A bit coding method modifies the bit-steam information in such a way as to provide a very high compression during lossless symbol coding and may be used as a preprocessor for Huffman and arithmetic encodings or on its own. A bit rearrangement scheme (BRS) improves the run length within a data symbol set and achieves a more efficient data-to-symbol mapping. The BRS is implemented on the data symbol set in a column-by-column fashion. The BRS can be combined with any available lossless coding scheme, providing for a more efficient lossless bit coding scheme (ALBCS).

1. Field of the Invention
Generally the invention is in the field of data and information coding for transmission and storage. More specifically it refers to lossless coding of video streams, lossless entropy coding, to achieve very high compression and throughput during video transmission and storage.
2. Prior Art
The aim of lossless coding is to represent a data stream using the smallest number of bits possible, without loss of any information contained in the data stream. Similarly the aim of lossless image coding is to represent an image signal using the least number of bits with no loss of information. This is a requirement for high-speed transmission and storage of data. In the case of a video stream this is represented as an average bits-per-second. The difference between lossy compression and lossless compression is that in the case of lossy compression the aim is to achieve a level of acceptable and predefined compression of the data stream with the best possible information content. Such a compression or coding will sustain some information loss that has to be evaluated for acceptance.
In all data streams it is possible to achieve a level of lossless compression. This is because there is redundancy present in the data streams. In the case of any image signal the redundancy can be significant. This redundancy is proportional to the correlation among the data samples. Typically between neighboring image samples, the difference will be small and the correlation very high. There is also a large correlation between adjacent frames of a video that can be used effectively to compress the digital stream.
Fully lossless coding of the decoded image has to be visually and numerically the same as the image that was coded. This requirement severely limits the possible compression ratio. In a video stream the aim is to provide a visually lossless video stream. Hence, removal of redundant data as well as removal of irrelevant data that does not impact the visual quality, leads to the achieving of higher compression. Even though lossy compression provides a much higher compression ratio, there are applications like medical imaging and others which require lossless transmission of information. In any application where the band width is fixed and compression needs are high, it is better to achieve a large lossless component of the final compression, if possible, and use a smaller range of lossy compression to improve the reliability of the transmitted data and image quality.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art lossless encoder 100 for image symbol coding. FIG. 2 shows a prior art decoder 200 that is used to regenerate the image from the encoded bit stream. The encoder 100 takes the input image 101 and transforms it in a transformation unit 102. The transformation unit 102 converts the input image 101 into a compressible stream of digital data. Typically the transformation unit 102 manipulates the image by reducing redundancy and enabling alteration of the statistical distribution for maximum compression. It also enables packing of information into few sub-regions or data samples. The aim of the transformation is to eliminate the inter-dependencies between the components of the input image or data. A typical encoder 100 will use one of differential predictive mapping (DPM), unitary transform such as discrete cosine transform (DCT), sub-band decompositions such as differential wavelet transform (DWT), or a combination of the abovementioned transform methods.
Within the encoder 100 a data-to-symbol mapping unit 103 is used to generate and map the digital data, generated by the transformation unit 102, into data symbols. Here the data is converted into a set of symbols that can be coded by the final coding stage 104. The symbol mapping unit 103 looks at the correlations between data blocks to improve the possible compression. Run length coding is one such mapping scheme commonly used. FIG. 3 shows a typical run length coding of data stream. It converts the input data 301 into a map of symbol pairs 302 of run and value. The value is the value of the data and the run is the number of times that value is repeated sequentially. Alternately coding schemes like JPEG use code values to code only the non-zero data value, and the run is used to code the number of zeros preceding each value. Most of these schemes depend on having a reasonably repetitive digital data to enable efficient coding and compression.
A lossless symbol encoding unit 104 then encodes these symbols to produce a bit stream 105 that is the encoded output. The encoding schemes for converting the data symbols to a symbol code stream commonly in use today include the well-known Huffman lossless symbol coding, the arithmetic lossless symbol coding, and the dictionary based symbol coding methods. These lossless coding schemes are typically referred to as entropy coding schemes.
The Huffman and the Arithmetic encoding schemes are based on understanding the statistical probability distribution of the data symbol set generated. The shorter codes are assigned to data symbols with higher probability of occurrence, that is, it is a variable length coding method. The alternate coding scheme, the dictionary based coding scheme, dynamically constructs the encoding and decoding tables of variable length symbols and uses them to generate code by lookup. In all these cases the code itself is variable and depends on the nature and repetitiveness of the data symbol set coded.
FIGS. 4a through 4d show a typical encoding using the Huffman coding scheme. A typical segment of the video data 400 is shown in FIG. 4a. The transformed data symbol set 401, which is 4 bit wide (N=4), is shown in FIG. 4a. Since there are four bits there can be as many as 16 individual symbols, though in the specific example shown not all the symbols are generated or used. The respective weights of the symbols in the data symbol set are compiled and combined as shown 402 also in FIG. 4a. The total weight is equal to the total occurrences and the ratio of occurrence of each element of data symbol set in the distribution. The construction 403 of the code tree with the code tree 404 is also shown in FIG. 4b. The symbols 404, generated from the data symbol set 401 and symbol codes (codes) 405, are shown in FIG. 4c. The resultant coded data symbol set 406 with the total bits to be sent is now shown in FIG. 4d. The sent information 407, in this case, requires the sending of symbols 402, the symbol code 405 and the coded symbol set 406 to enable extraction of the data set at the decoder. Since only 16 bytes are coded in the example, the repetitive nature is not substantial and the number of bits sent, 93 bits, is lager in the small example than the number of bits in the symbol set which is 64 bits.
The process of coding comprises the steps below:
1. The data set 400 is transformed into a data symbol set 401;
2. From the transformed data symbol set the individual symbols 402 and their weights are estimated as shown in FIG. 4a, where the total estimated weight of all symbols equals the total number of occurrences;
3. The symbols 402, are arranged in the order of weights, as shown in FIG. 4a, before combining the least occurring symbols;
4. A weighted structure 403 is built by connecting the least weights onward as shown in FIG. 4b, and repeating with other weights to achieve the final structure of the code tree 404;
5. From this code tree 404 the symbols codes 405 are extracted as indicated in FIG. 4c;
6. These symbol codes 405 are used to code the data symbol set 401 as shown in FIG. 4d, thereby producing the transmittable coded data 406;
7. The symbol code 405, the symbols 402 and the coded data set 406 are transmitted 407 to the receiver for decoding where the inverse process is to be used to recover the datasymbol set;
8. The Huffman coding requires an additional termination code to separate "Symbols", and "Symbol Code" due to variable length dependent upon number of codes generated; and,
9. The maximum number of codes generated is also variable depending on the inter-dependencies.
As defined in step seven above, the encoded output will be transmitted with the symbol code, symbols and coded data to the decoder 200. The decoder 200, once it receives the encoded bit stream 105 with the symbol code, symbols, and coded data, passes the bit stream through a lossless symbol decoding unit 202 to extract and decode the symbol. These symbols extracted are then passed to a symbol to data mapping unit 203 for mapping the symbol to data and regenerate the transformed data stream. This data stream is passed through an inverse transformation unit 204 to regenerate the input image 205 which is the same as the input image 100.
Due the inability of the transformation schemes like DCT and DWT to completely eliminate interdependencies from the transformed image or data stream, the full potential of compression is never achieved in entropy coding. It would be therefore valuable if a new method enabling the reduction of the interdependency, improving the run length and providing for a maximum number of fixed codes, be developed. It would be further advantageous if such scheme would improve the compression performance, i.e., provide better lossless compression. It will be further advantageous if such scheme would be compatible for use with the current prior art entropy coding schemes.


A method and safety device for use in accessing confined spaces that incorporates atmospheric safety monitoring and alarm annunciation into a physical access device/mechanism for the purpose of preventing the human confined space entrant from entering a confined space containing a hazardous atmosphere.

