In a dynamic RAM having a memory cell array in which a dynamic memory cell is arranged at an intersection between a word line and one of a pair of bit lines, a select level signal corresponding to a supply voltage and an unselect level signal corresponding to a negative potential lower than circuit ground potential are supplied to the word line. A signal of a memory cell read to the pair of bit lines by a sense amplifier that operates on the circuit ground potential and an internal voltage formed by dropping the supply voltage by an amount equivalent to the threshold voltage of the address select MOSFET is amplified. The dynamic RAM has an oscillator that receives the supply voltage and circuit ground potential and a circuit that receives an oscillation pulse generated by the oscillator to generate the negative potential.

The present invention relates to a dynamic RAM (Random Accesss Memory) and a semiconductor integrated circuit and to a technology for valid use in a memory access technique for accessing dynamic memory cells.
A dynamic RAM is known in which a back bias voltage to be supplied to a substrate and a boosted select voltage for selecting a word line are formed by a voltage generator using a built-in charge pump circuit.
The use of an external supply voltage for the voltage as selecting a word line or lowering a unselect voltage for not selecting a word line is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. Hei 2-5290, Hei 5-89673, Hei 6-215566, Hei 6-215572, and Hei 5-12866.
A dynamic memory cell consists of an address select MOSFET (Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor) and an information storage capacitor. An information storage operation is performed whether this capacitor is charged or not. To extend the formation retention time in the charged state, it is required to supply a negative back bias voltage to a substrate gate (a channel section) on which the address select MOSFET is formed to raise its effective threshold voltage. In a MOSFET constituting a peripheral circuit for address-selecting the above-mentioned dynamic memory cell and a sense amplifier and main amplifier, when a negative back bias voltage is applied to the substrate gate, the threshold voltage increases by that amount and the conductance in the on state decreases, slowing the operation speed. To solve this problem, a method has been proposed in which such a back bias voltage is supplied only to the memory array section on which the dynamic memory cell is formed. However, such a constitution requires that the well region on which the memory array section is formed be separated from the well region on which the above-mentioned peripheral circuit is formed, making the fabrication process complicated.
In writing at high level to the dynamic memory cell, the information storage capacitor is charged up via the address selecting MOSFET, and the charge-up level is lowered by an amount equivalent to the threshold voltage of the address select MOSFET, thereby reducing the amount of the information charge. To prevent the charge-up level from being lowered, the select level of the word line connected to the gate of the above-mentioned address select MOSFET is set to a voltage boosted by a threshold voltage for the high level to be transmitted to a bit line. Thus, prior-art dynamic RAMs require a boosted voltage for a word line selecting operation and a charge pump circuit for forming the above-mentioned back bias voltage, thereby causing problems, such as a comparatively large occupancy area and increased current consumption.


A magnetic component for a magnetically actuated fuel injection device is formed of a corrosion resistant soft magnetic alloy consisting essentially of, in weight percent, 9%<Co<20%, 6%<Cr<15%, 0%≦S≦0.5%, 0%≦Mn≦4.5%, 0%≦Al≦2.5%, 0%≦V≦2.0%, 0%≦Ti≦2.0%, 0%≦Mo≦2.0%, 0%≦Si≦3.5%, 0%≦C<0.05%, 0%≦P<0.1%, 0%≦N<0.5%, 0%≦O<0.05%, 0%≦B<0.01%, and the balance being essentially iron and having at least one of Al, V, Ti and Mo.

Magnetically actuated devices, such as solenoid valves are used in many types of systems including automotive applications such as fuel injection, anti-lock braking and active suspension systems.
Magnetically actuated devices typically include a magnetic coil and a moving magnetic core or plunger. In a typical arrangement of a solenoid valve 10, as shown in FIG. 1, the coil 22 surrounds the plunger 28 such that when the coil 22 is energized with electric current, a magnetic field is induced in the interior of the coil 22. The plunger 28 is formed of a soft magnetic material, typically a ferritic steel. A spring (not shown) holds the plunger 28 in a first position such that the device is either normally open or closed. When the coil 22 is energized, the induced magnetic field causes the plunger 28 to move to a second position to either close the device, if it is normally open, or open it, if it is normally closed.
It is desirable that the material used to make the magnetic core have good soft magnetic properties, principally, a low coercive field strength to minimize "sticking" of the component and a high saturation induction to minimize the size and weight of the component.
The plunger is often in direct contact with the local environment such as the fluid that is being controlled. Many environments and fluids are corrosive and will corrode the plunger, which may cause the device to malfunction or the valve to leak or become inoperative. It is, therefore, desirable that the plunger be formed of a material that has good resistance to the corrosive influence of the environment in which it is to be used.
The increasingly frequent use of magnetically actuated valves in automotive technologies as fuel injection systems has created a need for a magnetic material having improved corrosion resistance. The need for better corrosion resistance is of particular importance in automotive fuel injection systems in view of the introduction of more corrosive fuels such as those containing ethanol or methanol.
It is known to use ferritic steels for the magnetic component of fuel injection valves, but the corrosion resistance has been found to be insufficient in corrosive fuel environments.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Corrosion resistant magnetic component for a fuel injection valve


In an error correcting system for use in transmitting a packet from a transmitter to a receiver, a packet header is preceded by an input signal and is formed by a Reed-Solomon code in the transmitter by adding an error correcting code to a header information signal. In the receiver, a plurality of syndromes are calculated by a syndrome calculator in response to the packet header to detect whether or not at least one error is included in the packet header. On detection of at least one error, an error correction circuit is energized in accordance with a program to locate and to correct the at least one error on the basis of procedure determined for correction of the Reed-Solomon code and may be structured by a plurality of hardware circuits.

This invention relates to an error correction system for use in a packet exchange system which can transfer packets without the necessity of retransmitting of information, such as datum, a speech, and an image.
Heretofore, a packet exchange system of the type described is used for transferring a packet from a transmission end to a destination or reception end. In this event, information signals, such as a speech or voice signal and an image signal, are preceded by a packet header and are transmitted or conveyed by the packet in the packet exchange system which is operable in accordance with non-high level data link control procedure. The packet header is helpful to specify the destination reception end and the transmission end.
It is to be noted that no re-transmission is carried out in such a system and that the packet should be delivered to the destination reception end without failure. Otherwise, the information signals are undesirably sent to a wrong one of the reception ends. Therefore, correct transmission is required for the packet header as compared with transmission of the information signals, such as the speech and the image signals.
In general, it is known to use a Hamming code or a parity bit in connection with an information signal of a comparatively short data length of, for example, several bits. In this case, a single bit error or a double bit error is corrected by use of the Hamming code or addition of the parity bit when the information signal has a short data length, as mentioned before.
It is mentioned here that the packet header is usually composed of a long data length of, for example, several tens of bits. In addition, the packet exchange system is often used in very bad circumstances such that the packet header is subjected to the influence of noise. Taking this into account, a double error, a triple error or a t-tuple error more than the triple error very often takes place in the packet header and may be preferably corrected in each packet header.
Conventionally, consideration is however directed neither to the correction of the packet header nor to the correction of a double or a triple error.

Error correction system capable of correcting an error in a packet header by the use of a Reed-Solomon code


The invention relates to methods of producing Protein A without contamination of the Protein A by animal products. The invention also relates to a vegetarian fermentation media in which Staphylococcus aureus is grown to produce a vegetarian Protein A. The invention further relates to a vegetarian Protein A and the use of a vegetarian Protein A in therapeutic and prophylactic methods.

Protein A is a cell wall protein made by Staphylococcus aureus. The usefulness of Protein A stems from its ability to bind the Fc region of most mammalian immunoglobulin G (IgG) and, to a lesser extent, to immunoglobulin M (IgM) having a VH3 region, without affecting immunoglobulin affinity for antigen. Protein A is used commercially to purify monoclonal antibodies that are often in turn used as therapeutics in human diseases like inflammatory diseases and cancer. Also, Protein A can itself be used as a therapeutic. Protein A can be administered to a patient in order to bind circulating immune complexes in autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or to stimulate specific cytokine production in someone with an infection. In addition, when coupled to a chromatography resin, Protein A can act as a therapeutic absorber to treat plasma or whole blood by removing IgG complexes in disorders like autoimmune disease and transplant organ rejection.
Originally, Protein A was derived from the S. aureus cell wall, but bacterial strains which secrete the protein have been isolated and are also used to obtain Protein A. However, the preparation of Protein A by conventional methods presents a problem for its use in human therapeutics. S. aureus is grown in media that contains animal products as a source of amino acids for the bacteria. In particular, bovine hydrolysates and extracts are commonly used as supplements in bacterial growth media. Hence, obtaining Protein A from growth media containing animal-derived products leads to the possibility that animal products like prions, the causitive agent in Mad Cow, Scrapie and wasting disease, could be present in the media and transmitted to human patients. Protein A preparations can also be exposed to and contaminated with animal products during downstream purification processes. For example, in methods currently used, Protein A is purified using an IgG Sepharose chromatography column and the IgG coupled to the Sepharose chromatography column is typically of animal origin. However, the animal products that come to be associated with a Protein A preparation during the isolation and purification processes are not easily purified from the preparation by the methods presently known.

