Provided are a non-volatile memory device, an electronic control system, and a method of operating the non-volatile memory device. A non-volatile memory device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first NAND cell array including a first group of pages, and a second NAND cell array including a second group of pages. A plurality of X-decoders are at least one-to-one connected to the first and second NAND cell arrays. A control logic controls the plurality of X-decoders to simultaneously sense data of a first page corresponding to a start address from among the first group of pages, and data of a second page subsequent to the first page from among the second group of pages.

A non-volatile memory device such as a flash memory not only has excellent data retention characteristics, and but also has low power consumption and high impact-resistant characteristics in comparison to a hard disk. In particular, a flash memory having a NOR structure allows high-speed random access and thus is used to store codes, and a flash memory having a NAND structure has a high level of integration and allows a page operation, and thus is generally used to store data. The above-described flash memory is required to sequentially exchange data with a host according to a product or an interface.

Non-volatile memory device, electronic control system, and method of operating the non-volatile memory device


The present invention is directed to a system and method for forming an arched top door facing, and the resulting facing. The system includes a panel, a table and a cutting assembly. The panel has a first surface intended to be interiorly disposed and a second surface intended to be exteriorly disposed. At least one boss extends from the first surface. The table has a planar surface and a locator extending outwardly from the planar surface. The locator cooperates with the boss to locate the panel on the planar surface. The cutter assembly is operatively associated with the table, and includes a blade spaced from the locator. The blade engages the panel and forms a curved edge in the panel when one of the blade and the panel is rotated about the locator.

It is sometimes desirable to provide a door having a curved upper edge or 'arched top'. The production of arched top, solid wood doors traditionally involved a series of cuts made by successive separate cutting operations in order to achieve the completed arch design. Such cutting operations are relatively time consuming and labor intensive. As such, manufacturing costs are relatively high.
Solid wood doors are relatively expensive compared to hollow core doors. As known in the art, a hollow core door includes first and second door facings secured to opposite sides of a frame. The door may also include a core. It would be desirable to provide a hollow core door having an arched top.
Various systems for cutting circular or elliptical arcs in a wood block have been developed. However, such conventional systems are designed for forming arches in relatively small components such as curved trim molding. As such, they fail to provide an efficient and consistent system for cutting relatively large components such as door facings. The edges of door facings are often irregular and must be trimmed to size. As such, it would be difficult or cost prohibitive to use conventional cutting systems for forming arches in door facings.
Therefore, there is a need for a system for forming an arched top door facing that solves some or all of the above-noted problems.

Arched top door facing and system for forming an arched door facing


A display apparatus include a connector, a readable/writable EDID storage to store EDID, and a controller to control the EDID storage to be write-protected from error data transmitted from a computer through the connector. With this configuration, the display apparatus and a method of controlling the same can prevent error data from being stored in an EDID storage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a method of controlling the same, and more particularly, to a display apparatus and a method of controlling the same, which can prevent error data from being stored in an extended display identification data (EDID) storage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a display apparatus with Plug and Play functionality has been greatly universalized.
The display apparatus with the Plug and Play functionality can exchange information with a computer while a conventional display apparatus only receives a signal from the computer. When the display apparatus is just plugged into the computer and turned on, such display apparatus with the Plug and Play functionality allows the computer to automatically optimize user environments relating to the display apparatus and also allows a user to directly use the display apparatus.
To provide the Plug and Play functionality to the display apparatus, the display apparatus must previously store extended display identification data (EDID), such as a manufacturer identification (ID), a model name ID, a display power management signaling function supportability, etc., and a protocol for data communication between the display apparatus and the computer must be previously set.
Therefore, a display data channel (DDC) standard was created by the video electronic standard association (VESA) to define a standard for the data communication of the display apparatus having the Plug and Play functionality.
The DDC standard defines data communication channels between the display apparatus and the computer as a protocol for transmitting display data stored in the display apparatus to the computer or changing the display data through a keyboard, a mouse, etc.
The DDC standard includes various DDC levels such as DDC1, DDC2B, etc.
In the DDC1, the display data is transmitted from the display apparatus to the computer one bit by one bit in correspondence to a vertical synchronous signal transmitted from the computer. As long as the vertical synchronous signal is inputted to the display apparatus, the display apparatus continuously and circularly transmits the EDID having a data size of 128-bytes to the computer.
In the DDC2B, when the computer asks for the EDID of the display apparatus through a serial data line (SDA) and a serial clock line (SCL), the display apparatus transmits the EDID to the computer through the SDA.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an EDID storage and peripherals in a conventional display apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 1, in a conventional display apparatus, an EDID storage 110 is operated by at least one of a display power and a computer power. Further, the EDID storage 110 includes a write-protect (WP) port being grounded.
Here, when the WP port is in a high state, it is allowed to only read data from the EDID storage 110. In contrast, when the WP port is in a low state, it is allowed to read data from and write data to the EDID storage 110.
However, the conventional display apparatus is allowed to write data to the EDID storage 110 so long as the computer power is supplied to the EDID storage 110 regardless of the display power. Therefore, error data may be unexpectedly written to the EDID storage 110 because of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) or application malfunction while the computer is being used.
Further, in a case when the computer is turned off while accessing the EDID storage 110 to read the EDID, the data communication is interrupted and therefore the EDID storage 110 cannot receive a clock signal from the computer through the SCL, so that the EDID storage 110 becomes abnormal.
Further, in a case when the computer is turned on while the EDID storage 110 is operated by the display power, the EDID storage 110 may be supplied with an unstable power due to the computer power. In this case, if the computer accesses the EDID storage 110, the data communication is inaccurately performed.

Display apparatus and a method of controlling the same


A light-resistant wholly aromatic polyamide resin composition comprises a light-resisting agent blended to a wholly aromatic polyamide resin and comprising at least one naphthalene ring structure-containing compound of the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein Ar.sub.1, Ar.sub.2, Ar.sub.3 =a divalent organic group, X=an amide bond group (--CONH), Y=an amide bond group or an imide bond group ##STR2## A and B=a monovalent organic group when Y=an amide bond group, or =a divalent organic group when Y=an imide bond group, n=1 to 10, and at least one of Ar.sub.1, Ar.sub.2, Ar.sub.3, A and B has a naphthalene ring structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wholly aromatic polyamide resin composition having an enhanced light resistance. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wholly aromatic polyamide resin composition comprising a light-resisting compound having at least one naphthalene ring structure and terminal-blocking amide groups and an enhanced light resistance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wholly aromatic polyamide (aramid) resins have high mechanical strength, a superior modulus and excellent heat resistance and thus are widely useful as fiber and film-forming materials.
Nevertheless, it is well known that conventional wholly aromatic polyamide resins are disadvantageous in that they have poor light-resistance.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 49-100,322 discloses a method of enhancing the light resistance of the conventional wholly aromatic polyamide resins by adding a benzotriazol type ultraviolet ray-absorbing agent and an antioxidant to a dope solution of a poly-m-phenylene isophthalamide resin in N-methylpyrrolidone. However, the light resistance-enhancing effect of this method is not satisfactory.
It is known that poly-p-phenylene terephthalamide (PPTA) resin does not easily melt and dissolve in a usual organic solvent, and can be shaped only by dissolving the PPTA resin in a special solvent, for example, sulfuric acid and then shaping the resultant dope solution.
The PPTA resin is different from usual fusible resins in that when an additive is mixed with a dope solution of the resin so as to impart a certain function to the resin, the additive must be stable in the special solvent such as sulfuric acid Accordingly, the additive usable for the PPTA. resins is restricted to those stable in the sulfuric acid solvent
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 64-85,316 discloses the addition of a carbon black to the PPTA resins. Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 64-14,317 discloses the addition of an organic pigment to the PPTA resins to enhance the light resistance thereof. However, the use of the carbon black and organic pigment colors the resultant shaped article, for example, fibers, to a particular shade. Namely, the shade of the resultant colored article is restricted to the specific color. Also, this addition of the carbon black or the organic pigment is disadvantageous in that it is difficult to uniformly disperse the carbon black or the organic pigment in the PPTA resin and the resultant shaped article, for example, fibers, exhibits unsatisfactory mechanical strength.
Further, in a usual method of producing a shaped article, for example, fibers, from a dope solution of an aramid resin mixed with an ultraviolet ray-absorbing agent, the resultant shaped article is usually drawn and/or heat treated at a high temperature, for example, 400.degree. C. to 600.degree. C. This high temperature drawing or heat-treating procedure causes the ultraviolet ray-absorbing agent to chemically decompose and thus the resultant shaped article exhibits substantially no ultraviolet ray-absorbing effect.
Furthermore, it is known that after shaping an aramid resin, it is very difficult to introduce and fix an additive to the shaped aramid resin article, because of high crystallinity and a high intermolecular chain force of the aramid resin.
To overcome this difficulty, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 49-75,824, 50-12,322, 53-35,020 and 1-240,533 and Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 56-33,487 discloses a method of enhancing the light resistance of aramide fibers by impregnating water-swollen, undried aramide fibers with an ultraviolet ray-absorbing agent. This method, however, is disadvantageous in that impregnation with the additive disturbs the molecular chain structure of the aramid resin fibers and thus the mechanical properties thereof, for example, mechanical strength, are reduced. It is known that a blend of an aramid resin with a wholly aromatic polyamide having a naphthalene ring structure is usable for producing shaped articles, for example, fibers.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-263,320 discloses aramid fibers made from a blend of an aromatic copolyamide prepared by using a naphthalene ring structure-containing monomer with a poly-p-phenyleneterephthalamide. Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 3-143,922, Example 8, discloses aramid fibers prepared from a blend of a dope solution of a wholly aromatic polyamide having a naphthalene ring structure with a dope solution of another wholly aromatic polyamide resin free from the naphthalene ring structure.
These prior art references are effective for enhancing the mechanical strength of the resultant aramid fibers. Generally, organic polymers having a plurality of functional groups, for example, an amino group and a carboxyl group easily deteriorate or and discolored by a photo-decomposition.
These prior art references do not disclose or suggest block terminals of a naphthalene ring structure-containing a wholly aromatic polyamide molecule.
Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-75,111 discloses aramid fibers made from an aramid resin having a 2,6-naphthalamide structure. This 2,6 -naphthalamide structure is introduced into the aramid resin by way of copolymerization of a 2,6-naphthalene ring structure-containing monomer. Namely, this Japanese publication does not disclose or suggest connecting terminal groups of the aramid molecules to non-reactive terminal groups.

