A hemostasis tool is provided for stopping bleeding by absorbing blood from the wound and having blood diffusion and absorption abilities, which includes a lamination comprising a water-permeable inner material on a wound side, a water-impermeable outer material on a side departing from the wound side, a pulp-cotton laminated body between the inner and outer materials, a crust between the pulp-cotton laminated body and the water-impermeable outer material for diffusing the blood that has passed through the water-permeable inner material and the pulp-cotton laminated body, and a polymer for absorbing the blood diffused by the crust. Instead of the pulp-cotton laminated body, a synthesis fiber laminated body can be utilized in the hemostasis tool having a laminated structure. The hemostasis tool serves to actively diffuse transmitted blood by a crust disposed in the intermediate layer of a hemostasis tool, and to improve the absorbing ability of the blood with a polymer that is polymeric absorbing material disposed at an outer part than the crust.

In the state of the art, various hemostatic tools are utilized depending on the amount of blood from wound. For example, in case the amount of blood from a wound is small, bandage, gauze, and adhesive plaster are utilized. In case the amount of blood is large, tourniquet and triangular bandages are generally utilized for emergency treatment, since the bandage, gauze, and adhesive plaster are not enough to deal with the large amount of blood.
Also, as a transportation means advances, there is an increase in traffic accidents, in particular automobile or train accident. Recently, there was a large-scale earthquake disaster in Kansai region. Under the circumstances, some people unfortunately encounter these accidents or disaster and bleed in large amount.

Hemostasis tool having blood diffusion and absorption abilities


The input/output nodes of memory cells connected in series are connected to bit lines. Two of the bit lines positioned on the outsides of four successive memory cells constitute each of a plurality of bit line pairs. The bit line pairs are connected to four data lines, respectively, via switches connected to the respective bit lines. A switching control circuit turns on adjacent five of the switches. A switching circuit connects the data lines connected to the input/output nodes by the turning-on of the switches to a supply node of a first voltage, a supply node of a second voltage, and first and second sense amplifiers, respectively. Thereby, data is read from two of the memory cells simultaneously. Thus, it is possible to read data from the two memory cells simultaneously by using the simple switching control circuit without increasing the chip size.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology of read operation of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nonvolatile semiconductor memories such as flash memories store data by injecting electrons into the insulators of memory cells for changing threshold voltage. Among the nonvolatile semiconductor memories of this type, ones referred to as virtual ground type have a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells that are connected in series in the direction of word lines. The input/output nodes of adjacent memory cells are connected to common bit lines. Then, the bit lines positioned both sides of a memory cell are connected to a sense amplifier and a voltage source for reading data from the memory cell.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,518 has disclosed a technique for reading data simultaneously from two memory cells connected to an identical word line in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory of virtual ground type. In the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of this publication, two column decoders and two selectors are arranged both sides of a memory cell array. The column decoders decode column addresses and activate column-selecting lines according to the decoding results. The selectors have a plurality of column switches connected to the column selecting lines. Then, in read operations, these column decoders and selectors are operated so that the bit lines positioned both sides of two memory cells are respectively connected to sense amplifiers and voltage sources for reading data from the two memory cells. Reading data from two memory cells simultaneously improves data reading rate.
However, in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of virtual ground type described above, reading out of data from two memory cells simultaneously requires the two column decoders and two selectors. Accordingly, there has been a problem that the control circuit for performing the read operations grows in scale, with an increase in chip size. In particular, the column switches are circuits to be arranged in large numbers within the memory, being required for each of the bit lines. This has a large influence on chip size.
It is an object of the present invention to read data simultaneously from two memory cells in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory without increasing the chip size.
It is another object of the present invention to improve the data reading rate of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory without increasing the chip size.
According to one of the aspects of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of the present invention, the nonvolatile semiconductor memory has a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, a word line, a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of switches, four data lines, a first sense amplifier, a second sense amplifier, a switching control circuit, and a switching circuit. The memory cells are connected in series via input/output nodes. The control gates of the memory cells are connected to the word line. The input/output nodes of the memory cells are connected to the bit lines, respectively. Four bit line pairs each consists of two of the bit lines respectively positioned on the outsides of four successive memory cells among the memory cells. The bit line pairs are connected to the four data lines, respectively, via the switches connected to the respective bit lines.
The first sense amplifier and the second sense amplifier amplify data read out from two of the memory cells, respectively. The switching control circuit turns on the switches corresponding to five of the input/output nodes adjacent to each other in a read operation, the five including the input/output nodes of the two memory cells for the data to be read from simultaneously. The switching circuit respectively connects the first and second sense amplifiers to two of the data lines transmitting the data among the data lines connected to the input/output nodes by turning-on of the switches. The switching circuit connects supply nodes of a first voltage and a second voltage to the remaining two of the data lines, respectively.
In this semiconductor memory, the switching control circuit only has to turn on predetermined five switches to read data from two memory cells simultaneously. Therefore, it is possible to read data from two memory cells simultaneously by using the simple switching control circuit without increasing the chip size of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory. In other words, the data reading rate can be improved without increasing the chip size.
According to another aspect of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of the present invention, the two memory cells for the data to be read from (read memory cells) are adjacent to each other. The switching circuit, in the read operation, connects the first and second sense amplifiers to reading nodes among the input/output nodes, respectively. The reading nodes are on the outsides of the two memory cells. The switching circuit connects the supply node of the first voltage to first nodes among the input/output nodes. The first nodes are on the further outsides of the reading nodes. The switching circuit connects the supply node of the second voltage to a second node among the input/output nodes. The second node is between the two memory cells for the data to be read from.
At this point, the common second node is supplied with the second voltage, whereby memory cell currents occur depending on the memory states of the memory cells. The first and second sense amplifiers amplify the memory cell currents to read the data retained in the two memory cells, respectively. By supplying the first nodes with the first voltage, the difference between the voltages of the first node and the reading node on both sides of the memory cells arranged on the outsides of the read memory cells becomes nearly equal. Therefore, these memory cells can be prevented from causing a memory cell current. As a result, the memory cell currents of the memory cells to be read-operated can be all supplied to the first and second sense amplifiers for reliable data reading.
According to another aspect of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of the present invention, the two memory cells for the data to be read from (read memory cells) are arranged on both sides of two of the memory cells adjacent to each other. The switching circuit, in the read operation, connects the first and second sense amplifiers to reading nodes among the input/output nodes, respectively. The reading nodes are on the insides of the two memory cells for the data to be read from. The switching circuit connects the supply node of the first voltage to first nodes among the input/output nodes. The first nodes are on the outsides of the two memory cells for the data to be read from. The switching circuit connects the supply node of the second voltage to a second node among the input/output nodes. The second node is on the inside of the reading nodes.
At this point, voltage differences between the first voltage and the voltages supplied from the first and second sense amplifiers to the reading nodes, respectively, cause memory cell currents depending on the memory states of the memory cells. The first and second sense amplifiers amplify the memory cell currents to read the data retained in the two memory cells, respectively. By supplying the innermost second node with the second voltage, the difference between the voltages of the reading node and the second node on both sides of the memory cells arranged on the insides of the read memory cells becomes nearly equal. This can prevent these memory cells from causing a memory cell current. As a result, the memory cell currents of the memory cells to be read-operated can be all supplied to the first and second sense amplifiers for reliable data reading.
According to another aspect of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of the present invention, the nonvolatile semiconductor memory has a plurality of blocks each including eight of the memory cells, the four bit line pairs, eight of the switches, and the four data lines, and a selector. The selector selectively connects the switching circuit with data lines necessary for the read operation among the data lines of the blocks. Sectioning the plurality of memory cells into a plurality of blocks allows systematic operations of the switching control circuit and the switching circuit. As a result, the switching control circuit and the switching circuit can be configured simply, so that the chip size of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory can be reduced.
According to another aspect of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of the present invention, the data is simultaneously read from two memory cells that are selected by different addresses and have an identical bit number of input/output data. By using successive addresses for the different addresses, address-decoding logic can be simplified. As a result, the switching control circuit can be configured simply, so that the chip size of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory can be reduced.
According to another aspect of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of the present invention, the data is simultaneously read from two memory cells that are selected by an identical address and have different bit numbers of input/output data.


The front panel of a drawer is attached to a side wall of the drawer by a device including a support part secured to the side wall and a holding part secured to the front panel, the support part and holding part being coupled together. A rocker element has a shank that mounts the rocker element to the support part. A spring acts on a stop on the shank to bias the rocker element in a direction to be toward a rear of the drawer side wall. The rocker element thus is moved to a coupling position coupling the holding part to the support part. The support part is capable of limited movement toward the rear of the side wall relative to the holding part against a biasing force of the spring.

