A method, graphical user interface and electronic device for forming guiding lines in a graphical user interface of an electronic device comprising at least a display and a navigating device, wherein a potion of the virtual desktop area of the graphical user interface is seen on the display at a time. In the method, digital material is placed on the virtual desktop area. The method further comprises the steps of determining a point of origin within the digital material and defining at least two points through which a guiding line is drawn, the guiding line indicating the distance and/or direction to the point of origin. The guiding line is then displayed along with the digital material on the display.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mobile telecommunication systems. In particular, the present invention relates to a novel and improved graphical user interface, method and electronic device for forming guiding lines in a graphical user interface of an electronic device
2. Description of the Related Art
The size of the display of an electronic device sets certain limits for presenting, e.g. digital information on the display. A small display is not the best place to present a large amount of information. If all of the information is presented on the display at a time, details become illegible. A solution to this problem is that a so-called virtual desktop is used. There the actual view of the digital information is (much more) greater than the size of the display device. Therefore, means for scrolling the information is needed. This is achieved, e.g. with scroll bars located on the display.
Even if scroll bars are not used, there still are drawbacks with the present solutions. The biggest problem is that when the material to be presented on the display is considerably larger than the display area, the current location within the material is not well perceived. Let us say, a hand-held device, e.g. a Portable Digital Assistant (PDA), consists of a map application. The map comprises an area of which only 1/10000 can be presented on the display of the hand-held device at a time. In other words, the map constitutes e.g. of a 100×100 two-dimensional matrix. The user of the hand-held device can move within the map, e.g. using scroll bars or some other method or means. When map element x:20 y:20 is presented on the display, it very hard to conclude how far it is e.g. to a desired element x:70 y:65. The situation becomes even more difficult when the user is allowed to use a zoom function.
There are many prior-art solutions to the above-mentioned problems. As said earlier, a user may be provided with scroll bars. Another solution is that when moved within a digital material, e.g. a map, the user is provided with coordinate readings. Yet another solution is to show the coordinate reading of the cursor on the display. Yet another solution is to show the map grids on the display.
There are, however, several problems with the prior-art solutions. The problem with the scroll bars is that they need a certain amount of display space, the space already being limited. The problem is the same when presenting the coordinates numerically. When map coordinates are used, the user is not aware of his/her relative position on the whole map. Instead of, the coordinates express only certain measure scale of the digital material. Coordinates do not promote quick navigation.
Small devices, e.g. the display size of which is less than 10 inches, often use notably bigger virtual desktop than the actual display area. So, it may very hard for the user quickly to perceive the exact location on the virtual desktop. Therefore, it is for example difficult to return to a certain active area of the operating system, where specific functions or activities are started by activating, e.g. objects or icons. Moreover, it is difficult to move from an application to another on the virtual desktop if the accurate location of the destination application is not clear. Because the display devices are already small, display space should be reserved for the actual applications as much as possible. Most prior-art navigation solutions take their own parts of the display areas.

Graphical user interface and method and electronic device for navigating in the graphical user interface


Provided herein are compounds, methods and pharmaceutical compositions for use in treatment of viral infections, including hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, in hosts in need thereof. In certain embodiments, the compounds are 2′,4′-fluoro nucleosides according to Formula 1001:

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. (Boyer, N. et al., J. Hepatol. 32:98-112, 2000). HCV causes a slow growing viral infection and is the major cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (Di Besceglie, A. M. and Bacon, B. R., Scientific American, Oct.: 80-85, 1999; Boyer, N. et al., J. Hepatol. 32:98-112, 2000). It is estimated there are about 130-170 million people with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, and there are about 350,000 deaths from hepatitis C-related liver diseases each year (Hepatitis C Fact Sheet, World Health Organization Fact Sheet No. 164, July 2013). Cirrhosis caused by chronic hepatitis C infection accounts for 8,000-12,000 deaths per year in the United States, and HCV infection is the leading indication for liver transplantation.
HCV infection becomes chronic in about 75% of cases, with many patients initially being asymptomatic. The first symptoms of HCV infection are often those of chronic liver disease. About 20 to 30% of patients with chronic hepatitis due to HCV develop cirrhosis, although this may take decades. Development of cirrhosis due to HCV also increases the risk of hepatocellular cancer (The Merck Manual Online, Chronic Hepatitis, available at www.merckmanuals.com/professional/hepatic_and_biliary_disorders/hepatitis/chronic_hepatitis. html, last revision March 2013).
In light of the fact that HCV infection has reached epidemic levels worldwide, and has tragic effects on the infected patient, there remains a strong need to provide new effective pharmaceutical agents to treat hepatitis C that have low toxicity to the host. Further, given the rising threat of other flaviviridae infections, there remains a strong need to provide new effective pharmaceutical agents that have low toxicity to the host. Therefore, there is a continuing need for effective treatments of flavivirus infections and HCV infections.

2′,4′-fluoro nucleosides for the treatment of HCV

Abstract: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, stereoisomeric form, tautomeric form, or polymorphic form thereof, wherein Base, RA, and PD are as described herein. In certain embodiments, 2′,4′-fluoro nucleosides are provided which display remarkable efficacy and bioavailability for the treatment of, for example, HCV infection in a human.


A device of the type which uses a moving boundary for detecting a fluid analyte. The device includes an impervious container (10, 12, 14) having a fluid entry aperture (20) and containing two contiguous layers. One of the layers is a detection layer (16) in the form of a sheet comprising a reagent to generate a signal by a reaction initiated by the analyte. The other layer (18) is a spreading layer permeable by the analyte position such that analyte entering the container spreads within the spreading layer. The device can be used, for example, as a gas monitor for indicating exposure to hazardous gases or vapours.

This invention is concerned with devices for detecting a fluid analyte, of the type comprising a mass of porous material containing a reagent that reacts with the analyte to generate a signal, usually a change in color. Such devices may be divided into two classes. In one class, the analyte may be quantified by the rate of color change, or alternatively by the depth of color developed in a given time, the colour being generally uniform over the whole of the detection area. A device of this kind is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,174 (Fuji) and comprises a laminate of a hydrophobic impervious layer with an entry aperture for liquid, a porous spreading layer, a chemical reagent layer (to change color by reaction with analyte in the test liquid), and a support layer. In such devices, access of the analyte to the chemical reagent layer is essentially rapid, and the rate of color generation is determined by the rate of reaction between the analyte and the reagent. A similar device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,560.
In the other class of devices, the analyte may be quantified by the rate of movement (or by the distance moved in a given time) of a moving boundary. Such a device comprises a mass of detection material, to which analyte gains access in a controlled manner comprising a region that has not been contacted by the analyte, and a region that has been contacted by the analyte, and a moving boundary between the two. The device of this invention is of the moving boundary type.
In environments where exposure to hazardous gases or vapors may occur, it is common practice to use a disposable gas monitor attached to the clothing. Typically these devices are used in industrial manufacture, mining, military and in fire and other emergency services. Length of stain tubes (e.g. sold under the Trademark Drager) are commonly used for this purpose and are commercially available for a wide variety of gases. In essence they consist of a glass tube containing a quantity of silica gel impregnated with chemicals that give a color change in the presence of the gas. When required, one end of the glass tube is snapped open in order to begin exposure of the reactive gel to the atmosphere. Exposure to the monitored gas produces a colored region that increases in length as a result of continued diffusion of the gas into the tube. The tubes are roughly calibrated (logarithmically) in order to give a concentration after one hour of exposure. The silica gel impregnated with reactive chemical, acts both as a diffusion medium and as a detection medium. Although very widely used, the tubes are complicated to manufacture, calibration may vary from tube to tube, and are expensive (for high volume manufacture) and awkward to use. In addition, they are subject to considerable variability in response due to dependence on the convective conditions prevailing.
Passive dosi-tubes are marketed under the Trademark Gastec. This device comprises a diffuser and a chemical reagent parallel in a glass tube whose end is broken open to admit the atmosphere. Silica gel impregnated with chemicals is used as the reagent. The tubes are generally similar to, and suffer from the same disadvantages as, Drager tubes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,055 describes a time-temperature device of the moving-boundary type, but which has no inlet aperture. Also, the same material is used as a spreading medium and a detection medium.
British patent specification 2168480 describes a gas detector comprising a circular disc of detection material contained in a housing having an axial entry aperture whose size and length controls the rate of entry of the gas being detected and the movement of the moving boundary on the disc. There is a relatively large open space within the housing in front of the disc.
British patent specification 2084725 describes a gas detection device comprising a porous strip in a glass tube whose end is broken open to provide access to the atmosphere. Again, the strip is surrounded by a relatively large air gap. Again, the rate of movement of the moving boundary is controlled by the rate of entry of gas into the tube. The device as described in these two British patent specifications suffer from two disadvantages:
The rate of entry of gas into the device is controlled by conditions in the entry aperture, and these may be affected by atmospheric conditions, e.g. if the device is used in a wind or near a fan.
Once inside the device, the gas has relatively unimpeded flow to the detection layer, as a result of which the moving boundary may become blurred.


