A system and method for enhancing the security of containers and the goods within them and for tracking a shipping container from its origin to its destination. A shipping container uses a breach containment system comprising a transmitter, a receiver, a processor, a status record and a plurality of conductors to detect any breach of the shipping container structure. The conductors are embedded in, or applied to, the structures that form the shipping container and are connected a processor. The processor maintains a local timer. Upon the sealing of the shipping container, the conductors form circuits and the local timer contributes a time value to the status record. An open circuit condition experienced by circuits formed by the conductors causes the local timer to be reset and status record to be revised to reflect the revised time value. A monitoring station maintains a master timer that is synchronized with the local timer when the shipping container is sealed. If the integrity of the shipping container is breached, the local timer value and the master timer value will be different indicating that a breach has occurred. The present invention also provides for reporting of the content of the status record to reporting stations for forwarding to a monitoring station.

Containerized shipping was developed during World War II to expedite the delivery of war materials. Today, 17,000 shipping containers arriving daily in U.S. ports offering commercial enterprises an efficient, cost saving means of providing raw materials and inventory to customers around the world. The efficiencies achieved through containerized shipping have made "just-in-time" manufacturing possible for large segments of the world economy. It is estimated that ninety percent of all international trade is conducted using this shipping means.
Containerized shipping is susceptible to tampering. While only a few years ago tampering was largely an economic problem, in today's environment, containerized shipping may also be used as a vehicle for terror. With respect to terrorism, the shipping container may be used as a delivery means for a whole host of weapons. Terrorists may also see the shipping container as a target—as a means to disrupt the world economy in general and our domestic economy in particular.
Securing a shipping container is no easy task. A typical container 40 ft.×8 ft.×8 ft. with a maximum weight of 45,000 pounds. A smaller 20-ft. size can hold 35,000 pounds. Inspecting each container is a daunting, if not impossible, task. Large cargo ships can carry up to 6,000 containers. Korea and Japan are building container ships designed to carry 8,000 containers in an effort to handle a possible doubling in the volume of overall trade in the next decade. Less than two percent of all containers are ever inspected—with few U.S. Customs personal available for such duties. The U.S. alone has over 360 ports, many near major population centers.
Various approaches have been suggested for improving the security of shipping containers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,247 (Patent '247) issued to Mills discloses a cable security device for securing cargo doors on a transport container. The cables securing the door are joined together through a security device that detects when the cables are disconnected or cut. The device becomes secure once a security code is entered into the keypad device that controls the locking mechanism. The security device sends and receives a signal via a cellular telephone network to and from a remote data collection facility. The signal is transmitted through a high frequency signaling device attached to a cargo container through the use of a cable that is positioned through the closing mechanisms of the shipping container so as to monitor the opening of the door of the shipping container. Patent '247 fails to monitor access to the shipping container at locations other than the door.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,996 issued to Houser (Patent '996) discloses a sealing device that provides electronic monitoring of the status of the seal on containers that are bonded. The sealing means can communicate with a remote location such that status of the seal can be reported to a remote location. If the seal is broken, the date of the breakage is ascertainable. In one embodiment, the device is attached to the closing means of a container. The device comprises a circuit (electrical or light) that when broken causes a change in the status of the seal. Patent '996 does not teach a means for reporting intrusions to a container where the sealing device is not disturbed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,793 to Haimovich (Patent '793) discloses an electronic monitoring apparatus in which an object is sealed with a cable with a known electrical signature. Circuitry senses a change in the electrical signature when the cable is removed from a securing means or if cut. The communication is by means of encrypted electronic communication.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,563 to Kadner (Patent '563) discloses a seal system integrated circuit with a special CMOS gate-array technology that can be utilized to build inexpensive tamper-resistant electronic seals. Change in seal status is recorded and stored in a database. Seals can be interrogated by a hand held seal reader/verifier.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,306 issued to Leon (Patent '306) discloses a lock for use in the transportation industry with a keypad for securing and monitoring the status of the lock via hand held activators. The lock attaches to a latching handle. Each lock has a log history containing the number of complete and incomplete opening transactions, when they occurred and the operator codes associated therewith. The '306 patent does not disclose integrating the circuitry throughout the sides of the shipping container. Patent '306 does not disclose interrogating the shipping container by a remote interrogation device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,317,025B (Patent '025B) issued to Leon is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,306 and discloses an external lock for transportation industry with a keyboard and hand held activator programmable by a central system and activators via transmitters and receivers. The locks are opened by IR transmission of the appropriate codes or by keypad entries. The locking device maintains a transaction history containing the number of complete and incomplete opening transactions, when they occurred and the operator codes associated therewith.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,441 issued to Woolley (Patent '441) discloses an electronic tag sensor system and method for monitoring objects in storage or in transit. Each tag contains circuitry for communicating information relating an object to be tracked and in relation to other objects to be tracked having like sensor tags attached. In an embodiment, the system is used in conjunction with a shipping container to detect unauthorized opening of the shipping container. Patent '441 does not contemplate integrating the tag or its circuitry within the shipping container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,876 issued to Woolley, discloses a system and method for managing assets with active control tags where one or more electronic tags are used to track items in transit. The electronic tags communicate through RF and IR. The electronic tags contain memory for storing information regarding position of the tag and the status of the tag (attach/detach) in relation to the asset to be tracked in transit. Patent '876 does not contemplate integrating the tag or its circuitry within the shipping container to be tracked.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,396 issued to Stobbe (Patent '396) discloses an electronic seal for a casing which records logistics data, time of change in the seal state, time zone, as well as other information in a memory. The sealing strip and locking device control the counter. The data is not displayed without disengagement of the seal wire from the seal body. There is no interrogation or transmission of a signal to a receiving unit.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,406,263, 5,646,592, and 5,831,531 issued to Tuttle disclose a transceiver tag having a continuity circuit which records connection fidelity between two nodes that span an open/closed portion of a container. The transceiver tag is monitored by a computer controlled transceiver unit that is capable of interrogating the container status. In addition, the patents also discloses continuity of the security system transceiver tag to include an entry/exit door in the framework. While the transceiver unit may be incorporated into the structure of the container, the continuity circuit comprises only two nodes.
Collectively, the cited references disclose means for providing a level of security for shipping containers and for interrogating the security means for certain data relating to the shipping container. What is missing from the references are means to:                detect any breach of the shipping container and means to provide transit status information to the shipper and the receiver without directed interrogation of the security system;        stop the container at any inspection point (or conduct other action such as but not limited to surveillance) if a breach has occurred and/or if the container contains specific cargo identified by authorities;        load a list of all the items shipped in a container on a monitoring station using any personal computer connected to a worldwide network;        connect a personal computer to a worldwide network and synchronize a security device timer installed in the cargo container with a corresponding virtual timer at the monitoring station;        protect the integrity of the overall container system by using a different encryption key for each container security device; and        activate the security system by closing the container doors without entering passwords or pushing buttons.
What would be useful is a tamper-resistant system and method for securing a shipping container wherein the system and method would detect any breach of the shipping container, report transit status information of the shipping container without directed interrogation, and allow a monitoring station to take remedial action in the event that the container contains an item of interest to authorized law enforcement agencies.