The invention relates to a device for attaching the front panel of a drawer to side walls of a drawer. The device includes a holding part secured to the front panel and a support part secured to a drawer side wall on each side of the drawer, whereby the holding parts can be coupled with the supporting parts. A spring, preferably a helical spring, acts in the longitudinal direction of the drawer side wall between the support part and the holding part in such a way, that when the front panel is mounted, limited relative movement of the holding part with respect to the support part against the action of the spring is possible. A rocker element is mounted in the support part and engages the holding part.
Such a device is known, for example from EU-A1 0 636 327. Such a device provides, in addition to rapid fastening of the front panel to the drawer side walls, a shock absorbing resilience for the front panel when the drawer is pushed into the furniture carcass too rigorously and the front panel strikes the side walls of the carcass. In this way not only are rough jolts avoided, but also the hold of the dowels by which the holding parts of the device are held on the front panel is improved.

Device for attaching the front panel of a drawer to the side walls of a drawer


A display panel that includes: a display substrate; a driving chip bonded onto the display substrate; an anisotropic conductive film provided between the display substrate and the driving chip; and a protection film attached to a bottom of the display substrate, and the protection film is provided with a bending prevention means.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a display panel and a bonding apparatus.
(b) Description of the Related Art
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes a display substrate providing a pixel area and a non-pixel area and a sealing substrate disposed to be opposite to the display substrate for encapsulation and bonded to the substrate by a sealant like epoxy.
The above information disclosed in this Related Art section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Display panel and bonding apparatus for manufacturing the same


An agricultural harvesting machine comprises an exchangeable crop processing element, which is installed in the interior of the harvesting machine and which is available in different variants, an electronic control unit, which is connected with a data bank in which data concerning the crop processing element are stored, and a reading device, which is set up to interact with an identification element placed on the crop processing element and to transmit an output signal to the control device that clearly identifies the crop processing element during or after an incorporation of a crop processing element into the harvesting machine; with the aid of the signal, the control unit updates the data bank.

Nowadays, agricultural harvesting machines, such as field choppers and, in particular, combine harvesters, are relatively complex machines with a large number of operating parameters, which are set at suitable values so as to attain an approximately optimal operating result in the harvesting process. From the state of the art, systems are known that are connected with sensors for the determination of crop characteristics and/or results of processes that are taking place in the harvesting machine, and that monitor whether the machine is working in an orderly manner and/or automatically determine optimized operating parameters and, by controlling actuators, automatically set them or display them to the operator, who can then set them.
Such systems, however, also require data regarding the configuration of the individual harvesting machine since, without knowing, for example, how many chopper blades are distributed around the circumference of the chopper drum of a field chopper, an automatic specification of a feed roller rotational speed to attain a desired cutting length is not possible.
Analogously, for the automatic setting of operating parameters of a cleaning device of a combine harvester, it is necessary that data regarding the type and size of the cleaning device be available.
In many cases, an operator contacts a support service on the phone in order to be advised when taking care of problems while harvesting. Here, too, information regarding the configuration of the harvesting machine is required so as to be able to make substantiated statements, but the information is often not available to the operator or the support service.
In the state of the art, solutions are described in which the configuration of elements of the harvesting machine is determined by sensors that interact with the elements and, for example, determine the number of the chopper blades of a chopper drum of a field chopper with the aid of vibrations arising during rotation (DE 10 2009 046 821 A1).
Furthermore, the proposal has been made to equip the control unit with a data bank, into which data regarding the configuration of the harvesting machine are entered by the factory during production. In the case of a reconstruction of the harvesting machine, the data are updated by the workshop personnel in a manner that was not described in more detail (EP 1 564 688 A1).
Furthermore, DE 199 49 994 A1 describes an active measurement value determining device, which is equipped with its own power supply and which is also equipped with a storage device for identification data and a transponder. The identification data can identify a component, a component group, or an apparatus on which the measurement value determining device has been placed. The identification data are recorded by a reading device of a carrier vehicle (which can be, for example, a tractor or a chopper), on which the assembly with the measurement value determining device has been placed, and are sent to its control electronics so that the activities needed for the adaptation are automatically triggered by the control electronics of the carrier vehicle.
An identification of a cultivation device of a tractor by means of an RFID chip, affixed to the cultivation device, and a reading device of the tractor is described in DE 10 2007 034 167 A1.
In the presentation "Mobile service worlds in the international service of machine and plant construction" by M. Goertz, found on Sep. 24, 2014 at the internet address http://www.simobit.de/documents/Goertz_MSW_Hagen_03062009.pdf, an identification of components of stationary machines by RFID labels is described, but it is also mentioned that under certain circumstances, among other things as a result of coverings, such labels cannot be read from the outside.

Agricultural harvesting machine with an exchangeable crop processing element


Skate boot apparatuses, a skate, and a method are provided. A base including an upper face configured to receive a wearer's foot and a lower face configured to structurally support a skate mechanism is provided. An integral upper support is provided, the integral upper support extending upwardly from the base to a point above an ankle of the wearer, the integral support having a varying rigidity decreasing from a high rigidity near the base to a low rigidity near the point above the ankle of the wearer.

Design of skate boots, particularly for hockey skates, has changed little over the course of the last century. In the early twentieth century, future Hall of Fame hockey star Joe Hall realized that his hockey skates were not as responsive or supportive as he would have wanted them to be. Mr. Hall approached a neighbor, a shoemaker from Brandon, Manitoba, named George Tackaberry, to try to develop improved hockey skates. Mr. Tackaberry developed the concept of a custom leather boot featuring a reinforced toe and heel to provide the skater with better support and control. These were the first legendary "Tacks" skates, which have since become the de facto standard for all hockey skates.
However, since Mr. Tackaberry's development of his skates, little progress has been made. This is unfortunate in light of the increasing needs of skaters. Figure skating, speed skating, and ice hockey, have become increasingly popular. As hockey becomes more popular, better, faster, stronger and larger athletes are playing hockey, and these athletes seek increasingly better equipment to attain every possible advantage in competition. As a result, more responsive and supportive skates are desired.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional skate 100 which, in this example, is a hockey skate. A conventional skate 100 generally includes three sections: a skate mechanism 102, an upper 104, and a base 106 coupling the skate mechanism 102 to the upper 104. The skate mechanism 102, in this case, includes a blade 110, a skate frame 112 configured to support the blade 110 with a plurality of pylons 113, and a mounting bracket 114 configured to join the skate mechanism 102 to the base 106. Alternatively, in an in-line, wheeled skate (not shown), the skate mechanism includes the wheels, a frame configured to support the wheels, and a bracket configured to join the mechanism to the base.
The base 106, which is analogous to the sole of a shoe, is joined with the mounting bracket 114 using rivets or similar fasteners (not shown). The upper 104, which is analogous to the upper of a shoe, in most skates is formed from a combination of fabric and leather and nailed, stitched, and/or glued to a last board (not shown in FIG. 1), just as the upper of a shoe is attached to its last board. Alternatively, the upper 104 is molded from plastic and glued or molded to the last board. Edges of the upper 104 are attached around edges of an underside of the last board. The last board is coupled to the base 106 to complete the boot.
Conventional skate designs, such as the skate 100, result in a number of shortcomings. One such shortcoming results from attachment of the skate mechanism 102 to the base 106 and subsequent attachment of the base 106 to the upper 104. The conventional joining of these separate sections 102, 104, and 106 results in a potentially undesirable degree of play between the wearer's foot and the skate mechanism 102 as the upper 104 flexes around the wearer's foot (not shown), the base 106 flexes against the upper 104, and the mounting bracket 114 of the skate mechanism 102 flexes against the base 106. Although some speed skates incorporate a linear array inserts into their bases, such a linear array does not provide a desirable degree of support for lateral movement. As a result of the joining of these separate structures, the responsiveness of the skate 100 to movements of the wearer is diminished.
FIG. 2 shows a cutaway view 200 of a conventional skate 100 and visually highlights the layers interposed between the wearer and the skate mechanism 102. The cutaway view 200 shows how the upper 104 is fastened to the last board 210 only around the edges of the last board 210. Limited attachment of the upper 104 to the last board 210 adds to unwanted flexure between the upper 104 and the last board 210, which can result in attenuation of the wearer's movements to the skate mechanism 102. A contoured footbed 220 supports the foot of the user. The footbed 220 may be joined to the last board 210, but the two are nonetheless separate and may result in some further attenuation between the movements made by the wearer and the response of the skate mechanism 102. However, without the footbed 220, the wearer's foot could rub uncomfortably over attachments between the base 106 and the skate bracket 112. Generally, comfort and responsiveness are traded off in conventional skate design.
Another shortcoming results from a tradeoff between comfort and responsiveness. The upper 104 of a newly manufactured skate 100, like the upper of a new manufactured shoe, may be rigid and uncomfortable, but softens and conforms over time to better fit the wearer's ankle and foot. The initial rigidity may be somewhat uncomfortable to the wearer, although it simultaneously may afford greater responsiveness between the wearer's foot and the skate. After a break-in period—which may be a lengthy and unpleasant process—lessens the rigidity of the upper 104, the upper 104 may be more comfortable, but may be correspondingly less responsive to the movements of the wearer. Unfortunately, the more thoroughly broken-in the skate 100 becomes, the more pliable the entire skate 100 becomes. Thus, over time the skate 100 may become more comfortable, but it also may become less responsive. Conventional molded uppers formed from plastic do not break-in with time, thus the material used generally is partially pliable or semi-rigid to provide a tradeoff between comfort and control.
Thus, there are unmet needs in the art for a skate that optimally combines comfort and responsiveness, reduces or eliminates the break-in period, and betters maintains structural integrity over time.