An endosseous dental implant system employs an implant member designed to be embedded into the jawbone of a patient at a location vacated by a missing tooth, and a mating abutment member. Both the abutment member and the implant member have mutually facing gingival ends. A socket of uniform, noncircular cross section throughout is defined into the gingival end of either the implant member or the abutment member while a post of corresponding cross-sectional configuration extends from the gingival end of the other member. At least one, and possibly a plurality, of transversely directed projections are formed on the post. These projections are small enough to allow the post to enter the socket in close fitting, seated engagement therewith, but large enough to create an interference fit between the post and the socket to obstruct twisting of the post within the socket. Apart from the transversely extending projections, the post has a uniform cross sectional shape and dimensions throughout its length.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to osseodontic dental implant systems for tooth replacement in orthodontic patients.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of orthodontics there are several techniques for tooth replacement. Crowns are widely employed for this purpose. However, dental crowns require a sturdy foundation. In the simplest, most desirable and least costly procedure the natural structure of the root of a tooth is utilized as the foundation to which the crown is anchored. However, in some instances, this is impractical since a tooth may be so badly damaged due to disease or injury that the entire tooth must be removed.
In such a situation one option is the use of an endosseous dental implant system. In such a system an implant member is inserted into the jaw of a patient. Very typically the implant member will be externally threaded with self-tapping screw threads that anchor the implant member into the bone of the jaw underlying the patient's gums. The implant member may be internally tapped to receive a screw.
The implant member has opposing gingival and osseous ends. That is, the implant member is of a generally cylindrical, externally threaded configuration with an internally tapped blind bore therein. The open end of the bore is at the gingival end of the implant member which resides at the patient's gum when the implant member is installed. The opposite, osseous end penetrates into the bone structure of the patient's jaw.
A conventional osseous dental implant system also includes an abutment member. The abutment member also has opposing ends which may be referred to as the gingival and coping support ends. The gingival end of the abutment member faces and mates with the gingival end of the implant member. The abutment member includes an internal, longitudinal bore with openings at both of its ends and with a bearing ledge defined within its structure. A coping, which is an artificial tooth or crown, is ultimately permanently attached to the coping support end of the abutment. A screw is utilized to attach the abutment member to the implant member. The externally threaded shank of the screw extends through the longitudinal bore through the structure of the abutment member and is threadably engaged with the internal threads of the blind, tapped bore in the implant member. The head of the screw rests upon the bearing ledge in the structure of the abutment member to firmly, and ultimately permanently, attach the abutment member to the implant member.
It is extremely important for the abutment member to be totally immobilized relative to the implant member. In early systems one difficulty that occurred was that the abutment member would twist relative to the implant member, thus creating angular misalignment of the artificial tooth about the axis of the fastening screw. To remedy this problem the implant member and the abutment member were fashioned with a socket of noncircular cross section in one of the members and a post of corresponding noncircular cross section in the other of the members. When the abutment member is placed in face-to-face contact with the implant member, the gingival ends of both members mate with each other. That is, the post enters the socket in snug fitting relationship therewith.
The post and socket are both of corresponding noncircular cross section, typically polygonal in shape. For example, both the post and socket may have a hexagonal cross section. Because the post and socket are both of noncircular shape, it was thought that the abutment member could be completely immobilized from any rotational movement relative to the implant member.
However, certain difficulties with this prior system occurred. Specifically, due to the necessary dimensional tolerance that must exist for a post to be inserted into a socket, conventional implant and abutment systems of the type described still experience some slight twisting of the abutment member relative to the implant member. To eliminate this, another system was devised. Specifically, the mating polygonal post and socket arrangement was modified so that the post was tapered downwardly in a convergent manner in a direction toward the abutment. That is, the cross section of the post was configured to have a progressively reduced cross-sectional area proceeding from its base toward its distal extremity that was inserted into the abutment member. While this arrangement did address the problem of rotation of the post relative to the socket, it creates another problem in that it is possible for an interstitial gap to exist between the faces of the gingival ends of the implant and socket members surrounding the socket opening and the post. On the other hand, it is also possible with such a construction for the post to fail to reach the bottom of the socket, thereby creating a cavity into which fluids in the patient's mouth can seep.

Rotationally immobilized dental implant and abutment system


A semiconductor device according to one embodiment includes a substrate, a stacked body including conductive layers and insulating layers alternately stacked on the substrate, and first contact plugs individually connected to the conductive layers on an end of the stacked body. The semiconductor device includes, on the substrate, a lower layer three-dimensional structure including any of a lower layer inclined structure continuously inclined upward with respect to a flat surface of the substrate, a lower layer stepped structure inclined upward in a stepwise manner with respect to the flat surface, and a lower layer composite stepped structure in which planes parallel to the flat surface and slopes inclined upward with respect to the flat surface are alternately continuous. At least some of terrace regions being connection regions to the first contact plugs on top surfaces of the conductive layers are located on the lower layer three-dimensional structure.

A three-dimensional stacked semiconductor memory as an example of semiconductor devices has a stacked body in which conductive layers functioning as word lines and insulating layers are stacked in a three-dimensional manner. Ends of the stacked body are generally formed in a stepwise manner to be connected to contact plugs.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof


A system and method are provided for generating access tokens on a user device rather than via a remote server computer. An access token can be generated on a second user device by combining and encrypting, with format preservation, a primary access identifier, variable value, and salt. The resulting value can be provided to a first user device that can subsequently can provide the access token to an access device as part of an interaction. The access device can generate an authorization request message that comprises the access token and transmit it to a remote server computer for processing. The remote server computer can process the access token to determine the primary access identifier despite not being involved in the generation of the access token, providing an improvement over conventional tokenization methods.

In conventional access or authorization systems, a user may provide a credential either directly or via a user device to an access device. The access device may generate an authorization request message including the credential and transmit it to an authorization computer for processing. The authorization computer may process the authorization request message and produce an authorization response message that is transmitted back to the access device. The authorization response message indicates to the access device whether the user is authorized to access something, such as a resource. As an example, a user may be attempting to access a building, and may provide a credential such as a password. An authorization computer may determine if the password matches a stored password, and may authorize access to the building (e.g., by unlocking the door) if the passwords match.
This conventional method presents a problem, as malicious users are presented a number of opportunities to compromise sensitive credential information. A malicious user may electronically eavesdrop on communications between the access device and the authorization computer and gain access to the authorization request message. From the authorization request message, the malicious user may determine the credential used, and from that point on, may impersonate the user by using that credential.
Directly encrypting the credential is one solution to this problem. However, this presents a problem in many conventional authorization systems that require some specific credential format. Typically, some aspects of the credential are used for the purpose of routing the authorization request message to its intended recipient. For example, a property company may own several access controlled apartment complexes throughout the United States. A user attempting to access their apartment in San Francisco may have their authorization request message serviced by a different authorization computer than a different user attempting to access their apartment in New York City. Some digits of the user's respective access codes may be used to route the authorization request messages to their correct destination. For example, San Francisco apartments may have access codes beginning with "3" and New York City apartments may have access codes beginning with "7."
When the access code is encrypted, there is a high probability that the leading digits of the access codes change, meaning an access terminal cannot determine the specific authorization computer that can process those access codes as part of an authorization request message. As a result, the conventional system may not be able to service authorization requests involving encrypted credentials.
Tokenization is one solution to prevent this problem. Instead of sending the credential as part of the authorization request message, the credential can be substituted for an "access token." This access token can be sent along with the authorization request message and be substituted with the credential or "de-tokenized" by a remote server computer that can then transmit the authorization request message and credential to the authorization computer for processing.
However, another problem arises in that the remote server computer needs to know the connection between the token and the credential, otherwise it will be unable to replace the access token with the credential. In many conventional token schemes, the remote server computer receives or has knowledge of the credential, generates a token, and then provides the token to a user or an associated user device. The user can then use the token in order to be authorized to access protected resources.
This can cause problems for users with a number of user devices. A user may want to use any of their devices to access a protected resource. For example, a user may want to access their apartment complex using their smart card, smart phone, or a wearable device such as a smart watch. The user may have to perform the tokenization process with the remote server computer with each of their devices. This process may involve a lengthy registration procedure. Additionally, the process may be difficult for devices without easy user interfaces, such as smart cards. Further, in conventional systems, tokenization can only occur if the user device can communicate with the remote server computer. If the user device is offline or has limited network connectivity, or if the remote server computer is temporarily out of service, the user device cannot be provisioned an access token and thus cannot be used in an access system.
Additionally, there are a number of interoperability concerns. An access terminal or remote server computer may have to interface with a number of different devices from a number of different manufacturers, each of which may use different communication protocols or methods. Additionally, each device manufacturer must create software that enables it to perform these tokenization functions with the remote server computer. This interoperability concern makes it considerably more difficult for manufacturers of user devices and access service providers.
Further, there is a serious risk of running out of access tokens. There are only a finite number of access tokens of finite length. With numerous users each possessing a number of user devices, it is possible that eventually there will be more users or user devices than access tokens, preventing new users from using the access system.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other concerns individually and collectively.


