Compounds having the formula I: ##STR1## are inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase and inhibitors of leukotriene biosynthesis. These compounds are useful as anti-asthmatic, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective agents. They are also useful in treating angina, cerebral spasm, glomerular nephritis, hepatitis, endotoxemia, psoriasis, uveitis, and allograft rejection and in preventing the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

The leukotrienes constitute a group of locally acting hormones, produced in living systems from arachidonic acid. The major leukotrienes are Leukotriene B.sub.4 (abbreviated as LTB.sub.4), LTC.sub.4, LTD.sub.4, and LTE.sub.4. The biosynthesis of these leukotrienes begins with the action of the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase on arachidonic acid to produce the epoxide known as Leukotriene A.sub.4 (LTA.sub.4), which is converted to the other leukotrienes by subsequent enzymatic steps. Further details of the biosynthesis as well as the metabolism of the leukotrienes are to be found in the book Leukotrienes and Lipoxygenases, ed. J. Rokach, Elsevier, Amsterdam (1989). The actions of the leukotrienes in living systems and their contribution to various diseases states are also discussed in the book by Rokach.
The thiopyrano[2,3,4-c,d]indole ring system of the compounds of the present invention is novel. A few derivatives of the natural product chuangxinmycin, which contains the thiopyrano[4,3,2-c,d]indole ring system, have been described as showing antibiotic and anticancer utilities. However, in addition to being isomeric with the present ring system, the substitution pattern is very different. The compounds of the present invention have complex substituents at positions 2 and 6, whereas such substitution is for the most part absent or very simple in the thiopyrano[4,3,2-c,d]indoles described. The following structures and references are illustrative of the compounds in the prior art. ##STR2##

Aryl thiopyrano[2,3,4-C,D]indoles as inhibitors of leukotriene biosynthesis


A quick chill and thaw system includes an air handler mounted in a fresh food compartment of a refrigerator and drawing air from a freezer compartment for rapid chilling of items inside a slide-out pan. The air handler produces convective airflow at temperatures within the pan at temperatures above and below a temperature of the fresh food compartment to achieve both chilling and thawing of items in the pan.

This invention relates generally to refrigeration devices, and more particularly, to refrigerator devices with quick chill and thaw systems.
A typical household refrigerator includes a freezer storage compartment and a fresh food storage compartment either arranged side-by-side and separated by a center mullion wall or over-and-under and separated by a horizontal center mullion wall. Shelves and drawers typically are provided in the fresh food compartment, and shelves and wire baskets typically are provided in the freezer compartment. In addition, an ice maker may be provided in the freezer compartment. A freezer door and a fresh food door close the access openings to the freezer and fresh food compartments, respectively.
Typical refrigerators require extended periods of time to cool food and beverages placed therein. For example, it typically takes about 4 hours to cool a six pack of soda to a refreshing temperature of about 45° F. or less. Beverages, such as soda, are often desired to be chilled in much less time than several hours. Thus, occasionally these items are placed in a freezer compartment for rapid cooling. If not closely monitored, the items will freeze and possibly break the packaging enclosing the item and creating a mess in the freezer compartment.
Numerous quick chill and super cool compartments located in refrigerator fresh food storage compartments and freezer compartments have been proposed to more rapidly chill and/or maintain food and beverage items at desired controlled temperatures for long term storage. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,747,361, 4,358,932, 4,368,622, and 4,732,009. These compartments, however, undesirably reduce refrigerator compartment space, are difficult to clean and service, and have not proven capable of efficiently chilling foods and beverages in a desirable time frame, such, as for example, one half hour or less to chill a six pack of soda to a refreshing temperature. Furthermore, food or beverage items placed in chill compartments located in the freezer compartment are susceptible to undesirable freezing if not promptly removed by the user.
Attempts have also been made to provide thawing compartments located in a refrigerator fresh food storage compartment to thaw frozen foods. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,075. However, known thawing compartments also undesirably reduce refrigerator compartment space and are vulnerable to spoilage of food due to excessive temperatures in the compartments.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a quick chill and thawing system for use in a fresh food storage compartment that rapidly chills food and beverage items without freezing them, that timely thaws frozen items within the refrigeration compartment at controlled temperature levels to avoid spoilage of food, and that occupies a reduced amount of space in the refrigerator compartment.

Refrigerator with quick chill and thaw system


According to some example embodiments, a method includes calculating learning values associated with a plurality of listings, at least one of said learning values associated with one of said listings representing a value based, at least in part, on a probability distribution of selections of said listing. The method further includes applying said learning values to ranking scores associated with said listings to provide an updated ranking, and electronically auctioning advertising inventory to purchasers associated with said listings based, at least in part, on said updated ranking.

1. Technical Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for exploring new sponsored search listings and other pay-for-performance advertisement of uncertain quality.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sponsored search is a large and rapidly growing advertising platform and a major source of revenue generated over the Internet by search engine companies. With a high volume of Internet searches performed every day, search results web pages may represent a commercially-viable advertising medium allowing advertisers to achieve complex advertising goals (e.g., build brand awareness, attract specific customers, target segmented markets, generate web traffic, implement behavioral targeting, etc.).
Typically, although not necessarily, sponsored search advertising may involve a publisher or advertisement provider, such as, for example, a search engine Yahoo! Search™, running an auction among multiple advertisers to sell an advertising inventory or space on its search results web pages returned to a user in response to one or more search terms (e.g., a query). To participate in these auctions, advertisers may select one or more keywords that are descriptive of or otherwise related to their businesses, and may submit bids on each of such keywords to have their advertisement, or listing, shown next to the search results when a user's query matches a particular keyword.
As used herein, a "publisher" may be defined as an entity having a revenue model based at least in part on selling advertising inventory or advertising space associated with sponsored search results web pages to advertisers. Some non-limiting examples of publishers may include, for instance, Yahoo!, Google, and Ask. Advertising inventory may include, for example, spaces that are reserved for advertisements on a publisher's sponsored search results web page. As used herein, an "advertiser" may comprise an entity that desires to place a listing on a publisher's sponsored search results web pages.
A publisher may select advertisements and their relative placement (e.g., their positions or slots relative to other advertisements) on a search results web page based on certain pricing rules and/or transaction mechanisms. Such mechanisms may include, for example, a cost-per-click (CPC) pricing in which an advertiser may pay a publisher every time a search engine user clicks on a displayed advertisement from the advertiser. Another example is a cost-per-impression (CPM) pricing that may allow a publisher to charge an advertiser according to the number of times (e.g., a thousand, etc.) its advertisement is shown to search engine users (e.g., for a chance to be viewed by and/or to make an impression on potential customers). Optionally or alternatively, a publisher may charge an advertiser conditioned on whether the displaying of a particular advertisement leads to some desired event or action by a search engine user on the advertiser's web site (e.g., sale of an advertised product, participation in surveys or sweepstakes, etc.) in accordance with a cost-per-action (CPA) pricing, for example. From the publisher perspective, the objective under any of these pricing mechanisms is to maximize the expected revenue per impression, given the strategic nature of advertisers' bids, while providing a reasonable advertisers' return for a given advertising budget (e.g., the number of clicks, impressions, purchases, etc. per daily or weekly cost incurred). In addition, for some advertisers, one-dimensional bids (e.g., restricted to bidding on only one feature, such as, CPC, or CPM, or CPA, etc.), for example, may not be sufficiently expressive to convey their valuations or preferences.
Revenue from sponsored search advertising may drive much of the innovation that occurs in Internet technology in general and search engine services in particular. Accordingly, as Internet commerce evolves, it may be desirable to develop one or more methods, systems, and/or apparatuses that implement efficient pricing and/or transaction mechanisms which may improve the overall efficiency of the auction market (e.g., by reducing or eliminating strategic bidding behavior, etc.) while increasing publishers' revenue and/or optimizing advertisers' return on investments.

