In some embodiments, the present inventions relates generally to compositions, methods and kits for use in discriminating sequence variation between different alleles. More specifically, in some embodiments, the present invention provides for compositions, methods and kits for quantitating rare (e.g., mutant) allelic variants, such as SNPs, or nucleotide (NT) insertions or deletions, in samples comprising abundant (e.g., wild type) allelic variants with high specificity and selectivity. In particular, in some embodiments, the invention relates to a highly selective method for mutation detection referred to as competitive allele-specific TaqMan PCR (“cast-PCR”).

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most common type of genetic diversity in the human genome, occurring at a frequency of about one SNP in 1,000 nucleotides or less in human genomic DNA (Kwok, P-Y, Ann Rev Genom Hum Genet 2001, 2: 235-258). SNPs have been implicated in genetic disorders, susceptibility to different diseases, predisposition to adverse reactions to drugs, and for use in forensic investigations. Thus, SNP (or rare mutation) detection provides great potentials in diagnosing early phase diseases, such as detecting circulating tumor cells in blood, for prenatal diagnostics, as well as for detection of disease-associated mutations in a mixed cell population.
Numerous approaches for SNP genotyping have been developed based on methods involving hybridization, ligation, or DNA polymerases (Chen, X., and Sullivan, P F, The Pharmacogeonomics Journal 2003, 3, 77-96.). For example, allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) is a widely used strategy for detecting DNA sequence variation (Wu D Y, Ugozzoli L, Pal B K, Wallace R B., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1989; 86:2757-2760). AS-PCR, as its name implies, is a PCR-based method whereby one or both primers are designed to anneal at sites of sequence variations which allows for the ability to differentiate among different alleles of the same gene. AS-PCR exploits the fidelity of DNA polymerases, which extend primers with a mismatched 3′ base at much lower efficiency, from 100 to 100,000 fold less efficient, than that with a matched 3′ base (Chen, X., and Sullivan, P F, The Pharmacogeonomics Journal 2003; 3:77-96). The difficulty in extending mismatched primers results in diminished PCR amplification that can be readily detected.
The specificity and selectivity of AS-PCR, however, is largely dependent on the nature of exponential amplification of PCR which makes the decay of allele discriminating power rapid. Even though primers are designed to match a specific variant to selectively amplify only that variant, in actuality significant mismatched amplification often occurs. Moreover, the ability of AS-PCR to differentiate between allelic variants can be influenced by the type of mutation or the sequence surrounding the mutation or SNP (Ayyadevara S, Thaden J J, Shmookler Reis R J., Anal Biochem 2000; 284:11-18), the amount of allelic variants present in the sample, as well as the ratio between alternative alleles. Collectively, these factors are often responsible for the frequent appearance of false-positive results, leading many researchers to attempt to increase the reliability of AS-PCR (Orou A, Fechner B, Utermann G, Menzel H J., Hum Mutat 1995; 6:163-169)(Imyanitov E N, Busboy K G, Suspitsin E N, Kuligina E S, Belogubova E V, Grigoriev M Y, et al., Biotechniques 2002; 33:484-490)(McKinzie P B, Parsons B L. Detection of rare K-ras codon 12 mutations using allele-specific competitive blocker PCR. Mutat Res 2002; 517:209-220)(Latorra D, Campbell K, Wolter A, Hurley J M., Hum Mutat 2003; 22:79-85).
In some cases, the selectivity of AS-PCR has been increased anywhere from detection of 1 in 10 alleles to 1 in 100,000 alleles by using SNP-based PCR primers containing locked nucleic acids (LNAs) (Latorra, D., et al., Hum Mut 2003, 2:79-85; Nakiandwe, J. et al., Plant Method 2007, 3:2) or modified bases (Koizumi, M. et al. Anal Biochem. 2005, 340:287-294). However, these base "mimics" or modifications increase the overall cost of analysis and often require extensive optimization.
Another technology involving probe hybridization methods used for discriminating allelic variations is TaqMan® genotyping. However, like AS-PCR, selectivity using this method is limited and not suitable for detecting rare (1 in >1,000) alleles or mutations in a mixed sample.

Methods, compositions, and kits for detecting allelic variants


An adjusting device for a deflection fitting of a vehicle safety belt system includes a rail provided with catch openings, and a slider mounted displaceably in the rail. The slider is adapted for connection to the deflection fitting and is provided with a detent mechanism for cooperation with the catch openings. The slider is further provided with a locking element which is functionally independent of the detent mechanism. The locking element is mounted at the slider pivotally between a neutral position in which it does not engage the rail, and a locking position in which it engages the rail and locks the slider in place.

An adjusting device for a deflection fitting of a vehicle safety belt system conventionally comprises a rail which is secured to the vehicle and is provided with catch openings, and a slider able to be slid in the rail, such slider being provided for mounting the deflection fitting and possessing a detent mechanism adapted to cooperate with the catch openings.
Such an adjusting device serves to adapt the way in which the safety belt is spread out to suit the vehicle occupant in the best possible manner. Problems may occur when using such an adjusting device, if the slider is located between two catch openings just when an accident happens, that is to say it is not anchored as required at a catch opening. Such problem is made even more acute if the safety belt system is provided with a belt pretensioner, which in an accident takes up slack in the safety belt system. The forces acting on the deflection fitting may prevent the detent mechanism from satisfactorily snapping into the next catch opening so that the slider is displaced downward in relation to the vehicle and consequently the action of the belt pretensioner is impaired as well. Therefore detent mechanisms have been proposed designed to ensure reliable snapping into the next following catch opening even if the slider is under extremely high downward acceleration in relation to the vehicle. However, with such an improved detent mechanism the action of the belt pretensioner is impaired by there being a certain distance to be moved through by the slider before the detent mechanism fits into the next following catch opening.

Adjusting device for a deflection fitting


One example provides a broadcast device configured to display an advertisement for viewing by a user and a mobile client device configured to capture information relating to the advertisement from the broadcast device. The mobile client device determines whether the captured information is sufficient to allow the mobile client device to generate an electronic coupon. If it is, the mobile client device generates a coupon may be stored in the mobile client device and subsequently presented at a point-of-sale device as part of a transaction. If the captured information is insufficient, the mobile client device may request additional information from an advertiser server either directly or via the broadcast device.

1. Field
Various examples pertain to advertising, and more specifically, to methods and systems for providing enhanced broadcast advertising content in a more instantaneous and targeted manner.
2. Background
Current advertising methods that utilize a broadcast medium, such as, a television or radio broadcast or a printed advertisement in a publication, are relatively passive or non-interactive in nature. Typically, in a television or radio broadcast, an advertisement or commercial would run and then contact information, such as a phone number or website, would be given so as to allow any interested person to contact the advertiser for further information.
Requiring someone to take the extra steps of calling a phone number or logging onto a website might discourage some people from further pursuit of the advertisement, especially in situations where some people may just have a slight initial interest or when the advertisement just offers marginal value. Even when someone is interested in an advertisement, s/he might not be able to make a phone call or log onto a website promptly upon seeing or listening to the advertisement and hence might subsequently forget to follow up.
Similarly, in a printed advertisement, in addition to providing contact information, the advertisement may also require a reader to physically remove a coupon and then present the coupon at the point of sale in order for the reader to qualify for or redeem any benefits. The imposition of such additional tasks may substantially reduce the effect of the advertisement. For example, a reader may not be able to physically remove a coupon due to a variety of reasons, such as, the reader not owning the publication or having the appropriate cutting tool available; also, a reader may easily misplace a coupon or otherwise forget to bring the coupon to the store.
Hence, it would be desirable to provide methods and systems for providing enhanced broadcast advertising in a more instantaneous manner.

Method and system for providing enhanced broadcast advertising


The invention is to compounds exhibiting neurokinin inhibitory properties, pharmaceutical compositions comprising same and methods of treatment for neurokinin-mediated conditions.

The mammalian peptide Neurokinin B (NKB) belongs to the Tachykinin (TK) peptide family which also includes Substance P (SP) and Neurokinin A (NKA). Pharmacological and molecular biological evidence has shown the existence of three subtypes of TK receptor (NK-1, NK-2 and NK-3). Substance P (also known as NK-1) is a naturally occurring undecapeptide so named due to its prompt stimulatory action on smooth muscle tissue. More specifically, substance P is a pharmacologically active neuropeptide produced in mammals and possessing a characteristic amino acid sequence as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,283. NK-1 antanonists have been previously reported in EP528495A1.


Milk flow detecting method and device monitors a flow of milk in a milk line which is connected to a teat cup and which has an aeration opening, like in a milking device. For this purpose, the milk filling level is monitored in a measuring section of the line. If the variation therein is too little, the absence of a flow, or at least an inadequate flow, is established. If, additionally, a (sufficient) filling level is detected, it can be concluded that there is an obstructed aeration opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of detecting a flow of milk in a milk line which is connected to a teat cup having a pulsator space and which has an aeration opening, wherein the milk defines a filling level in a measuring section of the milk line, wherein the method comprises applying a milking vacuum in the milk line and a pulsating vacuum in the pulsator space of the teat cup. Such a detection of a flow of milk is of importance in a milking process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Document WO00/75610, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a method and system for milk flow detection in a milking process, wherein a frequency analysis is carried out on a flow signal, which frequency analysis relates to the frequency of the pulsator.
This known method requires a fairly complex analysis device. Additionally, this method has the disadvantage of only being able to be active in a limited section of the milk line, because the action of the pulsator, and in particular the frequency thereof, should be found in a reliable manner in the flow of milk. However, this will often be impeded by friction of milk with the lines and by milk and admitted air flowing together through the lines.

