A color image forming apparatus having a plurality of developers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a density sensor for detecting a developed control toner image, CPU and RAM. The apparatus performs a first control for image formation based on a density of a control toner image developed by a first developer, a second control for image formation based on a density of a control toner image developed by a second developer, and determining whether the second control is to be performed based on the density of the control toner image developed by the first developer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic apparatus, an electrostatic recording apparatus, etc., and more particularly to a color image forming apparatus having a plurality of developers.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a full-color image forming apparatus having a plurality of developers. In FIG. 12, a photosensitive drum 1, which is a latent image carrier, is provided approximately in the center of the main body of apparatus, a supporting member 7 supports a plurality of developers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d on the right side with respect to the drum 1, and a transfer drum 5 is set on the left side with respect to the photosensitive drum 1. The transfer drum 5 performs functions of carrying a transfer sheet (not shown) and transferring an image on the photosensitive drum 1 onto the transfer sheet. In the upper region inside the apparatus body there is an exposure device consisting of a laser diode 11, a polygon mirror 13 rotatably driven by a high-speed motor 12, a lens 14, and a return mirror 15.
The photosensitive drum 1 is rotated in the direction of the arrow and uniformly charged by a charging means 2. An optical image through an optical path 16 is projected onto the photosensitive drum 1 to form an electrostatic latent image thereon. This latent image is developed into a visible image, i.e., into a toner image by any one of the developers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) accommodating color developing agents, for example, of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (Bk), respectively.
On the other hand, the transfer sheet is supplied from inside a transfer sheet cassette 17 onto the surface of the transfer drum 5 by a pickup roller 18 in synchronization with the image on the photosensitive drum 1. Keeping the supplied transfer sheet gripped by a gripper 19 and adhered to the transfer drum 5 by an adhering roller 20, the transfer sheet is guided to a position where it opposes the photosensitive drum 1. The toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 is transferred in a superimposed manner onto the transfer sheet wound around the transfer drum 5 with an electric field applied between the photosensitive drum 1 and the transfer drum 5.
Describing in further detail, for example, the developer 4a accommodating the yellow (Y) developing agent first visualizes a first electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 by exposure based on a first color image signal, and thereafter the toner image is transferred onto the transfer sheet held on the transfer drum 5. Subsequently, residual toner on the photosensitive drum 1 is cleaned by a cleaning device 6 such as a fur brush, a blade means, etc. Then a second color electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 1 by exposure based on a second color image signal, for example, by the developer 4b having the magenta (M) developing agent. Thereafter, the toner image is transferred onto the transfer sheet on the transfer drum 5, and superimposed on the first color, yellow, a visible image having been transferred.
Next, repeating the same steps as above, a toner image of a third color, for example, of cyan (C) and a toner image of a fourth color, for example, of black (Bk), are successively transferred in a superimposed manner onto the transfer sheet on the transfer drum 5. After that, the transfer sheet is separated from the transfer drum 5 by a separating claw 8, and the resultant toner image is fused, mixed, and fixed by a fixing device 9 to obtain a full-color permanent image.
After separating the transfer sheet, the transfer drum 5 is cleaned by a transfer roller cleaning device 22 such as a fur brush, a web, etc. to remove toner deposited on the surface, and an eliminator roller 21 eliminates charge on the transfer drum 5 to electrically initialize the drum. The eliminator roller 21 is also used for eliminating charge given in transferring the toner image from the photosensitive drum 1 onto the transfer drum 5.
The above color image forming apparatus would fail to achieve correct color tone if the image density changed depending upon various conditions such as operating temperature-humidity environment, the number of prints, etc. Thus, the conventional apparatus is arranged so that a toner image for detection of density is formed on the photosensitive drum or on the transfer drum, the density of the image is detected by density detecting means, and the detection result is fed back to control the exposure amount, development bias, etc., thereby obtaining stable and excellent images.
However, the color image forming apparatus arranged to have the means for forming the toner image for detection of density on the photosensitive drum or on the transfer drum, for detecting the density thereof, and for feeding the detection result back to control the exposure amount, development bias, etc. has a drawback of increased print cost, because it is arranged to form detection-purpose toner images of respective colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, which requires a lot of toner of respective colors, thus consuming a lot of toner for a purpose other than printing on the transfer sheet. Another drawback is a slowdown of printing speed, because time is consumed for producing a number of toner images and for detecting the density thereof. A further problem is an increase in the amount of waste toner after cleaning.

Image forming apparatus for performing correction control, based on density of toner image


A system to match a consumer of health care services to a health care service provider over a communications network, the system comprising at least one computer terminal associated with the consumer for allowing the consumer access to the communications network, a network server coupled to the communications network, the server comprising a computer program having, a service provider data base identifying a plurality of health care service providers and associated health care service products offered by the service providers, a first methodology for determining an appropriate treatment based on a diagnosis provided by the consumer or determined by an alternative diagnosis determiner, and a second methodology for determining at least one appropriate service provider based on a treatment preference comprising at least one of geographical location of the provider, insurance plan participation, cost, provider experience with the treatment and provider outcome with respect to the treatment.

The present invention relates to a computerized system for obtaining medical services over a communications network, for example, the Internet. The present invention relates to a system which can be used by both individual patients and corporate consumers of medical services to determine who the appropriate provider of medical services for the consumer should be. The provider may be, for example, a particular hospital or physician. In particular, the present invention provides a method and apparatus to match a consumer of health care services to a health care service provider. The system of the invention can also be accessed by providers of medical services, for example, to update a database relating to medical services.
Various health care management systems are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,105 describes a health care management system. That system's stated aim is to integrate the "interconnection and interaction of the patient, health care provider, bank or other financial institution, utilization reviewer/case manager and employer so as to include within a single system each of the essential elements to provide patients with complete and comprehensive health care and payment therefor". See, col. 1, lines 55-60. Another known system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,129 which describes a system for exchanging health care insurance information between an insurer and multiple health care providers. Other known systems include U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,821 for a method and apparatus for electronically accessing and distributing personal health care information and services in hospitals and homes. This disclosed system is essentially a records management system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,764,923 discloses a medical network management system and process in which health plan beneficiaries access a team of health care professionals over the telephone to help assess their health needs and select appropriate care.
None of the prior art systems, however, allow for a consumer of medical health care services to be matched to a health care service provider over an automated communications network. The Tallman patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,764,923 uses a telephonic system to help a team of health care professionals assess health needs and select appropriate care. The present invention represents an improvement over the prior art systems by using a communications network such as the Internet to allow a consumer to obtain medical health care services from an appropriate service provider.

Method and apparatus for matching consumer of health care services to health care service provider


A color shift compensation method, a color shift compensation system and a display panel are provided. The color shift compensation method includes: accumulating actual display time of a display panel; determining whether or not the actual display time reaches a preset cumulative display time threshold; and in a case where the actual display time reaches the preset cumulative display time threshold, driving the display panel to display according to compensated adjustment voltages that are pre-stored, and in a case where the actual display time does not reach the preset cumulative display time threshold, driving the display panel to display according to current adjustment voltages that are pre-stored.

Compared with conventional liquid crystal panels, active-matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) panels have the characteristics such as faster response speed, higher contrast ratio, wider viewing angle, lower power consumption, and so on. However, because AMOLED panels use organic materials and are self-luminous, after long term usage, the organic materials have the problems of lifetime decay, different materials having different decay rates, and so on. Provided that the display driving signal is not changed, due to the above problems, the image display may have the problem that the longer the usage time, the greater the attenuation difference among red, green, and blue (RGB) pixels of the organic materials is, which causes the display color shift during the display operation on the client side. If AMOLED products have been used for customer installation, it is impossible to retrieve the products back to the factory and adjust the display color shift again.

Color shift compensation method, color shift compensation system and display panel

CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A flat-peaked and flat-troughed corrugated wafer board panel is provided. The panel is characterized in having a substantially uniform density.

