The disclosure relates to Bovine germplasm of Bos taurus variety HO840M003150607238. Included in the present disclosure are cells comprising the genome of Bovine variety HO840M003150607238 characterized by the presence of homozygous loci and spermatozoa obtained from said cells. Also provided by the present disclosure are tissue cultures of cells, animals obtained from said cells, and parts thereof, including F1 spermatozoa. The disclosure further provides for methods of breeding, selecting, and using the germplasm to improve existing commercial cattle herds generated from in vitro fertilization methods and progeny cattle obtained from in vitro fertilization and implantation and artificial insemination methods.

There are numerous steps in the development of any new, desirable Bos taurus germplasm. Bos taurus breeding begins with the analysis and definition of problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishment of program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. The next step is selection of germplasm that possess the traits to meet the program goals. A goal is to combine in a single variety an improved combination of desirable traits from the parental germplasm. See Schefers et al., "Genomic selection in dairy cattle: Integration of DNA testing into breeding programs" Animal Frontiers 2(1):1-9 (2012).
During breeding, cattle breeders have a variety of sources when making breeding decisions. In addition to genomic data, a number of agencies and organizations collect and release analysis of population data and indexes. Every three months, the Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory (AIPL) of the United States Department of Agriculture releases the newest USDA-DHIA (Dairy Herd Improvement Association) genetic evaluations for dairy bulls and cows. The AIPL calculates genetic evaluations for type for various breeds, and many breed associations provide their own indexes or other strategies for evaluating certain breed-relevant traits. U.S. dairy genetic evaluations are computed every four months by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) and Holstein Association USA (HAU). Both CDCB and HAU traits provide the breeder within important comparative data to evaluate the complex genetic and phenotypic traits to develop improved and desirable Bos taurus germplasm. For Holstein and Jersey sires, for example, evaluations are genomically enhanced and represent a blending of genomic data, pedigree information, and results from progeny. These genetic evaluations provide the breeder important information for the selection of desirable germplasm and the development of new and valuable inseminates.
There is a continuous need to develop improved Bos taurus germplasm for use in improving production herds as well as for the continued improvement of elite animals. The present germplasm is the result of crosses between superior elite females ranked by performance as among the top 1% of the population of domesticated dams and elite bulls that are among the top 5% of the domestic population.


An injectable composition comprises a benzimidazole compound having an antiulcer action and a strong alkali (e.g., an alkali metal hydroxide such as sodium hydroxide) in a proportion of about 1 equivalent of the latter relative to 1 mol of the former, and is substantially free from a nonaqueous solvent. The injectable composition may comprise N-methylglucamine, and a saccharide (such as mannitol). The injectable composition may be a freeze-dried preparation. The freeze-dried preparation is dissolvable in or dilutive with a distilled water for injection or an infusion solution without a nonaqueous solvent. The injectable composition is useful as an antiulcer agent.

As injectable compositions comprising a 2-[(2-pyridyl)methylsulfinyl]benzimidazole compound having an antiulcer action, for example, the following injectable compositions have been reported.
1) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 138213/1990 (JP-2-138213A) (EP 0356143) discloses an injectable solution which comprises a benzimidazole compound having an antiulcer action and at least one of ethanol, propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol. The literature also discloses an injectable solution which contains a freeze-dried product of the benzimidazole compound dissolved in a mixture solution of an acidic substance and a polyethylene glycol, and further contains a saccharide such as mannitol and N-methylglucamine. Further, in Example 4 of the literature, 1 g of lansoprazole was dispersed in a distilled water for injection, and 3 ml of 1N-aqueous sodium hydroxide solution was added thereto to dissolve lansoprazole, followed by addition of water to make up to the total of 50 ml. The mixture was subjected to sterile filtration. The resulting filtrate was filled in a portion into vials, followed by lyophilization. The lyophilized powder was dissolved in a dissolving solvent composed of N-methylglucamine, hydrochloric acid and a polyethylene glycol.
However, in the injectable solution, the specific liquid composition for dissolution containing an alcohol selected from ethanol, propylene glycol and a polyethylene glycol is required, and an excess of alkali (sodium hydroxide) is employed.
2) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 92853/1994 (JP-6-92853A) (WO94/02141) discloses an injection comprising a 2-[(2-pyridyl)methylsulfinyl]benzimidazole compound having an antiulcer activity or a salt thereof and an aqueous solvent without nonaqueous solvent, wherein the pH of the injection is not less than 9.5 and not more than 11.5. In Example of the literature, 1N sodium hydroxide (2.3 ml) is added to 21.3 g of sodium salt of omeprazole (20 g as omeprazole), and a water for injection is added thereto to adjust the pH to 11.5. After filtration for sterilization, this alkaline aqueous solution is charged in vials and is lyophilized, followed by dissolution of the lyophilized product in a physiological saline to give an omeprazole injection.
However, an excess of an alkali (sodium hydroxide) is employed in the injection with the use of an aqueous solvent containing no nonaqueous solvent. Thus, in order to prepare an injection solution with the use of a freeze-dried injection, such complicated operations are required as kneading a 2-[(2-pyridyl)methylsulfinyl]benzimidazole compound for wetting and then dissolving the compound. The kneading operation might cause the formation of an exogenous material due to contact of the using instruments with each other. Moreover, owing to the complicated operations, it takes many hours to dissolve, as a result, the high concentration of an alkali aqueous solution is contacted with carbon dioxide in an air to decrease pH of the solution so that the quality of the injection is sometimes deteriorated. Further, there is a possibility that an excess of an alkali causes a pain or dolor and a local irritation by an injection. Therefore, there has been a growing demand for such an injectable composition that there is no need to attach the exclusive dissolving solution for the injectable composition, that the amount of an alkali to be used is as small as possible, and that the kneading operation and the complicated dissolving operation are not required. Moreover, such injectable compositions are considerably needed as preventing pH of the injectable composition from decreasing upon producing and redissolving of the injectable composition, and as maintaining the quality of the injectable composition.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an injectable composition having no need to attach the exclusive dissolving solution for the injectable composition and capable of being dissolved in or diluted with a physiological saline or an infusion solution, and a production process of the same.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an injectable composition dissolvable by a simple operation, and a production process of the same.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such an excellent injectable composition that pH of the injectable composition does not decline and that a pain (or dolor) or a local irritation is relieved by decreasing the alkali amount to be used, and a production process of the same.


A method for estimating a plurality of delay values in a multi-path communication signal. Correlation values are generated that correspond to a plurality of delay values associated with the multi-path communication signal. A first power-delay profile (PDP) sequence is produced from the correlation values and is used to estimate a first delay value. A first reference PDP sequence is generated based on a predefined PDP sequence and the first PDP sequence. The first reference PDP sequence is removed from the first PDP sequence so as to remove at least a portion of the contributions to the first PDP sequence from the first delay value, and to provide a second PDP sequence. A second value is estimated based on the second PDP sequence.

Some wireless digital communication systems use frequency division multiple access (FDMA) to divide the RF communication spectrum into a plurality of radio channels corresponding to different carrier frequencies. Some wireless communication systems divide the same carrier frequency into a periodic train of time slots that are separately used by RF transmitters, referred to as time-division-multiple-access (TDMA). Example TDMA digital cellular systems include IS-136, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution), and PDC (Personal Digital Cellular).
Still some other wireless communication systems use code division multiple access (CDMA) to allow different signals to share the same carrier frequencies. Example CDMA cellular systems include IS-95, cdma2000, and WCDMA (wideband-CDMA). In a CDMA system, an information data stream to be transmitted is impressed upon a higher rate data stream, known as a spreading sequence, to provide a stream of bits referred to as a chip sequence. A receiver then correlates a received chip sequence to the spreading sequence to recover the information data stream.
In RF communications systems, signals that are transmitted to a receiver typically suffer from distortion due to time dispersion, caused by, for example, signal reflections from buildings and other reflective terrestrial surfaces. Multi-path dispersion occurs when a signal proceeds to the receiver along not one but many paths so that the receiver receives many "images" having different and varying delays and amplitudes. Thus, when multi-path time dispersion is present, the receiver receives a composite signal of multiple versions of a transmitted bit that have propagated along different paths (referred to as "signal paths" or "rays"). Each signal path has a certain time of arrival relative to the arrival of a shortest, or first received, signal path. Receivers may collect the signal energy from the different multi-paths to reproduce the transmitted information.
A receiver may model the channel as a tapped delay line, in which tap locations correspond to ray or path delays and the tap coefficients correspond to channel coefficients. The delays and coefficients may be estimated and used to demodulate a received signal. For TDMA, or other narrowband systems, a receiver may include a coherent demodulator, such as a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) or maximum likelihood sequence equalizer (MLSE). For CDMA systems, the demodulator may include a RAKE receiver.
A RAKE receiver may be used to detect individual signal images or versions using correlation operations, to correct for different time delays, and to combine the detected signal images. RAKE receivers include processing elements or "fingers". The receiver may estimate the delays of the multi-paths and assign a finger to each delay. The finger then despreads the signal image. The finger outputs may be combined by weighting them and adding them together.
Delay estimation may be challenging when the rays are closely spaced relative to the bit period in TDMA systems or the chip period in CDMA systems. Delays may be particularly difficult to estimate when the rays interact with one another, such as due to a ringing of pulses in a CDMA chip sequence, and/or when the delays occur within several bit/chip periods.
One approach to estimating delays in multi-path signals is discussed in the commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/005,580, filed Jan. 12, 1998, entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTI-PATH DELAY ESTIMATION IN DIRECT SEQUENCE SPREAD SPECTRUM COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS", which is incorporated herein by reference.