Wholly aromatic polyamide resin composition having enhanced light resistance


A prophylactic pretreatment for nerve gas and pesticide poisons which can be administered orally and which comprises the following agents, in combination:. a. Pyridostigmine (pyridostigmine bromide) or physostigmine PA0 b. Diazepam or clonazepam PA0 c. G 3063, Arpenal, Sycotrol (pipetabanate hydrochloride), caramiphen (caramiphene hydrochloride) or benactyzine (benactyzine hydrochloride).. These agents may be administered in the form of a capsule which contains, for example, tablets, one a normal release dosage form and one or two in a slow release dosage form.

Nerve gas poisons are organic esters of substituted phosphoric acids. They inhibit cholinesterase enzymes and therefore are classified as anticholinesterase agents. Three active agents include Tabun (ethyl phosphorodimethylamidocyanidate--((CH.sub.3).sub.2 N)P(O)(CN)OC.sub.2 H.sub.5 --GA), Sarin (isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate--CH.sub.3 P(O)(F)OCH(CH.sub.3).sub.2 --GB) and Soman (pinocolyl methylphosphonofluoridate--CH.sub.3 P(O)(F)OCH(CH.sub.3)C(CH.sub.3).sub.3 --GD). These compounds are highly volatile and easily disseminated in vapor form. They are readily absorbed through the lungs and eyes, and also the skin and intestinal tract without producing any irritation or other sensation. They are sufficiently potent that even brief exposure may be fatal. Depending on the concentration of the poison, death may occur in as little as one minute, or it may be delayed for 1-2 hours.
Another category of such agents is the V agents, which are more potent, including VX.
Chemically related insecticides include parathion, methyl parathion and malathion, and these exhibit similar toxicity, although they are generally less potent.
Known treatments for these agents include medications which are administered after exposure to the poisons, such as atropine. Prophylactic agents have been investigated, but, in spite of intensive research, only a small number of agents have been identified which offer effective and safe protection against these agents.
Published German Patent Application DE 28 21 778 discloses a prophylactic antidote for organophosphorus pesticides which protects agricultural workers against lethal pesticides during the course of one workday. The agent administered includes hyoscine butyl bromate, a propanol chlorhydrate, dimethyl-carbamoxy-phenyl-trimethyl ammonium bromate and ephedrine. Leadbeater et al, Fundamental and Applied Toxicology Vol. 5, pages S225-S231 (1985) disclose a prophylactic pre-treatment comprising an injection with a carbamate and anti-cholinergic drugs such as Aprophene (2-diethyl-aminoethyl-.alpha.-.alpha.-diphenylpropionate), Hyoscine, Adiphenine, Caramiphen, Dicyclomine and G 3063 (N-methyl-4-pipyridinyl phenylcyclopentanecarboxylate). Carbamates which are mentioned included pyridostigmine and physostigmine. The authors also demonstrated the combined effect of pretreatment with pyridostigmine or physostigmine, with and without Atrophen and post-treatment with a variety of other medications (atropine, P2S and diazepam).
There is a need for more effective prophylactic pre-treatments for the foregoing toxic agents. It is desirable to protect against twice the toxic dose, since this is thought to be the maximum possible field concentration. It is desirable that the treatment be administered orally, rather than by injection, that it provide protection for a long time, 10-12 hours, and that treatment can be repeated during an extended period of time, for example 5 days (10 doses) without severely diminishing the patients ability to function or fight in a combat environment.


A blind fastener may include a bolt. The bolt includes a head, a shank coupled to the head, and a number of external threads formed on the shank. The blind fastener may also include a mount coupled to the bolt, and a fastening block coupled to the mount. The mount may include a body, at least one arm extending from the body, and at least one pivot mount formed on and extending from the arm about which the fastening block pivots.

A fastener is any device used to couple at least two elements together, and may come in a number of forms including, for example, bolts, screws, and rivets, among other fasteners. In one example, a bolt and mating nut may be used to couple at least two elements together. Blind fasteners may be used in a variety of situations where two or more elements are to be coupled to one another, but where one of the two ends of the fastener is inaccessible or obscured by another element. For example, a bolt may be extended through a deck, insulation, concrete and other materials that may be included on the roof of a building in order to couple elements that are installed on the roof to the roof. In this example, it may prove difficult to access the distal end of the bolt in order to attach the bolt thereto since the distal end of the bolt may be located at a place within the building that is too high to access or may be located behind interior structures within the building such as ceiling tiles, drywall, and other interior, ceiling finishing materials. Thus, a bolt and nut may not function as a blind fastener since the bolt may be extended through the roofing materials, but the distal end of the bolt is inaccessible or obscured such that the nut cannot be coupled to the distal end of the bolt.
An example system for use in rooftop anchoring includes in 3M™ DBI-SALA® Toggle Bolt (3M Product Number 7241182, 3M ID 70007900577) found at, for example, https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/˜/3M-DBI-SALA-Toggle-Bolt-4-Pack-7241182-1-EA/?N=5002385+3291096858&preselect=3293786499&rt=rud (hereinafter "the 3M product"). The 3M product includes a toggle at an end of a bolt and carrier system. However, the 3M product does not allow for the user to apply force from a distal end on both sides of the toggle. Further, the toggle bolt of the 3M product protrudes from an outer perimeter of the 3M product requiring a larger hole in the material into which the 3M product is to be inserted. Still further, the 3M product does not include an indicator to indicate an orientation of the toggle portion of the 3M product. Even still further, the 3M product is not variable in length such that a user may truncate the cylindrical portion of the 3M product.
Examples of the present disclosure are directed toward overcoming the deficiencies described above.


A control method is utilized for switching virtual reality scenes in a virtual reality system. The virtual reality system includes a head-mount display device for displaying virtual reality visions. The control method includes operations of: providing a first virtual reality scene as the virtual reality visions to be displayed on the head-mount display device; obtaining a motion displacement of the head-mount display device; comparing the motion displacement with a threshold displacement; in response to the motion displacement being shorter than the threshold displacement, providing the first virtual reality scene in a first portion of the virtual reality visions and providing a second virtual reality scene in a second portion of the virtual reality visions according to the motion displacement; and, in response to the motion displacement exceeding the threshold displacement, providing the second virtual reality scene as the virtual reality visions to be displayed on the head-mount display device.

Field of Invention
The present application relates to a virtual reality system. More particularly, the present application relates to method for controlling an interaction between gesture or motion inputs from users and a virtual reality scene created by the virtual reality system.
Description of Related Art
In the current virtual reality (VR) environment, controller devices are commonly used to interact with VR scenes, such as game themes or VR contents. When a user wearing a head-mount display device, the visions of the user will be covered by the VR scene shown on the head-mount display device. The VR scene shows a scenario of a specific space. In some VR applications, the users are required to press some buttons on the controller for switching the VR scene, such as entering another room, transferring to another space, or launching from the ground into the air.


