors are similar) are grouped close to one another as learning processes so as to configure a map corresponding to a pattern included in the learning data is referred to as "self-organizing", or "self organization".
Now, with K-means clustering, only the vector closest to the learning data is updated, so the updating method thereof is called "WTA (winner-take-all)". On the other hand, learning with a SOM is such that not only the weight vector of the nearest node to the learning data (winning node) but also weight vectors of nodes nearby the winning node are also updated, so the updating method thereof is called "SMA (soft-max adaptation)". It is known that while WTA learning tends to fall into localized learning, the problem of falling into localized learning can be improved with SMA learning.&
For more about SOM, see "Self-Organization Map" by Teuvo Kohonen, published by Springer Japan, for example.
Now, research is being performed on a framework for a robot to acquire a structure for perceptive actions through the actions of the robot itself, so as to make the behavior (actions) of the robot in the real world more natural. Note that "perceptive actions" means that a robot or the like perceives (recognizes) an external state (including the state of the robot itself) and acts according to the results of the perception.
In order to cause a robot to perform perceptive actions, there is the need to obtain appropriate motor data to serve as motor data supplied to the motor driving the robot, as to sensor data which a sensor detecting the external state outputs, for example.
Generally, sensor data output from a sensor, and motor data supplied to a motor, are both continuous time-sequence data. Also, robots which perform perceptive actions in the real word need to handle data with a great number of dimensions for the sensor data and motor data. Moreover, the behavior of sensor data and motor data handled by the robot is complex, and cannot readily be modeled with a linear system.
Now, the present assignee has already proposed a method for using a time-sequence pattern storage network configured of multiple nodes having a time-sequence pattern model representing a time-sequence pattern, which is a pattern of time-sequence data such as sensor data or motor data, to perform self-organizing learning of time-sequence data such as sensor data and motor data which are time-sequence systems of multi-dimensional vectors, and further to joint the nodes of a time-sequence pattern storage network which has learned time-sequence data which is input data with those of a time-sequence pattern storage network which has learned time-sequence data which is output data, so as to perceive an external state, and generate output data, based on input data, corresponding to actions the robot should take based on the results of perception (e.g., see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-353382).
Now, a time-sequence pattern storage network is common with known SOMs in that it is configured of multiple nodes and can perform learning, and accordingly can be said to be a type of SOM. However, a time-sequence pattern storage network differs from known SOMs in that the nodes have time-sequence pattern models and that time-sequence patterns are held in storage structures of the time-sequence pattern models.

Identifying temporal sequences using a recurrent self organizing map


A system and method is provided for locating objects using RFID tags. The system and method uses an RFID reader and a distance calculator to efficiently and accurately determine the location of objects that include an RFID tag. The RFID reader transmits a plurality of signals to the RFID tag, with the plurality of signals having different fundamental frequencies. In response, the RFID tag backscatter modulates the plurality of transmitted signals to create a plurality of backscatter modulated signals. The RFID reader receives and demodulates the plurality of backscatter modulated signals. The distance calculator determines the phase of the plurality of backscatter modulated signals and determines a rate of change of the phase in the backscatter modulated signals with respect to the rate of change in the fundamental frequency of the transmitted signals and uses this information to calculate the distance to the RFID tag.

In modern supply management systems there is a growing need for the ability to locate and track a wide variety of objects. This can include the locating and tracking of objects over wide areas, such as large factories and distribution centers.
Unfortunately, previous attempts creating such a system have either relied upon relatively expensive technologies such as GPS, or have failed to provide the accuracy and reliability desirable for such a system. For example, GPS based systems have relied upon complex battery powered devices with high per-unit costs and limited battery life. The cost and accuracy limitations of these previous methods have prevented their adoption in applications that needed to provide the ability to track and locate large numbers of objects at a relatively low per-unit cost.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved method for locating objects. In addition, it is desirable to provide an improved system for locating objects. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Object location system and method using RFID


Titanium-containing zeolites containing the MEL crystal structure are prepared using an organic templating agent comprising 3,5-dimethylpiperidinium compounds. The zeolites can be made in the pure phase form, and are useful as catalysts for the oxidation of hydrocarbons.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a titanium-containing zeolite having a framework structure designated MEL in pure phase form (referred to herein as "SSZ-46"), to a process for preparing crystalline titanium-containing zeolites having the MEL structure using an organic templating agent comprising at least one 3,5-dimethylpiperidinium (3,5-DMP) compound, and to oxidation processes using SSZ-46.
2. State of the Art
Titanium-containing zeolite ZSM-11 which contains the MEL framework structure (commonly referred to as "TS-2") and methods for making it are known. For example, Belgian Patent No. 1,001,038, issued Jun. 20, 1989, discloses the preparation of TS-2 using tetraalkylammonium cations, such as tetrabutylammonium hydroxide ("TBA"), as the organic templating agent. It does not, however, disclose the 3,5-DMP compounds of this invention as templating agents. Belgian Patent No. 1,001,038 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
It has now been found that titanium-containing zeolites containing the MEL framework structure (e.g., TS-2) can be prepared using an organic template comprising at least one 3,5-DMP compound, that the zeolite can be made in pure phase form, and that this pure phase zeolite (SSZ-46) is useful as a catalyst in oxidation reactions.

Pure phase titanium-containing zeolite having MEL structure, process for preparing same, and oxidation processes using same as catalyst


An apparatus, system and method for increasing buffer status reporting efficiency and adapting buffer status reporting according to uplink capacity. User equipment is configured a monitor a usage of a plurality of buffers, detect one of a plurality of pre-selected conditions corresponding to at least one of the plurality of buffers, designate one of a plurality of buffer status reporting formats depending on the pre-selected condition detected, communicate a buffer status report to a network device in accordance with the buffer status reporting format designated. The buffer status reporting format is configured to minimize buffer status reporting overhead created by the communicating of the buffer status report.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed, in part, to methods and systems for communicating buffer status reports.
2. Description of the Related Art
Scheduling information to support uplink scheduling operations has been introduced in High-Seed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA). Scheduling information in HSUPA basically consists of buffer status and power headroom reports. However, communicating buffer status reports under currently available solutions is inefficient and inflexible due to an inability to adjust buffer status report formats in accordance with a need to report uplink availability.