The present invention is in the field of occupational safety as it applies to Confined spaces. Confined space entries that are safe and United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliant require personnel to meter the atmosphere prior to entry to ensure that it poses no danger to the entrant. Other countries have similar regulatory organizations and requirements.
Many infrastructure and industrial facilities have confined spaces that must be accessed on a routine basis to support or maintain operations. Many safety regulatory agencies around the world have similar definitions to define what constitutes a confined space. In the United States, OSHA defines a confined space as, (Excerpted from OSHA 3138-01R 2004):
Many workplaces contain spaces that are considered to be "confined" because their configurations hinder the activities of employees who must enter into, work in or exit from them. In many instances, employees who work in confined spaces also face increased risk of exposure to serious physical injury from hazards such as entrapment, engulfment and hazardous atmospheric conditions. Confinement itself may pose entrapment hazards and work in confined spaces may keep employees closer to hazards such as machinery components than they would be otherwise. For example, confinement limited access and restricted airflow can result in hazardous conditions that would not normally arise in an open workplace.
The terms "permit-required confined space" and "permit space" refer to spaces that meet OSHA's definition of a "confined space" and contain health or safety hazards. For this reason, OSHA requires workers to have a permit to enter these spaces.
By definition, a confined space:                Is large enough for an employee to enter fully and perform assigned work;        Is not designed for continuous occupancy by the employee; and        Has a limited or restricted means of entry or exit. These spaces may include underground vaults, tanks, storage bins, pits and diked areas, vessels, silos and other similar areas.
By definition, a permit-required confined space has one or more of these characteristics:                Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere;        Contains a material with the potential to engulf someone who enters the space;        Has an internal configuration that might cause an entrant to be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or by a 3 floor that slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross section; and/or        Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazards
Confined spaces are inherently dangerous to workers. Many industrial accidents in confined spaces result in death and injury of exposure to other hazards that may not be obvious prior to entry. Accidents in confined spaces have led to secondary deaths or injuries to workers who try and rush to the aid of a fellow worker and fall victim to a hidden hazard. It is estimated that up to 100 work-related deaths in the United States occur on an annual basis from accidents related to operations conducted within these dangerous environments.
As a result of the dangers associated with confined space entry, OSHA and other regulatory agencies have mandated that certain procedures be followed when an individual must enter these locations. These procedures are intended to reduce the risk of injury to an individual that must enter the space.
Atmospheric testing of confined spaces prior to entry are critical to safe entry of many confined spaces. One of the primary sources of death and injury to workers involved in confined space entry operations is asphyxiation. Proper safety protocols have been defined by OSHA that mandates that the atmosphere is tested with certified equipment and for a sufficient length of time by an individual who is appropriately trained on its operation.                Excerpts from an OSHA fact sheet, (Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations 1910.146, Appendix B. 2 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(5)(ii)(C) and (d)(5)(iii)), on gas metering in advance of confined space entry is as follows:        Atmospheric testing is required for two distinct purposes: evaluation of the hazards of the permit space and verification that acceptable conditions exist for entry into that space.
Evaluation Testing:                The atmosphere within a confined space must be tested using equipment that is designed to detect the chemicals that may be present at levels that are well below the defined exposure limits.
Evaluation testing is done to:                determine what chemical hazards are or may become present in the space's atmosphere, and        identify what steps must be followed and what conditions must be met to ensure that atmospheric conditions are sale for a worker to enter the space.
Verification Testing:                Before a permit space that may have a hazardous atmosphere can be entered, the atmosphere must be tested using the steps identified on the permit (developed during evaluation testing). Verification testing is done to make sure that the chemical hazards that may be present are below the levels necessary for safe entry, and that they meet the conditions identified on the permit. Test the atmosphere in the following order:        (1) for oxygen,        (2) for combustible gases, and then        (3) for toxic gases and vapors.Problem Defined:
Atmospheric testing in a confined space is usually conducted using a multi-gas meter that is specifically designed to test for such atmospheric conditions as Oxygen levels, Hydrogen Sulfide levels, Carbon Monoxide levels and LEL, (lower explosive levels of combustible gases). This suitable regulatory agency compliant device will be referred to in this document as an atmospheric sensor/meter.
In some instances, injuries and fatalities will occur when individuals enter into a confined space without the appropriate training or access to appropriate safety equipment and do not take proper measures of metering the atmosphere prior to entry. In these situations, it is easy to understand how an unnecessary death or injury could result.
Unfortunately, there are also confined space accidents that occur with individuals who have been trained and have access to vital safety and monitoring equipment. In the majority of these cases, it is the entrant who will accidently or willfully neglect to properly test the atmosphere of the confined space prior to entry. As a result of these careless and dangerous acts by those individuals and despite confined space entry training; knowledge of regulatory safety agency regulations; knowledge of company safety policy mandating atmospheric testing prior to entry and access to appropriate atmospheric metering technology fatalities and injuries still occur in the workplace due to asphyxiation in confined spaces.
When a worker neglects to meter the atmosphere, he is taking unnecessary chances with his health and well-being and increases the potential liability of his employers. An employee who engages in this breach of safety protocol may often repeat his advance atmospheric testing omission many times with increasing confidence, until it is too late and there is an accident. In most instances, the atmosphere will be sufficiently safe for human life and the employee will suffer no permanent ill consequences. His risky behavior may go unnoticed by supervisory staff until he enters a confined space that has an atmosphere that will not support human life and there is a death or serious injury.


An apparatus and method for presenting information on transparent resealable storage bags. Embodiments allow for the presentation of graphic images such as numbers, letters, cartoon characters (such as Disney® characters, e.g., Mickey Mouse®), colors, animals, dinosaurs, flowers, trains, cars, planes, hearts, marketing logos, puzzles (including puzzles that are complete when the sides of the bag are next to one another and incomplete when the sides of the bag are separated) or any other information such as instructional information such as questions and answers or information that changes color based on temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention described herein pertain to the field of resealable storage bags. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, one or more embodiments of the invention enable presenting information on transparent resealable storage bags.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are no known apparatus that allow for presenting information on transparent resealable storage bags. An example of a resealable storage bag is a Ziploc® bag that was developed by Dow Chemical Company and originally test marketed in 1968. Heretofore, storage bags have been utilized for the sole purpose of storing items. Doing otherwise is unobvious since the original purpose of a storage bag is to store items. The general operation of known resealable storage bags begins with opening the bag, inserting items and resealing the bag. In order to retrieve items from the bag, the seal is opened and the items are retrieved. The bag may then be reused or discarded. There are no known resealable storage bags that allow for the presentation of graphic images such as numbers, letters, cartoon characters (such as Disney® characters, e.g., Mickey Mouse®), colors, animals, dinosaurs, flowers, trains, cars, planes, hearts, marketing logos, puzzles (including puzzles that are complete when the sides of the bag are next to one another and incomplete when the sides of the bag are separated) or any other information such as instructional information or information that changes color based on temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,122,807 to Ausnit, patented on Mar. 3, 1964, entitled "Slider for a Pouch and the Like" is an example of an apparatus that stores items with a resealable slide fastener. See FIG. 1. This is an example of an apparatus that may be utilized to store items in a resealable bag, and for which the presenting of information is not contemplated.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,395 to Noble, patented on Jun. 8, 2004, entitled "Hat with Display Device" is an example of an apparatus that presents graphics images but which is unable to store items and seal them inside.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,281 to Bunn, et al., patented on Apr. 4, 2000, entitled "Writing Implement Attachment" is an example of an apparatus that presents indicia on front and back surfaces of a surface that is attached to a writing implement. The apparatus is intended to deter theft of the writing implement, however the device is unable to store items and seal them inside. See FIG. 3 for example.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,924,411 to Reider, patented on Aug. 2, 2005, entitled "Printable Bandage" is an example of an apparatus that enables the printing of graphics on a bandage. The apparatus is intended to help kids overcome fear and discomfort associated with an injury using decorated bandages, see for example FIG. 1, element 26 on bandage 24. The apparatus is unable to sealable store items within it.
None of the related art devices allow for presenting information on transparent resealable storage bags and for at least the limitations described above there is a need for an apparatus and method for presenting information on transparent resealable storage bags.

Apparatus and method for presenting information on transparent resealable storage bags


A foot orthosis has an L-shaped support member having leg, heel and foot portions. An anklet and a plurality of straps extend around the support member to engage the burned foot and secure the foot to the support member. The anklet and straps have support surfaces comprised of a closed foam material that will not absorb moisture and which will not adhere to the burn areas of the foot.

It is often desirable to provide support for the burned foot of a patient to prevent foot drop and the like while the burns are healing. A foot orthosis of the type generally shown in U.S. Pat. 3,976,059 is suitable to provide such support. However, the material embracing the foot and attaching the orthosis in place has heretofore created substantial problems for burned patients in that the material thereof tends to stick to the burn area due to exudate from the burn. Existing anklet material also absorbs medications associated with the burn treatment. Existing anklets must be removed from the patient and washed everyday.
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide an attachment and lining material for a foot orthosis which can be used on the burned feet of patients wherein the material of the anklet and liner will not adhere to the burned areas.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a foot orthosis for use on the burned foot of a patient which will not absorb moisture from either the medication or the burn itself, and which will not have to be laundered each day.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a foot orthosis for use on the burned foot of the patient which can be easily wiped clean to eliminate the need for constant liner changes during the treatment of the burned patient.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a foot orthosis for use on the burned foot of a patient which has an anklet and liner comprised of a closed foam material which will not absorb moisture.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a method for treating and supporting the limbs of a burned patient by using a liner and anklet material on a support member wherein the liner and anklet material will not adhere to the burns of the patient.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Means for supporting the burned foot of a patient

Restorative Care of America Incorporated


A multi-well plate allows for improvement in accuracy of experiments or tests. The present invention relates to a multi-well plate comprising: a top portion placed in a horizontal direction; a bottom portion opposing the top portion in a direction crossing the horizontal direction; and wells each recessed from the top portion toward the bottom portion, wherein the wells are horizontally arranged in a matrix with rows and columns, and each well has an opening formed at the top portion, and a peripheral wall extending from a periphery of the opening to the bottom portion. In the multi-well plate, at least two wells respectively include marks each containing at least one symbol, and each mark is placed at an opening peripheral wall end portion close to the corresponding opening.