A surgical instrument for laparoscopic and endoscopic clinical procedures simultaneously severs and staples tissue clamped in an end effector comprising an elongate channel, which holds a staple cartridge, and a pivotally attached anvil. An E-beam firing bar engages the channel and selectively engages the anvil during distal firing movements, wherein the tissue is severed and stapled driven upward from the staple cartridge to form against the anvil. In particular, a wedge integral to the staple cartridge is driven distally by a middle pin of the firing bar to effect stapling. A single lockout of the elongate channel responds to the presence of the wedge sled in its unfired position to allow the firing bar to fire. Otherwise, the single lockout prevents firing when the staple cartridge is missing or spent.

Surgical staplers have been used in the prior art to simultaneously make a longitudinal incision in tissue and apply lines of staples on opposing sides of the incision. Such instruments commonly include a pair of cooperating jaw members that, if the instrument is intended for endoscopic or laparoscopic applications, are capable of passing through a cannula passageway. One of the jaw members receives a staple cartridge having at least two laterally spaced rows of staples. The other jaw member defines an anvil having staple-forming pockets aligned with the rows of staples in the cartridge. The instrument includes a plurality of reciprocating wedges which, when driven distally, pass through openings in the staple cartridge and engage drivers supporting the staples to effect the firing of the staples toward the anvil.
An example of a surgical stapler suitable for endoscopic applications is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,895, which advantageously provides distinct closing and firing actions. Thereby, a clinician is able to close the jaw members upon tissue to position the tissue prior to firing. Once the clinician has determined that the jaw members are properly gripping tissue, the clinician can then fire the surgical stapler, thereby severing and stapling the tissue. The simultaneous severing and stapling avoids complications that may arise when performing such actions sequentially with different surgical tools that respectively only sever or staple.
It is often advantageous to build an end effector for the surgical stapler that is reusable. For instance, one patient may need a series of severing and stapling operations. Replacing an entire end effector for each operation tends to be economically inefficient. This is especially true if the end effector is built to be strong and reliable over repeated operations. To that end, staple cartridges are fitted into the end effector prior to each operation of the surgical stapler. Thus, a much smaller amount of the surgical staples is discarded after each use.
While the staple cartridge provides numerous advantages, it is desirable to prevent inadvertent firing of the surgical stapler when an unfired staple cartridge is not present. Otherwise, the severing of tissue may occur without the staples to minimize bleeding.
It is particularly desirable that preventing such inadvertent firing be accomplished in a reliable way that is not subject to an intervening malfunction. Moreover, for ease of manufacturing and assembly, it is further desirable that the lockout features be accomplished with a minimum number of components.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,570 by Schulze et al. discloses several lockout devices that prevent inadvertent firing when a cartridge is not present, and when the cartridge is spent or previously fired. Whereas the '570 devices do indeed lockout the device, the solutions were complex and required a number of extra components.
Consequently, a significant need exists for an improved surgical stapling and severing instrument that prevents inadvertent firing (i.e., severing and stapling) when a staple cartridge is not installed or is spent, having been previously fired.

Surgical stapling instrument having a single lockout mechanism for prevention of firing


An approach is provided in which a design tool executes static timing analysis of an integrated circuit design using a first set of timing values corresponding to a first set of layout properties of a transistor included in a standard cell utilized by the integrated circuit design. When the design tool determines that the static timing analysis generates a timing violation within a violation budget, the design tool selects a second set of timing values of the standard cell corresponding to a second set of layout properties of the transistor. The design tool determines that re-execution of the static timing analysis using the second set of timing values resolves the timing violation and, in turn, generates mask layer data that includes the second set of layout properties.

Integrated circuit design involves the creation of electronic components, such as transistors, resistors, capacitors and the metallic interconnect of these components onto a piece of a semiconductor, such as silicon. A typical standard cell based design cycle involves multiple stages such as system specification, architectural design, functional/logic design, circuit design, physical design, physical verification, and fabrication.
The main steps of the physical design stage are floor planning, logic synthesis, placement, clock insertion, routing, and tape out. Placement involves instantiating design component geometric representations (objects) onto a layout area. In practice, the physical design stage is not a straightforward progression and considerable iteration is required to ensure all design objectives (timing, power, area, etc.) are met concurrently.
During timing closure of a standard cell based design, several optimization iterations may be required to resolve a few final setup and hold timing violations. Common design practices include inserting a large number of buffers to resolve hold violations, or replacing standard cells with similar cells that have increased drive-strength to resolve setup violations. Both of these design practices, however, increase the overall layout area requirement of the integrated circuit.

Timing closure using transistor sizing in standard cells


A storage and deployment system for automobile covers that includes a car cover rewind mechanism housing having a cover storage compartment accessible through a cover deployment and retraction opening defined by a beveled opening defining member; a spring biased rewind mechanism positioned within the cover storage compartment of the rewind mechanism housing; at least one rewind strap assemblies each including a strap attachment mechanism having female strap attachment component provided with a strap attachment aperture and two cover securing apertures and a male strap attachment component provided with two resilient rubber, securing aperture insertable, securing insert structures; two housing attachment fittings each having a clip receiving orifice, each housing attachment fitting being provided on the exterior of the rewind mechanism housing; two trunk floor attachment clips each having a clip end insertable into one of the clip receiving orifices of the housing attachment fitting; a user graspable handle with magnetic retraction opening cover; and at least one deployment strap assemblies each including a strap attachment mechanism having female strap attachment component provided with a strap attachment aperture and two cover securing apertures and a male strap attachment component provided with two resilient rubber, securing aperture insertable, securing insert structures.

Many vehicles must be parked outside at one time or another. When outside parking is required many vehicle owners would like to cover the vehicle to protect the vehicle finish from the weather, falling leaves and sticks, and other hazards such a small animals. Although many of these vehicle owner's would like to cover the vehicle each time the vehicle is left outside, the work required to install and remove a vehicle cover is too great to make this a practical solution. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a a storage and deployment system for vehicle covers that reduces the amount of time and effort required to install and remove a vehicle cover. Because many makes and models of vehicles have covers especially designated to snugly cover the vehicle that are readily available, it would be a further benefit to have a storage and deployment system for vehicles that could be used with a large number of readily available vehicle covers. In addition, because covers can become damaged through use or soiled with bird dropping etc., it would be further desirable to have a storage and deployment system for vehicles covers that allowed a user to readily detach the cover from the deployment system for replacement or laundering.

Storage and deployment system for automobile covers


The present invention provides a method for electrochemically detecting a target substance and a method for electrochemically detecting an analyte using a probe holding substrate with a probe for trapping a target substance or an analyte held on the substrate body as well as a test chip and a detection set using the above detection methods.