Typically, a wafer board panel comprises layers of wood flakes or wafers formed into a composite structure using a resinous binder. The preparation of wafer board panels is complex, but broadly consists of two principal stages. The first stage comprises the preparation of the wafers and the admixing thereof to form a loose layer or mat; the second stage involves subsequent compression and heating of the mat to cure the resin and form the consolidated panel.
Until recently, wafer board was manufactured in the form of planar or flat sheets. However, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,991, the present applicant has developed an apparatus and process for the manufacture of panels having a wave-like or corrugated configuration. Such wave-board panels have improved structural strength properties, relative to planar panels.
This prior patented apparatus involved a pair of opposed, spaced-apart, upper and lower platens. Each platen was formed of adjacent lengths of chain-like links. When the lengths were pushed inwardly from the side, they would shift from a planar to an undulating corrugated form.
The process steps involved:
distributing a mat of loose wood wafers between the upper and lower platen surfaces while they are maintained in the planar configuration; PA0 biasing the platens together to pre-compress the mat, and thereby substantially fixing the wafers together to limit their further relative movement; PA0 converting the two platen surfaces, still in pressing association with the mat, from the planar to the corrugated configuration; and PA0 then applying additional pressure and heat for a sufficient time to cure the binder and produce a corrugated wave-board panel.
The main advantage inherent in the patented process was that the panel product so formed was characterized by having a substantially uniform density. This was achieved because the wafers were fixed by the pre-compression step and because the mat was not significantly stretched or elongated during the conversion from the planar to the corrugated configuration.
It will be also noted that the panel product formed using the particular mechanical assembly described hereabove is limited to a sinusoidal configuration. The peaks and troughs of the panel have a generally rounded profile.
Certain applications of corrugated wave-board may involve the attachment of a corrugated wave-board web to either a single or two planar stressed-skin panels. Usually, the separate pieces are secured together by means of adhesives or by fastening elements. However, because of the limited contact area between the rounded peaks and troughs of the wave-board and the adjacent skins, it is often difficult to secure the separate pieces together with any stability.
In order to overcome this limitation, applicants contemplated the provision of a wave-board characterized by a flat-topped (or flat-peaked) and a flat-bottomed (or flat-troughed) profile. This change would increase the available attachment area between components and thus provide improved stability. Starting from this concept a particularly configured wave-board and a press platen assembly for manufacturing the wave-board has been developed.
Turning now to prior art patents. Nishibori, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,900 teaches a wood-like molded product of synthetic resin prepared by mixing a synthetic thermoplastic resin with a fine aggregate of cellulose base. The resin comprises the bulk of the product rather than the cellulose. The product is then subjected to a sanding or jetting treatment on its surface hardened layer.

Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Forestry


This disclosure describes one or more embodiments of systems, non-transitory computer-readable media, and methods that intelligently and automatically analyze input data and generate visual data stories depicting graphical visualizations from data insights determined from the input data. For example, the disclosed systems automatically extract data insights utilizing an in-depth statistical analysis of dataset groups from data-attribute categories within the input data. Based on the data insights, the disclosed systems can automatically generate exportable visual data stories to visualize the data insights, provide textual or audio-based natural language summaries of the data insights, and animate such data insights in videos. In some embodiments, the disclosed systems generate a visual-data-story graph comprising nodes representing visual data stories and edges representing similarities between the visual data stories. Based on the visual-data-story graph, the disclosed systems can select a relevant visual data story to display on a graphical user interface.

In recent years, analysts and engineers have developed data analysis systems to collect and analyze large amounts of raw data as part of detecting data trends or developing a graphical narrative. In particular, some data analysis systems can collect and summarize raw data. For example, some conventional automated data analysis systems attempt to identify statistics to simplify the process of creating narrative reports from large amounts of raw data but suffer from several technical shortcomings. In particular, conventional systems often fail to accurately identify data trends within time series or other datasets, misidentify relationships among complex datasets, and cannot present data insights as part of a snapshot of larger trends within input datasets.
As just suggested, some conventional automated data analysis systems fail to accurately generate narratives with meaningful insights from a large number of insights. In some cases, the number insights derived from a dataset can be large or seemingly infinite. Indeed, datasets can include multiple data fields, and data insights can be created from various combinations of the data fields and values corresponding to the data fields. For example, a data insight can include a statistical calculation derived from particular data fields and values. Due to the large number of such insights, many conventional systems cannot accurately focus on salient insights for creating a narrative graphic or report. In addition, such conventional systems inefficiently utilize computing resources by (i) generating an inordinate number of extracted insights for analysts to search through in a time consuming and tedious process and by (ii) inaccurately selecting uninteresting or irrelevant insights to generate as part of a narrative report.
Furthermore, many conventional systems fail to identify semantic relationships between a collection of data insights. Consequently, many conventional systems cannot identify relevant insights (or resulting data narratives) that show relationships between different types of data within a dataset and surface the same (or irrelevant) insights. Because of the limits of conventional systems, data analysts often manually review and search from insights not identified by conventional automated data analysis systems to create data narrative reports. Oftentimes, creating such narrative reports in this manner from a large collection of derived insights is time consuming and impractical. Moreover, in many cases, creating data narrative reports in this manner also results in an excessive number of steps executed by the computing devices of data analysts—at the expense of additional computing resources.
In addition to an excessive number of computing steps, conventional systems often cannot integrate multiple applications and tools to create narrative reports from insights found from raw input data. For instance, conventional systems often generate an excessive list of data insights that data analysts selectively transfer to a separate report-creation tool to construct presentable data narrative reports. Indeed, in many cases, conventional systems cannot integrate or automate multiple tools and thus require data analysts to perform a number steps to manually select data insights and to create data narrative reports using separate creation and/or editing tools for such reports.
In addition to failed integration and automation, many conventional systems also determine cursory insights that fail to provide a holistic understanding of the information present within the raw input data. For instance, conventional systems often primarily focus on enumerating (and analyzing) combinations of different data fields (e.g., data of a first header compared to data of a second header) from input data tables to generate insights. As an example, conventional systems often simply generate insights that calculate statistical facts (e.g., a mean) between values of different data fields (e.g., between headers) in lieu of providing in-depth insights that identify unique and meaningful analyses of the raw input data.


An electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device supplies a drive voltage from a power source between a nozzle and an insulating substrate, so as to supply an electric charge to a discharge material supplied into the nozzle. As a result, the discharge material is discharged from the nozzle hole onto the insulating substrate. The diameter of the hole of the nozzle falls within the range between φ0.01 μm and φ25 μm, the power source outputs, as the drive voltage, a bipolar pulse voltage that alternates between positive and negative and has a frequency of not less than 1 Hz.

