A portable computing device receives an identity card and restricts access to the portable computing device if the identity card is unassociated with the portable computing device. If access to the portable computing device is restricted, the portable computing device receives identification from a second portable computing device and grants access to the portable computing device if the identification is successfully authenticated.

When a user would like to use a portable computing device to access a communication network, such as a service provider, the user can insert an identity card, such as a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, into the portable computing device. In some instances, if an unrecognized SIM card is inserted, the portable computing device may become locked and access to features of the portable computing device can be locked or restricted from access. The user can attempt to enter a personal identification number to unlock the portable computing device. In another example, the user can contact the service provider for the portable computing device to be unlocked.

Identification to access portable computing device

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


In a machine tool provided with a column 4 mounted on a back end portion of a bed 1 having a table 2, and a spindle head 20 arranged in a vertically movable manner to the column 4, both sides of an upper portion of the column 4 is connected with both sides of a front-end portion of the bed 1 through support members 42, 43. Even the machine has a structure that the spindle head 20 embeds a main shaft rotating at high rpm, vibration can be reduced. The column is affected by a force to fall down in the direction due to the weight of the spindle head 20, but the tilt caused by the force can be avoided. Accordingly, a high finish surface accuracy can be ensured without an increase in size and weight.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to machine tools processing metallic materials. In detail, the invention relates to a machine tool having a bed with a table, a column provided on the bed, and a spindle head provided on the column.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, a machine tool having a bed with a table, a column mounted at the back portion of the bed and a spindle head provided on the column (column type machine tool), the bed and the column are made in high stiffness so that the accuracy in vertical motion of the spindle head and in rotational motion of the main shaft supported by the spindle head can be ensured.
Meanwhile, recently in metal processing, when the main shaft is supported in a rotatable manner with air bearing and the main shaft is rotated at a speed of several thousand revolution per minute (for instance, fifty to seventy thousand rpm.), it is recognized that a high-efficiency processing in the feed speed for cutting at several meter per minute can be achieved.
When such a high speed rotation spindle head is applied on a column type machine tool, there arises a problem that high finish surface accuracy can not be ensured due to vibration caused by the high rotation of the main shaft.
In order to solve the problem, the bed and the column can be constructed in higher stiffness, but it is not practical because it is still insufficient and results in an increase in size and weight of the whole machine.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the problem and to provide a machine tool to ensure a high finish surface accuracy without an increase in size or weight.


The present invention provides labeled nucleic acid amplification oligonucleotides, which can be linear or hairpin primers or blocking oligonucleotides. The oligonucleotides of the invention are labeled with donor and/or acceptor moieties of molecular energy transfer pairs. The moieties can be fluorophores, such that fluorescent energy emitted by the donor is absorbed by the acceptor. The acceptor may be a fluorophore that fluoresces at a wavelength different from the donor moiety, or it may be a quencher. The oligonucleotides of the invention are configured so that a donor moiety and an acceptor moiety are incorporated into the amplification product. The invention also provides methods and kits for directly detecting amplification products employing the nucleic acid amplification primers. When labeled linear primers are used, treatment with exonuclease or by using specific temperature eliminates the need for separation of unincorporated primers. This "closed-tube" format greatly reduces the possibility of carryover contamination with amplification products, provides for high throughput of samples, and may be totally automated.

2.1. FLOURESCENCE RESONANCE ENERGY TRANSFER (FRET)
Molecular energy transfer (MET) is a process by which energy is passed non-radiatively between a donor molecule and an acceptor molecule. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is a form of MET. FRET arises from the properties of certain chemical compounds; when excited by exposure to particular wavelengths of light, they emit light (i.e., they fluoresce) at a different wavelength. Such compounds are termed fluorophores. In FRET, energy is passed non-radiatively over a long distance (10-100 .ANG.) between a donor molecule, which is a fluorophore, and an acceptor molecule. The donor absorbs a photon and transfers this energy nonradiatively to the acceptor (Forster, 1949, Z. Naturforsch., A4: 321-327; Clegg, 1992, Methods Enzymol., 211: 353-388).
When two fluorophores whose excitation and emission spectra overlap are in close proximity, excitation of one fluorophore will cause it to emit light at wavelengths that are absorbed by and that stimulate the second fluorophore, causing it in turn to fluoresce. In other words, the excited-state energy of the first (donor) fluorophore is transferred by a resonance induced dipole--dipole interaction to the neighboring second (acceptor) fluorophore. As a result, the lifetime of the donor molecule is decreased and its fluorescence is quenched, while the fluorescence intensity of the acceptor molecule is enhanced and depolarized. When the excited-state energy of the donor is transferred to a non-fluorophore acceptor, the fluorescence of the donor is quenched without subsequent emission of fluorescence by the acceptor. In this case, the acceptor functions as a quencher.
Pairs of molecules that can engage in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) are termed FRET pairs. In order for energy transfer to occur, the donor and acceptor molecules must typically be in close proximity (up to 70 to 100 .ANG.)(Clegg, 1992, Methods Enzymol., 211: 353-388; Selvin, 1995, Methods Enzymol., 246: 300-334). The efficiency of energy transfer falls off rapidly with the distance between the donor and acceptor molecules. According to Forster (1949, Z. Naturforsch., A4:321-327), the efficiency of energy transfer is proportional to D.times.10.sup.-6, where D is the distance between the donor and acceptor. Effectively, this means that FRET can most efficiently occur up to distances of about 70 .ANG..
Molecules that are commonly used in FRET include fluorescein, 5-carboxyfluorescein (FAM), 2'7'-dimethoxy-4'5'-dichloro-6-carboxyfluorescein (JOE), rhodamine, 6-carboxyrhodamine (R6G), N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-6-carboxyrhodamine (TAMRA), 6-carboxy-X-rhodamine (ROX), 4-(4'-dimethylaminophenylazo) benzoic acid (DABCYL), and 5-(2'-aminoethyl)aminonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid (EDANS). Whether a fluorophore is a donor or an acceptor is defined by its excitation and emission spectra, and the fluorophore with which it is paired. For example, FAM is most efficiently excited by light with a wavelength of 488 nm, and emits light with a spectrum of 500 to 650 nm, and an emission maximum of 525 nm. FAM is a suitable donor fluorophore for use with JOE, TAMRA, and ROX (all of which have their excitation maximum at 514 nm).
In the 1970's, FRET labels were incorporated into immunofluorescent assays used to detect specific antigens (Ullman et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,998,943; 3,996,345; 4,160,016; 4,174,384; and 4,199,559). Later, in the early 1980's, several patents were received by Heller and coworkers concerning the application of energy transfer for polynucleotide hybridization (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,996,143, 5,532,129, and 5,565,322). In European Patent Application 82303699.1 (publication number EP 0 070 685 A2 dated Jan. 26, 1983), "Homogeneous nucleic acid hybridization diagnostics by non-radioactive energy transfer," the inventors claim that they can detect a unique single stranded polynucleotide sequence with two oligonucleotides: one containing the donor fluorophore, the other, an acceptor. When both oligonucleotides hybridize to adjacent fragments of analyzed DNA at a certain distance, energy transfer can be detected.
In European Patent Application 86116652.8 (publication number EP 0 229 943 A2 dated Jul. 29, 1987; "EP '943"), entitled "Fluorescent Stokes shift probes for polynucleotide hybridization assays," Heller et al. propose the same schema, but with specified distances between donor and acceptor for maximum FRET. They also disclose that the donor and acceptor labels can be located on the same probe (see, e.g., EP '943: Claim 2 and FIG. 1).
A similar application of energy transfer was disclosed by Cardullo et al. in a method of detecting nucleic acid hybridization (1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 85: 8790-8794). Fluorescein (donor) and rhodamine (acceptor) are attached to 5' ends of complementary oligodeoxynucleotides. Upon hybridization, FRET may be detected. In other experiments, FRET occurred after hybridization of two fluorophore-labeled oligonucleotides to a longer unlabeled DNA. This system is the subject of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 661,071, and PCT Application PCT/US92/1591, Publication No. WO 92/14845 dated Sep. 3, 1992 ("PCT '845," entitled "Diagnosing cystic fibrosis and other genetic diseases using fluorescence resonance energy transfer"). PCT '845 discloses a method for detection of abnormalities in human chromosomal DNA associated with cystic fibrosis by hybridization. The FRET signal used in this method is generated in a manner similar to that disclosed by Heller et al. (see PCT '845 FIG. 1). Other publications have disclosed the use of energy transfer in a method for the estimation of distances between specific sites in DNA (Ozaki and McLaughlin, 1992, Nucl. Acids Res., 20: 5205-5214), in a method for the analysis of structure of four way DNA junction (Clegg et al. 1992, Biochem., 31: 4846-4856), and in a method for observing the helical geometry of DNA (Clegg et al., 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 90: 2994-2998).

