A communication system includes: a plurality of nodes each of which is configured to include OAM (Operation Administration and Maintenance) functions; and a control apparatus configured to control the plurality of nodes. Each of the nodes transmits a status change notification including information about a port(s) affected by a failure(s) that has occurred in a network composed by the plurality of nodes to the control apparatus. The control apparatus determines whether to perform route control on the network on the basis of the status change notification and information about a composition of the network.

Recent years have seen operations of transport networks, which enable failure recovery in the data plane without relying on the control plane. Nodes included in such a transport network are provided with OAM (Operation Administration and Maintenance) functions.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique that adopts GMPLS (Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching) as the control plane. According to Patent Literature 1, when failure recovery can be achieved by optical switches alone (the data plane in Patent Literature 1), the optical switches are switched. If failure recovery cannot be achieved by such optical switches alone, the GMPLS control plane is controlled to achieve failure recovery.
In addition, according to Patent Literature 2, when a failure occurs only in the control plane in a network in which the data plane and the control plane are formed by different media, disconnection of a path in the data plane during data forwarding is prevented.
Patent Literature 3 discloses a technique for efficiently achieving recovery of multiple failures and the like by distributed control.
Patent Literature 4 discloses a technique in which the data plane and the control plane are managed in coordination with each other. According to Patent Literature 4, reliable route status information is acquired by synchronizing the data plane and the control plane.    Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP2003-318983A    Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP2012-170161A    Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP2007-053793A    Patent Literature 4: Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP2008-066989A

Communication system, control apparatus, method for controlling same, and program


An image projection system has a first lens with a defined entrance pupil. An image source has an image field and a defined exit pupil. The exit pupil of the image source is configured such that the exit pupil of the image source underfills the entrance pupil of the lens for portions of the image source that are not in the center portion of the image field.

Projectors, such as those used to project images in a conference room, to project data in an aircraft's head-up display (HUD), or to project a movie image in a theater, often rely upon a light source behind an image medium to provide the light that is projected to form the image. The light passes through the image medium, such as a layer of film or a liquid crystal display panel, or perhaps is produced by illuminating phosphors on a cathode ray tube, to produce a light image that is projected through a series of lenses toward a target.
Design and construction of the lens assemblies plays a substantial role in the resulting quality of the projected image. Antireflective coatings and optical coupling are used to reduce reflections between lens elements. Specialized glass types are used to reduce chromatic aberration in which different colors of light take different paths through the lens. Careful shaping of the lens elements to correctly redirect problematic off-center light rays that might produce an out-of-focus image with traditional round or flat lens surfaces is also employed. Each of these techniques are commonly employed to ensure that an image having the desired degree of focus, contrast, and brightness can be produced.
But, these techniques are technically complex to employ, and can require sophisticated and expensive production equipment and materials. A user of even relatively expensive binoculars or camera lenses may well notice that images are less sharp near the edges of an image, and that different colors begin to form separate images near the image edges.
It is also desirable in many applications to reduce the quantity of light that proceeds through a lens group but does not accurately contribute to the desired viewing area in the observation plane. Sometimes various other techniques can be employed in a lens system to reduce unwanted light from proceeding through the lens elements, such as where vignetting reduces the number of light rays produced from off-center light sources that proceed through a series of lens elements. This is often undesirable for display applications, though, as the image formed by a solid image such as a frame of film, a CRT image, or an LCD shutter comprises useful light rays emitted from off-center portions of the image. Shuttering or blocking undesired light rays near the observation plane can reduce the demands placed upon the lens elements in handling off-axis light rays that are considered undesirable, but is impractical for many of the previously discussed applications.
It is desired to have a lens system in which the performance requirements on lenses can be relaxed while still maintaining acceptable image quality.

Pupil mismatch in a collimated display system


In order to enlarge a stroke of a movable piece displaced by pivoting a lever in upward and downward directions, a lever switch for a vehicle according to the present invention has a lever mounted pivotably on a case, and a movable piece moved by pivoting movement of the lever. An arm body is disposed between the case and the movable piece. In the arm body there are a shaft portion supported pivotably by the case at one end, a thrusting portion driving the movable piece at the other end, and a contacting portion brought into contact with the lever at an approximately central part. The arm body includes a first arm, at an extremity of which the shaft portion is disposed, a second arm, at an extremity of which the contacting portion is disposed, and a third arm, at an extremity of which the thrusting portion is disposed. In the arm body, the shaft portion is disposed in an approximately horizontal direction from a nearly central point O, the contacting portion is disposed in an approximately vertical direction from the nearly central point O, and the thrusting portion is formed in an inclined direction from the nearly central point O.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lever switches for vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a construction of a lever switch for a vehicle provided with an arm capable of enlarging a stroke of a movable piece moved by pivoting a lever upward and downward.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional lever switch is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model No. A-Hei 2-137724. The conventional lever switch has a slider hole, with which an operation lever is engaged, formed in a direction inclined with respect to a horizontal direction of the slider. As a result, a stroke of the slider is enlarged.
However, in the conventional lever switch described above, if a long stroke of a movable plate is desired, the movable plate must have a great thickness. Therefore, the conventional lever switch has a problem in that the movable plate is large, and the size of the whole switch is increased.


Core structures for composite panels, aircraft including the same, and related methods. A core structure includes a core body defining a first body side, a second body side, and a plurality of core cells. Each core cell includes at least one cell wall and defines a tubular cell void. Each core cell includes a bulk region and a transition region. Each cell wall is flared within the transition region to increase a surface area of the first body side relative to an average transverse cross-sectional area of the core body. A composite panel includes a core structure with at least one laminate ply coupled to the first body side of a core body. A method of manufacturing a composite panel includes forming a core body via an additive manufacturing process and operatively attaching at least one laminate ply to the core body.

Composite sandwich panels, which typically consist of a honeycomb structure positioned between two composite laminate sheets, are frequently utilized in applications where high strength and stiffness and low weight are desired. However, such structures generally include a small surface area for adhesion between the honeycomb core and the laminate, resulting in a weak bond between the honeycomb core and the laminate sheets. Thus, there exists a need for improved core structures for composite panels and for methods of manufacturing composite panels including the improved core structures.


A packet including data and a cyclic redundancy check code is encoded by using a selectable one of N scrambling codes (N>1). The encoded packet is transmitted and received, then decoded N times by using the N scrambling codes. The cyclic redundancy check code is used to decide which one of the N scrambling codes enabled the encoded packet to be decoded correctly, and the correctly decoded data are used. Packets with different formats, in particular with headers of different lengths, can be distinguished by the use of different scrambling codes, so that different formats can be employed without the need to transmit extra data to indicate which format has been used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data transmission method in which the transmitted data are scrambled (encoded) by a predetermined rule at the transmitting end to prevent concentration of power caused by a run of identical bits, and descrambled (decoded) at the receiving end. The invention also relates to a data transmission system, a data transmitter, and a data receiver employing this method.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional data transmission system comprising a transmission channel 300, a data transmitting apparatus 400, and a data receiving apparatus 500. The data transmitting apparatus 400 comprises an encoder 401 and a transmitting unit 402. The data receiving apparatus 500 comprises a decoder 501 and a receiving unit 502. The encoder 401 comprises a scrambling code generator 40 and an exclusive-OR (XOR) gate 46. The decoder 501 comprises a scrambling code generator 50 and an XOR gate 56. The scrambling code generator 40 in the encoder 401 is a linear feedback shift register comprising register cells 41, 42, 43, 44 and an XOR gate 45, which generate a cyclic code with the generator polynomial Y=X4+X+1. The scrambling code generator 50 in the decoder 501 is a similar linear feedback shift register comprising register cells 51, 52, 53, 54 and an XOR gate 55, which generate the same cyclic code.
A reset signal (RESET) resets the scrambling code generators 40 and 50 at both the transmitting and receiving ends. Register cells 41 and 51 are reset to '1'; register cells 42, 43, 44, 52, 53, and 54 are reset to '0'. Following a reset, XOR gate 46 in the encoder 401 scrambles input data (INDATA) by XORing the successive input bits with successive code bits generated in scrambling code generator 40.
The bits of scrambled data are supplied from XOR gate 46 to the transmitting unit 402, which sends scrambled data to the receiving apparatus 500 through the transmission channel 300. The receiving unit 502 receives the scrambled data and supplies the successive bits of received data to XOR gate 56, which descrambles the data by XORing the successive bits with the output of the scrambling code generator 50. The decoder 501 outputs the descrambled bit data as output data (OUTDATA).
When each INDATA bit is input to XOR gate 46 in the scrambling code generator 40, the existing values in register cells 41, 42, and 43, and the logical exclusive OR of the values in register cells 43 and 44 are shifted into register cells 42, 43, 44, and 41, respectively; the scrambling code is output from register cell 44. Similarly, when each bit of data is input to XOR gate 56 in the scrambling code generator 50, the existing values in register cells 51, 52, and 53, and the logical exclusive OR of the values in register cells 53 and 54 are shifted into register cells 52, 53, 54, and 51, respectively; register cell 54 outputs the same scrambling code as at the transmitting end.
In addition to the conventional data transmission system shown in FIG. 1, there are also data transmission systems (disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publications Nos. H9-83390 and H9-83391, for example), in which a data packet received by the decoder is not descrambled in the descrambling circuit when the packet includes invalid data in which an error is detected by use of a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code, or when the packet is a parity packet.
In the conventional data transmission systems described above, packets are transmitted in fixed formats in which header information is added to the payload data or text. The header has a predetermined bit length. Most header formats include bits that almost always have predetermined default values and are only rarely used to transmit non-default information. For example, many formats include an urgent flag bit that is almost always '0', indicating the normal state, and is only rarely set to '1' to indicate an urgent packet. The header has to include this bit, because when set to '1' it conveys important information, but when cleared to '0', this bit serves only to increase the transmission overhead. The same is true of other header bits that convey important information that occurs with a low frequency. Due to the additional transmission overhead caused by such bits, the transmission channel is not used as effectively as could be desired.

