The present invention provides a method for treating and/or preventing damage to a retina or optic nerve in a subject comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of oncomodulin. Preferably, the subject is a mammal, most preferably, a human. In preferred embodiments, the oncomodulin may be used in combination with mannose, a mannose derivative and/or inosine.

In the United States, glaucoma is the second leading cause of legal blindness overall and the leading cause of blindness in African-American individuals (Hiller, R and H. A. Kahn, (1975) Am. J. Ophthalmol 80: 62 and Kahn, H. A. and H. B. Moorhead (1973) US Public Health Service Publication NIH73-427, 120). Primary open glaucoma (POAG) is the most common form of glaucoma affecting 1–2% of the population over age forty (J. M. Tielsch et al., (1990) Arch Ophthalmol. 108: 286). Nearly 12,000 people in the United States are blinded annually by this disorder (H. B. Moorhead (1973) US Public Health Service Publication NIH73-427, 1202–4; J. M. Tielsch et al., (1990) Arch Ophthalmol. 108: 286 and J. M. Tielsch, in Transactions of the New Orleans Academy of Ophthalmology, Ball, S. F. Franklin R. M., Eds (Kugler, Amsterdam, 1993), pp61–68).
Glaucoma is a progressive disease which leads to optic nerve damage and, ultimately, total loss of vision. The causes of this disease have been the subject of extensive studies for many years, but are still not fully understood. The principal symptom of and/or risk factor for the disease is elevated intraocular pressure or ocular hypertension due to excess aqueous humor in the anterior chamber of the eye.
The causes of aqueous humor accumulation in the anterior chamber are not fully understood. It is known that elevated intraocular pressure ("IOP") can be at least partially controlled by administering drugs which either reduce the production of aqueous humor within the eye, such as beta-blockers and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, or increase the outflow of aqueous humor from the eye, such as miotics and sympathomimetics.
Most types of drugs conventionally used to treat glaucoma have potentially serious side effects. Miotics such as pilocarpine can cause blurring of vision and other visual side effects, which may lead either to decreased patient compliance or to termination of therapy. Systemically administered carbonic anhydrase inhibitors can also cause serious side effects such as nausea, dyspepsia, fatigue, and metabolic acidosis, which side effects can affect patient compliance and/or necessitate the termination of treatment. Another type of drug, beta-blockers, have increasingly become associated with serious pulmonary side effects attributable to their effects on beta-2 receptors in pulmonary tissue. Sympathomimetics, on the other hand, may cause tachycardia, arrhythmia and hypertension. Recently, certain prostaglandins and prostaglandin derivatives have been described in the art as being useful in reducing intraocular pressure.
While normalization of intraocular pressure can prevent further loss of sight, it cannot alone restore vision that has already been lost. The nerve cells that generate or constitute the optic nerve do, however, retain the natural ability to regenerate the axons (connecting fibers) that populate the optic nerve provided the proper growth factor is present. There is therefore a continuing need for therapies that induce the regeneration of optic nerve fibers that have been lost thereby facilitating restoration of sight.

Methods and compositions for treating ocular disorders


Provided is an electrical part, a nonaqueous electrolyte cell, and a lead wire and a sealable container for use therein, with which the adhesive property and sealing performance in an initial state and in an electrolyte-contacting state are enhanced. An electrical part includes a sealable container that includes a metal layer and a lead conductor that extends from inside of the sealable container to outside of the sealable container, the sealable container and the lead conductor being heat-sealed in a seal part. At least in part of the seal part, a thermal adhesive layer containing aluminum polyphosphate is provided in a portion between the metal layer and the lead conductor so as to be in contact with the lead conductor.

With reduction in size and weight of electronic appliances, electrical parts such as batteries and capacitors used in these appliances are also desired to achieve size and weight reduction. Thus, for example, nonaqueous electrolyte cells that use a bag as a sealable container in which a nonaqueous electrolyte (electrolytic solution), a positive electrode, and a negative electrode are sealed have been employed. An electrolytic solution prepared by dissolving a fluorine-containing lithium salt, such as LiPF6 or LiBF4, in a nonaqueous organic solvent such as propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, or ethylene methyl carbonate, has been used as the nonaqueous electrolyte.
The sealable container is required to prevent penetration of electrolytic solutions and gas and entry of moisture from outside and thus a container having a bag shape formed by heat-sealing laminating films each including a metal layer such as an aluminum foil coated with resin has been used as the sealable container.
One end of the sealable container is formed as an open portion. Lead conductors that are connected to one end of a positive electrode plate and one end of a negative electrode plate sealed in the container are arranged to extend from the inside of the sealable container to the outside of the sealable container through the open portion. The open portion is heat-sealed to bond the sealable container and the lead conductors and to thereby seal the open portion. This portion to be heat-sealed last is referred to as a "seal part".
In the seal part, the sealable container and the lead conductors are bonded (heat-sealed) by using a thermal adhesive layer. The thermal adhesive layer is formed in advance on the lead conductor in a portion corresponding to the seal part in some cases or on the sealable container in a portion corresponding to the seal part in other cases. In either case, the seal part is required to maintain sealing property (sealing performance) without causing short-circuiting between the metal layer and the lead conductor.
PTL 1 discloses a battery sealing bag and a lead wire for use in such a nonaqueous electrolyte cell and describes that the sealing performance of the seal part can be enhanced by using a thermal adhesive layer formed by forming a maleic acid modified polyolefin layer directly on the conductor of the lead conductor.
However, although the adhesive property immediately after sealing is sufficient, moisture that has penetrated the seal part reacts with the electrolyte sealed inside the sealable container with long-term use, hydrofluoric acid is generated and corrodes the lead conductor (metal), and separation ultimately occurs at the interface with the metal layer or the lead conductor.
PTL 2 discloses a seal part that remains uncorroded despite generation of hydrofluoric acid due to the reaction between the electrolyte and moisture and maintains the adhesive property. In particular, PTL 2 discloses a battery tab constituted by a lead conductor having a nickel surface and a composite coating layer composed of an aminated phenol polymer, a trivalent chromium compound, and a phosphorus compound and covering the surfaces and the side surfaces of the lead conductor. PTL 2 describes that the composite coating layer prevents elution of the nickel layer and corrosion of the nickel layer caused by hydrofluoric acid generated from the electrolyte and moisture.
PTL 3 proposes forming a layer composed of an acid modified styrene-based elastomer in a seal part in a portion that comes into contact with the lead conductor.

Electrical part, nonaqueous electrolyte cell, and lead wire and sealable container for use therein


A bus system that has at least two lines. A bus subscriber has at least one connection element that has at least two contacts that can each be connected to one of the lines. An address allocation device can be used to ascertain an address for the bus subscriber in the bus system on the basis of a respective connection state of the contacts with respect to the lines. Also, a method allocates addresses in the bus system.

The invention relates to a bus subscriber for a bus system, a bus system for a motor vehicle and a method for allocating addresses in a bus system.
Bus subscribers for a bus system, bus systems and methods for allocating addresses in a bus system are sufficiently well known from mass production for motor vehicles and from the general related art, for example. Such a bus system is used for data transmission between a plurality of bus subscribers via a common transmission path where the subscribers are not involved in the data transmission between other subscribers.
Bus systems are used particularly in motor vehicles for connecting individual electronic bus subscribers in the form of controllers, which actuate respective control elements in the motor vehicle, for example. So that the bus subscribers are able to interchange data with one another and hence to communicate with one another, they are connected to one another by at least one line element, for example.
Such a line element may comprise one or more metal wires that are sheathed with a sleeve particularly composed of plastic. Signals and hence data, which are also called messages, to be transmitted between the bus subscribers are forwarded by voltage differences and encrypted or decrypted by a protocol, for example. In order to ensure error-free communication, the bus subscribers on the bus system require a respective explicit address, so that each bus subscriber can be explicitly identified. The allocation of the addresses for the bus subscribers is also called coding. For automatic address allocation, there is the possibility of isolating the bus system at each bus subscriber, for example, and forwarding messages, i.e. the signals, only conditionally or performing electrical measurements. This results in a high level of cabling complexity and also in high susceptibility to error. Alternatively, a separate wire can be used and laid for performing the address allocation. The general related art also discloses methods in which additional contacts of a connector for the bus subscribers are used differently or passive components are installed in the connector.
DE 101 23 802 B4 reveals it to be known practice to provide such coding by EEPROM or by connector codings, for example. Furthermore, DE 101 23 802 B4 reveals a control system for controlling electronically actuatable motor vehicle components to be known. The control system comprises a single-wire bus system with at least one super ordinate control device with at least two further subscribers that are each associated with at least one motor vehicle component. In this case, the super ordinate control device and the further subscribers are connected to one another via a bus that comprises at least two data lines. At least one switching apparatus is provided that is controlled by the super ordinate control unit and that can specifically either disconnect or connect each of the at least two further subscribers individually.
EP 1 139 609 A2 discloses a bus system with a plurality of bus subscribers, wherein each bus subscriber is connected to at least two connecting lines. In this case, provision is made for each bus subscriber to have an associated electronic circuit portion. The circuit portion can be connected to the connecting lines in different connection combinations. The connection portion recognizes the respective connection combination of the connected connecting lines and codes the bus subscriber on the basis of the recognized connection combination.
US 2005/015474 A1 discloses a sensor element for a bus system in a motor vehicle. The sensor element has a first number of contact connections that can be used to connect the sensor element to the bus lines of the bus system, which have different potentials. In this case, provision is made for the first number to be greater than the number of bus lines. In addition, a first device is provided that measures and evaluates the potential at at least one of the contact connections. Furthermore, a second device is provided that allocates a specific address coding to the sensor element from the measured and evaluated potential.
US 2003/0201882 A1 reveals an addressable monitoring system to be known. The monitoring system comprises a plurality of sensors. Each of the sensors can be connected to a wiring harness that comprises four lines. Contacts can be used to connect the respective sensor to the lines. Depending on the connection state of two of these contacts, the respective sensor can determine it own address.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,262 discloses a bus subscriber with contacts that can be used to connect the bus subscribers to lines of a bus system. An address for the bus subscriber can be allocated on the basis of a respective connection state of the contacts with respect to the lines.
DE 103 54 602 A1 reveals a bus system for a motor vehicle to be known that has at least two bus subscribers. The bus system has at least one data line as a first line, at least one power supply line as a second line and at least one ground line as a third line. The bus subscribers also each have at least one connection element that comprises at least two contacts. The contacts can each be connected to one of the lines.
A first of the contacts is a voltage connection that can be connected to the power supply line. The second contact is a data communication connection that can be connected to the data line. The respective connection element also comprises a third contact, which is a ground connection and can be connected to the ground line. Furthermore, a fourth contact of the respective connection element is provided, which is a configuration connection.
The configuration connection is used for the address allocation of the bus subscriber, that is to say for coding. In this case, the configuration connection may be connected to the power supply line or to the data line or to the ground line or open, so that four states and hence four address options are provided. The provision of this additional configuration connection results in a relatively high level of cabling complexity for the bus subscriber and hence for the bus system.

