Provided is a method of image-guided navigation comprising determining a final navigated point in a three-dimensional reconstructed coordinate system based at least partially on two or more navigated points in a coordinate system associated with a two-dimensional array of image pixels and without specifying a coordinate of each of the two or more navigated points in a direction orthogonal to the two-dimensional array of image pixels, wherein each of the two or more navigated points is for a different position of a C-arm gantry. Also provided is an image-guided navigation system.

The present invention relates generally to image-guided navigation. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems that employ a technique for determining a navigated point that uses an image-plane constraint to reduce navigation errors.
Image-guided navigation systems typically include an imaging system and an electromagnetic tracker and have been used to provide an operator (e.g., a physician) with information to assist in the precise and rapid positioning of a medical (e.g., surgical) device in a patient's body. In general, an image may be displayed for the operator that includes a visualization of the patient's anatomy with an icon or image representing the device location projected thereon. As the device is positioned with respect to the patient's body, the displayed image may be updated to reflect the correct device location. The image of the patient's anatomy may be generated either prior to or during the medical or surgical procedure. Moreover, any suitable medical imaging technique, such as X-ray, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), ultrasound, endoscopy, and optical imaging in the UV, visible, and infrared light spectrums may be utilized. For example, navigation may involve taking X-ray projections at different angular positions of a C-arm gantry and subsequent tomographic image reconstruction. With certain techniques, navigation occurs on three-dimensional (3D) images reconstructed from such X-ray projections, shortly before or during the surgical procedure.
To accurately depict the device position and orientation in the coordinate system associated with the reconstructed image, the coordinates associated with the device being employed should be correlated with the reconstructed-image (or "world") coordinate system. This correlation usually involves transforming the device coordinates from the device coordinate system to the world coordinate system via a transform chain that includes a number of intermediate transformations. The last transform in this chain transforms a point from a coordinate system associated with a two-dimensional array of image pixels to the world coordinate system. The coordinate system associated with the two-dimensional array of image pixels may also be referred to as the "image coordinate system."
A particulate feature of 3D navigation systems is the ability to transform the device coordinates from the image coordinate system to the world coordinate system for different gantry positions. In some implementations, the final device coordinates for display on the reconstructed image is computed by averaging the points in the world coordinate system obtained for different gantry positions for which the transform chain is established.
As will be appreciated, image-guided navigation may be complicated by navigation error, which is perceived by the operator as the distance between the tip of the navigated device in the image and the true instrument position in the image. The technique of averaging the points in the world coordinate system for the different gantry positions should reduce the navigation error. However, there is a need for additional techniques to reduce the navigation error on the reconstructed image

Image-guided navigation employing navigated point computation method and system


An improved package receptacle and theft deterrent device and system, in which a flexible receiving bag constructed of a rugged material includes security features to restrict access to its internal chamber and may be removably attached to a door or other structure through fully-removable or partially permanently attached means.

With the rise of online retailers and the corresponding decline of brick-and-mortar stores, the shopping experience frequently culminates in a package being delivered to a customer, rather than being brought home from a physical point-of-sale location. However, the recipient is not always present when the package is delivered, and thus the carrier must either bring the package back to a central warehouse for later pickup by the recipient or leave the package unattended at the delivery address. In the case of the former, this can lead to unintended delays in receipt, as the customer may not be able to travel to the central warehouse for pickup during normal business hours. In the case of the latter, unattended packages become prime candidates for theft; this is particularly problematic in urban areas, where greater traffic near the delivery address increases the number of individuals who see the unattended package.
Anecdotal evidence shows that some delivery services will go to significant lengths to hide packages from potential thieves. However, this is not the norm. Every moment spent attempting to hide a package for one customer is a moment that the carrier no longer has available to deliver packages to subsequent recipients on that day's route. Accordingly, while going to such lengths is admirable from a customer-service perspective, as such extra time accumulates throughout the day, it has the potential to result in later packages not being delivered on time, if at all. Conversely, it may require the delivery person to work overtime or to make up for lost time by driving at unsafe speeds or engaging in other traffic violations in order to meet the delivery quota for the day.
Some attempts at remedying the problem of package theft involve the permanent installation of large mailboxes or other unsightly structures. In addition to aesthetic issues, permanent installations are also problematic when there are space constraints, as these structures take up the same amount of space when in use and when not in use. Further, for high-capacity delivery locations, such as apartments, there simply may not be enough space to erect or permanently mount receptacles
Other removable theft-deterrent devices have been developed, including U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,715; however, these have drawbacks of their own. The device of the '715 patent includes a clamp that is used to affix a pouch to the edge of a door or to serve as an anchor placed behind the door. Affixing the anchor to the side or the top of the door requires that there be adequate clearance between the edge of the door and the door jamb; inadequate clearance will cause damage to the door jamb or prevent the door from being closed. Similarly, affixing the clamp to the bottom of the door requires adequate clearance between the door and the ground, as the clamp would be damaged or the door wouldn't move if the clamp were to come into contact with the ground. Use of the clamp as an anchor is equally problematic: there must be an adequate gap between the door and the jamb to accommodate the diameter of the cable and using the clamp as a behind-the-door-anchor may scratch or otherwise cause damage to the finished surface of the interior side of the door, jamb, or walls. Finally, when the clamp is affixed to the bottom of the door or is used as an anchor behind the bottom of the door, the pouch of the '715 patent lays on the ground in such a manner that a delivery person must bend over entirely to access the pouch and then must use two hands to close the pouch.
As a result, in light of the foregoing, it is clear that there is an unmet need in the art for a theft deterrent device that is removable and small enough to accommodate the demands of high-capacity residences, yet does not cause damage to the surrounding structures and maximizes ease of use by carriers and others delivering packages into the receptacle.

Package receptacle and theft deterrent device and system


The present invention relates to a bleach or disinfecting aqueous cleaning composition which is useful for the removal of grease or tar without any mechanical action. In particular, the instant compositions are derived from three liquid phases which merge together at the tricritical point to form one continuum forming the aqueous cleaning composition, wherein the three phases incorporate at least a polar solvent, a non-polar solvent or weakly polar solvent and a water soluble or water low molecular weight water dispersible amphiphile and the composition contains a bleach and disinfecting agent.