System and method for exploring new sponsored search listings of uncertain quality


This invention uses a family of exit-finding aids to enable occupants of rooms or workspaces in buildings, cabins in ships, seats in aircraft cabins, auditoriums, theaters, etc. to know the distance and direction to the nearest exit in each direction by touch as well as by sight; to know so before leaving those spaces; to similarly know the escape paths to each of those exits; to similarly know the distance and direction to alternate exits along the escape path; to similarly confirm arrival at an exit; and to similarly know the distance and direction to alternates to exits that are unusable.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to finding exits in a structure by touch as well as by sight, and more particularly to finding the nearest exit.
2. Description of the Related Art
The most common exit-finding aids are the ubiquitous illuminated overhead EXIT signs that satisfy xc2xa71023.0 of The Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc. National Building Code (BOCA), xc2xa74-7 of the National Fire Protection Association, Inc. Fire Prevention Code (NFPA 1), 14 CFR 25.812(b), 46 CFR 112.15-1(d), etc., and the simplified vision-dependent floor plans posted on or near the doors of hotel, motel and dormitory rooms, passenger ship cabins, etc. to satisfy NFPA 1 xc2xa716-2.4.1 and SOLAS II-2/28-1/1.7. While overhead EXIT signs are effective in clear air, they are hardly so when vision is compromised or when they are obscured by smoke, and the simplified floor plans are of doubtful effectiveness not only because they are vision-dependent aids that can also be obscured by smoke, but also because they are not readily interpreted by people unfamiliar with them.
Birch, U.K. Patent Application GB 2 214 681 A; Burkman et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,499; Harrison, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,737,764 and 4,794,373; Iwans, U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,994; and Shand, U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,266 attempt to address smoke obscuration of overhead signs with fixed or sequentially illuminated exit-finding aids at eye, hand or floor level, where they are less likely to be obscured by smoke, but are, unfortunately, more likely to suffer accidental or intentional damage. Further, these lower level aids are also both electrically powered and vision-dependent, and like the overhead signs, are ineffective when power supplies fail or vision is compromised. So too is the low-location lighting mandated by 14 CFR 25.812(e) and by II-2, Regulation 28/1.10 of the International Maritime Organization publication SOLAS.
Britt et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,050; Davis, Canadian Patent 874554; Honigsbaum, U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,918; Keen et al, U.K. Patent Application GB 2 224154 A; Shriever, U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,586; and Smith et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,741 teach exit-finding aids having tactile features that make them effective under all conditions of vision and visibility.
Britt, Davis, and Keen teach guide strips that tactilely indicate direction to an exit, and Keen""s strips have overprinted arrows that serve visually, while Britt""s strips also include a phosphorescent material intended to make them visually effective when lights fail. Davis"" strips, however, have no visual features other than those inherent in their tactile arrangement because they are intended to serve when vision does not.
Honigsbaum teaches a system comprising a repetitive array of touch-and-sight-recognizable directional elements on the seats, tray tables and floors of aircraft passenger cabins to indicate direction to the nearest exit both tactilely and visually, and is the only one of the tactile arrangements mentioned that has alternative touch-and-sight-recognizable marking on main aisle floors that can satisfy 14 CFR 25.812(e)(1), i.e., to xe2x80x9cxe2x80x94visually identify the emergency escape path along the cabin aisle floor to the first exits or pair of exits forward and aftxe2x80x94.xe2x80x9d While both the alternative Honigsbaum arrangement and 14 CFR 25.812(e)(1) address the matter of direction to usable alternatives to unusable exits, neither addresses the plight of a passenger who leaves seat 41D in a Boeing 767-300 and struggles to reach an exit twenty seat rows forward because the aids of 14 CFR 25.812(e)(1) do not tell him the location of the nearest exit, i.e., the exit one seat-row aft.
Smith teaches a directional carpeting having fibers inclined to tactilely indicate direction to an exit and luminous arrow overlays to do so visually.
Shriever teaches arrowhead-shaped wall attachments that not only indicate direction to the nearest exit by touch as well as by sight, but also so indicate the number of doors to that exit by the number of such attachments arranged vertically on the xe2x80x9ctoward exitxe2x80x9d side of a door, and by the number of bumps or dimples on each attachment. While Shriever""s xe2x80x9cnumber of doorsxe2x80x9d feature can be effective where only a few doors are involved, it merely adds to the confusion it is intended to eliminate when that number is large. Worse, Schriever""s teachings not only ignore the possibility that an exit may be unusable by failing to indicate distance and direction to alternative ones; they redirect persons searching for usable alternatives right back to the unusable one!
Although tactile exit-finding aids and the exit-finding systems that use them are effective when systems based upon vision-dependent aids alone are not, those taught by the related art have not been adopted, not only for the reasons mentioned, but also because, excepting the related-art teachings of Honigsbaum extended to buildings and ships, they can only be accessed by abandoning what may be the greater safety of a room or cabin for the more hostile environment of a corridor.
The exit-finding system of the present invention addresses the aforementioned shortcomings of that art.
According to this invention, I have for the first time developed an exit-finding system that uses a family of tactiovisual exit-finding aids to enable occupants of fixed defined occupiable spaces such as rooms or workspaces in buildings, cabins in ships, seats in aircraft cabins, auditoriums, theaters, etc. to know the distance and direction to the nearest exit in each direction by touch as well as by sight; to know so before leaving those spaces; to similarly know the escape paths to each of those exits; to similarly know the distance and direction to alternate exits along the escape path; to similarly confirm arrival at an exit; and to similarly know the distance and direction to alternates to exits that are unusable.
According to this invention, these aids tactiovisually display distance and direction to each nearest exit as symbol-character pair comprising a directional symbol and a number: the symbol indicating direction to an exit by touch as well as by sight; the number similarly indicating distance to that exit in terms of fixed touch-and-sight-recognizable architectural features such as doors along a corridor, seat rows in an aircraft passenger cabin, etc.
According to first preferred aid embodiments of this invention, tactiovisual exit-finding aids for fixed defined spaces such as ship cabins, hotel, motel and dormitory rooms, offices, etc. accessed via corridors and having exits to the left and to the right of a space, the aids are on at least the space side of the doors separating those spaces from those corridors and are horizontally oriented rectangles displaying two horizontally oriented symbol-number pairs, each pair offset from the center of the aid in the direction of the corresponding exit: the pair offset to the left indicating distance and direction to the nearest exit to the left of the aid; the pair offset to the right indicating distance and direction to the nearest exit to the right of that aid.
According to second preferred aid embodiments of this invention, tactiovisual exitfinding aids for spaces such as fixed seats arranged in rows in aircraft passenger cabins, auditoriums, theaters, etc. having exits forward and aft, the aids are on seat parts such as armrests, backs, sitting surfaces, tray tables, etc., and are vertically oriented rectangles displaying two vertically oriented symbol-number pairs, each pair offset from the center of the aid in the direction of the corresponding exit: the pair offset to the upper part of the aid indicating distance and direction to the nearest exit forward of the aid; the pair offset to the lower part of the aid indicating distance and direction to the nearest exit aft of the aid.
According to third preferred aid embodiments of this invention, tactiovisual aids for identifying exits, stairways to exits, etc., the aids are on at least the corridor side of access doors and access openings to those exits, stairways, etc., and are squares the diagonals of which are horizontal and vertical respectively, the squares displaying horizontally oriented symbol-number pairs offset to the horizontal comers of the aid to indicate distance and direction to the nearest alternate exits to the left and to the right of the aid, and vertically oriented symbol-number pairs offset to the vertical comers of the aid to indicate the number of floors up or down to the nearest exit or alternate exit.
According to a fourth preferred aid embodiment of this invention, tactiovisual escape path marking, the aids are floor based arrays of directional symbols that indicate direction to an exit.
The exit-finding aids of this invention are not intended as alternatives to familiar vision-dependent aids such as illuminated EXIT signs; they are intended to complement them by serving effectively under all conditions of vision and visibility; i.e., when vision-dependent aids cannot.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objectives attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

Tactiovisual distance-to-exit exit-finding system


A pipe cap protective cover including at least one cover including a pair of U-shaped members having first ends hingably coupled together and second ends with a clip mechanism. Such clip mechanisms are adapted to be releasably coupled such that the U-shaped members define a central bore with a diameter similar to that of a pipe. Each U-shaped member further has a peripheral flange integrally coupled to an outer periphery thereof and extended perpendicularly with respect thereto. When the clip means are coupled, the U-shaped members and the flanges define a compartment with a circular open face and an interior space for protecting the flange and bolts of the pipe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bolt covers and more particularly pertains to a new wrap cap for providing an alternative to using clay for protecting pipes and caps associated therewith.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of bolt covers is known in the prior art. More specifically, bolt covers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art bolt covers include U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,301; U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,462; U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,967; U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,273; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,409.
In these respects, the wrap cap according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing an alternative to using clay for protecting pipes and caps associated therewith.


A ring-shaped metal rolling bearing cage, which has cage pockets for receiving rolling elements. The cage is formed by a first and a second cage segment. Adjoining ends of the cage segments are connected to one another by suitable connection assemblies. At least one of the assemblies permits a change of the cage diameter when the cage temperature changes. The suitable assembly, on one side, is configured as a joint mechanism and, on another side, as a locking mechanism, and at least one of the assemblies has a lash. A rolling bearing cage configured with the joint mechanism and the locking mechanism can be mounted with low time expenditure in a simple and reliable manner over a shaft, particularly in the case of an idler pinion mourning.