Vegetarian protein a preparation and methods thereof


There is provided a trocar button having an enlarged flat head at the larger exterior end connecting with a conical body and a pointed bulbous end. The large part of the conical body connects with the enlarged flat head. Between the small part of the conical body and the pointed bulbous end there is a neck. In the body of the trocar button including the enlarged flat head, the conical body, the neck, and part of the pointed bulbous end, there is a cavity. With the removal of the pointed bulbous end at the neck, there is created a through passageway in the trocar button. A needle attached to a syringe, can be inserted in the through passageway and into the interior of the cadaver. Then, an embalming fluid can be forced through the needle and into the interior of the cadaver. Also, the through passageway allows gas in the cadaver to escape. Further, if there be a liquid in the cadaver some of that liquid can collect in the passageway. On the exterior of the conical body there is a thread. In the head of the trocar button there is a receiving area for receiving a tool for assisting in screwing the trocar button into the aperture in the cadaver or for removing the trocar button from the aperture in the cadaver.

1. Field of the Invention
In the preparation of cadaver for burial, it is often necessary to seal an aperture in the cadaver. There may have been an accident whereby a stick, a rod, or glass may have caused an aperture in a human being, and this aperture remains in the cadave. Further, a knife wound or a bullet hole may have caused an aperture in a human being and this aperture remains with the cadaver It is often necessary to seal such an aperture
Further, with the cadaver there may be a deliberate opening or deliberate openings to introduce embalming fluid and also to vent gases from the interior of the cadaver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A trocar in surgery is a sharp pointed instrument enclosed in a cannula used for withdrawing fluid from a cavity such as food from the abdominal cavity.
A cannula in surgical technology is a tube for insertion into the body and used to draw fluid or to introduce medication
Cullen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,437,381, is directed to an embalming device. Cullen teaches of a trocar button for use in closing an aperture made in the body for the purpose of aspirating body fluids and/or for the introduction of embalming fluid. There is a head 2 of generally disc-like shape. There is a body 4 of truncated conical contour tapering downwardly from its junction with the head to the free end or tip 5.
There are two recesses 2a in the head 2 for receiving the parallel pins 8 of a tool 9.
The body portion of the trocar button is of a generally frustum of a cone having on the outside surface threads 8 to assist in screwing the trocar into the aperture in the cadaver.
There is no through passageway in Cullen for introducing embalming fluid into the cadaver. In effect, Cullen's embalming device is a plug to plug a hole or aperture in a cadaver so as to prevent the escape of gases and fluids from the cadaver.
Rector, U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,398, teaches of a trocar button having a conical body 1 connecting with the enlarged flat head 2 On the outside of the conical body 1 there are threads 3 to assist in screwing the trocar button into the aperture in the cadaver.
Rector teaches of a bulbous head 4 on the small end of the conical body 1.
There is a channel 7 in the trocar button which allows a needle to be positioned in the button. There is a neck 5 between the end of the conical body 1 and the bulbous end 4. A channel 7 connects with the enlarged head 2 and also with the bulbous member 4. or the tip 4 The trocar button of Rector can be used for plugging an aperture in a cadaver to prevent the loss of fluid and gas. Or, the tip 4 can be severed from the conical body at the neck 5 to expose the channel 7 The channel 7 along with a cavity 6 provides a through passageway in the trocar button for the insertion of a needle for inserting embalming fluid into the cadaver or for the removal of material inside of the fabric. Also, the through passageway 7 and the cavity 6 make it possible for liquid and gas to escape from the cadaver The liquid which escapes will remain in the channel 7 and/or the cavity 6.
Again, a needle connected to syringe can be inserted in the cavity 6 and the channel 7 for introducing embalming fluid and the like into the cadaver. The needle is positioned in the cavity 6 and the channel 7.


A twine restrictor is disclosed having the advantages of simplicity and reliability. The twine restrictor is generally formed from solid or hollow stock. It is left free floating while being restrained sufficiently to avoid loss. Twine is passed over a substantially horizontal surface of a twine arm assembly and the twine restrictor is simply placed on the twine, providing a force up to a value equal to its weight on the twine. The twine restrictor is unaffixed and no springs are required.

Many mechanisms have been developed for wrapping bales with filament typically referred to as twine. The twine is held in a staging position while a bale is being formed. An end of the twine is positioned to engage the moving periphery of the formed bale. This engagement pulls the twine which subsequently wraps the bale.
Restricting or tensioning devices usually comprise a spring-loaded plate, wherein the twine is held under spring tension between the plate and another surface. Adjustments are required when changing twine types and as conditions change.
Meiers, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,646, discloses such a twine tensioning device comprising a plate held against the twine by a spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,006 by Jennings et al. is for a twine clamp used in large round balers. The clamp is not usually used for providing tension while the twine is feeding onto the bale, but Jennings et al. disclose that the clamp could be used thus. No details are included.
There is need, therefore, for a reliable, simple twine restrictor.


A cycloidal propeller to achieve strictly a rudder operation includes accessory apparatuses containing accessory drives. Clutches are used to couple the accessory drives to the propeller shafts, and additional clutches are provided to disengage the fixed connection of the normal propeller mechanism to the wing shafts in cruising operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cycloidal propeller.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cycloidal propellers serve mostly as marine major drives, but may be used also as auxiliary drives, namely whenever especially high maneuverability is required. One type of cycloidal propeller is described in Voith document reprint 9.94 2000. The wing mechanism disclosed therein serves to move the wings on the wing circle of the rotor in the necessary positions to generate propelling forces, and also to control forces. Feathering is effected by way of a central joystick, which is actuated by two servomotors arranged at right angles to one another. The rotor is generally powered via a diesel engine with a gear drive comprising a bevel ring gear and a bevel pinion.
DE-B 19 41 652 describes a cycloidal propeller serving only as a marine auxiliary drive and which at cruising speed of the ship, is operated exclusively as a rudder. Feathering of the individual wings is effected by suitable accessory apparatuses to a degree such that in the so-called nonbuoyant, i.e., nonpropelling sailing position, they are parallel to one another and can in this position be adjusted to the necessary angular position by rotation of the rotor element according to the required rotor position.
DE 36 06 549 A1 describes a system to generate motion, or also drive, which in the broadest sense could be described also as a cycloidal propeller with multiple-part wings, i.e., composite wing profile. Gear wheels are primarily used as an actuating drive for the wing components, and for one the rear wing part, in the last part of the drive train formed of a chain of gear/wheels, consists of a gear segment and a gear wheel mounted on the shaft end of the rear wing part.
DE-AS 11 92 945 is geared to safety against wing damage by foreign objects and provides safety valves for relieving the pressure spaces of the drive servomotors in case external forces exerted on the wings by foreign objects would cause an unallowable pressure increase in the pressure spaces.
In the case of the cycloidal propeller described in the not prepublished older document DE 196 02 043 C1, a large actuation option of the wing is achieved by a gear drive fitted between the linkages of the wing mechanism and the respective wing shaft consisting predominantly of a gear segment and a gear wheel.
But the design of the cycloidal propeller, notably concerning the configuration of the propeller mechanism and attachment to the wing shaft, results in relatively short feathering paths of the wings. Therefore, it is not possible to bring the rounded head end of the wings in a forward direction of travel. Therefore, wing profiles are used that deviate from the usual shape and have an essentially oval shape. At certain states of travel this is unfavorable, for example when the ship travels within narrow channels, in harbors or in the skerries. In such states of travel, it is advantageous to drive the ship using the cycloidal propeller, and not the main drive, which is configured for a considerably higher speed. The high maneuverability of the cycloidal propeller is utilized here.

Cycloidal propeller having wings operated by hydraulic clutches


A method of producing a die coater structured with at least two bars so as to form a pocket section to extend a coating liquid in a coating width direction, a coating liquid supply port to supply a coating liquid to the pocket section, and a slit section to discharge a coating liquid from the pocket section to a material to be coated, wherein at least a part of a surface of the two bars coming in contact with a coating liquid is covered with a fluorine-based resin, the method comprises steps of: a preheating step of conducting a preheating process for a bar with a preheating temperature higher than a baking temperature in a baking process in a covering step of a fluorine-based resin; a grinding step of grinding the bar subjected to the preliminary heating process; and the covering process of covering a part of a surface of the bar with a fluorine-based resin so as to form a covered section, wherein the surface of the bar was subjected to the grinding step and comes in contact with a coating liquid.