Clinical examination and diagnosis of diseases are performed by detecting genes and proteins related to the diseases which are contained in biological samples by detection methods such as a gene detection method and an immunological detection method. Examples of the detection methods include immunochromatography, latex agglutination, enzyme immunoassay, chemiluminescent immunoassay, and PCR assay, and the like.
However, these detection methods have room for improvement in detectability, quantitative performance, measuring range, and the simplicity and rapidity of operations.
A method of using an electric current generated by photoexcitation of a photochemically active labeling substance and light or an electric current generated by applying a voltage of an electrochemically active labeling substance to detect analytes such as genes and proteins (electrochemical detection method) is proposed for the purpose of improving detection sensitivity, quantitative performance, and simplicity (see, for example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/294305, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,776,672, 5,972,692, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/108539, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/112578, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/080284).
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/294305 describes a method of detecting an analyte, comprising: irradiating the analyte labeled with a photochemically active sensitizing dye with light; and measuring an electric current caused by photoexcitation of the sensitizing dye contained in the labeled analyte (hereinafter referred to as "photoelectrochemical detection"). In the method described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/294305, the labeled analyte is brought into contact with a working electrode containing a trapping substance capable of binding directly or indirectly to the label analyte on the surface. Thus, the labeled analyte is immobilized on the working electrode through the trapping substance. Subsequently, the working electrode and a counter electrode are brought into contact with an electrolyte medium, and the labeled analyte immobilized on the working electrode is irradiated with light to excite the sensitizing dye. Thereafter, the analyte is specifically detected by measuring a photocurrent which flows between the working electrode and the counter electrode due to electronic transition from the photoexcited sensitizing dye to the working electrode.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,776,672 and 5,972,692 disclose gene detection methods using a single-stranded nucleic acid probe having a base sequence complementary to the base sequence of a target gene which is immobilized on an electrode and a double-stranded nucleic acid recognizing substance which specifically binds to double strand nucleic acid and contains a labeling substance which is electrochemically active. In the methods described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,776,672 and 5,972,692, a sample containing nucleic acid that is denatured into a single strand, a probe, the double-stranded nucleic acid recognizing substance are contacted with one another. Then, a target gene is detected by measuring an oxidation reduction current or electrochemical luminescence based on the labeling substance contained in the double-stranded recognizing substance bound to a double strand nucleic acid which is formed by hybridization between a nucleic acid corresponding to the target gene and a probe.
Methods of electrochemically detecting an analyte using a test chip which includes a working electrode having a conductive layer and an electron accepting layer, a probe immobilized on the electron accepting layer, a counter electrode, and a reduction electrode are described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/108539 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/112578. In the methods described in Publication No. 2010/108539 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/112578, an electrolytic reduction reaction is facilitated by applying a potential to the reduction electrode of the test chip. Accordingly, the current flowing between the working electrode and the counter electrode is increased and the detectability of analyte is improved.
A method including allowing an analyte labeled with a labeling substance to be trapped by a probe immobilized on a metal layer formed on a semiconductor layer of the working electrode and electrochemically detecting it is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/080284. In the method described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/080284, the analyte labeled with the labeling substance is first trapped by the probe immobilized on the metal layer formed on the semiconductor layer of the working electrode. Thereafter, the metal layer is dissolved. Then, the photocurrent flowing between the working electrode and the counter electrode is detected.
In these detection methods, the analyte is detected through a labeling substance which is electrochemically or photochemically active. Therefore, the working electrode in which a trapping substance for trapping an analyte is immobilized on the surface so that the labeling substance is present near the working electrode according to the amount of the analyte has been used.
However, the methods described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/294305, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,776,672, 5,972,692, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/108539, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/112578 have the following defects.
The first defect is that noise can occur. This is because the trapping and detection regions of the analyte are located in the same region and impurities present in a sample are nonspecifically adsorbed on the working electrode.
The second defect is that when a large-sized analyte is to be detected, the detection capacity can be reduced. This is because it is difficult to make the labeling substance present near the working electrode due to steric interference and the distance between the working electrode and the labeling substance becomes larger.
The third defect is that the reuse of the working electrode with the trapping substance immobilized may be difficult. This is because, in order to reuse the working electrode with the trapping substance immobilized, it is necessary to remove substances other than the trapping substance on the working electrode by a cleaning process. In this case, the trapping substance may also be removed from the working electrode in the cleaning process. Further, the trapping substance on the working electrode may be denatured by a cleaning agent to be used in the cleaning process. Thus, the time of reusing the working electrode with the trapping substance immobilized may affect the measurement results. Therefore, a detection unit which includes the working electrode with the trapping substance immobilized is usually thrown away for each measurement process. Consequently, a detection system using the working electrode with the trapping substance immobilized causes higher costs per measurement.
The second defect is improved by the method described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/080284. However, the first and third defects are remained. As for the method described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/080284, in the process of allowing the analyte to be trapped by the probe, the metal layer may be peeled off depending on conditions.
There is suggested a process of forming an adhesion layer made of titanium, palladium or chromium as an intermediate layer between the working electrode and the metal layer in order to improve the adhesion between the working electrode and the metal layer and prevent the metal layer from being peeled off. However, in this case, the photocurrent generated from the adhesion layer can be noise.

Method of electrochemically detecting target substance, method of electrochemically detecting analyte, test chip, and detection set


Embodiments segment received image data. The received image data may include pixels that have multiple channels of intensity values. The image data is decomposed into albedo and shading components. This may be accomplished using a minimization that enforces a relationship between albedo, shading, and intensity values. The minimization may also include an albedo regularizer to infer albedo in part based on chromaticity and albedo of surrounding pixels. Superpixels are generated based on contiguous regions of pixels having similar image data across channels. These superpixels are then merged based in part on the determined albedo and shading components as well as based on the image data. The channels of image data may include infrared image data used to modify visible channels of the image to create pseudo-image data, which may be used in place of image data for albedo-shading decomposition, superpixel generation, or superpixel merging.

Field of Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to image processing and more particularly to image segmentation by merging superpixels based on an albedo-shading decomposition.
Description of the Related Art
Vitiligo is a de-pigmenting disorder in which progressively larger patches of skin lose their pigmentation. Studying vitiligo is complicated by lack of uniform standards to evaluate its progression. One proposed standard to evaluate vitiligo is the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index, which evaluates the progression of vitiligo in part based on extent of vitiligo (e.g., the affected surface area of skin). Regions of vitiligo are typically shaped irregularly, so measuring the area affected by vitiligo is a labor-intensive process. Accurately and efficiently measuring vitiligo would facilitate research into vitiligo treatments as well as evaluation of individuals' response to treatment. Research and treatment of other skin conditions would similarly benefit from accurate and efficient methods to measure the extent of the affected area. Although existing image processing algorithms may be used to segment medical images, these algorithms may fail to accurately and efficiently segment medical images into physiologically significant regions.

Superpixel-based image segmentation using shading and albedo decomposition


This invention describes a device and process used to aid in flossing the teeth of an Orthodontic Appliances (braces) patient. The device is a short, thin "spaghetti" sized guide tube combined with dental floss. A length of floss is inserted into the guide tube. The floss and guide tube are easily pushed into the space between the user's teeth and the braces inserting the floss. The guide tube is removed from the space and allowed to rest on an unemployed section of floss. The guide tube is slightly coiled during manufacture and clings to the unemployed section of floss and does not require rethreading of the floss through the guide tube for each tooth. The procedure is repeated for subsequent teeth. A modified tube version includes an enlarged funnel like end to simplify the threading of floss into the tube.

It is generally accepted that regular flossing reduces the frequency of dental caries, peritonitis, gingivitis and ultimately premature tooth loss. Flossing is an effective method of removing stubborn food particles and plaque from between teeth and gums. A typical floss session requires a few minutes to complete for an experienced user without Orthodontic Appliances such as and hereafter known as braces. Braces, by inspection add to the complexity of and time to floss. Dental floss is relatively limp much like a seamstress's thread as this allows the floss to conform to most dental shapes. However, floss's relative limpness also makes it difficult to thread through restricted areas such as the space between braces and teeth.
With the introduction of Orthodontics to dentistry, millions of patients young and old with maligned teeth and or bite imperfections have received corrective Orthodontics. Each year approximately 1.6 million new Orthodontic procedures are performed at a rate increasing by more than 50% from the years 1982 through 1994 as per surveys conducted by the American Association of Orthodontics. Corrective Orthodontic procedures include proper alignment of teeth misplaced due to premature loss of primary teeth, up to preparing adequate room for exposed or unexposed secondary teeth or dental bridges. Bite imperfections such as over, under or laterally maligned jaw structures can be corrected. The medical and cosmetic value of these procedures can be inferred from the increasing number of patients.
Braces are comprised of metallic, plastic or ceramic plates known as brackets bonded to the teeth with an adhesive. The brackets are interconnected with various wires, springs and chains hereafter known as wires. The wires connected to the brackets physically reposition the teeth and possibly bone structure during the treatment period. Such orthodontic procedures can last from several weeks to many years and cost thousands of dollars. Ultimately, a requisite for successful treatment includes thorough brushing and flossing during the treatment period. By inspection, braces impede brushing and flossing and dictate specialized devices to adequately clean teeth. In flossing, the interconnecting wires inhibit positioning floss between teeth and down to the gum line. The area created between the teeth and brace wire is hereafter known as the dental area.
One device designed to aid flossing is U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,658 (Butler EEZ-THRU). This device consists of a thin loop of synthetic thread-like material that generally works in a manner similar to a sewing needle threading device. Limitations to this system are the floss generally must be re-threaded through the loop for each tooth to be flossed and can be slower to use than the proposed guide tube.
Three U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,008,727 (Oral B Super Floss), 5,050,625 Dental Floss Threading Device and 5,392,794 Dental Floss for Brace Wearers And The Like, generally require to user to use only their respective brand of floss and not the user's prefered brand.
Ultimately, one device would include the features:
1. Retain floss within device during floss session, eliminating need to re-thread floss for each tooth. PA1 2. Allow user to select brand and/or type of floss. PA1 3. Allow simple threading of floss into device. PA1 4. Allow simple threading of floss and device into the dental area.

Orthodontic braces wearer dental flossing device


A method for optimizing code includes receiving, by a compiler and from an interpreter, a code section representation including an object allocation, compiling, by the compiler, the code section representation into machine code with a compact allocated object of the object allocation, and triggering a deoptimization returning execution to the interpreter in response to an attempted access of the compact allocated object. The method further includes setting, by the interpreter and within the code section representation, a flag indicating that a new compact allocated object is required at a location of the attempted access, receiving, by the compiler, the code section representation including the flag, compiling, by the compiler and according to the flag, the code section representation into new machine code including the new compact allocated object, and executing the new machine code with the new compact allocated object.