A scheduling approach enables scheduling sequential execution of rules in a single cycle of a synchronous system without necessarily requiring explicit implementation of a composite rule for each sequence of rules than may be composed. One method for designing a synchronous digital system includes using modules with multiple successive interfaces such that within the a single clocked cycle, each module performs a function equivalent to completing interactions through one of its interfaces before performing interactions through any succeeding one of its interfaces. The scheduled state transition rules are associated with corresponding interfaces of the modules.

This invention relates to circuit synthesis with sequential rules.
An approach to circuit synthesis makes use of an asynchronous system specification to produces a detailed hardware description for a synchronous system, in particular, a clocked digital circuit that functions according to the asynchronous system specification. That is, any sequence of states traversed at clock times of the clocked digital circuit is guaranteed to be a sequence (or subsequence) of states that may be traversed by the asynchronous system. A compiler can be used to accept the asynchronous system specification and automatically produce a corresponding synchronous circuit specification, for example, specified using the Verilog hardware description language (HDL). One such compiler that performs this task makes use of a Term Rewriting System (TRS) to specify the asynchronous system.
The TRS specification accepted by the compiler includes a set of rules, which are also referred to as guarded atomic actions. Each rule consists of a body and a guard. The body describes the execution behavior of the rule if it is enabled. That is, the body characterizes the change in the state of the system on application of the rule, where the state is define by the values of storage elements of the system, such as registers or FIFOs. The guard (or predicate) of a rule specifies the condition that needs to be satisfied for the rule to be executable. A rule Ri is written asrule Ri: when πi(s)s:=δi(s)where πi(s) represents the guard and s:=δi(s) represents the body of rule Ri.
One synthesis (i.e., compilation) approach generates combinational logic for each rule's predicate (π) and each rule's state update function (δ). For each clock cycle of the synchronous system, a scheduler chooses one of the rules whose predicate is true (i.e., a rule that is "executable" or "enabled") and updates the state with the result of the corresponding update function (δ). This process repeats in every clock cycle.
Given any two rules Ra and Rb, a designer can specify a composite rule for the asynchronous specification that specifies that Rb executes after Ra as follows:rule Rab: when (πa(s)&πb(δa(s)))s:=δb(δa(s))
Because the original two rules are already in the system, such a composite rule can be added to the asynchronous system specification without introducing new illegal behavior. Addition of certain composite rules can enable more rules to be scheduled by the compiler to execute in a single cycle. However, each additional composite rule generally increases the amount of synthesized circuitry, such that addition of all or many possible composite rules can be combinatorially prohibitive. Also, introduction of certain composite rules can reduce achievable clocking rates by introducing long chains of combinational logic in the circuit synthesized by the compiler.
Source-to-source TRS transformation systems have been proposed in which new composed rules are added to a system. In one such approach, the new rules are produced by taking a cross product of all the rules in a system and filtered out those composite rules that are "uninteresting" in the following sense. For example, composition of R1 followed by R2 may be considered uninteresting if either R2 could not be enabled after R1 executed or if R1 and R2 could already be scheduled in a single cycle.


A fence-like habitat for sheltering and feeding fish, and practicing aquaculture. The fence serves as a shield for small and juvenile fish which seek protection from predators and water movement. The habitat offers substrates for use in the aquaculture of seaweed and shellfish. A complementary bottom habitat is formed by the detachment and drop of seaweed and shellfish to the bottom of the water.

Heretofore, a variety of artificial substrates or artificial reefs have been proposed, constructed, and placed on a water bottom for the building of marine habitats.
Most of these artificially built marine habitats are of low relief, often less than one meter above the water bottom. An example of these low relief habitats is the "Self anchoring tire-made artificial reef" of my invention that I proposed in application Ser. No. 115,455 of Sep. 1, 1993.
Seldom artificial habitats rising tens of meters and more above the floor of a body of water have been proposed. Some devices are known which float in superficial waters as, for example, the fish attraction device F.A.D. These attraction devices are not to be confused with the present invention because they are exclusively made for attracting and catching fish but not to feed and shelter fish.
On Apr. 7, 1987, in my application Ser. No. 35,449, and on Aug. 10, 1989, in my application Ser. No. 392,055, I proposed the use of buoyant tubes, floating several meters high in the water column. These tubes are made for shallow waters. They affix vegetal and animal organisms and they offer to fish large quantities of food as well as relative shelter. But, these buoyant tubes are too fragile to be used on a very extended height. One weakness is in the mooring's single point where resistance to traction equals the resistance of the plastic material the tubes are made of. For extended height, a special reinforcement of the plastic tubes, at their mooring point and all along their length, would be unavoidable and costly. Moreover, joining one tube to another tube and repeating the operation on a great length would also be fragile and costly. Another difficulty with long buoyant tubes is that they are difficult to move in and out the water for maintenance and/or aquacultural work. Also, these tubes which stand vertically underwater, as trees in a forest, do not offer a sufficient shield for small fish against predators and strong water movement. For juvenile fish a special protection is needed. Repopulating depleted fisheries by protecting juvenile fish is the most important function of marine habitats


A toner is prepared by wet granulation methods, including a monoester wax having carbon atoms of from 36 to 46 on average as a release agent. The toner has a DSC endothermic energy amount (ΔH1) originating from the wax of from 10 to 12 mJ/mg and a DSC endothermic energy amount (ΔH2) originating from the wax of from 0.6 to 0.9 times as much as ΔH1 after a part of the wax is separated by hexane extraction from the toner. The hexane extraction includes mixing 1 g of the toner in 7 ml of n-hexane to prepare a mixture; stirring the mixture at 120 rpm for 1 min by a pot mill to prepare a dispersion; and subjecting the dispersion to suction filtration.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to a toner used in an image forming apparatus using an electrostatic duplication process such as copiers, facsimiles and printers.
Description of the Related Art
As a method of preparing a toner, besides a conventional kneading and pulverizing method, a chemical toner method such as a suspension method and an emulsification method using an organic solvent and an aqueous medium, a suspension polymerization method controlling and polymerizing a polymerizable monomer drop to direction form a toner, and an agglutination method agglutinating emulsified particles to form a toner is known.
As one of the chemical toners, a core/shell toner formed of a core including a resin advantageously used for heat fixation and covered with a resin advantageously used for charging and heat resistance is known.
Among them, in consideration of bleed-out of a release agent when a toner is fixed, Japanese published unexamined application No. JP-2011-095286-A discloses a toner having a partially-coated shell in the shape of a projection, and Japanese published unexamined application No. JP-2011-046865-A discloses a core shell toner having high adherence of the core to a resin.
A toner typically includes a wax to prevent offset when fixed.
When a toner includes a large amount of a wax to further improve offset prevention in high-speed printing, the wax is poorly dispersed, resulting in not only insufficient fixability, but also various problems such as poor developability, durability and preservation stability.
Japanese published unexamined application No. JP-2006-301093-A discloses an image forming method using a toner having a wax concentration of from 0.02 to 0.70 mg/cm3 in a resultant extraction liquid after dispersed in n-hexane at 23° C. and a concentration of 15 mg/cm3 and extracted for 1 min, and a specific fixer.
When the wax concentration is not less than 0.02 mg/cm3, at least a part of the wax is uniformly dispersed in a binder resin of a toner on the molecular level, and wax particles and wax domains largely decrease in the toner.
In Japanese published unexamined application No. JP-2006-301093-A, aliphatic hydrocarbon wax is preferably used, and paraffin wax is more preferably used. However, non-polar wax such as paraffin wax is comparatively difficult to uniformly disperse in polyester resin. Further, when the wax is finely dispersed on the molecular level, the resultant toner noticeably deteriorates in releasability. Rather, when large wax domains are dispersed, only the wax exudes and the resultant toner improves in releasability.
Conventionally, when the wax in a toner is increased, an amount thereof exposed on the surface thereof is increased at the same time, resulting in problems such as contaminated development. When the exposed amount is limited with a wax dispersion aid or by controlling a polarity of the binder resin, the wax working when the toner is fixed is decreased, resulting in insufficient offset prevention. Further, when a non-polar wax having a low melt viscosity is used to prevent offset, the non-polar wax has too low compatibility with a binder resin having high polarity to disperse, resulting in difficulty in controlling the exposed amount of the wax.
Because of these reasons, a need exists for a toner limiting a wax exposed on the surface thereof, preventing offset even when including a large amount of a wax, and having optimal fixability.


An automated non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitor having a stat mode of operation wherein several cycles of blood pressure measurement are undertaken in rapid succession by inflating a cuff on an appendage of the patient in order to quickly provide a clinician with readings of blood pressure and pulse rate. The NIBP monitor adaptively determines a minimum wait time between stat mode blood pressure measurement cycles by recognizing that the minimum wait time is proportional to the area under the pressure-time curve of the previous inflation/deflation measurement cycle. The calculated area is divided by a clinical constant derived from sampled patient data to determine the minimum wait time. The minimum wait time between blood measurement cycles so determined allows for venous return of blood that has accumulated in a patient's extremity and minimizes the discomfort experienced by the patient while maximizing the amount of collected data.