The present invention relates to a coating apparatus provided with a die coater having at least 2 bars mounted thereon and to a method of producing the die coater, and specifically, relates to a coating apparatus provided with a die coater having at least 2 bars with an excellent cleanability mounted thereon and to a method of producing the die coater having at least 2 bars mounted thereon, wherein the coating apparatus causes few coating failures and achieves an excellent coating quality.
In the prior art, as a method for coating a continuously running belt-shaped support (hereinafter, also referred to as 'support') with a liquid coating composition (for example, liquid coating compositions for subbing, overcoating, and a backside layer) for surface treatment of materials such as photographic photosensitive materials, heat development recording materials, abrasion recording materials, magnetic recording media, glass plates, steel plate, etc., there are known methods such as dip coating methods, blade coating methods, air knife coating methods, wire bar coating methods, gravure coating methods, reverse coating methods, reverse roll coating methods, extrusion coating methods, slide coating methods, and curtain coating methods.
Among these, slide coating methods, extrusion coating methods, and curtain coating methods allow high speed coating, thin layer coating, and simultaneous multi-layer coating, and accordingly, are widely used in coating photographic photosensitive materials, heat development recording materials, and abrasion recording materials. Serving as coating apparatuses to be used in these coating methods, there are used slide type die coaters for slide coating methods, extrusion type die coaters for extrusion coating methods, and curtain type die coaters for curtain coating methods.
These die coaters are produced having at least two bars mounted thereon, and regarding the structure of the die coaters, in the case of a slide type die coater, for example, the die coater has at least 2 bars and is comprised of a slit section that is constructed of at least 2 bars and lets a liquid coating composition flow out, a pocket section for supplying the liquid coating composition uniformly in the lateral direction of the slit section, a sliding section on which the liquid coating composition having flowed out of the slit section flows, and a lip section for forming beads between the end of the sliding section and a support to coat the support with the beads of the liquid coating composition. The slit section, the pocket section, the sliding section, the lip section, and an outer wall that is continuous with the lip section, are portions that come in contact with the liquid coating composition.
As for performing coating of a liquid coating composition for a photographic photosensitive material containing silver halide grains or a heat development recording material by the use of a slide type die coater, an extrusion type die coater, or a curtain type die coater, it is known that a portion, of the various die coaters, which comes in contact with the liquid coating composition has the following problem.
Regarding an outer wall continuous with a lip section, when a flow rate is set at the start of coating and when coating is terminated, a liquid coating composition flows down along the outer wall continuous with the lip section, adheres to the outer wall, and then gets dry and solidifies, which makes cleaning after the termination of coating painstaking.
Tiny foreign materials and silver halide grains may adhere to the slit section, the pocket section, the sliding section, and the lip section. In the course of coating for a long time, tiny foreign materials and silver halide grains adhering to these sections turn into a core, then further foreign materials and silver halide grains adhere to the core, and thus such created an adhering deposit may grow. If the deposit grows to a certain extent in this way, the rate and the flow speed of a liquid coating composition vary at the deposit, which makes the flow of the liquid coating composition unstable, resulting in a coating failure and difficulty in production. It is understood that these foreign materials and silver halide grains appear, for example, in such a way that foreign materials adhering to dead spaces of joint sections and valves of pipes which are disposed in a complex liquid coating composition supply system extending from a liquid coating composition supply pipe to the exit of a slit section of a die coater are torn off by conveying the liquid coating composition, and silver halide deposits in the liquid coating composition to become grains in the course of coating of the liquid coating composition for a long time. Particularly, at a start of coating, a liquid coating composition is rapidly conveyed into a liquid coating composition supply system, which tears off tiny foreign materials adhering to the respective dead spaces of the liquid coating composition supply system, and then the foreign materials adhere to portions of the die coater where the die coater contacts with the liquid coating composition.
For coating for a long time, there are known the following solutions that prevent silver halide grains deposited in a liquid coating composition and tiny foreign materials from adhering to portions, of a die coater, which contact with the liquid coating composition, and allow stable coating and easy cleaning after termination of coating.
For example, there is known a technology in which a pocket section, a slit section, etc. of an extrusion type die coater are formed with a fluorine based resin so that cleaning and disassembling are easy (referring to Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example). Another technology is known in which the periphery of a slit section of an extrusion type die coater is lyophilized with a fluorine based resin to allow forming of a thin layer without a streak type unevenness (referring to Patent Document 3, for example). Still another technology is known in which the outer wall side surface of an extrusion type coater for coating base materials is covered with a fluorine based resin to prevent retention of a liquid coating composition at a start of coating and to achieve uniform layer thickness (referring to Patent Document 4, for example).
The technologies disclosed in the above stated Patent Documents 1 to 4 are so sophisticated as to allow it to prevent adherence of foreign materials by covering portions of a die coater, the portions coming in contact with a liquid coating composition, with a fluorine based resin, but these technologies have the following problem.
Usually, a die coater covered with a fluorine based resin at portions coming in contact with a liquid coating composition is produced through the following processes in brief. Bars that are components of the die coater are subjected to either sweeping treatment for cleaning of portions to be covered with the fluorine based resin or a heat treatment called 'pre-idle heating', and a heat treatment called 'baking' for sticking the fluorine based resin to a base material, thereafter the bars are subjected to grinding and polishing, and then at least two such bars are mounted to produce the die coater.
In a process of covering bars with a fluorine based resin, these heat treatments deteriorate the straightness of the bars, and when a die coater is produced having these bars mounted thereon, the gap of a slit section in the lateral direction of coating and the distance between the die coater and an object to be coated become uneven to lower the uniformity of thickness of a layer in the lateral direction of coating, which may have resulted in a fear that coating cannot be achieved.
As a coating layer thickness is required to be accurate, the straightness of a die coater is also required to have an accuracy of a few micrometers. In covering a bar with a fluorine based resin, if the bar has a coating width shorter than 1 m approximately, the influence of heat treatment in a resin covering process is negligible and will not be a problem. However, in the case of a bar used for a die coater having a coating width exceeding 1 m, the influence of heat treatment in a fluorine based resin covering process is so significant that although a die coater produced having bars covered with the fluorine based resin is allowed to prevent coating failures due to deposition of a liquid coating composition, but the die-coater is not allowed to attain uniformity of layer thickness in the lateral direction of coating, thus only permitting coating that does not require a quality with uniformity of the coating layer thickness.
[Patent Document 1]
TOKKAI No. H11-156265
[Patent Document 2]
TOKKAI No. 2001-269606
[Patent Document 3]
TOKKAI No. 2001-191004
[Patent Document 4]
TOKKAI No. 2001-276709