Apparatus, system, and method for designating a buffer status reporting format based on detected pre-selected buffer conditions


A battery electric vehicle jumper cable includes a first battery electric vehicle electrical plug adapted for connection to a standard charging port interface on a first battery electric vehicle; a second battery electric vehicle electrical plug adapted for connection to a standard charging port interface on a second battery electric vehicle; and an electrical cable establishing electrical communication between the first battery electric vehicle electrical plug and the second battery electric vehicle electrical plug. An electrical power transfer system for battery electric vehicles and a battery electric vehicle jump starting method are also disclosed.

Under some circumstances, the batteries of both internal combustion-powered and electric-powered vehicles may become depleted of electrical charge, potentially leaving the automobiles stranded. Conventional internal combustion-powered vehicles can be "jump started" using a pair of jumper cables, in which the battery of a first vehicle which supplies the electrical charge is electrically connected to the depleted battery of a second vehicle. The first vehicle is turned on to deliver the electrical current to the battery of the second vehicle, during which the ignition of the second vehicle can be engaged to operate the vehicle.
A jumper cable for battery electric vehicles and a method of jump starting battery electric vehicles is needed.

Battery electric vehicle jumper cable and jump starting method


An object of the present invention is to provide composite ceramic powder containing composite ceramic particulates as constituent particulates. Each of the composite ceramic particulates is constituted of a group of first particles and a group of second particles in which the first particles are localized around the second particles. A spray pyrolysis is used to localize the first particles around the second particles, thereby producing such composite ceramic particulates.

In general, composite ceramic powder containing two or more types of ceramic materials is constituted of secondary particles or composite particulates each of which is formed by agglomerating primary particles made of respective ceramic materials. A conventional method of manufacturing such composite ceramic powder includes the steps of providing two or more types of coarse powdered materials, pulverizing the coarse powdered materials by using a pulverizer to form fine powdered materials, mixing the produced fine powdered materials in a ball mill, calcining the mixture, and milling the calcined mixture to form composite ceramic particulates. Another conventional method of manufacturing such composite ceramic powder includes the steps of dissolving two or more types of powdered materials to form a solution of the materials, thermally decomposing by dropping the solution into a furnace, calcining the decomposed materials, and milling the calcined materials to form fine composite ceramic particulates. The latter method is known as a drip pyrolysis.
Some composite ceramic powder thus manufactured has been used as a material for forming electrodes of an SOFC.
In the composite ceramic powder thus manufactured, the composite ceramic particulates have irregular shapes. This is because they are produced by mechanically grinding mass products which are formed by agglomerating the primary particles made of respective materials. Thus, it is substantially impossible to obtain the composite ceramic particulates having spherical shapes. Moreover, the electrodes of the SOFC made of such composite ceramic powder do not exhibit acceptable electrical properties.
The present inventors have developed composite ceramic powder constituted of spherical composite particulates and a method of manufacturing the same. The developed technique is fully shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-82399 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-267613) previously filed.
As described therein, the composite ceramic particulates contained in the composite ceramic powder are solid spherical particulates each of which is produced by agglomerating the primary particles in a substantially uniform dispersion state. Further, the method of manufacturing the composite ceramic powder constituted of such spherical composite particulates includes the steps of atomizing a solution of two or more types of raw materials to form mist thereof, drying the mist at temperatures below the temperature at which the raw materials can be thermally decomposed, and then thermally decomposing the raw materials.
This technique may provide the composite ceramic powder containing the spherical composite particulates each of which is produced by agglomerating the primary particles in the substantially uniform dispersion state. The composite ceramic powder thus manufactured may exhibit increased electrical properties. Therefore, the composite ceramic powder is very suitable as the materials for forming the electrodes.
In the composite ceramic powder thus manufactured, the primary particles in each spherical composite particulate are substantially uniformly dispersed. In other words, each composite particulate has a uniform composite form. However, if each type of primary particles may exhibit inherent functions, it is not necessarily desirable that the composite particulate has such a uniform composite form.
It is desired to develop a new and superior composite form of the secondary particles or composite ceramic particulates in which the primary particles are preferably dispersed in a controlled dispersion state, thereby further increasing properties of composite ceramic powder constituted of such composite ceramic particulates and articles made of the composite ceramic powder and finding new uses of the composite ceramic powder.
Moreover, the electrodes of the SOFC formed of the conventional composite ceramic powder gradually deteriorates with time and results in inferior performance. Such deterioration of the electrodes is caused by undesirable aggregation of the conductive materials derived from some of the primary particles. In general, the electrodes of the SOFC must maintain their performance for a long period of time such that the SOFC can be continuously used over tens of thousands of hours.
To remove such a disadvantage, it is desired to change the composite form of the composite ceramic particulates of the composite ceramic powder for effectively preventing the undesirable aggregation of the primary particles, so that the electrodes made of the composite ceramic powder do not degrade for a long period of time.

Composite ceramic powder, method for manufacturing the powder, electrode for solid electrolytic fuel cell, and method for manufacturing the electrode


A vehicle lamp is provided with an upper light source and a lower light source spaced apart from the upper light source in a height direction. A reflector has a central optical axis extending a forward direction and oriented between the upper and lower light source. The reflector has first and second arrays of reflective surfaces. The first array of first reflective surfaces reflects light emitted from the upper light source in a first light pattern in the direction of the central optical axis. The second array of second reflective surfaces reflecting light emitted from the lower light source in a second light pattern in the direction of the central optical axis. At least one of the first reflective surfaces is oriented between two second reflective surfaces in the height direction.

A vehicle headlamp is generally configured to allow switching between a low-beam and a high-beam function. For each beam function, typical vehicle headlamps require separate reflector cavities. However, when separate low-beam and high-beam reflector cavities are configured independently, a vehicle headlamp may become considerably larger, contributing to increased cost and reduced efficiency.


A system and method for storing and retrieving location information across a network is disclosed. The system and method utilize a transfer protocol configured to transport an identifier/location relationship to allow one or more locations to be associated with an identifier in the location store of a location server, where the identifier represents a unique entity and the location represents a location of data pertaining to the identifier. The location server contains programming logic operative to provide responses to location queries and capable of scaling a plurality of location servers according to system performance and logistical requirements.