In general, programmers seek the most efficient way to execute their code, whether the code is executed using an interpreter, compiler, or both. An interpreter is a program that is capable of executing source code. A compiler transforms the source code into another form, such as machine code, which is then executed. When the code is transformed, an interpreter is often not required for execution. Each choice has advantages and disadvantages.


An assembling and dissembling mechanism for a data storage device suited to assemble and disassemble a data storage device in a casing having an opening includes a fastener having a connecting portion and a first fastening portion and a push button slidingly disposed at the opening of the casing. The connecting portion is fixed at the data storage device and is connected to the first fastening portion. The push button has a second fastening portion and a pushing portion which are disposed in the casing. The second fastening portion is suitable to be fastened with the first fastening portion to install the data storage device in the casing. When the push button slides by a predetermined distance, it drives the second fastening portion to be separated from the first fastening portion, and the pushing portion pushes the first fastening portion to disassemble the data storage device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an assembling and disassembling mechanism and, more particularly, to an assembling and disassembling mechanism for a data storage device of a notebook.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of the science and technology, people become more dependent on the electronic device day by day. The portable electronic device is light, slim, short and small, and therefore, it is loved by the consumer gradually. To lighten the portable electronic device to facilitate the carry or repair, the portable electronic device usually has a detachable device such as a data storage device like the floppy disc drive, hard disk drive, optical disc drive or recorder.
FIG. 1A to FIG. 1C are schematic diagrams showing the assembly flow path of the optical disc drive of the conventional notebook. First, as shown in FIG. 1A, four screws 120 are used to screw a bracket 110 to the body of an optical disc drive 100. Afterward, as shown in FIG. 1B, the optical disc drive 100 is pushed into the lower casing 200 of the notebook to allow the connector 102 of the optical disc drive 100 to connect with the connector 220 of the circuit board 210 on the lower casing 200. At last, as shown in FIG. 1C, the screws 130 are used to screw the optical disc drive 100 to the lower casing 200, and then some parts assembled to the optical disc drive 10 are used to fix the optical disc drive 100 on the lower casing 200.
However, when the optical disc drive 100 is repaired or replaced, the parts assembled to the optical disc drive 100 should be removed first, and the optical disc drive 100 should be unlocked with the lower casing 200. Thus, the optical disc drive 100 is taken out of the lower casing 200. In this way, the assembly speed of the optical disc drive 100 decreases, and complexity of assembly or disassembly increases.

Notebook and assembling and dissembling mechanism for data storage device thereof


An apparatus for removing and replacing small batteries in electronic devices such as hearing aids or handling small magnetic parts has a housing in which a reciprocating shaft is placed having a magnet at one end. When the reciprocating shaft is placed in its extended pickup position, the magnet is brought close to the end of the housing, and into contact with the battery or other magnetic object. Once in contact with the object, the apparatus may be used for manipulation. Once the object is placed where it is to be left, the reciprocating shaft may be moved to a retracted position weakening the magnetic field holding the battery to the end of the apparatus. The reciprocating shaft is moved and locked into its extended and retracted positions with a rotating ratchet mechanism operated with a thumb of the hand that holds the apparatus. A shim in separable parts of the housing makes adjustment of the terminal end position of the magnet possible. A non-magnetic shield member or barrier layer surrounding the magnet at the tip effectively blocks the lateral attraction force so that only the object desired is picked up without disturbing surrounding objects.

The applicable art of the present invention relates generally to devices which aid in the removal of small batteries or handling small magnetic parts and prevents contamination of the battery surfaces with the fingers. Generally, batteries which are small, on the order of 3-5 mm in diameter and 1-3 mm in height are difficult to hold and more difficult to manipulate. Manipulation is required, however, when batteries are removed from the packages in which they are sold, or when they are installed in the various devices in which they are needed. A specific situation involves one piece hearing aids which are designed to fit within the ear.
Manipulation using the prior art necessarily entails touching the battery with the fingers, thereby contaminating the surface of the battery with oil. Such contamination interferes with the electrical contact of the battery with the contact terminals of the devices in which they are installed. Another specific situation involves photographic batteries which are required to be wiped with a cloth before being inserted in photographic equipment.
There is also need for a magnetic pickup device which can be used to pick up small fasteners, such as screws, which are used to fasten common objects such as eyeglasses, to make it easier for repairmen to handle them. Such a device is of particular value in making repairs to computer hardware and electronic assemblies which require the handling of small fasteners and parts which are difficult to place or remove because they are often located in crevices or other obstructed places. An additional requirement for handling computer or electronic parts is that the handling device be small, operable with one hand and able to retrieve or place parts without subjecting adjacent components to ranging stray magnetic fields which could cause damage or loss of programmed information. No present device is known which meets all of these requirements.
The prior art battery handling devices generally consist of a rigid or slightly flexible shaft having a lint brush at one end as shown in FIG. 1. More importantly, the shaft usually incorporates a magnet rigidly mounted in the center of the shaft with the axis of the magnet held perpendicular to the axis of the shaft. The magnet is included to provide a method to attract and hold small batteries so that they may be grasped by the user.
The prior art battery handling devices are inadequate for several reasons. First, due to the geometry of the batteries involved and the nature of magnetic forces, the batteries attracted to the magnet of the prior art device contact the magnet in an undesirable orientation. The magnet generally contacts the battery on its circumference; i.e., with the axis of the battery perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the magnet. This makes it particularly difficult to pick up the battery and insert it in a socket which grips the circumferential edge of the battery without first manipulating it with the fingers.
Manipulation of the battery when attached to the magnet is unsatisfactory because it is time consuming and difficult. Further, it is unsatisfactory because many times the user of small batteries for health aid devices, such as hearing aids, are afflicted with arthritis or have unsteady hands. The lack of dexterity in these users further complicates the task of manipulating the battery temporarily connected to the prior art device.
Second, the orientation of the magnet with respect to the shaft in the prior art device, makes the accurate placement of the battery attached to the magnet difficult. Once a battery is manually oriented on the magnet by the user, the user must then press the magnet into the socket provided by the battery-powered device. A ninety degree orientation of the magnet to the shaft makes this placement difficult.
Third, the prior art handling devices do not provide for a method of easily removing the magnet from the battery once the battery has been put in place where it is to be left. This is especially troublesome when the user is attempting to use the prior art devices to place the battery in the socket provided by the battery-powered device. After the battery has been pressed into the socket, the prior art devices have a tendency to pull the battery from the socket when removal of the prior art device is attempted.
Fourth, small battery-powered devices, such as hearing aids, generally provide a "door" or "hatch" which serves as a holder for the batteries required for its operation. Once the battery is inserted into this holder, it is rotated into the device. The battery fits snugly in the "door" of the device and is usually held in place by a friction fit between the door and the circumference of the battery. When replacement of the battery is required, the door must be dislodged from the device and rotated into its open position for removal of the old battery and insertion of the new battery. As with the manipulation of a small battery, manipulation of the "door" on a small device, such as a hearing aid, can be difficult for persons with arthritis or those who have problems manipulating their hands. The prior art devices make no provision for opening the battery doors of small devices.
Fifth, it is desirable to provide a device which allows for attachment to, manipulation of and detachment from small batteries or other parts without the necessity of handling them with the fingers. They should pick up only from the end and not the side. Physically touching a battery with the fingers often leaves a deposit of oil which can interfere with the contacts of the battery. The prior art handling devices require physical manipulation of the battery with the fingers in order to place it in the correct orientation on a freestanding magnet. They naturally are drawn to the side rather than directly under the end.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a device which allows for easy attachment and manipulation and release of small batteries and parts without the necessity of touching them. It is desirable to provide a feature which provides for the opening of "doors" on small battery-powered devices. It is desirable to provide a magnetic pickup device which is operable with one hand and small enough to reach into small openings without subjecting other adjacent components to stray laterally extending magnetic fields. This necessitates controlling the magnetic field while using a much stronger magnet than has heretofore been commercially available.

Battery replacement and magnetic pickup apparatus


A stable self emulsifiable alkylated oil based adjuvant with pH buffer capabilities, a method of preparing an adjuvant and use of adjuvant with industrial, turf, ornamental, horticultural and agricultural applications.