Liquid aqueous synthetic organic detergent compositions have long been employed for human hair shampoos and as dishwashing detergents for hand washing of dishes (as distinguished from automatic dishwashing, machine washing of dishes). Liquid detergent compositions have also been employed as hard surface cleaners, as in pine oil liquids, for cleaning floors and walls. More recently, they have proven successful as laundry detergents too, apparently because they are convenient to use, are instantly insoluble in wash water, and may be employed in "pre-spotting" applications to facilitate removal of soils and stains from laundry upon subsequent washing. Liquid detergent compositions have comprised anionic, cationic and nonionic surface active agents, builders and adjuvants including, as adjuvants, lipophilic materials which can act as solvents for lipophilic soils and stains. The various liquid aqueous synthetic organic detergent compositions mentioned above serve to emulsify lipophilic materials including oily soils in aqueous media, such as wash water, by forming micellar dispersions and emulsions.
A cleaning action can be regarded as a more-or-less complex process resulting in the removal of soils from a given surface. The driving forces generally involved in this process are mechanical energy (friction, attrition, sonification, suction etc.), solvation by a liquid, thermal agitation, soil-solvent interfacial tension reduction, chemical modifications (caustic, acidic, oxidative, reductive, hydrolysis, perhydrolysis, condensation, complexation, assisted or not by photoinduction, catalysts or enzymes), soil or soil residual suspension (e.g. in emulsions), and so on.
When the cleaning action takes place in water liquid vehicle, auxiliary cleaning agents, especially surfactants, are generally required to get rid of hydrophobic soils. Moreover, in most domestic cleaning tasks, the success of the cleaning mechanism is based on the reduction of the water/oil interfacial tension.
The generally admitted theory is that the oily soil is easily dispersed or emulsified in the composition because of the low interfacial tension existing between the washing liquor and the oil; due to the low interfacial tension, the liquid detergent composition easily wets the soil, diffuses through the soil or between the support and the soil, thereby weakening all bonding forces; the soil is then spontaneously removed from the substrate. This explains the removal of oily soil without a real solubilization of the soil.
Although emulsification is a mechanism of soil removal, it has been recently discovered how to make microemulsions which are much more effective than ordinary emulsions in removing lipophilic materials from substrates. Such microemulsions are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,075,026; 5,085,584; 5,076,954 and 5,108,643 most of which relates to acidic microemulsions useful for cleaning hard surface items such as bathtubs and sinks, which microemulsions are especially effective in removing soap scum and lime scale from them. In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/267,872 the microemulsions may be essentially neutral and as such are also thought to be effective for microemulsifying lipophilic soils from substrates. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,829 there is described a light duty microemulsion liquid detergent composition which is useful for washing dishes and removing greasy deposits from them in both neat and diluted forms. Such compositions include complexes of anionic and cationic detergents as surface active components of the microemulsions.
The various microemulsions referred to include a lipophile which may be a hydrocarbon, a surfactant which may be an anionic and/or a nonionic detergent(s), a co-surfactant which may be a poly-lower alkylene glycol lower alkyl ether, e.g. tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether, and water.
Although the manufacture and use of detergent compositions in microemulsion form significantly improves cleaning power and greasy soil removal, compared to the usual emulsions, the present invention improves them still further by the formation of aqueous near tricritical cleaning compositions which have improved cleaning as compared to microemulsions.
The instant aqueous cleaning compositions, which are optionally surfactant-free, provide increased grease, soap scum and tar removal capabilities without or with a minimum mechanical action as compared to the water-based microemulsions as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,075,026, 5,108,643; 4,919,839 and 5,082,584. These water-based microemulsions all contain a surfactant as compared to the preferred surfactant-free compositions of the instant invention.
In most domestic cleaning tasks, the success of the cleaning mechanism is based on reduction of the water/oil interfacial tension. In this frame, the thermodynamic of phases predicts that ultra-low interfacial tensions can be reached in the direct vicinity of peculiar compositions called "critical points" and particularly near "tricritical points," the properties of which were extensively described by Griffiths (Robert B.) Wheeler (John C.) Critical points in multicomponent systems, Phys. Rev. A, NEW YORK 1970, 2, (3), (Sept.), pp.: 1047-1064; and Griffiths (Robert B.). Thermodynamic model for tricritical points in ternary and quaternary fluid mixtures. J. Chem. Phys., LANCASTER. 1974, 60, (1), pp.: 195-206; and Widom. B. Tricritical points in three--and four--component fluid mixtures J. Phys. Chem., WASHINGTON. 1973, 77, (18), pp.: 2196-2200; and Widom (B.) Interfacial tensions of three fluid phases in equilibrium. J. Chem. Phys. Lancaster, 1975, 62 (4) pp: 1332-13360 and Lang (J. C.) Widom (B.) Equilibrium of three liquid phases and approach to the tricritical point in benzene-ethanol-water-ammonium sulfate mixtures. Physica A, AMSTERDAM. 1975, 81A, pp.: 190-213; and Widom (B.) Three-phase equilibrium and the tricritical point. Kinan, MEXICO. 1981, 3, A, pp.: 143-157
It must be pointed out that, in such critical compositions, surfactants are not a must. Moreover, it is not absolutely essential to be right at a tricritical point to obtain surface tensions much lower than those currently achieved with today's cleaning systems.
It is worthwhile to note that the tricritical points theory has already been under high scrutiny in view of enhancing oil recovery. These works are extensively described by Fleming (P. D.) Vinatieri (J. E.), Phase behavior of multicomponent fluids. J. Phys. Chem., WASHINGTON. 1977, 66, (7), pp.: 3147-3154 and Vinatieri (James E.) Fleming (Paul D.) Use of pseudocomponents in the representation of phase behavior of surfactant systems. Soc. Pet. Eng. J., DALLAS, 1979, 19, pp.: 289-300; and Fleming (Paul D.) Vinatieri (James E.). Quantitative interpretation of phase volume behavior of multicomponent systems near critical points. AIChE J., NEW YORK 1979, 25, (3), pp.: 493-502; and Fleming (Paul D.) Vinatieri (James E.). Role of critical phenomena in oil recovery systems employing surfactants. J. Colloid Interface Sci., NEW YORK. 1981, 81, (2), pp.: 319-331; and Vinatieri (James) Fleming (Paul D.), Multivariate optimization of surfactant systems for tertiary oil recovery. Soc. Pet. Eng. J., DALLAS. 1981, (2), pp.: 77-88; and Smith (Duane. H.). Interfacial tensions near the tricritical points of classical liquids: experimental evidence for the validity of the prediction of critical scaling theory. J. Chem. Phys., LANCASTER 1986, 85, PP.: 1545-1558. and Smith (Duane H.), Tricritical points as an aid to the design of surfactants for low-tension enhanced oil recovery. AOSTRA J. Res., EDMONTON(Alberta) 1984, (4), pp: 245-265.
In 1926, Kohnstamm rose the theoretical possibility of a critical point "of the second order" in a ternary liquid mixture, a point at which three co-existing fluid phases merge and become identical, Kohnstamm (Ph.). Handbuch der physik, 1926, Vol. 10, Kap. 4, Thermodynamik der Gemische, pp. 270-271, H. Geiger and K. Scheel (SPRINGER, BERLIN). Kohnstamm also stressed the extreme difficulty to find such a point.
Bleaching cleaning, oxidizing and disinfectant and compositions have been used in home and industrial applications for hard surface care and fabric care.
Hypochlorite bleaches are very effective at removal of stains, when they are used in relatively high concentrations, but these hypochlorite, as well as other active chlorine bleaches, can cause rather severe damage to fabric colors as well as damaging textile fibers. Additionally, these hypochlorite liquid bleaches can present handling and packaging problems. Color and fabric damage can be minimized by the use of milder oxygen bleaches such as potassium monopersulfate; however, stain removal characteristics of these peroxygen bleaches are much less desirable than those of the harsher halogen bleaching agents. Commercial bleaching compositions which contain peroxygen bleaches commonly utilize activators; which are compounds that enhance the performance of the peroxygen bleachant. Bleaching compositions which have employed various types of bleach activators have been disclosed in: Popkin, U.S. Pat. No. 1,940,768, Dec. 26, 1933; Baevsky, U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,550, Oct. 30, 1962; Mackellar et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,839, Aug. 29, 1967; and Woods, U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,711, Jan. 19, 1971. The instantly disclosed bleachant activators represent an improvement over these previously disclosed activators for the cleaning of fabrics and hard surfaces because of the ability of the formulator to formulation bleachant compositions which are activate at room temperature while causing less damage to the fabric being cleaned.
Hydrogen peroxide and surfactant mixtures have been disclosed in European Patent Application and Patent Nos: EP 0376,704B1; EP 0376706A1 and EP 0009839B2.
The bleach or disinfecting aqueous cleaning near tricritical point compositions which of the instant invention are applicable for use in concentrated household care products. The instant near tricritical point compositions permit the preparation of cleaning or liquid products which are optionally surfactant-free.
In accordance with the present invention, a bleach or disinfecting near tricritical point cleaning composition, suitable at room temperature or colder or at a higher temperature for pre-treating and cleaning materials soiled with a lipophilic soil, comprises a bleachant system together with a polar solvent such as water, a water soluble or dispersible low molecular weight amphiphile, and a non-polar solvent, or weakly polar solvent wherein the three phases have merged into one continuum at the tricritical point. The invention also relates to the killing of fungus, molds, spores, viruses, germs and bacteria as well as to a processes for treating items and materials soiled with soils such as lipophilic soil, with compositions of this invention, to loosen and to remove without mechanical action such soil by applying to the locus of such soil on such material a soil loosening or removing amount of the near tricritical point compositions of the instant invention. Disinfecting means obtaining a germ killing effect or microorganism killing effect.
The instant bleach or disinfecting aqueous cleaning composition exists at or in the vicinity of the tricritical point which is the terminus of three lines of critical points. The tricritical point is a thermodynamical point at which all three co-existing phases become identical simultaneously. At the tricritical point, the interfacial tension between the merging phases in which the polar solvent and the low molecular weight amphiphile are respectively at their highest concentrations is substantially zero, and the interfacial tension between the merging phases in which the low molecular weight amphiphile and the non-polar or weakly polar solvent (oil) are respectively at their highest concentrations is substantially zero, and the interfacial tension between the merging phases in which the polar solvent and the non-polar or weakly polar solvent are respectively at their highest concentrations, is substantially zero. Accordingly, the cleaning mechanism of the cleaning compositions of the instant invention is based on the reduction of the polar solvent/non-polar solvent interfacial tension as it approaches the value of zero.
The compositions of the instant invention have a phase inversion temperature (PIT) of about 0.degree. to about 80.degree. C., more preferably about 15.degree. to about 40.degree. C. The phase inversion temperature is the temperature at which there is an equal affinity of the low molecular weight amphiphile for water and for oil. It is the temperature at which the partition of the low molecular weight amphiphile between the water-rich phase and the non-polar-solvent-rich phase or weakly-polar-solvent-rich phase equals unity. That is, the weight fraction of the low molecular weight amphiphile in the water-rich phase is equal to the weight fraction of the low molecular weight amphiphile in the non-polar-solvent-rich phase.
The tricritical point compositions have ##EQU1## wherein the weight fraction of the water is equal to (1-.gamma.) (1-.alpha.) (1-.epsilon.) and .alpha. is about 0.01 to about 0.50 more preferably about 0.05 to about 0.30, .gamma. is about 0.01 to about 0.40, more preferably about 0.03 to about 0.25, and .epsilon. is about 0 to about 0.20, more preferably about 0.01 to about 0.05, wherein the additive is a water soluble additive, a polar co-solvent or an electrolyte.
The additives are water soluble molecules (electrolytes or organics) that are able to modify the structure of water so as to strengthen or disrupt the solvent structure. Addition of such chemicals will therefore modify the solubility of uncharged organic ingredients in water and, among others, of amphiphilic molecules. The above chemicals are divided into two classes: Salting-out (or kosmotropic) agents reinforce the structure of water and make it less available to hydrate organic molecules. Salting-in (or chaotropic) agents, on the other hand, disorder the structure of water, thereby creating an effect comparable to "holes". As a consequence they increase the solubility of polar organic molecules in water. (Salting-out and -in agents are also referred to as lyotropes and hydrotropes, respectively.)
In practice, lyotropic agents make water more incompatible with both oil and amphiphile. The result is a decrease of the PIT and an increase of the supertricritical character. The amount of low molecular weight amphiphile needed to "congregate" water and oil generally increases in the presence of salting-out agents. Hydrotropic agents have the opposite effects.

