A generalized radix-2 block transform method enables true split and merge transform processing of equal sized data halves in the transform domain enabling recursive merges and splits in transform domain data degradation. Input data in the time domain or spatial domain during either the split and merge radix-2 forward transform processing is firstly transform processed followed by combinational processing. Whole transformed data is split using combinational processing into transformed data halves in the transform domain as a true split. The transformed halves are merged using combinational processing into whole merged transformed data in the transform domain. Time or spatial domain input data can be transformed into the transform domain in the form of split halves or merged whole. The split halves can be merged by the merge process combinational processing and the merged whole can be split by the split process combinational processing.

Conventional transforms including the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), the Fast Hartley Transform (FHT), the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), the Discrete Sine Transform (DST), and the Discrete Karhunen-Loeve Transform (KLT) have been used for some time for the compression and decompression of data, where data is separated and combined in the transform domain using radix-2 transforms. The traditional methods that perform separation and combination on the transformed data blocks require that the individual blocks be inversely transformed back to the spatial domain because these existing fast transforms do not have the capability of performing true merge and split strictly in the transform domain. For example, video composing is substantially speedup by performing the operations in the fast transform domain with the transform coefficients having been quantized into integers. The quantization process produces degradation loss of image quality. Manipulation in the transform domain results in further degradation of image quality. To avoid digression when manipulating data in the transform domain, the transformed quantized data is inversely transformed back into the spatial domain, when the data can be further manipulated. However, each time that data is transformed, image quality is degraded. Without true merge and split that would enable convenient repetitive data manipulation in the transform domain, data is disadvantageously transformed back into the time or spatial domain.
A forward transform places a data set from the time domain or spatial domain into the transform domain where the transform domain data can be efficiently transform domain processed. After forward transform domain processing, the transform domain data can be then be inversely transformed back into the original time domain or spatial data with a degradation in data quality when transforming the data due to quantization of the input data set. It is desirable to avoid further data degradation to the data set during transform domain merging, splitting, manipulations, and other transform domain processes.
A forward transform operating on first and second halves of the input data can not simply transform the first and second halves of the input data into a first and a second half transformed output data independently and then simply inversely and independently transform the first and second half back into the original data, due to interdependence across the transformed data set. As such, the transformation process requires some form of combinational processing of both halves of the data set.
To speed transform operations, the prior art has developed fast transforms based on separation and combination transform processing of first and second halves into odd and even transform sets using combinational and transform processing. The transforms are used to place input data into the transform domain for convenient transform domain processing of the transform data. For forward transforms, the input data is in the time domain or spatial domain, and the output data is in the transform domain. Transformation methods use a variety of transforms, the FFT, FHT, DCT, DST, and KLT, in addition to combinational processing that includes twiddle factoring or rotational multiplying, with add and subtract processing. The combinational processing and transform processing define the transform process as either a separating or a combining transformation process.
A separate transform block process transforms first and second input data halves into output transform odd and even halves. The separate transform block process can be a decimation-in-frequency or a decimation-in-time process. The separate transform configuration includes front-end combinational processing followed by N/2 point, that is half-sized, transforms. Input time domain or spatial data is forward transformed into half size transformed data blocks in the transform domain during a separate transformation process where the input data is separated and transformed into transformed even and odd data halves.
A combine transform block process transforms odd and even input data halves into first and second output transforms halves forming a combined transformed output. The combine transform block process can be a decimation-in-time or a decimation-in-frequency transformation process. The combine transform configuration includes front-end N/2 point transforms followed by combinational processing. Input time domain or spatial domain data is forward transformed into combined transformed data in the transform domain during a combine transformation process where the input data halves are combined into combined transformed data. Prior art transform processes are referred to as separate and combine transformation processes, and are not true split and merge transformation processes, because the true merge and split transformation processing enables true splitting and merging in the transform domain, whereas the conventional transforms methods do not.
In editing and composition transform applications, data is often processed in the transform domain. During the initial transformation of an input data set, data is degraded by virtue of quantized truncation to place the output transform data into integers. Such transformed data can then be split and merged without degradation of data quality. However, the prior art transforms require inverse transformations to place the transform domain data back into the time or spatial domain, and then again forward transform time or spatial data, and then combined the transformed data. The inverse transformations and retransformation can result in additional degradation of data quality. The prior art has not developed a systematic generalized approach to true merge and split radix-2 forward transformation. Rather, the prior art teaches a potpourri of disjointed separate and combine radix-2 transform processes that are not true merge and split transforms, but rather separate and combine transformation that disadvantageously require additional inverse transformations and data degradation when separating and combining transform data.
The radix-2 (N/2) transform is a split half transform of a large whole N transform. When radix-2 transforms can be split by two and merged by two without requiring inverse transformations, the processing in the transform domain becomes exceedingly efficient without the loss of data quality when recursively splitting and merging the transformed data. The prior art transforms do not provide true merge and split transform processing because of the required inverse transformations to perfect a combination after a separation, or a separation after a combination of the transformed data. It is highly desirable in data compression applications to have a true merge and split radix-2 transform processing input data halves, where the transformed halves can be directly split and then directly merged in the transform domain without data degradation.
For example, existing fast radix-2 Discrete Cosine Transform algorithms are unable to merge or split data blocks strictly in the DCT domain. In the existing radix-2 algorithms, the DCT matrix must be factorized into two half-sized transform matrices, only one of which is a lower-order DCT preventing the half-sized transforms from being utilized in transform domain processing.
In general, the existing transforms are forward transforms using half-sized transforms followed by or preceded by combinational processing, including scalars, permutations, additions, subtractions, multiplications, and twidders. Data is separated into transform halves using two ½ transforms followed by combinatory logic. Data halves are combined into transform wholes using two ½ transforms followed by combinatory logic. In both forward process transformations, data quality is degraded. The transform halves cannot be merged without firstly inversely transforming transform halves. The transform wholes can not be separated without firstly inversely transforming transform halves. Hence, the existing forward transforms are incapable of successive true merges and splits in any back-and-forth order. Consequently, data is degraded while inversely transforming and data can not be conveniently manipulated in the transform domain without further data degradation. These and other disadvantages are solved or reduced using the invention.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Merge and split generalized block transform method


A battery system has a battery cell including a can, and a ceramic substrate, including a patterned metallized surface, mounted to the can via a thermally conductive adhesive. The battery system also has a monolithic integrated circuit that measures and transmits data about the cell mounted to the patterned metallized surface such that the ceramic substrate and monolithic integrated circuit are electrically isolated from one another.

Hybrid-electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles may include a traction battery to power a traction motor for propulsion, and a power inverter there between to convert direct current power to alternating current power. The traction battery may be controlled according to data such as temperature, voltage, and current of cells of the traction battery.

Cell-mounted monolithic integrated circuit for measuring, processing, and communicating cell parameters


A system is disclosed for generating a search result list in response to a search request from a searcher using a computer network. A first database is maintained that includes a first plurality of search listings. A second database is maintained that includes documents having general web content. A search request is received from the searcher. A first set of search listings is identified from the first database having documents generating a match with the search request and a second set of search listings is identified from the second database having documents generating a match with the search request. A confidence score is determined for each listing from the first set of search listings wherein the confidence score is determined in accordance with a relevance of each listing when compared to the listings of the second set of search listings. The identified search listings from the first set of search listing are ordered in accordance, at least in part, with the confidence score for each search listing.

The transfer of information over computer networks is an important way by which institutions, corporations, and individuals conduct business. Computer networks have grown over the years from independent and isolated entities established to serve the needs of a single group into vast internets that interconnect disparate physical networks and allow them to function as a coordinated system. Currently, the largest computer network is the Internet, a worldwide interconnection of computer networks that communicate using a common protocol.
The Internet has transformed into a global marketplace of goods and services, driven in large part by the introduction of the World Wide Web ("the web"), an information system. Computers connected to the Internet may access web pages via a browser program, which has a powerful, simple-to-learn graphical user interface. In a web-based search on an Internet search engine, a user enters a search term of one or more keywords, which the search engine then uses to generate a listing of web pages that the user may access via a hyperlink.
The search engine functionality of the Internet should be focused to facilitate an on-line marketplace that offers searchers quick, easy and relevant search results while providing Internet network information providers with a cost-effective way to target consumers. A consumer utilizing a search engine that facilitates this on-line marketplace finds companies or businesses that offer the products, services, or information that the searcher is seeking. In the on-line marketplace, companies providing products, services, or information may bid in an open auction-based ranking environment for ranks on a search result list generated by an Internet search engine.
Operators of some auction-based search engines may be losing potential revenue, such as by being unable to show enough sponsored results for certain search terms. In addition, irrelevant results and/or lower effective revenues from the results may occur. Some operators may not be able to tightly control trade-offs between relevance and coverage of the results. Likewise users' needs may not be met for search queries of a commercial intent. Irrelevant results may be shown if sponsored results are shown based only on some of the users' query terms. Moreover, advertisers may experience low traffic with some auction-based search engines. The advertisers may carry a burden of generating bidded terms corresponding to their web pages to try to maximize relevant search traffic to their sites. Missed opportunity to provide high quality matches to specific queries may occur. Likewise, many users may access the advertiser's site but not purchase anything because the result turned out to be irrelevant. As such, advertisers' may pay for click-throughs from a user that had a low probability of an item being purchased

Matching and ranking of sponsored search listings incorporating web search technology and web content


A fin having a leading edge, a trailing edge opposing the leading edge, and a plurality of leading holes substantially centered along a leading axis. The fin further having a plurality of secondary holes substantially centered along a secondary axis, the secondary axis being substantially parallel to the leading axis and located between the leading axis and the trailing edge, the plurality of secondary holes being located so that the plurality of leading holes and the plurality of secondary holes form a substantially rectangular matrix. The fin further having a plurality of trailing holes substantially centered along a trailing axis, the trailing axis being substantially parallel to at least one of the leading axis and the secondary axis and located between the secondary axis and the trailing edge, each of the plurality of trailing holes being substantially equidistant from the respective two nearest secondary holes.