Nucleic acid amplification oligonucleotides with molecular energy transfer labels and methods based thereon


An electro-static discharge shield on the external non-finger contact surface of a switch makes a contact between the shield itself and the grounded chassis. Since the shield has substantially lower resistance than the surface or inner circuitry of the switch, external electro-static discharge introduced on the surface of the switch flows through the shield to ground via the grounded chassis to prevent destruction or interruption of the circuit.

The invention relates to an apparatus which substantially eliminates the risk of interrupting or destroying an electrical circuit by external electro-static discharge through a switch. Any electrical circuit that operates at low voltage, such as one in computer systems, faces a risk of damage or interruption by accidental introduction of high-voltage electro-static discharge through a switch. Many computer systems operate under 12 volts, while external electro-static discharge by a human operator may be up to 15000 volts. An introduction of such high voltage to an electric circuit often takes place when a human operator with static charge touches a switch of the electric device. Although such static discharge is instantaneous, sufficiently high voltage rushes through the switch and reaches the internal circuit. As a result, the operation of the internal circuit is interrupted, and the circuit may be destroyed.
In the relevant prior art, an electrical circuit is protected by a grounded chassis. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,702 a plurality of circuit blocks are protected by the ground circuit apparatus which includes the grounded chassis. Such chassis physically separates an internal circuit from the external electro-static discharge. Some semiconductor devices are also protected by the built-in overvoltage protection mechanism such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,044.
In protecting the circuit from electro-static discharge by personnel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,374 teaches the use of a wrist anti-static device. Assembly workers or repairmen wear this device to ground themselves to prevent a damage to the circuit due to electro-static discharge. It is not practical for end-users to wear such device every time that they operate an electrical device.
In every day-operation, a switch is a portion of an electrical system where an undesirable external high voltage is introduced. Although a switch is often mounted on the grounded chassis, high voltage due to electro-static discharge on the surface of switch is not directly shielded to ground. Thus, the relevant prior art does not address the problem of high voltage introduced to the surface of the switch in protecting the internal electric circuit.

Electrostatic discharge shield for switches


A device for testing semiconductor devices includes a group of probes arranged to correspond to at least a row of electrode terminals which are formed on each of the semiconductor devices, a printed plate having an opening in which the semiconductor device is positioned and a conductive pattern, four guide members made of insulating material and having a face on which a plurality of grooves are formed to hole and arrange the probes at the same pitch as that of the electrode terminals, and a positioning member and an upper guide which position the guide members relative to the semiconductor device and the printed plate to electrically and detachably contact the probes with the electrode terminals and the conductive lines along the rim of the opening of the printed plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for testing semiconductor devices through probes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electric characteristics of those semiconductor devices which are packaged as finished products have been conducted in the course of manufacturing them. Their packages are quite numerous in kind. In order to test these quite variously packaged semiconductor devices, therefore, the testing device (or IC handler) must be exchanged every group of packages. In addition, a trend has been created these days that semiconductor devices are made more in kind but less in number. The universal handler has been developed to meet these needs. When the unit of electric connector (or contactor) which is electrically contacted with the semiconductor device is exchanged with others, variously-shaped semiconductor devices can be tested by the universal handler alone.
Contactors used for this universal handler can be divided into some types: One of them is to contact spring probes with electrode terminals (or leads) of the semiconductor device, the other is of the socket type in which the plugging of leads of the semiconductor device is made, and a further is to contact conductive rubber with leads of the semiconductor device.
However, the recent trend of making semiconductor devices more and more highly integrated is remarkable. In addition, the pitch at which electrode terminals are formed on semiconductor devices is required to become smaller and smaller, say, smaller than 0.5 mm. This requires a plurality of probes to be arranged on the contactors at a certain position thereof and with a higher accuracy. This is the reason why a semiconductor devices testing device capable of being used for more numerous kinds of semiconductor devices and more easily maintained is needed.

Device for testing semiconductor devices


A high-voltage semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate structure, a drain, an insulation structure, and a plurality of conductive structures. The insulation structure is disposed in the semiconductor substrate and disposed between the gate structure and the drain. The insulation structure includes a plurality of insulation units disposed separately from one another. Each of the conductive structures is embedded in one of the insulation units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-voltage semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a high-voltage semiconductor device including a conductive structure embedded in an insulation unit between a gate structure and a drain.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With improvement in semiconductor manufacturing, it is conceivable to fabricate control circuits, memories, low-voltage circuits, high-voltage circuits, and the related devices in a single chip for reducing costs and improving performance. And a MOS transistor device, which is widely applied for enlarging currents or signals in a circuit, serving as an oscillator of a circuit, or serving as a switch device of a circuit, is further applied to be the high power device or the high-voltage device based on the development of semiconductor processes. For example, a MOS transistor device, serving as a high-voltage device, is applied in between the internal circuits and the I/O terminals for preventing a large number of charges from suddenly spiking into the internal circuits and thus to avoid the resulted damage to the internal circuit. Additionally, the high-voltage device may also be applied to serve as a program/erase driver in an embedded nonvolatile memory (eNVM) or be applied in a LCD driver to modulate greyscale signals.
In the conventional high-voltage MOS transistor device, the breakdown voltage is enhanced by lowering the lateral electrical field. The types of the conventional high-voltage MOS transistor devices substantially include the high-voltage MOS transistor device with a drift region, such as a double diffused drain MOS (DDDMOS) transistor device and a laterally diffused drain MOS (LDMOS) transistor device and the high-voltage MOS transistor device with shallow trench isolation (STI) disposed at the drain side, such as a field diffused drain MOS (FDMOS) transistor device and a drain extended MOS (DEMOS) transistor device. However, many parts of the structures described above, such as the gate structure, the source region, the drain region, the N-type well, and/or the P-type well, require a specific size for providing sufficient robustness for high voltage. Therefore the high-voltage MOS transistor device often occupies the valuable spaces on the chip and adversely influences integrity level. Additionally, the drain-source-on-state resistance (Ron) will increase while the device area of the high-voltage MOS transistor device increases, and it is difficult to lower the drain-source-on-state resistance of the high-voltage MOS transistor device such as the LDMOS transistor device mentioned above.

High-voltage semiconductor device with finger-shaped insulation structure


A control circuit for a washing machine that avoids contact bounce short circuit failures is provided. A washing machine that utilizes an induction motor including a starting winding used to start rotation of the motor at the beginning of a cycle. Such washing machines require that the motor be operated in both directions during different cycles. To enable such operation, a mechanical timer uses a pair of single pole, double throw switches in a switching assembly to reverse the L1 and neutral connections to the starter winding. To avoid the contact shorting problem, the control wiring runs either the L1 or neutral side of the voltage source, or both, through the centrifugal switch to open the input contact(s) once the motor has reached its operating speed. Then, if the switching assembly has L1 and N contacts touching at the same time, it will not result in a dead short.