Near tricritical point compositions containing a bleach and/or a disinfecting agent


An echo canceler includes an adaptive filter that adapts to changes in an echo path, a double-talk detector, and an echo path change detector. The echo path change detector estimates the loss on the echo path, thereby distinguishing true double-talk from apparent double-talk detected by mistake because of a change in the echo path. The adaptive filter continues normal adaptation during the apparent double-talk state when echo path change is also detected. The necessary conditions for detection of echo path change preferably include a small separation between the estimated loss on the echo path and a long-term smoothed value of the estimated loss. The echo path change detector is useful in, for example, the cancellation of line echo in telephone switching systems.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an echo canceler, more particularly to an echo canceler that detects echo path changes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Echo cancelers are used in telecommunication systems to remove far-end echo from the signal transmitted from the near end to the far end. One type of echo canceler includes an adaptive filter, the tap coefficients of which are updated by a mathematical algorithm to adapt to changes in the echo path. Known algorithms work well when only the far-end party is talking, but fail badly in the double-talk state when both parties talk at once. Conventional echo cancelers therefore include a double-talk detector, and suspend the adaptation process in the double-talk state.
Unfortunately, double-talk detectors are apt to misinterpret changes in the echo path as double-talk, causing adaptation to be suspended just when it is most needed. This is particularly true when the echo path changes in a way that reverses the polarity of the echo signal. While the suspension lasts, since the adaptive filter cannot adapt to the ongoing changes in the echo path, a persistent echo is heard at the far end.
A double-talk detector that detects changes in the echo path by correlating the echo replica signal produced by the adaptive filter with the near-end input signal and incorporates the correlated result into the double-talk detection process is disclosed by Fujii et al. in 'Double-Talk Detection Method with Detecting Echo Path Fluctuation', Trans. of IEICE of Japan, Vol. J78-A No. 3, pp. 314-322 (1999, in Japanese). Under an assumed constant level of non-vocal background noise, this echo canceler can recognize even low levels of double-talk and distinguish them from changes in the echo path. The correlation method employed by this echo canceler is unreliable, however, in the presence of vocal background noise such as office noise.
It would be desirable to have an echo canceler that can accurately detect echo path change and control the updating of adaptive filter tap coefficients accordingly.

Echo canceler with echo path change detector


A fireplace furnace is insertable as a unit into the front opening of an existing fireplace. It has a firebox portion and can also have a cookstove extension of the firebox which protrudes into the room when the firebox is positioned in a fireplace. A sheet metal jacket around the firebox encloses a first air space. Double side walls of the firebox define a second air space. Frontal air openings connect both air spaces to the ambient room air. Rear openings in the outermost side walls interconnect the two air spaces at the rear of the firebox. Heat exchange tubes communicating with the first air space at the back of the firebox pass through the firebox to air discharge openings at the front of the unit. Air intake blowers in the first air space are insulated from the firebox by the second air space. Baffles in the first air space direct the incoming air flow rearwardly along the outer side walls, deflect a portion of such flow into the second air space, and divide another portion of such flow approximately equally among the heat exchange tubes. The unit has a front access opening and door with adjustable draft control mechanism.

The present invention relates generally to fireplace furnaces adapted for insertion within existing conventional fireplaces.
Conventional fireplaces are notoriously inefficient room heaters because they draw warm air into the fireplace and up the chimney when used. This problem can be solved by use of doors on the fireplace, but their use substantially reduces the radiation of heat from a fire in the fireplace into the room.
To improve the efficiency of such fireplaces, several approaches have been taken. Fireplace furnaces of the "heat-alator" type are well known, in which the fireplace itself is built with special heat outlet openings in the front wall of the fireplace above or alongside the fireplace opening so that air can be circulated along side and rear heat exchanging surfaces of the firebox and heated for discharge into the room through such openings. However, these designs all require either rebuilding or modification of an existing fireplace or installation of the furnace during the original construction of the fireplace.
To provide a more efficient fireplace furnace, I designed a self-contained prefabricated fireplace furnace for insertion within a conventional fireplace, shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,581, issued Apr. 5, 1977. The heater unit includes a metal firebox within a surrounding metal jacket. Room air is drawn into side inlet openings at the front of the jacket, warmed by the firebox walls serving as heat exchange surfaces, and then expelled back into the room through an upper portion of the jacket, all by natural convection. Although this heater is satisfactory to maintain warm temperatures in a room, it requires a considerable length of time to heat a cold room because of the low rate of air movement through the heater.
Use of fans to provide forced air circulation through fireplace heaters has been proposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,642,859 and 2,743,720. However, use of such fans does not entirely solve the problem because of their tendency to move air through the heater and back into the room before the air can be adequately warmed by the limited heat exchange surfaces of the heater.
I therefore advised a further improved fireplace furnace as disclosed in my application for patent, Ser. No. 843,986, filed Oct. 20, 1977, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,444. Such furnace has a jacketed firebox with heat exchange tubes extending through the firebox from the airspace at the rear of the firebox to discharge openings at the front of the firebox. This design enables efficient use of the heat produced by a fire by circulating room air, first through the side and rear airspaces and then through the heat exchange tubes, thereby exposing such air to progressively hotter portions of the firebox chamber.
As a further development of the foregoing design, I devised a combination fireplace furnace and cookstove as disclosed in my application for patent, Ser. No. 973,875, filed Dec. 28, 1978. This design includes a cookstove portion which protrudes into the room from the firebox when the firebox is positioned in the fireplace. Such portion can be used for cooking and increases the effectiveness of the furnace because of its ability to radiate heat from the exposed surfaces of the cookstove portion into the room as well as circulate warm room air.
In the use of conventional wood stoves it is common practice to bank the coals of a fire at night and to reduce the draft to slow their burning, so that the fire can be easily restarted from the glowing coals in the morning. It would also be desirable to be able to bank a fire in the fireplace furnaces of my foregoing patents and applications. However, banking has not proven feasible because of the proximity of the blowers to the hot side walls of the firebox. The electric motors of such blowers can be damaged by the extreme heat of the banked coals particularly when the blowers are turned off.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a fireplace furnace having all of the advantages of my prior fireplace furnaces and, in addition, the ability to safely and effectively bank the coals of a fire when desired without damaging the blowers.
Another primary object of the invention is to increase the heating effectiveness of my fireplace furnaces.
A specific object of the invention is to further enhance the ability of my fireplace furnaces to progressively heat ambient room air through improved air circulation within the furnace airspaces and improved firebox baffling.


A method of designing a semiconductor device includes density verification of layout data of the semiconductor device at a macro level. The method includes disposing virtual patterns each including a predetermined step width on a circumference of a verification frame; and moving the verification frame outside which the virtual patterns are disposed sequentially by the predetermined step width and performing the density verification of the layout data of the semiconductor device.