Data transmission method and apparatus using multiple scrambling codes


A heat pump, and in particular a heat pump for heating a hot water supply is provided with an improved defrost mode. The defrost mode is actuated to remove frost from an outdoor evaporator that may accumulate during cold weather operation. An algorithm for operation of the defrost mode is developed experimentally by seeking to maximize the heat transfer provided by the refrigerant. A heating system condition is experimentally related to the heat transfer capacity. One then maximizes the average heat transfer capacity to determine the optimum initiation point for the defrost mode. Further, protections are included into the defrost mode. When the heat pump is utilized to heat hot water, methods are provided to prevent the water that remains in the heat exchanger from becoming unduly heated. In one method, the water pump may be periodically operated to move the water. In a second method, a control ensures the discharge pressure of the refrigerant leaving the compressor is reduced, and that the water pump is not stopped until that reduced temperature falls below a predetermined maximum. The temperature reduction is achieved through a dual control loop wherein a temperature that is too high results in a new desired discharge pressure. The control achieves the new desired pressure by controlling the expansion device. In another protection feature, as a control determines that the defrost mode is nearing its end, an evaporator fan is run to remove melted water from the evaporator coils, and also to ensure the refrigerant leaving the evaporator does not reach unduly high pressure or temperatures.

This invention relates to several improvements for determining when to initiate a defrost mode for a heat pump, and also to protect associated systems such as a hot water supply system during a defrost mode.
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are utilized to provide cooling and heating in buildings. Typically, a compressor delivers a refrigerant to a heat exchanger which is a heat exchanger associated with the interior of a building. The refrigerant passes to an expansion device downstream of the heat exchanger, and downstream of the expansion device to an evaporator. The evaporator is typically a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with an outside environment.
When an HVAC system is utilized to provide heating, it can be said to be in a heat pump mode. Under such conditions, the evaporator may be in a very cold environment, such as during winter. Problems can arise in that frost can form on the evaporator heat exchanger coils. This lowers the ability to transfer heat from the system to the outside environment through the evaporator heat exchanger.
Thus, such systems have a defrost mode. In defrost mode, the hot refrigerant leaving the compressor is bypassed directly to the evaporator. The bypass can occur by reducing the removal of heat in the heat exchanger, or can be a bypass of some refrigerant around the heat exchanger. To date, there has been little in the way of sophisticated control to determine how and when the defrost mode should be actuated.
Moreover, when a heat pump system is utilized to heat water, such as for a hot water heating system, problems can arise during defrost mode. In particular, defrost mode is often utilized in combination with shutting down the pumping of water through the heat exchanger. This is done since if the water continues to flow, the refrigerant will be cooled in the heat exchanger. Under such conditions, the water that sits in the heat exchanger can boil, which would be undesirable.
Another problem can occur near the end of a defrost mode. At this point, the bulk of the frost will have melted. There are water droplets remaining on the coil. Since the fan is turned off, there is no air removing these droplets. Leaving the droplets on the coil increases the likelihood that the coil will quickly frost again after the termination of the defrost mode. Further, since the fan is not driving air over the coil, little heat is being removed from the refrigerant in the coil. Thus, the refrigerant temperature exiting the evaporator remains higher than might be desired.


To provide a method of production of an exhaust gas purification catalyst support preventing a drop in the heat resistance of alumina or other catalyst support due to the presence of titania and provided with a sulfur poisoning suppression action by titania and an exhaust gas purification catalyst support produced by the same. A method of production of an exhaust gas purification catalyst support comprising, in a basic solution, making alumina particles adsorb ammonium ions and then bringing titania sol into contact with the alumina particle so as to make the alumina particles adsorb the titania particles. An exhaust gas purification catalyst support where at least base points on the alumina particle surfaces adsorb titania particles and the pH does not rise when immersed in an ammonium nitrate solution.

A lean burn engine is characterized by being fuel efficient, but a normal three-way catalyst cannot purify NOX in a lean air-fuel ratio region (oxygen excess atmosphere). An NOX storage reducing catalyst developed with a new purification principle is able to purify NOX in the lean region and comprises a normal three-way catalyst with an additional alkali metal, alkali earth metal, etc. as material that holds NOX (storing/adsorbing material). Under normal operation at a lean air-fuel ratio, NOX is oxidized by excess oxygen on the catalyst precious metal to become NO2 and is held on the NOX holding material as nitrates etc. Further, by briefly making the air-fuel ratio rich (fuel excess atmosphere), the nitrates etc. are reduced by CO and HC on the catalyst precious metal to be purified and expelled as N2.
An NOX storage reducing catalyst is produced by forming an alumina or other catalyst support layer (coat layer) on cordierite or another base material and making this carry Pt or another catalyst precious metal and K or another NOX holding material. Generally, a catalyst support layer is formed by adding titania (TiO2) to alumina (Al2O3), zirconia (ZrO2), ceria (CeO2), and other such porous support particles so as to suppress the sulfur poisoning distinctive to NOX storage reducing catalysts. The presence of titania promotes the desorption of SOX held by the NOX holding material when regenerating the catalyst from sulfur poisoning in a high temperature rich environment. However, there was the problem that the addition of titania caused a large drop in the heat resistance of the catalyst.
WO00/00283 discloses a NOX storage reducing catalyst using a support comprising titania and zirconia carrying Rh in advance. It is considered that titania suppresses sulfur poisoning and carrying Rh on ZrO2 improves the purification capability. However, the heat resistance of titania is low, so both the titania itself and the catalyst precious metal easily sinter and the expected improvement in the purification capability cannot be acquired.
Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2001-9279 discloses an NOX storage reducing catalyst using a support comprising alumina particles with surfaces coated by titania particles of particle sizes of 10 nm or less. Further, as a method of producing the same, this discloses to make the pH of a slurry comprised of the alumina particles and titania sol less than 5, then increase the pH to thereby coat the alumina particle surfaces with titania fine particles. However, with the method of production of Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2001-9279, as shown by FIG. 10 of Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2001-9279, the titania sol passes the isoelectric point over the course of increasing the pH, so agglomerates and immediately coarsens at that point. With the pH at this time, the alumina becomes charged and does not agglomerate with the titania sol. Further, when increasing the pH, the titania sol agglomerates begin to become charged negatively. However, in comparison to agglomeration, redispersal requires a long time, so the titania particles are adsorbed on the alumina in the agglomerated and coarsened state. In this way, with the method of production of Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2001-9279, there is a high likelihood of the result being not the state with the surfaces of the alumina particles being covered with titania fine particles, but the result with the alumina particle and agglomerated titania particles simply being mixed together.
Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2004-321847 discloses an NOX storage reducing catalyst using a support obtained by calcining an alumina/titania composite oxide prepared by a coprecipitation method carrying a titania precursor. However, titania has a low heat resistance, so a sufficient heat resistance is not acquired.
Further, even in a three-way catalyst, sulfur deposits on the catalyst support as sulfates, so there is the smell of H2S generated under idling conditions etc. after high speed driving.
In this way, if adding titania to a catalyst support, the heat resistance of the catalyst drops in comparison to the case where no titania is added, so the effect of suppression of sulfur poisoning brought about by addition of titania and the purification capability inherent to the catalyst cannot both be achieved.

Method for production of an exhaust gas purification catalyst support and exhaust gas purification catalyst support


A signaling device for a marine vehicle having a fuel tank, a fuel level value detected in the fuel tank, and a blower to evacuate fuel fumes. The signaling device comprises: a fuel level variation detector; a refueling detector for detecting a fuel level variation corresponding to a refueling event; a refueling signal generator for generating a refueling signal when the refueling event is detected; and a refueling activator for activating the blower, and/or an indicator of refueling for the user, using the refueling signal. A signaling method for the marine vehicle comprising: detecting a variation of the fuel level value over time; detecting a fuel level increase in the variation to correspond to a refueling event; generating a refueling signal when the refueling event is detected; and activating the blower, and/or an indicator of refueling for the user, using the refueling signal.