Bus subscriber for a bus system, bus system for a motor vehicle, and method for allocating addresses in a bus system


A method for communication includes coupling a first port of a Layer-3 packet router to receive communication traffic from a network, the traffic including packets destined for a target address, which is accessible via a second port of the router. At the router, the packets that are destined for the target address are diverted to a traffic processor via a third port of the router. The diverted packets are processed at the traffic processor, and returning the processed packets to the router via the third port. At the router, the processed packets are conveyed from the third port to the second port for delivery to the target address.

The above-mentioned U.S. patent application publication US 2002/0083175 describes a method for protecting against overload conditions in a set of one or more potential "victims" on a network, based on diverting traffic that is destined for the victims. To carry out this protection, a first set of network elements, such as routers, redirect the traffic to a second set of network elements, referred to as "guard machines." The diversion is actuated when a potential victim comes under an anomalous traffic condition, such as might be caused by a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. The guard machines filter the diverted traffic to remove malicious (or excessive) traffic, and forward the legitimate traffic on to the victim. The publication describes a number of methods by which traffic diversion may be effected.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Selective diversion and injection of communication traffic


Face detection techniques are provided that use a multiple-stage face detection algorithm. An exemplary three-stage algorithm includes a first stage that applies linear-filtering to enhance detection performance by removing many non-face-like portions within an image, a second stage that uses a boosting chain that is adopted to combine boosting classifiers within a hierarchy “chain” structure, and a third stage that performs post-filtering using image pre-processing, SVM-filtering and color-filtering to refine the final face detection prediction. In certain further implementations, the face detection techniques include a two-level hierarchy in-plane pose estimator to provide a rapid multi-view face detector that further improves the accuracy and robustness of face detection.

Human face detection continues to be a challenging problem in the field of computer/machine vision, due in part to the number of variations that can be caused by differing facial appearances, facial expressions, skin colors, lighting, etc.
Such variations result in a face data distribution that is highly nonlinear and complex in any space which is linear to the original image space. Moreover, for example, in the applications of real life surveillance and biometric processing, the camera limitations and pose variations make the distribution of human faces in feature space more dispersed and complicated than that of frontal faces. Consequently, this further complicates the problem of robust face detection.
Frontal face detection has been studied for decades. As a result, there are many frontal face detection algorithms. By way of example, some conventional systems employ classifiers that are built based on a difference feature vector that is computed between a local image pattern and a distribution-based model. Some systems use detection techniques based on an over-complete wavelet representation of an object class. Here, for example, a dimensionality reduction can be performed to select the most important basis function, and then trained a Support Vector Machine (SVM) employed to generate a final prediction.
Some conventional systems utilize a network of linear units. The SNoW learning architecture, for example, is specifically tailored for learning in the presence of a very large number of binary features. In certain systems, fast frontal face detection has been shown possible by using a cascade of boosting classifiers that is built on an over-complete set of Haar-like features that integrates the feature selection and classifier design in the same framework.
Most conventional non-frontal face detectors tend to use a view-based method, in which several face models are built, each describing faces in a given range of view. This is typically done to avoid explicit three-dimensional (3D) modeling. In one conventional system, the views of a face are partitioned into five channels, and a multi-view detector is developed by training separate detector networks for each view. There have also been studies of trajectories of faces in linear PCA feature spaces as they rotate, and SVMs have been used for multi-view face detection and pose estimation.
Other conventional systems have used multi-resolution information in different levels of a wavelet transform, wherein an array of two face detectors are implemented in a view-based framework. Here, for example, each detector can be constructed using statistics of products of histograms computed from examples of the respective view. Until now, this type system appears to have achieved the best detection accuracy; however, it is often very slow due to computation complexity.
To address the problem of slow detection speed, it has been proposed that a coarse-to-fine, simple-to-complex pyramid structure can be used to essentially combine the ideas of a boosting cascade and view-based methods. Although, this approach improves the detection speed, it still has several problems. For example, as the system computation cost is determined by the complexity and false alarm rates of classifiers in the earlier stage. As each boosting classifier works separately, the useful information between adjacent layers is discarded, which hampers the convergence of the training procedure. Furthermore, during the training process, more and more non-face samples collected by bootstrap procedures are introduced into the training set, which tends to increase the complexity of the classification. Indeed, it has been found that in certain systems the last stage pattern distribution between face and non-face can become so complicated that the patterns may not even be distinguished by Haar-like features.
Additionally, view-based methods tend to suffer from the problems of high computation complexity and low detection precision.
Thus, there is a need for improved methods, apparatuses and systems for use in face detection.

Robust multi-view face detection methods and apparatuses


A device for inspecting waterproofness of an object includes a lower jig and an upper jig configured to support the object to be inspected, inspection modules configured to contact an outer surface of the object, and an air compressor configured to supply air to the inspection modules. Each of the inspection modules includes a jig that is configured to contact the outer surface of the object and defines a chamber configured to communicate air, a valve defining a passage in communication with the chamber, an air supply line connecting the valve to the air compressor and configured to guide air to the passage, and a pressure sensor connected to the valve and configured to detect an air pressure in the passage.

Electronic devices such as terminals may be subjected to a waterproofness inspection after a product assembly is completed, and products without waterproof defects may be released.
The waterproofness inspection may be performed by a waterproofness inspection device, and the waterproofness inspection device may inspect a degree of leakage (waterproof performance) of an object using air.
For example, a waterproofness inspection device may include a protrusion having an inlet hole through which high-pressure air is introduced, a body having a jig block that fixes a semi-finished product in place, a cover covering the upper part of the body, a sealing means defining a sealed chamber space capable of inspecting the waterproofness of parts of the semi-finished product, an adsorption port that adheres to the outer surface of the injection product in the semi-finished product, and a pressure sensor provided in the inner space of the adsorption port to detect a pressure change. The waterproofness inspection device may inspect the waterproofness of the semi-finished product by the pressure change of the pressure sensor.


A method for determining a name for a query block of a database query language statement, and associating one or more tuning hints with the query block using the name.

Hints are used as a general mechanism to supply directives to the query optimizer when it compiles a SQL statement that influences the plan generated by the compilation process. For example, hints can direct the optimizer to use a particular access path for a table, a specific join method for a join, or a particular join order for the tables. Hints can also be used to provide accurate object or system statistics, to correct optimizer cardinality or cost estimates, or to specify certain optimizer modes (e.g., set an optimizer mode to ALL_ROWS, which causes the plan, when executed, to fetch all the resulting rows of the query). In fact, the entire execution plan can be specified via hints (e.g. in the form of an outline). Hence, hints are one of the main mechanisms used by a database administrator (DBA) to tune, either manually or automatically, the execution plans produced by the optimizer.
Hints can be broadly classified as single-table hints, multi-table hints, query block hints, or statement hints. Single-table hints, such as INDEX and USE_NL (use a nested loop) for example, provide information for processing one table or view, and multi-table hints contain information that can be applied to several tables. A query block hint, such as STAR_TRANSFORMATION and UNNEST for example, operates on a single query block. A statement hint, such as ALL_ROWS, for example, is applied to the entire SQL statement.
Existing hints have several drawbacks. For example, manual hints created by the DBA have to be specified in the query blocks which are being tuned. This requires actually embedding the hint in the query blocks of the SQL statement. However, most packaged applications do not allow the DBA to access the code for the SQL statement, so the DBA is unable to physically insert the hint into the SQL statement. Furthermore, manually inserting a hint into a SQL statement might improve query performance for a while, but can hinder the performance when the system or object characteristics (e.g., workload, object statistics) change, the database is revised, or the software application program is upgraded.
Another disadvantage to the conventional approach for hints is due to query block transformations. Manual hints can be provided for query blocks that are present in the original SQL statement. However, query blocks are often transformed during the compilation process. The DBA cannot know what a transformed query block will look like. Moreover, even if the DBA knew what the query block would be, since it is dynamically generated during the compilation process, there is no way to physically add the hint inside the transformed query block.