The sphygmomanometric class of automated blood pressure monitors employs an inflatable cuff to exert controlled counter-pressure on the vasculature of a patient. One large class of such monitors, exemplified by that described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,349,034 and 4,360,029, both to Maynard Ramsey, III and commonly assigned herewith, employs the oscillometric methodology. In accordance with the Ramsey patents, an inflatable cuff is suitably located on the limb of a patient and is pumped up to a predetermined pressure above the systolic pressure. The cuff pressure is then reduced in predetermined steps to a pressure below diastolic pressure, and at each step, pressure oscillations are monitored. On the other hand, the pressure may be reduced linearly or exponentially to a pressure below diastolic pressure before the pressure is exhausted to a near-zero pressure. The resultant signals typically consist of a DC voltage with a small superimposed variational component caused by arterial blood pressure pulsations (referred to herein as "heart cycles," "oscillation complexes" or just simply "oscillations"). After suitable filtering to reject the DC component and to provide amplification, peak pulse amplitudes (PPA) above a given baseline are measured and stored. As the decrementing of cuff pressure continues, the peak pulse amplitudes will normally increase from a lower level to a relative maximum, and thereafter will decrease. These amplitudes thus form an oscillometric blood pressure envelope for the patient. The cuff pressure at which the oscillations have a maximum value has been found to be representative of the mean arterial pressure ("MAP"). Systolic and diastolic pressures can be derived either as predetermined fractions of MAP, or by more sophisticated methods of direct processing of the oscillation complexes.
The step deflation technique as set forth in the Ramsey patents is the commercial standard of operation. A large percentage of clinically acceptable automated non-invasive blood pressure monitors ("NIBP") utilize the step deflation method. When in use, the blood pressure cuff is placed on the patient and the operator sets a time interval at which blood pressure measurements (i.e., cuff inflations) are to be made. The non-invasive blood pressure monitor automatically starts a blood pressure determination at the end of the set time interval. Typically, the user selects a short interval if the patient is unstable (since blood pressure may change to dangerous levels in a short time) and selects a longer interval as the patient becomes more stable.
In those situations where a short time interval is necessary, for example, in the so-called "stat mode," several cycles of blood pressure determinations are performed in rapid succession over a period of time such as five minutes. The stat mode of operation is utilized to rapidly track blood pressure, as when a patient is unstable and changes in the patent's blood pressure must be quickly detected and medical personnel alerted, if necessary. The clinician's need in stat mode is for as many readings of blood pressure and pulse rate as possible, as quickly as possible. This need must be balanced against some minimum time between cuff inflations (wait time) which is need to allow for circulation to the extremity distal from the cuff and to allow for venous blood to return from the extremity. In addition, any discomfort experienced by the patient while having cuff pressure on his or her limb for an extended period of time must be minimized.
Typically, these considerations are addressed in conventional systems by using a fixed interval between measurement cycles in the stat mode of operation. For example, the measurement cycle begins 3 seconds after the cuff pressure in the current cycle has fallen below 10 mm Hg. However, this approach does not account for the physiological minimum wait time between cuff inflation cycles which is necessary to allow venous blood flow to return from the distal end of the limb in order to minimize venous pooling. Thus, in the stat mode of operation, if the wait time is too short, the patient will experience pain and discomfort due to the reduced circulation. On the other hand, if the wait time is too long, dangerous changes in pressure may go undetected, which could lead to disastrous results if it is wrongly assumed that the patient's blood pressure is stable.
An example of a convention blood pressure measuring apparatus having a stat mode of operation may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,757, to Frankenreiter. The blood pressure measuring device of Frankenreiter determines a patient's blood pressure by inflating a cuff to a pressure P.sub.max above the systolic pressure to occlude an artery within the patent's limb. The cuff pressure is incrementally reduced to a pressure P.sub.min below the diastolic pressure. A time t.sub.next to begin a next blood pressure measurement is determined as a function of the time required to perform the present measurement cycle. In particular, Frankenreiter discloses a first time interval .DELTA.t.sub.pre in a measurement cycle that begins after the cuff pressure reaches a threshold pressure P.sub.thr, (e.g., MAP), during inflation. The time interval .DELTA.t.sub.pre ends when the cuff pressure reaches the threshold pressure P.sub.thr during the cuff deflation sequence. A second time interval .DELTA.t.sub.preII, which is equal to .DELTA.t.sub.pre, begins immediately after the cuff pressure reaches P.sub.thr. After time period .DELTA.t.sub.preII expires, the next cuff inflation cycle begins. According to Frankenreiter, the total time period of .DELTA.t.sub.pre and .DELTA.t.sub.preII provides for a dead time t.sub.dea between measurement cycles. However, Frankenreiter describes situations where the total time period of .DELTA.t.sub.pre and .DELTA.t.sub.preII fails to yield the proper wait time. For example, a predetermined minimum wait time .DELTA.t.sub.min is used if the cuff pressure is greater than P.sub.min upon the expiration of .DELTA.t.sub.preII. In addition, a predetermined maximum wait time period .DELTA.t.sub.max is used if the time period .DELTA.t.sub.pre should be unusually long. Thus, while under most circumstances the Frankenreiter system determines a wait time between measurement cycles, there are circumstances where operator-entered default time periods are used, which may not be a proper time period to allow for venous blood that has accumulated in a patient's extremity to return, nor properly provide for patient comfort and safety.
Another example of a blood pressure measurement apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,133, to Nelson et al. The Nelson et al. apparatus raises the cuff pressure to a level above the systolic pressure and decreases the cuff pressure in a step-wise manner to an ending pressure which is less that the diastolic pressure. Pulsations due to heart contractions are detected at each of the decreasing cuff pressures. An impulse value, which is related to the detected pulsations, is determined from the area under the pressure waveform up to the maximum pulsation amplitude at each cuff pressure. The MAP is determined from the lowest cuff pressure having the largest waveform area (i.e., impulse area,). In addition, a prediction curve is initially generated from the first two impulse values and smoothed by subsequent impulse values in order to predict the next impulse value, reject invalid readings, and form a final smoothed curve. From the final curve, blood pressure parameters such as the systolic and diastolic pressure may be derived and displayed. While Nelson et al. discloses a technique whereby the area of the pressure waveform is utilized, the Nelson et al. technique fails to directly address the Stat mode of operation, nor does Nelson et al. address determining a waiting period between monitoring cycles.
Yet another example of a NIBP measurement apparatus is that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,977, to Ramsey, III et al., which is commonly assigned herewith. Ramsey discloses a blood pressure monitoring device that makes a complete determination of a patient's blood pressure at user-specified intervals. At the end of the user-specified interval, an inflatable cuff is pumped up to a pressure above the systolic pressure. The cuff is then incrementally deflated, and at each level, pressure fluctuations are monitored to form an oscillometric blood pressure envelope which is stored by the monitoring device. Between the user-specified intervals, the device is periodically inflated to a check pressure below the mean arterial pressure ("MAP"), and certain points on the patient's oscillometric envelope at the check pressure are compared to the stored oscillometric envelope derived from the previous complete blood pressure determination. If the signals from the check pressure determination differ by a predetermined amount from the stored signals, it is determined that the patient's blood pressure has changed significantly and that a complete blood pressure determination should be initiated immediately (i.e., before the expiration of a user-specified time interval). Otherwise, further check inflates are performed until the user-specified time period expires or it is otherwise determined that a complete inflate cycle should be conducted. According to Ramsey, inflations to the check pressure in this so-called "guard mode" of operation are conducted at a cycle time which is 1/50 that of the user-specified time period for a complete blood pressure determination, and are performed in addition to the complete determinations that occur at the end of the user-specified time period. While the check inflate sequence in the "guard mode" reduces the amount of trauma caused to the patient's limb as compared to a complete blood pressure determination, the "guard mode" sequence does not repeatedly collect data to establish a baseline as in the stat mode of operation. In any case, in the guard mode, the time between cycles is set by the operator and is not related to the time needed for venous return flow.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a system which automatically determines a minimum wait time between cuff inflations of blood pressure monitoring sequences. It is also an object of the invention to provide a system that adapts the wait time to minimize the level of patient discomfort by minimizing venous pooling. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a technique for monitoring the status of the patient's blood pressure which provides for faster blood pressure updates, thus increasing patient safety.