Methods and receivers that estimate multi-path delays by removing signal rays from a power-delay profile


An improved bucking tool construction 10 including a generally L-shaped main tool body unit 11 having opposite ends 22, 23, and a pair of replaceable impact surface units 12 removably disposed on the opposite ends 22, 23 of the tool body unit 11. The tool body unit 11 is fabricated with a material 21 which is softer than the material 32 from which the impact surface units 12 are fabricated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of bucking tools in general and, in particular to a rivet bucking tool that has replaceable impact faces.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,512,532; 3,478,567; 4,398,411; and 5,269,381, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse rivet bucking devices.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical way of providing an economical hand held bucking tool to facilitate the bucking of rivets, particularly for securing the sheet metal of a trailer, or the like.
Up until the present time, no one has developed a low cost basic hand held bucking tool. Instead, most people have relied upon costly and/or complex tool constructions which are not cost effective for either professional or casual usage or have improvised with scrap material available, which often results in loss of quality uniformity in bucking rivets and/or compromises the safety of the technician.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved manual bucking tool that is simple, economical and safe to use, yet is also provided with high quality impact receiving and transmitting elements, and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.


The disclosed embodiments relate to a composition for the dechlorination of water and improving the palatability of chlorinated water for livestock. In certain aspects, disclosed compositions comprise a pour point suppressant; a reducing agent; a weak base, and water. Further disclosed are method for dechlorinating chlorinated water comprising combing a dechlorinating solution with chlorinated water, wherein the dechlorinating solution comprises a pour point suppressant; a reducing agent; a weak base, and water.

The disclosure relates to compositions and methods for treatment of liquids such as water for use in livestock, equine, and house hold pet applications. When farm-raised livestock are introduced to chlorine containing municipal water, often at livestock fairs or exhibitions, they often will not drink the water. In some cases, the animal may not drink the water for several days leading to animal dehydration. It is understood that not only is this bad for the animal health, but it also reduces the show appeal of animal at the exhibition. In extreme situations, the exhibitor may force-feed water to the animal. Prior approaches to reduce chlorination levels of municipal water sources for livestock consumption have utilized filters attached to the end of a house. However, the dechlorination capacity of these filters is quickly exhausted, limiting their utility for larger volumes of water. As a result of the insufficiency of available dechlorination options, it is common for exhibitors to haul water tanks long distances at substantial cost to ensure their animals will have palatable water at exhibition sites. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for compositions and methods to increase the palatability of chlorinated water.

Compositions and methods for reduction of free chlorine and related odor


The present invention relates to a method for configuring synchronous table-driven operations of a distributed avionics control system comprising a plurality of processing nodes (S1-S4) interconnected in a network (2). The method comprises the steps of providing a global timing meta-data component (X4), a plurality of application meta-data components (X51-X52), and a node assignment meta-data component (X 2). The method also comprises the steps of detecting data communication paths, detecting communication requirements, generating a system schedule meta-data component, generating a system configuration data and providing the system configuration to the distributed avionics control system.

1. Related Field
The present invention relates to a method for control of avionics.
Furthermore, the invention relates to software adapted to perform steps of the control method when executed on a computer.
2. Description of Related Art
In embedded control systems of today, developments in digital technology have enabled complex functionality. However as a direct result from the development, the need of additional system capacity provided by software and various components such as sensors, processors, display units, data buses and memory units is increasing.
Apart from implementing more functionality and interconnectivity in control systems, using less Space Weight-and-PoWer, (SWaP) and a reduced number of cabling are further important drivers. Updates of embedded hardware and software during a product's life span make adaptability and modularity another interesting design parameter. Other incentives include achieving cost efficient development, production and maintenance, Where one possible route is to implement Commercial-Of-The-Shelf (COTS) technology instead of expensive specialized technology.
Real-time systems for safety critical control applications, wherein typically data from sensor/s are acquired, communicated and processed to provide a control signal to an actuator pose strict demands regarding bandwidth, data delivery time, redundancy, and integrity. Failure to meet one or several of these demands can in applications including "brake-by-wire" or "steer-by-wire" prove dangerous.
One such area wherein reliable high-speed real-time execution and communication of data is applicable is within avionics systems. Advances in technology during late 1960 and early 1970 made it necessary to share information between different avionics subsystems in order to reduce the number of Line Replaceable Units (LRU's). A single sensor such as a position sensor provided information to weapon systems, display system, autopilot and navigation system.
The high level architecture of avionics systems has gone from federated meaning separate LRU's for separate functions to Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) meaning several functions integrated into multifunctional LRU's. The connectivity allowing communication between different LRU's has gone from low bandwidth point-to-point connections to higher bandwidth point-to-multipoint connections, such as for example switched Ethernet networks.
Guidance set out by Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) in DO-178B and RTCA DO-254 regulates how to design and develop software and respective hardware in a safe way in order to show airworthiness, according to a criticality scale. However certification and subsequent rectification of software according to the DO-178B represents a substantial cost of developing software based avionic control systems.
In order to assist development of modern control systems for avionics a set of guidance documents such as RTCA DO-297 and Aeronautical Radio Inc. (ARINC) 651 defines general concepts for IMA systems. Further ARINC 653 "Avionics application software standard interface", defines an Application Program Interface (API) referred to as Application Executive (APEX), implemented in Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) used for avionic control systems. ARINC 653 allows for space and time partitioning that may be used wherever multiple applications need to share a single processor and memory resource, in order to guarantee that one application cannot bring down another in the event of application failure.
Configuration of one or more ARINC 653 based RTOS for an avionics control system is typically performed by manually entering a large number of configuration data and parameters. The configuration of an IMA system and the associated applications may require a specification that is several thousand lines long. The configuration data and parameters dictate for example conditions for the space and time partitioning and data communication ports. Using DO-297 notation, a number of different engineering teams such as hardware platform providers, software application developers and system integrators usually partake in the process of designing and configuring an avionics control system. It is a complex task to ensure a correct configuration is due to dependencies between multiple configuration data, associated to hardware and software. This is especially the case in an avionics control system comprising a large number software and hardware components. Modifications of the avionics control system performed by one of the engineering team can affect the work already performed by the other teams. Verification and validation of configuration data is typically performed by an iterative procedure comprising providing the configuration data to the avionics control system and subjecting the avionics control system to extensive test procedures to ensure proper function. The outcome of the test procedure may result in an accurate set of configuration data or in a new set of configuration data to be provided to the avionics control system for testing.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,343,622 B1 discloses multi-level secure multi-processor computer architecture. The inventive architecture provides an inexpensive security solution for integrated avionics and includes a plurality of nodes. The nodes are connected via a switch in a network configuration over which data is routed using labels. The switch is controlled to facilitate secure communication of data between the nodes. Each node has a central processing unit. The system manager is implemented as a node and sets up routing tables for selective connection of the nodes via the switch.
US 2009/0005916 A1 discloses a method and system for facilitating substantially seamless interface between individual component systems for sensor fusion, data exchange, and communication across a broad spectrum of component systems in a vehicle without implicating hardware or software upgrade within individual legacy systems and/or sensors. A universal translator is provided to interface between individual system components that exchange data in a seamless manner between legacy data formats and specific data formats advantageously employed by newly-developed, procured and installed individual component systems.
However, moving from centralized avionics control system in attempts to reduce costs and increase modularity tends to decrease determinism and increase complexity related to system configuration.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art of avionics to present improved methods, intended to facilitate system configuration and enhance adaptability and determinism.

Method for configuring a distributed avionics control system


Techniques for varying content item density are provided. A first minimum gap value is stored that dictates how close two content items of a first type may appear in a content item feed that contains content items of multiple types that includes the first type and a second type. The first minimum gap value is used to place content items in a first set of content item feeds. For each content item feed of the first set of content item feeds, performance data that indicates how well content items of the first type perform in the content item feed is generated. Based on the performance data and the first minimum gap value, a second minimum gap value that is different than the first minimum gap value is generated. The second minimum gap value is used to place content items in a second plurality of content item feeds.