Apparatus, system, and method for unibody skate boot


A granita production machine includes a bowl (2) designed to receive a water solution to be transformed into granita. The bowl (2), which is provided with a cover (3) and a granita dispensing tap (4), surrounds a cooling drum (11), being arranged orthogonally to the bottom (9) of the bowl (2) and crossed by a rotating shaft (13), which is driven around an axis (y) by a first geared motor (41). The shaft (13) carries removing structure to remove crystals of iced solution from the external surface of the cooling drum (11), including a scraping element (15) and a conveying element (16) connected together. A granita stirring vane (22), being rotated around an axis (y′) by a second geared motor (23) housed in the same cover (3) is dependent inside the bowl (2).

The present invention relates to a machine for producing granita and similar beverages. The machine is especially designed for coffee granita production. Although here and in the following description reference is made only to an use of the machine for granita production, it should be appreciated that it may be used to contain and dispense other cold drinks.
In granita production machines a sugar-water solution, flavored with an essence, such as coffee or juice of lemon or other fruits, is stirred while it is cooled so that the resulting product is in a slush consistency of minute iced crystals. This is obtained in a bowl being extended in either horizontal or vertical direction, inside which a cooling body is generally in contact with the evaporator of a refrigeration circuit. This refrigeration circuit is contained in a casing of the same granita production machine.
In some of the machines nowadays available on the market, a horizontally elongated bowl, made of transparent material, contains the cooling body in the form of a drum which also is located horizontally on the bottom of the bowl.
The cooling drum houses a coil which is the evaporator of the refrigeration circuit. The crystals of iced solution for producing granita are continuously removed by an auger, which, being arranged concentrically to the cylinder and driven by a geared motor, skims the external side surface of the drum.
The granita machine of the above described kind works in a satisfactory way when the sugar solution in the bowl fills at least half the bowl so that the horizontal cooling drum is abundantly covered. Usually the capacity of a bowl is about 10–12 liters. When the contents in a bowl is less than 5 liters, as the machine incorporates too much air into the water solution during its operation, the obtained product becomes foamy and not more utilizable.

Machine for producing granita and similar beverages


The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for establishing business networks based on shared usage of a common platform. One process includes receiving a set of registry data associated with a collaboration system from a first network participant executing a first application based on a first application platform. A request from a second network participant executing a second application on a compatible platform to the first application platform to access the set of registry data from the first network participant is received. Access is provided to the second network participant of a subset of data shared by the first network participant for collaboration. In some instances, providing access to the second network participant can include identifying a user associated with the second network participant to provide data access with the first network participant and assigning corresponding access authorizations to development entity instances associated with the identified user.

A successful business or social network is usually supported by many active users and manifested with a large archived database contributed by the active users. In many instances, the successful business or social network needs to refrain from collection of subscription fees when there is limited tangible benefit for participants. Successful networks, such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and others, attract users by providing free services by first investing in development of a website or a central server system. Users, in turn, by actively providing data to the website or the central server system for exchanging information in their networks, establish and prosper relationships with other users. Upon agreement, the data shared by the users can be used for revenue generating activities to recover and possibly make profits for the initial website or central server system investment.

Establishing business networks using a shared platform


The present invention relates to methods of treating heartburn in a patient receiving clopidogrel therapy. In another aspect, the present invention relates to methods of preventing gastric bleeding or hemorrhage in patients receiving clopidogrel therapy.

Clopidogrel bisulfate (currently sold under the brand name Plavix; clopidogrel bisulfate will occasionally be referred to herein simply as "clopidogrel") is a thienopyridine class inhibitor of P2Y12 ADP platelet receptors. Chemically, it is referred to as methyl (+)-(S)-α-(2-chlorophenyl)-6,7-dihydrothieno[3,2-c]pyridine-5 (4H)-acetate sulfate (1:1) and is a prodrug. Clopidogrel is available as a 75 mg or 300 mg tablet.
Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet agent used to inhibit blood clots in coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease and cerebrovascular disease. Specifically, clopidogrel is indicated for acute coronary syndrome ("ACS"): (1) for patients with non-ST-segment elevation ACS; (2) for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction; and (3) recent myocardial infarction, recent stroke, or established peripheral arterial disease. Clopidogrel is also used, along with aspirin, for the prevention of thrombosis after placement of intracoronary stent or as an alternative antiplatelet drug for patients who are intolerant to aspirin.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a group of drugs whose main action is a pronounced and long-lasting reduction of gastric acid production. Many PPIs are benzimidazole derivatives (specifically, substituted benzimidazole derivatives). Examples of some of the most common PPIs include:
Omeprazole (currently sold under the brand names: Losec, Prilosec, Zegerid, Lomac, Omepral, Omez);
Lansoprazole (currently sold under the brand names: Prevacid, Zoton, Inhibitol, Levant, Lupizole);
Dexlansoprazole (currently sold under the brand name: Dexilant);
Esomeprazole (currently sold under the brand names: Nexium, Esotrex); and
Pantoprazole (currently sold under the brand names: Protonix, Somac, Pantoloc, Pantozol, Zurcal, Zentro, Pan)
The PPIs in the above list are substituted benzimidazoles that suppress gastric acid secretion by specific inhibition of the H+/K+ ATPase enzyme system of the secretory surface of the gastric parietal cell.
Proton pump inhibitors are often prescribed with clopidogrel to reduce the risk of gastric bleeding or hemorrhage associated with the anti-platelet effect of clopidogrel therapy. There is significant ongoing concern regarding the clinical outcomes of patients taking clopidogrel and PPIs. Recently published studies suggested that PPIs have the potential to reduce the clopidogrel, G-protein coupled, 12 (P2Y12) adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor (Gilard M, Arnaud B, Cornily J C, Le Gal G, Lacut K, Le Calvez G, et al. Influence of omeprazole on the antiplatelet action of clopidogrel associated with aspirin: the randomized, double-blind OCLA (Omeprazole Clopidogrel Aspirin) study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2008; 51(3):256-60; Pezalla E, Day D, Pulliadath I. Initial assessment of clinical impact of a drug interaction between clopidogrel and proton pump inhibitors. J Am Coll Cardiol 2008; 52(12):1038-39; Ho P, Maddox T, Wang L, Fihn S, Jesse R, Peterson E, et al. Proton pump inhibitors may attentuate the benefits of clopidogrel among ACS patients: empirical evidence from 3,311 ACS patients. Circulation 2008; 118:S—1165. Abstract No. 6241; Aubert R, Epstein R, Teagarden J, Xia F, Yao J, Desta Z, et al. Proton pump inhibitors effect on clopidogrel effectiveness: the clopidogrel Medco outcomes study. Circulation 2008; 118:S—815. Abstract 3998).
Clopidogrel itself does not possess antiplatelet aggregation activity, but requires metabolism by hepatic cytochrome P450s, including CYP2C19, to an active metabolite that then blocks platelet P2Y12 receptors. Because PPIs are known inhibitors of CYP2C19, a plausible explanation for this reduced effectiveness of clopidogrel may be a metabolism-based drug-drug interaction (DDI) whereby the PPI inhibits the conversion of clopidogrel to its active metabolite by inhibiting CYP2C19. The FDA has made warnings about clinically relevant DDI with respect to clopidogrel and certain PPIs. For example, on Nov. 17, 2009, the FDA posted the following warning about a drug interaction between clopidogrel and omeprazole:                "FDA notified healthcare professionals of new safety information concerning an interaction between clopidogrel (Plavix), an anti-clotting medication, and omeprazole (Prilosec/Prilosec OTC), a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) used to reduce stomach acid. New data show that when clopidogrel and omeprazole are taken together, the effectiveness of clopidogrel is reduced. Patients at risk for heart attacks or strokes who use clopidogrel to prevent blood clots will not get the full effect of this medicine if they are also taking omeprazole. Separating the dose of clopidogrel and omeprazole in time will not reduce this drug interaction.        Other drugs that are expected to have a similar effect and should be avoided in combination with clopidogrel include: cimetidine, fluconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole, etravirine, felbamate, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, and ticlopidine."
Angiolillo et al. in Clin. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, pages 1-10 (Sep. 15, 2010), report the results of a series of four metabolic DDI studies using omeprazole, pantoprazole and clopidogrel conducted in healthy subjects. Specifically, study 1 administered a 300-mg loading dose and 75 mg/day maintenance dose of clopidogrel and omeprazole (80 mg) simultaneously to the healthy patients. Study 2 administered the clopidogrel and omeprazole of study 1 twelve (12) hours apart to the healthy patients. In study 3, the amount of clopidogrel from study 1 was increased to 600-mg loading/150 mg/day maintenance dose. Study 4 administered a 300-mg loading dose and 75 mg/day maintenance dose of clopidogrel and pantoprazole (80 mg) simultaneously to the healthy patients. The results showed that a metabolic DDI was found to exist between clopidogrel and omeprazole but not between clopidogrel and pantoprazole.
However, since not all PPIs inhibit CYP2C19 to the same extent, the potential for a clinically relevant DDI with clopidogrel may not be generalized to all PPIs. Thus, there is a need in the art for new methods of treating patients suffering from heartburn who are concomitantly being administered clopidogrel to treat a second disease state or to prevent of gastric bleeding or hemorrhage in patients being treated with clopidogrel.