Data records can reside in many different places. In existing retrieval systems and methods, a client seeking information sends a request to a server. Typically, only files that are registered with that server are returned. Disadvantageously, the search is also usually restricted to a local, identified system. The search is thus conducted only where the server knows in advance to look.
Another disadvantage of known retrieval systems is the difficulty in accessing data in different forms. Current retrieval systems are typically designed to search for data in limited forms. One example is where a client requests files based on a subject, like a person's name. Search results for this type of search may only retrieve text files of peoples' names. Another problem in current retrieval systems is that the client may receive text and image files in the search results, but cannot seamlessly access the image files. Yet another problem in current retrieval systems is that video and sound files related to the request may not even be found in the search results. For example, a doctor might be able to retrieve medical records on a specific patient, but cannot view MRI or X-Ray results associated with that record.
A distributed database is one where data is stored and retrieved among multiple machines connected by a network. Typically, each machine in which some portion of the data in a distributed database may reside is called an application server. One commonly asked question in an application server environment is: Where is data associated with a particular entity in a distributed database? The data location is a key question when a distributed database has highly dynamic, and even spontaneous, data distribution properties.
In networked environments where there are a large number of data repositories and any particular entity does not have data in all of the data repositories, a mechanism is needed that would permit queries to be directed only at data repositories with relevant information. It would also be beneficial to permit membership in the set of data repositories itself to be highly dynamic. Such a system would support on-the-fly addition and removal of data repositories from the topology of a distributed database seamlessly and without the need to reprogram the database.
Another challenge faced in networked environments is scaling system capabilities in a manner sufficient to handle variable demand for resources. A system and method for scaling resources to accommodate demands for those resources is also desirable.

Method and apparatus for managing location information in a network separate from the data to which the location information pertains


A nonaqueous electrolyte of the present invention includes an ionic liquid including a first alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation having one or more substituents, a second alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation having an alicyclic skeleton that is the same as an alicyclic skeleton of the first alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation, and a counter anion to the first alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation and the second alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation and an alkali metal salt. In the second alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation, one of substituents bonded to a nitrogen atom in the alicyclic skeleton is a substituent including a halogen element. In the ionic liquid, the amount of a salt including the second alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation is less than or equal to 1 wt % per unit weight of the ionic liquid, or is less than or equal to 0.8 wt % per unit weight of the nonaqueous electrolyte.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power storage device including an ionic liquid (also referred to as room temperature molten salt).
Note that the power storage device indicates all elements and devices which have a function of storing power.
2. Description of the Related Art
A lithium secondary battery which is one of power storage devices is used in a variety of applications including mobile phones, electric vehicles (EV), and the like. Characteristics such as high energy density, excellent cycle characteristics, safety under a variety of operating environments, and the like are necessary for the lithium secondary battery.
Many of the widely used lithium secondary batteries include a nonaqueous electrolyte (also referred to as "nonaqueous electrolyte solution") including a nonaqueous solvent and a lithium salt containing lithium ions. An organic solvent which is often used for the nonaqueous electrolyte is an organic solvent which is liquid at ordinary temperatures and pressures, such as ethylene carbonate which has high dielectric constant and excellent ion conductivity.
However, the organic solvent has volatility and a low flash point. For this reason, in the case where a nonaqueous solvent including the organic solvent is used for an electrolyte solution of a lithium secondary battery, the temperature inside the lithium secondary battery might rise due to a short circuit, overcharge, or the like and the lithium secondary battery might burst or catch fire.
In view of the above, the use of an ionic liquid which has non-flammability and non-volatility as a nonaqueous solvent for a nonaqueous electrolyte of a lithium secondary battery has been proposed.
In the case where the ionic liquid is used for a solvent for the nonaqueous electrolyte of the lithium secondary battery, there is a problem in that a low potential negative electrode material cannot be used because of low reduction resistance of the ionic liquid. Thus, a technique has been disclosed, which enables dissolution and precipitation of lithium which is the low potential negative electrode material without the use of an additive by increasing the reduction resistance of an ionic liquid including a quaternary ammonium salt (see Patent Document 1).

Ionic liquid, nonaqueous electrolyte, and power storage device


The amount of lipid bound sialic acid in a blood plasma or serum sample may be determined by an improved method which may be automated involving the following steps to be performed simultaneously on the sample and a known standard prepared from human or animal blood or tissue; diluting with distilled water; mixing; adding a mixture of a chlorinated lower aklyl alcohol; mixing, diluting with water and then treating by mixing further and centrifuging to yield a substantially clear upper phase; recovering the upper phase and adding to it a protein precipitating agent, mixing the resulting admixture; recovering the resulting precipitate, suspending the precipitate in a hydrolysis agent and determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid present by comparing the optical density of the sample to the optical density of the standard.