The Internet has enabled the delivery of electronic content to billions of people. Some content providers desire to send additional content items to users who visit a website hosted by a third-party publisher system. To do so, content providers may rely on a content delivery service that delivers the additional content items to computing devices of such users. In one approach, a content provider provides, to the content delivery service, data that indicates one or more user attributes that users must satisfy in order to receive the additional content items. The content delivery service creates a content delivery campaign that includes the data and is intended for sending additional content items to computing devices of users who will visit the website. However, if too many content items of a particular type are displayed at one time, then users that are not interested in content items of that type will begin to ignore those content items completely and will be less likely to interact with those content items.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Feedback based controller for varying content item density


A method for influencing a system for monitoring alertness of an operator when operating a device includes providing one or more representations of features of the operator in a detection region of the system, where each of the one or more representations reproduces at least one feature of the operator and where the influencing is based on the detection of the one or more representations by the system.

The invention relates to methods for influencing systems for monitoring alertness.
When automated or partially automated vehicles or vehicle systems are used it is usually necessary, if the vehicle is not fully automated (e.g., is a SAE level 5 or partially level 4 vehicle), to ensure that a human driver is sufficiently alert to take over control of the autonomously driving vehicle within a predefined time period. In this context, various systems are used for monitoring alertness, which systems detect the driver's alertness using various technologies and trigger a warning signal or initiate other measures if the driver is inadvertently not alert or has an increasingly poor level of alertness.
Current SAE level 2 assistance systems often monitor, for example, the driver's alertness with respect to the driving task by means of hands-on detection, i.e., by detecting contact of the hands with the steering wheel, e.g., by means of capacitive sensors in the steering wheel rim or torque measurement on the steering column. On the basis of image capture by means of cameras directed toward the passenger compartment it will in the future be possible to analyze reliable and valid viewing movement and alertness, in order to ensure that the driver remains alert and/or looks at the road. In this context, camera systems can be used which are operated in the visible and/or infrared spectrum.
Factors such as fatigue or the execution of activities which usually involve distraction from the events on the road can be detected by evaluating the viewing behavior. In this context, for example the viewing direction or the duration or frequency of blinking of the eyes is detected. When the driver is insufficiently alert or behaves incorrectly in some other way, his/her alertness can firstly be directed, using warning signals, onto the relevant surroundings or the traffic or, if the driver fails to react, the system for the autonomous operation of the vehicle can be curtailed or switched off and, if appropriate, an emergency stopping maneuver or the like can be initiated.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,927,694 describes visual methods and systems for determining the alertness and wakefulness of persons under conditions of exhaustion, lack of sleep and the effect of consciousness-altering substances such as alcohol and drugs, in particular under specific conditions for truck drivers, bus drivers, train operators, pilots, watercraft controllers and operators of heavy stationary equipment under day conditions or night conditions. The described methods and systems reliably track the features of a person's head and face with a single on-board camera with a fully automatic system which can be initialized automatically. The system can be newly initialized if required and make outputs in real time. The system can also classify the rotation in all the viewing directions, can detect "eye occlusion/mouth occlusion" and can detect "blinking of the eyes". In this context, visual and acoustic alarms can be triggered for the driver. The described methods and systems are clearly not aimed at detecting continuous failure of eyelid movements (e.g., blinking) to occur, but are instead concentrated on detecting relatively longer occlusions (i.e., that the eyelids are closed).
US 2014/0139655 A1 relates to a vehicle telematics device for avoiding accidents on the basis of monitoring of the driver with respect to sleepiness and distraction. Distraction and sleepiness are detected by processing information relating to the driver's face and posture in accordance with the speed and the maximum permitted travel distance, and a driver alarm is triggered when drowsiness or distraction is detected. The measures which are triggered in response comprise acoustic alarms as well as other methods such as adaptation of the lighting system in order to wake up the driver. The described device is clearly also not aimed at detecting continuous failure of movements of the eyelids (e.g., blinking) to occur.
US 2007/014431 A provides a system and a method for detecting one eye or both eyes of the driver of a vehicle. The system contains a video camera which is oriented so as to generate images of the driver's face. The system also contains a video processor for processing the images generated with the video imaging camera. Filters are applied to each of the potential candidates for eyes in order to determine which candidates represent an eye, and weighted values are assigned to the filtered candidates for eyes, and an eye is detected on the basis of the weighting of each candidate for an eye. According to one aspect, patches of different sizes of potential candidates for eyes are processed and compared with models.
A known warning system for detecting driving without wearing a seatbelt can, as is known, be bypassed or deactivated, for example, by means of dummy plugs for seatbelt locks. Devices which simulate the presence of at least one hand in order to bypass or deactivate a warning system on the basis of hands-on detection are also known for detecting the hands on the steering wheel.
The presence of such systems is an indication of the emergence of systems for bypassing the abovementioned safety systems. The reasons for such a development could include that drivers of a (partially) autonomous vehicle look for ways of carrying out other activities while driving (e.g., writing SMS messages, reading, sleeping) instead of fulfilling their obligation to be alert.
The outstanding reliability of autonomous vehicles means that, within the foreseeable future, the acceptance of excessively strict monitoring mechanisms on the part of the users of a vehicle is and will be low. Therefore, there is a need for methods for influencing the monitoring systems, such as those above, or of changing their trigger thresholds so that other activities can at least be temporarily performed while the autonomous vehicle is being used. In this context it would be desirable to provide a flexible method which does not engage permanently in the systems present in the vehicle but rather constitutes a simple temporarily applicable solution.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for influencing systems for monitoring alertness, which method avoids the abovementioned disadvantages and/or implements the abovementioned advantages.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for influencing a system for monitoring the alertness of an operator during the operation of a device is specified. The method comprises providing one or more representations of features, preferably of facial features, of a human person in a detection range of the system, wherein each of the one or more representations represents at least one feature of the operator, and wherein the influencing is based on the detection of the one or more representations by the system. In particular, the influencing is based on the detection of the one or more representations and their assignment to an operator or to the operator by the system.
At least one of the one or more representations preferably forms at least one feature of the operator in such a way that the system assigns the one or more representations to the operator. Alternatively or additionally, at least one of the one or more representations forms at least one feature of the operator in such a way that the system assigns a detected state on the basis of the one or more representations of the operator assigned to the operator, wherein the detected state corresponds to a predetermined state which is required by the system for continued operation of the device.
The one or more representations preferably include elements which can be detected optically in a spectrum of visible light. Alternatively or additionally, the one or more representations include elements which can be detected optically in the infrared spectrum.
At least one first of the one or more representations preferably relates to a person's eyes. The one or more representations are also preferably arranged on a carrier structure which is similar to a pair of glasses and which can be worn by the operator.
The at least one first of the one or more representations, which relates to a person's eyes, represents, for each represented eye, one or more of the following primary elements: pupil, iris and sclera, wherein preferably all the above-mentioned elements are represented. The at least one first of the one or more representations, which relate to a person's eyes, preferably also additionally represents, for each represented eye, one or more of the following secondary elements: upper lid, lower lid, eyelashes and eyebrows.
One or more of the primary and/or secondary elements of each of the at least one first of the one or more representations is/are preferably configured in such a way that an active or passive movement of the one or more of the primary and/or secondary elements is made possible.
At least one second of the one or more representations preferably relate to a person's mouth, wherein the at least one second of the one or more representations which relates to a person's mouth represents one or more of the following elements: upper lid and lower lid, wherein also all the above-mentioned elements are preferably represented.
The device preferably includes a vehicle, preferably a motor vehicle, wherein the vehicle also preferably includes a passenger car, truck or a motorcycle.
The device preferably includes the system for monitoring the alertness of an operator. Alternatively or additionally, the system comprises at least one camera which is arranged so as to detect the detection range, preferably wherein the detection range of the camera comprises an interior space of the device. Alternatively or additionally, the detection range is selected in such a way as to detect an area in which the operator regularly stops to operate the device.
The described method relates generally to any devices which can include a monitoring system as described above, i.e., in principle any technical device which can be operated in a partially automated or automated fashion while a human operator is ready to assume control as a fallback option. However, in particular, the present invention relates to partially autonomous or autonomous road motor vehicles, in particular passenger cars, trucks, buses or motorcycles. The vehicle can comprise a drive motor or engine (in particular an electric drive motor) for driving one or more wheels of the vehicle.
It is to be noted that the methods, devices and systems described in this document can be used alone as well as in combination with other methods, devices and systems described in this document. Furthermore, any aspects of the methods, devices and systems described in this document can be combined with one another in a variety of ways. In particular, the features of the claims can be combined with one another in a variety of ways.
In the text which follows, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments.