Typical examples of fluid jet methods for discharging a fluid such as ink onto an object (recording medium) are a piezo type and a thermal type that are commercially utilized in ink jet printers. In addition to them, there is an electrostatic suction type which is arranged as follows: the fluid to be discharged have electrical conductivity, and an electric field is applied to the conductive fluid so that the fluid is discharged through a nozzle.
Such an electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication 36-13768 (published on Aug. 18, 1961) and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-88306 (published on Apr. 3, 2001).
Also, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-127410 (published on May 9, 2000) discloses a device arranged such that a nozzle hole is slit-shaped and a protruding needle electrode is formed in the nozzle hole, and an ink including fine particles is discharged using the needle electrode. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 8-238774 (published on Sep. 17, 1996) discloses a device in which an electrode for applying a voltage is provided in an ink container from which an ink is supplied to a nozzle hole.
The following describes a fluid discharge model in a conventional electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device.
Design factors of electrostatic suction type fluid discharge devices, especially of on-demand electrostatic suction type fluid discharge devices are, conductivity of an ink fluid (e.g. specific resistance of 106 to 1011 Ωcm), surface tension (e.g. 0.020 to 0.040N/m), viscosity (e.g. 0.011 to 0.015 Pa·s), and applied voltage (electric field). As to the applied voltage, it has been considered that the voltage applied to the nozzle and the distance between the nozzle and an opposing electrode are particularly important.
The electrostatic suction type fluid discharge devices utilize electrofluid instability, as shown in FIG. 32. Placing a conductive fluid in a uniform electric field, an electrostatic force exerted on the surface of the conductive fluid causes the surface to be instable, thereby precipitating the development of a thread (electrostatic thread-like phenomenon). The electric field on this occasion is defined as E0 which is generated when a voltage V is applied between a nozzle and an opposing electrode. The distance between a nozzle hole at the tip of the nozzle and the opposing electrode is defined as h. A development wavelength λC in the aforesaid case can be physically figured out (see, e.g. The Institute of Image Electronics Engineers of Japan, Vol. 17, No. 4, 1988, pp. 185-193), and the developing wavelength λC is represented by the following equation.
                              λ          c                =                                            2                            πγ                                      ɛ              0                                                      E            0                          -              2                                                          (        1        )
In the equation, γ is surface tension (N/m), ∈0 is dielectric constant (F/m) in a vacuum, and E0 is electric field strength (V/m). If the nozzle diameter d(m) is shorter than λC, the development does not occur. That is, the condition of the discharging is defined as follows.
                              d          >                                    λ              c                        2                          =                  πγ                                    ɛ              0                                                  E              0              2                                                          (        2        )
Provided that E0 is an electric field strength (V/m) on the assumption that a parallel flat plate is adopted, h(m) is the distance between the nozzle and opposing electrode, and V0 is a voltage applied to the nozzle, the following equation is given:
                              E          0                =                              V            0                    h                                    (        3        )
Therefore, the following formula is also given:
                    d        >                              πγ                                                                                h              2                                                          ɛ              0                                                  V              0              2                                                          (        4        )
The fluid discharge devices have typically been required to reduce the diameter of the nozzle through which ink is discharged, in order to form finer dots and lines.
However, in the currently-used piezo or thermal fluid discharge devices, it is difficult to reduce the nozzle diameter and discharge, for example, a very small amount of fluid less than 1 pl. This is because, the smaller the nozzle for discharging a fluid is, the more the pressure required for the discharge increases.
In addition to the above, in the aforesaid fluid discharge devices, the miniaturization of droplets contradicts the improvement of precision, and hence it has been difficult to realize both of these improvements at the same time. The reason of this will be described below.
Kinetic energy imparted to the droplet discharged from the nozzle is in proportion to the cube of the diameter of the droplet. Therefore, the minute droplets discharged in a case where the nozzle is miniaturized cannot attain the kinetic energy sufficient to resist the air resistance at the time of the discharge, and the droplets are disturbed by accumulated air or the like. For this reason, it is not possible to expect precise landing of the droplets. Moreover, since the effect of the surface tension increases as the size of the droplets decreases, the vapor pressure of the droplets increases and an amount of evaporation increases. As a result, a great amount of each minute droplet gets lost while flying, and each droplet hardly retains its shape at the time of landing.
In addition to the above, according to the aforesaid fluid discharge model of the conventional electrostatic suction type fluid discharge devices, the reduction of the nozzle diameter demands the increase in the electric field strength, which is necessary for the discharge, as the above-described equation (2) shows. The electric field strength is, as shown in the equation (3), determined by the voltage (drive voltage) V0 applied to the nozzle and the distance h between the nozzle and opposing electrode. Therefore, the reduction of the nozzle diameter results in the increase in the drive voltage.
The drive voltage in the conventional electrostatic suction type fluid discharge devices is very high (not less than 1000V). It is therefore difficult to achieve the reduction in size and the density growth, in consideration of leaks and interferences between the nozzles. Also, the problem becomes serious as the nozzle diameter is further reduced. A power semiconductor with a high voltage of not less than 1000V is typically expensive and does not excel in frequency responsiveness.
In the Japanese Examined Patent Publication 36-13768, the nozzle diameter is 0.127 mm. The range of the nozzle diameter in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-88306 is 50 to 2000 μm, more preferably 100 to 1000 μm.
As to the nozzle diameter, the development wavelength λC is worked out as follows, if typical operating conditions of the conventional electrostatic suction type fluid discharge are applied: the development wavelength λC is about 140 μm where the surface tension is 0.020N/m and the electric field strength is 107V/m in the aforesaid equation (1). Consequently, the limit nozzle diameter is 70 μm. It has therefore been considered that, in a case where the nozzle diameter is not more than about 70 μm in the aforesaid conditions, the ink development does not occur even if the field strength is high (107V/m), unless a countermeasure such as forcible formation of meniscus by the application of a back pressure is carried out. In short, it has been considered that the miniaturization of the nozzle is not compatible with the reduction in the drive voltage.
As described above, in the conventional fluid discharge devices, the miniaturization of the nozzle contradicts with the improvement of precision, and it has been difficult to achieve both of these improvements. In particular, regarding the electrostatic suction type fluid discharge devices, it has been considered that the miniaturization of the nozzle contradicts with the reduction in the drive voltage.

Electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device, electrostatic suction type fluid discharge method, and plot pattern formation method using the same


When a spreadsheet is displayed in a display section and spreadsheet calculation is to be executed, by referring to a column or a row with a key entry or pointing device, the column or row can be displayed in the fixed state without overflowing when the spreadsheet on the display screen is scrolled. A limited display range on the spreadsheet can be changed through scrolling when a row or a column not specified as an object for fixed display is to be displayed.

In software for spreadsheet calculation (described as spreadsheet software hereinafter), a table frame in which a plurality of cells each for data input are arrayed in rows and columns; namely a spreadsheet is displayed on a display screen, and spreadsheet calculations such as tabulation are automatically executed by giving data, a formula, or the like to each cell.
Generally a range of cells in which a user can visually inspect is limited to the size of a visible spreadsheet area that can be displayed on a screen. For this reason, when information is to be displayed on a cell outside the visible spreadsheet area or when data is input to a cell outside the visible spreadsheet area, it is necessary to scroll the display area in the vertical and horizontal directions by such as an input device as a mouse.
However, when scrolling is to be carried out, the visible spreadsheet area having been displayed so far is hidden from the display screen. Thus, the scroll operation must always be executed, which is very disadvantageous.
Concerning a main item such as a title for a row or a column, it is useful to display this item for reference during data input in a cell area outside the visible spreadsheet. For this reason, software with additional functionality for fixed display on a spreadsheet has recently appeared for solving the problem as described above.
The technology for this fixed display function has been proposed, for instance, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. SHO 58-178443, or in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 8-180118.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. SHO 58-178443, when a table is to be prepared, the table is divided to a common item section and a variable item section, and the common item section is always displayed, while the variable item section is arbitrarily divided and the display is scrolled.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 8-180118, the row or column for holding an item that is always kept displayed in a table is automatically discriminated and displayed in a fixed display section. Portions other than the fixed display section are displayed by issuing a scrolling instruction.
In the conventional technology as described in the patent publications as described above, for both the common item section and fixed display section, the fixed display is provided for a title, so that input of data or an operational expression to a required cell can be executed always with reference to each item in the title row or the title column. For this reason, the troublesome work load in checking each item in a title row or a title column by means of a scroll operation can be eliminated.
However, as when a plan requiring numerical data is to be prepared with a spreadsheet, it sometimes becomes necessary to input or edit data or an operational expression into a data column while referring to a computing result column such as tabulation obtained according to the data or operational expression. Since the computing result column corresponds to the variable item section in the conventional technology, it is necessary to scroll the variable item section in the vertical and horizontal directions if the computing result column is in a not-displayed state.

Spreadsheet-calculating system and method


A method for detecting a Salmonella species, E. coli O157:H7, or Listeria monocytogenes is disclosed. The method involves amplifying a genomic nucleotide sequence of a corresponding species and detecting the amplification product. Various primers and probes that can be used in the method are also disclosed. In one embodiment, the amplification step of the method is accomplished by real-time PCR and the amplification product is detected by fluorescence resonance energy transfer using a pair of labeled polynucleotides.

Federal and state health and safety standards mandate that industrial food service companies and manufacturing facilities perform routine testing for common bacteria, such as Salmonella species, E. coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes, that cause food-borne illnesses. As a safety precaution, companies are required to perform testing on each batch or lot of food prior to the food reaching the public. Several methods are currently available for industrial testing of bacteria in the food service industry.
However, there are currently severe limitations on the tests available to the industry. Present methods utilized as industry standards require 2-5 days to perform. For example, the most widely used methods for detection of Salmonella employ a pre-enrichment (day 1), a selective enrichment (day 2), and a final enrichment followed by an immunoassay requiring 105 organisms (day 3); the most widely used methods of detection of E. coli O157:H7 employ a selective enrichment (8-28 hours) and an immunoassay requiring 105 organisms; the most widely used methods of detection of Listeria monocytogenes employ a pre-enrichment (26-30 hours), an enrichment (22-26 hours), and an immunoassay requiring 105 organisms. For the detection of E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes, all samples that are suspected as positive by the immunoassay must be confirmed by culture methods (1-3 days for E. coli O157:H7 and 4-5 days for Listeria monocytogenes). Thus, in many cases, the food suppliers must wait days for test results before shipping their already manufactured products. As a result, the company may lose profits from a reduced shelf life and the wait also increases the potential for food spoilage.
In addition, using methods now available in the art, the organism needs to be cultured to a concentration of at least 105/ml to be detected. Because the margin of error in detectability of the bacteria is high, false negative tests may result and a food poisoning outbreak may occur. The company is then forced to recall product that has already reached the consumer. This places the public at a great health risk. The manufacturer or producer is also forced to bear the costs of recall, and is at a risk for lawsuit or government mandated shutdown of production facilities.
Thus, there is a need for an inexpensive testing technology that provides a rapid turn-around time, and a high degree of accuracy and reproducibility, which will result in safer food manufacturing and preparation. Additionally, there is a need for a method that keeps pace with new manufacturing processes. Polymerase chain reaction ("PCR") testing technology for food-borne pathogenic bacteria facilitates rapid and accurate testing for the manufacturers.

Methods and oligonucleotides for the detection of


Some embodiments of the present invention provide a sample holder that is suitable for collection and spectroscopic measurement of a blood sample. In some embodiments, the sample holder is provided with an optical chamber that is specifically designed to spread blood into a thin film, thereby reducing the average attenuation of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) due to scattering of EMR by the red blood cells in a blood sample, without having to hemolyze the red blood cells using sound waves or reagents. The inlet of some embodiments of the sample holder is a piece of capillary tube, and in other embodiments, the inlet is configured to engage a syringe. In some embodiments, the inlet of the sample holder can accommodate adaptors with different configurations, thereby allowing the sample holder to receive blood from any source, for example a pin prick or a syringe.

