A method, a device, and a system for processing a request to establish a multicast session among a plurality of communication nodes are provided. The device includes a multicast management application. The multicast management application includes instructions to receive a criterion for joining a first multicast session. The instructions further include identifying a first multicast session address and a second multicast session address using the criterion for joining the first multicast session. The first multicast session is identified using a first multicast session address. A second multicast session is identified using the second multicast session address. A responder device that is a member of the second multicast session is identified using the second multicast session address. A multicast session announcement is sent to the identified responder device. The multicast session announcement includes the first multicast session address, the second multicast session address, and the criterion for joining the first multicast session.

Layering is used to organize programming modules into separate functional components that interact in a sequential and hierarchical way so that each layer has an interface only to the layer above and below it, and thus, no need to understand the processing performed at any of the other layers. Communication programs may be structured in layers such that programming and hardware at both ends of the communication exchange use an identical set of layers. To process a message, data in a first device flows down through each layer and is transmitted through a physical media to a second device. Before reaching the second device, the message may "hop" multiple times before reaching the second device. The message is received at the second device, and the data flows up through the layers where it is ultimately presented to the user or used in an application at the second device.
A communication stack, for example, may include five layers: 1) a physical (PHY) layer, 2) a network interface layer, 3) an Internet Protocol (IP) layer, 4) a transport layer, and 5) an application layer. The PHY layer, also referred to as the hardware layer, provides the physical components that enable the transmission and reception of bits of information whether analog or digital. Access to the PHY layer is controlled by the network interface layer. The network interface layer provides transmission protocol knowledge and management, handles errors in the PHY layer, and provides flow control and frame synchronization. The network interface layer generally is divided into two sub-layers: the logical link control (LLC) sub-layer and the MAC sub-layer. The LLC sub-layer controls frame synchronization, flow control, and error checking. The MAC sub-layer provides transmission protocol knowledge and management thereby controlling how a device gains access to information, acquires the data path, and sends information over the data path. In general, the MAC sub-layer makes sure that devices sharing a common communications channel do not interfere with each other. Access control transmission technologies implemented at the MAC sub-layer include code division multiple access (CDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), general packet radio services (GPRS), carrier sense multiple access (CSMA), CSMA-collision detection (CSMA-CD), orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), Aloha, slotted Aloha, spectrum portable management application (SPMA), Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, etc.
IP is the method or protocol by which data is sent from one device to another through a network that may include both wired and wireless devices. Each device on the network has at least one IP address that uniquely identifies it from all of the other devices on the network. Originally, the devices were computers that connected to each other using IP through the Internet. Today, the devices that employ IP have expanded to include all types of communication devices including cellular phones, computers of any form factor including personal digital assistants, radios, etc. Using IP, a message is divided into small chunks called packets that each contain both the sender's IP address and the receiver's IP address. Each packet is treated as an independent unit of data without any relation to any other unit of data. The IP layer handles communication from one device to another device by providing, for example, the routing information that includes the IP addresses. Because a message is divided into a number of independent packets, each packet can, if necessary, be sent by a different route between the sending device and the receiving device. As a result, packets can arrive in a different order than the order in which they were sent.
The transport layer manages the end-to-end control of the data packets. The transport layer may use the user datagram protocol (UDP) or the transmission control protocol (TCP) to collect the packets and pass the packets on to the application layer. UDP passes the packets in the order in which they are received. TCP collects the packets and places the packets in the correct order before passing the packets to the application layer. The applications layer identifies other communication nodes, identifies quality of service, considers user authentication and privacy, identifies any constraints on data syntax, etc.
Quality of service (QoS) refers to the capability of a network to provide service to network traffic using various transmission technologies. The primary goal of QoS is to provide dedicated bandwidth, to control jitter and latency (required by some real-time and interactive traffic), and/or to improve loss characteristics based on a priority associated with specific network traffic while not allowing other network traffic flows to fail. As an example, different classes of traffic flow, such as voice, situational awareness, video, etc., can share the same network resources, yet be classified on an individual basis to assure high priority traffic receives sufficient bandwidth and speed of service during periods of network congestion.
The goal of ad-hoc networking technologies is to allow networks to automatically self-organize reducing the network planning burden and providing for task reorganization without operator intervention. Such self-organizing means that the protocol automatically identifies other communication devices as "neighbors" and links them together to create a wireless/wired network. In ad hoc networks including wireless communication devices, the wireless devices may move about arbitrarily. The mobility of the devices and the variability of other connection factors results in a network topology that may change rapidly and unpredictably. Ad hoc networks may or may not be connected with infrastructure such as the Internet. The basic assumption in an ad-hoc network is that two nodes willing to communicate may be outside the wireless transmission range of each other, but still be able to communicate in multiple hops, if other intermediate nodes in the network are willing to forward packets from them. Thus, routing in ad hoc networks requires the discovery of multi-hop paths between the wireless mobile nodes in the network that wish to communicate. Applications of ad hoc networks include military tactical communication, emergency relief operations, commercial and educational use in remote areas, etc.
Instead of sending data via multiple unicasts, multicasting reduces communication costs by minimizing bandwidth consumption and delivery delay. This is particularly important in a mobile, wireless environment where bandwidth is scarce and power availability limited. Multicast communication is an efficient means for supporting group-oriented applications, where the need for one-to-many or many-to-many data dissemination is frequent, for example, in situations involving disaster recovery or military battlefield scenarios. In multicast routing, packets from one sender must in general be delivered to multiple receivers all of which define a multicast group. Any node can send packets to the other devices in the multicast group at any time, and any node can join or leave the multicast group at any time.
Multicast routing, however, is a difficult problem in wired networks, and is even more challenging in ad hoc networks, due to the dynamic topology changes in the network due to node motion and wireless propagation variability, and due to the limited wireless network bandwidth and energy resources available at each communication node. Conventional routing protocols require knowledge of the topology of the entire network, and thus, are not suitable in a highly dynamic environment requiring topology update information to be propagated frequently throughout the network. What is needed is a multicast routing protocol that provides efficient and reliable routing of packets within an ad hoc network despite changing network topologies and radio channel characteristics. What is further needed is a multicast routing protocol that provides for the dynamic formation of multicast sessions.

Dynamic, multicast routing using a quality of service manager


The invention relates to a method for assessing heart failure in vitro comprising the steps of measuring in a sample the concentration of the marker SLIM-1, of optionally measuring in the sample the concentration of one or more other marker(s) of heart failure, and of assessing heart failure by comparing the concentration determined in for SLIM-1 and the concentration(s) determined for the optionally one or more other marker to the concentration of this marker or these markers as established in a reference population. Also disclosed are the use of SLIM-1 as a marker protein in the assessment of heart failure, a marker combination comprising SLIM-1 and a kit for measuring SLIM-1.