Conventional air conditioning systems generally comprise a compressor, a condenser coil, a condenser fan for passing air through the condenser coil, a flow restriction device, an evaporator coil, and an evaporator blower for passing air through the evaporator coil. The condenser coil and the evaporator coil are each designed as heat exchangers with internal tubing for carrying refrigerant. Further, evaporator coils and condenser coils sometimes comprise a plurality of plate fins disposed along a length of the internal tubing so that the internal tubing passes through holes formed in the adjacent plate fins. The major components of the air conditioning system can be grouped and located in different manners, but two arrangements are most prevalent.
A "split-system" is generally an air conditioning system in which the compressor, the condenser coil, and the condenser fan are colocated within a single housing, often referred to as a condensing unit. In the split-system, the evaporator coil, the flow restriction device, and the evaporator blower are also colocated within a single housing, often referred to as an air handling unit or air handler. Some air handling units or air handlers comprise heat generators such as electrically resistive heating elements and/or gas furnace elements so that the evaporator coil and the heat generators are both in an airflow path of the evaporator blower. In most applications of a split-system, the condensing unit is located outside the space to be temperature controlled while the air handling unit circulates and conditions air within the space to be temperature controlled. More specifically, it is common for the condensing unit to be located outside the building or structure that is to be temperature controlled while the air handling unit is typically located within a closet, attic, or other location within the building.
Alternatively, a conventional air conditioning system may be configured as a "package unit" where all of the components of the air conditioning system are colocated within a single housing. Package units are typically, but not necessarily, installed in a location exterior to the space to be temperature controlled.
Regardless of the type of air conditioning system, the principles of operation remain the same. Generally, the compressor operates to compress refrigerant into a hot and high pressure gas, which is passed through the internal tubing of the condenser coil. As the refrigerant is passed through the condenser coil, the condenser fan operates to pass ambient air across the condenser coil, thereby removing heat from the refrigerant and condensing the refrigerant into liquid form. The liquid refrigerant passes through a flow restriction device, which causes the refrigerant to transform into a colder and lower pressure liquid/gas mixture that proceeds to the evaporator. As the mixture is passed through the evaporator coil, the evaporator blower forces ambient air across the evaporator coil, thereby providing a cooling and dehumidifying effect to the ambient air, which is then distributed to the space to be temperature controlled.


A hydrostatic bearing mounts a rotatable control part of a planetary rotation machine according to the orbital principle. Pockets are arranged at least in one sliding surface. Each pocket is surrounded by a bearing gap and fed with bearing fluid by a supply line under pressure. The bearing gap is small, so that there is only a small flow of bearing fluid from the pocket. The supply line, the feed with bearing fluid and the bearing gap are designed so that the pressure required for a rigid bearing can be built up in the pocket. Using the working fluid at half the high pressure in the bearing pocket results in a bearing which has minimal leakage and frictional losses and can be realized at low cost, so that the efficiency of the planetary rotation machine as a whole is increased.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a planetary rotation machine having a displacer part acting as a drive part or power take-off part and a control part that serves for supplying working fluid to, and removing working fluid from, the displacer part and rotates relative to at least one adjacent bearing part about an axis of rotation of the control part. The displacer part has a stationary outer part with an inner tooth system that interacts with an outer tooth system of a rotatable, eccentrically arranged rotary piston. Transmission means are provided that transmit the rotary velocity of the rotary piston about its own axis with the same torque to a drive shaft or power take-off shaft. The invention also relates to a control part with a slide bearing for such a planetary rotation machine. These planetary rotation machines preferably operate as low-speed machines with high thrust according to the so-called orbit principle. Hydrostatic, in particular oil-operated, planetary rotation machines are primarily meant. However, the invention can also be applied in the case of machines which are operated with a compressible working medium, in particular with compressed air.
2. Discussion of Relevant Art
For controlled feed of the working fluid in the displacer part, these machines have rotary valves or rotating control parts which revolve at the speed of the rotor or planetary piston. A control part comprises essentially two annular channels which are open to the outside towards a contact region. The high pressure side of the two working fluid connections is connected to one channel, and the low pressure side to the other. In the control part, connections extend alternately from the two annular channels into a common connection region, from which connecting lines lead through a connection part to the displacer part. The annular channels and the connection region are in sliding contact with the connecting lines or with contact surfaces in which the line connections are arranged. The transport of working fluid in as leak-free a manner as possible under pressure between parts moving relative to one another or through sliding bearings requires distances as small as possible between the sliding surfaces. However, the distances may not be so small that high frictional losses and in particular considerable wear result. It has been found that the total losses of planetary rotation machines are due to a large extent to the losses at the rotating control parts.
In general, spool or disc valves are used as control parts. The sliding connection regions and the annular channels are arranged at cylindrical lateral surfaces in the case of spool valves and at least the majority of them are arranged at the flat side surfaces normal to the axis of rotation of the control part in the case of disc valves. If necessary, an annular channel may be formed along the cylindrical lateral surface also in the case of disc valves. The alternating connections to the common connection region preferably lead through the disc and are thus not arranged in the region of the sliding bearing.
In the rotating state at high speeds, the spool valves have a relatively high resistance to flow owing to the associated increase in the turbulence of the fluid flowing through the channels and connections. Preferably, mounting is effected by means of the cylindrical spool outer surface sliding against a cylindrical inner surface of a housing part. If the so-called port-to-port leaks are kept small, the play in the housing must be extremely small, preferably less than 0.5 per mil of the spool diameter. Since the cylinder surface interrupted by channels does not have good properties as a sliding bearing, wall contact cannot be avoided. As a result of wear and erosion, the play increases very rapidly during operation, so that the channel leaks and also the drainage leaks into the machine interior increase rapidly.
In the case of disc valves, the flat disc end surfaces must be mounted optimally and without leaks and friction. The requirement for the radial mounting and for the cylinder lateral surface depends on whether annular channels and sliding connections are to be provided thereto. Since, however, the alternating connections to the common connection region are not in the region of the cylinder lateral surface, better sliding bearing properties can be achieved even when radial outer mounting is envisaged than in the case of conventional spool valves. In order to achieve better efficiency and a longer service life at high operating pressures, disc valves are increasingly being used. In an expedient embodiment of the connections, the disc valves have a smaller flow resistance compared with the spool valves.
In the case of disc valves, it is possible to achieve minimum play and compensation of wear by adjusting an axially adjacent part. Wear is compensated by providing, for example, a compensation piston which, in both directions of rotation, presses the disc valve without play against the connection part with the connecting lines to the displacer part. However, relatively high undesired frictional losses occur, amounting to as much as 12 percent of the theoretical torque. In addition, the losses are of different magnitudes in the forward and backward directions.
The known control parts are hydrodynamically mounted, that is to say the friction is high particularly during start-up of the planetary rotation machine. In the operating state, a lubricating layer forms in the bearing. In the event of vibrations due to variable loads or due to movement of the planetary piston, direct contacts between the sliding surfaces occur in spite of the lubricating layer in the bearing.
It has been found that an unexpectedly large part of the power loss of the planetary rotation machines is accounted for by the rotating control parts which, in accordance with their formation, are designated as spool or disc valves.

Planetary rotation machine with hydrostatically mounted control part, and control part for this purpose


A .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator-controlled, phase-locked-loop circuit, and an associated method, generates a frequency-regulated signal which does not exhibit undesired tones. Dithering signals are generated and are provided to a .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator. The .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator forms a division-factor control signal used to control the division factor of a frequency divider forming a portion of the PLL circuit. The dithering signals applied to the .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator reduce the likelihood that the .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator shall enter a limit cycle and generate repetitive output signals.