There are many medical diagnostic tests that require a blood sample. A venous blood sample is usually collected in a vacuum-filled tube and taken to a central laboratory for analysis. In most cases the venous blood has to be centrifuged to obtain plasma, and the plasma is tested. In circumstances where arterial blood is needed, the blood is collected in a syringe from an artery or an arterial line (i.e., a tube connected to an artery), and the blood is taken to a central laboratory for analysis. Alternatively, much smaller blood samples (e.g. in the range of micro-liters) can be obtained using a pinprick and then a capillary tube that is inserted into a drop of blood that oozes onto the skin surface from the pin prick. Blood from the drop flows into the capillary tube as a result of capillary action. Blood from a pin prick flows out of capillaries, and hence is called capillary blood.
Babies cannot always provide an arterial blood sample, because the blood loss can affect their health. As a substitute, capillary blood can become "arterialized" by applying a heating pad to a baby's skin at the site chosen for the pinprick. The heat increases the blood flow in the area and the resulting capillary blood is similar in composition to arterial blood.
Point-of-care testing or near-patient testing is a process of testing the patient's blood near the patient. Point-of-care testing has many advantages, but analyzers that provide point-of-care testing are only available for a limited number of tests.
One example of a blood analysis technique that requires arterial blood or "arterialized" capillary blood is co-oximetry. Co-oximetry is a spectroscopic technique that can be used to measure the different Hemoglobin (Hb) species present in a blood sample. The results of co-oximetry can be further evaluated to provide Hb Oxygen Saturation (sO2) measurements. Preferably, Hb sO2 is measured from arterial blood, since arterial blood provides an indication of how well venous blood is oxygenated in the lungs. If the blood sample is exposed to air the Hb sO2 measurements are falsely elevated, as oxygen from the air is absorbed into the blood sample. Moreover, the presence of small air bubbles trapped inside the capillary tube also lead to analysis errors, because the partial pressure of oxygen in the sample rises. Evidence of this is found in the Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry, 3rd ed. (ISBN: 0721656102); which describes a representative example of how a 100 micro-liters air-bubble causes a 4 mm of mercury increase in the partial pressure of oxygen in a 2 ml blood sample. It is commonly understood that this effect increases as the ratio of blood sample volume to air volume decreases.
A sample holder referred to as a "Sample Tab" is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,841,132 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,108,833 for use in point-of care testing. The Sample Tab, which comprises a well and a hinged-cover, can also be used in the central laboratory. The major drawback of the Sample Tab is that the blood is exposed to the atmosphere, and consequently cannot be used to measure blood oxygenation. Also, the well of the Sample Tab is difficult to fill when the blood comes directly from a pinprick. The present invention overcomes some of the limitations of the Sample Tab.


Disclosed herein are compositions containing an opioid antagonist such as naloxone and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients. The compositions may be used for intranasal delivery of Naloxone for the treatment of, for example, opioid overdose in an individual in need thereof. Also disclosed are methods of making compositions containing Naloxone, and devices for nasal delivery of naloxone compositions.

Naloxone was approved by FDA in 1971 and first marketed as Narcan® injection for the complete or partial reversal of opioid intoxication. It has subsequently become a multi-source prescription generic drug and is currently manufactured by International Medication Systems, Limited (IMS) and Hospira, Inc. The injection is available in two strengths, 0.4 mg/mL and 1.0 mg/mL. Naloxone injection is approved worldwide and is on the WHO Model list of Essential Medicines as a specific antidote.
Presently, naloxone is a standard inventory item for emergency services personnel to carry in ambulances and medication kits for reversal of suspected opioid overdose in the pre-hospital setting. Hospital emergency departments also use this medication routinely for this purpose. The initial parenteral dose of naloxone for adults with known or suspected narcotic overdose is 0.4 to 2 mg, which may be repeated as needed to a total dose of 10 mg. The currently available formulations of naloxone are approved for intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) administration. Naloxone is also indicated as a reversal agent when the effects of therapeutic use of opioids are no longer medically necessary, such as in reversal of opioid effects in general anesthesia.
In 2008, poisoning surpassed motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of "injury deaths" in the United States (Warner 2011). Nearly 90% of poisoning deaths are caused by drugs. During the past 3 decades, the number of drug poisoning deaths increased six-fold from about 6,100 in 1980 to 36,500 in 2008. Of the 36,500 drug poisoning deaths in 2008, 14,800 involved prescription opioid analgesics. Approximately 3,000 deaths also involved heroin overdose (Warner 2011).
In emergency situations, it is known that the onset of action of the IV injection will be faster, so is preferred. Narcan® is a commercially available intravenous formulation of naloxone HCl that is administered to unresponsive opioid users who have overdosed. The shortcomings of this formulation and route of administration are 1) it takes time to establish IV access and this is exacerbated in individuals who have poor veins from frequent injections with dirty needles; 2) that those who are administering the drug are putting themselves at risk from needle-stick injury from an awakening an agitated patient; and 3) the immediate high blood levels are associated with inducing more frequent and severe opioid withdrawal effects. Further, IV administration requires delivery by a trained professional, limiting the use of the drug to a small percentage of the population who can receive EMS care. Naloxone can be given by IM or SC injection, and has a more gradual onset of action because the drug must be absorbed from the muscle or skin. Although naloxone can also be given by IM or SC administration, the utility of delivering naloxone by lay persons using a needle is not common medical practice. There are currently no over-the-counter medications used by lay persons that require needle-based delivery. Thus, an unmet medical need is a needle-free delivery system capable of delivering naloxone in a properly designed product sufficient to achieve therapeutically effective blood levels of naloxone, and that can be used by a lay person accurately under intense emotional and environmental pressure to treat a person suspected of suffering an opioid overdose—most commonly an immediate family member or close acquaintance.
An additional problem with the current standard of care using naloxone to treat drug overdose is that the delivery of naloxone to patients in a state of drug overdose can result in a variety of responses in the drug overdosed patient. Depending on the route administered, naloxone can rapidly reverse the effects of the opioid, and in many instances, can induce instant and severe pain, nausea, vomiting, the occasional seizure, agitation, and/or combativeness. This can be dangerous both to the patient and to the emergency responder. Once awakened, the patient may be in a state of distress and uncertainty. Medical staff and/or the patient handling an unsheathed needle may risk puncture as a result of a disoriented or agitated patient. Thus, administration of a naloxone formulation, which would lessen a sudden reversal as observed using IV administration, is desired.
Finally, the current standard of care for a patient with a suspected opioid intoxication is to support ventilation and administer naloxone either IV, IM, or subcutaneously (SC). A demonstration of unmet medical need is the off-label administration of naloxone injection intranasally. The injection formulation, which is not formulated for intranasal use, has to be given intranasally via a separate mucosal atomizer device using ad hoc methods (Barton 2005, Kelly 2005, Kerr 2008, Merlin 2010, Robertson 2009, Sporer 2007). For example, the San Francisco EMS uses this drug administration technique as a standard-of-care to prevent needle-stick injuries to EMTs. While naloxone injection formulations currently administered intranasally by EMS personnel in the field as an opioid antidote using the FDA-approved parenteral product and a Mucosal Atomization Device ("MAD" device, available from Teleflex and/or LMA), there are numerous drawbacks that detract from the efficacy of the method. These include formulations not suited for intranasal delivery, a lack of a complete device containing naloxone and designed for intranasal delivery, and a lack of compositions specifically designed for manufacture with intranasal devices that do not utilize terminal autoclave sterilization, which can also be stored and conveniently and safely used and transported, a multi-step process to assemble the required elements subject to confusion and error, and which can be stored for long periods of time without causing product damage (i.e., fracturing of a glass container) or naloxone degradation resulting in the formation of 7,8-didehydronaloxone, a substance considered by the FDA to be undesirable/potentially genotoxic.
Further, currently formulations are not designed for nasal delivery However, Dowling, et al, "Population Pharmacokinetics of Intravenous, Intramuscular, and Intranasal Naloxone in Human Volunteers," Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, 30(4): 490-496 (2008) (hereafter "Dowling") describes the absorption and pharmacokinetics of a dilute naloxone injection type solution administered intranasally. The bioavailability was only 4%, suggesting that intranasal naloxone absorption is poor and leading a person skilled in the art away from the present invention. In fact, the authors in Dowling concluded that nasal delivery of naloxone was not feasible based on their results.
Due to the increasing need for opioid overdose reversal agents and methods, there is a need in the art for improved compositions and methods of delivery of such compositions. In particular, there is a need for integrating compositions, methods and devices that can allow for an effective reversal of opioid overdose, but which eliminates or minimizes the use of needles. There is further a need for effective formulations and methods of providing such compositions to an individual, for rapid absorption into the nasal mucosa and for reversing opioid overdose, that can be quickly and easily used, but which minimize sudden and severe side effects of rapid reversal of opioid overdose. Formulations having a concentration suited for delivery to and absorption by the naris (i.e., nostril or nasal passage) are also desired. Ideally, product designs are robust for use in many different environments, from austere to clinical environments, be ready to use, easy to understand and administer quickly, and durable and not subject to damage and breakage. Ideally, the formulations have minimal to no formation of 7,8-didehydronaloxone over accelerated or long term stability studies.
Further, there is a need for one-step, needle-free, portable naloxone delivery drug products that contain a sufficiently high concentration of naloxone but are capable of long term storage in a variety of different conditions, such that the naloxone is intact and effective when needed, and safe to deliver to a patient either by a professional or by an untrained layperson. It may be noted that the current use of nasal administration devices are intended for outpatient treatment in non-life threatening situations. In contrast, administration of naloxone for treatment of overdose is generally in the context of a high stress environment, and bystander administration of naloxone by non-medical persons is of questionable effectiveness, as nonmedical bystanders have limited ability and knowledge necessary to administer naloxone effectively. Clark, et al, "A Systematic Review of Community Opioid Overdose Prevention and Naloxone Distribution Programs" J. Addict Med 2014; 8: 153-163. Thus, a need in the art is for devices and formulations that can be easily administered by non-medical personnel.
The instant disclosure seeks to address one or more of these unmet needs in the art.