In recent years, as semiconductor devices (LSIs: large scale integrated circuits) are becoming multi-layered, trace smoothness is studied due to processing constraints in CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) process and the like. Therefore, for example, in physical verification, density verification (a chip region is divided by a verification frame and the verification frame is moved stepwise by a predetermined width) was performed for verifying whether trace density is within a specific standard value or not. Then, if the trace density exceeds the specific standard value, trace layout is corrected.
In the conventional layout data verification method (design method) for the semiconductor device, even if the layout data passes the density verification with no error at a macro level, in chip-level density verification where the macro is loaded, a density error (density exceeding a standard value) may occur due to difference of starting origins (difference of how patterns are included in the density verification frame).
In this case, the macro is corrected for each product type so as to pass the density verification and, therefore, a man-hour is used every time the macro is corrected. Further, in such approach, when the same macro is loaded on another product type, the error may occur again and, therefore, this approach does not solve the problem.
In this connection, conventionally, in order to reduce the data amount to be checked and, thus, processing time for verifying layout data of a semiconductor device, there is proposed a layout data verification method of a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: setting a graphic data extraction region including a width of a design standard value from an outside frame of a functional block; preparing extracted data by extracting pattern data at least a portion of which is included in the graphic data extraction region; preparing extracted data from other functional blocks in a similar manner; setting a trace data extraction region including a width of the design standard value from a boundary line of a trace block; preparing extracted trace data by extracting pattern data at least a portion of which is included in the trace data extraction region; and, then, performing design rule check on the whole semiconductor device based on all extracted data and trace extracted data (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H06-125007).
As described above, as the LSIs are becoming multi-layered and the trace smoothness is studied from the process viewpoint such as the CMP process, there arises a need to ensure that trace density does not exceed a standard value (for example, 40% to 60%).
Then, in the conventional layout data verification method (design method) for the semiconductor device, the density verification (for example, density verification by dividing a chip region by a verification frame of a square shape of 100 μm×100 μm, and moving the verification frame sequentially by a predetermined step width such as 10 μm) is performed in a physical verification phase (DRC: design rule check).
FIGS. 1 to 4 are diagrams for describing problems in the conventional layout data verification method of the semiconductor device. In FIGS. 1 to 4, reference symbol 100 denotes a chip, 200 denotes a macro (macro A), O1 denotes an origin of the chip, O2 denotes an origin of the macro, and W denotes a density verification frame.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, for example, density verification of chip (semiconductor device: LSI) 100 is performed with reference to origin O1 of chip 100 by shifting (moving) density verification frame (for example, verification frame of a square shape of 100 μm×100 μm) W sequentially from this origin O1 by a predetermined step width (for example, 10 μm). Here, the density verification is typically performed on patterns in a region included in density verification frame W by shifting this density verification frame W by the predetermined step width from the lower left origin (O1) in the right or upper direction.
On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 2, density verification of macro (macro A) 200 (macro-level density verification) is typically performed with reference to origin O2 of macro 200 by shifting density verification frame W sequentially from this origin O2 by a predetermined step width.
However, when macro 200 is disposed on chip 100, macro 200 is disposed on an arbitrary position on chip 100 and, therefore, the density verification of chip 100 (chip-level density verification) is performed with reference to origin O1 of chip 100 that differs from origin O2 of macro 200.
As a result, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 3 (FIG. 3 illustrates a case where origin O2 of macro 200 and origin O1 of chip 100 differ in the X-axis (horizontal) direction), in spite of the fact that the layout data passes the density verification at the macro level (200) with no error (OK) in N-1 and N steps, when the density verification is performed at the chip level (100) where the macro is loaded in X step, a density error (a pseudo error due to density exceeding a maximum density) occurs due to difference of how patterns are included in the density verification frame W resulting from difference of the starting origins.
More specifically, in the example of FIG. 3, in the circumference (the left and right ends) of density verification frame W, even though a metal pattern (metal trace) M101 is included in density verification frame W in macro-level N-1 step and a metal pattern M102 is included in density verification frame W in macro-level N step so that the density verification is OK (for example, trace density is less than or equal to a maximum density 60%), for example, in chip-level X step, both metal patterns M101 and M102 may be included in density verification frame W so as to cause an error in the density verification. (For example, the trace density exceeds the maximum density 60%.) It is because the macro is typically prepared just below the upper limit of the density standard.
Then, in the conventional art, if the density error occurs in the chip-level density verification as described above, the process returns the macro level (returns to macro correction) to correct the macro for each product type so as to pass the chip-level density verification and, therefore, a man-hour is used every time the macro is corrected. Further, in such approach, when the same macro is loaded on another product type, the error may occur again and, therefore, this approach does not solve the problem.
In order to address this problem, as a technique for satisfying the density verification standard without returning to the macro correction, it is considered to make the step width smaller (finer) in the macro-level density verification. FIG. 4 illustrates an example in which the step width is changed from 10 μm in the above example to 1.0 μm.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, for example, in the macro-level density verification, when the step width is 1.0 μm, it is seen that, even in the region where no error is detected in (N-1 and N steps), an error is detected in (N′ step).
However, in the macro-level density verification, in order to satisfy the density verification standard by simply reducing the step width, the step width is reduced up to a minimum grid (for example, 5 nm) in a design rule used for manufacturing the semiconductor device, but, such fine step width is practically impossible because of enormous time for the density verification.
Thus, properly speaking, at the macro level, the density verification may be satisfied from an infinite number of starting origins (or, in other words, with the verification frame disposed at an arbitrary position), but such verification may not be implemented due to constraints of TAT (turn around time) and tools and, in reality, the verification is performed from only one origin. Therefore, the density standard may not be satisfied in the verification frame at some of arbitrary starting points existing between adjacent steps and, as a result, there are regions where the verification is insufficient. Further, it is not practical to make the step width smaller because it directly increases time for the density verification.
Therefore, in the conventional layout data verification method (program) for the semiconductor device, when the macro is prepared just below the upper limit of density, there is a possibility to cause the density error at the macro level in the verification from starting origins other than one specific starting origin.

Method of designing semiconductor device including density verification


Disclosed is an electrophotographic imaging member that includes a substrate, a unitary electrophotographic insulating layer and a continuous phase having a transparent film forming polymer, the polymer phase having a surface facing away from the substrate, the surface facing away from the substrate contains imbibed dye molecules. The electrophotographic imaging member is prepared by subliming or vaporizing at least one sublimable or vaporizable dye on and into the surface of the layer facing away from the substrate. The invention also includes methods of forming multicolored or other images with this electrophotographic imaging member.

This invention relates in general to electrophotography and more specifically, to color imaging members and methods of making and using the imaging members.
Generally, electophotographic imaging processes involve the formation and development of electrostatic latent images on the imaging surface of an electrophotographic imaging member. The electrophotographic imaging member is usually imaged by uniformly electrostatically charging the imaging surface in the dark and exposing the member to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation such as light to selectively dissipate the charge in the illuminated areas of the member to form an electrostatic latent image on the imaging member surface. The electrostatic latent image is then developed with a developer composition containing toner particles which are attracted to the photoconductive member in image configuration. The resulting toner image is often transferred to a suitable receiving member such as paper and fixed thereto by any suitable technique such as thermal or pressure fusing. This imaging process may be repeated many times with reusable electrophotographic imaging members.
The electrophotographic imaging members include single or multiple layered devices comprising homogenous or heterogenous inorganic or organic compositions and the like. There have been disclosed layered photoreceptor devices comprising photogenerating layers and charge transport layers deposited on conductive substrates as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990. Electrophotographic devices known in the art also comprise, for example, a conductive substrate having deposited thereon a single layer comprising an organic photoconductor such as a polyvinylcarbazole-2,4,7-trifluorenone combination, phthalocyanines, quinacridones, pyrazolones and the like. These electrophotographic imaging members all contain at least one electrophotographic insulating material which is electrically insulating in the dark, but electrically conductive when struck by activating radiation.
Photoreceptor devices for color electrophotographic applications are well known and described, for example, in "Imaging Processes and Materials", Neblette's eight edition, Ed. J. Sturge, V. Walworth, A. Shepp, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1989, Chapter 5, Electrophotography, page 162. In one application for reproducing color images the photoreceptor is sensitive to electromagnetic radiation over the entire visible spectrum. The input color image is separated into three primary colors by appropriate external filters. This process involves three entirely separate latent image forming steps whereby the photoreceptor is sequentially exposed three times to the input image through typically three external color filters and developed stepwise by one of three color toners prior to transfer to paper. Exposure, development and transfer steps typically all occur for one colored toner prior to the next exposure. Three separate development systems, with the transfer of three colored toners are required to provide a full gamut of color. Disadvantages of this multicolor imaging process include the multiple light exposures required for forming the latent color image; the need for using external filters to control the spectral sensitivity of the photoreceptor device; the need for precise registration of the developer housings with respect to the latent image on the photoreceptor; and the need for precise registration of the developed toner patterns when they are transferred to the copy receiving sheet. The multiple light exposures required for latent image formation in the multicolor process have the additional disadvantages of consuming extra energy that powers the illuminant source and is time consuming, making the process slow compared to a single pass exposure process. Speed is also adversely affected if multiple development and transfer passess are required.
In another color photoreceptor application known as "highlight" or "accent" color, multilayer photoreceptor structures have been designed for single pass, two-color electrophotography, for example a black toner on white paper with a second highlight color toner according to Ishida et al as described in "Two Color Electrophotography", 4th International Conference on Electrophotography, Washington, D.C., p. 82. The Ishida et al photoreceptor consists of a conductive substrate, a lower photoconductive layer, an insulating layer in the middle and a photoconductive layer on top. The bottom and top photoconductive layers are chosen so that the lower layer is sensitive to light of wavelength less than 600 nm, while the upper layer is sensitive to wavelengths greater than 600 nm. The lower layer is sensitive only in the blue region of the spectrum. The middle layer may be an insulating polymer. The upper layer may be a polymeric organic photoconductor containing a dye that transmits blue and is sensitive in the red region of the spectrum. The photosensitization is a three step process involving sequential positive charging, negative charging in the dark and image exposure. The image is developed sequentially with a negatively charged colored toner followed by a black toner of opposite polarity. A problem with this two color process is cross contamination of the black toner by the colored toner leading to progressive deterioration of the black toner image quality in subsequently formed black toner images.
The application of dyestuffs in photosensitive members is known in the art for both single color and multi-color electrophotographic imaging processes. The dye or pigment in the photosensitive members of the prior art must serve to sensitize the photosensitive member, that is to promote and sustain the ionic charged state. For example copper phthalocyanine can be used as a photoconductor when incorporated into a polymeric binder to render the photoconductor photosensitive. Dyes have been used as sensitizers even in inorganic photoconductor materials to sensitize the xerographic plate to a larger segment of the visible spectrum. Many of the sensitizers used in photography are also applicable to xerography. Thus for example, crystal violet derivatives and cyanines are also useful sensitizers for electrophotographic imaging members. Organic pigments have also been vacuum deposited to form a photogenerating layer.


