The present invention falls within the field of purifying oil-laden wastewater, which provides a method for purifying coke-cooling wastewater in a delayed coking process in petroleum chemical field. The method comprises the following steps: (a) cooling the coke-cooling wastewater produced in a delayed coking process to 5-55° C. under 0.1-0.25 MPa absolute pressure, to obtain cooled coke-cooling wastewater; (b) subjecting the cooled coke-cooling wastewater to solid-liquid separation, to obtain a coke breeze phase and a liquid phase; (c) further separating the obtained liquid phase, to obtain an oil phase and a water phase; and (d) further discharging water from the obtained oil phase, to obtain the separated oil phase. The present invention also provides an equipment for carrying out the method. The method of the present invention has the following advantages: low cost for the equipment, good effect for treating coke-cooling wastewater, effectively preventing sulfur pollution and foul odor pollution, saving resources and improving the overall utility of the resources, and improving the cool coking efficiency.

It is well known to those skilled in the petroleum chemical field that delayed coking process is one of the main technical means for transforming cheap heavy oil into light oil product having high additional value currently, which is important in oil refining industry of the world. The delayed coking process is one of the sources of the main economic benefit in oil refining combined equipments, and even is a heavy oil processing method mainly developed by many countries such as China and the United States. However, the delayed coking process needs a large amount of cooling water, thus inevitably producing a large amount of coke-cooling wastewater. In particular, the coke-cooling wastewater produced in the delayed coking oil refining process, which uses high sulfur heavy oil as raw material, not only contains solid coke breeze and liquid heavy oil, but also contains many sulfides (including inorganic sulfides and organic sulfides), the temperature of which is up to 85-125° C., having already been one of the main pollution sources which compromises the human living environment, and being a difficult problem puzzling people in a long time.
Chinese utility model patent ZL 02216056.6 discloses a closed-cycling process unit for delayed coke-cooling water, which is desired to solve the problem of purifying coke-cooling wastewater. However, such a process unit is proved to have the following defects in practice:
1. Cyclone deoiling separators and air coolers, both of which have multistage structures in series, are needed, so the cost of the process unit is large. Furthermore, hot-water pump for coke-cooling wastewater having high lift is requested due to large pressure drop in system.
2. The cyclone deoiling separator is easy blocked due to coke breeze in the coke-cooling wastewater, thus the operating condition of the cyclone deoiling separator deteriorates continuously, and if serious, the production will be forced to stop.
3. In the coke-cooling hot wastewater tank, coke breeze is continuously cumulated and deposited, so the coke-cooling hot wastewater tank should be cleaned frequently, thus affecting the long-time cycle run of the process unit, and when cleaning the deposit, the released foul odor will inevitably cause secondary pollution.
4. In this utility model patent, the process for treating coke-cooling wastewater uses conventional cyclone equipments in the industry. However, these conventional cyclone equipments do not possess anti-oil emulsification effect against wastewater containing sulfur and oil. (The oil phase of the wastewater containing sulfur and oil is extremely easy to be broken and emulsified during delivery by pumping, this patent, however, pays no attention to this case.) Therefore, the separating efficiency of single stage cyclone is inevitably very low, which should be remedied by using multistage cyclones in series, thus causing the cost of the equipment double, and the problem of oil emulsification still cannot be solved. The treated water phase has much emulsified oil, which will significantly affect the efficiency of cool coking process when returning to coke tower for circulation.
Summing up, since the prior art has the above problems, up to the present, the problem of the scientific cleaning of coke-cooling wastewater cannot be solved, and the expectation of industrialization of petroleum chemical clean production cannot be met. Therefore, the art is urgent to develop a treating method for coke-cooling wastewater with low cost and good benefit, and an equipment.

Treating method and equipment for coke-cooling wastewater

East China University of Science and Technology

Sinopec Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Company Limited

Luoyang Petrochemical Engineering Corporation (LPEC) Sinopec


Disclosed are a system and a method of allocating frequency resource in a cellular communication system. The method includes the steps of dividing a predetermined time duration into at least two sub-time durations, and forming the frequency resource by applying mutually different frequency reuse factors to the sub-time durations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cellular communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and a method for allocating frequency resources based on multiple frequency reuse factors in a cellular communication system using an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) scheme.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in a cellular communication system, the same frequency resources can be used in two areas even when they are spaced apart from each other to achieve efficient and effective use of limited frequency resources. The concept of frequency reuse will be described with reference to FIG. 1, which is a schematic view illustrating the concept of frequency reuse in a conventional cellular communication system.
Referring to FIG. 1, frequency resource F1 used in a first cell 100 having a radius R can be used in a second cell 150 having a radius R, which is spaced from the first cell 100 by a distance D. This is called "frequency reuse".
A frequency reuse factor K is obtained when the same frequency resource, that is, the same frequency band, is reused in K cell units. As the frequency reuse factor increases, a distance D between frequency reuse cells using the same frequency resource also increases. In addition, a wave is attenuated in proportion to a propagation distance, so that interference from using the same frequency resource is reduced as the frequency reuse factor is increased. The amount of frequencies available in one cell can be obtained by dividing the whole frequency band by the frequency reuse factor K, so efficiency of the whole system may is adversely affected as the frequency reuse factor increases.
Frequency resource allocation according to the frequency reuse factor K will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2F. FIG. 2A is a schematic view illustrating frequency resource allocation when the frequency reuse factor K is 3(K=3). Referring to FIG. 2A, if the frequency reuse factor K is 3,
  1  3of the whole frequency band is allocated to each of the three cells. FIG. 2B is a schematic view illustrating frequency resource allocation when the frequency reuse factor K is 4(K=4). As shown in FIG. 2B, if the frequency reuse factor K is 4,
  1  4of the whole frequency band is allocated to each of the four cells.
FIG. 2C is a schematic view illustrating frequency resource allocation when the frequency reuse factor K is 7(K=7). When the frequency reuse factor K is 7,
  1  7of the whole frequency band is allocated to each of the seven cells.
FIG. 2D is a schematic view illustrating frequency resource allocation when the frequency reuse factor K is
      3    9                (              K        =                  3          9                    )        .  In this case,
  3  9of the whole frequency band is allocated to each three cell unit of the total nine cells, respectively, so that the frequency reuse factor
  K        3    9  is applied to each of nine cells.
FIG. 2E is a schematic view illustrating frequency resource allocation when the frequency reuse factor K is
      4    12                (              K        =                  4          12                    )        .  The whole frequency band is allocated to each three cell unit of the total twelve cells, so that the frequency reuse factor
  K        4    12  is applied to each of twelve cells.
FIG. 2F is a schematic view illustrating frequency resource allocation when the frequency reuse factor K is
      7    21                (              K        =                  7          21                    )        .  As shown in FIG. 2F, if the frequency reuse factor K is
      7    21    ,      1    7  of the whole frequency band is allocated to each three cell unit of the twenty-one cells so that the frequency reuse factor K
  7  21is applied to each of the twenty-one cells.
In analog cellular communication system, a minimum signal to noise ratio (SNR) is required for making a wireless voice communication circuit. To satisfy the SNR, a minimum distance between cells is defined. The frequency reuse factor is also defined based on the SNR.
In digital cellular communication system, a minimum SNR has various values depending on an error correction coding rate applied to the wireless circuit, modulation scheme, and transmission scheme. In particular, a code division multiple access (CDMA) communication system applies a frequency reuse factor of "1" to all cells by taking the minimum SNR, system capacity, and network design into consideration. Since the CDMA communication system applies the same frequency band to all cells, a code spreading/de-spreading process discriminates the cells from each other. In this manner, interference of adjacent cells is averaged so that data of a present service cell can be discriminated from data of other cells.
The frequency reuse factor is an important factor in a radio packet cellular communication system using an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) scheme. As discussed above, if the frequency reuse factor K=1, system capacity improves and network design is easier. Hereinafter, a carrier to interference and noise ratio (CINR) of a downlink signal in a cellular communication system with the frequency reuse factor of 1 is described with reference to FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the CINR of a downlink in a cellular communication system employing the frequency reuse factor of 1. As shown in FIG. 3, in a cell center region 301 adjacent to a base station (BS), intensity of a downlink signal, that is, the CINR is not influenced by intensity of an interference signal having the same frequency band from adjacent cells, so a relatively high CINR is present. However, a cell boundary region 303 spaced from the BS is significantly influenced by the interference signal having the same frequency band from adjacent cells, so a relatively low CINR is present.
When subscriber stations (SSs) are located in the cell boundary region 303, if the cellular communication system provides a low error correction coding rate and a low modulation scheme, frequency efficiency of the SSs in the cell boundary region 303 may degrade even though the SSs can normally receive packet data from the BS.
To solve the above problem, the frequency reuse factor K is set to K>1. Even if the frequency reuse factor K is set to K>1, the signal may be attenuated in proportion to the propagation distance of the wave, so the CINR of the downlink decreases in a direction of the cell boundary region 303. However, since the interference component is very small, the CINR of the downlink is relatively high if the frequency reuse factor K is set to K>1 as compared with the CINR of the downlink when the frequency reuse factor is equal to 1. This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4.
FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating the relationship between the CINR and a distance from the BS when a frequency reuse factor is 1 (K=1) and greater than 1 (K>1) are applied to the cellular communication system. As shown in FIG. 4, as the frequency reuse factor increases, frequency efficiency in the cell boundary region can improve. However, since each cell uses 1/K of the whole frequency band, capacity of the whole system is reduced as compared with that of the system employing the frequency reuse factor of 1.