Method and apparatus for determining a minimum wait time between blood pressure determinations


A reference voltage generating circuit generates +5 V and +24 V as the reference voltages, based on the voltage from the commercial power supply, i.e., AC 100 V. This reference voltage generating circuit supplies +5 V and +24 V to various operating circuits. The reference voltage of the +5 V system is supplied to a logic circuit portion and a voltage applying device. The reference voltage of the +24 V system is supplied to a control electrode voltage source for generating the voltage to be applied to the control electrode, a fixing lamp operating portion for generating the voltage to activate heater as a part of the fixing unit, and a motor operating portion for driving motors for driving various driving devices.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which forms the image on a recording medium by causing the developer to jump thereto and can be applied to a printer unit in digital copiers and facsimile machines as well as to digital printers, plotters, etc.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Known methods for forming a visual image on a recording material such as paper etc., in accordance with an electric signal output from computers, word processors, facsimile machines etc., include an ink jet mechanism using ink, thermal transfer process of fusing ink and transferring it, a sublimation process, an electrophotographic process etc.
With recent development to high speed, high quality, and low cost, the ink jet mechanism which has a relatively simple device configuration having non-impact type print heads integrated therein has been often employed. In this ink jet mechanism, however, a good image cannot be obtained due to blooming of liquid ink used, and further, when color printing is performed by superimpositional printing, color mixing from the mixing of inks cannot be obtained. For these reasons, when high quality is needed, printing by the electrophotographic process using toner has been employed.
Prints using toner are free from blooming, and can provide visually excellent images having high color density. Further, when a plurality of colors are mixed for development into color images, these colors can be mixed during the fixing process to provide the correct color mixture. For these reasons, there has been proposed a direct printing mechanism using toners, which performs printing by combination of the simple ink jet process and the toner image.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 6 No. 328,769, has disclosed a means of forming a toner image on paper, which includes a toner flow controlling means having apertures for controlling the flow of toner, a toner supplying means for supplying toner to the toner flow controlling means and a rearside electrode which is disposed on the side opposite the toner supplying means with respect to the toner flow controlling means, and is configured in such a manner that voltages are applied to the toner-flow controlling means in accordance with the image information so as to control the passage of toner through the apertures of the toner flow controlling means, to thereby form a toner image on the paper which is being conveyed over the rearside electrode.
Here, in the above disclosure, i.e., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 6 No. 328,769, the toner flow controlling means has a control voltage applying circuit connected thereto, which is composed of an image signal outputting circuit and piezoelectric transformers. This piezoelectric transformer boosts the image signal of relatively low in voltage, into a high voltage, to control the flow of toner.
For example, information-related apparatuses such as printers etc., tend to markedly reduce in size and cost, and hence components constituting such an apparatus are designed as to be reduced in size and cost. Of these, there is a demand that power source circuit be further reduced in size and cost. The power source circuit, however, is composed of a relatively large number of components, and each component needs an anti-heat configuration, thus making it difficult to reduce its size. In particular, the transformer is an essential component in the power source circuit, and wire-coil type transformers have been typically used. However, awire-coil type transformer suffers from various defects such that it is hard to be downsized because of its structure, and the transformer itself is heavy, further still, the conversion efficiency is not very high.
As a means for solving such problems, a piezoelectric transformer has recently drawn attention which transforms input electric energy into mechanical energy by utilizing the piezoelectric effect, and again transforms it into electric energy by utilizing the same effect to thereby boost the voltage. Since the piezoelectric transformer is not a means which performs voltage transformation via magnetic energy using wound wires as in the wire-coil type transformer, it can be designed to be made smaller in size and thickness. If a wire-coil type transformer is attempted to be made thinner, the conversion efficiency would be lowered. Piezoelectric transformers are free from this problem and can achieve a high conversion efficiency.
So far, the means for applying high voltages to the control electrode as the means for controlling the toner flow, has employed high withstand voltage switching elements in order to perform switching of high voltages. The aforementioned disclosure proposed a method which uses piezoelectric transformers, to eliminate the necessity of the high withstand voltage switching elements.
This piezoelectric transformer, however, has a drawback that the output current is low. In a case, for example, where the control electrode is controlled by a single piezoelectric transformer, if the whole of the control electrode is simultaneously turned on, the output current from the voltage source, i.e., the piezoelectric transformer, is markedly increased, so that current exceeding the maximum rated value of the piezoelectric transformer is needed. More specifically, a control electrode to be used for 300 dpi (dot per inch) has 2,560 apertures for A4 sized paper. When one site of the control electrode is turned on, the instantaneous current flowing through the electrode at least needs some 10 .mu.A. When this is simply multiplied by 2,560, the consumption current instantaneously flowing through them amounts to some 100 mA. A typical piezoelectric transformer has a maximum rated current of 10 to 20 mA, hence only a single transformer cannot meet the requirements.
Recently, one which can supply about 100 mA has been developed for special use. This, however, cannot be used, because the safety standard for information processing devices (including OA apparatus) laid by the UL (Underwriters Laboratories Inc.) specifies that the maximum allowable current of the limiting current circuit should be 70 mA at its peak value. Therefore, a piezoelectric transformer of the aforementioned special type cannot be built in to an image forming apparatus. However, use of a multiple number of normal piezoelectric transformers sharply increases the cost, resulting in a disadvantage.

Apparatus for electrostatically forming images using time stable reference voltage


A clothes hanger (1) having a plurality of hooks (8) located thereon for hanging tank tops or other strapped articles of clothing. The clothes hanger allows a user to hang multiple articles of clothing on the plurality of hooks, thereby conserving storage space in a closet. The positioning of the hooks allows the clothes hanger to remain level by being counterbalanced while hanging in a closet.

A clothes hanger is a device in the shape of human shoulders designed to facilitate the hanging of articles of clothing such as shirts, tops, jackets and so forth. Conventional hangers consist of wire hangers bent in a flattened triangle-like shape that continues into a hook at the top, wooden hangers cut into a boomerang-like shape or triangle-like shape having a hook protruding from the top, and plastic hangers molded into boomerang-like shape or triangle-like shapes with a hook located on top.
Many hangers have notches or loops located thereon to hang an article of clothing having shoulder straps. Each strap is secured to a single notch or single loop located on opposite sides of the hanger. The article of clothing then spans the length of the hanger and the notches or loops keep the article of clothing from sliding off ends of the hanger. However, a problem with such conventional hangers is that only one article of clothing may be hung on a single hanger. This means multiple articles of clothing are hung sided by side (each on separate hangers) on a closet hanging rod, thereby taking up extra space in a closet.
Therefore, a need exists for a clothes hanger that will allow a user to hang multiple articles of clothing thereon to conserve storage space while still making it easy to organize the articles of clothing for easy access to the clothing.
The relevant prior art includes the following references:
Pat. No.InventorIssue/Publication Date(U.S. Pat. References)4,248,363Zuckerman et al.Feb. 3, 19815,881,931StanfieldMar. 16, 19996,070,773PogodaJun. 6, 20002004/0159686HuangAug. 19, 20047,118,014Ali et al.Oct. 10, 20067,624,900McLaughlinDec. 1, 20097,628,302YauDec. 8, 2009(Foreign Pat. References)EP0910976WillputzApr. 28, 1999


With a wave gear device, the gears employ homothetic curve tooth profiles AD, BE. Furthermore, a transposition is applied to the external teeth along the tooth trace such that the movement loci M2, M3 of the external teeth in a section perpendicular to the axis, from the aperture end to the inner end, share the movement locus M1 of the aperture end and bottom portion thereof, and a continuous meshing of the teeth in the tooth trace direction is achieved. Furthermore, the tooth bottom rim thickness of the aperture end of the external teeth is optimized using a modified Goodman diagram, and a tooth bottom rim thickness which takes into account the relationship between the tooth profile and the transmitted torque from the aperture end to the inner end is employed for the flexible external gear.