Method for influencing systems for monitoring alertness

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


Fading on a data link prevents a mobile station from acknowledging a received base station poll message. Responsive thereto, the data link is transitioned to an unacknowledged mode of operation. A group of frames of a data communication are then transmitted to the mobile station with no base station expectation of receiving a mobile station acknowledgment. Following group frame transmission, the data link is transitioned back to acknowledged mode of operation. To insure delivery of the data communication, the sent frames a queued (stored) by the base station until such time as a delivery confirmation with respect to the group of frames can be obtained.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the delivery of data over a wireless communications link and, in particular, to a method for implementing data delivery without requiring immediate delivery acknowledgment.
2. Description of Related Art
The radio environment utilized for wireless communications systems presents several conditions which sometimes cause problems with effectuating communication. One of these conditions is extreme fading. Fading in this context refers to a reduction in signal strength of a radio frequency communication at a receiver due to atmospheric propagation effects such as reflection, scattering, refraction, absorption or dispersion. It has been noted in bi-directional wireless personal communications systems (including cellular and paging systems) that the adverse affects of fading are particularly experienced with respect to communications transmitted on the uplink/reverse channel (i.e., from mobile station to base station). As such, a mobile station may have little difficulty in receiving base station communications broadcasts on the downlink/forward channel, while at the same time the base station cannot receive mobile station uplink communications.
As a prerequisite to establishing a data communications connection between a serving network and a mobile station in a wireless communications system, the network often first polls for the mobile station. If no response to the poll message is thereafter received from the mobile station, no communications connection is established to effectuate data communication delivery. If the poll message is acknowledged by the mobile station, a communications connection is established and frames of the data communication are thereafter sent to the mobile station. Unless the communications protocol being used specifies otherwise, reception of each of the frames by the mobile station is typically acknowledged.
In many instances, the fading environment does not prevent the mobile station from receiving the poll message. Rather, the problem is that the page response message sent by the mobile station is not received by the network base station. Within such a fading environment, there is a high probability that if the mobile station can successfully receive and decode the poll message, then frames of the data communication could also be successfully received for at least a short time thereafter. In this situation, a more efficient use of limited radio environment resources would be obtained if, instead of waiting for the fading condition to subside, network delivery of the frames of the data communication could be effectuated at that point in time without requiring mobile station acknowledgment.

Method for unacknowledged data frame delivery in a noisy wireless environment


An inflatable tent comprises a frame and an optionally removable cover. The frame has a single inflatable continuous generally-tubular member. The generally-tubular member comprises a base section and an upright section. The base section is fixedly attached at one or more connection points to the upright section. The upright section comprises a rounded main arch having two ends, both of which are fixedly attached to the base section. The upright section further comprises at least one rounded supporting arch segment having one end attached to the main arch and the other end attached to the base section.

Inflatable tents have been designed in the past. Some have inflatable walls and floors, resulting in a rather heavy tent that takes considerable time to inflate. Others have inflatable frames to support the tent walls and floor. It is this latter type of inflatable tent to which the present invention is directed.
An important function of an inflatable tent is that it be quick and easy to erect and collapse. It is also important that an inflatable tent be lightweight and easy to store and carry. With these goals in mind, it is also important that the inflatable tent have structural integrity. Additionally, because it is almost inevitable that an inflatable tent frame will ultimately puncture or be damaged to the point where it can no longer be used, it is important to provide a means by which the tent cover can still be used, such as with poles. Finally, a tent should be easy and inexpensive to manufacture, thus keeping the cost down for the consumer. The present invention is directed to an inflatable tent designed to achieve each of these goals.


A device for the treatment of esophageal stenoses, including at least a body of elongated shape intended to be inserted within the esophagus of a patient, and a tubular sheath mounted around said body to define an interspace between said body and the tubular sheath, wherein it includes a stiffening element accommodated in said interspace and including a plurality of ribs which extend along said interspace.

As is known, esophageal stenoses may be caused by a variety of factors such as, e.g., lesions caused by the ingestion of caustic substances, scarring as a result of esophageal anastomosis due to atresia, post-chemotherapy or radiotherapy or peptic lesions, etc.
To allow the resumption of the proper functioning of the organ, thus ensuring the patient a good quality of life, intervention generally involves dilating the tract of the esophagus affected by stenosis.
These dilations must be repeated over time to cope with the inevitable occurrence of relapses.
In order to avoid an excessive number of dilations, appropriate devices are used, also called "removable stents".
The devices of known type used to dilate the esophageal tract affected by the stenosis can be of two types: of the self-expandable type or to be introduced after dilation of the stenosis.
The self-expandable-type devices are able to compress the inner walls of the esophageal tract affected by stenosis, thus preventing the restenosis, and have the characteristic of passing the food inside them.
This type of devices does not however allow restoring, as a result of their removal, a sufficiently wide caliber of the esophagus and above all do not allow same to recover the elasticity necessary to ensure the proper and independent functioning of the organ.
The second type of known devices described above is able, however, to make the food transit around the stent, or between its outer wall and the inner wall of the esophagus.
In particular, the use of this type of devices is aimed at forcing the esophagus to continuously dilate in order to obtain a wider caliber of the esophagus and, above all, greater elasticity.
This type of known devices is not however without drawbacks.
In fact, the food that transits between the device and the wall of the esophagus can both find it hard to transit and inflame or irritate the esophagus itself because of the limited space available and its low elasticity.
This drawback, together also with the sensation of retrosternal encumbrance felt by the patient, may occur especially in periods immediately following the introduction of the device into the esophagus, as a result of the applied dilation. The use of these known devices can therefore be stressful for the patient and for the esophagus itself, and aggravate a clinical situation which is already delicate, with consequent suffering for the patient.
From the patent document WO 2012/110891 a special stent is instead known that has the characteristic of having a central tube, around which the food transits as in the case of the second type of devices referred to above, and variable stiffness means externally associated with the central tube.
The variable stiffness means consist, in particular, of a flexible element, of tubular shape, associated with the central tube so as to define an air chamber interposed between them and fellable with a work fluid.
The stent shown in WO 2012/110891 is however also susceptible to improvements aimed, in particular, at simplifying the device and making it cheaper while maintaining a considerable practicality and efficiency of use.

Device for the treatment of esophageal stenoses


A method and system for archiving data is provided. The method includes an extraction stage, a load stage, and a production merge stage. In the extraction stage, incoming files from a source system are extracted, where each incoming file has data records. Upon determining that the incoming files are of different data record types, the incoming files are split by record type. The files are also parsed. In a load stage, all files from a load ready directory are placed together in a single batch with a common RUNID for each data record type. In a production merge stage, all files made available from the load stage are processed. The processed files are loaded into a data warehouse. Each stage operates independently of any other stage. Each stage is also iterative and circular.

Data is often migrated from one location to another for data warehousing (DW). Present data migrations are generally performed by Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) processes. ETL is a process in database usage and warehousing that involves extracting data from outside sources; transforming the data to fit operational needs; and loading the data into the target database or warehouse. Many data warehousing processes are capable of consolidating data from different sources. Common data source formats include relational databases, and flat files, but may also include non-relational database structures such as an Information Management System (IMS), Virtual Storage Access Method (VSAM), Indexed Sequential Access Method (ISAM), etc.
Known ETL approaches typically involve one of two approaches: (i) large volume, but low frequency; and (ii) high frequency, but low volume. In the first approach, large volumes of files are processed linearly in a batch window. This processing typically occurs after business hours. In the second approach (i.e., active, trickle), relatively small data volumes are continuously loaded in near real time throughout the day. Neither approach provides continuous real time large volume data storage. Indeed, ETL processes involve considerable complexity, which may lead to bottlenecks in operation and speed limitations especially in systems in which access to such data in real time is desirable. The range of data values or data quality in an operational system may exceed the capability of traditional ETL systems that rely on linear processing, where the extraction, transformation, and loading are preformed in sequence. For example, the linear processing of traditional ETL systems may lack the speed requirements to process the data in real time. As the volume of data that is available for archiving grows, it is becoming increasingly more challenging to process this information. In this regard, a common source of problems in ETL is a large number of dependencies among ETL tasks. For example, task 2 can only start after the completion of task 1, and task 3 can only start after the completion of task 2. Thus, when one stage slows down, all the subsequent stages are delayed, having to wait until processing completes in the prior stage.
Hence a need exists for an archiving method and system that provides loading, is capable of being queried, and archived on a single platform in a time and cost efficient way.


Two oligonucleotides are provided which function as amplifying primers when used in tandem in the polymerase chain reaction with HPV DNA. The primers are of the formulae: EQU IU: 5'-TIIN.sub.1 IN.sub.1 IIN.sub.2 TAAAACGAAAGT-3'. and EQU IWDO: 5'-N.sub.1 TCN.sub.1 N.sub.3 AIGCCCAN.sub.2 TGIACCAT-3'. wherein N.sub.1 is A or G, N.sub.2 is C or T and N.sub.3 is A or T.