1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the detection of fuel level variations in gas tanks. More particularly, the invention relates to activating a subsystem in response to the detection of a fuel level variation in a marine vehicle, like activating an indicator or a blower.
2) Description of the Prior Art
The fueling of marine vehicles usually generates a certain quantity of fumes which passengers may find disturbing. Fumes may also be dangerous in the advent of a spark which may occur during the operation of starting the marine vehicle motor. As a matter of fact, the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) recommends running a blower for a period of four minutes prior to ignition, as per the US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) (see the ABYC "Standards and Technical Information Reports for Small Crafts", sections H-2.5.5 and H-2.6.3, and the Code of Federal Regulations at CFR 183.610(f), last updated in 2000). Even though fumes may be present at any time, they are particularly abundant during the refueling operation.
To counter this problem, several systems have been proposed, such as using an air pressure sensor to detect the correct functioning of an engine compartment fan, the ignition being disabled for a predetermined delay during which proper ventilation occurs; using a pressure sensitive switch to activate and deactivate the bilge blower in two steps: when the marine vehicle is stopped or moving slowly, water flowing in the switch activates the blower, whereas when the marine vehicle increases its speed, it begins skimming at the surface of the water resulting in the water flowing out of the switch and deactivating the blower; using a speed sensor to stop ventilation when the vehicle speed reaches a predetermined speed; using a vapor detector signal either as a vapor indicator, an ignition disabling trigger, or a blower actuator; and using a circuitry in the gas tank cap which activates a blower when the cap is removed and deactivates the blower then the cap is replaced.
These systems all present different means to increase boating safety by offering different types of triggers for a blower, adapted to different situations.

Fuel level variation detector for marine vehicle


A display device suitable for a high speed operation liquid crystal display device includes a matrix circuit having a plurality of signal lines, scanning lines disposed so as to intersect the signal lines and pixels provided at the positions corresponding to the intersections of the signal lines and the scanning lines; and a switching circuit for incorporating picture signals provided in correspondance to the signal lines, wherein the adjacent switching circuits are both turned on simultaneously.

The present invention relates to a display device and a display method, and in particular to, a display device which operates at high-speed suitable for a liquid crystal display device, and its displaying method.
Conventional liquid crystal display units are discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-3698 (1985).
A control signal which controls the switching element which incorporates the display (picture) signal, has hitherto been generated in sequence. Thus the control signal shifted from a low (L) level to a high (H) level for every incorporation of the picture signal and further shifted to the three stages of the L level.
In the prior art, supplying the picture signal to each picture element which constitutes the display at high speed is necessary, particularly accompanying the development of a high resolution display. Therefore, of the peripheral circuits, the acquisition time of the picture signal must be high-speed.
Further, constructing the peripheral circuits of the display using the same or similar thin film elements as used in the picture element or pixel area, and having them built-in on the substrate of the display for miniaturization and high functionality is required.
Therefore it is necessary to carry out the above incorporation of the picture signals at high speed, using circuits with thin film elements. However, because the wave distortion of the signal is large for the circuits using thin film elements such as the TFT (Thin Film Transistor), and because incorporating the picture signals at high speed is difficult, realizing a high resolution display was difficult.

Display device and its displaying method


Universal data input card which loads the data of a destination point and the route into the navigation device. The card can be produced completely by printing and can be published in any printed product. On the card is a picture field (3) to locate a photo and text field (4) for locating text information, miniature map segments (2) which contain the route information and a bar-code (1) which provides the coordinates of the destination points. The card of the selected destination point is simply inserted into a card input slot (7) of a GPS device which is built together with an optoelectronic card reader. The device then navigates the driver to the destination point by means of the information shown on a display (6) which can be accompanied by additional voice information. The purpose of introducing the system which operates with a printed card is to spread GPS technology into everyday use for the public.

The subject of the invention is a universal data input card for navigation systems, produced entirely by printing method on inexpensive materials, and a GPS device equipped with data input card reading capability. Data and information needed for navigation are recorded on the surface of the card in a form which can be read by the naked eye and by electro-optical readers. By inserting a universal data input card into the GPS device capable of reading the information on the card, the device can navigate to a destination point determined by the card.
The invention is related to Global Positioning System (GPS) that provides location identification across the entire globe. The invention will function with any other navigation system in which destination data and routes need to be entered into the navigation device in a simple, straightforward manner.
The Global Positioning Sytem is a satellite based navigation system. The 24 navigation satellites of the system enable to determine with great accuracy geographical coordinates anywhere on the world. The satellites orbit at an altitude of 20,000 km and circle the earth twice daily.
In the recent years, the GPS satellite navigation system has been employed for aviation and marine purposes. Small, portable GPS devices appear on the market, that are very accurate and have a range of useful functions. The devices display the geographical coordinates of the current position and also the correct direction when traveling toward a specific destination point. The devices also display the distance to destination, current speed, the estimated time of arrival etc. The devices may also be used for overland travel, however, their use in this area is not yet widespread.
The expansion of GPS technology has been held back because until now there has been no simple device which was inexpensive, mass-producible, involving the largest target group, that is, drivers, motorcyclists, even cyclists into the group of users.
Ongoing advancements in GPS technology aim at expanding present GPS applications in practical ways for everyday use. As a typical example, GPS devices appear in automobiles, being capable of displaying maps, loading navigation data from CD-ROM devices. However, this technology is expensive and is limited to specific geographic regions the data of which have been recorded on CD-ROM.
Usual GPS devices require some technical and navigation knowledge so the applications is complicated for the average user. The method of entering navigation data to the GPS device account for the complication.
In case of the most widely used GPS devices navigation data are entered via numeric keypad. In this method the user must enter character by character the coordinates of the desired destination point and the way point coordinates. This task is difficult and time consuming. However, navigation data can also be entered through a standard medium which is generally removable, containing a varying amount of data.
There is a known procedure which uses removable memory cards to enter destination data into the navigation equipment. Such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,936. In case of this solution the removable memory card takes over the internal memory functions. The memory card is read electronically, just like internal memories. The described device is relatively inexpensive and simple to use. However, the described medium is expensive, cannot be mass produced, and is only capable of storing a limited amount of data, therefore the described equipment can only display the distance, direction and name of the destination point. These drawbacks will limit the usage of the described simplified navigation apparatus.
There is a known procedure which uses printed materials in the navigation device such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,858. This system uses the earth's magnetic field for "dead reckoning" navigation, where bar-codes printed over a traditional map are used to determine starting and destination points. The drawback of this device and method is that they are limited to a specialized purpose and are unsuitable for broader application.
Generally we can say that current GPS technology is not suitable to satisfy a really widespread consumer demand due to a lack of proper devices and procedures.

Navigation system data entry card having imprinted pictorial and bar code navigation information


A signal processing device for optical disks includes a reflected light process section configured to convert reflected light received by an optical pickup into an electric signal based on a first gain, wherein the optical pickup emits laser light to an optical disk and receives reflected light from the optical disk; a servo signal generation section configured to generate a servo signal by using the electric signal generated by the reflected light process section; a servo signal control section configured to control the servo signal so that a change in the amplitude of the servo signal, in response to an increase or decrease of the amount of the reflected light from the optical disk, is suppressed using an attenuator that attenuates the servo signal generated by the servo signal generation section by a factor of a second gain; and a gain setting section configured to set the first gain to the reflected light process section and the second gain to the servo signal control section substantially simultaneously.

Patent Document 1 as listed below discloses an optical disk apparatus that includes an optical pickup, which emits laser light to an optical disk and receives reflected light from the optical disk, a servo signal generation section (error signal generation section), which generates servo signals (servo error signals) by using electric signals based on the reflected light, a servo signal control section (gain tuning section), which controls the servo signals whose offsets are adjusted so that the amplitude of servo signals will be kept constant.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-297454

Signal processing device for optical disks and optical disk apparatus


Disclosed is a method of storing a caller ID in a mobile communication terminal that may store the caller ID in a missed call list even when a battery is removed under state that an incoming call is being received.

1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to a method of storing a caller ID (a phone number of a caller) in a mobile communication terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of storing a caller ID in a mobile communication terminal that may store the caller ID in a missed call list even when a battery is removed under state that an incoming call is being received.
2. Description of The Related Art
When a user of a mobile communication terminal provided with a caller identification service does not respond to an incoming call, the mobile communication terminal stores a time at which the call is received and a phone number of a caller in a missed call list and displays a message, which informs the user of the missed call, on a LCD screen, so that the user can recognize the missed call.
Users often remove a battery of their mobile communication terminal under situations such as a meeting etc. difficult to answer an incoming call. In those cases, no information associated with the missed call such as a caller ID is stored, unlike FIG. 1.
Specifically, the mobile communication terminal which the incoming call is coming in stores the caller ID in a temporary memory and displays it.
There is no voltage left enough to store the caller ID as information associated with missed call in the mobile communication terminal when the battery is removed from the mobile communication terminal which the incoming call is coming in, so that the caller ID is not stored in the mobile communication terminal any more.
Like this, according to the related art, since the caller ID is stored in the missed call list simply depending on whether the user of the mobile communication terminal has responded to the incoming call or not, it is impossible to know information associated with the missed call when the battery is removed from the mobile communication terminal which the incoming call is coming in.