Producing method for die coater and coating apparatus


The present invention relates to a pattern-matching processing method based on left and right images of an object photographed in stereo. A left area and a right area are generated, each having a fixed pattern containing plural pixels extracted from the left and right images, respectively, and in the left area, a reference image is generated by calculating an interpolation pixel value to be used between two transversely adjacent pixels based on the average of the two pixel values, and by calculating an interpolation pixel value to be used between two vertically adjacent pixels based on the average of the plural pixel values surrounding the relating position. Similarly, in the right area, interpolation pixel values are calculated and a comparison image is generated. Then pattern matching is performed between the reference image and the comparison images generated sequentially by shifting the right original image pixel by pixel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pattern-matching processing method and an image processing apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pattern-matching processing method and an image processing apparatus that relates to a distance measuring system adopting image processing, and in which pattern matching is performed by generating left and right matching images to which pixel interpolation has been introduced from the photographed original images of an object taken by a stereo camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, the so-called stereoscopic distance measuring method is widely known as a three-dimensional measuring technique adopting image processing, in which correlation of a pair of left and right images of an object photographed from different positions by a stereo camera composed of two cameras is found and the distance is found from the parallax of the same object using image processing based on the principle of the triangulation using the camera parameters such as the position of the stereo camera and the focal length.
Such a distance measuring method is applied to, for example, distance measurement of an object located ahead of a vehicle such as a car. A stereo camera facing ahead is mounted in a vehicle and the distance to an object located ahead of the vehicle is measured based on the photographed stereoscopic images of the object ahead of the vehicle.
The distance information of an object calculated based on left and right images photographed by a stereo camera is sent to, for example, a vehicle control unit or a warning device, and is used to, for example, immediately stop the vehicle according to the measured distance or to inform the driver of the distance to the vehicle in the road ahead.
When such a stereoscopic distance measuring system is mounted in a vehicle, the system is usually equipped with a pattern-matching processing section, a distance measuring section, and an object recognition processing section for left and right images taken by a stereo camera.
In the pattern-matching processing section, left and right pattern-matching images in a small area are generated from the left and right original images taken by the stereo camera, and stereoscopic pattern matching is performed to find correlation between each other based on the left and right pattern-matching images.
Based on the matching results obtained by the stereoscopic pattern-matching processing, the difference between positions of pixels in the left and right original images (that is, the parallax) relevant to the object photographed is measured, and the distance from the stereo camera to the object is calculated using the measured parallax and the parameters relating to the camera.
Based on the generated distance data, whether the object photographed in the original image is, for example, a vehicle in the road ahead is judged. The result of the judgment is sent to a vehicle control unit that performs the vehicle traveling control, and so on, in order to support driving or to avoid danger.
By the way, the pattern-matching images generated in the pattern-matching processing section are composed of, for example, nine pixels, that is, a 3×3 pattern consisting of three transverse pixels and three vertical pixels, which are cut out respectively from the left and right original images photographed by the stereo camera.
When pattern matching is performed on these pattern-matching images, if it is assumed that the left original image is, for example, the reference image and the right original image is a comparison image, the right pattern-matching images, which are cut out from the right original image while being shifted pixel by pixel, are compared with the left pattern-matching image cut out from the left original image. At this time, a correlation coefficient of each pattern-matching image is calculated and the degree of matching is judged according to the magnitude of the correlation coefficient.
When it is judged that the left pattern-matching image and the right pattern-matching image match each other, the position of the central pixel in the left pattern-matching image of the left original image and the position of the central pixel in the right pattern-matching image of the right original image are found. The parallax in the transverse direction is found from the difference between the left pixel position and the right pixel position. In addition, the parallax in the vertical direction is also found in the same technique. If the parallax of the object viewed from the stereo camera can be found, it is possible to calculate the distance between the stereo camera and the object by reference to the parameters of the camera.
According to a technique using a technology in which, as described above, the three-dimensional position of an object ahead of a vehicle is measured, a matching position at which left and right pattern-matching images match each other is found by performing stereoscopic matching between the left and right pattern-matching images in small areas extracted from the left and right original images photographed in stereo, and the distance between the positions of pixels of the corresponding left and right pattern-matching images is output as a parallax.
As the parallax obtained by processing the stereoscopic images are expressed in the unit of pixels in the image, if a distance is calculated from the parallax expressed in the unit of pixels by using the triangulation, the resolution is degraded for longer distances to an object.
Because of the degradation of resolution, an error is produced in the calculated distance. This error is ascribed to the fact that the parallax detected from images photographed by a stereo camera is expressed in the unit of pixels and is also a main cause of the degradation of resolution in distance measurement based on the principle of the triangulation. This error commonly occurs in a case where other matching positions in images are found and may affect the judgment of an object in the object recognition section significantly.
Conventionally, as a consequence, resolution is improved to secure the accuracy in distance measurement by interpolating pixels in each left original image and right original image photographed in stereo, respectively, when pattern-matching processing is performed.
There are various known methods as a conventional pixel interpolation techniques. In one of them, pixel interpolation is performed based on eight pixels located adjacently to the pixel at the position to be interpolated. In this method, the pixel values of each of eight pixels adjacently surrounding the position to be interpolated are averaged and the resultant value is taken as a pixel value for the position to be interpolated. Then, for the whole of the original image, pixel interpolation is performed between two adjacent pixels successively.
This interpolation technique requires a tremendous amount of calculation because interpolated images are obtained after the interpolation pixel values to be interpolated are calculated for the whole of the original image. As a result, it takes a long time for the processing of interpolation; therefore, a more or less simplified interpolation technique is also adopted.
In the simplified pixel interpolation technique for obtaining an interpolated image, two adjacent pixels are selected, as basic interpolation processing, and an interpolation pixel is interpolated sequentially between the two adjacent pixels, with the average of the pixel values relating to the two pixels being taken as a pixel value for interpolation.
First, two transversely adjacent pixels in the original image are selected and a pixel is interpolated sequentially between the two adjacent pixels, with the average of the pixel values of the two pixels being taken as a pixel value for interpolation. This process, in which a pixel is interpolated between the two transversely adjacent pixels in the transverse row in the original image, is performed from the top of the original image to its bottom sequentially. After this, pixel interpolation is performed between two vertically adjacent pixels in the original image. By utilizing the interpolation pixels already interpolated between pixels in the transverse direction as well, pixel interpolation with the seven adjacent pixels is performed between the two vertically adjacent pixels in the original image. According to the pixel interpolation technique described above, interpolated images are obtained.
In this simplified interpolation technique described above, which has been adopted to obtain interpolation pixels, for two vertically adjacent pixels in the original image, the average value of the two adjacent pixels is taken as the interpolation pixel value and, as for the vertical direction, the average value of pixel values each of the seven adjacent pixels has is taken as the interpolation pixel value, with the already calculated interpolation pixels being also used, therefore, the amount of calculations required for the pixel interpolation technique is considerably reduced compared to the case where the pixel value of the position to be interpolated is obtained from the average value of eight adjacent pixels.
However, a distance measuring apparatus to be mounted in a vehicle is required to deliver as accurately and speedily as possible the distance measurement data to be supplied for driving support and warning and, therefore, there remains a problem that the amount of calculations is still large and much time is required, if the conventional or simplified pixel interpolation technique is used without changes made thereto for generating a pattern-matching image from a stereoscopic image.
The object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a pattern-matching processing method and an image processing apparatus, in which pattern matching is performed by introducing pixel interpolation to the left and right pattern-matching images in small areas extracted from the photographed original images of an object taken by a stereo camera.

Pattern-matching processing method and image processing apparatus


An operation sequence user adaptive system for use in a processing system. The system including a central processing unit in which after objects displayed on a display screen of a display are specified from a mouse or a keyboard, and when a function to be effected for the objects are specified through selection of a function selective menu, a pertinent function of an application program is executed. The adaptive system includes a function of storing a data structure for storing therein a usage frequency of each of the functions, an update function of monitoring an operation conducted by the user for each function and updating a weight between particular functions successively operated, and a combining function of combining, when the weight updated by the update function exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the particular functions associated with the weight.

The present invention is related to a technology in which usability or operability of a computer system for the user to operate functions of an application program in the system is improved by recognizing on the system side an operation purpose of the user, and in particular, to an operation sequence user adaptive system and an operation sequence user adaptive method in which from operation sequences conducted by the user according to a command system supported by the system, there are extracted a sequence of function series meaningful for the user, thereby producing a new command adapted to preference of the user.
To adapt a computer system to preference of a user, there has been commonly used a method of altering various setting files such as login. and .cshrc files of UNIX. However, the operation to modify, namely, to customize such setting files requires knowledge and human power to a considerable extent and hence cannot be achieved by the user who is not knowledgeable in the field. To facilitate operations of a computer system, there has been increasingly required a computer interface which varies according to preference of the user. According to the interface, namely, the computer automatically feels or detects preference of the user to adapt itself thereto.
As an example of such a user adaptation, there has been an operation to re-arrange candidate character strings in a kana-kanji (Japanese syllabary letters--Chinese characters) conversion software. According to a kanji term input apparatus described in the JP-B-57-32366, the re-arrangement is achieved depending on frequency of uses of characters. In a Japanese sentence input apparatus described in the JP-B-58-39334, the operation is carried out according to last used terms. Although the ideas above are quite suggestive, it is impossible to directly apply them to various kinds of interface.
Furthermore, in an information processing apparatus described in the JP-A-1-318166, information necessary to set a picture quality is inputted depending on a state of each user, thereby setting a picture quality according to preference of the user.
In "EAGER: Programming Repetitive Tasks by Example" described in pages 33 to 39 of the Proc. of CHI '91, Conf. on Human Factors in Computing Systems, ACM, there has been proposed an experimental system operating in accordance with HyperCard on Macintosh computers. In this system, however, a Copy-and-Paste operation to extract data items of a certain attribute from a database prepared on a stack of HyperCard to generate a list thereof is automatically detected only to combine a sequence of functions of the operation. Namely, the combination is achieved only for a function sequence formed in a loop. A sequence of functions is configured in a loop only when the function sequence accomplishes a simple operation. As a result, EAGER cannot be utilized for the adaptation of the system to the user in a case of a complex operation, namely, where various kinds of functions are used to operate objects.
As above, to enhance the system adaptation to the user which has been insufficient in the prior art, it is required to discuss the adaptation from standpoints of system designers and users so as to recognize actual problems to be solved.
Ordinarily, when creating a system, the system designer assumes an operation procedure of the user in the system, thereby supplying the prepared system to the user. On the other hand, the user of the system estimates an operation procedure thereof irrespective of the idea of the system designer to operate the system according to an image occurring to his or her mind.
Consequently, there often exists a gap between the operation procedure supplied by the designer and that imagined by the user. For example, a phenomenon of "techno-stress" recently attracting attentions in which the user of a system is frustrated because the system does not operate according to his or her intention is possibly caused by the existence of such a gap between the operation procedures above.

Operation sequence user adaptive system and method


Processes for preparing 5,8,11-eicosatriynoic acid as well as esters and amides thereof involves initially preparing the acid by reacting 1-decyne with 1,4-dihalo-2-butyne in the presence of a strong base to form 1-halo-2,5-tetradecadiyne which is then reacted with 5-hexynoic acid so as to form 5,8,11-eicosatriynoic acid. This acid can then be converted to the acid chloride form and reacted with an alcohol to form an ester or converted to a potassium salt and reacted with a halide also to form an ester, or after conversion to an acid chloride reacted with an amine in the presence of a tertiary amine to form an amide, or the acid can be reacted with carbonyldiimidazole in the presence of a solvent and excess amine to form an amide.

