A transformer includes a pair of first coils and at least one second coil. The first and second coils are stacked so that the at least one second coil is interposed between the first coils in a common winding axial direction of the first and second coils. Each of the first coils is covered by insulating films and integrated with the insulating films into an integrated body, so that the first coils are electrically insulated from the at least one second coil.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to transformers which include a plurality of coils that are electrically insulated from each other and stacked in a common winding axial direction thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known transformers which are used in, for example, DC-DC converters. Those transformers include, as shown in FIG. 30, a high voltage-side coil 91 and a pair of low voltage-side coils 92 that are electrically insulated from each other and stacked in a common winding axial direction thereof (i.e., the direction of the winding axes of the coils 91 and 92 which coincide with each other). More specifically, the coils 91 and 92 are stacked so that the high voltage-side coil 91 is interposed between the low voltage-side coils 92 in the winding axial direction. Further, the coils 91 and 92 are together sandwiched by a pair of core pieces 93 in the winding axial direction. With the core pieces 93, magnetic paths can be formed on both the radially inside and radially outside of the coils 91 and 92.
Moreover, electrical insulation between the high voltage-side coil 91, the low voltage-side coils 92 and the core pieces 93 is secured by interposing therebetween bobbins 94 that are made of an electrically-insulative material. However, with the bobbins 94, both the size and parts count of the transformer 9 are increased and the assembly process of the transformer 9 is complicated.
To solve the above problem, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-303857 discloses a technique, according to which the high voltage-side coil 91 is comprised of a substrate that has coil patterns formed on both the major surfaces thereof and insulating layers 911 that cover the coil patterns. Consequently, the high voltage-side coil 91 is electrically insulated from the low voltage-side coils 92 without interposing the bobbins 94 between the high voltage-side coil 91 and the low voltage-side coils 92.
However, with the above technique, it is still necessary to interpose the bobbins 94 between the low voltage-side coils 92 and the core pieces 93 for securing the electrical insulation therebetween. Consequently, it is difficult to minimize both the size and parts count of the transformer 9 and simplify the assembly process of the transformer 9.


A method of formatting and normalizing continuous lip motions to events in a moving picture besides text in a Text-To-Speech converter is provided. A synthesized speech is synchronized with a moving picture by using the method wherein the real speech data and the shape of a lip in the moving picture are analyzed, and information on the estimated lip shape and text information are directly used in generating the synthesized speech.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for synchronization between moving picture and a text-to-speech(TTS) converter, and more particulary to a system for synchronization between moving picture and a text-to-speech converter which can be realized a synchronization between moving picture and synthesized speech by using the moving time of lip and duration of speech information.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a speech synthesizer provides a user with various types of information in an audible form. For this purpose, the speech synthesizer should provide a high quality speech synthesis service from the input texts given to a user. In addition, in order for the speech synthesizer to be operatively coupled to a database constructed in a multi-media environment, or various media provided by a counterpart involved in a conversation, the speech synthesizer can generate a synthesized speech so as to be synchronized with these media. In particular, the synchronization between moving picture and the TTS is essentially required to provide a user with a high quality service.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a conventional text-to-speech converter which generally consists of three steps in generating a synthesized speech from the input text.
At step 1, a language processing unit 1 converts an input text to a phoneme string, estimates prosodic information, and symbolizes it. The symbol of the prosodic information is estimated from the phrase boundary, clause boundary, accent position, sentence patterns, etc. by analyzing a syntactic structure. At step 2. a prosody processing unit 2 calculates the values for prosody control parameters from the symbolized prosodic information by using rules and tables. The prosody control parameters include phoneme duration and pause interval information. Finally, a signal processing unit 3 generates a synthesized speech by using a synthesis unit DB 4 and the prosody control parameters. That is, the conventional synthesizer should estimate prosodic information related to naturalness and speaking rate only from an input text in the language processing unit 1 and the prosody processing unit 2.
Presently, a lot of researches on the TTS have been conducted through the world for application to mother languages, and some countries have already started a commercial service. However, the conventional synthesizer is aimed at its use in synthesizing a speech from an input text, and thus there is no research activity on a synthesizing method which can be used in connection with multi-media. In addition, when dubbing is performed on moving picture or animation by using the conventional TTS method, information required to implement the synchronization of media with a synthesized speech cannot be estimated from the text only. Thus, it is not possible to generate a synthesized speech, which is smoothly and operatively coupled to moving pictures, from only text information.
If the synchronization between moving picture and a synthesized speech is assumed to be a kind of dubbing, there can be three implementation methods. One of these methods includes a method of synchronizing moving picture with a synthesized speech on a sentence basis. This method regulates the time duration of the synthesized speech by using information on the start point and end point of the sentence. This method has an advantage that it is easy to implement and the additional efforts can be minimized. However, the smooth synchronization cannot be achieved with this method. As an alternative, there is a method wherein information on the start and end point, and phoneme symbol for every phoneme are transcribed in the interval of the moving picture related to a speech signal to be used in generating a synthesized speech. Since the synchronization of moving picture with a synthesized speech can be achieved for each phoneme with this method, the accuracy can be enhanced. However, this method has a disadvantage that additional efforts should be exerted to detect and record time duration information for every phoneme in a speech interval of the moving picture.
As another alternative, there is a method wherein synchronization information is recorded based on patterns having the characteristic by which a lip motion can be easily distinguished, such as the start and end points of the speech, the opening and closing of the lip, protrusion of the lip, etc. This method can enhance the efficiency of synchronization while minimizing the additional efforts exerted to make information for synchronization.

System for synchronization between moving picture and a text-to-speech converter

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


The present invention relates to a method for producing an xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone which is one of basic structures often shown in drugs such as an anti-cancer agent by reacting an alene compound having an aldehyde or ketone group with carbon monoxide via cyclization in a single step in the presence of a catalyst containing ruthenium, thereby improving total yield of the entire reaction and achieving effects of cost reduction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel method for synthesizing an xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone which is one of basic structures often shown in drugs such as an anti-cancer agent. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for producing an xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone from an alene compound via cyclization in a single step using a catalyst containing ruthenium.
2. Description of the Related Art
The structure of an xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone can be found in many natural compounds having physiological activities. Particularly, sarkomycin, frullanolide and vernolepin of the following structures are representative substances having xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone structure and having excellent antibacterial and anticancer activities.
Further, it is known that physiologically active natural substances having the xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone structure constitute 10% of natural substances having anti-cancer activity (H. M. R. Hoffmann, et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 24(1985), 94-110).
Thus, many methods for producing various xcex1-methylene-xcex3-buytrolactones have been disclosed (see, for example, Crieco P., Synthesis 1975, 67-82). However, there has been disclosed no method using a catalyst such as ruthenium like in the present invention. In most of the known synthesis methods, products are obtained through many steps.
Now, synthesis methods largely involving two steps are known: a first step for forming bicyclic xcex3-lactone and a second step for introducing an xcex1-methylene group. Among them, a representative method was reported by Buchwald and Crowe (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 6785 and 1996, 118, 1557). According to them, the bicyclic xcex3-lactone is produced via a simultaneous [2+2+1] cyclization reaction by adding titanium in a stoichiometric equivalent to a ketone or aldehyde.
After formation of a xcex3-lactone ring using titanium in a stoichiometric equivalent, there is needed an additional step to introduce an xcex1-methylene group in order to synthesize an xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone. This method has an advantage in that the synthesis methods in the prior art involving many steps are simplified to a two-step method comprising a first step to form a xcex3-lactone ring and a second step to introduce an xcex1-methylene group. However, it has a disadvantage that the reaction using titanium is very unstable in the air and thus the reaction cannot be readily performed in the air. Further, although the methods are said to be roughly divided into two steps, in which a xcex3-lactone ring is firstly formed and an xcex1-methylene group is introduced, in practice, at least two steps are needed to introduce the xcex1-methylene group. Therefore, the reaction yeild is considerably reduced and expensive agents and much time are additionally used, thereby complicating the reaction and increasing production costs.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a method for synthesizing an xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone by directly producing an xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone from an alene compound in a single step, thereby improving the entire reaction yield and reducing production costs.
In order to achieve the above object, there is provided a method for synthesizing an xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone by reacting an alene compound having the following formula (I) with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst containing ruthenium:
in which
R is hydrogen or C1-C5 low alkyl group;
X is selected from the group consisting of C, O, S and N, provided that when X is C, X is substituted with one selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C5 low alkyl and diethylester group, and when X is N, X is substituted with one selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, tosyl group, t-butyloxycarbonyl group and diethylester group; and n is 1 or 2.
Therefore, the present invention is directed to a method for synthesizing an xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone by reacting an alene compound having the following formula (I) with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst containing ruthenium:
in which
R is hydrogen or C1-C5 low alkyl group;
X is selected from the group consisting of C, O, S and N, provided that when X is C, X is substituted with one selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C5 low alkyl and diethylester group, and when X is N, X is substituted with one selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a tosyl group, t-butyloxycarbonyl group and diethylester group; and
n is 1 or 2.
The xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone synthesized in a single step according to the present invention have the following formula (II):
in which
R, X and n are the same as defined above.
R, X and n in the formula (I) and (II) according to the present invention are any of those known to be commonly used in xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactones. In particular, a compound wherein X is N substituted with a tosyl group (Ts) or a t-butyloxycarbonyl group (t-BOC) or X is C substituted with a diethylester group (C(CO2Et)2).
The method according to the present invention is characterized by directly synthesizing an xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone via a [2+2+1] cyclization reaction in which an alene compound of the formula (I) is reacted with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst containing ruthenium metal as shown in the following reaction scheme.
in which
R, X and n are the same as defined above.
The catalyst used in the method for producing an xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone according to the present invention is a catalyst containing ruthenium. It may be any of ruthenium-containing compounds known in the art. In particular, it may be preferably selected from the group consisting of Ru3(CO)12, [RuCl2(CO3)2], RuCl2(PPh3)3 and Cp2Ru, most preferably Ru3(CO)12.
The used amount of ruthenium-containing catalyst may vary in a range of a commonly used catalytic amount and the specific amount depends on a type of the used ruthenium-containing catalyst. In general, it may be used preferably in about 0.1 to 10 mol % and particularly in about 1 to 3 mol %. The amount of the catalyst may be determined considering yield range and economic factors.
Carbon monoxide which is reacted with an alene compound of the formula (I) may be provided under conditions of high pressure. The specific pressure condition may be determined considering used reaction apparatus and equipments. In general, it may be preferably supplied at a pressure of about 10 to 30 atm.
The ruthenium catalytic reaction according to the present invention may be performed in the presence of an organic solvent. Any of organic solvents known to be usable in the production of xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactone or in the ruthenium catalytic reaction can be used in the reaction in the present invention. Preferably, the solvent may be selected from the group consisting of dioxane, toluene and dimethyl formamide (DMF), particularly dioxane. Also, the ruthenium catalytic reaction according to the present invention may be performed at a temperature of about 100 to 150 for a suitable reaction time according to conditions of the used solvents, preferably for about 6 to 18 hours. The specific reaction time will be varied with amounts of the reacting compounds and other reaction conditions.