A support structure for use with a semiconductor substrate in thinning, or backgrinding, thereof, as well as during post-thinning processing of the semiconductor substrate includes a portion which extends substantially along and around an outer periphery of the semiconductor substrate to impart the thinned semiconductor substrate with rigidity. The support structure may be configured as a ring or as a member which substantially covers an active surface of the semiconductor substrate and forms a protective structure over each semiconductor device carried by the active surface. Assemblies that include the support structure and a semiconductor substrate are also within the scope of the present invention, as are methods for forming the support structures and thinning and post-thinning processes that include use of the support structures.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to structures for supporting semiconductor substrates during and following thinning thereof. More specifically, the present invention relates to support structures that are configured to entirely cover at least the outer peripheral portions of the active surfaces of semiconductor substrates to impart the semiconductor substrates with some rigidity following thinning thereof.
2. Background of Related Art
Since its inception, the trend in electronics has been to develop devices of ever-decreasing dimensions and ever-increasing capabilities. In order to drive these trends, semiconductor device manufacturers continually develop new technologies to put more processing power, more memory, and more ancillary functionality into the same or smaller amounts of space.
One of the approaches that has been taken for reducing the size of semiconductor device packages or for facilitating the incorporation of more semiconductor dice into packages of a standard size has been to reduce sizes of the various package features, including the wire bond heights, the thicknesses of adhesive layers, the thickness of packaging material which covers the package components, and the thicknesses of the semiconductor dice themselves.
The thicknesses of semiconductor dice may be reduced prior to singulation thereof from a semiconductor substrate, typically in the form of a silicon wafer, by reducing the thickness of the entire semiconductor substrate. This is typically done by so-called "backgrinding" processes, which include mechanical or chemical removal of material from the back side of the semiconductor substrate and, thus, from the devices, or dice, that have been fabricated on the opposite, active surface thereof.
State-of-the-art backgrinding processes are useful for reducing the thicknesses of 200 mm diameter silicon wafers, which are typically about 728 μm thick, and 300 mm diameter wafers, which are typically about 800 μm thick, to as thin as about 50 μm. When the thickness of a semiconductor substrate is reduced, however, the semiconductor substrate becomes less robust. For example, when the thickness of a 200 mm diameter silicon wafer is reduced to about 230 μm or less, it becomes pliable and is prone to sagging when positioned on an edge or when an edge thereof is handled. As a consequence of the reduced robustness of thinned semiconductor substrates, the semiconductor devices that have been fabricated thereon are more likely to be damaged when thinned semiconductor substrates are handled or packaged.
Moreover, when semiconductor substrates are thinned, they are typically secured, in active surface-down orientation, to a carrier, such as a vacuum chuck. While the semiconductor substrate may be adequately secured to the carrier, the active surface of the semiconductor substrate may not be completely sealed from chemical backgrinding/polishing agents or particles of removed material. Thus, material may be removed from the active surface of the semiconductor substrate or the active surface may become undesirably contaminated.
Accordingly, there are needs for structures and methods for supporting semiconductor substrates and for sealing the active surfaces thereof during and following thinning thereof.

Methods for thinning semiconductor substrates that employ support structures formed on the substrates


A screened earth-moving bucket with vibration. The bucket includes a bottom, side plates, a back plate, and an attachment for connecting to a work machine. The bucket also includes at least one screen part having a plurality of adjacent bars to form a screen. At least one bar included in the screen part is vibrated by a vibrator unit so that the vibrated bar moves in relation to the bucket.

The invention relates to a work machine bucket, the bottom of which comprises mutually spaced bars. With a bucket like this it is possible to sort material to be treated according to its grain size.
The invention also relates to use of a work machine bucket in treating and sorting material.
The field of the invention is described in more detail in the preambles of the independent claims of the patent application.
Soil materials may be handled by means of earth-moving machines. An earth-moving machine may be equipped with a screen bucket so that soil material can be sorted during handling. The screen bucket includes a plurality of mutually spaced bars, between which there are gaps of desired size, through which gaps finer material will be able to fall out of the bucket and material having a larger particle size will remain in the bucket. Attempts have been made to enhance the sorting by mounting on the bucket a vibrator that makes the bucket vibrate. However, the conventional screen buckets are found to have shortcomings in efficiency and operation.

Screened earth moving bucket with vibrating bars


Devices and methods to determine media size in a printing device. Media being added to a media sheet tray of a printing device is detected. A size of the media in the tray is estimated based only on at least one of: a size of the media in the tray prior to the media being added, a size of the media recently used prior to the media being added, and a size of the media most frequently used. A selection of previously used sizes of media is displayed on a user interface. The selection comprises: the size of the media in the tray prior to the media being added, the size of the media recently used prior to the media being added, and the size of the media most frequently used. Confirmation of the size of the media added to the tray is received, on the user interface.

Devices and methods herein generally relate to machines such as printers and/or copier devices and, more particularly, to methods to determine media size in the device.
Most media trays detect a range of paper sizes by altering guides, which in turn actuate mechanical switches. This is prone to inaccuracy and also requires a mechanical or electrical connection between the tray guides and the machine, which can cause reliability problems. Furthermore, such use of switches and mechanics is expensive.

Determining media size by monitoring usage


The present disclosure is directed to a patch panel. The patch panel has a bracket having a panel interface having a front surface and a back surface substantially parallel to each other, at least one opening in the panel interface extends from the front surface to the back surface, at least one mounting member on the front surface of the bracket, at least one mounting member on the back surface of the bracket, a first pair of opposing edges and a second pair of opposing edges, the first pair and second pair of opposing edges are formed perpendicular to the panel interface. The patch panel also has a patching module having a number of connection elements, such as jacks, on a front side of the patching module and a number of connectors, such as insulation displacement connectors, on a back side of the patching module, wherein each connector is associated with one of the connection elements on the front side of the patching module.

The present disclosure is directed to structured wire enclosures and, more specifically, it is directed to a voice and data patch panel for use in a structured wire enclosure which is a low profile, high density, aesthetically pleasing jack panel showing only jacks and labeling to the user, while hiding cabling and terminations.
Structured wiring enclosures or Structured Media® enclosures may be the central point for any structured wiring system. Within the enclosure, there are hubs for telephone, video, audio, Internet, networking or any additional electronic system that may be employed in a residential or office environment. Inside the enclosure, patch panels, also known as patch bays or jackfields, typically house cable connections for telephone, video and networking connections. On these patch panels, a shorter patch cable plugs into a front jack while a more permanent cable is connected in the back. Patch panels allow a user to quickly change the path of signals without expensive switching equipment.
Current patch panels that mount in enclosures or in other situations where normal access to the rear of the panel is difficult or restricted have many disadvantages. Such patch panels often have the jacks on the same side as insulation displacement punch down terminals thereby presenting a convoluted mess of wires to a user. In situations where the jacks are placed on the front of a patch module and the insulation displacement punch down terminals are on the rear of the patch module, the insulation displacement punch down terminals are not easily accessible and are difficult to work with because they are not securely located within the Structured Media® enclosure.

Voice and data patch panel having a bracket for structured wire enclosures


According to this invention, encoded data of a target data amount is generated by one image input operation while both lossless encoding and lossy encoding are adopted. For this purpose, a first memory stores encoded data of a shorter encode length among encoded data generated by a first encoding unit which performs lossy encoding and encoded data generated by a second encoding unit which performs lossless encoding. A second memory stores encoded data from a second encoding unit. When an encoding sequence control unit determines that the encoded data amount in the first memory has exceeded the target data amount, the encoding sequence control unit discards data in the first memory, sets a quantization parameter for a higher compression ratio for the first encoding unit, and causes the first encoding unit to execute encoding. Encoded data before the encoded data amount is determined to have exceeded the target data amount is re-encoded by a re-encoding unit.