Since the invention of the wave gear device by C. W. Musser (Patent Document 1) up to the present day, inventions for devices of various types have been conceived by its originator, as well as by numerous researchers, including the present inventor. Even limiting the discussion to inventions relating to the tooth profile, numerous different types have been proposed. For example, in Patent Document 2, the present inventor proposed using an involute tooth profile as a basic tooth profile; and in Patent Documents 3 and 4 proposed a tooth profile design method employing a procedure for approximating, by means of a rack, meshing of the teeth of a rigid internal gear and a flexible external gear of a wave gear device, to derive an addendum tooth profile that affords contact of the two gears over a wide area.
Typically, a wave gear device has a ring-shaped rigid internal gear, a flexible external gear disposed coaxially to the inside thereof, and a wave generator fitting inside thereof. The flexible external gear is provided with a flexible cylindrical barrel portion, a diaphragm radially extending from the rear end of this cylindrical barrel portion, and external teeth formed on the outside peripheral face section of the cylindrical barrel portion at the front end opening side thereof. The flexible external gear is flexed into ellipsoidal shape by the wave generator, and meshes with the rigid internal gear at both ends in the major axis direction of the ellipse.
The external teeth of the flexible external gear flexed into ellipsoidal shape have an increasing amount of flexure, proportional to the distance from the diaphragm, from the diaphragm side towards the front end opening along the tooth trace direction thereof. Moreover, sections of the tooth portion of the flexible external gear undergo repeated flexure in radial directions in association with rotation of the wave generator. However, to date, sufficient consideration has not been given to a rational method for establishing a tooth profile in a manner that takes into consideration such flexural action (coning) of the flexible external gear by the wave generator.
In Patent Document 5, the present inventor proposed a wave gear device provided with a tooth profile by which continuous meshing is possible, with consideration given to coning of the teeth. In the device proposed in Patent Document 5, an arbitrary axis-perpendicular cross section location in the tooth trace direction of the flexible external gear is selected as a principal cross section, and at a major axis position in an ellipsoidal rim neutral line of the flexible external gear in the principal cross section, an amount of flexure 2 κmn (where κ is the flexural coefficient, m is the module, and n is a positive integer) with respect to a rim neutral circle prior to flexure is established in such a way as to flex to a standard-deflection state of 2 mn (κ=1).
Additionally, using rack meshing to approximate meshing of the flexible external gear and the rigid internal gear, in axis-perpendicular cross sections at locations including the principal cross section in the tooth trace direction of the flexible external gear, movement loci of the teeth of the flexible external gear with respect to the teeth of the rigid internal gear in association with rotation of the wave generator are derived; a first homothetic curve BC is derived by scaling down, by a ratio λ (λ<1) while employing a point B as the homothetic center, a curve segment extending from a point A of an apical portion to the point B in the next bottom portion in a movement locus of a standard deflection obtained in the principal cross section, and this first homothetic curve BC is adopted as the basic tooth profile for the addendum of the rigid internal gear.
Furthermore, a second homothetic curve is derived by scaling, by a ratio (1−λ)/λ while employing an end point C of the first homothetic curve BC as the homothetic center, of a curve obtained by 180 degree rotation of the first homothetic curve BC about a center at the point C, and this second homothetic curve is adopted as the basic tooth profile for the addendum of the flexible external gear.
In addition to this, a transposition is applied to tooth profile sections to both sides, in the tooth trace direction, from the principal cross section in the tooth profile of the flexible external gear, doing so in such a way that both negative deflecting-side movement loci obtained in axis-perpendicular cross sections flexed to a negative deflection state (flexural coefficient λ<1) to the diaphragm side from the principal cross section in the external teeth of the flexible external gear, and positive deflection-side movement loci obtained in axis-perpendicular cross sections flexed to a positive deflection state (flexural coefficient λ>1) to the opening side from the principal cross section, describe curves that contact the bottom part of the standard-deflecting movement locus in the principal cross section. The resultant flexible external gear is a tapered flexible gear having an addendum circle of progressively smaller diameter from the opening side towards the diaphragm side in the tooth trace direction.
With a wave gear device in which such a tooth profile has been formed, centering on continuous meshing of tooth profile over a wide range in the principal cross section, effective meshing can be achieved in a tooth trace range extending to the opening end from the principal cross section, and in a tooth trace range extending to the diaphragm side from the principal cross section. Therefore, greater torque can be transmitted, as compared with a conventional wave gear device in which meshing takes place over a narrow tooth trace range.

Wave gear device having tapered flexible external gear


A liquid or flowable cleansing composition is described that contains high levels of anionic and nonionic surfactants and that show a substantial increase in viscosity upon dilution with water. The cleansing composition also contains water soluble EO/PO block copolymer(s).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to detergent compositions suitable for topical application for cleansing the human body, such as the skin and hair. In particular, it relates to dilution thickened personal cleansing compositions.
2. Background of the Art
Commercially available liquid personal washing compositions, i.e. shower gels, facial and hand cleansers that are low in viscosity are generally applied to the skin with an implement to enable vigorous cleansing. Such implements include a pouf, sponge, cloth or brush and the like. These low viscosity products are advantageous since they are easily dispensed and can be easily applied to or with such implements. Frequently however implements are not available for use or are inconvenient to use depending on the circumstances. Surprisingly an easily dispensed, low viscosity cleansing product has been discovered that thickens appreciably with water dilution to create a substantially thickened product with sufficient solubility/dispersibility in water. This product shows enhanced adhesion to the skin and acts as in-situ implement which obviates the need for a separate implement for the vigorous cleansing of the skin.
Dilution thickening cleansers are known that have liquid crystal structure. PCT publication no. WO 94/16680 discloses the use of an electrolyte and high levels of water and synthetic detergents including ethoxylated alcohols to form a viscous structured liquid crystalline lamellar phase in the undiluted product. Polaxamers are generally mentioned as optional components.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,919,303 issued to Pham on Jul. 19, 2005 discloses a process for making a single phase dilution thickening composition comprising electrolyte and defined associative thickeners including: Rewoderm® LIS75, (PEG-200 glyceryl tallowate); Rheodol® (tristearate modified PEG) and Elfacos® T212 (carbamic acid diester of the polyoxypropylene, polyoxyethylene ether of the fatty alcohols derived from palm kernel oil); ethylene glycol ether of ethylene cellulose (hydroxyethyl ethylcellulose) such as Elfacos® CD481; or ethyl glycol ether of methyl cellulose, such as Methocel® 40-10.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,617,293 issued to Chen on Sep. 9, 2003 discloses a concentrated liquid soap composition that readily increases in viscosity upon dilution with water, the concentrated liquid soap composition containing an amine oxide surfactant; an anionic surfactant; an electrolyte; water; and a buffering agent, sufficient to maintain the pH of the composition between about 8 and about 10.

Dilution thickened personal cleansing composition


Real time detection of the fraudulent use of a telecommunications network is accomplished by analyzing data for each call that is occurring within the network. A signal protocol receiver is used to collect signaling protocol for each call that is occurring within the network. The Signaling protocol data is collected, decoded and formatted into call information records (CIRs). The CIRs contain various operator specified parameters for each call that is occurring within the network. The CIRs are compared to operator defined thresholds. If any of the CIRs exceeds the thresholds, an alert is generated. The alerts are stored in a database where the operator can analyze them and take the appropriate corresponding action to resolve the alert. The alerts and the CIRs are archived in a database so that trends of fraudulent use can be detected and prevented. This method of fraud detection provides for the effective analyzation of every call that is occurring within the network. Accordingly, no call goes unanalyzed and ideally no fraud goes undetected. Additionally, the method does not impose an additional load on the network switching equipment and therefore results in a better quality of transmissions.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to detecting fraudulent use of a resource such as a telecommunications network and particularly to methods and systems for detecting and analyzing fraudulent use of a telecommunications network in real-time.
2. Background Information
Modern telecommunications networks consist of a number of interconnected switches which may be provided by a common operating company. Individuals may gain unauthorized access to the network to use the network resources without paying services charges to the operator. Such unauthorized use often results in the wrong party being charged for the use because the fraudulent user is unknown. When the wrong party is charged for the unauthorized use, the telecommunication network's operator will be unable to collect the charges. Such unauthorized use may account for a significant portion of a network operating expenses and impose a financial burden on the operating company.
Fraudulent use of a telecommunications network also consumes valuable network resources which may degrade the quality of service provided to legitimate customers. The misuse of network resources denies legitimate customers access to the network.
An effective way of preventing fraudulent use of a network is to detect the misuse as it occurs. If the misuse is detected as it is occurring, it may then be prevented before or as it occurs. The ability to detect fraudulent use in real-time can thus significantly reduce the financial burden imposed on a network operator. Accordingly, a network which accurately detects fraudulent use of a telecommunications network, in real-time, is needed.
Prior systems have attempted real-time fraud detection. One example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,521 to Rangachar, which describes a method and means for preventing fraudulent use of a telephone network. The system described therein utilizes the switching equipment located within a network's central offices to collect data and create a call detail record. The call detail record information is automatically generated by the switching equipment to provide data that is analyzed to detect fraudulent network use.
One problem with this data collection technique is that the switching equipment's primary function is to switch traffic within the system. The creation of call detail records, however, is a secondary function of the switching system. Accordingly, the switching equipment is not a efficient mechanism for generating call detail records. Also, the switching equipment is equipped with hardware and extensive software which facilitate the switching of calls. The software may include upgrades and patches which can interfere with the switching and cause the switch to malfunction. This combination of shortcomings results in a data collection method where a call detail record may not be created for all calls. Accordingly, some fraudulent calls may go undetected.
Another problem with prior data collection methods is that the call records are dependent upon the individual switches. Typically, the call record format is determined by the particular switch handling the call. A network may contain a number of different types of switches. Each switch is programmed to create a call detail record which includes predetermined parameters. Thus, the modification of call detail records generated at the switch level requires the modification of all switches within the telecommunications network that is being monitored for fraud.
The present invention provides a system for detecting fraudulent access to a telecommunications network which effectively analyzes all the calls that are occurring within a network.
The present invention also provides a system for detecting fraudulent access to a telecommunications network which does not place an additional load on the switching equipment within the network.
Finally, the present invention provides a system for detecting fraudulent access to a telecommunications network which is modifiable or customizable independent of the switching equipment within the network.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for real-time fraud detection within a telecommunication network


A system and method for creating a unique signature, discrete from underpinning symbols, using a template having a plurality of symbols in an array and a continuous line connecting a defined order of a sequence of symbols on the template, the continuous line connecting all symbols in the sequence, the line forming a signature, discrete from the symbols and the template of symbols. The user selectively chooses the sequence of symbols defined by a name, nickname, username or ID number. The line has a plurality of segments, each having a span fillable with a graphic pattern and a plurality of colors. In one embodiment, the unique signature is created electronically by inputting the defined order of the sequence of symbols. When the user is a signatory to a document inserts the unique signature into the document, the unique signature indicates the document has been signed by the user.