Infection of the anogenital track by human papillomavirus (HPV) is now recognized as a venerally-transmitted disease which often is associated with the pathogenesis of cancer and its precursor lesions. Of the more than 50 known HPV types, at least 21 infect the anogenital tract. These mucosotropic viruses are most frequently associated with benign condyloma or latent infections. However, the presence of HPV in premalignant lesions and invasive cancers, particularly of the cervix, may reflect the oncogenic potential of these viruses. See P. M. Howley, in Important Advances in Oncology, D. T. DeVita, Jr., et al., eds., J. B. Lippincott, Philadelphia, Pa. (1987) at pages 55-73.
Certain virus types, namely HPV 16 and 18, and to a lesser extent HPV 31, 33 and 35, are found in a high proportion of invasive cervical cancers and their metastases. However, many HPVs infecting the anogenital tract, such as HPV 6 and 11, are found most commonly in benign condyloma and only rarely in invasive cancers. Thus, HPVs detected in the anogenital tract can be broadly classified as low (HPV 6 and 11), intermediate (HPV 31, 33 and 35) or high (HPV 16 and 18) risk viruses based on their association with malignancy. A. T. Lorincz et al., J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 79, 671 (1987). In a recent study, HPV 18 failed to be detected in premalignant lesions but was found in 17% of invasive cervical cancers suggesting that this virus may be associated with a rapid disease course. R. J. Kurman et al., Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 159, 293 (1988). In addition, HPV 18 tended to be associated more frequently with higher grade tumors and metastases in younger patients than HPV 16. W. Barnes et al., Gynecol. Oncol., 29, 269 (1988).
For these reasons, a need exists for methods to identify and type HPV in clinical specimens. Broadly cross-reactive polyclonal antisera prepared by immunization of animals with disrupted virions have proven capable of detecting HPV antigens in about 30-70% of cutaneous and mucosal warts. Immunological tests have two major handicaps. Only well-differentiated cells appear capable of viral antigen expression. Thus, HPV-infected tissues showing higher degrees of neoplasia, such as carcinoma in situ, rarely contain HPV antigen. Secondly, the test is not able to identify specific viral types.
Since no immunological test is currently available for virus typing, molecular hybridization techniques have been used for the detection and typing of HPV DNA and RNA in clinical specimens. See A. T. Lorinez, Obstetrics and Gynecol. Clinics of N. Amer., 14, 451 (1987). Many of these techniques use labelled single-stranded DNA probes which are complementary to, and thus which can bind to, known regions of the viral genome. In Southern blotting, viral DNA is isolated from lysed cells, purified, and broken into fragments of known molecular weight by restriction enzyme digestion. The fragments are denatured and physically separated by gel electrophoresis. The single-stranded fragments are then contacted with either a mixture of labelled HPV probes, to diagnose infection, or with a panel of HPV type-specific probes. HPV fragments which react with probe can be identified by detection of the bound label.
The use of such molecular hybridization techniques to detect homologous DNA sequences are sensitive and can be highly specific if used with probes which bind to nucleic acid sequences which are unique to a particular HPV type. However, the steps required to isolate and purify the viral DNA are technically cumbersome, and the concentrations of total viral DNA in a given clinical sample may be below the limit of sensitivity of the test. For example, in dysplastic cervical lesions, the amount of viral DNA is reduced with increasing dysplasia. An in situ RNA probe has been able to detect and type HPV in cervical squamous cell carcinoma, but requires four weeks of autoradiography to detect the bound probe.
To circumvent this problem, viral DNA sequences can be amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the products identified by using conventional hybridization techniques for identification of virus type, such as Southern blotting. See C. Oste, Biotechniques, 6, 163 (1988) and K. B. Mullis (U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202). A stretch of nucleotides complementary to the 5' end of a targeted region of the HPV genome and a second stretch complementary to the 3' end of this region are first synthesized. These oligonucleotides are referred to as "primers." When these amplifying primers are allowed to anneal to the total denatured cellular DNA in a clinical sample, they will form duplexes with the single-stranded HPV DNA if it is present. In the presence of a DNA polymerase and a mixture of deoxynucleotide triphosphates, each strand will be elongated as shown in FIG. 1. As this cycle of denaturation, primer annealing and chain extension is repeated, the targeted region of HPV DNA will accumulate exponentially, to about 1 .mu.g of DNA after 30 cycles. This product is easily visible on an agarose gel, thus suggesting the presence of the HPV sequence in the tissue. The diagnosis can be verified by transferring the DNA to nitrocellulose and probing with a probe specific to the HPV type presumed to be present.
Alternatively, one may take advantage of known restriction sites within the HPV DNA to demonstrate that the amplified DNA contains the expected sequence by examining the cleavage pattern(s) generated with one or more restriction endonucleases. Verifying the authenticity of the amplified sequence may be necessary for two reasons: (i) to ensure that sequences complementary to the amplifying primers do not fortuitously happen to be present in cellular DNA which does not contain HPV DNA, and (ii) to verify the HPV type. If the sequences chosen for amplification are conserved among HPV types, then the finding of an amplified product does not implicate a particular HPV type. It should also be possible, based on the binding positions of the two primers, to predict the size of the amplified product. Thus, when that product is found, one can feel reasonably confident that HPV is present. However, two different HPV types may give the same size product, or subtypes of a given HPV may given different size products. Thus, hybridizations should be used to confirm the identity of the amplified sequence until confidence is built that the interpretation of the results is straight-forward. It should be pointed out that, in the absence of "universal" primers, the PCR technique will identify only closely-related, or type-specific sequences, since only a small portion of the genome is analyzed.
The advantages of the PCR technique are that of (i) detection of DNA within a sample can be accomplished without extracting the DNA first, and (ii) the sensitivity is increased by amplifying the DNA present in the lesion. Amplification of HPV DNA sequences by PCR followed by molecular hybridization is the most sensitive technique in that a single molecule or "copy" of HPV DNA can theoretically be detected after appropriate levels of amplification. In practice, the level of sensitivity is about 50-100 copies per sample. The next most sensitive technique is dot blot which can detect about 10,000 molecules while Southern blot can reliably detect about 100,000 copies of DNA.
Nonetheless, PCR has been used for detection of HPV in fresh clinical specimens (L. S. Young et al., Brit. Med. J., 298, 14 (1989)) and has also been adapted for detection of HPV sequences in sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cervical intraepithelial neoplasis and invasive cancers. HPV sequences have even been detected in fixed tissues over forty years old (D. Shibata et al., Cancer Res., 48, 4566 (1988)). A distinct disadvantage is the potential for false positive results, due to cross-contamination of specimens or contamination of samples with amplified material.
Virus type-specific primers have been used for amplification of HPV 11, 16 and 18 sequences. (D. Shibata et al., J. Exp. Med., 167, 225 (1988)). However, the ponderous number of primers necessary to amplify DNA from every virus type infecting the anogenital tract makes PCR impractical for diagnosing or for typing HPV in clinical specimens. Also, whether currently untyped HPV strains can be detected by PCR depends on whether or not a universal pair of primers exists which can be used to detect a region conserved among all HPV types. Thus, a need exists for a method to amplify DNA from the large number of HPVs infecting the anogenital tract using only one set of "universal" primers. Identification of a given viral type could then be accomplished by molecular hybridization with oligonucleotide probes complementary to the sequences in the amplified region which are specific for each virus type.

Use of conserved oligonucleotide primers to amplify human papillomavirus DNA sequences


A content delivery system including a subscriber controller and cache, a source controller configured to transmit content to the subscriber controller and cache via a multicast transmission; and a network content delivery controller (NCDC) in communication with the subscriber controller and cache and source controller. A control plane is used to communicate the delivery of control information using Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) between the subscriber controller and cache, source controller, and NCDC.

First invented in 1998, the Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) is a real-time communication technology based on core protocols and developed by the XMPP open source community. XMPP is used for various applications such as instant messaging, presence, multi-party chat, voice and video calls, collaboration, lightweight middleware, content syndication, and generalized routing of XML data. The XMPP Standards Foundation is an open standards development organization that defines open protocols for presence, instant messaging, and real-time communication. Such applications are based on a decentralized infrastructure for internet communication.
Currently, two methods, unicast and broadcast are used to deliver content such as video and multimedia to consumers from content providers. Unicast, the predominant choice for communication and content delivery via the Internet, delivers the same data stream to each consumer. This results in particular content being potentially transmitted multiple times through the network. In terms of multimedia streams, the required network capacity is the number of consumers times the bit rate of the content, which creates a limit to the number of consumers that the system can support. Broadcast, the method used by cable companies to deliver TV stations, delivers all available content streams all the times. The required network capacity is the number of channels times the bit rate of the content, which creates a limit to the number of channels that the system can support assuming constant network capacity.