Conventionally, still image data is often compressed by a method using discrete cosine transform or a method using Wavelet transform. Encoding of this type is variable-length encoding, and hence the code amount changes for each image to be encoded.
According to JPEG encoding as an internal standardization scheme, only one quantization matrix can be defined for an image, and it is difficult to make encoded data of one image (document) fall within a target code amount without prescan. When JPEG encoding is used in a system which stores data in a limited memory, a memory overflow may occur.
In order to prevent this, conventional schemes used, for example, a method of re-reading the same document upon changing the compression ratio parameter when the actual code amount exceeds an expected code amount, or a method of estimating a code amount in advance by prescan and re-setting quantization parameters to adjust the code amount.
As described above, prescan and actual scan are generally executed, but a document must be read at least two times at poor efficiency. Especially when a copying machine encodes a document of a plurality of sheets (pages) while successively reading it page by page by an ADF (Auto Document Feeder), it is impossible in terms of the process time to read the same document twice.
The assignee of the present application has proposed a technique of eliminating these two, prescan and actual scan operations, and encoding one entire image using a common encoding parameter to compress the encoded data into a target encoded data amount (e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-8903). According to this technique, encoded data are sequentially stored in two memories during one image input operation (for one page). When the amount of encoded data in a predetermined memory exceeds a predetermined size during this operation, the data in the predetermined memory is discarded, the current encoding parameter is updated to a new encoding parameter for increasing the compression ratio, and encoding of image data of an unencoded part continues (encoded data obtained at this time is defined as the first encoded data). At this time, encoded data obtained by encoding before the compression ratio is increased are stored in the other memory, and the encoded data are re-encoded in accordance with the updated parameter. As a result, encoded data identical to those obtained by encoding data at the new parameter from the beginning can be attained (encoded data obtained by re-encoding is defined as the second encoded data). The first and second encoded data are concatenated to obtain data (complying with JPEG encoding) which is encoded at a common encoding parameter (updated encoding parameter) for one entire image (of one page). In addition, the encoded data amount can be suppressed to a target encoded data amount.
Compression encoding in the conventional technique adopts only a lossy compression technique such as JPEG.
According to the code amount control technique, when an encoded data amount generated during encoding of a 1-page image exceeds a predetermined size, a process equivalent to uniquely increasing the compression ratio for the entire page is executed, and the image quality may partially degrade more than expected. This problem becomes more serious in compressing an image containing a character-line image.
There is known a lossless encoding technique "JPEG-LS". "JPEG" is prefixed to this technique, but its encoding algorithm is completely different from general lossy JPEG. JPEG-LS is known to be lower in compression ratio for natural images than JPEG, but be able to losslessly encode character-line images and computer graphics at a higher compression ratio.
Considering this, when a document image containing both photographic and character-line images in one page is to be compressed, lossless compression should be applied to a character-line image part as much as possible.

Image encoding apparatus and method, computer program, and computer-readable storage medium


The disclosed embodiments provide improved methods and systems for predicting spectrum allocation in a wireless access network. The method may comprise receiving data associated with an access point (AP), creating, based on the received data and a machine learning algorithm, a decision model for predicting whether to allocate spectrum to the AP, generating a prediction, using the decision model, whether to allocate spectrum to the AP, and sending the prediction to a spectrum access system (SAS) in the wireless access network. The SAS may be configured to allocate spectrum to the AP based on the prediction.

A network includes a set of interconnected network nodes configured to communicate with one another, for example, over one or more wired or wireless communication links. A network node may be any device configured to communicate over the network, including for example, any type of user equipment (such as mobile devices, computers, smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc.), access points, servers, routers, switches, gateways, or other computing devices connected to the network.
In a conventional network, services that may be provided by a network node are limited based on finite resources, such as processing, storage, and bandwidth, and existing hardware at the node. In practice, the network node typically uses predefined configurations, algorithms, and parameters to allocate its limited available resources to users who access the network through the network node. For example, a network node may be pre-configured to support only a predetermined number of user connections or user requests at a given time based on its finite available bandwidth or processing resources.
The radio frequency (RF) spectrum is the foundation for many wireless access networks in use today, including radar and cellular networks. Specified frequency ranges, sometimes identified as bands or channels, in the RF spectrum may be allocated for use by different entities, for different purposes, or in different geographic locations. As used in this disclosure, "spectrum" generally refers to any frequencies, frequency bands, and frequency channels in the RF spectrum that may be used or allocated for wireless communications.
In view of increasing demand for spectrum, a dynamic spectrum access (DSA) system may be used to share available spectrum in a wireless access network among multiple users who can access the network's data and resources through network nodes with wireless connectivity. A DSA system, for example, may include a Spectrum Access System (SAS) that manages access to a shared spectrum in the wireless network, such as the 3.5 GHz band recently made available for commercial use in the United States. In operation, the SAS may be configured to dynamically allocate available spectrum to one or more network nodes in the wireless network. A network node, such as a base station, access point, server, user equipment, or other network node in the wireless network may request spectrum allocation from the SAS so it may use the allocated spectrum in a wireless access coverage area, e.g., which may be a wireless network or part of a larger network. As used herein, spectrum "allocation" generally refers to any process by which spectrum is allocated, allotted, and/or assigned.
Conventional techniques for allocating spectrum based on static and predetermined wireless-network configurations suffer several shortcomings. For example, resource allocation in such static network configurations is typically determined based on the expected usage of the network, which may be vastly different from the actual usage. This difference may cause network resources, such as spectrum, to be under-provisioned or over-provisioned. Similarly, some prior techniques are based on a reported past usage of network resources, which may not accurately reflect their future usage. Further, conventional networks that rely on aggregate resource-usage metrics do not track or reflect individual users' behaviors. Therefore, such networks cannot effectively provision user-specific resources among the network nodes. Additionally, previous techniques may determine the network configuration based on requests for network resources received from the network nodes. Determining the network configuration in this manner, however, may be time-consuming and may result in inefficient allocation of network resources to the network nodes.

Machine-learning framework for spectrum allocation


A feed additive suitable for use in commercial aquaculture, made from whole dried seaweed powder supplemented with 2.5 percent (w/w) andrographolide, increases feed conversion ratio (the ratio of weight gain to weight of feed used) and growth rate, while reducing vulnerability to water-borne marine pathogens such as Piscirickettsia salmonis and white-spot syndrome virus.

In aquaculture, congested growing conditions can both impair the cultured species' immune system and, by physically constraining the fish in a limited space, promote the spread of disease.
Many measures have been taken for controlling or preventing the spread of disease in aquaculture. One approach is adding antibiotics to fish feed. This approach is disfavored because it enables the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and may leave significant antibiotic residue in the meat of the fish so grown.
An alternative approach is vaccination. Vaccines do not favor the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and leave no antibiotic residue in the fish. Vaccines, however, are expensive. Further, injecting individual fish is labor-intense and thus add significant expense. Thus, for smaller species such as prawn, vaccines are cost-prohibitive. Further, vaccination is not effective against some relevant pathogens such as Pisciricketssia salmonis, SAV virus, Francisella noatunensis, Renibacterium salmoninarum, IPN virus, if the fish is infected before being vaccinated. This is due to the intracellular nature of the pathogens.
An alternative approach is taught by Paula MIRANDA-CAMPOS et al., Veterinary Composition Of Marine Algae And Andrographis Sp. Extracts, Which Can Be Used To Treat Infections In Fish, Patent Cooperation Treaty publication No. WO 2016/161534 (available in the English language as counterpart Canada national stage application Serial No. 02981989, filed 2017 Oct. 6). Miranda-Campos teaches a combination of two aqueous plant extracts. The first extract contains at least 5% of fucoids. The second extract contains least 5% of andrographolide. Miranda-Campos teaches that the extract combination that she describes is commercially marketed under the FUTERPENOL® trademark. See pg. 20 line 8. The FUTERPENOL® product, however, does not work particularly well.
To find a more-effective improvement, we thus set about making variations and modifications of the extract combination described in Miranda-Campos. We found that one can produce a far more effective composition by varying the composition taught by Miranda-Campos in three critical ways.
First, Miranda-Campos teaches to make aqueous extracts and eliminate any water-insoluble plant fiber and water-insoluble plant pigments etc. We surprisingly found that replacing Miranda-Campos' fucoid-containing aqueous extract with whole seaweed, dried and powdered and including the insoluble fibrous material, makes a far more effective product.
Without intending to be bound by a theory, our experimental data (discussed in detail below) imply that the insoluble, fibrous plant material provides two functions. First, insoluble, fibrous plant material appears to aid gut motility. This enables a fish infected with gastro-intestinal pathogens to more quickly eliminate pathogens from its gastrointestinal tract.
Second, the insoluble, fibrous plant material appears to aid in the systemic absorption, or "bioavailability," of andrographolide. That is, andrographolide does not to our knowledge naturally occur in fish food sources. We thus posit that the fish gastrointestinal tract has not evolved to absorb andrographolide efficiently. Thus, when one administers andrographolide to a fish, the fish gastrointestinal tract does not absorb that andrographolide efficiently, so it simply passes through the fish without being absorbed systemically. We posit that the concomitant administration of insoluble fiber resolves this and enables the fish gastrointestinal tract to better absorb andrographolide systemically.
Similarly, Miranda-Campos teaches to combine her two aqueous extracts, but to use far less of the fucoid extract than the andrographolide extract. Specifically, Miranda-Campos teaches to use a ratio of 5:95 to 20:80, preferably a ratio of 10:90. See Miranda-Campos pg. 22 lines 6-8. We surprisingly found that one can improve effectiveness by reversing the ratio taught by Miranda-Campos. While Miranda-Campos teaches a ratio of 5:95 to 20:80 and prefers in a ratio of 10:90, we have found that the opposite ratio—about 96:5—significantly improves function. Without intending to be bound by theory, our experimental data imply that our new ratio is important because the gastrointestinal tract of a fish does not readily absorb andrographolide unless a relatively small amount of it is combined with a relatively large amount of insoluble seaweed fiber. Thus, the surfeit of Andrographis sp. extract taught by Miranda-Campos is excreted, rather than absorbed.
Third, Miranda-Campos teaches to use any of seventeen different species of Andrographis plants. See pg. 16 lines 7-13. In contrast, we posit that the best results are obtained with only one of these species—A. paniculata.
We therefore here teach an improved aquaculture feed additive comprising whole seaweed, dried and powdered and including the insoluble fibrous material, combined with andrographolide in a ratio of about 95:5.