Seals were used in the earliest civilizations to authenticate a document, a wrapper for the document, or the cover of a container or package holding valuables or other objects. With the advent of writing, people started using a signature, using symbols based on an alphabet with or without the seal.
The traditional function of a signature is evidential; it is to give evidence of the origin of the document and the intention of an individual with regard to that document.
Legally acceptable signatures have varied from a simple "X" to elaborate flowing, cursive writing using the Latin alphabet. In some cultures, an ideograph printed by a chop acts as a signature.
However a document is signed, a person's signature has always been considered idiosyncratic to the individual, difficult to forge without detection and providing evidence of identity and will. Electronic documents that require a signature present new challenges to preserve the purpose of the signature.
While these methods and systems may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present disclosure as disclosed hereafter.
In the present disclosure, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which the present disclosure is concerned.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate the present disclosure, no technical aspects are disclaimed and it is contemplated that the claims may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.


A magnetic head includes a medium facing surface, a read head unit, a write head unit, and a protrusion device. The protrusion device causes part of the medium facing surface to protrude toward a recording medium. The read head unit has a first end face located in the medium facing surface and includes a first contact sensor for detecting contact of the first end face with the recording medium. The write head unit has a second end face located in the medium facing surface and includes a second contact sensor for detecting contact of the second end face with the recording medium. The first end face and the second end face are located at positions different from each other in a direction of travel of the recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic head including a read head unit, a write head unit and two contact sensors.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recording systems of magnetic read/write apparatuses include a longitudinal magnetic recording system in which signals are magnetized in a direction along the plane of a recording medium (the longitudinal direction) and a perpendicular magnetic recording system in which signals are magnetized in a direction perpendicular to the plane of a recording medium. It is known that the perpendicular magnetic recording system is harder to be affected by thermal fluctuation of the recording medium and capable of providing higher linear recording density, compared with the longitudinal magnetic recording system.
Magnetic heads for perpendicular magnetic recording typically have, like those for longitudinal magnetic recording, a structure in which a read head unit having a magnetoresistive element (hereinafter, also referred to as MR element) for reading and a write head unit having an induction-type electromagnetic transducer for writing are stacked on a substrate. The write head unit includes a coil and a main pole. The main pole has an end face located in a medium facing surface facing a recording medium. The coil produces a magnetic field corresponding to data to be written on the recording medium. The main pole passes therethrough a magnetic flux corresponding to the magnetic field produced by the coil, and produces a write magnetic field from its end face.
A magnetic head for use in a magnetic disk drive such as a hard disk drive is typically in the form of a slider. The slider has the medium facing surface. The medium facing surface has an air inflow end (a leading end) and an air outflow end (a trailing end). The slider is designed to slightly fly over the surface of a recording medium by means of an airflow that comes from the leading end into the space between the medium facing surface and the recording medium.
It is demanded of magnetic disk drives that the distance between the medium facing surface and the recording medium be reduced for higher recording densities. To meet the demand, a magnetic head including a heater has been proposed, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2009/0251828 A1 and 2012/0218662 A1, for example. The magnetic head including the heater is configured so that part of the magnetic head expands with heat generated by the heater, and part of the medium facing surface thereby protrudes. This allows for a reduction in the distance between the medium facing surface and the recording medium.
For the magnetic head described above, the distance between the medium facing surface and the recording medium is controlled in the following manner, for example. First, before shipment of a magnetic disk drive as a final product, the following test is performed. In the test, with the slider floated above the surface of a rotating recording medium, the magnitude of the power being supplied to the heater is gradually increased to gradually increase the amount of protrusion of part of the medium facing surface. Then, the magnitude of the supply power to the heater at which the part of the medium facing surface comes into contact with the recording medium is determined. Such magnitude of the supply power will be referred to as "power at contact". At the time of shipment of the magnetic disk drive as a final product, the magnitude of the supply power to the heater is set to a predetermined value smaller than the power at contact. The distance between the medium facing surface and the recording medium is recognized and controlled by the magnitude of the supply power to the heater.
To control the distance between the medium facing surface and the recording medium in the above-described manner, it is necessary to detect contact of part of the medium facing surface with the recording medium in the foregoing test. The magnetic head disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0218662 A1 includes a contact sensor for detecting contact of part of the medium facing surface with the recording medium. For this magnetic head, it is thus possible to detect contact of part of the medium facing surface with the recording medium through the use of the contact sensor.
For magnetic heads to achieve desired read and write characteristics suitable for high recording densities, it is desirable that the distance between the read head unit and the recording medium and the distance between the write head unit and the recording medium be adjusted to respective desired small values.
The magnetic head disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0251828 A1 includes two heaters: one for causing a read sensor to protrude; and the other for causing a main pole layer to protrude. In this magnetic head, the amount of protrusion of the read sensor and the amount of protrusion of the main pole layer can be controlled independently of each other. However, it is impossible with this magnetic head to know how much amount of protrusion of the read sensor will bring the read sensor into contact with the recording medium and how much amount of protrusion of the main pole layer will bring the main pole layer into contact with the recording medium. It is thus difficult with this magnetic head to recognize and control the distance between the read sensor and the recording medium and the distance between the main pole layer and the recording medium during actual use.
For the magnetic head disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0218662 A1, it is possible to detect contact of part of the medium facing surface with the recording medium through the use of the contact sensor, as mentioned above. In this magnetic head, however, a contact of part of the medium facing surface with the recording medium will not always bring both of the read head unit and the write head unit into contact with the recording medium, and it is thus impossible to know the relative positions of the read head unit and the write head unit with respect to the recording medium when part of the medium facing surface is in contact with the recording medium. Consequently, even if the foregoing test is performed before shipment of the magnetic disk drive as a final product, it is difficult with this magnetic head to recognize and control the distance between the read head unit and the recording medium and the distance between the write head unit and the recording medium during actual use.

Magnetic head including two contact sensors


The invention modifies light illuminating from a video/film production light system of the type that includes a lamp and fixturing to form a light beam about a substantially fixed direction relative to the fixturing. A mounting frame attaches to the fixturing in a substantially rigid manner, and a rod connects to the frame. A disc having a plurality of light modifying sections is constructed and arranged to rotate about the rod and within the beam such that the beam passes through any one of the sections selectively. Each section has an optical element that modifies the beam and, thereby, the light. The invention also provides a production light, including a lamp for projecting light onto a background scene, a reflector for collecting and directing the light toward the scene, light fixturing for housing the lamp and reflector, a dial for housing a plurality of sections, each section having a light modifying element, and an axle mounted with the fixturing. The dial is rotatable about the axle and relative to the fixturing for positioning one section in front of the lamp such that the light passes through the light modifying element of the section. The dial can be adjusted axially along the rod to modify, for example, pattern shapes as viewed on the scene.

A variety of lights and light fixturing occupy a typical stage, photographic session, and video set. The basic lights in such settings have very distinctive purposes:
(1) the "key" light functions to illuminate the subject person; PA1 (2) the "fill" light functions to soften shadows created by the key light; PA1 (3) the "background" light functions to color or to create patterns on the background without illuminating the subject person; and PA1 (4) the "back" light functions to illuminate the back of the subject person's hair and shoulders to distinguish the person from the background.
Accessories for such lights include "gels, "diffusions," and "patterns". Gels are thin plastic semi-rigid films that are placed in front of the back lighting source to create artistic effects or to modify the color temperature of the light source. By way of example, a blue gel might be used over a video light to compensate for blue spectra emitted from fluorescent lamps.
A diffusion, which might be constructed like a gel, is used in front of a light source to soften light intensity and to diffuse background shadows. One exemplary diffusion is a tissue-like material that is placed over the desired lamp to scatter and diffuse light in many directions. "Patterns" are sometimes classified as diffusions and generally include designer patterns which permit projection of a selected pattern onto the background to project scenery and/or to create atmosphere. By way of example, an exemplary pattern is an etched pattern of tree leaves which can be projected and/or diffused onto the background.
A photographer typically carries an array of diffusions, gels and patterns for a given setting. Diffusions, gels and patterns are commonly mounted to the light source with clothes pins directly coupled to the light fixture of the source. To create a different lighting effect, the photographer mounts a new gel, diffusion or pattern with the light to create the desired effect.
It is generally a time-consuming task to mount gels, diffusions and patterns within a given photographic, video or stage setting. New gels, diffusions and/or patterns must be mounted relative to the light so that the source light aligns through the element and toward the desired lighting point. Patterns, in addition, must be spaced from the source at a selected distance, much like "focussing", to create the desired artistic effect on the target (e.g., the background). The combination of mounting, aligning and focussing diffusions, gels and patterns relative to desired lighting creates certain operational difficulties which slow the production process.
It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide flexible lighting apparatus which increases the ease of replacing gels, diffusions and patterns within a photographic, stage and video setting.
Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus which provides for both alignment and focussing of gels, diffusions and patterns relative to a lighting source.
Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus and methods for semi-automated selection, alignment and/or focus of one or more gels, diffusions and/or patterns from an array of gels, diffusions and/or patterns.
These and other objects will become apparent in the description which follows.

