A bolt arrangement may connect at least two mechanical elements. The arrangement may provide a bolt including an outer circumferential peripheral surface extending in a longitudinal direction of the bolt, and a sleeve presenting an outer circumferential peripheral surface and an inner circumferential peripheral surface extending in a longitudinal direction of the sleeve between a first and a second axial end of the sleeve. The inner peripheral surface provides a tapering profile in its longitudinal direction. A portion of the outer peripheral surface of the bolt provides a corresponding tapering profile matching the tapering profile of the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve. The sleeve further provides a portion extending radially outwards at one of the first and second axial ends.

To mechanically fix separate mechanical elements one can for example make use of bolt arrangements, comprising bolts and nuts. There are several available designs of bolt and nut connections, such as bolts with and without bolt heads, bolts with cylindrical or tapered shanks, bolts with one or several threads etcetera. One example of a bolt arrangement for connecting two separate mechanical elements is a bolt presenting a central tapered shank with external male threads on each side of the shank. In addition, the bolt arrangement presents a sleeve presenting an internal tapered surface in which the bolt is meant to be driven in to and thereby a radial press-fit is created between the corresponding tapered surfaces. This in turn will result in a radial expansion of the sleeve. Two separate mechanical elements can then be fixed together by mounting the bolt arrangement in aligned through-holes of the mechanical elements. By driving up the sleeve on the central shank, i.e. axially displacing the two components relative each other, a radial force will pressurize the surfaces between the bolt, the sleeve and the inner surfaces of the through-holes. This will lead to that the two mechanical elements will be fixed together due to the friction force acting between the components. In addition, to further strengthen the connection, the bolt extends outside each external side of the two through-holes and nuts are connected at the sides via threaded connections between the bolt and the nuts. Thereby the bolt arrangement will result in a very solid and firm connection of the two mechanical elements. To release the connection the nuts have to be released and also the tapered connection between the sleeve and the shank has to be released by driving off the sleeve from the shank. The release of the sleeve from the shank can e.g. be done by introducing a pressurized fluid, e.g. oil, between the mating surfaces. To facilitate the introduction of the oil it is known to make use of a helical groove on the central shank in which the oil can be distributed.

Bolt arrangement, coupling arrangement and method to mount a coupling arrangement


A wristband is assembled from a flexible preferably vinyl carrier and a preferably laminated ID label, the carrier having a panel portion and a strap portion with a snap closure located in a toe extension at the end of the carrier adjacent the panel. The strap has a series of holes, one of which is captured within the snap closure to attach the wristband to the wearer's limb. The laminated ID label has a pair of opposing slots, one of which slips over the strap to abut the panel and the other of which is captured by the snap closure to attach the label to the carrier. The panel portion has a relieved edge formed along its opposing sides which increases the comfort of the wristband as it is worn.

The assignee of the present invention is in the business of making and selling self laminating wristbands of the type shown in a number of its patents including U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,993; U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,160; U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,739; U.S. Pat. No. 6,438,881; U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,634; U.S. Pat. No. 6,748,687; U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,682; U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,293; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,294, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. While these are good and valuable inventions and have met with great commercial success, most of the wristband forms disclosed in these prior patents are directed to a market segment comprised of customers who recognize the value of the product through its superior design providing superior performance and ease of use as well as the cost savings achieved by savings of medical staff time in processing accurately and reliably the in-coming patients or others using the wristbands. There yet remain those in different market segments who for their own reasons are more closely focused on the cost of purchasing the wristband and use that parameter principally if not exclusively in making their buying decisions. For this market segment, buyers are willing to sacrifice quality, ease of use and reliability of identification/use as a trade off against initial wristband cost and buy wristbands not offering the many advantages and features of the assignee's previously patented designs.
Typical of the prior art designs bought and sold for this market segment include a simple vinyl wristband having a wider "panel" area for receiving a self adhering paper label separately printed with the wearer's name, etc., a strap portion extending to one side of the panel with a series of holes punched in the strap to allow for sizing the wristband to different lengths, and a snap closure at the other end of the panel comprised of a pin for insertion through one of the strap holes and into a receiver to secure the pin and thus complete the attachment of a wristband to a wearer's wrist or ankle. For convenience, the word "wrist" when used herein shall include any limb such as a wrist or ankle and the word "wristband" shall include bands wrapped around any limb such as either a wrist or ankle. Generally a cheap vinyl or other plastic material is used to make these wristbands, and they may be formed in sheets with adjacent wristbands being flipped end-to-end to allow them to nest and thereby save on wasted material. The snap closures are also generally made of plastic and are mounted in a "toe" vinyl extension from the panel side opposite the strap. This toe extension generally comprises a tab portion aligned with and opposite to the strap and within which the snap closure is located. The snap closure includes a pin centered along the same center axis as the strap, which centers the snap closure to the panel and strap holes so that when the wristband is applied by attaching the strap to the snap closure the strap remains aligned with the panel.
While this construction is much less expensive, it does not provide the significant benefit of a laminated protective layer over the printed wearer's name and other identifying information such as a bar code. In this prior art wristband, that information is routinely printed (or even handwritten) separately on a paper label and then the label is applied to the carrier such as with a layer of adhesive. For many medical applications, the harsh environment including exposure to bodily fluids, etc. in which these wristbands must perform often times can lead to early label failure and needed replacement, or even to errors in reading the recorded information from the label. If not timely replaced, disastrous results such as administering the wrong medication, providing the wrong or improper treatment, etc. can occur. For these reasons, in many instances the savings provided by the reduced purchase price for a single wristband is lost or even exceeded in cost when multiple wristbands are used.
To solve these and other problems in the prior art, and to provide the benefits of a wristband with laminated protection for wearer information but in a less costly product, the inventors herein have succeeded in conceiving of and developing an inexpensive wristband including a carrier onto which preferably a printed, laminated ID label may be securely mounted with an inexpensive snap closure and within the "envelope" of the underlying panel so that it is protected from contact with the user's wrist or ankle as the wristband is worn. While preferably the label or tag mounted to the wristband carrier is of the assignees own previous design of a self laminating label, it is noted that other labels could be used. The carrier includes a toe extension which unlike the known prior art designs is offset and extends further to the outside of the panel, with the pin portion of the closure mounted off the centerline of the panel and strap but positioned so that the ID label is captured between it and the fold of the toe as the receiver is folded over to fasten the closure. This arrangement provides not only automatic correct positioning of the label onto the carrier but also the additional benefit of using less material, and thus generating less waste, than if the toe were merely made longer. In this design and for this market segment, especially considering that wristbands such as these are used annually by the millions if not billions, the small but incremental cost savings achieved through this arrangement can be significant. The laminated ID label preferably has a slot at either end, one slot sized to slide over the strap and the other slot sized and located to allow centering of the ID label on the panel, it being centered by the close fit between the pin and fold in the toe extension. The use of a slot instead of a hole allows for minor tolerances in manufacturing, although many different opening sizes and shapes could be used.
Yet another feature incorporated into the present invention is a relieved edge formed along the longitudinal opposing edges of the carrier which renders the panel edge flexible and more comfortable to wear. This flexibility reduces the tendency of the edge to pinch, or dig into, the skin as a wearer moves his hand and wrist, or ankle. Instead, the relieved edge readily flexes away from the skin which reduces any abrasive or cutting effect to the skin. There are various patterns which may be used and which are contemplated by the inventor to exhibit the desired effect. Each of these patterns essentially adds yieldability, or extends the length, of the edge which provides "give" so that there is less pressure placed on the wearer's skin at the edge than in the body of the panel area.
The principal advantages and features of the invention are briefly explained above, but a more thorough understanding thereof may be gained through reading the description below while referring to the appended drawings.