Methods for treating heartburn, gastric bleeding or hemorrhage in patients receiving clopidogrel therapy


A quasi-resonant diode drive current source provides high power pulsed current that drives light emitting diodes, and the like. The pulsed output current of the quasi-resonant diode drive current source is sensed, and is regulated by a control loop to a level required by the light emitting diodes. In a specific embodiment of the invention, a zero-current-switched full wave quasi-resonant buck converter is described that provides a high amplitude pulsed output current required to drive light emitting pump diodes used in a solid state diode pumped laser. The use of a quasi-resonant converter as a pulsed current source provides a much higher conversion efficiency than conventional laser current sources. This higher efficiency results in less input power drawn from a power source and cooler operation, resulting in a higher reliability current source.

The present invention relates generally to diode drive current sources, and more particularly, to a quasi-resonant diode drive current source for use in powering solid state lasers.
Current controlled quasi-resonant converters are known in the motor art and once such converter is disclosed in "A Current-Controlled Quasi-Resonant Converter for Switched-Reluctance Motor", by Hoang Le-Huy, published in IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, Vol. 38, No. 5, Oct. 1991. This paper discloses a current controlled quasi-resonant converter for use with low and medium power variable speed drives employing switched reluctance motors. Zero current switching is employed to improve the switching performance and to provide effective control of the current in the motor windings.
In addition, quasi-resonant converters are also discussed in a paper entitled "Multi-Loop Control for Quasi-Resonant Converters," by Raymond B. Ridley, published in IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, Vol. 6, No. 1, January 1991. This paper discloses a multi-loop control scheme for quasi-resonant converters, and describes various quasi-resonant buck converter topologies and circuits.
With regard to the laser art, diode pumping has become the choice for use with solid state laser systems due to its higher electrical-to-optical efficiency. Prior to the use of diode pumping, flashlamps were used as pump sources. Typical system efficiencies were in the 1% to 2% range. The low efficiency was due mainly to the low electrical-to-optical efficiency. The use of diode pumping, with its higher electrical-to-optical efficiency, can result in a laser system efficiency of 10%, to 15%. Thus, a tenfold reduction in required input power can be achieved.
Diode pumping requires high power, pulsed, regulated current sources to drive the pump diodes. Conventional current sources utilize either a series dissipative regulator or a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) converter to control output current. When used at high output currents, as is required by diode pumped lasers, for example, both of these techniques suffer from high power losses, and are thus very inefficient.
The series dissipative regulator dissipates power dropped across a series pass element, typically a transistor, and the power is given by P=(V.sub.in -V.sub.out)*I.sub.out. At high output currents, the power loss is very high. The PWM converter suffers from high switching losses in its switch transistor, particularly due to reverse recovery of a catch diode, and from switching losses in the catch diode. At high output currents, the reverse recovery currents are very large, and the resulting power losses are very high.
Therefore, it would be an advance in the art to have a current source that is relatively efficient and is capable of providing high power pulsed regulated current to solid state diode pumped lasers, and the like.

Quasi-resonant diode drive current source


A connector, and a hard disk drive having the connector, the connector including connecting pins arranges so as to be spaced apart from one another; and a connecting member to contact the connecting pins and cause an electrical short in response to no external force being applied to the connecting pins; wherein the electrical short is removed in response to an external force being applied to the connecting pins. The connecting pins are moved so as not to contact the connecting member in response to an external force being applied to the connecting pins.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hard disk drive, and, more particularly, to a connector connecting a flexible printed cable and a main circuit board, and a hard disk drive including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hard disk drive is an example of an auxiliary memory unit which may be used in computers, etc. These devices are used to read data stored in disks, or to write new data to disks, by means of a magnetic head. The magnetic head is mounted on a slider so that, upon operating, it rises from the disk to reproduce data stored in the disk through reading it, or otherwise to write new data to the disk. Data on the disk that the magnetic head reads are converted into electric signals and transferred to a main circuit board via a flexible printed cable connected to the magnetic head. In addition, electric signals corresponding to data to be written to the disk are transferred from the main circuit board to the magnetic head via the flexible printed cable. The flexible printed cable and the main circuit board are connected to each other by means of a connector.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a connector provided in a hard disk drive according to the prior art.
The connector 10 as illustrated in the drawing includes a bracket 11 and a plurality of connecting pins 12 mounted in the bracket 11. The bracket 11 is made from an insulating material, and the connecting pins 12 are made from a conductive material. The connecting pins 12 are arranged in two rows and spaced apart from each other so as not to contact each other. First ends of the connecting pins 12 are positioned to protrude at a certain height from the bracket 11, so that these first ends are connected with terminals provided in the main circuit board with a relation of one-to-one correspondence. Further, the second ends of the connecting pins 12 are positioned opposite to the main circuit board so as to connect with the flexible printed cable.
The connector 10 as configured above has a problem in that, since the connecting pins 12 are exposed before connection with the main circuit board, electric current may flow via the flexible printed cable from the exposed portions to damage the magnetic head. To prevent this, according to the prior art, a short block 1 is mounted to the connector 10 in order to short between the connecting pins 12.
The short block 1 comprises a conductive material, and, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is formed in a rib shape such that it is inserted between the connecting pins 12 to contact them. Such a short block 1 electrically connects all of the connecting pins 12, so that the connecting pins 12 can be shorted. The short block 1 mounted as discussed above should be removed before the connection of the connector 10 with the main circuit board, or for a servo track writing performed before the connection with the main circuit board. Herein, the servo track writing is an operation that previously records a servo signal on the disk in order to write information on the hard disk drive, or to read stored information.
However, to remove the short block from the connector as described above, an additional process is required, and if the servo track writing is performed without removing the short block, errors in the operation may be caused. Further, in the course of removing the short block from the connector, the connecting pins may be bent, which could result in an incomplete connection between the connector and the main circuit board.

Hard disk drive connector having connector pins that deform away from a central shorting post in response to an external force


A digital audio signal which is subject to sample-to-sample jitter is synchronised with local reference pulses by the use of a read-write buffer memory. Timing pulses are associated with the input samples. The input samples are applied through a one-sample latch store to the main memory, and the timing pulses are applied by switches either directly or a short delay to the write control input of the main memory. A phase comparator detects sample-by-sample when the write pulses are near to the read pulses and causes the switches to change state in response thereto, and they retain their changed state until a danger of potential read-write contention is again detected when they revert to their original state.

This invention relates to the reception and synchronisation of digital signals, and particularly digital audio signals.
In large multichannel digital audio systems FIFO (first in, first out) stores are commonly used to delay audio samples for synchronisation purposes. Constraints are placed on the relative timing of the read and write operations for these stores. Such a store has a "busy" output line which is enabled whenever either a write operation or a read operation takes place which inhibits any simultaneous attempt at a read or write operation respectively.
In normal operation write and read operations take place alternately. However, if the write and read operations occur more or less in phase with one another, then a small amount of jitter or timing uncertainty on the received samples may have the effect of momentarily reversing the order in which the write and read operations occur. This will result either in repeated samples or in lost samples, and consequent degradation of the sound quality.
This is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, which shows WRITE and READ operations in four different situations. In case A, the READ and WRITE pulses are widely separated in time. In case B, READ and WRITE are closer than the maximum timing uncertainty, which is represented by the shaded regions. The result of this can be as in case C, where READ and WRITE occur in what is effectively a random order each cycle.
This is thus an example of a situation where an asynchronous input signal subject to sample-to-sample jitter is required to be synchronised with a local reference by the use of a read-write buffer memory.

Synchronization of digital audio signals


A bearing assembly includes a bearing cage and a supplementary ring. The bearing cage includes an annular body and a plurality of bearing elements disposed about the annular body. The supplementary ring includes an annular collar and a plurality of retention elements. The annular collar is disposed concentrically about the bearing cage. The plurality of retention elements is connected to and extends axially from the first annular collar. Each retention element is aligned between adjacent bearing elements. The plurality of retention elements is disposed to retain the plurality of bearing elements in the annular body of the bearing cage.