Each year literally millions of consumer appliances, such as washing machines, are manufactured and sold in the United States. To keep pace with consumers' increasing desire for new features and in order to properly care for the various types of fabrics and garments being sold today, the complexity of the control circuitry for such appliances continues to increase. At the same time, however, the increasing governmental requirements for energy efficiency and the consumer and competitive pressures to keep costs down have added increased stress on the design and manufacture of these appliances. Indeed, with consumer preferences often driven by costs and quality, as opposed to traditional brand loyalty, manufactures must ensure that their appliances are competitively priced and operate properly when purchased and installed by a consumer. As is recognized by such manufactures, any defect or failure to operate of a consumer appliance once purchased and installed will likely result in negative word of mouth severely impacting sales.
As such, manufactures have realized that one-hundred percent quality control has become an absolute necessity, particularly when so many appliances are manufactured each year. That is, settling for a quality control threshold of ninety-nine percent, and assuming for the sake of this example that one million units are produced, this ninety-nine percent quality control will result in 10,000 defective consumer appliances being sold and installed by consumers, who will then share their negative experiences with their friends and family. This is simply unacceptable.
To prevent such occurrences from happening, many consumer appliance manufactures now require one-hundred percent testing of all manufactured appliances before they are released from the factory for sale to consumers. Washing machines, for example, are connected to water and electrical supplies, and washing cycles are completed during the final assembly process of the appliance. In this way, any defects in the manufacturing process, will be identified and rectified before that particular unit is released for sale.
Unfortunately, to ease the ability of correcting any problems in the manufacturing process, each appliance is run before the final assembly is complete. For example, such quality testing may be begun and continue prior to final securing of the control panel of the appliance to the mounting panel of the washer.
It has been observed that occasionally during this quality testing and final assembly operation that faults have occurred in the control wiring of the appliance. Such faults, for example contact welding, may be attributed directly to excessive shock and vibration that may occur due to the excessive shock and vibration to which the entire appliance is subjected while moving down the conveyor system in the assembly plant while being tested. Such failure significantly increase the overall cost of manufacturing, and may result in failed units being released for customer sale if the high shock failure occurs at the end of the testing cycle.
For washing machines, such as top loading washing machines, one common failure that can be directly attributed to the high vibration or shock seen during the final stages of the manufacturing process as the washing machine is being quality tested is a contact welding problem resulting from a dead short between the L1 and neutral (N) sides of the 120 volt AC lines that power the washing machine. Specifically, many top loading washing machines utilize a mechanical timer to switch the L1 and N sides of the 120 volt AC lines to change the direction of the main drive motor in the washing machine.
In such designs, e.g. shown in FIG. 1, the timer typically uses two single pole double throw switches, shown as switching assembly 102 to accomplish this reversal by reversing the L1 and N connections to the starting winding 104. Such switching assemblies 102 are typically wired with a neutral line on one side of the center contacts 112, 114, and the L1 line on the other side of the center contacts 112, 114. Such switches are designed to have only one side of this switch made, or the other, i.e. contacts 116 and 122 closed, or contacts 118 and 120 closed. However, if the appliance sees a high shock or vibration while the timer is powered, the applicants have discovered that such high shock or vibration can cause the contacts 116, 118, 120, and 122 of the switching assembly 102 to bounce in such a manner that three or four of the contacts touch, which causes a dead short between the L1 and neutral sides of the 120 volt AC lines through the switching assembly 102. Such a dead short will typically result in the main circuit break on the assembly line power source to trip, possibly a tripped circuit breaker 124 in the motor through which this high current flows, and can cause welded contacts of the switching assembly 102.
If this fault occurs at the end of the quality testing cycle, it may go undetected and the washing machine may be released for sale to a consumer. However, once installed by a consumer, the washing machine will not operate properly and will require a service call to replace the timer and/or reset the circuit breaker. Not only will this result in a negative consumer experience, but it also increases the manufacture's warranty service costs and reduces the manufacture's quality reputation.
In view of the above, there is a need in the art for control circuitry for a consumer washing machine that enables multi-cycle operation while avoiding catastrophic contact welding failures resulting from the high shock and vibration experienced during the quality control testing phase of final manufacturing of the appliance, or vibration in the home caused, e.g., by severe off balance loads. Embodiments of the present invention provide such a control system and circuitry. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.

Washing machine wiring to reduce mechanical timer contact welding


In one aspect the present disclosure relates to an aqueous inkjet ink composition comprising a yellow azo pigment, a pigment synergist, a polymeric dispersant, 5 to 20 wt % of a latex polymer, 5 to 40 wt % of an organic co-solvent that has a boiling point of a boiling point in the range of about 170° C. to about 285° C., and water. The pigment synergist comprises a pigment of the formula (I):

Inkjet printing may be used for paper and other porous ink adsorptive media. More recently, inkjet printing has been extended to non-porous non-adsorptive media. Unlike paper-based media, these media are often used for high durability applications (e.g. vehicle graphics), and require inks with high image durability and weatherability. Inks designed for nonporous media are substantially different than traditional inks designed for paper and other porous media. On paper, ink penetration into the media can assist with drying, and the ultimate image durability may be limited by the durability of the media. In contrast, on nonporous media, there may be little or no penetration of the ink into the media, and drying is evaporative, leaving the deposited colorant on the surface of the media, without the protection of a porous media matrix.
For high durability applications, latex polymers may be included in inkjet ink compositions to bind the colorant to the print media's surface. A latex ink composition may be deposited on a media surface and heated to remove water from the ink composition to allow the latex component to be cured. Thus, the latex component may form a film on a media surface, entrapping and protecting the colorant within the film.

Abstract: where each of R1 to R10 is each independently selected from H, carboxylate, and/or a sulphonate group.


Disclosed is a connector. The connector comprises: an insulation member including a first sidewall portion, a second sidewall portion facing the first sidewall portion, and a bottom portion connecting the first sidewall portion to the second sidewall portion and having an opening formed between the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion; and a conductive pin including a fastening portion arranged on the first sidewall portion, a variable portion facing the fastening portion, and a connecting portion connecting the fastening portion to the variable portion and arranged in the opening formed on the bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion further includes a support portion extending inwardly of the opening to support the connecting portion, and the thickness of the support portion may be smaller than the thickness of the bottom portion. In addition, various embodiments understood from the specification can be implemented.

PCBs having electronic parts mounted thereon may be contained in an electronic device. The PCBs may be electrically connected. Connectors may be mounted on the electrically-connected PCBs and may be connected through cables including corresponding connectors. In general, connectors may be referred to as sockets, and corresponding connectors may be referred to as headers. With the compactness of electronic devices, connectors contained in the electronic devices are made compact. In particular, compact connectors are required to efficiently use the areas of PCBs. Connectors, when fastened with corresponding connectors, may provide a feeling of being fastened (a feeling of clicking).

Connector including support portion for supporting at least part of conductive pin, and electronic device including same


Clamping and injection operations are executed partially in parallel by adjusting a clamping speed and an injection start timing T so that sum .SIGMA.P of resin pressure acting on the parting plane of a mold cavity will not exceed mold clamping force F outputted at that time. An injection operation is started during the period in which the mold clamping force F is relatively low between mold touch and mold clamping completion, so that gas breathing from the mold cavity can be done easily without providing gas vent in the mold, thereby preventing resin filling failure or burning. Also, the clamping and injection operations are executed partially in parallel, so that time required for clamping and injection processes is shortened by time T' as a whole. Therefore, speeding of molding cycle can be attained.

In an injection molding field, when mold closing operation in mold clamping process is completed, a mold clamping force durable to the entire injection processes including a hold pressure process is applied to a mold, and thereafter, a molten resin injecting operation is started. As a result, a movable side mold and a stationary side mold are kept firmly pressed against each other at the initial injection stage, so that gas breathing from a mold cavity becomes poor. This sometimes entails the hindrance to a filling operation of the molten resin or a molding failure such as a burn of the molding. Also, since it is necessary to start the injection operation after completing the mold clamping operation, the speeding of the molding cycle has been limited. Such a problem caused by the gas breathing fault can generally be solved by providing a gas vent in a mold. However, there is a dilemma as follows; if the gas vent is carelessly provided in the mold, burrs may be formed when a high holding pressure is applied to the mold, and, in the case where a wall thickness of the molding products is relatively large, a sink mark may occur unless a holding pressure is applied.

Injection molding control method for an injection molding machine


Disclosed is a process for preparing a treprostinil salt. The process involves the step of dissolving treprostinil in a water-miscible organic solvent to form a treprostinil solution. The treprostinil solution is reacted with an aqueous basic solution containing an alkali metal cation to form treprostinil salt. Allowing crystallization of the treprostinil salt to take place, and then collecting the treprostinil salt formed.

Prostacyclin derivatives are useful pharmaceutical compounds possessing pharmacological activities such as platelet aggregation inhibition, gastric secretion reduction, lesion inhibition, vasodilation and bronchodilation. Treprostinil is a prostacyclin analogue, having the following chemical structure:

Treprostinil sodium solution is marketed as Remodulin® and Tyvaso® for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Process for preparation of treprostinil, treprostinil derivatives and intermediates useful in preparation of treprostinil are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,306,075; 6,700,025; 6,809,223 and 6,765,117. U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,075 (col. 40, I. 41-62) discloses a general procedure for preparation of pharmacologically acceptable salts of treprostinil, where preparation of an inorganic salt of treprostinil can be carried out by dissolution of treprostinil in water, followed by neutralization with appropriate amounts of corresponding inorganic base. However, a commercially viable synthetic route for preparation of the sodium salt of treprostinil is desired.
Preparation of treprostinil sodium can be difficult, as the salt is soluble in water and difficult to precipitate, while the treprostinil acid is only sparingly soluble in water. Salts of a compound can be useful due in part to their increased stability, bioavailability and solubility in water. Availability of treprostinil salt can also help in preparation of a formulation, including a pharmaceutical formulation.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a process for the preparation of a salt of treprostinil. Moreover, there is a need the art for a process for the synthesis of treprostinil sodium, including a commercially viable process.

