Internet Protocol captioned telephone service often utilizing Automated Speech Recognition can be utilized with conference calls to separate out each of the various parties' speech as text, such as with text bubbles differentiated by caller on a device of the user. Additionally, a prioritized vocabulary can be provided for each user that is not shared with a public so that if the user utilizes words in their speech not common in the general public, those words can be more accurately identified by the telephone service. The service may learn and apply that vocabulary and/or the user may provide words to the service.

Ever since the telephone was invented individuals with hearing loss have struggled to communicate on it. Hearing the person on the other end of the call is a major problem for a hard of hearing user and the traditional PSTN (Public Switch Telephone Network) has never been configured to accommodate this need. Historically, the use of a relay service has been the solution. A relay service traditionally involves a third-party operator that helps facilitate communication between the two parties on a call. The first relay service used a TTY (Teletypewriter) that allowed the hearing-impaired user to read what the other party was saying. It would work by having the far end caller speak, then operator would listen to what was being said and then type it word for word, in essence "relaying the message". The individual with hearing loss would then read conversation that the relay operator sent.
As technology changed so did relay services. The latest iteration of the relay service is IPCTS (Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service). IPCTS functions much in the same way as the traditional relay service except it relies on technology such as the internet and computers to speed up the transmission of the captions to the end user. IPCTS currently operates in one of two ways. First, by using a CA (Captioning Assistant) who listens to the conversation and then re-voices it to a computer. The computer then uses voice recognition software to turn the CA's speech into text which is then sent to the end user to read. A competing method of IPCTS uses highly trained transcriptionists that listen to the conversation and then retype every word which is ultimately sent to the user. In both cases the human CAs or Transcriptionists are an integral part of the conversation and service. Thanks to continued advances in technology computers are finally surpassing humans in accuracy and efficiency. ASR (Automated Speech Recognition) is the next major leap forward in IPCTS. Some IPCTS providers are beginning to experiment with a new "hybrid" approach where their call centers give the CA the ability to switch between ASR and the CA computer re-voicing to provide a better experience for the hearing-impaired user. A current U.S. Pat. No. 10,044,854, incorporated herein by reference, is one such improvement.
One feature of IPCTS is that the captioned text is not stored on a server controlled by the IPCTS. Such storage is currently expressly forbidden by the Federal Communication Commission. Once the text is sent, it cannot be recalled by the IPCTS.
Another issue arises for IPCTS users when a doctor or other party calls them on a line that is not associated with an IPCTS service.
Additionally, problems arise for IPCTS users through the prospects of potentially having a conference call. Current IPCTS systems could not handle well, and certainly could not separate out, which parties said what.
Finally, another problem is created by traditional automated speech recognition (ASR) software. Most versions of modern ASR software preferentially "recognize" commonly used words. If someone lives in an odd area such as an area dominated by awkwardly spelled terms, particularly those in low population areas (such as Chuathbaluk or Kupreanof, Ak., etc.), much ASR technology would not normally properly recognize some words. This same problem can happen when trying to identify highly technical language utilized in some fields such as medicine (such as prophylaxis, etc.) and others. While there are software programs that can customize preferred words to specific individual's likely usage, no party is known to employ such software with IPCTS.
The applicant appreciates improvements have been made in the field of IPCTS, but still further improvements are believed to be desirable to provide improved services for at least users with hearing loss.

Captioned telephone services improvement


A differential assembly includes a housing defining a space containing a volume of hydraulic fluid, the housing including interior surfaces. A gear that rotates in the housing includes surfaces that pass through the fluid as the gear rotates and on which the fluid is carried to the interior surfaces of the housing. A bearing located in the housing is supplied with fluid from a fluid path that hydraulically connects the interior surfaces and the bearing.

This invention relates to lubrication in a differential mechanism for a motor vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates generally to a system for directing lubricant from the interior wall of a cover for an axle differential to bearings and a seal located either adjacent to the bearing or at the wheel end.
Providing reliable flow of lubrication to the bearings of a differential mechanism, wheel bearings and seals has many challenges. Vehicle incline, cover and carrier geometry and variable speeds are parameters that must be taken into account. In general, lubricating the position behind the ring gear mounting face is a matter of fluid flow management. Differential case ribs, ring gear bolts and the proximity of the carrier wall move a significant amount of lubricant along the side and toward the pinion bearings and this differential position. In most cases, adjusting the entry and exit ports to capture and maintain adequate lubricant is all that is required.
It is more difficult, however, to provide lubrication to the bearing located on the carrier farthest away from the ring gear. Cover geometry, differential case openings and the distance of that bearing from the gear teeth all impede lubricant flow from reaching that bearing. This condition is further aggravated at low speed, when the flow rate of lubricant being directed to the vicinity of the bearing is reduced.

Lubrication system for differential mechanism


A process for the preparation of toner compositions with excellent humidity characteristics and comprised of resin particles, and pigment particles which comprises adding thereto metal oxide particles surface treated with a metal salt complex charge enhancing additive.