It is known that a number of substances perform an important role in the inflammatory process of the skin, such as acne, dermatoses such as, for example, psoriasis, eczema, and the like. These substances, including prostaglandins, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, thromboxanes and leukotrienes, all have a common origin, namely arachidonic acid (see "VOORHEES, Leukotrienes and Other Lipoxygenase Products in the Pathogenesis and Therapy of Psoriasis and Other Dermatoses" Arch Dermatol. Vol. 119, July 1983, 541-547).
The formation of these substances results mainly from the release of arachidonic acid bound through an ester bond to the lipids present in the epidermis (for example the phospholipids).
For the treatment of skin diseases, prior recommendations have already been made to use either cyclooxygenase inhibitors, which inhibit prostaglandin formation, such as indomethacin, vitamin E, and the like, or substances capable of inhibiting lipoxygenases, such as eicosatetraynoic acid.
For the treatment of psoriasis, 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid and also 5,8,11-eicosatriynoic acid, and their lower alkyl esters, have already been recommended (U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,669).

Eicosatriynoic acid esters and amides and methods of preparation

Centre International de Recherches Dermatologiques Galderma (Cird Galderma)


Flexible strips of a garment closure are injection molded around skeletons of the more rigid fastener members which are held together by ligatures embedded in the strip material. The closure members are of the snap/hook-type.

In the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,232, there is described a new type of closure, utilizing a snap/hook-type engagement of injection molded synthetic resin male and female members. In that system, the male and female members are injection molded onto fabric tapes.
It is highly desirable to have a fastener, especially for the back strip of a brassiere, which has the flexibility of such fabric tapes but yet a certain rigidity at the interfitting members themselves so as to enable them to engage and disengage in a flawless manner.
The female member of that system comprises a ring which is formed with a lateral inlet opening into a central bore or hole with an overhanging part adapted to engage beneath a head of the male member. The male member may be a stud or pin which can be split to enable it to be inserted laterally using a hook-type engagement which has become a standard in brassiere back fasteners, but enabling separation of the two members like a snap fastener.
While the aforedescribed system is satisfactory for many applications, there are occasions when the qualities or a plastic strip are desirable as a support for the rigid members of the closure.

Garment closure and method of making same


A DC permanent magnet synchronous motor, including: a motor body including a rotating shaft, a permanent rotor assembly, a stator assembly, and a housing assembly; a motor controller including a first microprocessor for drive control, an inverter circuit, and a detection circuit for detecting operating parameters of the motor; and an external control card including a second microprocessor for application control. The operating parameters of the motor are input into the first microprocessor by the detection circuit. The first microprocessor outputs a PWM signal to control the inverter circuit. An output end of the inverter circuit is connected to a coil winding. The external control card is disposed outside the motor body and is connected to the motor body via an electric wire. The second microprocessor and the first microprocessor are interconnected so that they can communicate.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a DC permanent magnet synchronous motor and a combination of the motor and a heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and cooling (HVAC) control system.
Description of the Related Art
A typical integrated permanent magnet synchronous motor includes a motor body and a motor controller which are connected together. The motor body includes a stator assembly, a rotor assembly, and a housing assembly. The stator assembly is mounted on the housing assembly. The rotor assembly is nested within or outside the stator assembly. The motor controller includes: a power supply unit, a detection unit for motor operating parameters, a microprocessor, an inverter unit, and an interface circuit. An output end of the power supply unit supplies power to each circuit part of the motor controller. The detection unit for the operating parameters of the motor detects the motor operating data and sends such signal to the microprocessor. The microprocessor controls the inverter circuit to drive the energization or deenergization of a coil winding arranged on the stator assembly.
However, the above integrated permanent magnet synchronous motor have the following problems to be solved:
1) As the integrated permanent magnet synchronous motor is controlled by the control system of an upper level, herein take an HVAC control system as an example, the HVAC control system can be applied in a plurality of control applications, such as, an EGF control function, a constant rotational speed control function, a constant torque control function, and a constant air volume control function, which are all applications of upper level. Once the motor is manufactured, the control program (a control function) has been written into the microprocessor. When the application environment is required to change, the motor cannot be applied, thereby resulting in lots of waste, inflexible replace, and being not conducive for a secondary development.
2) The application control of the controller is relatively complicated, thereby bringing about troubles in product detection.


A hydraulic system for an implement coupler assembly of a machine includes a coupler cylinder, a control valve connecting the coupler cylinder to a pressurized fluid source and a low pressure reservoir, and a sequence valve and a check valve connected in parallel between the coupler cylinder and the control valve. An implement cylinder provides a pilot pressure for the sequence valve. The coupler cylinder extends to a locked position when the control valve provides pressurized fluid through the check valve to a head end of the coupler cylinder. The coupler cylinder retracts to an unlocked position when the control valve provides pressurized fluid to a rod end of the coupler cylinder if the implement cylinder provides pilot pressure sufficient to open the sequence valve and connect the head end of the coupler cylinder to the low pressure reservoir.

Machines, for example backhoes, excavators, graders, and loaders, commonly have linkage that is movable to control the motion of a connected implement such as a bucket, a blade, a hammer, a grapple and the like. When equipped with a single implement, these machines become specialized machines that are primarily used for a single purpose. Although adequate for some situations, the single purpose machines can have limited functionality and versatility. An implement coupler assembly can be used to increase the functionality and versatility of a host machine by allowing different implements to be quickly and interchangeably connected to the linkage of the machine.
Implement coupler assemblies are generally known and include a frame connected to the linkage of a machine, and hooks, latches, wedges, pins and the like that protrude from the frame. The hooks of an implement coupler assembly engage corresponding pins of an implement to thereby connect the implement to the linkage. To help prevent undesired disengagement of the hooks from the pins, implement coupler assemblies can be equipped with a hydraulic cylinder that locks the hooks in place against the pins.
When connecting or disconnecting an implement to a host machine, precautions should be taken to help ensure the procedure is performed properly. For example, the implement should be in a desired resting position before decoupling is performed so that the implement does not move in an unexpected manner after the decoupling. In addition, fluid provided to the hydraulic cylinder of the implement coupler assembly should be at a pressure that allows proper operation of the implement coupler assembly without causing damage to the assembly.
One example of an implement coupler assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,281,506 issued to Stefek et al. on Oct. 9, 2012. The Stefek et al. patent discloses an implement coupler assembly for a machine. The implement coupler assembly may have a coupler frame, a first latch, a second latch, and a hydraulic actuator or cylinder connected to move the second latch relative to the first latch and the coupler frame. The hydraulic cylinder may have a first chamber, a second chamber, and a pressure valve with a check element movable to allow a flow of fluid into the first chamber based on a pressure of fluid in the first chamber, and a pressure regulating element movable to allow a flow of fluid out of the first chamber based on a pressure of fluid in the second chamber. The implement coupler assembly may additionally have a first pilot passage configured to communicate fluid from the second chamber with the pressure regulating element, and a second pilot passage configured to communicate fluid from the first chamber with the pressure regulating element. The hydraulic cylinder of the implement coupler assembly receives pressurized fluid from a first chamber of an implement hydraulic cylinder that controls the position of the implement attached to the coupler assembly. The pressure in the implement cylinder maintains the pressure in the coupler cylinder. The implement coupler assembly is effective in coupling and decoupling the implement, but opportunities may still exist for further improvements to the technology.


A system and device for harvesting various frequencies and polarizations of ambient radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic (EM) energy for making a passive sensor (tag) into an autonomous passive sensor (tag) adapted to collect and store data with time-stamping and some primitive computation when necessary even when an interrogating radio frequency identification (RFID) reader is not present (not transmitting). A specific source of ambient RF EM energy may include wireless fidelity (WiFi) and/or cellular telephone base stations. The system and device may also allow for the recharging of energy storage units in active and battery assisted passive (BAP) devices. The system could be a “smart building” that uses passive sensors with RF EM energy harvesting capability to sense environmental variables, security breaches, as well as information from “smart appliances” that can be used for a variety of controls and can be accessed locally or remotely over the Internet or cellular networks.