The present disclosure relates to bearing assemblies in aircraft engines. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to retention of bearing elements in a bearing cage of an aircraft.
In aircraft engines, bearing cages act to separate bearing elements such as roller bearings. Gas turbine engine bearing cages are typically piloted on the inner or outer ring of the bearing element(s). The bearing cage then rotates with the bearing elements of the bearing cage. Existing bearing cages incorporate a plastically formed detent feature in order to retain the bearing elements in the bearing cage. Such plastic deformation can cause residual stresses leading to potential fracture of the bearing cage during operation. Likewise, fully machined bearing cages can have problems with dropping of the bearing elements, which can make the installation of an inner assembly onto an outer ring challenging.


Systems, methods and compositions for temporary sealing fractures in subterranean formations employ at least one constituent for temporary sealing a fracture in a subterranean well. The degradation kinetics of the composition is dependent upon at least one degradation temperature-time parameter for designating a temperature range and a time at which the composition degrades.

Geothermal wells are drilled in subterranean formations with high temperatures. Heat is extracted from the formation through the well for use in surface electric power generation systems. Typical locations for suitable formations include areas close to volcanoes and tectonic plate interfaces. These target formations are usually located at relatively shallow subterranean depths (3000 to 8000 ft). In situ temperatures for these and other geothermal formations can range from 350-600° F.
Reservoirs targeted for conventional geothermal operations and Engineered Geothermal Systems ("EGS") operations are commonly non-permeable high temperature reservoirs containing naturally occurring fractures. Conventional geothermal wells are drilled in hot formations containing water. EGS wells are used to extract heat from high-temperature formations containing no liquids or relatively low amounts of liquid. In EGS formations, water can be injected into one well, circulated through fractures in the geothermal reservoir, and then produced out of a second well as hot geothermal fluid. Hot geothermal fluid or steam can be used to generate electricity. Fractures in EGS formations are not typically open to fluid flow and must be opened through the injection of water and hydro-shear dilation of the formation to create a permanent flow path for water and heat exchange.
Geothermal formations can contain an extensive network of naturally existing fractures. The width of open fractures can vary from less than 1/16 inch to greater than 2 inches. The fractures pose problems during drilling and completion of conventional geothermal wells and EGS wells. The fractures provide alternate flow paths for drilling fluid which is used to control the well, cool the drill bit and carry drill cuttings from the well. Open fractures can imbibe drilling fluid thereby reducing the rate of penetration and impeding progress of the drilling operation. Closed fractures can open during drilling due to hydrostatic pressure of the drilling fluid. The loss of drilling fluid from the wellbore into an open fracture, termed lost circulation, reduces drilling effectiveness and hinders subsequent well completion operations.
In related drilling and production operations, drilling fluids primarily composed of bentonite clay and barite can be used to increase the viscosity and density of the drilling fluid. During drilling operations, lost circulation can occur and large volumes of drilling fluid can flow into a fracture in a potentially productive interval of the well. At high temperatures, solids such as, bentonite and barite can form a non-removable solid mass that impedes or totally blocks productive flow from zones in the well. These solids can also damage the formation.
Therefore, there is a need in the field of art for non-damaging drilling fluids and weighting materials. There is also a need in the field of art for improved systems, methods and compositions for sealing fractures in subterranean formations to prevent lost circulation.

Temporary fluid diversion agents for use in geothermal well applications


The present disclosure provides a electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit, coupled between a first reference terminal and a second reference terminal; the ESD protection circuit includes a first voltage divider, a second voltage divider, a first trigger circuit and a second trigger circuit. The first trigger circuit includes a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the first reference terminal, and the second terminal is coupled to the second reference terminal via the first voltage divider. The second trigger circuit includes a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the second reference terminal, the second terminal is coupled to the first reference terminal via the second voltage divider, and the second trigger circuit and the first trigger circuit are in parallel connection.

Gallium nitride (GaN) based devices has been widely applied in commercial applications, in particular, in the high-frequency and high-power applications. However, the GaN based devices often have a smaller gate-to-source breakdown voltage, for example, less than 10 volts. Therefore, the gate of GaN based devices is prone to damage owing to the gate voltage overshoot. Electrostatic discharge is a sudden release of electrostatic charges, which may result in a high electric field and current within the integrated circuit (IC), thereby damaging the GaN based device therewithin.

Electrostatic discharge protection circuit and semiconductor circuit

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.


The present invention includes a method and system for determining link weights that when utilized will optimize the performance of a network in the event of a link failure without the need to alter the link weights. The method includes determining two sets of links, one that includes links with a significant amount of loading and one that includes links with a modest amount of loading. A set of permissible solutions is generated utilizing one randomly chosen link from each set. After omitting recent best permissible solutions, the remaining permissible solutions are evaluated by analyzing for the complete network topology and for the topologies corresponding to all single-link failure states and the best permissible solution is found. If the best permissible solution is better than the current optimal solution, then the best permissible solution is made the optimal solution. These steps are repeated until a predetermined number of iterations have been evaluated without a change in the optimal solution. When that occurs, the number of links used to generate the set of potential solutions is randomly changed and the above-described steps are repeated. The method is complete after a second predetermined number of iterations have been evaluated no matter how many changes to the optimal solution.

The present invention is directed to the field of network communications. More specifically, this invention is directed to a method for assigning link weights that allows a network to function effectively during a single-link failure without changing link weights.
The main function of a communications network is to transfer information from a source to a remote destination. Generally, a communications network includes a number of nodes (usually devices called routers) coupled together by a number of links. Typically there are a number of paths, or routes, made up of nodes and links for information to travel from a particular source to a particular destination. The process of determining the specific nodes and links to utilize so that the information will reach its destination in an efficient manner is called "routing" and is preformed by a routing protocol.
Proper routing decisions are critical to realizing optimal network performance. There are two main goals when making routing decisions: keeping end-to-end delays low and ensuring that no link is overloaded. Low end-to-end delays can be achieved by choosing short traffic routes so as to minimize propagation delays. Similarly, link overloading can be averted by minimizing the maximum link load thereby balancing the traffic load evenly across the network.
In general, a routing protocol operates by reading portions of a packet to determine the packet's destination and then passes that information to a routing algorithm that determines the best route for the packet. More specifically, after receiving a packet, a router will read the packet's header to determine the source, the destination and any pertinent metrics associated with the packet, and then send that information to a routing algorithm. The routing algorithm uses the information received, together with information obtained from one or more routing tables, to calculate the best path to send the packet to its intended target.
There are several types of information stored in routing tables. One type of information is addressing information that allows a routing protocol to identify and locate the destination for a packet. For example, a routing table may contain a list of addresses for every device in the network environment. Alternatively, a routing table may contain a list of the devices that are physically connected to the router along with those destinations that may be reached from those devices.
A second type of information that may be stored in a routing table relates to the environmental factors that may affect the transfer of data over a particular link. Generally, this information is reduced to a number that is referred to as a link weight. Although a link weight may represent any meaningful factor, it is generally indicative of the relative value of using one path over another to a specific destination. Depending on the configuration of a network, a particular link weight may represent the amount of bandwidth available on the link, the link's reliability, the traffic flow over the link, or the amount of money charged by the company that owns the link.
As stated above, a typical routing algorithm will perform a calculation to determine the best path to a particular destination. When Intra-domain routing relies on IGP link state protocols, such as IS-IS or OSPF, the traffic is routed between any two nodes along the minimum cost path measured as the sum of the weights of all links along the path. If multiple paths exist with the same minimum cost, the traffic demand is split equally among these paths.
Several methods are used to assign link weights. One common method involves setting the weight of the link inverse to its capacity so that a link with a high capacity will attract more traffic and a link with a low capacity will attract less traffic. Another method involves assigning link weights proportional to the physical length of the link in order to minimize propagation delays. Yet another method involves observing the flow of traffic through the network and repeatedly adjusting the link weights to accommodate the traffic.
A major drawback of the current approaches, generally, is that they view link weight assignment as a static problem and therefore largely ignore network dynamics. Specifically, one of the main challenges for a network operator is dealing with transient link failures. For example, when a link fails, IS-IS/OSPF protocols divert traffic from the failed link to alternate paths without computing new link weights. This action has the potential to overload one or more links, which could lead to even more failures absent some action by the network operator.
The most obvious way to restore network performance after a link failure is to implement a network-wide reassignment of link weights. Indeed, studies have shown that changing just a few link weights is usually sufficient to balance the traffic after a link failure. There are, however, problems with this approach. First, in order to be utilized, the new link weight assignments must be sent to every router in the network, and the routers must then recompute their minimum cost path to every other router. These actions may take a significant amount of time during which the network is subject to considerable instability. Second, it has been observed that most link failures are relatively short-lived. These short transient failures often leave operators and/or routers with insufficient time to evaluate and then reassign link weights. Also, if the link weights are reassigned, the operators and/or routers often must implement a second reassignment a short time later when the link is restored. Thus, in the event of a link failure, operators have the choice of simply suffering the instability while hoping that the link failure is resolved quickly or attempting to recompute and then reassign link weights. The problem with the first choice, obviously, is that the failure may not be resolved quickly. The problem with the second choice is that it requires significant work in a short amount of time which may need to be performed a second time only moments later.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a method for determining a set of link weights that balances traffic loads and keeps end-to-end delay low both in the absence of failures and in the case of a link failure. Implementing a set of link weights as determined by the present invention will allow a network to function well when there is a link failure without changing the link weight assignments. Additional advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from practice of the invention.