Wristband with snap closure and patient ID label


A memory module includes a plurality of memory units, an assembling holder and an engaging arrangement. The assembling holder includes an elongated unit housing having at least an elongated receiving slot extended therealong. The engaging arrangement includes a first assembling joint provided at a side edge portion of one of the memory substrates, and a second assembling joint provided at a corresponding side edge portion of an adjacent memory substrate, wherein the first assembling joint is fittedly and detachably engaged with the second assembling joint of the adjacent memory unit to alignedly couple the memory units with each other in an edge to edge manner to inset into the receiving slot of the elongated unit housing.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a memory module, and more particularly to a memory module comprising a plurality of individual memory units electrically connected with an elongated unit housing for electrically connecting with a memory slot of a motherboard.
2. Description of Related Arts
Memory modules are a kind of standardized component widely used in electrical products such as desktop computers, laptop computers, industrial computers, and printers. Along with the advancing movement of the information technology, the world witnesses the memory capacity of the memory device have been volumetrically expanded and meanwhile, the retrieving speed from the memory device have been significantly reduced. However, the principle structure of the memory device has never been improved to comply with this dramatic change. Commonly, a conventional memory module comprises a unified substrate and a plurality of memory chips spacedly provided on the unified substrate. In case where the unified substrate is damaged, all memory chips, which are welded on the unified substrate, have to be detached from unified substrate first, and then be welded on a new substrate. On the other hand, if the memory chip is damaged, the above mentioned repairing procedure is followed too. Accordingly, the damaged memory chip must be detached from the unified substrate in order to replace a brand new memory chip thereon. As a result, this kind of time consuming and laborious repairing procedure virtually increases the maintenance costs of memory module.
In addition, providing an efficient after-sales service is an advantageous business method in a highly competitive marketing environment today. It is unquestionable that a prolonged repairing period of memory module will be harmful to the service reputation of the manufactures among customers. Moreover, the suppliers of the memory module have to maintain a quantity of memory module stock for potential reparations and exchanges from customers, therefore causing an unnecessary increase of the cost and some undesirable dead stock.


A method for processing a substrate having an insulation film and a metal layer thereon comprises the steps of supplying a carboxylic acid anhydride to the substrate, and heating the substrate during the step of supplying the carboxylic acid anhydride to the substrate.

The present invention generally relates to substrate processing technology and more particularly to a processing method of a substrate that carries thereon a metal layer. Further, the present invention relates to a fabrication process of a semiconductor device having metal interconnection, and a substrate processing apparatus that carries out the processing of a substrate having a metal layer.
With progress in the semiconductor technology, recent high-performance semiconductor devices generally use low-resistance Cu for interconnection. Thereby, there is a concern that the exposed Cu pattern undergoes oxidation, because Cu is a material that easily gets oxidation.
Reference 1 Japanese Patent 3,373,499
Reference 2 J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 7, p. 363 (1993)
Reference 3 J. Electrochem. Soc. 150, p. G300, (2003)

Substrate processing method and apparatus fabrication process of a semiconductor device


A column-mounted shift control assembly includes an integral gate and mounting bracket, a shift lever unit rotatably mounted on the bracket, a shift handle pivotally mounted on the shift lever unit, and resilient means for urging the terminal end of the shift handle toward the bracket. The latter includes a planar gate portion having detents formed on an edge thereof for selective cooperation with the shift handle terminal end to select a desired transmission shift position.

Heretofore, column-mounted vehicle transmission shift control assemblies have generally included arcuate-shaped gate brackets having the various forward, reverse, and park recesses or detents formed along a side edge thereof. For example, see Carlstrom U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,208, and Dzioba U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,605. In such an arrangement, the gate and mounting bracket are separate stampings, requiring additional design tolerances and costs. Additionally, the curved gate, when heat treated, may become distorted, making tolerances difficult to hold.
Floor-mounted shift control assemblies are known to embody planar gate brackets, with detents formed on an edge of an opening formed therethrough, for example: Kubota et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,522; Ishizuki et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,966; DeVogelaere et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,085; Roble U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,156; and Osborn U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,112.
A floor-mounted shift control assembly embodying a planar gate bracket, with detents formed on an outer edge thereof, is disclosed in Kato et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,447.


A system includes a mobile unit and a smart card reader. The mobile unit includes a security application that prevents access to functionalities and data stored thereon and further includes an authentication application that securely stores an authentication token. The smart card reader communicatively connects to a smart card. The smart card includes authentication data. The authentication application transmits the authentication token to the smart card reader to verify the smart card. The authentication application shares the authentication token with the security application when the verification is successful. The authentication token indicates to the security application to grant access to the functionalities and the data.

A security arrangement for a mobile unit may provide access to the mobile unit for authorized users. The security arrangement may be in a variety of forms. For example, a smart card may be used. The smart card may include data relating to the user. Initially, a smart card reader is connected to the mobile unit so that when the smart card reader exchanges data with the smart card, authentication data may be transmitted to a mobile unit. Subsequently, a personal identification such as a PIN that is associated with the smart card may be entered to authenticate the user. However, the use of the smart card does not have a unified approach as an authentication process is required for various functionalities to be accessed on the mobile unit. Furthermore, a wireless connectivity between the reader and the mobile unit is prevented until authenticated using a further authentication process, thereby requiring a cable to connect the reader to the mobile unit.

System for authenticating a user to a portable electronic device using an authentication token transmitted to a smart card reader


Apparatuses and methods for manufacturing chips are described. An example method includes: removing a first portion of a cover layer and at least one dielectric layer under the first portion of the cover layer in a cut region between chips to form a groove, and forming a support structure including a second portion of the cover layer and the at least one dielectric layer under the second portion of the cover layer in the cut region; removing a third portion of the cover layer in one of the chips and a portion of the at least one dielectric layer under the third portion of the cover layer to form an hole on the first chip; depositing a conductive layer to cover the cover layer and the hole; forming a conductive pillar on the conductive layer in the hole; and removing the conductive layer on the cover layer and an edge surface of the hole.

High data reliability, high speed of memory access, lower power consumption and reduced chip size are features that are demanded from semiconductor memory. In recent years, some semiconductor devices such as dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) devices include a low-k film of an insulating material, such as silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) and silicon carbonitride (SiCN), having a low dielectric constant (k) that exhibits weak electric polarization between conductive layers. The low-k film is included to reduce parasitic capacitance between the conductive layers and thus to achieve high speed operations of electronic circuits in the semiconductor devices.
However, the low-k material has weak thermo-mechanical characteristics. For example, a low-k film has lower adhesion to its adjacent conductive layer or conductive components (e.g., interconnects) compared to a silicon dioxide (SiO2) film and a silicon nitride (Si3N4) film. Additionally, the low-k material is brittle. Once semiconductor elements are formed on a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer is diced into semiconductor chips. During the dicing process, cracks may be produced and such cracks may propagate through a film interface between the low-k film and another dielectric film (e.g., between SiO2 and SiOC films, between SiCN/SiO2 films, etc.) and reach an element formation region of the semiconductor device, which results a lower yield of the semiconductor devices.
In order to reduce the above cracks in the dicing process, a groove may be formed in a scribe region prior to dicing, by etching through layers including the low-k film. However, cut cross sections of the low-k film facing the groove tend to have a concave shape along the groove due to the brittle characteristics of the low-k material. In order to form conductive pillar bumps on wires coupled to interconnects through layers, a conductive seed layer may be formed as an initial step of electroplating of the conductive material. However, because depositing a conductive seed layer on the concave portion of the low-k film tends to fail, the conductive seed layer tends to be discontinuous from one concave portion to another, and consequently, fails to function as a seed layer.


A computer-implemented method is provided, which comprises: determining a current block stored in a blockchain data structure stored in the database, which comprises data related to a first energy transfer transaction for transferring charge from a community member device; searching the blockchain data structure for predetermined data indicating an energy transfer from at least one primary energy provider device controlled by a primary energy provider to the community member device, upon determining in the blockchain data structure at least one block containing the predetermined data, generating a new block with data corresponding to a current reward transaction between the primary energy provider and the community member, based on data of the at least one block and data of the current block; and adding the new block in the blockchain data structure.