Method of detecting a flow, detection device, automatic milking device and computer program


A clock generator uses coarse and fine phase locking to lock an internal clock signal to an intermittently received data signal. The clock generator uses separate coarse and fine phase locked loops (PLL's). The respective voltage controlled oscillators (VCO's) of the PLL's are made from matched components and the coarse control signal is applied to both VCO's. The fine PLL locks the output signal provided by the second PLL in phase to the received data signal. The oscillatory signal provided by the second PLL is the output clock signal of the system. The fine phase control signal is combined with the coarse frequency control signal to generate the control signal for the second VCO. The fine phase control signal is generated by comparing transitions in a non-return to zero (NRZ) encoded data signal to corresponding transitions in the output clock signal. Phase correction errors made due to missing transitions in the encoded data signal are compensated by one type of phase detector which retains the previous levels of the received data signals. Another type of phase detector gates the clock signal into the loop filter only when it is coincident with detected transitions in the received data signal.

The present invention relates generally to phase locked loop (PLL) circuitry and in particular to a frequency agile PLL system which generates a clock signal that is synchronized to signal transitions occurring in a received data stream.
In a data communications system, multiple data processing systems transmit data to, and receive data from each other over a shared network. Generally, the network includes a number of interconnected nodes, each having a respective clock signal generator. The data transmitted by each node is synchronized to the clock signal provided by its clock signal generator.
In order to receive data, however, a node cannot use its own clock signal unless steps are taken to synchronize the incoming data stream with the local clock signal. If the receiving clock signal is not synchronized to the incoming data in both frequency and phase, the data may not be received properly.
Consider, for example, the data communications network shown in FIG. 1. In this FIGURE, three network transceivers, 110, 122 and 130 are connected in a daisy-chain configuration. The transceivers 110, 122 and 130 are coupled to respective host processors 116, 126 and 134. This may represent, for example, a portion of a ring data communications network. The transceivers 110, 122 and 130 have respective clock oscillators 112, 124 and 132, Which produce respective local clock signals used by the transceivers, and the host processors 116, 126 and 134 have respective clock oscillators 118, 128 and 136 Which produce the clock signals that are used by the host processors.
In normal operation, transceiver 110 receives and sends data over the network on behalf of the host processor 116. Data, destined for the host 116 which is received from the network by transceiver 110 is forwarded to the host processor 116 over the bidirectional data link DL. Data to be sent over the network from the host processor 116 to, for example, the host processor 126 is provided to the transceiver 110 via the data link DL.
If the host processor properly receives a message from the transceiver 110, it sends an acknowledgement (ACK) message back to the transceiver. It the message was not properly received, the host processor 116 sends a negative acknowledgement (NAK) message to the transceiver 110. The transmission link from the host 116 to the transceiver 110 uses the same scheme. When one of the processor 116 or transceiver 110 receives a NAK message, it retransmits the message. When the clock signals used by the host processor and transceiver are not aligned, a message may need to be transmitted several times before an ACK message is received.
Data sent between the transceivers and their respective host processors is encoded into packets according to a known protocol. The protocol includes a data formatting technique (e.g. NRZI encoding), which encodes the transmitting clock signal with the data. The protocol may also include a defined synchronizing signal which is sent to synchronize the receiver to the transmitter before data is sent.
In a typical network of the type shown in FIG. 1, the transceiver 110 sends data to the host, synchronous with its internal clock signal, over a dedicated signal path. The host includes a phase locked loop (PLL) 120 which recovers the clock signal that was used by the transceiver 110 to transmit the data. Using this recovered clock signal, the host processor decodes the data sent by the transceiver. The transceiver 110 decodes data received from the host 116 using a similar PLL 114 which recovers the clock signal that is encoded in the data by the host 116.
This configuration works well when the transmitting clock signals have fixed frequencies and the encoded data streams have frequent transitions. If a data formatting technique is selected which ensures frequent transitions in the data stream, then the loop time constant of the PLL may be selected to be relatively low and still maintain phase lock between the clock signals used by the host processor 116 and the network transceiver 110. Using a data encoding technique such as NRZI ensures that there will be relatively frequent transitions in the signal during most of the time data is transmitted. There will also be intervals, however, in which transitions are infrequent.
A synchronization system used with a data encoding technique in which intervals having infrequent transitions are a possibility may compensate for these intervals by increasing the loop time constant of the PLL's 114 and 120. Due to the relatively long time constant of the PLL's, however, data is usually transmitted across the data link at a single baud rate. This rate is determined when the network is configured based on the length and type of interconnecting cable as well as the capabilities of the transmitters and receivers at either end of the data link. Thus, the assignment of data transmission rates may involve considerable effort during the initial configuration of the network.
Generally, it is desirable to transmit data at the highest rate which is supported by the link. This rate depends on the kind and length of the link and on the environment in which it is used. If, for example, a twisted-pair data link is used in an environment which is intermittently subject to high levels of radio frequency interference (RFI), it may be desirable to reduce the data rate during intervals of high RFI to avoid data corruption. During intervals in which the RFI is absent or attenuated, it may be desirable to increase the data rate to improve system performance.
If the PLL's 114 and 120 of the system shown in FIG. 1 have relatively long loop time constants, they may require a relatively long initial synchronization time and a relatively long synchronization time after each change in frequency of the transmitting clock signal. No data may be transmitted during these synchronization intervals. On the other hand, if the PLL's 114 and 120 have relatively short loop time constants, the frequencies and phases of the transmitting clock signals may be initialized or changed relatively rapidly, but they may exhibit excessive drift when the data signals have long periods without transitions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,659 to Blood et al. addresses this problem by treating the incoming data as an asynchronous signal. Each node includes a first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory which accepts data at one clock signal frequency and provides it at another.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,017 to Renner et al describes a synchronization circuit which periodically executes a predetermined set of instructions that cause the internal clocks of two data processing elements to coincide.

Phase locked loop synchronization system for use in data communications


A method for exchanging information between two communication devices includes communicating first identity information from a first communication device to a second communication device over a short-range communication link in response to an event. A second identity is received from the second communication device over the short-range communication link. The first identity information identifies a user of the first communication device and the second identity information identifies a user of the second communication device. Based on the first and second identity information, information is obtained specifying at least one attribute of the first and second users that they have in common.

Modern communication networks have provided users with a vast array of features and functions that make staying connected with friends, families, colleagues, and others easy, convenient, and inexpensive. A wide variety of devices such as mobile phones, smart phones, personal computers ("PCs"), and other network-enabled devices are available which let users surf the Web to access sources of information and entertainment, send e-mails and instant messages, as well as communicate using voice calls to other users. Moreover, as wireless infrastructure has broadened its reach, and as devices become feature-rich, smaller, and more portable, users can be reached virtually at any time and at any place.
Many mobile communication devices allow users to exchange their contact information when they meet one another. The exchange can be performed in a variety of different ways. For example, users can exchange contact information with their mobile communication devices over a short-range communication link such as Near-field Communication (NFC), which allows wireless communication over a few centimeters. However, users' contact cards typically reflect static information such as their address, phone number, email address, and similar information, which can be obtained directly from the devices. Moreover, the information contained in contact cards may not be the most pertinent or interesting information users wish to exchange upon first meeting one another.

Sharing of information common to two mobile device users over a near-field communication (NFC) link


A wave communication system includes an integrated circuit and a multilayered substrate. The multilayered substrate is electrically coupled to the integrated circuit. The multilayered substrate includes an antenna structure configured to transmit a circularly polarized wave in response to signals from the integrated circuit.

This relates generally to high frequency data systems, and more particularly to high frequency data systems using dielectric waveguides to communicate electromagnetic waves that may convey data signals.
In many high frequency data systems, two alternative media are used for communicating high speed data, namely copper wires and optical cables. Each of these approaches, however, may have certain drawbacks. With respect to copper wires, one drawback is the skin effect, which occurs as frequency increases. Skin effect is the tendency of the alternating signal current to become distributed only near the outer perimeter (or skin) of the wire, which raises the wire impedance and causes considerable signal loss at high frequencies. Optical cables are effective for long-distance spans, so long as the signal remains in the optical cable; however, connectivity to an intermediate or terminal device causes loss, and certain environments may have issues, such as debris or vibration, which can severely limit or disrupt optical cable communication efficiency. Further, optical cable can be relatively expensive to implement, and it also may be expensive in terms of power consumption of the attendant communicating circuitry/system.
A dielectric waveguide (DWG) is a high frequency alternative to copper wires and optical cables. A waveguide is a structure that guides waves, including electromagnetic waves that can carry data. The following patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference: (a) U.S. Pat. No. 9,761,950, issued Sep. 12, 2017, entitled "Dielectric Waveguide With Embedded Antenna"; (b) U.S. Pat. No. 9,705,174, issued Jul. 11, 2017, entitled "Dielectric Waveguide Having A Core and Cladding Formed In A Flexible Multi-Layer Substrate"; and (c) U.S. Pat. No. 9,647,329, issued May 9, 2017, entitled "Encapsulated Molded Package With Embedded Antenna For High Data Rate Communication Using A Dielectric Waveguide."