In some experiments or tests in a field, such as chemistry, biology, or the like, multi-well plates of which each has a plurality of recess-shaped wells, are used. Each well of the multi-well plate serves, for example, as a test tube, a petri dish, or the like. In particular, multi-well plates are frequently used to simultaneously analyze multiple specimens in analytical tests in a field, such as biochemistry, medical science, or the like. The multi-well plate may also be called a microtiter plate, a microplate, or the like.
Typically, the multi-well plate has an outer shape formed in a rectangular when seen in a plan view, and the plurality of wells in the multi-well plate are arranged in a matrix with a plurality of rows which extend parallel to the long sides of the outer shape, and a plurality of columns which extend parallel to the short sides of the outer shape. An edge portion extending along one of the short sides of the multi-well plate (referred to as "short-side edge portion" below) may be provided with a plurality of symbols respectively indicating the plurality of rows, and an edge portion extending along one of the long sides of the multi-well plate (referred to as "long-side edge portion" below) may be provided with a plurality of symbols respectively indicating the plurality of columns.
In many cases, multi-well plates are made of plastic, and are manufactured by injection molding using a mold that can open and close so as to move in the recess direction of the wells. Samples contained in a multi-well plate, may be analyzed by a spectroscopic method using light absorption, fluorescence, or light emission. For such analysis, the samples in the wells may be irradiated through the bottom walls of the wells with light emitted by an analytical instrument, such as a multi-well plate reader. In this case, it is required to prevent interference of light, such as scattering, absorption, or the like, which has an influence on measurement errors, from occurring when the light passes through the bottom walls of the wells. To avoid such interference, it is demanded to manufacture the bottom walls of the wells so as to be free from colored elements that would block the passage of light. Therefore, considering that the mold opens and closes in the recess direction of the wells during injection molding and that prevention of interference of light such as scattering or absorption is required during analysis, a multi-well plate may be manufactured using a transparent resin material, and furthermore, either the bottom wall of each well or a portion, surrounding each well, of the top surface of the multi-well plate, may include one or more punch stamped symbols identifying the row and column that contain the well.
An example of such a multi-well plate may have 96 wells arranged in a matrix with eight rows and twelve columns, and may be provided with the alphabet letters "A" to "H" that are respectively defined as identifiers for the eight rows and are placed in the short-side edge portion, and the Arabic numerals "1" to "12" that are respectively defined as identifiers for the twelve columns and are placed in the long-side edge portion. In some cases, in an example multi-well plate, symbols that identify the row and column containing a well, may be punch stamped to the bottom wall of the well. In some cases, symbols that identify the row and column containing a well, may be punch stamped to a portion, surrounding the well, of the top surface of the multi-well plate (see Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example).

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


Proposed is an apparatus and method of preventing the leakage of information from an external storage apparatus even when such external storage apparatus is stolen or accessed from an unauthorized host computer. This external storage apparatus accessible from a host computer or another external storage apparatus via a network encrypts or decrypts data written from a host computer to be stored in the storage area, sends a request for existence confirmation to the host computer or the other external storage apparatus every predetermined period of time, and zeroizes an encryption key to be used in the encryption calculation for encrypting or decrypting data to be performed by the encryption calculation unit based on the result of a response from the host computer or the other external storage apparatus in reply to the request.

The present invention generally relates to an external storage apparatus for storing data of a computer system, and in particular is suitable for application in technology of preventing the leakage of information from an external storage apparatus when such external storage apparatus is stolen or reading of data is attempted from an unauthorized host computer.
Pursuant to the increase in the amount of digital data retained by corporations, computer systems that connect a host computer and an external storage apparatus or the like via a network (primarily a fibre channel) dedicated to a storage apparatus are becoming common.
Conventionally, with a computer system installed in a data center or the like, it was standard for an external storage apparatus to have a large chassis, and be installed in a physically remote server room in which the entrance and exit into and from the server room is managed. Thus, it was unlikely that the external storage apparatus would be stolen. In recent years, however, pursuant to the enlarged capacity of HDDs, the miniaturization and portability of external storage apparatuses have been advanced, and the risk of an external storage apparatus being stolen is increasing due to the growing incidence of crimes committed by administrators.
Thus, technology has been proposed for preventing the leakage of information from an external storage apparatus even when such external storage apparatus is stolen. For example, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), FIPS PUB 140-2, "Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules," issued May 25, 2001, describes zerozing the encryption key or the like of a plain text when the maintenance interface of an encryption module is accessed as a physical security requirement in the encryption module to prevent the recovery of encrypted data.

External storage apparatus and method of preventing information leakage


A device retention mechanism suitable for mounting a device in a chassis of an information handling system may include a chassis and a retention member. The chassis is suitable for receiving a device and has a first side and a second side, the first side being generally perpendicular to the second side. The retention member is configured as a cam assembly and is mounted to the first side of the chassis, thereby enabling the retention member to exert a force against a device to secure the device to the chassis.

The manufacture and assembly of information handling systems has become increasingly more competitive. Manufacturers continually strive to improve the design and features of information handling systems yet still offer competitive prices. One such area of improvement is in the mounting of devices in an information handling system. An information handling system, such as a typical desktop system, tower, server, and the like, may include information handling system devices, such as power supplies, disk drives, compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), digital video disc (DVD) players, floppy drives, and the like. These devices are typically added to increase the functionality of the information handling system as desired by a user. However, the installation of such devices in the information handling system may be very labor intensive.
For instance, the installation of a power supply in an information handling system may involve the use of screws, typically seven, to attach the power supply to the chassis. Usually, these screws are small making them difficult to manipulate and install. Additionally, because of their small size, the screws may be dropped by an assembler, possibly causing damage to the information handling system due to shorts, lodging in moving parts, and the like.
Further, the upgrade and repair of information handling system devices has become increasingly complicated. For example, a user may need to replace a power supply in the information handling system. However, the removal of an old power supply may require the user to remove a plurality of screws to release the old power supply and the installation of additional screws to install the new power supply. This may require a significant amount of time, as well as result in a loss of components, such as the screws and other attaching hardware.
Further, other mounting systems configured for improved installation are typically not suitable for installation of heavy devices, such as power supplies. For example, a mounting system configured for the retention of a hard disk drive may not be able to support a heavier device, such as a power supply. Thus, a device retention mechanism is not available that is suitable for mounting heavy devices in an improved manner over traditional mounting methods utilizing screws.
Additionally, the installation of a power supply in an information handling system, whether by screws, nuts, rivets or otherwise, generally requires the use of tools to perform the installation. Furthermore, tools of general applicability, such as a screwdriver of standard size, may not be of such dimensions as to allow ease of installation, and so specialized tools may be required for installation of the power supply. It would be desirable that an improved device retention method be tool-less.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an improved device retention apparatus.

Apparatus for securing a device within a chassis


A method for apparatus for masking a postamble ringing phenomenon in a DDR SDRAM comprising the steps of storing data, which are applied from a memory controller, in a data input latch through a data buffer and aligning the stored data, controlling the data input latch in such a manner that the data stored in the data input latch do not change, transmitting the data stored in the data input latch to a data input/output detection amplifier, enabling the data input latch to receive new data after the data, which have been transmitted to the data input/output detection amplifier, are transmitted to a global input/output line. In the method, a stable write operation can be performed even in devices having high operation speeds, such data rates above 400 MHz. Thus, a stable write operation can be performed under conditions wherein the tDQSS has a value of 0.75tCK to 1.25tCK.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for masking a postamble ringing phenomenon in a memory device, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for masking a phenomenon so as to avoid invalid data being written by the postamble ringing phenomenon in a write operation in a DDR SDRAM.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, when a write operation is performed in a DDR SDRAM, data are synchronized with a DQS signal outputted from a memory controller to be transmitted to a global input/output line in a memory device. However, when the memory controller transmits the DQS signal to the memory device, a ringing phenomenon may occur after a postamble. In this case, the memory device may write invalid data and cause an abnormal operation.
Hereinafter, the ringing phenomenon caused after the postamble will be described with reference to the following drawings.
FIG. 1 is a time chart of signal voltage levels illustrating a general postamble ringing phenomenon. In FIG. 1, "CLK" represents an exterior main clock signal applied to a DDR SDRAM. A DQS signal is a signal applied from a memory controller, and data are synchronized with a rising and a falling edge of the DQS signal and are then applied. Further, DQ represents data applied to a memory device. The time interval "tDQSS" represents a time until a rising edge of a first DQS signal occurs after a write command is applied, and the "tDQSS" is generally determined as having a value of 0.75tCK to 1.25tCK. Herein, the "tCK" represents a period of the exterior main clock signal CLK. In reference, in FIG. 1, the data DQ sequentially inputted are marked by reference numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4, and reference numerals 5 and 6 refer to invalid data which may be applied as a result of a ringing phenomenon.
In a general write operation, data 1 and 2, which are synchronized with a rising and a falling edge of the first DQS signal to be inputted, are synchronized with a time point A of the exterior main clock signal CLK to be transmitted to an input terminal of a data input/output detection amplifier Din IOSA 150 (FIG. 2). Data 3 and 4, which are synchronized with a rising and a falling edge of a second DQS signal to be inputted, are synchronized with a point B of the exterior main clock signal CLK to be transmitted to the input terminal of the data input/output detection amplifier 150.
However, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when a ringing phenomenon (i.e., an unstable shift state of a DQS signal) occurs after a write postamble, a DQS buffer 100, which receives the DQS signal determines the DQS signal, which is shifted to an unstable state by the ringing phenomenon, to be a valid DQS signal. Therefore, invalid voltage levels 5 and 6 on the DQ signal are synchronized with a rising and falling edge of the DQS signal and thereby are substituted for valid data 3 and 4 stored in a data input latch Din latch 130. This causes a problem in that the invalid data 5 and 6 are undesirably synchronized with the point B of the exterior main clock signal CLK, and are then transmitted to the input terminal of the data input/output detection amplifier 150.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional data input terminal 101 used in order to prevent the occurrence of an operation fail due to a postamble ringing phenomenon. As shown in FIG. 2, in order to prevent the ringing phenomenon from occurring, when a falling edge of the last DQS signal (shown in FIG. 1 as a falling edge of the second DQS signal) outputted from a DQS latch 110 occurs, the DQS latch 110 is disabled by means of a DQS latch control section 140 issuing a control signal "dis dsb" upon receiving the last DQS signal. Disabling the DQS latch 110 prevents the operation failure due to the ringing phenomenon.
However, this conventional method has a problem in that the method does not perform a stable write operation if tDQSS has a value of 0.75tCK to 1.25tCK. That is, in the case of the DQS falling signal, the DQS falling signal is received to disable the buffer 150, and the buffer 100 must be in a standby state before the next DQS falling signal is inputted. However, it is impossible to accurately control the timing sequence so as to cause the buffer 100 to be in a standby state before the next DQS falling signal is inputted. In some cases, the conventional method cannot completely mask a wide range of ringing phenomena that may be generated after the tDQSS having a value of 0.75tCK to 1.25tCK.
Further, when only the falling signal of a DQS buffer 100 is controlled, a timing mismatch may be generated during a rising and falling edge of the DQS signal, in comparison with the exterior main clock signal CLK. In such a case, as compared with the exterior main clock signal CLK, it is difficult to identically control the rising timing and falling timing sequences of the DQS signal as a result of variations in the process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) conditions. Accordingly, the conventional method cannot be easily employed in a memory device operating at high speeds.