A communication system is operable to communicate information between a transmitting station and a receiving station by way of a communication channel. A radio communication system is a communication system in which the communication channel by which information is communicated between the transmitting and receiving stations is formed upon a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. A cellular communication system is exemplary of a multi-user, radio communication system.
The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum allocated to a radio communication system is typically bandwidth-limited. That is to say, only a limited spectrum portion, referred to as "bandwidth", is permitted to be used by a particular radio communication system. All of the radio channels available for use in the system must be defined within the allocated bandwidth. The capacity of the radio communication system is sometimes limited by the bandwidth allocated to the system.
Efficient utilization of the bandwidth allocated to the radio communication system is therefore required to ensure that the communication capacity of the radio communication system is maximized. Manners by which to utilize more efficiently the bandwidth allocated to a radio communication system permits greater numbers of channels to be defined within the allocated bandwidth.
Advancements in technologies have facilitated more efficient use of the bandwidth allocated for radio communication systems. Radio communication systems in which advanced communication technologies have been implemented permit increased numbers of communication channels to be defined within the allocated bandwidth, thereby to increase the effective communication capacity of the system.
For instance, in some radio communication systems, digital modulation techniques have been implemented to increase the effective capacity of the communication system. When digital modulation techniques are utilized in a radio communication system, a lessened amount of frequency spectrum is required for the communication of information between sending and receiving stations operable therein. When a digital modulation technique is utilized, a single carrier can be divided into a plurality of channels so that a single carrier can be used to transmit information between a plurality of sending and receiving stations.
In a radio communication system utilizing a digital modulation technique, as well as other modulation techniques, information is modulated upon a carrier of a frequency to form a modulated signal centered at, or about, the carrier frequency upon which the radio channel is defined. The carrier upon which the information is modulated must be of frequency stability characteristics good enough to ensure that the modulated signal does not drift from the carrier upon which the channel is defined. Otherwise, if the carrier signal upon which the information is modulated is not of an adequate frequency stability, a modulated signal transmitted by a transmitting station might drift away from a designated channel and interfere with ongoing communications on another channel.
Attempts are made, therefore, to ensure that the carrier upon which information is modulated is of acceptable frequency stability characteristics. Phase-locked-loop (PLL) circuits, for instance, oftentimes form portions of a transmitting station. A phase-locked-loop (PLL) circuit typically includes a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) having an output oscillating signal of a frequency which is related to an input reference signal. A signal related to the output oscillating signal generated by the VCO is compared with the input reference frequency. Responsive to phase differences between such signals, a voltage is applied to the VCO either to increase, or to decrease, the frequency of the output, oscillating signal.
A frequency divider is typically positioned in a feedback loop of the PLL circuit. The frequency divider divides the output oscillating signal by an integer value to form a frequency-divided signal. The frequency-divided signal forms the signal which is compared with the input reference signal. In some PLL circuits, the frequency divider can only divide the output oscillating signal by set, stepped amounts, e.g., integer amounts. And, the PLL circuit is able merely to generate output oscillating signals of set, stepped frequencies as the output frequency is equal to the reference frequency multiplied by the division factor of the frequency divider. The resolution of the output oscillating signals is therefore limited.
To improve resolution, some PLL circuits utilize fractional n synthesis by including a .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator. The division factor by which the frequency divider divides the output oscillating signal is determined by a signal generated by a .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator. Such an arrangement is sometimes referred to as a .SIGMA..DELTA.-controlled PLL circuit. Use of a .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator is advantageous as both higher-frequency resolution and higher bandwidth of the PLL is permitted. When a .SIGMA..DELTA.-controlled PLL circuit is formed, both cost and space efficiencies are provided. Also, such an arrangement permits continuous phase modulated signals to be generated. And, direct and digital control over modulation, as well as channel selection, can be provided in apparatus in which such an arrangement is embodied. U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,802, for instance, discloses a frequency synthesizer which utilizes a .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator.
However, particularly when an input signal applied to the .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator is of a constant frequency value, the modulator is susceptible to enter into what is referred to as a "limit cycle." The division-factor control signal might then begin to repeat itself. When such a signal is applied to the frequency divider of the PLL circuit, the output oscillating signal might exhibit unwanted tones. Such tones deleteriously effect operation of a sending, or receiving, station of which the .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator-controlled PLL circuit forms a portion.
While some manners have been developed to reduce problems associated with the generation of tones caused by repetitive behavior of the .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator, such manners are expensive and difficult to implement. For instance, feed-forwarding of an analog error signal to the PLL circuit to cancel the error caused by the repetitive behavior of the .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator is sometimes provided. Difficulty and expense results as matching of RF hardware is required and, in any event, component value uncertainty limits the successful implementation of such a solution.
A manner by which better to assure acceptable operation of a .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator of a .SIGMA..DELTA. modulator-controlled PLL circuit would therefore be advantageous.
It is in light of this background information related to PLL circuits that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.

.SIGMA.-.DELTA. modulator-controlled phase-locked-loop circuit


Systems and methods for rendering media content are provided. Systems of the invention can comprise a first platform for accessing, storing and distributing media content, wherein the media content comprises an unrenderable state when received by the first platform; a second platform communicatively coupled with the first platform for rendering the stored media content; the first and second platforms cooperatively providing an interface for purchasing a right to render stored or accessible media content at least one time; and at least one of the first platform and the second platform being operable to convert the stored or accessible media content to a renderable state upon the purchase of the right to render, wherein the first and second platforms are communicatively coupled to the Internet. Systems are preferably operably connected to the Internet and can provide access to content sources local to and remote from the system of the invention.

Advances in technology have led to numerous changes in the availability of entertainment content (e.g., audio and video content) to consumers. Such advances include the proliferation of cable television, digital satellite service television, high-definition television and satellite radio, among numerous other delivery mechanisms for audio and video content, such as music, movies, and the like. Another recent advance in this area is the delivery of media content over high-bandwidth connections to the Internet. Such high-bandwidth connections comprise data-over-cable (cable modems), digital subscriber lines and satellite systems. Further, private entertainment systems may also provide access to audio and video content, such as to guests in a hotel, for example.
These technological advances now offer content owners such as movie producers, television program producers, music producers and other originators of audio/video content with a variety of options for distributing their work. Movie producers and television programming producers, for example, may now work with service providers to package their content and distribute it via cable, satellite, or the Internet. Movie producers may enjoy their first-runs in theaters, for example, and be able to count on continued revenues from royalties earned by having their movies run on cable.
Service providers, such as television broadcasters, cable providers, digital satellite providers, along with content owners that access consumers through established broadcast systems (such as, for example Home Box Office), may generate revenue by providing content on a pay-per-view or pay-per-play basis (collectively pay-per-view or PPV). When providing content on a PPV basis, a consumer pays the content owner and/or broadcast service provider (e.g., cable television company) for the right to view or play certain content on a per view/play basis. As one example, a hotel guest may purchase the right to view a first run movie in his/her hotel room through an in-room entertainment system. The guest is then billed on his/her hotel bill for the purchased viewing of the movie. Similar scenarios exist for numerous cable television and digital satellite service subscribers. These subscribers have the option to viewing rights for movies, live sporting events, among other content, on a pay-per-view basis and are billed accordingly.
Despite the wide variety of distribution outlets available to content owners, only a very limited amount of their work is actually accessible by consumers at any specific time. A vast amount of their work remains on the shelf, despite the fact that there may indeed be an audience for it. The inaccessibility of the media results in large part from the fact that content owners must share limited time-slots on limited channels in the service providers' programming schedules. Content owners have no more flexibility on PPV systems. While some flexibility in the start time of such PPV content may be possible, consumers are limited to viewing current offerings that are available on a limited channel set (in the case of cable television systems) or, in the case of hotels, to the offerings stored on the premises.
Such arrangements are disadvantageous to consumers. One problem is that the selection of media content available to consumers is limited. Consumers simply do not choose the content to be programmed. The providers do. It is similarly disadvantageous to content owners because revenue is only generated on content currently being offered for viewing/playing by the service provider.
Current pay-per view systems also fail to provide viewers with much viewing flexibility for a specific programming selection. In this respect, PPV-delivered media content is similar to broadcast content in that a consumer must generally consume the content from beginning to end when purchased without the ability to pause and resume viewing, as they desire.
Based on the foregoing, an approach for providing PPV content that better utilizes available content and provides consumers with more selection and increased viewing flexibility is desirable. It is also desirable that such a flexible content distribution system allows users to readily connect with content providers. Further needed is content distribution that coherently and conveniently conveys the availability of content on a user's device.

Method and apparatus for distributing media in a pay per play architecture with remote playback within an enterprise


The present invention relates to alloy compositions for 3D metal printing procedures which provide metallic parts with high hardness, tensile strengths, yield strengths, and elongation. The alloys include Fe, Cr and Mo and at least three or more elements selected from C, Ni, Cu, Nb, Si and N. Ni may be replaced with Mn. As built parts indicate a tensile strength of at least 1000 MPa, yield strength of at least 640 MPa, elongation of at least 3.0% and hardness (HV) of at least 375.