Circularly-polarized dielectric waveguide launch for millimeter-wave data communication


A trailer brake system includes a disc brake assembly for each wheel including apparatus to provide release of the brake pads from engagement with the rotor upon backing. In the preferred braking system, one master brake assembly is provided for braking one wheel and a slave brake assembly for braking a second wheel of the trailer; a self-contained hydraulic cylinder being provided for moving the pads into and out of engagement with the rotor. Each brake assembly includes a stationary bracket for attachment to the axle and a caliper unit with the brake pads mounted by a single pivot pin on the bracket. A relief valve is engaged by the pivoting caliper unit to provide the release of the brake pads. The housing of the caliper unit is in two sections and mounted adjacent the top of the rotor. The bracket includes a support ring for direct mounting on the axle and an integral yoke above the ring; one arm of the yoke limiting the pivoting movement of the caliper unit in one direction by a fixed stop for forward movement/normal braking of the trailer, and the other arm supporting an actuator stop for the relief valve engaged by pivoting in the opposite direction. A spring constantly urges the caliper unit toward the fixed stop.

Over the years, there have been many proposals for applying braking action to the wheels of a trailer or other towed vehicle. Many of these systems have utilized hydraulic braking action, similar to standard braking systems on automotive vehicles. However, in spite of substantial technical advances in automotive type systems, few true advances in technology have occurred for these trailer braking systems. With today's highway traffic safety regulations becoming more and more stringent, improved braking for trailers is becoming a necessity.
At the present time, the most widely used trailer braking system is an electro-mechanical system that is activated by the rearward force transmitted to the tongue of the trailer when the brakes of the towing vehicle are applied. A mechanical transducer senses the force along the tongue and, in turn, activates the brake cylinders to apply hydraulic pressure to the brake pads. The hydraulic pressure is actually generated by a master cylinder integral with or mounted on the trailer tongue.
In order to permit backing of the trailer, these systems that are in wide use today include an electrical solenoid for rendering the hydraulic system ineffective. This disabling action takes place in response to activation of the backup lights of the towing vehicle. Of course, because of this feature, an electrical connection must be made between the backup lights and the solenoid each time the trailer is hitched to the towing vehicle.
In addition to the requirement to make this connection being inconvenient, it has been found in practice that the electrical coupling is often damaged, such as by inadvertent tugging on the wires, and during the long periods of non-use, due to such factors as weather-related corrosion of the electrical contacts. In addition to likely malfunction of the trailer braking system, this added electrical load and the possibility of a short sometimes causes malfunction in the towing vehicle's electrical system. Furthermore, if the driver forgets to make the electrical connection or the connection is faulty, substantial damage can be done to the trailer upon backing when the brakes engage. Under possible extreme conditions, the trailer can be caused to jackknife and even overturn due to the brakes grabbing and locking up. An example in the prior art of this type of electro-mechanical braking system is shown in the Gatt U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,623 issued Aug. 28, 1973.
Competitors of the electro-mechanical braking system have attempted to solve these problems, and others, by converting to a fully hydraulically operated apparatus. A representative patent showing this type of system is the Jewell U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,132, issued Jul. 17, 1973. This type of system has not gained acceptance due to various shortcomings, but due mainly to an inefficient manner of mounting the brake assembly on the wheel spindle on the towed vehicle.
Also, the activation and deactivation of the brakes in the Jewell type system has in the past been generally unreliable due, in part, to the reliance on slotted mounts to provide relative movement for activation of the release valve unit, and in general unstable mounting of the valve unit. Buildup of road dirt and debris between the moving surfaces and in the open slots has proven to contribute to inefficient operation. These problems have in effect been instrumental in leading the industry to accept the electro-mechanical systems of the type shown in the Gatt '623 patent, along with its shortcomings as described above.

Trailer brake system with release apparatus


A video production device is deployed to produce a video production stream of an event occurring within an environment that includes a plurality of different video capture devices capturing respective video input streams of the event. The video production device is programmed and operated to: receive video input streams from the video capture devices; determine, for each video capture device, an average root mean square (RMS) audio energy value over a period of time, to obtain device-specific average RMS values for the video capture devices; compare each device-specific average RMS value against a respective device-specific energy threshold value; identify which input stream is associated with an active speaker, based on the comparing step; select one of the identified streams as a current video output stream; and provide the selected stream as the current video output stream.

Recent years have seen an explosion in the creation and enjoyment of digital video content. Millions of people around the world now carry mobile phones, cameras, or other devices that are capable of capturing high quality video and/or of playing back video streams in a convenient manner. Moreover, Internet sites such as YOUTUBE have provided convenient and economical sharing of live-captured video, thereby leading to an even greater demand for live video content.
More recently, video production systems have been created that allow groups of relatively non-professional users to capture one or more video feeds, to select one of the video feeds for an output stream, and to thereby produce a professional-style video of the output stream for viewing, sharing, publication, archiving and/or other purposes. Many of these systems rely upon Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and/or other wireless communications for sharing of video feeds, control instructions and the like. A "producer" can operate a controller device that displays each of the available video feeds to select which video feed is to be displayed or processed at any given time. If all of the video capture devices are co-located and operated to capture the same event, then the producer can monitor the video feeds and manually select one of them as the currently focused feed.
In a practical deployment, however, it would be desirable to automatically select the currently focused video feed in an intelligent manner. An automatic selection methodology can reduce the workload of the producer and in certain situations can more accurately select a preferred video feed from a group of feeds that include the same content. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Audio-based automatic video feed selection for a digital video production system


Disclosed are various embodiments for integrating applications in a portal. A user interface is obtained in one or more computing devices from a first one of a plurality of applications. The user interface includes an identification of an object instance associated with an object type. A list of views associated with a second one of the applications is obtained. One or more of the views are configured to represent the object type. A modified user interface is generated from the user interface according to the identification of the object instance and the list of views. The modified user interface includes a component for selecting one of the views to represent the object instance.

Merchants who sell products online may have vast amounts of data related to the operation of their enterprise. Various individuals may access such data for various purposes using predefined applications that are configured to provide the desired access to the data. Unfortunately, as a merchant grows in size, the number of applications needed to access all of the various types of data relating to the enterprise can also grow. Consequently, it may be difficult to manage the development of the applications so that each application may coordinate with one another.


A combined gas and charcoal grill having an adjustable height burner. A combined gas and charcoal grill are provided in which the burner element is pivotably mounted within the grill enclosure so as to permit location adjustment of the burner relative to the grid which supports the food to be cooked. The burner element is configured along with a charcoal tray to form a burner/tray assembly which is vertically movable. Flame height from the burner is also adjustable independent of burner location. A deflector shield is provided to prevent grease and food debris from coming into contact with the burner itself. A removable tray also permits the use of water for steaming and wood chips for smoking. A self-cleaning feature is also provided.

The prior art illustrates various types of outdoor grills which use charcoal in combination with gas as the source of fuel.
It is known in the art that one may place the food being grilled at a desired position from the source of the fuel. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,062 discloses a firebox moveable in a vertical direction, but useful only with charcoal. U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,875 discloses an adjustable gas venturi assembly which is fabricated to fit numerous types of barbecue grills, and to provide communication between the gas supply and the burner element. U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,634 discloses a grilling apparatus having a vertically movable coal tray. U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,798 discloses an apparatus for cooking foods wherein a drip-pan is moveable to variable heights, but the heat source is in a stationary position.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,458,063; 5,099,821; 4,854,297; 4,944,282; 4,592,335 and 4,627,415 disclose different types of grills with moveable cooking grids and/or stationary burners. However, most of the gas grills have the disadvantage of stationary burners which are located directly below the cooking grid, and are subject to uncontrollable grease fires and limit the consumer to only high temperature grilling. Similarly, grill apparatus using an adjustable coal tray which is vertically moveable during the grilling process results in similar problems of intense heat and uncontrollable grease fires.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a grilling apparatus that avoids the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art devices, yet provides a grilling apparatus comprising a pivotally adjustable burner.


In an enclosure structure of an electronic apparatus having a concave portion made up of a bottom wall and a surrounding wall, the concave portion being used for storing a functional part, an outer wall opposite to the surrounding wall of the concave portion, and a connecting wall connecting one end portion of the outer wall and one end portion of the concave portion, that is, in the integrally formed enclosure structure, a rib is provided over the surrounding wall of the concave portion, the outer wall, and the connecting wall, and a cut portion is provided at the other end portion opposite to one end portion connected to the connecting wall.