In a shear a workpiece is pressed by a holddown against a stationary blade so as to leave a piece to be cut off projecting past the blade, a movable blade is displaced forward past the stationary blade to cut off the piece, and a cut-off holder is pressed in back against the piece by a fluid-powered holding cylinder and moves back in the direction as the piece is cut off. Pressure is substantially completely relieved in the cylinder as soon as the movable blade starts to cut through the workpiece so that the cut-off holder does not substantially resist forward movement in the cutting direction. The movable blade is pressed forward in the direction against the workpiece by a main cylinder so that pressure in the main cylinder reaches a maximum level just before the movable blade starts to cut through the workpiece. The pressure in the main cylinder is monitored to trigger relief of pressure in the holding cylinder when the monitored pressure starts to decrease from the maximum level. It is also possible to monitor travel of the movable blade or cut-off holder and to trigger relief of pressure in the holding cylinder when the main blade or cut-off holder reaches a predetermined position. Similarly one can monitor elapsed time from the start of a cut through the workpiece and trigger relief of pressure in the holding cylinder a predetermined time after the cut starts.

A standard heavy-duty shear for cutting profiled steel rods and like workpieces has a frame supporting a stationary main blade, a movable blade displaceable adjacent the main blade, a main holddown which presses the workpiece down against the main blade prior to and during the cut, and a cut-off holder which presses the cut-off end of the workpiece up against the movable blade during the cut. The cut-off holder serves to maintain the piece being cut off in accurate position before and as it is sheared off the workpiece.
In German patent document 1,815,691 filed Dec. 19, 1968 by Joachim Wepner such a system is disclosed where the cut-off holder presses the workpiece fairly solidly back in the cutting direction against the movable blade. Thus not only must the movable blade be pushed forward with a force sufficient to shear the workpiece, but this force must additionally be able to overcome the opposite force of the cut-off holder. Typically pressure in a cylinder pushing the cut-off holder against the workpiece is established by an overpressure valve so that as the cut-off holder is forced down by the movable blade, this valve is forced open by back pressure to relieve the extra pressure created in the holder cylinder.
The main disadvantage of this system is that the main cylinder that pushes the movable blade down (it being noted that the terms "down" and "up" are used here purely for convenience and that the system would work perfectly well if inverted or on its side) must work not only against the workpiece, but against the cut-off holder. The fluid pumped into and out of the holddown cylinder does no meaningful work, but still the system must move and cool this fluid and provide sufficient pressure to the main cylinder for it to do its double job. The result is therefore a fairly complex system that is more costly to operate than the work it does would seem to warrant.

Shear system for cutting profile steel rods


A system and method for simulating another apparatus provides simulated readings by controlling a simulated display provided to portable simulator clients, such as via a wireless interface. Each simulator client provides detector reading displays for selected environments and allows for two-way interactive response with a master control unit. Simulator clients are configured as modular units comprising a smartphone or similar mass-produced wireless computing device removably integrated with a detector simulator housing and/or keypad interface. The master control unit allows direct control of individual detector displays and scenarios for the simulation.

Handheld hazardous materials detection instruments are used for detecting hazards in Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear, and Explosive ("CBRNE") environments. Proper interpretation of and reaction to data received on detectors is vital to life safety in a hazardous atmosphere or radioactive material contaminated area. Technology applied to the development of HazMat detectors has increased their functionality. Effective use of detection instruments in emergency conditions rests on adequate operator training. Without adequate training, first responders and others may be placed at risk when an actual incident occurs.
Emergency response agencies from all over the United States utilize grant funds to send personnel to a handful of remote training sites that specialize in certain areas of CBRNE. Those offsite training opportunities result in increased cost to cover personnel with only marginal benefit, given the limited exposure to actual hazardous materials during training. Live fire training (e.g., active burns creating simulated "immediately dangerous to life and health" (IDLH) atmosphere) in the Fire Service are used to establish vital real-life and safety decision skills in an environment that approximates the responder's real world as closely as possible. However, this same model of live training in HazMat, using actual CBRNE agents for training HazMat first responders, is dangerous, expensive, difficult to construct, and unrealistic for most, if not all, municipal fire/hazmat teams. The live agents that are used in training are typically very small amounts in a controlled environment that do not simulate actual distribution of the substance, initial contact with or training stress likely experienced in the field.
Moreover, HazMat detectors cannot safely be equipped with built-in training modes, because of the risk this would create that an operator might confuse detection of actual hazardous materials with readings from a built-in simulator function during an emergency. For this reason, it is preferable to use actual HazMat detectors for training with actual CBRNE agents. If CBRNE training agents cannot be deployed, it is preferable to use separate devices that resemble detectors closely enough to function as training equipment, but different enough to eliminate any serious risk of being confused with actual equipment during an emergency. Supplying "similar but different" equipment may pose special challenges for the design of HazMat detector simulators, raising the cost of supplying effective but safe dedicated HazMat training simulators.
Despite the advantages of offsite and live training or dedicated training equipment, the high cost of offsite training, live training, or dedicated HazMat training equipment may undesirably constrain the number of people who can be trained. A need therefore exists to train front line responders with realistic and real-time simulations using their detection devices or economical dedicated simulators, while keeping the cost of training equipment and personnel to a minimum.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Hazardous material detector simulator and training system


A method of forming a wafer level chip scale package interconnect may include: forming a post-passivation interconnect (PPI) layer over a substrate; forming an interconnect over the PPI layer; and releasing a molding compound material over the substrate, the molding compound material flowing to laterally encapsulate a portion of the interconnect.

Semiconductor devices are used in a variety of electronic applications, such as personal computers, cell phones, digital cameras, and other electronic equipment, as examples. Semiconductor devices are typically fabricated by sequentially depositing insulating or dielectric layers, conductive layers, and semiconductor layers of material over a semiconductor substrate, and patterning the various material layers using lithography to form circuit components and elements thereon.
Interconnects may be formed to join two substrates. An array of interconnects may be deposited on the bonding pads of a first substrate, with a second substrate joined at its own bonding pad sites to the first substrate via the interconnects. For example, interconnects may be solder balls formed on a pad and then reflowed to attach a second substrate. The interconnects may be formed with a layout different from the land layout to permit customization of the output layout. This may be accomplished with metal lines disposed in a dielectric, with one or more metal layers overlying the lands and connected to the lands by conductive plating layers.

Wafer level chip scale package interconnects and methods of manufacture thereof

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A headlamp mounting arrangement for an automotive vehicle comprises a mounting support panel which forms a part of the vehicle and a lamp assembly with mounting studs extending outwardly from the rear wall thereof through first openings in the support panel. A lock plate is connected to the mounting support panel on the side opposite the lamp assembly for sliding movement between a first position for preventing withdrawal of the mounting studs from the first openings in the mounting support plate and a second position for permitting withdrawal of the mounting studs from the first openings. A latch type engagement is provided on the lock plate for preventing undesired sliding movement of the lock plate toward the second position.

The subject invention is directed toward the art of automotive vehicle headlamps and, more particularly, to a headlamp mounting arrangement that greatly simplifies installation and removal of automotive headlamp assemblies.
Vehicle headlamps are typically mounted by means of bolts and nuts or similar threaded fasteners. Consequently, installation and removal of headlamp assemblies has generally required the use of tools and has been time consuming and relatively difficult.
Although various types of clip fasteners have been used in addition to the more standard threaded fasteners, the clips have often been difficult to use or have been unsatisfactory for a variety of reasons. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved system for mounting vehicle headlamp assemblies.

Automotive headlamp assembly fastening system


A technique to wholly recognize the surrounding environment may be provided by excluding unknown environment which arises due to parts of a body of a robot hindering the sight of the robot during operations.

Robots having a connected member that is connected to a body trunk via a joint that includes a driving mechanism are being developed. Among the robots of this type, there is a type of robot that creates an environmental map from environmental images that are taken by a body trunk-side camera arranged on the body trunk, and, based on the acquired environmental map, draws up a plan of its moving course to the aimed position. In the technique disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-92820, images are taken by a camera that is arranged on a head of a robot, a disparity image or a distance image is calculated from the acquired image, planar parameters are computed from the acquired disparity image or distance image, and then creating an environmental map by abstracting a plurality of planes including the floorage space based on the acquired planar parameters. The robot recognizes the areas within which the robot is able to move from the environmental map, and plans its moving course based on the recognized areas.

Abstract: The robot of the present invention is provided with a body trunk including head and torso, at least one connected member that is connected to the body trunk by a joint in which a driving mechanism is provided, a body trunk side camera that is arranged on the body trunk, and a connected member side camera that is arranged on the connected member. Further, the robot is provided with a composite image creation unit that creates composite image of a body trunk side image taken by the body trunk side camera and a connected member side image taken by the connected member side camera, such that a part of the body trunk side image is replaced with a part of the connected member side image so as to exclude the connected member from the body trunk side image.


The present invention relates to a novel process for preparing pyrrole ester compounds, which are key intermediates in the preparation of farnesyl transferase inhibitors, an anti-cancer agent Horner-Emmons reaction of aldehyde compounds provides the corresponding xcex1,xcex2-unsaturated esters, which without any separation and/or purification steps, are treated with toluenesutfonyl-methylisocyanate in the presence of base to give pyrrole esters in one-pot fashion.