A blockchain is a distributed digital ledger that stores transactions between users chronologically, in such a way that the recorded data is verifiable and immutable. Transactions are written into a public ledger that is maintained by a group of decentralised computers or nodes, each in possession of an identical copy of the ledger. Changes to the ledger are recorded by all nodes, making it essentially impossible to create fraudulent transactions. As a result of this process, the blockchain technology is described as trust-less because it removes the need for a third party to manage transactions between two users.
Different distributed consensus protocols have been developed for the addition of new blocks (corresponding to one or more transactions) into a blockchain ledger, which may be classified into two main types, known as proof of work (POW) protocols, and proof of stake (POS) protocols.
In proof of work protocols, the validity of each new block is verified by users ("miners") solving a complex mathematical problem. The mathematical problem is difficult to solve (requiring significant computing power and therefore energy expenditure) but easy to check once solved. The first miner to solve the problem is rewarded with an amount of cryptocurrency. The security of a PoW network is ensured by the prohibitively high processing requirements that would be associated with an attempted hack on such a network, the costs of which would be higher than any reward that might be obtained through a successful attack. However, PoW systems have an inherent environmental impact, which led to the development of alternative, more energy efficient, consensus protocols.
Proof of stake protocols are an example of such protocols, and were developed to address the power consumption problems of PoW. Instead of adding blocks to the ledger via a complex mathematical problem, mining power is determined by a miner's proportion of coins, or stake. By demonstrating ownership of a certain percentage of cryptocurrency, a miner is permitted to mine an equivalent percentage of transactions in the PoS system. Rather than a cryptocurrency reward as in PoW, PoS contributors earn the transaction fee associated with a particular block. The security of the system is maintained because each PoS contributor (known as a "forger") is required to lay down their own assets to take part in transaction verification, with the risk of losing their stake if they validate an illegitimate transaction. Proof of Stake also protects against "51% attacks" which can affect PoW systems, whereby a user possessing a disproportionate amount of cryptocurrency can result in a form of centralisation of the network. In a PoS system, a user would need to possess an extremely large amount of cryptocurrency in order to do initiate such an attack.
Peer to Peer (P2P) energy transactions are a method of transferring charge directly between two users or entities. The system is being investigated for use in distributed electric vehicle (autonomous or otherwise) charging; as an example, a homeowner in possession of electric vehicle charging equipment may offer electricity to a passing electric vehicle for a fee.
In the future, electric vehicles may take part in energy transfer transactions over the course of a journey as and when they require power or power is required from them. Many micro-transactions may take place over a relatively short period of time, and each transaction must be accurately and verifiably recorded without causing unnecessary inconvenience to vehicle owners.
Under this new energy distribution paradigm, energy distribution operators, which may be seen as primary energy provider, as opposed to, for example, electric vehicles providing energy to other electric vehicles which may be seen as secondary energy provider, may want to monitor and/or control the circulation of energy which they provide to their customers.
In addition, assuming that P2P energy transactions are performed by end users registered to use an energy transaction service provided by a broker, potentially independently from energy distribution operators, energy distribution operators may want to create an incentive for the end users to resell energy that was originally acquired from them.
There is therefore a need for providing an improved database management scheme and apparatuses implementing the same that address at least some of the above-described drawbacks and shortcomings of the conventional technology in the art.

Method for processing data and apparatuses for implementing the same


The present invention provides a system and mobile device for providing geographic information to a user. The system includes a mobile device that is wirelessly connected to a geographic database. The mobile device includes a plurality of sensors for determining a first location and a first direction. A controller is adapted to provide information requested based on local queries and distal queries. In addition, the controller can respond to thematic queries of each variety, wherein the database search is limited to objects, entities or features that fit within a selected theme. Finally, the controller is adapted to select and order query results based upon two-and three-dimensional query windows.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to systems and devices for determining geographic information, and specifically to distributed systems and devices for interpreting spatial and geographic data and presenting said data to a user.
2. History of the Related Art
Maps still provide the main means for understanding spatial environments, as well as for performing tasks such as wayfinding, trip-planning, and location-tracking. Static traditional maps have several disadvantages. First, maps necessarily have a fixed orientation. That is, the map always faces in one direction (typically north). The map users, however, may be facing any direction at any given moment. Hence, in order to understand the map users need to perform some kind of rotation, either of themselves or of the map to align their frame of reference with the map's frame of reference. This process puts an immense cognitive load on the users, because it is not always intuitive and may present considerable difficulties, especially in cases of complex, uniform or unfamiliar spatial environments.
Maps are also hindered by the fact that they have a fixed scale that cannot be changed to a different granularity level. This limitation is one of the most restrictive aspects of paper maps. The scale determines the level of zooming into a spatial environment, as well as the level of detail and the type of information that is displayed on a map. Users, however, need to constantly change between different scales, depending on whether they want a detailed view of their immediate surrounding environment or a more extensive and abstract view in order to plan a trip or find a destination. Current solutions to the problem include tourist guides that comprise maps of a specific area at many different scales. Tourist guides, however, are bulky books, difficult to carry around, and search time is considerable as they typically consist of hundreds of pages.
Maps also fail to accommodate rapid changes in our natural and urban environments. On a map, all spatial environments and the objects that they encompass, whether artificial or natural, are displayed statically although they are actually dynamic and change over time. Artificial spatial objects, such as buildings, may get created, destroyed, or extended, while others, such as land parcels, may merge, shrink, or change character (e.g., when a rural area is developed). The same holds true for natural features, for instance, a river may expand or shrink because of a flood. The static 2-dimensional map is restricted to representing a snapshot in time and the information on it may soon become obsolete, or worse, misleading.
Maps are also limited in their ability to display thematic information. There are many different types of maps such as morphological, political, technical, tourist-oriented, and contour maps. The thematic content of a static map must be defined at the time of printing and is usually restricted to one area of interest. Even then, the information displayed is minimal. For example, a tourist map will indicate that a building is a church or a restaurant, but it is highly unlikely that more information will be available, such as the construction date of the church or the menu of the restaurant and the type of cuisine it offers.
Attempts at electronic maps or geographic information systems have also proven unworkable for practical reasons. One deficiency found in current geographic information systems is that the systems are not egocentric, i.e. they cannot discriminate between data based upon the user's point of view and intentions. The state of the art lacks an integrated geographic information system that can provide information to a user in a manner that is easily accessible, intuitively understood, and based upon the user's perspective.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Mobile device and geographic information system background and summary of the related art


It is possible to improve significantly the optical performance of diacetal or DBS-based nucleating or clarifying agents using a co-additive. Haze is a measure of the lack of clarity in a thermoplastic or plastic material. A low level of haze is usually quite desirable, and nucleating/clarifying agents are designed to reduce the degree of haze in a plastic or thermoplastic material. A co-additive may be used in connection with a nucleating/clarifying agents in a polymer or copolymer to achieve even greater results in terms of improved clarity (reduced haze), or in terms of a higher crystallization temperature (Tc) of the polymer. A method for reducing haze in polymer articles using a co-additive composition in addition to nucleating and clarifying agents is disclosed.