System and method to enhance security of shipping containers


A nickel (Ni) based alloy for forging includes: 0.001 to 0.1 wt. % of carbon (C); 12 to 23 wt. % of chromium (Cr); 3.5 to 5.0 wt. % of aluminum (Al); 5 to 12 combined wt. % of tungsten (W) and molybdenum (Mo) in which the Mo content is 5 wt. % or less; a negligible small amount of titanium (Ti), tantalate (Ta) and niobium (Nb); and the balance of Ni and inevitable impurities.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Ni based alloys, and it particularly relates to Ni based alloys for forging having excellent high temperature strength and oxidation resistance.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to improve the power generation efficiency of generators such as steam and gas turbine generators, it is effective to raise the main steam temperature or combustion temperature. When the main steam (or combustion) temperature of a generator is increased, the temperatures of the generator components also rise. Such components used at higher temperatures than conventional ones require to be made of materials having a higher maximum allowable use temperature.
Materials for high temperature components are classified into those for precision casting and these for forging, depending on the use temperature and the component size. Small components used at high temperatures (such as stator vanes and rotor blades of a gas turbine) are usually formed by precision casting. On the other hand, large components are usually formed by forging because they are difficult to precision cast. Forging materials are generally hot forged in the temperature range of 1000 to 1200° C., and therefore desirably have low deformation resistance above 1000° C. to ensure workability.
Nickel (Ni) based superalloys strengthened by γ′ phase (Ni3Al) precipitation have excellent high temperature strength, and are therefore widely used for forging high temperature components. However, the presence of γ′ phase precipitates in the superalloy reduces hot workability. The γ′ phase is stable at lower temperatures and dissolves into a matrix above a threshold temperature. Therefore, hot working is usually performed above the temperature of solid solution limit line (solvus temperature) of the γ′ phase (a threshold temperature at which γ′ phase precipitates disappear).
The larger the amount of γ′ phase precipitation in an alloy is, the higher the strength of the alloy is; so it is desirable to increase the amount of γ′ phase precipitation at the use temperatures of the alloy. However, increase in the amount of γ′ phase precipitation will result in an increase in the temperature of solid solution limit line (solvus temperature) of the γ′ phase, thus reducing the hot workability. This has hitherto prevented any significant improvement in the high temperature strength of forging materials strengthened by γ′ phase precipitation.
Generally, high temperature components are required to have a 100,000-hour creep rupture strength of 100 MPa at their use temperatures. In conventional materials, it has been necessary that the temperature of solid solution limit line of the γ′ phase of a forging alloy is suppressed to 1000° C. or lower in order to ensure sufficient hot workability, the allowable use temperatures of the alloy, at which the above-mentioned strength requirement is satisfied, is limited to 750° C. or lower.
In addition, such alloys are significantly oxidized above 750° C. Therefore, it is also essential to increase the oxidation resistance of an alloy in order to increase the maximum allowable use temperature to higher than 750° C. In order to increase the oxidation resistance of an alloy, it is effective to add aluminum (Al) to the alloy since oxides of Al are stable. However, addition of Al to an alloy increases the temperature of solid solution limit line of the γ′ phase and reduces the hot workability. Because of this, in conventional forging alloys, the Al content is limited to 3 wt. % or less, which is insufficient for stably forming oxides of Al.
Furthermore, according to conventional knowledge, it is also essential to add niobium (Nb), titanium (Ti) and tantalate (Ta) to conventional Ni based forging alloys in order to stabilize the γ′ phase at higher temperatures and increase the strength (see JP-A-2005-97650). However, for forging alloys strengthened by γ′ phase precipitation, prior arts cannot simultaneously achieve sufficient hot workability and sufficient high temperature strength.


A storage system with redundant mass storage device arrays determines that a mass storage device is non-responsive, and individually offlines the specific mass storage device for a temporary period. Reads to the offline mass storage device may be temporarily prevented from reaching the mass storage device, and may be serviced by a redundant array. Write to the offline mass storage device may also be temporarily prevented from reaching the mass storage device, and may be serviced with a temporary storage management that tracks and/or stores write transactions. The mass storage device can be synchronized with the write transactions on the basis of the tracking.

A storage server is a special-purpose processing device used to store and retrieve data on behalf of one or more client devices ("clients"), which may access and/or process the data. A storage server can be used, for example, to provide multiple users with access to shared data and/or to backup important data.
A storage server may provide different levels of access to data. For example, a file server is an example of a storage server that provides file-level access to data. A file server operates on behalf of one or more clients to store and manage shared files in a set of mass storage devices, such as magnetic or optical storage based disks or tapes. The mass storage devices may be organized into one or more grouping (physical and/or logical or virtual) of Redundant Array of Inexpensive/Independent Disks (RAID). The data may be organized, managed, and/or accessed as data files. Another example of a storage server may be a device that provides clients with block-level access to stored data, rather than file-level access. The data in such a system may be organized and managed and/or accessed as data blocks, which may include more or less information than a file. Also, a storage server may be able to provide clients with both file-level access and block-level access.
A storage server may have access to multiple mass storage devices, or persistent/non-volatile storage devices, which may be managed based on logical or virtual organization. Data storage across these multiple mass storage devices can be organized into multiple layers of abstraction to provide fault tolerance, as individual disks can (and do) fail. The abstraction layers also allow a volume or aggregate to store larger quantities of data than can fit on a single disk.
For example, a storage server may represent a group of storage devices (e.g., hard disks) as a logical grouping of storage devices. In one embodiment a highest level logical grouping abstraction (e.g., data structure container) is an aggregate, which may be a container for other, lower-level logical groupings. The aggregates may be managed to store data in volumes contained within the aggregates. As used herein, volume refers to a logical abstraction of physical storage, combining one or more disks or parts of disks into a single logical storage object. The volumes may in turn be further logically broken down into plexes containing RAID groups. The RAID groups may have multiple disks. While particular terminology is used herein as a reference point to describe particular organizations and/or functions herein, the terminology shall not be construed as limiting, but rather by way of example. Where particular terminology is referred to (e.g., an aggregate, a plex, etc.), these are to be understood as merely examples of data structure abstractions that may be substituted with equivalent or similar data structures that may be referred to by other terms.
Tracking and management of the logical organization may require the management of logical association data. A disk or other storage device may have a dedicated area to provide a RAID label and/or other metadata to provide the ability to assign and determine which disks are part of which RAID groups, plexes, and aggregates, even as disks are added and failed out of the aggregates. The process of determining the logical data structure to which a disk belongs may be referred to as "RAID assimilation."
The logical organization of the disks, and the management of the disks have traditionally assumed that the disks are online and available/viewable/accessible to a storage access interface and/or layer in the storage server. However, many events, both controlled as well as spontaneous, can result in a temporary service outage to a drive. A controlled event may be an event that has a planned or expected cause, for example, a firmware download and install on the disk, replacement of a storage component, topology reconfiguration of the disk storage subsystem, etc. Spontaneous events may be those that render a disk unresponsive without any expectation on the part of the system, for example, a temporary disk failure, transient loss of connectivity/access to a disk, etc., which may occur without warning or planning. The drive can become unresponsive to I/O commands during these or similar events. Traditionally, the system may have dealt with an unresponsive disk by removing the disk from the virtual system and reconstructing the data from the disk on a spare, for example. However, often the events that render the disk unresponsive may have only a short duration (e.g., on the order of minutes), which may be much smaller than the time required to rebuild the complete data on the drive. Despite being of relatively short duration as compared to data reconstruction, these durations may be long enough to cause expensive application downtimes. Traditionally, such events have either been handled by removing the disk from a RAID group, resulting in a complete disk/data reconstruction, or by scheduling planned downtime, typically in off-hours, or other times inconvenient for service personnel.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A liquid dispensing infant pacifier has a mouth guard with a hollow tubular connector portion on its rear side over an opening extending through the mouth guard from its rear side to its front side. The connector has a configuration similar to that of a catheter hub and is selectively and removably connectable to either the interiorly threaded discharge end of a conventional liquid dispensing syringe or a closure cap portion of the pacifier which serves to block fluid flow through the connector portion. Projecting outwardly from the front side of the mouth guard, over the opening therein, is a specially designed double-walled tubular nipple which is formed from a partially everted pliable material tube and has a large interior flow space extending outwardly through the open front end of the nipple body. Due to the nipple construction, when the syringe is attached to the mouth guard, liquid discharged from the syringe easily flows through the nipple into an infant's mouth without any sucking force being exerted on the nipple by the infant. When the syringe is replaced with the closure cap the mouth guard connector is blocked to preclude undesirable inward air flow through the mouth guard connector as an infant sucks on the nipple.

The present invention generally relates to infant pacifiers and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to a pacifier adapted to deliver a liquid into an infant's mouth using a conventional syringe removably connected to the pacifier in place of a closure cap portion thereof.
An infant pacifier is a relatively simple device used to appease crying children or to discourage thumb-sucking or other idiosyncrasies, and is typically provided with a generally nipple-shaped projection which is placed in the infant's mouth. Various attempts have previously been made to incorporate a liquid delivery structure into a pacifier so that, for example, medicinal or nutritional liquids can be administered to the infant while he or she sucks on the pacifier.
One common approach, representatively illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,734 to Noble, U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,705 to Noble, U.S. Pat. 5,512,047 to Dvorak, and U.S. Design Pat. No. D391,642 to Fountain, has been to fill the flexible nipple portion of the pacifier, through an open back end portion thereof, with the selected liquid to be administered, then close off the back end of the nipple with a replaceable cap, place the nipple in the infant's mouth, and then let the infant suck the liquid out of the nipple through a small orifice in its front end. A drawback to this previously proposed approach to administering liquid to an infant through a pacifier device is that the liquid is delivered to the infant only if the infant is actually sucking on the pacifier. If the infant will not suck on the pacifier, the liquid remains in the pacifier and does not benefit the infant.
Another previously proposed approach to this liquid delivery problem is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,680 to Jones in which a device for orally administering liquid to infants includes an elongated liquid container having a generally pacifier-shaped front end portion and an open back end. After the desired type and quantity of liquid is placed in the container, a plunger device is sealingly inserted into the open back end of the container. The pacifier-shaped front end of the container is then placed in the infant's mouth, and the plunger is depressed to force the liquid out of the container into the infant's mouth via a small diameter orifice in the front end of the container. While this approach permits the liquid to be administered to the infant without any sucking force being applied to the device, the device is too long and unwieldy to be suitable in a pure pacifier function-i.e., left for periods of time in the infant's mouth without adult or other external support of the back end of the device.
As can be readily be seen from the foregoing, a need exists for a pacifier device which can function satisfactorily as a pacifier as well as a liquid delivery device which is operable in the absence of an infant sucking force exerted thereon. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.