Process for treprostinil salt preparation


System formed of a group of management entities including an enforcement environment of a policy description program, and service, data, software and hardware, in which the enforcement environment of the policy description program correlates resources to be managed (group) with a management entity which is to enforce a policy and includes a dynamic conversion unit, an enforcement unit, a unit of an interface between the management entities and a unit of an interface to the resources to be managed (group).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system which automatizes construction, maintenance, updating and destruction procedures of a virtual private organization that delivers services and information on the Internet to enforce a policy for a management entity which is an abstraction of service, data, software and hardware forming the virtual private organization and, more particular, a system of enforcing a policy for a virtual private organization which system enables automation of a maintenance procedure by failure recovery and an updating procedure at the time of scale expansion, and a method therefore.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional systems of enforcing a policy for a management entity which is obtained by abstracting service, data, software and hardware forming a virtual private organization is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open (Kokai) No. 2001-43162 (Literature 1), Japanese Patent Laying-Open (Kokai) No. 2001-168913 (Literature 2) and Japanese Translation of PCT International Application No. 2003-502757 (Literature 3).
In the following, one example of these conventional policy enforcing systems will be described with reference to FIG. 17.
With reference to FIG. 17, a conventional policy enforcing system is formed of three data bases, a policy data base 1700, a user information data base 1701 and a management information data base 1702, a classification unit 1704 and a plurality of managing layers or devices to be managed (group).
A system which enforces a policy in a communication network is formed of a service managing layer 1801, a network managing layer 1802 and an element managing layer 1803. The plurality of the managing layers or the devices to be managed (group) include conversion units 1705 to 1707, storage units 1708 to 1710, determination units 1711 to 1713 and devices to be managed 1714 to 1719, respectively.
Here, the service managing layer 1801 manages, with respect to an application (software) executed on the devices 1714 and 1715 to be managed, what kind of application is installed and executed on which device or the like. The network managing layer 1802 conducts management related to a network of the devices 1716 and 1717 including a router, a switch, etc. to be managed. The element managing layer 1803 conducts management related to the devices 1718 and 1719 including a PC, an HDD, a printer, etc. to be managed.
Thus structured conventional policy enforcing system operates in the following manner.
More specifically, the classification unit 1704 classifies individual policies accumulated in the policy data base 1700 into layers in which the policies are enforced or into devices to be managed (group). The conversion units 1705 to 1707 of the respective managing layers or the devices to be managed (group) convert description of conditions and instructions of the classified policies into a format (command) inherent to the device to be managed (group). At this time, user's identifier and authorization in the user information data base 1701 and static structure information of the system (version information of each device or software etc.) in the management information data base 1702 are referred to and used for the conversion. The storage units 1708 to 1710 accumulate the converted policies. The determination unit 1711 to 1713 determines from description of the conditions of a policy whether the policy can be enforced and when determining that it is enforceable, operates the device 1714-1719 based on the description of an instruction of the policy to enforce the policy for the device.
The above-described conventional system which enforces a policy for management entities forming a virtual private organization has the following problems.
First problem is that efficient operation is impossible when the number of devices included in each managing layer for service management, network management and element management or in devices to be managed (group) is increased. In other words, in the management of a large-scale virtual private organization having a large number of devices, efficient operation is difficult. The reason is that the more the number of devices is increased, the larger the load on processing in a determination unit becomes to be a bottleneck, resulting in requiring more time in determination and enforcement of a policy.
Second problem is difficulty in coping with change of the number of devices to be managed or a device structure and addition of a new kind of device or operation. The reason is that because the policies are classified into three layers in advance and then managed, when a new kind of device or operation is added to change a policy, updates of a storage unit will be frequently made.
Third problem is that it is impossible to enforce a high-level policy for a plurality of devices bridging over the respective managing layers or devices to be managed (group). The reason is that because the system employs a method of classifying the policies into fixed managing layers or devices to be managed (group), the system is incapable of coping with a policy which requires communication or information exchange between determination units of the respective managing layers or the devices to be managed (group).

System which enforces policy for virtual private organization and method thereof


A toner bottle cap has a fixed member and a slide member. The fixed member is stationary relative to a toner bottle and defines a first flow passage. The slide member defines a second flow passage coaxially adjoining the first flow passage in a toner outflow direction and having a peripheral wall in sealing contact with a peripheral wall of the fixed member. The slide member is slideable relative to the fixed member in axial direction of the flow passages. One of the members has a wall part that restricts the cross-section of the flow passage of the one member and defines a toner outflow opening. The other of the members has a stop member projecting axially towards the outflow opening and closes the same when the slide member is in a closed position and opens the outflow opening when the slide member is slid in the toner outflow direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner bottle cap having a fixed member and a slide member, wherein the fixed member is stationary relative to a toner bottle and defines a first flow passage for the toner, the slide member defines a second flow passage coaxially adjoining the first flow passage in a toner outflow direction and having a peripheral wall in sealing contact with a peripheral wall of the fixed member, the slide member being slideable relative to the fixed member in axial direction of the first and second flow passages.
The present invention further relates to a toner refill mechanism comprising such a toner bottle cap.
2. Description of Background Art
When a toner reservoir of a printer or copier has to be refilled with toner from a toner bottle, a refill mechanism is needed that permits to establish a flow communication between the interior of the toner bottle and the toner reservoir without allowing the fine toner powder to escape. Further, it should be avoided that toner powder remains on the external surfaces of closure members of the toner reservoir and the toner bottle when the refill process has been completed. In addition, it is advantageous to prevent the creation of toner chips which, when they fall into the toner reservoir, may disturb the toner development process in the printer or copier. Such toner chips are likely to be formed when toner powder adheres to walls of the refill mechanism which may come into sliding engagement with one another so that frictional heat causes the toner powder to cake.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,344 discloses a toner bottle cap of the type indicated above, wherein toner outflow openings are formed in a peripheral wall of the slide member. In the closed position of the slide member, these outflow openings are closed by the surrounding peripheral wall of the fixed member. When the slide member is axially slid into the open position, the outflow openings reach a position axially offset from the fixed member, so that the toner may flow out.
In this known mechanism, however, toner chips may still be formed when toner adheres to the wall portions of the fixed member that close the outflow openings.


The invention relates to a quantity control valve for a fuel injection system, used in internal combustion engines, with a longitudinal slide that is movable in a valve housing between a restoring spring chamber and a control chamber and that allocates the fuel, flowing in from at least one low-pressure pump, to at least one high-pressure pump. For driving the longitudinal slide, the inflowing fuel in the control chamber is delivered past the longitudinal slide via a throttle or baffle valve. In the closing position, firstly, a cylindrical guide region of the longitudinal slide bounded on both sides by annular grooves blocks off an inlet bore. The guide region is wider than the diameter of the inlet bore. Secondly, it covers an outlet bore except for a partial intersection with the relieved annular groove shifted into the return in the opening direction of the longitudinal slide. By the disposition of the inlet and outlet bores in combination with the contour of the longitudinal slide, a zero quantity feed can be unambiguously represented in the blocking position of the longitudinal slide.

The invention is based on a quantity control valve for a fuel injection system used in internal combustion engine.
From German Patent Application DE 195 49 108.4, which had not been published by the filing date of the present priority application, among other things a quantity control valve is disclosed, which has a longitudinal slide that is movable in a valve housing between:a restoring spring chamber and a control chamber and that opens counter to the action of a restoring spring. The hollow longitudinal slide is acted upon by fuel from a low-pressure pump via the restoring spring chamber. By means of a throttle restriction located in the longitudinal slide, the fuel reaches the control chamber. As soon as the fuel pressure there exceeds a certain value, the longitudinal slide opens counter to the action of the relief chamber, and as a result, the fuel reaches the high-pressure pump through the longitudinal slide, via an outlet bore that has been opened. The opening of the valve is additionally reinforced with the aid of an electromagnetic drive acting directly on the longitudinal slide.
A quantity control valve is also known from European Patent Disclosure EP 0 299 337; it has a pressure slide for controlling the flow cross section to the high-pressure pump. Such a valve cannot be controlled precisely enough and requires a complicated lever arrangement for its actuation.