Method and apparatus for masking postamble ringing phenomenon in DDR SDRAM


A method and/or system for making determinations regarding samples from biologic sources. A computer implemented method and/or system can be used to automate parts of the analysis.

Gene Copy Number and Gene Expression
Normal human cells contain 46 chromosomes in 22 autosome pairs and 2 sex chromosomes. Generally, normal cells contain two copies of every gene (except sex-linked genes in males). In both constitutional genetic diseases such as Down syndrome and acquired genetic diseases such as cancer, this normal pattern can be disrupted. The gene copy number of some genes may be more than two (a "gain" or amplification of gene copy number) or fewer than two. Chromosome number can also be disrupted, with cancer cells in particular showing patterns of gain or loss of whole chromosomes or chromosome arms. The number of copies of a chromosome is also referred to as its "ploidy".
In cancer, it frequently happens that the copy number of some genes is greater (often much greater) than the copy number of their corresponding chromosomes. This phenomenon is at times referred to as gene amplification or amplification. Various patterns of gene amplification are characteristic of certain cancers and some other conditions and can inform diagnosis, prognosis and/or treatment regimes.
Genes influence the biology of a cell via gene "expression," which refers to the production of the messenger RNA and thence the protein encoded by the gene. Gene copy number is a static property of a cell established when the cell is created; gene expression is a dynamic property of the cell that may be influenced both by the cell's genome and by external environmental influences such as temperature or therapeutic drugs.
In genetic diseases, gene expression and/or protein expression is also frequently disrupted. In cases where a gene is gained or amplified there is often (though not invariably) a corresponding increase in the expression of that gene, referred to as overexpression. Thus, amplification and overexpression are often, but not always, correlated.
Thus, it is frequently desired to measure and/or determine and/or estimate gene copy number in cells and/or tissues. At present, gene copy number can be measured using a variety of techniques, including quantitative PCR, in situ measuring, and other techniques that attempt to count or estimate the number of specific genetic sequences.
In situ Hybridization and FISH
The technique of fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) is used in a variety of clinical and research settings. Generally, the technique is used to locate chromosomal location(s) of specific DNA (or RNA) sequences. A complementary probe is labeled with a fluorescent dye and is then added to a chromosomal or cell preparation from the species of interest. After a sufficient time for annealing to occur, the chromosomes are viewed using a fluorescent microscope. The probe will hybridize to the chromosome carrying the sequence of interest. If the sequence has been characterized cytogenetically, the marker can be assigned to the appropriate chromosome.
FISH analysis has been useful for studying human diseases. For example, if a patient suffering a disease is determined via FISH analysis to have a deletion at a specific chromosomal locus, then the gene responsible for the disease is likely to reside on the missing segment. FISH analysis of tumor tissues can in some cases reveal chromosomal additions, deletions and/or substitutions that may be characteristic of some cancers or other conditions of interest.
More recently, many various strategies and techniques have been proposed for improving and/or automating research and/or diagnostic tests using FISH analysis. Many references describe a range of techniques and methods utilizing FISH. Among these are the following issued U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,833,332; 5,780,857; 5,830,645; 5,936,731; 6,146,593; 6,210,878; 6,225,636; and 6,242,184.
The discussion of any work, publications, sales, or activity anywhere in this submission, including in any documents submitted with this application, shall not be taken as an admission by the inventors that any such work constitutes prior art. The discussion of any activity, work, or publication herein is not an admission that such activity, work, or publication was known in any particular jurisdiction.

Method and/or system for analyzing biological samples using a computer system


An armrest includes an armrest support and a subassembly supported thereon for vertical adjustment by a height adjustment device having a rotatable high-lead-angle threaded shaft, a mating nut, and a trigger. The shaft member is rotatable upon a vertical force being placed on the subassembly, and the trigger engages the shaft to prevent rotation and fix a selected height position. The subassembly includes a housing, an armrest cap, and a pair of swing arms pivoted to each of the housing and cap for adjustably supporting the armrest cap for rotational and translational horizontal movement. Horizontal adjustment is controlled by choice of materials, a frictional wave spring and dampener. Optionally, the armrest cap includes a keyhole slot and one of the links includes a configured protrusion shaped to selectively linearly slide along a long part of the slot . . . or rotate in the circular end of the keyhole slot.

The present application relates to an adjustable armrest adapted to adjust in multiple directions with a smooth and elegant feel.
Armrests are often made to be adjustable in multiple directions, such as laterally (rotationally and/or translationally), longitudinally (fore/aft), and vertically. Unfortunately, adjustable armrests tend to be more expensive since they require mating movable components permitting the adjustment, and further they require locking mechanisms to hold the adjustments. Considerable design effort and manufacturing care is required to prevent the mating components from being loose and sloppy, or from being too tight, both of which result in users believing that the armrests are cheap and poorly designed. Notably, a smooth "non-loose" feel can be difficult and expensive to achieve. It requires tight tolerances that are closely controlled and also requires lubricious bearing surfaces (but not "too" lubricious), each of which increases costs. Further, even if initially tight and acceptable, components wear, resulting in the armrest becoming loose and "sloppy." Greases and lubricants are not necessarily an acceptable long-term solution because they may rub off and/or become ineffective over time, causing friction to increase to a point where the adjustment movement drags unacceptably. Another problem occurs when the friction becomes inconsistent, such that it provides an irregular or "scratchy" feel during adjustment.
Accordingly, an adjustable armrest is desired having the aforementioned advantages and solving the aforementioned problems. In particular, adjustment mechanisms are desired that are robust, low-cost, easy to assemble, and long-lasting, and that are adjustable with a smooth and elegant motion.

Armrest with height adjustment mechanism


Control surface assemblies having a torque tube base are disclosed. In one embodiment, a control surface assembly includes a control surface portion and a base portion. The base portion has a hollow, shell-like base portion coupled to a first end portion of the control surface portion, and is adapted to be coupled to a supporting structure such that the control surface portion projects outwardly from the supporting structure. In one aspect, the base portion includes an elongated, closed section portion adapted to be coupled to the supporting structure. In a further aspect, the base portion includes an elongated, closed section portion adapted to be coupled to the supporting structure, and a pair of tapered end portions formed at opposing ends of the closed section portion.