1. Field
The present invention relates to an enclosure structure of an electronic apparatus and to an electronic apparatus, and particularly to an enclosure structure of an electronic apparatus having ribs for reinforcing the enclosure and to an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an enclosure (exterior casing, housing, etc.) of an electronic apparatus such as a personal computer, etc., a substantially box-shaped concave portion for storing various functional parts, such as a battery pack, hard disk drive (HDD), extension memory, modem, wireless LAN module, key array (keyboard), etc., is integrally molded. Further, the concave portion is composed of a bottom wall and a surrounding wall. Furthermore, an outer wall is formed so as to enclose the concave portion and, in addition, a connecting wall for connecting the upper end portion of the outer wall and the upper end portion of the concave portion is integrally molded.
As a material for constituting the enclosure, generally a thermoplastic resin such as acrylic resin (ABS resin), etc., has been widely used. Furthermore, an injection molding method and a compression molding method are generally used for molding the enclosure from a viewpoint of being able to mold a lot of products (molded articles) each having a complicated shape quickly and to adopt automatic controlling system.
Furthermore, when the enclosure made up of the concave portion, the outer wall, and the connecting wall is constructed by using one thin continuous mold body, since the rigidity is decreased in the curved portion of a large curvature and the connecting wall of a large area of the enclosure, deformation is easily caused by surface shrinkage immediately after the molding process, and there is posed a problem in that the accuracy of the shape of molded products is lowered and the product yield is reduced due to visual defects.
Then, in order to solve the aforementioned problem of the decreasing rigidity of the enclosure, there has been also conventionally adopted an enclosure structure in which reinforcement ribs for connecting the external surface of the surrounding wall of a concave portion for storing the functional parts and the inner surface of the outer wall of the enclosure are formed.
Furthermore, as a conventional enclosure structure, there has been proposed a portable computer enclosure structure in which a thick-wall portion where the thickness of a wall portion of an enclosure is partially increased at a reinforcing position is formed, a pinhole is provided inside the thick-wall portion, a reinforcement rib is formed such that the thick-wall portion is expanded by injecting a gas into the pinhole, the width of the reinforcement rib is made larger than the wall thickness of the enclosure, and the rigidity is increased (for example, Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3056719).
However, in the conventional molded enclosure structure of an electronic apparatus in which thick-wall portions are partially formed at reinforcing positions of an enclosure, pinholes are provided in those thick-wall portions, and reinforcement ribs are formed such that the thick-wall portions are expanded by injecting a gas into the pinholes, a high degree of technology is required to form the pinholes, it is difficult to form a thick-wall portion of a constant thickness, and there is a problem in that variations (scatterings) in the rigidity and strength of the enclosure increase.
On the other hand, in the conventional molded enclosure structure of an electronic apparatus in which the reinforcement ribs for connecting the outer surface of the surrounding wall of the concave portion and the inner surface of the outer wall of the enclosure are formed, there is a problem in that warpage and deformation of the enclosure caused by shrinkage at the time of molding and dimensional variations of the enclosure caused by surface shrinkage increase, and the production yield is disadvantageously reduced due to the inferior appearance of the products. In particular, in the enclosure in which a substantially box-shaped concave portion for storing the functional parts is integrally formed, since the substantially box-shaped concave portion has a relatively high rigidity at a time immediately after the molding, the outer surrounding portion of the enclosure is pulled in the direction of the concave portion through the reinforcement ribs due to shrinkage of the mold. As a result, the quality of the exterior appearance of the outer surrounding portion is likely to be degraded and deteriorated. That is, shrinkage is caused at the positions where the outer wall of the enclosure and the reinforcement ribs are connected, and there is posed a problem in that shrink marks, that is, surface irregularities are partially caused, thus resulting in visual defects.

Enclosure structure of electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus


An imaging system, comprising a pixel image sensor array disposed on a substrate and comprising a plurality of pixels, a multi-stage timer coupled to said pixel image sensor array for triggering exposures of said pixels, wherein the pixels are grouped into N subsets, and the timer triggers, for each subset, a sequence of at least two exposures of different capture duration of the pixels of said subset, wherein start times of the exposure sequences of the different subsets are temporally offset, at least one ADC coupled to said pixel image sensor array, which converts said exposures of said pixels to pixel digital values, a memory coupled to said at least one ADC to store said pixel digital values, and a logic circuit coupled to said memory to determine for each pixel of the image sensor array which of the corresponding stored pixel digital values to upload to a video frame.

Moving pictures (movies) are an optical trick in which a number of individual still pictures are flashed at a rate faster than the human eye can individually distinguish them as individual photos. The faster the pictures are flashed, the smoother motion appears, but not without cost. This speed of exposure comes at the cost of resolution of the individual pictures due to less photons being captured by the sensor media, and simultaneously, the greater the cost of transport. The slower the speed of exposure, the greater the detail that is captured within the individual picture, but this occurs at the expense of blurred motion. Thus, with a single speed of exposure there is an uneasy balance of detail versus the accurate capturing of motion.

Apparatus and method for encoding high frame rate content in standard frame rate video using temporal interlacing

Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation


A blind spot targeting system for establishing a cutting point includes a locator with a housing having an indicator and a signal-sensing device. The housing has a hole therethrough, and the indicator is in electronic communication with the signal-sensing device for indicating a cutting point on a first side of a structure. A transmitter is also included, which has a complementary hole therethrough. The transmitter is for placement on a second side of the structure for emitting a signal, which the signal-sensing device senses. The indicator in communication with the signal-sensing device indicates alignment of the hole and the complementary hole to establish the cutting point for cutting through the hole into the first side of a structure and possibly through the second side of the structure in a direction of the complementary hole.

In residential or commercial construction, precisely determining a reference point on one side of a structure such as a wall, floor or ceiling from an opposite side of the structure is required to avoid unnecessary trial and error as well as damage to the structure. For example, when installing a ceiling fan, a workman must know exactly where to cut a hole on the one side of the ceiling in order to line up with an incoming conduit on the opposite side of the ceiling, in an attic for instance, without cutting into a truss or beam. Likewise, if the workman cuts from the attic side without a precise reference point, the hole for the ceiling fan may be off-center in the room below. By way of further example, a customer will request that a cable or satellite television technician drill a hole from outside of the customer's house so that a television cable can be routed into a lower corner of a room to be as unobtrusive as possible. Unfortunately, most installation technicians do not have the time or tools to make precision measurements and their cable installations are often unsatisfactory.
Reference points are determined and marked usually by making a number of measurements on one side of the structure and then repeating the measurements on the opposite side of the structure. A hole is then drilled that extends from one side of the structure to the other side of the structure. This approach has several drawbacks. Foremost, manual measurements are time consuming due to the large number of measurements that must be made and due to the difficulty in transferring those measurements to the opposite side of the structure. This approach often leads to numerous unnecessary holes being drilled that of course must be patched or repaired to return the structure to its original condition. Ironically, the unnecessary holes are often due to the multiple measurements, which are meant to provide precision but can be confusing and lead to mismarked reference points. Moreover, this conventional measurement approach is costly due to the time associated with performing the initial measurements as well as the time and cost associated with patching or otherwise repairing the unnecessary holes.
Various devices available in the market have attempted to automate measurement processes or electronically locate reference points for cutting or drilling from blind sides of structures. However, these devices tend to be bulky and excessively complex, especially for a layman for use in a home project. Moreover, for an occasional home project, the existing devices can be cost prohibitive.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Device for establishing a cutting point from a blind side of a structure


A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a pixel section having two-dimensionally arranged pixels, each having a photoelectric conversion means, a memory means, a transfer means, a first reset means for resetting the memory means, a second reset means for resetting the photoelectric conversion means, and a read means for reading the photoelectric conversion signal of the memory means; and a controller for effecting a control so that, after passage of a predetermined time subsequently to the rendering of a concurrent reset by the second reset means on the photoelectric conversion means of all pixels, a transfer of the photoelectric conversion signal is concurrently effected by the transfer means to the memory means of all pixels, and the reading by the read means is temporarily halted at least at one or the other of timings of a start and a release of the concurrent reset by the second reset means.