Intranasal naloxone compositions and methods of making and using same


Seismic survey data is stored in encrypted format in a first memory. The first memory module is transferred to a first computer in a first location. A portion of the seismic survey data is selected using a second computer in the first location, wherein the second computer communicates with a second location. A request authorization is transmitted from the second computer to the second location. A decryption code is transmitted from the second location to the second computer. The decryption code is transferred from the second computer to the first computer. The decryption code is applied to the selected portion of seismic survey data in the first computer, making available seismic survey data in decrypted format.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to seismic surveys and, more particularly, to a method for communicating seismic survey data for geophysical prospect evaluation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Geophysical prospect evaluation is the process of analyzing the processed data from seismic surveys to evaluate the possible presence of hydrocarbons or other valuable mineral deposits in a prospect area. Seismic surveying is a process of analyzing underground earth formations in the prospect area for structural information that would indicate the possible presence of the mineral deposits. In seismic surveying, a seismic source is used to send acoustic waves toward the earth formations. Typically used seismic sources are vibrators on land and airguns in the water. The acoustic waves that reflect from the interfaces between the earth formations are detected with seismic receivers. Typically used seismic receivers are geophones laid out in arrays on land and hydrophones towed in streamers in the water. In addition, both geophones and hydrophones may be paired in dual sensor ocean bottom cable receivers laid on the water bottom. The number of source and receiver locations used can be quite large in any case. The time and amplitude information of the detected acoustic waves are recorded for data processing. The processed information can be used for evaluating the underground structure and possible mineral content of the prospect area.
A problem in geophysical prospect evaluation is the difficulty of gaining timely access to the seismic data. Because of the large number of source and receiver locations used to record data, seismic data sets are quite large compared to the transmission capacity of current communication means. The large size of seismic data sets slows down their transmission from those who acquire the data to those who need to evaluate the data. Today's geophysical communication environment encounters logistical issues of transmission circuit availability and size; cost for full time, dedicated, point-to-point lines with burst usage periods totaling 5% or less of the total available monthly bandwidth; long lead times to install higher bandwidth communication facilities; and the administrative and physical implementation issues associated with security at both the originating and receiving ends of the data transfer process. Additionally, the bandwidth required to transmit large seismic data volumes at optimum speeds is not practically available at reasonable costs. All these problems prevent the immediate access to speculative seismic survey data by those who wish to evaluate seismic prospects.


For detecting and statistically securing correlations between the iris of a test subject and his state of health, a data bank with images of the iris of M test subjects is established by means of the following method steps: obtaining an image of the iris (iris chart) of the M test subjects by opto-electronically scanning-in the pixels with defined color values in a predeterminable grid, conversion and storage of the M scanned-in iris charts in M data sets, each with a×b data fields of a value corresponding to the color value of the associated pixel, standardization of the M data sets in such a way that a standard value, which can be predetermined by a rule for computing, is formed for each data field and represents the normal color value of the associated pixel, forming a standard data set (DQ) from the mean values standardized in this way, which constitutes an iris chart with the statistical normal state of the iris of the M test subjects, and storing the standard data set (DQ) in a first section of a data carrier. Standardization permits a statistically unequivocal association (if present) between specific illnesses and corresponding deviations of the iris image from a normal state. This can be used for a computer-controlled iris diagnosis.

It has been known for a long time that the state of the organs of the human and animal body is reflected in areas of the body which are remote from the actual seat of the illness in that changes are caused there, which in turn are available for observation or measurement. The iris represents a typical indicator of this type. The iris is used by iridologists for assessing the state of health of a patient.

Method for obtaining and using medical data


Spring ring type seals are substituted for the usual piston ring seals in squeeze film dampers for bearings to provide more available space and location for oil plenums in the squeeze film space and a more constant and continuous circumferential oil seal.

This invention relates to squeeze film dampers, and more particularly to squeeze film dampers having a spring ring seal to provide improved oil supply, maintenance and conservation in the damper.
Squeeze film dampers as associated with rotor shaft bearings of high speed turbo machinery, for example, hot gas turbine engines such as aircraft gas turbine engines, generally include a bearing support member such as the outer annular race of a rolling element bearing fitted into an annular chamber in the bearing housing in which it is permitted to have some limited radial motion. The annular race fits closely in its annular chamber to define a thin annular squeeze film space between the circular planar outer surface of the race and its opposing housing wall of the annular chamber. A damper fluid such as an oil is introduced into the squeeze film space to produce hydrodynamic forces that provide beneficial damping during rotational imbalance conditions. Appropriate seals are fitted at the opposite sides or ends of the squeeze film space to limit oil flow out of the squeeze film space. Damper oil problems associated with a damper as described include overcoming high oil pressure in a damper to replenish lost damper oil , maintaining effective amounts of oil within the damper, and, effectively controlling necessary oil flow through the seals and out of the damper during its operation.


In a client-server system comprising a plurality of client terminal devices and a server device which transmits and receives information to and from the plurality of client terminal devices, the server device comprises an acquisition unit which obtains a priority of the client terminal device from a priority storage unit, based on a control request from the client terminal device, a determination unit which determines whether or not the control request is accepted, based on the obtained priority, and an execution unit which executes control in response to the control request when the determination unit determines that the control request is accepted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a server device and a client-server system.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, a system for providing information (content information) from a server device to a client terminal device through a network has been used. To the server device, there are connected a plurality of types of audio-video equipments such as a TV apparatus, a videorecorder, a PVR (Personal Video Recorder), a tuner of BS (Broadcasting Satellite) broadcasting or CS (Communication Satellite) broadcasting, an STB (Set Top Box), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) player and an audio device, so that content information corresponding to the audio-video equipments connected to the server device can be transferred and provided from the server device to the client terminal device.
When a plurality of client terminal devices are connected to one server device, there is such a problem that a long time is required to provide content information.
Therefore, there are proposed a method for sequentially providing content information in accordance with the time when each client terminal device starts a provision request of content information (see Patent Document 1), a method for setting a start time of viewing of content information and recruiting viewers of the content information until the start time (see Patent Document 2) and a method for performing scheduling of a content information provision so as to minimize a waiting time in view of selection probability of the content information (see Patent Document 3).
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Publication Unexamined No. 2004-289776
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Application Publication Unexamined No. 2004-235921
[Patent Document 3]
Japanese Patent Application Publication Unexamined No. 2002-007257
In a case where a plurality of client terminal devices are connected to one server device, for example, there is a problem that when the server device accepts a control request over content information from one client terminal device, a harmful influence occurs in viewing of the content information by users of the other client terminal devices. Specifically, in a case where a server device provides a first content information set to a first client terminal device and a second client terminal device, for example, there is a problem that when the server device accepts a stop control request over the first content information set from the first client terminal device, the provision of the first content information set stops although a user of the second client terminal device does not desire stopping of the provision, and as a result, an unpredictable harmful influence occurs in the viewing of the first content information set by the user of the second client terminal device. However, in Patent Documents 1, 2 and 3, such a problem is not expected.


In order to so improve a machine for the non-circular machining of workpieces comprising a machine frame, a workpiece spindle held on the machine frame for receiving a workpiece and having a C-axis sensor, a Z-slide displaceable parallel to the workpiece spindle and having a Z-axis sensor, an X-axis drive arranged on the Z-slide for advancing a tool towards the workpiece, an X-axis sensor for determining the position of the tool, and a control device, that it operates quickly and reliably, it is proposed that the control device comprise a numerical machine control system for activating the workpiece spindle and the Z-axis drive and include a numerical X-axis control system, that the X-axis control system activate the X-axis drive independently of the machine control system in accordance with the predetermined non-circular shape, and that a coordination take place between the machine control system and the X-axis control system after certain time intervals.