Production method of xcex1-methylene-xcex3-butyrolactones


A wireless communication apparatus mounted on a mobile body includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is configured to transmit position information indicating a position to which the mobile body is scheduled to move, to a server apparatus. The receiver is configured to receive communication quality information indicating a communication quality corresponding to the position, from the server apparatus. The transmitter is configured to transmit the date at a communication position specified based on the communication quality information.

In recent years, the demand for services utilizing big data has been increasing. In particular, in the field of automobiles, various data indicating the behavior of automobiles and the internal and external conditions of automobiles acquired by sensors mounted on automobiles are collected and used for safe driving of automobiles and automatic driving technology.
The data used for big data is transmitted to an information collecting apparatus installed outside the vehicle using an in-vehicle wireless communication apparatus mounted on the vehicle.

Wireless communication apparatus and server apparatus


A computer-implemented method for managing references in deduplicating data systems may include (1) identifying a first instance of a data segment stored within a deduplicating data system that reduces redundant data storage by storing at least two data objects such that each of the two data objects references the first instance of the data segment, (2) identifying an additional data object to be stored by the deduplicating data system that includes the data segment, (3) determining whether a reference limit associated with the first instance of the data segment has been reached, and (4) storing, based at least in part on determining that the reference limit associated with the first instance of the data segment has been reached, a second instance of the data segment within the deduplicating data system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Deduplicating data systems are often able to reduce the amount of storage space needed to store files by recognizing redundant data patterns. For example, a conventional deduplicating data system may reduce the amount of storage space needed to store similar files by dividing the files into data segments and storing only unique data segments. In this example, each deduplicated file stored within the deduplicating data system may be represented by a list of references to those data segments that make up the file.
While conventional deduplicating data systems may reduce the storage space required to store files, the mechanisms used by such conventional systems to manage deduplicated data may present unwanted limitations. For example, the storage space of a conventional deduplicating data system may become fragmented over time as a result of data segments becoming unreferenced and deleted at different rates. Moreover, because many files may reference the same data segments, many files stored within a deduplicating data system may become corrupt when certain data segments become corrupt. Accordingly, the instant disclosure addresses a need for additional and improved systems and methods for managing references in deduplicating data systems.

Systems and methods for managing references in deduplicating data systems


An interconnecting apparatus for interconnecting a pilot station of an aircraft to at least one aircraft zone includes a device for communicating between the pilot station and the aircraft zone. The aircraft zone includes a device permitting a person present in the aircraft zone to identify themselves and a display device indicating a functional status of the aircraft. The pilot station includes a display device indicating a location of each person being identified in the aircraft zone.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for interconnecting a pilot station to at least one other aircraft zone. It also relates to an aircraft cockpit and to an aircraft equipped with such an interconnecting apparatus.
II. Description of Related Art
A cockpit of the aircraft serves to house the technical crew of this aircraft during the different phases of the flight. In general, this term is synonymous with pilot station. Here, however, another zone such as a private lavatory or a rest zone can be integrated in an original manner into the cockpit. What is referred to as pilot station then is the portion of the cockpit reserved for flying the aircraft. The pilot station is therefore provided, for example, with seats to accommodate the pilots during the phases of the flight as well as aircraft control means, monitoring screens, etc.
In the area of commercial transportation of passengers, the large aircraft are designed to be flown by two pilots. Such an obligation is applicable to the majority of aircraft of this type, and, except for reasons of paramount necessity, two pilots must be continuously present in their seats not only to accomplish their routine tasks but also to be ready to intervene in any emergency situations that necessitate the intervention of two pilots.
In addition, the working time of the pilots during a flight is regulated. Thus, during very long flights lasting more than ten hours or so, a relief pilot must be available. It is therefore common for three or four pilots to participate in the same flight.
It is noted in addition that a pilot may have to visit the lavatory even when he is at the controls of the aircraft. This is tolerated to the extent that the absence of the pilot is of short duration and, of course, the other pilot remains at the controls, ready to deal with any situation that could transpire.
The pilots are also required to communicate with the commercial crew on board the aircraft. These communications take place before and after the flight for technical and administrative coordination concerning the flight. This is generally done in person. During the flight, communications between the pilots and the commercial crew take place in order to deal with the successive sequences of the flight either by a general intercom for passing on general messages or by private intercom or else even directly in person.

Apparatus for interconnecting a pilot station to at least one other aircraft zone, cockpit and aircraft equipped with such an apparatus


An electronic design automation (EDA) tool alters a user's netlist to provide timing success for distribution of asynchronous signals. Distribution networks are used with the addition of pipeline registers before and/or after the distribution buffer. Or, a tree of pipeline registers is inserted between the asynchronous source and the destination registers. Or, any number of distribution networks are stitched together and pipeline stages may be inserted before and/or after each distribution buffer. Or, beneficial skew is utilized by introducing a delay component that skews a clock signal. The skewed clock signal drives a pipeline register that is inserted before a distribution buffer in order to improve timing margin. Any of various compilation techniques may be used within the EDA tool to solve the problem of distributing high-speed, high-fanout asynchronous signals. The technique has utility for high-performance FPGAs and structured ASIC families, as well as for low-cost FPGAs and other types of logic devices.

Various electronic design automation (EDA) tools are useful for automating the processes by which integrated circuits, multi-chip modules, boards, etc., are designed and manufactured. In particular, electronic design automation tools are useful in the design of standard integrated circuits, custom integrated circuits (e.g., ASICs), and in the design of custom configurations for programmable integrated circuits. Integrated circuits that may be programmable by a customer to produce a custom design for that customer include programmable logic devices (PLDs). Programmable logic devices refer to any integrated circuit that may be programmed to perform a desired function and include programmable logic arrays (PLAs), programmable array logic (PAL), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and a wide variety of other logic and memory devices that may be programmed.
As the performance requirements on FPGA designs increase (for example), it becomes increasingly difficult to distribute high-fanout signals across the chip within a single clock cycle. One of the most common high-fanout signals used in modern FPGA designs is a chip-wide asynchronous reset signal. In order to ensure proper device operation, it is important for this signal to arrive at all destination registers within the same clock cycle. This design requirement is often verified through a recovery and removal analysis performed by a timing analyzer, which is commonly implemented in many EDA tools.
For low-speed and medium-speed designs, the user has two viable options for effectively distributing an asynchronous signal: 1) use a low-skew distribution network that reaches all of, or a subset of, the target device (subsequently referred to by the terms chip-wide distribution network and distribution network, respectively) or 2) select routing resources to connect the asynchronous signal to all of its destinations (e.g., R4, R24, C4, and/or C16 resources in an Altera Stratix™ device). For sufficiently high-speed designs, neither of these options can be used to distribute the signal quickly enough to meet the timing requirement imposed on the asynchronous signal. In other words, traditional placement and routing techniques can result in failed circuit timing. Forcing the user to manually alter his or her design to satisfy this timing requirement is cumbersome and potentially sub-optimal. Therefore, a technique for distributing asynchronous signals within a logic design is desirable, such that aggressive timing requirements imposed on these signals are satisfied.