1. Technical Field
The embodiments herein generally relate to wireless technology, and, more particularly, to harvesting ambient radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic (EM) energy for supplying, storing, recharging or supplementing the energy necessary to power active or passive wireless electronic devices, sensors and sensor networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
The ability of actively powered, battery assisted passive (BAP) and passive wireless sensors to remotely acquire, store and/or transmit data may open up a wide variety of medical, diagnostic, quality control, safety, supply chain, logistic and security applications. For an individual, the ability to determine, prior to consumption, whether a food item contains harmful bacteria or ingredients to which the individual is allergic is highly desirable. From a population's perspective, recent national and international events have increased the need for personal or distributed systems that can monitor and detect continuously in real-time or at periodic or irregular intervals in time, chemical agents, biological agents, radiological agents and other hazards locally or over wide geographical areas.
Examples of personal handheld wireless devices that can address these issues are cellular telephones (cell phones), personal data assistants (PDAs) and portable computers or notebooks (PCs). These are pervasive electronic devices that are networked via the Internet or cellular telephone networks. Generally, the abovementioned consumer electronic devices all require local energy storage (batteries) to provide mobility and portability, and do so until their local source of energy is depleted.
A new class of sensors such as Electronic Product Code (EPC) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags that include sensing capabilities are emerging as a generally inexpensive and effective means of addressing many wireless sensor applications such as, but not exclusively, cold-supply chain, food safety, quality control, environmental safety, medical, diagnostic, electro-immunoassays, consumer goods as well as homeland security, property and personal security applications.
Purely passive sensors, when actively interrogated by an RF transceiver (reader), use this received source of EM energy to power themselves up, to acquire readings from their sensors and then rebroadcast or reflect their specific identification code and sensor readings back to the interrogator. BAP tags use their batteries to acquire and store or log data from one or more sensors, but typically do not use their batteries to enhance their RF communication abilities. Active sensors have their own built in power source that can be used to acquire and store sensor readings at any time as well as enhance the reception and transmission of RF communications. Generally, passive EPC and RFID tags equipped with one or more sensors will require a source of energy to measure and store their acquired information at times other than during active interrogation by a reader.
Because of the cost of the conventional sensors and sensor readers in particular, broad deployment of a sensor network over a large geographical area or widespread use by individuals is currently not particularly feasible. Generally, a considerable problem with large geographical deployment is that if the sensors are actively powered, their power sources need to be replaced when depleted, again adding to the cost. In addition, wear on sensors or sensor surfaces, generally requires sensors to be replaced on a regular basis further increasing the cost. In addition, imprecision in sensors generally requires cross validation to eliminate false positives, increasing the number of sensors that must be deployed for each application and thus also increasing the cost.
Accordingly, in view of the foregoing, there remains a need for low cost wireless sensors that can harvest ambient EM energy to power themselves up, acquire sensor data or recharge their power sources (batteries in the case of active sensors and batteries in BAP sensors).

Harvesting ambient radio frequency electromagnetic energy for powering wireless electronic devices, sensors and sensor networks and applications thereof


A device and method provide for maintenance of a shortcut key to an application accessible at the device. The method includes assigning a first application to a shortcut key at a device, wherein the shortcut key at the device is a button on the device; storing an identifier of the first application to a first file at the device; determining if the first application at the device assigned to the shortcut key remains executable at the device; if the first application is determined to be unexecutable at the device, assigning a second application to the shortcut key at the device, wherein an identifier of the second application is stored in a second file at the device, and further wherein the second application is executable at the device.

In addition to processing voice calls from traditional wired and wireless phones, mobile communication devices now also communicate with other types of devices such as computers of all form factors, Personal Data Assistants (PDAs) or handheld PCs, Integrated Messaging Devices (IMD), etc. Additionally, communication devices have merged the capabilities of cellular telephones, PDAs, IMDs, and computing devices and now provide increasingly sophisticated applications. These applications provide, for example, advanced telephony, various messaging services such as e-mail, short messaging, multi-media messaging, instant messaging and presence, Internet browsers, mobile wallets, image viewing, video and image recording and viewing, etc. Thus, applications provide the communication device with the ability to perform a wide variety of tasks. An application is an organized list of instructions that, when executed, cause the communication device to perform a user selected function. The term "execution" is the process of running an application or the carrying out of the operation called for by an instruction.
A user executes an application by selecting the application for launch. Launching the application generally requires retrieving the executable from a permanent memory device and copying the executable to a temporary memory device. The temporary memory device is generally some form of random access memory (RAM). The RAM or system memory holds the operating system and executing applications so that they can be reached quickly by the computer's processor. The user may select the application using a graphical user interface and navigation tools to move among various selections. However, communication devices generally are small and lightweight because the desire is for an easily portable device. As a result, the display and the navigation tools are small and generally more tedious to use. The devices generally include various keys or buttons to facilitate input to the device. To simplify selection of an application for execution, one or more shortcut key may be defined. A shortcut key is a single key press or combination of key presses that cause a device to perform an action such as execution of an application.
In mobile devices, a menu for accessing applications is generally provided. Pressing an "Application" key opens the applications menu, where the user may browse using navigation tools and may select an application for execution. Applications are presented as a grid of items by default though the user can choose to use a list presentation. When the application menu is opened, the numeric keys 1-9 can be used as shortcut keys to select an application. The keys are mapped directly to the first nine icons in the application menu. The menu contains all of the installed applications. Additionally, an application may be selected for execution after assigning a shortcut key to the application.
Mobile devices have limited on-board memory for storing applications. A Multi-Media Card (MMC) is a postage stamp-sized flash memory card that allows data to be saved onto it. MMCs are a means of exchanging data between PDAs, phones, digital cameras, and other devices and can also act similar to a hard drive on a PC for the storage of data and programs. Thus, MMCs provide a mechanism for executing applications stored on the MMC. The user inserts an MMC into the device and can access the application stored on the MMC. A user can plug different MMCs into the device to execute different applications. "Hot swap" of an MMC can be used in devices to enable removing and inserting of an MMC without powering off the device. As a result, the applications available for execution may change dynamically. Shortcut keys to the application must recognize that the applications available have changed. Previous implementations remember two applications in each memory card based on a memory card identifier and application information. However, this requires memory that may never be used again if the MMC is never used again. Additionally, such an implementation does not recognize that the same application may be used from different MMCs wasting additional memory resources. As a further limitation, neither MMC may be inserted in the device resulting in a shortcut key that does not function. What is needed, therefore, is a method of defining an application for a shortcut key that avoids a shortcut definition that does not work.

Maintenance of shortcut keys in a mobile device


A radiator blower, in particular for motor vehicles, is indicated that comprises a plurality of individual fans (11, 12), each having an electrical drive motor (13, 14), and a plurality of switches (S1, S2, S3), each capable of being switched over into two positions, by means of which the drive motors (13, 14) are capable of being turned on and back off individually or in a series or parallel connection. To prevent disturbing noises from developing when the individual fan (11, 12) comes to rest after being turned off, when the operating drive motor or motors (13, 14) is/are turned off, an electronic control unit (20) forces the switches (S1, S2, S3)—at least temporarily—over into switch positions that bring about a short-circuiting of the turned-off drive motor or motors (FIG. 1).

The invention is based on a radiator blower, in particular for motor vehicles, according to the preamble of claim 1.
Radiator blowers are used in motor vehicles that comprise at least two separate individual fans to cover a large demand for cooling, which said fans are operated either to ventilate the radiator of the internal combustion engine evenly, or to ventilate the radiator of the internal combustion engine and an air conditioner separately within a common circuit configuration that makes it possible to turn on either just one of the individual fans or both individual fans in series or in parallel.
When such radiator blowers come to rest after being turned off, they generate noise that is not inconsiderable, because the individual fans pass through various resonant frequencies that, depending on excitation, can result in disturbing tonal magnifications in the noise spectrum. The tonal magnifications are perceived as being very unpleasant in particular when an internal combustion engine is running at idle and producing little noise, or when the internal combustion engine is switched off.

Cooling fan, in particular for motor vehicles


Disclosed herewithin is the method of manufacture and apparatus design of a reinforced and flexible tube or catheter that can be used in a variety of applications. The reinforced and flexible tube comprises a thermoplastic tubular member that is surrounded by a helical coil or braided member which is partially or completely embedded within the outer surface of the tubular member. Alternatively, the reinforced and flexible tube can comprise a thermoplastic tubular member that which has a helical coil or braided member that is partially or completely embedded within the inner surface of the tubular member.. The first method of embedding the metallic coil or braided wire comprises the steps of engaging the metallic structure over the outer surface of the tubular member, applying heat through an appropriately sized mold to the outer surface of the tubular member while creating a pressure differential between the inner lumen and the outside surface of the tubular member for a specified period of time.. The second method of embedding the metallic coil or braided wire comprises the steps of engaging the metallic structure onto the outer surface of a mandrel, positioning the mandrel/metallic structure within the lumen of the tubular member, placing the tubular member within an appropriately sized mold, applying heat through the mold to the tubular member while creating a pressure differential between the inner lumen and the outside surface of the tubular member for a specified period of time.. The flexible and reinforced tubular member resulting from these processes contains a sequence of ridges on the inner surface of the tubular member.. Regardless of the particular application or design of the tubing, a coating may be placed over the outer or inner surface of the tubular member.. Furthermore, the tubular member can be a single lumen or multiple lumen design.