The invention relates to a machine for the non-circular machining of workpieces comprising a machine frame, a workpiece spindle held on the machine frame for receiving a workpiece, a C-axis sensor for determining the rotary positions of the workpiece spindle, a Z-slide arranged on the machine frame for displacement in the Z-direction parallel to the workpiece spindle and having a Z-axis drive, a Z-axis sensor for determining the position of the Z-slide, an X-axis drive arranged on the Z-slide for advancing a tool in the X-direction towards the workpiece, an X-axis sensor for determining the position of the tool, and a control device for activating the X-axis drive in dependence upon the values measured by the C-axis sensor, the Z-axis sensor and the X-axis sensor such that a non-circular workpiece shape predetermined for the control device is produced during the machining.
Such a machine is known, for example, from EP-A-0 201 230. This publication discloses a control device comprising a numerical control system in which an analog closed-loop control system for activating the C-axis drive is integrated. The numerical control system predetermines for the analog closed-loop control system the sequence of the data representing the non-circular shape of the workpiece in digital form so that the analog closed-loop control system only links the values of the X-axis sensor, the C-axis sensor and the Z-axis sensor.
Such a "mixed" control system brings problems and is subject to limitations with respect to its accuracy and the adaptability of its control characteristics to an X-axis drive.
The object underlying the invention is, therefore, to so improve a machine of the generic kind that it operates quickly and reliably and allows optimum adaptation to the chosen X-axis drive.

Machine for the non-circular machining of workpieces


There is provided a printing apparatus having a supply function and a winding function, in which a sheet is guided to a desirable position. To achieve this, the apparatus includes: a supply unit configured to hold a plurality of rolls of a wound continuous sheet; a printing unit configured to print an image on a sheet drawn from one of the rolls held by the supply unit; a storage unit configured to store a sheet printed in the printing unit; and a guiding unit configured to guide a sheet discharged from the printing unit to the storage unit, wherein the guiding unit is capable of switching between guiding the sheet discharged from the printing unit to the storage unit and guiding the sheet discharged from the printing unit to the supply unit so that the sheet is wound.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus having a supply function and a winding function.
Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-116561 discloses an image forming apparatus having a configuration in which a roll sheet can be installed and having both a supply function of supplying a sheet and a winding function of winding up a sheet. In this image forming apparatus, it is determined whether a set spool is for supply or for winding to control driving of the spool according to the determination.
The apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-116561 is configured to discharge a printed sheet to a basket or to wind a printed sheet around a paper tube. In a mode of discharging a printed sheet to a basket, if a sheet after printing has an inward curl, the sheet may come inside the apparatus, failing to be discharged to the basket.


According to this invention, the NAND type flash memory of high reliability is realized. It provides a semiconductor memory device comprising: a plurality of memory cells; a plurality of word lines formed by a first gate wiring layer; a plurality of first transistors for providing voltages to said word lines; and electrical connections for connection said word lines and sources or drains of said first transistors, said electrical connections being formed of both first wirings of a first wiring layer formed above said first gate wiring layer and second wirings of a second wiring layers formed above said first wiring layer.

The demand for non-volatile semiconductor memory devices, which are small in size and large scale in capacity, has increased rapidly in recent years. Compared with NOR type flash memories, NAND type flash memories, which can expect higher integration and larger memory capacity, have attracted attention.
Widths and intervals (Line and Space) of wirings in non-volatile semiconductor memory devices, such as a NAND type flash memory, become small as ultra-fine processing technologies of photolithography advance (scaling is carried out). Generally, the size of NAND strings becomes smaller in accordance with the advance in its feature size (chip process generations). As a result, large capacity NAND type flash memories are realizable. When the sizes of NAND strings become small, it will be necessary to make the size of transfer transistors smaller. However, when the size of transfer transistors become small, the Line and Space of a gate wiring GC and a first wiring layer M0 which connect the word line WL connected to the NAND string and transfer transistors, cannot be fully secured. As a result, the withstanding voltage between word lines WL will also decrease. It becomes difficult to avoid defects, such as short-circuiting of word lines by dielectric breakdown, and it becomes difficult to maintain the reliability of NAND type flash memories. While Japanese Patent Publications (Kokai) 2004-79857, 2004-55617 describe the above NAND type flash memory dealing with such problems, these publications are hereby incorporated as references.


A sling chair includes a back frame member having side rails held in substantially parallel relation by a pair of cross bar members. In one embodiment, the cross bar members are generally curved so as to extend away from the back faces of the side rails, forming a concave back structure which can receive a sling member and, eventually, a seated occupant. The cross bar members are adapted to retain the sling member in secure fashion through upper and lower backrest assemblies, resulting in better support and more efficient assembly. This also facilitates separate provisioning of decorative features to improve the chair's aesthetic qualities.

Various types of sling chairs have been known which provide a somewhat concave and/or giving backrest. Such chairs generally include a back portion and a seat portion, and may optionally include armrest portions. The back portion generally includes a back frame and a flexible yet supportive backrest made of fabric or other suitable material and mounted to the back frame. Different mechanisms have been employed for securing the backrest to the back frame, and these prior art mechanisms have suffered from several deficiencies. First, these prior art mechanisms often fail to provide a secure connection, which can result in the backrest being unsupportive of the seated individual. Second, sling chairs often expose aspects of the sling hardware, such as attachment elements or fasteners, and it would be aesthetically desirable to hide such aspects. Further, the sling backrest for these chairs is frequently retained along the chair side rail supports, creating side-to-side sling tension, restricting the potential to add decorative chair features, and complicating assembly.


The present invention relates to a winding reel for a label dispenser and a method allowing a roll of a wound-up label carrier tape to be easily removed from the winding reel. A first rod of the winding reel is connected to a rotating element in a movable manner and at least two additional rods are connected to the rotating element in a stationary manner. An operating element is pivotably arranged on the free ends of the two stationarily arranged rods, where the operating element is connected to the free end of the first rod and configured such that it causes a deflection of the free end of the first rod in the direction of the rotary axis.

DE 199 42 310 C1 discloses a winding reel having three rods accommodated on a rotating element and rotating about a rotary axis and an empty label carrier tape windable onto the rods. The three rods are arranged on a common radius around the rotary axis of the winding reel. To remove a roll of wound-up label carrier tape from the winding reel, it is necessary to bend the free end of at least one of these three rods inwards in the direction of the rotary axis in order to reduce the friction of the label carrier tape on the rods to such an extent that the roll of label carrier tape can manually be removed in the direction of the free ends of the rods. A drawback of this solution is the expenditure of force, which is applied to the winding reel itself with one hand, and the necessity of removing the roll with the other hand; a procedure that is disadvantageous from the ergonomic point of view.
US 2007/0278342 A1 discloses another embodiment of a winding reel, which has a complicated structural design and which is not hygienic because it is difficult to clean.

MULTIVAC MARKING & INSPECTION GMBH & CO. KG


A hair color delivery system includes a flexible bottle, a dispensing cap having a tapered nozzle, an asymmetric bi-directional valve assembly, and a dispensing tube. The valve assembly comprises a platform, and a pair of valves, comprising tapered extensions through which fluid may be expelled from the bottle and ambient air may enter the bottle. The valves are offset from each other so that they are not co-axial or rotationally symmetric. The delivery system enables a method of substantially continuous delivery of a fluid chemical, yielding a hair treatment that it is easy and safe to use in which the tapered nozzle stays fully charged with product as air can be admitted to a dispensing bottle through a different valve than that used for dispensing.