The present invention is generally directed to toners, developers, and imaging processes, including a process for forming multicolor, including two-color, images, and more specifically, the present invention is directed to a process for controlling the relative humidity of colored toners by the addition thereto of colloidal silica particles surface treated or coated with a charge control additive. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a process for effecting a reduction in the humidity sensitivity of colored, especially red, toners by adding to the toner a metal oxide, such as AEROSIL.RTM. R972, which has been treated or coated with a metal salt complex charge additive, such as bis{4-[(3',5'-dinitro-2'-hydroxybenzene)azo]-3-hydroxy-2-naphthanilide} chromate (-1) hydrogen, commercially available as AIZEN SPILON BLACK TRH.RTM., from Hodogaya Chemical, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,040, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. The resulting toners are particularly useful in color imaging and printing systems, such as trilevel xerography. In embodiments of the present invention, the toner obtained can be utilized at a range of relative humidities of, for example, from about 10 to about 90 percent without any substantial change in its electrical characteristics in two-color imaging processes, which in an embodiment comprises charging an imaging member, creating on the member a latent image comprising areas of high, medium, and low potential, developing the low areas of potential with a developer composition, subsequently developing the high areas of potential with a developer composition, transferring the developed image to a substrate, and optionally permanently affixing the image to the substrate, reference for example copending patent application U.S. Ser. No. 706,477 (D/91110), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. The toner in embodiments can be comprised on resin particles, a red negatively charged pigment, a positive charge enhancing additive, such as distearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, and on the surface thereof a component comprised of an AEROSIL.RTM. treated with a metal complex charge additive.
An advantage associated with the present invention is the ability to avoid the substantial loss of the charge level of color toners with a change in relative humidity through the use of charge control additives which when used in significant quantity lead to the deterioration of the color properties. An example of this type of charge control additive is bis{4-[(3',5'-dinitro-2'-hydroxybenzene)azo]-3-hydroxy-2-naphthanilide} chromate (-1) hydrogen (compound 1) commercially available as AIZEN SPILON BLACK TRH.RTM. from Hodogaya Chemical, which is an effective negative charge control agent, particularly for stabilizing charge with a change in humidity, but which is also a black dye, rendering it substantially unsuitable for incorporation into the bulk of colored toners through melt blending. In the bulk, this compound is typically used at loading of 3 to 5 percent by weight, while with the present invention in embodiments this additive, and similar materials have significant effects in reducing the humidity sensitivity when used at loadings of 0.03 percent. This reduction of the amount of additive used by two orders of magnitude allows the use thereof without affecting the color properties of the toner.
The humidity sensitivity of a developer is an important factor in its performance. Developers generally lose some of their charge as humidity increases. If the charge level drops to a low level, for example below 0.2 fc/.mu. as measured in a toner charge spectrograph similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,673, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, the background level will be unacceptabe. Even if the value at high humidity is not unacceptably low, changes in charge level with humidity can be very undesirable. The density developed on the photoreceptor for a given photoreceptor voltage is determined by the charge level of the toner, and a change in charge level can produce an undesirable change in the density of the image on the paper. Changes in toner charging ability can be compensated for by controlling the image voltage or toner concentration through machine control algorithms, but with added complexity. Thus, decreases in charge level up to 80 percent when changing from cold/dry to hot/wet conditions can be controlled to some extent, and usable developers can be made when the drop in charge level between extremes is 50 to 60 percent or less. In the latter situation, the control algorithms may not be able to respond immediately, leading to a temporary deterioration in image quality. Improvements in humidity sensitivity with the processes of the present invention can provide more consistent developed mass densities, and therefore, excellent optical densities over a range of relative humidities from 10 to 90 percent.
In full color copiers the cyan, magenta, and yellow toners are usually blended in well controlled ratios to obtain the desired color. The relative amount of each toner deposited on the photoreceptor and thus blended to obtain a color is strongly affected by the charge level on the toner. A small change in the charge level of any one of the cyan, magenta, or yellow can cause an undesirable shift in the final blended color unless compensated for by adjusting other machine conditions. This adds more complexity to the control conditions, and renders it even more desirable to reduce developer humidity sensitivity. Color pigments are often quite humidity sensitive, while some of the most effective charge control agents for reducing humidity sensitivity are highly colored when used at typical effective concentrations.
The present invention allows the use of colored charge control agents at concentrations of from about 0.005 to about 0.1 percent, or low enough so that they do not adversely affect the color of a developer. In embodiments, a class of colored charge control additives can reduce the drop in charge level when moving between extremes in humidity from about 50 percent to about 25 percent, thus affecting a factor of two improvement in the stability and controllability of the developer.
In a patentability search report the following United States patents are recited: U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,598 which illustrates a process for the preparation of silica based charge additives by the reaction of a tetraalkoxysilane with an alcoholic alkaline solution in the presence of a soluble charge additive, see the Abstract for example; and as background interest U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,983,045; 4,624,907; 4,680,245 and 4,985,328, the disclosures of each of these patents being totally incorporated herein by reference.
Toner compositions with colored pigments are known. For example, there is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,686, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, process for the formation of two color images with a colored developer comprised of a first toner comprised of certain resin particles, such as styrene butadiene, a first pigment such as copper phthalocyanine, a charge control additive, colloidal silica and metal salts of fatty acid external surface additives, and a first carrier comprised of a steel core with, for example, a polymethyl methacrylate overcoating containing known conductive particles of, for example, carbon black such as BLACK PEARLS.RTM. carbon black, available from Columbian Chemicals, present in an effective amount of, for example, from about 1 to about 40 weight percent of the coating, and wherein the coating weight is, for example, from about 0.2 to about 4 weight percent; and a second developer comprised of a black toner, a second charge additive and a steel core carrier with certain polymeric overcoatings, see claim 1 for example. Examples of colored toner pigments are illustrated in column 9, lines 10 to 26, and examples of charge additives for the toner are detailed in column 9, lines 27 to 43, of the aforementioned patent. For the black toner, there can be selected the components as recited in columns 10 and 11, including charge additives such as distearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, see column 11, lines 16 to 32. More specifically, there is illustrated in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,686 a process for forming two-color images which comprises, for example, (1) charging an imaging member in an imaging apparatus; (2) creating on the member a latent image comprising areas of high, intermediate, and low potential; (3) developing the low areas of potential by conductive magnetic brush development with a developer comprising a colored first toner comprising a first resin present in an amount of from about 80 to about 98.8 percent by weight and selected from the group consisting of polyestes, styrene-butadiene polymers, styrene-acrylate polymers, styrene-methacrylate polymers, and mixtures thereof; a first pigment present in an amount of from about 1 to about 15 percent by weight and selected from the group consisting of copper phthalocyanine pigments, quinacridone pigments, azo pigments, rhodamine pigments, and mixtures thereof; a charge control agent present in an amount of from about 0.2 to about 5 percent by weight; colloidal silica surface external additives present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 2 percent by weight; external additives comprising metal salts or metal salts of fatty acids present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 2 percent by weight; and a first carrier comprising a steel core with an average diameter of from about 25 to about 215 microns and a coating selected from the group consisting of methyl terpolymer, polymethyl methacrylate, and a blend of from about 35 to about 65 percent by weight of polymethyl methacrylate and from about 35 to about 65 percent by weight of chlorotrifluoroethylene-vinyl chloride copolymer, wherein the coating contains from 0 to about 40 percent by weight of the coating of conductive particles and wherein the coating weight is from about 0.2 to about 3 percent by weight of the carrier; ( 4) subsequently developing the high areas of potential by conductive magnetic brush development with a developer comprising a black second toner comprising a second resin present in an amount of from about 80 to about 98.8 percent by weight and selected from the group consisting of polyesters, styrene-butadiene polymers, styrene-acrylate polymers, styrene-methacrylate polymers, and mixtures thereof; a second pigment present in an amount of from about 1 to about 15 percent by weight; a second charge control additive present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 6 percent by weight; a second carrier comprising a steel core with an average diameter of from about 25 to about 215 microns and a coating selected from the group consisting of a chlorotrifluoroethylene-vinyl chloride copolymer containing from 0 to about 40 percent by weight of conductive particles at a coating weight of from about 0.4 to about 1.5 percent by weight of the carrier; polyvinylfluoride at a coating weight of from about 0.01 to about 0.2 percent by weight of the carrier; and polyvinylchloride at a coating weight of from about 0.01 to about 0.2 percent by weight of the carrier; and (5) transferring the developed two-color image to a substrate. Imaging members suitable for use with the process of the copending application may be of any type capable of maintaining three distinct levels of potential Generally, various dielectric or photoconductive insulating material suitable for use in xerographic, ionographic, or other electrophotographic processes may be selected for the above process, and suitable photoreceptor materials include amorphous silicon, layered organic materials as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, and the like. One disadvantage associated with the toners and imaging processes of the aforementioned patent include the use of a positive charged pigment, and a positive charge enhancing additive, resulting, it is believed, in images with lower resolutions than that obtained with the invention of the present application in embodiments.
Processes for obtaining electrophotographic, including xerographic, and two-colored images are known, reference for example the following U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,185, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there is illustrated an apparatus for forming two color images by forming a bipolar electrostatic image of a two-color original document on a photoconductive drum; U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,821 discloses a method and apparatus for forming two-color images which employs two magnetic brushes; U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,415, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, illustrates a method of highlight color imaging which comprises providing a layered organic photoreceptor having a red sensitive layer and a short wavelength sensitive layer, subjecting the imaging member to negative charges, followed by subjecting the imaging member to positive charges, imagewise exposing the member, and developing with a colored developer composition comprising positively charged toner components, negatively charged toner components and carrier particles; U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,402, discloses a two-component type dry developer for use in dichromatic electrophotography which comprises two kinds of developers, each of which is comprised of a toner and a carrier; U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,302 discloses a developing process for two-colored electrophotography which comprises charging the surface of a photoreceptor with two photosensitive layers of different spectral sensitivities with one polarity, subsequently charging the photoreceptor with a different polarity, exposing a two-colored original to form electrostatic latent images having different polarities corresponding to the two-colored original, developing one latent image with a first color toner of one polarity, exposing the photoreceptor to eliminate electric charges with the same polarity as the first color toner which are induced on the surface of the photoreceptor in the vicinity of the latent image developed by the first color toner, and developing the other latent image with a second color toner charged with a polarity different from that of the first color toner; U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,616 discloses a method of developing electrostatic latent images by selectively extracting colored grains of one polarity from a mixture thereof having opposite polarity to each other in the presence of an alternating field, followed by development of the electrostatic image by the selectively extracted colored grains; U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,117 discloses an electrophotographic method for forming two-colored images which comprises uniformly charging the surface of a photoreceptor having a conductive surface and a photoconductive layer sensitive to a first color formed on the conductive substance, followed by exposing a two-colored original to form on the photoconductive layer a latent image corresponding to a second color region in the original with the same polarity as the electric charges on the surface of the photoconductive layer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,447, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, illustrated an image forming method which comprises forming on a photosensitive member an electrostatic latent image having at least three different levels of potentials, or comprising first and second latent images and developing the first and second latent images with a three component developer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,281 discloses a method of forming dichromatic copy images by forming an electrostatic latent image having a first image portion and a second image portion, and wherein the first image portion is developed by a first magnetic brush with a magnetic toner of a first color that is chargeable to a specific polarity, and the second image portion is developed by a second magnetic brush with a mixture of a magnetic carrier substantially not chargeable with the magnetic toner and a nonmagnetic toner of a second color chargeable to a polarity opposite to that of the magnetic toner by contact with the magnetic carrier; U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,129, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, illustrates a method of forming dichromatic copy images with a developer composed of a high-resistivity magnetic carrier and a nonmagnetic insulating toner, which are triboelectrically chargeable; an electrostatic latent image having at least three different levels of potential is formed and the toner and carrier are adhered, respectively, onto the first and second image portions; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,883, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, illustrates a method of forming composite or dichromatic images which comprises forming on an imaging member electrostatic latent images having at least three different potential levels, the first and second latent images being represented, respectively, by a first potential and a second potential relative to a common background potential.
The process of charging a photoresponsive imaging member to a single polarity and creating on it an image of at least three different levels, trilevel, of potential of the same polarity is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,929, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. This patent discloses a method of creating two colored images by creating on an imaging surface a charge pattern including an area of first charge as a background area, a second area of greater voltage than the first area, and a third area of lesser voltage than the first area with the second and third areas functioning as image areas. The charge pattern is developed in a first step with positively charged toner particles of a first color and, in a subsequent development step, developed with negatively charged toner particles of a second color. Alternatively, charge patterns may be developed with a dry developer containing toners of two different colors in a single development step. According to the teachings of this patent, however, the images produced are of inferior quality compared to those developed in two successive development steps. Also of interest with respect to the trilevel process for generating images is U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,163, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. The aforementioned processes may be selected with the toners obtained with the process of the present invention.
The photoresponsive imaging member can be negatively charged, positively charged, or both, and the latent image formed on the surface may be comprised of either a positive or a negative potential, or both. In one embodiment, the image comprises three distinct levels of potential, all being of the same polarity. The levels of potential should be well differentiated, such that they are separated by at least 100 volts, and preferably 200 volts or more. For example, a latent image on an imaging member can comprise areas of potential at -800, -400, and -100 volts. In addition, the levels of potential may comprise ranges of potential. For example, a latent image may be comprised of a high level of potential ranging from about -500 to about -800 volts, an intermediate level of potential of about -400 volts, and a low level ranging from about -100 to about -300 volts. An image having levels of potential that range over a broad area may be created such that gray areas of one color are developed in the high range and gray areas of another color are developed in the low range with 100 volts of potential separating the high and low ranges and constituting the intermediate, undeveloped range. In this situation, from 0 to about 100 volts may separate the high level of potential from the intermediate level of potential, and from 0 to about 100 volts may separate the intermediate level of potential from the low level of potential. When a layered organic photoreceptor is employed, preferred potential ranges are from about -700 to about -850 volts for the high level of potential, from about -350 to about -450 volts for the intermediate level of potential, and from about -100 to about -180 volts for the low level of potential. These values will differ, depending upon the type of imaging member selected.
Moreover, illustrated in copending application U.S. Ser. No. 500,335/91 (D/89404), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, are developers, toners and imaging processes thereof. In an embodiment of the copending application, there is provided a process for forming two-color images which comprises (1) charging an imaging member in an imaging apparatus; (2) creating on the member a latent image comprising areas of high, intermediate, and low potential; (3) developing the low areas of potential by, for example, conductive magnetic brush development with a developer comprising carrier particles, and a colored first toner comprised of resin particles, colored, other than black, pigment particles, and an aluminum complex charge enhancing additive; (4) subsequently developing the high areas of potential by conductive magnetic brush development with a developer comprising a second black developer comprised of carrier particles and a toner comprised of resin, black pigment, such as carbon black, and a charge enhancing additive; (5) transferring the developed two-color image to a suitable substrate; and (6) fixing the image thereto. In an embodiment of the aforementioned copending application the first developer comprises, for example, a first toner comprised of resin present in an effective amount of from, for example, about 70 to about 98 percent by weight, which resin can be selected from the group consisting of polyesters, styrene butadiene polymers, styrene acrylate polymers, styrene methacrylate polymers, PLIOLITES.RTM., crosslinked styrene acrylates, crosslinked styrene methacrylates, and the like wherein the crosslinking component is, for example, divinyl benzene, and mixtures thereof; a first colored blue, especially PV FAST BLUE.RTM. pigment present in an effective amount of from, for example, about 1 to about 15 percent by weight, and preferably from about 5 to about 10 weight percent; an aluminum complex charge enhancing additive; and a second developer comprised of a second toner comprised of resin present in an effective amount of from, for example, about 70 to about 98 percent by weight, which resin can be selected from the group consisting of polyesters, styrene butadiene polymers, styrene acrylate polymers, styrene methacrylate polymers, PLIOLITES.RTM., crosslinked styrene acrylates, crosslinked styrene methacrylates, and the like wherein the crosslinking component is, for example, divinyl benzene, and mixtures thereof; and a black pigment present in an effective amount of from, for example, about 1 to about 15 percent by weight, and preferably from about 1 to about 5 weight percent wherein the aforementioned black toner contains a charge enhancing additive such as an alkyl pyridinium halide, and preferably cetyl pyridinium chloride, and in a preferred embodiment the black toner is comprised of 92 percent by weight of a styrene-n-butyl methylmethacrylate copolymer (58/42), 6 percent by weight of REGAL.RTM. 330 carbon black, and 2 percent by weight of the charge enhancing additive cetyl pyridinium chloride.
Illustrated in copending application U.S. Ser. No. 547,364 (D/90099), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, is a process for forming two-color images which comprises (1) charging an imaging member in an imaging apparatus; (2) creating on the member a latent image comprising areas of high, intermediate, and low potential; (3) developing the low areas of potential by, for example, conductive magnetic brush development with a developer comprising carrier particles, and a colored first toner comprised of resin, a positively charging pigment, and a negatively charging pigment; (4) subsequently developing the high areas of potential by conductive magnetic brush development with a developer comprising a second developer comprised of carrier particles and a toner comprised of resin, black pigment, such as carbon black, and a charge enhancing additive; (5) transferring the developed two-color image to a suitable substrate; and (6) fixing the image thereto.
Also illustrated are "Toner Processes with Metal Oxides" and "Processes for the Preparation of Composites and Toners Thereof" in copending applications U.S. Ser. No. 739,071 (D/91104) and U.S. Ser. No. 544,290 (D/90080), respectively, the disclosures of which are totally incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Ser. No. 739,071, the use of metal oxides as toner additives avoids or minimizes scavengeless electrode contamination and in the U.S. Ser. No. 544,290 a process for preparing treated metal oxides, for example fine particle hydrophobic silicas, using a fluid bed is described.