Many types of aerospace vehicles include one or more control surfaces that project outwardly from a main body of the vehicle to enhance or to enable proper control of the vehicle. Typically, such control surfaces are designed to meet anticipated load requirements associated with control of the vehicle. Among the considerations involved in the design of such control surfaces is the stiffness of the control surface to avoid flutter. More specifically, to avoid flutter of a control surface (e.g. a control fin) it is typically necessary to increase the fundamental mode shape frequencies.
For example, FIGS. 1 and 2 show simplified cross-sectional views of control surface assemblies in accordance with the prior art. In FIG. 1, a control surface assembly 100 includes an outwardly-projecting control surface portion 102 coupled to a flat flange portion 104 that attaches to an aerospace vehicle 106 (e.g. a missile, an aircraft, etc.). Typically, the control surface assembly 100 is efficient in bending stiffness, but is relatively less efficient in providing torsional stiffness. In FIG. 2, a control surface assembly 200 includes a non-uniformly tapered outwardly-projecting control surface portion 202 coupled to a base portion 204 having a solid support member 205. The base portion 204 is coupled to a fuselage (or body) 206. The control surface assembly 200 is typically less efficient in bending stiffness than the control surface assembly 100 having the flat flange portion 104 however, the control surface assembly 200 may exhibit improved torsional stiffness over the control surface assembly 100 due to the stiffness of the solid support member 205.
Although desirable results have been achieved using the prior art control surface assemblies shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there may be room for improvement. For example, for at least some applications, the prior art assemblies may exhibit undesirable weight and heat transfer characteristics. Therefore, improved control surface assemblies that at least partially mitigate these undesirable characteristics would have utility.

Control surface assemblies with torque tube base


A method of creating photo mask data includes preparing design data of a photo mask, generating drawing data of the photo mask by using the design data, generating inspection control information configured to control inspection of defect on the photo mask by using the drawing data, and generating drawing and inspection data including the drawing data and the inspection control information by providing the drawing data with the inspection control information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of creating photo mask data for use in manufacture of a photo mask, a method of manufacturing a photo mask, including a manufacturing and inspecting a photo mask by using the photo mask data, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with reduction of size of semiconductor devices, a pattern of a photo mask used for manufacturing a semiconductor devices is becoming finer and finer. As the pattern becomes finer, it is more difficult to detect small defects formed on the photo mask correctly.
As one of apparatus for inspecting shape defects on a photo mask, shape defect inspection of a die-to-database comparison system is known (Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-87101). One of causes of decline of precision inspection of this shape defect inspection is false detection of a normal fine pattern as defect. Such defect is called false defect.
If a number of false defects are detected, inspection is stopped. When inspection stops, it is attempted to suppress detection of false defects. Specifically, the inspection sensitivity is adjusted or the inspection sensitivity is lowered. However, if the inspection sensitivity is changed, inspection of high precision is not expected.
As the pattern becomes further finer, it is more difficult to finish the fine pattern in a desired pattern shape on the wafer. The reason is that pattern distortion or line width dimension variation due to optical proximity effect cannot be ignored.
To prevent pattern distortion or line width dimension variation due to optical proximity effect, a technology known as optical proximity correction (OPC) is needed. In the existing defect inspection apparatus, however, it is hard to inspect a photo mask including a fine pattern such as an OPC pattern.
In shape defect inspection for a high precision mask, reflection type inspection is attempted for the purpose of enhancing the inspection sensitivity in addition to conventional transmission type inspection.
In the case of reflection type inspection on a halftone (HT) mask, a data image of a pattern (a mask data image) formed on a photo mask is generated on the basis of intensity of two lights, that is, light reflected from a glass portion of the photo mask, and light reflected from a HT film. The mask data image and the inspection data image are compared with each other, and it is detected as defect formed on the photo mask where the difference of two images exceeds a specified value.
The HT mask has a region whose transmissivity changes in three steps (three-gradation region). The three-gradation region includes a tritone portion including a glass portion, a HT film portion, and a light shielding film portion. The three-gradation region is locally present in peripheral parts of an inspection region or the like. The HT mask further includes a boundary between the three-gradation region and the light shielding film portion.
An example of a pattern including such a boundary between the three-gradation region and the light shielding film portion is shown in FIG. 15A. In FIG. 15A, reference numeral 81 is a quartz substrate (Qz), 82 is a halftone film (HT) formed on a region in part of the quartz substrate 81, 83 is a Cr film as a light shielding film formed on a region in part of the halftone film 82, and 84 is a boundary between the three-gradation region and the light shielding film.
The transmissivity of the halftone film 82 is 30%, for example, when a light source is ArF. FIG. 15B shows an optical image (transmission) in arrow view A-A in FIG. 15A.
The boundary 84 between the three-gradation region and the light shielding film is detected as noise 85 as indicated by a reflection profile in FIG. 15C in reflection type inspection under an ordinary inspection condition.
In transmission type inspection, the boundary 84 between the three-gradation region and the light shielding film is not detected as noise as shown in FIG. 15D.
In reflection type inspection, since the boundary 84 between the three-gradation region and the light shielding film is detected as false defect, inspection may be stopped. To suppress detection of false defect, the inspection sensitivity must be lowered. However, when the inspection sensitivity is lowered, precise inspection is not expected, and inspection throughput is lowered.
In some masks, only a specific region of the entire mask is inspected. However, in such a case, an area to be inspected must be preliminarily specified by input of coordinates, which involves a risk of human error of input by an operator.

Method of creating photo mask data, method of photo mask manufacturing, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device


A multi-mode mobile station comprising 1) reconfigurable transceiver circuitry for communicating with wireless networks operating under different air interface standards; 2) a memory for storing at least a download configuration file and a home configuration file; and 3) a main controller for configuring the reconfigurable transceiver circuitry to operate according to a home network wireless standard using home configuration data retrieved from the home configuration file. If the main controller determines that a network operating according to the home network wireless standard cannot be found, the main controller is further capable of configuring the reconfigurable transceiver circuitry to operate according to a download channel wireless standard using download configuration data retrieved from the download configuration file. The main controller then establishes a download channel with a local roaming wireless network and downloads a roaming network configuration file from the roaming wireless network over the download channel.

Recent years have seen the deployment of a variety of different access standards for use in wireless networks (e.g., GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, IEEE-801.16, etc.). However, the proliferation of wireless access standards has proven to be inconvenient and challenging for the manufacturers of wireless mobile stations (or terminal), such as cell phones, PDA devices, wireless laptops, and the like. End-user expectations of a ubiquitous network cannot be met with mobile stations that support only a subset of the possible standards.
In response, wireless mobile stations are transitioning to software-defined radio (SDR) architectures to provide common hardware platforms for multiple air interface technologies. The continual improvement of semiconductor process technology has enabled an increasingly greater percentage of the signal processing functions in a mobile station (or wireless terminal) to be performed by reconfigurable hardware. The reconfigurable hardware may take one of several forms, including fixed functional blocks with customizable parameters and flexible interconnects. The reconfigurable hardware may be implemented, for example, in a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).
While fully configurable devices such as field programmable gate arrays currently have issues related to power and cost, the evolution in process and architecture technology is likely to overcome these limitations in time. However, within a software-refined radio (SDR) system, it is expensive and wasteful to store in memory all of the possible configuration files that the mobile station is likely to need.
To avoid such large memories, a user may transport the mobile station to a wireless service center and have the mobile station configuration software installed through cabling when needed. As users travel from one geographical region to another region that is served by a different wireless standard, a similar paradigm of reconfiguration for hardware is frustrating to the user and costly to wireless service providers.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a multi-mode mobile station that is capable of being reconfigured to operate according to a variety of air interface standards. More particularly, there is a need for a multi-mode mobile station that does not require a large memory of storing a large number of configuration files.

Apparatus and method for remotely modifying reconfigurable hardware in a mobile station


A system 100 includes a first service providing part 110 for providing a first service, and a second service providing part 120 for providing a second service. The first service providing part 110 transmits a first individual ID that is associated with a common ID included in an ID information provision request and that is for identifying a user in the first service, to a user terminal. The second service providing part 120 receives a service ID for identifying the first service, the first individual ID and the common ID from the user terminal, and transmits the service ID and first individual ID having been received with the common ID associated with a second individual ID that is included in an ID information acquisition request and that is for identifying a user in the second service, to a user terminal.