Systems and methods for network content delivery


A media disc storage package includes: a folder including at least first and second spaced-apart panels defining a space for enclosing a media disc; and a substantially rigid insert disposed between the panels. The insert spans the distance between the panels to provide structural support to the folder, and includes an open disc well adapted to hold the media disc in the space between the panels.

This invention relates to containers for holding machine readable storage media, and more particularly to a storage package intended for removably storing a recorded medium upon which information retrievable by reflected or refracted light is stored, and which features a folder formed from a prescored, unitary blank which is wrapped about and adhesively bonded to a disc tray to define the package.
Media disc storage packages that utilize trays for holding one or more discs in combination with folders formed from paperboard or other suitable substrates are well known in the art. Such packages commonly include a disc tray made of injection-molded plastic positioned within one or more panels, or pages, of a plastic or paperboard substrate. Such packages are also commonly assembled using processes involving multiple steps performed with parts that are shipped to more than one location before the final packages are assembled. In particular, such processes often require that the folders and trays be assembled by one manufacturer, and then shipped to a separate manufacturer so that discs can be placed within the trays. The folders used in these packages are often folded and held together using tuck tabs and slit locks, which achieves closed, but not securely sealed, packages. The trays are often formed from several components, each of which must be custom-molded using a distinct injection molding process.
Although media storage packages do exist in which component assembly, including disc placement, is fully automated, such packages require that a top spine sticker and a security sticker be separately manufactured and then placed on the top spine and left side of the package after assembly and prior to sale.


A magnetic stripe and magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) reader is disclosed. A longitudinally extending magnetic stripe channel in the reader housing is sized to slidingly receive a medium bearing a magnetic stripe, such as a credit card or bank card. A magnetic stripe read head in the housing reads the data as the card is slid past the head. A MICR channel in the housing is sized to slidingly receive a medium bearing magnetic ink characters, such as a check. The MICR channel is curved along one portion to interconnect with the magnetic stripe channel. A drive mechanism in the housing drives a check along the MICR channel past a magnetizing head and a magnetic ink character recognition read head until the leading edge of the check extends into the magnetic stripe channel. A processor in the housing specifies the characters embodied in the magnetic data. The drive mechanism is reversible to return the check back along the MICR channel.

Many financial transactions utilize checks, credit cards, debit cards, or bank cards. As the number of such transactions has greatly increased, various systems and devices have been developed to automate the processing of these transactions, thereby increasing their efficiency and accuracy.
Checks have been standardized to include certain information along the bottom edge for proper routing and processing of the check. The characters in which this information is encoded have been standardized for automatic processing. Two widely used standards are the E13B and CMC7 character fonts. The characters must be machine printed using a magnetizable ink, that is, an ink containing magnetizable particles, on an appropriate medium.
Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) readers are used for reading the characters printed on checks. Typically, such devices include a magnetizing head, a magnetic read head, and circuitry for recognition of the characters. In operation, the check is passed over the magnetizing head, which magnetizes the magnetic particles in the ink, and over the read head, which detects the magnetization of the magnetized particles and transmits representative signals to the recognition circuitry. Frequently, a drive mechanism is provided to drive the check through a channel in the reader past the magnetizing and read heads. In many devices, the channel extends the length of the reader. One end of the check is inserted into one end of the channel and is driven the length of the reader along the channel until the opposite end of the check exits the opposite end of the channel, where it can be retrieved by a user or other automatic processing equipment.
Optical character readers may also be used to read the information encoded on checks. Such readers incorporate an optical character read head and circuitry for recognition of the optical characters. Optical characters typically conform to a predetermined specification such as ANSI X 3.17.
Credit cards or bank cards contain information encoded on a magnetic stripe on one side of the card. The stripes typically include up to three tracks. Information is encoded on the tracks in accordance with certain standards, such as ANSI X 4.16 and ISO 3554, specifications for magnetic stripe encoding. Track 1 has been developed for use by the air transportation industry, track 2 for the banking industry, and track 3 for the thrift industry. Magnetic stripe readers include a magnetic stripe read head and circuitry for recognition of the encoded information. In operation, the magnetic stripe of the credit or bank card is passed over the read head.
Magnetic stripe readers are used in retail establishments for processing purchases made with a credit card. Typically, these devices are located close to a cash register and include a slot or channel, open at both ends, through which a sales clerk at the point of sale slides or "swipes" the card. Financial institutions often locate magnetic stripe readers at a teller's window. As with the point of sale readers, a banking customer swipes the card through an open-ended slot in the reader to provide identification.
As the use of encoded data in the form of magnetic ink characters and magnetic stripes has proliferated, it has become increasing desirable to have both a MICR reader and a magnetic stripe reader at the same location. A MICR reader and a magnetic stripe reader have been combined in a single unit. However, such prior art devices are generally bulky and take up a lot of area on the counter where they must be placed. The electronic components of the MICR reader must be kept sufficiently far away from the magnetic stripe reader to avoid erasing the magnetic stripe data on a card passing through the magnetic stripe slot. Also, the area around both ends of the device must be kept relatively free of other objects to provide unrestricted access to the slots or channels, particularly for checks, which comprise a paper medium and are more easily bent or torn. Frequently, however, the counter where such readers are used comprises a relatively small area, and clutter and other necessary apparatus is also present, further restricting the available space. Thus, there exists a need for a compact MICR and magnetic stripe reader which takes up relatively little space, while maintaining ease and efficiency of operation.

Magnetic stripe and magnetic ink character recognition reader


An arrangement for incorporation into a vehicle cab that includes a cab structure (2) that delimits a driver's working area. The arrangement has a support structure (3) arranged to support the cab structure (2) in the event of a considerable inclination of the cab structure relative to the frame (4) of the vehicle.

A wheeled loader is often utilized in terrain with very uneven surfaces which give rise to strong vibrations and shocks. In order to make the driver's working environment comfortable, the cab must be suspended in such a way that the vibrations and shocks are reduced or eliminated and are thus not transferred directly from the frame of the vehicle to the cab. For reasons of safety, the cab must, in addition, must be sufficiently strong to provide the driver with a personal survival space if the vehicle should roll over onto the cab. In this connection, ROPS requirements are often mentioned, with the acronym ROPS standing for Roll Over Protection Structure. The ROPS requirement depends upon the vehicle's weight; that is to say, a heavier machine requires a more substantial and therefore often heavier cab.