Pacifier useable with a liquid dispensing syringe


A new and distinct variety of nectarine tree producing fruit which are mature for harvesting and shipment approximately June 9 to July 2 in the San Joaquin Valley of central California with skin which has a dark red coloration at harvest with distinctive white flesh and the fruit being cling to semi-freestone by nature.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of nectarine tree which will hereinafter be denominated varietally as the "Marshall Rose" nectarine tree and, more particularly, to a nectarine tree which produces fruit which are mature for harvest approximately June 9 through July 2 in the San Joaquin Valley of central California, the fruit being a cling to semi-freestone and which has a distinctive white flesh with a dark red skin coloration.
New varieties of fruit trees can be distinguished by a host of different characteristics. These distinguishing characteristics can include one or more rather typical identifiers such as ripening date, skin coloration, flesh coloration, size, shape, flavor and stone attachment. They can also include more obscure identifiers such as the marginal form of the leaves, the number of stem glands, the number of stamens in the flower and the like. Obviously, some of these characteristics are of no commercial significance.
In some instances the principal distinguishing characteristics of a new variety include two or more characteristics which are particularly unusual in their combination. Where this combination is of commercial significance, the new variety may be of substantial commercial value. The new variety of the present invention is particularly attractive in these regards in that it has a distinctive white flesh, contrasting dark red skin color and an early ripening date for a white fleshed nectarine.


Systems and techniques for providing telecommunications services by receiving a notification forwarded from a wireless device, the notification indicating that a voicemail message intended for a recipient associated with the wireless device was received. The voicemail message associated with the notifications is retrieved and forwarded to an alternate device associated with the recipient and/or converted into a text message representative of the content of the voicemail message.

Telecommunications services are an integral part of business and personal communications, allowing geographically remote users to communicate irrespective of location. Communications messages between users may assume a variety of formats. For instance, users may communicate by various methods including telephone calls, e-mail messages, instant messages, pages, and voicemail messages.
Most communications systems feature a notification mechanism for alerting a user of an incoming message. In general, such notifications make it possible for users to realize the exact moment when an incoming communication is received. One common notification is the audible ring of a telephone to signal an incoming call. Another common notification is a representative icon, such as a picture of an unopened envelope, displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) to indicate that an e-mail message has been received.
At certain times and places, however, it may be inconvenient for a user to receive a notification or receive a message in a particular format. In a business meeting, for example, it may be distracting for a user to hear the audible ring of a telephone or receive a telephone call. To avoid being disturbed, a user may turn off the ringer on the telephone and, in effect, disable communication. During such times, an important channel of communication is severed.
Accordingly, users would benefit from a communications system that enables received messages to be directed to an alternate location and/or to be rendered in an alternative format.

AT&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc.


A pet console seat system for bridging a gap between a front seat and a back seat in a vehicle has a pet console seat forming a pet console seat assembly having a Tee-shaped cushion including a first end, a second end, a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side; a bottom-board insert; and a protective cover coupled to the Tee-shaped cushion. The pet console seat bridges a gap between the front seat and the back seat of the vehicle by creating the seat and a planar path for the pet to travel between the front seat to the back seat. The pet console seat protects a console of the vehicle from damage caused by nails scratching and chewing with sharp incisors of the pet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of car seats and more specifically relates to a pet console seat system for bridging a gap between a front seat and a back seat in a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The center console in an automobile refers to the control-bearing surfaces in the center of the front of the vehicle interior. The term is applied to the area beginning in the dashboard and continuing beneath it, and often merging with the transmission tunnel which runs between the front driver's and passenger's seats of many vehicles.
Traditionally, vehicles with a gear stick have placed this control where the two areas of console and tunnel merge, or at the rear-most end of the console in front-wheel-drive vehicles without transmission tunnels. In some modern vehicles, particularly vans, the gear stick is mounted in the front, more vertical part of the center console to be within better reach of the driver without requiring a long stalk mounted on the steering column Increasingly, center consoles include a wide variety of storage compartments and cup holders, some of them with refrigerator, in addition to the more traditional use as purely a surface for instrumentation and controls.
Many individuals have pets. When traveling in a car, pets often try to climb from the backseat to the front seat via the center console. When doing so, they may not only hurt themselves, but they may also distract the driver. This can cause injury to the pet or owner, as well as damage to the vehicle; this is not desirable.
Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,503,280; 6,591,787; D588755; 6,588,821; D522,181; and 2006/0150922. This art is representative of car seats for pets. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed.
Ideally, a pet console seat system should be user-friendly and safe in-use and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a pet console seat system for bridging a gap between a front seat and a back seat in a vehicle as used to improve the safety of animals and occupants in vehicles during transport and to avoid the above-mentioned problems.


To prevent RPM decrease, misfire, and engine stall by refraining from correcting, the amount of fuel to shift an air-fuel ratio toward a lean side to the extent of exceeding a combustion limit when the internal combustion engine operates at a low load, a control apparatus is provided for controlling operation of an internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes an air-fuel ratio state determiner, a characteristic retainer and a fuel correction amount calculator, in which a coolant temperature coefficient of a coolant temperature coefficient characteristic is set to be smaller than a constant value in a region where a coolant temperature is lower than a constant temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fuel control of an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to a device for correcting a fuel injection amount of an internal combustion engine, which performs feedback control according to an output value of an oxygen sensor provided in an exhaust pipe, and to a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine employing the device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional fuel injection control apparatus for an internal combustion engine performs control with a control gain that is set larger than usual until initial inversion occurs after the start of O2 feedback (e.g., see JP 2003-232248 A).
In this conventional fuel injection control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, the control gain is set larger than usual until initial inversion occurs after the start of O2 feedback. The speed of following a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio (i.e., a theoretical air-fuel ratio) after the start of O2 feedback is thereby increased.
Combustion is unstable and the range allowing combustion on a lean side of an air-fuel ratio A/F is narrow when an internal combustion engine is at a low temperature. For instance, although combustion is possible at an air-fuel ratio of A/F=17 or less after an internal combustion engine has warmed up, combustion is impossible at an air-fuel ratio of A/F=15 or more when an internal combustion engine is cold.
Even if the air-fuel ratio A/F is within a range allowing combustion, the torque of an internal combustion engine drastically decreases when the air-fuel ratio A/F shifts to the lean side. Therefore, there is a problem in that the RPM of an internal combustion engine sharply decreases when a large feedback gain is set to shift the air-fuel ratio A/F to the lean side at an early stage.
Furthermore, there is another problem in that misfire, which leads to engine stall in some cases, is caused when the combustion state of an internal combustion engine exceeds a combustion limit (on the lean side).
Immediately after the start of an internal combustion engine as well, combustion is unstable and the feedback is set large as in a period in which the internal combustion engine is cold. Therefore, there is a problem in that a decrease in RPM, misfire, engine stall, and the like are caused when an attempt is made to shift the air-fuel ratio to the lean side at an early stage.
The range allowing combustion on the lean side of the air-fuel ratio A/F is narrower in a low-load operation range than in a high-load operation range, and, in particular, the feedback gain is set large especially in the low-load operation range immediately after the start of an internal combustion engine as well. Therefore, there is a problem in that a decrease in RPM, misfire, engine stall, and the like are caused when an attempt is made to shift the air-fuel ratio to the lean side at an early stage.

Device for correcting fuel injection amount of internal combustion engine, and control apparatus for internal combustion engine employing the device


Providing an enhanced continuous integration (CI)/continuous delivery (CD) build script debugging environment is disclosed. In one example, the CI/CD build script debugging environment inserts a breakpoint within a CI/CD build script that includes one or more build script steps. During execution of the CI/CD build script within the CI/CD build script debugging environment, execution is paused at the breakpoint, and a language-specific debugging environment suitable for debugging the next build script step is automatically identified and launched. Some examples may also provide that the CI/CD build script debugging environment allows the user to resume execution of the CI/CD build script within the CI/CD build script debugging environment without further pauses, and/or to “step over” a build script step by executing the build script step within the CI/CD build script debugging environment without launching a language-specific debugging environment.

Continuous integration (CI) refers to a software development methodology that attempts to minimize issues that may be encountered when integrating multiple source code modifications into a common code base by performing such integrations more frequently. A complementary practice is continuous delivery (CD), which extends CI by ensuring that the common code base is always in a deployable state at any given time, and which may include automated building, testing, and releasing of software. Implementing the CI/CD methodologies often involves executing CI/CD build scripts that automate operations for merging source code changes into the common code base, performing unit and integration tests, measuring performance, and/or generating documentation, as non-limiting examples.