On a computer network like the Internet, services such as a social networking system (SNS) and a blog (a weblog) are popular.
In these services, each user using the service has a uniquely assigned ID (identifier) (i.e., an ID for identifying the user). Moreover, server devices providing these services each store profile information representing attributes (name, date of birth, preference, and so on) of each user in association with an ID assigned to the user.
In a case that each of the plurality of services issues an ID to a user independently from each other, different IDs depending on the respective services are assigned to a single user. In this case, there is a problem that a user using the plurality of services needs to use the plurality of IDs, respectively, and therefore it is less convenient. Moreover, there is a problem that other users cannot judge whether a user to whom a first ID is assigned in a first service is identical to a user to whom a second ID is assigned in a second service (i.e., cannot judge the identity of the users).
A technique to assign a common ID to a plurality of services (across a plurality of services) to a single user is called Single Sign On. As one of the techniques to realize Single Sign On, a distributed ID federation system is known. An example of this technique is OpenID described in Non-Patent Document 1.
FIG. 1 shows the outline of a procedure for confirming a user ID in OpenID. This procedure is described in "3. Protocol Overview" of Non-Patent Document 1.
Single Sign On in OpenID is configured by a user terminal (referred to as a User-agent in OpenID) operated by a user, a service provider (referred to as a Relying Party (RP) in OpenID), and an ID Provider (referred to as an OpenID provider (OP) in OpenID).
In OpenID, the following processes of steps 1 to 7 are executed.
Step 1: A user terminal is connected to an RP, and presents an ID called a user-supplied identifier to the RP. Typically, a user-supplied identifier includes a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for specifying an OP having issued the user-supplied identifier.
Step 2: The RP specifies the URL of the OP based on the user-supplied identifier presented at step 1.
Step 3: The OP and the RP exchange a common key used for electronic signature with each other.
Step 4: The connection destination of the user terminal is switched (e.g., redirected) from the RP to the OP. At this moment, an OpenID authentication request issued by the RP is transmitted to the OP via the user terminal.
Step 5: Through the user terminal, an authentication process is executed between the user and the OP. An authenticating means is not included in the specification of OpenID. Typically, the authentication process is a process of confirming whether a combination of an ID (claimed identifier) and a password presented by the user matches a combination of an ID and a password previously registered into the OP. In response to the OpenID authentication request, the OP transmits information in which an electronic signature generated by using the common key exchanged at step 3 is added to information (assertion) representing success of authentication, to the user terminal.
Step 6: The connection destination of the user terminal is switched from the OP to the RP again. At this moment, the user terminal transmits a combination of the assertion issued at step 5 and the electronic signature to the RP.
Step 7: The user terminal transmits the encrypted assertion accepted at step 5 to the RP. The RP verifies the result of the authentication by decoding the electronic signature by using the common key exchanged at step 3.
Thus, by using the technique of Single Sign On such as OpenID, a user can utilize a plurality of services by using the same ID.
However, in a case that a common ID to a plurality of services is used, the attributes of a user (i.e., personal information) and privacy information like the history of usage of the services that are possessed by the providers of the respective services can be related among the services. Therefore, there is a fear that personal information and privacy information are disseminated beyond the intent of the user.
In order to solve this kind of problem in the case of using OpenID, there is a known operation method of registering a single user ID (a common ID; referred to as OP-Local Identifier in OpenID) and a password into the OP and issuing a different user ID (an individual ID; Claimed Identifier) depending on each service.
Further, as another technique for realizing Single Sign On, an access authority delegation system is known. One example of this technique is OAuth described in Non-Patent Document 2.
OAuth is a protocol for, by using the authority of a user on a certain service (a service provider), accessing information (resource) possessed by the service provider from another service (a consumer). At this moment, the user does not need to disclose either the user ID or the password directly to the consumer, so that Single Sign On is realized.
FIG. 2 shows the outline of an operation procedure of OAuth.
In prior to the following operation procedure, a consumer possesses a combination of an ID called a consumer key and a password called a consumer secret issued by a service provider.
Step 1: A user performs a predetermined operation to the consumer. This step is outside the range of the OAuth protocol. Typically, this operation is an operation that the user instructs to associate user information registered to the service provider with the consumer.
Step 2: The consumer requests the service provider to issue a request token (transmits a request token acquisition request). A request token is an identifier for identifying a request token acquisition request. The request token acquisition request includes a signature issued by using the consumer key and the consumer secret. In response to the request token acquisition request, the service provider transmits a request token to the consumer.
Step 3: The user performs an operation of authorization (permission) with respect to the request token for the service provider.
Step 4: The consumer requests the service provider to issue an access token corresponding to the request token. An access token is a temporary identifier which is necessary when the consumer accesses the service provider. In a case that the user has succeeded in authorization at step 3, the service provider transmits the access token to the consumer.
Step 5: The consumer accesses the resource possessed by the service provider (acquires the information) by using the access token acquired at step 4.
In the case of using OAuth, it is possible to judge the identity of a user across a plurality of services. This is because a consumer can refer to a user ID on a service provider by using delegated user authority, and therefore, it is possible to judge whether a specific user ID on the consumer and the user ID on the service provider are assigned to the same user.    [Non-Patent Document 1] "OpenID Authentication 2.0—Final," OpenID Foundation, Dec. 5, 2007, Section 3    [Non-Patent Document 2] "OAuth Core 1.0 Revision—a," OAuth Core Workgroup, Jun. 24, 2009, Section 6
As described above, in a case that different user IDs (individual IDs) depending on the respective services are used in OpenID, there is a problem that other users cannot judge whether a user to whom a first individual ID is assigned in a first service is identical to a user to whom a second individual ID is assigned in a second service (i.e., cannot judge the identity of the users).
Further, in OAuth, there is a problem that, in order to prevent the abuse of the authority of a user by an external service, there is a need to previously transmit a consumer key and a consumer secret issued by a service provider to a consumer.
That is to say, in the abovementioned techniques, there is a problem that it is impossible to cause other users to judge the identity of a user to whom a different ID depending on each of a plurality of services is assigned, without previously performing a process of causing a service provider to issue a consumer key and a consumer secret and also transmitting them to a consumer.


A plug connector consisting of a plug body (1) and an engaging part (2) is provided with short-circuiting contacts (9, 10) within the plug body. The engaging part (2) includes at least one separating element (11) of insulating material that is inserted between the short circuit contacts (9, 10) when plug body (1) and engaging part (2) are inserted to interrupt the short circuit. For the purpose of simpler matching to the quantity of conductors to be short-circuited and to be connected, the plug body (1) and the engaging part (2) each consist of modules (3, 4) that may be stacked one upon the other and are assigned to each of the conductors within the plug body (1) that are of varying polarity and that are to be short-circuited. The short circuit contacts (9, 10) of the plug body (1) are so arranged on the modules (3) that each is extended to the short circuit contacts (9, 10) working together for two adjacent plug body modules (3). The engaging part modules (4) include a separating element (11) that is inserted between two adjacent plug body modules (3) to separate the short circuit contacts (9, 10) during the plugging process.

Such a plug connector is known from DE 694 04 891 T2. In this known implementation, all differently-polarized conductors are surrounded by a design unit both within the plug body and within the engaging part. In contrast to what is shown in the named document, plug connectors of such type may also be three-poled or more, whereby the plug body and the engaging part for each of these versions represent a suitably-dimensioned design unit and thus require an individual housing for each. One might resort to the option of using two or more bi-polar plug connectors for a higher number of variously-polarized, mutually short-circuiting conductors.

Plug connector with short circuit contacts


Provided herein is an aqueous ink, which is excellent in both image density and fixing ability irrespective of the kind of a recording medium even when the volume of an ink droplet is small and has such excellent properties that white stripes are not caused even when high-speed recording is conducted. The aqueous ink comprises at least water, a water-soluble organic solvent, a water-insoluble coloring material, a surfactant and a poor medium for the water-insoluble coloring material and/or a salt. The dynamic surface tension of the aqueous ink at a lifetime of 50 milliseconds determined by a maximum bubble pressure method is higher than 47 mN/m, and the dynamic surface tension at a lifetime of 5,000 milliseconds determined by the maximum bubble pressure method is 38 mN/m or lower.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aqueous ink, and particularly to an aqueous ink suitable for use in a recording method and a recording apparatus using an ink jet recording system.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ink used in ink jet recording systems is required to become an ink giving a high image density (OD value) for the purpose of achieving high image quality. In addition, an ink which prevents recording media from being stained even when recording is continuously conducted, i.e., an ink having excellent fixing ability, is required for the purpose of achieving speeding-up. Further, upon high-speed recording, white stripes (linked stripes) may occur at a boundary between images recorded through each one line recording of each scanning of a carriage in some cases to incur deterioration of image quality, and so improvement is required.
Various techniques have been proposed to date for the purpose of enhancing the image density. For example, the proposed techniques include a technique of using a coloring material excellent in color developing properties and a technique of properly designing the composition of an ink, thereby enhancing the association or aggregation ability of a coloring material to leave a larger amount of the coloring material on the surface of a recording medium.
It has heretofore been known that an ink containing a water-insoluble coloring material such as a pigment as a coloring material (pigment ink) provides images excellent in fastness properties such as water fastness and light fastness. In recent years, various techniques have been proposed for the purpose of more enhancing the image density of images formed with such an ink. For example, it has been proposed to use an ink containing self-dispersion type carbon black and a specific salt, thereby enhancing the image density (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-198955; hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1). In this technique, a pigment present in a dispersed state in the ink is forcedly aggregated on the surface of a recording medium, thereby inhibiting the permeation of the pigment into the recording medium to achieve a higher image density.
However, it has been found that since pigment particles are caused to aggregate on the surface of the recording medium in such prior art as mentioned above, an area of the surface of the recording medium which can be covered with the pigment with respect to the volume of ink droplets (the so-called area factor) may not be sufficient in some cases. This fact means that the amount of the ink applied, which is required to achieve the same image density, in the above-described technique increases compared with a conventional pigment ink containing a pigment dispersed by a dispersant. There has thus been room for improvement in this respect.
In addition, in such prior art as mentioned above, the amount of the ink applied is increased to require a long time for drying, so that in some cases, high-speed continuous recording may cause problems such as print-through upon the continuous recording as described below. More specifically, since the ink of a first recorded matter is not sufficiently dried (fixed) during the period from formation of the first recorded matter to discharge of a second recorded matter from an ink jet recording apparatus, the ink of the first recorded matter may adhere to the back surface of the second recording medium in some cases. Further, the above-described area factor may be insufficient in some cases for the requirement of high resolution in the ink jet recording apparatus. There has thus been room for improvement in this respect, too. Incidentally, there is a method for achieving a high area factor even with small volume ink droplets by improving the permeability of an ink into a recording medium. However, when the permeability of the ink is improved, the ink permeates not only in the surface of the recording medium, but also in the depth-wise direction of the recording medium, so that a sufficient image density may have not been achieved in some cases.
The following proposals have been made for solving such problems. For example, there is a proposal as to improvement in the image density by causing an ink containing a plurality of water-soluble organic solvents and a water-insoluble coloring material to have the following constitution, thereby aggregating a coloring material in the vicinity of the surface of a recording medium even with small volume ink droplets (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-206615; hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2). More specifically, the plurality of the water-soluble organic solvents includes a good medium and a poor medium for a self-dispersion type pigment, and a water-soluble organic solvent exhibiting a maximum Ka value among respective Ka values of the plurality of the water-soluble organic solvents as determined by the Bristow's method is a poor medium.
As techniques for controlling permeation of an ink into a recording medium and blurring of the ink, proposals paying attention to a dynamic surface tension of the ink have been made. For example, there has been a proposal to improve drying ability by an ink having the construction of [dynamic surface tension (dyn/cm) at a lifetime of 0 millisecond+viscosity (cp)]=42 to 49 (Japanese Patent Registration No. 2516218; hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 3). There is also a proposal as to an ink having a maximum value of the rate of change of the dynamic surface tension of from 0.2 mN/m/s or more to 0.4 mN/m/s or less (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-238851; hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 4). There is further a proposal as to an ink having a dynamic surface tension of from 25 to 50 mN/m at a lifetime of 10 milliseconds and having a difference of 5 mN/m or less between the maximum value and the minimum value of the dynamic surface tension (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-200566; hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 5). There is still further a proposal as to an ink having a dry viscosity of 100 mPa·s or less, a dynamic surface tension of 45 mN/m or less at a lifetime of 10 milliseconds and a dynamic surface tension of 35 mN/m at a lifetime of 1,000 milliseconds (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-231838; hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 6).
In addition, there are the following proposals as to change in the particle size of a pigment and dispersion stability when a pigment ink containing water and a water-soluble organic solvent is evaporated. For example, there is a proposal that the increase rate of the average particle size of a pigment in a pigment ink when 30 mass % of the ink is evaporated is controlled to 25% or less (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-167534; hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 7). There is also a proposal as to a pigment ink by which dispersion stability is achieved even when 50 mass % of the ink is evaporated (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-143290; hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 8).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Aqueous ink, ink jet recording method, ink cartridge, recording unit and ink jet recording apparatus