The present invention provides a novel method for the treatment of cellular accumulation in chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The method includes gene delivery and gene expression that is capable of enhancing apoptosis of accumulating cells and those cells which recruit accumulating cells. Also provided are diagnostic methods for detecting cellular accumulation diseases.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory arthritis that afflicts approximately 1% of adults (Mitchell, D. 1985. Rheumatoid Arthritis. P D Utsinger, N J Zvaifler, G E Ehrlich, eds. J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, pp. 133-150). The distribution of affected joints is symmetric and typically involves the small articulations of the hands and feet, although the larger appendicular joints like the shoulders and hips are often affected in established disease. Joint deformities, including ulnar deviation of the metacarpal phalangeal joints of the hand or destruction of the weight bearing joints, can occur late in the disease.
The symptoms of the disease result from a massive increase in the number of cells lining the synovium of the joint. The various cell types which are present include type A synoviocytes, which have the characteristics of monocytes or terminally differentiated macrophages, and type B synoviocytes which are fibroblast-like. As these cells increase in number, the continuous inflammation causes initial symptoms. Eventually, local release of enzymes by the synovial internal lining degrade the extracellular matrix and cause deformity.
The mainstays of therapy for rheumatoid arthritis include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, injectable gold salts, immunosuppressive agents, and methotrexate. While controlled studies do show some clinical benefit from these drugs, improvement is often limited and toxicity is common. Furthermore, most data suggest that these agents do not halt the rate of cartilage or bone destruction. Hence, a novel treatment that is directed at the pathogenesis of the disease with potential disease modifying activity would be a major improvement. The origin of the cells in the hyperplastic synovial lining in chronic inflammatory joint diseases remains controversial.
Necrosis and apoptosis are two basic processes by which cells may die. In necrosis cell death usually is a result of cell injury. The cells tend to swell and lyse, and the cell contents ultimately spill into the extracellular space. By contrast, apoptosis is a mode of cell death in which single cells are deleted in the midst of living tissues. Apoptosis accounts for most of the programmed cell death (PCD) in tissue remodeling and for the cell loss that accompanies atrophy of adult tissues following withdrawal of endocrine and other growth stimuli. In addition, apoptosis is believed to be responsible for the physiologic death of cells in the course of normal tissue turnover (i.e., tissue homeostasis) (Kerr, J. F., et al, 1972. Br. J Cancer 26: 239-257; Wyllie, A. H., et al. 1980. Int. Rev. Cytol. 68: 251-306).
The effector mechanisms of apoptosis are only incompletely understood, but the nuclear changes which occur appear to be caused by the activation of endogenous calcium-magnesium-sensitive nucleases that cleave chromatin between nucleosomes and reduce the DNA of apoptotic cells. A number of regulators of apoptosis have been identified. Some of these are already familiar as protooncogenes and oncosuppressor genes, including c-myc, bcl-2, p53, and ras. The protooncogene products and oncosuppressor proteins are believed to control cellular susceptibility to apoptosis (Isaacs, J. T. 1994. Curr. Opin. Oncol 6: 82-89). C-myc seems to determine whether cells continuously proliferate or enter apoptosis, depending on the availability of critical growth factors (Bisonnette, R. P., et al. 1994. In Apoptosis II: The Molecular Basis of Apoptosis in Disease. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press). In cultured cells, expansion is usually determined by the presence of c-myc and growth factors, whereas apoptosis is seen when c-myc is present but growth factors are absent. Certain other oncogenes (e.g., ras and bcl-2) rescue cells from susceptibility to apoptosis. The oncosuppressor gene p53 is believed to initiate apoptosis by causing temporary G1/S arrest in cells expressing c-myc (Yonish-Rouach, et al. Mol. Cell Biol. 13: 1415-1423.).

Methods for treating arthritis by administering an apoptosis regulator

The Regents of the University of California


In a method of controlling computer-readable memory that includes a plurality of memory locations, a usage frequency of a plurality of data units is determined. Upon each occurrence of a predefined event, a memory latency for each of the plurality of memory locations is determined. After the predefined event, a data unit with a high usage frequency is stored in a memory location with a low latency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer memory management and, more specifically, to a computer architecture that stores data units based on known memory location latencies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Virtually all computer circuits employ some sort of digital memory to store data. Such memory can include a combination of different types of memory devices, including one or more of the following: on-chip memory (such as array of registers), on board memory (such as cache memory), main memory (such as DRAM memory chips on a different circuit board from a processor), flash memory (such as memory device that can be plugged into a special reader or a USB port), and disk memory (such as a hard drive).
Some data units (which can include any method of grouping data) residing in a memory space are less-used than other data units stored on the same memory space. However, different parts of a computer's memory space exhibit different memory latencies (the amount of time it takes for data to be transferred from a memory location to the entity that requested it). For example, memory chips closest to a memory buffer are likely to have a lower latency than memory chips farther away from the memory buffer.
Most memory devices can be classified in terms of relative speed. For example, on-chip memory is usually faster that on-board memory, and both are usually much faster than disk memory. However, sometimes certain portions of a relatively slower memory device may actually have a lower latency than portions of a relatively faster memory device. Therefore, placing frequently used data units in a slower portion of the faster memory device instead of the faster portion of the slower memory device would result in an inefficient usage of memory space.
In many memory applications, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips are placed at similar rank positions in an array, thereby creating a flat memory structure in which all of the memory is accessible for data writes and reads equally from the memory controller. However, in current industry-standard schemes, such as fully buffered dual in-line memory module (FBDIMM), there is a non-uniform access time to each layer of memory through buffers on the memory chips. Memory controllers supporting the current FBDIMM standard can take advantage of lower latencies for closer DIMM chips, but do not deliberately map heavily utilized data closer to the memory controller, or less heavily utilized data farther away from the controller.
Current memory devices include caches (for processors), which typically place data into sorted levels (L1/L2/L3), but that require space for a copy (or placeholder) of the original data be maintained either in main memory or in a direct access storage device (DASD) such as a hard drive. This is an inefficient use of memory, both in terms of added memory usage and added overhead to keep placeholders of data and to ensure that the data are current.
The latency of physical memory locations can change over time. This can be due to various factors. For example, environmental conditions can cause changes in memory latency. Also, usage patterns can change memory latency. For example, when several contiguous memory locations are used computationally in a tight loop, other nearby memory locations might experience an increase in latency due to local traffic on the memory bus servicing the memory locations.
Therefore, there is a need for memory management system that measures memory latency dynamically and that determines the location of where a data unit is stored based on the relative frequency of use of the data unit and the latency of the storage location.
There is also a need for a memory management system that stores data units dynamically in a hierarchical memory space, segregated according to a current value of latency.

Dynamic latency map for memory optimization

International Business Machines Corporation


The subject specification comprises techniques employing multi-stage multi-layer switches for packet switching using fully shared buffers with a scalable switch fabric. A switch component includes a set of input modules (IMs) of switches that receive packets and are associated with a set of central modules (CMs) of switches that are associated with a set of memories. The switch component includes a second set of CMs associated with the set of memories, the second set of CMs being associated with a set of output modules (OMs) that can provide packets as output. A switch management component controls switching of the packets between the IMs and first set of CMs to the memories during a first switching phase, and switching of the packets from the memories to the second set of CMs to the OMs for output during a second switching phase, based on a defined scheduling algorithm.

Next generation networks (NGNs) facilitate communication of voice, data, media, etc., via packets of information (e.g., data packets) that can be transported through a communication network via a desired packet-related protocol(s) (e.g., an Internet protocol (IP), Voice over IP (VoIP), multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), session initiation protocol (SIP), etc.). One of the network components that can facilitate communicating packets across a network to their respective destinations (e.g., communication devices) is a router. A communication network can include a number of routers that can facilitate routing or directing respective packets to respective next destinations (e.g., a node, another router, a, etc.) towards their final destinations based at least in part on information associated with the respective packets.
Certain conventional routers that are built around a single-stage crossbar and a centralized scheduler do not scale, and (in practice) do not provide sufficient quality-of-service (QoS) guarantees. One deficiency with conventional routers for NGNs is router scalability. Router scalability can be translated into two dimensions: port speed scalability and port number scalability. Current routers can be required to scale on the number of ports, rather than port speed. The immediate reasons are twofold. First, the network line rates may be required to remain stable for a certain period of time to support an existing installed base of network line cards (e.g., operation carrier (OC)-192/768 line cards). Therefore, router port speed can increase discretely, not gradually. Second, dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) can vastly increase the number of channels available on a single fiber, but not the speed of a single channel. At the router, this can translate into more ports at the same speed.
The above-described deficiencies of today's systems are merely intended to provide an overview of some of the problems of conventional systems, and are not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems with the state of the art and corresponding benefits of some of the various non-limiting embodiments may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description.

High-performance routers with multi-stage, multi-layer switching and single-stage shared buffering


A joint connector extending structure includes first and second connector terminals, first and second housings for housing the first and second connector terminals, and a joint connector configured to fit in first and second cutouts of the first and second housings laid on top of one another to engage with male contacts of the first and second connector terminals housed in the first and second housings thereby to conduct the first and second connector terminals and integrate the first and second housings.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a joint connector extending structure and a joint connector, and particularly to a joint connector for integrally connecting housings laid on top of one another.
2. Related Art
There is proposed, in Patent Literature 1, that connector terminals are arranged at ends of a plurality of electric wires, respectively, and the connector terminals are mutually connected thereby to secure conductivity between the electric wires.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, each connector terminal 301 may be inserted and housed in a connector terminal housing 305 provided with as many housing holes 303 as the connector terminals 301, thereby connecting the electric wires. In FIG. 1, TD indicates a traverse direction, LD indicates a longitudinal direction, FRD is a forward/rearward direction, FR indicates a forward side, and RR indicates a rearward side.

Joint connector extending structure and joint connector


An improved enclosure for electronic devices providing device protection against physical damage and improved functionality and ergonomics by means of a multiplicity of selectable and adjustable grasping, mounting, and supporting points.