The present invention relates to solid-state imaging apparatus, and more particularly relates to a solid-state imaging apparatus adapted to be capable of avoiding an effect of fluctuation in power supply or GND occurring due to the rendering of a concurrent reset operation of all pixels in a readout pixel region.
As a pixel of the pixel section to be used in a solid-state imaging apparatus having a concurrent shutter (also referred to as global shutter) function, one constructed as shown in FIG. 1 has been disclosed for example in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open hei-11-261896. FIG. 1 includes: 1, a photoelectric conversion means such as a photodiode for receiving light for a predetermined time to accumulate photoelectric charge and effect its photoelectric conversion; 2, a memory means for retaining photoelectric charge of the photoelectric conversion means 1; 3, a transfer means for transferring photoelectric charge of the photoelectric conversion means 1 to the memory means 2; 4, a reset means for resetting the memory means 2 to the potential of a power supply; 5, a discharging means for resetting the photoelectric conversion means 1 to the potential of a power supply; and 6, a read means for reading electric charge of the memory means 2. These means constitute a unit pixel 7. A plurality of unit pixels 7 having such construction are then two-dimensionally arranged to constitute a pixel section. It should be noted that what is denoted by 21 is a vertical signal line for outputting signal read out by the read means 6.
Also referring to FIG. 1, φ TX1, φ RES(n), φ TX2, and φ SEL(n) are a transfer control signal, reset control signal, discharging control signal, and read control signal, respectively, for controlling ON/OFF of the transfer means 3, reset means 4, discharging means 5, and read means 6. It should be noted that suffix (n) of φ RES(n) and φ SEL(n) represents the location of row, and these control signals are outputted row by row of the pixel section from a vertical circuit (not shown).
An operation of the pixel section using the pixel shown in FIG. 1 will now be described with reference to a timing chart shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the discharging control signal φ TX2 is driven to H level concurrently for all pixels so that a concurrent discharging operation of all pixels is started by the discharging means 5. After passage of a predetermined time, the discharging control signal φ TX2 is brought to L level concurrently for all pixels so that a concurrent discharging/reset operation of all pixels is completed by the discharging means 5 (time point t1) and exposure of all pixels is started.
After passage of a predetermined exposure time, at the timing of concurrent transfer of all pixels, the transfer means 3 of all pixels are concurrently turned ON by the transfer control signal φ TX1. The photoelectric charges accumulated at the photoelectric conversion means 1 are thereby concurrently transferred to the memory means 2 (time point t2). In other words, an exposure is ended. Here, in the timing chart shown in FIG. 2, a period indicated as Tint is an actual exposure period. Next after the end of the exposure, the read means 6 controlled by the read control signal φ SEL(n) is used to start read of signal level sequentially from the first row. It should be noted that, Vdd, Gnd in FIG. 2 indicate fluctuation in power supply (Vdd) and Gnd at the time of the concurrent discharging/reset operation by the discharging control signal φ TX2 and at the time of the concurrent transfer operation by the transfer control signal φ TX1.

Solid-state imaging apparatus for overcoming effects of power fluctuations


One embodiment of the present invention provides a system which performs a constrained optimization of circuit parameters. During operation, the system selects two circuit parameters associated with a circuit path, wherein the optimization is to be performed on the first circuit parameter while a limitation on second circuit parameter functions as a constraint on the optimization of the first circuit parameter. Next, the system generates objective functions which model the first circuit parameter and the second circuit parameter in terms of logical effort. The system then uses the objective functions to generate a constraint expression, wherein the constraint expression mathematically relates the optimization of the first circuit parameter to the constraint on the second circuit parameter. Next, the system computes a trade-off curve using the constraint expression. The system then computes transistor sizes for the circuit path based on a selected point from the trade-off curve.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to techniques for improving circuit performance. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for performing a constrained optimization to determine circuit parameters.
2. Related Art
The circuit in FIG. 1 illustrates the series of challenges facing the modern integrated circuit designer. Note that the circuit includes a path of N+1 gates with side loads. For the purposes of illustration, assume that a gate i has a drive strength xi. In addition, assume that both the drive strength (x0) of gate 0 and the side loads are fixed.
The first challenge is finding the drive strengths xi, 0<i≦N, that minimize the transistor area A of this path under the constraint that the total path delay is at most D0. A more general question is to find the minimal transistor area A(D0) as a function of the delay constraint D0. This "cost function" reveals to the designer how the cost in terms of transistor area behaves as a function of the delay constraint D0. Knowing this cost function permits a designer to choose the best trade-off between area and path delay.
The inverse of the first challenge is to find the drive strengths xi, 0<i≦N, that minimize the path delay D of this path under the constraint that the total transistor area of the path is at most A0. Here, the more general question is to find the minimal path delay D(A0) as a function of the area constraint A0. This cost function reveals to the designer how the cost in terms of minimum path delay behaves as a function of the area constraint A0.
A different, but similar, challenge is to find the drive strengths xi, 0<i≦N, that minimize the energy dissipation E of the path under the constraint that the total path delay is at most D0. For this problem, we want to find how the cost E(D0) in terms of energy behaves as a function of the delay constraint D0. Conversely, we also want to find how the minimum path delay D(E0) behaves as a function of the energy constraint E0.
Another challenge arises with a cyclic path. In the case of a cyclic path, the path delay becomes the cycle time and the function A(D0) represents the transistor area for a constraint D0 on the cycle time. Conversely, D(A0) represents the minimum cycle time for the constraint A0 on the transistor area.
Researchers have proposed multiple solutions to the above-described constrained circuit optimization problems. Unfortunately, the proposed solutions fall short in one aspect or another, thereby limiting their effectiveness for many applications of interest. For example, several of the proposed solutions employ over-inclusive or non-convergent modeling techniques, which lead to prohibitive run-times or outright failure in some applications.
Hence, what is needed is a method for performing a constrained optimization to determine circuit parameters in a manner which expediently and accurately converges on a useful solution.

Performing a constrained optimization to determine circuit parameters


The present invention provides a laser tracking system including a laser generator for generating a beam of laser energy, a beam steerer for steering the beam of laser energy such that it moves in a search pattern, and a receiving device that receives laser energy reflected from a targeted object and that causes the beam steerer to vary the search pattern in response to the reflected laser energy. A tracking method associated with the laser tracking system includes the steps of generating a beam of laser energy, steering the beam of energy in a search pattern, detecting a hit spot formed from laser energy being reflected from a targeted object, diminishing the size of the search pattern in response to the detection of the hit spot, and focusing the diminished search pattern on a feature of the targeted object corresponding to the hit spot. The laser tracking system and associated method presented provide a number of advantages over conventional tracking systems. The laser tracking system employs closed loop methodologies allowing the system to accurately track targeted objects using continuously updated tracking data. The laser tracking system is able to seek and lock on to vulnerable features of potential targets. Further, the laser tracking system is able to maintain a desired aim point indefinitely and without operator intervention. This aim point maintenance allows an associated weapon to disable a target, despite any relative tracker-target motion during the munitions launch and flight.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to systems for tracking moving objects and, in particular, to a self-referencing imaging tracker employing a laser designator that allows a desired target aim point to be maintained until a target kill is achieved.
2. Discussion
It is well known to use laser designators for target aim point designation. Some laser designation units are small enough to mount on the barrel of a pistol or rifle. There is a larger class of designators, however, that are used for aim point designation on targets such as tanks or aircraft. For such designators, it is necessary to provide a means for maintaining the aim point at or near a fixed place on the target as the target moves in the field. It is especially critical to maintain the laser designated aim point on the target for at least the length of time it takes to launch munitions. In conventional tracking systems, the laser designated aim point is often maintained by a human operator.
Non-imaging, laser designating trackers may also be employed using self-referencing methodologies, such as the systems disclosed in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/631,645, entitled "Laser Cross Body Tracking System and Method", and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/760,434, entitled "Laser Cross Body in Feature Curvature Tracker", both incorporated herein by reference.
Non-imaging self-referencing trackers are presently deployed as Vernier trackers as an adjunct to imaging trackers; that is, the trackers correct residual image jitter created by imperfect image tracker performance. Thus, the non-imaging tracker bears the major tracking burden for difficult targets, such as small artillery rounds or maneuvering cruise missiles. Non-imaging, self-referencing trackers use a laser beam to seek and hold a glint spot, typically found on a reflective curved surface such as a cylindrical missile housing.
Non-imaging laser designation devices may be combined with tracking systems. However, the conventional systems combining these techniques employ non-self-referencing open loop methods and suffer from significant limitations. The conventional devices typically require a pilot or operator to maintain the target image-laser beam glint aim point during the munitions flight. Alternatively, the location of the aim point must be inferred based on the previous movements of the target as followed and recorded by the tracker. For difficult to track targets, the conventional devices are often unable to select a vulnerable portion of the target as a desired aim point. Still other systems are unable to correct aim point errors resulting from relative motion of the tracking system or the target. Even systems employing self-referencing laser designation are susceptible to losing target lock in the event that the glint point becomes shielded or otherwise obstructed.


A method is provided for recovering rhenium from a titania-supported, rhenium-containing catalyst by treating the catalyst in the reduced form with an acid in an amount and for a time sufficient to dissolve the rhenium without dissolving the support.

Catalysts comprising a catalytically active metal on a support such as silica or alumina are known in the art for hydrogenation reactions. For example, a catalyst comprising platinum and rhenium supported on alumina has been found to be highly effective for the reforming of naphtha. Similarly, a catalyst comprising cobalt and rhenium supported on alumina or silica has been found to be effective for the preparation of hydrocarbons from synthesis gas via the Fischer-Tropsch process. Although rhenium is an expensive metal, its excellent catalyst promoting activity justifies its commercial use.
In certain chemical reactions, it is believed to be advantageous to deposit a catalytic metal or metals on a titania support. For example, cobalt and rhenium supported on titania is preferred by some workers for Fischer-Tropsch reactions because it is more active for CO conversion than when supported on alumina or silica. Also, titania supported catalysts may be preferred for use in hydrothermal environments where alumina supports may show a tendency to degrade to some extent.
As is well known, during use catalysts tend to become less active and require periodic regeneration. Regeneration typically restores the activity of the catalyst to a level approximating its original condition; however, after many regenerations, the catalyst will no longer be capable of being restored to a satisfactory activity level. It then becomes necessary to replace the deactivated or spent catalyst with fresh catalyst.
Noble catalytic metals are expensive, and hence, the art is replete with methods for recovering them from deactivated catalysts containing them. For example, platinum can be recovered from alumina supported platinum-containing catalysts by dissolving the support with strong acidic or strong basic solutions. Similarly, rhenium can be recovered from alumina supported rhenium-containing catalyst by digestion of the support with an acid or base followed by filtration to isolate the rhenium-containing catalytic metal. This approach is not feasible with titania-supported catalysts because titania is not completely soluble in acid or base.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for the recovery of rhenium from titania-supported catalysts and especially the recovery of cobalt and rhenium from titania-supported cobalt and rhenium catalysts.