Method and system for allocating frequency resources based on multiple frequency reuse factors in cellular communication systems


An ammonia generating method characterized by generating ammonia by the contact hydrolysis of urea by contacting at 200xc2x0 C. or more an aqueous solution of urea with a contact hydrolysis catalyst containing at least one selected from the group consisting of hydroxides, carbonates, and silicates of alkaline metals as the main component, and a combusted exhaust gas processing method using the ammonia generated by the method.

The present invention relates to an ammonia generating method according to the contact hydrolysis of urea, and a combusted exhaust gas processing method using the same.
Nitrogen oxide in the exhaust smoke discharged from the thermal electric power plants, the automobiles, the various factories, or the like is one of the main causes of the photochemical smog. As an effective eliminating method therefor, the catalytic reduction method using ammonia (NH3) as the reducing agent, has been used widely, mainly in the thermal electric power plants. Although liquid NH3 is used in the thermal electric power plants for denitration, it is difficult to adopt liquid NH3 in the denitration devices for public use, to be installed in a densely populated area. Therefore, a method of using a nitrogen compound such as urea as a safe and easily handled substitute reducing agent for generating NH3 by the decomposition can be presented. A method of executing denitration by adding a substitute reducing agent such as urea directly to the exhaust gas flue can hardly be adopted to, in particular, the denitration at a low temperature of 400xc2x0 C. or less due to problems such as the denitration reaction efficiency decline due to the poor decomposition efficiency to NH3, and generation of scales derived from the substituent reducing agent inside the flue. Accordingly, a method of using a reducing agent decomposing device filled with the reducing agent decomposing catalyst for decomposing the reducing agent so as to generate NH3, and using NH3 for the denitration has been proposed (the official gazette of Japanese Patent Application Laid Open (JP-A) No. 5-15739).
According to the method, by contacting a reducing agent comprising a solid nitrogen-containing compound such as urea, cyanuric acid, melamine, and biuret, and a heated gas (such as air) containing water vapor with a metal oxide such as alumina, silica, silica-alumina, calcia, magnesia, and titania or a reducing agent decomposing catalyst such as zeolite, the solid reducing agent is thermally decomposed and/or hydrolyzed so as to generate ammonia. In order to promote the decomposition of the reducing agent, a catalyst with a strong solid basicity is effective. Therefor, two or more metal oxides can be used in a combination, or a component such as tungsten, vanadium, iron, molybdenum, copper, cobalt, tin, nickel, chromium, sulfur, magnesium, boron, barium, lanthanum, or the like can be added to the metal oxide. The reducing catalyst is used as a pellet shaped in a spherical shape, a hollow columnar shape, and a columnar shape. The temperature necessary for the decomposition of the reducing agent differs depending on the kind thereof and the kind of the decomposing catalyst, but in order to obtain the sufficient decomposition efficiency, in the case of the above-mentioned method, heat of 350 to 500xc2x0 C. is necessary. As an example, in the case the reducing agent is urea, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open (JP-A) No. 5-15739 mentions that it is difficult to obtain NH3 with a high efficiency without having the heat of the reducing agent decomposing catalyst of at least 350xc2x0 C.
As mentioned above, in the case of using a metal oxide, or the like as the decomposition catalyst so as to decompose a solid reducing agent such as urea for generating NH3, in order to convert the reducing agent to NH3 highly efficiently, a high temperature of 350xc2x0 C. or more is needed. Since the exhaust gas temperature from the outlet of an ordinary combusting device (boiler, diesel engine, or the like) to a nitration device is 200 to 450xc2x0 C., it is in many cases difficult to maintain the temperature of the decomposing catalyst at 350xc2x0 C. or more only by the exhaust gas temperature. In particular, at the time of starting, stopping, or a low load, the exhaust gas temperature is low, and thus it is difficult to maintain the decomposing catalyst temperature at 350xc2x0 C. or more. Therefore, a reducing agent decomposing method capable of generating NH3 at a lower temperature is desired.
The present invention is to solve the problems in the conventional technique and to provide an NH3 generating method capable of executing the urea hydrolysis at a lower temperature efficiently and generating NH3 at the flue exhaust gas temperature, and a combusted exhaust gas processing method using the same.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention adopts the following:
(1) An ammonia generating method which comprises generating ammonia by the contact hydrolysis of urea by contacting at 200xc2x0 C. or more an aqueous solution of urea with a contact hydrolysis catalyst containing at least one selected from the group consisting of hydroxides, carbonates, and silicates of alkaline metals as the main component.
(2) The ammonia generating method according to the above-mentioned first aspect, wherein the contact hydrolysis catalyst is a contact hydrolysis catalyst containing at least one selected from the group consisting of solids of NaOH, KOH, Na2CO3, K2CO3, Na2SiO3 and K2SiO3 as the main component.
(3) The ammonia generating method according to the above-mentioned first or second aspect, wherein the contact temperature of the aqueous solution of the urea and the contact hydrolysis catalyst is 200 to 450xc2x0 C.
(4) A combusted exhaust gas processing method for denitration by passage of a combusted exhaust gas in a denitration device using ammonia, which comprises installing a reducing agent decomposing reactor provided with a contact hydrolysis catalyst layer containing at least one selected from the group consisting of hydroxides, carbonates, and silicates of alkaline metals as the main component in the front flow of the denitration device disposed at a part with a 200 to 450xc2x0 C. exhaust gas temperature in the flue, supplying an aqueous solution of urea to the reducing agent decomposing reactor for the contact hydrolysis, and adding the generated ammonia in the exhaust gas by the front flow of the denitration device for the denitration.
(5) A combusted exhaust gas processing method for denitration by passage of a combusted exhaust gas in a denitration device using ammonia, and adding ammonia for neutralizing sulfuric acid and sulfuric anhydride, which comprises installing a reducing agent decomposing reactor provided with a contact hydrolysis catalyst layer containing at least one selected from the group consisting of hydroxides, carbonates, and silicates of alkaline metals as the main component in the front flow of the denitration device disposed at a part with a 200 to 450xc2x0 C. exhaust gas temperature in the flue, supplying an aqueous solution of urea to the reducing agent decomposing reactor for the contact hydrolysis, adding the generated ammonia in the exhaust gas by the front flow of the denitration device for the denitration, and introducing a part of the ammonia to a part with a 100 to 200xc2x0 C. exhaust gas temperature in a back flow of the denitration device so as to be sprinkled in the exhaust gas for neutralizing the sulfuric acid and the sulfuric anhydride.
According to an ammonia generating method of the present invention, NH3 can be generated from urea as an easily handled solid reducing agent further easily by a reaction at a relatively low temperature. The method is preferable as an NH3 generating method in the exhaust gas process such as the exhaust smoke denitration or the neutralization of sulfuric acid or sulfuric anhydride in the exhaust smoke in a selective catalyst reduction with NH3 as the reducing agent, and other processes requiring NH3. According to the method, since NH3 can be utilized without using hardly handled liquid ammonia, the risk of the environmental pollution can be avoided in the area close to the urban district. Moreover, according to an exhaust gas processing method of the present invention, the exhaust smoke denitration or the neutralization process of sulfuric acid and sulfuric anhydride in the exhaust smoke can be executed by the selective catalytic reduction without using liquid ammonia. Moreover, since the decomposing reaction of the urea can be executed at a low temperature of about 200xc2x0 C., the exhaust gas heat can be utilized as the heat source for the reaction so that a heater needs to be used only when the exhaust gas has a low temperature at the time of starting or stopping the device or a low load drive, and thus it is an extremely efficient process.


A DCDC converter includes a transconductance amplifier, a comparator, a current driving component, an output impedance, a switch, a clamp resistor and a p-channel FET. The transconductance amplifier outputs a transconductance current and a switch control signal. The comparator has a two n-channel FET inputs forming a differential pair and outputs a compared signal. The current driving component generates an output current based on the compared signal. The output impedance component generates an output DC voltage based on the output current. The switch is between the two n-channel FETs and can open and close based on the switch control signal. The clamp resistor is arranged in series with the switch. The p-channel FET is in series with the clamp resistor and is controlled by the output DC voltage.