Adjuvants are commonly used in agriculture to improve the performance of pesticides and can be added to the spray tank to improve pesticidal activity or application characteristics. Spray adjuvants are generally grouped into two broad categories: activator adjuvants which commonly are used to enhance post emergence performance, increase activity, assist with absorption into plant tissue, rain fastness and may include surfactants, crop oil concentrates, nitrogen fertilizers, spreader-stickers, wetting agents, and penetrants; and water conditioning adjuvants which widen the range of conditions under which a specific formulation is used, may alter the physical characteristics of the spray solution and include compatibility agents, buffering agents, antifoam agents, and drift control agents.
There are many different adjuvants available on the market. Adjuvants that are primarily oil based are typically crop oil concentrates that contain a high concentration of phytobland emulsifiable crop oil (generally petroleum based) and non-ionic surfactant. The purpose of the surfactant is to emulsify the oil in the spray solution and lower the surface tension of the overall spray solution. Crop oil concentrates attempt to provide the penetration characteristics of the oil, while capturing the surface tension reduction qualities of a surfactant. Crop oil concentrates are also important in helping solubilize less water-soluble products. Although vegetable and plant oil concentrates have performed less consistently than their petroleum-based counterparts, manufacturers are attempting to improve plant or vegetable-based oils by increasing their non-polar or lipophilic characteristics. The most common method has been through esterification of common seed oils such as methylated sunflower, soybean, cotton, and linseed oils. The methylated forms of these seed oil concentrates are comparable in performance to traditional (petroleum) crop oil concentrates.
In addition to a composition that is efficiently solubilized to provide a stable emulsion, performs well and penetrates, the target pH plays a significant role in crop protection products and can affect the efficacy of the tank-mixed products.
The pH of the tank mix affects the half-life solubility and efficacy of many of the crop protection products, which may result in solid precipitation or even degradation of active ingredients. Being able to acidify, buffer or otherwise control changes of pH in the tank mix can be important in preventing degradation of the products. Some crop protection products are sold with a pH buffer already included in the package but which could be negated by hard water or other tank mix products. In some cases, water conditioning adjuvants are used to adjust or buffer the pH and improve the products or solubilization in the mix, control its ionic state, and increase tank-mixture compatibility. pH buffers are most beneficial when used in extremely alkaline or even in acid water, which could otherwise have detrimental effects on the product's stability and performance. Some manufacturers have added acidifiers such as phosphoric acid, citric acid and propionic acid (methyl acetic acid) to the ethoxylated and propoxylated non-ionic surfactant and oil blends to reduce precipitation but with less efficiency on acceleration of penetration of the adjuvant into the target plant especially with increasing level of oils. Additionally, adding too much acidifier to certain adjuvants such as methylated seed oil (MSO), high surfactant methylated seed oils (HSMSO) or crop oil concentrate (COC) can contribute to phase separation of the concentrate or in the diluted tank mix with unstable emulsion stability.
There is thus a continued need to provide an improved, stable multipurpose adjuvant emulsion composition with pH buffer capabilities that addresses the shortcomings of the existing adjuvant compositions in the crop protection industry.


In various examples, transmittance may be computed using a power-series expansion of an exponential integral of a density function. A term of the power-series expansion may be evaluated as a combination of values of the term for different orderings of samples in the power-series expansion. A sample may be computed from a combination of values at spaced intervals along the function and a discontinuity may be compensated for based at least on determining a version of the function that includes an alignment of a first point with a second point of the function. Rather than arbitrarily or manually selecting a pivot used to expand the power-series, the pivot may be computed as an average of values of the function. The transmittance estimation may be computed from the power-series expansion using a value used to compute the pivot (for a biased estimate) or using all different values (for an unbiased estimate).

The world around us is filled with participating media that attenuates and scatters light as it travels from light sources—to surfaces—and finally to our eyes. Simulating this transport in heterogeneous participating media—such as smoke, clouds, nuclear reactor housings, biological tissue, or other volumetric datasets—is important in many fields, ranging from neutron transport, to medical physics, scientific visualization, and film and visual effects. Central to these simulations is the relatively expensive computation of the transmittance (fractional visibility) between two given points through the media. In the context of graphics rendering, the transmittance may be used for shadow connections between light- and camera-subpaths, for rendering colored media, or for evaluating the fractional visibility to solid surfaces.
Transmittance estimation is traditionally formulated as an exponential of the medium optical thickness, i.e. integrated extinction, along the line segment connecting the points. Most existing unbiased transmittance estimators are based on "null-scattering" random walks—enabled by augmenting the media with fictitious matter. A transmittance estimator has been formulated that leverages unbiased Monte Carlo estimation. However, the estimator is limited due to the amount of variance in its estimations and the marginal effect that increasing the number of samples has on reducing the variance. As such, using the estimator may require averaging many calls to the same estimator, resulting in extended render times and in turn many computationally expensive lookups of values in memory, resulting in extended render times.

Fractional visibility estimation using particle density for light transport simulation


A method includes deploying non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) in a memory arrangement coupled to a CPU core of a computing device via a memory bus. The method further includes configuring the CPU core to conduct NVRAM read operations directly over the memory bus, and providing an I/O logic device to process write instructions initiated by the CPU core as a Direct Memory Access (DMA) write operation on the NVRAM.

One of the most-demanded resources in computing devices (other than the CPU) is system memory. In computing, memory refers to the physical devices used to store programs or data on a temporary or permanent basis for use in a computer or other digital electronic device. The term primary memory is used for semiconductor memory devices (i.e. dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM)), which function at high-speed. The term secondary memory is used for memory devices such as hard disk drives (HDD) and solid state drives (SSD), which may be relatively slow to access but offer higher memory capacity than conventional random access memory (e.g., DRAM).
DRAM and SRAM are both volatile memory, i.e. they can maintain data only for as long as power is applied. This may be contrasted with non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) that retains its information even when power is turned off.
Newer semiconductor chip technologies (e.g., phase-change memory, magneto-resistive memory (or memristors), spin-torque memory, etc.) have increased chip capacity so that a newer flash memory may now compete with conventional secondary memory (such as HHDs and SSDs) in offering higher memory capacity and also in slashing an access penalty for solid state storage (e.g., compared to SSDs). The newer flash memory may be as fast as conventional DRAM for processor load or read operations. However, the newer flash memory may still be significantly slower (˜10×) than conventional DRAM for processor store or write operations (both in latency and throughput). For convenience in description herein, the newer high capacity flash memory may be referred to hereinafter as "non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM)".
Consideration is now being given to the use of NVRAM in memory arrangements that are coupled to a processor or processor unit in a computing device. In particular, attention is directed to mitigating or managing the effect of processor store or write operations for NVRAM that may be slower than those for conventional DRAM.

Non-volatile random access memory in computer primary memory


The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for driving door installations as a function of the presence of person wherein the region of the door installation is continuously observed by at least one videocamera. According to the invention through the videocamera and/or suitable sensors, object motions within the space to be monitored are acquired with an analysis being carried out in conjunction with the video image of whether or not the moving object is a person. If this is the case, its location and/or direction of movement is determined and the door installation is driven as a function thereof. The videocamera is preferably disposed approximately diametrically opposite the door installation with its angle of view being directed as steeply as possible onto the region to be monitored. The videocamera is connected to an electronic image processing device.