As known, rolling bearing cages serve to retain and guide rolling elements in a rolling bearing and, depending on the purpose of use, they are made either out of metal or out of a plastics material. One purpose of use, for instance, is the so-called idler pinion mounting in which a machine component mounted for rotation through the rolling bearing is either coupled to a shaft or idles loosely about the shaft. Such a machine component is for instance a gearwheel in a mechanical transmission.
EP 0 016 880 A1 discloses a ring-shaped rolling hearing cage that is made up of a plurality of cage segments. Each end of the cage segments comprises a means for connection to an adjoining cage segment. The means are configured so that a pair of connected segments is inseparable at least in the peripheral direction of the rolling bearing cage. Each connection means comprises, in peripheral direction, a lash that permits an enlargement or a diminution of the cage diameter upon a change of temperature.
However, a rolling bearing cage composed of a plurality of cage segments has a drawback because its assembly requires a great amount of time and, in addition, errors can occur during assembly. Because, besides this, the connection means configured on the ends of the cage segments cause an extensive mechanical manufacturing complexity, such a rolling bearing cage is also very expensive to manufacture.
DE 41 24 838 A1 discloses a rolling bearing cage that can be economically manufactured, has a low weight, is supposed to be simple to assemble, and whose shape is variable so that the rolling elements can be displaced in radial direction. In particular, the installed cage is supposed to possess a shape whose variation with rising temperature causes the rolling elements to be displaced. This object is claimed to be achieved, among other things, by the fact that two elastic webs extending at an inclination to the peripheral direction are arranged on one peripheral point of the cage while being connected to each other through a snap-lock device for enabling a stepwise variation of the diameter. In addition, the above-mentioned object is supposed to be achieved through an open cage in which, on one point of the periphery, two cage ends are connected to each other through a snap-lock device for the stepwise variation of the diameter. How the snap-lock device reacts to changes in the operational temperature is not disclosed in DE 41 24 838 A1.
In such solution variants, the influence of temperature on a compulsory, concomitant change in diameter apparently plays a subordinate role because the diameter of the cage can only be varied through mechanical adjustment, in practice, such cages prove to have a drawback because their radial assembly over a shaft is not possible without a notable expenditure of time and a high complexity.
A simpler assembly of the rolling bearing cage compared to the aforesaid configurations is described in DE 10 2007 048 655 A1 in which a plastic cage is made up of a plurality of cage segments. The respective ends of two adjoining cage segments form a connection device which comprises a limited lash between the cage segments in peripheral direction of the cage. Even the use of such a cage for instance for an idler pinion mounting, for example of a gearwheel in a transmission, is accompanied by a high expenditure of time for the assembly and only a comparatively short durability of the rolling bearing cage.


A plurality of distribution devices accommodate one or more respective cameras. Respective picture monitors are connected to a plurality of receiving devices. The plurality of distribution devices and the plurality of receiving devices are connected by a transmission line. This transmission line is in a ring shape, and transmits picture data by a time division multiplex method. On receipt of a request related to picture display from a user terminal, a central device transmits an instruction to the plurality of distribution devices and to the plurality of receiving devices, according to a usage condition of the transmission line and the number of simultaneously distributed pictures. The plurality of distribution devices distribute picture data according to the instruction, and the plurality of receiving devices receive the picture data according to the instruction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for distributing picture data and in particular relates to a system for distributing a plurality of picture data from a picture distribution device to a plurality of picture receiving devices by a time division multiplex method using a ring-shaped transmission line.
2. Description of the Related Art
A system for displaying pictures taken by a plurality of cameras at a plurality of terminals is widely used in a variety of fields. For example, a system in which monitor cameras are installed at a plurality of locations, the picture from each monitor camera is transmitted to a central station via a network, the situation of each location is monitored by displaying pictures transmitted from the plurality of locations on a plurality of monitors installed in the central station is widely known. As specific examples, a road traffic monitoring system, disaster situation monitoring system, etc., are widely known. In the road traffic monitoring system, a traffic condition is monitored using pictures transmitted from each monitor point, and traffic guidance information is provided based on the pictures. In the disaster situation monitoring system, monitoring cameras are installed in a river which is in danger of flooding, etc., and an alarm is issued based on pictures transmitted from the cameras.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an example of an existing picture distribution system. This system comprises a plurality of cameras 101a-101c, a distribution device 102 for transmitting picture data outputted from each of the cameras 101a-101c to a network, a plurality of receiving devices 103a-103c for receiving the picture data from the network and a plurality of picture monitors 104a-104c for displaying the picture data received by corresponding receiving device. In this case, the network is a ring-shaped transmission line 105. A plurality of logical channels #a-#c are established in the transmission line 105.
Each of the receiving devices 103a-103c receives picture data from a respective predetermined logical channel. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the receiving devices 103a-103c receive picture data from the logical channels #a-#c, respectively.
The distribution device 102 transmits picture data outputted from each of the cameras 101a-101c to a corresponding logical channel. In the example shown in FIG. 1, a distribution request "to display picture data taken by a camera 101a on a picture monitor 104b and to display picture data taken by a camera 101b on picture monitors 104a and 104c" is issued to the distribution device 102. Therefore, the distribution device 102 transmits the picture data taken by the camera 101a to a logical channel #b and transmits the picture data taken by camera 101b to logical channels #a and #c. A distribution request is, for example, issued from the central station, which is not shown in FIG. 1.
According to the system described above, pictures taken by a plurality of specific cameras can be displayed on a plurality of respective supervisory monitors.
In the system described above, the transmission method of picture data is not limited to the method described above. However, in a system for monitoring the traffic condition of a road, the situation of a river, etc., it is anticipated that a picture taken by each camera is displayed for a fairly long time. In this case, the amount of picture data transmitted from each camera to a supervisory monitor does not vary greatly as time elapses. Therefore, such a system often adopts time division multiplexing as a transmission method of picture data.
In a time division multiplex method, picture data are usually stored in a fixed-length frame composed of a plurality of time slots and transmitted. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, each logical channel usually corresponds to one or a plurality of time slots. In an example shown in FIG. 2, time slots #1-#3 for logical channels #a-#c are provided for each frame. In this case, for example, data to be stored in the time slot #1 are transmitted via the logical channel #a. The length of each time slot is fixed in advance.
If a frame as shown in FIG. 2 is used, the distribution device 102 stores picture data taken by the camera 101a in the time slot #2 and stores picture data taken by the camera 101b in the time slots #1 and #3. Each of the receiving devices 103a-103c extracts picture data from the time slots #1-#3, respectively. In this way, pictures taken by camera 101a are displayed on the picture monitor 104b, and pictures taken by camera 101b are displayed on the picture monitors 104a and 104c.
In the system described above, each receiving device is connected to a predetermined logical channel. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the logical channels #a-#c are fixedly connected to the receiving devices 103a-103c, respectively. Specifically, the receiving devices 103a-103c can receive only picture data transmitted via the logical channels #a-#c, respectively.
Therefore, in order to display the same picture on a plurality of picture monitors, the same picture data must be transmitted via the number of logical channels equal to the number of the picture monitors. In this case, a plurality of logical channels are used by a plurality of picture data that is the same. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the two logical channels #a and #c are occupied by picture data outputted from the camera 101b. As a result, the efficiency of use of communications resources (the band of a transmission line 105) is degraded.
If the display of a picture monitor is switched, sometimes the display of another picture monitor may also be simultaneously switched.
Furthermore, in a configuration such that logical channels are connected to receiving devices on a one to one basis, the number of picture monitors which can be connected to this system is restricted by the number of logical channels established on the transmission line 105.
As described above, if the existing picture distribution system adopts time division multiplexing, the efficiency of use of communications resources is low and the number of picture monitors used to display pictures is restricted.

Picture distribution system and method thereof


A power supply dependent input buffer (20) having a differential amplifier (22), emitter-follower transistors (29 and 32), level shifting resistors (30 and 33), and power supply dependent current sources (31 and 34) receives an ECL input signal referenced to a positive power supply voltage and provides buffered level shifted signals referenced to ground. The current sources (31 and 34) receive a power supply dependent bias voltage that changes in relation to a change in the positive power supply voltage. In turn, the voltage drop across the resistors (30 and 33) changes with respect to the positive power supply voltage such that the buffered level shifted signals are constant with respect to ground. The power supply dependent input buffer (20) is for use at low power supply voltages (such as 3.3 volts), resulting in low power consumption and wider margins on following stages, such as a level converter.