Heart failure (HF) is a major and growing public health problem. In the United States for example approximately 5 million patients have HF and over 550 000 patients are diagnosed with HF for the first time each year (In: American Heart Association, Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: 2005 Update, Dallas, Tex.; American Heart Association (2005)). Similarly US-statistics show that HF is the primary reason for 12 to 15 million office visits and 6.5 million hospital days each year. From 1990 to 1999, the annual number of hospitalizations has increased from approximately 810 000 to over 1 million for HF as a primary diagnosis and from 2.4 to 3.6 million for HF as a primary or secondary diagnosis. In 2001, nearly 53 000 patients died of HF as a primary cause. Heart failure is primarily a condition of the elderly, and thus the widely recognized "aging of the population" also contributes to the increasing incidence of HF. The incidence of HF approaches 10 per 1000 in the population after age 65. In the US alone, the total estimated direct and indirect costs for HF in 2005 were approximately $27.9 billion and approximately $2.9 billion annually is spent on drugs for the treatment of HF (cf. the above cited AHA-statistics).
Heart Failure
Heart Failure is characterized by a loss in the heart's ability to pump as much blood as the body needs. Failure does not mean that the heart has stopped pumping but that it is failing to pump blood as effectively as it should.
The NYHA (New York Heart Association) and the ACC/AHA (American Association of Cardiology/American Heart Association) have both established functional classes of HF to gauge the progression of the disease. The NYHA classification scheme has four classes of disease state: Class 1 is asymptomatic at any level of exertion. Class 2 is symptomatic at heavy exertion and Classes III and IV are symptomatic at light and no exertion, respectively.
In the four stage ACC/AHA scheme, Stage A is asymptomatic but is at risk for developing HF. Stage B there is evidence of cardiac dysfunction without symptoms. In Stage C there is evidence of cardiac dysfunction with symptoms. In Stage D, the subject has symptoms of HF despite maximal therapy.
Etiology of HF
Medically, heart failure (HF) must be appreciated as being a complex disease. It may be caused by the occurrence of a triggering event such as a myocardial infarction (heart attack) or be secondary to other causes such as hypertension, diabetes or cardiac malformations such as valvular disease. Myocardial infarction or other causes of HF result in an initial decline in the pumping capacity of the heart, for example by damaging the heart muscle. This decline in pumping capacity may not be immediately noticeable, due to the activation of one or more compensatory mechanisms. However, the progression of HF has been found to be independent of the patient's hemodynamic status. Therefore, the damaging changes caused by the disease are present and ongoing even while the patient remains asymptomatic. In fact, the compensatory mechanisms which maintain normal cardiovascular function during the early phases of HF may actually contribute to progression of the disease in the long run, for example by exerting deleterious effects on the heart and its capacity to maintain a sufficient level of blood flow in the circulation.
Some of the more important pathophysiological changes which occur in HF are (i) activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, (ii) systemic endothelial dysfunction and (iii) myocardial remodeling.
(i) Therapies specifically directed at counteracting the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis include beta-adrenergic blocking agents (B-blockers), angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, certain calcium channel blockers, nitrates and endothelin-1 blocking agents. Calcium channel blockers and nitrates, while producing clinical improvement have not been clearly shown to prolong survival, whereas B-blockers and ACE inhibitors have been shown to significantly prolong life, as have aldosterone antagonists. Experimental studies using endothelin-1 blocking agents have shown a beneficial effect.
(ii) Systemic endothelial dysfunction is a well-recognized feature of HF and is clearly present by the time signs of left ventricular dysfunction are present. Endothelial dysfunction is important with respect to the intimate relationship of the myocardial microcirculation with cardiac myocytes. The evidence suggests that microvascular dysfunction contributes significantly to myocyte dysfunction and the morphological changes which lead to progressive myocardial failure.
In terms of underlying pathophysiology, evidence suggests that endothelial dysfunction may be caused by a relative lack of NO which can be attributed to an increase in vascular O2-formation by an NADH-dependent oxidase and subsequent excess scavenging of NO. Potential contributing factors to increased O2-production include increased sympathetic tone, norepinephrine, angiotensin endothelin-1 and TNF-α. In addition, levels of IL-10, a key anti-inflammatory cytokine, are inappropriately low in relation to TNF-α levels. It is now believed that elevated levels of TNF-α, with associated proinflammatory cytokines including IL-6, and soluble TNF-α receptors, play a significant role in the evolution of HF by causing decreased myocardial contractility, biventricular dilatation, and hypotension and are probably involved in endothelial activation and dysfunction. It is also believed that TNF-α may play a role in the hitherto unexplained muscular wasting which occurs in severe HF patients. Preliminary studies in small numbers of patients with soluble TNF-receptor therapy have indicated improvements in NYHA functional classification and in patient well-being, as measured by quality of life indices.
(iii) Myocardial remodeling is a complex process which accompanies the transition from asymptomatic to symptomatic heart failure, and may be described as a series of adaptive changes within the myocardium, like alterations in ventricular shape, mass and volume (Piano, M. R., et al., J. Cardiovasc. Nurs. 14 (2000) 1-23, quiz 119-120; Molkentin, J. D., Ann. Rev. Physiol. 63 (2001) 391-426). The main components of myocardial remodeling are alterations in myocyte biology, like myocyte hypertrophy, loss of myocytes by necrosis or apoptosis, alterations in the extracellular matrix and alterations in left ventricular chamber geometry. It is unclear whether myocardial remodeling is simply the end-organ response that occurs following years of exposure to the toxic effects of long-term neurohormonal stimulation, or whether myocardial remodeling contributes independently to the progression of heart failure. Evidence to date suggests that appropriate therapy can slow or halt progression of myocardial remodeling.
Markers and Disease State
As indicated above, myocyte hypertrophy is likely to represent one of the first steps down the road to HF. Myocyte hypertrophy is characterized by an increased expression of some genes encoding contractile proteins, such as p-myosin heavy chain and troponin T (TnT), and of some non-contractile proteins, such as A-type and B-type natriuretic peptides, by an increased cell size and by cytoskeletal alteration (Piano, M. R., et al., J. Cardiovasc. Nurs. 14 (2000) 1-23, quiz 119-120; Molkentin, J. D., Ann. Rev. Physiol. 63 (2001) 391-426).
Studies of human and animal models of heart failure suggest depressed myocyte function in the later stages of cardiac failure. The mechanisms that underlie myocyte dysfunction have been suggested to involve alterations in the calcium-handling network, myofilament and cytoskeleton (de Tombe, P. P., Cardiovasc. Res. 37 (1998) 367-380). For example, in human and animal models of heart failure, sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase enzyme activity is reduced, while both mRNA and protein levels of the sarcolemmal Na+/Ca2+ exchanger are increased. Moreover, there is isoform-switching of TnT, reduced phosphorylation of troponin I (TnI), decreased myofibrillar actomyosin ATPase activity and enhanced microtubule formation in both human, and animal models of heart failure.
Initially the changes to the heart, leading to myocardial remodeling are meant to compensate for the diseased parts of the myocardium in order to sustain the body's demand for oxygen and nutrients. However, the compensatory phase of heart failure is limited, and, ultimately, the failing heart is unable to maintain cardiac output adequate to meet the body's needs. Thus, there is a transition from a compensatory phase to a decompensatory phase. In the decompensatory phase, the cascade of changes in the heart continues but is no longer beneficial, moving the patient down the progression of heart failure to a chronic state and eventual death.
According to the "ACC/AHA 2005 Guideline Update for the Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure in the Adult", the disease continuum in the area of heart failure is nowadays grouped into four stages as noted above. In stages A and B the individuals at risk of developing heart failure are found, whereas stages C and D represent the groups of patients showing signs and symptoms of heart failure. Details for defining the different stages A through D as given in the above reference are hereby included by reference.
Diagnostic Methods in Heart Failure
The single most useful diagnostic test in the evaluation of patients with HF is the comprehensive 2-dimensional echocardiogram coupled with Doppler flow studies to determine whether abnormalities of myocardium, heart valves, or pericardium are present and which chambers are involved. Three fundamental questions must be addressed: 1) is the LVEF preserved or reduced, 2) is the structure of the LV normal or abnormal, and 3) are there other structural abnormalities such as valvular, pericardial, or right ventricular abnormalities that could account for the clinical presentation? This information should be quantified with a numerical estimate of EF, measurement of ventricular dimensions and/or volumes, measurement of wall thickness, and evaluation of chamber geometry and regional wall motion. Right ventricular size and systolic performance should be assessed. Atrial size should also be determined semiquantitatively and left atrial dimensions and/or volumes measured.
Noninvasive hemodynamic data acquired at the time of echocardiography are an important additional correlate for patients with preserved or reduced EF. Combined quantification of the mitral valve inflow pattern, pulmonary venous inflow pattern, and mitral annular velocity provides data about characteristics of LV filling and left atrial pressure. Evaluation of the tricuspid valve regurgitant gradient coupled with measurement of inferior vena caval dimension and its response during respiration provides an estimate of systolic pulmonary artery pressure and central venous pressure.
Stroke volume may be determined with combined dimension measurement and pulsed Doppler in the LV outflow tract. However, abnormalities can be present in any of these parameters in the absence of HF. No one of these necessarily correlates specifically with HF; however, a totally normal filling pattern argues against clinical HF.
From a clinical perspective, the disease is clinically asymptomatic in the compensatory and early decompensatory phases (completely asymptomatic in stage A and with structural heart disease but no signs and symptoms of HF in stage B, cf. the ACC/AHA practice guidelines). Outward signs of the disease (such as shortness of breath) do not appear until well into the decompensatory phase (i.e., stages C and D according to the ACC/AHA guidelines). Current diagnosis is based on the outward symptoms of patients in stages C and D.
Typically patients with heart failure receive a standard treatment with drugs that interact with specific mechanisms involved in heart failure. There are no diagnostic tests that reflect those specific mechanisms reliably and help the physician to choose the right drug (and dose) for the right patient (e.g., ACE inhibitor, AT II, β-blockers, etc).
Prior Diagnosis of HF with Markers
Early assessment of patients at risk for heart failure appears to be possible only by biochemical markers since the individual at risk of developing heart failure at that stage is still free of clinical HF symptoms. There are no established biochemical markers currently available for the reliable pre-symptomatic assessment of the disease. By the time the diagnosis HF is established nowadays, the disease is already well underway.
The natriuretic peptide family, especially the atrial natriuretic peptide family and the brain natriuretic peptide family have in recent years proven to be of significant value in the assessment of HF.
HF Prognosis and Need
At least partially due to the late diagnosis, 50% of patients with HF die within two years of diagnosis. The 5-year survival rate is less than 30%. There is a significant need for new biochemical markers aiding in the early diagnosis of heart failure.
An improvement in the early assessment of individuals at risk for heart failure, i.e., of individuals that are clinically asymptomatic for heart failure is warranted.
It has been established in recent years that B-type natriuretic peptide markers represent an excellent tool to monitor disease progression in patients with HF and to assess their risk of cardiovascular complications, like heart attack.
However, as for many other diagnostic areas a single marker is not sufficient.
Whereas a low value of NT-proBNP has a very high negative predictive value for ruling out HF or LVD, the positive predictive value for heart failure in the above and other studies (cf. Triepels, R. H., et al., Clin. Chem. 49, Suppl. (2003) A37-38) has been found to be in the range of 50-60%. Thus a marker useful in assessing individuals at risk for heart failure that on its own e.g., has a high, or in combination with NT-proBNP, and as compared to NT-proBNP alone has an improved positive predictive value for HF is of high clinical/practical importance.
A marker aiding in the assessment of a patient with heart failure also is of high importance to achieve further technical progress in this clinically very important and demanding diagnostic area.