A large number of reinforced tubing devices have been introduced for use in a wide variety of applications. For example, flexible reinforced tubing is commonly used to transmit translational motion (i.e., push-pull) or rotational motion (i.e., torque) from a control apparatus to an object located distally which is to be manipulated or moved. An example of one such device is the reinforced tubing disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,682, which can be used in medical applications and includes a surrounding layer of electroplated material covering and bonded to the tube. Another example of a reinforced tubing device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,813 for a resilient torque tube that is reinforced with alternate layers of wire net and rubber and is useful in vehicle transmissions.
Another important consideration in the design of reinforced tubing devices is the need for adequate tubing resilience (i.e., resistance to permanent deformation, kinking, and buckling under stress). Also, it may be desirable that the reinforced tubing be highly flexible for certain applications, such as for providing a conduit for fluid flow. It may also be desirable that the tubing retain sufficient strength to function effectively as a torque transmitter.
In one application, such as intravascular catheters used to advance medical devices to the arterial system surrounding the heart, there is a need for the catheter to be flexible but nevertheless, also exhibit a certain amount of stiffness so that the catheter may be advanced through various twists and turns presented by the arterial system. Also, while the body of the catheter must exhibit the desired characteristics of flexibility and stiffness, the catheter lumen must have a low friction surface so that an inner catheter or guidewire can be easily advanced through the lumen. An example of one such device which can be used in medical applications and discloses an invention which exhibits the characteristics of flexibility and stiffness is U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,510 which employs coextruded tubular members to achieve the desired results. The disadvantage of this coextrusion invention is that the manufacturing process of this device is complex and has the potential for relatively thick walls and large profiles.
While each of the reinforced tubing devices discussed above can fulfill at least one of the above requirements, there is still a need for a single reinforced tubing device which can be used interchangeably in a variety of applications and which will simultaneously provide all or several of the characteristics mentioned above. To satisfy this need, the present invention recognizes that a reinforced tubing device can be provided which is relatively strong, flexible and thin walled, and which does not easily kink, permanently deform, or buckle under stress.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a thin walled reinforced tubing device which is both relatively flexible and strong.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reinforced tubing device that efficiently transmits translational and rotational motion without easily buckling, kinking, or permanently deforming.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a reinforced tubing device that yields a specific inner lumen configuration which reduces the overall internal contact area and thereby reduces the frictional drag imparted to objects passing through it.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of reinforcing a tubular member which can vary certain properties, such as flexibility, along the length of the tubing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of fabricating flexible tubing from materials not known to have flexible characteristics or from materials with a relatively high modulus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tubular structure containing a multitude of protruding elements which, in response to bending or flexing stresses, modify their configuration rather than and thereby minimize significant elongation and compression of the base material.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a reinforced tubing with relatively a thin wall and maintaining the characteristics described in the above six paragraphs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a reinforced tubing device which can be used in a wide variety of applications.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a reinforced tubing device that is easy to use and relatively cost effective to manufacture.


Invention relates to an adjustable and extendable receptacle, adapted primarily for use at a computer workplace, for the storage and retrieval of office-type items. The receptacle includes a pair of interengagable trough-like members, telescopically engaged, a pair of vertically adjustable legs and a further set of pivotally mounted legs.

The invention, in a preferred embodiment, is directed to a computer workplace accessory, such as an adjustable and extendible receptacle for storing and retrieving necessary office items.
Typically, a computer desk is provided with a sliding keyboard shelf disposed a few inches below the desktop and mounted on slides so that it can be pulled forward to a working position for the operator, and pushed back under the main desktop for storage. In the operating position, a mouse unit is generally adjacent the computer monitor and freely movable on a rubberized pad. Also, a printer unit, in signal communication with the computer, is often positioned on the desktop nearby, thus leaving less and less space accessible to the operator for storing necessary office items, or even photographs that often adorn a workplace.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,921 is a recent example of a computer workplace organizer for storing floppy disks, pens and pencils, and providing access for the mouse. The organizer thereof is a one-piece molded plastic housing that is mounted to the pull-out keyboard shelf.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,735 discloses a modular desktop organizer for mounting to the top rear surface of a computer keyboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,764 discloses a desktop holder for pens, pencils, and other elongated items, where such holder consists of plural rows of staggered elongated chambers for receiving the pencils, etc. The lower or solid supporting surface of the holder is generally horizontal, while the upper surface communicates with the plural chambers and is inclined at an angle relative to the lower surface.
There are a numer of other static desktop receptacles, as exemplified by the following U.S. Design Patents, Nos. D-350,154, D-323,853; D-288,440; D-255,586; D-255,587; and, D-252,935.
The present invention, in contrast to the prior art as shown by the above patents, relates to an adjustable and expandible receptacle or organizer, such that it may be placed on an inclined surface, i.e. top of the monitor, for convenient access by the operator. The manner by which the organizer is adjustable and expandible will become apparent in the specification to follow, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A method of sensitizing a silver halide emulsion comprises the steps of:. a) forming a co-dispersion of a first sensitizing dye and a second sensitizing dye in an aqueous medium, wherein the peak absorptance of the second dye is at least 10 nm different from the peak absorptance of the first dye, and wherein the ratio of the first dye to the second dye is from about 0.1 to 20; and PA1 b) incorporating the resulting co-dispersion in a silver halide emulsion.

In conventional photography, silver halide particles are used to capture incident radiation and form a latent image. The latent image is later amplified in a development step. However, silver halide is only sensitive to ultraviolet and blue radiation. Therefore, to capture images in color the silver halide must be made sensitive to other wavelengths of visible light. This is normally accomplished by adding a spectral sensitizing dye. The dye can be added at different times during the preparation of the silver halide emulsion, chemical sensitization, or spectral sensitization process. The dye can be added in many different ways, as a solution in water or an organic solvent, as a gelatin dispersion, or as a suspension of microcrystalline particles. It is frequently necessary to use a combination of more than one dye to adjust the wavelength where the emulsion absorbs the maximum amount of light, or to control some other property of the emulsion. This is particularly true for J-aggregating cyanine dyes (where several dye molecules interact in such a way as to cause a shift in the absorption of light to longer wavelengths with a very narrow absorption band). J-aggregating dyes are preferred in many cases for their narrow absorption and high extinction.
When using more than one dye, the timing of the addition of the dyes can be very important. Also, the order in which the dyes are added often makes a difference in the final distribution of light-absorbing molecules on the emulsion surface. With J-aggregating cyanine dyes, the most desirable state in most three-color photographic applications is to have the two dyes intimately mixed on the surface so that the mixture absorbs light as a single aggregate, not like the two individual dyes. This can sometimes be very difficult to achieve if the dyes have a tendency to strongly adsorb as separate J-aggregates.
The common practice in manufacturing is to add the two dyes separately with a waiting period in between to allow the dye to equilibrate onto the surface of the silver halide particles. This method often leads to variability when the emulsion is prepared in different batch sizes, because the addition time and mixing are varying. Another concern in the practice of spectral sensitization of photographic silver halide emulsions is to use methods in manufacture that are efficient and environmentally benign. The use of organic solvents in manufacture is undesirable because the solvents can be released to the atmosphere as they evaporate out of the coated film. Aqueous dispersions with or without gelatin are preferred because they do not use volatile solvents.


An operation plan creation device includes: an operation information creation unit configured to receive an input of a simple setting including information with which an operation period of a device is identifiable and to create operation information including an inspection period and a replacement scheduled component in the operation period of the device; a component information acquisition unit configured to acquire component information including lifespan information and stock quantity information about each of the components, based on use history information about each of the plurality of components; a dummy information creation unit configured to create, when the acquired component information includes missing information, dummy information to be used instead of the missing information; and a plan creation unit configured to create the operation plan for the components related to the device based on the operation information and the component information or the dummy information.

Various components are used in a machine. The lifespan differs among such components. Thus, the components are managed by what is known as rotation (parts rotation), which is a scheme in which a periodic inspection is repeated until the lifespan expires and the components are replaced with a spare component or a repaired component depending on the consumed state. Such components include expensive and essential components, and thus it is important for a user managing a machine to create a rotation plan enabling an operation at a low cost. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an operation plan creation device that can improve the accuracy of the rotation plan by taking into account the compatibility of components.

Operation plan creation device, operation plan creation method, and program


A button assembly includes a first-button assembly (70), and a second-button assembly (80). The first-button assembly comprises a first button (72), and a first-supporting frame (74) used for supporting the first button. The first supporting frame includes a plurality of latching poles (78) projecting therefrom. The second-button assembly includes a plurality of second buttons (82) arranged around the first button, and a second-supporting frame 86 for supporting the second buttons. The second-supporting frame includes a plurality of latching holes 842 for receiving the latching poles. An electronic product having the button assembly is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a button assembly, and particularly to a button assembly having a fixing frame for exact positioning of buttons.
2. Description of Related Art
Presently, an electronic product usually comprises a plurality of buttons for manual operation. The buttons are usually mounted through buttonholes in a shell of the electronic product, and attached to a circuit board to activate switches mounted on the circuit board.
However, because sizes of the buttonholes are usually greater than that of the buttons, and without any positioning configuration, the buttons may be loose in the button holes, resulting in unreliable electrical contact.
Therefore, a need exists in the industry to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.