A vehicle seat headrest (14) is mounted on a vehicle seat back (12) for infinite position vertical adjustment by helical spring clamping and unclamping of a support shaft of the headrest.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a positioner for adjustably positioning a headrest on a vehicle seat back and also relates to a vehicle headrest positioning assembly that includes the positioner.
2. Background Art
Vehicle seat backs conventionally include headrests that are vertically adjustable to a finite number of positions by a latching mechanism. Such latching mechanisms conventionally include a pair of support shafts that support the headrest and also include seat back mounted sockets one of which includes a latch mechanism. The shaft received within the socket having the latch mechanism includes vertically spaced notches that permit the adjustment of the headrest for positioning in one of the selected positions.

Adjustable positioner for vehicle seat back headrest


An electric junction box where a connector receiving section is provided in a case that receives an internal circuit, and where a connector that is connected to a wire harness terminal is fitted in the connector receiving section. In the electric junction box, a peripheral wall of the connector receiving section is of a square frame shape, a flexible section is formed by cutting the peripheral wall, a locking hole is formed in the flexible section, a locking claw is provided at the connector fitted in the connector receiving section, the claw being at a position that faces the locking hole of the flexible section. When the locking claw of the connector is inserted into and engaged with the locking hole of the flexible section, the connector is joined in a locking manner to the connector receiving section.

Conventionally connector accommodation parts from which tabs provided in an internal circuit composed of bus bars and the like are projected are formed on the outer surface of the case of the electric junction box which is mounted on a car. By fitting connectors connected with terminals of electric wires in the connector accommodation parts respectively, the tabs inside the connector accommodation parts and terminals connected with the electric wires are connected to each other respectively so that the internal circuit of the electric junction box and the electric wires are connected with each other.
The present applicant proposed an electric junction box for connecting electric wires and the internal circuit of the electric junction box with each other by fitting connectors connected with terminals of electric wires in the connector accommodation parts respectively, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-135717 (patent document 1). As shown in FIG. 8, the groove 3a is formed on the peripheral wall 3 of the connector accommodation part 2 provided on the outer surface of the case of the electric junction box 1. The flexible locking piece is provided on the outer surface of the connector. The locking claw is provided on the locking piece. The locking claw is locked to the groove 3a to lock the connector to the connector accommodation part 2. The locking piece of the connector is unlocked from the locking claw not with a jig but manually to remove the connector from the connector accommodation part 2. Because the locking piece of the connector can be flexed manually, the locking piece is large. Thus the electric junction box of the patent document 1 has a problem that it has a large connector accommodation part.
Because as described above, the locking piece of the connector can be easily flexed, the protection wall 4 projected into the connector accommodation part 2 is provided at both sides of the groove 3a of the connector accommodation part 2 to prevent an external interference member from interfering with the locking piece so that the locking claw is accidentally unlocked from the groove. Thus inside the connector accommodation part 2, it is necessary to form a space in which the protection wall 4 is provided. Thus the connector accommodation part 2 is large, which causes the electric junction box to be large.
The connector fitted in the connector accommodation part of the electric junction box is hardly removed. In many cases, it is unnecessary that the connector is required to be removably mounted on the connector accommodation part.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-135717