A coupling for a resin tube is provided with a body having opposed front and rear ends. The large diameter chamber extends into the rear end and a communication hole extends into the front end. A small diameter chamber connects the communication hole and the large diameter chamber. A seal is disposed in the small diameter chamber for sealing engagement with both the body and the resin tube to be coupled. A split annular grip with an inwardly directed annular pawl also is disposed in the small diameter chamber and is dimensioned for surrounding the tube. The outer circumference of the grip is tapered to define a minor diameter adjacent its rear end. A holding member has a front end with an internal taper engaged with the grip. The rear end of the holding member is releasably engaged with the rear end of the body. The tube can easily be inserted in a forward direction through the split annular grip for engagement by the seal. However, withdrawal forces cause the opposed tapers of the grip and the holding member to urge the annular pawl of the grip into tight engagement with the tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improvement in the structure of a coupling for connecting a resin tube having a relatively small diameter such as 20 mm or less and arranged as an oil or air supply conduit in an automobile or a variety of machines or apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A coupling in accordance with the prior art is shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, and includes a cylindrical coupling body 11. The body 11 has a front end with a communication hole 12 extending axially therein. The body 11 further has a rear end with a stepped chamber extending therein and communicating with the hole 12. A disk-shaped grip 15 with pawl walls 15' extending inwardly is retained in the stepped chamber by a retainer 16. The rear end of the coupling body 11 is press-fitted inwardly to hold the retainer in the stepped chamber, and to thereby position the disk-shaped grip 15. Reference numeral 17 designates a release tool for engaging with the circumferential edge of the axial hole and moving back and forth to release the bite of a resin tube P' by the pawl wall 15'.
In this prior art, however, each pawl wall 15' has such a high rigidity that no bending occurs during fitting of the resin tube P', and the outer circumference of the resin tube P' is scratched in the axial direction. Since the fixed construction is positioned in front of the grip 15 and since the seal ring 14 is fitted in the seal groove 11', the gripping at the pawl wall 15' and the sealing effect at the seal ring 14 are deteriorated to invite a problem that a leakage is frequently induced for a long time.

Thin resin tube connecting coupling with flanged insert


A forsterite powder with superior characteristics which can be sintered at a relatively low temperature can be economically produced, when a magnesium source, a silicon source, and copper particles are mixed to prepare a mixed powder containing 300 to 2,000 ppm by weight of the copper particles, and the mixed powder is fired. The magnesium source used is preferably Mg(OH)2, and the silicon source used is preferably SiO2. A polycrystalline forsterite powder is preferably produced. The magnesium source, the silicon source, and the copper particles can be mixed in the presence of a solvent to prepare the mixed powder. The forsterite powder preferably contains 300 to 2,000 ppm by weight of copper, has a particle size of 0.20 to 0.40 μm and has a crystal size of 0.034 to 0.040 μm.

Forsterite, a material used for production of ceramic electronic components, is usually produced by mixing and pulverizing Mg(OH)2 powder and SiO2 powder and firing the mixture so that the Mg(OH)2 and SiO2 react with each other.
One method for producing a forsterite powder has been proposed in Patent Document 1. In this method, forsterite (a magnesium-containing oxide powder) is produced by forming liquid microparticles of a solution containing magnesium and silicon and firing the microparticles in the suspended state in an oxygen-containing gas.
A firing (calcining) step is essential for the production of the forsterite powder. With the technique of Patent Document 1, a forsterite powder can be economically produced at a relatively low firing temperature by firing the liquid microparticles in a suspended state.
The above technique, however, has the problem of increased equipment costs because it requires special equipment, such as an ultrasonic atomizer, for firing the liquid microparticles in a suspended state and powder separation equipment, such as a cyclone separator, for separating the resultant forsterite particles.
A common method in which a mixture of Mg(OH)2 and SiO2 is allowed to react by firing rather than using the method of firing in a suspended state, as in Patent Document 1, has the problem of increased thermal energy costs for firing because the firing temperature must be raised to around 1,200° C. Another problem is that firing under high-temperature conditions approaching 1,200° C. causes the particles of forsterite powder to grow to an excessive particle size for use as a material for electronic components.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-002640

Method for producing powder forsterite powder, forsterite powder, sintered forsterite, insulating ceramic composition, and multilayer ceramic electronic component