Use of SLIM-1 in the assessment of heart failure

The Governing Council of the  University of Toronto


A bicycle crank arm assembly for a bicycle designed for mounting a sprocket thereto. The crank arm has a centrally located hub portion, a crank portion extending radially outwardly from the hub portion and at least three fastening fingers extending radially outwardly from the hub portion. The fastening fingers are designed to have substantially the same stiffness at their free ends. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways such as change the cross-section of the fastening fingers adjacent the crank portion or changing the shape of the sprocket mounting portions of the fastening fingers. Also, in certain embodiments, the fastening fingers adjacent the crank portion are constructed such that their rear surfaces lie in the same plane as the rear surface of the crank portion adjacent thereto, or in a lower plane.

Bicycling is becoming an increasingly more popular form of recreation as well as a means of transportation. Moreover, bicycling has also become a very popular competitive sport. Whether the bicycle is used for recreation, transportation or competition, the current trend is to construct bicycles which are stronger as well as lighter than prior bicycles.
Accordingly, every part of a bicycle is constantly being redesigned to minimize weight and maximize strength. One part of the bicycle which has been redesigned to be lighter and stronger is the bicycle crank arm. Each bicycle has a pair of bicycle crank arms which are coupled to the bicycle crank spindle. The crank arms extend outwardly from the crank spindle in opposite directions and have pedals attached to their free ends for supporting the rider's feet. Rotation of the pedals by the rider causes one or more front sprockets to rotate which in turn moves the bicycle chain to rotate one or more rear sprockets, and thus, rotate the rear wheel of the bicycle. In certain crank arm designs, the front sprocket or sprockets are coupled directly to the crank arm by fastening fingers. The fastening fingers are coupled to the hub portion of the crank arm, and extend radially outwardly from the hub portion of the crank arm
An example of such a crank arm is sold by Shimano, Inc. under its Dura-Ace line of professional components. One drawback of this crank arm is that the fastening fingers which are adjacent the crank portion are stiffer than the remaining fastening fingers. Especially for the competitive or serious rider, the connection between the fastening fingers of the crank arm and the front sprocket or sprockets should be uniform. Another drawback to the crank arm sold by Shimano, Inc. under its Dura-Ace line of professional components is that it is difficult to properly finish the crank arm since the fastening fingers which are adjacent the crank portion have ribs that interfere with the welding and polishing of a weld located therebetween.
In view of the above, there exists a need for a bicycle crank arm having fastening fingers with substantially the same stiffnesses for supporting and coupling a sprocket thereto. Also there exists a need for a bicycle crank arm having fastening fingers which do not interfere with the manufacturing and finishing of the crank arm This invention addresses these needs in the art as well as other needs in the art which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.


An object of the present invention is to provide a lip stick which can produce the excellent usability and plumps up lips while appropriately suppressing the gloss of lips in makeup finish upon application. The lip cosmetic is characterized by including: (A) 12 to 35 mass % of a powder composition except for a color pigment, the powder composition including one or two or more selected from a silicone powder, a urethane powder, and a nylon powder in an amount of 40 mass % or more; and (B) 50 to 68 mass % of a fluid oil content having a viscosity of 15 to 100 mPa·s, the fluid oil content including an oil content having a viscosity of 15 to 100 mPa·s in an amount of 44 mass % or more.

The cosmetic effect by a lipstick is very high as compared to other makeup items. Accordingly, various lipsticks have been conventionally developed. This results in a so-called matte lipstick suppressing the gloss, and providing finish having matte feeling, other than general lipsticks imparting gloss to lips.
Such a matte lipstick includes a large amount of a powder having a high covering power or a white pigment added therein, and suppresses the reflection of a light. However, addition of such a powder increases the hardness of the lipstick, so that the lipstick becomes more likely to slip on the surface of lips, and hence tends to become less likely to be applied. Further, such superficial feel tends to impair the sense of luxury required of the cosmetic.
Further, the matte lipstick allows less light to transmit therethrough, which tends to result in unnatural finish. Accordingly, it is difficult to sufficiently plump up lips.
This created a demand for the development of a lip cosmetic capable of achieving excellent usability and plumping up lips while appropriately suppressing the gloss of lips in makeup finish upon application.    [PTL 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-269039


A method for testing a temperature measuring instrument is presented, where the instrument includes at least one sensor that changes its electrical resistance, and/or an electrical voltage that it produces, in response to being exposed to a change in temperature, and where the instrument is configured to be coupled to an object of interest. The method includes changing the temperature of at least one sensor by an amount that is detectable given the measurement resolution of the at least one sensor, by driving an electrical manipulation current through this sensor; obtaining one or measurement values from at least one sensor; and evaluating a state of the measuring instrument, a state of one or more of its sensors, and/or a state of a coupling to an object of interest, from the one or more measurement values.

In industrial plants, temperatures of media in pipes or other vessels belong to the most important parameters that are to be monitored in the course of an industrial process. Non-invasive temperature measuring instruments are instruments that are attached to an outside surface of the vessel and locally measure the temperature on this outside surface with one or more sensors. By suitably evaluating the measured temperature, the temperature inside the vessel may be derived.
Compared with invasive measuring instruments that are directly inserted into the medium inside the vessel, non-invasive measuring instruments do not impede the flow of the medium and are not attacked by a chemically aggressive medium. Moreover, adding and removing such instruments does not require a temporary shutdown of the plant.
The thermal contact between the non-invasive measuring instrument and the outer wall of the vessel, and hence also the thermal contact between the instrument and the medium, may degrade over time. Therefore, German patent DE 10 2015 105 819 B4 discloses a method for testing such instruments. Heat is locally applied to the outside wall of the vessel by a temporary heat source, and the effect that this has on the measurement values obtained from the sensors is evaluated to check whether the calibration of the instrument is still correct.

Testing method for non-invasive temperature measuring instruments


A data medium is driven by a brushless direct current motor and possesses control signals on a track which can be picked up by a sensing device and supplied to a switch arrangement for activation of the motor winding. The control signals on the track characterize at least those angular positions of the rotor with respect to the stator in which commutation is to be initiated.

The invention concerns rotation-imparting drive unit for rotating a data carrier having a brushless d.c. motor with a permanent-magnet rotor, and a stator having a winding, the winding being formed by one or plural winding coils, a circuit arrangement for controlling the energization of the winding to generate a magnetic field effecting rotary motion of the rotor, and also a reading arrangement for reading signals recorded on the data carrier.
For driving data carriers such as computer data-storage platters use is generally made of a brushless d.c. motor, with a data-carrier-receiving hub preferably being secured directly on the motor's shaft, so that the data carrier be directly driven. In order to assure a reliable, error-free reading of the data signals despite high data recording density, it is necessary to drive the data carrier at a high speed that is uniform; for this purpose, as exact as possible a switchover (commutation) of the current fed to the d.c. motor's stator-winding coils is necessary. For this purpose, known d.c. motors have one or plural sensors (e.g. Hall elements) inside the motor housing in the immediate vicinity of the region of the rotor's magnetic influence, and these are caused to issue signals as a result of the alternation of the magnet field during rotor rotation. A circuit board likewise arranged in the motor housing carries the components of a circuit, to which the sensor output signals are fed, and by means of which commutation of the current for the winding is performed in correspondence thereto.
With drive units for data carriers, a further requirement is that their structural height be as low as possible and this, in the case of d.c. motors of the direct-drive type, basically meaning the axial length of the motor's structure. A manufacturer of such motors therefore must make every effort and adopt every reasonable expedient that would serve to reduce axial height. In addition, there is for the motor manufacturer the always present goal, to be able to make and sell the motor at low cost.