Method of storing caller ID in mobile communication terminal

Abstract: The method comprises: storing in a non-volatile memory a caller ID of an incoming call and information on time at which the incoming call is received; keep storing the caller ID of the incoming call and the information on the time in the non-volatile memory, if a battery is removed from the mobile communication terminal under state the incoming call is being received; and storing the caller ID of the incoming call and the information on the time in an appropriate caller ID list depending on whether recipient of the mobile communication terminal responds to the incoming call or not.


A sanding appliance is described for supporting a sheet of sandpaper. The appliance includes a sanding pad with a flat lower sandpaper supporting surface of triangular outline. The pad is formed from sheet material which includes three edges defining the periphery of the sheet. The edges intersect at three points and a handle is connected to the pad for supporting and controlling the movement of the sander. The pad includes beveled surfaces at its edges which are inclined obliquely upward proceeding toward the center of the pad for supporting the edges of a sheet of sandpaper which are folded upwardly and centrally around the peripheral edges of the pad.

While the invention has a variety of applications, it is particularly useful in sanding drywall or sheetrock in building construction to prepare the surface for painting. The current drywall practice is to tape and finish the drywall with joint cement and then often to spray a textured finish on the ceiling. The resulting area spray and granular texture of the spray creates a painting and sanding problem for the painter. One objective of the invention is to provide a means for quickly and easily smoothing the joint between the wall and the ceiling to an easily painted surface at the ceiling line resulting in a smooth, professional appearance. When sanding is accomplished in the conventional way using a piece of folded sandpaper or a sanding block several deficiencies are encountered, including abrasion of the skin on the fingertips. Following a period of use, bleeding often occurs. Moreover, the sandpaper does not reach into the corner and does not provide a groove for the painter's brush. In addition, the sandpaper is difficult to hold and manipulate to achieve a professional appearance. This makes imperfections difficult to see until they are made noticeable by painting.
In view of these deficiencies it is an important objective of the invention to provide an improved sanding appliance that produces a smooth professional appearance and eliminates abrasion of the skin on the fingertips. It is also an objective to provide an improved sanding appliance which reaches into corners better and assist in providing a groove between the ceiling and wall for a painter's brush. It is another objective to make the sandpaper easy to hold and manipulate to achieve a professional appearance and to reliably sand or smooth the area between the ceiling and wall so that imperfections are more reliably removed as well as facilitating the sanding of inside and outside corners, i.e. intersection between walls. A further object is to provide a precisely finished edge between the texturized ceiling and a wall which permits painters to use a brush to "stripe a line" without getting texture material into the brush, thereby eliminating constant cleaning of the brush while painting. Yet another object is to provide an improved sanding appliance that is suited for use in a variety of applications including sheetrock tape sanding, use by painters, use in auto body finishing, furniture finishing, do-it-yourself applications and industrial or factory finishing.
These and other more detailed and specific objects of the invention will be apparent in view of the following specification which illustrates by way of example but a few of the various forms of the present invention that will be apparent to those skilled in the art within the scope of the appended claims.


A “smart verify” technique, whereby multi-state memories are programmed using a verify-results-based dynamic adjustment of the multi-states verify range for sequential-state-based verify implementations, is presented. This technique can increase multi-state write speed while maintaining reliable operation within sequentially verified, multi-state memory implementations by providing “intelligent” element to minimize the number of sequential verify operations for each program/verify/lockout step of the write sequence. At the beginning of a program/verify cycle sequence only the lowest state or states are checked during the verify phase. As lower states are reached, additional higher states are added to the verify sequence and lower states can be removed.