Method for assigning link weights in a communications network


The invention provides DNA homologous to a disclosed sequence which encodes a galactosidase/galactanase enzyme. Such DNA is incorporated into DNA constructs which are transformed into plants to increase or decrease expression of the related gene. This provides a method for modifying cell wall metabolism and fruit-ripening characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the modification of plant gene expression causing modification of cell wall metabolism in plants.
2. Description of the Related Art
The modification of plant gene expression has been achieved by several methods. The molecular biologist can choose from a range of known methods to decrease or increase gene expression or to alter the spatial or temporal expression of a particular gene. For example, the expression of either specific antisense RNA or partial (truncated) sense RNA has been utilised to reduce the expression of various target genes in plants (as reviewed by Bird and Ray, 1991, Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Reviews 9:207-227). These techniques involve the incorporation into the genome of the plant of a synthetic gene designed to express either antisense or sense RNA. They have been successfully used to down-regulate the expression of a range of individual genes involved in the development and ripening of tomato fruit (Gray et al, 1992, Plant Molecular Biology, 19:69-87). Methods to increase the expression of a target gene have also been developed. For example, additional genes designed to express RNA containing the complete coding region of the target gene may be incorporated into the genome of the plant to "over-express" the gene product. Various other methods to modify gene expression are known; for example, the use of alternative regulatory sequences.
The primary cell walls of fruit are important constituents that influence the physical and eating properties of fresh fruit and processed products. During fruit development and ripening, many biochemical changes occur that determine the composition, texture and quality of the ripe fruit. Fruit cell walls are continually modified by both synthetic and degradative processes as the fruit expand and eventually ripen. There are three major classes of polysaccharide in the cell wall: pectins, hemicelluloses and celluloses. These polysaccharide fractions undergo significant modifications in structure during ripening. Some of the most apparent of these occur in the pectic fraction including polyurinide solubilization, depolymerisation and a loss of wall arabinosyl and galactosyl residues (Gross and Wallner, 1979, Plant Physiol, 63:117-120; Gross, 1984, Physiol Plant, 62:25-32; Seymour et al, 1987, Phytochem, 26:1871-1875). Several pectin degrading enzymes have been isolated from tomato, including polygalacturonase and pectinesterase. Another important group of pectolytic enzymes are those which degrade the neutral sugar component, where galactosyl and arabinosyl residues occur as sidechains attached to a rhamnosyul unit in the main galacturonan backbone. Specific information on the structure of these sidechains is sparse due to their complexity, but in many plant tissues, including those from tomato fruit (Seymour et al, 1990, Phytochemistry, 29:725-731), chains of (1->4)-.beta.-D-galactan and (1->5) -linked arabinofuranosyl units are common (Carpita and Gibeaut, 1993, Plant J, 3:1-30). Fleshy fruits, including tomato, show a loss of wall galactosyl residues during ripening (Bartley, 1976, Phytochem, 15:625-626; Gross,1984, Physiol Plant, 62:25-32; Gross and Sams, 1984, Phytochemistry, 23:2457-2461; Redgwell et al, 1992, Plant Physiol, 98:71-81) and in tomato and kiwifruit, these changes are accompanied by an accumulation of free galactose (Gross, 1983, Phytochem, 22:1137-1139; Ogawa et al, 1990, J Jap Soc Food Sci, 37:298-305). The increased loss of cell wall galactosyl residues during ripening appears to be the result of increased solubilisation of galactosyl residues from the cell wall (Kim et al, 1991, Postharvest Biology and Technology, 1:67-80; Seymour et al, 1990, Phytochemistry, 29:725-731). The loss of cell wall galactose has also been reported in non-fruit tissues such as senescencing carnation petals (de Vetten and Huber, 1990, Physiol Plant, 78:447-454). Evidence indicates that these events are likely to result from the action of a .beta.-galactosidase/galactanase which acts on galactan-rich pectins.
.beta.-galactosidase activity has been detected in fruits including apple (Bartley, 1976, Phytochem, 15:625-626; Dick et al, 1990, Physiol Plant, 80:250-256), avocado (De Veau et al, 1993, Physiol Plant, 87:279-285), kiwifruit (Ogawa et al, 1990, J Jap Soc Food Sci Tech, 37:298-305; Ross et al, 1993, Planta, 189:499-506), muskmelon (Ranwala et al, 1992, Plant Physiology, 100:1318-1325) and tomato (Pressey, 1983, Plant Physiology, 71:132-135). In several fruit, including apple (Bartley IM, 1990, Phytochemistry, 13:2107-2111) and pepper (Gross et al, Physiol Plant, 66:31-36) there are large increases in galactosidase activity during ripening. However, in most cases the natural substrates for the galactosidase activity have not been identified.
In tomato three different .beta.-galactosidase activities were detected and partially purified, but only one of the isoforms (.beta.-galactosidase II, which increased in activity during ripening) could degrade a (1->4)-.beta.-D-galactan isolated from tomato cell walls (Pressey, 1983, Plant Physiology, 71:132-135; Pressey and Himmelsbach, 1984, Carbohydr Res, 127:356-359). The enzyme was therefore identified as an exo-(1->4)-.beta.-D-galactanase. Detailed studies on the composition and structure of tomato cell wall polysaccharhides by Seymour et al (1990, Phytochemistry, 29:725-731) demonstrated that galactans with this linkage predominate in tomato and undergo degradation during ripening. The free galactose measured in ripening tomato fruit is likely to result from this hydrolytic activity rather than altered metabolic utilization (Kim et al, 1991, Postharvest Biology and Technology, 1:67-80). The role of galactanase in tomato fruit ripening remains unknown, but it may play a key part in fruit softening. Galactan degrading enzymes have also been isolated from ripening avocado (De Veau et al, 1993, Physiol Plant, 87:279-285) and kiwifruit (Ross et al, 1993, Planta, 189:499-506).
Pectic polysaccharides in fruit consist mainly of an .alpha.-1,4-galactosyluronic acid backbone with 2- and 2,4-linked rhamnosyl residues interspersed in the chain (McNeil et al, 1984, Ann Rev Biochem, 53:625-663). The 2,4-linked rhamnosyl residues are thought to act as attachment points for sidechains of .beta.1,4-galactosyl and .alpha.1,5-linked arabinosyl residues (Seymour et al, 1990, Phytochemistry, 29:725-731). The role of the galactan rich side chains in the cell wall has not been confirmed. However, it is likey that they increase the interactions between cell wall components. Several mechanisms for these interactions are possible, for example: covalent links between galacturonan polymers; non-covalent interaction of pectin side chains; interactions with other cell wall components. The loss of galactosyl side chains from the pectin coincides with the major changes in texture that occur during fruit ripening.

Modified fruit containing galactanase transgene


The present invention has as an objective to provide an apparatus for brewing a beverage that provides an attractive brewing experience for the consumer, which can perform an effective and efficient brewing process, and which also can be easily rinsed to remove any spent infusible material. These objectives have been met by a beverage brewing machine having an at least one water inlet port that is arranged at an angle of less than 4 degrees relative to the wall of the brew chamber to direct water around the wall of the brew chamber. The apparatus also provides for improved agitation of infusible material. Moreover a method is provided to brew a beverage using the brewing machine of the invention.

With the exception of water, tea is the most widely consumed of all beverages. Its world-wide per capita consumption has been estimated at 0.1 liter per day. Furthermore, other brewed beverages such as fruit infusions, iced tea and coffee are increasingly consumed world-wide. In western countries, brewed beverages tend to be prepared at home, however, there is a growing trend for consumers to consume such beverages out of the home in, for example, cafes and bars. It is thought that consumers prefer to enjoy a beverage-brewing experience that involves more than being supplied with infusible materials and hot water. There is therefore a need for an alternative brewing method.
Beverage brewing machines are known. For example, United Stated patent application published as U.S. 2007/0034083 discloses a brewing device for the preparation of beverages such as coffee, tea, roasted-barley coffee, camomile tea and similar brews and infusions. In one embodiment, hot water contained in a hopper flows down through a valve to produce a kind of Umbrellas effect to urge the down-flowing water against the walls of the brew chamber, thereby cleaning them from the brewing residues. However, the use of such 'umbrella' showers is ineffective and requires large amounts of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,827,845 discloses a beverage making machine, which comprises a tangential water or air inlet or tuyere in the lower part of the brewing chamber, and a flush system comprising tangentially oriented nozzles or tuyeres in the upper end of the brewing chamber.
GB 1,040,095 discloses a beverage brewing apparatus in which the brewing water and air enter the brewing chamber through an opening which is substantially tangential with the wall.
WO 02/43540 discloses a tea brewing machine that has a housing, a vessel for receiving leaf tea, hot water supply means for supplying hot water to the vessel, means for physically agitating the leaf tea within the vessel to maximise the rate and extent of infusion, and a siphon arrangement for siphoning the infusion out of the vessel before it is dispensed. In one embodiment hot water is pumped into the brewing vessel as water jets.
While such a machine functions well there are disadvantages with regard to the efficacy of the brewing process including the removal of the entire brew vessel between servings for cleaning and for the addition of ingredients for a new serving. In addition, the use of the water jets directed into the brewing vessel from above requires high operating pressure.
The present invention is directed to preferably one or more of the following objectives.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage brewing apparatus that is simple to operate, comprises few moving parts, and can perform an effective and efficient brewing process,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage brewing apparatus that is suitable for consistently providing individual servings of a multiplicity of freshly brewed beverages and that provides an effective rinsing step in order to prevent flavour carry over between individual brews.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage brewing apparatus that provides an attractive brewing experience for the consumer.