An improved regulator system is disclosed for controlling a field winding of an alternator to regulate the charging of a battery. The improved regulator system comprises an internal regulator mounted onto the alternator. The internal regulator has an internal regulator control circuit for monitoring the battery and for controlling the field winding. An electrical connector actuates the internal regulator to regulate the output of the alternator in accordance with the internal regulator. The electrical connector enables an external regulator to be connected to the alternator thereby bypassing the internal regulator to regulate the output of the alternator in accordance with the external regulator. The improved regulator system facilitates the connection of an upgrade external regulator with the internal regulator functioning as a reserve regulator in the remote event of a malfunction of the external regulator.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the generation of electricity and more particularly to an improved regulator system for a power generator such as an alternator or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A battery charging circuit comprises a source of electrical current and an electrical regulator. In the case of a rotary source of electrical current, such as an electrical generator or an electrical alternator, the electrical regulator controls the voltage produced by the electrical generator or an electrical alternator. The electrical regulator increases the output of the electrical generator or an electrical alternator until the battery is charged to a preselected voltage. Thereafter, the electrical regulator decreases the output of the electrical generator or an electrical alternator to maintain the preselected voltage of the battery.
In some electrical alternators, the electrical regulator is located within the housing of the electrical alternator. In general, the electrical regulators located within the housing of the electrical alternator are single stage electrical regulators. In a single stage electrical regulator, the electrical regulator controls the charging of the battery to a single preselected battery voltage. In a multiple stage electrical regulator, the electrical regulator sequentially controls the charging of the battery to multiple preselected battery voltages depending on the voltage and/or the state of charge of the battery. Due to the cost, complexity and size of a multiple stage electrical regulator, single stage electrical regulators are typically found located within the housing of the electrical alternator of original equipment manufacturers.
Some in the prior art have attempted to utilize multiple electrical regulators in a battery charging circuit. The following U.S. patents illustrate attempts of the prior art to utilize multiple electrical regulators in a battery charging circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,389 to Schott discloses a power supply system having two regulated power supply devices with outputs connected in parallel for redundant half-load operation. Each power supply device has a voltage regulator and a current regulator with outputs connected in parallel to a switching transistor that provides regulation. A discriminator and transfer switch in each power supply device compares sensed load currents in both the power supply devices and switches the power supply device from current regulation to voltage regulation or vice-versa. By use of the transfer switch and discriminator, an active, reaction-free load take over in the case of a failure of one of the power supply devices operating in a voltage regulation mode may be accomplished. The other power supply device is then switched from a current regulation mode to a voltage regulation mode so as to take over from the power supply device that has failed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,240 to Hamilton relates to a plurality of current controlled converters coupled in parallel controlled by a central regulation circuit. Each individual converter includes an auxiliary regulation circuit which is coupled to provide backup regulation if the central regulation circuit fails. The auxiliary regulation circuit has high and low response limits that come into action depending upon whether the central regulation fails in a high or low mode. This permits the converter to remain operative and continue to regulate its output within a predefined backup limit when the central regulation circuit fails.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,679 to Regan discloses a system of parallel switching regulators sharing a common load, each regulator generating controllable pulses from an unregulated d-c. voltage source and then smoothing those pulses to form a d-c. output that varies according to changes in the pulses. A comparator controls the pulses according to the differential between a reference signal and a feedback signal, and an output resistor is connected between the comparator and the load. A reference signal source generates a reference signal for the comparator in a first one of the regulators, and the load side of the output resistor in the first regulator is connected to the feedback signal input to the comparator in that regulator so that the load voltage is determined by the reference signal for the first regulator. The comparator side of the output resistor in the first regulator is connected to the reference signal input to the comparator in a second one of the regulators, and the comparator side of the output resistor in the second regulator is connected to the feedback signal input to the comparator in the second regulator so that the current supplied to the load by the second regulator is equal to the current supplied by the first regulator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,507 to Nordbrock, et al. relates to a single alternator having multiple isolated windings for providing multiple outputs as for charging 12 and 24 volt batteries. A main regulator controls the field coil current and a secondary regulator controls the charging current for the second battery by controlling the second rectifier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,690 to Fernandez, et al. teaches a transfer apparatus for use with an AC generator having a field winding, the DC energization of which controls the output of the generator. Associated with the generator are first and second voltage regulators each including means for sensing the output of the generator and means for varying the DC energization of the generator field winding to regulate the output of the generator to a respective reference level for each voltage regulator. The transfer apparatus includes a circuit for generating a first signal as a function of the generator output as sensed by the first voltage regulator sensing means and a second signal as a function of the generator output as sensed by the second voltage regulator sensing means. Another circuit independently produces an additional signal to which the first and second signals ordinarily have a predetermined relationship. A further circuit selects the first or second voltage regulator to energize the generator field winding. The selection depends on whether or not there is a departure of the first signal from the predetermined relationship to the additional signal when the second signal maintains its predetermined relationship thereto. Other transfer apparatus and regulating apparatus and methods are also disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,594 to Schramm, et al. discloses a battery charging system including a generator, a rectifier system with main diodes and exciter diodes as well as two terminals for battery charging, at least one terminal for consuming points, a voltage regulator for a generator output voltage, a charging control light and a fail-safe device structured to indicate faults and for protection from excess voltages. The fail-safe device includes an additional voltage regulating device connected electrically to the generator and a relay connected with the additional voltage regulating device. The fail-safe device also can include three voltage dividers to provide different adjustable voltage thresholds, four zener diodes connected across terminals for limiting voltage, a pulse generator and a delay stage structured and connected so that the additional voltage regulating device regulates the generator output voltage, when an excess voltage occurs or a defective connection is present in the voltage regulator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,321 to Kohl, et al relates to a battery charging apparatus including a generator, main voltage regulator, an auxiliary voltage regulator, at least one consuming device and a protective circuit having circuit portions for recognizing and signaling faults via a charge control lamp. The generator output voltage is rectified with rectifier bridges containing zener diodes. Voltage comparison to threshold values and logic circuitry for processing the comparison results are used to determine the presence of faults in the operation of the battery charging apparatus. The fault detection device detects conduction defects in the main voltage regulator and/or interruption in the generator excitation circuit. The logic circuitry determines whether simultaneously both a supplied voltage exceeds a threshold value and the main voltage regulator is turned on longer than a predetermined time interval to indicate its continuous operation. After a fault is detected, a voltage regulation is performed by the auxiliary voltage regulator until the fault is eliminated so that the rectifier bridges are not destroyed. The battery charging apparatus described is particularly suitable for use in motor vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,232 to Eavenson, Sr, et al. discloses a charging system including a high capacity charging circuit having the original internal engine alternator connected substantially in parallel with an auxiliary alternator by a simple wiring harness arrangement that easily plugs into the existing connectors for the internal engine alternator circuit so that the outputs of the alternators are cumulative. The auxiliary alternator is relatively compact, and the original engine alternator circuit remains substantially unaltered. The regulators for the two alternators include sensory inputs which are connected to each other. The alternators provide redundancy and a fail-safe backup mode so that if one of the systems fails, that system can be quickly disconnected from the remaining system without disabling the entire vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,158 to Schnars, et al. relates to a voltage regulator circuit having a series device external to an integrated circuit voltage regulator. The external series device provides a voltage drop prior to the voltage being input to the voltage regulator during high power applications. Depending on the power level, low or high, one of two transistors will be activated. For low power applications, a transistor attached directly to the input voltage is active and the external series device is bypassed. For high power applications, the external series device provides a voltage drop prior to the input voltage reaching the second transistor thereby lowering the power to be dissipated by the integrated circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,855 to Renner, et al. teaches a method and apparatus for providing a welding output and an auxiliary output from a generator having a field winding, an auxiliary output winding and a welding output winding. One or both of a welding output and an auxiliary output are detected, and feedback signals indicative of the presence or absence of one or both of a welding output and an auxiliary output are provided. A controller, preferably an electromc field controller includes an auxiliary output regulator enabled or disabled by the output detector feedback signal and a welding regulator enabled or disabled by the output detector feedback, such that one and only one of the auxiliary output regulator and welding regulator is enabled. The auxiliary output regulator is connected to an auxiliary output feedback circuit, thereby providing closed loop control, preferably with a CV output. A maximum auxiliary power output is available in the absence of the welding output, and less then the maximum auxiliary power output is available in the presence of the welding output.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,499 to Severson, et al. discloses a voltage regulation system, method of operation and multiple processor apparatus employing the system or method. The voltage regulation system includes a plurality of voltage regulation modules (VRMs) coupled to a plurality of processors, each one of the VRMs is dedicated to only one of the plurality of processors wherein a processor is powered down in response to a failure of its respective dedicated VRM.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,994 to Abdoulin relates to a switching power converter for producing regulated D.C. power at two or more voltages. First and second regulation circuits including switching elements are connected across the secondary side of a transformer. A control circuit including a phase lock loop provides a first timing signal in leading relation to the AC input, and a delay circuit that provides a second timing circuit in delayed relation to the first timing signal. A logic circuit is responsive to the first and second timing signals to provide drive signals for the switching elements. The regulation circuits each include a first switching element having a power terminal coupled to the secondary winding and another power terminal is coupled to an intermediate node. A second switching element has a power terminal coupled to the intermediate node and another power terminal coupled to a common node. An inductor is coupled from the intermediate node to an output node. The control circuit delivers drive signals to control terminals of the switching elements to switch the switching elements on and off such that first and second regulated voltages appear between the first and second output nodes and the common node, respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,012 to Jabaji teaches an alternator generating output power at two or more independent voltages. The alternator has two independent output windings configured to generate the power needed for each output. Each output voltage is sensed by a regulator that controls switching rectifiers to supply the current needed to satisfy the electric power demand of the loads connected to each output. After both output load demands are satisfied, the regulator switches off the alternator field. When power demand from either load rises, the alternator field is switched on along with the respective switching rectifier to satisfy the power demand. The output voltage grounds and control signals may be electrically isolated from each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,351,403 to Abdoulin discloses a switching power converter for producing regulated D.C. power at two or more voltages. First and second regulation circuits including switching elements are connected across the secondary side of a transformer. A control circuit including a phase lock loop provides a first timing signal in leading relation to the AC input, and a delay circuit which provides a second timing circuit in delayed relation to the first timing signal. A logic circuit is responsive to the first and second timing signals to provide drive signals for the switching elements. The regulation circuits each include a first switching element having a power terminal coupled to the secondary winding and another power terminal is coupled to an intermediate node. A second switching element has a power terminal coupled to the intermediate node and another power terminal coupled to a common node. An inductor is coupled from the intermediate node to an output node. The control circuit delivers drive signals to control terminals of the switching elements to switch the switching elements on and off such that first and second regulated voltages appear between the first and second output nodes and the common node, respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,373,230 to Jabaji relates to an alternator generating output power at two or more independent voltages. The alternator has two independent output windings configured to generate the power needed for each output. Each output voltage is sensed by a regulator that controls switching rectifiers to supply the current needed to satisfy the electric power demand of the loads connected to each output. After both output load demands are satisfied, the regulator switches off the alternator field. When power demand from either load rises, the alternator field is switched on along with the respective switching rectifier to satisfy the power demand. The output voltage grounds and control signals may be electrically isolated from each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,469,276 to Renner, et al. discloses a method and apparatus for providing a welding output and an auxiliary output from a generator having a field winding, an auxiliary output winding and a welding output winding. One or both of a welding output and an auxiliary output are detected, and feedback signals indicative of the presence or absence of one or both of a welding output and an auxiliary output are provided. A controller, preferably an electronic field controller includes an auxiliary output regulator enabled or disabled by the output detector feedback signal and a welding regulator enabled or disabled by the output detector feedback, such that one and only one of the auxiliary output regulator and welding regulator is enabled. The auxiliary output regulator is connected to an auxiliary output feedback circuit, thereby providing closed loop control, preferably with a CV output. A maximum auxiliary power output is available in the absence of the welding output, and less then the maximum auxiliary power output is available in the presence of the welding output.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,590,367 to Kim relates to an external type regulator for a vehicle alternator, and in particular to an external type regulator for a vehicle alternator which is capable of preventing a damage of electric parts and a battery by stopping a power, generation by disconnecting a field current flowing in a field coil through a relay in the case that an over charge occurs in an alternator due to a damage of a regulator. The regulator for a vehicle alternator includes an over charge disconnector which includes a dividing resistor for dividing a voltage inputted through an IG terminal, a zener diode which is turned off in the case that the voltage divided by the dividing resistor is higher than a zener voltage, for thereby detecting an over charge of an alternator which occurs in an IG terminal, first and second transistors which are turned on when the zener diode detects an over charge and is turned on and output a relay driving signal, a relay which has a contact point terminal connected between a power transistor and a field coil of the voltage adjusting unit and switch-driven in response to a relay driving signal when the first transistor is turned on, for thereby disconnecting a field current flowing between the power transistor and the field coil, and a plurality of resistors, condensers and diodes, whereby the over charge disconnector stops a power generation of the alternator by detecting an over charge of the alternator and disconnecting a field current flowing in the field coil.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,633,802 to Sodoski, et al. teaches a vehicle power system including a multiple of electrical generators which provide power for vehicle electrical systems or loads through an electrical load management center which communicates with a general purpose processor set such that the power supplied to each electrical load may be individually controlled. A display communicates with the GPPS to present an electrical system status screen to the vehicle crew such that the crew is constantly made aware of the prevailing electrical power conditions in a rapid and efficient manner. During a drastically reduced generator situation, the GPPS automatically disconnects loads via a predefined load shed priority list. Once electrical loads are disconnected via the predefined load shed priority list the crew can reactivate and deactivate selected systems for the current mission circumstances through a load recovery screen accessible through the display.
Most original equipment manufacturers of engines incorporate a single stage electrical regulator located within the housing of the electrical alternator for charging a single battery. Many uses of these original equipment engines such as marine vessels, truck, recreational vehicles, standby power sources and the like require a multiple stage electrical regulator for charging multiple batteries. Unfortunately, the disconnection of the single stage electrical regulator located within the housing of the electrical alternator and the connection of the multiple stage electrical regulator located outside of the housing of the electrical alternator is not a simple process.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved regulator system for an alternator that overcomes the problems of the prior art and provides a significant advancement to the prior art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved regulator system for an alternator incorporating an internal regulator located within an alternator housing adapted to be readily disconnected for enabling an external regulator located outside of the alternator housing to be readily connected to the alternator.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved regulator system for an alternator incorporating a multiple stage external electrical regulator located outside of the alternator housing and a single stage internal regulator located within an alternator housing.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved regulator system for an alternator incorporating an internal regulator located within the alternator housing adapted to be readily disconnected from the alternator for providing a reserve regulator in the remote event of a malfunction of an external regulator located outside of the alternator housing.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment of the invention.