Automatic asynchronous signal pipelining


A method and apparatus for a four-wheel drive motor vehicle provides improved cornering by disengaging drive torque to the inside rear wheel during significant steering maneuvers. The apparatus includes a primary front wheel drive motor vehicle driveline having a center differential which provides drive energy to the primary (front) driveline and secondary (rear) driveline and a rear axle assembly having a pair of normally engaged (active) clutches which provide drive energy to the respective rear wheels. A steering angle sensor detects angular displacement of the steering column or front (steering) wheels and an associated controller disengages the clutch associated with the rear wheel on the inside of the turn as determined by the steering angle sensor.

The invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for controlling torque delivery in a motor vehicle in response to steering angle and more particularly to a method and apparatus for independently controlling rear axle clutch activity and torque delivery to the rear wheels of a four-wheel drive motor vehicle in response to the angle at the front (steering) wheels.
Extensive effort has been directed to many aspects of vehicle control and performance in vehicles equipped with adaptive four-wheel drive systems. Since the opportunity exists in vehicles equipped with four-wheel drive systems to monitor and control torque application to all four vehicle wheels rather than simply two wheels, as in many vehicles, the opportunity to significantly enhance the performance and performance characteristics of such vehicles also exists.
Many patented systems address and exploit the capabilities of four-wheel drive systems in manners intended to, for example, provide skid control, provide optimum acceleration and deceleration, or provide maximum acceleration and deceleration subject to maintaining vehicle control.
In addition to skid or slip sensing and control, a recent area of patent activity can be characterized as control of vehicle yaw, that is, motion of the vehicle about its Z or center, vertical axis.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,059 teaches a four-wheel drive vehicle control system having a steering angle sensor and a clutch disposed across a rear differential. The clutch inhibits differentiation in response to sensed vehicle speed, steering angle and longitudinal and lateral acceleration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,893 discloses a four-wheel drive system for a vehicle such as a tractor wherein a front differential drives left and right front wheels and torque is supplied to the rear wheels through individual clutches.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,033 teaches a process for controlling yaw in a motor vehicle through the generation of mutually exclusive braking and driving forces on the left and right wheels of a vehicle.
Another four-wheel drive system appears in U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,614 which discloses a four-wheel drive system having a center differential with a differentiation inhibiting device disposed across the differential and a second differential at the primary axle which also has a differentiation inhibiting clutch disposed thereacross. The system also includes a turn sensor and means for adjusting the extent of differentiation inhibition depending upon the speed difference between the right and left main drive wheels.
From the foregoing survey of patents directed to motor vehicle yaw control, it is apparent that improvements to the subject art are desirable.

Steering angle control of independent rear clutches in a four-wheel drive vehicle


The automated cage cleaning system is comprised of a pair of robotic arms, a soil side robot and a clean side robot. The soil side robot is utilized for removing the dirty cage bottoms from a cart, rack, pallet, or fixture, emptying soiled bedding from the cage bottoms, and placing the cage bottoms on a conveyer leading to the tunnel washing equipment. The clean side robot is used to grip the clean cage bottoms, and place the cage bottoms on a cart, rack, pallet, or fixture. Additionally, the present invention comprises an optical arranger robot with vision processing for detecting, and moving skewed cage bottoms to a re-grip station. From the re-grip station, the clean side robot places the cage bottoms on a rack, pallet, fixture, or any other device suitable for holding a plurality of cage bottoms.

A conventional cage system for holding small laboratory animals is typically a three piece assembly having a clear plastic bottom, a grill for holding food and water, and a lid that attaches to the bottom and holds the grill in place. Additionally, a suitable bedding material, such as cedar shavings, is added to the bottom portion of the cage assembly to absorb animal waste and spilled food.
While in use the bedding becomes soiled, thereby necessitating the need for frequent cleaning of the cages. The cleaning process requires disassembly of the cage, removal of the soiled bedding from the bottom portion, washing, and drying the cage elements. Furthermore, upon completion of the aforementioned steps, clean bedding is added to the cage.
Robotic arms are known to assist laboratory personnel with this process. Currently, after the cages are disassembled, robotic arms remove the soiled cage bottoms from a cart, invert the cage bottoms to thereby empty the contents (soiled bedding material), and place the empty/soiled cage bottoms in an appropriate position on a conveyer. The conveyer then advances the cage bottoms through a chamber or tunnel wash system, wherein the cage bottoms are cleaned by a suitable process, usually involving high pressure streaming water. Furthermore, a drying process is typically accomplished by subjecting the cleaned, yet wet cage bottoms to high velocity heated air. The other cage components, such as the grill and lid, may be cleaned in a similar manner.
Upon completion of the cleaning process, an automated device, such as an additional robotic arm, removes the cage bottoms from the conveyer and adds clean bedding. The cages are then reassembled and stacked on a cart where they may be returned to service.
Due to the extreme force of the streaming water required to clean the cage bottoms, the high velocity air required for drying, and the transfer of components between conveyers, the cage bottoms become skewed on the conveyer. The unpredictable arrangement of the skewed cage bottoms complicates automated removal of the cage bottoms from the conveyer. Robotic arms currently require the cage bottoms to be in a specific predetermined location. Because of the turbulent conditions of the process described above, the robotic arm can not efficiently remove the cage bottoms from the conveyer.
Additionally, robotic arms currently used in cage cleaning systems have bases that are fixedly mounted to the ground. Generally, the base of a first robotic arm is fixedly mounted to the ground in an area designated for receiving the soiled cage components, and the base of a second robotic arm is fixedly mounted to the ground in an area designated for removing and assembling cages that have proceeded through the cleaning process. Because the base of the robotic arm is fixedly mounted to the ground, the area serviced by the robotic arm is limited to the area about the base. Furthermore, this configuration strictly limits the positioning of equipment accessed by the robotic arm, and thereby limits options in designing cage cleaning facilities.
Therefore, what is needed in the art is a cage cleaning apparatus and method that serves to reduce the repetitive steps associated with loading and unloading cage components on tunnel type cage washing systems.
Furthermore, what is needed in the art is an apparatus and method for cleaning cages that serves to limit human exposure to potentially harmful substances.
Moreover, what is needed in the art is an apparatus and method of cleaning cages that addresses the problems associated with the handling of skewed cage bottoms exiting the tunnel wash system.
Even further, what is needed in the art is an apparatus and method for cleaning cage components that utilizes a robotic arm that is more versatile and can service a greater area.

Automated cage cleaning apparatus and method


A composite, long wearing, slip-resistant non-metal golf cleat that alleviates damage to grass, e.g., the surface of a golf green, yet provides traction similar to conventional metal spikes is disclosed. The cleat provides a slightly higher, rounded, softer center core or tip which provides a measure of slip-resistance when walking on most hard, smooth dry surfaces and a firmer disk portion having multiple wing-shaped extensions to provide traction on turf surrounds the softer center.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleat for an athletic shoe that provides both traction on greens and on hard smooth surfaces in a substantially non-penetrating manner, and particularly to a non-metal cleat having dual traction elements of different hardness including a center region that is less dense than the surrounding portion of the cleat.
2. Background
Spikes or cleats for athletic shoes have long been used to provide traction in dirt and grass. Such spikes or cleats typically have been made of metal or other relatively hard materials. However, various structures for cleats have been suggested including cleats having a hard metal center surrounded by an elastomeric material.
It was often found when using non-metal cleats on athletic surfaces, particularly artificial turf, that the cleats of an athletic shoe would be subject to increased wear do to the harder surface. In order to combat such wear, cleats were made with a harder insert supported by a relatively softer cleat body. Flemming (U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,796) discloses one such example of such an arrangement. In this arrangement, a relatively stiff elastic cleat body holds a ceramic insert. In this manner, the ceramic portion, which is relatively very hard, makes contact with the playing surface, while the supporting stiff elastic cleat body allows for flexibility and therefore less stressful dynamic loading of the athlete's foot.
Flemming's cleat, however, does not solve a problem often encountered by golfers. That is the need to walk not just over greens, but also over smooth hard surfaces peripheral to the playing area. Like traditional metal cleats, on a hard smooth surface, the Flemming cleat provides little traction and also does not address the additional problems of scratching the surfaces that are walked on, which in some areas peripheral to a golf course is of some concern.
A further problem is pointed out by Deacon et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,129). In the winter months, present day golfers are frequently not allowed to wear penetrating cleats so as not to damage the grass on the course. Deacon proposes a non-metal disk-shaped winter cleat insert for a pair of golfing shoes in order to replace the conventional metal spikes that provide traction on turf without penetrating or damaging the grass. These inserts, however, are not designed for walking on hard surfaces, and doing so wears rapidly on the radial gripping ridges and decreases traction during a golf swing.
Thus, improvements in cleats for athletic shoes, and particularly for golf shoes, are still being sought.