Arrangement in connection with a vehicle cab


A method for generating a 3D model for fabricating a multi-material object using additive manufacturing. The method comprises providing a first volumetric model of an object in a deformed configuration, generating a second volumetric model from the first volumetric model and assigning materials to the second volumetric model by: a) defining a cluster of elementary volumetric elements of the second volumetric model, b) selecting a cluster object material in the database of object materials by minimizing a cost function determined by computing a deformed configuration of the second volumetric model under a set of predefined loads and constraints, c) partitioning the elementary volumetric elements of the cluster in two sub-clusters based on the deformed configuration, d) repeating step b) for each sub-clusters. The method further comprises generating a 3D model for fabricating an object from the second volumetric model and the assigned materials.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is understood as any process in which a three-dimensional object is synthetized from a 3D model.
The field of additive manufacturing has gathered tremendous interest in recent year, allowing for the production of personalized on-demand objects with shapes or geometries that may even be impossible to manufacture using traditional technics.
Various AM techniques exist such as stereolithography, fused deposition modeling, 3D inkjet printing, also known as Polyjet™ (Stratasys Ltd., North America), Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP) or the like.
A three-dimensional object may typically be formed by sequential-layer material addition/joining throughout a 3D work envelope under automated control. However, several novel AM techniques do not involve such sequential-layer addition. On example is Continuous Liquid Interface Production.
While traditional techniques such as stereolithography or fused deposition modeling involve a single consumable material, recent advances in the field have led to the possibility of producing multi-material object made from several materials with differing physical properties (color, density, elasticity, etc.).
One example of such novel manufacturing methods is 3D inkjet printing in which building materials are selectively jetted from one or more printing heads and deposited onto a fabrication tray in consecutive layers according to a pre-determined configuration defined by a software file. The printing head may be, for example, an ink jet head provided with a plurality of dispensing nozzles arranged in an array of one or more rows along a longitudinal axis of the printing head.
These multi-material manufacturing technics have opened the way for fabricating realistic complex objects with varying physical properties such as color, density, elasticity, etc.
Multi-colored objects are straightforward applications of these techniques but many other applications shows great potential.
Among these new applications, the possibility of controlling the deformation properties of an object is of particular interest for copying real-life objects in a convincing manner or designing novel complex objects.
One example of application is related to surgical training and medical device development and testing in which benchtop devices realistically reproducing the behavior of an organ could be of great interest for training surgeon to perform surgery or testing medical device in real life conditions.
Among other fields, the invention can thus find applications in surgical training and medical device development and testing.
However, while a multi-colored object is relatively easy to design, generating a 3D model for fabricating an object with controlled elastic properties has proved to be more difficult.
Indeed, while the color of an object is a local physical property, the deformation of the object results from global interactions between the various parts of the object. The selection and positioning of materials within the object thus involve a global computation of the dynamic behavior of the object.
Additional difficulties come from the limitation on the number of materials for fabricating the object. While newer 3D printers are able to print ever-increasing numbers of materials, the range of materials available at a given time on a given apparatus is in practice always limited.
Moreover, printing materials are primarily selected on the basis of their printing properties and the range of physical properties is thus also limited.
The algorithms currently used to design multi-material 3D model of objects with controlled physical properties are thus often trouble to converge to an accurate or printable solution, or requires exponential computing power.
One approach for reducing the computing power and increasing the convergence speed and stability of the algorithm is to assume that the elementary parts constituting the object are mechanically dependent only along one dimension of space, and are mechanically independent from each other in the two other directions of space. This way, the combination space of the 1D sequence of materials is limited and can be explored with classical combinational techniques.
Such an approach is described for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 8,565,909. It can be used for the generation of 3D models of layered objects such as a footware sole.
However this approach cannot be extended to the design of object with three-dimensionally varying mechanical properties and multi dimensions mechanical interactions with environment (stress load, boundary conditions . . . ) without an exponential increase in computing power and time and a strong decrease in convergence stability.
Another approach is described for instance in "Interactive Material Design Using Model Reduction" by Hongyi Xu, published in ACM Transactions on Graphics, Vol. 34, No. 2, Article 18, Publication date: February 2015. This approach aims at solving the combinational optimization problem by first determining a continuous material along the object with varying properties. The continuous distribution of material is then discretized in individual elementary material volumes based on the printing materials offered by a given printer.
However, this approach does not guarantee that the final object, made with a limited number of materials, will show accurate elastic properties.
In particular, in many cases, the physical properties of the materials are not regularly spaced from one another along the full range of physical properties. A discrete optimization process then often produces more accurate results.
Eventually, some approaches have been specifically designed for two-material objects and are based on a linear interpolation between said two materials followed by a step of driving the linear combination obtained toward each of the two materials.
"Computational Design of Actuated Deformable Characters" by Melina Skouras et al. Published in ACM Transactions on Graphics (TOG)—SIGGRAPH 2013 Conference Proceedings TOG Homepage Volume 32 Issue 4, July 2013 details such a method.
Such two-material approach cannot be extended to the design of object with a plurality of N>2 materials without degrading the convergence of the algorithm.
There is thus a need for a method for generating a 3D model for fabricating a multi-material object which would offer an accurate solution for a large range of manufacturing materials, an improved convergence speed and reliability and require less computing power than the prior art.

Method and apparatus for generating a 3D model of an object


A page buffer facilitates programming of a memory cell within an associated memory array by selectively connecting a bit line associated with the memory cell to a negative voltage supply in response to the logic state of a data signal. The page buffer includes an SRAM latch having first and second nodes, a cross-coupled latch having first and second nodes, and a pass transistor. The first node of the SRAM latch is coupled to receive the data signal and to a first control terminal of the cross-coupled latch. The second node of the SRAM latch is coupled to a second control terminal of the cross-coupled latch. The second node of the cross-coupled latch is coupled to a gate of the pass transistor which, in turn, is connected between the bit line and the negative voltage supply. When the data signal is in a first logic state, the cross-coupled latch turns on the pass transistor and, in connecting the bit line to the negative voltage supply, facilitates programming of the cell. When the data signal is in a second logic state, the cross-coupled latch turns off the pass transistor and allows the bit line to float which, in turn, precludes programming of the cell.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to semiconductor memories and specifically to a page buffer having a negative level shift circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, nonvolatile semiconductor memories such as, for instance, EEPROM and Flash EEPROM, employ a plurality of NMOS floating gate transistors as memory cells. However, recent advances in the semiconductor industry have led to the development of a PMOS non-volatile memory cell. Examples of PMOS memory cells and the advantages thereof are described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,666,307 and 5,687,118, and in co-pending U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,227 entitled "Triple Poly PMOS Flash Memory Cell" and filed on Dec. 7, 1995, and Ser. No. 08/568,544 entitled Double Poly Split Gate PMOS Flash Memory Cell" and filed Dec. 7, 1995, which is U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,227 all incorporated herein by reference.
A PMOS memory cell of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,118 is shown in FIG. 1. The cell 10 is formed in an n- well region 12 of a p- substrate 14. A p+ source 16 and a p+ drain 18 are formed in the n- well region 12. A channel region 20 extends within the n- well 12 between the p+ source 16 and the p+ drain 18. A polysilicon floating gate 22 is insulated from the n- well region 12 by a thin oxide layer 24. A control gate 26 is insulated from the floating gate 22 by an insulating layer 28. In its intrinsic or erased state, the cell 10 has a negative threshold voltage (V.sub.T).
The cell 10 is programmed by inducing the accumulation of charge, i.e., electrons, on the floating gate 22. The cell 10 may be programmed using a variety of mechanisms, including channel hot electron (CHE) injection, Fowler-Nordheim (FN) Tunneling, band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) induced electron injection, and various combinations thereof. When programmed, the cell 10 has a positive V.sub.T. It is the difference between the program V.sub.T and the erase V.sub.T of a cell 10 which determines the "binary state" thereof. For instance, a programmed cell 10 represents the binary value "1", and an erased cell 10 represents the binary value binary "0". To read the binary state of a cell 10, a read voltage which lies between the program V.sub.T and the erase V.sub.T is applied to the control gate 26 of the cell 10. Thus, during a read operation the cell 10 conducts a channel current if in a programmed state, i.e., if its V.sub.T is positive.
The cells 10 may be included within a variety of array architectures such as, for instance, those described in the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,994 entitled "Nonvolatile Memory Array Architecture" and filed Aug. 15, 1997, Ser. No. 08/948,531 entitled "PMOS Memory Array Having OR Gate Architecture" and filed Oct. 9, 1997, and Ser. No. 08/947,850 entitled "Nonvolatile PMOS Two Transistor Memory Cell and Array" and filed Oct. 9, 1997, all incorporated herein by reference. In such array architectures, the control gates 26 of cells 10 in a common row are connected to an associated word line, and the p+ drains 18 of cells 10 in a common column are connected to an associated bit line. In some of these array architectures, the cells 10 are formed in a common n-well region which, in turn, is electrically coupled to the p+ sources of the cells 10.
Proper operation of PMOS memory cells such as the cell 10 shown in FIG. 1 requires bias voltages different from those in operation of NMOS memory cells. As a result, the peripheral circuitry (e.g., page buffers, charge pumps, row decoders, and so on) typically employed in an NMOS non-volatile memory are not suitable for use in a PMOS non-volatile memory. Rather, optimum performance of a PMOS nonvolatile memory requires unique peripheral circuitry. For instance, to facilitate programming of the cell 10 using BTBT induced electron injection, approximately 3 volts is applied to the N-well 12 and the p+ source 16, approximately 8.5 volts is applied to the control gate 26 via the selected word line, and approximately -5.5 volts is applied to the p+ drain 18 via the selected bit line.
NMOS memory cells, on the other hand, typically do not require negative voltages during programming. Thus, page buffers typically employed in an NMOS non-volatile memory are not designed to handle negative voltages and, as a result, are not suitable for use with negative voltages. For instance, application of such negative voltages to page buffers typically employed with NMOS memory cells may result in the transistor breakdown. Thus, a page buffer suitable for handling negative voltages during program operations of a PMOS memory cell is, therefore, desirable.

Page buffer having negative voltage level shifter


Electronic devices may be provided with convex displays. A convex display may be used to maximize the internal volume of a device. Convex displays may be formed from one or more flexible layers. A flexible display layer may be mounted to a rigid support structure or a rigid cover layer. Flexible display layers that conform to the curved shape of a rigid structure may provide additional internal volume in which internal components of the device may be positioned.

This relates generally to displays, and more particularly, to electronic devices with displays.
Electronic devices such as portable computers and cellular telephones are often provided with displays. For example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) may be formed from a stack of display structures such as an thin-film transistor layer with display pixels for providing visual information to a user, a color filter layer for providing the display pixels with color, a touch screen panel for gathering touch input from a user, and a cover glass layer for protecting the display and internal components.
It is often desirable to produce portable devices of minimal size. Users of portable electronic devices may find a thinner device more desirable than a thicker device. Compact portable devices are sometimes provided with convex housing shapes. A convex housing shape may increase the internal volume of a device while preserving a sleek, thin look that is aesthetically pleasing to a user.
A portable compact device with a convex housing may have a display. In conventional arrangements, the display is flat, so only the portions of the device other than the display have a convex shape. This may limit the internal volume of the device and may detract from its appearance.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved electronic devices.