The present invention is generally drawn to a comparator driven by a transconductance amplifier. More specifically, the present invention is drawn to a DCDC converter including a comparator driven by a transconductance amplifier.
A DCDC converter is an electronic circuit that converts a source of direct current (DC) from one voltage level to another. One conventional type of DCDC converter includes a transconductance amplifier, whose output is used as one of the inputs to a comparator. The other input of the comparator is based on the output voltage generated by the DCDC converter.
In some conventional DCDC converters that include a transconductance amplifier-driven comparator, the comparator input includes a complimentary differential pair, wherein a pair of p-channel field effect transistors (p-FETs) and a pair of n-channel field effect transistors (n-FETs) are used. Such a comparator is very complex, requires a relatively large amount current for biasing, larger silicon area and has a complex transfer function in the middle range of operation.
In some other conventional DCDC converters that include a transconductance amplifier-driven comparator, the comparator input includes a differential pair of p-FETs. These types of DCDC converters support operation close to the lower rail of the comparator.
What is needed is a DCDC converter that includes a transconductance amplifier-driven comparator that does not have the disadvantages of the conventional systems discussed above.

Startup clamp circuit for non-complimentary differential pair in DCDC converter system


A spa cover remover has a pair of parallel side bars pivotably connected to opposite sides of a spa, and a cross-bar in the form of a roller extending between upper ends of the side bars. In use, a spa cover is folded over the cross-bar during removal from a spa, and the side bars and the cross-bar are then pivoted to lift the cover into an offset position. During such pivotation, rotation of the roller prevents stretching and consequential damage of the covering of the spa cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spa cover remover for use in removing a cover from a spa.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is common practice to provide a spa, otherwise known as a hot tub, with an insulating cover which serves to retain heat in water in the spa and also to prevent leaves and other garbage from falling into the water in the spa when the spa is not in use.
Such spa covers are usually made with a filling of insulating material enclosed in a covering made of vinyl sheet material.
Also, such spa covers are usually made so that they can be folded in half to facilitate their removal from and installation onto the spa.
It has previously been proposed to provide a spa cover remover for facilitating the removal of the spa cover and the installation of the spa cover, the spa cover remover comprising a pair of side bars having lower ends pivotably connected to opposite respective sides of the spa and upper ends which are interconnected by a cross-bar. In use, when it is desired to remove the spa cover from the spa, the spa cover remover is pivoted to bring the cross-bar over the mid-section of the spa cover, the spa cover is then folded over the cross-bar, and the crossbar is then pivoted to carry the spa cover from the top of the spa to a position offset from the spa. In this position, the spa cover hangs substantially vertical from opposite sides of the cross-bar in a location adjacent the spa, and can be readily re-installed onto the spa, when required, by reversing the above procedure.
It has been found, in practice, that when such spa cover removers have been in use for a period of time, the vinyl covering of the spa cover exhibits a tendency to deteriorate prematurely, particularly at the mid-section of the cover.


An on-demand insurance (ODI) server for generating dynamic user offerings may be provided. The ODI server may include at least one processor in communication with a memory device. The at least one processor may be programmed to (i) receive, from a user computing device associated with a user, an insurance policy request for a trip from a start location to an end location, (ii) determine at least one transportation mode available for the trip, (iii) access contextual data associated with the trip, (iv) assess a risk associated with the at least one transportation mode, (v) calculate a risk score associated with the at least one transportation mode based upon at least the contextual data, (vi) generate an insurance offering associated with the at least one transportation mode, and/or (vii) transmit the insurance offering in real time to the user computing device for purchase by the user.

The landscape of vehicle insurance coverage has been changing with the increased popularity of alternative transportation options, such as, for example, transportation network company services, public transportation, and walking. Utilizing these alternative forms of transportation to commute from place to place is becoming increasingly common. Further, users may switch from one transportation mode to another during a single trip and/or throughout the week based upon cost, available modes of transportation, time of day, day of the week, and location. Additionally, individuals generally use mobile devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets) for a variety of purposes and often carry mobile devices while traveling. Individuals may utilize mobile devices to schedule and request rides in real time with various transportation network company services.
However, at least some known insurance policies may not adequately provide coverage for these different types of transportation options. Conventional techniques may also be inconvenient, awkward, time consuming, and/or have additional drawbacks as well

Systems and methods for generating on-demand insurance policies

STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY


A tissue ablation assembly comprises an elongate probe device, at least one ablation electrode element carried by the probe device for conveying ablation energy, and at least one magnetic element for substantially altering the path of the ablation energy conveyed by the electrode element(s). In one embodiment, the magnetic element substantially urges the ablation energy radially outward. In another embodiment, magnetic element takes the form of a ring magnet that exhibits at least four alternating magnetic poles circumferentially disposed around the probe device axis. A method of treating tissue (e.g., a tumor) is also provided. The method comprises introducing a probe device into the patient, conveying ablation energy from the probe device, and applying a magnetic field adjacent the probe device to substantially alter the path of the ablation energy, e.g., by urging the ablation energy conveyed from the probe device radially outward into the tissue to create a tissue lesion, or by urging the ablation energy longitudinally.

The delivery of radio frequency (RF) energy to target regions within tissue is known for a variety of purposes of particular interest to the present inventions. In one particular application, RF energy may be delivered to diseased regions (e.g., tumors) for the purpose of ablating predictable volumes of tissue with minimal patient trauma. RF ablation of tumors is currently performed using one of two core technologies.
The first technology uses a single needle electrode, which when attached to a RF generator, emits RF energy from the exposed, non-insulated portion of the electrode. This energy translates into ion agitation, which is converted into heat and induces cellular death via coagulation necrosis. The second technology utilizes multiple needle electrodes, which have been designed for the treatment and necrosis of tumors in the liver and other solid tissues. PCT application WO 96/29946 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,379,353 disclose such probes. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,379,353, a probe system comprises a cannula having a needle electrode array reciprocatably mounted therein. The individual electrodes within the array have spring memory, so that they assume a radially outward, arcuate configuration as they are advanced distally from the cannula. In general, a multiple electrode array creates a larger lesion than that created by a single needle electrode.
In theory, RF ablation can be used to sculpt precisely the volume of necrosis to match the extent of the tumor. By varying the power output and the type of electrical waveform, it is possible to control the extent of heating, and thus, the resulting ablation. However, the size of tissue coagulation created from a single electrode, and to a lesser extent a multiple electrode array, has been limited by heat dispersion. As a consequence, when ablating lesions that are larger than the capability of the above-mentioned devices, the common practice is to stack ablations (i.e., perform multiple ablations) within a given area. This requires multiple electrode placements and ablations facilitated by the use of ultrasound imaging to visualize the electrode in relation to the target tissue. Because of the echogenic cloud created by the ablated tissue, however, this process often becomes difficult to accurately perform. This process considerably increases treatment duration and patent discomfort and requires significant skill for meticulous precision of probe placement.
In response to this, the marketplace has attempted to create larger lesions with a single probe insertion. Increasing generator output, however, has been generally unsuccessful for increasing lesion diameter, because an increased wattage is associated with a local increase of temperature to more than 100° C., which induces tissue vaporization and charring. This then increases local tissue impedance, limiting RF deposition, and therefore heat diffusion and associated coagulation necrosis. In addition, patient tolerance appears to be at the maximum using currently available 200 W generators.
It has been shown that the introduction of conductive material, such as metal or saline, into targeted tissue increases the tissue conductivity, thereby creating a larger lesion size. However, the introduction of additional conductive material into the patient typically either requires additional needle or probe insertions or a larger probe profile, thereby increasing the invasiveness of the ablation procedure, resulting in increased patient discomfort and recovery time.
For this reason, it would be desirable to provide improved electrosurgical methods and systems for more efficiently ablating tumors in the liver and other body organs without substantially increasing the profile of the ablation probe.

Magnetically augmented radio frequency ablation


In a transmission system for a quasi-periodic signal, an encoder (12) transmits to a decoder (28) no more than a single period from a total number of periods of the quasi-periodic signal in encoded form. In this decoder (28) the lacking periods of the quasi-periodic signal are reconstructed by means of interpolation. For obtaining an enhanced quality of the reconstructed signal, a signal segment is transmitted that is representative of two successive periods of the quasi-periodic signal. This signal segment may contain two successive periods, but may also be a signal segment having the length of a single period and being determined by a weighted sum of two successive periods.