The present invention relates to a novel process for preparing pyrrole ester compounds which are key intermediate in the preparation of farnesyl transferase inhibitors, an anti-cancer agent (see: Ko, J. S. et al., WO 9928315). Horner-Emmons reaction of aldehyde compounds provides the corresponding xcex1,xcex2-unsaturated esters, which without any separation and/or purification steps, are treated with toluenesulfonylmethylisocyanate (TosMIC: hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x98TosMICxe2x80x99) in the presence of base to give pyrrole esters in one-pot fashion.
The most typical method for the synthesis of 3-substituted-4-pyrrole ester compound is through the cyclization reaction of an isonitrile compound with an electrophilic xcex1,xcex2-unsaturated compound, as depicted in the following Reaction Scheme 1. As isonitrile part, TosMIC is the most well known reagent (van Leusen, A. M. et.al. Teiahedron Leit. 1972, 52, 5337.).
in which
R1 and R2 independently of one another represent C1-C4-alkyl.
Recently BetMIC (Katrizky, A. R. et.al. Heterocycles, 1997, 44, 67.) of the following formula showing a similar reactivity to TosMIC has been developed.
Thereafter, the same researcher has developed a new method as depicted in the following Reaction Scheme 2. TosMIC is reacted with a carbonyl compound in the presence of a base and POCl3(phosphorous oxychloride) in sequence to give an xcex1,xcex2-unsaturated isonitrile compound, which is then reacted with an activated nucleophile to give a pyrrole compound (van Leusen, A. M. et.al. J Org. Chem. 1992, 57, 2245.).
in which
R represents alkyl, allyl, or aryl, and
E represents an electron-withdrawing group.
As known in the previous arts, the general synthesis of 3-substituted-4-pyrrole ester contains two discrete stages. The first stage is the preparation and purification of xcex1,xcex2-unsaturated compound and the second stage is the cyclization reaction of the purified xcex1,xcex2-unsaturated compound with TosMIC in the presence of base. However, since the conventional method requires purification step after the preparation of xcex1,xcex2-unsaturated compound, it is inevitable to efflux the reaction solvent as waste unless it is recycled. To remove the efflux of waste solvent and increase the efficiency of the process, it is proposed to run the two reactions in the same solvent as one-pot fashion.
Under the technical background as explained above, the present inventors have investigated extensively on the eradication of the waste solvent problem and the increase of the efficiency of the process for the purpose of mass production of pyrrole ester. As a result, we have come up with the present invention by combining the two stages of the pyrrole synthesis into one-pot/one stage process. Therefore, the pyrrole ester is obtained in high purity and in environmentally friendly manner.
The object of the present invention is to provide a process for preparing a desired pyrrole ester derivative represented by the following formula (1):
in which
R represents alkyl, allyl, or aryl, and
R1 represents C1-C4-alkyl, by reacting an aldehyde compound represented by the following formula (2):
in which R is defined as previously described, with a trialkylphosphonoacetate represented by the following formula (3):
in which R1 is defined as previously described, in an inert solvent in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide base in an amount of 1 to 1.5 molar equivalent with respect to the compound of formula (2) to give an xcex1,xcex2-unsaturated ester compound represented by the following formula (4):
in which R and R1 are defined as previously described, and subsequently by adding TosMIC and the same base as used in the previous step in an amount of 1 to 1.5 molar equivalent with respect to the compound of formula (2).
The process according to the present invention is depicted in the following Reaction Scheme 3
In the process of the present invention, it is very important to use the alkali metal alkoxide base in an amount of 1 to 1.5 molar equivalents with respect to the compound of formula (2). If the amount of base is deviated from the defined range, the reaction to prepare the unsaturated ester compound of formula (4) is not proceeded cleanly. As a result, the object of the present invention to react the unsaturated ester compound directly in the next step in the same reaction system without being separated cannot be achieved. As the base which can be used for such a purpose, alkali metal methoxide, -ethoxide, -t-butoxide, -t-pentoxide, etc., preferably sodium- or potassium-t-butoxide or -t-pentoxide can be used. Though the reaction is well proceeded by using the base in an amount of 1 to 1.5 molar equivalents, however, 1 to 1.3 molar equivalent thereof may be sufficient to exhaust the aldehyde compound. Further, an excess base may cause hydrolysis in the subsequent separation step of layers, it is preferable to use the base in an amount of 1 to 1.3 molar equivalent in order to minimize such a hydrolysis reaction.
Any inert solvent which does not adversely affect to the reaction can be used in the process according to the present invention, but tetrahydrofuran, dimethoxyethane, toluene or mixtures thereof is preferably used.
After the process for preparing the compound of formula (4) is completed, TosMIC and the same base as used in the previous reaction step were added and stirred until the xcex1,xcex2-unsaturated ester is completely removed to produce the pyrrole ester compound of formula (1). In this reaction, TosMIC is added in an amount of 1 to 1.3 molar equivalent with respect to the compound of formula (2) and the base is added in an amount fallen under the same range as mentioned in the previous step of preparing the compound of formula (4). Then, the reaction solution is quenched with water and extracted with a suitable extracting solvent which is not miscible with water at temperature of 40 to 90xc2x0 C. (if a high yield is desired, 60 to 90xc2x0 C. is preferable). The organic layer was separated and stirred at room temperature, and the formed precipitate is filtered to give the desired compound of formula (1) in a pure state. The solvent is not always required to remove before carrying out the extraction. But, in case of tetrahydrofuran or dimethoxyethane is used as the reaction solvent, since they are well miscible with water, it is required to be removed by distillation. Therefore, the increase of yield can be expected if the solvent is removed in advance by distillation under reduced pressure before the extraction. As the extracting solvent for this purpose, toluene or n-butyl acetate can be preferably used. Particularly, when sodium-t-pentoxide is used as the base, since this base is well soluble in the preferable extracting solvent toluene, the trouble to have to use an extracting solvent different from the reaction solvent may be saved.
The reaction for preparing the compound of formula (4) is proceeded at temperature ranging from xe2x88x9220 to 40xc2x0 C., preferably 10 to 25xc2x0 C. on a satisfactory level. Also, the process for producing the desired pyrrole ester derivative of formula (1) from the compound of formula (4) thus obtained is suitably carried out at temperature ranging from 0 to 40xc2x0 C.
Contrary to the prior arts, after the unsaturated ester compound of formula (4) is produced, it directly reacts with TosMIC without any separation or purification, in the present invention to afford the pyrrole ester. Thus, reduction of the waste solvent and enhancement of the efficiency of the process is obvious and provides great advantage particularly when the process is applied on an industrial production.

Process for preparing 4-substituted 1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylic acid ester


The processibility and initial mechanical strengths of hydraulic cement compositions, e.g., Portland cement, are improved by formulating therewith an adjuvant comprising (i) a water-soluble salt of the condensation product of an aromatic sulfonic acid with HCHO (formulated either alone or in admixture with a water-soluble salt of an aromatic sulfonic acid which has not been condensed with HCHO), (ii) lithium hydroxide, and (iii) a hydroxide of another alkali metal or of an alkaline earth metal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for improving the processing parameters and the mechanical properties of mixtures based on hydraulic binders, especially Portland cements or similar cements. The invention also relates to novel compositions which can be used as adjuvants in mixtures based on hydraulic binders.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to this art that a mixture consisting of hydraulic cement, of water and of a filler such as sand or gravel [hereafter referred to as a hydraulic cement composition] gradually loses its fluidity once the mixture has been prepared, due to the progress of setting, and in the case of concrete this loss is referred to as the loss of ability to flow and spread. Thus, if a long time is provided between mixing the cement and casting same, it is necessary to prevent this loss in fluidity.
In order to restore fluidity to the cement if the cement composition has become viscous, the addition of water has hitherto been employed. However, in such a process, the weight ratio of mixing water/cement [hereafter referred to as the W/C ratio] is altered (increased) by the addition of water, and this results in undesirable phenomena, such as a reduction in the mechanical strength of the finished product.
In order to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages, it has been proposed to add to the hydraulic cement compositions dispersing agents which function to bring the binder into a fluid and easy-to-work form, while tending to reduce the amount of water necessary for mixing; these agents are commonly referred to as water-reducing agents.
The prior art, especially U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,141,569, 3,277,162 and 3,677,780 and French Patent No. 2,165,681 teaches that from among the water-reducing agents, the best known and also the most commonly used are the water-soluble arylsulfonate or alkylarylsulfonate salts, the organic moiety of which either may or may not have been condensed with formaldehyde. However, these products are still not completely satisfactory because their use in cold weather, especially at temperatures of between 0.degree. and 15.degree. C., is accompanied by a slowing down of the hardening. If such dispersing agents are added to cements, good results are indeed observed in respect to fluidity, but, on the other hand, it is found that the initial mechanical strengths, for example, those measured after 24 hours, are substantially reduced. Accordingly, a serious need exists in this art for a process to improve the properties of hydraulic cement compositions which makes it possible to overcome the noted disadvantage of lowering of mechanical strengths as a result of cold weather, while at the same time preserving the above-mentioned advantages, in particular the fact that a fluid, easy-to-work binder is obtained.


A sink trap having a generally semi-global main chamber, a shallow water chamber, a plurality of baffles for supporting the water chamber in the main chamber in an inwardly spaced relation and define a plurality of volute passageways between the main and water chambers and a cap detachably secured to the upper edge of the main chamber and an inlet pipe extending axially downwardly through the cap into the water chamber to lead drainage into the water chamber and discharging the drainage by overflowing the water chamber to flow through the volute passageways forming a turbulent liquid flow along a drainage pipe line to prevent the drainage pipe line from becoming choked with impassable matter.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in traps adapted to be attached to a waste-pipe leading from a sink or other similar receptacle.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 460,557 to Carroll discloses a sink-trap comprising a main chamber having a circular recess in the upper edge for sustaining laterally-extending lips of a water-chamber, outlet ports located in the upper portion of the water-chamber and opening into the main chamber and a cap detachably secured to the upper edge of the main chamber for an object to provide means for preventing sewer-gas and other obnoxious vapors from passing up through the waste-pipe and out of the sink. The water-chamber of this known art is so deep that it may become chocked with impassable matter and needs to be inspected and cleaned periodically by removing the cap.