The success of a hair color treatment depends on safe and controlled application of chemical dyes in a timely manner. Such chemical dyes, especially fluids, or those that contain volatile components such as solvents, may be allergenic, irritating, or even toxic if handled incorrectly. In addition, chemical dyes of the type used in hair color products can leave permanent stains if they are spilled on clothing, furniture, countertops, or floors. Moreover, skin can become stained or irritated if the color is allowed to make contact with bare skin for prolonged periods.
Hair color products are typically packaged with detailed application instructions, but it is often left up to the professional hair colorist to assemble the necessary tools for applying the product safely and consistently. For example, some instructions direct the user of the product to mix chemicals in a glass or plastic container, and to apply the chemical with a brush. If an open container such as a color bowl is used, product may be lost to evaporation and the resulting fumes may be unpleasant or even unsafe. Hair products intended for consumers are generally packaged with a color bottle or other application tools along with hair color (dye) and developer (peroxide). Consumers at home may be supplied a brush that is attached to the hair bottle to create lighter streaks in the hair or to retouch grey roots. While application with a brush typically permits better control and is appropriate for salon applications, brush application is difficult for consumers and home users of hair color almost always use a bottle having a short cone for product delivery.
The success of a hair color treatment relies on the precision of the application to the areas of the hair one desires and the speed at which one can apply the color. The color/dye is stored in a separate container from the developer/peroxide which activates the color when the two are mixed together. The dye and peroxide solutions are mixed immediately before application and as soon as the developer and color are mixed, a chemical process begins that changes the quality of the finished product. As the mixed product ages, it becomes more oxidized and less effective. In products intended to lighten hair color, the capability of the product to lighten decreases as the mixed product ages. Products intended to darken hair color, produce darker, muddier, and less attractive hair color as the mixed product ages. Consequently, the speed at which the product is applied can determine the quality of the resulting hair color. The degradation of the dye/peroxide mixture is especially problematic for home consumers who typically must rapidly, accurately, and uniformly apply the mixture to their own hair to produce satisfactory results.
Some hair color products are shipped with a small squeeze bottle having a screw cap closure with a simple cone-shaped nozzle that must be inverted to apply the product. Such a method of delivery is cumbersome for self-use, slows the delivery process, and is prone to leakage and spills. Furthermore, after initially squeezing the bottle, and upon release of manual pressure, a one-way nozzle tends to suck product back into the bottle while the air pressure is equilibrating, thus interrupting continuous flow of product during application. Also, in the case of fluids of higher viscosity or gels, some product inevitably remains in the bottom of the bottle and is wasted.
In general, fluid chemicals such as cleaning fluids or laboratory chemicals are often packaged and sold in, or may be mixed and stored by a user in, flexible squeeze bottles made from a soft, high density polyethylene. Some laboratory squeeze bottles have a wide mouth that is easy to fill, and that is covered by a screw cap having a conical tapered polypropylene nozzle coupled to a tube (pickup tube) that extends into the fluid reservoir. The tapered nozzle provides a simple way either to control the application of fluid chemical, or to use the chemical as a wash. The user controls the amount of fluid dispensed by simply squeezing the flexible bottle. Such bottles are, however, prone to dripping and chemical evaporation in response to changes in ambient air temperature and barometric pressure. Also, they must be maintained in an upright position, or the fluid will simply spill out of the dispensing cap. What is needed for safe and effective application of hair color products is a hair color delivery system suitable for mixing and storing the product in a closed container, and for applying the hair color in a continuous and controlled manner in either a salon setting or at home.
Existing vented squeeze bottle valves (for example, annular valves of the type commonly used for sports drinks or condiments) typically exhibit axial or rotational symmetry so that outside air passes through the cap around the perimeter of the dispenser as fluid chemical is squeezed out of the dispenser. Conventional dispensing bottles include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,543 to Rohrbacher, U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,457 to Klassen, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,702 to Horvath, U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,314 to Roggenburg and U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,518 to Laauwe.


A new and distinct Bergenia plant characterized by numerous inflorescences flowering at about the same height, large, deep pink flowers, clean, shiny and dark red brown winter leaves, and excellent vigor.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Bergenia hybrid and given the cultivar name of 'Spring Fling'. Bergenia is in the family Saxifragaceae. The new cultivar originated from a planned breeding program to create outstanding garden Bergenia. The new cultivar was created from controlled crosses using proprietary parents. The exact parents were not recorded and are unknown.


A method of manufacturing a light emitting device, using a spray coating method, a fluorescent material can be easily adhered on corner portions and side surfaces of an LED chip, a lens-shaped light transmissive resin member surface, an optical lens surface, etc., and a spray coating machine used in the method. The method includes mounting an LED chip on a substrate member, applying a spray coating to a coating object including the LED chip by spraying a powder-containing solution. The applying a spray coating is performed such that a powder-containing solution is sprayed through a solution nozzle arranged above the coating object, as a spray direction of the powder-containing solution indicating a central axis, while using at least one gas nozzle arranged in a surrounding relationship to the central axis, spraying a gas toward the central axis to alter the direction of the spray made of the powder-containing solution.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a light emitting device which employs a light emitting element such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), particularly, to a method of manufacturing a light emitting device in which a fluorescent material etc., can be disposed uniformly, and to a spray coating machine used in the method.
2. Description of Related Art
In the general lighting market such as light bulbs for general lighting, middle and small size LCDs, large size LCDs, street lights, signal lights, and lighting for automobiles, demand for LEDs in such lighting fields is expanding with the improvement in luminous efficiency of LEDs. Typically, an LED generates white light by using an LED chip and a fluorescent material which converts a wavelength of light and is disposed around the LED chip. Examples of the method of disposing the fluorescent material include a potting method in which a liquid resin containing a fluorescent material is disposed around an LED chip and is hardened, and an electrodeposition method in which a fluorescent material is arranged around an LED chip by using an electrophoretic technique.
However, in such a potting method, a mixture of a fluorescent material and a liquid resin is applied by potting, then, the fluorescent material is allowed to precipitate spontaneously by gravity, in which, the fluorescent material is difficult to be precipitated on the corner portions and the side surfaces of the LED chip, so that a lesser thickness of the fluorescent layer may result. Such an electrodeposition method employs an electrophoretic technique, so that the fluorescent material can be attached to the corner portions and the side surfaces of the LED chip, but depends on the particle size of the fluorescent material, uneven electrophoretic behavior may occur and/or the thickness of the fluorescent material may be difficult to control.
The ratio of the wavelength-converted light by the fluorescent material varies depending on the optical path length of the light emitted from the LED chip passing through the fluorescent material layer, so that a short optical path length (i.e. a thin fluorescent material layer) increases a blue component attributes to the light emitted from the LED chip, and a long optical path length (i.e. a thick fluorescent material layer) increases a yellow component attributes to the wavelength-converted light. But in the two methods as described above, controlling of the thickness of the fluorescent material layer is not an easy task, which may result in irregular color in the emission due to disruption of a balance between the blue component and the yellow component, or may result in irregular coloration such as a yellow ring in the second optical system.
Also, generally in the case where a white light is obtained by mixing a fluorescent material in a sealing member (light transmissive resin) of an LED chip, optical output power generally tend to decrease due to dispersion of the light in a long optical path passing the fluorescent material. In recent years, a lower cost in the manufacturing is in demand for general lighting and the solution for those problems without increasing a peculiar step in manufacturing is regarded as important. Accordingly, in order to solve the problems described above, a method of forming a thin-layer of a fluorescent material has been proposed in which a coating agent containing a fluorescent material is coated on the surface of the sealing member by using a spray coating method to form a thin fluorescent material layer (see, for example, JP 2008-78659A).
In the spray coating method proposed in JP 2008-78659A, a spray-coating is applied from directly above a coating object (an LED chip encapsulated in a convex lens shape according to JP 2008-78659A) perpendicularly to the coating object, where a fluorescent material containing coating member is sprayed by using a conical swirling spray method. In which, the coating material containing a fluorescent material is sprayed in a conical swirling spray pattern to deposit a thin layer of the fluorescent material. However, in the case where a fluorescent material is applied by using the spray coating method proposed in JP 2008-78659A, due to a limitation in the spraying angle of the fluorescent material containing coating agent from the spray nozzle, uniform coating thickness is difficult to obtain particularly on the side surfaces (perpendicular surfaces of the coating objects).
Further, the spray nozzle used in the spray coating method proposed in JP 2008-78659A is placed directly above the coating object as described above. Accordingly, the coating range of the fluorescent material-containing coating agent applied with the spray nozzle on a coating object is determined generally by the machine parameters such as the diameter of the spray nozzle, the height of the spray nozzle with respect to the coating object, and the spraying pressure. Therefore, in the case where the coating object is larger than the coating range, the position of the spray nozzle and the parameters are needed to be adjusted to the coating object, so that optimum coating conditions for applying a fluorescent material on a coating object with a uniform coating at a desired thickness have not easily obtained.

Method of manufacturing light emitting device and spray coating machine


A cooler for a counter top has a bottom panel having lateral and transverse edge portions and a plurality of upright panels attached thereto and extending upward therefrom forming a vessel with an interior adapted to hold ice. The plurality of upright panels includes a front panel having a front surface and plurality of pockets extending from the front surface to the interior of the vessel. An access panel provides access to the interior for filling the cooler with ice. The ice cools each pocket to thereby chill a beverage container resting in the pocket.