Methods and apparatus for control of the quality of films deposited via physical vapor deposition are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of depositing a film using linear scan physical vapor deposition includes: determining a deposition rate of a material to be deposited on a substrate in a linear scan physical vapor deposition process; calculating a scan rate of the substrate to achieve deposition of the material to a desired thickness in a single pass when deposited at the deposition rate; and performing the linear scan physical vapor deposition process while moving the substrate at the calculated scan rate.

The inventors have provided methods and apparatus for depositing materials via physical vapor deposition (PVD) of materials at a low angle to the substrate (as compared to about 90 degrees to the surface of the substrate). For example, material to be deposited may be provided in a stream of material flux from a PVD source that is provided at a non-normal angle to the substrate. The substrate is scanned, or moved through the stream of material flux to deposit material on the substrate. The substrate may be scanned once or multiple times to deposit material to a final thickness. The inventors have discovered that control over the deposition process can be advantageously used to control the quality of the film being deposited.
Accordingly, the inventors have provided improved methods depositing materials via physical vapor deposition.

Film quality control in a linear scan physical vapor deposition process


The invention provides methods for diagnosing B-cell lymphoma in an animal. In particular, the invention provides methods for distinguishing an animal having diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with an activated B-cell (ABC) phenotype from an animal having DLBCL with a non-activated germinal-center (GC) phenotype. The invention also provides methods for identifying compounds for treating B-cell lymphoma. The invention further provides reagents and methods for determining the amount of miR-155 in sample isolated from an animal. In this regard, the invention provides a set of oligonucleotides for determining the amount of miR-155 in sample isolated from an animal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods for diagnosing B-cell lymphoma in an animal. In particular, the invention relates to methods for distinguishing an animal having diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with an activated B-cell (ABC) phenotype from an animal having DLBCL with a non-activated germinal-center (GC) phenotype. The invention also relates to methods for identifying compounds for treating B-cell lymphoma. The invention further relates to reagents and methods for determining the amount of miR-155 in sample isolated from an animal. In this regard, the invention relates to a set of oligonucleotides for determining the amount of miR-155 in sample isolated from an animal.
2. Background of the Invention
Inappropriate expression of proto-oncogenes or inactivation of tumor supressor genes can contribute to cancer. One example is the BIC gene, which was originally identified as a common site for insertion of pro-viral DNA in avian leukosis virus (ALV)-induced lymphomas (Tam et al., 1997, Mol. Cell. Biol. 17:1490-502; Clurman et al., 1989, Mol. Cell. Biol. 9:2657-64). Activation of the BIC gene can accelerate the pathogenesis of lymphomas and leukemias that are associated with up-regulation of c-MYC, showing that BIC functions in the etiology of these diseases (Tam et al., 2002, J. Virol. 76:4275-86). Expression of BIC RNA is low in normal lymphoid tissues, but elevated in Hodgkin and children's Burkitt lymphoma and in in vitro activated B- and T-cells (Haasch et al., 2002, Cell. Immunol. 217:78-86; Metzler et al., 2004, Genes Chromosomes Cancer 39:167-69; van den Berg et al., Genes Chromosomes Cancer 37:20-28).
Avian, murine, and human BIC RNA is a spliced and polyadenylated transcript that is approximately 1.7 kb in length (including the poly A tail) and is presumably generated by RNA polymerase II. Because BIC transcripts lack long open reading frames (ORFs), and their short, putative ORFs are not conserved, it has been suggested that BIC RNA functions as a non-protein-coding RNA (Tam, 2001, Gene 274:157-67). Recently, a mouse microRNA (miRNA) molecule, designated miR-155 (Lagos-Quintana et al., 2002, Curr. Biol. 12:735-39), was found to be encoded within the only phylogenetically conserved region of BIC RNA (Id.). Typically, miRNAs are ˜22 nucleotide long molecules that function in post-transcriptional down-regulation of gene expression in plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates (Bartel, 2004, Cell 116:281-97; He et al., 2004, Nat. Rev. Genet. 5:522-31; Pasquinelli, 2002, Trends Genet. 18:171-73). Thus, miR-155 could be responsible for the oncogenic activity attributed to BIC RNA, inter alia, by down-regulating tumor suppressor gene transcription.
In animal cells, endogenous miRNAs are produced from primary RNA polymerase II transcripts (i.e., pri-miRNAs) by sequential processing in the nucleus and cytoplasm (Cullen, 2004, Mol. Cell. 16:861-65). Nuclear precursor RNAs are cleaved by the endonuclease Drosha in a "microprocessor complex," releasing pre-miRNAs, which are short 60-70 nucleotide imperfect hairpin structures. After transport to the cytoplasm by exportin-5, pre-miRNAs are processed by the endonuclease DICER, generating ˜22 nucleotide duplexes, one strand of which is the mature miRNA. The conserved region of BIC RNA encoding miR-155 can form an imperfect hairpin structure (Tam, 2001, supra), suggesting that miR-155 is generated by this pathway (FIG. 1).
Changes in the levels of miRNAs may alter control of growth or apoptosis in some cancers (McManus, 2003, Semin. Cancer Biol. 13:253-58; Xu et al., 2004, Trends Genet. 20:617-24). Reductions in the levels of miR-15a plus miR-16, let-7a, and miR-143 plus miR-145 have been reported in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) (Calin et al., 2002, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 99:15524-29), lung cancer (Takamizawa et al., 2004, Cancer Res. 64:3753-56), and colon carcinoma (Michael et al., 2003, Mol. Cancer Res. 1:882-91), respectively. Although BIC RNA is up-regulated in some human lymphomas (Metzler et al., 2004, supra; van den Berg et al., 2003, supra), very little is known about the levels of miR-155 in these cancers.
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), an aggressive B-cell neoplasm accounting for 30-40% of all lymphoma cases (The Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Classification Project, 1997, Blood 89:3909-18), can be categorized immunohistochemically into groups with significantly different clinical outcomes (Chang et al., 2004, Am. J. Surg. Pathol. 28:464-70). The prognosis is poorer for patients having DLBCL with an activated B-cell (ABC) phenotype than a non-activated germinal-center (GC) phenotype. So far, a relationship has not been examined between miR-155 and BIC RNA levels and the phenotypes of this most frequent of all lymphoid neoplasms.
Thus, there is a need in the art for methods for diagnosing B-cell lymphoma in patients. In addition, there is a need in the art for methods for distinguishing individuals having DLBCL with an ABC phenotype from individuals having DLBCL with a GC phenotype. Such methods would be particularly useful in situations where conventional histologic and immunophenotypic methods cannot provide an accurate diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma, and in particular, DLBCL with an ABC phenotype. Such methods would also be useful in determining suitable courses of therapy for treating patients having B-cell lymphoma, and in particular, DLBCL with an ABC phenotype. Therefore, the development of such diagnostic methods would have wide application in the medical arts.


A system comprises a first communication device and a second communication device. The first communication device is arranged to communicate with the second communication device via a communication network using a first communication protocol. The first communication device is arranged to send a message to the second communication device via the communication network using the first communication protocol. The message is designed for a second communication protocol. The second communication device is arranged to send the message to a third communication device. The third communication device is being arranged to understand the second communication protocol.

The ETSI (European Telecommunication Standards Institute) GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) 3.48 (or 3.40) standard defines the commands required to administrate remotely the files and applications resident on a SIM card. The underlying communication channel is the SMS (Short Message)
The 3.48 standard also specifies the security protocols to be used for such messages.
When installing applications on a Smart card in a reader, keys are distributed to the local PC to allow the key presentation to the card.

Applet download in a communication system


A highly compact, light weight automated luminaire is disclosed having a head unit mounted on a support structure which provides pan and tilt of the head unit. The latter includes beam controlling optics providing precise control over beam parameters including color. Groups of the instruments are remotely controlled from a digital controller such as a PC connected by cable or a wireless link to the instruments. The lights each include processors for processing comands from the digital controller. By reason of its light weight and compactness, the luminaire is suitable for many applications barred to conventional automated lighting fixtures.