The present invention relates to enclosures for electronic devices and more specifically to more ergonomic and functional protective housings for portable electronic devices including tablets computers, mobile phones, and related gear.
Portable devices such as mobile telephones, notebook computers, phablets and similar gear are inherently vulnerable to physical shock, breakage, and other related damage. Such devices are more likely than non-portable or static devices to be accidentally dropped, scratched, or to have items or substances dropped, or spilled on them. Depending on the severity of accidental contact or impact, the device may be damaged, necessitating costly and time-consuming repairs, or even rendered useless. As designers seek to create ever more functional, more visually striking, otherwise appealing devices, what is often overlooked is the greater functionality and overall resistance to accidental damage that would otherwise optimize the functionality as well as the lifespan of such devices. One common downside to the evolving phenomenon of devices being fitted with ever-larger displays is a relative lack of suitable grasping points. Increasingly, device displays or screens occupy nearly the entire frontal surface of such devices, with the typical device screen bezel diminishing in size with each new generation of device. In some cases, displays dominate the front side of a device and extend over to the edges of a device as in the case of curved displays. One negative outcome of this development in device technology is the limitation presented by the need to actually grasp a device in order to operate it. When a user holds such a device, the imagery or data displayed on the screen is easily partly obscured by the user's own fingers. Similarly, a cumbersome and less than secure grip may be required to utilize a device's photographic capabilities. Accordingly, users often change grips or grasp the devices by their edges or otherwise manipulate the devices in a way that increases the risk of dropping the device. Also, for certain applications such as recording video with such devices, it is nearly impossible to maintain a steady grasp on the device for prolonged durations, as the only suitable grasping points are the general perimeter of the case or enclosure of such devices.
A number of hardened accessory or aftermarket cases have been designed, and some successfully brought to market, for such portable devices. Moreover, designers and manufacturers of such devices are increasingly incorporating more durable materials and designs into their factory-original products. Whether integrated into the device itself or as accessories, such protective enclosures ideally will shield these devices from possible damage. Cases can also be used to enhance the functionality and capabilities of the device. Ideally, a case will serve to protect a device, may provide added functionality to a device, and should be as unobtrusive and ergonomic as possible, while concurrently offering value in terms of purchase price and longevity. At present, however, there are no device designs which inherently provide a high degree of protection for the electronics and other components independent of a given device's immediate, factory-assembled enclosure which concurrently provide a high degree of ergonomics and added functionality.
Therefore, there is a need for cases for portable electronic devices that will protect the devices, while at the same time enhance the functionality and usability of the devices.


Apparatus and methodologies are provided for flash drying liquid materials using a variable die. A die and a die body are provided with an adjustably configured pressure regulating variable obstruction in the material flow path that allows control of the pressure applied to the material and consequent control of the temperature of the material as it enters the die. Optimizing pressure and temperature allows optimization of the flash drying process.

Expeller-expander technology is a processing technique that has been available in various forms dating back to the nineteenth century. The present area of concern relates to that area of an elastomer processing sequence (including synthetic and natural elastomers) where the rubber material has been combined with water and now the water is to be removed.
In previously used configurations, two extruders in series have been employed to remove moisture from the rubber. Generally, the first extruder, also referred to as the expeller, squeezes the rubber between a pair of intermeshed screws. This portion of the process is generally able to reduce the moisture content from about 60% to about 15%.
Following the first stage of the drying process by the expeller, the rubber material is passed to a second extruder referred to as an expander for additional drying. This second extruder increases pressure on and consequently the temperature of the rubber, thus creating a super heated liquid. As this super heated liquid is forced through the extruder, again commonly by using screw drive technology, the material is forced through dies or filter screens at the end of the screw where the moisture, or volatile matter, will flash dry.
The flash drying process corresponds to a rapid change in state from liquid to vapor as the supper heated rubber material passes through the die or filter screen and suddenly returns to normal atmospheric pressure while the water temperature may still be significantly higher than 100 degrees Celsius. The energy necessary to produce the flash drying phenomena is transferred to the rubber from the screw drive mechanism in the expander. This transfer of energy is made possible by the resistance of the rubber to exit the expander through the dies. The temperature and pressure on the super heated rubber reach a maximum at the dies, thus for a given screw speed and rubber flow rate, the resistance, and therefore the amount of energy transferred to the rubber, is dependent on the pressure at the head.
The pressure is fixed by the pressure drop induced by the passage of the super heated rubber through the die. In a practical system, there will be a number of dies at the exit point of the expander and thus the pressure will depend on the number of dies, their geometry and aperture size. In previously employed configurations, all of these aspects of the dies were fixed with any one processing sequence. Because the prior art is a fixed and unchangeable configuration, certain production problems have occurred that the present technology addresses and overcomes.
When the super heated rubber goes through the dies, the flash drying process produces decohesion of the rubber thereby creating rubber crumbs that are transported to balers for further processing. The control of the size of these crumbs is one of the aspects effecting good transportation of the rubber through the remaining processing sequences and, consequently, can have an impact on further processing. For example, reduction of conveyor fouling can occur based on production of too small a crumb size. As the currently available technology employs preset die configurations, no capability other than stopping production is available to address issues involving pressure adjustment and crumb size. Moreover, there is no capability for optimizing the overall rubber processing process outside of controlling the expeller-expander screw speed without shutting down production.
While various implementations of extruder-expander technology have been developed, no design has emerged that generally encompasses all of the desired characteristics as hereafter presented in accordance with the subject technology.

Variable die for use in drying synthetic elastomers


Techniques for dynamic bandwidth expansion are provided. A first set of channel quality metrics is collected, by an access point (AP) communicating using a first bandwidth, for an expanded bandwidth beyond the first bandwidth. A second set of channel quality metrics for the expanded bandwidth is received from one or more stations. An available portion of the expanded bandwidth is then determined based on the first and second sets of channel quality metrics. Communication with the one or more stations is initiated using the available portion of the expanded bandwidth.

Wireless networks can be deployed in various environments to provide connectivity to a wide variety devices. In many deployments, the capabilities and functionality of each connected device can differ substantially. For example, many devices are limited in the bandwidth or rate of communication they can support. Generally, larger bandwidth enables higher rates of communication. However, larger bandwidths are also more likely to interfere with neighboring channels (or receive interference from neighboring channels). Thus, deployments are configured to find a balance between large bandwidth and reduced interference. Some systems can make bandwidth decisions dynamically, but these decisions are not performed in real-time and require significant wireless stability to be useful.
To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially used in other embodiments without specific recitation.


In a storage device of the multi-level type, comprising a plurality of memory cells addressable through an address input each cell being adapted for storing more than one binary information element in a MOS transistor which has a control gate, and a floating gate for storing electrons to modify the threshold voltage of the transistor, and comprising a circuit enabling a Direct Memory Access (DMA) mode for directly accessing the memory cells from outside the device, the memory cells are programmed in the direct memory access mode by controlling, from outside the device, the amount of charge stored into the floating gate of each transistor.

The evolution of technological processes and the ever-increasing complexity of electronic systems are establishing a demand for very high density, non-volatile semiconductor memories (multi-megabit memories). The state of the art provides so-called multi-level memories wherein each memory cell is used for storing more than one information bit.
EPROM, EEPROM and FLASH EEPROM cells can be programmed by fine control of the charge injected to the floating gate so as to obtain a range of threshold voltages, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,079 entitled "Electrically Programmable Memory with Several Information Bits Per Cell" to Jean Devin, SGS-THOMSON MICROELECTRONICS. A non-volatile cell with four threshold voltages, for example, can store two bits, while a cell with 16 different threshold values can store as many as four bits. For a given area, therefore, a device with multi-level memory cells can contain two or four times as much information. In fact, in non-volatile memories, the cell array forms a major portion of the device.
Several references have shown that non-volatile memories with two bits per cell, i.e., four levels of memories, are a practical possibility. One example is offered by T. S. Jung et al., "A 3.3V 128 Mb Multi-Level NAND Flash Memory for Mass Storage Applications", Proc. IEEE Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf., 1996, pages 32-33.
A current trend is toward providing a larger number of levels, such as, sixteen levels or even a full byte per cell. For an effective memory organization, it is better if an even number of bits can be stored in each cell.
To implement an increased number of levels per cell, such as sixteen or as many as 256 levels, far more stringent requirements must be met than those for conventional two-level memories. These requirements involve both technological and reliability aspects, such as the distribution of the threshold voltages, retention over time, and immunity to read/program disturbance, and design aspects, such as special read and program architectures.
For a given technology, the design aspects are most definitely critical, in that the design aspects actually impose restrictions on the maximum number of levels that can be stored and read reliably. In particular, it has been shown that the threshold voltage distribution width of a non-volatile cell is heavily dependent on the program algorithm. Accordingly, the allocation of a larger number of levels than four to a predetermined voltage (or current) window is limited to a large extent by the program circuitry.
Program algorithms are usually on-chip implementations, whereby the storage circuit can be programmed by the user on suitable programming equipment, such as EPROM programmers. In addition, to have the cells programmed accurately, it is best if an adaptive algorithm can be used in which each word cell is programmed and verified separately.
The design difficulties to be addressed in implementing circuitry for on-chip adaptive multi-level programming, i.e., a fully integrated circuitry, are considerable, especially in programming cells with 16-plus levels in any reliable manner.
Multiple levels ROMs (Read Only Memories) have also been developed which utilize special memory cells and appropriate multi-level reading arrangements. All such memories are, as is normal with ROMs, factory-programmed by the maker of the storage device and cannot later be modified by the user. The threshold voltage of the individual cells is varied at the masking stage of the ROM by controlling the amount of charge implanted in the channel regions. It will be appreciated that this can only be accomplished by introducing some additional process steps in the device fabrication cycle, which entails increased complexity and manufacturing costs.
The underlying technical problem of this invention is to provide an OTP (One-Time Programmable) EPROM storage device which is non-erasable and intended for read-only applications, has a very high integration density, and exhibits such constructional and functional features as to allow of programming with a large number of levels per cell, thereby to overcome the aforementioned limitations from the state of the art.