A driver assistance apparatus includes an external camera disposed at a vehicle so as to have an outer field of view of the vehicle, configured to obtain image data on the outer field of view of the vehicle; an internal camera disposed inside the vehicle to grasp a drivers gaze on board the vehicle, configured to obtain the drivers gaze data; and a controller including at least one processor configured to process the image data and the gaze data. The controller may be configured to grasp the driver's gaze based on the gaze data, and based on a determination that the driver is in a careless condition, to control at least one of a control timing of a steering device and a lateral distance limit value for operating the steering device to be changed.

Existing advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) performed control based on lane information outside a vehicle and object information outside the vehicle. For example, a Lane keeping Assistance System (LKAS) controls to maintain a lane based on the object information and the lane information obtained from an image outside the vehicle. In addition, an automatic emergency braking system prevents a collision based on the object information outside the vehicle and motion information of the vehicle by a driver.
However, since the existing ADAS does not consider the driver's condition, it is insufficient to prevent accidents except in typical situations.

Driver assistance apparatus and method thereof


An embodiment of the present invention is directed to providing a cloud infrastructure visualizer and generator. The innovative system may use an Infrastructure Diagramming Tool to create Infrastructure Design Diagrams (IDD) to allow System Engineers to design the Infrastructure to meet various application needs. From the Infrastructure Diagramming Tool, a user may initiate code generation that may then be easily deployable to a cloud platform.

Creating an infrastructure and reproducing a similar lower level environment for testing requires system engineers to learn a new coding language, export the cloud providers script to reproduce and re-run in a new environment, or manually re-create it. Moreover, it is difficult to determine infrastructure security without getting other teams involved.
These and other drawbacks exist.

Method and system for implementing a cloud infrastructure visualizer and generator


A front loading weapon includes a barrel for firing ammunition therefrom; a breechblock arranged at a rear terminal portion of the barrel; a firing pin carried by the breechblock; and an apparatus for monitoring load conditions of the barrel. The apparatus includes a body sound sensor mounted on the weapon and emitting a first signal representing body oscillations of the weapon; an electronic evaluating device connected to an output of the sensor for emitting a second signal characteristic of an impacting of a cartridge on a region of the breechblock upon loading the cartridge into the barrel; and a warning device connected to the electronic evaluating device for being actuated by the second signal.

This invention relates to an apparatus for monitoring the condition (loaded or empty) of a front loading weapon having a weapon barrel provided with a breechblock.
Large-caliber front loading weapons such as mortars generally do not have a safety arrangement against dual loading. This poses a significant safety hazard for the weapon crew because upon firing of a dual charge the mortar barrel may burst. Further, risks are significant that upon placing the second mortar cartridge into the barrel, the first-loaded cartridge is fired and collides with the second cartridge (situated immediately in the zone of the barrel muzzle) and thus an explosion occurs.

Apparatus for monitoring the loaded or unloaded condition of a front loading weapon


A paving machine for reducing transition marks in a mat. The paving machine may comprise a frame, a tow arm, a screed assembly, a sensor and a controller. The screed assembly includes a main screed plate and an extension plate. The main screed plate is configured to pave a first surface section of the mat. The extension plate includes an extension trailing edge having an inner end. The extension plate is configured to pave a second surface section of the mat. The sensor is configured to sense transition marks in the mat proximal to an intersection between the first and second surface sections and to transmit data indicative of such to the controller. The controller may be configured to determine from the data received from the sensor when the inner end is disposed above or below the first plane, and move the inner end to the first plane.

Paving machines are used to apply, spread and compact a mat of material relatively evenly over a desired base. These machines are regularly used in the construction of roads, parking lots and other areas where a smooth durable surface is required for cars, trucks and other vehicles to travel. A paving machine generally includes a hopper for receiving paving material from a truck and a conveyor system for transferring the paving material rearwardly from the hopper for discharge onto a roadbed base. Screw augers may be used to spread the paving material transversely across the base in front of a screed assembly. The screed assembly smoothes and somewhat compacts the paving material and, ideally, leaves a mat of uniform depth and smoothness.
The screed assembly is drawn behind the paving machine by a pair of pivotally mounted tow arms. The screed assembly includes a main screed and one or more screed extensions disposed behind (or, in some embodiments, in front of) and adjacent to the main screed. The extension(s) are slidable transversely to the direction of travel of the paving machine and allow varying widths of paving material to be laid.
Road mat thickness is determined, in part, by the position of the tow arms and the angle of attack of the screed assembly relative to the base. To pave an even surface, the trailing edge of the main screed, and at least the inner end of the trailing edge of the screed extension should remain in the same plane. A change in the vertical height of the tow arms may cause the trailing edge of the main screed to be disposed at a different elevation than the trailing edge of the screed extension, at least temporarily. This difference in elevation can cause inconsistencies or discontinuities in the paved mat.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,386 ("Heims") issued Mar. 5, 2002 describes a road finisher having a chassis and a floating laying beam that includes a basic beam and an extendable beam. The laying beam is attached to the chassis by tie bars. Each tie bar is pivotally articulated on its front end on the chassis. The point of articulation is adjustable in height with respect to the chassis.
Heims discloses height adjusting devices that keep the respective rear edges of the basic beam and of the extendable beam in the same plane. According to Heims, a pair of sensors is mounted on the tow arm. The sensors are offset from one another in the direction in which the mat is being laid. The sensor offset is the same as the offset distance between the basic beam and the extendable beam. In addition, the sensors are arranged at such a height above the reference plane, the underlying carriageway, that they measure the same vertical distance from the reference plane when the surfaces of the basic beam and of the extendable beam run parallel with respect to the reference plane. According to the disclosure, with any desired setting angle alpha, the difference in height between the sensors mounted on the tow arms corresponds to a height difference X between the extendable beam and the basic beam and is used to derive a height correction for the extendable beam. While such an arrangement may be beneficial, precise alignment and calibration is needed. Inaccurate readings may occur due to close proximity of the sensors to vibrating or rotating parts, inaccurate calibration during machine set up, and positional movement of the sensors or of the basic beam and extendable beams caused by normal wear and tear over time at paving work sites. A better design is needed.


An optical pickup device comprises a stationary optical system and a movable optical system. The stationary optical system includes a recording/reproducing laser, a collimator for the recording/reproducing laser, a servo laser, a collimator for the servo laser, an actuator for moving the collimator for the servo laser along its optical axis, and a beam coupling/splitting optical element. The movable optical system includes an objective lens and an actuator for moving the objective lens along its optical axis. The point of convergence of recording/reproducing laser light is suitably moved in the layer direction in a recording layer of an optical disk. It is moved in a manner such that the collimator for substantially collimating servo laser light is first moved along its optical axis and the objective lens is then moved along its optical axis to correct defocusing of the servo laser light that is caused by the movement of the collimator for the servo laser light.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 11-222511, filed Aug. 5, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an optical pickup device for recording/reproducing information in/from an optical storage medium, and more specifically, to an optical pickup device for recording/reproducing information in/from an optical storage medium capable of three-dimensional recording by a plurality of beams. Further, the invention relates to an optical information recording/reproducing apparatus using the optical pickup device.
Conventionally known is a technique for recording in or reproducing independent pieces of information from different depths in a recording layer of an optical storage medium.
An optical storage medium or optical disk in/from which information is recorded/reproduced has a relatively thick recording layer and a reflective layer for servo control. Information can be recorded in different depths in the recording layer.
An example of an optical pickup device for three-dimensional recording/reproducing operation is described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-21565.
The optical pickup device is designed so that a servo beam is converged on a reflective layer of an optical disk, focus control and tracking control are carried out on the basis of light reflected by the reflective layer as a recording/reproducing beam is converged in a recording layer of the optical disk, and the physical properties of the recording layer are locally changed to effect information recording or information is reproduced on the basis of the reflected light.
In the optical pickup device, a collimator for a recording/reproducing light source is moved along its optical axis by an actuator, whereby the point of convergence of the recording/reproducing beam is moved along its optical axis for a distance corresponding to the movement of the collimator with respect to the point of convergence of the servo beam. Thus, the depth of the point of convergence of the recording/reproducing beam in the recording layer is controlled, that is, the recording surface is changed.
In the optical pickup device described above, the collimator for the recording/reproducing light source is moved to change the point of convergence of the recording/reproducing beam. Therefore, the parallelism of the recording/reproducing beam fluctuates as the collimator moves. The change of the parallelism of the recording/reproducing beam causes the incident beam diameter to change with respect to the effective diameter of an objective lens. This results in change of the coupling efficiency or optical transfer efficiency for the objective lens.
Thus, the movement of the collimator for changing the depth of the recording layer or changing the recording surface causes the coupling efficiency for the objective lens to change, so that optical power that reaches the recording layer is changed. This hinders reliable recording/reproducing operation.
In a so-called separated optical system, which includes a stationary optical system portion and a movable optical system portion that is only moved for access operation, in particular, fluctuation of the parallelism of the recording/reproducing beam inevitably causes the coupling efficiency for the objective lens to change in response to the movement of the movable optical system portion also.
Thus, the optical pickup device cannot steadily carry out high-density recording for mass storage, and is not applicable to the separated optical system for high-speed access.
The present invention has been contrived in consideration of these circumstances, and its object is to provide an optical pickup device capable of carrying out reliable recording/reproducing operation without any fluctuation of the parallelism of a recording/reproducing beam.