A dynamic expansion operation of an index value image is performed by specifying an index value range before correction (Gmin to Gmax) for one index value image, calculating magnification K for which to be expanded to an ideal index value range (0 to 1023), and correcting an index value before correction G by the magnification K. An effective magnification Kthre to expand a maximum effective index value range (215 to 747) that can be taken by the index value before correction G calculated from transmittance of a filter to the ideal index value range (0 to 1023) is stored, and in a case where the calculated magnification K is smaller than the effective magnification Kthre, the expansion operation is performed by use of the effective magnification Kthre.

The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus that receives light from an imaging region by a light-receiving element array through an optical filter in which at least equal to or more than one type of a polarization filter part, or a color separation filter part is periodically arranged, and outputs an imaged image based on an image signal thus obtained, a vehicle system having the imaging apparatus, and an image-processing method.
This type of imaging apparatus is provided in a mobile object controller that performs mobile control of a mobile object such as a vehicle, a vessel, an air plane, or an industrial robot, an information supplier that supplies beneficial information to an operator (a driver) of the mobile object, and the like, and is widely used for an object identification operation.
In particular, for example, it is known that one is used for a vehicle travel support system such as ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) for reduction of an operating load of a driver of a vehicle, and so on.
In such a vehicle travel support system, various functions are achieved such as an automatic brake function, or an alarm function that prevents a driver's vehicle from crashing into an obstacle or the like, and reduces an impact at the time of crashing, a vehicle speed-adjusting function that maintains a distance between a vehicle in front, a lane keep-assisting function that prevents a driver's vehicle from deviating from a traveling lane. Therefore, it is important to analyze an imaged image imaged around the driver's vehicle, and obtain various types of information showing a state around the driver's vehicle as precisely as possible. As the information showing the state around the driver's vehicle, for example, there are position information of various objects such as obstacles existing around the driver's vehicle, other vehicles, lane lines (white lines, Botts' dots, and the like), road-surface elements such as manhole covers and so on, road-side constructions such as guard rails and so on, road surface information showing whether a road surface is dry or wet, sunlight information showing whether it is a sunny side or a shady part, and the like.
A general imaging apparatus detects intensity of light (brightness information) from an imaging region, and obtains an imaged image based on the brightness information.
On the other hand, in order to detect (perform sensing) a shape, a material, a surface state of an object existing in the imaging region, an imaging apparatus that is capable of obtaining an imaged image (polarization information image) in which polarization information is reflected has attracted attention in recent years.
Such an imaging apparatus uses various types of partial polarization occurring by reflected light (specularly-reflected light, or diffusely-reflected light) from an object to which specifically-polarized light or non-polarized natural light is emitted, due to a geometric reason such as a direction of a surface of the object, an imaging position with respect to the object, or the like, a surface material of the object, and the like. With such an imaging apparatus, a two-dimensional distribution is obtained of a plurality of polarization components that are included in reflected light from an object in an imaging region, and their polarization directions are different to each other. And, by comparing a difference in magnitude among the polarization components included in light from the object in the imaging region, it is possible to obtain the position information of the various objects, the road surface information, the sunlight information, and the like that are difficult to obtain only from the brightness information with higher accuracy.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication number H11-175702 discloses an imaging apparatus in which an image sensor that images an image via a polarization filter that transmits only a vertical polarization component, and an image sensor that images an image via a horizontal polarization filter that transmits only a horizontal polarization component are arranged in parallel. In the imaging apparatus, from the former image sensor, an image signal of a vertical polarization image that expresses a two-dimensional distribution of the vertical polarization component included in the reflected light from the object in the imaging region is outputted, and from the latter image sensor, an image signal of a horizontal polarization image that expresses a two-dimensional distribution of the vertical polarization component included in the reflected light from the object in the imaging region is outputted.
In the imaging apparatus, as for the image signals of those of the vertical polarization image and the horizontal polarization image, after correcting displacement of a position due to parallax, a polarization ratio (index value) that indicates a ratio of intensity of vertical polarization to intensity of horizontal polarization per pixel is calculated, and a polarization ratio image (an index value image) in which the polarization ratio is taken as a pixel value is obtained.
By analyzing the polarization ratio image imaged by the imaging apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application publication number H11-175702, it is possible to obtain the above-described various types of information such as the position information of the various objects, and the like. Additionally, from not only the polarization ratio image, but also an index value image having a pixel value based on an index value that indicates a difference of magnitude among polarization components included in light from each position in an imaging region, for example, an index value image in which a difference value among those polarization components, or a value that expresses a ratio of the difference value of those polarization components to a total value of those polarization components is taken as the index value, it is possible to obtain the above-described various information.
In order to analyze such an index value image and obtain various types of information in an imaging region with high accuracy, generally, contrast of the index value image (in other words, resolution of an index value) is important. However, in a conventional index value image, it is not possible to obtain sufficient contrast due to transmittance characteristics of a polarization filter. That is, there is a problem in that in order to accurately obtain various types of information in an imaging region, resolution of an image is insufficient. Hereinafter, regarding the problem, a case where a differential polarization degree that shows a ratio of a difference value of those polarization components to a total value of a vertical polarization component and a horizontal polarization component is taken as an index value will be explained specifically.
Generally, even if a transmittance characteristic of a vertical polarization filter (hereinafter, also referred to as "a P-polarization filter") that transmits a vertical polarization component (hereinafter, also referred to as "a P-polarization component") is high, 100% of the vertical polarization component of incident light is not transmitted, and it does not cut 100% of a horizontal polarization component (hereinafter, also referred to as "an S-polarization component") of the incident light. A horizontal polarization filter (hereinafter, also referred to as "an S-polarization filter") that transmits the horizontal polarization component does not transmit 100% of the horizontal polarization component of the incident light, and it does not cut 100% of the vertical polarization component. The following Table 1 shows a specific example of transmittance characteristics of actual S-polarization filter and P-polarization filter. The specific example shows a case where transmittance is measured when light of only the S-polarization component (100% S-polarization light), and light of only the P-polarization component (100% P-polarization light) are incident onto the S-polarization filter and the P-polarization filter, respectively. Note that each value in a bracket in the following Table 1 shows transmittance in a case where each filter has an ideal transmittance characteristic.
TABLE 1P-POLARIZATIONS-POLARIZATIONFILTERFILTER100% P-POLARIZATION78% (100%)32% (0%)LIGHT100% S-POLARIZATION17% (0%)64% (100%)LIGHT
As shown by using the brackets in the above Table 1, as for the P-polarization filter, it is ideal that transmittance of the P-polarization component be 100%, and transmittance of the S-polarization component be 0%. However, in fact, since the transmittance of the P-polarization component is 78%, the P-polarization component is not completely transmitted. Additionally, since the transmittance of the S-polarization component is 17%, the S-polarization component is not cut completely. This similarly applies to a case of the S-polarization filter.
In an imaging apparatus that obtains a differential polarization degree image (an index value image) having a pixel value based on a differential polarization degree by using a P-polarization filter and an S-polarization filter having the transmittance characteristics shown in the above Table 1, in the case where each of 100% P-polarization light and 100% S-polarization light having intensity of light equivalent to a maximum value of an effective amount of light received by an image sensor (light-receiving element) is incident, each signal value of an image signal outputted by the image sensor is shown in the following Table 2. Note that the signal value is 10-bit data, and a minimum value of the effective amount of the received-light is 0, and a maximum value of the effective amount of the light received is 1023. Additionally, each value in a bracket in the following Table 2 shows a signal value of an image signal that is outputted in a case where each filter has an ideal transmittance characteristic.
TABLE 2OUTPUT VALUE OFOUTPUT VALUE OFP-POLARIZATIONS-POLARIZATIONFILTERFILTER100%1023 * 78/100 = 7971023 * 32/100 = 327 (0)P-POLARIZATION(1023)LIGHT100%1023 * 17/100 = 173 (0)1023 * 64/100 = 654S-POLARIZATION(1023)LIGHT
As for a signal value outputted from an image sensor that receives the 100% P-polarization light via the P-polarization filter, an ideal signal value is 1023; however, transmittance of P-polarization light of the P-polarization filter is 78% as shown in the above Table 1, and therefore the signal value is 797. Likewise, as for a signal value outputted from an image sensor that receives the 100% S-polarization light via the S-polarization filter, an ideal signal value is 0; however, due to transmittance of S-polarization light of the S-polarization filter, the signal value is 327. Additionally, as for a signal value outputted from an image sensor that receives the 100% P-polarization light via the S-polarization filter, an ideal signal value is 0; however, due to transmittance of the P-polarization light of the S-polarization filter, the signal value is 173. Furthermore, as for a signal value outputted from an image sensor that receives the 100% S-polarization light via the S-polarization filter, an ideal signal value is 1023; however, due to transmittance of the S-polarization light of the S-polarization filter, the signal value is 654.
The following Table 3 shows results of each of a case where the 100% P-polarization light is incident and a case where the 100% S-polarization light is incident, and from signal values shown in the above Table 2, a total value (P+S) of a signal value P of the image signal via the P-polarization filter and a signal value S of the image signal via the S-polarization filter, and a difference value (P−S) in which the signal value S is subtracted from the signal value P are calculated. The total value (P+S) is never a value over 1023 in principle. This is because no matter how intense light is incident, a total of the P-polarization component and the S-polarization component cannot be over 100%. As shown in the following Table 3, the total value (P+S) in the case where the 100% P-polarization light is incident is a value over 1023, and therefore, here, it is rounded to 1023. Note that each value in brackets in the following Table 3 shows the total value (P+S) or the difference value (P−S) in the case where each filter has the ideal transmittance characteristic.
TABLE 3P + SP − S100%797 + 327 = 1023 (1023)797 − 327 = 470 (1023)P-POLARIZATIONLIGHT100%173 + 654 = 827 (1023)173 − 654 = −481S-POLARIZATION(−1023)LIGHT
The following Table 4 shows a differential polarization degree calculated from the total value (P+S) and the difference value (P−S) shown in the above Table 3. Note that each value in brackets in the following Table 4 shows a differential polarization degree in the case where each filter has the ideal transmittance characteristic.
TABLE 4DIFFERENTIAL POLARIZATIONDEGREE100% P-POLARIZATION LIGHT470/1023 ≈ 0.46 (1)100% S-POLARIZATION LIGHT−481/827 ≈ −0.58 (−1)
The differential polarization degree is an index value that takes values in a range between equal to or more than −1 and less than or equal to 1 in the case where each filter has the ideal transmittance characteristic. However, an actual filter does not have such an ideal transmittance characteristic, but has the transmittance characteristic shown in the above Table 1. Therefore, in a case of using the actual filter that has the transmittance characteristic shown in the above Table 1, as shown in the above Table 4, a range that can be taken by the differential polarization degree is a range between equal to or more than −0.58 and less than or equal to 0.46, and it is narrower than the ideal one.
In a case of creating a differential polarization degree image of 1024 tones constituted by a 10-bit pixel value, the differential polarization degree (range between equal to or more than −1 and less than or equal to 1) is scaled to a pixel value of the differential polarization degree image (range between equal to or more than 0 and less than or equal to 1023). At this time, in a case where the range that can be taken by the differential polarization degree is a range between equal to or more than −0.58 and less than or equal to +0.46 as described above, and a range that can be taken by the pixel value of the differential polarization degree image is a range between equal to or more than 215 and less than or equal to 747, only a differential polarization degree image of 533 tones can be created. Therefore, contrast of the differential polarization degree image is low.
With respect to a problem in that the contrast of the differential polarization degree image is thus low, and image analysis accuracy is insufficient, the following solution is considered.
That is, a method is considered that performs an operation in which with respect to an image of a differential polarization degree image for one frame obtained by imaging an imaging region, a range of a pixel value included in the differential polarization degree image is expanded to a maximum range (range between equal to or more than 0 and less than or equal to 1023) that can be taken by the pixel value of the differential polarization degree image. In this method, the range of the pixel value included in the differential polarization degree image for one frame is defined, and magnification for expanding the pixel value included in the differential polarization degree image for one frame to the maximum range (range of an ideal index value) that can be taken by the pixel value of the differential polarization degree image is calculated, and by use of the calculated magnification, the range of the pixel value is expanded. Thus, a range of a pixel value after correction by the above expansion operation is expanded more than a range of a pixel value before correction, within a limit of not over the range of the ideal index value. Therefore, an image of a differential polarization degree having the pixel value after correction has contrast higher than an image of a differential polarization degree having a pixel value before correction.
However, regardless of the range of the pixel value before correction, when magnification for expanding the range of the pixel value to the maximum range that can be taken by the pixel value of the differential polarization degree image is calculated, and the expansion operation is performed by the magnification, the following problem occurs. As described above, by the transmittance characteristic that each filter has, the range that can be taken by the pixel value before correction is limited to a predetermined range (range of an effective index value) calculated from the transmittance characteristic (limited to an effective range between equal to or more than 215 and less than or equal to 747, in an example of the above Table 4). Therefore, if the expansion operation by using effective magnification in order to enlarge at least this effective range (215-747) to an ideal range (0-1023) is performed, an appropriate pixel value in the effective range (pixel value before correction) is not a pixel value that is out of the ideal range (pixel value after correction) after performing the expansion operation, and an excess expansion operation is not performed. Accordingly, in principle, at least, by using effective magnification corresponding to the effective range (215-747) calculated from the transmittance characteristic of the filter, the excess expansion operation is not performed, and it is possible to increase the contrast of the differential polarization degree image.
However, in fact, where an image signal includes noise, and so on, there is a case where the pixel value (pixel value before correction) that is out of the effective range (215-747) is calculated.
In this case, magnification calculated based on the range of the pixel value before correction becomes lower than the effective magnification. As a result, in principle, even though it is possible to perform an expansion operation at equal to or more than the effective magnification at minimum, the magnification is suppressed by the existence of an inappropriate pixel value that is out of the effective range. Therefore, the expansion operation of an appropriate pixel value (pixel value before correction) included in the effective range is insufficient, and a problem occurs in that an index value image of high contrast is not able to be obtained.