Subject matter of the invention is a method and an arrangement for driving door installations wherein the acquisition and evaluation of persons in front of door installations is carried out with the goal of opening and closing door installations as a function of persons moving in front of the door installations.
Such method is disclosed for example with the subject matter of U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,207 A. In this known arrangement a so-called video entrance alarm is generated if one or several persons enter a specific monitoring area. For this purpose the monitoring area is divided into a specific number of subareas and an investigation is carried out regarding the presence or absence of persons in these cell-like subareas. According to the condition detected a corresponding alarm is subsequently triggered.
The invention is based on the task of further developing a method and a device of the above cited type such that with minimum expenditures one or several door installations in a building can be controlled as a function of the location, the direction of movement and the number of persons in front of these door installations.
To solve the task posed the invention is characterized by the technical teaching of claim 1 or claim 18.
It is a characteristic of the invention that initially in a first process step the space in front of the door installation is acquired with at least one video camera and specifically in such manner that first only the xe2x80x9cempty spacexe2x80x9d is acquired. By the term xe2x80x9cempty spacexe2x80x9d is understood that this space is acquired at a point in time at which no or only few motions by persons take place in this space. For example, the space to be monitored in front of the door installation is initially acquired by the video camera at a point in time at which substantially no motion takes place in this space, for example early in the morning or late in the evening wherein the stationary objects usually disposed in this space, such as for example planters, lampposts and the like, are acquired by the videocamera and the system learns the location and the configuration of these stationary objects.
As empty space is here defined if in the space to be monitored within a time period of approximately 3 to 4 seconds no motion of any kind takes place or is detected. Based on this, a so-called reference image is obtained which serves as a reference model of the empty space, i.e. the empty space with all its objects is stored as a model in a memory and serves as a measure of comparison.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention it is provided that the videocamera examines approximately every 3 to 4 seconds whether or not the space is empty andxe2x80x94should this be the casexe2x80x94creates a new reference model of the empty space. It is herein important that in these time intervals a complete new model of the empty space is not always created but rather that in an iterative approximation process this empty space is continuously approximated to the actual conditions. This means in practice that if no motion has been detected within the last 3 to 4 seconds, but new objects have been recognized as being stationary in the empty space, that this model of the empty space is only expanded and supplemented by the newly added stationary object.
After in a first process step a model of the empty space has been generated, the empty space is now continually and regularly observed with the videocamera in order to determine whether or not the space is in fact empty or whether a motion is taking place in this space.
If a motion is detected in this space, which can take place by evaluating the video image or can also be determined by including further signal sources, such as for example infrared detectors, weight sensors and ultrasound sensors, in the case of a non-empty space, i.e. in the event of acquired motion, determination takes place in a subsequent process step of whether or not the moving object is an object authorized to use the door installation and also intending to do so, for example a person.
For this purpose a pattern analysis of the moving contour is carried out, i.e. a moving person is only recognized as being a person if the moving contour covers a specific area and form and notion of the acquired contour resemble those of a human being. This means, for example, a moving baby carriage is not recognized as a moving person because the form of the baby carriage does not correspond to that of a person. However, the person pushing the baby carriage is recognized.
Moving animals (for example dogs or cats) are not recognized as moving person due to the differing motion contour and therefore the door installation is consequently also not driven unless the use of the door by these animals is intended.
After the acquisition and analysis of the motion contour in the previously described second process step, in the third process steps, as cited above, the motion contour of the person is analyzed. If it is recognized that this case is one of a moving person, the location of the moving person is determined in a fourth process step. It is herein important that first the distance of the person from the videocamera is determined. Based on this distance measurement the precise location in the space can subsequently be calculated, i.e. it is possible to specify in terms of coordinates precisely where the person in front of the door installation is located.
In a preceding process step it is also specified that the videocamera has, of course, also acquired, together with the acquisition of the empty space, a plan model of the space with the position of the door, and that this plan model is stored in a memory.
In a further, differing embodiment example it is provided that the plan model is not acquired by the camera (potentially also by another camera), but rather that the plan model is written through manual entry at a corresponding terminal into the memory of the computer where it is subsequently stored.
Based on the coordinates of the moving person and based on the comparison with the stored plan model, it is now readily possible to acquire the type and direction of movement of the moving person in front of the door installation.
In a further process step now the monitoring area is divided into different regions wherein at least one region is defined as that, upon entrance of which, the door installation is driven while other regions are present which do not lead to the driving of the door installation.
Only if the acquired motion model predicts that the person intends to enter or is entering the region of the monitoring area associated with the door installation, is an opening signal output to the door installation and the door installation is opened.
This region model has the advantage that the door installation is not opened if the videocamera, in connection with the above listed regions, acquires for example a person running past the door installation, who, based on the direction of movement and rate of movement, apparently does not intend to walk into the door installation. In this way with the novel process model it is achieved that the door installation is only driven to open or close if a person moving in front of the door installation is heading toward the door installation at the appropriate speed and direction of movement.
The opening and closing of door installations from the inside of the building takes place analogously so that on the inside of a building a corresponding monitoring installation can also be disposed which accomplishes the intelligent opening and closing of the door installation as a function of a person leaving the building.
In a further embodiment of the present invention it is provided that in a subordinated process step a determination takes place of the width of the person who is heading toward the door installation. It can herein be determined for example whether the person is pushing a baby carriage, whether the person is carrying several packages or has some other unusual opening requirement of the door. The wider the person, the wider the door installation can be opened and the door installation can accordingly only be opened far enough to ensure the easy and comfortable passage of the person moving in front of the door installation. For this entails the advantage that the door is only opened so far that the unnecessary heat and convective flow loss from the building to the outside is avoided.
It is likewise provided in a further development of the present invention that the start and/or the speed of door opening and/or door closing is driven as a function of location, direction of movement and especially by the rate of movement of the persons approaching the door installation. A person approaching the door installation rapidly and whose presence is acquired in the triggering door region, leads to a more rapid opening of the door wings than a person approaching relatively slowly in comparison.
In a further development of the present invention it is provided that light reflections in the monitoring area, for example on the floor, in the region of the walls of the door installations or on other containment walls are eliminated thereby that the videocamera operates with a polarization filter.
The potential casting of shadows by the persons to be monitored is recognized and eliminated thereby that particular recognition criteria can be associated with the shadow and thus can exclude the casting of a shadow such that effectively only the motion contour of the person to be monitored itself is acquired but not its light shadow.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention (arrangement) it is preferred if the camera is disposed approximately diametrically with respect to the door installation but in a somewhat raised position of, for example, 5 m above the ground because with this elevated position diametrically opposite to the door installation the advantage is achieved that with a camera disposed as high as possible a relatively small angle of view of the camera onto the person to be monitored is achieved, i.e. an extremely high-resolution recognition of the persons moving below the camera is possible.
It is understood that the invention is not limited thereto, several cameras can also be disposed whose angles of view also intersect wherein the camera image of several cameras is evaluated.
It is also possible to use a stereo camera instead of a single monocular videocamera. Assuming a predefined image area the image of the one camera can be transferred to the image to be expected from the second camera and by comparison of the calculated and effectively received image conclusions can be drawn regarding the presence and/or changes of objects in the image area.
Therein the predefined image area is adapted or newly selected in the course of successive image analyses based on the results available in each instance. It is possible to adapt or newly select further parameters such as for example image segment, frequency of image analyses, image resolution in the course of successive image analyses based on the particular available results wherein in order to achieve absolute operational reliability the data of elements multiply provided (for example several cameras) are utilized.
It is also provided that in addition to the videocamera, which opposes the door installation diametrically, still further cameras are disposed which, for example, are disposed laterally in front of the door installation.
In a further embodiment of the invention it is provided that with a camera disposed relatively low, for example at a level of approximately 2 m, a high observation point is achieved thereby that the camera image is deflected via a mirror disposed at a high level and the monitoring area is acquired from this mirror.
The subject matter of the present invention is evident not only based on the subject matter of the individual patent claims but rather based on the combination with one another of the individual patent claims.
All specifications and characteristics disclosed in the documents, including the abstract, in particular the spatial implementation depicted in the drawings are claimed as being essential to the invention to the extent they are novel individually or in combination relative to prior art.
In the following the invention will be explained in further detail in conjunction with the drawings representing only one embodiment path. Herein in the drawings and their description further characteristics and advantages essential to the invention are evident.

Method and arrangement for driving door installations as a function of the presence of persons


A method apparatus and article of manufacturing for using a computer to electronically clear and cash a check submitted to an on-line merchant from an on-line consumer by electronic means is provided.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of Internet commerce and more specifically to a method, apparatus and article of manufacture to enable consumers to purchase items from Internet merchants with funds drawn from the consumer's checking account.
II. Relevant Art
One of the newest and most rapidly expanding areas of commerce is the use of the Internet to conduct business, or so-called "e-commerce." Every day, millions of dollars of sales are made over the Internet. Presently, the vast majority of these sales are paid for by credit card. The use of a credit card to pay for goods has the advantages of allowing both customers and merchants to have a convenient and generally reliable form of payment. However, from a consumer's point of view payment by credit card is disadvantageous in that it requires that a consumer first own a credit card, and second, the consumer must often be willing to incur a short term debt at the relatively high interest rate charged by most credit card companies. From a merchant's point of view, payment by credit card is disadvantageous because it often results in higher processing fees than would be charged for cash or check transactions. Accordingly, it would be advantageous for consumers to have the option of paying for Internet purchases by a check drawn from a standard bank checking account.

Internet based check cashing and clearing method, apparatus and article of manufacture

Abstract: First, an input of check information submitted by a consumer by electronic means is accepted. Next the accuracy of the check information is verified and then is presented for clearing through the Federal Reserve's Automated Clearing House. Finally, the consumer's checking account from which the check was drawn is debited by the amount indicated in the check information and the merchant's account is credited by the amount indicated in the check information.


A text data registering and retrieving method capable of improving the transaction processing performance is provided. The document number of a document for which deletion or replacement has been newly requested is registered in an updated document number list. The text data of the document for which insertion or replacement has been newly requested is registered in an update text buffer. The text data stored temporarily in the update text buffer is registered in a plural-character occurrence file defining a text index in a character component file merge step. The data registered in the plural-character occurrence file is retrieved for query terms. The text data stored in the update text buffer is retrieved for the query terms. The document number of a document updated or deleted is deleted from the result of retrieval in the plural-character occurrence file. Also, the result or the document number obtained in the, update text buffer is added to the result of retrieval to provide a final retrieval result.