Optical information recording/reproducing apparatus


A wireless communication method includes receiving a broadcast signal from a wireless terminal, comparing a receiving intensity of the received broadcast signal with a set value, and transmitting to the wireless terminal a first signal indicating that the wireless terminal can start connection depending on a result of the comparison.

Conventionally, when there are a plurality of access points, a method of selecting the access point to be connected based on a communication quality between a wireless terminal and its communication partner has been used to implement highly efficient communication. National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2009-531874, for example, proposes a relay node which performs such a method.

Wireless communication method and system including wireless relay devices that determine information about presence and absence of a response signal from a wireless terminal


A transient voltage suppression circuit consists of energy dissipation components with one end connected either to a line or a neutral wire of a power line and the other end connected to a reed switch which, in turn, is connected to ground. The reed switch, which is an encapsulated switch consisting of two metal strips with a gap between them, is in an open position, and accordingly, does not under normal operating conditions provide a path to ground for the associated energy dissipation components. The energy dissipation components thus do not conduct. When a transient having a sufficiently high voltage occurs between the line or neutral wires and the ground wire, it causes the reed switch to conduct momentarily, that is, spark, across the gap. The switch momentarily forms a path to ground and allows the associated energy dissipation components to shunt a transient current away from protected appliances. The reed switch gap size is chosen such that the switch can withstand, without conducting, various high-voltage tests. The circuit can thus remain operative without affecting the testing of the protected appliances.

Power line voltage transients, that is, voltage spikes, caused by, for example, the switching of loads to or from a branch of a power distribution system, lightning and so forth, can damage electronic appliances or devices, such as computers, connected to the power line. Such transients, while typically of short duration, may subject components in the devices to voltages and currents above their maximum operating limits. These transient voltages and currents may cause components to malfunction or explode, prematurely age, or may destroy them altogether. To prevent the transient voltages and associated currents from reaching the components, transient suppression circuits, sometimes referred to as surge suppression circuits, are connected to the device at the input from the power line, that is, at a point between the protected components and the power line.
A household/office, or single-phase power line normally includes three conductors, or wires, referred to as "line" or "phase", "neutral" and "ground." Transients may occur between the line and neutral wires, the line and ground wires or the neutral and ground wires, and thus, transient suppression circuits which can handle all three types of transients are desirable. Transient suppression circuits typically short-circuit the transients between the line and neutral wires. Such transients are commonly referred to as normal mode transients. The circuits typically direct to ground the transients between the line and ground wires or the transients between neutral and ground wires. These transients are referred to collectively as common mode transients. Three-phase power lines, for devices such as industrial equipment which draw higher currents, have 5 wires, three wires which correspond to the line, or phase, wires and a neutral wire and a ground wire. Transient suppression circuits for these power lines operate in basically the same manner as the three wire circuits and direct transients between the various wires to ground, if they employ common-mode protection.
In either case the suppression circuits include in the current directing paths energy-dissipating components, such as current limiting resistors or metal-oxide-varistors (MOV's). During a transient, the transient current is directed through one or more of these components, which essentially dissipate some of the associated energy. The remaining transient energy, and thus the current, is brought within a safe operating range.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,436 to Stefani et al., describes a voltage suppression circuit which uses MOV's connected between the various power line wires to direct transients to either the neutral wire or the ground wire, as appropriate. When power line voltages remain within a normal operating range the MOV's have a high impedance, and thus, they conduct essentially only leakage current. Accordingly, the power line current basically flows directly to the protected device. When a voltage transient between two power line wires occurs the voltage applied to the MOV's associated with the wires rises, which causes the MOV's to effectively lower their resistance. The transient current then flows through this low impedance path and is thus shunted away from the device components.
Known transient suppression circuits divert the currents associated with all voltage transients which are above a particular voltage level. The particular voltage level is the level that causes the MOV's to lower their impedances below those of the protected device components. The MOV's typically achieve such a lowered impedance at 320 volts AC RMS, or higher. However, this voltage level is below the levels required for certain high-voltage electrical safety tests required by, for example, United Laboratories (UL), for finished goods or appliances. Accordingly, the transient protection circuits with common-mode transient protection may interfere with the tests, if they are not removed or deactivated.
Specifically, each device must be tested by the manufacturer for, among other things, the effectiveness of its insulation. For example, the manufacturer must test the devices for conformance to UL 1950 (domestic) or IEC 950 (international) basic and supplementary insulation standards. These tests, called "dielectric withstand tests" and commonly referred to as the "hipot" tests, involve the shorting together of the line and neutral wires and the application of a relatively high voltage of approximately 1500 volts AC RMS between the ground and line wires. Components, such as filtering capacitors, connected between these wires may then conduct. If the wires are not properly insulated, or if the capacitors conduct a relatively large current, the device may be a safety hazard. A particular device which conducts current above predetermined, device-specific reactive and leakage current levels fail the test.
In known systems, the manufacturers either remove the power line transient suppression circuit from each device to be tested or de-activate the circuit before performing the hipot test. Otherwise, the suppression circuit provides a low resistance path for the current between the line and ground wires, and the device will necessarily appear to fail the test.
When the test is completed, the manufacturer must then re-insert or re-activate the suppression circuit. Either operation adds significant cost to the manufacturing process, which directly affects the product cost. What is needed is a voltage suppression circuit which can withstand the high voltages of the hipot test without conducting and still operate to suppress potentially harmful common mode voltage transients. Such a circuit may be in addition to or include circuitry which handles normal mode transients.

Power line transient suppression circuit


An inkjet recording ink includes at least one yellow-azo dye having specific properties or a specific structure dissolved and/or dispersed in an aqueous medium and containing a water-miscible organic solvent having a specific solubility with respect to dye.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aqueous ink for inkjet recording which is improved in bleeding on recording medium, provides an excellent image quality and exhibits an excellent handleability and safety.
2. Background Art
In recent years, following the spread of computers, inkjet printers are widely utilized for printing on paper, films, cloths, etc. in not only offices but also households.
The inkjet recording method includes a mode of applying a pressure by a piezoelectric element to discharge droplets; a mode of generating bubbles in an ink by heat to discharge droplets; a mode of using ultrasonic wave; and a mode of sucking and discharging droplets by electrostatic force. As ink compositions for such inkjet recording, aqueous inks, oil based inks, or solid (melt type) inks are used. Of these inks, aqueous inks are the main current from the standpoints of manufacture, handling, smell, safety, etc.
With respect to coloring agents that are used in these inkjet recording inks, there are requirements that they have high solubility in solvent; that they can undergo high-density recording; that they have good hue; that they have excellent fastness to light, heat, air, water, and chemicals; that they have good fixation to an image receiving material and hardly cause bleeding; that they have excellent preservability as an ink; that they have no toxicity; that they have high purity; and that they can be cheaply obtained. However, it is extremely difficult to seek coloring agents that can meet these requirements at high levels.
Though various inkjet dyes and pigments have already been proposed and actually used, it is the present state that coloring agents that can meet all of the requirements have not yet been discovered. According to the conventionally well known dyes and pigments to which color index (C.I.) numbers are assigned, it is difficult to reconcile hue and fastness required for inkjet recording inks.
With the trend toward the rise of capacity for electrostatic digital image data, there is a growing demand for recording of images having a higher precision and quality. In order to meet this demand, it is necessary to use smaller ink droplets and prevent the ink droplets attached to the recording layer from expanding. In particular, the prevention of bleeding of dye due to the expansion of ink droplets is limited so far as it relies mainly on the improvement of the recording layer. It has thus been desired to provide a means of inhibiting the bleeding of dye contained in the ink solution by using improvements in the ink composition and the drawing method.
As yellow dyes for inkjet recording there have heretofore been widely known direct azo dyes, acidic azo dyes, etc.
Techniques involving the use of C. I. Acid Yellow 17, C. I. Acid Yellow 23 and C. I. Acid Yellow 26 as acidic azo dye and C. I. Direct Yellow 86, C. I. Direct Yellow 120, C. I. Direct Yellow 132, etc. as direct azo dye in yellow inks for inkjet recording are disclosed in Patent References 1 and 2.
The dye of the invention is superior to these dyes with respect to fastness. Techniques involving the use of the dye of the invention as a yellow ink for inkjet recording are disclosed in Patent Reference 3, Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2002-131536, 2002-124832 and 2002-211683.
As a means of inhibiting the bleeding of dye by improving the ink solution, a method involving the rise of the viscosity of the ink solution, a method involving the use of a low dispersibility particulate coloring material, a method involving the incorporation of a mordant, etc. have been attempted. However, these methods cannot inhibit image bleeding, se-cure the age stability of the ink solution and prevent the clogging of the drawing nozzle at the same time.
[Patent Reference 1]
JP-A-55-150396
[Patent Reference 2]
JP-A-2001-240781
[Patent Reference 3]
JP-A-2001-279145