Metal 3D printing processes provide a multitude of exceptional benefits such as the ability to produce highly complex parts with largely reduced part production time. For these reasons 3D printing is of high value to many industries. While many 3D printing processes for building metal parts exist, the most widely adopted processes are those that utilize solid-liquid-solid phase transformations to build parts. These processes are commonly referred to as powder bed fusion (PBF), selective laser melting (SLM), and electron beam melting (EBM), hereinafter these processes are referred to as PBF.
While PBF is exceptionally versatile in its ability to produce complex parts from specific metal alloys, the process has been limited to being able to produce parts from relatively few alloy steels such as 316L, 17-4PH and maraging steel M300. Among these alloys, only M300 has a hardness that is considered sufficient to classify the alloy as a hard alloy (HV>370).
Expanding the material breadth of hard PBF steel alloys has met a variety of issues foremost among which is the occurrence of crack formation upon or after the printing process. Cracking of parts can be caused by a number of factors such as thermal stresses, hot cracking, and liquation cracking, and generally the potential for cracking increases as the hardness of the built parts increases and the toughness decreases.
Numerous industries have a great deal of interest in utilizing PBF with higher hardness materials (HV>370) for applications such as tooling, dies, molds, cutting tools, gears, filters, and bearings. In addition to high hardness these applications typically also require high strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance, low environmental health, low safety and stewardship risk, and low cost.

3D printable hard ferrous metallic alloys for powder bed fusion


Embodiments include semiconductor packages. A semiconductor package includes a plurality of build-up layers and a plurality of conductive layers in the build-up layers. The conductive layers include a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The first conductive layer is over the second conductive layer and build-up layers, where a first via couples the first and second conductive layers. The semiconductor package also includes a thin film capacitor (TFC) in the build-up layers, where a second via couples the TFC to the first conductive layer, and the second via has a thickness less than a thickness of the first via. The first conductive layer may be first level interconnects. The build-up layers may be dielectrics. The TFC may include a first electrode, a second electrode, and a dielectric. The first electrode may be over the second electrode, and the dielectric may be between the first and second electrodes.

For the past several decades, the scaling of features in integrated circuits (ICs) has been a driving force behind an ever-growing semiconductor industry. Scaling to smaller and smaller features enables increased densities of functional units on the limited real estate of semiconductor devices. For example, many efforts have been taken to integrate thin film capacitors (TFCs) into semiconductor devices to improve the performance of such devices. The drive to scale these ICs while optimizing the performance of each device, however, is not without issue.
Existing IC solutions have enabled improvements in voltage regulation technology, socket technology, package copper thickness, etc., by driving down the low to mid frequency portion (e.g., <5 MHz) of power delivery impedance profile. The existing technologies, however, have not been able to significantly improve the high frequency portion (e.g., >10 MHz) of the power delivery impedance profile. For example, the reduction in inductance to the capacitors of such devices can be an effective solution to address the first droop impedance, but this solution is hard to achieve with traditional decoupling options.
To reduce capacitor inductance in these shrinking ICs, existing technologies have used discrete capacitors and incorporated them into package substrate manufacturing. This approach includes embedding capacitors into the core area of a substrate. The embedded capacitors within the core area of the substrate, however, fail to provide a significant reduction in the first droop impedance profile. Another approach includes disposing land side capacitors (LSCs) on the substrate to reduce the first droop impedance profile. But, this approach can only reduce the first droop impedance profile by roughly 25% as the inductance contribution from the substrate vias become the primary bottleneck.

Methods to pattern TFC and incorporation in the ODI architecture and in any build up layer of organic substrate


A fuel control system delivers fuel to an engine cylinder and compensates for lost fuel. The fuel control system comprises a fuel dynamics module that determines a fuel dynamics model that is indicative of fuel behavior. The fuel dynamic module determines an inverse of the fuel dynamics model, receives a fuel command, and generates an adjusted fuel command based on the fuel command and the inverse of the fuel dynamics model. A lost fuel compensation module receives the adjusted fuel command and generates a final fuel command based on the adjusted fuel command and a lost fuel factor. A control module controls fuel delivery according to the final fuel command.

Fuel control systems for automotive vehicles determine an amount of fuel to inject into an engine cylinder based on certain engine parameters. Fuel delivery may depend on engine parameters such as air flow, engine temperature, and fuel burned in a preceding combustion cycle. For example, in cold engines, not all of the fuel injected into the engine cylinder is burned during combustion. Fuel that is not burned in a combustion cycle is referred to as "lost fuel." Some fuel may be passed directly through to the exhaust without being burned. Additionally, some fuel may drip down the cylinder walls and mix with engine oil. Therefore, cold engines typically require more fuel to be injected than the amount of fuel to be burned to compensate for the lost fuel.
Generally, automotive manufacturers implement some form of compensation in the fuel control system to compensate for the lost fuel and/or "wall wetting." For example, gain scheduling can be used to vary the compensation parameters over operating conditions of the engine. Alternatively, the fuel control system may add extra fuel to the fuel command to offset the lost fuel. However, current methods do not adequately determine lost fuel or non-linear fuel dynamics behavior.

Nonlinear fuel dynamics control with lost fuel compensation


A digital printer includes a digital printing unit for digital printing an image onto a printing substrate during relative movement between a print head and the printing substrate, and a printing table for holding the printing substrate during the digital printing. The printing table is firmly fixed to the digital printing unit during the digital printing of the image onto the printing substrate and is released from the digital printing unit prior to and after the digital printing of the image onto the printing substrate. The printing table may be moved between a printing position, in which it is firmly fixed to the digital printing unit, and a printing substrate feeding position, in which it supports feeding and removing of the printing substrate from the printing table.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solution for integrating an industrial printing substrate transport system with digital printing units.
2. Description of the Related Art
More than a decade ago, multicolor inline screen printing systems began to make their appearance for printing multiple color large format graphics. They introduced improvements in print quality compared to a printing process using multiple single-color presses. The latter process suffered from substrate shrinkage and color registration problems between printing the different colors, particularly with thin paper and plastic substrates. Today, multicolor inline screen printing systems are highly automated and compete with offset printing for large format graphics. One of the benefits of multicolor presses is automated substrate handling. The majority of automated flatbed multicolor screen printing lines have an automated substrate handling system based on either gripper bars moving on a set of chains and pulling the printing sheet from one station to another (i.e., from one printing table to another) through the printing line, or moving platens wherein the entire platen or printing table, including the attached printing sheet, moves on a set of chains from one station to another through the printing line. The printing table is an important feature of the printing sheet transport system; it supports the printing sheet during transport through the printing line. In a screen print station, before the printing starts, the screen and the printing table holding the printing sheet are brought into a position facing each other at a distance called the off-contact distance. During printing, as the squeegee traverses along the print stroke, it pushes the screen against the printing sheet and presses the ink through the screen onto the printing sheet. The off-contact distance may range from "near contact" to as much as ⅜ inch or ½ inch, and depends on the size of the screen, the tension of the screen, the pressure of the squeegee on the screen, etc. Variations across the printing area of the off-contact distance are compensated by the pressure of the squeegee onto the screen so as to always ensure contact between the screen and the printing sheet during printing.
For digital non-impact printing technology, such as ink jet printing, it is known that the distance between the printing unit and the printing sheet is of major importance to enable correct operation of the printing technology. In ink jet technology, this distance is referred to as the throw-distance, and is typically in the range of 1 mm. Variations in throw-distance across the printing area are directly converted into variations in dot placement of printed pixels onto the printing sheet. Small variations in dot placement, especially if they are systematic, are known to be highly visible to the human eye. Therefore, the position of the printing table relative to the printing unit should be accurately controlled and consequently is often regarded as an important feature of the digital print station.
In low-end ink jet printers, the throw-distance is often fixed by design/manufacture and the range of printing substrates that can be used with these printers is often limited to paper like substrates (from a substrate thickness point of view). In multi-use ink jet printers, a wide range of printing substrates (at least from a substrate thickness point of view) can be printed on. These printers often include a feature allowing the printing unit and/or the printing table to be vertically adjusted to control the throw-distance. Published patent application U.S. 2004/0017456 to Obertegger et al. discloses an ink jet printer having three possible ways to adjust the throw-distance, i.e., (1) a vertical adjustment of a print head relative to a print head carriage, (2) a vertical adjustment of a complete print head carriage system relative to the printer frame, and (3) a vertical adjustment of the printing table relative to a base element that refers to the printer frame. In practice, the throw-distance is set once as a function of the substrate thickness before the printing starts and this setting is maintained during printing. In theory, the throw-distance may be adjusted continuously during printing if a distance sensor would be installed on the print head carriage to continuously monitor the distance between the print head and the printing substrate surface, as disclosed also in U.S. 2004/0017456 to Obertegger et al. In practice however, continuously activating the various elements of the throw-distance adjustment system would lead to the introduction of undesired vibrations and mechanical instability of those parts, such as the print head carriage or the printing table, of which it is the goal to position them at a fixed distance relative to each other. The one-off calibration of the throw-distance at the start of a print job has proven to work satisfactorily if the mechanical and dynamic properties of the moving and stationary elements of the printer that influence the throw-distance are such that the one-off calibration can be maintained throughout the print job. For example, the weight of the carriage may introduce bending of the guides for transversal movement of the carriage across the printing substrate, high accelerations of the carriage may introduce deformations and vibrations in the carriage itself, the guides, and support frame for the transversal movement of the carriage across the printing substrate, etc.
If digital printing technology is to evolve towards industrial applications, it needs to meet the requirements of more printing substrate flexibility, higher print throughput, and integration with existing industrial printing equipment. One way to advance industrial applicability of digital printing technology is the integration of digital printing with industrial screen printing. However, throw-distance control would be a problem for at least two reasons. Firstly, the printing table in industrial screen printing presses is considered a feature of the printing substrate transport system and not of the printing unit itself, making it more difficult to control throw-distance. Secondly, the size of the printing table and of the printing unit may be so large that it is a problem to maintain absolute or relative position accuracy of the printing components across the whole of the printing area during the printing process. For digital printing technology, position accuracy in the range of micrometers is required.
The inventors of the present application have discovered that it would be advantageous to have a printing system wherein the printing table can be an integral part of the digital printing unit during printing, and wherein the printing table can be an integral part of the printing substrate transport system during transport of the printing substrates to and from the printing table. The inventors of the present application have discovered that a printing system having this capability would be able to control throw-distance during printing and guarantee compatibility with industrial printing substrate transport systems.