No. 149 (Room 9, 10/F.) Lin Sen Road, Sec. 1


A plasma burning device for an electrothermal/chemical gun system includes a case hating a bottom and an interior; plasma material accommodated in the interior; and a high-voltage electrode passing through the case bottom into the case interior. The high-voltage electrode is adapted to cooperate with a gun tube acting as a counter electrode for generating an arc to combust the plasma material. The high-voltage electrode includes a conductor bar adapted to be coupled to a high-voltage source; an insulation surrounding the conductor bar; a conductor sleeve electrically connected to an end of the conductor bar and extending towards the case bottom along a length portion of the conductor bar. The conductor sleeve surrounds the insulation and the conductor bar and has a non-insulated outer surface. Further, an insulating cap is provided which covers the end of the conductor bar.

This invention relates to a plasma burning device for electrothermal and electrothermal/chemical gun systems. The device has a high-voltage electrode which passes perpendicularly through a bottom zone of a container (case) accommodating the plasma material. The high-voltage electrode and the gun tube which functions as a counter electrode, are connected to a high-voltage source. The high-voltage electrode has an energy supply bar (current conductor bar) provided with an insulation.
U.S Pat. No. 5,287,791 discloses a precision generator for an electrothermal/chemical gun system, having an anode and a cathode for igniting the plasma. A thin wire disposed in the plasma channel electrically connects the anode and the cathode with one another. Upon applying a high voltage, the wire is combusted, whereby an arc is generated which ignites a propellant charge for launching a projectile.
U.S. Pat. No 5,355,764 likewise discloses a plasma generator for an electrothermal/chemical gun. The generator disclosed therein has an anode and a cathode as well as a thin metal wire therebetween within a plasma channel for igniting the plasma.
It is a disadvantage of both above-outlined conventional generators that long insulating paths are necessary to prevent an arc discharge from the high-voltage side (anode) to the grounded gun tube.
An annular plasma injector for an electrothermal/chemical driving system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,081. In one of the embodiments, a grounded cathode is electrically connected by an igniting wire externally of the plasma chamber with a high-voltage side. The igniting wire has the function of generating an arc. The element serving as the igniting wire is disposed in the fuel chambers, and the ground side is grounded via the gun tube. The element serving as the igniting wire is separated from the plasma by an insulating sleeve. If the intensity of current passing through the igniting wire is sufficiently high, the element is evaporated and supplies for the plasma the fuel mass contained in the element.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 196 17 895 discloses a plasma injection device for electrothermal guns, having a multipart propellant case through which only one electrode passes; the second electrode is constituted by the grounded gun tube.
Because of the expansion of an arc between the inner electrode and the gun tube and the accompanying phenomenon, according to which the generated gas streams and arc root-points are driven into the gun tube, significant corrosion appears in the conical zone of the breech zone and occasionally also in the muzzle zone of the gun tube.

Plasma burning device for electrothermal and electrothermal/chemical gun systems


The present invention provides a comprehensive development platform and client-side technology for intelligent and cost-effective delivery of video, audio and broadband content over a network, such as the Internet, to desktop, mobile computing, and network connected devices. In one embodiment of the present invention, an intelligent delivery system (IDS) delivers offline content on a client that provides a user experience similar to corresponding content accessed via a network, such as content experienced by a user visiting a web-site on the Internet. Through a background delivery process, the IDS transparently provides offline content automatically to the client. A user may display online content via a browser the first time visiting a content provider, such as a web-site, and from thereafter, the IDS automatically provides a second application to display offline content downloaded from the content provider. The user interface provided by the offline content stored on the client has a substantially similar appearance and behavior to the user interface presented by the online content. Using the second application locally on the client, the user displays and experiences offline content substantially similar to and corresponding to portions of the online content communicated via the Internet. For example, the user may display in the second application a high-definition video from storage of the client in a user interface that is substantially similar to the user interface of the web-site for streaming video.

As the number of people communicating over a publicly accessible communication network, such as the Internet, continues to grow, the use, availability and distribution of media content via the Internet, such as video and audio media files, grows as well. The popularity of delivering and experiencing media content via the Internet continues to grow because the Internet provides for both immediacy of the media and interactivity of the media. Media content can provide a rich interactive user experience from a network connected device. In addition, media content delivered to computing devices via a network may receive input from the user or information about the user to both personalize and dynamically enhance the user experience, thereby further increasing the immediacy and interactivity of the medium.
As such, delivering media content via the Internet is quickly gaining adoption as a mechanism for reaching consumers for purposes of marketing and monetizing media content or media assets. For example, traditional broadcasting services, such as television and television advertising, are interested in transforming broadcasting content, advertisement and other media assets into Internet delivered content and Internet enabled consumer experiences that can be monetized, controlled and managed. However, even with increasing improvements in consumer devices, broadband technologies and multimedia interfaces, the adoption and movement towards Internet or Internet Protocol (IP) based delivery of media content to consumer devices raises various challenges in development, implementation and deployment, including content ingestion, media encoding and transcoding, content and catalog management, publishing and delivery, device targeting, digital rights management, and reporting.
One of the challenges facing the development of IP-based media delivery is that consumers may want to experience high quality media content or rich interactive media, such as high-definition video. The delivery and performance of high quality media content may be limited or constrained when transmitted over a network, such as the Internet. For example, a client may communicate with a content provider via a web browser. The content provider may provide a desired user experience via a web-site, such as by branding and interactive content. A smaller video media file of a lower quality may be streamed by the content provider via the Internet to the client and displayed in the web browser with minimal or no performance issues. However, a larger media file of higher quality may only be streamed to the client in a manner having performance issues such as delays in transmission, or other processing delays. As such, the user may be prevented from viewing the media in a continuous desired fashion. This may be due to the size of the media or the bandwidth of the connection of the device. For example, the client may be connected to the Internet with a slower network connection.
In some cases, the user could download the media file to the client and then start a media player locally to view the media offline. Although after downloading the file, the user may experience the higher quality media, the client is then using another user interface, such as a media player, to play the media offline. This results in a different user experience than that provided by the online web-site presence of the content provider. Content providers may invest thousands to millions of dollars in designing web-sites and rich interactive content to present a brand, attract new customers, and maintain customer loyalty. Therefore, content providers typically do not desire users to experience this designed content differently. Therefore, systems and methods are desired for downloading offline content to a user that provides a similar user experience as the online content of the content provider.

Systems and methods for providing a similar offline viewing experience of online web-site content


A process for obtaining fish meal which is essentially free of oil, as well as recovering valuable free polyunsaturated fatty acids, comprising hydrolyzing membrane phospholipids in comminuted fish with aqueous alkali solution, at a temperature which is not substantially above ambient, adding a strong acid to release free polyunsaturated fatty acids, recovering the free fatty acids from the aqueous phase by mechanical separation, and drying the aqueous phase.