The invention relates to a transmission system comprising a transmitter which includes an encoder for deriving an encoded signal from a quasi-periodic signal, transmitting means for transmitting the encoded signal to a receiver, which receiver includes a decoder for deriving a reconstructed signal from the encoded signal.
The invention additionally relates to a transmitter, a receiver, an encoder, a decoder and a codec to be used in such a transmission system. A transmission system as defined in the opening paragraph is known from the journal article "Methods for Waveform Interpolation in Speech Coding" by W. B. Kleijn in Digital Signal Processing, vol. 1, no. 4, October 1991, pages 215-230.
Transmission systems of this type are used, for example, for transferring speech or music signals by channels that have a limited transmission capacity.
A first example of such a channel is a radio channel between a mobile station and a fixed base station. The available transmission capacity of this channel is limited because this channel is used by a great many users.
A second example is a recording channel which utilizes a magnetic, optical or a different recording medium such as, for example, semiconductor storage. Examples of systems utilizing such recording channels are dictating systems and machines utilizing a voice-supported user interface. In such systems it is usually desirable to provide maximum reduction of the necessary storage capacity. Prior-art systems utilize linear prediction or sub-band coding for this purpose.
In the transmission system known from said journal article, no more than a single period from a total number of periods of the quasi-periodic signal is encoded in the encoder. The transmitting means transmit the encoded signal thus obtained to the receiver through the channel. The decoder in the receiver decodes the encoded signal into a reconstructed signal. This is effected by determining the untransmitted periods of the quasi-periodic signal by means of interpolation with the periods of the quasi-periodic signal that have indeed been transmitted. It is noted that the quasi-periodic signal may be a voiced part of a speech signal. Alternatively, however, the quasi-periodic signal may be a residual signal that has been derived from a voiced part of a speech signal with a linear-prediction-based technique.
For determining the signal periods to be transmitted, it is necessary in the transmission system known from said journal article that the quasi-periodic signal be sampled at a rate that is considerably higher than is necessary according to the sampling theorem. For obtaining a reasonable quality of the reconstructed signal, it is necessary to utilize a complex algorithm for the selection of the quasi-periodic signal periods to be transmitted. Said properties of the prior-art transmission system have led to a considerable complexity of the prior-art transmission system.

Transmission system for quasi periodic signals


A game system includes a plurality of game machines each of which has an LCD. A game world in which a plurality of characters individually operated by the plurality of game machines appear is displayed on a CRT as a common display and on the LCD as an individual display of each of players. Specifically, a game world having a fixed viewpoint capable of viewing the plurality of characters is displayed on the CRT, and a three-dimensional game world having a viewpoint with reference to one's character is displayed on the LCD. One of the CRT or one's LCD is changeably selected as an operation screen. When a direction instructing key is operated, a moving direction of one's character is determined with reference to the operation screen, and one's character is moved to the determined moving direction.