An audio/video data reproducing apparatus reads out data from a first storage, which has its storage area equally divided into clusters and stores audio/video data on a cluster-by-cluster basis, to transfer the data read out to utility equipment over a communication path. A second storage stores address data designating clusters of the first storage. Clusters including data to be read out are searched for, and the address data designating the clusters thus searched for is stored in the second storage in a predetermined order. The address data is then sequentially read out from the second storage to generate a real address addressing a storage location of the storage area, which is in turn provided with the real address to develop the stored data in the predetermined order. In response to an error occurring during the transmission on the communication path, the second storage is interrupted from developing the address data therefrom. In response to an amount of the audio/video data corresponding to the capacity of one cluster having been transferred, the second storage develops address data designating another cluster including following data to be read out to generate a real address accordingly. When the clusters associated with the audio/video data already transferred reach in number the clusters searched for, an end-of-read signal is developed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for reproducing audio data or video data out of a recording medium which is equally divided into a plurality of storage units each having a predetermined capacity. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with an audio/video data reproducing apparatus capable of transferring data read out of the recording medium to external equipment over a communication path.
2. Description of the Background
It is a common practice with a semiconductor memory or similar memory to record video data or audio data therein after coding by compression in order to reduce the amount of data to be recorded. The semiconductor memory may be equally divided into a plurality of storage units, or clusters, each having a predetermined capacity, as proposed by the same applicant as the present application and disclosed in Japanese patent application No. 10997/1989 by way of example. In such a case, one or more of the clusters of the memory are used to record desired audio data or video data.
Specifically, the recording scheme disclosed in the above Japanese patent application divides a memory into a plurality of clusters and uses the first cluster for storing supervisory data and the others for recording video data. The memory has a supervisory data area which is assigned to a directory and a memory allocation table (MAT). When compressed image data is to be recorded in a plurality of clusters, for example, the number assigned to the cluster to record the leading video data is written into the directory of the supervisory area while the number assigned to the cluster immediately following the above-mentioned cluster is written into the MAT. Video data is written in and read out of the memory with reference being made to such supervisory data.
For example, to record new video data in the memory, the number of clusters necessary to accommodate the video data is determined, and then more than such a number of non-recorded or empty clusters available in the memory are searched for. Thereafter, the video data are sequentially recorded in the empty clusters. On the other hand, to read desired video data out of the memory, recorded or full clusters storing the video data of interest are searched for in memory beforehand, and then the video data are reproduced.
The conventional audio/video data reproducing apparatus described above has some problems left unsolved, as follows. Assume that audio data or video data are transferred from the reproducing apparatus to a word processor or similar external equipment which is connected to the apparatus by a communication path. Then, as a communication error occurs on the communication path or in the equipment connected to the communication path while the data transfer is under way, it is necessary that all the data of the cluster reached at that moment be transferred again to the equipment afterwards. At this instant, the coventional reproducing apparatus is required to set the address data of such a particular cluster all over again. In addition, even when desired data such as video data have been fully read out of an expected number of clusters and transferred from the reproducing apparatus to the external equipment, the reproducing apparatus cannot recognize the end of transfer of the data to the external equipment.

Audio/video data reproducing apparatus which generates end of data transfer signal and which transfers data after communication error without resetting address data

200
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MS
File
FSS 209 MS File;211 MS File
FSS 164;166


A blade mounting for a chipper blade of a wood-chipping machine, the chipper blade having a back and a fore-part, the blade mounting including: a disk coverplate having an inner slope which bears against the back of the chipper blade; a blade holder having at least two grooves which are oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the blade holder and parallel to a plane of the chipper blade, the blade holder bearing against the fore-part of the chipper blade; adjusting screws located in the grooves in the blade holder; and dogs for underpinning a bottom edge of the chipper blade at at least two locations, the dogs being adjusted by the adjusting screws.

The invention relates to a blade mounting for the cutting tool of a fixed block or blade-disk chipper of a wood-chipping machine.
In the production of chips having chip thicknesses of over 0.7 mm, as are required for certain special boards, high cutting and feed forces are generated which, in the unavoidable chipping of end-grained wood sections, exert correspondingly high displacement forces on the cutting edges of full-cut blades. This is particularly true of disk chippers, whose cutting speed in the inner area of the disk is only around 35% of the cutting speed of the outer area. Most disk chippers operate at a blade setting angle, advantageous to the chip surface, of 35.degree.. At a setting angle of 35.degree., the displacement forces have an even more adverse effect than in the case of setting angles of around 45.degree., which are also employed.
If the chipper blades are retracted during chipping, this can sometimes result in damage to the surface of the cutting tool and the blade clamping elements. In such cases, it is often not sufficient to join the chipper blade and blade holder with more than two connecting screws, particularly where the blade length exceeds 400 mm. High-capacity disk chippers, equipped with blade mountings according to German Offenlegungsschrift 39 33 880, require chipper blades of such a length where the disk diameters measure 3,000 mm or more.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,302 discloses a blade mounting wherein the chipper blades and the blade holders are adjusted, following regrinding, by means of adjusting screws which are inserted into the bottom edges of these elements. Assuming a universally common regrinding width of 40 mm and a 1 mm regrind in each case, 40 readjustments would need to be made. Where the chipper blades are only 4 mm thick, such an arrangement does not work.
German Offenlegungsschrift 35 06 252 discloses a blade mounting having angle brackets, the short leg of which bears with its inner surface against the bottom edge of the blade. The screw connection of the angle bracket is effected by means of adjustably disposed clamping screws, which open out into retaining bolts guided through holes in the chipper blade. In addition, a plurality of permanent magnets are housed in the blade holder. The clamping forces which can be obtained with this blade mounting are no greater than with a conventional screw connection.


The present invention relates to substantially pure piperidine derivative compounds of the formulae: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen or hydroxy;. R.sub.2 is hydrogen; PA2 R.sub.3 is --COOH or --COOR.sub.4 ; PA2 R.sub.4 has 1 to 6 carbon atoms; PA2 A, B, and D are the substituents of their respective rings each of which may be different or the same and are hydrogen, halogens, alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, or other substituents.. or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 taken together form a second bond between the carbon atoms bearing R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 ;. A process of preparing such piperidine derivative compounds in substantially pure form is also disclosed.