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company


A method for dry-cleaning articles such as fabrics and clothing in carbon dioxide comprises contacting an article to be cleaned with a liquid dry cleaning composition for a time sufficient to clean the fabric. The liquid dry-cleaning composition comprises a mixture of carbon dioxide, water, and an end-functional polysiloxane surfactant. After the contacting step, the article is separated from the liquid dry cleaning composition. The method is preferably carried out at ambient temperature.

Commercial dry cleaning systems currently employ potentially toxic and environmentally harmful halocarbon solvents, such as perchloroethylene. Carbon dioxide has been proposed as an alternative to such systems in U.S. Pat. No. 4,012, 194 to Maffei. A problem with carbon dioxide is, however, its lower solvent power relative to ordinary solvents.
PCT Application WO 97/16264 by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill describes cleaning systems that employ liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide in combination with a surfactant that contains a "CO.sub.2 -philic" group. The term "CO.sub.2 -philic" was first coined in conjunction with such surfactants by J. DeSimone and colleagues. See, e.g., J. DeSimone et al., Science 265, 356-359 (Jul. 15, 1994).
PCT Application WO96/27704 (Sep. 12, 1996) by Unilever, describes dry cleaning systems using densified carbon dioxide and special surfactant adjuncts. The surfactants employed have a CO.sub.2 -philic moiety connected to a CO.sub.2 -phobic moiety. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,473 to Jureller et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,977 to Jureller et al.; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,676,705 to Jureller et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,705 to Smith et al. describes a precision cleaning system in which a work piece is cleaned with a mixture of CO.sub.2 and a co-solvent. Smith provides an entirely non-aqueous system, stating: "The system is also designed to replace aqueous or semi-aqueous based cleaning processes to eliminate the problems of moisture damage to parts and water disposal" (col. 4 line 68 to col. 5 line 3). Co-solvents that are listed include acetone and ISOPAR.TM.M (col. 8, lines 19-24). Use in dry cleaning is neither suggested nor disclosed. Indeed, since some water must be present in dry-cleaning, such use is contrary to this system.
In view of the foregoing, there is a continuing need for effective carbon dioxide-based cleaning systems.

Methods of dry cleaning with compositions which contain carbon dioxide and end functionalized polysiloxane surfactants


An identification code is assigned to a user by making a selection from a closed set of possible tokens. The selection is determined algorithmically by user identity data. The format of the identification code may comprise a sequence of natural language words chosen from closed sets and a separator character having a fixed value or a small range of possible values. The closed sets may be programmed in the recognition grammar of a speech interface to secure services such as banking.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to secure services suitable for the use, for example, over a communications network. In particular, it concerns identification codes for users of such services.
2. Description of Related Art
Related inventions are described and claimed in our copending application EP00302045.0.
Increasingly, face-to-face transactions between customers and service providers are being a replaced by transactions carried out remotely over a communications network. This provides ease of access for the customer, and reduced costs for the service operator. For example, in the case of banking services, there has been to a rapid rise in Internet banking and in a telephone banking operations. Internet banking in particular, offers the possibility of large cost savings, since customer transactions can be fully automated. Currently, telephone banking is implemented using human operators and a call centre. It would be desirable to automate telephone banking using interactive voice response (IVR) technology. One potential barrier to doing so, is the need for secure identification of customers. Conventionally, for Internet banking using a text interface, the customer identifies themselves using an account number and PIN. However, using speech recognition systems, recognition accuracy for long strings of numbers is relatively poor. Accordingly, an alternative form of identification is required.

Method for assigning an identification code


A flexible hinged cleat for a shoe includes a base, a hinge section and a traction section formed as a one-piece mechanism. The flexible hinged cleat is capable of flexing upwardly or downwardly, depending on the direction of the applied force. The hinge section is configured such that the traction section is hinged for rotation relative to a generally fixed axis. Multiple flexible hinged cleats may be molded as parts of a strip and subsequently sandwiched between the outsole and midsole of a shoe.

Historically in the golfing industry, golfers have used shoes in which an array of screw holes were embedded into the shoe sole to accept an equivalent number of golf spikes. The golf spike tips are typically made of metal, such as tungsten or stainless steel, and are contained within a circular housing having a nub portion. These spikes are screwed into the screw holes and can be removed or replaced, as needed, using a special golf wrench tool. A standard golf shoe typically has between eight and eleven golf spikes for each shoe. These spikes provide traction for a golfer during a golf swing.
A major problem with these types of golf spikes is that the spikes and the nub portion can leave spike marks on the grass surface of a golf course, particularly on the putting surfaces (called the "green" or the "putting green"). A careless golfer who shuffles or twists his feet while walking across a putting green can damage the grass surface. Even a careful golfer can leave spike marks on a putting green, particularly when the putting green is wet.
Current golf rules permit the repair of golf ball marks on the putting green, such as the mark left when a golf ball hits the putting green. However, those current golf rules do not permit the repair of spike marks. It is well known that the spike marks that golf spikes make on the putting surface can dramatically affect the motion or path of a putted golf ball, and as a result, the golfer's overall score. Many golf courses have subsequently banned the use of traditional spiked golf shoes for these reasons.
Initially, some golf courses permitted the use of certain types of spikeless golf shoes, hoping to minimize the spike marks left by spiked golf shoes. Some versions of those spikeless golf shoes incorporated an array of circular rubber knobs, which were to provide the desired traction similar to the traditional spiked golf shoes, but tended to leave knob marks on the putting greens. In some instances, more severe marks were caused by these types of spikeless golf shoes. As a result, more golf courses have banned the use of the rubber knob type of spikeless golf shoes as well.
There are presently available golf shoes in which circular cleats (typically plastic) replace the traditional golf spikes, again using some form of golf wrench tool to remove the golf spikes and replace those golf spikes with the circular cleats. Each circular cleat typically has a series of pin-like projections or a circular array of triangular shaped nubs, which serve to provide traction during a golf swing. However, these circular types of spikeless golf cleats can still leave undesired marks on the putting surface, particularly in wet conditions. Another problem with these plastic cleats is they can fall out during a round and cause the threaded receptacle to become packed with mud and debris, making it very difficult to clean, so that a new cleat can be installed.
Another problem with existing golf shoes is that the outsole portion (the bottom) of the golf shoe tends to accumulate dirt and debris, especially during wet conditions. The accumulation of such dirt and debris requires frequent and tedious cleaning, as otherwise the desired traction during a golf swing can be affected.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved spikeless golf shoe which will eliminate or minimize the type of spike marks presently left on the grass surfaces and particularly the putting surfaces, while still providing the necessary traction during a golf swing and minimizing the accumulation of dirt and debris.


A method and a device for search engine optimization, that receives an identifier that identifies a domain, one or more keywords for analysis relative to a search engine, and search engine usage data, for each received keyword, gathering search engine results data, for at least one received keyword, mapping the at least one keyword to at least one web page within the identified domain, said mapping based on at least one of said search engine usage data and said search engine results data, and for at least one of the received keywords, generating at least one instruction to modify a web page element in a web page to which the at least one received keyword is mapped.

Keyword searches performed by users of search engines result in web pages, known as "search engine results pages" or SERPs, that include unpaid search listings, commonly referred to as "organic" search results, as well as paid search listings. Individuals skilled in the creation, updating, and optimization of web pages, referred to herein as "webmasters", can improve the placement of web pages in SERPS. Actions or methods that seek to obtain better positions among unpaid search listings are referred to as "search engine optimization" or simply SEO. SEO is typically targeted at the most popular search engines which currently include Google search, Microsoft Bing, and Yahoo!.
When a visitor, also referred to as a "user", clicks on a SERP listing, his/her browser is directed to a corresponding web page. The rate or percentage of time that a user clicks on a specific listing when presented with a search results page that includes the listing is referred to as a click through rate (CTR). Data published by companies that provide search engines shows that with few exceptions CTR improves monotonically as the position of a listing improves within a SERP. Thus, the first, or highest position on the search results page has the highest CTR and the lowest position on the page has the lowest CTR for all organic search results listings on the page. Accordingly, the goal of SEO is to improve the ranking or position of domains or web pages of interest in SERPs.
One approach to improving the position, or ranking, of a web page within a SERP is to adjust the content of the web page to better correspond to specific keyword searches. However, since webmasters often manage large numbers of web pages and large numbers of keywords it may be burdensome to assign or map individual keywords to web pages and then modify the content of the web pages accordingly. Thus, automated SEO tools that map keywords to web pages and that generate a list of instructions or tasks to modify the web pages so as to optimize the web pages for the mapped keywords are desirable.