A cutting board assembly for cutting and/or trimming paper sheets, the assembly including a cutting board, a rail assembly pivotally mounted on said cutting board for movement between operative and inoperative positions, a carriage assembly mounted on the rail assembly for movement across the cutting board, a circular cutting blade mounted in the carriage assembly which is biased to an inoperative position on the rail assembly, a self-healing pad mounted on the cutting board in the path of travel of the cutting blade whereby the carriage assembly is pushed downward on the rail assembly to move the cutting blade to an operative position with respect to the self-healing pad for trimming or cutting the paper sheets.

Cutting boards of the type contemplated here are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,327,223, entitled "Sheet Trimmer," issued to C. Silver, on Aug. 17, 1943, U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,938, entitled "Dispenser and Cutter For Rolled Paper and The Like," issued to E. R. Thiess on Jul. 10, 1956, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,915, entitled "Fiber Cutting Apparatus With Self-Contained Blade Sharpener," issued to W. T. Larrable on Jul. 2, 1974. In each of these patents a cutter blade, either rotary or stationery, is mounted in a housing that is pushed or driven across the cutting board to cut various materials. In each of these patents a slot is provided in the cutting board to accommodate the cutting blade. The patents to Thiess '938 and Larrable '915 are concerned with cutting strips of rolled material. Silver '223 is concerned with a sheet trimmer which has a stationary knife mounted on the edge of the cutting board that is engaged by a knife rotated by a pinion gear as it is pushed past a set of gear teeth formed on a guide shaft.


A load transducer adapted to measure a load force applied to a load anvil. The load transducer including a base and a relatively rigid bridge coupled to the base and load anvil to floatably support the load anvil so that the load anvil moves relative to the rigid base proportional to an applied load. The transducer including a sealable chamber enclosed by surfaces of the load anvil, bridge and base and adapted to be filled with a flowable medium within the sealed chamber.

The present invention relates to a load transducer for measuring applied loads and has application in testing apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a load transducer which has application for high load applications.
Load transducers are known which measure loads applied to a load anvil and have particular application for operation in testing apparatus or equipment. Load transducers may be used for repeat loads measurements for loads applied to test specimens in a testing apparatus. It is desirable that such transducers have sufficient operating life with repeatable output for providing a reliable device which does not require constant calibration and which can withstand cyclical use without fatigue. It is also desirable that load transducers provide accurate load measurements which are not degraded by off-axis force introduced to the load anvil.
Load transducers may be used in testing apparatus for both compression and tension measurements. Thus, it is desirable to provide a single reliable load transducer that may be used to measure both tension force and compression force applied to a test specimen which may be adapted for use for high load applications.


The present invention relates to a locking device which has an electromagnet solenoid, and more particularly to a locking device which has an electromagnet solenoid, and which is suitably used in a shift lever lock in a vehicle automatic transmission apparatus. In the present invention the attraction type solenoid is used for controlling the operations of the movable members of the locking device. A locking device is provided in which the movable members of the locking device can be smoothly operated without hindrance, locking and unlocking operations of the locking device are highly reliable, and a harsh operation noise can be prevented by a shock-absorbing member from being produced, and which is simple and compact in configuration, and economical.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a locking device which has an electromagnet solenoid, and more particularly to a locking device which has an electromagnet solenoid, and which is suitably used in a shift lever lock in a vehicle automatic transmission apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order that a vehicle (AT vehicle) on which an automatic transmission apparatus is mounted is prevented from being suddenly started as a result of an erroneous operation in which a shift lever is accidentally shifted from a parking range position to another range position, conventionally, a locking device with an electromagnet solenoid has been proposed (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open No. 2005-47406). The locking device is used in a shift lever lock for a vehicle automatic transmission apparatus in which, when the shift lever is located at the parking range position, the shift lever is locked so that a shift operation to another range position is restricted, and, in accordance with a depressing operation on a foot brake, the shift lever lock is cancelled and a shift operation to another range position is allowed.


5-Pyrazolinone derivatives of the general formula I: ##STR1## in which the R.sup.1 -R.sup.3 variables are as defined herein and the physiologically acceptable salts thereof; processes for the preparation of these compounds, and in particular their use as selective inhibitors of cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase (cGMP PDE), thus as pharmaceutically active compounds.

A large number of compounds which have an inhibitory effect on cGMP PD esterases are disclosed in the literature.
Thus, EP-A1 0201 188 describes pyrazolo4,3-d!-pyrimidin-7-ones as adenosine receptor antagonists and PDE inhibitors which can be used for the treatment of disorders of the coronary vessels of the heart associated with heart failure or cardiac insufficiency. However, this publication gives no examples of these compounds, nor are they particularly effective PDE inhibitors, in particular for cGMP PDE.
WO-A1 93/06104 describes substitutedpyrazolo4,3-d!pyrimidin-7-ones with an inhibitory specificity for cGMP PD esterases by comparison with that for cAMP PD esterases which is improved by comparison with the class of compounds disclosed in the aforementioned publication. The selectivity of these compounds for the other phosphodiesterases I, II and III is, however, not mentioned in this publication.
However, the simultaneous inhibitory effect of a compound on the other phosphodiesterases is of great importance to their utility because when there is a simultaneous inhibitory effect on other esterases apart from cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE V) a whole range of unwanted side effects may emerge when it is used as medicament.

Merck Patent Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung


An antenna pointing system for selectively moving a payload relative to a mounting surface includes at least one rotary actuator having a moving part movable relative to a fixed part mounted on the surface. A connecting rod movably connects to the moving part and to the payload. A flexible mounting structure movably attaches the payload to the mounting surface.

It is well known in the art to use steerable (or tracking) antennas to communicate with a relatively moving target over a scan angle. Especially in the aerospace industry when the antenna is on board of a spacecraft, such steerable RF (Radio Frequency signal) antennas preferably need to have precise pointing, high gain, low mass, and high reliability.
Satellites often contain two (2) degree of freedom pointing devices to communicate, sense, etc. with other satellites or bodies. Since the distances are large, the pointing accuracy and resolution is critical.
The payload of these pointing devices is variable. Some payloads are full antennas, portions of an antenna, sensors, etc.
Many different pointing devices have been devised in the past. The simplest one being two rotary actuators (RA) assembled in a sequential chain and holding the payload, such as a reflector, as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b. Especially when relatively small scan angles are required, such as below +/−30 degrees for example, these types of pointing devices have many disadvantages, or at least a few, among the following list:                high profile;        heavy mass, structurally inefficient;        high cost;        low accuracy;        low resolution;        low reliability;        need for Hold down and Release Mechanisms (HRM);        requires fixed predetermined stowed position for launch;        need for moving harness (RF rotary joint, electrical wiring, etc.); and/or        reduced RF performance in the case of a reflector pointing mechanism,
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved antenna pointing system.

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Corporation


A disposable absorbent article has a front waist edge, a back waist edge, a topsheet, a backsheet attached to at least a portion of the topsheet, and an absorbent core disposed therebetween. A waist member is attached to a wearer-facing surface of the disposable absorbent article or between the topsheet and the backsheet adjacent to the front waist edge and the back waist edge. The waist member is unattached to an outer-facing surface of the disposable absorbent article. The waist member extends outward from the front waist edge and the back waist edge such that at least a region of the waist member is visible from a vantage point external to the disposable absorbent article, thereby providing the appearance of a finished front waist edge or the appearance of a finished back waist edge.

It has long been known that absorbent articles such as conventional taped diapers, pull-on diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, pantiliners, incontinence briefs, and the like, offer the benefit of receiving and containing urine and/or other bodily exudates. One absorbent article which has gained much popularity is the pull-on diaper, particularly for children who are able to walk and who may be engaged in toilet training.
Pull-on diapers generally include a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region between the front waist region and the back waist region. The front waist region and the back waist region can be disposed adjacent to a front waist edge and a back waist edge of the pull-on diaper. Typically, the front waist region and the back waist region can be joined via pairs of side panels to form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. Both the front waist edge and the back waist edge can make up a portion of the waist opening, and a pair of longitudinal edges can make up a substantial portion of the leg openings.
In general, pull-on diapers leave the front waist edge, the back waist edge, and the longitudinal edges unfinished. Typically, these edges include a topsheet and a backsheet. A drawback of an unfinished edge is that consumers generally associate the unfinished edge with a lower quality product.
It is known to provide edge finishing materials on a front waist edge, a back waist edge, and longitudinal edges. However, the process can be complex particularly for the application of edge finishing materials to the front waist edge or the back waist edge. For example, the edge finishing material typically is folded about the front waist edge and the back waist edge and attached to the topsheet and the backsheet in both the front waist region and the back waist region. However, folding edge finishing materials about the front waist edge and the back waist edge can increase the complexity of the process.
Consequently, a need exists for a disposable absorbent article which provides an appearance of a finished front waist edge and an appearance of a finished back waist edge and reduces the complexity of the process for providing the appearance of the finished front waist edge and/or back waist edge. Additionally, a need exists for a disposable absorbent article which provides an appearance of finished front and/or back waist edges in conjunction with an appearance of finished longitudinal edges, thereby communicating quality to the consumer.