Disclosed is a system, method, and article of manufacture for agent processing. In particular, an agent may be executed within an address space of an invoking process that invoked the agent or may be executed in a separate address space. While the agent is processing, the execution of the agent within the address space of the invoking process may be switched to execution of the agent within the separate address space. Similarly, while the agent is processing, the execution of the agent in the separate address space may be switched to execution of the agent in the address space of the invoking process. Moreover, if the invoking process terminates before completing processing, when the invoking process restarts, the invoking process redetermines which agents should be executed in separate address spaces based on information stored before the invoking process terminated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a method, system, and article of manufacture for agent processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A client computer on which client applications run may be connected by a network, such as the Internet, to a server computer. The Internet is a world-wide collection of connected computer networks (i.e., a network of networks). The server computer may be connected to several low level devices. One type of low level device is a redundant array of independent disks (RAID). A RAID device enables storage of the same data on multiple hard disks, thus allowing simultaneous accesses to the copies of data.
When a client application desires to access a low level device to, for example, retrieve data about the low level device (e.g., whether the low level device is online and available for use or offline and not available for use), the client application submits a request for the data to, for example, the server computer connected to the low level device. The server computer generates a process to handle the client application's request. The process is assigned a portion of memory, which is referred to as the address space of the process.
Moreover, agents implemented in software at the server computer may be used to handle low level device interactions. An agent performs some function, such as retrieving data about a low level device. Thus, the server computer may generate an agent to fulfill the client application's request.
In many cases, the agents may access hardware or third party libraries that have unknown stability levels (e.g., crash often). In some systems, the agents run in the same address space as the process (e.g., a server process) that executed the agents. If agents are permitted to run within the same address space as a process, when one agent fails (e.g., because it is accessing an unstable device), the entire process fails and must be restarted. If the process generates multiple agents, then the failure of one agent causes the termination of all of the agents. This, of course, causes disruptions for a client application.
A Common Gateway Interface (CGI) is a specification for transferring information between a World Wide Web ("Web") server and a CGI program. A CGI program may send multiple CGI requests (i.e., requests from a CGI program) to a Web server. Each request is handled by a CGI process, and each CGI process uses a separate address space. For example, if three CGI processes are invoked, each CGI process has a separate address space, resulting in the use of three different address spaces.
FastCGI is a programming interface that can speed up Web applications that use the Common Gateway Interface (CGI). In particular, FastCGI is a plug-in to a Web server computer that processes CGI requests received from a client computer. FastCGI manages multiple CGI requests with a single process that uses a single address space. Thus, if three CGI requests are received a the server computer, one CGI process using one address space handles all three CGI requests.
Thus, there is a need in the art for improved agent execution.

Method, system, and article of manufacture for agent processing


An outdoor unit includes an outdoor unit control circuit, an inverter substrate and a compressor. Periodic communication showing the operating condition of the inverter substrate is set from the inverter substrate to the outdoor unit control circuit. Thus, when the communication is performed normally, the drive of the compressor is changed to a power saving process according to the necessity of the power consumption and the operating condition of the inverter substrate. When the communication is defective, the power-on reset is done to the inverter substrate.

When it is determined that a defect is generated in an actuator such as a compressor, a fan, an evaporation valve, a four-way switch valve or a crank case heater in an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, that fact is reported. Conventionally, an operator recognizes that defect report and manually restarts the operation. In addition, a technique in which actuators are checked periodically by a hardware generally called a watchdog timer is proposed. However, the manual restart poses a task for the operator, and a new hardware is required for adopting the watchdog timer.
In addition, the following documents relate to the present invention.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-346425    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-335047    Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-262452

Outdoor unit of air conditioner and its control method


The present invention relates to a disc brake having a housing, a clamping device, a push rod, and a self-activating adjustment device, whereby the adjustment device includes a first subassembly and a second subassembly. According to the invention the adjustment device includes an assembling joint, which makes possible the transmission of a rotary motion from the first subassembly to the second subassembly, whereby the assembling joint allows an axial relative motion between the first subassembly and the second subassembly, whereby the assembling joint permits an axial relative motion between the first subassembly and the second subassembly of the adjustment device. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, a misalignment of the push rod inside a place, which lies parallel to the brake disc, can occur with respect to the housing, without resulting in jamming of the cylindrical element with respect to the push rod and housing.

Publication WO 91/19115 describes a disc brake with a self-activating adjustment device. The clamping device of this disc brake contains a cam lever, which can rotate around an axis parallel to the brake disc plane and works jointly by way of a cross tie rod with one or two adjusting spindles, against which a brake lining is supported. Both adjusting spindles are coupled by means of a toothed belt. Protruding into an opening in one adjusting spindle is a rotary drive, which can be driven by the cam lever and, during the engaging stroke, causes screwing motion of one adjusting spindle and thereby, by the toothed belt, also of the other adjusting spindle in the direction approaching the brake disc. The rotary drive contains a one-way coupling as well as a torque-limiting coupling, through which a screwing motion of the adjusting spindles is prevented during the firm braking stroke and the releasing stroke.
Publication EP 0 730 107 B1 describes a disc brake with a push rod, which extends parallel to the brake disc plane and which, upon activation of a clamping device while twisting a clamping element, presses a brake lining against the brake disc in the direction of the axis of a brake disc. The disc brake has an adjustment device with a one-way coupling and a friction clutch for self-activating, abrasion-dependent adjusting of the free play between the brake lining and the brake disc, so that the entire adjustment device is coupled with the push rod in such a way that, upon braking, it follows its motion in the direction of the brake disc axis.
It is the object of the present invention to design a disc brake with simple means in such a way that a safe-functioning adjustment is ensured.


A new and distinct cultivar of Campanula plant named ‘PKML01’, characterized by having compact, upright plant habit; dense and bushy plant form; vigorous growth habit and large upright violet-blue flowers.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Campanula plant, botanically known as Campanula lasiocarpa Cham., commonly known as Bellflower, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'PKML01'.
The new Campanula, 'PKML01', is a product of a planned mutant selection and monitoring program conducted by the inventor, Gert K. Jensen, in Søhus, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to develop a new Campanula variety with small violet-blue flowers.
The new Campanula cultivar, 'PKML01', was isolated by the inventor in 2002 in Søhus, Denmark, by seedling selection following self-pollination of the maternal Campanula lasiocarpa Cham. plant designated '2229' (unpatented). The inventor selected the new Campanula cultivar on the basis of its violet-blue flowers and sturdy, compact and freely flowering habit. Plants of the new Campanula cultivar are more upright and compact and more freely flowering than plants of the maternal parent.
Asexual reproduction of the new Campanula cultivar by terminal cuttings taken and propagated since January of 2002 in Søhus, Denmark, has shown that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true-to-type.


An air conditioning system has a plurality of profile elements which are attached to the ceiling of a room and arranged to extend in line in such a manner as to define with the ceiling surface and a wall surface a channel-like space, and an air conditioner and accessories thereof. The profile elements are classified into a plurality of groups in terms of length but have the same cross-sectional configuration, so that they do not spoil the appearance of the interior of the room in which the air conditioning system is installed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioning system which includes an air conditioner and accessories thereof, such as an air cleaner, deodorizer, circulator and ventilator, and which is suitable for installation in a room.
2. Description of the Prior Art
According to a known technique, an air conditioner is installed in a room by utilizing a lowered ceiling section which is formed as a stepped ceiling section abutting against the upper part of the wall, the air conditioner being buried in this lowered ceiling section. An example of this technique is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 61-23626, according to which an L-shaped panel is attached to such a lowered ceiling section in such a manner as to cover the surface of an air conditioner buried in the lowered ceiling section. This panel is provided with inlet and outlet openings for air which are opposed respectively to the inlet and outlet openings of the air conditioner.
In the above prior-art technique, a recess is formed in a lowered ceiling section of a room, and the air conditioner is arranged in this cavity. Accordingly, the technique cannot be applied to a room having no such lowered ceiling section. That is, the technique can only be applied to limited types of rooms. Further, the technique requires a step of forming a recess in which the air conditioner is to be mounted. Moreover, when the room is to be further equipped with accessories of the air conditioner, such as an air cleaner and a deodorizer, a similar step has to be conducted for each of such accessories. This requires much labor and expenditure. In addition, it is very difficult to change the positions of the devices afterwards. Accordingly, it is difficult to install such devices at positions which are exactly in compliance with the customer's request.


The present invention provides a fast and efficient retransmission technique, which allows a link control layer to request retransmission of frames upon receiving information from an underlying physical layer that an unsuccessful attempt to transmit data was detected. In general, a failed attempt to transmit a frame is detected at a physical layer of a receiver. In response, the physical layer of the receiver sends a message to a link control layer of the receiver to indicate the failed attempt to transmit a frame was detected. Upon receipt of the message, the link control layer sends a retransmission message to a corresponding link control layer of a sender. The retransmission message is configured to cause the sender to retransmit the unrecoverable data associated with the corrupted frame.