Dramatic lighting effects, once the exclusive province of theatrical venues has increasingly expanded to other sites. Expectations have grown in architectural lighting, in the illumination of displays and in other settings for a wide range of lighting moods and effects, both static and dynamic.
Remarkable advances in stage and tour lighting have been made over the past decade, exemplified by automated luminaires such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,392,187; 4,602,321; 4,980,806; 5,073,847 and 5,186,536 (incorporated herein by reference along with the design applications of Timothy D. Stacey et al. assigned to the assignee of this application and filed concurrently herewith.
Indeed, luminaires embodying these advances have recently been honored with Emmy awards.
As the capabilities of these systems grew, so grew the applicability of their effects and the demand for their use. Low cost, compact and user-friendly luminaires that possess the powerful features of entertainment lighting, and support wide application, would enable expansion from the theatrical arena into the architectural and other fields.
Thus, it would be highly desirable to make the lighting effects created by theatrical instruments accessible to other applications, and indeed to any other environment which can be enhanced by creative lighting effects. However, a number of obstacles confront this endeavor. Automated luminaires are relatively large and for that reason are not suited for many applications. They are heavy as well, again limiting their utility in environments where only lighter objects can safely be mounted.
Installation, operation and service demands also create obstacles in applications where the requisite skills and/or resources are not available.
Finally, cost is a formidable factor which bars the current technology from many areas. Luminaires cost many thousands of dollars, putting them beyond the reach of many users who could otherwise exploit their impressive effects.


A vegetation pruning device (2) includes a pair (4,6) of pivotally coupled arms. A motor bracket (36) with a rotary output drive (34) provides drive to a cutting element (8) which is coupled to the rotary output drive (34). The cutting element (8) is arranged for cutting vegetation (44) presented thereto.

There are a considerable array of tools available for the modern gardener in order to be able to keep growth of vegetation under control. The term "gardener" is meant not only to encompass small domestic concerns, but also larger more agricultural endeavours. Whatever the nature of the gardening, however, there will be a need to control the rate of growth of vegetation for either aesthetic or other purposes such as crop yields etc.
Among the many tools available for keeping vegetation growth under control are, for example, shears for pruning or cutting "light" vegetation such as grass or leaves or small twigs etc. Shears operate by pivoting a pair of blades located in parallel planes relative to each other so that shear forces are applied to vegetation placed in the angle between the blades, the cutting force being generated by manual force of the user, applied to handles attached to the blades. The size or thickness of vegetation which can be cut by shears is limited to the amount of manual force which can reasonably be applied to the handles by the average user. Known shears also suffer from the disadvantage that the act of pivoting the arms of the shears relative to each other to effect cutting tends to push vegetation being cut away from the gap between the blades of the shears, which makes the it more difficult tot effect cutting of the vegetation.
At the other end of the scale there are hedge trimmers and the so-called chain saw used for "heavy" vegetation cutting such as trees (whether smaller branches or the entire tree).
Additionally there are smaller-scale tools such as secateurs or scissors used for more delicate pruning or cutting operations.
In any event it will be appreciated that the modern gardener will more usually choose a tool specific to the particular type of pruning operation required. For example, and with reference to the above, when light pruning is necessary of, for example, domestic flowers, then the secateurs are likely to be chosen. Alternatively if bushes are to be pruned, or grass is to be cut, then shears will often be chosen.
There exists, however, a gap in the tool array when moving from "light" bushes to "heavy" trees. Very often vegetation will be of such a size and nature (such as larger bushes or small trees) which are either of a density or branch diameter too large for shears or hedge trimmers to cope with but for which use of the chain saw is unnecessarily excessive.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a vegetation pruning device which at least alleviates the above shortcomings by providing a novel form of tool which fits nicely in this gap. Provision of such a tool provides a compact and safe arrangement whereby pruning of the "heavier" vegetation is possible without the need to resort to the aggressive and particularly dangerous tool such as a chain saw.
A known type of chain saw is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,012 and has a guard pivotable relative to a blade of the chain saw and located in a plane parallel to the plane of the chain saw blade, to enable the blade to either be inserted beneath a log to be sawn, to reduce the tendency of the sawn piece of log to pinch the chain saw blade, or to grasp small branches to be sawn and force them into the chain saw. The chain saw has a first handle arranged on the chain saw body, and a second handle connected to the guard, so that the guard can be pivoted relative to the chain saw blade by pivoting the handles relative to each other.
However, this arrangement suffers from a number of drawbacks. Firstly, the handles of the chain saw of U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,012 are arranged along axes generally perpendicular to each other, and perpendicular to the axis about which the guard pivots relative to the chain saw blade. As a result, when the chain saw is in use, a user's wrists face directions generally perpendicular to each other, which results in sidewards twisting torque being applied to the chain saw. This reduces the amount of control the user has over the chain saw, which makes it significantly more difficult to cut accurately and safely with the chainsaw. This drawback is exacerbated when a gripping force is applied to the guard to grip a branch being sawn between the guard and the chain saw blade. In addition, the first handle of the arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,012 is generally in the same plane as the chain saw guard, whereas the second handle is spaced from the plane of the guard in the direction of the pivot axis. This also exacerbates the extent to which sideward twisting torque is applied to the chain saw when in use, which causes undesirable reduction in control of the chain saw.
Devices for adjusting the tension of a chain saw when the chain becomes slack through wear are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,879 discloses a chain saw in which a cutting chain is supported on a guide bar and driven around the guide bar by means of a drive sprocket located on the chain saw housing and is driven around an idler sprocket located on the guide bar. The guide bar is releasably held in position relative to the housing by means of cooperating friction surfaces on a locking plate mounted on the guide bar and a cover plate located between the guide bar and a cover assembly, such that when the cooperating friction surfaces are in their released condition, a tensioner pin is caused by a cam biased by means of a torsion spring urges the guide bar away from the housing so that the drive and idler sprockets are urged apart to keep the chain taut.
This arrangement suffers from the drawback that the use of a cam and torsion spring makes the chain saw more complicated and therefore more expensive to construct.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Disclosed herein is a game apparatus for facilitating a gameplay, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the game apparatus may include a base member, a support member, and a game board. Further, the support member coupled to the base member. Further, the support member may include a first support member end and a second support member end. Further, the first support member end may be attached to the base member. Further, the support member may be configured for extending between positions in relation to the base member. Further, the game board may be rotatably coupled with the second support member end. Further, the game board may be configured for rotating about a board axis between first board positions. Further, the support member may be configured for elevating the game board to board positions in relation to the surface based on the extending of the support member between the positions.

Existing game apparatuses for facilitating a gameplay are deficient with regard to several aspects. For instance, current game apparatuses do not allow players to adjust the height of a playing board. Furthermore, current game apparatuses do not allow players to simultaneously play on a top and bottom surface of a single playing board. Moreover, current game apparatuses do not allow a player to adjust the orientation of a playing board.
Therefore, there is a need for improved game apparatus for facilitating a gameplay that may overcome one or more of the above-mentioned problems and/or limitations.

Game apparatus for facilitating a gameplay


A weed enclosure device has a main body with a first enclosure half hingedly connected to a second enclosure half. Each of the first enclosure half and the second enclosure half may be movable about a hinge between a closed position and an opened position. The main body may have a top end and a bottom end. A first aperture may be formed in the top end of the main body. A second aperture may be formed in the bottom end of the main body. At least one divider may be disposed in the main body. The divider may have a plurality of flexible holders.

The concept of chemical destruction of obnoxious weeds is well known in the art. Typically, an herbicide is sprayed on the leaves and stem of a weed to kill it. Oftentimes, weeds with deep roots require repeated applications of the herbicide before they die. This can lead to large expenditures for herbicides, as well as excessive herbicide use that could be destructive to neighboring plants.
Another difficulty with traditionally applied herbicides is that rain can wash the herbicide off the leaves and stem of the plant before the herbicide can penetrate into and destroy the plant. Depending upon the type of herbicide, this could have damaging effects upon the surrounding plants.
One of the most common methods of killing weeds is to spray the leaves of the plant with an herbicide. In order to enhance the effectiveness of the herbicide and to prevent destruction of useful plants around the weed, one can place a shroud or some confinement member over the plant.
Another method of killing weeds is to attempt to dig weeds out, root and all, but this method is undesirable because this requires a great deal of manual labor and a user may not remove all of the weed, allowing for regrowth.
There is a continuing need for a device that allows a user to selectively treat a weed with chemicals without affecting nearby vegetation. Desirably, the device requires minimal manual labor.


The analysis of the lifetime of objects in a garbage-collected system may be accomplished quickly and effectively using reference counts and cyclic garbage analysis. A reference count is maintained for each of the objects to indicate the number of incoming pointers. Each time the graph structure is altered, the reference counts are updated. Timestamps are recorded each time the reference count for objects change. If a reference count goes to zero, the corresponding object may be indicated as dead. A garbage collection need only be run once (perhaps at the end), and after it is run the system may indicate which objects are cyclic garbage. The timestamps for objects which are cyclic garbage are then reviewed in reverse chronological order. For each timestamp found, the corresponding object and any object reachable from the corresponding object are indicated as dead. These objects are then removed from the set of cyclic garbage.