Rotating multiple gel and pattern mount for film/video lights


A positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery, comprising a lithium-containing composite metal oxide in the form of secondary particles formed by aggregation of primary particles capable of being doped and undoped with lithium ions, each of the secondary particles having on its surface a coating layer, the positive electrode active material satisfying the following requirements (1) to (3):

Lithium-containing composite metal oxides are used as positive electrode active materials for lithium secondary batteries. Lithium secondary batteries have already been put to practical use as compact power supplies for portable telephones, notebook computers and the like. Further, the applications of lithium secondary batteries in medium- and large-sized power supplies for automobile use, electric power storage use, etc. have also been attempted. Especially, many studies have been made on a lithium-nickel composite oxide which has a large discharge capacity. The lithium-nickel composite oxide on one hand has such a large discharge capacity, but on the other hand the heat stability thereof during charging is inferior to other lithium-containing composite oxides, such as a lithium-cobalt composite oxide.
Therefore, as a conventional positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery, for example, Patent Document 1 describes a technique where the surface of the lithium-nickel composite oxide is coated with a layer of a lithium-manganese composite oxide or the like, the composition of which is varied depending on the positions, so as to improve the thermal stability during charging.

Positive electrode active material for lithium secondary batteries, positive electrode for lithium secondary batteries, and lithium secondary battery

Abstract: (1) the metal oxide has an α-NaFeO2 type crystal structure of following formula (A):Lia(NibCocM11-b-c)O2  (A)wherein 0.9≤a≤1.2, 0.9≤b<1, 0<c≤0.1, 0.9<b+c≤1, and M1 represents at least one optional metal selected from Mg, Al, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, In and Sn;

Abstract: (2) the coating layer comprises Li and M2, wherein M2 represents at least one optional metal selected from Al, Ti, Zr and W; and

Abstract: (3) the active material has an average secondary particle diameter of 2 to 20 μm, a BET specific surface area of 0.1 to 2.5 m2/g, and a value of 1.0 to 2.0 as a tamped density/untamped density ratio of the active material.


A method implemented for managing a merchant queue includes receiving order data associated with a placed order and user data for a user from a user device. User characteristics are determined based on historical data associated with the user. A placement of the placed order in a production queue is determined based on the order data and the user characteristics. A time at which the placed order is estimated to be ready is permitted to change based on changes to the user data.

Customers who need to pick up an order at a merchant store typically like the order to be ready when they arrive at the merchant store and not have to wait for the order. Merchants typically also prefer to have orders ready when customers arrive so that the customers do not have to wait for the orders.
When an order includes multiple items, merchants typically prefer to know in advance when the customer will arrive at the merchant store so that a merchant can determine logistics for procuring the multiple items. In addition, when orders contain perishable items such as food, in addition to trying to have an order ready when the customer arrives, it is desirable not to have the order ready too soon to avoid having the order become cold or stale when the customers arrive.


A solenoid valve comprising an inlet conduit coaxial with an exhaust conduit; and an on-off element supported on the anchor of an electromagnet and moving substantially along the common axis of the two conduits for alternately connecting the inlet conduit and the exhaust conduit to an outlet conduit via a connecting compartment. The anchor normally closes the inlet conduit via flexible means, such as a permanent magnet in the magnetic circuit of the electromagnet, magnetized the opposite way to when the electromagnet is energized. The action of the electromagnet is such as to substantially eliminate that of the magnet on the anchor, which is thus set rapidly to the closed position over the exhaust conduit.

The present invention relates to a high-speed three-way solenoid valve for pressurized fluid, such as compressed air circuits.
Three-way solenoid valves are particularly useful for pneumatic circuits requiring exhaust of the fluid, e.g. from the control chamber of an actuating cylinder. On such valves, the response time of the moving element in relation to the control signal is extremely important, both when opening and closing the valve, in that it is this which determines the maximum operating frequency of the valve.
On one known type of three-way solenoid valve, the moving element is controlled by a piston having a minimum response time of about 8-10 ms, which is obviously insufficient for applications requiring a response time of about one millisecond.
Three-way valves are also known comprising a servo and secondary valve, wherein the moving element is controlled by a servomechanism. These, however, are invariably highly complex and expensive.

High-speed three-way solenoid valve for pressurized fluid, such as compressed air circuits


Disclosed is a method and apparatus for manufacturing a melt-blown fabric web, by which a melt-blown fabric web having improved filament cohesion and excellent bulky characteristics and sound-absorbing performance is manufactured. The apparatus includes a heat extruder for heating a thermoplastic resin composition and extruding the melted thermoplastic resin, a melt-blown fiber spinner for spinning the extruded thermoplastic resin as a melt-blown fiber in a filament form, a variable gas injector for injecting gas whose injection speed and injection quantity are continuously changed at random to the melt-blown fiber spun from the melt-blown fiber spinner to cause the injected gas to collide with the spun melt-blown fiber, and a collector for collecting the melt-blown fiber, which is spun from the melt-blown fiber spinner and collides with the gas, to form a melt-blown fabric web.

(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a melt-blown fabric web. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a melt-blown fabric web having improved filament cohesion and bulkiness.
(b) Background Art
Generally, a process of manufacturing a melt-blown fabric web includes a wave forming process in which a thermoplastic resin, such as polypropylene resin, is injected in a perpendicular and downward direction to from filaments. This process lengthens the filaments and provides them in a waveform. In a fabric web forming process, the wave-form filaments are collected and deposited to form a fabric web.
Melt-blown fabric webs composed of microfilaments have been widely used for various types of high-performance filters, wipers, oil absorbents, insulating materials, sound-absorbing materials, and so forth.
Various types of microfiber sound-absorbing materials formed from melt-blown fabric webs have been described. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,016,599 describes a fabric web which contains staple fibers of 1 denier in average diameter provided at 25-70 wt % in a micro fiber. U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,203 describes a melt-blown fabric web in which filaments aligned with molecularities of 10 μm and 12 μm are intermittently coupled by means of heat and pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,531 describes a fabric web having a compression elasticity of at least 30 cm3/g, which is formed of micro fibers and crimped fibers at a ratio of 9:1 or 1:9.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,081 describes a three-dimensional (3D) nonwoven web sound-absorbing material manufactured through a melt-blown processing using a microfiber. U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,943 describes a method for improving rigidity by spinning a melt-blown fiber and passing the fibers through a series of heating chambers to align the melt-blown fibers, and an aligned fiber having no shot manufactured by the method. U.S. Publication No. 2004-0097155 describes a fabric web which is a nonwoven fabric web having no macro pores, which includes 5 wt % or more of a C-shaped staple fiber.
Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2005-0093950, entitled "Wallpaper for Automobile and Manufacturing Method", describes a wallpaper for an automobile in which a nonwoven layer, which contains an amount hollow fiber in the nonwoven fabric formed of a general fiber material, and a heterogeneous cross-section fiber layer are bound and deformed into a spring form. Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2007-0118731, entitled "Sound-Absorbing Material", describes a sound-absorbing material containing a nano-fiber nonwoven fabric composed of a nano fiber of 1,000 nm or less in average diameter.
In addition, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2008-0055929, entitled "Multi-Layer Product Having Sound-Absorbing Property, and Manufacturing Method and Using Method Thereof", describes a multi-layer product having a sound-absorbing property, which includes a support layer and a submicron fiber layer formed thereon, which is composed of a polymer fiber of 1 μm or less in diameter.
In particular, in the field of sound-absorbing materials, melt-blown fabric webs composed of only a microfiber of a single component (i.e., a polypropylene microfiber 100% form), and a fabric web composed of a microfiber and a staple fiber, which have chemically different components (e.g., in a form in which a melt-blown microfiber of a polypropylene material is mixed with a staple fiber of a polyethyleneterephthalate material of 4-8 deniers), are most widely used.
However, a conventional melt-blown microfiber sound-absorbing material, (e.g., a sound-absorbing material composed of a single-component microfiber produced by a conventional melt-blown production method) fails to provide sufficient sound-absorbing performance, has low cohesion strength between the microfibers, and has a specific fiber directivity in the fabric web. Moreover, in the case of a microfiber sound-absorbing material composed of microfibers and heterogeneous staple fibers, scraps generated during production and usage are not usable and are entirely discarded. Thus, this process is not eco-friendly, and when the scraps are discarded, environmental contaminants may be generated, such as large amounts of carbon dioxide.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing melt-blown fabric web having random and bulky characteristics