Enhanced continuous integration (CI)/continuous delivery (CD) build script debugging environment


An ink container includes an ink containing unit having a housing which directly contains ink, an ink guide, a movable member changing the internal volume of the ink containing unit, and a buffer chamber. The buffer chamber allows changing the internal volume of the ink containing unit when the movable member moves, and has an air communicating portion and is defined by a wall structure. A negative pressure controlling mechanism for controlling the negative pressure in the ink containing unit generated when the ink is guided out of the ink containing unit is provided apart from the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink container used in an inkjet recording device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various methods of supplying ink to a recording head used in an inkjet recording device are known.
In particular, a small recording device, such as that for personal use, often has a structure in which ink is directly supplied to a head from an ink container which is removably mounted to the head.
In such an ink supplying method, a negative pressure controlling mechanism is provided at the ink container which directly supplies ink to the head.
The negative pressure to be controlled is set in equilibrium with the retentivity of a meniscus formed at the ink discharging unit of the head so as to be large enough to prevent ink from leaking from an ink discharging unit of the head, and also within a range which allows the recording head to discharge ink.
Hitherto, many negative pressure controlling mechanisms have generated a suitable negative pressure by the retentivity of ink obtained from an ink absorbent that is accommodated in an ink container. The ink absorbent comprises an aggregate of porous material or fibrous material including and holding the ink.
Recently, in order to achieve high-speed recording, pigment ink is used to increase ink capacity, the efficiency with which ink is contained, and the durability of a recording image.
Accordingly, a structure which directly stores the ink in the container without using an absorbent is becoming frequently used.
As a negative pressure controlling mechanism used in this structure, a movable member is used in a portion of an ink containing space and is biased with, for example, a spring in a direction in which the volume of the ink containing space is increased. In addition, a valve mechanism which opens when the negative pressure (which increases as the amount of ink is reduced in an ink containing unit) reaches a predetermined value is provided.
An example of a valve structure shields the ink containing space from outside air by the retentivity of an ink meniscus produced in a very small gap which is formed in an external wall of the ink container and which connects the ink containing space and the outside air.
In general, a valve structure is used in which outside air is introduced into the ink containing space by breaking the ink meniscus produced in this gap when the negative pressure in the ink containing space becomes equal to or greater than the meniscus retentivity due to the use of ink.
The value of the negative pressure in the ink containing space to which outside air is being introduced at this time can be controlled by the retentivity of the ink meniscus in the gap at the external wall and by the size of the gap.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,358, which is a first related example, as shown in FIG. 14, an opening connecting the inside of an ink container and the outside and a ball 24 mounted to the opening are provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,358 discloses a structure in which an orifice 20 for introducing outside air is formed by a gap formed by the ball 24 and the opening.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,358, a narrow labyrinth 30 (air introducing path) connects an opening 18 where the ball is disposed and an opening 44 in contact with the outside air.
The labyrinth 30 prevents ink in the ink container from leaking to the outside when the force of an ink meniscus formed in the orifice is overcome (that is, a liquid seal is broken).
In addition, the labyrinth 30 restricts evaporation of the ink having its meniscus formed in the gap.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,267, which is a second related example, discloses, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, an ink cartridge comprising an ink containing unit 12, an air chamber 66, a ventilation opening 64 formed between the outside air and the air chamber 66, and a supply port 94 for guiding out the ink in the ink containing unit.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,267, a pressure adjustor 98 and a bubble generator 40 are also provided.
The force of a meniscus in an orifice formed at an aperture 42 of the bubble generator 40 (which is formed at an external wall of the ink cartridge) maintains the outside pressure and the pressure in the ink containing unit at optimum values.
The force of the meniscus formed in the orifice prevents ink from flowing out of the cartridge from the ink containing unit 12 on the one hand, and guides the outside air into the ink containing unit 12 on the other.
The function of the bubble generator 40 in U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,267 corresponds to that of the labyrinth 30 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,358.
However, the structures disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,600,358 and 6,168,267 have problems due to, for example, the acceleration that is produced when a carriage is subjected to main scanning, falling of the container, application of shock to the container, reduction in viscosity when the temperature of the ink increases, and a difference between the internal and external air pressures of the container.
When a liquid seal provided by the meniscus force is broken, ink cannot be held by a narrow labyrinth (air introducing path) alone, thereby causing the ink to flow out directly to the surrounding environment from the ink containing chamber 12.
In addition, when a channel is formed by hermetically sealing with a cover or a sealant an open side of a groove formed in the external wall of the ink container, the following problem occurs.
When the sealant does not properly seal the open side or when the sealant is damaged by the application of shock thereto, a flow path itself is exposed to the atmosphere, thereby breaking the liquid seal provided by the meniscus force.
As a result, the ink in the ink containing chamber directly leaks to the outside.


When a sensor of a scanning array is identified as “bad” (defective), data from a neighboring “good” sensor is used to determine pixel data nominally associated with the bad sensor. During a calibration procedure, dark-offset and gain values are determined for each sensor to compensate for individual differences between the sensors of the array. These values are entered into a table in memory. During scanning of an actual image, the values are used to determine digital image pixel data from the signal data provided by the sensors. The calibration procedure also identifies bad sensors, e.g., sensors that remain on or off, irrespective of the illumination incident to them. Extreme offset and gain values are entered into the table locations associated with the respective sensor. When the extreme values are detected, the signal data for the respective sensor is discarded, and the pixel data associated with the most recently processed good sensor is used as the pixel data associated with the bad sensor. Thus, instead of being all white or all dark, pixels associated with a bad sensor match neighboring pixels. Generally, this result is far more acceptable perceptually. Thus, a scanner can have a useful life beyond the failure of one or more sensors of the scanning array.

The present invention relates to digital imaging and, more specifically, to image-scanning systems.
Much of modern progress is associated with the increasing prevalence of computers. Computers typically manage information in the form binary values embodied as voltage values. Since this form of information is not directly accessible to humans, peripherals that translate between the human perceptual world and the digital world of computers have also become increasingly prevalent. For example, printers convert digital image data to human-readable images, and scanners convert human-readable images to digital data.
Many scanners convert an image to digital form raster (line-by-line) fashion. Each line is digitized using a linear array of photo-sensors that extends across some or all of the width of the image. For example, some scanners use a contact image sensor (CIS) array. The CIS array illuminates an image with light-emitting diodes (LEDs), uses a lens array to set a focal distance, and senses the light with CMOS photo-sensors. Each photo-sensor characterizes one pixel of an image line. The array is scanned so that each photo sensor traverses the length of the image. The output of each sensor is sampled so that the collective output of the array is a digital representation of the image. The digital representation can be a 1-bit monochrome representation, a multi-bit grey-scale representation, or a multi-bit color representation.
Unfortunately, the CIS is not a perfect sensor. Sensor gain (the amount a sensor's electrical output varies for a given change in its photo input) and offset (the output level when there is no illumination) vary from sensor to sensor, and may degrade over time. The LED light sources vary from unit to unit and will change intensity over long periods of time (years). The optics have imperfections and shadows. The glass surface can become scratched or contaminated. To compensate for imperfections in light sources, optics, sensors, and electronics, the CIS must be calibrated before a good scan/copy can be made, and may require user re-calibration.
In some cases, a sensor is so far out of specifications that calibration alone does not yield satisfactory performance. One sensor that is far out of specification can result in a calibration that causes the remaining sensors to operate out of an optimal range, resulting in poor overall image quality. In extreme cases, one or more "dead" sensors may fail to respond to variations in light intensity: a permanently "off" sensor may indicate "dark" in the presence of light; or, a permanently "on" sensor may indicate "light" even in the absence of light.
A dead or otherwise defective sensor can result in an artifact over the length of an image. For example, an always-off pixel can result in a dark vertical line in the digital image, while an always-on pixel can result in a light vertical line in the digital image. If this condition is detected at the manufacturer, the usual solution is to replace the sensor array. However, if the problem develops at the user's site, then an inconvenient and expensive repair can be required.
What is needed is an approach for handling defective sensors, especially when the defect is developed in use. Preferably, satisfactory scanning should be achievable even with the presence of one or more defective sensors.

Scanner calibration with dead pixel compensation


In an organic electroluminescent display device having a touch panel function, the number of components is reduced and accuracy in positional detection of a pointing object is improved. A display portion, and light source portions and detecting portions respectively formed along sides of the display portion are formed on a same substrate to form a display panel. Then, first reflecting boards which reflect light emitted by the light source portions in a horizontal direction along an emissive surface of the display portion, and second reflecting boards which reflect the light reflected by the first reflecting boards and enters the light in the light detecting portions through a back surface of the display portion are respectively formed at ends of a storage capacitor of a display panel.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electroluminescent display device, particularly to such a device having a touch panel function.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, organic electroluminescent (hereafter, referred to as EL) display devices using EL elements have been receiving attention as a display device substituting for a CRT or an LCD. Particularly, an organic EL display device having thin film transistors (hereafter, referred to as TFTs) as switching elements for driving the organic EL elements has been developed.
The LCD has a wide range of applications, for example, from displays for cellular phones and to those for personal digital assistants. Furthermore, a touch panel used with a finger or a pen-type pointing device has been developed.
Such technologies are described in Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002-175029 and 2002-214583. However, the organic EL display device has not been applied to touch panels used with the finger or the pen-type pointing device.