Coolers for use with ice are used in convenience stores and other commercial environments to place containers of beverages for easy access by consumers. Ice coolers typically take the form of a barrel or chest positioned near a store entrance, near the cash register, at the end of an isle or other locations to spur an impulse purchase. These containers are filled with ice and the beverage containers are placed on the ice and onto the ice. As the ice melts, the beverage containers sink forcing a consumer to fish around in the ice for the desired container. In addition to having a cold, wet hand, which is unpleasant, the consumer is sometimes exposed to germ-laden water. Barrel and chest coolers do have the advantage of placing the beverage containers within easy reach of a consumer at waist level instead of at eye level. It is desirable to have a cooler wherein melting ice does not touch the beverage containers and contaminate the water or containers.
Chest and barrel coolers are generally unsuitable for use on a checkout counter. Barrel coolers are generally to tall and chest coolers are generally too bulky. Both obscure the beverage containers. It is desirable to have a cooler that is not bulky and keeps beverage containers visible to spur impulse purchases.
Another problem with chest and barrel coolers is the inability to remove a single container without disturbing remaining containers in the icy water. It is therefore desirable to have a cooler wherein containers can be removed, one at a time, without disturbing the remaining containers.

Counter top cooler with individual container pockets


The apparatus (20) for determining a frequency offset error comprises an input (24.1) for receiving a digitally coded frequency demodulated signal (demod Ip2). The frequency demodulated signal (demod Ip2) is processed by digital means (35) for performing a correlation, and by digital means (36) for performing a minimum-maximum evaluation. In order to determine whether a conflation criterion and a minimum-maximum criterion are fulfilled, the apparatus (20) comprises digital processing means (38) to calculate the current offset of the frequency demodulated signal (demod Ip2) and to cancel the current offset if both criteria are fulfilled.

Many receivers require detection means that enable the receiver to detect a preamble or certain delimiters. This is of particular importance in communication systems where the transmitter and receiver operate in an asynchronous mode. Since the receiver does not know when to expect a signal with payload (herein also referred to as signal burst), the payload is typically preceded by a preamble or start delimiter that is detectable by the receiver.
Especially Bluetooth communication systems, where the preamble phase is very short (only 4 bits), require at the beginning of the signal burst a very fast settling procedure for the receiver. In Bluetooth applications, information is transmitted in the form of packets. A Bluetooth packet has an access code with a four bit preamble, a 64 bit "sync word", a four bit trailer. This access code precedes the random payload data (plus header). The "sync word" is unique to the wireless connection that involves the receiving device. That is, a receiving device understands whether or not a packet received at its antenna is being sent to the receiving device (or another receiving device) by correlating (via a correlation circuit within the receiver's downstream processing circuitry) the sync word against the connection's unique word.
The received signal usually shows some frequency offset that makes it difficult for the receiver to reliably demodulate the package including the sync word. This implies that in some microseconds the frequency offset should be at least roughly removed prior to the sync word and at the same time the edges of the symbol clock signal should be roughly settled close to the middle of the received symbols.
In order to remove quickly the frequency offset in a Bluetooth GFSK modulated antenna signal, usually a MaxMin DC extraction circuit is implemented. In addition to this MaxMin detection, typically a leakage mechanism is employed to reduce the effect of the noise.
Known preamble detection schemes, such as the MaxMin detection scheme as used in conventional analog Bluetooth demodulators, are not very well suited for a digital implementation. Some kinds of preamble detection schemes require that the receiver is provided with a special triggering signal that indicates the signal burst. The respective receiver architectures are complicated.
It is important that the preceding noise does not degrade the required preamble settling process. The MaxMin algorithm, as used in prior art Bluetooth receivers, usually fails due to the preceding noise. Failing means here, that the package error rate (PER) is too high. If there are too many bit errors in the access code, then the received package is rejected which is considered to be a package error.
The location of the searched preamble sequence (e.g., "1010") is especially aggravated by a low S/N ratio, if one assumes a low antenna input signal being received. In this case, the noise of the receiver front-end degrades the wanted signal.
It is a further disadvantage of known Bluetooth approaches based on the MaxMin algorithm, that the compensation may depend on potential wrong historical values. Due to this, the frequency demodulated signal after activating a conventional Bluetooth receiver, but prior to the signal burst, would generate a wrong initial value for the MaxMin algorithm and even the use of the known leakage concept either slows down the offset calculation or reduces dramatically the accuracy.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus that allows to quickly and reliably detect a preamble used, for example, in an FSK or DFSK communication and to estimate and/or remove the offset.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved receiver comprising such an improved apparatus.

Apparatus for determining a frequency offset error and receiver based thereon


A method of monitoring logical connections in a computer network is described. All packets exchanged via the network are intercepted and analyzed. Upon receipt of a packet, a connection management engine determines whether packet is part of an existing logical connection. If it is not, a new record is created and stored in a connection record database. Otherwise, the existing record for the logical connection in the connection record database is updated.. Also described is a method of monitoring file transfers in a computer network. File transfers are monitored using an file transfer record database, which allows each packet of the file transfer to be placed in proper context. Upon interception of a packet, an application management engine (AME) first determines whether the packet is part of a file transfer. If it is not, the AME ignores the packet. On the other hand, if the packet is part of a file transfer, then the AME determines whether if the packet is part of a new file transfer or a one of a multiplicity of existing file transfers. The AME creates a new record if the packet is the start of a new file transfer. If the packet is part of an existing file transfer, then the AME searches the file transfer record database to locate the record for the file transfer, which the packet is part of. Once located, the record is updated.. Apparatus for monitoring file transfers and logical connections are also described.

Computer networks connect multiple personal computers and computer workstations together, allowing them to exchange information and share applications programs. Computer networks can be quite large, connecting hundreds of computers. Consequently, administering and managing them can be a complex task.
To administer, monitor, and repair computer networks, many network managers use prior network management systems. Prior network management systems tend to use a manager module, a management information database, and agent components. Agent components gather information about the computer network, such as the number and size of packets transmitted, number or frequency of corrupt packets, network usages sorted by protocol, workstation or protocol, and which workstations communicate with which servers. Agents periodically send this information to the manager module. The manager module takes the information and stores it in the management information database in the form of objects.
Even using prior network management systems, network managers need to be technically knowledgeable to diagnose the problems encountered in computer networks and to predict the future needs of their networks. This is because prior network management systems gather information at a fairly low, hardware level. As a result, prior network management systems treat each packet exchanged via the computer network as an atomic event. Thus, using prior network management systems it is not possible to determine whether or not data is actually being exchanged during a connection or which application programs are being used.

Method and apparatus for monitoring file transfers and logical connections in a computer network


Knitted fabric produced by a circular knitting machine passes downwardly to a fabric winding unit that rotates synchronously with the knitting unit and that includes fabric delivery rolls and a fabric winding shaft that are driven by rotation of the unit. The winding unit also includes a fabric guide that guides the fabric onto the shaft, a fabric cutter that cuts the fabric after a preselected quantity of it has been wound upon the roll, a fabric receiving table, and a thruster that removes the wound fabric from the center shaft and discharges the fabric onto the fabric receiving table and thereafter from the machine. A central processing unit and associated sensor and switch elements monitor and/or control operation of the knitting machine and winding unit.

The fabric winding unit of a circular knitting machine usually is either suspended from and rotatable with the large diameter ring gear of the machine, or is mounted for rotation upon a central part of the machine. In the latter case, one or more drive members connected to the machine's large diameter ring gear impart synchronous rotation to the winding unit.
A suspension type winding unit is usually employed for an interlock stitch knitting machine having a double bed. For example, the invention disclosed in Japanese published Patent No. Hei 2-191751 discloses a suspension type fabric winding unit, and also discloses an automatic "thrusting"](i.e., pushing) device that engages and pushes the rolls of knitted fabric wound by the winding unit. The device of such patent is provided with a rotatable fabric winding roll or shaft having one end that is releasably connected to a support arm of a device for rotating the shaft. The other end of the shaft acts as a universal joint and is supported by a second support arm on the opposite side of the winding unit. The fabric rolled on the shaft is transferred to a discharge position by transfer means. A reciprocatingly movable thrusting device located adjacent a fabric discharge position effects discharge of the rolled fabric from the machine.
A problem arising with a suspension type winding unit is that it places a heavy load upon the drive components of the means for transferring the roll of knitted fabric to a discharge position. This problem has been eliminated by the invention disclosed in Japanese published Patent No. Hei 2-319144, which was published subsequent to filing of the commonly owned Japanese application upon which the present application asserts priority rights. In such invention a displaceable transfer means that displaces the roll of fabric to a discharge position temporarily restrains the shaft upon which the fabric is wound and permits the roll of fabric to fall freely to a discharge position so as to reduce the load on the transfer means. However, due to the relatively large vertical distance through which the fabric falls, its final position is somewhat uncertain.
The fabric knitted by the ordinary knitting machine, and particularly pile fabric, usually is wound into a soft roll. This presents another problem since when the roll of fabric is removed from the shaft of the winding unit by the fabric thrusting device, the side of the fabric roll may be deformed by the device to such an extent that the thrusting stroke is insufficient. This results in non-ejection of the rolled fabric from the machine.

Rolling and discharging device of knitted fabric on circular knitting machine and its controlling method