Numerous nucleating and clarifying agents are used as plastic additives. Such compounds assist in optically clarifying plastics or otherwise improving the processing or physical characteristics of polymers in plastic products. Many plastic products sold and used are made from polymer materials that contain nucleating or clarifying agents within the polymer.
The use of clarifying agents to reduce haze in articles manufactured from crystalline polyolefin resins is well known in the art. Representative acetals of sorbitol and xylitol, which have been employed as clarifying agents, are disclosed generally in the following patents:    Hamada et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,118, dibenzylidene sorbitols    Kawai, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,039, di(alkylbenzylidene) sorbitols    Mahaffey, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,645, diacetals of sorbitols having at least one chlorine or bromine substituent    Kobayashi, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,280, di(methyl or ethyl substituted benzylidene) sorbitols    Rekers, U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,605, bis(3,4-dialkylbenzylidene) sorbitols including substituents forming a carbocyclic ring.
Co-additives have been used in combination with such clarifiers based on diacetals of sorbitol and xylitol to improve certain properties, such as:    Mentink, U.S. Pat. No. 6,673,856: discloses co-additives to improve the flow behavior and thermal stability of clarifiers based on diacetals of sorbitol and xylitols;    Kobayashi, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,843 discloses using certain "binders" to depress the melting temperature, improving the dispersion, and improving the flow property of clarifiers based on diacetals of sorbitols and xylitols;
Among clarifiers based on diacetals of sorbitol and xylitol, MILLAD® 3988 clarifying agent is a commercially successful clarifier for polypropylene. It is a dimethyl substituted dibenzylidene sorbitol ("DMDBS"), 1,3:2,4-bis(3,4 dimethyl benzylidene sorbitol). MILLAD® 3988 clarifying agent is manufactured and distributed by Milliken & Company of Spartanburg, S.C.
MILLAD® 3988 clarifying agent can achieve very good optical properties in polypropylene ("PP") at its optimum loadings, for example, at loadings near 2500 parts per million ("ppm"). However, its clarifying function is not as great when the loading is relatively low, such as 1000 ppm, for example. This is generally true of most clarifiers based on diacetals of sorbitol and xylitol. Though many prior art references have disclosed using co-additives in combination with such clarifiers to achieve certain benefits, none of the prior art references known to date have disclosed a method and composition that may be employed to improve the clarifying function of such clarifiers at relatively low loadings, namely, to improve the low level efficacy of these clarifiers.
In some applications, low levels of such clarifiers are highly be desirable. For example, it will be more economic to use less clarifier, and it will reduce any possible plate out, blooming, or extraction. A method, process, or chemical composition that makes it possible to improve or increase the low level efficacy of nucleating or clarifying agents is highly desirable. The current invention is directed towards such improvements.

Co-additive compositions and methods for applying co-additive compositions into nucleated polymer compounds


The invention provides a method and vectors to express a gene or genes, derived from a virus, which block allograft rejection. One class of genes blocks the intracellular transport and/or intracellular maturation within the cells of proteins called MHC class I products. Without limitation as to theory, it is believed that blocking the appearance of this class of proteins on the transplanted cell""s surface, prevents the host""s immune system from rejecting the graft. Another class of proteins acts to permit TNF xcex1-mediated cell cytolysis. In one embodiment, the invention is directed towards engrafting the cells that secrete insulin, which are called alternatively, pancreatic xcex2-cells and islet cells, and thereby provide a treatment of diabetes mellitus.