A major objective of layer 2 protocols in wireless access networks is to provide improved radio link quality and reliability by implementing a retransmission mechanism for non-delay-sensitive services and applications. For the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) standard, the radio link protocol (RLP) uses automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocol. An Internet Protocol (IP) based RLP design allows an RLP frame to encapsulate an IP packet or fragment of an IP packet. Each RLP frame header includes a sequence number to maintain the integrity of RLP frames flowing over the wireless link. In a negative acknowledgment (NAK) based RLP ARQ scheme, after identifying the loss of an RLP frame at the receiver side RLP entity, a NAK message is sent to the transmitter side RLP entity. The NAK message triggers a retransmission of the RLP frame by the transmitter side RLP entity. Lost RLP frames are determined by checking the sequence numbers of RLP frames. Once an RLP frame is lost, a significant amount of time may pass before receiving a subsequent RLP frame, which is capable of providing information to determine that the previous RLP frame was lost. Such delays reduce overall throughput.
For example, the reception of RLP frames N and N+2 in a row indicates that RLP frame N+1 was lost. After receiving RLP frame N+2, the receiver side RLP entity sends a NAK to request retransmission of frame N+1. In a high-speed wireless Internet access system, arrival times for frames often vary greatly due to the high non-stream-like nature, or burstiness, of packet applications. If frame N+2 arrives at the receiver a relatively long time after N, then the receiver RLP layer will take a longer period of time to identify the possible loss of frame N+1. The result is a longer wireless link delay for frame N+1. Also, for a wireless access system with a shared downlink channel having a large bandwidth, a data transmission scheduler can further increase retransmission delays. For example, the scheduler may schedule frame N+2 a long time after scheduling packet N+1 due to the real-time traffic load, scheduling algorithms, and the like. Accordingly, the loss or corruption of frame N+1 will not be determined until frame N+2 is scheduled for transmission, transmitted and subsequently received.
Current detection and retransmission techniques significantly impair overall throughput to maintain an acceptable level of reliability or Quality of Service (QoS). Accordingly, there is a need to minimize the time required to identify lost or corrupt RLP frame and to decrease the delay in retransmitting the lost or corrupt RLP frames without sacrificing reliability.


The electrical system (100) includes: —a capacitor (C); —an electrical power supply device (102); —an electrical power receiving device (104); —a current-consuming electrical circuit (108) designed to consume a current (i) entering via a first interface terminal (BA) and exiting via a second interface terminal (BB). The electrical system (100) being designed such that the current-consuming electrical circuit (108) consumes the discharge current (i) when the electrical power supply device (102) is connected to the terminals of the capacitor (C).

The US patent published under the number U.S. Pat. No. 6,204,612 B1 describes a capacitor, to the terminals of which an electrical power module is intended to be connected. It additionally describes a current-consuming electrical circuit including a stabilized transistor, which is connected to the terminals of the capacitor. In this publication, the current-consuming electrical circuit is designed so as to be activated in order to consume a substantially constant discharge current when the power module is mechanically and electrically disconnected from the capacitor. Thus, the consumption of current discharges the capacitor so as to prevent electric shocks that could occur if an operator were to touch the capacitor. More specifically, the power module includes a conductor arranged so as to short a controlled switch in order to deactivate the current-consuming circuit. Thus, when the power module is disconnected, the conductor is disconnected from the controlled switch, causing the current-consuming electrical circuit to be activated. This solution has the drawback of requiring the presence of a mechanical element (the conductor) on the power-module side. Moreover, this solution does not allow the capacitor to be discharged while the power module is still mechanically in place but electrically disconnected from the capacitor, for example in the event of an electrical connection fault.
Additionally, it is known practice to connect a resistor to the terminals of a capacitor that is supplied with power by a high-voltage source in order to discharge the capacitor in the event that the high-voltage source is disconnected. This solution has the drawback that the resistor continuously consumes substantial current, even when this is not desired, that is to say when the high-voltage source is connected to the capacitor.
The aim of the invention is to at least partly overcome the abovementioned problems.

Electrical system with current-consuming circuit for discharging a capacitor associated motor vehicle and method

Abstract: The current-consuming electrical circuit (108) includes a transistor (Q1) arranged such that the consumed current (i) enters via a current input terminal (C1) of the transistor (Q1) and exits via a current output terminal (E1) of the transistor (Q1), and in that the current output terminal (E1) is connected to a control terminal (B1) of the transistor (Q1) in order to stabilize the transistor (Q1).


The present invention provides methods for isolating an active polypeptide or immunoconjugate by purification of a solution containing both the active polypeptide or immunoconjugate and an acidic variant thereof, such as a deamidated variant, using anion exchange chromatography.

Field of the Invention
The present invention provides methods for purifying an active polypeptide or immunoconjugate from a solution containing the polypeptide or immunoconjugate and an acidic variant thereof, wherein said acidic variant is a deamidated species of said polypeptide or immunoconjugate. The present invention also provides formulations containing such purified polypeptides or immunoconjugates.
Background Art
The large-scale, economic purification of proteins is a factor for the biopharmaceutical industry. Therapeutic proteins are typically produced using prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell lines that are engineered to express the protein of interest from a recombinant plasmid containing the gene encoding the protein. Separation of the desired protein from the mixture of components fed to the cells and cellular by-products to an adequate purity, e.g., sufficient for use as a human therapeutic, poses a formidable challenge to biologics manufacturers for several reasons.
Manufacturers of protein-based pharmaceutical products must comply with strict regulatory standards, including extremely stringent purity requirements. To ensure safety, regulatory agencies, such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA), require that protein-based pharmaceutical products are substantially free from impurities, including both product related contaminants such as aggregates, fragments and variants of the recombinant protein and process related contaminants such as host cell proteins, media components, viruses, DNA and endotoxins. While various protein purification schemes are available and widely used in the biopharmaceutical industry, they typically include an affinity-purification step, such as Protein A purification in the case of antibodies, in order to reach a pharmaceutically acceptable degree of purity.
The development of a purification scheme applicable to a particular biomolecule or various biomolecules that is scaleable, controllable, and that strategically employs the use of particular resins or a combination of resins will allow its integration into product development at a very early stage in overall drug development. This approach to the design of a purification scheme can minimize costly changes to manufacturing processes which may otherwise be necessary later in drug development or, worse, after approval. As the process is scaled-up and approaches good manufacturing practices (GMP) production conditions, additional inherent complexities arise, including those associated with resin packing and buffer preparation. The manufacturing process, and its capacity, can be improved by simplifying the purification scheme, by eliminating process steps and maximizing throughput and productivity, while maintaining the integrity and purity of the molecule that is being purified. Therefore, it would be desirable and advantageous to start with a simple and efficient process that can produce a drug substance of high quality and safety.
One complexity associated with the purification of a drug product is the maintenance of potency throughout the purification process. Many factors can contribute to a reduction or inhibition of potency, including the modification of the drug product during the development process. Such modification can occur at various stages of the process, for example, when the protein is being expressed in the cell, or when a protein that has been isolated from a cell is subject to various conditions or buffers. The present invention provides a method for purifying an active polypeptide or immunoconjugate from a solution containing a modified variant of the polypeptide or immunoconjugate, where the presence of this modified variant results in an inhibition in potency of the final drug product.

Method for purifying active polypeptides or immunoconjugates


The systems and methods described herein include training a well performance predictor based on field data corresponding to a hydrocarbon field in which a well is to be drilled; generating a number of candidate well parameter combinations for the well and predicting a performance of the well for each candidate well parameter combination using the trained well performance predictor; and determining an optimized well parameter combination for the well such that the predicted performance of the well is maximized.