One example of a related conventional game system is disclosed in a Japanese Patent Laying-open No. 2000-334170 laid-open on Dec. 5, 2000. This prior art includes a video game machine connected to a television monitor and a plurality of portable game machines each of which functions as a controller of the video game machine. When a storage medium storing a game program is attached to the video game machine, the game program is executed by the video game machine and the plurality of portable game machines, and therefore, a game world is displayed on the television monitor and liquid crystal display monitors of the portable game machines. In this case, a player can progress in a game while making one's liquid crystal display monitor as an operation screen and while referring to the television monitor.
However, assuming that a game, such as a racing game, when controlling one's character using a direction instruction key in the prior art system, the following problem arises. For example, in the racing game, a racing course 1 and a plurality of racing cars 2 a to 2c are displayed on the television monitor as shown in FIG. 20, and the racing car 2a operated by any one of players is displayed on the liquid crystal display monitor of the player as shown in FIG. 21 (A) or FIG. 21 (B). While the racing car 2a drives at a place A shown in FIG. 20, a direction or posture of the racing car 2a is the same with respect to the television monitor and the liquid crystal display monitor as understood from FIG. 20 and FIG. 21(A). In this case, even if the racing car 2a is operated with viewing any one of the television monitor and the liquid crystal display monitor, an instruction for moving in the right direction by the direction instructing key, turns the racing car 2a to the right.
However, when the racing car 2a runs at a place B shown in FIG. 20, the direction or posture of the racing car 2a is inverted with respect to the television monitor and the liquid crystal display monitor as understood from FIG. 20 and FIG. 21(B). In this case, if the operation screen is the liquid crystal display monitor, it is appropriate that the left direction is instructed so as to make the racing car 2a direct to the left direction. On the other hand, irrespective of use of the liquid crystal display monitor as the operation screen, in a case one's racing car 2a is operated observing the whole game world, there is a need for the car to be directed to the left direction which is opposite to the right direction a character on the television monitor is to be directed.
Thus, in a game utilizing the direction instructing key, a moving direction of the character (instructing direction with respect to the character) may be inverted between the television monitor and the liquid crystal display monitor depending on the direction or posture of the character. Therefore, in a game system in which the game progresses using the liquid crystal display monitor as the operation screen referring to the television monitor, the player feels a sense of trouble when the moving direction of the character is inverted.
Therefore, it is a primary feature of the present invention to provide a novel game system.
Another feature of the exemplary embodiments is to provide a game system and game program capable of improving the operability of a game utilizing a direction instructing key.
A game system according to the exemplary embodiments displays a game world in which a plurality of characters including a player character operated by a direction instructing key (a reference number indicative of a corresponding component in an embodiment: 10c, and so forth) appear on a common display (300) and an individual display (20) assigned to the player. A first display mechanism (S215) displays on the individual display the game world at a first viewpoint with reference to the player character, and second display mechanism (S115, S137) displays on the common display the game world at a second viewpoint capable of viewing the plurality of characters. When a selection key (10a, 10b) for selecting one of the common display and the individual display as an operation screen is operated, a switching mechanism (S121, S127) switches a setting of the operation screen. When the direction instructing key is operated, a moving mechanism (S133, S235) moves the player character to a moving direction based on a viewpoint of the game world displayed on the operation screen and a direction instructed by the direction instructing key.
Thus, any one of the common display and the individual display is selected as the operation screen, the player character moves in a direction based on the viewpoint of the game world displayed on the operation screen and a direction instructed by the direction instructing key, and therefore, operability of the game utilizing the direction instructing key can be improved.
Preferably, when the individual display is set as the operation screen, the moving direction is determined based on the first viewpoint and the direction indicated by the direction instructing key, and when the common display is set as the operation screen, the moving direction is determined based on the second viewpoint and the direction indicated by the direction instructing key.
In a case a memory storing the position information of the player character is provided, the individual display is displayed with the game world with reference to a position according to the position information, and the common display is displayed with the game world so that the player character exists at the position according to the position information. Herein, the display manner of the game world is preferably changed by renewing the position information of the memory based on the moving direction.
At least a map of the game world capable of viewing a position of the player character may be displayed on the individual display at a second viewpoint. It is noted that display/non-display of the map is controlled in accordance with a setting of the operation screen in one embodiment. Emphasis/non-emphasis of the map is controlled in accordance with the setting of the operation screen in another embodiment.
As a method of controlling the map emphasis/non-emphasis, there are methods of enlarging the map when the common display is set as the operation screen and reducing the map when the individual display is set as the operation screen, and methods of emphasizing a coloring of the map more than the coloring of the game world when the common display is set as the operation screen and emphasizing the coloring of the game world more than the coloring of the map when the individual display is set as the operation screen.
In an embodiment where the plurality of individual displays, the plurality of direction instructing keys and the plurality of selection keys respectively assigned to the plurality of player characters are provided, the individual displays of each of the players are displayed with the game world at a first viewpoint with reference to each of the player characters. The switching mechanism switches the setting of each of the operation screens in response to the operation of each of the selection keys. When each of the direction instructing keys is operated, each of the player characters moves to a direction based on the viewpoint of the game world displayed on each of the operation screens.
A game system according to an exemplary embodiment has the video game machine (200) connected to the common display (300) and the portable game machine (100) having the individual display (20) and the direction instructing key (10c), and displays the game world in which the plurality of characters including the player character operated by the portable game machine appear on the common display and the individual display. In the portable game machine, a first display mechanism (S215) displays on the individual display the game world at the first viewpoint with reference to the player character. When the selection key (10a, 10b) for selecting one of the common display and the individual display as the operation screen is operated, a first moving mechanism (S235) moves the player character to the first moving direction based on the viewpoint of the game world displayed on the operation screen and the direction instructed by the direction instructing key. On the other hand, in the video game machine, a second display mechanism (S115, S137) displays on the common display the game world at the second viewpoint capable of viewing the plurality of characters. The switching mechanism (S121, S127) switches the setting of the operation screen in response to an operation of the selection keys, and the second moving mechanism (S133) moves the player character to the moving direction based on the viewpoint of the game world displayed on the operation screen and the direction instructed by the direction instructing key when the direction instructing key is operated.
Thus, any one of the common display and the individual display can be selected as the operation screen by the portable game machine, and when the direction instructing key is operated, one's character is moved to the moving direction based on the viewpoint of the game world displayed on the operation screen and the direction instructed by the direction instructing key. Therefore, the operability of the game utilizing the direction instructing key can be improved.
The portable game machine preferably comprises a direction data transmitting mechanism for transmitting direction data to the video game machine in response to an operation of the direction instructing key and a first memory for storing position information of the player character. Preferably, the video game machine further comprises a second memory for storing position information of the player character and a position information transmitting mechanism for transmitting position information stored in the second memory to the portable game machine when the position information is renewed. The first moving mechanism renews the position information stored in the first memory by the position information transmitted from the video game machine, and the second moving mechanism renews the position information stored in the second memory based on the direction data transmitted form the portable game machine.
More preferably, the first display mechanism displays the game world with reference to a position according to the position information stored in the first memory, and the second display mechanism displays the game world so that the player character exists at a position according to the position information stored in the second memory.
The portable game machine may be displayed with a map at the second viewpoint of the game world capable of viewing at least a position of the player character on the individual display. It is noted that display/non-display of the map is controlled in accordance with the setting of the operation screen in one embodiment. Furthermore, emphasis/non-emphasis of the map is controlled in accordance with the setting of the operation screen in another embodiment.
The exemplary embodiments also include a method of enlarging the map when the common display is set as the operation screen and reducing the map when the individual display is set as the operation screen, as a method of controlling the emphasis/non-emphasis.
A game system according to the exemplary embodiments has the video game machine (200) connected to the common display (300) and the portable game machine (100) having the individual display (20), and displays the game world in which the plurality of characters including the player character operated by the portable game machine (100) appear on the common display and the individual display. In the portable game machine, a first memory (18) stores the position information of the player character. A first display mechanism (S215) displays the game world on the individual display at the first viewpoint with reference to the player character based on the position information stored in the first memory. When the switching instructing key (10a, 10b) is operated for instructing switching of the operation screen between the common display and the individual display, a switching instructing information transmitting mechanism (S219, S225) transmits switching instructing information to the video game machine. When the direction instructing key (10c) for instructing moving of the player character in an arbitrary direction is operated, a direction instructing information transmitting mechanism (S231) transmits the direction instructing information to the video game machine. When a position information receiving mechanism (S233) receives the position information of the player character from the video game machine, a rewriting mechanism (S235) rewrites the position information held in the first memory by the received position information. On the other hand, in the video game machine, the second memory (40) stores position information of the player character. The second display mechanism (S115, S137) displays the game world on the common display at the second viewpoint capable of viewing the plurality of characters including the player character based on the position information stored in the second memory. When a switching instructing information receiving mechanism (S117, S123) receives the switching instructing information from the portable game machine, the switching mechanism (S121, S127) switches a setting of the operation screen according to the received switching instructing information. Furthermore, when a direction instructing information receiving mechanism (S129) receives the direction instructing information from the portable game machine, a renewal mechanism (S133) renews the position information of the player character held in the second memory on the basis of the received direction instructing information and the setting of the operation screen. A position information transmitting mechanism (S135) transmits the renewed position information to the portable game machine.
Thus, the direction instructing key is operated, the position information of the character is renewed based on the instructed direction and the setting of the operation screen, and the game worlds of the common display and the individual display are renewed on the basis of the renewed information. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the operability of the game utilizing the direction instructing key.
The position information is preferably renewed such that the player character moves in the moving direction based on the viewpoint of the game world displayed on the display screen and the direction indicated by the direction instructing key.
In an embodiment where case the plurality of portable game machines and the plurality of player characters are individually operated, the first memory of each of portable game machines is stored with the position information of the plurality of player characters. One's individual display of each of the portable game machines is displayed with the game world at the first viewpoint with reference to one's player character. Each of the portable game machines receives the position information of the player characters from the video game machine, and the received position information is stored in the first memory of the portable game machine. On the other hand, the video game machine displays on the common display the game world at the second viewpoint capable of viewing the player characters. Furthermore, when the switching instructing information is received, the setting of the operation screen of the transmission source is switched, and when the direction instructing information is received, the position information of the player character operated by the transmission source is renewed based on the received direction instructing information and the setting of the operation screen of the transmission source. The renewed position information is transmitted to each of the portable game machines.
A game program product according to an exemplary embodiment involves the video game machine (200) connected to the common display (300) and the portable game machine (100) provided with the individual display (20), and displays the game world in which the plurality of characters including the player character operated by the portable game machine appear on the common display and the individual display. Thus, the portable game machine executes a step for storing the position information of the player character in the first memory (S211), a step for displaying the game world on the individual display at the first viewpoint with reference to the player character based on position information stored in the first memory (S215), a step for accepting an operation of the switching instructing keys (10a, 10b) for instructing switching of the operation screen between the common display and the individual display (S217, S223), a step for accepting an operation of the direction instructing key (10c) for instructing moving of the player character to an arbitrary direction (S29), a step for transmitting the switching instructing information to the video game machine when the switching instructing key is operated (S219, S225), a step for transmitting the direction instructing information to the video game machine when the direction instructing key is operated (S231), a step for receiving position information of the player character from the video game machine (S233), and a step for rewriting the position information held in the first memory by the received position information (S235). On the other hand, the video game machine executes a step for storing position information of the player character in the second memory (S113), a step for displaying the game world on the common display at the second viewpoint capable of viewing the plurality of characters including the player character based on the position information stored in the second memory (S115, S137), a step for receiving the switching instructing information from the portable game machine (S117, S123), a step for receiving the direction instructing information from the portable game machine (S129), a step for switching a setting of the operation screen according to the received switching instructing information (S121, S127), a step for renewing the position information of the player character held in the second memory on the basis of the received direction instructing information and the setting of the operation screen (S133), and a step for transmitting the renewed position information to the portable game machine (S135).
Thus, when the direction instructing key is operated, the position information of the character is renewed based on the instructed direction and the setting of the operation screen, and the game worlds of the common display and the individual display are renewed based on the renewed information. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the operability of the game utilizing the direction instructing key.
The above described features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Game system displaying a game world on a common display and an individual display


A low-profile orthodontic assembly comprising a bracket having a base surface and a top surface, the base surface for mounting to a tooth; at least two pairs of spaced-apart wings, the pairs in mutual faced-apart arrangement, extending upward from the bracket, each wing terminated by a distal end spaced-above the top surface; the distal ends of each the pair of wings joined together by a cross-member to form a passageway thereunder, above the bracket top surface and between the pair of wings; each the pair of wings positioned on opposite sides of a slot formed in the bracket to receive therein an archwire passing along the bracket; and, a cap for assembly with the bracket to cover a portion of the slot including a pair of springy, flexible tongues extending from opposite ends thereof for insertion down into the passageways to spring upward against the cross-members and retain the cap over the archwire with minimal contact therebetween.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
"Every tooth in a man's head is more valuable to him than a diamond". This statement, uttered in Don Quixote I.iii.4, is the basic principal upon which the orthodontic profession is established. Crooked teeth take away beauty, and straightening them brings it back.
The general approach to dental malocclusion correction is to mount a series of brackets on the outside of certain teeth and connect these brackets together with a metal wire, called an "archwire", and other ligating connectors such as wires and rubber bands. The archwire and connectors are then subject to periodic adjustment at the orthodontic practitioner's office to cause the teeth to be pulled, pushed, twisted and otherwise moved into desired alignment over a period of time.
Some problems have arisen in the use of these appliances that have contributed to complaints from patients and failure to achieve desired results. For instance, in order to help retain the archwire in the bracket and not allow it to come loose during eating, speaking and tooth brushing, the archwire is often buried deep in the orthodonture bracket and clamped thereto with a snap-on cap to insure its continued engagement therewith. This often causes increased contact between the archwire and the cap that inhibits movement of teeth on which the bracket is mounted and requires more adjustment of the archwire resulting in more discomfort to the patient. Without continual correction, movement of the teeth to new locations is inhibited and correction of the dental malocclusion is prolonged.
Many brackets employ undercuts in the bracket body on which snap-on caps and rubber "doughnuts" are tethered and become traps for food particles thus promoting tooth decay. While more effort is usually applied to keep these braces clean, through more frequent brushing, the intensified tooth brushing itself often leads to loosening of the archwire cap resulting in slippage of the archwire and loss of the tension necessary to achieve tooth movement.
The snap-on caps usually have curved ends that snap outwardly and downwardly over the ends of cap extensions to hold the archwire in the bracket. The curved ends are then unsnapped using a pick or lever and a fulcrum to pry them upward. Such snapping and prying activity involves much effort, is discomforting to the patient, and can cause injury to adjacent gums and the cheeks and lips should the pick or lever slip during this activity. The constant fidgeting of young children who wear braces also contributes to slips and accidents that may cause painful injury. Further, should the cap or hinge be broken or otherwise damaged during snapping onto the bracket or prying off of the cap ends from the extensions, a new cap must be attached to the bracket, requiring more time and increasing the costs and discomfort to the patient. In addition, the undercuts in the brackets, needed to form the bulbous ends over which the cap ends are snapped, form places where food particles get trapped and are not easily cleaned, even by more frequent brushing.
Finally, any modification of the bracket, to allow more tightening or loosening of the archwire in the bracket, or to relieve the problems associated with prying off the curved ends of the bracket cap, often results in increasing the height of the bracket-cap combination so that the appliance extends further and further from the surface of the tooth. Most orthodonture appliances are placed on the buccal side of the tooth rather than the lingual side, usually because placing them on the lingual side results in injury to the tongue. Raising the height of the appliance on the buccal side results in injury to the cheeks and lips. Therefore, it is desirable to keep the bracket's profile as low as possible.