This invention concerns an improved method for the determination of lipid bound sialic acid in plasma or serum which is less expensive, less time consuming, less variable from sample to sample, and less dependent upon the skill and experience of the person performing the test. Additionally this invention concerns an improved test kit which contains a unique standard which will allow greater reproducibility of test results and more consistency throughout the world.
Much work has been done which indicates that elevated sialic acid content in blood sera of a patient is an indication of the presence of cancer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,603 to Davidson, et al. discloses and claims a fairly complex series of procedures whereby elevated sialic acid content is a determinant with respect to cancer specific determinations.
MacBeth and Bekesi, Cancer Res. 22:1170-1176 (1962) measured plasma glycoproteins and found galactose and mannose values were seen in breast cases without metastases. Kloppel, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sc. 74:3011-3013 (1977) reported 2.5-fold increases of serum sialic acid glycolipids in mice bearing transplantable mammory carcinomas and 2-fold increases in human carcinoma patients. Kloppel, et al., Am. J. Vet. Res. 39:1377-1380 (1978) also reported increases of sialic acid in 93% of 24 dogs; In leukemia AKR/J mice, Lengle, J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 62:1565-1567 (1979) found increased lipid bound sialic acid in their plasma and thymic lymphocytes. Lipid bound sialic acid levels were found increased in plasma and erythrocytes of humans bearing melanomas, Portouklian, et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 85:916-920 (1978). Chromatographic separation and purification on columns was followed by evaluation on chromatoplates. Silver, et al., Cancer 41:1497-1499 (1978); Cancer Res. 39:5036-5042 (1979) have reported elevated serum sialic acid values in melanoma patients that were significantly related to the tumor burden. However, 36% of patients with observable tumors showed no elevated serum sialic acid. Hogan-Ryan, et al., Br. J. Cancer 41:587-592 (1980) reporting on total bound serum sialic acid in patients with breast cancer found elevations that corresponded with tumor stage.
One specific method over which the present invention is an improvement is disclosed in the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting PROCEEDINGS Vol 21, March 1980 as Abstract No. 728 by Katopodis, et al. Briefly, this method requires that a 100 ul plasma sample (reduced to 50 ul) be extracted with 6 ml of a chloroform/methanol mixture, (2 to 1, volume to volume ratio). The lipid extract is then partitioned with 0.2 of its volume of water. The aqueous phase is evaporated to dryness and the residue redissolved in water. The lipid bound sialic acid is then purified by trichloroacetic acid-phosphotungistic acid precipitation and, after the removal of the supernatant from the resultant precipitate, the precipitate is determined by the Svennerholm and Miettien method (Svennerholm, Quantitative Estimation of Sialic Acid...,Biochem. Biophys, Acta. 24, pp. 604-611 (1957)).
Another specific method over which the present invention is an improvement is disclosed in Katopodis and Stock, U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,567, issued Aug. 3, 1982. This method is similar to the foregoing but requires only about 50 ul of sample rather than the 100 ml required by the prior art method. The drying step is eliminated and there is no use of trichloracetic acid. Phosphotungstic acid is used alone.
These specific methods suffer from a number of disadvantages including the following: the need for a precisely defined 44.7 ul starting sample; lipid bound sialic acid is lost during the tube inversion step creating reduced final values; precipitation of the lipid bound sialic acid with phosphotungstic acid is not complete, which is a particular problem when working with samples in which the amount exceeds normal values by only small amounts (e.g. early in cancer development); the rapidity of the test is limited by the 5 minutes waiting time after phosphotungstic acid addition and the cost of the test is not as low as is desirable. Another method over which the present invention is an improvement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,128, issued May 31, 1988 (Katopodis). This prior method consists of the following steps:
(a) diluting a predetermined volume of a blood plasma or serum with distilled water to a volume about four times that of the predetermined volume;
(b) mixing the diluted sample for a suitable period of time to obtain a substantially homogeneous sample;
(c) cooling the mixed, diluted sample to about 0 degrees to 5 degrees C.;
(d) adding to the cooled sample a mixture of a chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon and a lower alkyl alcohol, the volume of the mixture added being about sixty times the predetermined volume of the blood plasma or serum sample, and the volume ratio of chlorinated hydrocarbon to alcohol in the mixture being about 2:1 and its temperature about 0 degrees to 5 degrees C.;
(e) mixing the resulting admixture for a suitable period of time to dissolve matter present in the sample in the chlorinated hydrocarbon/alcohol mixture;
(f) diluting the admixture with deionized distilled water at a temperature from about 0 degrees to 5 degrees C., the volume added being about ten times the predetermined volume of the blood plasma or serum sample;
(g) treating the diluted admixture for a suitable period of time to permit formation of a substantially clear upper phase;
(h) separately recovering from the clear upper phase so formed a predetermined volume of the upper phase;
(i) adding to the predetermined volume of the upper phase an amount of a mixture of a protein-precipitating agent and an adsorbing material, the amount of mixture being effective to cause precipitation of the lipid bound sialic acid and to adsorb the precipitated lipid bound sialic acid;
(j) mixing the resulting admixture;
(k) separately recovering the resulting adsorbed precipitate;
(1) suspending the precipitate in a suitable volume distilled water; and
(m) adding to the suspended precipitate a volume of resorcinol reagent, mixing, boiling for 15 minutes, cooling for 10 minutes in an ice bath, centrifuging, adding a mixture of butylacetates and n-butanol (85:15 v/v) in a volume about twice the volume of the resorcinol reagent mixing, centrifuging, separating the organic layer, reading at 580 nm the extracted blue color present in the organic layer, and determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid by comparing the optical density reading obtained at 580 nm to a standard curve developed from a known sample of n-acetyl neuraminic acid (NANA) under the same conditions and applying the formula: EQU LSA (mg/100 ml plasma)=(.times.10 ul)/y z ul 1000)
where x=NANA read from the standard curve, y=the volume of the upper phase recovered divided by the total volume of the entire upper phase and z =the predetermined volume of the blood plasma or serum sample.
The present invention provides an improved method for determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid present in a sample of plasma or serum. The present invention is more economical, more time efficient, more easily automated, and requires less labor and chemical reagents than the methods of the prior art. The procedure of the present invention differs significantly from known methods in that the present invention requires a much smaller sample of blood plasma or serum, eliminates the need to cool the mixture to a point below room temperature, and eliminates the need to use an adsorbing material. Moreover the present invention uses an unique standard which provides greater uniformity and better reproducibility from laboratory to laboratory and which enables the user to more easily and more accurately determine the level of sialic acid in the sample.
The present invention requires a plasma or serum sample of only about one-half of that required by the prior art. The ability to use a smaller sample has important advantages. It facilitates obtaining a sample from children and elderly patients as only a prick of the finger is required rather than the drawing of blood from a vein. It allows many more tests to be conducted from a volume of blood plasma or serum. For example the present invention permits twice as many tests of 50 ul of a sample of plasma or serum than the procedure of U.S. Pat. NO. 4,748,128 (Katopodis). The ability to conduct the test on smaller samples is also important in the screening and testing of new drugs on mice and rats. For example, use of the smaller samples of the invention allows a mouse to be bled each day without disturbing its metabolism. This permits more accurate testing since the effect of a drug on a single mouse can be tracked rather than requiring the test to be conducted on many mice and then averaged.
The prior art requires facilities to cool the mixture to zero degrees centigrade or below and requires the use of an adsorbing material made of siliceous material usually silica or silica gel. The present invention does not require ice making equipment which is expensive and not available in many laboratories around the world.
Significantly the present invention provides an improved procedure for determining the concentration of lipid bound sialic acid in a sample of human blood plasma or serum by comparing the sample with a known standard comprised of a similar substance, i.e. human or animal blood plasma or serum rather than a chemical, i.e. n-acetyl neuraminic acid (NANA) as in the prior art. It also eliminates the need to construct a standard curve for the standard as in the prior art. The improved procedure also eliminates the deviation between the optical density found for the sample and the standard curve due to variations in the techniques employed in carrying out the test procedure.