This invention concerns an improvement in the art of the transplantation of tissue for medical purposes. Specifically it concerns methods, vectors and compounds useful in preventing the expression of certain transplantation antigens on the surface of cells to be transplanted. More specifically it concerns the blockage of the cell surface expression of one particular class of proteins the genes for which are located in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC).
In cases of extreme and life threatening conditions such as renal, liver and cardiac failure, physicians have successfully transplanted tissues between genetically distinct individuals. Even when care is taken to reduce the genetic differences between the host and donor, the recipients of these grafts must usually be given drugs that reduce the activity of their immune system so that the graft is not rejected. Such immuno-suppression entails substantial risks. Even when such immuno-suppression is well tolerated, there are considerable difficulties attendant in minimizing the antigenic differences (matching) between the donor and the recipient that increases the costs and reduces the availability of this mode of therapy. Furthermore, not all tissues can be successfully transplanted between genetically distinct persons.
In principle, for example, diabetes mellitus, one of the most common and, in the longterm, one of the most debilitating chronic diseases, could be xe2x80x9ccuredxe2x80x9d by a successful transplant of the tissue that secrete insulin, the islets of Langerhans. Despite the magnitude of the problem, the availability of islets from cadaveric donors and the successful experience in other situations, e.g., renal, cardiac and hepatic transplantation, there is presently no practical protocol that routinely provides for the survival of histoincompatible islet cells.
The probable causes for this absence may be several. In diabetes mellitus, the disease itself makes immuno-suppression especially hazardous, as diabetics are highly susceptible to infection. Also it appears that some immuno-suppressive agents, e.g., cyclosporine, are directly toxic to islets in high doses and can adversely affect graft survival, while others, e.g., glucocorticoids, are known to increase the subject""s insulin requirements and may indirectly jeopardize both the survival and the beneficial effects of the graft. Lastly, in many instances diabetes results from autoimmunity directed toward the islets. To the extent such individuals are immunologically xe2x80x9cprimedxe2x80x9d towards non-allelic islet antigens, their graft rejection would be accelerated. Thus, as an alternative to the present methods of promoting graft survival, which reduce the host""s immunity, there is a need in the transplantation art for a method to specifically render the graft invisible to the host""s immune system or resistant to its effects.
2.1 The Mechanism of Graft Rejection
Except between genetically identical individuals, e.g., identical. twins, the cells of each person are recognized by the immune system of others as foreign, i.e., the immune system responds to the graft just as it would respond to a parasite or virus. This so called allograft reaction, unless treated by immune-suppression, leads to the rejection and loss of the graft. The allograft reaction is caused by the recognition of histocompatibility antigens on the surface of the cells of the graft by the lymphocytes of the recipient individual. With rare exceptions, e.g., the ABO blood groups in transfusions, the host lymphocytes of greatest importance to an allograft reaction are of the type that recognize antigen directly on cell surfaces, so-called thyme lymphocytes (T-lymphocytes).
From the fact that only grafts between genetically identical individuals are truly stable, one may conclude that. almost any protein can become a histocompatibility antigen when the host""s and recipient""s genes encoding it are different. This surmise has been experimentally verified. However, the rapidity with which an allograft is rejected varies greatly depending upon the nature of the histoincompatibility between the host and graft. In particular, every species of higher vertebrates contains a closely linked complex of multiple genes at which genetic differences are found to cause the most rapid and severe allograft reactions. This complex of genes is called the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) of the species. Several types of proteins are encoded within the MHC, including two classes of cell surface proteins, conventionally called class I and class II MHC products. In humans the class I products are also referred to as HLA-A, HLA-B and. HLA-C, and the class II products are termed HLA-DR. Many cell types, such as xcex2-cells, express only MHC class 1 products.
Class I and class II MHC products are not only histocompatibility antigens, they are also central to antigen recognition by T-lymphocytes. Although the different T-lymphocytes from an individual can recognize and distinguish among perhaps millions of potential antigens, each of that individuals T-lymphocytes can recognize its particular antigen only when the antigen is either an MHC class I or class II product or is physically complexed with one. These observations suggest that the life of an allograft could be extended indefinitely were some mechanism available to prevent the expression of MHC products altogether by the graft.
2.2 The Viral Products That overcome Host Immunity
The problem of avoiding a host""s immune reaction is of interest not only to transplant surgeons but also to parasites such as viruses. Viruses, of course, are able to reproduce only within a viable cell of the infected host. Viruses frequently kill the infected cell when they redirect the cellular machinery towards the production of viral particles (virions). Surprisingly then, one of the major host defenses against viruses are cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) which kill the infected cells. The host apparently prevents, to some significant degree, the further release of virions by killing the infected cell when viral antigens can be detected. In response, certain viruses have evolved mechanisms to reduce or avoid the host""s immune attack on the host""s cells in which the virus is replicating (reviewed, Gooding, L. R., 1992, CELL 71:5-7) by blocking the presentation of newly synthesized antigens. Some of these mechanisms apparently specifically prevent the maturation of MHC class I products onto the cell surface. Because the complex of MHC product and antigen is formed as the product matures, the display of newly synthesized viral antigens is blocked.
Researchers have recognized that adenovirus infected cells are poorly recognized and lysed by CTL. To determine which viral products are particularly involved, the isolated E3 region of adenovirus was co-transfected, along with a selectable marker, into the 293 embryonic kidney cell line, which had been transformed with adenovirus and contained adenovirus early genes products, that rendered the adenovirus E3 promoter active.
Stable transfectants were isolated by selection of the marker gene and a single clone expressing high levels of gp19 was selected for further study. This transfected clone was found to have undergone an about 5-10 fold reduction in the amount of HLA-A and somewhat smaller reduction in total MHC class 1 products. There were no studies of the functional consequences of this reduction. Burgert, H-G and Kvist, S., 1985, CELL 41:987-97.
Subsequently, these authors introduced a murine MHC class I product (Kd) into the selected clone and showed that this clone was resistant to Kd-specific CTL, Burgert, H-G, 1987, PROC.NATL.ACAD.SCI. 84:1356-60. Studies of murine immune responses to adenovirus antigens, using varying deletion mutants spanning the E3 region and anti-MHC monoclonal antibodies, establish that the gp19 protein (gp19) both binds murine MHC product and is necessary and sufficient for the inhibition of its expression on the surface of the embryonic kidney cell. Burgert, H-G., and Kvist, S., 1987, EMBO J. 6:2019-26; Rawle, F. G. et al., 1989, J.IMUUHOL. 143:2031; Cox J. H, et al., 1991, J.EXP.MED. 174:1629-37; Hermiston, T. W. et al., 1993, J. VIROLOGY 67:5289.
The issue whether the inhibition by gp19 of the expression of MHC class I products is a general effect, or one specific to adenovirus transformed cell lines remains incompletely resolved. The expression of gp19 in cells other than the embryonic kidney line of Burgert is associated with the inhibition of glycosylation of MHC class 1 heavy chain indicating that this molecule does not exit the endoplasmic reticulum, Burgert, 1985, supra.; these or other processes block the presention of viral antigens in acutely infected cells, Cox, J. H., et al., 1990, SCIENCE 247:715-718. However, there was no evidence of a reduction in the total amount of cell surface MHC class I product other than in the adenovirus-transformed cell lines studied by Burgert. Routes, J. M., and Cook, J. L., 1990, J.IMMUNOL. 144:2763.
The scientific literature does not establish whether the chronic presence of gp19, in quantities attainable by present methods without cytotoxic effects, will render a cell resistant to CTL. CTL are fully active against targets that have between 0.1%-0.2% of the normal concentration of MHC class I products. Vitiello, A., et al., 1990, SCIENCE 250:1423. Thus, the relative reduction in MHC class I expression needed to prevent CTL activity is approximately 100 fold greater than that observed in the most strongly inhibited example of Burgert. Thus, while the evidence is strong that gp19 causes an acute failure of adenovirus infected cells to present newly synthesized antigens and blocks the cell-surface-display of newly synthesized MHC molecules, it does not indicate whether gp19 will be sufficient to permanently eliminate a sufficiently large fraction of MHC. class I products from the surface of cells expressing gp19 to render the cells resistant to the effects of CTL.
Other proteins that can be used to inhibit the expression of newly synthesized MHC class I products can be found. A herpes simplex virus (HSV) virus protein, ICP-47, having similar properties to adenovirus gp19 has been described. York, I. A., et al., 1994, CELL 77:525-35. Human cytomegalovirus appears also to express a protein having this activity. Beersma, M. F. C., et al., 1993, J. IMMUNOL. 151:4455-64.
2.3 Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus by Transplantation of B-cells
Diabetes mellitus is a disease of glucose regulation characterized by excessive blood glucose caused by either an absolute deficiency of insulin-secreting xcex2-cells or, more commonly, by a combination of hyporesponsive xcex2-cells and the resistance of the subject to the effects of insulin. Although there is extensive clinical evidence that insulin therapy combined with strict adherence to dietary control, can control the acute effects of diabetes such as ketoacidosis, such therapy does not stabilize the blood glucose levels sufficiently to prevent the long term ophthalmologic, neuropathic, nephropathic and arterial complications of the disease.
To prevent these complications, physicians have experimented with the transplantation of islets obtained from the pancreas of human cadaveric donors. These reports demonstrate the practicability of techniques to obtain and isolate islets from cadaveric donors and to implant the islets into the liver of diabetic subjects by injection of isolated whole islets into the portal circulation. Scharp, D. W., et al., 1990, DIABETES 39:515-8. The results of a series of longitudinal studies of several patients, however, show that, at levels of immuno-suppression appropriate for renal or hepatic allografts, islet cell transplants do not routinely survive and function well enough to eliminate the need for exogenous insulin. Ricordi, C., 1992, TRANSPLANTATION 53:407-414. Among the explanations available for this phenomenon is that many diabetic patients have developed an auto-immunity to islet cells, a so-called insulinitis, which may cause an unusually intense allograft reaction to the transplanted islets. Alternatively, the cyclosporine appears to have a direct- toxicity for xcex2-cells and glucocorticoids have known diabetogenic effects that antagonize insulin and jeopardize graft function and survival. Whatever the mechanism, the results of these studies show that conventional immuno-suppression is generally not successful in enabling islet transplantation. Thus, there is an unmet need in medical practice, for a method to transplant islet cells between histoincompatible individuals.
There have been attempts to answer the question whether the complete suppression of MHC class I products from the surface of the xcex2-cells would allow indefinite survival of allograft islets without immuno-suppression, in murine experimental systems. These studies employ transgenic animals lacking both maternal and paternal copies of the xcex22-microglobulin gene, the gene necessary for the expression of functional MHC class 1 products. These studies show that islet grafts of normal recipients from xcex22-microglobulin deficient donors, frequently, though not invariably, survive for an indefinite period. Orsorio, R. W., et al., 1993, DIABETES 42:1520-27; Markman, J. F., et al., 1992, TRANSPLANTATION 54:1085-89. However, when such islets were transplanted into NOD mice, which spontaneously develop an autoimmune diabetes and are considered to be a model for human type 1 diabetes, there was no prolongation of the survival of the grafted islets. Markman, supra. The failure of xcex22-microglobulin deficient islets to survive in NOD mice does not imply that MHC-class 1 restricted CTL are not essential to the development of diabetes in the NOD model. Experiments show that xcex22-microglobulin deficient-NOD mice, which show markedly reduced levels of MHC class I products in all tissues do not develop either diabetes or the lymphocytic infiltrate of their islets, a condition which is called insulinitis. Serreze, D. V., et al., March 1994, DIABETES 43:505-9; Wicker, L. S., et al., March 1994, DIABETES 43:500-4. Together these results establish that, at least in mice, the removal of MHC class I products from the surface of islets by means of deletion of the xcex22-microglobulin gene of the islets does not lead to a successful therapy in a mouse having a CTL dependent auto-immune diabetes.
To meet the need for an effective method to prevent the rejection of islet grafts, some have proposed the use of xe2x80x9cmaskingxe2x80x9d agents, such as F(abxe2x80x2)2 anti-HLA antibodies to prevent recognition by the CTL of the MHC class I product. Data indicate that the pre-treatment of human islets with anti-HLA antibody effectively prolongs the survival of transplants into the renal-subcapsular space of murine hosts to as much as 200 days; while absent such pretreatment rejection occurs within 7 days. U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,058 to D. Faustman. The examples presented by Faustman concern xenografts, particularly the engraftment of mice with human islets. No data are presented by Faustman showing that this method would be effective in preventing allo-rejection, i.e., the rejection of murine islets by mice. Because xenograft rejection is most often of the hyperacute type mediated by preformed antibodies, the projection of the reported results concerning the Faustman technique to the case of allo-transplantation is of uncertain outcome. Faustman also suggests that unspecified viral proteins may be used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, the use of masking agents to decrease MHC class I expression to prolong islet graft survival.
The invention provides a method and vectors to express a gene, derived from a virus, that blocks the intracellular transport and/or intracellular maturation within the graft of proteins called MHC class I products. Without limitation as to theory, it is believed that blocking the appearance of this class of proteins on the transplanted cell""s surface, prevents the host""s immune system from rejecting the graft. In one embodiment, the invention is directed towards engrafting the cells that secrete insulin, which are called alternatively, pancreatic xcex2-cells and islet cells, and thereby provide a treatment of diabetes mellitus.
The present invention provides a method of rendering cells more readily transplantable between histoincompatible individuals; the pancreatic islet is a non-limiting example of one such type of graft. The method comprises obtaining a population of cells to be transplanted, e.g., by explantation from a cadaveric donor, and introducing into substantially all of the cells of the population a vector that makes a nucleic acid product.
In one embodiment the vector acts by producing a protein expression product that prevents the expression of the MHC class I products. In another embodiment, the vector may act by producing protein products which inhibit. a variety of host immune responses important in graft rejection. In an alternative embodiment the vector may act by producing a nucleic acid expression product having a specific nucleic acid that interferes with the production of the MHC class I products.
Any population of cells suitable for beneficial implantation into a subject may be employed. Suitable cells are preferably stable and non-transformed. Stable, non-transformed cells are cells having a life-span that is at least several weeks and most. preferably many months or years and are cells with normal growth characteristics such that upon transplantation into an immunodeficient host, such as a nude mouse, there is no tumor formed.
Proteins suitable for the practice of the invention can: be found among human virus proteins; adenovirus (Ad) gp19 and HSV ICP-47 are representative non-limiting examples. The invention further provides for vectors to express MHC class I inhibitory proteins in the population to be transplanted. Expression vectors suited for the present invention necessarily must be able to successfully transfect substantially all the cells, which is preferably more than half of the cells, more preferably greater than 80% of the cells, and most preferably greater than. 95% of the cells. Such vectors must not produce other cytopathic effects that would interfere with other normal. functions of the cells to be transplanted. Suitable examples of such vectors include replication defective virus vectors based on HSV and adenovirus,. and vectors based on the satellite virus, adeno-associated virus (AAV). The invention further provides populations of non-transformed cells, i.e., cells whose growth is controllable, that lack detectable quantities of MHC class I products on their surface as determined by their ability to be targets of lysis by T-lymphocytes of the appropriate specificity.