An apparatus and method for igniting combustible materials in a combustion chamber of a combustion engine using corona discharge plasma from a coaxial cavity resonator. This system and method uses a coaxial cavity resonator in a body adapted to mate with a combustion chamber of a combustion engine. The coaxial cavity resonator is coupled with an energy shaping means that develops the appropriate waveform for triggering radio frequency oscillations in the coaxial cavity resonator. A connection means on the apparatus allows for the apparatus to accept an electrical ignition stimulus from an electronic ignition control system. The coaxial cavity resonator develops corona discharge plasma at a discharge electrode when a sustained radio frequency oscillation results in a standing wave in the coaxial cavity resonator. The corona discharge plasma developed near the discharge electrode ignites the combustible materials in the combustion chamber of the combustion engine.

Prior art methods and apparatuses describe using plasma as an ignition means for combustion engines. One method of generating plasma involves using a radio frequency (RF) source and a coaxial cavity resonator to generate corona discharge plasma. The prior art uses a radio frequency (RF) oscillator and amplifier to generate the required RF power at a desired frequency. RF oscillators and amplifiers can be either semiconductor or electron tube based, and are well known in the art. The RF oscillator and amplifier are coupled to the coaxial cavity resonator, which in turn develops a standing RF wave in the cavity at the frequency determined by the RF oscillator. By electrically shorting the input end of the coaxial cavity resonator and leaving the other end electrically open, the RF energy is resonantly stepped-up in the cavity to produce a corona discharge plasma at the open end of the coaxial cavity resonator. The corona discharge plasma can function generally as an ignition means for combustible materials and specifically in a combustion chamber of a combustion engine.
A coaxial cavity resonator is designed to have an electrical length that is approximately one-quarter of the radio frequency delivered from the RF oscillator and amplifier, although cavities that are multiples of one-quarter of the radio frequency will also work. The electrical length of the coaxial cavity resonator depends upon the physical geometry of the cavity, the temperature, pressure and environment at the open end of the cavity, as well was whether one or more dielectrics are used to plug or seal the end of the cavity. Energy consumption is minimized and the corona discharge is maximized when the coaxial cavity resonator and radio frequency are appropriately matched. However, the cavity still generates a corona discharge plasma for a range of frequencies around the optimal frequency as well as at higher harmonics of the optimal frequency, although the unmatched coaxial cavity resonator generally results in lower efficiencies and less power being delivered to the coaxial cavity resonator and therefore potentially less corona discharge plasma. When the corona discharge plasma is used as an ignition source for a combustion chamber, a reduction in the amount or strength of the corona discharge plasma is undesirable as it could result in non-ignition of combustible materials in the combustion chamber. Therefore, it is best to closely match the generated radio frequency to the coaxial cavity resonator to maximize energy efficiency and maximize corona discharge plasma generation.
However, in practice, the resonant frequency of a coaxial cavity resonator may not be optimally matched with the RF oscillator and amplifier. This can occur for any number of reasons, including improper selection of frequency in the RF oscillator, mechanical fatigue and wearing of the coaxial cavity resonator or dielectric, or even transient changes in the resonant frequency of the coaxial cavity resonator due to, for example, the formation of the corona discharge plasma itself or other changes in the environment near the region of the cavity. Therefore, it is desired that the RF oscillation be dynamically generated and modulated in such a way that it is closer to the resonant frequency of the coaxial cavity resonator in order to attain the optimal frequency for corona discharge plasma generation.
Also, the prior art systems and apparatuses that describe systems, devices, and methods for using plasma as an ignition means in a combustion engine generally require redesign of electronic ignition control systems, the fuel injection systems, or even the combustion chambers of the engines themselves to function. Therefore, there exists a need for a corona discharge plasma ignition device that can function as a replacement for a spark plug in an internal combustion engine without requiring substantial modification to the engine, ignition control system or associated connections and circuitry.

Plasma generating ignition system and associated method


An interfacing device having two operational amplifiers that have been manufactured on the same IC die have high-impedance input terminals connected directly to the two conductors of a local area network digital transmission line so as not to load or otherwise upset the impedance or other parameters of the transmission line. The output terminals of the operational amplifiers are connected to and match the input impedance of a digital transmission protocol analyzer. The gain of the operational amplifiers is arranged so as to replicate at the input of the analyzer the signals appearing on the local area network transmission line.

When operating high-speed, high-capacity, local area network data communications systems (eg., in the Ethernet environment) it is often necessary to monitor data transmission with an absolute minimum of intrusion or disruption of the data stream. The data stream is usually carried as one-volt-peak-to-peak push-pull pulses on a fifty-ohm coaxial medium or on a T-type twisted pair medium running in the ten-megabaud (ten million bits per second) to one-hundred-twenty-five megabaud range. The transmission can be in either simplex or half-duplex mode (respectively, transmission can be in one direction only or in two directions but not simultaneously), or transmission can be in full-duplex mode (both directions simultaneously, usually using two oppositely-directed simplex channels).
One of the more common families of existing transmission testing apparatus or transmission analyzers (TAs) has an input impedance of about one-hundred ohms. If such a TA were connected across (in parallel with) or in series with such a 50-ohm local area network data transmission channel or line, the input impedance of the TA could seriously disrupt the transmission channel's impedance match, with potentially dire consequences at a 10-125 megabaud transmission rate. At such high digital transmission speeds, frequency bandwidths are much higher than for sinusoidal signals such as television transmission. A familiarity with Fourier series analysis will aid in understanding why multimega-baud digital transmission requires so much higher bandwidth capability than sinusoidal transmission at the same frequency numbers.
In a local area network, a group of workstations is usually connected to a transmission line or to a digital switch by a circuit called a shared media hub (SMH) which sends all traffic from one workstation to all the other workstations that it serves in addition to sending that traffic to the switch, if required. To monitor simplex or half-duplex transmission between a SMH and a digital switch, the usual practice is to connect another SMH in the transmission line for the test.
Unless the SMH is connected into the line ab initio and left permanently in place, dedicated to testing that transmission line at that node, the transmission must be interrupted and restarted each time that the testing SMH is reconnected into the transmission line so that testing can be started. The transmission would again have to be interrupted to remove the SMH for use in a test somewhere else. Temporarily taking the transmission line out of service twice whenever the line is to be tested is usually unacceptable.
Permanently installing SMHs at any number of nodes of a transmission line for testing purposes only is also unacceptable when it is considered that a SMH can cost about $3,000. Also, most SMHs, as presently available, are for simplex transmission only and would not support the very common full duplex transmission without the addition of a second SMH. Reasonable cost objectives militate against installing a plurality of paired SMHs at strategic locations in a local area network for the sole purpose of facilitating occasional testing of the network at that particular node.
The use of impedance-matching coupling transformers is widely known in the digital data transmission art for interconnecting devices and media of different impedances. However, for digital data transmission, such coupling transformers are usually designed for use over a limited band of digital transmission speeds or rates. It may be theoretically possible to custom design a coupling transformer to meet a very wide frequency bandwidth needed to transmit digital signals at rates of from ten megabaud to significantly over one-hundred megabaud. However, it would be highly unlikely that such a custom-made coupling transformer would meet cost objectives (mentioned above) in order to permit widespread permanent installation at strategic locations throughout a local area network where monitoring and transmission analysis MIGHT be desired in the future.
Impedance matching can also be accomplished using discrete passive electronic devices such as individual capacitors and inductors. However, at such digital transmission speeds, design difficulties such as component and conductor placement and orientation pose significant design difficulties which would be expected to affect adversely upon production yield.
It is theoretically possible to use operational amplifiers to present a very high input impedance to a digital transmission line and a fairly low output impedance to a transmission analyzer. However, since operation is expected to take place at one-hundred-plus megabaud speeds, the maximum frequency capability of the operational amplifier must be many times higher than the baud (bits per second) of the digital data transmission signal. Such high-frequency operational amplifiers exist. However, there are two conductors comprising each simplex transmission line. There must be a separate operational amplifier for each conductor of the transmission line in order to reproduce the positive and negative signals involved. Two operational amplifiers connected to the two conductors of a digital data transmission line must have the same maximum frequency capability. Otherwise the positive and negative transitions of the amplified digital data signals will lack and thus impair the operation of the digital transmission analyzer.