A fully rounded jingle bell making method including steps of (a) preparing a bell blank having four blades spaced by notches around a dome-like body portion; (b) secondarily punching the bell blank to turn the blades from respective horizontal positions to vertical positions; (c) preparing a mold consisted of a rotary lower die, and an upper die having a cross piece projected on the inside; (d) placing the secondarily shape formed bell blank in the lower die to carry a steel ball; (e) punching the upper die against the lower die to deform the four blades of the bell blank, causing the blades to fit over the inside wall of the upper die and to cover around the steel ball; (f) removing the finished, fully rounded jingle bell from the upper die by inserting push rods into guide holes on the upper die.

The present invention relates to a jingle bell making method, and more particularly to a method of making a jingle bell having a unitary, hollow, spherical casing with a cross mouth.
Various jingle bells have been disclosed, and have appeared on the market. FIG. 1 illustrates a jingle bell according to the prior art, which comprises an upper part B having a hanger, a lower part A having a mouth, and an outward flange C between the upper part B and the lower part A. This structure of jingle bell is formed by punching two separate parts, namely, the upper part B and the lower part A together, and the connection between the upper part B and the lower part A forms into the outward flange C. Therefore, this structure of jingle bell does not have a smooth outside surface. If the upper and lower parts are fastened together through a welding process in order to obtain a smooth outside surface, the manufacturing cost of the jingle bell with be greatly increased. FIG. 2 illustrates another structure of jingle bell according to the prior art, which is formed by punching a bell blank in a mold consisted of an upper die having a half-round bottom cavity and a lower die having a half-round top cavity. While punching in the mold, the blades D of the bell blank may be tilted sideways and unequally spaced from one another. Because the upper die has no means to stop the tip of each blade during punching, the end of the casing of the jingle bell thus formed is made in a flat configuration. Therefore, it is not possible to obtain a fully rounded casing for a jingle bell according to conventional jingle bell making methods.


To provide a line balance control method, a line balance control apparatus, and a component mounting machine, which do not require a higher-level device. A production line 100 is equipped with a printing machine 120, a coating machine 130, a component mounting machine 101, a component mounting machine 102, and a reflow machine 140, and they are connected through a communication line 110, respectively. In addition, a line balance control device, which is equipped with possibility inquiring means which makes an inquiry of whether or not it is possible to mount components to be allocated, among the components to be mounted, to the component mounting machines 101, 102, possibility obtaining means which obtains a response to the inquiry in the possibility inquiring means, and allocating means which allocates components to be mounted, to each component mounting machine 101, 102, in such a manner that mounting time at each component mounting machine is equalized, on the basis of the response obtained in the possibility obtaining means, is disposed in a device which configure the production line 100.

In the past, in a component mounting line for mounting components such as electronic components onto a substrate such as a printed wiring board, it is important to carry out equalization (leveling) of tact in each component mounting machine that configure the component mounting line, in order to realize shorter tact (mounting time).
On the occasion of carrying out the suchlike equalization of tact, there is such a technology that a higher-level device, which is located in a higher-level of each component mounting machine of the component mounting line, is disposed separately, and this higher-level device becomes an optimization device of a component mounting process, and mounting object components are allocated to component mounting machines (e.g., JP-A-2003-174299 publication).
However, the above-described higher-level device is one which requires high processing ability, and there was a problem from the side of cost.

Line balance control method, line balance control apparatus, and component mounting machine


One mode is a method for the structural analysis of an organic compound by MALDI mass spectrometry, including: a sample preparation process (S1) which includes preparing a sample by mixing a specimen containing an organic compound to be analyzed with a predetermined matrix at a mixture ratio within a range from 1:5 to 1:5000 in molar ratio; a mass spectrometry process (S3) which includes irradiating the prepared sample with a laser beam having a spot size equal to or smaller than 15 μm to generate ions originating from a component of the specimen in the sample, and performing a mass spectrometric analysis of the generated ions; and an analyzing process (S4) which includes detecting, from a mass spectrum acquired in the mass spectrometry process, ions including product ions resulting from in-source decay, and estimating the structure of the organic compound to be analyzed based on information concerning the ions.

In a mass spectrometer using an ion source which employs matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI; this type of device is hereinafter called the "MALDI mass spectrometer"), a sample prepared by mixing a specimen to be analyzed with an ionization agent, called the "matrix", is irradiated with laser light for a short period of time to vaporize and ionize a component of the specimen in the sample. The generated ions are introduced into a mass separator, which separates the ions according to their mass-to-charge ratios and detects them.
The MALDI method is generally known as a soft ionization method which can ionize a hard-to-volatile compound without significantly fragmenting the compound. Therefore, mass spectrometers in which a MALDI ion source is coupled with a time-of-flight mass separator having a high level of mass-resolving power and mass accuracy are often used to perform a measurement of a molecular ion produced from a protein, peptide or similar compound of biological origin (e.g., a protonated molecule [M+H]+, where M represents a specimen molecule which is the analysis target) and acquire its molecular weight information. In this type of measurement, since detection sensitivity is important, the spot size of the laser beam is intentionally increased (e.g., 50-200 μm in diameter) so that a considerable amount of ions will be generated by a single shot of laser irradiation.
On the other hand, in the case of analyzing the amino-acid sequence of a peptide or the structure of a glycan (or the like), it is necessary to intentionally fragment the peptide or glycan into fragments and acquire mass information of the various partial structures resulting from the fragmentation. A technique widely used for this purpose is an MS/MS analysis (or MSn analysis with n being equal to or greater than three) employing a low-energy collision induced dissociation, high-energy collision induced dissociation or other dissociation techniques.
For example, an imaging mass spectrometer disclosed in Non Patent Literature 1 includes an atmospheric pressure MALDI ion source configured to perform ionization in an ambiance of atmospheric pressure, an ion trap, and a time-of-flight mass separator. The reason why the atmospheric pressure MALDI ion source is used rather than a vacuum MALDI ion source configured to perform ionization in a vacuum atmosphere is that a biological specimen, such as a biological tissue section, should be analyzed in its natural state without being dried. As compared to the vacuum MALDI, the atmospheric pressure MALDI is normally less likely to cause the fragmentation of ions through the ionization process. Accordingly, in the aforementioned imaging mass spectrometer, when the mass information of a target compound in a biological specimen needs to be acquired, the ions derived from the target compound generated in the atmospheric pressure MALDI ion source are mass-separated and detected by the time-of-flight mass separator without being dissociated by the ion trap. On the other hand, when a structural analysis of the target compound needs to be performed, the ions derived from the target compound generated in the atmospheric pressure MALDI ion source are dissociated by low-energy CID in the ion trap, and the thereby generated product ions are mass-separated and detected by the time-of-flight mass separator.
When the target compound is a peptide, the mass spectrum acquired through this type of MS/MS analysis shows a large number of product ions resulting from the cleavage of the main chain of the peptide, such as the a-type, b-type, c-type and y-type product ions expressing the amino-acid sequence information. However, low-energy CID often leads to the observation of internal fragment ions which include neither the N-terminal nor the C-terminal, or ions resulting from the cleavage of the main chain at multiple locations (e.g., a[-17] or b[-17/18]). On the other hand, the d-type, w-type or other types of product ions, which result from the cleavage of a side chain useful for distinguishing between leucine and isoleucine which are structurally isomeric amino acids, are barely observed. Therefore, the aforementioned mass spectrum does not always contain a sufficient amount of information for a detailed structural analysis of a peptide, and the structural analysis may not be satisfactorily performed.
There is another type of technique, called in-source decay (ISD), by which a mass spectrum that allows for a structural analysis can be acquired. Regarding the ionization process by the MALDI method, it is commonly known that the dissociation of ions derived from a substance subjected to the measurement can be promoted by increasing the amount of ionization energy (e.g., by increasing the power of the laser light) or using a special kind of matrix. In-source decay utilizes this fact and enables the acquisition of a mass spectrum on which product ions are observed, without using an element for dissociating ions, such an ion trap or collision cell.
Various studies have conventionally been conducted on what form of in-source decay occurs under what conditions. For example, Non Patent Literature 2 reports that a special kind of product ion is likely to be generated by using 1,5-Diaminonaphthalene (which is hereinafter called "1,5-DAN" according to common practice) as the matrix and performing the ionization by a vacuum MALDI method under the condition that the molar ratio of the matrix mixed with the specimen is considerably lower than in the case of a normal vacuum MALDI method. However, the document does not report that d-type ions can be observed.
Non Patent Literature 3 reports that product ions including d-type ions can be obtained in a vacuum MALDI method in which 3-Hydroxy-2-nitrobenzoic acid (which is hereinafter called the "3H2NBA" according to common practice) is used as the matrix.