Attenuation of rejected cells transformed with adenovirus E3

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University


A motor vehicle having a vehicle body an electrical traction machine, and at least one electrical energy accumulator designed as a traction battery for temporarily storing electrical energy for operating the traction machine. The vehicle body and/or a battery housing of the traction battery is/are provided at least in some regions within intumescent fire protection coating.

Document EP 2 843 727 A1 is known from the prior art, for example. This describes a battery device in which a water-absorbing polymer is arranged in an interior of a battery housing. As soon as water is introduced into the battery housing, a sealing film tears due to a weight of the water. The water is then absorbed by the water-absorbing polymer. A large part of the water is then in the form of a gel-like element.
Furthermore, document WO 2015/113858 A2 describes a battery module having at least one, preferably a plurality of battery cells, which are essentially plate-like and are surrounded by a foam structure, wherein the foam structure has at least two foam layers having identical or different mechanical, physical, and/or chemical properties. It is the object of the invention to propose a motor vehicle which has advantages over known motor vehicles, in particular offers a particularly high level of safety in case of a malfunction of the electrical energy accumulator, in particular for occupants of the motor vehicle.


A method for quantitatively estimating the amount of tissue that contains moving blood using power Doppler ultrasound. A region of interest is identified from a frozen image (i.e., a snapshot screen display created by displaying the last real-time image for a given scan). The region of interest is specified by using a pointing device (e.g., a mouse). An object that contains one hundred percent blood flow and is located at the same depth as the region of interest, but not necessarily inside the region of interest, is identified and the corresponding power noted and designated as the reference power level. The display is adjusted to show the one hundred percent blood flow vessel in a designated color (such as, for example, green) and all other power levels are normalized to the reference power level. The fractional blood volume is quantitatively estimated by summing the normalized Doppler power levels in a region of interest and dividing the sum by the number of pixels in region of interest. The numerical result for the specified region of interest may be shown on the display of the ultrasound scanner.

In the diagnosis of various medical conditions, it is often useful to examine soft tissues and/or blood flow within the body to show structural details of organs and blood vessels in these organs. Multiple studies have demonstrated increased vascularity (blood flow) in many tumors relative to that of normal tissue, and multiple attempts have been made to depict these differences in vascularity using ultrasonic imaging.
As well-known to those of ordinary skill, a standard real-time two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound scan typically entails the following. Referring to FIG. 1, an operator holds a transducer 105 in one position relative to a volume of material, e.g., human tissue in a patient 120. The transducer 105 is sometimes referred to as a scan head; it commonly has an essentially linear, one-dimensional (1D) shape, although scan heads of round or other shapes are also known, and emits a beam of ultrasound energy toward the material in a patient 120. The ultrasound energy is reflected from the material and detected by the scan head 105, which generates data signals representative of the detected energy.
A conventional ultrasound machine 100, operating under the control of a processor 102 such as a microprocessor, receives and processes the resulting data from the scan head 105. The processor 102 typically reads program instruction statements and/or data from a program storage device 101 such as read-only memory (ROM). The ultrasound machine 100 displays a 2D image of the tissue volume being scanned, e.g., on a video display terminal 110, a film camera, or other hard copy device (not shown). Movement of the scan head 105 results in different 2D views of the tissue volume being presented.
Additional background information can be found in, e.g., Fractional Moving Blood Volume: Estimation with Power Doppler US, at pages 183 et seq. of the October 1995 edition of RADIOLOGY, which is incorporated herein by reference, and in the references cited therein.

Fractional moving blood volume estimation with power doppler ultrasound

The Regents of the University of Michigan


Systems and methods are provided for implementing a device-independent scene in a home automation environment. One embodiment is a method comprising receiving information regarding a home-independent home automation scene, the information identifying a zone property and an identified zone type; identifying, in the designated home, a zone corresponding to the identified zone type; identifying at least one home automation device capable of affecting the zone property in the identified zone; for each of the identified devices, identifying a device state of the respective device that contributes to the zone property; storing a home-automation scene for the designated home, wherein the home-automation scene comprises information identifying the at least one identified devices and the respective identified device states of those devices; and in response to user selection of the stored home-automation scene, causing the at least one identified device to perform the respective identified actions.

Environments containing a variety of devices and/or services that are remotely controllable have increased in number and complexity. Some example devices include lighting, window shades, alarm systems, home entertainment systems, houseplant and yard watering, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) controls, and the like. Homes are environments that have experienced such increases, and homes containing these devices and/or services are sometimes referred to as "smart homes" or "automated homes." To assist users in the use and configuration of these devices and/or services, scenes are created. The scenes define a collection of devices and the states of the different devices. For example, one scene in a home may turn off some lights, set particular lighting levels on other lights, and turn on the home theater system. Another scene may be used when the residents are away, and the lights may be turned on or off at certain specified periods of time. In yet another scene, the front door security camera starts recording whenever the front doorbell or a motion sensor near the front door is activated. Generally, the scenes are created at the time of installation of the devices and/or services by a professional installer. Home automation platforms control the devices according to the different scene settings.

System and method for utilization of device-independent scenes in a smart home environment


A pulse accumulator (24) operates in a pulse measurement mode. In the pulse measurement mode, accumulator (24) measured pulse lengths of consecutive high and low input signal pulses in reference to a clock signal. A leading-edge capture circuit (50) asserts a leading-edge pulse to indicate a rising edge of the input signal and a trailing-edge capture circuit (52) asserts a trailing-edge pulse to indicate a falling edge of the input signal. The leading-edge and trailing-edge pulses are logically combined (70) to provide a load signal to enable counter (76) to provide an accumulate value to a buffer register (78). After a predetermined delay (62, 64), each of the leading-edge and trailing-edge pulses are logically combined (66) to provide a clear signal which indicates the input signal has transitioned and counter (76) should be cleared to begin measuring a length of a next pulse.