Test access port for analyzing high-speed local area network switched environment


A cyclone dust collector comprises a cyclone body including a cyclone chamber, a connection path and a dust chamber, wherein the cyclone chamber and the dust chamber are arranged in parallel, a cover unit connected to an upper part of the cyclone body and having a suction path for external air to flow in therethrough, and a backflow prevention member disposed at one sidewall of the dust chamber to prevent collected dust from flowing to the cyclone chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cyclone dust collector for centrifugally separating dust from drawn-in air.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a cyclone dust collector comprises a cyclone body having a cyclone chamber and a dust chamber. With the above structure, dust-laden air drawn into the cyclone body is divided into a clean air and dust by a centrifugal force in the cyclone chamber, and the dust separated from the dust-laden air is collected in the dust chamber.
The cyclone chamber and the dust chamber may be arranged vertically in a serial manner or in parallel, in the cyclone body.
A Korean Patent No. 2001-009957 (filed by L G Electronics Co., Ltd) discloses an exemplary cyclone dust collector vacuum cleaner wherein the dust chamber is disposed under the cyclone body in a serial manner. A Japanese Patent No. 2001-029289 discloses a cyclone dust collector having a cylindrical dust collector and a removable dust chamber dust chamber mounted on a part of a circumference of the dust collector.
Especially, when the cyclone chamber and the dust chamber are disposed in parallel, height of the cyclone dust collector can be reduced, and accordingly, applicability of the cyclone dust collector to a small-sized domestic vacuum cleaner is enhanced. However, in such a structure where the cyclone chamber and the dust chamber are arranged in parallel, the dust moves from the cyclone chamber to the dust chamber through a connection path formed therebetween. Therefore, backflow of the collected dust from the dust chamber toward the cyclone chamber needs to be prevented.


An inventory information collecting unit automatically collects inventory information including inventory information regarding software installed in each of a plurality of computers within an organization. A usage-state information collecting unit updates a software license usage number which represents the number of software licenses used in each section of the organization. When the sum of the software license usage numbers of the respective sections of the organization exceeds a software license holding number which represents the number of software licenses owned by the organization, a license purchasing unit generates a purchase transaction for purchasing software licenses, the number of which is equal to the difference between the sum and the software license holding number and transfers a purchase expense to relevant sections.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for managing software licenses, as well as to a storage medium storing a program for managing software licenses, and more particularly to a computer-applied technique capable of flexibly correcting, on an organization-wide scale, the difference between the number of purchased software licenses and the number of software licenses actually used within each section of the organization.
2. Description of the Related Art
There exists a system which manages software licenses in a single organization (an enterprise, a foundation, or a group, etc.) on the basis of the number of purchased software licenses and the state of usage of software licenses, whereby the organization can avoid holding an excess or insufficient number of software licenses. However, there does not exist a system capable of flexibly coping with daily organizational changes, a system capable of taking into consideration cost sharing by different sections (sections, divisions, or departments, etc.) of the organization, or a system having a function for providing management not only for a single company but also for other companies within the same group.
In general, software licenses are managed with each section of an organization being considered as a unit. Therefore, in order to strictly manage software licenses, while reflecting variations in the number of users attributable to organizational changes, a person within each section in charge of purchasing software must manage the number of purchased software licenses and the number of software licenses actually used within the section, which change according to organizational changes. However, since software licenses are intangible, strict monitoring of such changes requires a huge volume of work, and therefore is almost impossible in actuality. As a result, illegal copying may inadvertently be performed frequently, and in some cases an excess number of software licenses may be purchased.
Specifically, the following problems have arisen. In the following illustrative scenario, it is assumed that a certain section purchased twenty licenses of a piece of software A, and after receipt of a license certificate from a vendor, the software was installed in twenty personal computers. Subsequently, ten persons were moved to another section together with their personal computers, i.e., ten of the twenty personal computers were moved to another section due to an organizational change.
According to our study, under such circumstances, the following two methods are considered as a method for managing software licenses.
In the first method, the software is uninstalled from the personal computers of the ten moved persons, and software licenses are purchased for the section to which the persons have moved, in order to enable installation of the software. However, this method has the drawback that ten software licenses, which are not used any more in the original section, become useless.
In the second method, the ten moved persons are allowed to use the software in the section to which they have moved. However, this method has the drawback that since the license certificate is a sheet of paper, there arise difficulties in proving that the ten moved person have software licenses and difficulties in managing the number of software licenses in the section from which the persons have moved.
Further, according to our study, each section of an organization individually purchases software licenses within a budget allotted thereto. Therefore, unneeded purchases and illegal copying may be performed in each section, and it may be difficult to obtain a discount in the negotiated unit price, as discounts are commonly offered only when a large number of software licenses are purchased.

Apparatus and method for managing software licenses and storage medium storing a program for managing software licenses


This invention relates to a polyester/polyamide blend having an excellent gas barrier property. More particularly, the present invention relates to combinations of a polyethylene terephthalate polymer and a polyamide polymer having an excellent gas barrier property and short oxygen scavenging induction periods, where the polyamide polymer has a C:A terminal group concentration ratio of 2:1 or more and a C+A terminal group concentration of at least 0.17 meq/g of polyamide polymer, wherein C represents a cumulative total of a terminal carboxyl group concentration and a terminal hydrocarbyl group concentration expressed in meq/g of polyamide, and A represents a terminal amine group concentration expressed in meq/g of polyamide.

Packaging for food, beverages, cosmetics, medicines, and the like require high barrier properties to oxygen and carbon dioxide to preserve the freshness of the package contents. Blends containing small amounts of high barrier polyamides, such as poly(m-xylylene adipamide), typically known commercially as MXD-6, with polyesters such as poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, enhance the passive barrier properties of PET.
To further reduce the entry of oxygen into the contents of the package, small amounts of transition metal salts, such as cobalt salts, can be added to the blend of PET and polyamide to catalyze and actively promote the oxidation of the polyamide polymer, thereby further enhancing the oxygen barrier characteristics of the package. The active oxygen scavenging of many blends of oxygen scavenging transition metals and predominantly amine-terminated, low molecular weight polyamides with PET does not begin immediately to a significant extent. On the other hand, active oxygen scavenging of comparable compositions containing oxygen scavenging transition metal/high molecular weight commercial grade MXD-6 blends begins almost immediately, within a few days. The induction period (the period of time from the formation of the article until the time the oxygen transmission rate is significantly reduced) of many low molecular weight, amine-terminated polyamide/cobalt salt blends in PET extends well into the life cycle of a filled package so as to make these blends practically useless as active oxygen scavengers. In some cases, the induction period is so long that no significant oxygen scavenging takes place before the contents of the package are consumed, such that it no longer makes practical sense to refer to an induction period.
In addition to reducing the induction period relative to oxygen scavenging transition metal/predominantly amine-terminated low molecular weight polyamide blends in PET, it would also be yet more desirable to control the induction period. The complete elimination of an induction period is not the most preferred means for reducing the induction period. It would be more desirable to have an induction period of some length of time in order to extend the useful life of oxygen scavenging by the action of the oxygen scavenging transition metal and oxygen scavenger, referred to as the capacity to scavenge oxygen. Containers are usually stored in inventory for a period of time, open to air both inside and out of the container, before they are filled with their designated contents. During the period of storage, oxygen scavenging is not necessary. If the compositions exhibit a very short induction period, oxygen scavenging begins during the period of time when the containers are not filled, with the drawback that the useful scavenging capacity is reduced.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to control the induction period and commence the active oxygen scavenging at about the time the container is filled, typically 2-4 weeks after the article is formed, while providing a shorter induction period than in oxygen scavenging transition metal/low molecular weight amine-terminated polyamide blends in PET.

Polyester/polyamide blend having improved flavor retaining property and clarity


A multi-user touch-responsive viewing screen is described which uses frustrated total internal reflection in a slab of transparent material to illuminate the contact point between the slab and a finger or other object substantially matching the slab's index of refraction. Light, coupled upon touch, can be detected with a video camera, and used to determine both the position and pressure of the touch. Multiple touches can be accommodated and each touch accurately located. Projected images can be applied to the slab and a diffuser to construct an interactive touch screen.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to interactive projection systems. In particular, it relates to entertainment projection systems to provide an illusory reality to the observer.
2. General Background
Current touch screen systems permit companies to provide their customers the ability to instruct interactive systems by simply touching a surface. Examples are the touch-screens often mounted on computer displays, or the various touch screens used to indicate pointing in connection with automatic teller machines, industrial controllers, entertainment, transportation, etc.
Various X-Y position measurement systems are typically used to determine the position of a finger, or a stylus on their surface. For instance, in resistive type touch-pads the position of a finger provides the "wiper" location in a voltage dividing potentiometer. The divider is formed by a resistive membrane that is shorted to a conductive layer where the finger presses against the resistive membrane. It then becomes possible to measure the resistance of the divider formed by the finger's position relative to the edges of the membrane. In the case of a capacitance sensing system, the same general principle is employed except the fingertip position is determined by a capacitance divider effect.
Current systems can generally detect only a single touch, and cannot distinguish or disambiguate two fingers placed on the surface simultaneously. Indeed, two-fingertip touches are often interpreted as a single event at the geometric center of the two points of contact.


A process for adhering hydrophilic surfaces and thermoset resin surfaces comprising coating the hydrophilic surface with an aqueous solution containing methylacrylato-chromium complex and poly(vinyl alcohol) is disclosed.