In computer science, garbage collection refers to the recovery of pooled computer storage that is being used by a program when that program no longer needs the storage. The garbage collection routine searches memory for data that are no longer active in order to reclaim the space. This frees the storage for use by other programs (or processes within a program). It also ensures that a program using increasing amounts of pooled storage does not reach a quota.
Garbage collection routines are typically encoded when a program is created. In some cases, the routines may even be embedded into hardware or flash memory. Thus, it is increasingly important to verify that the most efficient and accurate garbage collection routines are found before they are implemented, as modification after implementation may be difficult or impossible. Since different programs have different optimal garbage collection routines, it is important to test garbage collection techniques on specific programs before implementation.
Performance analysis of the garbage collection technique during creation or fine-tuning allows the developer to test the efficiency and accuracy of the technique. Typically, the lifetime of the objects is measured by forcing a complete garbage collection after each mutation of the object graph. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an object graph. Roots 100, 102 may point to objects 104, 106. Each time the object graph changes, there is the potential that one or more of the objects may "die". An object is considered dead if it is no longer reachable from a root. Forcing a garbage collection after each mutation fully updates the system, thus information on when an object dies can easily be recorded.
Additionally, it is often useful to have precise lifetime information in order to analyze the program itself, such as by providing a histogram of the lifetimes of various objects within the program.
However, measuring the lifetime of each object in this manner is fairly processor-intensive. The time it takes to run a garbage collection grows in proportion to the size of the object graph. In order to avoid this overhead, it is typical to only force a garbage collection periodically, for example after every thousand mutations. However, there is significant loss in precision in the lifetime analysis when this periodic measurement is undertaken.
What is needed is a solution for effectively and efficiently computing precise object lifetimes.

Fast lifetime analysis of objects in a garbage collected system


The inventive method uses the ultrasound Doppler method (UVP) in order to determine a local velocity profile perpendicular to a line for a fluid which flows through said line, carrying suspended or emulsified particles. The wall shear stress of said fluid is measured locally within the range of said local velocity profile. Specific rheological parameters of the flowing fluid thus examined, e.g. viscosity function (shear viscosity), flow limit etc., can be determined from the local velocity profile and the local wall shear stress associated therewith. A suitable model is adapted by iteratively adapting a model-based theoretic velocity profile to a measured velocity profile.

This invention relates to a method and device for determining the rheological parameters of a flowing fluid, in particular of a suspension or an emulsion.
Similar methods and devices are already known. The ultrasound Doppler method is here used to determine a local velocity profile perpendicular to a line for the fluid that flows through a flow channel and carries suspended or emulsified particles. In addition, the static pressure is measured upstream and downstream from the area of the determined local velocity profile to determine a pressure difference along the direction of flow in the area of the local velocity profile. The velocity profile and the associated pressure difference profile can then be used to determine specific rheological parameters of the examined flowing fluid, e.g., the viscosity function (shear viscosity), yield point, etc.
This combination of ultrasound Doppler method (UVP, ultrasound velocity profiling) and pressure difference determination (PD, pressure difference), referred to by experts as UVP-PD for short, has been described in numerous publications in different variants, always with slight modifications.
The article "Velocity profile measurement by ultrasound Doppler shift method" by Y. Takeda in the International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow", Vol. 7, No. 4, December 1986, confirms the suitability of the UVP method for determining a one-dimensional velocity profile in tubules or blood vessels only several millimeters in diameter.
The "Rheological Study of Non-Newtonian Fluids" by E. Windhab, B. Ouriev, T. Wagner and M. Drost, 1.sup.st International Symposium on Ultrasonic Doppler Methods for Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Engineering, September 1996 describes the aforementioned UWP-PD method.
"Ultrasound Doppler Based In-Line Rheometry of Highly Concentrated Suspensions" by B. Ouriev, Diss. ETH No. 13523, Zurich 2000, contains an extensive description of the theoretical and equipment-related principles of the UVP-PD method along with its application in drag shear flows and pressure shear flows, in particular of model suspensions or given rheological fluids, e.g., during the manufacture of chocolate or pasta products. This publication deals with both laminar and turbulent flows.
The UVP-PD method described here yields good results for different kinds of velocity profiles and for the rheological parameters to be determined for the examined fluids. However, the two spaced apart measuring points are always required for measuring the pressure upstream and downstream from the determined velocity profile. While use can today be made of slightly intrusive miniaturized ultrasound transceivers, ultrasound measuring transducers and pressure sensors, the distance between the two pressure measuring points always required upstream and downstream from the acquired local velocity profile for reasons of measuring accuracy already places limits on a further "compacting" of the UVP-PD measuring device by edging the two pressure sensors together.

Method for determining rheological parameters of a fluid


A method of multi-enterprise optimization at a buyer computer (20) includes accessing a forecasted demand for at least one item and generating one or more proposed flexible trade contracts (500, 530, 560) using the forecasted demand for the item. The proposed flexible trade contract (500, 530, 560) is communicated to a seller computer (40) and subsequently executed after acceptance of the proposed flexible trade contract (500, 530, 560) at the seller computer (40) to create a flexible trade contract (500, 530, 560). Each proposed flexible trade contract (500, 530, 560) may be a forward contract (500), an option contract (530), or a flexible forward contract (560).

Various approaches have been developed to help optimize one or more supply chain activities within an enterprise. These approaches have typically addressed only the needs of a single enterprise, rarely focusing on optimizing supply chain activities involving multiple enterprises.
Such approaches usually assume that the enterprise only considers its own needs and interests, imposing optimization rules on itself by taking into account these needs and interests. When multiple enterprises become involved in a supply chain activity, optimization rules usually must be negotiated. Previous approaches typically do not account for this, which leads to several problems. Supply-demand mismatches are more common because these approaches fail to consider the needs and interests of all the enterprises involved in the activity. Such approaches also typically result in agreements that are complex and difficult to interpret, which makes the contracts less reliable. Further, the complexity of the agreements may lead to distrust between the enterprises and misuse of the contracts. These and other deficiencies have made previous approaches increasingly inadequate for the needs of many enterprises.

Method and system for multi-enterprise optimization using flexible trade contracts


A manufacturing method of an ultrasonic generating device includes calculating performance value based on a first electromechanical coupling factor in thickness directions and a second electromechanical coupling factor in diametrical directions for each of existing piezoelectric elements, calculating, for each of temporary conditions, a temporary influence value on the basis of a deviation of temporary amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations, generated by the supply of the current having the predetermined current value, from a target amplitude in a target condition. The manufacturing method includes selecting the corresponding mounted piezoelectric element to be mounted on each of the element mounting portions from the existing piezoelectric elements so that the sum of actual influence values of all the element mounting portions is within a predetermined range with respect to the target amplitude.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic generating device configured to generate ultrasonic vibrations when supplied with a current, and an ultrasonic treatment device including the ultrasonic generating device. The present invention also relates to a manufacturing method of the ultrasonic generating device and a manufacturing method of the ultrasonic treatment device.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ultrasonic surgery device (ultrasonic treatment device) disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2010-000336 includes an ultrasonic generating device (ultrasonic vibrator unit) including an ultrasonic vibrator which formed from a plurality of piezoelectric elements, and a probe which is connected to the ultrasonic vibrator unit and which is configured to transmit ultrasonic vibrations generated in the ultrasonic vibrator (ultrasonic oscillator), the probe being configured to treat a living tissue by a treatment portion formed at a distal end portion thereof. When a predetermined constant current is supplied to the ultrasonic vibrator from a power supply unit, this ultrasonic surgery device is configured to ultrasonically vibrate the probe (treatment portion) with constant amplitude. That is, the ultrasonic vibrator is driven by constant current control, and the constant amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations in the probe (treatment portion) is maintained.

Manufacturing method of an ultrasonic generating device, and manufacturing method of an ultrasonic treatment device


A position detection system for locating an object including a magnetic field generator is disclosed. The position detection system also includes an array of parallel conductors responsive to a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator and a plurality of receivers each associated with a parallel conductor. The parallel conductors are spaced apart from one another by a substantially constant spacing. Each receiver has an associated gain, and the gains of the receivers are configured to simulate voltages induced in conductor loops of sinusoidally-varying pitch.