A wheelchair construction is disclosed for facilitating transfer of a person to and from the wheelchair. The wheelchair includes a mobile frame, a chair assembly for supporting a person in a sitting position, and mechanism shiftably supporting the chair assembly on the frame. The mechanism supports the chair assembly for movement between a transport position, in which the chair assembly is positioned generally over the frame, and a transfer position, in which the chair assembly is positioned laterally outwardly from the frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wheelchairs for transporting invalids and, more particularly, to a wheelchair having a chair assembly that is shiftable relative to the frame along a generally horizontal path for facilitating transfer of an individual to and from a support surface, such as an automobile passenger seat or a hospital bed.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Wheelchairs are used in various circumstances to assist with the transport of persons from one location to another. In many instances, the wheelchair serves to transport a person to and from a support surface, such as an automobile passenger seat, a hospital bed, etc. It is, of course, necessary to safely transfer the person from the support surface to the chair, or vice versa. With conventional wheelchair designs, however, the safe transfer of a person to and from the wheelchair is often very difficult. Such transfer is particularly problematic with highly debilitated persons.
A conventional wheelchair typically includes a wheeled frame having a pair of rear drive wheels and a pair of relatively smaller front castor wheels, a chair for supporting a person in a sitting position, and footrests upon which the person places her feet during transport. The chair faces forwardly and is attached to the frame in a position generally between the front and rear wheels for stability purposes. Furthermore, the chair is traditionally surrounded on all but its forward side by a pair of armrests and a chair back, all of which project upwardly from the chair. The footrests traditionally extend forwardly from the frame ahead of the front wheels for supporting the persons feet above the ground during transport. A conventional footrest includes a bar fixed to the frame and a pedal swingably supported on the bar for swinging movement about a substantially horizontal, fore-and-aft axis. Such a configuration allows for swinging of the pedal between a substantially horizontal foot supporting position and an upright position, in which the pedal is swung out of the foot supporting position so that the person's feet may be placed on the ground between the upright pedals during transfer of the person to and from the wheelchair.
Thus, transfer of a person to and from the wheelchair requires that the person be moved in a generally fore-and-aft direction into and out of a sitting position. For example, to transfer a person from a support surface to the wheelchair, the wheelchair is placed in close proximity to the support surface and the pedals are swung to the upright position. Subsequently, the person raises from a recumbent position on the support surface to her feet and walks, in most cases with assistance, to the wheelchair. The person is positioned relative to the wheelchair so that her legs and feet are between the upright pedals and bars of the footrests and her backside faces the chair. The person is finally lowered to a sitting position on the chair and the pedals are swung to a foot supporting position. Of course, transfer of a person from the wheelchair to a support surface is essentially the reverse of the steps set forth above.
The conventional wheelchair design, as hereinabove described, is highly problematic, particularly with regard to transfer of the patient to and from the wheelchair. As evident from the description, the person must step between the footrests when being transferred to and from the wheelchair. This can indeed be very difficult and unsafe for persons who are not highly agile. Furthermore, some wheelchair configurations have the front wheels positioned forwardly of the frame so that the person must also maneuver between the front wheels when being transferred to and from the wheelchair.
Conventional wheelchairs are also problematic in the sense that most wheelchair constructions prevent placement of the chair adjacent the support surface, whereby the person can simply slide from the support surface to the chair, or vice versa. That is, the wheelchair components extending forwardly beyond the chair prevent the unobstructed forward side of the chair from being placed alongside the support surface, such that transfer of a person to and from the wheelchair necessarily involves raising the person to her feet and moving the person between the footrests.
It will be appreciated that conventional footrests also present an obstacle for care providers that assist the person. Of course, the care provider, along with the person, must avoid tripping over the footrests during transfer. Moreover, in instances where it is desired to place the wheelchair as near the support surface as possible so as to minimize movement of the person, the support surface, chair and footrests define an essentially enclosed area that prevents optimum location of the care provider immediately behind or in front of the person during transfer. The location of the wheelchair relative to a support surface, and the access to the person during transfer to and from the wheelchair afforded the care provider are attributes of the wheelchair which supplant, rather than supplement, one another. That is proximity of the chair relative to the support surface must be sacrificed in favor of unobstructed access to the person, and vice versa. For example, a person demanding a significant amount of assistance requires that the wheel chair be spaced sufficiently away from the support surface to provide the care provider with the access to assist the person. However, because of the necessary spacing of the wheelchair from the support surface for accommodating the care provider, the person must move a greater distance during transfer to and from the wheelchair.


Nucelosides and nucleotides containing a tricyclic base portion thereof are useful for treating infectious diseases and proliferative disorders, such as viral infections or cancer respectively.