In many data processing applications, signals are communicated in a pulse width modulated format. In the pulse width modulated format, information is transmitted in both high and low level pulses which have varying lengths. The length of the pulses are then translated into a more meaningful value for subsequent use.
In implementations which use a counter to measure the length of the pulses, the length of either the high or the low pulses of an input signal are measured while the pulse is asserted. For example, to determine a length of a high pulse, the counter generally begins counting the cycles of an independent clock signal on a rising edge of the input signal. Subsequently, the counter stops counting on the falling edge of the input signal. The counter then provides the count value to an external user and is reset to begin counting again on the next rising edge of the input signal. Similarly, to determine a length of a low pulse of the input signal, the counter generally begins counting the cycles of the clock signal on a falling edge of the input signal. Subsequently, the counter stops counting on the rising edge of the input signal. The counter then provides an external user with the count value and is reset to begin counting again on a next falling edge of the input signal.
Because the counter must be reset before a new count may begin, measuring of consecutive high and low pulses is not possible. If information from both high and low pulses is required, a counter measures a length of a high pulse and must then wait a full period before measuring a length of a low pulse. Therefore, whether measuring high or low pulse lengths, a user is only able to receive data from either the high or low pulses. Information contained in the other pulse type must be ignored when a counter is used to determine the length of a pulse.
When essential information is transferred on both high and low pulses, the information contained in either pulse type may not be ignored. In such applications, a timer circuit which is programmable is used to measure consecutive pulses. The timer circuit may be programmed to measure consecutive pulses of the input signal through software. However, when a timer circuit is used, the frequency of the pulses is limited by the processing time required to execute the software program. The pulses must be at least as long as the time required to execute the software program. Additionally, circuitry required to implement a timer circuit is typically much larger than the circuitry required to implement a counter. As well, the software program controlling execution of the timer circuit may require an excessive amount of memory space. An example of such a timer circuit is provided in a MC68HC05C4 microcontroller unit commercially available from Motorola, Inc. of Austin, Tex. The timer circuit in the MC68HC05C4 microcontroller unit includes a sixteen bit software-programmable counter which is driven by a clock prescaler. The timer has an output compare register and an input capture register. For more information about the MC68HC05C4 microcontroller unit, refer to "Motorola Microprocessor, Microcontroller, and Peripheral Data," Volume 1 published in 1988.
Therefore, a need exists for a system which would determine a length of consecutive high and low pulses without excessive circuit area or memory requirements. Additionally, a length of each pulse should be determined and no pulses should be ignored or missed.


In an image stitcher for arranging a plurality of images to be stitched in m rows and n columns (both m and n are natural numbers) on a monitor screen such that their respective arrangement positions conform to an actual relative positional relationship, to stitch all the images utilizing information related to the arrangement position of each of the images, the image stitcher comprises means for displaying on the monitor screen an image arrangement pattern selection screen including a plurality of types of image arrangement patterns for arranging the plurality of images to be stitched in m rows and n columns on the monitor screen, means for causing a user to select one of the plurality of types of image arrangement patterns on the image arrangement pattern selection screen, and means for arranging the plurality of images to be stitched in m rows and n columns on the monitor screen in accordance with the image arrangement pattern selected by the user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image stitcher, an image stitching method, a computer readable recording medium having an image stitch processing program recorded thereon, for automatically joining from a plurality of microscopic images, for example, the images and acquiring a composite image having a high resolution and having a wide field of view.
2. Description of the Prior Art
[1] Description of Conventional Optical Flow Calculation Method
A technique for calculating an optical flow from two images, and registering the two images on the basis of the obtained optical flow has been known. Description is made of a conventional method of calculating an optical flow.
(1) Lucas-Kanade Method
A large number of methods of calculating an apparent optical flow of a moving object in a moving image have been conventionally proposed. The Lucas-Kanade method which is a local gradient method out of the methods is one of the best methods. The reason for this is that the speed of processing is high, implementing is easy, and the result has confidence.
As for the details of the Lucas-Kanade method, see an article: B. Lucas and T. Kanade, "An Iterative Image Registration Technique with an Application to Stereo Vision," In Seventh International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI-81), pp.674-979, 1981.
The outline of the Lucas-Kanade method will be described.
When a gray scale pattern I=(x, y, t) of image coordinates p=(x, y) at time t is moved to coordinates (x+δx, y+δy) with its gradation distribution kept constant after a very short time period (δt), the following optical flow constraint equation (1) holds:
                                                                        ∂                I                                            ∂                x                                                                                δx                              δ                                                                                t                                              +                                                    ∂                I                                            ∂                y                                                                                δy                              δ                                                                                t                                              +                                    ∂              I                                      ∂              t                                      =        0                            (        1        )
In order to calculate an optical flow {v=(δx/δt, δy/δt)=(u, v)} in a two-dimensional image, another constraint equation is required because the number of unknown parameters is two. Lucas and Kanade have assumed that the optical flow is constant in a local region of an object.
Suppose the optical flow is constant within a local region ω on an image, for example. In this case, a square error E of a gray scale pattern which is desired to be minimized can be defined by the following equation (2) when the following substitutions, are made:I0(P)=I(x,y,t),I1(p+v)=I(x+u,y+v,t+δt)
                    E        =                              ∑            ω                                                        (                              [                                                                            I                      1                                                                                (                                              p                        +                        v                                            )                                                        -                                                            I                      0                                                                                (                      p                      )                                                                      ]                            )                        2                                              (        2        )
When v is very small, the terms of second and higher degrees in Taylor's dilation can be ignored. Accordingly, at a relationship expressed by the following equation (3) holds:I1(p+v)=I1(p)+g(p)v  (3)
where g (p) is a linear differential of I1 (p).
The error E is minimized when the derivative of E with respect to v is zero. Accordingly, a relationship expressed by the following equation (4) holds:
                                                        0              =                                                                            ∂                                      ∂                    v                                                                  E                                                                                ≈                                                                            ∂                                      ∂                    v                                                                                ∑                    ω                                                                                (                                              [                                                                                I                              1                                                                                (                              p                              )                                                                                +                                                                                g                                                                                (                                p                                )                                                                                v                                                    -                                                                                I                              0                                                                                (                              p                              )                                                                                ]                                            )                                        2                                                                                =                                                                            ∑                  ω                                                                  2                                                                              g                                                                    (                        p                        )                                                                                [                                                                                I                            1                                                                                (                            p                            )                                                                          +                                                                              g                                                                                (                              p                              )                                                                                v                                                -                                                                              I                            0                                                                                (                            p                            )                                                                                ]                                                                                (        4        )
Therefore, the optical flow v is found by the following equation (5):
                    v        ≈                                            ∑              ω                                                                  g                                                  (                  p                  )                                                                          [                                                                            I                      0                                                                                (                      p                      )                                                        -                                                            I                      1                                                                                (                      p                      )                                                                      ]                                                                        ∑              ω                                                                  g                                                  (                  p                  )                                            2                                                          (        5        )
Furthermore, the optical flow can be found with high precision by Newton-Raphson iteration, as expressed by the following equation (6):
                              v                      k            +            1                          =                              v            k                    +                                    ∑                                                g                  k                                                                  [                                                            I                      0                                        -                                          I                      I                      k                                                        ]                                                                    ∑                                                (                                      g                    k                                    )                                2                                                                        (        6        )            I1k=I1(p+vk),gk=g(p+vk),I0=I0(p)
(2) Hierarchical Estimation Method
The largest problem of the gradient methods, including the Lucas-Kanade method, is that they cannot be applied to a large motion because a good initial value is required. Therefore, a method of producing images respectively having resolutions which differ at several levels like a pyramid hierarchical structure to solve the problem has been conventionally proposed.
Images having resolutions which differ at several levels are first previously produced from each of two consecutive images. An approximate optical flow is then calculated between the images having the lowest resolution. A more precise optical flow is calculated between the images having resolutions which are higher by one level. The processing is successively repeated until the optical flow is calculated between the images having the highest resolution.
FIG. 4, FIG. 3, FIG. 2, and FIG. 1 respectively illustrate an original image, an image having a lower resolution than that of the original image shown in FIG. 4, an image having a lower resolution than that of the image having a low resolution shown in FIG. 3, and an image having a lower resolution than that of the image having a low resolution shown in FIG. 2. In FIGS. 1 to 4, S indicates one patch.
An optical flow is gradually found from the image shown in FIG. 1 (an image in a hierarchy 1), the image shown in FIG. 2 (an image in a hierarchy 2), the image shown in FIG. 3 (an image in a hierarchy 3), and the image shown in FIG. 4 (an image in a hierarchy 4) in this order. In FIGS. 1 to 4, an arrow indicates an optical flow vector found for each patch.
However, the problem is that in a real image, there are few regions containing sufficient texture, so that a reliable optical flow is not obtained.
[2] Description of Optical Flow Calculation Method Developed by Applicant
An optical flow calculation method developed by the applicant of the present invention presupposes hierarchical estimation for producing images having resolutions which differ at several levels like a pyramid hierarchical structure to gradually calculate an optical flow. A method of calculating an optical flow conforms to a gradient method such as the Lucas-Kanade method. That is, it presupposes an optical flow estimation method using a hierarchically structured gradient method. The Lucas-Kanade method is used as the gradient method.
The optical flow estimation method developed by the applicant of the present invention is characterized in that an optical flow obtained in each of stages of the optical flow estimation method using the hierarchically structured Lucas-Kanade method is filled by dilation processing. This will be described in detail below.
One of advantages of the Lucas-Kanade method is that the result of tracking has confidence. Tomasi and Kanade have showed that the trackability of a region can be calculated from image derivatives as follows (C. Tomasi and Kanade, "Shape and Motion from Image Streams: a Factorization method-Part 3 Detection and Tracking of Point Features," CMU-CS-91-132, Carnegie Mellon University, 1991).
From a 2×2 matrix of coefficients G in the following equation (7) having as elements the squares of differentials in the vertical and horizontal directions of an image ω in a region, its eigenvalues are calculated, thereby making it possible to determine the trackability of the region:
                    G        =                              ∑                          p              ∈              ω                                                                    g                                            (                p                )                                                                                g                                                  (                  p                  )                                            T                                                          (        7        )
When both the eigenvalues of the matrix G are large, the region changes in orthogonal directions, and can be uniquely positioned. Consequently, the confidence γ of the result of tracking can be obtained by the following equation (8) from the smaller eigenvalue λmin and a gray scale residual E between the regions after the tracking:
                    γ        =                              λ            min                    E                                    (        8        )
The inventors and others of the present invention have developed a method of interpolating a region having low confidence using the result having high confidence in the same hierarchy in an optical flow. This uses the result in a hierarchy at the next coarser resolution level for only an initial value for tracking and does not utilize the result in a hierarchy at the current resolution level which is paid attention to. Alternatively, it is assumed that an optical flow in a region which is hardly textured has a value close to optical flows in its surrounding regions, to fill a flow field by morphology processing.
FIG. 5 shows how flow vector dilation processing is performed.
The left drawing represents a map of the confidence of a flow vector on a gray scale. It is assumed that the blacker the map is, the higher the confidence is.
Obtained flow is first subjected to threshold processing. A white portion is subjected to threshold processing because the result has low confidence.
The dilation processing of the result in the flow field is then performed as follows in imitation of hole filling processing using a morphology operation in a binary image. A flow vector u(i, j) in coordinates i,j of a region can be calculated, as expressed by the following equation (9), upon being weighted depending on confidence γ from flow vectors at its four vicinities:
                                                                        u                                                  (                                      i                    ,                    j                                    )                                            =                                                ∑                                      p                    ,                    q                                                                                γ                                                                    (                                                                              i                            +                            p                                                    ,                                                      j                            +                            q                                                                          )                                                              ×                                          u                                                                    (                                                                              i                            +                            p                                                    ,                                                      j                            +                            q                                                                          )                                                                                γ                    A                                                                                (                                      p                    ,                    q                                    )                                =                                  (                                      0                    ,                    1                                    )                                            ,                              (                                  0                  ,                                      -                    1                                                  )                            ,                              (                                                      -                    1                                    ,                  0                                )                            ,                              (                                  1                  ,                  0                                )                                                                                γ                A                            =                                                ∑                                      p                    ,                    q                                                                                γ                                                        (                                                                  i                        +                        p                                            ,                                              j                        +                        q                                                              )                                                                                (        9        )
The processing is repeated until all regions having low confidence which have been subjected to threshold processing are filled. The filling processing is performed in each hierarchy. The flow vector u(i, j) in the coordinates i,j of the region may be calculated upon being weighted depending on confidence γ from flow vectors at its eight vicinities.
FIG. 6a illustrates an optical flow which has been subjected to threshold processing for an image in a hierarchy, and FIG. 6b illustrates an optical flow after filling. In FIG. 6a, arrows are optical flow vectors whose confidence is judged to be high by the threshold processing, and X marks indicate portions whose confidence is judged to be low.
[3] Description of Stitching Technique of Images
The applicant of the present invention has developed a technique (image stitching software) for calculating a geometric transform factor between images and stitching a plurality of images picked up on the basis of the calculated geometric transform factor.
In the image stitching software developed by the applicant of the present invention, when a plurality of images picked up in a two-dimensional arrangement are connected to one another to produce one composite image, the plurality of images picked up are arranged in a two-dimensional manner on a monitor screen such that the respective arrangement positions conform to an actual relative positional relationship. A pair of adjacent images from which an overlapped portion should be extracted is determined utilizing information related to the arrangement positions (the relative positional relationship between the images), to extract for the adjacent images the overlapped portion of the images. Utilizing the overlapped portion of the images extracted for the adjacent images, a correspondence between feature points is established for the adjacent pixels. The feature points between which a correspondence is established for the adjacent images are utilized, to calculate a geometric transform factor for the adjacent images and stitch all the images utilizing the geometric transform factor calculated for the adjacent images.
In the present conditions, when the plurality of images picked up are arranged in a two-dimensional manner on a monitor screen such that their respective arrangement positions conform to the actual relative positional relationship, a user sets the arrangement position for each of the images. Therefore, an operation for arranging the plurality of images picked up in a two-dimensional manner on the monitor screen is troublesome. Further, the user sets the arrangement positions of the images picked up one at a time, so that errors in the arrangement of the images are liable to occur.