Many processes for bonding of hydrophilic surfaces to free radical curing thermoset resins are known, for instance copper conductors to rubber insulation, but modern industries need further improvement in adhesion. To follow the copper/rubber example, the wire and cable industry needs further improvements in such adhesion. One known method for adhesion between copper and rubber is the use of resins or other thermoplastics to produce a tie coat between the insulation and the copper. It is also known to treat copper surfaces with methylacrylato-chromium complexes (e.g., chromium, aqua chloro hydroxy methacrylate complexes) before adhesion to rubber.
In the practice of prior art processes less than the theoretical maximum bond strength is developed. One cause for this deficiency is that wetting of a hydrophilic surface, for instance, a metal surface, with the chromium complex solution can be incomplete and the tensile bond strength between the hydrophilic surfaces and thermoset resin therefore is less than desired for certain applications. While the wetting of surfaces can readily be improved by the use of a surfactant either as a prewash or as a component of the chromium complex solution, when sufficient surfactant is present to effect more complete wetting, surfactants are found to interfere with the bonding action of the chromium complex, probably by altering the surface polarity, causing disorientation of the chromium complex on the hydrophilic surface. Surfactants are thus relatively ineffective in this use.
It is desirable to have a process which provides hydrophilic surface to thermoset resin tensile bond strengths several times higher than achieved using known processes. An improved process is applicable in the wire and cable industry, as well as other industries, and is provided by the present invention.

Adhesion improvement with methylacrylate-chromium complexes and poly(vinyl alcohol)


The present disclosure relates to a neuregulin non competitive allosteric anti-human-HER3 antibody having a human constant region; and less than 65% of the glycan structures carried by the glycosylation site of the antibody comprises a fucose molecule. The antibody is characterized by its variable sequences.

The human epidermal growth factor receptor ErbB/HER family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) includes four members: EGFR (ErbB1/HER1), HER2 (c-Neu, HER2), HER3 (ErbB3/HER3) and HER4 (ErbB4/HER4). The HER receptors comprise an extracellular glycosylated domain consisting of four structural domains, marked 1 to 4, followed by a transmembrane domain and an intracellular C-terminal part containing a kinase domain for coupling to signalling pathways. Except for HER3, the intracellular region contains a tyrosine kinase activity. Signalling is mediated through ligand-induced receptor dimerization and subsequent phosphorylation that leads to the activation of cytoplasmic signalling pathways. HER2 has no specific ligand because it is naturally under an "active" conformation. The other HER receptors exist as inactive monomers with the molecules folded in such a way to prevent dimerization. Ligand binding to domains 1 and 3 induces major conformational changes ultimately exposing the dimerization loop in domain 2 of the receptor. This exposure of the dimerization loop allows for receptor dimerization.
The HER3 receptor, that has been first described in 1990, is the only HER family member receptor that shows low kinase activity and downstream signalling is achieved through heterodimerization. Thus, the HER3 receptor, as a monomer, is called "non-self" and cannot form homodimers. Binding of the ligand neuregulin (NRG) to HER3 receptor triggers the heterodimerization of HER3 with the others HER family receptors (HER2 preferentially). Within the heterodimer, the HER3 kinase domain acts as an allosteric activator of its HER family partner.
HER3 is implicated in tumorigenesis of various cancers including breast and ovarian cancer (Lee-Hoeflich S T, Cancer Res. 2008; McIntyre E, Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010; Tanner B, J Clin Oncol. 2006). HER3 expression correlates with tumor progression and reduced patient survival in malignant melanoma and metastases, and is associated with decrease survival in ovary cancer. Importantly, in breast cancer, tumors with low HER2 expression, which are not eligible to Herceptin treatment, often are "programmed" to strongly express HER3 (Smith et al. Br. J. Cancer 2004), and HER2+++ tumors, which become resistant to Herceptin after prolonged treatment, are "re-programmed" to strongly express HER3 (Narayan, Cancer Res. 2009). Cetuximab resistance was also associated with HER3 over-expression in lung cancer (Wheeler, Oncogene 2008) and colorectal carcinomas (Lu Cancer Res 2007), together with dysregulation of EGFR internalization/degradation. Recently, HER3 over-expression was significantly associated with worse metastasis-free survival in colorectal carcinoma (Ho-Pun-Cheung, Int J Cancer 2010). Thus, HER3 over-expression and compensatory signalling through activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway are implicated in the development of resistance to treatment with HER-targeted therapies (antibodies and TKI) (Wheeler 2008, Lu 2007, Narayan, 2009, Sergina, 2007) but also to treatment with IGFR-targeted therapies (Desbois-Mouthon, Clin Cancer Res 2009) and with chemotherapeutic agents (Kruser, Exp Cell Res 2010).
All these findings suggest that HER3-targeted agents, and in particular antibodies, might help to further understand the role of HER3 signalling in cancers and especially be used as efficient immunotherapeutics.
Many therapeutic antibodies, already commercialized or not, have been developed against HER3 in therapeutic oncology.
For example, two human antibodies are proposed by Merrimack Pharmaceuticals/Sanofi Aventis (MM-121 antibody; PCT WO2008/100624) and U3 PharmaAG/Daiichi Sankyo/Amgen (U3-1287 or AMG-888; PCT WO2007/077028). One HER2/HER3 bispecific antibody MM-111 (Merrimack Pharmaceuticals; PCT WO2005/117973, WO2006/091209) is involved in phase I/II clinical trials, alone or in combination with trastuzumab or lapatinib, in HER2-amplified breast cancer.
All these antibodies block the heregulin-binding site of the HER3 receptor, thus reducing these antibody therapies to ligand-addicted tumors.
However, in order to bypass the resistance to targeted therapies or chemotherapies in resistant HER2-amplified breast cancer and to broaden the application field of targeted therapies to HER2 low breast cancer, which are currently not eligible for such treatment, or to treat triple-negative breast cancers, which express HER3 and for which no targeted therapy is available yet, the targeting of HER3 with antibodies that are not directed to the heregulin-binding site of HER3 was explored.
A variety of NRG-competitive and NRG-non competitive anti-human HER3 antibodies were disclosed in the art (Lazrek et al., Neoplasia March 2013; Vol. 15; N °3, pp. 335-347). Lazrek et al. (2013) disclosed assays involving various anti-HER3 antibodies of unknown structures which were termed H3A-122, H4B-25, H4B-121, 9F7-F11, 11G10-D2, 12H8-B11, 14H1-H8, 15D4-F2 and 16D3-C1, respectively. Illustratively, Lazrek et al. (2013) disclosed a murine anti-human HER3 antibody termed 9F7-F11, which antibody was shown to be NRG-non competitive.
Further, Lazrek et al. (2013) have shown the existence of an in vitro NRG-dependent increase of the 9F7-F11 binding to HER3.
The mechanisms by which NRG increases the binding of 9F7-F11 to its epitope have not yet been discovered. However, without being bound by the theory, it may be assumed that the binding of NRG to its receptor leads to a conformational change in the structure of HER3, leading either to a better availability of the epitope of 9F7-F11 and/or to a structural modification of the epitope that provides a better affinity with 9F7-F11.
However, despite an in vitro increase in the binding of 9F7-F11 to HER3 in the presence of its ligand neuregulin, 9F7-F11 did not exert increased in vivo anti-tumor activity against NRG-expressing tumor tissue, as compared with NRG-competitive antibodies (Lazrek et al., 2013).
The results of Lazrek et al. (2013) showed that an anti-tumor effect of the same degree was obtained with most of the antibodies that they have assayed, irrespective of the identity of the HER3 domain that they recognize, and thus also irrespective of whether these antibodies consist of NRG-non competitive anti-HER3 antibodies or in contrast consist of NRG-competitive anti-HER3 antibodies as it is the case e.g. for the 9F7-F11 antibody and the 16D3-C1 antibody, respectively. These authors concluded that all of these anti-HER3 antibodies appeared to all act through a single mechanism of action, namely an inhibition of the NRG-induced phosphorylation of HER3 which finally impaired HER2/HER3 heterodimer formation.
There remains a need in the art for availability of anti-HER3 antibodies aimed at treating HER3 positive cancers, including anti-HER3 antibodies having high anti-tumor activity against NRG-addicted tumors.

Anti-human-HER3 antibodies and uses thereof

INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTÉ ET DE LA RECHERCHE MÉDICALE (INSERM)

INSTITUT REGIONAL DU CANCER DE MONTPELLIER


Methods, apparatus, and kits for onychomycosis treatment are presented. In one embodiment, a kit for treatment includes an anti-fungal agent, in a composition, and an electrically powered patch. Exemplary embodiments of the patch include a first electrode, a power source having a first and second terminal, a second electrode coupled to the second terminal of the power source, and a base member supporting the first electrode, the second electrode, and the power source. Embodiments include those where the first and second electrode and power source are printed on the base member. Anti-fungal agents may be unionized while the composition includes an ionizing agent. Home use may be practiced, as embodiments include those in which the voltage or current of the power source cannot be adjusted by a user. Exemplary methods include the selection of a nail or diseased area to which treatment is desired and administering the kit as described.