Automatic generation of tasks for search engine optimization


A cryogenic system includes a containment vessel in which a body to be cooled is housed in such a manner that the body is immersed in a liquid coolant; a tubular refrigerator sleeve; and a refrigerator, inserted in the opening section of the refrigerator sleeve, for recondensing coolant gas generated from the coolant, wherein a gas flow-forming means for forming a flow of purge gas toward an opening section of the refrigerator sleeve is provided. The purge gas prevents air from entering a refrigerator sleeve during the replacement of a refrigerator of a cryogenic system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cryogenic system for cooling a superconducting magnet or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional apparatuses including superconducting magnets, in order to retain their superconducting properties, it has been necessary to maintain the magnets at a cryogenic temperature close to absolute zero. Examples of a technique for maintaining a magnet at a cryogenic temperature include a technique in which a superconducting magnet is immersed in a coolant such as liquid helium and a technique for directly cooling a superconducting magnet using a cryogenic refrigerator.
FIG. 8 shows a configuration of a known cryogenic system 101. This figure shows a cross section of an MRI system (a magnetic resonance imaging scanner) known as a medical instrument. This system includes a solenoidal superconducting magnet 103 of which the central axis extends horizontally.
The cryogenic system 101, which is of such a type that helium gas is recondensed, includes a containment vessel 102 in which the superconducting magnet 103 is housed in such a manner that the superconducting magnet 103 is immersed in a coolant 104 (liquid helium), a vacuum vessel 105 having a vacuum space surrounding the containment vessel 102, and a thermal shield 106 which is placed in the space so as to surround the containment vessel 102 and which has a function of reducing the amount of radiation heat transferred from the vacuum vessel 105 to the containment vessel 102.
The cryogenic system 101 further includes a tubular refrigerator sleeve 107 which extends through the vacuum vessel 105 and the thermal shield 106, which has a base section communicatively connected into the containment vessel 102, and which has an opening facing outward. The cryogenic system 101 also includes a refrigerator 108, placed in the refrigerator sleeve 107, for recondensing coolant gas generated from the coolant 104 at cryogenic temperature.
Since the refrigerator sleeve 107 and the containment vessel 102 are communicatively connected to each other, an upper zone of the containment vessel 102 and the refrigerator sleeve 107 are filled with the coolant gas of which the pressure is equal to the saturation vapor pressure at a temperature at which the superconducting magnet 103 is operated.
The refrigerator 108 is tubular and long and has two stages: a first cooling stage 119 placed at a middle portion and a second cooling stage 121 placed at an end portion. The first cooling stage 119 is thermally connected to the thermal shield 106 and the second cooling stage 121 is thermally connected to a recondenser 130 (fins). The refrigerator 108 has a cooling capacity sufficient to maintain the second cooling stage 121 at cryogenic temperature (about 4 K). Therefore, the surface temperature of the recondenser 130 is maintained lower than the temperature of the coolant; hence, the vapor of the coolant 104 can be condensed into liquid by making the vapor in contact with the recondenser 130. According to this configuration, it is not necessary to refill the cryogenic system 101 with the coolant 104 as long as the refrigerator 108 can function.
For the refrigerator 108, in order to perform periodic maintenance, the operation is stopped in some cases. During maintenance, the refrigerator 108 is drawn out of the refrigerator sleeve 107 and a new refrigerator 108 is inserted into the refrigerator sleeve 107 and then started up. The operation is continued until the new refrigerator 108 reaches a steady state.
During the maintenance operation, a serious problem described below can arise.
When the refrigerator 108 is drawn out of the sleeve, air and/or moisture of which the amount is equal to the volume of the refrigerator 108 enters the sleeve from outside in some cases. The resulting air and/or moisture is instantaneously condensed in the refrigerator sleeve 107 and fixed thereto. This is because the inside of the refrigerator sleeve 107 is maintained at a temperature lower than outside air temperature, that is, the temperature of the thermal shield 106 is usually 30 to 60 K and the temperature of the bottom of the refrigerator sleeve 7 is 3 to 5 K.
The following problem arises: a problem in that the heat conduction between the thermal shield 106 and a first cooling stage 119 of the new refrigerator 108 is deteriorated due to the fixed air (oxygen and nitrogen) and/or moisture and the refrigerator 108 cannot therefore be operated at full power.
Therefore, when the conduction between the first cooling stage 119 and the thermal shield 106 is low, the contact thermal resistance becomes large. This causes an increase in the temperature of the thermal shield 106 to increase the amount of heat transferred to the containment vessel 102. At worst, the amount of heat transferred to the containment vessel 102 exceeds the liquefaction capacity of the recondenser 130; hence, the whole of the vapor of the coolant 104 cannot be liquefied even if the refrigerator 108 is operated.
Various attempts have been made to achieve an object that the intrusion of air is prevented and the thermal resistance between the refrigerator 108 and the coolant 104 is reduced. In a technique disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5-223379, an expandable, flexible maintenance bag is attached to the proximal end (an external portion of the system) of the refrigerator sleeve 107, deflated by exhausting air from the bag using an exhaust blower, and then inflated by introducing a coolant gas into the bag through a gas line such that an atmosphere filled with the coolant gas is formed. The refrigerator 108 is subjected to maintenance in the atmosphere.
However, it is troublesome to use the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5-223379 because the maintenance bag must be attached before the refrigerator 108 is replaced and because the exhaust blower for exhausting air from the bag and other tools must be prepared.
In addition, the replacement is performed in such a manner that an operator inserts his or her hands in a pair of gloves extending in the maintenance bag; hence, this operation is troublesome. The replacement is interrupted in some cases because the maintenance bag is broken.


A contact (2) includes a fixed portion (21) in a first, vertical direction, a soldering portion (20) bending from a lower end of the fixed portion and extending in a second, horizontal direction, and an inversed U-shaped extension portion (29) extending from an upper end of the fixed portion and facing to the soldering portion. The extension portion has a pair of spaced arm portions (22, 28) and a connecting portion (23) connecting with the spaced arm portions. The contact further includes a first elastic portion (24) connecting to one of the arm portions and a second elastic portion (25) connecting to the other one of the arm portions. The first elastic portion and the second elastic portion laterally extend from a same side of the extension portion and extend in a third direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) contact and a socket connector having the ZIF contact, and more particularly to ZIF contacts with small arrangement distance therebetween before being cut from a terminal material belt and the socket connector having the ZIF contacts.
2. Description of Related Arts
TW Pat. No. M336581 issued to Molex on Jul. 11, 2008 discloses a terminal and an electrical connector which is provided with the terminal. The terminal includes a fixing part, a first elastic arm and a second elastic arm, two contact parts, two guide parts and a welding part. The fixing part is provided with a front panel and a top end part. The first elastic arm, the second elastic arm and the fixing part are punched on the same panel to lead the first elastic arm and the second elastic arm to respectively, parallelly extend upwards from the top end part of the fixing part. The contact parts extend respectively forwards from the top ends of the first elastic arm and the second elastic arm with a drop height in an upper-lower direction and an offset in a left-right direction. The guide parts oppositely extend and shape to the front respectively from the tail ends of the two contact parts for defining a larger space therebetween for insertion of pin legs of a CPU. Therefore, the size of the terminal can be shortened. Moreover, the arrangement distance of the terminal on a terminal material belt can be shortened to realize the single-pitch (one pitch) arrangement on the terminal material belt as well as reduce the size of the electrical connector or increase the terminal arrangement density of the electrical connector. The contact has such a complicated structure that the manufacturing process is troublesome.
Hence, a socket connector and the contacts received in the socket connector are desired to overcome the aforementioned disadvantage of the prior art.

Zero insertion force contact and socket connector having the contact


A topography analyzing system (10) for analyzing a topographic microstructure is provided. The topography analyzing system includes a three-dimensionally adjustable platform (12), a loading platform (13), a microscopic viewing device (14), a topography measuring device (11), and a mirror (15). The adjustable platform is adapted for adjusting the spatial positions of itself and what is loaded thereon. The loading platform is disposed on the adjustable platform and is adapted for having a workpiece (17) to be evaluated loaded thereon. The topography measuring device is aside/adjacent the adjustable platform. The topography measuring device includes a probe extending to and overhanging the workpiece for detecting topography of the workpiece. The mirror is secured at an adjustable angle relative to the three-dimensional adjustable platform and is adapted for forming a mirror image of the probe and a selected measuring area of the workpiece.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a topography analyzing system and, particularly, to a topography analyzing system (i.e. profilometer) for analyzing topographical features of a workpiece.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Topographical features can be key factors in evaluating surface quality of mechanical workpieces. Methods for analyzing topographical features include many types, most of which are associated with image processing technology A typical method for analyzing topographical features is an atomic force microscope (AFM) analyzing method. By this method, ideal analyzing data and images may be obtained. However, such equipment is too complicated and expensive to be used more widely.
Therefore, what is needed in the art is to provide a simple and relatively inexpensive system for analyzing topographical features of a workpiece.