Integrated circuits are required to operate at increasingly lower power supply voltages and increasingly higher speeds. Integrated circuits are often used in applications where low power consumption and high speed are important, such as in a battery powered computer system, or the like. An effective method for decreasing power consumption is to use a lower power supply voltage (for example, 3.3 volts). However, problems may be encountered when operating integrated circuits at 3.3 volts that were designed to be operated at 5.0 volts.
An input buffer is a gate that receives an input signal and isolates the input signal from a load. The input buffer may also restore the logic levels of the input signal, increase input signal margins, provide increased driving capability, and provide better noise immunity. An input buffer designed to be operated with a 5.0 volt power supply voltage may not operate effectively when a 3.3 volt power supply voltage is used, and overall performance of the integrated circuit may be degraded. For example, the margins of an input buffer may be affected if it is operated at other than the power supply voltage for which it was designed. That is, when a lower power supply voltage is used, reduced input margins, and decreased noise immunity may result. Also, the input buffer operated at reduced power supply voltages may not be capable of driving a large capacitive load without suffering a large voltage drop, which may further reduce margins. An input buffer operating with reduced margins may adversely affect the performance and reliability of the entire integrated circuit.


A bicycle hub has an axle and a hub shell rotatably disposed about the axle with a plurality of spoke fixing parts disposed at opposite ends of the hub shell. Each of the spoke fixing parts has a through hole having a small width section extending from a first side of a corresponding one of the spoke fixing parts and a large width section extending from a second side of the corresponding one of the spoke fixing parts such that an internal abutment is formed between the small and large width sections. The securing elements are removably disposed in the large width sections of the spoke fixing parts of the hub shell with each of the securing elements having a threaded bore that is aligned with and substantially equal to the small width sections of the spoke fixing parts of the hub shell.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a bicycle wheel component having at least hub of a bicycle wheel. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bicycle hub having tension spokes attached by securing elements to spoke attachment structures of the hub.
2. Background Information
Bicycling is becoming an increasingly more popular form of recreation as well as a means of transportation. Moreover, bicycling has become a very popular competitive sport for both amateurs and professionals. Whether the bicycle is used for recreation, transportation or competition, the bicycle industry is constantly improving the various components of the bicycle. One component that has been extensively redesigned is the bicycle wheel. Bicycle wheels are constantly being redesigned to be strong, lightweight and more aerodynamic in design as well as to be simple to manufacture and assemble.
There are many different types of bicycle wheels, which are currently available on the market. Most bicycle wheels have a hub, a plurality of spokes and an annular rim. The hub is attached to a part of the frame of the bicycle for relative rotation. The inner ends of the spokes are coupled to the hub and extend outwardly from the hub. The annular rim is coupled to the outer ends of the spokes and has an outer portion for supporting a pneumatic tire thereon. Typically, the spokes of the bicycle wheel are thin metal wire spokes. The ends of the hub are usually provided with flanges that are used to couple the spokes to the hub. In particular, holes are provided in the hub flanges. The wire spokes are usually bent on their inner end and provided with a flange that is formed in the shape of a nail head. The inner end is supported in one of the holes in one of the hub flanges. The outer ends of the spokes typically are provided with threads for engaging spoke nipples, which secure the outer ends of the wire spokes to holes in the rim.
Recently, bicycle wheels have been designed that use straight spokes. Since straight spokes do not have a bent nail head, the hub needs to be designed with special attachment structures for securing the inner end to the hub shell or body. Some of the hubs that are used with straight spokes can be expensive and/or complicated to manufacture due to the special attachment structures for securing the inner end to the hub shell or body. In addition, the special attachment structures sometimes causes the lateral spacing between the left side spokes and the right side spokes to be reduced, which can reduce the rigidity of the wheel in the lateral direction. Moreover, these types of wheels are not always as lightweight, as desired, due to these special attachment structures. Furthermore, with these types of wheels it can be difficult, complicated and/or expensive to replace a spoke or spokes.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved bicycle component that includes a bicycle hub. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

Connection of Spokes to hub and rim in bicycle wheel


The present invention provides a cancer therapeutic agent containing as an active ingredient a substance, particularly CRM197 which inhibits the binding of HB-EGF to EGF receptor by binding to HB-EGF, wherein a cancer is selected from the group consisting of a bladder cancer, a colon cancer or peritoneal metastatic cancers of a stomach cancer and a pancreatic cancer.

Diphtheria toxin or its mutant such as CRM197 has an activity to inhibit the binding of HB-EGF to EGF receptor by binding to an EGF-like domain in soluble and non-soluble (membrane-anchored) HB-EGF. A receptor binding domain in diphtheria toxin is involved in this binding.
Various studies have been performed on anti-cancer effects of CRM197. For example, it is described in Patent Document 1 that CRM197 is effective for a breast cancer, an ovarian cancer, a prostate cancer and a thyroid cancer. It is disclosed in Non-patent Literature 1 that when CRM197 was administered to patients with cancer having the metastasis, complete responses were observed in the breast cancer and a neuroblastoma, but the cancer progressed in cases of a non-small cell lung cancer, the colon cancer and the bladder cancer.
No effective anticancer agent is available for the peritoneal metastasis of the stomach cancer and the pancreatic cancer, whose prognosis is known to be poor. No effect of diphtheria toxin or its mutant such as CRM197 on these cancers have been known.
Patent Document 1: JP 2004-155776-A
Non-patent Literature 1: S. Buzzi, et al. Cancer Immunol. Immunother. (2004) 53: 1041-1048

The Research foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka c/o Osaka University


The present invention relates to an interpolation FIR (finite impulse response) filter having multiple data rates in a mobile communication system, and a method of filtering data using the same. In the method of filtering data using the interpolation FIR filter, a first filter uses an FIR low pass filter that restricts a band to satisfy a bandwidth corresponding to a data spectrum mask required in the mobile communication system. The other filters use interpolation FIR halfband filters that are implemented by a small number of taps. Accordingly, the interpolation FIR filter having multiple data rates can be easily implemented, and can be easily applied to the mobile communication system that transmits and receives data having various data rates.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, and more particularly, to an interpolation FIR filter and a method of filtering data using the same.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, among mobile communication systems, various communication systems that are based on an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) scheme have been known. For example, there are the IEEE 802.11a as the wireless LAN (WLAN) standard and the IEEE 802.16e as the portable Internet standard. A variety of communication systems based on the standards are designed to operate in various bandwidths that are defined. For this reason, it has been required to develop a modem that can process various data rates.
However, in the modem that can process multiple data rates, individual filters need to be provided so as to correspond to each data rate, and when the number of data rates required in a system increases, it becomes complicated to implement filters.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Interpolation FIR filter having multiple data rates in mobile communication system and method of filtering data using the same

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A tag is added to an asphalt additive, typically an anti-stripping agent. The additive dye is mixed with other components of an asphalt composition and melt processed at 300.degree. F. (149.degree. C.) or above to produce an asphalt composition. Presence of the tag to identify presence of the additive is performed by dissolving the asphalt portion of the composition in a water-immiscible solvent and then extracting the tag in an acidic aqueous solution and developing a color with a diazo compound.