Printing system with printing table releasably clamped to printing unit


A new cultivar of apple tree, ‘MN55’, that is characterized by its fruit that is early ripening, its fruit that are globose-conical in shape and medium to large in size, its fruit with a texture that is very crisp and juicy, which is maintained during storage, its fruit with a long storage life, its fruit skin that is 75 to 95% red in color over a yellow-green background color, its firmness of 14 to 19 lbs. at harvest, its spreading to upright plant habit, and its vigorous growth habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of apple tree, botanically known as Malus domestica 'MN55', referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, 'MN55'.
'MN55' was selected as a single unique seedling tree by the Inventors as Tree 181 in Row 14 of Block 80C at a research center in Excelsior, Minn. The new apple tree arose from a cross designated as AE 97102 made in 1997 between 'Honeycrisp' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,197) as the female parent and a selection made in an Arkansas apple breeding program designated as AA-44 (not patented, syn. 'Monark') as the male parent.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by budding in 1998 under the direction of the Inventors in Excelsior, Minn. Further asexual propagation by budding and grafting in Excelsior, Minn. has determined that the characteristic of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A method of determining individual velocity associated with one or more molecular species moving through a fluid medium involves obtaining multiple temporal images of the one or more species moving through the medium, analyzing the temporal images using multivariate image analysis to obtain temporal profiles of principal components, and determining individual velocity of the one or more species using the temporal profiles. Multiple species can be identified using the one or more individual velocities or ratio thereof.

The ability to measure fluid velocity is important for realizing a full potential of micro- and nano-fluidics, especially for assays, where multiple screening events are required. Recent work has demonstrated that confinement of electrokinetic molecular transport in fluidic channels with transport limiting pore sizes of nanoscopic dimensions (approximately 100 nm) gives rise to unique molecular separation capabilities (references 1 and 2). Understanding fluid and molecular transport in nanoscopic channels is a tremendous challenge because of the lack of experimental methods that are available for interrogating the positions and trajectories of molecules at sub-wavelength dimensions. Silicon-based T-chips containing an array of parallel nanochannels can be used to study the electrokinetic transport of fluorescent dyes in nanochannels. Fluorescent imaging using confocal microscopy is an excellent method for the direct observation of molecules in chemical separation due to its high sensitivity (reference 3). While the details for the flow profiles in the individual nanochannels are below the resolution limit of optical microscopy, average velocities of dye fronts can be monitored and provide insight into the electrokinetic transport mechanisms in the nanochannels. Simultaneous transport of positive and negative dyes in the channels provides better understanding of the electrokinetic mechanism of separation.
Microscale flow visualization methods applied for the determination of fluid velocity in Microsystems is a well addressed. (references 4 through 9). The task of change detection is to determine how much and in what direction has a pixel changed. Velocity estimation methods can be roughly divided into two groups: particle and model-based spot tracking methods and image derivative based methods like optical flow. The types of movement generally studied by these methods usually involve discrete object or multiple objects that are changing their location within an image field of view. The particles are often added into the fluid, such that the transport is detected but not altered. Spot-tracking methods rely on accuracy of the segmentation of characteristics objects, such as particles or cells. No segmentation is needed for optical flow methods. The overall or "average" velocity describing all objects moving within a system of study is obtained by these methodologies. For movement of dye front within an array of nanochannels, the transport properties are quite different; namely, there are no discrete objects for which intensity profiles can be monitored as a function of time. The front moves as a plug profile in the array of nanochannel. With time, the nanochannels are getting filled up by the dye, which may or may not leave the entrance side of the nanochannels. Moreover, "average" velocity is not a useful parameter in studying separation of species moving with different velocities within micro- and nanochannels. For such type of movement, velocity calculation is done manually through plotting a large number of horizontal profiles within each confocal image from individual channels capturing only one type of fluorescing species (red or green) and determining the position of the dye front from those horizontal profiles. This is time-consuming and somewhat subjective procedure. The large number of horizontal profiles needs to be processed to obtain an accurate representation of average velocity of the dye front.
Nanofluidic arrays typically involve the use of very small sample volumes. This very small sample volume makes forming analyte "bands" and detection of individual molecular velocities by traditional means difficult. Furthermore, as with gels, electrophoretic (cross-reactive) analytes may require different analysis times and thus optimal placement relative to the array.

Method for multivariate analysis of confocal temporal image sequences for velocity estimation


An electromagnetic actuator with at least one solenoid coil, one armature, which is magnetically movable by means of the solenoid coil in an armature area and has a first and a second tapering, and a magnetic yoke. The yoke has a first dipping stage in which the first tapering of the armature is dipped upon a shifting of the armature in a direction of actuation, and a second dipping stage in which the second tapering of the armature is dipped upon a shifting of the armature in the direction of actuation. A maximum radial external dimension of the armature in the area of the second tapering is smaller than a minimum radial internal dimension of the second dipping stage. In addition, the invention refers to a fluid valve that is actuated by means of the electromagnetic actuator.

With multi-stage vehicle automatic transmissions and automatic vehicle manual transmissions known from conventional use, hydraulic shifting elements designed as clutches or brakes are used for inserting different transmission stages of the transmission. In this process, for changing or inserting a desired transmission stage of the transmission, the hydraulic shifting elements are pressurized or vented with fluid pressure (fluid pressure is relieved). Fluid valves, in particular pressure control valves, are used for this purpose.
The current standard fluid valves for vehicle transmissions, for example, that which is disclosed in WO 2005/026858 A1, has two poppet valves interconnected at a hydraulic half-bridge circuit. Such a fluid valve has an inlet opening and two outlet openings, whereas, in terms of flow engineering, a first part valve is arranged between the inlet opening and the first outlet opening, and a second part valve is arranged between the first outlet opening and the second outlet opening. Thereby, the part valves are mechanically coupled in such a manner that the part valves alternately close or open. A single electromagnetic actuator is used for the actuation of the part valves.
Equipping such a fluid valve with a flow control device is known from WO 2009/092488 A1. The valve is provided with several channel areas, such that the fluid flowing in the direction of the second part valve is brought into a swirl. Thereby, the second part valve is designed as a cone poppet valve. Here as well, a single electromagnetic actuator is used for the actuation of the part valves.
The fluid valves known from these two documents are so-called "proportional pressure control valves." In operation, such valves are set to a desired fluid pressure p at one of the outlet openings (to the working pressure connection), whereas such fluid pressure is essentially dependent in a proportional manner on an electric current I, which is supplied to the electromagnetic actuator. Thus, on the basis of the supplied electric current I, the desired fluid pressure p may be directly preset. As such, a p/I characteristic curve of such a proportional pressure control valve is essentially line-shaped in the normal operating range; i.e., the output fluid pressure p there is proportional to the supplied electric current I.
However, in some situations, such a purely proportional manner of operation is not advantageous. This is especially the case when, on the one hand, a fluid valve is to be set at low fluid pressures with a very high accuracy, and on the other hand high fluid pressures are to be made available. For precision control of a low fluid pressure, fluid valves require a very flat p/I characteristic curve, as current fluctuations thereby only slightly affect the output fluid pressure. In order to then set a proportional pressure control valve at a high fluid pressure, given the flat p/I characteristic curve, a very large electric current is necessary, which is possibly not available.
Fluid valves with a progressive p/I characteristic curve are known. Their p/I characteristic curve is relatively flat at low fluid pressures/currents (relatively low inclination) and relatively steep at increased fluid pressures/currents (relatively high inclination). Therefore, the p/I characteristic curve for such valves is not line-shaped, or is only partially line-shaped. Thereby, both a more precise setting of low fluid pressures, and a provision of higher fluid pressures, is possible.
A fluid valve with a progressive characteristic curve can be taken from, for example, DE 102 55 414 A1. For the production of the progressive characteristic curve, the electromagnetic actuator provided there, which serves the purpose of actuating the valve, has a two-part solenoid armature, whereas the armature parts are pushed away from each other by means of a spring. A complex assembly of the electromagnetic actuator, and thus the fluid valve, arises from the many individual parts of the solenoid armature,
An electromagnetic actuator is also known from DE 199 53 788 A1; with this, a disproportionately large force is achieved in an end position of the armature, by providing two pole faces on one magnetic yoke of the actuator, with each pole face interacting in succession with a tapering (cone-shaped surface of the armature) for the generation of the actuating force of the actuator. Thereby, the first of the pole faces is provided in an interior space radially enclosed by a solenoid coil of the actuator, and the second of the pole faces is provided outside of this interior space.
The travel path of such electromagnetic actuator is restricted by the second pole face, since it is located in the armature's direction of movement. In addition, a significant interaction between the second pole face and the armature can be achieved at a point that is very late, almost at the end of the travel path of the actuator, since only at that point have the armature and the second pole face sufficiently converged (the air gap between them is then sufficiently reduced). The actuating force path characteristic curve of the actuator correspondingly increases in a progressive manner for the first time at the end of the maximum possible travel path (see FIG. 3 of DE 199 53 788 A1: the actuation here takes place from right to left; i.e., the armature moves in the direction of actuation from s>0 to s=0).