Terfenadine, 1-(p-tert-butylphenyl)-4-[4'-(.alpha.-hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-1'-piperidiny l]-butanol is a non-sedating anti-histamine. It is reported to be a specific H.sub.2 -receptor antagonist that is also devoid of any anticholingeric, anti-serotoninergic, and anti-adrenergic effects both in vitro and in vivo. See D. McTavish, K. L. Goa, M. Ferrill, Drugs, 1990, 39, 552; C. R. Kingsolving, N. L. Monroe, A. A. Carr, Pharmacologist, 1973, 15, 221; J. K. Woodward, N. L. Munro, Arzneim-Forsch, 1982, 32, 1154; K. V. Mann, K. J. Tietze, Clin. Pharm. 1989, 6, 331. A great deal of effort has been made investigating structure-activity relationships of terfenadine analogs, and this is reflected in the large number of U.S. patents disclosing this compound and related structures as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,956 to Zivkovic PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,526 to Carr, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,433 to Carr, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,173 to Carr, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,217 to Carr, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,276 to Duncan, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,197 to Carr, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,795 to Carr, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,022 to Carr, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,296 to Duncan, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,257 to Carr, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,175 to Fawcett, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,129 to Carr, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,130 to Carr, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,957 to Carr, et. al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,958 to Carr, et. al. PA1 or R.sub.1 and R.sub.7 taken together form a second bond between the carbon atoms bearing R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 ; PA1 or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 taken together form a second bond between the carbon atoms bearing R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 ; PA1 R.sub.6 is an alkyl with 1 to 6 carbon atoms with a compound of the formula: ##STR34## under conditions effective to produce a first mixture of regioisomers of the formula: ##STR35## Typically, such acylation is carried out by a Friedel-Crafts reaction, as described above in Process One for Producing Substantially Pure Regioisomers.
Terfenadine has been linked to potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythms in some patients with liver disease or who also take the antifungal drug ketoconazole or the antibiotic erythromycin. In animal and human metabolic studies, terfenadine was shown to undergo high first-pass effect, which results in readily measurable plasma concentrations of the major metabolite 4-[4-[4-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-1-piperidinyl]-1-hydroxybutyl]- .alpha.,.alpha.-dimethylphenylacetic acid, also known as terfenadine carboxylic acid metabolite. The terfenadine carboxylic acid metabolite also possesses anti-histamine activity in animal models and may lack the cardiac side effects seen with terfenadine.
Piperidine derivatives related to the terfenadine carboxylic acid metabolite are disclosed in the following U.S. patents:
In these patents, 4-[4-[4(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)-1-piperidinyl]-1-hydroxybutyl]-.alpha.,.alp ha.-dimethylbenzeneacetic acid and related compounds are prepared by alkylation of a substituted piperidine derivative of the formula: ##STR2## with an .omega.-haloalkyl substituted phenyl ketone of the formula: ##STR3## wherein the substituents halo, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, n, z, and R.sub.6 are described in column 6 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,130.
It is further described that the .omega.-haloalkyl substituted phenyl ketone wherein Z is hydrogen are prepared by reacting an appropriate straight or branched lower alkyl C.sub.1-6 ester of .alpha.-.alpha.-dimethylphenylacetic acid with the compound of the following formula: ##STR4## under the general conditions of a Friedel-Crafts acylation, wherein halo and m are described in column 11 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,129. The reaction is carried out in carbon disulfide as the preferred solvent.
Applicant has discovered that the preparation of ethyl 4-(4-chloro-1-oxobutyl)-.alpha.,.alpha.-dimethylphenylacetate by reaction of 4-chlorobutyryl chloride, aluminum chloride, and ethyl .alpha.,.alpha.-(xocdimethylphenylacetate in carbon disulfide, as described in Example 1 of U.S. Patent Nos. 4,254,130 and 4,285,958 provides an mixture of monosubstituted aromatic regioisomers of the formula: ##STR5## wherein the chlorobutyryl substituent is attached at either of the three aromatic carbons which are meta or para to the dimethylacetate substituent. These regioisomers are not separable by standard techniques of thin layer chromatography, or column chromatography, and low field proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is inconclusive in identifying the product of this reaction as a mixture. When the mixture of monosubstituted aromatic regioisomers of the preceding formula is reacted with a piperidine of the formula: ##STR6## a second mixture of aromatic regioisomers is obtained of the formula: ##STR7## wherein the monosubstituted meta, para mixture of regioisomers is obtained.
It is known in the art that a monoalkyl substituent on a benzene ring is ortho, para directing in electropldlic aromatic substitution reactionis such as a Friedel-Crafts reaction. Thus, it would be expected that the Friedel-Crafts reaction of .alpha.-chlorobutyryl chloride with ethyl .alpha.,.alpha.-dimethylphenylacetate would yield predominantly the para substituted product of the formula: ##STR8## because of the electron donating, para-directing character of the dimethylalkyl substituent combined with the steric hindrance associated with reaction of the ortho positions. In practice, the inductive electronic withdrawing effect of the carboxylic ester of ethyl .alpha.,.alpha.-imethylphenylacetate counteracts the expected alkyl electron donating effect, resulting in no significant directing effect for the aromatic substitution reaction. For the described reaction, a statistical mixture of meta to para regioisomers results, with the two meta positions predominating.
The above second mixture of regioisomers can be converted to a third mixture of regioisomers of formula: ##STR9## Although the second mixture of regioisomers and the third mixture of regioisomers can be analyzed by HPLC experiments, a practical separation to obtain gram quantities of substantially pure regioisomers has not been achieved. Each mixture (including the first), would be expected to contain 33% of the para isomer and 67% of the meta isomer. Since these components are inseparable, it has not been possible to obtain either of the regioisomers in each mixture in substantially pure form.

Piperidine derivatives and process for their production


Systems and methods are disclosed for proximity sensing in physiological sensors, and more specifically to using one or more proximity sensors located on or within a physiological sensor to determine the positioning of the physiological sensor on a patient measurement site. Accurate placement of a physiological sensor on the patient measurement site is a key factor in obtaining reliable measurement of physiological parameters of the patient. Proper alignment between a measurement site and a sensor optical assembly provides more accurate physiological measurement data. This alignment can be determined based on data from a proximity sensor or sensors placed on or within the physiological sensor.

The standard of care in caregiver environments includes patient monitoring through spectroscopic analysis using, for example, a pulse oximeter. Devices capable of spectroscopic analysis generally include a light source(s) transmitting optical radiation into or reflecting off a measurement site, such as, body tissue carrying pulsing blood. After attenuation by tissue and fluids of the measurement site, a photodetection device(s) detects the attenuated light and outputs a detector signal(s) responsive to the detected attenuated light. A signal processing device(s) process the detector(s) signal(s) and outputs a measurement indicative of a blood constituent of interest, such as glucose, oxygen, methemoglobin, total hemoglobin, other physiological parameters, or other data or combinations of data useful in determining a state or trend of wellness of a patient.
In noninvasive devices and methods, a sensor is often adapted to position a finger proximate the light source and light detector. For example, noninvasive finger clip sensors often include a clothespin-shaped housing that includes a contoured bed conforming generally to the shape of a finger.
Accurate determination of physiological measurements is often dependent upon proper application of the optical sensor to the measurement site. Clip-type pulse oximeter sensors typically include a physical stop near the hinge of the housing to indicate desired placement of a user's finger or other measurement site within the sensor. However, the physical stop does not ensure that the patient's finger is positioned far enough into the sensor. In addition, even if a sensor is initially placed correctly, movement, either of the patient or of the sensor during artificial pulsing, can longitudinally displace the patient's finger within the sensor. This can result in the light source and detector of the oximeter being positioned around a portion of the finger that provides inaccurate physiological measurements.


There is provided a pipeline inspection device stabilizer apparatus for use with a pipeline inspection device configured to assess the condition of a pipeline while being carried by a moving liquid in the pipeline, the device including an inspection module, the apparatus comprising a forward spacer secured in front of the inspection module and a rear spacer secured behind the inspection module, each of the front spacer and the rear spacer configured to move between a collapsed position close to the device and an outward position extending away from the device and towards the pipeline wall, wherein when in the outward position the front and rear spacers contact the pipeline wall to distance the inspection module from the pipeline wall and maintain axial alignment or substantial axial alignment of the inspection module with the longitudinal center of the pipeline.

It is known to use various pipeline inspection devices to inspect the condition of the walls of the pipeline. In some cases, these devices are carried through the pipeline by the movement of fluid. The movement can be assisted by a drogue attached to these devices where the inflation of the drogue will cause movement of the device downstream. These devices are generally elongated and flexible so they can be inserted and retracted from the pipeline and can conform to the dimensions of the pipeline and/or to better move around the various bends and structures of the pipeline.
Some pipeline assessments may require the use of one specific type or numerous different types of inspection equipment. Therefore, these devices generally comprise one or modules comprising detection equipment configured for obtaining specific information of the condition of the pipeline. Detection equipment may include, but is not limited to optical, electromagnetic, and/or ultrasonic sensors (such as acoustic transducers).
For example, metallic wall loss can be detected using one or more transducers. The quality and/or strength of the data may depend on the orientation of the transducer in relation to the wall. In some applications, it may be preferred to obtain data from the transducer when it is substantially centralized within the interior of the pipeline. In some other applications, it may be preferable to obtain data from the transducer when the transducer is axially aligned or substantially axially aligned with the longitudinal center of the pipeline. In some embodiments, it is preferred that the transducer is within about 3% of the longitudinal center of the pipeline in order to avoid acoustic reflections from the wall from being deflected away from the receiving transducer and losing signal when the transducer is beyond this target centralization.
There is a need to provide pipeline inspection devices and methods of pipeline inspection which allow for the inspection of the entire interior surface (i.e. pipewall circumference) of the pipeline during flow conditions and which allow for the deployment in those pipelines that have various bends and inline valves while maintaining the equipment in a substantially centralized position within the interior of the pipeline.

Stabilizer for a pipeline inspection device