This section is intended to introduce various aspects of the art, which may be associated with exemplary embodiments of the present techniques. This discussion is believed to assist in providing a framework to facilitate a better understanding of particular aspects of the present techniques. Accordingly, it should be understood that this section should be read in this light, and not necessarily as admissions of prior art.
Hydrocarbon production involves numerous expensive activities, which are undertaken before the quantity and quality of produced hydrocarbons is known. For example, well planning is the complex process of deciding the location at which a well is to be drilled and the manner in which the well is to be drilled and completed. An operator typically acquires acreage in a hydrocarbon-producing area, i.e., a hydrocarbon field, and drills a well into at least one hydrocarbon-bearing zone of a reservoir. Completion of the well is then conducted in a manner that is conducive to the removal of hydrocarbons from the reservoir and the transportation of the hydrocarbons to the surface.
During well planning, many complex decisions are made regarding parameters such as the location of the well; the depth, length, and orientation of the horizontal section; the number of hydraulic fracturing stages for the well; the amount and nature of the stimulation fluid to be used for the well; the amount and nature of the proppant to be used in the well; and the like. Field development teams typically determine such parameters based on the potential hydrocarbon production from a given well. In addition, field development teams rely on information relating to the prospective area, existing geologic and engineering knowledge, and past experience to make such decisions. For example, field developments teams may rely on information relating to field analogs, production data from older wells in the same area, information relating to the complex interactions between various parameters, and past engineering studies to make such decisions. However, such information is subject to uncertainties.
Furthermore, additional external factors may be also taken into account during the well planning process. Such external factors may include information relating to land rights acquisition and the expected revenue stream from projected commodity prices. These external factors further compound the complex well planning process.
According to current practices, a divide-and-conquer approach is often used for the well planning process. In this way, specific geologic factors, engineering factors, and economic factors are decoupled from the overall well planning process, and are optimized in separate processes. This allows several specialized teams to make decisions regarding specific subsets of well parameters. However, this approach does not account for subsurface and engineering interactions, or associated uncertainties. In addition, this approach typically disregards useful correlations between parameters, especially between parameters studied separately by different teams. Further, each specialized team may have a slightly different goal in mind for the well plan during the decision-making process. For example, geologists might look for locations with the largest in-place reserves, completions engineers might try to maximize hydrocarbon production, and operations engineers might try to minimize costs. This leads to a well plan that does not adequately meet the corporation's desired overall goals.
In addition, according to current techniques, physical modeling techniques are often used to estimate certain geological or production quantities during the well planning process. For example, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) 143,875, entitled "Modeling. History Matching, Forecasting and Analysis of Shale Reservoirs Performance Using Artificial intelligence," by Mohaghegh et al, describes the application of artificial intelligence techniques for supplementing a physics-based reservoir model. The resulting model can be used to identify higher-quality regions of the reservoir quantify depletion over time, or estimate the impact of geological parameters on production.
SPE 152,121, entitled "Data-Driven Modeling Improves the Understanding of Hydraulic Fracture Stimulated Horizontal Eagle Ford Completions." by Shelley et al., describes the use of nonlinear regression in neural networks to evaluate the sensitivity of hydrocarbon production to changes in various geological and engineering parameters. It is alleged that the economic evaluation of the Data Driven Model predictions can be used by a user to determine a completion or fracking procedure that maximizes return on investment (ROI).
SPE 152,531, entitled "Practical Data Mining: Analysis of Barnett Shale Production Results With Emphasis on Well Completion and Fracture Stimulation," by LaFollette et al., describes techniques for estimating hydrocarbon production from location and engineering parameters. The results of such techniques may be subsequently analyzed, for example, to maximize hydrocarbon production.
SPE 135,523, entitled "Tight Gas Well Performance Evaluation With Neural Network Analysis for Hydraulic Propped Fracture Treatment Optimization," by Huckabee et al., describes a model for uncertainty, wherein the uncertainty is incorporated into the decision-making process. The application of neural networks to well performance evaluation and completion optimization is described, including a probabilistic analysis of hydrocarbon production as a function of the amount of proppant used. An economic analysis that is based on the net present value (NPV) of estimated future production is also described.
In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0185696 by Moran et al., a method of optimizing drilling includes identifying design parameters for a drilling tool assembly. Design parameters are preserved as experience data. At least one artificial neural network is trained using the experience data. Real-time data is collected from the drilling operation. The real-time data is analyzed with a real-time drilling optimization system. Optimal drilling parameters are determined based on the analysis of the real-time date with the real-time drilling optimization system.
In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0294387 by Anderson et al., a computer-aided controller system recommends actions and manages production in an oil and gas reservoir or field as its properties and conditions change with time. The reservoir or field is characterized and represented as an electronic-field ("e-field"). System applications describe dynamic and static e-field properties and conditions. The application workflows are integrated in a feedback loop between actions taken in the field, and metrics that score the success or failure of those actions. A controller operates on the combination of the application workflows to compute production strategies and actions. The controller is configured to generate a best action sequence for an economically profitable production.
However, such techniques typically fail to provide a well plan that simultaneously selects multiple well parameters to optimally meet a desired overall goal. Accordingly, improved well planning techniques that offer a viable solution for informed decision-making based on a specific goal are desirable.

Determining well parameters for optimization of well performance


This linear drive has cooperating threaded screw and follower components suited to be rotated relative to one another to create a corresponding axial shift between the components, where the follower is improved by having spaced drive members each threadably cooperating with the screw and capable of carrying the maximum axial linear drive force between the components. Anti-friction structures support the drive members for allowing relatively effortless component rotation, frictionwise, even under this maximum driving force. Ramp structures cyclically expand and contract the axial separation between the drive members, which both generates the maximum axial driving force and effectively shifts the axial driving force alternately between the drive members. The force-carrying drive member will be thread friction bound relative to the screw, and the substantially loadfree drive member will be easily rotatable with the follower rotation suited to be axially advanced along the screw. Relative component rotation and repeated expanding and contracting shift cycles incrementally and alternately advance, with an inch-worm like action, the drive members along the screw to provide the axial shift and force generation between the components, the loadfree drive member being advanced and the force-carrying drive member remaining stationary relative to the screw.

A nut cooperating threadably with a helically threaded screw can be adjusted to specific locations axially along the screw, by and upon relative rotation of the nut and screw. Axial forces can further be generated by the axial advance of the nut along the screw, but as the axial forces are increased, the friction between the cooperating threads is also increased, making nut rotation on the screw more difficult and only upon using higher torquing forces.
In order to overcome friction between the sliding cooperating threads, commercial linear actuators utilize a ball-screw mechanism that axially keys the screw and follower together while providing a rolling support therebetween. Such linear actuators will operate on reduced torque in providing relative screw-follower rotation and/or will provide for more efficient or easily generated axial forces or for smoother axial/rotational movements between the screw and follower, compared to direct sliding threads that generate high thread friction.
However, such typical linear actuators also provides several challenges or drawbacks, including: (1) the cooperating thread profile must be modified so that bearings balls can be fitted between the threads on the screw and follower, being more costly and/or more difficult to inventory to satisfy different specific applications; (2) the follower is free wheeling on the screw, requiring that many applications might need some form of locking mechanism to hold the instantaneous actuator position fast in the event of loss of actuating electrical power or the like; (3) the ball contact with the adjacent threads is across a point or small localized area, generating concentrated mechanical stresses against the threads that might damage them unless such were made of costly hardened materials, particularly when the linear drive is generating large axial forces between the screw and follower; and (4) routing mechanism spaced from the threads is needed to return the bearing balls from one follower end to the other to follower end, providing for an endless availability of balls to have only ball rotation between the threads, but again adding both size and costs to the linear drive.
The invention to be disclosed herein deviates from the noted approach, and advantageously utilizes the fact that friction between sliding threads of cooperating screw and nut components, and the force needed to turn the nut on the screw, increase and decrease as the axial load or force between the component threads are respectively increased and decreased.

Linear drive with screw and threaded follower


Aspects of the invention can provide an illuminator and others, which are able to supply polarized light having a certain oscillating direction as well as a certain wavelength range with high efficiency, and are suitable for a single-plate type projector using an LCD type spatial light modulator. The illuminator can include a light source, a rod integrator, a reflective polarizing plate, and a color filter. A reflecting mirror reflects polarized light, which has been reflected by the reflective polarizing plate, got injected into the rod integrator again through an emitting end, and progresses in the direction toward an injection end, in the direction toward the emitting end. Further, the reflecting mirror reflects light of any other wavelength range, which has been emitted through a first position of the emitting end, reflected by the color filter, got injected into the rod integrator again, and progresses in the direction toward an injection end, in the direction toward the emitting end to emit the light a second position that is different from the first position of the emitting end.

1. Field of Invention
Aspects of the invention relate to an illuminator and a projector, especially to an illuminator of a projector using an LCD type spatial light modulator.
2. Description of Related Art
Single-plate type projectors using the sequential color recapture method (hereinafter, called "the color recapture method") can be used in projectors. A projector using the color recapture method can include a light source to supply light, a rod integrator to uniform the light coming from the light source, and a color wheel for color separation positioned on the emitting side of the rod integrator. The color wheel achieves color separation of the light from the light source into 3 wavelength ranges, namely, e.g., red light (R-light), green light (G-light), and blue light (B-light). Technologies for projectors using the color recapture method are proposed in, for example, Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2001-242416.


A glass composition for protecting a semiconductor junction is made of fine glass particles prepared from a material in a molten state obtained by melting a glass raw material which contains at least ZnO, SiO2, B2O3, Al2O3 and at least two oxides of alkaline earth metals selected from a group consisting of BaO, CaO and MgO and substantially contains none of Pb, As, Sb, Li, Na and K, the glass composition for protecting a semiconductor junction containing no filler.