This invention pertains to the field of semiconductor non-volatile data storage system architectures and their methods of operation, and, in particular, relates to program verify methods.
A number of architectures are used for non-volatile memories. A NOR array of one design has its memory cells connected between adjacent bit (column) lines and control gates connected to word (row) lines. The individual cells contain either one floating gate transistor, with or without a select transistor formed in series with it, or two floating gate transistors separated by a single select transistor. Examples of such arrays and their use in storage systems are given in the following U.S. patents and pending applications of SanDisk Corporation that are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,095,344, 5,172,338, 5,602,987, 5,663,901, 5,430,859, 5,657,332, 5,712,180, 5,890,192, 6,103,573, 6,151,248, and 6,426,893 and Ser. No. 09/667,344, filed Sep. 22, 2000.
A NAND array of one design has a number of memory cells, such as 8, 16 or even 32, connected in series string between a bit line and a reference potential through select transistors at either end. Word lines are connected to corresponding control gates of cells across multiple such different series strings. Relevant examples of such arrays and their operation are given in the following U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/893,277, filed Jun. 27, 2001, that is also hereby incorporated by reference, and references contained therein.
When writing multi-state per storage element data into a non-volatile memory, such as flash electrically erasable and programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), the write, or programming operation, is typically designed to move a targeted population of storage elements progressively through a series of data states until each element reaches its desired state. This is done by incrementally changing the state of the storage elements, sensing a parameter indicative of this state in a verify process, and further changing the state of those cells that have not yet verified as being in their desired final or target state. In a EEPROM, this typically consists of increasing threshold voltage (Vth) levels (starting from the erased or 0 state), using a sequentially increasing steering voltage step (e.g. staircase) implementation for each subsequent programming pulse. As each storage element passes through its to-be-written Vth data state target, it becomes locked out during the corresponding state verify operation, terminating all subsequent writing to the associated storage elements for the duration of that write session.
A verify operation is a sensing or read operation where the state of the storage unit is compared to its data-associated target value. For a binary storage unit there is only one data state aside from the ground state, while the multi-state case will have additional states. For example, consider the case where each storage element or cell stores a total of 3-bits or eight states. In a common cell array architecture, all cells in a write or sense group being simultaneously respectively written or read are tied to a common control, or steering, gate. In such an implementation, in order to read or verify cells over the range of possible states (e.g. states {0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7} for the 3-bit example) it is necessary to serially (e.g. sequentially) scan through all the steering voltage sensing conditions. In the example, there are seven such sequential sensing operations for the read operation. These are performed at the seven threshold voltage discrimination levels to simultaneously determine the stored state of the eight possible states for each cell within the full set of cells being read or verified. Using this sort of read operation as applied to the program/verify/lockout sequence, wherein each programming pulse is accompanied with a series of verify steps (along with the associated state conditional programming lockout), this verify set might also proceed sequentially through the full set of steering voltage target Vth levels (e.g. set of seven for eight state storage elements), associated with the corresponding set of programmable data states.
FIG. 1 illustrates the basic multi-state program/verify operation for the 8-state case in a flash type memory. Programming pulses, which include incrementally increasing steering or control gate program voltage levels, are interlaced with a 7-step verify sequence of increasing steering gate sensing voltage levels.
FIG. 2 expands this verify series in waveform 103 (also labeled B), labeling the 7 sequentially increasing verify pulses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. This example shows the results of such verification for a storage element in the (charged) state (i.e. sensed threshold or Vth level) between verify levels 3 and 4, as represented by dotted line 101 (also labeled A) representing either threshold voltage directly or another parameter (e.g. a current level) indicative of this state. The results of sensing at each of the verify levels in waveform for the sensing parameter (such as steering gate voltage) is captured by a sensing strobe, as represented by waveform 105 (also labeled C). The results of this strobed sensing verification is shown in waveform 107 (also labeled D). Whenever the verify level is lower than the stored charge level, this results in a "1" logic level pulse, as shown for the first three verify strobes, whereas when higher this results in a "0" logic level, as shown for the final four verify strobes.
In practice, using this full verify set for each step in the programming is overkill and wastes time (wherein typically each verify sensing operation takes about the same time as a programming pulse), since at any point in the programming progression there will be only a limited Vth range (or range of data states) over which the population of cells can span. Present designs exploit this characteristic by providing a limited, sliding range verify set implementation, as described in the following.
Using the progressive programming approach, there is a statistically well-behaved distribution of threshold voltages within a population of cells as they progress through the ascending states, starting with state 1, then to state 2 and so on up to state 7. To help explain the limited verify set concept, it helps to first disregard the data state conditional lockout; i.e. assume no lockout. Given this, an example of one Vth distribution scenario for this progression is described in the following snapshot. Starting from the erased state, the population of cells has been successively programmed to a point where a significant fraction of that population lies within the Vth range between states 4 and 5. In this scenario there are relatively few straggler that lie between states 3 and 4, and none with Vths below state 3. Likewise, there are relatively few cells racing ahead, with Vths between states 5 and 6 (i.e. reading as state 5) and none at states 6 and above. In such a scenario, it is pointless to perform the verify operations searching for states 1, 2, 6 or 7, since at this point the cells only exist in the Vth range spanning states 3, 4 or 5. Consequently the approach now in use reduces the range of Vth verify levels to span only that window range required to envelop the expected Vth range at that given point in the programming sequence. (e.g. in the above example, at this point in the programming sequence only three verifies are performed, spanning states 3, 4 and 5, in place of the full set of seven verifies.) As programming proceeds to higher threshold voltage ranges, the Vth verify window range is slid upwards, accordingly. In this way, the programming operation is speeded up substantially. For example in the case for which the time for each programming pulse is comparable to that for each verify step, this approach reduces the total write time in half, from the maximum 8 steps (i.e. 1 programming pulse plus 7 verifies) to 4 steps (1 programming pulse plus 3 verifies), doubling the raw write speed.
An example of this process is illustrated in FIG. 3. This is a schematic representation of which states would be checked at which stage in an exemplary programming process. This can be implemented through a look-up table maintained in the controller or other mechanism. In the table of FIG. 3, the multi-states verified after a given programming pulse are indicated by a checkmark at a corresponding point on the grid. For example, after the first two programming pulses, only the lowest state above ground (e.g. the 1 state) is checked, since it is likely none of the storage elements will have advanced to the 2 state this soon. After the third pulse, a verification of the 2 state is added, since at this point there may be cells arriving at the 2 state. The 3 state is similarly added to the verification list after the fifth pulse and so on. As any cell going to the 1 state is likely to have been programmed by the seventh pulse, the 1 state verify is dropped at this point. Similarly, the 2 state is dropped at the 11th pulse and so on.
Although this reduces the number of reads between programming pulses significantly compared to checking all the non-ground states (for example, 7 reads in the 3-bit example), there are a number of problems with using such a dead reckoning reduced scan, sliding window approach for higher write speed, while maintaining sufficient guard-band to the scan window to insure reliable write operation. These problems mainly relate to the determination of sufficient guard-band. Namely, how soon should each new state be brought in and when is it safe to drop out each state? The verify operation, as exemplified in FIG. 3, must safely cover the operation of the memory regardless of its operating conditions, such as temperature or voltage source, device age, or manufacturing differences associated with processing and other variations. Although performance is increased by checking less states during the verify operation, there must be enough checking to insure robust operation. Furthermore, although the performance improvement benefit does increase with the increasing number of states per storage element by using the above reduced scan, so does room for error, particularly considering the trend to lower operating voltages.
Returning to the cell-by-cell data state conditional lockout, essential to terminating further programming on each cell once its target data (Vth) state is achieved, this now must take place within the reduced window Vth scan. Since the remaining Vths are not checked, no lockout of their associated states is possible during that particular programming step. (e.g. In the above example, only cells with data states 3, 4 and 5 have the possibility of being locked out, whereas cells with data states 1, 2, 6, 7 cannot be so locked out during that specific programming/verify step). Therefore a critical requirement for this verify speed-up algorithm is that, at any time in the programming sequence, a sufficiently wide and properly positioned verify window range is established to cover the spread of the expected Vth distribution (excluding those cells already locked out).
In the case of inadequate verify span window, cells at both ends of the Vth distribution (i.e. both those which program too slowly or too quickly) may be missed when they in fact do achieve their proper Vth levels and require the programming lockout. This will inevitably lead to corresponding data state error (i.e. write failure), as those cells proceed to higher still Vth levels (never having been locked out in the case of the laggards, or having locked out too late, the likely fate for the speeders.) Consequently, the reduced Vth scan window algorithm (i.e. its window size and program step dependent placement) must be carefully tailored to achieve increased write speed without degrading write reliability.
An alternate existing approach for reducing the number of verify operations per programming pulse has been developed for a 2-bit per cell NAND architecture (whose four states, for referencing purposes, are designated here as 0, 1, 2, 3, in ascending Vth level), as described above in relation to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/893,277, filed Jun. 27, 2001, that was incorporated by reference above. One optional operating mode for this NAND implementation logic treats each storage unit as having multiple sector addresses, each address storing one of the two bits of the storage unit, rather than a single storage unit storing multiple bits within one sector address. In the case in which the higher two Vth states (2, 3) are to be programmed up from the lower two Vth states (0, 1) the operation goes as follows: Cells targeted to both states 2, 3 are first programmed and locked out to the lower Vth of those two higher states (i.e. state 2). This is accomplished using only a single verify-2 operation following each programming pulses, locking out further programming of both 2s and 3s as they pass that verify-2 level. Once all 2s and 3s have so locked out, the 3s are then automatically unlocked, and the programming sequence restarted on those 3s, but now with the single verify operation set at the verify-3 level. A variation begins with a 2s only verification during the concurrent programming of the 2 and 3 states. The 3 state's verification is added after a predetermined number of programming pulses, with the 2s verify eventually dropped out to leave only the 3s verify from then until completion. Various aspects of this process are discussed more in U.S. Pat. No. 5,920,507, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
This approach could be extended to greater levels of multi-state storage (e.g. storing 8 states per storage element), by locking all cells targeted for a Vth equal to or greater than a target Vth level (i.e. state), using a single verify at that targeted Vth level. Once all cells are so locked out, the operation is repeated for the cells targeted at the next higher Vt state or beyond, repeating this loop until those cells targeted for the highest data state pass their corresponding verify target.
Using this approach, only a single verify pulse is required with each programming pulse operation, a definite plus in systems whose verify times dominate those of programming, thereby offering an optimal write performance solution. However for systems whose single pulse programming times are comparable to those of single verifies, typical of existing mass storage FLASH memories, the above approach actually reduces write performance, for two reasons: (1) The programming progress of cells targeted for states above that being verified are stopped prematurely and unnecessarily, dictating additional programming time in subsequent Vth programming phases to make up for the progress lost by this early termination; (2) The initial programming conditions (e.g. steering, or control, gate voltage staircase starting level) upon resumption at the next higher state must be dropped back to a lower value from that left off at the end of the previous programming sequence. This drop-back is essential in order to insure that cells do not overshoot their target range, since the specific, appropriate level that the each cell of the population had previously locked out at (and from which corresponding level each cell should resume programming) can no longer be applied to the cells, as a population, in a single program starting condition. At best the starting condition needs to be reduced to that associated with the fastest programming cell (i.e. the programming voltage set for the first cell in the group to have locked out at), thereby increasing the required number of programming pulses for the remaining cells. For safety margin, the starting voltage should be reduced somewhat below that optimal level, increasing the number of programming pulses further still, degrading write performance. This approach also re-introduces the issue of coming up with a fixed (i.e. non-intelligent/adaptive) value (in this case for re-starting programming) which balances performance with reliable write. If pushed too aggressively in favor of increased write speed, this risks programming state overshoot, whereas if too conservative, write speed suffers.
In view of the limitations of existing program/verify approaches, the following section discusses an improved approach which can adaptively/dynamically satisfy this combined requirement of fast write performance while insuring write reliability.


Upon generation of a prescribed condition in an image forming apparatus, when a download request of configuration data associated with that condition is sent to a configuration data management apparatus, the requested configuration data of those managed by the configuration data management apparatus are downloaded to the image forming apparatus. Then, the image forming apparatus uses the configuration data downloaded from the configuration data management apparatus as those associated with the condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for simultaneously managing configuration data required to switch operations of the image forming apparatus and a processing method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus which stores configuration data required to switch its operations is known. Since the configuration data is stored in a storage device included in each image forming apparatus, settings as many as the number of image forming apparatuses have to be made so as to change the configuration data of all the image forming apparatuses.
To save these steps, a technique for simultaneously setting configuration data of a plurality of image forming apparatuses from a given information processing apparatus is known. Also, a technique for allocating configuration data at a location where this data can be referred to via a network, and simultaneously managing the configuration data when a plurality of image forming apparatuses refer to the configuration data is available (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-130838).
Also, upon referring to setting data via a network, in order to reduce the load on that processing, for example, a technique for synchronizing setting data at a pre-set time is available (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-033706).
However, the above related art cannot be applied to configuration data, values of which are restricted under the influences of models of image forming apparatuses, hardware options included in the image forming apparatuses, and the like. Also, as for data synchronization, user's operations or jobs executed on a device may contend against the setting data synchronization processing.

Forming apparatus and processing method to request configuration data from a management apparatus in predetermined transition state


A method for processing a biological fluid comprises the steps of collecting platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in a container containing a complement filter, centrifuging the PRP in the container to provide a supernatant layer comprising a volume of platelet-poor plasma (PPP) and a sediment layer including concentrated platelets, passing most of the volume of the PPP from the container, suspending the platelets in the remaining volume of PPP to provide a platelet suspension and storing the platelet suspension in the container for a storage period of at least about 24 hours while contacting the complement filter with at least a portion of the platelet suspension and removing complement from the platelet suspension.