Method for determining lipid bound sialic acid in plasma


A monopulse tracking apparatus comprises first to fourth electromagnetic horns disposed symmetrically to each other in an azimuthal direction and elevation direction in a 2.times.2 matrix state, a first hybrid circuit for creating the sum signal and difference signal of the first and second electromagnetic horns, a second hybrid circuit for creating the sum signal and difference signal of the third and fourth electromagnetic horns, a third hybrid circuit supplied with the respective sum signals of the first and second hybrid circuits and for outputting the sum signal and difference signal thereof, a fourth hybrid circuit supplied with the respective difference signals of the first and second hybrid circuits and outputting the sum signal and difference signal thereof, and a fifth hybrid circuit for creating the sum signal and difference signal of the first and fourth electromagnetic horns or the second and third electromagnetic horns.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved tracking apparatus employing a four-horn monopulse system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known a tracking apparatus employing a four-horn monopulse system as a means for finding a direction by making use of a radio wave. FIG. 1 schematically shows the structure of the tracking apparatus of the four-horn monopulse system, wherein 1, 2, 3 and 4 designate electromagnetic horns disposed symmetrically to each other in an azimuthal angle direction and elevation angle direction in a 2.times.2 matrix state. The electromagnetic horns 1 and 2 and electromagnetic horns 3 and 4 are disposed in the azimuthal angle direction, respectively; and the electromagnetic horns 1 and 3 and electromagnetic horns 2 and 4 are disposed in the elevation angle direction, respectively. Designated at 5, 6, 7 and 8 are hybrid circuit. The hybrid circuit 5 creates a sum signal (A+B) and difference signal (A-B) of the respective signals A and B received by the electromagnetic horns 1 and 2; and the hybrid circuit 6 creates a sum signal (C+D) and difference signal (C-D) of the respective signals C and D received by the electromagnetic horns 3 and 4. Further, the hybrid circuit 7 is supplied . with the sum signal (A+B) created by the hybrid circuit 5 and the sum signal (C+D) created by the hybrid circuit 6 and creates a sum signal [(A+B)+(C+D)] thereof and a difference signal [(A+B)-(C+D)] thereof; whereas the hybrid circuit 8 is supplied with the difference signal (A-B) created by the hybrid circuit 5 and the difference signal (C-D) created by the hybrid circuit 6 and creates a sum signal [(A-B)+(C-D)=(A+C)-(B+D)] thereof and a difference signal [(A-B)-(C-D)] thereof.
According to the thus arranged 4-horn monopulse tracking apparatus, the difference signal [(A+B)-(C+D)] created by the hybrid circuit 7, i.e., the difference signal [(A+B)-(C+D)] obtained from the sum signal (A+B) of the electromagnetic horns 1 and 2 and the sum signal (C+D) of the electromagnetic horns 3 and 4 is used as an elevation angle error signal; and the sum signal [(A-B)+(C-D)=(A+C)-(B+D)] created by the hybrid circuit 8, i.e., the difference signal [(A+C) -(B+D)] obtained from the sum signal (A+C) of the electromagnetic horns 1 and 3 and the sum signal (B+D) of the electromagnetic horns 2 and 4 is used as a azimuthal angle error signal. Thus, the two-dimensional position of a radio wave emitting object can be determined by using these error signals. More specifically, although two or more kinds of information with respect to directions different to each other is generally needed to determine the two-dimensional position of an object, the aforesaid four-horn monopulse tracking apparatus can determined the two-dimensional position of the radio wave emitting object because it is provided with the two signals of the azimuthal angle error signal and elevation angle error signal.
Incidentally, since the conventional monopulse tracking apparatus is provided with only the two kinds of information as described above, when information cannot be obtained in one of the two systems for the azimuthal angle and elevation angle due to the failure of the apparatus, or the like, the tracking apparatus cannot determine a position. To prevent the occurrence of such a situation, both the azimuthal angle system and elevation angle system must be arranged to a redundant structure. Since a usual structure needs four hybrid circuits, eight hybrid circuits which are twice those of the usual structure are needed to provide the redundant structure, and thus the conventional monopulse tracking apparatus is disadvantageous in that the structure thereof is very complex.

National Space Development Agency of Japan


Falsification is detected during secret computation that uses a plurality of types of secret sharing. A secret computation apparatus 1 uses shared values [a0], . . . , [aM-1] as inputs, and a function value [F([a0], . . . , [aM-1])] obtained with a function F for performing secret computation that uses J types of secret sharing as an output, and detects falsification during secret computation. A random number generating section 12 obtains shared values [r0], . . . , [rJ-1]. A randomizing section 13 multiplies the shared value [am] by the shared value [rj] to calculate a shared value [amrj], and generates a randomized shared value <am>:=<[am], [amrj]>. A secret computation section 14 obtains the function value [F([a0], . . . , [aM-1])] while including, in a checksum Cj, randomized shared values that are computation objects and randomized shared values that are computation results. A synchronizing section 15 keeps idling until all of secret computation that uses secret sharing are completed. A validating section 16 verifies that the shared value [φj] obtained by multiplying the sum of shared values [f0], . . . , [fμj-1] included in the checksum Cj by the shared value [rj] is equal to the shared value [ψj] obtained by adding shared values [f0rj], . . . , [fμj-1rj] included in the checksum Cj.

A method described in Non-Patent Literature 1 is a conventional technique for detecting falsification during secret computation. In the secret falsification detecting method described in Non-Patent Literature 1, a function F having m inputs and μ outputs and formed of addition, multiplication by a constant, multiplication, a sum of products, and random permutation on a ring R is calculated on a malicious model having concealability and validity. A malicious model means a model in which an attacker performs any unauthorized activity, whereas a semi-honest model means a model in which an attacker performs an authorized activity but steals a glance at data in the activity.
In Non-Patent Literature 1, falsification is detected during secret computation in three phases. In a randomizing phase, a shared value is converted to a randomized shared value for which validation is possible. In a computation phase, desired secret computation is performed by using operations for randomized shared values, formed of operations in the semi-honest model. In this phase, the computation is performed while the checksums are collected, which are required in the following validating phase. In the validating phase, validation is performed collectively for the checksums collected in the computation phase. When validity is found, the result of computation in the computation phase is output; if validity is not found, the result of computation is not output but only the fact that validity is not found is output.

Secret falsification detecting system, secret computation apparatus, secret falsification detecting method, and program

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


A door stay for attachment to a door above a floor, the door stay comprising a mounting means, and a floor-contacting element rotatably mounted on said mounting means, the floor-contacting element being biased against said floor by the mounting means. Preferably, the floor-contacting element is a ball and the ball moves over the floor under tension. The door stay provides significant advantages in the positioning of a door so that it will not swing to and fro, but which can still nevertheless be swung open when desired by manual operation of the door. The door stay is attachable to the lower edge of the door, wherever required and removed when no longer required, or when it is required somewhere else. All of these features are provided in a relatively simple low cost door stay which is highly effective in practical use.