Asphalt compositions, such as asphalt concrete used for paving roadways or asphalt roofing compositions, comprise an asphalt cement and aggregate. The aggregate is typically natural or synthetic sand and gravel of various sieve sizes or specified meshes. The asphalt may be of a variety of grades, for example, harder grades of asphalt will be used for pavement applications in warmer climates while softer grades of asphalt will be used for pavement applications in colder climates. The asphalt may be modified by inclusion of polymeric materials, such as rubber or latex. Likewise, the mesh distribution and type of aggregate may vary widely, depending upon the application. In asphalt concrete used for paving, the aggregate is by far the major portion, typically comprising about 95 weight percent with the asphalt portion typically comprising the remaining 5 weight percent.
As described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,775,419, 4,430,127, 4,639,273, 4,743,304 and 5,037,474, the teachings of each of which are incorporated herein by reference, a major limitation to durability of asphalt compositions is the strength of the bond between the asphalt portion and the aggregate, a bond which is weakened by water, either water initially present in the aggregate or water to which the asphalt composition is subsequently exposed. Accordingly, as taught by the above-referenced patents, an anti-stripping agent is incorporated into the asphalt portion. The anti-stripping agent is typically an organic polyamine, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,127, but may be a variety of other compounds or mixtures of compounds. U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,419 teaches the use of metal amine complexes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,127 teaches epoxylated polyamines. U.S. Pat. 4,639,273 teaches formaldehyde adducts of amines, polyamines and amides. U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,304 teaches the use of imadazolines, polyamines, alkoxylated polyamines, aminocarboxylic esters, amide-amines and mixtures thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,474 teaches using the reaction product of an epoxy compound with either phosphoric acid or a partial ester of phosphoric acid. Other materials, such as lime added to the aggregate, or fillers, such as cellulose or portland cement, may also be added to increase the strength and durability of the asphalt composition.
The lifetime of an asphalt composition is heavily dependent upon the additives added, particularly anti-stripping agent, but also lime and fillers. Accordingly, contracts, such as state paving contracts, will typically specify the amount and type of additives to be used. Unfortunately, there is no particularly good way to determine the content of anti-stripping agent and other additives once the components of the asphalt compositions are blended together. Additives, such as anti-stripping agent comprise only a very minor proportion of the asphalt concrete. Anti-stripping agent typically comprises between about 0.2 and about 5.0 wt. percent of the asphalt portion, which, in turn comprises about 54 of the asphalt concrete. Although additives are minor components, on a cost per pound basis they are generally considerably more costly than either the aggregate or asphalt itself. Honest mistakes are made in mixing components of an asphalt composition. Unfortunately, there is an economic incentive for a potentially dishonest contractor to reduce or eliminate anti-stripping agent or other additives from the paving composition or to use a cheaper grade of anti-stripping agent than specified by the contract. The temptation to cheat in this regard is increased by the lack of efficient test methods for determining the amount of additives. Even without a pre-intent to defraud, contractors have been known to continue paving operations after running out of additives so as to avoid work stoppages.
It would be desirable for the specifying party, such as the state or ministry, contracting for asphalt paving, to have a way of monitoring the level of additives actually used to ensure compliance with the terms of the contract. This might be done by sampling the mix while the asphalt portion is still hot or sampling the hardened asphalt concrete (hot mix asphalt), either at the time the roadway is paved, or at a subsequent time should testing be warranted or necessary.
Most efforts in measuring anti-stripping agents have centered on chemical analysis. Efforts to date have produced tests which are cumbersome to perform, poorly quantitative, and generally incapable of distinguishing between anti-stripping agents of various qualities. The present invention is directed to tagging asphalt additives and identifying the tagged additive in the asphalt.

Tagging and identifying asphalt additives


The invention relates to a molding tool for producing a composite material part by coating, by means of a matrix, a flexible preform including a skin, and profiled elements delimiting a plurality of three-dimensional meshes of polyhedral shapes. This molding tool comprises a mold and a countermold made of a material having the same expansion coefficient as the preform. Furthermore, includes, for each three-dimensional mesh, a part for filling the latter, formed from a plurality of wedges (12-27) suitable for being interlocked and delimiting a free central volume (28, 29), and from a blocking part (40) suitable for ensuring a relative blocking of said blocking part and of the wedges (12-27), the wedges and blocking parts being produced from a material having an expansion coefficient suitable for obtaining a predetermined compaction of the preform for the polymerization temperature of the matrix.

The composite materials which are composed mainly of preforms with a fibrous structure and a matrix generally consisting of a plastic material (thermoplastic or thermosetting resins) ensure the cohesion of the structure, and are being used increasingly frequently in many industries and in particular in the aeronautical and space industries.
The manufacture of the composite material parts requires firstly production of profiled preforms with a cross-section and/or shapes which are more or less complex, using elementary preforms which are cut out then formed and/or assembled mechanically for the purpose of obtaining the required profile.
Profiles of this type are then frequently firmly attached to skins with a fibrous structure, such as to produce panels made of composite materials comprising structural reinforcement elements.
Usually, the different profiles and the skin are then compacted before being installed in a molding tool, in which they are then assembled by coating by means of a matrix.
However, these assemblies are not suitable for withstanding consequent wrenching forces, such that wrenching forces of this type make it necessary to reinforce the assemblies by means of additional assembly units, conventionally consisting of mechanical assembly units of the rivet type.
Consequently, the production of composite panels which can withstand wrenching forces requires a plurality of successive steps (compacting, molding, mechanical assembly, etc.).
A process for production of complex steel sheet parts made of composite material is known for example from patent document FR 2 717 735. The molding tool comprises a matrix of flexible boxes previously compressed onto a skin of pre-impregnated fabric with a three-dimensional mesh. This mesh comprises bracing strips which are interposed as stiffeners between the boxes. However, this tool does not make it possible to coat flexible preforms which have not been previously compacted.
In addition, patent document EP 1 000 725 describes a mold matrix, the stainless steel materials of which have different thermal expansion coefficients in order to define inner cavities, so as to pre-compress the body to be molded.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate these disadvantages, and its main objective is to provide a molding tool which makes it possible to coat flexible preforms which have not been previously compacted, using a matrix.

Moulding tool for producing a composite material part using a flexible preform composed of a skin and profiled preforms firmly attached to said skin


In a liquid crystal display device having a pair of substrates that are opposite to and bonded to each other, a liquid crystal layer is sealed between the pair of substrates, and columnar spacers are formed on one of the pair of substrates and in contact with the other substrate to maintain a gap between the pair of substrates. The surfaces of support columns of the columnar spacers are made to be rough to enhance the friction force between the pair of substrates and to prevent the other of the pair of substrates from diverging from the one of the pair of substrates, so that display quality of the liquid crystal display device is improved.

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and to a method of manufacture thereof; and, more particularly, the invention relates to a liquid crystal display device which includes spacers for holding a fixed gap between a pair of substrates, which seal a liquid crystal layer therebetween, the spacers being constructed to decrease display irregularities, thus enabling an image display of high quality, and to a method of manufacture thereof.
As an example of display devices which are capable of producing a color display of high definition for notebook type computers and computer monitors, liquid crystal display devices have been popularly adopted. This type of liquid crystal display device is basically configured such that a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched in a gap defined between opposing faces of a pair of substrates, at least one of which is formed of a light transmitting glass plate or the like.
The liquid crystal display device is roughly classified into a type (a single matrix type liquid crystal display device) which turns on and off given pixels by selectively applying voltages to various electrodes defining pixels formed on a pair of substrates and a type (an active matrix type liquid crystal display device) which turns on and off given pixels by controlling various electrodes and pixel selecting switching elements which are formed on either one or both of the substrates.
The representative structure of the active matrix type liquid crystal display device lies in the fact that thin film diodes (TFD) or thin film transistors (TFT) are adopted as the switching elements formed on one of the substrates. Particularly, the liquid crystal display device which uses thin film transistors is thin and light-weight, and it can obtain a high quality compatible to the quality of a cathode ray tube, and, hence, the liquid crystal display device has been popularly used in display terminal monitors of various OA equipment.
The display method employed by the active matrix type liquid crystal display device is roughly classified into two types based on the difference in the driving method to be used. One display method is a method (a so-called vertical electric field method or a TN method) in which a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between two substrates on which transparent electrodes are respectively formed, liquid crystal is operated by voltages which are applied to the transparent electrodes, thus modulating light which passes through the transparent electrodes and is incident on the liquid crystal layer so as to provide a display. Most products which are now popularly used adopt this method.
Another method is a method (a so-called lateral electric field method or an IPS method) in which liquid crystal is operated by an electric field which is formed between two electrodes formed on the same substrate and which is substantially parallel to a surface of the substrate, thus modulating light which is incident on the liquid crystal layer through a gap defined between the two electrodes, so as to provide a display.
In both types of liquid crystal display devices, it is necessary to maintain a gap between the pair of substrates which sandwich the liquid crystal layer, that is, a cell gap, at a given value. As means to hold the gap at the given value, minute beads (bead spacers) made of glass or resin have been popularly used conventionally. Since the bead spacers are scattered on a surface of one substrate by spraying or the like before the respective substrates are bonded to each other, the beads are distributed also in the pixel regions. Accordingly, transmitting light or reflection light passes through the bead spacers, and, hence, there has been a drawback that so-called leaking of light is generated, thus lowering the contrast.
Further, these liquid crystal display devices are manufactured in such a state that a large number of glass spacers are scattered on a surface of the substrate, and the spacers which are present in the pixel region become a cause of lowering of the image quality due to a defective orientation of the liquid crystal layer. Further, a coagulated spacer block or a non-uniformity of the scattering density becomes a cause of inducing a defective gap.
To overcome the drawbacks relating to the presence of the bead spacers, a structure has been proposed which fixedly forms columnar members between the pair of substrates as spacers. These spacers are referred to as columnar spacers (SOC) and are usually formed by applying a photosensitive region to the substrate and exposing, developing and baking the photosensitive resin by way of a mask on which a pattern for forming the columnar spacers is depicted. Particularly, the columnar spacers are arranged so as to avoid pixel electrodes, such as crossing portions between gate lines and drain lines, which are formed on substrates which face each other in an opposed manner.
With respect to the columnar spacers which are formed in this manner, although the gap between the opposing substrates is maintained, it is desirable that the columnar spacers have a fixed shape to hold the gap at a fixed value. Further, to support pressure which is applied to the columnar spacers at the time of manufacture or in the use of the liquid crystal display device, it is desirable that the diameter of the contact portions between the columnar spacers and the substrate is large.
In the above-mentioned step of baking the photosensitive resin, when the columnar spacers melt, irregularities arise with respect to the shape of the columnar spacers after the baking due to the irregularities in the shape and material of the spacers before baking, and the baking conditions. Particularly, with respect to the shape of the vicinity of a peak of the columnar spacer which is formed using a photo mask, a peak portion, that is, a surface which is brought into contact with the counter substrate, is rounded, and, hence, a portion where the columnar spacer and the substrate come into contact with each other becomes small, whereby irregularities in the cell thickness are liable to occur.
Further, the columnar spacer having such a round peak portion receives weight at one point compared with a columnar spacer having a flat peak portion, and, hence, there exists a possibility that the columnar spacer generates a deformation, such as warping, in the lateral direction.
As means to overcome this drawback, there has been proposed a technique to form peak portions (portions in contact with the counter substrate) on the columnar spacers of the liquid crystal display device having a recessed shape by exposing portions corresponding to the peak portions using a photo mask shielding the exposure portions from light partially or having a transmissivity which is changed continuously or in a step-like manner and their development thereafter, so as to keep the gap between the substrates uniform by enlarging the contact diameters where the peak portions come into contact with the counter substrate. Here, with respect to this type of construction, a technique disclosed in the following patent literature 1 is cited as an example.
[Patent Literature 1]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2002-229040

Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method thereof


A method for providing an estimate of brake pad thickness. The method employs fusion of sensors, if used, and driver brake modeling to predict the vehicle brake pad life. An algorithm is employed that uses various inputs, such as brake pad friction material properties, brake pad cooling rate, brake temperature, vehicle mass, road grade, weight distribution, brake pressure, brake energy, braking power, etc. to provide the estimation. The method calculates brake work using total work minus losses, such as aerodynamic drag resistance, engine braking and/or braking power as braking torque times velocity divided by rolling resistance to determine the brake rotor and lining temperature. The method then uses the brake temperature to determine the brake pad wear, where the wear is accumulated for each braking event. A brake pad sensor can be included to provide one or more indications of brake pad thickness from which the estimation can be revised.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system and method for estimating the thickness of a vehicle brake pad as it wears from use and, more particularly, to a system and method that uses sensor fusion and brake modeling for estimating the thickness of a vehicle brake pad as it wears from use.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Vehicle brake pads typically last between 20,000 and 80,000 miles depending on the type of driving, i.e., city, highway, rural, etc., where the average brake pad life is about 50,000 miles. The thickness of the brake pad gradually decreases as a result of wear as it is used. When the thickness of the brake pad becomes sufficiently small, a mechanical scraper makes contact with the brake rotor. The mechanical scraper makes an annoying high frequency noise, which is an unfriendly reminder that the brake pad needs to be replaced. Although the noise does alert the vehicle operator that the brake pad is worn out, it does not give the vehicle operator advanced warning, or a continuous determination the lining thickness, only that the brake pad has worn down to a low level. Therefore, for example, if a long trip is planned, there is no indication that the brake pads may not last the journey.
It is known in the art to provide a sensor that determines brake pad thickness as it wears. For example, sensors are known that include one or more wires extending across the brake pad at certain thickness levels so that when the wire breaks, the sensor will provide an indication that the brake pad thickness has been reduced a certain amount. However, such sensors are typically expensive, and do not provide a continuous indication of brake pad thickness through the life of the brake pad.


A driving force distributing device is provided for distributing a driving force of an engine to the left and right wheels of a vehicle by bringing a pair of hydraulic clutches into and out of their engaged states. The distributing device includes a hydraulic pump mounted within a casing thereof and driven through gears by a half shaft connected to one of the wheels. An oil passage interconnects the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic clutches, the oil passage being defined in a casing. A valve block is coupled to an upper surface of the casing. Thus, the oil passages interconnecting the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic clutches of the driving force distributing device can be compactly formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving force distributing system for a vehicle including a driving force distributing device for distributing a driving force of an engine to left and right wheels by controlling the engaged state of a hydraulic clutch, and a hydraulic pump for producing hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic clutch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a driving force distributing device for distributing a driving force to left and right front wheels in a front engine and front drive vehicle is provided in the vicinity of the transmission. Therefore, the hydraulic pressure for operating the hydraulic clutch of the driving force distributing device is supplied from the hydraulic pump of the transmission.
However, the driving force distributing system suffers from a problem that if an attempt is made to supply hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump in the transmission to the hydraulic clutch of the driving force distributing device, it is necessary to connect the transmission and the driving force distributing device to each other by a pipe extending through the outside of a casing, and the entire length of the oil passage through the pipe is increased.

Driving force distributing system for vehicle


A cold start control module for a direct injection engine includes a fuel flow determination module and a cylinder activation/deactivation module. The fuel flow determination module determines a requested fuel flow. The cylinder activation/deactivation module deactivates at least one of cylinders when the requested fuel flow exceeds a maximum fuel flow of the fuel pump during cold start.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent that it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Spark ignition direct injection (SIDI) engines have improved fuel economy and increased power over conventional port fuel-injected combustion engines. A fuel injection system for an SIDI engine is operated at high pressure to spray fuel directly into combustion chambers. A fuel pump for supplying the fuel to a fuel rail at high pressure may be mechanically driven by the engine. During engine cold start, the engine may not have sufficient power to drive the fuel pump to generate the desired high pressure. Further, the engine generally requires a richer air/fuel mixture at cold start to maintain constant speeds and thus requires even higher fuel pressure. The fuel pump of the SIDI engine may not be able to meet the fuel demand at engine cold start. A fuel pump with a larger capacity may improve performance of the SIDI engine at cold start while increasing manufacturing costs of the engine.

Method of starting spark-ignition direct injection (SIDI) engines


A dispensing mechanism for an applicator having a cylinder and a plunger. The plunger has a piston head slidable in liquid-tight manner within the cylinder. The plunger performs an expansion stroke to draw fluid into the cylinder and performs a compression stroke to dispense fluid from the cylinder. The dispensing mechanism includes a stop member attached to the cylinder of the applicator. The stop member has an engagement part extending toward the plunger. The plunger has at least one abutment formed on its surface for contacting the engagement part and limiting the motion of the plunger. Each abutment preferably comprises an end surface of a longitudinal groove formed in the surface. The engagement part tracks within the longitudinal groove and preferably limits the expansion stroke when the engagement part contacts the end surface. Each longitudinal groove is of a different length corresponding to a desired dose volume in the cylinder. The engagement part can track to a desired longitudinal groove through the circumferencial groove.

1. Field of the Invention.
The invention relates to apparatus and methods for dispensing measured doses and particularly, but not exclusively, to apparatus and methods for dispensing measured liquid doses from applicators that generally comprise a plunger with a piston head sealingly fit within a cylinder. The invention is particularly applicable to applicators for veterinary purposes such as dosing animals with liquid, paste or gel medicaments. However, it will be appreciated from the following description that the invention is not limited to such applications and may be used for many other purposes where it is necessary to dispense repeated measured doses of a liquid.
2. Background.
The state of the art includes various applicator devices and methods for dispensing measured liquid doses. State of the art applicators include drenchers, trigger pumps, and syringes. These applicators or delivery systems typically comprise a cylinder and an elongate plunger. The plunger has a piston head which is slidable in a liquid-tight manner within the cylinder to discharge fluid from the cylinder through an outlet and draw fluid in through an inlet. The outlet and inlet may be the same orifice as is the case in a basic syringe. It is desirable to be able to preset the volume of liquid which is discharged from the cylinder in each compression stroke of the plunger. The preset volume of discharged liquid may be determined either by the volumetric dimensions of the cylinder as it relates to a complete plunger stroke or by a predetermined limited motion of the plunger within the cylinder. For example, there may be provided an adjustable stop arrangement for limiting the motion of the plunger either in the compression stroke direction or in the expansion stroke direction. It is preferred to limit the movement of the plunger in the expansion stroke direction to ensure that the cylinder is completely discharged after each compression stroke, regardless of the volume of liquid being discharged.
Drenchers and trigger pumps administer fixed doses of fluid either from an attached container or from an external bulk supply. An example of a trigger pump is disclosed in U.S. patent application No. 08/870,918 entitled Fluid Dispenser Apparatus filed on Jun. 6, 1997 in the name of Mark Anderson, and is hereby incorporated by reference. These devices typically have a squeezable trigger or handle used to expel the fluid from the cylinder. A fixed dose amount, predetermined by the volume of the cylinder, is accurately dispensed by moving the trigger or handle through its full range of motion, which causes the plunger to undergo complete compression and expansion stroke. Although an estimated partial dose can be delivered by partially moving the trigger or handle through its range of motion, an accurate administration of a different sized dose generally requires another applicator having a cylinder sized to contain the desired dose volume.
The syringe type devices provide a generally simpler method of dispensing doses. Syringe type devices are generally shown in the following art: Ennis, III (U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,096) which describes a dripless automatic syringe for dispensing fluids; Ennis, III (U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,409) which describes a syringe latch; Ennis, III (U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,772) which describes a dispenser for viscous fluids; Ennis, III (U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,107) which describes a dripless dispenser for liquids and viscous fluids; and Ennis, III (U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,472) which describes a cannula assembly for a syringe. Generally, a desired dose is drawn into the syringe by carefully monitoring graduated markings on the cylinder. Alternatively, a syringe latch can be attached and reattached to the plunger to repeatably and accurately meter incremental doses of fluid by limiting the compression stroke of the plunger.
The known art is believed to have significant limitations and shortcomings. Specifically, they are unable to provide an economical, efficient, and effective means for dispensing a range of accurate doses from a variety of delivery systems, including the applicators described above. Applicant's invention provides an mechanism and method for dispensing measured doses which is believed to constitute an improvement over the known art.