There has been known a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device where a glass layer for passivation is formed such that the glass layer covers a pn junction exposure portion in a process of manufacturing a mesa semiconductor device (see patent literature 1, for example). In manufacturing a semiconductor device which exhibits an excellent switching characteristic (a fast recovery diode) by using such a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the following manufacturing method is adopted. Hereinafter, such a manufacturing method is referred to as "conventional method of manufacturing a semiconductor device".
FIG. 16 (a) to FIG. 16 (d) and FIG. 17(a) to FIG. 17(d) are views for explaining such a conventional method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. FIG. 16(a) to FIG. 16(d) and FIG. 17(a) to FIG. 17(d) are views showing respective steps of the conventional method.
The conventional method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes, as shown in FIG. 16 (a) to FIG. 16 (d) and FIG. 17(a) to FIG. 17(d), "semiconductor base body forming step", "trench forming step", "heavy metal diffusion step", "glass layer forming step", "glass protection film forming step", "oxide film removing step", "electrode forming step", and "semiconductor base body cutting step" in this order. Hereinafter, the conventional method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is explained in the order of these steps. In this specification, a main surface of the semiconductor base body on a side where trenches are formed is referred to a first main surface, and a main surface of the semiconductor base body on a side opposite to the first main surface is referred to as a second main surface.
(a) Semiconductor base body forming step
Firstly, an n+ type semiconductor layer 914 is formed by diffusion of an n type impurity from a surface of an n− type semiconductor layer (n− type silicon substrate) 910 on a second main surface side, and a p+ type semiconductor layer 912 is formed by diffusion of a p type impurity from a surface of the n− type semiconductor layer 910 on a first main surface side thus forming a semiconductor base body in which a pn junction arranged parallel to a main surface of the semiconductor base body is formed. It may be possible that an n− type semiconductor layer (n− type epitaxial layer) is formed on an n+ type semiconductor layer (n+ type silicon substrate) and, thereafter, a p+ type semiconductor layer is formed by diffusion of a p type impurity from a surface of the n− type semiconductor layer (n− type epitaxial layer) thus forming a semiconductor base body in which a pn junction arranged parallel to a main surface of the semiconductor base body is formed. Thereafter, oxide films 916, 918 are formed by thermal oxidation on a surface of the p+ type semiconductor layer 912 and a surface of the n+ type semiconductor layer 914 respectively (see FIG. 16(a)).
(b) Trench forming step
Next, predetermined opening portions are formed on the oxide film 916 at predetermined positions by photo etching. After etching the oxide film, subsequently, the semiconductor base body is etched thus forming trenches 920 having a depth exceeding the pn junction from the surface of the semiconductor base body on the first main surface side (in this case, the trenches 920 having a depth exceeding a boundary surface between the n− type semiconductor layer 910 and the n+ type semiconductor layer 914) (see FIG. 16 (b)). Along with such formation of the trenches, a pn junction exposure portion A is formed on an inner surfaces of the trench.
(c) Heavy metal diffusion step
Next, a layer 922 which constitutes a heavy metal diffusion source is formed on a surface of the semiconductor base body on a second main surface side in such a manner that the oxide film 918 is removed from the surface of the semiconductor base body on the second main surface side and, thereafter, the layer made of heavy metal (Pt, for example) is formed on the surface of the semiconductor base body on the second main surface side by a sputtering method or by resolving heavy metal (Pt, for example) in solution and applying the solution to the surface of the semiconductor base body on the second main surface side by spinning. Thereafter, heavy metal is thermally diffused at a predetermined temperature so that the carrier recoupling center is formed in the inside of the semiconductor base body (see FIG. 16(c)). The heavy metal diffusion step may be performed prior to the above-mentioned trench forming step.
(d) Glass Layer Forming Step
Next, after removing the layer 922 which constitutes the heavy metal diffusion source, a layer made of the glass composition for protecting a semiconductor junction is formed on an inner surfaces of the trench 920 and a surface of the semiconductor base body in the vicinity of the trench 920 by an electrophoresis method, and the layer made of the glass composition for protecting a semiconductor junction is baked so that a glass layer 926 for passivation is formed on a surface of the trench 920 (see FIG. 16(d)). Here, an oxide film 924 is formed on a surface of the semiconductor base body on a second main surface side.
(e) Glass Protection Film Forming Step
Next, a glass protection film (a glass protection film made of a pitch-based wax, for example) 928 is formed such that the glass protection film 928 covers a surface of the glass layer 926 (see FIG. 17(a)).
(f) Oxide film removing step
Next, the oxide film 916 is etched using the glass protection film 928 as a mask so that the oxide film 916 in an electrode forming region 930 and the oxide film 924 formed on the surface of the semiconductor base body on the second main surface side are removed (see FIG. 17(b)).
(g) Electrode Forming Step
Next, a Ni plating is applied to the semiconductor base body thus forming an anode electrode 932 in the electrode forming region 930 on the surface of the semiconductor base body on the first main surface side and forming a cathode electrode 934 on the surface of the semiconductor base body on the second main surface side (see FIG. 17(c)). The anode electrode and the cathode electrode may be formed by a gas phase method such as vapor deposition or sputtering in place of Ni plating.
(h) Semiconductor Base Body Cutting Step
Next, the semiconductor base body is cut by dicing or the like at a center portion of the glass layer 926 thus dividing the semiconductor base body into a plurality of chips whereby mesa semiconductor devices (pn diodes) 900 are manufactured (see FIG. 17(d)).
As has been explained heretofore, the conventional method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the step of forming the trenches 920 exceeding the pn junction on the surface of the semiconductor base body from the first main surface side where the pn junction arranged parallel to the main surface is formed (see FIG. 16(a) and FIG. 16(b)), and the step of forming the glass layer 926 for passivation in the inside of the trench 920 such that the glass layer 926 covers a pn junction exposure portion (see FIG. 16(d)). Accordingly, in the conventional method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, by cutting the semiconductor base body after forming the glass layer 926 for passivation in the inside of the trench 920, mesa semiconductor devices having high reliability can be manufactured.
The conventional method of manufacturing a semiconductor device also includes a step of forming the carrier recoupling center in the inside of the semiconductor base body by thermally diffusing heavy metal from the surface of the semiconductor base body on the second main surface side (see FIG. 16(c)). Accordingly, the conventional method of manufacturing a semiconductor device can manufacture a semiconductor device which exhibits the excellent switching characteristic with a short reverse recovery time trr.

Glass composition for protecting semiconductor junction, method of manufacturing semiconductor device and semiconductor device

SHINDENGEN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.


An autonomous vehicle, such as a robotic cleaning device, includes wheels which support the vehicle and allow the vehicle to traverse a surface. Downward looking wheel sensors sense the presence of a surface in front of the wheels. Another sensor is provided at or near a leading edge of the vehicle for sensing the presence beneath the leading edge of the vehicle. The vehicle is arranged so that movement of the vehicle is possible if the leading edge sensor senses that there is no surface beneath the leading edge of the vehicle, provided that the wheel sensors indicate that there is a surface adjacent to the wheel. When the leading edge sensor senses that there is no surface beneath the leading edge of the vehicle, the vehicle performs an edge following routine.

This application claims priority to International Application No. PCT/GB99/04090 which was published on Jun. 29, 2000.
The invention relates to an arrangement of sensors for an autonomous vehicle, particularly but not exclusively for an autonomous vacuum cleaner.
An autonomous vehicle generally has a plurality of sensors for detecting obstacles in the path of the vehicle to prevent collision or accidents. While some autonomous vehicles can cope with undulating surfaces, they usually need to avoid any areas where there is a significant change in height, such as stairs where there is a danger that the machine can become stuck or fall, causing damage to the vehicle and to others. It is know to provide an autonomous vehicle with sensors that monitor the presence of a surface; these are often called xe2x80x9cdownlookingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdrop-offxe2x80x9d sensors.
A robotic cleaning device described in Patent Application WO 93/03399 has drop-off sensors at a forward edge of the cleaning device and is arranged to stop the drive motors when one of the dropoff sensors senses the absence of a surface beneath the cleaning device. U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,106 describes an unmanned cleaning vehicle with four drop-off sensors mounted on a bumper and side walls of the vehicle. The vehicle stops if any of the sensors senses an excessive distance between the sensor and the floor.
Safety regulations require that downlooking sensors should cause the vehicle to stop whenever the sensors detect the absence of a surface. This places severe constraints on flexibility of controlling the vehicle near to any places where these is a significant change in height. The present invention seeks to provide more flexibility in operating an autonomous vehicle under these conditions.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an autonomous vehicle comprising wheels for supporting the vehicle and for allowing the vehicle to traverse a surface, downward looking wheel sensors for sensing the presence of a surface in front of the whells, a further sensor at or near a leading edge of the vehicle for sensing the presence of a surface beneath the leading edge of the vehicle and a control apparatus for controlling movement of the vehicle, the control apparatus being arranged to permit movement of the vehicle when the leading edge sensor detects the absence of a surface beneath the leading edge of the vehicle, providing the wheel sensors indicate the presence of a surface adjacent the wheel. This has the advantage of allowing more flexibility in controlling movement of the cleaning device.
Preferably, the vehicle is arranged to operate so that when the leading edge sensor detects the absence of a surface beneath the leading edge of the vehicle, the vehicle performs an edge following routine. The edge following routine can be a zig-zag movement along the edge, or it can use a further downloading sensor which senses the presence of a surface adjacent a side edge of the vehicle.
Further aspects of the invention provide a method of operating an autonomous vehicle, software for performing a method of controlling operation of an autonomous vehicle and a control apparatus for controlling operation of an autonomous vehicle.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:


A network traffic management apparatus includes a first memory including a flow cache table including a plurality of entries. The network traffic management apparatus further includes configurable hardware logic coupled to the first memory and a processor, the configurable hardware logic including a valid split table including a plurality of entries, wherein each of the plurality of entries includes a validity bit. The configurable hardware logic is configured to implement periodically determining whether the validity bit of each of the valid split table entries is set. Additionally, the configurable hardware logic is further configured to implement retrieving one of the plurality of flow cache table entries corresponding to an index value associated with one of the valid split table entries, when it is determined that the validity bit of the one of the valid split table entries is set.