The invention relates to a door stay which is easily attachable to a door to provide greater or lesser tension actively and consistently in contact with the floor as the door goes through its full movement regardless of height variations and inconsistencies between the bottom of the door and the floor. The result is that the door is held in any predetermined partially opened position by spring tension, but can be moved to and fro by hand pressure.
A door may typically be swung between open and closed positions. When it is closed the latch is locked and holds the door shut. When the door is open, it is usually free to swing to and fro. Wedges and other devices are available to wedge a door open. However, they have the disadvantage that once wedged the door is immovable until the wedge is released by moving the door away from the wedge. Once the door is released it is free to swing to and fro.
In addition, the positioning and insertion of the wedge usually requires a person to bend over, and this may be inconvenient and tiresome.
Various products have been designed to provide releasable door wedges which can be attached to the bottom of doors, and simply operated by the foot. Such devices again, usually function to hold a door securely in a wedged open position and once released, leave the door free to swing.
It is however, desirable in many situations to provide a door which is held partially open, while rendering the door movable by hand to allow free access to a room. Typically these situations occur in the care of small children, the elderly or persons suffering from some kind of sickness. In these cases it may be desirable to leave the door "ajar", so that if the child or person cries out or moves unexpectedly, the sounds can be heard through the door opening and the care person may react swiftly.
Particularly for example, in the case of child care, it is a common experience for parents or child care persons to simply prop a door open by the use of a shoe or slipper.
These simple homely expedients are however inconvenient and ineffective. In particular, if there is any draft or if there is a wind from an open window the door will swing open and closed and will continually bump against whatever is being used as a door stay. This may awaken a child or irritate a person in a room, and may in itself create a problem for a child care person resting in an adjacent room.
The requirement for a door stay may also arise in many other situations such as bedrooms, bathrooms, offices, kitchens and the like, in all of which situations it may at some time be desirable to leave a door ajar so that it is not fully closed and is not fully open, and is held against random swinging, but is nevertheless rendered movable by hand.
For all of these reasons, it is desirable to provide a form of door stay which engages the floor simply by means of tension and friction. In this way, the door may be held open at any desired position, either being open no more than a few inches, or being swung wider open, and the spring-loaded door stay will hold the door in that position by means of tension and prevent it from being swung to and fro by forces such as drafts and wind.
However, it is clearly further desirable that the tension should not be so great that the door cannot be swung open by hand, by an adult or by a child when it is required.
It is not intended that the door stay should totally prevent movement of the door, and indeed it is considered undesirable that it should do so. It is simply intended that the door stay will prevent uncontrolled swinging of the door in a random fashion.
It is also desirable that the door stay should be capable of being readily attached to a door wherever it is required, and in some cases, it is desirable that it may be readily attached to and detached from the door without the need of special tools and without damaging the door.
It is also desirable that the door stay should be of simple construction without the requirement for special instructions or skill as to installation or use. Further, a desirable characteristic is that the door stay ideally should be moveable readily from one door to another, in at least some embodiments, depending upon the requirements of a particular time or day.
Ease of manufacture, packaging, shipping and sale are also important factors.
There have been designs which have attempted to provide a frictional door stay. These prior designs have failed to address a number of problems. One problem is that using friction and dragging a member over a floor surface can cause damage either to the floor or to the contact mechanism, pulling fibers out of a carpet, for example, or wearing a groove in a carpet or harder floor surface.
Another problem is a failure to address any variation in floor elevation or in the gap between the floor and the bottom of the door as the door is swung. In older houses, this variation can be substantial, but it can also occur in newer houses due to improper installation of the floor resulting in the floor being not level, and/or improper alignment of hinges or casing of the door. Such variations can be a major reason that the door has an unstable position normally and needs a door stay to control it.


A protection system in which a shunt protection device at the interface terminals is optically triggered by sensor components within the circuit. This permits a variety of appropriate overvoltage detection thresholds to be defined at different nodes within the circuit. Preferably the shunt protection device is combined with one or more series protection devices which interrupt overcurrent.