Electromagnetic actuator and fluid valve with such an actuator


Methods for purifying and detecting IgM antibodies employ binding substances which are Borellia burgdorferi cells, or cellular or extracellular components obtained or derived therefrom and which bind to this class of antibodies. The binding substances may be attached to a solid substrate and then the substrate contacted with a solution containing IgM antibodies under conditions such that the antibodies bind to the binding substance on the substrate. The substrate is then contacted with a solution that releases the IgM antibodies from the substrate and the antibodies are recovered or detected. Applications of these methods include, for example, assays for diagnosing diseases which elicit primary and/or secondary IgM antibody-mediated immunity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to methods and kits for isolating and/or detecting IgM antibodies by employing binding substances which are Borrellia burgdorferi cells, or cellular or extracellular components obtained or derived therefrom, as well as to related applications therefor.
2. Description of Related Art
Infection with the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi causes the acute and chronic manifestations of Lyme borreliosis (Burgdorfer, W., A. G. Barbour, S. F. Hayes, J. L. Benach, and J. P. Davis. 1982. Lyme disease--a tick-borne spirochetosis? Science 216:1317-1319). Despite considerable work on humoral and cell-mediated responses to infection, which has recently been reviewed (Steere, A. C. 1989. Lyme Disease. New. Engl. J. Med. 321:586-596. Szczepanski, A., and J. L. Benach. 1991. Lyme borreliosis: host responses to Borrellia burgdorferi. Microbiol. Rev. 55:21-34), the pathogenic mechanisms that contribute to chronic disease induced by this spirochete remain obscure. It is evident that B. burgdorferi is susceptible to complement-mediated cytolysis and phagocytic clearance (Steere, 1989, pp. 586-596; Szczepanski et al., 1991, pp. 21-34). Furthermore, most, if not all, uncompromised mammalian hosts develop a significant humoral response to infection (Steere, 1989, pp. 586-596; Szczepanski et al., 1991, pp. 21-34). However, the persistent infections documented in humans and animal models indicate that immune clearance is either rare or non-existent (Steere, 1989, pp. 586-596; Szczepanski et al., 1991, pp. 21-34). Several studies have demonstrated passive protection by antibodies, and active protection by vaccination in animal models (Steere, 1989, pp. 586-596; Szczepanski et al., 1991, pp. 21-34). Such protection is apparently transient, requiring immunization during a limited period prior to infectious challenge.
Little evidence suggests that antigenic variation contributes significantly to transient protection and persistent infection (Steere, 1989, pp. 586-596; Szczepanski et al., 1991, pp. 21-34). Although antigenic differences among various isolates have been documented (Barbour, A. G., S. L. Tessier, and S. F. Hayes. 1984. Variation in a major surface protein of Lyme Disease Spirochetes. Infect. Immun. 45:94-100; Schwan, T. G. and W. Burgdorfer. 1987. Antigenic changes of Borrelia burgdorferi as a result of in vitro cultivation. J. Infect. Dis. 156:852-853; Steere, 1989, pp. 586-596; Szczepanski et al., 1991, pp. 21-34), dramatic antigenic changes during chronic infection have not been reported. Furthermore, no evidence for antigenic shifts or gene rearrangements in B. burgdorferi, similar to those believed to function as immune evasion mechanisms in the relapsing fever agent B. hermsii (Barbour, A. H., C. J. Carter, N. Burman, C. S. Freitag, C. F. Garon, and S. Bergstrom. 1991. Tandem insertion sequence-like elements define the expression sites for variable antigen genes of Borrelia hermsii. Infect. Immun. 59:390-397), has been described. Such observations have led to suggestions that B. burgdorferi persistent infections are maintained by spirochetes that become sequestered from immune effectors.
Recent studies using an antigen capture and detection assay demonstrated aggregates of extracellular B. burgdorferi antigens in fluids and tissues from infected arthropod and mammalian hosts (Dorward, D. W., T. G. Schwan, C. F. Garon. 1991. Immune capture and detection of extracellular B. burgdorferi antigens in fluids or tissues of ticks, mice, dogs, and humans. J. Clin. Microbiol. 29:1162-1171). The assay system utilized polyclonal F(ab').sub.2 fragments generated against extracellular vesicle concentrates to capture antigens, which were subsequently labeled and detected using polyclonal IgG antibodies specific for B. burgdorferi. These antibodies were raised against an 83 kDa major extracellular protein (MEP) band, but reacted primarily with OspA and OspB from geographically diverse isolates. The assay enabled consistent detection of the aggregates in samples from which spirochetes were rarely observed, suggesting tat the aggregates were constantly circulating, or that the aggregates were deposited by motile spirochetes and persisted in situ. The study also showed that the antigen aggregates could be recovered from culture supernatants along with extracellular membrane vesicles, and that the aggregates may be derived from s-layer material. However, the apparent relationship between the Osp proteins and the 83 kDa band was not pursued beyond demonstrating the reactivity of anti-MEP IgG antibodies (Dorward et al., 1991, pp. 1162-1171).
IgG-binding proteins have conventionally been used to detect the presence of IgG antibodies in solutions, or on surfaces exposed to IgG antibodies by a variety of techniques. Techniques which are commonly used include: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), radioimmunoassay (RIA), immunoblot analysis, immunofluorescent assay (IFA), immunohistochemistry, immunoelectron microscopy (IEM), and immunoilluminescence. Each technique utilizes specific protein conjugates to visualize the binding of the protein conjugate to antibody molecules. Two types of proteins are typically used as conjugates. These are bacterial immunoglobulin binding proteins (Fc receptors) and mammalian antibodies directed against other antibodies. Although both types have unique advantages and disadvantages, bacterial proteins generally offer greater stability at less cost per application. Currently, only staphylococcal protein A, and streptococcal protein G, which exclusively bind to IgG antibody molecules are commonly used. A wide variety of enzyme-linked, radioactive, fluorescent, illuminescent, and metallocolloid conjugates of these proteins are commercially available. However, no IgM-specific bacterial protein conjugates have been developed. Therefore, it is desirable to develop an IgM-binding substance or protein which may be used to purify or detect IgM antibodies and which also may be employed in the above-noted applications for IgG-binding proteins.

Methods for purifying and detecting IGM antibodies

The Government of the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services


A sock, in particular, a sports sock, comprising a sole region (10), which has a toe region (1), a ball region (2), and a heel region (3). The sole region (10) is provided with a heel guide pad (4) and a ball guide pad (5), which lie substantially parallel to a longitudinal roll line (6) of the foot of the wearer of the sock.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a sock, in particular a sports sock, comprising a sole region which has a toe region, a ball region and a heel region.
The term sock here stands for all types of legwear, including also, for example, stockings, tights, foot wraps and the like.
In sports activities in particular, socks today not only serve the function of reducing friction between the foot and the shoe, they also support the foot in its natural rolling movement. In a running and jumping movement, an increased load is applied to the foot, as a result of which the foot buckles to dampen the impact. In this so-called pronation, the foot with its outer sole marginal region rests against the base support and it shifts the load subsequently slightly toward the foot inner side, so that the longitudinal arch of the foot can cave in and thus absorb part of the impact.
Pronation depends on the particular configuration of the foot. Here, a distinction must be made between different foot types, namely the normal foot, the contracted foot, and the flat foot. The normal foot has a foot arch optimally shaped for the rolling movement. During walking or running, it first contacts the ground with the outer side of the back of the foot, then it rolls inward, in order to absorb and dampen the impact on the ground. This is referred to as natural pronation. Contracted feet, on the other hand, do not buckle inward in the landing phase, and they leave a footprint primarily in the front and back foot regions. This is referred to as underpronation. As a result, the natural protection of the foot against impacts is strongly reduced. Flat feet, on the other hand, have a very low foot arch and they leave a complete footprint, because they buckle very strongly toward the inner side after the setting down phase. This movement is referred to as overpronation.
Both in underpronation and in overpronation, insufficient damping of the impact energy generated during walking or running occurs. Consequently, the foot—and as a result the rest of the locomotion apparatus of humans—is exposed to particularly heavy loads.
Description of Related Art
In order to protect the tendons and the ligaments, it is therefore known to use socks that support the natural roll movement of the foot and reduce the extent of underpronation or overpronation. DE 10 2007 024 758 A1 discloses such a sock. The sole region of the sock is here provided with a pronation support, which is arranged in the region of the longitudinal arch of the sole region. The pronation support is formed in the shape of a sickle and it has substantially the length of the longitudinal arch and a width that is two to four times smaller.
Moreover, in the sole region, a front and a rear damping region are provided, which dampen the impact of the ball region and of the heel region. Here, the disadvantage of this sole region, which has been subdivided into several regions, is the low wearer comfort, resulting from the slipping of the sock on the foot of the wearer. As a result of several independently acting functional regions, the overall hold is insufficient and as a result the control of the roll of the foot by the sock is insufficient, so that the foot does not roll along the roll line.
In addition, in the prior art, other variants exist that provide a one-part design of the functional regions. For example, DE 10 2008 020 993 B4 describes a sock in which the entire sole region, i.e., over its entire length, has a design with structuring as a function of a roll line. Although this ensures a secure hold of the foot during the roll movement, an unpleasantly rigid wearing sensation for the wearer is generated, due to the firm guidance of the sock. In addition, at the buckling places of the structure, material is thrown over, which can leave painful pressure sites on the foot sole.