Dispensing mechanism and method for delivering measured doses with slotted plunger


A main power load signal and a main voltage reference signal correlated to a main power signal. A sub power load signal and a sub voltage reference signal correlated to a sub power signal. A reference voltage is provided and a boost voltage is determined according to a control signal. The main voltage reference signal and the sub voltage reference signal are compared, and when the first comparison result complies with a predetermined condition, a difference between the main voltage reference signal and the sub voltage reference signal is obtained to be further compared with the reference voltage. Then the control signal is determined. The main power load signal and the sub power load signal are compared, and then one of the sub voltage reference signal and the boost voltage is selected as a power source voltage of the sub power control circuit or the load sharing control circuit to generate an adjustment signal for determining current and voltage of the sub power signal.

At present, electronic products that require high power or high reliability generally use redundant power supply technology. This technology is to design multiple power supplies to provide power to electronic products. One of the advantages is that when one power supply cannot supply power, it can be powered by redundant power supplies. In addition, when working, it can be jointly powered by multiple power supplies, i.e. load sharing, thereby reducing the load rate of a single power supply.
For an electronic device that has too limited space to install more power supplies than a built-in one but is designed to work under the redundant power supply technology, the redundant power supplies would need to be external ones. However, in the existing technology, the built-in and external power supplies are required to exhibit exactly the same functions, and the power supplies both need to exhibit load-sharing functions. Such technical conditions confine the availability of power supplies. Furthermore, since the cost of a power supply with a load-sharing function is relatively high, it will also increase the manufacturing cost of the electronic device.


Novel compositions for the production of the light and heavy chains of an antibody are provided. These novel compositions are also used to produce germline transgenic birds that can successfully pass the transgene encoding the antibody to their offspring. The compositions comprise components of vectors, such as a vector backbone, a promoter, and a gene of interest that encodes the light or heavy chain of an antibody, and the vectors comprising these components. In certain embodiments, these vectors are transposon-based vectors. Also provided are methods of making these compositions and methods of using these compositions for the production of the light and heavy chains of an antibody. In one embodiment, the antibody is a human monoclonal antibody.

Antibodies, or immunoglobulins, are proteins produced by cells of the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign substances, such as bacteria, viruses, or improperly proliferating native cells. An antibody consists of two larger "heavy" chain polypeptides and two smaller "light" chain polypeptides. Both the heavy and the light chain polypeptides contain a constant region and a variable region. It is the variable region that allows each antibody to specifically recognize a different target (i.e., antigen). The recognition of a foreign antigen by a specific antibody allows other parts of the immune system to recognize and attack the foreign antigen. In addition, an antibody can directly neutralize a bacterial or viral cell by binding to a part of the bacterial or viral cell that is needed for infection.
Antibodies are useful both for therapeutic and diagnostic functions. For example, anti-Rhesus factor D (anti-RhD) antibodies are regularly given as a prenatal therapy to mothers who are Rhesus factor negative (Rh−) to prevent the mother's body from attacking the Rhesus factor positive (Rh+) cells of a baby that she is carrying. Antibodies also are currently being used for a number of other therapeutic applications, such as for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, transplant rejection, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases (e.g., autoimmune-related disorders), respiratory syncytial virus infections, macular degeneration, and many forms of cancer including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and breast cancer. Some immune deficiencies, such as X-linked agammaglobulinemia and hypogammaglobulinemia also are treated with antibodies. In addition, antibodies are used to detect bacterial or viral infections or to detect which particular allele of a protein is being produced by a patient.
The manufacture of therapeutic and/or diagnostic proteins such as antibodies, is an expensive process. Companies using recombinant techniques to manufacture these proteins are working at capacity and usually have a long waiting list to access their fermentation facilities. What is needed, therefore, is a new, efficient, and economical approach to make antibodies in vitro or in vivo.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A sprocket trimming method for a multi-stage sprocket assembly is disclosed which includes the steps of: (1) aligning the two sprockets at a gear shift position where a chain is escaping from one sprocket and engaging with another sprocket and is being tilted at a tilting angle; (2) using a computer aided design simulation to simulate how the gear shift operation is taking place and thus identify the portion of the sprocket tooth that will be overlapped and/or interfered with the chain when the chain is moved from an escaping sprocket tooth to an engaging sprocket tooth; and (3) trimming the overlapping and interference portion of the sprocket teeth to a depth according to the following equation: ##EQU1## wherein: D is the depth of the overlapping and interference portion of the sprocket teeth to be trimmed, w is the pitch width of the chain, Lc is the pitch length of the chain, .theta. is the tilting angle of the chain at gear shift position, Ts is the thickness of the sprocket of a smaller diameter, Sg is the distance between the two sprockets. The trimming allows the gear shift operation to be performed without the chain interfering with the sprocket teeth located between the escaping and engaging teeth.

This invention relates to a sprocket trimming method for a multi-stage sprocket assembly in a bicycle, and particularly to sprocket trimming method applicable for the structure disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,422 issued on Apr. 25, 1995 to the assignee.
In order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the gear shifting process for a multi-speed bicycle, U.S. Pat, No. 5,409,422 taught two sprocket tooth trimming methods and structure for the multi-stage sprocket assembly in a bicycle.
However the specifics about how the sprocket teeth should best be chamfered and trimmed laterally have not been fully elaborated.

Sprocket trimming method for the multi-stage sprocket assembly

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A management entity obtains from a first wireless access point a Basic Service Set (BSS) color collision event detected by the first wireless access point. The first wireless access point uses a first BSS color. A color collision event occurs when the first wireless access point receives from a device in a BSS of a different physical wireless access point a frame or PHY Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) that includes the first BSS color. The management entity obtains from the first wireless access point an indication whether the color collision event has been detected for longer than a predetermined duration. When the color collision event has been detected for longer than the predetermined duration, the management computes a probability of the color collision event. The management entity determines whether the color collision event is malicious or benign, and determines whether to maintain the first BSS color.

A Basic Service Set (BSS) color mechanism was added to the IEEE 802.11ax amendment for improving spatial reuse across wireless local area networks (WLANs). High efficiency (HE) Physical Protocol Data Units (PPDUs) are decoded by a WLAN if they meet the BSS color and the associated signal strength criteria. As a part of this mechanism, the standard also included a protection mechanism that alerts when the BSSs involuntarily choose the same color, which can reduce spatial reuse efficiency. This is done through a BSS color collision event detection mechanism.

Detecting and preventing denial of service attacks due to fraudulent BSS color collision events


A printing apparatus having a printing head comprising a plurality of coaxial, rotatable printing wheels, disposed substantially side-by-side and employing printing characters, and a control rotor for controlling the printing wheels and having its axis parallel to that of the printing wheels and positioned to be moved bi-directional to come into engagement with any selected printing wheel and then to be rotated about its axis to rotate the selected printing wheel for bringing into printing position a desired character thereon, comprising mounting structure mounting the control rotor to. i) move axially parallel to the axis of the printing wheels, PA0 ii) move toward and away from the axis of the printing wheels, PA0 iii) rotate as aforesaid; and drive structure to effect the i) movement, the ii) movement and the iii) rotation.