The present invention relates to surge protecting units, and more specifically to circuit and system configurations which provide transient protection for communications modules.
In some electronic systems, such as telephone interface circuits, different system components require different levels of overvoltage and/or overcurrent protection. For example, many SLIC (subscriber line interface circuit) boards are multifunctional, and must interface not only to lines with internally or externally generated ring signals, but also to lines with analog voice and/or high-speed data digital subscriber line.
The boards themselves have a different interface for each of the functions. Each of these interfaces can have a different damage threshold (i.e. each can be damaged by different voltages). As a result, one common level protection with a single protection voltage is unsuitable to protect these cards.
The conventional method of protecting such SLIC based electronics is to place a number of shunt protective elements in the circuit with the desired protection level. Each element is placed immediately adjacent to the interface it is to protect. This technique is shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional method of protection. Two terminals (here conventionally labeled Tip and Ring) are fed through respective line feed resistor components LFR, which may include a fusible link. A first protection stage 110, which in this example is implemented by a pair of breakdown diodes, provides a first layer of protection for the LCAS relay (line card access system relay) 120. The LCAS 120 will connect the SLIC interface to the Tip and Ring terminals in the off-hook condition, or disconnect it in the on-hook condition.
When a telephone line receives an incoming call, the ring voltage seen by the LCAS can be 100V above the DC voltage otherwise seen, so that the first protection stage 110 must not suppress normal ring voltages. However, the SLIC interface 140 may not be able to tolerate such high voltages, so the second protection stage 130 may need to be set for a much lower protection voltage. and the SLIC is normally protected from ring voltage by the relay. Thus the second shunt protection stage 130 preferably sets a maximum voltage (for off-hook conditions) which is much lower than that set by the first shunt protection stage 110. As more complex functions are added into telephone line interfaces, other voltage protection values may be needed for other interface elements.
One of the basic design requirements of a robust electrical system is protection against out-of-specification electrical conditions of many kinds, which can arise from many causes. These may include power surges, transient overcurrents, and voltage spikes corresponding to various values of transient energy and source impedance. A variety of protection components have been proposed.
For example, one component is a metal oxide varistor (MOV), which exhibits low differential resistance under sufficiently high applied voltage, and can therefore be useful as a shunt protection device. Another is a positive temperature coefficient polymer (PTC); this exhibits a resistance which increases rapidly in response to temperature rise, and hence can be useful for series protection against overcurrents.
A newer protection component is the transient blocking unit (TBU). The TBU is a very fast disconnection device, which can be used as a series protection device to block transient overcurrents. A TBU will typically have a much faster response time than a PTC and does not require a power source. In addition, the TBU, unlike the PTC, does not limit circuit bandwidth. TBUs are described e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,463, in US published application US2005128669, and in published PCT applications WO2005020402, WO2004034544, WO03069753, and WO2004006408; all of these are hereby incorporated by reference.
Flexible Secondary Overcurrent Protection
The present inventions are directed towards a surge protection system which includes the ability to remotely activate surge-protecting elements, and to use a single surge-protecting element to protect equipment with different electronic thresholds.
For example, in one embodiment, a single light activated shunt protection component (e.g. a photothyristor) is placed at the connection terminal where an external line is connected to the circuit. This shunt protection component preferably is rated to crowbar at the maximum protection voltage of the circuit, even when it is not optically activated. In this embodiment, the thyristor can be adapted to be triggered into conduction through light activation. Light emitting devices can be placed at other locations within the circuit, including locations that are not always connected to the external line. In this way, many nodes of the circuit may be protected with a single protection device. If the voltage at any one of these nodes reaches its defined trip point, the LED turns on and the protection thyristor is thereby activated.
In another embodiment, the light activated shunt device is combined with a transient blocking unit (TBU) as a series device. Since the TBU is a fast switching device, the current handling requirements of the shunt device (e.g. thyristor) can be optimized, and the thyristor need only be capable of handling the peak current surge which can pass the TBU. This provides secondary advantages, including the possibility to make the device very small, sensitive, and cost effective.
Advantages of the disclosed innovations include, in various embodiments, some or all of the following:                Only one set of the relatively expensive protection components is required.        Different overvoltage levels can easily be assigned for different internal nodes of a circuit, with only a small increase in cost and complexity.        Overvoltage protection with different slew rate dependences can be used for different internal nodes of a circuit, without any increase in cost and complexity.        Overvoltage monitoring can easily be added to many internal nodes of system, with only a small increase in cost and complexity.        Line loading by the parasitic capacitance of the shunt protection device can be minimized.        Line loading by the shunt protection device is constant despite variation in the number of secondary nodes which need to be protected.        A given basic configuration of protection components can be used in a variety of system configurations.        The size of the shunt protection component can be optimized.        The whole subsystem can readily be decoupled from its inputs for internal test operations.
Telecomm system applications, such as SLIC boards, are particularly advantageous.

Flexible secondary overcurrent protection


Method for manufacturing terephthalic acid includes following steps: providing a titrant receptor solution, the titrant receptor solution being water; adding disodium terephthalate aqueous solution and an acid titrant into the titrant receptor solution to form terephthalic acid crystals and an end-point solution, and separating the terephthalic acid crystals from the end-point solution.

Polyester has excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability, so it has been widely used in various applications. However, because the compositions of different products are different, and the additives of different products are also different, the difficulty of recycling polyester in different products has risen.
In the recycling of polyethylene terephthalate products, one of the recycling stages is the formation of terephthalic acid crystals. However, the particle size of the terephthalic acid crystals formed by using the current technology is too small (for example, about 10 μm), which increases the difficulty of subsequent processing for recycling. In general, the particle size of terephthalic acid crystals used in industry needs to be greater than 30 μm in order to provide better processing quality. Thus, a novel method for manufacturing terephthalic acid is urgently needed to solve the above problems.


A compound represented by the formula (I) (one of substituents represented by R1 is a trapping group for an object substance for measurement; R2 and R3 represent hydrogen, alkyl, or halogen; R4 and R5 represent alkyl or aryl; R6 and R7 represent hydrogen, alkyl, or halogen; R8 represents hydrogen, alkylcarbonyl, or alkylcarbonyloxymethyl, and X represents silicon, germanium, or tin, which can be used as a fluorescent probe that enables red color bioimaging using intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer.

Fluorescein is a molecule reported in 1871, and has been widely used as a pH indicator or a labeling dye, because of the high water solubility and high fluorescence quantum yield thereof. Since a calcium probe containing fluorescein as a platform was developed, there have been provided a large number of highly sensitive fluorescent off/on type probes utilizing intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer (PeT), decyclization or cyclization of Spiro ring, and the like. In particular, as for probes utilizing the intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer, by designing such probes with taking the oxidation potential of the benzene ring of fluorescein into consideration, off/on of fluorescence can be attained before and after trapping of an object substance for measurement, and an object substance for measurement can be measured with high sensitivity.
There are conventionally known fluorescent probes comprising rhodamine as a platform as fluorescent dye enabling red color bioimaging, and calcium probes such as Rhod-2, and the like have been put into put into practical use as probes utilizing the intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer. However, since rhodamine has amino group in the molecule, it has a problem that it becomes cationic in living bodies, and comes to easily accumulate in specific organelles, especially mitochondria.
Further, almost no reports were made as for structural modification of fluorescein at the oxygen atom of the 10-position of the xanthene ring, and optical characteristics of such compounds wherein the oxygen atom at the 10-position of the xanthene ring is replaced with another type of atom are not known so far. Although a compound corresponding to the basic structure of rhodamine, pyronin Y (PY), of which oxygen atom is replaced with silicon atom (TMDHS) and application of this compound as a fluorescent probe have already been reported (Best, Q et al., Pacifichem 2010, subject number 2335, Dec. 19, 2010; Yuichiro KOIDE et al., Fourth Convention of The Japanese Society for Molecular Imaging, subject number P8-9, May 14, 2009), any compound corresponding to fluorescein of which oxygen atom at the 10-position of the xanthene ring is replaced with silicon atom has not been reported so far, and fluorescent characteristics of such a compound are also not known.


A cylinder of a printing unit is received in a bearing structure that includes a bearing block having a rotary bearing and which is movable along an adjustment path in linear bearings. The bearing structure is configured as a bearing unit that can be mounted as a whole. The bearing structure thus includes the rotary bearing, the bearing block and the linear bearings which enable the relative movement of the bearing block.