Method for structural analysis of organic compound


A side body vehicle structure is disclosed that has a pair of left and right side sills and opposite swing type side doors. The side sills may have an upper flange portion facing the rear door in the vehicle width direction which functions as a rear door facing part, and the upper flange portion of a more forward part of the vehicle than the rear door facing part may function as a front door facing part. The rear door facing part may be formed in a shape having a length in the vehicle vertical direction longer than a length in a vehicle vertical direction of the front door facing part. In a vertical cross section along the vehicle width direction, a gusset member may form a closed cross section with the side sill inner member, and an upper end thereof may be joined to the rear door facing part.

In a vehicle such as an automobile, a doorway provided at a side part of the vehicle for a passenger ingress and egress is covered with side doors that are freely openably and closably supported by the vehicle body. As one example of such side doors, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, so-called opposite swing type side doors are known, which comprise a front door that is freely openably and closably supported by the vehicle body on a front side of the doorway and a rear door that is freely openably and closably supported by the vehicle body on a rear side of the doorway.
Such opposite swing type side doors tend to have low rigidity against a compression load acting toward the inside of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, compared with a vehicle having a center pillar joined to the vehicle body so as to partition the front part and the rear part of the doorway, when a colliding object collides with a side part of the vehicle a vehicle having opposite swing type side doors has a risk that the side door may be greatly deformed toward the inside of the vehicle cabin.
Therefore, in a vehicle having opposite swing type side doors, for example, by incorporating a center pillar extending in the vehicle vertical direction in the vicinity of the front end of the rear door, rigidity of the rear door against the compression load toward the inside of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction is improved and deformation of the rear door at the time of a side collision is suppressed.
However, when the rigidity and the mechanical strength of a side sill against a compression load toward the inside of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction are not sufficient, the side sill might not stably support the rear door on which the compression load acts toward the inside of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, even if rigidity of the rear door against the compression load toward the inside of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction is improved, intrusion of the rear door into the vehicle cabin at the time of the side collision might not be able to be sufficiently suppressed.


A three-dimensional display device includes a plurality of projection portions to project a plurality of images, respectively, a plurality of wedge-shaped light guide plates corresponding to the plurality of projection portions, respectively, to emit the plurality of images, respectively, and a plurality of directional diffuser screen corresponding to the plurality of wedge-shaped light guide plates, respectively, to diffuse or transmit the plurality of images.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional display device, and more particularly, relates to a volumetric type three-dimensional display device.
2. Background of the Related Art
A three-dimensional display uses technology that allows an observer to perceive a three-dimensional effect from a two-dimensional image. This technology has been widely utilized in display-relevant technical fields as well as home appliances, communication, aerospace, art and automobiles. To achieve a three-dimensional effect, a parallax of both eyes, namely, a distance of 65 mm, acts as a primary factor, and mental state and memory act as other factors. Thus, according to three-dimensional information transferred to a user, a three-dimensional display technology may be divided into a volumetric type, a holographic type and a stereoscopic type. Of these types, the volumetric type is suitable for an I-MAX film and has the advantage of supplying large-sized display images.
FIG. 1 is a view schematically illustrating a volumetric type three-dimensional display device 10 according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 1, the volumetric type three-dimensional display device 10 includes first to fourth display portions 20, 30, 40 and 50. The first to fourth display portions 20, 30, 40 and 50 display first to fourth partial images I1, I2, I3 and I4, respectively. The first to fourth partial images I1 to I4 are produced by dividing one image according to depths of the one image. A user 60 synthesizes the first to fourth partial images I1 to I4 as a three-dimensional one image. Also, the user 60 adds positions of the first to fourth display portions 20 to 50, namely, distances from the user 60 to the first to fourth display portions 20 to 50, into image information of the first to fourth partial images I1 to I4, thereby perceiving the one image as a three-dimensional image.
However, the related art volumetric type three-dimensional display device 10 has the following limitations and disadvantages. Each display portion should display the display image produced by itself, and also should transmit the display images produced by the display portions behind it. Specifically, the second display portion 30 should transmit the first partial image I1 produced by the first display portion 20, the third display portion 40 should transmit the first and second partial images I1 and I2 produced by the first and second display portions 20 and 30, and the fourth display portion 40 should transmit the first to third partial images I1 to I3 produced by the first to third display portions 20 to 30. Accordingly, qualification of the display portion is limited. For this reason, emissive type display devices, such as organic electroluminescent display devices, field emission display devices, plasma display devices and the like, can not be used as the display portion of the volumetric type three-dimensional display device.
While a non-emissive type display device, such as a liquid crystal display device, can be used for the display portion, it is difficult to set up a light source such as a backlight unit. When the non-emissive type display device has a low transmissivity, the partial images should pass through a plurality of non-emissive type display devices, thereby decreasing the brightness. Accordingly, a projection type display device is used as the display portion. The projection type display device generally needs a large complicated optical portion and a screen where an image is projected. When the projection type display device is adopted for the volumetric type three-dimensional display device, a distance between the screens should be long enough to set up the optical portion. However, due to the long distance, the user may not normally perceive the three-dimensional one image synthesized from the partial images.


This invention relates to devices for unscrewing bottle caps. More particularly, this invention relates to flexible bottle cap openers designed to be conformed to the circumference of bottle caps and engaged by a person's thumb and fore finger to twist open a bottle cap. This invention comprises a flexible strip of elastomeric material having a thin flat, narrow, elongated body formed with transverse alternating ribs and grooves located only at the ends on one side of the body and located only at the elongated mid-portion on the other side of the body.

Removal of twist-off bottle caps is difficult without some device to protect hand flesh from the sharp formed ribs and grooves of the cap, or to prevent slippage. There are unitary bottle cap removers of various forms which have been found to be bulky, inconvenient and cumbersome for regular and constant carriage upon the person or in the user's pockets or to be attachable to bottle packages.


A table bender controller employing a computerized display screen with the computer therefor being programmed to take keyed-in entry of customer provided bar shape specifications, whether entered by the machine operator at the machine location or from corresponding specification input data downloaded from a remote location input terminal, which specifications are in terms of a finished dimension of the bent bar profile along with the diameter of the bar to be bent and the bend degrees and directions of bend to produce the required shape, all of which either after key-in or downloading is called up in graphical display on the screen in a visual profile corresponding to that to be bent with appropriate machine and bar set instructions for producing such shape, including bending sequence, dimensions, gage marks, pin sizes and ram location for each of the component bends in the sequence.