Image synthesizer, image synthesis method and computer readable recording medium having image synthesis processing program recorded thereon


The electric rotating machine includes a stator having an inner hole, a rotor disposed in the inner hole of the stator with a gap with an inner periphery of the stator and formed with magnet housing holes each housing a permanent magnet as a magnetic pole embedded in the outer periphery of the rotor, and a shaft pressure-inserted into a center hole of the rotor. The rotor includes, for each adjacent two of the magnet housing holes, a beam portion formed radially outside the magnet housing holes, a projecting portion projecting radially inward to define the center hole, an extension portion formed radially outside the projecting portion and radially outside the magnet holes, and a plate-shaped bridge portion connecting the beam portion and the extension portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric rotating machine.
2. Description of Related Art
There is known an electric rotating machine having a structure in which the outer peripheral surface of a fitting portion of a shaft fitted into a center hole a core of a rotor is provided with axially extending convex lines formed by knurling, and the circumferential wall surface of the center hole of the core is formed with an engaging portion which engage with the convex lines to control the mutual circumferential rotation between the shaft and the core. For example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2011-239612.
Generally, the core of the rotor of a common electric rotating machine is made by laminating electromagnetic steel sheets having a high hardness. Accordingly, the core is harder than the shaft. Therefore, there is a concern that the shaft cannot be pressure-inserted into the center hole of the core with a sufficiently high insertion accuracy, and chips occur during the insertion. In this regard, the foregoing knurled shaft structure as described in the above patent document can provide a sufficiently high insertion accuracy of the shaft and lessen the stress in the circumferential direction, because there are formed relief spaces for the projections of the engaging portion of the core between each adjacent two of the convex lines of the shaft, and there are formed relief spaces for the concave lines of the shaft between each adjacent two of the projections of the engaging portion of the core.
However, the above knurled shaft structure still involves the problem that a large stress occurs in the radial direction when the shaft is pressure-inserted into the center hole of the core.


A method for wiping and cleaning a windshield for a vehicle includes rotating a pair of circular windshield portions of the windshield against a brush containing moisture, and an apparatus therefor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for wiping and a windshield for vehicles such as motor vehicles. The present invention, more particularly, relates to a novel method for wiping and cleaning a windshield which comprises rotating a pair of circular windshield portions of the windshield against a moist brush.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of windshield wiper assemblies for vehicles are well known in the art. Such windshield wiper assemblies suffer from a number of problems such as, for example, (a) when a pair of windshield wipers of such windshield assemblies operate on the surface of the windshield of the vehicles, since the wipers have a certain length and perform with a reciprocal angular movement, the windshield wipers obscures the vision of a driver and a passenger, and (b) the pair of windshield wipers of such windshield wiper assemblies can only wipe a certain portion of the windshield. Therefore, the driver cannot safely drive the vehicle since there is no clear field of view.