In offset printing groups, the surface pressure required for ink transfer is achieved by compressing an elastic medium, such as, for example, a rubber coating, a printing cloth, a sleeve, or the like. To this end, a defined distance of the printing cylinder surfaces is set in the course of assembly and defines a print position. For various reasons it is necessary to set the cylinders in a contact-free manner.
In web-fed rotary printing presses, the printing cylinders are maintained in the print-on position in a geometrically defined position by stops. Three-ring bearings with eccentric rings are used for changing the positions of the centers of the cylinders. A movement of the center of a cylinder in the plane takes place by turning the eccentric rings. This way of realizing the eccentric displacement of the cylinder, by the use of levers and pneumatic actuation, entails various disadvantages. For one, a limitation of the structural space is caused because of synchronous spindles, typically located on each side I/side II, for each cylinder. Secondly, a large adjustment outlay is required because of an over-defined system, such as stops on S1 and S2, coupled by the synchronous spindle, and coupling of the horizontal and vertical displacement device. Thirdly, a great outlay for assembly is typically required.
Individual linear bearings for two transfer cylinders, each seated in a carriage, are known from WO 02/081218 A2. An actuating gear for the carriage can be embodied as a cylinder, which can be charged with a pressure medium. An adjustable stop is provided in order to define an end position for the actuating movement, which end position occurs transversely with respect to the cylinder plane. Actuation is performed by the use of a lever mechanism that is acting on the bearing block, which lever mechanism is actuated, for example, by a hydraulic cylinder and is synchronized on both sides by a synchronizing spindle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,138 B1 discloses a device for seating cylinders, having a bearing block which is movable along an actuating path in linear bearings. The actuating direction S essentially coincides with a connecting plane of the axes of rotation of the cylinders which are to be placed against each other. The linear bearing has bearing elements which are fixed on the frame and are movable.
USP 2001/035 104 A1 also shows a device for seating cylinders, having a bearing block which can be moved along an actuating path in linear bearings. Fixation stations have been assigned to the forme cylinder, which stations are seated, linearly movable, on guide elements which are screwed to lateral frames.
DE 101 45 322 A1 discloses a seating unit of a cylinder, having a bearing block which is linearly movable in respect to a connecting structure in linear bearings and has a rotary bearing. The bearing block can be moved by the use of a displacement device.

Device for receiving a cylinder of a printing unit and corresponding printing unit


Disclosed herein are multi-cuvette cartridges, flow cells, and electrical pulse systems for treatment of large volumes of biological samples with pulsed electric fields. The multi-cuvette cartridges systems may include mechanical motors for automatic positioning and alignment between the cuvettes and the electrodes of the electrical pulse systems. The flow cell systems may include fluidic systems, such as pumps, nozzles and valves, which may operate in coordination with the electrical systems for efficient exposition of biological samples. Embodiments having flow cell systems that allow “on-demand” production of activated sample are also disclosed.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to electric pulse based activation of biological samples using methods and systems that use automated cartridges devices or flow cell devices.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it may be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Use of activated platelet rich plasma (also called "activated platelets") is an emerging therapeutic approach that may be employed in clinic or other health care facility. For example, activated platelet rich plasma can be used to produce activated platelet compounds for therapeutic use. Therapeutic uses of activated platelet compounds include promoting wound healing (such as after surgery) and hemostasis. In particular, interest in the use of activated platelet therapy as a wound healing treatment exists for many types of injuries and conditions such as nerve injuries, tendinitis, osteoarthritis, cardiac muscle injury, and bone repair and regeneration. The derivation of the activated platelet products used on a patient may be autologous, meaning that the activated platelet compound is derived from the patient's own tissues and/or fluids. Thus, a blood sample from the patient may be used to derive the activated platelet compound used to treat the patient.
By way of example, a doctor may draw blood from a patient and platelets in the blood sample may be activated. Upon activation, the platelets within the blood release growth factor and proteins that facilitate and promote the wound healing cascade. The clinical workflow, thus, may involve drawing blood from the patient, centrifuging the blood to separate out the platelets, and performing an ex vivo platelet activation. Activation of platelets may involve exposing the biological sample to pulsed electric fields. The activated platelets or platelet gel may then be applied to the wound or other treatment region.
Due to spatial and geometric constraints of the existing apparatuses capable of applying electrical fields to biological samples, the volumes of samples that can be activated using pulsed electric fields may be limited by the volume of a cuvette, which is usually between 10 μl and 1 ml. As a result, a clinician may find substantial challenges when employing electric pulsed fields for platelet activation-based therapies in which the amount of samples are substantially larger than the cuvette volume. Manual repetition of the process to produce larger amounts of activated-platelet compounds often results in inconsistent results across samples, reducing the efficacy of the therapy. Moreover, existing devices that are used for application of electric fields to biological samples may not be appropriate for use in clinical settings. Existing pulse generating systems may not be appropriately set for receiving blood or platelet rich plasma samples, and may lack pre-configured protocols for platelet activation. These systems may also lack safeguards to preserve sterility of the product.

System and method for electric pulse based activation of biological samples


A cloud-based phone system with methodologies for suggesting account configuration settings is provided. In one embodiment, for example, techniques are provided for suggesting how a particular user should configure a particular account configuration parameter of a plurality of account configuration parameters available to the particular user. One or more parameters of the plurality of account configuration parameters that are related to the particular parameter are identified. One or more other users are identified that have configured the one or more parameters similar to how the particular user has configured the one or more parameters. A suggestion of how the particular user should configure the particular parameter is made based on settings for the particular parameter made by the one or more other users.

Today, cloud-based phone systems exist that allow business to take advantage of business phone system functionality without the complexity and cost of an on-premise phone system. Such cloud-based phone systems use the Internet to deliver features of an on-premise private branch exchange (PBX) system without timely setup and expensive hardware. Advantageously, since the Internet is not bound to a specific location, a cloud-based phone system can more easily integrate multiple locations and remote employees when compared to on-premise systems.
Cloud-based phone systems typically provide users with a powerful array of configurable call management account setting parameters. Such configurable parameters can include call answering rules, call forwarding rules, call notification settings, voicemail settings, caller identification settings, call greeting options, among many others. Given the large number of configurable parameters users of cloud-based phone systems are presented with, such users would appreciate solutions that help them more easily manage their personal settings. The present invention fulfills this and other needs.

Cloud-based phone system with methodologies for suggesting account configuration settings