Non-contact position sensing finds is used in many applications, such as determining the position of an elevator in an elevator shaft, encoding the position of a stylus on a graphic tablet, and determining the positions of pieces on a game board. Examples of systems that detect the position of an object and encode its position are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,091, entitled "POSITION ENCODER" issued to Dames et al. on Sep. 29, 1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference, U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,396, entitled "DIGITAL DISPLACEMENT SENSOR WITH ZIGZAG COILS" issued to Fujiwara et al. on Jan. 25, 1977, which is hereby incorporated by reference, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,708, entitled "POSITION DETECTION USING A SPACED APART ARRAY OF MAGNETIC FIELD GENERATORS AND PLURAL SENSING LOOP CIRCUITS OFFSET FROM ONE ANOTHER IN THE MEASUREMENT DIRECTION" issued to Dames on Sep. 26, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Fujiwara describes a system using a movable element having a coil connected to an AC (alternating current) source. A stationary element, such as a tablet, has a number of windings mounted on its surface, and the windings have different periods. The position of the movable element relative to the stationary element is determined by the variation in mutual inductance between the coil and the windings. When the coil is energized, the magnitude of the current induced in a winding depends on the position of the coil relative to the winding, producing a signal that can be used by the system to determine the position of the movable element. Other systems may use different configurations of windings, but are similar in that the movable element has a coil that is energized to induce the signal in the windings of the stationary element.
Dames discloses a system comprising a support upon which a pair of phase quadrature windings is mounted. The windings are arranged to have a sinusoidal magnetic sensitivity characteristic along the length of the support. A movable element has a resonant circuit including a coil and capacitor that can magnetically couple with the windings. Excitation of the circuit induces currents in the windings that are dependent upon the position of the circuit within a period of the windings, and the system can determine the position of the movable element with respect to the support along an axis. A similar pair of windings is arranged on the support, orthogonal to the first pair of windings, to provide position detection along an axis orthogonal to the first. Thus, the system is able to detect the x-y position of the movable element with respect to the support.
However, such systems have shown limitations in the maximum size of the sensing area and the number of individual objects that can be detected simultaneously. This requires either limiting the size of the entire system or reducing the number of distinct movable objects in the system. It is also possible to construct a system using a series of adjacent sensing subsystems, but such a system would have uneven response at the junctions between subsystems, resulting in reduced accuracy and precision in detecting and encoding the positions of objects.
There exists a need, therefore, for an improved system and method for accurately detecting the position of objects in a large sensing area.


Systems and methods for estimating the amount of imaging material, such as toner, used in a printing device. In one example, a system estimates toner usage from imaging data and accounts for a “diffusion effect” caused by non-adjacent pixel groups. In certain embodiments, the system examines sets of pixel locations within a page. For example, the system may evaluate each set of eight adjacent pixel locations (i.e., a byte of information) on a page. For each pixel location set, the system determines a proximity factor that is indicative of the number of independent pixel groups within the respective pixel location set. The system then calculates a proximity value based on at least a portion of the proximity factors and uses the proximity value and a pixel count for the page to estimate a toner usage amount.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to printers and, in particular, to systems and methods for monitoring toner consumption in printing devices.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Even with the increasing use of the Internet, email and digital media, the volume of printed matter produced by businesses continues to rise. Millions of tons of imaging material, such as toner, is consumed in the United States each year. Furthermore, printing purchases make up a significant percentage of corporate expenditures, and downtime due to broken printing devices or waiting for replacements of empty toner cartridges can add to these expenses.
In view of the foregoing, several systems and methods have been developed for measuring toner consumption. Conventional methods for measuring toner consumption may be classified into two general categories. The first category of toner measurement methods utilizes a mechanical switch that monitors the physical level of the toner in the cartridge. When the toner drops below a predetermined level, the switch closes, resulting in a "low toner" signal being transmitted to a user interface of the printer or to a remote location via network protocols. A major drawback of this first category is that there is no measurement of toner consumption available to the user until the toner actually reaches a low level. For example, the user is not informed of progressive levels of consumption, such as when there is 75% or 50% of the toner remaining.
The second category of toner measurement methods utilizes a page pixel count from the image data sent to the printer. In general, the number of pixels on a particular page is an indication of the amount of toner used for that page. Such mapping of page pixel count to toner usage also allows for continuous monitoring of toner consumption and for providing a "gas gauge" of the toner to the user.
The relationship between pixel count and toner consumption, however, is not linear. Rather, due to a "diffusion effect," images having the same number of pixels, but having different positioning of pixels, consume different amounts of toner. For example, the amount of toner used to print a number of pixels that are positioned next to each other is generally less than the amount of toner used to print the same number of pixels dispersed throughout a page. To address this diffusion effect, at least one system includes logic for counting the number of pixel transitions (i.e., laser on to laser off, laser off to laser on) per scan line for a particular image. The system then uses a ratio of the transition count to the pixel count to estimate the toner consumption for the particular image.

Systems and methods for monitoring toner usage


A device and method for flash evaporating a reagent includes an evaporation chamber that houses a dome on which evaporation occurs. The dome is solid and of high thermal conductivity and mass, and may be heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize a specific reagent. The reagent is supplied from an external source to the dome through a nozzle, and may be supplied as a continuous stream, as a shower, and as discrete drops. A carrier gas may be introduced into the evaporation chamber and create a vortex flow therewithin. After evaporation, the gas vapor may be removed from the evaporation chamber through a regulating valve to a reaction chamber. Another embodiment of the invention includes a plurality of evaporating domes that separately receive reagent, and may receive reagents of differing composition.

In chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and similar processes, it may be advantageous to deliver the precursor reagent into a suitable reaction chamber, in a vapor form. The precursor is evaporated within an independent but adjacent evaporation chamber, and integrally transferred to the reaction chamber by suitable means. Inside the reaction chamber, these vapors are made to further react with heated, or ionized, chemical species and to deposit, or coat, surfaces with a thin layer (Thin Film) of material derived from these reactions. These Thin Films, depending on the nature of the material deposited, have applications in optics (i.e., anti-reflective coatings), electronics (i.e., data storage media), electrooptics (i.e., infrared detectors), mechanical (abrasion resistant coatings), electromechanics (piezoelectric and piezoresistive coatings), a and other general materials research and development areas. Particular examples of materials deposited in Thin Film form by CVD are ferroelectric materials (lead zirconate, barium strontium titanate), high temperature superconductor materials (ytrium-barium-copper oxide), dielectrics (diamond, silicon dioxide), conductors (copper, aluminum).
Among the methods of obtaining a precursor in a vapor form is that of sublimating a solid precursor material. In many instances, however, the sublimation temperature is very close to the decomposition temperature for that material, with the subsequent formation of byproducts in solid form, or which deposit as films of different structure and behavior than the originally sought for.
In other instances in which the precursor is in a liquid form, the vapors are generated by boiling the liquid and/or by passing a carrier gas through it, to carry the vapors down to the reactor. Again problems with prolonged exposure to boiling temperatures, which may be close to the decomposition temperature, arise all too often. Deposition rates are also limited to the vapor carrying capacity of the carrier gas.
A flash evaporator that provides increased temperature stability and control will be less prone to operative failures, and will provide greater consistency of results than known evaporators. Such an evaporator that besides providing a larger range of evaporation rates (thus increasing the film deposition rates), and is easy to maintain and inexpensively repaired, if necessary, will provide additional benefits. It is a purpose of the present invention to provide such an improved evaporator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,314 of Kirlin (1993) provides a method of vaporizing a reagent for CVD reactors. Kirlin provides for a foraminous vaporization structure that may have some utility for the specific compounds disclosed, but is not directly comparable with the present invention. The method of Kirlin does not describe a device (or a method) that provides the advantages of the present invention, as described hereinbelow.

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.


There is provided a water heating and storage system, including a heat-insulated main heated water storage tank for storing hot water. The storage tank consists of top, side and bottom walls, has an inlet for heated water entering the tank at a level below the normal level, and a cold water inlet. The system also includes a consumer hot water outlet, and an external water heater having a controlled electrical heating unit, an outlet port for heated water, connectable to the inlet of the tank, and a water inlet port.

Conventional solar water heater systems are usually comprised of a solar panel connected by pipes to a hot water storage tank for thermosyphonic circulation of water. The system has been proven to be simple to use and to be an impressive energy-saving device. In cold, cloudy weather, hot water is obtained by actuation of an electric heating element contained in the storage tank.
The main drawbacks of existing systems concern maintenance. The present arrangement is that at the base of the cylindrical insulated storage tank there is an opening of about 20 cm diameter which is closed by a flange held tightly by nuts, which in turn, are engaged with a set of firmly welded-on threaded studs. In the common vertical-axis tank, the flange is disposed at the bottom face of the tank. The flange supports the electric heater element and a thermostat, both of which project into the water storage tank. The joint between the flange and the opening is a well-known region for the start of corrosion and eventual leakage. Maintenance activities such as cleaning of built-up scale and accessing the electrical connections in the available restricted space are difficult, and are all the more difficult for changing the flange and/or thermostat, since before any action is possible, all the contents of the storage tank must be drained out, thereby wasting between tens and hundreds of liters of water. Thus, a simple maintenance task such as removing scale, replacing a burnt-out electric element, etc., requires much time and effort.
To ensure the availability of hot water in a plumbing system, several devices have been patented. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,717, to Laing et al, there is disclosed a priming device upstream from a hot water tap for storing a small amount of water at a continuously maintained temperature. When the tap is opened, the stored water is delivered out of the faucet, while the cold water that has been stationary in the hot water pipe, is fed into the priming device. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,221 to Laing et al, teaches a system of a water heater, a tank and a pump for pre-storing an amount of hot water that is delivered upon demand through a hot water faucet while the equal amount of cold water is pumped into the tank.
The above systems do provide hot water on demand until the water from the hot water pipe arrives at a necessary temperature, however, these devices do not render themselves useful for service in solar-radiation water heating systems, since the devices are not capable of continuous operation required to compensate for the cooling effects of wintry, cloudy weather on the water in the hot water storage tank. Moreover, the system is greatly encumbered by the incorporation of valves and pumps.
To keep large amounts of hot water available to consumers, U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0237908 teaches a system composed of a water heater tank and a supplemental tank. The supplemental tank is used to store hot water available for immediate delivery through a hot water faucet. The system, however, fails to be applicable in the solar-radiation water heating systems, because the system fails to address the drawbacks of the solar panels.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,682 to Hazan, there is described and claimed a water heater and storage device containing a solar panel and a tank, which further has a heat exchanger piping circuit to facilitate the transfer of heat from the water stored in the tank to cold line-pressure water. An electrical water heating element is disposed in the general proximity to the heat exchanger. The system disclosed in this patent aims to provide a more economical heating of cold water. The design of the system renders the water tank filled unnecessarily with complicated pipe-work of the heat exchanger disposed too close to the heating element
In contradistinction to the above prior art systems, the present invention achieves higher energy savings and efficiency by means of an external water heater, and provides for an extremely simple, easy to service system.
It is known in practice that heating elements working continuously in non-distilled water become coated with a deleterious layer of insoluble mineral deposits. In common water heater construction, all the more so in the solar panel systems, to change a thermostat or the heating element calls for work performed in awkward, obstructed spaces, and also calls for draining large amounts of water from the water heater being serviced.