A method is disclosed for determining equipment status based upon data representative of movie theater equipment state changes. The method includes the step of retrieving and storing data representative of theater equipment status in a central computer storage unit that includes known status data representative of a plurality of state change patterns representing known status. The method also includes the steps of receiving status data representative of a status of each of a plurality of items of theater equipment at each of a plurality of remote theater screen assemblies over a plurality of instances during a period of time, comparing a first state change pattern representative of equipment state changes in state of a theater audio processing unit to the known status data in the central computer storage unit, providing comparison data, providing alert condition data responsive to the comparison data, and receiving the comparison data and storing the comparison data.

The invention generally relates to theatres and cinemas, and relates in particular to networks of theatres and cinemas. Operational practices may vary among theatre and cinema networks and vary from screen to screen as well as vary at different times of a day, week, month or year depending on the individuals operating the equipment. As a result, inconsistencies or problems may arise. For example, start times of movies may vary (due to crowds, weather or operational difficulties), volume levels may be changed, and equipment may be inadvertently left on.
Equipment that is directly involved with movie presentation is generally monitored and maintained since moviegoer audiences may complain if it is not. Ancillary equipment, however, is often overlooked. As an example, pre-show advertising may be delivered by slide projectors, which are often forgotten or ignored. Routine spot checks by the screen advertising industry indicate that slide projectors have a delivery failure rate of over 10%.
The in-theater advertising industry depends upon statements from theaters as the sole means by which successful delivery of theater advertising is determined. Statements are generated on a periodic basis (e.g., weekly) for the purpose of reporting the successful delivery of advertising content to the theatre's patronage. Statements are sworn written statements affirming successful presentation of the movie pre-shows for a particular period of time and the patronage for that period. Typically, statements are authored by a theater manager who does not always have a first-hand account of the delivery of each movie pre-show included in the time period of the affidavit. Unfortunately, use of statements may be subject to errors and omissions. Statements often reflect 0% delivery failures, which is typically not consistent with the failure rate observed through routine spot checks.
In general, the theater manager may not become aware of a failure in non-movie-related equipment for many hours and often even days. Once aware of the failure, the manager has no knowledge of the length of time the pre-show equipment has been in the state of failure. Furthermore, once the manager is aware of the failure, reporting that failure to be fixed by the screen advertising company remains a lower priority than general operations of presenting movies and selling concessions. Failures do not always involve equipment breakdowns. Equipment may simply be disabled for special events or other reasons and simply not re-enabled.
Lack of attention to non-movie-related equipment results in extended downtime. Lack of awareness regarding non-movie-related equipment failures results in errors and omission to the statements. Actual movie start-times may vary from the schedule, which can lead to moviegoer irritation. Equipment is not always left in the proper state, which may lead to excessive wear and power consumption.
There is a need, therefore, for a system and method for monitoring, diagnosing and even intervening with and reporting problems with theatre and cinematic equipment.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for remotely monitoring, diagnosing, intervening with and reporting problems with cinematic equipment


The present invention provides a jointed curved liquid crystal display device, which includes: at least two liquid crystal display units. The at least two liquid crystal display units includes: a first liquid crystal display unit (2) and a second liquid crystal display unit (4) connected to one edge of the first liquid crystal display unit (2) to be rotatable about one axis. The first and second liquid crystal display units (2, 4) receive a first cushion section (8) mounted therebetween. The axis is arranged to be opposite to the first cushion section (8). The at least two liquid crystal display units further includes a third liquid crystal display unit (6) connected to an opposite edge of the first liquid crystal display unit (2) to be rotatable about another axis. The first and third liquid crystal display units (2, 6) receive a second cushion section (10) mounted therebetween. Said another axis is arranged to be opposite to the second cushion section (10). The jointed curved liquid crystal display device can display one or multiple images according to the needs of users and allows for adjustment of curve angle thereof as desired.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of liquid crystal displaying, and in particular to a jointed curved liquid crystal display device.
2. The Related Arts
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have a variety of advantages, such as thin device body, low power consumption, and being free of radiation, and are thus of wide applications, such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, computer monitors, and notebook computer screens.
A liquid crystal display device generally comprises an enclosure, a liquid crystal panel arranged in the enclosure, and a backlight module mounted in the enclosure. Recently, major manufacturers have marketed curved liquid crystal display devices one after another. Generally speaking, the curved liquid crystal display devices allow for the best viewing effect from edge to edge, while a regular liquid crystal display device has poor capability of displaying at edges of a screen. The curved liquid crystal display devices has a screen that has a curved design showing a surrounding configuration toward a viewer so as to provide a wide full-view image, allowing for the same visual enjoyment at both the central portion and the circumferential portion of the screen and also reducing distortion of off-axis viewing for viewing at a short distance. Further, the curved liquid crystal display device allows a viewer's viewing distance to be extended, achieving better experience of viewing. Thus, compared to the regular liquid crystal display devices, the curved liquid crystal display devices have advantages, including: (1) brand differentiating, (2) wider viewable angle, and (3) reducing distortion for short distance viewing.
However, the curve of the conventional curved liquid crystal display device is generally fixed and is not adjustable, imposing limitations to the view angles and complicating the structure and thus requiring a relatively high cost.

Jointed curved liquid crystal display device

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


An image forming method and an image forming apparatus are disclosed in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive member surface by using a two-component developer including a toner and carrier. The photosensitive member surface has a specific modulus of elastic deformation and includes a charge transport layer with a specific thickness. The toner has a specific weight-average particle diameter. The carrier has a specific volume-average particle diameter and a specific circularity, and contains 20% by number or less of particles having a value of “average circularity−2σ” where σ is standard deviation of carrier circularity.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming method and an image forming apparatus which make use of a two-component developer having a toner and a carrier, used in electrophotography or electrostatic recording and so forth, to develop an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive member to form an image.
2. Related Background Art
In general, in image forming apparatus by which images are recorded on recording mediums such as paper, as in printers, an electrophotographic system is employed as a system by which the images are recorded on the recording mediums.
The electrophotographic system employs as an electrostatic latent image bearing member a photosensitive drum coated with a photosensitive material on its surface. First, the surface of the photosensitive drum is uniformly electrostatically charged, and thereafter the surface of the photosensitive drum is exposed to laser light, so that a potential difference is given between exposed areas and unexposed areas.
Next, using a developer having a toner and a carrier, a toner standing charged is made to adhere to the surface of the photosensitive drum in accordance with the potential difference to form a toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum. Thereafter, the toner image is transferred to a recording medium, and then the toner image is fixed onto the recording medium by the action of heat and pressure or the like to form an image.
Recently, as reproduction equipment has attained higher image quality and higher speed, toners and photosensitive drums have been strongly required to achieve low running cost and so forth. As photosensitive drums used in the electrophotographic system, those having photosensitive layers smaller in thickness are used because of a necessity for high resolution. In addition thereto, it is attempted to improve electrical and mechanical strength or wear resistance of photosensitive drum surface because of a necessity for making the photosensitive drums have a longer lifetime for the achievement of low running cost.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. H05-216249 and H07-072640, a proposal to use a curable resin in the surface layer is made in order to make the photosensitive member have higher resolution and higher durability. Where such a curable resin is used in the surface layer, compared with a thermoplastic resin, the surface layer can have a higher mechanical strength not to be easily abraded and also not to be easily scratched, and hence can have a longer lifetime. As also disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-345049, a method is proposed in which, in order to make the photosensitive member have higher durability inclusive of higher resolution as well, a surface layer that utilizes a variety of energy (such as heat, ultraviolet rays and electron rays) is formed on the surface of the photosensitive member (see Example 1). This brings about superior potential characteristics and image characteristics at the initial stage and also after running (comprehensive operation) even though thin films are formed which are 15 μm in layer thickness as the total of a photosensitive layer and the surface layer.
In such a thin-film photosensitive member, compared with thick-film photosensitive members, latent images which are sharp and have a high electric-charge density are formed when the same images are tried to be formed. Where such latent images are developed, sharper images are formed, desirably. However, in characteristics of photosensitive member potential and image density, the electric-charge density comes higher in inverse proportion to the layer thickness of the photosensitive member, and hence, in order to fill such electric charges with the toner, the toner becomes larger in quantity in inverse proportion to the layer thickness of the photosensitive member. That is, the γ curve may inevitably have a sharp slant (for example, if the layer thickness of the photosensitive member is half, the electric-charge density that is necessary to obtain a certain potential doubles. In order to fill such electric charges with the toner, the toner doubles in its quantity. In other words, the image density may abruptly vary with respect to the variations of contrast potential). Where such a photosensitive member is used, very clear images are obtainable in black-and-white copying machines or printers. However, in full-color copying machines or printers, which are required to provide high image quality for halftone, problems may arise such that it is difficult to reproduce the halftone because the γ curve has a sharp slant in the halftone region, and that image density varies greatly because of a slight variation in potential to make it difficult to reproduce colors. Also, in the thin-film photosensitive member, the potential of contrast tends to be so small that the above tendency is apt to be more remarkable.
Meanwhile, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H06-332237, an approach is made from developers in order to achieve a higher image quality. What is proposed therein is that, for the achievement of a higher image quality, a toner is made to have small particle diameter and its particle size distribution is specified and further a carrier is made to have small particle diameter and its shape is specified, to achieve superior fluidity and superior resolution, gradation and fine-line reproducibility. Making toners and carriers have smaller particle diameter is very effective in making image quality higher. However, in the case when the thin-film photosensitive member as stated above is used, which has a high resolution but has a sharp slant in the γ curve, it is necessary for the toner to have a very large charge quantity in order to make the gradation high, and developing performance, i.e., what is called "toner release" from carrier, is not sufficiently satisfied in some cases. Also, if the toner has a large charge quantity, counter charges are liable to be collected in the carrier to cause carrier adhesion. On such an occasion, if the carrier has an amorphous particle shape, the photosensitive drum tends to be finely scratched at its surface even when it has a tough protective layer, so that the surface of the photosensitive drum may become matte with progress of running to cause coarse images or lines at halftone areas.