This invention relates generally to apparatus to print a sequence of selected alphanumeric or other characters on work, as for example, wires, and more particularly relates to improvements in such devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,735 discloses a device capable of printing selected characters on a wire. It incorporates a control wheel that selectively and sequentially rotates printing wheels in a stack.
There is need for improved devices capable of such operation, and wherein interference between the control wheel and print wheels is avoided, as during shifting of the control wheel between printing wheels, to be rotated. There is also need for highly efficient, easily controllable, and rapidly programmable and operable apparatus of this general type.


An apparatus for storing a set of events, is provided, the apparatus comprising one or more circuitry configured to: receive an electronic message comprising information of a first event between a first party and a second party, the first event being initiated by the first party; determine whether a record of the first event exists in a first storage unit; wherein when it is determined that the record of the first event does not exist, the one or more circuitry is configured to: determine whether any subsequent events between the second party and a third party are initiated by the second party within a predetermined time of the first event; and store an association between the second party and a first set of events, the first set of events comprising the first event and the subsequent event, in a second storage unit, when the subsequent event is initiated within the predetermined time.

The "background" description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in the background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present technique.
In modern communication networks, an increasingly large volume of electronic messages are being exchanged in an ever shorter period of time. These messages are often exchanged between disparate entities in a communications network.
Now, in certain situations, it is desirable to trace the exchange of electronic messages across a communication network. That is, there are situations where it is desirable that the distribution and dispersion of messages across the communication network can be efficiently determined. From such distribution and dispersion, the connections between disparate entities in a communications network can be rapidly identified. In fact, in some situations, it may be desirable to trace and track any form of electronic interaction which occurs between the entities in a communication network.
It will be appreciated that it is particularly challenging to trace and track electronic interactions which occur between entities when those entities are located in different communication networks. That is, different communication networks have different technical capabilities and, as such, it can be challenging to trace the interactions which occur between entities when a number of those entities are located across different communication networks. In this situation, each individual network is controlled by a network controller which oversees and controls the communication between the entities of that network. However, the network controller for a first network cannot oversee or control the communication between entities in a second network. Accordingly, when an interaction occurs between an entity in the first network and an entity in the second network, it can be difficult to trace the interaction between those entities, as there is no single network controller which oversees the interaction between those entities. Rather, each network controller sees, at best, only a single part of the interaction.
Likewise, it is particularly challenging to trace and track electronic interactions between entities when those entities engage in a number of different types of electronic interactions. Accordingly, in a large communication network where a number of different types of interactions occur between the component entities, it is difficult to construct and store a uniform view of the connections between the entities in the network.

Apparatus, computer program and method of tracing events in a communications network


An uninterruptible power supply device, and method of use thereof, including a multiple-input source AC converter for receiving an AC input voltage and a DC input voltage, an inverter including a combiner module for combining the input power sources, and an AC/AC switching transformer, the inverter being controlled by a controller to provide an output voltage signal, the controller configured to sample the input voltage signal, the switching signal current and the output voltage signal, and to control the switching transformer based thereon so as to render the output voltage signal sinusoidal.

Uninterruptible power supplies or sources (UPS) are used to provide emergency power to a load when the input power source, typically the utility mains, fails. A UPS typically provides near-instantaneous protection from input power interruptions by means of one or more attached batteries and associated electronic circuitry. The on-battery runtime of most uninterruptible power sources is relatively short, e.g., 5 to 15 minutes, but sufficient to allow time to bring an auxiliary power source on line, or to properly shut down the protected equipment.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a prior art off-line UPS arrangement 100. When normal (mains) power is available, the selector 110 selects the mains power and supplies it to the load. In parallel, charger 120 is provided with power, and charges batteries 130, which are connected to an inverter 140 for converting direct current (DC) power from batteries 130 into alternating current (AC) power. When mains power is unavailable, selector 110 switches to receive power from the inverter 140, powered by batteries 130. However, the basic off-line UPS has a number of drawbacks. First, it may take a discernible time while the mains power drops below a threshold, and the selector switches to the inverter, thereby resulting in some small time of interrupted power. Therefore, in order to rectify this, the threshold may be raised; however, this may result in a greater number of switching events, some of which may not be blackouts, but small power dips or brownouts, thereby reducing battery life. An example of such a UPS arrangement may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,823,247 and 5,081,367.
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a prior art line-interactive UPS arrangement 200, which is an improvement on the off-line UPS of FIG. 1. Selector 210, charger 220, batteries 230, and inverter 240, have similar functionality as their corresponding parts in FIG. 1, described above. In addition, the batteries 230 power an inverter 250, which contributes to the line power. Accordingly, this internal regulation on the mains path reduces battery discharge during small fluctuations in the power waveform. However, one drawback of this arrangement is that fast transients nonetheless pass through to the load. Examples of online UPS systems include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,313,060 and 6,201,371.
FIG. 3 is a schematic block depiction of a prior art dual conversion UPS arrangement 300. In this arrangement, charger 310, batteries 320, inverter 330, and selector 340 are in the primary path, thereby providing power while the mains power is provided. Thus, the batteries are continually recharged and continually provide power to the inverter, which powers the load. The selector may bypass the batteries, for example, when mains power has been restored and the batteries are depleted. However, although the dual conversion arrangement overcomes some drawbacks of the other arrangements, it continually relies on battery power and an inverter, thereby providing power at very low efficiency. Examples of line-interactive UPS systems include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,719,550 and 4,782,241.
Finally, FIG. 4 is a schematic block depiction of a prior art delta conversion UPS arrangement 400. Charger 410, batteries 420, and inverter 430 have similar functionality as in the previous arrangements. The internal inverter 440 provides internal regulation similar to the line-interactive arrangement of FIG. 2. In the delta conversion USP, however, the selector is replaced by a summing node 450. Therefore, rather than selecting which power source to use, which may cause detection and switching delays, the summing node provides to the load power from both sources simultaneously, drawing from the battery-powered inverter 440 power required to correct the mains power level. However, although an improvement on the other arrangements, the delta conversion UPS also suffers from disadvantages. In particular, any fast transient on the power mains will pass to the load due to the limited time response of the inverter and the architecture of the delta conversion regulation. In addition, the delta conversion will draw power from the battery-powered inverter for any voltage fluctuation, no matter how small. An example of a delta conversion UPS system includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,768,223.
There is a need for a UPS arrangement that overcomes at least some of the above drawbacks of the prior art UPS arrangements.

System, apparatus and method for uninterruptible power supply


A process for carrying out cryogenic air separation wherein liquid oxygen is pressurized and vaporized against condensing feed air to produce oxygen gas product wherein excess plant refrigeration is generated such that the aggregate warm end temperature difference of the process exceeds the minimum internal temperature difference of the primary heat exchanger by at least 2K.

The separation of air into its constituent components by distillation occurs at cryogenic temperatures, and requires some amount of refrigeration. This refrigeration is typically generated by the expansion of a process gas across a turbine. When designing air separation processes, the amount of refrigeration generated by expansion is typically kept at a minimum, as all forms of refrigeration generation are penal to the process, either by degrading the efficiency of the separation or by requiring more compression energy than is minimally required by the needs of the plant's distillation columns. The efficiency of refrigeration usage for a plant is reflected by the temperature difference between the streams entering and leaving the plant. This temperature difference is referred to as the aggregate warm end temperature difference (WEDT). At the extreme minimum, a WEDT of 0K indicates that only the refrigeration required to drive the air separation was generated.
In liquid oxygen pumped cryogenic air separation plants, product oxygen is removed as a liquid from the bottom of a low pressure distillation column, whereupon it is pumped to an elevated pressure, boiled in the primary heat exchanger or a product boiler against a condensing air stream, and the resulting vapor is superheated in the primary heat exchanger to form the gaseous oxygen product. If the liquid oxygen is pumped to its final delivery pressure, the gaseous oxygen product is sent directly to the end user, otherwise it requires further compression. The boiling of this oxygen against the condensing air gives rise to an internal pinch temperature difference. In other words, it gives rise to the minimum aggregate temperature difference between the cooling and warming streams in the primary heat exchanger (PHX). The magnitude of the PHX internal pinch is dictated by the available heat exchanger surface area. The larger the PHX, the tighter the pinch. Typically, in liquid oxygen pumped air separation plants, the PHX pinch DT is approximately 1-2K.
The condensing air stream has to be compressed to a higher pressure than that of the main air feed to the plant prior to entering the PHX. This compression is typically accomplished with a separate booster air compressor. The pressure of the condensing air stream is typically higher than that of the boiling oxygen stream. As such, when higher pressure oxygen is required as a product, the booster air compressor consumes a large amount of energy. Because of the rising energy costs, the need exists for improved cryogenic air separation processes that use less total energy. It is a goal of this invention to reduce total power consumption by reducing the compression requirements of the condensing air stream.

Cryogenic air separation process with excess turbine refrigeration