A supplying system of adding gas into the polishing slurry and method thereof are described. The supplying system includes a slurry container, a gas-mixed container, an adjusting device, a first flow controller, and a second flow controller. The supplying system utilizes the adjusting device to mix the polishing slurry with gas for forming the gas-mixed polishing slurry. The supplying system of adding the gas into the polishing slurry and method thereof are capable of increasing the material removal rate of the surface of the substrate in order to improve the processing quality of the substrate.

During a semiconductor process, such as a planarization process widely employing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) step used in a substrate, a constant loading is exerted on the substrate and the polishing pad for removing the substrate material based on the hydrodynamic effect when the polishing pad stably contacts the substrate by filling the polishing slurry therebetween. However, because the hardness of the substrate is too high, it takes longer processing time. Further, when such a surface reactive mechanism of the planarization process is employed to remove the material product on the surface of the substrate, it is required to properly determine the reaction abrasives disposed on the polishing pad so that the polishing process is quite complicated to consequently limit the yield rate of the semiconductor process. Particularly, since the planarization process consumes a lot of time, the wide use of the polishing slurry disadvantageously causes the environment pollution. Moreover, the development of the polishing slurry aims at a higher corrosion property for increasing the reaction capability to process the substrate, resulting in more negative environment side effect. Consequently, there is a need to develop a novel supplying method to solve the aforementioned problem.

Supplying system of adding gas into polishing slurry and method thereof

NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


A system to process images includes a light source configured to emit a first illumination pattern onto one or more first portions of a scene. The system also includes an image sensor configured to capture light reflected from the scene in response to the emitted first illumination pattern. The system also includes an optimizer configured to perform raytracing of the light reflected from the scene. The system further includes a processor operatively coupled to the optimizer. The processor is configured to determine a parameter of a surface of the scene based on the raytracing, cause the light source to emit a second illumination pattern onto one or more second portions of the scene based at least in part on the parameter of the surface, and refine the parameter of the surface of the scene based on additional raytracing performed on reflected light from the second illumination pattern.

Rendering, or image synthesis, refers to the process of generating an image from one or more models or scenes using computing techniques. Many computing systems include graphics processing units (GPUs) to assist with rendering. Traditional rendering techniques include rasterization, scanline rendering, etc. Computer graphics researchers have developed rendering techniques following a path towards physical accuracy, while balancing computing limitations of the time. Early models applied simple linear combinations of specular and diffuse components without any consideration for higher order light transport.
Increasingly widespread use of desktop computers for video gaming and media production has driven the development of graphics-specific acceleration hardware. At first these devices were sequential pipelines of fixed operations like visibility testing, shading, and rasterization. Modern day graphics accelerators, i.e., GPUs, are flexible enough to be used as general purpose computing devices. Their key feature is highly parallel computation, with thousands of compute cores even in inexpensive consumer models.

Adaptive sampling for structured light scanning


The applicator (1) for applying an oxidative hair dye to human hair, especially to hair strands, has two compartments or chambers (2,3) for a liquid oxidation dye and an oxidizing agent respectively. Both the oxidation dye and the oxidizing agent are dispensed together at a product-dispensing spot or area of the applicator. The compartments (2,3) are provided with respective product-dispensing openings (5,6), which open next to each other, so that a reactive dyeing mixture is provided only outside of the applicator, especially on human hair. For improve applicability liquid-permeable inserts (7,8) made of spongy material, bristles or fabric, especially felt, are provided in the product-dispensing openings (5,6), preferably protruding from them somewhat.

The subject matter of the present invention is an applicator for applying an oxidative hair dye to human head hair. This applicator comprises two compartments including a first compartment for a hair dye composition and a second compartment for an oxidizing agent and a product-dispensing area or spot for dispensing both the dye composition and the oxidizing agent.
These types of applicators are known as a two-component container in the most different forms. A peroxide solution is used as oxidizing agent. The dye composition and the oxidizing agent are present in the applicator, but are both separate from each other. Shortly before using the applicator both components are mixed by-pushing one of the stoppers separating the compartments out and are thus activated. A reactive hair dye results from the mixture, which is dispensed through the product-dispensing opening of the applicator on the hair to be dyed. One type of applicator of this sort is described in DE 198 12 660 A1.
The known applicator has the disadvantage that after activation of the applicator the entire amount of the reactive dye must be consumed within a certain comparatively short time. After that short time it is no longer usable. Removal of only a portion of the hair dye is not possible in the case of the conventional applicator. These conventional applicators are little suited to the case in which only a small amount of dye is required, e.g. for hair strand dyeing.

Applicator for applying an oxidative hair dye


The present invention is related to a system and method of considering time segments or intervals in a collaborative filtering model. The present invention extends collaborative filtering approaches by integrating considerations of temporality into the training and/or vote input associated with the usage of collaborative filtering models. The present invention also applies filtering to the output with temporal models, so as to view a most appropriate subset of recommended content, centering on content that may be available at a target time. The present invention applies time to a collaborative filtering model by allowing weight to be associated with selections within a current time segment, selections historically watched within the current time segment by the user and selections historically watched within the current time segment by a large group of users.

Recently, there has been an increasing trend of the amount of information available on any given subject matter due to the interconnection of computers via networks (e.g., the Internet) and the increased availability of inexpensive data storage. In many situations, people attempting to retrieve information on a subject area are overwhelmed with a vast amount of information. Data that is desired becomes difficult to locate amongst the vast amount of information presented to a user. Various known information retrieval systems have evolved that attempt to avoid the problem of information overload by performing a ranking or prioritization of information. These systems attempt to retrieve and provide information based on an approximation of how useful, interesting, and/or responsive the information is likely to be to a system user.
For example, many systems provide search engines, which search database contents or "web sites" according to terms provided by a user query. However, limitations of search heuristics often cause irrelevant content to be returned in response to a query. Furthermore, the vast wealth of available information makes it difficult to separate irrelevant content from relevant content. Other systems organize content based on a hierarchy of categories. These systems suffer from the fact that a user may select a category to navigate through and determine that the content of the category is of no interest to the user. The user must then backtrack through one or more of the hierarchical categories to return to the available categories. The user then will have to continue this process until the user locates the desired information.
In view of the shortcomings of the systems discussed above, collaborative filtering systems have been developed. Collaborative filtering methods center on the construction of models that can be used to infer preferences of individuals or groups by considering the actions of a large groups of users. Collaborative filtering systems predict preferences of a user based on known attributes of the user as well as known attributes of other users. For example, a preference of a user may be whether they would like to watch a particular television show, while an attribute of the user may include their age, gender and income. In addition, the attributes can contain one or more of the user's known preferences, such as the user's dislikes of certain other shows. A user's preference can also be predicted based on the similarity of that user's attributes to other users. Typically, attributes are provided numerical values (e.g., a vote) and a weighted sum of the attribute values are utilized to determine a preference. Additionally, correlation computations are employed for a given user and other users to predict the preference of a user for a particular selection. Some collaborative filtering systems employ clustering algorithms to determine users whose preferences seem to be similar.
Collaborative filter systems have been determined to be relatively successful in selecting desirable preferences of a user given adequate attributes of the user. However, in certain circumstances a single content-access system may be employed that is utilized by multiple users all having different attributes and preferences. For example, a single household may all share a single computer or a single television device. In these circumstances, there is no way for a collaborative filtering system to determine which of the household members is utilizing the system at any given time without the member identifying themselves. Accordingly, there is an unmet need in the art for providing a collaborative filtering technique to an information retrieval and processing system that can be employed on a shared device.