This invention relates to treating biological fluid, and particularly relates to removing at least one complement fragment from blood components, especially platelet concentrate or apheresis platelets, during storage.
The complement system acts on its own and in cooperation with antibodies in defending vertebrates against infection. The complement system is composed of a series of plasma-borne blood proteins (proenzymes) that are sequentially activated in a series of reactions. The proteins are activated in cascade fashion, i.e., the output of one reaction is the input for the next. The cascade ultimately generates a terminal five-protein membrane attack complex (MAC, C5b-9), whose physiological function is protection of the host from invading microorganisms. The MAC causes lysis of the microorganisms.
While the complement system is generally beneficial in protecting the host, the presence of the various activated or activatable blood proteins (and fragments thereof) can be undesirable, particularly when these proteins and/or fragments are present in blood or blood components used for transfusion. For example, transfusing activated complement into a patient can cause adverse affects such as anaphylactoid reactions, platelet aggregation, and/or immune suppression. The problem can be magnified when transfusing stored blood or blood components, since the proteins can be activated while processing the blood components and/or while storing the components, e.g., due to contact between the plasma-borne proteins and the surfaces of the plastic blood bag and/or the blood bag tubing. Activation can lead to the administration of biologically active complement fragments such as C3a and its metabolite, C3a des Arg77.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a device for use with blood and blood components that removes at least one complement fragment. Additionally, since activated complement can continue to accumulate during storage, there is an unaddressed need in the art for a device that removes at least one complement fragment from the desired blood component(s) during the storage period without requiring additional processing steps that could lead to further complement activation.
The present invention provides for ameliorating at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art. These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description as set forth below.
In accordance with the present invention, a biological fluid is placed in contact with a complement filter, wherein the filter depletes complement from the fluid. In a more preferred embodiment, the filter is capable of retaining complement without substantially retaining desirable components of the biological fluid.
Preferably, the present invention provides for collecting a biological fluid in a container including the complement filter, and storing the fluid in the container so that a significant amount of the complement produced during storage is captured or retained by the filter. Thus, the filter can provide a complement xe2x80x9csink.xe2x80x9d In a more preferred embodiment, the movement of biological fluid in the bag, e.g., as the bag is handled during handling and/or storage protocols, exposes more of the fluid to the complement filter, thus continuing to remove or retain complement as it is produced.
Systems, methods and devices according to the present invention are compatible with a wide variety of biological fluid treatment protocols, and, in preferred embodiments, require little or no modification of existing biological fluid handling steps or procedures. Thus, another advantage of one embodiment of the present invention is that there is no need to re-train the technicians carrying out the biological fluid processing protocol.
The following definitions are used in accordance with the invention:
(A) Complement. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9ccomplementxe2x80x9d includes at least one of a complement protein, complement component (e.g., C1 through C9), complement fragment, biologically active fragment of a component (and metabolite of the fragment), complement factor (e.g., factor B and factor D), complement subcomponent, and complement complex (e.g., C{overscore (567)}). Exemplary biologically active fragments and metabolites thereof include C3a, C3a des Arg77, C4a, C4a des Arg, C5a, and C5a des Arg.
(B) Biological Fluid. A biological fluid includes any treated or untreated fluid (including a suspension) associated with living organisms, particularly blood, including whole blood, warm or cold blood, and stored or fresh blood; treated blood, such as blood diluted with at least one physiological solution, including but not limited to saline, nutrient, and/or anticoagulant solutions; blood components, such as platelet concentrate (PC), apheresed platelets, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), platelet-poor plasma (PPP), platelet-free plasma, plasma, serum, fresh frozen plasma (FFP), components obtained from plasma, packed red cells (PRC), buffy coat (BC); blood products derived from blood or a blood component or derived from bone marrow; red cells separated from plasma and resuspended in physiological fluid; and platelets separated from plasma and resuspended in physiological fluid. The biological fluid may have been treated to remove some of the leukocytes before being processed according to the invention. As used herein, blood product or biological fluid refers to the components described above, and to similar blood products or biological fluids obtained by other means and with similar properties.
A xe2x80x9cunitxe2x80x9d is the quantity of biological fluid from a donor or derived from one unit of whole blood. It may also refer to the quantity drawn during a single donation, e.g., during apheresis. Typically, the volume of a unit varies, the amount differing from patient to patient and from donation to donation. Multiple units of some blood components, particularly whole blood derived platelets and buffy coat, may be pooled or combined, typically by combining four or more units.
(C) Complement Filter. The complement filter separates complement from the biological fluid, e.g., it captures, binds, or retains complement (defined above). Thus, the complement filter can be used to provide a complement-depleted biological fluid. For example, the filter can remove or retain at least one complement fragment, e.g., biologically active complement fragments such as at least one of C3a and C5a. In a preferred embodiment, the complement filter removes C3a. In some embodiments, the complement filter can also suppress complement activation.
Preferably, the filter removes or retains complement, more preferably, C3a, without adversely affecting, or without significantly adversely affecting, the clinical effects of desirable biological fluid components such as plasma, platelets, and/or red blood cells. More preferably, the filter removes or retains C3a without significantly reducing the recovery of the desirable biological fluid component(s). In some embodiments, the complement filter also removes or retains undesirable material such as interleukin 8 (IL 8) and/or RANTES.
In an embodiment, the complement filter comprises at least one porous substrate of any suitable nature, e.g., a fibrous web, a membrane, combinations thereof, and the like. The porous substrate can have any suitable physical dimensions and typically will be in sheet form having two opposing sides (e.g., a first side and an opposing second side) with a central portion therebetween, wherein the pores in the porous substrate will generally enable fluid communication between the first and second sides of the porous substrate. Preferably, the complement filter comprises at least one membrane, more preferably a microporous membrane, through which at least a portion of the plasma component of a biological fluid (e.g., a portion of the plasma present in blood, or the plasma suspending other blood components such as red blood cells and/or platelets) passes. The membrane has two opposing sides (e.g., a first side and an opposing second side, in relation to a biological fluid to be treated wherein at least a portion of the plasma component is passed through the membrane), with a central portion therebetween. The pores in the membrane generally enable fluid communication between the two opposing sides (e.g., between the first and second sides) of the membrane.
The complement filter can have any suitable pore rating (e.g., ability to remove particles of a given size to a specified degree, as evidenced, for example, by bubble point).
The filter can include additional elements or structures, which can also be membranes, or other media, including porous media. For example, in some embodiments, the filter can include additional components that have different structures and/or functions. Illustratively, the filter can also include at least one additional structure such as a fibrous medium (e.g., a nonwoven web and/or a woven web), a mesh and/or a screen.

Method for processing a biological fluid


Golf balls comprising a core and a cover are disclosed. The core is a dual- or multi-layer core, wherein at least one layer is formed from a rubber composition comprising a base rubber and a benzoquinone. The core layer formed from such rubber composition has a positive hardness gradient such that the difference between the layer's outer surface hardness and inner surface hardness is 5 Shore C units or greater.

Benzoquinones
The use of benzoquinones in rubber-based golf ball compositions is known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,119 to Ladd et al. discloses a golf ball containing a cover layer and a core layer, where the core layer is molded from a scorch retarding composition comprising a scorch retarding peroxide, an elastomeric polymer, and a crosslinking agent. The scorch retarding peroxide typically contains a free radical scavenger selected from the group consisting of benzoquinones, hydroquinones, phenols, benzaldehydes, cyclohexadiene-1-ones, and mixtures thereof. The amount of the free radical scavenger in the scorch retarding peroxide is preferably from about 0.01 parts to about 2 parts per 100 parts of the peroxide by weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,940 to Voorheis et al. is directed to a golf ball having a core and cover, particularly to a golf ball core formed from a composition including an elastomeric polymer, a free radical initiator, and at least one stable free radical. The composition can further include one or more free radical scavengers and scorch retarders to increase the scorch time of the elastomeric polymer. Suitable free radical scavengers include benzoquinones; hydroquinones; phenols; benzaldehydes; cyclohexadiene-1-ones; and mixtures thereof.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0213442 to Bulpett et al. discloses the use of benzoquinone-containing rubber compositions in a variety of golf ball layers.
Additional background references include U.S. Pat. No. 6,919,393 to Mano et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,956,128 to Higuchi et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0052253 to Fushihara et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,597 to Iwami et al.
Resilient Cores
The primary source of resilience, as measured by coefficient of restitution ("COR"), in commercially available golf balls is polybutadiene rubber, which is generally used to form all or part of the core. It is known that the resilience of a golf ball core, at a given compression, may be increased by forming a core layer from a rubber composition comprising an organosulfur compound. However, organosulfur compounds can be expensive and can cause processing difficulties.
While the use of benzoquinones in rubber golf ball compositions has been disclosed, there is a need in the industry to broaden the applicability of such compositions to particular golf ball constructions having desirable spin, feel, and distance properties. The present invention provides such golf ball constructions through the use of a dual- or multi-layer core formed from a rubber composition comprising a base rubber and a benzoquinone.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A microsurgical instrument providing scissor action cutting elements at the end of an elongated tubular housing. The cutting elements are at the free end of a tubular housing that is adapted to be inserted into a surgery site and has one end attached to a motion producing portion of the instrument that is outside the surgery site. The cutting elements are formed at extensions of elongated shaft members one of which reciprocates within the tubular housing. One of the elongated shafts is fixed within the tubular housing near the end attached to the motion producing portion. The elongated shaft members are formed adjacent to the free end of the tubular member to maintain the scissor action cutting elements in firm engagement.