Image forming method and image forming apparatus


A redundant power system has a first power supply and a second power supply. The first power supply has a first controller with a first communication port and a first I/O port and has a normal mode, a master mode and a slave mode. An external device can send a mode setting command to the first controller through the first communication port. The first I/O port is set as an input port or an output port according to the mode executed by the first controller, wherein the output port is for indicating a power providing status of one power supply and the input port is for determining a power providing status of the other power supply. The power supplies can provide an appropriate power to a server according to the modes executed by the two controllers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power system, and more particularly to a redundant power system.
2. Description of Related Art
Compared with a single power supply, a redundant power system can provide a more stable DC power. The redundant power system mainly comprises a backplane module and multiple power supplies. Each power supply has a rear-stage circuit having a controller for communication with the backplane module. When an electronic product, such as a server, is equipped with the redundant power system, the server can communicate with the power supplies through the backplane module.
A conventional control mode of the redundant power supply is an average-current control mode. In a normal condition, the power supplies of the redundant power system average the working power that the server needs. For example, the redundant power system has dual power supplies. The working power of the server is 1000 (W). Each power supply of the redundant power system provides 500 (W) of power, such that the server totally obtains 1000 (W) from the two power supplies.
However, as operation conditions differ among electronic products, the average-current control mode cannot be applicable for all electronic products. From the manufacturer's perspective, to custom-make redundant power supplies applicable for various electronic products causes high manufacturing cost. To store the numerous conventional redundant power systems also causes trouble in inventory management. The conventional redundant power system needs further improvement.


Techniques for modeling significant locations are described. A significant location can be a location that is significant to a user of a mobile device for a variety of reasons. The mobile device can determine that a place or region is a significant location upon determining that, with sufficient certainty, the mobile device has stayed at the place or region for a sufficient amount of time. The mobile device can construct a state model that is an abstraction of one or more significant locations. The state model can include states representing the significant locations, and transitions representing movement of the mobile device between the locations. The mobile device can use the state model to provide predictive user assistance.

Many electronic devices have location-based functions. For example, a mobile device can estimate a location of the mobile device using a satellite navigation system (e.g., global positioning system or GPS) or a cellular communications system. The mobile device can perform various tasks that are location specific. For example, a map application executing on the mobile device can cause the mobile device to display a map. A marker on the map can indicate a current location of the mobile device. Upon receiving a user input selecting the marker, the mobile device can display points of interests, e.g., restaurants or gas stations, that are close to the current location. Upon receiving a user input specifying a destination, the mobile device can display a route from the current location to the destination, and an estimated time of arrival based on traffic information on the route.


A metering system for a coating installation for coating components such as vehicle body parts contains an applicator which applies the coating material supplied to it with a volumetric flow metered on-demand, a regulated first metering device which adjusts the pressure or the volumetric flow of the coating material to be applied by the applicator based on setpoints which are specified by automated installation controls, a transducer to generate a reading which matches the pressure or the volumetric flow of the coating material flowing to the applicator and a control device for regulating the metering device as a function of the specified setpoints and of the reading from the transducer. A second metering device is connected at the outlet of the regulated first metering device for the coating material flowing to the applicator which controls the pressure or volumetric flow of the said applied coating material for precision metering of the coating material applied as a function of the specified setpoints.

When coating workpieces such as vehicle bodies or their parts with paint or other coating materials, such as sealants or adhesives, it is known that the most accurate metering possible of the coating material supplied to the applicator is necessary. Metering is performed on demand, i.e. the volumetric flow (quantity flowed per unit of time) of the coating material supplied to the applicator during coating must be adjustable as a function of the specific sub-areas of the workpiece with great precision and short response times, where the individual setpoints are saved in the master controls for the installation and are specified thereby.
The requirements for metering systems for coating installations are in practice substantial and to some extent hard to implement, primarily the requirements for accuracy which in many cases must be absolute and with respect to metering fluctuations be at the least ±1% from the setpoint, with a high degree of reproducibility during fluctuations in temperature, viscosity and pressure. Because of the required accuracy, stepless volume control is preferably required. The components of the metering system must, among other things, be free of dead space to prevent curing. Special requirements apply when metering particular coating materials, such as NAD material (non-aqueous polymer dispersion), for which special measuring devices are required, or when high metering pressure is reached during the application of certain materials, up to 400 bar for example in the case of PUR. Different conditions apply with respect to volumetric flow, the quantity flowed, which in typical cases can be between 2 and 50 ccm/sec, for example. Additional requirements relate to the acceptable system rise and reaction times (<40 ms until reaching ±5% of the setpoint), freely programmable adjustability of feed pressure with low reaction time (<100 ms) and automatic, dynamic adjustment of feed pressure with changes in coating material viscosity, the possibility for automatic calibration with material changes and low delay times at the start of operations. Generally, not only the costs for the installation and its maintenance but the weight and dimensions of the system components should be as low and small as possible, in particular with respect to assembly in or on application robots.
Various metering systems with continuous or discontinuous metering of the coating material are known for coating installations. Continuous metering systems have advantages in principle such as relatively small expenditure (low costs), continuous material flow, wide metering range, short cycle times or refill times and compact dimensions. However, known continuous metering systems are too inaccurate for many applications. They may contain pressure regulators with simple control loops with which only pressure regulation or, by using a flow metering cell, volume control can be performed, or flow regulators in whose control loops, for example, control valves may be used as actuator and flow metering cells as actual value transducers. Apart from their relatively low metering accuracy, these metering systems are intrinsically relatively slow to react to changes in setpoints, which, for example, noticeably diminishes coating quality when applying adhesive beads or when sealing seams because of the skips when they switch on and off, particularly at the beginning and end of the beads, but also with changes in volume on the applied bead. In addition, continuous metering systems which meter volumetrically using geared metering pumps are known and customary. Discontinuous metering systems on the other hand typically contain piston metering units which are known as designs for single or dual metering units with electrical servo metering drive and which can operate without a closed control loop, but which are praticably controlled pressure-dependent. A pressure regulator may be conveniently installed upstream of the metering system to ensure as constant an inlet pressure as possible.
With regard to the prior art, reference is made to Dürr/Behr Technical Manual 02/1994 "Color Volume Control"; DE 38 22 835; DE 691 03 218 T2; DE 100 65 608; EP 1 287 900; EP 1 314 483; EP 1 346 775; EP 1 474 161; and patent applications EP 05 111 273 dated Nov. 24, 2005 and DE 10 2005 042 336.1 dated Sep. 6, 2005
With this as the point of departure, there is a need for simple continuous metering with great metering accuracy and short reaction delays.