Time-centric training, interference and user interface for personalized media program guides


An oil and air separator including a catch can with an inlet and an outlet thereto, the catch can adapted to remove oil from vapors entering the catch can via the inlet, and including an internal reservoir within which oil from the vapors entering the catch can may collect; and a check valve including a first end disposed within the internal reservoir, a second end, and a first fluid pathway therebetween in fluid communication with the internal reservoir, wherein vapors within the internal reservoir may exit the catch can through the first fluid pathway or a second fluid pathway including the outlet.

In a combustion engine, blow-by gases typically include unburned gasoline, oil, sulfur, acids, and other impurities. That is, an amount of air and unburned gasoline and other impurities from the engine cylinder is pulled past the piston rings and into the crankcase.
In one instance, blow-by gases might be exhausted to the atmosphere through a breather system coupled directly to an engine oil fill port. In another instance, instead of exhausting blow-by gases to the atmosphere, a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system recycles the blow-by gases through a PCV valve into the engine's intake manifold. Such recycling occurs when the engine is operating at relatively slow speeds (e.g. idling), i.e., when the air pressure in the crankcase is higher than the air pressure in the intake manifold.
One problem associated with breather systems and PCV systems and their use involves oil vapors. An engine's crankcase is used to store oil. A pan located below the crankshaft holds oil, and generally oil vapors from the oil in the pan may find their way into the blow-by gases.
In a combustion engine, crankcase breathers have been used as a replacement for an engine oil fill cap. A crankcase breather creates a fluid pathway for engine combustion gases to travel through the engine oil fill port and through the crankcase breather to the atmosphere. The crankcase breather may include a means for filtering oil from the combustion gases. However, a problem exists in that the filter means allows oil to blow all over in the engine bay, creating a huge mess. Control of the oil from the exhaust gases is unmanageable. There is no way to prevent the escape of oil to the environment, and no way to prevent undesirable oil dripping (e.g., onto driveways, garage floors).
It is also undesirable for oil to be recycled with blow-by gases into an engine's intake manifold. Such recycled oil may degrade engine performance by lowering the overall octane of the combustion mixture in a cylinder. Such recycled oil also may coat the air intake and prevent airflow. To help combat the presence of oil in blow-by gases, "dirty-side" oil and air separators were developed to remove the oil from the blow-by gases before recirculation through the PCV valve and into the intake manifold. However, when the air pressure in the crankcase is higher than the air pressure in the intake manifold, it is also possible that blow-by gases will travel upstream (or backwards) into the "clean-side" assembly that leads from the PCV valve to the intake manifold.
There are various different models or types of oil and air separators available. One popular type of oil and air separator involves passing oily blow-by gases through a filter material. The oil collects in droplets on the filter material, which may be held in place by a screen. The oil is allowed to drop into the bottom of a can where the oil collects for later removal. This "can approach" to oil and air separation is not without its drawbacks, however.

Breather/check valve oil and air separator system and method


A device for delivering an occlusion element, or other medical device, which includes a fluid dissolvable bond. The occlusion element is coupled to the delivery element with the fluid dissolvable bond. The bond may be dissolved by delivering a fluid through the delivery element either through the delivery element itself or through a tube positioned in the delivery element.

The present invention relates to the delivery of medical devices and, in particular, occlusion elements. Occlusion elements, such as coils, are delivered to occlude vascular regions and malformations for various reasons. For example, occlusion elements, such as coils, may be delivered into an aneurysm to occlude the aneurysm. Other uses of occlusion elements include treatment of AVM""s and other malformations.
The occlusion element is coupled to a delivery element with a material which is dissolvable with a fluid. The material forms a dissolvable connection between the delivery element and the occlusion element. The occlusion element is advanced through the patient""s vascular system and, at the appropriate time, the material is dissolved. The dissolvable material is preferably dissolved with a fluid which is delivered to the material through the delivery element or through a tube positioned in the delivery element. The fluid may be delivered, withdrawn or otherwise circulated around the material with the tube and delivery element in any suitable manner. Alternatively, the material may be dissolved with the patient""s own blood. Finally, the fluid may also be contained within the delivery element but separated from the material until the desired time.
The occlusion element may be embedded in the material. For example, the occlusion element may have a coil, a plurality of filaments, a ball or a cage embedded in the material. The embedded portion may also be in an expanded position when embedded in the material and in a collapsed position after the material is dissolved. For example, the embedded portion may be a stacked coil when collapsed and a stretched coil when embedded in the material. The delivery element may also have a portion embedded in the material such as a number of filaments.
A blocking element may also be provided which protects part of the dissolvable material from exposure to blood or other fluids. The blocking element may be positioned within a cavity in the material. The cavity may be a throughhole through which the fluid is delivered when dissolving the material. The blocking element may also help to protect the connection from kinking and other mechanical disturbances which occur when advancing the occlusion element through small, tortuous vessels. The blocking element can prevent inadvertent mechanical detachment when the device is bent or otherwise deformed during advancement through the patient.
A flexible sheath may also be positioned over the material to protect the material. The sheath may be solid or may have openings or slits therein to promote flow through the sheath when dissolving the material. The delivery element may also have a fluid distributing portion which distributes the fluid for dissolution of the material.
The occlusion element itself may also have a blocking portion which prevents contact between the patient""s blood and the material thereby inhibiting premature dissolution of the material. The blocking portion may be a plug of material such as solder.
These and other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, claims and drawings.

Methods and devices for delivering occlusion elements


An information processing system includes a memory portion that stores image information of a space in association with a document, the image information being captured by an image capturing portion, the document being used while the space being captured, a receiving portion that receives information that specifies the document as a search request, and a search portion that searches the image information stored on the memory portion for a scene associated with the document specified by the search request, on the basis of the search request.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information processing system and information processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a technique for extracting an image has been proposed in consideration objects and people seen in the image and positional relationships between them. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-125274 (hereinafter, referred to as Document 1) of Picture Tel Corporation and a product named MP-Meister have been proposed as conventional techniques to access the image with a document used as a retrieval key or clue.
Document 1 displays thumbnails of a slide, which had been used in the conference, on positions of times provided on the timeline that shows the elapsed time of the conference, allowing the user to reproduce a moving image or video file in a time slot while the slide was being displayed. As in MP-Meister, the slide used in the conference is captured while the image of the conference is being recorded, and the slide is stored together with the time when the slide was displayed. This allows the user to select one from a list of the thumbnails of the slides that have been used in a conference and reproduce the moving image or video in the time slot while the slide was being displayed.
In the same manner, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-55391 (hereinafter, referred to as Document 2) describes a technique, by which the slide operation in the presentation is linked with the image in which the presentation is captured, so that the slide can be displayed in synchronization with the image reproduction or the synchronized image can be viewed by selecting the slide.
With the above-mentioned conventional techniques, however, it is possible to select the slide to view the image in synchronization with the slide. Nevertheless, the conference has to be specified, first. It is convenient to employ the above-mentioned conventional techniques, if the user has already determined in advance what on the conference the user like to view. However, for example, if the user likes to view the image relating to when the user delivered a presentation with the document stored on the user's personal computer, it is necessary to specify the conference. That is to say, the above-mentioned conventional techniques cannot meet the requirement that the user likes to view the slide or document in hand that has been displayed in the conference, although the user does not know in what conference the slide or document was used.
Additionally, as described heretofore, it is impossible to search the related image with the positional relationships of the objects and people on the real scene that are not included in the images, even with the use of the technique that extracts the similar image in consideration of objects and people seen in the image and positional relationships between them. To overcome the afore-described drawback, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-234722 (hereinafter, referred to as Document 3) describes a technique that searches the related image by the positional relationship of the objects and people on the real scene that are not included in the images. It is to be noted that, in the search technique described in Document 3, the image retrieval method is not completely carried out by using the positional relationships of the objects and people in a real space. For example, the document used in the conference as an object is not utilized as a retrieval key or clue.