Onychomycosis is a disease of the nail caused by yeast, dermatophytes, or other molds, and represents approximately 50% of all nail disorders. Toenail infection accounts for approximately 80% of onychomycosis incidence, while fingernails are affected in about 20% of the cases. Dermatophytes are the most frequent cause of nail plate invasion, particularly in toenail onychomycosis. Onychomycosis caused by a dermatophyte is termed tinea unguium. Trichophyton rubrum is by far the most frequently isolated dermatophyte, followed by T. mentagrophytes. Distal subungual onychomycosis is the most common presentation of tinea unguium, with the main site of entry through the hyponychium (the thickened epidermis underneath the free distal end of a nail) progressing in time to involve the nail bed and the nail plate. Discoloration, onycholysis, and accumulation of subungual debris and nail plate dystrophy characterize the disease. The disease adversely affects the quality of life of its victims, with subject complaints ranging from unsightly nails and discomfort with footwear, to more serious complications including secondary bacterial infections.
Many methods are known for the treatment of fungal infections, including the oral and topical use of antibiotics (e.g., nystatin and amphotericin B), imidazole anti-fungal agents such as miconazole, clotrimazole, fluconazole, econazole and sulconazole, and non-imidazole fungal agents such as the allylamine derivatives terbinafine and naftifine, and the benzylamine butenafine.
However, onychomycosis has proven to be resistant to most treatments. Nail fungal infections reside in an area difficult to access by conventional topical treatment and anti-fungal drugs cannot readily penetrate the nail plate to reach the infection sites under the nail. Therefore, onychomycosis has traditionally been treated by oral administration of anti-fungal drugs; however, clearly this is undesirable due to the potential for side effects of such drugs, in particular those caused by the more potent anti-fungal drugs such as itraconazole and ketoconazole. An alternative method of treatment of onychomycosis is by removal of the nail before treating with a topically active anti-fungal agent; such a method of treatment is equally undesirable. Systemic antimycotic agents require prolonged use and have the potential for significant side effects. Topical agents have usually been of little benefit, primarily because of poor penetration of the anti-fungal agents into and through the nail mass.
Iontophoresis has been known for many years, as a means to deliver drugs and cosmetic active agents into the skin for therapeutic purposes. It is based on mechanisms, which include (a) iontophoresis, in which a charged ion is repelled from an electrode of the same charge, and (b) electroosmosis, based on the convective movement of solvent that occurs through a charged "pore" in response to the preferential passage of counter-ions when an electric field is applied. While widely used in dermal delivery of active agents, iontophoresis has not been utilized hitherto in the treatment of nail infections. Furthermore, the literature is devoid of pragmatic ways to enable a system, which is practically and conveniently usable for long periods of daily treatment.
In the context of the present invention, the term "iontophoresis" will stand for any method of electrical dermal delivery of substances, including electrotransportation, iontophoresis, electroosmosis, electroporation, and/or a combination thereof. The terms "device," "iontophoretic device," "iontophoretic patch," "electrically operated device," and "electrically operated patch," as used herein, will interchangeably stand for any method or device, used for electrical delivery of substances, including electrotransportation, iontophoresis, electroosmosis, and electroporation.
It would therefore be advantageous to have a therapeutic system, based on topical application of a formulation that is capable of penetrating the nail barrier and effectively treating nail fungal diseases, thus avoiding oral administration of anti-fungal drugs and the necessity of removing the nail.

Method, apparatus, and kit for onychomycosis treatment


A double-row spherical roller bearing comprises an inner race, an outer race, two retainers each molded of a synthetic resin, and double-rows of spherical rollers rotatably received in pockets of the retainers and arranged one after another in the equally spaced relationship in the circumferential direction. Each retainer is molded such that an annular portion on the large diameter side and an annular portion on the small diameter side are integrally jointed to each other with a plurality of retainer bars bridges therebetween. Each retainer bar comprises an inner portion located on the inner race side and an outer portion on the outer race side. Each side surface of the inner portion is defined by a part of the spherical surface extending around the spherical surface of each spherical roller. In addition, each side surface of the outer portion is defined by a first surface, a second surface and a third surface. A wedge-shaped gap is formed between the third surface and the spherical roller on the outer portion side so as to allow lubricant to easily penetrate into the spherical roller bearing therethrough. Additionally, a gap between the side surfaces at the opposite ends of the outer portion and the spherical roller is increasingly widened on the outer portion side. The arrangement of the gaps in that way makes it easy to form a lubricant film in the spherical roller bearing.

The present invention relates generally to a double-row spherical roller bearing including retainers each molded of a synthetic resin. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvement of a double-row spherical roller bearing of the foregoing type.
To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a typical conventional double-row spherical roller bearing including retainers each molded of a synthetic resin will be described below with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the conventional double-row spherical roller bearing. As shown in the drawing, the spherical roller bearing includes as essential components an inner race 51, an outer race 52, double-rows of spherical rollers 53 located between the inner race 51 and the outer race 52 arranged in the equally spaced relationship in the circumferential direction, and two retainers 55 each molded of a synthetic resin to hold the spherical rollers 53 therein.
As is best seen in FIG. 5, each retainer 55 is constructed such that an annular portion 56 on the large diameter side and an annular portion 57 on the small diameter side are integrally jointed to each other with a plurality of retainer bars 58 each bridged therebetween. With this construction, each spherical roller 53 is rotatably received in a pocket 60 which is defined by both the annular portions 56 and 57 and adjacent retainer bars 58.
A side surface 58A of each retainer bar 58 is formed by a part of the spherical surface extending around the outer peripheral surface of each spherical roller 53. In addition, side surfaces 59A, 59B and 59C of each projection 59 projecting from the retainer bar 58 to come in contact with the spherical roller 53 are likewise formed by a spherical surface corresponding to the peripheral surface of the spherical roller 53. As the spherical roller 53 rolls, it comes in contact with the projection 59 at two points located on the opposite sides of the side surface 59B as seen in the axial direction, whereby disengagement of the spherical roller 53 from the pocket 60 is reliably prevented.
With the conventional double-row spherical roller bearing constructed as described above, each of the side surfaces 59A, 59B and 59C on the projection 59 projecting from the central part of each retainer bar 58 is formed as part of the spherical surface coinciding with the spherical surface of each spherical roller 53. Thus, there arise problems that lubricant hardly penetrates through the gap between the projection 59 and the spherical roller 53, and moreover, it is technically difficult to fabricate a molding die for molding retainers 55 using a synthetic resin.
In addition, the side surface 58A of each retainer bar 58 is formed as part of the three-dimensional curved surface coinciding with the spherical surface of each spherical roller 53 while extending from the end part on the opposite sides of the projection 59 of the inner race 51 side to the end part on the opposite sides of the same on the outer race 52 side, causing a part of the spherical surface of the spherical roller 53 to be closed with the aforementioned end parts on the opposite sides of the projection 59. Thus, there arises another problem that lubricant hardly penetrates through the gap between the side surface 58A of the retainer bar 58 and the spherical surface of the spherical roller 53, resulting in a lubricant film being formed with difficulty.
Further, since the side surface 58A of the retainer bar 58 is formed as a part of the three-dimensional curved surface, it is practically difficult to remove a molded product of each retainer 55 from the molding die for molding retainers 55 using a synthetic resin after completion of each molding operation.


Described are methods and products prepared from the methods, each of which include methods of coating certain materials onto a substrate, including coating a coating material and an edge material onto the substrate in a manner which may provide an improved thickness profile of the overall coating, and that may do so by using the edge material to augment the thickness of the coating material edge, or that may do so by improving the coating material edge by using the edge material to affect the shape of the coating material edge, the products being useful, for example, in electrochemical cells.

Coated webs are used in a multitude of commercial and consumer products. A single example is batteries, some of which are constructed from a web coated with a conductive material and wound into a roll or stacked into a number of laminated layers. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,684, among others.
Films coated onto webs often suffer from different thickness across the width of the film, especially at the coated film edge. If no effort is made to control the thickness or cross-sectional profile of the edge, an edge of a coated material will generally taper off in a gradual slope from the thickness of the bulk coating, to zero thickness.
Undesirable results of a tapered edge will result with the particular effect being dependent on the application that the coated material is designed for. In batteries constructed of multiple wound or stacked layers, undesirable possibilities of an uneven or tapered edge result upon placing the coated substrates into a layered configuration. An "edge effect" can result because the capacity of the tapered edge of a coated cathode is used up faster than the capacity of the bulk coating. This edge effect results in a non-uniform charge density, may cause hot-spots or shorts in the battery, and can ultimately result in a reduced cycle life.
Methods of attempting to control edge thicknesses and profiles are various, some including the use of dams or air or water systems designed to remove a coated film layer from a coated substrate.