The present invention enhances a manufacturing yield rate relating to through holes. In a display device which includes a first conductive layer formed on a substrate and a second conductive layer which is formed on the first conductive layer by way of insulation films of two or more layers and connects the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer via a through hole, in the through hole portion, a side surface of an opening formed in the insulation film arranged on the first conductive layer side out of the insulation films of two or more layers includes a portion thereof which is covered with the insulation film arranged on the second conductive layer side out of the insulation films of two or more layers and an exposed portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device and a manufacturing method of the display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Through holes are used in various electronic devices. As an example, in a display device, the through hole is used as a connecting portion between a source electrode of a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) and a pixel electrode. An insulation film of one layer or two or more layers is formed between the source electrode and the pixel electrode, and the pixel electrode and the source electrode are connected with each other via a through hole formed in the insulation film (see JP-A-11-326949, for example).
Above-mentioned JP-A-11-326949 discloses, in a state that the insulation film is formed of two layers, a case in which an opening formed in the upper-layer insulation film is smaller than an opening formed in the lower-layer insulation film at a through hole portion (see FIG. 8 in JP-A-11-326949) and a case in which the opening formed in the upper-layer insulation film is larger than the opening in the lower-layer insulation film at the through hole portion (see FIG. 3 in JP-A-11-326949) respectively.
By forming the insulation film in two layers, it is possible to obtain an advantage that the insulation properties of the lower layer and the upper layer of the insulation layer can be enhanced. And hence, the technique is effective for enhancing an image quality due to the reduction of a parasitic capacitance or the reduction of a short circuiting defect.
However, it has been found out that the constitution which includes the multi-layered insulation film in the through hole portion eventually may fail to enhance the yield rate. Inventors of the present invention have studied causes and have found out the followings.
(A) When the opening formed in the upper-layer insulation film is larger than the opening formed in the lower-layer insulation film in the through hole portion as shown in FIG. 3 of JP-A-11-326949, a stepped portion or an edge is formed on the side surface of the through hole structurally. Accordingly, it has been found that the above-mentioned pixel electrode is liable to be easily disconnected by the stepped portion or the edge thus bringing about the lowering of the yield rate.
(B) When the opening formed in the upper-layer insulation film is smaller than the opening formed in the lower-layer insulation film in the through hole portion as shown in FIG. 8 of JP-A-11-326949, only the upper-layer insulation film is exposed on the side surface of the through hole and hence, the stepped portion or the edge is reduced whereby the lowering of the yield rate can be suppressed. However, when the constitution shown in FIG. 8 of JP-A-11-326949 is adopted, it has been found out that in spite of the realization of contact between the source electrode and the pixel electrode structurally, the electrical connection becomes insufficient and point defects frequently occur.
Accordingly, the inventors of the present invention have found out that in either one of these constitutions, even when the short-circuiting defect is lowered, new causes which generate the lowering of the yield rate are newly generated.

Display device and manufacturing method of the display device


The present invention is directed to compositions regarding a specific mutation in estrogen receptor alpha and their use as diagnostic markers in breast tissue, such as premalignant lesions, for the development of breast cancer. More specifically, cells of breast cancer whose nucleic acid comprises the estrogen receptor alpha mutation identify the breast cancer to be an invasive breast cancer.

Invasive breast cancer (IBC) is one of the most common and lethal malignant neoplasms affecting women, especially in Western cultures. The majority of IBCs are thought to develop over long periods of time from certain preexisting benign lesions. There are many types of benign lesions in the human breast, and only a few appear to have significant premalignant potential. The most important premalignant lesions recognized today are referred to as atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). Although DCIS and LCIS possess some malignant properties, such as loss of growth control, they lack the ability to invade and metastasize and, in this sense, are premalignant.
A skilled artisan is aware that investigation of the role of the estrogen receptor in carcinomas is described by Watts et al., J. Steroid Biochem. Molec. Biol. 41(3), 529 (1992); Scott et al., J. Clinic. Invest. 88, 700 (1991); Ince et al., J. Bio. Chem. 268, 14026 (1993); Fuqua et al., Can. Res. 52, 43 (1992); McGuire et al., Mol. Endocr. 5, 1571 (1991); Castles et al., Can. Res. 53, 5934 (1993); and Weigel and deConinck, Can. Res. 53, 3472 (1993). Furthermore, description of the estrogen receptor mRNA may be found in Keaveney et al., J. Mol. Endocr. 6, 111 (1991); Green et al., Nature 320, 134 (1986); White et al., Mol. Endocr. 1, 735 (1987); and Piva et al., J. Steroid Biochem. Molec. Biol. 46, 531 (1993).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,606 is directed to identification of defective estrogen receptors associated with the classification of breast tumors which are responsive to or resistant to hormone therapy. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,035 regards monitoring the level of ERF-1, a transcriptional regulator of expression of the estrogen receptor, as being indicative of the response of a breast tumor to various therapies.
There is epidemiological evidence that there are genetic alterations that are closely associated with morphological tumor progression, such as is found in studies in colon carcinoma (Vogelstein and Kinzler, 1993). In this model (Dupont and Page, 1985), breast cancer is hypothesized as evolving from normal ductal epithelium to typical hyperplasia, to atypical hyperplasia, to carcinoma in situ, to invasive carcinoma, and finally to metastatic carcinoma. Recent data also suggests that the majority of hyperplasias share molecular alterations with invasive disease in the same breast (O'Connell et al., 1998), providing genetic evidence that they are related. Unlike colon cancer, very little is known about the specific molecular changes that are associated with the earliest stages of breast cancer evolution. However, it is likely that estrogens are important, since they are potent mitogens for normal breast epithelial cells, and it is believed that the duration of estrogen exposure to the breast epithelium is a significant risk factor for breast cancer development. It is also generally agreed that expression of the estrogen receptor (ER) is relatively low in normal breast epithelium, but is higher in certain premalignant lesions (e.g. typical hyperplasias) (van Agthoven et al., 1994).
Anandappa et al. (2000) detected no sequencing variants, such as single base change mutations, in ER from a panel of human primary breast cancer specimens. However, Zhang et al. (1997) identified an ER mutant in metastatic breast cancer which had a constitutive transactivation function independent of estradiol-binding.
Current human breast cancer management strategies utilize ER status as a predictive factor (McGuire, 1978; Burstein, 1982; Brooks et al., 1980; Degenshein et al., 1980; McGuire et al., 1975; McGuire, 1987; Elledge and McGuire, 1993; Gelbfish et al., 1988; Williams et al., 1987; Kohail et al., 1985; Donegan, 1992; Millis, 1980; McCarty et al., 1980), although none regard the specific mutation of the present invention. Present human breast tumor tissue specimens are subjected to both ligand-binding studies and immunohistochemical analyses to determine ER status (King et al., 1979; Shousha et al., 1989; Shousha et al., 1990). Thus, as has been acknowledged (see, for example, Roger et al., 2000), the art presently lacks a molecular marker for breast tissue, such as a premalignant lesion, which is at risk for breast cancer, particularly for invasive breast cancer, and also lacks a marker for the purpose of improving approaches to risk prediction and treatment strategies. Identification of a specific molecular marker for an altered ER as an early event in breast cancer evolution would be a significant advance in the field and would provide an ideal diagnosis tool for the detection of susceptibility to breast cancer and its subsequent prevention.

Methods and compositions in breast cancer diagnosis and therapeutics