The present invention relates to a text index registering and retrieving method for retrieving text data registered and a recording medium of a program for executing the method. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique effectively applicable to the text index registering and retrieving method for acquiring the desired document by designating a query term (search term) consisting of a character string of a keyword and by thus searching a document database of the whole document.
Various conventional document retrieving methods for searching the document database storing a large amount of document have been proposed. One of the conventional methods is disclosed in JP-A-8-190571, in which a full text search is carried out efficiently using plural-character information to reduce retrieval noises, shorten the processing time and reduce the amount of operation of the storage disks of the database at the same time.
A document retrieving method will be described below specifically taking the Japanese language as an example.
Briefly, the above-mentioned method comprises the steps of storing a plural-character occurrence file as a text index with existence of a plurality of characters in text data of a document and referencing the existence of the plural characters stored in the plural-character occurrence file and determining a document containing the plural characters included in the query term in a designated conditional formula as a candidate of retrieval, wherein the plural-character store compression step includes the substeps of defining the number of the types (type number) of the plural-character components appearing in the textual data and the number of documents (document number) containing each of the plural-character components, registering a bit string including "1" at the position corresponding to the document number of the document in the case where the summation of documents containing the plural-characters is larger than a predetermined threshold value, and storing the document number of the same document as binary data in the case where the summation of documents is smaller than the threshold value. The plural-characters are called n-grams.
In this method, the document numbers for all the plural-character components in each document are registered in a plural-character occurrence file as text index, and a document containing all the plural-character components included in the query term is retrieved with reference to the plural-character occurrence file at the time of retrieval. The plural-character occurrence file (table) used in this case contains a list of document numbers for respective plural-character components, i.e., identifiers of the documents containing each plural-character component.
According to the above-mentioned conventional document retrieving method, the document numbers for all the plural-character components in each document are registered in the plural-character occurrence file. A text index for database having a great number of documents in store, however, includes a vast number of plural characters appearing in the documents, and the storage size of the text index becomes large, so that as many file accesses as the number of the unique types of plural characters contained in the document are required at the time of registration. The resulting problem is that a very long processing time is required for registering a new document or replacing or deleting a document registered in a large database. Fine searching algorithms which use the information of the position of the plural-characters in the document, require more index space so that the index size becomes much bigger than the original text size.
In deleting a specified document from the database, for example, all the document numbers for the related character components registered in the plural-character occurrence file are required to be deleted. A text index for a large database, however, may have a plural-character occurrence file of a capacity in the giga-byte order. It is practically not possible to update the database of this size on line,
The foregoing description concerns a document retrieving method using plural-character components of the Japanese language. A method using words is known for English, however, using not any artificial plural-character components of the Japanese language, in which maintenance of indexes same as plural-character components is also a burdensome process when a large amount of documents are registered (Refer to Textbase, Open Information Systems January 1996, V11 n1). Another example of the troublesome work of updating the indexes (web search engine) for home pages of web on an internet is widely known. Also, as an example of indexes for texts on a database, the "IBM DB2 Text Extender Administration and Programming Guide" discloses a designation that the index is not updated immediately at the time of text registration at the time of defining a text index. On the other hand, Oracle's "Developing Application with the Oracle ConText Option" discloses a deferred index update mechanism. These conventional methods, however, disclose no means for solving the problem that the accuracy of retrieval using an index is adversely affected by the delay in updating the index. Specifically, these well-known techniques are intended to provide only means for avoiding the index updating in a time zone busy with retrieval by delaying the updating, but not any means for guaranteeing the retrieval accuracy which makes it possible to retrieve even a document that has just been registered.
A possible means against this problem is to store a second text index in main memory and all updating is performed by the second index thereby to eliminate the input/output time taking into consideration the fact that most of the time required for index updating is consumed for input and output with an external storage such as a magnetic disk. A succession of a great amount of updating work, however, increases the second index with the result that it is impossible for the second index to be resident in the main memory, and the update and retrieval work of the second index also requires the input/output operation, thereby considerably lowering the performance.

Text data registering and retrieving system including a database storing a plurality of document files therin and a plural-character occurrence table for a text index and an update text buffer to retrieve a target document in cooperation with the database


The heat exchanger for a marine propulsion system is located within available space in front of the transom of a marine vessel and attached to the transom. The housing of the heat exchanger can be attached to a drive unit support structure and spaced apart from an engine of the marine propulsion system. Within the heat exchanger, engine coolant is circulated through a first coolant path and water from the body of water is circulated through a second coolant path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a heat exchanger for a marine propulsion system and, more particularly, to a closed cooling system for a marine engine in which the heat exchanger is contained at a location spaced apart from the engine and supported by the transom of a marine vessel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many different types of engine cooling systems are known for use in conjunction with marine propulsion systems. Some of these systems use an open cooling circuit in which water is drawn directly from a body of water and conducted into thermal communication with heat producing portions of the engine. Other cooling systems use a closed cooling circuit in which a coolant, such as ethylene glycol, is recirculated through cooling conduits of an engine to continually remove heat from heat producing portions of the engine. The engine coolant is then passed through a heat exchanger where heat is removed from the coolant by conducting the coolant in thermal communication with a raw water cooling conduit that directs a flow of water, from a body of water, through the heat exchanger. That raw water, after passing through the heat exchanger and removing heat from the engine coolant, is then returned to the body of water. These types of systems are well known to those skilled in the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,310, which issued to Childress on Mar. 21, 1972, describes a combination boat trim tab and heat exchanger. The trim tab body is hollow and has an inlet and outlet connected to the hollow interior and is adapted to be connected to the boat engine cooling system with elongate fins secured to the bottom of the outside of the body and axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the boat. The hollow interior of the body includes a serpentine passageway between the inlet and outlet thereby increasing the heat exchange area in contact with the engine cooling liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,121, which issued to Maggiorana on Sep. 2, 1980, discloses a heat exchanger for a marine propulsion engine. The heat exchanger is provided for a pressurized, closed cooling system for a marine propulsion engine. The heat exchanger includes a closed spiral passageway means for fresh cooling water drawn from the lake or other body of water. An outer housing encloses the spiral passageway and includes baffle means for directing of a coolant in a spiral path over the cooling passageway means within the housing. The coolant is thereby cooled by the circulating cold fresh water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,993, which issued to Fernstrum on Jul. 13, 1982, describes an underwater outboard marine heat exchanger. A first water header is connected to a second water header by laterally spaced multiple parallel composite tubes in which each consists of two or more component tubes of vertically elongated rectangular cross-section welded to one another along their horizontal narrower adjoining faces. The height of each component tube is a multiplicity of times the width thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,270 which issued to Schroeder et al. on May 5, 1998, discloses a heat exchanger for a marine engine cooling system. The heat exchanger assembly is provided for a marine propulsion system having a closed loop cooling system. The heat exchanger body encloses a series of tubes carrying seawater which removes heat from the engine coolant. The heat exchanger includes an integrally connected top tank. A single venting orifice is provided into the top tank from the heat exchanger body.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,379,201, which issued to Biggs et al. on Apr. 30, 2002, discloses a marine engine cooling system with a check valve to facilitate draining. The system is provided with a valve in which a ball moves freely within a cavity formed within the valve. Pressurized water, from a sea pump, causes the ball to block fluid flow through the cavity and forces pumped water to flow through a preferred conduit which may include a heat exchanger. When the sea pump is inoperative, the ball moves downward within the cavity to unblock a drain passage and allow water to drain from the heat generating components of the marine engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,544,085, which issued to Menard et al. on Apr. 8, 2003, describes a watercraft having a closed coolant circulating system with a heat exchanger that constitutes an exterior surface of the hull. The watercraft comprises a hull and an engine. It also comprises a heat exchanger formed from heat conductive material and having a fluid path defined therein with an inlet port and an outlet port. The heat exchanger has a heat exchanging exterior surface and is mounted to the hull such that the heat exchanging exterior surface constitutes a portion of the exterior surface of the hull that is normally disposed below the surface of the body of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,748,906, which issued to White et al. on Jun. 15, 2004, discloses a heat exchanger assembly for a marine engine. The heat exchanger for a marine internal combustion engine is disposed between first and second sides of a V-shaped engine configuration. A plurality of tubes and related structure are disposed within a cavity formed as an integral part of an air intake manifold of the engine. A first cooling fluid, such as ethylene glycol, is circulated in thermal communication with outer surfaces of the plurality of tubes within the heat exchanger and a second cooling fluid, such as lake or seawater, is circulated through the internal passages of the plurality of tubes. A conduit is provided within an end portion of the heat exchanger to remove heat from a lubricant, such as oil, of the internal combustion engine.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.
It would be significantly beneficial if the heat exchanger, of a closed loop marine propulsion system, could be provided in which the heat exchanger is located at a convenient position within the structure of a marine vessel. It would also be significantly beneficial if the heat exchanger could be disposed within a space that is not required for other uses in typical sterndrive-type marine propulsion systems.

Heat exchanger for a marine propulsion system