A threaded self-tapping screw for joining thin workpieces having a tapered root portion adjacent to the head of the screw. A plurality of threads are disposed on the body and the tapered root portion of the screw such that the radial distance from the center of the screw to the crests of the threads is maintained along both the body and the tapered root portion.

This invention relates to self-tapping screws and methods to connect two or more pieces of thin sheet metal parts to form an assembly.
It is recognized by those skilled in the art that conventional self-tapping screw products, when used to assemble thin sheet metal components, have limited reliability in service due to problems associated with a need to restrain the screw tightening torque to small relative values. This needed restraint on the tightening torque is required to minimize the potential for the anchor to strip during assembly and thereby cause the screw to spin. The anchor material is that part of the joined assembly farthest removed from the underside of the screw head. Stripping and spinning will cause a loss in assembly clamp load and subsequent deterioration of the assembly.
FIG. 1 shows a commonly encountered disadvantage of a self-tapping screw 11 that has a conventional single start thread used to join thin sheet metal components 12 and 16. When the screw anchor material 12, which is that furthest from the head of the screw, is of a width 15 equal to or less than the axial pitch 13 of the screw (defined generally herein as a xe2x80x9cthinxe2x80x9d workpiece), the leading face 14 of the scroll or thread will typically deflect the anchor material 12 such that the material follows the space between adjacent scrolls or threads. This type of anchor material and assembly may not produce the most effective joint clamping load. In addition, inadequate thread mating contact will result.
FIG. 2 shows another potential disadvantage associated with joining thin workpieces using prior art self-tapping screw implementations. The screw 110 maintains a parallel core diameter 111 as close as possible to the underside 112 of the screw head 113. This implementation can cause a reduction in the performance of the assembly. Manufacturing constraints generally create an under-filling of the screw thread crests adjacent to the underside 112 of the screw head 113, thereby creating an unspecified and non-controllable reverse thread taper 114. As such, the thread crests closer to the screw entry point are of a greater diametrical magnitude than the thread crests that are closer to the head. The reverse thread taper 114 has the disadvantage of producing a gap 115 between the internal and external mating threads of the assembly. This gap 115 has the effect of reducing mating thread contact in the essential area of the jointed structure and will result in assembly break down under lower than expected application torque.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide for a self-tapping screw, and associated joining/fastening method, for connecting a plurality of thin pieces of sheet metal parts that prevents anchor material deflection during the screw assembly and tightening process. A further objective is to ensure that there is minimized any gaps that have previously occurred between the external threads on the screw and the internal threads generated in the anchor material by the self-tapping screw assembly and tightening process.
A self-tapping screw, and associated method, for joining thin work that over-comes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a tapered root portion of the screw thread root adjacent to the head of the screw that assists in effectively drawing together the thin sheet metal parts of an assembly and additionally developing compressive forces at the interference of the tapered root portion and the anchor material.
The self-tapping screw, in accordance with one embodiment, is additionally provided with scrolls, or screw threads that are of multiple lead threads so that the potential for the screw anchor material to deflect and follow the gaps between adjacent threads on the screw during the assembly and tightening process is eliminated.
In another embodiment, the crest of the threads that are generated on the tapered screw root portion are of the same diametrical magnitude as are the crests of the threads on the body of the screw. In a preferred embodiment, the size diametrical magnitude of the screw thread crests are maintained for a distance that is commensurate withxe2x80x94the start of the screw lead tapered entry portion. The tapered root portion that is adjacent to the underside of the screw head should have an axial length of 2, and preferably no more than 3.5 times that of the axial pitch of the screw thread.
When used to fasten two objects, which are constructed of thin sheet metal work-pieces, the tapered root portion provides resistance to mating thread failure under applied torque by increasing the surface friction that is developed from the compressive forces at the interference with the screw anchor material. The combination of the tapered root portion interference and maintaining a full crest diameter up to the underside of the screw head enhances the ability of the system to resist failure during assembly and service.

Self-tapping screw and method for joining thin workpieces


Hydrocarbonaceous feedstocks admixed with a flow-through catalyst and hydrogen are hydroprocessed in a hydroprocessing reactor containing a captive hydroprocessing catalyst. The flow-through catalyst is continually withdrawn with the hydroprocessed feed from the hydroprocessing reactor. The flow-through catalyst may be an FCC, hydrocracking, isomerization or ring-opening catalyst. In a preferred embodiment, the captive hydroprocessing catalyst contains Co, Ni and/or Mo on an alumina base and the flow-through catalyst is an FCC zeolitic catalyst which is withdrawn with the hydroprocessed feed from the hydroprocessing reactor and then sent to an FCC unit.

Hydroprocessing processes have been used to improve poor quality petroleum derived feeds for catalytic cracking reactions. For example, hydrotreating processes have been used to improve resids, vacuum gas oils, coker gas oils, middle distillates and recycle streams from the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit. These processes generally use a catalyst to remove nitrogen and/or sulfur and to at least partially hydrogenate multi-ring aromatics or naphtheno-aromatics to hydrogen enriched naphtheno-aromatics and naphthenes which are more easily cracked in the FCC unit with less coke and tar make.
It is known that heavy hydrocarbonaceous fractions of petroleum can be more effectively hydrotreated if mild hydrocracking also takes place in the hydrotreating reactor. Physical mixtures of catalysts are known to impart separate cracking functionality and hydrogenation functionality. In theory, (a) mild cracking would open naphthene rings which would not dehydrogenate and revert back to the aromatic structure and (b) the multi-ring aromatics or naphtheno-aromatics would be hydrogenated to render them more easily cracked in FCC with less coke and tar make. Unfortunately, these dual catalyst systems have not proven to be commercially feasible because the catalysts which promote cracking activity, such as zeolite-containing catalysts and other solids with acidic sites, deactivate rapidly due to the presence of basic nitrogen and other impurities present in the hydrotreating reactor.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a hydroprocessing process utilizing a dual catalyst system including a hydroprocessing catalyst and a second catalyst which enhances the performance of the hydroprocessing catalyst. It is a further object of the invention to provide a hydroprocessing process utilizing a hydroprocessing reactor containing a dual catalyst system including a hydroprocessing catalyst and a second catalyst which enhances the performance of the hydroprocessing catalyst wherein the second catalyst is not materially deactivated in the hydroprocessing reactor.

Hydroprocessing of petroleum fractions with a dual catalyst system


Implementation of a non-interfering micro-positioning device, for a tape drive write/read head module assembly utilizing piezoelectric elements, by generating at least two flexure brackets. The at least two flexure brackets may include the piezoelectric elements. Affixing at least one flexure bracket to a first side of the write/read head module assembly. Affixing at least one other flexure bracket to a second side of the write/read head module assembly.

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of tape media data storage, and more specifically to increasing the precise motion of a tape write/read head during tape operations.
The general goal in the tape storage industry is to be able to store higher amounts of data with each subsequent generation of tape cartridge and drive. In order to do this, the number of data tracks for a given width of tape keeps increasing. As the number of tracks increases, the size of the tracks is reduced and the requirements for increased precision of the dynamic placement of the write/read head during tape operations correspondingly increases.
Further, traditional piezoelectric materials are materials that produce an electric charge when mechanical stresses are applied. However, some piezoelectric materials are able to have a reverse effect where, when an electric charge (e.g., voltage, current) is applied, they mechanically expand or contract.

Non-interfering micro-positioning system utilizing piezoelectric elements

International Business Machines Corporation


Techniques are provided which may be implemented using various methods and/or apparatuses to allow a mobile station to receive positioning assistance data that may be used in a signal-based position estimation process. For example, a device at a node of a self organizing network (SON) portion of a communication network may be self-provisioned by establishing and providing selected positioning assistance data to a mobile station.

1. Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to electronic devices, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for use in providing selected positioning assistance data to mobile stations via at least one device associated with at least one node of a self-organizing network.
2. Information
Among other things, existing wireless communication networks and carrier infrastructures may enable observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) and/or advanced forward link trilateration (AFLT) techniques for estimating a position and/or location of a mobile station. Here, with knowledge of the locations of neighboring base station transmitters and time-reference data, a mobile station may determine a range to such base station transmitters based upon measured signal propagation delays. Mobile stations typically receive information about such base stations, such as, locations of neighboring base stations and time-reference data as "assistance data" that is provided to the mobile stations from the base station nodes themselves. Such assistance data may include, for example, relative transmit time between base stations, the location of nearest base stations, the location of a serving base station, etc., which may be used to enable a position fix. Such assistance data is typically received from a serving base station.
To expand coverage, wireless communication networks and carrier infrastructures have been incorporating nodes as part of a self organizing network (SON). Such nodes may comprise femtocells which may be installed by homeowners and small business owners to expand and/or augment coverage where not adequately provided by existing base stations in the communication network. However, a femtocell is typically not provisioned to participate in the process of providing OTDOA or AFLT positioning services. For example, a SON node is typically not provisioned with assistance data and, therefore, is not capable of providing desired assistance data to mobile handsets for performing OTDOA or AFLT.

Methods and apparatuses for use in providing positioning assistance data to mobile stations via a self-organizing network