An improved trash handling device for receiving trash in a trash container enclosed within a housing where the housing has a completely enclosed manually operated trash compactor for selectively compacting the trash received in the container, wherein the compactor includes a pyramid-shaped compacting plate for engaging the trash in the container, a foot lever for rotating the compacting plate downwardly from resting position into the trash container, a pneumatic spring for biasing the compacting plate to resting position, and a safety lock preventing delivery of trash to the container during a compacting cycle.

It is well known that trash in fast-food restaurants is generally light in weight because it includes drinking cups, cardboard food containers, wrapping papers, and molded plastic food containers. When patrons of the restaurant eat within the restaurant, they normally deposit their trash into a trash receptacle which includes a housing within which a trash container is provided and a swinging door for access to the interior of the housing which allows the patrons to deposit trash through the swinging door into the trash container located within the housing. It is also known to provide plastic liners for the trash containers in the form of bags within which the trash is collected and thereafter removed from the trash containers when filled. Such trash handling units require the use of many plastic trash bags and labor intensive manpower to handle the bags and maintain the trash within the containers at a level that will allow them to receive further trash, so that the trash does not spill out onto the floor.
Considerable storage area is necessary in order to store filled trash bags accumulated during the servicing of a trash receptacle. A bag holding the trash in the container must be removed from the container, closed and tied off and replaced with another empty bag. Then the filled bag is removed to a disposal service area for storage until a garbage service removes the trash. Because of the rapid buildup of trash, manual handling of filled trash bags and a large storage area must be provided to accommodate the filled trash bags.
Heretofore, it has been well known to provide trash handling devices which include compactors for trash containers such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,358 to minimize the number of bags. However, the potential problems with this trash handling device is that the lever or handle for operating the compactor is on the exterior of the trash receptacle and is thereby operable by a patron of the restaurant, which is undesirable. Further, the compacting plate may not be sufficiently sized and shaped to completely compact the trash in the plastic bag to fully maximize the amount of trash in the bag.


A pneumatic tire which comprises a tread portion with a pair of tread edges, and a tire shoulder extending radially inwardly from one of the tread edges, provided with a curved surface comprising a convex curve, wherein, on a cylindrical surface centered on the tire axis and intersecting the curved surface, the convex curve swells axially outwards and has a curvature, and the curvature gradually diminishes towards the radially inside from the tread edge. It is possible that the tread portion is provided along the tread edges with a circumferentially extending rib and/or a circumferential row of blocks. In case of circumferential rib, the rib is provided with the curved surface comprising a plurality of the convex curves and a plurality of convex curves alternating therewith so that the curved surface is waved in the tire circumferential direction. In case of blocks in a circumferential row, it is preferable that each block is provided with the curved surface comprising at last one convex curve.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire, more particularly to a tire shoulder having a specific configuration being capable of improving wandering performance.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to prevent wandering of a vehicle during running on rutted roads, countermeasures taken on the pneumatic tires especially for heavy duty vehicles are providing axial cuts or sipes in the tread shoulder to decrease the rigidity, and rounding the tire shoulder with a relatively large radius to decrease the camber thrust.
When the axial sipes are provided, however, the tread rubber is liable to be torn off at the tread edge, and uneven wear is liable to occur along the sipes. These drawbacks are especially remarkable in case of heavy duty radial tires. When the tire shoulder is rounded by a relatively large radius, the ground contacting area decreases, and running performance such as road grip, cornering performance and the like are liable to deteriorate.

Pneumatic tire having shoulder blocks with V-shaped axially inner edge and convexly curved axially outer surface


A bolster for resisting rolling of a person off of a mattress, comprising a lateral cushion adapted to be disposed proximate and parallel to an edge of the mattress, and a tensile portion having a means for attachment to said lateral cushion, providing a distributed tensile force to resist a laterally outward displacement of the lateral cushion, the tensile force being transmitted beneath the mattress having a force vector downward and inward. Both the lateral cushion and the mattress may be inflatable, and preferably a pair of lateral cushions, interconnected by a tensile sheet below the mattress, are provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bolster for an air mattress.
2. Description of Background Art
A number of types of air mattresses are known, including low air loss beds, lateral rotation beds and fluidized bead beds. See, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,694,555, 6,536,056, and 6,353,950, expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. One type of known design has a series of transversely oriented bladders disposed side-by-side to form a mattress. Each bladder has a port for inflation and rapid deflation, and typically has a series of punctures on the top to provide a low flow of air out of the bladder toward the person lying on the bed. A blower control is typically provided to inflate the mattress and heat the air, and a number of other functions may be provided as well. The blower control may have a number of zones, for example head, back, buttock, and leg. Each of these zones may have independent pressure control. In addition, the blower control may be integrated with the bed frame control, to adjust for inclination, sitting posture, etc. The blower control may also provide an auxiliary output, for example to provide lateral rotation.
Pneumatic bolsters are also known. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,399, expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. See also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,421,044; 5,956,787; 6,085,372; 6,065,166; 6,154,900; 6,782,574; 6,739,001, each of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.


Disclosed is an apparatus and method for driving a 2-phase SRM capable of individually performing an initial driving by an initializing sensor and a normal driving by a driving sensor, and capable of controlling a rotation speed of the SRM by delaying a phase signal by a half period and then generating a pulse width modulation signal based on the period. The apparatus comprises: a driving sensor which detects a position of a rotor thus to generate a driving sensor signal based on a result of the detection; a microprocessor which generates a 1-phase signal and a 2-phase signal based on a rising time and a falling time of the driving sensor signal at the time of a normal driving; an oscillator which generates first and second pulse width modulation signals delayed by a preset time; and a multiplying unit which multiplies the 1-phase and 2-phase signals with the first and second pulse width modulation signals, and generates 1-phase and 2-phase driving signals based on a result of the multiplication.