Imaging apparatus, vehicle system, and image-processing method for image magnification and expansion


A motor controller system comprises solid state switches for connection between an AC line and motor terminals for controlling application of AC power to the motor. A sensor senses AC line voltage. A control circuit controls operation of the solid state switches. The control circuit ramps switch current during a start mode and selectively holds switch current during the start mode if sensed voltage drops below a threshold amount.

Solid state starters/controllers have found widespread use for controlling application of power to an AC induction motor. The conventional starter/controller, referred to hereinafter as simply a starter or a controller, uses solid state switches for controlling application of AC line voltage to the motor. The switches may be thyristors such as silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs) or triacs.
One application for a motor controller is as an elevator starter. The elevator starter may be used to drive a pump for an hydraulic elevator. Each time movement of an elevator car is commanded, then the starter must start the motor until it reaches operating speed and then operate in a run mode. Such a starter may only be used for the up direction as gravity may be used for the down direction.
One type of elevator starter initially connects the motor windings in a Y-configuration to start the motor and bring it up to speed. Then the windings are reconnected in a delta configuration with full voltage. Other starters change the on time of the solid state switches to ramp up motor current with a fixed connection. Known elevator starters have selector switches for setting a starting current limit setting. Depending on configuration, the setting is adjustable from about 100 percent to 450 percent of the starter's current rating. As a general rule, the higher the setting the lower the start time and conversely, the lower the setting the longer the start time. In an elevator application end users are interested in starting the motor as fast as possible while eliminating power quality issues such as voltage dips and sags and contact or switching transients. Known designs utilize current transformers to read motor current. The current is rectified and filtered before being read by an analog to digital converter in a digital signal processor (DSP). Due to filtering there is a delay between the current on the line and the actual signal the DSP receives.
On some elevator control systems with variable loading the load may be brought up to speed on a particular setting without any voltage dip when the power system is lightly loaded. The same setting may cause the line voltage to dip when the power system is loaded at or near its capacity such as during summer months when power demand is extremely high and brownout conditions are common. In such situations the starting current limit is usually set to the lower setting discussed above. While this ensures that the starter will start the load with minimal voltage fluctuations, additional time is spent starting at the lower current. As can be appreciated, if the starter is not initially set up correctly, then repeated trips back to an installation may be required for further adjustment to eliminate voltage dips.
Starter applications using back up generators can have similar problems. When operating off the line power, the incoming voltages can be reliable and allow for starting currents in excess of 300% of the starters rating. However, when a back up generator is powering the system, then voltage dips can be seen with current limit settings above 200%. In order to allow a system to operate without a excessive voltage dips, the setting for the generator would have to be used even though it would add additional unnecessary time to each start when the system is powered off of line power.
The present invention is directed to solving one or more of the problems discussed above, in a novel and simple manner.

System and method for automatic current limit control