Viral infections are a major threat to human health and account for many serious infectious diseases. Hepatitis C virus (HCV), a major cause of viral hepatitis, has infected more than 200 million people worldwide. Current treatment for HCV infection is restricted to immunotherapy with interferon-α alone or in combination with ribavirin, a nucleoside analog. This treatment is effective in only about half the patient population. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new HCV drugs. Hepatitis C virus comprises a positive-strand RNA genome enclosed in a nucleocapsid and lipid envelope and consists of approximately 9600 ribonucleotides, which encodes a polyprotein of about 3000 amino acids (Dymock et al. Antiviral Chemistry & Chemotherapy 2000, 11, 79). A HCV protein, NS5B, released from the polyprotein, possesses polymerase activity and is involved in the synthesis of double-stranded RNA from the single-stranded viral RNA genome that serves as the template. The reproduction of HCV virus may be prevented through the manipulation of NS5B's polymerase activity. The competitive inhibition of NS5B protein would suppress or prevent the formation of the double-stranded HCV RNA. Alternatively, a nucleoside analog also may be incorporated into the extending RNA strand and act as a chain-terminator. Furthermore, a deteriorating nucleoside analog also may be incorporated into the extending RNA, which may cause mutagenic damage to the viral genome. Recently, several PCT patent applications (WO 99/43691, WO 01/32153, WO 01/60315, WO 01/79246, WO 01/90121, WO 01/92282, WO 02/18404, WO 02/057287, WO 02/057425) have described nucleoside analogs as anti-HCV agents in in vitro assays.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has acutely infected almost a third of the world's human population, and about 5% of the infected are chronic carriers of the virus (Delaney I V et al. Antiviral Chemistry & Chemotherapy 2001, 12, 1-35). Chronic HBV infection causes liver damage that frequently progresses to cirrhosis and/or liver cancer later in the life. Despite the availability and widespread use of effective vaccines and chemotherapy, the number of chronic carriers approaches 400 million worldwide. Therefore, more effective anti-HBV drugs need to be developed. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes progressive degeneration of the immune system, leading to the development of AIDS. A number of drugs have been used clinically, including reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors. Currently, combination therapies are used widely for the treatment of AIDS in order to reduce the drug resistance. Despite the progress in the development of anti-HIV drugs, AIDS is still one of the leading epidemic diseases. Certain acute viral infections also impose a great threat to human life, including the newly-discovered West Nile virus and SARS virus.
Bacterial infections long have been the sources of many infectious diseases. The widespread use of antibiotics produces many new strains of life-threatening bacteria. Fungal infections are another type of infectious diseases, some of which also can be life-threatening. There is an increasing demand for the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections. Antimicrobial drugs based on new mechanisms of action are especially important.
Proliferative disorders are one of the major life-threatening diseases and have been intensively investigated for decades. Cancer now is the second leading cause of death in the United States, and over 500,000 people die annually from this proliferative disorder. All of the various cells types of the body can be transformed into benign or malignant tumor cells. Transformation of normal cells into cancer cells is a complex process and thus far is not fully understood. The treatment of cancer consists of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. While chemotherapy can be used to treat all types of cancer, surgery and radiation therapy are limited to certain cancer at certain sites of the body. There are a number of anticancer drugs widely used clinically. Among them are alkylating agent such as cisplatin, antimetabolites, such as 5-fluorouracil, and gemcitabine. Although surgery, radiation, and chemotherapies are available to treat cancer patients, there is no cure for cancer at the present time. Cancer research is still one of the most important tasks in medical and pharmaceutical organizations.
Nucleoside drugs have been used clinically for the treatment of viral infections and proliferative disorders for decades. Most of the nucleoside drugs are classified as antimetabolites. After they enter cells, nucleoside analogs are phosphorylated successively to nucleoside 5′-monophosphates, 5′-diphosphates, and 5′-triphosphates. In most cases, nucleoside triphosphates, e.g., 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT, an anti-HIV drug) triphosphate and arabinosylcytosine (cytarabine, an anticancer drug) triphosphate, are the active chemical entities that inhibit DNA or RNA synthesis, through a competitive inhibition of polymerases and subsequent incorporation of modified nucleotides into DNA or RNA sequences. In a few cases, nucleoside analogs exert effects at lower phosphate levels. For instance, 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine (an anticancer drug) 5′-monophosphate and 2′,2′-difluoro-2′-deoxycytidine (an anticancer drug) 5′-diphosphate have been shown to inhibit thymidylate synthase and ribonucleotide reductase, respectively. Although nucleoside analogs themselves may act at the nonphosphate level such as the inhibitors of adenosine kinases and the ligands of adenosine receptors, currently, clinically-useful nucleoside drugs primarily depend on cellular activation by nucleoside kinases and nucleotide kinases.
At least, two criteria are pertinent for nucleoside antiviral drugs: 1. nucleoside analogs should anabolize to nucleotides in cells; and 2. the anabolized nucleotides should target selectively viral enzymes. In order to be phosphorylated in cells and selectively to target preferred enzymes, nucleoside analogs should have favorable modifications on their sugar and base moieties. To obtain such favorable nucleoside analogs, a general approach is to generate diverse nucleoside analogs by modifying the base or the sugar, or by modifying both base and sugar moieties. Numerous examples exist in the literature for the synthesis of a variety of modified nucleosides (Chemistry of Nucleosides and Nucleotides Vol. I (1988), Vol. 2 (1991), Vol. 3 (1994), edited by Leroy B. Townsend, Plenum Press).
However, there are certain classes of nucleoside compounds that were not explored intensively for their antiviral and anti-proliferative activities before the present invention. A class of such compounds is tricyclic nucleosides. Disclosures on tricyclic nucleosides are very limited considering the existence of various tricyclic heterocycles; A well-known tricyclic nucleoside is triciribine (TCN), having potent cytotoxicity against cancer cells (Porcari et al. J. Med. Chem. 2000, 43, 2438-2448). A number of its modified derivatives were prepared and screened against viruses and cancer (Porcari et al. Nucleosides Nucleotides 1999, 18, 2475-2497; J. Med. Chem. 2000, 43, 2457-2463). Another known tricyclic nucleoside is 2-(2-deoxy-β-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-2,6-dihydro-7H-2,3,5,6-tetraazabenz[cd]azulen-7-one, but its biological activity was not reported (Helv. Chim. Acta, 2000, 83, 911-927). The PCT publication WO 03/061385 describes tricyclic nucleoside libraries. The present invention discloses novel tricyclic nucleosides and nucleotides and their use for the treatment of infectious disease, including viral infections, and of proliferative disorders, including cancer.

Tricyclic nucleosides or nucleotides as therapeutic agents


A weight plate for securing portable structures employing a low-profile, planar plate having an aperture formed therethrough. The aperture is configured so as to allow the base of the leg of a structure to pass through. The plate is subsequently transposed so as to lock the base of the leg underneath the plate while the leg of the shelter passes through the plate and an opposite side of the plate extends away form the leg.

The evolution of light-weight, easily erected, and economical portable shelters, advertising stands and similar structures has led to the increasing commercial and private use of these structures. However, due to the light-weight construction of such structures, the structures must often be anchored or stabilized so as to prevent movement of the structure caused by physical contact in highly congested areas such as convention centers or by environmental elements such as wind.
Various methods and portable devices have thus far been used to stabilize these structures. For example, systems employing guy-lines have been used in which one end of the guy-line is attached to a shelter awning or a leg of the structure and the other end of the guy-line is anchored to the ground or floor. While these guy-line systems may serve to improve stability, they have the disadvantage of effectively increasing the foot-print of the structure due to the guy-lines extending outward away from the perimeter of the structure. Guy-lines also create a hazard for people walking in the area of the shelter.
Other methods and devices for stabilizing the shelters are directed towards adding weight to the legs of the shelter or to the bases of the legs of the shelter. One approach has been to place an object such as a relatively thick piece of metal over the base and around a portion of the leg of the structure. Such weights have the disadvantage of being relatively high-profile, effectively decreasing the available space around the leg of the structures, and being awkward or inconvenient to transport due to their relatively heavy compact form. Another approach has been to employ relatively large, usually plastic containers or vessels that, again, rest on top of the base and around the leg of the shelter. Such plastic containers are intended to be deployed about the leg of the structure and then filled with a substance that can later be removed from the container, such as sand or water. An obvious disadvantage of these systems is that the user must not only transport the plastic containers but must also transport or otherwise locate, and then later dispose of, the sand or water used to fill the container. Like the weight systems described above, these systems also effectively decrease the available space around the legs of the structures.
The fact that the known solutions for stabilizing portable structures effectively decrease the usable area around the legs of the structure is not trivial. For example, creating unusable areas around the leg of a portable shelter used at a trade convention or other venue in which displays and structures must abut one another not only decreases the usable space under the structure but may also prevents structures from being erected immediately next to one another.
What is needed in the art is a low-profile, easily transportable device and method for stabilizing the legs of portable shelters, advertizing stands, and similar structures.


In the case of a method of producing a linear graphic element on a molded body, the molded body is metallically coated and the graphic element is produced by a laser irradiation. The coating is removed by the laser irradiation in the form of dots having the same diameter and the same mutual spacing.

The invention relates to a method of producing a linear graphic element on a molded body.
The molded body may, for example, be an operating element, a decorative design element or a display element, which are used for many different purposes. The linear graphic element may be a line, a straight line, or a figure which is closed in itself, such as a rectangle. By means of this figure, a design can also be achieved which acts as a bordering of a letter and can thereby be displayed as a letter.
In this context, a method of producing operating elements, decorative design elements or display elements, is known from German Patent document DE 42 12 423 C2, in the case of which a non-transparent layer, which is applied to a basic body, is removed by use of laser irradiation for producing a symbol. In this case, the layer is completely removed. Areas with or without coating, which visually can be clearly differentiated from one another, are present on the basic body. The laser is used only as a tool here, by which the coating is rapidly and completely removed. The faster the removal of the coating takes place, the shorter the machining time. The defining of a short machining time thus requires an energy-intensive machining of the coating and, therefore, involves the risk of damaging the basic body. This leads to a non-uniform visual appearance of the symbol.
This poor visual impression is further intensified if the element graphic should be recognizable also under less favorable light conditions, particularly in darkness. A person skilled in the art knows this design in the case of operating elements under the name of "night design". For this purpose, it is known from German Patent document DE 42 12 423 C2 to shine a light source behind the basic body, so that the light can emerge through the places which are free of coating. Damage to the basic body in these areas has the visual appearance of dirt.
It is an object of the invention to improve the above-described method such that the graphic element has a uniform appearance when under different lighting conditions, and which method permits a fast and process-reliable production.
This object is achieved by a method of producing a linear graphic element on a molded body, wherein the molded body is metallically coated, and the graphic element is produced by a laser irradiation by which the coating is removed in the form of dots.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

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