Fish meal is an excellent source of protein, and as such has been considered for use as an additive to feed for animals, such as chickens. There is an abundant source of fish for use in making fish meal, as there are often many trash fish caught which are considered unsuitable for human consumption, or only certain parts of the fish are recovered for human use, with the remainder being discarded. This is true for herring, which are caught principally for their roe, the herring in excess of that which can readily be marketed being discarded.
The unusable or unused fish cannot be returned to the sea because dumping of this fish over the side of a vessel may scare away other fish, making the fishing grounds unsuitable for future use. Another problem with disposal of the unused fish is the significant odor, and consequently environmental, problem of dead fish.
Unfortunately, currently available fish meal, even after all of the fish oil has been removed from the adipose tissues by conventional techniques, still contains a significant amount, up to about 5%, of oil. This oil is contained in the cell membranes of the fish meal, mainly as phospholipids. Some of this oil is in the form of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are extremely vulnerable to oxidation at ambient conditions. The oxidation products of these free polyunsaturated fatty acids contribute to the unpleasant taste and odor of fish meal. Because of this unpleasant taste and odor, such fish meal, which would otherwise be an excellent source of protein as a supplement in food for human consumption or in animal feed, has been substantially eliminated from this market. Furthermore, these oxidized free fatty acids, when present in chicken feed, for example, impart a fishy odor to the chickens themselves and to the eggs that they lay. Additionally, it is known that the consumption of the oxidized products of free fatty acids can cause neurological damage. Great quantities of vitamin E must be added to the fish meal in order to offset the effect of these oxidation products and to decrease to some extent the neurological damage that can be done in order for it to be used as fodder. For these reasons, chicken feed, for example, currently can contain only up to about 5% of fish meal, mixed in with other traditional ingredients of chicken feed such as corn, etc.
Traditionally, fish meal has been prepared by any of various processes such as extracting oil from comminuted fish by cooking the fish to render the oil, extracting the oil with organic solvents, or extracting by cold pressing the fish under pressure or centrifuge, to separate the oil in an organic phase from the proteins in the aqueous phase. These processes do not remove all of the oil from the fish. While they may remove all of the oil readily available in the adipose tissues, they will not remove the oil which is bound to the cell membranes in the form of membrane phospholipids. The cell membranes contain up to 5% of the total fish oil in the form of membrane phospholipids. This amount of oil, which cannot be removed by the above-mentioned methods, is sufficient to make the fish meal substantially unsuitable for use as a protein supplement. The high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, occurring in the membrane phospholipids, while valuable as nutritional supplements, are very vulnerable to oxidation, thus rendering the fish meal unsuitable for use as a source of protein and difficult to dispose of.
Many methods for removing oil from fish or fish meal have been proposed in the prior art. However, none of these methods specifically address the problem of oils present in membrane phospholipids, and many of these processes subject the fish to extremes of temperature that may cause formation of undesirable by-products. Among the problems encountered in subjecting fish to elevated temperatures is that the elevated temperatures may cause rancidity, and thus undesirable odors, of the fatty acids present therein. Additionally, particularly in view of the presence of decarboxylase enzymes in the cells themselves, amino acids present in the fish may be decarboxylated to amines, many of which have disgusting odors.
Vogel et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 2,875,061, disclose a process for preparing protein products from fish materials wherein raw fish are first subjected to fat extraction by an organic solvent and then heated in a solution of alkali hydroxide in ethanol to remove fishy taste and smell from the fish material. The process of this patent does not involve conditions which will inherently hydrolyze phospholipids. Furthermore, there is no provision to recover any valuable free polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Roels, U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,686, teaches a process for recovering a protein hydrolysate having an oil concentration of less than 0.15% from whole fish or fish products by digesting a homogenized slurry of the fish at elevated temperature in an acid medium at a pH of about 1 and separating and purifying the aqueous phase of the digestion step. This high temperature acid treatment provides undesirable side effects in that the amino acids become decarboxylated to amines which have undesirable smell and a moderate degree of toxicity.
Danish patent No. 141,922 extracts oil and protein material from fish or fish entrails or livers by mixing with sulfuric acid to a ph of 1.2 to 2.2 and maintaining at 40.degree. C. for 1 to 4 days and then neutralizing and centrifuging to obtain three fractions, fats, a protein hydrolysate and a sludge. The conditions of this process are not sufficient to hydrolyze cell membrane phospholipids.
European patent No. 169,166 discloses a method of hydrolysis of animal or vegetable proteins by treatment with gaseous hydrochloric acid. The intent of this patent is ony to hydrolyze the proteins and there is no disclosure of hydrolyzing phospholipids in order to remove all fatty acids.
Suzuki, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,642, discloses a method for making a concentrated food product from the meat of marine animals by adding to the marine animal meat an edible salt to adjust the pH to about 6.5-7.7, and removing fats and water by use of a hydrophilic organic solvent.
Faith et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,607,285, disclose a process for solubilizing and extracting protein from fish, fish products, or fish parts by treating the fish with alkaline bacterial protease. This enzyme works on the protein and not on membrane phospholipids.
Conn, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,903,503, discloses a process for extracting oil and moisture from fish press cake by treating the fish cake with petroleum ether or other volatile solvent and removing excess solvent with a vacuum pump.
Sahlstrom, in U.S. Pat. No. 353,822, discloses a process for making extracts from fish wherein the fish is treated with hypermanganic alkali and ammonia solution, and then centrifuged, to remove fat from the fish. The oil is then separated for special treatment, which treatment is not disclosed.
Herwig, in U.S. Pat. No. 547,548, discloses a process for preparing fish meal by heating comminuted fish under dry heat to cause part of the water in the tissue to be vaporized, thereby bursting the cell walls of the fish flesh to lay open juices. These juices are evaporated with heat, and the oil is removed by means of organic solvents. No means to remove oil from the phospholipids bound to the cell membranes is disclosed.
None of the prior art workers have recognized that a specifically non-oily fish meal cannot be obtained without liberating the oily material from the membranes of the fish flesh and that this oil must be liberated in a manner which does not cause degradation of the amino acids.

Process for preparation of oil-free fish meal and recovery of polyunsaturated fatty acids


A device for magnetizing a tissue-penetrating medical device is disclosed including a housing having a proximal portion and a distal portion; a magnetic field generator contained within the distal portion of the housing and a tissue penetrating subassembly including a hub and a tissue penetrating medical device having a proximal end and a distal end. The hub is detachably connected to the distal portion of the housing and the proximal end of tissue penetrating medical device extends proximally from the hub such that the proximal end of the tissue penetrating medical device is exposed to the magnetic field to magnetize the distal end of the tissue penetrating medical device. Methods of magnetizing tissue-penetrating medical devices are also disclosed.

Emerging medical procedural guidance systems utilize a combination of ultrasound and magnetic technologies to visualize a patient's sub-dermal anatomy and to provide guidance for positioning an invasive medical device, for example, a needle, a stylet or a guidewire. The combination of ultrasound and magnetic methods allows for estimation of the position of the insertion device relative to the patient's anatomy, and thereby improves the likelihood of successfully accessing the vascular and completing the invasive procedure.
Ultrasound and magnetic procedural guidance system technology relies on the invasive device having a magnetic field source. One way to magnetize a portion of the invasive device prior to insertion is by using an externally applied magnetic field. For systems that apply an external magnetic field, the portion of the invasive device that is targeted for magnetization is the metal cannula of the invasive device, for example, the cannula of a needle. For this type of system, a separate device with integrated magnets is used to actively magnetize the needle just prior to the insertion procedure.
Systems that require the user to actively magnetize the metal cannula have certain limitations and inherent risks as this approach does not guarantee consistent magnetization given the reliance of the user to place the needle into the needle magnetizer and the variation of how this is done (i.e. depth, speed, centering, etc.).
Thus, there is a need for a system that passively and consistently magnetizes the needle while reducing or eliminating risks, such as needle tip damage and needle contamination.

Electro-magnetic needle catheter insertion system


A lesion formation apparatus including adhesive and cytotoxic material and methods associated with the same.

1. Field of Inventions
The present inventions relate generally to the formation of therapeutic lesions in body tissue.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many instances where therapeutic lesions are formed in body tissue. One conventional method of forming lesions involves the application of electromagnetic radio frequency ("RF") energy to heat and eventually kill (i.e. "ablate") tissue. The ablation energy is typically supplied and controlled by an electrosurgical unit ("ESU") during the therapeutic procedure. More specifically, after an electrophysiology or electrosurgical device has been connected to the ESU, and the electrodes or other energy transmission elements on the device have been positioned adjacent to the target tissue, energy from the ESU is transmitted through the electrodes to the tissue to from a lesion. The amount of power required to coagulate tissue ranges from 5 to 150 W.
With respect to the formation of therapeutic lesions in heart tissue to treat cardiac conditions such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter and arrhythmia, some procedures utilize electrode-carrying catheters which form lesions on the endocardium in order to create a maze for electrical conduction similar to that created by surgical maze procedures. The lesions are carefully placed to interrupt the conduction routes of the most common reentry circuits. Exemplary catheters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,013,052, 6,203,525, 6,214,002 and 6,241,754. Surgical soft tissue coagulation probes that carry one or more electrodes on relatively short, stiff shafts have also been used in endocardial and epicardial procedures where access to the heart is obtained by way of a thoracostomy, thoracotomy or median sternotomy. Exemplary surgical probes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,142,994, 6,468,272 and 6,645,200. Electrosurgical clamps have also been used to form lesions around, for example, a pairs of pulmonary veins. Exemplary electrosurgical clamps are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,994 and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2003/0158547.
One of the advantages associated with electrophysiological and electrosurgical procedures is the rapid nature of the lesion formation after the electrodes have been positioned against the target tissue. Typically, an irreversible transmural lesion will be formed in heart tissue within a few seconds after the energy transmission process is initiated. The present inventor has, however, determined that there may be some instances where the rapid formation of irreversible lesions is undesirable.

Self-adhering lesion formation apparatus and methods


According to some embodiments, systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are provided for a domains template management system. In some cases, a domain landing page may be presented to a plurality of users, and historical user action data associated with the landing page may be collected. A subsequent presentation of the landing page may then be dynamically adjusting based on the historical user action data.

A business may present content, including advertisements, to users. For example, a business might receive advertisement information from merchants (e.g., text or image information) and in turn present advertisements to users, along with other content, via web pages. In this case, the merchant may provide payment to the business based at least in part on how many users viewed (and/or responded to) the advertisements.
For various reasons, users may respond to different layouts, combinations, and/or selections of advertisements in different ways. For example, displaying text advertisements above image advertisements might turn out to be less effective as compared to displaying them below. Similarly, placing one type of advertisement next to another type of advertisement might decrease user response to both advertisements. Also note that similar displays might be received differently depending on the type of user (e.g., the user's age and whether the user is male or female), the time of day, or any of a number of other factors. Because a business may receive payment based at least in part on user reaction to a display, it may be advantageous to select and/or adjust the display to improve user reaction. Manually monitoring user reaction to select and/or adjust an appropriate display, however, can be an inefficient process. This might be especially true when the business is associated with a substantial number of displays. Therefore an automated process to monitor and select the appropriate display that yields the highest net effective revenue may be desired.