In the conventional method for driving a 2-phase SRM, two position sensors are used to detect each position of a rotor, and generated sensor signals serve to initialize and drive each phase.
FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing a construction for detecting a sensor signal of a 2-phase SRM.
As shown, the 2-phase SRM comprises a 4-pole stator 10, a 2-phase rotor 11, a rotor shaft 12 connected to the center of the rotor 11 for transmitting a rotary motion of the rotor, a 2-phase shutter 13 rotatably connected to the rotor shaft 12, 1-phase and 2-phase sensors 14a and 14b for detecting a position of the shutter 13, and a sensor signal generator 15 for generating 1-phase and 2-phase sensor signals from signals detected by the 1-phase and 2-phase sensors 14a and 14b.
Each phase of the shutter 13 has an angle of 120°, and the two phases form an angle of 60° therebetween.
The 1-phase and 2-phase sensors 14a and 14b form an angle of 90° therebetween, and are positioned on the shutter 13.
In the conventional method for driving an SRM, when the shutter 13 is rotated as the rotor 11 is rotated, the sensors 14a and 14b detect each position of each phase of the shutter 13. Then, the sensors 14a and 14b transmit the detected position to the sensor signal generator 15 thus to enable 1-phase and 2-phase sensor signals to be generated.
That is, the 1-phase and 2-phase sensors respectively detect each position of each phase of the rotor, and then a microprocessor (not shown) generates 1-phase and 2-phase signals corresponding to the sensor signals. Accordingly, a current is supplied to each winding of each phase of the SRM thus to generate a torque.
FIGS. 2 to 5 show sensor signals according to each position of a rotor of the 2-phase SRM in accordance with the conventional art.
As shown, when the rotor 11 is counterclockwise rotated, the shutter 13 connected to the rotor shaft 12 starts to be rotated. The 1-phase and 2-phase sensors 14a and 14b detect a position of the shutter 13 thus to detect a position of the rotor 11. Accordingly, the sensor signal generator 15 generates a sensor signal of each phase.
Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, when the rotor 11 is aligned, the shutter 13 is positioned at an angle of 0°.
FIG. 2 shows a high 1-phase sensor signal S1 and a high 2-phase sensor signal S2 when the shutter 13 is positioned within a range of 0°˜30°.
FIG. 3 shows a high 1-phase sensor signal S1 and a low 2-phase sensor signal S2 when the shutter 13 is positioned within a range of 30°˜90°.
FIG. 4 shows a high 1-phase sensor signal S1 and a high 2-phase sensor signal S2 when the shutter 13 is positioned within a range of 90°˜120°.
FIG. 5 shows a low 1-phase sensor signal S1 and a high 2-phase sensor signal S2 when the shutter 13 is positioned within a range of 120°˜180°.
A microprocessor (not shown) generates each sensor signal of each phase and modulates each pulse width of the generated signals, thereby driving the SRM.
FIG. 6 is a curve showing an SRM driving torque in accordance with the conventional art.
As shown, a 1-phase signal having a dwell time of 0°˜120° and 180°˜360° of one cycle of 360°, and a 2-phase signal having a delay of 90° from the 1-phase signal are modulated from the first and second sensor signals shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D thus to be inputted to each winding of the 2-phase SRM. Accordingly, a torque is generated as indicated by the curve of FIG. 3.
However, the conventional art has the following problems. Since the 1-phase sensor initializes and normally-drives a 1-phase and the 2-phase sensor initializes and normally-drives a 2-phase, a sufficient amount of currents are not supplied to each winding of each phase of the SRM at the time of an initial torque occurrence in a normal driving mode (e.g., t1, t2 and t3 of FIG. 3). Accordingly, a torque is not sufficiently generated thus not to normally drive the SRM.
That is, when the 2-phase SRM is driven at a high speed, each phase signal has to be risen at a point prior to an initial point so as to generate a sufficient amount of torque. However, in the conventional art, the 1-phase sensor and the 2-phase sensor detect sensor signals at the same position in an initial driving mode and a normal driving mode, thereby generating each phase signal and a signal for driving the SRM. Accordingly, a sufficient amount of torque is not generated at the time of driving the SRM at a high speed.
Furthermore, a dwell time and a rising delay time of a pulse width modulation signal are controlled based on a phase signal in order to control a rotation speed of the SRM. However, when the SRM is driven at a high speed, the phase signal has a short period and thus the microprocessor has a limited operation speed. Accordingly, it is difficult to control the dwell time and the rising delay time of the pulse width modulation signal based on the phase signal having a short period.

Apparatus and method for driving 2-phase SRM


An image forming apparatus operates in such a way that when the conditions of toner changes due to changes in environmental conditions, changes with age, and replacement of an EP cartridge, the bias voltages for a charging roller, a developing roller, and a toner-supplying roller are set appropriately. An electrostatic latent image can be formed on a photoconductive body. The developing roller causes developer to adhere to the electrostatic latent image to develop the electrostatic latent image. The toner-supplying roller supplies the developer to the developing roller. The current measuring section measures a current flowing through at least one of the developing roller and the toner-supplying roller. An voltage-setting section sets at least one of the developing roller and the toner-supplying roller to a corresponding one of first voltages, the first voltages being set in timed relation with development of the electrostatic latent image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile machine, an electrophotographic apparatus, and a copying machine in which images are formed by controlling the bias voltages for a toner-supplying roller, a developing roller, and a charging roller.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 13 illustrates a general configuration of a conventional image-forming apparatus.
A charging roller 4 charges the surface of a photoconductive drum 1 to a predetermined potential. An LED head 26 illuminates the charged surface of the photoconductive drum 1 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive drum 1. A toner-supplying roller 3 delivers an appropriate amount of the toner 9, supplied from the toner cartridge 12, to developing roller 2. A toner blade 10 forms a toner layer having a uniform thickness on a developer roller 2. The developing roller 2 causes toner 9 as a developer to adhere to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductive drum 1, thereby forming a toner image. A transfer roller 5 transfers the toner image formed on the photoconductive drum 1 onto a print medium 11. A cleaning roller 7 removes residual toner on the surface of the photoconductive drum 1 after transferring. For ease of maintenance, the developing roller 2 and toner-cartridge 12 are usually provided in an EP cartridge 13.
The developing roller 2, toner-supplying roller 3, and charging roller 4 receive negative voltages Vg, Vs and Ve, respectively. In this specification, these negative voltages will be described by omitting their polarity. That is, "a high voltage" means "a negative voltage having a large absolute voltage value." Likewise, "a low voltage" means "a negative voltage having a small absolute voltage value."
With the aforementioned conventional image-forming apparatus, the charging characteristic of the toner, toner-supplying roller 3, and developing roller 2 varies with environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity in a toner cartridge 12. For the same bias voltage, the amount of toner deposited to a unit area of the developing roller 2 varies greatly. Sometimes, a total amount of charge per unit area (referred to as toner potential hereinafter) in relation to the surface potential of the photoconductive drum 1 falls outside of an appropriate range.
For example, when the charging characteristic of toner is improved due to environmental changes, more toner is deposited on the developing roller 2 and the toner potential near the developing roller 2 increases as well. Toner potential is high in non-image areas on the photoconductive drum 1 where negative charges are not dissipated by exposure. Too high a toner potential may cause the toner to adhere to the non-image areas on the photoconductive drum, resulting in soiling of the print medium 11. Conversely, when the charging characteristic degrades, less toner is deposited to the developing roller 2, so that the toner potential near the developing roller 2 decreases. Thus, the toner density of an image becomes low to cause blurred print results.
In order to address variations of toner potential due to environmental conditions, the conventional image-forming apparatus has a table that lists bias voltages for the charging roller 4 and environmental conditions corresponding to the bias voltages. For various environmental conditions, suitable bias voltages for the charging roller 4 are determined experimentally. When a printing operation is performed, a bias voltage is read from the table according to environmental conditions detected with, for example, a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor.
However, with the aforementioned conventional image-forming apparatus, if the sensors are not disposed at proper locations within the EP cartridge 13, detected environmental conditions have errors, making it difficult to set appropriate bias voltages. Additionally, the charging characteristic of toner varies with time and from cartridge to cartridge. However, the same bias voltage is read from the table for the same environmental condition. Therefore, it is difficult to set optimum bias voltages.

Image forming apparatus with a current measuring section


A switching power supply is provided including a transformer that transforms an AC voltage converted by a bridge circuit, and outputs the transformed voltage from a center tap between secondary coils, and two second switches that respectively cause both ends of the secondary coils to be brought in contact with and be separated from a fixed electrical potential. By the second switches being switched on/off, the switching power supply outputs the rectified DC voltage from the center tap. The switching power supply further includes two diodes connected to the both ends of the secondary coils, and cause the currents to flow from the both ends, a capacitor that stores the currents caused to flow, and a third switch that is connected between the capacitor and the center tap, in which, by the third switch being turned on, the capacitor is discharged to the smoothing circuit.

FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a switching power supply apparatus disclosed in JP 2005-137178A. In this switching power supply apparatus, an inverter 1 that includes an H-shaped bridge constituted by four switches converts a DC voltage Vin applied to input terminals T1, T2 that are provided at both ends of a capacitor 2 into an AC voltage. A resonant inductor 4 and a primary coil of a transformer 3 are connected in series to a bridging portion of the H-shaped bridge, and thus the AC voltage converted by the inverter 1 is transformed by the transformer 3, and the transformed AC voltage is rectified by a rectification circuit 5.
The rectification circuit 5 includes a diode 51 whose anode is connected to one terminal TA of secondary coils of the transformer 3, and a diode 52 whose anode is connected to another terminal TB of the secondary coils. Cathodes of the diodes 51, 52 are connected to each other. The rectification circuit 5 outputs the rectified DC voltage to a snubber circuit 6 from the cathodes of the diodes 51, 52 that are connected to each other.
In the snubber circuit 6, one terminal of a capacitor 61 is connected to the cathodes of the diodes 51, 52 that are connected to each other, and the other terminal of the capacitor 61 is connected to an anode of a diode 62 and to one terminal of a regenerative inductor 63. A cathode of the diode 62 and the other terminal of the regenerative inductor 63 are connected to the center tap between the secondary coils of the transformer 3.
The DC voltage in which surge voltages are absorbed and reduced by the snubber circuit 6 is smoothed by a smoothing circuit 7, and the smoothed DC voltage Vout is output from output terminals T3, T4. In the smoothing circuit 7, one terminal of an inductor 71 is connected to the one terminal of the capacitor 61 of the snubber circuit 6, and the other terminal of the inductor 71 is connected to the output terminal T3 and to one terminal of a capacitor 72. The other terminal of the capacitor 72 is connected to the output terminal T4 and the center tap between the secondary side coils of the transformer 3.
In the switching power supply apparatus having such a configuration, the capacitor 61 of the snubber circuit 6 and the resonant inductor 4 provided on the primary side of the transformer 3 constitute an LC serial resonance circuit, which enables suppression of a surge voltage that is applied to the diodes 51, 52 of the rectification circuit 5.