Information processing system and information processing method


A unibody, combination grip plate and appendage fastening means constructed in such a manner so as to be received at the frame of a handgun. The unibody grip plate and appendage fastening means is affixed to the handle of a handgun; the appendage fastening means portion, which is camouflaged and concealable behind a user's wearing apparel, lifts and moves independently away from the grip plate portion permitting Total Weapon Concealment (TWC) of a handgun inside the waistband (IWB) between the user's torso and trouser, or other wearing apparel) completely below the belt line (BBL). A handgun that is equipped with the principal object can be placed IWB in a comfortable and secure fashion. The appendage fastening means facilitates TWC of a handgun BBL, yet the principal object allows a person who is covertly carrying a handgun fingertip access and immediate use.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates in general to holsters and handgun handgrips, but in particular to a handgun grip that provides a means of securing a concealable handgun inside the waistband (IWB) in a covert manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The principal object is a device that is designed to facilitate the complete concealment of a handgun, upon ones person, IWB. For the purposes of this writing, complete concealment shall mean that a handgun being carried upon ones person is not visible to the casual observer. Furthermore, said handgun totally hidden from view is undetectable whether or not the user is wearing a coat or some other type of outer garment to cover it. Civilians, law enforcement officers, and military personnel possess and use handguns as a result of personal choice, occupational specialty, or necessity. Most often, when a handgun is desployed, it is carried or transported by means of a pistol case, or as it is commonly referred to: a holster. Traditionally constructed holsters tend to be objects that are visible when in use and are generally attached or affixed to wearing apparel, or some portion of the torso.
The concept of carrying a handgun concealed upon ones person is certainly not a novel one. However, given the current rise in popularity of compact handguns and the technological advancements that have been made in the quality of compact autoloading handguns an improved method of concealment is warranted. The principal object eliminates the need for a holster, but at the same time, it provides a comfortable and safe method for carrying a handgun IWB.
There are times when the overall usefulness of a handgun can be greatly enhanced by ones ability to render it totally hidden from view and concealed on the body. Three examples of that are: 1) an armed on-duty plain clothes police officer; 2) a police officer, who is off-duty and that has chosen to arm himself or herself while dressed in civilian attire; and 3) a person that is licensed to carry a handgun and that chooses to keep a handgun concealed upon his or her person.
The previous state of the art, for IWB methods of concealing a handgun, include but is not limited to: The Barami, "Hip-Grip".TM., handgun handle-holster, and the Kel-Tec.TM. CNC Inc., "Belt Clip," frame mounted clip. Both of the aforementioned devices offer a high level of quality in construction and design, and both are superbly crafted after market items; nevertheless, what each of the aforementioned devices lack is the ability to completely conceal a handgun, IWB. The principal object, herein referred to, can completely conceal a handgun IWB and below the belt line ("BBL").
The Barami device is comprised of two wooden grip plates and is designed specifically for revolvers; it secures a revolver, IWB, by means of a carrying device that is located at the upper portion of the revolvers handle, and extends over the frame by the hammer and the cylinder. A revolver that is equipped with the Barami utility, though partially concealable, can still be seen by a casual observer when in the waistband at the hip area. The principal object has its carrier appendage and fastening means located on the lower end of a handgun's handle. By placing the principal object's fastening means at the lower part of a handgun's handle, it results in concealment of all of the handgun, not just a major portion of it. Drawing reference now to the Kel-Tec device, it is constructed of metallic materials and is designed to be attached exclusively to a Kel-Tec brand weapon, thus limiting it from universal application. The Kel-Tec device attaches its "belt clip carrier" on the frame of a Kel-Tec handgun not on the handgun's handle. When in use the the Kel-Tec frame application causes a portion of the handgun's handle to remain above the waistband, exposed to view. The Kel-Tec and Barami devices do not render all portions of a handgun, concealed when IWB. The principal object, which can be constructed of thermoplastic materials, renders a handgun completely concealed when IWB. The principal object is designed for compact handguns with caliber sizes ranging from .22 to .45; and, it can be used with various brands of compact handguns; it is not restricted to a certain brand, model, caliber or type of handgun
In an armed encounter, conditions may exist wherein the total concealment of a handgun would present a distinct tactical advantage over a handgun that is visible and being carried in a holster. A tactical disadvantage would certainly exist when a handgun is only partially concealed on the body and the weapon is clearly visible. Ones ability to produce and subsequently use a handgun, which has gone unnoticed, and that is concealed from view, until it is needed, could be the difference between life and death in a live fire scenario.
The principal object can render a handgun TOTALLY concealed upon ones torso IWB; it does so by means of a unibody grip plate and accompanying appendage. The principal object does not extend beyond the outermost edges of the handgun handle, nor does it create an extension beyond the dimensions of the factory installed grips; it can be applied to a vast number of compact handguns that are currently sold on the open market. The principal object offers, and subsequently provides, the user with a significant tactical edge over other IWB technologies: Total Weapon Concealment (TWC). Concealment of a handgun, IWB, can be prolonged significantly when the user of the invention is wearing a shirt, or similar garment, and then blouses the article of clothing above the trousers, directly over the point where the primary object's fastening means is affixed to the waist band. The principal object is one that is efficiently used in conjunction with various types of apparel which are worn on a daily basis, such as: trousers, pants, slacks, shorts, belts, and shirts. When the principal object is in use, it does not cause a handgun to have a readily distinguishable outline or signature. In addition, the principal object can be adapted for use with any of the following list of items: purses, brief cases, containers, furniture, motor vehicles and any locality that a concealable handgun can be placed or stored in.
It is a goal of the principal object to provide a firearm that is equipped with it, and that is carried IWB, the same level of security that one can expect from a holster; however, the principal object can provide that level of security without a traditionally constructed case or pouch. The principal object does not require the machining of the handgun itself. The principal object is one that is designed to be affixed at the most rearward portion of a handgun handle and on the lower end of the frame. Said placement of the device makes it easily adaptable to a vast array of concealable handguns. When properly attached to the torso IWB, the user of the principal object need not concern himself or herself with the question of whether or not the handgun can be detected by the casual observer. A handgun that is equipped with the invention can be secreted in a covert fashion below the waistline and at the same time provide a maximum level of handgun security to the user. The advantages of the principal object will become increasingly apparent after a thorough review of the drawings that illustrate the invention's specifications.

Combined grip plate and concealable handgun carrier


A bowstring mounted peep sight is disclosed having a peep housing that is frictionally located between displaced bowstring filaments. The peep housing defines a peep hole and a transverse oriented receiving slot. Insertable aperture reducing discs are slidably inserted into the receiving slot to incrementally decrease the relative aperture of the peep hole. To prevent the inserts from being inadvertently dislodged from the receiving slot during use of the invention, one of the displaced bowstring elements is positioned so as to prevent the disc from sliding outwardly therefrom. Because of the design of the peep housing, lightweight materials can be utilized. Frusto conical recesses on both planar surfaces of the peep housing reduce incidental glare thereby increasing the clarity of the observed target.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an aiming sight and more specifically to a bowstring peep sight for use in the sport of archery.
2. Prior Art
Many inventions, patented and unpatented, have been directed to the art of aiming aids for the sport of archery. One of the more predominant forms of aiming aids has been the "string peep." Generally, the string peep or peep sight is an aiming aid that has an opaque surface and an aiming hole, and is positioned substantially along the string of a bow--often times the peep sight is integral with the bowstring. As the bowstring is pulled back in anticipation of releasing an arrow, the archer sights the target by viewing it through the peep sight. A bow mounted front sight may aid in targeting the object.
A nocking point is provided in many bowstrings for locating the receiving portion of an arrow shaft. In this manner, an arrow can be consistently released from the same relative point along the bowstring. Similarly, a peep sight mounted to the bowstring may be located by means of a knot, anchor, or the like. While this method of attachment prevents movement and hence inaccuracies relating to the aiming of the arrows, it also makes moving or removing the peep sight from the bow exceedingly difficult. As to the difficulty in moving the peep sight, previous inventions have used stationary peep housing with vertically sliding sights. More recent inventions have used displaced bowstring filaments to frictionally fit the sight therebetween. As to removing the peep sight, certain previous inventions required that the sight be disassembled or the bowstring removed while inventions required the removal of anchoring aids prior to the removal of the peep sight.
It should be noted where a peep sight is easily removable, there is an increased likelihood that a peep sight will be thrown from its mounting location. Therefore, a peep sight should be securely mounted to the bowstring yet be readily removable. This factor is especially desirable when using a compound bow, as it is well known that the velocity in which an arrow leaves a compound bow is greater than that of a long bow or recurve bow. Hence, a peep sight used in a compound bow is especially susceptible to being dislodged when the bowstring is released from its drawn position.
It is also well known in the prior art that a small diameter peep hole increases the accuracy of the peep sight. However, small diameter peep holes decrease the observed illumination of the target. Therefore, in low light situations, an archer must use a larger diameter peep hole in order to adequately spot the target, and consequentially must sacrifice accuracy. In an indoor setting, the available light is usually constant and the need is minimal to replace a peep sight of a given aperture. But in the field, varying light conditions are often encountered. Consequently, it is likely that an archer would wish to optimize the peep sight's accuracy for any given light condition. Traditionally, changing the diameter of the peep hole meant that an archer had to physically remove the peep sight and install another sight having a hole of greater aperture. While some newer peep sights have attempted to remedy this problem, the proposed solutions have been cumbersome and heavy--a condition that could significantly decrease the accuracy and velocity in which an arrow leaves the bow.