The invention provides heat-curable thixotropic mixtures containing carbamate and/or allophanate groups, including at least one oligomer and/or polymer containing at least one of carbamate and allophanate groups, and at least one thixotropic agent that is a urea derivative preparable by reacting at least one amine and/or water with at least one isocyanate in the presence of at least one amino resin. The invention further provides processes for preparing the mixtures and coating materials, adhesives and sealing compounds prepared from the mixtures.

The invention relates to novel heat-curable thixotropic mixtures containing carbamate and/or allophanate groups. The present invention further relates to processes for preparing the novel heat-curable thixotropic mixtures containing carbamate and/or allophanate groups. The present invention relates additionally to the use of the novel heat-curable thixotropic mixtures containing carbamate and/or allophanate groups as coating materials, adhesives and sealing compounds. The present invention relates in particular to the use of the novel heat-curable thixotropic coating materials containing carbamate and/or allophanate groups as clearcoat material, especially for producing clearcoats as part of multicoat color and/or effect coating systems.
Thixotropic materials and coating materials comprising them have been known for a long time.
The use of thixotropic agents in coating materials is intended, inter alia, to allow comparatively thick paint films to be applied without disruptive running. Especially in the case of nonaqueous coating materials comprising a thixotropic agent based on urea derivatives, and at least at high solids contents, the resulting film surfaces are unsatisfactory in terms of their visual appearance (especially leveling and gloss) and, moreover, lead to coatings lacking "condensation resistance" (exhibiting blushing owing to water infiltration). Thixotropic agents based on silicas give coating materials which are likewise unsatisfactory in terms of leveling.
A key feature of thixotropic agents is that the viscosity of a coating material prepared using them depends on the flow history and/or that the thixotropic agents are pseudoplastic, i.e., the viscosity of the coating material decreases as the applied shear stress goes up. Starting from a baseline viscosity, the viscosity decreases under shear stress and returns only gradually to the initial level after the shear stress has been removed. A thixotropic gel, for example, liquefies as a result of input of mechanical energy (stirring or the like) and solidifies again only gradually after the end of the input of energy. Pseudoplastic or thixotropic properties are advantageous for paint processing. In particular, the tendency of a coating material to run on application at high wet-film thickness may be controlled and reduced. On the other hand, thixotropic agents must not adversely affect the optical and chemical properties of a finished coating produced using them. As a general rule, thixotropic agents are particulate and are present in dispersion in a coating material, whether aqueous or nonaqueous. In the case of the urea derivatives, these thixotropic agents are acicular crystals, in part with a helical twist, for which, preferably, a particle size distribution between 0.1 μm and 6 μm (95-99% of the particles, based on the volume) is established and 80% of the crystals (based on the number) are smaller than 2 μm.
Coating materials comprising constituents containing allophanate groups are known from the German patent application DE 198 39 453 A1. These coating materials are capable of wide application and are outstandingly suitable for the wet-on-wet technique for producing multicoat color and/or effect coating systems. The coatings produced from the coating materials are highly compatible with other coatings and are scratch-resistant and weathering-stable. Providing these known coating materials with thixotropic agents is not described in the German application.
The international patent application WO 00/31194 discloses thixotropic agents comprising urea derivatives and polymers containing lateral or terminal carbamate groups. The urea derivatives may be prepared by reacting monoamines with polyisocyanates in the presence of these polymers. The coating materials provided with the thixotropic agents may also comprise surface-active or interface-active substances (surfactants; cf. Römpp Lexikon Lacke und Druckfarben, Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, page 271, +"Surface-active substances"). According to example 1, page 23 line 22, of the international patent application, a silicone-glycol copolymer (Worlee® 315) is used. The thixotropic agents improve the thixotropic behavior of the coating materials provided with them and effectively suppress the tendency to run. The coatings produced from them exhibit high gloss and a high level of hardness.
The German patent application DE 199 46 048 A1 discloses coating materials whose binder comprises at least one resin containing lateral and/or terminal carbamate groups and preparable by reacting a resin containing at least one hydroxyl group with phosgene to give a resin containing at least one chloroformate group, which resin is then reacted with ammonia, primary amines and/or secondary amines. Apart from the customary and known crosslinking agents for heat curing, the coating materials may further comprise numerous different additives. For instance, besides numerous other additives, mention is made of sag control agents (thixotropic agents), such as ureas and/or modified ureas or silicas, as described for example in the aforementioned literature references EP 0 192 304 A1, DE 23 59 923 A1, DE 18 05 693 A1, WO 94/22968, DE 27 51 761 C2; WO 97/12945 and farbe+lack, 11/1992, pages 829 ff. Precise details as to the amounts in which these additives are to be used are lacking. It is merely stated that the additives are added in customary and known, effective amounts, which depending on the additive are from 0.001 to 500 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of resin and crosslinking agents. In the examples, however, these additives are not used.
The known coating materials have numerous advantages which, however, can be attributed to the specific binders or resins containing carbamate groups.
The international patent application WO 00/37520 discloses urea derivatives preparable by reacting at least one amine with at least one in the presence of at least one amino resin, as thixotropic agents. The thixotropic agents are intended to be capable of being employed universally. Their use in heat-curable thixotropic mixtures containing carbamate and/or allophanate groups is not described in the international patent application. Nor does the patent application reveal whether—and if so to what extent—the thixotropic agents influence the scratch resistance of coatings, adhesive films and seals produced from the thixotropic coating materials, adhesives and sealing compounds in question.
The heat-curable thixotropic coating materials, adhesives and sealing compounds containing carbamate groups which are known to date, especially the clearcoat materials, therefore have a number of technical advantages, which ought to be retained in the course of their further development. Despite the high technological level attained, the coatings, adhesive films and seals produced from the heat-curable thixotropic coating materials, adhesives and sealing compounds containing carbamate groups which are known to date still leave something to be desired in terms of their scratch resistance and reflow characteristics.
It is an object of the present invention to provide novel heat-curable thixotropic mixtures containing carbamate and/or allophanate groups that are suitable for use as coating materials, adhesives and sealing compounds, these compositions attaining the high technological level of the prior art, if not indeed exceeding it. Furthermore, the novel heat-curable thixotropic coating materials, adhesives and sealing compounds containing carbamate and/or allophanate groups should give coatings, adhesive films and seals which attain the high technological level of the prior art, if not indeed exceed it, and at the same time possess high scratch resistance and very good reflow characteristics.

Thermally curable, thixotropic blends containing carbamate and/or allophanate groups


A peripheral device for use with a computer. The peripheral device includes a data path, a control circuit coupled to the data path for controlling data communication and a port. The port includes a connector used by the data path. The connector includes a first set of pins that are used by the data path and a second set of pins that are not used by the data path. The first set of pins are coupled to the data path for data communication from the data path to the computer, and the second set of pins coupled to the control circuit for providing access to the control circuit from the port.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ports on peripheral devices; and more particularly to ports for out of band communication.
2. Description of Related Art
Configuration and maintenance of electronic computer peripheral equipment is critical. When a user has purchased a peripheral device, the device may need to be set-up. Later, during the use of the device, the device may require trouble shooting, debugging, or diagnosis. Standard interfaces provided on devices may not provide sufficient access to circuitry within the devices to allow for performance of diagnosis, assessment of status, or debugging. However, physically opening the device in order to gain access to the circuitry in the device may be time consuming, inconvenient, or destructive to the device.
What is needed is a port in a computer peripheral device which allows access to control circuitry in the device, without requiring that the device be disassembled. In some prior computer peripherals devices, a port was provided for diagnostic purposes. Such an extra port requires additional hardware and space on the device. Further, such an additional port may be confusing to a user, who may not be aware of the purpose of the port. What is needed, therefore, is an improved interface for access to internal circuitry in a computer peripheral device for a diagnostic or other purposes.

Device for out-of-band transmission on computer peripheral


A protective cover for a cast. Exemplary embodiments include a cover for a lower arm cast including an optional thumb cover. Exemplary embodiments may be constructed from resilient foam located within a protective shell, and the protective shell may include fasteners arranged to retain the cast cover around the cast. An exemplary thumb cover includes a plurality of pockets, each of which holds a thumb pad. The exemplary thumb cover may be installed on the cast prior to installing the cast cover, and the thumb cover may extend through an opening in the cast cover.

This disclosure pertains to a protective cover for a cast and, more particularly, a protective cover for a cast including a resilient core.
In some circumstances, an individual wearing a cast may desire to participate in an activity, such as an athletic activity, during which the cast is covered. In particular, some athletic organizations require casts to be covered during sporting events.