Network traffic can be optimized and managed by one or more network traffic management apparatus. A network traffic management apparatus can be located between a local area network (LAN) connecting a plurality of server computing devices of a server computing device pool and a wide area network (WAN), for example. Such a network traffic management apparatus 12 can be configured to obtain requests from client devices on the other side of the WAN to communicate with one of the server computing devices. In a distributed environment, the client device does not have to be aware of or direct communications to, any specific server computing device in order to communicate a request. Instead, the client device can use a virtual Internet protocol (IP) address to communicate with the network traffic management apparatus which can proxy the requests to the various server computing devices in a balanced fashion. In order to proxy the client requests to one of the server computing devices, the network traffic management apparatus transforms the network packets associated with the request based on transformation data and the IP address of the selected server computing device.
In order to appropriately direct server computing device responses to client requests, and direct subsequent network traffic using the same connection, the network traffic management apparatus maintains flow specifications associated with transformation data. The flow specification and transformation data can be maintained in a flow table in a memory, such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), coupled to a host processor.
In order to improve throughput, a subset of the full flow table entries can be snooped or inserted by the host processor into a relatively fast, but relatively expensive, static random access memory (SRAM) in a flow cache table. In order to further improve processing throughput, the SRAM can be coupled to configurable hardware logic configured to process network traffic according to transformation data stored in the SRAM. Such insertions require that the configurable hardware logic perform read operations on the flow cache table stored in the SRAM, thereby utilizing flow cache bandwidth.
Accordingly, the network traffic management apparatus can obtain a network packet and generate an index value, such as a hash value, based on the flow specification associated with the network packet. Then, the network traffic management apparatus can compare the flow specification of the flow cache table entry at the index value to the flow specification of the network packet to account for collisions. When the flow specifications match, the network traffic management apparatus transforms the packet according to the transformation data associated with the flow cache table entry. Thereby, the transformation can be performed by the configurable hardware logic for at least a subset of the network traffic. If valid transformation data is not available from the SRAM, the transformation data can be obtained from the full flow table stored in the relatively slow DRAM, and the network packet can be transformed using the relatively slow host processor.
In order to optimize the entries in the flow cache table stored in the SRAM, the configurable hardware logic periodically traverses each entry to determine whether the entry has been marked for eviction, is invalid, has reached a terminal age, or should otherwise be removed. An entry can be marked for eviction if a FIN or RESET network packet is received, for example, although other bases for eviction can also be used. Upon eviction, the entries can return to the full flow table stored in the DRAM. Such scrubbing logic requires that the configurable hardware logic sequentially read each entry of the flow cache table at a predefined interval and, when necessary, write entries back, such as when updating an age value for example. This scrubber process also utilizes flow cache bandwidth.
A cache controller of the configurable hardware logic can manage communications with the SRAM using a bandwidth-limited random access memory (RAM) interface bus connection. However, throughput of the configurable hardware logic, in terms of transformation data lookups, is limited by the bandwidth utilized by flow cache table entry insertions, as well as scrubber performance and associated evictions.

Methods for improving flow cache bandwidth utilization and devices thereof


The present invention relates to a gas separation membrane including: a supporting membrane; and a separation functional layer which is provided on the supporting membrane and includes a crosslinked polyamide obtained by polycondensation of a polyfunctional amine and a polyfunctional acid halide, in which, in the crosslinked polyamide, the number A of terminal amino groups, the number B of terminal carboxy groups, and the number C of amide groups satisfy (A+B)/C≤0.66.

In recent years, hydrogen is attracting attention as a clean energy source. Hydrogen is obtained by gasifying a fossil fuel such as natural gas and coal, and removing carbon dioxide from a mixed gas containing hydrogen and carbon dioxide as main components. The gas as a treatment target has passed through steam reforming and aqueous gas shift and is characterized by high temperature and high pressure.
As a method for concentrating a specific gas from a mixed gas at a low cost, focus is placed on a membrane separation method of selectively passing a target gas by utilizing a difference in gas permeability of a material.
Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a technique where a crosslinked aromatic polyamide is formed by an interfacial polycondensation reaction and since a very thin functional layer is thereby formed, high gas permeability is obtained.

Gas separation membrane, gas separation membrane element, and gas separation method


The invention provides a spinal disc implant comprising two side walls which are opposed and substantially parallel spaced apart by a front wall and a back wall to define an interior space. The side walls define substantially elliptical curves joining the front and back walls. The front wall is also curved and the back wall may be either curved or straight. The walls may have openings or holes which may be circular or elliptical in shape. The upper and lower edges of the implant have a plurality of teeth extending therefrom for engaging adjacent vertebrae. The implant is made of a biocompatible metal such as titanium or an alloy thereof, and the first and second sides tapering from the second end to the first end. The interior space has a porous hydroxyapatite block shaped to fill the interior space. The porous hydroxyapatite substance helps the prosthesis integrate into the vertebral structure by allowing into the pores.

Many types of vertebral prostheses have been proposed and patented for implantation in the vertebral disc space after surgical removal of a diseased or damaged disc. Such devices fall into three broad categories. One category of prostheses includes the use of pliable synthetic materials in an attempt to mimic the compressibility of the human spinal disc. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,281 (Parsons) discusses a disc spacer which purports to possess mechanical properties akin to those of the normal disc by varying the hardness of the elastomeric material in its nucleus and annulus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,326 (Bao) illustrates a prosthetic disc formed from a multiplicity of hydrogel beads having a water content of at least 30%. According to the patent, a semi-permeable membrane covers the beads and is said to permit fluids to flow in and out of the prosthetic nucleus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,437 (Steffee) proposes another approach to a pliable

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Described herein are methods for finding substantially similar/different sources (files and documents), and estimating similarity or difference between given sources. Similarity and difference may be found across a variety of formats. Sources may be in one or more languages such that similarity and difference may be found across any number and types of languages. A variety of characteristics may be used to arrive at an overall measure of similarity or difference including determining or identifying syntactic roles, semantic roles and semantic classes in reference to sources.

1. Field
Implementations of the present invention relate to natural language processing. In particular, implementations relate to comparing documents, which could be written in one or more languages and which contain one or more types of information. Comparing documents may involve estimation, computation and visualization of measures of similarity between any number of documents or other types of electronic files.
2. Related Art
Many natural language processing tasks require comparing documents in order to find out how similar or different they are from each other, i.e., estimating or computing a measure of similarity or difference of the documents. First, text resources existing on the Internet or other sources usually include a lot of copies of the same document which can be presented in different forms and formats. So, a document similarity computation is usually an implicit but mandatory step of many document processing tasks. Document similarity computation usually involves statistics, machine learning, such as, for example, document classification, clustering and so on. In particular, document similarity/difference computation could be required in plagiarism detection which aims at detecting if or when a document has been plagiarized from another one. A straight-forward approach to do this task is to compute a similarity/difference measure between documents, which is usually based on lexical features, such as words and characters. If the mentioned similarity/difference measure is beyond a certain threshold, the documents are deemed similar and therefore, one document could have been plagiarized from another one. More sophisticated ways to do this task could include other similarity/difference measures and approaches—but the concept is the same.
A related task is duplicate and near-duplicate detection. While constructing linguistic corpora, it makes sense to get rid of duplicate and near-duplicate documents. In this task, as well as in the case of plagiarism detection, it is required to estimate how similar considered documents are. In this task, lexical-based representations and therefore, similarity/difference measures, are usually enough for adequate performance.
However, many challenges exist for determining similarity of documents. For example, computation of cross-language document similarity/difference is in increasing demand to detect cross-language plagiarism. In this situation, the above-mentioned similarity/difference should be able to adequately detect substantially similar documents in different languages. Too often, such detection fails. Besides performing this task, such similarity/difference measure also could be used to construct parallel and comparable corpora, to build or enrich machine translation systems.
Most of the existing document processing systems are able to deal with documents written in only one, or rarely, in a few particular, identifiable languages. Systems are generally not able to compare documents written in different languages because a workable similarity/difference between such documents cannot be computed.
Further, many systems are also limited to particular document formats, i.e., some systems cannot analyze some documents without first obtaining a reliable and accurate recognition of their text (such as in the case of PDF files which can require processing by optical character recognition). Moreover, each system usually deals only with one particular type of information or data contained in a document, i.e., only with text-based, audio-based or video-based information. However, many documents, sources or files about a particular topic (e.g., online news) include a variety of types of information and types of documents. For example, two news-oriented documents or sources may contain or reference the same video file but discuss the content of the video differently. In this case, a text-oriented system may conclude that the sources are not similar and may conclude that the video-oriented material is identical without being able to adequately process the nuances of such material.
Therefore, there is a substantial opportunity for new methods for more accurately estimating similarity/difference between documents, content, sources and files in different languages and in different formats.