The use of an elongated tubular instrument for insertion into a surgical site is known and such instruments have been used in performing microsurgical operations within eyes and other internal portions of a patient. In such microsurgical operations it is frequently necessary to cut materials within the surgery site and the need for very small scissor action surgical instruments for performing such cutting have been needed. One such scissor action apparatus is shown in H. de Laforcade U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,026, issued Oct. 31, 1989 for Surgical Apparatus. That patent lists several patents stated to be exemplified of the state of the art for microsurgical instruments.
The elongated tubular members of microsurgical instruments that are inserted into the surgical site are used to transfer motion from motion producing elements outside of the surgical site to elements that are within the surgical site. It becomes necessary for successful useage of the instruments that the moving elements at the end of the elongated tubular member within the surgical site accomplish their movements in a smooth and controlled manner and with a minimum of undesirable or uncontrolled movements. Accomplishing the control of the moving elements and the reduction of motion resistance through the elongated tubular member has been the objective of many developments in the microsurgical instruments.
In scissor action cutting elements functioning at the end of an elongated tubular member where two cutting surfaces are moved with respect to each other it becomes desirable to cause the scissor cutting surfaces to move in a smooth motion and at a substantially uniform cooperating engagement throughout the entire scissor action. Accomplishing those desires at the free end of an elongated tubular microsurgery element becomes difficult.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is the provision of a microsurgical apparatus having scissor action cutting elements at the free end of an elongated tubular member adapted to be inserted into a surgery site with motion elements outside of the surgery site for transfering motion through the tubular member to cause the scissor action at the cutting elements within the surgery site.
A further object of the present invention in accord with the preceeding object is an assembly of elements and members in a microsurgical instrument that will permit smooth cutting motion at the scissor action cutting elements within a surgical site.
Another object of the present invention in accord with the preceeding objects is a construction and assembly of elements that will cause the scissor action operating elements at the free end of a tubular element to be firmly pressed against each other.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the appended drawings and specification illustrating a preferred embodiment wherein:


Double patterning using a single reticle. A blading technique may be used to allow a single reticle to be used for double patterning. The reticle is placed into a lithographic apparatus and a first portion of the pattern is exposed onto a first photoresist overlaying a target region, while blading the second portion of the pattern. Then, a second portion of the pattern is exposed onto a second photoresist, while blading the first portion. Alternatively, each portion of the pattern may be exposed to the photoresist simultaneously, but to different target regions. Then shot coordinates are adjusted and the portions are exposed to a photoresist again to allow creation of the composite pattern in at least one of the target regions. During the double patterning process, the reticle may be kept in the lithographic apparatus.

As lithography process technology moves to smaller and more closely spaced features, it becomes more difficult to print the original design onto a wafer due to resolution limits. A primary limitation is how closely features can be spaced due to optical limitations. This is so even if resolution enhancement techniques (RET) such as optical proximity correction (OPC), immersion scanning, and phase shift masks are employed.
Double patterning is a technique that has been considered to achieve more closely spaced features. In double patterning, two reticles are used to print split portions of an original pattern onto a hard mask that, in turn, is used to transfer the original pattern to the substrate. To print two patterns on the hard mask, the original pattern is split into two or more patterns where each has a narrowest pitch that is wider than the narrowest pitch in the original pattern. Each of the split patterns is printed to a separate reticle. First one reticle is exposed onto a photoresist above the hard mask. After transferring the first pattern from the photomask to the hard mask, the photomask is removed, and another photomask is added above the hard mask. Next, the second reticle is exposed onto the second photoresist. After transferring the second pattern to the hard mask, the second photomask is removed. Finally, the combined pattern is transferred from the hard mask to the wafer.
However, for such a technique to be effective the exposure of the two split patterns needs to be precisely aligned such that the original pattern is achieved. However, lithography techniques have limitations in how precisely the two patterns can be aligned.
Thus, improved techniques for forming devices, such as semiconductors, having narrow pitches are desired.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Multiple patterning technique using a single reticle


A variable displacement vane pump that assuredly suppresses seizing of mutually contacting surfaces of a pressure plate and a rotor where the pressure plate is formed, at one side surface thereof that slidably contacts the rotor, with an annular lubricating groove. The lubricating groove is on a seal surface of the side surface at a position between arcuate back pressure grooves formed on the seal surface and a through opening which is formed in a center part of the pressure plate to receive the drive shaft. A radial width of the lubricating groove is set to a range from 10% to 25% of a radial width of the seal surface, and a distance from a center of the radial width of the lubricating groove to an inner cylindrical surface of the through opening is set to a range from 24% to 70% of the radial width of the seal surface.

For example, as a conventional variable displacement vane pump applied to a power steering device of a motor vehicle, a vane pump such as the vane pump disclosed in the latter mentioned patent reference 1 has been known.
The variable displacement vane pump of the reference comprises a cam ring that is swingably received in a receiving space formed in a front body, a rotor that is rotatably received in the cam ring and has vanes retractably and projectably received in radially extending slots formed in the rotor, a pressure plate that contacts an inside surface of the rotor, and a rear body that closes an open side of the receiving space of the front body.
The rotor has axially extending back pressure through bores respectively opened to the slots, and the pressure plate has, on an inside surface thereof facing the back pressure through bores, a generally arcuate back pressure groove that is connected a discharge chamber in which a pump discharge pressure is reserved. By introducing the pump discharge pressure to the back pressure bores through the back pressure groove, the vanes are forced to project from the corresponding slots and contact to an inner cylindrical surface of the cam ring, so that pump chambers are formed each being defined by mutually facing adjacent two vanes, an outer cylindrical surface of the rotor, the inner cylindrical surface of the cam ring, an outside surface of the pressure plate and an inside surface of the rear body.
The pressure plate and the rotor have, at respectively contacting surfaces thereof, radially spaced several annular zones each having a plurality of dimples depressed, each dimple having a generally arc-shaped cross section. The dimples function to lubricate the respective contact surfaces of the pressure plate and the rotor by temporarily reserving a high pressure oil that has entered thereinto from the back pressure groove of the pressure plate through a very fine clearance defined between the pressure plate and the rotor. With such dimples, undesired seizing of the mutually contacting surfaces of the pressure plate and the rotor is suppressed.    Patent reference 1: Laid open Japanese Patent Application (Tokkai) 2000-337267


An improved method of producing 3,5,5-trimethylcyclohex-2-ene-1,4-dione (KIP) by the oxidation of 3,5,5-trimethylcyclohex-3-ene-1-one (.beta.-IP) in the presence of managansalene-like catalysts and certain catalytic additives. ##STR1## KIP is an important intermediary product in the synthesis of trimethylhydroquinone, an initial substance in the synthesis of vitamin E. Furthermore, KIP is an initial compound for the synthesis of various carotinoids.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved method of producing 3,5,5-trimethylcyclohex-2-ene-1,4-dione (KIP) by the oxidation of 3,5,5-trimethylcyclohex-3-ene-1-one(.beta.-IP) in the presence of mangansalene-like catalysts and certain catalytic additives. ##STR2##
2. Background Information
KIP is an important intermediary product in the synthesis of trimethylhydroquinone, an initial substance in the synthesis of vitamin E. Furthermore, KIP is an initial compound for the synthesis of various carotinoids. ##STR3## State of the art
It is known that .beta.-IP can be oxidized to KIP by molecular oxygen in the presence of a transition-metal-containing catalyst (DE-OS 24 57 157, DE-OS 38 42 547). The use of mangansalene is described in DE-OS 26 19 254.
The space-time yield (product in kg per hour and reaction volume in liters) as well as the amount of catalyst necessary for this are of decisive importance to the economy of a catalytic process. Of the above-mentioned methods for the synthesis of ketoisophorone, the reaction of .beta.-IP with O.sub.2 in the presence of mangansalene complexes of the composition shown above has the best selectivities and space-time yields.
DE-OS 26 10 254 reports in example 11 about a selectivity of homogeneous catalytic oxidation of 100%. A space-time yield (RZA) of 0.09 kg/(hr.multidot.1) can be calculated from the data contained in it. Even these not very convincing values were no longer mentioned in a scientific publication by the same authors (M. Constantini, A. Dromard, M. Jouffret, B. Brossard, J. Varagnat, J. Mol. Catal 1980, 7, 89-97) a few years after the public disclosure of the application. A maximal KIP selectivity of only 85% is disclosed therein, which is achieved with mangansalene as oxidation catalyst. The influence of the educt concentration on the selectivity had not been investigated previously. The problems which can occur upon an increased educt concentration (here >90%) (selectivity 55%, RZA: 0.08 kg/hr.multidot.1 (20.degree.-23.degree. C., O.sub.2 =1 bar)) can be read only from example 17 of DE-OS 26 10 254.
A disadvantage in these methods is the large amount of solvent which must be used in order to assure a high selectivity.
JP-OS 64-90150 teaches a similar method in which, however, the Mn is used in oxidation stage III in the mangansalene.
JP-OS 1-175955 possibly aims in the same direction since, according to the method it describes, the manganese complex is oxidized with tert. alkylhydroperoxides before its usage as catalyst.