The present invention, herein denominated a table bender controller, relates to an electronic visual aid device which is designed to enhance the ease and certainty whereby an operator of a manually cycled table bending machine Of that type typically used for bending concrete reinforcing bar may make the various shapes employed in concrete reinforcing applications to specification, with greater efficiency and less waste.
Typically, operators of manually cycled table bending machines are individuals skilled in the art by way of on the job trial-and-error training and or the use of bend charts developed through trial-and-error experience, in handling various bar lengths and diameters that must be bent to a wide range of shapes and reasonably close dimensional tolerances, and in most jobs the run lengths are relatively short. Thus, even with a highly skilled and experienced operator it is frequently necessary with a new shape that he trial-and-error bend a particular profile a number of times before getting the right center pin radius and bend hole position on the bending table head, the proper machine speed and most efficient bending sequence, and a "feel" for how the particular bar stock will machine through the bending cycle.
In an effort to reduce operator training time and that experiential developed skill level necessary for efficient and economical bent bar production off a manually cycled table bending machine there was developed a digital readout table bender control head such as that exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,577 to Eley dated Jan. 12, 1988, for bending conduit and pipe, as well as that digital control head shown in a technical sheet of the assignee of applicant herein being KRB Machinery Co., of R.D. #12, Pisgah Rd., York, PA, captioned "TABLE BENDER CONTROL HEAD", designed as either an original or retrofit control for a manually cycled table bending machine employed to bend concrete reinforcing bar. In the case of digital readout control units, such as the foregoing, bend specifications are operator keyed into a control module and tested, which then gives a numerical readout of the bend angle count for each bend and whether it is a clockwise or counterclockwise bend direction. The digital control head does not, however, provide a screen image of the total part profile with bend sequence, nor machine sets and specific instructions for machine operation in order to accomplish each sequential bend cycle of the profile.
The next stage of bending machine control is that such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,110 to Ritter et al dated Jul. 17, 1979, which teaches a fully automatic bending operation with the substantially increased cost factors attendant to such a machine and the longer run lengths required to warrant its use.
The integrated combination of applicant's invention for a table bender controller with the typical manually cycled table bending machine, however, effectively and efficiently fills a production void between such machines operated purely by developed skill of an operator or a machine equipped with a digital control head on the one hand and the fully automatic bending machine on the other, while at the same time being adaptable to use with a large number of manually cycled table bending machines and eliminating the need or necessity for a highly experienced operator in order to obtain consistent short to medium run output of specified bent bar production at a substantially increased rate and lower levels of waste, with little chance of error.


The present disclosure relates to radio network communication. In one of its aspects, the disclosure presented herein concerns a method for retrieving configuration information from a target Base Station (BS) in an E-UTRA New Radio-Dual Connectivity (EN-DC) wireless communication system. The method is performed by a source en-gNB. According to the method, a request message requesting configuration information from the target BS is transmitted to a first proxy evolved Node B (eNB). The request message comprises identifiers identifying the source en-gNB and the target BS, respectively.

This section is intended to provide a background to the various embodiments of the invention that are described in this disclosure. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, what is described in this section should not be interpreted to be prior art by its mere inclusion in this section.
The concept of Dual Connectivity (DC) was introduced in Long Term Evolution (LTE) to allow a UE to simultaneously transmit and receive data on multiple component carriers from two cell groups via two Base Stations (BS), i.e. a Master eNodeB (MeNB) and a Secondary eNB (SeNB). The UE may communicate simultaneously with both the MeNB and the SeNB, which allows the communication system to increase the total bandwidth of communications to and from the UE.
Traditionally, a UE is connected to one Radio Access Technology (RAT) at a time, i.e. either connected to Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), or to Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) or to LTE. With the introduction of 5G, this is changed. Due to, inter alia, the higher frequencies bands used it was deemed better to enable UEs to connect to LTE and New Radio (NR) simultaneously. This is referred to as Dual Connectivity EN-DC. EN-DC stands for E-UTRAN (i.e. Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access) New Radio-Dual Connectivity. With the NR rollouts beginning, NR is used side-by-side with LTE, i.e. Non-Stand-Alone (NSA).
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an EN-DC wireless communication system 900, which is in accordance with the Radio Access Network (RAN) architecture option 3 in Release 15. The en-gNB 3 is connected to the eNB 4 via an X2 interface. The eNB 4 is the master node that carries the control plane and the gNB 3 is the secondary node which carries the user plane part only. One eNB 4 may connect to multiple en-gNBs and one en-gNB 3 may be connected to multiple eNBs. Both the en-gNB 3 and the eNB 4 have direct interface with the LTE core network, the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) 8, via the S1-U interface. However, in case of control plane only the eNB 4 has direct interface with the LTE core network, via the S1-C interface. Thus, the eNB 4 is responsible for maintaining the connection state transitions, handling the connection setup/release, and initiating the first-time secondary node addition, that is, the EN-DC setup.
In order for one BS, i.e. a source BS, to connect to another BS, i.e. a target BS, via an X2 interface, the source BS has to know the ID of the target BS. Furthermore, the source BS has to determine the TNL address suitable for establishing the connection. This TNL address may be received from the Mobile Management Entity (MME). Traditionally, the MME relay neighbouring cell relay requests from a source eNB to a target eNB so that X2 connection and eNB neighbouring cell relation table can be automatically updated in both eNBs. This MME supporting role is known as TNL address discovery of candidate eNB via S1 interface of Configuration Transfer Procedure. However, due to the introduction of EN-DC wireless communication system, this process had to be further developed.

Apparatuses and methods for configuration information retrieval


A structure for supporting a sunroof deflector may include a deflector arm of which one end may be pivotably coupled to a deflector base on a roof of a vehicle and another end thereof may be connected with a deflector fabric, a deflector spring that may be disposed between the deflector base and the deflector arm and provides elastic force to the deflector arm, and a locking lever that may be pivotably fastened to the deflector arm by a hinge pin and has a locking lever with a hook at a front end thereof, wherein when a sunroof glass of the vehicle may be open, the hook of the locking lever may be locked to an end of the deflector spring and the deflector arm may be prevented from moving down accordingly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for supporting a sunroof deflector on the roof of a vehicle, and more particularly, a structure for supporting a sunroof deflector which prevents a deflector arm from moving down, using a locking lever that is pivotably fastened to the deflector arm by a hinge pin and is locked to an end of a deflector spring when a sunroof glass of a vehicle is open.
2. Description of Related Art
An opening that can be opened/closed by a sunroof glass may be formed at the roof panel of a vehicle to discharge the air in the vehicle to the outside or let the external air flow inside the vehicle.
In particular, most sunroof panels of vehicles are recently made of glass for wide open feeling and an excellent esthetic design and panorama sunroofs selectively and partially opening/closing those sunroof panels are used.
Passengers can take the sunlight through the panorama sunroofs when a vehicle is running or stops, and they can also feel refreshed by opening the panorama sunroofs while a vehicle runs.
In general, a sunroof deflector that changes the direction of wind upward to prevent the wind from flowing into a vehicle through an opening, when the vehicle runs with a sunroof glass open, is disposed ahead of the panorama sunroofs.
Such a sunroof deflector is operated in a type of tilting up a deflector arm, using a specific electric device or a type of removing pressure on a deflector arm when a sunroof glass opens and of tilting up the deflector arm, using elastic force of a deflector spring.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a typical automobile sunroof deflector.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the sunroof deflector of the related art includes a deflector arm 2 of which one end pivotably coupled to a deflector base 1 on the roof of a vehicle and the other end connected with a deflector fabric 3 and a deflector spring 4 that is disposed between the deflector base 1 and the deflector arm 2 and provides elastic force to the deflector arm 2.
When a sunroof of a vehicle opens, the deflector arm 2 is moved up by the elastic force of the deflector spring 4 and the deflector fabric 3 connected to the deflector arm 2 blocks the front of an opening 5, thereby preventing wind from flowing into the vehicle.
When a sunroof of a vehicle closes, the deflector arm 2 is pressed down by a command shoe coupled to a sunroof glass, and accordingly, the deflector fabric 3 connected to the deflector arm 2 is stowed.
However, as illustrated in the figure, according to the sunroof deflector of the related art, when a vehicle runs at a high speed, excessive air resistance is applied to the deflector fabric 3, so the deflector arm 2 moves down and causes wind noise.
Although it is possible to reduce downward movement of the deflector arm by increasing the stiffness of the deflector spring 4 to remove this problem, an increase of stiffness of the deflector spring reduces durability and lifespan of the deflector spring and causes mis-reversing (reversing of a sunroof glass due to misjudgment on sticking of an object) due to an increase of resistance when a sunroof glass closes.
It may be possible to increase a motor safety value (a reference value for reversing a sunroof glass, when the sunroof glass closes with an object stuck) to solve the problem of mis-reversing, but it also deteriorates sensitivity of the safety function.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Structure for supporting sun roof deflector