A discharge energy recovery and formation capacity grading apparatus for a soft-package power battery comprises a rack, a condition-variable charge and discharge power box arranged on the rack, a battery formation capacity-grading clamping movement mechanism for clamping positive and negative electrode lugs of the soft-package power battery, a battery tray for, a movement mechanism control assembly for controlling the movement of the battery formation and capacity grading clamping movement mechanism, a safety protection sensor assembly, and a battery formation capacity-grading control mechanism. The charge and discharge power box, the battery formation capacity-grading clamping movement mechanism, the battery tray, the movement mechanism control assembly, and the safety protection sensor assembly are all in signal connection with the battery formation capacity-grading control mechanism. The power transmission end of the charge and discharge power box is electrically connected with the power transmission end of the battery formation capacity-grading clamping movement mechanism.

Soft-package power batteries are a kind of lithium-ion batteries. Compared with liquid lithium batteries, they have many obvious advantages such as high energy density, small size, ultra-thinness, light weight, and high safety, thus being a new type of batteries. In the production process of soft-package lithium-ion batteries, formation and capacity grading are important procedures. The formation is the activation of the internal activity of the battery by electrical energy to form an SEI film on the negative electrode of the battery. A high-quality formation apparatus can ensure that the battery has good charge and discharge performance and cycle life. Capacity grading includes performing several full-load charge and discharge cycles on the activated batteries, to test the internal AC/DC resistance, the charge and discharge voltage, the constant-current discharge, constant-voltage discharge, and constant-power discharge curves, and grouping to select the batteries having the same electrical parameters for use after serial or parallel connection, thereby reducing the Buckets effect of the batteries after combination.

Discharge energy recovery and formation capacity grading apparatus for soft-package power battery

ZHEJIANG HANGKE TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED COMPANY


A multiport test jack that supports the testing of a number of individual telephone lines in an interface device, such as a network interface device or an optical line terminal, has a physical structure that is smaller in size than the size of a corresponding number of individual test jacks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to test jacks and, more particularly, to a compact multiport test jack.
2. Description of the Related Art
In most cases, a telephone service provider is responsible for maintaining the wiring and providing service up to an interface device, such as a network interface device (NID) or an optical network terminal (ONT), which is typically attached to the outside of a customer premise. The customer is then responsible for maintaining the wiring from the interface device to the telephone jacks that are located throughout the customer premise, as well as the equipment that is connected to the telephone jacks.
Interface devices commonly include a test jack that provides a simple way to determine whether a service problem is the responsibility of the telephone service provider or the customer. A test jack is similar to a customer premise telephone jack. With a customer premise telephone jack, when a telephone plug, such as an RJ11 plug, is inserted into the jack, a telephone attached to the plug becomes electrically connected to the telephone network.
A test jack differs from a customer premise telephone jack in that when a telephone plug is inserted into the test jack, the customer premise wiring becomes electrically disconnected from the telephone network, and a telephone attached to the telephone plug becomes electrically connected to the telephone network. Thus, if a working telephone is plugged into the test jack and a dial tone is detected, any service problem lies within the customer premise. On the other hand, if no dial tone can be detected, then the service problem lies within the telephone network.
FIGS. 1A-1B show cross-sectional drawings that illustrate a prior art test jack 100. As shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, test jack 100 has a number of local wires 110 that can be electrically connected to the telephone jacks within the customer premise, and a number of network wires 112 that can be electrically connected to the telephone network. (Only one local wire 110 and one network wire 112 are shown in the figures.) Further, the network wires 112 are biased against the local wires 110 by way of the spring force that results from the shape, size, and material of the network wires 112.
In addition, test jack 100 has a cavity 116 that is designed to receive and hold a telephone plug 120, such as an RJ11 plug. Cavity 116, in turn, exposes the local wires 110 and the network wires 112. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1B, when telephone plug 120 is inserted into cavity 116 of test jack 100, plug 120 pushes the network wires 112 away from the local wires 110 to physically separate and electrically disconnect the ends of the network wires 112 from the ends of the local wires 110.
In addition, the insertion of telephone plug 120 into cavity 116 forces the ends of the network wires 112 into contact with conductive blades 122 in plug 120 (only one blade 122 is shown in the figures). The conductive blades 122, in turn, are connected to a telephone wire 124 which is connected to a working telephone. As a result, the insertion of telephone plug 120 into cavity 116 also places a working telephone into electrical contact with the telephone network.
One drawback of conventional test jacks is that each telephone line requires a separate test jack. As a result, in a multi-line setting, such as a multi-tenant commercial facility or a residence with multiple lines, a corresponding number of test jacks are required. A corresponding number of test jacks, however, requires a significant amount of space within the interface device. As a result, there is a need for a multiple line test jack that requires less space than a corresponding number of individual test jacks.


The system according to the invention comprises a text-to-speech conversion processing unit, and a phrase dictionary as well as a waveform dictionary, connected independently from each other to the conversion processing unit. The conversion processing unit is for converting any Japanese text inputted from outside into speech. In the phrase dictionary, voice-related terms representing the reproduced sounds of actually recorded sounds, for example, notations of terms such as onomatopoeic words, background sounds, lyrics, music titles, and so forth, are previously registered. Further, in the waveform dictionary, waveform data obtained from the actually recorded sounds, corresponding to the voice-related terms, are previously registered. Furthermore, the conversion processing unit is constituted such that as for a term in the text matching the voice-related term registered in the phrase dictionary upon correlation of the former with the latter, actually recorded speech waveform data corresponding to the relevant voice-related term matching the term in the text, registered in the waveform dictionary, is outputted as a speech waveform of the term.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a text-to-speech conversion system, and in particular, to a Japanese-text to speech conversion system for converting a text in Japanese into a synthesized speech.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Japanese-text to speech conversion system is a system wherein a sentence in both kanji (Chinese character) and kana (Japanese alphabet), which Japanese native speakers routinely write and read, is inputted as an input text, the input text is converted into voices, and the voices as converted are outputted as a synthesized speech. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a conventional system by way of example. The conventional system is provided with a conversion processing unit 12 for converting a Japanese text inputted through an input unit 10 into a synthesized speech. The Japanese text is inputted to a text analyzer 14 of the conversion processing unit 12. In the text analyzer 14, a phoneme rhythm symbol string is generated from a sentence in both kanji and kana as inputted. The phoneme rhythm symbol string represents description (intermediate language) of reading, accent, intonation, etc. of the sentence inputted, expressed in the form of a character string. Reading and accent of respective words are previously registered in a phonation dictionary 16, and the phoneme rhythm symbol string is generated by referring to the phonation dictionary 16. When, for example, a text reading " (a cat mewed)" is inputted, the text analyzer 14 divides the input text into respective words by use of the longest string-matching method as is well known, that is, by use of the longest word with a notation matching the input text while referring to the phonation dictionary 16. In this case, the input text is converted into a word string consisting of ┌ (ne' ko)┘, ┌ (ga)┘, ┌-(nya'-)┘, ┌ (to)┘, ┌(nai)┘, and ┌(ta)┘. What is shown in respective round brackets is information on respective words, registered in the dictionary, that is, reading and accent of the respective words.
The text analyzer 14 generates a phoneme rhythm symbol string representing ┌ne' ko ga, nya' -to, naita┘ by use of the information on respective words of the word string, registered in the dictionary, that is, the information in the respective round brackets, and on the basis of such information, speech synthesis is executed by a rule-based speech synthesizer 18. In the phoneme rhythm symbol string, ┌'┘ indicates an accent position, and ┌,┘ indicates a punctuation of respective accented phrases.
The rule-based speech synthesizer 18 generates synthesized waveforms on the basis of the phoneme rhythm symbol string by referring to a memory 20 wherein speech element data are stored. The synthesized waveforms are converted into a synthesized speech via a speaker 22, and outputted. The speech element data are basic units of speech, for forming a synthesized waveform by joining themselves together, and various types of speech element data according to types of sound are stored in the memory 20 such as a ROM, and so forth.
With the Japanese-text to speech conversion system of the conventional type, using such a method of speech synthesis as described above, any text in Japanese can be read in the form of a synthesized speech, however, a problem has been encountered that the synthesized speech as outputted is poor in intonation, thereby giving a listener feeling of monotonousness with the result that the listener gets bored or tired of listening to the same.